Divine Worlds

By: S.R. Shinohara

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Chapter VIII

Hidden Dangers…

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Ryu’s footsteps echoed along Illusian’s corridors, his ice blue eye roaming the area as nothing but silence echoed in his ears. Beautiful, wonderful silence. Silence could only mean one thing, and his steps increased their pace as he walked down the steps and through the foyer towards the kitchen where he could hear the faint clanging of dishes. He’d been here long enough now to know what that beautiful silence meant.

“Good morning, Ryu,” Kayoko smiled as she looked over her shoulder, “You seem to have slept in late. Did Lady Isako bless you with pleasant dreams?”

He shook his head, mutely working his way down the marble topped counter of the kitchen. Grab a plate from the top cabinet, some chopsticks from the drawer, a bowl from the other cabinet, a tray from there…his life had finally become a comfortable routine that he had to admit was much more pleasant then he’d originally thought it might be. “Servant” was definitely the wrong word to use to describe his position in Illusian. He actually felt more like a freeloading guest and it was making him feel just a bit uneasy.

Ryu’s curiosity was screaming at him to go explore a little, to quench his thirst for knowledge since Kosuke barely asked anything of him, but the more practical part of his mind was warning him not to without one of the two masters of the house with him. That magic in the forest was there for a reason and someone had to have put it there. He didn’t want to run across them without some backup.

Smiling as she finished dishing out some food for him, Kayoko welcomed the serenity of the atmosphere which enveloped her warmly. Originally, she’d feel uneasy being alone with him but Ryu was thankfully a very kind individual. He never crossed the invisible lines that she’d drawn around herself, and always seemed perfectly capable of co-existing with her in utter silence. It was lonely at times, yes, since she never felt safe enough to speak with him openly, but it was nice. His presence no longer made her insides churn. Clearing the last of the dishes from the basin of now thoroughly dirty water, she pulled at the string attached to the plug which blocked the water from escaping, the thing quickly draining itself through the curved pipe to the outside of the house. There, now she had the rest of her day until Lady Saori or Lord Kosuke got home free.

“La-Kayoko,” Ryu corrected himself, her mildly exasperated look making him remember the way she’d told him to address her, “Can you tell me about this place? I’ve been here on Tengoku yet I haven’t had a chance to see much of it at all, and curiosity eats at me.”

Settling down across from him, she tilted her head to the side in slight perplexity. “What do you want to know about?”

“The other gods and goddesses…their homes…” Who would know the most of your Lady Saori… he mentally thought, Souhi’s words awhile back still echoing in his mind. He’d learned next to nothing about her except that she had MANY half-siblings of whom she either never met, wasn’t very close with due to circumstances out of her control, or didn’t get to see much.

“Well…” Propping her chin up on the palm of her hand, Kayoko’s ears twitched as she thought this over carefully. “There’s the Great Hall, King Joutei’s home. He lives there with Queen Sakori, most of his children like Lord Hiiro, and more recently Lady Aiko, Goddess of Love & Beauty, and her son Souhi, the God of Healing & Divination, among others. Tsukikage is Lord Soujiro’s home which circles the sky as his daughter, Yamiyo, Goddess of Night, wraps the world in her cloak. Tsukikage is very impressive, it’s silvery halls all located inside the moon which relieves the worlds below of the sun’s sometimes scorching rays. Lord Soujiro is typically considered the God of Shades, Shadows, and, obviously, the Moon.”

A smile played on her lips as she said, “Taiyoukousen is Lord Dayu’s home, filled with golden halls which shine as brightly as his very presence. He’s the God of Light, Music, and the Sun, often grazing about the plains of Tengoku while the world is wrapped in his cloak.” Kayoko seemed like she actually wanted to laugh as she continued on saying, “Of course, Lord Dayu often works with Lord Raikou, the God of Thunder, who lives in his hall, Raiden, which floats on a cloud just above where Celestia is, connected to Tengoku by the Rainbow Bridges which connect the clouds and Tengoku to each other. Among other things, he is the God of Weather and decides whether Taiyoukousen shall be viewed by the world below or not since the sun can sometimes get too…”

“Scalding? Annoying? Painful?”

