"Council Ayano will have our hides once she finds out about Iwao's guest." The burly guard gripped to his partner as they walked the halls of the upper chamber, "Why is he meeting with anyone this late?"
"Ayano be damned," His partner replied shrugging, "if she wanted to keep tabs on Iwao she should have put her own guards to the task. I answer to Masanori not to those two hotheads."
"With luck this will be over soon. I'm tired of this grunt work. We're supposed to be dealing with that little problem on the other side of the level, not sitting on our hands babysitting the building." The first responded, pausing to open a random door and peering into the empty room beyond before shutting it again.
"Personally I'd rather just be as far away from that quarantine area as I can get. Place gives me the creeps when we get assigned to guard it." The second added as he checked a room on the other side of the hall, "There's nothing here, let's just hurry up and get this cycle over with."
The other grunted in agreement as they began to walk a bit faster down the torchlit corridor, neither bothering to check another room before they rounded the end.
As their echoing footsteps faded from hearing two shadows detached themselves from the beams supporting the high ceiling, dropping silently to the floor.
Both demons paused facing towards the way the guards had gone before continuing in the opposite direction.
He had known it was a mistake a core thrum after he had reacted.
He could have easily given himself excuses, allowed for the situation at hand.
He had, after all, spent the last three years keeping close eye on all things pertaining to the strange being he had once sworn protection to in the Human world.
It was simple impulse that had driven him to the almost desperate action of all but shoving Shizuru into the nearest unoccupied room, his hand settling over her mouth lightly to caution sound from her.
A few seconds after had come the scrape of movement caused by the guards that they had been avoiding since entering Twilight Keep trailing an obviously secretive Shinya, but he had reacted sooner than he should have and she would be well aware of that.
Shizuru shook him off, glaring at him balefully for a moment before cracking the door to mark the passage of said guards.
He should have pulled her away, kept her from the visual confirmation that he knew would come after the guards had passed but he could not sustain the energy to do so.
He leaned heavily against the nearest wall in an attempt to collect himself, to regain some sense of equilibrium yet that was almost impossible.
He had managed to rest enough for a grudging amount of recovery; one that he had been aware would be passing in nature.
Shinya had emptied him of his surplus, left him all but at the feet of the nearest reaper.
Shizuru was aware of that as well, knew the dangers that lack of energies put her in while in his company which to his shame he was having a difficult time resisting.
Most especially considering what a wealth of said energies Shizuru's frame contained, calling to him on a level that was passed instinct intertwining more closely with a narcotic craving he kept at bay by sheer will alone.
It was only because he was so fully concentrated on withstanding the urge that he had enough awareness to see the surge of Fate's energies that preceded the one that had caused his hasty mistreatment of Shizuru.
Otherwise he would have been blind to it, stumbled upon the only beings that could have produced such a strong aura of those telltale energies on this particular level.
Shinya was the one who decided this course. Is this not the point I should begin to question his real motives behind keeping her past from her though I was a willing participant?
It had made too much sense at the time, keeping that information from the already volatile Shizuru.
He could only see destruction if it had all been revealed and she had already been forced to endure the weight of not just one but two universal concepts.
"As long as I last it doesn't matter what I go through."
How strange to think of those words in this moment.
To recall the clear exhaustion that had been on her face.
To feel that remembered internal whirlwind of shattered illusion as he had finally allowed himself to look beyond the Witness that she had been to the passionate, resolution of her soul that thought further than her own agonies towards a higher purpose.
He had meant what he had offered, to be her shield if need be.
He may have failed her, and in so doing failed his calling as well.
How had he missed the signs of Shinya's fall?
Even looking back over their journeys, sifting through every encounter he could not quite see the design as he should be able to.
Yes, he had questioned Shinya's decision to keep Shizuru's past from her but ultimately there had been little flaw within the older demon's reasoning.
It had been only too obvious that Fate was still working through Shizuru that its energies still coursed within her body.
That Shizuru was still in many ways the embodiment of Fate, though it's will seemed more oriented towards what could be mistaken for Shizuru's own.
"Why did you do that?" He asked, scowling down at the body that lay in the alleyway.
He had not meant to speak so severely, shock had allowed the emotion to color his tone.
Shizuru stared down at the dead demon, something akin to shock on her own features before it blurred and was replaced with a hardness he had never seen before.
"Like you care?" Shizuru returned, bending down to wipe the blade in her hand clean of blood on the corpse's clothing.
It was a seemingly callous act considering the circumstances, yet not beyond Shizuru if truth be told of her nature.
"That demon was no threat to you." He stated firmly, folding his arms.
"No…he really wasn't, was he?" Shizuru muttered, standing once more, "Still not sure why you care."
"That you ended a life for no reason? We do not kill indiscriminately." He censured, slightly disturbed by her actions, "What purpose did that serve?"
Shizuru sighed, "You mean you don't kill like that. I'm not your race remember?"
"Shizuru!" He snapped, annoyance mingling into his uneasiness, "That is not…"
"He was centered on me!" Shizuru interrupted, pivoting towards him with obvious anger, "I don't know what happened! He…he looked at me and it was like something else was looking at me instead!"
