Vampire Princess Miyu Fan Fiction ❯ When Friends are True-A Vampire Miyu Saga ❯ Thunder Over Ice ( Chapter 16 )

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

Chapter Sixteen



Chapter Sixteen
Thunder Over Ice

Goosebumps stood out over her skin, her toes were completely numb and her talons felt brittle, but Kia held her ground as the snow swirled and howled around her and the Japanese Shinma Samurai at her side. Aoi was standing so still that anyone else would have thought that he was frozen, but both of the Asian Shinma were staring straight at their one opponent; the enemy, a Western Shinma. Both of them were to face off against Spartoi.
Now than once within the last few minutes Kia wondered what fighting two and one would do for her honor, but then she would replay all the other events in her head once again of the past few days. First the Western Shinma, eight in all, had stormed this world completely unannounced and torn down the western Gate that would have originally kept them out. They walked onto the shores completely unhindered and killed the Elder of the First Layer, Osa, when he confronted them. Then they sent out two of their own to assult Miyu, which they did fairly well before Kia and her friends showed up to stop them. Not more than ten minutes after the Western Shinma had been driven off then all of them attacked Miyu at once and, even with the help of the Chinese Shinma, badly injured Miyu and killed her Shimobe, one of their own, Larva.
Kia's blood grew hot temporarily. She remembered why they had not been able to do something to stop them. It was because this man, this Western Shinma that stood before her had hit her in one of her most vulnerable spots; the hollow of her neck, sending her flying into a tree and rendering her unconscious when her head struck the trunk. That thought alone made her made, but what happened only mere hours after that incident made her temper flare almost uncontrollably. When they took Miyu's Shimobe's body back to their ship, they did something to him that not only brought him back to life, but had somehow turned him against her and had him fatally wound the poor heartbroken girl. The though infuriated Kia. She knew of the bond between the two, she could feel it, it was so strong, and for him to turn on her like that, to betray her in one of her greater hours of need, especially after she had witnessed her beloved's death…
It was unforgivable. Kia's sword flashed into her hand with a crack of lightning as Aoi placed a hand on the hilt of his own katana.
"Ooh…" Spartoi mused, taking note of Aoi's sword. "A katana, eh? So I have a samurai to deal with…And what of you, Chinese Shinma?" He called to Kia. "Two against one, huh? Isn't that against your honor?"
"Funny you should be talking about honor." Kia retorted, trying hard to keep her temper in check. It was actually turning out to being very painful. "Not after what I've witnessed these last few days. You and your people have a lot to learn about fair fighting."
The Western Shinma only snorted, ignoring her comment and returned to Aoi. "I already know your name, but you might your name be, Japanese Shinma?"
"I am Aoi." The samurai answered. "Prepare to die!" Kia elbowed him slightly and gave him her famous "the look", as her mother and brother called it. She had already told him earlier that morning that they needed the Western Shinma alive to find out what any real motives towards Miyu would be, and he understood (with a look of disappointment), but it did not hurt to remind him.
Spartoi scoffed at them. "Well then, I am honored to please you samurai. And you too, Chinese Shinma…imagine, the honor of defeating a member of royalty of your Clan for a second time…" Kia bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
Behind the two warriors, the young woman in blue kimono robes laughed softly. "Aoi…it seems as if you have a good opponent." She giggled. Spartoi risked a quick glance at her. For some reason she seemed more dangerous than either of the Eastern Shinma standing before him although she showed none of their aggression.
"You're Spartoi, right?" Aoi called across the field. "Where is your weapon? I won't kill an unarmed man." Kia knew better. She had seen this guy fight before. He may seem slow, but he was good.
"Don't worry about that, Aoi!" Spartoi shouted back and charged head-on to the Japanese Shinma. Aoi only lowered his head slightly, eyes closed.
"How foolish." He said softly under his breath, his hand once again going to the hilt of his sword. In one quick movement the blade flashed from the scabbard just as Spartoi was nearly on top of him and the ringing sound of something striking against hard medal deafened all other sounds in the storm.
"Aoi…" Came Spartoi's voice from behind, completely unhindered. Aoi blinked. Impossible! That was a direct hit! "Your thin blade won't even scratch my dragon armor. But that's not all…" The scales on his bronze dragon suddenly bristled, repeating a familiar move that Kia had seen before. "Dragon sword!" Spartoi called, and in a flash of light his heavy broadsword was in his hand, held high and ready to strike at the samurai.
