"Well, you see..." Koyuki explained, in a gentle, explanatory tone, which, Yaburu had taken the liberty to interrupt. Koyuki would not have accepted this had it not been *exactly* what she was about to say herself.

"I do not care what Koyuki wishes to speak with you about, but Kurama escaped this day because of you. You held her back and caused in fighting amongst your own forces for your petty and insignificant vengence. If you do it again, I will purify you from this plane, with the general's help, if necessary." Were the monk's words.

"In-deed." Koyuki agreed, the word rolling off her tounge in two syllables. "Had you not abandoned White Kimono, our left flank would not have collapsed, and Yaburu would have continued to distract Kurama while *I* killed him. That was the plan. The plan I had so carefully implemented while the battle began to unfold." The demon continued, her voice still calm, although laced with malice.

"YOUR ACTIONS ALLOWED KURAMA TO ESCAPE!" She added suddenly after the pause, her calm, calculating voice suddenly replaced with an angry, high-pitched shriek of anger, as she simultaneously reached out to backhand Raikotsu with her left arm, "What disturbs me *MORE*, is that *you*, in your jealous rage that Kurama might be slain while you did your part, decided to divert your attention away from *any* of his bodyguards to seize ME! That, alone is traitorous, and it is agaisnt me, personally, and agaisnt everyone assembled here now in thought and word! Had I not been wounded through your carelessness by attempting to prevent Kurama's escape, I would kill you where you stand!"

Koyuki looked, now, like she was on fire. Her markings began to seem liquid and begin to almost flow like viscous gel, as she began to lose control for a moment. She quickly cooled down, however, knowing that succumbing to rage at this point would be disadvantageous, aswell as the fact that the sheer anger would force her to assume her true form, not something she wished to do at this point.

She glared at Raikotsu, then turned to leave. "The battle is lost. retrieve anything worth retrieving and let us set up camp somewhere near. I genuinely hope for your sake that we know where Kurama and his men are going."

Kirakiri curses silently. There had been no avoiding this human. His other self lies hidden in the roof of the chamber that houses the Raigaki Cannon and he had planned to simply wait for them to leave. Still this human seems wearied and even if he fails to subdue the human quietly, he will be able to lead the others off so his second self can sabotage the cannon.

In front of Akimoto he hisses in amusement, moving partially into the light. He has mildly adjusted his form to give an impression of being a snake demon. "So I am discovered it seems." he sibilantly says. "Still, my task is already done." His dark eyes, quite different from their normal colour, glint with satisfaciton. Kirakiri's policy when dealing with enemies is to lie frequently and convincingly. "Now all that remains, is to deal with you."

With a startling burst of speed that doesn't even give Akimoto time to shout out, Kirakiri lunges forwards striking out with one long arm. With Kirakiri already past his spearpoint, Akimoto tries to dodge the attack and simultaneously thwacks Kirakiri's thin side with the haft. Kirkairi gives a muffled grunt but this plays into his hands - one claw grips onto the spear and drags Akimoto closer. He had gauged his opponent's slowed reaction time from weariness correctly and is trying to end this as silently as possible.

Kirakiri than grabs onto Akimoto in a fluid movement, serpentine body and tail beginning to coil around him while a scaled hand claps over Akimoto's mouth. Hugely off balance from Kirakiri clinging to him and already beginning to feel the demon's coils tighten, Akimoto struggles to free himself but one arm is trapped and while the other is less pinned the spear it holds isn't of much use right now. About to fall over and feeling the air slowly being squeezed out of his lungs, Akimoto tries something in desperation.

Flicking his wrist and using the momentum of the fall, Akimoto throws his spear away, imbuing it with a touch of his powers over earth. It hits the wall and falls to the ground creating a thunderous noise like a rockslide.

Cursing inwardly at the human's ingenuity, Kirakiri abandons stealth and begins tightening his grip faster, the two wildly thrashing on the ground as Akimoto still resists him despite beginning to become low on air. Kirakiri loops his coils, attempting to grab Akimoto's wakizashi. If he can't kill this one before aid arrives he may be able to hold him hostage.

OOC: How's that Toastburner?

After the battle ended, Ishumo had quickly gathered up his fallen spear, and taken refuge in one of remaining trees around the battle field, and he was now watching the argument with great interest. In the likely chance that he would be noticed, he had prepared an escape route. He still had his hood on, just in case he decided to keep his identity secret.

