I feel bad for taking so long, so here's another chapter for your viewing pleasure! Don't worry, I'm hard at work typing away...^.^ Remember, your opinions still count! Hehe, I be having a lot of fun confusing everyone with who Kia should end up with...as one of my reviewers pointed out, I had some good scenes with Jin and Kurama. Hmmm...Well, if you didn't read the last chapter, Kia woke up, Kia lost her temper, Kia went to a park and talked to a sparrow. Kurama talked to her, and Kia went back. Now, Kia and Kelsey are hard at work, trying to develop their powers.
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"You're right. He DID surprise me," Kelsey said later, as she and Kia collapsed on the floor. "Who'd've thought that wind could be so fun?"
"The wind's always fun," Kia mumbled into the carpet. "Except when it's misused."
"Nani?" Her friend waited for further clarification. When she received none, she sighed. "And then there were those fencing lessons with Shishiwakamaru and Hiei..."
"He likes you, you know..."
"Hiei?"
"No, you baka. Shishiwakamaru. He kept staring over at you and I accidentally smacked him with the hilt."
Kelsey's eyebrows rose. "With the HILT?"
"He didn't dodge, and I kept going!" Kia said defensively.
"Oh, so THAT'S why you ran into the tree."
The girl coughed into her hand. "What about those self-defense lessons with Kuwabara and Yusuke?"
Kelsey snickered. "That was great! When you told Yusuke that his fighting stance was too narrow and someone could knock him over with a feather, I thought I'd die laughing."
"Really?" Kia grinned. "I liked the part when you told Kuwabara to stop treating you like glass, and then when he put you in a headlock, you...hit below the belt." She paused thoughtfully. "I don't think I've ever heard him go that high before."
"He was asking for it," Kelsey insisted. "Besides, YOU totally trashed Yusuke. You've got to teach me that Hap-Kido wrist technique."
"Hai!" her friend agreed. "But we still haven't been able to show any powers yet."
"I know." Kelsey sighed tiredly. "Maybe tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..." Kia echoed. "I don't even want to think that far. It's not even noon yet."
"You two look energetic." Suzuki seemed amused as he and the others entered. "Going to pry yourselves off the floor anytime soon?"
"No," Kelsey told him.
"It's very comfortable," Kia muttered.
Hiei stared down at them. "Hn."
"Let's not mince words, Hiei," Yusuke said jokingly. "Tell us how you REALLY feel."
"I'd punch him if I had the energy," Kelsey announced from the floor.
"You? Punch me? Ha!"
"If I remember correctly, Yusuke, she did land a few punches on you," Touya reminded him.
"Unless you were gonna say you fell down the stairs," Kuwabara sniggered.
"She thrashed you too," Shishiwakamaru said.
"And Kia wasn't too shabby either," Jin added.
"I suppose they're capable of defending themselves," Touya said with a small smile. "Even without their powers."
"Should be interesting when they DO show 'em," Suzuki commented.
"Real Battling Beauties," Kuwabara agreed.
"Ssh..." Kurama spoke up. "Look."
They followed his fingers and saw both girls fast asleep. Kelsey had dropped her touch act and now seemed as innocent as an angel...but they all knew better. And Kia? The pain, the sorrow, the fear that still haunted her...it was gone. She suddenly seemed very vulnerable. They both did.
"Awww..." Jin whispered, reaching out to touch Kia's dark hair. "They're asleep."
"It's no surprise," Shishiwakamaru said quietly, and everyone was surprised to see his pink eyes soften. "Look at what they've done today."
"He's right," Touya agreed. "They've worked hard and they deserve a break."
Kurama smiled. "Why not give them one? They can't stay cooped up in here forever."
"Y'know...that's not a bad idea!" Yusuke said thoughtfully. "But where could we go?"
Silence. Then...
"Beach." Said Hiei.
"Perfect! We'd have to wait until school's out and the weather clears up, though. We could invite Keiko, and Botan, and Yukina too." Yusuke smirked. "Girls in bathing suits." He looked down at Kia and Kelsey. "And girls asleep...wearing school uniforms."
Jin blinked. "What's so good about that?"
Kuwabara patted the confused Wind Master on the back. "Never seen a girl in a bathing suit, have you? And I bet you've never taken advantage of a sleeping girl, either. You're missing out on a lot."
"Neither have you," Hiei muttered.
Jin was still puzzled. "Taken advantage...?"
"Wait!" Touya protested, seeing the look in Yusuke's eyes. "You can't just-!"
"We're not going to DO anything," Yusuke said in an exasperated tone of voice, lifting Kia and placing her on the sofa. "I'm just going to demonstrate how easy it is."