Kayoko sweat-dropped, laughing nervously. “For lack of a better term, yes. He’s also the one in charge of the Divine Winds. Considering everything, it’s not so surprising that they don’t exactly get along very well. There is Lady Ayano, the Goddess of Wisdom & the Mind, too, but I’m not quite sure where she lives…” Scratching her head, Kayoko was vexed that she still hadn’t figured out that mystery. “Lady Ayano is the hardest to find. Only Lady Ruko, as Queen of the Faeries, can actually find her when she’s needed so no one minds.”

Ryu sweat-dropped slightly. For such a silent girl, she knew a lot. He hadn’t expected her to know this much about Tengoku since it seemed like she never left Illusian. “Who else?”

“Lady Namie is the Goddess of the Sea, and lives in Reisen, a huge hall located in the depths of Furousen here on Tengoku.” With a slight smile she noted absently, “Furousen is a really large lake that can never dry up, it’s water having wondrous powers. I believe those of Phylos refer to it as the Fountain of Youth.”

Ryu’s eyes bugged out. It was a comical expression, though one he’d never use in his life again. “That actually exists?”

“Of course,” she smiled, “Where do you think the water the gods drink daily comes from? How in the world do you think they stay so young? As kind as Lady Namie is though, she isn’t always very nice. She’s as much of a duality as her element, and created the ‘Kappa’ as you probably know them to be her personal…enforcers.”

His face twitched. He’d figured as much. “Yes…I’ve dealt with them many times when I was a warrior…formidable fighters.”

“I thought you might’ve been one,” she smiled, “I had a feeling you were a warrior, Ryu, but I never found a right time to ask and settle my own curiosity.”

His lip twitched into a leisure smile as he looked to his food, a wistful gleam in his eye as he said, “I understand that well. If it will ease yours, I liked the adventure of being a warrior, and the places it allowed me to see, but the fights which I fought in had never meant much to me until my birth home was wiped out because of one. I stopped and put down my fighting life then…it wasn’t nearly as appealing to me anymore. Besides, the King of Kizu who took me in as his “heir” would never hear of it, even if the warrior life still appealed to me deep down.”

Kayoko’s pale blue eyes were thoughtful as she searched her memories, frowning as she recalled a piece of information she wasn’t sure how to bring up. She wasn’t sure how he’d react to it either. I wonder if he was born in… “Say…your birth home…it wouldn’t by any chance have been Karyuudo, would it? The town of Phylos which was quite popular for it’s hunters and warriors if I recall right.”

“That’s it,” he blinked, “How’d you know?”

Sweat-drops began running down her head. “Karyuudo was a town Lord Kosuke blessed. The Hunter’s Forest is sacred – it’s considered Phylos’s version of Illusian Forest, and is Lord Kosuke’s sacred place. Those of Karyuudo protected it for him in exchange for the skills he personally taught them when it was first established since he is the God of Hunting. If you’d told Lady Saori this, she wouldn’t have had to bring you here as a ‘servant’…Being from Karyuudo already would’ve given both you and Ichiro the divine rights to, at the very least, be allowed into any of the divine kingdoms…”

His face was completely blank as he stared at her, not a single muscle in his body moving once he’d slowly set his cup of tea down onto the flat surface of the wooden table inside the kitchen. Slowly, his face began twitching, face darkening with each minute, and then veins broke out, the handle of his cup snapping with a loud crack as his grip finally overcame it.

“WHAT!?”

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Saori jumped in her seat as Raikou’s hall shook, looking around out of habit before arching an eyebrow to her esteemed host. “Was that Raiden that shook, or all of Tengoku?”

His face twitched the slightest bit as he said lightly, “I believe it was Tengoku, Saori…”

Draining the last drop of tea, she shrugged the mysterious earthquake off for the moment, though she noted to check with her father about it later. “Well, as much as I really do love coming here to have tea with you, Lord Raikou, why did you summon me? You said you had something you wanted me to do for you…?”

“Yes,” he coughed, leaning forward on the table slightly as he stared at her intensely with his stormy gray-blue eyes that made a cold chill shoot down her back, “I commissioned a dwarf, Hougyoku, to make something for me and I was hoping you would pick it up for me…I would do it myself like I planned, but my duties deny me the time to do so today like we agreed upon and you know how dwarves are.”

