Nine
"Didn't I tell you it wouldn't go as bad as you worried?" Keiko teased gently.
"...yeah, Kei, did you miss the part where some nutjob blew up the cafe?" Kimiko asked a little sardonically.
"But that wasn't your fault, so it went well," Keiko replied, sipping at her ice cream soda. "And you got a very cute outfit out of it."
"I got a very cute outfit wrecked because of it, and Shuuichi was kind enough to help me find something else," was the retort.
"It's still pretty cute on you."
Kimiko sighed; she couldn't argue with that, but she did feel moderately guilty that he'd paid for it before she could. It wasn't his fault she'd ruined the other one, but he'd replaced it without qualm, and had only smiled at her when she'd tried to protest. And then letting her crash on his couch because she was too tired to make it home...
"Keiko, look, I'm here because you had something really important to tell me and decided that the phone was much too impersonal," she said with strained patience. "We're not here to discuss last week's unmitigated disaster, as amusing as you seem to find it. What is so important, huh?"
Keiko grinned.
"I'm pregnant."
"...what...?"
"I'm pregnant."
Kimiko blinked several times. Took a sip of her soda. It wasn't unexpected, but it certainly felt like it had come out of the blue. After a moment she shook her head to clear it.
"Con...gratulations?" she offered. "I hope for everyone's sake you have a daughter, because a mini-Yuu is kind of terrifying."
That made Keiko laugh.
"Dad's also seriously talking about putting Yusuke in charge of the diner," she continued, appearing to be completely unruffled by Kimiko's admittedly lackluster response. "Mom's all for it, they're both ready for retirement, and we're ready to take over. Or well, I think we are. Yusuke's... Yusuke, and all that."
"No kidding. Hey, how'd he react when you told him?"
"Oh, I haven't told him yet."
"...Keiko, really?"
"I wanted to tell you first!"
"Okay... why?"
"Because someone's got to catch him when he faints," she said matter-of-factly.
Kimiko burst out laughing.
"He didn't faint, but it was pretty close," Kimiko said as Shuuichi worked on repotting a few plants. "We had to scoot a kitchen chair under him before he fell over. Her parents are thrilled, of course. Yuu's... not so sure, but if Keiko wants to keep the baby, he'll go along with it."
"What do you think?" he asked.
"I'm still somewhere between flattered and exasperated that she insisted on telling me in person and also first, but it was kind of funny. And Yuu's always been good with kids, even though he'll never admit it. So I'm fairly sure he'll be a good parent. And even if he's not, Keiko will be, and I know the Yukimura's will pitch in. He's got a good support system at home. Lord, I wonder how Kaz reacted?" and she grinned at the thought. "Probably freaked as much as Yuu; Keiko's close enough to both of them for that. Pity I missed that."
He chuckled, setting aside the first plant and moving on to the second.
"And work?"
"We're so close to done with all the setting up, thank all the gods, I am so tired. We finished the last of the set up last night, and so we get today and tomorrow off, then reopen properly on Monday. Botan-san said that we should all get an extra day off, but since we can't, we're probably going to get bonuses instead. I admit, I'll be glad to go back to routine store work... Something calm and ordinary for a bit wouldn't go too amiss."
"Especially after that surprise of Keiko-san's."
"Ohhhhh yes. Just something small and more peaceful, please, I promise I won't complain if I'm bored for a week."
Now he laughed, albeit softly. She responded by sticking out her tongue.
"Well, I hope things will calm down for a while as well," he said, smiling faintly. "I have missed talking with you like this."
"Ah..." she blushed a little, and her smile turned shy. He found it rather cute, honestly. "Yeah, I missed talking to you too. And hanging out. Oh, though that reminds me, Koenma-san wanted to know if I knew anyone who'd sell some plants to us as decoration for the store. Nothing overtly scented or brightly colored, just something soothing. I want to stick one over by the incense racks, keep the smell from getting to overpowering, you know?"
Shuuichi nodded thoughtfully, taking in the cautious way her body language had shifted. He knew her well enough now to guess that she would heavily protest against him giving her anything for free; to be fair, he might have if she wanted something new for her apartment, but for her workplace...
"Budget?"
She flashed him a quick smile—plainly he had assumed correctly—then dug into her pocket for a piece of somewhat crumpled paper.
