Hiei's eyes held no sign of fear. He leaned his slim shoulder on the wall,
clasping his hands behind his back. Autumn stood, looking uncertain, at his
side, her eyes wide. Koenma's television was filled with the images of the
situation currently being played out in the library. She watched in horror
as Shanta and Kurama struggled to pull themselves along the rose whip,
desperately attempting to get to the door. The woman who was standing in
the center tornado let her hands fall to her sides, laughter breaking her
lips. The very sound of it caused Autumn to shiver. Suddenly, the bookcases
closest to the funnel shattered like glass, breaking into wooden slabs and
began to spin around her. The walls continued to crumble, and the floor
around her was gradually being eaten away. The two were unable to continue,
and Kurama put his arms around Shanta, holing fast to the vine. He bent
over her, blocking her body from the torrents of debris. It was all he
could do to keep them from flying backward to their deaths.
Koenma shook his head, his eyes closing. Screams could be heard outside of his office, those of the employees as the siren went off, signaling evacuation. "This is hopeless!"
Kurama's shoulders began to shake. His arms, as Autumn noticed, were weakening, and he couldn't possibly hold on much longer. Then, another thing became apparent: the whip was starting to unfasten from around the door knob. It slowly unwrapped itself, and Autumn let out a scream as it released its hold completely. She found herself right up infront of Koenma's television, her eyes filling with unshed tears. Kurama held Shanta close as the two flew backward, his back just barely skimming the floor. "No!" Autumn screamed, turning away from the screen, putting her hands over her eyes. "God, no!" She turned back again and hit the screen with the full force of her fist. The screen crackled and lines on interference buzzed acrossed it.
"I. . . .I think it would be best if we left now. It's over. We've lost, and now the only thing left is to run." Koenma said softly, also turning his face from the screen.
Hiei seemed to be beyond words. His lips parted slightly, his crimson eyes wide, a slight tremor passing his shoulders. Kurama was dead. His hands fell to his sides, and for a moment, he stood still, unable to breathe. But after a moment, his eyes narrowed in rage, his hands balling into fists. He turned on his heel abruptly, and with a light step, he ran from the room.
Mrs. Christa Crossman let out a sigh, her eyes on the computer screen before her. She lifted her coffee cup to her lips, drinking deeply of the caffeine enriched drink. She had often wondered why she had let Jessica go to Japan alone, but it was far to late to stop her now. She would be home in two days anyway. And she had faithfully emailed and called everyday, so she must be fine. Yet, Mother's intuition would not let Jessica's mother go along with ease. Something was wrong with her only daughter. But Jessica had just called that morning, and said she'd be away from the hotel all day, and not to bother calling. Despite this, Christa had already called three times. No answer, but that was what Jessica told her to expect, right? So what was wrong? She had this deep, dark feeling inside her, almost like she felt she was loosing her baby girl. She let her face fall into her hands as she stifled a moan, her blonde hair falling from its ponytail. If only Jessica would answer her cell phone! But she specifically told her mother that that sort of long distance phone call wasn't worth it, and not to bother trying because she wouldn't answer.
"Jessica, whats wrong. . . . ?"
His speed was like that of sound. As Hiei bolted down the hall in the direction of the chaos, his hand strayed down to his side, his fingertips brushing his katana. He didn't care if she was human, if he spent eternity in jail. He would KILL her. He sped up, a sharp crack sounding in his ears as the sound of his feet hitting the tile floor broke the sound barrier on account of how fast he was moving. His fist closed around the sword's hilt as he ran, and, without slowing in the slightest, he unsheathed it. He jerked it over his shoulder, swinging it with all his strength, the door to the records library bursting into splinters. He had not faltered in his movement. He immediately felt the vacuum of the wind tug at him as he skidded to a halt just inside the room. "What the. . ." As it was, he never finished his sentence, for awe silenced him. It hadn't seemed this frightening on the TV.
The room had turned into a full fledged storm. Storm clouds swirled just bellow the ceiling, the occasional bolt of lightning lit the "sky" and thunder rumbled. Every last book had been torn from the shelves, and spun around in the funnel of the tornado, the witch who killed Kurama and Shanta standing in its center. A crater had been made under the tornado, the wind having eaten away at the floor. The walls were gradually caving in.
Apparently Hiei was a great deal faster than he thought, for he had made it to the room in under two seconds. He spotted Kurama and the girl, only three yards away from the gale. Kurama was desperately trying to slow them down, but his effort was futile. All he could do now was block Shanta's face from injury and pray.
"Kurama!" Hiei cried out, starting after them before he realized it. But he found himself loosing control of his movements, his feet being pulled out from underneath him. He fell backward, his head cracking painfully down on the tile floor. His crimson eyes glistened, and slowly closed. He had been knocked unconscious.
"JESSICA! JESSICA, PLEASE STOP!!!"
