by Max Jager
Blinking as he kept his eyes locked with hers, Kiyoshi gave her an odd look. "Sleep. What is there to understand about it?"
Rolling her eyes as she shook her head, Yokiyo relaxed. "Well that is a little better I guess. At least it was longer than just one or two words like normal."
Growling, Kiyoshi kept his eyes on her. "Miko."
Throwing her hands up as she let him lead her toward the door Yokiyo sighed. "I am coming just hush."
Laughing as she watched her parents leaving the room, Imae sighed as she looked back down into her son's gold eyes. "Don't worry Hajime. You will get used to them in time. It really isn't that bad."
Laughing as he fell back on the bed again, Sanzo sighed as he let his eyes close. She was finally fully calm and he could do the same. "You know what love. I am so glad that we don't do that."
Turning and giving him a half glare, Imae growled. "Is there a problem with acting like that? After all I am one of the ones he can have a ten word conversation with."
Laughing as he looked at her, Sanzo shook his head side to side. "I didn't say that there was a problem with it Imae. It is just exhausting."
Laughing as she turned to look at Ayame, Imae winked at her. "Well if that is the case then maybe I should be more like Mama then. Right Ayame?"
Laughing Ayame nodded. "I think that might be a perfect idea."
Giving her a hiss, Sanzo turned his glare to his sister. "Stay out of this."
With a laugh as Imae stood, Ayame moved around the bed and kissed her newest nephew on the head. "I think I will be going back to my room now as well. Now that we know everything is going to be just fine, I think I will be able to sleep tonight."
Nodding Imae laughed. "I know what you mean on that one." She then walked over and looked out a window that showed the mountain. 'I just really want to know what you were thinking Torakus.'
As his sister left the room, Sanzo stood and walked up behind Imae and wrapped his arms around her waist. Looking over her should down to his now sleeping son. She was still worried even though it wasn't as much as it was before. "Don't worry so much love. They will be home soon. They are either with Yusuke, or Atsana. Or both."
"I know." With a sigh as she leaned fully into his arms, Imae kept her eyes on her sleeping infant. "It is just, I can't shake the feeling that maybe something was wrong with Shian. Torakus has always been a good kid and never did anything he knew would land him in trouble. He would never just sneak out for the thrill of it. He isn't that kind of chick you know. Whatever is going on I just hope that it doesn't stop the peace we have."
With a smile, Sanzo let go of her and took their son and laid him in the middle of their bed and turned back to Imae. Without a word he swept an arm around her and pulled her flush against him as he framed her face with a hand and kissed her with a searing kiss. A moment later when he pulled his mouth from hers he smiled at her as he leaned his forehead on her. "Don't you worry about that. Even if someone does try to do that, we will just kick his ass and send him packing just like with Motoichi. Or she if it is a girl. Right now is not the time to worry over things you don't know if they are going to happen or not Imae."
Nodding as she smiled, Imae tiptoed and wrapped her arms around his neck as she leaned up and kissed him with a gentle kiss. Pulling back she let her eyes smile into his. "You know what Sanzo. That is just one reason why I love you."
Laughing as he turned his head some, Sanzo gave her an odd look. "Just one then?"
Another laugh as she kissed his nose, Imae then dropped down to be flat on her feet. Looking to the side to see her baby sleeping in their huge bed. "That's right just one of many." Laying her head on his chest she took a deep breath. "You always seem to know exactly what to say and do to keep me calm and happy."
Rubbing her back, Sanzo also let his eyes settle on his youngest chick. "Well if that is one of the many reasons. What are some others?"
Moving from his arms, Imae pulled her son into his arms and smiled at him as she turned to Sanzo. Once she was back in his arms, with Hajime between them, she smiled up at him again. "Torakus. Hoshiko. Hajime. Without you, I wouldn't be a mother to the three perfect children that I have now. I wouldn't change that for anything."
Kissing her again, Sanzo pulled another small laugh from her. He understood thos ideas. "Well that is the best way to describe our chicks. And it is a perfect way to describe you. Perfect. In every way."
"I love you Sanzo."
"I love you." Sanzo then kissed her again with a long, lazy warmth. Once his other chicks were back, his world would be perfect again.
X
Sitting on the palace wall with Imae and Hajime, Yokiyo couldn't help but smile as she looked up at the mountain with a sigh. She was still furious. And yet at the same time elated that her feeling never got any worse. According to Sanzo, if he had found them, now two days later, they should know by evening if they were going to be home tonight. If not tonight then two more days and they would be.
Giving her mother an odd look, Imae sighed as she bounced her newborn. "You know Mama. I wonder if Torakus is going to take after you. I don't get them but he did."
Giving her an odd look, Yokiyo let her head fall to the side as she blinked. "Wait what? What do you mean be like me?"
