Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Tear ❯ Noshiro, The Once Forgotten ( Chapter 12 )

Noshiro, the Once Forgotten

Hoku had no idea what was going on. First they stumble down in a trap, then get attacked by spiders, then finds out that the pit really lead to the home of some person who happened to know Sukura. Something was fishy about the whole thing. This boy, Yuu Harumaka, seemed to be oddly cunning for his lazy countenance, and not only that, he made a complete fool out of her. Hoku didn't trust that at all.

"I don't understand…" Sukura finally said after a moment of silence. "The master told me that there was a student before me named Yuu, but that was so long ago. Surely, the person fitting the description has to be a lot older."

"I'm older than I look." Yuu said. "I was trained in the art of Kendo. I know every move that you know. I can read your thoughts before you strike. That is the true meaning of Master Than's teaching."

"Those are words." Sukura said. "Not proof."

"Do you wish to test these words?" Yuu said as he held out his long sword.

"This could get ugly." Kitasato said to Hoku quietly. "We should leave before a fight breaks out. These two don't seem to be getting along to well."

"Can I kill him first?" Hoku hissed. She was still angry.

"That might not be wise." Kit said. "We don't need any more enemies."

"But he is an enemy." Hoku said. "He said it himself that he came here to hunt us."

"That was before…" Kit replied. "With Sukura, our odds of confrontation are slim… That is if she believes him."

Sukura still looked uneasy. She held out her sword in front of her, just in case Yuu tried to make a move.

"Enough of this!" Hoku stepped forward. "Figure it out now. Are you going to take us as your enemies, or are you going to fight. Figure it out now so we can get the hell out of here."

Yuu and Sukura both stared at her for a moment. Then just as Yuu was going to say something, he let out a yelp and collapsed.

Everyone gasped.

"Whoops…" the rabbit said as she lowered the plank of wood. "Did we know him?"

"That's great…" Hoku said as she turned and raised her arms. "Just when he was about to say something…"

"Well… I guess we have no choice now." Kit said. "We can take our leave and go under the assumption that he's an ally for now."

"You mean we're just going to leave him here?" Sukura asked in shock.

"I'll tend to the wound in his head." Kit said. "It's against my nature to leave the wounded lying, but then we leave."

Hoku looked at him again. It was the same way she always looked at him when she sensed a change in him. It made her respect him in a way that it almost frightened her.

"Something wrong?" Kit asked.

Hoku looked away from him.

"No…"

It didn't take Kit too long to do his magic. Once he was done, he and Sukura laid Yuu down on his sleeping mat.

"That should do for now." Kit said as he stood up and faced Hoku.

"Now then… shall we be going?"

Hoku nodded. With a last glance at Yuu, she turned and headed out. The others followed.

"Ahh…" Sukura murmured as they stepped out into the light of the outside. "Sunlight… It feels so good."

"It does." Kit said. "So… what shall we do now?"

"Lets keep heading east." Hoku said as she started to walk.

"Don't we ever get a break…" Sukura huffed.

"I wanna skip the whole way!" the rabbit smiled as she started skipping after Hoku.

"Further east?" Kit asked as he strode up beside Hoku.

"Yes Kit." Hoku said. "You know why."

"I do."

Kit hadn't forgotten about Hoku's revenge on Marrowind, the dog demon of the east lands. It was the reason why he chose to accompany her.

"I hope Yuu is okay…" Hoku heard Sukura murmur from behind her. It reminded her of something.

"Kit?" Hoku asked. "Do you think it would have been wise to ask that Yuu person if he also heard of Marrowind?"

"It depends." Kit replied. "The worst that could happen was that he could say he hadn't. I wonder…"

"Bout what?"

"If he ever heard of the demon called Silver Tear."

"Pft!" Hoku snorted with a wave of her hand. "Kit, you know as well as I do that was just a spasm of a bunch of villagers. They weren't for certain that it was him at all."

"Maybe."

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, think about it." Kit said. "If the emperor sent people to hunt us because he thought we were powerful, then wouldn't other strong demons such as Marrowind and Silver Tear be wanted too?"

"I never thought about it that way." Hoku said thoughtfully. She then grinned. "Well… I suppose the next bastards who confronts us, we'll get some information out of them."

"What if they won't talk?" the rabbit asked.

"Sweet torture my friend." Hoku smiled.

Not too long after, they started to hear the deep growling of their stomachs as they walked. They had all forgotten that they hadn't eaten anything all day.

"You should have asked that kid if he had anything to eat before you knocked him out." Hoku groaned as she held her hand up to her stomach.

