nee-chan - Well hehe though it wasn't three months but kinda going to be... The phoenix is good, not demon in disguise.
Anonymous - Ya, this is weird right? The King also agreed with you.
Tsugoi Kakarlena - I will ^-^
MissBehavin - Yah! This will be the scene that he will find out...
Chibilover2000 - My intent of having Megumi here is to kinda torture Kaoru, so it is also sort of love enemy as Megumi here is very dependent on her brother. *evil grins*
LittoGrrlStephie - That's right! Mistakes, we all will have unconscienously made some. You will soon see how kenshin realise kaoru is the one and how the situation will be like...
ixchen - Here new chapie for you to read! Fresh!!!
Spring of the Sun - Discovered?!
"" – dialog
'' – thoughts
//…// - recalling
italic – telepathy
bold – Spiritual Speech
In the midst of the clouds, Kaoru and Tae sat on Butcon's back, hastily headed towards their target.
"Aren't you afraid of being discovered by summoning Butcon out?"
"Nah! He is presently chasing another two demons which are at the opposite direction of ours" so he wouldn't notice anything as he was too busy.
"There are three demons altogether?" Tae exclaimed.
"I am not certain about the one we are chasing is demon or not as I can't find any demon aura from it. But I am sure about it's connection with other two demons." Kaoru was the first to arrive the grey mist and saw the one, they were chasing, heading to another direction.
"Seems like the enemy planned to leave through the crack of the barrier from the start." She commanded Butcon to go faster.
"Eh? It looks like the enemy has kidnapped someone…the person is…" Being trained to see distance, Tae stopped saying abruptly. "What?"
"Erm I am afraid…is…Princess Megumi…"
"Fox princess!?" Kaoru laughed and patted Butcon to signal heading back. "Let's go back then!"
"You aren't going to rescue her?" Tae pulled her ponytail hard.
"Pain! Hands off my hair!~ Stupid Tae!" Kaoru pouted and snatched back her hair back from Tae's hands. "Who is saying who is not going to rescue her? With Sun King's achievements, he will definitely realize that princess is not on the two demons' hands and where she will be. Soon, the royal guards will be here!"
"But what is the royal guards are too late?"
"Stop worrying for nothing! The crack of the barrier that the kidnapper heading has been shifting, the whole barrier over the kingdom is forever shifting around. That stupid dumb in front is still heading forwards to the original place of the crack, so don't worry as the royal guards will be on time."
"So you are not even cared to do something in the rescue?" Seeing that Kaoru really wanted to head back, Tae pulled her.
"Who's cares? Since that there will be someone to rescue her, why take a risk of exposing myself?" Especially if she let the princess to get hold of her identity, with the king's character, she was certain that she would not get a mop of bees visiting her at night that simple.
"Master, the target has headed another direction…" Just when they were in the heat of argument, Butcon reminded them.
"What?!" Both Kaoru and Tae stopped at the same time.
"So that fellow does his homework, isn't he? Go to the original position of the crack to observe the shifting in order to predict the movement." He must had been around in Sun Kingdom for a long time to notice the shifting, Kaoru creased her eyebrow.
"Don't ponder anymore! Let prior of saving the princess first!"
"Mou!" Kaoru pouted her lips. Ever since she entered into Sun Kingdom, troubles kept following her. Eyebrows kept switching, giving her a feeling of something really bad going to happen. The kidnapper, in front wore black covering his whole body except for his eyes to be seen, found the way out of the barrier and grabbed Megumi tightly, increased his speed to rush out!
"YOU! BASTARD DEMON! RELEASE ME NOW! YOU CAN"T ESCAPE OUT OF HERE! HOW DARE YOU TO TOUCH ME, KEN-NII-SAMA WILL SURELY DESTORY ALL OF YOU!" Both hands were tied together on her back and unable to move, Megumi shouted.
"I must say, my princess. You should change your phrase now, always like to use your brother as your backup, no wonder everyone wants to catch you." A raven-haired boy, crossed his arms over his chest and stayed in the air sighed.
"Tanuki! Save me quickly! AH!!!!" Upon seeing Kaoru, Megumi happily shouted but screamed painfully after that because of the pain inflicted on her by the kidnapper, grabbing her neck and plunged his long nail into the skin and lift her upwards.
"Never thought that…you are still alive in the human world." Sore voice groaned from the masked face.
"You have showed me before?" That kidnapper's words aroused her curiosity.
