Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I do not own the Japanese language. I do not own Japan. I do not own most of the lyrics within this story; all original lyrics of my creation will be mentioned as such at the end of every chapter they are used. You get the idea right? You no sue me, I no do anything bad- end of story.
Growing Up Again
Chapter 4: Getting to Know you
Summary: Humanities darkest day is said to be 200 years from now. However the makings of another, sooner, day start to emerge as an ancient race resurfaces, bent on revenge. Their goal was once the control of all of the worlds. Will they make steps toward accomplishing this goal? Or will they settle for destroying those that stopped them in the beginning? Both races are old, hidden in the shadows of the Makai. Will this war remain there?
Warnings: language, violence, angst, sexual situations, crude humor, 'references'
Sheiji's brow furrowed. 'I don't understand…' The girl stood starring at the object in Hiei's hands. It was shiny… shinier than her magic piece she had lost in the river. But this shiny was more the color of white water in the river nearby. She tilted her head to the side, eyeing it before reaching a tentative hand to it, her forefinger brushing against the thicker part of the blade. She could recognize it as a sharp weapon… like a very short and odd shaped spear. Brown eyes went from the shiny substance to Hiei's face. 'What is it?'
Hiei sighed. This was harder than he'd thought. She was open minded about some things… But ignorant of others. "A sword. A weapon…" he stopped when she shook her head… Ugh, she was limited on Japanese words… Back to the thought exchange. 'A weapon. It's a sword…'
Sheiji shook her head. She reached to the ground where she had sat her few belongings. She produced a pure black rock, the edges having been chipped to form a point at one end, the rest slanting to either side to create a large arrowhead of sorts. 'Weapon. Good, strong, only break by another. Make into larger spear meant for men, I'll use it.'
Well, the demon couldn't deny one thing, when it came to certain things she could be very knowledgeable… He nodded to show he understood, and then gestured to the sword he had in his hands, the blade turned down so Sheiji wouldn't cut herself exploring it. He was sitting Indian style under a large tree, leaning against it since the lesson promised to be trying. "Sword. Katana."
The Calalean bit her lip, testing the words in her head. "Swa-ord… kalama…"
Hiei winced. Her accent was thick, but most of the sounds in Japanese she had never heard, much less spoke… It was bound to improve. He nodded. 'Try again.'
'I'll try…' "Swor… Sword… Kata… katat…" She shook her head, cursing at herself. "Katana." She blinked, and then grinned. She squatted in front of him. Keeping her legs together as an after thought. The girl placed a finger on the back or base of the blade. "Sword…"
'Better.' He thought for a moment then lifted his right hand. He placed the sword carefully on the ground besides him, and then pointed to his right hand. "Hand."
Sheiji grinned. This one was easy. "Hand."
She was getting cocky. Hiei smirked. He pointed to his forehead, fingering the strip of cloth. "Bandana."
Brown eyes narrowed in confusion. "Ban…Bant…Banu…" She shook her head, biting her tongue. The words the other Kursa knew were strange, her tongue often limply refusing to obey the strange sounds. She gave a small clicking sound of disgust then eyed the cloth… "Banda...na…Band…ana…Bandana… Bandana." She nodded then crossed her arms and mimicked his smirk. Hiei snorted. Attitude, great… But he signaled the speech lesson was done for now. Instead he looked thoughtful for a moment. He should start gently getting her used to the idea about there being more out there… But how?
'We're resting now?'
'Yes. Travel more at dark.'
Sheiji nodded, sitting down and stretching. She glanced at Hiei before reaching into her pack for the other black stone, and began working the two together for finishing touches on the spearhead. She began to hum softly to herself in a strange tune.
Hiei closed his eyes. Listening to it. The song was gentle, and slightly lulling. Normally he'd have told her to work a little quieter but behind closed lids he pictured the song's rise an fall, Sheiji's voice doing whatever tune it was great justice.
Sheiji glanced at him slightly, grinning when she noticed he was listening closely to her. It was a song taught to her as many as two hands of summers ago. She gently merged words into the song, closing brown eyes and focusing on the story it painted to her.
