Okay, first off. I'd like to duly recognize Lobo-chan for her work on her story "The Most Interesting Tournament", with not only the Mirror Holders in it, but Chitsuko as well. I'm sorry, but at first you had no idea what you were talking about…eventually, when you kept dropping hints, I realized what you wanted. I apologize…
Anyhoo, once again, thank you all for the kind reviews! And yes, Bara-chan, you WOULD know one of the people who dies, wouldn't you? ^^;; Let's see…last chapter, Kia was all set to hunt down Kelsey's attacker, but surprisingly, Hiei put her to sleep! You can bet she's going to be not too happy when she wakes up…
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***
"Kia…"
The girl blinked, looking down uncertainly. Kelsey lay on the ground at her feet, covered in blood, feebly reaching out.
"Kia…help me…get it back…"
"How??" Kia cried desperately. "I don't even know where it is!! I mean, I can sense it, but-"
Kelsey shuddered. "It's…in Makai…and it's not. Find Osore…"
"…Osore?"
"I can't hold on much longer…hurry…" The blonde girl began to fade.
"Matte!!" Kia lunged for the disappearing Mirror Holder, but she vanished entirely. "KELSEY!"
***
Kia's eyes flew open and she sat up with a start, feeling suddenly suffocated by the darkness of the room.
"Just a dream," she whispered, fumbling for the flashlight by her bed and turning it on, before looking over at the other bed and its occupant. Kelsey lay there, moaning quietly, sweat forming on her brow.
Kia removed the damp cloth that had originally been resting on her forehead and had fallen off and landed on the slumbering Rinku. The girl glanced down at him in surprise, then carefully worked her legs free from the covers, swinging them to the side of the bed and getting up carefully. She padded soundlessly over to Kelsey, lifting the warm cloth from her forehead and dunking it in the bowl of cold water placed on the desk. Wringing out the damp towel, she refolded it and replaced it on her friend's flushed face.
"Get it back…"
The Mirror Holder blinked, listening with bated breath. "…Kelsey?"
No reply. Had she imagined it? She paused, then shook her head. No. Dream or not, Kelsey needed her Mirror Half, and she was the only one capable of finding it. She hadn't been lying earlier--she COULD sense the other Mirror Half, very faintly. Come to think of it…she couldn't remember much after that…just Hiei staring at her, and then…
"Hiei, you little bastard!" She whispered fiercely. He'd put her to sleep with that freaky Eye of his! To prevent her from going after Kelsey's attacker, most likely. Well, his plan had failed.
Kia made a decision, right then and there. Her resolve had never been stronger. Moving swiftly and silently, she picked up her flashlight, going over to her closet and rummaging through the clothing. She took down two clean school uniforms, one being her former Sarayashiki junior high fuku. Next came a red hooded sweatshirt, a blue jacket, three long-sleeved shirts, clean undergarments, and two pairs of jeans. Carefully emptying her backpack, she stuffed the clothes into it, pausing to change into her cleaner school uniform.
"Where's my brush…" She muttered distractedly.
"Here you go." It was pressed into her hand.
"Ari--" Kia froze. "Rinku!" She whispered hoarsely. "Wha…what??"
The little youkai looked up at her remorsefully. "You're gonna go away, aren't you?"
"I…ah…umm…" The girl seemed at a loss for words, fumbling for an explanation that would somehow make things better. Unfortunately, she came up with nothing.
Rinku's bright eyes filled with tears, which soon overflowed and cascaded down his face. "Don't gooooo…"
"Oh, Rinku…" Kia knelt, enfolding him in a hug. "I have to! No one else knows where it is!" She crooked her finger, wiping his tear-streaked face. "I PROMISE I'll be back."
"When?" he asked plaintively.
"In less than two weeks, I hope." The Mirror Holder sighed quietly. "Rinku, don't tell anyone?"
"You know I won't," the boy assured her. "But they're gonna be really mad when they find out you're gone."
"Too bad for them."
"Where are you going?"
Kia hesitated. "…Makai."
"Can I go too?" Rinku wanted to know.
"No." Seeing his face crumple in disappointment, she quickly added, "It's not that I don't want you to come with me--I just have to go alone." Setting Rinku back on her bed, she dug through her desk drawers, pulling out a sheet of paper and a pencil. Sitting on the bed herself with the small flashlight clenched between her teeth, she wrote feverishly for a full fifteen minutes. Finally, the girl stood, tucking a small piece of paper into Kelsey's hand and placing the other sheet on her bed, after tucking Rinku into it. Her brush was tossed into her blue backpack, along with a tiny journal, a wooden bird whistle, and a small photo album. The last touch was to slip on a small ring that Jin had given her for Christmas and to pick up her necklace from the desk drawer.
