E.H.:
I feel like I'm making some better progress now. I think I needed a quick break to collect my head and then trudge right in. Here is another chapter in the same night folks! Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you SakiHanajima1 for your review already! Much obliged! Here is chapter four for you all!
Fateful Beginnings
Nabi had arisen earlier than Botan and was in the middle of tucking her futon carefully away when the blue-haired woman rose into a seated position; with her arms out in front of her, she looked rather like a zombie with a sleeping mask. Nabi tried to quell the short chuckle that wanted to bubble up at the sight of the 'grim' reaper. Botan pulled the mask off blearily, looking around as if lost. She then stretched and stifled a loud yawn.
"Morning…" Botan managed around her yawn.
"Good morning to you, Botan." Nabi shifted the futon into the closet where it was stored for day time. The blankets followed suit along with the pillow.
"Well, you're up bright and early." Botan smiled sleepily. "Any reason why?"
"I smell food somewhere and it is making my mouth water."
"Oh yes!" Botan suddenly shot to her feet, making Nabi pause mid-motion to stare at her unexpected burst of energy. "Yukina is a glorious cook with the most marvelous talent to make anything taste delightful!"
"Will you be planning on removing your curlers before gracing the table?" Nabi turned back to her task with an amused smirk.
"Ah!" As expected, the blue-head stumbled from the room into the bathroom just down the hallway. Her noises could be heard through the door still.
Nabi rolled her eyes patiently, rising to her feet. She stopped and turned to the door leading outside. She closed her eyes to stave off the atmosphere that the presence on the other side was giving off. So they were watching her in shifts. This energy was similar to Hiryuu's; Hiei must have taken the watch. Not that she'd hadn't noticed hours before. She'd just ignored it.
Botan returned, dressed and ready. "Bingo! Ready to go!"
Nabi followed Botan silently down the hallway. It took a few minutes to wind through the complex before they entered a large kitchen. Boisterous sounds filled the air as people conversed and ate. However, as soon as her presence was noted, a silence fell over everyone there. Botan's frustration showed up plainly on her face.
Shiyu rolled her eyes before turning toward the two girls. "Good morning. How'd you sleep?"
"Right as a wink!" Botan stated, moving around the silent males to get some food. "Good morning, Yukina."
"Good morning, Botan-san. I'm happy to hear you slept well."
"Botan always sleeps well. Like a dead." Kuwabara snorted a chuckle.
"Oh, so like you?" A tall woman with brown hair stated while smoking idly by the open doorway leading outside.
"'Ey! Why you gotta be so mean, Shizuru?!"
"Don't mind him, kid. He's a loudmouth. I'm Shizuru." She stated looking directly at Nabi.
"Inabi, or Nabi. Whatever is preferred." Nabi stated awkwardly, noting the derisive snort from the detective. "Sorry for intruding."
"Yeah, well…get lost then."
A shorter brunette turned and smacked him; hard. He grabbed his head with a howl of pain. "Urameshi, Yusuke! If you ever speak to a lady like that again, I'll never let you lay another hand on me again!"
"Whoa! Hey, c'mon Keiko! You can't be serious!"
"Deadly! That was so rude I don't know what to think!" The girl, Keiko, rose from her seat and marched further into the kitchen. She snagged a clean plate before turning to Nabi. "What would you like to eat, Nabi-san?"
Yusuke muttered while holding his head. Shiyu giggled, "you totally deserved that."
"Shut up!"
"Nope. Don't want to."
"Whatever you have available will suffice." Nabi stated softly, walking closer to Keiko. She stopped however when Yusuke tensed and moved toward her. She cleared her throat. "However, you shouldn't fuss over me. Please, allow me to serve myself."
"Oh, it's not a problem."
'Only that your mate desires to kill me upon getting closer to you…' She shoved down her thoughts and plastered on a kind smile. Keiko continued to serve up the food before crossing to where Nabi stood.
"Here you go! Yukina's the best cook around." She stated with a smile.
Yukina, the ice maiden Botan had spoken to earlier, waved her hands. "Oh, please. Keiko is much better at human food than I."
Nabi took the plate carefully and nodded her head. "Thank you very much for this courtesy."
The noise of a chair moving made her glance over. Kurama stood and offered his seat. She opened her mouth to decline only to catch his pointed look. She saw it wasn't an invitation so much as a demand; to be placed between the men as a precaution. She nodded and moved to sit down. Once seated she lifted the chopsticks given to her.
"Itadakimasu." She whispered before lifting a morsel of food to her lips. She bit down on the food and savored the taste. She moved to lift another bite only to halt as silence filled the air and many eyes were on her. "Yes?"
