Revelations of the Worlds
Summary: Two good friends meet up after many years have passed from when they separated. One unable to have a child through natural causes while the other volunteers to help. One has known love while the other never knew love. But that will all change when the friend of the one's husband comes into the picture. Can years of abuse and pain be erased with the coming of surrogacy, a handsome raven haired male and the loud screams of fate? AU YYHSM
Chapter 2: Congratulations and friends
The day which followed Rei's concert was filled with excitement as well as anxiety. Today was the day that three selected fertilized eggs from Keiko would be implanted into Rei's uterus to start to long process of 'hit-and-miss' for a child. Yusuke was outside the procedure room pacing back and forth while his mother-in-law, father-in-law, father and mother were sitting in the hallway watching him. Yusuke felt the urge to smoke a cigarette as the stress of the event was getting to him. This was after all the last method of possibly having children before having to adopt and the want to have children that were his and Keiko's only, no thanks to his demonic blood, was a very important factor to him. Remembering what he and Rei had discussed before Keiko woke up earlier in the day he felt a bit more anxious.
'Yusuke-san, I will try my best to carry this child to full term and to perfect health but I cannot promise anything. You heard the doctor during the first examination. I am honored though that you trust me, a total stranger, to carry yours and Keiko-chan's child. In a way this child will be my only family along with you and Keiko-chan so I will do my best so please be at ease. If in the occurrence anything does happen be assured that you are protected from anything.' The violet eyed woman seemed more somber and serious than the night before . . . . if almost more darker than the songs she had sung with her soprano voice.
The last part of what she said was more a whisper, as if an assurance to herself than to him or toward his wife. He noticed that when she had said that her small hands clenched into fists and turned a white as well that her eyes were swirling with a storm of emotions that seemed to be under lock and key until this moment.
"Son you're going to make a trench if you keep doing that." Atsuko sighed while haulting her son from pacing anymore while Raizen looked toward the door to see the shadows of the doctor and Keiko bounce off the tiled white walls through the little window.
"I'm sorry Ma but I'm just nervous about this. What if Rei-san can't carry the child to full term? Her health will be in danger and I know Keiko will feel guilty if that happens." The detective muttered while his bangs shadowed his eyes.
It wasn't just that, but those last 7 words Rei said . . . weighted with such seriousness as if the hopes of all the world depended on the success of her carrying their child to full term and making sure nothing happens to either the child or them. She was indeed hiding something . . . something that he figured was either weighted with guilt, regret, or deep seated sorrow mingled with self-loathing.
After an hour of waiting Keiko came out with a smile and Rei was wheeled out of the procedure in a wheelchair with Doctor Megumi trailing behind them with a smile.
"In 6 weeks you three are to return for some tests and to confirm on the pregnancy or for the retry since we still have 3 more eggs in the freezer." The kind lady doctor said while brushing her deep hued bangs from her face.
"Thank you very much Megumi-sensei." Yusuke bowed deeply to the woman as the doctor returned the appreciative gesture.
"It is no problem Urameshi-san." Megumi smiled a lil' hint of a smile which resembled a fox.
"Ugh . . . . when will the drugs wear off Megumi-chan?" Rei groggily muttered while watching Yusuke's father take Megumi's place of wheeling her in the hallway.
"It'll take about an hour. Ah yes . . . hijukoyu seifughe ojou.(Made up: The threat is getting closer.)" The doctor smiled almost in a cocky way while speaking to the drugged singer.
"Thank you . . . . I'll be back in the 6 weeks." Rei said before her violet eyes closed.
Yusuke noticed the worried look the doctor had on her face after she spoke in a weird tongue to the singer. It wasn't any language he knew nor Makaian. He was getting more suspicious of the woman that was Hino Rei. She was indeed his wife's best friend from when she was younger, he saw the photos of the two many times before actually meeting the woman, but there was just something he felt but couldn't put a finger on. It was almost like this woman couldn't be real, her eyes were too deep a lilac and hair too black. She looked almost inhuman. He would have to ask Koenma later but at the moment he felt his wife's arms shakily wrap around his waist. Looking at his love he saw the obvious worry in her cedar eyes as well as feel her shaky arms and her letting out a breath.
"I can't wait till the 6 weeks is over. But for some reason I fear it Yusuke." She looked so small against his chest and sounded like a lost child who was afraid of the darkness which night brought forth.
"I know, I can't wait either Keiko. Lets go take Rei to the hotel and then go eat. We can talk about our fears and everything then okay. I'm nervous just like you. So don't think you're in this alone. I want children also." He soothed to his wife before kissing her trembling lips and held her tightly to him.
777777 6 Weeks Later 777777
The day of which Keiko and Yusuke had waited for from the day that Rei agreed to carry their child had finally arrived. The 6 weeks had passed without fail and the couple along with their parents and Rei was back at the clinic. Yusuke had a brief moment of reminiscence of the initial consultation prior to the implanting. On how the singer's hips were barely the width to safely deliver a child, let alone accommodate a fetus past the 24 week mark that was roughly 6 months out of the 9 needed for the fetus to fully develop and be ready for the world. Today would have just been like any normal day but it just wasn't. The nurse had sauntered into the waiting room where everyone was waiting and smiled warmly. The waiting room was so quiet and the occupants tense and silent to where a pin could be heard dropped if one were to be dropped.
"Hino-san, Urameshi-san, Urameshi-chan please come this way Megumi-sensei is ready." The nurse kindly smiled before brushing her auburn hair from her face and smoothing her Hello Kitty scrubs of wrinkles and made sure of the three following her.
As they ventured the sterile white halls Rei felt a bad case of nervous butterflies suddenly come on. Instinctively her hand went to her stomach to try and pass through this spell of nervousness and still the butterflies.
"You okay Rei-chan?" Keiko's voice snapped her out of her ravine of thought.
"H-Hai. Just nervous is all." Rei smiled before the trio was shown to an examination room.
