Vampire Princess Miyu Fan Fiction ❯ When Friends are True-A Vampire Miyu Saga ❯ Raging Waters ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter Twelve



Chapter Twelve
Raging Waters
The water smelt of salt, which meant that it was directly connected to the sea. The river moved sluggishly, pacifically, as if it were taking its time. Unlike most other rivers, this one did not flow out to the sea, but rather from the sea and towards the Fifth Layer. That was why they were there. One of the Western Shinma was a water being and so it would be easy for her to get to the lower Layers undetected and get to Miyu. And Tacha was not about to let that happen.
The river reminded Tacha a little of the Japanese Shinma Realm. From where she stood the water was calm and smooth beneath her feet, but she knew that as the further they went down the river the more turbulent and dangerous it became. So much like the Japanese Spirit Realm. She knew that when the Western Shinma had first arrived here they saw an unpopulated area, totally deserted, and so it was easy for them to get through. They had no idea of the perils that they would face the further they went in. There were Shinma here that would not get involved unless they were intruded on, and if that happened, she doubted that the Western Shinma would get out alive. Tacha quickly turned her attention back to her duty. Chances were that if the sprite did try to her to the lower Layers she would not last very long against those rapids. Still, Tacha was not going to let a chance to dent one of their prides pass.
She did, however, wished that Ichirou would stop staring at her in the way that he was. She was not doing anything special; she was only standing on water. It was not a hard spell to master, but only people who could pull it off were people with stronger Waterblood powers, such as herself. Verde's powers were just shy of being able to do it and Ichirou did not have a drop of water-wielder powers in her veins, so it was out of the question. She did admit to herself that water walking probably did look odd to anyone who had never seen it before and it was bound to draw some attention, but at least she would be able to detect if the Western Shinma did come up this way. Any source of water-magic other than her own would ripple like a stone thrown into a pond.
Tacha sighed and took a few steps down the river. They had been here for only two hours, and still nothing. At one time they had felt the vibration of some sort ripple across the air, but it was not that of a Shinma. Perhaps it was a Shi, but it had come from the direction of the ocean. And it felt…wrong. Ichirou, being as young and anxious as her was, wanted to chase after it, but Verde and Tacha had persisted that he stayed. Not he was sitting on the shore next to Verde, pouting. Tacha did not blame him; the boy had an aura of one who wanted to see action and wished he had been alive during the Shinma wars so he could have taken part in part of the battles. Now that the Western Shinma were here and he was still not taking part of any of the action. It must have been very frustrating for him.
"I don't see why he wants to fight." Verde said with a sharp snort while Ichirou stalked around the edge of the dark forests. "If he could only knew what the real wars are like…he won't be thinking like that ever again."
"You can't blame him." Tacha responded from the river. "You were the same way."
"And never again!" Verde retorted. "I had nightmares for years. It's…not like the wars our Clan gets involved in. We use technology. We fight in giant suits of steel and never truly look upon the faces of our enemy. But the other Clans…use blades and bare hands. To see the eyes of a dying man while your sword protrudes from his chest…I never want to look forward to a war like that again."
Tacha remained silent, but she knew exactly was he was speaking of. Too many bad memories.
But things have been quiet between both sides since the attack on Miyu. Something had to give. The Felin felt a lump rise in her throat. Miyu… She did not want to be here. She wanted to be with Miyu, to remain by her side until she got better. If she got better. Oh Yoto, Kitsune…please, find Yui. Only Yui can help her now.
As if on cue an icy cold chill ran through Tacha's body, starting at her toes and moving up to the very crown of her head. Tacha suddenly became very ridged and alert, looking out down the river. It had come from the direction of those Western bastard's ship. She could not see anything in that direction, but that chill had been unavoidable.
"What is it, Tacha?" Verde asked as Tacha came running ashore.
"Did you feel it too?"
"Yeah."
"Feel? Feel what?" Ichirou asked excitedly, jumping to his feet.
"A Western Shinma is coming this way, and she's close. Ichirou, this could get ugly. It might be better if you…"
"If I what? Stay behind?" The young werewolf blurted out, sounding very offended. His large ears twitched violently. "Not in your life! Listen Miss Chinese Shinma, this is my home, and so it is my first priority to defend it. Besides, you already got to fight one of them! Tell you what; if it looks like I'm in trouble, then you can help me!" With that he turned on his heel and stalked towards the riverbank.
