Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko's Healing ❯ Healing ( Chapter 21 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Ranma.

 

Whoa! Over 150 FF reviews! ::hearts forming in eyes:: Thank you to everybody who's been leaving reviews! ::eyeballs returning to normal, leaving a big smile:: It's so nice to know folks are enjoying what I'm writing! Sigh, “Revelations” only has 21 on FF...oh, well. <g!>

 

Enjoy!

Chapter 21- Healing

 

Shigure caught up with Yuki well before the main gate to the Honke. He took the lead and got them in without a fuss, almost brow-beating the panicking nezumi into following his lead. A few seconds of staring into the inu's unusually intense, almost angry dark eyes had effectively silenced Yuki. The usual scatter-brained hentai was nowhere to be found about his grim-faced cousin; things were much too serious for him to play that part any more.

 

There was no commotion about Akito's own house when they arrived, which caused Shigure to breathe slightly easier. The inu seriously doubted his fiery young cousin would have meekly gone to the Neko's House; not since his marriage! There would likely be a very great deal of property damage being fussed over, if Akito had dared try to enforce that edict.

 

Especially as Kyo hadn't come alone! Yuki had told him everything Haru said, on the way over. Shigure remembered that Challenge Fight very clearly--the impossible moves he'd seen would stick in his mind for a long time. As would the craters in the ground! All of the neat, large patches to the building and streets and walls of Nerima district had taken on a whole new light, when he realized all those repairs were for damage from high-powered martial arts fights!!

 

He didn't want to think about the kind of damage just Kyo and Shampoo could do by themselves, if they put their minds to it! That Challenge had been the first time he'd realized just exactly how “gentle” Kyo had really been, regarding his house. If the neko had wanted, it could easily have been reduced to nothing but a pile of kindling!

 

The deep, multi-voiced scream that rent the air just as Shigure's hand touched the door made both he and Yuki jump, as well as drawing concerned and downright frightened people out from neighboring houses. Shigure and Yuki shared a frightened look of their own, before the inu all but ripped the door from its track. They ran down the halls to Akito's audience room, fear nipping at their heels with overly sharp teeth.

 

The scream kept on, a sound of anger and pain equally mixed. It raised the hackles of all who heard it.

 

Yuki pushed by his older cousin as they got to the proper door. The nauseating stench seeping from the opened door brought tears to their eyes, at least partly from a sense that they were too late. Yuki could guess exactly what was happening in there, from witnessing it first-hand--Kyo had to be healing someone! The nezumi couldn't guess who, though. Had Akito dared to hurt Kyo's wife?! But he couldn't have; the nezumi couldn't see that Amazon standing still for it, even if Akito could possibly muster enough strength to make her even notice a blow!

 

Shigure had only actually seen Kyo's bakemono form for himself two times, both from afar. The--smell--was unmistakable, though...he briefly fought the urge to pinch his sensitive nose closed, before giving in to it. He was worried that Akito had taken Kyo's bracelet. The knowledge of Kyo's healing ability was too new to him for it to jump immediately to his mind.

 

Bursting in, the two staggered to a stop as they saw the tableau in the center of the room. Akito knelt, arms hanging limply, the bakemono's huge paws still delicately cradling the Clan Head's face. Sight of those wicked claws so close to his Clan Head's eyes sent a shiver through Shigure.

 

Eyes wide and curiously blank, mouth open in amazement, Akito looked ecstatic, tears dripping down pale cheeks.

 

The bakemono had not stopped screaming as he knelt, hunched in on himself, body straining with tension. The sound tore at their ears and hearts alike. They didn't even notice anything else in the room, eyes and minds captivated. The constant, deep thrumming of more than a hundred nekos was completely drowned out by that terrifying shriek.

 

“Son-In-Law is healing her.”

 

The words from their right startled Shigure and Yuki into tearing their eyes away, to see Cologne calmly watching them. The Elder was actually standing on the floor for a change, staff in hand, next to a kneeling Hatori. Yuki jerked his eyes back to the healing, in his concern for the neko not even registering the pronoun the Matriarch had used; or the rare tears dripping down the tatsu's cheeks.

 

Shigure stared at Cologne's wizened profile, confused. “Her? That's Akito with Kyo--he's a he!”

 

Cologne slanted her eyes at the inu, an amused smile stealing over her features. “Really...? How odd...that “he” has no Adam's apple, and has a decidedly feminine ki. What do you say, doctor?” She glanced at Hatori, drawing Shigure's eyes to the tatsu in the process.

