"It's been a week!" Suzahara complained, as Zakuro paced the room after another unsuccessful attempt to get Nuriko to come with them. "If Nuriko isn't coming, she isn't coming. We, on the other hand, need to get a move on."
Zakuro would have let the matter go if she thought that Nuriko was happy. But when Nuriko said she didn't want to come, she looked miserable.
"Why did she leave again?" Zakuro said, scratching her chin.
"I told you a million times!" Suzahara said, rolling his eyes. "We fought! It was pretty bad. She called me spoilt. I called her arrogant. When I got up the next morning, she was gone! Found a note saying that she wasn't coming back."
"And you didn't look for her..." Zakuro said, for the millionth time.
She had said it belligerently the first time. But now she was just trying to get into Nuriko's head.
"Mei Lin and she weren't getting along." Suzahara said, running his finger on the frown line on Zakuro's forehead. "They were constantly fighting. It seemed for the best."
Zakuro was quiet for a while.
"I'm gonna go talk to her..." Zakuro murmured as she passed Suzahara.
Suzahara held her hand.
"Stop it!" He said, an edge in his voice. "She has made it clear that she doesn't want to come. We're wasting our time. Demons run lose and massacre people. We need to get a move on. Find the next challenge. Or at least help Bao Shou. He is a good man. He would make a good God."
"I'm not leaving without Nuriko." Zakuro said, stubbornly. "You can go on without me. Find the immortal who wants to embrace the dark. Let the possessed spirits guide you. I'm going to figure out what is wrong with Nuriko."
"You're being unreasonable." Suzahara said, letting go of Zakuro's hand.
A part of Zakuro knew that he was right. But a major part of Zakuro also knew how much it hurt when friends left, without even trying to make it right. She had left Toya behind. She wasn't going to do that to Nuriko. Zakuro pushed Toya from her mind.
"I'm not going to give up." Zakuro said obstinately, looking at the ground.
She heard Suzahara sigh a little.
"I will come with you." Suzahara said, finally relenting. "Maybe it would help if I apologized."
"But you said you didn't have anything to apologize for!" Zakuro said, frowning. "There is no need to insult Nuriko with an empty apology, just to get moving."
"Nuriko is my friend." Suzahara said, running his fingers through his hair. "Though I'm not sure if an apology would work, I want to fix things with her too. Maybe she would be more open minded with you around."
Zakuro nodded.
Zakuro and Suzahara moved to leave the room and almost ran into Chichiri, who was about to burst into the room. The torch light flickered a little, as a gentle breeze blew into the room, casting shadows on a worried Chichiri.
"Suzahara!" Chichiri exclaimed, rushing past Zakuro. "Do you have the bond of the demon still marked on you?"
Suzahara's eyebrows knit together as he nodded.
"Damn it!" Chichiri cursed and placed a talisman on Suzahara's shoulder.
The talisman caught flames and withered towards the ground. Chichiri chanted and placed another talisman on Suzahara's mark, signifying his bond with Tamahome. Mitsukake and Bao Shou entered the room a few moments later.
"It would do you good to step back." Mistukake advised Zakuro, taking a deep puff of his cigarette.
"What's going on?" Suzahara asked, looking over a chanting Chichiri.
"Tamahome's gone." Bao Shou said, looking a little worried.
"Gone?" Zakuro repeated, confused.
"Gone." Mistsukake said, nodding. "And Chichiri can feel his life force back among his kind."
"WHAT!" Suzahara exclaimed. "He's deserted. That's impossible. He can't act on his free will."
Chichiri chanted louder, as he placed a third talisman on Suzahara's shoulder..
"Wait a minute." Zakuro said, looking horrified. "Are you saying that Tamahome can hurt Suzahara with this connection thing?"
Mitsukake shrugged.
"Maybe." Bao Shou said, slowly.
"Oh man!" Suzahara exclaimed. "How do I get this thing off?"
"You can't." Mistukake said. "It's a mark of a demonic bond. Not many humans would agree to one easily."
Chichiri relaxed a little.
"This should reduce the strength." Chichiri said, softly.
"Should?" Zakuro said, panicking a little. "Should? Is there no way to break the bond?"
They were interrupted by Mei Fong, who seemed to have run to find them.
"Nuriko is going to find Tamahome." Mei Fong said, clutching a stitch on his side.
"WHAT!" Zakuro, Suzahara, Bao Shou and Chichiri exclaimed.
They rushed towards the castle door and found Nuriko trying to get Mei Lin out of the way.
"I could snap your neck with my little finger, you twig." Nuriko growled.
"And I could slice that little finger before you even reach my neck, you mountain." Mei Lin retorted, standing fast against Nuriko.
"Nuriko!" Zakuro called out.
"Wait!" Suzahara called out.