"Mmmm... No more than thirty thousand. I think he was hoping I might get a bundle price for some."
"Do you know what you'd like?"
"Well, a small orchid to sit on the checkout counter would be nice. Mostly stuff that is self contained; like succulents and maybe a couple of shrubs. I have the... layout..."
This time she pulled around the small backpack she used to hold her things when she wasn't wearing a coat with good pockets and started digging through it. Watching her, he tried his best to push away the niggling insistence that he needed to talk to her about perhaps being her partner on demon hunts; he wanted to slide into that conversation carefully to avoid pinching her pride. It meant taking advantage of a turn in conversation... and he'd already missed the first one, simply because he hadn't been able to resist admitting that he had missed spending time with her.
"...damnit, I forgot the layout. And..." she checked her phone, then made a face, "nope, no one's libel to be at the store. Botan-san wanted to, I think, just to make sure everything was all set up, but Koenma-san overruled her, and said he wanted to enjoy this last free weekend before being buried in papers again."
"Well, you were the one to come up with it, yes? Can you sketch it out for me? Or would you rather look at the plants and we can see how many you might be able to get as a bundle."
"No undercharging," she warned, poking him in the arm gently. "You work hard at this, and we can afford it."
Shuuichi only smiled.
Getting back into the swing of working after spending so much time relaxed was more difficult than Kimiko had anticipated, but the larger store, and the new layout of everything seemed to be quite popular. That first week they were kept hopping as people needed to reorient to both the grander size, and the new items that could be displayed. There were, as ever, the grumpy customers, the ones who found fault with everything, but there were also the curious customers, and the pleasant ones. A whole slew of regulars came as well, pleased as punch by the new renovations and the new stock.
She did manage to snatch an evening with Shuuichi that first week, but it was a short one, made shorter by him noticing her fatigue and shooing her firmly on home. The following was a little less manic... but only a little. And it ended with a letter that bore a familiar energy signature. She kicked off her shoes and dropped her takeout on the small kotatsu she'd hauled out now that it was getting colder at night, then plopped down to read it.
Kimiko
I hope you've enjoyed your vacation! Good work on the unexpected clash last week with that maverick hunter—who knows what wood pile that one crawled out of, but you were right to stop him. Perhaps a bit harsh, but what's done is done. He certainly won't be showing his face for a while, which is probably a good thing.
Unfortunately, vacation is over, and the news we have for you isn't very good; you are being specifically called out this time, by a trio of demons that are known as The Triad. They have said they will wait one day from the day you get this letter, at the forested park nearest to your apartment complex, and that if you didn't come to them, they would hunt you... and hurt anyone who got in the way.
We know only a little about them, and even less about the person who employs them, but what we have gleaned so far leads us to believe that this is not going to be a fight easily won. To that end, we recommend that you call Master Genkai and get help from her, your demon friends, or both. We'd prefer you to have at least one person capable of backing you up. More would be better.
Kimiko paused there, feeling somewhere between hurt and insulted. If she was specifically being called out, then by that logic, it was her fight. And she had been wearing the Spirit Cuffs since early August; September was almost over, and she certainly felt that she'd gotten stronger. It didn't take effort to stay fully powered and masked any longer.
Besides, if she only had one day, there wasn't really enough time to call Master Genkai and get her to talk to the boys. The call would be fast, but the conversation would be several hours of waiting at best, and then them arriving would take longer. It would be easier, faster, to simply handle it herself.
A stray thought whispered that she might ask Shuuichi, but she flattened it firmly; he was her friend, most assuredly, but surely he wouldn't want to be dragged into this aspect of her life. Bad enough he kept having to patch her up...
Another stray thought pointed out that she was acting exactly as her brother would if he were called out. She ignored that one too, with a bit more difficulty.
No, the best way to handle this was on her own. If it got too dicey, she'd release the Spirit Cuffs, and go arrange a time to get them replaced after. She had taken on a human hunter and gotten out alive, after all! Nodding a little to herself, she returned to the letter.
We have managed to glean some information about the three that might make it easier for you and your friends to handle. Not a lot, but our sources have given up a few useful points.
