Hello again, Banshee here. I'm here to apologize for my lateness.
dodges things thrown at her
I know that I'm getting really, really bad with this. I'm hoping you will forgive me.
Gets hit in the head with an apple core
But…
Rubs head
…This time I have a really good excuse. My mom allowed me to go to Europe this summer for my graduation present. I wasn't allowed to tell because she didn't want me to get picked up by some psycho or something else while I was away. For those of you who don't want to here any more, you may skip down to the chapter, (accepting my thanks and most sincerest and dearest apologies or not) For those of you who do, I'll give you a short and sweet spiel.
I went to Germany, France and Spain. It was very hot toping 40 degrees C. That's about 105 degrees. We saw churches and castles and we went up the Eitful (sp?) tower. I rode on the first highway that was ever constructed while crazy German drivers passed us going at least 110 mph. In Germany the country side is no different from the climate in The Oregon/ Washington state area, mostly gray skies and shrubbery. In France the dirt seems to change colors as you go from a light almost white tan to a dark red. The area over there is like Eastern Washington, dry with almost desert like plants. Spain is dark red dirt which is extremely tough looking. The plants are the same. We saw lots of museums and stuff like that (which was the best part). Finally, we swam in the Mediterranean which was so blue you wouldn't not believe it. It was also so salty I couldn't believe it. For those of you who have never tasted it, try taking a glass of water, poring in about two table spoons of salt and then take a sip of it. Leave the water a smidgen colder then room temperature and that is what the Mediterranean tastes like. I am not kidding. Also the water was cold, even though we could look out across it and see Africa. You'd think it would be warmer, but heh, go figure.
Oh, one final tidbit for the inquiring mind. If you are squeamish about woman anatomy, don't go to the beeches. Ladies of all ages, yes, I mean ALL ages enjoy spending a warm summer day on the beach tanning their chests without the annoying swimsuit lines. In other words, they take off the tops and (I have seen this) the bottoms too while they are at it. Also, males enjoy waltzing around in gasp! Speedo's! And it's not the hunky 20 somethin's either. Its usually somebody as old as your father/grandfather.
(P.S. I have nothing against old people, I really like some old people.—That sounds stupid right there, heh maybe I should write something different…Oh well, what the heck. XD)
Well now that I may have scarred your mind. Enjoy my late Gets hit in the head with an overripe tomato story…--!
Chapter 10: The Emperor in Reverse
Sweat pored down Jen's face and moistened her long black hair as she reached for the next scroll. "R-Release!" She rasped for the umpteenth time that day—or was it night? Who knew?
Before her the script on the scroll disintegrated in a puff of white light. Immediately the vacuum like sensation of the scroll pulled at her arm, trying to pull her inside. With a grunt Jen braced her free arm on the ceiling and pulled against the suction. Her right arm shook with the exertion of pulling itself out of yet another scroll. Slowly her arm pulled free of the liquid like mass of paper that tried to stay adhered to her arm. With a final burst of power, Jen shoved away from the wall and collapsed against one of the many metal beams that lined the ceiling.
The scroll, which she had just annihilated, stayed attached to the ceiling for a second longer before it popped off the wall and floated gently down to land by its brothers and sisters on the floor.
Our hero's eyes slid shut as she contemplated the slight tingling sensation on her right arm. With a little effort, she managed to bring the abused appendage into her lap. Jen cracked an eye open and looked down at her shaking arm. It didn't look hurt at all, maybe a little on the pale side, but other then that…
"Jen, why don't you come down and take a break." Kit said, though his tone of voice made the suggestion more of a command.
A break? Oh ya, that sounded good. But, Jen still had so much left to do. The black haired vixen's gaze turned to the ceiling; there along the cobwebs and uneven stones sat a nest of binding scrolls. It was as if an artist had dipped their brush in white paint and flicked the wet liquid across a sheet of textured paper many, many times; creating a masterpiece of white rectangle blotches.
With her left hand Jen reached up and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "I'm alright Kit."
"Yes but—"
"—We need to get these down." Jen argued. "I have no idea how much time I have left before Skilt comes lookin' for me. If we don't have these down by the time he gets here…"
Kit sighed loudly. "Yes, I know."