Aoi was faster than he looked, possessing a speed that Spartoi could not match even with his head start. He was on his feet in one smooth motion, turning gracefully on his heel and had his own sword ready just as Spartoi made contact. Once again there was the clash of blades and in the dense snow Kia saw something fly away from the two other Shinma to land in the snow next to the robes of Ranka's kimono. It had happened so fast that even her keen eyes did not catch it, but she was soon gaping when she saw it was the severed blade of Aoi's katana sticking erect from the snow. It had been cute away from the hilt as cleanly as if it had been made of paper.
However, Aoi and Ranka kept their composers colder than the ice that surrounded them, Ranka still standing motionless and Aoi rising to tuck the hilt of his broken sword against his robes. Looking quite arrogant and proud of himself, Spartoi let out a victorious laugh and raised his sword in the air. "Looks like mine is bigger than yours!" He said. Standing close by, Kia had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing herself, but still ended up snorting loudly through her nose.
The samurai only frowned, looking very un-amused. "How nice, Spartoi." He said coldly.
"Aoi," Spartoi mocked. "You're nothing without your sword." Aoi said nothing, but only touched at the jagged end of his blade gently. Then he opened his eyes again, shooting Spartoi a dangerous glare. Spartoi only pressed on. "Hey, samurai! How are you going to fight with a broken sword?"
"I'll show you." Aoi's voice was low, dangerous. Spartoi blinked, taking note of the tone in the Japanese Shinma's voice, but pressed on anyway.
He laughed once, raising his own sword again. "Prepare to die!" But instead of attacking, he only turned his body so the head of the bronze dragon was facing towards the small party of Asian Shinma. There was some type of reddish light glowing from within the depths of that cold metal mouth, and when Spartoi gave the booming command of "Dragon Fire!" a wave of searing hot fire exploded from the dragon's mouth and plowed at them through the blinding white snows. Aoi stepped aside to avoid the oncoming attack, but then there was another command to his side:
"Lancing talon!"
Thunder cracked loudly all around them and a bolt of white-hot lighting lanced out from the snow and collided with the ball of fire. With another crack, the fire disappeared as quickly as water hitting hot cement. Kia was still standing a short distance away, her hand outstretched and a look of caged fury marring her pretty features. "Hey muscle-head, you said nothing about using your powers! Weapons only!"
"It's all right, Chinese Shinma." Aoi said. "Let him do what he wants. It just shows his weak spirit and lack of trust in his own self. Let me have a go first, and you'll get your justice later." Kia nodded, then stepped back.
"Right. But remember, don't kill him. We need these guys alive to see what in the hell they want with Miyu." This time it was Aoi who nodded in agreement and, clutching the hilt of his broken sword tighter, rushed at Spartoi first.
"You reckless Japanese fool!" Spartoi shot of Aoi, raising his sword above his head and leaping forward to meet the oncoming assult. Attacking him with a broken sword…what could the fool be thinking? It was…
The Western Shinma's mind went blank and his vision whirled as a sharp hot pain speared into his side, sending him stumbling to a halt. His teeth were clenched almost painfully but he still risked a look down to see what had happened. There was Aoi's sword - his full, unbroken katana blade - slicing neatly through his side, not enough to kill him, he knew that, but enough so he would be slowed down greatly, especially since it was bleeding. Any other time he would have been shocked beyond reason that he had been hit at all, but what surprised him most was that he had been struck by a whole sword that had been nearly broken in half not more than a few moments before. And the other half of the blade was still standing from the snow next to the kimono-clan woman, who had a most amused smile on her face, as if she had known that this was going to happen. Aoi quickly pulled the sword away from bleeding wound and shoved it back into its scabbard.
"The…the sword…" Spartoi gasped, taking a few shaky steps back and clutching at his wound. "Was…broken, wasn't it…?"
"My sword is alive." Aoi said calmly. "Your negligence has led to this."
