A Shifters Tale
#3 of A Shifters Tale
(ok here's the legal stuff, i am not connected to the company that owns the digimon frachise and in no way do i own the renamon character. also i will never used the name renomon because i consider it a fad and i find it offensive to the species as a whole but this is my personal opinion)
chapter twelve
As i stood looking at the two powerfull digimon i tried to move my body only to find it wouldn't respond to my commands.
*Is this what fear is like?*
i crushed the thought from my mind as the two took a step forward and took a closer look at me.
the male spoke first and directed it to his mate, "so this is a shifter?, strange he doesn't look all that powerfull to me how about your my dear?"
the female sakuyamon leand in closer and pulled my scarf from my body revealing my face to them, "indeed my mate but i see something in his eyes".
The male sakuyamon leand in next to his mate and looked closely at me, "indeed my love i to see it but with all the things that he has put himself threw it is well hidden"
I looked between the two standing before me unable to move, completely at their mercy as they inspected me like some beast at market.
I felt one of them move my left arm away from my scanner and tried to force it back, this only seemed to amuse them because the female smiled threw her mask when she saw me straining against the hand.
"He has spirit my love" she said as she turned to her mate.
He only nodded as he looked me over once more, then they both looked past me as a soft voice that could only belong to the renamon addressed them.
"Greetings mother and father"
They moved behind me as i heard the male speak, "Hello my daughter you seem well, much better then i had feared you would".
"Thank you father but i owe it to the shifter, he was the one who saved me from the diginappers"
The next voice i heard belonged to the female sakuyamon, "I see, then we owe him much thanks for saving you twice".
the next thing i knew my body seemed to move on its own as i turned around to face the three digimon standing behind me.
The two sakuyamon were standing shoulder to shoulder behind their child and all three were looking at me, each one had a different look in their eyes as they looked me over one more time.
"Shifter....i would like to thank you for saving my daughter's life" the male said as he stepped to the side of his child.
i looked them over as a hundred different senario's played out in my mind one after the other, each one ending with my death at the hands of either the male or female and in one or two cases the renamon.
*I might be able to take one of them down but two......*
"And i would like to thank you for doing us a favor by destroying the rogue taomon as well.....had you not detected the poison......"
I tried to move my mouth but found that it to was being stilled by some unknown force and all i could get out was a grunt for my efforts, then i saw the female sakuyamon smile again as she looked at her mate.
"Farrith, i believe you might want to release him if you wish for a decent conversation otherwise it will be a very quick talk quick a quiet statue".
the one called Farrith looked back at his mate as if he didn't know what she was talking about then back at me as a suprised look came over his face.
"Oh....yes i suppose i should...."
He straightend up and looked at me then waved his hand, as he did i felt the unseen force pull away from my body like someone pulling off a blanket.
"Tell me shifter what do they call you?".
i looked at his eyes as i tested out my body and spoke, making sure to keep my cards ready incase i needed to react.
"i am given the the code name shadow"
He studied me for a minute before nodding, "very well shadow, please let me appalogize for the trouble the taomon elder put you threw and again let me thank you for defending my daughters life".
I didn't react as he bowed to me then looked me in the eyes.
"I was merely following orders passed down from one of the taomon elders that hired me"
Farrith raised an eyebrow as he looked at me, "oh?, please explain"
"When i accepted this mission one of the elders of the council requested that i protect the female until she is back in the hands of her family, so i was only following the orders given to me by my clients" i told him.
This seemed to amuse the both of them as they started laughing, "Hahaha, indeed shadow and you did a fine job and for that i thank you"
i said nothing as i waited for them to calm down then Farrith got a serious expression on his face, "So what will you do now that your mission is complete?"
I looked over at the pool of blood on the floor left by the rogue taomon then back to Farrith, "since my client is dead there and their is no reward i see no reason to stick around other than to sleep for the night and leave in the morning".