He glanced down at the felled demon, "Something…else?"
"I don't know." Shizuru growled, shoving her blade into its sheath at her side, "I just know I didn't like it and I knew he wasn't going to stop looking at me so I killed him."
"Return to Shinya," He insisted, glancing down the alleyway for any that might have seen what she had done, "It was a mistake to allow you to wander."
Shizuru's expression tightened, momentarily causing him to tense in preparation for one of her now infamous threats but a second later it melted away.
"You know why I do it." Shizuru said, quietly.
"You seek your past in strangers." He replied, shifting to look directly at her, "A year is a long time to do so."
"Don't worry," She assured him, dismissively, "I'm not going to bother anymore."
He frowned as a wisp of dissatisfaction floated through him at her words.
Should he not feel relief that she would abandon her search for her past?
It had been a constant point of contention between them, her disappearances each time they came across any small gathering of people.
He knew what she sought, some hint that she was being searched for among those levels that they would travel to but she did not know that they limited just how high they would follow Fate's chain.
"May I inquire why it is you have decided this so suddenly?" He requested, attempting to keep his dismay from being obvious to her.
"I would have found something by now." Shizuru answered, distraction in her tone, "Either there's no one to remember me or whoever did know me doesn't mind me being gone."
He could not help the images that swam into his mind, the voices of the past that had surrounded her and fought for her survival.
"Fitting or not, this has to be the end of it."
Those were words spoken in quite suppression of an anticipated agony by the fire demon while Shizuru slept.
How could he even begin to help this creature Shizuru had become understand the depths of that agony without giving the most vital clue to her past?
He could not tell her how very wrong she was in her assumption.
He could not offer her solace for the pain it should have inspired in her to have to contemplate that rationale.
It would have done nothing, that act of empathy.
Shizuru was already stepping beyond any emotion that might have been stirred in those moments, unable to sustain the connection within herself.
There was nothing he could offer her aside from his continued presence.
He must speak with Shinya about this newest turn of Shizuru actions.
He was well enough versed in the manner of Fate's hand to grasp that hint of distraction to Shizuru's tone heralded its influence on her actions.
"I didn't want to kill him." Shizuru offered, her voice settling into her usual dead pan intonations, "I had to…I didn't have a choice. One second he was just looking at me and then wham I was using my knife on him."
He felt one of his eyebrows rise in response to the confession, to the slightly lost note in her voice as she spoke of what had occurred.
"Return to Shinya" He repeated, this time in a much more mild tone, "I will take care of this. When I return to our rooms we will talk of this more."
Shizuru nodded, her gaze going once more to the demon on the ground.
He watched her intently, taking careful note of the confusion that was plainly expressed on her face before she sighed heavily and left the area.
They had only just begun to understand some of what Shizuru was capable of then, and after that night in the alley she had become focused on controlling her energies.
Shizuru's focus had been easily called obsession, and when they cautioned her she would only smirk before resuming her training.
The stronger she became, the more she seemed to retreat into herself until they were merely spending time near her instead of traveling with her.
Shizuru had served as a distraction, allowed him to dismiss each time he might have called Shinya in to question.
He had only himself to blame in the end.
How many times had their minds crossed within the warding?
How could he have been so blind to the tampering Shinya had accomplished?
How could he not have sought out another's counsel concerning the increasing number of dark souls they seemed to encounter?
How had he allowed Shizuru to become so locked into their dealings with Fate that she was forced to protect them against the Witnesses that seemed to become twisted versions of themselves?
"So," Shizuru commented stepping up next to him, "You want to explain why you shoved me in here to avoid the same guys Shinya had me check for Fate energies?"
He felt himself stiffen with true shock, "Shinya had you interact with them?!"
"Keep your voice down," Shizuru hissed, scowling at him, "yea he had me check the red head."
"And the other?" He questioned, frowning himself, "Did you…"
"Just the red head." Shizuru answered, her eyes narrowing, "He wasn't by the way but I got a feeling he's screaming with it now, huh?"
He forced himself to relax, to gather his thoughts before speaking.
Shizuru would not allow for him to lie outright at this juncture, he was amazed she had followed his lead this far without requiring more explanation.
If what he suspected were true he would need her in the coming confrontation, Shinya was far too strong even without a surplus of energies himself.
"You have traveled with us long enough to know our main objective after the warding" He offered, carefully choosing his words as he rubbed wearily at his forehead.
He was entering dangerous territories with what he was about to reveal to her, but he could not have her doubt his intentions.
Shizuru had to be swayed to his convictions, given reason to enter into a conflict she would have otherwise left to him.
He did not live in a false sense of security with her, though he was privy to a less confrontational association with her, he was not what would be considered a trusted ally.
Shizuru was more prone to antagonism with Shinya but she was an intelligent being, if she considered the fight without merit then she would not join him in the task of ending the threat he believed Shinya to be.
"The memories of people meeting you," Shizuru responded automatically as she folded her arms, "And?"
