A meeting in the restaurant [Yuriko]

"I understand so much more now . . .I never want to hurt you, Yaju . . . That is why I need . . . - Your soul . . . "

His eyes slowly closed as he sat down on the floor and listened to the words of Yuriko...or rather the words of both the blade and Yuriko. The girl he loved wasn't the same as she once was, so full of life and happiness but now it was if she was hollow and without emotion. Her voice carried a sense of sadness that he for this one moment didn't want to feel and as he looked into her eyes on final time he would notice that the small light he loved had been extinguished.


His eyes would be covered by the red hair had sat wildly on his head as slowly a tear came from his eye. This had been one of the hardest things had has happened to him so far and to feel such emotion had made him want to just go away.

"I have shown her the truth that none of you Humans seem to understand, soon we will liberate the souls of so many others . . . If you are the first, then Yuriko shall be with you for as long as you live, but if you refuse . . . We will be forced to strike through you or perish doing so."

A chuckle or more like a broken laugh would echo through the silent room as Yaju's head slowly reared up before speaking," So you want...to use the girl i love to kill me and take my soul? Do you think that is happiness?," he would pause for moment being torn between his base instinct of tearing her apart at this threat or giving in to her. His eyes continued to shift from left to right as he continued to put together the puzzle in his mind that had been breaking and reforming until he had finally stopped moving.

At the moment Yuriko's words would further beat on the heart of Yaju as he sat there idle and still only listening until she was through. He did not want to speak nor even look up at the moment, his eyes being muddled like he was unconscious in a sense but he was fully there and not there at the same time as he merely sat there like a rag doll.

It would be after she said she loved him and asked for him to give her his soul he would finally speak, although his tone was low and almost saddened," I have lost so much... i have lost so much to the point that i feel as if i have nothing else to lose. My life...was already taken and given back once, my purpose had always been clear. Even now...i continue to lose the one's i love the most, first my sister and now my first love," slowly she would be able to see a faint trace of chakra imminating around him as if he was barely there. Looking up slowly he would look into the eyes of Yuriko and smile," the light which i searched for i found in you and i promised nothing would take you away from me. I love you too much to let you slip through my hands...but my soul is something i cannot give you," it would be at this moment his body would simply move from its current position of in front of her to behind her before she could react.

His arms wrapped around her body without restricting her as he kissed the side of her neck," We will never be separated for you will always have my heart. I am willing to give you the world if you just return to normal and stay with me.," he whispered into her ear. He was to the point where in this one moment he would break down for her and her only, to show that his love was real and he would never leave her side.

Yuriko's eyes widened as Yaju appeared behind her, tensing up as his arms went around her she let out a soft and panicked gasp. She felt his lips upon her neck, which called forth a vision to interrupt her thoughts, even Aufero's voice fading slightly as it came to her. It was one that the pain of the sword had awakened and that this sensation had called forth. One that was not of her, but of another life, of another Wielder of this same blade.

"You are more than an instrument of death, Aufero, You are one of life as well . . . All that is required of you is the will to do good, to vanquish evil." A voice was saying, feminine and strong in its tone, yet at the same time holding beneath the veil of strength an immense amount of pain and suffering. Aufero's voice sounded out in reply to the stranger, "The Darkness created me to kill, I do what I was made to do, nothing more, nothing less." The sword replied, oddly, she sounded sad as she spoke, something which Yuriko was unaware that the blade could feel. The Wielder spoke again, keeping a level tone to the blade as if it were a child. "You can do anything that you wish with the power that you contain, You are alive Aufero, You have a soul of your own." As the Wielder spoke, Aufero's aura became dimmer, color becoming pale red in place of the deep, nearly black color that it usually was. "I wish to help Humans." Were the next words that Aufero spoke, firmly and with purpose. "How will you accomplish that?" The Wielder asked, becoming curious.

