Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Art by @alicezap https://www.deviantart.com/alicezap

Sanguine: 1. optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

2.Blood red

A sanguine or “blood” moon, the term “Hunters Moon” is used traditionally to refer to a full moon that appears during the month of October.

Warnings!

Dark themes, graphic descriptions, torture, death.

(A Bit of Happiness - Yuki Kajiura)

*Brrrring! Brrrring! Brrrring!*

Minako grumbles incoherently, the sound of something vibrating against wood along with the jingle of her ringtone disturbing her restful sleep, getting her frazzled along with her hair. This better be… important… Continuing to lie on her side, she reaches over with her free arm, patting the area she thinks her phone was last, and growing more frustrated as she keeps hitting the end table, finally her fingertips brush the buzzing disaster. Picking it up loosely and nearly dropping it on the bed, she huffs as she answers briskly, “Moshi moshi… Minako speaking…”

“Minako-san~! Oh my gosh, are you alright?” Blinking blearly and sitting up a bit more, she recognizes the feminine toned voice, with a cute and pretty unique quality she could never name or place.

“Hey Rikune-san! Uh… I’m really sorry about the building…”

“What? That doesn’t matter! I mean, it does but your health is much more important! Are you alright? I mean, you’re speaking to me, but still-” Giggling softly, the healing vigilante assuages her land lady’s panic,

“Don’t worry, I’m alive and still kicking! I’m just a little… laid up.”

“Goodness, I’d imagine so! Nobody would tell me anything because they didn’t know anything and-” Sweat dropping at the nervous chatter, Minako sighs and cuts in,

“Yeah, I’m in a private hospital, and I’m on strict bed rest but otherwise I’m doing alright.”

“I’m so glad~! I was so worried you might be too injured to say anything, and none of the docs would say anything to anyone not family and-” Biting her lip with a smile, she just let her kindly licensee release her pent up frustration, listening interestedly to the conversation and only nodding and humming or agreeing where she needed to, as she didn’t want to interrupt her obvious need for stress relief. She really tried to find me… Twirling her hair lightly as the drained senshi lay against the pillows, relaxing while Rikune-san completely exhausted her nervous energy. Sighing with some of the weight lifted off her shoulders, the concerned proprietress wonders lightly,

“I’m not sure how you got out of there, but I’m glad you did. Actually, all of my tenants got out… They said Sailor Venus warned them! How cool is that!” Grinning mischievously, Minako agrees heartily, all the while laughing within at the irony, it is one of my favorite things about being a senshi, besides the cute uniforms and being a hero, of course! Always having a super big, totally awesome secret to herself was fun, even if it could be a pain at times, like having to find a place to hide before transforming! Rolling from her side onto her back, she continues to curl her hair while her avid fan gushes about the story the talkative residents told her. A monster attacked, leveled the building, but Sailor Venus and a mysterious white haired man managed to save all the occupants.

The media, meanwhile, was trying to explain it all away as a gas line explosion, which Rikune-san assured her, was being fully exploited for insurance. They better if they’re going to use that as an excuse! There was no influence from the Sailor Guardians in the news to cover things up, it was the ‘rational’ public's way of protecting anyone not ready for these things, or the truth, I guess. It was understandable, not everyone was big fans of super powers, monsters from beyond the Milky Way, and the senshi being the only line of defense. They had a hard time believing the power we wielded back then, let alone now. It was a frightening thought, the seasoned warrioress knew; that there was someone, somewhere, stronger than you, and more than willing to do you harm. It will always be true, but we have to fight for this world, no matter how much pain we have to endure.

(Peace of Mind - Yuki Kajiura)

A buzzing in her phone interrupts her thoughts, making her flutter golden lashes before pulling it away from her ear to see who was interrupting her call. She was a bit startled that the nickname ‘The Parents’ lit up the screen, making her huff faintly before putting it back to her ear to cut their conversation short. “Hey, sorry to cut you off, my parents are calling. I’ll get back to you later, okay Rikune-san?”

“Oh! Yeah, of course! Now you take care, get all healed up so we can go out~! I haven’t had a girl’s night out in ages! And~ if you want, I can let you help me choose designs and even the embellishments for my new building~! They’re letting me pick everything!” Biting her lip nostalgically, because it had been a while since she’d done anything with girlfriends not a part of the senshi, but she knew… Your building was destroyed… because of me… and all those people… Saying her goodbyes, she hangs up the call to stare at her parent’s name glowing on the screen listlessly, debating if she should answer now or leave it till later.

“She only says those things to help you, although it would seem she doesn’t quite understand your personality.”

Lidding ocean waves, Minako sighs out her reservations before taking the plunge, after all, he was right about Ami-chan and the others. So she clicked the talk button and, holding it up to her ear, she gave her parents their usual greeting, “Hey mom…”

“Aino, Minako~! You are in so-o much trouble young lady!” Groaning to herself, she rolls doll eyes and opens her lips to snark back at her so-called ‘mother’ when she’s beaten to the punch. “We were so worried about you! There was no call from the hospital or any of your friends, and the news said your building was leveled, Minako. Leveled. We thought… we thought…” Cornflower irises widened as she felt her stomach drop, the genuine terror and spine tingling cracks in the voice over the phone had her swallowing thickly at her big mistake. She was actually worried about me… She felt even worse when her once legal guardian began sobbing while still berating her, “You are so-hic horrible! Don’t you ever-guh ahh! Huff, huff… do that to us again! Sniffle~ Do you hear me~! I will never forgive you-u!”

A lump forms in her throat when she hears her usually annoying parental figure crying hysterically, the phone quickly being taken by her father as his more calm, but still wavering tenor inquires, “Why were we never called? We’ve been… very worried, Minako.” She’s at a loss for words for a moment, mind turning yet no thoughts could be understood, and it’s only when her eyes catch the plants on her sweet savior’s balcony that she’s able to mumble out,

“I just woke up… and the docs wanted me to be able to recover in peace, so no one was told.” She hears her dad grumble about ‘privacy policies’ before he retorts,

“We’re your parents, I would think we could at least be informed.”

“I’ll have to talk to them, but I’m recovering good.”

“That’s something, at least. Could you at tell us where you are? We want to come see you.” She sighs before denying,

“They won’t be allowing any visitors for a few more days, a week at most, so you’ll waste a trip.” There’s a rush of air before he wonders,

“You’ll keep us updated as you get better?”

“I’ll try, but I’m already getting tired again talking to you guys.”

“Ahh… Sorry kiddo. We’ll let you rest and call us again when you’re better.” Sagging in relief that the call was finally over, she mumbles,

“Yeah, I will. Tell… uh... mom I love her. Bye dad.”

“I will. We love you dearly, you know, and were just very worried. So don’t take what mama said too hard, yeah?” That was a little difficult when, y’know, she was screaming at her. I just… forgot because she’s always so critical of me… I didn’t think that they’d… It was a little strange to realize how much everyone cared now, after years of knowing some of them. And being related to them too. Pouting from the sting of not only making the error in judgment, but also from being berated, she exhales through her nose while humming under her breath,

“’kay…”

“Get better soon, Minako.”

“I will.” Closing her cell to end the call, she feels all the energy she’d made up from sleep disappear, leaving her feeling more exhausted. So when the senshi’s communication watch goes off, she nearly groans in irritation as she flips it open, asking shortly,

“What’s wrong?”

(Moonsong - Adrian von Ziegler)

“Oh, uh, eh heh, nothing’s super wrong, Mina-P. It’s just… Artemis asked me to call you. But he said not to use my cell ‘cause you might not take it seriously.” Pursing her lips at the ceiling grumpily, Minako sighs wearily,

“I’m sorry Arty roped you into this…”

“Oh it’s no problem at all! I was a little worried too, you know? I… I care about you so-o much Mina-P, and with all that stuff on the news and you staying low…” She felt her heart twist a little, Usagi-chan not deserving any of her ire as she assures,

“I’m alright, just got a nasty wound from that creepy thing, but I can handle it on my own, so don’t worry your little head about it.” There’s a little hum of thought on the other end as her precious princess agrees,

“You are strong and can handle a lot. But I want you to know that you never have to. We’re here for you, whether we’re busy with work, other friends, or just getting by our daily routine, we’ll stop everything for you, Mina-P!” Usagi-chan… Smiling tenderly, the loyal soldier stares at her beautiful bun-head on the tiny screen while comforting her,

“Thank you, Usagi-chan. That… means a lot to me. But you don’t have to worry, I already had Ami-chan come help me… and chastise me like a little kid.” Minako grinned big from the peels of bell-like laughter that came from Usagi-chan, both knowing their Mercurian sister’s tendency to scold them like bad children. Well, at least she’s laughing about it. It’s when her giggles die down that her lips turn up beatifically, the queen she’s destined to become shining through as she adds,

“Ami-chan did mention the visit to us. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything, and also make sure you’d talk about this with us eventually.” Ack! Caught! Giving her a close-eyed smile, the problem truant nods lightly while giving reluctantly,

“Yeah, I’ll tell you about it later, just give me some time to gather my thoughts.”

“Of course! And~ don’t forget the sweetheart that took you in~!” Biting her lip slightly to hide her grin, she returns with a sing-song,

“Oh, I’ll definitely tell you about him! I want you to meet him!” Usagi-chan’s excited squeal put an enormous smirk on Minako’s face as she cheers,

“Yay! I can’t wait! Get better soon so I can see your hero!” Flushing brightly, the famous vigilante curls a blond lock with a fidgety finger, giggling with her friend while she titters,

“Yeah… he’s wonderful, and I definitely want to talk more, but I’m getting sleepy again, so I’ll let you go, Usagi-chan.” The angelic cutie makes an adorable noise of affirmation while bobbing her head,

“Get well soon Mina-P~!” Giving a tired grin back, the bedridden idol chirps,

“I will, Usagi-chan! See you soon!” Smile softening as she flips the top closed on the watch, she sighs in exhaustion at the onslaught of emotions, nearly falling asleep after the call ended. Fighting sleep for a moment, she looks over to the balcony again, watching as the fall breeze gently stirs the leaves of the plants by the window, wondering what Kurama was doing at work, and if he was having a good day…

__________ ~ Kurama~ __________

(Kuwabara’s Theme - Yusuke Honma)

Although it was the end of the day, and he was rather eager to return to Mina’s side, there was something he needed to test out, some information to pass on, and plans to make. Which was why he sat in his office chair still, a genial smile on his face as he studied the quality of his friends' faces on the screen, the two like children with a new toy as Kuwabara gushes, “This is so cool, Kurama! It’s even cooler that you’re testing it with me!” Yusuke gives his video partner a glaring side eye as he grouses,

“Yeah, Kurama. Was’ the big deal, giving doofus here such a fancy computer?” Chuckling at the slightly pixelated image, and deciding he needed to adjust some of the programming to get a clearer picture without sacrificing the live feed, Kurama replies good humoredly,

“Kuwabara is in college, Yusuke, and has a great need for his own personal computer. Don’t forget this arrangement works for me as well, considering I get feedback from a busy student.” He grins affectionately when the picky chef turns his face away, waving a hand dismissively while giving him lip,

“Uh, huh. I see how it is, Fox Boy! Students are more productive than ramen makers anymore, so leave the poor stand keeper to his pocket change! You know, running a stand used to be a respected job. An art form, really! Not looked down on by bookworms!”

“Oh, just shut up, Urameshi! He already said when he gets better programs for monitors and tablets, he’d give them to you to test! So quit being such a cry baby!” Already knowing what might happen next, he gets to see, in real time, although a bit dotted, the two wrestling in view of the web camera, shaking the image from bumping the stand Kuwabara kept the equipment on. Huffing with a sweat drop, because the tech was rather fragile, he cuts in,

“It’s just as Kuwabara said, Yusuke. Our programs need to advance a little more before having you test our models out. Unless you’d like to have your only CRT being used for rotating through your catalog of ramen. Either way, please don’t break anything over there, they are prototypes, and it would set us back by some months if they were damaged.”

“Stop it, Urameshi! Just because you’re jealous doesn’t mean you should take away the opportunity for me!”

“Quit being stingy and hand it over!”

“Enough.” The two stopped immediately, the tone in his voice brooking no argument as he redirects them, “Although I wish this were a social call, it is not. I take it Yusuke has informed you to what’s happening, Kuwabara?”

“Uh, yeah. Demons are attacking you, but not anyone else. And you got to meet Sailor Venus! That’s so cool!”

“You really are a Sailor Senshi groupie, aren’cha!” Of course, neither one could let the other be with insults, starting the possibly damaging racket anew.

“Shut up! You’re just too dumb to get how awesome they are! They fight bad guys in heels! Can you imagine how hard that’s gotta be?” An interesting point. Kurama could tell the two were glaring heatedly at each other, the conversation being derailed again as Yusuke snips,

“I don’t know, I don’t wear heels if I can help it, stupid!” Their Toushin noodle peddler left himself open, surprisingly enough, letting their usually more oblivious friend get one over on him,

“Sounds like you have an interesting hobby we don’t know about! Come on~ you can tell us!”

“Don’t project yer secret fantasies on me, ya big dope. Anyway,” It was to the elder youkai’s surprise that Yusuke switched gears by jeering, “It wasn’t just meet, meathead!” grinning like a cheshire, he looks directly at Kurama as he crows, “He’s seducing her!” The ex-bandit could feel a vein throb on his head while Kuwabara chokes,

“Wait, what?”

“Yusuke…” The warning wasn’t enough this time, the little upstart smirking smugly as he taunts,

“What? It’s true, isn’t it?” Nipping this in the bud before he could make the situation, which was admittedly already precarious even more so, Kurama corrects,

“Not at all. Her apartment was destroyed, and I’m letting her stay with me.” Leaning back and crossing his arms, the once street punk needles heedlessly,

“With no benefits? Aw come on man! What kinda operation are you running?” Of course the most moral of the group would reel back with disgust as he nearly screeches,

“What kind would you be running, you pig! Not all guys are disgusting lechers like you!” That one must hurt a bit. It’s not often his diatribe cut into any of them, but it seems to have hit the mark this time, as Yusuke’s features twist with disgust,

“What was that, you little-”

“We’re getting off-track again. This is serious, as there are many things we don’t know, but should. We’ll need to act swiftly if we want to keep damage to a minimum.” Thankfully both sat in attention at his interruption, knowing full well he didn’t usually butt in unless he needed to, which both the conversation and situation called for now. Their college attendee looks slightly chastised as he nods while seconding,

“Yeah, for sure, so take this seriously, Urameshi!”

“Why am I the only one getting flamed!” Sometimes Yusuke’s obstinance could be a bit of a hassle, prompting their team’s strategist to ask,

(Kawiswara - Donkgedank)

“Yusuke, please.”

“Fine! So what’s the plan, we come over this weekend and help you investigate?” Thankfully their retired detective had a mind for action, which allowed it to often overwrite that bit of bull-headedness, allowing Kurama to plan with them.

“If you could. Afterall, one found their way to my apartment, so it’s only a matter of time before more come, and possibly harm innocent bystanders.”

“What!” That got their attention, the two youths coming to agreement quickly at the escalation in danger,

“Shit! Yeah, we’ll be there. How the hell did they find it so fast?” Glad that he was finally taking this to heart, the worldly scholar details,

“Venus was bitten by one of them ‘protecting’ me. I knew the consequences when I took her in, and though I dispelled the foreign ki in her wound only moments after she arrived, it was enough for it to gather a general location. It found her by process of elimination from there.” Both seemed shocked, though their de facto leader recovered more quickly, tilting his head as he balanced in his chair on its feet in thought,

“Damn! That’s some determination. So she led them to you then.” His look is suspicious as he suggests, “Are you sure she’s not with them?” Kuwabara nearly fell from his chair in shock, one might think it grossly exaggerated, but no, his faith in others always something to be admired as he defends them,

“Urameshi! Are you crazy? Sailor Venus is with the Sailor Senshi, they’re good guys!” Giving him a side-eye, Yusuke’s doubts are on full display as he huffs in reflection,

“People change, Kuwabara, and sailor-skirted wonder girls ain’t any different.” Sensui’s case still lingers in his heart, no doubt. It was understandable, that not being the first, nor last time he’d felt the change in someone he looked up to, or might have, leaving Kurama to assure him,

“I considered the possibility, but…” He remembers the sensual touch of her soul, bared to him for whatever he might dole back to her, her shyness and embarrassment at her own boldness at times, and the contrast of her tortured past. “Her soul is too pure for such malicious intentions. Instead, she seems to have found reprieve with me, and though a bit inconvenient, I took care of the pest without trouble." That caught the fighter-turned-cook’s attention, the chair nearly toppling to the floor as he rights it to spit quickly,

“You alright? Had to transform?” The unbalanced yôko knew the worry came from the right place, and it was concerning, especially for the continued peace between the worlds, an S class apparition transforming in the streets might be too much at once for the still ignorant masses. So he spoke the truth when he admitted,

“I didn’t have to, but my nature demanded me to. I’ve become… protective of her, immensely so. Her soul is a salve to me, as well.” He knew it would open a topic he hadn’t expounded on before, but with their years of friendship, it’s something they should come to understand sooner rather than later.

"Her soul?” Yusuke sounded a bit perturbed, though his expression was calm as he asked, “Kurama… how do you know that?" Being transparent with them without giving away the easiest way he learns about other’s souls, Kurama reveals,

"It's my specialty, Yusuke, and it’s how I survived being hunted down. Though I don't make it a habit to go about feeling everyone's souls, I have a good understanding of all of yours." They both took it rather well, to his relief, though he knew they’d have some comments about it, the first coming from their more spiritually aware,

"Whoa! That's really cool, but also kinda freaky." Not flattering, certainly. There would be more fuel to the fire if they knew the best way to connect to another’s soul. I wasn’t planning on sharing it with anyone, let alone someone who didn’t know all the ramifications with it. He couldn’t deny a bit of selfishness on his part with her in particular, even now, just thinking about how she felt sent excited shivers down his spine. So he felt a bit more protective than he usually did with someone he’d only met a week ago. The greedy vulpine is brought back from his reminiscing by their resident heckler,
“Says the freak who can sense slight changes in auras.”

“Hey!”

(Shi no Aphrodite: Tsuiroku - Shinkichi Mitsumune)

“You’ll understand once you meet her, as her innocence is projected outward, despite her sometimes suggestive words.” He knew Yusuke would latch onto that little tidbit, though it was a necessary sacrifice to sway him further away from suspecting Mina. I understand your protective nature, and admittedly, it’s charming that it even encompasses me, Yusuke. But I’m no fool, carnal feelings or not. One dark brow raises as Yusuke takes the bait,

“Suggestive, huh? She hittin’ on you already?” Not daunted by the sly tone, Kurama returns truthfully,

“She is the Guardian of Love and Beauty, Yusuke. It would be strange if she didn’t.”

“What~! The Sailor Venus is hitting on you, Kurama!” If he wasn’t so talented at hiding his reactions, he might have laughed out-rightly at how much further than just harmless flirting they’ve gone. Even sleeping in the same bed… Instead he just gives with a little smile,

“Yes, however, that isn’t why we’re conversing at the moment, Kuwabara.” He should have known better as their more whimsical team member grins nearly ear to ear,

“Yeah, but this is important! You might get a girlfriend!” The bachelor of many millennia nearly sags at his enthusiasm while huffing with affectionate exasperation,

“Really, Kuwabara. We might have a new enemy on our hands, now isn’t the time for romance or other frivolous matters.”

“But Kurama-”

“He’s right, doofus. We need more information on these guys, so put that lovey-dovey crap on the backburner for now. So did ya get any new info from the guy who attacked you?” Thank you for being another person of reason here. Grateful for the backup, Kurama confirms,

“I did. He gave me a name, but that’s all he really knew. Azura.” He should have known studious Kuwabara would know the name and implications,

“What! Azura? But that’s…” Nodding in affirmative, the sly kitsune commends him,

“So you made the connection as well.”

“Okay bookworms, what are we talking about here?” Having expected at least one of them to be out of the loop, he informs Yusuke,

“Azura is possibly a reference to malicious demi-gods who are at war with the Deja, or kami.”

“Deja vu? Wow, so we might be fighting more gods, huh?” Ah yes, the incident with Yakumo does come to mind a bit, doesn’t it? Wanting to keep them open to all possibilities, he instead corrects,

“Not quite. We don’t know for sure, it could just be someone claiming to be the Azura, but don’t let your guards down. Either way, Sailor Venus might be able to help us, as the creature who attacked her was obsessed with her. So more than likely, they’ll come after one of us, or both when they catch scent of her.”

“Damn. Was he just a weirdo, or does she smell that good?” He shouldn’t be surprised that Yusuke would ask the most unexpected questions, his well-hidden investigative instinct leading him to inquire something even Kurama was still reluctant to reveal, but he wouldn’t hide or lie to his friends, confirming,

“I hate to admit it, but it’s difficult to control my own instincts around her. Between the purity of her soul and her scent, most yōkai wouldn’t be able to resist her.” He notes the appreciation in their go-to leader’s gaze, though he easily plays it off in his friend’s company as he comments offhandedly,

“Man, if even you have trouble, it must be good.”

“Urameshi!” Before the two could argue the morality of such things, Kurama confesses darkly,

“It’s what I fear the most for her. She seemed to have gotten by just fine before, but now with being around me, she’ll find more apparitions, and therefore attract more of their attention. Not to mention this new enemy, who may or may not be a deity, will have an interest in a literal out-of-worlder.” That got their attention, the two leaning toward the camera in attention, nearly in sync as their more excitable scholar gapes,

“Wow! Really? She’s not from this world?”

“She was reborn here, and although I don’t know the specifics, she told me she was from Venus. And though it sounds ridiculous, she didn’t lie, and even described some of her life there without falter, leading me to believe she was telling the truth.” Both are silent, mulling over his worries for a few moments, until Yusuke asserts,

“All the more reason to get to the bottom of this then, right?” He nods with relief that Yusuke was giving this actual consideration as Kurama returns,

“Yes. Thank you both.”

“No need to thank us, Kurama. You’re our friend, after all!”

“Yeah, you’re always helping us, about time we got to pay you back.” Smiling wanly at their eagerness to assist him, he reminds them gently,

“I don’t help you two with a debt in mind.” Of course, he should have known that the kindness that opened him up to friendship would appear again, the easy-going warrior grinning big while explaining,

“I know, but it’s nice, ya know, being able to help out a friend who’s always there for you.” It was nice, the warmth felt from their care, both young faces beaming companionably at him in assurance, even without knowing what might await them. Knowing the powerful feeling now made him wonder how he could ever dismiss companionship before, but considered sadly, that you can’t know what you lack if you never had it in the first place. Makai is a harsh place, where loyalty and trust were an exception, rather than the norm. It brought a true smile to him, heart lifting with his lips as he agrees,

(Careful Now - Nammu)

“Yes. Being able to help a friend is nice.” Both smile brightly before Yusuke recaps,

“Alright, so we come to your place this Sunday, do some investigatin,’ maybe bust some heads, and all should be right in the world. Simple, exactly how I like it! And you might just get a girlfriend out of it all, lucky bastard.” Sweat dropping at the addition at the end, Kurama sighs fondly,

“Without the last bit, but yes. I’ll do some reconnaissance myself and see what I can find before you arrive here. With any luck, I might find enough to shed some light on our new enemy.”

“Hey now, don’t go stirrin’ up trouble before we can join in on the fun!”

“Yeah! Not the fun part, but you gotta be careful! You’re the smartest of our group, but you can still find yourself in a tough situation.” He couldn’t help the tender lift to his mouth at their different wording, yet similar concerns for himself, filling him with what he believes is adoring nostalgia as he agrees,

“Yes, of course. Don’t worry, I won’t do more than gather information, if I can help it.”

“Exactly! You know Kurama, that brain of his is 5 steps ahead of everyone else, if anyone’s able to stay out of trouble, it’s him.”

“Better than the rest of us, for sure.” Although slight, he can feel the small shard of dismay at their own capacity for finding trouble, prompting the older fighter to assuage them,

“You’ll learn with time to tell which situations can easily be handled, you just need to learn a bit of patience.”

“Urameshi, learn patience?”

“Shut up, you big dork!” And these are my closest friends. He can’t help but chuckle affectionately as they begin to wrestle, away from the expensive equipment as he reminds them,

“Be wary of the equipment, you two, and take care. Even if they haven’t journeyed to to your location, there’s a possibility they may know of you two.” The commotion stops for a moment as two disheveled young adults, barely, pop their heads up over the desk, Yusuke snorting,

“Got it, we’ll be careful, Fox Boy. In the meantime, don’t get too comfortable with your girl and go making more hostages for them!” Kurama huffs at the ridiculous, yet very real possibility when it comes to his desire for her, though before he could change the subject quickly, Kuwabara exclaims with certainty,

“You’re so stupid, Urameshi! Kurama’s a gentleman and wouldn’t do that kind of thing!” Oh dear, it’s a good thing you don’t know my history then, friend, or you’d regret your faith in me. It had been a while since he indulged in such things, and most especially since living with his mother, but they didn’t need to know that, rather he ended with a prompt,

“I’ll leave you both to it then.” Cutting off the connection, because Yusuke was quite set on teasing him and Kurama knew him well enough to tell when he wasn’t going to let something go. Like having a teasing sibling, I suppose. He didn’t mind too much, after all, he did have feelings for her, however… I don’t want them to know that she is bound by duty. Turning off the computer and pushing away from his desk, the foxy businessman stands and gathers his things, but strangely, having the feeling he should leave his briefcase here today. That she cannot love anyone other than her sovereign, and although saddening… Trusting his gut, he grabs his coat and heads to the elevator, leaning against the back. Closing his eyes, he envisions Sailor Venus, turning back to him with golden eyes and a sultry smile.

Fully in her element while fighting and protecting others for her princess, but lost and forlorn in her human form, confidence shrinking and leaving her feeling stranded. I accept that we may never be together. That she can never be with anyone. Opening melancholy forest greens, his expression is even while turmoil pervades his soul, not deterring his steps any as he walks out the business doors. As he rounded the corner, he’s surprised to find Takara-san walking alongside another man, one who was slightly taller than his younger worker, mahogany locks short and layered against his neck. Takara-san was telling a rather terrible joke, and though his walking partner didn’t laugh outright, narrow hazel eyes soften behind square glasses, and a small smile alights his face. What drew Kurama’s attention the most was when they walked, their hands brushed occasionally, and when they did, they lingered, as though longing for more time to touch.

(Take me to Church Reverb - Hozier)

One of the brushes did turn into a gentle caress, a flush burning the shorter man’s skin as he stutters, “O-Osamu~!”

“Hmm… I do miss the days when you innocently called me ‘Tachi-san.’” They turned the next corner, disappearing from sight though the sound of embarrassed chatter and the scent of love and adoration remained. They hide what they truly want from the world for safety. It was strange, to see something that was quite common in Makai being considered a taboo here, though there were some signs of change incoming. And many more, considering the barrier is down, letting two different worlds merge. As he crosses the pedestrian path of a street, he notices Tochinomi-san, their server from the other day, with another young lady standing before a poster. Studying the flier from some distance, he realizes it’s Mina, posing with two fingers by her eye and winking, the dates for a new album release at the bottom along with a silly blue unicorn with a cowboy hat and a pink star on its forehead dancing in the corner, putting a small smile on his lips. I sense Mina’s work there.

The Guardian’s protector can’t help but to hear the two’s conversation as he passes them, the off-duty waitress chirping, “I see her every now and then at the restaurant I work at! So cool~!” Her conversation partner seems forlorn, staring quietly at the poster, the wind blowing short, pixie cut black locks lightly, the ruffled strands shining blue with the gentle breeze.

“Yeah…” As he paced further away, the friendly, curly haired brunette with a side ponytail looks taken aback, wondering worriedly,

“What’s wrong? You don’t like her?”

“It’s not that…” The shorter girl seems to be seeing into a memory, her blue eyes distant as she smiles with a sad whimsy, “We were friends since middle school. She still writes and calls me every now and then, but… I really miss hanging out with Mina…” She was friends with Mina? Apparently Tochinomi-san was surprised as well, squeaking quite loudly,

“What~! You’re friends with her! And you write and call each other! I’m so jealous~!” The idol’s schoolmate is thoughtful, not realizing they had a rapt listener while their conversation continued more quietly,

“Mmm. I know she’s just trying to protect me, what with all the paparazzi around, but I still…”

“Hikaru…” The chestnut-eyed fan was reasonably saddened, but to his amusement, she bounces back quickly with a cheerful, “You don’t have to worry, Hikaru! She still keeps in touch, right? That means she does care! Actually, I should be jealous with how much you like her!” He could pickup the teasing undertone easily, Mina’s enthusiast has her fists on her hips playfully, a giant grin on her face as her friend smiles back tenderly,

“Nariko… Thank you. And don’t worry, silly, I don’t feel the same for her, you know.” Ah, another couple. As he’s walking further away, the din of chatter around him would make it difficult for normal humans to hear, but not for him, bringing a tilt to the corner of his mouth at the last bit of discussion he caught.

“Good. So is Minako our next idol craze?”

“Yup!” The two giggle while treading to their destination, the small exchange both settling his sentimentality, but also stirring his longing for the subject in question. I’ll be home soon, and she’ll be safe. After traveling a few more blocks, Kurama walks by another duo of women, taking particular note of their conversation as well when his attention was pulled to the faint hint of… something about them, tugging at his awareness and prickling at the edge of his mind. I had better get more details, just in case… He subtly takes in the one’s long dark hair, nearly the same length as Mina’s, a slender build and very elegant style in clothing and nearly pitch black irises. Whereas her friend had her wavy chocolate hair high in a ponytail, held in place by a holder with two green baubles, her physique muscular and clothing functional yet feminine, spring green eyes more gentle than her partners piercing ones. No defining scars or marks visible on either one.

(Seredina Zimy – Adrian von Ziegler)

After his quick evaluation, the one with dark hair turns and looks his way, though with his skills, he easily blends back into the crowd, red hair and all. As he’s making a bit of distance from them, he hears one say, “I thought it was here? Or maybe we’re a little off…”

“Yeah, it’s nearby, but it’s hiding pretty well.” Hmm… It’s likely they’re seeking a yōkai, maybe even me... Thrill seekers perhaps? And yet… It was somehow familiar, once again tickling the wizened vulpine’s senses and trying to bring forward the memory, yet like smoke, he couldn’t quite grasp it.

Almost like... Mina’s chikara…

Now that the thought was there… Are they S enshi then, perhaps?

He couldn’t be certain, and although he would usually keep an eye on their movements, whether to intervene if their target was actually innocent, or provide some assistance if they were on the right trail. But with Mina so weak… He was far more concerned about the Guardian he housed than the movements of her fellows, but he couldn’t completely ignore it either, noting the location so he could come back after he checked on his endearing housemate. Heading through the park gates across from the investigating warriors, the shortcut to the train station one he doesn’t typically use as there were less busy, much less lovesick-suitor infested routes, but his senses told him he needed to come this way. Though it’s not a good feeling.

Rather, it felt like he would find something this way, and he was never one to deny his instincts, though I must be on my guard. With that in mind, he kept vigilant as he treaded through the nature preserve, his senses kept alert for any threat that might be waiting. As Kurama padded confidently, but cautiously toward the thicker path, heading toward a small clearing he knew was back this way, thanks to helping their vagabond demon friend. The remains likely have been cleared from the area at the back, and with Reikai combing the forest, there should be very few humans this way, and even less apparitions. Yōki tends to naturally cause humans unease and to avoid where they felt it, though Spirit World has developed tech that could give a similar and more controlled response as well, keeping curious civilians from the scene.

He hadn’t sensed any of the new SDF members, leading him to believe the area had been processed, leaving him alone to discover what drew him here. Expanding his senses as far as he could, he glances about himself at the wisteria, maples, pines and oaks that sway quietly with the light breeze that’s stirred up. The ivy clinging valiantly to their sides and the tops of wild shrubs foliage shiver from the fall air, while other various weeds have grown tall and wild with the park’s maintenance staff unwilling to prune them. The setting sun drenched the greenery in a violent orange, adding to the air of mystery and dread that hung like a dark cloud over the clearing, giving the impression of not only the day ending, but something else more ominous.

Their Spirit Ward is certainly working well enough, even I can feel it. As he turns to study his surroundings further, he’s startled to feel the earth vibrate beneath his feet, and yet his senses didn’t forewarn him of an earthquake. No, this is- He had to dodge quickly, something erupting from where he had stood, throwing debris and dust all over. As he lands away from it lithely, he quickly assesses the creature that just tunneled from beneath him and finds an insectoid the size of a two story building. It was dark in color, with a wine red carapace and brown fuzz on it’s thorax, it’s legs built like that of a digger bee, and horns like a rhinoceros beetle. An amalgamation of different species.

(Hunting Grounds – Karl Kasey)

He could hear it’s mouth clicking, the sound quite loud and, if he had to guess… Helps it find prey while on the surface. Timing it perfectly, it swings it’s body toward him far faster than he expected, making him dodge a fierce strike with it’s front legs, though it seemed to be well adapted to fighting with it’s target, as it’s back legs fling rocks at him. He wasn’t able to avoid the barrage in time, his arms coming up to protect his head and chest instinctively as he braces for the hits. Though he never feels anything, Mina’s ki flaring from within him and, to his further shock, several hearts erupt from his cheek and meet the rocks head on, her power destroying the rubble and protecting him. What? He was thrown off immensely, to the point that he was almost hit with the second volley of stones and claws as it tries to hit him in his distraction, but he was quicker, much more ready for it’s speed this time.

When he back flips away from it, he wonders curiously despite the situation, Mina’s energy protected me… was that what destroyed the creatures in the alley before? It had been so minute he thought it came from within, and though his specialty was spirit manipulation, he hadn’t mastered the ability to detect trace amounts of other’s ki. But Kuwabara can. Unfortunately he wasn’t given much more time to ponder as it made a dive at him, pushing him to avoid it’s horns as it delve back into the ground. Keeping his ears sharp, he heard it tunneling around quite quickly, though now it didn’t have the element of surprise, rather, it doesn’t realize my senses are much better than a normal creatures. Anticipating when it was going to erupt from the surface, he evades it’s attack, studying it’s movements for any telling weaknesses and trying to parce out where it was made. It could be from an illegal lab in Makai… or… Deftly maneuvering around it’s reckless rampaging, he continues to ruminate on the origins of the creature, a human world scientist is trying to make something with demons. But that begs the question…

Where did they gain the knowledge to create this?

_____ ??? _____

(A Red Sun Sets – Adrian Von Ziegler)

He strided confidently through the red bleached temple hall, the delicately carved, wooden lattice windows allowing the molten flames in the intricate stone lanterns dye the walls like blood. Dragon and snake motifs decorate the surface wherever the light touched, giving the sense that the flickering flame gives life to the shapes dancing upon the walls until he walks into the open air hall, the fire layering upon his lavish clothing. The bangles he wore upon his ankles and wrists jingled as he makes his way to the prayer hall with some news, though who knew how the ‘master’ would take it. He’s like those lanterns out there, a stone until a fire is lit inside! Tapping his deep blue, curled toe shoes as he crossed his green sleeved arms behind his back playfully, whistling a light tune as he prances jubilantly beneath an illusion on the ceiling, the stars in Ningenkai reflected from it. One of my favorites!

His Orhmu shell armor clanks along with his jewlery, padded by the blue and orange geometric hip scarf with tassles over his tight tan pants, waving cheerily at the dried bodies on pikes, the point having pierced through their backs and placed like decorations in the courtyard. Ooh~! And some made him really mad! The tree-sized stakes were shoved from end to end through the bodies, and likely from the bottom to the top to maximize pain while they were still alive. The others were getting bare anyway. Three eyed ravens sat upon the heads of several as they pecked the jerky from bone, sharp teeth severing the hide as he ambled by. Purple, nearly black horizontal irises take in the spirits hovering nearby their own bodies being picked apart, despairing as their ghost breaks into smaller pieces, their very souls becoming brittle with no body to inhabit, and the spell cast upon this wicked temple trapping them here. Feeding and empowering Azura.

Taking a turn in the hall, the murals of past wars Azura had won and conquered were painted along the walls below the Kōshi Mado, the lattice letting in the light from the fire, casting sharp shadows over the visceral scenery. His smile is as crooked as it is malicious, the agony depicted something that draws him to this temple, and to the monster serving as it’s deity. One who he was about to deliver some news to, and hopefully not be the closest thing to him, or within beheading range, usually there’s some thralls lying about. He loved the thrill of danger, lived for violence, and delighted in the pain of others, but there was one thing he adored above all else. I might just get lucky! If there was one thing he failed miserably with, it was patience, something his mysterious beloved excelled at.

(Bouhi – Keichi Hoashi/ MoNACA)

When he spots the antechamber door, he can’t push it open fast enough, pushing through almost recklessly as he takes in the prayer room. Like the winding way leading to it, the entirety of the building’s innards were bathed in crimson, the support pillars resembling waterfalls of blood falling from the two story ceiling, which barely exceeded it’s new patron deity. Besides his grand height, nearly to the top of the room, the demigod had color shifting scales, the marbling colors constantly moving between several hues and resembling precious stones. Jewelry of all kinds decorated the wrists, ankles, ears, neck, and intricately carved chest armor over a loose, sleeveless robe sewn with gold thread embroidery, a blue scarf with delicate tassels and gems loose around the neck, brown pants beneath the robe’s sky blue filled panels that split at the sides.

The figure’s smooth face was stone-like while the eyes were wide and unblinking, as though always seeing into the beyond, with a mustache outlining a chiseled, unsmiling mouth. Azura. Just as he’d hoped, there were several mortals unclothed and splayed in various sitting positions at his feet, gazes either blank or fearful and providing fodder for any temper tantrums that erupt from the giant. Too bad for them! As the unperturbed magician strides towards the imposing divinity, a booming voice echoes in his mind as well as his ears as it commands, “Kneel.” Though this is not his beloved, he’s not given up hope as he does as ordered and recounts,

“Our little operation was discovered in Shibuya, and though I lost him, the old fox has grown suspicious.” Although there’s no immediate reaction, he glances up from under the cloth covering his forehead as slowly, but surely that firm lip turns down in a prominent frown, thick, dark eyebrows furrow as the wicked demigod rumbles,

“Is that so? And, did you gain anything from the confrontation?”

“He managed to dispel my ki thanks to his friend, who also completely destroyed my illusion. I think you know the significance of that.” There’s a low droning sound, like distant thunder rolling in that he recalls happening a few times before. The sound of Azura’s temper rising. The warning sent chills down his spine and spooked the bodies at his feet, their pitiful forms scattering away from him and unknowingly preventing nothing if they do become targets. And yet, he didn’t seem mad, more… intrigued as the towering deity confirms,

“A being capable of such feats without knowing what the truth behind them is… This is no ordinary mortal. This is the one Three followed.” About to answer in the positive, the powerful illusionist was interrupted by a cold, soothing monotone,

“It would seem so. And she’s more powerful than we expected.” He couldn’t help the intake of breath, glancing quickly to his side to find a tall, feather cloaked form marching from behind himself, the beautifully taxidermy sansokū mask made them look completely like an iridescent tengu of Mt. Kurama, the polished, copper domed helmet with a bird’s foot tine in front covered his head, while an exquisite juniper green silk shirt added tantalizing contrast. Dark trousers are tightened with a leather and copper belt, the entire ensemble playing off the shimmering oil colored feathers. The glimmering figure kneels next to him, both craning their necks upward when Azura sounds interested,

“You have interacted with her Nine, tells us what more you know of her.” Peeking at the avian-themed scientist slightly, he nearly chuckles at the demand because everyone knows how they work, leaving out details to play it close to the chest. The feathered figure isn’t intimidated in the least as they answer calmly,

“Her power is pure, intense, and strangely… sensual, as though sex is some sort of weapon for her. I’ll need more time to investigate to find out more.” What? I’ll kill the harlot! He didn’t even try to hide the curl of his lip in anger as their malevolent overlord commands,

“Do so, but report all your findings to me, Nine.” It went unsaid that some sort of punishment awaited if they disobeyed again, because they all knew what to expect of Azura’s wrath. Yet the mechanized mind at his side was always so cool under pressure and unshakable as that mountain itself, nodding slowly while returning,

“Understood. I have reason to believe they may find one of our facilities very soon, which will work as an opportunity for us.” Still a bit sour about that hussy trying to manipulate his partner, he listens carefully as the statuesque being hums like thunder,

“Oh? How so?”

“Eight took some documents, of which has our transportation pages.” So their curiosity will be their downfall… He had been told about the fox ahead of time, and knowing what he does, the annoyance would have to turn the page, invariably touching the symbol that would send them to their graves.

“Intriguing… and it would be that facility then?” Although kneeling, Nine always held themselves with such poise and grace it was enviable, even to a demon like himself. It always seemed like the conversation was led by the enchanted researcher, no matter who was on the other side of the discussion, including Azura.

“Correct. If you permit it, I will personally sweep the base for any sensitive information before they arrive.”

“See that it is done. Those fools will rue the day they worshiped any other than Azura.” Wanting to spend more time with them, the mirage conjurer offers hurriedly while raising his head,

“I’ll go with you!” He’s nearly enraged when Azura cuts down quickly,

“No. You will remain at your post for now and await any further orders, Tejinashi.” About to protest despite any dangers of defying the deity, he felt a hand on his shoulder stop him, that firm, but silvery voice adding,

“Would you be opposed to me taking him back there on my way?”

“Hmm… That will be fine.” That imposing creature stares down at him like he was an expendable insect, growling lowly as he warns with a crackle of ki surrounding them, “You would do well to remember your place, mortal. Remove yourself from my presence until you are called upon.” He’s nearly grinding his teeth as they both stand, swiftly hiding his hostility since he did get some time to himself and… The brash apparition's horizontal gaze slides to the hand still on his shoulder as he’s lead from the chamber, the double doors shutting on their own behind them as they continue through the halls. The comforting weight on his shoulder leaves, being slid down his arm to come to it’s owners side as that velvety-flat tone states,

“You reveal too much to others, Tejinashi. Learning patience and hiding your intention would serve you well.” Frowning slightly at the true, but not flattering assessment, he huffs faintly,

“I usually do. But when it comes to you…” Nine stops their movement, tilting the bird mask toward him as they intone,

(After Dark – Mr. Kitty)

“It could cost you dearly, a rather disagreeable outcome, wouldn’t you say?” Pacing past the bird warrior, he presses his palms to the feathered chest tenderly while staring deeply at the ocean blue irises behind the mask, returning huskily,

“So long as I’m with you, I don’t mind.” There was no movement in the red-dyed room that stained them in turn, their breaths not even registering as they watch each other quietly. Almost contently. Then, slowly, gloved hands take his elbows gently while Nine reminds him,

“I do not feel love as you do, being a creature of science.” He wasn’t deterred, instead more determined as his heart pounds in happiness just being able to touch the person he loved most, and getting affection in return. This is the only time I feel at peace… the aggression just melts away. To his surprise, the logical raven stroked Tejinashi’s face gently with the thumb, pressing a gold laurel they always had tucked away in their cloak behind his ear delicately. This is- It was an important thing to his mysterious beloved, one of the few things that remained of who they once were. Just the thought that this could be shared with him had his eyes fluttering closed in bliss, then the world stops when those precious words are added just for him.

“But I want to learn it, if it’s with you.”

Personal Note

I’m sorry about not updating for so long, but unfortunately something huge got in the way. I lost the majority of usability in my hands. The docs are still unsure why, but if I use my hands for anything more than eating right now, they burn painfully, like fire until I can’t move them anymore. This little bit has taken me longer than I wanted to type out. I’ll update when I can, but it’s dependent on how bad my hands are on any given day.

I have a few chapters written, but I’m the only person going through and correcting things, reading through for understandability, etc. And with my breathing problems I’ve had for the past few years, it’s sometimes difficult to see if something is confusing or not, so you’ll have to be patient with me if something doesn’t seem right. I reread my story every few months, so I’ll eventually see it, and I also sometimes change my mind on content, though I try to make it as little changes, rather than anything big.

Chapter Text

(Forest Theme - Jarboe and Kris Force)

She awoke quite suddenly, a sense of foreboding drawing her from rest as she looked around herself. Sitting up blearily from the bed, Minako gazes around cautiously, trying to find the source of her distress. When nothing obvious stands out, she pulls the blankets from her form and reluctantly leaves the fluffy, warm confines and onto the chilly wooden floors. Although still a bit weak, she can fortunately stand now, and walk without falling flat on her face, so that’s something. Which means I can change before I investigate. Heading for the closet, she finds her bag and pulls her new clothes out, slipping into the pair of mismatched underwear quickly, before slipping on yellow-orange front tie shorts and a pea green tank top with ruffles on the straps. Considering it’s still slightly cold, she slips on a pink half sleeve sweater and pulls out pea green Mary Janes with bow ties.

Putting everything on swiftly, and brushing out her hair in case she has to go outside so she doesn’t look like a ragamuffin, she steps warily into the living room. Studying her surroundings carefully, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary, just Kurama’s apartment, and though her senses are limited, no nefarious energies seem about either. So~ am I just losing it? Padding over to the balcony, she crouches down around the frame, slowly rounding the edge in case something was waiting for her to peek. Spying only the plants, she stands gradually, holding her crescent compact in one hand in case she needs to throw it, or use it to block again… Stepping softly onto the outlook, she gauges the area around her, up above her was clear, and leaning over the railing didn’t reveal anything either, so looking back to the plants she asks jokingly,

“I don’t suppose you guys have seen anything, have you?” Although for some reason she’d expected them to move, dumb Minako, plants don’t move like your dream! Nothing but a slight sway from the wind seemed to disturb them, eliciting a snort of derision from her at herself for talking to plants of all things. Kneeling back down to look at them closely, she takes a leaf between her thumb and forefinger, stroking it delicately as she considers what she’s feeling. Everything seems to be fine… Am I just sleep deprived or something? A lack of energy? Sighing openly and closing her ocean waves, the tense senshi mumbles, “Ugh, you’re imagining things, so let it go, Minako.”

Another shiver of discomfort slithers down her spine, causing her to shake from the eerie sensation. There it is again! I’ve never been one to have precognitive abilities, so what’s- For a frightening moment, she could swear she felt something stroke her finger under the plant's leaf, It’s probably a bug. She’s about to release it when she sees Kurama fighting with a giant insect monster, his visage determined as he whispers something regretfully,

“Minako… I’m sorry.”

When she blinks, she sees the little plants before her again, still quietly taking up space on the outlook over the city. It’s Kurama that’s in trouble! Standing quickly, she stands and, knowing she couldn’t change into Sailor Venus, grabs her pen and shouts, “Moon Power Transform!” Please, whoever is listening, let me do this, please-please-please!

As though in answer, Minako could feel the crackle of energy around her, and although still sensuous, it was suddenly quite excruciating too, but she grits her teeth and bares with the pain, her attire changing to Sailor V’s. Coughing from holding back her cries of agony, she nearly falls over from the wane of agony, the struggling hero catches herself on the railing along the balcony and clenches her jaw tightly. Suck it up! We gotta go! Time to teleport! Pushing herself into a standing position, heart in her throat, she closes her eyes and tries to calm the furious beats with a deep, cleansing breath. Kurama… I want to find you… Please…

Let me find him!

(The World Ocarina version - Yuki Kajiura)

There’s a faint pulse at 3 o’clock, the energy I gave him before! Azure irises flashing open before her stinging energy gathers enough to teleport. Stumbling into the edge of a forest, Mina nearly falls to her knees from the mind numbing ache, only sheer will and fear kept her on her feet. I can’t lose him, I just can’t! Sweating from exertion, and beginning to see black dots in her vision, she plows onward toward a strange sound, like a large shovel hitting the ground, and shaking it. Staggering out into a large clearing, she finds her favorite redhead in an agile stance, ready to move or pounce, whichever the situation calls for, across from a giant bug-like creature.

It strangely enough had fur on its chest, an insect shell on its back, and long, pointy armored legs similar to a bee. Grabbing her compact, she watches it charge at him, and as though he had some insane plan to fight it, stood his ground before the creature bravely, beautifully. “Crescent Boomerang!” Her aim was true, cutting the face of the creature before it could come close, and startling Kurama as he turned toward her in shock.

“Mina? What in the world are you doing here?” Striving to his side, although she was panting heavily and the magic pumping through her was pure torture, she grits,

“I felt something wrong. It woke me up and I heard you say my name.” The drained warrior doesn’t pay no mind to the widening of his eyes, and definitely not the look of awe and worry on his face.

“You’re not well enough to fight! Please, leave this to me!” Shaking herself of the lingering fatigue, she heaves desperately,

“No! I won’t let anything happen to you! I can’t! If I lose you-” The distraction only lasted so long, one of it’s spindly appendages was coming at them swiftly, prompting her to bodily tackle him out of the way. Although she had intended to be the cushion, she somehow finds herself cradled in his lap, as though he were the one to have moved her. The agile fighter keeps his arms wrapped around her as he growls,

“I understand your worry, Mina. I promise you I’m quite capable of defending myself, so now is not the time to panic.” Until now, it had been using charges and it’s legs to attack, but to both their surprise, it burrows into the ground rapidly, not allowing them any time to adjust as they too fall through where it’s dug it’s tunnel. As they fall, she tries to loosen from his hold, to cover him from any damage, but to her alarm, he’s physically stronger than her now. That can’t be! I should be able to- A large piece of rubble was right above them as she screams his name in terror, trying urgently to keep him from harm. Please, no! If he dies...

(To Zanarkand Violin Cover - Nobuo Uematsu)

“Kurama!”

Minako doesn’t know when, or why her eyes had closed, all she knew was it smelled dusty and musty wherever she was, and her body felt boneless and absolutely weightless. What happened to me? Her lungs burned with a ferocity she’s never felt before, and her mouth felt like sandpaper, with a hint of copper. I… I need to move past the pain… Come on Minako. You can do it! When she tried to sit herself up, not only did it feel like every muscle fiber was on fire, but also caused her to cough deeply, her whole body alighting in agony as she clenched her jaws hard. Fighting past the nausea she’s getting from sitting up, the afflicted princess nearly stops breathing at what she spies feet away from herself. Oh no… please… Despite how wet her cheeks felt, she couldn’t look away from the dusty hand partially buried beneath the rubble.

Rushing on wobbly legs, she falls hard to her knees as she begins moving smaller chunks off the pile, breaths more and more frantic as she chokes on several short inhalations. No no no-no-no-no-no! A cough at her feet halts her movements before standing and tossing much larger pieces away, her body ablaze. “Kurama! Kurama! Come on, move faster stupid!” Minako pays no mind to various cuts and dirt littering her gashes as she finally uncovers most of her darling, idiotic redhead. His hand is twitching, a low groan sounding from beneath the largest piece as she rasps, “Kurama, can you hear me?” A small ‘yes’ is all she got as she rushes, “Hold on. I’m going to lift this, you have to move out from underneath on your own!” Listening carefully, she catches a few more coughs before he croaks,

“Don’t… you’ll only… hurt yourself more...” Knowing what he was implying, she grits her teeth at the slight on her strength, but worry makes her ignore it as she growls,

“No way, I can do this, but you have to move out from beneath it yourself, alright?” Although panting heavily, he nods as he lifts himself on his arms, preparing to move as she puts her hands under the edge, chiming, “Alright, on three. One… two… three!” Straining her muscles for a moment, she feels her V power flow through her like magma as she starts to move it up, freeing up Kurama’s legs slightly. I need to do more! Please, let me help him! Channeling everything she could, panic and adrenaline enabled her to lift the 3 meter (9’) long piece of rock that felt like the mass of a car, catching him scrambling out from under it. Waiting until he was well away, she releases the edge, the drop shaking her from her feet to flop next to him, arms trembling as she tries to stay sitting up. Turning to gauge the damage her cool partner sustained, she raised her hand to touch the scratches and dirt littering his shivering body.

Sweating lightly, Minako’s fingers brush his spine, getting an answering hiss from him as he puffs, “Well, at the very least… I don’t have spinal damage.” Wanting desperately to slap him, but holds back, she instead quails,

“Are you crazy! I have a better chance of surviving that than you do! Why did you-”

“Perhaps you might understand… if I put it in a way you’re… familiar with.” Watching him struggle for breath as he pushes himself up on his elbows, the sailor suited heroine feels her heart clench in trepidation as a steadily pained expression crosses her face, he continues slowly, “If your friends or I were in danger, wouldn’t you do the same?” Pouting because he’s totally right and I hate it right now, she retorts,

“That’s completely different, we’re trained soldiers, enduring horrific wounds is what we do.” He huffs with laughter, although what he finds funny at the moment is beyond her until he supplies,

“I’ve had my fair share of wounds myself, Mina. Believe me, this is nothing new.” Taking his shoulders gently in her hands, she helps raise him up and lean against the wall as she chides,

“My point still stands. This will take you a while to recover from, and…” Kurama’s in a sitting position, his chin and neck covered in scrapes, but his beauty remains as his emerald gaze softens with seeing her dread, “I don’t like seeing you suffer.” He chuckles lowly as he holds a hand over his chest, wincing in pain before a wan smile covers his visage again.

“It would seem we’re at an impasse then, as I don’t like to see you pained either, Mina. So forgive me if I take whatever chance I can to shoulder it.” Minako’s startled to find his fingers brushing her cheeks lightly, his fingers dribbling with her tears as he apologizes, “I’m sorry to make you worry. I just… You were right earlier, when you said you are a soldier. That you receive grievous injuries with grace, and because of that life, the life you lead at the moment, I want to take as much of the burden from you as possible. Too much weight can bring you down, Mina.” Now that he was safe, her body screamed at her from every angle, the pain nauseating, but it didn’t stop a furious blush from alighting her face as she stutters,

“I… you really do spoil me, you know that?” His mirthful countenance sends tingles down her spine as he replies candidly,

“I’d have it no other way.” It’s then that it hits her again, he was that close to death, he nearly died… She knows she must look like a tattered ragdoll, hair a tangled mess, tears running unchecked down her cheeks, but all she could care about was the numerous wounds and lacerations all over his body. He… he might still die… I… I might not be able to save him… the desolate protector bows her head and keens in misery, “Kurama… I’m so sorry… I couldn’t protect-”

“Minako.” The way he said her name, the strict tone brooked no room for argument as he scolds, “Stop this self flagellation at once. I’m not dead, nor do I plan to be, and you shouldn’t despair either.” Gazing wide-eyed at him, something in her expression must have deterred him from further chastisement because his stone countenance softens, verdant irises shimmer with passion as he murmurs, “Keeping me safe is not your burden alone. I bare some responsibility as well, so next time, please allow me to ask you for help if I need it.” She feels her body sag, her arms barely holding her up as she cries,

“You’re not nearly as durable as I am.” Regaining her ire from earlier, she shouts with her eyes shut tight, “If I don’t keep you safe, I’ll lose you like I did them!” Bowing her head further, golden locks sliding around her neck and pooling on the floor, she closes her fists on the ground tighter. “Or I’ll have to leave you, like I did the others…” It’s quiet but for the droplets running down her face, the throbbing pain in her heart much more prominent than any physical ailment she felt at present.

“Mina… come here.” Lifting her head, Love’s Guardian stares in confusion at the wounded sweetheart as he gestures toward himself with his less wounded arm. Her chest churns from both affection and heartache as she sniffles pointlessly, her head dropping back down as she crawls to his outstretched arm. Feeling it wrap around her, she snuggles into the space between his shoulder and arm, pressing her soaked, masked face into his chest and absorbing his warmth. He’s warm… he’s still alive… His large, calloused hand rubs her arm soothingly, his face pressed to the crown of her head as he rumbles softly, “It’s okay Mina. I’m fine. Everything will be fine. I won’t be going away anytime soon.”

She couldn’t help the sobs at his words of comfort, gripping his tattered shirt in her gloved hands as he continued to rub her tenderly, his soothing baritone luring her back to sleep. Shaking her head lightly, she’s about to sit up when his hold tightens, his calming tone stills her, “Relax, Mina. Your body needs the rest. I’ll wake you if anything comes.” She’s still reluctant, until he kisses her softly on her head, sending waves of relief through Minako’s body as she counters,

“We should get going. If I sleep now, we won’t-”

“There’s air, the creature’s attacks have stopped for now, so with both of us are injured, we’d benefit from sitting still for a while.” Sunny lashes flick moisture from her eyes as she tilts her head back to look at him slowly and to her awe, he leans down and presses his lips to hers softly, lovingly and shortly as he draws back again, assuring quietly, “We’re safe, Mina. Rest, my Morning Star.”

____________ ~Kurama~ ____________

(True - Akira Yamaoka)

It took a few moments for her to fall asleep, but when she did, her transformation dissipated, her body shivering not from cold, but from pain. Pressing his nose to Mina’s hair softly, he continues to rub her arm comfortingly even through her sleep. She pushed herself too far for my sake, fearing she might lose me like she has others. He had been surprised, and quite furious that she would try to help him in her condition, her energy now unbalanced and nearly searing his human skin with it’s instability. Despite quite possibly being scorched for it, he unfurls some of his energy and strokes along the spiky edges of her aura, and although it stung a bit, her spirit begins to settle from his calming ki.

Sighing in relief that he could help her, if even a little, he concentrates the rest of his energy on healing himself. Some broken ribs, minor gashes, and slight internal bleeding is getting off easy considering I had several hundred pounds of land on my back. It’ll take a few hours for me to be well enough to move, as for Mina… Her scratches were quite minor, but her Life Energy was dwindling, and had he not needed to get them both out of there, Kurama would have done more to ease her pain. Although what I can do is limited, considering this is her Life Energy, in which yôki is not applicable with humans… or Mina’s unique mixture of origins. It was funny, really, how similar the both of them seemed to be, yet so incredibly different.

A ruthless yōkai fox thief turned human entrepreneur and investigator, and a merciless Venusian warrior princess turned human superhero idol. The wounded kitsune chuckles airily, the truth of her being an alien of all things really getting him, and considering his deep rooted feelings for her, it made the situation all the more humorous. An otherworlder and an out-of-worlder, what an interesting pair we would make. He pauses that line of thinking, as something else occurred to him, something more sinister. Interesting progeny also draws unwanted attention from insidious places. He couldn’t help but think of monstrosities like Ichigaki and Sakyo, stemming from opposing dimensions and yet their minds seemed to run along a similar vein. Placing little to no value on the lives of others. Kurama couldn’t help but be grateful that they were taken care of, Including Ichigaki, from what I was told, he never left the island.

(Moonsong - Adrian Von Ziegler)

(Old Fashioned Fairytale - Kalafina)

Although he didn’t mind dark thoughts, one of his previous words caught his attention much more. Progeny… He couldn’t help but remember what she had said earlier, her sweet little smile tugging at his heartstrings as she titters adoringly, ‘You know, you’d make a great dad.’ Hiding his expression with crimson bangs, he smirks with mirth at the incredibly domestic thought of children, and yet with her… You’ve put strange thoughts into my head, Mina. Shaking the ludicrous idea away, since it wasn’t likely he’d ever have offspring, another thing we have in common, it would seem. Staring at the beautiful blond asleep in his arm, he ponders the horrors she must have experienced to dart so heedlessly into danger. ‘If I don’t keep you safe, I’ll lose you like I did them!’

Pressing his face against her head again, he shuts his eyes and takes in her sweet scent. Sunflower, ocean breeze, ambrosia, lilac, oranges, and now bergamot and amber… Was it my energy influencing her hormones? Although he had been quite angry at her appearance earlier, it was more out of convenience than actual frustration with her, and when he heard her hysterical cries, he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with her. No, she’s suffered enough. There’s no need to exacerbate her psychological shock more than necessary. From what he’s found out from her episodes and fears, she’s lost several loved ones, and from the sound of the one… She’s lost her lover as well. And now, I fall hopelessly into that role. He couldn’t imagine the despair she felt watching the one she loves die, let alone…

All of them died on the moon… She lost her princess… In grim detail, he imagined her fighting in desperation to protect a young woman from hordes of warriors. She lost her friends and sisters… One by one, her Senshi fell. Was she the last remaining? Or did she fall somewhere else? She lost her home… Kurama wondered what a kingdom on the moon might look like, and knowing about some of the advancements she had, it must have been a sight to behold. And she lost her life. In the end, she was slain, as the others were, and most of their history and legacy was forgotten. But not by everyone...

Brushing golden strands from pink cheeks affectionately, her resting countenance further calming him from the tragedy she’s lived. She’s lost much, including her innocence, and yet… The way she embraces everyday life, facing the world with such energy and enthusiasm, and nothing about her scent is ever deceitful when she does so. She’s truly trying to live her life here, and yet also dedicating everything she had to her princess’s future. She’s been putting off her own health for others, and it would seem, she will continue to do so. Sighing faintly, the air barely moving the strands on her head as he realizes, I really do have my work cut out for me then, don’t I? Protecting someone who willingly sacrifices their well being is almost an effort in futility.

(Lullaby - Yuki Kajiura)

When she nestles further against his neck, inadvertently squishing her face into his chest, Kurama rumbles gently with amusement, wondering if she would drool this time as well. She certainly knows how to keep my mind occupied while I recuperate enough to get us out of here. He started with his mild internal bleeding, but now was working on fusing his ribs back together. There’s still so many questions you haven’t answered, Mina. I hope I can ask them soon, as although I have patience, I’m afraid curiosity is spurning me. Especially the interesting little abilities she’s demonstrated already: the dimensional pocket or something around that, what her transformations entail as they seem quite complicated, and lastly, what has made her change from a confident soldier to a lost soul?

The walls tremble slightly, likely the demon he was tangling with only a little while ago digging around them in an effort to find them, yet missing them by quite a margin. She was shouting a bit ago, so this may be more confirmation that this thing was recently created, and with genetic manipulation, is unable to fully utilize it’s strengths. It wouldn’t take it long to learn, he knew, as many species, especially in insects, adapt to their environments quickly. Narrowing ivy irises at the walls, the calculating kitsune contemplates his options quickly, considering he was still injured, and worse, there was no way she could move on her own. It’s best if she sleeps as long as possible to recuperate. But they needed to start moving, broken ribs or not, and he’d need to carry her. You seem to do this often lately, wear yourself down before the battle is through. Lifting her and setting her against the rock he had been using to sit up, he grimaces as he kneels in front of her, pulling her arms over his shoulders and hoisting her up his back.

