Title: Through the strength
Rating: PG
Summary: Collective short works on each of the Reikai Tentai's childhoods.
Chapter summary: Hiei's first years.
Author's notes: I decided rather than make a story about Kurama, I'll just write a bunch of short stories to practice my skills on. Warning: Angst since this is our little Hiei. Spoiler warning if you're not familiar with Hiei's childhood/background.;) But I doubt anyone reads this anyway.
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Vermon. All of them. I don't even know why I consider surrounding myself with these low-class weaklings that don't even care to bathe. I might be the youngest but Tsuzakii, the apparent leader, knows I can easily outdo him in strength and intelligence. But they still greatly outnumber me. I might be strong but taking out an entire band of demon thieves wasn't a smart thing to do. Not until I get stronger. Or bored. Whichever comes first.
A few hours after looting an inn and half the idiots are already drunk. Hanging from the low branch of a tree, I could just see beyond the dark barren hills of Makai. My eyes grazed the dark heavens for any sign of the answers I seek. To the questions I hear resounding inside my head over and over. Each day of my waking and dreaming hours.
Any sign at all.
I fingered the small gem that hung around my neck. The only shred of my past I was found with and the only thing Tsuzakii allows me to keep for my obedience. I held it out to the moonlight so that the whole gem seemed to glow with an ominous sheen.
"Hiei!" a deep voice hollered, sending a wave of crows to take flight. "Where the hell is that stupid kid?!!"
I lazily gazed down at Tsuzakii. He and his men were all huddled in the circle of warmth from the ablazed logs that I had collected earlier. I quickly tucked the pendent under my shirt so he wouldn't steal it from me. Obediently, but reluctantly, I stepped down and faced the seven feet tall monster.
His otherwise green face had a tint of red to match his eyes with his thick dirty blond hair. The odor that emitted from him was flaming my nostrils; I had to take a half step back so I wouldn't get a headache. With a half drunk, yet obliviously unintelligent, look on his face, he swung the huge spiked club over is shoulder and bended down so that we were eye to eye. I held my blank expression and didn't move an inch.
"What do you want?" I asked in a tired and disgusted tone.
His face scrunched up in anger as grabbed my upper arm and pulled me close to him. Shit, his breath smelled worse than his body odor. "Listen to me you smart-ass. You better be damn grateful I took you in or you'll be dead by now." I glared at him angrily but stayed silent, clenching my teeth. The sound of the others laughing and talking ringing in the background only fueled my anger.
My silence made him stood back up and smirk. I still held my glare but it was broken by the impact of Tsuzakii fist slamming into my stomach. "Good boy. Now go and fetch some more wood." He gave a snicker and walked back to the celebration. I stood up, clutching my abdomen in throbbing pain.
Damn him. Someday I swear I'll wipe that stupid smirk off his face. Oh well, I've gotten what I was after. Did he really think that I would honestly let him touch me with those disgusting hands for nothing? With a smirk, I drew out a small glass orb that fit right in the middle of the palm of my hand. It emitted a small white glow and its slight warmth seems to suggest it as something alive.
The orb of prophecy. Such a valuable priceless treasure that offers something I can find nowhere else. Our recent robbery had shown that the innkeeper had questionable customers from one time or another. Seems like the crooked innkeeper couldn't help himself from stealing such a priceless wonder from a recent drunken merchant that had resided there one night.
I was still amazed by how easily it was to quickly grab it from Tsuzakii pouch. I sat on the nearby clutter of bushes and hid behind the bushes. Hmm, how does it work?
I've heard of it from stories from the places I've traveled to but the extremely rare oddity's workings haven't been totally uncovered. All I know was that it was going to give me answers to five of my questions. This little ball of light can answers the questions that have been ringing inside my head.
I rubbed it furiously between my hands. Nothing
I put it against my forehead and asked the questions mentally. Nothing.
I threw it as hard as I could against the nearest tree. Nothing...but I didn't really expect to anyway.
Picking it up, I rubbed the clinging dirt off of it and sat back down, staring at it. "How the hell are you supposed to work?" I whispered in frustration.
The thing started glowing brighter. Suddenly, a small mist surrounded it. As it subsided, the once clear orb held a small oblong picture of me as I had asked the question just a second ago. Only four more questions then. With my mouth slightly a gaped, I whispered an 'oh' and proceeded in asking my remaining questions.
