As I promised here is chapter 4, on Tuesday.
(Well, it's still Tuesday for the next hour.) Hope
you like!
Disclaimer: No one belongs to me except Kamen.
Second disclaimer: No one proofed this for me so
read at your own risk!
Broken Mask
Chapter 4
by Kat Aubuchon
"Ok, Kurama, let me get this strait," Yuusuke
said as he paced the floor. He had found Kurama
unconscious on Kuwabara's floor when he went to
wake Kuwabara up. After Kurama had recovered he
had told them a story weirder than his normal
ones. With a sigh he stopped and faced Kurama.
"Kamen's soul was the soul that was in Minami
Shiuuichi before you showed up and bumped her out,
ne?"
Kurama winced at the cool way Yuusuke
recounted events that, though Kamen's memories, he
knew caused her great pain. "Yes, that's correct."
he answered.
"Shit. No wonder she's trying to kill you."
Kuwabara said.
Yuusuke elbowed Kuwabara sharply in the ribs
and then turned to Kurama. "What are you going to
do?" he asked.
"I don't know." Kurama sighed. He walked
over to the window. Kurama looked at himself
in the glass of the window, and into the green
eyes he shared with Kamen.
Kurama's thoughts were interrupted by yelling in
the hall.
"...it isn't your decision. I have to repay
my debt, and I *never* go back on a promise.
Besides I've already started. I can't stop now
even if I wanted to." Kurama turned from the
window in time to see Kamen come barreling into
the room. He was struck immediately by her change
in appearance.
Kamen's hair was unbound and fell strait to
her knees, but the color was all wrong. Instead
of a shining gold it was a dark gray with a golden
shimmer. She was holding a bloody cloth to her
right arm, that hung useless at her side. She
wasn't wearing a cloak so he was able to see her
clothes and was surprised to see that they were
very similar to his own outfits. Loose pants with
a long split tunic, but instead of the bright
colors he favored her's was a deep purple that
seemed almost black. At her hip was Hiei's sword.
Kamen and Mukuro continued their argument.
"Kamen, your exhausted. Your ready to pass
put. Stop. Rest." Mukuro pleaded. Kamen turned to
face Mukuro, swaying slightly on her feet.
"*You* wanted me to find Hiei. This is the
fastest way." Kamen replied coolly. "Besides Hiei
doesn't have that much time."
Yuusuke walked over to the pair and with his
usual finesse requested information, "What the
hell is going on?!"
Kamen and Mukuro stopped their argument to
look at him. "I am trying to find Hiei. The
fastest way to do that is to connect directly to
his soul. I just didn't expect him to be on the
edge of death when I found him." Kamen said with a
tired sigh.
"You found Hiei and then left him?" Yuusuke
demanded as he grabbed the front of Kamen's tunic.
Kamen grabbed Yuusuke's wrist with her small left
hand. Yuusuke yelped as searing heat made him
release his hold.
"Baka, I was projecting my soul. My body was
still here." Kamen said. At Yuusuke's puzzled
look she continued. "My soul is only loosely bound
to this body. It's very easy for me to project my
soul outside of my body and then move around. It
heighten my abilities to not be bound to flesh."
Kuwabara came and stood behind Kamen and
placed a hand on her shoulder. "That still
doesn't explain what's wrong with you." he said
quietly. Kamen was surprised by his concern.
"You mean this?" she asked as she tossed her
hair from behind her to the fount with a flick of
her head.
"Yeah that, and your arm." Kuwabara said as
he removed the bloody cloth Kamen was holding to
her arm. Kamen grimaced as he examined the burned
flesh. She had stopped bleed from the wound now,
and the faint outline of a dragon could be seen.
"Oh, that," she chuckled trying to hide her
discomfort, "That will fade with the memories in
time. Don't worry about it Kuwaba-chan, it's just
a side effect of the..." Kamen never finished as a
spray of blood burst from her forehead and she
fell to her knees.
"Kamen!" Kuwabara yelled as he knelt to help
her. Both Kurama and Yuusuke came to her side.
"Shit, I told her this would be too much for
her." Mukuro said as she pulled the sash from
around her waist. She knelt on the floor in front
of Kamen and with a gentle hand on her chin lifted
her head. Once raised a thin horizontal line
could be seen on her forehead. Blood flowed
slowly from the wound, running down the sides of
her nose. She almost looked like she was crying
blood.
Mukuro placed the sash over the cut and tied
it behind her head. She then took the two long
ends of the sash and braided them into her long
hair.
"Thank you." Kamen whispered as she struggled
to her feet.
"Kamen, your hurt. You need to rest." Kurama
suggested. Kamen's fury was immediate.