I heard the renamon speak and looked at her only to see worry on her face, "but what about your wounds?, surely you don't intend to walk all the way back to the wall by yourself. you don't even know how badly you have been injured yet!".
I looked her over for a second before answering, "To count so far my ear is injured and bleeding and i have both the teeth and claw marks you gave me when i rescued you from those who took you prisoner nothing more".
The renamon stepped away from her dam and looked at me with anger in her eyes, "And what about the fractured ribs you have....or the fact that you could be bleeding internaly?".
I looked at her blankly and thought to myself, *damn i was hoping that she wouldn't notice that"
"I told you before female, as a shifter i am not something you need to worry about. Our association ended the moment your parents came to reclaim you" i said quickly.
As i looked at her i noticed the female sakuyamon walk up behind her and put a hand on her should then look at me, "please atleast let us tend to your wounds and offer you a place to stay for the night, it is the least we can do after you went threw all the trouble of rescueing our child".
I studied the digimons face for a while before answering, "very well as payment for my mission i will accept healing and a place to stay for the night".
This seemed to put the renamon at ease as she looked at me, her mother only smiled at me and her father patted me on the shoulder.
I heard him speak as he walked past me, "very well shadow then we shall meet you again tomorrow".
With that the family walked out of the room together leaving me alone, "It is unfortunate that i will not get paid for this mission but i guess it cannot be helped" i said to myself quietly.
*cough* i furrowed my brow as another creeped up my throat and i put my left hand up to cover my mouth, *cough,cough,cough*.
I started to feel light headed as i pulled my hand away to look at the warm wet spot on my hand.
*blood?, damn the female.....was.....*
I never got to finish my thought as my body gave out and the floor rushed up to greet me followed by blackness.
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chapter thirteen
I don't know how long i was out but when i woke up i found myself laying on a sleeping mat and covered by a blanket, i looked around and saw a female renamon wearing the robes that identified her as the village healer.
*I must be in the village proper* i thought as i sat up.
As i did the blanket fell away to reveal the fact that someone had removed my clothing, i looked around and saw my things on a bench on the far side of the room.
I also noticed that i had bandages wrapped around my ribs and their was a strong smell of herbs drifting up from them, i pushed the blanket off and stood up looking around the room.
It was small probably only as big as my old base of operations but with everything pressed up against the walls it made it seem like there was more room to move around, the walls were made of wood and the roof was thatched straw that in some places looked freshly repaired.
I quietly made my way over to my things and started looking threw them until i found my pants but just as i was about to put them on the healer turned to look at me and i heard a voice from the door.
"Chad!, what are you...do...ing...."
i turned to see the renamon and saw that her eyes were locked not on my face but at the area between my legs, i looked down to find that i really was completely naked then i looked back at the renamon and started putting on my pants.
*probably should have put on underwear before i left on this mission* i thought to myself.
as i buttoned up my pants the female seemed to shake out of her trance and looked at my face before continuing to speak.
"What are you doing out of bed!?!, you need to be resting" she said as she walked over to me and tried to guide me back to the sleeping mat.
When hear three fingered hand touched my chest i felt my heart start beating faster and i also felt a stirring in my pants, i reached up and pulled her hand away from me.
"The first half of my payment has been seen to now all that remains is for me to rest here in the village for the night then i will leave tomorrow"
i saw anger flash in her eyes as she pushed me back hard towards the sleeping mat, she didn't stop until i was standing by it again.
"You stupid fool!, do you realize that you almost died from internal bleeding!?!.
You've spent the better part of the day laying in bed recovering thanks to the healers and my mothers magiks!"
she kicked me in the knee making me loose my balance then she pushed me down onto the mat and pinned me to the ground with her on top looking down at me making sure i didn't get up.
i looked her square in the eyes as i replied, "i told you once before female, i am not for you to worry about. Besides my life is of little consiquince to anyone because i am a shifter, my life consist's of going from one mission to the next. It matters not if i die in the process of completing it or after i get it done".
i saw the look in her eyes go from anger to something like a mix of pity and sadness as she looked at me then she spoke quietly, "do you really put so little stock in your own life?".