Extending his senses, he remains vigilant of their surroundings as he pads silently through the cave system the apparition created, finding it to be empty for at least the first few kilometers. Ignoring the throbs of pain echoing in his mind, he stays within the shadows along the walls, although there is almost no light through here. Still, even with as dark as it is, just allowing a small bit of his yoki into his pupils, keeping his ears, nose, and ki tuned into any other life down here with them that could see his reflective eyes. Following his nose, he continues towards where the air was coming from and, hopefully, would find a way out. It’s not a guarantee, though if it’s in the right spot I could dig our way out.

(Garan no Dou - Yuki Kajiura)

(Null Moon - Akira Yamaoka)

The ground shakes, and just ahead of him he hears the bakemono break through the side of its burrow, seeking them out with a fervor. Although it’s accuracy leaves something to be desired, it works to our favor. After it continues excavating recklessly, he continues down the path that would lead them to fresh air and hopefully a way out. Making a mental map of where they had dropped and where he’s gone now, and by his estimation they’re heading deeper into the park, and to his advantage with the more forested area. I could just move a tree, but I’m unsure who’s watching above as they could be standing at a distance or using binoculars.

The tunnel the creature had dug was several meters in diameter, allowing ample room for movement and hiding, although it seems to have shredded the rocks on the way through. Kurama kept his senses alert as he neared some demon energy signatures, unsurprised at the curiosity in some of them, though they should be friendly, there are some dangerous, low level beasts from before the barrier fell. It’s up to us in Ningenkai to capture or kill the harmful ones here. Keeping still as some wander by, the dull things not even gifted with a strong sense of smell as they pass by without incident. Only a little bit further… It’s here he notes the surface he’s pressed himself against, a large, slightly rough texture indicating cement or some other material. Anchoring material for park equipment? No… this is too far down for that to be a viable option. Brushing away some of the dirt surrounding it while balancing his precious cargo with one arm, he presses his hand against the wall and lightly extends his senses inward, noting several apparition energy signatures, but like this tunneling yōkai, they were strange.

An underground facility? Perhaps a lab… and likely where this one came from. He should have known, a handful of demons ahead had wandered toward him, tilting their heads back to sniff the air, prowling with a menace. I’ll need to investigate this place later, as for them… Her labored breaths softly caress his neck, his protective instincts learned over his time here rearing up with a vengeance at the thought that anything would try to hurt her. Mindless fiends should know their place. He stands before them menacingly, allowing a minute amount of his aura to seep through, at first his intimidation was working. But these things were apparently too enthralled with the unconscious beauty on his shoulder to fully comprehend the mistake they were about to make, not that he blames them. Even out cold, she draws far too much attention. Narrowing emerald irises, the protective yôko intones, “This is your last chance to turn back. Move forward and you die.” All he got in return was growling with one gurgling,

“The girl… leave her to us…” Closing his eyes, he smirks,

“Then you choose death.” He hears them dart forward, but to their shock, they’re speared through by multiple spines as he reveals his merciless gaze once more. Watching without feeling as the vines retreat from their bodies, leaving still twitching forms on the ground as the wisteria’s roots retreat from their soon to be corpses. They didn’t even realize the parts of my aura I revealed was fed into the wisteria above them. Stepping quietly around the lifeless spirits, he feels a light sweat drip down his temple as he considers what he might do once they reach the surface again carefully. Neither of us are fit to fight, so I may need to sneak around this and contact the others…

Kurama had wanted to take care of this himself, but Mina’s worry for him put them both in danger. Her bond with me is strong enough that she can sense when I’m in danger while asleep. That’s incredibly worrying. With how often he deals with threats of all sorts, some less hazardous than others, she’d be coming to him more often than not in any case. I need to find out what the limit is, and better yet, will her ability gain more power? Mina, you provide many challenges I seemed to have been lacking of late. Smiling wanly at the arm of the still gently sleeping trouble magnet on his back, he exhales with light exhaustion as he chastises himself, And here I was, but days ago, looking for things to investigate.

When he spots light dappling through a short distance away, he feels slight relief and unease, knowing that it was a way out, but he didn’t have much power left to fight, using most of it to heal himself. As he gets closer, the logical fighter analyzes the opening and concludes that the surrounding grass roots could be used to widen the opening enough for him to get through. Widening an opening is much easier than creating one. As the vines whittle away the earth around the hole, he contemplates this strange yōkai he was fighting. I’ve never seen nor heard of an apparition with such a strange amalgamation of properties. It looked mainly insectoid, though it’s a mix of different parts: the claws of a praying mantis, the shell of a beetle, and antennae with the fur lined body and legs of a bee or hornet, digging it’s primary ability. Yet it feels strange…

The hole is barely big enough for Kurama and Mina to fit through, so ensuring that she’s secured around his back well, he kneels down to leap and using his ingrained demon strength, bounds through. It’s a bit messier than he usually liked, his shoulders and knees clipping the sides a bit as he passes through, but he lands in a dignified manner at least. The handy wisteria and it’s brethren surrounding them, though he sees a few overturned from the tunneling apparition, as well as a few other species in a bit of a frenzy from the disturbance. So much so that when the weak things saw him, they immediately charged. He was about to imbue the wisteria with his energy again, but a dark form steps in front of him while grinning,

(Edel Raid Hunter - Yuki Kajiura)

“Looks like you could use a hand.” Crimson lashes lid slightly as the man pulls two 30 centimeter (12”) kukri blades from his waist, prompting the skeptical strategist to state,

“It depends on the intent behind the ‘help.’” The seemingly friendly yôkai rolls his shoulders before the beasts reach him,

“Would it make you feel better to say it was to pay the young lady back in full?” Studying the vagrant in front of him, the movements look familiar, eerily so as he moves seamlessly around the creatures, blades moving in tandem as he slices his way through them. The way he fights looks much like… but that’s impossible, he died centuries ago… It was over quickly, allotting them to speak without distraction.

“I’ll accept that if you explain why you think they’re the same person.” Their ‘help’ sauntered back over to them, and it’s only now he’s really looked at what the other was wearing. Last they met, he could only see the grungy drifter’s cloak, but now he was dressed in weathered deep violet pants, scuffed black leather boots with belts, a tattered, dark lavender leather vest and… A black brimmed hat... His sense of style matches as well… It’s too much of a coincidence, but how can it be possible?

“Not many pretty blondes with her exact hair length and style, and with the handful of times I’ve seen you, you’ve only been concerned with one. Unless you’ve got a fetish for blondes or something, they’ve gotta be one in the same.” Sweat dropping at the huge assumptions he’s making, Kurama points out bluntly,

“That’s dumb logic, you realize?”

“Eh, close enough, I go with my gut feelings, and they’ve not been wrong yet.” A similar thought process as well… Snorting, he’s about to destroy more of the idiot’s dart-thrown reasoning when they’re interrupted by the menace of a demon surfacing with a screech, the dark clad combatant steps in front of them, the sound of the unnamed fool’s teeth grinding grating on his ears as the man groans, “Ugh, you two have a bad habit of getting into messes, don’t you?”

“Typically I can take care of my own problems, however circumstances haven’t been in our favor recently.”

“Ah, an unlucky bastard, huh? Well, you’ve got a lover, and according to all the lovey dovey shit I’ve been hearing in the shops around here, you’ve won the greatest of battles, my friend.” Chuckling lowly, he quips,

Well, if you go by that logic, you’ll also likely die without multiple beauty products, everyone owns a horse.” The loud guffawing of their new companion nearly drowned out the spitting of the strange bakemono in front of them as the other man chortles,

“Humans are damn weird, ain’t they? And they think we are!” Smiling genially, the calm investigator offers,

“Yes, they have rather interesting ideas, and quite fearsome wills, so it wouldn’t be wise to underestimate them.”

“Duly noted.” Their guard for the moment is about to spring forward for an attack, but stops when they hear a shout from the woods around them,

(Flame - Yuki Kajiura)

“Mars, Piercing Blaze!” What looked to be a bolt of burning orange light shoots through the trees and hits the rampaging yōkai quite close to the heart, nearly being fatal. His awake partner curses under his breath as he chokes,

“The hell was that? That’s a whole lot of power!” Although expecting it from the call, the two women who jumped in front of them were roiling with chikara, both similar yet so unique, just like…

“Wait.. is that Mina?” The imposing, winsome brunette with a curly high ponytail looks back at him, spring bud irises wide as the other orders,

“I’ll handle them, you keep this thing busy.” Nodding, the green sailor suited senshi jumps into the air, crossing her arms and knees to her chest only to release the energy while shouting,

“Supreme Thunder!” Sending arcs of electricity at the beast that seemed to make it quail in fear. I don’t blame it, having lightning rain upon you is not very pleasant. Standing before Kurama, the girl is about the same height as Mina, however her presence in uniform was nearly overwhelming, an elegant violence seemed to exude from her. Her thigh length black hair shone like the night to his beauties day, but her eyes were a strange mix of violet and black, like a soft fog clouding tumbled purple agate. However, the clouds in her gaze seemed to merely hide her true ferocity as she hisses, “Why are demons helping a human?” Clutching the woman’s fellow soldier to his back, he answers truthfully,

“We ran into each other, and ever since we seemed to keep crossing paths until she was injured pursuing another demon in my defense.” Mars’ fist clenches quietly, anger roiling in her countenance as she commands,

“Lay her down. Her energy is fading away, so I need to give her some of mine. If either of you are in the vicinity, you’ll be burned to ash.” The apparition behind him sucks in a breath and backs away easily, mumbling,

“Whew, not a nice way to go.” Lying Mina upon the ground, Kurama steps back and watches as the flame fighter kneels next to her and replies,

(Matsuri Uta - Megumi Hayashibara)

“No it’s not. Although I should just purify you two where you stand, Mina seems to care for you.” She knows who I am... Nodding, he watches in curiosity as Mars picks her counterpart up by the back, leaning the usually cheery noble’s head against her shoulder as she intones, “Mars Crystal Power!” Before her chest a bright red light erupts, flames pour forth and disperse before they can reach them until a heart shaped gem that emanated immense power appeared. I can barely breathe exposed to it... Her expression seemed to be pleasured, the fierce look softened to nearly be approachable as she held a hand above Mina’s chest, imploring, “Power Guardian Venus, reveal the Venus Crystal to me.”

To his shock, a small, fairy-like Sailor Venus seemingly blooms into existence, smiling happily at the mysterious guardian as she chimes, “Certainly Sailor Mars!” To his further awe, the crystal the Guardian of Love uses to transform appears from her own breast, beautiful yet dim as warm light winds slowly from it’s emergence, and coating the room in a sensual radiance, even with the lack of brilliance. The little Venus cheers, “All set Sailor Mars! Please save our princess at once!” As I thought, she’s royalty. An exhale passes through antique rose tinted lips as she agrees,

“Yes, thank you.” Shutting her lashes slowly, the protective senshi seems to enter a meditative state, their crystals spinning airily as they float together, sometimes bobbing merrily one after another as though they were communicating. Then, the fire from the red heart gently envelopes Venus,’ embracing it tenderly and lending her strength, entrancing it’s only demon audience. An aural breeze undulated black and gold hair ethereally, the transfer appearing to be an ancient rite of a sort, and rather than feeling frightening, it felt… A passionate, burning intensity that could easily consume, yet it’s lovingly filling Mina’s gemstone.

Could it be that those gems are… akin to their souls? Now he really wanted answers, for if that’s the case… Does this mean that her body can separate from her soul completely? It’d explain why she’s able to project herself as she does to me. Most are vulnerable in ghost form, and nearly damned if only the soul remains, but if this is the case… They could be just as formidable in that form… These fighters would be a force to be reckoned with. Truly, it was a sight to behold, it looked like Mars actually was a Goddess of War, not just a soldier, infusing her own energy into her chosen warrior before battle. A goddess… He freezes as he remembers Mina’s ki signature had felt familiar, yet foreign and now, after visiting Koenma and feeling their chikara again, realizes why that is. It’s a Divine aura. These women are… Though not typically impressed with the deities he’s met, these ones don’t just sit back and have others do their dirty work, they take on the form of a soldier. So this means Mina is…

The Goddess of Love herself… Quirking his lips in internal amusement, Kurama ponders the fact that she didn’t do anything to control him, and yet he fell for her charm anyway. And yet, it seemed she was much the same, keeping her distance from others to keep them safe, but with him… He thought of the soft touch of her lips that she continues to tease him with, absent of the scent or taste of others, leaving only her unique pallet for him to savor. Mina’s dainty hands that tend to slide along his pecs and up to his shoulder, messaging him affectionately, her wonderfully soft thighs spread around his waist. The little noises she makes when he pulls on her mouth, but most of all her sweet yet impish personality, with all her cute little quirks… I had no chance against her, did I?

The ki charged air begins to settle, both heavenly beings’ hair swirls back into place, Mars’ dark irises flutter back open, her fingers brushing sunny fringe tenderly, staring adoringly at the sleeping Venusian princess on her lap. These women are so intimately connected. She didn’t hesitate to help Mina in front of us. Kurama is surprised to find her black calla lily gaze pinned to him, studying him in the same way someone studies an insect’s guts on their shoe. Well, I’m not stunned by the reaction, many people don’t like demons, however they’re usually uninformed. She most certainly didn’t seem ignorant of what he was, however, she ended up snorting as though in resignation, countenance pouting slightly as she picked her fellow up.

Striding up to him confidently, the dignified warrior willingly hands him her friend, whom he knows from her intense care, has great affection for. Even… love. Kurama couldn’t help but to question,

(A Runner - Rafael May and Sophie Lowe)

“You’re giving her back to me?” The high cheekbones on her face tighten slightly with her tense jaw as Mars reveals,

“You’re the one I read about in the flames. Which means I’m the one who led Mina to you.” His verdant stare couldn’t get wider as she continues in a stern tone, “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like you. But she does, and the flames have never steered me wrong.” That’s how she knew me. When he silently takes the golden goddess into his arms delicately, she remarks, “I can feel that although you are a yōkai, there’s good in you too. So I’ll give you a little warning. Look out for a mark that resembles a crescent moon carrying the sun, and another of a diamond trapping the full moon. They can only bring you misery.” Blinking in astonishment, the confounded fox inquires,

“I thought you didn’t like me? Why warn me about this?” Her eyes narrow incredulously, her tone flippant as she informs him,

“I only dislike you on principle. Mina and the divine flames think you're worth protecting, so I’ll respect their wishes.” Lips thinning in understanding, he states,

“You care for her, deeply.” The fierce fire senshi’s gaze softens, holding his captive as liquid obsidian fringe shifts airily before she answers,

“When you love someone deeply enough, you also love them enough to let them go.” His rose lashes lid slightly, marveling at these women and their ability to give so freely to a near stranger as her eyes sharpen while growling, “You had better take care of her, she’s important to all of us. More than you could ever know.” Although slightly irritated with her prejudice against him for his species, he reminds himself the only way she’ll look past her grievances will be through example.

“Of course. You’d be surprised at what a demon can understand.” Sailor Mars watches him for a moment more, likely contemplating his words, before fluttering dark lashes closed. She moves away gracefully despite having given much of her Life Energy, and marches toward the battle still taking place. Stopping for a moment, however, and turning toward him, mysteriously violet black eyes look truly on fire as she warns, “If anything happens to her, there will be war, and you will not win.” She strides away lithely, the echoes of her heels daunting as she joins back into the fray.

Was I just threatened… by the Goddess of War? Staring at the trouble-making enchantress in his arms, he huffs quietly as he muses, You have powerful allies, Mina. Now he understands where her power came from, and it was highly fascinating. Then, if I take into account that these two are Goddesses, then that means… Before his thoughts could continue further, Sailor Jupiter is crushed against a tree, an angry grunt leaving her as she roars, “You think you can toss the Guardian of Courage around like that? Think again!” To his absolute amazement, and from the gasp behind him, his newfound acquaintance as well, she grabs the tall claw legs, and she pushes it back, a beast at least two stories tall and built to dig underground.

The pretty brunette gives a fierce war cry as she bodily tosses the thing several meters away, brushing her hands off as Mars snickers, “That training paid off, didn’t it?” Kurama could hear excitement in her voice as the cheerful wrestler hoots,

(Layton’s Theme - Tomohito Nishiura)

“You betcha! And I’m glad I can get some exercise now!” Grinning when he realizes she didn’t use any of her power whatsoever, it was all natural strength, he finds himself incredibly impressed with these cosmic soldiers and their abilities. They truly are as powerful as the legends portray them, an army of trained demons wouldn’t stand a chance. However, they must be stronger now than they were back then, for the Silver Millenium is no more. To keep from thinking about her death and subsequent rebirth, he curls her to him tightly, him and his apparition companion quickly moving away from the park’s center and towards the entrance.

If they are deities, does that mean the other two are as well? If that’s the case, then Jupiter might be the Goddess of Courage, and Mercury would be the Goddess of Wisdom. This princess, whoever she is, has powerful divine beings fighting for her… but why? Is she a deity as well? Or is there another reason… Stopping by a crop of trees before they are seen by civilians, Kurama kneels on the ground, slipping Mina to his back to look less suspicious carrying her, prompting his compatriot to comment, “Damn, I thought yours was intimidating, but all three together? And she’s unconscious!” Nodding, he shifts her upward, ensuring his hold on her as he agrees,

“Yes, they are. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there are stories in Makai about them, Venus in particular. It was said that even the lords of the time feared her wrath.” The ancient kitsune is startled when her arms are wrapped around his neck, looking to the demon who requests,

“Don’t bite me, I’m just trying to make her comfortable on ya.” Snorting at the thought he might do something indignant like that, he counters,

“I’d rather not, I’ve no idea where you’ve been. Not to mention there’s better ways to dole punishment that would be far more painful.” He can hear the yōkai’s nervousness as he quails,

“You’re a scary individual, y’know that? All the more reason not to mess with your woman.” Sighing at the strange person he’s found himself with, as though the rest he knew weren’t as odd, Kurama imparts,

“At the very least, I’d know the name of the one I’m torturing, considering I’d likely take my time with it.” There’s silence for a moment before the man’s voice sounds humored,

“Lovely imagery. A name would be a nice thing to have, except I don’t remember mine.” He pauses his gentle pace, turning with a questioning gaze toward the man studying their surroundings, until the quiet catches his attention, silver sage irises widen as he wonders, “Oh? You wanna know my story?” Raising a crimson brow at his black haired partner for the moment, the calculating investigator concluded,

“Although you have no memory of who you are, it’d be easier for me to trust someone who tells me what they can about themselves.” Blinking for a moment, their mysterious helper shrugs before offering,

(Strangers - Yuki Kajiura)

“Well, the first thing I was aware of was a dingy ceiling and lights pointing at me. The next, I was lying on a cold, steel slab, and the third, that I knew what they were. I knew language, items, and somehow… I knew how to fight too. But my body didn’t match the strength I thought I had.” Continuing their trek back toward the entrance, Kurama muses,

“Either you’ve been in some sort of stasis long enough for muscle deterioration, or the body you have now is not your original.” The man walking beside him hums in thought, affirming,

“So it’s one or the other, and if it’s the latter, then who’s body is it?” Having already seen the question coming, he expounds,

“I don’t believe you’ve removed another spirit from that body, considering the technique is not one many easily come across, and as far as I can see, your connection with the body shows no signs of forced trauma, though it has been anchored to it using unnatural methods.”

“How in the world do you know that?” The redhead narrows his stare at the passersby while he murmurs,

“It’s a bit of a specialty of mine, reading and manipulating the spirit.” Although the curiosity must be eating the guy alive, the two continue traveling down the sidewalk and looking out for a taxi, until he hears the nameless man inquire,

“Could I hitch a ride with you? I was actually out here looking for clues to my little mystery, but walking that distance sounds like a pain. Especially with how spooked people get when you run a little faster than is considered normal.” Snorting softly, Kurama notes,

“I suppose to keep the peace, I could let you come with us this time.”

“Alright!”

“However, in return I would like more information about the places you’ve already checked out, and we need to give you a nickname at the very least. I’d rather not refer to you in a derivative manner unless you’ve done something to earn it.” The apparition with back length, wavy bat orchid hued locks quips,

“Aww, too much of that and I’ll think you like me, buddy.” At his sour glance, the apparition adds quickly, “I’m pretty unimaginative, so you can call me whatever you can think of.” Noticing a taxi approaching, the amused plotter is about to try and call them, but the unknown man raises his own arm and flags them to a stop.

“Kuroioku. Left Behind the Darkness, it’s not as creative as you might have wanted, but it’s simple and sounds like a nickname. My name is Kurama.” Putting Mina into the cab, Kuroioku grins crookedly as he quips,

“Are you kidding? It’s awesome! Hell, if I find anything out, I might keep it anyway! And nice to meet you Kurama… huh?” Glancing at the look of confusion on the others face, the recovering vulpine slides gracefully into the seat next to her, having prepared himself for the stink of the vehicle, he tells the driver the address to his apartment.

“Is something wrong?” Shrugging, the tall yōkai replies,

“Nah, I thought it was something, but it wasn’t.” Humming in suspicion, he decides to change the subject and question him later, sharing instead,

“I wanted to thank you as well for helping us. Normally I wouldn’t be in this sorry state, however these situations just keep coming, and I’m afraid we’ve been ill prepared for them.”

(Satoyama Main Theme short ver. - Yuki Kajiura)

“We can’t all have the devil’s luck. Just glad I could help you two in time.” Nodding quietly, they sit in comfortable silence as their driver takes them back to his apartment, quite thankful now that he decided today, of all days, to leave his briefcase at work. That might have gotten lost and not found. Nestling his heroic whirlwind’s head into the junction between his shoulder and arm, while pressing his cheek into her hair affectionately, he relaxes only minutely in case there was another attack. Going into a light meditative state, he tries to heal what he can for the 20 minutes it takes to get back to his apartment.

When they stop and he pays the tab, he slides her onto his back again but this time, he has the forethought to grab his key from his back pocket. Though a little awkward holding the key while maneuvering her onto his shoulders, he managed and once again, their current brother-in-arms wrapped her arms around his neck, commenting cheekily, “You two really are cute together, your color palettes contrast well.” Chuckling with a hush, Kurama quips,

“Yes, because that’s why I like her.” Whistling innocently, the playful amnesiac shrugs,

“Eh, there’s worse reasons to mate someone.” Sighing at this wording, the worn businessman reminds him,

“Be careful how you word things here, or you may get a few looks and gather too much attention.” He hears the dark clad yōkai snort as he replies,

“Oh yeah. It’s easy to forget.” Pacing steadily through the lobby despite still sore ribs, though not broken now thanks to his meditation, they stand in the elevator that’s surprisingly empty for this time of day.

“You said there were a few places you’ve already explored for clues?” Nodding, the taller man expounds,

“Yeah, I figured any rumors about labs would be worth looking into, considering I woke up in one. Somehow, it felt natural to investigate where I was, so I found a few docs I have hidden from the place. I’ll bring it over in a bit if you want to take a look.” The chime for their floor sounded, and the doors opened smoothly as they continued toward his home. Able to easily unlock the door this time, without the fiasco from before, he pushes it open and allows his guest in. Thankfully Kuroioku shut the door behind them as a familiar energy signature showed itself to him, prompting him to greet,

“Hello again, Hiei.” Kurama smiles as ruby irises narrow at him before scoffing,

“You’re depleted, again. You’ve not learned your lesson yet, have you?” Though he can feel the curiosity of their new demon friend, he simply places Mina down gently so as to remove his laced shoes as he teases,

“On the contrary, I’ve learned quite a bit from the last we met. And I’ve made a new acquaintance.” Already having a pin on Kuroioku’s personality, he knew his response would be simple.

“Yo! My lease name is Kuroioku.” Much like a stray alley cat, the Jagan’s wielder huffs while chiding,

“If you live long enough. Your energy is a C class at best.” Although quite used to his aggressive mannerisms, others usually weren’t so when their now ally responds amusedly, he’s actually impressed,

“Come on man, I literally woke up seven days ago. You can’t expect a newborn to take over the world, let alone be at full power.” Interesting… he’s already at this capacity, and it’s only been so few days since he regained consciousness… The wizened kitsune sees the shock on Hiei’s face while he picked his recuperating celestial up, explaining,

“Kuroioku has helped us on a few occasions after Mina helped him. His debt is repaid, however, he’s lost his memories and I offered to help him.”

“Your charity work is going to kill you.”

“Only if I let it. You must admit, having more allies than less benefits us all around.” Walking toward the bedroom Kurama throws over his shoulder, “I need to clean her up, so try to be civil while I’m busy.” As he had thought, his violet clad companion salutes him lazily as he assures,

“Got it, Boss.” He couldn’t help but freeze for a moment, the memory he shared with Mina coming to his forethought until he propels himself onward, ruminating once more, There are too many similarities to be a coincidence. Lying her on the floor gently, he goes to the bathroom and turns the faucet on, letting the tub fill while he gathers the towels as he listens to the dining area for any problems. Of course his fire wielding friend would be trying his damnedest to get a rise out of their new ally. Surprisingly, Kuroioku doesn’t react much, laughing the little barbs off as though dealing with the insults of a child. I’ll likely have to do some damage control with Hiei later. Considering his loathing of being seen as a child.

Sighing at the fact he has to, once again, wash an unconscious sunny guardian, he accepts his fate and begins stripping her of her attire to wrap a towel around. Not that I don’t appreciate the sight, it’s the opposite really, she’s far too appealing. But I don’t want to break her trust in me. She placed her faith in him, and though normally it would be well placed… It’s quite obvious my demon instincts feel otherwise, if that lapse of control in my dream was anything to go by. Picking her up after wrapping her nude form in a towel, Kurama continues to reminisce to keep his thoughts occupied as he places her in the warm water. When I had transformed before, I should have known the temptation was there when…

“I’ll just take back some of what you’ve stolen.”

He hadn’t planned on stealing a kiss from her, but it was far too tempting to return the favor. The last thing she needs is another demon lusting after her… He had thought he’d had control of himself after his fight with Shigure, but ever since the first time his ki was taken by whatever dark forces the Sailor Guardians had fought… My biorhythms have been off again. Gently running water through golden locks, he notices something that brings a frown to his face. There was a large gash on her head that was hidden by her hair, though thankfully it had stopped bleeding, but to overlook such an injury… I was lax in my care of her… Pausing his motions, he feels his heart sink as he wonders, Were you right to leave her in my hands, Mars?

(Rakka no Yume - Sailor Moon Musical)

To his awe, Mina nuzzles into his palm, as though feeling his dismay and wanting to comfort him. Even unconscious, you’re still trying to help me. Pressing his forehead to hers, he feels that gentle warmth that he now associates with his love for her flood his system, releasing dopamine. You are so giving… You give everything for others, for your princess, and… Smiling softly, Kurama closes his eyes as he allows his previous doubts to flow away. Thank you, Mina, for keeping me in your life. You truly are the Goddess of Love. Revealing adoring ivy irises, he continues to put shampoo in her hair while meditating on what he’s found out with his mind now clear.

She’s no longer just a soldier, she was once the Goddess of Love, who, based on what Mina’s said and shown, was reincarnated as a soldier to protect a princess. My assumption was her original birth being the princess of Venus, but that wasn’t the entire case. Washing the soap out delicately, ensuring none of it went into her eyes, the caring yôko then saturates her tresses with conditioner, reminiscing, She allowed me to believe that, so she could hide what she truly was. Though… was she truly hiding it? They’re power is so similar, yet so different from the Kami of this world. Had I not been so overwhelmed by all these mysteries, I might have realized her origins sooner. Taking a cloth and body wash, he calmly rubs the dust and dirt off her skin, revealing little scratches and scrapes littering her flesh.

Frowning at the damage she’d been allowed to receive, he promises himself that he’d protect her next time, whether or not he’d reveal his identity, he wouldn’t tolerate it anymore. Not when I know I can keep her from such suffering, even if it means… she hates me. Kurama moves the cloth from her arms to her legs, making certain that nothing remains in the cuts before considering the next areas. She’s probably going to be unconscious for the next few days, and if she isn’t… Narrowing his gaze incredulously, because really, he should’ve known she just couldn’t stay still and recover like a normal person. I’ll have to slip her something to keep her still… which is decidedly not something I want to do, but I will if I have to.

Cutting off his emotions to clean the parts he had the towel around, the occasionally courteous rogue keeps his stare from lingering as he remembers, That’s why she smells so good. She’s a Goddess, let alone the Goddess of Love. Her body and spirit exude an aroma that normal humans can’t sense. But demons with a good nose and spiritual awareness will perceive it, and without knowing why, will pursue her. It also explains why she has the ability to sense my capacity for love. It makes me wonder what it’s like? Does she feel it through me? Or does she perceive it separately? I wonder what Kuwabara will sense from her… Finished with her chest, he works in circles on her bare stomach, his mind thankfully staying busy enough to keep out of trouble.

Wait… love? He remembers her forlorn reaction to the church and to the bridal attire… Oh no… No, that’s… He can’t help but stop and study her resting countenance in disbelief, thoughts grinding against his current sensibilities as he realizes, The Goddess of Love…has resigned herself to never love… Kurama’s throat constricts, the emotions roiling and choking him as he curses to himself. How did I not see it before! She… Oh Mina… Pulling her to him, and despite her being soaking wet and slightly soapy, hugs her tightly as he tries to get himself back under control. You’re even stronger than I thought, koi. To keep going, believing you will never get the one thing you see and feel within others.

He couldn’t even imagine what it must be like, to have forgone her previous life, to become a princess, only to submit to being a soldier bound by duty. To never get what you were originally born to keep sacred, and to do so gracefully, and quite beautifully. You have earned my complete respect, Mina. No other being I know of would go so far as to cede something so many cannot live without to protect someone you can never have for yourself. The agony is nearly overwhelming, and to his astonishment, he hears a knock on the bathroom door with two very concerned apparitions on the other side.

“Uh, you alright? You smell really distressed, man... is she dying?” Calming his strangely strangled breathing, he swallows thickly before answering,

“Everything’s alright, she’s fine. I just recalled something disturbing.” The rather flattered plant wielder nearly snorts when he hears Kuroioku whisper frantically to Hiei,

“Uh, should we run? Because if he finds something disturbing, I doubt we could handle it.” He does chuckle quietly when his normally surly friend mumbles back,

“For once, I agree with you. However, in this case, I believe it has something to do with his woman’s history.” Peeking into my thoughts again, Hiei? Kurama knows he can hear him, barely even having to wait for a reply,

‘Of course, you moron. Your energy suddenly goes haywire and you think I wouldn’t check to see what the hell we’re up against?’ He’s touched that Hiei’s immediate reaction is to come to his aid.

How kind of you. What did you hear? Kurama knew the little tease thrown in would urk him all the more, but he really couldn’t help himself.

‘That you’re a real damn fool for falling for a Goddess, that’s all. And that she’s chosen to relinquish romantic love to protect that princess of hers.’ Smiling slightly and finishing washing Mina, he hears his newest acquaintance reluctantly follow after the flying shadow when he pads away cursing.

So most of it.

‘I’ve seen you in physical pain, enraged, but I’ve never seen your mind in such disarray.’ Draining the water in the tub, he grabs the spare towel and places it on his lap as he returns,

Apologies, it was…

‘There aren’t words for that kind of hell, Kurama. You would pursue a woman who’s living a literal emotional purgatory.’ That’s certainly one way to put it. It wasn’t difficult to keep some thoughts to himself as he nearly grimaces,

Hiei…

‘I don’t claim to know much about it, but if it was enough for you three to overcome what obstacles you have, then I’d say it’s essential to most things in this world.’ Always one for poking fun, though subtle compared to others usually, he ribs,

You feel it too, you know. A certain ex-demon lord comes to mind. Just as he had anticipated, Hiei’s ki fluctuates with his embarrassment as he growls,

‘T-that’s besides the point! Anyway, if a damn Goddess thinks she doesn’t have a chance at love, what makes you think-’ He remembered Mars’ words earlier, and knew exactly what he felt, having met a kindred spirit.

"When you love someone enough, you love them enough to let them go."

I don’t. It’s quiet in his head for a moment, likely the shock of his implication sinking in.

‘Dammit Kurama! You’re going to be miserable for the rest of your life!’ Wrapping her supple form in the dry towel and taking another to bound her wet sunny locks into, the vulpine warrior reveals,

I accept that. So long as I can, I’ll help her. Kurama can tell that he’s upset Hiei quite a bit, and though regrettable, this is what he wants. Staring at the sweet face of Venus herself, he can’t help but feel the knots in his chest loosen, his momentary lapse of attention allowing his brother-in-arms to end the mental conversation fuming. I’m sorry Hiei, but the bond I share with her is one I wish to keep alive. Moving her to the bedroom and lying her on the bed, he retreats back to the closet and gets some of his pajamas to dress her in. Doing so quickly so as to not allow himself to linger in dangerous thoughts, he tucks her into the comforter, keeping her hair covered in the towel for now. Cleaning and bandaging himself before changing his own clothes to some jeans and a long sleeved shirt, this suit is unsalvageable, unfortunately, getting thrown in the garbage before he reconvenes with his guests.

He strides back into the dining room where the two demons sat quietly, one nervous, the other stewing as he asks, “What brings you here today, Hiei?”

“Did you forget? You were going to the Makai, or so I thought. The next few days you don’t have to work, right?”

“Yes… that’s right.” But, that leaves the question… What am I going to do with Mina?

Chapter Text

(Rain and Storm - Yuki Kajiura)

He contemplates his options considering he did need to go to Makai in order to study the artifact they retrieved from one of the strange demons. However, he couldn’t leave Mina alone, not while she recovered, and taking her with him was out of the question. Nothing sounds worse than carrying an unconscious, trouble magnet to a world of demons who would love nothing more than to devour her. Now that he knows what she truly is, he knows better than bring her while she’s incapacitated. Humans have trouble getting back from there, even with border patrol, though they are quite good at what they do, as Hiei so delicately put it before, ‘Then she’s food walking into her own pot’

Unfortunately, low level demons can’t tell a potential mate from a snack, and worse yet, are the ones who become stronger and still keep that disgusting mentality. Although he’s strong, at the moment his energy reserves are, once again, depleted, so quite reluctantly, he decides he must leave her here. Perhaps I can coerce Botan to watch her for the weekend? But I’d also have to explain the situation… Not really trying to hide his thoughts at the moment, he sees the Jiganshi’s frown grow as he growls, “Just leave her here by herself, her aura is barely present, so she should survive two days.” Sighing at the obvious survivalist answer, Kurama’s surprised when Kuroioku offers,

“If you’re comfortable enough with it, I’ll watch her. There probably won’t be much to it anyway, and I get a place to stay for a few days.” Both other yōkai blink in befuddlement before the shorter snarls,

“If we liked the idea, then we would-”

“Why would you offer this?” The violet clad man shrugs lazily as he explains,

“Well, you already said you’d help figure out who I am, gave me a cool name, and rather than waiting for you to maybe name a price, I can take advantage of the situation and watch over your princess, a fairly simple job.” Putting a hand to his chin in thought, the pragmatic fox points out,

“That’s just the thing, it isn’t easy. She may be unconscious, but her scent is also what draws the supernatural to her.” Hiei almost gapes as he hissed,

“You’re actually considering letting this buffoon watch her?”

“Aww, you’re such a mean little rascal!” Before anything else could fly between them, Kurama intervenes,

“You won’t touch her unless she’s having nightmares, or you’re giving her medicine, understood?” Holding his hands up in surrender, Kuroioku nods, face genuinely sheepish as he agrees,

“Got it, I really don’t want to find out about your torture methods.” More than likely, if he is Kuronue, I won’t have to worry. Like me, he didn’t have to take women unwillingly, they threw themselves at him. And besides, his honor wouldn’t let him anyway. Smirking faintly, the innovative plotter bobs his head in acknowledgment as he iterates,

“It’s difficult to resist her scent, are you sure you’re up for this?” The enigmatic fighter shrugs,

“Yeah, I mean, she does smell amazing, but I kind of like my parts where they are now, borrowed body or not, so I’ll keep my head about me.” Nodding in acquiesce, Kurama goes on,

“Alright, I’ll write some instructions, especially when giving her medicine.” Both men look at him curiously as Hiei, interestingly, inquires,

“Medicine?” Tilting his head to the side, the considering kitsune answers,

“Yes, after you pushed her to move as she did, some health issues arose and now she needs daily treatment.” Though he tried to put on an air of uncaring, Kurama could see the minute abashed look in ruby irises, soothing some of the frustration as Kuroioku wonders,

“How do I give it to her when she’s out like this?” Glad he’s asking questions and taking this seriously, the patient academic specifies,

“You crush up the pill and mix it with a spoonful of water, making sure it’s fully mixed and washing it down with another spoonful of water.” The dark clad amnesiac asks,

“Will using my fingers to squish it be fine?” Moving his hands to hold his elbows, Kurama confirms,

“As long as you remember to wash them.” Giving a goofy thumbs up, the redhead’s lips tilt up in humor as Hiei cuts in,

“So when are we leaving?” Looking back toward the bedroom where Mina lies, he decides,

“We’ll leave in the morning. Kuroioku, you can sleep on the couch if you wish.” Saluting him teasingly, Kuroioku flops onto the sofa and gets comfortable quickly while he rumbles,

“Thanks Kurama. Will do.” Huffing at the easygoing yōkai’s security in their company, Kurama looks to the koorime next to him as the shorter man answers the silent question,

“I’ll be around.” Knowing that was code for his usual tendency to wait until everyone else was asleep to come back and sleep on the sill, the amused yôko returns,

“Of course.” The shadow at his side flits away, leaving the two of them in an easy silence as he walks to the kitchen, grabbing a notepad. The quiet only broken when the couch cushion warrior comments,

(Limelda - Yuki Kajiura)

“It may not be much, coming from an amnesiac demon, but I’ll keep your woman safe.” Pausing in his instruction scribing, Kurama turns to the furniture, noting the hat was now on the man’s face to block out light as he assures,

“I trust you. You actually remind me of someone I once knew.” He can hear the interest muffled through the cloth,

“Oh yeah? A cool guy, huh?” Chuckling softly, he reminisces,

“He liked to think so. Although he was quite popular with the ladies.” The long-lived vulpine hears the other’s rolling timbre question,

“Was?” He’s quiet a moment before informing him,

“He’s gone now. A situation went awry and… I lost him.” The normally joking yōkai is silent for a long while, until Kuroioku finally offers,

“That’s too bad.”

“Yes… it is. He was a good person, far more honorable than myself.” His fellow chortles airily,

“I don’t know about that, not many men can handle bathing a beautiful woman without copping a feel or two. You kept chivalrous, it was actually pretty impressive.” A bit astonished that his movements were monitored, he inquires,

“You heard what I was doing?” Waving a hand carelessly,

“Eh, I don’t mean to, but yeah, super hearing.” He smiles to himself as he reads between the lines.

“You care for her more than you let on.”

“Not as much as you do, I’m sure. But she saved my ass, that’s not something I’m going to forget any time soon. And though you seem like a swell guy, when you feel the shivers for someone, your mind can get blurry.” Knowing it wasn’t an insult towards himself, but rather a protective instinct for the women he allows into his chaotic life, Kurama felt even more certain that this was somehow his old friend. It must be, you must be Kuronue!

“Fair enough. If you don’t mind, I want to check your soul for the specifics of the tether to your body.” Pulling the hat off his head, the bat-like gentleman looks back at Kurama surprised before shrugging and sitting up, quipping,

“Sure, might as well now when we have a chance.” Sitting next to Kuroioku, Kuronue, the fox spirit puts a hand to his chest and concentrates on the feel and scent of the soul within. He touches the smokey, easygoing indigo haze. It’s him! But… there is some sort of corruption to it, it smells like a curse… but as to what it’s purpose is… I’m not certain… Taking his hand from the lax apparition’s chest, the enchanted kitsune meets curious silver sage irises and informs him,

“I want to say a name, when I do, let me know what comes to mind.” Raising an inky eyebrow, he confirms,

“Alright, lay it on me.” Taking a moment to bring forth some yōki to deepen his voice to how it was when they were a team, he intones evenly,

“Kuronue.” Kuroioku freezes, eyes wide as he croaks,

“That… it feels like something’s on the tip of my tongue… but I just can’t get it. Damn it!” Nodding in understanding, Kurama stands from the couch while reassuring,

“It’s alright. Memory is a tricky thing, and even with stimulus, it may not return right away. All we can really do for now is find out what happened to you from something else.” All that matters is I have another chance to make things right. It was difficult to hide his elation at the confirmation of his suspicions, but a small part of himself was also nervous. The possibility that when his memories come back, that his previous partner would hate him for leaving him behind was still at the edge of his consciousness. That’s not how Kuronue was, he wanted me to go. Tipping his head genially, Kuronue rolls onto his back smoothly and puts the hat back on his face as he mumbles,

“Right, thanks for this. Enjoy lying with sleeping beauty.” Sighing at the implication, he chides,

“It’s not like that.” The purple and black donned chimera assures,

“I know, you are literally lying with her. She may not know what it means, but we do. It’s nice of you, putting your scent on her to keep others away. You’re one of the few demons I’ve seen do that and not expect something in return.” Stopping with his hand on the frame of the bedroom doorway, Kurama admits,

“She gives me something far greater than simple physical pleasure. She challenges me, moves me, and she… Her soul is beautiful despite the agony she’s felt… And she’s suffering further to protect me.” Glancing back at the rapt couch demon, he ponders, “What sort of monster would I be to neglect such a noble creature?” Kuronue stares mutely for a second before answering,

“The worst kind. I’m glad you’re not.” Turning back toward Mina, Kurama agrees,

(Houseki - Kalafina)

“I am as well.” Closing the door softly, he pads to the closet silently, grabbing a change of pajamas mechanically as he eyes the sorry suit he’d worn today. I suppose at some point I’ll need to find a replacement for that one. Sighing at the damage his attire sustained, which could have been avoided had he realized the extent of her abilities, reminds him of something they’d conversed about earlier. Perhaps we could trade? She wanted to see my workout, so I’ll ask about hers, and open an opportunity to find out more about her power. Taking a quick shower to clean the dust off and going through his nightly routine, he grabs the comb as he walks back to her side of the bed, I really think of it as ours… Running a hand through his crimson bangs, he leans down and lifts her softly, pulling the towel from her hair delicately and freeing blond tresses.

Keeping her propped against himself, he grabs his comb and runs it through her hair tenderly, unraveling tangles meditatively. Brushing her bangs, he smiles when they curl by her ears cutely, some drying flyaway strands sticking to her cheeks in an endearing manner as her light breaths tickle his chest. I never imagined that my life would change so much again, and due to another woman. Continuing to slide the comb through her long locks, he pondered how she was able to make an ally from a demon so easily. Although Kuronue has always been a bit friendly for a demon, it still takes much to earn a yōkai’s respect in terms of strength, and with your one display, he was willing to intervene if I were to get uncouth.

Finished with grooming her, he lays her down softly, caressing her face affectionately as he continues ruminating, You and the warriors I've seen have an aura about you that seems to exude esteem, lightly commanding respect from those who behold you. And yet, you hold greater admiration for your princess. I’m incredibly curious who she is to move such commendable Goddesses into becoming soldiers for her. Laying down beside her gradually, he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her to his side, pressing his face to the top of her head and inhaling quietly. Touching her soul subtly, the response is sluggish, but warm and receptive as she twines tiredly with him spiritually, his body relaxing immensely. Closing rose colored lashes, he feels his exhaustion catching up with him and falls asleep within moments.

(Quen A Omagen - Erutan)

Revealing verdant irises, Kurama sits up slowly, the glare of the sun rather bright as he tries to get his bearings. There was a light scent surrounding him, various flowers in full bloom with a light smattering of what looked like crystal dust. It must be a dream again, but not my own considering the dulled smell. The fields were sprinkled in color from the copious flora, strange insects he’d never seen flitted about the foreign petals of species similar, but not quite the same as Ningen ones. The wind blew softly, but it didn’t feel real, not in the sense that it was a dream, but the air was strange. It’s purer than it should be, the dirt, dust, and pollen in the air should be tainting it, and yet… “I see, this must be another of Mina’s memories.” Studying the area, he notices while looking at the horizon that there’s a slight shimmer to the sky, with no clouds but a thin veil of fog that must protect the surface’s occupants from the sun. Is that… an artificial atmosphere?

While not entirely well informed on the subject, one Kazuma Kuwabara had found it fascinating, and considering he was one of the few minds his friend could have intellectual conversation with, he became the subject’s student. They had deliberated for hours over the theories they’d read about, but now, he might be witness to those ideas employed, and it was incredible. Their technology is phenomenal, and this was several thousand years ago. I can only imagine what their advancements could be now, had they not been destroyed. Perhaps Mercury has continued with improvements. It’s then he picks up the sounds of giggling and peals of laughter from several meters away, the sound drawing him in that direction. What he comes across brings a soft smile to his lips as he finds the four senshi and their princess chasing a black feline covered in flower chains, who, although her words were peeved, seemed to be enjoying the game as well

“Serenity! Stop this right now! I’m covered in enough pollen to last me a lifetime!” The pigtailed princess, who took him aback as now she was a beautiful teen with flowers and jewels adorning her sparkling silver blond hair, chimed happily,

“But there's still bare spots Luna! I wouldn’t want you to be dowdy!” Snorting with a laugh, the dark cat retorts,

“I couldn’t care less! Leave my poor fur be! It’s going to take forever to get all this out!” The young ladies all giggle airily, though he could tell the four warriors weren’t trying very hard to keep up with their sovereign, letting her have her fun with her little furry friend. Off to the side were several white-silver haired men and women, some in conservative white dresses and others in white uniforms and visors, they looked like they were military personnel, if the strange weapons were anything to go by. It was odd, however, the Guardian’s uniforms were different; it’s sleeves were three rolls, the sheer fabric missing, and instead of two skirts of orange and yellow for Mina, she wore only one. She stood in orange pumps rather than boots, and minus the ribbons ensconcing her waist, instead a similar roll to her sleeves separated the pieces. The cosmic motif is missing from her accessories as well, tiara an oval jewel and brooch button-like while a beaded chain hung around her hips. Her candy apple red ribbon was her signature, even back then. The most surprising thing was she wore armor over her chest, which is now missing from her current attire, though he can’t imagine why that would be.

Extra protection or a symbol of their status as soldiers. Running alongside Mina was the white cat, the crescent moon shape emblazoned on its forehead. This cat must be an advisor of sorts, as he was chastising Mina before. Interesting, cats as advisors, highly advanced technology, Goddesses as protectors, and children as soldiers. The stress of these duties are such that they still affect Mina even today. Though right here, in this moment, they all seemed so sweet, so innocent playing among these fields of flowers, stopping in their chase of the feline to cover each other in flower chains. The tender peace was disturbed, however, when Mina stiffened, and before anyone else could react, she pushed Serenity aside and a laser beam burned through her chest, just above her heart.

(Tohou ni Kurete - Yuki Kajiura)

“Venus!” They shout in unison as the yellow and orange clad warrior falls to her knees, keeping the princess safe behind her as she calls,

“Venus, Crescent Beam!” Aiming two fingers, she unleashes her own ray of power, shooting through their attacker’s shoulder meters away, the screams of agony echoing around the clearing and nearly hiding the innocent royal’s gasp of horror. Gritting her teeth, she commands, “Mercury!”

“On it!” The short haired bluenette presses her earring and it brings a screen over her night sky colored irises as she scans their surroundings, reporting,

“There are five more energies similar to what we just felt, four others here, I’ll forward the coordinates to everyone, and the other might be using the Event Horizon of Rohesia to block our sensors.” The golden guardian begins issuing orders,

“Jupiter, confront the one by Rohesia, Mars, take some of the guards and pursue the other four here on the planet, Mercury, go to the command center to keep the others informed of any movements.” The three echo quickly,

“Right!” They split off as Mina holds her wrist to her mouth, the watch on it shining as she instructs,

“Lunar Guard Infantry, those unassigned are to be on watch for suspicious activity and keep open coms for Mercury’s instructions. This is code, Uthyr.” Panting, she flexes a finger in a come hither motion to the two uniformed men who had been moving away, the two asking in unison,

“You called Lady Venus?” Nodding and standing slowly, the hole only weeping a bit as she intones,

“You two with us, I can still fight, but I’d prefer having a bit more force in case more enemies show up and you need to take Her Majesty to safety.” They begin making their way toward the castle that looked quite similar to the Taj Mahal of Human World he’d seen in his foreign studies class.

“Venus, You’re hurt, so you should go to the healers!” Smiling wanly at the pigtailed noble, Mina assures,

“I’ll be fine for a little while, the heat from that laser cauterized most of the wound, the idiots, so I’m not in any danger.” Glancing at the two soldiers, the wounded warrior demands, “Lower the output on your Molecular Disruptors.” What… a Molecular Disruptor? The duo looked confused for a moment, until she tilted her head toward the frightened, wide-eyed Serenity at her side. Nodding at once, they both smile in sympathy beneath their visors as the older looking one confirms,

(Kiichigo No Shigemini - Kalafina)

“Yes ma’am” Lidding forest green irises at the thought and consideration Mina puts into protecting everything about her princess, likely including aiming for her attackers shoulder and nowhere else, both to keep them alive and prevent them from moving too freely. She thinks of everything when it comes to Princess Serenity, emotionally and physically. The group formed a tight triangle around the princess, the point being the considerate fighter herself with their monarch just behind her and fretting ceaselessly over the wound. It’s not a one way love either, although not quite the same toward one another. They reach an open air hallway lined with pillars and continue toward their destination as Mercury informs them,

“Jupiter has intercepted and destroyed the armada within the Event Horizon. Their ship was unmarked, however, she reports that the crew were some she recognized as part of the Rebel Faction. Also, after an inspection Jupiter confirmed that the ship was a comendiered Jovian battleship… She’s taking this hard, Venus.”

“Got it, I’ll speak to her in a bit. Keep me posted on Mars and the Lunar Guards situation, Mercury.”

“Actually, they’ve caught three of them, but the fourth-” Before she could complete the sentence, Mina pushes Serenity behind one of the pillars while shouting,

“Venus, Love Me Chain!” Pulling the beads from her waist, which were quite different from what she used now, she snaps the end into the weapon aiming at them, ordering, “Lykos, Caracol, detain the intruder and bring them to the Titan Chamber!” The younger man exhales loudly while running toward their target who was on their knees cursing, having been hit by part of the chain,

“Damn, how did you even see that?” Smiling cryptically, the Guardian of Love and Beauty insists,

“I’ve told you boys before, I’ve got eyes everywhere.”

“I hope not everywhere-” The scruffier of the two elbows the other as he hisses,

“That’s Lady Venus you're talking to kid, so bite that tongue or have it beaten out of you during training.” Swallowing thickly, the boy keeps his lips sealed as they bind their prisoner with some sort of magic, the two noblewomen moving out from behind the pillar and meeting with the Lunar duo.

“Call on some back up in case this one gets feisty before I get there.” Their prisoner’s wrists bound, the two salute her stiffly before leading the unidentified person to be interrogated. The two men walk away, dragging their new baggage with them as the teary eyed embodiment of purity begs,

“Can you go get treatment now, please Venus?” Mina’s thoughts echo around him airily, ‘I just can’t resist that expression, now can I, Serenity…’ Sighing in resignation, she turns and touches the smaller girls face while conceding,

“Alright, but only because you’re more beautiful when you smile.” The Princess giggles with bell like laughter and tugs on Love’s hand as she leads her through the gorgeous domed room, the outer dome looks like it’s covered in what resembled blue fire opal sheets, though you couldn’t see any lines that denotes the sheets being put next to one another. The two ladies in front of him take a turn and head through another open air hallway, the long path of what appears to be moonstone leading to another building. When they come across guards for the door, the two open them quickly, bowing as the ladies pass through. To his surprise, and immense humor, when Venus is seen with a gaping hole, the men and women gasp first, then steadily a crimson blush consumes their faces as one squeaks,

(Sailor Senshi no Yuuga na Houkago - Columbia)

“I-I’m sorry, milady, but all the healing pods are in use…” With a quick glance, he spots Mars, Mercury, and with a sudden burst of energy, Jupiter walking forward with a few wounds littering their forms. Nodding with a small smile, Venus saunters forward with a wink at Serenity, her chiming giggle encouragement for whatever nefarious plan she had. Knowing Mina, it’ll be quite entertaining. To his absolute astonishment, she tugs on the indigo bow on her chest, loosening it from the brooch and smiling beguilingly at the healers. Fire red heels click loudly as the war maiden stomps to the front of Mina, grabbing the part in her attire while scolding,

“You don’t need to strip down for them stupid! Agh! You do this every time!” The angelic royal’s chittering brings a smile to the sunny senshi’s face as she whines,

“Yes I do! I need to air out my wounds!” Choking with amusement himself, he sees what she’s doing, and although the Martian acts frustrated, she seems to see it as well. She uses both hands to hold of the ‘V’ of her counterpart’s collar, while the brazen seductress tugs a sleeve down her shoulder, a beautiful flush alights her cheeks as she moans, “Oh, Mars… I didn’t know you liked me that way~!” Kurama and the Princess are enjoying the little act, meanwhile, the Moon doctors were all several shades of cherry watching Mars struggle with the slowly falling collar.

“Quit being a weirdo and put your clothes back on!” Mina’s sighs and groans enhanced the color on the room's occupants cheeks, although the guards looking in on the noise were quite enamored with her. Slapping the back of the wounded warrior’s head, the fire wielder quickly re-ties her fellow senshi’s bow and backs away, rubbing her temples in frustration as the menders and the beet faced Mercurian breathes a sigh of relief. The brown ponytailed Jovian sweat drops with a smile, chiding affectionately,

“Oh, Venus…” Mina sits on the examination table with a pout, grousing,

“Oh alright~! I’ll behave for a little bit.” Crossing her leg over one another, the protector of romance tilts her head away snootily, arms folded under her chest and pushing up her bust as the medical staff debate who’s going to tend to the bold soldier. Closing one cornflower iris, Mina complains to the naive princess,

“You’d think I was a leper with how they’re acting!” Shaking her bun shaped, pigtailed head, Serenity clasps her hands together and praises,

“No way Venus! You’re so beautiful, I could gaze at you all day! They’re just scared of those feelings!” The senshi standing behind her are silent, apparently surprised as well, when Mina beams tearily with a high pitched noise,

(Helios’ Present - Yasuharu Takanashi)

“Aww, Serenity, your honesty is so incredibly sweet! I can’t put into words how much I love you!” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, it makes the shorter girl giggle and blush cutely, and seems to set the bashful among them at ease. A lilac haired young woman steps forward and smiles genially at the guardian and her princess, now seeing what the golden beauty was trying to accomplish. It would seem many don’t understand your complexity, Mina. The women watch as their leader is healed with small smiles on their faces, their monarch glowing happily now that her precious champion was being taken care of. Your Princess cares just as much for you…

As the memory begins fading away, the gorgeous beings laugh merrily as Mina’s voice rings out around him clearly, “Serenity… You inspire me so much… I can never show or say how much you mean to me. All I can do is try to keep you safe, however I can.’ Closing his eyes, his lips tilt in content as he chuckles to himself, We’re the same now, Mina. I feel the same about you. To his shock, while he felt the dream memory begin to vanish, something else pulled him elsewhere, lifting rose colored lashes to gauge his new surroundings. Kurama was awed by his area, as, much like the Moon Kingdom, this place had a mysterious beauty about it.

The terrace he stood on looked as though it were taken from a magazine, yet it was also incredibly foreign, with the stone he stood on resembling orange aventurine, cut into small squares and arranged to look like scallop shells. The several meter tall curved archways with incredibly detailed blue scheelite pillars of people, much like the statues he’d seen depicted in Greece. At least, I can only use the closest Earth elements I know of to describe this palace of wealth. Incredibly intricate stained glass in varying ocean patterns and colors were spaced along the walls, contrasting beautifully with the subtle, warmth of the marbled, mangano calcite walls and trimmed with tumbled erythrite. From the tops of the arches hung copper scrolling hooks holding soft, thin fabric that stretched a few meters to more decorative pillars that stood before an enchanting garden.

The garden was filled with colorful precious stones, many of which looked like several more Earth ones, and over the stones stood several luminescent rose variants and what looked to be blackened myrtle. This castle must be… Looking toward the sky, the age-old investigator recalls Mina’s description, ‘the clouds were usually yellowish colored, while the sky itself was bluish green…’ It was exactly as she described, and a sight to behold although the pink fog did make it difficult to see the stars. There were many more plants that didn’t look like anything he’d ever seen, more like fantasy drawings than real flora, but before he could deliberate further, soft hands cover his eyes and a deliciously plush body presses against his back, whispering with sultry,

“You shouldn’t be here.” Swallowing, because really, there’s only one person it could be, although it is decidedly not his self-conscious, awkward yet sweet senshi.

“Apologies, I hadn’t meant to intrude upon your privacy, but it seems I’m being drawn here…” The temptress hums lightly, pulling her dainty fingers from over his eyes to pad airily around him, the distracted flora specialist clenches his fist tight. Her voluptuous body was bare, save for the sheer gold fabric lined with celestite and turquoise beads strung along silver thread in a knotted pattern. The glittering fabric and gems highlighting her bountiful breasts and nipples, held up by three strands of pearls on each side, though two of them were likely for show. Four lines of fine gold cord dangled from the center of the fabric with another set opposite and looping around to her back. Only a small square of the same fabric covered her crotch and hung low on her hips, and with the weight of three more pearl strands scalloped along her thighs and the gold cord valanced over her hips, it looked as though they may pull themselves down at any moment.

However, the generous curves of her body held them faithfully in place as she moved, gossamer thin copper bracelets with blue calcite beads jingling on her wrists and ankles which were tied to the fabric of her veil. A sea foam blue veil that complimented the sheer fabric, and yet the seashell with myrtle embroidery and pearls sewn in obscured her face, reminding him ironically, of how he hid himself from Mina. Her skin glowed ethereally, and little gems decorated her hands and feet, drawing even more attention to her form. That is a part of her legends, drawing eyes to herself. She’s walked two circles around himself now, and truly, it was bothering him a bit, so he inquired, “Why are you walking around me?”

“I’m casting a spell on you.” Nearly choking on his breath, he gasps,

(Bow Anthology - Junichi Matsumoto)

“What?” Tittering in mirth, though he’s not sure why she thinks it’s funny, even after she answers,

“Oh, don’t get all worked up, it’ll help you. Unless you want to lose who you are now?”

“What?”

“I know you can feel it. Every time you transform, you lose a part of yourself that you’ve built up for the past several years.” Now he’s incredibly concerned as he demands,

“How did you know that?” Kurama’s stunned when her voice fills with scorn as she intones,

“I’ll overlook your slight this time, but only because I like you. I may not consciously acknowledge it, but I can feel the demon within you devouring your humanity.” His rose colored fringe covers his eyes from sight, knowing what she said was true as he wonders,

“I was never a human eating yōkai, so why is this occurring?” The melancholy academic’s surprised by a soft hand sliding along his cheek, bringing his attention to the unfathomable vision standing before him. Although the veil continues blocking his full view of her face, coming to her clavicle, the shimmering honey gold irises meeting his from behind the cover are more mature than the doll-like morning glories he’s used to. Her hair was still done up in a half-tail, but it was much higher on her head, and a silver crown of jewels set just before her half-tail and holding the veil in place.

“It’s because even though you eat human food to gain energy, your demon core needs much more than you’re providing, and unfortunately, the closest energy source is…”

“My human body’s ki.” Nodding, she continues,

“If I give your energy a guide, you can redirect where it feeds. That also means you’ll need to find a new energy source. And eventually, you’ll learn to do it on your own.” Blinking in astonishment, the plant kitsune asks,

“You can do that?”

“Certainly, or rather, I can give you the tools to prevent it. I need something from you in return, though.” Slightly shocked and definitely suspicious, he ponders,

“What do you want?” Giggling at his distrust, she assures,

“Nothing terrible! Whatever you have on you will do.” She said ‘whatever,’ which leads me to believe it needs to be a thing. “We can figure it out in a bit, for now, all you need to do is lift my veil and just be receptive to me.”

“I don’t usually make deals without knowing all the details.”

“Do you trust me?” Emerald irises wide, Kurama freezes at the simple inquisition, yet it strikes a deep chord. She’s… asking me to trust her now. Can I… Swallowing thickly, he nods and murmurs,

“Yes. Of course.” Humming happily, the Goddess before him instructs,

(Serenato - Kalafina)

I’d been trembling in the wind

Like a flower waiting for spring

Come just a bit closer to me

I want to feel your life

“Then lift my veil and we’ll begin the ceremony.” Ceremony? She steps closer, breasts nearly caressing his diaphragm as she gazes up at him. His breaths hitch at the realization that this seems a bit like a human wedding, and although not much for their traditions other than blending in and humor, he couldn’t help but tense. Taking a breath, he lifts his hands and takes the bottom of the fabric and pulls it up slowly, revealing Mina’s visage but… If all of her inner beauty shined outward, this is what I imagine she’d look like. Her features have his human heart pounding as she beams softly, her thumb gently stroking along his cheek.

In the skyless meadows

Of a godless country

The birds’ melody laments

“We want to return but cannot”

Her face moves closer, mango lips parting and roiling gold irises fluttering closed as she pushes herself against his body. Her free hand slides from his chest to his shoulder, squeezing the flesh tenderly as her nearly bare form burns him to the core. While her mouth comes closer, her tantalizing scent pervades his entire being as he rests a hand on her silky waist, the beads tickling the top of his fingers. His other hand comes up to cup her own cheek, and although his senses were all alight, he worked to calm himself and memorize everything about this moment. Strangely enough, he could almost hear some rhythmic music all around them, as though there was someone chanting a song.

I want to keep on

living close to you, my love

(ah, yante iyama isama…)

What I’m always praying for

Is you alone

Their breaths mingle while her supple body completely relaxes against him, her energy building and weaving around him before they’re mouths even touch. It’s a powerful spell… All thought is wiped from his mind at her longing whisper in that charming accent against his lips, “Kurama…” His hand squeezes her waist and cheek in reflex as her mouth slots into his, her ki sliding enticingly around his, pulling a groan from him that she swallows eagerly. He feels himself hardening, and that mischievous hand of hers slides down and glides across it, prompting him to thrust into her fingers. Her arousal perfumes the air while her moan has him throbbing against her, the spell surrounding his soul growing stronger.