"Nice kid." Verde said when he was out of hearing distance, and then made a very disgusted face as if he had bit into something that had been molding for a month. Tacha laughed, her mood picking up just the slightest bit.
Ichirou ran to the very edge of the shore of the river. He could not see the Western Shinma, but he knew she was out there; he could feel it. Picking up a small pebble, he tossed it out into the water and called out triumphantly: "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
Instantly the water began to churn and froth, first rippling the water and then creating small waves that rose to massive torrents. Suddenly a clawed, webbed hand shot out from the water as the waves condensed into the form of a woman with long hair and long, webbed ears. Water Lipper laughed softly as her deep green eyes fell on Ichirou. "Well, hello there, kid." She said silkily. "How did you know I was here? Your abilities impress me, child. By the way, I am Water Lipper. And who might you be?"
"I'm Ichirou of the Second Layer!" The young Japanese Shinma shouted back angrily. "And stop calling me 'kid'! I'll make you regret that!"
"Temper, Ichirou." Tacha called from behind. "It is as much as a fuel to your fight as it is a folly to your victory!"
Water Lipper casually looked to the spot where the new voice had come from and sneered. "Well, if it isn't you. I'm surprised that it's this little whelp wanting to fight and not you wanting to take your revenge. But, then again, it might be a little early for you to be talking about the follies of victory, as obviously it is something still out of your reach."
For a moment Tacha only stood where she was and blinked, as if trying to comprehend what Water Lipper had just said. Then she frowned, green fire in her eyes. "On second thought, Ichirou, kill the bitch."
The Western Shinma sneered at Tacha again before turning away. They were only children. There was no point to taking any thought to their threats. "So now, Ichirou." She continued as if she had never been interrupted. "Why don't you take me to where Yui is, like a god boy?"
"Forget you, bitch!" Ichirou yelled, baring his middle finger. "I'm not taking you anywhere!" Water Lipper only giggled softly. This was going to be fun.
Ichirou sprang forward first at full speed, attacking his opponent head-on. A field of energy-magic was growing around him. "Kibarishi!" He shouted loudly as he threw his hands before him. The energy condensed tightly around them before it was thrown forward, taking on the misty appearance of a giant wolf's head. Water Lipper did not look in the least bit alarmed. Instead she only lifted her arms above her head, almost lazily, and then extended them to either side of her body. A huge wall of water rose around her, completely hiding her from view from the Shinma on the shore. Ichirou's attack hit the waterspout dead center but, to his surprise, was seemingly swallowed by Water Lipper's defense, not even emitting a shock wave.
"What the…" Ichirou gasped, disbelieving, unable to comprehend what exactly just happened.
The wall of water fell away from Water Lipper, not a scratch marring her graying skin. She only laughed.
"That wasn't too bad…for a kid! But, alas, it doesn't matter anyway…"
Ichirou gave a start. That had been one of his more powerful attacks and it did not even make her blink. "Damn you…you bitch!" He growled through gritted teeth.
"Hey, Ichirou! You just gave her Kia's official nickname! She's gonna be pissed when she finds out!" Tacha called from the sidelines.
"You don't have a prayer!" Water Lipper said smoothly. "Especially here." She raised her arms again and the water around her began to swirl in a raging whirlpool. "So, my water!" She commanded it. "Punish him!" The water began to rise around her again, and then sprang forward towards Ichirou. The water jetted towards him with a deafening roar. The force was so strong that the first droplets that hit him cut deeply into his flesh. Ichirou grunted with pain with each new wound that appeared on his body. "Seek his skin and sink deep into it!" Water Lipper hissed. "Cut that kid in half!"
"Get the hell offa me, dammit!" Ichirou yelled, but at that moment the wave was about to wash over him he rushed to meet it. The Japanese Shinma fought through the water, which still cut and slashed at his skin relentlessly.
"What a little fool!" Water Lipper laughed. "Are you as dumb as you look? How dare you get into my water! Do you want to die that badly?" She giggled. "I'll grant you your wish, then!" Instantly the wave was gone, only to be replaced by one that was much larger and much more powerful.
Ichirou had no time to move or even make a sound as he took the brute brunt of the wave's full force. He was knocked clean off his feet and swept up off the ground. When the water of Water Lipper's magic died off, Ichirou was completely airborne.
"Incoming!" Verde shouted in alarm as Ichirou fell towards them. Tacha predicted the spot where he was going to land, held out her arms and Ichirou thudded into them.
"Ichirou," she said calmly. "You can't win this alone. Let me help you."
"I can do it!" Ichirou retorted as he jumped out of her arms. He shook the water off his body in a very dog-like manner. "But…maybe it would be a little nice…to have some help." It sounded as if saying that last part was very painful.