After being admitted to the same hospital nearly 12 years ago for child abuse treatment it was no wonder why the visits to the hospital gave her the willies.
"Rei-san, how are you?" The voice of her obstetrician and long-time doctor broke her from her inner turmoil.
"Oh, I'm okay just a bit nervous is all. So how have you been Megumi-chan?" Rei asked while moving her hands over her purse strap attempting to calm her nerves.
"Wonderful, although my roaster of a husband is a bit upset about the changing of my schedule. Now if you could change into this we can begin and determine whether you're carrying or not." The kind doctor smiled.
Looking at the blue hospital gown that now was in her hand and then to the bed Rei sighed before going into the bathroom. When she emerged from the bathroom she did as she did when she had the fertilized eggs transplanted to her uterus and laid back onto the bed. Blood was taken from her arm and sent to the lab to test for the presence of the hormone which would dictate her being pregnant.
"Okay Rei-chan . . . . this will feel just like it did last time. Just a bit of pressure but we're going to see if your cervix is closed or if you're tender due to that being a sign as well. So just relax and we'll take it slowly and painlessly." Megumi said while writing some notes down onto her charts.
Closing her eyes, Rei took a deep breath to calm herself as she felt her long time doctor check for the signs of impending expectancy. Instead of like last time where the pressure was slightly painful, this time the pressure was slightly funny feeling and the sensation crawled to her lower belly.
"Hm, okay Rei you can go change back into your clothes and get this filled to the line so we can get results in half an hour." Megumi gave Rei a collection cup.
As Rei stepped back into the exam room she prepared herself for the super embarrassing questions that she would have to answer in front of her friends.
"Alright Rei-chan, interrogation time." Megumi teased while waving her clipboard cheekily.
"Oh goodie. I can hardly contain myself." Rei grumbled while a faint pink hue crossed over the bridge of her nose.
"Question number one! Have you had a menstrual cycle or any kind of vaginal bleeding during these 6 weeks which followed the implanting of the eggs?" The faint blush went to a full blown cherry tomato red from the question.
"W-well, I had some a few days after the implant." Rei fiddled with her thumbs while trying to will her burning face to cool.
"Okay, question number two! Have you experienced any cramping during the time of the bleeding?" Megumi absentmindedly asked while jotting down more notes on her clipboard.
"Nope no cramping what-so-ever." Rei answered the question with her composure completely regained and butterflies at bay.
"Wonderful! Question 3: Have you felt any change in appetite, nausea or change in food tastes?" The scratching of a pen against paper drew Rei's eyes to the charts that her doctor was working on.
"I really feel no change in appetite but I have eaten more fugu than I have ever in a year. I did feel sick a few days ago which resulted in my not recording." She answered before Megumi closed the charts book.
"Final question: Have you still not gone out with that hottie at the studio?" A sly fox-like smile crept to the doctor's lips.
"Megumi Sagara! You shameless flirt! You're married!" Rei's eyes were wider than saucers.
"Not for me you idiot! You need to get over your 'intimacy' problems. I mean even Ami-chan got married and had a baby before you turned 20." The dark haired and equally dark eyed doctor huffed while brushing some loose strands behind her ear.
"Now's not the time to talk about my non-existent love life! Plus if you want a child to play with have one with Sanosuke-kun! The poor guy has wanted a child since you guys married 10 years ago. If I knew any better I would assume that you guys sleep in separate beds in separate rooms on opposite sides of that nice house of yours." Rei grinned like an imp from her bold accusation and challenge.
Keiko and Yusuke looked at the two women incredulously. They were acting like children with the taunts.
"Oh touché Rei-chan I at least have a sex life unlike you my darling lil' seamstress virgin friend. You don't even know how to pleasure a man without cringing in fear or disgust." Megumi grinned as she replied to this silent challenge.
Their eyes were locked onto each others for a stare off but was ended quickly from a nurse bustling into the room with result papers in hand. During this unique retort of Rei's challenge Keiko and Yusuke had to stop themselves from laughing their asses off from how riled up the singer got from the truth being rubbed in her face.
"Dr. Sagara, here's the results you were asking for." The nurse handed two manilla envelopes to the doctor before leaving like hell's hounds were nipping at her heels.
"Well now! Want to know what those results are or do you prefer to find out when Rei-chan gets a big stomach." Megumi got the attention of her patient and friends back on her.
"Let us in. What are the results?" Yusuke asked while feeling Keiko squeeze his hand tightly.
To prolong the delivery of the results Megumi was going to open the folders slowly but decided against it from the death harboring glare that Rei was sending her way. Thus with a flick of her dainty wrist the folder opened and its contents pulled out.
"From the blood that we took at the beginning of today's examination it indicates that you levels of progesterone and estrogen went up as well as the appearance of the pregnancy hormone. This is the main result from three tests that we took to confirm it." Megumi couldn't stop grinning from seeing Yusuke and Keiko's faces light up at this news.
"Then from the urinalysis the presence of the hormone was also present as well as a specific protein that is released only during pregnancy." She continued following the opening of the 2nd envelope.
From 2 out of the 3 tests proving to be positive Rei felt her stomach clench and slight fear registered through her body as the clipboard which was abandoned for the moment was retrieved.
"And last, from the physical exam the cervix was clamped shut and the tissue close to the cervix was tender. A sign of which means you are indeed pregnant so congrats you three." Megumi smiled brightly while watching the three let out breaths they were holding and smiling.
Keiko started to cry instantly while Yusuke now panicked to calm his overly emotional wife. Rei just looked at the doctor who held a knowing glint in her eyes. This was one adventure that was to be the most dangerous to the former senshi of fire. As they sat in the little office Megumi went to get Keiko and Yusuke's parents.
"Well what's going on?" Raizen barked while raking his fingers through his white mane.
"Tou-san . . . Kaa-san, Yukimura-tou-san, Yukimura-kaa-san. We're pregnant." Yusuke grinned while tears pedaled down the proud demon lord's cheeks before he was pulled into a tight hug courtesy of his mother.