"Those…two individuals represent the one time in our race's collective knowledge of such memories being left behind." He informed her, gravely, "Lord Kurama and Lord Hiei recall every moment of their encounter with my race…and with the Witness that affected their lives."
Shizuru's eyes widened slightly, "How did that happen?"
"The only way it possibly could, Lord Koenma insisted the memories remain." He answered, lowering his hand to gaze at her.
"Must've pissed the old man off then…" Shizuru commented, her eyes suddenly lighting with dark amusement.
"That is a…fair assumption. Shinya was not pleased with the interference or the legacy that threatened by leaving those memories behind." He explained, pausing for a moment, "I believe it is then that Shinya became less dedicated to our calling. We must find him and…"
"We?" Shizuru interrupted, raising an eyebrow, "You must, but me…I'm thinking I'm about to just leave the Keep. So far you've got me sneaking in here, avoiding guards and Spirit World dupes and without any real reason for me to be involved at all."
He had known it was coming, that distinction she made between their calling and her involvement at all times.
He could not fault her for it; they had created the distance by being evasive as to her past.
That she remained with them was nothing short of a miracle but it cost all of them in tempers and a continued wearing a way of their unspoken truce.
One day Shizuru would tire of it, seek out her own answers and he was certain when that occurred both his and Shinya's lives would be forfeit regardless of any seeming understanding between them.
He could not help but think it was all by design.
They were here within the Keep at the same time Shinya's deceptions were coming to light.
"I require your assistance, Shizuru." He admitted, wearily, "I believe Shinya has corrupted Witnesses."
Shizuru's eyes narrowed as she considered his words, "Few questions...one, what do you mean corrupted?"
"There is always a balance; those who we come across are equally of good or evil intent. Over the past few years there has been an uncommon amount of those aligned with darker morals. I thought perhaps it was something I did not understand." He explained, troubled by these admissions, "But after Masanori I am certain it was done to them, not a product of their own alignments."
"What?" Shizuru asked, laughing softly, "You saying Shinya turned them bad?"
He paused, a growing sense of betrayal and dismay coursing through him, "I am saying Shinya forced his will upon them. Twisted their natural inclinations against the balance we were meant to preserve."
"You realize this is Shinya you're talking about, right?" Shizuru pointed out, her brow furrowing, "Why would he…"
"I have no real idea why he would turn against our calling." He interrupted, angry with the entire charade.
He had been so honored to be chosen as the one to be trained by the oldest of their kind, so very proud to have earned the notice of the elder.
Shinya was the epitome of their race, the standard others were judged by.
To even contemplate that Shinya would take Fate's chain into his own hands, force it into some shape not intended was beyond thought or should have been.
"Whatever his reason may be that is of no consequence." He continued, quietly, "The others are much too far away to contact. I must be the one to confront him…and if I am right he will try to end my life in an effort to keep such things from our people. He attempted to do so when we were warding Masanori."
"You're serious." Shizuru stated, stepping closer, "Shinya tried to kill you? That wasn't a backlash from Masanori burning?"
He could not help the smirk that lifted one side of his mouth, "You of all people know what a true pulse feels like, you did not trust Shinya to watch over me for a reason, Shizuru."
It was a gamble, forcing Shizuru to acknowledge that aspect of herself that she held in such contempt.
He understood her feelings in that particular area, there were very few who responded well to having their will subjugated by another.
And for Shizuru that will came without true personality, it was as if it was something she decided to do on a whim though everything about her core personality rejected those actions.
Shizuru would choose to walk away, to leave those she killed behind without any more notice than one would give to an insect.
In essence Shizuru was more true to the concept of neutrality than his own race, her reaction based solely on the moment and nothing more. Her consideration was for neither good nor ill but a delicate play between the two.
He had grown fond of her despite the constant acidic responses, perhaps a bit too protective of her seeming inability to connect to her deeper emotions.
He regarded her in many ways as a younger demon, not because of her only recent physical changes but due to her stunted responses to emotion.
Anger did fuel her steps, but it was only too obvious when other emotions stirred within her. She would balk; hide behind her mask of unaffected amusement until those emotions would withdraw from her immediate reaction.
Time and again he had witnessed the process.
Time and again he had found himself willing with everything he held within his core that perhaps this time she would be able to step beyond the damage done to her.
That perhaps this time she would be able to hold something more than the shadowed veil of indifference that ate away at what was left of her true personality as Fate slowly claimed her as its own.
Time and again he had been forced to acknowledge there was nothing to inspire her to fight against that all consuming wave of influence.
It was something he had come to accept, caused him to question Shinya's edict not to allow her those crumbs of her past.
Perhaps that is why Shinya decided this course to begin with…Shizuru's purposeful consumption by Fate…
Shizuru's eyes narrowed again, "Both of you almost died, you and Shinya."
Her voice brought him from his thoughts back into the present situation.
He nodded, "Shinya reacted to my knowledge at an inopportune moment. His attack on me was a core thrum from Masanori's initial pulse as the Chimera. He bore the brunt of that backlash while I only suffered his attack."