"Holy fuck do you eat like a goddamned princess." Yusuke blurted, sounding impressed.
Nabi blinked and shifted nervously. "Does this…displease you?"
Kuwabara started to laugh loudly along with Botan and Keiko. Yukina giggled into her sleeve while Shizuru chuckled from the doorway.
"No, hun. He's just shell-shocked by the fact that manners exist." Shizuru stated making the detective whirl around to face her.
"Hey! I do happen to know something about manners!"
"Yes, oh wise Yusuke. But when do you ever use them?" Keiko laughed, shifting her weight to one side and planting her hand on her hip.
"When I gotta!"
"Which is when?" Keiko asked again, raising an eyebrow.
"Never! Urameshi ain't never used manners!"
"Oh, is that so? And what about you, baby bro?" Shizuru shifted her lean on the doorframe.
"Haha! Take that, Kuwabara! I'm not the only sleaze about!" Yusuke pointed excitedly across the table.
"I'm not sure that was entirely the point, Yusuke." Kurama stated, not hiding the amusement in his tone.
Nabi was flabbergasted. How were they so…genial even though a supposed enemy sat amongst them? She frowned at her food, not sure what to say or do.
"Hey, you gonna eat or jus' stare at it?" Yusuke piped up, tilting his head.
"You hate me." It was a statement, she sat back and looked at Yusuke. He looked confused. "Why would you allow me to sit with you and then talk around me as if I never posed a threat? It makes…no sense."
"Now where'd the hell you get that idea? I don't hate ya. I don't know ya. I jus' wanna keep my friends and family safe. 'Til I know you're not gonna do anythin' to hurt 'em…I ain't gonna take it easy on ya. It's no offence really."
"Yet you'd kill me if I displeased you."
Yusuke rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I know that's what I said and all…but it's not what meant really. What I meant by 'don't like' was if ya hurt one of my loved ones. Then…" he dropped his hand as his face turned serious, "I won't take any issue killin' you."
Shiyu sighed, "what the hell did you say yesterday?"
"You threatened to kill someone if they didn't do something you liked, Yusuke?" Keiko asked incredulously.
Yusuke grimaced before looking at Keiko.
"Bingo, Keiko. And he said it really roughly too." Botan threw in. She stuck her tongue out at Yusuke when he gave her a look of betrayal.
Keiko's hands clenched and unclenched. "Outside…now."
"C'mon, Keiko—"
"Oh don't you dare start 'C'mon, Keiko' to me!"
"But Kei—"
"NOW!"
Yusuke hung his head and stood, following Keiko out the door. He paused in the doorway to pin Botan with a glare that clearly blamed her for this. Botan smiled sweetly.
"Don't be too rough on him, Keiko dear!"
Kuwabara sighed, shaking his head. "Serves him right."
"Did you have anything to do with this, Kazuma?" Shizuru didn't look pleased. Kuwabara threw up his hands.
"No! I didn't! For once I didn't do nothin' wrong!"
"He was innocent of this, Shizuru. However, I do believe Yusuke set the correct terms. Perhaps he should have elaborated more, but still…"
"So you agree with this, Red?"
"More or less, yes. I do." Kurama sighed, looking unapologetic.
"But why can't you boys just listen and understand! Inabi is on our side!"
"Unfortunately, Botan…double agents tend to be the least trustworthy of any in an organization. We have proof from her that the rogue facility was, indeed, farther up and bigger than we believed. However, for all we know she could be feeding information to them as well. After all, they've yet to be found and brought down. Evading every step."
Nabi rose from the table, pushing her plate away. "If you wish to insinuate things of me and my honor, I have no intention of stopping you. That is your business. However, if you desire to tarnish my name as such…please do so directly to me. At least then I can truly give a better defense." She turned and leveled Kurama with a look before retreating from the kitchen.
"I've yet to hear any denials of this." His words made her pause in the doorframe. She turned and met his gaze.
"You seem to be the kind of person who detests fruitless conversations. Even if I did tell you how innocent I am, you'll simply believe me a liar and make up your false case against me in the end. Rest assured, Kurama-san…you only have a month to tolerate my existence. Thank you for the food, Yukina. I shall be retiring to the room."
…..
Hurt. It coated her like a blanket. She should have known better than to hope that at some point they'd trust her. Maybe the females and this Kuwabara…but the three most powerful beings capable of truly destroying her? She'd have better luck convincing a rock to fly. She sighed heavily as she sat in her room for a while. A glance at the clock confirmed her suspicions over the sun's movement across the sky; it was noon. Five hours had passed while she'd sat attempting to meditate. She was restless. Movement was necessary. Nabi grabbed the boots and walked out the open doors into the garden. She ignored the presence of her watch-dog. He'd been sitting there, making sure she didn't 'cross the line'. Once she reached the middle of the garden, she sat down cross-legged in the middle of a rock garden.
