Wednesday, April 14, 2004

   Past Collides with Present: Chapter 9
Wow! I've had over sixty visits to my site. Thanks, minna-san! With no further delay, here's chapter nine.

Chapter 9: Return Home

Kurama swooped down through the tall pines and landed on the forest floor just a few yards away from his old den. He was cursing himself repeatedly for getting himself and his mother into such a royal mess. The cloud thingy was fast, but it also took a whole lot of energy to use. By the time he got back to the fortress, he would be almost useless in a fight.

Snow was beginning to fall in little flurries, but Kurama wasn't bothered by it. He had lived with this cold for hundreds of years. He walked forward slowly, hand outstretched, sending some of his energy out through it.

The death tree he had planted there nearly a century ago leaned toward him, then, apparently recognizing him, returned to its original position. Kurama breathed a sigh of relief as he jumped into the hole at the base of the death tree's trunk. He had been slightly afraid that the tree wouldn't recognize him in his human form. He had planted it on top of the entrance to his den so that no one would have the opportunity to steal from the thief. That was assuming that anyone found out where he lived, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The inside of Kurama's den was pitch black except for the light filtering through the entrance hole. Kurama sent energy out again, activating the bioluminescent plants that grew along the walls. The large underground room brightened slowly, providing Kurama with his first view of his old home in over fifteen years.

/Dang, this place has almost fallen apart./ The light plants had seriously overgrown, nearly completely covering the earthen walls. The roots of the death tree above had poked through the ceiling and continued growing down into the floor. Rain had obviously begun to leak in, for as Kurama pushed away the light plants, he could see that most of the priceless decorations he had hung on the walls (weapons, tapestries, even a painting) were rusted, water-stained, and ruined. The intricately woven silk rug that he had stolen almost a hundred years ago was also water- stained, and it had several holes where roots had grown through it.

Kurama shook his head. There was nothing he could do about these items, and he didn't care about them anymore, anyway. He threaded his way through the roots to the opposite wall and punched it. The earth fell away, revealing a tunnel that led deeper into the earth. Kurama took one of the light plants off the wall beside it and started down. He had never allowed any plants to grow down here. This was where he kept the most precious of the items he had stolen. He had taken many measures to make sure these items didn't get ruined.

Kurama reached the end of the tunnel and lifted the light plant high. The room that was revealed in its soft light was three times as big as the first room and filled with valuable objects. Kurama noted with satisfaction that nothing seemed to be ruined. He walked through the room until he found what he was looking for. Slowly, he lifted the bow and quiver of arrows from its pedestal.

/If only I had known what would come of taking these,/ he thought. Well, it was far too late now. No one could predict the future. If someone had told him on the day he stole these that he would one day become human and that the owner of these weapons would seek revenge on him by kidnapping his mother, he would have laughed in that person's face.

Kurama stood for a minute, wondering whether he should stay here for a while and regain some of his energy. He decided against it. Puso and Kage might begin to believe that he wasn't coming back. Then they would kill his mother. Kurama turned ran up the tunnel. He kept running, pushing the roots of the death tree out of his way, not stopping until he was outside. The snow was coming down heavy now, but the cloud thingy was still waiting patiently where he had left it. Kurama jumped on and flew upward, praying that he hadn't taken too long.

* * *

Kurama arrived at the fortress over an hour later, wanting nothing more than to take a nap and wake up to find that the recent events had been a dream. "Well, well," Kage said as Kurama walked back into the entrance hall. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back. You've been gone three hours, you know."

Kurama ignored him, marched over to Puso, and threw the weapons at his feet. He didn't dare look at his mother.

"Thank you," Puso said with a smile. He picked up the bow. "Still looks good as new," he commented, looking at it with admiration.

"Let her go," Kurama said.

"Oh, no problem, Kurama," Puso said. "However-"

"I want your life, first," Kage finished.

Kurama finally dared to look at Shiori. She was looking back at him, and the fear and disgust on her bruised face was more than Kurama could bear. "Bullcrap," he said, turning his attention back to his opponents. "You'll let her go first. I don't trust you any farther than I can throw you." He knew he couldn't live without his mother's love, so he might as well let these two kill him now. Especially if it meant Shiori's freedom.

The demons laughed. "Whatever you say, Kurama." Kage seemed to take pleasure from saying Kurama's name in front of his mother. "However, you'll relieve yourself of your weapon first."

Kurama obligingly pulled his rose out of his hair and threw it at Kage's feet. Kage kicked it into a corner and walked over to Shiori. Pulling her roughly to her feet, he drew his katana and cut the ropes binding her wrists. She brought her arms around slowly and began to rub her wrists. Kage pushed her roughly toward the doors. "Get lost," he said.

Shiori stumbled, then walked slowly to the doors. Pausing there, she turned around and looked back at Kurama.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Kurama yelled at her.

Shiori jumped, pushed the doors opened, and hurried out, leaving the doors partially open behind her.

Kurama turned back toward the demons and dropped to his knees. "You've had your sick fun," he growled as tears formed in his eyes. "Now just get this over with."

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