Soft wind blew through the high grass surrounding Genkai's temple. A partly cloudy sky filtered in and out around the hot glaring autumn sun. No birds... no squirrels... no familiar noises of life about the woods. Only the methodical crunching of gravel under foot. Only the feeling of tense fear on the air.
Genkai had felt old and tired for a very long time. Toguro's betrayal had weakened her long ago, and her once soft heart had hardened to protect itself. She no longer could feel as others so often did, and yet she was not immune to the changes in the atmosphere. Only a fool would have been unable to sense what had so suddenly taken hold of her warm temple home. It was as if winter had come early, and all had been bathed in ice. No amount of fire could seemingly heat the rooms, and every time she lit an oil lamp in prayer it blew out... like a candle in the wind.
She knew the impostor was still about on her temple grounds. She could feel him searching the shadows for Yukina. Yet Yukina was far away, and Shimo had no way of getting to her with Genkai's protective barrier encasing him like a snake behind glass. So he waited... so he prowled...
Laying her bed, Genkai felt oddly under the weather, and she drank green tea as she read a book of ancient war poetry. Attempting to warm herself underneath several thick blankets, Genkai shivered... yet not from the cold.
She could feel something approaching. Something huge.
Sitting up suddenly in her bed, Genkai immediately put down her book and set her tea aside. She closed her eyes, focusing on what she could not yet see. Who was approaching?
... Familiar energy, and unfamiliar alike. Six in number. Hot, bright, youthful spirit energy... Kuwabara and Yusuke. Cool, icy, soothing snow... Yukina. Humid, warm, and wet, the smell of earth in her nostrils... Kurama. Anger, cinder, pine trees, and hot smoke... Hiei.
... Muted, but not depleted violence. The feeling of blood under foot. Terrible swelling... conquering and war. Her heartbeat quickened. She did not recognize the last energy source, but it was the root of the massive persuasion. It was the feeling of heat upon the air.
It was an S class.
They mounted the stairs in pairs.
Hiei and Mukuro were first, with Yukina in between them. Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Kurama brought up the rear. Far below, back in the car, Keiko waited reading the paper and attempting not to chew on her fingernails in fear.
She had kissed Yusuke hard when he'd pulled away to leave. She had begged him to be safe. Safe had never been a part of Yusuke's agenda, but for the sake of Keiko he promised her he would.
It had been a lie, but still he had promised.
Yukina was taking deep slow breathes, but they were all for not. Her hands were sweating, and she felt like she might feint as she mounted the stairs. She paused, and Hiei looked around to see that she was a few steps behind trembling.
"... I feel weak." She admitted, ashamed.
Hiei silently came to her aid, and wordlessly offered his back to her. She climbed up, locking her arms upon her shoulders, and he regained his pace with his sister now riding along. He would carry her the rest of the way. He would be her pillar of strength.
"Slow and steady." Mukuro murmured at their side. As they reached the top of the stairs, Hiei was shocked to see that the door was frozen completely shut in a glassy wall of ice. The trees were draped in icicles. The grass was bitten with frost.
As the final three mounted the last step, Yusuke cursed aloud.
"Shit." Yusuke muttered, "Please let grandma be alright."
"Genkai will be fine." Kurama assure Yusuke, but his voice did not reflect his confidence. Hiei slowly let Yukina down to the ground, and she quaked at his side as she stared at the door.
"...How..." Yukina whispered, and a mist formed with her hot breath upon the frigid air. "How do we get in?"
Hiei cracked his neck. "Stand back."
Yukina immediately took several paces backward, linking her arm with Kuwabara's as Hiei flexed his arms and allowed his normally contained energy to expand. Sudden heat met cold in a fierce battle of elements, and a hissing sound filled the air as snow melted in a sudden rush. Water flooded the cement to rush down the steps in a small waterfall. As normal vegetation re appeared, the ice around the door lessened slightly. Hiei would not be deterred, and he let a fist of flame fly!
Hot magma flew from his core, slamming into the door with all the force of a ship cannon. The noise was incredible, resounding like thunder, and the doors quaked on their mighty hinges! The ice shattered into a thousand sharp shards, all of which flew into mist as Hiei's heat melted them before they could reach their target. Their path was now clear, but the element of surprise was shot to hell. Hiei didn't give a shit.