With a dry gulp, I whispered, "Where did I came from?"
The picture of myself cleared and another mist came forth. When the orb appeared, it held a picture of an island. What was strange was the island seemed to be floating in the sky as clouds swirled around it. I could just see the miniature people walking around the interior. Almost all of them seem to be females. Wait, I've heard of this type of demon. What were they called? The Koorime was it?
But how could that be? I definitely can't be an ice apparition since I've shown no sign of being one. Besides, the Koorime were all females and 'clone' themselves every century or so. This didn't make any sense. Was I part Koorime?
I can't afford the time to ponder this. Three questions left. "Why was I abandoned?"
The mist once again appeared and subsided. Instead of a short moment, there seems to be flashes of sequencing events. That's when I first saw what seem to be my mother and me as a child. With sea-green hair and delicate red eyes, her face showed sweet kindness I've never before was able to see but something was amiss. She was crying and on her knees in front of a makeshift court. Was she being judged? What had she done wrong?
A fellow Koorime, though aged, looked forlorn as she stood at the background, holding a small bawling child wrapped in black. My mother, in white, was obviously hysterical as she reached out to the baby the aged one held closely in her arms.
"Please! I beg of you! Don't do this! Allow me to be exiled with both my children, instead! Please! Don't let him die!"
The Koorime who sat on the other side of the high desk held onto their stone-face appearance. "You have caused this entire island.... YOUR ENTIRE KIND...to be in great danger by bringing forth this child. A part fire demon in a world of ice apparitions is intolerable. Not only have you broken sacred traditions but have cursed all of us!" spoke the high chancellor in the center chair in a stern voice.
"But, we will grant the other a place in our island. Unfortunately, this one," she pointed a finger at the baby wrapped in the dark shawl," Will be abandoned on Makai!"
My mother gave a wail. "No! Please!" she broke into tears as I watched them solidify into trademark gems that slightly bounced off the gray hard floor. "HE'LL DIE!"
"That is out of our hands." was the reply as she was led away.
I was numb after seeing the event that unfolded before him. So I'm part Koorime and fire demon? My mother didn't have a choice on my abandonment. The others did. For a moment, I wondered what it would've been like if I did get exiled with my mother. Maybe things woudn't have bee-
Wait a second. My mother had stated both. Was there another? Do I have a younger sibling? I gazed at the ball. It had revelaed so much to me thus far but the urgency of seeing if I had a sibling ate me up inside.
"Do I have a sibling?"
The mist rose once more and I took the last glance at my mother. This time, it revelaed a beautiful girl with almost exact likeness of the rest of the Koorime. She was the same age as me; wearing an aqua kimono and a red sash tied around the waist. The background had light falling snow and included snowcapped trees behind her. A bundle of small creatures surrounded her and begged for her attention. With a smile, she held onto a white rabbit and softly bushed her small fingers through its fur.
My heart melted. I wasn't alone and had a sibling! She was almost exactly the opposite of me but, considering the facts, we seem to be twins. A shadow of a smile crept up on my lips as I further analyzed her. She seemed to be extremely kindhearted for all those animals to be with her.
As I watched her lay down the rabbit and trudged the snow towards a fawn, I saw her fell. I moved closer to the image to see if any harm was done to her but all she did was giggle and stood up again.
It was then that I realized the most important goal of my life. I wanted to protect her. She was a Koorime. Therefore, her powers were limited and weak. My thoughts raced at the prospect of what may happen to her as she grew. I know firsthand what would happen to a girl like her in a world like Makai.
I laid a hand and touched her gentle smiling image. "I'll find you and I'll protect you. Promise." As if on cue, she spun around and looked- directly-in-my-direction.
"There's going to be a storm," I saw her mumble quietly; she turn to the creatures," You all better go or it'll be too late."
Before I ask where to find her, the orb was ripped away from my eyes by a familiar large hairy hand.
"What the hell are you doing, boy?!!" Tsuzakii hovered overme. His face expressing upmost anger but it quickly turned to shock at the sight of the mist from the orb. "What the f-?"
Tsuzakii stared into it with a dumbfounded expression as the sight of me asking all those questions. When it was finished, the whole orb turned deep black. That was the end of it's answers.