"I will travel to another world and show them just how blessed they are, how much they take for granted . . . Once I regain my power, I will save them all from their self-destructive fates." Aufero finished as the vision faded away, leaving Yuriko back in the real world as she heard Yaju whisper to her. While she loved him so much, while she wanted desperately to simply stop all of this, find a way to free herself from the bonds of the blade and live a normal life once more, Yuriko knew that now she had a purpose, one that she could not abandon, for anyone. Not yet, not until she saved the others. With that in mind, she whispered back, softly, her old tone coming back as she spoke, soft and gentle. "I trust you, Yaju . . . I just . . . I have to help, I have to save people . . . This is how I can finally do something for others instead of just sitting idly by --- But, I will never ever hurt you ... I promise." As Yuriko spoke, she carefully slid Aufero into her sheath and turned so that she could look into Yaju's eyes with her own - even in their now slightly changed state, she was still very much the same. Her eyes now simply held reptilian-esque slits for pupils in place of the ordinary round ones, yet somehow this made her soft gaze appear all the more innocent rather than hostile. With the cursed sword within the sheath, Yuriko knew that she would not draw it against him for a long time and that maybe he would forget about it soon enough, after-all they still had so much to do . . . She wanted him to meet her parents soon, and how could she do so stained with blood? For now, she would refrain from giving Aufero a soul just yet . . . She could still ignore the voice for just a little longer, but not forever. She was bound to it by soul and if she were to destroy it . . . She may perish alongside it. 

Putting all of that aside, she gazed into Yaju's eyes for a long few moments before leaning up - due to her height difference - to kiss him softly upon the lips before speaking. "Just pretend that . . . That all of this never happened, and nothing has to come of it for now . ..  Besides --- " She said, changing the subject with a gentle smile. "We still have training to do, right?" She finished, one hand gently placed against his side and the other against her own hip where Aufero now resided. The blade spoke to Yaju then, clearly within his mind. "It is clear that we do not see the same vision, but as long as my Wielder's heart belongs to you, I cannot challenge it. We will save them, with or without you, however." Aufero said, voice becoming much more human in tone than it had been previously, perhaps due to Yuriko's change of heart.

I trust you, Yaju . . . I just . . . I have to help, I have to save people . . . This is how I can finally do something for others instead of just sitting idly by --- But, I will never ever hurt you ... I promise."

Slowly Yaju would hug her a little more until her body slowly pressed against his chest and his heart could slowly be felt by her as he spoke," Yuriko i will always be by your side when you need me and will never let you down dear. We all have our purpose in life and even if this is your path, as my lover i will follow by your side and help you no matter what you need me to do," his eyes would return to normal as he wiped the small tears from his face and also looked into the eyes of Yuriko softly seeing as this is what love was like. Seeing as they both had time to work on their love and even more so learn more about each other, he could find something to reclaim Yuriko or at least lessen the effects that the blade had on her. For the moment however he would keep his thoughts to himself and instead focus on keeping Yuriko happy and content so that she did not feel alone ever again.

When Yuriko had leaned up to kiss him, Yaju quickly scooped her up into his arms and kissed her back if only for a second before keeping her in his arms and his eyes looking into hers. When she had asked him to forget about the events of tonight he would chuckle," Alright dear i shall do that, besides we need our minds ready the training and maybe some alone time between the two of us," he would pause for effect as he nuzzled into her," And maybe become one through our bodies," chuckling lightly he would actually be kidding about that part knowing that the two of them weren't exactly ready for a big step like that.

Again he would hear the voice of the blade in his mind as he blinked and replied to it," I will protect my love with everything i have and one day i shall free her from you. While she still has my heart and love i will not allow you to take her down a destructive path, let that be established between the both of us," with that he would sit on his bed with her in his arms and cuddle her silently. Before long he would speak again to her," So what would you like to do while we wait for the sun to come up," at this point she would be in his lap if she still wanted to, but he was simply enjoying the alone time the two of them were having.