Jen lay still for a second longer before gathering herself together and heading onto the next scroll.
---
Chssss….Chsss…chsss
Skilt held up the blade that he had been polishing up to the light. The black steel of the blade reflected beautifully. With the smallest turn of the wrist he could see the thick hand carved blood oak doors behind him and the small servant girl that stood to one side of them. The girl stood silently dressed in the thin silky Chinese style kimono that every female messenger of Enma-dou wore. She had entered his playroom three minuets ago and was waiting silently, demure lavender eyes fixed on the floor.
"Yes?" Skilt asked, voice purring.
The girl, having finally been noticed, moved before him in quick yet flowing strides. Once before him she bowed low, making the bells on either side of her head jingle pleasantly. With a wave of her hand a slightly glowing orb appeared and hovered in mid air.
"The great Emperor of Spirit world, king of the dead and lord of the fates, wishes to have an audience with the noble Prince of Hell and future ruler of the human realm." The woman announced, her voice surprisingly quiet.
"Very well." Skilt drawled.
The woman bowed once again then straightened. With a manicured hand, the lovely female lightly grasped the glowing orb out of the air and smashed it between her palms. Light and wind pored from the orb and flung the messenger's mint green hair around. Quickly she reached into her robes and withdrew a scepter. With the care of a mother, the woman coaxed the writhing mass of light and wind onto the scepter.
Skilt watched silently as she allowed the scepter and orb to calm, then float on its own. It was from the glowing orb of wind and light that the voice of Enma would be projected.
"This one is pleased to introduce the Emperor of Reiki, ruler above all that which is divine and sacred in all of the three worlds, and commander of all fates. Enma-dou." The woman turned away from the scepter and exited the room.
Skilt sat up straight and ran a hand through his hair. "Enma, to what do I owe this great honor?" He drawled.
"It is with ill tidings that I come to you this day." Enma announced, monotone voice betraying no feeling.
"Oh?" Skilt asked and tilted his orange head to the side. "What could possibly make the great Enma contact me?"
"It seems, prince, that another god has become jealous of our endeavors and sends a spy into your midst." The god announced. "Inari is making his move."
Skilt pushed his dark sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. "Isn't there anything you can do to stop this Inari yourself?"
"Skilt, I have told you this many times before. As gods we cannot fight against one another in the open. To do so would be a violation against the laws that bind reality." Enma drawled.
"But, you need not strike in the open." Skilt voiced cryptically.
"The answer is no. I will not risk the very bonds of physical existence for a simple take over, Skilt!" Enma thundered.
"As you wish." Skilt conceded. "So, what would you have me do with this spy?"
"Kill her." Enma said flatly.
"You said the same thing about the Reiki Tantai. Yet, here they are completely under my control. I believe that I can handle one little spy sent by Inari."
"When I ordered Koenma to send in the Reiki Tantai, I had Koenma send them in unprepared. This spy will not be so easily caught. She knows too much." Enma said. "If she succeeds…we will be finished."
"Ah, still not telling your son what's going on?" Skilt asked.
Enma chuckled. "As far as he knows, the boys cannot make contact due to technical difficulties. "
Skilt nodded. "But, won't he become worried and send in a second wave? Someone who will try to locate his team?"
Enma chuckled darkly. "Koenma does not have the authority to send another team to rescue the first. Without my say, he can do nothing."
"But, what about his ferry girls? Can't he send those in?" Skilt demanded.
"The oar department is lacking ferry girls as it is, Koenma can't spare anyone or anything for his own personal gain. Do not worry about my end, Skilt. Worry about your own."
That said the orb of light and the scepter fizzled out of perspective and disappeared, leaving the prince to once again polish his knives and wait for his new toys to bring him the black kitsune.
---
"R-release!" Jen ordered. Her newest scroll bubbled angrily and sucked greedily at her arm, defying her command. "C'mon." Jen mumbled, urging her reluctant arm out. Slowly her limb began to move backwards, pulling itself out of the sticky mass of paper and suction. With a final tug the arm came loose with an audible pop. Sweat pored down her face as Jen allowed herself to relax. This was becoming more difficult with each scroll she encountered. Soon, she wasn't even sure if she would be able to pull herself out.
