~~~(Katie's POV)~~~~
'Child,' I whine not wanting to be disturbed. 'Wake up child.'
I peek an eye open to see Akira standing there, her beautiful pearl white fur dancing in the wind. I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes.
"Akira?" Sleep still evident as I cover my mouth to hide the yawn.
'Yes child, I have urgent news.' I perk up at the slight worry laced in her voice.
"Is it about the demon blade?" She shakes her head and stares directly into my soul.
'No child. I'm here to warn you that danger is near. The darkness is growing closer as we speak, and is getting stronger. I fear the worst my dear.' Her voice full of despair.
"Akira I'm confused. The danger you're talking about, is it Jinoskue?" Akira goes to step forward but begins to fade away. "Akira!"
'Danger is near child. Please be carefu-' and just like that, she disappears before she could finish telling me. I sigh and look down at my necklace that seems to be giving off a dull glow. I close my hand around the pendant and squeeze my eyes tight.
"I will protect my people...even if it's the last thing I do."
*************
~~~~(Heisuke's POV)~~~~
"Heisuke, something doesn't seem right." I look up from my sitting position, my arms across my chest and legs crossed.
"You're referring to the undead aren't you." Judging by the distant look on his face, I knew I was right. "Look man, don't beat yourself up about it, none of us could sense them anywhere near the village."
"I know but...something doesn't seem right about it though." Sasuke turns his back to me as he gazes out at the surrounding trees in front of the cave.
"I know what you mean. I had the same feeling when we were in the village. I think we walked into a trap of some sort." I speak my thoughts aloud. I glance over to see Katie fast asleep. Entei is a pillow for her as Kuroro is curled up on her lap.
"I think someone was helping the undead." Sasuke's voice echoes off the hallow cave walls.
"What do you mean Sasuke?" I'm a little intrigued at this idea of his. Sasuke shakes his head, he went to answer but was cut off by an owl.
"Hoo.....hoo..." Sasuke and I look up to see an owl flying straight towards us. Sasuke walks out to investigate it, but after a couple of minutes he sticks his arm out. Shortly after, the owl lands on his left arm and grooms its left wing. When the owl did that, something caught my eye.
"What's that on it's leg?" Sasuke lifts the owl's wing to see a piece of paper attached to it's leg. Sasuke unrolls the paper and reads over it.
"It's a message from Kortaro. They should be here by mid day tomorrow." Sasuke reads the note aloud." I nod my head and my attention snaps to Katie, upon hearing soft whimpers from my right.
Sasuke turns to look at her as I kneel beside her. I push a loose strand of hair away from her angelic skin. A sigh escapes her slightly parted lips, and her eye lashes now lay still from their frantic movement.
I cup her cheek and gently stroke her smooth skin. I stare in awe as her beauty always amazes me. I actually forgot about everything, even the danger as I stare down at her.
"When are you going to tell her?" I stop stroking her cheek and look up to see Sasuke staring at me.
"I...I actually did." A smile made its presence known, my heart even jumped at the memory.
"Really! When?" His face looked surprised.
"Why do you sound so surprised?" I laughed, and he joined me.
"Just never thought our little Heisuke would have the guts, but I guess we were wrong." I shake my head.
"Hey! Quit making fun of my height. I'm not that little." I grumbled.
"So when did you tell her?"
"A few days ago. I took her to an amazing spot during the fall. After dinner I took her to that spot and I couldn't hold it in any longer. We even...kissed." I can feel my cheeks burn.
"Dude that's great!" I smile as he comes over and pats my back while I shake my head. "Well, we might as well get some sleep." Sasuke walks over to the opposite wall and slouches against it with his hands behind his head. He adjusts himself before he closes his eyes. "Night Heisuke."
"Night." I myself copied his movements and am just a few feet away from Katie in case anything happens. The night critters chirps and buzzing filled my senses, the cold cave floor cooling my back as the autumn breeze blows through. I was on the brink of sleep, but took one last glimpse at Katie before I am out cold.
*****************
~~~~(Katie's POV)~~~~
I nuzzle my face into the very soft blanket as the morning raise of a new dawn dance upon my eyes. I open my purple orbs to see that Heisuke and Sasuke were fast asleep. Movement from behind caught my attention. I turned around to see Entei sleeping as well.
I stand up, stretching my stiff muscles hearing pops here and there. I walk towards the entrance of the cave to see that it's barely dawn.
"Mew." I look down to see Kuroro by my feet, rubbing against my ankle. I lean down, petting her wonderfully soft head and smile. I need to freshen up and I remember passing a small pond a ways back flying to this cave last night.
I look back at Heisuke and Sasuke, taking a deep breathe and quietly sneaking out. Once I was a good few feet away, I began to walk normally with Kuroro by my side. As I walk down the dirt path, I can smell the fresh morning dew on the plants and grass. The birds singing their songs, and my body relaxes.
A few minutes later, I hear running water of to my right. I wander off the path just a few feet to stumble upon a small stream. I follow the stream until I come to the pond I saw last night.
"Finally," I walk over and slip my shoes off, dipping my toes into the luke warm water. The water was clear towards the edges, and grew darker towards the middle. I tip my head back and breathe in the fresh air. "peace and quiet."
"Mew." I look beside me to see Kuroro siting on a rock cleaning her paws. I dip my hands in the water, cup them together and bring water to my face. I splash water into my face a few times before taking a small drink. As I stare down in the water, I see my reflection which slowly changes from the ripples. The image weaves into focus, until I am able to comprehend.......mother!
(Start the video)
"Mou, modorenai
Ano hibi o koikogarate mo
Mou, hitosu dake
Nokosareta michi ga aru toshitara
Sou, koko ni aru
Omoi no hi o mune ni tomoseba ii
Asagi no yuuyami ni michiyuku hikari o" my voice starts off quiet, but gradually grew louder. The wind picks up as the leaves in the trees around me dance.