Saori snorted slightly. Of course she knew; elves and dwarves, though drastically different in their general dispositions, had the same exact motto: if you don’t pick it up on time, it’s ours. “Is it that important…?”

His eyes seemed to lose their sharpness and focus for a moment as he muttered, “Very…I’d only trust you to pick it up for me, Saori…so would you? I know it’s trivial but…”

“Of course.” Smiling slightly, she grinned, “While I’m there I can stop in on my uncle to say hello. I haven’t seen him for a long time.” Standing, she was hesitant to ask him for any sort of compensation but she needed to. “I must ask you for something in return though…I can’t ask Kayoko to assist me in getting there, so I need a way to travel by air to Kakure…”

“Say no more,” he smiled. Saori fell over out of shock at the expression, picking herself up enough to stare over the table at him as Raikou approached her. “I shall grant you the ability to fly, Saori…” Grasping her arm, gently but firmly he pulled her up, the young goddess so thrown by the fact he’d actually smiled that he received no protest as he brought his lips down upon her slightly agape ones.

Lightning seemed to course inside her blood as she finally became aware of him, his lips touching hers in a kiss as was to be expected of the God of Thunder. It was electric and infinitely shocking, her reflexes stalled slightly before she managed to pull away, a hand over her face that was twisted in half anger, half surprise, and all embarrassment. “Lord Raikou…”

Raikou wanted to smile – he honestly did, but his face was now back to its usual unreadable expression that she was most familiar with for her sake and his. He could tell by the way her free hand was shaking that she was warring with herself, trying to choose between beating the crap out of him or not. His respectability in her eyes had probably dropped too – he could’ve transferred power a variety of ways that she wouldn’t have minded – but that was worth it, his lips still tingling. “Go…sprout your new wings and fly as you should be, Saori…They are a permanent ability from me.”

She didn’t need to be told twice, darting out of there as if she were on fire. Yep, he’d definitely ruined his respectability with her. But damn it all if it didn’t feel just a tiny bit satisfying. No wonder Prince Hiiro enjoys himself so much when he kisses other women. Perhaps I should… Pausing, Raikou shook his head and nearly smacked himself for the mere thought. Don’t be stupid. Saori would outright hate you then. Still, that kiss…

And though no one could see it, Raikou’s eyes were alight with the most brilliant smile he’d ever worn in his life. She was definitely worth the danger. Anyone who was smart enough to notice, however, would note how she was starting to rub off on him. He’d been hanging around her way too much.

“Raikou?”

He stood, bowing slightly in respect, though partly to hide his smiling eyes as well as Aiko entered his hall. “Mother. I see you’ve returned from Phylos in good health.”

Aiko ran a hand through her wavy pink curls with a nod. “How have you been? I haven’t been around to see you much, I’m afraid…what have you been up to?”

For the first time in his entire existence, Raikou wanted to smile at her just to see the reaction on her face. And how would you react, not so loving mother, if I told you I am trying to woo the very goddess you hate? Those unbidden thoughts had sneaked their way into his mind, once just idle musings now powerful thoughts that he found himself thinking frequently.

He’d definitely been around her way too much.

“Nothing, mother, just the usual. Why don’t you come sit and enjoy some tea with me? Tell me of your recent trip…”

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Blank emerald eyes stared at the marble floors of Illusian as he and his master entered the cozy hall, glass shards covering the floors from where vases of flowers had fallen. The chandelier which hung high and proud in the foyer had even crashed, the intricately designed glass shards nearly 100 elves had worked on as a baby gift for Kosuke when Saori had been declared his newest child shattered to thousands of pieces each. Saori adored that thing. The goddess had a weakness for anything shiny. This was not good. She’d never let that thing break. That meant something else had done it. Something other then her could cause THIS MUCH damage.

The thought made Tetsuo want to cringe and shudder.

“AH!”

The high, girlish shriek made Hiiro look back, the shriek far too unique to belong to anyone else. “Yo, Kohaku.”