"I'll be damned. So when is the child due?" Keiko's father asked Megumi as she shook hands with Raizen and Keiko's mother.
"The due date is going to be within the week of February 6th." Megumi smiled but her eyes portrayed otherwise.
Although the news was great for the couple who were going to be parents the news could be either way for the woman that was carrying the child. Looking at Rei she could already see it. But rather than talking to the singer alone she just nodded slightly to the quiet singer and then hugged the weeping Keiko who was thanking her to no end.
Rei watched the family hug, kiss and cry at the news. Her heart ached to see this scene. She had longed for a belonging, for a keep of her own. A man who would love her for her and not for her fame or for her money or for the power she held in her body, but she had always been the dreamer. Seeing what happened to the others made her swear from ever fulfilling the fate that was placed upon her by her princess and by her birthright. If she married she would experience unending loneliness from war and from her responsibilities as the queen of war. And if she bore a child of her own that child would be cursed to undergo the same fate as herself, forever cursed to die and live again and again. To never live a life of love or of true peace and freedom. This was the life she had decided for herself. Feeling her walls starting to crumble Rei stood up and excused herself from the celebrating family. Megumi following her to leave the family as well to their joy.
"Rei-chan, you know that the child will be due in three months right?" Megumi's cheery tone changed to a somber and right-to-business tone.
"Hai, demo . . . . I don't know how my body is going to react to the pregnancy. I mean look at how Ami's went. She was in so much pain because our gestational period differs from those of humans." Rei whispered while her voice quavered slightly.
"This happened with Ami-chan, Serenity-sama as well as Minako-chan and Michiru-chan. It's because it's the old generation line birthing on a new earth. I know you'll make it though. I just know it." Megumi said before seeing crystal tears petal down the senshi's cheeks.
"I'm scared Megumi. I'm scared." Rei's usually strong voice crack with a choked sob.
Megumi looked at the senshi of fire and only did what she could, and that was hug the now sobbing younger woman in her arms. So much had happened within the last couple of months of which the fire child should not have experienced but this one event she went into voluntarily. Maybe it was in hopes of seeing the future of humanity for herself or maybe it was so she could somehow experience what it would be like if she were to become a mother. Although she was the senshi of war and fire . . . the lone matriarch and empress of Mars was a woman and creation goddess. Creation, fertility, passion, and sensuality: these were the things that Mars represented to the highest degree. After Rei's emotions became curtained again she thanked Megumi for helping her friend and left with the happy family.
As they left the hospital, Rei turned to look at the large building. So many things had happened within the walls of the hospital which no one either knew or remembered. Feeling that swell of pain she would usually seal shut in a secret chamber of her heart come to the surface she grimly frowned before feeling a large hand rest on her shoulder making her jump almost out of her skin completely. All internal alarms went off in her mind as she sharply turned around and was face to face with Raizen who was now looking at her worried.
"Did I startle you Rei-san? I'm sorry. I was just going to say that we're going to have lunch at mine and Atsuko's house, please come with us. We'd love for you to come. We know you're busy with your next cd but you know …." The white haired male said while sheepishly scratching the back of his head.
Rei chuckled before nodding her head in the notion of yes before being whisked away by the father of Yusuke's to the car that Keiko's mother-in-law and father-in-law came in. As soon as she got into the car she heard Atsuko laughing her ass off while talking on a cell phone, obviously enlightened by what the person on the other end was saying.
"Well then if the cake did that Yuki shouldn't of let Kuwabara do the batter. But we'll just get another cake on our way home. But yeah, Yusuke is on the other line so I'll let you go now Shuichi and they still don't know so you're in the green. I'll give you a call when they head toward the house alright? Bye." Atsuko was still laughing while hanging up as Raizen got into the driver's seat.
"What happened Atsu?" The white haired demon lord asked his wife while putting the car into reverse.
"The cake for the party killed itself so we need to go to the cake store real quick to get another one since Kuwabara was the one that fixed the mixture." Atsuko snickered before turning around in her seat to look straight at Rei.
Rei was slightly confused with what the brunet was talking about but at the sounds of a cake she held no complaints especially when the woman turned to explain the situation.
"We had a surprise party planned for Yusuke and Keiko if the tests were positive and since we were to be with Yusuke and Keiko-chan all day their friends were setting up for the party. Yusuke's best friend unfortunately fixed the cake batter and well the kitchen is a mess with the results of cake all over the kitchen walls so we need to go pick up a cake while we're at the store. Of course I'll need you to ask Keiko and Yusuke to be distracted while I and Raizen go get the cake but I'll ring ya to let you know when the cake is secured, if you don't mind that is." Atsuko smiled while winking.
Rei couldn't help but giggle at the piece of work that was Yusuke's mother, yet at this a slight pang of pain registered in her heart. This felt like something that had happened before. Passing it off as déjà vu she just nodded her head to being the conspirer who would have the two occupied while "Operation Cake" commenced. The trip to Wal-mart was a success, the cake acquired and the party still a secret but she was slightly shaken at the end of the trip.
111111 During the Wal-mart trip 111111
Rei and Keiko were looking through baby clothing with Yusuke looking at cribs when a young couple walked into the isle. The small baby boy in the carrier that was whimpering for his mother's attention had started to cry. She didn't know why but Rei felt a sudden pain in her chest at the baby's cries and dropped the small outfit set and toy she was holding in her hands and clutched her chest. Being at the prime of her composure on the outside she bent down to retrieve the fallen items but while doing such tears suddenly blurred her vision and her hands shaky. Although the baby stopped crying after a few moments of being in his mother's arms Rei could still hear the cry of a baby. This baby's cry though, she sensed, was full of fear. Its world filled with darkness and fear. From the fear she felt that this child was going through she believed it to be the cries of one of many children she would hear in the night from her nightmares of that night her world crumbled. Squaring her shoulders and smiling at Keiko she was about to say something when Atsuko called to say that her and Raizen had hidden the cake and were ready.