"You stupid kid!!" screamed the outraged demon. He swung his spiked club towards me in a menacing stance. "I could've used this to ask how to break into ultimate treasures!" His foot landed into my stomach..hard. I was sprawled across the leaves, trying to stand up. This was the final straw. Tsuzakii has only been this angry three times. Each time he killed at least two of his own men or the innocent bystanders that happened to be there by fate.
But I was equally angry. This fool had taken me away from founding out where my sister resided. Kept me from protecting her. I watched silently as he threw the useless orb at my direction. I moved to the side and easily avoided being hit.
I was sick of obeying him. Sick of being treated as an underling when I deserve much MUCH more respect. I hated, with every fiber of my physical being, that disgusting demon before me. I drew my katana. It was a little large for my age but I held it comfortably.
I could feel Tsuzakii getting nervous and his eyes filled with a flash of sudden fear. With a smirk, I positioned myself so there was no escape. "Bye," I said without a trace of remorse for what I'm about to do.I moved, with incredible agility, and landed right in front of him.
He fell back on his hands. With the instinct of defense, he swung his club at me...and missed. I stood on his large belly and looked him in the eye. "You should've killed me when you had the chance," I said and plunged the tip of the blade into his heart. With a final shudder and blood spilling from the wound, he made a final attempt at grabbing my neck before slipping away to final darkness.
It was then that one of the theives emerged. He looked paralyzed at the sight of the group's 'runt' hundching over a dead leader, fresh blood dripping from the balde. One by one, the other's also appeared. All with the same silent expresion.
"Y-You couldn't.." stuttered one. "Tsuzakii-"
"I did." I stated, pointing my katana at them. "Attack me if you wish to see proof." With a menacing growl, I added,"I need the practise."
They were all speechless. They've all noticed how I fight during our frequent robberies. They've all seen me practising. With a scream, they all ran at diffrent directions into the woods and disappeared, leaving me completely alone.
Their cowardice was always so amusing to me.
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And that complete's my installment of Hiei's childhood! ^^; Whoo hoo! Okay, the orb of phrophecy and the leader's name were made up but practically everything eles is true..or the idea of it.=] REVIEW.
Next installment: Yusuke Urameshi.
Rating: PG
Summary: Collective short works on each of the Reikai Tentai's childhoods.
Chapter summary: Hiei's first years.
Author's notes: I decided rather than make a story about Kurama, I'll just write a bunch of short stories to practice my skills on. Warning: Angst since this is our little Hiei. Spoiler warning if you're not familiar with Hiei's childhood/background.;) But I doubt anyone reads this anyway.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
Vermon. All of them. I don't even know why I consider surrounding myself with these low-class weaklings that don't even care to bathe. I might be the youngest but Tsuzakii, the apparent leader, knows I can easily outdo him in strength and intelligence. But they still greatly outnumber me. I might be strong but taking out an entire band of demon thieves wasn't a smart thing to do. Not until I get stronger. Or bored. Whichever comes first.
A few hours after looting an inn and half the idiots are already drunk. Hanging from the low branch of a tree, I could just see beyond the dark barren hills of Makai. My eyes grazed the dark heavens for any sign of the answers I seek. To the questions I hear resounding inside my head over and over. Each day of my waking and dreaming hours.
Any sign at all.
I fingered the small gem that hung around my neck. The only shred of my past I was found with and the only thing Tsuzakii allows me to keep for my obedience. I held it out to the moonlight so that the whole gem seemed to glow with an ominous sheen.
"Hiei!" a deep voice hollered, sending a wave of crows to take flight. "Where the hell is that stupid kid?!!"
I lazily gazed down at Tsuzakii. He and his men were all huddled in the circle of warmth from the ablazed logs that I had collected earlier. I quickly tucked the pendent under my shirt so he wouldn't steal it from me. Obediently, but reluctantly, I stepped down and faced the seven feet tall monster.
His otherwise green face had a tint of red to match his eyes with his thick dirty blond hair. The odor that emitted from him was flaming my nostrils; I had to take a half step back so I wouldn't get a headache. With a half drunk, yet obliviously unintelligent, look on his face, he swung the huge spiked club over is shoulder and bended down so that we were eye to eye. I held my blank expression and didn't move an inch.
"What do you want?" I asked in a tired and disgusted tone.
