I'm a Bad updater ;.;

Chapter Twelve:

-Youmaru is about 1 month and 2 Weeks in this chapter (AKA: Kohaku was gone for about 2 Weeks)-

His affairs were finally in order, and everything he had to attend to was properly taken care of. So the young man was headed back to the lord of the Wests' home.

It was there that Kohaku would continue to court Lady Rin.

So when he finally arrived he was a bit relieved. He was tired of running around to get things in order. Then traveling through the large western lands was not his idea of enjoyment. The Taijya never really hunt in the Western lands, as the few settlements that were within the borders were taken care of by the lord of the west.

It was just as well when it came to the demon hunters. The Western lands was one of-if not the-largest land.

Being led into the sitting room, it was there Kohaku waited to be greeted-hopefully by Rin-by one of the inhabitants of this place. He'd settle for being greeted by anyone really, except the dog lord himself. He wasn't necessarily afraid of Sesshoumaru. He just didn't want to say or do the wrong thing in the dog lords presence and be forced to give up on Rin.

He really cared about Rin.

Kuronue entered the room before anyone else, head tilted to a side and he grinned, "So, you're Rin's new man, hm?"

Kohaku turned to face the bat demon. He didn't recognize him from the last time he was here. "And you are?" He asked gently.

Kuronue smirked a bit, "I'm Kuronue." He chuckled, "Youmarus man~" He practically sang out as he soon laughed softly.

Kohaku wasn't sure if he should feel easy around this bat or keep his guard up.

But luckily for him Rin soon was in the room and he smiled when he was hugged, and he hugged her back.

"Rin is so happy Kohaku returned so quickly!" She hadn't expected him to be so fast taking care of things.

"Hai, Rin." Kohaku smiled gently, "I wanted to return as quickly as I could..." He had honestly thought he took to long, and here she thought he returned quickly?

When they parted, Kohaku gave Rin a warm smile as she smiled back.

"Kuro-nii hasn't bothered Kohaku-san has he?" She asked grinning in the way she learned from her Youko-kaa-sama.

Kuronue sputtered but soon chuckled, "Wouldn't dream of it~"

Rin gave the bat a knowing look as she clasped Kohaku's hand in hers, "Come on, let's go to the garden, Kohaku-kun!"

Kohaku smiled a bit giving a nod, "Hai Rin-chan" he stated warmly, ready to go with her. He gave the bat a glance, but brushed it back as he let his attention go back to Rin as he followed her out to the garden.

The instant the pair passed the threshold and took their first steps onto the garden path, there was a rustle from above before a pair of identical voices shrieked; "KIT CANNONBALL!" and that same pair of identical twins vaulted off the roof, right for their Rin-nee-sama and Kohaku-nii-kun.

Kohaku, honed from years of battling demons, turned on a dime and caught the little vixens in mid air, tucking them under each arm and propping them on his hips as he laughed tauntingly. "Too slow, little ones."

Ati and Tia both gave pouts, "No fair!" they both wailed as they squirmed a bit wanting to be set down and not held by their captor since it was no fun this way!

Kohaku chuckled, looking to Rin for an answer, "Let them go, or hold them hostage, Rin-chan?"

Rin lifted a hand to cover her lips as she giggled. "Rin doesn't know Kohaku-kun." she stated playfully watching the squirming twins. "It would keep them out of trouble if we kept them." She giggled more.

Kohaku grinned back at his hopefully-to-be-wife, and propped the little kits more comfortably in his arms, "Hear that, girls? You're now prisoners of war, only to be released upon the condition of having lunch."

Both groaned knowing they wouldn't get out of the older boys arms. Both sulked for a moment, then both started to grin, "Are you sure you have us?" They asked grinning innocently as vines from the garden they were in latched onto Kohaku.

Kohaku stared at them blankly for a moment, before he laughed, "Playing taijiya with a taijiya? And here I thought I taught you better than that." His tone was teasing as he kicked his boots against the path a certain way, and the blades hidden against his calves sprang out, severing the plants as he leaped away, landing on top of one of the well placed benches.

Both sisters laughed and basically squealed with delight as they got to watch him react. They were both giggling madly even though he still had a hold of them and they were not on one of the benches around the garden. "Do it again!" They squealed in delight, getting more plants to grab him.

