Author's Note: This chapter is unbetaed so I could meet my self imposed deadline. I had a bad case of writer's block and it was difficult for me to finish this on time, but I made it! I hope you like this chapter since it explains most of Botan's past. Anywho, please give me lots of reviews since they light up my life.
Screams of absolute terror pierced through the veil of slumber, jolting Kurama awake with a start at the shrill sound. His fox ears, still present atop his red head, folded back as he pulled Botan closer in his arms and searched the night darkened room for the cause of the sound. Finding nothing, he turned his attentions to the slumbering Botan. Even in sleep, she still suffered, and her screams sounded high in the night.
"Botan," Kurama called, turning her onto her back and shaking her shoulder gently.
She struggled under his touch. She reached up and shoved at his shoulders in her attempt to squirm away, panting all the while as if to build up for another scream.
'Botan, wake up," Kurama continued. Panic started to creep up his spine, but he fought it down. He needed to wake Botan up or she might hurt herself. He sat up on the bed before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and lifting her up as well and resting her against his chest. Using only one, he held her arms still, struggling against her strength to keep her steady. He lifted his hand to rest on her shoulder and gave her another shake, this time more firm than the last. "Please wake up." Had Kurama not been holding her, Botan would have pitched herself off of the bed when she woke up so suddenly.
"Kurama," Botan wheezed, her voice raw from her screaming and shaky from fear. "What…? Where…" Botan searched the room anxiously, curling up against Kurama as she did so in her attempt to locate her imaginary attackers.
"We're in that woman's house," Kurama explained, refusing to use Yuri's name in Botan's presence. "Are you alright?"
Botan shook her head in the negative, shivering violently as she tucked her head under Kurama's chin. It wasn't until moments later that she remembered both their nakedness, thus compelling her to remove herself from him completely and scoot closer to her side of the bed. "When can we leave," she inquired finally, wrapping the comforter around her shoulders tightly.
"Once I have the strength to walk," he promised before reaching over across Botan and yanking the chain for the lamp that rested on the nightstand. Light flooded the room, temporarily blinding the two with its orange glow. Kurama blinked several times to remove the dots from his eyes before he worked his way closer to Botan. He eased the blanket from her shoulders, careful to not make any sudden movements that would send her running.
Botan flinched at Kurama's approach, not because she feared him but because she wasn't sure what exactly he had in mind. She kept her arms up and had her back turned to him, guarding her ugliness from view. She watched him closely as he slowly removed the shredded sheet from her wounds in order to inspect their progress. His hands were gentle against her skin, needing at the tensed muscles and occasionally squeezing the area around her injuries to check for infection. She gave a sudden jerk and stared in awe as Kurama's head descended on her shoulder and started licking the gash along her shoulder.
Using his teeth, Kurama scraped away at the ugly bruises and dried blood. He then laved at the skin with his tongue, delving it into her cut and cleaning it of the dried blood that hadn't scabbed. He didn't stop until red ceased to return to the wound, giving it one final lick before trailing his lips closer to her neck where another smaller cut lay. He dropped his hands to reach around her and pull her closer, needing better access to her neck and other injuries.
"Kurama," Botan gasped when his teeth pinched her skin.
"Sorry," he said before lapping at the wound apologetically.
"I'm fine you know," Botan stammered, trying to ignore the feeling Kurama and his tongue evoked within her. "You don't need to keep…healing me."
Kurama paused for a moment, thinking about Botan's words. He could tell she was uncomfortable with his actions, he himself was uncomfortable with it as well, but he felt as if it was something he had to do. Be it instinct or guilt, Kurama felt he had to do this especially when he took into consideration that her wounds, at least in part, were his fault.
It was his fault Botan had rushed in like she did, and he should have known she would have. Botan was the type to forget the rest and run in blind for the defense of her friends, even if it meant suffering herself. Be it any regular demon or Yuri herself, Botan wouldn't and didn't care.
Had he not tormented Yuri with his words, she would not have turned her attentions onto Botan. His plan to drive her mad with rage and jealousy, in hopes of making her slip up, had given rise to the monster Botan feared most. A monster he had inadvertently released onto Botan.
Had he not been so cocky and self assured, he would not have been caught in the first place. He was better than that, and yet he made an amateur's mistake, one that should have been fatal to both him and Botan.
Had he trusted Botan, maybe they could have avoided harm all together. Now, because of his lack of faith, Botan had to sully her own soul by sending an unjudged soul into one of the darkest of underworlds. Now, because of his failure, she was going to be the one to suffer. His mistake had pushed her into a fate she did not deserve. He saw the manifestation of her darkness, the wickedness born in her act to save him from her tormentor. She was falling now, and all of it was his fault.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her neck, embracing her from behind. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," she soothed, resting her hand over his and reaching up to tweak his ear with the other.
"It is," Kurama argued, holding her tighter. "Because of my foolishness, you've started to fall." Botan froze in his arms and Kurama closed his eyes in preparation for her reaction.
"It's not your fault," she repeated finally. A single tear slipped from her eyes as a self depreciating smile tugged at her lips. "I was falling long before today." So that's why I couldn't leave…My descent had increased.
It was Kurama's turn to freeze, completely unprepared for the words that eased passed her lips. "What do you mean? Tell me everything."
"Like I told you, she was the one who turned me into a shikigami," Botan began in explanation. Part of her doubted she even remembered all that had happened in her life and consequent 'death.' Part of her didn't want to remember. But maybe there was a greater part of her that wanted to have someone else to know. Starting from the very beginning seemed to be the best choice, if not to answer Kurama's question then to simply share it with another.
"I wasn't lying when I said she was my sister. I was born from the union between my mother and a demon, at least that's what the elders told me. I was born looking the way I do now; with 'hair of the sky and eyes of amethyst.' My mother's husband, the lord of my village and the neighboring land, upon seeing my abnormality, learned of my mother's infidelity. She was shamed and killed in his rage. But before he could kill me, my father, my real father, came to my rescue.
"Filthy whore," a man with aged eyes and young figure growled as he cleaned his bloodied blade against the clothes of a woman's body. Though his face was wrinkled and his eyes were alight with rage, the man was barely over twenty five. His long dark brown, almost black hair fell about his head wildly due to the struggle with his now deceased wife. The band that held his hair in place was long gone and forgotten within moments of their loss. His beard, long and full, hid most of his face from view, save for his eyes, nose, and snarling lips.
