[Kaguya]

Smiled nodding to Kaito "I'll make a perch for you today then between my chores" she say contently placing some rice onto a plate, with some steamed fish, though hearing him state on how long she lived she quirked an eye brow. She knew Yuu hadn't said anything, he hadn't met Ai and she herself had said nothing so she found herself being extreamly curious on the matter at hand "How do you know how long I have lived?" she would say placing down the spoon she used for the rice and picking up her own cup "But you are correct in believing I am a spirit, but I am still human in the sence that was my race when I was breathing and that I still keep my human emotions even though I am dead" with that she took a sip of her tea

Tafter taking the sip she tilted her head "You have asked a question, I believe it only right I am allowed to ask one now" she say smiling show it would be one question each "Yuu said he was a marked, what does 'marked' mean within your kind?" she say her voice showed a hint of sorrow as she thought about the condition Yuu had arrived in

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

Kaito laughed, covering his mouth when he did so. Then he leaned forward, "Pardon me, Ms. Toshi, but you asked two questions." He sat in a proper position again, clearing his throat and then grabbing the utensils, and having some difficulties getting used to tools he didn't have to use with his claws. He made an attempt to make it look like he was experienced with using the chopsticks.

"I'll answer your last question, since that one sounds like it is more of a curiosity to you," Kaito jabbed at the rice playfully, "Each tribe is made up of several families, and each tribe governs a territory. Us tengu are very territorial and will seek out to obtain more land, and that means conquering other tribes to get what we want. But several years ago, from what I have heard, my tribe and two others came together to unite rather than fight each other. Two heirs from each tribe were exchanged to the others, and those were paired with more heirs or high-ranking warriors." He stopped playing with his rice and sipped some more tea before continuing, "It was a trick by the other two tribes. Instead of two heirs, they sent two slaves, so that our tribe mingled royal blood with the blood of filth. And because of that, the other two tribes had no true bond with our tribe and attacked when the defenses were lowered. It was just a tactic to gain more territory and slaves, and the spoils of the battle would have been split between the two...if they had been successful. My tribe would have killed the bastard children along with their bastard lower-class parents if they could, but whatever the other two tribes did...it made it so that it was impossible for my tribe to get rid of the children, so they live as constant reminders within our land of how our gullibility almost brought our downfall. So instead of just calling them something like 'the tribe's mistake', we just call them 'marked'. They're dirty people, so they don't get the same privileges that the rest of us tengu do. I don't know why they didn't just toss them in the dungeons."

Kaito finally started eating, "This is good! You are a good cook Toshi. Anyways, the marked are easy to spot. In their human forms, they're supposed to wear dull colors, since normal tengu wear vivid colors. As crows, they have abnormal coloration. One is even completely lime-colored! She's so funny to look at!" He laughed out loud just thinking about it. Now he wasn't as upset with Toshi anymore, "I sensed another presence here. I didn't bother to get a good look, but he or she is similar to you, correct?"

[Kaguya]

Toshi listened to everything that was said and tilted her head "So Yuu's mother was of lower blood of another tribe, that mingled with the royal blood of the Tengu, am I correct" she say wanting to get the story right so she could tell Yuu later.

Bringing up her kimono sleeve she giggled behind it as only polite, she thought how Yuu was now wearing bright colors, but then she believed that world was bright and beautiful and wanted nothing dull within it, stopping her laugh hearing his compliment she bowed her head "I am unworthy of such kind words" her voice modest as she spoke

"Yes there is another, My brother Ai" she answered, she looked down and closed her eyes for a moment before looking back to him a smile returning to her face "Why do you tread Yuu so bad... marked or not he's still family" she say her voice sounding hurt at the thought of Yuu being hurt

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"That is correct, she was of a lower standing from another tribe, disguised to be royalty. And everyone has their reasons, but I just want to to make sure our tribe's laws and wishes are respected, even if it means hurting someone to do it," he stabbed a piece of the fish and ate it. He savored it as looked around. Kaito wasn't paying attention before, but now he had brought his sensing ability back up and found that Yuu was not too far off. He froze, turning pale rather quickly. He had broken one of the laws without even knowing until it was too late. He glared at Toshi, "You...you and that marked planned this, didn't you?"

