The Dragon and the Fox Part 2

"Already done" Magi said with his usual wicked grin "Dont worry, nothing that will kill him, but I want to see how he survives some of the beasts of my catacombs. I actually quite like his attitude, everyone else lives in fear of us, but he has that look of defiance in his eyes that much suits your own" he said waving his hand as a crystal flashed as it showed Ryoma stepping out of his cloaked shadows as he walked through the dark corridors "I dont think he is looking for anything in particular...there's no pattern behind his approach......I think he's trying to get your attention"

"That's not true, I can get dangerous when I'm mad."Akuma said and shook his head "Man that's right. Those cots are stiff" he said patting his back "Yo sis...since Artemis is bunked up with Inuyasha right now let me ask you...what do you think about her?"

"How are you always so nice and understanding? You had such a hatred for everything like...a week ago" Yukine laughed looking up at him "I hope you're right though....I cant wait until its not my turn to control beasts and I just have to fight. That I can do."

“I didn’t hate everything.” He said and leaned over her till their eyes met, “I didn’t hate you.” He said. “Though to be honest, I’m still not very good at this emotion thing....not that angels are with out feeling.” He said and stood straight with a sigh, “I’m not sure if that makes any sense at all. I have feelings....I just don’t yet understand them or haven’t been honest with them for a very long time.”

Sayuri couldn't help but laugh at his mention of getting her attention, "Oh I am very aware what that fox wants, but I am not obligated to give him anything. They are here because my uncle has asked for the help, and he is the only man that I was willing to give a favor....though it will cost him." she grinned as she would look at the crystal watching Ryoma moving about. "Hmm...he's in the old wing...nothing much there but some rather nasty ruins....hope he doesn't set them off...oh what the hell I hope he does." she laughed.

Asura would lay back and then look over at her brother at his question, "what I think about her?" she asked with a raised brow, before shrugging. "Guess shes ok, to find out shes shes our cousin is rather scary...and that her mother is one of the more feared angels known not to mention who her dad is." she laughed some, shaking her head. "shes nice though...at least as far as I can tell I havn't really spent much time with her alone....shes dedicated..."

"Yeah, you were kind of a stick in the mud" Yukine said with a laugh "But ever since you've fallen, and fallen in love, you're much more animated and show you care. By the way how are you adjusting to your new powers? You arent still in any pain or discomfort are you? I know getting infused with demonic energy, especially for a former holy diety like yourself couldnt have been fun or painless"

"Well if that's the case" Magi said with a snap as the area around Ryoma began to rumble as one of Magi's creations, a twin headed chimera with a snakes tail, came creeping down the catacombs corridor directly towards Ryoma. "Lets see how our friend responds" Magi grinned wickedly as Ryoma came into contact with the beast and didnt waste in time in swiftly taking it down with a barrage of 1000 knives from his Ghost Dagger technique as Magi let out a long whistle "Impressive it took me weeks to make that thing! More, more, I must see more!" He said as the madness from the chaos seeped in momentarily until he shook his head "Sorry, almost lost it there for a second"

"Yeah she is. Really serious about trying to save her mother....and with the way she was training with Grandpa....you think she may be stronger than you are?" Akuma asked her "She has that unrefined power just like you do...must be a girl thing"

“There is still some discomfort, but not very painful.” He said. “It’s mostly I’m unsure of the powers I have. I haven’t tested them since the fall.” He said and looked over his shoulder at his one black wing as flexed it a bit. “And this will take some time to get use to.”

Sayuri shook her head towards Magi as she would gently place her hand on his shoulder, "easy old friend, you know how tempting it is but we have to show restraint." she chuckled watching as Ryoma continued to make waste to any sort of trick that Magi had. "should we just lead him here, he's not to far as it is and I'm sure he could use a drink." Sayuri stepped from magi and over to a bookcase that had a few different bottles before grabbing on and opening it as she poured a few glasses. "Care for some Saki Magi? or are you still letting lose your creations?"

Asura watched and listened to her brother and would then smirk "You like her." she shot out quickly as she looked at him, "my little baby brother has a crush on a girl" she grinned a rather coy smile as she moved up to him grinning.

