The previous day...
He moved with a semblance of caution, alert to every sound that occurred around him. Off to his right he could hear the soft scrape of Kurama's steps that to most would have been indistinguishable from any other noise moving along the sand.
He detested the need to investigate anything for Koenma but Muruko had ordered him to do just that. Since he was due for free time that he had intended to spend with Yukina in the Human World she had decided that he could tend to this before.
Normally he would have scoffed at the idea of doing Spirit World any favors but apparently whatever Koenma had offered Muruko in exchange had been to good to pass up. So here he was traveling low among the hills that lined the beach, tracking a demon that at least should put up a good fight.
That was the only saving grace he could find in the entire mess.
He had stopped by Kurama's just to see if the fox demon was up for some sport. The last time he had been there he had noticed a tension in his comrade that spoke of to much time spent doing to little. His suspicions had been proven correct when Kurama had not only jumped at the chance but insisted on immediate action.
He had to admit he had missed this type of action. Most things he tended to for Muruko were either with her people or on his own. Neither compared to the easy feel of a truly trusted companion whose thoughts and actions were so in tune with your own that you almost acted as one.
All that's needed now is the detective and the moron...
He was not prone to many wistful thoughts but they did occur. When they did he contented himself with the knowledge that it was due to having found others to trust. It was a very small circle of people but it did exist. It did not change how he reacted to those people but that was also a portion of that trust. That small circle accepted him as he was with no expectations to be any other way.
His thoughts ceased as he heard Kurama's steps stop. There was only one real reason for that to happen. Automatically he shifted his cloak to free up the movement of his katana as he placed his hand on the hilt. Carefully he inched up the hill he was behind.
Shifts in the sands alerted him to the fact that Kurama was heading towards him. He paused as his eyes caught the sight of two people standing on the beach near the edge of the water. One with very obvious demonic energies.
"Hiei there's a problem." Kurama murmured as he appeared at his side.
"I don't see a problem. The human is in the way." he replied just as softly.
"That isn't just any human Hiei." Kurama hissed, "That's Shizuru."
A wave of irritation went through him.
Of course it was one of the humans attached to the ever growing circle of "handle with care" that surrounded the four of them. Granted Shizuru Kuwabara fell into the range of "handle with less care" then Yusuke's female Keiko but the idea was the same.
It only made sense that what was supposedly an easy mission had grown into a complicated one with just a roll of the dice.
"I supposed you want to wait and see if Nariaki will rip her throat out." he ground out between clenched teeth.
"I suppose you wish to run in and not be concerned with Shizuru's life nor how Kuwabara will take his sister being killed because you were impatient." Kurama returned with a hint of annoyance to his voice.
Hiei restrained himself from rolling his eyes. He still was not a fan of Kuwabara's but he did not wish to have his sister's blood on his hands. Nor did he want to deal with what would be an automatic battle with the idiotic giant even if there was no chance of Kuwabara winning.
"I wonder why she is here at all." Kurama said to himself as they watched the pair.
Hiei snorted as he reached up a hand to remove the headband over his Jagan. He preferred other methods but they needed information as to how to separate the two on the beach. The Jagan was the easiest route since it allowed for his telepathy to be utilized.
This is perfect. I shouldn't be here talking with this demon. Everything is so wrong about this. Why didn't I just walk past him? How am I supposed to get away now? And that feeling is still there like someone's in trouble...besides me of course...
He did not brush the demon's mind. Nariaki was a breed that used psychic energies and he would be tipped off the moment the Jagan touched him.
"She knows she's in a bad situation." He informed Kurama.
"Was it a chance meeting?"
"No. I believe she was drawn here for some reason." he answered.
"No doubt her abilities did so. This is a little off the beaten path for her." Kurama said shifting, "I see no other choice but to approach. If she knows there is danger and is not moving away it can be safe to assume she cannot without being harmed."
"It took all this time to get to the rushing in and just killing the bastard. You waste to much time with the process if that is the best you can do." he censured releasing the catch to his cloak and letting it pool at his feet.
Kurama managed to give the impression of rolling his eyes without actually doing so as he reached into the nape of his hair to withdraw the rose he would need. They moved away from each other hoping to catch the demon off guard.
He noted as he rounded the end that would bring him on the side that Shizuru stood that she had managed to move a few steps away from Nariaki. It would not be enough to keep her from being grabbed if the demon was so inclined to try to use her against them.
Kurama emerged first fast and low. He moved at almost the same time. As fate would have it Nariaki reached for Shizuru in that same instant.
What should have occurred was that even with that hand around Shizuru's wrist Nariaki did not have enough time to do anything at all before they were on him.
What occurred instead was that Shizuru twisted in an attempt to free her wrist causing Nariaki to unbalance and stumble into the human wrapping her up in his arms, the hand still holding the wrist twisting the arm attached behind Shizuru's back. His free hand went up to her throat, his claws piercing the flesh there deeply enough for blood to seep onto her skin.
Both he and Kurama froze in place.
There should have been fear on Shizuru's face, instead he saw something unexpected. She was if anything furious.
"If you harm her further you will not enjoy the results." Kurama threatened.
Shizuru's eyes cut to Kurama, took note of him and then centered on Hiei himself.
The reaction she had was instant and confusing. She tensed as blood seemed to drain away from her face. It was an odd enough reaction to cause his attention to center on her instead of Nariaki where it should have been.
For a heartbeat he considered opening the Jagan again.
For that heartbeat he read every emotion that crossed her face without use of the Jagan at all.
It stole his voice from him, what he saw pass over her features. He had only seen it twice. That look that announced that person's life was no longer an aspect of reason. That decision that tilted the world towards the other end of the spectrum away from sanity into nightmarish repercussions. That look that screamed of sacrifice.
And that look was directed at him from the most unlikeliest of places. From a human whose only connection to him was the faint brushing of life as they moved through the lives of people they had in common.
He managed a small sound of negation before Shizuru relaxed in the grip of Nariaki. In response to her lack of fight the demon relaxed his own grip giving her the opening she had apparently been ready for. With a quick downward yank that tore flesh at her throat she slipped out of Nariaki's embrace, rising back up to face the demon.
Two things registered in his mind at the same time.
Nariaki's multifaceted eyes had been glowing a brilliant halo of green energies that he released at the same time Shizuru pulled her escape.
Nariaki had been centered on him even as he had been centered on Shizuru who was now in the direct path of whatever attack the demon had released.
The energies struck Shizuru sending her flying back at Hiei. He automatically rushed forward to stop her downward plummet. He caught her easily, lowering her to the ground still to stunned by events to make much sense of any of it.
His gaze went to Nariaki just as Kurama's whip wrapped around the demon's neck and neatly severed it from the body. It was bloody but quick and he had nothing to do with it.
"Is she alright?" Kurama asked rushing to his side.
"Why did she do that?" he demanded confused and angry with the human as Kurama checked her over.
"I don't know Hiei," Kurama answered, "She's still breathing but something is wrong."
"Other than being perfectly human and being struck by demonic energies?" Hiei snapped.
"The energies didn't leave her." Kurama assessed meeting Hiei's eyes with worry, "It's still there."
"What?!"
He knelt next to her putting a hand to her temple. Her skin was ice cold under his heated touch, her lips an unnatural shade that made them appear bruised. He allowed his energy to touch her only to find it meeting up with another demonic energy that twisted and curled digging deeper into her body.
"We must get her to Genkai." Kurama insisted scooping the unconcious young woman up into his arms.
He could only follow still dazed by the happenstance.
Before anyone flames for the bit of OOC for Hiei yes I'm going with every once in awhile even Hiei can be shocked by someone else's actions. Please Review!