"I don't or want you sympathy and pity!" she
spat. She came and stood toe to toe with Kurama,
the top of her now gray head bearly reached his
chin. Green fire glowed in her eyes. "Where was
your compassion when you stole my life from me?!"
she screamed. Kurama dropped his eyes from her's.
"Che, we have no time for this." Kamen said
in a voice so cold and hard it hurt to hear.
"Hiei is dying. If we don't get to him now there
will be no second chance."
=======================
Hiei had just awakened from the weirdest
dream. He was in a room being held for reasons
unknown to him, and he was dying. It was a slow
painful death he felt like he was freezing. All
he wanted to do was to curl up in a tight ball and
die. Then *she* had come to him. He almost smiled
at the memory.....
[Author's note: This is a flashback to what
Hiei is remembering.]
Hiei stopped his
thoughts when a warm breeze blow across his skin.
"Are you always this optimistic, or did I
catch you on a good day?" A sweet voice asked.
From somewhere inside him Hiei mustered up
enough strength to open his eyes. In front of him
stood the most stunning women he had ever seen.
Hair that fell in golden waves to her knees was
the first thing he noticed.
" Are you an angel?" he asked.
She chuckled, "I am as far from being an
angel as you are Hiei."
"How do you know my name?" he demanded.
"First you think I'm an angel without any
proof and then you yell at me for knowing your
name," she smiled at him. he
thought.
"Please don't compare me with that lying
bastard." she hissed.
Hiei's eyes narrowed, "What did you say?" he
asked.
"I said to not compare me to that piece of
trash." she countered.
Hiei began to feel anger move his blood,
"Kurama happens to be..."
"...the biggest bastard that ever walked the
earth." she finished.
"Listen you little bitch..."
"*Little*? Your a fine one to call someone
little." she yelled.
Hiei tried to yell but the effort was too
much. He started to cough as chills hit his body.
"Are you all right?" she asked in alarm.
"Do I look all right, baka?" he said in a
rasp. He watched her walk over to him, but
couldn't do or say anything to stop her. She
placed a soft hand on his cheek. The touch was so
light it was like a breath on his face. It was so
warm it was almost hot. He longed to be able to
pull the warmth closer.
"Gods, your freezing! What the hell did they
do to you?" she asked stepping closer. Hiei
tried to bury his cheek into the warmth of her
hand, not caring that she had spoken. All he
wanted was to feel warm again. "Hiei, answer me!"
she demanded.
"They were draining my power off with some
sort of crystal. They said that no one would find
me. How did you find me?" he asked.
She sighed, "It's a long story." She held a
long pause and then spoke, "Hiei do you want to
live?" she asked.
Hiei was confused by the question, "What do
you mean 'Do I want to live' , that's a stupid?"
he answered.
"Hiei, it is very important that you answer
me. Do you want to live?" she asked again.
Hiei looked into her eyes. He knew that
there was some great significance to her plea, but
he didn't know what. So, he just answered as
truthfully as he could. "Yes, I want to live."
She nodded her head once and then place her
other hand to his cheek. He welcomed the warmth
of both her hands willingly, his eyes started to
close with the pleasure of being a little warm
again. Then he felt her lips against his. His
eyes flew open and he looked at her, but her eyes
were closed. She opened her mouth slightly and he
was compelled to do the same. It wasn't kiss like
he imagined it would be, but more like an exchange
of breath. He breathed in deeply once and his
whole body became warm. It wasn't the kind of
heat he could generate, but a gentle warmth that
seeped into his bones and into his hair chasing
away the cold of death.
He heard her small grunt of pain and became
alarmed. She held on firmly with her left hand but
the right fell away. Hiei could now see scenes of
his life dance in her mind. A lifetime of hurts
and memories were relived my her as she shared her
warmth with him. He watched as her hair turned
from gold to gray and lines of pain crease her
face. He pulled his head free of her hand and her
lips, understanding want she was doing for him.
She stood back from him holding her bleeding
arm. She tried to smile for, but the pain made it
a grimace. "Now don't you go and die on me. I'm
not going to go though all of this just to have
you kick the bucket as soon as I leave," her image
began to shimmer and fade, "I need to go find the
others and tell them where your at. Promise me
your not going to be dead when I get back."
Hiei just stared at her dumbfounded, "Promise
me!" she yelled as she completely faded from
sight.
"I promise." he said to an empty room.
[Authors note: Now ending flashback.]
Hiei snapped his head up with the sudden
realization that it wasn't a dream. She was real
and she had saved his life for the time being. It
was now up to him to keep the promise he made.
==================
I have no idea when I'll be able to get the next
chapter out to you guys, so please be patient.