1111111111111
Now heading to the modest house that was about 20 minutes from the supermarket Rei was baffled. Her amethyst eyes locked onto the world outside the window as she tried to rationalize why she was so startled by the cry of that child in the store. As she looked outside the window she saw the point of the one place she called her home, the Crystal Palace. At the moment though the beautiful sacred home of the cosmos' guardians was locked up and the legend fixed to where the palace was the only reminder of peace that existed over 6000 years ago prior to this war-torn world filled with crime and hate. Not realizing that she was clenching her fists tightly until the distinct feel of blood dripped off her fingers she looked at the droplets of crimson before sighing slowly to ease her rapidly pounding heart. Resting her other hand on her stomach for a moment she smiled slightly and in a sweet whisper she said….
"You're the future of this world. The protection of your parents and loved ones will befall me. A goddess in rags who now wanders with no home to go to. Believe me when I say this little one. No harm shall ever befall you nor to your world while the darkness sleeps within the walls of which does the seal in me live. "
After feeling a slight shiver from the movement of the child in her which was already into what would be the 3rd month of gestation of a normal human she smiled at the notion that this little child understood that her power whether locked or not would be used to protect it's loved ones with no bounds of loyalty. Right at the time she was done talking to the child which she was fostering for her best friend she got a look at their home. It was big, yet not so big: the perfect size to raise a family and encase it with unending warmth and happiness. A lump formed in her throat as she got out of the car. The house was as big as her friend Ami's house when her and her husband has brought their child home.
'There's not a time for regret or shame. There is only one road and that's to move forward and live in their name you idiot. You can't change the past few weeks even if you wanted to. You have to protect what you have left, screw the happiness that was supposed to be in your eyes. You cannot fail again.' Her thoughts viciously attacked her aching heart as she walked into the house to see Atsuko and Raizen sneak into the kitchen as Keiko and Yusuke walked into the darkened living room to be surprised by their friends.
Seeing the couple double over in surprise brought a smile to her lips while they were hugged by friends. As she watched she felt so surreal. A flash of the past came back to her. Of when her friend Ami had announced that she was expecting.
22222
The blunette was smiling so widely which her husband stood next to her in his armor with pride and power glowing from him like a beam of sunlight. Their fingers intertwined as they walked into the large room of which all the advisors sat for the entire alliance as well as the many humans who adored the smart queen of intellect. A gentle nod of her head indicated for the royal page to grab the ancient made parchment which held the news from the world and open it.
"Lords, Ladies, advisors and fellow friends of the White Moon Kingdom. With great jubilee and honor the Lady Ami of Mercury and Lord Alaster of Mercury bring you all news of hope." The page read before allowing the couple to step up to the podium to view their people as the page who had survived the attack the concurred over 6000 years ago dismissed himself with tears in his beady eyes.
Ami looked pensive and shy as usual when it came to addressing the old and new members and people of the rebuilt Silver Millennium yet with the news she was about to announce she could only smile her regal and genteel smile before allowing a pair of wings emerge from her back. The beautiful baby blue feathers on one as the other was a snowy white.
"People of Mercury, the Moon, Earth and alliance. I bring you the news of which brings all of good. In three months there shall an event that has not happened since the destruction of our world 6 millennia ago. I am expecting a child who will be the future leader of Mercury and Hermes' throne." Ami said before the crowd that came roared in cheers and congratulations for the royal couple.
During the announcement Ami's mate hade stayed close caressing her white wing, which signified the expectancy of their child, in a lovingly manner along with holding her small hand in his to settle her nervousness for public speaking.
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Smiling to herself even more to remember when it came to the little girl's birth Rei felt tears swell hotly to her eyes. The face of the little blunette who looked like the carbon copy of her mother with her father's eyes flashed to her mind's eye. Being called godmother and aunt by the child had filled in the void of which she had always felt from not having the family that others had. But then while remembering the joy she remembered the little girl's death. She was barely 5 when the enemy had done its bidding in killing all the children in the sanctuary. Not knowingly to her, Rei had clenched her fists yet again as she bit back the nasty taste of failure and shame into submission in her subconscious. Joining Yusuke and them in the living room she was quickly introduced to the friends who were thanking her for helping the couple.
There was the red head male that had hugged the crying Keiko named Kurama, a tall male who punched Yusuke with orange hair named Kuwabara, an elderly woman with pink hued hair named Genkai, a bubbly blue haired woman named Botan, a lean male with a pacifier in his mouth named Koenma, a soft spoken woman who looked almost like Ami named Yukina, a tall male with a blue Mohawk named Chuu, a red haired male with oddly pointed ears named Jin, a blue haired male with icy blue eyes named Touya, and a black haired male who was sitting at the window sill named Hiei.
With a soft tone of voice she bowed slightly to the many friends that Keiko and Yusuke had and introduced herself formally. She felt uneasy with the friends hugging her but then again with the memories of her life flashing in her head since the hormones had slammed into her she couldn't control it. And since she was helping Keiko she would become a friend to her friends since she swore to herself she would not let anything happen to the family and friends of the child which she was carrying for her infertile friend. At the time they all took a seat Atsuko and Raizen came back out of the kitchen with Keiko's parents with cake and ice cream, although Rei was surprised for how much ice cream there was. At usual parties there was only the need of two large jugs of ice cream but there was one cake and 6 jugs of ice cream.
"Let's get this party started right!" Botan yelled before helping pass out the cake and ice cream.
Everyone got their cake and ice cream except for the friend of Yusuke's who sat at the window sill. With curiosity of a cat Rei went up to the darkly clothed male and felt an internal alarm go off in the back of her mind.
'Don't' go near him!' It had warned yet Rei ignored it since her 6th sense didn't pick up any real danger from the male in front of her.
"Uno….Hiei-san do you not want some cake and ice cream?" She asked in an even tone that gave no command nor plead.
