Of Demons and Roses
Chapter 5: Nobara's Tears
Nobara lay unconscious in the silence and stillness. Her unconscious friend on top of her. Nobara after many long minutes, Nobara twitched and woke up. She stayed still for a few minutes to let the little strength she had left gather to lift herself up. She sat up and looked around. She was the only one up. Everyone else was spread throughout the bus, and some outside! It was a gruesome scene.
Nobara stared in shock at her late classmates. She could sense that they were all dead, including the driver. Niji wasn't dead yet, but she was knocking on death's door. Nobara decided to try to get Niji to the top of the cliff to get her help. She struggled to flip herself onto her stomach so she could crawl through the mess of bodies. She put Niji on her back and fought her way out the widow.
Once at the window, Nobara got a piece of string from her pocket to tie Niji's hands together so she wouldn't slip while climbing up. Then, Nobara made her way slowly up the cliff.
It must have been hours before she reached the top. When Nobara reached flat ground, she set Niji down of her back and untied the string. Nobara check to see if she was still breaching by putting her hand over Niji's mouth.
"Still breathing," Nobara said to herself. "Hold on, Niji."
Exhausted, Nobara sat down and took a rest. Niji was very badly wounded. In the middle of her chest was the wound from the rock that she saved Nobara from. Tears came to Nobara's eyes at the sight of her best friend. Nobara flopped down on her back and closed her eyes. She had completely run out of energy.
"No.. Nobara..." came a faint voice.
Nobara's eyes shot open, and she sat up as quick as lightening. She looked over to find Niji's eyes open.
"Niji!" Nobara crawled over and sat next to her dying friend. Niji breathed very heavily, as if gasping for air.
"Niji! It's gonna be alright! You're gonna be okay!" Nobara said hopelessly with tears in her eyes. Niji just smiled through her tears.
"Here..." said lifting her hand up, showing Nobara a beautiful silver ring with a rose on it.
"Niji, your ring! I can't take that!" said Nobara in shock.
"Take it... I want to have it... Nobara..." Niji said through tears.
Nobara reached out her hand and slid the ring on Niji's finger. She then put in on her own, just to let Niji see her put it on. Niji just kept smiling through her tears.
"I'm gonna miss you Niji," there was no hope in Nobara's voice. Both friends knew that Niji was going to die.
"I'll be watching you... my friend... my... best friend... Nobara..." Those were Niji's last words. Nobara broke into uncontrollable tears as she fell onto her dead friend.
"Niji..." she whispered through her sobbing. After several minutes of uncontrollable crying, Nobara sat up and wiped the tears from her face. Suddenly, she sensed someone. Too weak to stand, Nobara just looked in the direction of where she was sensing.
What she was sensing was her father, Hiei. Hiei appeared in front of his daughter and stared down at her.
"Otosan... What are you doing here?" asked Nobara in shock.
"I felt something. I needed to come check it out," said Hiei.
"Otosan... Niji... she's..." said Nobara sobbing as she clutched Hiei's leg. Hiei put on a look of pity and sorrow as he bent down to hug his daughter. Hiei said nothing. He decided to leave the semimetal talk for Kurama.
"How touching. Father and daughter," came a voice from the shadows. Hiei stood up in a protective manor as Nobara stared in the direction where she sensed the shadow man. In she line of vision, a tall black shadowed figure stepped out of the darkness.
"Hello Nobara. Did you enjoy my present?" he said in a cruel manor. Nobara just looked at Niji as tears came to her eyes again.
"And Hiei, how have you been? It's been so long since we've crossed paths," he said to Hiei. Hiei just got angrier and angrier with every word he said.
"Otosan, you know him?" asked Nobara. The shadow just stood there, staring at them with an evil smile on his face.
"Yes he does my dear. Oh my how rue of me," he said in a mocking tone. "My name is Kokuei and your father killed my son. I'm back for my revenge."
Hiei was ready to draw his sword, "You hurt her, you die." Nobara's eyes widened.
"Oh my, catch on quick don't you? Well, I guess my plan's been discovered. I knew my little stunt wouldn't kill you, Nobara. You're not like the others."
Nobara's face turned from surprise to shock. Hiei just stayed angry at his enemy.
"I've had enough," yelled Hiei as he went on the attack. Kokuei dogged it and disappeared into the shadows.
"We will meet again. You can count on that," he said from the shadows and retreated.
Hiei sheathed his sword and walked over to his daughter. Hiei knew that he wouldn't be able to hide this from Nobara forever. He just wished that she wouldn't have to find out like this.
"You need treatment. Your mother is waiting for us," Hiei said, picking up his daughter.
"But, Niji..." said Nobara in protest. Hiei paused for a moment, then kept walking. He then sped up when he heard the sound of cars and ambulance coming. He got Nobara home safely, where Kurama was waiting for them.