Raikotsu's eyes flashed, and he practically snarled his response, "I'll be utterly honest. I don't care about any of you, my sole goal was killing Kurama. If it had not been for Koyuki's incompetence in dueling him, we would have destroyed him utterly. If you, monk, had been capable of defeating one with a cheap imitation of your own abilities, Kurama might have been slain by now. Look to your own actions before you blame mine."

He caught her hand before it reached his face, holding onto it for a moment before he let it drop, "White Kimono is safe, and Chikane is as well...though Chikane's spellcasting was no longer useful once she was drained. I incapacitated my former opponent, and so my duties there were discharged."

"They were *not*." Koyuki replied to his quote about his "duties", "Finished?! They were still *alive!* The monk that copied Yaburu's abilities, and that insane Sanjuro!"

She then continued to yell at Raikotsu, this time about Kurama. "Who the hell are you to call me incompetant?! Where were you when Kurama turned to flee? Could you do any better? We'll never know, because you'll be too dead to fight him again with your attitude."

"Are you threatening me?" Raikotsu lofted one eyebrow questioningly, rather haughtily.

"Yes. I am." Koyuki said, eyes locked with his own, with deadly seriousness.

He shrugged, "Whatever. Just don't try stealing my kill from me again." he turned around, apparently ignoring her, and scanned the area for White Kimono, "I do owe an apology to one ally, at least, perhaps two...but you are neither of them."

He located the red-eyed half-demon, and Chikane, having just disembarked from the back of a large eagle, and headed in that direction, stopping before White Kimono, seeing that Chikane was curled up, and apparently exhausted, nearby. He apologized in a manner that could best be described as grumpy, "I am sorry I abandoned you in combat. I will not try and excuse it.

"However, I will ask for an explanation of that 'lover boy' remark you made earlier."

OOC: Time for Chikane to touch herself!

IC: Away from the rest of them, while Raikotsu and Koyuki were busy blaming each other for Kurama's escape, Chikane lay curled up in a pile of soft heather which White Kimono had gathered for her. She opened her eyes as their shouting drifted to her, and in a moment of pure, unadulterated malice, she briefly contemplated hitting the two of them with a Makai Tenjo sealing spell, then squeezed her eyes shut as the backlash from the Atrocious Fire Transformation hit her.

Ow...

Her hand instinctively reached to her breast, to the source of the pain, then as Chikane realised what she was doing, she gently relaxed her grip. But the warmth remained, and she slowly returned the hand to its place, kneading and squeezing to make it better.

God.

It felt so good.

The pain faded away, replaced by a growing warmth that spread gradually throughout her body. Turning away from the group, Chikane buried her face into the sweet-smelling heather, ostensibly because she wanted to hear as little of the argument as possibly, but also because she didn't want them to hear the low moan which had escaped her lips as she dipped her other hand under her hakama's waistband.

Had it been so long since she had been with Himeko? The sudden arch of her back betrayed her, and she almost cried out loud as she let her fingers graze her inner thighs. Not all the moisture there was from the rainstorm she had summoned earlier, and from the looks of things, she was precipitating fairly heavily too.

Images of Himeko, White Kimono, even Koyuki ran through her head, and just as she was about to take the plunge, she heard footsteps coming up on her. The realization that she might be watched killed her desire like a bucket of ice water, and she surreptitiously withdrew her hands from where they had been, folding them across her chest.

"Chikane?" White kimono looekd down at the curled-up priestess. "Are you all right?"

"I'm... fine, Kimono. Thanks for your help."

And while she cursed inwardly at having been interupted, she took solace in the fact that there would be other times.

(OOC:I don't need anybody else, when I think about you I touch myself...)

Edited due to logical recheck:
Something breathed. And it wasn't Pyros. He turned about. There was no one else inside the room, just the strange device and the sound of someone breathing. It was a muffled noise, a noise of one trying to breath sneakily.

"Sanjuro?" He called out. "Takin?" The noise got quieter, but he heard no other sound. He flew up...

The argument was on hold, if only for the moment, and Ishumo found himself fingering the dark mask he had on his face. It was early in the morning, and the sun had not been up for very long. His previous encounter with the demons kept running through his head. "When I see those demons again they will not see me, they will see the weak fool that they struck down. I will not tolerate they will learn to respect me before the end. I will remake myself and they will see the new me. Then he had crouched down, and created a mask from the shadows around him. As he slipped it over his face he though. "Now this is the face they shall learn to respect". Then he continued running. Caught in his memories Ishumo accidentally leaned back causing a loud creaking. "Maybe they didn't hear that" He prayed hopefully.

