Musical Espionage
Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or any of its characters because they belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. The only things I do own in this story are my OCs, Jasmine and Christine.
Chapter 4:Exiled From Spirit World
Koashura woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to start a new day. He turned over on his left side to see that his girlfriend, Kotennyo was still asleep. Feeling his stomach rumble, he removed the covers off of himself and hopped out of bed just wearing a pair of green pajama bottoms. He opened up one of his dresser drawers and put on a plain blue t-shirt and turned towards the bed to see that Kotennyo had opened her brown eyes just slightly. The red headed god walked over to her bedside, sat down on the side of the bed and kissed his love's forehead.
"Good morning, dearest. Want some breakfast or do you want to sleep in for another hour?" he asked her.
Kotennyo tiredly groaned, "Let me sleep for another hour."
Koashura leaned over and kissed her softly and said, "Okay, get up when you're ready. I'll see if Koenma and Jasmine are up."
The sleepy goddess breathed in deeply, "Alright, I love you."
Koashura gave her a bright smile, "I love you too."
Leaving his bedroom and shutting the door behind him, he made his way to the kitchen and opened up the cupboards and took out several pots and pans and then opened up the fridge. The redhead took out a carton of eggs, a big slab of bacon, a package of sausage links, and a loaf of bread. He began to cook the eggs, sausage, and bacon but, waited to put the bread in the toaster.
Koashura looked over to the living room and saw that Koenma wasn't sleeping in the recliner and assumed that his friend must have got up to use the bathroom or something and made his way over to Jasmine's room.
He knocked on the door and said in a soft voice, "Jasmine? Jasmine are you up? Are you decent?"
There was no answer and he knocked on the door again and opened it. Koashura peeked his head in the small crack and was greeted by what he thought was such a peculiar site in front of him. There was Jasmine with Koenma in bed with her. They were still asleep cuddling with her head on his chest and his arms wrapped around her holding her close to him and the redhead was so glad to see that they still had their clothes on. Koashura slowly moved his head out of his human friend's room and quietly shut the door behind him.
Koenma looked around and saw that he was at home in Spirit World, in the castle lying on his large canopy bed in his bedroom completely naked and only covered in white sheet. "Good morning, my love."
Hearing the sound of a woman's voice right next to him, Koenma turned on his right side to see Jasmine, naked and only covered with the same white sheet lying right next to him. She then turned on her left side revealing her small perky breasts and brightly smiled at him. She moved her small dainty hand along his broad shoulder and down his arm.
"Good morning my husband, my lover, my king."
She then sat up and leaned over and kissed his forehead. Koenma then too sat up, "Good morning my queen. Sleep well?"
Jasmine gave him a sexy, seductive smile, "Yes, I did." She then put both of her hands on the sides of his face and kissed him deeply and passionately and she wrapped her arms around his neck, climbed onto his lap and pressed her naked body against him with her breasts pushing against his bare chest earning a deep moan from him.
The young psychic broke the kiss and looked lovingly and seductively into Koenma's eyes and said in a breathless voice, "Please make love to me, my king" and gently touched her nose to his.
The young god gave her a sexy smirk and gently laid her down on the bed and got on top of her, "As you wish my queen."
Koenma then passionately kissed her pink lips and Jasmine brought her hands up to his face and she kissed him deeply and she ran her hands through his luscious brown hair. He then began to kiss and nibble on her neck while massaging one of her breasts which made the curly haired woman moan, "Oh Koenma."
He took one of her hard pink nipples into his mouth, licking, sucking, biting and nibbling it while he massaged the other breast and played with that nipple and Jasmine moaned at his gentle touch. He then repeated the same action onto her other breast and Koenma moved his hand in between her legs and gently rubbed her clit which caused her gasp in pleasure, "Koenma!"
He then trailed hot kisses down her neck, onto her collarbone, then to in between her breasts, down her to stomach and…
Buzz…Buzz…Buzz
Koenma woke up to the sound of Jasmine's alarm clock going off. Seeing that he was in her bedroom in her apartment, in the Human World no less, he looked around and saw that she wasn't in the room. The young prince reached over to the nightstand and turned off the alarm and groaned in pain from his still healing stomach wound.
"That was some dream," he thought to himself "was I really going to make love to her? It seemed so real."
Before he could get out of bed, he noticed his binding erection and slapped himself on the forehead. "Dammit, not now. Why couldn't I be back at Genkai's for this?"
Just then, Jasmine came running back in the room wearing a sports bra, hoodie, and a pair of spandex Capri's. Koenma immediate covered himself back up with the blanket in embarrassment blushing like crazy. Seeing the young prince's red face, Jasmine gave him a curious look, "Hey there, good morning. What's the matter?"
Still thinking about the dream and being embarrassed about his body's reaction to it, Koenma tried not to look at her and just stared at the blanket, "Nothing. I'm fine."
"You don't seem fine. It seems like you're embarrassed about something."
Koenma shook his head, "No, no…I…I…um. I'm okay, really."
Jasmine put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, "You're hiding something, Koenma. Does it have to do with a body's natural response to something?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Nothing's wrong, honest."
Jasmine chuckled and not wanting to embarrass him further, decided to change the subject by asking him, "I'm going on my morning jog, would you like to join me? Exercise can help when it comes to healing the body from injury due to the circulation of blood and all."
Koenma smiled, he loved it whenever Jasmine spoke about her science subjects. He found it cute and kind of sexy. He nodded in response, "Sure, can you send Koashura in here first. I really need to talk him privately about…a guy thing."
Jasmine replied, "Oh, okay."
She then walked out of the room and a couple of minutes later, Koashura walked in and shut the door behind him and seeing his friend's red face he asked, "Hey what's up?"
Koenma took a deep breath, "I need to talk to you about something personal and do you promise that it doesn't leave this room?"
Koashura sat down on the edge of the bed, "Sure, your secret's safe with me."
The young prince wanted to make sure, "Really, you promise? Do I really have your full discretion?"
The redhead nodded, "Yeah, I promise I won't tell anyone, especially not to Kotennyo."
Koenma took another deep breath and looked down at the blanket and said in a low voice so only Koashura could hear him, "I had a dream."
Koashura raised an eyebrow and asked, "Was it a good dream?"
Koenma nodded and blushed even redder, "Yeah, it was a very good dream."
"What was it about?"
The prince took a deep breath and replied, "I was in my bedroom in Spirit World and I woke up with Jasmine lying right next to me. She wished me good morning and called me her husband, her lover, and her king…" he paused and took another deep breath, "and I replied by calling her my queen and we were…um…naked…and….she…um…kissed me and got on top of me and asked me to…to…make love to her."
Koashura snorted trying not to laugh and asked, "Well, did you?"
Koenma blushed and looked down at the blanket and answered, "Yes…well, I was going to. I remember I played with her breasts, I was kissing her, and I…um…well…pleasured her with my hand and then I was trailing kisses all over her body and I woke up and now I um…well…you know."
Koashura started cracking up and Koenma narrowed his eyes at him, "It's not funny."
The redhead regained his composure, "Sorry man, but it happens to everyone."
Koenma sighed in annoyance, "Are you going to help me?"
Koashura raised his eyebrows and jokingly said, "Dude, I don't swing that way."
"WHAT? NO! NO!"
The red haired god started laughing, "I'm just joshing you. Okay, there are only three solutions to this."
The prince looked at his friend with some curiosity and responded, "Well, what are they?"
Koashura bit down a chuckle, "First, is having sex," he paused seeing his royal friend give him a weird look, "or probably not. The second is masturbation."
Koenma blushed even redder and shook his head, "I can't do that in here. This is Jasmine's room. She's my friend and its bad enough that I had an erotic dream about her and I don't want to….um…you know…love myself in her personal space. It wouldn't be appropriate."
Koashura nodded with understanding, "I don't blame you especially if she can walk in here. That happened to me once. One time Kotennyo walked in…"
Koenma covered his ears, "I don't want know about yours and Kotennyo's sex life. What is the third solution?"
Koashura started laughing again, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Okay the third solution is thinking about something that turns you off. You know something that you find to be repulsive."
"I can't think of anything."
"Oh, come on Koenma, there has to be something."
Koenma asked with a hint of confusion and annoyance in his voice, "Like what?"
Koashura sighed getting a bit impatient with his friend's stubbornness and anxiety, "Well, let's see. Hmmmmm….how about Jorge taking a shower or your dad's big fat ass or the huge stacks upon stacks of paperwork you have to sign and stamp on a daily basis."
The young prince just sat there and nodded and cleared his throat and said, "Wow, that's the fastest I've ever lost it. Thanks Koashura."