Kohaku’s eyes were bugged out, inaudible things falling from his mouth as the Faerie was lost for words. Ruko, who’d accompanied him, merely stared with widened eyes at the wreckage. She knew who it was. Saori would die first before she broke that chandelier from the elves which celebrated her birth and only one other who lived in Illusian could do THIS sort of damage. Oh my…what happened NOW, Ryu-san? Her amethyst eyes roamed the forest, flinching as she only sensed the magic which drifted through it. I wish this magic didn’t shroud everything in such a haze…Ryu-san could be right behind me and I wouldn’t know. Frowning slightly, she followed the other three inside and took extra care not to crush the flowers which had only fallen. “Saori? Kayoko-san? Ryu-san? Lord Kosuke?” Ruko sighed when no answer came, closing the front door with a thoughtless wave of her hand. “Well, they’re all out obviously.”

Turning his eyes away from the oddly fascinating sight of Kohaku gawking with funny noises coming out of his throat, Hiiro looked towards her slightly with a far too pleased grin, holding up a note. “Kayoko and the pretty boy seem to have gone off to explore together.” Tossing it over his shoulder to Tetsuo, the White Tiger Demon looked at it before tossing it away carelessly. Like he cared.

“You must be happy then, Lord Hiiro,” Ruko grinned, crossing her arms, “He’s not with Saori.”

His smirk which widened said it all. He didn’t need to even say anything.

“Ruko-sama…should we wait here for them?” Kohaku finally seemed to get over his shock, though his eyes were still unnaturally wide. “Or should we just leave the invitation?”

“We can stay awhile,” she smiled, “You’ve been wanting to visit your father for awhile anyway, ne? The job from Joutei-sama gives you the perfect excuse and you know I can’t leave you unattended. I look the other way and you just might get yourself fed to the birds.”

POOF! “Ruko-sama!” Kohaku, now in his tiny Faerie form, flailed in the air wildly as he hovered in front of her smiling face whining. “That’s not funny~!”

“Hai, hai…I know, Kohaku, gomen.”

Once satisfied that she meant it, Kohaku was back into his normal form, standing nearly as tall as Hiiro yet looking like he would be so easily blown over because he was so thin, his wings fluttering behind him before he remembered to put them away.

Tetsuo’s lip twitched. Leaning over with a tilt of his head he whispered mildly, “You’re not sad for once when we have met, Lady Ruko…” A smile threatened to appear, though it looked more like a smirk then anything else. “You look best with that smile. Please make sure you smile from now on when we meet.”

Casting him a glance, Ruko arched a semi-incredulous eyebrow. “Was that a compliment or a very subtle line, Tetsuo-san?”

He only smirked, shrugging nonchalantly before looking around with a slight twitch in his eye. “This place is a mess…It should be cleaned up ASAP.”

“I’m glad you said that!” Tetsuo twitched more as Kohaku suddenly appeared, mop in hand and a handkerchief wrapped around his head, covering his hair. “Since we are all here, we should get to work immediately!”

“Marvelous idea, Kohaku,” Ruko beamed, “We won’t have to be bored then.”

Shining, he promptly shoved a mop into Tetsuo’s hand and dropped a heavy bucket of water on the floor with a loud ‘clang’.

Hiiro couldn’t help laughing at the outrageous expression on Tetsuo’s face. “HAHAHA!”

“You too, Lord Hiiro,” Kohaku smiled, extending a broom and dustpan.

“Nope, sorry, I don’t do housework,” he smirked, closing his eyes as he leaned back confidently against his chair.

He’d forgotten who he was dealing with though. If he had fully realized it, the great God of Fire & War would’ve never been so confident in the face of the second highest Faerie in Celestia. “Gee,” Kohaku said in mild disappointment, feigning hurt as the gears of his mind formed his words, “Saori-chan would’ve been SO impressed if we cleaned this place up too…I guess Tetsuo-san, Ruko-sama and I will just do it then. She and papa always reward kindness towards them so nicely too…”

Hiiro’s ears perked and his smirk shifted to a grin as he realized what he was implying.

