Hello! This is my newest story that I just felt like writing all of a sudden! (I was inspired by the song in the intro) I hope you like it!
Ooh, I need somebody to calm me down
A little loving like Valium
I need somebody to knock me out
I need some loving like
Ooh, I don't know what I'm running from
But when the sun comes up it won't be long
I need some loving like Valium
I need some loving like
(Katy B -5AM T & Sugah Remix)
The cheers from the stands roared throughout the stadium. I stood in the center of the ring with my chest heaving and sweat sliding down in rivulets. My temporary band group was assembled behind me as they were showered with praise. The mic in my hand was starting to slip from sweat that beaded my palms as multiple stage lights beat down on us from above. I felt like my scales would cook under this abuse. I would have to talk with my manager Toya about this, but the adrenaline washed away all other complaints.
My smile stretched from ear to ear when I bowed for the crowd as they only cheered louder. The announcer Koto was having trouble getting their attention again, "Okay! Wow! That was amazing, ladies and gentlemen! I don't think my fox ears have heard a voice as enchanting as that in a long time! What do you all think?!" The crowd screamed their approval.
"Alrighty! We'll have to make her come back at the end because that was beautiful! But for now! Let's get ready for the 5th Dark Tournament!" The screams roared back with vengeance again as I made my way back towards the caster's rest area waving to my newest fans. Toya greeted me at the entrance and I jumped into his arms.
"You were amazing!" Toya congratulated, twirling me in a circle. I squealed.
"Thank you!" I smiled as Toya put me down, "It's all thanks to you that I can finally sing in front of this crowd."
"Such a beautiful voice doesn't deserve to be hidden away. C'mon, your guard arrived.." Toya patted my back and lead me into the halls of the stadium.
"Oh, do I get to sing again at the end? Koto was saying something about that." I asked excitedly while the adrenaline began to fade.
"I heard the committees having a talk about that right now." Toya smiled, "If we're lucky, then you're going on back."
"I can't wait!" I squealed again, as Toya opened the door to my personal waiting room. Inside, I was met with a less-than-chipper boy slightly shorter than me with spiked long black hair. He stared at us emotionlessly with his arms crossed over his chest leaning against the table. For some reason, I had the feeling that he hates me…
"Hello! My name is Yui! I'm a mermaid demon! It's nice meeting you!" I smiled widely, reaching out a hand. He didn't move, only looked down at my hand like it was dirty. I mean, sure it's kind of still sweaty from the stage, but it's not like I can't shake hands or anything. My face fell.
"Hiei." He replied clipped.
Toya sighed, "Well, this is your new guard from Spirit World. I thought Koenma sent the best, but…we'll have to make do."
I pouted, "What is with your attitude? Someone's greeting you and this is the way you reply?"
He surprisingly replied instead of ignoring me, "Trust me, Koenma sent the best. I'm wasting my precious time with the likes of you, so I suggest you wash out your mouth before I decide to 'accidentally' fail my mission and let you die." This unbelievable son of a…!
"You little shrimp!" I glared, about to pummel this guy when Toya's arms came around and held me back.
"Yui! Stop it! C'mon, we're on the same sides here." Toya tried reasoning.
"Same side my ass! Didn't you just hear him? He'll 'accidentally' leave me to die!" I struggled.
"The feeling is mutual. I would not want to be on the same side as a violent, empty-headed sorry excuse for a women like you." Hiei hned, mirror my glare as he walked past me to the door.
"You SHRIMP! GET BACK HERE!" I screamed, waving my fists in the air. He ignored me as he disappeared from the doorway and the door swung shut with a loud SLAM. Toya finally released me.
I turned on him in rage, "Are you on the shrimp's side too?!" I glared.
Toya held his palms up as if to say not to attack him, "We're all on the same side!"
I growled and plopped down on the plastic chair in front of the make-up table. I glared as I worked through my long ankle lengthed hair that had gotten tangled while I was on stage. What a complete mood killer. I thought angrily. I repinned the pearl head piece back to the side of my hair and admired my handiwork. The white pearls really stuck out from my wavy aquamarine hair. Some dark strands fell just to the side of my eyes, framing my black lashes set on white alibaster skin. My deep purple eyes were practically criminal as I giggled quietly to myself. Yes, I was partly narcissistic. If anyone had my killer looks, they would be too.
I sighed as my mood instantly turned better. How could someone not be mesmerized by my beautiful face and charm? That shrimp! I swear he'll regret it! I hmphed again at the memory of the jackass. I smirked. It will take a lot more than that to ruin my debut day!
Toya brought me reeling back into reality again, "You have to be careful though, Yui. I'm sure most of the demons know what you are by now." My smile dropped a few levels.
"If you aren't careful-
I cut him off abruptly, "I know!" I snapped, a little meaner than I had intended. The subject was just a touchy topic for me. I am a mermaid demon. Aside from being the best water demons and best singers, our endangered race is almost completely extinct because it is widely known that consuming our flesh and blood will increase one's spirit energy and life. We've nearly been hunt into extinction when our ancestors found the Ghost Lake, the perfect place for mermaids to live.
The Ghost Lake is just to the north of the Demon World, a gigantic lake that spans for hundreds of miles. Deep inside the lake is an underwater cavern of sorts that can only be reached if you're a mermaid. Even other water demons can't descend that deep. Even if they did, they'd never find the cavern. The Ghost Lake is also famous for its fog-like miasma that exudes from the plants on the shallow end, giving it its name. The last layer of defense is the turbulent water. Because of its massive size, the water moves like the sea; tidepools are common and often lethal to water demons. Mermaids happen to be the only water demons capable of surviving in the Ghost Lake hence it is sometimes also known as the Mermaid Lake. There my nearly extinct ancestors have procreated and our clan is much larger than it was before. Inbreeding became common, and my mate was supposed to be Senya, my first cousin. That is, before I decided to leave home.
