Week 3; Day 3: Earth
I'd been back in the training groove for three days now, working with Kurama. I was really getting the hang of the Earth element. Kurama taught me how to use my abilities to raise the earth in my defense, a shield of rock and sand. He also taught me how to control the plant life, using them as whips just like his rose whip, or ways to tangle my opponent. I'd snared him with ease a few times.
"You're getting very good at this, Tsukiyo," Kurama commented on my performance as I levitated boulders in the air, my eyes glowing green. I moved my hands back and forth, indicating where I wanted them to go. But suddenly, I lost my focus, and shrieked as they all slammed to the ground, forming a cloud of dust around Kurama and I. We both coughed and waved our arms around to clear the dust.
"Not to say that you don't still need some polishing.." Kurama added in with a chuckle, and I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck.
"Yea, I could still use some work." I agreed, glancing back over at the boulders that I'd let plumet to the ground. "... A lot of work."
"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself." Kurama said with a knowing smile, taking a glance at his watch. "How do you feel about taking a break?"
"God, that'd be great." I wailed, stretching my arms out. "I'm pretty tired."
Kurama chuckled, and we sat beneath the tree by the lake. I practiced my water bending, since my training with Toya had been cut short.
"For such a short training period, you seem to have gotten the hang of water handling fairly well." Kurama observed as he watched me twist the water into shapes. I released my control over the long snake of water, and it splashed down into the lake once more. I layed back in the grass and sighed.
"Yea, I guess." I muttered, "I kind of had to since that asshole was just... well, an asshole. That's all I can say." Kurama nodded.
"Sometimes you must fend for yourself."
Now it was my turn to nod.
"Mmhm.." I sighed, closing my eyes.
A wind passed through, instantly making me think of Jin.
"But at least you and Jin were easy on me. Hopefully Hiei will be the same."
"I wouldn't count on that, Tsukiyo." Kurama informed me, the wind brushing his long hair away from his neck. I turned my head to look at him and blinked.
"Why not..?"
"Hiei is tough when it comes to training and fighting.." The red haired fox demon began to explain to me, "He'll work you to the core, and then work you to the core of your core..."
I blinked again and turned my gaze back up toward the sky.
"He may have a soft spot for you," This comment made me blush, "But I don't think he'll take it easy on you just for that reason."
"Oh.." I said, not thinking too much about what else he was saying besides the fact that he thought Hiei had a soft spot for me. I wanted to know more about that, if he knew something else, but I felt weird asking. I didn't want to seem to eager or desperate to know. I might as well just find out for myself. We sat in silence for a few more minutes, before Kurama suggested we get up and practice technique a bit more before going inside. I agreed that it was a good idea, and we both leapt up from our relaxed positions, our energy regained.
Week 3; Day 6: Earth
Through my training with Kurama, I'd only earned a few scratches and maybe one bruise. But Kurama agreed to complete our training early, since all of our drills were simply review for me.
"Wow, Tsukiyo, I can't believe how fast you're learning." Keiko complimented me at dinner.
"I know, I can't really believe it either." I laughed as I took a sip of my drink.
"She's doing quite well," Kurama commented, dabbing his lips with a napkin.
"That will change soon." Hiei's voice filled the air as he decsended the staircase. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Why's that?" Botan asked as she set her fork down.
"Yea, random much?" Yusuke said with a raised eyebrow, "We should really tie a bell around your neck or something so we know when you're coming, Hiei."
I giggled.
"All of these training sessions Tsukiyo is going through are extremely petty and ill-advanced." Hiei spoke as if I wasn't even sitting there.
I saw Kurama roll his eyes a bit.
"My training will be much tougher, much more demanding, and I can guarantee you that you will not do "quite well", onna." He walked to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.
"You'll be lucky to get out with all your limbs attached."
I stared at him in bewilderment as he flowed back up the stairs, and down the hall. His bedroom door shut softly.
"That was strange.." Keiko commented. "Yea.." I agreed a bit glumly. I was really confused; wasn't I just dancing with Hiei a few nights ago? He smiled at me... pulled me closer... Why was he right back to the way he was the first day I met him? It didn't make any sense. "Oh, that Hiei," Botan grumbled, "He was being so sweet to Tsukiyo at the ball, what's his problem now?"
Again, like I wasn't even there.
"Well that's Hiei for ya," Yusuke shrugged, standing up to take his plate into the kitchen for seconds. "I thought I'd die before I ever saw him smile."
"Maybe he's embarassed." Yukina suggested, and everyone nodded and agreed that it could be a possibilty.