Shizuru remained quiet for a long moment, obviously thinking through the implications of what he had just revealed to her.
"What does that have to do with me, exactly?" She asked finally, tilting her head to the side, "Still not seeing the "my problem" part of this."
"If I die your past dies with me. Shinya will retreat, find a way to continue his plans whatever they may be. If you assist me in stopping him, I will tell you what I know." He offered, steeling himself for her reaction.
It was the entirety of what he held to sway her to his purpose, to ensure when he faced Shinya there would be enough threat for the elder to surrender.
Then he would hand Shinya over to the other elders of their people for judgment.
They might decide to impose exile as they had with Tsuneo and Nariaka but of that he had doubt, Shinya was far too powerful to simply allow continued existence.
He only knew he could not impose that judgment, not on his mentor who he had held in such high esteem.
These long moments of silence held a bitter quality to them in many regards but he had no alternative.
Shizuru sighed, "Well if we're going to do anything you're going to need to perk up a little."
"I am well aware of my needs." He half snapped.
"Guess I'll go wrestle up a late night snack for you then." Shizuru said amusement back in her voice as she moved towards the door.
"I fail to see the humor in this situation." He commented, annoyed.
"And that's why nobody likes you." Shizuru tossed over her shoulder as she cracked the door, then with a quick glimpse disappeared from sight.
"The idiot must have it on him."
He looked up from his perusal of the last drawer of Iwao's desk in the Council member's main office.
Their careful combing of the rooms allotted to Iwao in the level above had yielded several cleverly hidden alcoves and one unnerving room full of the corpses of twelve demons, their bodies frozen in moments of agonizing death.
That room of bodies had cost him more than a heartbeat of hesitation.
While torture was common within Demon World these haphazardly strewn bodies in the personal rooms of a demon in power seemed an ominous sign of the type of personality they were dealing with in Iwao.
That was not the only thing that hindered their progress.
Considering their lack of knowledge about the inner rooms of the Keep stealth had been their main concern. With that in mind they had been slowed by the constant rounds of the guards who were absurdly slipshod in their duties.
Unfortunately that lax caused them to be overly cautious, slowing them as they searched to avoid discovery and now they were severely pressed for time.
"Perhaps we should see just who it is Iwao is entertaining?" He offered, standing fully.
Hiei's mouth twisted in a slight smirk, "Does this mean you've finally decided to drop the act of patience?"
He smiled himself, "Whatever do you mean?"
"You're not as talented as you think you are." Hiei remarked, turning towards the doors that led out to the main hallway, "You want to be here even less than me."
Possibly more than you will ever truly know…
Of course he could not say that aloud, hint at any of the thoughts that plagued his mind at this particular moment.
He had thought he had hidden his uneasiness beneath the guise of being overly cautious but apparently Hiei knew him much too well.
He could not help the hyper sensitivity that he had felt overcome him as they entered the Keep proper, some vague apprehension dogging his steps as they moved about the massive building.
At any other time he might have divulged what was plaguing his thoughts to relieve the slowly increasing burden of that disquiet.
Unfortunately Hiei was not the ideal being to reveal any of its nuances to.
Instead of voicing his thoughts he moved towards the door, Hiei falling into step beside him.
A cursory glance assured there were no guards to avoid immediately in the hallway allowing them to slip out into the cover of shadows cast by the torches that lined the immense corridor.
Traveling down it to the main receiving chamber went without incident which only added to his sense of foreboding.
Something about this is not right…
He glanced at Hiei who stood against the wall beside him, his brow furrowed as the fire demon scanned the empty area with his eyes.
While it was helpful to have prior knowledge of the interior of any given building it was not what set him apart from other thieves.
It was his ability to sense the oncoming presence of ill fortune and react to it as a reality and not just a passing concern.
Hiei's crimson eyes came up to his, dark knowledge within them as well.
He raised an eyebrow in question, receiving only a partial nod from his companion in response.
Then they were agreed.
They had fallen into the mechanisms of a trap, though its dimensions were not yet certain.
They could proceed, setting in motion what had been planned for them.
Or they could retreat and attempt to find another venue to acquire their purpose for being there.
He was well aware neither of them was willing to attempt this venture a second time.
He motioned to Hiei to trail him with a small lift of his fingers before proceeding into the less illuminated area.
If anything he was expected, his reputation preceded him in every level.
A master thief was all the denizens of Demon World recalled of him and reacted in similar fashion, fortunately for him that was not the only hat he had worn during his lifetime.
He straightened as he neared a better lit area, the perfect illumination for his supposed "capture".
Frankly he was a bit disappointed that there had been so little effort put in to the entire affair; they could have made it seem more of a challenge that he was caught within the confines of the Keep.
He did enjoy the stories told of his crimes, the flourishes involved in the minor details of others who had attempted the same thing.
This trap was almost embarrassing to spring if this was the paltry effort put into it.
Still he was a bit curious as to why anyone would even bother, though he had his suspicions.
