Hiei was beside himself with worry. He had bandaged Naiyo's injury with the best of his ability and she lay breathing shallowly and unmoving. The wound was close to her heart and by the way she was breathing, he was willing to bet that one of her lungs had collapsed. As he sat a bit away from her he found that he could not bring himself to touch her. He was unworthy. He once again had hurt someone close to him and he could not stand it. She opened her eyes as she had done a few times before, but he knew not to get a false sense of hope. She would stare ahead, unseeing and feverish saying things in the wolf language that he could not understand.
"Hiei." she whispered so low that he barely heard it. He perked up at hearing his name and hovered over her. She did not look in his direction, her eyes fluttered and rolled back into her head a moment before staring blankly again. "Mother… she is waiting… the lilacs." she said incoherently.
"What?" he asked her, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What are you saying?" He gathered the courage to lift his hand and caress her sweaty forehead. She was burning.
"I must… I must go… to my mother." she said breathlessly. Hiei suddenly felt a cold fear grip his heart.
"Naiyo, your mother is dead. But I am still alive. I need you here with me. Don't go with your mother." he said gripping her limp hand. Suddenly, Naiyo's head snapped to the side facing him.
"Ame… " she said in a distant, singsong voice. "Ame to… to mother. My… precious. My… only child." Naiyo gasped and tossed a bit. "Mama?" she called out in a small voice.
"Naiyo, please." Hiei entreated feeling as if he were in a losing battle. Naiyo smiled wistfully.
"My little Ame-chan. Your birth… brought the rains. When… you were born… I held you… you were quiet. I… I thought that… you were sick. You never cried. And then… then the rain… stopped… and you cried… loud and strong…" Naiyo began to toss back and forth and her raspy breathing became erratic. Hiei had hoped that it would not come to this, but the had no choice. With her being borderline between the world of the living and the world of the dead, he was risking himself to do this. Not to mention the fact the she was mentally unstable. He pressed his open jagan against her forehead and meditated.
Hiei stepped into her mind. There was no liquid darkness this time, only a beautiful meadow. It was clouded my a layer of mist and overrun with lavender and violets. It was beautiful. A woman was on her knees in the center of the meadow facing away from him. Over the woman's shoulder he saw a young Naiyo standing there looking indecisive.
"Come on little one. Come to mother." he heard the woman say. Little Naiyo looked at the woman as if she wanted to go, but then she looked behind her biting her lip nervously.
"I can't Mama. He wants me to stay. Hiei strained to look and see what was behind Naiyo. Then, he felt a bit of motion sickness and he swooned closing his eyes and swallowing heavily to keep down his stomach. When he opened his eyes, he found himself on the other side of the meadow standing behind Naiyo. He could see now that the woman was indeed the ideal representation o her mother. The woman looked so sad and lonely.
"Ame, don't you want to be with me anymore? Don't you love me?" the mother pleaded. Naiyo turned to look at Hiei again, this time turning completely and facing him with a curious expression.
"Naiyo. This is not where you belong. This is not real. Remember who you are. Remember what we have." he implored. Naiyo tilted her head to the side and looked at him confused.
"What do we have?" she asked. Hiei kneeled down so that he was eye level.
"We are bonded now. I came here to take you back home."
"Home?"
"With me. I want you with me." he said. Naiyo seemed to think hard about that. "Is this really what you want? A life of smoke and mirrors? There is no life for you here. I know that you love your mother but…"
"No." she said clearly.
"What?" Hiei was taken aback.
"I don't love her. I hate her." Naiyo said in a hurt tone. Hiei shook his head shocked. "She left me. She was not strong enough. It is all her fault! She should not have gone back! Everything would have been okay if she had stayed with Genkai! If she wanted to die so badly she should have at least left me behind!" she yelled.
"Ame…" her mother called behind her. Naiyo spun around quickly.
"No!" she yelled. Hiei blinked and the adult Naiyo stood facing her mother. "Ame is dead. Ame was weak! I am strong! I am a dog soldier elite! I am the next in line to rule! And you…!" she yelled pointing and accusing finger at her mother. "You are just dust!" the arms of her mother which had been extended out to her dropped heavily at her side. "All these years, you have haunted me! Plaguing me with guilt! But no more! I did what I did because I had to! I did what I did because it is what I am!"