Touya looked disapproving and Shishiwakamaru stepped closer to Kelsey, one hand on his sword hilt. He glared at the others, as if daring them to go near her. Kurama frowned.
"Now, Jin..." Yusuke began. "Here is a fine specimen of the human female. In a school uniform, her legs are very much exposed...and there's easier access to her panties. Not to mention that when she's sleeping, she can't slap you silly." He placed a hand on Kia's leg, right below her skirt hem. The other reached for her chest.
"Urameshi!" Jin leapt forward, snatching Yusuke's hands away. "You can't-"
"You're right," the boy said with a grin. "Keiko would kill me. But YOU can!" He shoved the Wind Master, who fell forward...onto Kia. He grabbed her leg and shoulder to keep from completely falling on her. What he achieved was pushing her skirt up in a jumble near his hand. His head was also WAY too close to her chest as he desperately struggled to right himself.
To make matters worse, Kia chose that exact moment to wake up. Jin stared down into a pair of startled brown eyes. But the startlement rapidly changed into anger.
"What are you DOING?!"
"I...er...um...I..." Jin stammered, feeling his face heat. He pushed himself off.
"You...you...you..." The girl slowly pointed to him. "You're just as bad as they were..." Her eyes were bright, but her voice didn't shake at all. She leapt off the sofa. "I can't believe I trusted you!"
"But-"
"You act nice and cheerful, but you're just like them!" She flung the words at him. "I'd hate to see you drunk!" With that cryptic remark, she ran past him and out of the house. Jin started after her, but Suzuki laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't."
"It's Urameshi's fault!" Kuwabara protested. "It's no fair her being mad at Jin!"
"But she's right t' be angry with me."
"Huh?" Kuwabara was baffled.
"She's right," Jin repeated in a low voice. "I had no right to touch her. I should've stopped Urameshi when he first suggested it."
"There's nothing you can do now that it's happened," Touya said quietly.
"Wha...what's going on?" Kelsey said sleepily, yawning. "Where's Kia?"
There was an embarrassed silence as almost every male in the room carefully avoided her questioning gaze.
"She ran out," Hiei said at last.
"Ran out?" Kelsey stared at him. "Why?"
"It seems Yusuke wanted to show Jin how easy it is to take advantage of sleeping girls," Kurama said, voice taut. "Deliberately forgetting Kia's past."
"That ningen gang..." Touya remembered. "Of course! No wonder she was so upset."
"Gang?" The girl blinked. "What gang? What happened to her parents?"
"You know her family?" Yusuke asked eagerly.
"Sure." Kelsey shrugged. "She hasn't mentioned them lately, though..."
Jin looked out the window. "A brisk wind...good. Come on, Touya."
Bemused, the Ice Master followed his friend.
"Where're THEY going?" Suzuki wondered.
Shishiwakamaru rolled his eyes. "To find the girl, of course."
Outside, Jin turned to Touya. "I'll fly up and look for her. You can go by foot...unless you want to fly."
The Shinobi shuddered. "I prefer my feet firmly on the ground, thank you."
Jin grinned and floated into the air, allowing the winds to bear him over the city. Looking down as he flew, he saw a tiny figure in blue and yellow running toward a park. If she reached it and disappeared among the trees, he wouldn't be able to find her. With a quick swoop and a rush of air to announce his arrival, Jin landed in front of Kia.
"Go away," she said quietly.
"Kia, let me explain!"
"What's there to explain about?!" she flared at him. "I've had enough with being forced to be someone's plaything! Go AWAY!"
"Kia-"
It was if there had been a dam inside her heart, trying to hold back the nightmarish memories, the constant fear and mistrust. But now it burst.
"Just shut up, Jin! You don't know what it's like to watch your parents die before your very eyes! You don't know what it's like to find out that they weren't actually your parents! You have no idea what it feels like to be beaten within an inch of your life by a bunch of drunken bastards, with the only one who'd protected you dead! AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A BUNCH OF YOUKAI WANTING YOU DEAD FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON EXCEPT TO GET AT A STUPID MIRROR INSIDE OF YOU! SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!"
The concrete beneath her feet glowed a bluish-white, and then the light rose up around the girl, forming a sort of prismatic barrier. Every now and then, silver sparks crackled across the surface of shifting blue and white.
Jin cautiously touched the wall, then yanked his hand back. His palm was burnt red.
"Jin!" Touya finally caught up. "I just felt a tremendous surge of ener-" He broke off, staring at the pillar of light. "She's in there?"
The Wind Master nodded affirmation. "She...she's in a lot of pain."
"As you will be, of you try getting through that," Touya told him, nodding to his friend's reddened palm.