Miyuki is a demoness that can turn her hair into a weapon; most typically, she uses it to strangle her enemies. It's been suggested that getting in close, as fast as possible, is a good way to keep her from being successful.
Gokumonki is a cross-bred demon with some kyuonki in him; enough to make him very large and tough. He's slow, but that doesn't mean much when a single punch can produces a devastating shockwave of displaced air. And when we say large, we mean large. At best guess, he's close to ten, maybe eleven feet in height, and that tetsubo he uses is close to the same length. It goes without saying that you should avoid letting him hit you. Expect some kyukoni toughness, and plan accordingly.
For the last, Inmaki is a small and swift demon that uses a pair of iron gloves. It's been whispered that he maintains invisibility using some part of his clothing, but what, we're not certain.
While individually, we have no doubts that you could take them on and easily win, all together they cover for one another's weaknesses and we stress again the importance of bringing backup. We don't want this to be our last letter to you, Kimiko, so we hope you'll take the advice.
Good luck. Hopefully by taking them out, you'll be able to cement at least your territory as a place that is safe for those who only seek to see, and not for those who look to cause harm
~KEJ~
Kimiko folded the letter back up after taking out the check and sticking it in a safe place; it was too late to deposit it now, and she had to get ready for a fight that would plainly be fairly one-sided. First, of course, she had to eat, and while she ate the logic of the letter overrode her pride; her employer/adviser/friend had never given her bad advice before. And three-on-one odds were blatantly unfair, especially if, as the letter stated, the three could cover for each others' weaknesses.
After tossing out the empty takeout boxes, she sighed, and called Master Genkai. As she'd feared, however, the old woman didn't pick up, and she was forced to leave a message instead.
"Master, I've got an unfair fight, and not a lot of time, so I hope you get this soon. If I don't respond by the end of tomorrow, they are going to come after me, and hurt anyone between them and me. So I'm going to go tonight... If you get back soon, get Jin and the rest; Jin knows where the park close to my apartment is, considering that's where he almost got killed when I found him the first time. That's where I'll be. Hopefully. I may have to unlock the Cuffs if it's as difficult as the letter says. I don't... I don't plan on losing, Master. But. Y'know, just in case. Thanks. For everything."
She hung up, and could only hope that Master Genkai would get the message quickly. Almost she called Shuuichi; he was a strong fighter, and his whip could certainly even the odds... but no. It was late, he had a store to run in the morning, and he'd lived his life flying under the radar of both demons and demon hunters. She couldn't use his friendship, his affection for her, to pull him into her insanity.
At least she had everything else prepared for if she did end up biting the big one. Now it was just up to her to avoid doing that, because she knew just how many people would be upset if she did.
She took in a long, slow breath, then let it out, taking stock of herself. She was nervous, and vaguely anticipatory; standard pre-fight reactions. She wouldn't kill them if she could avoid it... and as always, she hoped that it could be avoided, but reminded herself that it may well be necessary.
She shed her day clothes, and frowned thoughtfully at her small selection of choices; like it or not, after this fight she was probably going to need to take some time to go properly clothes shopping. The idea made her grimace, even as she pulled on her last pair of leggings and the least beat up of her tanktops. Maybe if she took Shizuru and Keiko both, it wouldn't seem like such a chore.
It took some digging to find the bracers Yusuke had given her for their last birthday; May felt so far away in either direction now... She slipped them on, adjusting them carefully. Despite having had them for several months, she hadn't actually worn them. They did make her smile though; only Yusuke would think of getting her something like this for their birthday.
She picked up her small backpack, thought for a few minutes, then pulled out the first aid kit and refilled it. After tossing it back in, she rolled up some spare clothes to tuck in there, threw in her wallet and a pair of dented metal water bottles. Her phone and keys went into the windbreaker that was her concession to the cooler night air; with luck, she'd be able to get at the phone quickly if she absolutely needed it.
Assuming, of course, she remembered to take the jacket off and not break the phone...
She gave her apartment a once-over, admittedly stalling in the hopes that Master Genkai would call while she did. But the landline and her cell both remained silent, so after tightly braiding her hair and pinning it up, Kimiko headed out to get her fight done and over with.