Change your tears into a song

The serenato that sweetly plays

Is the sound of bells

Search for the country of summer

Tonight let’s travel down the path

that the last star shines upon

Together

Moving to just a hair's breadth away from kissing again, she presses her forehead against his, her nose brushing his sweetly, cooling his lust and changing it into affection. The chikara around him shifts, yet it only grows stronger.

Because the sun was hidden

Our souls were chilled to the bone

Together we wandered through love

Not believing, but wanting to

Her hand on his cheek moves to clasp his hand in hers, weaving fingers between one another, her beautiful smile enrapturing him as she steps away. What is she… His thoughts remain incomplete as she giggles and tugs him toward her, his body following lithely, though for him, clumsily. What are you planning? It’s then he notices their hands were placed in the proper positions for ballroom dancing, and she was leading him. First a smoldering kiss, sweet affection, and now dancing? What is all this for?

When I want to keep on

living close to you, my love

(ah, yante iyama isama…)

Someday, summon light back

To the lonely earth

Humoring her, and following along with her movements easily, Kurama finds himself grinning at her lightly, amused despite himself with her antics. Arching his arm over her head, she spins gracefully beneath his palm, her delighted chittering soothing his soul, strengthening the spell.

Going on the journey of life

The echoes we play are a serenato

The sound of bells

Adding the silhouettes of summer

We’ll someday reach

the distant, peaceful sky

When she spins into his arms, she takes hold of his hands, and to his shock and surprise, places them onto her stomach. His awe increases when her energy pulses softly from within, from this particular spot, almost as though… She’s implying she’s pregnant? He knew she wasn’t, it wasn’t possible, not by scent nor by any extra ki from within, but an instinct within him reacted, prompting him to clutch her closer and press his face into her neck for her scent. Excitement and fear run rampant at the thought, both reactions he doesn’t often feel and though he was staggered by them, he also felt adoration for them.

Change your tears into a song

The serenato that sweetly plays

Is the sound of bells

Search for the country of summer

Someday, let’s rest our wings

On the distant final path

And fall asleep

Together

‘You’d make a great dad.’ He’d always thought himself incapable of such love, it being a damn miracle he felt such emotion for his mother and friends. To be able to feel like this, even when it’s not real… I hadn’t realized I was capable of this… It’s then that the spell completes, a soft energy nestling itself around his demon core, not as a shield or barrier to protect others against, but as a light post to show him the pathway. It’s up to me to follow it… You understand me so well, it’s incredibly daunting. Her soft hair fluffs against his as she nestles her cheek to his head lovingly, his hands sliding around her waist and clutching her close.

Such power… and this is only a small amount, as reincarnation requires much energy itself, let alone completing the process twice. Her tinkling voice caresses his ears like a prayer as she explains, “From now on, you will be in control of your transformations, however be warned, your body will follow what you truly want. Although you should be able to control yourself, this spell is not a set of shackles, it simply enhances the importance of your love to your demon soul, making it less likely to feed off of it. It’s up to you to find where you’ll get your new energy source from.” Nodding minutely against the junction between her shoulder and neck, he relaxes from the foreign ki settling in.

One of her hands holds his arm across her stomach, the other comes up and caresses his face as she asks, “Why do you always smell like roses?” Blinking languidly, and quite astonished at how content he felt as he moved away from the luring scent of her neck a bit to pull a rose from his collection in his hair. Holding it in front of her chest, he smiles at the gasp she releases, her dainty fingers wrapping around the stem as she looks back at him in awe. “It’s infused with your energy.” Pressing his cheek against hers he murmurs,

“I can manipulate plants with my ki. I carry seeds in my hair for ease of access.”

“I accept your offering. Thank you.” Crimson lashes flutter in confusion as he inquires,

“That’s it? You don’t need anything else?” Her countenance is amused when she glances at him while she teases,

“That’s all. I prefer my favorite roses over goats' limbs any day. But it’s cute you thought of that.” Snorting, he reluctantly admits,

“All I know of you is through human mythology, so you’ll have to forgive my lack of understanding.” Velvety lips caress his cheek as she assures,

“You’re forgiven. But when you leave, when the truth is known, can you… forgive me?”

__________ ~Waking World~ __________

(Old Fashioned Fairytale - Yuki Kajiura)

Kurama startles awake, emerald irises staring at the wall of his bedroom and a steady warmth drawing him back from the world of dreams. Memory dreams, but that last one… ‘When the truth is known… Can you forgive me?’ Letting his breaths settle from his abrupt awakening, he takes a moment to glance at the subject of his worry. Is she expecting an adverse reaction? The Goddess of Love had come to him in the dream, and she gifted him something incredible, yet also something foreboding. Turning toward the beauty sleeping in his arms peacefully, he finds it difficult to believe that a part of herself, the Goddess, had given him the ability to choose to live as a human. ‘It’s only a guide… It’s up to you to find a new energy source.’

Pressing a kiss against the top of her head, he murmurs gratefully, “Thank you.” Brushing his fingers along her temple and moving her golden bangs aside reveals more of her cute face, bringing a smile to his countenance. He’s always tempted to do more, hungers for more, but his restraint was always enough to keep it at bay. I’ve never had so much trouble resisting anyone. Yet you can’t fathom your own charm. Slowly, definitely reluctantly, he untangles himself from around Mina, her warmth instantly replaced by cool air and calling him to curl back up with her. You have me spoiled now, Mina. The amused vulpine pushes himself out from under the covers, light shivers running along his body from the temperature difference.

Going to the closet, he changes efficiently into a long sleeved, mixed green jewel colored plaid shirt, though his mother called it ‘Madras.’ I’m not certain of the specifics, but for simplicity sake, I’ll call it ‘plaid.’ Pulling on a pair of blue jeans and going through his morning routine, he strides back into the bedroom, smiling softly at the still adorably cuddled princess. He chuckles quietly at the pillow she clutched to her chest, drooling slightly on what he recognizes as his pillow, missing from his side of the bed. I suppose I’m going to need to wash that before sleeping on it again. Shaking crimson forelocks, he heads into the dining area and wasn’t too surprised to see that their newest roommate was also already awake.

What did shock him was the smell of food and Hiei sitting at the dining table with Kuronue, both eating something from some take out boxes. Though curious, Kurama begins making some homemade matcha, putting the kettle on the stove and grabbing the powder mixture from his tea cupboard, he begins, “Should I ask how that food was procured?” He hears a chortle from the reborn chimera who supplies,

“It was procured through natural means, I assure you.” A snort from the Jiganshi tells him all he needs to know about these ‘means.’ Putting old skills to good use, I see. On top of that, it’s far too early for any of those places to be open around here.

“That’s convincing.” He can hear the grin in the response,

“Yeah, I thought so too!” Huffing in humor, Kurama pulls the boiling water off the burner and puts some powder in a tea cup, inquiring genially,

“Tea?” The duo echoes their thoughts in sync,

“You can keep that dribble you call ‘tea’ that’s really just disgusting grass water, thanks.”

“Sure, I could use some caffeine after my heist- uhh, walk around the block!” Chuckling lightly, he can’t help teasing them both,

“Hiei, you’ve learned some manners! And Kuroioku, there is no such thing as a ‘heista walk,’ it’s just called a heist.” Pouring another cup, he hears the surly apparition grumble into his food, meanwhile Kuronue choked on his ill-gained provisions, adding to the foxes mirth. All I need now is Yusuke, Kuwabara, the girls, and Mina in here and we’d have one hell of a get-together. Leaving the rest of the water in the pot and grabbing a pair of chopsticks, he takes the two cups to the dining table and hands one to their resident bat while setting the other at the opposite end of Hiei. Sitting next to Kuronue, the other dark clad warrior passes the last box to him, which was filled with fried dumplings with some vegetables, rice, soup, and some egg rolls. I’m going to guess he grabbed food as it was being prepped and tossed everything into these boxes…

“Thank you. After we’re done eating we’ll be leaving. Do you need anything else?” Waving a hand leisurely, the laid back warrior states,

“Just let me grab that information to bring back here and I’ll be ready.” Bobbing his head in acquiesce, Kurama agrees,

“Alright, I’ll finish up here while you do that then. If you do need anything after we leave, just use the phone here and call the number I’ve left on the end table for Mina. Even in Makai, the call will reach me.” Shoveling down a few more bites, the inky haired apparition looks impressed as he asks,

“Damn, how’d you manage that?” Smirking slightly, the rose haired vulpine jokes,

“I have connections.” His seatmate chokes, Hiei himself grinning minutely, though likely at the possibility of Kuronue dying from asphyxiation than the actual pun. Eventually getting himself together again, the chimera chides,

“You can’t just say jokes like that out of nowhere man! Warn me first or I might croak!” Chuckling softly, Kurama quips,

“I occasionally make jokes. You’ve been warned.” Unable to help the chortle at the tears in Kuronue’s eyes, he begins eating his own portion as Hiei finishes digging into his own. They, almost impressively, fall into an easy silence as the koorime stands from his seat, moving to the window and sitting on the railing. Knowing he would stay there until they were ready, the calm tea drinker simply picks away at his breakfast as Kuronue stands.

“Alright, I’m heading out. I’ll be back in a few.” Nodding, he watches the amnesiac saunter out the apartment door, already considering a few methods of jotting his long lost comrades' memory.

“Are you sure about this? You don’t know that guy, he might hurt your woman.” Although not facing one another, both could hear each other perfectly as Kurama promises,

“I know him Hiei.”

“Ha! So that’s why there’s a block now. I was curious, but figured it wasn’t anything I wanted to know anyway.” Raising a crimson brow, the amused strategist wonders,

“Really? You as well?” The answer was sharp and immediate with the sound of clothes shifting, letting him know his audience had turned toward him.

“What do you mean?” Taking his time, as he knew it pulled at the threads of Hiei’s sanity to no end, he explains,

“Kuroioku was suspicious of my fortitude when I bathed Mina, so he kept an ear out.”

“Che! Like that idiot could do anything to stop you anyway.”

“You forget what someone can do when motivated enough.” The swift shade looks confused for a moment before demanding,

“Why would he be?”

“She protected him. His honor code dictates he returns the favor.” Humming to himself, Hiei inquires,

“And you trust him?” The answer was easy enough to give,

“Yes. With my life.” What shocked him, however was the young fire yōkai’s own swift reply,

“Then I won’t question it.” Appreciative of the growth he’s seen in Hiei, he says,

“Thank you, Hiei.” Considering who he spoke with, he should have known the thanks would be deflected with an insult, though quite minor.

“Just hold yourself together while you’re gone. With the way you were thinking…”

“Yes. It’s a soul bond. It might get rough to be away for so long.”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you, Kurama.”

“Your confidence in me is staggering, Hiei.”

“We can’t even consider the alternative.” Chortling at the rebound, Kurama jests,

“At least your greatest element is fire.”

“I’m sure you have some monstrosity hidden away that can counter fire.”

“You know me too well.” Sighing at the admittance that he does, indeed have a countermeasure against fire, the prickly shadow changes the subject.

“Say your sweet nothings to the girl while that fool’s away. Otherwise you might have an audience.”

“Ah! I knew you were a romantic!” A giant flush warms Hiei’s ears as he hisses,

(Vision of the Previous Life - Sailor Moon Eternal)

“S-shut up! Just go do something!” Chuckling at his fellow’s embarrassment, and deciding to give him some peace, he stands from the small bit of food left in the box and tosses the others into the trash as well. Putting their chopsticks in the sink, he grabs a spoon and fills a glass of water to give her a daily dose of medicine. Heading to the bedroom, Kurama stops in the doorway for a little while, just watching Mina sleep peacefully, no cares in the world as she still cuddles his pillow. He can’t help the smile that warms his soul at the haphazard manner in which she keeps herself, even in what was supposed to be ‘recuperative’ sleep. You just can’t keep still, can you?

Sitting on the bed next to her, it wasn’t but seconds afterward that she turned toward him and curled around him, mumbling incoherently. Huffing in mirth and running his fingers through her messy sun blessed tresses, his other setting the glass of water on the end table. Pulling the medicine from the drawer and setting the bottle on the table, the shrewd caretaker’s shocked to feel a slight tug on his hand entrenched in her hair, and when he looks down, he nearly bursts out loud with laughter. The snuggly mischief maker had absconded with his hand and held it beneath her wet cheek, her body relaxing with her new acquisition, she descended back into deep sleep.

Chuckling softly so as not to wake her, he lets her keep his hand for now as he easily twists the lid off the bottle with one hand, and procuring a pill, closes it. Crushing it without much effort on the spoon and dripping some water onto the dust, he mixes it with a finger. Using the hand she’d captured to help lift her up into his arm, he opened her mouth a bit more, and thankfully, she left it open. Considering she’s drooling, her mouth was likely already open. Kurama takes the spoon solution and with a steady hand, tips it drop by drop toward the middle and back of her tongue, swallowing the liquid unconsciously. Taking the empty utensil, he skims more water from the cup and tilts more fluids down her throat to wash all the granules down.

Lying her back down on the pillows gently, he carefully pulls his finally freed hand from beneath her head, strands sticking to his palms a little bit. Keeping his humor under control, he has to move quickly to get away as she begins to curl around him again. Grabbing his pillow, he puts it near her face and, just as he’d suspected, she wraps herself around it while squishing her cheek into the fabric, inhaling deeply before exhaling with relief. Grinning lightly at her adorable behavior, he nuzzles her ear affectionately, a small noise emitting from her lips that had his heart warming further. Before he could consider doing more, the practical kitsune grabs the glass and spoon and, stopping by the doorway, whispering tenderly, “Get better Mina. And… thank you, for protecting my old friend, and leading me to him once again.”

Though he knew she wouldn’t answer, he still wanted to express his heartfelt gratitude to her, as since meeting her, his world has become so much more than living out his human life for his family and friends. I’m both reverting to old, covetous ways, but also reinforcing my human emotions. Being near her is both heartening and detrimental to my sanity. She gives me something I doubt I’ll find anywhere else. Padding gradually to the kitchenette, he puts the glass and utensils into the sink along with the tea kettle water and starts the dishes. Considering the few he had to wash, he was done quickly when a knock resounded on his door. Striding to where he felt Kuronue’s energy, he opens the door for the playful thief who meanders inside like an alley cat.

(Ennui - Yuki Kajiura)

“Got the papers, so when you get back you got some reading to do while waiting for your warrior princess to awaken.” Dipping his head in acknowledgement, Kurama responds,

“Good. I’ll probably need it.” The shoulder length, dark haired apparition watches him curiously before asking,

“You sure you’ll be fine away from her? From the sounds of it, you’re not just seeing her as a potential mate.” Glancing at the concerned chimera at his side, something on his face must have shown in a negative light as he holds his hands up as though in surrender. “Just saying, if you need to, just take her with you-”

“That’s not an option. Bringing her to the Makai while she’s unconscious would only be trouble for all of us. It’s better she remains here with you watching over her.” Kuronue rubs the back of his head in consternation as he concedes,

“Alright. Yeah, with her scent and energy, the demons wouldn’t leave you alone, let alone her good looks and strength.” Sighing at the truth in those words, his past partner adds, “If you do ever take her there, you’d better keep an eye on her, cause I bet she’ll be pretty popular.” Snorting faintly, Kurama agrees,

“No doubt, she certainly knows how to draw attention to herself, intentionally or not.” The answering guffaw and subsequent, ‘Ain’t that the truth!’ is all he needs to hear as he walks back to the closet to grab his lilac backpack with it’s little fox tail, and packing only the necessities into it, sets it down to pull his brown leather jacket from his closet. Donned in leather with his overnight pack, the calculating yôko walks back into the dining room, calling to Hiei, “I’m ready.” The dour shade stands on the railing and nods toward the city,

“There’s an opening a few blocks away. It’ll be faster by roof.” Smirking at Hiei, he ascertains,

“Mukuro is nearby, isn’t she?” A huff of breath would be his only reaction as he turns to Kuronue for a moment,

“I’ve already given her the medicine for today, so please take care of Mina for me.” A lax salute is his confirmation from the amnesiac bat as the man assures,

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep her safe. I promise.” Smiling mutedly, Kurama waves subtly in return, stating,

“We’ll be back on Sunday. Take care, Kuroioku.” Grinning with his hands on his hips, Kuronue returns,

“Will do, Boss.” Turning back to the impatient umbran warrior, both leap from the balcony and land on the building nearby before bounding to the roof of the next, nearly flying by human standards. It isn’t too far from his apartment when he scents the fumes from the Makai, and easily discerning what alley they permeated from, drops down calmly and silently into the dark space. Though invisible to the untrained eye, he could discern the faint shape of his ancient homelands landscape as he makes a mental note of the location to keep Mina away. Not even ten minutes have passed and I’m already thinking of her… Hesitating only slightly, he walks through the thin veil as he sends his thoughts to her, I’ll be back soon, Mina.

Author Notes that wouldn't fit

Jaganshi (邪眼師, literally translated as Evil Eye Expert) https://yuyuhakusho.fandom.com/wiki/Hiei

Lykos - The link between werewolves and the moon can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman mythology. The word “lycanthrope,” meaning werewolf in Greek, combines “lykos” (wolf) and “anthropos” (human).

Caracol - The snail, or the marine shell, is associated with the moon in Aztec culture. In Spanish, the marine shell is called “caracol.”

Chapter Text

Warnings!

Adult Themes: Violence, gore, death, sex

Dark Themes: Torture, character death, suicide

(The Rise of a Civilization - Marc Jungermann)

Besides the pungent aroma permanently marking the land, when he stepped through and took in the area he’d walked into, he knew the Makai would meet him. Forestry still consumed most of the ground, surrounded by cliff sides and the sparse Okunenju with their mini-ecosystems, looking quite like they were trying to brush the violet and magenta clouded skies. Storms were always on the rise, and if it was clear now, guaranteed within an hour or two another would hit. From the way Mina spoke, when she lived on Venus, it’s weather was the same as it is now, that is, mostly unlivable. Yet, if they used the same technology as the Moon Kingdom, then it could be livable. And considering she said she’s fought in space, that means she has a way to survive in unlivable conditions without an artificial atmosphere.

Smiling wanly, Kurama shakes his head at how much she influences his thoughts, though he might be better off if she didn’t present so many mysteries. Mina and her Senshi bring mystery where everything has become mundane. Mysteries, like the artifact that Hiei spoke of were few and far between as most demons kept their peace when in Human World. Or face the wrath of any one of us or, in some cases, even other demons. He was certain if Jin, Chu, or the others were aware, they’d step in as well. Although unless they listened to reason, they may cause more harm than good. When he strides forward, he notices a giant armored insect screaming toward him like a torpedo.

He’s not surprised when the giant fortress screeches to a halt a meter from where he was standing, pushing a snort past his lips as he glances up and spots several yōkai bickering, “You idiot! We almost hit him! You're damn lucky he’s alive or you’d have to explain to Mukuro why we have human guts splattered on our fortress walls!” Snorting with mirth at the apparitions lecturing one another, Hiei leaps up the side of the plates and lands on the platform they argued upon, frightening the lot as he scowls,

“While you buffoons quarreled about nonsense, I could have slain every one of you. Now explain to me how this team has become such shameful rot in the few days I’ve gone, or I’ll make good on that threat.” Several explanations crossed over one another, ranging from slightly believable to outright delusional as the flying shadow finally growls, “Enough! Keep vigilant or I’m cutting a chunk out of the next slacker!” Sweat dropping slightly at the dramatics happening before him, he realizes several of these demons aren’t ones he recognizes from his last venture past Mukuro’s transportation. A hatch opens near what would be the mouth of the beast as Hiei calls, “Get in, we’re heading that way anyway.”

Nodding, the crimson haired warrior climbs aboard the strongest transportation in the upper Makai, walking past apparitions of all shapes and sizes inside the organs of the insect, he nearly reaches Mukuro’s chamber when the once lord herself comes to welcome him. “Well, well, It’s been a while since we last met, though we didn’t get to talk too much at the time, I’ve been quite interested in speaking with you, yôko Kurama.” Tipping his head in greeting, Kurama responds,

“Yes, well, we were all a bit busy last time with the tournament, but we may have some time now if I can hitch a ride for a little while?” The tilt in her lips subtle as she accepts,

“Of course, we were heading that way anyway. And, considering why you’re here as well, it’d be remiss of us to leave you behind.”

“Your hospitality is appreciated, Mukuro.”

“Of course. Now I’m rather curious why you carry such an alluring scent on you. Surely you’re not trying to attract others to yourself.” Sweat dropping at the blunt inquisition, Kurama hedges,

“I’m caring for a human woman at the moment. She certainly does have a mysterious and powerful smell about her, and it’s gotten us quite a bit of attention.” There’s a calculating look in her last organic eye, the other simply piercing as the powerful demoness admits,

“And I suppose that’s why you’ve been caring for her? It’ll stir the others here, you know.”

“My apologies for any trouble I cause.” Mukuro begins leading him somewhere, though he’s certain it’s nowhere nefarious. Not yet, anyway.

“No trouble, you’ll just help weed out the useless ones.” Ah, and there’s the cincher. She certainly has an interesting way of thanking someone for entertainment, doesn’t she… Smile twitching, he replies,

“Well, I’m glad to be of help then.” When they reach a bone enforced hatch, she pushes it open and it reveals the yōkai on watch that he saw earlier, including Hiei.

“You’re all dismissed, us three will be on the lookout for humans.”

“Eh? Are you sure Master-”

(Killing Time - Akira Yamaoka)

“Do you question me?” The obviously new recruit shakes in his furry bull hooves before charging through the now opened door, the others quickly following suit. Stepping through the bulkhead, Kurama moves out onto the small platform and watches the Demon World plains roll by. Leaning against the armor of their vehicle away from the now closed door, the spiky haired fighter watching the world fly by in caution informs him,

“I didn’t tell you much in Ningenkai because this is sensitive information.”

“Understood. So something new has come up about the artifact.” The previous ruler of the plains explains,

“You could say that. It’s a bracelet of sorts, and when put onto someone, it seems to possess them. They start screaming about a god watching them, and either attack us, or take themselves out. It’s always quite creative to boot.” Narrowing verdant irises into the distance, the tantei’s strategist ponders,

“These tests, have you been able to discern any names or keywords?” Mukuro answers,

“Not yet. It would seem whatever speaks to them, if anything really does, it blocks out most of what we say from the subject. And truthfully, it’s only been tested twice.” Nodding in understanding, Kurama affirms,

“I suppose I’ll find out more once I get there.” The papaya haired demoness adds,

“We did discover something from the facility we found though.”

“Oh?”

“At first it just looked like your typical cloning facility. But with further inspection, they weren’t just cloning demons or humans… They were creating chimera, and even more concerning is there were several other strains of unidentifiable DNA found in their blood. And the samples likely came from the creatures fought there. Mind working quickly, he doesn’t like the conclusions he’s coming to as he admits,

“That’s alarming.”

“Yes, we’ve called and gathered all our best genometrics specialists in Makai to discern what those unknowns were. It’s been a week and we’re still no closer to solving this little mystery.” Putting a hand to his chin, Kurama narrows his eyes as he ponders,

“Unknown? As in undiscovered from here or… as in out-of-worldly?”

“You don’t seem incredibly surprised.” He offers cryptically,

“Let’s just say the woman whom I’m caring for is an interesting case herself.”

“If that’s true, perhaps one day we could meet.” Hiei cuts in before he can reply,

“It’s more likely to happen than you think.” Before either could comment on his relationship with Mina further, he redirects,

“Do you know how many were unknown?” Mukuro smirks knowingly, her own great age and wisdom likely cluing her to what he was trying to do. Thankfully she seemed to be feeling gracious at the moment as she responds,

“At least 7, although it’s difficult to tell with how corrupted everything was.”

“Corrupted?”

“From what the analysts said, everything was so spliced, there were pieces spread throughout the strands. The only reason they could tell some of them at all is because the rest of the correct sequences were divided and used further down the strain.”

“That… shouldn’t be possible.” She tips her head as the ruthless fighter responds,

“That’s what we thought as well.”

”So whoever is doing this has an incredible understanding of genetics, and can manipulate it further than we can.”

“Correct.”

“And the demons that you fought in the lab… they were these chimera as well?” It’s Hiei who adds input this time,

“They seem to be, though their energy doesn’t stand out.” Yes… it wasn’t until the giant insect that I felt a difference either. What he was able to extrapolate lit his ire as the scorned fox spirit growls lowly,

“From the information we’ve gathered so far, I surmise they were using us to test the strength of their experiments.” He feels both yōkai eye him, one warily the other curiously as Mukuro responds,

“You and Hiei are good fighters to test their mettle against. It’s quite the situation, other than studying samples under a microscope, you can’t tell much difference between them and any other demon. Even their energies are similar. We were lucky to procure that bracelet and some samples from their facility when we did.” Tipping his head in agreement, Kurama questions,

“Perhaps I should visit the facility.” It was the surly shade who interjected,

“We would were it still standing. It sensed our team's presence and set off a self-destruct sequence, that old relic and some surface documents were all we managed to retrieve.” The perturbed flora specialist finishes,

“I see. Now the question is, what is their end goal? To try and take over Makai? Are they just trying to eliminate us?” Or… is it something we haven’t thought of? He hears Mukuro’s husky tenor encourage,

“They can certainly try.” There was a few moments of silence as the three mull over the information when Hiei intones,

(Silent Hill - Akira Yamaoka)

“We’ve arrived.” Glancing at the large, ningen inspired city structure swathed in indigo grey clouds and a glowing red atmosphere, he feels a great sense of unease. Is it this scenario? The copious amount of unknowns? Or is this a remnant of being separated from Mina? The cyber enhanced woman remarks,

“Good, perhaps they’ve gotten further in their research.” Stopping the auto stronghold just before the forest surrounding the city, Kurama stands straight and moves toward the door as Mukuro opens it, with Hiei bringing up the rear as he strides behind her. The three make their way through the innards of the insect to the front of the antiquated woods, no visible paths existed just as he remembered from his last trip here. It’s always easy for him to navigate through foliage, but his companions were equipped for the trip as well, Mukuro leading the charge as they darted around thick undergrowth.

Coming to the very same spot as before, he knew who would be waiting, but instead of seething with rage this time, he was beginning to calm around the once greedy apparition as the aloof leader of border patrol begins, “Greetings Yomi, we’ve brought a new research assistant.”

“Ah! Fantastic, we’ve been in short supply of those. And, if my senses don’t deceive me, it’s good to see you, Kurama.” Although having been reunited on sour terms, he’s quite certain Yomi has learned his lesson as the warrior academic returns the welcome sincerely,

“Hello again, Yomi. I’ve heard you have an interesting artifact in your possession.” The horned demon smiles slightly and tilts his head, confirming,

“You heard correctly. I was hoping you’d come as we’ve come to a bit of a standstill, I’m afraid.” Nodding, Kurama muses,

“Well, hopefully I can help with that.” Yomi turns toward the city, assuring,

(Brinstar Depths OC Remix - Kenji Yamamoto)

“I’m sure you will. I’m quite eager to get started, so let’s head inside.” They follow after the tall, dark haired ex-king past several streets into the tallest building in the center of the sprawling metropolis, quite like it’s human counterpart with different demons wandering the blocks. Entering the research facility, the floor to ceiling cold blue panels give off a sterile, high tech image with various lines of lights flashing from grooves around the edges. Although the lobby was vaulted, it felt more like the top of a bird cage than anything as Yomi waves at the receptionist lightly, who nods in understanding.

They file into an elevator while Gandara’s previous lord selects the desired floor and the doors close, the shuttle moving up the floors as he explains, “Although we wish to test the bracelet more, every test has ended in failure, so we’ve only managed to ascertain that it’s some sort of communication device.” The enchanted fox hums,

“I see. That’s understandable, the less lives lost, the better, especially considering we don’t know their motives just yet.”

“Yes, of course.” The doors slide open smoothly, revealing a long astro styled hallway with several severe looking doors lining it. Yomi leads them to a particular door, and pressing a sequence of numbers, it slides open sleekly, raucous laughter the first thing that meets them, followed by an indignant screech of, “This line of inquiry is going nowhere! Cease your idiotic babbling at once!” Kurama knew both those voices as another, cooler one interrupts,

“If you both would control yourselves, we have guests.” The group standing around a containment field look up, some faces new as they begin addressing him. “Hello Kurama.” Touya.

“Kurama! It’s been a while! How ya been?” Rinku.

“Ah! Another academic, marvelous!” Suzuki.

“You’ve a good wind about ya today, ya do!” Jin.

“You’re all so obnoxious, they could probably hear you through these sound-proof walls!” Shishiwakamaru.

“Damn, yer a sight fer sore eyes, mate!” Chu. Smirking at the last one, the sly kitsune strides into the room as he remarks,

“You must be desperate if you’re happy to see me after all the complaining you did about your training.” The reaction is near instantaneous as the most dramatic of the group falls forward as though exhausted while Chu guffawed,

“Felt like dogs breakfast aft’r that one!” Swaying on his feet, he stops for a moment and sniffs the air blatantly before slurring, “Hang on a tick, wha’s the smell?” They all blink as Toya wonders,

“You just now caught onto it?” Snorting daintily and raising a pencil thinned brow, Shishiwakamaru of course digs,

“He couldn’t smell it through the Chu stew he’s got going on.”

“Hey! Are you sayin’ I smell bad?” Jin’s too busy laughing to say anything to stop the fight about to break out in a lab of all places.

“Alright, settle down. There’s no need for violence. I’m caring for a human woman whose scent attracts demons.” Glancing around the room, there were several other apparitions in lab coats he didn’t recognize, likely being the genetic experts that were called in. And some security officers, a good precaution considering what the artifact has done. There was one scientist who regarded him with a sneer, their disdain quite plain and clear for any who look, though it’s not surprising and entirely unwarranted on his part. It’s difficult to tell if it’s simple ignorance or some sort of grudge. Either way, he just ignored it and proceeded toward a case holding the antique, even as his demon friends continue to describe what they’re experiencing,

“Yer damn right it attracts demons! She smells like everything I’ve ever wanted! That ain’t normal, mate!” Not surprising, considering what she is. The blue toned shinobi sweat drops as Rinku pries with a whistle,

“I thought you had a thing goin on for Natsume?”

“I do! But she do'sn smell like a root in tha works!” The star cheeked demon puts a hand to his face while groaning,

“What are you even saying…” Kurama sighs, both humored and exasperated that the topic hadn’t been discussed with him before, or perhaps it’s not the first thing his mind jumps to.

“I believe he means sex.”

“Tha’s right!” The other labbies looked quite disgusted, yet he could tell the scent enthralled them as well, showing signs of arousal he’d rather dismiss as Toya admits,

“She does smell wonderful, it’s no wonder yōkai come after her.” The fuzzy haired ginger smiles with a single tooth out, praising,

“It’s grand, ya keepin’ tha lass safe. Not-many-would without wantin’ sumthin’ in turn.” It’s Suzuki who ruminates,

“Ah, now I see. You’re using your scent to keep others away. It makes sense, most of Makai know the aroma of an S class demon. But it’s strange that you’ve not-“

(Old Fashioned Fairytale - Yuki Kajiura)

“I hate to interrupt, but we need to continue our research. We can come back to this topic another time.” Kurama raises a brow at Yomi, knowing he too wished to hear more about the woman whose scent clung to him, but decided to wait for now. Tipping his head to the tall, dark haired apparition, he walks further inside where the ice master and the other researchers begin to give him an update on all the information they’d gathered. Pouring over their notes, he pays particular attention to what they called the facility they took documents from. Perhaps it’s the same one Kuronue was in… He feels his eyes narrow when he comes across a symbol as a signature at the end of some pages, confirming Mars was, indeed, one hundred percent accurate.

A diamond trapping the full moon. I’ll call Kuronue in a bit and ask about the papers he retrieved. We’ll know for certain if we’re dealing with the same group then. After an initial look over, he focuses his attention on a few pages, most were in code but one in particular was easy to discern. Several subjects, all code named, weighed, assessed, then tallied by their success rate were listed, along with a lettering system for the DNA strands used. So they really are experimenting, but what for? He takes notice of which strands had the best results along with where the facility itself was located on the map. Perhaps I should visit the area in a little bit? Just for curiosity's sake. It didn’t take him long to absorb all the relevant info on paper while he listened to their testimonies on the last experiments, so he decides there’s only one more course of action before taking drastic measures.

“Could we take the bracelet out of the case? I wish to study it as well.” The small hairy yōkai bobs his head quickly as he agrees,

“Certainly! But we’d like you to refrain from trying it on as, well, you know…” Smiling faintly, the enchanted vulpine states,

“It may still come to that.” Touya had been the one to grab the artifact, nearly dropping it when he heard the admittance,

“You can’t mean that! That’s insane, Kurama! Everyone else who's tried it has gone mad!”

“I know. It likely won’t be pleasant, but there’s not many other options. That’s why I wish to gauge it myself beforehand.” They’re all silent until Mukuro hums,

“Interesting… I can see why Yomi refers to your council. You have some very interesting ideas.” It’s Jin who grins,

“Risky ideas, I say. An absolute lunatic!” Kurama smirks lightly,

“Sometimes great risk is required for gaining a better understanding.” Yoda jumps in excitedly,

“Precisely what I’ve been trying to say!” Wanting to nip this in the bud, the wisened yôko corrects,

“To some extent. There should always be limits, otherwise you’ll lose sight of reason and fall into simple minded obsession.” The little horned demon is cowed by his words, while Suzuki sighs,

“Well, at the very least, you’re studying it first before acting.” Nodding, Kurama grins faintly,

(Item Room Ambience OC Remix - Kenji Yamamoto)

“Of course.” Slipping on a pair of gloves, the rose-colored archaeologist at the moment takes the trinket delicately, examining the markings etched into the metallic material. The length alone was strange, consuming more than just the wrist, it was about 12 centimeters (4 in) in length, being halfway between a bracelet and a bracer. The markings were similar to ones he’d seen before, on temples he’d gone with his mother to visit during holidays, parts depicting demigods who acted with good intent, or misguided the living. The Azura. Once again, a symbol stuck out to him among all the details, the very same one that emblazoned the laboratory documents.

He had thought it strange at the time, using the name of demigods, but the question is, was this the work of the Azura, or someone using their likeness? What disturbed him most, was the scent and feel of the thing… This isn’t just some lifeless piece of jewelry, this thing is alive. Alive… and also a divine being itself. This doesn’t bode well for us. Although he’d prefer to test it with his energy before diving headlong into it, manipulating magical locks, enchanted traps and plants is a bit different than deity embodied relics. He can’t help the frown on his face as he remembers the slobbering yōkai’s words, ‘His name is Azura! Azura!’ Perhaps this is the mark of the Azura. His rumination is interrupted by a slightly nasally voice grumbling, “From that prominent frown on your face, I gather you’ve found something. And it isn’t good.”

Setting the thing down on the examination table in front of him, he begins, “The designs along the side are reminiscent of ones I’ve seen on temples in Ningenkai. They depict demigods who can be malevolent and good natured. They are called Azuras.” Kurama notices Mukuro and Yomi’s eyes narrowing, likely recognizing the name as Touya asks,

“Do you believe that this has to do with them?” Settling his chin on top of this gloved hand as he stares at the living bracelet.

“It’s much more than that, I’m afraid. This isn’t just involved with the Azura, whether it be a person taking on the moniker of one, or a true semi-deity, this thing is one of the hybrids itself.” That got a reaction out of all of them.

“You can’t be serious!” Tipping his head at the shock in their tones, he assures,

“I’m very serious. It’s difficult to tell considering it doesn’t have organs like we do, however, my senses tell me that it shares similarities to some of the kami I’ve met.” It doesn’t have Mina’s wavelength, but that doesn’t mean they won’t target her to make stronger hybrids. Jin walks close and leans down, glaring at the piece suspiciously,

“So ya tellin’ me that this wee thing, is a god?” He confirms easily,

“A demigod, but yes, it is.” Mukuro grins minutely,

“Now this was worth the trip. What will you do now, Kurama?”

“We still need information. I will likely make a trip to the remains of the lab you discovered this in.” It was then the thing pulsed, raising the hair on his body as it seemed to… call? Draw? Whatever it was that it used to ensnare the senses, it was enticing the others to come closer, save Yomi and Mukuro. Because of their greater power? The little green yokai seemed to be the most susceptible, nearly sprinting for it as Kurama deftly kept it out of reach of the others, narrowing his gaze as he sends out a strong jolt of his own ki to hopefully startle them out of this. Chu and the others immediately returned to their faculties, likely remembering a handful of instances when he demanded their attention while they were embroiled in their chaotic antics. And the harsh training that followed.

The security officers present in the lab leapt at the uncontrollable scientists whose chikara was too little to resist the charm, subduing them as Kurama narrows his gaze at the bracer, “If it could do this the entire time, there must be something revealing at the site it wishes to hide, so we will need to explore it at a later time. I’m going to have to confront it here and now, however, in case it doesn’t stop doing this.” The Dark Tournament crew looks quite dejected as Chu grumbles,

“Hell mate, there’s gotta be a better way than that. Wat ‘appens if you lose control?” Allowing his saccharine bangs to cover his gaze, the calculating tester states with foreboding,

“I’ll stop myself from attacking, one way or another.” It’s Jin who interjects worriedly,

“What’ll happen to tha lass waitin’ for ya?”

“I don’t plan on leaving her unprotected. If we must, cutting my arm off might sever the connection.” Shishiwakamaru grimaces as Mukuro nods in approval, glancing at her constant shadow while agreeing,

“That can be done.” Hiei steps forward,

“I’ll do it. I can see what’s happening in your mind, so I’ll know when you’re going to lose it.” Huffing with humor, but grateful all the same, Kurama responds,

“Thank you, Hiei. The precautions are appreciated.” The starburst haired yōkai nods while he grasps the trinket in his hand, preparing for whatever may come as the others, sans the two ex-demon lords back up to a distance. Hiei being the only one within striking distance as the determined kitsune clasps the metal around his forearm. Immediately, he felt immense pain burning up his arm, a gasp leaving his throat even as his vision blacks, the agony following him wherever the relic was taking him.

(Making of a Cyborg - Kenji Kawai)

When his vision came back, It was difficult to take in everything moving around him, looking much like the optical illusions humans loved so much, except it hurt incredibly to gaze upon. What he could make out were hundreds of thousands of arms, flowing endlessly into one another, adorned in gems and metals while their flesh were a rainbow of colors. Their fingers posed in various positions, faces melting in and out of the spaces where the arms didn’t occupy. Although he’d like to move, or do anything other than taking in the nauseating scenery, he seemed quite stuck when many voices all around him demanded, “This one is now your God. Will you yield?” Closing crimson lashes, Kurama laughs openly before denying,

“There is only one whom I’d ever consider worshiping, and she most certainly isn’t you.”

“Then you choose death, mortal.” Feeling his inner demon come forth, he growls back,

“No, I choose my own fate, you arrogant cur. This is my mind, my body that you are trespassing in.” With a very firm command from his mind, the daunting background blackens, leaving his irises blessedly empty of stimulus and his feet planted on darkened ground as he rumbles, “Tell me who you serve, for you are not the master of this plan.”

“You dare defy this one?” Smirking with fangs, he chides,

“Not daring, I am defying. Who is your master?”

“This creature believes itself powerful. This one will show it power.” The world shifts and he can feel his inner demon force it’s way out as the would-be demigod encourages, “Yes, give in to your desires, everything you could ever want, is within your grasp. Use your power, and seize it.” Falling to his knees, the silver haired kitsune roars fiercely as he claws at his stomach, his core roiling wildly as Mina’s nude form appears before him. Sitting with her legs astride her thighs, a hand before her mouth in surprise as the other covered her heart, that wonderful, sensual bouquet she releases when excited clouds his mind. No! She can’t be here! Crawling toward her on all fours quickly, he pounces when she squeaks, pinning her to the ground by one of her shoulders while his mouth goes to her delectable throat.

Dainty hands grip his tunic as she moans into his ear, her thighs squeezing his waist as that decadent perfume strengthens. When his fangs drag across her skin, a spine tingling keen escapes her breathlessly, longingly. When she mutters his name like a prayer, along with the brine of tears in the air, it helps clear his mind enough to hear a voice calling from within, “I will guide you. Let me light your way.” Something snaps back into place, bringing him back just as he was going to sink his fangs into that delicate throat of hers. Kurama leans back, citrine irises blown as he takes in the now transformed beautiful Goddess. Smiling divinely, she reaches up and touches his cheeks softly, stroking them reverently as he regains his bearings.

(Sand Dream - Revo, Dream Port)

“You knew, didn’t you. That this would happen.” That I might lose control against this thing. Using his own clawed hand, he strokes her soft face tenderly, luminescent eyes lidding, “You truly are worthy of worship, koi.” Still bearing that expression that shadows the sun, she leans up and softly takes his lips, to his surprise. Pressing that voluptuous body close, she pulls adoringly on his mouth over and over, tilting and tantalizing with each velvety tug, drawing a deep rumble from his chest as he closes his eyes. Wrapping an arm around her back to keep her to him, the ancient thief senses her energy building and encompassing him. To his shock, her body begins to dissipate into chikara that appears as her symbol on his chest above his heart.

Smirking lightly, he looks up at the thing before him, intoning as he stands, “You will come to regret trying to control me.” It hisses,

“No! How is that possible?” Grinning with fangs, he returns,

“Oh, it’s very possible. You underestimated your opponent, and now, you’ll pay for your transgressions.” Pushing Love’s ki outward, he barely acknowledges the screech of death from the creature as it’s burned to nothing. Perceiving another presence within the space, Kurama growls into the dark,

“Are you Azura? Why are you making these things?” Another with many voices ponders,

“Such power… Who was the woman that gave you this power?” Tempering his fury with a cold countenance, he retorts,

“That is none of your concern. Now answer me!” It’s quiet for a moment before the entity appears, it’s face was smooth like stone, a mustache and tusks above it’s mouth while it’s eyes were wide, as though seeing past everything in view to somewhere beyond. It wore intricately carved armor in many colors and encrusted with jewels, contrasting well with it’s skin and bracelets as it intones,

“There are many called Azura, to which do you refer?” Smirking derisively at it, he enunciates,

“The insect standing before me.” That got it’s attention as it booms,

“You will know your place, lowly beast!” Grinning with fangs bared, he taunts,

“My place is to destroy maggots like you, Azura. So be grateful for my attention, little pest, as not many are able to earn mine.” It’s face changed color and morphed before his eyes, another taking its place as though it had many as it screams,

“You will rue the day you incurred the wrath of Azura! Of that,” Pausing as it bleeds into the darkness, it threatens, “I can assure you... and the Goddess you hold sacred.” Then, as though being pushed out of the relic itself, he’s suddenly on his knees in demon form, panting for breath as Hiei crouches next to him, answering,

“I saw everything, the creature inside the bracelet is gone now. Her aura wiped out all trace of it.” Touya asks nervously,

“She who?” Catching his breath, he stands to his full height as he iterates,

“The woman we spoke of earlier. She’s powerful, incredibly so.” It’s Suzuki that questions this time,

“I thought she was in Human World?” Taking in the room subtly, though he’s already aware of no more threats, he’s not surprised to see the bound scientists and security look upon him with fear and envy. Her chikara packed quite a punch, even being channeled safely through himself. Meeting they concerned gazes of his friends, his head tilts in a positive gesture as the silver yôko reveals,

“She is, but she gave something to me, and it can take any shape or form it needs to. In this case, it was used to eradicate that irritant.” Mukuro concludes,

“She is no ordinary human.” With a glance at her slowly, he admits,

“No, she is not.” It’s Yomi who questions next,

“Explain to us how anyone could obliterate a demigod so easily.” Pulling the now useless hybrid from his arm, he confirms,

“I will once Enki and the rest of the council arrive, as it will be part of the report about what’s been happening in Ningenkai.” There were a few inhales before the cybernetic demoness informs him,

“He’s already been summoned and should get here in a few hours.” Morphing back into his human form seamlessly, much more so than before, Kurama assures,

“I’ll brief everyone then. For now, I’d like to record my experiences.” Everyone nods, though his dark tournament buddies look quite concerned.

“Are you alright Kurama?” Bobbing his head at the worried ice wielder, he assures them all,

“Better than ever, Touya. You should all get some rest, you’ve been here a while now, right?” The magical items expert shrugs faintly before admitting,

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve lost sleep over a magical item.” The wind master’s ears twitch eagerly while he grins,

“Aye! t’was fun, it was! Still tingling-in-me britches and evere-thin!” Giggling airily, the toy fighter adds,

“Sure was! Like those thrillers humans are always ranting about!” The popular imp tacks on,

“Even they were becoming concerned, especially when you transformed.” Yomi intervenes as he turns away,

(Siren Song - Yuki Kajiura)

“Kurama, your room here previous has been prepared if you want some peace while you reflect on your experience.” The mohawked apparition grumbles,

“Hey now-“ Cutting him off before he could say something he’d regret, the considering thinker replies,

“Thank you, Yomi. I appreciate it.” Watching as the two previous kings walk away, Chu grumbles,

“All jumped up, the lot of ‘em.” Grinning minutely, Kurama advises,

“I believe their sense of humor wouldn’t be agreeable to you, Chu.” The group grimaces as he waves to them, informing them, “I’m heading to my temporary quarters to get some paperwork done, if any of you need anything, I’ll be there.”

“Aww, come on mate! Don’t be a stiff! We haven’t had a gab in years!”

“Apologies, but the paperwork won’t do itself. When I have time later, I’ll come visit all of you.” Toya smiles at the pout on Chu’s face as he reminds,

“Chu, he’s right, and there’s more important things to worry about now than catching up. And Kurama did say he’d visit with us later.” Rubbing his hand on the back of his head, the booze specialist concedes,

“True enough. Alright mate, we’ll lob in another time then.” Smiling up at Chu over his shoulder as he turned away, the playful academic quips,

“Of course, and try to stay out of trouble.”

“Who, me?” Suzuki smirks before prodding,

“You do tend to get us into messes, Chu.” The man growls in a slur,

“Rack off! I aven’t had a figh' end badly yet!” Shaking his rose colored hair at their antics, he leaves them to their brand of chaos as he heads to where his room from his last visit was located. Putting his hands in his pockets, he smiles faintly at the shadow to his side,

“Is there something you need, Hiei?” It’s quite as they walk before he states,

“Your energy is more stable. I didn’t notice it before, but when her aura consumed you, your ki evened out.” Grinning slightly at the question he wouldn’t ask, Kurama hints,

“Yes, her subconscious gave me a guide and instructions on keeping my humanity.” The dragon wielder finally asks,

“Humanity?” Nodding seriously, the self-consuming kitsune admits,

“Every time I transformed, my inner demon consumed my human self because it’s the closest energy source, and eating as a human wasn’t giving me enough to function. So now I need to find a new energy source.” He feels ruby irises flit to him as Hiei huffs,

“Only you and Yusuke could find this much trouble.” Turning toward his surly company, wild crimson locks drifting over his shoulders from the movement as he smiles genuinely,

“Yes, but most of the problem has been taken care of.” The Jaganshi’s eyes are wide in astonishment before smirking lightly,

“She’s changed you, and for the better from the look of it.” Feeling his own irises growing in comprehension, Kurama murmurs,

“I suppose you’re right, I hadn’t realized it.” Staring ahead silently for a while, Hiei is surprisingly patient as he reminisces, “She’s awe inspiring. A soldier in a sense I’ve not witnessed in any others, noble in the way that matters, with a playfulness that brings out my own. Yet, she holds such weight on her shoulders, denying herself everything she wants for the sake of another. She’s such a complicated being that I find her quite fascinating.” The flying shadow grins as he recalls,

“Oh yes, and she wants to hug and help the fox people, makes faces at anyone who insults her, and can be an all around nuisance.” Chuckling heartily, the amused rogue adds,

“If you believe that’s bad, she’s done far more than that, I can assure you.” A sweat drop appears below his head band as Hiei sighs,

“And you find everything about her entertaining, of course.” Smiling warmly at the memory of her, Kurama acknowledges,

“Naturally. She’s a breath of fresh air. Most put on airs around me, but she doesn’t. Like everything she interacts with, she meets it all head on. It can lead to some rather interesting situations.” Entering the elevator, he presses the button for his floor as the brusque koorime notes,

“She sounds a bit like Yusuke, unpredictable yet has the most luck I’ve ever seen in any one person.”

“They do have an incredible knack for getting in and out of trouble.” He can feel blood gem’s side-eying him as Hiei digs,

“Sounds like another person I know.” Feigning ignorance, Kurama gasps bright eyed,

“Whatever do you mean?” Not buying a bit of it, the swordsman grunts,

“Watch it, fox. I’m onto your tricks. More importantly, we’ve been able to avoid trouble with the higher thinking demons here, but don’t forget, not all who work here have such good survival instincts.”

“Don’t worry, I’m quite aware.” There’s a pause, and though surprised, he can’t help but tease, “Ah, I see! So that’s why you escorted me to my room! How kind of you Hiei!” And the antics were well worth it when a huge flush ignites the churlish fire apparition’s ears, while his face twists in embarrassment,

“Since you’re fine now, I’m leaving!” Waving genially at his swift retreat, the heartened vulpine calls,

(Invernia - Orlando Pops Orchestra)

“Thank you!” Though he didn’t get to see the expression for the last one, he can still smell the irritation and mortification clinging to the air as he laughs softly. Opening the panel door to his quarters, he walks in and inspects the space with a discerning eye, though he didn’t expect to find anything. Just a precaution, as always. Finding nothing noteworthy, he infuses his energy into a seed and with it’s growth, the Naki Ichijiku flourishes quickly and with it the sound in the room becomes stifled. Knowing that all sound was blocked from anyone outside the room, he pulls out his cell phone as he sits at the desk, opening the laptop like device provided for the meeting as he dials his home number. Putting the phone between his shoulder and cheek, he begins recording his experiences as the dialing tone ends with the answering machine,

“Kuroioku, I was just calling to check on you and-“

“Yo! How’s it goin on the other side boss man!” Snorting faintly at the silly greeting, he returns,

“Kuroioku, it’s alright here, the typical Makai weather and what not, but I’ve made a few discoveries here that might also interest you.”

“Oh yeah? What’d you find?”

“They found an artifact that was, in fact, sentient and killed whoever wore it. What’s more, they procured it from a laboratory.”

“Damn! You’re really good at this! Wait… Are you typing while talking to me?” That’s what he’s fixated on from what I just told him? Grinning faintly at the disbelief in his tone, Kurama teases,

“So should I take this as admission that you can’t multitask?”

“Boss man, no ordinary creature can type paragraphs and talk shop at the same time. You’re definitely in a class of your own.” Chuckling easily, he returns,

"It’s not that difficult to multitask, especially when it’s just facts and not frivolous details. The point of this call was to ask you if the documents you procured… Do they have a diamond trapping a circle anywhere?” There’s a hum on the other end as the amnesiac thief answers,

“Y’know, now that you ask… yeah, they do on some of the pages.” His stomach drops as he sighs,

“You may not be just a demon, Kuroioku.” There’s a heavy silence on the other end as he continues, “We discovered that they were modifying genomes and creating multi-hybrid creatures. Several strands of DNA were used to create them, 7 of them were unknown species and with the bracelet’s ability, I can only imagine what you might discover within yourself.” Becoming slightly worried about the continued quiet on the other side, he assures, “I just wanted you to be aware that any strange inclination might be due to this, and that if you do have such worries, to let me know. I want to help you however I can, Kuroioku.”

Kuronue…

After a bit more quiet, Kuronue wonders, “You know, I figured I was something weird like that. But thanks for telling me, it explains a few things.” Now quite concerned, Kurama questions,

“What do you mean? What happened?” There’s a heavy sigh on the other end before the literal science experiment admits,

“I have a feeling I used to be an ass man, but now I’m a boob man, and it’s throwing me off my game.” Frozen to his chair and with his eye twitching in irritation, the incredulous strategist snips,

“This is no time for joking, Kuroioku. I thought something might have happened.” He can hear the grin in the other’s voice as he quips,

“I mean there actually are some little things, but I’ve not noticed anything terrible. Just weird eating habits, like a strange preference for human food instead of raw meat.” Shaking red forelocks while starting his typing again, Kurama returns,

“You’re living among humans, it’s not all that surprising. The only demons affected by drastic diet change are those who devour human souls and bodies for their energy specifically, and Makai plant herbivores. Gaining a taste for Ningen cuisine means your survival instincts are in pique condition.”

“Speaking of humans, your woman is still sleeping peacefully and speaking gibberish. Uh… she’s not going to summon something in to off me is she?” Chortling softly, the impish investigator teases in revenge,

“I’m not sure, I haven’t seen all her abilities yet. Conjuring love filled horrors may be another of her powers. You may wish to forgo sleep tonight, in case she snooze-casts a fluffy critter to suffocate you.”

“Har har, very funny Kurama. Speaking of, how are you doing with the separation?” Exhaling from his nose in mild exasperation, Kurama insists,

“I’m not going to die being apart from her. I just need you to keep other apparitions away from her.” Apparently not listening to what he was explaining, Kuronue says innocently,

“I could put the phone close to her so you can hear her snoring.” Sweat dropping greatly, Kurama counters,

(Fox Rain Music Box - Lee Sun Hee)

“There’s no need for-“ His sensitive ears pick up movement, and knowing his brazen friend had already decided he needed this, closes his eyes and waits dubiously. He’s shocked, but he really should have known, when he hears her deep, noisy inhale and her even exhale, causing his muscles to relax. When she breathes in again, he feels everything within him unwind as his eyes lid and stare unseeingly at the screen, his heart fluttering warmly at the cute sounds she emits. Head tilting down, he murmurs lovingly, “Have sweet dreams, Mina.” He’s startled when he perceives her whisper in her enticing accent,

“Kurama~.” In spite of himself, the enraptured fox feels his cheeks warm and a smile stretch across his lips as the receiver moves away from her, a bitter-sweetness clenching his heart.

“I swear, you two are going to rot my teeth out… But it’d be worth it, dammit all.” Snorting at the sappy drivel coming from the bold chimera, he retorts,

“Would you rather I knock them out before then? To help you keep face of course.” The sound of Kuronue plopping down onto the couch echoes in the receiver as he muses,

“Nah, I’ll pass. At least with them rotting there’s a little sweet before the inevitable loss of my gnashers. Also, you're welcome, buddy.” Huffing in humor, and certainly thanks to his old partner’s shenanigans, was in a much better mood as Kurama chuckles,

“I’ll give it to you this time, Kuroioku, but I need to let you go. Enki, king of the Makai and the other members of the council should be here soon and I still have a bit more of this paper to finish.” There’s a sympathetic groan on the other end as the laid back bandit replies,

“Got it, talk to you later, Kurama. Take care.”

“You as well.” Ending the call that, admittedly, had turned into something quite interesting, considering he hadn’t known he would react in that manner to just hearing her snoring. Well, if I didn’t think there were outward signs I’ve fallen hard, that was sure proof of it. Looking over what he’d typed, he nods in satisfaction and saves the file to the network, stands and just as he reaches the door, he hears a confident knock on his door. Opening it reveals a uniformed messenger as he recites,

(Resting Grounds - Christopher Larkin)

“I’m here to inform you that King Enki has arrived along with Prince Koenma. The meeting will take place in Conference Room 1” Nodding, the composed strategist confirms,

“I’m on my way now.” It’s then that the young yōkai blinks, sniffing lightly before flushing brightly, stuttering,

“Y-yessir!” Sweat dropping at the trouble Mina causes without even being there, Kurama asks the courier,

“I need you to move so I can leave.” The kid jumps to nearly the top of the corridor as he apologizes profusely,

“I-I’m so sorry sir! I’ll be on my way sir!” Watching the frantic and hormone riddled apparition book it had him nearly running his fingers through his hair, instead he turned the opposite direction and headed toward the conference room with a sigh. Leaning against the wall of the elevator, he goes over the information he’d collected quickly enough that the doors open to his floor seconds later. Give them one piece of information to keep them from another. Finding the boardroom, the supernatural agent opens the door confidently, tallying who was present, and how their reactions would vary. Standing at the end of the table, he glances at his main worries in the audience. Koenma, and the two previous lords Yomi and Mukuro.

Their current king Enki had utmost faith in him, so he needn’t be overly concerned with him. “Thank you all for coming. I much prefer to get this information to everyone at once and discuss this while we’re all present.” With nods all around, except Koenma, of course, who looked especially pouty, he continues, “I wanted to update you all on the information I’ve gathered in Ningenkai about the energies that have been disturbing the balance of the worlds. From what I’ve found, the entities appear to be from other planets, and at least one even from outside this solar system.” He knew there’d be shock, quite a bit of awe, and some disbelief as Koenma blurts,

“You’re telling us that things from other planets are attacking us? That’s outrageous!”

“Then let me ask you, Koenma, have there been any strange or deeply corrupted souls who have been guided to Spirit World?” That caught him off guard as he babbles,

“That’s… I don’t-”

“Yes, I’m rather interested as well. It would be proof enough of Kurama’s claim.” Bullied into answering, as usual to Kurama’s continued amusement, the furious ruler caves,

“Yes, there were several that were sent to me unexpectedly. Several were extremely early, a few late, and… all were within the past 3 years.” The sharp fox asks,

“These souls, how corrupted were they?”

“Highly so. So much so that they couldn’t even be reincarnated in their previous species, they had to be reborn as lower life forms to begin the process anew.” Tipping his head in acknowledgment, he prods further,

“And could they tell you more about their experiences?” Shaking his head, Koenma reveals,

“No, they were too volatile and had to be escorted by the SDF to Reikai.” Humming, Kurama responds,

“I see. That’s unfortunate. Though it doesn’t take away from my discoveries too much, it’s still a few details worth noting. I haven’t found much on what the darkness that consumes everything was, I do know that there are others who work to protect the planet from such disasters.” Though it’s expected, he’s still a bit thrown off when Yomi states calmly,

“The woman you care for. She’s one of them.” Allowing them this, and knowing this is where he makes or breaks the secret, he nods and replies,

“Yes. She and several others have taken it upon themselves to protect Earth from universal forces.” Spirit Worlds resident ruler perks up before questioning,

“The same one as before? The one you avoided talking about?” Though he gambled quite often in life or death situations, this one nearly had his nerves alight even as he answers cooly,

“Yes… You might not know her, nor her fellows, but she calls herself Sailor V.”

Chapter Text

Warnings!

Dark themes and adult themes.

Mention of torture, death, mutilation, and disregard for life.

(Fuuin – Yuki Kajiura)

Kurama wasn’t surprised by the looks of contemplation and interest, having used a name only humans know her by, with very few apparitions watching Ningenkai news. More especially this group of powerful yôkai, who pay little attention to the affairs of ningens. Yet he knew they might have questions, beginning with Yomi, of course, “It’s interesting such a powerful group exists in Human World, and without our notice. And has the attention of the Yôko Kurama, even.”

So this is how it will be , hmm?

S tatements demanding to be answered, with concepts woven in between and undertones of threat thinly lining every word. He’d been the one to pose the imperative statements himself many times when he was the leader of the bandits; following leads for new treasures, drawing out information subtly from unsuspecting persons, and interrogating key persons in finding his newest catch. This one is a bit different. The games at the moment were between apparitions of a similar standing, so there were far more challenges to outmaneuvering the veritable mine field. They have been playing for as long as me, at least. Having been preparing for this, Kurama replies easily, “They are excellent at what they do, and staying off of our radar. Though I’m unsure of the specific methods, having only known them for such a short amount of time. Whereas her noble spirit is what caught my eye.”

Little more than a week, really, and she has me willing to face anything for her sake.

There were many looks of curiosity, and he knew they were interested in what he thought of her, being seconded surprisingly by Enki. “Her noble spirit?” Hiding a genuine smile at the open question, unlike the others here, he expounds honestly,

“She’s a soldier, and yet, she has the air and training of royalty as well. She is strong, certainly, with a consideration for others you wouldn’t expect in those of higher status. But most notably is her fierce loyalty to those whom she considers worthy of her protection.” They needn’t know she would die for those she cares for, or that she was wounded for me. Her kindness likely to become a weak point they’d exploit. By describing her as ‘more considerate,’ he told the truth while withholding the depth of her heart in order to protect her. Considering the more questionable sorts we’re entertaining at the moment. He glances slightly at the lab technician that had joined them, one of the few who was sound enough to after the earlier debacle.

He stared at Kurama with a calculating, excited glint in wine eyes, the intent was embroiled in wickedness and revealed the truth within them.

Mina is only a new rung on the ladder to power for a sick individual like him.

Despite his carefully stilted description of her, it didn’t throw the veritable wolf off the scent, getting him to study said predator for future surveillance. One of his most prominent features were his skull, which led into a rounded point at the top back of his head, with a dark blue and light blue stripe on either side curving down his solid wine colored eyes, with his base color a warm gray. His nose and upper lip were one piece of seamless tissue, looking much like a bird’s beak and nose holes at the very tip of his snout. While the ears were quite small and fused to the head, something Kurama recognized for species who live and breathe underwater. Ears flushed to the head protect the inner workings of the head from water damage.

He’s not seen the breed away from bodies of water often, but here he stood, becoming far too maliciously eager to hear more about Mina.

Konge-Iruka - Dolphin Goblin. Latin name: Delphin Gobelinus. An oceanic mamalian species that can be equated to Human World’s dolphins. Primary abilities: Shapeshifting and immense speed in water.

They were highly intelligent and territorial, becoming most sadistic when punishing trespassers on their grounds. Including brutalizing the ‘perpetrator’ by whatever means they deem necessary. They had accomplished much in the scientific fields of the Makai whenever they walked the surface. However, the few who lent their knowledge didn’t curb their thirst for discovery, leading to much death and torture at their hands.

I’ll have to keep an eye on that one.

When he glanced back toward his yôkai friends, an approving look alights the current Lord of Demon World, followed by several grins from the Dark Tournament group who stood behind him, minus Shishiwakamaru, of course. At least they would appreciate her uniqueness. He was grateful they had latched onto his deliberate reveal of her personality, as it steered the topic away from the more dangerous subject. Namely the resources available to the Sailor Guardians. He didn’t lie when he said he wasn’t sure how the senshi’s tech compared to anything he knew of, only knowing it was greater than anything he’d ever come across. Like their ability to teleport using the position of the stars… Keeping the bunch in the dark about the Senshi’s knowledge and technology, for now, was for the best, considering the machinated minds he was looking at.