"I know...but..." Jin closed his eyes briefly, hearing Kia's words again. *You don't know what it's like to watch your parents die...to find out that they weren't actually your parents...to be beaten within an inch of your life...to have a bunch of youkai wanting you dead...*
He opened his eyes and gazed at the barrier. "She's been through enough already. I don't want her to cry anymore. I'm going in."
The Ice Master looked at Jin's face. Absolute resolution. He sighed. "I'll go, too."
On a silent signal, they ran at the barrier, half-expecting to be forcibly repelled. But it let them through, although it burned like needles of fire. Jin and Touya struggled through the rippling layers of light. At last, they caught sight of the kneeling figure in the center. Jin stepped forward and touched her shoulder and he and Touya, who had placed one hand on his friend's shoulder to keep from getting separated, were abruptly caught in a memory that didn't belong to either of them.
***Memory***
Kia sobbed as she ran, splashing in puddles and not caring at all if they drenched her skirt. She was soaked anyway.
*What did she mean "Your mother and father would be proud to see how you turned out"? SHE'S my mother!*
"Oh!" Her foot skidded on a patch of water and she performed a sort of awkward belly flop onto the ground. She closed her eyes in defeat, crying silently.
Pedestrians politely stepped over the girl lying in the puddle, continuing on their way.
*WHY?* She screamed inside. *Why are you ignoring me? Am I invisible?*
Someone lifted under her arms and hauled her to her feet.
"Hey...what's wrong?"
Kia looked up at a tall young man who had warm hazel eyes and a shock of black hair.
"Are you lost? Did you hurt yourself? Are you homeless?"
Kia shook her head on the first two questions, and nodded on the last one.
"Homeless, huh?" The boy ruffled her damp hair. "I'm Mamoru. If you want, you can stay at our gang hideout. They're kind of rough but I won't let them hurt you, I promise!" he added hastily, seeing the look of alarm on his companion's face. "So how about it? It's better than staying out in the rain." He winked at her.
Kia slowly nodded. What other choice did she have?
***End Memory***
The memory abruptly shifted from a wet and gloomy city, to somewhere in Makai. A young woman with gleaming brown hair in a neat braid, wearing a simple white yukata (summer cotton kimono), sang softly to herself as she entered a small white cottage.
*OOC*
This was unexpected, wasn't it? Poor Jin didn't expect Kia to lash out at him. And who is the mysterious young woman in Kia's memory? We'll just see. Review!
Next time...
* Jin and Touya find out who the woman in Makai is and learn a little more about Mamoru.
* Kia and Kelsey master their powers! YAY!
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"You're right. He DID surprise me," Kelsey said later, as she and Kia collapsed on the floor. "Who'd've thought that wind could be so fun?"
"The wind's always fun," Kia mumbled into the carpet. "Except when it's misused."
"Nani?" Her friend waited for further clarification. When she received none, she sighed. "And then there were those fencing lessons with Shishiwakamaru and Hiei..."
"He likes you, you know..."
"Hiei?"
"No, you baka. Shishiwakamaru. He kept staring over at you and I accidentally smacked him with the hilt."
Kelsey's eyebrows rose. "With the HILT?"
"He didn't dodge, and I kept going!" Kia said defensively.
"Oh, so THAT'S why you ran into the tree."
The girl coughed into her hand. "What about those self-defense lessons with Kuwabara and Yusuke?"
Kelsey snickered. "That was great! When you told Yusuke that his fighting stance was too narrow and someone could knock him over with a feather, I thought I'd die laughing."
"Really?" Kia grinned. "I liked the part when you told Kuwabara to stop treating you like glass, and then when he put you in a headlock, you...hit below the belt." She paused thoughtfully. "I don't think I've ever heard him go that high before."
"He was asking for it," Kelsey insisted. "Besides, YOU totally trashed Yusuke. You've got to teach me that Hap-Kido wrist technique."
"Hai!" her friend agreed. "But we still haven't been able to show any powers yet."
"I know." Kelsey sighed tiredly. "Maybe tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..." Kia echoed. "I don't even want to think that far. It's not even noon yet."
"You two look energetic." Suzuki seemed amused as he and the others entered. "Going to pry yourselves off the floor anytime soon?"
"No," Kelsey told him.
"It's very comfortable," Kia muttered.
Hiei stared down at them. "Hn."
"Let's not mince words, Hiei," Yusuke said jokingly. "Tell us how you REALLY feel."
"I'd punch him if I had the energy," Kelsey announced from the floor.
"You? Punch me? Ha!"
"If I remember correctly, Yusuke, she did land a few punches on you," Touya reminded him.