Tetsuo barely contained his urge to face-fault and fall over twitching. By the waters of Meiyaku which run through all 7 worlds, the river all living things swear the untainted truth by, he’s such a simpleton sometimes…

~*~ : * : ~*~

The cold palace halls were chilled, the lord of the undermost kingdom that was named for him, Kakure, glancing about his obsidian palace that seemed to shine with an eerie glow reminiscent to that of the moon but darker. The moon shined silver but his shined a beautiful onyx, his whole kingdom in dark, paled hues of colors like blue and gray. The long dark red carpet which ran down from his dais to the entrance of his receiving hall almost looked like a stream of rich blood against the cold marble floors, rich dark blue eyes gazing endless through the crystal ceiling of the room where he could view anything above ground, it’s normal pearly white appearance a sore eye against the bleakness which usually surrounded him.

Crossing his legs and leaning over onto the back of his hand leisurely, Kakure wondered about who the hell would be silly enough to call on him. His attendant had said someone was requesting attendance with him, but they were nowhere to be seen yet. “Aori, who is it that requested attendance with me and is late?”

Endlessly smiling eyes that matched the wispy smile on her face in its dazed quality stared ahead to the closed doors of the hall, willing them to open. “Your grand-daughter, sire…”

Kakure grabbed his staff and bopped her on the head, forehead ticking in mute rage. “WHO, Aori?”

“You’re niece,” she corrected, unfazed by the hit as snakes seemingly came out from the staff and entwined around its summit, facing the opposite directions when they crossed at the very top. He had another more powerful and intimidating weapon, his scythe, that had a snake which coiled about it, waiting to inflict eternal sleep – death – upon its prey hungrily. At least these snakes were just for show. “The daughter of Lord Kosuke…”

If he were one for such funny sounds, Kakure would’ve choked, instead groaning in outright aggravation. His ‘niece’ was a damn hand full, too full of life most of the time despite the fact that she was probably the most cynical of her kin, second only to him. He could tolerate her the best, and she was the only ‘niece’ who bothered to ever seek him out on a whim to say hi (his many other ‘nieces’ and ‘nephews’ saw him as children since Kosuke seemed adamant about letting them meet their ‘uncle’ at least once, but never bothered to return again for a visit – not that he cared), but the smell of liveliness was so…ugh. No amount of bitterness and darkness (which, for the record, that child had a delectably high amount of) could hide it.

Speak of the little devil, she finally came through the doors, smiling slightly as she remained unaffected by the darkness which moved to cling to her once she stepped inside. She’d built up a resistance to the darkness and the cold of his kingdom from all the visits – for both leisure and business – that she made it seemed, walking calmly but quickly and bowing before him respectfully. “Uncle Kakure, I’m sorry I kept you.” She laughed uneasily as she admitted, “I was delayed in my mission that I had to complete before visiting.”

Kakure vaguely heard her mutter some cynical remarks about dwarves and inwardly smirked, his intense eyes focused more on the new accessories she seemed to have acquired since her last visit to him. She visited enough for him to notice such little (or not so little) changes. “You have wings…”

Saori nodded, folding them away after much effort (she still wasn’t used to them yet) when their luminance nearly blinded her uncle. “Compensation for an errand I ran for Lord Raikou.”

His lip twitched in vague amusement, brushing his long bangs out of his face. He should probably tie his hair back, it was so horribly annoying, but he liked leaving the long strands loose. SHE had loved it like that, always running her hands through it after they’d slept together…

Kakure shook his head before he lost himself in memories too much. They were a dangerous thing and if he wasn’t careful his sneaky imp of a daughter Isako would make him dream them too. “You have a new trinket as well I see…”

Saori’s eyes drifted to the ring with a frown. The dwarf’s words still echoed in her mind, as well as the words which had been inscribed on the inside of the bejeweled silver ring.

“You have always loved silver more then gold, so take this as a representation of my feelings for you, Lady Saori. I am serious and will fight even Prince Hiiro if I must to have your heart – Raikou”

The dwarf, slightly miffed that he wouldn’t be able to keep the gorgeous silver ring adorned with a jewel that seemed to shine every single color possible for himself. It was an extremely rare jewel Raikou had commissioned and the icy fires of Syrius, the kingdom of Dwarves in Kakure, had made the legendary Rainbow Ice jewel even MORE gorgeous, if that was even possible. “I cant believe he’s actually serious…”

Neither could she. She’d thought Raikou was KIDDING about wooing her. He never seemed to be interested like Hiiro was, however inappropriate he showed it at times. “Yeah…it’s a gift from one of the few suitors I have who is more serious then I’d realized.”