 

Hatori twitched as his attention shifted from the healing, then reluctantly met his cousin's eyes. Shigure's eyes widened as the tatsu's one visible gray-green eye met his, noting the fresh tear tracks. Hatori never cried! “Ha'san...?”

 

Hatori sighed, face even more serious than usual. “She's right. Akito is a woman.”

 

Shigure joined the tatsu in kneeling; his legs just went on him, shock almost blocking the horrible, continuing sound of the bakemono's raging agony from his ears. His mind whirled at the unexpected revelation.

 

Akito? A woman??!

 

How could he have possibly not known?!!

 

Shigure's stunned mind couldn't take in what Hatori said next; something about Kyo, and healing Akito's curse. His eyes fastened on the twisted, mutated shape of Kyo's bakemono form as it knelt, Akito's face still delicately held in its paws.

 

Akito's very life held in those huge, clawed hands...

 

The fate of all of the Jyuunishi cursed--in those unexpectedly gentle...caring...terrifying hands...

 

-.-.-.-

 

Yuki hovered near as the bakemono's screams continued. The misshapen form was trembling, back arched and elongated head drawn down to the chest, thin lips stretched tight in a grimace about the wickedly sharp, pointed teeth. The oddly purple eyes were scrunched tightly shut; every muscle visible under that pebbly hide was taught, trembling with strain.

 

The urge to cover his ears, to block out that heart-wrenching sound, was strong. Yuki bit his lip and fisted his hands at his sides, forcing himself to keep back; he couldn't help Kyo yet, he had to wait at least until the healing was done.

 

The moment finally came, and the bakemono's hands shot away from Akito's face as the horrible shape threw itself awkwardly backwards to sprawl on its back on the floor, pushing itself away from the wavering Clan Head with its feet. Yuki barely registered Hatori and Cologne darting in to steady Akito; he threw himself to kneel at Kyo's shoulder as the bakemono slowly writhed on the floor, hands now clamped tightly to his own head. His expression hadn't eased; his eyes were still tightly shut.

 

An attempt to set his hand on Kyo's shoulder got him knocked ten feet away by a misshapen arm that moved faster than Yuki could see. The nezumi skidded to a stop on his stomach, raising his now-spinning head and staring in shock back at the transformed neko. He held one hand to his stinging jaw as he held himself up with his other arm. After a quick gathering of his scattered wits he scrambled to his feet, intent on returning to Kyo's side--only to be held back by the unshakeable grip of a grim-faced Saotome Ranma.

 

Yuki glared in anger at the pig-tailed martial artist, opening his mouth to protest, only to have Ranma firmly shake his head no. Amazingly blue eyes looked over to the slowly thrashing bakemono as Ranma said, softly, “Not yet. He can't even sense you, right now.” He looked back into Yuki's violet-gray eyes, worry and sorrow clear in his face. “How do you think he'd feel, if he hurt you while he's like this? It wouldn't matter that he's not in his right mind--he'd still blame himself.”

 

Looking to Kyo himself, Yuki swallowed. He slumped a bit, knowing Ranma's words were the truth. There was truly nothing he could do, just yet, much as he wished otherwise.

 

Ranma let go of Yuki, and they both stood shoulder-to-shoulder, watching as the thrashing slowly died away. Tendo Akane moved quietly to Ranma's other side, the two linking hands without thought. Akane was the only one to notice the tremors in Ranma's muscles as his conscious mind fought to not notice all the nekos lurking about in the shadows, their purring starting to register with everyone as Kyo's screaming no longer drowned it out.

 

Ryoga hovered anxiously behind the couple, deep brown eyes darting between Ranma, the nekos, and the hideous form on the floor. He was the only one present seeing it for the first time, and his neck hairs wanted to rise from the sight.

 

The bakemono was finally left breathing heavily, apparently exhausted, flat on his back on the floor. Ranma touched Yuki's shoulder and nodded over at Shampoo, who was watching her transformed husband with a face carved from stone. Her hands were spread flat, almost protectively over her abdomen in a gesture Yuki couldn't place, though he found it vaguely familiar. For all her control over her features, her too-bright red eyes showed her distress and intense desire to be at her husband's side quite clearly. She made no move, though her every muscle looked tense with readiness.