Nuriko clenched her hands. She tried to dodge Mei Lin but Mei Lin was quick on her feet. She steered Nuriko back to the same spot, almost as though they were dancing.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Chichiri scolded as they reached Nuriko. "I told you Tamahome is with his kind. His kind means demons!"
"Tamahome is there against his will." Nuriko said, avoiding eye contact with the lot. "I owe him."
"Tamahome is a demon!" Bao Shou interjected.
"You don't owe him anything." Mei Fong added.
"Listen." Suzahara said, in an attempted soothing manner. "I know you don't really like us right now. But we care about you. And we will not let you go to a demon cave to bust out a demon who is obviously acting on his own will."
Nuriko shot Suzahara an angry look. But Zakuro saw something familiar in Nuriko's eye, something she identified with. Zakuro could tell that Nuriko had made up her mind.
"I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you." Nuriko said, an edge in her voice.
"But you have to explain it to my sister." Mitsukake said. "I don't really understand the circumstance here, but Niu will be positively furious if you leave when the royal family is on a tour of the kingdom."
Nuriko hesitated.
"I will make it up to her." Nuriko said, a few moments later. "After I have rescued Tamahome..."
"Rescue?" Bao Shou interrupted. "He is a demon in a demon cave. He is there on his own free will, betraying his sworn master! He is our enemy now."
"Bao Shou is right." Chichiri said, blocking Nuriko's way. "Tamahome's life force doesn't seem weak."
"But does it seem happy?" Nuriko retorted.
Chichiri rolled his eyes.
"There is no way to know that." Suzahara added, getting in Nuriko's way too. "But all the facts..."
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Nuriko said, roughly pushing everybody aside.
Zakuro followed Nuriko till the edge of the castle gates. She saw Nuriko's shoulders rise and fall in a sigh.
"What are you doing, Zakuro?" Nuriko said, exasperatedly, not breaking pace.
"I'm coming with." Zakuro said, smiling. "If you promise not to go on a rampage, I can quickly get my sword."
Nuriko stopped.
"I will be a minute." Zakuro said, as she turned back towards the castle, the others right behind them.
"What do you mean you're coming with?" Nuriko said, her hands shaking slightly.
"It means I'm going to accompany you in your rescue of Tamahome." Zakuro elaborated, all the while smiling. "And it would be better if I were armed with a pointy object."
"Don't be ridiculous." Nuriko said, swirling around. "You're not going."
"Why?" Zakuro said, cocking her head. "Did you change your mind?"
"I'm going." Nuriko said, pointing her thumb to her fist. "You're not coming."
"Now who is being ridiculous." Zakuro said, rolling her eyes. "Did you really think I was going to let you go alone?"
"You're going to slow me down!" Nuriko said, angrily.
Zakuro flinched, tired at people thinking of her as a burden.
"I'm going to stop you from making rash, stupid decisions." Zakuro said, taking the lead.
"I know you don't trust Tamahome." Nuriko said, clutching Zakuro's shoulder. "I don't need for you to do me a favor."
"First of all." Zakuro replied, taking Nuriko's hand in hers. "I neither trust nor mistrust Tamahome. I'm neutral. I'm Switzerland! And secondly, I got your back. This is not a favor. This is me being selfish and not wanting to be worried sick."
"You've made up your mind..." Nuriko said, her voice trailing away.
"Yes." Zakuro replied simply.
"Then that would mean..." Nuriko turned around to the others.
Suzahara was flexing his shoulders over his head. Chichiri was stretching his legs. Mitsukake took a deep drag and put out the cigarette.
"You guys can't be serious!" Bao Shou said, incredulously. "You guys are going to a demon's cave! This is bound to be a trap, a demon playing with human emotions."
Zakuro took the opportunity to run to the castle. She bundled herself in warm clothes, took some extra pairs and her sword. She ran back towards the others and sighed in relief as she saw them waiting.
"Wouldn't want you to get lost trying to follow me..." Nuriko muttered.
"What's the plan?" Mitsukake asked.
Nuriko looked at him confused.
"I know why these two are coming." She said. "Why are you? Niu will kill you."
"Oh." Zakuro said, waving her hand dramatically. "He agreed to be Suzahara's general in gratitude for helping out with Ryuu. It's always good to have a doctor with us. You should talk to me more often instead of replying with angry grunts."
Nuriko frowned at the insinuation. She opened her mouth as though wanting to say something, but she decided against it.
"Let's go." Suzahara mumbled.
Bao Shou, Mei Fong and Mei Lin didn't move. Suzahara looked at them with an eyebrow raised.
"I'm sorry, but it's really stupid!" Bao Shou said, an apologetic look on his face.
