Alice Alive
By, KKYOKO
Chapter Twenty-nine: Death Valley
But we are alive,
Here in Death Valley,
But don't take love off the table yet,
'Cause tonight,
It's just fire alarms and losing you,
We only love a lot,
So we only lose a little,
But we are alive (we are alive),
We are alive.
-Fall Out Boy
Meiou's graduation day came in March, and after the long, arduous ceremony, Shiori and Katsuya took us out to dinner at a fancy-pants restaurant in Nerima. I think it was supposed to be French, but it was a bit of a European fusion place. They would have taken us all the way to Tokyo, but Kurama and I insisted that it wasn't necessary.
That was probably the only thing Kurama and I agreed on together in awhile. Actually, it wasn't so much that we'd been disagreeing, but more like I was just ignoring him. Sitting beside him at dinner was awkward at best, and irritating at worst. Even the smooth sound of his voice irked me.
"I'm glad you two got your acceptance letters so quickly," Shiori was saying, poking at her salad. "I was already able to order your uniforms, and two new book bags. Alice-chan, are you certain you don't want to go to Niiza?"
"Positive," I answered, not even bothering to look up from my own salad. Shiori and I had been over this several times already. "I nearly killed myself to pass the entrance exam – I don't think good grades would be sustainable there, for me. Sato sounds like more fun anyway, and there's less of a commute. I can walk with Shuichi-kun," I added, trying my very hardest to sound cheerful. Part of the reason I decided on Sato was because Hatton still had it out for me – and I, unfortunately, had to depend on Kurama to protect me.
Katsuya seemed pleased about this. "Yes, I'd like that. Shuichi-kun, I'll have to depend on you to keep the boys away from Alice-chan," he said with a wink.
My fork dropping against my plate cut off Kurama's light chuckle. "That's not funny," I said flatly, pushing my chair away from the table and getting to my feet. "I'm going to wash my hands."
I left them and went around the chatty tables and bustling waiters to the bathroom. I needed to get away before I really said something I would regret later. I didn't know if Shiori had told Katsuya about the boyfriend-thing, but if he knew about it, it was a joke made in very poor taste. Men were forever clueless.
I didn't really need to use the bathroom or anything, so I just dug around in my purse and stared hard at myself in the mirror. My expression was kind of wan, and I didn't like what I saw.
I needed eyeliner.
Luckily, I had a few things with me, and I found my black liquid liner shoved a mostly empty pack of gum. After a moment of flourishes, my eyes were brighter and slightly cat-like. My foundation was still holding up, so I added a little more blush and bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks, and a bit of bright, shimmery eye shadow on the apples of my cheekbones. They now looked sharp enough to cut a man's throat.
Good makeup always turned my spine into steel. Fantastic makeup always made me feel like nothing could touch me. I really wasn't sure why, but whenever I felt blah, makeup always helped.
I found a cute pair of earrings in a pocket of my purse, a pair of mod-like polka-dot studs, and slipped them through my earlobes. I caught the flash of gold from Kurama's bracelet in the mirror. I realized that I had gotten so used to it that I didn't notice he still hadn't removed it from my wrist. I supposed that until Hatton was dead or imprisoned, he never would. Maybe even after that, what with his control issues.
I gave the bracelet a vicious, rebellious yank, but it did nothing aside from flare his youki at me. I glared at my arm, and caught my reflection in the mirror again.
I looked really fucking good, and that made me feel a lot better. At least, okay enough to grab my purse and go back out to dinner.
Katsuya apologized as soon as I sat down. "I didn't think about how that would sound, Alice-chan," he said, giving a sad shake of his head. "It was very rude. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," I said lightly, forcing myself to turn the dinner into something pleasant. "Besides, you're going to be my dad, it only makes sense that you'd be concerned."
"That's right," he said agreeably, grinning. "I've always thought of you both as my kids too."
"Thank you," Kurama and I said together.
I felt his green eyes on me, but I took another bite of my salad instead of acknowledging him. In fact, I spent the rest of dinner pointedly ignoring him, but I did notice out of the corner of my eye that his mouth was quirked slightly in amusement.
So Kurama thought this was funny, did he?
Later, after the drive home, while Shiori and Katsuya were having some wine downstairs before bed, Kurama cornered me while I was washing my face. Of course he would do that when he figured I would be the most vulnerable, because he wouldn't miss the fact that my makeup was a shield and a weapon.
"I need to talk to you," he said, closing the bathroom door behind him.
"About what?" I demanded crossly, bent over the sink with makeup remover running into my eyes. "Do we really have to do this now?"
He handed me a washcloth. "Well, no, but I prefer it this way. You can't run away from me in here."
"Well, I could always flush myself down the toilet to go to the Ministry of Magic, but I'm sure you'd just follow me," I retorted, running hot water over the washcloth and wiping my eyes.
"Certainly," he answered lightly. "I've never been to the wizarding world before. I'm sure it's just as interesting as the books say it is."
I sighed. "What do you want?"
"In the summer, the month of August specifically, I'll be going to Demon World. If this business with Hatton isn't wrapped up by then, I believe you'll either end up going with me or to Genkai," he said. "I haven't spoken with her about this yet, but I'm certain she wouldn't mind taking you in for a month. Obviously, I can't leave you alone."
I straightened in surprise. "What are you going there for?"
He gave a slight shrug and looked away. "An old friend of mine called and asked me to lend him my aid. I'm not certain of the danger, although I'm positive it'll be safer for you to stay with Genkai. Although, if you did go with me, I don't think the air would be poisonous to you, if Hatton's survived it."
I frowned. He obviously wasn't telling me everything. I turned back to the sink and finished washing my face off, and hung the washcloth up. "Is that all?" I asked, reaching for my moisturizer.
"I suppose," he answered, watching me slather it on my face with a strange fascination. "Women do go through so much trouble for their skin, don't they?"
"Not all of us are genetically perfect."
"Hm," he said thoughtfully, "but I like your skin."
His remark startled me, but I forced my face to stay straight. I'd been playing his games way too long. "What," I began, screwing the lid back on my moisturizer, "is that supposed to make my heart skip a beat? You're losing your touch."
"I haven't the slightest idea to what you're referring," he said, but I saw a glimmer in his green eyes. I insulted him by throwing his compliment back in his face.
"Why don't you just admit that you can't stand me not loving you anymore?" I said with a sneer. "I mean, since all I do is apparently feed your ego."
His surprise was evident – he blinked, and stilled. "That's silly," he said finally.
"I hate people who lie to themselves." I dropped the jar back onto the shelf beside the sink, and turned to scowl at him, folding my arms.