"What about the babe," a younger man barely out of boyhood asked, kicking the woman's decapitated head away from him in disgust. He eyed the wailing child with open disdain, unable to comprehend what had possessed his lord's late wife to sully herself and give birth to that.
"Kill it and feed it to the wolves," the lord commanded, kicking his wife's body to the side and into the fire pit. As the body burned, the lord of the land watched, praying that Grandmother Earth* would devour her spirit and purify them of her existence.
"Understood," another older man said, drawing his own blade. He faltered for a moment, staring down at the blue haired baby with guilt creeping into his heart. Could he kill a baby? Even if the baby was half demon, she'd done nothing else wrong. Did he have the right to punish her for simply being? It is something I must do for the sake of my village…sorry little one. He looked down at her again and found himself frozen to the spot, guilt preventing him from moving onwards.
The babe was a strange sight to behold. She was born with a head full of vibrant blue hair, the color of the cloudless sky at noon. Atop her head, though small and curled over, were the tan and brown ears of a calico. They stuck out against her head, nestled against the blue of her hair oddly, but the more one looked, the more fetching they appeared. Her skin was fair, fairer than even her mother's pale complexion. Though clenched tight, her little fingers were adorned with tiny little claws that were too blunt to do much damage to anyone. Her thick tail, predominantly white with splashes of brown, tan, and with a long strip of black along the top, was tucked tightly between her legs.
"Get on with it already," the midwife snapped, yanking the katana from the frozen young man and making a move to deliver the killing blow herself.
"No!" The pained and mighty roar drowned out all sounds and left only silence. The ceiling came raining down over all their heads as a giant of demon crashed in from above. He was a mighty giant, towering high over the men and woman present. His body, chorded with muscle and pulsing with raw power, was covered in a layer of gleaming black fur and blood spilling from mortal wounds. In the place of his feet, powerful paws tipped with terrifying claws sank deep into the wood, causing it to bend and strain under his weight. Behind him, his long tail thrashed about in agitation, splashing blood onto the walls from the broken tip. His head was that of a panther and his eyes were a deep shade of amethyst that seemed to peer into one's very soul. Around his shoulders was a torn brown yukata that was stretched taut around his shoulders and torso, ripped from sudden expansion it seemed. There were various weapons and tools plunged into his body, but he moved as if he was unharmed even as his life spilt onto the floor.
Tucked into one of his arms were the charred remains of the Lady of the land, her head resting on her stomach. In his other hand, clutched within his humanoid fingers was a wreath of peonies, the colors reaching almost all ends of the spectrum. He had placed himself between the silenced babe and the men of the village angrily, leering down at them with death in his eyes.
"Still alive I see," the lord gasped, shocked to see the demon's face. He had hoped that the creature had died from the fatal wounds he and his men had delivered. "You're the reason behind all this. Stealing cattle and trinkets wasn't enough for you? You had to steal my wife and fill my village with your corruption?"
"I did not steal Barako, she came to me of her own free will," the demon hissed, wrapping his tail around the babe and lifting her up off the ground. He then tucked her into his free arm and looked down at her, his expression softening with the love he felt blooming in his heart. The baby reached up for him, her arms wide and the demon smiled, lowering his head to nuzzle her affectionately.
"I never knew demons could even feel emotions," the lord sneered. "Fancy that. Bring me the demon's head and see to it that his demon spawn is destroyed," he commanded of his men, drawing his own sword in preparation for battle.
The demon did nothing to fight back; instead he directed his attack towards himself, for he was already at death's door. He lowered himself onto all fours, placing his babe onto the ground beneath him and laying her mother, his love, to his side. His body began to quiver and shake as he began to dry heave onto the ground beneath him. His body slowly shifted until there was nothing human like left in him and he was a giant cat. A ring of power, born from his youki, drew itself onto the ground before drawing inwards. Symbols came into existence, spiraling inwards until it circled the blue haired infant.
"Know this, Lord of Filth and Lies," the demon began as the youki became a bright white light, "It was not you that killed me, nor any one of your disgusting maggots under your employ. I die now for the sake of my love whom you'd taken away, Barako, and for the sake of my damned child. Let it be known that my sweet and beautiful daughter, my little Botan, will be protected by your very hands. Should a single drop of her blood be spilt you will suffer a physical blow and for every drop, one within your village shall meet a calamity and die." The demon prophesized before his body dropped to the ground and curled around the child.
To her, he offered her another destiny, on for her and her alone; "My dear, sweet child, born into this wretched world of pain and darkness, I am so sorry. I know life will be hard for you, and I weep knowing that I cannot protect you, but I swear that you will find the love you so justly deserve. The love of family, the love of friendship, and…" the light within his amethyst orbs faded and his breath slowed and stopped. The life had left him, his soul drifting upwards and joining with its mate.
"Be strong, my little peony," a woman's voice whispered, heard only by the babe.
"Hurry up and kill the creature," the lord howled once he was sure the demon was dead. He paid the demon's prophecy no heed, believing it to be a bluff born of a desperate attempt to protect his offspring. But he was quickly going to be proven wrong.
The man nearest him, the warrior that was barely a man, was the first to react to his lord's words. He drew his sword and brought it down onto the child, his blade aiming straight and true to her heart. The tip barely nicked the skin before he was repelled away, sending him crashing against the wall. His body narrowly missed the midwife, whom tripped backwards in her attempt to get away. She fell into the fire pit, the flames rising high to capture and devour her. She shrieked and struggled valiantly to remove herself from the flames, but all her attempts were met with failure since none would risk their own lives for the sake of the ugly crone. They all watched her burn with horror in their eyes, even as she died and slowly burned into ash.
The lord gasped then, reaching up to his chest in shock. Over his heart, where the baby had been nicked, a deep gash had cleaved its way into his flesh from the inside. "Send for a healer," he said finally, coming to grips with the curse the cat demon had laid over them all. "And see to it that, that thing is cared for."
"I will take her," the older men offered softly, approaching her cautiously. He skirted around the corpses of the baby's parents before lifting her up into his arms. He was surprised to discover that her ears and tail had vanished, and her features were completely human in nature. The demon must have locked her demon heritage away… "Come along little thing."
Even for the darkness they had vanquished, none could see or even predict the wickedness born within the eyes of another. Hidden away she was, a young Yuri watched with barely concealed glee. Mama got me a present she smiled, eyeing the blue haired babe with greed.
