Hello and welcome to another chapter of "Tao and The Art of Love." I realize that it has been a while and I have been getting some pretty good reviews for this story so I do feel quite bad for posting this so late. However I do have a reason…
…re…son…azure…the…shift...azure…azure…Azure…AZUREAZUREAZUREAZUREAZURE! KEHIHIHIHIHIHI!
Sorry about that, my inner Arakune is going nuts about Continuum Shift to be released in a few days so I've been dropping the ball left and right here. This being said I have to admit my mind will be focused on the game for a while too so you might not see me for a bit because of it. Despite this I will try my best to update in a timely fashion and I think you for reading my story. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
(Disclaimer) I own nothing
Chapter 4: Close
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~REBEL 4: START!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Elder..."
"Yes Kagimaru?"
"What just happened?"
Standing on the edge of a massive circle Kagimaru stood side by side with the village Elder, her staff gripped in an elderly paw, their eyes trained to a pair of Kaka kittens sweeping the musty ring. Almost immediately after Tao had thrown down her challenge Tao and Fu were ordered to separate from one another, to flee to opposite sides of the village and prepare themselves for the battle ahead. After they had left Kagimaru had nowhere to go but to join the Elder in preparations, his mind swimming with several questions he wanted answered.
The Elder chuckled at Kagimaru's query, "When one Kaka makes a claim to a husband and the conditions of that claim are suspicious or flimsy, then another Kaka can challenge the first for the husband in question." Kagimaru blinked, "So that means..." Kagimaru could almost feel the smile on the Elders face as she spoke, "That means young Tao has just challenged her senior for the rights to you Kagimaru." Kagimaru felt his face turning a bright red, there was no stopping the wash of crimson that hit his cheeks as he responded with a single intelligent phrase, "Oh...really? Um...so you say senior. That means Tao and Fu learned how to fight together, right?"
The Elder's laughter seemed to deepen Kagimaru's blush, his transparent questioning amusing the knowing Elder greatly, "Yes Kagimaru. Fu and Tao learnt the art of being a Kaka warrior under the same Master. Fu was Tao's senior student by about a year." "Wow," Kagimaru exclaimed, his embarrassment slightly eased by his mounting curiosity, "were they the only students?" The Elder nodded, "Yes, Fu and Tao were the only students of their generation to learn from Master Jubei." Kagimaru started to nod in understanding but he was frozen as his jaw dropped in comprehension, "from...Jubei?" The Elder chuckled, "Oh yes, Master Jubei comes by from time to time to look over the village and to check on how we are all doing. Every so often he finds a student from our school to take under his paw for the arts of fighting. Fu and Tao were just lucky enough to be the two students he last taught." Kagimaru was speechless; if that was true then Tao had learned her style of fighting from the most powerful being alive on the planet. The fact alone gave him a deeper understanding of how she was so mind-bendingly strong for such a hyperactive and flighty Kaka.
"It was odd for Master Jubei to take two students though," the Elder continued, "normally he only takes the son or daughter of the village Elder and teaches him or her so they can protect the village just as he does. However after a year of training Fu, he decided to teach Tao as well." The Elder chuckled low as one kitten tripped on the edge of the circle, falling face first into its own pile of gathered dust, "Jubei said that he saw something in Tao, something incredibly powerful, and that he wanted to bring it out." "Wow..." Kagimaru trailed off, his gaze turning from the Elder to the ring and the kittens who just finished their cleaning task.
"What about you Kagimaru," The Elder spoke with curiosity, "Tao has told us of your exploits before, what master did you train under?" Kagimaru shook off the amazement for a moment as he responded, "I don't know I'm afraid." "You don't know?" The Elder asked, puzzled at the young man. Kagimaru nodded, "I know it sounds odd but I can never remember where I learned to fight or how, all I know is that I can." The Elder turned to Kagimaru, "You don't even know what style you use?" Kagimaru shook his head, one hand scratching the back of his neck in unease, "To be honest Elder, I don't know a lot about myself to begin with. I don't have total amnesia but I'm still not sure about certain things. Some days I can remember an event that happened years ago but the next day it is gone."
"Oh," the Elder said with concern, "Do you even remember your clan name?" Kagimaru chuckled, "My family name? No, I remember the faces of my mother and father but nothing about names. Everything just comes out as a blur and headache if I try." The Elder's chuckling worried Kagimaru but it was the next words that snapped him from his nostalgia into the present, "Well then, we should get used to calling you Kagi-kaka very soon shouldn't we?" Kagimaru gave an uncomfortable laugh, "Uh...yeah, I guess so."