With a groan Jen lowered herself down against the polls. What would happen if she couldn't pull her arm out anymore? Could she really be pulled into the scroll? She just didn't know. Her gaze wondered back to the talismans, 5 were clustered there, 3 in the corner, and 1,2,3,4…6 in the back space over there. That made 14 in all. Not bad, but then again not good either. 14 scrolls left out of roughly 100 put up. So close, she had to do it. She could take care of 14 little scrolls left, she hoped.
"Jen." Kits voice floated up to her again. For the past ten scrolls he had been trying to urge her down.
Our hero closed her eyes. She knew she should listen to the fox, he knew so much more about these things then she did. But, if she stopped, she wasn't sure she could start again—even with a break. So, Jen pretended that she didn't or couldn't hear him. If she didn't respond he wouldn't push her, a little trick she had picked up about three scrolls ago.
Kit sighed and lowered his ears. It wasn't good for anyone, human or demon, to expend their energy the way Jen was doing now. That type of recklessness could kill the weak or untrained. Hence why he kept asking and worrying. But, Jen was neither weak nor stupid. He was sure that if she felt too exhausted she would stop and ask for help. At least, he hoped she would.
With a sigh Kit sat down and looked up to the ceiling. Above, Jen was up again and moving towards the next paper strip. She looked so tired, but she kept going. Kit looked away and pretend not to notice. Hoping he was doing the right thing.
Meanwhile, Jen pulled her hand back and plunged it deeply into the scroll. As before, the surface rippled and the suction began. "Release." Jen commanded as she pulled her arm back. Inch by inch her arm retreated, until she got to her wrist.
Jen blinked in confusion and gave her arm a forceful tug; but her hand would go no further. Jen licked her lips, her fist was still stuck fast inside the scroll, which was rippling at an alarming rate—almost as if the paper were coming to a boil.
Our hero began to panic, it was as if the paper had become solid again.
Suddenly, the scroll began to glow red and the surface bubbled and popped as if it were water coming to a boil. Jen took a deep breath, ready to call for help. But she didn't get the chance. White hot pain shot up from her fingertips, forcing Kits name from her lips and replaced it with a scream, high and pain filled.
---
Kit leapt to his feet as Jen screamed. His eyes found her in the same spot, near the back of the ceiling. She was struggling against a scroll that held her hand in a hellish, boiling red embrace. To his horror, the girl gave another ear-shattering screech as her arm began to sink in elbow deep.
The red haired fox's stomach dropped to his feet. "Jen!"
The girl bit her lip and braced herself against the wall with her free hand. A low moan escaped her as her arm sank in another two inches.
Kit moved over towards the girl as worry wormed its way across his ethereal features. Above, all of the scrolls that were left began to hum in an angry minor cord.
"Jen, what are you doing?" Kuwabara bellowed as his bonds began to glow the same hellish red as the scrolls.
Kits attention was nabbed from the struggling female as his own bonds began to glow. What in the seven hells was going on?
In his dark corner, now illuminated red. Hiei cursed.
A fresh peal of half shushed shrikes from Jen turned our worried fox's attention back to his charge. "Hold o—" The thought died in Kits throat as his bonds began to react to the power now building in the room, forcing him to his knees.
Kuwabara grunted and groaned as he too was affected in the same manor. "JEN KNOCK IT OFF!"
Jen panted against the wall. She wasn't doing it! It was the scroll. She gritted her teeth as another wave of pain assaulted her. Gods, she had to pull her arm out or else she was gonna…
Another wave of pain knocked her thought pattern off, ending everything else but the sensation. Jen's reality was sucked viciously sideways as the scroll pulled greedily at her arm.
Kits green eyes widened in terror as Jen's arm sank deeper into the scroll. Soon, he was sure that the girl would be pulled into the paper the way a child would slurp spaghetti. But, to his relief, she wasn't giving in without a fight.
The red haired demon licked his lips, what should he do? Kit closed his eyes to try and think. There had to be something he could do…
"Shut up." A dark and sadistic voice commanded.
