Coping (Closed)

[Kirin]

By the time Katsumi had awakened, Kitano sighed softly. "You need to work on Amaya's grave marker."

He looked away. "And Momoko-sama wants to see you."

Katsumi's fingers fidgeted. He stood. He didn't understand the idea of Katsumi being broken. And he wouldn't know at all.

"You will be stronger. Your wings are not you." He scratched his head. "They're a part of you. A-anyway, if you need to feed, here." He just exposed part of his body. "D..Don't be sad. Don't be sad."

Kitano's eyes welled up with tears. "Say something!"

[Katsumi Viora]

"You need to work on Amaya's grave marker..And Momoko-sama wants to see you.''

Katsumi pressed his hands against the sides of his head slowly,closing his eyes.
A headache pounded against his skull unrelentingly,even the dimmest lights or sounds
became a torture all their own.


"You will be stronger. Your wings are not you."


Amber eyes opened slowly,his left eye flicked between red and blue
as he took a shuddered breath in.

"They're a part of you. A-anyway, if you need to feed, here."


He looked up at Kitano slowly his pupils dilated to mere slits,parched lips parted slightly as his tounge
lolled against the inside of his mouth some before he shook his head,looking away quickly.


"Say something!"


Katsumi gasped softly,jumping a bit as he looked back at Kitano..
Katsumi's eyes were still slits his somewhat elongated fangs showing
as he spoke.
His voice was soft,barely a whisper.


"....They robbed me of my wings...My freedom..Please..don't say such things...KItano-kun..."


He twitched lightly...He sniffled,a few tears ran down his cheeks..

"...How much pain must I face..How much more must I lose..before I am what they call strong?..I am already a lapdog..willing to follow orders on whim and not rest until I full-fill them and willing to be beaten until I can-not stand if I do wrong..What more do they want from me?.."


He said,fidgeting he'd wipe his tears away as he let out a shaky breath.


"....I haven't fed,since I started to try and get here..I don't remember how long it's been now..Weeks..maybe even as far as a month or so...If I fed on you..I wouldn't be able to stop..I'd end up killing you...You're too precious to me Kitano-kun..."


He looked down..

[Kirin]

Kitano closed his eyes. He seemed oddly peaceful. His hands rested in his lap still and he turned his head towards the window. The sun was shining through the narrow window. Kitano's fingers traced against one another. There was a slight smile upon his face. It was the serene look a warrior possessed before he or she knew they were going to die. There seemed to be nothing left that he could do.

"The only thing I want is for you to live for yourself. I believe that is what Chizuru-sama wishes for as well. Granted, her way of showing this is very unorthodox." Kitano's eyes opened halfway and he looked at the floor. "But since you have no desire to appreciate the fact that after today, you will have complete freedom to shape your life anyway that you want to. I wanted to be a part of it, but now I'm not sure if I'll live that long. Especially since you are so upset over losing your wings. You're behaving as though you lost your manhood."

Kitano sighed. "If you do not believe me..that after today, you will be free, then just kill me. Feed from me. I don't care how it is done. Feed from me and leave."

[Katsumi Viora]

"The only thing I want is for you to live for yourself. I believe that is what Chizuru-sama wishes for as well. Granted, her way of showing this is very unorthodox."

What?...

"But since you have no desire to appreciate the fact that after today, you will have complete freedom to shape your life anyway that you want to. I wanted to be a part of it, but now I'm not sure if I'll live that long. Especially since you are so upset over losing your wings. You're behaving as though you lost your manhood."


Katsumi looked at Kitano,frowning...


"..Please..don't speak like that..I..I'm sorry if my reaction to all of this is strange..I didn't mean to over-react really..It's..just..We were taught that our wings are special to us..That they were not just means of transport..but a gift..something that set us apart from others in the world..It's..it's just startling not to have them..I...I feel embarrassed now..It's hard to explain really..To others is just meaningless feathers and bones..I..I'll be alright..."


"If you do not believe me..that after today, you will be free, then just kill me. Feed from me. I don't care how it is done. Feed from me and leave."


"I'm not a monster?!...."


He snapped suddenly and gasped softly,pressing a hand to his lips..he looked away.


"...I believe you Kitano-kun..."


His hand lowered to his lap as he closed his eyes.

"...I wouldn't tarnish you in such a manner.."

He said,talking about Kitano's remark on Katsumi feeding on him..

"...No matter what it came down to,I would never do such a thing to you.."

He looked back at Kitano.

"...I won't be leaving you behind...I..want you to come with me..when I am able to leave..I want you to be apart of my life.."