He sighed internally as he stepped into the light, glancing about as if undecided which way to proceed.
"Did you enjoy your time in my personal chambers, Kurama?"
He turned towards the voice that had come from the shadows across the foyer.
A slim demon stepped from those shadows, a bewildering amount of confidence allowing the creature to cross some of the space separating them with a cold smile.
Pale green eyes assessed him for a moment set in unassuming features that were both noteworthy for the delicate bone structure and entirely forgettable for the lack of true definition.
Iwao was nothing special in a sea of aristocratic faces, there was no doubt now why it was he had risen to power of any kind.
The previously mentioned yet absent Quest Class Masanori had been Iwao's power.
"Iwao," He greeted the demon, his gaze taking in the distinct lack of power in this demon's aura, "I would say it's a pleasure but that would be stretching my ability to lie."
Iwao smirked, gesturing towards the guards that were appearing from behind him to form a semi circle of what the Council member obviously thought was an adequate strength of numbers to assure his capture.
Again he could not help but sigh internally.
It was strange how often this very scenario was played out.
One of these days while on assignment from Koenma there would be a proper equivalent of power produced by these upstarts.
One day he would actually feel distinctly challenged by what was presented as his obstacle.
Hiei was irrelevant at this point considering it was overkill to involve the fire demon.
"You don't seem all that troubled." Iwao commented leisurely, "I could have you killed for being here and claim Koenma sent you to kill me. Do you have any idea how quickly this level and others would fall behind my cause then, Kurama?"
"You do realize that you are outmatched, even with your small company of men." He pointed out, gesturing at those gathered around Iwao, "Hand the artifact over before you do something you will probably not live to regret. Koenma could care less about your threats, but he would appreciate the Gate being returned to the vaults."
Iwao's face contorted with suspicion and anger, "Who told you…nevermind, I'm sure it was that joke Ayano. She won't be a problem for much longer either. You don't hold the upper hand as much as you think you do. He was right. Your arrogance is your downfall."
His eyebrow rose in mild interest, "He?"
"That's…dumb." She commented as she watched the pretty red head step into the obvious trap from the tier above the main receiving hall.
They were mostly hidden by the shadows from those below though none of the occupants of that level were bothering to check.
They had made their way to this section based on the concentration, or really lack thereof of guards.
It had been disgustingly evident that a sort of funnel had been created to lead others to this particular area, and from the looks of it the Spirit World representatives had been the choice catch for the ploy.
"Lord Kurama is anything but unintelligent, Shizuru." Kanako censured beside her.
She glanced at Kanako, sighing inwardly.
Kanako tended to adopt a lecturing tone that irritated her when he knew the demon they were surveying.
She supposed it was because Shinya tended to do the same, they were teacher and student after all.
That didn't stop her from being irritated by the hint of superiority that drifted into their words.
She didn't know why they bothered; names were not something she tended to remember since there was no reason to recall them. She rarely spent more than a month in the company of any other demon besides Shinya and Kanako.
Even if she did it was a redundant practice.
Shinya and Kanako made sure as many people as possible forgot she existed to begin with once they accomplished erasing memories of their trio passing through.
She rolled her eyes, "Sure looks stupid to me. Don't see Shinya though."
She could see mostly demons that were going to be dead soon, and the idiot Iwao standing among them as if he somehow had control of the situation but no Shinya.
"Not as of yet but I am certain he is about. We have only to wait to see what will occur." Kanako replied, slowly.
"What makes you so sure he wants this pair?" She asked, curiously looking over at her companion.
Kanako put out a hand to the railing they were near to survey the scene below, there was a slight tremor of muscle there but it no longer meant weakness.
She had made sure Kanako had enough to refill his reserves, even offered him more than enough.
She was not particular fond of the manner Kanako's race sustained themselves; in fact she was immediately set on edge by its method.
Watching a demon drain another demon of their life energies was disturbing to say the least, adding to that the sickly green glow of the attack used to do so automatically sent her defenses into overdrive.
They did not need to feed all that often, normally sustaining themselves on small animals unless they were drained of their surplus as Kanako had been by Shinya's attack.
It had taken the collective life energies of five full grown demons to sate Kanako, and even though she had removed herself from the room she had enticed the demons into she had fought that inclination of being guarded.
She was not all that certain why her reaction was so intense, only that it had been that way since the first time she had witnessed one of that race feeding.
It was perhaps something about the glow of energies, or maybe some ingrained aversion like the one she held for deep waters of any kind.
Whatever it was her body reacted without her knowing why it did so and while she hated not knowing the cause she had learned to accept it as her kind of instinct.
They were dangerous when they fed, and sometimes they were cruel with it as well leaving the energies lingering within someone causing them agony as they slowly absorbed their life.
Shinya claimed neutrality was their common alignment but she had her doubts, especially after having witnessed the small distinctively satisfied smile that would cross their faces as their victims were drained.
Maybe they wanted to be neutral, but they had a distinguishing sadistic side.
