by Athena Zandrite
Ara you all know the deal, no taking my stuff and all that. Togashi-sensee owns it all anyway.
Asilin, I actually wrote out the beginning of the story and what I wanted the demon
to be like in general before I decided which demon to use. Then I researched demons
and came up with Lillith who has so many similarities it was scary. Plus now I can
really work with her history since she has so much of one. Exciting! SapphireCherryMoon,
this is what happens next ^.~ Read on of course. kc, Hiei shows up again in the next chapter. :D
caramel :P Threats don't scare me! But yeah I'm working on it. X_x Thanks for the
encouragement. Botan, thanks for stopping by! On with the story!
Yukina stands and gathers the dishes from their afternoon tea, moving into the kitchen where she cleans them, smiling at a bird on the windowsill. "Aren't you cheerful today." The bird twitters in response then preens. This action elicits a giggle from the ice maiden.
Suddenly the bird gives a frightened tweet and takes flight. Yukina frowns then sees Kurama step onto the dojo lawn carrying a bleeding Botan and followed by three strangers. "Botan!" She shakes her hands quickly trying to get rid of the suds then rushes out joined by Genkai to meet Kurama on the lawn.
"What happened?" Genkai ignores the newcomers, looking at the spirit in human form. She is still unconscious in Kurama's arms.
"She's been bitten by what we think is a demon." Kurama says quietly. "Can you help her?"
Genkai turns toward the dojo with an air of promptness. "Bring her inside, we'll see what can be done."
They parade into the front room where Kurama gently lays Botan on a mat, then he kneels out of the way allowing Genkai full access to work. Youji sits down next to Kurama, cross legged and Aya leans against the doorframe. Ken remains standing looking fairly panicked about the amount of blood Botan has lost.
Yukina steps toward Ken as Genkai puts a hand over Botan's wound. The old woman's hand glows slightly as she shuts her eyes waves of calmness emanating from her. Yukina puts a calm hand on Ken's arm drawing his attention from the golden-blue light that has started pulsating around the old woman. "Please sit out of the way."
Ken looks down at her opening and closing his mouth akin to a fish out of water before finally getting out a strangled "What about the hospital?"
"Would you sit down Ken? The woman has it under control." Youji sounds irritated.
Yukina smiles as Ken plops down on the ground. "So much blood, and … it was gross…" Ken makes a face.
"You kill for a living you idiot." Youji mutters next to him.
"But I don't bite them to death!" Ken says indignantly. "Even Farfarello uses weapons." He mentions the only other person who has really disturbed him with the way he chooses to dispose of life.
Yukina comes back into the room with a bowl and a towel, sitting on the other side of Botan and laying the towel across her forehead. "Genkai-shihan, shall I relieve you for a moment?"
The old woman shakes her head. "No, thank you Yukina, but I'm nearly finished." She grits her teeth. "Please bring the bandages."
Yukina stands again in a rustle of kimono fabric, turning to leave as Youji glances at Kurama. The red haired boy is watching calmly, though his eyes look slightly stormy. Youji is going to say something but notices that Kurama's hands are gripping the material of his slacks, knuckles turning slightly white. Youji wisely keeps his mouth shut. He glances back up as Yukina returns carrying an armful of bandages. Genkai sits back, no longer glowing and wipes her brow. Kurama stands and looks down at Botan. "How did it go?"
Genkai glares at him for a moment. "It's not like mending a broken bone, Kurama, so it didn't go well. But I seem to have been able to mend the severed blood vessels and re-grow some of the muscle from her shoulder and neck. While Yukina bandages her I want a word with you boys." She walks out of the room as Yukina loosens Botan's obi and carefully slides the material away from her injured neck.
Ken slides the door shut behind him as he turns to look at Genkai with the others. "What happened?" The old woman again intones in an even voice.
Kurama's shoulders slump and he looks tired as he explains everything that has happened. The old woman is quiet as he explains and after he finishes she sits still a few minutes longer reviewing and processing the story.
"So you took normal humans and a spirit world guide to watch a demon who has captured Yuusuke Urameshi?" she finally says aloud, not masking her incredulous voice that points out the stupidity of this kind of action.
"We made him take us." Ken tries to defend Kurama who interrupts him.
"It was poor judgment. I didn't believe Lillith would contact us."
Genkai sighs. "Well, Yuusuke's done much worse, so let's just leave it be." Genkai says watching Kurama who frowns but nods, his eyes going back to the door before returning to the old woman, obviously still feeling guilty. Genkai turns her back on him to hide a smirk.
"So you boys have had your first run in with a hostile demon then?" her expression becomes serious again. "I assure you this is not child's play. You are risking your lives going near it."
"It's got Omi." Aya says shortly not looking for approval.
"That may very well be, but by the end of this it could have the rest of you as well."
"But we can't just let it take him!" Ken exclaims. "We can't sit back and watch."
