Fluffy's Futures: Cara Ch. 07

The meeting place of the Council of Elders was a huge building with a central open air courtyard. Filled bleachers ringed either side of the courtyard except where a huge dais with multiple thrones sat. Of the five thrones, two were filled, the rest sat empty. The central chair held a mole-like yukoi, short and stocky with a young looking girl kneeling next to him,

her eyes taking in everything. To the mole man's left sat a beautiful woman that made me double take. She looked familiar.

Meele stood beside me, in his full yukoi form, his draconic wings held tight against his back. He looked around studying the assembled yukoi coolly many of them bowing or shirking away from his gaze. He thought at me through the cuffed earrings we both wore. Its been a long time since I was last here. Yet nothing really has changed except those on the thrones. The woman sitting in the left one is your mother.

I studied her for a moment, trying not to stare at the yukoi sitting easily in her throne. Where I was uncomfortable in my skimpy dress, she seemed at ease in her, for lack of a better word, teal leather bikini top and hip hugging skirt. Her hair hung to her waist full and silky, a deep crimson with ribbons of violet running through it. Human-like, pointed ears, delicately arched eye brows, eyes that were a mirror of my own, blue with diamond shaped pupils, and a small upturned nose. Her lips were a bit fuller then my own, tiny fangs showing when she smiled. On her forehead she had a symbol similar to Meele's. A white full moon hung above a red crescent moon that held within its curves a black moon all of it smaller then my palm. In her chin and cheekbones I could see my own, as if I were looking at an edited picture of myself. It was quite eerie.

Her slender waist was encircled with a thin silver chain bearing silver disks. As she stood, I could see that her skirt, green with a repeating pattern that matched her forehead symbol, hung her hips to her toes. Zaori sandals and little white socks covered her feet- I guess she got cold toes same way I did. Course, I was wearing knee high black boots with red laces so couldn't complain.

"Ryu Meele, so good of you to grace us with your prescience once more after these thirty and two years," she said, her voice and bearing regal. It was hard to believe that she was the one who had birthed me. When she said Meele's name it sounded like "may-ray." Guess it was either his original name or its how they said his name here.

"I have my reasons, Inu Marika," Meele said, leading the way across the hall. I followed a step behind and to the left as he'd told me to do.

"Indeed," she said, her eyes taking me in. There was no recognition in her eyes as she looked at me, nothing that might have tied us together after all these years. I guess I was hoping for a tender moment of reunion. Instead I got, "She doesn't look like much, Meele."

My temper got the better of me and I spoke before thinking. "Well, you can't blame Meele- if my mother, the yukoi of my parents, had actually been worthy of bearing a child, I might look more impressive."

Meele glared at me for a moment. Behave, Cara! He turned to Marika. "Forgive her, she knows little of Counsel etiquette."

Marika's eyes narrowed sharply at my words. "No, Ryu Meele, let the little hanyu speak for herself. I don't mind teaching her Counsel etiquette if necessary. Unless she is stupid, she'll learn rather quickly."

"That's enough, Inu Marika," said the mole man, standing at last as Meele and I came to stand in front of the dais. "I am Shinkoru of the Asian Elders Counsel, Lord of the Tunnel Yukoi Clan. Welcome, Ryu Meele and Inu Cara."

"In... Inu Cara?" Marika stuttered for a moment before regaining her composure. Her ears twitched before she tilted her head to study me. "Is that so?"

I bowed to Shinkoru, my hair almost brushing the floor as I'd been instructed. "I thank you for your welcome, Elder. Inu Marika, I am indeed Inu Cara, my mother was a dog yukoi."

"The bitch gave birth to a hanyu and then left her for dead in California on the eastern side of the Pacific," Meele said, his voice calm and cool, as if he cared little for the circumstances of my childhood. "I found Cara as a young child and have watched her since, teaching her how to control her powers."

"Powers?" Shinkoru asked, obviously intrigued. He turned his head to the child beside him. "Raffia, test her, if you would please. Lightly."

"Yes, my lord," she said, rising to her feet and approaching me. She wasn't a child at all, just a very short, slender woman. A long sleeved,

skin tight dress hugged her body from neck to mid-thigh in an earthy brown. Pointed black slippers covered her feet until she tossed them off before leaving the dais. She was full yukoi, pointed ears and diamond eyes, black hair brushing her shoulders in carefully styled spikes.

