by Max Jager
"Itachi. He….he cheated on her. He beat her. And then last night he actually tried to…..he tried to….." Holding her breath to try and keep herself composed, Yokiyo closed her eyes. She couldn't imagine what that did to Izumi, having the man you love, father of your children try to rape you in front of your ten year old daughter! Opening her eyes she let worry and sympathy wash over her. "He actually tried to rape her in front of their daughter. Kiyoshi we can't ever send them back! We just can't!"
His eyes going wide as she fell back into his arms and cried, Kiysohi now understood why she was so upset. That was something that he would never do. She never had to fear anything like that even though he was a demon. With a sigh, he kissed the top of her head as he moved them so he could lay in the bed and curled her into his chest. "They will stay. Just settle down. It's all going to be alright."
X
"Itachi."
Another sling of a cup that shattered against the wall of his home, Itachi glared at the door when he heard the voice say his name. That bastard that he called a son. Drawing his sword he kicked the door making it fall as he glared and staggered out. "Where is your mother and sister boy? Be quick about it."
His own sword already drawn, Kazuo gripped it tightly as he glared at Itachi. "They are somewhere that you will never get to them anymore. I made sure of that. And I will end your life right now for the hell you put us through."
Glaring as he swayed as he stood, Itachi glared at the brat. He was too strong willed like Izumi used to be. When she and Yokiyo were care free and no demon was in the picture. He would show him what happens when you buck against him. "Don't get so smug with your father boy. I know where she went. She went to that bitch didn't she!? Yokiyo turned her back on humanity and mated with a demon. Abominations for so called children. I will be going and getting them back." He then shakily pointed his sword at his son. "But it will just be the three of us when I get back. You will be the one who is dead."
Taking a stance his mother showed him, Kazuo glared up at him. "You won't get past me to get near them Itachi. You are no father of mine. You don't deserve Mama. For all the beatings she got at your hands, she always begged me not to kill you. If not for her tears I would have done this so much sooner than now. But last night was the last straw. Once you are gone and dead, her nightmare can end."
"You little bastard. Don't think you can beat me just because your sorry excuse of a mother taught you a few moves!" With a glare Itachi charged his son and swung the sword, only to let his eyes go wide when he sidestepped him with ease, then groaned when he felt a h ilt to the side of his head that sent him rolling away from him. "You little bastard."
But it was the sound of a snicker that drew him away from his son. Looking up on the roof of his home was a demon with a smile. His eyes narrowing as he stood. "Who the hell are you?"
Closing his eyes, keeping his large smile, Sanzo let his head fall to the side. "Oh me? OH I am just the Lord of the East. Oh and I am the mate of Imae, Kiyoshi and Yokiyo's eldest daughter. For what you have said about her mother, I do think that my mate would be keen on taking your head." But then he opened serious eyes as he sighed. "However, for what you have done to his mother and sister. Kazuo has more of a right to take your life than anyone would."
Shaking his head, Itachi glared up at the demon on his home. "So yet another vile creature takes a human as a mate to have abomination children. I dare say that the demon race is losing its touch. That is alright with me though. To see a world with demons extinct would be perfect." He then turned a glare to his son as he narrowed his eyes. "And that thing there can't take me out any more than a woman could."
Switching his stance, Kazuo narrowed his own eyes into his father's. "Don't make a bet on that one Itachi. First of all. This is for the hell that you put my little sister through!" charging him, Kazuo feinted to the left then came up on the right as he sliced open his side, he then spun around as he moved out of his reach and glared.
Turning on his son, Itachi glared then charged his son again. "You little bastard! Die!" But then his eyes go wide when his son moved so fast, and was just one. But then paled as he froze when seconds later he felt the pain as his son's blade ran through his back. Looking down at the blood stained blade that came out his chest, he groaned as his body hit the ground when he pulled it back. "You little son of a bitch…"
Watching as the blood came out of his father's mouth, Kazuo slung the blood off of his blade onto Itachi's face then sighed as he sheathed it. Dropping his head for a moment he then looked up as he smiled. "Itachi you can call me whatever you want. All I care about is that it is over. Mama and Hana can now live in peace and never have to look over their shoulder wondering where you are."
As his own eyes started to fade, Itachi opened his mouth one more time to insult his son. But this time nothing came out. When his black eyes met the black eyes of his son, he held the same contempt in them as he did for everyone else. 'Ironic. My wife changes when I put my foot down, my life was pure hell for ten years, and then my son kills me. And all because of one bitch that turned her back on her own race. Wow.'
Once Itachi stopped moving, all breath gone from him, Kazuo let his eyes mist some as he dropped to his knees. "It's really over for us. Mama and Hana won't ever have to worry about him finding them when I can't be there to protect them."
Smiling at the boy as he jumped down and landed next to him, Sanzo looked up at the crowd of people that were slowly making their way toward them. Turning to the younger man that left the group for them, he blinked. "You are?"
With a smile, the young man laughed. "I am the new headmaster of this village. My father was before me and he passed a couple of weeks ago."