Koashura chuckled, "Hey, no problem."
Koenma sighed with relief and climbed out of bed and he wanted to have some assurance that Koashura wouldn't tell anyone, "This never leaves this room. We are going to pretend this whole thing never happened. Got it?!"
The redhead put his hands up and waved them nervously, "I swear I'll keep this between us. Honest. I won't tell anyone."
"You better not."
Koashura sighed and shook his head and decided to change the subject, "So, are you going to get ready to go jogging with Jasmine?"
Koenma smiled and nodded, "Yeah but, I don't have anything to go jogging in and I also have to cover up my forehead. I don't want to be a walking target for another assassin."
"I have just the thing. Come on."
Koenma followed his redheaded friend out of Jasmine's room to his bedroom. Kotennyo was still asleep on the bed that she and Koashura shared. The young goddess was lying on her stomach and Koenma could see that there was a huge scar on her back. He didn't remember her ever having that when they were in Spirit World Kindergarten and assumed that it was the scar that Koashura had described to him last night.
The young prince shifted his attention back to his friend who was currently going through his closet and came out with a green jogging suit and a red bandana. Koashura handed them to Koenma, "Here, I hope these are comfortable and I hope that bandana can cover up your "Jr" mark properly."
Koenma smiled in appreciation, "Thank you Koashura. You're a good friend." He then looked over to Kotennyo who had her scared back still exposed from her sleeping position and whispered to his red haired friend and asked in curiosity, "Is that the scar you described?"
Koashura nodded, "Yeah, its best if you don't talk about it here. Kotennyo is very self conscious about it."
Both gods left the bedroom to let the young goddess sleep and Koenma went into the bathroom to change into the jogging suit and tied the red bandana around his head. He walked out of the bathroom and Jasmine got up from sitting on the couch and approached him, "Ready?"
The prince smiled, "Yes, lead the way."
Jasmine smiled back in response, grabbed her water bottle and her keys. Koenma followed her out of the apartment and out of the building, out the complex's gate and into the street. The young god looked around and he didn't recognize the neighborhood. Seeing this Jasmine giggled at Koenma's curiosity, "What's the matter? See something interesting?"
Koenma nodded his head, "Kind of, this is quite an interesting place to live."
Jasmine slightly giggled, "I know what you mean. At least the rent and utilities are cheap and it's close to school, the grocery store, the gym, post office, and the hospital. I know this is kind of a rough neighborhood but, at least it has those advantages. My neighbors are also surprisingly friendly so, that's another plus."
Koenma eyed the key ring that the young psychic held in her hand, "Why are you bringing those? Can't Koashura and Kotennyo let you in?" he asked her.
Jasmine smiled, "Here let me show you something", she gestured with her hand to the intercom on the apartment complex gates, "see this button on this intercom?"
The prince nodded, "Yes."
"When there isn't someone home to help answer the door and let you in, all you have to do is buzz this button 3 times, the superintendent will ask you who are, you just tell him which apartment you live in and he'll let you through the gate." Jasmine explained.
"Wow, that simple, huh?"
"Yes, it is. Shall we?"
Koenma nodded, "Yes, let's get this jog started."
He and Jasmine began their jog, while back at the apartment; Koashura was putting the leftover breakfast into empty Tupperware containers for Koenma, Jasmine, and a separate one for Kotennyo for when she would finally wake up. He opened the nearest kitchen drawer and took out a pen and a post-it note pad and wrote something on it and stuck the post-it on Kotennyo's breakfast container to let her know which one was hers.
The red haired god looked over at the cat clock hanging on the wall and saw that he had to be at his job at university in about an hour and a half. He then walked into his bedroom and gets his clean work clothes and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. About twenty minutes later, Koashura finished bathing and got dressed. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror brushing through his long red hair and a random thought had come to him. He was thinking to himself of how he had got to where he was at in his 700 year old life.
Koashura couldn't believe that months before, he and Kotennyo were still living in Spirit World. But, unlike their current new and happy life they had started in the Human World, both gods were in fact quite miserable. He tried not to think about the awful memories that led to them moving to the Human World but, instead he thought of a more pleasant memory.
*Over a year earlier*
Koashura left the castle in Spirit World after receiving 10,000 spankings for Koenma's kidnapping. He was thankful that he had received that punishment rather than imprisonment but, it was still quite painful and without a doubt, the other inhabitants of Spirit World will hear all about what he had done. Like the small towns in the Human World, news, rumors, and gossip travel fast in Spirit World and if it is heard that you had did something wrong, especially to the royal family, you were looked down upon and labeled as a trouble maker and that is what Koashura had faced since Spirit World Kindergarten when him and Koenma ended their friendship in a volatile way.
The little redheaded god transitioned to his adult form and rubbed his sore backside. He continued to walk the long winding road until he approached the local dive bar called "The Fallen Angel". Koashura walked inside and all he could think about was getting a drink to numb the pain of the spankings that were inflicted on him. He walked up to the counter and sat down on a stool wincing a little bit from the pain of his soreness.
"What can I get you?" the green ogre bartender asked him.
The redhead thought about it for a moment and answered, "I'll have a scotch on the rocks."
"Coming right up," the ogre bartender responded.
He waited for only less than a minute before he finally got his glass of scotch. He gulped down some of the brown liquid feeling it slightly burn a little bit, going down his throat. Koashura continued to sip on his drink for a little bit until he heard some arguing between a group of guys and a young woman with whom they seem to be sexually harassing.
"Hey come on. Don't be like that baby, we can show you a good time. Don't be a cold hearted bitch."
The young woman just glared at them, "Don't touch me. Leave me alone. Can't you assholes take a hint? I'm not interested."
One of the drunken bar patrons grabbed her by her arm, "Come on, nobody says no to me."
Koashura turned around and rolled his red eyes at the site before him. Those patrons continued to put their hands on the woman and she kept telling them to back off. The redheaded god downed the rest of his drink and before he could make his way over to help the woman, one of the patrons who were harassing her got thrown into a wall.
Koashura rushed over to get a better glimpse of this woman with also the intention of helping her and he gasped seeing who this woman was. It was someone whom he hadn't seen in over five hundred years. He recognized her strawberry blonde hair which was longer, large bright brown eyes, and the golden headband with the giant emerald that she had always worn even if it didn't go with her kimono that she was wearing on certain days.
A grown up Kotennyo stood on top of one of the drunken bar patrons with her foot on his chest. She held out her hands and summoned a katana from her spirit energy and looked like as if she wanted to kill each and every one of those guys wouldn't keep their hands off of her, "I warned you pricks not to touch me and now you got the bull by the horns."
"You're fucking crazy lady."
Kotennyo kicked the guy that was lying on floor with such force that she knocked him out and turned on his friend said that to her, grabbed him by his shirt, brought him up close to her, and stuck the blade of her spirit katana up to his throat, "What did you say to me? Crazy? Crazy? Oh, I'll show you fucking crazy!"
Another one of the drunken patrons came up behind her, "Let go of him you crazy bitch." The drunk then grabbed her from behind and Kotennyo struggled in his grasp and tried to stab him with her weapon but, to no avail, "Let go of me you creep."
Having enough of this, Koashura summoned his spirit bow and arrow and aimed at the drunk who was probably going to try and beat and/or probably rape her and shouted, "Let go of her. Let go of her now or I'll shoot!"
Everybody in the bar including the drunken patron that held Kotennyo hostage all looked over at him. The drunk then yelled back, "Stay out of this!"
"Let her go, then."
"Mind your own business fire crotch."
The redheaded archer shot the uncooperative drunk a death glare, "Let her go. I'm not going to ask you again. Quit harassing her. Just because I was sitting all the way over at the counter, it doesn't mean I didn't hear what you were trying to do to my childhood friend. Now, I'm going to ask you nicely for one last time, let her go!"
"Fuck you!"
Koashura sighed, "You've given me no other choice."
He then shot an arrow at the drunk's shoulder which caused him to reel back and scream in pain, forcing him to let Kotennyo go. The drunk that she threatened lunged at her and before she had a chance to defend herself, Koashura shot an arrow at him, knocking the confrontational drunk to the ground.
The redhead ran over to Kotennyo and she gave her childhood friend and former classmate a bit of a glare, "I was going to take him down myself, Koashura."
Koashura grabbed the goddess's hand, "I would love to talk about this more but, we need to get the hell out of here before anyone else tries to fight us."
"But…"
The redhead tugged on her hand, "Come on, and let's get out of here."
Koashura quickly ran out of the bar not letting go of Kotennyo's hand. They continued to run until they reached a small village where there was nothing but, ogres that lived there. The two gods ran into an alleyway and hid from their pursuers that were chasing after them.