 

The martial artists in the room all tensed when the bakemono went completely still, remembering that Kyo had told Akito he might not be able to completely heal the curse, even if he could transfer it to himself. They were all ready to try and restrain him, if he needed their help...though they weren't entirely certain they'd be much good against a curse-crazed Neko-ken master, in such a monstrously strong body. Even Cologne wasn't confident they'd be able to restrain her Son-In-Law.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Akito knelt in a complete state of shock, eyes wide, unblinking, and unseeing; slender fingers slowly touching lightly all over her face, as if never having felt it before. Hatori was trying to give her at least a cursory exam, even as Cologne examined her ki. The Clan Head ignored the both of them, too enthralled by the sensation of being in sole control over her body to pay attention to anything else, yet.

 

The overpowering, dark emotions that had ruled her for so long--were gone. There were no more vile, echoing whispers in the back of her mind, forever twisting her thoughts to darkness. There was no one in the world she felt any urge to harm, just then--no one!

 

A soft bubble of a laugh popped up her throat and escaped her lips, before she even knew it was there. Hatori paused in checking her heartbeat, looking at her strangely. Her eyes focused on him, on the single eye visible through his concealing hair...one thin hand hesitantly, gently reached out to brush the hair away from his nearly sightless right eye.

 

Akito's face showed her remorse when Hatori flinched, conditioned to expect only pain from her touch. Her hand shook uncontrollably as she turned the palm towards her own face, staring at the offensive-seeming appendage that had nearly destroyed the doctor's eye, along with his potential happy life with Kana.

 

Tears rose and overflowed the formerly mad black eyes as Akito crumpled over, arms wrapping tightly about herself. Seconds later the first of many tearing sobs broke free, wracking her whole body with her grief over the things she had done while under the curse's control.

 

Gentle but firm hands gripped her shoulders and drew her up, into the embrace of her faithful inu. Shigure worked her about until she was curled in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly about her, his chin resting on her head as she sobbed out years of pent-up grief and remorse.

 

She didn't hear the commotion when Kyo's bakemono form suddenly lunged to its feet, purple eyes wide, and frightened. She didn't register the noise as he fled her audience hall as fast as he could run, bound for the forest about Shigure's house; the martial artists and Yuki all yelling and screaming for him to stop, though none were fast enough to block him. Xian Pu was after him like a shot, the precious beads flying in a graceful arc practically at Yuki's face, making him wince back as he scrambled to catch them.

 

Cologne pogoed on her staff right behind her great-granddaughter, wizened face grim. Ranma appeared torn between following, or staying--he might be the only one fast enough to get the re-energized beads to Kyo in time. Akane hovered at his side, looking from her fiancé to Ryoga, who was once more proving he'd finally gotten smart enough to not just rush off without someone leading him.

 

Then the pig-tailed martial artist saw some of the nekos gathered in the shadows about the room. He froze in place, eyes riveted to a particularly large, coal-black neko, that was staring straight at him from a mere twenty feet away. That deep, primordial fear ripped through his thoughts, closing on his mind like a vise; narrowing his senses to that one particular neko, until nothing else existed for him.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Akane grabbed her fiancé's arm and looked deep into his terrified eyes, then looked over at a tense Ryoga. She realized the Amazons might well need his strength, to help restrain Kyo--but they'd run off without him; and Ranma needed her, in case he went into the Neko-ken!

 

She stared into Ranma's fear-tightened face, then followed his line of sight to the black neko, who was intently returning his gaze. She bit her lip, uncertain of what to do.

 

She gave an experimental tug on Ranma's arm, and was delighted when he obediently took a step towards her, though his eyes never wavered from that neko. Maybe she could get him away before the Neko-ken took him! Excited, Akane started pulling Ranma from the room, calling for Ryoga to follow her. She kept an eye on the Lost Boy as she carefully lead Ranma through a path that opened for them thought the still-purring mass of newly-come nekos.

 

The hairs on the back of her neck rose as the creatures shifted, continuously staring at them. If she was frightened by them, she couldn't imagine the terror Ranma was going through!

 

When Ryoga started to wander off-course, that huge black neko with the single white spot between his shoulders leaped over and not-so-gently nudged him back on-course, all the while still holding Ranma's nearly petrified gaze. As she clung to her fiancé's arm as he jerked a step back from the creature, Akane wasn't certain whether to be more concerned by it's interest in Ranma, or the fact it was able to move Ryoga!