Coughing a bit to relieve the situation Kagimaru went for a new subject and quickly, "So did Tao ever reach the power Jubei said she had?" The Elder sighed, "Oh young Tao has done remarkably well except...well she has trouble controlling herself." Kagimaru smirked at the comment but let the Elder continue, "In terms of power Jubei said she is mere steps from unlocking her true potential but her inability to concentrate is still keeping her abilities subdued." Kagimaru nodded, "So Tao is close but because she can't focus she's not quite there?" The Elder made a nod of approval, "Yes, Fu on the other hand has grown up to and past her potential, she impressed even Master Jubei with her strength." Kagimaru felt a pang of panic hit him, he knew Tao was a very strong girl but to have direct praise from Jubei worried him.
He was just about to ask more questions but a sudden voice cut him off, a young Kaka kitten running up to the Elder with a brilliant smile beaming from their hood, "Elder, the ring and everything is ready. Should I go get Fu and Tao?" The Elder was silent for a moment, humming over the thoughts in her head as she spoke, "Yes my child, you go fetch Fu while Kagimaru gathers Tao." The Kaka kitten nodded and rushed off for one side of the village while Kagimaru turned to the elder, surprise in his gaze, "Elder?" The Elder laughed quietly and gave him a nudge with her ornate cane, "Go retrieve Tao, I'm certain she's ready to fight." Kagimaru was speechless for a moment until a smile came across his lips; he gave her a small bow and rushed for the other side of the village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Spatial Rend / Roar of Time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tao...Tao..."
"..."
"Tao? Where are yo- OOF!"
Kagimaru's breath was forced out of him, his body hitting the ground from a powerful pounce. Without needing to ask Kagimaru knew who it was, the familiar arms wrapped around his abdomen were more than enough proof but he couldn't help his next question, "Tao? Is that you?" He felt Tao's head nod into his back, her surprisingly quiet voice barely speaking, "Yeah Heart Guy...it's Tao." The pair was silent for a while, Tao's arms wrapped around Kagimaru as he rested his head on his folded arms. No attempt was made to escape or to remind Tao of her upcoming fight, there was just a simple silent presence; company for no other reason than to have it.
"Tao," Kagimaru asked quietly, curiosity breaking the silence, "Why did you challenge Fu?" Tao's arms tightened slightly around his torso, Tao's head pressing into his back with slightly greater force. It took time for Tao to respond, so long in fact that Kagimaru didn't know if she had heard the question. As he took a breath to restate his question he felt Tao do the same, quickly quieting himself as she responded. "Tao...doesn't want Heart Guy to be married to Fu," Tao whispered, "Fu is mean to Tao, she laughs at Tao because Tao isn't that smart and she even teases Tao with food when Tao has nya-thing. Fu is really mean and Tao doesn't want to see Heart Guy with...her."
Tao's arms held Kagimaru tighter as she continued, "Fu would probably tease Tao forever with it and try to keep Heart Guy away from Tao. Tao doesn't want to be apart from Heart Guy...Tao would do anything to keep Heart Guy around..." Kagimaru chuckled softly, his head turning the best it could to face Tao, "You know something Tao?" He could feel the swishing of Tao's ears in her hood, "What Heart Guy?" "Heart Guy would do anything to keep Tao around too," Kagimaru said with a smile, wishing he could see Tao's face beyond the cream colored hood. Kagimaru felt a soft rumbling across his back, Tao's voice laced with her obvious purr as she spoke, "Rrrrreally Heart Guy?"
"Really Tao I-"
Kagimaru didn't even get a chance to finish his statement as he was quickly tossed into the air with ease, as if a gigantic being had scooped him from the ground and casually tossed him into the air. For a few moments his body went flying in an uncontrolled spin but seconds into the terrible twist Kagimaru came to land some ways away. With a few tumbles on the dusty ground Kagimaru quickly leapt to his feet, automatically getting his bearings and drawing his signature jagged blade before taking action. To his surprise he found Tao crouched on the ground, her voice haggard and hissing as she growled to a newcomer, a thin and agile body daintily pulling a massive claw from the earth. "Aw Tao," a wonderfully lyrical voice spoke, "you moved." Fu stood with her glinting hooked claws in a guarded position before her face. All around Fu was a rippling wave of destruction, the small hill that once was a haven of light was now nothing more than a rocky crater, Fu's attack completely demolishing the area without discrimination.
