Warnings: let's see, pretty safe today. Kurama has memory issues! ^_^

The Welder of BlackFire:

Thorn's New Life-The Legend Lives

Chapter Twenty-One: Kurama's Flashback

"So, what did you learn anything from her?" Kurama asked Hiei innocently later that night. They had taken Kuwabara back to his home after he had regained consciousness, and were sitting in his house by afternoon. They had stayed at the residence for a few hours to ensure his safety. They had returned to Kurama's home a few hours later and, at the moment, sat peacefully in the silence, which was broken only by the steady rain falling outside the house.

Kurama had looked over the boy's wounds and found them closed and slightly healed, but only enough as an incredibly weak healer could do. It confused him. She was a powerful healer before, having enough energy to heal three people quite well at the tournament. The battle could have accounted for some of it, but she had not used any of her spirit energy in the fight, so it was an unsolved question that he pondered over.

"Yes. Some," Hiei replied. He was sitting on the window sill in the boy's room, watching the rain fall onto the leaves of the tree beside him, on the other side of the glass, drops of the liquid gently rolling down their surfaces.

"Why did she want to fight Kuwabara? And the way she did?" the kitsune asked carefully.

"She was angry, she needed someone to take her anger out on." Hiei shrugged. Kurama looked at him suspiciously. He was hiding something. Well, not exactly, he thought, he was just avoiding something.

"Is something wrong, Hiei?" Kurama asked.

"No."

"What did you learn there that is making you so cautionary? You can trust me with whatever you have to say."

'Hn, she practically said the same thing to me,' Hiei thought with a disdainful smirk that never chanced the opportunity to sneak to his face.

"Hn. There is nothing to say," was his blank reply.

"That's not true and I know it. Tell me, Hiei," Kurama said softly, but sternly. Hiei said nothing.

"Tell me about why she was angry." Nothing. Kurama waited. He knew that when Hiei was ready, he would speak, but not a moment before. Hiei thought. He felt if he said anything he was betraying Thorn's trust.

'What trust? I'm fooling myself,' Hiei thought. 'No, she trusted me, although I don't know why. I could have at least attacked, if not killed her, at anytime. I'm just confused. I should tell Kurama what he wants to know. If she is right then its only a matter of time until he finds out from Koenma anyway. I'll just answer his questions, nothing more. She won't blame me for that. Wait. Why do I care? Hn. I don't.'

"Because, her pet died," Hiei said.

"Her pet? I never would have thought. But why would she be angry because of that?" Kurama asked, confused.

"She was angry at the one who killed it, not because it died."

"Who killed it?"

"Her trainer," he said quietly.

"But I thought he was dead," Kurama said excitedly. He wanted desperately to ask how Hiei had come across this information, but refrained, not wanting to throw him off the subject into a bout of silence.

"I did too. But apparently not." Silence. He gained nothing more.

"Do you know why she was so weak when she fought?" Kurama asked, changing the subject, hoping to ask again later and gain something more.

"No more than you do. She did not use any of her energy."

"But afterwards, she seemed drained of her entire store of energy."

"She was fighting, from what I could understand, not only Kuwabara, but her trainer as well. I don't know. Its hard for me to understand it." Kurama did not press the question further. He was almost sure that Hiei was telling everything he knew.

"Did you happen to figure out who her trainer was?"


"No."

"Did you see what style she was trained in?"

"Not really. It was random." Actually, Hiei didn't know how to answer the question. She really didn't have much of a style, unless you count the ways she trained a style. She was taught the attacks of the dragons, but there were so many and could be so random that it was almost entirely pointless to say anything. Besides, he didn't want to give Kurama the idea that she was trained by the Black Blaze. She had said that she was taught as he was, suggesting that it was not him that trained her. But she had never come out and said that he was or wasn't her trainer. It was too confusing.

"Did you pick up any habits that might suggest who he her trainer was?" Kurama asked when Hiei seemed to become engulfed into a cloud of silence.

"No. Only that the attacks were powerful. And she trained hard under his eye."

"Did you see him at any time?"

"No. There was no sign of him at all. I do not know how they communicated except for, perhaps, through the mind."