"... Okay." Hiei murmured, turning around to face his nervous twin. "Now it's your turn, Yukina. You do not have to do this if you do not want to."
Yukina shook her head resolutely.
"No." She whispered, though her knees shook, "No, this is what I want."
She stepped forward, treading carefully through the puddles of water that now soaked the ground to approach the hard hit doors. They were smoking, charred with black blobs upon their normally austere red surface. She gently pushed the door open, and with a nod to others swung the door the entire way so that it stuck. Now they had a view into the courtyard which was covered in a good foot of snow. Yukina stepped inside, looking about, nervous to the point of an anxiety attack. She shivered, wrapping her arms about herself. To the west lay the training grounds, covered in frost. To the east lay her once thriving garden that was now dead and buried beneath the cold. To the north, the temple was covered in a glacial covering of ice... and to the south? Well... she already knew what lay that way.
She needed to regain her nerves. She needed to return to her core of strength. Taking a few steps forward, she began to sing to herself in an attempt to find her courage.
"The snow falls densely, the hail falls densely... it's falling and falling... collecting more and more. The mountains and the fields are also wearing their cotton hats... and in every tree icy flowers bloom..." Yukina paused, biting her lip. She felt watched. She felt... stalked. Yet no matter how desperately she looked, she could not find Shimo in the snow. Was this his way of getting close? Was this his way of attack? Would she soon feel his wrath? She clutched her throat, attempting to warm herself.
"... The snow falls densely, the hail falls densely... it's still falling and falling, never stopping..." Yukina swallowed thickly. Her voice, the only noise, seemed to echo off of every ice covered branch... off of every snow filled hill. "But the day is... surely... coming..." Yukina's voice fell silent.
There he was.
As pale as the snow that glittered about him, Shimo stood only twenty or so yards away, glaring at Yukina.
"...You sing the song of our people." Shimo spoke up, his monotone voice drifting upon the air like a droning death chant, "I wonder if your heart has changed. Or is it still hot with the lust of a man."
Yukina took an immediate step backward. She looked to the south, to the open door, staring at the farm off forms of Hiei and Mukuro. She sucked in a breath, but found she was unable to scream. She turned back around- he was right upon her!
Yukina turned, intent to run, but Shimo grabbed her by the back of her hair! The tight pain in her scalp made her emit a high pitched cry, and she fell to her knees as Shimo shoved her into the snow.
"You run like a rat." Shimo seethed, his voice icy and toneless, "You hid from our elders. You hid from your home. Because you were ashamed to return... when you'd been spoiled by a man!"
"That's a lie!" Yukina shrieked, looking over her shoulder in terror to the dojo doors. Why wasn't Hiei coming? What was he waiting for?! "And you are not my brother!"
"Your brother is dead." Shimo sneered. "I killed him myself!"
Yukina spun about on her elbows and backside, looking up at the merciless man in horror. Shimo was glaring through a sneer, his bright eyes almost demonic in quality. Long gone was the facade of friendliness. Long gone was the idea of brotherly adoration. If Yukina was honest with herself, he'd never been adoring in the first place.
Shimo raised his hand as if to slap Yukina, and she braced herself for the blow! But the blow never came. She opened her eyes, only to see that Shimo had forgotten her entirely at was staring at entrance to the dojo with disbelief and rage.
"You!" Shimo hissed, his eyes wide as they saw Hiei clearly before him.
"Your attack was flimsy. Easily overcome. Much like your own shallow shell." Hiei sneered, crunching through the snow with a calm and easy pace. "It was pathetically stupid of you, Shikei." Hiei addressed the doll with the elders name, and the result was shocking. Shimo took a step back, his lips twitching with voiceless wrath. It was clear from the look of fear on his face that Shikei's name held great weight... and that it was the truth.
"You are Shikei aren't you!" Yukina cried from the ground, scrambling back on her elbows to get to her feet many paces away from the two men. "You are! Aren't you!?" Yukina screamed it!
