Things were tense as the everyone now filed into Yurikos living room. Raiden now lingered off to the side as he studied the scene before him.
Morgan sat in a chair, the sorceress's chains restricting her magic and movements. As she sat there, the jit noticed the ghosts of Lynne Harris and Kellie Carlson hovering around her. Kellie was whispering something to Morgan as Lynne now yelled at both Morgan and Evan. Raiden raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the ghostly wizard. She had always been rather loud in life. Death hadn't lowered her volume as she now went back and forth between Morgan and Evan.
Raiden shuddered as he gazed at Evan. He remembered all too well the dark wizard attacking him and his family. The kit wasn't quite sure how he was still alive but, he could sense something different. Evan didn't feel as evil as the last time Raiden saw him. The kit couldn't quite out his finger on it but he was different now. Maybe, he thought, it had something to do with the woman by his side. Raiden felt bad for her. Over the years he had seen plenty of outsiders meet Granny Yuriko and her friends. In each case these first meetings were awkward and frightening. It appeared this one was no different as the woman gazed at the assembled ghosts, wizards, and kitsune in Yurikos hone.
Glancing at Yuriko and Darren, Raiden could see the pair appeared at a loss for words. Both of them were shocked by Evans appearance as well as Morgan's capture. Now a new problem arose as Raiden noticed the tension between his father, his aunt, and Aiko entourage.
Aiko was furious, that much Raiden could tell. She was yelling at his father, talking of vengeance. Raiden couldn't help but feel bad for Sachiko as he noticed the snow white kit standing with her dad. Akira was pleading with his sister to stop as he stood next to Raidens father. The arguement was intense, lines being drawn between both factions. What puzzled Raiden though was the absence of the kintaro that had threatened his father.
Raiden had noticed Aaron pause on the porch as the others entered Yurikos home. Raiden had heard that the pair were related but, he had never met the kintaro. Slowly, he now crept towards the front door, peering out onto the porch.
Aaron was there, leaning back in a chair as he stared out into the yard. Raiden thought the red kintaros dress was quite odd. Adorned in a leather duster with cargo pants and boots, Raiden noticed the kintaro holding a rather large pistol, rhe kintaro idly spinning the chamber. "I know you're standing there kid," he called.
Aaron sighed, glancing at the kit as he meekly stepped from his hiding spot. A quick glance at the kit, Aaron noted the red highlights in his dark fur. The boy was now wringing his hands, nervously smoothing out his sleeveless tshirt and smoothing his pants. "Whats on your mind kid," he said.
"Are you my cousin," Raiden asked softly.
"Yeah I am," Aaron replied. "My mom and your dad are siblings." Raiden responded with a soft oh, the kit fidgeting in place as he stared at the floor. "Look kid I'm not going to bite," he groaned. "I may not like your dad but I git no problem with you. Besides we're both pretty similar."
"We are?"
"Well your mom is Abolith right," Aaron asked, to which Raiden nodded. "Well that makes you a hybrid like me. My other mom was human." Raiden seemed surprised, finding this bit of information interesting. "How come you don't like my dad," he asked.
Aaron paused, he had plenty of reason why he didn't like Fukushu. Still, just by studying the kit he could tell Raiden had no knowledge of what his parents were like outside of his presence. As much as he hated the kitsune, he wouldn't destroy the kits idea of his parents. Both of his mothers had taught him better than that. "Old history," Aaron stated. "My moms didn't get along with your dad. Guess it kind of rubbed off on me."
"Oh," Raiden said softly. Aaron now sighed, gesturing the kit to sit next to him. Slowly the young kitaune approached, taking a seat next to his cousin. "We never really had a chance to meet," he said. "I'm Aaron. Your cousin."
"Raiden."
"Nice to meet you Raiden," Aaron smiled. "How old are you anyway?"
"Eighty One," Raiden replied, causing Aaron to laugh. "Huh looks like we're the same age," he said. "But kitsune age a bit differently than I do." Raiden nodded, the kit gazing up at the red fox. "How come your sister is different than you?"
"Who Haley," Aaron asked, to which Raiden nodded. "She embraced the tigress part of our family. As you can see I went with the fox."
"How come you're bigger than other kitsune?"
"Genetics," Aaron smirked. "I may look like a fox but I still have alot tiger in me. It's kind of a kintaro trait."
"What's a demon hunter," Raiden asked. Aaron grinned, finding his cousins curiosity endearing. "You ask alit if questions," he said. "But I like that. Demon hunters basically protect humanity from the supernatural."
"Like me?"
"No not like you kid," Aaron said quickly. "More like the really bad monsters. Monsters that want to hurt people like liches or demons."
"How long have you been a demon hunter?"
"Pretty much all my life," Aaron shrugged. "When I was three I saved a demon hunter named Connor Moreland. As a token of appreciation he and his brother took me on as a apprentice."
"Were they nice?"
"Very nice," Aaron grinned. "Caleb and Connor were kind of like superheros to me. They treated me like family, taught me everything they knew. I even helped them train their siblings Chase and Charlotte. The Morelands, well, they were kind of like a second family for me."
"Oh like Ms. Yuriko and Darren," Raiden exclaimed. Aaron paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Huh guess you kinda right."
The cousins now paused, staring out towards the yard before Aaron spoke. "Sorry about threatening your dad back there," he said softly. "Promise I'lltry to be better." Raiden smiled, thanking his cousin as the pair now quietly stared out into the yard. Although he had just met the kit, Aaron found himself warming up to his little cousin.