Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ This Is Forever ❯ Destined To Save and Destined To Destroy ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: laichi16 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.01.2008 | Pages: 9 | Words: 9.2K | Visits: 396 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.01.2008 | Pages: 9 | Words: 9.2K | Visits: 396 | Status: Work In Progress
This Is Forever
Chapter 5: “Destined To Save
It was one of those days where the sun was hot, pouring heat down onto the already overheated world. The air was still, catching the heat within the moisture and making it hotter than it already was.
To Kaoru, it was the perfect day to go into the garden and water the plants that surrounded the property. Only, when she went outside, the goddess saw the fence, that was destroyed by Battousai, being repaired.
“Kaoru-sama,” Aoshi said when he saw her outside with a water bucket. “We’re repairing the fence right now.”
“I noticed, Aoshi.” Kaoru nodded with a smile. “I hope you won’t have to keep on doing this over and over again.”
“It’s no problem.” Aoshi reassured, picking up a hammer and a few nails. Okina shifted the wooden board so it was ready to be nailed.
Kaoru watered to roses and surrounding plants, but found the hammering to be too much noise. Deciding to go back inside, the goddess made her way towards the back when Aoshi stopped her for a moment.
“Kaoru-sama, there’s lunch in the kitchen if you want to help yourself.”
“Thank you, Aoshi; that’s very kind of you.” Kaoru replied and made her way towards the door that leads to the dinning room.
At that moment, Kaoru saw Misao; her eyes were fixed on the goddess, filled with jealousy, but the girl gave her a smile and delivered the tray of water she was carrying.
Kaoru closely watched Misao and Aoshi interact. Misao was practically pressing her body against the priest, but without it being too obvious. Aoshi hardly said anything to the girl;
just nodded when she talked rapidly.
Smiling slightly, Kaoru left the backyard and made her way to the dinning room where she saw Yahiko sitting at the table, writing.
“Yahiko,” Kaoru began, still feeling guilty about not helping the boy. “Would you like me to make you something to eat?”
“No thank you, Kaoru.” Yahiko answered, not looking up from his papers. “You cooked last night, and I don’t think anyone will let you cook again.”
“I know… my cooking sucks.” Kaoru sighed, shaking her head. “Well, I can at least make sandwiches. Will you like a sandwich?”
Yahiko thought for a moment, looking up at Kaoru for the first time since the conversation began. After his little fit, the boy had been living with the Oniwanbanshuu, along with Sano. It was, after all, Kaoru’s request.
“No, I don’t feel like a sandwich. May I have a snack… please?” Yahiko requested, trying to warm up to the goddess he thought betrayed him.
“Sure; no problem.”
At that moment, Okon came in from the customers’ quarters, breathing heavily. Shio and the other hulking guy were busy at the kitchen, trying to get the orders going.
“It’s a war out there!” Okon cried to the ninja cooks. “The crowd’s really coming in and only Omasu and I are taking orders. I swear we need to hire some people, lest we be worked to death.”
“I volunteer!” Kaoru cried after she got Yahiko his snack.
Okon hesitated for a moment, and then agreed. They did need help, after all. “Okay, get your apron on.”
Kaoru did that, and she got a note paper and a pen, and then waited for Okon’s instructions.
“Start at the far side of the wall, and work downward, please.” Okon instructed, fanning herself with a make-shift paper fan.
Kaoru obeyed, and went out into the customers’ quarters. It was loud and buzzing with multiple conversations that sounded like buzzing bees in ones’ ears. The clinking and clattering of forks against plates could be heard; glasses, filled with liquid, were heard with a clunk of being set back on the table.
Inhaling deeply, Kaoru went to the far side of the wall where a single man was sitting at a table, looking over a menu. He had narrow, golden eyes, dark, short hair, and four strains of hair were poking out from where the man’s bangs were supposed to be.
“Hello, I’m Kagome, and I’ll be your waitress for the evening.” Kaoru said, giving her alias and best smile.
The man gave her a casual glance, looking her up and down in curiosity and disappointment. He set the menu aside and replied, “I’ll have soba and a glass of water.”
“What would you like on your soba, sir?”
“Just plain soba, please.”
“Okay,” Kaoru said, writing down the customer’s request. “The cooks will be please with this order.”
“I never thought I’d see the day,” the man started, whispering it so low that only Kaoru could hear. “The great goddess, Kaoru-sama, Princess of the Heavens would be on earth, serving mortals; in my case, a half demon. I must admit, Kaoru-sama, you’re a disappointment to see.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Then, realizing she was just insulted, her crystal-blue eyes narrowed.
“A disappointment in what way?”
“Every way; the way you look, the way you carry yourself, and the way you serve.”
Still wounded from the incident with Yahiko, the wound in Kaoru felt like it was thrown in a sea of salt, and the wound stung, burned, and cried out in pain.
“I’ll get that order for you.” Kaoru said, not trusting herself to say anything in fear of breaking right in front of the rude man.
Kaoru turned and left, but when she was making her way to the kitchen, she accidentally bumped into someone. When she got a good look at him, the goddess realized whom it was.
“Sano! Please leave; we’re very busy here…” Kaoru trailed off when she saw the ex-gangster.
Sano was dressed in one of the frilly aprons made for females, and he carried trays with dirty dishes on them.
“Wha…?” Kaoru started to ask when Sano interrupted.
“I’m helping out since it’s a bit short staffed.” Sano answered, trying to get back his dignity without success.
“Oh, well thank you.” Kaoru said as she and Sano entered the kitchen.
As soon as they were in the kitchen, they ran into Yahiko, who was opening the refrigerator and rummaging around. The boy closed the door, and looked up to see both
Sano and Kaoru watching him.
Snorting and trying to hold back laughter, Yahiko slammed his hand over his mouth and snorted harder. This time, he busted out with laughter at the sight of the once feared gangster in a frilly apron.
“Sano the kitchen wench!” Yahiko laughed out loud.
A few moments after he made that statement, Yahiko found himself standing by the door to greet customers, and he was wearing the same frilly apron.
A man came through the door; he was wearing a traditional male kimono with a sword rested by his side. The gi was blue and the hakama was white, and he wore dark blue tabi with the traditional sandals. His flaming-red hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and his
amber eyes looked around the restaurant without emotion.
“Welcome.” Yahiko said grudgingly, holding an empty tray. “Is this a party of one or more?”
“Ichi.” The man answered, and the boy led him to a single person table, right in front of the strange man eating plan soba, and the swordsman’s back was to him. Yahiko handed the redheaded man a menu, and mumbled that the “busu” would be there to serve him soon.
“You stand out like a sore thumb, you know that?” the man eating plan soba whispered to the redheaded man’s back.
“This was all I could afford.” He said, looking over the menu.
“’All you could afford?’” Saitou snickered, taking a gulp of water. “You usually just kill any person your size and steal the clothes.”
“I can’t kill people without feeling guilty and I hate it, so don’t rub it in, .” Battousai snapped, holding the menu over his face.
Just then a sweet, innocent voice filled Battousai’s ears with sensuous music.
“Hello, my name is Kagome, and I’ll be your waitress for this evening.”
Battousai peered over the top of the menu so only his golden eyes were showing, and he looked the “waitress” over.
She was wearing a priestess uniform; white gi and blue hakama. The apron was a ridiculous contrast to the other clothes she was wearing; a white apron with pink frills.
Despite the laughable sight, Battousai grudgingly admitted the goddess was… cute.
Pink was defiantly her color because it brought out her crystal-blue eyes in a way that they looked like they sparkled and danced in the light.
Mentally slapping himself, Battousai slammed the menu down on the table revealing his face to the goddess. Kaoru’s eyes widened in shock and anger that the demon dared to come into the Aoiya.
The goddess opened her mouth to scream, but Battousai ‘tut’ed, shaking a finger back and forth, and then pointed to the crowd of people, indicating she could not make a scene in front of such a large crowd of mortals.
Biting her tongue, Kaoru choked down the scream that threatened to explode from her throat. She cleared her throat and asked grudgingly, “What would you like tonight?”
“Your head on a platter.” Battousai answered, giving the goddess a smirk.
Kaoru, not fazed by the , y smirk, calmly replied, “I’m sorry, we don’t serve heads on a platter here; but if you try hell, you might get a better selection.”
“No, the restaurants in hell don’t have much of a variety; and if you ask for ice water, they’ll just say ‘we’re fresh out.’”
“Would you like some ice water, then?” Kaoru asked, not really wanting to even look at the evil being.
“Yes, it would be nice to be able to taste ice water. I’ve never had water.”
“Spare me the sob story.” Kaoru mumbled, vigorously writing on her note pad. “Anything else?”
“Yes, I’ll have the lamb special, extra rare.”
“How rare?”
Giving Kaoru such an evil smirk that caused her to back away, Battousai replied, “As red as the blood you bleed during your month.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened impossibly at the request of the demon; she knew he was evil, but not that evil! With a shaking hand, the princess wrote down the lamb special, and then went into the kitchen.
“Oi, Jo-chan,” Sano said, looking Kaoru over with a worried look. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
“I’m fine, Sano; arigatou.” Kaoru replied with her best smile. She went to the freezer with a glass in her hand, she put a couple of ice cubes into the glass, and then she poured fresh water into the glass.
Kaoru walked back out to the customers’ quarters, all the way to the back, and placed the ice water in front of Battousai.
“Your lamb special is on the grill and will be served to you shortly.” Kaoru informed, looking more at the wall then at the demon she was serving.
Battousai took a sip from the glass and the cold water bathed over his tongue deliciously. It tasted almost sweet because it was so fresh, and his mouth cried out for more because it had never tasted such wonderful liquid.
The spoiled mortals always took for granted what they had, and water was an example.
They could get it from anywhere they can; yet they choose to drink other liquids just because they thought water has a “plain” taste to it.
Battousai closed his eyes in ecstasy as he took another gulp of water, lathing it gently in his mouth and then allowing it to pass smoothly down his throat.
Kaoru watched him in wonderment; she had never seen someone in such pleasure from only drinking water.
Battousai, coming out of his water trance, sensed that the goddess was still there and still watching him.