Her voice echoed about the trees, so that a thousand Yukina's screamed back 'Aren't you?!' till all faded to silence once more.
Shimo just stared, giving nothing away.
"... Evil..." Shimo whispered, glaring at Hiei with a darkened brow as he gritted his teeth, "You are nothing but pure evil!"
It was not Shimo who spoke. It was Shikei through the doll's voice. It was the crone, the vicious elder, who had doomed his mother to an eternity of loneliness and sorrow. It was the vile temptress, who had ordered Rui to throw him from the cliff. This woman... this woman... was the reason for his childhood. The reason for his separation. The reason for his detachment to life. She had robbed him of a future before he'd even gained a full first breath...
And now she would pay.
Hiei did not care for talking, snatching the headband off of his jagan and forcing himself in between Yukina and Shimo. He'd waited for this moment, had longed for it since the day that Shigure had implanted the new device! He'd suffered, he'd struggled, he'd fought to the tooth and nail... and now! Now! Now he would unleash his fury.
Mukuro was on his heels, skidding in the steep snow as she reached Hiei's side. She would take a back seat- would protect Yukina- until Hiei actually needed her. Seeing the doll now for the first time up close, Mukuro was surprised at how similar it looked to Yukina. Their eyes and hair color were the same, even their skin tone was matching. Yet even though Hiei's hair was black and his flesh was darker, he was more akin to Yukina than this doll ever could be. Mukuro braced herself, knowing full well that her energy was overkill. Hiei could handle this fool.
Yukina hid behind Mukuro, clutching to the back of Mukuro's tunic with tight fists as she buried her face into Mukuro's spine. Mukuro was her forcefield, her shield against the darkness; Mukuro did not mind, she was more than willing to take the hit.
Hiei paused, if only for a minute to savor the look of fear upon the dolls face. How often did Hiei's egotistical streak have to take the back seat, especially since he'd started running with heros and martyrs. Too long he'd been 'good', too long he'd been 'fair'.
Hiei grinned maliciously.
"What do you fear Shikei?" Hiei taunted, replaying Shimo's own first words back at him with devious delight, "What do you fear when you look at me?"
With all the energy, fury, strength, and courage inside him, Hiei poured out his strength through his jagan in one full blast! The force of energy was blinding, like a rocket from its launch, and snow flew everywhere into a whirlwind from the heat! Shimo screamed from the assault and immediately bent his head as if to physically stop the attack. He was intent on stopping Hiei for the second time, but now Hiei was prepared with Shigure's device. Even as Shimo threw attack after attack, each one deflected and bounced! The hurls of white force blasted holes into the earth, so that snow flew high into the air from the impact! The fierce wind blew Yukina's sea green hair about her face, and Mukuro's clothes rippled hard in the breeze! She looked onto the battle, terrible emotion welling up inside of her that caused an ugly look to form on her face.
Shikei... a ghost from the past coming back now to haunt her. But why? Why after ten years? What had caused her to seek Yukina out? Had Shimo truly killed her brother? Had Shimo murdered her brother on his way to Yukina? Had he been planning on killing Yukina too?
Yukina just stared, wanting to fight and scream but paralyzed to the earth.
Shimo was loosing and fast, unable to hold his ground under Hiei's unbelievable energy. He dove, rolling out of the way of the harsh violet light, and threw his arms wide like a bird taking to flight! Shimo let out a shrieking howl, and with the echo of his voice snow flew up high into the air. A blanket of white! It shifted, sculpted by Shimo's malicious hatred, and with razor edges suddenly showered down on Hiei! A rain from hell!
Hiei threw up a high wall of fire, like a domed shield! Yukina winced as the flame licked close to her heels, her whole body sweating and convulsing from the unbearable heat. Yet as soon as it had formed, it diminished, and Shimo was left defenseless again.
Not long out of ammo, Shimo screamed once more his rage a palpable force! From his pale hands, white energy suddenly vibrated and he slammed his hands palms down into the snowy earth. Ice shifted, cracked, and from beneath their feet ghostly apparitions of koorime long since fallen suddenly flew at Hiei. Their transparent hands were outstretched with razor sharp talons!