Shuuichi didn't need the phone to wake him up in the middle of the night; the minute he'd felt that clash of powers within range, he'd been aware. He was, in fact, halfway dressed when the phone rang. He wanted to ignore it, to hurry to where Kimiko was fighting, but people didn't randomly call in the middle of the night...
"Minamino residence."
"Minamino Shuuichi, you have recently been spending time in the company of one Urameshi Kimiko. If you wish to keep doing that, I suggest you head over to the park at your best speed, otherwise she is libel to get killed."
The voice was unfamiliar; a crisp, high tenor that carried overtones of concern, a bit of anger, and a subtle undertone of someone used to being an authority figure. Despite the fact that it sounded more warning than threat, Shuuichi couldn't help but bristle.
"Who is this?" he demanded.
"Someone who cares very deeply for the continued life and well-being of one of the best fighters and human world protectors this lifetime has seen. Now go!"
The dial tone was the next thing Shuuichi heard; he ended the call and tossed the cordless phone onto the couch as he rushed back to his room to finish getting dressed.
Even as he did, his mind remained calm and clear, picking through the meager facts from what he could sense; Kimiko seemed to be fighting three others, her energy maybe only a few degrees stronger than theirs. Whoever had called him had done so in genuine concern for her, which meant that she was in over her head and not in a position to do it herself.
The minute he was out the door, he didn't bother with taking to the streets. Instead, he jumped to the nearest roof, and kept going from there, mentally blessing the fact that this area of shops were all of similar height.
The part of his mind not trying to calculate how to help Kimiko was quietly upset; surely she trusted him enough to call him if she was going to head into a difficult fight and needed help. Why hadn't she? He was her friend; as far as he could tell he was the one person outside her master that she would discuss fights with in detail.
So why?
A peripheral field surrounded the park, and so did several police vehicles, no doubt called by the commotion coming from the forested interior. The humans didn't seem to be able to get through, which was probably all the better for them... After circling carefully away from the cars and the growing crowd, he found an unblocked entrance, and pushed his way through. It felt rather like pushing through exceptionally dense undergrowth, but with persistence, he made it in.
Commotion aside, the actual amount of damage wasn't so bad... though maybe that was because he'd come into the part of the park that house the play area for children; Kimiko was nobly foolish enough to refuse to break playground equipment, he knew.
He ran towards the fight, thorn whip in hand; the closer he got, the more damage appeared. Large divots in the ground from energy blasts and some type of heavy, spiked weapon; trees were burned or bore gashes that had to have come from exceptionally sharp claws of some sort, and here and there he saw thin strands of silvery-lavender hair. He scented no blood, at least for the moment, for which he was profoundly grateful.
The fight was well in progress when he did find it, and he hung back for a moment to take stock of what was happening; he had sparred against Kimiko, they had never fought in tandem. He didn't want to rush in and ruin whatever attack she might be making.
Of the four energy signatures, he could easily identify three; he watched Kimiko dive for cover away from a whip and a tetsubo, and was forced to duck behind a tree to avoid the shockwave from the latter weapon. The whip-wielding demoness swore a little at her much bigger, heftier companion as his attack staggered her as well. The last signature he couldn't see immediately, though he could certainly sense them, and he heard Kimiko yelp and scramble for a new spot, indicating that this third demon had a means of rendering themself invisible. That one would be the hardest to manage.
First, though, he needed to buy some time, make some cover. This part of the park was heavily forested, perhaps if he laid down a covering fog...
Kimiko had been wrong before, but this was the first time she'd been wrong enough to think she might actually die from it. It had been mostly luck and a slightly superior speed that had kept her from any serious injuries... and she also had a strange sense that something was off in this fight. Something that allowed her to keep that precious hair ahead.
Not that she could focus too hard on that while trying to stay ahead of an invisible, metal-claw-using demon. The whip was annoying, but surmountable; the tetsubo, even its shockwave, was too slow to actually be much of a threat. The little, fast, invisible bastard and his claws though? Those could kill her in an unprotected moment.
The fog that sprang up with thick, and unexpected; she could hear Gokumonki complaining about not being able to see a foot in front of his face, followed by Miyuki yelping as he plainly almost stepped on her to prove his point. It wasn't a cold fog, so that ruled out any chance that it might be Toya and the rest to the—unfortunate—rescue... had she somehow gotten an ally?
