Vampire Princess Miyu Fan Fiction ❯ When Friends are True-A Vampire Miyu Saga ❯ For Reasons Unknown ( Chapter 19 )

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

Chapter Nineteen
For Reasons Untold
When Pazusu and the other Western Shinma awoke the next morning, they all immediately knew that they were completely surrounded. But when they opened their eyes and looked around the misty, gray Japanese coast, there was no one else to be seen. Yet, they were out there.
The morning itself was less than pleasant. Luckily, it had not snowed - it did not even rain - but it was still cold and the fog that had rolled in from the ocean had left them all soaked to the bone. The dew was well past sprinkled and had drenched everything in site. In fact, Pazusu would not have been surprised if it really had rained. The sky was an endless sheet of solid gray that seemed to absorb all other color from the world. On top of that, he was feeling as stiff as the rocks they had to sleep on that night, and he was sure that everyone else was feeling the same. This was horrible. They could not stay like this forever. Eventually the Japanese Shinma would learn of their present condition and report it back to Mori and the other Elders; if they did not kill them first. There were probably a lot of Shinma out there who felt as if they had a score to settle with them. Mori's children, for example. It was not a pleasant thought. But Pazusu knew that he had to do something; they could not just stay there. Even if it came down to it, he would have to do the impossible; find some way to contact Mori and the Chinese Shinma without having to venture to the lower Layers and ask for help.
"Master Pazusu, out of all due respect, are you crazy?" Amy asked, his jaw hanging open as if it had come unhinged. "Ask for their help? If you don't remember correctly, they tried to kill us not more than a few days ago! Hell, they tried to kill us last night, if they had been given the chance to!"
"Then if you have a different solution, I would be more than happy to hear it." Pazusu's voice was calm; it was in that tone that they all knew it was the wrong time to cross him. "Remember, we are greatly unwanted here. Chances are that they'll be more than happy to get us out of here."
"Good point." Night Gia agreed. "But I have a question that some of us are obviously in the dark as to of; why can't we go back to our ship, Master Pazusu?"
"Because it has been tainted." Came the simple answer. "By an evil that has thought to have been long dead."
"Would this have anything to do with Cait Sith?" Lemunia asked. For some reason, it sounded as if he might have already known the answer.
"It has everything to do with Cait Sith. But everything that is happening now would have never have happened if we never came here."
"But why us?" Carlua asked. "What did we do?"
"We were hoping you would know the answer to that question."
The Western Shinma looked up and nearly cried out in alarm. When they had awoken up that morning, they felt as if they were surrounded by an unknown group of persons. Now those unknown persons had appeared, so silently and so swiftly it was as if they had grown right up from the ground. It was as if they were shadows themselves; no one heard them coming or sensed any sort of fiber of their entire being. It was almost as if they were shadows themselves, and from the way they were dressed, it would have not been surprising. There were perhaps thirty of them standing around the Western Shinma in a tight circle, each one dressed in black so only their hard tilted eyes showed. They were blocking any possible means of escape, but something told Pazusu that even if they did run, they would not last long against these Shinma. There was something about them that set them apart from most other warriors, something Pazusu knew that he knew at one time, a name at the tip of his tongue that he could not quite say.
Immediately all the Western Shinma got the impression that it would not be wise to trip these people off, so they all remained silent as their Master did the speaking. "Who is it that wants to know?" He asked the warriors. "And, if I may ask, who are all you?"
"We are the Shadow Eyes, the eyes and ears of the Japanese Realm, under the direct order of the Elder of the fifth Layer, Mori. She has requested your presence with the current issue of the Quarls. I suggest that you come without struggle, or we will have no choice but to take you by force. And believe me, Western Shinma, there are quite a few of us here who would be more than grateful to take you that way." Behind him, a few of the Western Shinma shuffled their feet.
Shadow Eyes. Of course. Pazusu knew them well. They were the classical Japanese Ninja Clan, both men and women, warriors trained in the night to move beyond stealth and shame the shadows in which were traveled. While the Samurai were trained in weapons and for battle, the Shadow Eyes moved across the entire Realm and relayed any information that may have crossed their path back to the lower Layers. That was probably why the Western Shinma had a hard time doing anything of their own agenda while they were here. Shadows Eyes were seen only when they wanted to be seen, even in broad daylight, and when they wanted to keep their cover it was impossible to tell where they were watching from or even how many there were in an area. Pazusu also knew how dangerous they were in what the Orientals called the martial-arts, deadly hand-to-hand combat skills where the strike of an open palm could bring death and any physical object could be transformed into a weapon. To try to defeat a single Shadow Eye was foolish, and to think that one could was just plain stupid. Although he could only see the few score who had presented themselves, there could be dozens more watching from the surrounding trees. It was best that they obeyed the requests of the Elder.