He straightened and his eyebrow ticked in irritation. "I dislike those who disparage their own self-worth."
"You've obviously got me confused with someone else," I bit out, setting my hands on my hips. "Just when has my self-confidence ever been lacking? Hm? In regards to you? I think you're out of your mind. You don't know me – you never have, Kurama."
"I don't know you?" His eyebrow went higher. "I think I've picked up several things in the last seven or eight years."
"Not enough," I retorted, growing angrier. "Why don't you just admit that it irks you?"
"You not loving me anymore does not irk me," he replied, hand curling into a fist at his side. "It confuses me, certainly. How does one suddenly just stop loving someone else? Just how deep was that love to begin with?"
"Hm. You're possessive of my affection," I observed. What an interesting thing to say. "You see, that's your problem, Kurama. You never looked beyond me being one of your possessions. And for your information, it was pretty deep, but it got tiring. I was sick of being emotionally exhausted all the time."
He didn't deny that he thought of me as a possession. Honestly, from his expression, it looked like he was just realizing it himself. It was strange to see such a stunned look on his normally calm face. "I suppose I didn't realize…"
"I think this is new to you." I sighed. "You've spent thousands of years as an emotionally-stunted outlaw, never forming bonds, or having the relationships you have now. You're still learning how to live and love. This is growth. It's…not easy." I tugged at the hem of my skirt. I wanted to put on my pajamas and go to bed. I was not a psychologist, which was something that Kurama clearly needed. "I'm going to sleep."
He stepped out of the way so that I could leave the bathroom, and I left him standing there, flabbergasted. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
"Alice," he said, just as my hand touched my bedroom door. I turned to look at him from across the hall. His mouth was pressed in a slight line, and his head was tilted to the side. "I understand that I have hurt you, just, perhaps I don't understand the extent to which I have. Can I do anything to make it up to you?"
"I don't know," I told him honestly.
He gave a soft sigh. "I see. I'll simply have to learn more about humans, I think, and relationships."
"That's a start," I replied, closing the door behind me.
Sato Art School was enormous. It was five stories tall, it sprawled over four acres of land, and I knew I would get lost the first day there. And probably the second day, and maybe even the next month.
A lot of the students were really beautiful. Probably a lot of them thought of going to Sato to set them on a path for a career in front of a camera, be it acting or modeling. Of course, there were plenty of other things going on there too: painting, sculpting, cinematography, interior design, fashion, music, and even cooking. There were even manga-drawing and voice-acting classes. Sato was very inclusive of all art forms. And if you came up with something it didn't have, you could easily make a club for it. Of course, to do that, you had to be keeping up with all of your regular classes too.
Unless you already know what you want to do, you would spend the first trimester of your first year going from section to section, class to class, trying your hand at everything. I fell in that boat, so I tramped across the campus for the first few weeks, trying to find my niche.
The modeling section wanted me.
The only reason I could think they did was because I was foreign. Although I had finally hit 5'3", I still wasn't exactly tall enough for haute couture – and I never would be. I remember topping out at 5'41/2" at nineteen years old back in Texas. Hardly runway worthy.
But still, they were the club that wanted me most. I was pretty hopeless at other visual arts – I never could draw well, let alone paint, and don't even get me started on sculpture. That was a complete joke. Although, the week spent with the interior design club was pretty interesting, and they did invite me back.
I hadn't hit the acting section yet. There was a very large rotation for it and the modeling section for the first years, since they were both pretty popular. I hadn't even seen Naoto or Kyoko, but I was certain it was only because they were in the second year's section of the campus – first years weren't allowed there unless they had express permission from a teacher. I tried to spot them at the school's gate in the morning and afternoon, but there were too many people.
"Minamino, answer this question for me," Kitani-sensei said, frowning at me. He reminded me a lot of a younger Katsuya, with his slightly stern glasses and mild attitude. He had probably thought he caught me daydreaming in our world history class.
One of the things Sato prided itself on was the fact that even though it was an art school, it still had one of the best academic curriculums in the prefecture. The classes weren't easy – they were pretty demanding and there was a lot of homework. If I hadn't just come out a school like Meiou, I probably wouldn't have been prepared for the rigorous curriculum, considering my laughable academic background in Texas.
I glanced at the blackboard where he had written his notes on the French Revolution. He had underlined the question.
What was the cause of the March of Versailles?
I answered quickly and succinctly. "Shortages and overinflated prices on bread. The Parisian working class was spending half of their income on food at the time."
He smiled. "Good answer. Although, when you answer this question on paper, you should include the hunger and despair of the women who marched."
I nodded.
He went on to explain more of the March, and called on a few others to answer questions. They answered quickly, or slowly, depending on who he called on. The smartest kid was probably Usui Nanami, who looked like she could easily be Japan's next teen idol. She reminded me a bit of Hermione in the ways she behaved in class, meaning that she was always overeager to answer questions, and while very nice, she could be a little obnoxious at times.
No one was particularly dumb, but there were the kids who were just there because they had to be, and they just wanted to be famous already. They hid and didn't want to be called on, or ignored it when they were. Kouji and Adachi were the worst – they hardly did any work and refused to do any of their day duties. They spent most of the time making sure they looked good and taking selfies on their phones.
A lot of the kids in my class were pretty cool though. They were really trendy and artsy, and really thoughtful too. They were interested in me, but I knew there were a few other foreigners in the school. I had heard there was a black exchange student in the third year. I heard there was another exchange student from Germany in the manga club. Still, it was rare enough, so I could see one of the reasons the modeling section was interested in me – and bonus points because I was a resident and wouldn't be going back to my home country any time soon.
The bell rang for break, and I went for a walk out to the first years' courtyard. I didn't have to wait long before more modeling section recruiters came for me again.
"Minamino-chan! Minamino-chan!"
I turned and saw Yamamori, and the section's president, Yosano waving at me. I was a little surprised the president was approaching me personally.
"Eh, Yamamori-senpai, Yosano-kaichou, can I help you?" I asked, still wondering what exactly they would even do with me. They hadn't fully explained themselves yet, and while I appreciated the fact that they wanted me, I still didn't want to end up making a fool out of myself because I didn't have the right height.
"Yes!" Yamamori exclaimed, giving a bright smile. Her curls bounced as she stopped in front of me. "You can officially join the modeling section! We need people like you!"
"Foreigners?" I prompted, curiously.
"Yes," she answered, pleasantly. "You also have the right face for it."
I was confused. "I do?"
Yosano added on, seeing my expression. "You have a good bone structure," she said serenely. "And your nose isn't too big for a foreigner."