They’ve guarded themselves and their peace this long, so I’ll continue to help as long as I can.

He’s not shocked to note several others were watching him with dark curiosity, apparently still intent on what he wasn’t revealing about Mina. Nothing entices powerful demons more than greater power. It’s one of the other reasons he didn’t want to bring Mina with him, knowing that many would try to coerce her at her most vulnerable. Not to say she would fall for it. No, she was far more perceptive than she was given credit for, with her only drawback being her kind heart in situations like these. I’m unsure of what positions she’s filled other than a double, but it seemed like she was used to commanding others and even strategizing with the information she’s been given. Which, of course, would make her an invaluable ally to any warmonger.

Someone like the scientist, or Yomi.

The later has changed a bit, yes, but Kurama knew how enticing it could be to fall back on old habits when presented such a delectable bait. Having felt those tendencies rear their ugly heads at her every teasing reveal most recently, and knowing her intense dislike for underhanded tactics, he was concerned for these two’s introduction. I’ll need much more time to prepare. To his surprise, it’s Mukuro who speaks up, “I’m quite curious how this young lady could destroy something like a demigod, and through someone else, for that matter.” Bringing attention to the power and danger she could pose means no one would argue, and would be far more interested in her. I expected no less of the pragmatic lord. Thankfully he’s had much experience navigating negotiations, so he worded it in a way to prevent them from requesting her presence now, or worse yet, go to her to learn more.

“I’m still learning much about her and her abilities. Rather, there are many of which she does unconsciously, so I’ll need more time to understand them myself.” Make it sound difficult to study and it’ll deter the lesser ones. He gets the feeling that those abilities came about out of desperation and need, and not because she trained herself up to them.

Though Venus the Goddess might know more about them.

(Layton’s theme Magical Mystery ver. - Tomohito Nishiura)

Mukuro nods lightly in return, the look in her eye openly impressed from what she heard, and looking forward to meeting his Morning Star even more. A frightening prospect, to be sure. He could only imagine the carnage that would be left in their wake if they decide to make trouble together, and how powerless both Hiei and himself would be to stop it. Suffice it to say, the world will roll when the two meet, whether they get along or not. Of course, Yomi was much more interested in her natural talents, smirking lightly, “Very interesting. So she has natural talent. But that doesn’t amount to much without dedication to the craft.” Nodding at the truth in that, Kurama provides,

“True enough. I can only attest to the skills I’ve seen in the few battles I’ve witnessed, where she’s shone to be quite creative with the arsenal at her disposal.” Although I know otherwise, downplaying what I’ve seen of her abilities may deter more interest. It’s all he could do for now, without completely discrediting her incredible abundance of talents and besmirching her character entirely. And the others would know I’m lying, besides. Of course it was Koenma who narrows his gaze and grills him stiffly, “Your answers have been rather vague, even for you, Kurama.” Funny you of all people say that. The insinuation was there, of course, that he was purposefully withholding what he knew, and he was, but not necessarily out of maliciousness. But the ancient fox was nothing if not prepared for such barbed statements, countering lightly,

“I rather dislike in dealing with assumptions and incomplete information. Something, I’m sure, the others here feel as well, having been in many life-or-death situations. So until I have a better understanding of the factors and how they relate, I’ll leave the guess-work to you.” He hid his smirk as the frequently tight-lipped prince flinches back as though slapped, the others not hiding their mirth at Spirit World’s new ruler. Perhaps you should consider your wording a bit better next time. Kurama had to admit, they were taking everything well, and though he couldn’t satiate all their questions, they accepted what he revealed, and didn’t, without incident. The only one suspicious was the only one who’d met her himself, but of course he wouldn’t call the spirit specialist on the lack of information provided to them. When he moved on to mention Azura, Koenma’s complexion lost color as he whimpered, “Do… do you have confirmation of it being…”

“I do not have physical proof. All I have is the encapsulation of the experiences I’ve had with it up until now. I’ve prepared a report for everyone’s perusal, but to summarize; from my confrontations with it and it’s subordinates, I believe it was testing it’s creations against us. As of my final experience with it, it had a similar spiritual register as you, Koenma, and several other deities I’ve met in my life. They even imbued an inanimate object with the soul of a demigod, not just trapping it inside, but giving it life. Not many artifacts are able to sustain a soul, and yet, they seem to have developed the ability to do so.” Like the Forlorn Hope. He hadn’t known it was sentient himself at the time, until it spoke to Yusuke, sparing them both on his behalf. An enchanted artifact with a soul. The gravity of his last statement earned grim expressions as Koenma chokes out,

“If more are made… or even given better vessels…” Everyone knew what the godling was implying, yet the only other who was swayed by emotion seemed to be Enki and the tournament group as Kurama probes,

“There are many ways for a deity to be born, correct? Are there many who have such knowledge?” Swallowing, Koenma closes his eyes in contemplation as he answers slowly,

“Only those who have given life, or seen life given in such a way. Otherwise… it is forbidden knowledge, and all who dwell in Spirit World know it’s grounds for 1,000 years of torment to reveal anything.” Interesting… I hadn’t realized it was such a protected secret, considering all the origin stories. Though I suppose some of those could just be flights of fancy. Many creatures like fantastical, epic tales, so it’s not surprising to find that they might be quite exaggerated. Perhaps purposely so. A seriousness fell upon everyone in the room as Reizen’s old friend asks,

“Is there anything else we can do right now?” Nodding lightly, Kurama confirms,

“Yes, I plan to visit the wreckage site of the lab and see if we might have missed something. It’s better than waiting for them to come to us. Meanwhile, the science division can keep studying whatever samples they have on hand now, and wait for us to return with anymore we can find.” Gazing between each individual at the meeting, he iterates, “Our best bet for now is to investigate suspicious areas and people with a fine toothed comb. They will slip up at some point.” He allows his maliciousness to peak above the surface, forcing several apparitions to reel back in fear and respect as he rumbles, “It’s up to us to be prepared for that moment of opportunity, and seize it.” There’s nods and agreement all across the table, even the less amenable ones understanding the consequences that may come with their lackadaisical response. Glancing at everyone, the once bandit-leader intones,

“It would be wise to keep on your guard, as there is an unpredictable nature to their actions, making them all the more dangerous. If there’s no other questions, that’s all I have gathered today. You’re free to go.” He’s a bit surprised to see Touya offer softly,

“I can come with you to the sight as back up.” He’s not startled when Chu nearly falls over himself in excitement while cheering,

“Yeh~! Me too!” Shaking his head, Kurama declines,

“Your skills are best utilized here, where we need as many minds as possible brainstorming over the information we have.” It may be dangerous there still… Although he knew his friends were powerful, they tended to get into trouble as much as himself and Yusuke. And with me already going, I’ll find enough trouble, as is. He nearly smiles when Suzuki snorts,

“Yes, because a stumbling fighter is exactly whats needed at a possibly booby-trapped, rubble covered lab wreckage.” Rinku crosses his hands behind his head and leans back before groaning,

“Sounds like a recipe for disaster!” Chuckling at the argument that ensues, the sly vulpine makes a quick escape by turning on his heel smoothly before striding through the door, leaving them to themselves. After leaving the elevator, he heads for the exit of the building until Mukuro calls, “You’re heading to the crater now, right? We’ll take you.” Turning to face her as well as Hiei, he smiles faintly while replying,

“I’d appreciate it, Mukuro.” Swiftly heading outside and well passed the city toward the Mobile Fortress with their demonic speed, they step aboard the vehicle and immediately after the hanger closed, it took off toward the lab ruins. Kurama and Hiei separated from the border patrol’s commander, mentioning she needed to direct their transportation, and think about what she’s heard alone. After making plans to speak with her later, they head to a place that’s usually quiet and solitary, and out of hearing range of others. As they travel through the empty ribbed halls, the fire shade remarks, “You didn’t tell them the full truth.” Humming softly, the crafty fox admits,

“No.”

“I’m rather curious why you wouldn’t.” The still slightly fleshed walls vibrate with the insectoid battleship’s movements as they lightly pace to their destination, though the floor always mysteriously remained still. The work of an enchantment, perhaps? The faint breeze that’s always present within the walls pull at his rosy forelocks, a damp scent clinging faintly to the air as he reveals,

“Because they would be far more insistent on her involvement. She doesn’t deserve that kind of harassment. By using an unknown name, they’re less likely to want her input.” Hiei quickly infers,

“Which could also lead to her finding out your origins.” He didn’t even attempt to read my mind, he’s getting better at understanding me. Kurama allows,

“Perhaps.” Knowing he wouldn’t get more than that, the choleric swordsman changes the subject.

“You didn’t lie when you said that name, is it some sort of alias she uses?”

“It is. She moonlights as a vigilante, though she’s much weaker in that form.” They end their little journey on the insect vehicle’s observation deck, watching over the lookout crew through one of the many gelatinous, green and orange eye’s of the fortress.

“But it’s still her name. Clever.”

“For now, I’ve bought us some time. But the whole truth will come out eventually. Hopefully we’re more prepared then.”

“And your woman knows what you are then.” There’s a moment of silence as Hiei sighs, “You can’t not tell her. Not only are the lords and king interested in her, Koenma is as well. She’s vital to figuring out what’s going on, plus she destroyed what is considered a demigod, I’m surprised they’re not rallying for you to bring her now.”

“You’re right, only… It’s not easy revealing this to her. She sympathizes with some demons, she’s quite comfortable with you, but she put her trust in me, expecting the same in return.” He can feel the umbran warrior’s exasperation and humor as he taunts,

“Sounds like you’ve dug yourself a hole, fox.”

“It does seem that way.”

“You should tell her, before a situation comes up that forces you to reveal your power to her. She might not take that well.” Finally glancing toward his insistent, fiery friend, Kurama huffs lightly,

“Probably not. I’ll try soon.”

“You’d better if you want to keep her.” The flora fighter couldn’t help but flinch at the thought that she might leave for the perceived betrayal. I always knew that might be a possibility, and yet… It's painful to even consider now, with how strong our bond is, though she may not feel it as acutely as I do right now. It’s he recalls what Venus had asked him before he was pushed from her courtyard once again.

‘When the truth is known, could you… forgive me?’ Clenching a fist, he feels a chill run down his spine. She knows that it might not be well received, so is she asking me… to forgive her for her reaction? Watching listlessly as the Makai terrain passes by, he considers, She knew I would need her ki to save myself and guide me through my transformations, and perhaps even that we would face deities in our coming battles. Which means deep down, she knows what I am, but is in denial of it. Scanning their surroundings thoroughly with his senses for any traps remaining from the lab, and finding none, he lets himself ponder a bit more.

Venus… There’s nothing to forgive…

Making his way down through the insect’s insides, silently following the flying shadow and, interestingly enough, Mukuro as well, they behold the ruins from the hanger door as he admits with grief to himself, I made the decision to keep this from you, to hide myself out of fear and mistrust. You are entitled to any misgivings for my actions. And… even if you hate me, it will only ever be one sided. He remembers the gorgeous Goddess who blessed him with choice, ‘She beams softly, her thumb gently stroking along his cheek,’ and the trouble-making beauty he got to know first, ‘his breath sucked in at the adoration she’d shown for him, which still kept him staggering.’ They’re nearly standing before the crater when Kurama recalls,

“We’re soldiers. Trained to kill anything that didn’t feel like us... We never asked questions, only blindly doing what we thought we must to protect our Princess… No, Sailor Moon wouldn’t let us. She is what kept us from becoming the same as the creatures we destroy.” When Hiei looks at him, he finally resolves, I must have faith, that everything we’ve been through together will give her the proof she needs to continue our acquaintanceship. Focusing back on the present and out of his mind, he assures,

(Unhallowed - Yuki Kajiura)

“I haven’t felt anything nefarious yet so we’ll be fine to look around.” Pulling the bandana off his forehead, the koorime informs them,

“I don’t see anyone here either, and the lab is completely destroyed, I’m not seeing any entrances or rooms we can get into.” The robotic demoness extrapolates,

“So unless something reacts to us touching it, we’re looking for any strange rubble that may help our investigation along.” The strategic warrior confirms,

“Precisely. It might be more prudent to split up and explore.”

“Hn, fine with me.” Mukuro adds,

“Meet back at the Fortress within an hour.”

“Will do.” They split off, Kurama heading towards the edge of a woods near the crater to begin his search. Glancing around studiously, wind moving his rose locks teasingly he notes morbidly, They did a good job of blowing everything here to smithereens. There’s not even much debris thrown around. His senses were telling him something was here, although nothing concrete could be pinpointed, and with the possessor of the Evil Eye confirming it himself, it made for a frustrating experience. The shrewd demon has lived long enough to know that his instincts were never wrong, so although physical evidence says otherwise, he knows something’s here. The important question is whether or not it’s living and hostile. And I’d rather not find out the hard way. Expanding his perception to it’s limits, instead of picking up any sort of energy, it was the scent of a strange material. What is that?

It’s not often he comes across something he’s not smelled before, Mina being an exception, so he immediately began tracking the scent. When he finally comes across the substance, he finds some sort of stone shaped like a square, the surface an endlessly deep blue that absorbs light, yet he could see inside there were several lines of colored lights, a royal blue one being the thickest. Suspicions high, he reaches toward it, only to withdraw his hand swiftly when liquid lances out to meet his fingers. Opening his mind to the flame wielder, he states, I’ve found something. Alert the research team and take extreme precautions, it’s quite active. Keeping the rock within his perception, he looks around the area for any more clues, and finding none, turns his attention back to the foreign object as he hears familiar footsteps come near. Mukuro.

“You have a knack for these things, Kurama.” Keeping his eyes trained on the alarming material, he replies,

“I’ve learned to follow my instincts closely, especially in situations like this.”

“So what’s troubling about this?” Deciding to show her rather than say, Kurama hovers his hand close and, just like the first time, a liquid jumps from the surface to catch his hand. Pulling back before it could touch him, he heard her murmur, “Interesting, so that’s what you meant when you told Hiei it was ‘active.’ Does it feel like the bracelet?”

“No, it has no soul or spirit to speak of, nor any auras clinging to it. For all intents and purposes, it’s just a stone.”

“Had anyone been any less cautious, I imagine they’d have been in trouble by now.”

“I’m not sure what it does yet, but you’re probably right. At the very least, it’s rather eager to get at us.”

“It makes me wonder… they’re making inanimate objects more ‘lifelike,’ a demigod relic and now this, do they mean to take over with subtlety?”

“It’s a possibility. Either way, I doubt it’s friendly.” Several scientists came with insulated suits on, and considering what he had instructed Hiei, it was an excellent precaution as they cup a reinforced container around it as it tried to lash out at them. With a quick movement, he tugs the one out of the way, allowing for the others to capture it. From the looks, it had several seals surrounding the glass to keep any energy inside. Thankfully it seems to be enough to keep the stone inert, allotting them to comb the rest of the area with a meticulous eye. When they find nothing else of note, they begin to trek back into the auto stronghold back to Gandara. Unsurprisingly, Hiei was leaning against the wall waiting for him as the young yōkai states,

“The morons that checked that area are going to be punished.” Shaking his head, the cunning botanist admonishes,

“It’s better that they didn’t find it. If they had, well, you wouldn’t be able to punish them.”

“Mukuro did say it was trying to get you.”

“It certainly was, and most other apparitions wouldn’t have been paying attention to it. When we get back to the lab, we’ll figure out what it’s purpose is.” He stands by and watches their surroundings roll by, always conscious of any shifts in the auras of the crew in case the rock broke out of containment. Reaching the city again and going to his temporary quarters, he informs Yomi of his discovery and, being permitted to start experimenting with it, grabs his backpack before striding quickly to the room labeled ‘lab 5’ where Yoda babbles excitedly, to everyone’s chagrin,

(Inca Rose - Yuki Kajiura)

“Oh? What have you brought me today?” Although not nearly as ecstatic as the weathered little yōkai, Kurama answers honestly,

“A demon devouring stone, I believe. We’ll see with some experiments.” Putting gloves on and the lab coat he’d brought, he cringes minutely as Yoda’s voice pitches,

“Really? How exciting! Well, let us not tarry.” Glancing with an amused smile at the tournament crew, who wore varying expressions of annoyance, the research savant grabs a tray and loads a pair of lab tongs, a set of scalpels, some bandages, cloth and a petri dish as he instructs,

“I already have a few tests in mind, so if you would take notes on paper for me, I’d appreciate it.” Nearly smirking at the damper in his tone, the little horned scientist looks about ready to argue, but a glance from Kurama tempered his ire as he responds,

“Understood.” Although he didn’t really need notes to be taken at all, always keeping the most important knowledge in his head and not out in the open for others to find, he thought it prudent to keep the excitable apparition occupied. Kurama’s ears pick up the sounds of a clipboard and paper being retrieved as Jin comes up next to him.

“Tha’s the demon eatin’ stone?” Nodding as he moves the sealed container into a clear case with highly detailed robotic arms, tubes and wires made to look like musculature in organic limbs, he discloses,

“Yes. Which is why we’re taking precautions.” Suzuki nods in approval as he wonders,

“What kind of tests are you going to do?” Slipping on a neurotransmitter to his temple, the arms within come to life as he takes a petri dish and, with the middle sized scalpel in hand Kurama answers,

“It seems to react to either blood, another physical sense, or life force. With this, the first test will be to see if it reacts to just blood.” Slicing through the pad of his thumb, he feels Yomi’s ki enter the room, Yoda giving him a neuro-transceiver as he squeezes just below the cut to let it stream onto the glass.

“So this is what you found.” Taking a bandage and putting it around his thumb, the lab experimenter responds,

“See for yourself.” Putting the blood soaked dish into the control case, he closes and seals everything in as he mentally directs the hands to open the talismined jar and, as it releases, the liquid swirls out of the stone and absorbs the blood, every last drop. As it retreats back into the stone square, a violet line barely glows from within across the original ones. The gasps around him are expected as Toya, and subsequently Chu and the others cringe,

“Blow me down, mate! It jus’ ate yer blood!” Even Shishiwakamaru sounds perturbed as he grits,

“I didn’t sense any energy when it moved. Absolutely nothing!” The wind master adds with a tinge of concern,

“tis worryin’, it is. No warnin’ or anythin’ fore it bites yah!” The sound of a pen scratching paper fills the air as the blue tinged shinobi mutters,

“It’s not natural, even ice exudes energy…” The defense specialist sounds intrigued,

“Fascinating. What is it?”

“I had to see for sure, but I have a working theory.” Narrowing emerald irises, Kurama pinches his chin between his fingers lightly, his other arm supporting the elbow as he explains, “I believe that this is not feeding on the blood, but storing it. Those lines within, there was five when the experiment started, now there’s six color coded, and differing intensity lines. So the question is, is it only blood it reacts to? And if not, then what warrants a reaction? And finally, how do they access the samples?” The flamboyant tinkerer hums back,

“Good questions. So, what are we going to use?” Taking the scalpel in hand again, the thorough investigator cuts a few strands of his hair and removes the old petri dish from the box carefully, replacing it with a slide containing his locks. They all watch raptly as the liquid once again reaches out and takes every single strand, leaving another clean cup of glass and a brighter purple line in the cube. There was a few moments of silence as everyone took in the implication while Suzuki comments,

“Well, now we know how Azura stores DNA. Anyone volunteer to become a full sample?” Kurama huffs in amusement as the snooty imp offers,

“I’m far too important to be stored as data in a cube. I volunteer Chu.” The stumbling fighter asks in confusion,

“Wa’s that?” Rinku grins before countering,

“I think it'd mostly get alcohol rather than DNA.” The magical item specialist jokes in return,

“Alcohol is an essential part of his DNA though.” Chuckling at their banter while the drunken master shouts belligerently in retaliation, Kurama interrupts smoothly,

“I have a few more experiments to conduct before asking for volunteers, so don’t worry. We won’t be using Chu just yet.” Swiping his hand through crimson tresses, he retrieves a rose seed and grows it as Chu groans,

“C’mon mate!” Putting the offering on a dish, the multitasking researcher grabs the previous one with the mechanical arms carefully, switching them out expertly and, just as he’d thought, the dark stone absorbs the whole plant quickly, a vibrant green line appearing within the light swallowing stone. Becoming more riveted with the strange object by the second, he hadn’t sensed there were more people entering the lab until Shura inquires from the doorway,

“What’s going on?” The yo-yo enthusiast answers cheerfully,

“Kurama found a mean alien-blood-collecting-cube, and now we’re poking it!” Suzuki corrects,

(Null Moon - Akira Yamaoka)

“We’re not just poking it, we’re experimenting with it. It’s standard procedure for new discoveries.” Using the robotic neurotransmitter, Kurama readies the electrodes on either side of the cube, moving the original container away as he starts with a lower frequency. Though he’s not shocked at the result, it was still disappointing that nothing came of it, seemingly unfazed by the arc of electricity hitting it. Even increasing the output does nothing, and no damage is sustained by the stone, so he goes to the next step in his line of tests, such as vibration, even cold activation, thanks to Touya’s assistance, so now all that remained was…

Aural manipulation. Though I’d prefer not to show my old trade secrets to others, it would seem I don’t have much of a choice if this is the answer.

Deciding to forewarn everyone before he begins, he states, “I’m about to use aural manipulation on the stone, so when you feel the shift, don’t be alarmed.” As the undaunted kitsune removes the electrodes carefully and expertly from the case, Touya recalls with awe,

“That’s one of your specialties, right? I had heard from the underground that many died in pursuit of that knowledge.” He doesn’t react when Yomi offers his input,

“It is. It’s the reason many of our missions were successful.” Kurama chooses to keep focused on unraveling this mystery as leans back into his seat, hands holding his elbows as he unfurls his energy, all the apparitions present making noises of astonishment as he pushes it inside the container. He was always prepared for the worst, so he’s relieved to find it didn’t try stealing his ki, at least. How interesting, that it seems to only hold DNA.

Meaning they might have another mechanism for holding the spirits they find.

Sliding meticulously along the edges of the surface, he notes that it doesn’t react as much as he was hoping, so he adjusts his energy to another wavelength. Going through this pattern many times, everyone watching on in varying states of wonder and curiosity, he keeps cool with every failure, this being the spiritual equivalent of picking a lock. And what a lock this is! It’s exceedingly complicated, far more so than I had imagined. When he reaches a certain projection, the cube vibrates lightly, as though alerting him that he was close, inciting him to tweek his output. Verdant irises widen when the stone begins to expand slightly in a similar fashion to a Hoberman sphere toy, except in this instance, it’s cube shapes seemingly floating in mid air. Sliding his frequency over a bit, it expands further, the smaller cubes spinning like gears as they spread out, the lines within revealing themselves to be magnified double helices, likely DNA strands, being presented to them as though for inspection.

Though it makes me wonder, what releases the samples?

Altering his frequency a bit more, he feels his energy slot against something, his hair and blood he’d proffered earlier being released. There’s several intakes of breath as they see them lie innocently inside the chamber, bringing a faint grin to his face. Now accustomed to the manner in which the material functions, Kurama continues to adjust the frequency of his aura, the rose being released next. Before releasing the unknown specimens, he advises everyone around him, “Prepare yourselves, as I don’t know what the other pieces of DNA will be. They may be immensely dangerous, or they could be an incomplete samples, and with the size of this container, they likely won’t fit inside the chamber.” Several steps were taken away from him and although he looked relaxed, he was poised to strike should anything nefarious try and attack them.

Slowly refining his aura to match with the next DNA strand, several more hairs and spatters of blood drop inside the chamber. Another adjustment, a chunk of flesh plops from the rotating bricks, the next sequence revealed a dried bone, and with another twist to his ki expels an entire arm from the case, blasting the top off into a shower of shards. If that wasn’t surprising enough, he’s entirely blindsided when he hits the final mark, and with its release, a small form is pushed outside the broken box and onto the floor. So alarmed was he that he released his hold on the cube, allowing it to return to its original shape, secured inside the seal covered container to stare at the body on the ground.

(Ghost Hunt End - Toshio Masuda)

Before anyone else moves, the caring yet cautious yôko kneels next to the slowly bleeding body of a child, checking for a pulse. It’s weak, but she’s alive. Although she was covered in blood, he could pinpoint the hormones that made her a female, though her shape was entirely unique. Stained amethyst locks curled wildly around her back and shoulders, large, velvety faun ears tilt downward in her unconscious state while spots littered her skin, much like deer of the human world. The only article of clothing she wore was a shirt far too large for her size, nothing to regulate her temp in the varied environments of Makai as he orders, “She’s alive, prepare a healing chamber for her as she might provide us some answers.”

There’s movement around him as the Urameshi supporters gather around Kurama as well, with Chu inquiring, “She gon’ make it?” Placing a hand on her forehead, the freckles coating her nose reminding him of the light ones on Mina’s shoulders as he assures,

“Her energy is hidden, but still there. If we act quickly, she should survive.” Rinku ponders despondently,

“Poor kid, I wonder how long she was trapped in there?” The shrewd botanist is stunned when the intellectual shinobi breathes,

“If I had to take a guess, at least five centuries. Her kind were wiped out. She is the last of her species.” There was a heavy silence as the magical weapon specialist inquires worriedly,

“How do you know this?” The two ninja looked pained as Jin admits,

“Our masters we’r asked to off em.’ Took it s’any other job, they did.” Touya adds darkly,

“They must have thought they’d eliminated every last one, but they weren’t as thorough as they’d thought.” Kurama isn’t surprised when a flabbergasted yo yo wielder asks,

“How’d she survive in there without food or water?” Without looking away from the wounded little one, the knowledgeable kitsune answers quietly,

“If I had to guess, I’d say something like a form of stasis similar to the healing chambers, though without the other benefits.” Now rather curious of the entire situation, Kurama turns toward the tournament group with his arms crossed and questions,

“Who hired them?”

“They called themselves Azure Ah... Shit.” Shishiwakamaru tacks on helpfully,

“I’d say. So I assume that this Azura has been planning everything for at least that long.” Yomi adds,

“A good assumption. Don’t worry, the girl is in good hands. We’ll make sure she recovers.” Mukuro translates,

“She is essential to the investigation, and therefore an invaluable asset.” The honorable stumbler grumbles,

“Heartwarmin,’ that un’.” Smiling lightly at the group, Kurama returns gratefully,

“Thank you. It’s greatly appreciated.” A team strides in with a stretcher and with surprising care, moves her onto the board and quickly retreats back into the hall, the cybernetic warrior following behind, likely to debrief them and enforce compliance. Standing back up, the troubled vulpine removes his gloves before instructing Yoda, “Seal away the Azura Storage Device. We don’t need anyone getting stored in there with no one looking.”

“Very well.” Then, slowly making his way toward the lab next door with the geneticists, the fox spirit demands firmly when they startle from their work,

“I want to look into the genetic codes of the samples your team has already studied.” He knew they might react poorly, considering their attitudes from the meeting, which of course was spearheaded by the covetous Konge-Iruka,

“No. There’s no need for an outsider like you to look over our work.” And there it is. He’s not startled at all when Chu rumbles much more soberly,

“Hey now... Th’s in’t a stroll in tha park, y’know. Wer’ not ask’n outta our arses, mate.” Prowling forward menacingly, he continues in a threatening undertone, “Now’s not tha time t’be an imbo wit heaps of rats bitin’ our hides.” Before the calmer plant specialist could interject, the Dark Tournament group’s ki began fluctuating angrily as Jin seconds,

“Helpin’ us helps ery’one, it does.” Stepping in front of the others quickly, Kurama nods back to them, cutting in before they say anything more,

“Please allow me to handle this.” They’re surprised, the ferocity in their gazes not abating any with it, but their expressions change to simmering rage while the Wind Master nods,

“A’ight, gi’em a shot then, will ya!”

“Give it a burl, mate.” Chu grins after taking a swig, hiccuping before mumbling, “Piece o’ piss for that un.” Suzuki and the others nod in agreement as they bare varying smirks of their own, with the former snorting,

“This is going to be interesting.” The code breaker huffs as Rinku sing-songs,

“Uh oh~! That guy’s in trouble~!” Turning away just as Shishiwakamaru snips,

“Anyone will be against him.” None of you have gotten over that training, have you? It was quite humorous, how his methods for increasing power in a short amount of time has left such an impression on them. They did reap the benefits of the harsh regiment and herbal concoctions. He supposes those not used to being forced into strict diet and death-like battles constantly might become weary of their coach. They were able to follow through though. So facing his opponent, having been expecting the rejection from the beginning, Kurama begins his counter attack airily,

“So your work has made much progress in the investigation then, correct?” He could see the remark stung in the minute flinch between the dolphin goblin’s brows, letting the cunning kitsune get another barb in, “Enough to know and understand our enemies, and allow us an upper hand in our fight against them?” He could see those sharp teeth grinding around the lips pulled back in a snarl, the slight taken personally as the aquatic researcher growls,

“You couldn’t possibly understand what it is we do here, thief! Or the patience it takes to produce those results you figureheads so desire!” The ex-bandit leader hides his snort as he lets the pitiful excuse for an insult roll off him easily, though he is surprised to hear another nasally voice pipe in,

“Yeah! Knowledge isn’t gained overnight you know! Done correctly, experiments make for clear, concise results that can turn the world of science on it’s head!” Oh? This one seemed to be an idealist in a white coat, his scent revealing he is rather young, likely only a few hundred years old, if that. His ears were thin, pointed, and the diameter was smaller than human ears, nearly hidden by chestnut brown hair that curled around them before swirling up into several tufts atop his head. His springy bangs framing his faintly fuzzy skin, with only his acorn shaped snout standing out on his face, sooty dark eyes nearly consuming the pupil as his nostrils flare at Kurama.

Inobuta- Latin Name: Sus Scrofa Domesticus. it’s a species akin to a boar-pig hybrid from Ningenkai. They’re quite proud and another breed that boasts high intelligence. Primary Abilities: Manipulation of earth and smoke. Staring at the young upstart, the boy flinches slightly under the plant specialist’s pressing gaze, sweat flying as he tries not to back away. This one doesn’t seem inherently evil, simply naive and an avid follower.

A little fear might go a long way with him.

Addressing both sternly, Kurama corrects, “You have focused your efforts on one small part of this investigation, where this is an entire machine of parts that needs to be assessed. And if we don’t cooperate and figure out this mystery quickly, all of you may end up finding out how these creatures are created. The hard way.” The Inobuta gasps before leaning back in fear, though the Konge-Iruka sneers through the sweat running down his stripes, snipping back,

“There’s no basis for that assumption! He’s only trying to scare us into complying!” The scrupulous yôko tilts his head as one thought dominates his predatory mind.

Caught you.

(III IV - WhiteNoiseBlackVoid)

He didn’t have the information right off hand, as Mukuro didn’t imply the strands found were special, so he simply worked with the information he did have; playing upon their natures. “Oh? When given extra test subjects, what do you do with them?” He raises a brow at them as they all swallow thickly, the weight of his words falling on them as they psych themselves out, bowing out from behind their comrades in submission. Only two left. Of course it was the most obstinate ones, where the Konge-Iruka grits out,

“And what about you? How would you handle that?” He looked proud of himself, as though he’d won their game of wits. You can dole out pain, however, are you able to stomach the thought of receiving it? Kurama erased all emotion from his face, his eyes narrowed as his yôki partly transformed his features harmlessly, thanks to Venus’ help, making him look how he used to while he answers calmly,

“I would eliminate them. Though if I needed information… I would torture them. Slowly.” He knows what he’s projecting onto them, allowing them to feel the cold, mercilessness he’d employed while doing interrogations, and it was having an intense effect on them. Their faces turned ghastly shades and the scent of rampant terror consumed them, even while he continued monotonously, headless of their wild eyes seeking safety. “Gradually breaking down their will with mental, physical, and emotional torment. Switching between excruciatingly painful, but non-lethal poisons and physical harm, learning their emotional and mental weaknesses to strip them down further until they’re nothing more than a broken mess of a creature.” Staring them down his nose, where even the reticent water demon was now horrified, he adds, “I’ve yet to meet anything that can withstand the arsenal at my disposal.”

He could sense an eagerness emanating from Yomi, prompting the levelheaded yôkai to turn and address him lightly, “Anything you want to add, Yomi?” The group of cornered lab technicians jump as his once teammate makes a noise of affirmation behind them, confirming in his thick bass,

“Certainly. It’s never taken very long to get the information we needed. And believe me when I say, not a one of you would stand a chance against this man. Whether in a group frontal assault, or setting a trap for him, he’s always several steps ahead of you.” Nodding to himself, his hands are casually behind his back as he walks to their workstation while he iterates, “Let alone the torture methods he employed when retrieving information. Have you ever seen a group interrogation?” They all start shaking, even the Konge-Iruka’s fist trembled as he fought down his fear, all the while the previous second-in-command continued nonchalantly, “It works even better for extracting information, as watching another suffer tends to make the group imagine sympathy pain, and of course, makes them reconsider any pesky notions of keeping silent.” Finding an open book on the counter, he picks it up and, holding it toward them, he declares genially,

“You’ll let Kurama look through your notes now that you understand the situation, I’m sure.” They all nod furiously before scattering to their stations and grabbing their journals, bringing them to an amused Kurama as he nods toward them,

“Thank you.” The tornado wielder whistles high before murmuring in awe,

“Now tha’s a right fright’!” It’s Touya’s voice who seconds,

“Yeah, and it was a one-sided battle of wits.” Their magic item tinkerer mutters back,

“No joke...” While the tournament crew continued whispering to one another, the stodgy water goblin scrunched his beak before snorting out his fury, pacing toward them as Yomi hands over the book he held, revealing a name on it and, if the studious plant wielder were to guess, it was the aforementioned goblin’s. Tilting his head as thanks for the notes, he glances through the scribbles quickly, questioning the author easily, “There are four unidentified strands of DNA, where the others are labeled with a code. What are the species we know of?”

Four of the seven strands...

Snorting and shaking his head to let them know what he thought of the inquiry, the Konge-Iruka begins,

“Ishi Akuma, Honôjama, Yaminade, Hougushika, and Jikininki. The others were species not recorded within our database.”

What?

Kurama was quite familiar with all of them, being quite powerful and rare species, and personally knowing at least descendants of them all. The Ishi Akuma of the love hotel. Itsuki was Yaminade. Yusuke’s forfather Raizen was of the Jikininki species, and… Glaring at the notes, he takes in the numbers and the sequencing of the strands in the samples as he considers darkly, I’ve always suspected Hiei’s other parentage to be one, but to have it appear now, of all times…

Honôjama - Flame Imp. Latin name: Flamma Emputa They are powerful fire masters, with great ambitions and strength of will, though this has been the cause of much strife. Primary Abilities: Mastery over the element of fire. Glancing back up at the notes owner, he confirms, “These are, without a doubt, the species spliced through the creature’s genetic code?” The sea demon narrows wine colored irises as he iterates through clenched teeth,

“Yes. We’ve run several tests on the tissue samples we’ve received and, despite the scarcity of other samples to compare them to, they are the ones named on that list.” Nodding back and ignoring the science head’s mounting fury, Kurama considered quickly, I’ve not come across any of these abilities myself, so that only leaves,

(The Cold Dark Somewhere - Dated)

“Hiei, have you come across abilities like those of Itsuki, Yusuke, poisons, or any other fire masters among the creatures you fought at the lab?” His gaze narrows for a moment in memory before replying,

“No. But they were quite strong. Even if they didn’t exhibit any unique powers, they were beyond a low level demon. Yet they lacked any intelligence or language of even the most infantile yôkai, with barely any instinct as they fought and killed indiscriminately.” Interesting… He’s come across several creatures now of varying strength and intelligence, most not showing any particular species abilities, despite their code being woven with it.

So far, the common denominators between these creations are a lack of rationale, instinct, and fighting in an erratic manner which can all be derived from the patchwork splicing of DNA…

Because of this ambiguity, the discordant clues, and lack of a control group, he hadn’t been able to connect each incident to this case as a whole, making him look over the signs. Considering it’s not so strange for an apparition to attack me for one reason or another. Violence had lessened in the past few years, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t come across a few cases where he became a target. Though they sorely regretted it, and rather quickly.

So now he sorted through his own experiences in the past week and half to parse which were the Azura creations, which might have been underlings, and which were simply other incidents, but not completely related.

The beast on the first day I met Mina was intelligent and powerful, it’s abilities intact and easily accessible, so it was a natural apparition.

The brutes on the second day I met Mina were quite sane and exuded an average intelligence, though they were quite weak. Meaning they likely were just followers doing as told. They were also the only ones that the remote poison was used on.

After that, the thing that attacked Mina that I eliminated was quite mad, and it managed to wound Mina, though she was already quite vulnerable at that point. Using it’s poison, it followed her to my apartment, yet It didn’t notice my trap, leading to it’s demise. Though the poison creature must have been some sort of servant to Azura, considering it knew who I was, and yet…

It was attacking Kuronue, whom I now know was an experiment, so this is perhaps the beginning of the more successful ones.

The creature that Mina described in the dimensional space sounds like one I’ve heard of before, and still retained it’s intelligence and abilities, behaving as one of it’s kind does, so it’s likely a natural spirit. And yet… the apparition I fought was likely involved, considering he was warned about me. This one had all abilities in tact and was prepared to deal with me, so he was likely a subordinate. A higher ranked one. Considering where Mina ended up, these two were separate attackers in the same place, making for one hell of a coincidence.

Though it’s not uncommon for supernatural entities to be drawn to one another.

The insect chimera is likely another experiment, despite it’s special abilities, as it behaved sporadically and attacked indiscriminately. It was also the first one I’d noticed the difference between the Azura creations and natural demons on a spiritual level. So now, I have a better chance of sensing them if they come close.

At different points, they’ve come across varying levels of successes for the creatures, and if that’s the case… What we’ve seen out of order was the increasing success rate, where now… He thought of Kuronue, and how he was the strongest experiment they’d come across so far, and yet… He has too much independence, so I believe he’d be considered a failure in that regard. But the most important question has yet to be answered, even with all this information they’d found.

Why do this? What are they trying to accomplish by creating these creatures?

There’s a handful of things he’s considered, but until they have confirmation, they were little more than educated guesses. Glancing up at the two groups staring at him in question, he iterates for them, “What we know so far from this information, is that between Hiei and I, we’ve fought varying levels of creations. Where unfortunately, they’ve likely nearly, if not fully, perfected their craft, and we’re busy cleaning up the scraps.” It’s Suzuki who pales considerably before trailing off,

“What? You mean they’ve…”

“There’s been one I met who may considered a perfect specimen. He retains his sanity, physically powerful, and, if I’m correct, he retains some of his old abilities, from the fighting I've seen him do.” Surprisingly, it’s the boar researcher who gasps,

“But… what does that mean… for these things?” Good, that worry is quite founded.

“It means before now we’ve only come across their failures.” Narrowing his gaze, Kurama finishes with severity, “We’re fighting the remnants of twisted beings who’ve been refining their process for centuries, and are at the end of their death-littered journey.” There’s a heaviness in the room as he finishes, “Where we’ve only just begun our investigative one.” Allowing both groups a moment to their thoughts, he retrieves the next booklet and studying the pages, decodes it in silence and takes in the information, despite it not containing much different from the first. They all kept their own notes and experiences with each experiment. And though that would be a good assumption, he still took the time to look over all the recordings on the small chance something might be different.

(Burning Skeleton - lofigeek)

Though not much was different, there was a suggestion in multiple notebooks to request information be… obtained from Ningenkai labs on strains they knew of. But you won’t find much there… He knew where he’d have to ask, but the question became how to ask Mina to search her own database for this. It would most certainly reveal how much I associate with yōkai, and…

She might find out my identity…

He had lost himself in the darkening thought, with barely any mind paid to the slowly recovering teams until Touya approaches him while suggesting, “How about we get something to eat while we think on all this?” Returning from the depths, Kurama turns and smiles lightly and nods in agreement, knowing that despite not having an appetite, he’d need to replenish his energy to keep up with all of this. His motley crew grin variously as Chu blurts brightly,

“Yeh! ‘Ave some grub wit’ us, mate!” Chuckling amiably at the ensuing ruckus of agreement, the sly kitsune teases back,

“Certainly, and with less complaints than the last time, yes?” They give discordant noises of pain back as Rinku whines,

“Anything but that!” He’s now openly cackling, shaking his head at the excited yet agonized group, and only glancing away when Yomi calls,

“The dining hall will be able to accommodate you. And if you’d prefer, afterward we can check on the girl’s accommodations. Just come meet me in the main conference room.” Right… the Guardian Deer child… Bobbing his head faintly, Kurama returns,

“Yes. I’d appreciate it.” Padding after his friends, he huffs quietly when Jin mutters lowly,

“Never seen yer-one-ther’ eatin’ before…” Smiling to himself, the ‘one’s ex-leader isn’t surprised when he hears the horned warrior hum within hearing range,

“I do need sustenance every now and then. Just consider it a... lucky coincidence I’m not famished at the moment.” The light-hearted warning hit the mark as the tournament crew makes pitched sounds as they scuttle out of the room, putting a grin on Kurama’s face as he thinks of the troublesome squad fondly.

And I’ll get to catch up with old friends.

Extra Notes

Genetic mutations is one of many things that can cause overt aggression in a species, which also includes environmental, and societal factors. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-018-0068-7

I’ve not seen a fanfic exploring Kurama’s science experience much before, nor his experimenting side either, even his ability to manipulate his energy and spirit, so I just had to do it here, and admittedly, labby Kurama is a bit of a kink of mine. XD

Chapter Text

Warnings!

Adult Themes: Violence, gore, death, sex

Dark Themes: Torture, character death, suicide

(Recovery – Karl Casey)

Kurama had revealed quite a bit about his discoveries here, however, he needed more data before announcing everything to all of them.

What do they want with me?

Of all the reported attacks, including Hiei’s invasion of the lab, almost all of them happened around the fox spirit. Worse still…

They can use me to get to Mina…

Although several encounters happened without her present, she had a penchant for showing up whenever something happened to him. So it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination that even if she wasn’t the original target, they might shift to include her as well. The second time we met the followers were given a description of my ningen form, and the love hotel follower was meticulously informed of me. And on all occasions, Mina ended up there. But that begged the question of why. Why, when he wasn’t the strongest demon to walk the lands, and though wise, he knew of several others who were well versed in strategy that could also be potential targets. The limit isn’t human world, either. The lab the fire shade found was in the Makai, so with the other options narrowed down, there were few possibilities left.

Including some of the dangerous knowledge he’d picked up as a notorious bandit.

Something only he knew of, and likely was now lost to the rest of the world. He’s quite certain there’s several things in that list, but considering what they were experimenting with well...

It didn’t bode well, whatever information he knew that they wanted, and yet, they didn’t try to capture him so much as… test the ancient code breaker.

It’s as though they’re trying to get me to reveal what I know without asking. Which in turn meant they wanted to see his knowledge in action.

He didn’t like the implication.

It was only an inkling at this point, but if the ex-lords and current one didn’t realize the pattern on their own, he would keep this to himself.

Either way, now he was walking the sterile halls of the intelligence division, smirking at the wrestling group before him as they make their way toward the cafeteria. They didn’t pay much mind to the grey panels laid over the bundles of wiring, little lights flickering as their synapses worked busily and allowing passersby to see them function. Instead, the group piled into the elevator, which barely fit them all, heading down for a very late dinner on the ground floor. Shoulder to shoulder with the Dark Tournament gang, he pushes his contemplation away as Rinku digs excitedly, “So who’s your powerful lady-friend huh~? You’ve never mentioned anyone before now, and yet you act like you’ve known her for a while!”

(Daphne – Yuki Kajiura)

Although he disliked the emphasis on ‘lady-friend,’ he wasn’t given the chance to reply as Chu hollars, “Yeh~! Wat gives, mate! I thou’ we’re good’s a house on fire! An yer keepin this from yer cobbers!” It was difficult to address them seriously when all of them turn curious, and rather eager gazes to him, though Kurama manages as he answers calmly,

“I’ve only known her a short while, but she’s incredibly entertaining and…” he pauses for a moment, finding the most truthful words without revealing too much, and settling on, “I have much respect for her, despite her playful behavior. She… gives all of herself to even strangers, and expects nothing in return for her troubles. I find her incredibly admirable, and yet her naivety is quite worrisome.” They’re all silent and awed, some he imagines are from his words alone, yet it seems that he allowed a little too much slip into how he described her. He’s not allowed to ponder their silence long, as a raucous clamber arose as they all found even more questions about her, and saying them all at once.

Chortling softly, he raises his voice above the noise, “One at at a time!” He’s a bit surprised that it’s Suzuki who bowls over everyone else quickly,

“You say she’s playful, respectable, and obviously powerful, but is she beautiful?” They all leaned around each other so they could watch the fox spirit’s expression, which he held in a careful smile as he answers,

“Quite. She attracts far more attention than she should, and it creates many more problems for her.” They blink in astonishment, not even noticing the elevator doors open and, when the apparition waiting for it sees the occupancy, grumbles before closing the doors on them and let them go on. It’s actually Shishiwakamaru who nods haughtily,

“If the legendary thief who collected rare and precious artifacts says so, it must be true. But I’ll save my judgment for when we meet her ourselves.” Raising a brow at him, Kurama isn’t surprised by the comment, nor the outraged cries of the others who swiftly scold him. But rather than let it slide, he hums thoughtfully,

“And if you meet her with such a mindset, you’ll likely meet her temper as well.” The demon diva raises his chin, eyes narrowing as he sniffs,

“Oh? How would she even know anything, unless you tell her?” The doors open again, but this time it’s the ground floor, his hand waving when they stand in a stupor to lead them off and allow the others on. As they move further into the empty hallway, the sly ex-bandit replies,

“Because she can sense intent from a person’s gaze, to an even greater extent than even myself. She could even feel Hiei’s Jagan watching her, and when she met him, knew he was hiding it.” He can feel several surprised and impressed stares on his shoulders as Shishiwakamaru harrumphs in grudging respect,

“If she’s that competent, I’d like to see it.” Kurama smirks as he assures,

“If she’s around me long enough, you will.” They’re all startled still as Jin blurts,

“Whatdya mean? She’s under ya protection righ’?” Noting they were coming up on a busier section of the hall, considering the cafe was around here, the mindful warrior wasn’t surprised, so he finishes quietly,

“She is, however, with all of the reactions to her scent, I’m uncertain about bringing her here.” Of course the snobby imp sneers,

“She’s powerful, isn’t she? She should be able to defend herself then.” Without looking back, Kurama retorts,

“But she doesn’t deserve the badgering she’d surely receive coming here. She’s well acquainted with battle, but it doesn’t mean she enjoys it.” He’s sure they wanted to say more, likely to protest, but thankfully it was dropped as they walked into the bustling lounge.

Where one would expect the same simple paneled look as the labs and hallways, instead this room had a domed and arched ceiling, allowing more airflow and carrying chatter. However, the most interesting part of the architecture was the sharpened, bone white spines and ribs that lined the archways. While the pillars were clean, small tiles in a similar size to the minuscule segments of the spines, there were carved infantile human heads interspersed in larger decorative intervals. It made for a far more interesting space than the rest of the sterilized building, but it made sense for the other areas. The tables they approached were similar to the others, being a simple rectangle that could hold up to eight large human sized bodies, and yet with this group, well…

After they grabbed what they had wanted at the counter, run by several terrified spirits, who were likely given the position in return for protection, the amount of ‘sitters’ at the table was rather skewed. Jin had started eating while sitting, but after engaging in animated chatter with Chu, he began floating excitedly from it. As the perceptive kitsune sat down himself with a tray, he noted the Wind Master simply went with the flow, now sitting cross-legged in the air sideways, towards his drunken and unaffected partner, while still grabbing bites here and there. Shishiwakamaru didn’t try to use a seat at all and staying in his imp form, instead opting to make Suzuki flip an extra bowl over as a seat for him, and then grabbing things at full size and devouring them in large chunks in a comically snake-like fashion.

Rinku had a similar situation, sitting on the table entirely where the smooth spine shaped chairs were too big for him, but he wouldn’t ask for anything to boost him up, opting to sit at the ledge leisurely, as though sitting down to talk for a minute instead of eating. Meanwhile, Chu’s chair barely stayed upright, the poor thing being knocked back and forth by his inebriated energy and, somehow, not yet breaking. Time will tell. Kurama was pulled into his own conversation with the resident artifact collector as he asks,

“Have you had any other issues crop up? Although I imagine this has kept you busy, trouble tends to have layers to it.” True enough… He didn’t often get to reveal much about his human life to them, so he thought he’d include them, where at the very least he wouldn’t use names or locations in his descriptions.

“Well, all of this decided to happen just a week after I received a promotion to manager of a new branch for my job. So it’s been rather… hectic, to say the least.” Jin whistles with a nearly piercing decibel, whereas Touya narrows his gaze,

“That’s quite a bit of disturbance, isn’t it. A new position at your workplace where, I imagine, no one knows what you are?” The demon salaryman nods while agreeing,

“Correct. And I moved to another city for it, about five hours away from Yusuke and the others, so they’re not near to assist me either.” The youngest of the group is the one who sucks a breath through his teeth as he exclaims,

“That’s a problem! It’s no wonder you’re so worried about your woman! When you leave for work, she’s…” Kurama nods, then after swallowing another bite down, he returns,

“They haven’t targeted her alone yet, but that doesn’t mean they won’t now.” Speaking lowly, it’s the Ice Master who asks,

“Is she alone right now?”

“No, I have a very trustworthy friend looking after her.” Before anymore can be asked of the apparently hottest topic, the vulpine scholar inquires, “What of the riots on the border? We were a bit busy discussing the experiments on the way here, so I didn’t get a chance to ask Hiei about it.” They all gain a serious air about them as the eccentric inventor informs him,

“The demons are restless from feeling that power roll through Ningenkai. Some are vying for it, as the power we felt from it undeniable, but others fear for their lives, and want the King to do something about it.” Kurama puts a hand to his chin in thought as he speaks aloud,

“It took a while to build to this, so why now?” They all bob their heads with startlingly similar expressions, with Touya speaking lowly,

“From what I’ve heard, someone was out there inciting all this. Though Hiei wasn’t able to find anything solid, that’s how he stumbled upon the lab.” It’s Suzuki who adds,

“Border patrol is doing a decent job of keeping the dissenting yōkai in check, which we had been called in to assist with, but we’re finding more mysteries than resolving, so it’s a thorough mess.” A good use of their abilities, for certain. Taking another bite from his bowl, the Tantei’s strategist hums in thought just before Chu whoops,

“Yeh! An’ doin’ a banger of a job till tha’ bloody bracer was brough’ back!” Tilting his head at that, Kurama can’t help but aim a sly glance at them,

“And they called… all of you here for that?” It’s Rinku who snickers,

“Nah, Touya and Suzuki were called here first, the rest of us were sent two days before you got here.” Interesting. So up until he’d arrived, there were still problems at the border, which would explain why Hiei had arrived when he did. He had also just finished his part in sorting out the riots. And with the busy yôko’s own situation, they’d been rather distracted between then and now. He’s pulled out of his thoughts when the self titled disguise guru draws himself up before insisting,

“Excuse you, Beautiful Suzuki!”

“You still insist on that!” Kurama smiles lightly at their antics, something he got used to after having had a hand in training up their strength. The others seemed used to it as well, considering how Jin ignored them and cheers,

“And tha’s wat wer’ doin’ til yah show’d up!” Collecting his glass of water onto his tray as he cleaned up, the calculating fox wonders,

“Were the rest of you sent here after getting everything under control?” It was the demon idol of the group who answered snootily this time,

“That’s right.” Although in imp form, he still brushed his fingers through his long bangs haughtily while bragging, “They were all weaklings, so it barely took any effort for us at all.” Lips tilting up in humor at the narcissism, Kurama doesn’t hate to point out,

“I’m not surprised. If you recall, only the weakest of minds were entirely seduced by the entity earlier.” They all startle, gaping at him as Jin asks,

“Ya thin’ wats causin’ the ruckus is relat’d to tha experm’nts?” Hand on his chin in thought, Kurama theorizes,

“They may not be entirely related, but from what you’ve said, it seems as though both have the ability to appeal to those with weak wills. The darkness that devoured Ningenkai was all consuming, and that kind of overwhelming power calls to them. Whereas the bracelet promised power and forced submission, a much smaller scale, but still a similar form of temptation to those obsessed with strength.” They quieted down at his assessment, everyone becoming thoughtful as he lifted the tray from the table and after placing the utensils in their proper places for cleaning, pads back to the table. They had rushed their own meals, to his worry and amusement, reminding him of the late night omurice with Mina.

He’s a bit startled to see them all stand quickly before their star-cheeked friend blurts, “Can you tell us about her? I wanna hear more!” I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. The flora fighter was fascinated by her himself, and for them to see his interest when he rarely shows it for anything else must be something to behold. If I could have seen myself as I am now, even a few months ago, I would likely be curious as well. He was still rather reluctant to talk about her, his protective nature pushing him to want to keep her hidden, and yet… There is a large possibility of her ending up here, as she did at the love hotel. It would be wiser to give them an idea of who she was, and prepare them for her often stubborn personality. And if he lets them see his care for her…

They’ll guide her in his stead, if it ever comes to that.

Bobbing his head in confirmation, he leads them away with a light chuckle, “Certainly. Come with me.” They followed him eagerly, the jumbled crew debating her qualities comically behind him, a grin sliding across his face as they climb back into the elevator. Thankfully they kept their actual questions to themselves as they buzzed with energy over the subject, making the ride a bit different this time as it stopped at his floor. Leading them to his room, he allowed them in and as they closed the door behind them, he sits on the spartan mattress, letting everyone get settled into their own spots. Rinku sits on his bed next to Kurama, swinging his much smaller legs against the mattress. Jin continued to float with excitement while Suzuki sat at the chair for the desk, leaving Touya to lean against the wall with Shishiwakamaru on his shoulder, while Chu stumbled to sitting cross-legged next to the chair.

It was quite crowded, but this place was the most secure room of the building, considering the plant specialist’s Kudzu filled the walls. It’s not unexpected to hear a cacophony of noise first, getting him to sigh as he iterates, “One at a time please.” He snorts in humor when the first question is blurted by the Drunken Master as he sways,

“So wa’s yer sheila loo’ like?” A description would be good for them to have in case she stumbles upon them without him, so pulling his knee up to lean on as he rests his arm around it, Kurama begins,

“She has long blond hair down to her thighs, usually held in a half-tail with a bright red ribbon. Her face is soft and heart shaped, set with ocean blue eyes, and framed by her golden bangs that curl toward her ears. She’s about average height and a fit build, considering how active she is, and can’t help but find trouble, or draw it like a moth to a flame.” Chu whistles lowly, brows wiggling as he grins,

“Blond ey? Pre’dy as she soundin, s’not surprisn’ she’s findin’ troubl,’ mate.” Nodding back as the thoughtful kitsune stares at the floor, he’s not startled when the weapon designer inquires next,

“If you don’t mind my asking, what sort of trouble have you run into with her, besides the experiments?” And after getting some heckling from the spirits brawler, amends with a snort, “And her looks?” Continuing to consider it quietly, Kurama finally looks at Suzuki and responds carefully,

“Well, her scent is quite a draw to those with good enough senses, and I’m certain you felt her raw, sensual aura when I destroyed the creature within the relic. Those on their own are bad enough, but she is self sacrificing, so if a person seems to be in trouble, she will do whatever she can to ease their burdens.” There’s a hush in the room, the implication disconcerting to even them as the airy ninja asks with worry,

“Is’at how tha lass came’ta be wih’ ya?” Smiling softly, the vulpine ex-thief chuckles,

“It is. She thought I needed rescue.” They all laugh uproariously at the thought, finding it just as humorous as he did. “She’s also quite stubborn, like when she was injured, she refused my assistance. Though I managed to convince her to allow me to help her.” He should have known some teasing was coming, but Chu being the instigator should have been the most obvious, wiggling his brows as he gives a guttural hum,

“So~ ya did s’um convincin’, didja?” Kurama did not gratify him with any outward disgruntlement, instead he meets the playful gaze seriously, but without any heat.

“Not of the sort you’re implying. Rather, using the right motivation, she’s quite logical, considering she’s a soldier.” He’s not surprised by theirs, having now felt it and with evidence, knows what her chikara is. But of all of them, it was Rinku who bursts out first,

“Wait, she’s a soldier? But I thought she was a-”

“Correct. There is someone she wants to protect, and though I don’t know the whole story, she’s honed her power to a fine point in every effort to protect them.” The shrewd yôko cut in purposefully, not wanting that kind of information implied even in the confines of his own room. I might be over thinking this, but with the risk… Failure to protect her wasn’t an option, so he’d rather be overly cautious than risk anything more telling being mentioned. The others understood, and even glanced around as Suzuki grins excitedly,

“I’ll say! She destroyed that thing with only what you had within you! But what I’m more interested in,” he leans in conspiratorially, reminding Kurama keenly of his specialty as he points out, “Is how you, a demon, could channel her opposing energy.” Ah, of course he’d notice. Putting a hand to his chin, he allows,

“I can’t say for certainty, but I imagine her acceptance of me applies to even ki that’s been separated from her.” He wouldn’t reveal all the scenarios he’s dealt with, but he’d give this small concession, “As long as I’m in her good graces, her power won’t destroy me, whereas a random entity in opposition to hers wouldn’t receive the same treatment.” They looked both amazed and worried, as he’d expected, with the yo-yo fighter gaping like a fish,

“So if she gets mad at you... she could totally burn you, to death even!” Grinning cheekily, the sly fox returns with a nod,

“That’s certainly better motivation to not make her angry, wouldn’t you say?” They all explode with humor, Chu smacking a knee as he cheers,

“Ther’s nothin like it, is er’e? Hav’in a sheila tha’kin end yah ta keep tha blood pumpin’!” Chortling himself, Kurama returns,

“It certainly gives me an appreciation for her control when she doesn’t destroy me for my mouth.” The peels of laughter don’t subside, even as Touya chuckles along with them,

“So she’s quite the handful then?”

“It’s difficult to predict how she will react to things, and even harder to understand why she reacts as she does.” He tilts his chin in thought before summarizing,

“She sounds quite wild and mysterious. It’s no wonder you have such a strong interest in her.” Not hiding his affectionate smile, the yōkai gardener agrees,

“A lot of it, yes. Though really she’s…” here he ponders a moment before revealing, “There is much of her story I can sympathize with, and even in ways understand more than I’d like. It makes it difficult to leave her be.” They all have varying levels of smiles, though the gentle understanding is what he’d hoped for as Jin floats closer and wiggles his ears in excitement,

“I hope ta mee’ tha lass soon then! She’s soundin-like-sum-craic!” Huffing softly, Kurama puts his leg down, knowing the others have satisfied most of their curiosity and prepared to move.

“I’m quite certain she’ll be entertained by all of you as well. However, with things as they are, it might be a while before she comes here.” They nod in understanding, considering what they’d just heard and knew from the little experiences they had. The winter warrior seconds grimly,

“It might be for the best, with all the unknowns here as well.” There was a contemplating silence then, all the warriors considering what they know, and what they would do with that information. Knowing of at least one other thing he needed to check on, the pragmatic businessman stands fluidly, catching the attention of the others as he walks to the door, avoiding Chu on the floor. It’s Rinku who calls to him,

“Where ya goin?” Turning toward them, he murmurs,

“The healing pods where the young girl is. I wish to check on her before leaving here.” All their faces sober up, taking on a darker look as Jin asks,

“Ya mine’ sum comp’ny then?” Sliding the door open, he answers,

“Not at all. It might be prudent for us all to see what she’s been through.” It didn’t take them long to get to the healing chambers, filled with several giant columns of fluid used to speed up recovery. Tubes and hoses line the ceiling before leading to the tops of the pods, exchanging liquids to filter out filth and pumping back in to continue the healing process. There was only a handful of people suspended in the liquids, which meant the girl they found was in the front most vat. Once again Kurama was reminded that she must have been only a child, her form so small behind the glass made for full sized adult demons. Her faun ears moved only the slightest with the flow of the fluids around her, while her wavy violet hair floated above her, the softness of the motions don’t distract at all from the grievous injuries that litter her small body.

The edges of the cuts that dug several milometers into her flesh were flayed, torn as though a dull weapon was used to make them. Not to mention the copious amounts of bruises still vibrant against her skin, washing away her freckles in large patches from the discolored mottling. His heart twists in sympathy at this child having been not only used for her blood, but also tortured for whatever knowledge she holds. Her kind were a spiritual one, and likely pursued for that very purpose. He’s reminded again of their own repeated interactions with himself, and the ancient dead knowledge he possessed.

It’s becoming less of a theory and more substantiated by the moment.

He’s not surprised to see Hiei and Mukuro lingering around the readouts on the examination table, though the surly cloud around the fire shade was a bit unexpected. Padding up to his confidant quietly, the intrigued vulpine inquires, “Is something bothering you, Hiei?” The flicker of a glare sent his way swings back to the physicians at a counter that held a monitor, one typing in numbers while the other mumbles under his breath. Both seemed to sense the fury aimed at them and jolt, all noise leaving them in a whoosh of breath while the fire specialist sneers,

“Nothing I can’t slash open and replace, I assure you.” Knowing the words weren’t aimed at himself, Kurama watches the doctors closely, hiding a smirk when they tremble, realizing the threat was for them. And I can easily guess why. Mukuro wasn’t nearly as bothered, though she did exuded distaste as she hums with humor,

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding, which we’ve since corrected.” Chuckling at their dark humor, the spirit kitsune joins in,

“That’s good. It would be quite terrible for them if we were to discover any mishandling on our newest charge here. Some of the most powerful in our ranks are watching her rather closely, after all.” Watching with morbid glee as the duo’s shoulders shake in terror, getting the message loud and clear, and perhaps have learned their lesson. The alcohol enthusiast’s rough voice rolls over the low rumble of the machines,

“Wa’s that? Wha’cha talkin’ bout mate? Who’s bottle’d it?” Looking back toward them, Kurama chortles softly before replying,

“No one, if they’re lucky. I would appreciate it if you all would come and check on our patient here until she fully recovers.” It seemed Touya and Suzuki didn’t need it explained as the former assures,

“Of course, Kurama. We wouldn’t mind making sure she’s well and taken care of, properly.” The two eyed the shady physicians, though Shishiwakamaru was the one who snorted,

“That’s a rather sad state of affairs, that a child needs to be watched like a hawk while trying to heal.” They were purposefully talking around it, because knowing Chu and Jin, they’d be the most likely to forego any threat and act upon it. Forcing them to let the later flounder and squawk,

“Watch’a on abo’t? Wa’s goin on fellas?” It’s their flamboyant philanthropist who hammers a nail in the coffin,

“Just making sure we’re all aware of our duties here, and any consequences from up the ladder should they think those duties have been shirked or twisted in any way.” The pair make excuses before running out the door, pulling a smirk from Kurama as he murmurs with amusement,

“I believe they received our warnings loud and clear.”