"I do not believe this will play out as Lord Kurama wishes." Kanako stated, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Yea," She agreed, turning her attention back to the scene below them, "Iwao is way too cocky considering how strong that guy is, especially without Masanori here to back him up. Didn't he have…a partner? Could have sworn there was another guy…"
"In the farthest shadows of the main Council Chamber…" Kanako replied, studying those below.
She felt her brow furrow slightly, internally surprised that Kanako had to point out the position of someone who should be as evident as Kurama was to her.
Despite the fact that not a day prior there had been very little of Fate's energies around the supposed fox demon even she could feel the aura of it vibrating from the form below though she could not view it in the same way Kanako did.
She actually had to put some effort in to locating the smaller of the pair within the haze of shade and shadows.
That's…not right. How the hell is he doing that? I can't feel him at all…
Regardless of the strangely unsettling reality of the hidden demon her eyes were drawn away from the strain of separating the small, almost indistinguishable form to the original target.
"I'm going to help that one out." She stated before she realized she was readying herself to launch over the railing, "You can take camo boy."
"Wait…" Kanako hissed, warningly.
"No time like you said," She responded glancing at him again, "things are about to happen."
She was already in motion, maneuvering herself to drop down to the floor below her as quietly as possible.
The banter being flung between the red head and annoying Council member would easily hide any noise she might make on landing.
It was weird at times, balancing that odd impulse to involve herself with things she otherwise could have cared less about, what did it really matter to her if the odds were a bit one sided in this?
For some reason she did.
For some reason she was absolutely certain things were about to happen that were not only important but would be defining in some way.
For some reason she wanted the Spirit World representative who was definitely strong enough to handle this small mob to survive this encounter.
She landed without notice behind those that encircled Iwao, drawing one of her blades from her belts.
This close she could feel the charge in the air, the growing anticipation that she always associated with oncoming strife.
This could be fun…
It was then that a very distinct charge of demonic energies soared from among the shadows that she had been struggling with only moments before to strike the red head, sending him flying across the large receiving hall and slamming hard enough into a pillar to destroy it completely.
Debris rained down from the level above as it was torn down with its support, half burying the form that lay below it.
For a heartbeat she stood frozen, shocked by the knowledge of just who had unleashed that attack.
There was only one being who could have done so but Shinya shouldn't have been able to produce something that strong in his weakened condition.
Kanako and the…partner would have to deal with that.
Iwao's guards were beginning to surge forward; apparently they had been waiting for that attack and were going to take full advantage.
She almost felt sorry for the demon struggling under what had to be intense agony and a good amount of rubble that pinned him to the ground.
She was a little impressed he was doing that well.
Most of the time Shinya's energy attacks simply killed, or at the very least incapacitated.
She shook the thoughts from her mind, concentrating on the moving throng of individuals in front of her.
Really she only needed to get to one of them.
It was her turn to move.
Part of her mind registered the grind of stone against stone, then a boom of shuttering doors as she slipped in among the fray.
He struggled against the weight that held his legs trapped against the stone floor.
His thought drifted and swayed in a miasma of frosted agonizing eddies of acidic fire that coursed through his entire being.
He spat blood among the dust of destruction that coated him, as he attempted to both free himself and regain his equilibrium.
It had been some time since he had faced anything or anyone with the caliber of power he had just been blindsided by and it only served to strengthen his growing need to respond.
He had miscalculated at some juncture, not allowed for some errant chance however slim it might have been.
He raised his head, noted the oncoming guards with grim resolve through blurred vision.
A final kick freed him from the last of debris holding him in such a vulnerable position.
Painfully he rose from the floor, a hand going to his hair to produce his main weapon.
He stumbled slightly as he allowed his energies to shape his Rose Whip.
If the thought was to kill him with no blood of their own spilling to the floor then they were highly mistaken in that assumption.
Where is Hiei?!
His narrowed eyes traveled the nearing group of well armed guards.
"STOP!"
Every demon advancing on him halted, turning almost as one towards the sound of Iwao's strained voice.
He felt his breath leave him momentarily once again.
Iwao knelt on one knee behind the ring of guards that had rushed forward in the hopes to ensure his demise
Holding the upstart's right arm in a decidedly awkward angle, and the blade of a finely honed knife to Iwao's throat was the last person he would have expected.
Her face was still covered with the half mask of before, her clothing of a Demon World cut, but there was no denying who it was that had just stepped in to assist him.
Shizuru's eyes met his, the all too familiar dark amusement shining in those topaz orbs.
It rocketed through the fog of agony still traveling through him though its hold was beginning to lessen.
It was a breathless torrent of assertion that might have inspired some emotional response if at the moment he was not doing his utmost to remain on his feet.
Shizuru was alive.
Narumi will be pleased to know…if I survive this encounter…
It was admittedly an odd thought to have in such a precarious situation but it still held true.
One of the many lasting effects of Shizuru's absence was a distinct lessening of the gang leader's motivation. Uncertainty was not within Narumi's makeup to manage well though he knew he was the only one who was aware just how much the loss of her rival had unbalanced the woman.
