GOMEN!!! GOMEN!!! GOMEN!!!!
I'm SO sorry for the massive timelap!!! Please continue to read this story!!
But first I would like to thank all those who have commented and shall continue to read this story. ... Even though I'm probably the slowest updater ever....
Here are a few notes you should know before reading:
'Blah, blah, blah' = singing
"Blah, blah, blah" = talking
Blah, blah, blah = thinking
"Blah, blah, blah" = telepathically speaking
Please enjoy this chapter.
Ch. 8: Can there be Two Youko's?
The different colored eyes quickly disappear. Human orbs shift this way and that searching for the demons' eyes.
My body is shaking and my breaths come out ragged with fright. Hot, salty, tears brim my brown eyes; events with Karasu form in my mind. My shoulders hunch forward remembering the entire warm crimson liquid and terrorizing, sharp screams I created. I try to force the tears back. With the knowledge that negative/weak emotions give demons their strength and confidence, whether they are dead or alive.
"Come on out, bitches!!" Mark shouts, bringing his katana in the air.
"Mark!" Rebecca and I harshly whisper, glaring daggers at him.
"Nani? I'm not afraid to fight," his large hands wrap around the black handle of the blade. "Come out you cowards!!"
There's that vein, again. I mushroom sigh.
"We're going to stay here and fight all of you, demons!"
Suddenly, I feel a force on my back pushing me down on my tummy. "Oof!" I begin to look back and yell at the one who pushed me down. "What the hell- AH!" something wraps around my wrists, tying them behind my back, and tying my ankles together, and blindfolding me.
"Or, we could just stay here and lay around." Rebecca's voice sounds. She must've gotten the same treatment I received.
"Eep! /Wow! /Hey!" All three of us chorus. I don't know what happened to them, but I'm on someone's shoulder; being treated like a sack of potatoes.
"You three are trespassing," says a deep voice.
"And your point is?" Me and my big mouth. The man roughly shrugs his shoulder, causing me to flinch a bit. That's gonna bruise.
I feel the motion of the demon walking and hear the heavy footsteps follow him.
"Where are we going?" Rebecca asks.
"Somewhere." Replies one of the demons.
"Well, that's real specific." Mark sighs out. I can hear a low growl close by, making my heart pound in chest.
"Calm down, Taku. These are just mere mortals, after all." The demon that's carrying me gave off an amused chuckle. "But how they all managed to survive this far is beyond me."
Another dark chuckle sounds, this time in front of me. "Hai, quite a mystery for such weaklings."
"WEAKLINGS!?" Mark shouts. I can just picture Mark's form thrashing about. "Let me go, and I'll show you a weakling!!… Woah…."
"Ookami?" Rebecca and I both ask. He lets out some kind of tired groan.
No soon after that I feel a cold feeling run down my neck. Different shapes and bright colors form in front of my wrapped eyes. My body painfully and slowly shuts down, making a groan escape my throat.
"Good night, ladies." One youkai snickers.
Youko, help us…. Even though he's a guy from my dreams he seems so real to me.
Th-Thump. Th-thump.
I can hear a strong heartbeat sounding all around me. A small smile tugs its way on my lips. This reminds me of my mother.
When I was younger and I had a bad dream she would sing to me, with my ear close to her heart. My mother wasn't the best singer, but you could hear the love behind the words.
Thu-thump
'Lullaby and good night
In the sky stars are bright
'Round your head flowers gay
Set your slumbers till day'
My mom's singing voice melds with the heart. It sounds so much like her heart.
Thu-thump.
'Lullaby and good night
In the sky stars are bright
'Round your head flowers gay
Set tour slumbers till day'
Tears find their way to the outter corners of my closed eyes and leak out.
Thu-thump.
'Close your eyes now and rest
May these hours be blessed
Close your eyes now and rest
May these hours be blessed'
"Why?" I whisper to myself. "Mom, Dad," my voice cracks. "Why did you have to go?" For nearly ten years I haven't cried with grief. Ever since… then I didn't want to show any tears of dispair. Joy, maybe. I don't want to put my sadden emotions on someone else.
Thu-thump.
'Bonne nuit cher enfant
Dans tes langes blanches
Repose joyeux en rêvant des cieux'
Thu-thump.
'Quand le jour reviendra
Tu te réveilleras
Quand le jour reviendra
Tu te réveilleras'
Why did she speak in another laguage when I was a small child? To this day I don't know what she was saying, but hope she said that she loves me.