"I see." Looking back down at Itachi, Sanzo then gave the young man a strange look. "Seeing as that is the case, I am sure you know the kind of life he had right? How he treated his family? You don't have any problems with what happened here today right?"
Turning his smile to Kazuo he sighed. "We have no problem with what is going on. No one could do anything so long as my father was Headmaster. Now that I am, we had every intention on banning him from the village later today for what he does not only to you and your mother and sister, but others in the village as well." Giving Kazuo a small bow he sighed. "You, your mother and your sister are welcome to come back to live in this village whenever you wish too. You will be welcomed."
Bowing himself, Kazuo smiled as he finally fully relaxed his body for the first time in forever. "Thank you that means a lot. I am sure that we will be back at some point, but Mama needs some time away. I will be back in the next few days to get the personal things of ours that have nothing to do with him. Then I will burn it to the ground and we can start over in a new spot."
Looking down at Itachi himself, the young headmaster sighed. "I understand totally. In fact I will have one built for you in the coming days and it will be ready for you and your family to return to."
Nodding as he laughed, Kazuo crossed his arms. "Thank you I appreciate that. And I was also wondering if you would do me a favor?"
Blinking at how serious he became, the young headmaster nodded. "Yes I can. What is it?"
Glaring back down at his father's lifeless body he sighed. "I don't want my mother to know that it was I who killed him. Burry him somewhere and then send word to the palace of the Southern Demon Lord that he was killed by bandits or something like that. I hate him, so does my sister. But Mama did love him for what it is worth."
With a bow, the young headmaster smiled. "I can do that. Not a problem."
"Well Kazuo I think we better be off. My mate knows I left and your mother is probably looking for you by now." Sanzo smiled as he nodded and said his goodbyes to the headmaster then they started to walk away at first. "I won't say anything to anyone about what happened here really either kid. If I was in your place, even with as old as I am now, I would hide the fact that I killed my father from my mother."
"Than you Lord Sanzo…" But
then he stopped when he heard a hiss. Looking up at him Kazuo blinked. "What did I say?"
"Don't call me Lord Sanzo. Just Sanzo is fine." Sanzo then sighed as he turned and walked on pulling Kazuo with him. "Other humans I would expect it from because of what I am. You aren't just any human though so I don't want you to do it."
"Alright then Sanzo. I do appreciate you bringing me to do this, and not telling Mama. He was worthless, but she did love him. She used to tell me that love is blind. I don't think I will ever understand that." Kazuo then dropped his head as he sighed. "And please don't tell me I will when I am older either. Mama tells me that too."
Laughing Sanzo shook his head. "Well she is right. When you fall in love with someone, it can blind you to some things. But you did do good Kazuo. For an upstart."
Stopping with another glare for him, Kazuo crossed his arms. "I have you know I have been training since I could walk with Mama. I am not a master but I am not an upstart either. I can beat just about anyone I go up against."
Winking at him as he turned to him and stopped, Sanzo had his hands on his hips. "Alright then. When we get back, beat Kiyoshi in a sparing match."
Turning his glare away from the bird, Kazuo groaned. "I said just about anyone. I am not stupid I know that I can't take a demon like him on yet."
Shaking his head as he laughed, Sanzo crossed his arms. "You know what kid. You are good, but you think you are better than you are. You need took down a few notches I think. You got one death under your belt that isn't food and you think you can take on the world. By the time Imae was your age, she was taking on demons like it was second nature ya know."
With a growl in his voice, Kazuo turned back to Sanzo with narrowed eyes. "You can't compare me to her. She is a miko after all. She was trained to fight just demons. All she has to do is be a good shot with an arrow."
Bursting into a fit of laughter, Sanzo covered his eyes. "Oh man. She is a crack shot with her bow and arrow. But she prefers to fight close range with a sword. In fact, that human took out the head guard of a demon lord, and the blinded that same demon lord."
Rolling his eyes, Kazuo sighed. "But she is still human. Purification won't work on humans. And she is a girl. I have no question whether I could beat her in a sparring match or not."
His gold eyes full of amusement, Sanzo lifted him by his clothes and put him on his back again. "Would you care to prove that? Back up what you say."
Nodding as he held onto the demons neck as he leapt into the sky, Kazuo gave a smug smile. "I will prove it."
"Good soon as we get back." Sanzo then transformed and flew back toward the palace. He would enjoy watching this upstart learn a lesson. He did good, he did what he had to do as the man of the family now and make sure that the threat on his mother and sister was gone. Now it was time to have his ass handed to him by a girl.
A New Heir Chapter 97
As they reached the garden, Yokiyo blinked as she sighed. "Well he couldn't have gone far Izumi. I really don't think he did what you think."
Her eyes half closed, Izumi hugged herself as they walked further into the garden. "I wouldn't be so sure Yokiyo. Itachi deserves it for what he has done to us. But I really don't want Kazuo to have to be the one to kill his own father you know." But then she blinked when she saw the shadow of a bird growing bigger and bigger. "Yokiyo who is that?"