For a moment, Kia looked at the trinket. It consisted of a squarish dark blue stone with specks of black, white, and light blue at the end of a coarse black string. On its polished surface, a rune resembling the letter P was etched.
"Thurisaz…" Kia whispered, mostly to herself. "Rune of protection and new beginnings…" She closed her eyes briefly, placing the necklace around her neck and tucking it under her shirt. The stone was icy against her warm skin, but slowly heated up.
Rinku sat up, watching her movements with attentive eyes. "Are you gonna go now?" he said timidly.
Kia jumped. She'd almost forgotten he was in here. Checking her wristwatch, she winced. "I should. It's almost one o'clock. I have to be in Makai before they wake up--and Touya's a light sleeper." She shouldered her pack, sighing.
"Bye," the boy whispered forlornly.
"Take care, Rinku." Kia hugged him again. "And watch Kelsey for me."
"I will." He sniffled, but lay back down, closing his eyes. The Mirror Holder kissed his forehead and walked to Kelsey's bed. Seeing her friend so pale and still, she found that she had a hard time looking at her.
"…Kelsey…" she said quietly. "I WILL get your Mirror Half back, and that's a promise." Taking a last look around the darkened room, Kia left, closing the door carefully behind her so that it wouldn't make a sound. She tiptoed out of Suzuki's house and was soon swallowed up by the foggy night.
******
"Kuso, Kuso, KUSO!! THAT LITTLE IDIOT!!!"
Suzuki's enthusiastic curses drew Hiei, Jin, Touya, Shishiwakamaru, Chuu, and Kurama (who had stayed the night) into the girls' bedroom.
"Wha'sh it, Suzuki?" Chuu asked sleepily. "Wha'sh the noise 'bout?"
"Some of us LIKE to sleep," Hiei snapped.
Suzuki rounded on the Jaganshi angrily. "SHE was supposed to be ASLEEP!" He howled. "That Eye of yours didn't work!!"
"What's going on?" Rei inquired, joining the others, auburn curls mussed from sleep.
"Is it Kelsey?" Shishiwakamaru asked anxiously.
Obviously still fuming, Suzuki pointed a finger accusingly at Kia's bed. It was empty, with the exception of the sleeping Rinku. "She ran away," he stated quietly. The quiet didn't last long. "SHE RAN AWAY!!"
Jin turned white. "She DIDN'!"
"How is that possible?" Touya blinked. "I thought she wouldn't be awake for at least a few more hours…Hiei's Jagan--"
"She broke free," Hiei asserted. "I thought she might."
"And you didn't tell us?!" Suzuki glared at him.
Hiei shrugged.
"…There's a note," Kurama noticed, picking up the sheet of white paper resting on the quilted bedspread.
"Read it aloud," Touya urged. The Youko complied.
"'Nobody else can get it back. I promised Kelsey I would. So don't try to come after me--it will get you nowhere. I'll say this much to everyone…
'Rei-Your wild enthusiasm and eccentric ways keep my days…exciting and interesting. You and Axe were made for each other. Feel free to use him on the guys if they try to follow me.'"
The priestess beamed. "Such a sweet girl." (A/N: Not sure why Axe is male…not sure HOW…o.o)
"'Touya'," Kurama continued. "'Thank you for teaching Kelsey and me about her powers. I admire your ability to remain calm in any situation, and I wish you and Mizu the best of luck when she gets back from Makai.
'Chuu and Rinku- You two are certainly the oddest pair I've ever met. Chuu, try to be careful with all that drinking you do. Rinku, I've asked you to carry a massive burden and I'm sorry…but I know you have the strength to handle it. Thank you both for aiding us with that disease…if not for your help, we'd all be dead.'"
"Bless her heart," Chuu mumbled. Rinku stirred, but his eyes remained closed.
"'Suzuki-You've been great. Words cannot express how grateful I am to you for all that you've done. You've been like a (young, beautiful) father to me. Thank you and sorry about that spice jar incident…'"
Suzuki's eyes glistened. "A young, beautiful father," he murmured thoughtfully.
"'Hiei-Kami, you are one scary midget. But I've gotten to know you better…and you're still scary. However, I also know that you're caring and loyal. No, don't sneer--you know it as well as I do. But! Try that Jagan thing again, and you and the cookie sheet will be getting up close and personal.'"