I still cry.
Thu-thump.
'Lullaby and good night
In the sky stars are bright
'Round your head flowers gay
Set your slumbers till day'
The song plays again in its soothing tone, as I continue to cry and gasp for air. Why is it getting so cold? I can feel my warm tears begin to freeze on my face. Slowly the voice stops, but the heartbeat still goes, as freezing rain pours down on my priestess dressed body.
Lazily, I open my grief-stricken brown eyes and sniffle. Few of the ice cubes enter my eyes making them instinctively blink away the ice. My arm feels like a million tons as I try to shield my eyes.
Thu…thump. Thu…thump. Thu…thump.
The heartbeat begins to slow down. But every once in a while still beats, showing that it's still 'alive'.
Thu…thump. Thu…thump.
Bone freezing water surrounds my laying form, making me shiver and my breath become visible. Slowly I sit up, fearing that I might get dizzy if I get up to fast.
Thu…thump. Thu…thump.
Using my arms to support myself I look around the cold dark world. A sharp gasp escapes my lips. Blood. There's blood everywhere! I'm scared to look over myself, but I do so to stop the irritating voice inside my head to look. My hands shake seeing the red residue on them, moving them away I see that my pants are sticking to my legs. I look over to my right arm and see increasing amounts of red. "W-What is all of this?"
Thu…thump. Thu…thump.
My nose scrunches up and my eyes screw shut. Hoping that the image I've seen will go away, as well as the smell.
Thu…thump. Thu…thump.
Through the disgusting odor, I smell the sweet aroma of roses. Slowly I peek one eye open and gaze down around myself. A smile moves itself on my face. I fully open both eyes and gaze down at the roses around me. They cover the strong stench of blood rather well.
I recline myself down in the bed of roses, the blissful teeth still showing themselves. "Who said life isn't a bed of roses?" I whisper to one rose gradually closing my eyes.
Thu… thump. Thu…thump.
I can feel the roses around me pulse with the heart.
Small drops of blood fall from the roses' thorns and petals splattering on my hands and fingers. The once warm living blood is becoming deadly cold. I open my eyes half way, wanting to fall asleep in the nice warm bed that smell's so much like Youko.
"Hmmm?" A flash of sliver sprints by; snapping my eyes fully open.
"YOUKO!!" I bolt up shouting the kitsune youkai's name.
I look to my right hearing booming laughter. "Even female ningens dream of the fox!!" exclaims an orange skinned and green haired youkai.
I feel my pale cheeks gain a warm embarrassing color as I glare at the laughing demons.
"Kitsune?" I hear my nickname being whispered besides me. I turn my head ever so slightly seeing the owner of the voice is Rebecca.
"Kitty-Cat, what happened?" a lump of emotions fill my throat, fearing what has happened to us while we 'slept'.
"See that demon with the dark blue, nearly black, hair and onyx eyes," Rebecca leans over to my side using her sky blue eyes as a pointer. I follow her eyes, and glare once I see the youkai.
Just like Becky said, he has black-blue out of control/puffy hair and onyx glaring colored eyes. Though his hair and eyes are dark his skin is ghost white. He has markings on his face: two black jagged streaks on both of his cheeks and a navy blue shining star on his forehead. His right upper arm has a black skull and blue cross bones. He dresses very similar to Youko; only this guy has black and blue bandages over his lower arms.
I nod my head.
"He used some kind of demon magic on us, so we won't annoy them while they brought us here and know where we are."
"Demon magic?" I raise an eyebrow at her choice of words. I chuckle lightly. Poor, Kitty-Cat-chan, means their demonic powers.
"Is there much of a difference?"
"YIPE!!" I whip my head towards Rebecca, ignoring the odd stares I have received from my small dog sound. "Can-can-can…"
"I hear you? Yes."
My eyes slowly widen. "Woah. Achlys didn't say anything about talking to each other, only reading peoples' minds. Since when could you do that?"
Rebecca simply shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. … I guess I could always do it."
"Oh, well thanks for all the help over the years. With all the tests and quizzes we've taken, you could've gone and read the teachers flippin' mind!"
"You're welcome." Becky smiles kindly at me – my annoyed eyebrow twitching self. "Gloria?"
"Hai?"
"Who's Youko?"