[Kaguya]

Listened once again a sighed deeply "it's cruel to hurt your own family even if they are diffrent" sher eyes closed once more "Sometimes rules and traditions should be broken to protect another life" she say her voice though quiet showed her conviction in her words

Her eyes darted open as he spoke suddenly "I told you I was curious! Yuu couldn't give me the answers... besides..." her hand pointed to Yuu's door "That is Yuu's room... this house is our sanctuary" she say gently pouring more tea "it is also your's or would you like to go back to where you came from and be hurt" she say clenching her eyes, she wasn't a cruel person and in saying those words a blood tear fell from her right eye

"I want to learn so I am not ignorant of your kind... Yuu wants to learn so he knows why he is treated like he is lower dirt, why he is tortured by most likely his only living relitive... I'm sorry, but, the way yourself and Yuu have spoken you are the only two remaining of your tribe making you equils... " she stopped to take a breath "you where born into nature equils as nature doesn't see one person above another... it nurtures all... perhaps that is why your kind was destroyed, because you showed no kindness to those who needed help" slowly she stood and moved towards Yuu's door

"I will not judge you or your kind, as I have to live the life of a marked myself... though I have the exact same blood as my brother." she say sliding Yuu's room door open "This is why we say on the bottom floor, after all we are nothing but slaves to you both" with that she walked in and closed the door behind her.

Falling to her knees she closed her eyes and hugged into herself she just wanted to cry

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

Kaito was shaken by the response, thinking that she would finally understand his point of view after his explanation. Instead, it was the exact opposite, and it angered him. Once again, he held it back and continued eating since he knew trying to talk some sense into her when she was clearly upset would have made no progress.

--------

Yuu was startled and scurried to the far opposite end from the door, never having expected Toshi to come into his room. He watched as Toshi fell to the floor, making it apparent that she wasn't too happy. He moved closer to her and whispered as he put a hand on Toshi's shoulder, "Are you going to be okay?"

[Kaguya]

Toshi shook her head, bringing her kimono sleeve up she wiped the blood tear away "He is exactly like Ai!" she say gently "You are marked because your mother was a slave to another clan, instead of killing 'marked' they keep you as a reminder not to be so gullable" she say clenching her hands, she was so angry at how they where treated

sighing she stood up and looked to him "Though this is sanctuary to us both... perhaps we should run" she say, her voice wobbled as she suggested running, this was her home in life and in death, the thought of leaving it scared her, but perhaps they could be safer away from those who harmed them, that being prisoners within a guilded cage

"he doesn't understand... he is safe here, within balance he is the same as you... in the eyes of death you will be claimed equilly" a white glow came from around her, bringing up her hand she smiled slightly "Thank you" she say with a warm smiled "But what would that prove" she say gently the glow fading as quickly as it had came

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

Yuu shuddered about now knowing that a slave's blood ran through him, and he could understand why they would hate him so much. The tengu were usually people who carried their pride up high, and having their pride broken must have been a huge blow to them. So no matter what he could have done in the village, he never would have received peace.

Staying with Toshi, he learned that she still loved Ai, despite what happened. However, he wondered just how she would feel if she had separated from Ai. He assumed that she would most likely miss Ai, and would probably want to return if she started feeling homesick, "Toshi, will you really be alright with that? I thought you wanted to remain close to Ai."

[Kaguya]

Looked to him with a smile before closing her eyes "The being in this house is no longer my brother, he is vengful because I refused to run with him" she say gently "Of course I would miss my home and Ai... but still, we are treated like slaves by our own family members" she say quietly, her eyes looked hurt when she said that sentance

Letting out a sigh "Who or whatever attacked your tribe will not attack you... I believe it might have been the vengeful spirits of 'marked' Tengu, wishing to show those who done them harm how it felt" she say standing "The world should be filled with color... I don't want you wearing dark colors, because Kaito says you're lower than him or because your marked..." she her voice showing tenderness

"In my opinion you are more a civilized person than Kaito" she walked to the door "If we are running, we should do it tonight with Ai Sempai and Kaito San are asleep... though I am unsure if they will try and track us down... after all, they see us as lower than them" she say with a warm smile, she brought her hand out for him to take "We are two strands of the same thread Yuu, don't forget that"

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

Yuu took a hold of Toshi's hand, and an eerie sensation washed over him. He knew the bond between them grew stronger as they learned more about each other and supported one another, and he nodded in agreement with Toshi's words. However, he wasn't all too sure he agreed with having to wear bright colors, since his dull colored clothing did help him when he wanted to blend in with the scenery and hide his existed from those who would want to harm him, "Then we spend today making preparations for our departure?"

