Thanks for all the reviews. I am overjoyed to receive them and it will
encourage me to write better. I was planning to let Kurama and Hiei get
back together in chapter 7 but now it has to be dragged to chapter 8.
Shizuru would appear in 7 instead and her feelings for Sakyo. I have always
liked Shizuru, so I made her into my story. Hope you like it. (that's the
next chapter anyway)
Kurama's POV
"Shuuichi, are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Kaasan," I replied half-heartedly. Ever since my quarrel with Hiei, which was four days age, he had been avoiding me and not even one word was exchanged between us. Whenever I tried to catch his eyes, he would avert his glance to somewhere else. May be it would be better this way. May be that was the only way to let Karasu stay away form him. But why does it have to hurt so much?
"Did you have a dispute with Hiei?"
"Looks like you noticed," I gave her a weak smile and continued to help around the kitchen.
"You care for him, but can you really clearly define how you feel for him? The way you are acting, like staring into space for long periods, less talkative and loss of appetite, they all do not add up to the level you care for a friend. It's more like falling in love. Do you like or love Hiei?"
"I. don't know. He is. my friend," I whispered, hardly audible. I was slightly taken aback by her question, but it was soon overtaken by the confusion in my mind, "Do you mind?"
"No, of course not. I just want you to be happy, especially on the topic of love. Do not mind what other people think. Just be true to yourself and follow your heart. If you love someone, it does not matter what he or she looks like, not the gender. As long as your souls, your minds and hearts go towards one another, that would be more than enough."
"Thanks, Kaasan," and I gave her a smile deep from my heart.
RRRIIINNNGGG!!!!!!
"I'll get the phone," she said and hurried away.
Howe did I feel about Hiei. That was not the main problem. Who knows of Hiei would ever talk to me again? If he'd ever look at me once more? Perhaps he never did feel anything for me and it was just I imagining that he treated me as a friend. Yes, of course he could not trust me, a youko who turned weak by living with Ningen, and the creature he despised.
Why was I so confused? I had lived for almost 5 centuries and should have experienced everything all three worlds had to offer. Or have I? No, I have not.
In Makai, I trained to become the strongest in order to survive. I survived, but only to learn lust, desire, hatred, vengeance and kill for the sake of killing. Do I know love? No, it never touched me before. I was just as helpless as an average eighteen-year-old Ningen. Helplessness, how I hated and wanted it.
Kaasan returned from the phone call.
"what was the call about?"
I asked, trying to sound as if nothing ever happened. As Hiei said, a hypocrite.
"The hospital called to say that I need a flu vaccine for the holiday trip we are going for a week. Are you sure you and Hiei do not want to join us?"
"Yes, Kaasan. Come on, I'll accompany you to the hospital," I said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why does it hurt so much if you were to protect someone?"
"If you want to protect someone, that means that person is so important that you are willing to risk your life for him. Of course it would hurt, because that is the e price to love. The more you love, the more it hurts, and yet, you would continue to love more. It does not sound sensible because love itself is not. I am glad that you could feel the pain, for it shows that you have put in your feeling. The bittersweet taste of love could be a blessing and a wound, but treasure it as it is."
"Love does not make sense?"
"No. sometimes you know that a person could not or never would return your feelings, but it is impossible for you to stop already. Sometimes you know that person does not suit you at all, but emotions would continue to flow. Someday, you will understand, but that day would not help you to control yourself in any way."
"Someday. Come, let's go," I said, as a burden was lifted, but a new shadow loomed over my heart.
Koenma's POV
There was still half an hour to the second meeting of this mission. I paced back and forth in my office because I had a feeling that the enemy had moved.
"I have something to clarify with you."
I jumped and saw it was Hiei. He had a weird aura around him - suppressed anger covered by coldness. His patience was wearing thin and I would really try to avoid getting onto his bad side. I turned to my teenage form and felt slightly more confident without being covered by Hiei's shadow.
"I have something to ask too," and Kurama entered through the door. Hiei tensed but did not even bother to look at Kurama while the latter cast one wistful glance at him. The atmosphere was really awkward and I felt like a light bulb.
"Fine. What is it you tow want to know?" I broke the silence.
"How did Karasu's soul escape form Reikai?" Kurama asked and as usual, he was the more talkative one of the two.
"Hey! Did we miss anything?"
the whole mysterious and serious mood was spoiled by the appearance of Yusuke and Kuwabara. I was somehow relieved to escape from the pressurizing investigation of the two youkai.