(A/N: +yawns+ I'm getting tired maybe I should stop right here…. +looks to right and sees pissed off readers. With chainsaws, flamethrowers, big guns, and educational school books.+
+Anime sweat drop+ Or… I could continue….
+anger readers lower weapons, while I type like the wind+)
A blush runs across my nose and my eyes widen. "You heard that."
"Gloria, the whole cave heard you!"
"Oh. … Ano…." I look down at the dirt floor; suddenly having a new interest in it.
"Gloria?" Rebecca says in her warning tone.
"Youko is a guy from my dreams."
"And…"
"He's a demon."
"A DEMON?!" Rebecca yells in her mind making my flinch. "Gloria, do you know how dangerous that is! To late. It's very dangerous. Oh My Gosh!"
"I know, I know. Demo he isn't really real, ya' know? He's just a guy from my dreams." I smile sheepishly.
Becky blows a strand of her light brown hair out of her face, due to the fact that our arms are tied behind our backs. "You are known for your crazy whacked-out dreams, so… I'll let it slide."
I give Rebecca a grin and she grins back. Hearing a deep groan, we both turn our heads behind us. "Oo-Ookami?"
The eighteen-year old male groans again and shifts his build. "Just five more minutes, Kit-Kitsune." Mark lets out a beastly yawn and rolls over, so his back is facing us. I laugh lightly at Mark's immaturity, Rebecca soon joining in.
The light laughter still in affect, I look around the cave Rebecca said we are in. The natural dirt walls create a hemisphere shape, but dark wood acts a skeleton for the cave. Various lit candles are over the room we are currently in. There are some couches, stools, random pillows, four burning fireplaces in the sides of the cave, a tall bookcase by one of the roaring fires, a crimson curtain acts like a wall to separate the bar and library.
"That's a nice combo, huh, Beck?" I glace back her amused face.
"Hai. Having a library and a bar close to one another is always a smart choice. The two of us chuckle lightly. "Only having a curtain as a wall is SO helpful." Our chuckling increases to some extent.
"What the hell are you two ningens laughing about!" shouts an enraged youkai. Our chuckling increases to laughter. Why, I have no idea. Sometimes we laugh because people don't know what we're talking about, or a funny joke, or someone's pain (but right after we see if they're okay), or Mark's immaturity, or even an explosion in our own home.
Our laughter is cut short, due to someone karate chopping into the front of our necks. I fall on my back with a 'thud' and choke for air I can feel my brown iris' shrink, only the clear/black pupil being seen and even those I can feel minimize, from the shock and lack of oxygen.
What… the… hell? Even my thoughts are choking for air!
"That shut them up." The buzzing sound of a voice says, and the distant sound of knuckles crack.
"Kitsune, you okay?"
I choke. "Okay, as I'll ever be."
"That's good." Rebecca sighs.
I can feel my eyes return to their normal state and my breathing return. I close my eyes and sigh gratefully. Suddenly all these negative thoughts flood my mind, no one's here to save us. Why would any demon save three teenage humans? I know that Achlys saved me, but we're in someone's cave. How can she save us? She's only one demoness against countless others.
Maybe Kitty-Cat-chan can reason with them; she is the best one with words. ... But knowing demons they're going to find someway for us to work here. I shiver in disgust, thinking about what they would want if we don't clarify it.
A lump forms in my throat. Youko…. I whine within my head. Why isn't he here? I've dreamt, where was he? Great now I'm starting to sound like one of those obsessive girlfriends. And I'm even his girlfriend!!
"Youko-sama…" Several whispers say that.
Youko… -sama? There's no way. I bolt my head up, eyes widening. The sea of the men in white is splitting from the back and towards the front. My breath gets catches within my throat seeing the silver kitsune ears.
All sound fades from my ears. The sea continues to divide; three figures are coming out of it. Though I only see the silver haired-gold eyed-seven feet tall-kawaii eared and tailed-and-excellent listener Youko Kurama. My breath returns and my eyes relax once I can see him clearly.
But, there seems to be something different about him. His eyes. They seem so cold.
"Youko?" His name comes out as a hesitant whisper.
The silver kitsune's ears twitch upon hearing my voice. I could've sworn that his eyes widened, but I could be wrong.
(A/N: +sighs+ Is this legal?
+K (from Gravitation) has a big gun pointed to my head, so I will finish faster+ In some countries it depends on what you call legal. +smiles+)
"What are these filthy ningens doing here?" Youko glares down at all three of us 'filthy ningens'. I shocked to see, and hear, him like this.