[Sorry for the late post dear xD]

"I will protect my love with everything I have and one day I shall free her from you. While she still has my heart and love, I will not allow you to take her down a destructive path." Those where the words which the dark blade Aufero had heard within her mind, and it was those very same words which wounded her as deeply as a human may be wounded by her own blade. It was odd, truly, to Aufero just how much the words of a human could mean to her, perhaps it was because they were words which led one to believe that she was performing the exact opposite effect upon this world as she had intended. She had, indeed, planned to spill blood as necessary, but also expected the humans within this world to understand the greater cause behind it and perhaps even join in on her cause. Internally, Aufero's sadness deepened as she recalled the words of her previous Wielder and then began to recede into the mind of Yuriko, the only one within this realm as of yet who could understand her plight and would fight the disbelievers accordingly.

Yuriko's eyes softly closed as she sat on Yaju's lap, while it was nearly day-time the whole affair with Aufero had drained her energy substantially, to the point where she would not be able to do much without resting for at least a few hours so that she may regain the lost energy and allow the blade's power to adjust to her own, melding their energy's together as if they were lovers, the blade and her, even though the one she loved currently was the man whom she slept upon, this wonderful man whom would give anything for her even if she were just a young girl and he were a brave and powerful ninja. 

Sighing softly, with a mixture of content and sadness, Yuriko held out her palm and said softly: "Do you remember that I mentioned a technique of my own? . . . Let me show you it, Yaju . . . " And then upon saying this, in her gentle tone mixed now with fatigue, Yuriko created one of her Orbs upon muttering the Jutsu's name under her breath. The small sphere glowed lightly above her palm with a yellow tint, not being too much larger than the palm of her hand itself the Orb hovered partially above it supported seemingly by nothing. While it was not too wholly amazing upon its own merit, the simple soft glow and maneuverability of it all made Yuriko happy, it was like a portable night-light of sorts to her, and in a pinch could serve as a way to illuminate the darkness around her.  Most of all, she created it. 

Yawning, Yuriko held the Orb in place for another long few moments before eventually moving her hand as it remained there for a while before beginning to dim and then vanish into the air. It was at this time that she simply fell asleep, exhausted not only from her ordeal, but using what was left of her energy to create the small Orb. 

As Yuriko dreamt, she envisioned a beautiful knight and her dark sword, traveling the land in search of something, but what it was she was not sure. However, the moment from her dream which captivated her most was the fact that the two seemed to be upon this quest not by force, but by will and co-operated as such, the Wielder was there by choice, not consequence, and neither was the blade. This small fact took up Yuriko's mind as she slept peacefully within Yaju's home, even in this state, she was happy.

Slowly time would begin to wane around the two lovers as he simply held her close to his chest as he simply smiled and enjoyed the peace between the two of them and the happiest moment of his young life. Yuriko had given this young wolf so much more than a new experience she had also given him what could be best described as hope, ambition and more importantly a new meaning for living. It was something that the young wolf would never expect for himself..feeling love, having someone close and even expression emotions like these were things he used to lack.

Yaju's ears would slowly flicker as he registered Yuriko's words and nodded before looking down to her and smiling," Yes dear? I have been waiting on that surprise for the longest and i cannot wait to see it," his eyes went to her hand slowly watching and waiting for the moment for her to display her talents. Slowly his byakugan would activate as he watched the slow flow of chakra slowly pooling into her hand and as the bright luminescent orb appeared his byakugan would slowly deactivate as smiled and rubbed her head softly," That is...brilliant Yuriko when did you come up with such a jutsu. Sure it maybe small and without a destructive purpose, but this....this jutsu symbolizes a new light in the dark," he smiled knowing that this jutsu had a hidden meaning or maybe something more.

As she fell asleep into his lap he would lean down slowly and kiss her on the cheek before sliding into the bed and moving the cover onto them, cuddling her body against his so she could feel safe and secure," Sleep tight my princess," smiling he would close his eyes and slowly drift off into the own slumber , knowing that soon their training would begin.