The male turned his eyes toward her and Rei felt her inner alarms blare even louder. His eyes were almost as crimson as….she didn't get a chance to register the rest of her thoughts when she noticed that the crowd behind her went silent as Hiei looked at her and glared hauntingly into her eyes. Pride and intimidation was reeking from his icy glare and the demand of respect and obedience as well poured from the stark red orbs that locked with hers. From this close proximity she could also feel her ability of reading to know that this male had seen much death and fought many battles. But as her ability, which was one of the only ones she had since she sealed her being away, stretched out more she had a hand to her throat with a sword accompanying it.
"HIEI!" Keiko yelled before Kurama rushed to knock the sword from the bloody-eyed male's hand and Yusuke started to yell at the male who was still glaring at her.
"Rei-chan! Are you alright? Hiei why did you do that!" Keiko yelled while looking at the small bruises on her throat from the pressure of the male's grip.
Not even knowing how long the male had tried to strangle her she let out a long sigh. The last time anyone had tried to strangle her was a few weeks ago, yet had her power not been sealed away the male who was glaring death at her would have been up in flames or with a sword in his chest. The breath of an immortals could never stop less their head be cut off or the blood oath they partake was broken intentionally. As she rubbed her throat she heard two of Yusuke's friends behind her whisper.
"He held her like that for two minutes how the hell was she not passed out from lack of air?" Chuu muttered to Touya.
Rei just ignored the gossiping duo behind her as she excused herself to her car which was long since parked in the front of the house since Yusuke drove it back at 9 this morning. She fished out the large bag that was well hidden in the trunk of the car. With a timid smile she rested her hand on the still flat surface of her stomach while pulling the bag out with the other. She knew the gender of the child prior to her agreeing to go through with the procedure, due to her empathic psychic abilities still bothering her with visions of both good and ill. She quickly gaited back to the house and placed her presents for the parents to be in with the pile of gifts which begged for their attention. And when it came time for the many gifts to be opened Yusuke looked at Rei with a slightly bewildered look stuck in his eyes. The clothes were a mixture of blue and pink with little giraffes and elephants on them with assorted baby toys in the bag followed with bibs and pacifiers and diapers.
"Well since the gender of the baby is still unknown I got both boy and girl clothing and toys." She smiled with a knowingly gleam in her eyes while looking at the smile that was on Keiko's face.
'This is what I want to protect: Your family, your friends, everyone. I want nothing but the utmost happiness for the both of you. This planet is on the verge of destruction at any given moment yet if I can give your family and friends as well as you the happiness that us ancients fought to protect and give then my life was not wasted.' Rei thought while the image of a boy and girl curled up in one large crib came to her mind sucking their little thubs while being watched by their parents.
For an odd reason but yet not so odd the young woman felt that void in her heart again. The longing for home, warmth, family and friends but all she could feel and hear was emptiness and the screams of thousands dying and screaming to be saved from the darkness that was currently sealed away in the gates of the crystal palace. Her chest started to ache badly as well as a headache starting to crawl from the back of her head to her temples. Unaware that she was swaying back and forth from the sudden pain she felt gentle hands rest on her shoulders to steady her. Looking back she was eye-to-eye with Shuichi who was looking some what concerned.
"Hino-san are you alright? You're pale and clammy. Please take a seat." The red head said while directing her to the seat he was sitting at moments prior to snapping Rei from the feelings of loneliness and unsettled anxiety and pain.
"U-Uh thank you. I didn't know I felt so off today. Maybe it's the hormones." She tried to play it off while the screams that were mere whispers in the wind were now howling like whistles in her head and before she knew it she was up and running for the farthest place from the warmth of the room.
She was feeling sick, bile sourly touching the back of her throat as the screams were invoking her to empty the cake from her stomach but as she rushed out of the back door of the house she fell to her knees clutching her head and whimpered before her body convulsed and her stomach emptied onto the grass. Her body was shaking like no tomorrow as she retched and dry heaved as pain coursed through her veins hotly. As she finally calmed she was able to open her eyes and felt her body go cold. Her gaze turned away from the haunting remnants of what she ate as well as the other element that expelled from her body in such urgency. She felt scared now, she wondered now on what she got herself into. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she reflected back on Ami and the others pregnancies. Did they go through this behind closed doors? The pain coursing through her was almost a rival to the fire that was her blood, it was scorching her and making her want to curl up and die it felt like when she was a mere teenager being thrashed around by the enemy when she was still inexperienced in battle with multiple lacerations to her body incapacitating her for days on end to the confines of her soft futon at the temple.
"I wish for those days back before all of this. Minna…..dousite?" Was a mere whisper to the wind before her world went black and a crude retort rung in the back of her mind.
'Are all women that are pregnant so weak. Hmph.' Was the last thing she heard as she fell back onto the hard cement.
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When she came to, Rei saw herself in a soft colored room with her clothes changed and a washcloth on her forehead. As she went to sit up she was eye-to-eye with the young woman that looked like her best friend.
"Ami-chan." She whispered before she felt herself starting to shake and feeling of bile touching the back of her throat.
"Hino-san, please lay back down you are not well." Yukina had told her before guiding her to lay back onto the futon.
Rei was wide eyed and trying to not get sick but looking at the gentle woman in front of her made things she didn't want to remember come back to her mind. Blue hair plastered to sweat and blood drenched skin, blood rushing down the hole which gaped from where the heart was, lifeless eyes of the blue sky staring back at her, the head rolling to the soiled earth that rattled under the feet which could barely hold her up. She tried to will the image of her friend's lifeless body away from her mind but it wouldn't vanish. She tried over and over again although it was mere moments in the actual reality but it was slow torture.
"Ami-chan…Ami-chan….please….Midori needs her mother. Please….Mercury you're supposed to protect her. Ami….Ami….AMI!" She felt the pain and hysteria from that night eat her alive before she felt warm hands tighten around her body, instead of comfort though she remained in that night.