"You took my life Ame, now it is time that you give me yours."
"I did not take your life, Mother. You relinquished it. You died because you deserved to. The weak deserve to suffer!" Naiyo's voice had become dark. Hiei stepped back as the blue sky began to darken. Thunder and lightening rumbled and flashed overhead. The ground beneath her mother's feet shifted and opened wide sucking her down like quicksand. Her mother stood there passively allowing it all to happen. "I buried you once," the woman was now neck deep, "and now I do it again, for the last time." She disappeared beneath the surface in silence. The scenery shifted, blurring and swirling until it appeared that they were standing within the eye of a hurricane. "And you…" she said turning back to face Hiei, "you could not just leave me alone, could you? You had to come into my life and change things!"
"Oh, like you life was so perfect to begin with! You can't get anymore fucked in the head than you are now! I seriously doubt that I can cause any MORE damage!" Hiei yelled angrily. Her eyes glowed and Hiei readied himself. But he was not prepared for when the quicksand appeared beneath him and he began to sink. It was not like normal quicksand that pulls as you struggle. He felt as if he were being sucked down by an invisible force.
" 'Fucked in the head' am I?" she said, her melodic voice shifting into a growl. "Then lets just see how far I am capable of going." Hiei just stood there limp and looked her in the eyes. "Aren't you going to struggle?" she asked.
"No." he answered with conviction. "You won't kill me."
"Are you so sure?"
"I trust you, Naiyo. I cannot truly love without trust. You have had endless chances to kill me, but you did not act on them no matter how loud the voices commanded you. I am willing to bet that there are a limited amount of lives you have spared, but you have spared mine. Why?" Hiei noticed that his sinking slowed. She said nothing. "Answer me!" The sinking stopped, still no answer. "Nothing to say? Then I'm gonna tell you why. You are terrified of me." he revealed. She snorted dismissively. "Oh, it's true. You can try to deny it. Why have you been running from me? Hiding from me?" she opened her mouth to answer, "And if you tell me that it was to escape other males then I will KNOW you are lying. Anyone who touched you would be killed without hesitation. But not me. I had gotten further than any other. I touched you, I kissed a you… and you kissed me back. Hell, you had chosen me before you even realized it. I am not one to believe in ridiculous notions, but the more I think of it, the more I realize that fate brought us together." she gasped and stepped back. "Even then, so many years ago, I was always following close behind you. When you sat unmoving by your mother's side, I was there. When you ran away and was going to jump off the cliff, I was there. It was me who pushed you to the side and stopped you, but you already knew that, didn't you?" she said nothing. "It was me who always wondered where you were when they took you away. I used to stare at the mocking stars at night and wonder if you did the same? I used to stare at the brightest star and hope that you were watching it with me." Hiei's voice dropped to a whisper at the confession. He had pressed those emotions deep down within himself so long ago, but they never left him. He had never forgotten the girl who had captivated him in his childhood, the purple eyed one he thought he would never see again. A wistful smile softened his features. "Don't you get it, Naiyo? We have always been mated. It just took US a while to see it." Hiei did not even notice that he was standing on solid ground. Naiyo turned to the side and looked at the walls of the tornado with a thoughtful expression.
"I did." she said suddenly.
"What?"
"I looked at the same star on those nights before I went to the prison, and I thought of the boy who cared enough to save me. The one with the eyes like rubies in a flame." The storm quieted and they stood again in the violet meadow. Hiei felt his throat tighten and he did not know why. "I have to leave Hiei." she said, and Hiei felt far away.
"What? No!" he said trying to move toward her.
"Do not worry. I have unfinished business to tend to. I promise you that we will meet again. Send my regards to Koenma and tell him that I will take care of everything. I give my word."
Hiei opened his eyes as he lay warm, comfortable and alone in the cave. Sitting up, he felt how stiff his body was and knew that he had been lying there for a long time. The rabbits that were cooked before were gone and replaced with new ones. A golden platter lay at the end of the pallet laden with breads and dried fruits. He caught the fleeting smell of the freshly baked bread still lingering in the air. An ornate bottle of wine lay next to the platter. He felt something crinkle against his hand. He picked up the paper and saw that it was a map to get out of the cave. His stomach rumbled and he attacked the feast. Everything tasted like her. Hiei ate happily, blissfully unaware that it would be a long while until he saw his mate again.