"But that would hardly seem reasonable. How could he train her if he was not there himself? It would seem impossible," Kurama thought out loud. His eyes looked off into the distance, thinking. Hiei did not offer anymore information. He shifted his position on the sill, turning toward the window entirely. All was silent but for the padding of rain on the tree and the outside of the house. Hiei watched the rain fall, reminding him of the two nights he was in the girl's house as it stormed. Last night especially intrigued him. He never remembered ever dreaming in his life. Never. And all of a sudden the dreams were there, haunting him like ghosts from his past. And that black wolf. What did it mean? Did it signify something? And why did the dreams stop right after he saw it? His mind whirled in confusion. If he slept tonight, would he dream again? And what made him sleep like that? He had a cup of coffee, which would have kept him awake for an extra few hours, not to mention the fact that he hardly slept anyway. He should have stayed awake all night. Something was strange about it. Perhaps she had made him sleep. She had proven once that she could put one to sleep by using just her mind. But why would she do that? No, he was making too much out of nothing. He shook his head.

"What are you thinking about?" Kurama asked. Hiei had not noticed that the youkai's wise green eyes had been on him.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that the rain would wash away any trail she left behind," the fire youkai said. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie.

"Yes. I thought you were in America? How did you get here?" Kurama asked curiously.

"I found a stray portal. It closed after I went through it. It came directly here."

"You just happen to come across it?" Kurama asked skeptically.

"Yes. It was there and I walked through it."

"Hm," Kurama mused. There was silence between them for a long time, the only sounds being the rain outside the window that continued to echo through the air, loud and resounding in the stillness.

"Hiei," Kurama began. "You've changed. There is something different about you now, although I cannot place it." Hiei turned to look at him with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean? I have not changed, I am the same as I always was."

"No. Before-I don't exactly understand it, but I know that if I had asked your questions like this, and it had been a different case, you would have answered differently."

"No, I wouldn't have," Hiei said, turning back toward the window. "I wouldn't."

*

"I'm going to see Koenma today to see if he has any information that we should know about so he doesn't have to send Botan down," Kurama said two days later. Hiei had been restless again, knowing that it was because Thorn was out there, ready to fight him, and he was stuck in Tokyo, waiting because of that stupid fool and his puny injuries.

"Fine," Hiei growled. Kurama nodded and left. Hiei sat quietly in the tree beside the boy's window. It was warm, almost stifling. Not that the heat mattered to him. What was hot to a fire youkai? Nothing. No, it wasn't the heat that was causing his grumpiness. He didn't want to be here. He wanted... what did he want? To be kept busy, that's what. Yes, he wanted to fight, the thrill of the hunt. He was like this after the Dark Tournament, but to a milder degree.

'It must be because I know that there's a fight out there just waiting for me and I'm just sitting here,' he thought irritably. He shouldn't just be sitting there, waiting, and he knew it. He should leave, to fight the battle he wanted so bad. But he felt... he didn't know. He was confused. He would wait. Wait for the right time.

+Meanwhile+

Kurama stood in front of Koenma's cluttered desk.

"Hello, Kurama," Koenma said, looking up. "Have you captured Thorn?" he asked hopefully, his voice practically begging for the answer the kitsune did not posses. Kurama shook his head.

"No. We met up with her two days ago." Koenma's eyes picked up an excited sheen, but dulled when Kurama explained what had occurred. He sighed.

"I don't blame you for not taking her when she was weak, and against her will, and against the rules of the battle. It would have been wrong and unfair. But from what I saw at the tournament, she was very powerful, so she shouldn't have been so weak after her fight. From what Botan told me, she was still exceptionally fresh after her battle with the leader of the thieves that had the Jewel of Greed. Its very confusing. Did you find out anything new about her that I don't already know? I know her one attack, the Black Dragon Claws, but that's all. Its no attack that I know of or have every heard of." Koenma sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know if Botan knew or told you, but I do know one attack that you might not have known about. Its called the Internal Fire," Kurama said. Koenma's jaw dropped, making his binky fall from his mouth. He quickly replaced it, his eyes large, never straying from the youkai's handsome face.

"D-did you say the Internal F-Fire? But there is only one creature that is known for that attack!" Koenma exclaimed. Kurama nodded solemnly.

"Yes. The Black Blaze. I originally thought that he was her trainer, but now I'm not so sure." Koenma looked at him, shocked and flabbergasted.