"Even then, the Lord did not want me; the child born from his unfaithful wife and the demon that had plagued him for years. So I was given to the village elders at the newly built shrine to care for. Though they feared and hated me, they saw to it that I was taken care of. From the moment I could walk, they put me to work and gave me the chores that no one else wanted. Not that I cared. I was the monster they had to protect for their own sakes and the chores meant that I wouldn't have to suffer their harsh words.
As I aged, my powers of healing began to become more prominent and the shrine's kitsune had taken a liking to me*, 'They can sense when another animal is near,' the elders would say. Because of this my work load had increased so that I could maintain their care, but I didn't mind. I liked the foxes and I would spend all my time with them. One day, when I was ten or so, Yuri came looking for me, saying that she 'wanted to spend time with the blue haired servant." Botan paused in her explanation when Kurama tensed against her, stilling his actions and searching the room again for any sign of that woman. Finding none, he resumed licking her wounds clean and Botan continued her story, her tale holding Kurama captive.
"She was nice then," Botan assured, scratching the base of Kurama's ear. "She led me back to the main house and let me play with her and her toys. I had fun. But then her father came and had me sent away, fearing that I would kill her. On my way back one of the younger villagers, oblivious to my curse, started to throw rocks at me. Everything went black after that. I don't know what had happened, but when I awoke I was locked away in one of the fox pens and the priest told me that my demon had taken over and killed the boy and a few others. I didn't remember anything, and all I had from the event was a bandage around my forehead. They said that I had bled from the attack, but my wound had gone away, just like all the others.
I was locked away for a week, maybe more. They did not feed me, nor did they give me water. I think they did it in hopes of starving or dehydrating me to death. I escaped though, since I was small enough to get through a hole in the wall due to malnutrition. I ran into the forest to hide, thinking that with distance, I wouldn't be able to affect the villagers because of what I was about to do." Kurama started tracing along the raised edges across her wrists, already knowing exactly what she had planned.
She ran as far as her legs could carry her, ignoring the burning in her lungs and thighs. Long blue hair, matted in places with twigs and dirt, streamed behind her like a banner. She wore little, her thin yukata-like garb covering only what was necessary. There were multiple patches or random fabrics and cloths that had been added to it in repairs, but even with those the garment would not last for much longer.
She wove her way through the thickening forest until she was forced to stop at the edge of a moonlit lake. She dropped onto the ground after that, her legs no longer able to support her weight. She dug into one of her pockets, one of the first additions she had added to her clothes, and removed a sliver of rusted metal. It was barely the length of her hand, palm to fingertip, and it was twice the thickness of her thumb. She looked at it sadly, pressing her index finger against the point until it broke through the skin and blood began to bead up through the break. She instantly turned back towards her village, straining her ears in hopes of hearing if anyone had suffered from her self inflicted wound. Hearing nothing, she returned her attention back to the lake. Without looking, she started to press the shard's tip against her wrist; her actions slow as she took in the scenery around her.
A strange cross between a chirping and a babbling sound reached her ears, signaling Botan to the presence of a nearing fox. She turned in time to see a beautiful silver fox slip from the foliage, most likely drawn to the scent of spilt blood.
"Hello there," Botan greeted, removing the edge from her skin. "Am I too close to your home?"
The fox cocked its head to the side and sat down, staring at her curiously. It then stood and started to pace a bit, as if unsure whether it wanted to approach her or chase her away. Still unsure, it sat down again and stared at her.
Botan watched him for a moment longer before climbing to her feet and moving farther away from the fox and making her way farther down the shore. She then plopped down and returned her attention to the jagged piece of metal she held. Quick as a flash, she sliced the edge across her wrist, numb to the pain the cut would have caused. With shaky hands, she switched the makeshift blade into the other hand and attempted to repeat the process. But her hands were already beginning to shake and she was finding it difficult to make a clean cut. She managed to succeed, but the line of blood was jagged and uneven.
There was a shriek like sound behind her, causing Botan to turn to face the silver fox barely a few inches behind her. She stared at it, a small smile pulling at her lips as a strange serenity washed over her. With her life's blood spilling onto the ground beneath her, Botan sank to the floor until she was on her side. Still she stared at the fox, which trotted the rest of the way towards her and started lapping at her wounds.
Almost as soon as it had, a high pitched shriek was emitted from its maw. The fox would alternate between licking at her wrists and yowling loudly, as if to alert others to their location. But eventually, Botan no longer heard the shrill cry of the fox, nor did she feel its tongue against her wrist. All she felt, was the sweet and numbing embrace of death creeping over her. She did nothing to fight it, she just waited in acceptance. This was her fate, chosen of her own free will.
It was strange. Everyone in her village feared her because she was death itself walking amongst them. They cursed, and cried, and pleaded for her to leave them be, so that they may live another day. Death was so terrifying to them. It robbed everyone of the things they loved most before it dragged them down into the afterlife where they would be judged for their crimes. So much emotion circled around the word 'Death' and it's meaning, and yet not once had Botan heard of how peaceful it was. No one ever said that with death, comes a stillness that calmed the heart and filled the soul with completion. She was finished. Now she could rest.
The darkness that descended upon her was the one thing she had always wanted. But it was not meant to be.
Botan woke up in chains. Her wrists were wound up in fabric and shackled to the ground. Her ankles were also chained, stretching out her body until she was almost spread eagle on her back. Beneath her was a thin sheet that did little for her comfort and on top of her was nothing but the cold night air. Botan craned her neck to scan the room she found herself in; appalled to see that there were metal bars all around her. In the darkness she could see that there were walls, but with so little lighting she could not find the exit. Botan whimpered pathetically, dropping the back of her head against the stone floor without a care for the pain that resulted.
Botan jerked to the side when she felt a warm and wet something made contact with her face, trailing upwards before repeating the process. She looked over and was shocked to discover the silver fox by her side. She watched it warily, unsure what to do with the information provided by its presence. She was curious to see him paw at the restraints that held her prone, occasionally biting at the metal. Eventually, the dog* gave up and made his way over to Botan's side before climbing onto her stomach. He then rested his head on her chest and stared at her, and she at him.
The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reached both their ears and the fox leaped from Botan's chest and shrieked threateningly. His fur bristled and he moved about anxiously as he waited for whoever it was to appear before him. His thick brush* bristled and a deep, almost snorting like sound emanated from his throat as he started to pace.