 

Once they were out of the room and the door slid firmly shut behind them, Ranma gave a convulsive, full-body shiver, shaking his head and coming somewhat out of his fear-induced daze. His eyes were still a little wild, though. Akane sighed in relief and grabbed his shoulders, waiting until his eyes focused properly on her before saying, “I'm leading Ryoga after them! I promise to stay back from Kyo; but Cologne and Shampoo might need Ryoga's strength. You have to get the beads to him!”

 

Ranma's reluctance was obvious. He made an effort and tore his worried and still somewhat fear-touched eyes from his fiancée, to glare at Ryoga. His thoughts were still a bit sluggish from exposure to all those nekos--he'd been about a half-second from going neko, himself. Blue eyes locked with deep brown, seeming to jab straight into the Lost Boy's soul, the internal battle clear. He'd trusted the Lost Boy once already that day, with Taro--Akane was insisting he do it again.

 

Ryoga, understanding Ranma's reluctance, nodded once and slowly. “I promise I won't let Akane fight Kyo. No matter what.” There was a brief flare of anger from Akane, quickly suppressed as she took hold of her wild temper and mentally beat it into submission, instead of the boys. She was slowly, with Nabiki's help, learning that boys made those sorts of statements out of concern for her getting hurt--not necessarily because they thought she couldn't take care of herself. It was just that they cared about her too much to want to see her hurt--just like she didn't want to see them hurt.

 

Not that she honestly thought she'd stand a second's chance against an enraged Neko-ken master. Ranma likely wouldn't stand a chance against Kyo, in that state!

 

Ranma nodded after another precious second, then crushed Akane to him in a hug. He whispered fiercely so only she could hear, “Don't you dare get hurt, Tomboy!” He then pushed her away before he could change his mind, turning to stare at the closed door. After an audible gulp and another full-body shiver, he carefully slid it open, watching as Yuki knelt in front of Akito, Kyo's beads in his outstretched hand.

 

The nekos had conveniently backed away from Ranma's line-of-sight. The pig-tailed martial artist took a shuddery breath of relief, though the mind-numbing fear was still clawing at the edges of his mind. He very carefully fastened his eyes only on Yuki and Akito, refusing to twitch his gaze at any of the faint hints of movement at the edges of his sight. Sweat beaded on his brow as he concentrated on keeping his mind anchored.

 

Akane had staggered a step when Ranma released her, a surprised smile lighting her face even as she cast a worried look into the room. Then she spun and grabbed Ryoga's hand, all but yanking his arm out of its socket as she raced after Kyo and the Amazons, praying she hadn't been too slow to follow them.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Shigure wasn't going to allow Akito to be disturbed until her emotions had run their course, except for Yuki's angry desperation as he held the beads up in front of the inu's face. Suddenly realizing just what those beads were, and what Akito needed to do, Shigure reluctantly loosened his hold on the sobbing Clan Head and coaxed her to uncurl from her tight little knot of limbs and robe in his lap. He didn't know just exactly what Kyo had done, what he had healed in Akito--but they couldn't lose the neko; not now! Akito had to help him!

 

It took precious minutes to calm Akito enough to even register what they so desperately needed her to do, that it was for Kyo's sake. Hatori and Shigure had been conditioned to dealing delicately with Akito's curse-induced temper for too long; they were trying to gently cajole her to come to her senses, and she wasn't registering things outside her own empty-seeming head very well yet.

 

Yuki lost patience with this after a minute, and fiercely grabbed Akito by the shoulders. He stared into surprised black eyes, barely restraining himself from screaming at her. “Akito!! You have to re-energize Kyo's beads! We'll lose him, if you don't!” Violet-gray eyes went shiny with unshed tears as he held the beads cupped in his palm, right in front of Akito.

 

“Akito--Please!!”

 

The Clan Head blinked for a second, her memory of what Kyo had said before the healing rather foggy. She looked down at the beads in bewilderment, one hand reaching tentatively to touch them with one slender finger. She looked back up at Yuki, desperately trying to organize thoughts that were far too used to being smothered under emotions too dark for sanity to contain.

 

“What--do I do...?”

 

-.-.-.-

 

Kyo ran.

 

Shadows surrounded him on all sides, both real and spirit, tendrils snaking out to grab at him. The houses had fast given way to the familiar trees of the forest about Shigure's house, whose branches reached to welcome his twisted form; welcoming, as the humans never were--

 

No...that's not true...not anymore!

