Moriko ran through many forests and flat lands. Her mate was with her, his power strong enough to stay on the surface. Freedom, it was something she couldn't fathom. It seemed as if she had taken it for granted, but never again. Being imprisoned really changed you, and she know understood why humans sent the bad ones to a jail. That isolation drove the mind crazy. She was just happy that she was strong enough to fight it off. Although, if she was unable to see her fox, she was sure that it would have been easier to give in to the madness. She stopped for a breather. It was night time now, and she enjoyed the presence of the moon. It was amazing how the little things that used to seem to trivial now seemed so big. This new found appreciation was different, and she was hoping that it would last a long time, that she wouldn't forget it after getting back to a regular life. She was still going to kill Yomi, oh yes. But when she was strong enough, and when she had made up her mind about how to do it in the most satisfying way. Youko knew of this, and he disapproved. But he didn't have to know when it would happen, that way, he couldn't stop her.
"How long have we been running, Youko?" she asked her mate.
"About three days," he answered.
"Three days? It only feels like a couple of hours."
"It would after being isolated for so long."
"I wonder where we are."
"I'm not familiar with this territory."
Moriko looked around. She looked up and sniffed at the air. She walked up to the tree in front of her and observed it. Then, she jumped, hopping from branch to branch, going towards the top. She took in her surroundings, trying to get some sort of bearings. She saw a land mark, and widened her tawny eyes. Had she subconsciously been running here? It seemed so strange. But it was highly appropriate, considering the circumstances. She sighed mournfully, but knew what she had to do. Her mind made up, she dropped down the tree, back to the ground.
"Well?" Youko asked.
"There is something I have to do," she told him gravely.
"What is it koi?"
"Just follow me."
He nodded. She smiled slightly, but she still felt sad. She began to run again, making sure her mate was close to her. She knew he was curious about her actions, but that was the good thing about his demon form. Youko was well known for his patience. Shuuichi, the human he had taken over adapted to it, but it wasn't the same. She missed her mate. It was a very complicated relationship she had with him, and it would take many headaches to understand it. But they were happy, and that was all that mattered. She caught a whiff of a human. Perfect, it was the one she was hoping to find. That just meant she was on the right track. The sun was beginning to rise, and she was sure that Youko would be able to smell it as well. Although, he would never actually know what her real purpose here was until she had done it. It was getting closer to the afternoon, and that was when they arrived. It appeared that she wasn't the only one who came for this deed.
"Queen Moriko Chie!" yelled one of Raizen's old followers.
"San? Kurama? What are you guys doing here?" asked Yusuke.
"Hokushin, Yusuke. I've come to pay my respects to Raizen," Moriko answered. She walked passed her half demon brother and on to where the other demons stood.
"I didn't know that San knew my father."
"I was unaware of this as well," replied Youko.
Moriko was almost at the grave site. She saw the others there and smiled sadly. It had been a while since she saw any of these demons gathered in one place. She pulled a seed out of her clothes, and used her power to create her trademark rose, purple, barely open with pink at the top. She walked up to Raizen's grave, and placed it gently on the tombstone, a tear leaving her tawny eye.
"Moriko?" the wolf heard someone speak to her.
"Hello Koku," Moriko greeted her old friend.
"Moriko, why did that fucking bastard have to die? How could he leave me here like this?" the demon questioned, falling into the wolf's arms and crying. Moriko did not know what to do to console her friend, so she sat there silently. Finally, they sat down and wept together, going over the memories they had of their treasured friend. The mourning was good for them, and it helped them.
Enki stood after that, "Right everyone, I think that's enough grieving for one day don't you think? And besides, I think we all had another reason for coming here today. They all nodded, and got up to their feet. They turned to face Yusuke, "Hey! Raizen junior!" Moriko smiled at that name, "Guess what? We're all going to enter your tournament!"
"I'm warning you though, I'm not going to go easy on you. I don't care who you are, I'll kick your ass," said Koku. She then turned to her husband, "And the same goes for you mister, I'm not cutting you any slack."
"I'd have it no other way darling, all's fair in love and war," replied Enki. He stood in front of them, "Let's make this tournament's so brutal it makes Raizen roll over in his grave jealous. What do you say?"