I said nothing as i looked at her, then she closed her eyes and got off of me turning her back to me as she did so.
"Haven't you ever thought about what would happen to those lives you have touched with your just being alive?".
i stared at the cialing as i replied from the mat, "again my life is of little..." but before i could finish the female cut in.
"Consiquince....yes you've said that already but think for a minute about the people you would leave behind if you died, what would they say or think or ask yourself how they would even feel at learning of your lose of life"
As i listened to her finish what she was saying i looked her over then closed my eyes and replied, "If i die on a mission those that knew me would simple move on, making me nothing more than a memory in the back of their mind and eventually that to will fade leaving me to fade into obscurity like everything else in this world. there would be no funeral, no morning at my lose, and no one to cry over my grave if i have one, that is the world and life of a shifter one i am fully willing to imbrace...have imbraced since i am rejected by everyone. Besides even if someone i knew morned my lose it would not be for me but for the money or services that i brought into their lives....nothing more".
after i finished speaking i felt something pressed to my lips and opened my eyed to find the healer sitting beside the renamon, she had a small wooden bowl in her hands and was looking at me coldly.
"Drink" was all she said as she tilted the bowl shifting it's contents.
I opened my mouth and let the fluid in the bowl slid into my mouth, it tasted bitter but i swallowed anyway letting the strange warming feeling it left behind spread threw me as i closed my eyes and slipped off to sleep again.
As i did i thought i heard someone crying softly as they spoke my name.
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chapter fourteen
I woke up again to find that it was now dusk, i looked around the room and saw that the healer was gone so i got up and finished getting dressed and stuffed my recorder into the inside pocket of my jacket.
When i was done i looked around the room one last time and stepped threw the door, on the otherside was a waiting room of sorts but do to the time it was deserted and dark save for a single lantern sitting on a reception desk made of wood to my left.
I tested out my body and found i was still a little stiff then i made my way quietly to the exit and stepped outside, what greeted me were a few strange looks from the towns people as i made my way back to the main house and my room within.
As i walked i noticed that the looks i was getting were not the normal ones i had grown use to getting, these were more like mild admeration or respect but still no one talked to me as i walked.
I finally got to my destination and made my way to the door i noticed the guards had been changed and their numbers increased, now standing at the front door instead of the normal two village guards their were now four renamon with gold guantlets two held spears and two held swords.
They saluted me as i walked threw the front door of the old leaders house, when i got inside i found the same renamon from before that had lead me to the taomon standing at the entrance.
As i stopped he bowed to me and spoke.
"good evening sir shadow, i have been instructed to take you to the dining hall so you may dine with the head family"
After he said this i raised an eyebrow but said nothing as i let him lead me threw the buildings halls to a different set of paper covered door, we stopped in front of them and i watched as he knocked then the doors slid open as if by their own power.
i stepped inside keeping my left hand close to my cards incase i needed them, instead i heard the door close behind me followed by two sets of hands trying to take my coat from me, after i realized what they were doing i let them take my coat from me then a different servent came up to me and bowed before speaking.
"Good evening sir, the head family has been expecting you please allow me to show you the way"
i said nothing as the renamon turned and lead me to another set of doors and pulled them out of the way then she stepped off to the side and bowed again, i stepped threw the doors and heard them slid shut behind me leaving me to inspect the large room i had been shown to.
What i saw was a room surrounded by strange wooden blinds that had been rolled up and tied off to keep them secure and a large table that was set low to the ground and laidend with food fit for a king's feast, and on the otherside of the table dressed in kimono's was were the two sakuyamon and the renamon and all of them were sitting at the table as if they had been waitng for me to come.