"Still want to act blur?" He pressed more pressure on the princess's neck. "If you still want to be alive, then get lost now!"
Megumi was so much in pain to be able to speak as her whole body was supported by the hand which was placed behind her neck.
Kaoru darkened her expression. "Release her now! Making a girl suffers will only get you die faster and worse."
"By you?" He laughed. "Don't you remember the last time's lesson?"
Seeing that the opponent's eyes gave off some evil splint, Kaoru posted a defense position, knowing that the kidnapper wasn't that easy to deal with!
"My Princess, let's make a deal? If you can help me to keep a secret, I will help you to kill this bastard for revenge!"
"W…What….s…secret….?" As she was being strangled, she could not say the words out properly.
Kaoru's lips curled up closed her eyes and her hair started to change colour from raven to bluish-black and settled with bluish-green. The surrounding atmosphere changed and the kidnapper was stunned.
At another end of the sky, two demons who were surrounded by the royal guards busy fighting their way out.
"Your highness, why don't you cast a magical barrier to capture them?" Staying beside the Sun king to protect him, Saitoh saw both parties were struggling and voiced out his doubts. Caught in Sun king's barrier, no one was able to cast any spells or magic, thus was the best capturing tool.
The royal guards are too inexperience in fighting against with demons, even after using formation also cannot capture them…
"Your highness means is to train them?"
Waste so much skills and efforts, yet still cannot capture these two demons, give anymore training also hopeless…
He shook his head.
"Is Saitoh's fault that the royal guards are lacking in training! I will pass the command to tough up the training on them!" Saitoh quickly kneeled down and asked for forgiveness.
It's not your fault. I have asked you to go and investigate the matter of damages on the barrier caused internally which has already take up most of your time. If I going to add on your burden by asking you to take up part-time commanding the royal guards, then I will be too harsh on you.
Just that in such a short notice, there was no candidate around fulfilling the condition.
"Thank you for not blaming me, your highness." Saitoh stood up. "Looks like princess is not in these two demons' hands."
Waiting for them to capture these demons and question the where else of Megumi's.
Presently, there still no feeling of anyone goes through the barrier yet. At that time, Sun king closed his eyes and used his senses to summon. In no time, a clear chirpy sound rang over the sky, a golden-phoenix flying towards his direction.
Little thing, show me what you have.
Listened to its owner's command, the golden-phoenix gave off a loud howling, spreading its wings that gave off fiery light and flew upwards rapidly. Slowly, its body began to burn like a ball of meteor and headed towards the two demons. They immediately reduced into ashes. All royal guards at there stood still, stunned at the very sight. At the same time, wind brought along another energy wave…
It is the same special aura as last night! Sun king narrowed his amber eyes into slits.
A thought came across his mind. //kao-chan// He recalled that Tae called Kamatari as Kao-chan? He snapped his thought by the time when the phoenix landed on his shoulders. Well done. He smiled to the phoenix while it kept playing with his red locks.
From now on, I will call you Fieor!
Granted with a name meant being recognized of its strength, Fieor happily spread its wings, used its beak and caressed its new owner.
"Congratulations, your highess, for obtaining such a vigorous Saint Beast." All the royal guards were present when their king gained another additional force and happily congratulated.
"But the princess is still not found." Both the demons were dead, couldn't question for any information.
Don't worry, Megumi will be alright. The king patted Fieor's head. Remember the one who brought you here? Bring me to find the real one.
Fieor blinked its golden eyes and nodded.
"Spring's symbol… you…aren't him… you're one of the four guardian, Spring!" Facing the bluish-green eyes and hair of Kaoru's, not only the kidnapper was shocked but also Megumi.
"Spring…one of the four guardian…not that Kamatari…"
"This is the secret that Kaoru wants princess to help to keep."
"I…I am feeling worse…save…me…quickly…" Megumi's face was getting greenish.
"Release the princess now!" Kaoru warned the kidnapper. "If not, I will not guarantee that you can survive when I use agreement band on you."
"Agreement band!" It smirked and tossed Megumi away.
"AH~~~~" Being thrown down from hundred miles above the land, without any power to defend, Megumi screamed.
"Butcon!" Kaoru flew down, shouting.
Greenish-purple blurred out and a dragon appeared immediately and caught the princess accurately giving her no chance of being smashed meat. Seeing that the princess was saved, Kaoru was relived and gritted her teeth at the same time, glaring at the direction of where the kidnapper had escaped.