* * *

From up in the trees above, three shadowed figures watched the scene below them. "It looks as if Water Lipper will win this quite easily, even if those other two join the fight." Gio hissed. "Shall we stop her? We don't want her to kill that kid…all three of them for that matter…"
"He's out only link to Yui!" Gigi said.
"Wait." Gia said in a hissing rasp. "Let's just see what comes out of this."

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here in Japan, anyway?" Ichirou asked as he and Tacha took their stand.
"It's quite simple, Ichirou." Water Lipper answered. "We came here to get our revenge!" Tacha and Ichirou blinked, clearly confused and looking as if they had really heard what they heard. "Our Clan once suffered a humiliating defeat in this Realm! We are back to avenge what was lost!"
"Of all the hair-brained excuses!" Tacha blurted out angrily.
"A grudge from the old Shinma Wars?" Ichirou said. "What does that have to do with me? With any of us?"
Water Lipper did not seem to really hear either of them. "I have no problems with you! Just tell me where Yui is!"
"I have a better idea!" Ichirou shot back. "Why don't I show you my true powers?" A white mystic field surrounded his small body and Ichirou began to change. His already pointed ears grew dark fur as they moved more to the top of his head. The Japanese Shinma dropped to all fours as his hands and feet took on a canine-like appearance. His clothes fell away and with a low growl, Tacha saw a good-sized gray wolf where Ichirou was once standing.
"Oh! You're a lycanthrope! How wonderful!" Water Lipper said with a laugh. "What a cute, little boy!"
"I wouldn't sound so cocky, Western Shinma!" Tacha called back. "How do you think you can fare against two Shinma? I can guarantee that this time, the outcome will be different!"
The gray wolf threw back his head and howled towards the trees before leaping forward, straight into the water and charging towards the Western Shinma. Tacha followed closely behind him. Water Lipper only laughed again, but now she was sounding a little uncertain; her voice wavered. "Ichirou…a different form, but all the same moves!" She rose a hand and a wave rushed to swallow the wolf. "And you!" She said, rounding on Tacha. "I thought it was on your honor that all fights were to be kept one-on-one!" Water Lipper unleashed another surge on the Chinese Shinma, but suddenly it froze and then came back at her with even more force. The wave washed over her, almost knocking her off her feet. Her own attack had been turned against her. That had never happened before.
The mist of the wave finally began to thin and Water Lipper saw Tacha standing opposite of her, a silver sword with a heavily carved triangular hilt in her hand. The Felin's stunning green eyes were burning bright. "This time, its personal." There was a low, growling rumble around them and a huge wall of water rose behind her slender form. "Surround!" Tacha cried and the wall of water crashed down around them, totally submerging them in water.
Water Lipper glanced quickly around her, looking for either one of her opponents but not seeing either one of them. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sleek gray shape streaking towards her. Ichirou was charging straight at her, still in his wolf form, jaws open wide. Grimacing, Water Lipper launched another surge of water at him, but compared to the wolf's speed and agility, the wave was slow and clumsy. As the attack was about to make contact, Ichirou's form split into two separate wolves, taking Water Lipper totally by surprise. She tried desperately tried to counterattack, but the wolves proved to be too fast. Then she made her mistake. The two wolves began to circle around her, and as she watched one the other sank its fangs into her shoulder and hung on.
The fangs were painfully sharp as they dug deep into her flesh. Water Lipper grimaced as dark blood streamed from the wound, mixing with the water. She clawed at the wolf's body with her long claws, but the thick fur prevented her from doing any real injuries to Ichirou's skin.
Then she heard the voice from behind her: "Ichirou, break away!"
The wolf withdrew his fangs from Water Lipper and sprang away, trailing blood off of his jaws. Then she heard the voice of the Chinese Shinma once more. "Spines of the Dragon!"
It suddenly felt as if Water Lipper was being torn apart by hundred of sharp claws. She wanted to cry out, but she could not utter a sound. The pain was excruciating; she felt as if her skin was being peeled away from her bones, strip by bloody strip. Then her very bones felt as if they were bending under whatever was assaulting her. Her mind was needled with pain, she could not think, could not breath…
And then it was all over, gone, as if it was never there to begin with. Water Lipper remained absolutely motionless, collecting her thoughts the recall what just happened. She looked down at her body and was amazed to see that, despite the one wound on her shoulder, she was in one whole piece. Both Ichirou, in his original form, and Tacha were standing before her, arms crossed in front of their chests.
Ichirou laughed. "How was that? My secret Split Fang Attack! I told you not to underestimate me! Now I'll finish you off!"
Tacha cut him off when she put a hand on her shoulder. He looked up at her and she shook her head slowly. "We don't want to do that."
"We don't?"
"No." Tacha shot a cold look at Water Lipper. It felt as if the water surrounding her had frozen. "We're not like them. Let's just go. We've made out point here."
"Hold it, kids!" Water Lipper called after their retreating backs. "I warned you too! You are both just little brats!" With that she unleashed a wave that was more powerful than any of her other ones by ten fold. It hit the two Shinma with that much force. Ichirou cried out as the waves crashed into him and carried him out of the watery confinement that the battle had taken place in.