Even after listening to all my friends' reasoning as to why Hiei had changed his ways so suddenly, it didn't make me any less confused. I knew what I had to do, I had to talk to him.
That night, I waited until everyone had gone to bed. I snuck out of my bedroom in my pajamas; a baggy t-shirt and a pair of black leggings; and made my way down to Hiei's room. I knocked on the door, almost silently.
"Hiei..?" I whispered, "Are you in there..?"
There was no answer, and no sounds of movement behind the door.
"Hiei..?" I repeated into the door, a little louder. Still no answer. I lifted my hand to knock one more time, when the door snapped open, startling me.
"What do you want?" Hiei demanded in a hiss. I blinked. What the hell was up with him?
"Uh..." I stammered, furrowing my brow just slightly, "I need to talk to you."
"Hn, no you don't." Hiei grunted in reply, beginning to shut his door, but I slapped my hand against it and propped it open.
"Yes, I do." I replied seriously. "It can wait until tomorrow, onna. Leave." He tried to force the door shut.
"No, it can't." I informed him, "Are you gonna let me in, or am I gonna have to force myself in?" I was totally bluffing, I knew I couldn't overpower Hiei. And apparenly he knew that too, because he smirked and chuckled.
"That won't happen. You're far too weak, onna." He sneered at me. I just gave him a look and he finally sighed, opening his door.
"This had better be important." He snapped at me as I entered his room, and the door clicked shut behind me. It was dark in his room except for a single desk lamp, shining on his katana, which was resting unsheathed; a rag and a bottle of polish resting next to it, as well as a sharpening stone. It made me a little nervous looking at it, but I pushed that thought out of my mind and cleared my throat as Hiei sat down with his back to me.
"Okay, here goes.." I said aloud, about to start my talking. There was a feeling in the pit of my stomach that this would not turn out good, but I headed forward anyway.
-Hiei's POV-
For almost a week, I had kept my distance from Tsukiyo, never crossing paths with her, and only keeping watch on her training sessions with Kurama. She was indeed making progress, but I intended to make my training with her much more demanding and intense, and this was for a reason. Ever since I made that crucial promise to myself that I would never let Tsukiyo know how I felt, I came to a decision; I had to repel her from me. I had to make her hate me, as much as it bothered me in the back of my mind. And if this plan worked, maybe this troublesome ningen emotion would fade away... That would be ideal.
It was late. I sat in the darkness of my room with the light of a single desklamp hovering over me. My katana rested on my desk, and I focused on polishing the blade. It was nice and peaceful, when suddenly it was ruined with a knock on the door.
"Hiei..?" Came a whisper through the door, and I stopped my polishing. "Are you in there..?"
"Damn.." I cursed under my breath. It was her. I stayed silent, hoping she'd wait a moment, and leave after she received no response. For a moment, I thought my plan had worked.
"Hiei..?" Her voice was louder now, and I sighed, setting my katana down and walking over to my door. I opened it, and peered through. Tsukiyo stood before me, her hand lifted in a fist as if she was about to knock once more. She flinched a bit, obviously not expecting the door to open. I was happy she was wearing a t-shirt, so that my eyes didn't wander the natural curves of her body. I focused on her face.
"What do you want?" I demanded, and I made sure my voice was sharp and intimidating. Tsukiyo just blinked.
"Uh..." Her voice came out as her brow furrowed just a bit. Good, she seemed annoyed... My plan was working so far. "I need to talk to you."
"Hn, no you don't." I grunted in reply and tried to shut my door, but the girl propped it open, so I stopped. "Yes, I do." Tsukiyo insisted. Her tone was very serious, but I still went ahead with my plan.
"It can waited until tomorrow, onna. Leave." I ordered her, even though I knew I would avoid her tomorrow, and the next day, until I could make her training session with me a living hell, and hopefully that would be the end of my plan to repel her from me.
"No, it can't." Tsukiyo's voice became shorter, "Are you gonna let me in, or am I gonna have to force myself in?"
This I couldn't help my chuckle at. She couldn't be serious, there was no way she could possibly force herself past me. "That won't happen. You're far too weak, onna." I narrowed my eyes at her, but she just stared at me with a serious expression. I sighed, realizing she wasn't going to leave until I let her in. I opened my door, and she walked inside. "This had better be important." I snarled at her as I brushed past her, taking my seat back infront of my desk. I began polishing my katana once more, waiting for her to speak.
"Okay, here goes..." Her voice now sounded a bit nervous. "Well, I just wanted to talk to you about the other night... at the ball..."
I felt my stomach flutter, but I showed no physical signs of it.
