The Soulbond

Disclaimer: Kishin Douji Zenki belongs to Yoshihiro Kuroiwa (deceased), Kikuhide Tani, Shueisha and licensed entities. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit of non-profit fun.

Chapter 2

Zenki and Chiaki got up the next morning, both mightily embarrassed at having woken up in each other's arms. That wasn't unusual, but now Zenki wasn't in a child's form. As far as they knew, Zenki's human form was around Chiaki's age, 18 years old, and now they weren't as tired and sore as last night in the onsen. That was a new situation for them, they had admitted that they found each other attractive, but they were confused about what to do, with the bond and Zenki being human for barely two days. Both of them blushed, remembering last night at the onsen.

"Chiaki..."

"Zenki..."

"Let's go wash and get dressed, Zenki. We'll talk about what are we going to do today over breakfast, and see if we can loosen the bond a bit. Being pulled towards each other if we go too far away from each other is a pain!"

"You're telling me... I don't remember being that sore ever! Being hurt yes, lots of times, but sore and full of bruises like yesterday, I don't think so!"

"Well, Zenki, Chiaki-sama, you're doing a bit better than yesterday, but there is ample room for improvement. For now let's concentrate in attacking from a distance and fighting back to back so you don't trip when the bond pulls you both towards each other. You also need to improve your stamina, what happened in the cave left you both weakened and tiring easily."

"Keh! I hate feeling weak! When do you think I can regain my true form?"

"I don't know, Zenki, it could be weeks, but I'm not sure when!"

"Does it depend on when the binding between me and Zenki stabilizes?"

"Yes, it does, but you have to discover how yourselves. When you are ready to act together as one, the bond will give you more freedom."

"What!"

"What do you mean, acting together as one?"

"It means doing things together in a way that your minds and souls are in accord. The bond will stabilize and stop being a hindrance."

"That sounds complicated to do, Gokimaru-kun!"

"What the woman says!"

"Well, at least this is a beginning."

That evening...

"Konban wa, Saki-baasama!"

"Gokimaru-kun, why do Zenki-dono and Chiaki look like they just got through a fight?"

"They did, against me, we've spent the day sparring so they don't hinder each other going too far away from the other, and practice distance attacks. Besides, they need to regain their stamina."

Zenki and Chiaki didn't say anything, they were too busy eating anything edible in sight while Saki and Gokimaru watched with amusement.

Once they were full, they got up slowly, said goodnight, and went to wash... together.

.:Chiaki, I'll go wash with you, I'm so tired and sore I might fall asleep if I have to wait outside the washing room. Please help me with my hair and my back?:.

.:Only if you promise to help me with my back too!:.

.:Yes! The onsen after?:.

.:Yes, we are even more sore than yesterday, and too tired to do anything more than soak for a while:.

.:Chiaki, please don't use anything with too strong a scent on my hair, my sense of smell may not be as strong as before, but it is still very sensitive:.

.:Don't worry, I'll use a shampoo that I use so my hair doesn't tangle, that even babies can use, it doesn't have a strong scent:.

"Ah, Chiaki, that feels good!"

"So you like me massaging your scalp, good to know! I'll wash your back next, then is your turn to wash my back"

Zenki wasn't telling Chiaki, but having her touching him felt good!

Chiaki wasn't telling Zenki either, but having him washing her back felt really good!

"Let's go the onsen while we can still stay awake, Zenki!"

Afer a good, long soak at the onsen, they went to get ready to sleep practically sleepwalking. They didn't even change into their pajamas, just got under the futon bedcover completely naked and fell asleep even before their heads hit the pillow.

The next morning...

Chiaki woke to a hand on her breast, and a firm torso behind her back... and screamed.

"KYAAA!" "Zenki, what are you doing?"

"WHAT THE HELL, WOMAN? I was sleeping...

Zenki looked around and noticed where his hand was... and blushed. Then he pulled away the bedcover, and blushed even redder. He didn't remember being embarrassed for anything before he turned human. It wasn't an enjoyable feeling.