Water Lipper was breathing heavily. The two Shinma had given her more than what she had bargained for. But them she saw another glimmer of silver. The Western Shinma gasped angrily. The Chinese Shinma was still standing.
"Huh." She snorted. "That was impressive, but I'm surprised that you would be dishonorable enough to attack someone after they've let you go. So, now that you've had your chance, it's my turn, now." Tacha suddenly turned the sword point-down and jammed into the water. The sword began to melt into the element itself, sinking into the water that surrounded them.
Tacha closed her eyes and slowly began to raise her hands above her head. A faint blue aura surrounded her and Water Lipper felt the stirrings of an awesome power around her, like that she had never felt before. Not even her masters had this much power in their veins. Then, softly, Tacha began to chant.
"Oh great God of our water, lend my thy power. Behold thy spine that reach for the clouds that calls upon thy hurricanes and hooves that stir the very movements of thy oceans. It is thou, thy king of the waves, that art my true master. Surround me with thy waters and allow me to channel thy power! Seadra Wave!"
The entire confinement of water churned and thrashed violently. Water Lipper saw the world spin wildly as if felt as if her powers were being ripped from her very soul. The water all around them rose behind Tacha in a spinning waterspout of massive proportions, and then it began to…change, to take on the form of some anime. A head grew from the very top of the twisting tower of water, followed then by a neck and torso and finally legs that ended in hooves. Spines erupted from its back and moved all the way down its tail. It was a horse…a giant horse made of water. And yet, it was not a horse. Where the hindquarters should have been was the tail of a fish.
The giant animal looked down at Water Lipper, its eyes blazing a fiery blue, the only type of blue that could be seen at the depths of an ocean. Tacha stood below it, her aura looking like the same blue fire of its eyes. And then her hand moved, pointing towards Water Lipper.
With a wild scream the monster lunged for Water Lipper, diving straight at her. Water Lipper could do nothing more than cover up her face with her hands as a futile attempt to block the blow and scream as the spell plowed into her. The spell that the Chinese Shinma had used before was a tickle compared to this. This…Seadra Wave did not tear her apart by pieces. It tore her apart within the space of a heartbeat. Then everything went black.
Conciseness returned slowly. Water Lipper felt as if she was swimming. Every inch of her body hurt; all of her skin felt bruised, all bones broken, her head and the back of her eyes pounding. She was in pain, but she was alive. Shakily, slowly, she pushed herself up to her arms and looked around her, the bones and muscles of her neck straining and groaning in protest. Everything was blurry, hard to see, but she able to make out the figure of the Chinese Shinma. She was sitting opposite of Water Lipper, legs and arms crossed with her sword, returned to her original state, lying across her lap. "You…did not kill me?" Even her voice hurt. "You…"
"Could have torn apart a mountain with that attack." Tacha said. "But I had to hold back. I would not have killed you. Unlike some Shinma I know, I value my honor." Her voice was very bitter.
"But I had been defeated." Water Lipper tried to hiss. "I would have rather died than…" She stopped suddenly and looked up, looking past Tacha's head. She gasped angrily. "Who are you?"
A very cold, disturbing vibration made Tacha shudder violently. There was someone else here, in the watery confinement that the battle had taken place in. She jumped to her feet and turned around, only to see the outlines of three figures. They…they possess the same feeling that I felt earlier, before I battled with the Western Shinma! These things…are not Shinma. "Identify yourselves! You do not belong here!" Tacha yelled up at them.
The figures did not move right away. One of them, dressed in white, looked down at her, very slowly. Tacha shuddered. They had no faces, like the one that they had met in the forest. "Silence, child." It said in an icy voice. It waved its hand and Tacha felt as if she had been punched in the stomach by an iron fist. All the wind was knocked from her lungs as she was flung backwards, stars flashing before her eyes. With a stinging slap she hit the wall of water and felt herself flying through the air but could not seem to move her body to brace for impact.
She did hit something, but not the ground. Tacha had collided with someone, and as soon as she was able to collect her senses she saw that she had hit Verde, who had still been waiting on the shore, knocking him over and sending them both tumbling back a good couple of feet. "Tacha!" He exclaimed in surprise. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Th-there's something in there! Three of them! Verde, they're not Shinma!" She looked around them urgently, leaping to her feet again. "Where's Ichirou?"
"We saw them go into there," her friend explained, pointing to the dome of water. "But they were too fast for us to see what they were. Ichirou went around, he said he would try to take care of them…"
"He what?" The hair at the back of Tacha's neck stood on end as she felt the stirring of a great energy attack, the type that Ichirou usually used. She looked around for him frantically before she was able to pinpoint his location. The young Japanese Shinma was standing on the branch of a tree near the riverbank, collecting his powers for a final, powerful blow. "Ichirou, no! Water Lipper's still in there! STOP!"
It was too late. "KIBASHIRI!"