"But I'm not very tall," I said, managing to not feel too insulted. "Isn't that going to be a problem?"
They giggled. "Japanese aren't very tall either – not commonly," said Yamamori. "But as long as you don't gain any unnecessary weight, you can easily be a member."
Well, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't maintaining my weight very well. After not being able to go for runs as often as I used too, I had put on about seven pounds, and my muscles were beginning to turn into flub. It didn't make a big difference on my frame yet, since I had been a little underweight to begin with, but I wasn't going to be able to exercise much. Gaining more weight seemed inevitable.
But at least I was getting bigger boobs.
"I'm not really sure the modeling section is for me yet," I answered politely. "I'd like to try my hand at a few more things, before I make a final decision. I really appreciate you taking so much consideration for me though."
Yamamori frowned, but Yosano gave me another serene smile. "That's fine. Come back any time, Minamino-chan. We'd love to have you." She suddenly gave me a critical look, interrupting her sanguine expression. "Do you do your own makeup?"
I blinked. "Of course."
Yosano smiled again. "It's very good. I like the way you've chosen and blended your eye shadow. You know, if you don't want to do work in front of the camera, I think you'd be very valuable behind it too."
I felt my face light up. "Thank you so much."
"Of course, Minamino-chan. Well, see you around. Let's go, Yuka." She gave me a wave and they went back inside, leaving me alone.
I whipped out my cell phone and shot Shizuru a quick text about what had just happened. I grinned at my screen. I hadn't even thought of getting involved in makeup artistry. I suppose watching all of those Youtube tutorials paid off.
My phone dinged. Well, if it makes you excited, you should go for it, Shizuru replied. You did Keiko's makeup before she saw Yusuke at the Dark Tournament, and she really liked it.
I frowned. I had no recollection of this at all. Was I drunk? I texted.
My phone dinged after a couple seconds. Completely shitfaced, she replied.
I laughed. That figured. Kurama was probably right about me trying sobriety, but I really didn't want him to be right about anything – at least when it came to me.
I sighed. I could tell he was trying though, at least. He had been giving me as much space as he could lately, and even when I tried to pick fights with him, he just stayed irritatingly pleasant. I hadn't completely given up on punishing him, but I was really just waiting for the perfect opportunity to crop up. You know, something like he meets a girl he really likes, and I completely turn her against him. Or he gets a winning lottery ticket and I drop it into the garbage disposer. Stuff like that.
I waited by the gate after school for Kurama to come get me. After awhile, I caught his red head bobbing in the distance through the crowd of free students leaving the school. My phone went off and I dug it out of my bag, unlocking it. Keiko, apparently at Shizuru's suggestion, had sent me a selfie she had taken that night I did her makeup.
My jaw dropped. She looked amazing.
In my extremely inebriated state, I had managed a high-level haute couture-esque look that easily belonged in Vogue. I had hallowed out Keiko's cheekbones with bronzer and a bright orangey-pink blush. I had given her subtle, thin black lines over her eyelids that ended in cat-like points. I had blended a gold pencil in the outer edge of her waterline, and a whiter pencil in the inner edge and the inner corners of her eyes, making those doe eyes of hers the huge, statement piece of the evening. I spotted my baby pink lip stain on her mouth to balance the heavy eye makeup.
"Oh, that's from the Dark Tournament," Kurama remarked, glancing over my shoulder.
I shrieked and sent my phone soaring into the crowd.
Luckily, Kurama snatched it out of the air and calmly handed it back to me. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you. I remember you did her makeup that night, didn't you? I recognize the way you do your cheekbones. Are you curious about doing makeup professionally?"
Not even within five minutes of meeting him, and he had already dissected my day.
"Maybe," I answered, shoving my phone back in my bag. I would have to text Keiko thanks later.
"I think you would be good at it," he encouraged. "You've always had a gift with it. You always to manage to look very put-together when you want. Do you like it? Doing makeup?"
"I like it."
He caught the shortness of my tone and changed the subject. "Shall we stop at the café on the way home? It's been a few days. I'm beginning to think something's wrong with you."
"I'm getting fat," I told him, flatly. I wanted to run. I hated being confined in the house.
His dark green eyes turned to me, giving me an amused once-over. He lingered over my breasts for a brief, surprising moment, and quickly jerked his gaze to my face. "You're filling out," he calmly rebutted. "You look fine. Still skinny as a weed."
I knew he was right. I just didn't like suddenly gaining weight – it was uncomfortable. I felt puffy, and my clothes were getting tighter. I needed to go shopping.
Nah. Fuck that.
"I need to start running again. Isn't there anything we can do about Hatton? I can literally feel my quads turning into liquid shit." I shucked my blazer off and slung through the strap of my bag.
His eyebrows soared. "My, liquid shit so soon? You only stopped running a month ago."
"I'm antsy, damn it. I want to run. And even the modeling club was like, 'we want you – but don't gain anymore weight!'"
He gave me a dubious look. "How shallow. Fine, if you like, you can start running again. I'll go with you."
I cringed. "Ew, no."
"No?"
"It's a by-myself thing."
He sighed. "Why don't you give it a chance? I solemnly swear not to say a word to you the whole time – unless it's to warn you of danger."
"Fine. Maybe if I blast Bassnectar loud enough, I'll forget you exist."
He looked like I had just slapped him – startled. I immediately felt my stomach drop. I opened my mouth to apologize, and then wondered what the hell I thought I was doing. Didn't I hate him?
I snapped my mouth shut and tossed him a glare.
"Are you really that determined to be angry with me?" he asked softly.
I shrugged, and stepped ahead of him.
"Alice. Please look at me."
I stopped and rounded on him, waiting with my hands on my hips. I swallowed down the apology that was struggling to come out. I refused to apologize to him – even if he looked like a kicked puppy.
His eyes left my face and turned down to the sidewalk. "I wish I had done things differently, but even I can't change the past. I'm attempting to mend things between us, but it hasn't been easy. You know how sorry I am, don't you? For everything? Alice?"
I stared right at him. "I've noticed a change in your behavior, yes, but I'm still going to be angry at you. You should know by now how hard it is to earn my forgiveness. And I never forget a wrong done to me."
"It would certainly be foolish to forget those wrongs," he responded, eyes downcast again.
I felt my desire to torture him ebb away. Maybe I was a much softer person than I realized. "You have been trying though. I noticed. Just…don't give up, I guess. Even if I never forgive you, at least you'll be better at playing human."
"This isn't a game," he retorted, mouth thinning in a line. "This is my life. I'm not 'playing human' – I am one."
I laughed at him. "Wake up. You're a demon through and through – don't fool yourself. You can't just expect to be human after spending thousands of years as a demon. Don't be stupid."