Mountains. Forests. Rivers. Trees. Hiei watched as pictures flashed through his mind. They were images of what the song spoke of. Tanarans. Mierku. Sanimas. Nakas. Each seemed so familiar… The mountains were peaceful. The Forests vast and welcoming. The rivers winding and cool. The trees, silent protectors of secrets, touched the gentle caresses of the wind.
'The world used to be like this. Used to be full of life. The People saw that it would never last, and prayed to the spirits for their guidance. And the spirits answered the People.' Hiei saw the scenes change drastically. The mountains became the jagged peaks of the Makai. The forests becoming choking and filled with the death the demon-world was so known for. The Rivers twisted, turning blackish and swifter. The trees grew, blocking out the sun, giving birth to thick undergrowth… And the wind roared into life, tearing over the land.
'The spirits said that the People would have to adapt to this change- it would happen no matter what. The People stood their ground and hated the spirits for their answer. The People used their own magic against the Spirits, but the Spirits, just as thy seemed defeated, cursed the People from using magic ever again… And the People broke apart.'
It was some time later Hiei woke up and realized he had fallen asleep. He cursed.
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Ko-Enma's pacifier nearly fell out of his mouth. "He said what?!"
Botan winced, wondering why she had come before the demi-god to deliver the message instead of through other means of communication… like ones with a mute button perhaps. "Yusuke said Hiei said he had someone to cover both sides of the problem… But he'd bring her here later…"
Brown eyes gaped. "What?! Doesn't anybody listen to me?! I said I wanted proof the Calalea were even still around! I wanted contact with a Gantra! But no, apparently that's too difficult for some people!"
George swallowed, "Sir, what did your father tell you about your temper…" Ko-Enma gave the ogre a look that could have shriveled Satan himself… But George simply closed his eyes.
The demi-god inhaled slowly, exhaling after a second or so. "Botan, I need you to find Hiei, or get Kurama to get in touch with him. I don't care which; just find out what he means and exactly what he plans on doing. I'd kindly like to be clued in." Brown eyes landed on George, "I want you to stay here and keep an eye on things."
"Where are you going, Sir?" George blinked.
"To see if my father has anything he can tell me… Hopefully he won't expect anything like another Calalean uprising…" Ko-Enma changed into his teenage form and promptly walked out of the room. Botan threw a sympathetic look to George and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Ko-Enma just seems to be concerned… and for good reason I guess… You and I both know he'll cool off and come back in here storming about because of paperwork or something." The blue-haired woman smiled.
George grumbled, "Like that's any comfort?"
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Sheiji glanced at the water… Then back at Hiei beside her. The river's water was clear and cold, and not all that inviting. Of course, maybe her Japanese hadn't been good enough to explain things to him… "Cold. Water. No swim. No today."
Hiei sighed, not at all enjoying the present circumstances. Sheiji had no sense of modesty at all, which was probably a good thing since he was about to do the unthinkable as far as anyone civilized was concerned. The girl needed a bath. Hiei generally cared less about hygienic activities on a regular basis, but took a bath when he knew he needed one.
If Sheiji's clothing was of any indication, the girl was the cleanest, and most modest out of her People, but even by Hiei's standards, she needed work. Part of getting Ko-Enma to accept the fact Sheiji was a Calalean, was getting her looking like one. So, the fire-demon gritted his teeth. 'Yes, it's cold, but you have to swim today.' Sheiji put her hands on her hips and shook her head, brown eyes flashing. Hiei snorted.
Sheiji didn't understand why he wanted her wet, or why he had mentioned in his mind that he had new clothes. She didn't understand it at all and was ready to resist anything she didn't understand. That included everything he was trying at the moment.
'No I'm not. It's cold.'
'Sheiji, it's rather apparent you have no clue as to why this is going to happen.'
The girl snorted. She muttered something in her language and turned her back on Hiei, away from the water. She had just enough time to cross her arms and kick at a loose stone on the sandy bank.