She opened her soul up to the influence of the dragons' presences. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths and let out the last one slowly. She set her hands down upon the surface of the grains of sand that had been carefully swept into a design at some point. She then slowly moved her feet up above her head and pushed herself into a hand-stand. The boots laid forgotten off to the side as her bare feet hovered soundlessly in the slight breeze. She gradually moved to place all of her weight onto her left arm. She felt her mental self open up.
"Mizuryuu was correct…" Iwaryuu rumbled through her as gravel falling down a hillside. "You are very troubled. Though I taste pain. What caused you such turmoil?"
'Nothing new. Purely despised and unwanted.' She could have chuckled but concentrated on staying grounded as she was.
"Unwanted? Child, you were chosen. How could you be unwanted?"
'By the rest of the world.'
"They know not your importance." And with that, Iwaryuu faded from her conscience. She barked on a dry laugh.
'Neither do I.'
"Who the hell are you talking to?"The shock of a new voice, not related to the dragons made her falter for a brief moment.
"Who are you?"
"Hn. I'm not the one projecting."
Hiei was the name that whispered over her consciousness. "I am not projecting. I am communing. How are you able to hear my thoughts?"
A sharp sting ran through her head and she lost it.
She opened her eyes with a snap in time to recover from her fall downwards with a body tuck and roll. Once back on her feet, she spun and glared at the small fire apparition. He was returning the glare ten-fold.
"I did not invite you into my meditation. I'd be very appreciative if you'd not interrupt my inner thoughts."
"Hn."
She bit back the growl of frustration that rose within her. She easily put two and two together. "So, you're not only here to monitor my behavior but also my thoughts? Make sure I am not directing them here?" Sitting back on her heels, Nabi rubbed her forehead. "If that is what it takes…then go ahead. Take a long look. However, I am fairly certain most of my past is something you wouldn't take too kindly to."
"And why would that be, if I may?" Kurama pushed off from the siding of the temple. She actually nearly cringed in embarrassment. She'd been too preoccupied with Hiei's annoying mind-probing that she'd failed to notice Kurama's energy.
"I hate demons." She stated bluntly.
Both men faltered and exchanged a look before Kurama returned with a confused, "Pardon?"
"I hate demons. They are disgusting, self-centered, greedy creatures hell-bent on nothing more than the pursuit of strength and superiority. They kill for fun; countless innocent humans have been slaughtered relentlessly for sport. Life is a game to them."
"Yet you are one." Hiei bit back, not liking her speech apparently.
"A fact I'm loathe to admit. If I could change my very natural state of being, I'd choose humanity over this in a heartbeat."
"A demon who despises demons." Kurama mused.
"Hn."
"Do you still wish to probe my head, Hiei?"
"I wish for you to shut the hell up." He snapped before leaping on to the rooftop before running away. No doubt it would have been too fast for a human to keep track of.
"Tell me, why such hate for demons?"
"My entire family, clan, village…were gone within moments due to demons attacking." Nabi spat the word demons with such venom it made Kurama raise an eyebrow.
"You must hold a high disdain for Hiei, Yusuke, and myself then…"
"Whether you like to admit it or not, you've done much to protect humanity. Demon or not, you've still risen above demon standards. Yusuke is still half-human."
"And thus…?"
"I don't despise half-breeds."
"You are truly hypocrisy in motion."
"As are you." She returned.
…..
A few days passed without incident. Nabi stayed mostly in the room and out of everyone's way. She ignored the dull throbbing of loneliness that came and went. Botan helped ebb the feeling, but sometimes she was just too cheerful for Nabi to palette. She finished her meditation for the day; she'd not been in contact with a dragon since Hiei had interfered last. Heading to the bathing room, she bathed and redressed. Botan had lent her a pale green sundress with white flowers on it. She wasn't fond of it, to be honest, but while the other clothes were being washed…Nabi tolerated it. She'd found a black zipper jacket to wear over it and supplemented it with the black boots. However, inside, she didn't wear the boots out of respect.
Her stomach growled and Botan had yet to bring her lunch. Not wanted to bother the ferry-girl with always bringing her food, she made her way to the kitchen. She dreaded the very notion of returning back there, but…she knew it was necessary. When the door was in eye sight she stopped and stared at it. Laughter and talking bubbled out from within. Hesitation made her anxious as she shifted her weight from side to side.
"Jus' gonna stand there forever?"
