The semi high pitched sound of the warning klaxon was only marginally annoying as he worked to buckle the third of his belts around his waist.
A second later Mukuro strode in, cast a scathing glance at him and went to the control panel to silence the alarm.
"Why is it you can't get about it being a pain to replace the chambers?!" she snapped at him in exasperation.
He only glanced at her as he shook his cloak out.
He had never enjoyed the feeling of being encased. It was a sensation he avoided to the point that even his clothing reflected his aversion to it. Mukuro was well aware of that aversion. He did not consider it a matter of consequence that he continuously took the more direct route to escape the healing chamber.
If anything she could only blame herself for feeling the need to question it whenever it occurred.
He paused as a twinge of pain in his side alerted him to the fact he had not fully healed.
Early on he had found he was one of the very few who could cast off the artificial hibernation the healing chambers induced. Normally though he endured it to the end result.
He frowned slightly.
Something had drawn him out of the artificial sleep. The vaguest of sensations floated in the back of his mind, an uneasiness that he could not immediately qualify.
Any sense of something off produced an immediate want in him to identify the source. In his world uneasiness translated easily to threat unless proven otherwise. He was not the type to ignore anything that held that quality to it.
Gazing around the chamber he knew it was not the source of the vague sensation.
Mukuro glared at him from beside the control panel, arms folded in her irritation. By now if something had occurred she would have brought it up regardless of her annoyance.
"How long was I in that thing?" he questioned.
"About a week," she replied then sighed, "You should have stayed in at least a day longer."
Another of the things he disliked about the chambers. The loss of his sense of time. Unless for some reason his Jagan opened there was a decided lack of continuity.
The loss of a week meant he had been in the Demon World for a little over a month. It was past the time he would have normally left to spend time with Shizuru. This cycle had occurred without much thought put into it. When he felt he wanted to see her he simply left to do so. The timing of it was chance event but he had become use to it.
He scowled at the thought that if he had taken more care in his last fight this would not have occurred.
It was not a thought he was use to having at all. In fact it may be the first time the thought of true caution had occurred to him at all in this manner.
"Hiei..." Mukuro prompted.
"I am leaving." he stated firmly putting thought into motion as he headed towards the door.
"To the Human World I suppose. Why do I bother with you at all?" Mukuro questioned with heated annoyance.
He paused at the door, "Because you realize there is no one better."
"Full of ourselves aren't we."
He snorted indelicately, "I am aware of my qualities. If you see a lack I invite you to find anyone better suited."
He did not wait for her retort.
It did nothing to continue the back and forth of this particular conversation. It would only lead to her typical tirade over the time he spent away from the duties she assigned him. And that inevitably led to him informing her he was perfectly willing to be replaced if she could find anyone besides herself to defeat him.
Of course there was no one that could or would in the area Mukuro held for the King of Demon World. Most were still terrified of Mukuro herself without the addition of having to contend with him for the position of heir to her territories.
He made good time after leaving the complex behind him. Taking only short breaks when the dull ache in his side became more pronounced.
Checking the area he was mildly annoyed to discover the flesh was scarred where the demon who had been his opponent had ripped its claws into him. In a fight where it was sword versus claws normally the sword won out but there was something to be said about being ambidextrous.
It had been a lucky strike that had crippled his attacks but it had not saved the life of that particular demon.
Another day in the healing chamber would have taken care of the scarring as well. It would take a month of his body's own healing abilities to erase the trace of the wound.
He did not normally return to Shizuru bearing any traces of the battles he had during his time away. During their time together it was an unspoken agreement that when it came to certain details in both of their lives they did not discuss them.
He did find it odd that the subject matter for both of them was the life-threatening aspects. As if they had mutually decided to never utter such words.
During what had occurred with Tsuneo he had been made only to aware of how precarious their daily lives were. Just how easily either of their lives could be taken.
The last two times he had been with her he almost broken their undisclosed agreement. She had seemed distracted by something she would not discuss with him. In all fairness there were things she could not have explained in a manner he would have understood.
Because of the implantation of the Jagan some of his own energies were considered to be psychic in nature but that was not exactly true.
In comparison to Shizuru's abilities his could be viewed as elementary.
He did not see this as a lessening of his own abilities to admit such. It was simple reality. Though he was grateful his had never followed the paths that her's tended to. What she easily accepted he would have fought with every fiber of his being against.
As he entered the Human World he paused to rest again.
His side ached fiercely enough that it impeded the manner he liked to travel in the human city. It was much easier to travel over rooftops and through dense stands of trees then to do so along the winding streets.
What greeted him upon reaching Shizuru's home was the very last thing he expected to find.
Gazing around the empty darkened room he noted with growing annoyance that her scent was somewhat faded.
