Hiei wandered around in the shrubbery, having lost track of Yuusuke and Kuwabara. Something tickled at the back of his mind, calling. It seemed to pull at him, leading him in a certain direction. Hiei followed, pushing his way through the sparse undergrowth and thin, small trees.
The youkai entered a small clearing of sorts, immediately on his guard. There, sitting in the middle on a piece of lava rock, was a gorgeous young woman dressed all in white, a haku lei of red lehua blossoms circling her brow. Her long black hair flowed down her back, reminding Hiei of the lava-covered sides of the volcano. The small youkai glanced at the young woman; she smiled at him charmingly. Indifferently, Hiei looked away, taking in the other parts of the clearing and dismissing the native woman as no threat. The pull felt strongest here, but Hiei was unable to pinpoint its exact source; it seemed to be coming from all around him.
A small sound made the youkai return his attention to the woman. One shoulder of her white mumu had slipped down, baring a hint of cleavage. She gave the youkai a come-hither look.
Hiei was not dense, recognizing the woman's advances for what they were. He just wasn't interested. "You're wasting your time, woman," he told her coldly. "I've already got someone, and I have no intention of leaving him." That said, Hiei turned and disappeared from the clearing, not noticing the unearthly fire that suddenly burned in the woman's eyes. Nor did he see the spasm of jealousy that briefly crossed her face, distorting her features.
Without warning, a huge tremor shook the earth, knocking everyone off their feet. In different parts of the mountain, the Tantei picked themselves up and scrambled toward their agreed upon meeting place.
As they converged, the mountain rumbled ominously and the earth cracked, revealing a lava tube. The Tantei watched in horror as lava began to ooze out; luckily, it was an older tube where the lava was cooler and thicker, slowing its progress.
Sumireina's eyes widened in terror. "She's awake!" she cried as the group sprinted back to the parking lot.
"Who?" panted Yuusuke as they piled into the van.
Sumi tore out of the lot and headed for the exit of the Park. "Pele," she answered grimly. "Though I can't understand why She'd awaken so violently and so soon. Her believers have been making offerings and prayers to Her. Something must have really irritated Her."
"What can we do to stop her?" Kuwabara wanted to know.
"Not much. Pele is like the volcanoes She is mistress of, or a true woman, as I've heard people say. She can be benevolent, kind, nurturing - but She can also be jealous, possessive, and vindictive. She can appear in many forms; as an old woman -" Yuusuke and Kuwabara's heads shot up in startlement "or as a woman of flame in the volcano itself...and as an attractive young woman." At this last, Hiei jerked minutely, recalling the female in the clearing. "When Pele takes the mortal form," Sumi continued, oblivious to the Koorime's reaction, "she always wears a white dress."
Kurama noticed that Hiei had gone very still after his initial start of surprise. The small youkai's almond eyes were wide, and a trickle of sweat dampened his brow. Kurama put a concerned hand on his shoulder. "Daijoubu ka, Hiei?"
"I saw a young woman in white when I was exploring the crater earlier." Hiei's confession caught everyone's attention. At Kurama's urging, he went on. "She made some advances, and I told her off."
Sumi paled at Hiei's admission. "Pele is the bitchy type," she told him soberly. "What exactly did you say to her?"
Hiei remained stubbornly mute, unwilling to have his privacy infringed upon. Kurama's hand tightened on his shoulder, silently asking. Hiei sighed; he could deny his fox nothing. "I told her I wasn't interested because I already had someone," he muttered, uncomfortable with baring his personal affairs to the others.
"Hiei," Kurama murmured, stunned. He had always hoped for some sign of his lover's commitment, a reassurance the Hiei would stay with him.
Sumi's expression was fearful. "Inari's tears, Hiei! You have no idea how spiteful Pele can be when she wants to," she breathed weakly. "She inflicts terrible retribution on those that insult or defy her...and she always tries to get rid of her competition."
"Like the lehua blossom you were telling me about," Kurama broke in.
The blond youko nodded. "Sou. I think things'll be worse this time, though." She glanced in the mirror at the redhead. "It's bad enough She was rejected, but to add insult to injury, Pele's competing with a male." One whose looks challenged Hers, Sumi added silently. NOT a good thing.
"So we just let Pele cover the island with lava?" Yuusuke asked incredulously.
"I doubt anything short of Hiei giving himself to her will stop her," Sumi returned dryly. "That, or Kurama relinquishing his claim on him."