Nabi spun and looked at Yusuke as he looked at her. He tilted his head to the side.
"I'm not sure I'm welcome."
He grimaced and sighed. "Yeah…guess that'd be my fault, huh? Look, I've been an ass. I really dunno why I jus'…I wanna keep Keiko safe no matter what. And sometimes, I dunno why but…I feel angry and really…"
"Aggressive." She finished for him as he nodded. Something inside her flickered but she ignored it. Every male protected his male vigorously.
"C'mon." He lead the way to the kitchen. "B'sides…Keiko kicked my ass pretty hard the other day for bein' such a jerk."
She stepped inside the doorway after Yusuke. She froze, not sure what to do as several eyes turned to her.
"Yo! Nabi!" Kuwabara greeted warmly, throwing up a hand in greeting.
"Hey, kid. How're you feeling?" Shizuru asked, shuffling her chair aside to make room for another one.
"I'm well." She hedged and approached the others with some hesitancy.
Yukina smiled as she stirred something in a pot. "I am so happy that you joined us today."
"Absolutely!" Botan threw in with a giggle. "And Yukina is making Miso soup and teriyaki for lunch! You're in for a true treat!"
Kurama moved a chair over to where Shizuru had made room. He gestured kindly for her to sit. She cast him a curious look but crossed the room to where she was being offered a seat.
Keiko looked at her concernedly. "Botan said you weren't feeling well the past few days. Are you doing better?"
Nabi threw Botan a knowing look. The blue-haired reaper gave her a sheepish smile. "Yes. Much. Thank you for asking."
"Oh, that's great!" Keiko beamed.
Shiyu walked into the kitchen, wiping her mouth absently. She didn't look too well but she sat down. "Damn…I think I got whatever Nabi had."
Yusuke shot her a confused look. "Whatcha mean?"
"Just tossed my cookies."
Within a moment, Hiei was standing behind her. Shiyu turned and squeaked in surprise, jumping at his appearance. "What the hell, Hiei?!"
"You're not well."
"…and…?"
Her answer was a raised brow.
"I'm not going back to bed. I'm fine now. Just wanna sit and have some of Yukina's best tea."
Hiei's gaze darted up to Nabi. He narrowed his eyes to a glare at her in obvious accusation. Nabi felt slight exasperation at the demon's pointed disgust that she was the one who 'got Shiyu sick'. Considering she was never ill, made the entire blame-game a little annoying. However, for Shiyu's sake…she kept quiet and gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Sorry. I wish I could take it back for you."
"Nah. We all…well, we humans get sick from time to time."
"Hn."
Nabi looked up in delight as Yukina began to bring over food. Keiko jumped up to help the small ice maiden. Soon the table was laden with food.
"Please, enjoy." Yukina stated with a soft smile.
"Will do!" Both Yusuke and Kuwabara chorused while quite nearly and literally dove into the food. Soon they began to bicker over who had a bigger bowl.
"Don't mind them. These idiots always fight over everything." Shizuru quipped while snagging her own food, unperturbed by the near wrestling match.
Nabi shook her head in amusement while serving a small amount for herself before eating. She was rather glad she came out from the room.
…..
A week and a half had passed since Nabi was welcomed into the meal time. It was still tense and awkward at many times. She did, however, return to meals to socialize. It was better than the loneliness of the room. Nabi had been hit by a rush of boredom. Her meditating was seemingly the only thing she had to do. She had set to exploring this room she'd been deigned to fully as a way to curb her boredom.
Nabi rustled around through the room until she found an odd contraption in the bottom of the closet. It had a long, black tail with a pronged tongued mouth. It had many knobs and odd, smooth horns. Its eyes were those like a large insect on either side of its grotesquely disproportionate face. It had a frill that looked grab able should it decide to attack. The mouth looked dreary and it had a horrid under bite. Nabi stared it down from across the room. She'd been locked in this stalemate with the creature for over three hours. It hadn't moved, but she didn't dare chance any sudden movement with it staring at her like such.
The door slid open and Botan stepped in.
"Nabi have you—"
"Stop! Botan! You mustn't come any further!" Nabi's eyes darted in the blue-head's direction briefly before returning to the creature. "I found this demon in the closet. I'm not sure how long it's been there…but it doesn't seem…right…"
Botan stopped and looked down at the creature before exploding into loud, raucous laughter. She clutched the doorframe and slid to the floor, gasping for breath while tears cascaded from her eyes. Several feet ran toward them, before stopping in the doorway. Horrified, Nabi looked up into the eyes of the three men, Keiko, Yukina, and Shizuru.