“Do you want something?” he asked, taking another gulp of water as he raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want some more water?” the princess asked, and her adversary smirked once again.
“Yes, I would.”
Kaoru took the now empty glass and headed towards the kitchen. It was then that she saw Misao in a waitress apron taking a customer’s order.
“Yes, we serve chicken.” Misao said, writing it on her note pad. “How would you like it cooked; fried or baked?”
Kaoru slid to the opposite side of the wall, trying to keep Misao’s dangerously active attention away from the redhead demon.
It was then that Kaoru wondered to herself why she was almost protecting her foe. She should warn the Oniwanbanshuu that the demon prince is eating in their restaurant! She should scream and make a scene in front of mortals that she has a stalker and he is following her everywhere!
Despite her inner voice telling her these things, Kaoru still kept Battousai’s presence a secret as she made her way to the kitchen. She filled the glass up with water again.
“Hey, Kaoru-sama,” Shiro said, placing a plate on the counter. “The lamb special is done.”
As soon as he had it in his hand, Battousai was chugging the glass of water down as fast as possible.
“You’re lamb special is ready.” Kaoru said, placing the plate in front of the prince. The lamb was juicy, tender, but not red like Battousai wanted it.
“What’s this?” he inquired with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
“For your information, Battousai,” Kaoru began with her hands on her hips. “You don’t know if I have monthly cycles, you will never find out, and you will never know how red the blood is, either. Enjoy your meal, and I’ll bring you the bill.”
“Bill?”
“You don’t think that food’s for free, do you?”
Battousai simply smirked and said, “Of course not.”
“Good; and you should know that lamb is very expensive.”
As an answer, the prince, in mocking elegance, picked up his fork and knife and started to cut the meat slowly. He took the piece that was embedded on his fork and calmly placed it in his mouth. Battousai looked at Kaoru with the most annoying smirk the goddess had ever seen, and the demon winked at her.
Huffing indignantly, Kaoru made her hands into fists, and she stomped away in her own manner.
The lamb was juicy to perfection; it was so warm, and the meat tasted so good it was almost sweet. It tasted young, tender, and spiced just right.
“You don’t have money to pay the bill, do you?” Saitou’s annoying voice broke out, and forcefully brought Battousai out of another heavenly experience.
“Actually, I do.” Battousai replied, setting down his fork and knife as he reached into his gi, and pulled out a brown leather wallet that was not his. “I may not be able to kill mortals, but I can still steal from them.”
“Hm,” Saitou said, pulling out a cigarette, placing it in his mouth, and he lit it. “I think you’re getting lower by the minute.”
Battousai would have flashed the annoying half-breed a rude sign had another annoyance in life not come stomping over to Saitou. The priestess, wearing a different and just as ridiculous outfit as the goddess (a ninja outfit with the same pink frilled apron), took the cigarette out of Saitou’s mouth, and dunked it in his water glass.
“This is a no smoking restaurant!” Misao scolded, and she turned around with a huff.
“Hm, it seems nothing gets by a weasel.” Saitou muttered to himself. “I’ll be seeing you later.”
He got up, pushed back his chair, and walked to the front desk. After talking to Omasu for a few moments, he walked out the door.
A moment later, Kaoru came back with Battousai’s food bill, and almost slammed it on his table. Battousai picked it up and when he read it, he almost went berserk. That was so dead!
“Hey, princess!” he said in a high whisper, almost making Kaoru slap him. “What the hell is this!”
“Apparently, you had a friend that said you would pay for his meal, so there you go; the lamb special and plain soba. You may pay at the front desk.”
Battousai growled in his throat as the goddess he loathed so much left him with a bill that he only agreed to pay half for. He took out the stolen wallet, and counted the yen. While spending time up on the mortal’s realm, the prince learned how to count yen, dollars, and other foreign money exchange, thanks to the mortal he possessed that were in the black market.
One of his eyebrows twitched when the prince realized he barely had enough to pay for the lamb special, much less a couple of yen extra for plain soba. Growling in his throat once again, Battousai took all the yen out of the wallet, plus a piece of paper and a pen.
Battousai wrote something on the paper, and wrapped it around a very cheap tip and he left it on the table. He went to the table next to him where the couple was so deep into a conversation that the prince decided to leave the bill with them.
He placed it on the table, blended in with the crowd leaving, and Battousai once again disappeared without a trace.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Picking up the tip left by Battousai, Kaoru walked up to the counter where the jar of “help the orphans” was, and she put the pathetic amount into the jar. The princess opened the piece of paper and read the simple note on it:
Meet me at the school park at 11:00 pm. Bring that pig sticker of yours.
Kaoru knew it was a note of challenge; Battousai was once again challenging her. Should she go? Would it do any good to go?
Thinking over the last few days with Yahiko, Kaoru decided that it was a good thing to take the challenge. She was not worthy to have her father’s place on his throne; retirement or no retirement.
Sighing in retribution, Kaoru tore the note up and threw it in the trash bin next to the desk. She will answer the challenge at 11:00 pm, just as the demon wanted.
OOOOOOOOO
“Oh, what a day!” Misao cried, flopping down on the couch next to Kaoru.
“Mhmm.” Kaoru simply said, staring off in the distance in a trance.
Misao looked at the goddess in a funny way, and then said, “I’m in love with Aoshi-sama.”
“Mhmm.”
“I want to marry him.”
“Mhmm.”
Now more desperate, Misao exclaimed while blush fiercely, “I want to fornicate with him in you temple.”
“Mhmm.”
“Kaoru-sama!” Misao yelled, snapping her fingers in Kaoru’s face.
Kaoru seemed to snap out of her trance, and she looked at Misao. “Oh, I’m sorry, Misao, what did you say?”
“Nothing much; just stuff about Aoshi-sama.”
“Oh, well like what?” Kaoru asked, trying to get her attention away from Battousai.
“What do you think of him?”
“I… love him.” Misao said with a cute blush on her cheeks. “I love him and admire him.
He saved my life once. It was the dead of winter, snowing fiercely, and I wanted to play outside. Aoshi-sama told me not to go near the river, but I did. The ice was thin despite the freezing temperatures.
“I fell in; Aoshi-sama was not too far behind. He’s never too far behind me. He saw me fall in, and he jumped right into the icy river with me, to save me. I was at the hospital because of the hypothermia and my heart condition. I have a bad heart, and the below freezing temperatures made my heart collapse. Aoshi-sama was by my side the whole time.”
“Misao…”
“I love him, Kaoru-sama, but he’s in love with you.” Misao continued, her eyes starting to fill with tears. “He’s in love with you, not me. I don’t blame him, either; how can I ever live up to you when you saved his life? I’m honored that you’re here, to meet the goddess that Aoshi-sama talked non-stop about, the one he taught me about, and yet I’m jealous of you.”
“Misao-chan… Aoshi does love you. He loves me, yes, but it’s more of a respectful and admiring love because I saved him. Do you understand? He loves me, but he’s in love with you.”
“I can’t see it.” Misao exclaimed, the tears in her eyes gathered at the end, and fell off her face.
“When he looks at you, look into his eyes, and you will see it.”
“Kaoru-sama… arigatou.” Misao replied, giving the princess a genuine smile.
OOOOOOOOO
It was already 10:47 pm before Kaoru knew it. She quietly snuck down the stairs with her sword fixed at her side. Her clothes, instead of the kimono she was wearing last time, was the priestess’ outfit she now wore on a daily basis.
The night was cool with a light breeze that passed over the still, quiet part of the city. Mist clung to the air and it tingled Kaoru’s skin like little drops of water. She would own up to what she had done to the little boy.
The goddess already decided this was going to be her punishment. She made her way to the school park, which was only a few blocks away, and Kaoru could see it every time she looked over the fence in the backyard.
Kaoru got to the park and looked around. Usually, it would be filled with little children laughing and playing, running around in the sunlight. The seesaws would be creaking as one child would go up and the other would go down.
The swings would also be creaking as a child swung back and forth, climbing higher and higher towards the sky by their selves, or aided by a parent. Another group of children would be playing catch or playing some sort of made up game that would never be manufactured. Most of them would be involved in a sport, and they would play the part of their hero player.
Tonight, however, tonight it was very different. The seesaws were quiet, and so were the swings. There was no sunlight to light up the park; only darkness and mist that clung to the cool air.
There were no children playing on some form of sport on the green grass, with their big dreams and high hopes. There was only eerie silence, save for Kaoru’s soft footsteps moving over the grass blades.
Then there was another sound; another sound of footsteps on the grass that sounded much heavier than Kaoru’s footsteps. They sounded heavy, full of burden and pain, guilt and sorrow, and yet they walked much like royalty does; carefully, cautiously, as if afraid of making one mistake because the eyes of the world were on them.
In the darkness, Kaoru could see the mist take the form of a demon she knew so well, yet at the same time, did not. He came into view, and she stopped her walking, allowing him to make the effort to come near her.
He was still wearing the same clothing he was in the restaurant; blue gi and white hakama. His flaming-red hair was still up in a high ponytail, and his eyes were still amber that stood out in the darkness so well.
The demon stopped short of the goddess he loathed, yet thought to be beautiful. She stared at him, but not in the usual definite way he found so interesting. Kaoru looked saddened, defeated, and Battousai sensed she was not going to give him a good fight.
She would just stand there and allow him to kill her, if an immortal could be killed. Kaoru would not put it past Battousai that he knew a way to defeat her, and he would use it.
“How’s your wound?” Kaoru asked, as if it was the most logical thing to ask.
“It will heal.” The demon prince simply answered.
“Battousai,” Kaoru began, her voice soft, yet loud enough for him to hear in the intense silence. “I’ve decided I do not want my father’s throne. You win; I will not ascend it.”
Battousai remained silent, and just looked at Kaoru blankly with his fearsome golden eyes.
“You…” Battousai replied, trying to understand what the goddess he hated for so long, and hunted for a shorter time, just said. “You will not become the Queen of Heaven?”
“No; I don’t want it.”
“No, you don’t want it; or no, you can’t have it?”