He started. "Don't be stupid? I certainly never thought I'd hear those words directed at me. But, I suppose I see your point." He sighed. "Straight home then? Or would you like to go to the café? I fear if we stand here any longer, we'll just get into a huge fight as we usually do."
"Café," I answered, knowing he was right. Somehow we always ended up fighting. I was as tired of it as he was. "Caffeine helps me run faster."
"Are we doing that tonight?"
"No time like the present," I said, catching his wrist and tugging him across the street.
"I hate card games," I told Kurama for the millionth time.
The bus rumbled underneath us, leaving the smell of diesel in the air. The dusky countryside of the Saitama prefecture passed us by, and the last tendrils of the low sun stabbed me in the eyes. I yanked down my sunglasses from the top of my head, and threw a five of diamonds at Kurama.
He snapped it out of the air before it could hit him in the face, and cracked a smile at me. "You simply dislike losing. There is really no need to get so worked up about a game of Go Fish."
I dropped all of my cards in his lap and moodily pressed my face against the cool window. My sunglasses pressed uncomfortably against the bridge of my nose. "Are we there yet?"
"We still have another twenty minutes before we stop, and then we have a ten-minute walk to the temple. We should be there by nightfall. Will you be sad to see Yusuke go?"
"Who else am I going to talk to about horror movies and exchange dick jokes with?"
Kurama chuckled and shuffled the cards back together. His long fingers arranged them all neatly and slipped them back into the box. "I thought you could at least do the same with Shizuru?"
I looked back at him and gave him a long-suffering sigh. "I can on some level, but Yusuke will just go there, you know? He's really the best entertainment we have around here."
"I'll give you that," he agreed, folding his hands and leaning back into his seat. "Hiei will probably turn up as well, while we're there. He may have some more information on Hatton. I'm afraid my sources are all compromised."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Hatton knows for whom they work. Hiei is quite special in the way he can acquire information. I'm surprised Hatton hasn't warded against his Jagan eye. I suppose it's possible that he doesn't know the powers of it. After all, a Jagan eye is rare enough in this world – I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same in yours."
"Mm," I agreed. "I never knew of such a thing until I met Hiei."
We were quiet for the rest of the bus ride, musing. Kurama was probably think of more ways to learn more about Hatton, but I was hoping that meeting Hiei wouldn't be too awkward after I denied giving him a kiss. I hadn't seen him since that day. We both needed our space from each other, but I hoped we could still be friends. Maybe he did too – after all, he was going through all of this trouble to find more information on Hatton for me. It had to mean something.
Hiei always did prefer actions over words.
The bus turned into town, and I knew we were in Tokigawa, by the name on the closest gas station. It rumbled on through, and I watched the small town pass by. It was quite rural out here, compared to Asaka. But then again, we were starting to get into a rather mountainous region.
We got to the edge of town and the bus screeched into a stop. Kurama and I picked up our bags and hopped off, and the bus pulled away.
"That way?" I guessed, pointing to a craggy-looking forest. The tops of the trees were gold from the last bit of sun, and I pushed my sunglasses back on top of my head again. It was dark enough now to not need them. There was a narrow road running up a hill to guide the way.
"That's it," he said, starting ahead of me.
I sauntered behind him, reaching down to scratch my calf for a second – my boot was itchy – and continued. He didn't pause, knowing I would catch up with him. There was one streetlight, right around a sharp curve in the road for cars. It buzzed as we walked underneath it.
"What's the temple like?" I wondered, swatting at a mosquito.
He gave me a serene smile over his shoulder. "You'll see. I'll show you around tomorrow before we leave."
"Hm." I gave him a mock glare. I guessed one of the benefits of all of the trains stopping at midnight was that you found yourself in interesting places until they started up again in the morning.
He reached his hand back for me. "Come on. Don't lag or will miss Yusuke. Would you like me to carry your bag?"
"I'm not that out of shape." I stared at his hand pointedly, and he dropped it. I walked a little faster to catch up to him, and stopped by his side. "By the way, running with you hasn't been absolutely terrible, so I'd like to go just about every evening. Is that okay?"
"I do enjoy the way you temper your cruelty with checking in," he remarked, raising his eyebrows and giving me a half-smile. "That's fine. We can make our rounds through the neighborhood. After all, I certainly can't have rogue demons causing trouble in my backyard."
"Possessive as always," I observed.
"Asaka is my territory. You remember what happened with Yatsude? The demon that had Hedoki kidnap Maya?"
"I wasn't there," I reminded him. "But I get your point. I just want to irritate you."
"I would advise against such things," he said lightly.
I shrugged. "I know I have a lot of patience to burn through before I reach the end of your rope. I'm not worried."
This remark only seemed to amuse him. "Patience does come with age."
"And you're old as dirt."
He sighed, reaching for me. His fingertips grazed my neck as he flipped my collar up haphazardly. "There you are. Your disheveled appearance befits your youth."
"Oh, honestly," I grumbled, reaching to fix it. "That's just petty."
"Well, now that Yusuke is leaving, I have to find my amusement somewhere."
"I've never not been your main source of entertainment, you burnt carrot. Even when you were mooning over Kitajima Maya, you still took time to torment me especially. Yusuke leaving is not going to make a difference."
"Did you just refer to me as a burnt carrot?"
I grabbed a fistful of his red hair, and gave it a pointed yank.
He laughed and gave me directions. "Turn left up here."
We continued on a narrower road surrounded by woods on either side. The sun had gone down completely at this point, and the sky melted into a deep navy. I looked up at the blanket of stars above us, and noticed the moon was just a sliver. "Is it waxing or waning?" I asked Kurama.
He looked up. "Waning. The country is quite nice, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I like the fresh air – probably not as much as you do, though."
"The lack of pollution certainly makes a difference on my senses. I believe it's like struggling with asthma your entire life until you finally get an inhaler – then you discover what it feels like to really breathe."
We walked a little longer, deeper into the forest, and then turned right on another small, paved road. I began to sense a wealth of spiritual power in the distance, and assumed it must have been Genkai's compound by its purity. It felt warded against something, but I wasn't sure what. It certainly wasn't against demons. I sensed Hiei's aura mixed in with the compound's.
It turned out that the road we were on was actually just a long driveway. I couldn't see much of the compound in the dark, aside from some impressively large, dark shapes against the forest. The driveway ended in a small, three-car paved parking space – with no cars. From the driveway extended stone steps built into a large hill. Kurama's hand went around mine, and I grudgingly let him lead me up through the dark.
I swore I could hear Kuwabara yelling.