"What's goin' on, Botan? Everythin' okay?" Yusuke looked around and paused as he saw Botan in a heap of laughing body upon the floor.
"Botan?" Keiko prodded softly.
"Sh-Sh-She…th-t-thinks…t-that…i-is-is a-a-a-a d-d-demon!" Botan pointed weakly at the device before Nabi.
Nabi stared in horror back and forth. "Yusuke-san! I think this demon is affecting Botan! Please! Help her while I dispose of it!" She moved to attack it when Yusuke snagged it away. Holding it up, he shook his head.
"This? You think…THIS is a demon?" He stared at Nabi before he too joined Botan in laughter. In fact, the entire group began to laugh or chortle.
Kurama seemed the only one able to contain himself somewhat. He shook his head and stepped forward. "No, Nabi. It is not a demon. Here, perhaps it would be best to show her what it is."
Yusuke recovered somewhat, "yeah man. Show her."
Kurama crossed the room and took the creature's tail and stabbing it into the wall. Once secured, he pressed several of the horns and turned one of its knobs. Nabi prepared for the worst when something floated out. It…made sound. But, odd sound. It didn't sound like screaming, growling, or anything demonic.
"This is a boom box, it plays music." Kurama turned with an amused look on his face. Nabi listened to the flow of the sound, it was pleasant. However, when the voice began to say words to the smooth music, Nabi's hands shot to her face.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the contraption. Botan blinked before moving closer.
"Inabi…are you—" She stopped mid sentence as tears rolled down the demon's face.
Nabi turned away and wiped them away angrily. "Please…silence it."
Yusuke frowned before moving closer to the thing called a boom box. He knelt over and began to fiddle with it until something louder and far more obnoxious blared out. "There, somethin' worth listenin' to."
"What're you talkin' 'bout Urameshi! Everyone know Megallica is ten times better!"
"Pah-lease. I'd rather hear my mom talk about the birds and the bees again rather than hear that shit."
Kurama shook his head and turned the thing off. He rose from his kneel beside the boom box and headed for the door.
"Thank you." Nabi stated softly, knowing they all turned to look at her. "I'm sorry for causing such trouble."
Yusuke shifted and put his hands behind his head. "Nah, s'allright. Can't expect everyone from Demon World to know what music is."
Nabi nodded and kept her face averted from the rest. They quietly shuffled out. Botan moved closer.
"Care to talk about it?"
Nabi sighed, standing. She exited the room to the garden. "I'm sorry, Botan. I need some quiet."
"Right. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be here in a jiffy." Botan stood and left the room with one last look over her shoulder.
The air was cooler than she remembered. Uttering a sigh, she sank to sit on the porch. She felt weak and pathetic for letting her emotions roll to the surface like that. She'd been so careful to seal away her emotions so long before. Somehow, being around these people was disarming. The door in her room slid open as footsteps cross the room to the open door behind her. She was about to say something to Botan when the person sat beside her.
Nabi glanced over to find the older Kuwabara sibling sitting beside her, lighting a cigarette. The brunette tossed her hair over her shoulder. Nabi felt solace, for once and looked back to the garden. She settled into the silence, feeling comfortable enough to be there.
"The more you bottle it up, the worse it gets." Shizuru drawled before taking a long drag.
"The more you smoke, the worse your lungs get." She countered softly. The other female barked a soft laugh.
"Yeah. But sometimes, you just do what you have to. I really don't smoke because I like it, anymore." She sighed and leaned onto her knees with her elbows. "It's just a way to remember people I've lost; people I loved. A way to pay tribute without having to see headstones and light incense."
"How do you remember them without feeling like you're being crippled?"
"I don't. I just remember what it was like to have them there; what it was like to laugh with them, cry or smile with them."
"Who have you lost?"
"Several. The main people I smoke for Genkai…the late owner of this place, and a man that was never meant to be long in this world."
"Hm. Did you love him?"
"I didn't have a chance to know him. I felt like, with time…we would have hated each other if we'd been together though. So maybe it was always meant to be like that. You?"
"Everyone I love is dead." Silence filled the air between them. Nabi took to watching the tendril of smoke dance on the breeze. "For the ones you lost…I am sorry."
"Ditto."
"Shizuru."
"Huh?"
"Thank you."
A smirk from the tall woman. "No problem."
I had to change something around. So if some of the flow is off, please forgive me. The jump from Nabi's talk with Hiei and Kurama in the garden to the boom box wasn't…it didn't flow at all. It was too jumpy. I tried to redo it to make some more sense and flow better! I wasn't forfeiting the boom box for anything! The boom box significance will come into play soon, I promise!
Thanks for reading!
Erika Hearken