Just the Two of Us
Chapter Twelve: Scarlet Sky
Recap: Three years after the tragedy that separated her and Kurama, Botan realized that she will not find closure in what happened because she was taken back to Spirit World without getting a chance to talk to him. Spending those years in Ningenkai for her training, she decides to wait until she earns her ferrygirl's oar –another two years –and find a way back to Kurama.
In Makai, five years after the tragedy.
For the past years since the tragedy happened, Yoda observed Kurama closely. As one of the elderly survivors of the Village of Peace, he felt responsible for watching over their youngest survivor. He had a son who was almost Kurama's age... and his son was among those killed by Hideki's group.
Since the tragedy, Yoda lost the will to fight. He never left Kurama's side but served him and the others by hunting for and preparing food, keeping watch on their hideout when the others are out, and basically doing odd jobs for everyone in the group.
He saw how much the young fox demon's personality changed throughout the years, how day by day his good spirit faded. With every raid, every fight, he became more and more unsatisfied. He was like a gate to the underworld that waited to be opened, slowly but steadily opening on its own, spreading darkness to its surroundings.
It started that one night Kurama returned alone from a raid, two years ago. Yoda knew that something has changed inside their master that night, as everyone noticed, but no one fully understood. No one was able to learn what happened to Kuronue. Not that they needed to be told; it was easy to guess - it was clear as day that he's gone.
The details, they didn't know. Only that Kurama and Kuronue had left saying that they have an important mission. Knowing it is dangerous, most of them did not bother to ask to come. Besides, they all believed the two can make it back unharmed, they were the best in what they do. But they were wrong.
Three days after that, Kurama returned alone and wounded. He looked like he's been cornered by a wild demon. Yoda tried his best but Kurama refused to be helped. He did not bother to tend to his own wounds, and would let no one come near.
He never spoke of what happened that night. The demons had no choice but to stop asking about it. No one was willing to face the dangerous glare that Kurama gave them whenever anyone whispered about it. They simply accepted that their other leader will never return.
Whatever happened then, Yoda believed, was the last key to Kurama's change. His golden eyes that once sparkled with laughter are now filled with intense anger. What little kindness was left in him after the tragedy has vanished, there is simply no trace of the childishness that most of them used to find refreshing.
He often had this dark, brooding presence, that most of them feared getting anywhere near him. It happened all of a sudden and none of them was prepared for it, but they have no other choice but to accept it.
The next raids they had were more dangerous, twice or thrice more than their assignments had been when Kuronue was with them. Soon, Kurama's name was known all around the Makai, not only because of stealing, but because of his temper. Anyone who caused him trouble or dared to trespass his territory will be captured and tortured.
Not long enough, even the demons from their group feared him. Yoda knew that the fox demon is no longer the same Kurama who brought them hope and order. He became more and more like the dangerous youkais in their land.
In Reikai, five years after the tragedy.
It was the first night that Botan returned to Reikai. She is now officially a ferrygirl. This is the night she had been waiting for.
She waited until it's very late. She can't possibly leave while there's still light. By midnight almost all the lights except from the guard posts are turned off. There's still light on the main entrance, for the ferrygirls who gather souls in the night, but she'll have to avoid that path.
She listened carefully to her roommates' breathing. When she felt that everyone's sleeping deeply, she stood up and changed clothes. She stepped out to the terrace, opening the door slowly as to not make noise.
She hesitated only for a few seconds, before she materialized her brand new ferrygirl's oar. She glanced back to the room and was relieved to see that the other ferrygirls are still sleeping.
She balanced herself on her oar – it is very dark and she needs to be careful. Once she's sure of the direction she'll take, she flew away.
Her destination: the Horizon. The only place she knew would lead her to the Village of Peace.
To Kurama.
In Makai, a few hours after...
"Kurama! Hurry, stop those demons! They're going to beat up the demoness they caught at the border!" A young demon ran to Kurama's room and shouted.
"Another trespasser?" Kurama said, boredom lacing his voice. "Let them teach him what he deserves."
"No, please! Yoda's trying to stop them. He said it isn't a tresspasser, but your—" The demon stopped, he only just realized that Kurama was not alone. A fox demoness was there, her hands embracing him.
"My what?" Kurama asked, annoyed at the young demon's interruption.
The young demon's face hardened, and with a reprimanding voice, he continued, "Pardon me if I'm on a hurry but Yoda said he thinks it's your mate that those demons captured and they won't believe him it is her. Please stop them before they kill her."
One minute Botan was standing triumphantly at the gate of the village, happy that she found the place despite the darkness.
And the next, several demons attacked her, trying to capture her.
Surrounded, she couldn't run away. Cornered under a tree she kept swinging her oar blindly, an effort to keep the demons away. It was the only weapon she had against the demons who kept trying to get her, telling her to give up and surrender.
She didn't stop swinging the oar until, amidst the noise, she heard his voice.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed, coming here at this time of the night?"
Upon hearing their leader's voice, the demons immediately stopped.
"Kurama," Yoda called, panting. "I tried to tell them that she's not a tresspasser. I apologize for their attitude. They are new recruits... they could not have recognized her."
The demon who was going to shove Yoda away stepped back... at the same time everyone else did. It seems that Yoda was telling the truth. Realizing their mistake, they scrambled away. Not one of them would want to face Kurama after hurting his mate badly.
"Yoda," Kurama instructed, "gather those fools and let them know we're not yet finished. I'll talk to them later."
The elder demon nodded and left.
Shivering in the cold, she used the oar to steady herself and stand. She couldn't speak. All she could do was stare at him... but it was really too dark to see his face.
It's been five years since she last saw him, and it felt like an eternity.
Five years of thinking about him every single minute and wishing he was there beside her. Five years of missing his embrace. Five years of waking up in the night sobbing uncontrollably, terrified of a nightmare, a reminder of the tragedy.
Five years of worrying where he is and who he is with and if he's thinking about her, too. Five years spent praying that he's safe. Five years of loneliness. Five years of waiting for the day they will meet again.
Those years are over now.
Before Kurama had the chance to say anything, she threw herself at him, hugging him tight. "I'm sorry it took so long before I returned, Kurama…"
She didn't notice when the tears came or when she started sobbing. She was too contained with her joy and relief that she did not notice that Kurama didn't return her embrace.
He just stood there, looking up at the dark sky above them.
And then, he pushed her away.
"K-Kurama…?" Stunned, Botan tried to look at his face, not knowing what to expect.
His eyes refused to meet hers. Turning his back, he gruffly said, "Follow me."
Numbly, Botan followed.
"I-is this where you live now?" she managed to ask when they reached the hideout.
"Yes," he answered sharply.
He led her to his room, making no reaction when Botan saw the fox demoness who was still there waiting for him.
The pain that crossed her eyes didn't escape him.
"You have company." The demoness noticed, staring at her from head to toe. "A new conquest? Or is that your mate, the one that the demon mentioned? She looks rather young to be your mate, Youko Kurama."
"Eria, leave us alone for a while." He told the demoness, looking away from Botan who could not for a second hide her pain.
Eria laughed at Botan's expression and started to leave. "I'll leave him to you for the meantime," she said to her with a wink. She smiled deviously at Kurama. "I'll be back for you, thief." She finally left when Kurama gave her a pointed look.
To be continued. Thank you for reading.