Cold… Very cold. Sheiji's mouth shot open in shock only to be filled with water. She blinked under water, confused but surfaced with a glare and several curses on her lips. "Meacria! Terudo ej curanji!" Brown eyes narrowed and she tightened her fists and stood in the water. It only came up to her elbows, but the mud along the bottom and the water itself was ice cold, sending chills along her spine. She cursed again.
Hiei smirked from the riverbank some 20 odd feet away. She had no idea how she had ended up in the river, and it was best if she didn't. It was child's play to scoop her up and dump her in the water, getting back in the same position before she was even aware of the fact he'd moved. For some strange reason he felt pleased at the fact he'd unsettled her so much with such little effort. The fire-demon chuckled.
'Damn you, you tiacu! Damn you damn you damn you! This water is cold, no swim, not today, too damn cold!' Hiei picked up the fact one of her curses hadn't translated but dusted the fact away. Sheiji glowered but swam toward the shore, moving through the water easily with practiced strokes. Red eyes drifted along her arms and back. She had some muscle tone to her, thin but not weak. He'd thought her skin was covered with dirt and grime but her tan was perhaps darker than he'd realized. Hiei evenly studied her, trying to figure out how best to go about convincing her to use the odd ningen bar of 'soap'… He wasn't overly sure how to himself, much less how to convince the Calalean to do it.
Sheiji threw a glare at him as she stepped out of the water, droplets dripping from her bangs and face. She was livid. Hiei had heard many times other males talking about how mad females (especially demons) can appear. Personally he'd never stuck around one long enough to see that for himself… now however, he got a full view. It wasn't as frightening as others had made it seem… He snorted.
The female shook her head and began twisting her hair to let the water drip out. She didn't turn her back to him again. She couldn't quite figure out how he had dumped her so easily and then had been standing on the bank so far away once she surfaced. It seemed strange, and Sheiji was sharply reminded of her instincts telling her he was unnatural. She agreed.
Hiei simply stood a few paces away, still thinking of a way or two to get her to use the 'soap' and into the new clothes. There were several approaches, yet he had a feeling none of them would make her thrilled. He blinked and then pushed away all caring if it made her mad or not. It needed to be done and she would simply have to see that.
Sheiji saw a look of resolve cross the male demons' face…and her senses prickled. Brown eyes glittered in the red light, her muscles tightening in reflex without her really even thinking about it. She knew he was going to do something… and she knew she wanted no part of it, especially if it included that cold water. "No water again Hiei." She turned from him and walked over to her belongings, squatting, mentally blocking his presence.
Hiei had the rather sharp impression he was being ignored, and thought at once of simply vanishing and leaving her there alone, and then thought against it. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want her shutting him out. Ruby red eyes narrowed… and he took a few steps back, sat down on the ground somewhat stiffly, took his sword out and began polishing it.
Sheiji barely turned her head towards him, running her hands over the spearhead. She noted a small pile of things sitting a large rock near the water that Hiei had left sitting out in the open. It was several paces away, and she could only make out the fact that it was mostly cloth that was nearly the color of blood. Her curiosity was piqued. Her eyes darted to Hiei, who seemed absorbed in his foolish weapon. Sheiji still saw no point to the flimsy looking shiny stick. The demon stood, and walked softly over to the pile of cloth. She wasn't trying to sneak, just didn't want to draw attention to the fact she was moving.
Hiei smirked. He had learned the ningen saying, 'Curiosity killed the cat', not long before from Kurama and finally appreciated the meaning. He continued to run the cloth along the edges of the sword, knowing every inch of the blade was perfect already, yet, it was an old habit for passing time, and one he wasn't likely to drop.
Sheiji reach the pile of cloth, letting her eyes take it in first before her hands even twitched to touch it. The fabric looked smooth and well made, not like the coarseness of her own clothing. It was blood red in places, with a stripe or two of a coal black appearing here and there in the folds. She tilted her head slightly, cocking an eye towards the clothing, for that's what it was, and twitching an ear towards Hiei. The demon hadn't moved and she could smell the sword, the metal it was made of, the rag he was cleaning it with, and the male himself.