"Let's have some rabbit stew!" the rabbit cheered.

Everyone stared at her for a moment.

"I count the days…" Hoku sighed.

They walked a little further until Hoku heard running water. She grabbed Sukura and threw her on her back. She then ran to the source of the sound. There was a river there. It had to be the one they kept running into.

"You know what?" Kit asked. "I think we should follow this. It seems to be heading in the direction we want to go."

"Good thinking." Hoku said as she threw Sukura off her back.

Sukura was a little puzzled.

"What was that about?"

"Go little diving cricket." Hoku grinned. "Catch some fish!"

"You could at least say `please." Sukura said.

"Look down there." Hoku exclaimed as she pointed at Sukura's feet.

Sukura looked down.

Hoku kicked her right in the rear and Sukura fell face first into the water and landed with a big splash. Hoku doubled over laughing.

"That wasn't nice Hoku." Kit said as he cleared an area for a fire.

"That was funny." the rabbit giggled.

A moment past, and Sukura didn't surface.

"You don't suppose chirpy hit a rock do you?" Hoku wondered as she looked into the water. The current wasn't very swift, but the depth appeared to be pretty deep, so Hoku couldn't see the bottom.

Just then, a hand reached out of the water and grabbed Hoku by the ankle. Surprised, Hoku tripped and let out a cat-like screech as she fell in face first.

Sukura popped her head out of the water and began to laugh even harder than Hoku did the first time.

Hoku came up out of the water very quickly. She cussed as she climbed up onto the bank.

"That was a rotten trick." she hissed. Her ears were pressed back so flat that she looked as if she didn't have any ears at all.

"What's wrong Hoku?" Sukura asked as she took her Kimono off. She didn't care about the exposure. She already had a wrap around her breasts and she was around Kit long enough not to even bother with it. "Afraid to get wet?"

"No…" Hoku said as she started wringing out her hair. She then turned to Kit with a snarl. "Shut up!"

Kit was laughing very hard. He had his face covered in his sleeve in attempt to stifle it, but it grew so loud, Hoku could hear it loud and clear.

"I wanna play too!"

At that moment, the rabbit dove into the water, causing a huge wave to come up and splash Hoku, soaking her all over.

Hoku was really angry now. Her claws were smoking. She then jumped into the water and started chasing both of them around, shouting insults and cussing up a storm.

"Haha!" Sukura laughed as she dodged Hoku's hell fire attack, which didn't work. It only caused Hoku's claws to emit a lot of steam. "Fire doesn't work in here!"

Kit sat next to the fire and laughed as he watched the girls chase each other around.

"Ohh…" Sukura paused as she stared down at Hoku's feet. "Hoku, don't move."

"Why?" Hoku asked as she stopped.

The rabbit halted too.

"By your feet…" Sukura said quietly as she walked slowly toward her though the water. "Just don't move…"

Hoku did what she was told. Since she was hungry, and Sukura no doubly could see a fish, she wasn't going to let her miss the opportunity.

Sukura walked very slowly. She was bent low and her arms were spread out, her hands ready to grab. When she was standing right in front of Hoku, she waited a moment, then thrust her hands and head into the water. With a splash, she came back up and held her catch up to Hoku's face.

Instead of seeing fins and gills, Hoku saw six long, skinny legs, two large pinchers and a long, hard shelled body that ended in a fin. She stared at it for a moment. Then screamed and turned her heel and bolted from the water with clumsy splashing stepps screaming; "mygobug, mygobug, mygobug!!!"

She was in such hysterics, nobody had an idea what she was saying when she dove behind Kit and latched onto his back.

"It's a crab…" Sukura said blankly as she held it up. "We can eat this you know…"

Hoku didn't care. She didn't even look up when she heard the word eat. She just crouched there and continued to mumble.

All Kit could make out was; "bbigbug…bigbug…reallybigbug…"

Hoku wouldn't have even a taste of it once they finished cooking it. She decided to go hunt for herself.

"You people are sick!" she exclaimed before transforming into the gigantic white cat. "I'm not eating a giant bug!!"

She then took off.

"She's in a funny mood today." Sukura said. "She even got wet."

"I'm not complaining." Kit smiled.