"Tae-chan, you will take care of her, I will go and chase after the culprit!" After the instructions, Kaoru flew away.
"You…better be careful!" Tae shouted at Kaoru's back.
Following the remaining aura of the kidnapper to a mountain to find that the latter was gone.
"It has escaped!" Kaoru landed on the ground.
In the evergreen forest of the mountain, surrounding was full of mist, Kaoru looked around pondering whether how far was from there back to Sun Kingdom and how deserted the forest was. Kaoru was confused, usually those demons who came around her boundary, she could sense them with ease no matter how far they were, as long as there was presence of demon aura. However, from that kidnapper, she couldn't sense any demon aura. So she dismissed it as others rather than demon. But when she came nearer, she sensed its demon aura yet wasn't normal aura that demon gave off.
Seemed like the latter had quite a good knowledge of the Sun Kingdom's geographical location and surroundings, which meant that the fellow must had stayed in there for quite a period of time. But could demons stay in Sun kingdom without being detected by the Sun king for a long time? The situation was getting worse and had a lot of loopholes.
When she was walking while deep in thoughts, she heard sounds of water splashing and looked around to find that she had walked out of the forest. In front of her was a waterfall, and once she saw the nature's lake, all energy came back to her, doubts and confusions were pushed aside, wanting to bathe in the nature. Barefooted, she headed towards the lake, splashed water on her body, feeling the coolness of the water flow down from her top to bottom downwards over her whole body. It was so refreshing. Her whole body was naked, fingers combing her long bluish-green hair, swimming into the midst of the lake where the water level reached her chest level and swam backwards leisurely.
Since all the things had been settled, at least for her opinion, mission accomplished, why not stayed there and enjoyed before heading back.
"la…lalala~~" Kaoru cheerfully sang, splashing the water upwards playfully, viewing the beautiful scenery of the water droplet floated in the air, sparked under the sunlight, and repeated the same procedure for some times enjoying life to the fullest.
Such a beautiful scenery. Spring, the guardian of Celestial Galaxy, Kaoru-dono.
Familiar voice rang in her mind, teasing her. Kaoru turned around and found a man sitting on a rock near the lake, staring hard at her.
"I never know that the mighty Sun King has a habit of peeking woman bathing, this is so…not expecting…" In the water, Kaoru smiled back while trying hard to find ways to escape in her mind.
Spring symbol, bluish-green eyes and hair, this time I am very certain of your identity now.
He smirked, finally realized that Spring was the only one of the world that had the spirit and liveliness. Their first encounter, Kaoru sealed off her Spring power, there was no Spring symbol on her forehead, her eyes were sapphire and bluish-black hair. Leaving only the features of her face and her spirit aura that entranced him yet her boldness and the teasing angered him. Under such an embarrassing circumstance, she still could have the ease to tease a guy.
"I believe that as one of the mighty Saint Kings, your highness will not punish Kaoru for the previous attempt of disrespect, right?"
Giving an expression of 'I did not do it on purpose' and shuddered her shoulders implying that it was such a coincidence. However, her action caused her breasts to be revealed slightly from the water. The king placed his right elbow on his left lap supporting his chin, amber eyes never strayed away from Kaoru, who was partially submerge in the lake, roaming around every part of her body curves and even downwards to the underneath of the water. He made no response, changed his position and continued looking at her intensively. At that very moment, he wasn't the Sun king of what Kaoru had known.
'Damn it! Though the king is rather solemn, but I never heard from rumors before that he indeed has a habit of peeking at women. Just look at him! He is staring at me intensively…' Kaoru cursed in thoughts, and suddenly reminded of his spiritual speech ability…
'That's it!' She fisted her hands that bad, smelly mouth of his must be thinking about what words to be said out! Glaring at him, Kaoru came out with two ideas. First was to attack the king. Although he had the most powerful magic barrier and spiritual speech, he had no offensive power to defend himself before he could cast out his barrier or say out his speech. But this would definitely worsen the relationship between Celestial Galaxy and Sun kingdom and cracked even more till Chris had to come and save her personally. But if just because of such a trivial little thing and made a big fuss, it wasn't worth it. So the option left for her to choose was to escape!
"Your highness…" Kaoru smiled cheerfully in order to lessen his guard. "I apologize for all the things I had done that offended you." Upon finishing, she jumped up, planning to use her powers to flee but to discover that she could not use her powers.
SPLASH! She fell back into the lake.