Small, calloused hands touched the fabric, picking it up gently as if afraid she would tear it. Yet the weave was thick and hardy, meant to weather and hold up. The more she turned and pulled the cloth, the garment began to take shape and make itself known to her. It had holes for arms, but they had more cloth along them, as if it was cover the arms up, with holes at the end… She frowned in thought, wondering why anyone would cover his or her arm up. Throwing a boomerang would be nearly impossible. Pointed ears twitched in vexation.
Hiei no longer made any pretense of cleaning the spotless blade. Instead he merely sat there and watched her reaction. It seemed odd that a simple red and black happi coat would get such a display from her. Yet… what clothes he was wearing had been the most ornate things she had ever seen. He had spoken to her of the Gantra village under the guise of 'comparing' it to his own 'village' that he was supposedly from. Men wore no clothes, and women rarely did either, even when they did though, Sheiji had explained it had only been around the hips. Young women wore nothing until they were married. Hiei shook his head and focused again on the Calalean. He sighed as he noticed that she would require help putting it on, especially the sash of sorts. He sheathed his sword and stood, walking towards her.
Sheiji sighed, frustrated. There seemed to be too much cloth. She intended to put on the clothing. In truth she had felt embarrassed ever since she had spoken to Hiei concerning clothing and the People's lack of it. He had intended this for her, she knew. She froze, arms and hands going rigid.
Hiei blinked, wondering if him walking closer to her had caused the reaction then thought better of it. His presence had never bothered her. It shouldn't now. He stood stock still watching her carefully. Her hair seemed to stick out from her skull slightly, much like a dog or cat's would. He opened his mouth to say something to her and then paused. She was facing slightly away from him, further up the bank. Her eyes, narrowed and flashing, were focused on something else. By the narrowing of her brow he quickly assumed it was a threat and he reached for his sword.
Shieji's nose twitched, her breath coming is short shallow spurts as she struggled to identify the scent. There was blood yes; the metallic hint was unmistakable. But there was a faint musk… almost sweet smell clinging to it. 'I smell blood. Just up the river. Not far, maybe thirty spear lengths.'
Hiei tensed, trying to gauge the distance of a spear length. His own nose, though stronger than a human's, was weaker than Sheiji's. He focused, trying to detect any energy signature. There wasn't any. 'I don't sense anything…are you positive?' He listened, noting that Sheiji flared her nostrils and took in a slow steady breath before exhaling. Her fangs flashed and she growled.
'It's coming closer. Get somewhere higher to look for it. Your sight better than mine.' With that Sheiji darted to her right to where her belongings were, grabbing a newly fashioned branch that resembled a spear without a stone tip. Fire sharpened wood served as her weapon along with the knobby club she had found before. Without another blink she crept into a low bush, vanishing from Hiei's sight.
The fire-demon cursed, taking her advice and leaping to a tree branch several feet above. Once there he pulled off his bandana and began searching. Sure enough, several yards away he noted bushes and low trees moving, being pushed aside he first thought. Then, he noticed that they burned or rather melted… Sheiji appeared, close to the clearing being formed. She was crouched low, her hands each holding a weapon and her eyes wide. She had never seen acid at work before. 'Don't get near it. The liquid eats… melts anything it touches.'
Sheiji nodded once, either forgetting about the mental link or assuming he could see her. Hiei hadn't fully explained the Jagan, only enough to settle her worries and not scare her away. However she took another step closer, her stance shifting lower to the ground. Hiei wondered exactly what she was doing and then noted how she was laying down the spear. Her right arm coiled close to her chest, the club ready.
A demon finally appeared, dark brown and dripping liquid that once it came in contact with the ground, hissed and spurted fumes. A thick fog clung around the demon's feet, spreading through the surrounding area. Sheiji, once she took a careful look, stood and threw the club, bending down and grabbing the spear in a smooth motion. Then she sprinted from her cover toward the demon, spear pointed and level with her chest.