While hiding away from view, they both heard the drunken pursuers, "Where did they go?"
"I don't know. I think they might have gone that way." They then ran off down the street.
After about ten minutes of hiding Kotennyo finally spoke up, "Do you think they're gone?"
Koashura peeked his head out of the alleyway and looked around and shifted his attention back to the young goddess, "Yeah, I think we lost them."
"Good." Kotennyo replied and proceeded to walk away until Koashura gently touched her hand, "Kotennyo wait."
Kotennyo stopped in her tracks. She huffed and she very much wanted to punch Koashura right now but, she maintained her self control and turned back around and asked the redhead, "What?"
Koashura let go of her hand and cutely scratched the back of his head, "Hey…um…I was wondering, if you uh….um…want to get something to eat and um…well, talk and catch up with each other. I haven't seen or heard from you since graduation and I just want to talk."
The goddess looked at the tall and handsome redheaded god. She thought about his offer for a moment shrugged her slender shoulders, sweetly chuckled and smiled, "Sure, what the hell? Is there somewhere you had in mind?"
Koashura smiled and nodded in response, "Yeah, there is a small café here and they serve the best ramen. I know how you enjoy ramen."
Kotennyo gave him a bright smile, "Ramen sounds amazing. Lead the way."
The two gods then left the alleyway and Kotennyo walked beside Koashura as they made their way to the local café of the ogre village. They walked in silence for about ten minutes until Kotennyo spoke again, "Koashura?"
Koashura looked over to her, "Yeah?"
The young goddess looked at her hands and began to pick at her long fingernails and looked back up at the redhead and said, "Thank you for saving me from those thugs."
Koashura brightly smiled at her, "Anytime Kotennyo, anytime."
*End Flashback*
Koashura arrived at the university about ten minutes after leaving the apartment. He went behind the coffee counter of the university's coffee café. He got to the back and clocked in and tied his long red hair back into a ponytail. The redhead smiled thinking about that memory. He remembered that how after they had that dinner of talking and telling each other of what they had been up for the last few hundred years, Koashura saw Kotennyo more and more and how they developed a close friendship that soon blossomed into a romantic relationship. Funny enough, it wasn't Koashura who admitted their feelings first, it was Kotennyo.
At some point, Koashura had asked Kotennyo about her relationship with Koenma and she informed him that she was the one who broke it off when she realized that she never felt any romantic attraction for the prince but, she had feelings for someone else. Koashura was a bit curious as to whom Kotennyo was in love with and that is when she admitted to him that it was him and not Koenma as to whom she loved all along.
After the shock of Kotennyo's confession, Koashura then somehow gained the courage to tell her that he felt the same way about her. That was when they shared their first kiss. As Koashura started his shift at the university's coffee café, he smiled to himself thinking of his and Kotennyo's first date and how much fun they had. That was one of the few happy memories he had while still living in Spirit World. Trying not to think about the horrors that he and his love endured, he took the order of his music appreciation professor and proceeded to make the ordinary human's latte.
Back at the apartment, Koenma and Jasmine returned from their jog. Jasmine went into her bedroom to get her clean hospital scrubs to get ready for her volunteer work at the hospital. Koenma removed the red bandana from his forehead and walked over to the phone and before he could dial Genkai's number, Jasmine asked him, "So, what you have planned today?"
Koenma shifted his attention to his curly haired friend, "I plan on calling my friend Genkai. I really need her to bring me some clothes. It's not like I don't like borrowing Koashura's but, his wardrobe is not really my style. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I am thinking about going back over to Genkai's compound tonight. I hope you don't mind."
Jasmine sweetly smiled at the prince, "Oh not at all. I kind of figured that's what you wanted to do and it's really your decision. If you feel more comfortable with staying with your friend, go for it."
Koenma once again felt touched by Jasmine compassion and understanding and smiled back in response, "Thank you for understanding but, do you think you can still change my bandage even though I will not be here?"
Jasmine happily nodded, "Of course. I would be more than happy to; you still have a whole lot more healing to do. I really enjoyed nursing you back to health Koenma. I also love spending time with you."
The prince smiled, "I really like spending with you too, Jasmine. Do you think we can go jogging together again some time?"
The young psychic nodded, "Yes, I would love that."
Just then Kotennyo emerged from hers and Koashura's room wearing a pink and red flowered spaghetti strapped nightdress and she put on a sweater to cover up the large scar on her back. Koenma and Jasmine both shifted their attention to her and Jasmine greeted her friend, "Good morning Kotennyo."
Kotennyo yawned, "Good morning Jasmine. Good morning Koenma."
The young goddess made her way to the kitchen and opened up the fridge and found a Tupperware container with a post-it note on it that was addressed to her. Recognizing Koashura's handwriting it read:
Dearest,
I saved you the vast majority of the leftovers because; I know you have a long day today to work on your projects for your upcoming art show that's in three weeks. I saved you lots of bacon, eggs, sausage, and a couple of pieces of toast to give you a boost in strength and brain power. I'll be home late this evening after I finish my double shift.
Love you with ever fiber of my being. Hugs and kisses.
Koashura
Kotennyo smiled reading the note once more. She loved how supportive her love was when it came to her art and that made her love him even more. Kotennyo shut the fridge behind her and made her way over to the silverware drawer and took out a fork and sat down on the leather couch in the living room to eat her breakfast straight out of the plastic container without reheating it.
The goddess looked up at her human friend after eating some eggs and bacon and asked her, "So, what are you and Koenma going to be up to today?"
"I'm going to take a shower and leave for the hospital to complete today's volunteer work and I don't know what Koenma has planned other than him getting in contact with his friend Genkai today", Jasmine responded.
Kotennyo took a bite from her piece of bacon and shoveled some eggs into her mouth and got up to get a glass of orange juice and returned to the living room sipping on her juice. Koenma gave his ex a weird look, "Aren't you going to heat that up? I don't understand how you can eat that cold."
The young goddess rolled her eyes at her ex-boyfriend, "I enjoy Koashura's cooking whether it's cold or hot. Good god Koenma, I thought you already knew that I don't mind eating cold food. You've known me since Spirit World Kindergarten."
Koenma just chuckled and replied, "Sorry, I forgot about how much of a weirdo you are."
Kotennyo once again rolled her eyes and flipped the young prince off at his comment, "You're a dick."
Koenma ignored her comment and walked over to the phone and dialed Genkai's number. Jasmine shook her head at both of her friends and asked Kotennyo, "So, what are you going to be up to today; since you don't have to go to work at the mall and you don't have class?"
The goddess shoved a piece of bacon into her mouth, chewed it and swallowed it and washed it down with her orange juice and replied, "As soon as you or Koenma are finished with the shower, I'm going to take one and I am going to work on my paintings for my art show that opens in three weeks. And if I have time, I'll complete my sculptures."
Jasmine held her hospital scrubs close her chest, "I really wish we get to see the progress on it. Why do you have to be so secretive with your art until it's finished?"
Kotennyo sighed, "Jasmine, we have been through this, I don't like people seeing my work until it's finished and up to my standards."
Koenma got off the phone with Genkai and seeing this, Jasmine asked him, "Koenma, was she like this back in Spirit World Kindergarten?"
The young prince nodded, "Oh yes, back then she was so much worse. Kotennyo would actually beat someone up if they saw any of her unfinished pieces. Hell, I learned that the hard way. Didn't you break my nose for that Kotennyo?"
Kotennyo laughed at that memory, "Yes, I remember that. But, you had some blame in it too because, you just kept meddling and someone had to teach you a lesson. I remember I felt the bone in your nose crack and blood went everywhere when I punched you."
Koenma chuckled and added with sarcasm, "Yeah, those were fun times. Me getting my ass kicked on a daily basis, fun times, fun times."
Jasmine sighed with annoyance for her two friends, "Seriously, you guys. Well, I'm going to jump in the shower and get ready to go to the hospital. Can I trust the two of you to act like mature adults while I'm in the bathroom?"
Koenma and Kotennyo both laughed and Kotennyo responded, "Of course Jasmine, we're just joking around. Go, take your shower or you're going to be late."
Realizing her friend was right, Jasmine silently nodded and walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Kotennyo finished off her eggs and bacon and started on a piece of sausage. After washing it down with her juice she shifted her attention to Koenma, "Well, what are you going to be up to today?"
"My friend is coming over with some clothes for me to wear and after taking a shower, I'm going to go hang with her at her compound. Also, I'm going back over there tonight. I feel like I would be a lot more comfortable over there but, Jasmine said that she'll come by to change my bandage and still monitor my progress."