Not knowing what had befallen Shizuru weighed heavily on Narumi.
"Now be a good bunch of little peons and back off." Shizuru ordered, her voice slightly changed by the mask, "Or do I need to start taking pieces off of Iwao?"
"Move back!" Iwao half screamed as the knife at his throat indented his skin, "All of you get away from Kurama!"
He remained tense as the mob withdrew slowly, knowing they were all weighing the odds of rushing Shizuru before she could kill the Council member.
"Weird…" Shizuru commented, glancing around at the men then down at Iwao, "So how many of these guys did you convince Masanori was coming back? I mean I don't remember a lot of them being loyal to you but I can't figure out why so many of them would be here doing this. Last I heard none of them liked you all that much."
"Lord Masanori is away on a mission to quell…." One of the guards began to asserted, stopping as Shizuru chuckled darkly.
He felt himself straighten at the callous mirth of that laughter, it held a strange malevolent tone he had never heard from her.
"And you speak of her as if Shizuru Kuwabara still lives. I assure you, Lord Hiei was remarkably adept at erasing her from existence."
A part of his mind noted the ease that she held Iwao, the intent that was displayed by the continued threat of the knife.
Would she kill Iwao?
Granted, at the moment he wanted to but that was within reason.
Iwao had intended his death through means of securing a strong ally that could injure him to the degree that he felt all but drained with only one attack.
Was Shizuru all that much different than before?
"Masanori isn't anywhere Iwao sent him." Shizuru informed the crowd at large, "Nobody knows where that walking mess of a good guy went. This moron is just using your loyalty against you right now. You idiots are trying to kill one of Koenma's guys…you know that god. Pretty sure you don't want to be meeting him having to admit you died trying to kill his representative. Masanori never would've Okayed any of this."
"How would you know what, Lord Masanori would've wanted?" Another guard shouted stepping forward, "You know nothing of this level."
"Well I was the last one to see him." Shizuru replied, straightening slightly which in turn strained the hold she had on Iwao who grunted with pain, "That was before he took off to parts unknown. Iwao knows that…don't you?"
Iwao glared as best he could in the awkward position he was in, "Masanori is re…"
"You know," Shizuru interrupted her eyes narrowing, "I really hate liars, Iwao."
Shizuru released her hold, the blade spinning slightly in her hand a second before she plunged the blade in to Iwao's shoulder.
There was a miniscule flare of indistinct energy around the blade that shifted in a manner that reminded him of molten metal before it shot internally through the wound that had just been inflicted.
Iwao's head snapped back, a scream of agony wrenching itself out of his throat before the demon collapsed to the floor gasping and sputtering.
"It usually only takes three of those before I kill someone your level so you probably should get to that honesty before I get bored." Shizuru suggested, standing over the injured demon.
Was she so aware of the internal conflicts of power that plagued this level?
Should he truly be shocked if she did?
In the years prior to her disappearance she had shown a deft hand at playing internal games with the yakuza and Black Black Club in such a secretive and masterful way that even he had remained unaware of her efforts.
Iwao's subterfuge was child's play in comparison.
"Masanori is not working for Iwao any longer." He confirmed, forcing his voice to steady and becoming the abrupt center of focus once more, "And as I understand it he will not be returning."
Shizuru's eyebrow rose, "He doesn't have to say that you know. He could just kill all of you since him being here means he's on his own. Koenma doesn't usually send his flunkies to steal things. He likes them official and all that. But I guess you guys could just keep going. I don't mind killing a few of you myself."
"Your goal is not to end Lord Iwao's life?" the second guard who had stepped forward questioned.
"No," He answered, retracting his energies from the whip until it became a seed once more in his hand which he immediately placed back into his hair, "In fact while it was requested of me I declined. Iwao's death was never the intention."
He was not about to muddle the works with questioning Shizuru's sudden involvement, it was an unforeseen gift at the moment and had most likely spared his life.
He was not quite as confident as Shizuru that he would have been able to recover in time to meet the small army in battle.
It could have very easily gone another way entirely since Hiei was most certainly behind the solid stone doors that marked the inner sanctum of the Council Chambers.
A shockwave of energy expenditure shook the hall, shifting dust from the ceiling above.
Shizuru caught his eyes with her own once more before she glanced towards the now closed double doors of the main Council Chambers.
"And…probably should get on opening those too." Shizuru added, gesturing towards the stone doors, "I have a feeling someone I know got himself in way over his head and I prefer to be there when he gets put in his place."
All delivered in exactly the fashion he would have expected of her, except there was some odd missing factor in her amusement.
He could not quite place his finger on the exact component that caused her words to sound off in some unknown quality.
If he could clear the fog from his senses, have a brief respite from the tendrils of distracting aftershocks that were the leavings of the energy used against him then he might be able to identify it.
There was one thing not being dealt with that had to circumvent all other issues of the moment.
Iwao still had the Darkened Gate in his possession and this was increasingly becoming antagonistic towards that exact person.
The guards had pulled away from him, centering on the Council member who was struggling to his feet, on arm crossing his chest as he held the wound Shizuru had inflicted on his shoulder.