His face scrunched up in anger as grabbed my upper arm and pulled me close to him. Shit, his breath smelled worse than his body odor. "Listen to me you smart-ass. You better be damn grateful I took you in or you'll be dead by now." I glared at him angrily but stayed silent, clenching my teeth. The sound of the others laughing and talking ringing in the background only fueled my anger.
My silence made him stood back up and smirk. I still held my glare but it was broken by the impact of Tsuzakii fist slamming into my stomach. "Good boy. Now go and fetch some more wood." He gave a snicker and walked back to the celebration. I stood up, clutching my abdomen in throbbing pain.
Damn him. Someday I swear I'll wipe that stupid smirk off his face. Oh well, I've gotten what I was after. Did he really think that I would honestly let him touch me with those disgusting hands for nothing? With a smirk, I drew out a small glass orb that fit right in the middle of the palm of my hand. It emitted a small white glow and its slight warmth seems to suggest it as something alive.
The orb of prophecy. Such a valuable priceless treasure that offers something I can find nowhere else. Our recent robbery had shown that the innkeeper had questionable customers from one time or another. Seems like the crooked innkeeper couldn't help himself from stealing such a priceless wonder from a recent drunken merchant that had resided there one night.
I was still amazed by how easily it was to quickly grab it from Tsuzakii pouch. I sat on the nearby clutter of bushes and hid behind the bushes. Hmm, how does it work?
I've heard of it from stories from the places I've traveled to but the extremely rare oddity's workings haven't been totally uncovered. All I know was that it was going to give me answers to five of my questions. This little ball of light can answers the questions that have been ringing inside my head.
I rubbed it furiously between my hands. Nothing
I put it against my forehead and asked the questions mentally. Nothing.
I threw it as hard as I could against the nearest tree. Nothing...but I didn't really expect to anyway.
Picking it up, I rubbed the clinging dirt off of it and sat back down, staring at it. "How the hell are you supposed to work?" I whispered in frustration.
The thing started glowing brighter. Suddenly, a small mist surrounded it. As it subsided, the once clear orb held a small oblong picture of me as I had asked the question just a second ago. Only four more questions then. With my mouth slightly a gaped, I whispered an 'oh' and proceeded in asking my remaining questions.
With a dry gulp, I whispered, "Where did I came from?"
The picture of myself cleared and another mist came forth. When the orb appeared, it held a picture of an island. What was strange was the island seemed to be floating in the sky as clouds swirled around it. I could just see the miniature people walking around the interior. Almost all of them seem to be females. Wait, I've heard of this type of demon. What were they called? The Koorime was it?
But how could that be? I definitely can't be an ice apparition since I've shown no sign of being one. Besides, the Koorime were all females and 'clone' themselves every century or so. This didn't make any sense. Was I part Koorime?
I can't afford the time to ponder this. Three questions left. "Why was I abandoned?"
The mist once again appeared and subsided. Instead of a short moment, there seems to be flashes of sequencing events. That's when I first saw what seem to be my mother and me as a child. With sea-green hair and delicate red eyes, her face showed sweet kindness I've never before was able to see but something was amiss. She was crying and on her knees in front of a makeshift court. Was she being judged? What had she done wrong?
A fellow Koorime, though aged, looked forlorn as she stood at the background, holding a small bawling child wrapped in black. My mother, in white, was obviously hysterical as she reached out to the baby the aged one held closely in her arms.
"Please! I beg of you! Don't do this! Allow me to be exiled with both my children, instead! Please! Don't let him die!"
The Koorime who sat on the other side of the high desk held onto their stone-face appearance. "You have caused this entire island.... YOUR ENTIRE KIND...to be in great danger by bringing forth this child. A part fire demon in a world of ice apparitions is intolerable. Not only have you broken sacred traditions but have cursed all of us!" spoke the high chancellor in the center chair in a stern voice.
"But, we will grant the other a place in our island. Unfortunately, this one," she pointed a finger at the baby wrapped in the dark shawl," Will be abandoned on Makai!"
My mother gave a wail. "No! Please!" she broke into tears as I watched them solidify into trademark gems that slightly bounced off the gray hard floor. "HE'LL DIE!"
"That is out of our hands." was the reply as she was led away.