We finally reached the landing. Kurama led me into the first building, which functioned as a house, assuming from the messily stacked shoes in the genken. It was dark inside, since no one appeared to be in, and we left our bags by the door.
Back outside, I followed Kurama around the building and through the bushes. I realized that I had really been hearing Kuwabara yelling.
"You really aren't gonna accept that, are you, Hiei?" he demanded. It sounded like he wasn't that far ahead of us. Maybe just around the main building.
"In fact, I am," came Hiei's dry-voiced reply. "I belong in Demon World – not this one."
I bit my lip nervously, grasping the back of Kurama's shirt for guidance. I hoped we didn't have a huge, awkward thing in front of everyone or something.
"Even if that means going up against your friend Urameshi while you're there?!"
"If that is our destiny, then so be it. After all, I have always wanted a rematch," Hiei replied. I noticed he didn't deny Yusuke's friendship.
Kurama popped out of the bushes ahead of me, and I dropped my hold on his shirt, wondering if I should just stay hidden. This was bound to be so awkward. I sucked it up and forced myself out of the bushes.
"It may be my destiny too," Kurama chimed in.
"Kurama, too?!" Kuwabara yelled, hands going into fists.
"My presence in Demon World has also been requested – and at the behest of the third ruler, Yomi, an old acquaintance."
"I feel like the ugly one at the dance," Kuwabara grumbled.
Kurama moved closer to the group, and I followed him, keeping my eyes trained on Kuwabara and Yusuke. Yusuke looked like he was already set to go, with his jacket and his bag slung over his shoulder. Kuwabara was wearing casual sweat pants and a shirt.
"I'll be leaving for Demon World myself, though some time after Yusuke and Hiei do." Kurama folded his arms and glanced up at Kuwabara.
"Ugh! I can't believe what I'm hearing! Have you all gone totally bonkers?! I thought we had a good thing going here! I thought we had a team!" Kuwabara shouted, waving a fist in Kurama's direction. "We were gonna fight the good fight together! But it turns out you'll fight any fight – even if it means fighting against each other!"
Kurama's glance turned into a glare.
"I considered you my friends!" Kuwabara continued, face contorting with rage. He pointed a finger at Hiei. "But you're no friends of mine!"
"Somehow I think I'll manage to live with that," Hiei replied.
Kuwabara's face turned red. "I'm gonna kill you, you little punk!" He leapt over the railing on the porch and landed like a bull in front of Hiei. Kuwabara launched himself forward and caught Hiei by his scarf with one hand, while pulling back the other to sock him in the mouth.
"Stop!" Genkai commanded.
Kuwabara obeyed.
I wondered for a brief moment if Hiei would have actually let Kuwabara hit him.
"We have no reason to believe they're abandoning the good fight," Genkai said.
"Get off it, old lady – they're going to Demon World, evil's all they do!" Kuwabara said, pulling back and straightening.
Yukina frowned. "Kazuma, just because someone was born a demon doesn't mean they're necessarily evil. Or have you forgotten that I, too, am of Demon World?"
"Ah! But I didn't…ugh…" Kuwabara gave a defeated sigh and slumped, dropping his hold on Hiei.
Yusuke leapt over the railing too, slinging an arm around Kuwabara's neck. "Listen, pal –"
"What do you want with me, you traitor?"
Yusuke wasn't offended at all. He leaned forward and started talking under his voice to Kuwabara. Whatever Yusuke said seemed to ease the tension in the air, and Kuwabara relaxed.
Shizuru appeared on the porch with Botan, Yukina, and Genkai. I noticed Koenma standing there in his human form for the first time. I meandered over to say hi.
"Hey, guys."
"Oh, hi, Alice," Yukina said, smiling. She glanced between me and Kuwabara, but I could tell where her focus really was.
"Alice!" Botan exclaimed, leaning over the railing. "Are you staying over night with us? The trains will stop soon, won't they? We should have some tea!"
I grinned. "Yeah, we're staying. Tea sounds great! Er, Genkai, thanks for letting us stay over."
"Well, I suppose I could make you all walk back, but I can be hospitable too," she replied, flashing a smirk at me. "Don't stay up all night tormenting the boys though."
"There's no need to worry," Botan said with a wave of her hand. "We're all friends here. Even if Hiei denies it."
"What else do you expect from him?" Genkai remarked, rolling her eyes in Hiei's direction. Her eyes fell on Yusuke. "He'll be leaving soon."
I looked over my shoulder to see the three SDF members from Demon's Door Cave standing in the middle of the courtyard.
"Urameshi-kun, the time has now arrived for your departure," said the captain.
Yusuke straightened and grinned. "All right, soldiers! Double-time! Let's go!" He crossed the courtyard.
"CAWWW!"
I jumped and looked up in surprise to see a massive, dark shape in the sky. It looked like a pterodactyl, but I noticed that no one else seemed to be too concerned about it swooping down closer and closer. I shrunk back against the porch warily, and watched Yusuke look up and grin.
"Hey, Puu, come to see me off?" he called up at the shape.
I started. That pterodactyl was Puu? When did that – oh, wait. That's right. When Yusuke activated the Mazoku gene, Puu got big, didn't he? I had forgotten. I watched him land, and was finally able to make out the familiar glossy, blue feathers. Now that I could see him properly, there wasn't anything dinosaur-like about him – he looked a bit like a blue phoenix actually.
Yusuke reached up and Puu bent his enormous neck down so that they could hug it out. "I'm gonna miss you, buddy. Don't give Genkai too much hell, okay?"
Beyond them, the three SDF members held out their hands and a circle of light bloomed in the courtyard. It grew until it was large enough for Yusuke to hop through. I heard shuffling behind me, and the girls came down from the porch with their shoes on.
"Does anyone else think it's kinda ironic? That someone as strong as Sensui had to go through all that trouble to open a hole to Demon World, but these weak, little security guards can do it with barely a snap of their fingers?" Yusuke said, shouldering his bag higher and staring at the portal.
"Urameshi," Kuwabara began, hunched over with his hands in his pockets, "forget what I said before. We may have chosen different paths but you and I will always be…"
"Kuwabara?"
Kuwabara turned away. "I- I'm sorry, I just got some dirt stuck in my contact lens, that's all."
"The portal is ready now, sir," the female SDF member announced.
"Good job," the captain said, "All right, Urameshi-kun."
"Right." Yusuke turned away from Kuwabara to make his way to the portal. "I guess that's my cue. Well, Kurama, Hiei, see you on the flip side." The SDF captain stopped him, but I couldn't hear what he said to Yusuke.