So Mori knew of what was happening. That meant that the object that Miyu had retrieved from their ship the night before, the one that she ambushed them for and attacked Cait Sith head-on, could only be the sacred seal that Kyuko used to imprison Caial. And Mori also must have known that by destroying that same seal before the statue could reverse the effects and bring her back. But if she knew that, then what did she want with them?
"Very well. We will go, and without a fight."
For some reason, the leader of the Shadow Eyes looked disappointed that they had agreed to come so easily, but he said nothing. "Follow us, Western Shinma. We will escort you to the Fifth Layer." There was a tone of bitterness in his voice as he said they would be escorted. "And stay close. Like I said, there are a lot of Shinma out there who desire your heads. You have done quite a bit of damage to our lands, and that is not easily forgiven. Follow us."
Pazusu turned and nodded to the rest of his comrades. All of them were looking pale and frightened and unwilling to move. "We should do as they say." He told them "And do as they say. I have seen them kill before. I doubt that the souls of those slain by them even know that they're dead." The others swallowed hard, but nonetheless nodded in agreement. But when Pazusu turned back around, all of the Shadow Eyes were gone. He blinked, wondering if he had seen right. If it were possible, this Realm seemed to grow even more eerie by the minute.
A voice called to them from the grove of trees that soon became the black forest of the land. "Western Shinma. This way. Stray from the path and you will be picked up faster by other means before we even know you are gone." He turned his back and vanished immediately into the shadows with the small party of Western Shinma not too far behind him.
The hike towards the lower Layers was unlike anything that the Western Shinma were used to, but, then again, it would have been unusual to say that anyone was used to or familiar with walking such a grueling trail. The Shadow Eyes seemed to have no problem with it. Yet, then again, they were born in this country and there was no arguing that they were obviously stronger than the Western Shinma that followed behind them, sweating in spite the cold in the air. The only one who seemed to be experiencing the least bit of difficulty was Spartoi, being the only real trained soldier, while the others had training that only got as intense as the exercises that the Japanese Shinma would do as children. In truth, Pazusu thought glumly as he tried hard to not pull at the collar of his cloak, it was really pathetic.
The only thing that could mark the passage of time was the sun that slowly crawled higher into the sky, but it did nothing to ward off the cold or bring light to the dark forest. The woods themselves were completely still and silent. It was easy to forget that they were surrounded by scores of ninjas. Even the few that walked before them would sometimes vanish like smoke, leaving the Western Shinma at a standstill until they were beckoned harshly to pick up the pace. Their cloaks did little to help, often getting snared on the thorny bramble that reached for them from the sides of the narrow path. Sometimes they had to squeeze in between trees, turning sideways to ease themselves through. No one complained, but it was a painful effort to keep from saying a word.
It was past noon when the first words spoken since their journey for the coast line, and were not really words at all. It was a scream of surprise from the back of the line that made everyone else halt as their blood ran cold.
Night Gia and Amy were both white as sheets, their eyes wide and jaws clamped tightly shut as they pushed themselves up against the trunks of the massive trees, trying desperately to try to back away from whatever it was that had scared them. "What is the hold up?" The Shadow Eye who had been leading them asked bitterly as he looked over his shoulder, his hooded eyes narrowing dangerously. Another Shadow Eye melted out of the shadows from behind Night Gia and Amy, appearing so suddenly that they screamed again and fell away opposite sides. This one was smaller than the leader and sported some shapely curves, suggesting that it was female. She frowned (or Pazusu assumed) at the two fallen Western Shinma, but then began to laugh.
"That?" She asked. "You're afraid of him?" Even coming from the enemy, the sound of her laughing did something to relieve the stress that had clung to the group. Curious, Lemunia, Carlua and Water Lipper turned back to see what all the commotion was about. Pazusu stood back and watched as their faces fell to a mixture of confusion and amusement.
"What is it?" Lemunia asked.
"It looks like a toy!" Carlua responded. That did it. Pazusu sighed and also turned to see what was so interesting, Spartoi close at his heels.