"What about it," I asked flatly. She paused a moment. "Well? Spit it out,"
"When you asked me to dance..." Tsukiyo began again, and I felt that flutter in my stomach once more, "You were acting so sweet.."
I didn't reply.
"But I don't understand why you've been avoiding me, and being so... mean." She said, as if she couldn't find any word but "mean" to describe my actions. I sighed softly.
"So. Is that all you have to say?" I asked her.
"No, I was just-"
"Hurry the hell up then, I don't have all night, onna." I glared at her over my shoulder. She furrowed her brow at me and her mouth twisted into a frown.
"See? What the hell is that," She finally exploded, flailing her hands around everywhere. "We were finally becoming friends, or maybe more..." Her voice trailed off at the last part of her sentence, as if I wasn't supposed to hear it, but I did. My heart surged. "And I thought things had changed, that maybe I wasn't such a bother to you. I tried really hard, I really did, and I thought it was finally working." She paused to take a breath. "But now you're back to the same old asshole you were before! I don't get it."
I turned in my chair to look at Tsukiyo. Her cheeks were flushed from anger, and she glared at me. I glared right back.
"We were never friends." I stated to her, making complete eye contact. Her gaze softened, seeming a bit hurt. "And we were most definitely never about to be MORE than friends, so get that through your pretty little head." My voice was a low hiss. Tsukiyo chewed her bottom lip, looking as if she was trying not to cry. Hn. Women.
"Hiei.." Tsukiyo began to say, but I cut her off, unwilling to listen to her side of the story.
"I asked you to dance out of pity for you, that Kurama told me I should to make you feel "welcome". but I realize now that it was a huge mistake."
I paused to let all of that hit her, and it was working perfectly... although it wasn't making me particularly happy. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and a part of me wanted to leap out of my chair, wrap my arms around her, and tell her I didn't mean anything I was saying. But I couldn't let myself stood that low...
"Stop your crying." I ordered her, "You're only embarassing yourself."
She just shook her head, her whole body now trembling. She was overflowing with a mixture of emotions, but I kept mine even and flat.
"As far as I know, the only contact we need to have is within our training session in a few days, and after that, stay the hell out of my way." I turned back to my katana. Tsukiyo began to speak again.
"I can't believe someone could be so heartles.." She whispered to me, anger and hurt dripping from her voice. "You smiled at me..?"
"Pity." I answered.
"You... held my arms in place when I tried to move them?"
"Reflex."
"You pulled me closer..."
I didn't answer. I just wanted her to leave.
"You-"
I turned sharply in my chair.
"LEAVE, onna." I said loudly, causing her to double back. "Before I force you to leave."
She stood still for a moment, staring into my eyes, before sharply turning and opening my door. She turned her head over her shoulder and took one last glance at me.
"I guess I was wrong about you, Hiei."
For some reason, that comment stung down deep in my soul... somewhere no one had ever managed to reach me before. My stomach turned, but I kept my expressioin flat as stone. I had to make her think I didn't care, despite how much I truly did. Finally, Tsukiyo turned out into the hallway, and made her way back to her room. I listened until her door shut softly in the girl's wing, and stood up from my chair. I sighed, walking over to my door, which Tsukiyo had left agape. I propped my arm against the door, and leaned my forehead against it, my eyes closed calmly.
I had imagined this to be easier. Half of me wanted to call the whole thing off and give in, but the other half of me proved stronger, forcing me to keep the plan alive. It would prove worth it in the end...
For now, all I needed to focus on was my blade, the only thing that had never let me down.
-Tsukiyo's POV-
I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Everything had been a lie, something done out of pitty for me? I didn't need anyone's pitty. I made my way into my room after leaving Hiei's, feeling like utter shit. I thought I'd gotten through to him, thought he was a better person than that. I guess he really was just a savage demon.
"Maybe I should just give up.." I whispered to myself as I lay in my bed, staring at my ceiling. But I couldn't... Even though Hiei had been such a jackass to me in his bedroom, even though I was wiping tears away from my face, something about all his comments seemed... forced. Maybe I was just in denial. Feeling down, I turned to the only thing that always cheered me up; my guitar. I pulled it from under my bed, layed it on my stomach and began plucking chords, inventing a new melody, with lyrics to go with it. I spent a while jotting them down in a notebook, and by the time I was done I had a complete song. I stared at the lyrics and sighed, placing the notebook in my bedside drawer, my guitar under my bed, and my body under my covers. I let one last tear slip from my eye as I thought of Hiei. I was ashamed of myself, I'd never been the type of girl to fall for a guy that treated her like shit.
I guess there's a first time for everything.
To be continued...