Koenma and Kotennyo continued to have small talk for about ten more minutes until Jasmine emerged from the bathroom wearing her hospital scrubs and clipping her ID badge on the front pocket of her shirt. "Koenma, the bathroom is all yours when you're ready."
The prince looked over to her and smiled and thought of how pretty she looked in her sky blue scrubs, "Thank you Jasmine. I hope you don't me saying this but, you look so beautiful in blue."
Jasmine giggled like a schoolgirl, "Thank you Koenma, you flatterer." She then put on her watermelon colored coat and slung her black and white handbag over her shoulder, "I'll see you guys around four when I get finished."
Just then the buzzer of the intercom buzzed and knowing that Koashura would not be home until about seven, the young psychic walked over and she pushed the button, "Yes, who is this and how can I help you?"
An elderly woman's voice could be heard on the other side, "Hello is Koenma there?"
Jasmine pushed the button and responded feeling a bit paranoid that this person might be an assassin, "Yes, who I may ask is here?"
"Oh sorry about that, my name is Genkai and I have brought some clothes for him", the old psychic responded.
The young woman slapped herself on her forehead, "Oh yes, let me buzz you up." She then pushed the button to let Genkai through the front gate.
A couple of moments later there was a knock on the apartment door and Jasmine put her purse down on the couch and walked over to the front door to answer it. She unlocked the door and opened it to find a small old woman who was only just a few inches shorter than her holding a plastic grocery bag with men's clothing in it. Jasmine politely smiled at the elderly psychic, "Hi you must be Genkai. I have heard so much awesome things about you. Come in."
Genkai walked into the apartment and Jasmine shut the door behind her. The younger psychic held out her hand to the small old lady, "I'm Jasmine; it's a pleasure to meet you."
Genkai shook the young woman's hand, "Likewise, Koenma speaks so highly of you."
Jasmine shifted her attention to the prince and looked back at Genkai smiling, "He does?" the young woman held out her arm, "Would you like some tea, juice, beer, water?"
The old woman gave the college girl a smile, "Yes, I would some tea, thank you." She followed Jasmine into the living room and sat next to Kotennyo on the leather couch. Jasmine walked into the kitchen to prepare Genkai's tea and get hers and Koenma's breakfast that Koashura save for them.
The young goddess finished off her sausage and held out her hand to Genkai, "Hey, I'm Kotennyo. Koenma's ex-girlfriend and Jasmine's best friend."
Genkai shook the goddess's hand, "Nice to meet you." Sensing Kotennyo's aura, she asked her curiously, "You're a goddess I presume?"
Kotennyo nodded, "Yes and I'm not the only god who lives here. My boyfriend Koashura who's currently at work is also one."
"So, you don't live in Spirit World?"
Kotennyo shook her head, "Hell no. My boyfriend and I were kicked out for reasons I don't want to talk about yet." She shivered at the horrifying memories and her knuckles began to turn white holding onto the Tupperware container tightly.
Jasmine walked back into the living room carrying a teacup full of tea and hers and Koenma's reheated breakfast and she looked at the cat clock on the wall and seeing that she had at least a good two hours before she had to be at the hospital, the young psychic handed Genkai her tea and Koenma his breakfast and she took off her coat and sat down on the recliner to eat her hot meal.
Genkai handed Koenma the grocery bag containing the clothing and Koenma smiled and thanked his longtime friend, "Thank you Genkai. Ladies, excuse me." He then finished his breakfast and Jasmine helped remove his old bandage. Then the prince then walked into the bathroom to take his shower.
The three women sat there for a few minutes until Jasmine finished her meal and broke the ice, "So Genkai, how long have you known Koenma?"
The elderly psychic sipped on her tea and replied, "For over fifty years. Since before I broke it off with Toguro."
Kotennyo and Jasmine looked at Genkai with pure interest and the young goddess asked her, "Let me get this straight, you used to date Toguro?"
Genkai nodded, "Oh yes, I did. I loved that bastard, god help me."
"Why did you guys break up?" the younger psychic asked her.
The small old woman sighed, "For making the biggest mistake of his life. He was once human you know. He was a very good demon hunter and had a dojo where he trained young men and women who were looking to defend their towns and villages against demon attacks."
She then explained to Jasmine and Kotennyo about how Toguro dealt with the slaughter of his defenseless students, his guilt for it, the Dark Tournament from fifty years ago and about both Toguro brothers' mistake of becoming demons and hers and Toguro's brutal breakup. Both girls listened with shock and awe of Genkai's story. Jasmine then found her voice again, "Wow, that's rough and you never loved another man since?"
Genkai shook her head, "No, after Toguro I swore off men completely. I was so sick of their bullshit."
Jasmine nodded with understanding, "I know what you mean. After my last boyfriend, I told myself I needed to stay away from them for awhile and focus on myself and my studies."
Kotennyo snorted into her orange juice, "Yeah right, whenever you and Koenma are around each other, you guys cannot stop flirting and being as cutesy as possible. I wish you guys would just kiss and have sex already."
Jasmine shot her friend a death glare, "Do you want me to kick your ass with my fans; because I will do it."
Kotennyo put her Tupperware container full of food down on the wooden coffee table and said, "Bring it on Miss Demon Hunter."
Genkai, watching the scene in front of her asked the younger psychic, "You're a demon hunter?"
After taking out her fans that were hidden beneath her hospital scrubs, Jasmine shifted her attention back to Genkai and nodded, "Yes, I come from a whole family of them. Well, except my dad, he just married into it. My homeland of Alaska was chock full of demons. I've only killed ones ranging from below D class to my own power level of middle to upper B class. Anything above that is too challenging for me. Hell, I'm still young; I've got plenty of time for improvement"
The small elderly woman looked at Jasmine's set of fans with pure interest, "Are those your weapons?"
Jasmine opened up her fans and nodded, "Yes they are. You want to see a demonstration?"
Genkai smiled, "Yes, I love to see it."
The curly haired young woman shifted her attention back to Kotennyo, "Ready to show the old lady what we got?"
Kotennyo nodded, "Yes, sure do." They both moved the coffee table off to the side and Jasmine stood on one side of the room while Kotennyo moved to the other. The young human woman began to glow with her spirit energy and coated her fans with it while the young goddess did the same and summoned her spirit katana.
Genkai stood off to the side holding her teacup, took a sip and watched both girls with pure interest. Sensing both of their power levels of them both being equivalent to an upper B class apparition, the old psychic thought to herself, "Let's see what these ladies got."
Jasmine brought both of her energy coated fans up into a fighting stance and asked her friend, "Ready Kotennyo?"
Kotennyo brought her spirit katana up and she too stood in a fighting stance, "Yes, let's do this."
Both girls ran towards each other and Kotennyo was the first to make a strike with her energy katana and Jasmine brought up her left fan to block it and folded up the one held in her right hand and jabbed the goddess in the stomach.
Kotennyo reeled back from the human's strike and chuckled, "Nice one here comes the taste of your own medicine." She then swung her katana which wasn't sharp enough to stab or cut her friend and swung it like a baseball bat and hit Jasmine in the stomach which knocked the young demon hunter off her feet and Jasmine did a summersault, got back on her feet and folded her left fan back up and unfolded the right and struck Kotennyo with her folded left one on her right temple and stuck her with her unfolded right fan's edge on the side of the young goddess's neck.
Genkai watched the two girls spar with each other being impressed by how skilled they both are. Even though she was impressed with both Kotennyo's and Jasmine's fighting abilities she thought to herself, "They're good but, with some more training they can be better."
Jasmine and Kotennyo continued to spar for another ten minutes until they both reached a stalemate when Jasmine blocked Kotennyo's energy katana with her energy coated fans and both girls both glowed with their spirit energy before blasting each other back. Both friends just stared at each other breathing hard now that they quit glowing with their spirit energy. Genkai brought her hands up and applauded both of the young women.
"Good job ladies, bravo."
Kotennyo made her spirit katana disappear and Jasmine put her fans back under her scrubs and they shifted their attention the elderly woman praising them on their fighting skills. Then Genkai spoke once again, "You girls are very skilled but, I think with more training, you two can vastly improve."
Jasmine and Kotennyo felt flattered by Genkai's words and Jasmine replied, "Thank you Genkai. You are right; I do need more training especially since I'm still trying to master the art of healing with spirit energy."
Genkai finished off her tea, "Oh, you are?"
Jasmine nodded, "Yes, if you know anyone who has mastered that skill, please inform them that I need someone to help me master it."
The old woman smiled, "As a matter of fact, I do know someone skilled with that ability," she then pointed to herself.