This can't be the same Youko Kurama I know.
"You want us kill them, boss?" A creepy green, limb-twisted, black eyed, monstrously yellow fanged, split-ed tongue, covered in warts, demon asks in a disturbing snicker.
Youko crosses his lean muscular arms over his chest. His silver tail swishes and his ears twitch, his glare never wavering.
"Well don't stand there to look pretty! Are you going to kill us or not?" I hear Mark say behind me. My head whips to face him; suspired that he's awake. He emerald green eyes are glaring at the kitsune youkai in front of me.
"Throw them in the dungeon." I whip my head back at Youko - he turns to the left and walks down the semi dark hallway.
For the second time that day Rebecca, Mark, and I are thrown over some demon's shoulder. They walk in the opposite direction as Youko.
"So how long do you think they'll keep us down here? Or, will we get out for good behavior?" Mark asks from the opening of our cell, his arms crossed over his chest and his back leaning against the cold wet bars.
This place smells like death, or dieing. The unmistakable stench of rotting and burning corpses, fresh and aged blood, and internal organs enter my nose. The sounds are equally unbearable; moans of dieing demons asking for water, the constant dripping of water, claws running over the freezing gray stone walls, the heavy last breaths, the slow movement of dragging bodies, and screams not far off as someone tortures him/her.
Though the smells and sounds are agonizing, it doesn't stop me from pacing the cell all three of us inhabit. That guy looked like Youko, but he didn't look like Youko. Same hair, same height, same ears and tail, same figure, and outfit. But his eyes were so different, so… cold. Like he… no, no, he couldn't of have…. The Youko in my dreams felt so warm and open. Okay, maybe a little bit overly pervy but he's a fox demon. Aren't they all like that? I continue to debate whether or not this Youko is the Youko I dreamt of.
I saw Rebecca walk towards one of the few dry spots when we got in here and sit down there.
"Ookami," her voice is distance from my ears. "Walk away from there."
"Why?" Even though he asks that question, he walks away.
I stop my hectic pace and gaze out towards the hall beyond the iron bars. One of the demons dressed in the white tunic and loose pants walks passed our cage, with a dead female demon. He drags her out by pulling her purple dull hair. In the dim light noticeable blood pours from her back, claws, arms, sides, and inner thighs.
The metal door opens, showing some light, but quickly slams shut.
My eyes fill up with emotion realizing what the male demon did to the female, or than beat up until death.
"Poor girl…." I hear Rebecca whisper.
"ARGH!!!!" Mark slams his better shoulder into the cage's door.
"Ookami!?" Rebecca and I shout, shocked at his action.
"I'm… not… going… to… stand… around… and wait… for our… punishment!!" he shouts as he rams into the bars, hoping to loosen them.
I shake my head with a sad laugh at his antics and continue my pacing, with my right index finger curved over my chin and my left arm behind my back. Rebecca sits down – her legs folded under her – in her place thinking with a cool expression.
+Youko+
Youko Kurama sits quietly inside – though it seems to be outside – on a white wooded bench, in his private garden. His arms are on the back of the bench, enlarging his chest, with a distance look is on his face.
I don't believe it. I won't believe it! His brows knit together in confusion. How is it that she's here, in Makai? True I was able to enter her dream world, but I thought I was getting better at that. Youko's silver ears stand tall at the sound of banging metal. His nose sniffs the air. Slowly Youko licks his fangs, virgin human blood is in the atmosphere.
"So you smell that, too?" Youko stays silent at Kuronue's question. "I'll take your silence as 'yes'. … What do you plan on doing with the humans?"
Youko stands up and walks towards the closed wooden door.
+Prison Cell+
The constant body slamming into the strong iron bars is beginning to get annoying. I stop my pacing and walk over to Mark.
I quickly wrap my arms around him, right around his elbows, stopping him ramming into the cell's door. "Will you stop that already." That came out more of an order than a question. "Mark, you are strong but do you honestly think that you can break down that door," I point towards said door. "That was made up in Makai?"
Mark glares down at me, but soon his body relaxes and dramatically falls to his knees.
+Rebecca's POV+
I peek open one of my ice blue eyes and watch Gloria and Mark; hearing a light thud. Gloria's right hand is hovering over Mark's bleeding shoulder. He's smiling down at her with gentle eyes, as Gloria scowls him on how sensitive a demon's sense of smell is. She's 92% sure that he's still a virgin and she's scared for him.