Autumn's hands gripped the doorway with every ounce of strength she could muster. The wind pulled at her hair, forcing it from its elastic band. Her tight brown curls blew in her face, blacking her tearstained face from view. The force of the wind pulled at her clothes, as though convinced it could rip them to shreds.
"JESSICA, DON'T YOU REALIZE YOU'RE GOING TO KILL THEM?!" She screamed in desperation, "STOP IT, NOW! PLEASE!" But she couldn't hold on any longer. The tornado pulled her from the door, and she uttered what she thought would be her last scream as she flew towards her demise, "PLEASE, JESSICA!!"
Kurama's grip on Shanta loosened, his eyes sliding shut. She tumbled from his grasp. Hiei was being sucked in at an alarming rate, and soon found himself being lifted from the floor. His eyes opened for a minute, coming to fall on Kurama's limp body as he was pulled upward as well. Autumn fought hard, grabbing anything she could to stop herself, but she could find nothing that did not just get pulled up along with her.
"PLEASE, JESSICA!"
Aoitsuki's eyes dulled, her laughter dying in her throat. "Please, Jessica," She echoed softly. She turned her head to the source of the cry, Autumn. Her violet eyes flickered and her lips parted. Her head tilted to the side, the corners of her eyes giving a slight twitch. As though she was unsure about something. Confused. ". . . . Autumn. . ." She changed her gaze again, this time stopping on Shanta, ". . . .Shanta. . . . Hiei. . . . . .Kurama. . . . ." Her tone was dazed. Her eyes continued to flicker. She lifted her hands to her face, slowly shaking her head in bewilderment. "I can't let my friends die..." Then, she jerked her head up, her hands in fists again. "NO! They must die. No one will stop me from stopping this war. From righting the wrongs they've done! He's done to me! ME!" But then her eyes gave a spark, and she cried out in pain. She put her hands to her eyes, screaming in pain. The wind began to falter, it's speed lessening, its grip on the great slabs of concrete sliding away. Things began to spin on their own accord, spiraling away from the tornado, crashing into the walls, causing them to crumble, dust flying everywhere, filling the room. "NOOO!" She fell to her knees, her hands covering her ears, her eyes a frightening, blank white. Sections of the roof crashed to the floor, sending more dust and rocks spewing acrossed the room. Books flew away from the funnel, ripping to shreds in midair. Fires erupted everywhere, lightning bolts hitting anything that was left. Aoitsuki struggled to her feet again, screaming louder. The entire room was chaos, nothing going untouched. Everything was just destroying everything else...
"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, STOP IT!" She shrieked. "SSSTTTOOOPPP IIITTT RRIIGGHHTT NNOOWWW!!!" She froze, a choking sound coming from within her mouth. Her white eyes slowly seemed to swirl with color, coming to turn a hazel color. Her mouth hung wide open as she fell forward, her eyes closing as she did so. As she hit what was left of the floor, everything fell with her. The books, the chunks of wall, the remains of the bookshelves...
It was over. For now.
Koenma shook his head, his eyes closing. Screams could be heard outside of his office, those of the employees as the siren went off, signaling evacuation. "This is hopeless!"
Kurama's shoulders began to shake. His arms, as Autumn noticed, were weakening, and he couldn't possibly hold on much longer. Then, another thing became apparent: the whip was starting to unfasten from around the door knob. It slowly unwrapped itself, and Autumn let out a scream as it released its hold completely. She found herself right up infront of Koenma's television, her eyes filling with unshed tears. Kurama held Shanta close as the two flew backward, his back just barely skimming the floor. "No!" Autumn screamed, turning away from the screen, putting her hands over her eyes. "God, no!" She turned back again and hit the screen with the full force of her fist. The screen crackled and lines on interference buzzed acrossed it.
"I. . . .I think it would be best if we left now. It's over. We've lost, and now the only thing left is to run." Koenma said softly, also turning his face from the screen.
Hiei seemed to be beyond words. His lips parted slightly, his crimson eyes wide, a slight tremor passing his shoulders. Kurama was dead. His hands fell to his sides, and for a moment, he stood still, unable to breathe. But after a moment, his eyes narrowed in rage, his hands balling into fists. He turned on his heel abruptly, and with a light step, he ran from the room.
Mrs. Christa Crossman let out a sigh, her eyes on the computer screen before her. She lifted her coffee cup to her lips, drinking deeply of the caffeine enriched drink. She had often wondered why she had let Jessica go to Japan alone, but it was far to late to stop her now. She would be home in two days anyway. And she had faithfully emailed and called everyday, so she must be fine. Yet, Mother's intuition would not let Jessica's mother go along with ease. Something was wrong with her only daughter. But Jessica had just called that morning, and said she'd be away from the hotel all day, and not to bother calling. Despite this, Christa had already called three times. No answer, but that was what Jessica told her to expect, right? So what was wrong? She had this deep, dark feeling inside her, almost like she felt she was loosing her baby girl. She let her face fall into her hands as she stifled a moan, her blonde hair falling from its ponytail. If only Jessica would answer her cell phone! But she specifically told her mother that that sort of long distance phone call wasn't worth it, and not to bother trying because she wouldn't answer.