"Bo-chan, are you alright? I heard what had happened," Yuri, barely fifteen years of age, charged into the room from an unseen entrance. From her shoulders hung thick and padded fabrics and furs in preparation for the incoming winter. From the sleeves, her hands and forearms were visible, exposing the geometric lines and shapes of her incomplete tattoos*. She made a move to get closer to Botan so she could fret over her as she saw fit. But before she could the fox darted between the bars before he hissed and snapped at her ankles, forcing her back towards the entryway.
"What is that beast doing here," she exclaimed angrily, trying to kick at him with her bare feet.
"Leave him alone," Botan pleaded. "He's just scared, is all."
"I want him gone! He's obviously rabid," Yuri hissed, leering down at the fox viciously.
"Please no," Botan implored, twisting about in her chains to get a better view of her fox. "Please calm down; she's my friend and my sister."
The fox turned to stare at her, still clearly upset with Yuri being so close to the both of them. But eventually he relented, turning and smacking Yuri's ankle with his tail* and moving over to curl by Botan's head. But when Yuri got too close for his comfort, his head shot up and the deep snorting-like sound resumed and his fur bristled. He watched Yuri intently as she circled around Botan's cage and removed the primitive lock that held it shut.
Yuri was quick to remove the outer layer of her clothing, draping it over Botan's almost nude form before she started removing the shackles from around Botan's ankles. "Why do you insist on calling me your sister," she asked as she worked, pressing her tattooed lips along the tops of Botan's ankles once they were freed.
"Our mother is the same," Botan explained, stretching her feet and toes before closing her legs and twisting her hips to rest somewhat awkwardly on her side. "We came from the same womb and share the same blood."
"No, we don't," Yuri argued darkly, pausing in her actions for only a moment before she removed the cuff from Botan's wrist. She trailed her fingers along Botan's pale forearm before gently lifting it up and placing her lips against Botan's palm. "My blood, the blood of my family, is dark and evil. My family is tainted and filled with poison. But you, you are bright and good, and full of such purity. You and I could never be related. You are a gift from the spirits that rule us, sent here just for me to save me from the filthy maggots that writhe within their human skins."
"Don't talk like that," Botan requested sadly as she sat upright, grateful to be free of her bondage. She pulled Yuri into a loving hug, one that Yuri was reluctant to let end, before she pulled the fox onto her lap.
Yuri made an attempt to shoo the creature away, but he snapped at her incoming hand. The two glared at each other, neither willing to lose the battle of wills between them. Ultimately, Yuri was forced to look away, unnerved by the intelligence that filled the creature's golden gaze. "You should get rid of that thing before he hurts you or gets you sick."
"…Why am I here?" Botan held the fox tightly, pressing her face against his soft fur in search of comfort. "I'm supposed to be dead."
"The village elders went looking for you when my fiancé's brother suffered a tragic accident. They said that they followed Inari-Ookami's messenger to your body. I came as fast as I could once I heard you were hurt." Yuri scooted closer to Botan as she explained, eyeing the fox with open disdain. Choosing to risk it, Yuri pulled Botan into her arms, tucking Botan's head under her chin.
"Was anyone else hurt," Botan sniffed. She surrendered her body to Yuri's embrace reluctantly, as if unsure of what to do.
"Just some of the livestock," Yuri shrugged, a content smile stretching across her lips. "Come, you must be tired. Let's go to my room where you can get a good night's sleep."
Botan merely nodded before climbing onto her feet. The fox struggled a bit, squirming in her hold until he was able to get loose and jump back onto the ground. He stayed close though, refusing to be farther than half an arm's length. She waited for Yuri to take the lead, but flinched back when she saw an inky blackness hovering over Yuri's form, seeping from her skin and shadow.
"I didn't know it then, but what I saw was the wickedness growing within my sister's heart," Botan explained sadly, trying to move away from Kurama in hopes of hiding her shame and guilt at her obliviousness, but he would pull her back with each attempt.
"That was about the time when my strong sixth sense and inhuman strength started to kick in. I guess coming so close to death awoke something within me." A dark bark of laughter broke past her lips, finding her fate humorous in a sad way. "But at least I had my little kitsune. Everywhere I went he would follow.
The villagers said it was because Inari-Ookami had sent him to keep me in check and make sure I don't kill anymore of the villagers. But I didn't think so. I believed with all my heart that he was there just for me. Every night he would cuddle up to me. He kept me safe and warm the whole night and he would protect me from the demons and ghosts that started to come after me."
"…because of your demon heritage?" Kurama inquired, piecing together the information given. For some reason his heart began to beat wildly, singing in his heart for reasons he could not understand. It was strange, to hear such a sad tale from the happy and bubbly Botan. What was stranger still was how…familiar it all sounded. He knew the kitsune wasn't him because, if he guestimated correctly, he had grown in his second tail around that time, or at least in part. That's also around the time I started to become a demon. Maybe I knew him, or of him…
"I think so," she answered. "I was coming of age, and even though my village didn't acknowledge me, the demons did. All I know is that because of it, I started to practice the magicks I had secretly learned by listening in on the priest and his disciples. It wasn't until a few months later that they learned of my proficiency in purifications. That's when the elders had me trained as one of the first miko. The treatment of me hadn't improved by much, but life was getting better for me, you know? They let me attend Yuri's marriage ceremony and everything. The villagers actually started to think of me as a human being and were even debating to give me my tattoos and eventually find me a husband."
Kurama felt a hiss of disapproval bubble up through his throat, the thought of another man touching her filling him with dark thoughts. To think that they would pick a man that most likely tormented and abused her did not sit right with him. Like Yuri said, Botan was pure and good, she deserved better than anyone her vile villagers could ever have to offer. She deserved to have her every need catered to and to spend every day with the knowledge that she was loved regardless of what she was.
"But, as with all remotely wonderful things in my life, everything was too good to be true," Botan hiccupped. "Yuri came to the temple with the news that her father, our lord had died. Instantly the blame was shifted to me. I was entering my monthly cycle, you see, so they sent me away in hopes to save themselves, oblivious that I have had my period three times before hand and it had no affect on them. Yuri had other plans however; before I could leave the village Yuri led me away to a secret hut she had built behind the main house where not even the demons and ghosts could find me.
I won't lie and say I wasn't grateful and I always made a point to tell her so. She gave me what I believed was a loving home, where I was happy and taken care of."
"What do you mean 'believed," Kurama interrupted, his ears perking at the change in her tone.