My mother was captured by a human to be farmed for her blood after she just gave birth to me. My father raised me until I was 7 before he left to find my mother. No one has heard from them since. 43 years later, when I have finally come of age to marry, I decided that I needed to find my parents. Senya said he would wait for me, but everyone knew that I would most likely not make it home alive. And that was the start of my tragic childhood turned idol.
I met Toya while I was traveling and he recognized me as a mermaid. He fell in love with my voice and offered to help me find my parents if I promised to be an idol for the demon world entertainment agency that he ran. I figured it was better than walking around aimlessly searching for my parents, so I agreed. After a few months of preparations, I am here now.
Toya brought my thoughts back to the present with a hand to my shoulder, "Come on, let's check out the tournament. They gave us VIP seats." He said with a smile. I nodded meekly, unable to rid my mind of the constant threat that I could be captured and eaten or worse, farmed for blood like lifestalk. Toya walked us towards the VIP seat when a stage manager stopped him.
"Oh! There you are, Mr. Toya! The committee has some details they want to smooth over with you. Please! Come with me!" The little ogre demon rushed.
"Can't this wait?" Toya argued.
"I was told that it is urgent." The ogre moved from foot to foot like he was in a hurry. Toya sighed and nodded before turning to me.
"Go on without me." Toya smiled, "I'll be there right after I finish the business with the committee. It might be a very nice offer." He winked. I forced a smile. The demon hurried Toya away and I was left alone in the long maze-like hallways. I heft a sigh and tried to remember which way was to the VIP seats.
After awhile of directionless wandering, I realized I had walked into a work-out room of sorts for the dark tournament entrees. Three bulky demons were sparring when my heeled boots announced my presence. They turned me to with a glare and immediately recognized who I was. Their glares turned to smirks as they approached me like a hunter stalking its prey. Somehow I had the feeling they didn't just want my autograph…
"Um! Sorry for intruding! I just...couldn't find my way to the seats…" I tried anyway as they advanced while I backed towards the door. A cackle from behind me alerted me to more of their friends as I backed towards the adjacent wall.
"Lucky us. It's the mermaid demon." One of the demons sneered.
"I heard if you eat a mermaid, you raise two power level classes." Another one cackled.
"Perfect timing. Our match is next." One of his demon friends laughed.
My back hit the wall. I was seriously going to be screwed. These weren't low leveled demons either. I could feel their spirit energy and it drummed against my aura like a damn heater. I wasn't too bad a fighter myself, but at best I was only upper C class. These guys one-on-one were my level, but I was outnumbered five to one. Fuck…
"Um, that's just a rumor...it's totally not true." I smiled nervously.
"Well, we'll see won't we." The demons snickered. I was seriously screwed.
I took a deep breath and let out an ear-bleeding shriek that echoed against the walls of the training room. The demons covered their ears as they were momentarily crippled by the sound wave. I took that moment to run for the door, praying I would make it in time. A clawed hand grabbed my arm as I ran past him, ripping my shirt and leaving three claw marks on my skin. I ran anyway, clutching my useless left arm. Before I could get to the door, one of the demons instantly appeared in front of me with a glare and smacked me away, sending me flying backwards to his other friends as they all recovered from the sound wave. They surrounded me from all sides as I cradled my bleeding arm. The one who clawed me licked his fingers and trembled.
"Oh, the power in her blood! The rumors are true!" He smirked. His friends turned to me, saliva dripping from their half-parted gaping mouth. Suddenly, I noticed a half finished water bottle on the bench against the far wall. I immediately reached an outstretched hand pointed to the bottle. The water exploded from the plastic container and flew towards me, slicing through the arm of the demon closest to me as it flew past him.
The others backed away a little, but still not deterred as their prize stood behind the water. I willed the water to be sharper than a blade and sent it slicing out another demon. He jumped out of its reach, but the water sliced his chest. I had meant to slice him in half. I tsked.
Glaring to face off against the demons, I readied the water, hoping it would finally scare them off. If they all jumped me at the same time, I was done for.
"The next person that steps closer will be sliced in half." I grimaced. They glared, but didn't make a move to come closer.
"C'mon let's all jump her. Her little bit of water can't kill us all." One of the smarter demons smirked. Crap! Why can't they all just be brainless muscle?
His friends smirked and readied to lunge. I sent the water out to slice at the nearest one. He tried using his arm to block it, but his arm came off instead. As he screamed, his friends lunged and I squeezed my eyes shut as I was finally out of luck.
When nothing hit me, I opened one eye to find that the demons had been reduced to chunks of cleanly diced meat around me in a puddle of blood and meatier chunks. I had the sudden urge to empty my lunch in the carpet but managed to hold it all back. I looked up, semi-green, at my rescuer only to find the shrimp with his sword drawn and covered in demon gore. He was surprisingly spotless while I was covered in the aftermath.
I think it was my loss of words or the overall stupified expression, but Hiei finally spoke, "Hurry up, how long do you plan to stand there like a walking target?"
I stumbled out of the body parts towards Hiei. I felt a squish under my foot and saw that I had stepped on the partial brain of one of the demons. I fell forward onto Hiei and he turned around to catch me just as I could no longer hold back the bile and my lunch came out shooting in a yellow stream right onto Hiei's tunic.