Before anyone could say a thing Tao vanished with the speed of a bullet, rushing at Fu with her silvery claws bared. Fu smirked at Tao from beneath her hood, easily sidestepping the charging feline and hooking Tao's slicing blades with the hooks of her own curved claws. With less than five graceful movements Tao was slammed to the earth, her stomach caved in by a vicious kick before two massive paws scooped her from the earth and sent her flying. Without a moments rest Tao rolled to a crouching position, her claws never once receding into their sheaths as she took another shot at a berserker rush. Fu gave a short laugh, a harsh mocking cackle as she leaned back into a half crouch.
Without so much as a flash of light Kagimaru watched as Tao tumbled to the earth, Fu landing some distance behind the grounded Kaka, swiping her claws to the side to rid them of the fabric and crimson liquid staining the immaculate metal. Catching sight of the scarlet blood Kagimaru grit his teeth, turning once again to Tao as she struggled to stand, one of her paws clutching her side which was missing a noticeable amount of fabric. "Fu!" Kagimaru screamed out, anger tainting his tone with an evident snarl, "Stop this right now!" Without warning Fu vanished, reappearing in front of Kagimaru with her hood down, her shimmering emerald eyes peering into Kagimaru's sapphire with a smug satisfaction, "Not until I prove who is stronger...husband." Slowly Fu slowly began to close the distance, her sultry eyes holding Kagimaru in a state of hypnosis as their lips came ever closer.
A massive paw suddenly gripped Fu's shoulder, roughly tearing her away from Kagimaru and harshly pulling her into a twisting slam maneuver. The ground shook from the force of the blow, Fu bouncing due to the sheer strength of the attack. Without warning two massive paws collided with Fu's side, sending her flying into the distance. Standing before Kagimaru was Tao, her paws pressed together at the wrists as she held the position for her infamous 'Taokaka Special' attack. Without her paw holding her side Kagimaru could easily see her single wound, three slashes laid across the skin of her stomach with a large hole ripped from her jacket.
Tao's legs tensed, a single paw clutching her side before her other prepared to attack the falling Fu. "Tao wait!" Kagimaru shouted, his hand firmly gripping Tao's shoulder to stop her charge. Tao quickly shrugged the hand off, a pang of hurt hitting Kagimaru in the chest as Tao's legs tensed even further. For a moment Tao seemed as though she wouldn't attack, simply watching Fu fall to the earth until she struck. "Tao wants Heart Guy all to herself," Tao nearly growled, her ruby eyes glinting like a raging fire, "and Tao will make sure that happens." With the pressure of a cannons blast Tao launched herself at Fu, rocketing through the air at speeds that exceeded her very best pounce. Kagimaru watched in amazement as Tao seemed to leave a steak of light behind her launch, a grin breaking out across his face as he watched her incredible speed. Kagimaru quickly turned and dashed off, vanishing from the battlefield without a single glance back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Spatial Rend~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Tao could reach Fu, the older Kaka flipped from her fall, gracefully landing on her feet and easily parrying Tao's strike in a white hot spark of metal on metal. With the flick of her wrist Fu sent Tao into an uncontrolled spin, pressing her advantage and easily slamming the heel of her boot into Tao's already wounded stomach. However unlike last time Fu planted her foot, pinning Tao to the ground and eliciting a pain grunt from the younger Kaka. "Oh Tao," Fu said with a disappointed sigh, "I thought you could do better than this."
Fu jumped off from Tao's stomach, her boot caving Tao's stomach for a brief second before rearing back and sending Tao soaring with a vicious kick. Tao tried to scream in pain, her body being wracked with the cruel sensation; however she never got a chance as Fu appeared right beside her on her wild flight. "I don't understand," Fu growled, her paw grabbing the back of Tao's head as she continued to run, "Master Jubei said you could grow to be ten times stronger than me." With a merciless push Fu pressed Tao's face to the ground, dragging her along the jagged dirt for a few yards before stopping to a screeching halt. "I don't think Master Jubei was wrong," Fu said with a cruel smirk, one of her claws hooking the edge of Tao's hood, "but you're not inspiring much confidence Tao." With a quick jerk Fu tore Tao's hood from her head, the material becoming nothing but shreds.