To his surprise, Carlua was right. The small - creature, if that was the right word - did in fact look like a child's toy. It was completely white with a hue of foliage green, the body simple with two stumpy legs and arms, looking like a small doll. The head was much too large for the body and oddly shaped, like a lump of bread dough, with three spots facing them, all a darker shade of green, looking a little like a face. The creature itself looked like something that Carlua had drawn for Pazusu when she was a toddler, but it still something he had never seen before.
"Stay away from it, Master Pazusu!" Amy shouted, trying to pick himself up from where he had landed while still trying to keep his distance. "It's a demon! A Japanese monster!"
The female Shadow Eye looked over her shoulder, her brows knitted together. "How dare you! It's not a monster!" She snapped.
"Then…what is it?"
"It's a Kodoma." She answered, her eyes sparkling as she smiled behind her shawl. "He's a tree spirit that bring good luck. They're very common in the Japanese forests. It means that the land is healthy." As if responding, the tiny creature suddenly turned its head clock-wise with small clicking sounds, held it there for a second then let it swing back to its original place with a tinkling clicking noise, like a wooden bell. Carlua smiled.
"How cute!" She said.
"Cute? It's not cute!" Amy continued to howl. "Nothing that can turn its head like that is good! It's just not natural!" The Kodoma did not seem to mind him. It only clicked its head again, then stood up and disappeared. Amy screamed. "Where did it go?" More clicking surrounded them, and as the Western Shinma looked up around the branches they saw more Kodoma surrounding them, standing among the branches of the trees and the rocky ledges of the surrounding cliffs and boulders.
"So many at one time after their disappearance." Came a new voice. Another Shadow Eye emerged from the Shadows, standing next to the female ninja. He sounded like a young man, and there was a hint of gloating in his pale eyes as he looked at their occidental guests. "The Kodoma are also a sort of safety system to the Shinma that live here. When you first arrived, they all disappeared. But now they're back with vengeance. That means that they're telling the land that they have nothing to fear from our foreign visitors." That last comment seemed to be the final blow towards Amy. His face grew so red that it clashed terribly with his green hair.
"Is that so?" Pazusu asked calmly.
"Afraid so." The woman said. She then reached up and unwrapped the veil from her head, the black scarf wrapped around her shoulders. She was a pretty woman, her skin pale and her black hair shiny. However, the horns growing from just before her ears and the sharp v-mark down her forehead made the Western Shinma look twice. "Guess that means we don't need there anymore if we had nothing to worry about."
"Don't unveil yet, Mashu." The older Shadow Eye said. "They are still our enemies."
"Of Janpei, will you lighten up." Mashu retorted. "They are hardly our enemies any more. Do you think that they will try anything under our watch? Besides, if the Kodoma aren't frightened, then it would be foolish for us to be. And…" She walked to the front of the line to join the leader, but as she passed Spartoi she placed a finger under his chin, looking sensually into his eyes. "They're kinda cute, too." She winked at him, running her tongue over her lips before disappearing into the shadows once again.
Janpei sighed, shaking his head, but left his veil in place. "Let us continue, Western Shinma." They followed obediently, some of them sulking more than before while a few looked to be in better spirits. Amy, Night Gia and Water Lipper all walked with their heads down while Carlua and Lemunia could not seem to keep their eyes off of the Kodoma that followed them, rattling their heads the whole time. Spartoi was grinning foolishly.
"She called me cute." He said to Pazusu. Amy looked like he was about to be violently ill.
"Forgive Mashu's behavior." Janpei said. He was suddenly at Pazusu's side, making the elder Western Shinma almost give a start. The way that these ninjas moved was really beginning to get to him. "She is young yet and has much to learn of our ways, but seeing someone here that most of our children have never seen before is a treat for them."
"I am sorry for the inconvenience of this." Pazusu said that before he ever had a chance to catch himself. He had just apologized to a Japanese Shinma. But it seemed almost as if he could speak to this Shinma on friendly terms. He then realized that not once that morning he had regarded these Japanese Shinma as his enemy.
"As long as you continue to follow our orders, there is nothing to forgive." Janpei answered. "But it is not me you should be speaking to on the subject. Save it for when you must speak to Mori and Miyu personally." Pazusu almost faltered a step.
Miyu. He had completely forgotten about her. He remembered her when they had encountered her first. She had been playful then, childish…But then the second encounter she had rotated a full one hundred eighty degrees, attacking their ship directly with a fierceness that was far from child's play. And that had been after they had nearly killed her. And with Mori on her side…suddenly the notion of having to speak with both of them was very unsettling.
