Chapter 53: The Makai Bujutsukai
I woke up a while later, finding myself still in Mukuro's stronghold with no other signs of life nearby. Knowing no one had discovered my presence yet, I left quickly. Once I did this, I ran the entire way to a secluded, dark forest nearby and cried my heart out. As far as I knew, Hiei-sama was dead and I was alone again. The only two youkais I had ever loved both died right in front of me. Youko, however, was elated.
/Hn. I never liked him. Finally, that stupid half-breed is out of the way, and-/
/SHUT UP/ My telepathic scream was full of frustration. I was frustrated with her, with my own helplessness, with the whole situation…everything.
/Don't you dare talk to me like that, little fox. You know what I can and will do to you./
/Ask me if I care./ I said in a coldly sarcastic tone.
/Silence, insubordinate girl./ WHACK. I was knocked off the rock I was sitting on, blood trickling out of my mouth.
/Go ahead. Kill me. I know you want to. I have nothing left to live for. Nothing./
/Not today, my hopelessly idiotic alter. Perhaps another time, when you least expect it./ Silence. I sighed from my position on the ground and straightened up, leaning against the same rock. All that reached my ears was silence…the deafening silence of solitude.
/Get used to it/ my own thoughts told me/because you'll be hearing this for the rest of your immortal life./ At that, I suddenly broke down crying at my own pathetic, empty life.
Later…
I had fallen asleep in a tree after getting a headache from crying too hard. A telepathic voice in my head woke me up…and fast.
/…Naoko/ I bolted upright, nearly falling out of the tree.
/Hiei-sama? Please tell me that's you…/
/Yeah, foxgirl, it's me. Are you alright? Where are you/
/I-I'm fine. I'm in this forest near Gandara./ Gandara was the name of Yomi's territory.
/Listen to me, okay? I want you to come to the western border of Mukuro's territory. I'm waiting for you there./
/O-okay/ It wasn't too far, so I instantly jumped out of the tree I was in and started running. Shortly after, I was right where Hiei-sama had told me he was waiting, but I didn't see him. After a second, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Hey, foxgirl." I spun around and saw the one and only master of the black flame, Jaganshi Hiei-sama, fully healed and standing right in front of me.
"Hiei-sama…" I said in disbelief. "Hiei-sama…I…I…you're…" He waited patiently for my reaction, which came after a moment or two. I half jumped on him, throwing my arms around his shoulders.
"N-Naoko-!"
"I'm so happy you're alright…you have no idea…"
"Y-yeah, I kinda do. Calm down, Naoko, everything's fine." I took a deep breath to stop myself from crying and let go of him. "Listen, okay? There's going to be a tournament after Raizen dies to decide who controls his part of the Makai."
"And…?"
"And Kurama's going to be working for Yomi during this tournament. Which means…"
"…you'll be working for Mukuro."
"I have no choice. I owe her."
"For what?" Then, I noticed it…the hiruiseki pendant from Hiei-sama's memories was around his neck.
"I lost this a long time ago. Mukuro gave it back to me. That's all."
"…Fine. Just….just be careful, okay?"
"I promise." As he walked away, I had a sneaking suspicion I knew Mukuro's intentions. I went back to the forest I had been in earlier, sat in a tree, and started thinking. Mukuro wanted to rule Raizen's part of Makai in addition to her own, correct? Controlling two thirds of the most volatile place in the universe was not an easy task. So, I thought, she would need someone powerful in addition to herself…someone equal to, if not stronger, than her…someone like my Jaganshi Hiei-sama. Suddenly, it hit me. Mukuro had been acting strangely before she looked into Hiei-sama's memories…very strangely, in fact. And since she had his hiruiseki, why would she give something that valuable to him so easily? Hiei-sama had no idea it was in her possession, so Mukuro could've hidden it and no one would've known. Why, then? The answer was obvious, yet so very subtle. Either Mukuro wanted to control Hiei-sama somehow…or she had fallen for him.
Instantly, I felt sick.
end of chapter fifty-two
