Chapter 53: Wind back the clock
"What…what did you just say?" Yusuke wasn't sure he'd heard right.
Mary Anne's gaze traveled up to him. "You heard me; she's a couple centuries back in this world's time, about six hundred and ninety."
'Now this is just stupid weird.'
"If he thinks that's going to keep me from kicking his ass, then he's got another thing coming." Yusuke leaned closer to the guardian. "Take me there, right now!"
Mary Anne raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but I can't do that."
"Can't, or wont?" Kurama asked.
"In this case it's cant." She informed them reluctantly. "I don't think you guys yet get that as a Guardian, I have strict rules I have to follow. The strictest is that I cannot step outside my time frame."
"Why the hell not?" Yusuke demanded.
"Because I have powers that can only exist within one being, and through most of human history, there has been a Guardian. If I were to step into another time where there was someone with a guardianship...well, it would be like the world's atomic bombs going off at once, except worse. It would upset the balance of the dimensional scope, probably destroying everything."
With a look of fear, Kuwabara stepped away from Mary Anne. "So then, could you, you know, take a few dozen steps away in the opposite direction?"
Mary Anne ignored him, her attention on Yusuke. "So I can't."
"But there has to be a way.' Botan insisted. "We can't let him get away with kidnapping Keiko! She's our friend!"
"Would any of the Wizards have the ability to time travel?" Kurama asked.
"Probably, but frankly, I don't know where any of them are right now. And before you ask,' she shot Kurama a look. "No, this book can't tell me."
The wall near Yusuke suddenly developed a hole as he punched through it.
"If you tell me that there's no way to get to Keiko, I swear I'm going to personally dig your grave and throw you in it."
Mary Anne hid a smile. This was the first time she'd seen Yusuke actually look threatening. Who knew? He'd just risen a few notches in her estimation.
"No, I won't tell you there's no way, because there is. This is something of an open secret, but it should help you; every faction, included those who no longer participate in the war, has at least one member who can time travel."
All eyes immediately went to Nina, who hid behind Fay.
Yusuke would have demanded she take them to Keiko, but to his surprise, Fay beat him to it.
"Get us there now!" Fay whirled around, grabbing Nina by her shirt.
"Just because I'm a Shaman doesn't automatically mean I'm the one who can time travel!"
"But-she-knows-who-caaan." Mary Anne chirped in a sing song voice, her eyes on the pages of her book.
"Well?" Shizuru asked, taking a step closer to Nina.
Nina hesitated, her expression reluctant.
"Why so hesitant to help?" Touya asked suspiciously.
"It's…it's not that exactly. Fay stop glaring, coming from you it doesn't work. It's more that…well…" Nina took Fay's hands and dislodged them from her shirt, then set her own hands on her friend's shoulders. "You know her too; shall I hum her theme song?"
It took Fay a few seconds to realize what Nina meant by that. When she did, she stepped back, dismay filling her eyes. "No…"
Nina nodded. "She's a witch, if you want to know; more precisely, the High Priestess in training for her faction."
"Was anyone around me actually normal!" Fay demanded in a shout.
"Well yeah…" Nina trailed off trying to think, a name came to mind but then she remembered. "Well…only Nina, Dante, Isis, and I were in a faction." She answered cheerfully.
"Does anyone know what they're talking about?" Juri whispered.
"Not a clue." Koto answered, her ears twitching.
"Could you guys fill us in?" Rinku demanded.
"Oh…right." Looking resigned, Nina informed them. "Our friend…her name is Madeline, and she's uhh… in the Witch's faction."
"Okay, then let's go get her." Yusuke pointed at the still open portal. "Change it."
"The only problem with that,' Mary Anne snapped her book close. "Is that Madeline is, at the moment, in the Santa Cruz mountains, more specifically;she's right smack in the middle of blessed ground protected by a barrier that will turn any being who 'demon' can be applied too, into so much ash. A normal human can't go there either; they have to have some kind of ability, such as being psychic."