((want to do an epic time hop? xD))

[Kaguya]

Smiled as her hand was taken "I think perhaps the colors should be duller when we leave... as not to draw attention to ourselves, but still brighter than what you where wearing" she say gently walking out the room, she could feel there bond growing, he protected her and she was doing her best to do the same for him

(Sure why not)

-----------------------------------------------

Evening
-------

Toshi came out of her room when she was sure Kaito and Ai where both asleep her heart was pounding, she could only imagine what would happen if they where caught leaving. She wore a single layer dark blue kimono, she wore a bag that moved over her right shoulder that had a change of clothes for them both, a map, a plate for each, a cup each, a teapot, a few books, some food and some money

Silently she moved to Yuu's room and knocked "Yuu" she whispered, it was so quiet you would have though she hadn't spoken, she stood there waiting for him in the darkness, she hoped he hadn't changed his mind, though she would understand if he did, it was safe here, they didn;t have to worry about being singled out by the world; although the other edge of that sword was that they got beat by there family members

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

Yuu was wide awake, nervous about all the things that could go wrong. He was gnawing his bandaged fingers for comfort while he was sitting in the center of the room. Then, he heard knocking on the door of the room, which he figured to be Toshi, so he stood up and walked to it so he could open the door. Once he was there, he looked at Toshi and stepped out, quietly closing the door behind him. Then he blinked at the bag, tempted to carry the thing out of habit, "You should let me carry that."

[Kaguya]

Toshi smiled nervously seeing him "Ready?" her hand went out to take his "I'm scared, how about you?" she say whispering, she took one last look around the house, her eyes seeming hurt at the though of leaving it "Thank you for protecting me through life and death... I'll return one day with Yuu." she say to the household bowing

Standing she looked to Yuu "I'll be fine, though I would be willing to share the burden, neither of us should take it all... Agreed" she say whispering before walking to the door

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

"Agreed," Yuu nodded as he followed closely behind Toshi. The experience of leaving was familiar, as how he ran away the first time from his home, except the fear of the one he was running from wasn't there after reflecting on Toshi's words. So long as he had faith that the intent of the attacker was for the vengeance of the marked, he was safe from them, and so was Toshi. The only ones they had to worry about were Ai and Kaito, but even then he felt that they wouldn't bother to go out of their ways just to go out and drag them back. And besides, it would be a good experience for them to see what things were like outside. Toshi had never left for over 200 years, so the world beyond must have changed dramatically compared to what she was used to, and Yuu had only walked through streets and seen buildings but never really paid attention to the details.

((ghost girl and tengu boy wreak havoc on modern-day Japan hur hur ewe))

[Kaguya]

Walked through the forest stroking each tree along the way as if they where dear to her. She was scared her slow walking proved that but she was moving quicket than inside the house in case Kaito or Ai where awake, it have been an intrest meal when everyone was introduced to Ai and suprisingly Ai took it better than she had suspected but then again he was much like Kaito

Exiting she looked to the nearest town "Should we go there?" she asked, she had no idea what to expect, but she knew together they could make it through everything, though her hand tightened on his "What if they come for us?" her voice sounding scared, we was wondering if this was really the right thing, though she was more worried that she would be harmed the villiagers

[Kamikaze Chinchilla]

((how long does it take to travel 100 miles by walking? *too lazy to think about it*. I'm thinking that the forest is magical xD. And it made the distance shorter for them <3))

Yuu noticed the tightening grip and moved closer to Toshi. "I think we should go there. Whatever is there is better than what's behind us," he said referring to Ai and Kaito, "But I think we should keep moving, to make it more difficult for them to find us if they do decide to leave." Then his grip tightened as well. He wasn't too sure what to expect or how to react to the situations that were ahead of them, but so long as both of them looked like a normal human couple then they should at least blend in to some degree. He nodded, taking a few steps forward and hoping that Toshi would do the same and walk with him instead of him accidentally dragging her.