"I am Raffia, second in command of the Tunnel Yukoi of the Pacific. I bid you greetings, Inu Cara."

"I return your greetings with many thanks and wishes for your good health," I said, bowing to her.

"She has manners," Raffia said, tossing a glare over her shoulder at Marika. "And she's beautiful too, my lord."

"Thank you," I said with a genuine smile. "I like your slippers, where'd you find them?"

"At the Seiyu in Fussa," she said with a smile in return. "Moving along though, I would like to duel with you, Inu Cara."

"Just Cara is fine, Raffia-sama," I said.

"Call me Raffia then," she said with a small smile. "All right, Cara, will you duel with me? First blood, no holds barred, no permanent maiming or poison."

"Sounds good to me," I said, removing my cloak. I handed it to Meele, who moved onto the dais to watch the fight. I stretched for a moment, going up on tip toes. Relaxing I took a defensive position to the shorter Raffia and said, "Okay, first blood wins. I'm ready when you are."

She grinned at me, her face changing, becoming more, well more angular, as if she were partly changing into an animal, probably a fox from what I could see, before holding up her hands. Claws slid from her nails, vicious and thick. Her hands looked more like paws then hands now. I nodded and matched her movements, letting my own claws come out, sharp and canine. I couldn't retract them like a cat could but they were stronger for it. The rest of my body shifted into my yukoi form, stronger, skin darker and thicker. My eyes, human before, now held diamond shaped pupils, bringing a surprised lift of the eyebrows from my opponent as she circled me.

The look in Raffia's eyes suddenly changed from gentle to harsh, as if there were a different person looking out of those earthy brown eyes now. I felt my full power around me and knew that it shone in my eyes like lightning in a blue tinged bottle.

Even the way she moved was different, low to the ground, almost slinking. I imagine it worked well against tall opponents, but at only 5'5" myself it wasn't a huge difference to her 4'9". We circled one another, our feet landing in time to a music only we could hear.

"Get on with it," a voice from the stands that surrounded the central courtyard of the Council Hall called. It seemed to spur Raffia on and she launched herself at me.

I barely managed to dodge aside, bringing my elbow down on hers. There was the sickening crunch of bone as she flew by me and landed, crouched upon the floor, hissing a rather fowl comment, favoring her left arm.

"That's not very nice," I said, tilting my head to the side as she turned to face me once more.

"Since I am a fox and we are not a nice lot, its appropriate," Raffia said, slurring her s's slightly. "Let us try this once more."

"As you wish," I said, launching myself at her without warning, claws aiming for her wounded arm.

She fell back under the onslaught and I darted around her, attacking from the side. Whirling, she faced me though I could see it caused her pain. Round and round we went, neither managing to draw

blood, though I knew I'd have a lovely shiner come morning if I didn't heal it. She had a nice bruise forming above her collar bone.

"Last round," I whispered and she nodded in affirmation.

"So be it."

We met again, claws flashing. I managed to grab one of her wrists as she grabbed mine. I grinned and threw myself backward, rolling over my back and ended up in a crouch on top of her, claws at her jugular, growling. Blood trickled in a thin line from her bottom lip where she'd bitten herself upon landing.

"You win," she said around a gasp for air. I leapt off of her, landing with a click on my booted feet, eyes still on Raffia. Taking my offered hand, she sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "That throw is something I haven't seen since Marika fought for command of the Moon Clan."

"Really?" I said, surprise in my voice over the thought that we might use similar fighting techniques. I recovered my bearing as we stood together, backed up a few paces and bowed respectfully. "I thank you Raffia of the Tunnel Clan for that battle."

"The honor is mine, the victory yours," Raffia replied with a nod. Returning to her master's side she whispered in his ear for a moment before kneeling at his feet once more.

"You are worthy to stand here among us, hanyu," Shinkoru said, his voice carrying through the room. "Which clan do you claim as your own?"

Meele answered before I could ask what he meant. "She is of the Moon Yukoi Clan!"

"Is she now," Marika asked, descending from the dais. She came to stand about ten feet in front of me and studied me carefully. "We need to talk before the Moon Clan will take her and well you know it Ryu Meele."

"If the Moon Clan doesn't take her then the Fire Clan will happily," came a voice in the crowd. A man walked forward, his step confident, as if he owned the world. He wore red, from his crimson assassin's garb to deep red boots to a fire lined cloak. His forehead bore a small flame that seemed to move when he raised his eyebrows. "Salutations, Inu Cara of no clan. I am..."

