Sending his youki out in a gentle but firm breath of gratitude, Kurama left the vine's hold.
As he sped up the wall, snatches of the lullaby from before wrapped around him without the dangerous lure from before. Kurama smiled at its simplicity and kicked off the wall, spinning in midair and landing with a flourish on the top. Youko's triumph washed over his own and together they looked down.
In the middle of the courtyard, a maiden danced in a shallow pool, singing the lullaby. Icy blue ribbons of fabric arched overhead as she spun in a tight circle and leapt, tossing the wide scarf up high. The white skirt rippled, revealing bare feet, as she sang a new verse.
The river is beyond the wall,
I cannot leave.
The town is over the forest.
I won't see it.
Here I will stay,
here in her arms,
the pieces of her heart.
I will stay
as long as the wind blows
Swirls of water cascaded from long unbound hair, flowing down her neck and bound chest, and too late Kurama realized his mistake.
Too late did dread slowly slide down his neck. Tranfixed, trapped, he listened, each phrase in the last verse striking faded memories, filling the spaces of his mind with their color. Yanking open doors long sealed. Emotions buried deep within his heart spilling over, threatening to tear him apart. He fell to his knees.
A rock tumbled out of his hands down the slope, hitting the nearby birdbath with an airy ring.
A basin layered in spirit energy into which the maiden had laid a pair of delicate bangles.
Her head rose. Their eyes met for all of a second.
Blue, dipped in pools of amethyst, bled deep, deep into the recesses of his thoughts. Dredging the last pieces up. Not demon, not of the spirit ruler's line either, forever locked in between. A child of the forbidden union.
The reason for the Kekkai's construction.
A meeting.
His naïve promise.
And a name.
"Kaira."
Youko's golden eyes burned into him as his hold on the crucial memory failed.
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That’s the end of the chapter and the end of that dream. I’m curious how many pick up hints of what’s to come in this chapter and what they believe the details signify. I hope I dragged out the tension well in the end, too. Please review.
In the next chapter, we see more of Kuwabara, Yusuke, and wonder if something’s changed in Kurama. It is heavily built on dialogue, which means it may get up sooner, but I won’t promise.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