He said,blushing..

[Kirin]

Kitano closed his eyes and bowed his head. How can wings be a gift? Sure, you can fly, but aren't they cumbersome. They're targets. Big, feathered targets. He pressed a hand to his head and sighed softly.

"I don't know. I've never really left for a long time. I'd have to speak with the head of my family. I doubt they would have need for me here, but they might send me on missions at the colony since we have no representatives there." He was shaking.

But here was everything he knew and loved. He was hesitant about leaving, but he never knew what it was like outside of the Empire. Kitano let curiosity get the better of him as he just nodded. "All right. I'll go with you. But you have to wait for me to speak with her. She'll flip if I just leave. And you don't want to be in her way when she flips out."

One day, he wished to be like her. She was deadly to even touch. He wished that his blood would turn to poison like those colorful frogs he found on one of the distant islands. He was daydreaming now about people trying to kill him and he touched them. They would fall over dead. But it would have its drawbacks. He'd never be able to hug people ever again. He wouldn't be able to kiss anyone or touch anyone. Damn, that plan would backfire.

He just smiled contently. "We shouldn't keep Momoko-sama waiting."

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi got up slowly,he twitched slightly.
He was hungry..really hungry...
He was still pale like before,his hands had stopped shaking however.

"I don't know. I've never really left for a long time. I'd have to speak with the head of my family. I doubt they would have need for me here, but they might send me on missions at the colony since we have no representatives there."


He canted his head staring at Kitano calmly,he could feel Kitano's unease about the situation
but he wouldn't mention it...He nodded.


"All right. I'll go with you. But you have to wait for me to speak with her. She'll flip if I just leave. And you don't want to be in her way when she flips out."

Katsumi smiled lightly he brushed a bit of hair from his face.


"..Alright..Understood."


He said softly.

"We shouldn't keep Momoko-sama waiting."

He nodded once more.


"..Oh right..yes..lead the way."


He said gesturing lightly but he'd follow along next to Kitano as they went to meet with Momoko..

[Kirin]

Kitano walked out of the room. He tilted his head once, then frowned. He just shook his head. "We should hurry." Kitano turned to Katsumi to check up on him. He turned around again and walked up to a door. He knocked on the door politely and put his ear to the door.

"Momoko-sama?" He couldn't hear movement. He pushed the door open and gasped.

Momoko was lying facedown in blood against her desk. There was blood everywhere. Kitano ran to Momoko's side and began to check her for signs of life. They were there, but they were weak. Kitano looked up at the door. "Don't come in here!" He yelled.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi nodded,following Kitano along he was still a bit sore and the lack of blood made him slower then normal but he'd still keep pace with Kitano..
He'd stop once they got to the door,he canted his head then his eyes widened as the stench of blood finally hit him..He backed off and clasped a hand over his mouth as he coughed..Amber eyes dilated to mere slits as the whites of his eyes became bloodshot..
His hunger hit him,and hit him hard.
His legs threatened to give out under him as he clung to what he could..

"....I can smell her blood all over in there..."

He said,coughing again.

"...I..I can try to heal her,but you'll have to let me first Kitano.."

He was pushing it with how much energy he had left..Why hadn't he stopped to feed while he was traveling here?
Why had he made such a careless mistake?

[Kirin]

Kitano was debating on whether to let Katsumi in or not. He sighed. "Fine. Fine. Please heal Momoko-sama." He stepped aside and began to inspect his surroundings.

It didn't seem like a foreigner had done this sort of damage. Everything was neat except for the blood pool. He looked at Momoko's wounds closely and shook his head. "Vampire." He mumbled. "A vampire did this." Kitano kept looking further. Entire scrolls were missing. He hadn't quite figured out which ones though. He could hear Momoko's shallow breathing. He knelt down by a shelf of scrolls and picked up a kunai from the floor. He inspected this as well. The characters were all familiar.

This kunai belonged to the Eru family. He kept that a secret. Shino was a vampire, he assumed. Kitano shook his head. "How many vampires are still amongst the ranks of the Kakashigoto? One." He answered himself.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi forced himself to straighten as he moved into the room once Kitano gave him permission to.
Once he entered the room the smell of blood became stronger,Katsumi swallowed dryly his eyes still bloodshot.
Katsumi went over to Momoko and knelt down if needed be,otherwise he'd stand near her.
He pressed his hands to Momoko's back gently as his elder tattoos lit up,a white light emanated from both
of his hands as he started healing her..
This would go on for a while before Katsumi flinched his head jerked to the side.

