"No it isn't. At least this way we get somewhat of an idea what we're up against." She said. Kurama shrugged a bit.
"I suppose so but still.." He said softly. "Come on Keaka lets get out of here." He said and exited. Telepathically Keaka and Kurama held their conversation that was when Karasu and Bui appeared in front of them. Kurama had grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. Keaka had been shaking so badly she really couldn't concentrate on what Karasu was saying. Bui struck the wall with his axe distracting the pair allowing Karasu to vanish.
"Where did he go?" Kurama questioned to himself but of course Keaka heard him. Ice cold hands came around her face almost touching her but not quite. "K-K-Kurama." She had stammered. Kurama had turned and gasped when he saw Karasu standing behind her.
"Why are you shaking little Keaka? Is it because you know what my touch can do to you? Or maybe you want it." Karasu said calmly. Kurama clenched his fist and growled.
"Leave her be Karasu." Kurama said through gritted teeth. Karasu smiled.
"Oh I'm sorry fox have I invaded yoour territory?" Karasu laughed a little at that. Keaka remembered thinking briefly to herself. "Territory?" But quickly dismissed the thought as Karasu grabbed a lock of her hair.
" Humans are so fragile wouldn't you agree Kurama? Why Keaka your hair has become damaged." Keaka glanced in the direction of Karasu's hand.
"No it isn't." She said quietly. A small bang, almost like a gun shot went off near her ear making her scream and forcing her to the floor clutching the side of her head. Kurama shouted something and ran to her side. Karasu looked on amused.
"I'll be expecting to fight you Kurama. Don't dissapoint me." He said and walked away. Kurama held Keaka for a while before taking her hands away to see if she was hurt. Luckily the only damage was done to her hair but it was extensive. "I'm okay. It was only a threat kitsune." She said softly her head pounding. Kurama looked at her sadly.
"The only way I'll be able to protect you from him is if I find a way to return to my demon form. I must find a way to rid the part of me that is Shuichi." Keaka had looked at him tearfully but had not cried.
Keaka walked on into the dark woods not really knowing where she was going just that she needed time alone. Kurama had stepped out for a while and told her not to leave the hotel with out him. Keaka had intended to listen but she knew that he was going to drink the juice Suzuka had given him and in a way she wanted to see Yoko Kurama again. He was so beautiful mysterious and just plain amazing.
Keaka sighed as she came to the edge of the woods to a cliff overlooking the ocean.
"Well he's definatly not here." She commented to herself.
"What is it that draws you to the fox anyways girl?" A gruff voice said from behind her. Keaka turned around to see a pair of red glowing eyes still standing in the shadows.
"Hey Hiei." Keaka said shortly. She had learned Hiei rarely enjoyed long conversations or sweet pleasantries.
"Didn't Kurama tell you to stay put kid?" Hiei asked annoyed. Keaka smiled a bit.
"Were you following me? Were you worried?" Keaka asked sweetly yet playfully. Hiei snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Don't take it personally. We can't afford to lose another team member." He said quickly starting to advance towards her. Keaka looked him squarely in the eyes, being that they were the same height, confused.
"What do you mean?" She asked softly. Hiei looked away from her and stared out at the ocean silent. Keaka sighed worried and sat down.
"Sit." She said patting the space next to her. Hiei shifted his weight before sitting next to her. They sat in silence for quite some time watching the sun dip down below the ocean.
"Genkai is dead. Toguro killed her." Hiei said blankly. Keaka slowly turned her head to him and sighed.
"Does Yusuke know?" Hiei only nodded his head once. Keaka sighed again sad that the woman who had taught her so much was gone.
"Well thats too bad but there's not really much time to grieve." She said rather coldly. Hiei turned to look at her almost surprised that the usually sweet warm Keaka had said something like that. Keaka grinned a little.
"I'm used to people not sticking around. Eventually everyone leaves you and you're left alone." She said bringing her knees to her chest.
"Sounds like your no stranger to heart break." Hiei said almost kindly. Keaka nodded.
"Who left you?" Hiei asked curious now that this sweet girl could possibly have any pain. Keaka rubbed her eyes and sighed. Hiei grunted and turned away to glance at the night stars.
"What happened? Some male leave you?" Hiei asked in his usual manner. Keaka was still silent. Again they sat in silence.
"My, m-m-m." Keaka tried to speak but started to choke up. Hiei glanced over at her. Tears streamed down her face.
"Your mother?" Hiei asked quietly. Keaka sobbed loudly and began to rock herself a little.