I was numb after seeing the event that unfolded before him. So I'm part Koorime and fire demon? My mother didn't have a choice on my abandonment. The others did. For a moment, I wondered what it would've been like if I did get exiled with my mother. Maybe things woudn't have bee-
Wait a second. My mother had stated both. Was there another? Do I have a younger sibling? I gazed at the ball. It had revelaed so much to me thus far but the urgency of seeing if I had a sibling ate me up inside.
"Do I have a sibling?"
The mist rose once more and I took the last glance at my mother. This time, it revelaed a beautiful girl with almost exact likeness of the rest of the Koorime. She was the same age as me; wearing an aqua kimono and a red sash tied around the waist. The background had light falling snow and included snowcapped trees behind her. A bundle of small creatures surrounded her and begged for her attention. With a smile, she held onto a white rabbit and softly bushed her small fingers through its fur.
My heart melted. I wasn't alone and had a sibling! She was almost exactly the opposite of me but, considering the facts, we seem to be twins. A shadow of a smile crept up on my lips as I further analyzed her. She seemed to be extremely kindhearted for all those animals to be with her.
As I watched her lay down the rabbit and trudged the snow towards a fawn, I saw her fell. I moved closer to the image to see if any harm was done to her but all she did was giggle and stood up again.
It was then that I realized the most important goal of my life. I wanted to protect her. She was a Koorime. Therefore, her powers were limited and weak. My thoughts raced at the prospect of what may happen to her as she grew. I know firsthand what would happen to a girl like her in a world like Makai.
I laid a hand and touched her gentle smiling image. "I'll find you and I'll protect you. Promise." As if on cue, she spun around and looked- directly-in-my-direction.
"There's going to be a storm," I saw her mumble quietly; she turn to the creatures," You all better go or it'll be too late."
Before I ask where to find her, the orb was ripped away from my eyes by a familiar large hairy hand.
"What the hell are you doing, boy?!!" Tsuzakii hovered overme. His face expressing upmost anger but it quickly turned to shock at the sight of the mist from the orb. "What the f-?"
Tsuzakii stared into it with a dumbfounded expression as the sight of me asking all those questions. When it was finished, the whole orb turned deep black. That was the end of it's answers.
"You stupid kid!!" screamed the outraged demon. He swung his spiked club towards me in a menacing stance. "I could've used this to ask how to break into ultimate treasures!" His foot landed into my stomach..hard. I was sprawled across the leaves, trying to stand up. This was the final straw. Tsuzakii has only been this angry three times. Each time he killed at least two of his own men or the innocent bystanders that happened to be there by fate.
But I was equally angry. This fool had taken me away from founding out where my sister resided. Kept me from protecting her. I watched silently as he threw the useless orb at my direction. I moved to the side and easily avoided being hit.
I was sick of obeying him. Sick of being treated as an underling when I deserve much MUCH more respect. I hated, with every fiber of my physical being, that disgusting demon before me. I drew my katana. It was a little large for my age but I held it comfortably.
I could feel Tsuzakii getting nervous and his eyes filled with a flash of sudden fear. With a smirk, I positioned myself so there was no escape. "Bye," I said without a trace of remorse for what I'm about to do.I moved, with incredible agility, and landed right in front of him.
He fell back on his hands. With the instinct of defense, he swung his club at me...and missed. I stood on his large belly and looked him in the eye. "You should've killed me when you had the chance," I said and plunged the tip of the blade into his heart. With a final shudder and blood spilling from the wound, he made a final attempt at grabbing my neck before slipping away to final darkness.
It was then that one of the theives emerged. He looked paralyzed at the sight of the group's 'runt' hundching over a dead leader, fresh blood dripping from the balde. One by one, the other's also appeared. All with the same silent expresion.
"Y-You couldn't.." stuttered one. "Tsuzakii-"
"I did." I stated, pointing my katana at them. "Attack me if you wish to see proof." With a menacing growl, I added,"I need the practise."
They were all speechless. They've all noticed how I fight during our frequent robberies. They've all seen me practising. With a scream, they all ran at diffrent directions into the woods and disappeared, leaving me completely alone.
Their cowardice was always so amusing to me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------
And that complete's my installment of Hiei's childhood! ^^; Whoo hoo! Okay, the orb of phrophecy and the leader's name were made up but practically everything eles is true..or the idea of it.=] REVIEW.
Next installment: Yusuke Urameshi.
