"Do you need any help?" Karen and Kurama ask both jumping up the moment Hiei and I walk in with bags in our hands.
"Sure," I say seeming as if I don't really care, but secretly glad for the help.
When I get to the kitchen and set bags of grocery down Hiei gives me a knowing look. I hate that he always knows what I'm thinking and I have to make inferences to know what's going through his mind. I have no shields against him because I've never encountered a mind reader before, let alone live with one. In some ways it was helpful because he could understand my true intentions. I just wish there was a way I could have some form of a wall at the very least not telegraph all my thoughts.
"That's the last of them," Yusuke tells me putting down the last bags from the car. I simply nod my head in response.
"I'm surprised so much food can fit in such a tiny car."
"It's not that tiny," I state indifferent but actually slightly offended for my car by the statement.
Into the fire on my own.
I know I won't see your face again.
My eyes widen from the sudden shock of my phone playing the ring tone Promise Me by Dead by April. Calmly I pull my phone out of my pocket and answer it.
"Hello?" I ask not recognizing the number.
"Yes, hello Lilly." It was Koenma. I don't know how he got my number, but it doesn't honestly surprise me about him. "How have the arrangements gone? I hope everything is fine and Karen is still in the dark I presume."
"Yes and everything is fine. We haven't had too many problems and everyone is adjusting nicely."It was diplomatic business voice. It's a voice not heard all that often, but it's the voice I use when I'm talking business. This might seem like a casual conversation except I know there is a second meaning behind it all.
"Very good. Now I have a mission for the group, so I need you all in my office now."
"There's a place out in the woods about a quarter of a mile. It would be best to pick us up there."
"Very well. Good bye Lilly."
"Good bye." I pull the phone away from my ear and end the call.
"Who was that Lilly," Karen asks as I put my phone back into my pocket.
"The boys and I have to get packed and go for a while." I was still in business mood as I talked to Karen.
"Go where? How long will you guys be gone?"
"I don't know, but we shouldn't be gone for too long." I know I wasn't giving much for Karen to go off of and that she wanted answers desperately, but I didn't have much to go off of either and I can't tell her the truth.
"I'll let you know how things are when I can, alright." It pained me to see that sad broken look in her eyes. Every day I try to achieve that smile and keep it there on her face. Everyone has one thing they try so desperately to protect, for me it Karen. I know that in doing so I have to keep her in the dark and sometimes even lie to her, but I do this and kill myself slowly inside to protect her because I care about her. To some it may seem twisted and that I'm a horrible friend and some time I even agree with that mind set, but I really do have the best intentions.
"I trust you," she says, but I could tell there is something more she wants to say and it takes her a moment. "Just come back home soon. You know how I worry about you." Unexpectedly and against my rules Karen hugs me and pulls me close to her. I look up at her and smile slightly, my exterior melting as I hug her back.
"I know you do." It was so rare and odd that I would act like this. A smile on my lips, hugging a person even Karen. This isn't like me. In the back of my mind I keep thinking that maybe Karen can feel it too that something bad is going to happen. That maybe there is more to this mission than what's going to meet the surface. Karen doesn't know that it's a mission, but maybe she has the same feeling that I have, a gut feeling you can't shake. For all we know this is our good bye.
"Let's go," I say pulling away from Karen after a few seconds. "I told him that we would meet him a quarter of a mile away from the house.
My walls are up far much higher than anyone has seen before after that display. Don't care how the group thinks about the display or how they take it because their opinion doesn't matter to me. For all I cared they could think of me as the foulest thing in all three worlds. It won't hurt me, it won't change who I am and it makes no difference to me because no one really likes me any ways.
I head up to my room and grab a few of my essentials; pads, under garments, a few shirts and pants, my laptop, hair brush, tooth brush, tooth paste, ext. I thought about grabbing a few of my weapons but in the end deiced against it. I can fight just fine without a weapon and I don't know what the mission is going to be any ways or if I'll even be able to take it where we're going.
Somewhat reluctant I head downstairs. I know that joining the spirit detective team means that I have to go on missions and that's not why I'm reluctant. I'm reluctant because of my gut feeling that I can't shake off. It's not me just being paranoid or anything like that. I have killed countless demons. Hell I live with two plus a half bread now! Demons don't bother me it's this feeling that something bad is going to happen and that there isn't going to be anything I can do to change it. I'm not sure if it's this mission it's self or that it's something to do with Karen, but I don't have a good feeling about this.
"You ready for your first mission Lilly," Yusuke asks causing everyone to turn and look at him with a glare.
"Mission," Karen asks a bit frazzled by this commit.
"It's what the guys call these types of outings and yes I am." Maybe it was a bit of a good thing that we were heading out on a mission. This was now the second slip up that I know of and Karen while she's kind and caring she is anything but stupid. It won't take her all that long to piece the slips up together and find out about the truth behind all the weird things going on, or at least come up with a theory.
"Let's go," I say taking charge of the situation. In silence everyone fell behind me as we left. Since none of them protested or stopped to say goodbye to Karen I'm guessing they all had finished their goodbyes while I was upstairs. I don't know how long I took to say for sure if that's what happened, but it's the only thing that would explain their silence and willingness to come along. It could also be there way of making sure they come back from the mission alive. The guys could just never say goodbye because then that would mean that they may not see that person again. Whatever they did or reasons behind they're acts it makes no difference to me.