"Unless you were gonna say you fell down the stairs," Kuwabara sniggered.
"She thrashed you too," Shishiwakamaru said.
"And Kia wasn't too shabby either," Jin added.
"I suppose they're capable of defending themselves," Touya said with a small smile. "Even without their powers."
"Should be interesting when they DO show 'em," Suzuki commented.
"Real Battling Beauties," Kuwabara agreed.
"Ssh..." Kurama spoke up. "Look."
They followed his fingers and saw both girls fast asleep. Kelsey had dropped her touch act and now seemed as innocent as an angel...but they all knew better. And Kia? The pain, the sorrow, the fear that still haunted her...it was gone. She suddenly seemed very vulnerable. They both did.
"Awww..." Jin whispered, reaching out to touch Kia's dark hair. "They're asleep."
"It's no surprise," Shishiwakamaru said quietly, and everyone was surprised to see his pink eyes soften. "Look at what they've done today."
"He's right," Touya agreed. "They've worked hard and they deserve a break."
Kurama smiled. "Why not give them one? They can't stay cooped up in here forever."
"Y'know...that's not a bad idea!" Yusuke said thoughtfully. "But where could we go?"
Silence. Then...
"Beach." Said Hiei.
"Perfect! We'd have to wait until school's out and the weather clears up, though. We could invite Keiko, and Botan, and Yukina too." Yusuke smirked. "Girls in bathing suits." He looked down at Kia and Kelsey. "And girls asleep...wearing school uniforms."
Jin blinked. "What's so good about that?"
Kuwabara patted the confused Wind Master on the back. "Never seen a girl in a bathing suit, have you? And I bet you've never taken advantage of a sleeping girl, either. You're missing out on a lot."
"Neither have you," Hiei muttered.
Jin was still puzzled. "Taken advantage...?"
"Wait!" Touya protested, seeing the look in Yusuke's eyes. "You can't just-!"
"We're not going to DO anything," Yusuke said in an exasperated tone of voice, lifting Kia and placing her on the sofa. "I'm just going to demonstrate how easy it is."
Touya looked disapproving and Shishiwakamaru stepped closer to Kelsey, one hand on his sword hilt. He glared at the others, as if daring them to go near her. Kurama frowned.
"Now, Jin..." Yusuke began. "Here is a fine specimen of the human female. In a school uniform, her legs are very much exposed...and there's easier access to her panties. Not to mention that when she's sleeping, she can't slap you silly." He placed a hand on Kia's leg, right below her skirt hem. The other reached for her chest.
"Urameshi!" Jin leapt forward, snatching Yusuke's hands away. "You can't-"
"You're right," the boy said with a grin. "Keiko would kill me. But YOU can!" He shoved the Wind Master, who fell forward...onto Kia. He grabbed her leg and shoulder to keep from completely falling on her. What he achieved was pushing her skirt up in a jumble near his hand. His head was also WAY too close to her chest as he desperately struggled to right himself.
To make matters worse, Kia chose that exact moment to wake up. Jin stared down into a pair of startled brown eyes. But the startlement rapidly changed into anger.
"What are you DOING?!"
"I...er...um...I..." Jin stammered, feeling his face heat. He pushed himself off.
"You...you...you..." The girl slowly pointed to him. "You're just as bad as they were..." Her eyes were bright, but her voice didn't shake at all. She leapt off the sofa. "I can't believe I trusted you!"
"But-"
"You act nice and cheerful, but you're just like them!" She flung the words at him. "I'd hate to see you drunk!" With that cryptic remark, she ran past him and out of the house. Jin started after her, but Suzuki laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't."
"It's Urameshi's fault!" Kuwabara protested. "It's no fair her being mad at Jin!"
"But she's right t' be angry with me."
"Huh?" Kuwabara was baffled.
"She's right," Jin repeated in a low voice. "I had no right to touch her. I should've stopped Urameshi when he first suggested it."
"There's nothing you can do now that it's happened," Touya said quietly.
"Wha...what's going on?" Kelsey said sleepily, yawning. "Where's Kia?"
There was an embarrassed silence as almost every male in the room carefully avoided her questioning gaze.
"She ran out," Hiei said at last.
"Ran out?" Kelsey stared at him. "Why?"
"It seems Yusuke wanted to show Jin how easy it is to take advantage of sleeping girls," Kurama said, voice taut. "Deliberately forgetting Kia's past."
"That ningen gang..." Touya remembered. "Of course! No wonder she was so upset."
"Gang?" The girl blinked. "What gang? What happened to her parents?"
"You know her family?" Yusuke asked eagerly.
"Sure." Kelsey shrugged. "She hasn't mentioned them lately, though..."