"Okay, then I'll go get her!" Yusuke snapped.
Mary Anne stared up at him through half open eyes, her expression unreadable. Finally, she shook her head. "No, you'd get fried too, don't ask me why."
Yusuke gritted his teeth.
"I'll go!" Fay volunteered. "I know Madeline, so she'll trust me, and I'm not a normal human."
"No." Kurama stated firmly. "I will not let you walk into a faction's home base. Even if they no longer participate in the war."
"I won't go alone, Nina can come with me."
"Yeah…' Nina sidled away from Fay. "Not possible."
"Why not?" Fay demanded, whirling to face her friend.
"Their territory is filled with spirits, both nature and human. I step in there and my fate will be worse than just turning into ashes." That would be merciful. For her, it would be more like a steel rod and lightning, lots and lots of lightning. She'd be lucky if any of her sanity stayed intact.
"Hey, is everyone forgetting about me?" Kuwabara pointed at himself proudly. "I'll go with Fay."
Kurama studied Kuwabara in silence before turning back to Fay. "Like I said; I will not let you walk into such a place unprotected."
"Hey!" Kuwabara glared at Kurama. "I just said I'd go with her!"
"Ha! And you're going to do what?" Hiei scoffed. "They're going into an all female territory, are you saying you're willing to break your code if they attack?"
"Even if you were,' Kurama said, trying to pacify Kuwabara. "You alone cannot take them all on."
"I'll go with her." Genkai stepped forward.
"If worse comes to worse, Kuwabara can get Fay out of there while I hold them off." She glanced at Kurama. "Will that satisfy you?"
'Why is she asking him?' Nina thought. Kurama may be, and she still couldn't believe it, Fay's boyfriend, but that didn't mean he could suddenly decide everything in Fay's life. Any moment now, Fay was so going to put him in his place.
Nina watched her friend, expecting the explosion at any second…any second now…
It never happened. Kurama agreed with Genkai's plan, and Fay smiled up at him in a way that made Nina want to slap her around and demand to know what the hell was wrong with her!
It was enough to give her a headache, or a migraine, counting all the emotions that the group was giving off.
The emotions coming from three beings in particular were beginning to chafe at her. Yusuke she could understand, but she could also feel both Jin's and Kuronue's jealousy. It was the same emotion, but the way it felt was so different. Kuronue's quiet, like a wind in the night, cold, silent and calculating.
Jin's was more like fire, strange since his element was wind, but at least it was tampered, but she got the feeling he was just…waiting.
Yeah, she could feel that migraine coming on. And now she would have to deal with Madeline… yup, there was that migraine.
"You'll have to wait until tomorrow though." Mary Anne stated. Before Yusuke could begin shouting, she held up a staying hand. "No one outside of their faction is allowed within their borders after night fall. Their rules not mine." At least they hadn't asked her to go get the witch. The Witch Faction and her didn't have the best relation. It went more along the lines of; don't come near us, and we won't give you a reason to bust down our door.
"If we're done here, I'm going to bed. I suggest you guys do the same." Yawning, Mary Anne disappeared.
Keiko slowly opened her eyes and stared up at the blue silk canopy above her. 'Wait, I don't-' Memory rushed back and she quickly sat up.
'Where am I?' The room she was in was large; the floor made of wood, expensive looking carpets laid on it. There were paintings hanging on the walls and antique furniture arranged throughout the room.
'I have to get out of here!' She swung her legs over the bed, finally noticing that someone had changed her into a blue kimono decorated with white cherry blossoms.
That gave he pause, but after a second Keiko dismissed it, jumping off the tall bed just as the door opened.
"So, you are awake."
Keiko took a step back, looking at the girl warily. "Who are you? Where am I? Why did you bring me here?"
"My name is Hakel, as for the rest,' she bowed to Keiko. "Welcome home, Kathleen."
"I'm not Kathleen." Keiko insisted firmly. "You have the wrong person."