Spartoi looked down at the hand that was clutched at the wound, looking at his hand quickly before he replaced it. "Damn…" He cursed. "Damned sword just like a lizard's tail…curse you!" The wound on his side definitely would not kill him, but the blood loss would certainly weaken him in time. However, he could still feel it running down his side, down to his thigh and soaking into the fabric of his pants. But, still…it was unforgivable! He clenched his fist in fury, feeling the flame of hate build up inside of him, and let out a loud battle cry. "Dragon Fire!" Once again the dragon wrapped around his shoulders breathed a wall of fire at Aoi, who dodged it easily once again.
"That cut looks deep. Why don't you just give up, Spartoi?" Aoi asked in a very calm, civilized tone. However, the look that flashed across Spartoi's face was one of utmost rage and insult.
"You…you are a samurai, but I have the heart of a knight! I won't give up! I will never give up! Become fire, my dragon!" The tone of urgency in his voice was impossible to miss, but now he was seeming desperate.
This time, instead of the dragon merely breathing fire, it began to uncoil from Spartoi's shoulders and grow. Kia and Aoi's eyes widened. Not only was it growing, but it was also catching on fire; bright orange and yellow flames engulfed its entire body. It was not a bronze figure anymore. The creature was now living and breathing, a real dragon…or so it seemed. It was not really a dragon, more of a reflection, and therefore was not alive. Despite the fire, there was no living heat coming from it. Still, there was no telling of how something of that size could do to them. The outcome did not look pretty. She knew she had to do something.
"Stand back, samurai." Kia said, stepping forward. "Your sword won't help you much here. Let me take care of this monstrosity." A bellow filled their ears as the dragon reared its horny head, glaring down at them with cold eyes. "I can handle this." With another roar, the dragon sped towards them, speeding across the snow that melted at its touch. Kia stood, unblinking, then raised her massive broadsword, concentrating her powers. The air began to crackle and she could see Aoi's white hair and Ranka's black began to stand slightly on end.
The air was filled with a blinding light as lightning lanced down from the sky and connected with the blade of Kia's sword, connecting her sword to the sky. The blade was almost too bright to look at as it absorbed the power of the lightning, filling the air with almost a stifling power. "All right, you bastard!" Kia yelled at Spartoi from over the roar of thunder. "Bring it on!"
"Go, my dragon!" Spartoi yelled back, once again thrusting his hand forward. The dragon picked up speed and power as it raised its horned head and bellowed before charging at the Asian Shinma with enough power to destroy a mountain. Kia stood her ground, talons planted firmly in the snow, sword poised and read. The massive dragon, burning bright with incinerating fire, opened it massive jaws in an effort to swallow them whole…
"Thunder Wing!"
Kia made one powerful down-stroke with her sword as the dragon was on top of them, and with another crack, the blade of lightning sliced through the dragon's head straight down the middle, but it did not stop there. With a wild howl the dragon kept goin, pushing itself further along despite the fact that the sword continued to slide through it as easily as a razor blade through paper until it had been completely severed in half. The lighting and light of the long blade faded and then died all together before it thudded down heavily to Kia's side. She was breathing hard. Since snow was almost her opposite element, it had taken more out of her than she thought it would have. There was very little electricity in snow to draw her full power from.
Spartoi blinked, utterly dumfounded. He had rarely ever seen that type of power used before, and since he had very little magic in his blood, it made the sight all the more awesome. But the feeling died quickly and he grinned, much to Kia's confusion when she saw the wicked smirk break on his face.
There was a roar behind her and she ducked just in time as something dove at her, knocking off her feet and sending her rolling across the snow. "What the…" She looked up, tearing away the snow that was covering her eyes, to see that it was Spartoi's dragon that had attacked. Actually, it was one of the dragons that she herself had created when she split it in half. No, not one of two new dragons; it was only half of the original dragon! Kia made a disgusted face. "Ugh…that's really…really gross!" She spat as she jumped up to her feet again, looking around for the other half (shudder) of the dragon. Her jaw dropped. It was right behind Ranka and Aoi.
"Look out!" She called out, unleashing a small bolt of lighting that struck the dragon in the eye, sending it falling back. Kia did her best to run through the snow to reach them as the other half of the dragon slammed into the snow behind her, kicking up snow that obscured her vision temporarily. Luckily for them, apparently only attacking with one half of your body was very hard to do. She reached the Japanese Shinma just as the dragon was still trying to push itself up onto its one leg with its one arm. "Listen, it might be better if you two get out of here." Kia panted when she was within an ear's shot of them. "I can get rid of these things, but it requires a lot of power and you two might get caught up in it. And don't look at that way, Aoi. You can fight a Western Shinma later, just let me do this. Can you imagine what will happen if those things get loose in the Realm?"