I gave the room another quick once over as i heard Farrith speak jokingly, "well,well,well it seems the guest of honor has finally decided to join the land of the living" he said as he chuckled.
i walked over to the tableside opposite them and sat down looking first at the two sakuyamon then at the renamon but as i looked at her she turned away refusing to make eye contact for some reason, but instead of dwelling on it or think twice about it for that matter i instead looked at Farrith.
"i do not remember food being part of my payment"
The female sakuyamon was the one who spoke, "then consider it an added bonus for killing the taomon when you didn't have to" she said with a smile.
As we ate Farrith and his mate asked me questions about some of my past missions and about my scars, all the while though i kept thinking about why i was reacting to their daughter and why she kept intruding on my mind at times that she shouldn't.
"Shadow........shadow!"
I looked at Farrith as he called my name again pulling me from my thoughts, "I appalogize, i was destracted by something please ask your question again".
"i wanted to know how it is you showed no signs of pain even though you were so badly injured" he asked me.
Without taking my eye's from his i reached down and pulled out a bottle filled with blood red liquid and put it on the middle of the table for him to inspect, i spoke as he picked up the bottle and looked closely at it.
"It is known as pk or pain killer by most....it is a medicine developed by the humans that blocks the pain receptors in the brain basicly making who ever uses it unstoppable to the point of having to kill them, i use this drug during missions and battles to block the pain from the injuries that i recieve until i can get to a healer that i know in the ring"
Farrith set the bottle down in front of me and got a serious look on his face, "truely this is a frightening thing, if all of your kind use this than i doubt that taomons plans would have worked muchless suceeded".
"As far as i know i am the only one who uses this drug other than hospitals and doctors, it is because of things like what happend before to me that even they try not to use it very often" i said as i put the bottle back in its holder.
"are you using it now?" he asked me.
"yes but i've toned down the dosage so that it will not interfear with the natural healing process of my body, needless to say i still feel a bit stiff from my injuries and i have some slight throbbing in the area around where my ribs were cracked" i told him.
after that we ate some more and talked for a while they asked me more questions about my missions but i could tell that Farriths mate had something she wanted to ask.
Finally after we were done eating i looked at her, "there is something on your mind that you wish to ask me, what is it?"
this got a suprised look from all three of them as the others turned to look at the female sakuyamon, she blushed as she looked around the table at us i guess she hadn't expected me to ask her outright what she had on her mind as she finally looked at me and straightend up.
"well....that was a little straight forward but.....i was....wondering if you...." she seemed to be hesitant about something until she finally blurted it out "if you had a mate".
i stared at her steadily as Farrith's mouth dropped,"Serra....isn't that a little bold to ask someone we just met?" he said in an astonished tone.
i looked back at Farrith, "Why it is merly a question Farrith nothing more, and to answer it i must tell you no i do not have a mate....but like i told your daughter on the way here i have an arrangement for a discount with my supplier".
"this seemed to shock the both of them as they looked at me then Serra spoke in a questioning tone, "arrangement?, what kind of arrangement?"
"It is very simple...to get a discount on my supllies like new necro cards or more pk and number i let her take me to her bed and rut with me and in return she cuts the price of the aquisition and delivery of the goods" i told them.
both of the sakuyamon had a strange look on their faces as they looked at me then Serra spoke, "when you say rut don't you mean you let her make love to you?"
I shook my head, "no i do not.....i rut with her, making love would imply that i still have emotions and thanks to the number mine have been supressed, besides i do not know this consept of love that you speak of it is a random emotion that i cannot afford to have clouding my judgement during a mission so i use a constant dosage to keep them from coming up".
this seemed to get another strange look from the two but they said nothing.
instead of waiting for another question i excused myself and left, i grabbed my coat from the servent and made my way to my room without waiting for my guide, after i got back into the room i sat down in the corner and thought about the renamon.