"Hn." Hiei was indeed sneering, to hide his surprise. He'd been careful…how was it that she had seen right through him?
Kurama smiled at his friend's sour expression, then glanced down at the paper once more. "'Yusuke and Kuwabara-I guess I have you to thank the most, Yusuke. Next time, CHECK to see if it's Keiko before you feel up on anybody. And you let me live with you for awhile…good luck with Keiko. Kuwabara, I have to compliment you on your…honesty and your honor. Try not to let Hiei get you down.'" Those two would see this later.
"'Shishiwakamaru…I won't lie to you. You don't like me, I don't like you. Maybe if you had listened to Jin and Touya, you wouldn't have jumped me. Still, the fact remains that you love my best friend, so I can't dislike you entirely. And Kelsey loves you too, even if she won't admit it. So stop griping--she'll be okay soon.'"
The blue-haired youkai's eyes softened as he stroked Kelsey's hand.
Kurama took a look at the next person on the note, and decided to read this one silently.
"Kurama…you are truly one of my dearest friends and truthfully, I think I'm closer to you than I am to Chuu…or even Touya. You're like a big brother to me and your advice has always helped. Your other form freaks me out, but oh, well. You saved me from that gang…I'll never forget that. And I'm going to meet your girlfriend eventually, you sly fox!"
The Youko smiled, remembering a timid brown-haired girl huddled on a curb, large brown eyes containing a shadow of fear and pain. But she wasn't as fragile as she'd seemed. She wasn't weak at all.
"Oi! Kurama!"
The redhead blinked, looking up. Rei frowned at him. "Is there more?"
He nodded. "'Lastly, to Jin-I'm really sorry about that cookie sheet thing…you've been a good sport about that and when I come back, there's something I need to tell you.
'And that's basically it. Just in case I don't make it back…(here the paper was tear-stained)oh, hell, just trust me.'"
Kurama finished reading and looked up. Everyone had fallen silent, and no one saw a black dog leave the house.
"She'll come back," Jin said firmly, although his eyes were bright with tears. "I know she will."
*OOC*
Okay, I think I didn't cry for this one…go, me! From here on, the adventure begins, so please review! NEXT chapter!
* Kia meets a Youko…and this Youko has a certain power that just might help…
* Kurama, Jin, and Touya try to convince Shishi that all will be fine…riiiiight.
* Run, kiddies! It's Youko Kurama and he's after Kia! Why? O.o And why is she so weak?
Anyhoo, once again, thank you all for the kind reviews! And yes, Bara-chan, you WOULD know one of the people who dies, wouldn't you? ^^;; Let's see…last chapter, Kia was all set to hunt down Kelsey's attacker, but surprisingly, Hiei put her to sleep! You can bet she's going to be not too happy when she wakes up…
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***
"Kia…"
The girl blinked, looking down uncertainly. Kelsey lay on the ground at her feet, covered in blood, feebly reaching out.
"Kia…help me…get it back…"
"How??" Kia cried desperately. "I don't even know where it is!! I mean, I can sense it, but-"
Kelsey shuddered. "It's…in Makai…and it's not. Find Osore…"
"…Osore?"
"I can't hold on much longer…hurry…" The blonde girl began to fade.
"Matte!!" Kia lunged for the disappearing Mirror Holder, but she vanished entirely. "KELSEY!"
***
Kia's eyes flew open and she sat up with a start, feeling suddenly suffocated by the darkness of the room.
"Just a dream," she whispered, fumbling for the flashlight by her bed and turning it on, before looking over at the other bed and its occupant. Kelsey lay there, moaning quietly, sweat forming on her brow.
Kia removed the damp cloth that had originally been resting on her forehead and had fallen off and landed on the slumbering Rinku. The girl glanced down at him in surprise, then carefully worked her legs free from the covers, swinging them to the side of the bed and getting up carefully. She padded soundlessly over to Kelsey, lifting the warm cloth from her forehead and dunking it in the bowl of cold water placed on the desk. Wringing out the damp towel, she refolded it and replaced it on her friend's flushed face.
"Get it back…"
The Mirror Holder blinked, listening with bated breath. "…Kelsey?"
No reply. Had she imagined it? She paused, then shook her head. No. Dream or not, Kelsey needed her Mirror Half, and she was the only one capable of finding it. She hadn't been lying earlier--she COULD sense the other Mirror Half, very faintly. Come to think of it…she couldn't remember much after that…just Hiei staring at her, and then…
"Hiei, you little bastard!" She whispered fiercely. He'd put her to sleep with that freaky Eye of his! To prevent her from going after Kelsey's attacker, most likely. Well, his plan had failed.