The rest of the journey to the Fifth Layer was continued in silence, except for the swarms of Kodoma that followed them. Pazusu himself was even finding their presence comforting, but the pit of cold still remained tight in his stomach. The still was only broken by a sudden yelp from behind. When he turned the sound of laughter filled the air as well from the unseen Shadow Eyes. Lemunia was doing a sort of dance on the path, then grabbed the corner of his cloak and gave it a violent shake. To everyone's surprise, two or three Kodoma fell from the folds before they scurried back to join the rest of the forest spirits. Lemunia looked back up, very red in the face.
"I guess I should have warned you that they like to do that." Mashu said as she reappeared from the trees. "Why do you think we don't wear clothing like that?"
* * *
The sun was actually shining the next morning. It filtered through the canopy of the forest, casting oddly shaped gray-gold shadows on the ground. Larva watched the leaves above him dance in the wind as he slowly reentered the world of wakefulness. It took him a long time before he remembered where he was. He was in the Fifth Layer of the Japanese Shinma Realm, where the Chinese Shinma had brought him after he was shot by Kia's arrow. That bitch was going to pay. But why did they bring him here? Miyu. Miyu had saved his life. Wincing, he lifted a hand so he could touch the wound. It was still extremely tender, but whole and healed. What had she done? Whatever it had been, he felt obligated to thank her.
"How are you feeling?" The sudden sound startled him out of the half-daze he was in. He twisted his head around slightly to see Miyu sitting a few feet away from him.
"Better, I suppose." he said. "How long have you been sitting there? What happened?"
"I've been here all night." Miyu said. "Just... in case anything happened. Let's just say that Mori and her children were not too thrilled to see you here last night."
"Then why did they let you save me?" He asked weakly. She might have saved his life, but it was something about sitting so close to her that made him uneasy. Even if her efforts to protect him from the wolves was a touching gesture. "Is that…all you did."
Miyu winced; it was plain that the comment hit hard. She turned away from him. "If you mean anything along the lines of trying to steal your blood, then yes, that is all I did." Her voice was bitter, and the tone increased the unease all the more. A sudden urgent need came over him that he had to move. Gritting his teeth, Larva made the slow, pain effort of trying to push himself to his elbows. Miyu must have seen it out of the corner of her eyes because her head snapped back around, her golden eyes wide. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get up." He answered against the throb in his side. "I have to get back to the ship."
Miyu gathered her feet under her, looking like a cat ready to spring at a moment's notice. "Not in that condition, you're not!" She shot back.
"I'm fine." Larva breathed as his hand moved to clutch that the new scar. "Just let me go."
"No." Miyu's voice was firm. "Lay back down. You can still hurt yourself."
"I'm fine." The words were more sharply punctuated. He rose to his feet, his knees shaking so badly that the smallest disturbance could have caused them to buckle. "If your wolves don't want me here, then I might as well leave."
"Damn it, I said lay down! I don't care what they want! That wound will still break open!" Miyu nearly shouted, finally loosing patients with his stubbornness.
"Why?" He retorted without thinking. "I'm not under your control anymore." At those few words he immediately knew that he said the worst thing he could, but the damage was done. He looked over his shoulder at her and saw the hurt in her eyes, her jaw clamped tightly together and her face paler than a sheet. Tears brimmed her eyes but she looked away before they could fall. What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly so concerned about her feelings? The last time he came face-to-face with her he felt like killing her on the spot, to make her suffer for what she did to him… Do what to him? With a sigh and a wince of pain, he lay back down in the moss-covered soil as she had asked him to do. She still did not look at him, and he felt very ashamed and guilty for hurting her like that. For hurting her like that again.
"I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Not after what you did for me." He forced himself to look at her, but she was still turned away. The early morning sun glittered off a crystal bead that was rolling down her cheek. Without realizing what he was doing he reached up to her to wipe the tear away. "Oh, come now. Wolves don't cry." She, in return, tried to pull away from his fingers but he only reached further to grip her chin in his hand and make her look at him. Her eyes were still fierce through the tears. That look did not suit her. "Thank you." He said, and the fire disappeared, leaving a warm look and the faintest ghost of a smile. He brushed another stray tear away with his thumb.
A sob wielded dangerously in Miyu's throat, but she refused to let herself move or let to come to her lips. Although Larva had changed somehow, somehow learned that he hated her after all these years, she did not want to move as his thumb gently caressed the side of her face. It was not the usual way that he would comfort her. But it still was a form of comfort.