Fu stood up with a sadistic grin, kicking Tao in her side to roll her over onto her back. As Tao rolled over her battered face was easy to see, several scraped and cuts adorning her features while mud and dirt gathered in every crevice on her skin and clothes. "Pitiful," Fu said with a shrug, "I suppose you lose Tao. Nice try but I think I'll be taking Kagimaru now, I'm sure he and I will be very happy together…" Fu's smirk turned even more fierce, the muscles in one of her legs tensing as her voice grew harsh, "far away from you!" Fu raised her foot, an ax kick destined for Tao's chest falling with the force of a two ton sledge hammer.
Just before Fu's heel could smash into Tao's sternum it was suddenly stopped, her almost unstoppable attack being frozen with barely an inch of wiggle room in any direction. Peering down Fu saw that Tao had raised a paw, a single paw, and pressed it against Fu's heel to cease the painful onslaught. Fu looked from Tao's guarding paw to Tao's eyes, both open and glowing with a dangerous crimson shine. The unearthly glow seemed to burn several times brighter than usual, her pupils even seeming to be alight with a black essence. "Tao won't let you," Tao growled, her paw flexing and taking hold of Fu's foot in a bone shattering grip, "Tao will not let you take him away!"
In a blur of movement Tao was on her feet, still holding Fu's leg with no intention of ever letting it go. With a barbaric scream Tao pulled Fu from the ground and into the air, painfully slamming Fu to the ground with reckless abandon. A quick turn and Fu was once again in the air, coming in contact with the solid ground on a similar ferocious level. This continued several times, each time Tao howling as she slammed Fu to the ground in animalistic and brutal rage. With one final slam Tao turned and wildly tossed Fu into the sky, following Fu's arcing decent on quick feet.
Fu felt as every part of her body hurt, from her toes to the tips of her ears she ached from Tao's wicked slams. Despite this Fu didn't stop for a second, instead suppressing the pain and turning to face the chasing Tao below."You're too slow Tao!" Fu howled, her body twisting midair as her claws sprung from their slots. However, instead of simply stopping at full extension the claws seemed to launch from Fu's sleeves, the blunted ends attached to their anchors by thick metal chains. The chains reached a length of four feet before stopping, their increased length and dexterity allowing Fu to begin a mad mid-air spin of tornado strength. In a miraculous change of direction midair Fu plummeted toward the ground and Tao, the wounded Kaka slowing to a stop and simply glaring up at Fu with her glowing crimson eyes.
"I win Tao!" Fu screamed, her body seeming to radiate with a pulsing emerald energy, "LOTUS STORM!" Faster and faster did Fu spin, her blades picking up unimaginable amounts of speed as she rocketed toward the ground. As her speed reached its very maximum the spinning blades seemed to combine, the slivery flash of metal and chains forming the mirage of a shimmering lotus flower. Tao stared up at the impending attack, the shimmering flower of death heading her way with a cruel cackle. Despite this, Tao slowly began to crouch down, her lungs filling with air and her muscles tensing with agonizingly lax speed. Her legs continued to tense as power flowed through her body, seither being drained from the air at an alarming rate through her natural instinctual process. Just as Tao felt her body fill to the brink with the invisible energy she could feel it, she could feel every time Fu would have to twist, every time her attack would stop for just the slightest fraction of a second to begin another hideous rotation. Tao's crimson eyes stared up at Fu, the dull black glow rising from the depths of her narrow slit pupil...
In a burst of insane speed Tao vanished, her body launching through the air toward the iron hurricane that was Fu. Just as Tao met Fu's lotus attack Fu had to turn, her self induced spin running low on momentum causing her to weaken the technique for just the slightest of moments. In that exact moment Tao burst through Fu's almost impeccable guard, her lithe and flexible body slipping between Fu's vicious chains and meeting the surprised Kaka behind the almost impenetrable strike. Pulling back her free arm Tao's claws sunk into her sleeve, the metal making a hollow thunk in her arm before her blunted paw rocketed forward and caught Fu in the side with a thunderous strike.
With a single powerhouse punch Fu was knocked out of her spin, her body reeling from the surprise strike as she fell from the sky. Without giving Fu a second to breath Tao appeared behind her, clawless paw cocked for the slightest second before giving Fu another powerful strike. This pinball technique continued for several moments, Fu being bashed around by what seemed to be invisible hands before finally being kicked straight up into the air. Far below Tao rested on a single knee, her eyes still gleaming a bloody red while her entire body seemed to take on a menacing ruby hue. "You've already lost," Tao growled, her body shooting up into the sky to meet the falling Fu in her rag doll decent.