Kia made a decision, right then and there. Her resolve had never been stronger. Moving swiftly and silently, she picked up her flashlight, going over to her closet and rummaging through the clothing. She took down two clean school uniforms, one being her former Sarayashiki junior high fuku. Next came a red hooded sweatshirt, a blue jacket, three long-sleeved shirts, clean undergarments, and two pairs of jeans. Carefully emptying her backpack, she stuffed the clothes into it, pausing to change into her cleaner school uniform.
"Where's my brush…" She muttered distractedly.
"Here you go." It was pressed into her hand.
"Ari--" Kia froze. "Rinku!" She whispered hoarsely. "Wha…what??"
The little youkai looked up at her remorsefully. "You're gonna go away, aren't you?"
"I…ah…umm…" The girl seemed at a loss for words, fumbling for an explanation that would somehow make things better. Unfortunately, she came up with nothing.
Rinku's bright eyes filled with tears, which soon overflowed and cascaded down his face. "Don't gooooo…"
"Oh, Rinku…" Kia knelt, enfolding him in a hug. "I have to! No one else knows where it is!" She crooked her finger, wiping his tear-streaked face. "I PROMISE I'll be back."
"When?" he asked plaintively.
"In less than two weeks, I hope." The Mirror Holder sighed quietly. "Rinku, don't tell anyone?"
"You know I won't," the boy assured her. "But they're gonna be really mad when they find out you're gone."
"Too bad for them."
"Where are you going?"
Kia hesitated. "…Makai."
"Can I go too?" Rinku wanted to know.
"No." Seeing his face crumple in disappointment, she quickly added, "It's not that I don't want you to come with me--I just have to go alone." Setting Rinku back on her bed, she dug through her desk drawers, pulling out a sheet of paper and a pencil. Sitting on the bed herself with the small flashlight clenched between her teeth, she wrote feverishly for a full fifteen minutes. Finally, the girl stood, tucking a small piece of paper into Kelsey's hand and placing the other sheet on her bed, after tucking Rinku into it. Her brush was tossed into her blue backpack, along with a tiny journal, a wooden bird whistle, and a small photo album. The last touch was to slip on a small ring that Jin had given her for Christmas and to pick up her necklace from the desk drawer.
For a moment, Kia looked at the trinket. It consisted of a squarish dark blue stone with specks of black, white, and light blue at the end of a coarse black string. On its polished surface, a rune resembling the letter P was etched.
"Thurisaz…" Kia whispered, mostly to herself. "Rune of protection and new beginnings…" She closed her eyes briefly, placing the necklace around her neck and tucking it under her shirt. The stone was icy against her warm skin, but slowly heated up.
Rinku sat up, watching her movements with attentive eyes. "Are you gonna go now?" he said timidly.
Kia jumped. She'd almost forgotten he was in here. Checking her wristwatch, she winced. "I should. It's almost one o'clock. I have to be in Makai before they wake up--and Touya's a light sleeper." She shouldered her pack, sighing.
"Bye," the boy whispered forlornly.
"Take care, Rinku." Kia hugged him again. "And watch Kelsey for me."
"I will." He sniffled, but lay back down, closing his eyes. The Mirror Holder kissed his forehead and walked to Kelsey's bed. Seeing her friend so pale and still, she found that she had a hard time looking at her.
"…Kelsey…" she said quietly. "I WILL get your Mirror Half back, and that's a promise." Taking a last look around the darkened room, Kia left, closing the door carefully behind her so that it wouldn't make a sound. She tiptoed out of Suzuki's house and was soon swallowed up by the foggy night.
******
"Kuso, Kuso, KUSO!! THAT LITTLE IDIOT!!!"
Suzuki's enthusiastic curses drew Hiei, Jin, Touya, Shishiwakamaru, Chuu, and Kurama (who had stayed the night) into the girls' bedroom.
"Wha'sh it, Suzuki?" Chuu asked sleepily. "Wha'sh the noise 'bout?"
"Some of us LIKE to sleep," Hiei snapped.
Suzuki rounded on the Jaganshi angrily. "SHE was supposed to be ASLEEP!" He howled. "That Eye of yours didn't work!!"
"What's going on?" Rei inquired, joining the others, auburn curls mussed from sleep.
"Is it Kelsey?" Shishiwakamaru asked anxiously.
Obviously still fuming, Suzuki pointed a finger accusingly at Kia's bed. It was empty, with the exception of the sleeping Rinku. "She ran away," he stated quietly. The quiet didn't last long. "SHE RAN AWAY!!"
