Chapter 2- Demon Rose
"This should do it," San-Chen pushed the last of her spirit energy out into the large hole she had made in the ground. A large white flash burned everyone's eyes, and when they looked again, voila! A portal to the spirit world!
"This is illegal you know," Hiei called from his branch in a nearby tree.
"Like you care," San-Chen yelled back. She sat down on the ground, her burka pooling around her crossed legs.
"That was an impressive piece of work," Hiei hopped down from his branch. "I'm impressed,"
"My other half's better," San-Chen looked at her feet.
"You have a twin?"
"Not anymore. Hatsuri's dead to my family," said San-Chen.
"I know how that is," Hiei mumbled.
"We're wasting time," San-Chen said, standing up. A sad look had crossed her eyes.
"It wasn't your choice to estrange her, was it?" Hiei asked.
"No," San-Chen sighed as she hopped into the portal, back to spirit world.
* * *
"I appreciate the fact that you can make a portal and transport us here, but COULDN'T YOU HAVE PICKED A BETTER SPOT?" Hiei clung to his vine that hung over the raging river.
"What? Is the fire man afraid of water?" San-Chen laughed as she swung from a vine to the muddy shore. She pulled up her burka so that it wouldn't get dirty.
"No, I just don't like getting wet," Hiei copied San-Chen and swung to shore. "That must be Gingko-san Mountain," he pointed at a large, rocky mountain whose summit was hidden by clouds. Gingko-san was a bluish-purple color and surrounded by think jungle.
"We're about thirty miles away," San-Chen threw back the veil of her burka. "The sun's setting. We'll be there tomorrow,"
"Hn,"
* * *
"San-Chen's turning out to be better than I would have ever hoped," Karasu stared at the open, star-lit sky. He turned to Hatsuri and smiled. "She might not have to go away now,"
"Going to Yongei was sheer genius I'll admit," Hatsuri leaped off the tree branch she'd been perched on, and landed next to Karasu. She leaned on him, toying with his hair. "She's very clever,"
"Yes, she is," Karasu drew Hatsuri close, but she pulled away. "What's wrong?"
"I have to check in with San-Chen," she said, walking back into the forest.
* * *
"Karasu will kill you if you mess up,"
"I know, I know,"
"You have to find the Face of Paradise,"
"I KNOW ALREADY!"
"You also can't get involved with Hiei,"
". . ."
"You know you can't,"
"I don't like Hiei!"
"Really? I know the way you look at him, like you've never seen a more impressive man,"
"I do not!"
"Yes you do,"
"No!"
"Then why do you hate to leave his side?"
* * *
"Where were you last night?" Hiei asked as they trudged through the jungle.
"We were out of firewood," San-Chen droned.
"No we weren't," Hiei said suspiciously. "What were you doing?"
"This is my hunt, you're just along for the ride. I can go into the woods if I want," San-Chen turned around and snapped.
"I was just curious," Hiei chopped at a root with his katana. "I woke up and you weren't there,"
"Afraid of the dark?" San-Chen joked.
"No, night's the best time of the day. I just . . ."
"What?"
"Nothing,"
San-Chen and Hiei said nothing to each other for half an hour afterwards. They continued through the forest, leaves and twigs crunched under their feet. San-Chen was surprised they hadn't met any resistance yet. Hadn't the prophecy said their path would be blocked by darkness and demons?
"This shouldn't be this easy," San-Chen said.
"Yes, this is a bit suspicious," Hiei unsheathed his katana. "Prepare yourself,"
San-Chen drew her own sword, "Right," She moved cautiously forward, Hiei following close by.
"Lookie here! Two ickle demons, itching to die!" A short, red haired female demon landed on her feet near Hiei. Pretty swirls of red that looked like vines covered her body, and a rose-shaped birthmark embellished her right cheek. "Who will be first, eh? Little shortie *point* Or maybe masked lassie here? Which one, which one?" chirped the demon in an Irish accent.
"I've met someone like you before," Hiei said. "Fifteen years ago, at the Dark Tournament: Jinn,"
"Ah, met big brother have you?" The demon laughed. "I'm his little baby sister, Demon Rose. Top o' the mornin' to ya!"
"Let us go, we have other business," San-Chen straightened up from her fighting stance.
"I know what you search for. You want the Face of Paradise, but I won't let you get it, no sir!" Demon Rose laughed again.
"Then we'll just have to remove you," Hiei lunged forward with his katana, "HIAI!" He moved so fast, San-Chen couldn't see him, but she knew he didn't get Demon Rose.
Demon Rose appeared by San-Chen, "VINES GRIP!" Her outstretched fingers became like vines of roses and attached themselves tightly around San-Chen's throat and body.
"AAHHH!" San-Chen cried as the vines strangled her.
"Monster!" Hiei ran forward with his katana.
"Ah, ah, ah! Not yet fire boy! You see, I'll just squeeze tighter if you get any closer. Don't want your companion to die, do you?" Demon Rose looked at him. Hiei's face looked bored.
"Could care less," Hiei said as San-Chen began to groan in pain and struggle.
Demon Rose smiled. "I like that. Come closer and see the intense suffering in her eyes. If you like this, imagine what her death will make you feel like,"
" I know what I'll feel like," In one lightening movement, Hiei ran Demon Rose through with his katana, "Terrible,"
San-Chen fell from the air as Demon Rose disappeared into a burst of white light. San-Chen's eyes were closed and she didn't look like she was breathing.
"San-Chen!" Hiei crouched down next to her. "Open your damn eyes San-Chen!"
* * *
"Hiei, what are you doing here?" the red haired demon had hoped it was his take-out come home, but it wasn't.
"She's the reason I'm here," Hiei had San-Chen propped up on his side. "She needs intense healing,"
Kurama's green eyes hardened, "Take her to the guest room, now," He led the way around his small house. "What happened? I thought you were on vacation,"
"I am. But, I met up with San-Chen here, and we were, erm, looking for things. We met this demon, and she nearly killed San-Chen before I was able to kill Demon Rose," Hiei laid San-Chen on the bed in the guest room, and Kurama crouched down to investigate the wounds on San-Chen's neck.
"The thorns in Demon Rose's vines apparently secreted poison. See, these cuts? They're infected; she might not wake up any time soon. San-Chen will recover, but she needs care. And you'll have to give it to her,"
"What?" Hiei wasn't sure he had heard right.
"Hey, you're not the only one on vacation. I'm going to the countryside or a few weeks to relax. I was going to leave right after I ate my dinner. I'll write out some instructions on cleaning and bandaging those cuts, leave out some supplies, and let you stay here,"
"Kurama, you know perfectly well I have no aptitude for things like this what so ever," Hiei blanched.
"Then I guess you'll have to learn," Kurama smiled.
AUTHOR' NOTE- Hey hey! Hiei and patient care, two things that should never go together. Will San-Chen survive such a thing?
Find out in the next chapter.
Suri