 

It was hard, keeping his own thoughts separate from the insidious whisper tickling at the base of his mind. It was no wonder Akito hadn't stood a chance against this--if he hadn't lived his whole life with the mostly benign neko spirits, Kyo doubted he would have been able to tell those thoughts weren't his own! And that oh-so-subtle tinge of dark emotion, lacing through his thoughts--

 

Akito been born under--this?! How in hell had she managed to have any decency to her at all, growing up with this--thing--forever whispering evil in her mind?!! Kyo found himself almost in awe that she wasn't completely insane!

 

That was always how it was, though. Just like the neko was the outcast, the despised one--the embarrassment; the bakemono, to be locked up...kept away from the light; from life--

 

Damnit, no!! It's--it's not their fault! No more than it's been my fault! The k'so curse has twisted everyone--youhave twisted everyone--!

 

Kyo's breath caught in his throat and he stumbled, fighting to keep his balance both physically and mentally. It was hard, wrenching his thoughts back from the whispering evil's subtle redirection. Panic bit at him; the whispers were coming too close to thoughts he'd fought off for his whole life. If he mistook only one of those whispers, let it get one single tendril too deeply through his guard, into his thoughts--!

 

But it was the way of humans; to hate and fear what they didn't understand, what they thought was ugly. To lock it up--to torment it; to kill it. They'd always been that way; they would always be that way. Selfish creatures of the moment, unwilling to even consider the pain of others--

 

They're not--we'renot like that! Not really! Xian Pu accepted me, allthat I am--human, neko, and bakemono!! So did Kho Lon! Yuki, and Shigure--even Hatori, they've all done what they can...they just didn't know!You know that; you're the one making certain of it!!

 

The familiar anger he'd used life-long to block the neko spirits from overwhelming him rose up, tingeing his sight with red. Panic bit deeper when he felt that deep, foreign rage rise up with it, trying to consume his own anger, make it part of itself; then to merge with the persuasive, evil whispers.

 

The bakemono paused in its mad, somewhat circular flight to slam a fist into a trunk. The tree shivered, branches rattling and leaves fluttering down about the now motionless form, as the war raged on in Kyo's thoughts. If he'd been human, he'd have been sweating heavily. As it was, he was panting like a bellows, breath rasping in his throat, a thin line of spittle dribbling from one corner of his mouth.

 

The neko spirits joined with Kyo, one by one...determined to defeat this thing that had plagued their family for so long, causing so much pain to so many people. Cherished images of lost loved ones dead long before Kyo's birth mixed with regretful memories of long-dead enemies, that might well have been friends, if not for the curse's manipulations.

 

Kyo wasn't sure which was harder--fighting off the insidious voice in the back of his own mind, that was whispering echoes of thoughts he'd long tried to bury; or suddenly having the life-memories of so many long-dead nekos flooding his mind, as clearly as his own memories. He found himself fighting all of them, his old reflexive anger still trying to rise to shield him.

 

He didn't dare wall himself off in a corner of his mind, if that would even help him; he was terrified that Akito's portion of the Jyuunishi curse would take control of his body as it had hers, and wreak untold damage. He couldn't depend on the others being able to restrain him--they wouldn't want to hurt him, and would hold back when they couldn't afford to.

 

If this curse could access his Neko-ken skills--!

 

That was why he'd run. He had to get away from all of the vulnerable people at the Honke who didn't stand a chance against even the weakest of martial artists. He knew Kho Lon and Xian Pu would follow him, and Ranma; likely Ryoga as well. He hoped Akane wouldn't--she wasn't as good as the others. She wasn't good enough to be helpful when they faced an out-of-control Neko-ken master.

 

He was the strongest of them all...he could defeat any and all of them, if he put his mind to it. None would stand a chance, if he cut loose with his full abilities--especially in his bakemono form. Not even Ranma could defeat him. It would be so easy...and once they were gone, no one would ever be able to just lock him away--

 

Kyo shivered convulsively as the whispers wrenched his thoughts awry once more. Huge, clawed hands gripped tightly at his head. He was horrified at the way the curse was trying to twist his thoughts. He was a martial artist--it was his duty to protect those who couldn't protect themselves; not to beat other martial artists to pulp! The tinge of bloodlust creeping into his mind brought him shivering to his knees, eyes clenched tightly shut as he fought an internal battle with something that couldn't be seen, or touched, or sensed in any way as separate from his own mind...