“No, I’m not worthy of it.” Kaoru said, her eyes downcast. “I couldn’t even stop a little boy’s parents from getting killed by a possessed human.”
Suddenly, flashes of that bloody scene with a little boy praying to Kaoru flashed through
Battousai’s mind. He almost heaved again, but stayed strong willed, for he did not want to break in front of his adversary.
“You try too hard, Princess.” Battousai exclaimed. “You try to save mortals who aren’t worthy of saving, or don’t want to be saved. You can’t save everyone, Princess.”
Kaoru thought about what her rival just said; her father said the same thing. Is it true that she tries too hard to save every mortal she could? Does she focus too much on mortals that she often forgets herself, and others?
Staring at Battousai, Kaoru could only think of what it must be like to be a demon; to sin whenever they pleased without everyone constantly watching, and casting judgment. Then she began to think what it must be like to live in hell every day just because of who one’s father is, and what he had done.
The innocent always suffer from the sins of their fathers.
Battousai was born a demon and he will live eternally as a demon, living in hell because of his uncontrollable demonic urges. It was not his fault he was a demon, just like it was not her fault she was a goddess.
Through all of her thoughts that passed rapidly through her head, Kaoru came to one grand conclusion:
“I want to try to save as much as I can.” The goddess began, wondering why she was telling the demon prince her innermost thoughts. “I want to save them, every mortal I can, and I will not back down from it. Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
For the first time, Battousai was stumped at a statement the goddess just said. She wants to save him!
Suddenly, the demon snorted, and then he began to laugh. His laugh echoed on the treetops and through the park; a booming, maniacal laugh.
“You, Princess, want to save me!” Battousai laughed, attempting with all his will to hurt her as much as he could. “You’re so naïve it’s laughable!”
The way Battousai said it stung Kaoru again, and she shook her head, wondering why her honest question was so humorous.
“Battousai, let’s just get this over with.” Kaoru said in a hurt voice as she unsheathed her sword.
“I’m eager as well, Princess, and this time, nothing will save you.”
To Be Continued…
This Is Forever
Chapter 6: “Destined To Destroy”
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
The question echoed in Battousai’s mind like a broken record. It had been filled with such honesty and beauty. It was like a baby bird that had just taken flight, yet the wolf came and tore its wings off.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
She had asked him that; asked him like he was actually worth saving. She was willing to save him, though how, he did not know. He tore the offer down because, in truth, he was not worthy of saving, nor was there any way for him to be saved.
Battousai was a demon among demons; he was their cruel, unkind prince, and would be so unto eternity. For some goddess to come in his life and ask him to leave the life he had always known was unheard of.
She was the princess of the gods, and would be so unto eternity. She was soft, kind, and beautiful; she deserved everything she ever asked for, and yet she wanted to save him.
He tore at her like she was nothing; cutting up her idealistic dreams. He hated her, but he hated himself even more. Through all the hate and cruelty, he could not admit, even to himself, what he wanted from her.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
He wanted her; but there was no place for him and her in any world. The demon and the goddess, as lovers, should never exist.
OOOOOOOOOOO
Both their swords were unsheathed; the Shinjitsu sword verses the Blade of Hell. The night was quiet and calm, unbeknownst to the battle about to begin. One wanted nothing more to destroy, and the other wanted nothing more than to save.
Battousai held out his blade and slowly, slowly began to charge. Suddenly, with his immortal speed, the demon charged faster than any mortal could see.
Kaoru was on the defense when their blades struck together, causing sparks to fly; more prudent than their last battle.
When Battousai and Kaoru’s blades struck, the Shinjitsu blade began to make a sound of some sort. It sounded like vibrations at first, but then it started to turn into a cry of pain. It was like a child would cry when they get hurt; high pitched and long, practically shredding their vocal cords.
Kaoru gripped her sword tighter as the vibrations from the sword flowed down to the handle, and onto the goddess’ hands.
As soon as the vibrations flowed onto the young goddess’ hands, she dropped it with a cry of surprise and pain. Battousai saw the opportunity, and he charged, swinging at
Kaoru, causing her to jump backwards to dodge the deadly blade.
The more she jumped back to dodge the demon’s sword, the further she was from her Shinjitsu sword.
Battousai was without mercy; swinging at Kaoru in every way possible, trying so hard to give her one little cut from his Hell Blade.
Soon, Kaoru found her back pressed against a tree without an escape route. Now desperate, she ducked from Battousai’s furious blade and tried to sweep-kick him. The demon saw it coming, and he jumped from it. He changed his blade’s path in mid-swing to move downward.
Kaoru barely dodged it by just tilting her head to the side, and the blade embedded itself in the tree’s trunk, missing the goddess’ neck by only millimeters. As soon as the blade touched the tree, the trunk started hissing and melting as if some acid were poured on it.
Battousai yanked the blade out the tree as Kaoru quickly got back to her feet. The demon pressed two fingers to the blade and slowly rolled them on the sharp edge. The blade pierced his flesh and rivets of blood seeped out, and down the sword; not a drop of the blood fell to the ground.
Battousai seemed unfazed by the pain; he only kept his cold amber eyes fixed on the goddess he was supposed to hate. After the demon’s blood stained the blade, the sword itself seemed to bleed; rivets of blood came pouring out of the handle and flowed onto the blade. The seemingly innocent ruby in the middle of the handle suddenly drained of red color, to look more like a crystal, as more blood flowed onto the steel blade.
“You have only a few seconds to get your sword, Princess.” Battousai informed coldly.
Kaoru’s breath seemed to catch in her throat as she stared at the demon prince before her; he really intended to kill her.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath, the goddess quickly used her immortal speed to pass the demon and run towards her sword lying on the grass. After she started to race towards her blade, she heard pounding footsteps behind her; Battousai not so far behind.
Kaoru forced herself to move faster; it seemed forever to get to her Shinjitsu sword!
Battousai was so close to her, she thought she could almost feel his body heat.
Just a little further! Kaoru cried to herself. Just a little further…
Kaoru jumped to the ground just as she felt the wind of the Hell Blade at her back. She heard something tearing, but as long as she did not feel pain, she was okay. She held her hand out, grabbed her sword, and whirled around to face her adversary.
Kaoru swung her sword forward, and Battousai brought his down as well, blades clashing, sparks flying, blood spilling, and then silence.
It took Kaoru a moment to realize what had happened; she swung her blade forward, but the demon was smart, and he saw it coming. He had dodged it.
Battousai looked at the goddess with a blank expression. Her blade did not score him, but the scar on his cheek suddenly sliced open and it once again started to bleed profusely.
It was then that Kaoru felt an unmistakable pain and burning in her side. She was still lying on the ground, for she never had a chance to get back on her feet, lest she be sliced
in half. Then there was the sharp pain in her side.
Kaoru slowly tilted her head to look down to her right side; the Hell Blade, while not deep, was one-third of an inch inside her flesh. The blood from the blade was now starting to flow deep into her wound; the foreign substance caused her wound to burn and throb.
Battousai glared coldly and slowly sank the blade further into Kaoru’s flesh, causing her to cry out in pain as the sharp edge slice away at her flesh. The demon was going to slowly kill her, slowly make her suffer. He rejoiced when he heard her sob and scream as the blade sank further.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
Battousai stopped like he was suddenly slapped in the face. He swallowed hard, trying to push the new, growing, and unfamiliar feeling down; tying to kill it, bury it, make it not exist anymore. Yet the more he fought it, the more it came back stronger.
Yanking the sword’s blade out of Kaoru’s flesh, to which she cried out in pain, Battousai heaved a sigh, seeing the proud goddess lying on the ground full of blood, and her hair mutilated; crying, sobbing, and heaving small screams.
The process had begun; soon, he could kill her anytime he felt like. Problem was he could not find it in himself to do further harm to the beautiful girl. Soon she would not be the Princess of the Heavens any more, and that would be enough to satisfy him.
Battousai shook his head at his pathetic weakness for the goddess, and he contemplated on what to do.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Takani, Megumi, M.D. took pride in her work. She was a doctor, and she saved lives everyday. Though the department, the Trauma Unit, was so stressful and demanding, Megumi had to admit she would not change it for any other career.
Dr. Takani worked at Shin-Kawabata Hospital, the best hospital in Kyoto. In the Trauma Unit, the doctor had to admit she had seen some gruesome and horrid things, as well as some very humors situations.
One gruesome incident was when a man had come into the emergency trauma unit, screaming about demons after being strapped down. The side of his head had a fractured skull, and his bloody brain had been within eye’s view. It made some of the medical intern students gag, and soon, they were forced to leave.
Dr. Takani would not be surprised if the students decided to change their major after that incident.
Although many nurses took the next incident as humorous, the doctor did not mostly due to the victim having a drug problem. She was no more than seventeen when she came into the emergency room from an apparent drug overdose.
She was screaming, “I am the virgin goddess, Kaoru! Don’t touch me; I’m holy!” as Dr. Takani and her nurses tried to strap her down and give her a drug that blocked the affects of the narcotic she took.
Some of the nurses started laughing in the middle of a serious situation. That annoyed Dr. Takani to no end, and she even gave them a very serious talk about their behavior.
On the current night, Dr. Takani, Megumi was working the graveyard shift. It, surprisingly, was quiet and rather boring. Thankful for the short break, however, Dr. Takani took her time filling out charts and giving them to her nurses so they could file
them.
“I’m going for a tea break.” Dr. Takani told one of her nurses at the front desk of the emergency room. “Call me over the monitor if anything happens.”
The nurse nodded and as soon as the doctor left, he took out a rather adult magazine and started reading it.
The emergency room was a long hallway stretching from one end of the hospital to the other. The front desk was towards the front, but to get out of the emergency branch, one had to go through the door, out into the waiting room.
It was there that Dr. Takani got her first surprise of the night. There was a small, very handsome man in the room. He had flaming-red hair tied up in the traditional samurai fashion, he wore the traditional samurai gi and hakama, and his eyes were a golden-yellow.
The eyes of the man narrowed upon seeing the doctor. It was then that Dr. Takani saw a young woman in his arms, carried bridal style; she was unconscious, very pale, and blood seeped out of a wound on her side. Her beautiful black hair looked irregular and butchered; cut half way to her neck.