With a sigh as her heart ache when she thought about Kaori and Shian. "Well it is just that, Kaori's death bothered me more than I thought it would. She was the first being in my life that I have ever had to watch grow old and die, while I haven't aged since I was eighteen. And by all rights when you think about it now, neither of us should still be alive, and Uncle Senri should be gone too. It hurts that she isn't here. But I really just thought that with as much as it hurt me, Shian was ten-fold or more. And Torakus believed that something was wrong so strongly that he did something he has never done before. I just feel guilty that I didn't give him more credit and at least put my chick at ease and take him to check on her."
"He may." Yokiyo then sighed as she looked up at the sky. "But I am sure that it was nothing that you really need to worry about. I know you get them too. Remember you told me you woke up with a start and just felt something was wrong. I am sure he did, but I don't think it is as strong as you think it is right now. And with you being as close to Kaori you would have gotten a feeling if something was really wrong with her daughter."
Looking down at her son as he sighed and let his gold eyes close, Imae let out a sigh of her own. "I don't know Mama. When I think about it, no matter what was going on in her life Shian always wrote with Torakus and Hoshiko. Even in hard times, the messages would just be more often and longer. But we haven't heard from her for a month."
"I am sure that everything is going to turn out just fine. And remember, those kids of ours are going ot have some big explaining to do as soon as they are home too." But then Yokiyo laughed as she crossed her arms. "But then again Imae it could be something different. He is a demon. Sixty years old this year. And she is a half demon, she will mature much faster than he will. His demon blood might be starting to kick in on him early."
Giving her mother an angry glare, Imae let her smile vanish instantly. "And what exactly do you mean by that mother?"
Giggling, Yokiyo held up a finger at her daughter. "Well Imae he is full demon. And he can use those extra special purification. He isn't by far your typical demon just like Kiara and Katana. It could be. He is over half grown now after all."
Growling again, Imae narrowed her eyes at her mother. She better not even be going where she thinks that she is going with this. "What exactly are you getting at mother?"
Winking as she moved a little further from her daughter, Yokiyo smiled even bigger. "Well this chick is a girl after all. You think that Torakus is the one that is leading the way with this. It could be…
Shaking her head side to side as fast as she could, Imae closed her eyes. "Oh no you don't mother! Don't you even dare start to think or talk like that! No way! Not yet! No!"
Turning a
nd standing on the wall, Yokiyo fixed her daughter with a half-glare on her daughter. "Really? Well how do you think I feel? Sixteen years after I met your father I had four pups, and a grandson the same age as my two youngest? Really?"
Putting her son in her lap, Imae threw her hands over her ears as she closed her eyes even harder. "Mother I really do not want to listen to anymore of this!"
Reaching over, Yokiyo lifted her newest grandson in her arms and sighed as she laughed. She did miss teasing Imae over things. "Oh get over it. I don't get to teas you about much anymore so when I am here I am not going to pass up my chance to do it."
"Imae."
Both sets of eyes turned and looked down at a concerned Ayame as she stopped just bellow them at the wall. Imae gasped as her heart stopped and she tensed. "Ayame?"
Wringing her hands before her, Ayame was concerned that Torakus may have had a true reason to do what he did. "They are close. They are with Atsana and he will be here any second now."
Turning smiling eyes to the sky, Yokiyo blinked. "How close are they?"
Keeping her eyes on Imae, Ayame took a ragged breath. "They will be over the trees momentarily. But Imae, something is wrong. Shian is with them. And she is human."
Jerking her eyes back to Ayame, Imae couldn't move. "Really? You are sure?"
Nodding Ayame took a deep breath. "I am sure. And when you think about it, this is that time of the month when she is human for two full days."
Standing herself, Imae took a deep breath as she turned to her mother with stern eyes. "If Shian is with them and in her human form that means that something did happen. But now what is the question."
Jumping and landed next to Imae on the wall Sanzo had serious eyes as well. "We will find out in a second look." He then looked up at Atsana as he flew over them with the kids on his back. Once Imae had Hajime in her arms, he fell to the ground.
Turning to Ayame, Imae gave her Hajime. "You hold him while I find out what the hell is going on here."
Seeing Kiyoshi not far from the wall, Yokiyo gilled as she made eye contact with him. "Catch." She then stepped off the wall.
Flinching Kiyoshi moved and caught her with a glare. "I would say that the threat is fully past now if you can do such foolish things as that miko."
"Oh shut up. Just put me down so that I can go talk to your pups." Yokiyo then pushed on his chest to get him to put her down.
Growling as he sat her down but held onto her hand so she couldn't just rush off, Kiyoshi narrowed his eyes. "Miko."
With a sigh as she rolled her eyes, Yokiyo turned back to him. "Don't you even start right now. We have other things to do than argue with each other over what I did or didn't do or say."
X
With a sigh as they got closer, Torakus dropped his head when he realized that his grandmother and grandfather were there. Just as the top of the palace could be seen, he turned his eyes down to the still shaking and human Shian with a smile. One more night and she would be back to her half demon self by morning. "It's alright Shian. We are home. No one is going to get near you again."
With a sigh as she turned her black eyes up to him, Shian still didn't know if it was okay that he says she lives there without at least asking his parents. "But are you sure it is alright Torakus? I don't want you rmother to see me as a burden."