Hakel shook her head. "You have Kathleen's soul. I was once your sister; I would recognize you in any form."
"I don't have a sister, I'm an only child." Keiko insisted. "And just so you know, my friends will come for me."
Hakel's lips turned up in a smile that filled Keiko with apprehension. "It would be quite a feat, considering we are seven hundred and ninety years in the past."
Keiko's face blanched. How would Yusuke be able to get here?
'If they can do it, so can he. I have to believe that.'
"They'll still come for me."
Hakel shrugged. "Perhaps, but by the time they manage it, you will not wish to return."
'I seriously doubt that.' Keiko thought.
"Once your memories are restored, you will know who we are, and that you belong with us. Not them. Until then,' Hakel stepped to the side, keeping the door open. "Azrael would like you to join him for lunch. I am sure you must be hungry."
Her stomach took that moment to growl and Keiko fought down her blush.
Going outside meant she'd be able to see more of where she was, maybe even find a way to escape. 'I guess I better keep my strength up then.'
"Fine." She stepped past Hakel, looking around the long corridor.
"Oh, and just in case you were thinking of escaping,' Hakel overtook her, gesturing for Keiko to follow. "I will let you know that in this time period, the barrier between human and demon world has not yet been erected. Going outside may mean your death."
'Then I'll wait for Yusuke. I know he'll come for me.' Her left hand gripped her right wrist and she finally realized that she was still wearing Fay's bracelet.
'Maybe I can use it.' The others had told her that the bracelet had magical qualities. Hopefully it would work if she needed it.
Hakel led her to a large dining room with a long table in the center. At one end sat the man that had kidnapped her, Azrael. He stood as she entered, pulling out a chair for her to sit.
Keiko hesitated.
Hakel gave her a light push, giving Keiko no other choice but to walk over and sit down.
"I'm not her, you know." Keiko said.
"You may look different, but it is still you." Azrael stretched his arm, his hand brushing her cheek. Keiko jerked away from his touch.
"You may not remember yet, but we will soon mend that." He gestured to the served food. "Please, eat. You have been sleeping for some time now."
Hoping the food didn't have anything that would make her fall asleep again, Keiko picked up a spoon.
If someone were to ask Madeline's friends to describe her, they would glance at each other in uncertainty and tell you how she looks, nothing of her personality.
If pressed, they would reluctantly tell you that the nicest thing they could say about her was that she was vane, and then quickly tell you she had reason to be so.
Madeline had an hour glass figure, long shapely legs and alabaster skin. Her wavy blond hair fell to her waist and she had a heart shaped face that held striking violet eyes.
She was beautiful, and she knew it, used it, and pretty much made it the reason she could do and have whatever she wanted.
So, why didn't she hang out with her own kind..? Rumor in school was that she'd had a fight with them, and until they apologized to her she'd rather hang out with her childhood friends; those being Nina, Fay, and a reluctant Isis.
She also loved to flirt, mostly to get whatever she could from the guy before she dumped him.
It was why Nina had been so reluctant to give out her name; it was why Fay had looked so dismayed.
Fay had decided that if Madeline so much as tried one of her moves on Kurama, she'd have to kill her, friend or not.
Thus it was a complete surprise to her when, after stepping out of the portal, Madeline's eyes grew large and she'd pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the group and screeched a word as if it were a curse.
"Demons!"
She whirled angrily to Fay, her finger still pointing. "What in the world are you doing hanging around with the likes of them! Do you know what they are!"
First impression for most of the group was that she looked like a porcelain doll, or maybe Barbie, and that all she needed was the halo. And then she spoke, and that thought had flown right out the window.
Before Fay could answer, Madeline had turned to Nina. "And you, a Shaman, should know better! How could you let Fay hang out with…with,' she shot them a glare. "With the likes of them."
Hiei reached for his katana. He'd rather have her head then her help.
"That is no way to greet someone!" Botan snapped at the girl. "We may not all be humans but we do have feelings; you can't just talk that way about us!"