"One day, a few months before my fifteenth birthday, she got into a major fight with her husband. She came to me after and asked if I loved her. Without needing time to think I told her yes. She was my sister and my best friend and I would always love her for that. I think that was the first time she was ever angry with me. She screamed at me, denying that we were related before she hit me. I hit my head and lost consciousness. Everything got a little hazy after that and I can't tell dream from reality, especially now since it all happened so long ago…
Regardless, I found myself inside a hollow tree and my little kitsune was there, licking the cut along my temple. I stopped him and tried to climb out. I needed to go back and apologize for… whatever it was that I said that had upset her... That was the first time my kitsune bit me. He didn't want me to leave, doing everything in his power to keep me there with him. But I wouldn't listen to him. I left."
Botan ran as fast as her bare feet could carry her, ignoring the pain in her calf from her dear friend's bite. She followed the deer trail out of the forest she awoke in and followed it towards the dark skies. The acidic smell of smoke filled her lungs, startling her to a stop so she could take in the sight that was now her village. A giant plume of black smoke choked out the light of the setting sun. Buildings burned and people died, strangled by invisible fingers.
"Yuri-Hime," Botan called, charging into the village blindly in hopes of finding her sister. All around her were homes caving in under the stress of the flames. Nothing was being spared, the fire jumping from house to house as if to race her towards the crumbling main house. A wall of searing heat and smoke blocked her from entering, but even still Botan tried. She looked around in hopes of finding another safe way in, and in doing so she looked to the sky.
A ring of red lightning danced overhead, before the bolts of energy descended downwards and created a dome-like cage around the village. At its center a black hole formed and into it the souls of all that made the village their home were sucked in.
For some reason, she knew that Yuri wasn't amongst them. Botan knew that Yuri was still alive somewhere, just not here. Botan decided to go with her gut, running towards the temple in time to avoid a charred beam that tried to crush her. Along the way, she tripped over something long and black; something that groaned with untold agony. Looking back, Botan barely discovered the object to be Yuri's dying husband.
"Aniki*," Botan gasped, crawling over to his head.
"Yuri," he gasped, trying to drag himself forward even as he burned. In his hand he clutched a wakizashi blade, the searing steel glowing orange from the heat it radiated.
"Where is she? Where's Yuri? Where's my sister," Botan demanded, trying to heal him as she did this.
"That monster…she's the one that did this. She killed her own father. She killed all of us…You must stop Yuri…" the man stopped moving after that and Botan was forced to watch helplessly as his soul was ripped out from his body and lost to the black hole above them.
"No…It's not true," Botan stammered in denial. But even so, she grabbed the scalding wakizashi and continued her run to the temple. "Yuri! Sister," she coughed when a large plume of smoke billowed in her direction. She was forced to stop her trek, fanning her face in hopes of getting a breath of clean air. Her actions were futile however, and Botan was brought to her knees due to the lack of oxygen.
Slowly, she began to crawl beneath the rising smoke until she finally came to the courtyard of the temple. On the ground she could see the corpses of the monks and miko that made the temple their home, each with their hearts ripped out. Botan fought the bile that rushed up her throat at the image, and turned her head. She looked above her and stood when she saw that the smoke had thinned. Vaguely, she saw two people standing a little ways ahead of her and was quick to rush over in hopes of finding either Yuri or some other survivor.
She found both. Botan skidded to a halt when she saw her beloved sister in the arms of the head priest, their lips locked together in a passionate kiss. So shocked was she, that Botan couldn't speak when Yuri's arm rose from his back holding a bloodied knife. So when the blade came down, piercing his heart and killing him, Botan was mute.
"Fool," she grinned. She kicked the body to the side and walked over to an ornate and complicated ring with a four pointed star at its center on the ground, painted with the blood of her victims. At each of the four points, the hearts of the monks and miko lay in piles. She stopped at the circle's edge, shedding her clothes and leaving them to pool at her feet.
"Yuri," Botan gasped, finding her voice.
With eyes glowing, Yuri turned quickly to face her, sweeping her arms wide. Her energy fluxed wildly and from everywhere and nowhere hooks and chains were born, hooking themselves in and around Botan before yanking her over the ring's center.
The scream that ripped itself from her throat was like none other to come from Botan's voice, leaving it raw and hoarse. From her hand, the cooling wakizashi blade fell only to clatter onto the ground. But Botan didn't notice. Her agony was too great for her to form any conscious thought.
"Bo-chan," she murmured with a pleasant smile. "I thought I lost you forever to that creature. But you came back to me." Yuri approached Botan's suspended form and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Everything is going to be so wonderful now." Yuri's toe grazed against the still burning metal of the blade Botan was formerly carrying and was instantly filled with indignant rage.
The slap that struck Botan's cheek was so great in power that it ripped some of the hooks from her flesh and sent her swinging from side to side. Botan opened her mouth to screech her pain but her voice no longer worked. She stared at Yuri imploringly with tears cascading down her cheeks, but they went ignored in Yuri's fury.
"This is my husband's blade," Yuri realized once she held it up for inspection. She walked backwards, staring at Botan with betrayal in her eyes. "How could you do this to me?" Raw fury filled her eyes when Botan failed to answer. So, with sorrow in her heart, Yuri decided to punish Botan for her infidelity and ensure that it would never happen again. She made her way to the nearest open flame and plunged the blade of the short sword into it until it glowed white from the heat.
Botan, even in her growing dizziness, understood what was going on within Yuri's twisted mind and began to squirm. The adrenalin pumped through her veins, numbing the pain when Botan started to pull at the hooks and chains in an attempt to be free. She lacked the strength to do so and after a while movement was starting to become too much for her to handle. But she did not stop trying.
Another silent scream of anguish broke from Botan's lips when the tip of the scorching blade broke through the skin over her heart. Yuri held the blade there, watching in growing fascination how the skin darkened and peeled back from the heat. With a sick smile that only seemed to grow even as her tears began to cascade down her own cheeks, Yuri began to drag the blade between the valley of her breasts. Down she went at a painstakingly slow pace, leaving a bleeding and scorched trail of broken skin. Every now and again, Yuri would peek up at Botan's beautiful face, twisted into and expression of sweet and glorious suffering.
Gradually, Botan no longer felt the pain of the searing blade, nor the hooks that held her in the air. Her vision began to blur and she looked around her in confusion. Why was this happening? What was happening? Why was she so cold? Why was she so tired? What's going on…? When will this all be over? Then soon, her world went black.
"That was when I died."