"YEAH!" they shouted in unison. Moriko felt proud at this moment to be here. They then all powered up. It was incredible, it was exhilarating. The power they sent up between them was immense. Moriko thought that maybe she wasn't up to step with them. But she knew she was, she wasn't overwhelmed by them, she felt apart of them. Finally, it was over. She calmed down her powers along with the rest of them. She felt much better now, as she was sure that the rest of them did. They began to disperse, getting ready for the tournament, no doubt. She walked to her brother and mate, who were staring at her in shock and appreciation.
"That was incredible San! I had no idea your powers developed so much!" exclaimed Yusuke excitedly.
"I did get some training in the past year that I was trapped," she replied.
"Your powers are immense, beloved. I'm happy you learned how to control them. You conceal them beautifully," said Youko.
She smiled at him, "Thank you."
"Man, I hope I get to fight you in the tournament. I haven't had a good fight with you since my training with grandma," said Yusuke.
"It will be a lot different this time, Yusuke. You have never fought me in my true form."
"Oh yeah, that's right. I suppose I should be calling you Moriko, right? That is your name."
"Wolves have no need of names."
"Uh... Okay? So what do I call you then?"
"Moriko or San, it does not matter. I am the same, no matter what I look like or what name you call me."
"Is she always this cryptic?"
Youko chuckled, and that surprised Moriko, "You have no idea."
"Why?"
"It's the way of the wolves to be cryptic, Yusuke," said Moriko.
"That still doesn't even make any sense!"
"It doesn't have to."
"Alright, fuck it. I'm just happy to see you two are alright. You gave everyone quite a scare when you disappeared last year. What happened?"
"I am unsure about it. All that matters now is that I am free. But you. You have improved greatly this passed year. I am deeply sorry about your father."
"How did you know he was my father?"
"This is a long story. Perhaps we should sit while I tell you all of it. I am quite sure my mate is curious as to how I become so close to a demon lord."
"You know me too well, koishii," Youko smirked. The three demons walked to one of the sitting areas within the castle grounds. Drinks and food were brought to them. Moriko ate, realizing she hadn't in the last three days. Finally, she was relaxed, and ready to go into her memory and tell a story. She wondered why it was so important to her mate, but she knew that Yusuke would have like to know his father better than what he did. Last she saw, Yusuke was ready to kill Raizen himself, so she was happy that he was giving it a chance now.
"Where do I even begin? It was such a long time ago, back when I was apart of the wolf clan. I was out running on one of the clear nights. I could hear something, out in the woods near our den. I was young then, my psychic powers just developing. It would have been bad for me to go alone, but the call wasn't threatening. I finally found him just on the edge of our domain. He was hurt, probably fighting no doubt. I was hesitant, until he greeted me in our ways. I healed him, and we became friends after that encounter. There were many times I encountered him. My clan was in his domain, and he protected our forest. There was a long time before I would see him, and he told me he was in the Ningenkai. I saw him about 100 years after, he looked terrible. I went to him after I had a vision, and he told me of you, Yusuke. He has been waiting for you for centuries."
They were silent for a moment, "I wish I could have known him better. I'm proud to call him my father," said Yusuke.
Moriko smiled, "He would be happy to hear you say that."
...
She was running again. She seemed to always be running. It was at least a week since they had left Raizen's former domain. Youko didn't say much about her constant running. He understood her need to feel free right now, knew how much joy running brought to her. She hunted at night, and slept most of the day. It felt good to be a demon again, living in the world with her mate. It was exhilarating to feel as if she had gotten her life back. She knew it would have to end, however. There was a tournament coming up, and they both needed to train. There was a human side to him, and it would no doubt wish to see the mother. And then there was Genkai. San, the human side of her needed to go back and ensure her of what was going on with Yusuke. So many duties and responsibilities. She knew that training would have to be with Genkai, or else there was no way to increase her power to the way she desired. She stopped, staring at the moon and collecting her thoughts. She stood on top of a cliff, the wind blowing gently. She smiled, feeling the warmth of his presence as his arms came around her.
"I've missed this, Youko," she told him, laying her head on his shoulder.