She did move, however, at the sounds of yawning and early-morning kinks being worked out of joints. The Chinese Shinma had finally come awake.
"Good morning, Miyu." Tacha greeted as she yawned.
Kia made a strange noise as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes, but apparently without much success. "Gah…it feels like I could sleep for another week…even Shinma need their rest. The sooner this is done with the…" She stopped talking as she that Larva too, was awake and alive. "You. So you lived. Good for you."
"You're praising me for living? Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." Larva responded weakly, not looking at the Chinese Shinma and not really caring at the same time.
"Damn straight you will." Ryuko said. He looked to be the only one out of the group in a foul mood. Grunting, he reached over and grabbed the corner of Yoto's cape and began to wipe furiously at a wet spot on his shoulder. Yoto turned around and looked quizingly at his younger cousin, who, under the bigger Chinese Shinma's gaze, timidly set the corner of the cloak back down again.
"Miyu, they're coming here." Yoto said solemnly.
"Who?"
"The Western Shinma, on Mori's order. She has to question her on…sit back down, Miyu. They'd be fools if they think they can harm you here, so you don't have to be afraid of that."
"I'm not afraid, and it would be stupid for anyone to think that I would be." Miyu muttered as she sat back down onto the moss. But there was something definitely bothering her. It's not that…just when I get some time with Larva to find out what they did to him, or maybe even try to bring his memories back of me, they always find some ways to screw it up. I wish they would just leave. But, with out those memories, Miyu knew that if they left, they would take Larva with them.
The shadows around them moved, stalking, and the huge Elder melded out of them, golden eyes glowing in the weak sunlight. For a moment, Mori did not seem to acknowledge them. Her sensitive nose was turned up into the air, as if she smelled something that they could not, listening at something that they could not hear. She was waiting for something, or rather, someone, and it did not take a lot of brainpower to know who.
As if reflecting the shadows that Mori had materialized from, the shadows of the forest opposite of them too began to move, as if parting for the figures that appeared from them. Several of them Miyu had never seen before, but they looked like the old ninjas that were popular in American "kung-fu" movies, only much more believable and much more deadly looking. The other Shinma with them made her blood run cold despite the fire that burned at her core. The Western Shinma, all of them; all except for Cait Sith, that is.
Mori skipped any and all forms of anything that resembled a welcome and cut straight to the chase. YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF WHY YOU HAVE BEEN SUMMONDED BEFORE ME. Her voice was flat and toneless, but had there been any feeling in it chances were that it would have sent some of the weaker-stomached Western Shinma run back the exact way they came. THERE IS SOMETHING EVIL LOOSE ON OUR SOIL, AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE LOT OF YOU THAT THEY ARE HERE. I SUPPOSE THAT THE CHILDREN HERE WILL NOT KNOW ANYTHING OF IT, BUT IF THERE IS ANYONE PRESENT WHO KNOWS ANYTHING OF IT, I DEMAND THAT YOU STEP FORWARD AND SPEAK EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.
"Your suspicions are true, Elder." Pazusu said as he took a cautious step forward. "The Quarls have returned, and it is not just the one that came with us. The statue of their Queen was stored away on our ship without our knowledge, which is why he took the dagger from your possession. However, he has disappeared and I have destroyed the statue."
The Elder's eyes narrowed dangerously. BUT THAT IS NOT THE END OF IT.
"Unfortunately, no. If Cait Sith - the son of Caial - gets a hold of that key again, he can still revive her, even though she is nothing more than pieces of stone right now. Is the dagger back with you?"
A snarl curled at Mori's jaws, her sharp teeth bared. Some of the Western Shinma took a step back. As did one or two of the younger Shadow Eyes. NO. IT HAS BEEN LOST AGAIN. Over near the Chinese Shinma, Miyu shifted uneasily. Even though Mori did not blame it on her, it was Miyu who had dropped the dagger, and that if she and the others did not go out and look for it soon, than it was only a matter of time before Cait Sith found it instead. And right about now, will all the Western Shinma present, it seemed like a great time to go look for it. But before she could move, the one flinch that followed Mori's words were enough to draw their unwanted attention to herself.