[9925]

When Yaju had asked Yuriko about her jutsu, she began to explain it in a tired and partially asleep voice, her eyes drifting shut as sleep began to take hold. "It was a long time ago . . . When I was really little . . . I was ---" She paused for a moment, embarrassed, but eventually continued on.  "I was afraid of the dark . . . So one night when I was really scared, and my parents were not home . . . I made this, to protect me from the monsters." Yuriko smiled softly at this, yawning as she then fell completely unconscious and into the world of sleep.

After her dream had concluded, Yuriko awoke slowly to the new day, the day in which their training would truly begin, and one in which they could finally begin their adventure together. However, the night had been eventful, and now a sword traveled alongside Yuriko, bound to her by soul and blood. It was not yet clear if she would take it upon herself to devote her life to the blade's cause, or if she would use it for her own purposes, no matter the decision it would remain with her until death. 

Meanwhile, Aufero slumbered within the blade, occasionally catching fleeting images of her previous Wielder and more rarely, her new Wielder. She was used to nightmares, being borne from the Darkness itself, but tonight Aufero felt a certain unease while she slept, one that threatened to throw her usually unwavering courage behind and leave in it's place a fear. 

It was early morning when both the sword and it's Wielder awoke, to a new day and to the beginning of their future trials.

[10,895]

As the night soon turned into morning Yaju would find himself waking up behind Yuriko and with a small stretch he would smile and try not to move so much as to awaken her if she wasn't already awake. Remembering that he was going to train her today he would shift his body just a bit to where he could see the small alarm clock behind him and smiled," Looks like it is time to start our day..but first i think i should give her a couple of presents," turning back around he would use his right hand to slowly touch the back of her neck and slowly pour his chakra into her, but he would not be giving her his curse mark. No instead he would begin the process of making her stronger and eventually she would be a ninja that this village needed. The seal would finally form on her skin without notice as it would not burn or cause her to faint, but if she had felt his touch he would explain it to her.

Kissing the side of her neck he would shift out of the bed and walk over to the door," My dear when you are ready to get up come down to the kitchen,i will make us some breakfast and lunch before we start our training today," although his mouth would make no sudden movements and no sounds would escape his lips she would instead here him in her mind. The seal would allow the both of them to talk telepathically and also speak from a distance but soon he would show her what else it could do but that would come in time. As he left the room unless Yuriko had needed something from him, he would walk down to the kitchen and begin the preparations for their food. A smile would appear on his face as he nodded his head to invisible music and chopped up some chimes and peppers for himself and cooked a wide variety of breakfast foods for the both of them.

Setting up the table he would speak to Yuriko once again through their mind link," The food is ready dear whenever you are ready to come down and eat dear," he would place himself at the table and wait for her to come down. In the meantime he would plan their little training adventure and he was going to make sure that she was physically fit and ready for anything.

[10,343]

As Yuriko became fully awake, she let out a small yawn before setting her feet out of the side of the bed and then standing up as Yaju's words entered her mind and - due to the fact this had never happened before - she let out an audible gasp before closing her eyes in order to concentrate on the words as Aufero then interrupted her thoughts. 

The sword which she had found the night before, a demonic weapon of dubious morality, Aufero glowed ominously from the bedside table which she had been moved onto before Yuriko slept. Its thoughts were not filled with hatred or blood-lust as many would assume from such a being, but with mixed emotions of jealously, contempt, regret, sorrow, and excitement at the day ahead. Aufero, while made simply to kill and control mortals, felt all of these things within her - body? it could not be called such, but she assumed it was as close as she had other than her form that had only a finite appearance. This caused her to then delve into the mind of her Wielder, not painfully so, but in a way that she would be able to read through her thoughts and memories as if they were a book, slowly becoming more adept in her knowledge of the Wielder known as Yuriko.