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Yusuke and Kurama had been enjoying each other for the passed few days, but all things had to come to an end. Yusuke had to work, and Kurama had to return to his college classes. But it did not matter. At the end of the day, they still had each other and that was all that mattered.
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Botan and Keiko began to see each other more often. Botan confessed that she had never looked at Keiko in that way before, and she wanted to take things slow to see where it led. Keiko agreed and they began dating (although Botan did not like to call it dating). Everyone was unaware of the changes that were taking place in Koenma's office. Koenma was in for a surprise. Hiei had not returned to his office as Naiyo had requested. Instead, Naiyo herself had barged in and stood in his presence. Koenma had shifted to his adult form when he felt her unfamiliar energy approaching. She stood before his desk with a authoritative air that made him want to sink into his seat.
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"I am honored to finally meet you, Lord Koenma." she said politely. Koenma had to shake off his shock.
"Likewise. And please do not bother with formalities Lady Naiyo, your reputation precedes you."
"Then let us get right down to business then." she said. Koenma nodded in agreement. "There is an impeding war on the horizon, as you well know. Only I am capable of stopping it."
"How so?"
"That is not your concern. However, the actions that need to be taken will change the whole of the Makai. Rest assured that it will be for the better."
"I see. And what is it that you want from me?"
"I ask that you do not interfere. Also, see if you can arrange something with Mukuro to keep her heir under her thumb for a while. I cannot have him distracting me and interrupting my progress." she said. Koenma's eyes shifted to the twin marks on her neck.
"You realize that it is dangerous to stand between a demon and his mate, especially one as possessive as Hiei."
"Of course, that is why I am making a formal request. I have grown fond of Hiei and I cannot have him putting himself in unnecessary danger."
"He would say the same about you I presume." Koenma laughed, but it turned into a nervous chuckle when Naiyo did not so much as smile. Koenma cleared his throat. "Well, I see the problem and I will do what I can to aid you as you have requested."
"I thank you, Lord Koenma." Naiyo looked out the window and saw the sun was directly overhead. "You have my word that all of this will be rectified by dusk." with that, she disappeared from his sight.
Naiyo fearlessly entered the wolf demon settlement of her childhood. She felt the accusing and fearful eyes of those around her, but it did not matter. She was there with one goal in mind. Next to her, Kani trotted at her side. It had been a short debate with Genkai that convinced her that Kani would come with her. Both she and Kani sided with each other claiming that family business involved the whole family. Genkai relented with a sigh and told Naiyo to have Kani back by sunset. That was just fine. In fact, Naiyo did not think that she even needed that much time. She stopped a few yards before her father's house.
"GINO! COME AND FACE THE ONE WHO CHALLENGES YOU!" she yelled in their language. Everyone in the area gasped and backed away. Mothers pulled their children from the houses and pulled them close to watch (1). After a few seconds, Gino came stumbling out of the house fumbling with his pants trying to pull them up. A young boy, probably twelve of thirteen stepped out fearfully behind him. He was badly beaten, covered in blood and bruises. His clothes were torn and he was limping. He looked fearfully at Gino and then he turned to Naiyo. He ran toward her, scrambling as he would trip to the ground trying to hold up his ripped coverings.
"Nrabi!" he cried on his knees as he held Naiyo around her waist. Naiyo kneeled down and touched his shoulder, tilting his head upward to look at her.
"Which child are you?" she asked. He looked at her uncertainly and tears of shame glistened on his cheeks.
"I am the second oldest of his fourth consort. I am Zolan." he sniffled. Naiyo heard the telltale skip in his voice that showed the progress to manhood. "Do… do you mean to kill him, Nrabi?" he asked reluctantly meeting her eyes.
"I do not know." she answered truthfully. He nodded and tried to hold back, but he couldn't. He broke down against her crying hard.