Kurama turned Botan around in his arms, hugging her for all he was worth. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve any of it. Yet, why was it Botan who suffered? Why was it that the only one who claimed to love her would do such a thing to her? What did Botan do? What god did she anger? What could possibly warrant such a tragedy to befall someone as kind and loving as the woman in his arms? Kurama couldn't understand it.
Kurama understood war. He understood violence. Kurama understood the darkest traits that filled the hearts of all that lived. He understood all of that, but he could not understand the insanity of the woman named Yuri. How could she believe she loved Botan and then do such a thing to her? That wasn't love. Even if he did not know that kind of love, he knew enough to know what it wasn't.
Again, the cry for vengeance filled his entire being and he made a silent vow to himself; he would destroy Yuri, completely and totally. He would make sure that not a single piece of her survived and that her soul met the true death. I won't let her have you ever again Kurama promised, looking down at Botan's head of blue.
"I don't know how she did it," Botan continued. "But when I found myself in spirit world she wasn't that far behind me. So I ran until I found myself in the presence of Inari-sama. She took me in and chased Yuri away. I became a shikigami after that. But at least I was free of Yuri and I thought she was dead too. I spent the next two thousand years under Inari-sama's employ, during which time she locked away the demon within me so deep that it was almost nonexistent. I was her servant, but I was happy. But then she gave me away.
I couldn't understand why? Did I do something wrong? Was she bored with me? All I knew was that I was being sent away from the one place I was ever truly happy. I was given away as a birthday present to King Yama, as if I was nothing but a toy to be played with. But that's how it was with the gods. Humans and demons were a dime a dozen and we can only hold their attentions for so long. I was so scared and sad, unsure who would take me and how I would be treated, and just like the others, King Yama didn't want me.
If it weren't for Koenma, I would have been thrown away. He was running low on shikigami because of some issues that had happened down in Ningenkai, so he was happy to claim me as one of his subordinates. I'd been working with him ever since, working through the ranks until I was honored with the title of head ferry girl. That was about twenty years ago, then Yusuke came along.
At first I didn't want to be his liaison. As much as I adored him, I feared I'd be a terrible assistant and do more harm than good. But Koenma convinced me otherwise since he didn't trust the other shikigami as much as he did me. Do you know how wonderful it felt to have a physical body again? How wonderful it was to do things humans take for granted, like eat and sleep? Even though the scars followed me into my new container, I was so happy." The smile that pulled at Botan's lips could have destroyed all shadows with its radiance, and Kurama found his own smile tug at his lips.
"But then you and Hiei came along and stole from the vault." There was no blame in Botan's voice, even as her smile faded. "When Hiei abducted Keiko and tried to turn her into a demon, I tried my hardest to keep the transformation from happening. But the bond between my human container and my soul wasn't strong enough so my reiki was weak. I couldn't let anything bad happen to her while Yusuke was fighting for her life. I had no choice in the matter; so unlocked my demon heritage. I started to fall for the sake of Yusuke, my first human friend."
"So it is my fault," Kurama concluded with shame.
"No, never yours. I made the conscious choice of my own free will to fall, and in time I will be a full demon... I wonder what will happen to me then." The last part was meant to remain only in Botan's thoughts, but her lips decided to voice them of their own accord.
"Nothing," Kurama answered. He crooked a finger under Botan's chin and directed her gaze onto his face. "I won't let anything else bad happen to you."
"Even if I were to become a demon? I won't start out like you or Hiei. I'll become a mindless monster when I fall and what then?" Botan searched Kurama's eyes for an answer, but all she saw was emerald and gold. There was no hint into his mind, and Botan feared that he had no answer for her.
"If that happens, then I'll take care of you myself. I won't let you be a monster. I doubt it's even possible for you to be anything but you. I promise everything will be alright in the end and you'll be you throughout." Kurama helped Botan lay down onto her side, his eyes never leaving hers as he did so. He knew he was making a lot of promises, some of which would be near impossible to keep as he was now, but he didn't care. He gave Botan his word, and he'd be damned before the thought of breaking his promises could even form.
"I hope you're right," Botan murmured with heavy lids.
Kurama watched Botan drift back to sleep contently. With some of his renewed energy, he coated his palm with it and slowly worked on Botan's wounds. In time the injuries along her arms and neck vanished and the few on her legs had sealed shut. He tried to continue along her burn for as long as possible, staying as far away from her nether region as he could. He closed his eyes in concentration, committing Botan's energy signature to memory so he could sense where Yuri's took hold.
The energy was like a living organism made of inky black; it shied away from Kurama's touch and condensed around Botan's abdomen and thighs. This lifted Yuri's hold over at least Botan's heart and chest and allowed for the scar to shrink under Kurama's ministrations. Seeing this as possibly his only chance, Kurama resorted to using the very last of his energy reserves and tapped into his very life force to heal the scar from Botan's breast completely. He tried to continue down, but the inky blackness of Yuri's touch sapped at his energy, forcing him to stop.
Even so, he trailed his fingers over Botan's burn, pleased with himself when his fingers traced over the newly formed skin. It would take many sessions to heal the wounds as far as her abdomen, but it was something Kurama was more than willing to do for her sake. Botan was his friend and he cared for her immensely. He would do anything for her, even if it meant traveling to the depths of the underworld to finish Yuri off.
Kurama's thoughts darkened when he reviewed Botan's story before his mind focused entirely on the one true friend Botan had during her life. It was possible that he was indeed a true kitsune sent by Inari. Inari did tend to meddle in the affairs of his worshipers, especially in the earlier years, so Kurama wouldn't put it passed him. But at the same time, he wanted to believe that the kitsune truly was there just for Botan. Botan deserved at least that much.
I wonder who he was… Kurama pondered again, spooning himself against Botan's back and nuzzling his face into the back of her neck. He wished he knew, but that was around the time he had abandoned his family, fled Inari's servitude, and started his rapid descent into his demonhood. He's probably dead.
Kurama rested for a few hours longer, at ease with just watching Botan sleep. Occasionally he would look away to either scan the room or check the time, but not as often as he probably should have. In time, even though he knew it was too early for Botan, they had to get up and leave the wretched manor behind them. He rose from the bed first, careful to not jostle Botan and awaken her too soon. He then stripped himself of his wrappings before he made his way to what he assumed was the closet.