As Aufero moved through her mind, Yuriko felt a chill travel down her body, causing her to shudder before beginning to walk over to the door, stopping near the mirror to inspect herself fully before going down to Yaju: Her dress appeared differently within the mirror as it did outside of it, to her the black within the cloth became shadows that whirled and bent around in the air as if there were a violent typhoon surrounding her body, and the red within the cloth represented blood that dripped and flowed around the black as if they were in love, blending both Darkness and Blood in an omen for things to come. Other than her clothing, Yuriko's skin had become a slightly more pale color than it had been previously, only serving to further illuminate the reptilian red eyes that resided now upon her. Her hair seemed to have grown if only slightly longer, which she rectified by tying into twin-tails with the use of her black rabbit-ear-esque ribbons. Finally she examined her naked hands and feet, the hands seemed to have grown small - almost unnoticible at this stage - claws which would serve little practical purpose now, but perhaps later would become more important as the sword's power was brought into her. Her feet appeared rather normal, but she could assume safely that they may develop the same type of claws over time if allowed. Finally, within the mirror as she completed her observation, Yuriko saw if for only a brief moment, the image of the sword's previous wielder in her place: A beautiful young woman wearing nearly the same colors as her own, even in the same style of dress which billowed lightly over her waist and down to her knees, where black stockings trailed down to her feet. She wore her hair in a braid, rather than in twin-tails as Yuriko did, and her eyes were a brilliant yellow that gleamed softly within the mirror as she offered a sad smile to Yuriko before fading away, as quickly as she came.

After a long while, Yuriko tore her view from the mirror and began to descend - however, remembering to take Aufero with her and placing her upon the waist. She found herself at the table within a few moments and slowly took a seat, offering a tired and somewhat distracted smile toward Yaju as the blade then spoke within her mind, possibly due to their newfound telepathy Yaju would be able to hear it, but this was not clear as of yet.

"Do not let what happened interfere with your mind, Wielder. He will not harm me, nor you, I am certain of this. For we are bound by soul and blood, thus he and I are bound in the same blood. Today we shall show our strength, and I shall show you the power of a blade which was forged by the Darkness itself, Yuriko. I Will Protect You." The last words of the blade rang throughout her mind, causing a feeling of warmth and perhaps even affection within them, Yuriko appreciated deeply that the sword was concerned with how she felt or what had happened, but judging by the tone which she had used, Aufero even cared for her as a being other than simply a Wielder even having been forced into the position as she was. Both of them had been.  

With a small, subtle nod she would begin to eat after thanking Yaju for the meal with: "It looks very good, Thank You." Which, while genuine, she did not speak it with much enthusiasm due to at-length her tiredness and to other parts her distraction with the blade. However, as she finished her meal, Yuriko was reminded once more that she now had two people who would stop at nothing, it seemed, to protect her. 

Yuriko smiled, a hand running softly along the seal which had been placed upon her as she finally asked, having not truly been enough awake to do so previously. "What is it, Yaju? . . .  This thing, is it why I heard you in my mind earlier?" As she speaks, Yuriko tilts her head in a curious fashion while Aufero internally begins to listen carefully, wanting an explanation for this as well.

[11,827]

Yaju would watch as Yuriko came down to the kitchen and soon sat at the table, his eyes watching her carefully for a moment before smiling and drinking some of his orange juice. His eyes would show a bit of tiredness but overall he was not sleepy but more or less resting mentally for today's heavy exercises. Yaju ate rather slowly poking at his food for a bit due to the visions from last night playing in his mind and although he was asked to forget them in all honesty he probably never would forget it for some time. After finishing his food he would sit there for a moment and glance up to Yuriko occasionally before flashing a small smile and staring into the bottom of his glass as his eyes became not only distant but also clear in a sense.

His mind would snap out of it however when Yuriko had asked about the seal that he had put on the back of her neck. At first he would smile and nod to answer her second question before turning around and showing her his neck which had the same seal on his neck," This seal means that i have chosen you to be not only my student but in the near future my partner for the protection and future endeavors of Kumo. In time i will show you have to unlock the unique potentials in your own seal although...well you will have to find what makes you continue to fight and live," as he turned around he would smile and wave her over to him.