"Please, Nrabi! Please do not let him get me again! He…he does things… he does things to me!" he cried hysterically. He laid against her breasts like a cub and she could feel his tears and saliva soak through her shirt. "He hurts us! All of us! He hurt you too, didn't he?!" he pressed closer to her as if he were trying to bury himself within her being, trying to escape the world and the shame that came with it. Naiyo allowed him this moment of affection and she rubbed his back soothingly.
"Do not cry little brother." she said pulling him away gently. She grasped his shoulders and looked into his face. He was quite handsome. "In the end, you will be one of the strongest dog soldiers of our time." as she said this, his face lifted up and he looked at her with hopeful eyes. "All your life he has told you that you are nothing. But you can prove him wrong. You will walk away from this, but you will not forget. This is the first moment of the rest of your life. When you rise from your knees, you will no longer be a boy. You will stand as a man. You will go home and pay respect to your mother. You will love and take care of her. Then, you will go and be properly trained for battle. You will work hard, and with your sweat and strength you will become the man that he could never be." she proclaimed. He seemed in awe of her. He reached up with a careful hand and touched her face as if trying to see if she were real. She gently pulled his hand away and pressed a kiss to his forehead (2). "Now go." she said with gentle authority. The boy took a moment to sit back on his heals. He took a steadying breath and wiped away his tears with the backs of his hands. He puffed out his thin chest and looked at her with a face that said he was ready. He gave her a sincere nod of thanks and then he slowly stood. He looked at his father with a silent promise, and then he walked away disappearing into the crowd as they parted for him and closed once he was through. Naiyo then stood from her place and faced her father. The man had fastened his pants and stood there waiting with his arms crossed calmly waiting for acknowledgement.
"Quite touching, Naiyo. But you cannot really expect anything to come of him. Trash will always be trash, as you of all should know." he waited for a reply. He got none. He looked her up and down appreciatively. "although, you did turn out better than I had thought. You always were even more beautiful than you human mother. My first born. My beautiful Naiyo." he began to walk toward her slowly. "You were always my favorite. I so missed you when you were taken away from me. You remember the fun we had? To bad I was so hasty. Once was not enough. I would enjoy having you again." he stopped as he eyes narrowed.
"Aren't I a bit old for your taste?" she said venomously. He shrugged.
"No matter. A hole is a hole. I am sure that I will get as much pleasure fucking you as I did when I fucked Kani not too long ago." he said looking pointedly at Kani.
"Kill him!" Kani said from behind her. Her voice was low and full of hate. "Kill him, Nrabi! Kill him for me! For you! Kill him for all of his children!" she was shaking with anger. Naiyo nodded acknowledging her sister's plea. Then, more stepped forward. Children, teenagers and their mothers stepped forward from the crowd murmuring in agreement. Soon, the murmurs turned to a chants in a steady, rising stream "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!" Gino looked around at the closing circle, fear creeping to his face.
"You see? You have no allies. No one to defend you honor because you have none." she said coolly.
"Enough!" Gino ordered. The crowded persisted. "I am your Alpha! You will obey me!" they did not stop. "What will you do then if I am killed? Who will lead this rabble?" the crowd then grew silent looking amongst themselves.
"Naiyo! Naiyo! Naiyo!" Kani began shouting pumping her little fists into the air with each chant. The crowd soon did the same and Naiyo's name was called out for all the gods to hear. Naiyo ignored the nervousness that rumbled in her gut. She could not outrun her destiny after all. Fate had decided that she should lead as he mother had told her so long ago. This is were she was to be, and there was nothing that she could do about it. Strange that the idea was not as terrifying when she was standing in the thick of it. Looking at her father now, she saw how small he really was. He was no longer the big man that pressed her into the snow years ago. He seemed ten feet tall then. Now, he was just someone in her way.