Some of the Western Shinma look afraid when they saw her. A few of them turned away, unable to look at her. But out of the seven that stood, only one of them was glaring at Miyu; Carlua, with a look of pure white-hot anger on her face. Miyu returned the look coolly, her face a mask of calm even though her eyes held strong. The Chinese Shinma knew what was coming; the tension had grown as thick as the inland fog of San Francisco in the middle of the summer. It was a look that chilled even them, and they knew that if Shinma of their standards could not look that golden glare in the eye, there was no way that this little whelp of a girl could.
However, Carlua did not back down. Especially not after she saw Larva laying close by. Then her features changed from anger to utmost horror. "You! What have you done to him?"
"Saved his life." Miyu's answer was short and bitter. I don't need this now.
"Liar!" Carlua snapped. "I know that you must have done something to take his blood back. You have enslaved him again, you filthy little half-breed!" This time Miyu did flinch as if she had been physically struck, and Carlua smirked under the blow. She was on a roll now. Not even Pazusu trying to restrain her, the furious looks of the Chinese Shinma, not even Mori standing close by was going to stop her. "A Shinma who carries human blood in their veins. How disgusting. If you can call yourself a Shinma at all that is. Oh wait, I forgot. You're not a Shinma. You're a vampire."
That was the final straw.
Cold fury swept across the fifth Layer like the winter wind, freezing and terrifying. Those words hurt Miyu more than she would allow it to show. But she stood still, hands clenched into painful fists, jaw clamped shut so tightly that her fangs dug into the inside of her lips.
A half-breed. A filthy, half-human Shinma.
No. Not Shinma.
Vampire.
But before she could do anything, say anything - before anyone had the chance to - Kia walked swiftly past Miyu, stalking straight towards Carlua, where she struck her once, hard, across the face.
"How…dare you…" The Avian hissed, her teeth bared. Anger surged through her body like waves of a violent ocean, and it actually too the efforts of both Ryuko and her brother to pull her back. Carlua stumbled back towards the Western Shinma, her hand coming up slowly to the angry red mark marred across her pale face. Even Pazusu was too shocked to say anything. "You selfish little bitch! How dare you say that!"
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Tacha yelled. She reached forward to touch Miyu on the shoulder, but Miyu disappeared from under her fingertips.
Mori swung her massive head around to glare at the Western Shinma, snarling: AND WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE OF MIYU KEEPING HIMA AGAINST HIS WILL? OR ARE YOU AFRAID THAT IT MIGHT BECAUSE THAT HE STAYED ON HIS OWN WILL? Protest sprang up like wildfire. "But why would he want to stay with that blood-sucking half-demon when he could have had a life of his own?"
"She put a spell on him; I saw it in the dream!"
"Why did she take him?"
SILENCE! Mori roared. The whole word shook violently in that one word; even the Chinese Shinma temporarily lost their footing as leaves rained down from the trees above. Yoshi even clasped his bony hands over his ears. WHY CAN YOU NOT SEE BEYOND THE STONE WALL IN FRONT OF YOUR FACES? SHE SAVES HIS LIFE AFTER YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM HER, MAKE HIM TURN ON HER, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER?
"She's right." Yoshi said. "You're all blind! It's understandable that you want him back. But if want him to be happy, as his friends and family, then you'll let him choose his own fate."
Tacha said: "We have not known Miyu for very long, but we do know of her past and where her pain comes from. Miyu was too young when she awoke as a vampire. and she lost all her friends and ended drinking her own mother's blood!" Ignoring the surprised looks of the Western Shinma she continued, fighting back the tears that threatened to form in her eyes. "He was the only one who was there for her when the rest of the world turned its back on her. Humans won't accept her for what she is, and most Shinma can't accept her since she grew up as a human! But that doesn't make her any more of a human than everyone standing her." By now she nearly yelling.
"Just what the hell did you think she was doing to him?" Kia asked. There was a pause. "Please, don't answer that!"
Kitsune's lip curled over her pointed canines. "I think you got it wrong, Tacha. They are more human than any of the rest of us. They certainly act like humans." Her words were stinging. Then she wrinkled her nose. "Smell like them, too."
There was a period of drawn-out silence. "Larva," Yoto said suddenly. "A new though had just dawned upon me. Have you ever told your comrades how Miyu was woken, and why you fell under her so-called spell?"
Larva winced; the pain in his side was still sharp and strong. Until then, he had pretended to act like they were not talking about his as if he was not there, but now he had a feeling that Mori and the Chinese Shinma knew that he knew at least that much. He also knew that it was time to finally tell the truth to the others; Miyu had suffered too much because of his mistakes. If he had told them earlier, than maybe none of this would have happened. He sighed, closing his eyes: "It was not her fault. I did it. It was my touch that awoke the vampire blood. I should have said something sooner and saved everyone the trouble." Silence followed, but Larva could feel the humiliation and shame radiating from the other Western Shinma, reflecting his own.