She cast her senses out briefly, and realized with a jolt of shock that Shuuichi was there; logically that meant this fog was his. Her heart managed to both lift and sink at the same time. He was bound to be very upset at her for this... but it was good to have help.
As quietly as she could, she eased back through the undergrowth, keeping her senses on high alert for the last demon; Inmaki's speed and invisibility were the worst offenders at the moment, and she needed at least one of those traits curtailed. Preferably the invisibility.
Luck was with her; she felt his energy drawing back towards the other two, allowing her to make for Shuuichi's position unmolested.
The disapproving look in his eyes made her wince; she had the sense that she was going to be read the riot act at some point, and he was well within his rights as her friend to do so. She just had to hope that he would be willing to wait until after the fight to scold.
"Tell me what's going on," he murmured.
Internally she let out a sigh of relief; temporary reprieve from being in trouble was much appreciated.
"There's three of them; Miyuki is the one who turns her hair into a whip, Gokumoki is the one using the tetsubo, and then Inmaki is the little bastard giving me the worst trouble; his cloak makes him invisible when he's all wrapped up in it, and he's a bit faster than I am. It's not the speed that's the problem, it's that stupid cape of his."
She wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to not take a hit yet, but somehow, she'd maintained a lucky streak; the worst she had were some nicks from flying debris.
"Well, I have evened the odds somewhat by making it more difficult for them to see us. It won't last for long if they realize how to get rid of it, but for the moment, it should allow us the element of surprise. Inmaki sounds like he needs to be trapped to be dealt with. What about the other two?"
"I think if we can split them up, they won't be so hard. Gokumonki's twtsubo is too easily telegraphed. Same with Miyuki and her whip, though I think I'd like to avoid a tug of war..."
"...they haven't withdrawn, but they also haven't tried to push through the smokescreen," he said after a moment, lifting his head a little. "Let us turn the tables on them. I will ensnare Inmaki, if you can work to separate the other two."
Kimiko nodded, and darted out from behind the cover, deliberately making as much noise as possible to draw attention. Behind her, she could sense Shuuichi setting up for something, but pulled her mind away; if he needed additional help, he would have said something... right?
Unfortunately while the fog worked as a cover for her, it also worked as a cover for the trio of demons, and it especially loaned itself to Inmaki's brand of trickery. Which she walked right into.
Shuuichi's head snapped up as he heard Kimiko cry out in surprise and pain; the smell of blood was quick to lace the air, as did her very frustrated curses.
"Get back here you little shit, I'm going to turn you into a target!"
He sighed a little to himself; despite what she might claim, sometimes she seemed just as impulsive as the brother she told stories about. Well, one way or another, she'd lead Inmaki into his trap, but with her bleeding, the plants might very well try and go for her as well.
There wasn't much choice to be had, unforrtunately, and he could hear the two remaining demons moving around now, responding to the sound of Kimiko's voice. The ground heaved violently as Gokumonki's tetsubo slammed hard into the ground, and the shockwave dispersed a good portion of his smokescreen, forcing him to take to the branches of the standing trees.
"Gokumonki, watch where you're aiming!" snapped an unfamiliar feminine voice.
"Sorry Miyuki."
"Hmph. Well. Do it again. Your shockwave will clear this annoying blinder for us."
Shuuichi found another tree, this one closer to the pair. Not necessarily the wise position when dealing with a shockwave, but if Inmaki was going to target Kimiko—and he could hear her scrambling in the nearby brush, plainly trying to avoid both the invisible demon and the tetsubo's shockwave—then he was going to have to ease this part of the problem.
The tetsubo was lifted, swung... and Shuuichi's thorn whip sliced neatly through the handle, throwing the demon off-balance. The heavy spiked head of the club went crashing off into the trees, and there was a solid crunch as it made it into the brick wall surrounding the park; Shuuichi winced a little, and decided to pretend that had been part of the plan. Gokumonki ended up face-first in the dirt; before he could recover, Shuuichi had launched the next part of his attack.
Jumping over the pair—Miyuki looking around in angry bewilderment—Shuuichi scattered a handful of seeds to either side of the giant demon. Even before he landed, the vine seeds had put down roots and had snapped over the prone body of Gokumonki, pinning him bodily to the ground; when the demon started to struggle, the vines grew thorns. It wasn't the thorns that were the threat, however, it was the potent knock-out drug that theyexuded.