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"Yusuke! Something's wrong with Rei!" Keiko cried as she ran into the living room to get her husband after asking Kurama to hold down her friend who was shaking and screaming and thrashing.
"What?" Yusuke asked while looking at his wife before Yukina's scream reached the couple's ears as well as a dark haired male who was on the couch.
TTTTTT
"LET ME GO! UNHAND ME! THEY'RE DYING I HAVE TO SAVE THEM! PLEASE LET ME GO…I DON'T CARE IF I DIE AGAIN. I'LL JUST BE BORN ON THIS GODFORSAKEN PLANET AGAIN!" Rei's screams were heard as Keiko, Yusuke and Hiei made their way into the hallway.
"Hino-san! Calm down no one's here to hurt you." Yukina yelled while Kurama was trying to hold down Rei who was trying to go toward the window, stuck in a world of which she only knew.
"The future….the one we've worked so hard for Serenity-sama…..the earth….everything…..it's going to die again. Serenity-sama please don't allow the world we've sacrificed our joys and futures for to fall to shambles. I don't want this my lady. Please open your eyes….your people cry for you…..Usagi-chan…..its getting colder….is this what he's capable of? Is this why all the humans are…" The hysteria ended as soon as it began as the raven haired woman slumped into unconsciousness.
As Rei's lithe form slumped into Kurama's arms Yusuke looked at the passed out carrier of his child and then looked out the window. There in the distance was the lush palace that was part of history itself.
"What the hell was that about? Why was she acting like that?" He asked while looking at Yukina who was slightly shaken.
"I don't know why but it seems that when she saw Yukina-san it triggered her to get like this." Shuichi/Kurama said while looking at the passed out woman's face that was pale and tired looking.
"Was there anything she said that possibly started it?" Keiko asked while helping Yukina get off her knees.
" 'Ami-chan', That's what she said before she went crazy." Yukina shakily said while looking at the brunette with some fright evident in her deep red eyes.
"Seems like you indeed have a psychopath for a best friend." Yusuke teased Keiko while he picked the woman out of Kurama's arms and back toward the futon.
As he went to lay her down Yusuke noticed something as the yukata she was wearing shifted. There was a large scar he'd never saw running jagged close to her heart. Pulling the blanket over her small frame he looked over to his wife to bring her to him. As Keiko was walking over to her husband she felt odd somehow. As if walking to her best friends' side was something that was wrong. She shook off the feeling though and went to her husband and friend's sides.
"Keiko….I doubt this is from the abuse you told me she's gone through but look." Yusuke said while moving the fold of the material just slightly to expose the slightly fresh scar.
Keiko covered her mouth while looking at her husband shocked. She didn't see Rei with any such marks when they went to the beach a mere week prior to today. Yet from the looks of the scar it looked like it had been there for weeks or a month. As Keiko straightened up the cuff she heard something that sent chills down her spine.
"Fate….why do you call upon me to fight again. Wasn't the death of millions enough to satisfy your thirst to kill all of humanity and those who protect her children? My spirit is tired yet I cannot rest but the future I shall protect for my lady's final wish is absolute as my soul is always ready but the power which this body confines is sealed forever to remain dormant and never see the blood of the field of which this one was born to rule."
In the living room after Rei was well into a peaceful slumber Yusuke, Keiko, Yukina, Kurama, Chuu, Jin, Hiei, Genkai, Raizen, Botan, Koenma, Kuwabara and Atsuko were talking with worried looks on their faces. Many were not in the house when the episode happened but the words which Keiko repeated form Rei's lips had them on edge.
"I knew there was something weird about her next to her music." Yusuke muttered while Keiko was nervously looking at their friends.
"The real question though is what is it that is going on here? I mean she was speaking about rebirth like it was something that was an occurrence that happens all the time. Keiko could you tell me what Rei has told you about her friends and family?" Kurama asked while taking a deep breath trying to not wince from the pain in his side from Rei trying to struggle out of his arms.
"Well, when we were younger we met in the hospital. She had been abused by her father and on the day we met her mother was murdered not long before she was taken into the wing of the hospital. Rei-chan….she was and still is very quiet and withdrawn. She told Yusuke and I about her training overseas to become an international police officer and how she watched many of her friends die. The only friends she has next to us are in other regions of the world. There's a picture of them in her hotel room. Although I think she is hiding a lot of things, now more than ever." Keiko said while nervously fidgeting in her seat.
"Any odd occurrences happen after you met?" Kurama asked while noticing that Keiko was now biting her nails which only happened when she was the most nervous.
Keiko looked at her dear friends and husband before looking in the direction of her best friend's designated room and then back to the group in the living room.
"Well not long after she was released from the hospital the house of which she lived in with her father and mother suddenly went up in flames and strangely Rei-chan was in the house, not a burn on her skin, hugging her mother's kimono screaming for her to come back. Rei-chan didn't tell me this until the other night when we were talking about names for the baby." Keiko said while looking at the toys that her friend had given her.
"I see, do you think she could possibly have powers of sorts? I mean Hiei doesn't attack humans unless they pose a threat to him. But then again Hiei doesn't like anyone." Kurama muttered while looking at his friend whom which was glaring at him with those blood hued eyes.
"I know Rei-chan is slightly empathic….that comes with the field of work she was trained to do. Or at least that was until her grandfather was killed not that long ago. See her mother was a Shinto Priestess and since she went into her grandparents custody she underwent training to become a priestess as well. But I don't think she has any ties to anything paranormal or with anything relating to Reikai or Makai if that's what you're trying to get to Kurama-kun." Keiko sighed before hearing the door to Rei's room open and a pale Rei emerged from the room and into the hallway.
"Keiko-chan, I'm sorry but I have to go somewhere. I'm not feeling so well. If you could please….take me to Megumi-san's office or to the Hikawa Shrine not that far from here." Rei whispered while shaking slightly and eyes half closed.