The college psychic's eyes widened, "You have that skill? Do you think you can help me with it?"
Genkai smiled at the younger psychic's enthusiasm, "Of course, if you would like. But, I have to warn you that my training regiments are very rigorous. Do you think you can handle that?" Most people can't."
Jasmine laughed, "I think I can manage it. If I can endure the kind of training my mother and grandparents put me through, then I can endure yours. But, since I am currently finishing up my current semester and I am going to be off this summer until med school starts up in September, I would love to hone my healing skills and perhaps improve my fighting ability if we still have time."
Genkai smiled and nodded, "Okay, let me know when your semester ends and we can get started when you feel you're ready." She shifted her attention to Kotennyo, "What about you. You may be a goddess but, if you tune up your skills, you can become just as if not more powerful than King Yama himself."
Kotennyo liked the sound of that because she hated that old tyrant, "That sounds great. I myself have endured tough training from my own family in Spirit World. I'll discuss it with Koashura when he gets home tonight. He is also a skilled fighter and he has been looking to improve on his archery skills. His power level is that of an upper B class apparition like me."
Just then, Koenma could be heard singing "Lithium" by Nirvana. His enchanting voice can be heard from beyond the bathroom door and all three women in the living room felt an overwhelming happiness from the magical properties of it. Jasmine felt mesmerized by the singing of the young prince and sensing his magical properties, she asked Kotennyo, "Do you sense something special about Koenma while he's singing?"
Kotennyo nodded, "Yeah, I have known since Spirit World Kindergarten. Hell, everyone in Spirit World knows of Koenma's magical voice properties."
"Does he?"
The goddess shook her head, "No, I don't believe King Yama has ever told him but, it's best if we don't say anything."
"Why is that?"
Kotennyo pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "Because, Koenma would probably not believe us or he'll think we're labeling him as a freak."
Jasmine giggled slightly, "I don't think he is, Koenma has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. What's so freaky about that?"
"Why thank you, Jasmine."
The young psychic nearly jumped and she turned around and Koenma was standing right behind her looking incredibly handsome in a black suit with a green button up shirt. Jasmine blushed at the site of it and of how he snuck up on her, "Oh dear, how much did you hear?"
Koenma chuckled, "Just you complimenting my voice. Why? What else did you say about it?"
Before Jasmine could say about his voice's magical properties, Kotennyo covered her mouth and said, "Nothing negative. We were just talking about the song you were singing and how you make it sound beautiful when you sing it."
Jasmine didn't want to be dishonest with Koenma but, seeing as how she didn't want to frighten him with what she knew, she just agrees with Kotennyo, "Yes, yes we were."
The young prince just stared at them for a minute and shrugged his shoulders and took the compliment. Wanting to change the subject and to monitor the healing progress of Koenma's still healing stomach wound, Jasmine got her first aid equipment and helped redress his wound and the young prince buttoned his shirt back up as she used her spirit energy to help him fight off the pain. Koenma then looked at the cat clock on the wall and saw that Jasmine needed to be at the hospital in a half hour, "Well, Genkai we got to get going and you too, Jasmine."
Jasmine looked at the clock, "Yikes, yes I do. Thank god it only takes me ten minutes to get over there. So much for swinging by the grocery store to get my…uh…lady products. I'll just get them after I'm finished at four."
She then put her watermelon colored coat back on and slung her purse over her shoulder and before she can get out the door, Koenma stopped her, "Jasmine wait."
The curly haired woman stopped in her tracks, "Yes?"
Koenma slid the purple headband over his forehead and asked her, "Would you like Genkai and I to walk with you to the hospital?"
Jasmine smiled in return, "Yeah, I would like that."
Koenma and Genkai both walked up to Jasmine and then Genkai looked at Kotennyo and back at Jasmine and said, "Let me know when you girls and your boyfriend Miss Kotennyo would like to start your training."
Kotennyo nodded, "We'll give you the heads up, and I think Jasmine still has your phone number that was given to her by Koenma."
Jasmine smiled and replied, "I sure do."
Koenma had this confused expression on his face and asked, "What did I miss while I was in the shower?"
Both psychics smiled at their royal friend and Jasmine replied, "Genkai and I will tell you on the way to the hospital. Bye Kotennyo, have fun with your painting and sculpting."
Kotennyo smiled and chuckled at her human friend's words, "I will, have fun at the hospital and you Koenma, have fun with Genkai. She's a really cool lady. I'm glad I got to meet her."
Genkai smiled at the young goddess's words, "Thank you, I had fun with you and Jasmine as well."
Then Koenma, Jasmine, and Genkai walked out of the apartment and shut the door behind them leaving Kotennyo to her own devices. The young goddess finished off the remainder of her breakfast and gathered up all the dirty dishes that were left by Koenma, Jasmine, and Genkai. She washed them and put them into the dishwasher.
Kotennyo made her way to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She removed her sweater and started the hot water and slipped out of her nightdress. Before stepping into the shower she turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. She stared at the gigantic scar on her back that started at the nape of her neck and went all the way down to her lower back and stretched from one shoulder to the other.
The goddess's back looked as if she were once a burn victim but, she and even Koashura knew that wasn't the case. Whenever she wore tank tops and bathing suits, she always made sure to have it covered so no one could see it. Only her love and Jasmine knew and seen the whole thing and they never made a big deal about it. Whenever she and Koashura were alone together, he always told her how beautiful he thinks that she still is but, despite his best efforts to help boost her confidence, Kotennyo still felt self conscious about it and didn't want people to pity her.
The young goddess turned back around and stepped into the bathtub and pulled the shower curtain closed behind her. As the hot water came down over her naked body, Kotennyo just couldn't get the memory of the horrors that she and Koashura endured when they were forced to leave Spirit World out of her head.
*Nine Months Earlier*
Her paintbrush streaked across her canvas and her handsome redheaded boyfriend came up and surprised her with a kiss and praised, "This is looking amazing dearest."
Kotennyo whipped around and smeared blue paint on Koashura's face, "Goddammit Koashura, how many times do I have to tell you, nobody is allowed to see my work before it's finished. Do I have to do to you what I did to Koenma back in Spirit World Kindergarten?"
Koashura shook his and raised his hands waved them apologetically, "I'm so sorry. I just wanted to see how great of a progress you're making and I just wanted to spend some time with you."
The young goddess turned around and looked at her newest painting and she smiled. She then looked down at her hands that were now placed on her lap, "You don't think I'll get in trouble for this one? Do you?"
The redheaded god came behind his love and placed his hand on her shoulder and really wanted to say something that'll make her feel better but, being that they were closely monitored by the king, he didn't know what to say but, he just responded, "I really hope not. There was nothing wrong with your other ones. They were stating simple truths that needed to come out. It's not fair how someone with your talent is being persecuted like you are."
"I know you're right."
Koashura walked around and knelt down in front of his girlfriend who was now currently sitting on her wooden chair he put his hands to both sides of Kotennyo's face and gently touched her nose with his, "Sadly I am. Someday, we'll get the hell out Spirit World and you will be free to express yourself how you want without worrying about pissing off that old tyrant. Certain people just can't handle the truth and it's just too bad for them." He then gave her a sweet kiss.
Their tender moment was now interrupted by a loud banging on the door. The voice of the captain of the SDF, Captain Ootake can be heard on the other side, "Miss Kotennyo and Mister Koashura, we have a warrant for your arrest. Open up or we will come in by force."
Koashura broke the kiss and walked over to the door while Kotennyo just sat there with a blank expression on her face knowing what was going to happen to them both. The redhead answered the door and glared at Ootake, "On what grounds?"
The SDF captain looked at the red haired god with pure disgust, "You both are under arrest for slandering the good name of the king and for treason."
"We have done no such thing. The old tyrant is just angry over a few paintings that depict the true evils that were committed by only him and his minions. Kotennyo was just stating the truth of the things she had heard by the local demons, which have been treated horribly and discriminated against or they were kidnapped and forced to do things that they normally wouldn't do and also the disappearances of their loved ones. How can you explain that? Oh, I forgot, you're in on this whole thing too. You have no right to charge us with anything, when we have done nothing wrong. Good day sir."
Koashura then tried to shut the door on them but, Captain Ootake and the other three soldiers blasted the door open with their spirit energy knocking the redheaded god to the floor. He tried to get up but, the hook nosed soldier with bowel cut came up to him and put his hand on the redhead's chest and gave him a nasty shock that caused Koashura to scream in agony.
Kotennyo summoned her spirit katana to try and defend herself and the love of her of life against these goons despite the fact, that hers and Koashura's power levels are nowhere near as strong as Captain Ootake and the rest of the SDF. The young goddess tried to reason with them, "Leave us alone please. I'm only going to give you one fair warning or I'll have no other choice."
