Kairi's POV I sat down in the living room with my parents in silence. Tears running down my face slowly. Both looking at me with worry. Why isn't he talking? WHY am I not talking? Why isn't Yami talking? Actually thank God but it feels weird."I should probably start from the beginning. We——""You don't have to go over the beginning dad. Yami already told me about our ancestor.""Yami?" He inquired with a rexed face."That's what she told me to call her.""Well, let me add to it because I know she's not telling you everything.Oni are Japanese spirits, Yōkai. Demons that fed on destruction and chaos. There are many kinds of Oni: fire, water, wind, earth,etc. The one our bloodline carries is the Shadow Oni, one of the strongest out there."I nodded taking in everything, "she said she's me but but I'm not like her.""Maybe you are. Somewhere deep inside. When people of our blood are born we carry two souls. Our human one and the Oni one. It ys dormant until our te teenage to adult years when are fully grown and mature. But in serious cases they can be awaken by stress mostly. The Oni embodies parts of us that we don't like or parts that we hide deep down.""Sigh. So what now. I can't hear her.""I put her to sleep," my Dad just casually stated like it was no bad deal. My shadow self that has been tormenting me for the better part of a week and he just put her on time out. "And starting today I'll be training you how to subdue and eventually merge with your shadow self, so no school today."I nodded at him still kinda uneasy. I mean I would have to fight basically myself and then fuse with her. It sounds cool on paper but I doubt it'll be that easy. "So what's first? I marathon? Workouts?"My dad chuckled, " No my little Empress. It's more mental and spiritual than physical. Because all of our families Binding Contract with the Yami Oni we are all linked, straight back to our ancestor. So abilities and combat and other information are open to us has long as we've completed the Binding Ritual. You'll need a strong will, a goal or desire if you want to subdue her." He began walking down to the basement with me on his tail. He opened the door and inside was strange diagram drawn on the floor with six candles lit around it. My dad stepped inside and ushered me to follow suit. I sat down criss cross applesauce then he pced a hand on my shoulder."What's this dad?""This is our families' Ritual circle. It's a combination of a boundary and binding circle. The candles activate the boundary part and....,"he then cut my palms, closing my fists and a few drops of blood fell in the center of the circle. I winced then watched has they healed. "The participants blood activates the binding circle." The walls of the basement dissolved into shadows until a Japanese Shrine stood in front of us. I looked back at my Dad who's eyes were glowing white as we walked into Shrine. "What know?" I asked him still not clear on what to do."Feel her out. You two are eternally connected. You can sense her." I took a deep breath and concentrated on the part of me that I've been trying to keep down. That feeling took me to the court yard and there she was, kneeling in a meditative position. I looked up at my Dad with questioning eyes. "Fight her. Channel her power. This pce divides her power between both of you, us it."I nodded at him and slowly made my way towards her all the while concentrating on drawing power from her. It was cold but it was hard to describe. It slowly crept up my spine then it travelled through every vain, muscle and nerve. I felt powerful, the same power she said she would give me if a gave up my body."Satè, satè, satè little Kairi wants to subdue me," Yami ughed. "Do you really think you can beat me? You are a weak, stupid girl. And you think you can fight me.""Don't listen to her Kairi. Remember this is a fight of the mind and spirit. Don't let her belittle you."I took a breath then drew a katana out of the ground. It's purple wrapped handle connected to it's purple fuchi. The obsidian bck bde glowed with the purple kanji for demon carved into it. Yami Kairi stood up summoning her katana and took her stance sizing me up as I took a defensive stance. She charged at, hands above her head has she brought it down in downwards ssh. I quickly rose my sword up to block her. She then stepped back twirling her bde with a sinister smile. I lunged myself at her thrusting my at her, she quickly sidestepped to her left grabbing my wrist then kicking me in my stomach so hard to I dropped my katana and fell on my knees."Really? Is that all you've got? And you want to beat me. You can't even entertain me. You know...,"she said kneeling down kicking my bde away then whispered in my ears. "You what, after I killed your soul and take your body.... I'm gonna pay Sophia a visit and split her in two."Sophia, no I can't die here. I have to beat her, if not for me then for her, for my parents and friends. "If you're in a low position, tackle your opponent around the midsection." Sophia's voice rang through my head when she was teaching me some martial arts techniques so I took her advice and tackled her around her stomach and saddled her punching her face. After about ten punches she grabbed my wrist and flipped me over, saddled me with incredible speed choking me with an emotionless face. My vision began to get blurry as I struggled to breathe. I gripped her throat and started choking my shadow self with all my strength before kneeing her