“C’mon, don’ leave a bloke hangin!” Rinku joins in frustration at the same time as the air technician,

“Yeah! What was all that about!”

“Wa’s all tha run-bout for?” It’s actually border patrol’s leader, standing against the examination table with her arms crossed and silent as she watched the girl recovering, for the most part, who answers them succinctly,

“Those buffoons were making crass comments about the girl while she’s defenseless. We though it prudent to remind them of the consequences, should anything unbecoming occur to her under their care.” They were rightly enraged, their words quite colorful and nearly intelligible until Suzuki announces with a grand sweeping of his arms over the noise,

“Worry not! Nearly all of us made threats on them, enough even for you three, so if they foolishly try anything, they’ll regret their entire miserable existence.” After grinning at them, something comes to him before adding with a malicious, suggestive side-eye, “And these pods, which will be used to extend their suffering.” Chuckling lowly at the truth in those words, Kurama returns with relief,

“I’m glad to have you all here then. She’ll be safe so long as someone remains in this building.” Touya smiles dangerously as he promises,

“Suzuki and I will be here to continue research, so they won’t have the chance.” They don’t get to say anymore as the chamber doors slide open to allow Shura through as he bellows,

“Father says you’ve found a new powerful warrior Kurama! When can we meet her!” The boy had grown several more millimeters from the last time he’d seen him, now a little below his diaphragm. The precocious child was focused so wholly on becoming more powerful, hearing of someone who wasn’t an apparition being strong must have been an exciting prospect. It reminds me of someone else~ Smiling wanly at the energy vibrating from the smaller form, the patient flora expert replies,

“I’m uncertain at the moment, considering what the investigation has turned up. It’s best to be cautious and ensure she doesn’t become the main target.” Of course Shura pouts childishly being denied a chance to speak to her, and possibly spar, drawing a petulant whine,

(Kumori no Kodoku – Black Throne)

“What~! But her energy was so strong! Is she just weak in every other way?” Barely keeping himself from laughing aloud at the offensive remark said so nonchalantly, as only children can manage, Kurama returns easily,

“She’s an excellent fighter, but she doesn’t fight for the love of it. She fights solely to protect those important to her.” As he notes Yomi walking in quietly, his gaze is drawn back to the little face scrunched noisily in confusion as he wonders,

“How can someone get stronger if they don’t enjoy fighting? Even if you win a boring fight, it’s not satisfying.” The lock-picker has to admit, he’s surprised the boy didn’t comment on the protection part, but rather, how enjoying battle was the main purpose of a fight. Ah, to be so naive. After being humbled during the Demon World Tournament, Shura seems to have chosen to approach strength differently now. If he couldn’t overpower or manipulate his opponents; he’d learn from potential ones. What he did with that knowledge... well… he was far too young to successfully hide the cunning beneath his childish smile. He’s a determined one... Kurama huffs lightly, knowing that the boy must have gotten some pointers from his mentor, though the love of fighting must have come from the end of the tournament.

Yomi had rediscovered that joy through his battle with Yusuke, and Shura seems to have picked up on this.

It was certainly a rather interesting first unification.

And with how he didn’t comment maliciously on the idea of fighting to protect, Shura might have understood Yomi’s underlying intentions during the tournament. They were learning to bond in their own way, with mimicry being the sincerest form of flattery. Which has developed into this. Adaptability, thirst for knowledge, and a love for fighting making him a fierce opponent. Add that stubbornness into the mix and the boy might be plowing through the finals fairly soon. Smiling gently at Shura, Kurama explains evenly, “When your goal is to defend something, or someone, you’re willing to give more of yourself to the cause. Enjoying the fight isn’t mutually exclusive.” Gaze softening, he adds, “She is not inherently an aggressive person. You could feel it, couldn’t you? When her energy destroyed the creature.”

Nearly black irises widen as he gapes, pink coloring his cheeks as the developing clone describes with awe, “No it… it felt nice, and everything was really warm . But her energy destroyed it. So how does she do it? Feel nice but also destroy things?” The once thief’s gaze is distant, but sharp as he answers,

“Because she has perfected the art of making her emotions into a weapon. Her intent and desires always imbued within every bit of her energy. So even when it’s separated from her, it still follows her will.” Shura was rightly awed as he blurts,

“Wow! That’s amazing! Father!” Turning back toward Yomi, he asks, “Are you able to do that?” Huffing softly under his breath, the elder demon answers honestly,

“No. Not many creatures are able to do such a thing. Though it’s not impossible. I believe Kurama is more familiar with those abilities.” Glancing back toward him, the eager student exclaims,

“Really? Can you do that, Kurama?” Had it been before the love hotel incident, he’d say only once, and only with the others as a team. But it wasn’t really only his own energy that created the little protector. But my intent was there… Tilting his head, he admits,

“Twice, I believe. Though Yusuke has done so as well.” Now the rest of the group faces him in shock, with Jin chattering excitedly,

“When’was tha? Hoo-boy, tha lad’ keeps yah on tha toes, dun’ he?” Chuckling softly, he knew he couldn’t reveal anything about their cases, but there was one thing that was relatable enough for them that he could use.

“When you fight with Yusuke, can you not feel his spirit? His love of fighting? Right down to his ki.”

“Yeh, yer righ’! ‘Specially in the turney! Tha bloke‘s full ‘o fun tha’ spreads like wil’ fire!” He’s not surprised when Yomi hums lightly,

“It’s similar, but one must interact with Yusuke to feel it. Whereas your newest acquaintance can enact her will through her ki from a distance.” Grinning at the one he figured would see the differences, Kurama agrees,

“True. But I’ve yet to understand how she does it, so all I can say is she’s quite skilled when controlling everything within and out of her body.” It’s Suzuki who rolls his eyes while snorting inelegantly,

“That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.” Shura’s still pouting heavily at them, having taken the conversation over from his inquiries, prompting him to jump back in,

“I thought emotions make you weak?” Glancing back down to the curious one, the vulpine scholar explains,

“If you allow fear, sadness, or anger to cripple you, certainly. But as in my friend’s case, she allows others to see her emotions to incite them to underestimate her. They expect a carefree, silly girl, but what they get is a calculating warrior when they least expect it.” He can feel the gazes of the others on him, a choice few in understanding, as they too are consistently underestimated. While others with amusement, likely finding it humorous that someone other than their own friends do the same.

“Really? But… I did that with father and it didn’t work…” Chortling at the memory, Kurama points out,

“It doesn’t work when your opponent has seen through the rouse. My friend doesn’t fake any of her emotions, she truly feels them, and it makes her talents all the more dangerous.” Shura nods in understanding before agreeing,

“They can’t see through something that’s genuine.”

“Exactly.” Apparently having noticed the missing cretins, the ex-king of science inquires,

“Where are the staff?” It’s Mukuro who joins back in by stating,

“They took a break for a bit. The girl has begun recovering and should be fully healed in three days, five at the most. It may take longer for her to regain consciousness.” She pulled up a clipboard to paraphrase, “Her brainwaves are sporadic, meaning emotional and mental trauma are present, and will need longer to recover. Perhaps weeks, or months, it’s difficult to ascertain.” Jin’s the one who frowns up at their charge while interpreting gruffly,

“Tha lass was tortured…” Kurama nods solemnly.

“It’s likely.” But he smiles at them while encouraging, “But she is here now, and will receive the care she needs. I’m certain given time understanding, and patience, she’ll recover from this.” They all nod back with small smiles, gazes hopeful as the wind apparition beams,

“Tha’s righ’! Not’in-less-th’n-an-army coul’ stop us from helpin’ tha lassie!” Giving a tilt to his lips, Kurama nods back,

“Good. Then if we’re all clear here, I’ll be heading back to Ningenkai.” He notices a mischievous air around the group as their theatrical arms maker snoops,

(Vision of the Previous Life - Yasuharu Takanashi)

“Heading back to your woman already?” Huffing in amusement, the humored fox clarifies,

“She’s not my woman, I’m simply concerned for her. As you all know, her scent attracts trouble.” He chortles when the Jaganshi gripes,

“At the very least.” Shishiwakamaru probes skeptically,

“You’ve met her?” Ruby eyes flick toward the speaker as he snips,

“Unfortunately, and she’s just as irritating as her smell.” Jin chuckles while drifting closer,

“In oth’r speak, even ya’arn’t ‘mune to tha lass’ charms!” Despite the death glare aimed at the cheery wind yōkai, Shura scrunches his nose while grumbling,

“She sounds weird.” Chuckling despite the slight toward her, Kurama corrects lightly,

“She’s certainly distinctive.” He’s unsurprised, but still exasperated when Chu insists with a fool’s grin,

“Sond’s like love ta me, mate!” Huffing at the mohawked battle junkie, their attention is drawn to Yomi as he questions,

“You do not wish to see more experiments with the Azura material?” Shaking crimson forelocks, the research analyst responds,

“As interesting as it is, there isn’t much more you need me for. And truly, this is something you should leave well enough alone. Although it doesn’t seem to kill what it stores, the possibility that the girl sustained damage as a direct result of being stowed away is very high. And with the bracelet now being a simple trinket, any studies and research needed can be performed safely. Any updates can be relayed through messengers as I do wish to stay informed.” Heading toward the hall, Hiei and Mukuro silently join him while the head of the science division quips,

“Ah, human life seems to keep you busy.” Deciding to reveal a bit of his own reasoning, forest greens lid slightly as Kurama shares,

(The Curse - Agnes Obel)

“Human life is temporary, the Makai however, will always be here waiting for me.” There’s a stark, heavy silence as the truth of those words settles on everyone in the room, reminding them all of the fleeting nature of humanity. After a few more moments of quiet, Yomi acquiesces,

“That’s true enough. I see that you have thought this out.”

“You have to when you take everyone around you into consideration.” He’s once again, surprised to hear the admiration in Yomi’s response,

“Your wisdom still trumps mine, old friend. Take care then, and you will be informed of any changes, including the girl recovered from the Azura storage device.” Lips tilting up minutely, the bittersweet warrior tips his head to his ex-thieving partner as he states,

“Thank you, Yomi. I’m glad I could help with this. All of you take care as well.” With a chorus of waves and cheers, turning toward the pair following him as he asks,

“Would you be willing to bring me back to where we entered?”

“I suppose we could drop you off there. And you might just continue to prove entertaining during the trip.” The flying shadow smirks at the rather ludicrous assignment given to one exasperated vulpine, though he still returns courteously,

“Much appreciated, Mukuro.” As they make their way down the hall, a voice shouts behind them, one he recognized,

“You had better bring your strange woman next time! I’ll see how strong she really is!” Trying to keep from laughing, and hearing the snickers of the two demons in front of himself and the raucous noise coming from the room, he’s about reply when Yomi scolds,

“Shura, he’ll bring her if he can. Have patience, son.” Smiling at the pout on the boy’s face, Kurama assures,

“If the situation allows, I’ll bring her.” Just like a child, his confidence is staggering as Shura informs him,

“She’ll want to come!” Snorting to himself, he nods at the young fighter as they enter the elevator, the doors closing off the grinning boy and his amused father. The mirth was palpable as his cybernetic driver comments,

(Federkleid - Faun)

“Such innocent youth, and imagine, someday you may find yourself with one of your own, Kurama.” Huffing in humor, the sly rogue returns easily,

“Just as soon as you two do.” To his merriment, Hiei chokes on a breath and the scent of embarrassment clouds him while Mukuro keeps her levity and concedes,

“Fair enough. If she does come here, you’ll need to do something about her scent, as just coming off on you it’s quite strong. Let alone having the source wander around herself.”

“I will. Thankfully she’s a capable warrior, more so she wouldn’t stand to be dominated by others.” She’s leaned against the back of the elevator casually, arms crossed in thought as she smirks darkly,

“Good to know she’s got backbone. You’ve met her Hiei, what did you think?” The fire shade looked reluctant, but eventually admitted while looking away,

“I severely underestimated her. She blocked my sword with a woman’s cosmetic case and made a shiv with her blood. Even while injured, when she believed I was there to hurt Kurama, she placed precedence on his safety, worsening her wounds.” Surprise and admiration were prevalent in her tone as she hums,

“A cosmetic case? Interesting, using unorthodox weaponry and possessing a noble spirit. I really hope she lives up to the acclaim you’re giving her.” He snorts before admitting,

“I’m sure she’ll surprise you.” Hitting the lobby floor, they trek through the city streets and through the woods quickly, reaching the auto stronghold in little time. The three congregate in the observatory again, crimson irises glued to the side of Kurama’s face as he asks,

(Labyrinth - Yuki Kajiura)

“Do you two have a plan of action while I’m gone? Considering you can travel easily throughout Demon World, you may be able to come across more labs.” The feared warlord points out,

“We’ll have to see if the self-destruct is set off by movement or energy. We can’t get anywhere if they blow everything to smithereens.” Having gotten comfortable against a banister while she spoke, the strategizing plant specialist glances at Hiei along with her when he predictably states,

“I can get past both. I can also use the Jagan to find more while we’re moving.” Mukuro’s lips tilt up faintly as she intones,

“Is border patrol really so tiring?” The ill-humored sword wielder smirks,

“Absolutely dreadful.” Smiling at them slightly, Kurama commends,

“It’s a good start. At the very least, we won’t be at a stand still while they target us. If you make any discoveries, let me know and I’ll be here.” The head of the Mobile Fortress nods in agreement,

“We will, you’ve been vastly more useful than the majority of the other volunteers.” Chuffing at the slight against the team who remained behind, the playful investigator observes,

“They’re doing their best, though some might be more helpful elsewhere instead.” Hiei tacks on gleefully,

“At least Yomi’s the one stuck with them. Otherwise there might be less volunteers.” It’s interesting to note the genuine smile that softens Mukuro’s face, only slightly, but it was noticeable to vigilant emerald irises.

“Yes, it would be quite terrible for them. I’d hate to see such vibrant lives wasted.” Kurama watches their relationship first hand and grins inwardly at their dark humor. Listening to the two banter, the swift shadow speaking more excitedly than he’d heard in a while, and considering he still didn’t outwardly show much other than fury or annoyance, it was a miracle in and of itself. The intrigued kitsune watched their back and forth calmly, not allowing his surprise at their interactions alert them. Now I know where he’s been learning to read between the lines so well. Smiling genially, he nods to the two as he says,

“I believe I’ll take my leave here. Let me know if you need anything.” Though it was difficult to tell, she seemed a bit grateful for the moment with Hiei as he strides through the gray ribbed doorway. Barely paying any mind to the inner muscles of the insect carrier, the mechanical mind ruminates on the strange discoveries today, and the threat that lies just beyond the horizon. A bracelet was the avatar for a demigod that was manufactured, possibly by another deity, and was found in an underground research facility. This entity possessed the wearer and demanded subservience, if given, they would attack those around them. If fought, then they would destroy themselves. I confronted it, and although my demon core was swayed by its power, Mina’s chikara brought me back, and with it, the creature was decimated, revealing the one who calls themselves Azura.

Hands stuffed in his pockets, he treks calmly past several yōkai, several of which gave him hungry expressions to which he simply ignored. Her scent, although only clinging to me, is strong even as a human, I can only imagine what their reaction would be to the Guardian of Love. Continuing toward the front of the vehicle, Kurama continues his earlier train of thought, Azura is quite full of himself and easily angered by my words, it’ll be his downfall. Thereafter, the meeting with the council I had to reveal Mina’s alter ego, Sailor V, to protect her true identity as Minako Aino from Koenma, and Sailor Venus from the ancient demons who might remember her as I did. After finding that strange artifact, we discovered how they stored the different DNA of the species they were using. And… a child of an extinct species of apparition was trapped inside.

Reaching the bulkhead that leads to the front of the bug transportation, he heads out to the lookout, noting several apparitions including one with a nose for a head, sniffing about. Useful when trying to find ningens. They didn’t pay him much mind, being that one of the demons the vigilant academic recognized, Kirin, wouldn’t be too concerned with his scent. However, other than the nose spirit, the others seemed content keeping sharp eyes out for wayward ningens, their devotion is admirable, that or they haven’t caught her scent yet, leaving him to his contemplations. With Azura’s Storage block, I believe he’s collecting DNA from rare and powerful species. And perhaps…

E ven ones who did not originate on Earth.

S o if something like him catches wind of Mina’s existence…

He can imagine they might pursue her relentlessly, not stopping until they had her and her power.

“Such power… Who was the woman that gave you this power?... You will rue the day you incurred the wrath of Azura! Of that, I can assure you... and the Goddess you hold sacred.”

Clenching his fist in his pocket, Kurama glares darkly at the passing landscape, the building storms reflecting his mood as he considers, It already realized I gained power from someone else, and will now be looking out for the Goddess Venus. Noting that the area was now close to where the portal near his apartment opened, he apologizes to her, even if it was only the energy she’d given him. I’m sorry Mina… I’ve led more of my enemies to you… Stopping when they arrived back at the portal, he moves away just as one of them ponders,

“Where is that smell coming from?” Not wanting to explain once more, yet still able to hear them out of sight as he walks away, he catches the nasal yōkai inform the one who asked,

“The redhead that was just here. I wouldn’t advise going after him though, I saw him fight Shigure, and win.” Almost out of hearing range, he hears Mukuro’s old right hand growl,

“Just because we’re stopped doesn’t mean we’re not looking for more humans. Keep focused.” They all squeak in near unison,

“Roger!” Striding easily through the bowels of the Makai beast to the gateway back to Human World, he's a bit shocked when Hiei appears at his side.

“Is there something you need in Ningenkai, Hiei?” Harumphing with his hands in his pockets, the possessor of the Evil Eye corrects,

“Although your apartment isn’t far, with you being the biggest target to Azura at the moment, they may use this opportunity to test more creations on you.” Chuckling faintly, Kurama teases,

“You really were bored, weren’t you?” Giving him a look, Hiei grouses,

“Just go already.” Snickering at the churlish attitude, they pass back into the alley from before, the odor of Demon World lessens to a slight breeze, heightening the artificial stink of his chosen home. Running his fingers through his saccharine mane, the nature warrior retrieves a rose from his hair and imbues it with his yōki, using the vine to catapult himself to the top of the building. Reaching the top just as his temporary bodyguard lands next to him, they both take off along the roofs and reach his apartment in no time. Although a bit more difficult to maneuver up the building during the earlier morning hours, he simply uses the shadow of the west side of the building to sneak up. Going back down through the top of the complex, he reaches his door in no time and uses his key quickly, taking in the scents behind the door.

“Eager are we?” Smiling down at the grinning umbral demon, he quips,

“Of course, this is my home, after all.” Opening the door, he steps inside fluidly and allowing his partner in, begins shedding his shoes and coat, juggling the backpack deftly as a voice calls from the couch,

“You’re back early. Wasn’t expecting you until the evening, ya know.” Blinking in confusion at what he saw, Hiei echoes the sentiment,

“What the hell are you doing?” There, before their eyes was Kuronue, sitting on the floor in front of the couch, playing cards with one of his potted plant guards. It didn’t seem to be doing much at the moment, leaves just lightly touching the table where a card sat as they receive an answer,

“Playing cards. You never played before, my crabby friend?” Sensing Hiei’s eye twitch from not only the stupidity of playing cards with one of Kurama’s potted plants, but the absolutely sad sight of someone resorting to competing against flora of all things. Lips tilting up at the idiotic display, the amused gardener imparts,

“You could’ve just played on your own. It can’t grab and deal cards.” Feeling an incredulous stare from the vexed apparition at his side, the violet clad amnesiac reckons,

“Yeah, I could’ve. But where’s the fun in that? Besides, this guy’s a pretty good sport about it, aren’t ya Greeny?” Hiei sighs and heads for the window, throwing back from the sill,

“This is your problem, Fox. I’d advise gutting it before the stupidity spreads.”

“Aww, come on man, have some chill, will ya?” Watching in mirth as the flying shadow disappears, Kuronue pouts, “That guy needs to relax a bit, he’s way too wound up.” Moving smoothly to his potted plant and commandeering the bat’s current playing partner and placing it back at the window sill, Kurama explains,

“He’s not had the easiest life and is quite set in his ways. Give him time and he’ll warm up to you.”

“I mean, you gotta be to survive the Makai, but look at the two of us. You seem to have a sense of humor, although kinda messed up sometimes.” Here the tickled yôko looks back at Kuronue with a raised brow as he continues, “But with how old we get, or demons I guess since I’m not just one thing now, you gotta have a little bit of comedy in your long life to not go batty, ya know?” Nodding as he swipes his energy across the leaves and roots, ensuring it was still active and deadly, then turning back toward the couch chimera, he agrees,

“It does help pass the time. So how did she do?” Kuronue sighs,

(Carry you remix - Gong Qianimeshon Orugoru Zuo)

“She was quiet for a little while, but she’s been getting restless in the past few hours, whimpering and whining. She called your name too.” Verdant irises lid, heart clenching in worry as Kurama intones,

“She will be fine in a moment. Thank you for looking after her.” His old friend lays back on the furniture, pulling his pilfered hat over his eyes as he waves back dismissively,

“Nothing to it, Kurama. Take care of her.” Huffing near silently, the spirit fox assures,

“I will.” Striding toward the bedroom he whispers to himself with conviction, “I always will.” There’s a slight shift on the couch as he opens the bedroom door, her distressed scent perfuming the room to his dejection while he closes it behind him. Gliding to Mina’s side lithely, he sits down next to her, pushing his energy out to stroke along her back tenderly, the small hiccups in her breaths evening out. Tenderly brushing her blond bangs from her sweaty forehead, he studies her visage as the stress smooths from her sweet face, her ki twining happily with his. Closing his eyes and relishing the feel of their souls touching, the sensation soothing every part of his being, filling him with a gentle warmth.

Letting himself savor it a little longer, crimson lashes flutter open while he leans down and nuzzles her cheek affectionately and murmurs, “I’ll be back in a moment, so relax while I’m gone.” Standing back up and heading to the closet to change and go through his routine before sleep, he comes back to the celestial beauty wrapped around the pillow he left for her, reminding him of her drooling habit. Better change pillows. Going back into the closet, Kurama grabs the spare pillow and a pillow case, slipping the cover over as he goes back to his side of the bed, placing it down as he pulls the covers back. Climbing inside, he’s not surprised when she releases her captured bedding and instead clings to him, bringing a smile to his countenance.

Slipping an arm under her waist and the other around her back, he pulls her closer and buries his nose into the crown of her hair, inhaling her beguiling scent slowly while closing his eyes. Playful sunflower, determined ocean breeze, loving ambrosia, loyal lilac, spirited orange, wise bergamot, and warm amber. Grinning gently when she snuggled against him in content, mumbling her cute gibberish and weaving her ki with his, loosening the last little bit of worry he held. Her tinkling voice caresses his ears as she hums quietly, “Kurama… Okaeri.” Ivy irises pop open for a moment, her ability to surprise him never ceasing as he curls around her, pressing a kiss against her forehead lovingly, Kurama returns,

“Tadaima.”

Chapter Text

(Koi suru Jikan - Yuki Kajiura)

When Kurama opens his eyes, he finds himself, once again, in Venus’ quarters on the moon, sleeping soundly in her bed in the same haphazard manner she does in his. Good to know some quirky habits of hers transcends reincarnation. It isn’t until her handmaiden’s teasing voice disturbs her that she wakes. “Venus~! I know you were tormenting the poor foot soldiers last night, but it’s time to get up~!” There’s some incoherent grumbling from beneath the sheets, blond hair sinking into the bedding further, inciting laughter from the shapely woman as her darkened wine locks dance around her face and shoulders.

Her name was Aurora.

The golden beauty ensconced in her blankets finally sits up, she reveals her divinely sculpted form as she sits on her thighs, knees tracking alongside them. Toned stomach and bountiful breasts wiggling at her slightest movement, and with her, there weren’t many slight motions which left him sighing openly and suppressing his libido fiercely. Grousing at the still snickering woman, Mina argues, “You make it sound more fun than it actually was. If only it was that fun…” Aurora sucks in a breath before admitting,

“I don’t know how you do it. You’re practically a virgin now, I’m certain I would actually die going that long without coming.” The Guardian of Love snorts as she maneuvers lithely off of the mattress, generous globes shifting enticingly as she stands and retrieves a pen from her bedside table while she returns,

“It’s not like I can’t get myself off, I just can't be with someone else.”

“It’s lourechet. Forcing a Venusian to forsake our culture to become a soldier.” Mina stared down at the marbled surface of the table, holding the pen to her chest as though it kept her in balance.

“Aurora, I choose not to partake in it. I fear that…” The worried attendant puts a palm gently at the small of her lady’s back, nearly whispering,

“Yeah… I know. We bond with those we share our bodies with. And when we connect our souls…” There’s a heavy silence as Venus moves away from Aurora, the hand falling as her hips sway hypnotically to the vanity, her body seated lithely on the bench as she finishes,

(Sis Puella/ Make a Wish remix - Yuki Kajiura)

“We become soulmates. It’s rare to find one that way, but it’s entirely possible for me, considering we Senshi severed ours in reincarnation for this mission.” Kurama’s eyes widen in shock, the implication of both the fact that Love herself severed her connection with her soulmate, and that under unknown circumstances, can establish a new connection with someone else. Is that what happened between us? Have we become soulmates? The sun-touched guardian continues, “I fear it might be too easy to lose myself and rekindle a bond with someone. I can’t let that happen.”

You were right… All it took was a single kiss for us to bond. So this is a Soulmate Bond… He’d known it must have been something of the sort, and although he’d experimented with it, he’d tried to keep his distance from her at first. He’d been able to stave off emotions before, but eventually, between the similarities of their struggles and the tragedies he knows of, her natural charm, and her grace when faced with such atrocities, he fell anyway. I happened to be compatible with you, and unconsciously, you bonded with me. Does that mean I had no soulmate, or was another bond rent? Clenching a fist, emerald irises narrow as he recalls Venus’ words, “When the truth is revealed, could you… forgive me?”

Taking a deep calming breath in through his nose, he exhales his doubts away for now, after all, Mina hadn’t meant to do it, not consciously anyway. This is exactly what she was afraid of, going so far as not giving or receiving pleasure from others. Aurora stands behind the honey tressed warrior, gently brushing through strands that he himself has felt as she responds,

“Oh, Venus. If only the fates hadn’t ordained you to be the one, you would have been so much happier...” He had to admit, he thought so as well, that is, until Mina argues,

“There’s no way to know that for sure. Besides…” It’s here the enchanted fox knows that he was right about her poise when she finishes, “If it was not me, then who would be in my stead? Would they be able to defend her? Be as dedicated? I protect the most beautiful and sweet princess in the galaxy, who is to inherit the greatest power ever known. If there is anything worth giving up my freedom for, it would be her.” Sighing to himself, he decides that perhaps if given more time, they may have fallen for each other naturally in the end, though her brashness and energy would doubtless test his patience. Something I have millennia of.

After getting all the tangles out, the loyal servant grins as she acknowledges, “It’s that mindset that makes you so amazing, Venus. Not many could keep such a noble outlook, you know.” Giving a red ribbon to her current hairdresser, the Love icon responds,

“If you say so. I just do what needs to be done.” There’s a knock on her chamber door, so she stands, calling while holding the pen, “Venus Power, Make Up!” It’s always mesmerizing, watching the elegant way she moves while transforming, lithe body consumed by incredible power and… She feels pleasure from the rush, if her expression and scent during and after is anything to go by. When the energy recedes into her form, her marigold locks come to rest against her back again, the flush of arousal across her face only retreating slightly as she calls, “I’m dressed, come in.”

(Ensei/ Himeboshi - Yuki Kajiura)

The door opens, revealing… Who is that… She was ephemeral, but not in the same sense the others he’d met were, each having their own defining beauty. This one looked like the child he knew was Mina’s princess, and yet, something felt different, he knew it, though he was more sure when the look on the dignified soldier’s face said it all. Although there was care there, it wasn’t the look of love or adoration she constantly wore when in the presence of her beloved sovereign. Perhaps the princess’ mother then? He couldn’t deny they looked alike, if that were the case, but in the child there was innocence and purity, this woman with lavender tinged white hair on the other hand, exuded calm and peace.

The bun-tailed woman was quite tall, standing at his height with her hands clasped in front of her stomach with nobility, her irises a sharp silvery blue and swathed in a strapless white dress that flowed a yard past her feet. Her hair tails pooling even further past her dress, her chest adorned with a periwinkle bow and a yellow crescent moon brooch, while the bow for the back of her dress appears to be fairy-like wings, her voice a tranquil cadence like that of soft ripple in water as she intones, “Come to the communications room when you are finished here and I will brief you on your duties today.” Mina nods in acknowledgment while confirming,

“I’ll be there in a few moments, your majesty.” The regal woman nods daintily before turning and leaving the quarters, hair and dress floating ethereally behind her, leaving the room quiet for a moment as Mina looks back to Aurora to inform her, “I’ll be gone for most of the day, so if you want to, you can take the day off.” The caring chambermaid grins as she replies,

(Mercy of Nature - Yuki Kajiura)

“I knew I loved you for a reason!” Getting a smile in return, she adds seriously, “If you do end up needing me, you know where my quarters are. Whether it’s for work, or even just to talk things over, I’ll be there.” The benevolent look on Venus’ face garners an adoring blush from Aurora as she assures,

“I couldn’t ask for a better confidant and friend. Thank you, Aurora.” Kurama smirks, knowing how effective the trouble-making beauty’s expressions could be as she waves lightly and strides away, blowing a kiss playfully while trilling, “Have fun~!” Following behind her, they both hear the return call of,

“I will~!” Mina glides easily through the halls, those beautiful walls glittering with colorful marbling inside blue stone sheets reflecting softly on her skin and hair, making her appear even more exquisite. The pillars reminiscent of Grecian ones he’d seen in textbooks, and although this is a memory, he could still sense the power emanating from them. It was incredible, really, it felt as though the whole palace could become the monarch’s weapon if she so chose. It’s quite likely that the material it’s made out of was able to channel her energy, how she uses that ability, however, he’s unsure yet. Moments pass as the curious vulpine studies their surroundings when they reach a set of ornate double doors with no guards standing outside, a gloved hand knocking lightly and getting a ‘come in’ in return.

Grasping the ornamental vertical handle, the graceful dancer nearly floats into the chamber after closing the door where the Queen was awaiting her. They would leave their royalty unguarded? As he travels around to see the two women’s faces, he notices that the two look similar as well, and as though to second his observation, Queen Serenity begins, “I appreciate you doing this, Venus. I fear there might be another attempt on our lives.” He’s quite shocked when Mina begins stripping, her clothes piling on the table as she snorts softly,

(Rose of May - Takeharu Ishimoto)

“And to keep me from causing you more headaches, no doubt. I would rather take her place than anything happening to my sweet little cousin.” They’re… cousins? Or bonded in such a way that they could be related. He now understands why Mina looks like the two regents. She takes the princess’ place when there’s a hint of danger off-world. Mina… Your devotion extends far more than just being a soldier… You redefine the idea of unwavering loyalty. A frown crosses the quiet royal’s visage as she chides,

“If you would be a bit more cautious, I would not have any headaches. Your loyalty is both a boon and a curse, Venus. Though I should expect that it is in your nature to be as such.” Grabbing a nearly sheer dress, one he recognizes quickly, he lids ivy irises as she dresses in a reverent fashion, as though donning armor for an upcoming battle. For her, it just might be. He didn’t have time before to investigate the pure white dress while swathed around the princess, but here he took his time noting the attire.

Large golden circle details above beads and cording that decorate the chest, the sleeves embroidered circles as well, resting off her shoulders. The soft, nearly sheer white material showed a slight outline of her legs, pooling several centimeters past her feet. A gossamer bow tied at the back and streamed past the dress, covering whatever shoes she chose to wear, if any. Her hair, although still in it’s half-do, was absent the bright red ribbon that was her signature, and now adorned with a matching white bow to her dress, paired with what looked to be a periwinkle edged, porcelain colored version of the Chinese ‘pink pet’ rose. White roses symbolize sworn secrecy, but can conversely mean purity, loyalty, and innocence. Blue roses represent the perfect and fulfilled love, yet can also be construed as unfulfilled longing…

When she was fully changed, Mina glances up at Queen Serenity with determination, inciting the similar woman to state, “‘Staring into the face of the unsmiling Gods.’ The Terrans like to wax poetic on us.” Smirking at her sovereign, Mina moves smoothly in the long gown, heading toward the double doors as she retorts,

“Can you blame them? The kind of power I wield is beyond their comprehension, let alone yours. To them, we are monsters.” It strikes him that, even now in the modern era, those words are quite true as Queen Serenity calmly responds,

(Rose of May Erutan cover - Takeharu Ishimoto)

“Yet it doesn’t suit you, Er-”

“Don’t say it.”

Her heart underneath

Cries quietly

This part of me

I choose not to see

The tone of voice she uses to cut off the pigtailed royal shocked Kurama, anguish coating every syllable as it’s hissed softly. “It is forbidden to be uttered, even by you, my Queen.” He can see on the older woman’s face how much it tore her apart to hear that as she murmurs,

What lives must I take

For fealty's sake?

How much blood must stain

This warrior's blade?

“Do you forbid it in your thoughts as well?” There’s a moment of silence before the fierce warrior looks over her shoulder with a carefully constructed smile, chiming in a voice far too similar to her beloved princess’,

War leaves its trail

In moonlight so pale

Its shadows they flow

In rivers, in rivers

“We shouldn’t dally mama. There’s so much I want to see!” He can feel his heart wrench at the sudden shift in her personality, emotions changing swiftly, as she must have trained herself to do. What else have you twisted within yourself to protect the person you love most? He’s horrified to find, more and more, that she would quite literally destroy herself to keep Princess Serenity safe. And now, she’s shown she may do the same for himself. You really don’t do things in halves, do you? Then there’s the name the distraught ruler nearly spoke. Er… There’s not any names I know of that use that sound…

So put on my mask

I'll go where they ask

So I might once again see the

Roses of May

To his continued astonishment, he hears Mina’s voice echo around him with barely withheld rage, ‘I gave everything for this, you don’t get to pity me, Queen.’ The startled kitsune watches as the memory of the golden Goddess stops walking, the Crown of the Moon stopped as well while she growls to herself,

Staining my soul and stinging my eyes

The red on my hands

Won't wash away, wash away

Nowhere to run from what I have done

I'm no longer, no longer

A Rose of May

“If I’m going to become a tool, Selene, then I’ll reshape myself how I want to. You don’t get to dictate how I sharpen my blade to protect the one I love.”

His nails dig crescents into his palms with the pressure, her dignity even while walking such a perilous path was both incredibly awe inspiring, but oh so very foolish. Mina, it’s a dangerous road you tend to tread.

Fate holds the blade before you

Mirrored in maiden's eyes

Far from myself I fly

Into the perilous skies

And they said

The Queen leaves the room sorrowfully, only glancing back for a moment before the door closes behind her, and yet, Mina stands firm before him, her voice lighter now as she whispers to herself with forlorn, “We’re in my dream again, aren’t we?” His breaths halt for a precious few seconds as he murmurs gratefully,

Follow the blade before you

Fear fall and courage rise

Leave all your tears behind you

Far from where innocence lies

“Mina.” She inhales sharply while her arms flinch, whirling on the balls of her feet effortlessly, the dress fluttering around her knees otherworldly with the motion. The yearning shimmering as tears in her eyes throws him off guard as she questions hopefully,

Cage of the kings

No need for wings

So turn them to stone

From roses to bone

“You’re… is that really you, Kurama? This isn’t a part of my dream?”

When you look at me

What do you see?

This costume I weave

Disfiguring me…

“I’m really here… intruding upon your memories again. Apologi-” Kurama’s cut off from the bundle of silks and merigold tresses locking around his neck, bringing him closer to her height as she sobs softly, reverently,

“Thank kami! It feels like I’ve been stuck here for so long…”

And you said

Break free from all that holds you

Kings hand and maiden's tear

Run now into my arms

Together we'll conquer our fears

Reminding himself to breathe in, though he laughs at himself for his fluster considering this is a dream, and therefore wasn’t required to breathe as he wraps his arms around her waist. Nuzzling his cheek against hers, he manages to murmur, “Silly Mina, you’ve been unconscious for a day. So although it feels like a while here, it isn’t really.”

Led here by fate

No longer afraid

So here now I lay

My Roses of May...

She makes a noise of some sort, though with her it’s difficult to tell what it means as she whispers poutily, “I can’t smell you here…” He nearly chokes at the admittance, however he doubts he was supposed to hear it as she grouses more audibly, “It sure felt like forever.” Tightening his hold on her, he closes his eyes while assuring,

“It isn’t. It won’t be. You’ll likely need a little bit longer to recover, but I’ll be here with you like this when I sleep.” There’s silence for a moment, her breaths still shuddering in his ears makes his stomach drop with sorrow, before it’s broken by her ears becoming vibrant while she sulks cutely,

“... Is it bad that I want to be selfish and have more time with you?” Oh, Mina. The things you make me want to do to you... Stroking her back lightly, highly tempted to nibble the flesh of her neck he instead confesses,

“Not at all. Being literally trapped in the past is something that prevents people from gaining happiness. Don’t forget past mistakes, but do not dwell on them. I’m not surprised you’d rather spend time with me than reliving this like a play on repeat.” The warrior princess snuggles further against himself, giving him ample feel of her curvaceous form, to his dismay and eager, as she suddenly asks,

(Margret - Yuki Kajiura)

“Would you dance with me?” Thankfully shocked enough to keep his diving attention from her body, the confused once-bandit inquires back,

“Right now?” At her nod of affirmation, he considers it for a split second before confirming, “I suppose I could, although I have to warn you, I haven’t much practice with it, I’m afraid.” She moves back from her cuddling and meets his forest gaze with shimmering seas, a loving smile consumes her countenance as she encourages,

“That’s alright! I just want to slow dance, it’s easy to lead.” Nodding in acquiesce, he lets her position her hand on his shoulder and the other clasps his while he puts a hand on her waist delicately. She sucks in a breath swiftly when he clutches her side, the flush on her nose darkening adorably as her doe-eyes widen. Smirking gently, he pulls her tenderly after him, obviously surprising her as she stumbles against him, inciting a chuckle from him as he teases,

“I thought you wanted to dance?” Her little glare aimed at him was entirely too endearing as she grumbles,

“I do! It’s just…” Her cornflower irises flick away shyly, “I’ve wanted to do this with you for a while now… I can’t help that I’m nervous!” Her honesty had his own cheeks burning faintly, his movements faltering enough that she bumps into his chest. When her surprised gaze meets his, her cheeks flare brighter as she glances away, as though now regretting admitting what she has. Silly Mina, your honesty is one of your sweetest traits. Grinning faintly at her, Kurama leans down to murmur against the shell of her ear,

“Then I suppose we ought to make that dream come true.” Doll-eyes expand as though in disbelief, before the color spreads to her ears, blond lashes lidding a bit bashfully and her bangs hide her gaze while mumbling,

“You’re too good for me, Kurama.”

“No, Mina.” Her ocean irises flick upward as he presses his forehead to hers, one of her eyes closing endearingly while he finishes, “You are worth more than I could ever return. Anything you need, and I’ll do what I can to give it to you.” He can’t help but smirk at the heat coming off Mina’s face as she sighs dreamily, with underlying jealousy,

“You certainly know how to woo a woman.” Deciding to reveal a bit of his darker nature, he slides his pads closer to her ass, just above in fact, while his other holding her hand moves downward, massaging the skin on the crease of her wrist and palm. The reaction is immediate as she inhales, mouth parted and a look of bliss alighting her features beautifully as he purrs deeply,

“Only you, Mina. All others pale in comparison.” Like this, she looks pure and innocent, but after interacting with her soul unimpeded, her subconscious that has given him the ability to keep his humanity for far longer, was a far more sensuous creature. And truthfully, I enjoy the expressions of both parts of her. Lips tilting in satisfaction, he pushes a bit further by bringing her hand to his mouth, pressing fluttery kisses to her wrist tenderly, earning a gratifying moan from her before she husks,

“You were a prince charming in your previous life. That, or a dashing rogue, I can’t decide which.” Chuckling airily, he continues over her palm to lip the underside of her knuckles while he breathes in between,

“Oh? So which would you want me to be?” Her body arches into his wonderfully, breasts squeezed between them and daring his eyes to take their fill as she exhales,

“You should know me by now, Kurama,” Here she threads her fingers that occupy his shoulder through a forelock coyly, sending tingles through his neck and shoulders as she whispers slyly, “I like danger.” Tempting little vixen! If he were a lesser man, he’s sure he’d have taken her, dream and lacking his strongest senses or not for her daring words. You’re making it difficult to leave this at just teasing, Mina. Anymore, and I might go mad. Mouthing the pads of her fingers before curling them in his hand and kissing the knuckles softly, he suppresses as much of his demon as he can while he responds,

“Be careful what you wish for, Mina. You may get burned.” To his surprise, she pulls his hand to her lips, lipping his fingers lovingly, her darkened azure irises capture his as she quips,

“I’m willing to endure a bit of pain, if it’s for you.” He’s howling with laughter to himself inside, the enchanting Goddess, even in her more naive form, was turning the tables on him. A worthy pursuit… Thankfully her dreams didn’t include much smell or taste or he might be in trouble. Only with you have I found this much hardship, koi. Grinning in a manner he used to as a yôko, he reminds her,

“How about we start it small, getting you used to the sensation and heightening the pleasure before overloading your senses?” He barks aloud with mirth at her shocked countenance, obviously she’d thought she’d win that little taunting battle as he pulls her along, feet gliding lithely while she follows pliantly. After a few steps and turns, she finally snaps out of her stupor to stutter,

“You… you really are a rogue!” Smirking at her playfully, Kurama teases,

(Kichigo no shigemi ni - Kalifina)

“And yet, you offered to cater to my deviousness.” Puffing her cheeks out, making him laugh harder, she waves his hand wrapped around hers animatedly while she splutters,

“O-only because I thought you might cave! I didn’t think you were that kinky!” He twirls her at that moment as he cackles amusedly, and just as he thought she might, her dainty little hand slaps his shoulder when she returns, defiant lapis gems glittering as he rumbles,

“Perhaps you should think your terms over before suggesting favors to someone next time.” Mina’s face and chest flame, and oh, how tempting it is to look at the fruits proffered, to his astonishment, she stares him right in the eye fiercely, conceding,

“I’ll agree to some things if you’ll do something for me.” His mind screeches to a halt, libido coming to life as he finally manages,

“Mina, I was only joking with you-” She presses herself against him, plush breasts nearly popping out of their confinement as she stands on her tip toes, her lips barely brushing his chin as she begs,

“If you do anything to me, whisper it to me first. I love listening to you talk.”

Fuck!

Inhaling quickly, he growls lowly, “Mina, you’re tormenting me.” Her hand on his shoulder comes up to cup his cheek, tugging his chin down as she whispers against his lips,

“Only as much as you enjoy torturing me.” Heart pattering as her breath caresses his mouth, crimson lashes flutter shut while he closes the space between them, her velvety lips slotting perfectly against his own. His chest aches wonderfully, as though so overly full of emotion that it causes physical pain, especially when she pulls delightfully on his mouth. Wrapping an arm around her back, Kurama pulls her tighter against himself, groaning quietly against her lips, while Mina’s little sound in return has his cock throbbing to life. She turns her head to get a different angle on his mouth while whispering his name lovingly between kisses. Releasing his hand, she tangles it sensually into his rose colored locks, tugging lightly while his trails down her waist to her hips, and discovering to his detriment, that she’s not wearing underwear with this gown. Damnable woman!

Pulling back a bit, he trails fiery bites down her throat while rumbling darkly, “You drive me to madness, koi.” The flesh beneath his lips heats with her pleasured cry, inciting another pulse from his dick as he murmurs against her neck, “I’ve never met such a beautiful, vexing woman. All of your quirks,” here he drags his hand at her hip up, hiking the edge of the dress as he goes, adding, “and all of your emotions make you so much more enchanting. I want to know everything about you.” Catching her mouth in sublime, generously deep draws, savoring the texture for several more moments as his fingers caress where her underwear would be, he whispers against her kisses, “I want to give in to this, Mina.”

She makes a pained noise, digits clutching desperately in his mane as she pulls back from him, tears shimmering in her morning glories, “I want to give in too. But we can’t.” His hand softly rubs her cheek as he inquires,

“What is it you fear, Mina? If it’s my ability to fight, I-”

“It’s not… that. I want to tell you, I do, but… I’m so scared to.” He can feel his ivy irises lid affectionately as he assures,

“There’s many things I fear telling you as well, but know that no matter what it is, I will always care for you.” She inhales quickly, her voice cracking in such heartbreaking ways as she keens,

“Kurama… I don’t… I don’t deserve someone like you.” His heart wrenches, but before he could say anything, she stands on her toes to lock her lips around his in a desperate, smoldering kiss. He knew that if he’d been able to smell, the air would be saturated with the salt of tears, the liquid catching on his thumb while her body trembles. The hand that’s remained around her back begins rubbing patterns in comfort on her exposed hip, growling between sensual tugs on her mouth,

(Aphrodite Scat - Shinkichi Mitsumune)

“You deserve… more than this… please, Mina. Tell me why. Why are you so afraid of being with me?” She dips in for one more indulgent, slow kiss, separating with a decadent sound, her tear filled azure irises meet his as she reveals forlornly against his lips,

“I fear being the one that will have to…” Her voice breaks before she whimpers in heartbreak,

“Cut you down.”

__________ ~Waking World~ __________

Crimson lashes fly open as he gasps for breath, his darkened forest irises wild as he nearly sits up, but noting quickly the weight on his arm before he does. Glancing down at her tear smeared countenance, he whispers in melancholy, “Mina… what in the world happened to you?” Kurama repeats her words in his head a few times, confusion clearing when he remembers what she cried out in her nightmare the other day,

“Kunzite… please don’t… I don’t want to…”

Putting a hand over his mouth in horror, he finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together. It wasn’t that she lost the person she loved.

She was the one to kill him …

He knew she wouldn’t just kill someone for no reason, so the only thing he could think of was… He betrayed her, and tried to kill her precious princess…

He’s seen the lengths she’d go to for the people she loved, but most of all, is the care she has for her monarch, if her keen observation of her princess in the second dream was anything to go by. I know she cares for me, so was she protecting me? Or… Is she afraid I’ll betray her... In a strange sense, if it was the latter, the wily fox was a bit relieved that the seemingly naive guardian hadn’t given him all of her trust. There is more balance between us than I’d thought.

Yet, at the same time, it had his stomach in a vice, the trust he’d thought he’d had wasn’t there.

I hadn’t thought it would affect me this much. Working to calm himself, he uses his internal clock to tell the time, a little after 5:30 pm, He’d slept a little over 9 hours, which lately was greatly oversleeping.

Running a calloused hand through rose tinted bangs, he stops his hand part way and just leaves it covering his eyes. I sorely underestimated her suffering. It’s no wonder she has little confidence, the person she thought loved her, turned on her. Kurama was no stranger to betrayal, having used the emotions of others to gain info or power over them, but in Mina’s case… How cruel, to gain the love of such a noble creature, only to spurn her. More and more, he’s disliking whoever Kunzite was, and yet, he knew he didn’t have the full story. There’s something missing, I can feel it.

(Iron Acoustic cover - Woodkid)

Finally gaining his equilibrium, he hesitates to touch her for a moment, her haunting words giving him pause as he considers what to do. Even with this newfound knowledge, I still care for her… Although wary of the information he’s yet to learn, he thought it unspeakably gruesome that the world forced Love herself to kill someone she must have cared for deeply. I’m not one who can judge, however. Before coming to Human World, the trysts the ruthless yôko indulged in, when he did, didn’t typically end well for his sexual partners, so the fact she’s been having nightmares over this tells him everything he needs to know for now. It’s haunted her, to the point that she’s hyper fixated on preventing our deaths, at the cost of her own health.

Gradually, he reaches over and wipes her tears away, noting with a wince that her eyes are slightly puffy and red. She's been crying for a while now, likely while I was debating on what to do. Using his energy, he strokes along her back, the furrow between blond brows settles slowly, the scent of her distress dissipating as she murmurs his name longingly. Of all the tragedies I’ve read and heard, yours is the most devastating, Mina. Caressing her drying cheeks softly, Kurama sighs internally at himself and his inability to resist her. Though I’d better not let her know that, little minx. Leaning over and kissing her neck gently, it causes all tension to leave her form completely, to his relief, her breaths calming and steady. He’s nearly enticed to nibble on the column of flesh exposed by her pajamas, but shakes the inclination away, pulling his arm out from underneath her waist.

He hates to admit it, but he feels her absence from his side keenly, the constant warmth she exudes seeping away from his body as he heads to the closet. Grabbing a pair of dark jeans and a long sleeved navy v-neck shirt, he heads into the bathroom to prepare for the remainder of the day. Showering and changing efficiently, the flora yōkai towel dries his hair and tames it as much as possible while finishing his routine with brushing his teeth. He leaves the restroom and, with one last look at her sleeping form, heads out into the heart of his apartment. He’s greeted by his newest housemate waving a hand lazily from the couch, informing him, “Yo! While you guys were sleeping, I think one of her friends got a hold of your number. She left a message on your answering machine.”

(Satoyama Main Theme - Yuki Kajiura)

Sweat dropping lightly, Kurama closes his eyes in worry as he wonders, “Hopefully the threats were kept to a minimum…”

“Actually, it was so sugary sweet I nearly got cavities just listening to it.” Now his lips are twitching in a withheld smile while he asks,

“Ah, do I want to know what she said?”

“I’ll let you hear for yourself.” The hesitant redhead walks over to the answering machine, pressing the playback button.

“Oh-Ohayo! Ah, my name is Kino, Makoto. I’m a friend of Mina-chan’s! Umm… I just wanted to know how she’s doing, and… I wanted to let you know how much it means to us that you’re helping her. If you need anything, like her favorite foods, or her favorite flowers, or just anything at all, give me a call! My number is-” Emerald irises soften as he memorizes the number, already planning on calling to let her know Mina’s condition, taking in the delicate timber of her earthy voice as she concludes, “Hope to hear from you soon! Sayonara!” He stands in silence for a moment, taking in the kind words of the warrior he saw a few days ago, the one who literally threw a giant demon.

Powerful, yet gentle, that seems to be a running theme among these women. “See what I mean? Too sugary sweet! I’m going to need to swallow some Akuma Daiou after hearing that.” Humming in mirth, Kurama goads,

“I can get you some, if you want.”

“You… just keep that stuff on hand? What kind of masochist are you?” Grinning in a mysterious manner, one he knows will send chills down Kuronue’s spine as he answers,

“Oh, they’re not for me.”

(Bow Anthology - Junichi Matsumoto)

“Uh… listen, if I’ve done something to piss you off-” Chortling as he closes the bedroom door behind him, his lips tilt tenderly until he catches sight of her, his breath stolen quickly. The symbol for Venus glowed mildly, her bangs blowing ethereally around her forehead while her cheeks flush. Blinking in shock, the curious kitsune moves forward, not really acknowledging the door behind him opening as he stands at Mina’s side. It’s only now that he realizes there was a flood of her delightful ki permeating everything, and likely drawing the only other occupant to her side. Reaching out, he brushes his fingers across the mark, feeling the power fluctuate beneath his pads as the awe-struck bat mumbles, “Whoa, what is that?”

“I’m not sure.” It was difficult to tell at first, but after a few moments, the emblem’s light intensified over time as he adds, “I’ve seen this mark when she transforms, but,” pulling the covers back reveals that she’s still dressed in sleepwear. “She’s still in civilian form, so she’s not changing.”

“Maybe we should call her friend? She might be able to tell us more.” Nodding, he grabs his cellphone off the nightstand and dials the number he heard moments ago, the tone ringing four times before the voice he’d heard on the speakers answers,

“Moshi-moshi?”

“Gomen ne, this is Minamino, Shuichi. I’m taking care of Mina. Sorry to bother you, but I have a concern.”

“Oh! Hello! Is she doing alright?”

“I’m not sure, she’s unconscious and is recovering from exhaustion, however her body is glowing, and I believe the symbol for Venus is emblazoned on her head.” The Jovian Senshi makes a confused noise over the receiver, the sound of fiddling on her end coming through next, then she blurts,

“Hold on a sec!” Although he’d replied, it seems lost on her as she keeps toying with something on the other end. Thanks to his excellent hearing, he picks up a bit of an electronic sound before someone’s muffled echo asks,

“Mako-chan? What’s wrong?” Kino-san explains quietly,

“Remember that guy you told us about? Well, after Mars and I met him, he said Mina-chan was glowing and her symbol appeared.” The woman on the other line contemplates for a moment before informing her,

“You forgot what day it is, didn’t you?”

“What?”

“The planet Venus is visible on the horizon right now in Japan. She’s gathering its energy and will probably awaken faster if she’s within sight of it.”

Venus on the Horizon? What does that have to do with-

He interrupts his own thoughts when he catches on quickly. Does she gain more power from her home planet being visible? Anymore thoughts are cut off when the warrior of Jupiter exclaims,

“Oh, Yeah! I forgot that it was tonight!” There’s a pause on the line for a moment as the other woman asks,

“Does he know about us?” Smiling amusedly at the gasp of surprise from Kino-san, she hisses,

“Shoot! I didn’t think to ask!” Knowing what was coming but again playing at the oblivious human, he nearly laughs at her inquiry,

“Uh, do you know, um… about us?” Although not extremely suspicious of others listening, it never hurts to take precautions as Kurama answers,

“You are the guardians, correct? I believe your specialty was lightning?”

“Wow, she told you all that? She must be really into you!” Not waiting for a reply and satisfied with his knowledge, she conveys to the other on the line, “Yeah, he knows, more than I thought too! He knows my power!” He can’t help but preen internally when the one he believes to be Mizuno-san now insists,

“I told you Mina-chan said he was intelligent, she didn’t tell him anything, he parsed it from what she did and didn’t say.” There’s an audible swallow as the sweet guardian whispers,

“Geez! He’s as smart as you!” He smirks to himself as he thinks, I thought so, the Guardian of Wisdom. Although he’d heard the whole conversation, to keep up appearances, he wonders,

“Do you know what’s happening?” His prompt brings her attention back as she bursts,

“Venus is on the Horizon! Grab Mina-chan and head to a window! It’ll help her recover!”

“What?”

(Baiser - Shinkichi Mitsumune)

“We’ll explain later, just get her to where the last bit of light in the sky will touch her skin. Have her call us back when she wakes up!” Blinking at the phone part in mirth and part in bemusement, he puts the phone in his pocket and, doing as asked, Kurama picks Mina up and carries her to his balcony. Just as he settles her on his lap tenderly she glows brighter, and a beam of light from her home star twinkling brightly in the sky touches the emblem on her forehead. When it does, a burst of power pours into her body and envelopes her, the pajamas he’d put her in disappear, her form nude for an instant. Then between seconds, the light peaks, nearly blinding both yōkai before exploding in a small rain of sparkles, her body cloaked in new attire flowing around her by some supernatural wind.

The dress’ straps were satiny, orange iris colored ribbons, tied in bows at the tops of her shoulders leading down to a low cut top and a thick circle of fabric just below her bust. Shear cream colored waves of fabric swathed her hips in two layers, adding a decadent look to the shape of her hips that the inner dress swallowed until her lower thighs. A teardrop shaped necklace with what looked like a carnelian orange gem in the center was held by gold beads around the snoozing charmer’s neck, just below a choker made of the same fabric as the ribbons that hold her dress up. Instead of her signature candy apple ribbon, it was replaced by one of a similar shade as her gown, with what looked to be a red rose in the center. What shocks him more than anything was the immense amount of energy he felt around them, nearly overwhelming them as the beam of light fades away.

Gradually, the air begins to settle around her, the chikara settling within her in massive amounts. When all is completely still again, honey tinged lashes flutter open sluggishly, revealing merigold irises that flick toward the awed fox and quickly fill with dejection. There’s nothing to fear Mina. Pressing his forehead to hers, he picks up her gasp as he sighs in repose, “I’m glad you’re awake, Mina.” She takes a few seconds to adjust to his affectionate welcome, before small digits ghost over his chin and she breathes,

“You’re not… scared of me?” He knows Kuronue is behind them, near bursting with curiosity but his attention is captured by the sad quality in her question. Knowing she enjoys the gesture, he rubs his nose against hers softly, assuring,

“Not at all. We have much to discuss, but I know you’d never callously kill without reason.” Her expression becomes despondent as she closes her eyes,

“I used to just follow orders… Some of them might have been-” Cutting her off before she can flaggulate herself more, he emphasizes,

“Not anymore, Mina. I trust you.” He can smell the salt before it falls as she keens quietly,

(Kiss the Rain harp cover - Yiruma)

“I can’t believe I found someone like you, Kurama.” The cadence of her chiming lilt calls to something deep within as his lips find hers in a wonderfully ravaging kiss. The soft sound of their connecting mouths, the taste of her peachy lips and silky skin, the scent of elation perfuming her, and the tang of her power blinding him to everything else around them. Pulling her closer to himself, her warm chest sinks into his as they change angles, delving deeper into one another until the need for breath has her drawing away from him, panting with an alluring color across her sheer freckled nose. Before they could continue, a familiar inflection cheers,

“I’m so glad you’re feeling better, Princess Venus!” Glancing toward the sound’s origin, there’s the little sprite of Mina’s Sailor Venus form floating inches from them. Strangely, although certain that the ChibiVenus was just as old as her full height self, he feels a bit abashed having it see them so obviously enthralled in one another as the celestial knight blinks in shock, holding her hands out for the fae figure to land on.

“My Power Guardian. What are you doing here?” There it is again, I should ask her what a Power Guardian is eventually. The consistently jovial projection chirps,

“I came to give my thanks to your hero here personally!” She then turns to the startled entrepreneur and bows regally, “Thank you for looking after our Princess! We are eternally grateful for your continued assistance!” Being thanked by a miniature of the woman in his arms was quite surreal as he raises the hand that was around Mina’s front in a stopping gesture as he states,

“You really needn’t thank me. I did so because I wanted to.” The power guardian grins happily as she hums,

“Yes, of course. Even so, I believe thanks were still in order.” Turning toward her mistress, she nods, “Please, take care of yourself Princess. You are vital to the protection of this solar system and the powers within it.” Appearing quite sheepish, Mina mumbles,

“I’ll try…” Finally the small Venus turns toward Kuronue and introduces herself,

“I am the Power Guardian of Venus. It’s nice to meet you!” Kurama nearly laughed aloud at the stunned look on his old friend’s face, likely having thought he went unnoticed as he rubs the back of his head,

“Uh, yeah, you can call me Kuroioku. Don’t remember my real name.” She nods seriously, before advising,

“Memories are a fickle thing, take your time rediscovering who you once were, because you will never be them again. You are different from that person, you are your own person now.” Both men are astounded, and yet it seemed par for the course in Love’s eyes as she agrees heart-fully,

“Yes, it is an important lesson to learn. Thank you! Take care of Magellan in my stead.”

“I will, Princess Venus!” The little spirit vanishes instantly in an array of sparkles, leaving nothing else behind, and just like Mina’s teleportation abilities, even the glitter would fade. It’s then that she looks back to the resident amnesiac over the caring vulpine’s shoulder, prompting him to explain,

“Allow me to introduce you to Kuroioku. He’s lost his memories, so we’ve taken to calling him that until he recalls his true name.” Ocean blues narrowing in thought, she notes,

“Your eyes feel familiar…” Kurama smirks proudly as the man himself explains,

“That’s because you saved my ass a few days ago, and thanks to you, I’m boarding with your man there.” Her face brightens with recognition as she gasps,

“Oh! You're the guy who got knocked into the lamppost!”

“That’s the one! Though it was more like it was trying to add it to my body.” She cringes slightly while her temporary ‘seat’ chortles to the side at her expression, adding,

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m letting him stay with me for a while. At least until he can remember his own name.” The considerate star nods after a brief pause, then suddenly jumping minutely, she whispers in his ear quickly,

“He doesn’t know about my civilian identity, does he?” Nodding easily, he confirms,

“He does, but it’s because much like Hiei, Kuroioku isn’t human. Your power, although dulled in civilian form, is still quite potent.” Delphiniums stare at him for a few moments, before sliding over to the violet clad hybrid, asking curiously,

“Are you a demon too?” Scratching the back of his head, Kuronue exhales loudly,

“Well, about that. Kurama found out a bit more about his bloodthirsty buddies that he may want to share.” Although a bit frustrated at the minor loss of control, he’s glad his old partner still knew when to hand the reins over for explanations as he instead suggests,

“Why don’t we go to the couch for this? It’s quite an explanation.” To his consternation, her eyes narrow in suspicion even as he helps her to her feet, her body moving lithely as though she were nothing but air. Sitting regally on the sofa, Kurama sits next to her and begins again promptly, “I was informed of an artifact that either caused the wearer to kill others, or kill themselves, so I was asked to investigate it.” He didn’t like the look of worry on her face, nor the tensing in her body as he continued, “I found that it had symbols for the Azura upon it, and that when confronted, it did, indeed lead to being able to communicate with them.” She quickly asks,

“You mean like the legends of the divinity versus the demigods?”