As Sanjuro stumbled through the hallways panickedly searching for Katsushiro, who was riding on his back. Sanjuro's calls for his furry companion were interrupted by that of thunderous crash, which prompted Sanjuro to become his usual obnoxious self. "IS SOMEONE IN DANGER? IS THE GREAT AND POWERFUL SANJURO YAMADA NEEDED TO ONCE AGAIN DRAW HIS BLADE TO AID HIS COMRADES!!"

Sanjuro now ran down the halls with a punch ready for the next foe to mistakenly cross his path, the smile on his face was like that of a child looking for their favorite toy. He turned a final corner to find Akimoto lying on the ground with some wierd black thing slowly enveloping him. "Oy Earth mover, whats this weird spell of yours supposed to do." He waits a moment for a response, "Answer me Earth Mover!" Sanjuro grabs at Kirakiri angrily and begins to rip him away from Akimoto. "One way or the other Earth Mover, you will answer me."

Not willing to wait any longer for the red-eyed girl's response, Raikotsu turned on his heel and walked back the way he came.

"There, my apologies are made. Now, are you too proud to rest or not?" he growled at Koyuki, his pride bruised by being forced to apologize. In fact, there was an almost palpable aura of injured dignity about him that ought to cheer her up considerably.

He noted that she had been fully impaled, leaving a nasty stab wound that ran all the way through her, and decided that the Ragaki sword might be more of a threat than he had anticipated.

"No." Koyuki replied, carrying a slightly more cordial tone. She could sense that Raikotsu was hurt emotionally by having to apologise, not only by his tone, but by the smell of his sweat and slightly more rapid heartbeat. Koyuki took a gentle pride in that. "I was just thinking of that. There is a nearby village, called Kanjiro, I believe. The outskirts will contain farming settlements. We shall commandeer one of their structures."

Koyuki pointed out into the forest, with her impeccable sense of direction, "That way."

"Good. I'm in the mood for some 'commandeering'. Will the others be accompanying us?" he looked sullenly at her, though her tone seemed more friendly now. He sighed, letting go of his anger, and blew the last of the dust from his hair with a minor gust of wind.

"If so, you had best gather them yourself...or tell them where we are going, and allow them to follow us. I suggest we hide any corpses made during the process of 'commandeering', to avoid discovery. And...I admit, Kurama's escape was partially my fault." the last sentence was so quiet it was almost inaudible, as it brought Raikotsu still more shame.

"As am I. The others will follow." Koyuki agreed, raising her right hand and snapping her fingers twice to get the attention of the others.

"Yaburu, Tsubasa, Chikane! We are leaving. There is nothing left for us to do here." Koyuki commanded, without bothering to look and see if they would follow. She trusted the mortal's obedience, if not to her, then do their mission. If they didn't follow, they'd certainly catch up later.

Soon enough, the two demons, and those who followed them came across a trio of small structures and a field of rice. A pair of men wearing working clothes and straw hats tended to their crops as the group approached. It was a small farm settlement, probably belonging to one or two human families, just like Koyuki had predicted. Those poor mortals were about to have a very bad day.

"Shall you, Raikotsu, or shall I?" Koyuki asked questioningly, gesturing to the two mortals in the fields.

One of the humans turned, and his jaw dropped upon seeing the fiends gazing at him. He grabbed the other man's shoulder...the two looked similar enough to be brothers...to get his attention. The younger-looking man, the one whose shoulder had been grabbed, looked as though he was about to scream, while the older turned to run.

Both had no idea how futile their efforts were.

"Allow me." Raikotsu raised one hand, two fingers outstretched, and a pair of spinning blades formed from air spun forth. The scream from the second farmer was cut off before it began, his head falling to the ground, mouth open in silent horror.

His older brother was no luckier, barely managing to take a step before the blade intended for him bit into the back of his neck...and dropped his head from his shoulders as well. However, he was unfortunate enough to hear his brother's corpse thump to the ground first, and know that neither of them would survive to warn the others, a look of despair joining the horror and agony on his face.

Barely breaking his stride, the Air Demon continued onward towards the house, "Decapitation may not be particularly painful, but the expressions of shocked horror they wore as they died made it worthwhile."

He smiled, offering Koyuki his arm, as though he were a human nobleman escorting a woman of high standing.

OOC: You guy's do realize he has been watching you guys the entire time right?

Ishumo climbed silently out of the tree, he couldn’t help himself, this was getting good. After waiting for a few seconds so they could get ahead of him, he followed, gliding across the ground, and making as little noise as possible. But even so he was prepared these were dangerous people he was dealing with, and it was a bad idea to underestimate them.