Hiei formed his arms like an 'x', his jagan opened wide as a violent wave of energy blasted from his forehead and took the women out to their knees! They fell back to the earth, lifeless once more; Shimo scrambled, trying to get back to his feet. Yukina saw her chance!
She darted forward, wanting to throttle the doll for herself, but Mukuro grabbed her hard and threw her back to the ground.
"NO!" Mukuro screamed over the roar of violet energy that streamed from Hiei's forehead, "STAY DOWN!"
"He murdered my brother!" Yukina screamed, "I want my revenge!"
But Yukina would never get it, because Hiei would have it first. Shimo's defenses were down, the moment was theirs to seize!
"MUKURO!" Hiei commanded, "NOW!"
Her time had come, and Mukuro let her energy explode about her in a fiery ball of hate and malice. She threw her hands up, her hands forming razor shapes, and she began to slice at the air! Shimo and Hiei were suddenly locked in a cage of thin wires that divided the earth and sky beyond reason. Shimo looked about, seeming to realize his dire situation, and in an attempt to regain control he used the confined space to pour out his hatred upon Hiei. Hiei threw up his defenses, and suddenly the cage became a ball of black flame and white ice! Steam was the result, that poured out with gusto so that the whole grounds were drenched. Yukina tried to run forward again, and Mukuro temporarily dropped her hold on the cage to grab the girl again!
"Stay down!" Mukuro snarled, about fed up with Yukina's ridiculous idea. Her break in concentration had cost Hiei the cage, and suddenly their energy blasted free like a bomb! Mukuro ducked, landing on top of Yukina and protecting her from the fire and ice. It showered over their heads, landing to coat the land in scorching heat and frigid frost. Mukuro peeked up, nervous as to what she'd see.
Shimo and Hiei were on their feet, but both had suffered casualties. Hiei was shaking snow out of his hair and clothes, his skin slightly paler. Shimo was smoking, dark tuff upon his cheeks and nose. Shimo was breaking, slowly but surely. There were cracks upon his face! His eyes were rattling in their sockets, as if they were marbles under great force!
"You, you bastard!" Shimo snarled. "Bringer of hell! Spawn of satan!" Shimo lunged again, this time his hands full of ice, and Hiei sped forward with fists flinging fire! The two clashed like mighty beasts without a cage, swinging their auras about with such power that the very ground seemed to be shifting! Mukuro grabbed Yukina, jumping high with her captive to keep her safe from the danger. She landed atop the dojo roof and planted Yukina there. Here at least, Yukina would not be able to run into the fray. Mukuro would need her concentration for a better outcome.
"Stay here!" Mukuro ordered harshly, and Yukina nodded clumsily.
Mukuro looked down at the men, waiting for her moment! If she could somehow inject her energy into Hiei's own... perhaps the force would be enough. Yet how, without ending up a victim of Hiei's blasts? She waited, watching each blow fly and fall, and noticed that Hiei was shifting the dance in a strange circle. Mukuro decided the minute Hiei's back was to her she would have the best chance of facing Shimo head on. She would be able to ride Hiei's energy like a wave... and slam into her target!
Shimo was shifting, Hiei was moving- his back was turning-!
Mukuro dove for the ground, her arms outstretched, and with a cry akin to an eagle she forced her own energy into the battle. The result was a massive explosion that blew snow forty feet into the air from a powerful flaming dome! The dojo windows rattled in their panes, and Yukina screamed from atop the roof!
"Holy shit this is wild!" Yusuke screamed from outside the dojo gate. The ripple effect of the explosion was so vast that it had knocked Kuwabara off his feet, nearly taking Kurama with him as Yusuke held his hands in front of his eyes. "How the hell could Shimo have survived that?! I say it's go time!"
"NO!" Kurama shouted, grabbing Yusuke by the back of the shirt to keep him from running forward, "No! Don't move!"
Kurama was no fool. They would be easy picking until they knew the nature of their enemy. The minute that Shimo cracked would be the moment of truth. Until then, not a pace!
The snow was drifting through the air, and smoke clouded the vision of onlookers. They could not see the fighters, nor their struggle. They could not tell if Hiei or Shimo had fallen as a result from the blast- who would come out on top?