"Do you remember how it happened?" Yoto asked.
"She awoke - I awoke her - when I tried to kill her when I was here with Lemures."
"Why couldn't you kill her?" Yoto inquired again. he was relentless; this was the most he had talked since... since when? When did they meet the Chinese Shinma? Larva suddenly took knowledge of a small, hollow void in his mind, like a hole where something was removed.
There was a pause. "I... don't know."
"Do you remember anything that happened before you awoke back on the ship?" There was a sharp edge to his voice this time.
The void and frustration grew in Larva's mind. "Damn it, I don't know!" he said suddenly. Memories; that's what was removed. Sealed, blocked memories, thoughts and images that was just out of his reach. It felt as if something had been removed, and it was painful.
Kia looked at Carlua and Pazusu, the blood drained from their faces, making the red mark on the side of Carlua's face stand out even more, and gave them a smug look, rubbing in the acknowledgment of their mistake. "Now do you see why Puppeteering is so dangerous where we come from?" She said to the other Chinese Shinma. They all nodded curtly. The two Western Shinma only turned their backs and stalked off into the forest.
The silence dragged out longer, the Western Shinma only looking at the ground and occasionally shifting their feet while the Chinese Shinma looked on with silent satisfaction. Soon the Westerners also retreated into the trees. Tacha opened her mouth, but Mori cut her off. THE SHADOW EYES HAVE THE FIFTH LAYER BOUNDARIES GUARDED, BUT THEY ARE FREE TO WANDER THE AREA UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. AND DO NOT THINK THAT THE SHADOW EYES WILL NOT TEAR THEM APART IF… Her voice trailed as Mukashi appeared from the trees, being led by five Samurai, three male and two female. OH, MUKASHI. WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE? IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE FIFTH LAYER, AT LEAST NOT OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL.
I HAVE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE SENTINEL IS AWAKE, AND I WANTED TO SEE FOR MYSELF. He rumbled, his voice like a waterfall of boulders tumbling down a mountainside.
IT IS TRUE, BUT SHE IS HIDING AT THE MOMENT. THE WESTERN SHINMA HAVE UPSET HER AGAIN.
It felt as if Mukashi was about to answer, but his head suddenly craned up as if he was listening for something. THERE IS A DIFFERENT PRESENCE HERE. Mukashi said, and Larva suddenly felt cold. WHO IS IT?
IT IS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, MUKASHI. Mori said. EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL. Mukashi only lowered his head again, towards Larva. The ancient cracked tusks that sprouted from between his lips looked very lethal at that moment.
THIS SMELL…I'VE SMELT IT BEFORE. THERE IS MIYU'S BLOOD ON HIS SKIN. His headed arched lower. Larva squeezed his eyes shut and tensed every muscle, too weak to move otherwise, waiting for the ancient Elder to rip him apart.
"Stop!" Miyu cried as she jumped down from a tree branch overhead. She was there so suddenly that the Chinese Shinma gave a start. Yoshi screamed and jumped into Ryuko's arms.
"Don't do that!" he snapped. "When you go off to hide the point is to stay there for a while! We're gonna have to have to put a bell on you or something!" Ryuko rolled his eyes dropped Yoshi, who fell directly on his bottom with a small bounce.
"Lord Mukashi, don't hurt him, even for what he's done. I don't want him to die."
Larva opened his eyes to see Miyu standing between him and Mukashi. She's...defending me? After saving my life? After what I've done to her and what the others had said to her?
AH, SENTINEL. Mukashi said with a slight tone of satisfaction. I SEE THAT THE STORIES ARE TRUE, THEN. DO NOT WORRY. I WILL NOT HURT WHO EVER THE STRANGER IS. I MERELY WANT TO SMELL WHO IT IS.
Miyu gave a small start at that. Larva was only a few feet away, and Mukashi could not see who it was? She looked at his eyes. They were pale, the iris a light-blue gray, and a pale scar over each narrow eye. It was then she realized that he was blind, and she gasped a little. Miyu then only nodded and stepped aside. Mukashi moved closer to Larva, who raised his hand to the Elder's long snout, much to everyone's surprise. The Elder breathed in deeply, stirring the leaves that lay on the ground. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WOUNDED OUR SENTINEL.