"But if she has that kind of power, then why doesn't she use it? There is something very, very odd about this girl. I thank you for your help, Kurama. I might be able to go on the information you just gave me. It might not be the Black Blaze, but another dragon that is training her. That's where I'll start. I'll send Botan down tomorrow to give you all an update on everything I find out," Koenma said, business in his tone. He began the clearing his desk of most of the papers and books and placing them on the floor with a large sweep of his arm. "Ogre! Bring me every book about dragons we have!" he yelled. Kurama nodded and left.

It would be an anxious wait until then. He almost felt guilty about revealing an attack that she surely did not mean for anyone to see. She must have realized once he saw the attack it was only a matter of time until they found out whatever it is that she wanted to hide so badly. Dragons were every rare and powerful creatures. He remembered how he had come to discover the dragon and his powerful attack many years before, when he was still Youko, a thief and a legendary demon in himself.

-------Begin Flashback-------

"We should be close, Kuronue," Youko Kurama said to his partner, glancing at him with his gold eyes. The black-haired demon beside him nodded, making his floppy hat dance slightly.

"Yes. It should be an easy steal," the other said with a smile. His black wings lay folded on his back, his torn hat sat firmly on his head, his high pony-tail bobbing just slightly. "There are no guards to get in our way. To think that such a worthy find would be left unguarded as it is." They traveled another few minutes without speaking, pondering contently over the obvious ease this mission should be executed in.

Suddenly, there was the heavy scent of fire and smoke, as well as burning flesh, billowing through the air with the ferocity of a newly-released river from a weak, crumbling damn. The two paused and looked at each other quizzically. A wild, forest fire perhaps? They continued on, silently. As they drew closer, they could feel the earth tremble with the foot-falls of some large, unseen creature, and hear distant roars with their sensitive ears. They quickened their pace, running over the ground easily, at times jumping into trees in hopes of catching a glance at whatever was causing such an uproar. But they saw nothing and they agreed silently that Kuronue should not fly up to search the area in case he was seen and recognized. The ground continued to quake beneath their feet and the smell became almost unbearable as they approached, the roars deafening. They crept toward the edge of the village, staying in the cover of the trees and their comforting shadows. They pulled away branches that beclouded their view of the village and were shocked by the lurid sight that greeted their eyes.

A large, black dragon stood in the middle of the village, surrounded by burning houses and ashen ground, roaring in utter sadism. The depredation was amazing. Nothing stood that was not engulfed in fire, and hardly any creatures were alive that had stayed in the village. The ones still alive fled into the recess of the forest, screaming and yelling in terror. Blood was everywhere on the earth, bedaubing it in thick, ugly rivers of red and black on the burnt grass.

With a joyous grin, the dragon used his thick tail to grab a retreating demon. He pulled the terrified demon up to his face and grinned, revealing jutting teeth that dripped with blood and saliva. His bright blue eyes bore into the other's, making it sweat in fear. Between its eyes was an abrupt white scar, no doubt a remembrance of a bloody past. He placed the demon, which was screaming in utter horror and terror and waving its arms as well as kicking its legs, trying to escape, on the ground, using its tail to hold it in place. It took a large, silver claw and placed it on the squirming demon's chest. With a ecstatic laugh, its claw began to glow a sickly red, black rimming its deadly edges. The demon gave a final, bone-chilling scream before it vanished, leaving only a puff of smoke as a farewell to the world, which quickly was forgotten as the wind swept it away.

Kuronue and Youko looked at each other, shock widening their eyes and gapping their mouths. They began to back away slowly, being sure to keep their eyes on the large reptilian creature. When they felt they were safe, they turned and ran.

They had seen the infamous Black Blaze. It was rumored that he was the most powerful creature in the entire demon world, that there was no one that could stop him as he killed and destroyed everything and/or anyone who got in his way...

-------End Flashback-------

Kurama made his way back into his house. It really would be a long wait.

*

"Nothing?" Hiei asked as Kurama walked into the room.

"A little. I told Koenma about her using the Internal Fire attack. He's researching every dragon in history as we speak," Kurama replied.

"Hn." Hiei did not turn. He didn't know if it was a good thing, trying to find out more about her, or a dangerous one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Authoress' Note: Yet another chapter for my faithful reviewers! I love you all! -huggles-

Hiei: just ignore her, she's hyper. She just had one of those chocolate lolly-pops.

J: -glare- Hiei-kun, you're so mean!

Hiei: hn.

All: -chuckle-

J: -glare to All- and what do you think you're laughing at?