It took some doing, but in the end he found a pair of pants all the way at the back of the closet that fit him. In the back of his mind suspicions formed about the pants' origins since they were men's jeans and too large to belong to Yuri. He didn't bother with a shirt; not wanting anything more than necessary of Yuri's to touch his body. He continued searching the closet however for something Botan could wear, since he refused to drive with her naked. Not only would she prove a successfully dangerous distraction to him, but she would also run the risk of being seen by others, even with the roof up. Kurama settled with a simple yellow summer dress, one that would have been perfect for her if not for who it belonged.
"Kurama," Botan called from the bed. Kurama heard Botan rise from the mattress and the rustle of blankets being wrapped around her. She was behind him within moments, her footsteps quick due to her aversion to being alone. "What are you doing?"
"Finding something for you to wear so we can leave this place," Kurama answered, holding out the dress for Botan to take. He wasn't surprised to see Botan back away from it hesitantly, the thought of something that touched Yuri's skin touching hers repelling her completely. "I swear it will be destroyed the minute we get back home, but you can't wander around naked, glamoured or not."
Seeing his logic, Botan relented and accepted the dress into her hands. She waited till Kurama exited the closet before dropping the comforter and pulling it on over her head. Even though the fabric of the dress was exceptionally soft, it made her skin crawl and filled Botan with the need to wretch. It even smells like her, Botan whimpered. Pain shot up from her ankles suddenly, dropping Botan onto the ground.
Kurama was by her side within moments, searching her body for any sign of injury. "Are you alright? What happened?" Kurama didn't wait for an answer, lifting Botan into the cradle of his arms and carrying her back onto the bed.
"It's nothing," Botan assured. "I just lost control of my reiki and fell."
"Using your reiki to walk…impressive." Though he said it, Kurama didn't really get to feel it. All he felt was sorrow and inadequacy since he was unable to completely heal her and her wounds. If only he were stronger somehow, then he would have been able to heal her completely. Guilt flooded his system again and he silently cursed both himself and Yuri.
"I'll be fine," Botan pressed, knowing Kurama well enough to know the direction his thoughts were carrying him. "My ankles will take a while to heal, more time than we can allow. I'm just redirecting my reiki to make them work. I guess I was doing it without realizing it," Botan smiled. "I'll try to be more aware."
"Please do," Kurama sighed, wishing that there situation wasn't so dire so she could rest. He made sure to collect everything that they needed, including the two shards of Hiei's soul before he began to rummage around the room for anything else they might need.
"Can we leave now…?" Botan watched Kurama shuffle through the drawers for a moment longer; pocketing some cash he had found. He then grabbed a pouch of precious and semi precious stones. He dumped it before placing Hiei's soul crystal fragments into the pouch and securing it to a belt loop at his hip. "Now?"
"Yes, Botan, we can leave now." Kurama lifted Botan into his arms and out of the house they went in hopes of leaving the memories of pain behind.
The drive back to their apartment was a short one, due primarily to Kurama's speeding. Fortunately they weren't pulled over by the police, but Kurama had a hunch that it had something to do with Botan's exceptional abilities with glamour magick. Regardless, he was happy to be home. He pulled into the garage and parked the car, plunging his companion and himself into silence. He waited a moment longer before climbing out of the car and circling round to the passenger side where Botan dozed.
"Botan," Kurama murmured, easing the car door open and catching her before she could fall.
"Are we there yet," she yawned, cuddling into his chest.
"Yes, Botan," Kurama smiled. "We're back." Kurama kicked the door shut once he lifted Botan out. He was in no hurry to make it up to their current home, knowing that the minute the door was opened he'd have to deal with an emotional and jealous teenage girl and after that he'd have to call his mother and explain how the mission went. Both were things he could do without, but he had no choice but to deal.
Botan looked up at him pensively, as if trying to read his thoughts. But, as always, all she got was the tip of the iceberg. Might as well go from there…"Nervous about being home?"
"Mother was expecting a call from me last night, she must be worried," Kurama replied.
"You're going to tell her everything?" Botan reached up and pushed some of his hair behind his human ear. Sometime during the drive, his demon attributes shifted away leaving his human features behind. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but she figured it was for the best…even if she already missed messing with his ears.
"I swore I would. I'm done lying to her…" Kurama waited in front of the double doors of the elevator, counting the seconds it took for it to answer his call.
"She'll be fine, just as long as her son is okay," Botan beamed tiredly.
"I know, I just wish I didn't have to." The two entered the, thankfully, empty elevator and pressed the necessary buttons to finish their trek to their shared home and their own beds.
"You win some, you lose some." Botan swatted at Kurama's forelock before she shifted in his arms. "You should really put me down now; we don't want Maya to get the wrong impression." For some reason or maybe for reasons she didn't want to delve into, Maya's name left a foul taste in her mouth.
"Even if we were strangers she'd probably come to the same conclusion," Kurama nodded. They barely reached the door when it was yanked open to reveal tearful hazels and open arms.
Kurama struggled valiantly to keep from dropping Botan, whom he refused to let walk anywhere in her condition. Maya clung to his neck as she bawled her fears and sorrows. She had spent the night living in terror, not knowing if the man she loved was alive, or dead. Now that she knew, her tears wouldn't stop flowing. She was so happy to see that he was okay.
"Don't ever leave me again," she cried. Maya showered Kurama's face with kisses, needing to feel him for her own sake of heart.
All the while, Botan watched. She did not struggle or squirm. She just watched, envy creeping into her soul. Last night, Kurama was hers. His lips, his touch, him; he was all hers. Now he wasn't. Suddenly, Botan wished she was back at that hell house; at least there she received the affections she secretly longed for. At least there, a man had looked at her without pity or disgust, but with tenderness. Tears began to rush up into her eyes, prompting Botan to forcibly separate the two lovers and flee towards her room where she could be alone in her jealousy.
"Botan," Kurama called after her, trying to shake off Maya's hold so he could run after her.
Botan stumbled and fell to her knees, grasping her ankles in pain. She tried to get up, but she collapsed again. Next thing she knew, she was in Kurama's arms again. Mixed feelings rushed through her entire being, and Botan didn't know how to handle it. Never in her life had she felt like this, angry and happy at the same time.
Why was she feeling like this? She knew she was jealous of Maya and the relationship she had with Kurama because Botan wanted so desperately to have that kind of love; the kind that they shared, the kind that Yusuke and Keiko, or Kuwabara and Yukina shared. But even so, why was she so angry at Kurama? Why did she feel as if he was betraying her? Why did she want to be back in that house with Kurama and no other? She didn't understand. Why was all her confusion centered on Kurama? Why Kurama?