* * *

Water Lipper looked up at the intruders. They were strong; powerful enough to deliver a powerful enough blow to the cat-girl to knock her aside as if she was a rag doll. Now they were only staring at her, as if judging her, and not in a friendly sense.
Something burst through the top of the watery dome so suddenly that is made her jump and caught her totally off guard. The attack was a massive wave of energy that had jaws similar to that of a wolf. This was Ichirou's Running Fang attack, the same he used on her earlier, but this one was much more powerful. Had she not been distracted by the three new faces, she might have been able to block that one blow, but it was joined by three others. These strangers had unleashed attacks of their own made of a dark, deadly power. There was no chance to block.
The three attacks hit her and, unlike Tacha's attacks, which had been merciful, these did hurt her. Pain lanced through her body and an alarming amount of blood was released into the water, turning to world red. Water Lipper was numb and blinded by the pain as she pitched forward, coughing violently as yet more blood poured from her mouth. No! She thought urgently. It will not end like this! "I refuse to die like this!" With the remaining of her strength, she summoned up one final wave, one that her masters warned her about using on a normal basis but more as a mean of a last resource. The dome of water burst, its water collecting into a powerful waterspout that exploded in all directions, but it was useless. Her attackers had merely stepped out of the way, diverting her most powerful attack as if batting away a fly. With a whimper that carried away the last of her hope, the once proud Western Shinma collapsed.