The red-haired man opened his mouth and began to speak in a stuttering, yet uncaring tone. “Can you help my… my… um, mate?”
“Do you mean wife?” Dr. Takani asked, rushing over to the emergency button and pressed it.
“I suppose…” the strange man answered.
In less than one minute, the stretcher team came charging in with a stretcher. They abruptly took the girl out of the man’s arms and placed her on the rolling bed.
“The nurse at the front desk will be with you shortly,” Dr. Takani informed the man. “He will treat the wound on your cheek, and question you about what happened.”
Battousai watched the doctor run after the stretcher team down the long hallway as he placed his hand on his cheek. He felt a warm liquid seeping from the flesh, and when he pulled his hand out to his viewing, his eyes widened. Indeed, his cheek was wounded.
Damn that bitch!
OOOOOOOOOO
Dr. Takani followed the stretcher as the emergency team ran down the hallway and into
the emergency operating room.
“Get the instruments in place!” Dr. Takani ordered since she was above all other doctors in that department.
The nurses did as they were told in less than thirty seconds. Dr. Takani quickly washed her hands, put on non-latex gloves since she did not know if the girl was allergic to latex, had her nurses clothe her in surgery material (including personal protective equipment), and she grabbed the hemostat (surgical scissor).
Dr. Takani ripped open the girl’s gi to get to the wound. When she saw the wound, she saw a sight she had never seen in her whole career. The wound, while bleeding profusely, had something that looked black. Around it was, and flowing into her system, was something black, like ink; like she had something poisonous flowing through her system.
Thinking it was a poison, Dr. Takani ordered her emergency team to give her four CC’s of anti-poison medication. The doctor quickly got the needle and needle holder together as her nurse gave the girl the anti-poison medication.
Dr. Takani then began the long process of stitching the wound up.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
“There you go, handsome.” The male nurse said after he placed a medicated patch on Battousai’s cheek.
The Demon Prince glared at the man through his profile side, and the male nurse put his hands up in submission.
“It was a joke, guy; a joke.” The nurse said, and Battousai snorted in disbelief. “Oh, this policeman is here to question you on what happened.”
Battousai looked up at the officer now in the treatment room, and he mentally cringed. The office stood smirking at the prince with a lit cigarette between two white-gloved fingers.
“Hey!” the nurse suddenly exclaimed as he took the cigarette out of the officer’s hand, took his other hand, ungloved the hand he had, spit in it, and put the cigarette in the saliva pool where it went out with a hiss. “No smoking in the hospital!”
The male nurse left the room after smacking the officer on the rear end.
“Saitou,” Battousai started when it seemed as though the officer would kill the nurse.
“You’re here to question me?”
“Yes,” Saitou replied, washing his hands several times in the sink. “Did you and the goddess have some sort of ‘lover’s quarrel’?”
Battousai’s eyebrow twitched after the question came out of the officer’s mouth.
“Not in the least.” Battousai answered, and he got off the examination table.
Saitou smirked as he lit another cigarette after re-gloving his hands. After he lit up, the half demon officer took out steel handcuffs, grabbed both the demon prince’s hands before he could react, and cuffed his wrists together.
“What the hell!” Battousai cried out when he tried to break the handcuffs, but there was a strange paper wrapped around the chains.
“That’s an anti-demon paper, for I know you could easily break the cuffs.” Saitou calmly replied, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. “You’re the reason I smoke so much, you know.”
“Don’t blame your filthy habits on me. Also, how is this possible?” the demon asked, holding up the handcuffs he could not break.
“Well, though half demon I may be, my mother was a priestess. You’re handcuffed so I can get you out of this place without arising suspicion.”
Battousai sighed, and he allowed himself to follow the infuriating half demon out. At the front desk, the male nurse set aside his magazine, and exclaimed, “Where’re you taking him?”
“I’m taking him into custody.” Saitou informed, carefully hiding his cigarette. “He answered some questions that I did not like the answer to.”
“Who do I contact to come get the girl?” the nurse asked the two, not sure of who to ask.
“The owners of the restaurant, Aoiya.” Battousai replied calmly.
The nurse glared at the demon, unbeknownst to him, and said, “I hope you get unmercifully raped in prison for hurting that girl!”
“I doubt I would.” Battousai replied, cold, amber eyes on the male nurse.
“We’re off now.” Saitou said before the nurse could answer, and he took a deep drag of his cigarette.
“Hey! No smoking in the hospital!” the nurse yelled at the back of the officer walking away, with his suspect in tow. “That guy is so bad-ass!”
OOOOOOOOOOO
As soon as Battousai was seated up front in Saitou’s car, the officer reached over and unlocked the cuffs that bounded the demon’s hands.
“So what happened?” Saitou asked, dropping the steel cuffs on the floor by the prince’s feet.
“The goddess and I had another duel.” Battousai calmly answered, looking out the window at the hospital.
“I take it you won.”
“Aa.”
Saitou put his keys in the ignition and started the engine. “I’m already off duty, but I’m late because of you; and Tokio had a fine meal ready for me.”
“Tokio?”
“My wife.”
Battousai’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he tore his gaze away from the window to the officer next to him, with the same expression. “You have a wife!”
“Hai.” Saitou replied, getting his car out of emergency break mode.
“She must be a goddess.”
“No, she’s a mortal; but a very fine woman.”
“I meant she must be a goddess in order to put up with you.”
Saitou smirked cruelly at his companion next to him. “And it takes a goddess to put up with you, too.”
Battousai’s gaze dropped and he moved it back towards the window, staring out at the hospital. “She’s no longer a goddess. I used the Blade of Hell on her; full power.”
“You killed her?” Saitou asked in a mildly surprised way.
“You might say so.” The demon answered, not taking his eyes off the building.
Saitou lit up another cigarette and rolled down his window. He calmly took a drag and
then, instead of out the window, he blew it towards the prince. However, the smoke did not seem to bother him in the least.
“Do you believe I am evil for what I did?” Battousai asked, keeping his eyes on the hospital.
“There’s only one thing I believe,” Saitou replied, flicking his cigarette ash out the window. “Aku. Zoku. Zan.”
“’Swift Death to Evil?’” Battousai questioned. “Then why haven’t you killed me?”
“I only kill those who’re truly evil.”
“I am evil; I’m the Demon Prince.”
“If I met you before you got that scar, I would’ve kill you because you were pure evil.
Now, however, you’re only part evil, much like I am.”
“I am not a filthy half demon.” Battousai stated coldly.
“Hai, I know; but you’re now only half evil, and unlike you, I try to fight my demon blood.”
“I can’t help the fact that I am a demon; demon blood is all I have.”
“Yet one can fight what they truly are.” Saitou said, looking at his watch. “I’m even later because of you.”
Battousai did not reply; instead, he kept staring at the hospital as Saitou drove on. His amber eyes staring blankly at the building as he wondered to himself what had he done; what should he do?
OOOOOOOOO
The sun was rising in the east, and the Eye of Heaven shined down on the mortal realm. Tengoku paced in his and his wife’s room. Something had happened to his daughter.
He knew because he no longer could feel their bond, not only as immortals, but also as father and daughter.
The Palace of the Heavens no longer felt bright without Kaoru there. It no longer held any special meaning without her radiance and kind nature surrounding the marble walls. It just became another place to reign at; it no longer had any meaning.
Tengoku’s wife, Tochi, was just as sad and lonely without their daughter there as was he. It was taking Kaoru longer than he had hoped to pass his test, and now he no longer knew where she was.
Before, he could easily have spotted Kaoru on earth. Her presence was so distinct on the moral realm that it was so easy to find her; as easy as spotting a rose among dandelions.
What happened to my daughter?
Tengoku walked out of his room, walked down the marble steps, and out to his throne room. There, he called Akira and Soujiro to his side.
Akira, the one engaged to Kaoru, was a fine god that was one of Tengoku’s most trusted advisors.
Soujiro was the other great advisor of Tengoku. The young god was very beautiful with deep blue eyes that stood out amongst brown hair. He looked small and harmless, but he had great strength when wielding a sword; a katana was always at his side.
“What do you wish of me, my lord?” both Akira and Soujiro asked in unison, both bowing low to the head god.
“This is to remain between just us three.” Tengoku began with a command; his voice held a tone that demanded obedience. “I sent my daughter to the mortal realm of Kyoto, Japan for a test.”
Both Akira and Soujiro held looks of deep surprise that the head god would send his only child, his little girl, into the world where demons roam.
“Now, however,” Tengoku started again, not willing to explain himself. “I no longer can feel my immortal daughter, and I fear something has happened to her. I don’t know if she’s hurt… or worse.”
Both Akira and Soujiro stood, waiting for their master’s command and instructions.
“So, I want both of you to go to Kyoto, Japan, and search for my daughter. Last place I sent her was the Aoiya, a very popular restaurant in the city, to live with a priest and priestess that worship her. Go now, for I want my little Kaoru back to me alive. Do not fail!”
“Hai, Tengoku-sama.” Both young gods exclaimed, bowed deep again, and walked out of the throne room to complete their task.
OOOOOOOOOO
The Demon King was in an unusually good mood. Not only was everything going great in the torture rooms, but he had just received a message that two young gods were sent to earth to search for the fallen goddess.
The Demon Prince, his son, had done it; he defeated the one goddess that could have kept all demons in hell for the rest of their unending life.
Speaking of whom, where was Kenshin? He was supposed to have reported to him as soon as he killed the damn bitch!
Unless the worthless brat was enjoying the spills of victory, or he was not planning on returning home.
The great Hiko would not have that! His son’s mission was over; he was to bring him back home.
Within his throne room, where many decisions were made, Heaven and Hell alike, the Demon King, Hiko, called his second son into his presence.
“Enishi,” Hiko began, calmly leaning back on his throne. “Your brother still hasn’t come back even after he completed his mission. You have permission from my spy in heaven to descend to earth to look for him. Send me any word you have as far as his mission is concerned, and his whereabouts.”
“It will be done.” Enishi simply stated, bowing low before his father.