"Grr!" This time round, she was really choked with the lake water, kept struggling to swim upwards to catch for her breath. Head broke the water surface; she immediately started coughing and slowly moved towards the shore. Breathe…. She breathed fresh air in deeply.
In my barrier, no one can use their power or cast magic. He warned.
"I see." Kaoru gave up and turned around to face the man, who was still sitting on the rock glaring at her, raised hands in defeated. "Alright then, I let you see mine just like what I had seen yours, in hope that this will put out your anger."
Are you always that generous till can allowing guys to just look at your naked body? Seeing that she was not urgent to look for her clothing, standing in front of him nude, the young king took off his golden cloak and threw it over to her.
"This is also not I wish! Who ask you to be always appearing in front of me when I was not fully dressed!" Kaoru murmured, took the golden cloak and fastened the string around her neck thus covering her naked body from exposing. She expressed her dismay outside but in fact she was laughing like hell inside. 'Hee, I knew you would do it!'
Kaoru! The king appeared in front of her.
"Yes, your highness!" Kaoru quickly kneeled down and paid respect to him as Spring.
I just want to let you know that I have no intend to take in account of what had happened during our first encounter.
"Yes." Of course she would understand, if not why she would bring out the incident to make fun of him.
That's not the end. You used Kamatari's identity to present the gift is the most unforgivable act I must say.
"Yes, Kaoru apologized!" Anyway Chris planned all of the things, even if he wanted to blame down also none of her business.
However, Saint Girl, Misao, has used projection to explain the situation just now. It happened when Fieor just wanted to lead the way of finding her; Celestial Galaxy transmitted a message to him.
"If your highness can understand that Celestial Galaxy was really sincere in sending the gift that will be fine." Bravo! She needed not to waste any of her saliva to explain anything.
I always don't agree that girls should take up the guardian position, because girls worry too much, thinks too much fuss too much, and do things dragging. That's why about the suggestion of Celestial Galaxy gave, I originally do not accept.
"…" Just treated it as he was singing a long paragraph of non-understandable bible words, anyway his telepathy voice wasn't that bad. So as for those things that were unpleasant to listen to, Kaoru would treat them as chanting.
Saint girl promised that you would not be that type of character, so I finally agreed to the suggestion.
"Understand." Yawn~ She thought that the king was rather stingy with his words; how come out of a sudden he became so generous?
Kaoru, your next mission will be staying in the Sun kingdom.
"WHAT?!" Kaoru finally realized what he had just said and raised up her head, surprised sapphire met mischievous evil amber; the king knew that from the start she had been drifting away pretending that she was listening to what he had been saying.
Celestial Galaxy had given you a new mission which is to stay in Sun kingdom and in charge of training the royal guards to fight off the intruders and formation. Unlike his normal icily tone, it was surprisingly gentle.
Kaoru was dumbfounded.
Plus, your immediate reaction of rescuing the princess, I am very satisfied with your ability, so I am planning to give you another extra post for you which is … He suddenly bent forward and whispered some words near her right ear.
Kaoru paled upon hearing.
"Kao…Kaoru is afraid to disappoint you but she can't take up such a post…" Tongue-tied.
Don't worry; I believe that you can take up this post. He patted her shoulder and added on. Oh yah, your right thigh inner area has a heart shaped birthmark that is beautiful. Hope that in the future, I can have a chance to see it again. He smiled, cheerfully, totally different from Kaoru's petrified expression.
So, he knew everything and saw everything from the start, and used it to tease her. Good, good. What a cunning person he was! At that moment, the beautiful face of his because of the smile became more entrancing, looked so irritating and gross, as that expression telltale of 'try to make fun of me? You are still too young.'
Even after he had left, Kaoru still stood at there stunned for a long time. She stretched her body to ease the muscles and raised her right hand. A ball of bluish-white light gathered on her hand and revealed a swirling bluish-white with a tint of green pearl rested on her palm.
"MISAO!~ Get your fat butt over here now!~" Kaoru shouted angrily and threw the pearl on the ground.
Smoke leaked out from the pearl. Sunlight and smoke diffused together, a screen formed and it revealed Misao's image.
"Kaoru-chan, what's the matter…? Wow! What's that? Golden cloak! Since when you have the money to afford such a wonderful piece of cloak? It looks so classy!" Misao covered her cheeks admiring.
"Tell me! What's going on? How come there is a new mission about prolonging my stay in Sun kingdom?"