Jin looked out the window. "A brisk wind...good. Come on, Touya."
Bemused, the Ice Master followed his friend.
"Where're THEY going?" Suzuki wondered.
Shishiwakamaru rolled his eyes. "To find the girl, of course."
Outside, Jin turned to Touya. "I'll fly up and look for her. You can go by foot...unless you want to fly."
The Shinobi shuddered. "I prefer my feet firmly on the ground, thank you."
Jin grinned and floated into the air, allowing the winds to bear him over the city. Looking down as he flew, he saw a tiny figure in blue and yellow running toward a park. If she reached it and disappeared among the trees, he wouldn't be able to find her. With a quick swoop and a rush of air to announce his arrival, Jin landed in front of Kia.
"Go away," she said quietly.
"Kia, let me explain!"
"What's there to explain about?!" she flared at him. "I've had enough with being forced to be someone's plaything! Go AWAY!"
"Kia-"
It was if there had been a dam inside her heart, trying to hold back the nightmarish memories, the constant fear and mistrust. But now it burst.
"Just shut up, Jin! You don't know what it's like to watch your parents die before your very eyes! You don't know what it's like to find out that they weren't actually your parents! You have no idea what it feels like to be beaten within an inch of your life by a bunch of drunken bastards, with the only one who'd protected you dead! AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A BUNCH OF YOUKAI WANTING YOU DEAD FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON EXCEPT TO GET AT A STUPID MIRROR INSIDE OF YOU! SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!"
The concrete beneath her feet glowed a bluish-white, and then the light rose up around the girl, forming a sort of prismatic barrier. Every now and then, silver sparks crackled across the surface of shifting blue and white.
Jin cautiously touched the wall, then yanked his hand back. His palm was burnt red.
"Jin!" Touya finally caught up. "I just felt a tremendous surge of ener-" He broke off, staring at the pillar of light. "She's in there?"
The Wind Master nodded affirmation. "She...she's in a lot of pain."
"As you will be, of you try getting through that," Touya told him, nodding to his friend's reddened palm.
"I know...but..." Jin closed his eyes briefly, hearing Kia's words again. *You don't know what it's like to watch your parents die...to find out that they weren't actually your parents...to be beaten within an inch of your life...to have a bunch of youkai wanting you dead...*
He opened his eyes and gazed at the barrier. "She's been through enough already. I don't want her to cry anymore. I'm going in."
The Ice Master looked at Jin's face. Absolute resolution. He sighed. "I'll go, too."
On a silent signal, they ran at the barrier, half-expecting to be forcibly repelled. But it let them through, although it burned like needles of fire. Jin and Touya struggled through the rippling layers of light. At last, they caught sight of the kneeling figure in the center. Jin stepped forward and touched her shoulder and he and Touya, who had placed one hand on his friend's shoulder to keep from getting separated, were abruptly caught in a memory that didn't belong to either of them.
***Memory***
Kia sobbed as she ran, splashing in puddles and not caring at all if they drenched her skirt. She was soaked anyway.
*What did she mean "Your mother and father would be proud to see how you turned out"? SHE'S my mother!*
"Oh!" Her foot skidded on a patch of water and she performed a sort of awkward belly flop onto the ground. She closed her eyes in defeat, crying silently.
Pedestrians politely stepped over the girl lying in the puddle, continuing on their way.
*WHY?* She screamed inside. *Why are you ignoring me? Am I invisible?*
Someone lifted under her arms and hauled her to her feet.
"Hey...what's wrong?"
Kia looked up at a tall young man who had warm hazel eyes and a shock of black hair.
"Are you lost? Did you hurt yourself? Are you homeless?"
Kia shook her head on the first two questions, and nodded on the last one.
"Homeless, huh?" The boy ruffled her damp hair. "I'm Mamoru. If you want, you can stay at our gang hideout. They're kind of rough but I won't let them hurt you, I promise!" he added hastily, seeing the look of alarm on his companion's face. "So how about it? It's better than staying out in the rain." He winked at her.
Kia slowly nodded. What other choice did she have?
***End Memory***
The memory abruptly shifted from a wet and gloomy city, to somewhere in Makai. A young woman with gleaming brown hair in a neat braid, wearing a simple white yukata (summer cotton kimono), sang softly to herself as she entered a small white cottage.
*OOC*
This was unexpected, wasn't it? Poor Jin didn't expect Kia to lash out at him. And who is the mysterious young woman in Kia's memory? We'll just see. Review!
Next time...
* Jin and Touya find out who the woman in Makai is and learn a little more about Mamoru.
* Kia and Kelsey master their powers! YAY!