In the living room he found Yusuke who apparently had fallen asleep in the chair he normally occupied. On the couch Kurama lay in a similar state. The television was still on but the sound was low as if one of them had turned it down in consideration of the other.
Adding to the annoyance was the fact that the pair were supposedly demons.
They should have awoken to the sound of him opening the window in Shizuru's room.
At the very least they should have been aware of his energies since he did not bother to suppress them in this world. He found it served more purpose to alert other demons of his presence then to hide it.
He kicked Yusuke's feet that had been resting on the coffee table off of it with one foot and was greeted with a slightly satisfying reaction.
Yusuke jumped in the chair, his arms flailing in near panic. The expression on the ex detective's face appeased his irritation somewhat.
"Damn it Hiei!" Yusuke snapped as he recognized him, "What the hell was that for?!"
"You do not live here." he pointed out glancing at Kurama, "You are not that talented in feigning sleep Kurama."
The red head shifted on the couch enough to look at him.
"Where?" he snapped.
"We expected you a few days ago." Kurama said moving to a sitting position.
For a moment he believed that Kurama had no clue as to what he might have meant by the short question. He did occasionally wonder if there was some adverse side affect from living in the Human World. That if given enough time there his wits might be dulled by exposure to it.
Of course believing that would have meant underestimating Kurama and he had learned long ago to never do so.
Kurama was stalling for some reason.
"Fox I would not suggest playing at this." he said scowling at his former partner.
"Some events have occurred that require her to be elsewhere." Kurama supplied slowly as if choosing his words, "She thought it best you have someone to greet you when you arrived."
"Just tell him Kurama." Yusuke suggested covering a yawn, "He's going to blow in a second."
It was rather astute of Yusuke to have noticed how quickly his mood had gone from irritated to angry. He supposed that was only to be expected considering how well they knew each other. Kurama being so purposefully vague could only mean that the "events" being spoken of could not be cast in a favorable light.
Kurama sighed heavily, "I warn you I only know the most basic of things in this. Shizuru is rather talented at keeping information from us."
"By us he really means us." Yusuke put in rubbing at his face and leaning forward, "I can only get a little myself and I do have some weight with the idiot thugs walking around."
He was going to harm the both of them. He was undecided if it would be with fist or energy but the resulting pain should convince the pair how unwise it was to give information he had not asked for.
"A week ago Shizuru's friend Narumi was seriously wounded in her presence. Narumi lived but apparently when Narumi was put out of commission Shizuru stepped into her place as leader of her gang. Since then she has been visiting the households of various families I know to be quiet powerful in the underworld. I have no information as to what exactly it is she is doing but I assume she is seeking out the person who injured Narumi." Kurama finally explained.
"You do not sound convinced of that." he pointed out folding his arms.
"Thing is we've been having a little trouble keeping tabs on her." Yusuke said with a slight shrug of his shoulders.
He locked eyes with Kurama, "You...are having issues with tracking?"
Kurama frowned slightly, "Yes, and I can only assume that she has found a way to hide her self from me."
He was if anything unnerved by Kurama's admission. There were ways to hide from demons but he had not thought that Shizuru was aware of them. Nor had he thought she would have employed such things.
She does not want to be found...
"Hiei..." Kurama began uncertainly, stopping for a moment once he had turned his attention back to him, "Before you decide to run off perhaps you should consider that this is not all that surprising. Shizuru does not want any of us involved in her criminal activities."
He snorted indelicately. It was not necessarily a matter of criminal activities. As far as he knew she was in contact with those that were considered criminals but committing actual crimes was something she had put behind her.
"Knowing that did nothing to stop your attempts at keeping her in sight." he reminded the fox demon.
"Would you rather I had left her to her own devices?" Kurama returned a small, knowing smile curving his lips.
His eyes narrowed as a rush of annoyance shifted through him.
No matter how often he was teased by Kurama about his fondness towards Shizuru it still tended to affect him in some way. It was a reaction he was extremely uncomfortable with but he knew that was also part of what drove Kurama to do it.
"It's not like Shizuru can't handle her self you two." Yusuke said glancing between them.
"As I recall Yusuke it is not like you cannot and you died twice I believe." Kurama responded.
Yusuke shrugged, "It was Koenma's fault the first time."
He glowered at Yusuke for a moment before moving to sit on the couch.
It was the most moronic statement yet from the younger demon.
It only served to increase that vague uneasiness still simmering in the back of his mind.
He needed to see Shizuru if only to reaffirm that she was unharmed.
He did not trust things he could not see with his own eyes.
The reality was he needed time to readjust to the Human World's smells and energies. Until he had it served no point to attempt to track her whereabouts.
"When the sun is up we will try to find her again." Kurama assured him.
Again he chose not to respond.
There was no reassurance gained from someone whose voice was colored with doubt.
Thank you for the reviews I've already received! Please keep reviewing!