Even though he's strong he can't beat a demon's strength. I think to myself.
I was the first one to wake-up, but I refused to reveal my eyes. I could feel the wandering eyes and hear their disturbing thoughts.
I sense someone is coming. I stand up and walk towards my friends.
"There all better!" I ignore Gloria's childish talk.
"Kitty-Cat-chan, what's wrong?" Mark asks. Gloria 'hmm's in confusion. In the corner of my eye and can see chocolate brown eyes and emerald green eyes.
"Someone's coming." I tell them.
"Who is, Kitty-Cat?" Gloria and Mark walk to my sides.
"Youkais." I answer glaring at the weak lighted hall.
No duh. Mark's mind says.
"I heard that, Ookami."
Hearing the creak of a door opening all of our different colored eyes go up the hall. There's only one set of footsteps, but they're rather heavy.
A large, towering, pale bat demon stands in front of our cage. Mark – how's always protecting us – blocks Gloria and I from the bat's purple eyes.
Because I'm so short I can't look over Mark's shoulder, like Gloria currently is, so I have to look past his arm.
This demon's aura is really strong! Dark violet flames lick off of his flesh. I rub my eyes with my palms, and look back. Nope, it didn't work. He's still on fire, but it doesn't seem to bother him.
Other than the purple fire on him I look him over. Unlike the other demons, which dress in white, this guy dresses in dark colors. He has black boots that wrinkle around the lower part of his leg. His legs wear purple pants and – what can be described as a long white skirt – is over his pants and crossing black belts. His chest has a black leather vest on showing all who gazed at him his muscular chest. In the middle of his chest is a silver teardrop and ruby pendant. Both of his arms are wrapped in black leather bands. He wears a witch's hat sloppily on his head. He has long black hair, that's pulled into a ponytail. I can barely see his Elven ears and through the poor lighting I see his bat wings.
Who is this demon? When they were coming in I was trying to talk to Gloria, and asking her if that silver guy was Youko.
+Gloria's POV+
I look over Mark's shoulder wanting to see the demon in front of our cell.
That guy was with Youko!
"Either you humans are awe struck or you're utterly stupid." He tells us.
Mark growls at him, resisting the urge to run at the bars and grab the demon by the throat.
"If you humans swear to behave you can walk freely without being thrown onto someone's shoulder."
"Where are we going exactly?" Rebecca asks, still behind Mark.
"You'll just have to trust me."
"Feh," Mark sounds. "Who, in their right mind, would trust a demon?"
I did. I think to myself and gaze down at my feet, sadness filling my chocolate orbs.
"Well than, I guess you'll just have to stay down here and be tortured for the rest of your short life." replies bat demon.
"No!" I shout and grab onto Mark's arm. "Ookami will be good. Won't you, Ookami." I look up at him with hopeful eyes. A big smile goes across my lips hearing his sigh of defeat.
"Okay, but if anyone so much as looks at them the wrong way I'll-"
The bat demon interrupts him. "You'll what? Kill them?" he darkly chuckles.
"If it comes to that." Purple and green eyes shoot bolts at each other.
The dark demon sighs. "Well I don't like half of them, so you're probably good." He unlocks the door with a bronze key and opens our cell's door. "Lets go."
Marks walks out of the prison cell, his arms draped over Rebecca's and my shoulders, with the bat demon leading the way towards our unknown destination.
I stare at the silver fox ahead of me. His eyes as cold as an infinite amount of ice and his face showing no emotion.
I swallow a lump in my throat; I'm scared of this unknown demon, though I'd never admit it aloud.
His cold golden eyes roam over our human bodies, for a short second he looks at Rebecca longer (mostly because of the length of her skirt). He continues looking over our forms.
I see that he raises a silver brow at Mark's bloody shoulder.
"Have them all in working clothes by tomorrow's dawn…" His golden eyes lock with my chocolate ones. "They'll be working for us from now on."
I can't believe my ears. WE'RE NOT GONNA DIE!!!!
But a nagging voice in the back of my head tells me that this just the beginning of our journey.
Notes: Please review!!! If you review I'll get inspired to write!!! And that means more chapters!!
And even though it's 12:00AM here, have a happy Turkey-Day!!!!