"Reimei no chi, mikazuki
Nureta akeboshi" Birds flew closer, joining in on the singing.
"Toki ga megutte mo
Kokoro no oku de, yondeiro"
"Haruka kanata de, narihibiku koe
Shinjita chigiri, tsuranuku
Nagai yume no matataki o
Kono mi ni kizande
Akeyuku sora ni, kokoro mukereba
Itami no imi ni kidzuku darou
Iroasenai kagayaki o
Daite, kuroki yami e
Arukidasu yo" I slowly descend from my sitting position to my full height. I take a deep breath before continuing.
"Sou, kanashimi wa
Doukoku no namida o fuitai
Sou, munashisa no
Saki ni aru shinjitsu o mitsumete
Tachikomu yamikumo ni, madowasarenu you ni" More animals grew closer, intrigued and hiding in the bushes. My feet having a mind of their own, dance on the rocks in the pond to the center boulder.
"Nigirishimeta tenohira
Yureru omokage
Mimi no oku, kodamashita
Kowanu wa, kawaranu mama" The wind blows my hair out of my face, flowers dancing in the wind like a small tornado. The flowers circling me as if I'm an idol. I close my eyes raising my hands to the sky singing,
"Kono mune tataki, kono se o oshite
Nandomo tachiageru kara
Fukinukeru hayate no you ni
Itsumo soba ni ite
Warai kaketeta, hitotsu ja nai to
Saigo made tatakau tsuyosa o
Wasurenai, kokoro ni chikatta
Kibou no hi o zutto
Tayasanai yo" My necklace began to shine brighter as I continued to sing. The purple glow almost memorizing.
"Sakura, maichiru
Setsuna, ai o motomete
Inochi no furuwase
Dareka o omoitai
Mamoritai, kareyuku hi made"
"Ima hajimaru, monogatari e
Nandomo sakihokoru tame
Nagai yume no matataki o
Oikake tsudzukeru"
"Haruka kanata de, narihibiku koe
Mayoi kudaki, ten o saku
Nagai yume no matataki o
Kono mi ni kizandeku
Akeyuku sora ni, kokoro mukereba
Subete no imi ni kidzuku darou
Iroasenai kagayaki o
Daite, tooki asu e
Arukidasou" I open my eyes to see the crowd I gathered, scattered around the pond in the trees, bushes, or out in the opening if they were brave. Animals ranging from deer, rabbits, foxes, raccoons, turtles, birds, squirrels, and butterflies.
Rustling from behind me made me twist so fast I nearly lost my balance. Heisuke, Saizo, Shinpachi, and Sasuke walk through the barrier of bushes, brushing leaves off of themselves.
"There you are princess, we've been looking for you." Shinpachi says with a smirk. I shake my head with a blush and respond,
"Sorry, I was thirsty and needed to freshen up. I kind of got carried away..." I noticed movement off to my right. I squint my eyes as Saizo spoke up,
"Where did you hear that song princess?" I blink my eyes in surprise not knowing how to answer. I open and close my mouth like a fish, until I finally say,
"I truly have no idea. I just somehow knew I guess." I shrug my shoulders when a figure jumps from the bushes and lands in the water. He had fur and body armor, brown dog like ears, and a tail. His piercing brown eyes bore into my purple ones. His face went from anger to surprise in an instant.
"Queen Cornilia? H-how can this be?" He sounds like he's looking at a ghost. Just then, more people come out of the tree line, a variety of body types, skins, height. I think they're all demons of some sort.
I blink to see that the pond is surrounded and I'm stuck in the middle. Looks of hope filled eyes staring at me. Heisuke and the others don't move as they watch the scene before them.
"I'm sorry to disappoint all of you, but I'm not Queen Cornilia. I'm her daughter Katie." Bubbling next to the rocks grows louder as a tall white serpent towers over me. Scales as white as the snow, eyes blue as ice staring directly into my soul.
"You carry the blood of the Queen, who has disappeared long ago." The serpent hisses. I stand my ground and said,
"No, she was murdered protecting me. I'm here looking for the demon blade before Jinoskue and Nobunaga get their grubby hands on it." The serpent looked at my neck eyeing the necklace.
"That was the queen's...I believe you are the princess, heir to Queen Cornilia's throne. You're singing brought us to you as it reminded us of her. Your voice brought us hope, you being here gives us hope." The serpent hisses, never taking his eyes off me.
"As the daughter of Queen Cornilia, I'm here to save both the demon and human world." The serpent leaned back and lowered his head. Then everyone followed suit and bowed as I was the last one standing.
"We wish to help aid in the battle that's soon to come." The serpent spoke for everyone. I look to Saizo as he gave me a nod to go on.
"I won't order you to fight if you don't want to. I am allowing you guys the choice, if you wish to fight or not. I'm forever grateful for your loyalty to my mother." I bowed to the serpent as everyone stood up facing us, my necklace glowing brightly.
~~~~(Unknown's POV)~~~~
"Tell lord Jinoskue that the intruders are closing in." The skinnier, charcoal Ayakashis nodded and was gone in a flash. I turned back facing the so called princess to see her and the band of demons leaving.
My grip on the tree tightened as her voice brought back memories, unwanted memories. The witch has no clue what's coming for her, that I'm coming for her.
"The truth will come out princess, and you will pay." I left before the man with indigo hair could sense me. I can't be found out yet, at least not until the final showdown.
_________________________
I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. College has been keeping me very busy and today was my birthday. I haven't had a lot of free time, so the next update might be a longer wait. I hope you guys enjoyed this update!
The video is the song Katie sings.
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