"I'll take you to the shrine then Rei-chan. I'll call Megumi-san to come over and check you over. You must be stressed out, you need to rest some. I'm going to take her home you guys so please wait for me." Keiko pleaded while steadying the woman in her arms.
"Sure thing, just be careful Keiko. Or better yet let Kurama go with you. I'm sure he has some herbs to settle her stomach and stuff." Yusuke said while pushing the red head into his wife's direction.
"Thank you. We'll be back." Keiko said while leaving through the front door with Kurama helping her get Rei to the car.
After watching the blue suburban pull out of the driveway all the demons and humans alike in the room looked at Yusuke.
"Wasn't the Hikawa shrine closed over 6 years ago?" Genkai inquired before taking a sip of her tea.
"Hai, when the priest died since there was no one to take up the duties of caring for it they closed it and will soon be building a shopping plaza there. Why they went there is something I don't get." Jin said while pointed ears twitched in excitement of a mystery.
"But Keiko just said that Rei's grandfather was a priest so that may be the temple they used to run together. Familiar environments can calm the ill at ease as they say." Chuu said while taking another drink before resting his booted feet on the coffee table, to have them shoved off by Yusuke.
"Keiko would kill you if you ruined the furniture Chuu. I don't want to be at the end of her wrath today thank you." The detective muttered before the entire room erupted in laughter.
"Yusuke you're so domestic now, it's sorta frightening." Kuwabara laughed before being smacked by the said 'domesticated' male.
"Domestic my ass, I can still take you on and kick you any day." Yusuke muttered while going into the kitchen to get some more food for the guests.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Rei looked out the window while the car moved forward. Zips of pain coursing up and down her small frame from the children in her moving in fear of the energies they felt in the air. Resting a hand on her stomach Rei tried to will herself to calm down but it did not come. The children were restless and the song of fate was whistling in her head loudly along with the screams of the thousands begging to be saved on that fateful night. Her hand abandoned her stomach as she covered her ears. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes as she bit back the commands which she wanted to scream. For the screams to disappear, to go away and stop haunting her. Taking in shaky breaths she just tried to look out again to the world which was on a small and dangerous teeter tooter between existence and utter obliteration. With the beautiful palace of crystal in viewing range Rei sighed while moving stray strands of hair from her eyes. How much longer? How much time did she have left before everything went to hell again? With one protector that cannot protect anymore what did this world have left for defense? She hated this weakness that consumed her. Looking back at the night of events she couldn't remember why she took the blade and sealed her power away. What was it that brought her to such a state of trauma that she would lock her own power away to never touch?
As she pondered on this she was unaware of the red headed friend of Keiko's picking her from her seat like a child and carrying her into the shrine where there were gravestones in the sight of the sakura trees. There were 17 names listed on the 10 gravestones. 5 of the stones were obviously meant for children since they bore either animals or angels next to the names of the children.
Keiko looked at the temple that was once Rei's home and saw the stones and whilst the red head was carrying her friend into the forsaken temple that was not taken care of in so long she went to the grave markers of the children and read them off.
"For the child of Light. Her brilliance was cut short but along with her Excellency and his grace her memory will never fade. We will miss you little lady of the Earth and Moon. Lady Serenity XIII of the White Moon Kingdom and Golden Gaia Alliance." Read one…the child being only 7 at death.
"For the child of Love. Her antics of joy and mischief will forever be the rival of her mother and father's who have joined her. We will miss you little lady mischief of Venus and Andromeda. Lady Avriella of the Restored Venus Kingdom and Andromeda Alliance." Read the second one….the child being 5 at death.
As Keiko looked over the gravestones she noticed a similarity between them. All of them related toward a planet or an alliance and the dates were only recent yet the stones looked faded from not being kept. As she went down the small row she got to the third child's stone and froze.
"For the child of Ice. Her death was of the most unbearable for the Lady Queen Ami of Ice as well as for the aunts and godmothers who had to witness it. Her witty remarks and come backs will be missed greatly. The alliance which would have been forged between the planet of ice and of fire will forever remain a mere dream for this light was taken away from us. Taken away at such a young age….being the youngest we will miss you forever. Lady Midori of the Restored Mercury Kingdom and Golden Gaia Alliance." The third stone read……the child being merely 4 years of age at death.
Keiko for a reason unknown felt tears well into her eyes. The name of the mother on the stone made her feel something she couldn't bear to feel. Remembering what Rei was screaming at Yukina. 'Ami-chan, Ami-chan….Midori needs her mother' Now was repeating in the back of her mind. This was all making her confused. The names, the titles, the dates of the deaths. If a mass killing of this magnitude in fact did occur the world would know but she didn't remember hearing anything of a mass murder of royals in the past few weeks. Just mere incidents of political members and their families disappearing or making progress on treaties with other countries but nothing of mass genocide. After the spell of guilt of not knowing who these people were passed by she stopped at the fourth stone. Either this child was dead for a longer time than the others or the stone was just made poorly but not much could be read on the stone. Looking at the date though Keiko figured then that the child here also died the same date the others did and at the age of 9.
"For the child o-----. Born of miracle--------------- cursed world with sightless eyes-----------mother of this cursed child-----------------yet loved no matter what punishments had been put forth her path-----------------------child forsaken yet died a death not suitable for a first male heir in over 6000 years of the last great king. -----------------------will be missed----------." Was all she could read before Kurama came up from behind her and tried to move some of the dirt that was forever stuck on the stone.
"How in the world did these get so weathered?" He inquired while trying to brush the dirt off the one in front of her.
"I think this child was something not good. Look at what you can read. It talks about this child being the first in 6000 years! How is that possible? Humanity itself has only existed for about 3000 at the most." Keiko said while Kurama went to the first gravestone that was of an adult's.