"I would like to make it up to her and your Clan." Larva said weakly, causing another wave of shocked looks among the Chinese Shinma. Even Mori seemed surprised, or however surprised a wolf could manage to look; her ears rose up a little and she held a look in her eyes somewhere between smugness and complacency. They looked at Miyu, whose eyes were cast down to the ground. A feeling of confusion surrounded her. Instead of answering, she merely turned on her heel and also walked off into the dark grove of cedar trees so she could be alone with her own thoughts.
LEAVE. Mukashi said in a voice that was a hundred miles away from the slightest shade of kindness. SAVE HER THE PAIN THAT IS ALREADY RAKING HER SOUL, AND LEAVE. OR I WILL TEAR YOU APART IF I EVER SEE YOU OR ANY OTHER WESTERN SHINMA HERE AGAIN. MORI, CHINESE SHINMA, I BID THEE FAREWELL. He turned, very slowly, and left with the waiting Samurai, who had watched the whole scene silently from the shadows. The Chinese Shinma also finally took their leave, disappearing to who knew where.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR MIYU, Mori said. BUT YOU MUST FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS YOURSELF. YOU HAVE HALF OF THE ANSWER ALREADY. THE SECOND HALF WILL NOT BE SO EASY TO ACHIEVE.
Larva did not know how long he lay there, remaining completely motionless with his eyes shut tightly. The only thing he knew was that he did not want to open them in fear of immediately meeting the eyes of an Elder, standing just feet away from him, wanting to tear him apart. He was also well aware that they were probably all gone from this area of the Fifth Layer; it had been silent for as long as he had remained still.

Something soft touched his forehead, but the mere touch was enough to make him jump. His eyes involuntarily snapped open, but instead of seeing the horrifying faces of the Elders or the furious expressions of the Chinese Shinma, he found himself looking into Miyu's deep eyes. A small cloth was clenched in her hand, inches from his face. "I'm sorry." She said gently. "Did I wake you?" He could not answer, only shook his head shakily. Miyu placed the cloth back onto his forehead. It felt cool against his skin, much like her slender hands. "You're completely drenched. And you're shaking. Are you cold?" He again shook his head weakly. "Or are you afraid?" This time he looked up at her, and Miyu felt her heart soften when she saw the almost pleading look in his eyes. From all the years she had known him, she had never known him to be openly afraid of anything. It was the first time she had ever seen him truly frightened. She continued to wipe the sweat from his brow with tender care. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. Or to your friends. The Elders listen to me."
After a few moments of awkward silence, Larva finally found his voice again. "Why are doing this, after what we did to you? We invade your homeland and kill your people. You would have died from the wounds I inflicted on you had the Elders not shown up. And now you're saving my life and keeping the other Western Shinma from Mori's jaws? I don't understand."
Miyu laid the damp cloth aside a reached for a shallow clay bowl, dipping another cloth rag into it and laid it across Larva's forehead. It was damp with cold water that felt refreshing against his hot skin. "I truly don't understand it myself. Despite those reasons you gave me, I still feel as if I should make sure you and your friends stay alive. Maybe it's better if some reasons go unexplained. I do know that I can't let you die." Sadness flashed across her eyes and she adverted them quickly, sitting in silence before beginning to rise, taking the bowl and cloth with her. "Just stay here and relax. That wound is still prone to break with any sudden movements."
Before she could stand completely up, Larva reached out and caught her wrist. "Could you… stay here for a while? I don't feel afraid when you're near." Instead of feeling the grief that was gnawing at her for the last few days, a small, shy smile crept across Miyu's lips and she nodded lightly. She sank back to the ground next to him, still holding his hand. After some time it seemed as if he fell asleep, but a sudden gust of wind that blew through the complex maze of tree branches sounded remarkable like a distant wolf howl and his entire body tensed up in his sleep, his grip tightening around her fingers. Touched, Miyu carefully repositioned herself so his head was eventually resting on her lap. He relaxed almost immediately, and she could not stop herself from brushing his hair from his face. If the Western Shinma saw them like this they would throw a fit, Miyu thought. Miyu looked down at Larva again, sound asleep on her lap. She smiled again. Let them throw a fit. They have nothing to complain about since she was the only one keeping him and them alive. "Subconscious, uncertain I'm showered by the dust But the spirit enters into me and I… Submit… To trust…" (Peter Gabreil, The Rhythm of the Heat)

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To be continued…
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