Jin turned white. "She DIDN'!"
"How is that possible?" Touya blinked. "I thought she wouldn't be awake for at least a few more hours…Hiei's Jagan--"
"She broke free," Hiei asserted. "I thought she might."
"And you didn't tell us?!" Suzuki glared at him.
Hiei shrugged.
"…There's a note," Kurama noticed, picking up the sheet of white paper resting on the quilted bedspread.
"Read it aloud," Touya urged. The Youko complied.
"'Nobody else can get it back. I promised Kelsey I would. So don't try to come after me--it will get you nowhere. I'll say this much to everyone…
'Rei-Your wild enthusiasm and eccentric ways keep my days…exciting and interesting. You and Axe were made for each other. Feel free to use him on the guys if they try to follow me.'"
The priestess beamed. "Such a sweet girl." (A/N: Not sure why Axe is male…not sure HOW…o.o)
"'Touya'," Kurama continued. "'Thank you for teaching Kelsey and me about her powers. I admire your ability to remain calm in any situation, and I wish you and Mizu the best of luck when she gets back from Makai.
'Chuu and Rinku- You two are certainly the oddest pair I've ever met. Chuu, try to be careful with all that drinking you do. Rinku, I've asked you to carry a massive burden and I'm sorry…but I know you have the strength to handle it. Thank you both for aiding us with that disease…if not for your help, we'd all be dead.'"
"Bless her heart," Chuu mumbled. Rinku stirred, but his eyes remained closed.
"'Suzuki-You've been great. Words cannot express how grateful I am to you for all that you've done. You've been like a (young, beautiful) father to me. Thank you and sorry about that spice jar incident…'"
Suzuki's eyes glistened. "A young, beautiful father," he murmured thoughtfully.
"'Hiei-Kami, you are one scary midget. But I've gotten to know you better…and you're still scary. However, I also know that you're caring and loyal. No, don't sneer--you know it as well as I do. But! Try that Jagan thing again, and you and the cookie sheet will be getting up close and personal.'"
"Hn." Hiei was indeed sneering, to hide his surprise. He'd been careful…how was it that she had seen right through him?
Kurama smiled at his friend's sour expression, then glanced down at the paper once more. "'Yusuke and Kuwabara-I guess I have you to thank the most, Yusuke. Next time, CHECK to see if it's Keiko before you feel up on anybody. And you let me live with you for awhile…good luck with Keiko. Kuwabara, I have to compliment you on your…honesty and your honor. Try not to let Hiei get you down.'" Those two would see this later.
"'Shishiwakamaru…I won't lie to you. You don't like me, I don't like you. Maybe if you had listened to Jin and Touya, you wouldn't have jumped me. Still, the fact remains that you love my best friend, so I can't dislike you entirely. And Kelsey loves you too, even if she won't admit it. So stop griping--she'll be okay soon.'"
The blue-haired youkai's eyes softened as he stroked Kelsey's hand.
Kurama took a look at the next person on the note, and decided to read this one silently.
"Kurama…you are truly one of my dearest friends and truthfully, I think I'm closer to you than I am to Chuu…or even Touya. You're like a big brother to me and your advice has always helped. Your other form freaks me out, but oh, well. You saved me from that gang…I'll never forget that. And I'm going to meet your girlfriend eventually, you sly fox!"
The Youko smiled, remembering a timid brown-haired girl huddled on a curb, large brown eyes containing a shadow of fear and pain. But she wasn't as fragile as she'd seemed. She wasn't weak at all.
"Oi! Kurama!"
The redhead blinked, looking up. Rei frowned at him. "Is there more?"
He nodded. "'Lastly, to Jin-I'm really sorry about that cookie sheet thing…you've been a good sport about that and when I come back, there's something I need to tell you.
'And that's basically it. Just in case I don't make it back…(here the paper was tear-stained)oh, hell, just trust me.'"
Kurama finished reading and looked up. Everyone had fallen silent, and no one saw a black dog leave the house.
"She'll come back," Jin said firmly, although his eyes were bright with tears. "I know she will."
*OOC*
Okay, I think I didn't cry for this one…go, me! From here on, the adventure begins, so please review! NEXT chapter!
* Kia meets a Youko…and this Youko has a certain power that just might help…
* Kurama, Jin, and Touya try to convince Shishi that all will be fine…riiiiight.
* Run, kiddies! It's Youko Kurama and he's after Kia! Why? O.o And why is she so weak?