"Alright. I would tell you all about this mission today," with this, everyone fell silent. Even Kuwabara.
"The souls of all dead Ningen and youkai would come to Reikai," I continued, "but recently, just this four months, the souls that come are incomplete. The most important part of the soul, which contains the person's most precious memories, it missing. We tracked down some of the missing souls and found that they have all gone to another dimension, where only the souls could enter. Our search could only stop there."
"As far as I know, all the souls that are missing have very strong will and they all died before they completed their ultimate desire. What I infer is that the dimension is created by a soul with strong powers and it grants one last wish to the souls who are strong willed enough to separate their souls into two parts. However, I do not know how they accomplish that."
"How do we stop them if we could not even go into their headquarters?" Kuwabara asked one stupid question.
"What do you think Kurama and Hiei are doing?"
"Oh! But why would the enemy definitely look for trouble with them?"
"Because I know Karasu is using this method to get revenge on Kurama."
"Then why is Hiei involved?" Kurama asked somewhat. painfully?
"He is there to protect you. I don't know what Karasu is capable of."
"I don't need protection," Kurama replied calmly, but a hint of coldness was in his voice.
"Of course the famous youko Kurama does not need protection. You are just mocking his abilities by saying that. You sure are pretty pathetic for a prince," Hiei scoffed. He might sound as if to provoke me, but the main idea of his words were for Kurama. He still avoided Kurama's gaze, and was doing a very good job in talking indirectly to him. Even a fool could see something was going on between then, but Yusuke and Kuwabara were just dumb folded at why I was still not throwing a tantrum at Hiei's remark.
"I am not that youko Kurama anymore, Hiei."
At this, the koorime finally turned to face Kurama. A fire of ridicule and scorn seemed to burn in his eyes, but there was something hidden under it which I could not quite figure.
"Then what are you? The Ningen Minnamino Shuuichi? Stop pretending."
"I know that I am not a Ningen, and I would never be. It's just that I have change. I am not that cold-blooded youko Kurama anymore," Kurama explained solemnly.
"In other works, you are neither Ningen or youkai. You do not belong anywhere."
"Everybody does not belong. They just belong to themselves."
Kurama had such a good philosophy, and I would really believe in what he said if he did not look so lack of confidence in his own words. He seemed to be just saying that for others but not for himself.
"No. nobody belong to himself," Hiei said, colder than usual and the core of his words was sadness and pain. I waited for him to continue, but he never did. Strangely, however, Kurama seemed to understand and approve.
"Come on, guys! Let's get back to the topic," Yusuke complained, bored of the conversation too deep for his understandings. Kuwabara woke up from his map hearing Yusuke's call. Can't these guys ever learn?
"Oh!" Kuwabara exclaimed, "why don't we just kill ourselves so that our souls could go into that dimension? Then we could kick their butt in the other dimension," and he sounded really excited about his ridiculous plan.
"BAKA! I told you I don't know how the souls are separated, so what if your soul separates but could not join back? How do you expect me to bring you back to life that way? If you guys die, I an held responsible," I shouted out in one breath, exasperated with the carrot top who did not use his brains.
"Sounds like fun," Hiei said quietly form the shadows he stood in.
"What's fun about that?" I asked in a menacing sort of way and squinted at Hiei.
"Death is supposed to be the end to everything, so I would like to see how they could change it to be the beginning to your ultimate goal. People dying so that they could get what they want after death. I would like to see how far would people go to fulfill their desire and how ugly their selfishness is."
"So that's why we have to stop them," Yusuke finally realized, "I was starting to think of this other dimension as a good thing before Hiei pointed it out. Is there any way to destroy a soul?"
"Yes, there is , but it's extremely complicated. First , you must have a very strong youko or reiki; second, the soul must be possessing a body when you kill it, but the body must not die.. you have to focus most of your ki and forming it into a soul-like presence, and force it into the body. You must control your ki and let it kill the soul possessing the body. The closest skill according to my description is Hiei's Kokuryhua, but the force must not break the body the person being possessed."
"Wow! So now we could only wait for Karasu to act?"
"Yes," somehow I did not want to let the tow Ningen know that Karasu had already started. I looked at Kurama knowingly, I would have to hear about Karasu's actions sometime later, but I believe Kurama and Hiei know how to deal with it.
"Since we have nothing to do now, let's have a party at Kurama's. anyway his parents are not home. You wanna come too, Koenma?" Kuwabara asked in his excited high pitch voice.