Kakure hummed, not really caring that much to know more. “Like your aunt, aren’t you?” His lip twitched, teeth shining as he smirked with a flick of his hair, “Of course, I was the only one of her suitors worth looking at. The Goddess of Creation will always be a part of the God of Death…”

Saori wisely chose not to mention he’d lost the woman in the end. Sort of. But it was still a compliment to be compared to that goddess of all people. “Thank you, Uncle Kakure…I should be going. I only wanted to stop by and say Hi.”

“Consider it dually noted and returned then,” he muttered lazily, shooing her away, “Go away now, child.”

“I’ll come back soon, Uncle Kakure.” And with that she left, the large doors shutting behind her with a creak.

Aori finally turned to look at him, long strands falling down her shoulders and pooling around her on the floor. “She says similar things, does she not…?”

“Yes…” he noted, eyes glazing over as those very words but from someone else echoed in his head, “But the difference is this one really will come back…and sometimes not just to see me…”

~*~ : * : ~*~

Flying through the passageway from Kakure which would lead out into the darker parts of Illusian Forest, Saori cursed as she nicked her new wings on yet another crystal which glittered as they stuck out at all different lengths from the passage’s walls, flying still too new to her. With Kayoko as her wings, Kayoko had been in control, but now she had to control how she moved and flying was turning out to be much harder then it was given credit for. How does Kiryo always manage to do it so easily!? No wonder she’s considered the Goddess of the Skies besides being a Goddess of Rainbows & Traveling. Thanking of her speedy sister, Saori sweat-dropped as she muttered, “That girl is always traveling and seeing all the worlds, welcomed wherever she may go. Even Ruko can’t keep track of her. Hopefully I can ask her about flying soon. I only get to see her at induction feasts though…arg!”

Luckily, she finally came above ground after several more nicked feathers and loud curses, springing out from the crevice far back in the darkness of the cave with a relieved sigh. Landing firmly on her feet which had wanted to start moving ever since she’d passed through Inferno, Saori folded the wings away and winced as she felt her chest tighten. “Shimata…NO…”

“You can’t hold me forever…” Though the voice sounded like hers, Saori could hear the difference of tone crystal clear as it echoed in her mind, something inside her pulling at her proverbial strings to try and let her out. “Child…Soon you will slip, and I will make certain I make good use of my time when I’m free…”

As quickly as the pain appeared it disappeared though, the young goddess glaring as she sweated from trying to hold it back again. “Shiko…if you’re speaking to me then that means…”

“Yes…” She was still there, but Saori no longer felt her clawing to get out. “Darkness is coming towards us again, child…do you really think you can fend it off without me?”

“I can do so fine,” she thought with a growl, walking towards the mouth of the save where she could hear voices coming closer.

Shiko’s voice was taunting as she mocked snidely, “Just like you said you’d handle Aiko…?”

Saori’s hand fisted so tightly her stub nails drew blood from her palm.

With a mild laugh she receded, sinking deeper from consciousness before the goddess no longer could feel her, exiting the caves and moving closer to her home. Being around the dark parts of Illusian was awakening that damnable goddess inside her.

“Lady Saori!” Kayoko looked pleasantly surprised as she and Ryu saw the young goddess walking towards them, the former running over with a bright smile. At least, once Saori was out of the darkness. Illusian’s shadier, darker parts where Isako ruled and lived frightened her. Just being near it actually gave her chills. “You finished your job for Lord Raikou quickly!”

“Yeah,” she snorted, smirking proudly as she let her translucent wings spread out wide, unfolding so Kayoko could stare at them in wide eyed wonder, “I got some compensation too.”

Ryu leaned forward, the waves of magic which crackled around the wings like lightning pulling at his mortal blood. “You mean that ring wasn’t enough?”