Madeline looked Botan up and down, gave her a look that said she was not impressed, and dismissed her words with a flutter of her hand. "I'm not talking about you reaper, oh and by the way, shouldn't you be, you know, reaping souls somewhere…else."
Botan bristled. 'I just met her and I already don't like her!'
"It would be wise for you to take care what words you utter in our presence." Kurama's soft tone was filled with warning. "We do not care for your pretense of superiority."
"Aye, we haven't done anything to ye to be deserving this treatment." Jin bristled. He usually got along with anyone new he met, but this girl was proving the exception. It was hard to believe she was friends with Fay.
Madeline tilted her head upwards, looking down her nose at Jin. "Why don't you go hunt for your lucky cha-" She was cut off as Fay slapped a hand over her mouth and she and Nina dragged her away from the group.
"Excuse us a minute while we threaten to kill her." Nina called back to them.
"You know, if it weren't for the fact that we need her to help us, I'd consider throwing her back where she came from." Yusuke groused.
"She's so mean." Rinku huffed. "She doesn't have to look at us that way."
"Do we really need her help?" Kuronue asked.
He'd never stood for anyone looking at him in such a demeaning manner; he didn't see why he should begin now.
"Like it or not, we need her." Genkai had known the moment she'd seen the girl that she would not fit in with this crowd, but they didn't have much choice, not when the clock was running.
"Well I'm not talking to her until she apologizes!" With a huff, Juri headed back into the temple, fuming.
"Come on." Shizuru set a hand on Yukina's shoulder. "We'll leave this to the others."
"Oh…okay." With a worried glance at the group, then the trio of girls, Yukina followed Shizuru inside.
"Does she really not like us?" Yukina asked Shizuru as they headed back inside, Koto following them.
"I'm sure she was just surprised that we weren't all human." Shizuru responded, trying to sound cheerful. "She'll come around." Because if that girl didn't, Shizuru would have to introduce her to her fists.
Yukina smiled, looking relieved. "Of course, you're right."
'Well I'm not buying that.' Koto thought. That girl had oozed superiority.
"When they were finally far enough,' in Fay's estimation, she released the taller girl. Madeline opened her mouth to demand an explanation, but Fay beat her to it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!" The words were so loud they reached the group, and those who had headed inside the temple, startling them.
"They're taking a long time." Botan muttered. The trio had been arguing for about ten minutes after Fay had shouted those words. "Can anyone tell what they're talking about? Well…besides the obvious."
"I don't care as long as they get her to help us get Keiko back." Yusuke said.
"I don't think she has anything against that, just us." Touya leaned back against the wall of the temple, his attention on the trio of girls.
"Well, we could always try kidnapping my mother." Isis had arrived early in the morning, learned about their predicament and tried tiptoeing out of there, for all the good it had done her. Genkai had dragged her back, telling her to stay put.
Isis would have complained about it for a while, but she'd been presented with some really good homemade cookies, and it would have taken more energy than she was willing to lose anyway. Of course, that didn't mean that she was going to present herself to Madeline. It had only been Fay's shout that had made her curious enough to wonder out here.
"Figures." Yusuke muttered. Neither choice appealed to him. They either went with 'I hate demons girl' or tried making the leader of the Magus faction help them.
The trio of girls finally headed their way, Madeline still looking reluctant, but as they neared, Nina poked her on the side with her elbow and Madeline finally spoke. "I'll help you, but only because that girl's a human." Another poke.
"I mean,' Madeline ground out, trying to sound nice. "I'll help you. And I…I…' a third poke. "Apologize for being so ru…ru…rude. You are all nature's children; it's not up to me to judge."
She shot both girls a glower, as if to ask 'are you happy now?'
"Are you going to open a portal now?" Rinku asked her.
Madeline shook her head, remembering that she had to be polite. "No. Traveling through time is more complicated than just opening a portal. I'm going to need at least…' she trailed off, calculating in her mind. "Thirty minutes to set up the spell."