Kat
(Well, it's still Tuesday for the next hour.) Hope
you like!
Disclaimer: No one belongs to me except Kamen.
Second disclaimer: No one proofed this for me so
read at your own risk!
Broken Mask
Chapter 4
by Kat Aubuchon
"Ok, Kurama, let me get this strait," Yuusuke
said as he paced the floor. He had found Kurama
unconscious on Kuwabara's floor when he went to
wake Kuwabara up. After Kurama had recovered he
had told them a story weirder than his normal
ones. With a sigh he stopped and faced Kurama.
"Kamen's soul was the soul that was in Minami
Shiuuichi before you showed up and bumped her out,
ne?"
Kurama winced at the cool way Yuusuke
recounted events that, though Kamen's memories, he
knew caused her great pain. "Yes, that's correct."
he answered.
"Shit. No wonder she's trying to kill you."
Kuwabara said.
Yuusuke elbowed Kuwabara sharply in the ribs
and then turned to Kurama. "What are you going to
do?" he asked.
"I don't know." Kurama sighed. He walked
over to the window. Kurama looked at himself
in the glass of the window, and into the green
eyes he shared with Kamen.
Kurama's thoughts were interrupted by yelling in
the hall.
"...it isn't your decision. I have to repay
my debt, and I *never* go back on a promise.
Besides I've already started. I can't stop now
even if I wanted to." Kurama turned from the
window in time to see Kamen come barreling into
the room. He was struck immediately by her change
in appearance.
Kamen's hair was unbound and fell strait to
her knees, but the color was all wrong. Instead
of a shining gold it was a dark gray with a golden
shimmer. She was holding a bloody cloth to her
right arm, that hung useless at her side. She
wasn't wearing a cloak so he was able to see her
clothes and was surprised to see that they were
very similar to his own outfits. Loose pants with
a long split tunic, but instead of the bright
colors he favored her's was a deep purple that
seemed almost black. At her hip was Hiei's sword.
Kamen and Mukuro continued their argument.
"Kamen, your exhausted. Your ready to pass
put. Stop. Rest." Mukuro pleaded. Kamen turned to
face Mukuro, swaying slightly on her feet.
"*You* wanted me to find Hiei. This is the
fastest way." Kamen replied coolly. "Besides Hiei
doesn't have that much time."
Yuusuke walked over to the pair and with his
usual finesse requested information, "What the
hell is going on?!"
Kamen and Mukuro stopped their argument to
look at him. "I am trying to find Hiei. The
fastest way to do that is to connect directly to
his soul. I just didn't expect him to be on the
edge of death when I found him." Kamen said with a
tired sigh.
"You found Hiei and then left him?" Yuusuke
demanded as he grabbed the front of Kamen's tunic.
Kamen grabbed Yuusuke's wrist with her small left
hand. Yuusuke yelped as searing heat made him
release his hold.
"Baka, I was projecting my soul. My body was
still here." Kamen said. At Yuusuke's puzzled
look she continued. "My soul is only loosely bound
to this body. It's very easy for me to project my
soul outside of my body and then move around. It
heighten my abilities to not be bound to flesh."
Kuwabara came and stood behind Kamen and
placed a hand on her shoulder. "That still
doesn't explain what's wrong with you." he said
quietly. Kamen was surprised by his concern.
"You mean this?" she asked as she tossed her
hair from behind her to the fount with a flick of
her head.
"Yeah that, and your arm." Kuwabara said as
he removed the bloody cloth Kamen was holding to
her arm. Kamen grimaced as he examined the burned
flesh. She had stopped bleed from the wound now,
and the faint outline of a dragon could be seen.
"Oh, that," she chuckled trying to hide her
discomfort, "That will fade with the memories in
time. Don't worry about it Kuwaba-chan, it's just
a side effect of the..." Kamen never finished as a
spray of blood burst from her forehead and she
fell to her knees.
"Kamen!" Kuwabara yelled as he knelt to help
her. Both Kurama and Yuusuke came to her side.
"Shit, I told her this would be too much for
her." Mukuro said as she pulled the sash from
around her waist. She knelt on the floor in front
of Kamen and with a gentle hand on her chin lifted
her head. Once raised a thin horizontal line
could be seen on her forehead. Blood flowed
slowly from the wound, running down the sides of
her nose. She almost looked like she was crying
blood.
Mukuro placed the sash over the cut and tied
it behind her head. She then took the two long
ends of the sash and braided them into her long
hair.
"Thank you." Kamen whispered as she struggled
to her feet.
"Kamen, your hurt. You need to rest." Kurama
suggested. Kamen's fury was immediate.