Reaching over and pulling some of Shian's hair to get her attention, Hoshiko glared at her as she crossed her arms. "Come on Shian don't talk like that. If Mama had been with us, she would have said the same thing and you know it. You live in the Eastern Palace with us and there are no questions about it."
His eyes turning to Hoshiko and Santrix, Katana sighed as the palace got closer. "In any event. Hoshiko. When we land, you and Santrix should tak her on to the hot springs. That will give Torakus, myself, Seiji and Kiara time to tell everyone what happened. That way she doesn't have to hear it again."
Smiling Santrix nodded as she winked at Hoshiko. "Sur thing that is not a problem Katana. Right Hoshiko?"
Laughing as she hugged Shian, Hoshiko laughed. "Right! What do you say about it Shian?"
Not being able to help it, Shian smiled as she gave a nod. "That actually sounds wonderful rightnow."
Once they were over the palace walls, Torakus nodded to everyone as he lifted Shian and sighed. "Jump." Once they were on the ground, he sat her down and watched as Hoshiko and Santrix each grabbed a hand and hurried her off toward the hot spring. Turning to see the adults coming for them, Torakus took a deep breath as he stepped in front of everyone.
Gasping as they hit the ground, Yokiyo couldn't believe that they had snuck out, were gone for a few days, and now Santrix and Hoshiko were leaving! "And just where in the hell do they think they are going? They better not think that just running off like that is going to stop the lecture they got coming."
Imae glared herself as she pointed. "Oh that's for sure. Hoshiko! Santrix! Shian! Get back here right now you three!"
Side stepping to stop his mother, Torakus sighed. "Mother please let them go. I can…."
Walking around her son, Imae shook her head no. "I do not think so young man. You are all getting the same….." But then she jumped when he moved and was in front of them flaring her wind to stop everyone. "Torakus…"
Crossing his arms as he stood over his son, Sanzo hissed. "Boy."
Not even flinching at the tone of his father's voice, Torakus dropped his head as he sighed. "I am sorry Mother. Father. But you really need to let them go on to the hot spring. I will tell you everything, and Kiara can vouch for it, as well as Katana. But Shian really doesn't need to be here when I say it Mother. Really she doesn't."
Moving to stand with her mate, Imae gave her son an odd look. Katana on one side, Kiara on the other, and Seiji next to Katana. They were all serious. A glance up and the girls were gone anyway. Turning to her son she crossed her arms as she glared. "Well I am waiting. And don't think that those girls are not going to hear about this too."
Taking a deep breath, Torakus looked into his mother's eyes. "I know that you are all cross with us. But no one else seemed to be as worried about Shian as I was. I got shot down every time I brought it up, let alone ask anyone to take me up to check on her. I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was really wrong. That was why we snuck out. It was all my idea. I am the one who planned and lead them up the back side of the mountain."
Pulling his son's eyes to him, Sanzo took a deep breath. "We gathered that when Atsana and I couldn't find a trace of your scents on the only path I thought that you knew."
With a sigh, Torakus held his head high. "Last year Shian showed me a back path that would take five days up or down. Only Shian, Yusuke and myself knew about it. He hoped that with as long as it would take her to get to us, if anything did happen to them, they would be either off the mountain, or she would get off before they did and get to us." Looking down with a glare as he fisted his hands at his sides. His rage still surging when he thought about the look on her face when he saw her in the cage. "It was that first dawn when we stopped to rest. Katana smelled humans that shouldn't have been there. When we went to go and see why they were there, that was when I realized that Shian was with them."
Paling as her eyes went wide, Imae didn't know what to think about that. There was no way that Yusuke would have just let Shian go with a bunch of humans knowing how half demons are treated by them. "But why was she with them?"
Hissing, Torakus didn't even look up at her. "She was with them because they went up there to kidnap her."
Falling into Sanzo, Imae gasped along with everyone else who know Shian like they did. "They kidnapped her! But what about Yusuke? And how did you get her away from them?"
Pulling all eyes to her, Kiara stepped up and crossed her arms as she closed her eyes. "We all had bow and arrows with us up there. Myself, Seiji, Katana, and Santrix caused a distraction. We freed their horses and had them running for cover. Hoshiko focused her wind into an arrow and broke the cage, Tor
akus right behind it to get her out."
Her heart skipping a beat, Imae had to cling to Sanzo as he put his arms around her. "She was in a cage!"
His glare still on the ground, Torakus was clenching his fists so hard his knuckles were white as his arms shook. "That's right. They kept her in small cage like she was lower than the dogs that were with them. Once we were far enough away from them, we stopped and she told us what happened. The bloodline of Kaori's brother worked with eagles and attacked from all sides and the sky. They tried to send a messenger to us, but he didn't even get out of the strong hold. Shian was grabbed just before she was able to slip into the back path. They killed everyone, even Yusuke and then made her watch as they burned all the bodies in a fire. All of that just so that they could get their hands on her."