Gokumonki did not struggle for very long once those thorns pierced his hide.
When he turned, Miyuki was ready with a long, lavender-blue whip made from her hair and demon energy. He hadn't planned on tackling her, wishing more to set up for taking out Inmaki... but when she lashed out,he countered, and the battle was joined.
Kimiko's streak of luck had run out. Inmaki's attack—which she had stupidly run into—had gouged a good chunk out of her hide; blood dribbled freely down her back and shoulder, and her left arm was essentially useless for fighting. It would heal, but she couldn't do that at the moment, not with the speedy, invisible bastard hard on her heels.
At least when Gokumonki's shockwave had hit, it had sent Inmaki flying almost as much as her. That had bought her precious moments to at least seal the worst of the injury. But if she didn't wrap this up soon, it would be Shuuichi against a trio of difficult demons, and what would that say about her abilities then?
She snugged herself back against a tree, doing her best to avoid getting blood on the bark, and half-closed her eyes in a bid to concentrate. This particular asshole was fast, his cloak made him invisible, those claws made him deadly. The open terrain worked in his favor too.
The open terrain...
Kimiko blinked. Then smirked. Now that was an idea. She just needed the extra energy to pullit off.
She looked down at her wrists, then gave a mental shrug and apology to her master.
"Avitus," she whispered.
The golden cuffs shattered as though they had never existed, and a renewed strength came rushing in. It also had the unfortunate effect of lighting her up to the senses like she was a Christmas tree, something she knew no enemy would hesitate to take advantage of; as the spirit energy flowed through her, she took off running, heading for the part of the park that held buildings.
She hated leaving Shuuichi behind, but she had to trust that he would be all right on his own.
It was fortunate enough that the unexpected burst of power from Kimiko threw both Shuuichi and Miyuki from their fighting; unfortunately,Miyuki recovered first,and the tip of her whip slashed sharply across his chest, shredding his shirt and knocking him backwards. A thin red line of blood trickled from the gash; most of the force had been used up tearing through the heavy silk, leaving him only barely injured.
He managed to turn the fall into a backflip, gaining a shade more distance from her. But no, that wasn't the way to handle this fight. Like him, she fought from a distance, and used leverage to make up the difference in strength against her opponent. To that end, he was going to have to get in closer. Or maybe...
Shuuichi shifted his grip on his whip, and started twirling it in circles, altering the flow of his energy slightly. The breeze he swiftly produced became laced with razor-edged rose petals and thorns; Miyuki yelped and brought her arms up to shield her face from his attack.
In that moment, with her guard dropped, he lunged in, and his fist met her diaphragm.
Getting Inmaki to follow her hadn't been the problem. Avoiding his attacks while he did, however, was. While she had managed to avoid any severely punishing blows, her arms were a cross-hatch of shallow scores, some bleeding sluggishly as she directed her energy away from healing. She needed to take this punk out.
But man, it was going to suck hearing the reports on this one... And Master Genkai was definitely going to let her have it.
Kimiko sighed a little, then lifted her head as Inmaki's energy entered the corridor. She filled her hand with lavender energy, smirked, and fired off a blast of energy that filled the entire hallway; he went sailing into the wall, his cloak shredding away under the multiple blasts of energy.
The wall was fairly beat up too, and Kimiko tried not to notice; damaging a public landmark was going to get so much press...
When the lavender light faded to reveal the demon again, he simply fell face down onto the wooden floor, his cloak in tatters. Warily she watched, then edged closer; she could still sense him, so he wasn't dead... but when she poked him with her foot, he didn't react. Carefully, ready for him to spring up and go for her throat, she rolled him over with her foot.
"...out like a light. Thank god."
Shuuichi breathed a faintly relieved sigh as Kimiko returned, bearing Inmaki's unconscious body over her good shoulder. That blast of energy had worried him, given him pause in the middle of tying up the barely conscious Miyuki. But with the defeat of all three demons, the peripheral field would soon dissolve; it wouldn't do to leave the demons where the humans could find them.
"They're not dead, are they?" she asked pensively.
"No, though I fear they are quite dangerous, and I worry about your ideal of mercy."