"I don't or want you sympathy and pity!" she
spat. She came and stood toe to toe with Kurama,
the top of her now gray head bearly reached his
chin. Green fire glowed in her eyes. "Where was
your compassion when you stole my life from me?!"
she screamed. Kurama dropped his eyes from her's.
"Che, we have no time for this." Kamen said
in a voice so cold and hard it hurt to hear.
"Hiei is dying. If we don't get to him now there
will be no second chance."
=======================
Hiei had just awakened from the weirdest
dream. He was in a room being held for reasons
unknown to him, and he was dying. It was a slow
painful death he felt like he was freezing. All
he wanted to do was to curl up in a tight ball and
die. Then *she* had come to him. He almost smiled
at the memory.....
[Author's note: This is a flashback to what
Hiei is remembering.]
Hiei stopped his
thoughts when a warm breeze blow across his skin.
"Are you always this optimistic, or did I
catch you on a good day?" A sweet voice asked.
From somewhere inside him Hiei mustered up
enough strength to open his eyes. In front of him
stood the most stunning women he had ever seen.
Hair that fell in golden waves to her knees was
the first thing he noticed.
" Are you an angel?" he asked.
She chuckled, "I am as far from being an
angel as you are Hiei."
"How do you know my name?" he demanded.
"First you think I'm an angel without any
proof and then you yell at me for knowing your
name," she smiled at him. he
thought.
"Please don't compare me with that lying
bastard." she hissed.
Hiei's eyes narrowed, "What did you say?" he
asked.
"I said to not compare me to that piece of
trash." she countered.
Hiei began to feel anger move his blood,
"Kurama happens to be..."
"...the biggest bastard that ever walked the
earth." she finished.
"Listen you little bitch..."
"*Little*? Your a fine one to call someone
little." she yelled.
Hiei tried to yell but the effort was too
much. He started to cough as chills hit his body.
"Are you all right?" she asked in alarm.
"Do I look all right, baka?" he said in a
rasp. He watched her walk over to him, but
couldn't do or say anything to stop her. She
placed a soft hand on his cheek. The touch was so
light it was like a breath on his face. It was so
warm it was almost hot. He longed to be able to
pull the warmth closer.
"Gods, your freezing! What the hell did they
do to you?" she asked stepping closer. Hiei
tried to bury his cheek into the warmth of her
hand, not caring that she had spoken. All he
wanted was to feel warm again. "Hiei, answer me!"
she demanded.
"They were draining my power off with some
sort of crystal. They said that no one would find
me. How did you find me?" he asked.
She sighed, "It's a long story." She held a
long pause and then spoke, "Hiei do you want to
live?" she asked.
Hiei was confused by the question, "What do
you mean 'Do I want to live' , that's a stupid?"
he answered.
"Hiei, it is very important that you answer
me. Do you want to live?" she asked again.
Hiei looked into her eyes. He knew that
there was some great significance to her plea, but
he didn't know what. So, he just answered as
truthfully as he could. "Yes, I want to live."
She nodded her head once and then place her
other hand to his cheek. He welcomed the warmth
of both her hands willingly, his eyes started to
close with the pleasure of being a little warm
again. Then he felt her lips against his. His
eyes flew open and he looked at her, but her eyes
were closed. She opened her mouth slightly and he
was compelled to do the same. It wasn't kiss like
he imagined it would be, but more like an exchange
of breath. He breathed in deeply once and his
whole body became warm. It wasn't the kind of
heat he could generate, but a gentle warmth that
seeped into his bones and into his hair chasing
away the cold of death.
He heard her small grunt of pain and became
alarmed. She held on firmly with her left hand but
the right fell away. Hiei could now see scenes of
his life dance in her mind. A lifetime of hurts
and memories were relived my her as she shared her
warmth with him. He watched as her hair turned
from gold to gray and lines of pain crease her
face. He pulled his head free of her hand and her
lips, understanding want she was doing for him.
She stood back from him holding her bleeding
arm. She tried to smile for, but the pain made it
a grimace. "Now don't you go and die on me. I'm
not going to go though all of this just to have
you kick the bucket as soon as I leave," her image
began to shimmer and fade, "I need to go find the
others and tell them where your at. Promise me
your not going to be dead when I get back."
Hiei just stared at her dumbfounded, "Promise
me!" she yelled as she completely faded from
sight.
"I promise." he said to an empty room.
[Authors note: Now ending flashback.]
Hiei snapped his head up with the sudden
realization that it wasn't a dream. She was real
and she had saved his life for the time being. It
was now up to him to keep the promise he made.
==================
I have no idea when I'll be able to get the next
chapter out to you guys, so please be patient.
Kat