"So you're saying that traveling through time is harder than travelling to another dimension…that makes sense." Yusuke drawled.
Madeline glowered at the snickering girls by her side. "Well it is!" she snapped back at Yusuke. "So go away until I call you." She whirled away, muttering under her breath as she looked at the ground.
"Come on guys, let's leave her alone." Botan ushered the others back into the temple, though a few took different routes. Hiei jumped onto the ceiling and disappeared. Kurama took a hold of Fay's hand and led her away towards the front of the temple.
Nina would have followed after the group, but before she could, Madeline grabbed her by the back of her dress. "Not you, I have a few questions for you." Madeline looked up from her inspection of the ground and glanced around. "Hey, where'd Fay go?"
"She left with Kurama,' Nina tugged at her dress. "And could you let go now."
Madeline titled her head in question. "Who's Kurama?"
Nina sweat dropped. Nina could honestly say this was the first time Madeline had not noticed the cute guys around her. "You know,' Nina approximated Kurama's height with her hand. "Red hair, green eyes, wearing a blue Chinese outfit with a white sash wrapped around his waist."
Madeline frowned, going over her memory of the group. There had been some cute guys in there, too bad they were all demons. "Ah, the guy with the cold voice." She muttered. He had been cute, but what did he have to do with Fay? She asked Nina this, and watched as the Shaman nervously took a few steps back. "Well…you see…"
Nina rapidly delivered the news and ran off the moment Madeline opened her mouth.
"You know, contrary to what this situation's showing; my friends and I aren't usually this loud." Fay explained, after Madeline's shout reached them.
Kurama chuckled, leading her to the stairs. "I'm sure you're right. Perhaps she was merely startled by something." He replied innocently.
Fay laughed, wrapping her free arm around Kurama's. "Sorry about Madeline, she…needs an attitude adjustment."
"There is no reason for you to apologize on her behalf." Kurama said softly.
"I know, but I kinda feel responsible." Fay shrugged. "She's my friend."
The two stopped, facing the front of the temple. "Don't you think Botan and the others did a great job decorating the temple? I wonder what Botan told them to talk them into it."
"Fay."
Fay looked up at Kurama, her eyes widening when he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her.
Like always, her thought process shut down, her whole face heating up. For an instant, she had the urge to push him away and run off, but she squashed the urge down and closed her eyes instead.
When he finally ended the kiss, his arms went around her, hugging her tightly to him. "It's already been decided that half of us will stay here, while the other half will go with Yusuke to retrieve Keiko. While I'm gone, please promise me you'll be careful."
"Wait, but…" Fay trailed off when his grip on her tightened. "I know you wish to come with us, but that will mean placing yourself in unnecessary danger. So please, promise me you won't argue, and that you will be careful."
She really wanted to go, Keiko was her friend, what's more, Fay felt as if it were her fault that Keiko had been kidnapped. The least she could do was help in her rescue. But Kurama was right. If she went, it would probably cause more trouble for them, not to mention she really couldn't say no when he looked and sounded so worried about her.
"Okay,' she agreed. "I'll stay here and be careful."
He rested his forehead against hers, his green eyes glittering. "Thank you."
She nodded, working on keeping her blush down, but from the look he was giving her, it wasn't working.
"I realized this sometime ago, but with everything that was going on, I was unable to act on it."
Fay blinked in puzzlement. "Noticed what?"
"We've never been on a date,' Kurama explained to her. "Once this matter has been solved, will you go out on a date with me?"
Fay stood stock still, trying to figure out how exactly to react, at least for the count of three seconds. Her lips curled up into a happy grin and she wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Yes! I'd love to go on a date with you!" In some corner of her mind, she realized she was probably acting like a complete ditz, but right now, she didn't really care.
"Jin, I'm telling you there's no reason for you to,' Botan's voice reached them through the closed door of the temple, then that door flew open, revealing Jin on the other side with Botan behind her. "Go look for her." Botan finished lamely.