All: -averts gazes- -whistles innocently-

J: -nods- hn, that's what I thought.

Kurama: J-chan, I want to thank you for letting me have a big part.

J:-glare- well, since you wont write a one-shot about your past, I had to make up for it! Since I know that some of our reviewers would like to read it.

Kurama: -puppy-dog eyes- But J-chan, I have begun it..

J: One friggin' sentence is not 'begun'. -takes notebook Kurama has been using from his pocket- And to top it off, it's not even a sentence, it's a note! Telling you to… -reads- pick up milk before you go home!

All: -giggle-

Reviews:

Miyako: ^_^ Thanks for saying I'm good at the fighting scenes. They're okay I guess (since everyone seems to be scolding me for saying that they aren't). Thank you!

SilverKnight7: lol! ^_^ No, I'm no lawyer, and I don't have one. But if the button (Of which I noticed is NOT purple anymore since the renovations of the site -pout-) bit ya then you should hire someone! ^_^ Even though you wont get back your money for hiring them and paying for the case. But you might get reimbursed for the band-aid! :D Okay, and I see Everyone has questions. Read MidnightDream51's answers too, because I will give ya'll hints and teasers. But, the reason she broke the sword, was, if you noticed, it buzzed at her 'angrily'. I mean, I know because I'm the author and originally I was going to go in-mind with her as to what it said, but deleted it because it just didn't fit. She was pissed because it insulted her, called her weak or something. Grr, I can't even remember what I wrote oh-so long ago! And it fixed itself because of a little history I have stored in my head. The next chapter explains A LOT about the sword. ^_^ Thank you!!

Midnightdream51: lol. Strange, no one's ever told me I update too FAST before. ^_^. And I must reluctantly agree that you are a bit slow in updating, but that's okay! I know that good stories take time. Heck, this one took me a little longer than I thought (meaning that it can't be too bad). Glad I motivated you! It makes me feel so special. -hugs self- good me! ^_^. Yay! Next two weeks?! Goodie! Lol, reliable?! Ha! There are times when I'm off by updating by a week! And then I feel bad for my reviews and don't want to loose any. (I know that if I read a story and the author doesn't update in a long time, I normally trash it from my favs list.) So I update, for the most part, every week, whenever the chapter decides it's ready to be posted around Thursday-Sunday. And your chapters are sufficient in size. Very appealing length, I say. -blush- okay, so I was just exaggerating just a smidge when I said chicken scratch. Lol! Don't feel that way! Your fic is wonderful! Lol, and if I hadn't written this thing ahead of time, then I'd be in the same boat as you, pulling out my hair in frustration as to how to make it better! Oo! You wrote a short story?! You must tell me! I don't care how crappy you think it is, if ya wrote it, it can't be that bad. (Not like my first real length fic, which I think is awful beyond compare). Lol, we both digress a lot, don't we? I agree, I've been threatening to stop reading books because I know that I could never write as good as professionals. It was either that or stop writing, and I know there are a handful of people who would HATE me for that. Lol. Yes, I think your right with the evaluating point you made.

I'm glade you liked my review! Know I'm so pleased! -is pleased-. It's no big deal if you only review once for two chapters. Heck, I read three of yours and only reviewed once! I'm just ecstatic that I get reviews at all! Keep on reading, I love reading your reviews, even if its only one! I'd rather have one long one than two or three mad short ones.

^_^ I personally love Hiei's dream as well. I imagine it in my head and say, 'Ya know, that doesn't sound too bad'. LOl. And the fight scene, I suppose, since everyone keeps insisting that they're good, was okay. And lemme answer your questions now, before I get too carried away (haven't I already?)

Hiei and Swimming: I had another ending to the story that involved Hiei swimming, but I threw it out because it just didn't fit into the ending I wanted. This was when the story was still very young. When I had barely outlined what the ending would be.

Hiei's Dream: basically, the drug that Thorn put in Hiei's coffee to make sure that he slept made him dream. And, as for the killing and Hiei knowing something was killing near-by, that was the black wolf, out 'hunting', remember? And about the horse, it originally was her dog, but I changed it. Just because I like making people stalk angrily across field and think stuff. ^_^.

How has Hiei changed: You'll find out! ^_^ our little friend, BlackFire, tells us at a later date. (BlackFire, remember, is the name Thorn gave the sword)

What has Koenma found out about Thorn: next chapter! ^_^ yer just one step ahead of me!