* * *

"Gods all mighty!" Verde cursed as he and Tacha picked themselves back up and surveying the damage around them. "What the hell was that?" Tacha looked around her, wiping her hair from her eyes. That attack was Water Lipper's, unleashed just as blood bubbled to the surface of the water. "Ichirou…you didn't hurt her too badly did you?"
"I was aiming for the others!" Ichirou said as he tried to free himself the tree branch. The force of the wave had knocked him off his perch, tore the tree from the ground by its roots, and thrown Ichirou into another tree, tangling him around its higher branches. "I don't know what happened!"
"It wasn't just Ichirou." Tacha said. "Those thing…I think that they attacked Water Lipper at the same time. Let's go, Verde."
"Go? Go where?"
"We have to save her."
"What?" Verde shouted, loud enough to send a flock of birds squawking out the trees that had not been hit by the wave. "Help a Western Shinma? Did something get knocked loose in there when you hit the ground?" He knocked on Tacha's head with a fist lightly, but Tacha's face remained serious and a little sad.
"Verde, we have to save her. On our honor. She doesn't deserve to die like this."
Verde held a hard glare at his friend, but Tacha glared right back, her green eyes blazing dangerously. He sighed; there was no way he was going to win this, and they were running out of time. "All right…if you say so." Tacha nodded curtly and the two Chinese Shinma Felines ran towards the water, blood drifting on its surface as it was carried away to the lower Layers of the Japanese Shinma Realm.

* * *

"Who the hell…are all of you?" Water Lipper gurgled weakly as she reached up a hand feebly. All three attackers were looking down at her, their horrible featureless faces glaring at her pathetic, bleeding form.
The monstrous creature with the golden mark on it face laughed cruelly. "You fool, Water Lipper."
"That last blow would have annihilated that kid!" A second creature with a black hood and heavy shoulder armor said. "Which was stupid! He was our only lead to Yui!"
"Why did…" Water Lipper began weakly, tears leaking from her eyes. "Occidental Shinma…have to…kill me?"
"YOU!" Someone shouted from behind. "MURDERERS!" The three new figures turned to only be met by a massive surge of water that flattened itself to a huge blade. They appeared to be caught off guard, but the attack dissolved just as it was about to slice all of them in half. They growled as they looked onto the newcomers; two Chinese Shinma, a male and a female, the exact same girl that they had knocked out of the way before the assault on the hapless Western Shinma. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing attacking someone without proposing the appropriate challenge?" The girl shouted, holding her silver sword out before her. The male drew his sword as well, a huge broadsword with a blade that had a serrated edge. Dangerous fire filled both of their cat-like eyes.
The attacker with a white hood only snorted at them. "We have no more business here. Come, we have wasted enough time." And they were gone in a flash of energy.
"What…were they?" Verde asked, lowering his weapon.
"It doesn't matter now. Verde, help me out. She doesn't look too good." Tacha was bending over Water Lipper, who was still bleeding heavily. Verde looked a little disgusted, but nonetheless picked up Water Lipper and turned to move towards the shore.
Water Lipper tried to speak, and even though Tacha tried to shush her so she could save her strength she still mumbled; "They were…part of us…Occidental Shinma…"
"Put her here, Verde." Tacha said, jogging over to a small pool of water that flowed off from the river. "Her element might help in the healing process. And this…" She reached into her outfit and pulled out a small red vile that Kia had given her and pulled out the cork with her teeth. She sniffed the contents briefly, then tipped the bottle over and emptied it into the pond. A faint smell of what appeared to be lavender and ylang-ylang and a few other herbs from their own world filled the surrounding air. "I don't know what we're going to do if either one of us gets hurt later, but right now she needs it more than we do."
"What is she blabbering about?" Verde snorted as he lied Water Lipper down into the water. "What does she mean they were Western Shinma? What else would they be?"
"Anything but Shinma, Verde." Tacha said, sounded very worried. "This is beginning to look really bad." The Chinese Shinma looked back at Water Lipper and brushed a long strand of hair from her face. The concoction that Kia had made up for them was apparently easing the pain, and the bleeding had slowed. "You stay here and rest. The potion should heal your wounds soon."
"Tacha, why are you so worried? She's only a Western Shinma." Verde half-growled.
"I feel sorry for her." Tacha replied. "Those things attacked her for no reason at all."