*Why is she so adamant to learning things about me, it's not like i'm going to see her again after this anyhow*
a knock at the door of my room brought me out of my thoughts then i heard the male renamons voice come threw, "sir there is a bath prepared for you if you would like me to show the way"
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chapter fifteen
I sat down in the large tub of hot water and let the heat leech the stiffness from my body as i tried to relax, but i couldn't get the female renamon out of my head.
*what is it about her that makes her keep intruding in my thoughts...and why is she being so nice to me, I did my job and i'm getting a payment of sorts so why is it she seems to want something else from me*
I let out a long sigh and sank deeper into the water until only my head was above the surface, *this is not like me, i have never had something like this happen before....so why is it happening now?*.
I closed my eyes and slipped beneith the surface of the water and came up, i grabbed the soap and started washing my body as i tried to make sense of what was going on.
With a sigh i finished washing up and got out then i grabbed a towel and dried off, i also found a brush setting next to the towel and brushed out my hair then put on my pants and grabbed my other things and made my way back to my room, i passed a few servents and guards on the way but paid them no mind as i walked threw the halls.
When i got back to the room i put my socks and boots on then grabbed my voilin case, i opened the case and looked inside at its contents as i thought.
*maybe some music will get my mind off of the female but.....Whatever it's not like i haven't done this before back at the old base....i've just never had so many beings around when i played either way it should make no differents*
As i gently pulled the violin from the case i cut the dosage of number off completely, and began tuning the string and checking it over to make sure that it was not damaged.
As i did i felt a familier rise of strange emotions that i get everytime i stopped the drug, i grimised as they began to fill my mind in wave after wave of strange thoughts and reactions but i crushed them down into a ball before they overwhelmed me and finished my post mission ritual.
After i did i got up and made my way to the back of the house and the small garden i had passed threw to get to the cave the elders had used as a meeting place, but when i got their i found the cave was gone and the small garden that i had seen was now much bigger and the cliff wall seemed to be farther back.
*The digimon's magik must have hidden it when i first came here* i thought as i stepped into the garden.
As i looked around i noticed how the moonlight filtered threw the tree's and the fireflies that flew around blinked randomly, *This should be good enough, its not the roof of my building but still...." i thought sadly.
I raised the violin and readied the bow as i closed my eyes and looked deep into my mind to find the ball of emotions, it sat deep in the back like a small glowing ball of light pulsing gently and shifting in a rainbow of colors that would have been beautiful if it weren't so dangerous.
I reached for it and gently pulled a piece of it away and fashioned it into a string, then i pulled out another one and did the same to it.
I connected one end of both strings to the ball of light and the other i connected to my arms and hands then i waited, i waited watching the orb as the colors shifted faster and faster until they started merging together into a black color that was tinted at the edge with red that was almost the color of blood.
I watched it pulse irraticly and felt the heat as it spread out from the sphere, slowly i reached out with my mind and grabbed the ball then i squeezed it pushing the colors threw the strings of light and watching as the strange color slowly made its way down the string and into my hands.
The heat from the orb flared out filling my mind with pain, sorrow, sadness and lonelyness as i waited, i let these emotions flood my mind and envelope me in their bitter imbrace then i heard my voice speak on its own.
"this...is my pain"
I pulled on the bow dragging it across the strings of of the violin as i focused these my most powerfull emotions into the notes, as i played i heard a huanting melody fill the garden yet still i played on forcing it all out into the violin.
"Let it fade into nothingness like i will one day"
The melody filled the air around me caressing me, pulling at me, laughing and reveling in my torment as i played, yet still i squeezed harder on the redish black orb forcing more of it threw the strings.
I must have played for several hours as i let my emotions rack my mind with the agony of their being, finally when i couldn't take it anymore i sent the command to restart the number feed.
After it started i felt the sweet emptyness start in my chest and spread out over my body and i watched as the orb slowly began to grow smaller and as it did i continued to play out the last of the emotions as they slowly faded from my mind.