“Yes.” Mina’s sunny fringe hides her expression as she accuses,

“You wore it, didn’t you?” He’s startled by her accurate assessment as he wonders,

“Why would you think that?” When she meets his gaze, it’s fierce as she fires back,

“Do you have any way of analyzing all the elements of this galaxy? Or, better yet, do you have a way of measuring the energy of the divine?” He’s silent as she looks down contemplatively at her hands, “Most don’t know the divine actually exist, and more so that all religions and mythologies are right, but not in the sense that they think.” He notes his bandit partner seems captivated by her admittance as well as she finishes, “So considering you don’t have a way of interacting with it safely… you wore it, despite the previous wearer’s death.” It’s heavily quiet, the ancient demon surprisingly at a loss for words when she whispers, “I’ve known for a while now that you’re curious, too curious more often than not, but to willingly endanger yourself is…”

“It was a calculated risk, Mina. I did not go in blindly.” She clenches her hands as she swallows,

“Then you knowingly confronted what might have been a god?” Exhaling through his nose, he understands her worries as he tries to assuage them logically,

“I have my own abilities, Mina. I wasn’t completely unprepared” She sighs and responds,

“Yes, you do. But you don’t know the abilities of all the deities either. While the myths do exist, they don’t actually represent the real beings they’re written after. Humanity really does love drama, after all.” Grasping his hand tightly, she emphasizes, “There are many deities whose powers have never been documented, especially the demigods. So please…” Her shimmering azure gems are beguiling, her body angled and leaning toward him as she pleads, “Next time wait for me before you confront them.” Her words and tone are genuine, but her body is enticing me to comply. I’m quite certain she’s doing it unconsciously, little vixen. Playing innocent, he concedes,

“I hadn’t realized you knew so much about this. If I had, I would’ve waited.” Blond lashes beat in confusion until she understands,

“Oh, I didn’t tell you, did I? I’m the Goddess of Love and Beauty, I am actually Goddess Venus, reborn here as a soldier to my princess.” Verdant irises are wide in surprise, a sweat drop appearing on his temple as Kuronue nearly shouts,

“Wait-wait-wait-wait, what? You’re actually a freaking Goddess!” He’s extremely shocked himself, considering he’d thought it was a closely guarded secret.

“Ah… Well, that explains a few things.” Now that she was squished in closer to him, he was far more aware of her bosom nearly spilling from her dress top as she gazes up at him inquisitively, leading him to divulge, “It explains why demons find your scent so irresistible, and your ability to feel the love within someone’s heart. And lastly it clarifies how you are able to push a portion of your soul from your body to touch me so easily.” Nodding, she smiles brightly as the normally relaxed bat squawks,

“Damn! You can do all that?” Grinning lightly, Kurama confirms,

“I’ve experienced them myself, and you feel her energy too, do you not?” Swallowing, Kuronue agrees,

“Yeah, at the very least. So when we first met, you weren’t even at full power…”

“Nope! I am now though!” The dark haired yōkai scratches the back of his neck as Kurama insists,

“Why don’t I catch you up on the rest of my discoveries?” So he explained everything he could without revealing to her that he went to the Makai, watching carefully as her expression became more and more determined as he progressed. When he’s finished, the astral noble nods at them grimly,

“I’ll have to make a few calls to be sure, but it sounds Terran enough, even if it is some sort of divine being, which means us Senshi will definitely be able to take it down.” The loafing thief tilts his head as he wonders,

“Really? You’re that sure?”

“Have you ever fought space demons? Or entities that can’t be quantified by Earth’s elements?”

“Uh, no, so I’ll take your word for it.” The logical entrepreneur asks,

“You can ask your friends, but I’d rather keep all of you out of this. Let us investigate this further, and if it worsens, you can get involved.” Although she looked like she wanted to protest, she sighs and agrees,

“We’ll only step in if it escalates. If you need help though, please don’t hesitate to ask us. This is our world too.” Lips tilting up gently, he assures,

“I will let you know, Mina.” It’s that glorious beam of sunshine she gives him that soothes his soul, that feels like all's right with the world, even if it is not. It’s the longing he feels to take her to the bedroom and talk about what he saw in her memory, what they did in the memory, and didn’t do, unfortunately, that has him tugging unconsciously on her hand. Doe-eyes study him silently, and with non-verbal communication they’ve gained through these days, has him relaxing as he informs her that Kino-san and the others are expecting her to call. The words she said, without speaking, rang through his very soul as she took his proffered phone animatedly.

Our kisses haven’t been fleeting. They were all very real to me.

Chapter Text

(Venus Over my Shoulder - Komatsu Ayaka)

Standing with a flourish, Minako dials in Mako-chan’s number as she sashays toward the bedroom, admiring the buttery feel of flowing, banana colored satin across her calves as she slowly closes the door for some privacy. Making sure none of the ethereal fabrics of her dress got caught in the door, she pads over to the bed and plops down on it carelessly, her blond tresses dancing around her shoulders in swirls from the rush of air. Dialing a number she knew from heart, she hears it ring once before her fellow Senshi of lightning answers, “Hey! Is she doing alright?” Beaming at the sweet timber, she responds,

“Yup! She’s just fine!”

“Mina-chan! Oh my gosh, we were so worried!” Love’s warrior laughs lightly, especially when she hears several other voices in the background resound, ‘I nearly died from the suspense!’

“Tell Usagi that she does when she watches horror movies too! And I’m sorry I stressed you guys.” There’s a gusty sigh on the other end as Mako-chan quips,

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately, Mina-chan. So who’s the hottie I got to talk to?” There’s a chorus of shocked noises in the background as Minako twirls a lock of blond hair around her finger while looking to the side bashfully,

“Well… He, uh, kinda found out about my identity as Sailor V, then Sailor Venus, and since then, we kept meeting up.” She heard a distinctively cat like shriek of ‘what~!’ but it faded into the background as they continued on unhindered by the sound,

“Uh huh, it sounds to me like you were seeking him out!” Glancing to the right with a pout, Minako huffs,

“What~! I was not!” Rei-chan interrupts their back and forth with a ferocity,

“Enough! What happened? Why were you so low on energy that I had to give you mine!”

“It was…” She was about to use the same old excuse as she always did, ‘It was a one time slip!’ or ‘I was distracted!’ but she remembers Kurama’s encouragement, and Ami-chan’s worry. They don’t deserve lies. Exhaling deeply, she inhales faster so she could blurt, “Ugh, fine! I’ve been having nightmares for the past year and it finally caught up to me.” Although it felt nice to finally be honest with them, lifting a weight from her chest, she should have known the good feeling wouldn’t last...

“What! Minako! What is wrong with you! You should have told us!” Her volume hurt Minako’s ears as she defends weakly,

“But you guys are so happy, I just didn’t want-”

“No buts! The next time something like this happens and you don’t tell us, I’m lighting you on fire!”

“I’d like to see you try, Rei-Ochi!”

“You’re lucky there’s a phone between us or I’d kick your-” The enthusiastic dramatique had already begun blowing strawberries at the phone when a very familiar male voice scolds,

“Will you two stop it! We need information!” She was wondering when that furball would butt in, getting her to chirp innocently,

"Arty! How are you doing?”

“I’d be a lot better if I knew where you were!” Rolling her eyes toward the ceiling, she leans back to balance herself with her haunches on the bed, denying him cheerily,

“No can do, you’d just be a buzzkill about all this. And I like my freedom, thank-you-very-much~” She can hear them struggling over who got the phone as a fierce, breathy voice like fire seethes,

“You see Artemis, she needs to get burned-”

“Mina-P! Ignore them! I want to meet your new boyfriend!” A flush consumes her face at Usagi-chan’s declaration, but her heart beat rapidly in her chest at the assumption, making her voice out in a squeak, to her consternation,

“Usagi-chan~! I’ll introduce you guys later! We need to get back to the matter at hand!” Namely avoiding one over-protective feline from catching wind of me helping a cute guy, or believing we might be dating~ She knew work would be more important to him at the moment, being proven when he screeches,

“Exactly! What the hell is happening! The readings around here have been bouncing off the walls!” Wincing and leaning away from the phone, she pooches her lips before answering quieter,

“A lot of stuff, apparently. Shuichi-kun updated me on the situation.” That name… Kurama… is something he just shared with me recently, and he introduced himself to them like that too. So I’ll keep his nickname for myself~! In a bit of a better mood, she glances at the afternoon light shining in rays across the floor, she relays the information he’d given her, and greeted with silence at the end of the brief for a few seconds. Until Ami-chan asks,

“Why would he want to keep us out of this?”

“I think he wants to keep me out of it, but we all know how that’s going to go.” There’s several puffs of laughter as Artemis sniffs,

“It’s suspicious to me. He knows you could take this whole thing down, why not just let you do it?” Not liking the surly feline’s attitude, she rebuffs,

“How would you feel about us jumping into your private affairs? He’s a pretty honorable guy, is it that hard to believe he’d want to try and handle it himself before troubling us?”

“I’m just saying, keep an eye out. You’ve known this guy, what, 7 days?”

“10 days.” Their sisterly baker’s voice twitters in the background,

“Ooh! She’s even got a day count!” Sweat-dropping at the truth in that, she’s glad when Usagi-chan cuts in with concern,

“You’re doing better now though? Back to old, energetic Mina-P?” Beaming warmly, she confirms cheerily,

“Yup! I’m back at 100%! I can probably go back to work too!” Ami-chan scolds,

“Don’t push it!”

“Hey-”

“Mina-P?” That innocent voice inquiring so sweetly could always move her heart as she questions,

“What is it, Usagi-chan?” It’s quiet for so long, she thought they might have disconnected until that lovely chime begins,

“We’re always here to listen, you know that right? No matter what it is, we’ll always have time for you when you need us.” Nearly in tears, Minako chokes,

“Oh, Usagi… I know. I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner. I just love you all so much, I didn’t want you to worry about me.” Rei-chan of course ribs,

“Yet you ended up worrying us more.” Several voices squawk through the receiver at ear piercing decibels,

“Rei-chan!” Minako growls lowly,

“Don’t make me come over there and slap you with my love chain!” Surprisingly Mako-chan groans,

“Ugh, that sounded wrong on so many levels…” Luna interrupts wherever the conversation might end up next by redirecting,

“Anyway! We need a plan of attack! We need to do something other than waiting for things to go bad.” Mind working quickly, their leader replies,

“And we will. Split up and investigate the fluctuating energy spots. Don’t do anything, we’re just gathering more info. And work in teams, these guys have some serious tech and we don’t want any accidents to happen. Usagi-chan, Mako-chan, Luna and Mamoru-san can investigate the ones within the block around his apartment building. Rei-chan, Arty, and Ami-chan check out the readings in Shibiya, and I’ll go with Shuichi-kun to the forest where I chased the bakemono. Keep checking in with the system for new ki readings and assignments.” She’s a bit startled by the absolute silence that allows her to hear the bit of static in the connection, making her worry a bit about the plan before Usagi-chan chirps,

“Mina-P! You sound so cool!” Sweating and head tilting to the side, Minako closes her eyes with a twitching smile as she returns,

“Thanks Usagi-chan…” She’s a bit surprised to hear the graceful fire wielder concede,

“Not bad. It’s a good plan considering how little we know about all of this.” Even Ami-chan got behind her, throwing in excitedly,

“It’s an excellent idea! And the added caution is much appreciated, Mina-chan. You’re right about so little info and the technological advancements. I wonder if Minamino-san would let me study those artifacts…” Taking one of the silky ribbons from her shoulder ties, she curls it around her fingers to fiddle with something as she hums,

“Maybe later, for now he said he left them with some of his allies to keep secure.”

“Still, we could really help with the investigation part more if he’d let us study the relics.” Knowing what she said was true, the leader of the inner Guardians agrees,

“I’ll see if I can talk him into letting us help more with the investigation aspect.”

“Please do! We would be far more effective working together.” Love incarnate couldn’t argue that logic as she assures,

“Alright, wish me luck! Shuichi-kun’s not only smart, but can be pretty stubborn too! But I’ll do my best!”

“We’re counting on you! How about we all meet up at base in two days to debrief? Unless something happens sooner, of course.” She wasn’t surprised when Luna’s confirmation was followed by their Mercurian braniac’s plans,

“That’ll work for me, I can just study ahead for my classes.”

“You do that… Anyway, be careful Mina-chan! You’re important to us too, you know!”

“Got it Mako-chan! You’re all the best friends a girl could have!”

“You better believe it!”

“I’m happy for you Mina, but make sure to be safe, dummy. Don’t get distracted by handsome guys, or throwing yourself at them.” There’s a chorus of noise on the line, the pink in her cheeks bright as she squeaks,

“Oh my gosh~ Rei-chan~!” Glancing to the side coyly, despite them not being able to see, she covers the receiver as though hiding it from someone around her while whispering conspiratorially, “That’s so naughty~ What a great idea for stress relief!” The squealing continues as Minako laughs uproariously, “Alright! Gotta go before they think we’re just fooling around with the phone~!”

“Excuse you- Mina~!” Hanging up the shrieking earpiece quickly, her grin stretches across her cheeks, though some of the heat flooded her body at certain recent memories, there were a few times I would’ve let him… Swallowing thickly, she inhales deeply through her nose and out her mouth as she picks up her transformation pen, pulling the antenna out and calling lightly,(Broken Wings - Yuki Kajiura)

“Boss, are you there?” She doesn’t wait long as it replies,

“I’m here, Sailor Venus. Are you ready for the report?”

“Yes, please.”

“Understood. From the energy signature of the akuryō you fought before, there’s several signatures within the Tokyo area that match, the closest being the forest where you found it. There’s a building hidden there that you can investigate.” Thought so… Despite telling them to investigate themselves, she wanted to investigate that forest herself in particular. Where that jerkface got me… She had a feeling something was there, and though she couldn’t swear to it, wanted to look into it personally.

“Perfect, I’ll investigate it in a little bit. Thank you for looking into this.”

“Not at all. I’ll alert you to any more information I receive.”

“Thank you, Boss.”

“Understood, Sailor Venus. Be safe.”

“I will.” Closing the antenna, Minako sighs to herself quietly, mentally preparing to convince one tricky genius that she needs to go with him. I understand how he feels, but like the girls said, if we all work together, we’ll get this done much faster. Hyping herself up for a small battle, she stands fluidly and opens the door, sashaying back to his side and sitting daintily, folding the fabric close to her thighs as she did many times she’s had to wear flowing gowns. Not a second between settling her weight on the furniture, she looks directly at her seat mate and begins seriously, “So I called the girls, explained the situation and using our technology, we’ve found several places with energy readings like the bakemono from the park have been popping up all over Tokyo.” Looking between the two, she continues,

“I know you don’t want us involved, but the girls want to help investigate and it’s a good idea! We can help gather more info on this and help study that weirdo artifact!” Giving the beautiful redhead at her side her biggest puppy eyes, hoping against hope that he’d be moved by it, but by the gentle smile on his face, and humor in his gorgeous emerald irises, the jerk, she needn’t have worried.

“I understand, Mina. Do you have a particular spot in mind?” The gobstopped idol gapes at him, having expected a mini war over their involvement and now getting none made her skeptical of his motives. He just said a bit ago he didn’t want us involved, what’s the deal? Why the change of heart? Narrowing her azure gaze, she informs him,

“Yes… the forest where I chased it. Our systems detected a building in the area, and since I didn’t get a chance to explore anything, we could start there.” Again, he seems fine with her participation, increasing her disbelief as he agrees,

“Then we’ll go there tomorrow.” Blinking in confusion, she asks,

“Not tonight?” It’s their newest roommate that answers,

“You just woke up, missy! No way would we let you go out after you finally got to recover.” Her jaw drops, glancing between the two, she sees both faces are set with determination as she argues,

“I’m fine now! In fact, I feel better than I have for the past year!” Apparently having expected the response, Kurama responds easily,

“You may believe so, but it’s better to err on the side of caution after recovering from being ill for so long.” Pouting up at him hard, Minako debates heatedly,

“There’s a dangerous akuryō running around, and you want me to rest? Not a chance!” Her ire is drawn to Kuroioku as he corrects,

“Actually, I got that sucker back, so you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“There’s still something out there that’s trying to hurt Kurama! I won’t let that happen-” In the middle of her proclamation, the subject of her worries tosses his wallet to the dark clad demon, requesting,

“Could you run and get us takeout? Mina likes spicy food, ramen, and curry-” He named off her dislikes too, but she was too irked that they’re ignoring her worries to think about how sweet he was, growling angrily,

“Hey-”

“Got it Boss!” She’s about to shout at Kuroioku when Kurama picks her up off the couch in a princess carry easily, inciting her to flail and snap,

“What are you doing! Kurama, where are you-” He’d taken them to the bedroom and closed the door, pushing her against the wall, interrupting her raging as he replies calmly,

“Nothing is going to happen to me. I’ll still be here after one day, so please don’t push yourself.” How does he know? Before she realizes it, he’s caged her in with one of his arms, the other taking her chin, verdant irises staring deeply into her own lapis gems as she hisses,

(Kareina Kanjo - Arai Akino)

“I’m not! There’s no reason for us not to start investigating now-” Taking a note from her own book apparently, his lips slip around hers, prompting her eyes to widen and his to close slowly. Heart pounding wildly, she mewls softly when he tugs on her mouth teasingly, her hands coming up to clench his shirt above his pecs as his hand near her shoulder slides down to clutch her waist. She couldn’t help herself really, when her honey lashes fluttered shut, catching his bottom lip and pulling gingerly, earning a groan and his toasty muscles pressing into her. Hands sliding up into his scarlet colored hair, she clenches a generous amount, receiving a growl and a nip on her mouth in return.

Parting from him to whisper his name tenderly, she moans when he takes her lips again greedily, drawing on her mouth over and over as he pushes her body firmly against the wall. Minako’s cheeks flame when his hand drags the dress higher, reminding her of the dream as he finds that, even with this one, she doesn’t wear underwear, inciting him to rumble between deep kisses, “You’re a naughty girl, Mina. It makes me want… to do such terrible things to you.” She knows Rei-chan warned her about this, but damn was he doing all the right things to her body. She keens around her rogue sweetheart’s lips, his fingers on her chin tilting her head to delve further against her mouth while the digits at her exposed panty line stroke the skin softly, sending her heart pattering into chaos.

She’s not sure when he stopped, dazed from his fervent kisses and panting with a frantic beating in her ears while he kissed along her throat slowly, his smooth baritone soothing the lost senshi’s thoughts away, “I love the sounds you make, Mina. And the beautiful expressions you wear, but my favorite is the flush you get down your neck from my attention.” Her fingers slide closer to his scalp, sensitive nipples caress the bottom of his chest as she mumbles,

“Kurama… you make me feel so much….” He moves from her neck back to her lips, taking a deep, sensuous pull on her mouth before slowly pulling away as he mutters,

“I’m the same, koi, but if we don't stop now… we may do something you aren’t ready for.” Smiling warmly at him, she closes her eyes and breathes,

“That you care makes me so happy, Kurama.” Feeling him press a lingering kiss to her forehead, then leaning back to tilt her head toward him and rub his thumb along her cheek, her sunny lashes flutter open to gaze at him.

“I’m glad it makes you happy, but of course I’d care. You are incredibly important to me, Mina. To have such a thing destroy what we’ve built until now would be foolish.” Staring into his ivy irises, she whispers,

(Emil Cello cover - Keichi Okabe)

“You shouldn’t want this, want me. I…” Glancing away sadly, the forlorn sailor continues, “You know what I was trying to say in my dream, right? What happened between Kunzite and I?” She’s expecting rejection and silence, but instead Kurama’s calm and so very gentle as he answers,

“I do. You had to kill him, didn’t you?” Darting back to look at him in shock, she asks,

“You’re not scared of me?”

“No.” His features are smooth and unworried, those beautiful forest eyes lidding even more softly as he rumbles under his breath, but because of his proximity, she heard it clearly, “Though I am curious what happened, if you would be willing to share it with me.” Her mind was quiet for a change, empty not from cold fear or panic, but from a swooping rush of relief.

He didn’t run or scorn her.

He’s earned this much, at least…

Taking a deep breath in, she releases it slowly… willing her nerves to escape her lips in that exhale so she could tell him without fear. “This… this happened a while ago, it’s been at least… a few thousand years?” He’s shocked, his brows shooting up his forehead as she tries explaining, “We entered the cycle of reincarnation, so that’s why it’s been so long.” His expression settles, his head bobbing in confirmation and a silent assent to continue, “Back then, the relationship between Earth and the Moon was tenuous, we were this world’s protectors, and the Terrans feared and revered us. Our princess admired this planet for its winds, greenery, and the young prince she met while sneaking here.”

The troublemaker himself gives a small, indulgent smile that told her how amusing he found it, that her princess was mischievous, and getting a matching tilt to her mouth in return. “On a trip to retrieve our wayward princess, I met the commander of his generals, Kunzite. And though I tried not to, with each visit with my princess I fell for him.”

His form was shadowed, but he was tall, his cape rolling gracefully as he approached her from the direction of the sun.

“It must be difficult, to have such a bundle of curiosity for a princess.”

”But… although wiser than most of the other Terrans we’d met, he still fell prey to Metallia’s control.” Minako is brought from the memories as he strokes her face gently, trying to comfort her while she was talking about her previous lover, providing a bit of relief, and a bit of guilt. He’s so kind and trusting... Though she can’t say that she’d be so graceful, a tiny worry about his own past relationships rearing its head as he brings her from that building spiral.

“Metallia?” Nuzzling into his palm gratefully, she answers him with her eyes closed,

“It was a malicious energy that separated from the sun, and took root on Earth, slowly feeding on and instigating violence in the people and turning them against us. Although he was strong minded, Kunzite too still fell under its influence, and using its power, sent all the corrupted citizens to the Moon, overwhelming us.” She couldn’t help but pause for a moment, the memories flashing in her mind ruthlessly, prompting her to flutter her eyes back open.

“I hazard a guess with it’s possession, it also empowered them.” He understands it so easily… Swallowing thickly, her gaze saddens as she confirms for him,

“Yes, incredibly so. With the amount of humans who gained incredibly negative power, we didn’t stand a chance. At least, we wouldn’t have with our power alone.” Her hand covers his on her cheek as she stares vacantly at his chest, “The queen used her own purifying power to destroy what we didn’t, and sealed Metalia away. But after witnessing the princess’ death, she was too distraught to fully utilize it, leading to a weak seal that we’d find later in our reincarnation... and her own permanent death.” Kurama’s fingers thread through her errant hairs tenderly, inciting her to close her eyes again and rub her face into his palm, intoning, “I’d always thought that if I stayed several steps ahead of my enemies, that my princess could live her life freely, without any worries or fear. That if I fought tirelessly, mercilessly, that she’d be safe.”

“You couldn’t have known that such a creature would move an entire planet against you. Even moreso, those people could gain power from it.” The quiet of his room, that smelled strongly of himself and a bit of her, felt so terribly heavy. The weight pushing her lips into a thin line and fluttering her eyes back open, to assure herself that the walls weren’t moving, that he was here, listening to a leader who failed her mission.

“Maybe, it just feels like I should have done more, that I could have had I-”

“Stop it. Beating yourself down for it won’t change what happened. It will only hurt you more. And besides…” Finally finding the courage to flick her irises up to meet his, she’s awed by the glowing smile on his face as he finishes, “From everything I’ve seen of your abilities and sacrifices, you went above and beyond any soldier I’d ever heard of. All while facing everything with a grace I doubt many could replicate in your situation. You did good, Mina.” She can feel the blood pump in her ears again, breaths hitched from his assurance and coming from him, someone she knows is a self-sacrificing workaholic, is one of the greatest compliments she’s ever heard.

No one’s ever acknowledged what I’ve done for Usagi. It’s just assumed to be part of my duties… but it feels so nice to be… After what felt like an eternity, she’s able to find some words, mumbling bashfully from behind her merigold fringe, “I’ll try to remember that. I’ll try to believe it too, but it’s difficult to feel it past the guilt.” Her patient darling pulls her into his chest, one palm petting her hair while the other wraps around her back, his energy sliding along her spine as he assures,

(Beside You - Phildel)

“It’ll take time, but all I ask is for you to try.” Nodding lightly, she snuggles into him, fingers sliding from his rosy strands to lock around his neck as she relaxes at his motions. Muscles she hadn’t realized were tensed, poised for action, slowly unwind and send shivers of relief through her body as she absorbed his warmth. This is so nice… I feel so comfortable… But she’s reminded of the other part of why she’s never had a lover as Sailor Venus. He accepted that well enough, but does he understand that I can’t… Biting her lips lightly, she adds with melancholy, “I will. But you remember that I can’t fully give myself to you, either. I must always put my princess before all else.” Minako expects hesitation, or perhaps rejection, but he presses a kiss to the top of her head as he assures,

“Whatever you would give me, I would gladly take, koi.”

She’s at a loss for words, heart so full she thought it might explode as she closes her eyes, just allowing herself to feel him brush her face affectionately, his breaths softly stirring the loose hairs at the top of her head as his words sink in.

He wants to be with me.

Despite having had to kill Kunzite, and knowing that my duties lie with Usagi-chan.

To both their surprise, her gown sparkles into nothing, leaving the pajamas she wore to bed and them to stand at arm's length, looking down at her frumpy attire. She’s the first to break, giggling cheerily at the overt transition between Princess Venus and her pajama-clad self. Kurama follows quickly, chortling in humor while he comments,

“I can’t decide which is my favorite: pajama Mina, or pantyless Mina. It’s quite the dilemma.” Oooh~! He likes me pantyless~! Her cheeks were bright with pleasure at the thought, but the fact he hesitated choosing between her looking frumpy or sexy had her pouting up at him and grumbling,

“How is there even a comparison? I’m almost wearing a rice sack in these PJs!” Smirking deviously at her, he murmurs in that oh so delicious voice of his,

“Because I love how cute and frazzled you look like this. I told you before that I enjoy your little quirks, and being in these pajamas seems to enhance your silly mannerisms ten-fold.” Blond brows curl together in embarrassment and surprise while her voice comes out in a stammer,

“Y-you like my quirks?” The startled starlet can feel the sweat fly off of her as he runs his palm along her cheek adoringly, grinning handsomely,

“They’re adorable~ And you turn such sweet shades of red when they’re mentioned...” She’s swooning, literally becoming dizzy with all the blood rushing to her head, and trying not to focus on the room spinning while she squeaks out shamefully,

“Kurama~! I-mmm-c-can’t~!” He chuckles softly, leaning away to allow her room for breath, but he continues teasing her,

“Do I need to give you some of my air?” Barely clutching onto his shirt, she wobbles on weak legs, closing the space he’d given her in order to stay on her feet as she babbles out something foreign to any language. I-think-might-actually-be-melting~! He barks with laughter above her, wrapping his arm around her back and sending tingles through her spine from the warmth and firm muscle against her back. Her golden hair tugs faintly with the pressure, erupting goosebumps along her skin as his other hand holds her hip gently, adding more heat to the building inferno.

It was a damn good thing her playful hunk was holding onto her, because she’d lost the rest of her strength, nearly collapsing to the floor if it weren’t for him pressing every damn plane of his hot, muscled, body against her.

Mayday-mayday-maydy-mydy-

Somehow, it was enough, his form pressing her to the wall and arm around her keeping her from completely pooling to the floor. It was the gentlest, yet hottest hug Minako had ever been engulfed in, becoming both a wonderful comfort, yet sapping any function from her body. Firm lips touch the top of her head as he rumbles with amusement,

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll behave myself for a moment to let you catch your breath.” The red on her cheeks can’t get any darker without causing a nosebleed, but the low noise she’d heard on the train had started and began soothing the heat.

The purring~

Finally able to take a breath in, she exhales in relief, as though she’d needed to go to the bathroom for a while now, and just got the chance after waiting for ages. He chuckles above her, but otherwise doesn’t tease her anymore, instead the palm searing her hip rubs into the thin fabric softly, soothingly, easing more of the excitement from her body. How does the same hands that made me this overwhelmed also seem to get rid of it? It was insane, really, how just the smallest things he said and did could rile her up so much, but then he did something similar and it had the opposite effect.

He must be a magician!

Still flushed quite a bit, she softens her grip on his shirt and tries to put her weight back into tingly legs, incredibly embarrassed that she was reduced to this. Does this mean I might actually die if we did any fun stuff? The thought had her head pounding with her chest, a gush of liquid coating her legs and twisting her core. It was quick, but Kurama’s body against hers stiffens subtly, before relaxing again within seconds, getting her to glance up at him shyly. His scarlet hair tickled her cheeks as she moved, his chin and neck mostly all she could see while being held against him, but she could swear she saw his throat bob.

He’s swallowing? Is he nervous?

That didn’t seem right, not with how confident he was just now, and how easily he touched her, but the thought that maybe he was a little intimidated by her too made her feel a bit better. I can’t believe he is affected by me at all! To make a handsome, calm guy like him feel so strongly that the Senshi of Love could see it, did things to her. Delicious~! I wanna do more!

“Dinner’s ready princess!” Interrupted by Kuroioku’s boisterous announcement, she jumps suddenly, eliciting a grunt from Kurama when she bumped against him for a second, a little spot on the top of her head stinging where his chin clipped her. Dinner? Oh yeah! She remembers what they were talking about earlier, rekindling her earlier irritation and using the emotion, she puts her muscles back into her legs. Figuratively, anyway. Glaring mildly at his neck while her fingers grip his shirt tighter, she chides him,

“You little sneak! We’re not finished with our conversation earlier, ya know! But.” And here her stomach rumbles angrily, making her flush again, especially when he leans back. Standing firmly on her own two feet to point an accusing finger at him, “I’ll let you off the hook for now, But I’ve got my eye on you, mister!” He looks entirely unrepentant, instead he beams coyly, eyes wide and sweet, speeding her heart back up as he raises his hands in surrender, and somehow making himself look smaller, harmless.

“Ah! My Goddess has smiled upon me!” She can feel herself have a nuclear meltdown because she just knew he was referring to her previous status as a Goddess. And claiming me as his Goddess. A hand at her back guides her somehow functioning body toward the dining area, and it takes her a moment before she’s finally able to glance toward him to stammer,

(Mercy of Nature - Yuki Kajiura)

“K-K-Kurama! Y-y-you-did you just really...” She can’t even complete the sentence with the beatific visage he’s giving her, cutting her breath short as he his other hand slides against her waist while murmuring against the shell of her ear,

“You make the most delightful expressions, koi. And yes, I did just reference that. How could I not?” Putting a hand to her pounding heart, she swallows thickly as his lips brush behind her ear, sending wonderful shivers down her spine. His breath puffs against her neck in humor, likely having felt her full body trembling from his touch, only to be interrupted by the violet vested yōkai setting several packages on the table. As though the whole thing was a dream, her terrible charmer moves from behind her and strides smoothly to the table, pulling a chair out and waiting for her.

His teasing is detrimental to my health~

She can’t claim to completely hate it, but she doubts she’ll ever be a normal shade around him again. “Damn, you’re getting the full treatment, Princess!” Pouting at Kuroioku lightly, and glad for something to focus on other than how her heart’s trying to escape, Minako plops down on the seat. Somehow, they time it perfectly with the mirthful redhead pushing it in for her, giving all her attention to chiding with one eye closed,

“Keep that sass up and you’ll be cleaning the floors with a cotton ball, buddy!”

“Woah! Yes ma’am!” Taking the hastily proffered pair of disposable chopsticks, she glances to Kurama from under her bangs, nose burning as she offers quietly,

“Thank you.” To her shock, he winks merrily as he moves away from her,

“Not at all, it’s my pleasure.” She can’t help the little squeak and the drop of her jaw, apparently the exact reaction he wanted from his mischievous grin he threw over his shoulder as he headed to the kitchenette. A package of food is shoved in front of her as their laid-back roommate fills her in,

“Here, this is yours. It’s got pork dumplings, shredded cabbage, some skewers, and strawberry ice cream.” Her stomach rumbles excitedly as her eyes widen, saliva building in her mouth in anticipation as she hops in her seat and splits her chopsticks, licking her lips. Glancing up at the silence around her, the stunned idol blinks at the amused expressions on both men’s faces as Kuroioku snickers, “I thought only baby demons get that excited over food. Nice to know even princesses get lively at meal time.” Pausing in her little celebration, the food connoisseur purses her lips while protesting,

“I am not a baby demon! And do you have to call me princess? My name is Minako. Mi-na-ko!” Grinning with humor, the violet clad irritant rebukes,

“Ah, so an obake-hime then.” Goblin Princess! Golden brows curl angrily as Kurama interrupts with a chuckle,

“Now there’s no need for that, anger her and you’ll earn the wrath of a thousand suns in the form of her purification.”

“Eugh, yeah, I guess you’re right. How about Jou-chan then?” Puffing her cheek out, she grumps,

“I don’t understand why you can’t just use my name.” Her verbal punching-bag shrugs lazily, leaning back in his chair carelessly while grinning crookedly,

“Nicknames are more personable. And fun.”

“I barely know you!” He’s not deterred as he beams with cheer,

“Well, now’s our opportunity, Jou-chan!” So it’s stupid nicknames, then, is it? Brows curling furiously, she can feel a wicked smile and shadow cross her face as she hisses,

“Fine! How about I call you Budou-tan!” Their host chokes at the nickname as Kuroioku groans while falling to the side slightly,

“Aww hell, come on lady! Jou-chan isn’t that bad!”

“The day you use my name is the day I’ll stop using that dumb moniker for you,
Grapey!” Kurama barks with laughter, startling both as he sets a bottle on the table, one she’s sure is wine as he goads,

“Well, you made your bed, Kuroioku, now you’ll sleep in it.” The subject of complaints is the one pulling a face as he blows a breath out quickly,

“Damn it! I’m stuck with a bad nickname… not fair, Jou-chan.” Minako grins in triumph as a glass is set in front of her, some of the drink poured in as the tickled businessman smirks,

“Perhaps you’ll choose your words wisely next time.” Although starving and a half, she was curious what he’d poured, and taking a sip; apricots, raspberries, and maybe plums up front, followed by something peppery and rose-like in the middle, and ended by a small bite of acidity and a tinge of bitterness. It’s pretty good. I wonder what it is. The two men are quiet again, having been looking at her while she sampled it and seemingly waiting for her input, to her confusion. Face glowing from their attention, she blurts,

“Uh… it’s good! I’ve not had this one before. What is it?”

(Romance - Yuki Kajiura)

“It’s called Kuramabon. Some friends got it for me, for obvious reasons.” She and Kuroioku laugh lightly, the pun not lost on either as the owner of the similar name sits across from him. Beaming happily at Kurama’s body near her, she watches Kuroioku push some food his way: fish sashimi from the look of it, a few skewers of meat, and some of the shredded cabbage. Verdant irises glance at her in mirth as he asks, “Would you like some?” Nodding enthusiastically, the grub aficionado scooches her container closer to his, watching as he transfers some of his sashimi to her.

“Do you want some of my dumplings?”

“That’s alright, you can keep them.” The procurer-of-food snorts across from them as her fiery azure locks with his, pointing at his face,

“I’m trying some of yours too buddy, so hand it over!”

“What is this, highway robbery?” She hears her redhead’s choking laughter as she answers,

“This is ‘hand over the goods and you won’t come out looking like sliced lobster yourself.’”

“Sheesh, little miss! Beautiful and fierce, I can see why Kurama likes you. You’re not gonna flog my balls while you’re at it, are you?” Feeling a vein throb on her temple, she growls and kicks his knee under the table, making sure to use the ball of her foot to hit between the joints. She can’t help but feel gratified at the yelp of surprise and pain he releases as she hisses,

“There’s other points on your body that are a lot cleaner that I can torture you with better. So no thanks, I’ll pass going anywhere near there, Budou-tan!” Kurama’s howling in laughter, nearly falling out of his chair as Kuroioku whines,

“It’s incredibly scary how much you two are alike, Jou-chan.” Her honey lashes flutter in wonder as she inquires,

“We’re alike?” Nodding with his arms crossed over his chest, the dramatic dummy answers,

“Yup, you were unconscious after coming out of that tunnel, your man there was incredibly protective of you and I tried to help. I thought he might bite my fingers for touching you, and he replied there’s more sanitary ways to get at me.” She bursts into tittering guffaws, her free hand fisted by her mouth as she closes her eyes with tears at the corners.

“It is quite interesting how similar we can be, isn’t it?” Bobbing her head in agreement, she wipes the moisture from her lashes as she pipes,

“I’d never have realized it, but I guess that’s why we get along pretty well.” After getting some of Kuroioku’s seared beef, she calls perkily, “Itadakimasu~!” Being echoed by the other two more softly, she hums happily while chewing, savoring every juicy, savory grind until she swallows, feeling like she hasn’t eaten in weeks instead of a day. “Hoishi~!” She’s about to take another bite of another morsel when Kurama’s smooth baritone teases,

“Oh? So we get along ‘pretty well’ then do we?” Raising a squiggly brow at him, she’s bewildered until she feels him push her hair behind her ear tenderly, reminding her of their bonding while she colors brightly,

“Don’t misconstrue what I said, ya jerk! If I didn’t like you I wouldn’t trust you with as much as I do.” Grinning mildly at her, his gaze turns back to his chopsticks that he breaks apart, all the while returning casually,

“Ah, so you trusted me when we first met?” Sticking her tongue out at him, she scolds,

“You were asking a lot of pointed questions! I panicked!” The lopsided smirk that crosses the couch bumpkin’s face makes her fume more,

“Ooh, sounds naughty, Jou-chan!” Narrowing her eyes and pointing her chopstick spritely, Minako growls back,

“You shut it, Budou-tan!” Raising his hands in a placating manner, he’s saved by her playful wordsmith explaining minimally,

“It was nothing terrible, she just likes to tease.” Raising a brow at him, Kuroioku sighs around a bite as he chews,

“You poor sod.” Kicking him with the ball of her foot again, earning an obviously exaggerated groan of pain as she rounds on Kurama beside her.

“Enough of that! What I want to know is how this happened!” Waving at the two of them meaningfully, the chuckling office worker begins,

“Well, after you were attacked by that demon, Kuroioku warned me that it was nearby, though in the end he took care of it.” She could swear they give each other a look as he continues, “After that, he helped us when you fainted after the giant insect dropped us into the ground. I decided then that he was trustworthy. I hope you don’t mind?” Closing her eyes with a sigh, his easy trust of people reminds her of someone else. Except he isn’t naive like Usagi. Lifting golden lashes, the content guardian catches Kurama’s ivy irises as she confirms,

“It’s fine, this is your place, afterall. I don’t really have much of a say.” Taking a bite of his fish, he corrects gently,

“Now you do.” Feeling her heart beat faster again, her face sears under the knowledge that he included her with the goings on within his home now. Ducking her head down in shyness, she glances up at him from under her naturally curly bangs as he adds, “You should eat more, Mina. You’ve barely eaten anything.” Winding sun spun locks around her finger, she pouts,

“I am, you two are distracting me!”

“Don’t be so easily distracted, little missy.” She growls lowly at him, but before she says anything, she’s interrupted promptly,

(Fake Wings harp and voice cover - Yuki Kajiura)

“How about we discuss something more important. Such as that research you found in the lab, Kuroioku.” Research… and a lab... Tilting his head, their new ally seemed to be prepared already and pulled several leafs of paper from beside him on the floor.

“These are the docs you requested, Boss Man. You can look at them now if you want, and let Jou-chan eat.” Nodding back at the other man, Minako watches Kuroioku slide the papers across the table, Kurama pulling them to sit in front of himself while taking a bite of a skewer as he peruses the report. Curious, and not one to be left out, especially with creepy science crap, she scooches closer, pressing herself against his arm and chewing on a piece of her yakitori, she skims the words in front of her. There’s a lot of lists, most of it is just words across from words, some numbers strewn throughout. What really caught her attention was the symbol emblazoned at the bottom of the page. A circle inside of a diamond?

After trying to decipher the information on the page, she feels an amused gaze on her, prompting her to look up at the faintly smiling visage as the sleuthing heroine asks, “Find anything interesting?”

“Yes, quite. This symbol here, it was present on the bracelet, and the documents recovered from the other lab.” Popping a piece of seared beef in her mouth, she hums,

“So these three incidents are connected then.” He nods and flips to the next page, this one filled with notes, from the look, and they were just as disturbing as she’d imagined. “‘Subject rejected assimilation. Status: Terminated.’ Geez, what are they, cyborgs?”

“Cyborgs are programmed to be a certain way, monsters choose how they treat others.” Bobbing her head, she slowly brings a chunk of cabbage and fish to her mouth, munching quietly as she notes their table mate nod morosely. A demon that’s sympathetic… maybe even empathetic. I never knew they were so… “Human…” Minako feels the studious fighter-because damn these muscles don’t come from little spars every now and then-turn his head toward her, eyes across the table focus on her as well, as she feels the body against her breast rumble,

“It could be, but we have no infallible proof of it. We’ll need to continue investigating to find out more.” Making an affirming noise, she takes a few swallows of the wine, still scanning the page as he flips to the next one. This one contained graphs, a page full of bar graphs, the next with a few pie ones, and a line graph.

“They sure do like different graphs.”

“Yes, the data is quite meticulous, and typically speaking, you don’t want to use different graphs. However, I believe much like the pages before, this is all encoded to make it more difficult to decipher.” Pausing her chopsticks in front of her mouth, honey lashes flit swiftly as she asks in awe,

“You can make sense of this?” Smiling at her questions, or maybe her obvious admiration, Kurama’s eyes find hers as he confirms,

“It was a little difficult at first, but now It’s quite easy to decrypt.” Nearly dropping the utensils and food, the shocked diva squeaks,

“You’re not taking notes though!” Flipping the page, he studies the information quickly before answering her lightly,

“There’s no need. Everything is translated and stored in the most useful place.” Staring at the side of his face in anticipation, he grins mildly before tapping his temple, “I don’t usually write or take notes, there’s no need when I remember everything of import.”

“Wait, you have a photographic memory?”

“More like eidetic; as smells, sounds, and other stimuli are available for recall for those moments.” She looks up at him at his calm tone, but something in it told her to pay attention, especially when emerald irises lid when he murmurs darkly, “Every piece of information is useful to someone.” There was something there, she was sure, trying to be buried but surfacing for only a moment, but it was so fleeting she wasn’t sure how she’d even ask or interpret it, so instead she focused on the absolutely ridiculousness he revealed to her.

“... You’re not a genius, you're a supercomputer. Because no normal person’s brain works that way.” The now titled ‘supercomputer’ chuckles lightly, Kuroioku across from them nodding, using a skewer to clean his teeth,

“No joke. I think he’s in a league of his own.” Finally eating the morsel in front of herself, Minako huffs when she swallows it, grousing to the body next to her,

“I told you being too talented takes away from the rest of us! Look at that guy!” He bursts into laughter as the subject of her insult grunts a ‘hey’ in response, prompting her to stick her tongue out at him petulantly while Kurama iterates,

“And as I said, that isn’t a viable excuse, Mina. Everyone has their own abilities, it’s simply how they’re utilized.” Taking another sip of her wine, until she realizes she’s drinking the last bit in her cup, did I really drink that much? She squishes her cheek against his shoulder, pouting greatly at the papers as she grumbles under her breath,

“Still sounds like you’re stealing the talent lottery to me.” Grabbing more grub and chomping on it while still pressing herself into him, commenting when she finished it, “Okay... So what does your super-brain say all this is?” He’s staring hard at the page, rosy brows furrowed as he translates,

“It’s all results of different experiments with DNA sequence combinations, the subjects used, and their origins. Most are living creatures, though the success rate of living things is higher than non-living, the strength of the non-living is higher when they are successes.” Non-living? She jumps on it as she blurts,

“How the heck does a non-living thing have DNA?”

“To be honest, I’m uncertain. However, that’s what the information points to.” A strange look comes over his face, and she remembers what he told her earlier, facing a demi-god on his own and…

“The bracelet…”

“Correct.” So it’s not just experimenting with DNA… She swallows, wondering what in the world they were trying to accomplish making deities. To her shock, it’s actually their grape-colored guest that crosses his arms while staring at the paperwork darkly,

“No surprise that the objects do better when they succeed, considering it’s easier to make a sturdy bracelet than flesh and bones stronger.”

“But the problem is just that: the lack of adaptability. You the strength of the base material of objects will stay the same, unlike living things. All you can do is put a spell or curse on it and hope that it will be strong enough to protect it. So they’re at an impasse according to these documents. However, I believe this information is outdated.”

(Aki ni Somaru - Hiromi Mizutani & Yasuharu Tak)

The horrified warrior could feel chills down her spine at that. Outdated? She asks hurriedly, “What… do you mean?”

“They’ve already given an object power like that of the kami.” He looks toward Kuroioku, the two staring at each other for a moment, as though they were somehow communicating, before her sweet scholar glances toward her, “And I’ve met someone I believe might be one of the experiments, though he’s not lost his mind like others. If their intent is to make intelligent, deific-powered entities, they may have succeeded.” She frowns deeply, dragging her eyes down at the thought that some sort of god-powered creature was out there again, and that someone was trying to mass-produce them like toys on an assembly line.

It’s just as horrifying as Dr. Tomoe’s experiments with the Daimons... Is this... something similar? Taking a sip of her wine, she considers what she remembered from reading on them in the Lunarian database Ami-chan had created. Research… A lab… Experiments with hosts… and the hosts deciding how well they’d adapt to the process…

And...

Manipulating DNA.. .

Advanced scientific knowledge that outstrips anything anyone on Earth has achieved...

Could… Could it be... that they got their hands on the Doctor’s research?

Swallowing thickly, Minako glares hard at the page as she grits her teeth silently, now I really need to get to that base. No one should be messing with that energy, if it goes out of control, what would it create? What could it summon? Gaining a ferocity at the thought of something like Mistress 9, or hell, Pharaoh 90 coming back to haunt them, she questions, “What kind of hosts are considered the best?” Noticing her change in mood, though she really didn’t care because she wanted to physically do something to stop anything like the Infinity incident, as they’d deemed it in the database, from happening again, Kurama inquires sincerely,

“Mina, are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine. What would be the ‘perfect’ vessel?” Like the Witches Five… His tone grows increasingly concerned as the seething soldier continues to hide her expression behind her bangs,

“Mina, if there’s something bothering you-”

“There was an incident, two years ago, where humans were changing form, something that the news referred to as ‘atavism,’ but it wasn’t. Creatures from the Tao Nebula had come to Earth to steal its energy and make themselves another home. We destroyed them, however, one of the biggest influences on their take over was a Doctor named Souichi Tomoe, who had knowingly worked with the monsters and even experimented on his own daughter, implanting one of them into her.” It’s so incredibly quiet, she has to hide her face with her bangs, or reveal the amount of fury she felt at the mention of Hotaru-san’s torment. Reflexively clenching her chopsticks as the goofball across from her actually mutters darkly,

“Shit. So you think that they might have gotten a hold of his research?” She can’t help but shiver at the thought as she shares,

“I hope not. We destroyed everything associated with the facility, and Mercury even checked for other access points and shared information, but she didn’t find anything.” Her seatmate is eerily quiet, probably just as disgusted and angry as she was, without even having been there.

What a sweetheart.

Taking a sip of the wine after grabbing the last of her seared beef, Kuroioku carries on the conversation with a grimace, “So how strong was this thing?” Taking a moment to mull over what to tell them without revealing sensitive information, she finally answers,

“It nearly devoured Azabu Juban whole. Most of us combined couldn’t do anything at the time. It was the Guardian of Silence who pulled it forcibly from the Earth and sent it hurtling back into it’s own galaxy, where she finally destroyed it.” She was happy to note with a glance that Kurama seemed taken aback, beautiful eyes wide in shock as he looked down at her silently, while Kuroioku whistled lowly,

“Damn, that’s a lot of power! Especially if even you couldn’t destroy it.” Shaking her head and forcing silky bangs to skim her skin ticklishly, Minako takes a deep pull of the wine while admitting,

“It’s nice you think so highly of me, but I’m not the strongest of the Senshi. There are others who triumph over me.”

“Wait, what? No way! You’re a damn Goddess, what are they, super Goddesses?” Smiling lightly at the childlike curiosity it evoked in both their eyes, I’m glad he’s not upset anymore, she sets her empty glass down and eats the last of her fish.

“Maybe.” She tilts her head in confusion when the kicked back demon in front of her pours her a third glass, but she doesn’t complain, just thanking him quietly and taking a delicate sip, savoring the fruity sting. Her shoulders jump when a low, chocolaty rumble caresses her ear beside her,

“You cannot reveal that to us, hmm?” Calming her rabbit heart with a hand to her chest, she nabs a dumpling and glances at her perceptive sweety, the sound of his voice just then slightly different, a deeper register than she’s used to. Wow, I didn’t think his voice could go so low… A bit of guilt washes over her, frown tugging down her lips as she confirms,

“Yeah. It’s confidential, and imperative to our mission to protect our princess that they remain as unknown as possible.” She feels him considering something against her arm, piquing her curiosity until he states,

“And considering you’re own title and abilities, your status’ don’t always reveal your elements. Such as you being the Guardian of Love, a rather vague concept on it’s own, and yet you wield metals as well.”

“Yup. A lot of us have a few little elements within us to make us more versatile.” Kuroioku bobs his head in understanding, jumping back in,

“I’ll say. So a monster from another star system came here, was planning on taking over, and your ‘Guardian of Silence’ took it out?” Grabbing another dumpling, she stops a moment to throw them a bone,

“That’s right, you’d be surprised at the things we’ve fought from all over the place. One of our enemies came from the future to take over through the past.” Taking a sip of the wine, she giggles lightly at the exaggerated lean back Kuroioku does in response.

“Damn, that’s insane!” The blasé warrioress shrugs, replying simply,

“It’s our life. Danger is always lurking around every corner, waiting to devour our princess and steal her power. Everything has to be suspect at first, and even if it seems out of boundaries, the smallest thing must be dealt with to keep her safe and happy.”

“You are something else, Jou-chan.” He watches her take another drink, before asking in bewilderment, “Wait, how are you feeling, little miss?” Tilting her head, she answers easily,

“Alright. Why? What’s up?” He’s staring hard at her cup, which she brought down empty, to both his and Kurama’s surprise as the latter states,

“You’re not being affected by the alcohol, which by this cup you should be.” Huh? Is it really that surprising? Shrugging nonchalantly, she replies,

“It takes a lot of alcohol to get me drunk.”

“Wow, drink a lot, do you?”

“Ex-cuse you? I’m an idol, I go to a lot of social events, so I have a high tolerance.” Not to mention having to watch out for weirdos drugging my drinks.

But they didn’t need to know her tolerance to that kind of thing, or why she’d needed it .

The two gave each other a glance before looking a bit dismayed by her revelation. Why would they be? Unless they were trying to get me- That’s when she realizes why they were both a bit disappointed at that. Grinding her teeth furiously, she slams her hands on the table before pinning them with a bouncing, accusing finger between them, growling, “Hey! You guys were trying to get me drunk so I wouldn’t go to the forest, weren’t you!” Her handsome plotter raised his hands, smiling wanly as he tries to soothe her,

“We just wanted you to relax a bit, considering everything that’s going on, and the distressing theories on what could be!” Wrapping her arm around his, she tugs him down toward her as she growls,

“I am relaxed! As relaxed as I can be knowing some weirdos have really messed up research that would be better stopped sooner rather than later!” She should have known his partner in crime would grab anything for a distraction, sliding the notes toward himself as he chuckles nervously,

“C’mon Little Miss! We’re just worried about you pushing yourself, y’know?” When he turned the page, something felt wrong about it, especially when his hand hovered over the giant symbol filling the entire page. Before either of them can react, Kuroioku touches the page, wondering,

“What is-” It’s almost instantaneous, how his body is pulled into a vortex on the page, so moving within that split second, Minako grabs onto one of his boots, meeting the narrowed gaze of the research savant and reading the concerned and angry intent within. You shouldn’t have done that. Although a bit irritated that he’d want her left behind, and likely would have touched the markings in the page anyway, she takes in the walls of the worm hole. Unlike their own teleportation ability, this looks like it’s tearing through the fabric of space itself, leaving scars on the fragile tapestry of the world. Glaring worriedly as they reach the end of the tunnel, she wonders with gritted teeth, what awaits us here?

Better yet, why do I have the feeling that everything I know will change?

Chapter Text

Warnings!

Dark themes, panic attack, minor character death, graphic violence

(Dance of Death - Kana Strings)

Despite landing on her butt, Minako jumps to her feet swiftly, rubbing her backside while her senses spread out around herself. Taking in the new environment, her body is strung tightly for attack, and yet... no nefarious energies make themselves known. Wherever they were, it was pitch black, unable to even see her hand in front of herself as she whispered, “Guys, are you alright?” She can hear a snort of humor before Kuroioku’s voice confirms,

“Yah… hah, yeah. I’m good, Jou-chan. Boss? You there?” There’s a heavy silence as the response, raising the hackles on her body as a hand touches her wrist. Before it could wrap around and trap her, she moves automatically around to it’s backside, about to strike the nape of the neck when Kurama’s voice gives her pause,

“I’m here. Sorry Mina, I hadn’t meant to spook you.” Exhaling in relief, she changes stance and touches the body in front of her, noting the warmth beneath the cloth as rough digits tenderly clasp hers. It’s strange… She feels him softly guiding her back around him and putting a hand on her back, keeping her within reach. It’s almost as if he can still see in here, in pitch darkness. He’s practically wrapped around her as he murmurs in her ear, “Don’t transform yet. Your power draws attention, and although we’ve already captured some, I’d rather they didn’t know who exactly has stumbled upon this place.” Swallowing, because she really hated fighting literally blind, and returns,

“Alright, but I can’t see anything like this.” She feels his breath caress her ear and neck, sounding much like resignation as he assures,

“I’ll guide you.” What? He can see in this? Turning toward where his voice was, she can’t help but breathe his name, though she couldn’t find words for her inquiry.

“Kurama…” She feels him tense against her as he replies to her unspoken questions,

“I’ll explain everything later. For now, we need to get out of here as we’re woefully unprepared to deal with anything at the moment.” She’s about to ask why he would later when she picks up the sound of footsteps, prompting the dark clad yōkai to chuff,

“Guess they wanted to give us a warm welcome.” Can he see too? She thinks about how she just described him, well duh, he’s a- She freezes, fingers clenching her mysterious boyfriend’s more tightly as she turns to look at him, there’s no way. Kurama’s not a- there’s a whistling sound in the air, a pair of eyes hyper focused on her as the projectile headed for her. Before it can hit her in the head, it’s caught and disappears along with the hand that grabbed it, his voice a threatening rumble, but not against her. I think…

“Stay behind me, Mina.”

“But I can help! I’m-”

“Can you see them?”

“No, but they have eyes! I can feel their eyes on me!” The weapon which tried to take her life is pressed into her hand, his voice stern,

(Awake Live version - Kalafina)

“When they are close enough, throw this, and don’t worry about Kuroioku or I, we will work around it.” With that, Minako hears the subtle sound of hair shifting, before he calls out, “Rose Whip!” His dark energy surges, shocking her nearly enough to drop the weapon as the distinct sound of a whip cuts through the air, slicing through several bodies in her distraction. Rose… Whip? As in using a rose for a whip? Shaking herself from her thoughts, she slices through something whose stare fell upon her in the darkness that she didn’t recognize, coming within range, she tries to compensate for an inhuman body type. Hopefully no tentacles! Cringing at the anguished gurgle of the thing in front of her, she hears Kuroioku whistle,

“Damn, Jou-chan! You’re a savage!” Grumbling at him lowly, she snips,

“I wouldn’t be if I could transform!”

“Not yet! We still don’t know what we’re up against!” They have the advantage of knowing the area. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she strikes the next set of eyes she can feel close to her, feeling droplets touch her hand. Ugh, I’m never this messy, I hate this! But she knew he wasn’t wrong, although they had the playing field, they had an ace up their sleeve. I don’t usually go all ‘cloak and dagger,’ but it’s usually a good strategy. Too bad I don’t typically have the patience for it. When she feels that particular set of eyes on her, the daring guardian knew her options were limited to get it closer, so she calls upon some of her old abilities, such as seduction to draw it closer to her.

All creatures respond to body language, let's see how you like this! Shifting her hips just so, putting more curve in her spine than usual while shifting her chest forward toward it proved her point, drawing the attention of everything in the room. If demons have a strong sense of smell, then these things might too. Which led her thoughts to Kurama, his sultry voice murmuring terribly wonderful things in her ear, of things he’d wanted to do to her, increasing her arousal exponentially and pulling everything toward her. She hears a cough to her left as the couch resident exhales nasally, “Fucking hell woman, you’re going to draw them all to you!”

“Uh, yeah, that’s kind of the point, Budou-tan.” She hears air displaced next to her as someone lands to her right, commenting with chagrin,

“You certainly do know how to catch someone’s eye, Mina.”

“I’m an idol, Kurama. My job is to draw attention to myself.”

“Job well done, Jou-chan. Now what?”

“Now the performance can start!” Noting the hungry gazes on her and where they were positioned, including the one her red haired hunk had pointed out, she throws the weapon in it’s direction. A shrill scream echoes through the air as Minako hits a mark, though if it’s the one I was aiming for or not is up in the air, shrugging off the semantics, she reaches for her compact before yelling, “Crescent Boomerang!” Tossing the crescent mirror in an arc, it slices through the air, cutting several bodies as she hopes the guys are able to dodge her attack. Thankfully she gets confirmation in the form of Kuroioku squawking,

“Damn! You took out quite a few of them for not being able to see, little miss!” Grinning playfully, she spins in place with her arms outstretched as she catches it again, wagging her finger in the dark at him despite being unable to see him.

“That’s why I trained my other senses. Frankly, this is like fighting on the dark side of a moon, but at least I don’t have to use my energy to make a breathable bubble around myself.” She can nearly feel the amusement mixed with pride rolling off Kurama at her right as their helping hand quips,

“I don’t know whether to be scared or impressed that you could probably whoop my ass even like you are now.” Chittering with humor, she returns,

“Flip a coin!” With a huff, she feels a hand on her elbow guide her away from something as she touches it with her toe, she can only guess what it was as her enigmatic lover chides,

“Keep focused, you two. We’re not out of this quite yet.” Letting him pull her to his side, he moves in front of her as the affronted innovator confirms,

“I was~! I can’t help it that you guys are so easily distracted!” There’s a certain inflection he puts in his deepening tone that sends a thrilling, yet terrifying tingle down her spine,

“She isn’t wrong, Kuroioku.” A cluck of the tongue comes from her left as the leisurely fighter concedes,

“Alright, alright! It’s hard to concentrate when she smells like that!”

“Wait, it’s really that bad?”

(End of the World - Yuki Kajiura)

“No, Mina, it smells that good. For anyone undisciplined, your scent is exceedingly enticing.” Kurama… Can you smell it too? Pressing a hand to her chest in worry, her heart sinks further and further as Minako gives a non-committal hum in response, trying valiantly to set her suspicions aside to keep her senses on the battle she couldn’t see. As though perceiving her hesitation, she hears his murmur over the din around them, “I promise, Mina. I’ll explain later, so please, trust in me.” She could feel the love in him twist as though in pain, which naturally made her want to soothe him.

Who are you really, Kurama? Although knowing she should fear what she didn’t know, fear what it might mean, she couldn’t help but reach out in front of herself, hand moving very little before she touched the fabric of a shirt. Sliding her hand down the muscles softly, she moves closer as she whispers with a tinge of unease, “I trust you.” He flinches beneath her fingers, as though he heard that bit of doubt in her voice, and it made him bodily react. Inhuman hearing… Closing her eyes to steel herself, she clenches her digits in the fabric of his shirt, swallowing down her distress for the moment and says with conviction, “I trust you, Kurama.”

The muscles beneath her palm loosen slightly, his soothing baritone caressing her ears, “Thank you, Mina.” For a moment, she’s blinded, her arm automatically coming up to cover her face as a sound like electricity zapping through the room while a voice crackles over a loudspeaker,

“Intruder alert, intruder alert. All units to F sector for elimination of threat.”

“Lovely, now they’re sounding the alarm.” Clenching her fingers around the compact, the sightless noble blinks the spots in her vision away and lowers her arm, studying her surroundings to gauge her enemies as Kurama notes,

“It may be an automatic response, I don’t sense any other energies besides our friends here. Keep in mind that there may be a self-destruct sequence as well.” Although his words gave a sense of urgency, it’s the disfigured inhuman forms around them shivering strangely, bodies made from flesh and scales, both human and not, but also revealing braided steel in their wounds that gave her pause. Did they… insert mechanical skeletons into the bodies? That’s so awful… Why do this?

“This just keeps getting better.” It’s now she has a moment to look at the whip the normally teasing businessman has chosen to wield and… It looks like a large vine with thorns… is it really- “Hey Jou-chan! You there?” Startling from Kuroioku’s voice, she bumps lightly into the supernatural investigator’s back, and though she made to move away quickly, his hand lays on her hip as he assures,

“It’s alright, there’s a lot to take in. Just keep close to me, we may need to move quickly.” Pressing her forehead into the warmth of his back, she nods against him as he shifts his hand holding the vine, muscles bunching beneath her touch and poised for action as the creatures sway toward them. Moving away from his sturdy form, she takes a cleansing breath in and holds the crescent to her shoulder, prepared to throw it at whatever angle she may need. Suddenly, there’s a cold breeze in the air, saturating her warm breaths as a horrific voice groans in her ear,

(In the Land of Twilight, Under the Moon acapella - Yuki Kajiura)

“You… your pain… it’s exquisite… the very foundation of your being… is filled with such suffering.” Gripping the boomerang like a knife, she whorls around toward the voice to spot what she could only describe as a rusted, yet still beautiful suit of brass armor filled with endlessly inky tentacles weaving nearly unseen through it. Although it moved in a macabre mimicry of a human, one side of its body always slumped from where the inky tendrils flowed, the once intricate pieces never brushed to make any noise. What is that thing! Striking downward across its chest, it moves swiftly away, dodging nimbly as it continues, “I observe… the fruits of their labors… and devour their remains…”

Grimacing at the weird, stilted manner in which it speaks, Minako demands, “What are you! And ‘observe?’” It’s body twitches a yard away, and within moments the garden whip slices where it stands, though, once again, it slips away unscathed. When it lands again, it seems to be watching her closely as it continues in that eerie, echoing monotone reverberating in supposedly empty armor,

“Yes… I observe… and I devour. More than the body… I consume emotions… pain being the sweetest of all…” To her surprise, Kurama interprets,

“You clean up the mess the failed experiments leave behind, but it’s not physical sustenance you truly eat, but rather, intense pain and agony.” It jitters slightly, as though mentioning it’s favorite food gave it a thrill of pleasure as it answers,

“Yes… and you, beauty like the sun, your pain… is most desirable. I have tasted much anguish… but yours is full of self infliction… yet it is not… It is most fascinating.” Kuroioku growls from her right now,

“Not happening freak, she’s got a lot going for her, sure, but she’s not going to be a snack for someone like you.”