"I know." Suzahara replied. "It's OK if you want to stay back. Doesn't make sense for all of us to be bait."
"Who said anything about staying back?" Mei Lin chimed in, sheathing her swords. "We're just saying it's really stupid."
She glanced angrily at Zakuro. Bao Shou sighed in defeat.
"There might be another way." Bao Shou said, carefully weighing his words.
He shivered a little as a gust of cold wind swept the castle ground.
"When I was younger..." Bao Shou continued, sweeping his gaze across his audience and fixing them at Zakuro. "I was kidnapped by a cult. I was quite young, so I don't remember much. My parents managed to rescue me pretty quickly. But from what I remember, they were trying to summon a demon. I visited their mansion when I was older. Its pretty close. Maybe, instead of going to Tamahome, we can get him to us."
The crowd then collectively looked at Nuriko. She bit her tongue and slowly nodded.
"Draw me a map." Nuriko said, handing Bao Shou a piece of parchment.
"I can show you the way." Bao Shou offered.
Nuriko looked at the group skeptically.
"Lead the way." Nuriko said, after a while.
The deserted mansion of the cult was only a short way away, much to Mitsukake's disdain.
"Why hasn't this place been cordoned off?" Mitsukake grumbled, as Bao Shou swung the ornate unlocked door.
"Its mine, actually." Bao Shou said, hesitantly.
"What!" Zakuro exclaimed, as they proceeded towards the meandering basement.
"I don't want to talk about it..."Bao Shou said, as they stood in front of a large bookshelf.
Chichiri pulled out a book in a language Zakuro didn't recognize. He flipped through the pages and a frown formed on his face, as he read.
"It says here that this place is atop an area of unusual demonic activity." Chichiri said, breaking the silence after a while. "It doesn't specify what demon it summons, just the closest."
The others waited for him to continue.
"This spell is going to be risky with the barriers of hell so weak." He said closing the book and putting it in his bag. "We need to be closer to Tamahome, to make sure that he is the only demon we summon. And we need to construct a barrier to make sure he can't hurt us...if that's what he wants." Chichiri added faltering under Nuriko's glare.
The group stood in silence, each thinking of a plan of action. They were roused when Mei Fong slammed a book shut.
"Let's go then" He said, leading the way back up to the mansion.
Bao Shou made a sweeping glance at the basement and was the last one to leave.
At the step, he spoke in a very low voice.
"Han-ka." Bao Shou muttered.
"Yes, Bao Shou-sama." The cold voice of a woman replied form the walls.
"Make sure Zakuro is unhurt." Bao Shou ordered. "I need her. That's an order."
"Yes, Bao Shou-sama." The woman replied.
Bao Shou contemplated the consequences of his actions a while longer, before joining the others.
-x-x-x-x-
Tamahome wings fluttered again, the poor quality human made blanket being his last layer of protection against the cold. He stared at the welcoming darkness of the cave of his brethren, the air ripe with the smell of human prisoners. He hands shook a little. But he couldn't get himself to take the last couple of steps home. He lingered at the entrance, the cold discoloring his talons.
"Well, well." He heard a familiar voice say, amused. "I didn't expect you to come running."
Tamahome shrugged.
"I merely walked, Annelise." He said, his lips curving into a smirk.
He heard Annelise click her tongue.
"Did you call Zui Gao by his name too?" Annelise said, emerging from the shadows.
The moonlight fell on her silvery skin, her delicate features set in a frown. Her golden eyes studied the area quickly.
"I'm surprised you're alone." Annelise said. "I heard you were bonded to a human."
"You heard right." Tamahome said, throwing of the blanket and ruffling his feathers.
"The human must not feed you well." Annelise said, as she moved closer to Tamahome.
She traced his cheekbone with her finger.
"You are all skin and bones." Annelise remarked. "Come. Get yourself something to eat. Then we can talk."
Tamahome gulped, the scent of the humans overpowering him.
"Or if you need an express service..." Annalise said, tilting her head and pushing her raven dark hair from her neck.
She made a small cut on her neck, a few drops of blood dripping down.
"Just like when we were kids." She cooed, pulling Tamahome closer.
Tamahome's lips touched her shoulder blade, the blood grazing his lips. Hunger overpowered him and he grabbed Annelise's back, pulling her closer. He opened his mouth wider and sunk his teeth into her. Annelise moaned a little, her body stuck to Tamahome's. Tamahome drank hungrily, pushing away any doubt in his mind.
A few moments later, Annelise giggled.
"Easy there." She said, slowly cupping Tamahome's face and looking him in the eyes.
She licked the last drop of blood sticking to Tamahome's lips.
"There's more inside." Annelise said, smiling.
Tamahome nodded.
"Welcome home." Annelise cooed, as she gently led Tamahome to the dark recesses of the cave.