Kurama came to Genkai's temple after school.
The sun was beginning to set and the sky was all orange and red. He began to climb the long case of stairs that led to the temple. He walked slow. It gave him time to think.
What would he tell the woman? Yusuke had described her as an "old hag", he himself had heard of her as something a little more, but even so, what would she know about jagans? Even so, given the chance that she knew about it, would she help? Kurama let the argument he would use fall into place in his head as he walked up and up and up.
How long had the jagan been malfunctioning? It had been since that day that Hiei had appeared in his room, the day he had asked Kurama what he himself knew about jagans. Kurama's step faltered. Had it been that long?
After that day Hiei had never mentioned it and Kurama, therefore, hadn't thought about it.
Hiei's third eye...if it
wasn't working...what did that mean? Even an artificial eye, could
it....When Hiei had come into his window the night before, it hadn't
been merely the disjointed, broken way he had fallen inside, but also
the paleness of his face, the slackness of his jaw and the fever in
his eyes....If the jagan didn't work did that mean that Hiei, as
well, would be affected?
He was halfway up the temple stairs. The
sun was low now. It was late Fall now and the air was cold. He
brought his scarf over his mouth and stuck his hands in his pockets.
The human Shuiichi was cold, the demon Kurama was too busy thinking.
How had it been that Kurama hadn't noticed before? There must have been signs, and yes, thinking back, he could discern them, a weakness in Hiei's grip, the strange, long stares the Jiganshi gave him, the way he lingered beneath the moonlight as though feeling his way through an inpregnable darkness.
Kurama should have noticed, would have noticed, except...
He had been too busy to notice, hadn't he?
Whatever they may say about youko blood, as addictive as the substance that ran through his veins may be, Kurama conceded for the first time that perhaps it wasn't only Hiei caught up in the trap.
"Took long enough." a voice said.
Kurama started and the old woman who stood on the top step of the stair smiled with half of her mouth. "You should really pay more attention, demon. Especially when coming to my temple. I eat apparitions like you for breakfast."
"Genkai." Kurama said and bowed.
"Hn." she said. "Get up. Whatever you're here for better be important." Kurama didn't answer and the psychic looked him up and down, sized him up, judged his intentions. She turned her back. "Come on." she said and Kurama fell into step behind her.
"Thank you." he said.
"For what?" she said. "I haven't helped you yet."
...to be continued...