Before he went to earth, however, the second Demon Prince went to his room and pulled out his own weapon. If his dear brother failed his mission like he believed, he would have his head.
To Be Continued…
Chapter 5: “Destined To Save
It was one of those days where the sun was hot, pouring heat down onto the already overheated world. The air was still, catching the heat within the moisture and making it hotter than it already was.
To Kaoru, it was the perfect day to go into the garden and water the plants that surrounded the property. Only, when she went outside, the goddess saw the fence, that was destroyed by Battousai, being repaired.
“Kaoru-sama,” Aoshi said when he saw her outside with a water bucket. “We’re repairing the fence right now.”
“I noticed, Aoshi.” Kaoru nodded with a smile. “I hope you won’t have to keep on doing this over and over again.”
“It’s no problem.” Aoshi reassured, picking up a hammer and a few nails. Okina shifted the wooden board so it was ready to be nailed.
Kaoru watered to roses and surrounding plants, but found the hammering to be too much noise. Deciding to go back inside, the goddess made her way towards the back when Aoshi stopped her for a moment.
“Kaoru-sama, there’s lunch in the kitchen if you want to help yourself.”
“Thank you, Aoshi; that’s very kind of you.” Kaoru replied and made her way towards the door that leads to the dinning room.
At that moment, Kaoru saw Misao; her eyes were fixed on the goddess, filled with jealousy, but the girl gave her a smile and delivered the tray of water she was carrying.
Kaoru closely watched Misao and Aoshi interact. Misao was practically pressing her body against the priest, but without it being too obvious. Aoshi hardly said anything to the girl;
just nodded when she talked rapidly.
Smiling slightly, Kaoru left the backyard and made her way to the dinning room where she saw Yahiko sitting at the table, writing.
“Yahiko,” Kaoru began, still feeling guilty about not helping the boy. “Would you like me to make you something to eat?”
“No thank you, Kaoru.” Yahiko answered, not looking up from his papers. “You cooked last night, and I don’t think anyone will let you cook again.”
“I know… my cooking sucks.” Kaoru sighed, shaking her head. “Well, I can at least make sandwiches. Will you like a sandwich?”
Yahiko thought for a moment, looking up at Kaoru for the first time since the conversation began. After his little fit, the boy had been living with the Oniwanbanshuu, along with Sano. It was, after all, Kaoru’s request.
“No, I don’t feel like a sandwich. May I have a snack… please?” Yahiko requested, trying to warm up to the goddess he thought betrayed him.
“Sure; no problem.”
At that moment, Okon came in from the customers’ quarters, breathing heavily. Shio and the other hulking guy were busy at the kitchen, trying to get the orders going.
“It’s a war out there!” Okon cried to the ninja cooks. “The crowd’s really coming in and only Omasu and I are taking orders. I swear we need to hire some people, lest we be worked to death.”
“I volunteer!” Kaoru cried after she got Yahiko his snack.
Okon hesitated for a moment, and then agreed. They did need help, after all. “Okay, get your apron on.”
Kaoru did that, and she got a note paper and a pen, and then waited for Okon’s instructions.
“Start at the far side of the wall, and work downward, please.” Okon instructed, fanning herself with a make-shift paper fan.
Kaoru obeyed, and went out into the customers’ quarters. It was loud and buzzing with multiple conversations that sounded like buzzing bees in ones’ ears. The clinking and clattering of forks against plates could be heard; glasses, filled with liquid, were heard with a clunk of being set back on the table.
Inhaling deeply, Kaoru went to the far side of the wall where a single man was sitting at a table, looking over a menu. He had narrow, golden eyes, dark, short hair, and four strains of hair were poking out from where the man’s bangs were supposed to be.
“Hello, I’m Kagome, and I’ll be your waitress for the evening.” Kaoru said, giving her alias and best smile.
The man gave her a casual glance, looking her up and down in curiosity and disappointment. He set the menu aside and replied, “I’ll have soba and a glass of water.”
“What would you like on your soba, sir?”
“Just plain soba, please.”
“Okay,” Kaoru said, writing down the customer’s request. “The cooks will be please with this order.”
“I never thought I’d see the day,” the man started, whispering it so low that only Kaoru could hear. “The great goddess, Kaoru-sama, Princess of the Heavens would be on earth, serving mortals; in my case, a half demon. I must admit, Kaoru-sama, you’re a disappointment to see.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Then, realizing she was just insulted, her crystal-blue eyes narrowed.
“A disappointment in what way?”
“Every way; the way you look, the way you carry yourself, and the way you serve.”
Still wounded from the incident with Yahiko, the wound in Kaoru felt like it was thrown in a sea of salt, and the wound stung, burned, and cried out in pain.
“I’ll get that order for you.” Kaoru said, not trusting herself to say anything in fear of breaking right in front of the rude man.
Kaoru turned and left, but when she was making her way to the kitchen, she accidentally bumped into someone. When she got a good look at him, the goddess realized whom it was.
“Sano! Please leave; we’re very busy here…” Kaoru trailed off when she saw the ex-gangster.
Sano was dressed in one of the frilly aprons made for females, and he carried trays with dirty dishes on them.
“Wha…?” Kaoru started to ask when Sano interrupted.
“I’m helping out since it’s a bit short staffed.” Sano answered, trying to get back his dignity without success.
“Oh, well thank you.” Kaoru said as she and Sano entered the kitchen.
As soon as they were in the kitchen, they ran into Yahiko, who was opening the refrigerator and rummaging around. The boy closed the door, and looked up to see both
Sano and Kaoru watching him.
Snorting and trying to hold back laughter, Yahiko slammed his hand over his mouth and snorted harder. This time, he busted out with laughter at the sight of the once feared gangster in a frilly apron.
“Sano the kitchen wench!” Yahiko laughed out loud.
A few moments after he made that statement, Yahiko found himself standing by the door to greet customers, and he was wearing the same frilly apron.
A man came through the door; he was wearing a traditional male kimono with a sword rested by his side. The gi was blue and the hakama was white, and he wore dark blue tabi with the traditional sandals. His flaming-red hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and his
amber eyes looked around the restaurant without emotion.
“Welcome.” Yahiko said grudgingly, holding an empty tray. “Is this a party of one or more?”
“Ichi.” The man answered, and the boy led him to a single person table, right in front of the strange man eating plan soba, and the swordsman’s back was to him. Yahiko handed the redheaded man a menu, and mumbled that the “busu” would be there to serve him soon.
“You stand out like a sore thumb, you know that?” the man eating plan soba whispered to the redheaded man’s back.
“This was all I could afford.” He said, looking over the menu.
“’All you could afford?’” Saitou snickered, taking a gulp of water. “You usually just kill any person your size and steal the clothes.”
“I can’t kill people without feeling guilty and I hate it, so don’t rub it in, .” Battousai snapped, holding the menu over his face.
Just then a sweet, innocent voice filled Battousai’s ears with sensuous music.
“Hello, my name is Kagome, and I’ll be your waitress for this evening.”
Battousai peered over the top of the menu so only his golden eyes were showing, and he looked the “waitress” over.
She was wearing a priestess uniform; white gi and blue hakama. The apron was a ridiculous contrast to the other clothes she was wearing; a white apron with pink frills.
Despite the laughable sight, Battousai grudgingly admitted the goddess was… cute.
Pink was defiantly her color because it brought out her crystal-blue eyes in a way that they looked like they sparkled and danced in the light.
Mentally slapping himself, Battousai slammed the menu down on the table revealing his face to the goddess. Kaoru’s eyes widened in shock and anger that the demon dared to come into the Aoiya.
The goddess opened her mouth to scream, but Battousai ‘tut’ed, shaking a finger back and forth, and then pointed to the crowd of people, indicating she could not make a scene in front of such a large crowd of mortals.
Biting her tongue, Kaoru choked down the scream that threatened to explode from her throat. She cleared her throat and asked grudgingly, “What would you like tonight?”
“Your head on a platter.” Battousai answered, giving the goddess a smirk.
Kaoru, not fazed by the , y smirk, calmly replied, “I’m sorry, we don’t serve heads on a platter here; but if you try hell, you might get a better selection.”
“No, the restaurants in hell don’t have much of a variety; and if you ask for ice water, they’ll just say ‘we’re fresh out.’”
“Would you like some ice water, then?” Kaoru asked, not really wanting to even look at the evil being.
“Yes, it would be nice to be able to taste ice water. I’ve never had water.”
“Spare me the sob story.” Kaoru mumbled, vigorously writing on her note pad. “Anything else?”
“Yes, I’ll have the lamb special, extra rare.”
“How rare?”
Giving Kaoru such an evil smirk that caused her to back away, Battousai replied, “As red as the blood you bleed during your month.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened impossibly at the request of the demon; she knew he was evil, but not that evil! With a shaking hand, the princess wrote down the lamb special, and then went into the kitchen.
“Oi, Jo-chan,” Sano said, looking Kaoru over with a worried look. “Are you okay? You look pale.”
“I’m fine, Sano; arigatou.” Kaoru replied with her best smile. She went to the freezer with a glass in her hand, she put a couple of ice cubes into the glass, and then she poured fresh water into the glass.
Kaoru walked back out to the customers’ quarters, all the way to the back, and placed the ice water in front of Battousai.
“Your lamb special is on the grill and will be served to you shortly.” Kaoru informed, looking more at the wall then at the demon she was serving.
Battousai took a sip from the glass and the cold water bathed over his tongue deliciously. It tasted almost sweet because it was so fresh, and his mouth cried out for more because it had never tasted such wonderful liquid.
The spoiled mortals always took for granted what they had, and water was an example.
They could get it from anywhere they can; yet they choose to drink other liquids just because they thought water has a “plain” taste to it.
Battousai closed his eyes in ecstasy as he took another gulp of water, lathing it gently in his mouth and then allowing it to pass smoothly down his throat.
Kaoru watched him in wonderment; she had never seen someone in such pleasure from only drinking water.
Battousai, coming out of his water trance, sensed that the goddess was still there and still watching him.
“Do you want something?” he asked, taking another gulp of water as he raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want some more water?” the princess asked, and her adversary smirked once again.
“Yes, I would.”