"I've missed you, beloved," he replied.
"It feels so good to be back to the old life."
"Yes."
They sat in silence for a few moments. They walked to the edge of the forest, and sat against a tree. She was in his embrace, her tawny eyes still fixated on the moon above them. She thought about her life, and what would happen now. She had an idea, but when would there be peace? Who knew which demon would win the tournament. Yusuke was taking a big risk here, letting them all battle for it. Moriko had no desire to rule the Makai. But she did have an obligation to eliminate some of the competition, try and weed out of some of the more nastier demons. She knew Youko would be fighting for the same reasons. What was weird though, was that she did not have a vision for a long time. It seemed that there was nothing in the near future or far future that needed her immediate attention. She found that kind of strange.
"Something is bothering you, beloved," he spoke softly into her ear.
"I am not sure that 'bother' is the right word, Youko," she said shortly after.
"Nonetheless, there is still something on your mind. There is no need to burden yourself, koi."
She smiled, "It is of no moment. I believe I need more time to think about it before I address my concerns."
"As you wish," he hugged her tighter, "I'm happy that you're back with me, Moriko. It was hard to see you contained in that cell."
"I'm happy to be free. I'm sorry that I let that happen. I should have been paying more attention."
"Do you remember how it happened?"
"No. But I do remember something rather disturbing. Sometime between one of your visits, and when you brought the demons to Yomi, I awoke suddenly. I knew there was something different about me, something had happened. I noticed a lock of my hair was missing, and a blood sample had been taken from me. I asked him about it, but he said that it was simply to test my health. There was something else to it though, but he would not tell me. I don't even know what to expect, but I do know that I have not felt any different, just a strange feeling lately."
Youko's eyes narrowed, "That is strange. It was only that one time?"
"Yes."
"I wish I could say that I know what Yomi is planning, but he is still quite unpredictable. His power is great, and he'll most likely be one of the finalists in this tournament. We'll have to be careful if any of us are to face him."
"I know. I just feel so lost. I have not had a vision in over a year. It's starting to worry me."
"You've come to depend on your power. That's something you never wanted."
"It isn't. But I am starting to think that Itsuki was right. While I was trapped for that year, I knew that if I had the power to manipulate the minds of others, I would have been able to escape, and none of this would have happened."
"Perhaps. It is your choice, koishii."
"I'm just not sure what I should do."
He kissed her, "You love to hunt. Finding your way will not be difficult for you. I'll be here for you, Moriko. I'm not going anywhere."
She smiled, kissing him again, "I love you, Youko Kurama."
"I love you."
...
She walks along the familiar path towards her den. She is alone, as always since she has left the clan. The seal of the clan hides in her bodice. She knows the fox is about. She could never forget his smell, and those golden eyes. Four hundred years since he began visiting her, and she fears, but looks forward to his meetings. She is not sure, but knows that he is the key to her destiny. It is a long journey back, but she is not worried about the time. She has all the time in the world. She stops then, knowing that someone is about. It is not the kitsune, it is a very powerful demon.
"All hail Queen Moriko," a cold voice comes to her ears.
"Reveal yourself," she speaks.
"I am Mukuro. I have heard of your exploits, and know that you reside in my forest."
"Your forest?"
"Yes."
"That means you compete with Raizen."
"You know of him? I'm far from surprised."
"Why have you come here?"
"I've come to offer you a job. One that I'm sure you should consider. You once ruled a realm, the one I'm offering is much bigger. Help me defeat Raizen, and we will rule this world together."
"I have no desire for this stupid world, Mukuro."
"That is most unwise, your Majesty. You are in my realm, I could make your life a living hell."
"Do what you wish."
The one called Mukuro laughs then, "You dare defy me in my own realm."
"The one you seek will be about in the far future. I am not the one you wish to have, that is not my destiny."
"Interesting. Seer powers were just a myth. But wolves can't lie, so it must be true. Very well, Moriko. I will leave you alone, so long as you do nothing to inhibit my power."
"I care nothing for this world nor its inhabitants."