between the legs. She groaned in pain and fell off me."You bitch, that was dirty.""Fuck you," I panted slowly regaining my breath. I rounded away from her and slowly rose to my feet, looking down on her."Kairi you need to stop fighting the power, stop holding back. Let the power in and make her submit," my father excimed with hands crossed. I closed my eyes and finally let the power in. Just like before the power surged through me. I watched keenly has Yami Kairi got up with katana in hand. Without words I summoned my katana and charged without fear. We cshed in a fierce battle going back and forth. She sshed at my head but I dodged in time by ducking and cut her heels. Yami groaned in pain annoyance. She summoned a second katana now duel wielding so I did the same and we charged again faster than before. Slowly Yami began to loss speed, I took that as my chance to quickly ssh under her armpits and stomach. She dropped her weapons too weak to fight."Submit Yami!" I commanded in a harsh voice with my katana pointed to her face."Or what?"she panted with tired eyes, the pain in her voice."Or this," I then quickly cut off her arms. "Submit!""Ok.......ok. I....I..I submit. You win Kairi."I looked at the father with excited eyes. "What now Daddy?""Pce your hand on her forehead and absorb her. The merge will begin."I did has he said and Yami slowly merged into me. At that moment my mind opened up. I saw a cluster of images fshed through my mind. So this is what my Dad said about the knowledge link. After completely merging with Yami, the Shrine dissolved back into the basement, my mom sitting in a chair staring at us."Finally you're back. Are you ok loves?"she asked with concern."I'm ok Mom," my father nodded at her."Good you should get something to eat and get ready for bed.""How te is it?" I asked her."Almost 7,"she answered and I stood there shooked. It was that te. I then shook my head and went upstairs to eat and sleep.Sophia's POVAfter a very boring day at school without Kairi I got home and did my homework and began drawing. My front door opened and the pack walked in and sat on the sofa looking at me. The boys shirtless and in loss shorts while Sarah was in a robe with her legs crossed"Soph you ready for your first full moon?" Cole asked with a smirk."Trick question, no one is ready for their first," Sarah replied."W..what should I expect?"With a sigh Sarah sat up, "First you'll feel power surging through you before your bones start to break randomly, no matter how much pain you're in don't try to hold it back. You need to let the change happen, let the pain, the power consume you. After your first moon the changes will become easier, soon you wouldn't feel the pain."I nodded at them. At that moment the door opened again, this time my parents walked in. It was after 7 but seeing them home so early (well seeing Dad home this early) caught me off guard. But seriously how does a Chef can get home early but a Fitness Instructor and Nutritionist. My Mom handed me a bag with a blue bathrobe inside it."What's this for Mom?""For you to change into. So go get changed, the moon will be rising soon." I quickly rushed upstairs and changed into my new robe and rushed downstairs to see everyone ready to go, I guess Mom and Dad changed when I was in my room. We left the house and headed into woods behind the Pack House. I was surprised to see a crowd of people in simir outfits. My Dad and the boys went over to the other men of the Tribe while Sarah, my Mom and I went over to Samantha and the other women in robes. The moon slowly appeared in sight and I felt the power surging through me, it felt incredible, like I could do anything. "Hey Soph," I looked around to see my Mom with a smile. "Let the change happen "Remember honey, don't fight it, let it happen. And when you're done, run wild and free." I nodded then turned back to the moon. Suddenly the sounds of people groaning, crying and yelling in pain has bones started to break. Without warning my knees and ankles broke, the pain running through me as I yell out in pain. I looked over at my Mom who was on all fours with glowing yellow eyes. "Sophia... listen...to me miel (honey) breath. Ah...focus on your breathing, ok Sop..h—." She couldn't finish your sentence before more bones broke. Taking a deep breathe I tried not to think about how bad this hurts. My elbows broke then my shoulders. Every muscle inside me felt like fire, like acid was poured on my bones. My fangs elongated and my eyes glowed. Next were my cws, two pairs of cws came out on my hands and feet. My back broke then arched up, I screamed out from this and wanted it to stop. The guys were right, this is by far the worst pain I've ever felt or will ever feel, like for fuck sake just kill me right now. I then felt my tailbone started to push through my skin, another scream escape my mouth,it grew longer until a tail was formed. A few more bones broke then I began to feel warm, I looked on my hands to see fur started to grow over. With a few more broken bones, my entire body quickly reformed then everything looked heightened. Everything seemed more vibrant, the way the air passed through my fur was something I can't describe. It took off into the woods moments after. This speed, this feeling, everything was just amazing. I soon came up on a ke and took a drink and stared at my white and grey wolf form. I smiled at myself, not bad, not bad at all. And with that I took off again enjoying my night.