Mukuro finally emerged, coughing and holding her arm which was bleeding heavily- and she looked about in fear.
"HIEI?!" Mukuro screamed, "Hiei where are you?! Hiei!"
The smoke was thinning- the haze was clearing- and the two men were revealed at last.
Hiei was on his feet, his fists still aflame though his clothes were ripped and torn. His body was battered with frost bite, and chunks of his hair were frozen stiff. Shimo was weak, barely holding his ground. His skin was smoking and somehow rattling. His hair had been burned off of his skull to show an earthen pottery pate- clay! His eyes had melted in his sockets, and the ruby coloring dripped down his cheeks.
The disguise was cracking. The mask was being lifted one piece at a time.
"Your mother was a whore!" Shimo spat, his voice once again cracking to hold the tone of an aged woman, "A stupid, pathetic girl who died in her own filth! You were born of dirt, you live in dirt, you will die in dirt!"
"At least I'm not made of dirt!" Hiei retorted with a roar, and even as Mukuro's razor barrier flickered in strength Hiei flung a punch at Shimo. Unable to see, unable to defend, Shimo took it square on the chin and was sent careening into the dojo wall!
He crashed there, falling to his knees and clutching his face with a moan of pain; yet it turned into a dark and devious laugh that resonated through the air as Shimo clambered to his feet. He dropped his hand to reveal a dark crack that now ran all the way up his face. It was shaking violently, clattering as if something underneath it were attempting to burst free! And it was bursting!
"What do you fear..." The raspy voice beneath the mask was suddenly free of its containment. Hiei took a step back, only to hit Mukuro who was right behind him.
With a noise like shattering pottery, the cracks on Shimo's face deepened and suddenly full pieces of his face began to fall away! There was nothing inside, hollow like a glass ball! As his torso and arms gave way Shimo turned into a tumbling pile of faded clothing, pottery shards, and dust. Even as he walked, he fell, until suddenly all the was left of the doll was nothing more than a pile of rubble and scrap fabric.
Silence fell, but only momentarily.
"HELL YEAH!"
Yusuke ran forward, follow close behind by Kuwabara and Kurama who were both elated. Yukina, still up on the roof, waved for help and was answered by a quick flighted Kurama who rescued her in a single bound. Back on the ground, Yukina ran to pile of ash with every intent of kicking it till she got some form of revenge. But Kurama still had her by the arm, and would not let her go no matter how hard she struggled.
"Please!" Yukina cried out, "I want- I need- He killed my brother! Let me go!"
"Calm yourself! The doll was lying!" Kurama barked, not letting go. "And that ash is more dangerous than it looks!"
All eyes fell on the strange pile, and for the first time Hiei saw that it was glowing with a faint blue light. Yukina ceased her struggle, watching with fear as the ash began to twitch as if alive.
"Get back!" Kurama shouted, and group followed suit. Hiei and Mukuro turned tail, side by side with Yusuke and Kuwabara as the ash rolled and rolled, forming a strange ball! It was growing and moulding in shape, like some strange form of putty, and as it began to ascend skyward Hiei watched alarmed as ash became fibers of muscle soaking with black blood!
"Yukina, get back." Kurama reached into his red mane, withdrawing his glistening rose. With a flick it became his signature whip, and he coiled it tight in his hands. Yukina retreated, backing up to Mukuro's side once more as Kuwabara and Yusuke both charged their hands. Hiei waited, unable to draw up the energy to defend himself. The result was that even as his teammates charged their power Hiei was left on the back burner.
The strange mass of muscle was taking a definite shape, with limbs and a torso spreading out like the branches of a tree. As a head slowly formed, skin was bubbling to the surface like acidic foam. It coated the muscle, wrapping it in ashen gray skin that was moulded from death. Hairs, white with decay sprouted from the head like grass and tumbled down the shoulders. A long nose, thin lips, lemon shaped eyes and fingers that were spidery thin-! Mist and ash formed clothes about the body of the nude woman, a kimono of black, grey, and white.
"No..." Yukina blurted out, clapping her hands over her mouth as she shook her head in denial and fear, "No! Mother!"
