Rest and Relaxation.

[Deleted]

It had been a long journey indeed for Nazoshiki. It seemed that every inch of him had been drenched in sweat from the heat of the day. He had been able to keep up his practiced noble stride, though to him it probably mattered little right about now. Then again, such facades mattered little to him anyway. It had been the way he was raised, no more, no less. He continued to trudge on through the day, always on his endless wanderings.

That was until, however, he found this rather nice hotspring. He almost immedietly smiled in delight at his findings. He then took a moment to think. That moment quickly passed, as it often did for him. He removed his packs, as well as his fan. He set his staff to the side as well. He made sure to set them all down arrange them neatly upon the ground. He looked upon his handiwork with glee.

He then loosened the ties on his clothing, which also spoke of noble origins that he wouldn't exactly agree with. Once he was done with these sat them near his belongings. He then looked to a final item which he had not yet removed. His necklace of what appeared to be prayer beads was something he usually dared not to remove. This was because they concealed his true appearance as a Kitsune. Though, the two things that they did not change were two of his most defining features.

His crimson colored hair was always a constant with him, even when concealing his rather fox-like attributes. The other aspect of his appearance that was never concealed was his one golden colored eye, the other was a rather common brown. These things did indeed draw many looks. Though his appearance as a noble kept most at bay.

He looked the precious necklace, shrugging his shoulders as if to answer himself. He slowly removed them then, his true appearance coming to light. His hair was lengthened a bit, his once human ears were now those of a fox. A tail emerged as well, as if from nowhere. The fur on all of these hidden attributes of his were all a lighter shade of crimson than his hair.

He then laid his necklace on his discarded clothing, turning to step into the water. He took his first step, the heat seeming to seep into his bones. The rising steam entered his nostrils as he took anoter step, moving deeper into the water. He was at ease now, clsosing his eyes as the water rose up to his neck. He sighed in contetment.

"Now this was a good idea....."

[shikyo]

Mamoru snorted as he drag his paws across the ground, the blades of grass bend and parted about his paws. Shikyo was filthy and dirty from the practice and effort she put into training with mamoru. They continued on until the steam and scent of warm water.

Insistingly her muscles relax as they drew closer, shikyo wiggled and bounce on Mamoru's back who grunt and let her slide off of him. She runs off seeing a hot spring, the water a misty green and reflective. She grin as she wiggled out of her outfit, if you can call them that.

Mamoru step a paw in, then another yet he completely slip in the warm pool of water in silence. Shikyo was just working off her last piece of clothing before slipping in head first and resurfaces, she gasp slightly and lend back sighing. Mamoru was enjoying him self his large ears rotated and twitched trying to pick up any trouble.

Shikyo long hair sticked to her face, as she examined it, once it was like white gold, you tell from the roots of hair on top of her hair and right eye was changing to sharp cold onyx. She was parted her lips at ask mamoru when she heard a voice, mamoru was too relax to take notice.

Shikyo crawled out of the water over to some bushes to conceal herself, her eyes laid upon a fox demon. She looked to the items the fox had and notice a lovely staff. She stared at in awe and wonder could the fox have stolen the staff. she didn't want to get caught so she stuck her hand out as she turned to the side carefully patting the ground to feel for the familiar feeling of cold metal.

[Deleted]

He sank futher into the water for a moment, drenching his hair. Because of this, he failed to hear Shikyo and Mamoru as they got into the water. He resurfaced almost immedietly then. He thought he heard movement. He turned quickly, seeing no one. He decided it was nothing, for the moment. Though this could have jsut been pure laziness as he did not want to leave the warm water just yet. He settled for turning towards where he had left his things, waching over them.

The water as again up to his neck. He smiled again in contentment, resting his chin on a rock next to him. If anyone wished to take his things, he would see them. Though, he highly doubted that there was anything there besides himself. Still, there was always the possibility. Even though he found himself too lazy to leave the water he did not want to totally dismiss what he thought he had heard. He had nearly gotten himself killed that way.

[shikyo]

Shikyo grin as she felt the rod end of the staff and slide it in closer to her she was carefully not to move or touch anything else that might give away her presence. Her small hands was able to pull the staff close to her as she looked over it craftsmanship. She grin as she crawled away and back over to Mamoru, who stared at her.

"what do you have there Calypso..."

Shikyo grin at her nickname as she splash back into the water slightly hold the staff close.

"tis a staff, I seen it with a fox in another spring, I think it could be stolen."

Mamoru wallowed over to her keeping his ears pulled back, looking at the staff. Shikyo rub her fingers over it and climbed back out of the spring twirling the staff loving the sound of it slicing the air.