"Wellllllllll...." Yukine said with a grin "I'm not tired, and we got some time to kill. Why dont we go give it a shot? Besides its best to know your limits now..instead of finding them out in a near death situation tomorrow right?" She questioned hopping out of the bed "Cmon it'll be fun. Besides, when we were training with the monks I didnt get to fight you. I wanna take you on!"

"Sake sounds lovely. And no, no I am done for now. You are right, no point sacrificing all my minions. This boy is Kurama's kid alright. The only man whose command of the Chaos has rivaled my own. How I would have loved the chance to work with him to restore Lord Yami in my prime, but Kurama was busy plotting his own domination, so I ended up with Lord Sekai instead." He explained as he twirled his ball around as the walls in the catacomb around Ryoma shifted and moved before seemingly dumping him out into the study they were currently sitting in "What the hell...." Ryoma said as he picked himself off the ground dusting off before noticing the two of them as he sweatdropped looking at them "Uhhhh....this isnt what it looks like?"he more questioned with an upward infliction "I wasnt stealing anything...this time, just looking around"

Akuma instantly turned beet red and pushed off his sister "I do not! I was just curious that's all." He yelled at her "Besides dont act like I havent noticed how you look at Inuyasha!" He countered

Sabreal looked back to her, “sure you want to risk it? An angels magic is one thing...a fallen, could be something different entirely.” He said in a mock smugness. “But alright. Let’s have a go.”

Sayuri would pass him a cup as she watched the older man enjoy his new 'toy' at least for now. "We both probably wish Kurama didn't do what he did, but the times do not change and well at least you have your entertainment when you can get it." she said leaning back as she raised a glass to her lips, in the moment thats when Magi twisted the crystal and a second or two later Ryoma was dropping in. As she let the glass slip from her lips she would speak "we know full well what you where doing Ryoma, Magi here was just having some fun....now...care to just ask what your looking for?" she took another drink of her saki.

Asura would blink when he suddenly called her out on Inuyasha and she would laugh, "me? with the half dog? your funny Akuma....he's cute but hes so not leader material, I'm the next empress I can't just pick any guy....hell mom has dad and he does more things than she does...Inuyasha wouldn't do much other than sleep and eat.....kinda like grandpa now that I think about it...hmm maybe Im attracted to guys like grandpa..." now she was more or less talking to herself before turning to look back at her brother. "doesn't change the fact you like Artemis."

"Pffft, you think I cant handle a little unholy magic yo must have forgotten who I am" Yukine said snapping as her large warfan appeared in her hands in a burst of flames as she held the handle "You're on, winner gets to be on top this time" she smirked before vanishing once again reappearing just outside the window

"Yeah" Ryoma said as he finished patting himself off "You" he finished bluntly "Thought not at the expense of that crazy wizard" he said earning a chuckle from Magi and a 'fair enough' as he turned his attention back to his work letting the two young ones talk "have you been watching me this entire time?" He questioned looking around the room "And what exactly is this place?"

"I dont know what you're talking about, Im going to bed now"Akuma said as he curled up into his sheets "This conversation does not leave this room got it!"

Sabreal went to the window and hopped out, his wing keeping him airborne. “Well come on Princess. Show me what you got.” He said and floated away from her

Sayuri would raise a brow when he said 'you' so he was looking for her as Magi stated and she would soon move over towards Ryoma and soon held out a glass towards him, "your probably thirsty, this is Magi's special saki....careful it will knock you on your ass if you drink to much" she stated. "as for watching you...we have, was rather interesting to watch you in honesty and this is my fathers old study we turned it into Magi's personal chambers for this that or the other....its the room you've wanted to be in im sure....full of all sorts of ancient relics, isle secrets, some things on yami...minus the gems and diamonds that im sure a little thief would crave though" she took another drink as she sighed. "mm magi i think this is your best batch...."