She walks away from her visitor then. The words run around in her mind, but she cares not. What does she care who comes to power in Makai? She is waiting for her destiny. She comes to the tree which has become her den for the past few centuries. She looks upon its vastness, and thinks back to the beginning of her days here. How far she has come begins to take its toll on her. She sighs, enters her den and begins depositing her things where they belong.
He watches, his golden eyes struck by her beauty. He smiles, loving how unaware of his presence she is. He looks on as she begins to hum softly to herself. The sound of her voice touches his heart in a way he cannot fathom. Who is this goddess before him? Why does she affect him so? He shakes his head no. He is not here to admire her, but to gather his treasure. She is gone from her post, and he goes to look for her. He smells her intoxicating scent, and is unable to stop himself. He follows it, and wonders where this demon is taking him. He comes to a river, a waterfall causing so much noise. His ears catch her voice, rhythmical as she begins to undress. His breath catches in his throat. Gorgeous. He spots it then, the seal now around her neck. He jumps down, not a sound to be heard. He walks slowly towards her. He is about to take the seal, when she turns to face him. Her tawny eyes are slightly amused, and he smirks.
"So, you have come again," she speaks.
"To claim what is rightfully mine," his voice is not as strong as he hopes.
"Foolish kitsune. You will never take this from me."
He feels her breath on his face, his eyes are half drooped, "I will take whatever I want," he tells her, his voice soft. He snakes an arm around her, closing the gap that lies between them. Her naked form makes him forget his sole purpose for being there. He brushes her tawny hair out of her face, and kisses the lips that beckon to him. She feels an overwhelming power coursing through her. Her knees feel like giving out, as she holds him for support. He is gentle, unlike the rumours she hears from others. They break apart, very slowly. He gazes into her tawny eyes. His senses come to him, and he leaves. What has come over him?
She stands, feeling him still around her. She feels cold when he leaves, but she watches him as he goes. She wonders what her fate is with this kitsune. She does not understand these feelings, or how she is to deal with them. She does not notice that she has been smiling this whole time.
...
The moon was shining brightly. Moriko was smiling, the memory always bringing a smile to her face. For some reason, she felt the need to think about the past. Perhaps it was her surroundings. She hadn't been in this world for a long time, and this was where most of it happened. She couldn't be sure as to why she felt like dwelling in the past. It was the first time they had shared a kiss, and she began to realize how she felt about her fox. Love had never found its way to her before, and this was the first, and only. She was still smiling, staring into the sky. She had to admit, she missed the clearer skies of the Ningenkai. There were many things she had come to accept over the past sixteen years.
Genkai was right, she really was a young demon. How long would she have to live before she would be considered grown up? Her mate, she wasn't even quite sure of his age, but he was considered old and wise. She was sure that he wasn't that much older than her. But it was hard to tell with demons. Nearly two weeks since her freedom, and the world was changing. Everyone was getting ready for Yusuke's tournament. She knew that she should as well, but Youko had not spoken to her about it. He was always so calm and patient, but she knew that he would mention something about it to her. He was eager to train as well, and there was no telling what would happen.
If fate was anything like she thought it might be, she would end up fighting him. She knew that he would stay a human for as long as he could. It was part of his strategy, to have people underestimate him. She had taught him well, and was proud that he was able to coordinate so well. Not that he was stupid about it before her. He was very good and agile with his mind. But she knew that her slight touches of improvement would make him a genius. Everyone needed help once in a while. She looked beside her, at his sleeping form. The moonlight brought out the silver features of his hair. He looked so peaceful, so serene. His arms were limply around her, even in a protective way. He seemed to be more alert since she was taken, and she knew that he blamed himself. Human or demon, it was hard for him to get over his few failings. She kissed his cheek, and he stirred slightly. He opened his eyes sleepily, before pulling her closer to him. She loved to be pressed against his body, that feeling of being secure. She sighed contently.
"Sleep, koi," he whispered to her.
She smiled, "But the moon is alive, Youko."
"The moon is always alive, beloved."
"Why, I do believe you're right."
He kissed her forehead, "Tomorrow you can be as wolfish as you want with me. Right now, I would like you to sleep."
"Yes, love," she obeyed her mate. At least, she tried. Her mind wasn't going to stop, but she would at least pretend, to make him happy.
...
thanks to all my readers and reviewers :)