"For the goddess of the light and of purity and peace. From the womb of the eleventh holy queen of the moon Lady Selene you were born of virgin conception and brought into a world of pain, war, and stuggle. Yet with all your work and after many reincarnations you were joined with the Gaian Prince and revived the Moon and Earth to its former glory of peace and sanctity along with allying your world with the cosmos for peace. With all the works that take over thousands of years to do it only resulted in pain. The blood of the woman who lies here protected both immortal and mortal alike, of earth and other stars as brothers and sisters. With your unexpected assassination your world has crumbled and only is saved from obliteration from a shield of which you erected until the fated time of which your final servant shall take forth your will and complete it. May you rest in peace fair goddess of the Moon and all of creation. Lady Neo-Queen Serenity of the White Moon Kingdom, the Golden Gaia Alliance and of the Cosmos, our Moon Bunny and best friend for all of time. Mate of Neo-King Endymion of the Golden Gaia Alliance and Cosmos" The stone read on its white marble surface the woman buried only dying at the age of 24 years.
"Oh my god. She was so young." Keiko covered her mouth while going to look at another of the adult stones to find what she was looking for in a nearly smoky grey marble was a stone that matched the name of Midori's mother.
"For the goddess of Ice and Knowledge. From the womb of Hermes' chosen you were born into a world of which forbade women from acquiring knowledge yet with your spirit gained the education and freed the oppression of which kept women in the dark of the world around them. In this life which everything had ended you had found happiness with the man who was your sworn mate from the life which you were truly born to and bore the first female heir the Mercury throne had ever seen since your own birth yet the child was ripped from you on that fated night along with your horrendous death which followed by the hands of the enemy. For you our dear friend and strategist we honor you in the aid of sealing the enemy away within the reaches of our holy place until the appointed day. We love you Ami-chan and miss you. Lady Queen Ami of the Revived Mercury Kingdom, mate of Alaster of Andromeda/Mercury." The stone read as the woman mentioned on the stone was of only 25 years prior to death.
Kurama looked back at the temple to see Rei standing there, her violet eyes wide in that of horror while clutching her stomach. And then instantly the pain vanished to something which hinted fear and betrayal. Her eyes flickered to what seemed like a murky brown or deep marron before she straightened her back and marched toward him and Keiko.
"What are you doing?" She asked icily while looking at the stones.
"No, we should be asking you that question Hino-san. Who……no what are you?" Kurama asked while noticing the pain the lacerated into her body from her hand quickly covering her mouth as blood slipped through her fingers.
"Rei-chan!" Keiko shrieked at seeing her friend remove her hand from her mouth to see blood running down the corners of her mouth.
"Why didn't you guys just leave after dropping me off. You're to not ask questions or know more about me. You have no idea what danger you're putting yourselves in." Rei struggled to say before walking past the two to touch the marble stone with her clean hand.
"What is this about!" Kurama demanded before Rei turned to face him.
"Luna, guardian of the former Neo-Queen please show yourself to erase any possibilities of danger to the only human and her friends of which need protection from the destined date of battle." Rei muttered before a woman with beautiful raven hair appeared before Rei in a bow of sorts, her hair in many buns as a moon symbol glowed on her forehead and a moon necklace dangled from her neck as her short yellow dress moved along with the wind.
"Rei-chan….what are you doing?" Keiko asked before watching the woman turn toward her and Kurama with a chalice in her hands.
"I'm so sorry Keiko-chan. You can't know any of this. For your sake as well as the sakes of your children and the future of the human race; I'm dead to everyone….my real identity." Rei whispered before Keiko's world went blank from the contents of the chalice being splashed over her and being absorbed into her skin.
Kurama was wide eyed to see the woman use an ancient fluid in which he deemed not attainable anymore. It was from the reaches of the underworld, from the fabled and once existent River of Memories which was guarded by a minor goddess (I don't remember her name, I wish I had the Sailor Stars manga to put it here…..if someone knows it tell me in a review or email) whose name died on the lips of many demons and humans alike not long ago. She alone was one who allowed one to remember their life or forget it, in mere portions or in totality. Kurama was feeling an odd sense of fear from how the woman walked up to him in a near feline-like gait with hips lazily swaying that made the Youko side of him purr in appreciation until she started to whisper something in a dead language which was close to latin. From what he could gather from when he took latin, since this language sounded so much like it, she was asking her lady for forgiveness of erasing a human's memory of information that will come up yet again in the matter or months or years because of the promised day of the end of the world.
Even though he was a demon, Kurama knew this would wipe away what Rei didn't want them to know. And when the water covered his skin he instantly passed out and when he would awake he would not remember why he was in Rei's backyard where the graves of her grandparents and mother were and left with Keiko back to Yusuke's.
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Rei watched the two friends leave the temple with relief before running to the bathroom to vomit yet again, except the contents were not of slightly digested food but of blood. Remembering what Luna had told her before leaving back to the time plane she wanted to just die.
'They will remember everything….along with the rest of the humans of the earth of what happened over 2 months ago. You can't protect them for long Rei-chan. And I know how much you want me to stay but Diana is unattended in the gates so I must go back and I cannot interfere or help you in the battle that is to come. We love you though Rei-chan. And they miss you just as much if not more than you miss them.' The Moon guardian said in a motherly tone before vanishing back to the gates.
From what she had gathered from how Luna spoke to her, she was going to erase the memories of Yusuke and the others from her episode of flashing back to that night to not cause any problems and to divert the enemies' gaze to look at only seeking out Rei and not the innocents that were around her. Completely exhausted and unable to eat Rei just slowly crawled to her bed and finally fell into the world of which she had longed to see since seeing Megumi to received the news that made Keiko and her husband happy, praying to not see any visions of the future and to just have the dreamless sleep that she had the past three nights.
Author's Notes: Here I tried to make up for the time that I hadn't updated this fic. I have so much planned for it. Some things might seem a bit choppy and disoriented….i'll assure you that half of those things were meant to be written in that way/format. I hope you liked this chapter cause I had a whole bunch of ideas collided with each other. And since it's been a while I might have mixed up the names I had planned for the children but rest assured I'm more than likely going to revise this chapter. Please review me and let me know what you thought though okay? I really need the feedback for this chapter.