"You do not deserve a warriors battle, Father." she spat out the title as if it tasted foul. "Before this is over, you will be bowing before me. And you will beg me for mercy." He huffed indignantly and the dirt beneath his feet shifted. He found himself knee deep and trapped. He twisted in vain reaching out for anyone near enough to try to pull himself free. Naiyo stood just outside his reach. "I will do what you could not. I will restore our people to their former glory. I will rule them as a leader should, with a firm hand AND a sympathetic heart. Is it not funny? That as hard as you tried to break me, it is you who will be broken." after she said this, the ground around his legs constricted and a sickening crack was heard followed with his pained wail. He fell forward bracing his hands on the ground. "Yes, bow before your leader. Your blood will be my sacrifice as penitence for my many trespasses." Another crack and he let out a gasping cry. "You half human, mutt of a daughter will be your better. Isn't it fitting?" The earth shifted and in a moment, the dirt had hardened severing his legs completely just above the knee. He rolled on the ground screaming and writhing. Naiyo stood over him, her eyes glowing. Gino realized the mistake he had made. He had underestimated his first born. She was not what he had expected. He was too deep in his fear and pain to feel the undercurrent of pride.
"What… what are you?" he asked with a strained and shaky voice. She reached down and grabbed a fistful of his hair.
"Your end." she said and proceeded to drag him screaming to judgment. After a while, karma gave him a bit of mercy by allowing him to pass out as he was ruthlessly dragged through the thick makai forest.
Mukuro was rudely interrupted as a guard charged in.
"Lady Mukuro! A female intruder has barged in demandin an audience with you!"
"Oh?" Mukuro asked setting down her book. "Is she armed?"
"No. But she bears Hiei's energy signature. If I had not known better I would say that…"
"She is his mate." Mukuro said thoughtfully. She had wondered why Hiei was sulking the past couple days. Thankfully, she had sent him on a simple delivery mission. Since she had received Koenma's message she had been curious about what was going on. "Let her come. Do not hinder her in any way."
"But madam, she has killed many…"
"I said, let. Her. Come." Mukuro ordered. The guard bowed and left the chamber. Seconds later, the door boomed open and Naiyo stalked in dragging what was left of a male wolf demon behind her. She dropped her load as she approached the throne.
"I am honored to be in your presence Lady Mukuro." she said with the customary bow. Mukuro returned it with a simple bow. She looked at Naiyo appraisingly.
"Hm… it seems that my heir has decent taste." she said with a serious tone. "What is this that you have brought me? A peace offering? Are you not the one who was spotted near my castle killing my guards?" she asked.
"How do you know it was me?"
"Only one could get through my defenses so easily." she replied. Naiyo gave a small smile.
"Lady Mukuro is observant. I have not come here for pleasantries. I have come to help you."
"Help me?" Mukuro asked suspiciously. "You have gone through many lengths to implicate me. Why the change of heart?"
"It was not MY heart that wanted you implicated in the first place." with that, she dragged her father forward. He groaned pitifully on the floor. He opened his eyes and saw the blurred outline of his daughter.
"Naiyo?" he asked. She kneeled down as dug her fingers into the bleeding stump of his leg. His head tossed back and he cried out.
"Look, Father. Look around you. I have brought you into the hands of Lady Justice herself. Now the time has come for you to pay for your sins." She hitched him up into a sitting position so the he could see Mukuro. One glance at her bionic form and he gripped Naiyo fearfully.
"Please, child! I am your father! You cannot betray me! Please! I beg you!" he cried. Naiyo jerked away from him harshly before turning back to Mukuro who was watching the scene with amazement.
"Lady Mukuro. I bring you the one responsible for you troubles. With a little coaxing, I am sure that you can get all the answers that you need. Hiei can fill in the rest. Now forgive me, but I must leave. I have much to tend to now."
"Ah, yes of course. As his child, you are the new leader of the Wolves." Mukuro said in understanding. Naiyo nodded and bowed before exiting. Mukuro stood and made her way over to the cowering form bleeding on her marble floor.
"Now, let's see what you have to tell me." she said stroking his cheek with false affection.
1. Wolf demons are a lot like the ancient Romans were. They would take their children to the arena to desensitize them. Watching the killings without turning away was to reveal inner strength.
2. A kiss on the forehead is almost the equivalent of knighting (kind of).
Sorry that I rushed through the whole Yusuke/Kurama Keiko/Yukina thing. I doubt that you guys are interested in that anyway. This Story is soon coming to a close, but I MIGHT make a short sequel about what happens after. When I am done, you guys can tell me if that is what you want.