"if you keep getting out you will get sick."

Shikyo maneuver with the staff, her movements was fluid and elegant.

"think I should get an staff myself I can move well with this."

Mamoru groan and sighed, "another object that you will hurt yourself with." Shikyo pouted as she twirled it and smack mamoru on the head. Mamoru yelped loudly as he growls at shikyo who clamp her fingers around his muzzle. Shhh..you get us caught mamoru." She sat down with the staff between her legs letting it lean against her right shoulder.

[Deleted]

At first, he was none too amused when he saw his staff move out of sight. He nearly growled in anger, slilently slipping out of the spring and crawling along the ground. He used a bit of the Kitsune powers he possessed to make his approach truly silent. He heard voices. He tilted his head curiously, sitting still so that he might hear more.

"tis a staff, I seen it with a fox in another spring, I think it could be stolen."

He then heard the sound of splashing water. He turned and gazed back out at the spring, his eyes wide at what he saw. She looked to be a wolf demon, though judging by her scent she was a Hanyou, just like him. Now, he wasn't what one would consder to be a lecher, but he found that his eyes could not leave the sight. Any thoughts of jumping out and declaring the true origins of his staff, which he had crafted himself, were gone from his mind.

She then got out once more, puzzling him. Why would someone want to leave a warm bath so quickly? This seemed absurd to him. He watched her movements for a little while longer before he decided to reclaim his possession. He moved a little closer, standing at his full height.

"I don't mean to startle you, but that is my staff that you've just taken. And not only is it mine, but I carved it myself."

[shikyo]

Shikyo gasped as she looked up from her position on the soft grass, her eyes roam for a second then away as she blushed hiding her red face with her newly black hair. Mamoru jumped slightly in the water for he didn't hear him, mamoru was happy for another element to be around as the six nostrils on his muzzled flared and absorbed it. His fur changed to the color of the water and his eye a murky blue.

"I don't mean to startle you, but that is my staff that you've just taken. And not only is it mine, but I carved it myself."


Shikyo stood and walked over to the fox shaking her hair all to the front to cover herself a bit.

"s-sorry normal we've run into fox demons that has stolen things.."

Shikyo held out the staff with both of her hands palms flat as mamoru just stayed on defense.

"I love your staff it something I've never seen before you can craft quite well."

[Deleted]

He seemed to chuckle at her reaction. He still surprised her, of course. Then again, why wouldn't he? He had just appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, claiming that she had stolen from him. That and they both happened to be unclothed. This fact, of course, didn't bother him. Though, judging from her reaction it bothered her quite a bit. Though, she had nothing to fear from him, for he was no lecher.

Still, he couln't help but give her a long look, till she stood and talked to him. He nodded, listening.

"I love your staff it something I've never seen before you can craft quite well."

He smiled with pride at his own work. "It is quite beautiful in my opinion as well. I carved all of the symbols as well. And yes, I know many of my brethren like to steal...but I am differen't."

[shikyo]

She blushed at his chuckle and grin slightly as Mamoru step out of the water in the same state growling slightly his fur bristled, shikyo raise her hands, "peace there mamoru he is no trouble," She turns and cross over to him and rubs him under his chin making him murr. She look back seeing the fox giving her long look making her blush more as she hides her face, "for give him, he gets a bit protective."

she stared her self through the curtains of her long hair, she let her eyes linger for a second.

"It is quite beautiful in my opinion as well. I carved all of the symbols as well. And yes, I know many of my brethren like to steal...but I am differen't."

She giggles, her laugh seem to chime like the wind, as she saw his pride. "I have a fine craft that I made myself, and for once I'm glad to run into a fox that doesn't still."

[Deleted]

He took back he staff, looking it over as if something new might have been inscribed on its surface. He then looked back to her with a fang-tipped smile.

"forgive him, he gets a bit protective."

He shook his head. "That is understandable, well, considering my gender and your state of dress, ne?" He seemed to laugh at his own joke. "Don't get the wrong idea, of course, I'd never dream of doing such things."

"I have a fine craft that I made myself, and for once I'm glad to run into a fox that doesn't still."

"I am not entirely Kitsune, so perhaps that is the reason. That...and I happen to know quite a few decent Kitsune.."

He then looked to his staff once more. "If you would excuse me, I must finish my bath. You are, of course, free to join me." He turned without a further word, strode back to the spring, laid his staff upon the ground, and slid back into the water.

[shikyo]

"That is understandable, well, considering my gender and your state of dress, ne?"