The captain and the rest of the squad just looked at her and sensing her power level, they tried not to laugh. The hooked nosed soldier continued to shock Koashura who's screams grew louder and louder and then he shouted at Kotennyo, "Run! Kotennyo, get out of here! GO!"
Gripping onto her energy katana and just couldn't bear to leave her boyfriend with them she responded, "No, no I will not leave you." She shifted her attention to the hook nosed soldier torturing Koashura, "Let him go! Please, let him go. He didn't paint those paintings! LET HIM GO NOW!"
Kotennyo then lunged at him and swung her katana and before could land a blow on her boyfriend's tormentor, Captain Ootake put his hand on her back and gave her a much nastier shock than what Koashura was currently enduring. It was the worst pain that Kotennyo had ever felt in her entire 700 year old life. She cried in pure excruciating agony and she tried to fight him off even if her efforts are wasted and two other SDF soldiers came and held both of her arms in their grasp while the captain continued to shock her.
At this point, the hook nosed soldier quit shocking Koashura and upon seeing his love enduring much worse than him, he wanted to kill them all. He tried to summon his bow and arrow and seeing that, the hook nosed soldier grabbed both the young god's arms and forced them behind his back, "Oh no you don't." he then gave Koashura another shock to subdue him and the redhead once again screamed by they were drowned out by Kotennyo's. The young goddess then blacked out from the pain.
*End Flashback*
Kotennyo got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body, picked up her nightclothes and threw them into the laundry hamper and walked to the bedroom that she and Koashura shared. She opened up the drawers of the wooden dresser and got out a long sleeve striped shirt, a pair of pink panties and a matching bra, and a set of denim overalls that had multicolored paint stains splattered all over them. The young goddess got dressed, put her long strawberry blond hair up into a bun and walked into the empty bedroom that contained her finished and unfinished works along with all of her art supplies and some of Koashura's electric and acoustic guitars with his amp and a book of sheet music.
Kotennyo sat down a wooden stool that was in front of her nearly finished painting and squeezed some red, yellow, and blue paint onto her artist's palate. Looking at the portrait that showed the small childlike versions of herself, Koashura, and Koenma she sighed and dabbed her paintbrush in the red paint on her palate and she brought the brush up to it and gentle streaked it across the canvas.
The young goddess began to think about how close she and Koashura had gotten to being executed for the phony charges that were brought against them. She was thankful that her love did everything he could to in order to protect them by deciding to come to the Human World to live a better life. Kotennyo remembered that when they arrived, they had nowhere to go and were attacked by a group of demons who seemed to show up out of nowhere and then they came across Jasmine and her two older siblings Caroline and Niles who saved their lives by killing their attackers. She felt forever grateful for their kindness and compassion especially from individuals who were trained to be slayers and assassins from an early age.
*Nine months earlier in Spirit World Jail*
Kotennyo woke up in her cell to find that her wrists were shackled. She then looked across the room and gasped seeing her currently unconscious redheaded boyfriend who was now in his childlike toddler form. Kotennyo had not seen Koashura like that since they graduated from Spirit World Kindergarten over five hundred years ago and during the entire year that they had been dating, she assumed that he had given up that form like she did with hers two years prior before he saved her from those thugs at the "Fallen Angel".
The goddess tried to move her wrists but, she felt an awful burning sensation coming from her back from when Captain Ootake had tortured her the previous night. She let out a pained groan that woke up the small redheaded god from his slumber, "K-Kotennyo? Wh-where are we?"
Koashura looked around and he too couldn't move his wrists very far and looked down to find them shackled. The small redhead looked over to his love and she responded, "We are now locked up like caged animals and it's only a matter of time before they execute us."
Koashura shook his head, "Don't say that. We'll get out of here. Kotennyo look at me, as soon as we're out of here, we'll leave Spirit World and start a new life. Just think about that. Don't think about the negative."
The young goddess quit looking at down at the ground and looked back up at her currently pint sized boyfriend who was trying to give her a comforting smile, "Koashura do you feel any different?"
As a matter of fact, he didn't, that is until Kotennyo had said something and looked down at himself and at his small hands, "Oh crap. I must have switched forms when I blacked out." He shifted his attention to Kotennyo, "How come you didn't? Why are do you still have your womanly body?"
Kotennyo sighed and decided that she should tell him, "Koashura, I gave mine up two years ago. I am permanently like this. I can never go back to looking like a little girl."
Koashura's jaw dropped, "Well, I guess the saying is true then. The goddesses develop faster than the gods," he chuckled. "How?" the redhead asked her curiously.
The young goddess only gave him a weak smile due to burning sensation on her back and she gave him a short reply, "By moving on. Leaving the past behind. Starting anew; making a sacrifice."
Koashura didn't know what she meant by but, there was little time to figure that out when their cell had opened and Captain Ootake and two other SDF soldiers had entered. The small redhead did not like the look that the military leader had in his eye. He knew by just looking at him that he was a sick and sadistic man. The blue haired soldier Shunjun spoke up, "Now, you two only have two choices. Either you leave Spirit World and never return or be executed for your crimes."
Kotennyo shot all three of them a death glare, "I'd much rather leave than be murdered for being innocent. Fuck Spirit World and fuck the king. That tyrant can go burn in hell."
Captain Ootake gave the young goddess a look that gave her a feeling of dread, "You have quite the mouth on you woman. Someone needs to teach you to mind your manners."
He then came up behind Kotennyo and put his hand on her back and shocked her with his spirit energy. Kotennyo let out a blood curdling scream that can be heard all over the jail. Poor Koashura can only watch and the small redheaded god struggled to break free from his shackles screaming, "Stop it! Stop, you're hurting her! Let her go! Please! You can do what you want with me but, please don't hurt her! I beg of you!"
Hearing the young god's pleas only made Ootake want to increase his power and that he did. Kotennyo's agonizing screams grew louder and tears began to stream down her beautiful face. The hook nosed SDF soldier saw Koashura trying even harder to break free from his metal bonds and cruelly smiled at him and gave him a nasty shock from his spirit energy. The redhead screamed in pain feeling the shock coursing through his small body.
Shunjun felt sick to his stomach watching what the other two were doing to the two young gods. He felt disgusted by it and he wanted to help them so bad but, he was afraid of being arrested and tried to think of a plan to help them.
While Koashura was enduring his pain, he could hear Kotennyo still screaming in agony and could see that Captain Ootake was enjoying her suffering. The redhead knew that he didn't stand a chance at fighting them being that at this period in time, his power level was only equivalent to that of a C class apparition. He bit down on his lip and he thought to himself, "I have to save Kotennyo. I have to get her out of here but, I need to be stronger. What the hell is wrong with me? I have to save her. I can't let that sick bastard kill her. I need to need be stronger, I need to be stronger!"
As Ootake continued to shock the young goddess, Shunjun decided he had enough and then spoke up, "Captain, let her go. She's not causing any harm. Captain, please stop. She's already had enough."
The SDF captain shot the blue haired soldier a death glare, "Are you going against your superior Shunjun? Do I have to arrest you for insubordination?"
Shunjun shook his head and replied, "No Captain, but, it's just she can't take anymore and I don't think…"
"SILENCE!"
Just then Shunjun turned around hearding a loud grunting noise coming from the smaller red haired prisoner who began to ball up his fists and glow with his spirit energy. The hook nosed soldier cackled, "Oh please, don't think that you can get out of this one." He then increased the shock on Koashura.
Koashura screamed from the pain but continued to focus on trying to break free from his
shackles thinking, "I have to be stronger. I have to save Kotennyo! I have to save her! I have to save her!"
Koashura's red eyes began to glow and his small body began to glow brighter and brighter and he let out a loud scream. The hook nosed soldier's eyes widened and began to panic saying, "No, it couldn't be. The little runt's power is increasing."
The small red headed god screamed even louder and glowed even brighter and then all the sudden his body began to change. His childlike toddler body began to transition to that of full grown man's as his arms and legs got longer, his torso and the rest of his body got bigger and his red hair grew past his shoulders. The newly permanently adult Koashura balled up his bigger hands and let out another scream and broke the shackles with his spirit energy and blasted the hooked nosed soldier back into the wall of their jail cell and ran over towards Kotennyo summoning his bow and arrow.
Now that his power level had increased to that of a B class, he was able to hold two spirit arrows at once and took aim at his love's tormentor and viciously barked, "Let her go now or I'll kill you!"