Hiei's Jagan throbbed, his eyes nearly closing with pressure. He shook his head, trying to stay focused on the scene playing out before him. However once he could see again, Sheiji was standing in the clearing close to where the demon had been. The fog was thick, and the female had her eyes closed, a hand over her nose and mouth. 'It's poisonous!'
He leapt off the branch, landing and running toward her quickly. Trees passed him, branches clasping at his arms and legs. In a mere moment he had closed the distance between him and female to only a few feet. Once close however he stopped, gazing along the outlines of the fog. Sheiji had moved, or perhaps had simply been hidden by the fumes. His eyes remained wide open, watching, turning to every shift in the fog and movements of air that could possibly be her. Moments passed, turning to a few seconds. He cursed savagely.
"Meancu hestin!"
Hiei turned sharply to his left, sword drawn and poised. Straight ahead, perched precariously on a bolder, Sheiji was tensed. Her legs and shoulders were squared in an unmistakable fighting stance. Past her loomed the demon, billowing with the acidic fog as it swayed back and forth. Thick shoulders and arms were covered in acid that seemed to boil and run onto the ground around it. The earth turned black, all life stripped from it as the liquid evaporated into the air. Hiei glanced quickly at the air, noting that the fog was getting thicker, the noxious fumes getting stronger. 'She's a fool to get that close without a weapon.'
Sheiji clamped down with her teeth, canines puncturing her lower lip in frustration. 'I'm no fool.' Her hand tightened on her spear, arm drawing back slightly in preparation for a throw. However the demon lurched threateningly forward, attempting to close the distance between them. Sheiji appeared to consider the attack, however in a split second she darted off the boulder and to her left, around the demon. The boulder cracked then began to disintegrate as the demon struck it with its' arm.
Hiei watched her carefully, weighing his options. A physical attack would be pointless. No doubt his sword would melt if it came in contact with the demon's skin. Yet, with Sheiji darting around the demon, an attack of any sort would be risky. 'Back away from it, you're only in the way.'
Sheiji didn't even grace with him with a response. She had started to understand Hiei's pessimistic attitude. He had oftentimes dismissed her abilities, much as he had ignored the spear tip she had carved… Sheiji stopped. Brown eyes narrowed. Just as Hiei had taken into account the fact that any direct attack with a blade or spear would be useless, Sheiji had noted it. Yet an idea began to form in her mind. She ducked into the undergrowth near the demon's rear. She moved soundlessly until she was positioned directly behind it. Brown eyes ran along the form, weighing and judging its stance and formability. Lips pulled into a knowing smirk. 'See his weakness. Bad water is thicker by his feet. Head has thinner water.'
Hiei took in the information and with a blink set about acting on it. He darted into the air, vanishing in a flicker. Sheiji, though unable to see his movements guessed them. Her own seemed to mirror his as she stood, hands gripping her spear tightly. She leapt into the air, charging.
Hiei's sword shuddered as it came in contact with the demon's head, and then simply fell apart in Hiei's hands. His guess in regards to the acid had been correct. He landed neatly on the ground a few feet away, then turned to watch for the demon to fall. However his eyes locked on the fading sight of Sheiji's spear lodged firmly in the back of the demon's head. Within the moments the wooden spear had disintegrated completely. Hiei searched over his surroundings, overlooking the slouching form of the demon. Sure enough, Sheiji stood to his right, leaning over and nursing her wrist somewhat.
When had she attacked? Hiei's eyes narrowed and he shifted his weight, turning to face her fully. A sudden thought occurred, making him regard her with a slightly puzzled expression. He hadn't sensed any energy from her. At no time had he sensed energy coming from her body. Generally, humans under stress or with an adrenaline rush their spirit energy increased. Emotion, at least in humans, bolstered their energy. Demons' energy remained constant. Even with that though, he should have been able to sense her.
Sheiji stood, exhaling and flexing her wrist. The Kursa looked over toward Hiei and smiled somewhat. However the demon didn't return it. Instead he flickered out of sight heading toward where he and Sheiji had left their belongings by the river.
Brown eyes simply watched him go.
End of chapter 4