She smiled apologetically at the couple. "Sorry for interrupting, but Jin here got a little worried about Fay."
"But since he can clearly see that you're just fine, we'll be going now. Right, Jin?" Smiling, Botan turned to Jin, but at his expression, an unusually serious one for him, her smile slipped. "Uh…Jin, you okay?"
'Uh oh. Don't tell me he's going to try something?' Silently, Botan panicked. While by now Botan knew that Fay would never notice anyone but Kurama, this was definitely not the time for a fight to break out in their group. 'What do I do, what do I do!' She looked at Kurama, who was holding Fay close to him, narrowed eyes on Jin, then Jin. Who looked as if he was about to say something.
"So…uh…,' she scrambled for something to say, something safe. "Oh! What do you think about the lights? I think the boys did a great job with them, right?" she kept her voice cheerful, though her smile looked a little strained.
"Yeah, I was just telling Kurama that." Oblivious to the tension, Fay smiled up at Jin. "You must've done the ones further up, right? They look great."
Botan nearly sighted out loud when Jin broke into a grin. "Aye, none of the others could. Almost fell twice I did, what with being tired an all." He could have left one of the others do it, but he'd been hoping to show it to Fay from the air. He still would, just as soon as he got her away from Kurama.
"That's right. Congrats on passing your test, so how'd you beat Isis? What's her weakness?" Fay stepped out of Kurama's embrace, took his hand and led the way up the wooden stairs.
"Did she whine a lot? Isis was always whining back at school, you know."
Jin cheerfully began to tell Fay how'd they'd won, Kurama silently keeping pace on her other side.
Once they were out of range, Botan let out her trapped sigh. 'That was too close. I'm really going to need to have a talk with that girl.' Now she just needed to find a way to make Fay understand what she was talking about. 'The girl's bound to think I'm joking.'
"So this stuff's supposed to do what?" Yusuke crouched inside a large glowing circular pentagram, trying to make sense of the symbols. "I don't see why you can't just open a portal."
"Because this requires more precision than that." Madeline explained, half her attention on finishing up the last of her preparations. "Especially if you don't want your upper body to end up in the 1930's while the rest of you ends up in the 1600's."
That picture sent a shiver down Yusuke's spine. "In that case, take your time."
Madeline finished muttering a spell and stepped back, examining her work. "Okay,' she raised a hand, gesturing for Fay to join her. "I need you in the middle, Fay."
Kurama wrapped an arm around Fay's waist, pulling her back. "Fay will not be coming with us."
Hands on hips, Madeline turned to Kurama. "Listen, in any other case, I'd agree. However, a time spell needs a source of power, a large source of power. Unless all of you want to get to your destination worn out, we need her to power the spell. So hand her over."
She was not a happy witch right now, and her manner showed it. Madeline supposed that she could have tolerated the fact that her tomboyish friend had a boyfriend while she didn't, if the guy had been fully human. But no, he had to be a demon in a human body. A witch could always tell that kind of thing, and Madeline thought it her job to keep Fay from his type, cute or not, especially considering that Fay was now the most powerful weapon known to the Factions. But that would have to wait, right now her mission was to be a good Samaritan and rescue a human from the clutches of those false angels.
"Are you sure there's no other way?" Touya asked her.
Madeline shook her head. "Nope, there isn't. Besides, I've already factored her into my calculations; this spell won't work without her power."
"Did you think it unnecessary to consult us on such a matter?" Kurama's green eyes flashed, his voice sounding more than displeased at the witch.
Madeline tilted her chin up, her gaze challenging as she crossed her arms in front of her. "She's my friend, do you think I'd put her in a dangerous situation? That's insulting."
The rest of the group could almost feel the degrees dropping, and not because of the cold.
Isis sighted. 'This is stupid. Why can't Genkai just let me go home, it's not like I'll be teaching anyone today.'