Captain Ootake quit shocking Kotennyo and looked up and began to sense the redhead's increase in power. He began to sweat even though he was still stronger than Koashura by at least one class level. The SDF captain began to fire several blasts of spirit energy at the red haired god who, just simply dodged them and fired his arrows in self defense. One of the arrows hit Ootake which surprised him, knocking him to the ground and he got back up.
Koashura continued to fire two arrows at once making the sadistic military leader jump back every time. The young god finally got to Kotennyo's side and gasped at what he saw, a large hole was burned through the back of her kimono and her skin looked as if she were suffering from second degree burns. Koashura undid his silly face belt buckle and removed his jacket and draped it over her. He gently held her close to him, hearing Kotennyo sobbing from the pain, "It's okay, Kotennyo, I'm here now. I won't let him hurt you anymore."
Captain Ootake began to fire several energy blasts at the godly couple and before any of them could hit, an energy barrier was erected around them. Koashura looked up to see who was protecting him and Kotennyo. He then gasped in surprise at who it was. Shunjun gave the two gods a look of remorse and sympathy for what they had just endured and said to them, "You guys get out of here. Leave Spirit World. Go now, I don't know how much longer I can ward them away."
Koashura and Kotennyo looked up at their savior and the redhead just silently nodded in reply. Captain Ootake shot the blue haired soldier an angry glare, "Why are you helping them Shunjun? How dare you go against us!?"
Still protecting the two gods with his energy shield, he shifted his attention to his superior, "They're going to leave. They promise they will never return to Spirit World and keep their mouths shut. They're no threat to us now. Just let them go. Please Captain."
The military leader now looked at the young couple and cruelly smiled at them, "Good, they better leave now or it's an instant death for the both of them."
Shunjun let down his energy shield, released Kotennyo from her shackles, and opened up a small gateway for them and said, "Hurry, go on through. I don't know how much longer this standoff is going to last."
Koashura got up assisting Kotennyo who was now too weak to stand on her own. He held her close to him as she rested her head on his shoulder and they both slowly walked over to the gateway of their unknown destination and before going in, Koashura looked over to the kind blue haired soldier and said gratefully, "Thank you."
He and Kotennyo both entered and the gateway sealed shut behind them. The goddess sank to her knees from the pain and exhaustion and Koashura went down with her. He looked at her and began to panic, "Kotennyo? Kotennyo? Kotennyo look at me. You're going to be okay. We're going to find out where we are and we'll find some help."
Kotennyo began to breathe very rapidly and very much wanted to shut her eyes and Koashura started to freak out, "Oh my god Kotennyo, please stay awake." The redhead looked around at their new surrounds. He saw that they were both in some alleyway with tall buildings and his pointed ears began to perk up from the noises of police sirens, a car alarm going off, and some people yelling at each other in the distance. It dawned on the young god that he and his love are now in the Human World.
Suddenly three large figures walked into the alleyway with one of them saying, "Well, well, well, look at what the cat dragged in. If it isn't two weaklings fresh out of Spirit World."
Koashura held Kotennyo close to him not wanted to let her go and pleaded with their would be attackers, "Please, leave us be. We don't want any trouble. Just go away."
The three demons just cackled and one of them raised their claws and lunged at the two young gods who were too exhausted to defend themselves. Koashura held Kotennyo tightly and the young goddess buried her face into her love's chest waiting for the impact of the demon's claws. Then out of nowhere, a silver sai came flying out of nowhere and pierced the demon's skull and it dropped dead upon impact. Koashura looked over as did the other two demons and they saw three silhouettes, two women and one man.
The three individuals came out of the shadows and the first person was a beautiful young woman with long curly brown hair, pale skin, with freckles that peppered her face, large brown eyes and she was short and thin in stature. This young lady held two fans, one in each hand that was coated with her spirit energy. The second young woman was little bit taller than the first. She too had pale skin but, she had blond curls instead of brown with bright blue eyes, red full lips, with a figure like Marilyn Monroe and in one of her hands she held a silver sai. She knelt down to retrieve the second one from the demon she slaughtered and like the first woman; she too coated her weapons with her spirit energy.
The third individual was a tall heavy set man with pale skin, curly blond hair, with round spectacles that covered his bright blue eyes and held a long metal bo staff that coated was with his spirit energy. Koashura and Kotennyo watched as the three, what they both sensed human individuals fought and killed the last two demons by the brown haired woman decapitating one with her fans and the two blondes killing the other with their weapons.
The brown haired woman folded up her fans but, the other two still held their weapons firm when gazing at the couple they saved. The man spoke, "They're not human. Do you thing that they're threat Caroline?"
The blond haired woman holding the sais looked at Koashura and Kotennyo for a minute but it was the brown haired lady with the fans who spoke, "No, lower your weapons, they seem harmless. I cannot sense any demon energy coming from them at all."
The blond woman looked over to the brunette, "If they're not demons, then what are they?"
The brunette laughed at the blonde's curiosity, "I am surprised at you Caroline, and they're gods of course."
The woman named Caroline shook her head and laughed at her own mistake, "How silly of me, I have been out of the game for so long, I kind of forgot what a god's aura is like." She then put away her sais.
The tall blond man laughed and lowered his bo staff, "You're not the only one, sis. I made the same mistake too. Been too busy with work and all."
The brunette laughed at her two siblings and slowly walked up to Koashura and Kotennyo, "Hello, are you two alright?" She knelt down to their level and held out her hand to the red haired god, "My name is Jasmine and this is my sister Caroline and my brother Niles."
Koashura took the human's hand and shook hands with her, "My name is Koashura and this is the love of my life, Kotennyo. We just got here and we have no place to go. Also, my love is in really bad shape. We just got away from being sadistically tortured and beaten. Please, help us," he said in desperation.
Jasmine gave Koashura a look of concern and asked, "May I see how bad she is?"
Still holding the young goddess close to him, Koashura thought about it for a moment and nodded loosening his embrace. Jasmine and her two siblings, Niles and Caroline gathered around the godly couple. The brunette removed Koashura's jacket and gasped seeing Kotennyo's badly burned back, "Oh my god, what happened to her?!"
"Holy shit, what kind of sick fuck can do this?" Niles asked feeling like he was going to vomit from the sight in front of him.
Jasmine shifted her attention back to Koashura, "Who did this to her?"
Koashura looked down at Kotennyo who looked up at him and gave him a pleading look, begging him not to say anything. He looked back up at the kind woman and said, "I don't want to talk about it."
Jasmine politely nodded with understanding, "Okay, we won't pressure you. Just tell us when you're ready."
"Why don't we take them back to mom and dad's place?" Caroline suggested, "Mom can heal her with her spirit energy. Sorry Jasmine."
Jasmine looked up and smiled at her sister, "That's okay, Carol. I understand I still need more practice at it."
Niles chuckled, "But, you are getting better and better every day with it."
The young brunette shifted her attention back to the redhead and asked, "Do you feel comfortable coming back with us to our parents' place? Our mother, Janine can help heal her."
Koashura felt touched by these people's generosity and looked at Kotennyo and asked her, "Kotennyo, are you okay with this?"
The young goddess silently nodded and Koashura smiled at Jasmine and said, "Yeah, take us there. But, Kotennyo is not very steady on her feet right now, she needs some help."
Niles knelt down by their side, "I can carry her. I can sense that you're too tired to. I promise I'll be careful."
Koashura gave the kind human man smile and silently nodded. The redhead gently broke his embrace and the large human psychic carefully lifted Kotennyo into his arms carrying her bridal style. The young god stood up feeling a bit wobbly from the torture he endured and the excessive use of his spirit energy in saving his love. Caroline walked up to his side, "Here, let me assist you."
Koashura nodded in thanks and leaned on the blonde woman. The two gods and the three demon hunters left the alleyway and after about two hours they finally reached a lone house that was on the outskirts of Mushiori City. Jasmine pushed the button to the intercom that was on the gates.
A man's voice could be heard on the other side, "Yeah, who is this?"
Jasmine pushed the button again and replied, "Dad, it's us. We just saved a couple from being eaten by demons and they really need our help. The woman is in really bad shape. We need mom to use her spirit energy to help heal her."
"Okay, I'll let your mother know." He then opened the gate for them and the three demon hunter siblings and the two young gods entered the property and walked over to the front door. Jasmine knocked and a few moments later a tall middle aged balding heavy set man answered. He had very little blonde hair left on his head with a scruffy beard that covered much of his face and like his son; he wore round spectacles over his bright blue eyes.
Eyeing the two people that his children were assisting he asked, "Jasmine, are they human or are they demons of some sort?"