It was too late.
The true source of Shimo's power appeared. Hina was no beauty, nor was she youthful or spy. Her spirit was aged beyond repair, into a molded and bony mass that could hardly become human. Her eyes were sunken in and sightless, her mouth lacked a tongue and her hair was almost see through. Upon her ghoulish breast, a strange white mark that pulsed with life gave clue to the secret of her animation beyond death.
Hiei was speechless. This ghost was not his mother. This... thing was not the woman he remembered.
"Mother!" Yukina begged, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Hina's head lolled on her bony shoulders, a strange grunt issuing from her mouth as she sniffed the air. She twitched, violently, and began to stumbled forward with her mouth open and her hands outstretched. "Mother, no!"
"Now!" Kurama snarled, and at one the three men charged forward.
"Spirit sword!" Kuwabara summoned his familiar gleaming saber, and with a heroic swing made to spear Hina through the chest! The ghoul shifted like smoke, disappearing from view only to re appear right in front of Hiei! Hiei panicked, falling backward as the ghoul attempted to reach for his throat!
"SPIRIT GUN!" Yusuke screamed, pointing his finger right at Hina's face!
The blast was as loud as a shotgun, and Hiei's flesh was seared with white hot heat as Yusuke's famous spirit gun grazed his own face! Hiei howled with pain, covering his eyes- he'd been blinded temporarily!
"Fucking idiot!" Hiei roared, his vision utterly lost for the moment as he scrubbed at his face.
"What- how?!" Yusuke was spluttering, though Hiei had a feeling that Yusuke wasn't speaking to him.
"What?" Hiei seethed, "What's happening?!"
"Her face! It grew back!" Kuwabara sounded on the verge of a small panic attack. "Like... like a weed!"
"Shoot at the fucking white thing on her chest, what are you, imbeciles?!" Hiei roared, blindly grabbing at snow to try at wet his steaming face. He was grabbed by something, and momentarily thought it Mukuro's helping hands. But his nose was filled with the scent of decay, and he kicked out making contact with something disgustingly squishy.
"Rose whip!" Kurama cried, and Hiei was slapped hard across the face by accident as his dead mother was wrenched physically off of him with Kurama's powerful lasso. Hina was drug backwards, kicking and screaming with inhuman snarls.
"Stab her!" Kurama cried to Kuwabara, "Stab her in the chest! Through the white spot! That is the spot of Shikei's incantation! That is the spot of weakness!"
"Spirit sword! Get- get sharp!" Kuwabara exclaimed, as if uncertain about how best to do the deed. Hiei's vision was still a little blurry, but at last he could see again as Kuwabara leapt high into the air and stabbed Hina right through the chest in an epic finishing blow!
"Yeah!" Yusuke crowed as Hina let out an earth shattering scream. The scream continued on and on, circling about on the wind like a strange howling vortex of grief and ghostly rage! Hina's body crumpled, falling in, and suddenly dust, ash, snow, and debris flew high into the air! Everyone covered their eyes to protect their vision as it fell in a lifeless heap to the earth... But it was it so lifeless? Was it truly the end?
Yukina made to run forward yet again, but this time several hands stopped her. Kurama held his palm high, waiting tensely as he stared at the ash floating back to earth. It was still pulsing.
It was still empowered.
"...No one move." Kurama whispered. "No one make a sound. Possession is imminent."
Hiei scrubbed at his eyes with snow, his vision coming back one piece at a time.
Kuwabara held his breath, his sword vanishing from his hand as his energy died away.
Yusuke's finger ceased to glow, and he waited with tense apprehension as the glowing dust drifted upon the air.
Yukina breathed hard, her cheeks wet from tears as the emotional upheavals of the battle left her weak and fragile.
Hiei got to his feet once more, brushing snow off of his coat and pants as he glared at the dust.
"I will not fear ash." Hiei sneered, "The ghoul is dead. Our task is complete."
"Don't be so sure Hiei." Kurama warned through gritted teeth, watching the dust for signs of it's next attack.
Mukuro watched as well, her eyes wide with fear as the dust skittered back and forth, blown by an unseen wind. It was seeking, searching, but for what?