Kohaku flashed Rin a reassuring, and somewhat cocky, smile as he spun on one heel to slice the approaching vines with his leg blade, doing a backwards flip to land next to the human girl, his sharp eyes on watch for more approaching plant life. His hold on the twins never wavered.

The girls were giggling madly and practically bouncing in Kohakus arms, but that stopped when plants they were not controlling sprung to life to grab Kohaku. They were not their harmless vines. These had thorns.

Kohaku's eyes widened and he nearly cursed as he tried frantically to leap aside, leading the vines away from Rin while holding protectively to the kits. His almond gaze flicked about apprehensively as he shuffled both twins to one arm and extended his wrist blade to help protect himself as well as the twins if necessary.

During his scans what Kohaku found was a very pissed off fox. Silver hair seemed lifted and moved by a non existent breeze, along with a faint greenish glow around him. Looking at the foxs eyes, all that was seen was a solid green where there was once gold. A hand moved as a plant sprung up behind Kohaku, a foul-smelling liquid dripping from its maw.

The twins trembled, afraid as they could feel the amount of power, and knowing just what plant was behind Kohaku. The kits didn't understand what was wrong with their mother.

Kohaku cursed full out as he tensed and swung his blade, releasing the catch at the last second as he sprang forwards to avoid what he knew to be acidic sap. Shit, shit, shit, shit. Pissing off an earth fox in a garden was the most... Vaulting himself into a front flip, using his now free hand to give himself an extra push, he spared a glance at Rin, relieved the plant life was not attacking her. How was he supposed to calm the ancient silver without letting the kits get hurt?

Both of the twins whimpered, trembling a bit, they'd never seen their mother angry, and were wishing they still hadn't. Their mother was scary so angry.

Rin had taken a slow step back seeing her Youko-kaa-sama in such a state. Slowly moving back to not get any attention on her, soon as she could she went inside to find Sesshoumaru-sama.

Youko slowly stepped forward, the fox paused at where vines from the girls laid in pieces from their 'play'. The foxs green eyes slowly lifted from the poor plant up to where the boy went. A low growl escaped him and soon the tree behind where Kohaku stood on the Garden wall started to move. The branches moved shuttering as the old tree took a moment to get started.

Kohaku grimaced as he realized he still wasn't safe. Taking a chance, he bolted along the wall, intent on leaping on another tree branch to reach the roof where he could make his escape from there.

While the tree could not make much chase-Youko would not force it to uproot itself he would never bring a tree to harm itself in that manner-Youko made chase in its stead. The agile and quite angry fox followed after his 'prey'.

The girls both squealed, "Kohaku-kun!" the twins flinched as the plant came towards them. The maw open and ready to clam down on Kohakus legs as he attempted to run.

Just then, a black blur shot from the sky and rammed into Kohaku from the side, throwing the boy over his shoulder and wrapping secure arms around the trio's legs to ensure no one fell as he climbed swiftly back into the sky on somewhat straining wings. Kuronue cursed as he watched the enraged fox, taking note of the desecrated vines littering the path. He'd seen this before, Kurama had an almost too deep connection with his plants, and the children's game had gone horribly wrong.

Youko growled staring at the now air-born 'prey'. He'd take down anything he needed to to ensure his plants wouldn't be in any more pain. Leaping up the fox landed on the wall that surrounded the garden, moving a hand as he dropped a seed to the ground quite the ways below him. This was one seed he didn't have in the garden. Sesshoumaru had yet to see him grow it either. Slim chance Kuronue might remember it from the past.

The plant that started to grow ripped up the ground as it quickly grew in size. It was built much like a tree, but had flexibility like a vine. The 'top' was much like a venus fly trap. The large maw opened to emit a smog. It was tinged in purple, and when it touched anything non-plant it made it weaken and slowly crumble.

The lord of the castle finally made his way out after Rin had explained to him what was going on and the dog lord was very displeased to find the state of the garden. And most of all-the state of his mate. He looked up, first seeing the bat and growled. If he caused this he was going to be ripped apart. He was to angry over the whole situation to realize said bat was holding onto someone-or rather someones.