“No… cannot eat… no… there is… more torment to be wrung… from her soul…”

“You’re crazy!” Her blood freezes when she hears another, unrecognizable voice blow into her ear like a winter breeze,

“Turn around.” When she turns, trying to slash up with her compact, she only catches a glimpse of the creature behind her before the scene around them shifts. She’s at her old middle school, and Artemis stands before her, furry white face serious as he shouts,

“Mina! He isn’t human- he’s the enemy! Defeat him!” She sees Higashi-sempai, his group of thralls flung to the ground around him, his face demented as he rushes toward her, claws extended.

But I love him!

“Mina! If you don’t take him out, he’ll take you out!” He hurt those girls… and now… he’s trying to kill me. She watches another her, a younger one, as she opens her compact, shouting her words of power as his form melts horrendously, the shock making her heart stammer.

Oh kami, I killed him… I killed…

She feels the tears stream down her face again, the pain on her younger face reflected back at her just as much as it did then, as she remembers thinking, ‘I killed my first love. I was in love with a monster.’ Wrapping her arms beneath her breasts in a weak form of comfort to herself, the lovelorn avatar squeezes her eyes shut from reliving the devastation of her first kill as a reawakened soldier.

The scene shifts again, but this time… it was the one that hurt the most, the one that had her doubting Kurama with every reveal of his abilities. “No… no… no!” Before her very eyes, she sees the moment Ace held a card in the air, energy building for his attack as her old self responds with her own on instinct, their clash punctuated by their dialogue, “Ace, I believe in you, but haven’t you always, always, always come to my rescue in the end?”

“As Sailor Venus, you are my enemy!” She knows tears are running down her cheeks as she watches her previous self cry out, her power piercing his and overwhelming his body.

“Ace!” His words as he fell from that cliff, even as she was able to catch his fading form, caused her heart to ache terribly from melancholy as he whispers,

“There is only one destiny. My path ends… without ever reaching you.”

(Tears of Light - Yoko Shimamura)

Ace! “No! Stop it!” Gripping her chest in inconceivable misery, she watches her younger self question grief-stricken,

“Is it really my fate… to destroy the ones I love?”

She perceives faint gasps around her words in the memory, but she can’t pay enough mind to wonder, not when she sees another love die before her. Even while he vanished from her grip, he still smiled lovingly, as though savoring the very sight of her as he pulls a card from his sleeve,

“I will read your final love fortune.” She already knew what he’d say, those words haunting her nightly as he continues calmly,

“You will be hopeless when it comes to love, for all eternity.”

She knew the look of horror on her face, both then and now, something that still tugged at her soul whenever she thought of herself with someone else. Kurama… “What’s wrong? You look so unhappy… Now you don’t have to fret over which destiny to pursue.” Minako bows her head, wet tracks unable to stop now that they started, her body shivering from the absolute agony of having her trauma ripped open.

“Whomever you would love… your love would have no future…”

Her voice cracks as she pleads brokenly, “Please…” His body gone, all that remained was his hand as Ace’s voice echoed ominously,

“Your fate is to keep fighting.”

Without provocation she transforms, though the normally wonderful feeling of being filled with love is now tainted by her anguish as moisture floods her closed eyes. Ribbons of power feeling like claws tearing her flesh from her bones, leaving her hideous frame raw. Don’t look at me! Please! The stars from her energy feeling more like her tears, peppering every surface with pieces of her burnt out soul like meteorites. Holding her stomach as her tiara appears on her forehead, highlighting her puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks while she cries from within, no more, I don’t want to feel this anymore! The vision is interrupted when she hears a screech, her power overwhelming something, but the damage has been done, the floodgates open, and the emotional scars stripped down for all to see.

When the air behind her is displaced, she reacts instinctively, the crescent compact coming close enough to a scarlet framed neck to slice the first layer of skin. Almost immediately, she realizes it’s Kurama’s neck she nearly beheaded, a desolate keen burst from her chest as she jumps away from him. He tries moving for her, but she points the tip of the weapon at him again, body vibrating as the distressed senshi shouts, “Stay back! I…” His hand is extended out, as though to try and grasp her, verdant irises wide in alarm as he begs,

(The Scientist cover by Gabriella - Coldplay)

“Mina, listen to me. I’m fine, you didn’t hurt me. You won’t hurt me, and I will never hurt you.” Although his words rang with truth, the love in his soul felt so pure, she couldn’t trust herself with him.

Trust that she wouldn’t have to kill him.

Trust herself that she would spare him if she could.

And the terrifying notion that, once again, the cycle would repeat. I am damned to destroy those I love… and I love you too much to… She can’t help the hiccup as she whimpers, “Kurama… I’m sorry… I love you too much for this to repeat.” She lowers the weapon and steps back, teleporting herself somewhere, anywhere but here, “Goodbye.” The last thing she sees is his heartbroken expression as she fades away, forcing at least a watery smile for him.

____________ ~Kurama~ ____________

He couldn’t describe the onslaught of ravaging emotions right now, waves of agony nearly drowning him as he remembers her shaking form pointing the closed mirror at him. The shuddering breaths that squeezed from her lungs as she tried desperately to hold herself together, though the pressure was still too much. It wasn’t just Kunzite she was forced to… He never kept bed-partners for long, but never had he been attached… The amount of heartache you’ve endured… He felt strangely hollow for one frightening moment, something he realizes is an overload of so much pain, just like the body, the mind fights it with numbness. I was wrong, Mina. You aren’t just strong. There is nothing in this world that can compare to your ability to stand after every failed attempt to connect with someone.

Her easy, sweet smiles and the kaleidoscope of emotions she flaunted freely feel even more precious now, after the devastation that was revealed fully to them. How could you move so unfettered with all that guilt piled onto you? How could you see through all the tears you’ve cried? The beautiful flush of her cheeks as he’d complimented her, unaware of the savage battle warring within her, incited more by him no less. It made sense now, the mixture of desire and apprehension when he’d give her attention. I put you through so much unknowingly, never fully understanding why you felt so torn by the premise. The tears in her eyes when she gave in to his kisses, wanting something so desperately that she’d try to fight through the pain and fear for him.

And losing miserably because her terror and doubt was flaunted by an enemy.

Now he stood, hand slowly lowering as the sparkles of her energy slowly disappeared without a trace, her words circling his mind like a mantra as she sobbed, “Kurama… I’m sorry… I love you too much for this to repeat.”

Mina… I’m sorry for putting you through so much…

Clenching his fist until it bled, he grits his teeth until a dull ache drummed in his jaw as Kuronue hisses, “Fuck, it’s no wonder she was scared to be with you. Anyone would be having to kill their lovers twice.”

His voice is hoarse as he growls, “Three.” He can feel his old partner's eyes on him as he iterates, “She’s had to kill three.” Turning toward the ‘observer’ and it’s burnt little pet, he feels his energy howl as his form changes, the experiments in the room twitching, yet the armored figure seemed more concerned with Mina’s disappearance as it groans,

(Target Lock on! - Yuki Kajiura)

“It’s gone… the brilliant agony… is gone. Where?” Clenching clawed fists, Kurama rumbles maliciously,

“You enjoy agony? Then I’ll give you some to chew on, vermin.” It tilts its head questioningly, silence permeating the air as he begins stalking toward it. To their shock, it sinks into the ground, which has become malleable beneath its feet as it continues to mourn,

“So beautiful… my eyes cannot unsee… the horror on such a pretty face.” Tearing quickly through the listless bodies around him, he nearly slices it's twitching head off before it disappears. However, whatever damage he’d done is never revealed as it melts completely out of sight, leaving a seething yôko in its wake, and a bewildered Kuronue as he comments,

“Damn, there’s some messed up people around here. I’m guessing it took off for Jou-chan?” Investigating the inky liquid clinging to his whip, the silver themed kitsune confirms,

“Most likely, though how it finds its victims is beyond my scope at the moment. And you?”

“Eh, my head hurts a bit, but I can still fight. It’s like I’m trying really hard to remember something… This is your demon form?” Taking a chunk of flesh from nearby, he drops it on the dark spots, noting that it started eating through the rose vine already.

“Yes it is. Don’t strain yourself with old memories, worry more about the situation at hand.” Tourmaline eyes narrow as the flesh is eaten away slowly, so not an acid, it was more base. Quite dangerous to have pumping through the body. “That dark liquid, don’t let it touch you.”

“Will do! These ass-hats look like they could use a good beating!” Drawing his dual daggers again, the bat-in-a-new-body charges several of the apathetic creatures, ending them quickly and near silently. Smirking in approval at the man’s still sharp skills, Kurama draws another rose from his hair, but instead of being a vine and thorns, it looks more like a morning star flail at the end. My Morning Star… Though typically far too barbaric for his tastes, it suits his desolate mood as he slices through most of the bodies, though any near the bud with thorns flail at the end were more smashed than cut and splattered across the walls. Eyeing the mechanical innards in disdain, he hears Kuronue whistle lowly,

“I feel you on them targeting Jou-chan, but that’s just nasty.”

“And still, it’s not enough to satisfy my rage.”

“Uh… I’m not next on that list am I?” Staring down the corridor expressionlessly, he responds darkly,

“No. There is more to explore in this place, and I plan on going through it with a fine toothed comb.”

(Rain and Storm - Yuki Kajiura)

“Sounds like a plan, Boss Man!” Keeping his senses on high alert, the livid yôko recalls the events preceding this disaster with clarity, most especially the beautiful Goddess who’d blessed his life up until that point. Flexing his claws, he’s reminded of the feel of her soft skin, the multitude of wonderful noises she makes while he occupied her lips and mind with sensations, and her finally admitting her fears to him. I couldn’t have known the all encompassing horror she’s felt, with her slowly admitting to killing one of her lovers. It must have been hard, finally revealing that part of herself to him, something he finds her far braver than himself for.

How could I tell her of the atrocities I myself have committed? All without mercy. He wore the facade of an innocent human well, and only after these past few years has the teachings settled into him. Allowing him to feel as he has, and receive the love and affection of others. Now, there’s one more than any he craves, one he may not regain ever again. “Could you… Forgive me?” Not showing his turbulent thoughts outside, he wonders again just how much his Goddess knew ahead of time, to be able to see so many revelations and their effects on them. Does this mean she may… He could feel it burning inside him, something light and fragile as he hopes she returns, giving him that embarrassed expression as she meets his eyes under blond bangs.

When she bantered with Kuronue, it loosened something within him, relaxing him in a way he’d never imagined. And when she ate so happily, it released all the stress he’d felt from her Celestial Awakening. I could have never imagined such a beautiful, and powerful way to revitalize a Goddess. What had his heart pounding like a silly, lovesick human’s was when she leaned against him, reading the pages alongside him as though it were a simple publication and not the cold tallys of heartless creatures experimenting for nefarious purposes. I want to read with her like that again… He hadn’t even felt the shift really, when he lost his demon form, the biggest indicator for him was the slower pace of his steps.

“You doing alright, Kurama?”

“I will eventually. For now, we need to find a map of the lab to thoroughly check everything.” The creatures we’ve come across here are different yet. First the portal, which had no presence until Kuronue touched it. Then the chimera with mechanical skeletons inside… So they started with flesh and blood, moved to inanimate objects, and now are combining the two… Flesh and blood is weak, but adaptable. Materials are strong, but brittle. Now they are trying to combine them both… He recalls what she had said about Souichi Tomoe, and the experiments they had run with the Tao system energy. Is that what they’re doing here? Finding specific vessel combinations that would be suitable for deities? And are these deities manmade?

From the look of the corridor, they had been in some sort of testing chamber, and after walking through several bulkheads, are now coming across doors that look like panels in the lightless hall. Approaching the first door, Kurama reaches out with his energy to gauge any traps or ways around the soundly sealed door. “We could just break it down.” Finding nothing inherently wrong, he touches the surface of the entrance as he answers the reborn chimera’s suggestion,

“That might activate the self-destruct system. I’d rather get as much information from here as possible.” As the studious fox continued to feel around for a panel to access the door, he hears his partner exhale,

(Item Room Ambience - Kenji Yamamoto)

“You really are something, you know that? I can tell you’re still pissed about everything that happened, but you’re so calm about it, it’s super scary to be honest.” Smirking when he finds the control panel, he manipulates a plant inside to short the circuit while expounding,

“Losing my head about this won’t help us here. But rest assured, I use everything, including another’s perception, to my advantage.”

“I can see that. It’s no wonder you can get around Makai without a problem, even looking and smelling like you do.” The door cracks open, the arcing electricity their only light as Kuronue adds, “She loves you, you know. She’ll be back.” Although he’d already given in to hope, Kurama still asks,

“What makes you so sure?” Prodding the space with his senses, his partner in this sweep assures,

“I haven’t known her as long as you have, but even I can tell, especially now, how strong she is. Let her gather herself, and she’ll be back to whip us into shape.” He can’t help the smile at the thought that she might work them both over for some perceived slight. He huffs in return,

“I suppose we’d both deserve it for some future transgression, no doubt.” He could tell the violet clad amnesiac was grinning like a fool as he chortles,

“Man, she sure has us trained, doesn't she?” Entering the room cautiously, but still in a much better mood than before, the ex-thief agrees,

“That is one of her more mystifying abilities, I’ve noticed. She commands attention and respect from others rather easily, despite her fun loving nature.” Walking through the dark easily, he finds most of the space is free of any papers, mess, or any other signs of life, feeling ominously empty and devoid of it’s workers. Checking in the computers, he finds them on a separate grid than the main server, requiring other ways to transfer information. A good precaution when you don't want important information easily accessed and leaked to or from the outside. “Do you recognize this facility?”

“No, at the very least, I’ve not been to this section. The one I woke up in was pretty run down, holes in the wall as though there was a break out. This one’s abandoned, but seems newer.” Humming in affirmation, Kurama returns to using his vines to pick-lock the desks, finding paperwork, but most of it was the same as the one Kuronue had given him. They seem to be advancing quickly, although there is a downside to it on their part. They’re running their options down fast. Summoning the Shi Kemono Shokubutsu, the delightful little plant that likes to eat demons, he let it drool upon the paperwork, acid saliva eating through notes and floor as the continually horrified hybrid comments,

“You know, I shouldn’t be surprised anymore that you have monstrous plants just hiding in your hair and clothes, but I am every time.” Returning the plant back into seed form, Kurama moves from the room to the next, repeating the cycle of finding the panel, all the while assuring humorously,

(Brinstar Depths remix - Kenji Yamamoto)

“You have nothing to fear, as you’ve done nothing to earn my ire.” The process was much faster with a mental estimate on the area hiding the door keys as Kuronue grouses uncertainly,

“Yeah… but you gave me some interesting looks when we first met.” Shorting the circuit with vines again, the door slides open after he’d prodded the space with his senses, still on alert for more ‘surprises.’

“I’m cautious by nature, though I was never angry with you. Rather, I enjoy watching others squirm in the face of the unknown.” Sifting through the papers quickly, and finding nothing of report in this mirror to the last room, the Devourer Demon Plant makes quick work of the research again,

“I should have guessed. You know, I never thought of it before, but you’re pretty old, aren’t you?” Pacing to the next door across the hall from the ones he’d already infiltrated, the ancient yōkai spirit grins faintly as he hedges,

“Old enough.” Pillaging the room for clues, and finding nothing of import, they move onto the next, cycling through the same steps as before as Kuronue tries teasing,

“Ah, so you enjoy tormenting the young to pass the time then, huh?” Snorting, because the come back was too easy for him, Kurama instead strings him along,

“The real question is, are you so sure you’re young?” Already knowing his old partner, even in the new body, he’s not at all bewildered when he hears the back of a neck being scratched while he breaks into the next room.

“Ugh! Why do you do that! Messing with my head like that is going to drive me insane!”

“That’s only if you were sane in the first place.” At the same moment his tormented friend groaned in frustration, another shout was heard further down the hall, bringing both’s attention to it as the bat hisses,

“Uh, call me crazy, but other than those nasty pieces of work from before, we’re the only sentient ones here, right?” There’s further disturbance heading their way, though for some reason it rang as familiar to the wary kitsune.

“Not anymore, it would seem.” To both their astonishment, a bright beam of light is shined in their eyes, making both cover their faces as a hoarse voice cheers,

“Oh, thank goodness! I thought it was more of those weirdos!” Smiling despite being terribly blinded by the flashlight, Kurama huffs,

“Kuwabara, if you would turn the light the other way?” He couldn’t help but take comfort in the fact that his sometimes still hair-brained friend nearly tossed the light out of his own hands to try and accommodate his friend's suffering eyesight.

“Oh, shoot! Sorry, forgot about demons having super eyes for a second.” With the light now pointed to the floor, he could finally see his friend’s attire, a yellow undershirt with a checkered button up and dark blue fur lined jacket and jeans. The other set of footsteps that had followed revealed a slicked back hair style, a red jacket, and a blue scarf with jeans as the other intruder grins,

“Yo! Hiei said your energy went all nutso and that we would find you here!” Forgetting the direness of their situations for a moment, Kurama nods while lowering his arms from his face,

“It’s good to see you as well. Excellent work on hiding your presence, even while fighting.” He could feel the boys preen under his praise, even as he warned them, “Take as many precautions as you can, as there are other ‘residents’ here, besides these ones.”

“Ooh~! You mean the zombie-robot guys? Yeah, we took care of some on our way in, which, by the way, is some seriously sci-fi villain shit, cause they used a reflective barrier like thing to keep everyone out! Good thing Kuwabara here is still playing with swords… somewhat~!” Of course, as he’d expect of the youngest ones in his group, the duo began to grapple one another in the hall, prompting a chuckle from Kuronue as the dimensional sword wielder gripes,

“Would you shut your trap! You are such a pig, Urameshi! Keiko needs to just string you up on a telephone pole and leave you for the birds!”

“Hey now! That was last week's punishment, she needs some new ideas for this one, so drop a line when you finally get creative!”

“You kids have some wicked kinks! Sado-masochism and voyeurism? I see now why Kurama hangs out with you guys!” Like an anvil dropped on them both, they look to Kuronue in shock before Yusuke inquires,

“Huh, didn’t know we had another member of the team. Who’s this?”

“This is Kuroioku, he doesn’t look it, but he was actually made in one of these facilities.” It was Kuwabara that shouts,

“Woah! You mean he’s a zombie robot dude! I mean, he looks pretty alive to me…”

“Eh, as far as we know, I’m alive. Actually, that’s how Kurama and I met, one of those guys was coming after me, like a lunatic, and, well, here we are now!” Shaking crimson locks humorously, Kurama formally introduces the ramen pedler first,

“Kuroioku, this is Uremshi, Yusuke. He’s the former Spirit Detective for Reikai.”

“Ah, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“This here is Kuwabara, Kazuma. Though not employed by Spirit World at all, his spiritual senses and abilities are a boon to any who need his assistance.” The pompadoured giant beams lightly as he waves in embarrassment,

“Aw, shucks Kurama! You’re making me blush~!”

“That ain’t hard, being the embarrassment that you are!”

“Dammit, Urameshi! We’re here to investigate those monster thingies, not to mess around! So shut up and focus!” Snorting at the wrestling happening all over again, Kuronue goads,

“You know how to pick your crew, Kurama. Ya got grumpy little Hiei, these two chum-buddies and now the little miss!” It’s to both their surprise that the fighting stops immediately, followed by the two scrambling from beneath each other, shouting,

“You mean he really does have a girlfriend!”

“Damn! I lost the bet!” Sighing at the ridiculous circus act in the middle of a dangerous, and possibly explosive lab, Kurama chides,

“Worry about such things later. For now, we need to keep moving so we can find out as much as possible before the building is demolished.”

“Well, yeah, but we already explored that way!”

“Did you find anything of value?”

“Uh… the doors are pretty sturdy! Kuwabara was sweating up a storm after the sixth room.”

“It’d be nice if I had some help, you chump!”

“Yeah, cause that’d be fantastic! ‘Go ahead, Yusuke! Blow up the whole damn building with your Rei Gan blast!’ You know this thing has a kick back even with limiting my output to almost nil!” Cutting off the next argument before it can begin, the calculating vulpine interrupts,

“Regardless, we need to find a map of the building and explore while we can.”

“Uh, actually, there’s one back that way.”

“Good, then let's head there so we can make more headway.” Retracing the two’s steps was simple, follow the smell of burning metal and melted doorways. While they made their way back, the fox spirit inquired, “Where is Hiei? I thought he’d be with you two?”

“He was, but he said there was something he wanted to look into and took off, the lazy bum.” Chuckling lightly at the gymnastics the two boys restart while moving, arguing over the surly yōkai’s usefulness, he knew Hiei would show when he found what he sought. Using the information he’d gathered over the past week as a distraction for their roughhousing, he explains everything he’s found, excluding Mina of course, and though they didn’t seem to have questions, they both were likely curious about her. Saving that discussion for later. They reach the map and Kurama spots something promising as he relays, “The computer lab in this corridor likely connects to the main servers. I’ll try to break into that while you three continue through the hall and find any data we can.”

“Roger that!”

“Right!”

“You got it, Foxboy.” Strangely enough, they didn’t come across many of the thralls, which set off a few alarms in his head as he sits at the computer, prodding the keys and system for any tricks, and once again finding none, he begins on breaking the code. It took him longer than he wanted, having only the values from the previous sheets to go off of for clues, but after several attempts, he managed to get in and began reading the files left open first. Many were repeats or similar to the others he’d found, but a handful stood out to him, one of which was called, ‘Perilous Eyes,’ and though confused by the name at first, he connects the dots at its description. A suit of armor to hold organic matter into shape, it observes, absorbs organic material, and provides feedback on the facility to Azura.

Gritting his teeth, he understood then why it was really looking for Mina. Azura is able to see through it somehow, like the bracelet, and now knows Mina’s weaknesses. With a quick glance around, he found a spare CD that didn’t have data already written on it. Pressing it into the tray, he began to copy files from the drive onto the disc for future perusal, working next on cracking the locked files. These were far simpler to dig through, not having near the amount of protection so they too began being copied to the disk. Another file caught his attention, this one called, ‘Echo Vector,’ a subject that can see into one’s memories and project those memories into the world via illusory magic.

That’s the one that showed us Mina’s memory, being prompted by ‘Perlious Eyes’ to do so, in it’s strange, distorted way. But that begged the question, what would be the purpose of such a thing? Was it created by accident? Or was this it’s intended purpose? Why would they need it? When he was certain it would keep burning the files onto the disc, Kurama stood from the computer, noting the distant sounds of raucous noise that followed his friends around, and now with the addition of Kuronue… With Hiei around here somewhere, it’s just about the perfect crew.

He perceived movement and acting quickly, spun with a seedling sharpened into a blade on his hand. However, he hadn’t noticed the second dagger shot his way, but to his shock he felt no pain, instead, it wasn’t his blood that rained upon the ground he fell upon. Sitting up quickly, his irises take in golden strands dancing around an orange and yellow waved skirt, knee high boots digging into the ground and a feminine growl as he shouts in panic,

“Mina!”

____________ ~Minako~ ____________

(Sis Puella Magica Orgel - Yuki Kajiura)

Wherever she’s ended up, she doesn’t care as she stumbles to the ground, curling in on herself, wrapping her arms around her knees and willing the pain to go away. Where did it all go wrong? Clenching herself tighter, she remembers the first time they met, him surprised and amused at her fretting, and her, shocked and panicked that someone had seen her transform. I knew from the beginning that he was different, that something set him apart from everyone else I’ve ever met. That warm, beguiling smile he gave when she did something to impress him, or the way he’d light up when she argued back with him over silly things. I felt the darkness in his soul… but I…

Lifting her head slightly, Minako stared sightlessly at the ground as she decides, I thought he couldn’t be that bad if the love in his heart was so pure… that maybe he had to do immoral things to survive. The tattered uniform in his closet that smelled of fire and blood still made her stomach churn as she sobbed quietly, I had hoped that it wouldn’t be like the other times, that he wouldn’t be evil, or controlled by my enemy. That morning when he slept beside her, his features were so serene and gentle, without a care or nightmare in the world, her opposite. Is it because he’s not human? Or because he doesn’t feel sorrow for what he’s done?

No… he feels sorrow, empathy, and love. The morning after her nightmare of the fox demon was proof enough that he felt sorrow when she was in pain. He was absolutely devastated when he heard of my experience… Wait… was that… Ocean pools shimmer as she abruptly remembers, he’s not human… the fox demon in my dream… could he be… She never saw the features clearly, but the deep timber, if upped a few octaves would be… and his manner of speaking… although more vicious… Love’s incarnation hiccups and heaves shuddering breaths in, trying vainly to hold herself together. He would be terrified of telling me after that reaction…

Why, when he had so many chances, did he not hurt me? Or kill me? I was asleep for a whole day! He could have-

If I could feel the love in someone’s heart then, would they have felt the same as him?

Her chaotic thoughts stop when she hears a sweet, gentle tinkle inquire, “Mina-P?” Glancing up like an angel had just given her a second chance at life, Minako returns with uncertainty,

“Usa… gi?” The kindest creature to grace the world kneels before her, touching her knees tenderly as she worries,

“What happened? Are you okay?” Between having her inner demons exposed to several people, and the revelation that the man she loved hadn’t trusted her with such a crucial part of himself, she wrapped herself around Usagi-chan, emotions overflowing without words. And, like she always did, the beautiful soul just hugged her in return, not asking anything more as she comforted the distraught senshi with her touch and presence alone. She’s safe. She’s alive and safe. She is my harbor. Finding her breaths, Minako begins to calm as she notices no one else was with her. Although infinitely upset with her situation, she croaks,

“Usagi-chan, where is everyone else? Why are you by yourself?”

“I told Mamo-chan and Mako-chan that I’d be back in a moment. They’re right over there,” she points in a direction, and with her slowly recovering senses, feels the two’s energy not far away, just a couple blocks really. Sighing in relief, but also not wanting anymore questions from them, the wobbly guardian shifts to her feet, getting ready to roam elsewhere when Usagi-chan’s voice chimes, “It’s okay, you know. To be selfish.” Freezing, she turns back toward the bunhead who’s smiling benevolently, she iterates, “You shouldn’t hold yourself back because of the past. If something makes you happy, you should pursue it.”

“Usagi-chan… How did you...” There’s an old look on her face. As though she’s seen something that’s caused her to age exponentially in that moment, and grasp more of the strange, innocent wisdom she always seems to have as Usagi-chan intones,

(Magia Celestial Chorus cover - Kalafina)

“Your heart is aching so much, it’s about to break.” Her eyes grow a shade darker, as though remembering something someone else once said as she continues solemnly, “Mina-P… One day, this too will be the past. And if you let go like this… you will mourn it. You will mourn it.” For a moment, she was confused, the words echoing like someone else's, someone who had been torn about their decision.

Sailor Cosmos…

Usagi-chan told us about her, and how she was from the far, far future, one in which Sailor Moon ran from battle, unable to destroy the Galaxy Cauldron. And unable to handle the pain, went to the past to convince herself to destroy it. Biting her lip sadly, the avatar of the Morning Star warbles,

“Usagi-chan…” How awful it must have been, to see a part of yourself suffering so much… Touching Minako’s face morosely, clear sky irises shine with understanding as she encourages,

“It’s okay to be scared, you more than anyone has earned that right. But love isn’t something we control, we experience it. Besides… Even Rei-chan seems to like him, and you know how she feels about men!” Smiling at the light diversion from the dark topic, she can’t help but consider if even Rei, who thought all men were lost causes, thought he was decent, maybe she did have a chance. I want to ignore it, he’s never done anything to hurt me… but… I’m cursed to always kill those I love...

“Even if… I wanted to pursue him… I can’t, Usagi-chan.” Hoping she wouldn’t have to explain why none of the senshi had ever really given love a chance, she’s startled when the future queen insists,

“Mina-P… if it’s something you want, you don’t have to be afraid. It’s okay if we’re selfish sometimes. We make our own path, changing our destinies to how we want it to be.”

“What?” The magnificent Goddess before her beams benevolently as she explains vaguely,

“When we were reborn in the Cauldron, we were reborn the same, but different. Look inside yourself, and forge a brighter future with it, one where every part of us can be happy!” Minako is nearly overwhelmed by more tears as she wonders,

“Usagi-chan… Do we really have that kind of power?”

“Only if you want it strong enough.” It still felt incredible, that they might be able to change their destinies so much, but she also wondered...

“Usagi-chan… How did you know what upset me? To come here?”

“It just felt like the right things to say, and why you might be upset. And honestly... it just felt like a nice place to be, and with Mamo-chan and Mako-chan looking around the building, I got bored!” Crying brightly with laughter, the turbulent star chokes out,

“I wonder about you sometimes, Usagi-chan.” Grinning blindingly at her princess, she pulls the smaller girl into a warm hug and adds tenderly, “Thank you. You always end up being the one to protect us, you know that? We should be the ones protecting you.” The embodiment of Love feels Usagi-chan snuggle against her chest, breathing in deeply before exhaling with a giggle,

“I’m only strong because you protect me! I wouldn’t be able to do anything without all of you, Mina-P!” Kissing the crown of her head, Minako whispers,

“You are amazing, Usagi-chan. We love you so much, you know that right?” Usagi-chan hums lightly,

“Un!” That’s when the soldier of Love feels a tug of danger, not from herself, but from Kurama, and as though she felt something as well, her best friend in the world moves back to cheer, “You should go! When things are alright, I want to meet him!”

“You will, Usagi-chan!” I’ll make sure of it! Teleporting, she pushes Kurama’s body aside, taking a blow meant for him in the space between her shoulder and arm, gritting her teeth against the pain as Kurama shouts from her side,

(Gravity of Love - Enigma)

“Mina!” Wanting to assure him nothing was wrong, that she would be fine with a minor scratch like this, Minako pulls the knife from the wound and blurts,

“I’m okay! I’m sorry I left! I was just frazzled, and confused-and hurt but I’m fine now!” Sounding incredibly bewildered, the redhead on the ground sits up,

“What? Mina, that doesn’t matter right now, it’s-”

“It does! I want to be selfish! I want to keep everything I love! I don’t want to throw away the things that are important to me!” Clenching her fists tight she screams, “I want you! I don’t want to lose you!”

‘Look inside you, the power is there.’

She gasps when she sees a light pulse within herself, and unknowingly, unleashes that power all around herself. Opening her physical eyes, when did I close them? She’s astonished to see what looks like an orange, yellow, and blue star nebula surrounding herself and everything in the room. Words come to her as she calls,

“Venus Celestial Power, Make Up!” The nebulous energy consumes her attire, her two layered orange and yellow skirt getting a third sheer one that's wavy edges were gathered toward the middle. The five point star motifs were replaced with dual layered stars, the top one white with gold lines leading to the center and the bottom one pure gold. Two thick gold lines ran down the sides of her stomach, and gold trimmed the ends of the skirts, bows and collar. The collar of which now along with the single white stripe for her role as leader, now featured two sharp wings opposite one another where the bow gathered, and at the center of them was a similar star to her accessories. The ball sleeves lose the orange rolls, same with the gloves, and gain sleek orange dual wing cuffs instead, and her yellow back bow becomes sheer with a single ribbon through the center of the fabric, the tail an accordion style.

The biggest difference in attire is the collar having another sheer yellow layer underneath, but the point of this one rests in the middle of the top and peaking out at her back, a gold line leading to another set of sharp wings surrounding a dual star. Giving the enemy hiding in the dark a severe glare, the more powerful warrioress commanded sternly while pointing to her tiara, “I am Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Venus! Celestial Guardian of Love and Beauty!” Clenching her fists and berating it darkly, she ends while pointing at it, “In the name of Venus, I’ll show you Love’s wrath!”

Chapter Text

Warnings!

Dark themes, panic attack, violence, blood.

(Signal - Kalafina)

When she pointed at the thing hiding within the shadows, Minako wasn’t expecting it to actually approach, nor for it to be what looked like undulating metallic goop clinging to some sort of… lizard’s bones under a tattered, gray cloak as it croaks, “You may be the one he seeks. We will see what he sees.” Her chikara rolls furiously beneath the surface of her skin at the proclamation, inciting her to hiss,

“Not gonna happen, wackjob! Venus,” Kissing the palm of her hand, she grabs the heart it created and finishes, “Love and Beauty Shock!” Swinging the bead and rose chains, she snaps it at the figure, watching it turn to a puddle before reforming into it’s previous formidable height. Not daunted in the least, she pumps more energy into the chains, taking away more of the metal property and adding purity to it instead. Despite the still weeping hole in her dominant shoulder, she charges forward, barely touching the ground and sending her whip into an arch. Though she strikes the cloak, it slips away from the main chain’s surrounding effects and unleashes its own thin tendrils from it’s metallic slime. Eww! Dodging several lashes lithely, the golden senshi blocks others with her chain, getting within a meter while pressing her fingers to her forehead, exclaiming,

“Venus, Crescent Beam!” Though she’d gotten even closer during her words of power, when she aimed her fingers at it, her hair lashing around her just as angrily as she, it predicted the laser’s path and formed a hole around it. This thing sucks! Why are they all so gross and malleable! It’s body exploded outward, it’s rib and spine bones somehow growing instantly as though it were going to grab, or maybe skewer her with them. But she tugged sharply on her chains, vaulting them in front of herself and flooding them with her energy. The light was blinding, even to her as it visibly recoils, avoiding her purity so she could crouch low and leap to the side while it was vulnerable. To her shock, it seemed prepared as more metallic skin tentacles stretched from its body and tried to constrict her again, however, it’s not fought a Senshi before, and especially not their leader. I’m going to wreck your entire world, jerkwad!

Pushing her energy into her boots, she uses a technique the Sailor Guardians employed to move through space, boosting over its body in a flash and spinning through the feelers easily, whipping at its body as she passes. Cutting several appendages off, the off casts shriveling into nothing as she lands a few meters away, she prepares for the after shock the trick has in Earth’s atmosphere, a deafening explosion rings her ears, physically destroying the wall she had been close to and the wind knocks it’s blubbery form to the ground. Got it! Feeling a new attack roar to life within that would help destroy this cretin, she raises her left hand to her heart, calling, “Venus, Heartthrob Scatter!”

With a quick motion, she twists her hand as though gripping her heart and waves her arm above herself in an arc, releasing several hearts of energy that blast into the rotting carcass, it’s burble of muffled pain skin crawling. Before she could raise her whip to finish it off, several voices call out through the doorway, providing ample distraction for it to slip around their feet and out the door. Gritting her teeth, she marches forward to pursue it, shouting angrily, “Get back here!” But before she could get any momentum, firm, muscled arms wrap around her waist and pull her into a wonderfully warm chest as her love’s smooth baritone caresses her ear,

“Leave it, Mina. You’re injured. Please.” Feeling herself melt at his plea, she wraps her arms around his, holding him as he nuzzles his face into her neck from behind, murmuring, “I missed you.” Minako feels her ire die at his admittance, a tender relief curling through her body as she rubs her cheek to his ear, reciprocating,

“I missed you too, Kurama.”

(The Sky is Calling - Kim Boekinder)

“Holy shit! You really did get a girlfriend!” The exclamation draws her attention to the people in the doorway,

“Shut up, stupid! You don’t have to bring attention to it!” Though it was growled between two men that looked around her age, she notes neither one stops staring at her dumbfounded as they continue to argue.

“Yo, Jou-chan! Welcome back!” Choking on a teary laugh at the discordant greeting, she answers Kuroioku,

“Budou-tan! You better have done something useful while I was gone!”

“Woah, hold on a minute, for one: I’m always useful, and two, you just got back and you’re already giving me orders!”

“Of course! You’d leave all the heavy lifting to Kurama otherwise!” The other two at the groaning grape’s side guffaw while Kurama puffs a laugh against her throat, pressing soothing kisses into her slowly flushing skin as she notes he doesn’t relent, even with all the ogling. Swallowing thickly, she’s about to have steam come out her ears from it when Kuroioku grumbles,

“C’mon, little miss! Cut me a little slack here! We just got done investigating some stuff!” Taking the distraction with gusto, she wags a finger at him while chiding,

“Nope! You’ve got more work to do catching that bad guy! You just let him run right by you!” He slouches with such drama that the other two laugh heartily at him, before being replaced with a relieved grin as he salutes,

“Alright! I’m on it, your majesty!” Bowing dramatically, the tall, dark haired yōkai runs out the door, hopefully following its trail, though it’s still likely he just wandered in whatever direction. The two men that stayed couldn’t be more different from one another, the shorter one with black hair slicked back and brown eyes studying her critically. Meanwhile, the other that had a carrot colored pompadour grinned at her happily, his high cheekbones would be giving him an intimidating, chiseled look had he not been so excited,

“Wow! It’s really nice to meet you, miss! My name is the noble Kuwabara, Kazuma, but you can call me Kuwabara!” Glaring at the rounder face at his side, Kuwabara-san hisses, “Don’t mind this loser, he’s a nobody!”

“You wish! Names Urameshi, Yusuke. So what, are you a witch or something?” Snorting at the terrible ‘bad boy’ attitude the shorter one has, and the humorous thought of her being a witch, she responds,

“It’s nice to meet you too, Kuwabara-san, Urameshi-san. And no, I’m not a witch. I’m the Celestial Guardian of Love and Beauty, my name is Sailor Venus.” She giggles lightly when the taller, and far politer of the two falls forward in shock,

“Whoa, you mean you really are Sailor Venus!” Beaming and nodding, she’s surprised at the support from Kurama who adds,

“She is. And just as powerful as the stories say.” Urameshi-san looked confused as he blurts,

“Okay, I really gotta know, why sailors? Couldn’t you have chosen something more… intimidating?” Minako takes the reigns as she chirps,

“That’s easy, we use the stars to navigate the galaxy. We can literally sail across the universe. And really, at the time, they weren’t thinking about how intimidating we’d be, just what our power seemed to be.” That got an impressed look on his face as he ponders,

“No joke? That’s pretty crazy. I would have thought you’d need a space suit to survive out there.”

“Maybe for the people of Earth. For us, it’s as easy as converting the energy around us to sustain us while we travel.”

“What about when you get hungry? Won’t your stomach eat itself?” Chittering lightly, and feeling the gaze of her now dubbed ‘boyfriend,’ she replies patiently,

“If you know how to absorb energy from other sources, say, the sun, then you don’t need to worry about it. Eating is just a way of getting energy into your body, as for your stomach eating itself, we were trained to initiate a partial ‘survival mode’ in the body, slowing our metabolism and letting us travel for several Earth days without food or water.”

“Okay, I gotta admit, that would be pretty useful in tricky situations. You’ll have to teach me that one.” Tinkling spritely, the stellar traveler replies,

“I can try, but you have to have a high concentration of ki in the first place.” Smirking, Urameshi-san seems to ‘flex’ his chikara lightly, though she could feel the immensity of it from the small reveal, puffing,

“Oh, I think I’ll be fine, I’m a bit of a supernova myself.” Giggling at him brushing his chest in ‘modesty,’ she corrects cheekily,

“You’re more like a protostar than a supernova, but close enough.”

“Hey now-”

“Yusuke, Kuwabara, could you track down the experiment with Kuroioku? I have some things I need to catch Mina up on.”

“Oh, I’m sure-ah, hey! Don’t give me that look! Oh fine! Let’s go, you big dummy.”

“I’m the dummy? Who is it that keeps pushing his luck with Kurama, of all people?” They shove each other as they stumble out the doorway,

(New Moon Ni Koishite Amy B cover - Momoiro Clover)

“Urusai!” Still chittering at their childish behavior, Minako’s startled to feel herself spun around and without pause, Kurama’s lips slide softly but quickly over hers, pulling hungrily on them as though he were devouring delicious fruit. Closing her eyes with a flutter, gloved hands slide up his chest and gently rub his shoulders, the flush on her cheeks burns so dark moisture gathers at the corners of her lashes as she exhales through her nose. One of his hands settles on the small of her back, while the other travels to the back of her head, minimal pressure applied as he threads his fingers through the honey strands. Each drag of his mouth causes her sex to twinge a little more, the pounding in her chest increasing exponentially and nearly skipping when he rumbles lowly against her.

Then that beautiful, sinful touch of his energy across hers has her keening muffled around his slickened lips. Oh hell… this feels even better in this form~! She didn’t notice she’d stopped breathing, so focused on his heavenly touch and attention that she must have forgotten until he parts with a succulent sound, smiling as he chortles, “Breathe, Mina. I can’t have you passing out on me just yet.” Blinking as she takes a deep inhale, covering her mouth in embarrassment as she squeaks,

“And whose fault is that? You caught me off guard!” His elated chuckles send delightful tingles down her spine as he loosens his hold on her back, allowing her more room as he teases,

“You should be more vigilant in places like this, Mina. The usual purveyors of this industry aren't known for their kindness with beautiful women.” Pooching her lips at the cool trouble-maker, she responds unthinkingly,

“So are you part of that group?” A dark shadow passes over his face as the regretful star realizes what it might sound like, her hands coming up to his cheeks as she quickly soothes, “I’m sorry! I hadn’t meant it so harshly-”

“You’re not wrong.” Azure irises widen for a second before lidding thoughtfully, stating,

“You said you’d never hurt me. I believe you.” His emerald gaze expands in surprise, before settling closed while Kurama presses his forehead to hers, murmuring,

“Thank you, Mina.” His hand on the back of her head un-tangles from her locks to brush her bangs behind her ears as he continues mournfully, “I cannot lie and say I was unlike the men who were here, but I would never condone such a thing now.” She slides her hand up his arm lovingly, lidded eyes capturing his gently as she allows with a smirk,

(Romeo and Juliet - Mina Kubota)

“That’s good. I may have had to beat some sense into you, otherwise.” He chuckled lightly, the sound tickling her ears as her palm continued up to cup his cheek as he mumbles,

“I would have likely deserved it.” Her eyes closed softly, unable to imagine him any other way but how he is now, thumb rubbing softly as she insisted, “Whatever you were in the past is for then, I love the man standing before me now, Kurama. And besides...” Golden lashes flutter open and glance away from his compassionate verdant, Minako reminds, “I’m a soldier. My hands aren’t clean either, even if I thought it was for the good of someone else.” Calloused fingers caress the shell of her ear lovingly as they travel to her chin, tilting her head back up toward him to reply,

“And that is what makes you so enticing, Mina. You’re spirit, because as someone quite versed in knowledge of the soul, yours is so pure for any wrongs you’ve committed.” Brushing his lips lightly with hers, teasing the edges so achingly softly as she whispers against his kisses,

“Will you tell me? Everything you can... about you?” The breathy exhale she receives sends jolts of pleasure down to her core as he murmurs,

“Yes… whatever you would like… Minakoi.” She feels a deluge of heat pool in her vagina at the nickname, prompting a mewl from her throat as he tugs on her mouth affectionately. Oh… it’s so hard to think when he does that… Although the leotard was already fully saturated when she transforms, she can feel herself burn while he takes her breath away, his energy petting hers adoringly. He pulls slowly from her, the noise dragging another tug from her sex as the skillful incubus, he must be to feel this good, murmurs, “We should find the others, although I do want to continue this, it will have to be later, in less dangerous circumstances.” Still feeling quite dizzy from the overload of sensations from the kisses, the dreamy starlet just hums in response, causing him to laugh quietly as he whispers in her ear teasingly,

“Mina~ Earth to Mina~ Anybody home?” Fluttering sunny lashes, she gradually gets her bearings and glances up at him with scorching cheeks, stammering,

“I-I’m fine! I wouldn’t have had a problem if someone didn’t keep stealing my breath!”

“I can’t say I’m sorry, the way you seem to get lost in sensation is enthralling, Minakoi.” Feeling another marvelous tug between her thighs, she lets lapis gems lid as she commits the nickname to memory. Beautiful Love. His grin is entirely foxy when her cheeks flame darker, prompting her to stutter,

“M-mou! You’re really enjoying doing that to me, aren’t you?” His fingers stroke the bottom of her chin mildly as Kurama agrees,

“There is much about you I enjoy. And from your reactions,” Here he presses his nose to her hair, finishing smugly, “the feeling is mutual. You’re healed by the way.” Blinking, Minako pulls her sailor fuku from her chest and, low and behold, the hole in her shoulder was gone. Noting his stare as well, she glances up and realizes he was looking at the wound too. Embarrassed from giving him a free show, she slaps his arm coyly with the other on her cheek, and nearly squeaking at the rumbling coming from his chest through hers indicating his laughter. She moves back and puts a hand on her hips, wagging a finger at his face while teasing,

(A Celtic Lore - Adrian von Ziegler)

“Excuse you! I’m going to need a little more romancing before you get a peak at anymore!” The sinfully handsome jerk was smirking like a cat catching the canary as he lifts a perfect rosy brow,

“Oh? And showing you how much I appreciate you isn’t enough?” Flushing brightly at the implication, despite knowing the sly thinker was messing with her, she pokes his chest while taunting back,

“Absolutely not! As you just pointed out, we’re in a threatening situation so we should be keeping our eye on everything around us. We can continue our conversation later.” She’d expected him to play with her more, but he smiles gingerly, as though proud of her getting back on track as he brushes her cheek with his knuckles,

“I suppose I can contain myself for a little bit, if it’s for a reward.” That burn travels down her neck and over her chest at his terrible teasing, but his gaze gentles as he changes the topic easily,”Until then, I’ll fill you in on what I’ve discovered here.” Nodding and pushing her need to poke aside, the inquisitive hero follows him as he leads her to a computer, which had a progress bar nearly full on it’s monitor. “It’s good to know your power doesn’t interfere with technology, as I was working on copying the documents pertaining to this case for proof.”

“Proof?”

“I work with people who are supposed to monitor the supernatural goings on in Human World. I was taking this to show them what was being worked on, though I was going to edit some things out so we don’t have a repeat of this incident.” Holding a hand to her chest, she finds herself admiring his consideration for the future more and more. That he would realize someone might try and use this research once again, and is actively trying to prevent it is… I couldn’t have stayed away from him, there’s just no way someone this incredible could be ignored. Beaming compassionately at him, she takes in his super attractive profile as he studies the screen; the soft curves of his cheeks, his elegantly sloping nose, firm but smooth lips, strong jaw, and the hint of definition to his neck muscles and the apple of his throat peaking through the collar of his v-neck shirt.

Kurama held his chin in thought, that’s the only tic I’ve ever seen him do, other than hand twitching, adding to the immensely hot, yet also adorable image he had going on. I really couldn’t have resisted him! Bringing herself from her thoughts, his sentence had caught her attention as Minako wondered, “Human World?” Flicking his eyes from the screen to her, he explains,

“There are several worlds in existence on Earth, this one, which we call Ningenkai. Demon World, or Makai, the world of apparitions and spirits, and Reikai, where spirits are sent after they die. Think of it as a station between worlds where a soul’s fate s decided.”

“Oh! I see, I hadn’t realized those other two existed… are you from Makai?” Smiling at her assumption, he confirms,

“I am. I’ll tell you the logistics of what I am later, for now, what you need to know is Reikai likes to keep things in Ningenkai in check, keeping humans oblivious to the supernatural as much as possible. Which is where my friends and I come in, we work with their prince to ensure humans stay safe and ignorant of the other worlds.”

“You just volunteer to do this? They don’t pay you or anything?” Now he grins playfully as he iterates,

“Not a single yen, but I get something far more valuable to myself than monetary gain, as I already have income in the form of my day job.” She watches him raptly as the excellent lecturer continues, “I gain more knowledge, and it also occupies the more wild and listless part of me that sometimes finds human life too mundane.” The now informed Senshi feels her heart flip at the mention, biting her lips softly as she states,

“Because you’re a demon.”

“Yes. Makai is a harsh, savage place, where the strong survive and the weak perish. I thrived there for most of my existence, so the slow pacing of a 9 to 5 tends to grate on me after some time.” She can’t help but giggle at the thought that someone could go from a dog eat dog type of life to working in the business section of Tokyo. He catches onto her humor as well, adding with mirth, “It does seem rather silly, I’m sure, from an outside perspective.” Shaking her head, she retorts,

“Not at all, even when I didn’t have my memories, I longed for action and adventure. So I can understand where you’re coming from, though I'm not sure we come from similar backgrounds.”

“Not quite. But that’s where we stand for now, us gathering information on this new enemy, and although this wasn’t exactly how we’d planned this, we’re here now so I plan on combing over things as much as possible.” Bobbing her head in understanding, she looks toward the doorway gravely as she returns,

“Got it. So I didn’t miss too much then.” Kurama takes her hand lightly, giving a reassuring squeeze as he soothes,

“Not much. Don’t worry about that, even Kuroioku understands why you left. Neither of us are angry with you, so please don’t hurt yourself over this.” Gazing back at him with a wistful expression, Minako exhales,

“But it hurt you. I know it did. And for that, I’m sorry.” Pulling her gloved hand to his lips, he presses a lingering kiss to her knuckles as his forest irises focus intently on hers.

“You needn’t worry, love, I plan on making up for the lost time later.” Swallowing thickly, because he’s so good at this, oh my gosh, his smoldering gaze threatening to make her combust under its weight as she stutters,

“A-ano… Kurama~! Don’t look at me like that! It’s- ah!” She can’t help but put a hand to her stained cheeks, moisture building in her eyes again at the intensity his devouring stare evoked in her, prompting her to clutch his hand holding hers and draw her knuckles from him. “Okay! You got everything you need here right! We should get going!” His laughter followed her flailing form as the horrid tease tugs on her hand mildly, entreating,

“Wait a moment, Mina! The transfer is nearly finished! So please wait a little bit longer with me?” Chewing on her lip again when she looks at him from under her bangs, she feels his thumb pull faintly on her chin to stop her nibbling, nearly groaning, “And don’t abuse your mouth, my Morning Star, or I’ll be forced to find other uses for it.” Nearly choking on her breath, Love’s knight nods furiously with a glowing face, steam blowing out her ears when the flirtatious deviant chuckles softly and asks, “Do you mind if I hold you?” Oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-with-him! Not trusting herself to speak without making some noise that would embarrass her, she bobs her head mechanically, earning another heart stopping smile and chortle from him as he moves around behind her.

(Mutual Vigilance - Winky)

His arms wrap around her waist, pulling her to his chest gently and displacing her thigh length tresses airily. When he encompasses her fully, her body relaxes so naturally, easily in his embrace that she nearly didn’t notice him settle a bit as well, his face going to her neck and inhaling quietly. Face still engulfed in a smattering between mortification from his earlier words and heart melting affection, she rubs her cheek against his ear, wondering, “When you do this, you’re smelling me, aren’t you?” He freezes against her, though whether it’s from him being caught or a reminder that she’s just learned about his status as non-human and was wary of what to say. But only a single second passes before he concedes,

“I am. My sense of smell is much stronger than yours, or other humans for that matter. Although I don’t need to be this close to take in your scent, I enjoy getting the full body of your natural perfume.” Her breaths hitch, her hands coming to hold his around herself as Minako remembers what Hiei and he had once said. “Demons can smell your arousal.” Fairly trembling in self-consciousness, she stammers,

“Y-you… can you smell my…” Unable to finish her question, it seemed she didn’t need to as Kurama responds,

“Oh yes, not only that, one pull of your bouquet a few meters away and I can tell many things all at once. I’d rather not overwhelm you with the knowledge of the spectrum, but some of the things I can tell are what emotions you’re feeling, if you are sick or healthy,” With a touch of amusement, he adds gleefully, “and certainly how aroused you are.” She couldn’t help the squeak that escapes her, nor the gush of liquid coating her leotard further as he huffs against her neck, murmuring, “Do you wish for a demonstration?” All she could manage was a shameful little ‘eep!’ in response, come on girl! I’m Sailor Venus! I should be able to play hard with him! Which he took as agreement and continued,

“You are incredibly embarrassed, highly aroused, but there’s also a tang of affection hidden beneath those two prominent ones. Am I right so far?” Swallowing, her head tilts as his nose caresses her throat bewitchingly while he adds, “Beneath that further, there is content, relief, and a bit of curiosity. It’s a heady combination, and I can only fathom what all of those emotions combined could be like at once.” He can smell all of that? Grappling onto his last description like a lifeline, the distraction artist wonders,

“You don’t feel all of those things at once?”

“I’m a bit new when it comes to emoting freely, I’m afraid. But I have been slowly learning what those feelings are and how to label them.” Taking her palm from his arm, the considering guardian presses it against the back of his head as she exhales,

“You’re still learning emotions… Yet the strongest one you feel is love. It’s beautiful…” Pressing a sweet kiss to her neck, the compassionate investigator moves away from the column of her throat, her fingers sliding through his wild strands softly as he murmurs in return,

“Thank you. I’ve been learning much from you, so you have my thanks for that as well.”

“Your friends don’t feel that strongly about things?”

“They do, however, other than Kuwabara, they bury most of those feelings until they can gather themselves alone. To respect their privacy, I try not to dig too deeply into their meanings and application.” She turns herself in his arms, and pulling her glove from her right hand, she reaches up and strokes his face adoringly, meeting engrossing verdant irises as she mumbles,

“That’s kind of you. It’s amazing that your senses let you take in the world in such a vivid way.” Nuzzling into her palm affectionately, he confirms,

(Nostalgia - FictionJunction Yuuka)

“They do, most especially since I’ve met you. You so openly express yourself, yet at the same time, I can’t truly glean what imaginative thoughts you have without asking you. Although sometimes you give me a few clues.” Pouting at the amused tone he used at the end, Minako grouses,

“Ha, ha, so glad you find it so funny, ya jerk!” Kurama soothes,

“It is comical, though not for the reason you believe.” Now she’s curious what he’s thinking as she takes the bait,

“Okay, now I wanna know what’s going through that big brain of yours.”

“Well, for one thing, I find it endearing that even when you are trying to hide what you are thinking, you still find a way to be honest and semi-inform me.”

“I’m not trying to!”

“I know, and that’s what I find funny about it most of the time. It’s sweet, and a testament to your pure nature, Mina.” Still pink from his earlier teasing, she feels her stomach flip in happiness from his words, that he thought she was pure...

“You think… that I’m innocent?”

“Certainly. There’s no doubt in my mind that you have a pure heart. It is weighed down by your duties, but it’s still powerful against negative energy.” Love’s incarnation feels her heart soar at his praise, no one normally associated her with innocence, that was Usagi-chan’s thing. Thinking of her ever sweet and naive princess, she connects his words on negativity just now with it while honey lashes flutter in thought. Negativity… Usagi-chan… the Silver Millenium… It’s almost like a light goes off in her head as she mutters her thoughts,

“Maybe… it’s like those crazy guys who used to use the event horizon to hide their energy.” Her pretty boy looks confused for a moment as he returns,

“What do you mean?” The perky leader of the Senshi knows she’s just jumped from topics, but she feels herself catching onto something.

“These ‘chimera.’ We can’t sense when they appear, they’ve just been getting the drop on us lately.” Gaining more momentum, she turns toward him excitedly, exclaiming, “Yeah! Back then, we could never sense those jerks until they moved further away from it. That is, until Mercury developed a way of tracking any extra energy displaced around black holes.”

“Hmm, Mina love, you are brilliant.” Me? I’m...

“R-really?”

“Yes, what we need to do is find their ‘event horizon’ in this scenario, and we’ll be able to track them.” She nods and hums, mind rolling as she tries to figure out what it could be when the computer pings, bringing their attention back to his files as Kurama quips,

“Ah! Perfect timing, speaking of the experiments, there’s some information I found about some that we’ve met.”

“Oh yeah? So what gives?” Reaching down, he extracts the disc and puts it into a case, he’s about to slide it into his pocket when she offers, “Here, I can put that in my pocket dimension along with my purse.”

“Thank you, that’d be helpful. The chimera wearing the armor is called ‘Perilous Eyes,’ as it said before, it’s an observer, and not just of the experiments. It relays information back to Azura about any happenings in the facility, and I fear it’s relayed it’s findings from the other hybrid.” Minako cringes before grumbling,

“Really? Ugh, what a creep!”

“It gets worse, the other one is called ‘Echo Vector’ and projects a person’s memories into an illusion. Though I believe you may have fried that one with your energy, I have a feeling there are more of them.” Sighing as they walk out the doorway side by side, following the wayward pulse of ki from the rest of the group, she groans,

“Of course, why wouldn’t an enemy have the ability to show other people my darkest memories.”

“Be prepared, it would seem they’ve taken a liking to you, as so many do.” Pooching her lips up at Kurama, she moans,

“Yeah, I’m an idol and used to a few stalkers, but this is a bit much.”

“Yes, these are the worst kind unfortunately. However, you are not alone, Mina.” He smiles warmly while assuring, “I’ll do whatever I can to help you. So please don’t worry too much.” Glancing up at him from under her lashes, she beams softly as she chimes heartfully,

“Thank you, Kurama. I’m so lucky to have someone like you to help me.” His hand twines her bare one, clenching gently as he insists,

(I Want to Hold your Hand T.V. Carpio cover - Beatles)

(Full to the Brim - Kate McGill)

“Not at all. You are worth any trouble that comes our way.” Her stomach flutters airily, free hand coming to her heart as it swells with absolute adoration, clear blue seas expand and shine brightly as the Incarnation of Love stops moving completely. Kurama… Bowing her head to hide her tears, she releases his hand and tackles his back lightly, wrapping her arms around his abs firmly and pressing her wet face between his shoulder blades and into his wild scarlet hair.

“I love you.” The usually teasing businessman in front of her freezes, his breaths halted too while his calloused hands come up to envelope hers, holding them tight as he murmurs,

“I love you too, Minakoi.” She hiccups, trying vainly to hold her sobs back as she feels so much, so much good in her heart that it actually hurts.

He thinks I’m worth it.

That I’m worthy.

He loves me.

He loves… me.

She’s spun from his back quickly and into his arms, her sunflower tresses haloed around them for a moment while his form curled around her, his voice rough as he rumbled, “Mina… are you crying because I said… ‘You’re worth any trouble?’” She doesn’t want to answer him at first, knowing when she did, he may pity her, but…

I’m worth it…

He loves me…

Swallowing down her sobs to stay quiet, she nods her head slowly, her vision blurry and face completely drenched as he squeezes her into himself more, the power in his arms nearly crushing as he chokes, “Mina… no matter how many times I have to say it, I will until you don’t cry anymore. You are worth it, Mina.” She can’t help the little hiccups as he strokes along her back tenderly, repeating, “You are worth it, Mina. Any trouble at all.” Her body shudders with repressed sobs as he continues, “I love you, Mina.” She opens her mouth to reply, to tell him that he doesn’t need to keep saying it, because I know you hate repeating yourself, but all that comes out is a soft keening that she barely recognized.

But he did, because then he picks her up beneath her legs, and carries her to one of the open labs nearby, sitting so smoothly in the chair with her, and begins purring as he did before. Keeping her cradled against himself as he continued whispering her new mantra, over and over for her until her whines turned to little hiccups, and those settled into huffs of breath. Eventually, Minako quieted, sighing tiredly because this was the second time tonight that she’s cried this hard. But he was here with me, he comforted me, and told me what I needed to hear until I calmed down again. Now she was left embarrassed as she glanced up at him from under her lashes, startling when he wiped below her eyes gently, a warm smile on his beautiful face as she pushed the shame away starkly.

He’s worth it too.

____________ ~Kurama~ ____________

(Eleusis Misteriis - Trobar de Morte)

He hadn’t expected her to take a hit for him, nor had he expected her to turn to him and apologize in a frenzied babble. I almost couldn’t understand what she said. Kurama had tried to assure her that it was fine and that they should really be focused on the situation at hand, but then… I’ve never heard her shout like that, so desperately and what she said… He’d never felt so much elation and sadness at once, her words cutting deep yet healing the wound at the same time.

“I want to be selfish! I want to keep everything I love! I don’t want to throw away the things that are important to me!”

And the thing that struck him the most, that dug the deepest was when Mina actually screamed, as though sending her words to some unseen deity who smites her.

“I want you! I don’t want to lose you!”

Pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, now that she’d calmed mostly and only slight waterworks remained, he smiled affectionately at her as he recalled her upgrade in power. It looked like pictures I’d seen in science class of a Star Nebula, though this one’s composition made it orange, yellow, and blue… Sailor Venus’ colors. She seemed surprised as well, for a moment anyway, before gaining a confidence in the mysterious energy that distorted her attire and a new ferocity he’d not witnessed in her before. Not in my defense… but it wasn’t like she thought I would die… it’s more like she felt like I would be taken from her.

Minakoi… Beautiful Love...

It was incredible, although there were mostly minor changes to her uniform, The Guardian of Love and Beauty looked even more divine than before, her chikara so great that it literally washed out all other energies around them. Like an actual star… And the Nebula… it can easily be defined as a nursery for new stars… Does that mean her power is being born? Or is it now born and becoming something greater? A ferocious Goddess fighting for a chance to give love and receive, and though he’d heard many legends and fables over the years, never had the fox spirit felt more like he was a part of one than then. It’s words angered him, but she didn’t seem daunted, in fact, even after it dodged her attack, she continued to fight courageously, using techniques and even an attack he’d not seen before.

That was quite an offensive. She managed to wound it, much like the first fight he’d witnessed of hers, but the others had felt her searing chikara and were now tumbling through the doorway, distracting her. Perfect. She’d been about to give chase, but he caught her, pleading with her to stop, to slow down. You always care so little for yourself, Mina… Though she bantered lightly with Kuroioku, he sent his old friend a look, something he knew would relay his urgency, and as he’d thought, got him to pursue the experiment. The other two followed soon after getting her to reveal a few tidbits he’d stow away and ask later, leaving him with his chance with her. Kurama hadn’t meant to sweep them up so fully in the kiss, but damn he’d missed her for those few hours.