"Jessica, whats wrong. . . . ?"
His speed was like that of sound. As Hiei bolted down the hall in the direction of the chaos, his hand strayed down to his side, his fingertips brushing his katana. He didn't care if she was human, if he spent eternity in jail. He would KILL her. He sped up, a sharp crack sounding in his ears as the sound of his feet hitting the tile floor broke the sound barrier on account of how fast he was moving. His fist closed around the sword's hilt as he ran, and, without slowing in the slightest, he unsheathed it. He jerked it over his shoulder, swinging it with all his strength, the door to the records library bursting into splinters. He had not faltered in his movement. He immediately felt the vacuum of the wind tug at him as he skidded to a halt just inside the room. "What the. . ." As it was, he never finished his sentence, for awe silenced him. It hadn't seemed this frightening on the TV.
The room had turned into a full fledged storm. Storm clouds swirled just bellow the ceiling, the occasional bolt of lightning lit the "sky" and thunder rumbled. Every last book had been torn from the shelves, and spun around in the funnel of the tornado, the witch who killed Kurama and Shanta standing in its center. A crater had been made under the tornado, the wind having eaten away at the floor. The walls were gradually caving in.
Apparently Hiei was a great deal faster than he thought, for he had made it to the room in under two seconds. He spotted Kurama and the girl, only three yards away from the gale. Kurama was desperately trying to slow them down, but his effort was futile. All he could do now was block Shanta's face from injury and pray.
"Kurama!" Hiei cried out, starting after them before he realized it. But he found himself loosing control of his movements, his feet being pulled out from underneath him. He fell backward, his head cracking painfully down on the tile floor. His crimson eyes glistened, and slowly closed. He had been knocked unconscious.
"JESSICA! JESSICA, PLEASE STOP!!!"
Autumn's hands gripped the doorway with every ounce of strength she could muster. The wind pulled at her hair, forcing it from its elastic band. Her tight brown curls blew in her face, blacking her tearstained face from view. The force of the wind pulled at her clothes, as though convinced it could rip them to shreds.
"JESSICA, DON'T YOU REALIZE YOU'RE GOING TO KILL THEM?!" She screamed in desperation, "STOP IT, NOW! PLEASE!" But she couldn't hold on any longer. The tornado pulled her from the door, and she uttered what she thought would be her last scream as she flew towards her demise, "PLEASE, JESSICA!!"
Kurama's grip on Shanta loosened, his eyes sliding shut. She tumbled from his grasp. Hiei was being sucked in at an alarming rate, and soon found himself being lifted from the floor. His eyes opened for a minute, coming to fall on Kurama's limp body as he was pulled upward as well. Autumn fought hard, grabbing anything she could to stop herself, but she could find nothing that did not just get pulled up along with her.
"PLEASE, JESSICA!"
Aoitsuki's eyes dulled, her laughter dying in her throat. "Please, Jessica," She echoed softly. She turned her head to the source of the cry, Autumn. Her violet eyes flickered and her lips parted. Her head tilted to the side, the corners of her eyes giving a slight twitch. As though she was unsure about something. Confused. ". . . . Autumn. . ." She changed her gaze again, this time stopping on Shanta, ". . . .Shanta. . . . Hiei. . . . . .Kurama. . . . ." Her tone was dazed. Her eyes continued to flicker. She lifted her hands to her face, slowly shaking her head in bewilderment. "I can't let my friends die..." Then, she jerked her head up, her hands in fists again. "NO! They must die. No one will stop me from stopping this war. From righting the wrongs they've done! He's done to me! ME!" But then her eyes gave a spark, and she cried out in pain. She put her hands to her eyes, screaming in pain. The wind began to falter, it's speed lessening, its grip on the great slabs of concrete sliding away. Things began to spin on their own accord, spiraling away from the tornado, crashing into the walls, causing them to crumble, dust flying everywhere, filling the room. "NOOO!" She fell to her knees, her hands covering her ears, her eyes a frightening, blank white. Sections of the roof crashed to the floor, sending more dust and rocks spewing acrossed the room. Books flew away from the funnel, ripping to shreds in midair. Fires erupted everywhere, lightning bolts hitting anything that was left. Aoitsuki struggled to her feet again, screaming louder. The entire room was chaos, nothing going untouched. Everything was just destroying everything else...
"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, STOP IT!" She shrieked. "SSSTTTOOOPPP IIITTT RRIIGGHHTT NNOOWWW!!!" She froze, a choking sound coming from within her mouth. Her white eyes slowly seemed to swirl with color, coming to turn a hazel color. Her mouth hung wide open as she fell forward, her eyes closing as she did so. As she hit what was left of the floor, everything fell with her. The books, the chunks of wall, the remains of the bookshelves...
It was over. For now.