Chapter 14- Mend the Heart

By the end of the week, May was worn out. Apparently all of the exercises that Yusuke put her through had been extremely close if not exactly the same as those that Genkai had put him through when training in preparation to inherit her power. He was a strict teacher and she was glad for the reprieve she got with the setting of the sun.

"You are lucky you get that," he had said after the first day, "if it was that old lady, you would be working through the night until you mastered your power." She hadn't understood how lucky she was until Saturday evening rolled around and she collapsed onto the cushion at Genkai's table, barely able to keep herself from wolfing down the food that Yukina placed before her.

When Genkai asked how the training was going, it was Yusuke who answered. "She is getting better already. I'm actually really impressed by how much control she has already," he said, his tone showing his surprise. "I think by Tuesday we will be able to start exploring what she can actually do with her power."

May looked up in surprise at her teacher's admission. "Really?" she managed to squeak between bites.

Yusuke grinned and rustled the top of her hair—much like she supposed an older brother would and she managed a weary grin in return as she finished her meal before yawning and stretching. She stood up as Yusuke and Genkai continued discussing other topics and bid goodnight to Yukina who sat on the porch as if waiting for someone—granted she seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

She managed to jump from the bottom to the top of the stairs before walking into her room and debating on a shower. She gathered her pajamas and some fresh undergarments before moving to her bathroom when she felt a small disturbance in the atmosphere of her room. Spinning around she blocked a hand that was flying toward her and she threw a kick of her own following her twisted motion. There was a grunt of surprise and she leaped toward her bedroom door, flipping the light switch to reveal a masked man and she could feel the demon tang.

May allowed her energy to flare and she soon heard Yusuke and Genkai rushing up the stairs. The masked demon lunged toward her again and she dropped to roll away to the right just as the door flung open just short of hitting the attacker. Yusuke shot a bullet of white-blue light and the mask disintegrated as the demon was knocked across the room.

Standing up, May looked over at the stranger as Yusuke picked him up by the collar of his tunic. He looked human aside from the three horns on his head and he was completely dazed.

"Rather incompetent for a covert operator," Genkai graveled.

"Do you know him, Genkai?" May asked as she leaned wearily against the wall. Genkai shook her head as Yusuke flipped open a communicator and called Botan.

"Hey, Botan, tell Koenma that we might have a lead," he said soberly followed by Botan piping a "right-o" and he flipped the communicator shut. "Hey, May. I'll try to be back by tomorrow but I can't promise anything," he said and May nodded mutely before he turned to Genkai. "Why don't you help her figure out some of her strengths if I'm not back?"

"Of course. Hurry back, dimwit," she said not without affection. Yusuke grinned before leaving the room first.

Genkai looked at the open window thoughtfully before turning to look at May who hadn't moved but looked deep in thought. "What's wrong?" May looked up from the carpet pursing her lips before answering.

"He felt familiar, that's all," she said before walking over to the bathroom and disappearing within. Genkai left the room deep in thought.

May peeled her sweat covered clothing off before stepping lazily into the shower and letting the warm water run over her head. She was sure that she didn't know the demon but he had felt familiar. Pulling her hands through her hair she brushed her fingers along the scar on her ear and froze momentarily. What if he was one of Ishi's men?

She shivered and no amount of warm water would get rid of the goosebumps. Her shower ruined, she got out and toweled herself dry before slipping into sweatpants and a tank top. Nothing had been disturbed in her room by the intruder but her peace of mind was nowhere to be found. Although she was exhausted she found herself walking down the stairs to sit out on the front porch, her legs hanging off the edge as she watched the moonrise.

She hadn't thought about the very real threat of Ishi the whole week Yusuke was training her. Now that he was gone though she knew Genkai was nearby she couldn't squelch her fear and it made her tremble despite the warmth of the summer evening.

"May-san?" a soft voice startled her and looking over her shoulder she saw Yukina looking at her in a worried manner.

"Yukina..." she responded as the young Koorime walked over and knelt beside her looking out at the moonrise.

"Genkai-sama told me what happened," she said after a moment of silence. "Are you alright?" she asked. May debated silently on whether or not to divulge her feelings to the young demon with the crimson eyes. Just when Yukina had given up on an answer, May spoke.

"I am afraid. I don't know who, or rather, what I am. I can't see the future in front of me and Ishi must know where I am or else the intruder wouldn't have come," May rushed before pulling a frustrated hand through her hair.

"Kurama-kun and Hiei-kun will catch him, I know it," Yukina said with a confidence that May didn't have.

"And what if they don't? What if he comes and gets me while no one is paying attention?" May snapped then felt sorry she had at the stricken expression Yukina wore. May pursed her lips her deep blue eyes glaring at the horizon.

"I suppose... that is why you are working to become stronger, isn't it?" Yukina asked. May's weariness washed over her as if to prove that she wouldn't have the energy to fight when the time came.

"Yukina... you can't really believe that...?"

May felt a hand turn her face and she looked up into Yukina's crimson eyes.

"I believe in you." The ice demon's face swam before May's tears spilled over her cheeks. Yukina smiled gently, pulling May into a hug, stroking her hair. May could feel a few of her aches ebb and leave. "I am afraid, however, that I cannot heal the pain you are causing to your heart." The tears stopped, one last one slipping down her cheek as May looked up into the demon's face.

"My heart?" she questioned, confused.

"Forgive him," Yukina urged.

"Ishi?" May stuttered, mortified, but Yukina giggled.

"No," she stated simply.

"Then who?" May asked. Yukina simply smiled before extricating herself from May and walking into the temple. May gazed after her for a moment before turning back to the moon. The aches from her body gone, she could feel her heart beating irregularly and she pressed a hand to her breast as if to divine from it the name of the one she needed to forgive.

She panted as she ran, the sleeves of her kimono snapping with the movement. The lights continued to extinguish until she arrived at the double doors. She swallowed, her throat dry as she pushed open the doors and walked through only to have them close behind her once she had entered through.

He sat, as always, chained, his silver ears twitching to catch the sound of her breaths as she moved forward. Her hand touched the silver of his hair as she began to shrink. She looked up into eyes of gold...

"Gah!" she exclaimed barely able to catch hold of the edge of the porch and scrambled back onto it, her heart hammering as May realized that she had dozed on the edge of the front porch and had almost fallen into a face full of rocks. She rubbed her face and eyes violently as she looked up to see clouds had covered the sky during the night. One rain drop then another hit her nose and she scurried up and under the eaves of the front door, leaning against the house as it started to pour.

I haven't had that dream in weeks, she thought to herself as she looked up at the cloud covered sky as the rain continued. Her senses picked up on someone approaching and looking at the walkway up to the house her heart skipped as she saw dark red hair and a pair of familiar emerald eyes.

"Kurama," she said softly.

Casidhe here!

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I was beginning to miss you guys and it looks like it's about to rain... (name that movie!)
But really... so I am stampeding through writer's block so I hope this one wasn't too painful to read. Well-wishers are more than welcome!

CB