"Is this true?" the first guard asked of Iwao, taking a step towards Iwao, "Have you been playing us for fools?"
There were few things more dangerous than an individual teetering on the edge of loss of power, especially when that power had been earned through less than reputable means.
He noted the hand that was free fumbling with what appeared to be a satchel at Iwao's side.
"Fools are what you've always been." Iwao spat, backing away, "You have no spine without that moron. I did what needed to be done to keep Spirit World from imposing their laws on us not Masanori. You all should be thanking me, begging for me to allow you to serve me…."
"You talk a lot." Shizuru interrupted, her tone bored, "Got something fun in that bag there?"
Iwao's expression twisted as he brought out his hand to reveal a palm sized black box that seemed to shimmer as he moved it in the torchlight.
"And the chunk of sparkle does what?" Shizuru asked, glancing at him as she pointed to the now revealed Gate.
"It is a Spirit World artifact that can destroy this entire level," He responded, moving forward until he stood only a few feet from Shizuru, "The reason for my being here in the first place."
"I can't really have him doing that," Shizuru commented, languidly, "I'm on this level right now."
"I do suppose that would be a problem." He agreed, unable to resist the way her eyes had lifted suggesting hidden beneath the mask was a long missed smirk.
"So you want to deal with him or do you want me to?" Shizuru asked, curiously.
Without hesitation he moved to ensnare Iwao's wrist with his hand, lightly smiling at the surprise on the lower level demon's face.
"You were under the impression I wouldn't have the strength to deal with you after that attack I assume." He said while slowly increasing the pressure on a particular nerve in Iwao's hand.
Iwao grunted again with pain as his hand involuntarily relaxed its hold on the black box which he recovered with a single motion before tucking it away within the folds of his cloak.
He all but flung the cowardly Council member away from him, wiping his hand on his pants to rid himself of the unnerving sensation that his skin was actively crawling.
He would be the last to admit Iwao's assumption had its merit; the strength he had just displayed had been mostly a show.
Another shockwave rocked the Keep, drawing his attention to the next issue at hand.
"The door…" he began to ask of Iwao.
"Is sealed," one of the guards answered, "it is a safety measure in case of riot. Only the Council members can open it."
He smiled to himself, "I doubt that will be an issue."
"I won't open it." Iwao hissed from his position on the floor, "Your friend is going to die and there's nothing you can do about it. You may have saved this pathetic excuse for a level but you can't save him."
"I had no intent to ask you to do a thing Iwao." He informed the Council member, "My business with you is over. I have all that I want but I believe the guards might have…other plans for you."
He turned his back on Iwao, moving quickly across the large hall to stand in front of the large doors.
"If your friend is the reason for all this he probably is dead by now." Shizuru said conversationally as she stepped up beside him, "That energy that hit you was from Shinya."
He paused, startled out of the act of reaching into his hair by the information.
"Shinya?" He repeated, withdrawing the seed he had been reaching for, "Shinya wants Hiei dead?"
"Seems that way," Shizuru replied, shrugging slightly as she turned her attention to the door, "Kanako wasn't all that clear about what the old guy was up to. I still don't get it. This has been one mess after the other."
Shinya that had been the aspect he had missed.
The one component he had neglected to include based on their previous encounter with the ancient demon.
But why would Shinya attack either of them?
He sighed internally as he placed the seed within the seam of the door, then focused his energies into it to encourage its forced birth into what he desired it to be.
He stepped back quickly, pulling Shizuru along with him to duck behind the nearest source of protection which happened to be the twin to the pillar he had destroyed with his own body.
He expected her to fight him, to resist his motions as he was unfamiliar to her but she allowed the manhandling even to the point of cooperatively bowing over as he moved to shield her from the sudden explosion of stone that hurtled large chunks of the door across the receiving hall.
"Man! What did you use?" Shizuru exclaimed as she uncurled from him and stepped away.
"One of the most destructive forces of nature," He replied moving to stand beside her and survey the damage, "the roots of many plants have been known to topple buildings or erode entire mountain sides."
The large doors had been destroyed at the point he had inserted the seed, once he had directed its growth the Demon World plant had given its all as its roots had worked their way through the stonework.
In the end even stone gave way to invading forces, but it helped that the forces in question were of a kind that naturally found its home within stone.
It also helped that given his additional energy the plant had become something of a bomb, once the roots had grown to a certain point the excessive outside strain caused a type of chemical reaction.
It was of a variety that thrived or in a manner of speaking took its intended home with it.
A rather appropriate plant for Demon World and one of the few he tended to always carry with him as a last resort.
Beyond the settling dust and debris that was littered with plant particles he could just make out three figures.
Then Shizuru was racing past him into the gloom of the chamber.
He followed suit, reaching for his whip once more.
What is going on here?!
I'm going to stop apologizing for my extremely bad posting in a timely fashion thing going on here cause well you should be use to it by now lol Just know I'm working on it even it takes me a bit to get it up. Thanks for the continued support. Please leave a review :)