Kit looked over at the speaker. The Jagonshi was watching the girl with a stoic expression.
The command was so random and unexpected that it took the pain numbed girl a few moments to register that the dark demon had even addressed her.
Jen took a deep breath and looked down, Hiei was talking to her. The demon narrowed his eyes.
"Your worthless." He spat. "Hurry up and die already."
Confusion crossed over Jen's face. Her mind echoing Hiei's statements. your worthless…shut up….die…Another wave of pain shot up her arm as if to confirm Hiei's remarks. She was worthless. But…her pain shocked brain argued…I did my best…
Kit turned towards Hiei stunned. What was he trying to do?
"Don't tell her that!" Kuwabara barked from his position on the floor.
"I don't need her anymore. I've enough energy to get myself out." Hiei growled at the carrot toped teen. "Now shut up, baka."
Kuwabara growled loudly. "Just keep talkin' shorty, one of these days!"
Hiei smirked. "One of these days what?" He challenged.
"That's enough out of the both of you!" Kit snapped loudly, he so did not need to baby-sit these two right now!
Jen moaned as her arm sank in shoulder deep. But it wasn't the pain that made her groan, it was what Hiei had said. Worthless; that pretty much summed her up. So far she had passed out, thrown up, and generally made a mess of things. Yup. worthless pretty much covered it.
Anger welded up inside her. Why? Why did she always mess things up? This was just like home. She always screwed up when things needed to be done right. She always made stupid mistakes. Gods, she was so stupid!
"I'VE HAD IT!"
Kit stopped arguing with the others as Jen's voice reverberated around the cell.
"GET THE HELL OFF OF ME! I WANNA GO HOME!" Tears welded up in Jen's eyes, and with a growl, she roughly wiped them away. A lot of good they'd do!
I'm so tired… Jen thought as she forcibly reached into her energy supply, So tired of always messing up. I'm not gonna do it any more. Her store was low, but she didn't care. All she wanted to do was finish this and be done.
I won't keep messing up!
Gut wrenching agony spilled down her arm as she forced the last of her ki down her arm and into the scroll. Her aura sliced and tore away at the binding as if the complex magic holding the thing together was nothing more then butter and herself the hot knife. She was dimly aware as other scrolls began to crack and groan like heated ice.
In retaliation, the scroll sent one last burst of defiance before it began to splinter and crack, following its siblings into destruction in a shower of burnt paper. The power flowed up Jen's arm and into her chest in a wave of skin prickling chi. The shocking sensation of that last attack pushed Jen out and away from the ceiling with the strength of a physical blow.
Jen felt her world tip and spin as gravity took hold and pulled her down towards the stony floor. Jen watched with no emotion as her world turned and gave her a full frontal view of the ground rushing up to meet her. Jen allowed her eyes to slide closed. She had enough. No more. She just wasn't good enough to handle everything.
She was…
after all…
Worthless…
---
The first sensation that told our hero that she wasn't dead was the feeling of something shifting beneath her. The next was a low throbbing ache. In response our hero clenched her teeth together and sucked in a little air. It felt as though her chest was on fire—the kind one usually had when they have been running for too long, or suffering from a hacking cough.
A gentle hand caressed her face and ran fingers through her hair. While a voice gently began to mummer comforts.
Fear welded up in the vixen, where was she and who the hell was touching her!
As if sensing her fear, the hand became gentler and allowed the voice to take over in the comfort department.
Despite the rush of fear, our hero could feel herself relax, which in her book was rather an oxymoron. How in the world could some stranger touching you make you relax? so, thus frightened and confused, Jen opened her eyes.
Everything was fuzzy and block-like in color. But, with a few good blinks, Jen was able to clear her head enough to see who and or what was taking advantage.
The first things that came into focus were a pair of startling green eyes. Eyes that held the weight of intelligence far superior to the eighteen year old face and wash of crimson locks that surrounded them. Jen's eyes focused on the face itself, a face so devoid of emotion that when any trace of feelings decided to show, it was still cautious. Still, oh-so-careful not to be a dead give away. Jen could think of only one person who was that well guarded. "Kurama?" Her voice sounded weak.