"Very well." Was Rank's calm answer. "Just be careful, Kia. And I know your kind. Even when you say you're going to keep it clean, you and your friends always end up leaving a smoking crater or three in the ground somewhere." She finished the last part with an amused smile. Kia laughed nervously, scratching at the back of her head. It was true, actually. With a nod, Ranka and Aoi stepped through newly created Gates and disappeared. Kia hardened her features and stomach and turned back to Spartoi.
The two halves of the dragon had returned to him, standing on either side of their master. Spartoi was looking quite cocky with a look on his face that plainly said "Well, that little stunt you did didn't help before, so what are you going to do now?" Kia knew, though, what she had to do. She really did not want to, she was tired enough as it was, but it had to be done.
"I'm waiting, Chinese Shinma." Spartoi called to her. He was still clutching at the wound at his side, blood soaking his clothing and beginning to touch the white snow, but he still looked prepared for anything she was going to throw at him. Something told Kia that he was not ready for what she really was about to release on him.
Kia sheathed her sword, a movement alone that seemed to take the Western Shinma by surprise. If that threw him off, then he would not be ready for the next thing, but it had to be done. Taking a deep breath, she raised her arms into the air. "O great God of thunder, lend me thy power. Behold thy shining feathers and thy glorious wing. It is thou, ruler of lightning and tyrant of the storm, whose wings darken the skies and blinking of thy fierce eye that brings the lightning and voice that calls the thunder, are my true master. Touch me with thy talons of heaven and allow me to channel thy power! Gryphon Wing!"
Thunder roared and the sky writhed as lightning lanced down on them, raining down on them from every direction to a common point, just behind Kia. The lightning took the shape of an animal, rearing, growing; Spartoi could make out the head of an eagle with protruding ears and sharp talons, but the back was that of some type of cat, complete with powerful hindquarters and lashing tail. Great wings unfolded from its back and when it opened its beak, thunder growled from within. It was a gryphon, a real gryphon, and so large that it could step on his dragon as if it were no more than an insect. The whole creature glowed a brilliant bright blue, but Kia was surrounded in a deep purple aura, the same as the gryphon's eyes. Then she moved her hand, pointing to towards the frightened Western Shinma and the dragons.
With a bellow that made all other thunder sound like a whisper, the gryphon pushed itself onto its hind legs, standing up taller, then dove. It crashed into the ground, making the dragons evaporated at the touch into nothingness. Spartoi closed his eyes, waiting for something to happen; to fall, to be filled with a terrible pain, to die…
Nothing happened.
In fact, the world was completely silent with only the sounds of the howling snowstorm to be heard. Spartoi waiting still. And waited. Kia stood opposite of him, poised, just as she was. Neither one of them moved, but as the long moments dragged by Kia's face slowly slid into one of confusion and utmost embarrassment. Apparently what ever it was the was supposed to happen did not. Spartoi began to laugh loudly. "Is that it? Is that the best you could pos…"
The ground began to tremble, to quake, gently at first but then growing more and more violent until neither Shinma could seem to keep their footing under them. The ice that covered the ground began to groan loudly, but the groan grew into a roar before the ice and ground broke. Large chunks of ice jetted up from the ground all around them , showering them with snow and dirt as they rose into the air. Not only that, but the ground itself began to rock then bucked wildly before it split open with a sound that sounded like cracking bones. The earth below their feet had opened up into gaping caverns fifty feet down, ending with jagged pieces of rock and ice. Kia lost her footing and hit the ice with a hard thud and began to slide down a slope into the cavern at a frightening speed. Just before she fell she kicked out her legs and caught herself by digging her claws into the rocky ice, stopping her descent.
"Oh man…oh, ma-a-an…" She grumbled to herself as she tried to pull herself back up. She knew that she should have not done that. It was all because she had been tired when she did that move. If she had all her energy then she would have had better control over it, but this was no time to think about where she went wrong. She had to see if Spartoi was all right.