Hoku did what she normally did. She found the highest place in the area, and climbed to the top. She loved being high in the air. This time it was a large dead tree that stood all alone on a rocky ridge. From up there, Hoku could see the river and the little stream of smoke amongst the trees from the fire Kit had made. The smell of the roasted bug came to her nose. It made the hair tingle up her spine. She also kept an eye out for any sign of a village. Once more there was nothing but trees and no sign of human life. She wondered if anyone lived in the east. Maybe someone did live there. She found that out when she turned and found herself face to face with a large, white tiger. The Zodiac symbol shone on his forehead. Hoku recognized the scent.

She backed up as the tiger stepped forward. He was much larger than she was and even more massive. His powerful paws could wipe out an entire man-made home with just one swipe. She wondered how the branch that he stood on could hold his weight.

She did the only thing she could, and that was to jump. She landed on her feet way at the bottom and took off across the ridge as fast as she could. She had almost completely forgotten about him. He must have been following her, just waiting to catch her alone. She continued to run until he appeared in front of her. Trying to show that she wasn't intimidated, she let out an angry hiss.

The tiger only roared back to show that he didn't care. He would have his way.

Hoku's claws started to smoke. She knew this was going to turn into a battle. It was the only way.

She lashed her paw out to strike him with her claws, but he dodged out of the way and tried to leap on her back to pin her down. Hoku dashed to the side and attempted to escape by running down the slope into the thick forest, but the tiger cut in front of her again. He grinned.

Hoku roared this time. She puffed up with anger. She was getting tired of this dirty male's tricks. He of course wasn't as crafty as Kit, but even he was more annoying.

"Leave Hoku alone!"

Hoku gasped when the rabbit appeared in front of her.

The tiger didn't move. He just stared down at the girl in front of him in confusion. She had appeared so sudden that neither one of them were expecting it, but he was far from being scared. He just let out a growl of amusement.

The rabbit held her arms out.

"You're sick!" the rabbit yelled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a lowlife that can't even get a mate that's your own species."

The tiger roared. He had enough of this. He leapt forward, but the rabbit was too quick.

She jumped as he landed and came down right in front of his face. She lashed her hands so swiftly, they left behind red flashes as she struck the tiger in the face with her sharp nails. She landed at a crouch in front of Hoku.

Hoku had transformed into her spirit form. She stood there in amazement as the tiger let out a yelp and nearly fell off the ridge. Once he regained his balance, he took into his spirit form too. His young face looked angry.

"You have a new friend I see." he said. "Or should I say a body guard?"

"Shut up!" Hoku yelled. "Leave her out of this!"

"It's too late for that." the tiger said. "She chose to interfere. Now she must die."

He leapt forward with the huge tiger paw raised above him.

Hoku and the rabbit dodged separate ways as the rock that was once beneath them turned to dust as the tiger tore through it.

Hoku turned to see a whip lash out and snap right in front of her nose. Startled, she flipped backward and launched herself off a rock right at him.

"Hell fire!"

After using her ultimate attack, Hoku landed at a crouch on the other side of the ridge. She glanced over her shoulder to see the damage. All she could see was black smoke and dust from the rocks and dirt.

"Is that all?" the tiger stepped out from the smoke. He didn't have as much as a scratch on him.

Hoku gasped.

"Take this!!" the rabbit shouted as she sprang at him with her plank of wood. She swung it at his head.

He merely turned and grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up. He looked her over.

"Too bad…" he shook his head. "You're not as beautiful as Hoku, but if you were my species, I'd keep you alive and save you for later."

Hoku's ears pressed back. She felt more rage boil up inside of her.

The rabbit was speechless, but she appeared to be just as angry as Hoku.

She then gasped as the tiger threw her high into the air.

Hoku cried out as the tiger pulled out the whip and lashed at her in mid air.

It struck the rabbit right in the back, sending her straight down and slamming into the rocks.

Hoku let out an angry hiss. Her eyes flashed as she roared and leapt at him. Her glare went into effect as the tiger froze and Hoku kicked him right in the stomach.

He was pushed back, but didn't fall. He instead snapped the whip at her face again, causing her to blink.

Hoku had feared this would happen. She leapt back and attempted her glare again, but this time, the whip cracked her right in the throat, cutting off her air just long enough to make her collapse on her back. The smell of her own blood came to her nose. She was gasping for breath, and her vision was starting to get blurry. Panicking when she saw him stand over her, she closed her eyes.

"Kit…" she whispered.

"Back off!"

Hoku opened her eyes to see that the rabbit had sprang herself onto the tiger, and was furiously slashing at his face. She then kicked off his chest and flipped backward and landed in front of Hoku.

There were cuts all over the Tiger's face. All of them were streaming with red.

"You've interfered for the last time…" he growled as the whip flashed.