A minute ticked past. The ash vanished. ... Was it gone?
"-ugh!"
Mukuro whirled around, only to find that Hiei had crashed to his knees and was clutching his throat as if in excruciating pain! His eyes had rolled into the back of his head, his limbs were twitching violently-!
Yusuke ran forward, as if hoping to beat the demon out of him, but Kuwabara caught him tight so that Yusuke flailed in the air like a marionette!
"No!" Kuwabara cried out, "No, don't touch him! I can sense it, man! Something's real wrong! Someone get Genkai!"
Kurama took charge, running at top speed up the dojo steps and bursting through the front door to disappear into the gloom of the temple.
Yukina fell to her knees, crawling through the snow and dirt so that her clothes were stained as if by blood. She lowered her face to Hiei's, staring into his glazed eyes with deep fear.
"H-Hiei?" Yukina whispered fearfully, "Hiei can you hear me?"
Mukuro drew to Yukina's side, taking a knee as she braced the girl's shoulders for moral support. She felt powerless, helpless, far more than ever before as Hiei writhed in harsh fashion. Before with the jagan's ruin, she had had a plan. She had felt secure in herself, and could take him Shigure. But now, Hiei was struggling against a deeper, darker entity that had no name... that had no weakness. It was trying to invade him, body, mind, and soul- what could she do?
How could she protect him from himself?
"...You've lost, Imiko..." A voice emitted from Hiei's jerking lips, though it was not his. It was wraith like and feminine. A hiss upon the air as if born of a foul wind.
At this, Yukina sucked in a breath of shock, pulling back as if the word had burned her. Her lips formed the words 'Imiko' in such a way that it was clear there was great meaning behind it.
Mukuro reached out to touch Hiei's skin, which was burning as if on fire- but Hiei writhed back in terrible pain, screaming out! His voice was his own again!
-His mother clutching him to her breast, screaming- slamming the front door of their hut shut even as the elders forced their way in with powerful icy energy-
-A burly man, covered in blood, holding a young Hiei to his chest atop a magnificent stallion as fire burned all around, screams! Screams upon the air!-
-Faces, nameless, meaningless, children, men, and women that he had killed-
Hiei thrashed as if in the throws of a seizure, straining his neck and scrambling at thin air with clawed hands as he gasped for breath- like a drowning man!
-A fight upon a high cliff, a flash of white as his stone flew from his throat and topple over the steep slope into a raging river below-
-The burly man, staring at Hiei fully grown... as if he did not know him. Turning his back, unfeeling, uncaring- mindless to Hiei's angry protests-
Hiei thrashed again, and from the dojo door Genkai and Kurama returned! Running down the steps, both fighters were out of breath as they collapsed at Hiei's side. Hiei seized back and forth, clutching at his chest and screaming so that his vocal chords were strained with pain!
Genkai looked old and pale, withered to the point of weakness. She had a shawl clutched about her bare bones, and she looked helpless as she stared down at her somewhat-student. This vain and haughty boy who had tried too hard to be a man.
"...Hiei." Genkai called out his name, reaching for his skin, but Hiei thrashed away from her touch!
-Yusuke falling to the ground in the middle of a sweltering cavern, blood pouring from his chest, his lifeless eyes staring out of his skull-
"... Imiko... Vile child of evilest flame..."
-Hiei staggering across a howling wilderness, his tattered cloak and scarf meager protection against the massive sandstorm that threatened to take him over. No friends. No family. No home. No hope. Nothing, but desolate emptiness awaiting him ahead-
"No good comes of your existence. No good comes of your life."
-A strange looking glass, a place he'd never been before. There he was in the reflection, and yet he was shifting like smoke over water. Instead his mother stared back at him, blood dripping from her hands. She'd cut herself, and crimson ribbons stained her clothes. "In my womb I carry my avenger. In my womb I carry my blade." She whispered-
Genkai laid her hands upon Hiei's heated flesh, attempting to tap into the powerful spiritual battle underneath the surface. She was blinded by flashes of unbearable memories, emotional pain and mental anguish. She could see a heinous woman beyond the thin curtain that separated Hiei from what lay beyond. A fat wraith in a white kimono.