Asura laughed some "ya ya Akuma, not a word escapes this room.....but what about a shove..." she chuckled as a pillow hit her and she smirked. "man if mom could see you this red...she'd be fawning over how cute you are and play with your ears"

"Oh Im far replaced from petty thievery of jewels and gems" Ryoma said as he took the offered sake from her while looking around the room as all the relics "Im more into ancient artifacts. Things money cant put a price on." He said turning to fact them again "Quite the impressive set up you two got here"

"My, my, you arent just attitude after all, I like him, much better than Sesshoumaru" Magi laughed taking a drink "Oh milady you may be right, this is delicious. I must remember how I did this for the next time. Handmade sake...something you just cant rush with magic ya know?"

"Another word and I swear Im going to lit you on fire" Akuma said putting his hands over his head to drown her out

Yukine smirked "You asked for it" she said putting two fingers up to her lips and blowing as a large funnel of fire escaped the tips heading straight towards him in the air "Hope you can still dodge"

“Nice try.” He said and swerved out of the way of the oncoming fireball. He turned to her and summoned his holy blades, but instead of their striking silver as they once had been, now they were shrouded in a deep blue flame and were as black as his remaining wing. He looked them over for a moment. “Interesting”

"Everyone is better than Sesshoumaru to you Magi" she stated taking another drink of the saki but she let her eyes return to Ryoma remaining silent for now as he eyed the relics. "You can attempt to take these if you wish but they are attuned to this room for a reason...as unless there is permission they will return here one way or another." she took another drink enjoying the flavor and sighed. "you used those berries from the mountains didn't you?" she asked looking over to magi with a small smile seeming to appear relaxed and not the uptight ruler that Ryoma knew her as. "As for this..setup, there are other locations similar how else do you expect us to ensure the safety of the isles or how my uncle gets ahold of me? its necessary....now...why did you need to see me Ryoma?"

"hmm if your going to lite me on fire mind at least doing it when im in a bath.....id know the water would be just perfect then" Asura snickered as she glanced at her brother. "my little brother getting all hot under the collar cause his sister figured out his crush...."

"Why? I needed a reason? Well sorry to disappoint but I dont have a reason why I do the things I do." Ryoma said as he let go of a relic to watch it fly back into place magically "That's cool." He commented before turning to face her noticing her relaxed demeanor finding it alluring "I get an idea in my head, I run with it. I am a man of simple pleasures milady"he stated "And you werent kidding this sake is delicious.....and....making me relax...is this stuff drugged?"

"Maybe, depends on what you define a drug" Magi said with a wicked laugh as he stood up "This old man is going to bed, you kiddos have fun"he said nodding his head in a bow before vanishing in a wisp of black smoke as Ryoma blinked "What a creepy old wizard..." he said shaking his head

"Goodnight" was Akuma's only response to her as he continued laying down with his back towards her tuning out her teasing as he relaxed to get ready for the stressful day ahead of them

"Ooooo" Yukine said looking at the blades "There's something you dont see very often" she said as she kicked the shaft of her fan into her hands twirling it around he body as she lunged up in the air towards him swinging her fan followed by a large gust of wind

Sabreal struggles against the gust of wind but still managed to stay airborne and crossed the blades in front of him to block the attack. “Well done my Princess, you almost had me there.” He said and made a cheeky move and planted a kiss on her before pushing off from her. With his blades still crossed in front of him, he dragged the blades together and sent a wave of the dark fire at her

Sayuri had tried many of Magi's mixtures in the past she had also learned how to distinguish between the different ingredients when it came to that man, he'd poison you if you weren't careful. Setting the saki down for now she waved Magi off as he just seemed to vanish in that black smoke and she raised her hand to push some of her black hair aside. "you are indeed a simple 'man' if you just let any thought pop into your head...." she then would turn moving over to a desk where some papers where scattered and picked one up reading it over, clearly some paperwork she still had to go over or something else but she didn't seem as uptight anymore after having that saki or was it because she was in an area where she could finally relax though her attention soon turned to a crystal and he would see that Sabreal and Yukine where fighting. "seems your children are having some excitement....a fallen i should make sure that Magi doesn't find him....be his next plaything" she said off handed as she set the papers down.