"Enough you two." Genkai stepped in before the situation worsened. "Kurama, we can't waste anymore time, we'll have to trust that this girl knows what she's doing."
"I'm sorry Kurama." Yusuke said walking over to him. "But Keiko's waiting for us, and we can't let her down. If we had more time I'd agree with you, but…" he trailed off his eyes dark with worry. "We don't."
"You know, I'm here too. I can decide for myself." Fay looked up at Kurama. "Yusuke's right. And I trust Madeline. I promise I'll still be careful, but we have to go now."
Kurama finally gave in, reluctantly letting go of Fay so she could walk over to Madeline, who guided her to her spot.
"Okay, whoever's coming, step into the circle now." She told the others.
Hiei stepped into the circle, setting himself to Fay's right. Kurama followed, and so did the rest of the boys.
"I'll stay behind with the girls." Genkai said. "Isis and Nina will help while Botan reports in with Koenma."
Botan waved. "Be careful all of you, we'll be waiting here."
"Please bring Keiko back safely." Yukina bowed to them.
"Good luck, and you better not get your ass kicked, Kuwabara." Shizuru warned him.
Kuwabara grinned. "No way, this time I'll have the bad guys running for their lives."
"Still living in that daze of stupidity I see." Hiei smirked.
Kuwabara glared at him. "We'll see if you're saying that when I'm saving you!"
"Ha!" Hiei scoffed.
"Don't yah worry bout me, sheila." Chu said, looking straight at Koto who shuddered. "I'll be coming back soon."
"Please, take your time." She answered, making a shooing motion.
"Enough talking. Let's go." Shishi said.
Madeline began to speak in a strange language, every third word echoing with what sounded like a bell toll. The pentagram beneath them brightened at the sound. She spoke one more word, this one sounding like thunder, and with a flash of light, they disappeared, but not before Koto's ears caught Madeline's last word, which happened to be 'oops'.
One moment they were there, the next they were somewhere else. They arrived at the outskirts of a thick forest just as the sun began to set.
Unlike Mary Anne's method of traveling, this one had been painless, almost as if they'd been in an elevator going up three floors.
Except for one thing. "What the hell do you mean by oops!" Yusuke demanded once they'd arrived. "If you tell me we've ended up in the wrong time…" he trailed off when Madeline shook her head.
"Fay!"
Everyone turned to Kurama, then to where Fay should have been standing.
Hiei glared up at the witch. "I thought you said this wouldn't be dangerous to her! Where is she!" He took a threatening step her way.
"I…just forgot a minor detail, nothing big." Madeline's superior attitude was missing as she tried to quickly explain, a worried light in her eyes. "I added Fay and her power, but I…forgot to add in that it was all one being."
"Where is she?" Kuronue demanded.
Madeline quickly studied their surroundings. "Well…the good news is, she's in the same time frame. The bad news; she's probably a hundred…miles in an unknown direction."
She'd never been glared at by so many displeased people, much less guys, even if most of them were demons.
"Which way is Keiko?" Yusuke asked.
Madeline pointed to the east. In the distance, they could see a very tall Japanese castle.
"I guess we'll have to split up." Rinku said. "Half of us can go look for Fay, the others can rescue Keiko."
"It's not like we have much choice now,' Suzuka shot Madeline a sideways glance, which she ignored.
"Okay, so who's going to look for Fay and who's going after Keiko?" Kuwabara asked.
"Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, Shishi, and I will go after Keiko." Touya said. "Chu, Jin, Rinku, Suzuka, Kuronue; you will go look for Fay. Jin and Kuronue will be able to cover more ground in flight."
The two nodded.
"Thanks,' Yusuke said. "We'll meet back here."
"We'll make sure to bring back your sheila safe, mate." Chu set a hand on Kurama's shoulder, noticing that he looked torn. "So you go help Yusuke get his back."
Kurama finally nodded. "Very well."
"What about you?" Rinku asked Madeline.
"I'm staying here,' she replied. "I can take care of myself, and I need to readjust this spell for our return trip, not to mention fix that little problem."