As the orb finally faded out completely i stopped pulling the bow, i slowly lower my arms pulling the violin away from me as i did. i could feel my heart pumping strongly in my chest as if longing for me to play again but i ignored it as i let the numbness flood threw me taking away the last bits of pain, as they finally disappeared i opened my eyes and looked around.
They garden that had sometime ago been alive with the sound of insects chirping now stood like a silent sentenal, but still the fireflies flashed as the flew threw the air, i turned back to the house so i could go back to my room but something made me stop.
There sitting on the porch looking at me was the female renamon she had a look of sadness on her face as she stared back at me, i looked closer and saw that the fur around her eyes was wet and matted like she had been crying.
out of impulse i spoke to her, "How long were you listening?".
She didn't move as she looked at me and spoke, "I heard you walk by my room so i followed you....i'm sorry"
"It is to late to say that, the deed is done and it cannot be taken back" i told her.
I slowly started to make my way back to the porch, but as i passed her she spoke making me stop.
"it was very beautiful.....sad....but very beautiful"
I was about to start back again when i felt her put a hand on my leg, "please don't leave....or...atleast sit with me for a while".
I felt my heart begin to beat faster as she continued to rest her hand on me, i don't know why but for some reason i sat down on the edge of the porch and looked out on the garden.
We sat in silent's for a while before she spoke again, "is it always like that for you when you play?"
I nodded but said nothing.
I looked down in suprise as i felt her put her hand on mine making my heart beat even faster and making my member begin to come alive then i looked at her as she stared out on the garden.
"what is it you what from me?" i asked her.
she said nothing for a minute then spoke softly, "I don't really know...."
i pulled my hand away from her and studied her trying to figure out what she was getting out of helping me, "why.....why are you being so nice to a shifter.....we are nothing to your kind or the humans merely an abomination to be used when you need to go threw the wall, so why are you showing me kindness"
She closed her eyes and i saw a tear slide down her cheek, "Because i...i feel sorry for you i guess....for everything thats happened to you in your life, i can see it all over your face and in your eye....you are lonely and lost and in pain....."
I looked at her as she said this, "I am not something for you to worry over, i do not want your pity or your kindness because i don't need them....they are things that will only get me killed"
She turned to look at me and i saw all of her emotions in her eyes, "haven't you ever wondered what it would be like for someone to care for you other than hoping that you will complete your job and not die before you do?".
I looked away from her and back to the garden, "once....but that was along time ago...and it quickly ended when that person tried to kill me with a knife....."
I looked at her giving her my hardest glare, "i learned a long time ago that no one can love a shifter and that a shifter cannot afford to love anyone in return....it will only lead to trouble on both sides and eventually to the death of the shifter.....i have seen it happen three times already to my fellow mercinaries...they fell in love after i told them not to....and in the end the human or digimon family of their lover would beat them mercilessly because of it. The last time was a female that i had known since my family threw me out at the age of six, it was last year and she had fallen for a human....she herself looked human enough until night came and thats when everything went bad for her.....she had told me the day before that she would be having dinner with the boys family and i warned her against it but she wouldn't listen.
Instead she told me that the human male she was in love with would ask her to marry him then he would explain to his family what she was and ask for their blessing, i knew what was going to happen to her and asked her if she wanted me to come along for protection but she declined saying she didn't want me to interfear".
i pause for a minute as the memories flashed threw my mind then i heard the female talk in a hushed voice, "What did you do?".
"Against my better judgement i followed her and watched as she and the family ate dinner and laughed together then finally after they were done the male got on one knee in front of his family and asked if she would wed him, she said yes and they family cheered for them. Until he started explaining what she was....a shifter....at first they wouldn't believe him but then the sun went down and they saw her for what she really was"
"Wh...What happened to her?" she ask.
"the family after they saw that she really was a shifter beat her relentlassly and the other males raped her in front of the one how had asked for her hand, all he could do was watch as she called to him for help....he did nothing to try and save her from his family....when they were done thay dragged her out into the street in front of their house and made him watch as they did it all over again. She begged and pleaded for his help but he still did nothing....just stood their and watched, after they were done they wanted him to kill her".
this time she said nothing as she looked at me.