Botan clutched her hands together, eyes welling up. "Oh, Yusuke, you're not going to really leave us, are you?"
I felt my face pull into an incredulous look in her direction before I could stop it. Did she think this was all a huge prank on her or something? Like Yusuke would just laugh at her and go, "Haha, got you"? And then we'd all go inside and hang out with the SDF members, laughing about how we all tricked her?
Kurama hid a laugh in a cough behind me, and I realized I was still staring at Botan.
"I'm afraid so," Yusuke said, breaking Botan's heart. "So long, guys." He gave us all one last look, as if memorizing our faces, and turned back to the portal. Falling into a crouch, he launched himself up and into the portal with a mighty yell. "YAHHH!"
And disappeared into Demon World.
"Yusuke!" Botan sobbed, tears running down her face.
For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why she was so upset. I didn't think Botan had feelings for him, but I supposed I could be wrong. I mean, I was a little sad to see my friend go, but I knew he would be all right. He was Yusuke, after all – master of dying and coming back to life. I shot Shizuru and Yukina a questioning look, but they looked as lost as I did.
"Well, you heard the man – seal her up, boys!" shouted the captain.
I glanced at Hiei, wondering when he would go. He probably wouldn't even say anything when he did. This sort of ceremony wasn't his style. He caught my gaze, and I turned away from him sharply. Totally awkward.
Shizuru glanced at me. "You're the one making it weird."
Was there a bubble above my head advertising my thoughts or something?
I caught Botan's arm. "Come on. Let's go inside. You look like you could use a nice cup of tea, Botan. Yukina, could you show us in?"
"Of course!" She took Botan's other arm and showed us up the steps inside. Shizuru followed behind us, lighting a cigarette. Botan continued sniffling, and I squeezed her elbow.
We went deeper into the dark house, and Yukina turned us into a room with a low table and a sliver of moonlight from the window. She turned on a lamp by the entrance and crossed the room to slide open the shoji to let in the night. "I'll be right back with some tea and snacks," Yukina announced, and left the room.
"Okay, come on, Botan, have a seat here." I guided her to the end of the table away from the open doors. Even though it had been warming up, there was still a chill in the evening. Shizuru and I sat on either side of her. "What's got you so worked up? Do you have feelings for him?"
"Jeez, Alice, just cut to the meat, why don't you?" Shizuru frowned. "Give poor Botan a chance to breathe."
I sunk in my seat. "Sorry. I'm an impatient person. Take your time, Botan."
She sniffed. "Well, I don't think so – especially since I really do care about Keiko so much. It's just that I've been his partner to the Spirit World for so long, and it's so dreadful to see him go. I really will miss him! I helped train him up into a proper spirit detective and now he's off to Demon World, and who knows if we'll ever see him again!"
"Ah, I see," I said, "not only is Yusuke your friend and partner, he was also your project in a way too. Maybe you feel a little maternal?"
"That's it," she sniffed. "I'll be fine in a bit though, don't you worry."
"Let's change the subject," Shizuru suggested, eyes falling on me. "Alice, did you tell Botan about your little encounter?"
"Not yet." I had forgotten to tell Botan when I last saw her at Shizuru's house – on the night Hiei and I broke up. I shifted and raised an eyebrow. "Guess who I ran into in Asaka?"
Botan leaned forward in interest. "Who?"
"Hagiri Kaname - Sniper," I clarified, seeing the blank look in Botan's fuchsia eyes. "It was totally weird, since he insisted on paying for my coffee, and then he took my cell phone and exchanged our contact information. He said it was all to annoy me, and maybe I would need his help or something with Hatton."
Botan frowned, right eyebrow furrowing. "You told him about Hatton?"
I shook my head. "Not in a lot of detail, just enough to let him know that someone was hell-bent on killing me." I folded my arms and stared at the pine tabletop. "I think he was actually a little concerned, but I get the feeling he was feeding his ego more than anything. He's got an interesting personality."
"How so?" Shizuru asked curiously, puffing on her cigarette.
"Hmm…willful? Not in a particularly overbearing, caveman way though – just a bit like a spoiled kid. I think he's kind in his own way, but he's probably too reserved to be completely genuine about it. He's the cool type. When he bought my coffee, he forced me to accept it. Like, in an aren't-I-great sort of way."
"Pfft! Hahaha!" Botan giggled. "What is that? How funny!"
Shizuru quirked a smile. "Has he emailed you at all?"
I shook my head. "Nope. No contact at all. It was a few weeks ago though, and I did yell that I wouldn't thank him for it as I ran out of the café."
The corners of Shizuru's mouth went up. "The cool type, huh?" She shared a knowing look with Botan. "I wonder if this is the beginning of a new relationship?"
I stared at her. "Don't be ridiculous. With Sniper? Ugh!" I shuddered.
Shizuru laughed at me. "Better than Tasaka Kenta."
I slammed my palm on top of the kotatsu. "Fuck that asshole! Seriously! Do you wanna know what he told me at graduation? He said he pitied me because I was going to Sato instead of Niiza! He's such a disgusting twat, and every time I see him, I want to kill him. I really hope he flunks out of that place."
"Wasn't he the boy who slapped you in the face?" Botan wondered.
I nodded, remembering that Kurama still didn't know about that. I could never remember to tell him for some reason. Well, I really did want to knock Tasaka's teeth out myself.
"What an idiot," Shizuru remarked, crushing her cigarette in an ashtray.
"By the way, how are you doing, Shizuru?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable. It seemed like whenever we met up, we always ended up talking about me. "How's business?"
"Pretty good," she answered, shifting her weight and propping her arms on the table. "My client-base is growing, and I've gotten a few rich girls to sit in my chair. I'm sure they'll tell their friends all about me. Ah, by the way, you look due for a trim, Alice."
I fingered the end of a lock of hair. My layers were growing out, and the ends were starting to split. "All right. Text me later when you have your appointment book in front of you, and let me know a good time to come in."
Yukina swept back in the room with a large tea pot, four cups, and various snacks balanced on a tray. "I believe the others may be joining us. I'll fetch some more cups for the boys. Did we need anything else?"
"No, I don't think so. Do you need any help, Yukina?" I asked, getting to my feet.
"No, thanks! I know where everything is, so it's much easier this way," she said, waving me off and disappearing around the corner.
I sat back down, pulling my jacket tighter around me as a cool breeze blew through the sitting room. Botan arranged the cups around the table and Shizuru poured the tea. "It's chilly tonight," I remarked, taking the hot cup between my hands. "Tea is nice, but a hot toddy wouldn't be bad either."
Shizuru and Botan exchanged a look.
"What?" I frowned.