Kaoru took the now empty glass and headed towards the kitchen. It was then that she saw Misao in a waitress apron taking a customer’s order.
“Yes, we serve chicken.” Misao said, writing it on her note pad. “How would you like it cooked; fried or baked?”
Kaoru slid to the opposite side of the wall, trying to keep Misao’s dangerously active attention away from the redhead demon.
It was then that Kaoru wondered to herself why she was almost protecting her foe. She should warn the Oniwanbanshuu that the demon prince is eating in their restaurant! She should scream and make a scene in front of mortals that she has a stalker and he is following her everywhere!
Despite her inner voice telling her these things, Kaoru still kept Battousai’s presence a secret as she made her way to the kitchen. She filled the glass up with water again.
“Hey, Kaoru-sama,” Shiro said, placing a plate on the counter. “The lamb special is done.”
As soon as he had it in his hand, Battousai was chugging the glass of water down as fast as possible.
“You’re lamb special is ready.” Kaoru said, placing the plate in front of the prince. The lamb was juicy, tender, but not red like Battousai wanted it.
“What’s this?” he inquired with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
“For your information, Battousai,” Kaoru began with her hands on her hips. “You don’t know if I have monthly cycles, you will never find out, and you will never know how red the blood is, either. Enjoy your meal, and I’ll bring you the bill.”
“Bill?”
“You don’t think that food’s for free, do you?”
Battousai simply smirked and said, “Of course not.”
“Good; and you should know that lamb is very expensive.”
As an answer, the prince, in mocking elegance, picked up his fork and knife and started to cut the meat slowly. He took the piece that was embedded on his fork and calmly placed it in his mouth. Battousai looked at Kaoru with the most annoying smirk the goddess had ever seen, and the demon winked at her.
Huffing indignantly, Kaoru made her hands into fists, and she stomped away in her own manner.
The lamb was juicy to perfection; it was so warm, and the meat tasted so good it was almost sweet. It tasted young, tender, and spiced just right.
“You don’t have money to pay the bill, do you?” Saitou’s annoying voice broke out, and forcefully brought Battousai out of another heavenly experience.
“Actually, I do.” Battousai replied, setting down his fork and knife as he reached into his gi, and pulled out a brown leather wallet that was not his. “I may not be able to kill mortals, but I can still steal from them.”
“Hm,” Saitou said, pulling out a cigarette, placing it in his mouth, and he lit it. “I think you’re getting lower by the minute.”
Battousai would have flashed the annoying half-breed a rude sign had another annoyance in life not come stomping over to Saitou. The priestess, wearing a different and just as ridiculous outfit as the goddess (a ninja outfit with the same pink frilled apron), took the cigarette out of Saitou’s mouth, and dunked it in his water glass.
“This is a no smoking restaurant!” Misao scolded, and she turned around with a huff.
“Hm, it seems nothing gets by a weasel.” Saitou muttered to himself. “I’ll be seeing you later.”
He got up, pushed back his chair, and walked to the front desk. After talking to Omasu for a few moments, he walked out the door.
A moment later, Kaoru came back with Battousai’s food bill, and almost slammed it on his table. Battousai picked it up and when he read it, he almost went berserk. That was so dead!
“Hey, princess!” he said in a high whisper, almost making Kaoru slap him. “What the hell is this!”
“Apparently, you had a friend that said you would pay for his meal, so there you go; the lamb special and plain soba. You may pay at the front desk.”
Battousai growled in his throat as the goddess he loathed so much left him with a bill that he only agreed to pay half for. He took out the stolen wallet, and counted the yen. While spending time up on the mortal’s realm, the prince learned how to count yen, dollars, and other foreign money exchange, thanks to the mortal he possessed that were in the black market.
One of his eyebrows twitched when the prince realized he barely had enough to pay for the lamb special, much less a couple of yen extra for plain soba. Growling in his throat once again, Battousai took all the yen out of the wallet, plus a piece of paper and a pen.
Battousai wrote something on the paper, and wrapped it around a very cheap tip and he left it on the table. He went to the table next to him where the couple was so deep into a conversation that the prince decided to leave the bill with them.
He placed it on the table, blended in with the crowd leaving, and Battousai once again disappeared without a trace.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Picking up the tip left by Battousai, Kaoru walked up to the counter where the jar of “help the orphans” was, and she put the pathetic amount into the jar. The princess opened the piece of paper and read the simple note on it:
Meet me at the school park at 11:00 pm. Bring that pig sticker of yours.
Kaoru knew it was a note of challenge; Battousai was once again challenging her. Should she go? Would it do any good to go?
Thinking over the last few days with Yahiko, Kaoru decided that it was a good thing to take the challenge. She was not worthy to have her father’s place on his throne; retirement or no retirement.
Sighing in retribution, Kaoru tore the note up and threw it in the trash bin next to the desk. She will answer the challenge at 11:00 pm, just as the demon wanted.
OOOOOOOOO
“Oh, what a day!” Misao cried, flopping down on the couch next to Kaoru.
“Mhmm.” Kaoru simply said, staring off in the distance in a trance.
Misao looked at the goddess in a funny way, and then said, “I’m in love with Aoshi-sama.”
“Mhmm.”
“I want to marry him.”
“Mhmm.”
Now more desperate, Misao exclaimed while blush fiercely, “I want to fornicate with him in you temple.”
“Mhmm.”
“Kaoru-sama!” Misao yelled, snapping her fingers in Kaoru’s face.
Kaoru seemed to snap out of her trance, and she looked at Misao. “Oh, I’m sorry, Misao, what did you say?”
“Nothing much; just stuff about Aoshi-sama.”
“Oh, well like what?” Kaoru asked, trying to get her attention away from Battousai.
“What do you think of him?”
“I… love him.” Misao said with a cute blush on her cheeks. “I love him and admire him.
He saved my life once. It was the dead of winter, snowing fiercely, and I wanted to play outside. Aoshi-sama told me not to go near the river, but I did. The ice was thin despite the freezing temperatures.
“I fell in; Aoshi-sama was not too far behind. He’s never too far behind me. He saw me fall in, and he jumped right into the icy river with me, to save me. I was at the hospital because of the hypothermia and my heart condition. I have a bad heart, and the below freezing temperatures made my heart collapse. Aoshi-sama was by my side the whole time.”
“Misao…”
“I love him, Kaoru-sama, but he’s in love with you.” Misao continued, her eyes starting to fill with tears. “He’s in love with you, not me. I don’t blame him, either; how can I ever live up to you when you saved his life? I’m honored that you’re here, to meet the goddess that Aoshi-sama talked non-stop about, the one he taught me about, and yet I’m jealous of you.”
“Misao-chan… Aoshi does love you. He loves me, yes, but it’s more of a respectful and admiring love because I saved him. Do you understand? He loves me, but he’s in love with you.”
“I can’t see it.” Misao exclaimed, the tears in her eyes gathered at the end, and fell off her face.
“When he looks at you, look into his eyes, and you will see it.”
“Kaoru-sama… arigatou.” Misao replied, giving the princess a genuine smile.
OOOOOOOOO
It was already 10:47 pm before Kaoru knew it. She quietly snuck down the stairs with her sword fixed at her side. Her clothes, instead of the kimono she was wearing last time, was the priestess’ outfit she now wore on a daily basis.
The night was cool with a light breeze that passed over the still, quiet part of the city. Mist clung to the air and it tingled Kaoru’s skin like little drops of water. She would own up to what she had done to the little boy.
The goddess already decided this was going to be her punishment. She made her way to the school park, which was only a few blocks away, and Kaoru could see it every time she looked over the fence in the backyard.
Kaoru got to the park and looked around. Usually, it would be filled with little children laughing and playing, running around in the sunlight. The seesaws would be creaking as one child would go up and the other would go down.
The swings would also be creaking as a child swung back and forth, climbing higher and higher towards the sky by their selves, or aided by a parent. Another group of children would be playing catch or playing some sort of made up game that would never be manufactured. Most of them would be involved in a sport, and they would play the part of their hero player.
Tonight, however, tonight it was very different. The seesaws were quiet, and so were the swings. There was no sunlight to light up the park; only darkness and mist that clung to the cool air.
There were no children playing on some form of sport on the green grass, with their big dreams and high hopes. There was only eerie silence, save for Kaoru’s soft footsteps moving over the grass blades.
Then there was another sound; another sound of footsteps on the grass that sounded much heavier than Kaoru’s footsteps. They sounded heavy, full of burden and pain, guilt and sorrow, and yet they walked much like royalty does; carefully, cautiously, as if afraid of making one mistake because the eyes of the world were on them.
In the darkness, Kaoru could see the mist take the form of a demon she knew so well, yet at the same time, did not. He came into view, and she stopped her walking, allowing him to make the effort to come near her.
He was still wearing the same clothing he was in the restaurant; blue gi and white hakama. His flaming-red hair was still up in a high ponytail, and his eyes were still amber that stood out in the darkness so well.
The demon stopped short of the goddess he loathed, yet thought to be beautiful. She stared at him, but not in the usual definite way he found so interesting. Kaoru looked saddened, defeated, and Battousai sensed she was not going to give him a good fight.
She would just stand there and allow him to kill her, if an immortal could be killed. Kaoru would not put it past Battousai that he knew a way to defeat her, and he would use it.
“How’s your wound?” Kaoru asked, as if it was the most logical thing to ask.
“It will heal.” The demon prince simply answered.
“Battousai,” Kaoru began, her voice soft, yet loud enough for him to hear in the intense silence. “I’ve decided I do not want my father’s throne. You win; I will not ascend it.”
Battousai remained silent, and just looked at Kaoru blankly with his fearsome golden eyes.
“You…” Battousai replied, trying to understand what the goddess he hated for so long, and hunted for a shorter time, just said. “You will not become the Queen of Heaven?”
“No; I don’t want it.”
“No, you don’t want it; or no, you can’t have it?”
“No, I’m not worthy of it.” Kaoru said, her eyes downcast. “I couldn’t even stop a little boy’s parents from getting killed by a possessed human.”