The soft velvet petals he tugged and nibbled, the delectable curves Mina pressed to him, the perfume of her arousal growing with every pass of his mouth over hers, and the gratifying noises she makes in return for his attention. The things I want to do to you, koi… Even through the remnants of salt on her lips, she tasted a bit of the food and wine she’d eaten previously, but the strongest flavor was simply her. He was tempted to use his tongue to gather more of her exquisite palate, however there was something more important to do for her. Manipulating his energy to stroke along her back as a distraction, one that nearly diverted his attention as well when she mewled so earnestly.

Thankfully, he caught another whiff of her blood and regained control over his desires, pushing his energy into her wound faintly as a test to his greater restraint. He did so well in fact that when they parted with a tender sound, she kept her eyes closed a few seconds longer, her glossy, kiss swollen mouth enticing him to keep drinking, take your fill, but he stayed himself. Calm yourself, there will be plenty of time later to explore her mind, body, and soul. He was highly amused when she was still lost in the memory of sensation, but with a little teasing from him, became her entrancing, lively self again. It’s so wonderful to see your myriad of emotions, your scent shifting with each nuanced expression as you move about like a furious little bird.

(Lovers Song - Amarente)

The calculating rogue certainly wasn’t expecting it, but was grateful to have visual confirmation of her healed shoulder wound, a bit of a gamble on his part as he was caught, but he’ll join the likes of Yusuke any day if it meant seeing her skin clear and whole. Just the remnants of her blood left over. It was still a cold reminder of the injury she sustained, on his behalf, and all the more reason he’d be keeping a closer eye on her from now on. Once again the spirited noble was riled, and again he couldn’t be happier, her energy bouncing in time with her chest as she pokes him so boldly. You are at your most beautiful when you’re so expressive. She hadn’t meant to harm him with it, but her words struck a chord of truth in him, and he replied honestly in return. But whatever conclusion she had for him had strengthened her faith in him.

“You said you’d never hurt me. I believe you”

Someone so haunted by her past should not so easily forgive another’s.

He couldn’t help drawing her close, pressing their foreheads together as a symbol of affection for her. You don’t even know what I am yet. She looked away, eyes distant and that incredibly grave expression consumes her features, the same one that she wears when looking into the past. The soldier… To take that darkness from her countenance, he admits to one of his abilities and compliments her. Though secure with the knowledge that Mina wanted to know more about him, he still felt he needed to distract her again, another excuse to taste her enthralling mouth, his lips brushing hers so tenderly, his own heart throbbing from the light touches.

Kissing is fast becoming one of my favorite human behaviors. Her words whispered between his attentive caresses had his cock twitching closer to hardness in response. “Will you tell me? Everything you can… about you?” And her delightful reaction to his new pet name for her had him tempted to kneel down and drink from her. Everything about you drives me to insanity, Mina. So instead, Kurama focuses on holding her tightly to himself, pulling generously on her lips, he withholds a groan at the wonderful bouquet that strengthens with his deliberate strokes. Though soon he had to stop, as they were in a dangerous, unknown place, perhaps even surrounded by enemies as he allowed her to come back to her senses.

It’s beautiful, how lost you become when our bodies and souls touch, my Morning Star. Goading her a bit to bring her back quicker, he then lets her ask questions and answers them as thoroughly as he could without overloading her with information. She seemed particularly moved when he was going to remove specifics on creating the creatures, and though he kept his gaze toward the screen, he could feel her watching him adoringly, nearly bringing a flush to his cheeks. You seem to have a talent for bringing pleasure and embarrassment out in me. When she asked about Human World, he tried to explain as clearly as possible to her newly initiated mind, and was surprised to know she hadn’t known about Makai and Reikai.

Then she was curious about Demon World, of course, why wouldn’t she be, so he admitted it was his old home, and though he didn’t tell her what he was, he told her about his job as mediator between the worlds. He nearly laughed at her shock when she correctly assumed it was volunteer work, and proceeded with describing a big part of his nature that this world couldn’t satisfy. “Because you’re a demon.” The cosmic guardian had said it simply, not with a frightened or disdainful undertone, just accepting and retaining facts. It would seem I’ve underestimated your fortitude, love, because your scent reveals your craving to know more about me and my world. So, the spiritual savant extrapolated in short terms what the Makai was like, and how grating it could be to someone who lived in such chaos.

(Alone in the Dark - Flaer Smin)

Her delighted tittering has him smiling as well, so when she responded to his thoughts on her outside perspective, he was a bit astonished himself when she agreed with his hunger for adventure. Even while you’d forgotten, you still couldn’t shake your own need for danger. When she looked discontent with the thought of her leaving, he tried assuring her, and when that hadn’t worked, he flipped to something that always seemed to distract her: compliments and flirtation. I have much to teach you and learn from you, Minakoi. Just as he’d intended, her fluster deterred her thoughts from becoming dark as her face and chest ripened to a color similar to his hair, and if she wasn’t careful, may turn into another nosebleed.

Your expressions are always a treat, love, that I hunger for more of. She did, in fact, have tears squeeze out of her eyes from the heat as she stutters several things fairly quickly, another habit of hers he finds cute as she tries dragging him from the room. He corrected her course, and after getting her to stop chewing so tortuously on her lip, convinced her to let him hold her. Feeling her relax in his hold, her soft body settling so perfectly against his has him easing his own muscles, and naturally, as any vulpine was known to do, he presses his nose to her neck. There’s still a bit of mortification, but there’s also growing love as well. He’s startled still when Mina asks about his habit of taking in her scent, though she nuzzles her cheek to his ear as she inquired about it.

She’s not frightened, just curious. So with that little assessment, Kurama felt more assured about telling her a bit about his powerful senses. To his wonder, she seemed even more excited to know that he enjoyed her natural perfume, that is, until she must have realized the implications to his amusement. Yes Mina, I can smell your arousal, and am I ever glad for my nose in this instance. To his further mirth, he went on to describe only some of the things he could perceive with his olfactory senses, and to his inner elation and turmoil, he could smell a deluge of her fresh juices permeate the air as she squeaked in embarrassment. Mina... you test my restraint so thoroughly…

(Kiss Me - Anthony Louis)

Deciding to cater to some of his deviancy, he asks if she’d like a demonstration, and although she couldn’t quite speak clearly, the adorable noise she makes is enough incentive to begin describing what he’s gauged from her fragrance. After inquiring if he’d been correct, yet knowing that he was, he ran his nose along her neck gradually, feathery light, as he continued recalling his experience. To his further joy, even through his light seduction, she stays curious of him, questioning the simplicity of his emotions. He hated admitting any shortcomings, but for her, he would give her some insight into his inner workings, at the risk of losing her faith… To his relief, her hand comes up to stroke his cheek lovingly as she whispers something he’d not thought of himself.

“You’re still learning emotions… Yet the strongest one you feel is love. It’s beautiful…”

He couldn’t help the stutter in his human heart, for her, the Goddess of Love to think he was beautiful… You give me more and more confidence, Mina. Careful, or I might get a big head from it. Brushing an affectionate kiss against her neck, her dainty fingers sifting through his crimson locks sends a shiver down his spine as he gives her gratitude for both her praise and for teaching him what feelings are by showing them so freely to him. After a prod by her, the thoughtful vulpine revealed his stance on his friends’ privacy, apparently earning more of her fondness as she turns in his arms and removes one of her gloves, smoothing her small fingers along his cheek.

Her glove is hung on the chain that appears quietly around her waist, and although her alluring delphinium irises held him captive, he couldn’t help but notice how striking the gold rose and bead chain looked sitting lightly on her waist. Her words of admiration for his ability make him more comfortable sharing more of himself with her, pressing his face further into her palm, he compliments and teases her. Her eyes glint fiercely, glittering beautifully as she snips at him with her words, prompting him to clarify with more compliments. Her reaction to him saying she was pure was entirely unexpected, however, and brought forth heartache that no one would acknowledge that part of her.

I have seen true wickedness, and all the shades in between, and this beautiful creature most certainly lies closer to the light.

She may have her moments, and she may be the incarnation of Love itself, but she has a gentle heart, one that’s suffered much abuse, it would seem. The amount of happiness she felt was incredible, dopamine flooding her system before she suddenly becomes pensive, apparently on a train of thought. When she brings up the space pirates who hid in the event horizon of a black hole, Kurama felt confused for a moment until she explained her reasoning exuberantly. I am always impressed with your creative mind, Mina. Seeing the hope and excitement glow on her face made it all the more satisfying to say his thoughts on the matter. You are smarter than even you give yourself credit for. Something he planned on correcting, now that they were on more even ground, but they still had more to discuss about the chimera.

(Melusine Cantus - Trobar de Morte)

Her reaction to them was to be expected, disgust and disdain for their abilities and tastes, which quite matched his own impression of them. He warned her against them, as she was most certainly their target now, another thing to regret by revealing my nature, though her nonchalance about stalkers did concern him quite a bit. She is beautiful, spirited, and glows with powerful and pure energy, I’m not surprised so many have taken a liking to her. What worried him most was her love and adoration for her princess, whom the protective warrior had described as far more pure and powerful. That’s why we’ve not met yet, and we’ll keep it that way for as long as we can. I’ve already dragged you into this, let alone someone even more naive than you, love.

Her heartfelt gratitude when he assured her his support was soothing, but when he returned it with it being worth the trouble for her, she stopped moving. A bit worried, the shrewd kitsune was about to turn and ask her what was wrong when she tackled him into a fierce hug, the scent of tears flooding his nose as his trembling Morning Star whined softly, “I love you.” Everything within him stiffened, his heart skipping a beat as he wrapped his hands around hers, returning her affection with his pet name for her. Her little hiccups had his chest seized in a vice, his mind whirring with reasons why she was like this now, so pained and yet so relieved. What garnered this reaction, Minakoi? Pulling her from his back swiftly, he envelopes her in a warm embrace, doing everything in his power to ease her suffering.

The only words that stuck out to him were ones about her worth, and that… Kami, Mina, who tore you down so severely that you’d never think you're worth anything? He had to confirm it, and though she couldn’t speak, she eventually bobbed her head, wrecking every thought of the outside world as he focuses everything on her. Rather than simply hold her, he told her, over and over, that she was worth everything, and that he loved her. Her crying turned to a keen of comfort after drifting in total despair, and he knew she needed some privacy, so picking her up, he brought her to the first lab he could that was empty. Sitting in the chair, he soothed her with words and touch, feeling as though his own heart was bleeding at the sight of so much happiness for being considered worth anything.

There is so much more I need to help you with, and we’ve only just started our journey. After repeating the things she needed to hear like a mantra, she began to gradually calm, her scent effusing with embarrassment, and likely at herself. There’s no need for that, Minakoi. When she glances up at him from under her lashes, Kurama gives her a gentle smile, wiping away her tears and showing that there was nothing wrong with showing her weakness to him. To his shock, she met his eyes firmly, moisture still clinging to her lashes as she whispered lovingly, “You are too.” For a moment, he thought he’d misheard her words, but Mina wrapped her arms around his neck, lips brushing his tenderly as she repeated, “You are worth everything too… That's why I came back.”

(Natsu no Ringo - Kalafina)

Everything within him reacts, the words bring his thoughts to a halt, his heart flutters uncontrollably, and heat suffuses his face as he stares at her in awe. I am worth it? He hadn’t realized he needed to hear it too, his emotions tangling in so many ways he wasn’t quite sure what was most prominent. Is this how she feels? So full of feelings that she can’t perceive which is the strongest? He decides the only logical solution is to focus purposefully on one, the one he wants to feel in this situation. Love… the one I feel the strongest… Returning her airy kisses fervently, the wild feelings within stirring, but he keeps his hold on that one emotion to keep himself steady. The wonderful taste of peach and the scent of oranges, sunflower, lilacs, her natural ambrosia, a slight ocean breeze, bergamot and heady amber suffuse him.

Drawing deeply on her mouth with each pass, he groans when her fingers and knees curl around him, one hand threaded through his hair, the other still holding his cheek and threading through a rosy forelock. Though he wanted to keep going, to continue this exquisite rhythm they were currently enjoying, he picked up the sound of footsteps heading their way. Pulling away from her addictive kiss, he pants, “We’re going to have company soon. Are you doing better now?” Freckled nose still lightly flushed, she nods her head dazedly, lips swollen enticingly as she licks them slowly, you’re not making this any easier Mina... Mumbling,

“Y-yeah, I’m fine now. Thank you, Kurama.” Smiling warmly and closing his eyes, the satisfied yôko responds,

“No, Minakoi. I should thank you, my beloved Goddess.” It was always a joy, seeing the awe, adoration, and eventually bashfulness bloom across her precious features as the pinked starlet stammers,

“K-Kurama! Th-thats-… Mou! You are such a tease!” Chuckling softly, he brushes his nose against hers before quipping,

“One of my many charms, I’m afraid.” Grinning softly at the pout on her cute face, he states, “The others are coming to check on us, are you ready?” She hums airily and, with a grateful smile, she stands from his lap fluidly and even does a little pirouette, likely to assure him of her refreshed spirit. Bending forward a bit, she tilts her head playfully and hides her arms behind her back, chiming,

“As I’ll ever be. The real question is are you ready. Your friends seem to enjoy messing with you.” Smirking while he stands, he chortles,

“It’s why we all get along so well, we’re rather inclined to picking on one another, no matter the situation.” Mina snorts gingerly, flipping marigold tresses over her shoulder with a gloveless hand, cornflower irises narrowed incredulously as she grouses,

“You all would be jokers while everything is going wrong.”

“Laughter is supposed to be the best medicine, Jou-chan!” Whirling on Kuronue who was grinning from the doorway with a similarly mirthful Kuwabara and Yusuke both in toe while she scolds,

“Not when you’re in danger, Budou-tan!” The tantei laugh beside him as the wielder of the spirit sword guffaws,

“What is with that nickname! ‘Grapey?’” His old raid partner bemoans,

“Jou-chan thinks she’s cute and likes to torment me~!” She stomped on his foot at the end of his statement, having marched over there while he tried to garner sympathy from his friends. Shaking his head, Kurama sneaks over to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from maiming Kuronue further as the dark haired ex-delinquent jokes,

“She isn’t wrong, you kinda do look a bit ‘fresh from the vine.’”

“Not you too!” Yusuke turns toward her to smirk mischievously,

“You know, the more I get to know you, the cooler you are, V.” She beams brightly, chirping,

“You’re not too bad yourself, Urameshi-san.”

“Just call me, Yusuke. I ain’t a formal type of guy.” A distorted, stilted voice interrupts their good humor sharply,

“You... returned...” They all swung toward the corner of the room, opposite the door as the suit of armor swayed in the shadows. The worried investigator glances to his recovering starlet to gauge her reaction, and to his astonishment, she was calm, but the glare on her countenance was fierce as she returns,

(Unhallowed – Yuki Kajiura)

“Yeah, I couldn’t just let you run free. And I need to pay you back for the stress you caused me.” It stayed in the shadows, simply watching them disjointedly.

“Your pain... your soul... such beauty... in such despair...” She marches toward it, slipping her glove back on as Kuwabara snarls,

“What is that thing! It likes your despair, Venus-san?” Surprisingly, the once-bat mutters back,

“Yeah, it’s a real creep, for sure.” Ignoring their banter, Kurama warns her,

“Be wary, Mina, it may be leading you into a trap.” After her glove is fit snugly around her arm, she waves it back at him while she calls,

“Got it, Kurama.” A few more steps, and the other creature seems to apparate behind her, this time letting himself and the others get a better look at it as he shouts,

“Mina, behind you!” The creature was small, the size of perhaps a 3 year old child with mechanical wings embedded into it’s back and floating behind her. Its skin was red with irritation where the metal pieces went into its body, and when he focused in the hopes of catching some sort of weakness, he noted some of the veins below the surface of the skin were metal as well. Is that their solution? Combining flesh and metal to make it adaptable and strong? The sight of it’s pallor and sick toned skin made his own crawl, it’s knees curled up to it’s chest as though to protect itself from pain, though it ultimately failed. Was it a child before this occurred? Whose child? The thought that these monsters were targeting children now infuriated him immensely.

All she did in response to his shout was glance back at himself, azure irises determined as the ‘Echo Vector’ unleashed it’s illusion upon them all. When the fog clears enough for them all to see, the disoriented fox looks around in confusion, and with spotting Earth hovering above them, realizes they were somehow transported to the moon, or rather, with the inclusion of the Sailor Senshi and all their power standing before himself and the others, a memory. The college understudy asks quietly, “Uh, is it just me, or are we not on Earth anymore…” Yusuke agrees in a growl,

“No kidding, if their clothes and that castle are anything to go by.” He’s pointing toward the figures holding several weapons and tools threateningly at the women and a man in ebony armor. It’s Mina herself that answers what he already knew, and dreaded,

“This is the fall of the Moon Kingdom, and the final moments of the Silver Millenium.”

Chapter Text

(Akatsuki no Kuruma Accoustic version – FictionJunction YUUKA)

He had been here three times now- the Moon Kingdom in Mina’s memories- but the shock and awe on Yusuke and Kuwabara’s faces reminded him that they’d never seen the Silver Millennium and all its glory. There were several armed men standing around the Senshi, their guns trained on what he believed were the people of Earth, while those very people emanated what he could only describe as a void of negative energy. He recalls what Mina once said about the monsters she destroys, “So evil that they should not be allowed to live in our world.” A darkness so deep that light cannot escape... are those people even living anymore?

Sailor Venus stands as a fierce warrior, a crystal sword in hand instead of her whip- which rested on her hips- before the army of possessed humans, golden irises narrowed and body strung for action. The two younger men at his side look nervous, likely sensing what he could as Kurama intones solemnly, “War is never kind. I would advise looking away now.” Of course the slick haired, ex-delinquent grumbles before crossing his arms,

“Looking away won’t change the fact it happened. Plus I could still hear all of it anyway, it’s not going to help me much.” Although already looking slightly pained, the heart of the team croaks,

“He’s right. It’ll hurt like hell, but it can’t be worse than what they’re about to go through.” Mina stood at their side, her eyes which were on the two lid in sorrow as she bit her lip, looking back at the battle about to commence. Yes, war is never easy, not to those who died, nor to those who survive. Kuronue states darkly,

“These are the memories you have nightmares about, right, Jou-chan?” The dynamic duo in front of them turns toward her, Kuwabara’s eyes wide and horrified as she nods in affirmative, Yusuke’s face settles grimly as he crosses his arms, knuckles white while he clenches his coat too tightly. Swallowing, their moral compass asks,

“... How long have you had nightmares, Venus-san?” She’s silent for a moment, likely reluctant to answer, which was understandable given the things he’s found out previously, as she finally states,

“It reached its peak about a year ago, though I still occasionally did with incomplete memories since becoming Sailor Venus.” To their shock, they hear a creaky voice echo over the shouts of the rioters, the sound digging beneath his skin with irritation.

“Four times on the chopping block, three men did see. Two would die to her once, and one would die doubly! One was destined for hell, two were deceived, three men fate would scorn, and four times the curse repeats! So tell me, oh Guardian of Love,” It pauses dramatically while appearing behind her, revealing the toddler shaped creature, though it wasn’t completely solid as it wonders, “Who's the next that would taste your irony?”

The two young men around him freeze, turning to look at the suffering soldier with abject horror and, to his further grief, distrust. With that statement, it’s giving them enough information to drive us apart with suspicion. And, as intended, the two who didn’t know her as well were easily filled with doubts while it’s heckling form disappears suddenly.

“Venus-san... what did it mean by, ‘taste your irony?’” Her face was tilted down, shame burned his nostrils as he stepped in front of her. Taking her hand in his, he twines their fingers together tightly, receiving a small squeeze from hers as he considers darkly, they won’t kill us quickly, they want to draw out our pain and suffering. He nearly bears his teeth at the thought while the young mazoku lids his eyes, piecing it together quickly,

“You’ve killed your previous lovers, haven’t you?” Kuwabara gasps, horror struck as she flinches behind him, her trembling traveling up Kurama’s arm as he uses his other to pull her to his back, silently assuring her he trusted her as Kuronue steps next to him, hand on his waist as he rumbles,

“She’s been through some shit, alright? So if you don’t know the circumstances, don’t make such snap judgments.” The only full human among them looks slightly chastised, meanwhile, the more morally gray of the two asks,

“Kurama, you knew... and you still trust her?” The tone of his voice wasn’t suspicious, not anymore, it sounded closer to determination as he confirms,

“With my life, Yusuke. I know you two don’t know her very well, but I ask that you have faith in my ability to make sound calls.” Mina pressed herself into his back further, nuzzling her face into his hair and between his shoulder blades, loosening some of the tension in his body. Yusuke huffs lightly, hardwood eyes locked on the part of her skirt peeking out behind himself, finally conceding,

“I’ll trust your experience on this Kurama.” Kuwabara nods,

“Same, I got your back, Kurama.” Smiling gratefully, Kurama confides,

“I’m glad. I believe they were trying to turn us against each other, purposefully telling you only those small pieces of information in prose to disconcert and mislead you.” And torment Mina further. It was bad enough that this particular memory- one that likely haunts her- is being projected for an audience, but to have their doubts ‘solidified’ by witnessing her cutting these people down would be enough to break anyone. Though I have a feeling you would continue on, Mina. Heartbroken and scorned from befriending anyone more. Catching the looks on their faces, he could tell that the duo were furious at the thought, with the retired detective growling,

“That son of a bitch! Get out here and fight us like a man!”

“Yeah, you coward!” Any further insults are interrupted by the man in ebony armor shouting, “People of Earth, the people of the Moon are not our enemy! They are our allies! We-” A woman with long, wavy maroon hair cuts in,

“You’ve been tainted by that devilish princess, Prince Endymion! Listen to yourself! You’ve been taken in by all her lies!” The people began echoing the woman’s sentiments, crying out,

“Release our Prince at once, you monster!”

“You won’t get away with this!” The interstellar noble’s hand clenched into his shirt as she moves slowly out into the open and stares in resignation when the princess cries brokenly,

“Stop this madness! Please!” He couldn’t help but to grip her hand tighter, admiring her resolve as she watches, knowing what will happen here. You possess such strength, Mina.

Venus.

The naive princess’ words go unheard, his heart aching at the purity in her tone while the bloodlust in the air goes unsatisfied, inciting them to shout out words that feel like the nails in a coffin. “Death to the Moon Princess!” The young girl with silver blond pigtails gasps, hydrangea colored irises wide and full of innocent fear. Gritting his teeth, Kuwabara seethes,

“There’s gotta be some way out of this! Come on guys! Can’t we just blast the scene or something?” He’s not startled when the asinine goblin cackles all around them while taunting,

“There’s no way out! Just kick back and enjoy the show~!” Yusuke looks about himself, trying vainly to find the source of the words while he shouts,

“Get your ugly ass out here and fight us, you piece of shit!” It’s actually their chimera friend that informs them,

“You can’t just blast power around in something like this, especially if we’re still technically in the facility, it would just destroy the building and bury us alive.” Although reluctant, the spurned vulpine watches the scene unfold as Kuwabara growls,

“Then what about my dimensional sword? Can’t I cut through something like this?” Kurama answers morosely,

“This is an illusion, it is not a separate dimension. Unfortunately your energy would be wasted.” What we need is to figure out what the ‘event horizon’ is here, and with it’s trick gone, they wouldn’t be able to hide their energy from us, and we could easily find the caster. Glancing at Kuronue, he’s reminded of his comrades specialty in illusions and magic, and how handy it would be in this case. If only your memories weren’t hidden...

“I hate this! Anyone with a brain can see she isn’t evil! Those jerks are just on a warpath!” They’re all surprised to hear Mina’s voice echo around them,

(In the Land of Twilight, Under the Moon Studio Live version – Yuki Kajiura)

‘Their eyes… they’re glowing, like some form of possession!’ Out loud, she shouts in the memory, “Mars, do you sense any strange energies?”

“Yeah,” The woman with thigh length black hair replies, adding, “I can feel some really terrible negative energy coming from all of them.” They can see the consternation building on Sailor Venus’ face as her thoughts echo around them again, ‘These uprisings... they weren’t just normal human turmoil... these people were being spurred by this energy...’ Nodding gravely, the Senshi’s leader commands,

“Mercury! Use your scanners to find the source of their negative energies!”

“Right!” To their shock, four men leap from the back and stand before the guardians. The one with silver hair walks forward as the prince tries to move toward him, shouting in hope,

“Kunzite! Nephrite! Zoisite! And Jadeite! Boy am I glad-” Kunzite! This is… He studies the man who stood before them, incredibly tall, even a little more than Kuwabara, but with aggression his friend rarely showed. His hair was shoulder length and silver, his eyes a narrow rainy gray fit into carved skin, looking more like a Grecian statue than a human. If this is Kunzite... She kills him here. I need to find a solution quickly, before they see what transpired. Spreading his senses out again to try and find something, anything that could help, he considers what Mina had said about Mercury’s method of sensing those who use the energy distortions of a black hole.

“Back then, we could never sense those jerks until they moved further away from it. That is, until Mercury developed a way of tracking any extra energy displaced around black holes.”

Extra energy displaced… Perhaps where it’s being funneled? Looking at Kuwabara, who stood gaping at the scene with helpless anger on his face, Kurama places a hand on his shoulder, inquiring quickly, “Kuwabara, I need you to focus now. The energies around here, I need you to help me pinpoint any minute ki that’s slightly displaced.”

“Energy displaced? Why would-”

“Remember your foray into planetary science, when a course on artificial atmosphere was given a special lecture for new developments? These creations may be using something like a black hole’s event horizon to hide their power from our detection. Your awareness is finely tuned and may be the key to locating it.”

“What? A black hole! Kurama, you know what that kind of thing does, right? It absorbs light and energy- wait, is that what you’re talking about? It’s absorbing the energy around us so we can’t sense them!”

“Yes, perhaps when manipulated and used correctly, science may be able to make something to hide energy signatures, like a predator hiding downwind of it’s prey. We need to find any discrepancies in the ki surrounding us as it may be an indication of the experiment’s location.” Determination alighted his features as he clenches a fist in front of his chest, growling,

“Alright! I’ll try to find it!”

“Please do.” Looking to Yusuke and Kuronue, who were silently seething with inactivity, he requests, “Although your senses are not as sensitive as Kuwabara’s, you can still keep an eye out for weaknesses in the mirage. They are bound to slip up one way or another as we get closer to destroying them.”

“Roger that, Boss Man.”

“You got it, Kurama.”

“Is it true, Prince Endymion?” The man’s voice was like the rumble of a far off storm, with a brush of liquor as the young royal asks,

“Kunzite? What-”

“Are you taking their side? Over your own people?” To their shock, the Guardian of Love‘s doe-like eyes are wide in trepidation in the vision as Endymion objects,

“What are you talking about? They’ve been helping us! They gave us their soldiers to help fight this evil among us! And yet you would-”

“I would Endymion, when I believe they have bewitched you. You’ve been deceived. They fill our ranks to take us over from within.” Closing his eyes, he tries to perceive his surroundings with a fine toothed comb while the vicious memory continues to surround his ears.

“What are you talking about? They’ve never-”

“Look at us, my Prince. They’ve clouded your mind with empty ideals and sweet words to weaken you, and now where do you stand? With them.” It’s only for a moment, but he sensed something absolutely heinous, and upon opening his lashes, a giant monstrous face appears behind the humans, grinning wickedly with what looked to be an upside down cross emblazoned on its head. Is that what’s controlling them? Yusuke gapes at the shadowed form, perhaps once human from its shape, shouting irately,

“What the fuck is that!” They’re all startled when Mina answers solemnly from beside himself,

“That is Metalia.” He remembers what she’d said that very night about it,

‘“A negative energy that separated from the sun, and took root on Earth, slowly feeding on and instigating violence in the people, turning them against us.’ That’s how you described it, correct?” She nods gravely, gripping his shirt tighter while adding,

“Yes. It’s an energy lifeform that, later on, we found out was an aspect of Chaos, a malignant being that has influenced every monster we’ve had to face in it’s efforts to become a true star.” Kuwabara was gobstopped as he squeaks,

“You guys fought that thing!” Yusuke, of course, combats nerves with sarcasm as he grumbles,

“Ya’d think it’d just be satisfied being an idol or something.” A turbulent, multifaceted growl echoes around them ominously,

“Your power... the Moon Kingdom’s power will belong to me!” The Senshi in the memory note the monster’s presence, the blue clad warrior shouting,

“All energy signatures point to that thing being the source!” At that statement, the humans surrounding them shout as the four generals smile maliciously, roaring,

“We’re not waiting anymore! Charge! Kill the invaders!” The four watched in horror as the large mob charged the royals and guardians, the golden warrior pushing the Prince back when he tried pleading with them.

“Prince! They won’t hear you! They’re being controlled! Stay by Princess Serenity’s side!” The dark haired man’s eyes are wide in panic as he argues,

“I can’t just let you slaughter my people! Like you said, they’re-”

“Prince!” She easily blocks and parries a sword aimed at her chest while she growls, “It’s them, or us right now. I’m sorry, but you and Princess Serenity are our top priority. There’s too many to consider non-fatal tactics.” Endymion grits his teeth, eyes full of anger and despair, staring in agony as body after body falls, one a Lunar guard protecting them, five or six the denizens of Earth.

Having clenched his fist while he concentrated, the most spiritually aware narrows his eyes and is straining himself to find anything out of the ordinary. Kurama instructs him gently, “Relax Kuwabara, pushing your senses too much will just distract you further.”

“Yeah. I know, it’s just hard not to when Venus-san’s past self is suffering, let alone what she feels right now!” Kurama nods, Mina at his side releasing the back of his shirt a bit in response to the support as he agrees,

“It is, however, her current grief can be limited with our help if we act cautiously.” Yusuke growls in impatience,

“Damn! Why can’t it be just a bunch of assholes for me to hit? I’d feel a lot better being more than just the side guy!”

“We’ll get our chance when those two find the source. I call dibs on the gargoyle.”

“Not if I punch it in the throat first!” Although the sounds of battle echo around them eerily, she snuggles into his side gently, her shaking lessening with the other’s assurances that they were now on her side. Wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his chin on her head in comfort, he studies Kuwabara as he relaxes himself, taking his advice to heart, as he always does, to better find distortions. They’re all shocked when the vermilion haired woman rushes past the crowd, screeching fiercely,

“You took my Endymion!” Before she can skewer Princess Serenity, the dark prince shields her, preventing any damage as he’s run through by the sword. All hell breaks loose as the citizens begin pushing the offensive more fervently, trying to take advantage of the chaos. The Lunar soldiers trying to hold the line are easily overwhelmed despite their technological advances, with many being impaled multiple times and savaged by tools others held. There’s several small pleas and prayers from the white gowned princess, before an earth shattering keen of anguish escapes her lips, her ear piercing sobbing twisting Kurama’s insides as she holds Endymion’s dying form in her arms. There was only a split second before a blur of gold rushed through the bodies swiftly, and like an avenging angel, ran the woman through.

The absolute rage that consumes his love’s features in the memory claws at his stomach, especially when she twisted the sword and pulled it back out to cut down a person who had tried to sneak up behind her. To his astonishment, the current one disappears from his side, causing him to turn and look for her, and finding her gone, fear grips his heart. “Mina! Mina, where are you? Please, let me know you’re alright!” He can feel the others turn to look at him, the screams of the dying and the chilling sound of metal on metal drumming in his head, but she was gone. With those creatures wanting Mina, they may have- Working to calm himself and think through everything logically, he glances around them, looking for any clues to her whereabouts, but finding no trace of her. Mina!

(Himitsu – Yuki Kajiura)

The four men at the front line shout out about their Prince being dead, drawing his attention back to the scene before him, and watching in growing alarm as the fey princess takes a hold of the blade that slew her prince. But instead of taking up arms like he thought she might, she rotates the sword to aim at herself. The softest hearted member of their group shouts in panic, “No! Don’t do it!” As he finished his statement, they all stare in dread as she stabbed herself, staining her pure white gown red, falling to her side and landing on her lover’s still form, holding his hand as her lashes flutter shut. Kuwabara falls to his knees, tears streaming down his face as Mina in the memory looks back at Princess Serenity, disbelief consuming her features and she stops fighting.

“Seren-ity?” While she was trying to comprehend the loss of her princess, the vulpine ex-thief grits his teeth when he sees it’s Kunzite who stabbed her while her attention faltered. She gasps for breath, and looking down at the sword protruding from her chest, she glances back slowly at her former lover over her shoulder, tears streaming down her face. He pulls the blade from her chest, staining her uniform a bright pomegranate red as she finally seems to understand what’s happening around her. ‘Princess Serenity... is gone...’

‘She’s gone...’

‘My reason for living...’

‘Is gone!’

Kurama was unprepared for the screams of agony and grief that left her lips, her voice breaking horridly and sending several chills down his spine. Blood spatters from her mouth as her crystal sword’s tip rests against the ground, she falls to her knees while openly sobbing and keening, the fighting around her slowing as though shocked at her display. At that moment, the Moon’s queen he’d seen in her memories shouts in trepidation, faint lavender pigtails curling and waving around her as she drops to the princess’ body, beginning to wallow in the loss of her child. This all really happened. This is Mina’s past life... She didn’t just outright kill Kunzite, said man stares at the scene with a cruel smile on his face, enjoying the torment they felt as he waves the blood off his sword, the other Senshi in similar states of misery before the other generals.

She’s as good as dead, that wound went right through her heart... So did she not really kill Kunzite, and only feels guilt over his death? Through the heart wrenching scene in front of them, Kuwabara shouts tearfully, “I found it! Kurama, something weird is happening at 4 meters (~13’) to our left, 10:30, the energy current is just slightly different than it should be!” Pulling the seed of an itadori from his hair, he wills it to grow beneath the ground, easily destroying the concrete he knew they stood on, becoming a vicious patch of sword-like stems to skewer whatever stood within 3 meters (~9’) of that area. There’s a screech of pain and bloodshed, but the vision is uninterrupted as Kuwabara hisses, “I’ll try again!”

(Emil/Despair – Keigo Hoashi)

“You took everything from me!”

They’re all startled by the roar of despair, a blast of ki he knows to be the bright beauty, but not her Senshi form’s. This is the power of the Goddess, Venus. She leaps quickly from her spot on the ground, slicing everything within a 5 meter (~16’) radius and darting toward the betrayer general, screeching in such raw agony, he shivered instinctively from it,

“There’s nothing left for me anymore!” He forms a barrier with his energy, barely catching the blade before it hits him, however, her brilliant power is battering the shield, chipping away at it quickly as he shouts,

“Just die, you wicked woman!” Through her tears and rage, she screams as she pushes harder against his protection,

“I won’t stop! I’ll never stop! Not until every one of you is dead!” Gray eyes widen as her chikara shatters his shield, forcing him to move back or be bisected by her blade. Gathering a ball of green energy into his hand, he throws it at her and, to all their shock, Mina cuts it in half with the sword and charges him.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to protect the ones I love!”

Kurama is stunned when he hears her voice echo around them forlornly, ‘I gave up everything for her... for a purpose greater than myself. Now it’s been stripped away...’ Crimson bangs shade his eyes as he recalls what he found out through her dream memory. She gave up her status as a Goddess, or rather, a noble of the Celestial Court, becoming a soldier for her princess, and likely forsaking her family in the process. Clenching his fist, he feels his worry continue to build every second she is out of his reach, possibly suffering further in the cruel hands of the chimera, or worse. Taken to Azura while she’s emotionally vulnerable. All he could do now was rely on Kuwabara and his own senses to point out more distortions and take them out one by one.

When he returns from his rumination, the other Senshi were in duels with the rest of the generals as well, though the women seemed pained while attacking the men. They were all comrades, up until this point. The humans harboring even the smallest bit of fear must have had those emotions exploited, corrupting once minor thoughts into full blown hatred. Glancing back to Kunzite as he crouched low, sword pointed upward in a thrust as he made to skewer Love’s soldier, but when the fierce Goddess spins toward his sword arm- that’s dangerous- he misses. Steel eyes widen, though it’s to the plant warrior’s horror that he sees the possession falter, and likely realizing that he’d killed his lover even if her body keeps moving, closes his eyes as he whispers forlornly,

“I’m sorry, Venus.”

The sword swiftly separates his head from his shoulders, body falling back to the ground bonelessly, spasming with remaining impulses, raising the hair on Kurama’s arms. Her face contorts with heartache as she noted the change as well, possibly even hearing his final apology as she bows her head to wail in grief. I couldn’t have imagined a more tragic end to them both... Though she was suffering, she pressed on, continuing to slaughter the once humans that took up arms against them. He realizes then that this wasn’t just her deific power keeping her going, and where that energy was truly coming from, and from the look of him, Yusuke does as well.

“Her life energy... she’s using it all...” Kuronue grips his elbows as he glares with a pained twist to his mouth, Kuwabara also cringing at the carnage she leaves behind in her unbridled wrath.

“What! No! Dammit, I gotta try harder!” Closing his eyes, the gentle fighter’s brows furrow further to find another anomaly, anything to avoid taking in the harrowing battle going on around them. That’s not all... they cannot see it, but I certainly can. Mina’s soul was fracturing, quite literally, unleashing all that power at once, and moving a body that was likely already becoming cold and stiff. Baring his teeth in anger, he knows what happens to the soul when fissures distort it. Like those that went to Koenma, unable to speak and corrupted beyond their species reincarnation... not including the excruciating pain it causes while and after happening.

Her movements have become inelegant and heavy handed, slicing blindly through every body nearby without hesitation, features wet with blood and tears as she keens sorrowfully, “She meant everything to me!” Her thoughts echo around them, twisting the knife in his chest as she whispers dejectedly, ‘It hurts so much, all this pain... What purpose did I serve?’ Thankfully, Kuwabara’s call distracts him from his own torment at her traumatic words,

“Found another one! It’s 7 and a half meters away (~24’) at 7:45!” Kurama feels a ferocity building within, teetering him on the edge of transforming from the emotional onslaught of watching Mina suffer, and his own fury at being unable to do anything to alleviate her pain then. Right now, we can try and find her to protect her.

“Understood.” Unleashing the knotweed again, he’s rewarded with another death knell from a creature, but the vision didn’t dissipate, only allowing him to watch as the other guardians slowly fell to the fighting; Mercury first, having lost her arm in battle with the long haired blond general, and yet again, the spell controlling him falters for a moment, allowing her a chance to encase his body in ice, and shatter it. Followed by Jupiter, whose legs were disabled and twisted by the brunette one, and with his hesitation, she managed to knock him down and with a quick motion, snapped his neck. Lastly was Mars, who was stabbed by the short haired one, used the stall in his conviction to place her hands on his chest, and with a burst of flames, incinerated the last one and fell near their princess.

“So tell me...”

Closing her eyes tightly, cheeks shining with water tracks and face knitted in misery, the tortured guardian’s voice cracks while she screams to the sky in desolation,

“What did I do wrong!”

(Shadows and Fog – Yuki Kajiura x Void Chords)

The transition is jarring, one moment they were gazing at the fall of the Silver Millennium, the next they had returned to the laboratory, the little imp inducing illusions lay sliced diagonally on the ground, his love’s glowing form standing over it’s corpse. There were many more littered around them, making a path toward her vicious form as she states darkly, “It took me a moment to figure out which one was making the illusion, considering it was still projecting my memory and I couldn’t see. But it looked at me with it’s disgusting eyes when I got closer.” The relieved yôko noted that although she couldn’t see, she avoided any blood spray, indicating her true understanding of minute mechanics in battle.

Huffing to himself, he thinks with humor, as though she hasn’t already proven to be an extremely competent warrior beyond any doubt. What did give him pause was the same output of energy she used in the vision was occurring now. She had to expend life energy to move again, fracturing her soul. I’ll need to help her later. She’s surprised when Kuwabara shouts ecstatically, “Venus-san! You’re alright! Boy, is that a relief!” Mina smiles softly, benevolent in comparison to the merciless soldier she just was while executing her tormentor. To his own relief, her ki settles as she stops siphoning from her life energy and states,

“I had a little help.” The minute sound of a sword cleaving through flesh and metal reaches his sensitive ears, and there was only one person he knew of that could slice so quietly. Turning toward the noise, Kurama smirks gratefully as he greets,

“It’s good to see you, Hiei. We’re quite grateful for the assistance.” The dark clothed yōkai snorts faintly, grousing,

“I’m gone for a day, and this is what I come back to. You know how to find the most interesting problems, Kurama.” Glancing toward Kuronue, Hiei snorts, “I see you’re still somehow breathing, buffoon.”

“If it isn’t my favorite wet cat! Thanks for the help, Okoru Neko!” The violet loving apparition receives a seething glint of teeth in return as the flying shadow returns to cutting down lab experiments.

“Man, it’s about time I get to smash some faces in!” And with a vengeance for forcing him into a helpless position, Yusuke nearly apparates with his speed, pummeling any and every distorted figure within reach. Kuronue and the young scholar grin as they too join the fray, slashing through the figures who put up a bit of a fight, but not enough to slow anyone down. I certainly don’t want to lose the chance to release some frustration as well. Withdrawing a rose from his hair, the ancient soul flicks it with a spike of his chikara, the stem lengthening into his signature weapon as he calls out,

(Kurama’s Theme – Honma Yusuke)

“Rose Whip!” With meticulous precision, he flips above a group of approaching bodies and slices through all of them within a circle, landing silently in the center where no blood touched. Glaring ahead, he finds the cloaked abomination from earlier that his enchanting deity almost took out, he darts toward it and cuts down more of the fodder on the way. Already having witnessed its ability to morph, and planning ahead, adjusts the rose whip with his ki and shouts,

“Petals and Thorns!” Momentarily bringing the petals of the rose back, he unleashes the razor sharp objects, spreading out and drilling into it’s blubbery surface. It’s screech of pain is assuring as he gets closer, using it’s agonized distraction to his advantage. Just like with the Guardian of Love and Beauty, it bursts with ribbed tentacles in self defense. Wrong move. Not changing his direction toward the tendrils, he continues to control the petals and thorns already surrounding it while shifting his whip’s form slightly, announcing, “Rose Whiplash!” Making multiple cuts through it’s flesh mercilessly, he slices it to bits, and considering it’s amorphous form, expects it to be able to reattach itself, so to go one step further, he summons the Demon Devouring Tree once more.

Allowing the acid saliva to drip on the pieces, he watches the chunks writhe and spike with agony, the sound of flesh rolling mildly disturbing as Mina’s steps sound behind him. “Oh wow, what’s that?” The chunks are melted away into nothing, though the tree was mildly disappointed at being denied a meal, Kurama answers,

“It’s called the ‘Shi Kemono Shokubutsu,’ and as its name indicates, it’s a carnivorous plant that devours demons, but for this instance, I’m using its highly acidic saliva to melt and prevent the thing’s reformation.” He notes that her energy is back to normal levels, thankfully, as she stands at his back, commenting with a note of wariness,

“It doesn’t look friendly, that’s for sure.” Smiling lightly as the ground sizzles and dissolves with the excess liquid, he returns,

“I can assure you, it is not.” Grateful she doesn’t move around his arm that the flora wrapped around, he withdraws the plants into seeds and turns toward her. Parsing the situation around the room before conversing with her, he finds that all the enemies had been completely decimated, with barely a patch of clean space on the floor or walls, though he wondered about Perilous Eyes. Lips twitching with a sweat drop, he laughs to himself softly, they certainly didn’t hold back… As though reading his thoughts through his study of the area, she pouts,

“I didn’t see the armor thing, fortunately. But~ it looks like you took care of the goopy guy! And is that your power? Over plants?” Grinning gently at her boundless curiosity, the greenery specialist confirms,

(Fairytale – Jonathan Segev)

“Yes, a perfect compliment to yours, wouldn’t you say?” Removing his yoki from the whip, it changes back to it’s simple rose form, and offering it to her, the lovely ray of sunshine glows with adoration as she takes the stem delicately. Her trust in me is heartening, considering she’s now seen what I can do. Marigold irises study the rose tenderly, and bringing it to her nose, inhales carefully before commenting,

“It’s beautiful, and smells like a normal rose. But I feel like a part of you is still in it.”

“You can keep it if you wish. As you said, my energy remains inside and it will stay as it is for much longer than natural roses.” When she smiles, it’s brilliant in its intensity, just like a real star as she chokes,

“Thank you, Kurama.” Pulling her to himself, he embraces her tightly as he murmurs,

“Not at all, Mina. You deserve much more than this, but for now, it’ll have to do.” Shaking her head against his chest, she asserts,

“You’ve done more for me than you think, silly.” Mina presses a kiss to his heart, making it ache sharply from fullness and puts a flutter in his stomach, her lips whispering against his chest, “I don’t know how I could ever repay you.” Petting her sunflower tresses lovingly, Kurama returns quietly,

“No. There is nothing to repay, koi. Just being able to be with you is rewarding enough.” He notes that the others are standing outside the room, giving them privacy without leaving them alone entirely. A wise decision, considering our history here already. She sighs in comfort, nuzzling his heart a bit more before leaning back, a sweet blush coloring her nose as she inquires,

“Could you... put the rose on my bow? It’ll look cute there, don’t you think?” Lips tilting up with affection, he agrees,

“It would. Stay still for a moment.” She hums happily, giving him the rose and placing her hands back on his chest, smoothing over his pecs tenderly while he uses his ki to manipulate it through her ribbon. Deciding it would stand out more with his help, he encourages the vines of the rose to line the edges of her bow, the green contrasting beautifully with the ribbon and providing a bit of separation between the similarly colored red rose. Brushing blond bangs softly, he remarks, “You’re all set. You have a mirror, correct?” Nearly bouncing with excitement, the cosmic royal pulls the crescent compact from her skirt and flips it open quickly, admiring his handiwork with growing sounds of delight.

“Kirei~! It’s like magic! I love your abilities, Kurama!”

“I’m glad. But as you saw before, my power can be monstrous as well.” Meeting his emerald gaze warmly, she reminds him,

“Love and beauty can be too. That’s what makes us so strong, ne?” Using his thumb to rub the cherry of her cheek adoringly, the entranced thief grins,

“Quite, though I’ve yet to see anything so terrible in you, Minakoi.” To his joy, her ears redden, the light freckles disappearing as she stutters while glancing away shyly,

“You're such a smooth talker!” Taking her by the waist and pulling her against himself, tilting her chin up to stare sincerely into heated honey irises, he reminds her,

“What is it I keep telling you?” Doe-eyes blink in confusion for just a few seconds, before that sweet burn brightens with her understanding as she stammers,

“Y-you don’t say what you don’t mean.” Leaning down and lidding his gaze, he murmurs,

“Precisely.” Though Mina still glowed in embarrassment, she welcomed his kiss wholly, tugging on his lips deeply, her peach flavored mouth producing wonderfully soft sounds as they took a few draws from one another. Parting from her slowly, his eyes lid lightly as Kurama inquired quietly, “Are you alright now? All of us had a peek at another very private memory. I’d understand if you’d want to leave, and don’t worry, it’s the same for the others.” She stands on her tiptoes to take his mouth again, drawing a groan from him as she pulls teasingly on him. A few more nips to his bottom lip and sanity, she leans back to whisper with an adoring, yet forlorn smile,

“I will be eventually. It’s one thing to tell you about it, but for you to see what happened… I’m sorry you had to witness it-”

(Fionnula’s Tale – Marc Jungermann)

“Never apologize for something beyond your control. It violated your privacy and truly, you have every right to be distraught. If you need a moment to yourself, please, just let us know and we’ll give it to you.” Her roiling gold irises shimmer while she holds a fist in front of her lips, face still heavily tinged as she mumbles reverently,

“Kurama...” She jumps and wraps her arms around his neck, hanging around him with her toes barely touching the floor, her tinkling voice muffled against his throat, “I love you so much, I can’t even begin to describe it.” Gaze softening before closing entirely, he envelopes her smaller form in a warm embrace, leaning down so she doesn't dangle from him like a necklace. Silly woman, always making things more difficult for yourself. Pressing a kiss to her ear, he murmurs,

“That’s alright, I can tell how happy you are.” Releasing her when she unwound her arms from him, the peppy starlet glances up at him and chimes,

“Oh yeah! You can smell my emotions right? That’s so cool, but also cheating! I can’t hide anything from you!” Grinning mildly at her enthusiasm, the garden fox affirms,

“Yes, and I’ll admit, it’s going to come in handy interpreting your cocktail of feelings, koi.” Pouty lips tempt him endlessly as he continues, “And what exactly are you planning on hiding from me, hmm?” She’s gobstopped for a moment, floundering for words as her eyes dart away from his, then attempting to take on an entirely fake innocent air, leading him to a conclusion easily, “Let me guess, you’re going to try and hide any trouble you find, aren’t you?” Gaping at him, Mina retorts archly,

“I will not! I’ll tell you!”

“I hope so, because I’ll know when you’re lying.” She pooches her lips out at him, emulating a petulant child perfectly and forcing him to hide his mirth as she cries,

“That’s not fair! Now your super nose sucks!” Smirking and leading her by the back toward the door, considering how animated she was and the little amount of sadness left behind, he considered her fit for investigation as Kurama quips,

“Even without my sense of smell, I can still tell when someone’s lying, remember?” Crossing her arms and marching away from him grumpily, she spins around and sticks her tongue out at him from the doorway, cheeky little minx, complaining,

“Ugh, you can be such a jerk! Why do you have to be good at everything!” Trying to keep from laughing at her dramatic display, Yusuke and Kuwabara gawp at her like she’d lost her mind, Hiei rolled his eyes and darts down the hallway, while Kuronue saunters up to her and ribs,

“Because he’s gotta deal with brazen little Jou-chan’s like you!” Expecting the incensed Senshi to stomp on his foot this time, he moves out of the way quickly, but misses her punch to his arm. Crying out exaggeratedly, he winces in pain for added effect while whining, “See! This is exactly why he’s gotta be perfect! You’re so demanding!”

“You’re lucky I can still just toss you into the fray as a distraction or I’d tan your hide, Budou-tan!” Raising his hands placatingly at her, he shouts while pretending to cower in fear,

“Hidoi!” Waving a hand at him as though slapping away his words, she looks at the former tantei and grins,

“Sorry about that, both of these guys can be such pains sometimes, but anyway, let's get back to figuring out the mysteries of this place!” Sneaking up behind her, Kurama pinches just below the cheek of her ass, causing her to jump and a peep the cutest noise as she covers her bottom,

“Even me, Mina?” There’s a glimmer in her canary tourmaline irises, as though accepting a challenge and, to his amusement and detriment, she closes the space between their hips. Pressing that absolutely mouthwatering derriere against his crotch, putting a finger to her lips coyly, doll-eyes gazing up at him in such provocative innocence that he felt his loins stir immediately while Mina coos,

“Most especially you, Ku-ra-ma~!” With each emphasis on the syllables of his name, she rubbed herself heavily against him, nearly inciting a growl as Yusuke cheers,

“Damn! And here I thought we were just going to be bored or fighting, but we got a little show going on!” Kuwabara covers his eyes swiftly, crying out,

“Shut up, Urameshi! I’m too young for this!” Kuronue wolf whistles, grinning like a fox with a hen as he adds,

“Woo hoo! Didn’t know you had it in you, Jou-chan!” With a tilt of her head, she bumps lightly into his chest, sticking her tongue out at him briskly before dancing away and out of his reach. Smirking at the thought of a chase, the aroused vulpine rumbles,

“This isn’t over, Minakoi. Naughty girls will be severely punished.” Bouncing around him with playful giggles, she returns,

“It’s not a punishment if I enjoy it, yōkai-san!” The other two demons howled with laughter and catcalls, while their more prudish teammate continues to cover his ears and close his eyes, making noises so he doesn’t hear anything more debauched. Still so young.

“We shall see, koi.” The teasing celestial parades in front of him, tongue darting out at him as she leads them someplace. Noting that she continues past the other rooms, he begins to wonder her motive as he openly questions, “Mina, is there a reason you’re passing all these rooms?” Marigold irises flick to his for a while, the age in them showing only this once physically, as the one other time he’d seen it was in her dreamscape, when she became Venus the Goddess.

“My gut tells me I need to go this way. I promise once we look at whatever my intuition is telling me to see, we’ll come back and investigate the rest of these rooms.” Nodding, he returns,

“Understood. I’m rather interested in where your senses tell us to go.”

“Yeah, me too. You’ve not had some instinct lead you before, have you?” Smirking lightly, Kurama corrects,

“On the contrary, she is constantly led by her gut to do impulsive things. This is, in fact, one of the more normal things her senses are telling her to do.” Pouting, she glowers at him before chiding,

“Mou! If this situation weren’t so serious, I’d slap you silly!” He’s chuckling with a fist to his mouth as Kuroioku quips,

“Don’t threaten a demon with a good time, Little Miss!” Opening a door to a set of stairs, she begins to go down as she hisses,

“Stuff it, Grapey! No one asked you!”

“Ouch! You wound me, Jou-chan!” Reaching a particular floor, she opens the door leading to the hallway, turning to grouse over her shoulder,

“I’m sure you’ll survive.” They’re surprised when they see Hiei standing by a particular door at the far end of the hall, and when they approach, he grumbles,

“It’s about time you stopped fooling around. There’s something here you should see.”

____________ ~Minako~ ____________

The door was already open, as though waiting for someone to enter, whereas the others weren’t. Creepy~ She studies the room they’ve entered, with only emergency lights for guidance, spotting a few desks, a few large ceiling-to-floor glass containers with nothing inside, and papers scattered on the desks. Though the tubes were empty, she walked towards them to look inside anyway, and upon coming within arms reach, something seemingly appears inside. Putting a hand over her mouth, irises expanded with horror, she watches a half humanoid fetus with sheer skin float in the liquid, the other part, a centipede-like spine coils toward the bottom, it’s bug legs twitching. What set it apart more was the fact that the claw-like bug legs went further up it’s back and partially separated at the ribs, the claw-legs curled around it’s human arms and shoulders.

From the look of it, the body above the humanoid one had no separate head, instead, it seemed only to be a seperate mouth. Clenching her teeth at the terrifying creation, Minako feels arms wrap around her in comfort as Kuwabara hisses, “What the hell is that!” The walking attitude looks quite furious as well, snorting,

“That’s what I’d like to know.”

“And exactly why I was waiting for you fools.” Before an argument could start between Hiei and their taller friend, Kurama murmurs darkly,

“Science’s aim is to build knowledge about the natural world. But this... this is tearing that notion apart. They aren’t trying to learn anything; they’re trying to make something... but what?”

Yusuke rubs his nose quickly before striding around to the desk nearby,

(Torvus Clockwork OC remix – Kenji Yamamoto)

(Echoes-oes-oes – Kota Suzuki)

“Good question, Kurama. Let’s see if some snoopin’ will give us anything.” Casting a wary glance at the incubating creature, she lets her protective heartthrob lead her away from it and toward the desk. Watching in humor as Yusuke pulls out papers half-hazardly, meanwhile, his more studious friend leafs through them slowly, taking in the info better. Hiei and their grape-clad friend seem to be examining the things around the room carefully, assessing threats as Kurama murmurs,

“I’ll check the computer for anything on our stationary roommates there.” Nodding, the curious vigilante watches as he easily cracks the password, holy crap! Then searches through file managers pretty quickly, barely giving her time to read where he was going or searching through. Wow, he’s good with tech too? Is there anything he isn’t good at? By the time she tuned back in, he found some audio files, prompting her to ask aloud,

“Hey, there’s some sound files in there, should we listen to those?”

“Yes, we can listen while searching for more clues.” Watching him select the first one in the list, when no sound plays, he goes into some sort of menu and chooses a few options in rapid fire again until suddenly a monotonous voice states,

“Progress log 001, first experiment of the Hokusei branch, September 28^th, 1923.” They all jolt, the date shocking more than they’d wanted as their resident squawk box hisses,

“Shit, 1923? This place has been here that long?” With a finger to his lips, Kurama silently shushes Yusuke, standing and turning to the two piles, he grabs a few sheets to read through, handing her some as well when she holds a hand out as the clinical log continues,

“Objective: Create the perfect specimen. The perfect mortal being that could rival all of Kami’s creations.” Looking up at her esteemed boyfriend, he tilts his head and squeezes her shoulder in assurance as the scientist adds, “We begin with previous research from the other branches and apply it here: Humans are the most adaptable species, demons are the strongest species, and now we must find the finest of those two and create a new species to base our perfect being off of.”

“Spoiler alert, ass hat, the shit you made is far from perfect!” Massaging Minako’s shoulder in assurance, Kurama reveals,

“I believe this is just that, Yusuke, these are all failures. This whole facility is full of imperfect creatures, and they were either left to their own devices, or turned on their creators.” She feels chills at the second option as Yusuke fires back,

“Alright then, wise guy, why didn’t they just blow this place up? Blondie said there’s probably a self destruct set up, right?” Raising a brow at the unimaginative nickname, she’s surprised when Hiei’s ruby irises swing to Yusuke as he huffs,

“Simple, Yusuke. We’re being tested.”

“Say what!” It’s now Kuroioku who adds with a sour look,

“He’s not wrong. We go through the place and clear out the failures, while they get to see our abilities. Damn, it really would be ‘two birds, one stone.’” Clenching a fist furiously, the softer hearted of the group growls,

“That’s despicable! They’ve done all this terrible stuff and now they want us to clean house?”

“Calm yourselves. Your aggression should be saved for when we find the ones responsible for all of this. For now, we can gather information on them as well, whether old or new, it could prove useful to us.” Not paying attention to where her free hand was, the disturbed performer accidentally knocks into the mouse, startling herself when a woman’s voice whispers over the speakers,

“Audio log 127. February 7^th, 1956. They said they transferred female scientists over to this branch for more balanced observations. But it was a lie! They’re not-” Her voice cuts off for a moment, the sound of scuttling echoing through the speakers spooking her into silence, waiting for further noise as her voice becomes more frantic, “They’re using us as incentive for them to listen! The Carrion Nettles require us to incubate to maturity! If anyone finds this, don’t-” Her words cut off with a scream, causing Minako to jump before the sound of the woman’s body being dragged away from the microphone echoes, several thumps following with several rows of clicking and the most awful squelching sounds punctuating her hysterical cries and choking.

Shivering, the nauseous soldier flinches when arms wrap around her, before realizing it was Kurama hugging her to himself, the others are absolutely silent as the audio log cuts off abruptly. Soaking in his body heat, she feels herself settle- even if a little- as the atmosphere only grows heavier. Finally unable to stay quiet, Yusuke growls,

“Fuckin hell. What kinda freakshow operation were they running?”

“A decimated one after I’m done here!” She’s shocked when her usually calm demon growls,

“I very much feel the same, however, you need to keep your heads! Being blinded by anger will only give them what they want, and may end with your demise!” The only friendly experiment they know of runs his hand through his black bangs while pondering,

“Damn, I really hope that wasn’t how I was made.” Oh Kuroioku... Biting her lip, Minako swallows and gently caresses Kurama’s arms around hers, snuggling her cheek into his to pacify him as well.

“As disturbing as it might seem, thinking about it now will only get us killed. Have either of you found anything among the paperwork?”

“Nah, it’s all just numbers and crap. It’s all nicely typed with page numbers at the bottom so I’m guessing it’s probably stuff you’ll find in those files of yours.”

“Then let’s not waste anymore time and continue the searching elsewhere.” Kuwabara cuts them off by countering,

“Actually, I just found something that may be about those things, the description and name matches at least. It says here that they’re insectoid, using... uh, eww... ‘Where most species can make their own chrysalis, they require amniotic fluid to transition from pupa to adult. Using a chemical combination as it attaches itself to the womb, it exhibits a human female’s hormonal response and forces the body into gestation.’ O-oh gosh... so that woman was...” Keeping the horrified noble close, her mindful genius strides over and reads the paper over Kuwabara’s arm, grimacing himself.

“Yes, it is exactly as it sounds. This creature's life cycle requires ‘the female body's ability to reproduce and as a parasite, induces that state all the while the subject is still alive. Though more often than not, the trauma from the size of it intruding usually kills the host before incubation can be completed.’ It also says that they’ve managed to translate some of the sounds they make and the system is automatically set to do so.” She’s not surprised when the potty mouth of the group snarls,

“Damn, that’s some sick shit!” There’s a prickle in her senses for a split second, but it disappears before she can fully analyze what it was, leaving her with a feeling of foreboding between the unknown thing a second ago and the awful log they just listened to. Gosh this place is so creepy! I’ll take amorphous blob monsters over this atmosphere any day! Before more tremors could consume her form, Kurama wraps his body around her again, muscles bunching against her skin, mmm... that’s really nice... Glad to have something to distract her slightly from the freaky vibes of the place, Minako nestles back against his incredibly toasty body, now shuddering from his heat. I just realized how chilly it is in here... His rumbles bringing her back from her daydream,

“Yes, it’s daunting. And all the more reason to clear everything in this facility out.” Sighing out her stress from his cozy embrace, she nods against him and whispers,

“I’m okay now. Don’t worry!” He looks like he wants to protest, but she hops out of his hold and dances next to the test tube, smiling her best smile she could manage. Please, don’t be scared for me! I’ll be fine! He huffs and returns her expression tenderly, walking to her side, they’re startled when the carrot top screaches,

“Oh no way! The name Ichigaki is on here!”

“What? You gotta be fucking kidding me! That lunatic was involved!” Blinking, her concerned lover walks back toward Kuwabara and Yusuke’s furious sides and, looking over the paperwork in their hands, frowns,

“It would seem so. And from his words here, this may be where he started his research.”

(Scientia #5 – Yuki Kajiura)

“Son of a bitch!” A thump from the glass next to has her jumping, and when the startled starlet looked, the fetus was staring right at her, lidless eyes sending tremors down her spine as a robotic voice echoes from the speakers,

“Mama...” Heart dropping to her feet, she feels Kurama’s arm constrict around her when he appears at her side again, growling,

“It sounds like we’re surrounded.” Glancing around frantically, she doesn’t see anything, until suddenly, dozens of eyes fall on her, all around the upper corners of the room, where the pipes lie. That’s when she sees the segmented carapaces of the creatures moving, having been inside the duct-work until now. This again? They were similar to the one in the tube, but the centipede-like attachment was a rusty brown, making it easier to hide within the shadows. What was most frightening were their murmurs, which the speakers automatically translate,

“Mama...” Her breaths catch, knowing she was the only one here it could be referring to.

“Ma... ma...” They all begin to chant the typical term of endearment, however, from them, it only inspires unsettling chills to vibrate through Minako.

“Let us inside.”