If she came he would hug her before walking out of the kitchen," Well come on dear i did tell you that today we were going to be training, don't think because you are my love doesn't mean i will not be hard on you," smiling he would run upstairs and grab his large sword before walking outside and waiting on her. When she had finally joined him outside he would look around for a moment and turn to a wall before smiling and punching it. Although this wall was hollow it would open to show a new tunnel system. Grabbing his grey Haori he would put it on and continue walking," Well here is the first stop on our training and i hope you are ready for a lot of climbing and walking," with that being said he would step into the darkness and wait for her.

As the two walked around she would be able to hear the water slowly dripping down from the walls and landing on the floors as they silently traversed the caverns. In her mind he would speak to her," Yuriko tell me...what is strength to you? Is it something you use to protect those you care about or is it merely a tool to gain power?," although she wouldn't necessarily know it he was looking at her over his shoulder for some moment before looking forward and continuing on their trail. Depending on her answer however, his actions in the next couple of seconds would be solely determined on her wording alone.

[10,871]

Yuriko nods in acceptance of the answer Yaju provides, offering a faint smile before speaking a reply. "Ah, so I see," She began, then her smile forming a small grin upon her lips as she continued, "Rest assured that I will have enough to live and fight for eternity." And as she finished speaking, Yuriko would follow Yaju's gesture to follow him. 

Yuriko accepted the hug with a gentle return of her own, while eyes gleamed softly with a hint of mischievousness as if she were plotting inwardly of something, however this would not provide much time to be discovered as Yaju ran upstairs, where as Yuriko simply drew Aufero from her sheath momentarily and gazed upon her blade happily before then sheathing the Darkness Borne weapon once more and walking outside, as she walked alongside Yaju she then heard his words of climbing and such, to which she offered another nod and "I am fully prepared" before continuing on.

As they walked side-by-side, Yuriko's  mind wandered to the sound of their footsteps, which brought upon memories from the blade of marching alongside a hundred armored knights, all of whom wore brilliantly shining golden armor. All whom were devoted to Gods and Goddesses alien to her own beliefs, ones whom would kill at their command and not feel remorse for doing such. Yet, one by one each knight fell around her as the leader turned and drew Aufero, slaughtering them all so effortlessly, so beautifully. . . - - -  Snapping back into the present due to the sound of Yaju's voice, Yuriko listened intently as he asked her what strength truly was: This answer would be provided by both blade and Wielder individually.

"Strength," Yuriko began, uttering a soft giggle as she gazed upon her own hands which she now knew held the power of an ancient blade that had liberated hundreds if not thousands from their mortal bodies, and also the power which Yaju had so recently instilled upon her that she had yet to harness. However when she spoke, it was with a voice that while sounding much like her own, became much more solemn and sobered in tone than Yuriko's current one. "It is the necessary evil from whence all good is borne in this world, Love alone cannot change a country . . . But strength can end tyranny and corruption. Strength is the burden I now carry . . . " As Yuriko finished speaking, her own eyes widened in surprise at not only how strange it was for such a thing to happen, but that the words felt so true to her as well, as if something were speaking her thoughts aloud. Awestruck, Yuriko gazed upon her own hands as if they would reveal the answers to the questions she now held, looking in all honestly a bit unhinged at this point. 

It was now Aufero's time to speak her thoughts on strength, which would be delivered inwardly and directly to Yuriko. "Strength, Yuriko . . . Is what will grant you everything you could desire . . . All your wishes are within your hands when you wield me, I am the instrument of freedom and death that was borne from the Darkness to be within your hands, and I will protect you with my own strength. As you shall use it to defeat those whom oppose us."

Once the blade fell silent, Yuriko slowly gazed up to where Yaju should be and simply stared, eyes slowly returning to normal as she adopted a calm and almost eerie smile, waiting for his response to all of this with no trace of anxiety or fear showing upon her, while the aura of the blade whirled and moved within the Darkness of the cave, as if attempting to swallow the shadows within itself.


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