"She used to lock Kazuma and I in the basement so she could go out with men." Keaka said suddenly. Hiei stifled a gasp. He watched as she sat there holding her knees to her chest, crying and rocking. Hiei didn't know what to do. Keaka was usually always happy, seemingly care free. Hiei began to feel somewhat guilty about his treatment to the young girl. She was his complete opposite, just like him she had been abandoned by quite possibly a mother she didn't really know but unklike him she hadn't become mean or spiteful.
Hiei sighed and slowly reached a hand towards her face. Keaka was startled a little when Hiei wiped her tears away. She could feel the warmth from his trembling hand as his fingers began to trace a pattern from just underneath her eye down her cheek and back again. Keaka shut her eyes trying to control her sobs and enjoying the attention that he was giving her. Quickly Hiei with drew his hand as if snapping out of whatever had just come over him.
"What was that for?" Keaka asked softly.
"You and I, we share the same pain it seems." Hiei said almost in a whisper. Keaka reopened her eyes and edged closer to him but not much afraid that if she got to close he would flee.
"Same pain?" She asked carefully. Hiei sighed sadly and looked at the ground.
"Did your mother abuse you too?" Keaka whispered. Hiei shook his head.
"I, uh dont remember her much. I was very young when we were seperated." Hiei said shortly trying to control the waiver in his voice.
"Kurama called you a koorime. How is that possible Hiei?" Keaka asked. Hiei gave a short laugh.
"Why should I tell you?" Hiei said trying to regain his composure. Keaka took his hand in hers. Hiei jumped a little at the contact. Hiei couldn't remember the last time, if there ever was a time, when someone had touched him benevolently. Hiei closed his bandaged hand around Keaka's smaller one and shut his eyes.
"Normally koorime's are asexual which you already know. I don't know exactly what took place but my mother ended up having intercourse with a fire demon. When I was born and they saw that I was not only male but a fire demon myself it was decided I was too much of a threat." Hiei stopped himself feeling his voice growing smaller. Keaka squeezed his hand slightly encouraging him to continue.
"So I was thrown off the edge of Koorime and left to die." Hiei said quickly. Keaka looked away from him out at the ocean. She couldn't believe he had told her basically his life story. Hiei was usually so cold and seemingly uncaring but deep down he did have a heart and it pained her to know he was so tortured. Keaka looked back over at him and saw small rivlets running down his cheeks that turned into small gems and fell to the ground. Keaka let go his hand and wrapped her arms around him. Hiei punched the ground angrily cursing his weakness and the shame of being mothered by a child.
"It's okay Hiei. Just let it come." Keaka said softly. Even if he had wanted too stop he wouldn't have been able too, his tears and sobbing were endless it all just kept coming. The harder he tried the more he grieved. His chest felt tight as if someone were crushing him underneath an immense weight.
"My chest...it...it hurts." He managed to get out. Keaka took his childish face in one of her hands realizing for the first time just how beautiful those almond shaped orbs were.
"That's your heart Hiei. It's breaking." She said in a mothering tone and clutched him back to her. Hiei didn't know what she meant and became alarmed.
"If my heart is breaking does that mean I'm dieing?" He asked her innocently. Keaka smiled a little. He really knew nothing about emotions except for anger, greed and of course violence but when it came to love, compassion or friendship he had no idea.
"No Hiei you won't. It will hurt and at times may seem as if you will in fact die but you won't. You will make it through the trials and tribulations just as you always have and come out stronger and wiser each time." She said soothingly. Hiei picked his head back up from her shoulder and smirked.
"You've been hanging around Kurama too much." Hiei stated. Keaka laughed a little.
"Yeah I guess that does sound like something he would say." She said returning to her normally sweet self that Hiei had to admit was quite refreshing. Keaka wiped the tear marks from his face until it was almost unnoticable that he had been crying. Hiei pulled away from her and she knew that the barrier was back up.
"I should get going it's getting late. Care to join me Hiei?" Keaka asked standing up. Hiei shook his head once and stared straight ahead of him. Keaka shrugged and began to walk away when she saw the small gems on the ground that his tears had turned into. Keaka stooped back down and picked them all up holding them in the palm of her hand. She extended her arm towards him offering them back.
"Hn. I no longer have any need for them. Do as you please with it." Hiei said. Keaka brought her hand back towards her and marveled at how the lovely little tear stones sparkled in the moon light.
"So does that mean I can have them?" Keaka asked. Hiei remained quiet.
"I'm going to make them into a necklace that I'll wear always as a reminder that it's okay to cry sometimes." Hiei looked over at her blankly. He stood never taking his eyes away from hers.
"Whatever." He said finally and fleeted away. Keaka stood back up and pocketed her precious gift from the little fobidden child and decided to continue the fox hunt.