"but as they put the knife in his hands she saw me on the roof and confermed that i was right, i knew that if i saved her that she would be unable to live with the shame of what happened so i raised my hand....she knew what i was going to do and just smiled at me as i killed her......and that is why i will not let my emotions be a part of my of my life save those i use when i play".
i finally looked at her and saw that she was crying again, "What did she say to you?"
i stared at her for a minute as the scene played in my mind, "She said that i was right, that shifters were never ment to love or be loved....and her last words to me were to guard my heart like i do my cards".
"That is why i do not understand why you are trying to be nice to me....When you know nothing can happen between us" i said quietly.
I got up and started to walk back to my room when i felt something on my shoulder, i looked back and saw her standing there looking at me with tears in her eye. I knew what she wanted and i knew somewhere deep down i wanted it to but it was never ment to be anything but a passing aquaintance between us.
Her next action suprised me more than anything else i thought would happen, she stepped in close and pulled my scarf down from my face and kissed me, i was to shocked to move as she put her hands on my head and pulled me close and to my suprise i let her.
As she finally pulled away i felt something wet slide down my cheek, "this can't happen between us" i said quietly.
"This shouldn't happen between us", her only reaction was to push me against the wall and kiss me again.
I could hear my mind screaming at me to push her away and leave, but for some reason my body wouldn't respond, all i was able to do was put my arms around her and pull here closer to my body.
*What is this?*
I could feel my body relax as she put her arms around me and i could hear my heart pounding in my ears, as i pushed my tongue into her mouth i finally closed my eyes and i felt her melt into me as our tongues met.
Thankfully i was kept from doing anything stupid by my proxi. sensors alarm going off and a picture of the females mother filling my display screen, i jerked up from the suddenness of it breaking the kiss as i heard her footsteps then i felt her pull away from me.
i took my chance as the renamon turned to look and turned my body into bats and flew off as quietly as possible into the safety of the trees in the garden just as Serra came around the corner of the porch.
From my place in the trees i watched as she looked at her daughter and smiled, "hello Serinity what are you doing out here alone?".
The renamon looked around and saw that i was not were i had been and her shoulders slumped then she looked back at her mother, "i was just looking at the stars mother thats all" she said in a sad tone then she walked off past her mother and disappeared around the corner.
Serra looked into the trees for a second before turning and following after her, i reformed behind a tree and stepped out of the garden looking after them.
*Did she see me?* i asked myself.
I quickly hurried off to my room and put away my violin then stopped to catch my breath for a minute, *That should not have happened* i thought to myself as i remembered the feeling of her mouth pushing into mine and her sweet taste on my tongue.
*It was a mistake and i need to leave now before it happens again....or worse*
I closed the case and got up looking around as i put the strap over my shoulder then i made my way to the door of the room, i was just about to open the door when my legs stopped working.
I looked down and twisted at the waist but they seemed to be frozen to the ground or unwilling to move, the next thing that i heard was the door to my room opening so i looked up and came face to face with Serra who had a strange look in her eyes.
*She didn't show up on my proxi.?!, but how?*
she crossed her arms and looked at me as a parent would when they catch a child doing something they aren't suppose to, "You wouldn't be leaving without saying goodbye now would you?"
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chapter sixteen
I found myself sitting on the floor across from Serra who was now taking a sip from a tea cup that some servents had brought in a few seconds ago, i looked at her as she sipped her tea trying to figure out if this was the time my life came to an end.
Then she lowered her cup and looked at me, "i would like to hire you for a job".
I looked her over carefully before answering, "Explain".
"It would seem that the palace guards are of little use when it comes to protecting my daughter Serinity so i would like you to be her bodyguard for a while" she said while she looked into her tea cup.