With a grunt she pulled herself out of the ditch that she had fallen into and quickly scanned the landscape for the Western Shinma. The most violent of the shaking had stopped, but the earth was still moving, ice still being pushed up and the caverns deepening. She spotted him immediately. He had been knocked down as well, trying hard to keep himself up by holding onto a chunk of ice for dear life. Just below him was one of the gaping holes. Kia gritted her teeth and pulled herself up and, tripping slightly and slipping here and there from the ice, ran over to him.
Spartoi knew he was in trouble. The canyon below him was so deep that blackness obscured his vision before he could see the bottom, but he did not want to think about what he would land on if he were to fall. Right now it seemed as if he had a good hold on the rock he was clinging to, but it was made of ice and it was giving. It had become slick between his fingers, making his grip slacken. He had been trying to climb up the side of the slope, but it too was made of ice and was too slick to provide for much of a foothold. He had to pull himself up out of the hole, or else it was just a matter of time before…
From up above there was a shower of snow and someone fell beside him, rushing past him on the ice, and finally falling below him. It was the bird-girl, who had apparently been running but had slipped on a patch of ice and slipped. She cried out as she fell and Spartoi's head jerked back as she caught onto his cloak. The fabric tore, echoing off the walls of the ice canyon, and she fell a little further before she caught hold of his boots and stayed there.
"A fine mess." He called down to her. "This is all your fault you know. You and that stupid gryphon…" He paused for a moment, thinking. "What are you doing down there, anyway?"
"Believe me, that was not supposed to happen, and I was going to help you but I…slipped."
"Not cut out for ice are you?"
"Shut up!" Kia snapped up and with a quick movement climbed down up Spartoi's back, sharp claws racking against his skin.
"Hey!" He called up to her as she disappeared over the ledge. "That hurt!" There was no answer. Spartoi frowned. He should have known…she was just going to let him hang there and fall when his support gave out. Just what he expected from them…Perhaps that was why he was so surprised when he saw her head poke out at him from over the ledge again, and then extended her hand down to him. "You…" He was cut off when the block of ice he was hanging to cracked and broke away, causing him to fall a little before he found another one to hold onto.
"Are you going to grab my hand or not?" She called down. "Hurry up, I'll pull you out!"
The ice under his fingers groaned again, but he peered up at her suspiciously. "How do I know that you're not going to let me drop?"
Irritation crossed her face. "You're just going to have to trust me!" Still, he hesitated. Kia gritted her teeth. "Fine, if you're going to be that way…"
Her image shimmered and then changed. Spartoi blinked. He was no longer looking at a Chinese Shinma. Now he was looking at a human girl. Kia's wings, the markings on her face and hard, slit-pupil yellow eyes, scaly skin and long black claws were all gone. Black eyes and smooth skin had replaced them all. "There! Now will you grab my hand now that I look like this?" Spartoi tightened his jaw, reached up, and grabbed her outstretched hand.
Straining hard, Kia dug her heels into the snow, clasping at the Western Shinma's arm with both of her hands, and with all her strength, made an effort to pull him up. "Come on, big guy, you've got to help me here!" She said, her voice tight. Spartoi grabbed onto her arms too, doing his best to climb up the slopes of the ice as she pulled. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, he crested the edge and flew forward as his feet hit stable ground, falling next to Kia on the ground, breathing hard.
For several moments neither of them spoke as they struggled to catch their breath. It was Kia who spoke first. "Well, I'll certainly be feeling that tomorrow."
"Why did you do it?" Spartoi asked, pushing himself to his elbows. Kia was laying on her back, her arms crossed over her eyes. She still was in her human form.
"Do what?"
"Save me."
"Oh…I don't know. I couldn't let you fall, now, could I?" She removed her arms and gave him an evil half-grin. "Now it's my turn to ask a question. Why did you not grab my hand until I looked like this?"
"Oh…I, uh…that is…"
Kia laughed. "It's because of the whole appearance thing that keeps our Clans separated, that's why. When we first met, you immediately feared and hated us when you saw me and my friends. But when I look…normal…you trusted me. Could you tell what Clan I was from if you saw me like this when we first met?"
"Well…no."
"Do you see the point I'm trying to make then?"