"Kissing during fights, take me seriously" Yukine said as she sent a plume of fire out to match his as the two flames collided frowing rapidly before phasing out as she rushed forward again unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes at him as her bladed fan collided with his swords over and over again

"Dont try to write me as if you know what Im about" Ryoma laughed when she agreed with his simple comment "I am much more than meets the eye. Just like yourself. You seem much more natural now, as opposed to that hardened front you put on to deter the rest of the world from fucking with you"he stated before watching the two fighting in the crystal "Children? More like my headaches. Besides my niece and nephew I have no ties to the rest of them besides being their glorified babysitter on this mission. I swear that monk pulled me out of the field just to spite me. I am a master at espionage and assassination....not herding a bunch of kids through a maze. But I guess someone has to take responsibility for their potential fuckups so why not me." He said with a shrug as he finished his glass "That seems to be the recurring theme in my life, send Ryoma to do the dirty work. At least they know I get the job done."he said before looking over at her "After this war is done, I want to leave the main continent, what's it gonna cost for me to make a fox hole out in these isles and get away from it all? An arm? A leg? My unborn child, what's your price?"

“I always do.” He said as he and swung back at her, “just thought I’d get a quick kiss in before you get mad at me for beating you.”

His rambling made her smirk a bit it would seem the fox had been more or less used as a scape goat for what ever reason or another, her small smirk growing till she started to laugh when he asked if he could live here. It was quiet the thought as she soon wiped her eyes some before shaking her head, "Outsiders may live here but they must provide something to the isles....what is it you'd provide. I don't really need a man of espionage and assassination. I see no wars that I'll be walking into needing such, so what do you offer...little black fox" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"You? Beating me? I think you forget I'm a Daiyoukai Princess my love. I don't lose" Yukine said as she flipped backwards chanting something quickly as all around them vines began erupting from the ground attempting to ensnare and entangle him as she ran around in a wide arch coming directly for him once more

"Hmmm, well outside of a husband, what is it that you could possibly want? You have a hermit kingdom, and seem to be well provided for. What is it that you could need?" Ryoma asked with a shrug "If I have nothing to offer than I wont come. There doesn't seem to be a place in the world for me, but at least here the darkness feels like a home" he stated with a glossed over look in his eyes for a moment before shaking his head "Anywho, I should probably let you get back to work. I know its not easy running a country"

Sayuri watched as he would turn to leave and she would speak, "Castaways, misfits, criminals....just to name a few are many who I take in. My kingdom is that of a hermit, simply put because I wish to protect those who've been treated as if the world see's them as just a stain. My own family cast out because we believed in Yami's gifts seeing them as equality to that of Lady Luna and Lord Sol's abilities....that the three of them would bring a balance to the lands instead...because of hatred and fear it tore it all apart." she closed her eyes with a soft sigh and would then push herself from the table and would then move over towards him. "I won't deny someone a place here many just never have the courage to ask....perhaps the 'front' I put on is simply to make sure those who truly wish to be here....can you'll learn what these isles have to offer when you enter that maze tomorrow....and either run from it or embrace the shadows we've called home."

Sayuri would then raise her hand to gently place against his cheek, her touch warm as she smirked. "Get some sleep Ryoma you'll need it for tomorrow" her hand then slid form his cheek as she started up the stairs that lead out of the private study.

The vines caught around his wing and he barely had time to catch her blow and the impact had pushed him back as he was still attached to the vines

Yukine smirked as the vines snaked around him "Devil's root. The more you move the tighter they constrict. A spell I picked up from my sister a long time ago" she said as she walked up to him running a finger down his chest "And now I have you right where I want" with a smile before the vines dropped him "Shall we get ready for bed now. I'm pretty sure I get to be on top" she stated with a fangy grin before flippping her fan underneath her like a witches broom and flying back up into their room

Ryoma watched her saunter away, drinking in her looks as she left "I never run, so if I die tomorrow, that'll be a good final image. If I make it out of this war alive I'm marking that woman"he said and blinked twice "I dont think I've ever said I've wanted to mark someone before....what is wrong with me...damn sake" he said though gently touched his cheek where her hand once was as his dark portal opened beneath his feet slowly sucking him into it "The shadows I call home huh? I could get used to being here." He said as he reappeared in his private room away from the others in the group. He finished his final preparations before laying down to rest "Goodnight...Sayuri" he said somehow knowing the woman would hear him as he then closed his eyes as his tails curled protectively around him as he slept