Saori looked vaguely surprised and Kayoko finally noticed the gorgeous ring with a jaw that gaped open so wide her jaw smashed into a rock on the ground with a loud clang. “You noticed…”

“Impossible to miss,” he snorted, eyeing the piece of Rainbow Ice which glittered under the streaming rays of light shining into the lighter area of the forest, “I’ve never seen a jewel shine so brightly or look so clear.”

“It’s a RARE jewel,” Kayoko gawked, “I believe Lady Kiryo made it long ago by crystallizing a rainbow. Rainbow Ice is a huge rock with a beautiful radiance, barely touched by the elves or dwarfs unless some is willing to pay LARGE for it since it can never be made again. But even the tiniest piece of stone is never this clear…this must’ve been made in the icy fires of Syrius! Twice as hot and burning as Inferno’s but ice cold.”

“Studying up in the libraries, huh?” Saori snorted, eyebrow twitching, “You read too much of those books my father saves.”

Kayoko ignored the jibe, instead holding her index finger which bared the ring saying, “This stone isn’t small, Lady Saori…who gave this to you?”

“Lord Raikou,” she muttered with lowered eyes, “the wings too…to show he’s serious about wanting me as his bride…”

For once, she didn’t even get mad as Ryu fell over choking in disbelief.

Breathing a LARGE sigh, Kayoko began walking back towards Illusian, Saori following her after she absently grabbed Ryu by the leg and began dragging him, ignoring the fact she kept smashing him into rocks and trees. She needed some tea. She needed to talk to her father too. Hell, she needed a damn nap. She needed…

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY CHANDELLIER?!”

She needed to punch something once she opened Illusian’s doors, damn it. Unfortunately, with Hiiro and Tetsuo in their ridiculous cleaning outfits, brooding at their wasted work which had been for nothing because of the earthquake Saori incited, they weren’t looking to be good candidates to beat the crap out of. It would be like beating up a child…like beating up KOHAKU who was wailing his eyes over the house which was back to square one again, his hard work at cleaning ruined, for crying out loud! “Who…crashed it…”

Slow simmer. That was what she was usually on, Ruko mentally noted as she debated telling her. Ryu already looked a little beat up and angry, however pale he was turning as he watched her boil about the broken gift. He was, quite frankly, in deep shit.

“We don’t know,” Tetsuo snorted, the only one brave enough to answer. Even Hiiro was petrified of his beloved when she was so steaming angry yet still suicidal in the fact that he was attracted to her when she got like this as well. Idiot. “Who else can trash a place like this but you?”

It took her brain 5 seconds to find the answer and half that for Ryu to realize he needed to beat it.

“YOU DAMN INSUFFERABLE HUMAN! GET BACK HERE!”

Ryu was a lot of things but he was no fool, the old saying from Karyuudo of ‘those who know their limits live to breathe another day’ ringing loudly in his head, the ground shaking with Saori’s rage. Hopefully, his legs could still run as fast as they used to, especially since she now had those wings, though she did seem to be awkward with them.

Still, he wasn’t about to stop and test his theory.

“GET BACK HERE YOU MAGOT OF A MAN!”

Yeah, he wasn’t willing to suffer that kind of torture, even if he did need to repent. He wanted to actually LIVE afterwards.

“R~Y~U~! GET BACK HERE YOU GUTLESS FISH AND TAKE YOUR TORTURE LIKE A MAN!”

Squeak! Squeak! “I’m no man or fish! I’m a mouse!” To prove it, he grew whiskers, small round ears, and shrunk to near nothingness with a long and skinny hairless tail behind him.

“GET BACK HERE YOU SPINELESS MOUSE!”

OK, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea…perhaps Souhi was right to tell him to be weary of her.

Kayoko could only close the doors of Illusian with a sigh, rolling her eyes as Hiiro, Tetsuo, and even Ruko watched the chase from the safety of the windows. “So, Kohaku-san, shall we go make some snacks and join them?”

Kohaku went from teary to dot-eyed to normal in 2 seconds flat. “Sure; they’ll be at it for a long time, ne? I got the drinks!” He was off with a happy smile again, probably to whip up a batch of his wine.

Kayoko barely resisted the urge to cry. She really didn’t know which option was worse: Kohaku’s wine or Saori’s wrath? It doesn’t look it but I serve a DANGEROUS family…oi…

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