She blushed as she ruffled her hair so that now it covered her slender back, "of course I have completely forgotten," She thought about grabbing her clothes and leave the fox in peace, for her and mamoru's safety if possible.

"Don't get the wrong idea, of course, I'd never dream of doing such things."

She stop her sudden movement and turned to the fox pulling her hair all to the front again, mamoru growled and snort as he stood block out most of her.

"I am not entirely Kitsune, so perhaps that is the reason. That...and I happen to know quite a few decent Kitsune.."

She seem to interested at the fox now, "so your not a full demon, are you?"
She yelped as she notice that he was leaving.

"If you would excuse me, I must finish my bath. You are, of course, free to join me."

She bounce after him whistling to mamoru to follow who snorted and trailed slowly behind. Shikyo was first to reach the hotspring, other of her and mamoru, and dived in while mamoru slipped in on the other side. Shikyo surfaced as she giggles whipping the hair from her face.

"I completely forgot what is your name fox?"

[Deleted]

He tilted his head back, wetting his long hair and ears. He closed his eyes then content for the moment. A few moments after he opened them once more, answering her previous question first of his lineage.

"I am indeed not a full demon...I am half, apparently from my mother." He seemed to smile at the thought, for he only had fond memories of her. She was the reason he found that he could not hate humans, for that was a value she instilled in him.

He had watched her enter the spring as well with what one might have called a wolfish expression. Though, just as it could be noticed he seemed to avert his gaze.

"I completely forgot what is your name fox?"

He smiled again, glad that he had someone to talk to. "My name is Nazoshiki Moriana, you , however, may call me Nazo. It suits me well, I think."

[shikyo]

She notice his wolfish expression before he averted away and blushed again while mamoru gruff a little.
"I am indeed not a full demon...I am half, apparently from my mother."

Shikyo smiled then hung her head as she sighed slightly feeling the threats of tears that wished to run down her face to show her pain. "I am half as well, my mother...she die, killed by a rogue demon looking for a mate. I guess my mother didn't want to give in..."

Mamoru murred softly to shikyo and whine softly and nudged her slightly. She pet his head and pushed him away, she sink down more int the spring to the point it touched her lips.

"My name is Nazoshiki Moriana, you , however, may call me Nazo. It suits me well, I think."

"How so? My name is Shikyo and his is mamoru. I don't think mines suits since it always seem to point to the meaning of death".

[Deleted]

"I am half as well, my mother...she die, killed by a rogue demon looking for a mate. I guess my mother didn't want to give in..."

He looked back to her, shaking his head. "I am sorry for your loss....it must have been hard for you..." He then looked upwards, to the sky. He thought of his own childhood, and then that other part of his life, raised in the capital. No, it was a false capital, for no one power actually controlled all of this land. It never could. He then looked back to her, he could see the sadness in her eyes. "I am also sorry if I....brought back any old memories...."

"How so? My name is Shikyo and his is mamoru. I don't think mines suits since it always seem to point to the meaning of death".

He seemed to perk up again as she asked him this. "Because..." He said this with a smile. "Nazo itself means enigma."

[shikyo]

"I am sorry for your loss....it must have been hard for you..."

Mamoru growled slightly as shikyo waved him off, "stop mamoru...yes it was mainly because of my father...so what about you?"

"I am also sorry if I....brought back any old memories...."

Shikyo shook her head churning the water as she did, "No its ok, its nice some times to remember...as long as you remember them they will live on for every because they was never truly forgotten."
She watched his movement and tilted her head.

i]"Because..."..."Nazo itself means enigma."[/i]

"Enigma? what's that?" Mamoru chuckled as shikyo pouted at him and tackled him pushing his head into the spring mamoru bucked her up and pushes her into Nazo.
She blushed and gasped as she turns away, mamoru laughing out and murred wolfish as he grin at them.

[Deleted]

He gave her a bit of a sideways glance, his eyes studying her face. He blinked once, his gaze otherwise unwavering. His eyes darted to and fro, seeming to study each minute detail.

"stop mamoru...yes it was mainly because of my father...so what about you?"

"My mother was cast out by my father and his village....she raised me for about 15 years, but, she was killed." He let it end at that, not elaborating on just what had happened. Though, he didn't seemed to be saddened, he just did not wish to speak any more of the matter.

She questioned him on the meaning of his name next. Though before he had a chance to react, however, she was pushed into him. His hair felt as if it were standing on end at the brief skin contact.

He smiled, his light laughter breaking any hope for silence at the moment. It was over quickly, though, for then his voice was soft and gentle. "You didn't have to pull away so quickly, you know?"