Fu could only watch in utter helplessness and pain as Tao wrapped her arms around Fu, her grip tightening to levels Fu thought impossible for any creature. Fu felt bones begin to bend and crack before Tao began a spin, the world transforming into a blur of swirling colors and mixing hues. For the few seconds that this torture lasted Fu was on the verge of vomiting, her stomach convulsing from the dizziness and pain. However without warning Tao released Fu, allowing the confused Kaka to take a breath of relief. The relief was quickly short lived as the ground caught up with Fu and her body impacted with the force of falling truck. Fu coughed, blood and spit spraying from her mouth as the dirt gave way beneath her body, the force implanting Fu several inches into the very soil.
Without warning Fu found six blades crossed over her throat, Tao's slicing claws pressing against Fu's bare neck with vicious intent, "Tao wins." Fu's green eyes glistened with unshed tears, fear radiating from her gaze as she pulled her head back, exposing even more of her neck to the victor. Tao glared down at Fu with murderous eyes, her crimson irises retaining their eerie glow while her sharpened pupil continued to radiate its own shadowed luminescence. "Tao!" Tao's ears swiveled in the direction of the voice, her eyes just barely peering out from their corners as she looked.
Standing on a hill not too far away was Kagimaru, the Elder, and the rest of the Kaka clan, all of them watching as Tao pinned Fu with her claws. Kagimaru's face was split by a bright smile, his hand waving out to the victorious Kaka warrior with a joy and energy he had reserved for only their greatest victories. It was at that point Tao realized where Kagimaru had gone, by getting all of the Kaka clan to witness the battle Kagimaru had made this fight official and thus Tao was the winner once and for all.
Tao turned her eyes back to Fu, worry still present in her emerald eyes as Tao's blades remained at her throat. With one fluid motion Tao rose up from her crouching position over Fu, her claws retracting into her sleeves as she spoke, "Fu lost in front of all the Kaka. Fu stays away from Heart Guy, now and forever." Fu nodded quickly as Tao slowly walked toward the gathered Kaka clan, the Elder approaching Tao with a welcoming disposition, "Tao, congratulations on your vic-" Tao gracefully skirted past the Elder, her path never straying from the direction of Kagimaru.
"Um Tao," Kagimaru said with confusion and worry in his tone, the hoodless Tao appearing to be on a war path in his direction, "I think the Elde-" Once again someone's speech was cut off, this time it was Kagimaru's as Tao forcefully grabbed hold of him, her arms locking him in a tight embrace as she crashed her lips upon his. Kagimaru's eyes opened wide as Tao's lips pressed against his own, arms wrapping around him in possessive passion. Just as quickly as it had begun Tao broke the kiss, whipping away from the stunned Kagimaru and towards the entirety of the Kaka clan, "This is Tao's! Does any Kaka have a problem with that?"
The Kaka collectively seemed to shrink back, recoiling from Tao and her angry power. Several acknowledgements were heard, some in the form of submissive meows while a few were shakily worded agreements. Suddenly, as if a hazy cloud had lifted, Tao released a bright grin. The aura of danger and strength that surrounded her vanishing like a shadow in the morning sun as Tao spoke in her usual cheery tone, "good!" Without warning Tao slumped forward, her body falling completely limp as her eyes closed in a dead sleep. The last words she heard was Kagimaru calling out her name, concern rooted in his tone as the darkness swiftly came...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Spatial Rend~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well my daughter," the village Elder spoke with a smile, "how was your little scuffle with Tao." With a slow grunting effort Fu gradually rose from her indentation, her head rolling on her neck as she winced in pain, "It was much more difficult than I had imagined." The Elder offered a soft chuckle, "Does that mean our Tao has grown into her power?" Fu groaned in pain, "She is getting there mother...I just wish you hadn't decided to start your little test with me." The Elder gently touched her staff to Fu's head, the glowing point connecting with the injured Kaka's bare forehead, "You know how Tao is, stubborn and always holding a grudge. Besides I think with this out of the way the two of you can become friends." Fu smiled, feeling the heat of her mother's healing talents resonating through her body, "Perhaps...but she is still far from what Master Jubei envisioned for her." The Elder laughed softly, the glow growing in strength as it absorbed the smaller of Fu's injuries, "This was only one of many Fu, only one of many."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well there you have it, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for next time when we find out the aftermath of this calamity! Later!