OOC 2: I'm going to sleep now. Please don't kill me... At least untill morning. :)

White Kimono decided not to bother telling Raikotsu what she meant by the "loverboy duel." Apparently, Raikotsu also might have had air in his head and had already forgotten Sanjuro's assumption that he was Koyuki's betrothed. Besides, Tsubasa didn't feel like explaining it because it meant she'd wind up laughing again and then Raikotsu would do nasty things to her. She knew that when it came down to raw potential, White Kimono would be dead last as she had neither the skill nor the experience that any of the others had.
"Like all demons who fail in their missions, I supposed they'll depopulate a village or three of its human occupants," Tsubasa said to Chikane, more to hide a weird expression she thought she was wearing. It was pretty clear to Tsubasa what Chikane was doing, but it was very wise never to let her in on the fact that she saw it. She also took the break to inspect herself.
Tsubasa came out of the battle somewhat unscathed. She was thankful for Raikotsu's help with the "bAIRriers" that prevented her from eating a barrage of bullets fired from that mechanical monstrosity, but it didn't stop all the bullets. Tsubasa had taken a shot to her left leg. Fortunately, the bullet cruised right through, not hitting a bone or anything critical. If Tsubasa was still human, the pain alone would've been enough to keep Tsubasa from acting quickly. She also took a few scraps from the Reaper's other offenses. But then again, Reaper was the only one who attacked her, and Tsubasa felt lucky to have gotten off with only that many wounds. The bullet wound would heal over time. Now it was time to see the trio of Koyuki, Raikotsu, and Yaburu take out their pent up aggression on some people who couldn't defend themselves...or maybe they were just looking for a place to stay.
Tsubasa was also thinking about Kurama and about the way he carried himself. His countenance was more impressive to her than his abilities in combat. If there really was a chance that Lord Talkatz could be defeated, then only fools would ignore the possibility of Kurama being the one to do just that.

IC: Seeing she wasn't going to accept the small gesture of friendship, Raikotsu retracted his arm...instead using it to open the door of the house.

OOC: Slaughter time!

"Thank you." Koyuki replied, stepping through the door that Raikotsu had so obediently opened for her. A woman could be seen standing next to a table in the kitchen, apparrently preparing soup for her sons when they returned from a hard day's work in the fields.

Except, they were not going to return anytime soon, being that they lacked heads.

"Oh dear!" she shrieked, staring at the wound in Koyuki's chest, "Are you wounded?"

"Yes. I am. I assume you have invited me into your home, and I appreciate this." Koyuki replies, stepping toward the table, eyeing her from across it.

"A-ah?" The woman stuttered, eyes wide looking at the ease in which the demon moved despite injury, and at the strange stripes on her face, and especially her ears. "Y-you're a demon!" She shrieked.

"Yes. I am. I'm afraid you must die now." Koyuki said, reaching across the table and choking the woman, digging her claws into her neck and removing her esophagus, casually discarding the writhing corpse onto the floor that it's victim had so recently cleaned.

"All of you who are hiding, it is pointless. I can smell you, and I know that you're afraid. Come out, and I promise you a quick and painless death." Koyuki said sternly to the rest of the rooms of the structure, while gently raising her right hand to her mouth, gleefully licking her fingers clean of the blood that they were now steeped in.

((I assume there are probably 5 people in two of the structures ((Houses)) and livestock and perhaps one person tending to them in the third structure, the barn/shack.))

Raikotsu smiled, stepping in behind her, "Sounds carry on the air...and the air obeys me." he closed his eyes, listening for a second, then opened them.

"There is a heartbeat in the storeroom coming off of this room. A full-grown man, slight palpitations indicating that he is no longer in his prime. His breath is ragged, he heard the woman die, and is probably planning to attack."

The door to the storeroom burst open, and a teary-eyed, burly man with graying hair lunged at him with a pitchfork. Having expected the attack, Raikotsu lunged, his ranseur catching the farmer in the chest, tossing him over his head like a bale of hay, spinning, and slicing off each of the man's limbs with claws of air, before settling down to carving the man into slices, as if he were chopping up a salami.

"I think I found our dinner..." he grinned, licking his lips hungrily.

((OCC: That was fine, Arhra. Hopefully, you won't mind this.))

"Mmmhhhghhh mmmmghhhh gmmmghhhmmm ghmmmmhnnnmmm!"