"Dokkasomaru," Meele said, his voice nearly a growl. He thought to me, This one is trouble! He'll either try to take you for a concubine or make you one of his assassins, unless he has changed his ways, though I doubt that.

Got it, I'll be careful, I thought back at him. "Dokkasomaru-san, I am pleased to meet you."

His eyes were a strange shade of orange but it looked right with his red hair. Those eyes did a complete once over before returning to my face as he replied, "It is my pleasure, Cara-chan."

Marika stepped between Dokkasomaru and myself. "I shall speak with her first- if my old master wishes her to be part of my clan, even I, the

great Inu Marika must listen to his reasons. If, and only if, she is unacceptable to the Moon Clan, then the Fire Clan can try to win her."

"As you wish, Lady Marika," Dokkasomaru said smoothly. "Though I would like to talk with you later, Inu Cara."

"If you like I'm sure something can be worked out," I said, helpful without promising anything. Something about him put my guard up and it

wasn't just Meele's warning.

"Come along, Inu Cara," Marika said after giving Dokkasomaru a haughty glare. "We've many things to talk about."

"Coming, Inu Marika," I said, trailing after her. Meele took up the rear, draping my cloak over my shoulders.

You need to be careful when you're near Marika. It would be bad to have someone out you as her child unless she wills it, Meele told me silently. She could kill you for it to avoid shaming herself. That'd be bad.

"Tell me about it," I muttered behind my veil. Somehow it had actually stayed in place during the fight- Meele must have laid a spell on it or something.

Marika looked back at me over her shoulder as we left the courtyard. "Did you say something, Inu Cara?"

"Nope," I said with a smile. She shrugged and lead the way to a set of black doors bearing her symbol on them. Whispering a word, she waved the doors open revealing an opulent room. Thick carpets

covered the floor, tapestries adorned the walls, and overstuffed couches were scattered around.

"This is my reception room," Marika said, herding Meele and me inside. She closed the doors behind us. "We are secure- no one may enter or hear in here without my permission if I am inside. Now, Meele, what are you about this eve?"

"Simply being me," he said evasively as he wandered over to a table bearing a decanter and small crystal glasses. Pouring himself a drink he relaxed onto a couch, looking at Marika and me. "You know, Cara, you actually do look like her. I hadn't thought you'd resemble her so much. Oh well, perhaps I see more similarities because I trained her as well."

"Meele, who is this girl?" Marika demanded, pointing a long nailed finger at me. "How does she carry the name 'Inu' and why is she here?"

I let Meele answer the questions, taking a seat beside him.

"She is Inu Cara, daughter of the human sorcerer Michael Irwin and of a full dog yukoi," Meele said with a vicious grin. "Her father didn't know of her till she was twenty-five and her mother, well her mother threw her to the wolves rather then raise a hanyu."

Marika looked stunned for a moment before regaining her composure. "You cannot mean to imply that this little whelp is my child?"

"Wow, Meele, she really is a bitch yukoi," I said, my voice bored.

"What was that, hanyu?" Marika made "hanyu" sound like a dirty word. "Is that a challenge?"

"Merely an observation," I said evasively. "Look, Inu Marika I don't want to fight you. I want... I'm not sure what I want of you, in all honesty."

"She is your daughter," Meele said after a moment's silence. "Flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. You would be a fool not to acknowledge her before the Counsel. Someone will notice that you two

are mother and daughter before long."

Before Marika could protest, I removed my veil. "Meele, you will not force her to acknowledge me. If she wishes to claim her daughter then she will. If not, then I can do fine on my own."

"You are my own," Marika said, approaching me her eyes oddly soft. She ran a hand over the curve of my face. "Daughter of my body who I was forced to leave behind in order to assume leadership of the Moon Clan."

"You were not forced," Meele said, heat in his words.

"I was," Marika said, taking a seat across from us. "To bring a hanyu child here would have been her death."

"You did not have to return to the Moon Clan," Meele told her before turning to me. "Marika was offered a place with an American branch of the Fire Clan but turned it down for a chance to rule here. You were not even a year old when she gave you up for adoption, tossing you to the wolves of the state foster care system. Did you know, Marika, that she spent three years in a state school for gifted teens?"