"A bunch if fools," Hiei remarked coldly and left while Kurama sweatdropped at the prospect of home wretched. Watching as Yusuke and Kuwabara dragged Kurama out to prepare for the party, I felt a slight headache.
Kurama's POV
"Shuuichi, are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Kaasan," I replied half-heartedly. Ever since my quarrel with Hiei, which was four days age, he had been avoiding me and not even one word was exchanged between us. Whenever I tried to catch his eyes, he would avert his glance to somewhere else. May be it would be better this way. May be that was the only way to let Karasu stay away form him. But why does it have to hurt so much?
"Did you have a dispute with Hiei?"
"Looks like you noticed," I gave her a weak smile and continued to help around the kitchen.
"You care for him, but can you really clearly define how you feel for him? The way you are acting, like staring into space for long periods, less talkative and loss of appetite, they all do not add up to the level you care for a friend. It's more like falling in love. Do you like or love Hiei?"
"I. don't know. He is. my friend," I whispered, hardly audible. I was slightly taken aback by her question, but it was soon overtaken by the confusion in my mind, "Do you mind?"
"No, of course not. I just want you to be happy, especially on the topic of love. Do not mind what other people think. Just be true to yourself and follow your heart. If you love someone, it does not matter what he or she looks like, not the gender. As long as your souls, your minds and hearts go towards one another, that would be more than enough."
"Thanks, Kaasan," and I gave her a smile deep from my heart.
RRRIIINNNGGG!!!!!!
"I'll get the phone," she said and hurried away.
Howe did I feel about Hiei. That was not the main problem. Who knows of Hiei would ever talk to me again? If he'd ever look at me once more? Perhaps he never did feel anything for me and it was just I imagining that he treated me as a friend. Yes, of course he could not trust me, a youko who turned weak by living with Ningen, and the creature he despised.
Why was I so confused? I had lived for almost 5 centuries and should have experienced everything all three worlds had to offer. Or have I? No, I have not.
In Makai, I trained to become the strongest in order to survive. I survived, but only to learn lust, desire, hatred, vengeance and kill for the sake of killing. Do I know love? No, it never touched me before. I was just as helpless as an average eighteen-year-old Ningen. Helplessness, how I hated and wanted it.
Kaasan returned from the phone call.
"what was the call about?"
I asked, trying to sound as if nothing ever happened. As Hiei said, a hypocrite.
"The hospital called to say that I need a flu vaccine for the holiday trip we are going for a week. Are you sure you and Hiei do not want to join us?"
"Yes, Kaasan. Come on, I'll accompany you to the hospital," I said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why does it hurt so much if you were to protect someone?"
"If you want to protect someone, that means that person is so important that you are willing to risk your life for him. Of course it would hurt, because that is the e price to love. The more you love, the more it hurts, and yet, you would continue to love more. It does not sound sensible because love itself is not. I am glad that you could feel the pain, for it shows that you have put in your feeling. The bittersweet taste of love could be a blessing and a wound, but treasure it as it is."
"Love does not make sense?"
"No. sometimes you know that a person could not or never would return your feelings, but it is impossible for you to stop already. Sometimes you know that person does not suit you at all, but emotions would continue to flow. Someday, you will understand, but that day would not help you to control yourself in any way."
"Someday. Come, let's go," I said, as a burden was lifted, but a new shadow loomed over my heart.
Koenma's POV
There was still half an hour to the second meeting of this mission. I paced back and forth in my office because I had a feeling that the enemy had moved.
"I have something to clarify with you."
I jumped and saw it was Hiei. He had a weird aura around him - suppressed anger covered by coldness. His patience was wearing thin and I would really try to avoid getting onto his bad side. I turned to my teenage form and felt slightly more confident without being covered by Hiei's shadow.
"I have something to ask too," and Kurama entered through the door. Hiei tensed but did not even bother to look at Kurama while the latter cast one wistful glance at him. The atmosphere was really awkward and I felt like a light bulb.
"Fine. What is it you tow want to know?" I broke the silence.
"How did Karasu's soul escape form Reikai?" Kurama asked and as usual, he was the more talkative one of the two.
"Hey! Did we miss anything?"
the whole mysterious and serious mood was spoiled by the appearance of Yusuke and Kuwabara. I was somehow relieved to escape from the pressurizing investigation of the two youkai.
"Alright. I would tell you all about this mission today," with this, everyone fell silent. Even Kuwabara.