* * *

Lemunia ran in the direction that that last power surge had come from. There was no doubt about it; that had been Water Lipper's magic, but there was something else, something that he could not put his finger on exactly. The river…that was where he would most likely find here. But as he drew nearer, he smelt something other than the salty sea air. He smelt…blood, and Western Shinma blood at that. Water Lipper was in trouble.
There were two figures in the distance, bent over something. Lemunia slowed his pace, ducking behind a tree trunk then moving from tree to tree to get a better look at what he was looking at. It was two of the Chinese Shinma, that pretty cat girl and one that he had not seen yet. Gods, there were more of them here? And they were crouched over…Water Lipper, who was heavily bleeding and looked in very bad shape. Suddenly the two Chinese Shinma looked more like huge wildcats bent over a kill. Nausea took Lemunia immediately and he had he clamp a hand to his mouth to keep from vomiting. There was nothing more he could do for his comrade, or he would be killed too.
"Please forgive me, Water Lipper." He whispered, and ran back in the same direction he came from.

* * *

"So what did she mean coming back to take their revenge?" Ichirou asked as they walked away from the battle, all still sopping wet. They had left Water Lipper in that puddle of water, hoping that she would be safe until her strength returned to her.
"It's a little different situation than from what Water Lipper spoke of." Tacha said. "From the old Shinma Wars. The grudge that was still held was not one that a side may hold when they were defeated. It was a grudge born of humiliation. As you've probably already known, we were fighting against the Quarls, a race of devils that used the Western Shinma to start a war. Once they realized that they were being used, they tried to drive the Quarls back to their own realm, but somehow it got over here. The humiliation of it was what the Western Shinma weren't able to do in six months the Japanese Shinma did in three days. The Quarls never got any further than the First Layer. They held them off for the first two days, killing a good deal of them then, they Kyuko stepped in and finished the job."
"And that's why they're mad, because we showed them up?" Ichirou asked. Tacha nodded. Then the werewolf frowned. "But it didn't come out to be a happy ending, did it?"
"No." Verde said. "The price of victory was Kyuko's life. She was probably one of the greatest respected vampires to ever walk this existence."
"Well," Ichirou said with a laugh. "That only shows that the Japanese Shinma kick total ass! Are you guys coming along to find Yui with me?"
"No, we're going back to the Fourth Layer. I'm sure Mori has her hands full watching my sister and we were only sent to discourage Water Lipper from getting any further." Tacha answered. "Good luck, Ichirou. Get Yui to Mori safely; Miyu's life depends on it."

* * *

"What do we do now…" Gigi hissed from the trees, watching the Shinma part their ways. "Do you kill Water Lipper…?"
"No." Gio responded. "We have no more concern with her. She will not bother us. Now, what do we do about Lemunia?"
"Just let him pursue that other kid." Gia said. "Hopefully he'll get to Yui the same time we do!" Vile laughter filled the air.

* * *

"I have to get out of here." Ichirou said to himself when Tacha and Verde disappeared into the forest. With a sudden burst of energy, Ichirou leapt to his feet and took off into the forest in the opposite direction at a dead run.
"Here I come!"