What's up with the sword: **REMEMBER everyone: the sword is ALIVE! Don't ya'll remember from the night Thorn and Hiei talked in the hotel room after the Dark Tournament?! I think ya'll need to go reread that chapter! Dawning Impressions or something like that.

What IS the sword: again, go reread! ^_^. He's ALIVE! Bwahahaha! -ahem- Frankenstein. Lol. Is he trying to control her? Will be said in a later chapter. I have an info one coming up… later. ^_^.

Issues with the painting: okay, the painting is like a symbol. Its like the sword's soul, and it told Thorn what that -cough- wolf -cough- had done. Okay, I realize ya'll confused about the shape-shifting thing. Remember that he called her "Mistress". You have to think to yerself, 'now who would do that?' and you should get yer answer as to who it was. That is, if you don't already know.

The twin thing: will be explained in a later chapter.

Lol, didn't think I'd actually answer these questions?! Well, I did.. Kinda. Yeah. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Baka-chibi-puffs: ^_^ you brighten up my day. ALL my reviewers do! Your hyperness is refreshing! -glare to Hiei- be nice you kawaii lil chibi! Be a good pet for BCP! ^_^ I know, my teasers are killers! Lol. Thanks for bragging about me to your friends! It makes me feel specialer! Yes, Kuwabaka broke his stupid code! ^_^ well, I guess it's not too stupid. Just… frustrating at times. At first, I wasn't going to have him break it, but I couldn't resist! And Thorn not killing him might NOT be a good thing ^_^. I know, I'M SO MEAN! CHEESE TO THE CAKE, YA'LL! Lol, so cute, just had to say it in my own, hick tongue.

Tomboy: yay! New reviewer! -twirls- wonderful! And yes, I have a bad habit of putting romance in my stories. Especially the ones I started over the summer. But, if (actually I am) I start one now, they're really depressing and stuff, a lot less romance. There will be a pairing at one point… kinda. Well, not really. But yes. Wait, no. yes. Gaa! I'm so confused now! Yes, well, read and find out!

**NOTE TO ALL: I sometimes have a bad habit of knowing something so thoroughly in my head, that I don't write it down because I see it as obvious, so please, PLEASE tell me if I do something stupid like that.

Teaser:

"What's wrong with you, Botan?" Yusuke asked huffily. Kurama gently took the tape from her hand and placed it in the VCR.

"T-t-the.." she stuttered, only to be cut off as the tape began and she lost their attention to it. Koenma appeared, sitting at his newly-cleared desk, although papers still lay stacked haphazardly behind his over-stuffed chair, threatening to topple at the slightest vibration. The toddler looked saddened as he raised his chin to look at the camera and fright sparked in the depths of his brown eyes, although he tried desperately to subdue its easily recognizable shine.

"Greetings, everyone. I fear I have found information that will prove both frightening and confusing, as well as a new mission for you that this information relates to. First thing's first." He picked up a book that lay in front of him, out of view of the screen. It was open to some unknown page and he held it up, showing them the open page. "I'm sure you must recognize this."

On the open page was a large broad sword, its hilt jutting two points of black at the base of the steel blade, and the dark blue sapphire imbedded in the butt of its hilt, which was made of shiny black scales.

They all gasped in recognition. "This sword you see here is one that we had actually acquired many months ago, and just realized it had gone missing not too long ago. It had been stealing the souls of demons from the demon world, so we acquired it and put it in our safe, but, somehow, it was stolen…

+++++++

J: yes, where there's my daily evilness! ^_^ -twirls-

Hiei: I was wrong, I just asked her while she was writing the teaser and she's not hyper, she's excited because Adult Swim is coming back to Saturday nights. I find that frightening.

J: -glare- -stops twirling- well Mr. Huffy! Be that way! I was just thinking that I would be able to see more of you guys! And if it's on AS then that means it's unedited! yay! -twirls-

Kurama: -weary look- I think I'll wrap this up. Since she's been so caught up in getting these chapters out, she has quite literally forgotten about the disclaimer the last couple of posts.

Kuwabara: Alright! I'm doing the disclaimer! -is still in hospital bed- SHE DOES NOT OWN US! I want to sue! Look at me!

Yusuke: well, I think it's an improvement really. -smirk-

Kuwabara: -glare- -struggles- Urimeshi, when I get outta this bed, you're so DEAD!