"The souls of all dead Ningen and youkai would come to Reikai," I continued, "but recently, just this four months, the souls that come are incomplete. The most important part of the soul, which contains the person's most precious memories, it missing. We tracked down some of the missing souls and found that they have all gone to another dimension, where only the souls could enter. Our search could only stop there."
"As far as I know, all the souls that are missing have very strong will and they all died before they completed their ultimate desire. What I infer is that the dimension is created by a soul with strong powers and it grants one last wish to the souls who are strong willed enough to separate their souls into two parts. However, I do not know how they accomplish that."
"How do we stop them if we could not even go into their headquarters?" Kuwabara asked one stupid question.
"What do you think Kurama and Hiei are doing?"
"Oh! But why would the enemy definitely look for trouble with them?"
"Because I know Karasu is using this method to get revenge on Kurama."
"Then why is Hiei involved?" Kurama asked somewhat. painfully?
"He is there to protect you. I don't know what Karasu is capable of."
"I don't need protection," Kurama replied calmly, but a hint of coldness was in his voice.
"Of course the famous youko Kurama does not need protection. You are just mocking his abilities by saying that. You sure are pretty pathetic for a prince," Hiei scoffed. He might sound as if to provoke me, but the main idea of his words were for Kurama. He still avoided Kurama's gaze, and was doing a very good job in talking indirectly to him. Even a fool could see something was going on between then, but Yusuke and Kuwabara were just dumb folded at why I was still not throwing a tantrum at Hiei's remark.
"I am not that youko Kurama anymore, Hiei."
At this, the koorime finally turned to face Kurama. A fire of ridicule and scorn seemed to burn in his eyes, but there was something hidden under it which I could not quite figure.
"Then what are you? The Ningen Minnamino Shuuichi? Stop pretending."
"I know that I am not a Ningen, and I would never be. It's just that I have change. I am not that cold-blooded youko Kurama anymore," Kurama explained solemnly.
"In other works, you are neither Ningen or youkai. You do not belong anywhere."
"Everybody does not belong. They just belong to themselves."
Kurama had such a good philosophy, and I would really believe in what he said if he did not look so lack of confidence in his own words. He seemed to be just saying that for others but not for himself.
"No. nobody belong to himself," Hiei said, colder than usual and the core of his words was sadness and pain. I waited for him to continue, but he never did. Strangely, however, Kurama seemed to understand and approve.
"Come on, guys! Let's get back to the topic," Yusuke complained, bored of the conversation too deep for his understandings. Kuwabara woke up from his map hearing Yusuke's call. Can't these guys ever learn?
"Oh!" Kuwabara exclaimed, "why don't we just kill ourselves so that our souls could go into that dimension? Then we could kick their butt in the other dimension," and he sounded really excited about his ridiculous plan.
"BAKA! I told you I don't know how the souls are separated, so what if your soul separates but could not join back? How do you expect me to bring you back to life that way? If you guys die, I an held responsible," I shouted out in one breath, exasperated with the carrot top who did not use his brains.
"Sounds like fun," Hiei said quietly form the shadows he stood in.
"What's fun about that?" I asked in a menacing sort of way and squinted at Hiei.
"Death is supposed to be the end to everything, so I would like to see how they could change it to be the beginning to your ultimate goal. People dying so that they could get what they want after death. I would like to see how far would people go to fulfill their desire and how ugly their selfishness is."
"So that's why we have to stop them," Yusuke finally realized, "I was starting to think of this other dimension as a good thing before Hiei pointed it out. Is there any way to destroy a soul?"
"Yes, there is , but it's extremely complicated. First , you must have a very strong youko or reiki; second, the soul must be possessing a body when you kill it, but the body must not die.. you have to focus most of your ki and forming it into a soul-like presence, and force it into the body. You must control your ki and let it kill the soul possessing the body. The closest skill according to my description is Hiei's Kokuryhua, but the force must not break the body the person being possessed."
"Wow! So now we could only wait for Karasu to act?"
"Yes," somehow I did not want to let the tow Ningen know that Karasu had already started. I looked at Kurama knowingly, I would have to hear about Karasu's actions sometime later, but I believe Kurama and Hiei know how to deal with it.
"Since we have nothing to do now, let's have a party at Kurama's. anyway his parents are not home. You wanna come too, Koenma?" Kuwabara asked in his excited high pitch voice.
"A bunch if fools," Hiei remarked coldly and left while Kurama sweatdropped at the prospect of home wretched. Watching as Yusuke and Kuwabara dragged Kurama out to prepare for the party, I felt a slight headache.