Looking up as Imae came up next to them with an odd look, Yokiyo blinked. "Okay he was with Sanzo but what for?"
With an odd look as Sanzo nabbed by the collar, Imae stepped up to him as he reached them. "What is going on Sanzo?"
Laughing as he looked at the glare the kid had for him, Sanzo let him go and moved to put his arm around Imae's waist. "Oh we just went to go have a heart to heart with his father is all. A lesson in manners and strength."
Her throat constricting, Izumi felt all the color drain from her face as she grabbed Yokiyo. Her eyes going right to her son. "Kazuo you didn't….did you?"
With a sigh as he half smiled, Kazuo crossed his arms. "No Mama. I didn't kill him. I wanted to, but I didn't want you to feel bad because of it. So I merely showed him that you and Hana are forever beyond his reach because he would have to get through me to you. Then I beat him up so to speak."
Her eyes hitting the ground as tears of relief fell from her eyes. Part of her wanted to hope that Itachi would change after this. She loved her husband, she really did. But the man that he has become is someone she could never love if he wasn't so gentle when they met.
Looking down at his mate, with a huge toothy grin, Sanzo laughed. "By the way Imae, the kid and I were talking on the way back here and well. He now thinks cause he beat up his dad that he can take down any human that he sees. I told him he wouldn't stand a chance on you."
"Kazuo?" Izumi looked over at her son with an odd look as he rolled his eyes. "Son I know you are good but you don't understand the level of training that Imae has had. You really aren't strong enough to face her and win."
"I know her training was different but she is human Mama." Kazuo then turned to Imae who giggled and waved for him to follow her as she and Sanzo made their way to the garden she trained in.
Tugging on her mother's close, Hana was confused. She knew that Kazuo was strong. "But Mama Kazuo is strong. Do you really think that she is that good that she can beat him?"
Pulling Hana's eyes to her Yokiyo laughed as she smiled down at her. "Oh she is honey. Just you want and see. Right after she is done showing that to your brother, I will go and find a demon and trick him into doing a sparring match with her so that you can see what she can really do."
Sitting down on a bench with her daughter between them, Izumi looked at her friend and sighed as she blinked. "Why would you have to trick him into sparring with her?"
Laughing as she turned and looked at her daughter, Yokiyo let out a long sigh. "You will see. You will see."
Her eyes taking on a look of pure pain, Izumi dropped her eyes to the ground as her shoulders sank. "We really have lived different lives haven't we Yokiyo."
Looking over at her with an odd look, Yokiyo blinked as she let her head fall to the side. "Come on Izumi don't think like that because I live in a palace with a demon lord for a mate. That doesn't mean that I don't do things like I always did. I mean the only thing I don't do now only cause I am too busy is cook."
Shaking her head Izumi let out a shaky sigh as she hugged herself. "I do not mean like that Yokiyo. Your life is full of those that love you and care about you and worry about your wellbeing. I really thought that I was going to have that as well. And until Hana was about a year old or so I did. Right after the last time that I came to see you, that was when he changed. It was like something in him just snapped and he wasn't the same Itachi that I fell in love with anymore."
"I know." Moving so she sat on the other side of Izumi, Yokiyo sighed as she laid her head over on her shoulder. "I would have never thought that life would turn out the way it has for either of us ya know. With as much as he seemed to love you back then, and I knew you loved him. I always thought that the two of you were going to have a perfect life. And I would be the one to wonder around and never know what it was like to be with someone who loved me or a mother. And yet here we are, each of us on the opposite end of what we thought out life would be like."
Leaning her own head on Yokiyo's, Izumi closed her eyes as she let out a sigh. "Indeed we are my friend."
Then they looked to the side to see everyone coming out to watch what was going on. Even Kurosai. With a laugh, Yokiyo sat up. "Well it looks like everyone came out to see this."
X
Once everyone had their places, Imae grabbed three practice blades from the rack, and handed her own to Sanzo. Turning she tossed one of them to Kazuo who had given his to his mother. "You said that I could use my two blades, however I still think that one would do for this one. It would really make it fair."
Confident that this would be just like other sparring matches with other duel bla
ded humans he nodded. "I will be just fine. I have fought others that have twin blades." He knew he could win against her. He knew it. The demons there, not so much. But she wasn't much older than him, human and a woman. He knew that he could win this and that he would."
With a shrug, Imae gave him a smile as she shook her head. "Alright then. But first, Sanzo did tell you who I was trained by right? You know I was trained by the strongest of the demon lords. Just because you beat your dad doesn't mean anything, I am a totally different story."
Taking his stance, Kazuo nodded as he hardened his eyes. "He did tell me but you are still human. And a girl at that. I can't not win this match."
Finally done trying to reason with him, Imae stopped smiling. "Fine then. Best two out of three?"
Shaking his head as he thought of how he would get to her, Kazuo smiled. "Nope I only need one."