"Then we'll be seeing you when we get back." Jin took to the air, heading west. Kuronue spread his wings, his gaze on Kurama. "I won't let anything happen to her."
"I know." Kurama answered before he headed after Yusuke and his group.
"Let's go Rinku." Chu hauled Rinku onto his shoulder. "We better find Fay before she gets into trouble."
Suzuka took off in a different direction than the others. 'If this is before the barrier was erected, Fay may really be in trouble.' He just hoped one of them got to her before she got herself killed.
He had made up his mind, and yet the further he walked from her, the more he wanted to simply turn around and go back into her embrace. But he knew it was impossible. He could never return to her until he'd proven himself worthy of her. Until then, he had sworn never to eat another human. He now traveled to meet his friends and let them know his decision, although he was certain none of them would agree with it.
The scream startled him out of his thoughts and he turned in its direction. It was past dark, most humans knew better than to be out when demons roamed the most. 'Hm, if a human is stupid enough to be out at this time, she deserves death.' He started walking again, then stopped as he remembered his oath. Perhaps fate had heard him, and this would be his first step towards the day when he could return to her.
Raizen changed directions, heading towards the voice.
'Could I be any stupider?' In her defense, she'd never woken up to some lizard like demon gawking down at her. Still, screaming like some dumb bimbo hadn't been the smartest move, especially since it had brought her to the attention of more weird demons.
She scooted back as the lizard demon hissed angrily at her, the anger because she'd automatically brought her hand up and slapped him once or twice before kicking him away. 'I don't see why he's so angry; I'm the one with the throbbing hand.' Too late, she'd learned that the scales weren't just there for decoration. She stumbled to her feet and backed away, trying to keep all five demons in sight.
Her back hit a wooden wall, letting her know that she was now cornered.
"What do we have here?" A demon that looked a lot like an ox walking upright took a step closer, and Fay took a step down the wall.
"Do you smell that?" The pig demon to her left snorted as he sniffed the air close to her. "She smells like power."
The lizard hissed. "Then she's mine, I found her first!"
'Madeline, if I get out of this alive, I swear I'm going to kill you.'
A hairy bear demon shoved the lizard away. "You're a wealking, what makes you think you deserve such a treat!"
The frog demon suddenly hopped towards her. "She's mine!" His long slobbery tongue slipped out, heading for her. She couldn't help it, she screamed again. "Get away from me!"
The tongue never reached her; the ox demon grabbed the frog demon and hurled him away. Since he was the largest there, she supposed he thought he should get her. 'Yeah right, you come near me and I'll step on your,' she looked down at his feet and realized he had hooves, not feet. 'I'll trip you!' Then use whatever she could get her hands on to beat his head in.
The demons began fighting amongst themselves. Taking the opportunity, Fay made a run for it, only to trip as the frog demon's tongue wrapped around her leg.
"Let me go!" she jerked her right leg, trying to dislodge the slimy disgusting thing from around her.
"She's mine!" The bear demon launched himself at her. Scared, and not knowing what else to do, Fay brought her hands up, bracing herself for impact.
AN: Sorry for the long delay.
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"I can't betray him; well it's more that I won't. He's looked after us for ages, literally. He's more like a father to me than anything else. So even if he's being a complete idiot about this, I'm not about to betray him. So no, I won't help you escape."
Sighing, Keiko looked away. "I guess I can understand that."
"Don't look so depressed. Your friends should be arriving soon to rescue you." Arel smiled encouragingly. "Maybe they can pound some sense into Azrael. I mean, if they manage to get through all of us."
Keiko looked back at him. "You're going to fight them?"
Arel nodded. "It's not like I have any other choice, but I have heard they're pretty tough. They must be to bring down the Demon Faction, so I'm sure whoever I end up fighting will defeat me."
"Are you…going to throw the fight?"
"Nope, that wouldn't be fair, but I'm sure they'll still manage."