Genkai chuckles. "Would you say that, if the demon had done to you what it did to Botan?"
Ken quiets down. "You must exercise extreme caution. It could kill you more quickly than you can ever imagine." She continues.
"We fight regularly." Youji says indignantly.
Genkai's eyes cut toward Youji. In a quick movement she kicks a chair toward him with the agility of someone half her age. Youji's eyes widen and he jumps narrowly being missed by the chair only to gawk as Genkai suddenly appears behind him, hand raised and ready to strike him down with a final blow to his neck.
"Now you understand." She says quietly landing on the ground and turning her back on Youji again as he stands twitching with alertness.
They all look up as Yukina opens the door and smiles at them. "She's awake." Her tiny voice cutting through the silence like chimes in the wind.
Kurama walks forward. "May I have a moment with her?"
Genkai nods and Kurama goes inside sliding the door shut behind him.
"How the hell did you do that?" Youji is exclaiming as the door slides, it shuts cutting off Genkai's smug reply.
Botan looks toward the door as Kurama slides it shut, trying to sit up.
"Stay down, Botan." He says, looking worried. "You're hurt."
Botan sighs and lays back in defeat. "Ahhhh... I'm such a dip. I can't believe I dropped the bat." As she settles back her hair falls half over her pillow and half across her neck.
Kurama smiles a little, green eyes falling on the gauze bandage around her neck, the white of the bandages and sheets, a stark comparison to the bright blue. "Don't blame yourself." He kneels next to her on the floor, hands splaying across his knees. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."
Botan looks at him, surprised. "But you did, you carried me here and gave me that medicine."
Kurama scratches his nose uncomfortably. "That wasn't what I meant... ah well, I suppose we can't change what happened anyway." He sits quietly for a moment, eyes drifting back down to the bandage, Botan turns her head and watches him curiously.
Finally she breaks the silence. "Um... Kurama?" She asks him, waiting for his attention to return to her.
He shakes his head and looks at her. "Yes?" he returns.
Botan looks thoughtful for a moment, fingers tightening and creasing the sheets over her body. "Why did Lillith leave?" she asks.
Kurama frowns, brows creasing as he remembers Aya's forward dash and the recoil of the creature using Omi's appearance. "I'm not sure, actually Aya did something. We'll have to ask him." Kurama leans down and brushes Botan's hair off her neck fingers grazing the gauze. "Have you told KoEnma that he wanted to send his dad a message?"
Botan looks worried, she purses her lips then speaks. "He's so busy but I suppose I should." She fumbles under the sheet for a moment, finally producing the compact with a little exclamation of triumph. She connects it with a button and waits. For a moment the mirror only reflects her face, haloed by blue hair against the pillow. Soon Hinageshi appears. "Botan, good to hear from you-" She pauses taking in her senior's tired eyes, disarrayed hair and then finally the bandages covering a good part of her neck, tinged pink from earlier bleeding. All at once Hinageshi panics, nose inches from the screen, eyes wide as saucers and voice pitched an octave higher than normal.
"Botan! What happened to you? Are you all right? I should come help you! I have to come right away! It looks terrible, didn't Kurama and Kuwabara go with you? How on earth did you get hurt? I told you to be careful, oh what should I do!!!"
Botan smiles and covers her mouth before composing herself. "I'm OK Hinageshi-chan. Genkai and Yukina bandaged me up, I'm almost as good as new. I do need to talk to KoEnma or Enma-sama though."
"...OK." Hinageshi looks unsatisfied and terribly worried, still. "Let me go get him." The compact mirror blinks and Botan sigh, setting it down on her stomach.
Kurama frowns. "Should I talk this time? You look tired."
Botan breaths in for a moment, the pain from the wound returning, then opens her eyes. "No I can do it." She smiles at him. "Thanks."
Kurama lays a hand on her wrist. "Don't push yourself too hard Botan."
Her eyes widen in surprise at his tone. She laughs nervously. "I won't push myself any farther than you guys do."
Kurama raises an eyebrow. "That's not very reassuring. Yuusuke's nearly died almost every time he's fought."
Botan doesn't have to reply as the compact lights up with KoEnma's toddler face looking extremely irritated. "Botan, what the heck is Hinageshi babbling about?"
She snaps her hand from under Kurama's in a flash, grabbing for the compact. "Ko KoEnma-sama!" she manages to get a hold of it and looks nervously at her boss. "Ah... that is... "
KoEnma frowns. "What happened to you? You look like Yuusuke after a battle and your face is red too. Are you OK?"