Spartoi stayed quiet for a few moments, turning over everything that Kia had said. Then he answered, slowly, "It's what we look like that makes our Clans hate each other."
She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that's it. That, and a few other things, but that is one of the reasons." Spartoi smiled broadly. He looked proud of himself. Any other time Kia would have said that she would reward him with a treat, but she did not want to ruin this moment of peace. She did, however, sit up sharply when a mind-voice broke her thoughts.
Kia! Came a sharp voice inside her head. Something's happened! Get back here now!
Coming Yosh. Kia returned to her normal form and stood up. "Well, Spartoi, I can't say it hasn't been fun, because it hasn't. But I'm needed elsewhere, so, adieu." Kia turned to leave into the storm.
"Wait!" Spartoi called out. Kia stopped in her tracks. "This was supposed to be a battle to the death, and you had the upper hand. Why didn't you finish it?"
Kia still did not move, the wind blowing her dark hair in shimmering ripples. "Let's leave it at this." She said. "Under the first wave of attacks, you were the only one who thought it was unfair that Miyu was outnumbered. That earns some repent." Kia turned to look over her shoulder, and she smiled; it was not cold, it was not mocking; it was a real, friendly smile. "We shall combat again sometime soon, Western Shinma Spartoi." With that, the white snow washed over her and she was gone.
* * *
"Ah jeez, Yosh." Kia said, massaging her temples. "From the way you made it sound, I thought you guys were like in some mortal peril or something."
"Well, not mortal, but it's almost as important." Yoshi said quickly. He sounded like as if he was in a very good mood. "Miyu's awake! Mori sent a messenger just a little while ago!"
Kia's head snapped up. "Really? Are you serious? Are we allowed to see her?" Her brother nodded excitedly. "Well then, let's go!" The eight Chinese Shinma, the two Avians, three Felins, and the three Wolfins disappeared into the trees, heading towards the Fifth Layer.
* * *
"Miyu!" Kia and Tacha ran towards her, and Kia embraced Miyu tightly against her breast. "I'm so glad you're all right! We weren't sure if you had lived or not!"
"I can't breath…" Miyu's voice was muffled against Kia's chest. Kia's embrace loosened with a mummered apology, allowing Miyu to step back.
It was Tacha's turn for a hug, but she stepped away sooner, keeping her black paw-like hands on Miyu's shoulders. "The Elders wouldn't let us follow them into the Fifth Layer until after Yui had restored you, and things got so bad for a while we weren't sure if you pulled through or not." She sighed, then smiled her bright, broad smile. The light that filtered in through the trees reflected off a few small tears that brimmed the Felin's eyes. "I'm just so glad to see you're all right!"
"That's a new look for you, isn't it?" Ryuko asked, taking her new clothing. "Looking pretty sharp!"
"Oh, this," Miyu looked over her attire as if it were the first time she had really looked at it closely. "One of the past vampires wore it for a while. It's all I have until I can get a new yukata or something."
"I can probably repair it for you." Ryuko offered. "Out of all our years in high school, Yosh and I are the only ones who have ever taken a Home Living course. Yoshi will probably just end up sewing it to his own fingers, anyway."
"It's sad that you can sew better than the girls!" Yoshi sneered.
"It's sad that the girls can't even sew at all!" Ryuko retorted.
Tacha put a hand on Miyu's shoulder again. There was a look of seriousness in her deep green eyes. "How are you holding up? With this whole Western Shinma and… well, the…"
"Betrayal?" Kia said suddenly, her voice having a razor-sharp edge to it. Tacha gave her a look that could have stopped a charging elephant in its tracks, but Miyu only shook her head.
"Don't worry. I'm doing just fine right now. I mean, it's not like I'm lonely or anything. I have all of you and Mori and her children, not to mention I had a feeling situations would come down to this one day. I've always known that that the Western Shinma had a problem with Larva staying with me, so it was just a matter of time before…" she was unable to finish her sentence, and just buried her face in her hands before any of them could see the tears. "Oh, God!" Miyu cried. "I hate them! I hate all of them!"
Tacha held Miyu again, allowing the smaller girl to cry out in ragged sobs against her bosom. Kia hugged Miyu too so she was being held in between the two Chinese Shinma women. Ryuko and Yoshi's bickering came to a clean halt, and all three men looked solemnly at the ground, ears drooping. Miyu was softly chanting through her sobs, "I hate them, I hate them, I hate them! I wish they were all dead, every last one of them!"