"No I haven't!" the rabbit yelled. "Hoku is my friend. I'd die before I give her to the likes of you. The same goes for Sukura and Kit!"

Hoku gasped. She remembered their names.

"Iron slash assault!" the tiger commanded as he lashed the glowing whip.

The rabbit gasped and crossed her arms in front of her, getting ready to block it. She closed her eyes. Expecting to feel pain, she opened her eyes after nothing happened.

Someone was standing in front of her.

It was a male with black hair and strange tan clothes on. He held a long staff out in front of him. The tiger's whip wrapped around it. He had stopped the attack.

"I'll take it from here." he said. His voice was calm. "Take Hoku and run."

"Kit…?" the rabbit gasped.

"Just go!"

"Right."

The rabbit turned and grabbed Hoku by the arm.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Hoku hissed. She jerked her arm away and stood up. The blood from her neck dripped onto her clothes. She stared angrily at the back of Kit's head. This was the second time he'd saved her from the tiger.

"Come on!" the rabbit repeated.

"No!" Hoku growled. "I won't stand for this!"

"Get out of my way fox…" the tiger said.

"Let me give you some advice…" Kit said as he jerked the staff forward, releasing the whip's grip on it. "The next time you want to score some alone time with my friend, I'll rip your soul from your very chest."

"What are you?" the tiger asked in shock as he stared Kit from head to toe. This wasn't the Kit he remembered.

"I'm an enemy of you." Kit said as he placed the staff at his side. "That's all you need to know."

"I'm not finished with you." the tiger said as he turned. He transformed and leapt off the ridge and disappeared into the forest below.

The rabbit started forward, but Kit reached his arm out and stopped her.

"Not today." he said as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

The rabbit obeyed. She stepped back and nodded.

Kit turned to Hoku.

"Are you okay?"

Hoku didn't answer. She just stared at him. This was the Kit she respected. He let off such an imperial aura that she felt afraid to speak to him. She still couldn't help but feel embittered.

"I- I didn't need your help." she said as she turned away.

"Maybe you didn't …" he said, "but it's my duty to help people."

Hoku didn't reply.

"Woa…" the rabbit murmured as she looked Kit from head to toe. "You look… um…"

"I'll explain later." Kit smiled. I see you have your memory back.

"I'm here!"

Sukura came running up the ridge. When she made it to the top, she placed her hands on her knees and huffed.

"Whew!" she gasped. "That's quite a run." she then stood up. "So… where's the bad guy?"

Everyone just stared at her.

"You mean…?"

Everyone nodded.

"Aw nuts!"

It was dark by the time they made it back to their camp sight. They sat around the fire as the rabbit laid out her identity that she finally remembered. It must have been the blow she took from the tiger's whip attack.

"My name is Noshiro." she said with a bow. "I come from the rabbit clan not too far from here."

"There's a whole clan of you?" Kit asked. He was back to his normal self again. He looked fearful.

"Yup!" the rabbit nodded. "Well, not me specifically, but there's a lot of us."

Hoku sat up in a tree in the shadows. Listening to every word.

"We've lived here for years. I know this forest like the back of my hand." Noshiro said.

"That could be helpful." Sukura said.

"I can't believe I forgot my own name!" the rabbit giggled. She looked embarrassed. "I bet I caused a lot of trouble for you all."

"It was nothing!" Kit chuckled, though he was thinking the same thing. "Besides, it was my fault in the first place. I deserved the beatings."

"I beat you?"

"Uhh… Don't worry about it."

"But… I BEAT you!"

"It's okay."

"Don't worry Noshiro." Sukura giggled. "I bet he enjoyed it!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" both exclaimed.

Hoku sighed and stared off into the sky through the leaves. The clouds covered the stars, making the sky a black obis that went on forever. She was deep in thought.

"Hey, Hoku!" Kit called up to her. "Come on down!"

Hoku didn't reply. She was hoping that Kit was just going to assume that she was asleep and so he'd leave her alone. Apparently it worked. He didn't call her again.

Kit only smiled. He knew that she wasn't asleep, but since she wanted to be alone, he wasn't going to bother her.

"Hoku told me that you saw spirits." he said to Noshiro. "Is that true?"

"You mean the bubbles?" Noshiro asked. She then laughed when Kit nodded. "No silly." she giggled. "I just saw those because I was loopy like that at the time."

"Oh, well if that's the case, I wonder if Hoku can see the bubbles too…" Kit laughed.

A melon struck him in the head from above.

Hoku wasn't fully satisfied, but it was good enough for now.