"Iya," Kurama put in, stopping Hiei's hot response. "Over my dead body."
I hope it doesn't come to that my friend, Sumi thought soberly.
The youkai entered a small clearing of sorts, immediately on his guard. There, sitting in the middle on a piece of lava rock, was a gorgeous young woman dressed all in white, a haku lei of red lehua blossoms circling her brow. Her long black hair flowed down her back, reminding Hiei of the lava-covered sides of the volcano. The small youkai glanced at the young woman; she smiled at him charmingly. Indifferently, Hiei looked away, taking in the other parts of the clearing and dismissing the native woman as no threat. The pull felt strongest here, but Hiei was unable to pinpoint its exact source; it seemed to be coming from all around him.
A small sound made the youkai return his attention to the woman. One shoulder of her white mumu had slipped down, baring a hint of cleavage. She gave the youkai a come-hither look.
Hiei was not dense, recognizing the woman's advances for what they were. He just wasn't interested. "You're wasting your time, woman," he told her coldly. "I've already got someone, and I have no intention of leaving him." That said, Hiei turned and disappeared from the clearing, not noticing the unearthly fire that suddenly burned in the woman's eyes. Nor did he see the spasm of jealousy that briefly crossed her face, distorting her features.
Without warning, a huge tremor shook the earth, knocking everyone off their feet. In different parts of the mountain, the Tantei picked themselves up and scrambled toward their agreed upon meeting place.
As they converged, the mountain rumbled ominously and the earth cracked, revealing a lava tube. The Tantei watched in horror as lava began to ooze out; luckily, it was an older tube where the lava was cooler and thicker, slowing its progress.
Sumireina's eyes widened in terror. "She's awake!" she cried as the group sprinted back to the parking lot.
"Who?" panted Yuusuke as they piled into the van.
Sumi tore out of the lot and headed for the exit of the Park. "Pele," she answered grimly. "Though I can't understand why She'd awaken so violently and so soon. Her believers have been making offerings and prayers to Her. Something must have really irritated Her."
"What can we do to stop her?" Kuwabara wanted to know.
"Not much. Pele is like the volcanoes She is mistress of, or a true woman, as I've heard people say. She can be benevolent, kind, nurturing - but She can also be jealous, possessive, and vindictive. She can appear in many forms; as an old woman -" Yuusuke and Kuwabara's heads shot up in startlement "or as a woman of flame in the volcano itself...and as an attractive young woman." At this last, Hiei jerked minutely, recalling the female in the clearing. "When Pele takes the mortal form," Sumi continued, oblivious to the Koorime's reaction, "she always wears a white dress."
Kurama noticed that Hiei had gone very still after his initial start of surprise. The small youkai's almond eyes were wide, and a trickle of sweat dampened his brow. Kurama put a concerned hand on his shoulder. "Daijoubu ka, Hiei?"
"I saw a young woman in white when I was exploring the crater earlier." Hiei's confession caught everyone's attention. At Kurama's urging, he went on. "She made some advances, and I told her off."
Sumi paled at Hiei's admission. "Pele is the bitchy type," she told him soberly. "What exactly did you say to her?"
Hiei remained stubbornly mute, unwilling to have his privacy infringed upon. Kurama's hand tightened on his shoulder, silently asking. Hiei sighed; he could deny his fox nothing. "I told her I wasn't interested because I already had someone," he muttered, uncomfortable with baring his personal affairs to the others.
"Hiei," Kurama murmured, stunned. He had always hoped for some sign of his lover's commitment, a reassurance the Hiei would stay with him.
Sumi's expression was fearful. "Inari's tears, Hiei! You have no idea how spiteful Pele can be when she wants to," she breathed weakly. "She inflicts terrible retribution on those that insult or defy her...and she always tries to get rid of her competition."
"Like the lehua blossom you were telling me about," Kurama broke in.
The blond youko nodded. "Sou. I think things'll be worse this time, though." She glanced in the mirror at the redhead. "It's bad enough She was rejected, but to add insult to injury, Pele's competing with a male." One whose looks challenged Hers, Sumi added silently. NOT a good thing.
"So we just let Pele cover the island with lava?" Yuusuke asked incredulously.
"I doubt anything short of Hiei giving himself to her will stop her," Sumi returned dryly. "That, or Kurama relinquishing his claim on him."
"Iya," Kurama put in, stopping Hiei's hot response. "Over my dead body."
I hope it doesn't come to that my friend, Sumi thought soberly.