"Oh! About this matter, don't need to worry! It is just such a trivial matter. Not important at all!"
"Ya your right! Not important for you of course! As you are not the one will be staying next to that cunning king."
"Kaoru-chan, this is so undesirable! How come after a trip to Sun kingdom, all your manners gone to trash! Especially the way you mention the Sun king as cunning."
"Enough of these! I don't want anymore nonsense! Tell Chris that I will definitely not take up this mission!" Must be kidding! That Sun king wasn't going to give her a good time at there! Staying beside him working, she would be insane sooner or later!
"Erm… This is also can't be helped! It has to be you! You're the only candidate!"
"What must be me again? There has a lot out in Celestial Galaxy that can give training about formation to defend off intruders not only just me! I am sure about that. NO NEED TO BE ME TO GO PERSONALLY!" She gritted her teeth.
"No, no! Only you can detect his aura!" Misao shouted in despair.
Kaoru was taken back by Misao's action but soon recovered. "Don't use this thing to trick me; he is not in the Sun kingdom." After staying there for about two days, she still couldn't sense any feeling relating to Winter.
"No! Although he is not in the Sun kingdom, but still can find some hints about his where else."
"Why do you say so?"
"Because the last place Winter chased after that demon was in Sun kingdom."
"Demon hidden in Sun Kingdom?!" Kaoru was shocked. "Can't the king sense it?"
"He already knew about it, but couldn't do anything about it as he can't pin point the demon's exact location as it knows how to conceal its aura. That's why he hopes that Celestial Galaxy can send over a good ability, reactive and know how to deal demons with formation and train the royal guard people."
"Praising doesn't get you to anywhere! I am not doing it!"
"Are you so heartless until you don't even care about Winter?"
"Don't you know about the extra post that the king requested for me to do?" Kaoru showed a disgusted look.
"Oh! That post! Well besides training the royal guards, there is indeed another Saint post waiting for you!"
"Saint?" She arched her eyebrows and widens her eyes. "Chris knew about it and did not do anything against?"
"Why should he object? He was the first one who agreed!"
"WHAT!!!" Kaoru couldn't believe her ears! "Need not to say anything more. I must be hated by Chris, that's why he requested me to do this post!"
"Don't mistaken that old fellow, he is very honorable, it was Sun king who promised to give him a wine vase that will keep on reproducing good wine as an exchange."
Upon knowing the truth, Kaoru almost puked blood. "Just because of a small little wine, he sold me off? This is so called 'honorable'?"
"Well this isn't Chris' fault. Just that the Sun king shouldn't have tempted him. Chris is such an elderly man. How could he able to fight with a young man, who knows how to pick on his weakness, knowing that he could lay his hands on that magical vase, he was excited until he almost become unconscious. Talking about this, Chris is actually risking his life upon nodding his head!"
"Sounds like Chris is also a victim!" Sooner or later, she wasn't tortured to death by the king but frustrated to death by her own colleagues.
"That is still fine. Chris is very forgiving; he will not hold grudges with young fellows."
"You're right, I am not as forgiving as he is. I keep complaining."
"Kaoru-chan, that post isn't what you think that bad. Seriously, from its name, it sounds so great, just that is not well known only."
"Great?" Face reddened, fumes coming out from her top of her head. "Please say out that post."
"Besides training the royal guards, you also need to do another Saint, great post next to Sun king which is …his… personal slave."
"As a Spring, guardian of Celestial Galaxy, I has to be that cunning king 's personal slave?!"
"Kaoru-chan, endure a bit for the sake of the mission. Chris will be very thankful of you. Think again! If you can find Winter's where else during the course of the mission, that will be even more better!"
"I am not going to do this!" Anything will not change her mind.
"Kaoru-chan~"
"No means no! Never in my life will I do this." First time in her life,
she hardened her heart.
PoPlAr: At last!!! Finally I got the chance to update this chapter! Gomen!*Bows* I was too busy with all things like working, spring cleaning, and celebration. Plus, my computer kinda fail on me... It took me days for me to type out this chapter using my school's computer. I will try my best to update at least once per month for this story or 'Wishing Lake' as my studies are getting heavier...
By the way, Happy Lunar New Year to all Chinese around the world ^-^
(Got any hong bao for me? $-$)
Preview in next chapter - Life in Sun Kingdom
Will she agree to do the job or will she not?
What actually had happened? How come Winter chase demon till Sun Kingdom?