Botan shifted guiltily, looking away. Shizuru lit another cigarette and snapped her lighter closed, inhaling before she took it out of her mouth. I could tell she was stalling for some reason.
I straightened and gave them a scowl as I put my hands on my hips. "Well, say something! What are you hiding from me?"
"She's like a bloodhound," Shizuru remarked to Botan.
Botan suddenly slapped her hands on the table as she burst into guilt-ridden chattering. "Alice, I'm so, so sorry, but the last time we all drank together, Kurama came and gave us such an earful for letting you have so much to drink, and you know what he's like, right? He's so scary sometimes! I honestly don't know how you deal with it! He must have lectured the both of us for an hour and a half – while we were hungover – and I thought my poor ears would fall off and my head would split right down the middle! I can't do it again! I just can't! I'm so sorry! We can't drink together until you turn twenty, he said! It was so terrible! But the tea is nice, right? Right, Alice? I do hope you can –"
"Chill, Botan," Shizuru interrupted. She looked at me and shrugged. "Don't worry, Alice. You'll be twenty before you know it."
"What the fuck?" I asked, seeing black spots in my vision. "He got to you guys too?"
"Ah, I see you've heard the news," Kurama remarked calmly, appearing in the doorway with Kuwabara, Genkai, and Koenma.
I was on my feet and in his face in a heartbeat. "You – you..! I'm twenty-fucking-nine, you asshat! How dare you –"
I felt Shizuru grab my shoulders and she yanked me away from him and forced me to sit back down in front of my tea. "Come on, girl. You know it's for the best. I was starting to get a little worried anyway. Have some tea."
I felt my eyes burn as I gave Kurama a baleful look. "Why do you have to ruin everything?"
"Stop this pity party," Genkai said, sitting down and folding her legs. "You're upsetting the atmosphere. Just like a foreigner to not understand the Japanese concept of harmony."
"So sorry," I growled sarcastically. I turned and glared at my teacup, determining that I would just refuse to talk to anyone else for the night. And maybe tomorrow. I'd enjoy a nice self-imposed isolation. I was so angry and upset that I just wanted to go home.
The others settled around the table, and Yukina returned with another teapot and more cups for everyone. I noticed she had brought one too many, and figured it was for Hiei. I hoped he wouldn't show up. The last thing I needed was him giving me those lovely I-told-you-so eyes.
The fox totally had it out for me.
Yukina sat beside Genkai, looking around at us, and arranging a freshly cut pear on individual plates. "Botan, what have you been doing lately? I haven't seen you in awhile."
She bit into a rice cracker. "Oh, that's right – it has been ages, hasn't it? Aside from my work in Spirit World, I haven't had much time for anything else. We've been so busy trying to make up for Koenma-sama's missing presence. I'm surprised at the amount of work he does! Or…did do." She turned red as her ex-boss glared at her. "Oh, my, I'm just putting my foot in my mouth, aren't I?"
"Yes, Botan, you are," Koenma retorted flatly. "Of course I work hard! I have to work twice as hard the days George is in, too, since I have to make up for his mishaps and do the work of two people! He's dead weight! I'm glad I left Spirit World!" he complained in his cup. "Father wants to talk about punishing me, but it's all he's done for the last five-hundred years!"
"Speaking of your father," Kurama interjected, long fingertips tracing over the lip of his empty teacup, "has he made anymore decrees, apart from wanting Yusuke dead?"
Yukina refilled Kurama's cup as we waited for Koenma to answer.
Koenma's brown eyes zeroed in on Kurama. "Are you asking me if he's demanded your execution? No, he hasn't. You, Hiei, and Kuwabara seem to be safe, for the most part – but you're all definitely on thin ice. Father doesn't take disorder well. He's recognized that you four did save the Human World, but causing trouble for the SDF – especially when Kuwabara cut the kekkai barrier – didn't win you guys any brownie points."
Kuwabara's eyebrows mashed together. "Hey, I had to cut the barrier to get to Sensui! What, did he just want me to let that bastard go?! Sensui had to pay for what he did!"
"He did, Kuwabara, I agree," Koenma said, glancing at him. "And I would go so far as to say if we had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change much about what we did. We were in the right. Father is just being ridiculous right now." He examined his cup. "Here's hoping that he'll have calmed down in the next two-hundred years."
Kuwabara turned to Botan. "So, how has it been over there without Koenma? No offense to your dad or anything, Koenma, but he just sounds like a total jerk."
Botan heaved a sigh as Koenma snorted. "It's been busy. King Enma has all of us reapers working double-shifts, and I hardly have any time to relax! This is the first break I've had since Koenma-sama was banished."
"Ew, doubles," Kuwabara said, wrinkling his nose. "Don't you get weekends off or anything? Rotating shift work? Holiday pay?"
Botan laughed. "Holiday pay! Oh, goodness, that's rich!"
"Maybe you should go on strike," Shizuru suggested, half-serious, lighting another cigarette. "That's no way to treat your employees."
"Well, the idea has merit, Shizuru, but I do feel it's a bit irresponsible. If the reapers aren't there to collect souls, then the dead will wander where we can't find them later. I could send a petition around though," Botan muttered thoughtfully. "I know a lot of the ogres would sign it."
"They would," Koenma grumbled. "They've got nothing to complain about. They don't do half the work the reapers do."
"It doesn't mean that they don't deserve to be treated well," Botan scolded. "Besides, it's nothing for you to worry about anymore."
Koenma sighed. "I suppose you're right. Yukina, could you slide that plate of pears a bit closer? I really do love them."
Yukina passed a plate to him and then handed one to me. "Alice, would you like some?" she offered with a heart-melting smile.
I was defenseless against her charm, and even though I wanted to sulkily refuse and slink into the nearest closet, I found myself taking the sliced pears from her anyway. "Thanks," I muttered.
I nibbled on the pears and moodily sipped the cooling tea, half-listening to the others chat around me. I felt, rather than watched, Kurama move closer to me on my end of the table. His elbow brushed my arm as he used a toothpick to drop his last slice of pear on my plate.
"A peace offering," he said.
I wanted to laugh at him, but I felt like if I opened my mouth I would cry instead. It's not that I wanted to cry about not having booze for the next five years, although that definitely pissed me off beyond words - I was mostly angry about him going behind my back and manipulating my friends and my life again. I didn't think I could endure much more, honestly.
"Alice?" he asked, waiting for me to say something.
I caught Shizuru and Genkai glancing at me from the corner of my eye. Genkai was drawn back into whatever conversation was happening, but Shizuru watched me a moment longer, concerned.