"... Hiei, hear my voice." Genkai begged, "Do not let them define who you are Hiei. Do not let their ignorance be your cruelty... Your destiny was not written by their hands, nor in their blood. Do not be the puppet at their strings."
Hiei writhed beneath Genkai's hands. Yet even as she spoke, some semblance of self returned to his face. His eyes were less glazed, his movements were less violent, and as he looked up at all the fearful faces of his teammates... of his comrades... of the woman he loved... of the sister he adored... Hiei felt a rush of emotion that somehow knocked the evil inside of him like a fierce wave!
-That switch upon the wall, at the end of the tunnel of betrayal. Looking over his shoulder and seeing all the others straining underneath the weight. His choice. His.-
-Byakko's frozen face, a tear glistening on his cheek-
-His mother smiling down at him, touching his baby button nose with the tip of her elegant finger-
-A black flame that burned bright with justice!-
-Mukuro holding him on a flame scorched battlefield, mindless of the roaring crowd-
-Shigure's jagan plant... pain and fear awaiting him... but Yukina behind him. Yukina backing him. Yukina leading him home. Yukina-
Yukina.
"YUKINA!" Hiei screamed, his back bowing upward as he clawed at the earth! Yukina jumped in fright, her face screwing up with fear and distress as she reached out to try and sooth the unstable man before her. But Hiei was blind to her help, he was lost within himself-!
-Their team looking onto the smoldering ruins of the Dark Tournament. The winners. The victors. Free to go home... the only prize their lives. Their futures-
-Kurama looking at him with keen interest, smiling in that odd peaceful way-
-Yusuke giving him the thumbs up, his index finger glowing bright blue-
-Kuwabara staunchly holding his back, despite their arguing only minutes before-
-Mukuro kissing him. Mukuro's lips upon his skin. Mukuro beneath him, sweating and moaning, Mukuro making him feel alive-
-Yukina, holding birds. Yukina, small, only a young maiden... himself high in a tree, watching her play. Watching her giggle and live free of pain-
Her giggle filled his body. It filled his mind, suddenly blocking the wave of pain and raping images that his captor attempted to pour.
"... My mother knew the truth." Hiei gurgled, his voice unstable but his own, "...And so do I. I will always know it... And I will find you. And I will kill you." Hiei trembled even as he spoke, sweat pouring from ever pore on his body as he began to breath deeper breathes.
Genkai felt the woman behind the veil stumbling, could see her pulling back as if feeling pain for the first time. She was angry, and confused. She could not see how she had lost.
"... I'll kill you. For what you did. To my mother. And my sister." hiei finished.
The vile woman behind the veil was stumbling, pulling back-!
-His mothers image in the glassy surface taunting him, he slammed his fist into the wall! It began to crack, it began to break! With every punch he dealt, more images were rushing to and fro! The bad were leaving, the good were staying, till there was no more pain! Only anger, anger and rage! Finally, Hiei broke fully through the mirror, and from far beyond in a land of ice and wind a woman's scream resonated through the air.
He had won.
A massive howl of wind came from Hiei's mouth, and dust flew out onto the air! Genkai leapt back, holding her arms out to stop anyone from coming to Hiei's aid. The dust became snow, without reason or explanation, and a gasp of shock filtered from them all as a woman's image suddenly appeared in the whirlwind.
It was the image of Hina as Hiei truly remembered her. No more a ghoulish hag decaying with mold but a woman of flesh and heat.
Blood pouring from her hands, dripping all the way to the ground, Hina's lifeless eyes looked down on her fallen son. When she finally spoke, her voice was not her own.
"Imiko. Vile child of evilest flame." Hina's lips resounded, "You are the source of all anguish in this world. The pain of our race is upon your head... and I will destroy you for it. Just like I destroyed your saintly mother."
The woman evaporated with a great white flash! Dust, ash, and smoke flew about in a wide column... and when it drifted down the pulsing light was gone. The evil was gone.
Hiei lay on the ground, himself. Alive, but weak... he stared up at the empty blue sky.
He felt nothing but emptiness inside.