This, of course, could be roughly translated as "DO I LOOK LIKE I CAN ANSWER YOU?!"

Akimoto was running out of air, fast. He struggled to pull his short sword out of it's sheath, but the demon had to firm of hold on him. Finally, he lungs felling like they were about to burst, Akimoto did one finally desperate move.

Opening his mouth, he allowed some of the demon's flesh to enter.

Then he bit down as hard as the could.

The demon, whether out of the pain or disgust, recoiled from Akimoto's mouth. Akimoto quick took a grateful breath to bellow "Stab the thing, would ya?!"

The demon quickly constricted again...before Akimoto could take a breath after yelling, leaving him in the same position he was in before.

The world began to go gray around the edges of his vision....

OOC: got home early. Enjoy the adventures of Vance. Act 1


Vance's eyes opened to the light fluttering down upon his face. The world sounded strangely muffled. He realized why, he was still underwater. He quickly swam up to the surface and looked around, treading water. There was a beach nearby so he swam to it. Climbing out of the water Vance coughed pushing the water out of his lungs. Taking in air in gulps. The air burned his lungs. His head felt like it had been beaten with sledge hammers. The pain dissipated quickly however. He checked himself over and found everything to be in order. All his belongings had somehow survived the attack. He would have to be more careful in the future. "Now," Vance said to himself. "I need to find out where I am." he looked around for a landmark, seeing none he began to run along the shoreline against the current. Back the way he came. He found himself soon at a lone fishing hut. Vance knocked lightly at the door. It was a few moments before it was opened.

As the door creaked open Vance put on his friendliest grin. "What brings a stranger to my doorstep?" The old man inside asked.

"I sir am a humble traveler, I am looking for directions. Do you know where the nearest shipyard is?" Vance did his best to sound pleasant.

"You look as though you went for a swim. Well I suppose you look like an honest enough sort. There is a trade village down the river a ways. You might be able to find a boat there." The old man strokes his chin in a thoughtful fashion. "Though you may find the people quite unfriendly to a stranger."

Vance thinks about what village it could be. "Dose this village have a great Tree in it from over the seas?"

"I think it dose, a great big tree, people sometimes visit to see it."

"Ah then I know the village. Thank you so much sir you have helped more then you know." With that Vance bows politely and wishes the man well in his fortune. He sets off for a village he once visited. He had helped plant that very tree. They knew him there.


************************

Vance walked into the Village. It had grown sense he had last been there. He saw an old man who had been in his mid ages. A grown man who had been a child. And children that hadn't even been conceived when he was last here. Even the tree had doubled in size. As he walked he heard whispers form corners. When he reached the tree he placed his hand against it. Feeling the hard bark. "Vance old Friend." He heard a scratchy voice say behind him. Vance smiled at this, he turned and saw an aged face. It was his Friend Oren.

"Hello Oren, It has been long sense I was last here." Vance said giving his old Friend a light hug. Not wishing to hurt his now frail body.

"I see you are still as young as ever. I thought you were not going to return here." Oren said in a half question.

"I try to stay away from villages that know me well. This one however," Vance paused for a moment. "You all know me for what I am. I do not fear coming back here. You will not persecute me. Not after the help I gave to you and your Friends."

"Yes," Oren agrees. "Without you we surly would have perished."

"Oren, I regret that I do not have time to speak of old times. I am in a bit of a rush. I have great need of a ship." Vance said to his Friend. "Is there one your village can spare for me? For an old Friend?"

Oren stroked his chin slowly. "Yes I can see you are troubled Vance. I think we may have one we can spare, its a bit old, but I imagine you can manage it." Oren respond and led him toward the dock. The reached a small craft. It was well made but old indeed. "We were going to use her for parts for a new boat. But I suppose giving her to a good man like yourself would be as good a use."

Vance looked her over and nodded. "It will do just lovely." Vance thanked his Friend but made a hasty goodbye. He promised to return as soon as he could for a proper visit. Vance hopped into the ship and grabbed hold of the oars. "Here I come Kurama, fear not!" He says as he begins to row away from the dock.

While the others went about their business, Kurama had decided to head to his room to get some sleep. He was tired. The others would awake him if he was needed.

His room consisted of a floor mat, a pillow he made from cloth, a crate of ancient scrolls, and a smaller version of the tapestry that hung in the dining area was draped across the wall. He laid on the mat, covered himself with a blanket, and allowed himself to slip into slumber.

(OOC: Due to post limit, this thread is done. The next one will be open, and more dream posts may be made in the Dream Thread.)