"Chiaki, you're naked!"

"So are you, Zenki!"

"Before you try to hit me, I haven't done anything to you on purpose! Last thing I remember before waking up is getting out of the onsen!"

"Now that you mention it, that is the last thing I remember from yesterday too. I suppose I can't be angry with you, you are used to sleep with your head touching my breasts in your child form. It would be hypocritical for me to complain now! Let's get dressed, then we can go have breakfast"

"Good idea, Chiaki, I'm hungry!"

After breakfast, Gokimaru pulled them aside and started explaining what he had noticed about the bond:

"Now, Zenki, Chiaki-sama, You feel the bond like it is physical, with a range of about 15 to 20 meters maximum. When you become angry or frustrated it fluctuates and reduces the range, making you trip when it pulls you nearer together. It is hindering your ability to fight in close range, but you can still fight at a distance."

"Today we'll try something else: meditation. I'll monitor you while you try to harmonize your minds and souls. I think it may help you stabilize the bond a bit."

Zenki and Chiaki sat crosslegged, back to back, in the main hall of the shrine and started trying to feel each other.

.:Zenki?:.

.:Chiaki?:.

.:I can feel your presence in my mind, but I can't see your soul right now, just the bond connecting us. What do we do now?:.

.:I can feel both your mind and your soul, but I can't see your astral body, just the damned bond!:.

.:Let's try going into a trance, Zenki! We may be able to see each other's astral body:.

.:Just a thought, Chiaki, how do I enter a meditative trance? You know I don't have much patience!:.

.:Oh, dear! Just concentrate on hearing your heartbeat and imagine a flame that sways to the rythm of that heartbeat, and any stray thoughts that pass through your mind, you feed to the flame. Once you're calm and relaxed, you turn your mind inwards, feeling your soul, and then outwards, feeling my soul. I hope this works for you!:.

A little while later...

.:Chiaki? Can you feel my soul?:.

.:Yes, Zenki, it feels warm when my soul touches yours. Let's try to see our astral selves:.

.:Well, Chiaki, you look the same, just with your hair down:.

.:Zenki, you look like a mix of your human and true forms. Your hair, fangs and claws are like your true form, but you're the size of your human form:.

.:Damn it, I thought my astral body would be the same as my true form!:.

.:Don't think too much about it, it isn't something we can do anything to change right now:.

.:Chiaki, can I hug you? Nobody will notice if we are in our astral bodies... I want to feel your warmth:.

.:Of course you can, Zenki, as long as I can hug you too. The warmth of your soul feels good to me too:.

Later, around noon.

"Well, Zenki, Chiaki-sama, let's go outside and see how far you can separate until the bond pulls you back towards each other."

Zenki and Chiaki started walking in opposite directions until they felt the bond pull them towards each other. Then they both turned to face Gokimaru.

"You both must have done something good in the meditation session, you can go almost 30 meters away from each other, that's about double the distance you could go yesterday!"

"Ahahaha, we just talked mind to mind and tried to see our astral bodies..."

"What Chiaki says."

Gokimaru thought to himself: -Zenki and Chiaki-sama look so cute trying not to show they like each other... They think I didn't see them hugging each other in their astral forms. The more they like each other, the less trouble will they have with the bond!-

Suddenly they heard a rumbling sound and then another: It was Zenki and Chiaki's stomachs.

"Well, we're hungry! When is lunch? -Said Chiaki, while Zenki looked at her, strangely silent for him.

-She looks cute... Why didn't I realize it before that she is an attractive woman, full of life? Now I'm feeling towards her feelings that go beyond fighting battles and finding possession seeds. I'm afraid of going too far and losing her if I do the wrong thing! I knew she's liked me for a long time, but I didn't understand fully what it implied...-

"Zenki! What are you doing spacing out? Let's go eat!"

"I'm coming, leave something for me!"

Gokimaru smiled at Zenki and his Master's antics and thought: -As long as we are together we can face the world!-