Suddenly, flashes of that bloody scene with a little boy praying to Kaoru flashed through
Battousai’s mind. He almost heaved again, but stayed strong willed, for he did not want to break in front of his adversary.
“You try too hard, Princess.” Battousai exclaimed. “You try to save mortals who aren’t worthy of saving, or don’t want to be saved. You can’t save everyone, Princess.”
Kaoru thought about what her rival just said; her father said the same thing. Is it true that she tries too hard to save every mortal she could? Does she focus too much on mortals that she often forgets herself, and others?
Staring at Battousai, Kaoru could only think of what it must be like to be a demon; to sin whenever they pleased without everyone constantly watching, and casting judgment. Then she began to think what it must be like to live in hell every day just because of who one’s father is, and what he had done.
The innocent always suffer from the sins of their fathers.
Battousai was born a demon and he will live eternally as a demon, living in hell because of his uncontrollable demonic urges. It was not his fault he was a demon, just like it was not her fault she was a goddess.
Through all of her thoughts that passed rapidly through her head, Kaoru came to one grand conclusion:
“I want to try to save as much as I can.” The goddess began, wondering why she was telling the demon prince her innermost thoughts. “I want to save them, every mortal I can, and I will not back down from it. Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
For the first time, Battousai was stumped at a statement the goddess just said. She wants to save him!
Suddenly, the demon snorted, and then he began to laugh. His laugh echoed on the treetops and through the park; a booming, maniacal laugh.
“You, Princess, want to save me!” Battousai laughed, attempting with all his will to hurt her as much as he could. “You’re so naïve it’s laughable!”
The way Battousai said it stung Kaoru again, and she shook her head, wondering why her honest question was so humorous.
“Battousai, let’s just get this over with.” Kaoru said in a hurt voice as she unsheathed her sword.
“I’m eager as well, Princess, and this time, nothing will save you.”
To Be Continued…
This Is Forever
Chapter 6: “Destined To Destroy”
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
The question echoed in Battousai’s mind like a broken record. It had been filled with such honesty and beauty. It was like a baby bird that had just taken flight, yet the wolf came and tore its wings off.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
She had asked him that; asked him like he was actually worth saving. She was willing to save him, though how, he did not know. He tore the offer down because, in truth, he was not worthy of saving, nor was there any way for him to be saved.
Battousai was a demon among demons; he was their cruel, unkind prince, and would be so unto eternity. For some goddess to come in his life and ask him to leave the life he had always known was unheard of.
She was the princess of the gods, and would be so unto eternity. She was soft, kind, and beautiful; she deserved everything she ever asked for, and yet she wanted to save him.
He tore at her like she was nothing; cutting up her idealistic dreams. He hated her, but he hated himself even more. Through all the hate and cruelty, he could not admit, even to himself, what he wanted from her.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
He wanted her; but there was no place for him and her in any world. The demon and the goddess, as lovers, should never exist.
OOOOOOOOOOO
Both their swords were unsheathed; the Shinjitsu sword verses the Blade of Hell. The night was quiet and calm, unbeknownst to the battle about to begin. One wanted nothing more to destroy, and the other wanted nothing more than to save.
Battousai held out his blade and slowly, slowly began to charge. Suddenly, with his immortal speed, the demon charged faster than any mortal could see.
Kaoru was on the defense when their blades struck together, causing sparks to fly; more prudent than their last battle.
When Battousai and Kaoru’s blades struck, the Shinjitsu blade began to make a sound of some sort. It sounded like vibrations at first, but then it started to turn into a cry of pain. It was like a child would cry when they get hurt; high pitched and long, practically shredding their vocal cords.
Kaoru gripped her sword tighter as the vibrations from the sword flowed down to the handle, and onto the goddess’ hands.
As soon as the vibrations flowed onto the young goddess’ hands, she dropped it with a cry of surprise and pain. Battousai saw the opportunity, and he charged, swinging at
Kaoru, causing her to jump backwards to dodge the deadly blade.
The more she jumped back to dodge the demon’s sword, the further she was from her Shinjitsu sword.
Battousai was without mercy; swinging at Kaoru in every way possible, trying so hard to give her one little cut from his Hell Blade.
Soon, Kaoru found her back pressed against a tree without an escape route. Now desperate, she ducked from Battousai’s furious blade and tried to sweep-kick him. The demon saw it coming, and he jumped from it. He changed his blade’s path in mid-swing to move downward.
Kaoru barely dodged it by just tilting her head to the side, and the blade embedded itself in the tree’s trunk, missing the goddess’ neck by only millimeters. As soon as the blade touched the tree, the trunk started hissing and melting as if some acid were poured on it.
Battousai yanked the blade out the tree as Kaoru quickly got back to her feet. The demon pressed two fingers to the blade and slowly rolled them on the sharp edge. The blade pierced his flesh and rivets of blood seeped out, and down the sword; not a drop of the blood fell to the ground.
Battousai seemed unfazed by the pain; he only kept his cold amber eyes fixed on the goddess he was supposed to hate. After the demon’s blood stained the blade, the sword itself seemed to bleed; rivets of blood came pouring out of the handle and flowed onto the blade. The seemingly innocent ruby in the middle of the handle suddenly drained of red color, to look more like a crystal, as more blood flowed onto the steel blade.
“You have only a few seconds to get your sword, Princess.” Battousai informed coldly.
Kaoru’s breath seemed to catch in her throat as she stared at the demon prince before her; he really intended to kill her.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath, the goddess quickly used her immortal speed to pass the demon and run towards her sword lying on the grass. After she started to race towards her blade, she heard pounding footsteps behind her; Battousai not so far behind.
Kaoru forced herself to move faster; it seemed forever to get to her Shinjitsu sword!
Battousai was so close to her, she thought she could almost feel his body heat.
Just a little further! Kaoru cried to herself. Just a little further…
Kaoru jumped to the ground just as she felt the wind of the Hell Blade at her back. She heard something tearing, but as long as she did not feel pain, she was okay. She held her hand out, grabbed her sword, and whirled around to face her adversary.
Kaoru swung her sword forward, and Battousai brought his down as well, blades clashing, sparks flying, blood spilling, and then silence.
It took Kaoru a moment to realize what had happened; she swung her blade forward, but the demon was smart, and he saw it coming. He had dodged it.
Battousai looked at the goddess with a blank expression. Her blade did not score him, but the scar on his cheek suddenly sliced open and it once again started to bleed profusely.
It was then that Kaoru felt an unmistakable pain and burning in her side. She was still lying on the ground, for she never had a chance to get back on her feet, lest she be sliced
in half. Then there was the sharp pain in her side.
Kaoru slowly tilted her head to look down to her right side; the Hell Blade, while not deep, was one-third of an inch inside her flesh. The blood from the blade was now starting to flow deep into her wound; the foreign substance caused her wound to burn and throb.
Battousai glared coldly and slowly sank the blade further into Kaoru’s flesh, causing her to cry out in pain as the sharp edge slice away at her flesh. The demon was going to slowly kill her, slowly make her suffer. He rejoiced when he heard her sob and scream as the blade sank further.
“Is it possible… that I can save you as well?”
Battousai stopped like he was suddenly slapped in the face. He swallowed hard, trying to push the new, growing, and unfamiliar feeling down; tying to kill it, bury it, make it not exist anymore. Yet the more he fought it, the more it came back stronger.
Yanking the sword’s blade out of Kaoru’s flesh, to which she cried out in pain, Battousai heaved a sigh, seeing the proud goddess lying on the ground full of blood, and her hair mutilated; crying, sobbing, and heaving small screams.
The process had begun; soon, he could kill her anytime he felt like. Problem was he could not find it in himself to do further harm to the beautiful girl. Soon she would not be the Princess of the Heavens any more, and that would be enough to satisfy him.
Battousai shook his head at his pathetic weakness for the goddess, and he contemplated on what to do.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Takani, Megumi, M.D. took pride in her work. She was a doctor, and she saved lives everyday. Though the department, the Trauma Unit, was so stressful and demanding, Megumi had to admit she would not change it for any other career.
Dr. Takani worked at Shin-Kawabata Hospital, the best hospital in Kyoto. In the Trauma Unit, the doctor had to admit she had seen some gruesome and horrid things, as well as some very humors situations.
One gruesome incident was when a man had come into the emergency trauma unit, screaming about demons after being strapped down. The side of his head had a fractured skull, and his bloody brain had been within eye’s view. It made some of the medical intern students gag, and soon, they were forced to leave.
Dr. Takani would not be surprised if the students decided to change their major after that incident.
Although many nurses took the next incident as humorous, the doctor did not mostly due to the victim having a drug problem. She was no more than seventeen when she came into the emergency room from an apparent drug overdose.
She was screaming, “I am the virgin goddess, Kaoru! Don’t touch me; I’m holy!” as Dr. Takani and her nurses tried to strap her down and give her a drug that blocked the affects of the narcotic she took.
Some of the nurses started laughing in the middle of a serious situation. That annoyed Dr. Takani to no end, and she even gave them a very serious talk about their behavior.
On the current night, Dr. Takani, Megumi was working the graveyard shift. It, surprisingly, was quiet and rather boring. Thankful for the short break, however, Dr. Takani took her time filling out charts and giving them to her nurses so they could file
them.
“I’m going for a tea break.” Dr. Takani told one of her nurses at the front desk of the emergency room. “Call me over the monitor if anything happens.”
The nurse nodded and as soon as the doctor left, he took out a rather adult magazine and started reading it.
The emergency room was a long hallway stretching from one end of the hospital to the other. The front desk was towards the front, but to get out of the emergency branch, one had to go through the door, out into the waiting room.
It was there that Dr. Takani got her first surprise of the night. There was a small, very handsome man in the room. He had flaming-red hair tied up in the traditional samurai fashion, he wore the traditional samurai gi and hakama, and his eyes were a golden-yellow.
The eyes of the man narrowed upon seeing the doctor. It was then that Dr. Takani saw a young woman in his arms, carried bridal style; she was unconscious, very pale, and blood seeped out of a wound on her side. Her beautiful black hair looked irregular and butchered; cut half way to her neck.