Jasmine shook her head; her father couldn't sense these kinds of things like his three children or his wife can, "No dad, they're gods. They just got here from what I believe is possibly Spirit World and they were beaten and tortured and they would have died if we hadn't had shown up and killed the demons who attacked them."
Jasmine's father shut the front door behind him after all five individuals entered his house. Caroline helped Koashura over to an old sofa in the middle of the living room and the red haired god sat down.
"Niles, lay the goddess down on the sofa next to her boyfriend", his brunette sister suggested and he did just that.
Jasmine's father left the room and he came back seconds later with a short middle aged heavy set woman with curly brown hair and large brown eyes that were hidden beneath her glasses whom Koashura could only guess was the three siblings' mother.
Jasmine's father approached the godly couple and introduced himself and his wife, "Hello, my name is William and this is my wife, Janine. She is very well versed in the art of healing with spirit energy. May we see the extent of this woman's injury?"
Koashura nodded, "Yes, just please be careful with her."
William and Janine sat down on a couple wing backed chairs across from the godly couple and the matriarch of the family asked the young goddess, "What is your name dear?"
Kotennyo looked up at the seemingly kind middle aged woman and said in quiet voice, "Kotennyo."
Janine shifted her attention to her brunette daughter, "Jasmine, please remove the jacket off of her."
Jasmine removed Koashura's jacket off of the young goddess and her mother got a good glimpse of Kotennyo's back and gasped, "Oh my. What has happened to this poor girl?"
Koashura bit his lip and replied, "I don't want to talk about it. It was just too horrible to describe."
"Mom, they were tortured and she seemed that she got the brunt of it."
Janine nodded, "Okay. Jasmine, gently open Miss Kotennyo's kimono and have her lay down on her stomach."
Jasmine did as her mother instructed her to do and Koashura finally saw what Captain Ootake did to her. Kotennyo's back looked totally red and some of her skin peeled in some places. The redheaded god felt like he was going to be sick from seeing his love in such a horrible state. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to burst out and a few slid down his cheeks. Koashura knelt down and kissed his girlfriend on the forehead and said in a shaky voice, "Oh Kotennyo, I'm so sorry. Nobody should even have to go through that. If only I wasn't shackled, I would have been able to stop him."
Kotennyo looked up at Koashura giving him the most positive smile she could muster, "It's okay Koashura. It wasn't your fault. You did everything you could to save me and I am grateful for that. I am also proud of how your power increased and you giving up your child form just so you can save me. I still love you with all of my heart and soul. Please don't blame yourself."
Not being able to hold back his emotions in anymore, Koashura began to sob and stroked Kotennyo's hair, kissing the top of her head and continued to apologize, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry….."
Trying not to get emotional from watching the scene in front of her, Jasmine asked her mother, "Do you think you could heal her?"
Janine looked Kotennyo for a couple of minutes and looked at Jasmine and a still sobbing Koashura and nodded, "Yes but, here's the catch."
Koashura quit crying and sniffled, "Wh-what's the catch?"
The middle aged psychic sighed, "I can heal her but, there is going to be some permanent scaring due to the severity of it."
Kotennyo turned her head to look at Janine, "That's fine as long as I'm not in pain anymore."
Janine smiled at the young goddess and said as she put her hands over her badly injured back, "Okay, I should warn you; this is going to sting a little bit at first. Just take a deep breath and relax." Her hands then began to glow with her spirit energy.
Kotennyo let out a pained gasp as she felt a burning sensation and she felt someone gently touch her hand. She looked over to see Koashura holding it and he said to her in the calmest voice he can manage, "Just relax, I'm here. Just look at me and don't try to focus on that." He then kissed her hand in comfort.
The skin on Kotennyo's back slowly began to scar over as Janine's spirit energy sped up its rate of its healing. The process lasted for about ten to fifteen minutes and Kotennyo could no longer feel any pain or burning. Janine removed her hands, "Okay, all better. You can try to sit up now."
Kotennyo covered her bare breasts as she sat up and Jasmine brought a mirror to show her, "Here, take a look."
The young goddess turned her head and gasped at her back's permanent state. The skin was no longer red and peeling but, now scar tissue completely replaced it. Kotennyo was completely speechless in both relief and sadness. She didn't blame Janine for it but, she only blamed the sick sadistic SDF captain who gave it to her.
Kotennyo turned away from the mirror and Jasmine put it away and sat next her. The young psychic saw a single tear slide down the goddess's cheek and she put her hand on her shoulder. Kotennyo slightly jumped from the human's touch and looked at her. Jasmine gave her a warm smile, "Are you okay?"
Kotennyo just shrugged and didn't say anything. Koashura sat on her other side and wrapped his jacket around his topless girlfriend. Jasmine gave the goddess another smile, "You're not ugly so, don't think you are. Your scar symbolizes that you are a survivor. I don't know what of because, you guys are not ready to share that yet but, you overcame a horror that you endured and you and Mr. Koashura here, have a chance to start a new life. You two don't know how lucky you guys are."
Kotennyo just looked at the young woman and gave her a small smile and Jasmine decided to offer them, "Do you two need a place to stay? I'll have two extra bedrooms because, my sister Caroline is moving out to go live with her fiancé Raito and I am currently looking for a new roommate or possibly two."
Both gods looked at her completely speechless. They felt touched by Jasmine's kindness and compassion and they didn't know what to say.
*End Flashback*
She put her paintbrush in her cup of rinse water and put down her artist's palate. Looking at the clock on the wall, Kotennyo saw that it was already five o'clock in the afternoon. She worked very hard on that one painting but, she still wasn't finished with it yet. The young goddess left the spare bedroom to go sit down and relax and watch some TV until either Jasmine or Koashura came home. Jasmine was about an hour late and Koashura still wouldn't be back for another couple of hours.
Kotennyo sat down on the leather couch and turned on the TV and started to flip through the channels to find something good on. While doing that her mind drifted back to the memory of when she and Koashura moved in after Jasmine's sister, Caroline had moved out. Not long afterwards, the two gods had forged their own documents to hide their true ages so they could enroll in the same university that Jasmine attended. It was always Koashura's ambition to become a music teacher and for Kotennyo to become either an artist or do something that involved art. Over these past nine months they had gotten to know their human psychic roommate and vise versa.
All three of them became fast friends especially when Koashura and a little with Kotennyo had opened up to Jasmine about the horrors they endured in Spirit World. Both gods were forever grateful for the things that Jasmine and her family had done for them both. They wanted to repay the kind human family for their generosity but, they said they didn't have to do it.
Kotennyo smiled at that thought. Jasmine was such a good friend and in fact, the human psychic was a better friend than her so called friends that she had in Spirit World Kindergarten who basically quit talking to her since graduation. Kotennyo didn't need them anyway. Banishing the thoughts about her past from her mind, she heard the intercom by the front door buzzing and she went over to answer it, "Yes? Who is this?"
"Dearest it's me. I'm home."
Kotennyo pushed the button to let her boyfriend in and he came up a few moments later and she let him in. The young goddess asked the redhead, "What are you doing home so early?"
Koashura gave her a quick kiss and replied, "They let me go early today because we were overstaffed. Say, why don't we go out for some dinner and a movie? You get to pick because, you've been working so hard all day."
Kotennyo smiled at her boyfriend's suggestion, "That sounds like a plan. I'm the mood for some pizza and there is this Meg Ryan movie that I have been dying to see."
The redhead smiled, "Sounds great, hold that thought while I go change out of these work clothes. Let me guess, the movie is "Sleepless in Seattle" right?"
Kotennyo nodded, "Yep, oh before you go change, there is something that I want you to see." She then grabbed Koashura's hand and guided him into the spare bedroom.
Upon entering the guest room, Kotennyo brought Koashura up to her unfinished painting that she worked on all day and said, "It's unfinished but, I want you to tell me your honest opinion on this."
Koashura was speechless, Kotennyo usually hated it when people saw her unfinished works but, it dawned on him that he was the first and only person that she had ever let see them. It truly showed that they had taken the trust and respect part of their relationship to the next level and that Kotennyo really does trust him. The red haired god looked at the unfinished painting and back at his love and smiled at her and truthfully answered, "I think it's brilliant and beautiful. You should make this the star attraction of your art show."
Kotennyo smiled at Koashura's honest words, "Oh my god, that is the best thing I have heard all day. Yeah, you're right, I should make it my star attraction. Do you think I should let my other pieces compliment it?"
Koashura nodded, "Yes, of course." He then placed both of his hands on the sides of the goddess's face and gave her a passionate and loving kiss. They both broke the kiss so Koashura can go change his clothes and soon they left on their date night after leaving Jasmine a note explaining to her where they had gone.