"Ah.."



He rasped softly....A headache pounded painfully in his head as he backed away lifting one hand up that had been slathered in blood..
Bloodshot eyes stared down at the hand,Katsumi licked his lips slightly and then shook his head.


"...I healed her as far as I could..She's past the critical point..nothing but small abrasions now..not
even worth a bandage...I..I need to get out of this room..I'll be outside the door again."


He said and quickly left,closing the door behind him..He immediately started licking the blood off his hands as he stood outside the door..His heart thudded against his chest as he panted lightly..

[Kirin]

Momoko was still out cold, but she was breathing normally. She sounded more like she was asleep. Kitano walked out after Katsumi, having gathered his "evidence". He looked at Katsumi and rose an eyebrow. "If you're going to hunt, go hunt some foreigners or something." He said in a flat voice. "I'm going to clean myself up and eat some break-"

He was startled as he saw a hand reach through a wall. Kitano backed away quickly. Soon, the rest of the body slipped through the wall and eyes stared at him through a Bakeneko mask. The woman was small and would smell familiar to Katsumi. She wore a kimono that was brightly colored with royal blue and yellow. Her hair was curly, which was uncommon for anyone within the Twin Countries. The woman also had two swords sheathed at either side of her body. She bowed to Kitano, who pressed his hand to his chest.

"Goodness! You scared me, woman. Kana-sama, what brings you to the temple?" He seemed to be relaxing.

Kana turned to Katsumi silently. The eyes seen through the mask would just study him.

[Katsumi Viora]

Katsumi lowered his arms as Kitano showed back up..He cleared his throat lightly and blushed.

"..I didn't want to do anything that could get me into more trouble...but if you insist Kitano-kun.."


He said in response to Kitano talking about him hunting foreigners..He giggled lightly but quickly went quiet as the hand moved from the wall..His eyes narrowed his hands tensing as he barred his fangs slightly before he would stop..Seeing it was Kana..His expression fell,turning into a mix of surprise and curiosity now..
He canted his head looking at her as she turned to him.


"..Kana?..What're you doing here?"


He asked,his voice calm/polite as he smiled slightly.

[Kirin]

Kana shrugged and sighed. "I'm here for the funeral later. I've been speaking with the head of the Hinode clan pretty much all day. I could ask the same of you. What are you doing here, Katsumi-san?"

Ever since her studies with Kallias ended, she had been staying in the Twin Countries to learn ninjutsu. However, she ended up forming a friendship with the head of the Hinode clan and her knowledge of poisons and potions became invaluable to a clan that dealt almost exclusively with poison. She tilted her head. "If you want to hunt, I'll go with you so we can talk."

Kitano shrugged. "That's fine, Kana-sama. You two can catch up. I'll be here with Momoko-sama, making sure she is all right."

"I'll send a Whispering Wind message to the Empress and Makoto-sama so they know what is going on."

Kitano bowed. "Hai, Kana-sama."

Kana turned to Katsumi. "Let's go, then." She walked down the hall, leading the way.

[Katsumi Viora]

"I'm here for the funeral later. I've been speaking with the head of the Hinode clan pretty much all day. I could ask the same of you. What are you doing here, Katsumi-san?"

Katsumi nodded and then looked away as Kana asked what he was doing here he cleared his throat lightly.

"..Let's just say I'm being punished for the accident that is causing the funeral."

He said and sighed.

"If you want to hunt, I'll go with you so we can talk."


He looked back to Kana and nodded.


"....I am really hungry..I haven't fed since I left home to visit here a while ago."


He said and then waited as Kitano and Kana spoke amoungst eachother..He smiled lightly at Kitano and blushed some about to talk but he shook his head...

"Let's go, then."


"Alright."


He said and followed after Kana..

[Kirin]

Kana nodded and turned to Kitano. "See you in a bit."

Kitano blew a kiss to Katsumi and closed the shoji to Momoko's office.

Kana walked out of the temple quickly. She looked up at the sky for a moment. "It's a nice day today. It will rain tomorrow, probably. Anyway. I am going to do this."

She closed her eyes and concentrated briefly. Kana held up her hands and a small ball, flickering like a firefly, formed in between her hands. She spoke into it, telling it that Momoko-sama had been hurt, but Katsumi healed her and that it would be ideal for Makoto-sama to lead the funeral ceremony. She released it and watched it flicker off towards the palace. She turned to Katsumi. "All right. We can go now."

Kana's eyes watched Katsumi warily. "How is Adrian?"