The red-haired man opened his mouth and began to speak in a stuttering, yet uncaring tone. “Can you help my… my… um, mate?”
“Do you mean wife?” Dr. Takani asked, rushing over to the emergency button and pressed it.
“I suppose…” the strange man answered.
In less than one minute, the stretcher team came charging in with a stretcher. They abruptly took the girl out of the man’s arms and placed her on the rolling bed.
“The nurse at the front desk will be with you shortly,” Dr. Takani informed the man. “He will treat the wound on your cheek, and question you about what happened.”
Battousai watched the doctor run after the stretcher team down the long hallway as he placed his hand on his cheek. He felt a warm liquid seeping from the flesh, and when he pulled his hand out to his viewing, his eyes widened. Indeed, his cheek was wounded.
Damn that bitch!
OOOOOOOOOO
Dr. Takani followed the stretcher as the emergency team ran down the hallway and into
the emergency operating room.
“Get the instruments in place!” Dr. Takani ordered since she was above all other doctors in that department.
The nurses did as they were told in less than thirty seconds. Dr. Takani quickly washed her hands, put on non-latex gloves since she did not know if the girl was allergic to latex, had her nurses clothe her in surgery material (including personal protective equipment), and she grabbed the hemostat (surgical scissor).
Dr. Takani ripped open the girl’s gi to get to the wound. When she saw the wound, she saw a sight she had never seen in her whole career. The wound, while bleeding profusely, had something that looked black. Around it was, and flowing into her system, was something black, like ink; like she had something poisonous flowing through her system.
Thinking it was a poison, Dr. Takani ordered her emergency team to give her four CC’s of anti-poison medication. The doctor quickly got the needle and needle holder together as her nurse gave the girl the anti-poison medication.
Dr. Takani then began the long process of stitching the wound up.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
“There you go, handsome.” The male nurse said after he placed a medicated patch on Battousai’s cheek.
The Demon Prince glared at the man through his profile side, and the male nurse put his hands up in submission.
“It was a joke, guy; a joke.” The nurse said, and Battousai snorted in disbelief. “Oh, this policeman is here to question you on what happened.”
Battousai looked up at the officer now in the treatment room, and he mentally cringed. The office stood smirking at the prince with a lit cigarette between two white-gloved fingers.
“Hey!” the nurse suddenly exclaimed as he took the cigarette out of the officer’s hand, took his other hand, ungloved the hand he had, spit in it, and put the cigarette in the saliva pool where it went out with a hiss. “No smoking in the hospital!”
The male nurse left the room after smacking the officer on the rear end.
“Saitou,” Battousai started when it seemed as though the officer would kill the nurse.
“You’re here to question me?”
“Yes,” Saitou replied, washing his hands several times in the sink. “Did you and the goddess have some sort of ‘lover’s quarrel’?”
Battousai’s eyebrow twitched after the question came out of the officer’s mouth.
“Not in the least.” Battousai answered, and he got off the examination table.
Saitou smirked as he lit another cigarette after re-gloving his hands. After he lit up, the half demon officer took out steel handcuffs, grabbed both the demon prince’s hands before he could react, and cuffed his wrists together.
“What the hell!” Battousai cried out when he tried to break the handcuffs, but there was a strange paper wrapped around the chains.
“That’s an anti-demon paper, for I know you could easily break the cuffs.” Saitou calmly replied, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. “You’re the reason I smoke so much, you know.”
“Don’t blame your filthy habits on me. Also, how is this possible?” the demon asked, holding up the handcuffs he could not break.
“Well, though half demon I may be, my mother was a priestess. You’re handcuffed so I can get you out of this place without arising suspicion.”
Battousai sighed, and he allowed himself to follow the infuriating half demon out. At the front desk, the male nurse set aside his magazine, and exclaimed, “Where’re you taking him?”
“I’m taking him into custody.” Saitou informed, carefully hiding his cigarette. “He answered some questions that I did not like the answer to.”
“Who do I contact to come get the girl?” the nurse asked the two, not sure of who to ask.
“The owners of the restaurant, Aoiya.” Battousai replied calmly.
The nurse glared at the demon, unbeknownst to him, and said, “I hope you get unmercifully raped in prison for hurting that girl!”
“I doubt I would.” Battousai replied, cold, amber eyes on the male nurse.
“We’re off now.” Saitou said before the nurse could answer, and he took a deep drag of his cigarette.
“Hey! No smoking in the hospital!” the nurse yelled at the back of the officer walking away, with his suspect in tow. “That guy is so bad-ass!”
OOOOOOOOOOO
As soon as Battousai was seated up front in Saitou’s car, the officer reached over and unlocked the cuffs that bounded the demon’s hands.
“So what happened?” Saitou asked, dropping the steel cuffs on the floor by the prince’s feet.
“The goddess and I had another duel.” Battousai calmly answered, looking out the window at the hospital.
“I take it you won.”
“Aa.”
Saitou put his keys in the ignition and started the engine. “I’m already off duty, but I’m late because of you; and Tokio had a fine meal ready for me.”
“Tokio?”
“My wife.”
Battousai’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he tore his gaze away from the window to the officer next to him, with the same expression. “You have a wife!”
“Hai.” Saitou replied, getting his car out of emergency break mode.
“She must be a goddess.”
“No, she’s a mortal; but a very fine woman.”
“I meant she must be a goddess in order to put up with you.”
Saitou smirked cruelly at his companion next to him. “And it takes a goddess to put up with you, too.”
Battousai’s gaze dropped and he moved it back towards the window, staring out at the hospital. “She’s no longer a goddess. I used the Blade of Hell on her; full power.”
“You killed her?” Saitou asked in a mildly surprised way.
“You might say so.” The demon answered, not taking his eyes off the building.
Saitou lit up another cigarette and rolled down his window. He calmly took a drag and
then, instead of out the window, he blew it towards the prince. However, the smoke did not seem to bother him in the least.
“Do you believe I am evil for what I did?” Battousai asked, keeping his eyes on the hospital.
“There’s only one thing I believe,” Saitou replied, flicking his cigarette ash out the window. “Aku. Zoku. Zan.”
“’Swift Death to Evil?’” Battousai questioned. “Then why haven’t you killed me?”
“I only kill those who’re truly evil.”
“I am evil; I’m the Demon Prince.”
“If I met you before you got that scar, I would’ve kill you because you were pure evil.
Now, however, you’re only part evil, much like I am.”
“I am not a filthy half demon.” Battousai stated coldly.
“Hai, I know; but you’re now only half evil, and unlike you, I try to fight my demon blood.”
“I can’t help the fact that I am a demon; demon blood is all I have.”
“Yet one can fight what they truly are.” Saitou said, looking at his watch. “I’m even later because of you.”
Battousai did not reply; instead, he kept staring at the hospital as Saitou drove on. His amber eyes staring blankly at the building as he wondered to himself what had he done; what should he do?
OOOOOOOOO
The sun was rising in the east, and the Eye of Heaven shined down on the mortal realm. Tengoku paced in his and his wife’s room. Something had happened to his daughter.
He knew because he no longer could feel their bond, not only as immortals, but also as father and daughter.
The Palace of the Heavens no longer felt bright without Kaoru there. It no longer held any special meaning without her radiance and kind nature surrounding the marble walls. It just became another place to reign at; it no longer had any meaning.
Tengoku’s wife, Tochi, was just as sad and lonely without their daughter there as was he. It was taking Kaoru longer than he had hoped to pass his test, and now he no longer knew where she was.
Before, he could easily have spotted Kaoru on earth. Her presence was so distinct on the moral realm that it was so easy to find her; as easy as spotting a rose among dandelions.
What happened to my daughter?
Tengoku walked out of his room, walked down the marble steps, and out to his throne room. There, he called Akira and Soujiro to his side.
Akira, the one engaged to Kaoru, was a fine god that was one of Tengoku’s most trusted advisors.
Soujiro was the other great advisor of Tengoku. The young god was very beautiful with deep blue eyes that stood out amongst brown hair. He looked small and harmless, but he had great strength when wielding a sword; a katana was always at his side.
“What do you wish of me, my lord?” both Akira and Soujiro asked in unison, both bowing low to the head god.
“This is to remain between just us three.” Tengoku began with a command; his voice held a tone that demanded obedience. “I sent my daughter to the mortal realm of Kyoto, Japan for a test.”
Both Akira and Soujiro held looks of deep surprise that the head god would send his only child, his little girl, into the world where demons roam.
“Now, however,” Tengoku started again, not willing to explain himself. “I no longer can feel my immortal daughter, and I fear something has happened to her. I don’t know if she’s hurt… or worse.”
Both Akira and Soujiro stood, waiting for their master’s command and instructions.
“So, I want both of you to go to Kyoto, Japan, and search for my daughter. Last place I sent her was the Aoiya, a very popular restaurant in the city, to live with a priest and priestess that worship her. Go now, for I want my little Kaoru back to me alive. Do not fail!”
“Hai, Tengoku-sama.” Both young gods exclaimed, bowed deep again, and walked out of the throne room to complete their task.
OOOOOOOOOO
The Demon King was in an unusually good mood. Not only was everything going great in the torture rooms, but he had just received a message that two young gods were sent to earth to search for the fallen goddess.
The Demon Prince, his son, had done it; he defeated the one goddess that could have kept all demons in hell for the rest of their unending life.
Speaking of whom, where was Kenshin? He was supposed to have reported to him as soon as he killed the damn bitch!
Unless the worthless brat was enjoying the spills of victory, or he was not planning on returning home.
The great Hiko would not have that! His son’s mission was over; he was to bring him back home.
Within his throne room, where many decisions were made, Heaven and Hell alike, the Demon King, Hiko, called his second son into his presence.
“Enishi,” Hiko began, calmly leaning back on his throne. “Your brother still hasn’t come back even after he completed his mission. You have permission from my spy in heaven to descend to earth to look for him. Send me any word you have as far as his mission is concerned, and his whereabouts.”
“It will be done.” Enishi simply stated, bowing low before his father.
Before he went to earth, however, the second Demon Prince went to his room and pulled out his own weapon. If his dear brother failed his mission like he believed, he would have his head.
To Be Continued…