"Are you alright?" Kurama walked Botan over to the couch so he could examine her ankles, startled to discover the angry red that circled her healing scars. Gently, Kurama eased off her stolen shoes and released his energy into her skin. Once the heat of pain had been eased, Kurama pressed a kiss to the front of both her ankles. He did not know what possessed him to do so, but now that he'd done it he wanted to repeat the process.
"I'm fine," Botan stammered, memories of Yuri doing the same actions entering her mind. But even so, the memories were like ripples in a pond, the image distorted until all that could be seen was a blur of what was.
"You should rest up," Kurama suggested, repositioning her legs so Botan was in a reclined position. "I'll get you some food and a change of clothes."
"Oh…okay." Botan watched Kurama leave her before turning to the television. She tried to sort through her feelings as best she could, but this was so knew to her. She'd never felt this way before and she didn't know who to ask the answer from. Try as she might, Botan couldn't believe that her actions were born entirely from her desire to have a relationship of her own. Did she have feelings for Kurama? Or were her emotions towards him a result of last night? Maybe when this is all over I'll ask Shizuru or Keiko what's wrong with me. Maybe they know what I'm feeling… Because of the direction of her attention, Botan was oblivious to dark glare that was sent in her direction.
Maya watched Botan angrily; unable to comprehend why Kurama would behave so…romantically. She made her way to sit next to Botan, her eyes set in a vicious leer. "So how was your…mission?"
Botan flinched at the question, not ready or willing to form an answer. But what right did she have to withhold information from Maya? The young woman was part of their situation, so it would only be fair to tell her.
"The mission was a success," Kurama answered in Botan's stead, returning to Botan's side with a bowl of fruit in his hand and one of his pajama shirts over his shoulder. He handed them off to Botan before waiting patiently for Botan to give him her current garb.
Botan was quick to yank the dress from her body, not caring if Kurama or Maya saw her nakedness. She quickly handed the bundle of yellow to Kurama before slipping the oversized shirt around her torso. Because of how quick she moved, she was oblivious the her partially healed state of her scar. She took in a deep breath, discretely filling her lungs with Kurama's alluring and husky scent. She buttoned it up all the way, pleased to discover that it covered her nudity completely and almost reached her knees.
Kurama watched Botan dress and felt masculine pride swell within his heart when Botan sniffed his shirt. He liked how she looked in his clothes and he knew he wanted her to wear them more often. Kurama turned in time to hide his smirk and made his way out onto the balcony where several of his potted plants lay in wait. One in particular, a large red bulb, opened wide to reveal dripping teeth and acidic saliva. It slithered and writhed towards Kurama on its stalk, waiting with its maw wide open*. Kurama dumped the dress into the plant's mouth, watching as the acid ate away at the fabric until there was nothing left. He was quick to return to the couch after that, lifting Botan's legs so he could sit beneath them with her feet resting on his lap.
"That's good…" Maya stared at Botan incredulously, completely scandalized by Botan's lack of modesty. What was worse was Kurama's nonchalance about it, as if he was used to looking at naked women, or at least a nude Botan. Maya tried not to come to any conclusions about Kurama and the blue haired harlot, but the way he was acting towards her was making things very difficult. Eventually Maya calmed before she peeked around Kurama's back to see the beautiful arrangement of Botan's meal, envious of her royal treatment. Is that honey drizzled over…strawberries?
Kurama didn't pay much attention to Maya's words. His main priority was to ensure that Botan ate while Yuri's words echoed within his ears. He tried to recall all the times he'd been with or around Botan and nothing hinted at her being vampiric by nature. Granted part of him liked the prospects presented by such a possibility. But with that being said, the threat still loomed overhead. Kurama made a move to ask her about Yuri's words, but then decided against it. That was a conversation best left for a more private time, especially if it were true.
"I don't think I can eat much more," Botan said after several small bites. A little over half the bowl remained, and even though it was really good Botan wasn't hungry. She placed the fruit onto the coffee table before grabbing the pouch from Kurama's hip. She then dumped the two crystal fragments onto her lap. "Can someone get me a map?"
Kurama reached under the coffee table and pulled open a secret drawer where several maps, note pads, pens, and the occasional trinket could be found. He chose to remove a map of Japan before stretching it out on the smooth wooden surface. He held the ends in place and waited for Botan to give farther instruction.
Botan smiled her thanks before she closed her eyes in concentration, placing Hiei's soul fragments onto the smoothed surface of the map. The fragments began to glow and pulse with energy before they stood on the very tips. One wobbled and seemed to stumble around the map, while the other stood tall, proud, and unwavering. From its tip, a point in the map was burned by a small black flame.
"One of the remaining pieces of Hiei's soul is in Kyoto," Botan announced, opening her eyes to face Kurama.
"Then it looks like we'll be heading to Kyoto."
*1 – In old shrines of Inari (I don't know if they still do it) they cared for and raised foxes.
*random tidbit- the Ainu never actually had temples or shrines, nor did they have priests, priestesses/miko, or monks. But Botan's village was an exception to the rule. Don't worry, I won't fiddle with history…much.
*2 – Grandmother Earth is, to my understanding, the primary deity of the Ainu people. Even though they worship Inari-Ookami primarily, they still believe heavily in their other gods.
*3 – Male foxes are called dogs. I also hear they are also called Reynards or tods
*4 – A fox's tail is called a brush
*5 – The women of the Ainu people have tattoos placed on their arms, hands and along their lips from the moment puberty hits (about 12-13) and once the tattoos were finished (around 15-16) they were considered women and married off
*6 – smacking someone with their tail is a way for foxes to humiliate others
*7 - Yuri's husband, a little while after Botan moved in, allowed for Botan to call him "older brother." Reasons on this as more of Botan and Yuri's past is revealed.
*8 - Here's another cameo, and I'll give you a hint this time. The plant's from Zelda.
Author's Note: If your wondering why I alternate back and forth between he and she when referin to Inari, then it's because the aspect changes in accordance to the setting. The reason Inari-Ookami recieves different title, i.e -sama, -Ookami, or none, is because of the level of respect the character the paragraph revolves around has. Kurama has no respect of love towards Inari-Ookami, so he doesn't use a title where as Botan uses the -sama because she knew and worked for the god.
Ps: Thanks to Thundercat2 for the info on shikigami :-)
Anywho, please review. I love reviews. Reviews make me so happy!