"No." The face answered, though there was a hint of smile in the voice. "Not Kurama."
Jen let her eyes slide closed again. Why was she having so much trouble keeping them open?
"Do you know who I am?" The voice was soft and gentle, but even still, there was a hint of deep alto. It was as if there was something else hidden in that sweet voice, a more wilder side. "Try again."
Try again? Who else could it be? Wait…why was she being so stupid. Of course there was someone else. Kit, how could she have overlooked him? What had happened to her? "Kit…what happened?"
The fox sighed loudly in relief. "That's right. I'm here." His hands again caressed her face. "You had an accident. That scroll tried to eat you, I think. It had almost succeed, but you staved it off."
Jen barred her teeth in a feral grimace. She remembered that, but the eating part had been happening to her hand, not her chest—and that is what hurt the most now. Though, now that she thought about it…her arm was suddenly becoming a close second on the what-hurt-worse scale.
"Ugh…It feels like I've been hit by a truck!" Jen grumbled and placed her hands over her face.
Kits smile faded slightly around the edges and he leaned forward slightly, cradling the vixen in his lap. This was the second time in two days that he had failed her. He should have done something, anything to make her come down and take a break. But, he'd done nothing and now she was lying still half conscious and dangerously low on youki in his lap.
Jen looked up as scarlet strands of hair fell about her face like some blood red curtain.
"I'm so sorry, Jennifer." Kits sorrowful voice whispered softly.
"Sorry?" Jen turned his statement into a question. "Sorry for what?"
Kit closed his eyes. "I should have done something."
"It's not your fault, Kit. If anyone's to blame its me. I didn't listen." Jen said.
Kit took a deep breath and turned his head to the side, avoiding her eyes. "Jen, you nearly died."
Jen reached up and gently laid a hand on his cheek, with a little bit of pressure she guided the foxes gaze back to her own. "Well, I didn't die." She said, voice trying to sound helpful.
Kit smiled slightly. "No you didn't die, and I'm grateful. But, that scroll sent a shock-wave up your arm through the open channel left by your escaping youki. That wave disrupted what little energy that you had left and snuffed it out. If Kuwabara hadn't been here to give you some life energy, or if the blast of your youki hadn't been enough to overload the circulation of magic running from scroll to scroll blowing them up, both you and Kuwabara could have died."
"Kuwabara?" Jen asked. She turned her head, through the parts in Kits hair, she could just make out the teen a few feet away breathing deeply. He had been perched against the wall where he seemed to have passed out.
"When you fell, your heart stopped. Thankfully though, Hiei caught you and got you to Kuwabara before any real damage could be done." Kit continued.
Jen closed her eyes. She vaguely remembered falling, probably because her brain decided to keep her only record of this event as a snapshot of the floor from an awkward angle. Oh boy, when she got outta here she owed the fire demon and Kuwabara some cookies, cake, sweet snow, or something else along that sweet and sugary line.
"Wow. I didn't think Hiei would save me." Jen wondered aloud.
"Hn. Do your job right and maybe I wouldn't have to." A dark voice spat.
Jen closed her eyes and bit her lip. Gods, he hated her and as far as she was concerned; she couldn't blame him for it either!
Kit felt the girl tense, Hiei had struck a tender nerve in the girl. "The power of your youki is closely linked to your feelings." He said gently, trying to sooth her hurt feelings. "Hiei was mearly attempting to force an emotional reaction to help you summon a blast large enough to vanquish that scroll. Well, obviously it worked. You not only got enough for that last scroll, you grabbed enough to kick the rest of them out as well."
"So, you're saying that the shrimp was trying to help Jen?" Kuwabara demanded sleepily. He had woken up somewhere during their explanations.
Kit shrugged, not wishing to deny or confirm his views least he end up on the wrong side of a blade or worse.
Kuwabara shot a look at Hiei then closed his eyes. "Hiei? Help someone out? And here I thought he was being his normal self."
"Say that ever again and I'll rip your tongue out." Hiei hissed, voice as hard and sharp as his blade. He was definitely pissed about being accused of helping.
Kuwabara made no comment, he had passed out again.
Kit shook his head and smiled. It seemed everyone was getting along nicely.