Falling Tear Gems
Rikka Chishio
January 9, 2006
Disclaimer: Do not own YYH except for my characters and plot.
Chapter 1 – Flashback
A lone figure slowly rose from the mountains of dead corpses. A single tear gem glistened on the blood stained ground. Loose cerulean hair gently curled to her shoulders as she lifted her face to the heaven above, her ruby orbs misted with unshed tears. Her cry echoed through the still air as falling tear gems flashed in the rising sun.
"Hiei!"
…one century later…
A track of footsteps ran along the edge of the waves in the Demon World. Crashing waves immediately cover the tracks and the foaming edges wrap around a pair of bare feet, almost touching the silver bracelets around her ankles.
A small figure stands on the edge of the waves, crimson eyes looking towards the reddening horizon as the sun sets. A light breeze ruffles her waist-length ocean hair revealing two katanas strapped across her back, one icy blue and the other black. A dagger rests at the side of her hip, black bands tightly wrapped around her small waist, supporting her loose pants and tucking in her blouse. Light armor is strapped around her shoulders, chest, and arms.
The swollen sun finally sets in the horizon and night covers the Demon World. Two full moons and twinkling stars appear in the black sky, illuminating a soft glow on the beach.
Her small hand takes out a black tear gem under her blouse strung on a leather string. She brings the gem up her eye level, the gem softly glowing in the moonlight and swaying with the wind. Her eyes slightly mist with unshed tears and turn a shade darker.
SNAP! CRACK!
Her head snaps to the dense foliage. Narrow eyes turn to red slits. The black tear gem has already disappeared under her blouse. Pale blue leathery wings erupt from her back and enclose her completely. A flash of bright light passes. The wings unfold and rest tightly against her back. Icy blue eyes lazily open, white slits in place of her pupils. Narrow ragged scars run down under both her eyes, the tip ending at her jawbone. Snow white hair in a loose French braid drape over her shoulder. Long pointed ears poke out from her thick mass of hair.
Her ears slightly twitch once. She turns her face towards her expected guests, waiting for them to come out of the forest.
Thick leaves rustle apart as four shadowed figures step out onto the beach.
She grew alarmed when she felt a familiar demon energy signature from one particular demon among the four.
"Who are you?" Her lilting voice caught their attention at once. None of them answers her question immediately. One of the figures finally steps forward a bit.
"My name is Kurama. My comrades: Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Hiei. Who are you?"
She closes her eyes when the name Hiei is mentioned. Her heart swelled with so many emotions she had not felt in a century. She clenches her hands unconsciously.
"Aisu, promise me something."
"Anything onee-san." Her smaller self looked up and barely saw his lips twitch into a small smile. His crimson eyes were shrouded by his bangs. He kept a firm grip on her small hand as they walked.
"Don't ever forget who you are. Don't ever forget who I am, even if I forget you."
"Huh? You're being silly! I am who I am. I can never forget about you. Now c'mon! We're here already! Let's go!" With that said she dragged him towards a crystal lake; laughing and smiling, seeing him smile so gently under the warm sun.
Her hands slowly unclench as she opens her eyes.
"Just call me Kira. Why are you here?"
"Well, you see-"
"We got lost in that stupid forest after that freaky dog chased us for his dinner! We've been stuck here for a week now!" Yusuke cut in. He grumbled incoherent words under his breath. Colorful words to be exact.
Kira's eyebrows slightly arched in amusement.
"Is that all?"
"Hell no! We're starving, tired, and smelling like shit! I just want to get outta here." Kuwabara answered.
Her ears laid close against her scalp, her lips forming a small frown. His grating voice hurt her sensitive ears.
"The Human World?"
"N-"
"YES!" Yusuke and Kurama nearly shouted. Yusuke glared at Kuwabara but he was too busy looking down at his shoes.
"Well…I can show you the way, but I can't guarantee a safe passage."
"Who cares! At least we're going back home!" Yusuke shouted in joy.
"How long will it take?" Kurama quietly asked.
"About three days. No more, no less." Yusuke stopped dancing with Kuwabara and slumped his shoulders.
"Dude, this sucks."
"Tell me about it."
"Would you prefer going in there yourself?" Kira sweetly asked the two teenagers.
"No! It's not that! I swear!" Kuwabara flustered. Yusuke grunted in reply.
"Hn. Stupid." A deep voice commented.
"Watch your mouth shrimpy! Someday, I'll teach you a lesson to be nicer to me."
"I highly doubt it." Hiei said out loud enough for Kuwabara to hear.
Kira sweat dropped as she heard his voice for the first time in a century. He hasn't changed that much. Her lips formed a small smile.
"Enough!" She yelled. All eyes turned towards her.
"We are leaving now. No more arguments." With that said, she started walking towards the dark forest. The others followed her one by one.
…three days later…
"I thought you said that thing wouldn't be able to see us!" Yusuke yelled as he ran for his life. Literally.
"It wouldn't have if Kuwabara and you didn't brawl every five seconds!" Kira yelled back to be heard, cutting past thick branches.
"Less talking, more running!" Kuwabara yelled back.
A huge demon dog drooling acid and matted with dried blood were chasing them as he saw five delicious little treats wake him up from his little nap. Bloodshot eyes glimpsed a tiny bright treat just in his reach above the branches. He swiped at the little figure and was satisfied to see it drop. He opened his slobbering jaw and grabbed for his little snack.
Kira barely had time to move out of the way and fell at a sharp angle. Her free falling was suddenly stopped in the mouth of the demon. Only her upper body and right arm were free from his hold on her. Where sharp teeth did not penetrate her skin, the acid did its work, slowly melting her skin. She lifted her free hand and swiped her claws at his muzzle, but it merely scratched him.
Hiei saw a flash from the corner of his eyes and turned to see her falling at a sharp angle into the mouth of the dog. His eyes turned a shade darker and a deep growl escaped his lips. He doesn't understand the nagging feeling in him ever since he first encountered the strange girl Kira. It has been irritating him to a point where he tried using his Jagan eye to read her mind, but he is effectively shut out. He quickly turned back, his hand on his katana, ready to attack.
Hot blood sprayed across her face. She felt herself free of the dog's hold on her and falling again. Instead of hitting the ground, someone caught her in his arms. Her head tilted to one side as she heard a pitiful cry from the creature that was chasing them.
She closed her eyes and laid her head against his shoulder, smelling sharp pine needles.
"Thank you…" She barely whispered.
"Hn." Hiei grunted in reply.
Kira winced as he shifted her in his arms. He wordlessly left the demon and was back with the group in seconds.
"Whoa. Kira. Are you ok?" Yusuke asked.
"What does it look like to you?" She breathed out.
"Never mind that," Kurama gently interrupted. "Kira, where do we go from here? You need medical attention."
"Behind…the trunk…"
Her eyes closed and she fell unconscious.
The others walked behind the trunk to find a portal. Without any hesitation, they filed through one by one. Bright light momentarily blinded them as their eyes began to adjust. The first object they saw was a very familiar desk with a very familiar chair with a very familiar stack of papers with a very familiar toddler with a very familiar pacifier with a very familiar stamp.
(Sound familiar?)