 

At least Yuki wouldn't be able to keep up. He didn't want the nezumi anywhere near him, until this was settled. It was too dangerous! He could kill Yuki, before his cousin even realized he was in danger! He could destroy the kuso nezumi; the bastard who'd tricked him--

 

NonoNonoNOnonoNO!! Kyo surged back to his feet, once more slamming a fist into the innocent tree, raining yet more branches and leaves down as the trunk shivered.

 

A quiet, deliberate footstep from behind reached his sensitive ears. A low, multi-toned growl burst from his chest, and Kyo yelled out a half-strangled, “Stop!! No closer!” He didn't move from the tree, one fisted hand still pushing into the dent his punches had made in the trunk, the other digging into his pebbly-hided scalp. His breathing was ragged, a shiver once more settling into his misshapen limbs and refusing to go away.

 

Kyo was more terrified than he'd ever been in his entire life.

 

The thought of Xian Pu coming within reach of his hideously sharp claws sent him back to his knees, arms wrapping over his head as he curled his deformed body in on itself. He wouldn't--he couldn't allow her to be harmed!! NEVER!! He yelled that belief at the cursed presence trying to insinuate itself throughout his thoughts as ferociously as he could, setting his entire will against it--even as the whispering once more reached into his soul to bring up all the dark, nasty thoughts a lifetime of abuse and neglect had bred. It reached into the thoughts of the neko spirits, too; both those who had now joined with Kyo, and the few remaining separate.

 

It was thoughts of Shisho, and Xian Pu, and even Kho Lon that became his shield; with thoughts of Yuki lacing throughout his mind, and how their friendship had not been destroyed beyond redemption when Hatori took the nezumi's memories--not even with Kyo trying his hardest to convince everyone he hated Yuki. A month's worth of daily phone conversations had taught the both of them how to once more talk to each other, without fighting--real fighting, anyway. They'd both grown to enjoy a certain level of verbal sparring that could easily be confused by the uninformed with fighting.

 

The last week, especially, they'd started talking about things that mattered, to each of them--beginning to share confidences, as close friends normally did. As they did once before, until Yuki's memories were taken.

 

No... Despair washed through him. It wasn't true...the neko and the nezumi could never be friends! It was all a trick of the nezumi, who would betray the neko--just as the first nezumi did. Memories washed through Kyo's mind, details of past betrayals. They were all against him!

 

Damnit, again NO!!! Another fist to the trunk rattled the whole tree, bringing down larger branches along with a storm of leaves. The trunk took on a nearly imperceptible tilt. That wasn't me--wasn't anybody I knew!

 

The most recent spirit, Kenji, chose that moment to merge with his grandson's adopted child. Kenji had been one of the few nekos to marry, and have a child--and his cage had been of the gilded variety, with books and other quiet creature comforts allowed. He had been locked up before Hatori's father, the Clan Head before Akito, was born; and so his very existence had been pretty much ignored.

 

Kenji had memories of comfort and care; of three cousins who'd brought things to him, whenever possible, at risk to themselves. He remembered his own wife and the love they'd shared, even though she'd known he was to be taken away from her. She had even managed to visit him, in the dead of night, on occasion. He gave all of these good memories to Kyo; the bright star of his spirit shoving at the darkness, trying to bind it off in the farther recesses of Kyo's mind.

 

Kyo bent nearly double, claws digging in to grip the trunk, focusing all of his will on staying calm and focused on images of Xian Pu. He'd noticed that the curse seemed to...flinch, after a fashion, at Kenji's memories of his love for his wife. So Kyo concentrated on Xian Pu, and her gentle touch; their mutual enjoyment when sparring, morning and evening; the love shining in her eyes when she looked at him...

 

...love that would undoubtedly turn to disgust; then hate, when she realized her “Airen” would never get back his human body--that he'd be forever stuck in this hideous, mutated, deformed monstrosity of a body; with it's horrendous stench...

 

A muted, massive rumble of support sprang up from the surrounding shadows even as Kyo screamed out his frustration and fear. Thousands upon thousands of unblinking green-gold eyes winked open as one, to reflect light back towards the struggling bakemono. Their intent stares never wavered as a feeling of calmness laced through the air, working to blanket the bakemono's tornadic thoughts as Kyo desperately fought the curse's influence.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Almost there! Two more! Whee!! ::hastily ducking flying objects launched in response to the nasty-mean cliff-hanger::