I turned to look at Kurama. His face was inches away from mine, in a way that made me feel cornered. "Why don't you write up a list of decrees you want me to follow, Kurama?" I gave him as diplomatic a smile I could manage. "Since you've conquered my life, I'd like to know what I can and cannot do before the rug gets pulled from under me again. Should I assume all my friends are compromised? Do you want to check my journal every day to make sure I'm staying in those narrow little lines you've drawn around me?"
His hand went around my wrist and he got up and pulled me with him. He gave the others a smile when the conversation lulled in suspense. "Alice and I are going for a short walk. Don't mind us."
"Okay," they muttered uncertainly.
I let him lead me out of the sitting room, trying to detach myself from any feelings at all. I refused to cry in front of him again like I did last time. He was the enemy. I had to start hiding my weaknesses much, much better.
He stopped short, and I almost walked into him. When he turned around, his mouth was in a tight frown, and his forest green eyes roved over my face. "I'm not sorry. I won't apologize. I've warned you over and over again about your drinking, and it's time you get yourself together," he lectured, tone hard. "You have a serial killer after you, Alice. Keeping you safe isn't always synonymous with making you happy."
I let out a baleful sigh. "Are you seriously lecturing me right now? Let go of me." I twisted my arm out of his grasp. "I'm tired of this."
"Don't you think I'm tired of this too?" he demanded quietly, eyes hardening as he looked down at me. He folded his arms. "There isn't anyone but me here. Yusuke's gone, Hiei's leaving, and Kuwabara has his own life. I'm the only one left to keep you safe. I'm not requesting your appreciation, but your cooperation would at least be useful."
"I am cooperating!" I snapped, throwing my arms to my sides and scowling deeply at him. "I'm waiting for you to pick me up at school, and I don't go running, to Shizuru's, or to the café without you, and I stay in the house all day when you're not around! I'm not fucking stupid – you know where I am all the time, and I don't really get why you think you possibly need to exert any more control over my life when Hatton's doing plenty on his own! Why – " I stopped myself, knowing that I was getting worked up and close to letting myself show some sort of vulnerability to him. I almost asked him why he couldn't let me be. I steeled myself. "I'm done. I don't want to talk about this anymore. If you want me to do or not do something, then sit down and talk to me like an adult. Stop manipulating my friends."
His mouth went in a line. "Well, then. Can you agree to be open to other future discussions about your behavior? Meaning that you're willing to sit down and listen to what I have to say?"
I bit back a ripping retort and forced myself to nod. Only if the same goes for you, honey, I thought snidely. I wouldn't show him any more of my true feelings. If he wanted to be cold and calculating, I would be distant and diplomatic. I needed his help, but I didn't want to be any closer to him than I had to be. "Is that it?" I asked, taking a step back from him.
"Yes, I suppose," he replied, watching me with a small spark of interest. He probably thought my sudden self-censorship was amusing, if not outright relieving.
"Then I'm going to bed," I told him, wrapping my arms around myself. The nighttime chill was creeping in the house, and I wanted nothing more than to snuggle under a nice quilt and plot more ways to distance myself from Kurama. And also revenge. Revenge would be nice. "Good night," I told him.
"Good night, Alice," he answered, mouth pulling into a slight smile. I almost felt sorry for him. He had no idea how angry I was at him, but it was probably for the best. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold.
I turned and went into my bedroom for the night, sliding the shoji shut behind me. Another chill went through me, and I found myself wishing for another big cup of tea, or a huge sweater, or like, the Caribbean or something. I dug a jacket out of my overnight bag and turned off the light, burrowing in the futon.
I was dozing when the shoji was flung open in a violent bang, and I was yanked out of bed and hauled over a shoulder. Kurama's red hair got in my mouth as I started to complain – "What in the actual fuck –" but he shushed me and backed out of the room carefully, warily. He set me down, backing me behind him. I saw him tentatively sniff the air in the shadowed hallway.
"What's going on?" I whispered. I couldn't sense anyone there at all.
Kurama reached for me, catching my hand. "Come. This way." He silently led me back to the sitting room, where everyone was still sitting around the table. They had turned off the lights, and only a few candles and the bright moonlight lit the room.
Kuwabara was standing in the doorway facing the porch, his back to us. He was rigid, like a dog waiting for a rabbit to move.
"Anything?" Kurama asked him.
"I can sense Hiei off tracking it off in the distance. I didn't even sense it until it was right on us. How close did it get?" Kuwabara asked.
Kurama's hand tightened around mine. "Whatever it was, demon or otherwise, made it to her window before I could even hear or smell it. Master Genkai, what exactly is your compound warded against? Not demons, clearly."
"Killing intent," Genkai answered, her brown eyes gleaming over her steaming cup of tea. "I'm an old woman with a lot of enemies, after all. Whatever made it that far didn't intend to kill her."
"But harm her? Kidnap her?" Kurama pressed, green eyes turning icy in the dark. His nails dug into the tender skin of the inside of my wrist.
"Wards are never perfect, Kurama," Genkai countered, eyebrows going up. "If someone is strong enough to drag me off this property to kill me, then I deserve to die for being so weak. Alice is in your custody. You decide to do what you will. She may be safer with you, right in Yomi's reach."
"I can at least defend myself against demons," I offered evenly.
Kurama hardened his jaw. "It's possible I'll need to look into other alternatives." His eyes flicked to me. "Perhaps you would be safer in the Makai, provided you can handle the air."
"If Hatton can, then surely I can," I answered. "Even if I weren't from my universe, I still have the shroud of holy energy around me – and it only grows the more I use it."
"It's certainly bigger and brighter than the average person's," Genkai agreed. "If Kuwabara was able to stay in the Makai with his own personal energy protecting him, even if it was for only about two hours, you could likely stay indefinitely. But, that's just my two cents," she said, lifting her teacup and sipping.
"I'll send word to Yomi," Kurama murmured, relaxing his hand around mine as he sunk deeper in his thoughts.
HAAIII.
How have you guys been?
I've been debating on how much action I want to put in the next chapter. I think I want it pretty actiony - or maybe I'll go the suspense route. I could totally scare the bejesus out of y'all. Either way, there definitely will be more development with Hatton.
Also, I really think Alice distancing herself from Kurama might be a bit of a wakeup call to him...perhaps a catalyst to change and further character development later on. ~pay attention~! Keep in mind that she normally gets angry with him, and then sort of grudgingly gets reseduced by his charming personality. She's very determined to no longer let him antagonize her. He won't see her anger anymore. She absolutely refuses to give any further inch of herself to him.
Anyway, I'm still writing - slowly, but surely. Let me know how you liked this one, y'all.