The woods were silent in the front of my house and posed no danger. The demons were all in the back yard and couldn't hurt us out here or Karen in the house because they never went past the edge of the forest. It was peaceful and reminded me of the bliss to the woods that I had fallen in love with. A bliss that sometimes I forget now that the only time I go into the forest is to hunt demons. The bliss of the forest was something calming and distant, but always there.
Somewhat like Hiei, I think to myself. Stop thinking Lilly you telegraph your freakin' thoughts! From the corner of my left eye I can see Hiei smirk slightly at my frustration causing me to freak out more. Oh, god he's reading my thoughts again. How the hell am I supposed to put up walls and keep him out? I close my eyes and stop as I take a deep breath. A wall is a wall. All I have to do is build one. It was simple logic and in my mind I started to build a brick wall brick by brick until it touched the mental roof in my head.
"Lilly," Yusuke asks waving a hand in front of my face as I open my blue eyes.
"Take your hand out of my face," I snap at Yusuke.
"Yep she's still alive," Yusuke says stepping out of my way and allow me to continue moving forward.
"Is everything alright Lilly?"
"Everything's fine Kurama," I reply distantly to Kurama's worried question. From their perspective something would seem off. I hold myself with arrogance, confidence, strength, and at a distance to everyone. For me to stop suddenly and to become unresponsive it would worry anyone.
Hiei can you hear my thoughts? I question as to test if it worked.
Yes baka.
"Damn it," I curse strongly.
"What," Kuwabawa and Yusuke ask whipping around to look at me with worry.
"Is something the matter Lilly?" Kurama asks kindly.
"It's nothing," I murmur.
Your walls are too weak, just like your mind," Hiei tells me telepathically.
I figured that out already, I reply glaring at Hiei.
How can I get him out of my mind? My brick wall didn't work and I was pretty sure that would. Maybe I'll have something on file that could help me. I'm sure Mom had come across something that could help up, but it has to be something to do with a mental wall and the strength of the mind itself. At least that's what I'm gathering from what Hiei said. I doubt I'm that mentally weak; Hiei's just being an ass as usual while he hints at what I want to know. Directing the commit towards Hiei I send him another message knowing that he's already listening in on my thoughts. Thank you Hiei!
"All right this is where I told Koenma to get us." Not even five seconds after speaking a purple portal opens up underneath us. Swallowing us all up we land in a light blue room. Gracfully I land on my feet as everyone but Hiei falls on top of each other.
"Where's baka 1 I ask referring to the nicknames I came up for Kuwabawa and Yusuke do to Hiei always referring to them as baka.
"Right here!" Yusuke shouts rising his hand.
"You're baka 2 'cause Kuwabawa is stupider than you."
"AAAAHHHHH," I hear Kuwabawa scream just in time to look up to see him falling through the portal and land on top of me. With a 'uhf' I fall to the ground.
"Baka get off o me," I say in a calm deadly voice.
"Wow if it wasn't for you sounding like a girl I'd of thought I landed on Hiei."
"Get off!" I snap raising my voice out of anger."
"Sorry," Kuwabawa apologizes as hescrambles to his feet in fear.
"The first thing I'm doing when we get back from this mission is I'm putting you on a diet." I pull myself up off the floor and dust myself off, aggravated by the fact that I just got toppled on.
"If you two are done goofing around I would like to get on with the mission," Koenma asks earning a glare from me. "Sorry," he speaks as he cowers behind his desk.
"Hm," I huff before turning my back to him and walking over to the windowsill where Hiei was and leaning my back against it. Hiei spares a glance at me then turns his attention back outside, though I know he's paying attention to what's going on in the room.
"As you well know Lilly it's you father that has been attacking you in your dreams." I can feel the numbness seeping through me as my body stiffens. How could he know about the dreams and how did he know it's my father. I don't even know who it is. Yet, how does he know who it is or about the dreams? "Well he has sent two of his servants to find you Lilly. They're two towns away from where you currently live and go to the high school in that town. I have lined up a place for you all to live in. Now Lilly I need you to decide which one of the two guys you would like to use."
"What do have in mind," I ask hiding the numbness that has filled me.
"You need to flirt with one of the guys and gain their trust and have them believe that you are theirs."
"No," Hiei says turning his head and looking at Koenma with a glare. "If they are searching for Lilly handing them to her to them is only giving them what they want."
"It's fine Hiei," I say comfortingly before turning back to Koenma. "I'll do it." I was still numb inside, but I wasn't going to show it. I came off as confident as can be.
"Here are your choices." Koenma pulls out two files and handed them to me.
I opened the first file.
Demon Name: Daiki (no last name)
Human Name: Michael Johnson
Height: 5' 9"
Hair Color: Grey-ish Black
Eyes: Light Purple
Age: 25
Demon type: (Unknown)
Powers: (Unknown)
I take a look at the picture attached the file before moving on.
Demon name: Isao (No last name)
Human Name: Leon Jackson
Height: 5' 6"
Hair Color: Pitch Black
Eyes: Blue
Age: 20
Demon type: (Unknown)
Powers: (Unknown)
I take one look at his picture and can see it in his eyes. The loneliness that haunted them. It was him that I was going to make mine and have trust me.
"I pick Leon."
AN: I just want to quickly apologize for not updating for so long I have been grounded from the computer and not allowed to update for months now. I am so sorry.