The Power of A Paopei I really didn't know what to write, it sort of just turned into what I have here. Oh, I took some liberties with some of the dialogue, because I can, damnit! (Actually, it's because I didn't have my manga with me at the time I wrote this, and didn't remember the exact details.) By the way, thank you for pointing out the "likened" mistake, BluePard. You also mentioned something about using a warning about using "V" for Dakki's hearts. I originally was planning to use a different font (Symbol), however the rules for submission say no font tags. So, I decided to use what I've seen others use online. Sorry if I confused anyone, I thought everyone would recognize it. ^_^; V = Dakki heart.

R&R, onegai shimasu. *bow*

The Power of A Paopei
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Dakki. That mere name sent shivers down his spine.

She was a beautiful, cunning, sadistic vixen intent upon blood. Well, she was a youkai, what else was to be expected from her kind? Genuine concern? As likely as aliens falling from the sky.

Really, it was no big surprise. She delighted in the pain of humans; reveled in the entrails of her victims. Her parties proclaimed the worst in human torture. Had she never been close to a human ever in her life? What happened to the emotions all beings are supposed to be born with?

All she ever did was hurt others - enjoy her life as she would. A marionette called the great king of Chouka under her thumb, nothing couldn't be done.

So now... Why did he still believe in her? Why, after all she had done to him did he still have a faint sheen of hope? Was there a reason? There had to be. No event could spawn such insanity as this.

Help her? One can hope. Why? Why does she do the things she does? There can't just be pointless randomness and violence.

Chaos? No, for such a crafty mind as hers, she wouldn't succumb to such trivialities; such minor events in life. She wouldn't put so much thought and care into her exotic fancies. For all she's done, it feels strangely and disconcertingly structured. Backed. Planned. What, dare he ask... is her final ploy?

The door creaked, breaking the doushi's thoughts.

"Taikoubou-chan... Let's have some fun."

Taikoubou lowered his gaze from the enchanting visage suddenly before him. Her eyes, glistening in the dark, were a dangerous sight to behold. They shoot through you, peering into your soul if you aren't careful.

"Oh, Taikoubou-chan, don't be that way! V" Her temptation saturated giggle radiated through the room like a toxic perfume. "I won't bite too hard..."

He had come to Chouka to try and find out more about this mysterious kitsune, merely landing himself in a rather precarious position. She had only opened the doorway to more questions, leaving the hallway void of patrons to answer.

What could he do? Her insanity bled from her in cascading rivers, threatening to consume those who tread too closely. He could barely breathe with the weight of it. Is this what Chuu-ou felt? Constantly suffocating under her spell, unable to speak?

Her figure, a dark silhouette in the doorway, blocked the light straining to illuminate her features in their full glory. The faint curve of her lips remained hidden as she stepped forward.

Taikoubou interested her. Here he sat. Inside her palace. Unscathed. Not imprisoned, even. A rare occurrence indeed, for an enemy of hers. His interesting turban likened him to that of a small animal, and gave rise to delectable images in her mind.

Ah, but he was much more than a rabbit; he was a doushi of Konron mountain. And if that clownish doushi was correct, then he had special reasons for gracing her presence.

But it was his eyes that interested her most. A sharpness lay hidden under that lazy and careless ambiance he emitted. He wasn't chosen without thought. What she had seen of him so far amused her, and yet she couldn't see what his real motives were beyond bringing herself harm. How petty. Too petty for someone like this.

Just what plan would he unfurl? Best to beat one to the punch, was her philosophy. Things were always much nicer her way. V

The shifting of his chair focused Dakki's attention on the subject of her thoughts.

Silky as honey, her words flowed over him. "I've been waiting for you for a while now." Her heels clacked loudly on the floor as she made her way further into the tiny confines her guest doushi took refuge in. The scent of fear wafted through her senses, and her smile grew.

Dakki watched rather impassively as Taikoubou and his spirit beast slowly edged away from her. She found it cute, really. This mighty doushi chosen specifically by Genshitenson huddling before her with his spirit beast was quite a memory to save for later. Yet, his eyes...

"What's the matter, Taikoubou-chan? V Don't you want to play with me? V"

Taikoubou very nearly wheezed under the stress. Averting his eyes once more, he studied the wall in great detail. His avenues were running thin, was there nothing else he could do? Dakki's presence had hit him like an unforgiving wall, and despite his youthful angers at her, her spell was still powerful.

Sweat tickled the nape of his neck as he could feel her eyes boring into him. There was nothing he could do. He had a small hope in her, yet he didn't have the power to do anything of worth. Absolutely none. The only power he had lay in the Dashinben Genshitenson-sama had bestowed him, but could something as small as that change her? His fingers tightly gripped his paopei.

"Of course I do," Taikoubou's voice softly echoed.

He really didn't know exactly how it happened, or why it happened, but there it was. His nose tickled at the dust from the explosion his paopei had created, wondering if Dakki really was under the mess he had made.

That woman... That woman scared him. His fingers still clutched the paopei the old geezer had given him, and he wondered idly if such a small thing could have defeated her.

Looking back to the pile, he rubbed his nose. No. This fight was far from over. Sheathing his weapon, Taikoubou looked towards Chuu-ou's throne room. Some fights couldn't be won with a mere paopei. Scuttling off, he fled the crime scene. And against a woman like that, it would take much more than the wind of his Dashinben to succeed.