"I know, honey, I know." Tacha said soothingly, stroking Miyu's hair. "You have every right to after what they did to you."
"What did I do?" She moaned. "What the hell did I do to make them hate me so much? They acted like I did it on purpose!"
"They just don't understand." Yoto's grave voice actually had a gentle tone intermingled in it. "Out of all three Shinma Clans, the Westerns have always had the hardest time seeing that we're all the same. For them, it's our names that keeps us isolated from each other."
"Larva was one of the very few who was able to see past that." From once since they had first met, Yoshi sounded serious.
Kia pulled back from the group hug. Miyu's sobs had now lost their strength. "Miyu, Larva cared about you too much to suddenly turn on you like that. We could see it in his eyes. They did something to him. They had to have."
"What do you think it was?" Tacha asked.
"I'm not too sure, but I think it could have been Bleeding Amnesia."
There was a faint gasp among the Chinese Shinma, their eyes widening. "If it is," Ryuko said. "We have to call them on it. Honor is one of the most important things to a Shinma, and if we call dishonor, than we may be able to snap some sense back into them."
Kia nodded. "Right. Ryuko, you'll have to help me on that. You know more on Puppetering than I do."
"When can we get to the ship? We need Mori's permission or we can get into big trouble."
"Actually," Miyu said, wiping the last of the tear stains from her face. "Mioshi, Okkoto and I were going to do a surprise attack on the ship. Cait Sith was after something that Mori was supposed to be guarding, and when she tried to get it back from him, he attacked and wounded her. She fears that the wound will eventually kill her, and we were going to seek our revenge."
"Perfect." Ryuko sneered.
"Cait Sith…" Kia hissed. "That is one man who I think does not have to be spared. He means trouble, and I mean big trouble. Better to do away with him as soon as possible."
CAIT SITH…A LITTLE WELP WITH VIOLET HAIR AND DARK SKIN? The group of Shinma turned to see Mioshi and Okkoto step out of the shadows of the forest, their snowy white fur standing out starkly in the darkness.
"That's him." Miyu said. "Why?"
THAT'S THE ONE THAT INJURED MOTHER. IT IS HE WHOSE BONES WE MUST CRUNCH FOR A SUITABLE REVENGE. WOLFSISTER, WILL YOU GO TO THE SHIP OF THE WESTERN SHINMA WITH US AND EXCHANGE HIS BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD THAT MOTHER LOST?
"So in other words you want her to go the Westerner's ship and kick Cait Sith's scrawny little ass for what he did to Mori?" Tacha said. "Are you sure it's all right for her to go alone?"
"I can do it." Miyu said, and everyone gave her a surprised look. "I want to do it, despite of the resent events."
NO ONE HAS EVER MADE A FOOL OF THE ELDERS AND HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT. Okkoto growled. THEY WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS. WE NEVER EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO FIGHT BACK WHEN KINAMI FELL.
"They do have a point." Miyu said. "I would like to taste his blood as well. Will you guys join us for what they did to you in the first offense."
Yoshi grinned his wide, goofy grin, but this one had a coat of ice over it. "I think so too. It's time to open up a can of whoop-ass on their…" He paused, the "I screwed up look" appearing on his face. "Butts."
* * *
Larva stood in the shadows silently, watching and listening to the entire conversation. The Chinese Shinma were back with Miyu and were now planning an attack against the ship. But not against all of them…against Cait Sith. But why him? He had thought that it would have been against himself for what he did to them, but this seemed to be much worse. That meant that there was definitely something up with the Quarl, and it was nothing good.
But there was something else about the conversation that was even more unsettling that the news of the attack. When he saw Miyu break down like that, into tears in front of these people that she had just met a little while ago, it stirred something in him that he did not know existed for the vampire. Sympathy, and a deep feeling of guilt. There was also something else, a brief flash of pain and sorrow through his mind that he had never known to exist. Was it because of her? Was it for her? He did not know.
There were more important matters to deal with now. Keeping to the shadows, Larva turned back and headed in the direction of the Ghost Ship to warn the others.
To Be Continued…