Botan bites her lower lip before collecting her thoughts. "Um... we were watching the house that the demon is in and it came out to meet us." She rushes over the explanation calming down as she speaks. "It has an amazing control of youki and it talked to us again. It was really angry. He knocked Ken into a tree, Aya and Youji into the street and Kurama into a bush before we could do anything. It also..." She breaths for a moment then continues. "He grabbed me after finding out I work for Reikai. Then he said he would use me to send a message to Enma. But not in such nice words. Really it was very rude. Then it bit me. Yukina says it was about three inches of my neck. We think it's a demon named Lillith, but we can't find much information on her. Right now she has both Yuusuke and a human named Omi. Do you remember anything about Lillith, KoEnma-sama?"
KoEnma is quiet for a moment, a look of shock on his chubby little face. Kurama watches the exchange, irritated with the junior lord for not showing any concern for the girl loyal enough to be torn apart and only worry about everyone else. KoEnma shakes his head. "I don't recognize the name, I'll have to ask my father and get back to you. If Genkai took care of you, you should be OK."
Botan smiles and nods in agreement. "Don't forget to ask your dad. I don't know how long Yuusuke will last." She coughs.
"Get some rest, Botan. I'll get back to you soon." The monitor blinks back to a mirror and Botan closes it turning on her side and coughing again. She rolls slowly back onto her back and glances at Kurama.
"You should talk to Aya. He must know something."
Kurama stands but frowns as her hand gripping the sheet loosens slightly. The white sheet has a deep red smudge where her hand had been. She has already closed her eyes, letting her face show it's true exhaustion. He decides to let her sleep. "OK. Rest for a while, Botan." He walks to the door.
"Night." she says quietly.
Youji looks up from his tea as Kurama comes back into the room. After being thoroughly reprimanded by the old woman for hitting on women without regard, he sits complacently, sipping tea and trying not to look like a chastised child. "How was the lovers rendezvous?" he asks Kurama.
Ken kicks him, sending him a 'don't harass him' look.
Kurama ignores Youji and glances at Aya who is currently having tea poured by Yukina. "Aya." his voice is quiet. "When Lillith disappeared ... it was because of something you did."
Aya doesn't look at him. "Yeah."
Ken stands and nearly knocks the tea out of Yukina's hands in his surprise. "what?!" he steadies the tea and blushes at the surprised girl. "Sorry.... sorry about that."
She backs away a little nervously but smiles back. "It's OK."
Ken turns back to Aya. "You did something?!"
Aya looks irritated. "It wasn't really me." He pulls a paper from his jacket and hands it to Ken.
Ken blinks and unfolds the paper, recognizing the sign Aya had sketched out earlier. Kurama steps forward and takes the paper, looking at it.
Genkai sips tea next to Youji. "Some symbols are very powerful, even in their unofficial form." She rises and holds out a hand.
Kurama frowns but hands it to her. Before the paper even touches her hand, it glows. Blue light sparks from Genkai's hand as she braces herself and focuses her ki, letting the paper hover between her hands as the light expands around them. Aya shields his eyes as the light in the center becomes so bright it turns into a blinding white. Genkai's hair darkens in a wave as her face regresses, she is young again. Concentrating on the white light as it takes shape. Fingers of light shoot out, dancing around the shaping light, Kurama watches and waits, the power coursing through him also. It's like being caressed by sun from the inside out, and then light is coming from him too, red mixing with blue, tinting purple untill it also brightens to white. Yukina gasps as the same light escapes from her, the teacup rattles in her hand and she closes her eyes.
For a moment Ken swears Kurama is someone else, something else, his hair looks almost silver in the light, eyes yellow. But the light brightens more then dims as the room regains it's original lighting. Ken and Youji rub their eyes blindly as aya opens his to watch the light drop into Genkai's hand.
Kurama steps forward, looking down into Genkai's hand. "What happened?"
Genkai looks up at him, eyes young and bright, voice strong. "Some things are so powerful they do the work for you. It told us how to get it on it's own. Just needed a little initiation on my part."
Aya steps forward now and eyes the object warily as Ken and Youji gawk. "You... you're young!" Ken says in surprise.
"It's only temporary." Genkai says, then holds the object up.
Youji breaths deeply. "That looks like white gold."
"It's the symbol." Aya says.
They turn as they notice for the first time that the door to Botan's room is open. It's Yukina who got their attention. She is holding Botan's arm worriedly. "Botan please lay down." But Botan ignores her, walking forward almost as though her feet don't touch the ground.
"Amazing." Her voice is light. "I feel..."
Genkai exclaims and drops the symbol as though it bit her. "Suddenly burning!" she stops talking as the symbol floats for a moment then darts forward at an alarming pace. It slams into Botan's chest. She stops in shock, eyes wide and panicked and she feels it hit. Then it disappears, melting into her like wax. She stays up for a moment, kimono and hair floating same shocked expression still on her face, then her whole body droops and falls forward, eyes shutting. Kurama catches her as she falls, looking at Genkai who also appears to be worried.
More done! Yatta! Go me. :D Ohh I feel it finishing! I do I do. Maybe only two chapters left!!