"I do not think that is a good idea" i told her.
when she looked at me she seemed tired, "Why is that shifter because she kissed you?, or because you let her even after you told her it wasn't to be"
*Shit busted*
"yes and no, i cannot understand how it is that your Serinity can effect me as she does but if i take your job offer as her bodyguard then i cannot say that i will be able to do what you ask because of it" i said before taking a drink of my own tea.
She sighed heavily before she spoke again, "Be that as it may i would like for you to take the job for a few reasons".
I looked at her questioningly as she pause for a minute to take another sip of her tea, "The first is that my daughter requested it the second is because i heard the story you told her and the third is because i would like you to play your instrument at the palace for a fayt we are holding"
i eyed her again as i put my hand on my violin case, "i have never before played for anyone but myself, i don't know if i can or want to"
Serra smiled at me kindly, "you didn't seem to have any trouble in the garden"
I raised an eyebrow, "you heard me playing?".
She nodded at me and spoke again, "Yes as a matter of fact i think the whole village heard you, we kitsune have very good hearing you know".
"I see, and what are the terms of your contract?" i asked her.
She smiled broadly and chuckled, "I have no terms save that you do your best at all of it".
"and if i refuse?"
Her smile seemed to fade as she got an evil gleem in her eyes, "then i will have to talk to your contact about making this an official request".
I narrowed my eyes and looked at her, "explain"
She smiled at me and pulled a box from behind her and turned it over in her hands, "do you really think that we didn't have someone following the taomons messenger?, after you left our spies got into your base and took the box you put all of your things in and brought it back to the palace while you were saving our child and on your way here to this village we had a datamon look threw this and we found many interesting things on it....like a phone number for someone called contact"
As she spoke i looked at the box in her hand and recognized it as mine then i looked at her, "contact would not agree, as of the completion of this last mission i am currently on stanby for two weeks of recovery time"
This only seemed to make her smile grow wider, "Oh i don't know about that, you see as the head family of the nightmare soldiers we can be very persuasive when it comes to getting what we want".
I looked at her carefully as she set the box on the floor between us and thought to myself, *She's good, she has me trapt and she knows it and if i don't comply she may destroy my cards....damn i'm in a corner and there's no way out*.
I closed my eyes and took another drink of my tea then spoke, "very well....but i cannot guarantee that things will not turn out badly, however i will try and keep my distance from your child until you tell me that my mission is over".
She smiled at me, "as her bodyguard you will have to stay as close to her as possible and i will accept nothing less than you word on that"
".......very well"
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chapter seventeen
I woke up then next morning to the sound of knocking and opened my eyes, i was still sitting in the corner but for some reason i found a blanket was covering me.
*There must be a malfuntion with my proximity sensor i'll have to take a look at it when i get my things back*
I tossed the covers aside and stood up looking around, there was nobody in the room with me so i figured whom ever did it must have left after they did.
I stretched out and cracked my neck then grabbed my case and put it over my shoulder before stepping out the door to my room, my guide was their waiting for me and i said nothing as i let him lead me to the front door.
He bowed to me as i left and made my way to the front gate and the caravan waiting at it, after i got there i found a supply wagon and two carriages waiting to take their passenger along with about thirty soldiers wearing gold colored guantlets waiting for the head family to get their.
I waited for what seemed like hours before the guards from the house finally came down walking in a square formation around the three digimon, as they walked slowly towards us i checked my cards then i looked at the repairs that someone had done on the sleeve of my coat.
Whoever had done it had taken off the matireal from the elbow down and made a new seem, making it easier for me to get to my scanner without having to roll up the extra fabric.
I looked back up and saw Serinity looking at me but as i looked she averted her gaze and looked down at the ground, *This is a bad idea....but if i don't do it i cannot get my things back*.
I watched as they got into their seperate carriages and took up my post by Serinitiy's after i put my violin on the supply wagon, after everything was ready we started off into the digital world.
To Be Continued......