"Gifted school my ass," I said with a growl. "It was a hell hole prison for those that could use magic. Rotten, stupid..." I trailed off, cursing. I'd gotten out twelve years ago but the memories of that place still haunted me some nights. Nothing I had seen as an assassin compared to the

horrors unleashed within those rune-lined concrete and steel walls. "I will NEVER allow any offspring of mine to be in such a place."

"I... I had no idea," Marika said, looking away. "I'm sorry you were in such a place, Cara. It was not my intent. I was assured that because you

were so young you'd go to a permanent home, be adopted as someone's daughter. I couldn't bring you here as a babe- you would have been killed."

"You told them I was the daughter of a sorcerer- who wants to adopt a child like that," I asked rhetorically. "I was labeled as a 'high risk' from day one, inadaptable, and that never changed. Frequently moved, tossed from home to home until the school took me. I barely made it out alive and only because Meele was there for me! And all that without even mentioning what you were, what you are. I shudder to think what would have happened to me if Meele had not come and saved me."

"She speaks the truth," Meele said, his eyes on my mother's face. "Cara was nearly dead by the time I found her after coming back from here to help you secure your throne when she was 15."

"Why didn't you tell me," Marika said, her voice choked. Tears began to flow over her cheeks. "You never once mentioned that you even knew Cara."

"Why should I tell you of what you threw away," Meele yelled, anger in his voice. I'd always known he was angry over my mother leaving me since he considered family very important. But nothing had told me just how angry he was. "I, her great uncle, have done more for her then you ever have. How sad is that? Her own mother, didn't even stick around long enough to teach her to control herself, just left a hanyu in the human world!"

"I did not know," Marika yelled at him, rising to her feet. "How could I have ever known she possessed the powers of a yukoi? She's a hanyu! Most of them never manifest powers. And she has the bracers!"

"All dog hanyu have them, least those that come from powerful lines on either side," Meele yelled back at her. "You knew she would manifest yukoi powers! You knew she was flesh of your flesh, not just your daughter. You knew she was heir to the powers of Inu, the first of your kind."

"Damn you," Marika said, falling to her knees. "I had no choice. If I brought her here, Cara would have died. If I stayed there I would have faded away from the yukoi. I would have died."

"No, you would not," Meele said. "You would have become more human, your heart would have warmed. That's all that would have happened."

"Not everyone wants to wear a Sphere of Humanity for the rest of their lives, Meele," Marika growled. "I refuse to do so. I am not human, I am yukoi!"

"That's for sure," I said, standing. "Least you are one and not the other. I am both! I am human and I am yukoi. I am hanyu- that which is neither and both. Even the name you gave me means emptiness, the way you spelled it, a single symbol saying Kara. I am a thing apart from everything else, much like the VW Thing. Just without the Nazi support."

Meele laughed at my humor though Marika didn't. Guess she didn't get the joke or I'm not that funny. She must not have gotten it.

"That is not the point," Marika said angrily.

"You're right," I said with a nod. "The point here is whether I am part of the Moon Clan or should I be looking for a Clan to join."

"True," Meele said, staring at Marika. "Well, Inu Marika, niece of mine, is she part of your clan or not?"

Marika hesitated, turning around. "I don't know. I cannot accept anyone I myself have not bloodied in combat unless they were born and accepted into the clan as a babe."

"Fine lets go fight," I said with a roll of my eyes. "This seems to be a 'lets challenge Cara when she's new' type of night. Might as well."

I managed to duck, making her miss on the backhanded slap she aimed at me. Catching her wrist, I gripped her hard enough to leave bruises on a human. "Never strike me outside of announced combat again. Mother or no, Clan leader or no, I will hurt you back."

Marika studied me for a moment then laughed. "You are daughter of my blood, whether I raised you or not. I brook no one's touch unwelcome unless its in open combat. It does me good to see you feel the same."

"It still stands," I said with a smirk. "If you want combat, fine, bring it, I'm game. But I'll not sit here and be knocked around. Not even Meele may do that."

"As you have said," she said. "Then let us return to the main arena to fight. Hand to hand fair enough?"

"Since I was made to leave all my weapons at home because I am hanyu, hand to hand sounds fair," I said. "Long as we're just testing one another and not seeking a death, I'm okay with bare hands."

"If you are truly of my line then no one could kill you empty handed without resorting to magic," Marika said with a smirk.