The twins moved gasping as they looked down a bit, then looked to Kuro-nii. "Kuro-nii!" they both shouted in unison glad he was there. "Why's mommy so mad?" Ati asked softly. Tia frowned, "Is it because of what we did?" her voice was soft and you could tell she was feeling scared.

Fortunately for Kuronue, and especially so for his cargo, he did remember this plant, and he angled his body to catch the updraft he sensed coming so that he could raise himself higher still. He was faintly worried the thinner air would be bad for the kits, and the human, but safety came first. "Your mother's not himself right now, girls." Kuronue tried to soothe them, having no need for crying children in his ears while a few hundred feet above the ground. His keen eyes caught a glimpse of the dog lord and he grimaced, the damned mutt better calm his mate down before that thing stated spitting poisonous thorns!

Sesshoumaru seemed to notice the bat holding-his pups. With a growl he rushed forward as the plant was still growing. He decided to go at the base. He didn't want to go at the top with what looked like a mouth on it. With it facing away from him-Youko as well-he went unnoticed.

His hand began to glow a poisonous green, and he brought two fingers together as an arc of light shot forth and severed the monstrosity at its base. The whip coiled back around Sesshoumaru in preparation to defend himself should his crazed mate attack him as well.

Youko turned quickly a snarl ripping from his throat as his poor plant toppled forward from having its base destroyed. The fox decided to ignore the ones in the air-as they were currently leaving the plants well enough alone- and lashed out at the demon behind his poor plant. Rose whip was in hand as he lashed out with it in his approach.

Sesshoumaru snarled as his acid whip shot out and tore through his mate's plant made one, splitting the thorny vine in two right down the middle. He was getting well and truly fed up with this whole situation.

Kuronue, taking advantage of the distracted fox, heaved a sigh of relief as he angled himself to land and set his cargo down near the two headed dragon he had met once on Rin's urgings, damned if he could remember the name, however. "Stay," he growled as he shot back into the air, knowing from experience the only sure way to calm a raging fox.

The kits only gave Kuronue a nod, knowing to listen. Both seemed to cling to Kohaku as if he were some sort of life line.

Youko snarled leaping back a deep growl escaping him as plants seemed to spring from the ground at Sesshoumarus feet, vines with long pointed thorns trying to get a hold of the dog demon.

While Sesshoumaru dealt with the fox's harmful intentions, Kuronue zeroed in from behind, and, taking his chance, pulled the same maneuver he used to whisk Kohaku and the twins to safety. He knew that taking Kurama into the air, specifically off the ground, broke his immediate connection with the plants, and would give him a chance to calm down provided Kuronue wasn't forced to drop him.

The fox struggled against his captor growling as he squirmed. But the way he was held kept him from getting anywhere. It took a few moments, but slowly the seething fox settled down. The use of all that power and the emotions he went through had the fox blacking out shortly after coming 'out' of his enraged state going limp in the bats arms.

Once the fox went limp in his arms, Kuronue landed, and, seeing the look on Sesshoumaru's face, practically threw the fox at him before bolting into the woods. He'd try coming back in a day or three when the lord wasn't looking at him like he was about to tear off his wings.

On his way through, he stopped briefly to inform Kohaku and the twins that it was safe to come out. For them, anyways.

The twins moved from Kohaku to both take one of Kuronue's hands. "Thank you!" They both said at once looking up at the older bat demon. "Is mommy okay?" Ati asked gently looking up at him.

"He's sleeping," Kuronue quipped, "run along now, kits, your father's waiting." Giving the human a look, he shrugged, waved, and bolted back into the trees like the dogs of hell were on his heels.

The twins-although confused-knew better than to keep their father waiting. Ataira took Kohakus hand and pulled him along with them. They knew they had explaining to do. And the twins knew they were at fault and not Kohaku. They just had to make daddy see that.

Once inside, the twins explained to their father that they'd been playing, and Kohaku had gotten away from their vines and they wanted to see him do it once more, and shortly after that their mother was out there.

So the twins kept Kohaku from being at fault, but their father was still not very pleased. They promised though to never play with the plants like that for fun.

-End Chapter twelve-

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