He saw her flinch out of the corner of one eye.
"Shuuichi, I-"
"First we must find a way to return them to the demon realm," he said. "Then we can discuss what should have happened."
"I... all right. I can't do portals. Can you?"
"Not off the cuff, no, but I know there is an area in this park where one can be made without a lot of effort. It may still be open."
She nodded,then looked dubiously at Gokumonki.
"How're we moving him?"
Shuiichi nodded slightly at the vines, whose thorns had vanished. Now, they only bound Gokumonki's arms to his sides; a necessary precaution with a demon of his size and strength.
"The drug should wear off in a few moments, given his size. He can walk himself."
She looked surprised, then vaguely concerned. But whatever she was thinking, she kept to herself, and he found himself wishing he hadn't been quite so short with her. She placed Inmaki carefully on the ground, then retrieved a windbreaker and her backpack, carefully slinging both over her uninjured shoulder.
Fortunately, Gokumonki did not take very long to come around, and the fight seemed to have gone out of him completely. He plodded along ahead of Shuuichi, Miyuki on one shoulder, Inmaki on the other, to the portal area that Shuuichi knew of. Getting it open was just a matter of willpower, and once they were on the other side, it snapped shut, dissolving into a crackle of sparks. Overhead, the peripheral field that had kept the humans from interfering, or being caught in the fight, faded out.
"...would you join me for some tea?" he asked, his voice polite and calm once more. "I'd also like to take a look at your shoulder."
"Okay..."
They had to get around the humans who, with the field down, were now cautiously entering the park in an attempt to figure out just what the hell had happened at this hour of the night, and by the time they reached the flower shop, he could see that Kimiko was dragging from injuries and exhaustion both.
He started the tea, then ushered her into a chair so that he could tend to the wounds she hadn't been able to heal.
"...You'll feel better if you just yell at me," she said, a little glumly into the strained silence.
"I don't want to yell at you," he sighed a little. "But I find myself having to ask if you enjoy causing people concern."
She flinched, and it had nothing to do with the medicine he was carefully smearing over her shoulder.
"Why didn't you call me before you started that fight, Kimiko-san?"
She hung her head a little, then hissed as it pulled on injured skin.
"I... I guess I just wanted you to be safe," she said softly. "You... you've tried to go unnoticed by demons and demon hunters your whole life. It didn't seem... fair of me to ask you for help. And I thought..."
"You thought.." he prompted when she remained silent for several moments.
"I thought I could do it on my own. I've taken out multiple enemies before, and I've been training for ten years, plus there were the Spirit Cuffs that Master Genkai put on me. But..." she sighed and made a face. "I forgot that there's a difference between random demons who only group together out of luck, and those who're trained to fight alongside one another and cover each others faults."
Now it was his turn to sigh as he carefully taped a gauze pad into place.
"Kimiko," and he felt her jolt as he left off the honorific for the first time. "I would have preferred you to ask for my help instead of waking up and knowing that you were in a hard fight."
He saw no point in mentioning the phone call; he had already been preparing to go to her even before he had received that particular impetus to move faster.
Shuuichi moved around to tend to her arms, then looked up into her face; guilt, and a resigned sort of unhappiness. Amethyst-colored eyes, tear bright though she was refusing to let them fall, and a set to her chin that suggested her was gritting her teeth a little.
He reached up, gently cupped one cheek. She flinched at first, but when he did nothing more than keep his hand against her skin, her eyes finally met his.
"If you need my help, for anything, I want to know," he said firmly. "You need a partner sometimes, Kimiko. And I have, perhaps, been too passive in this life. I want to help you. Please. Will you let me?"
Watching her expressive face, feeling the way her jaw muscles shifted, he knew she was struggling with a multitude of complicated emotions. He couldn't force her to accept his help, but he hoped she'd be reasonable; if she told him no, he was libel to end up following her everywhere whenever she went out late at night, just to reassure himself.
It was better, he decided, than spending a sleepless night feeling her fight, and not knowing if she would be walking away.
"Are... are you sure?" she finally asked, her voice almost meek.
"Yes."
The simple answer seemed to reassure her, and after a moment she nodded. Very lightly, his thumb caressed her cheek, before he pulled his hand away and returned to tending her wounds.