Disclaimer: Hiten and the world of Inuyasha are creations of Rumiko
Takahashi.
AN: I really must thank Rainy for this one. I read her last review and got around to thinking about how Hiten would adjust. I've rewritten this chapter at least dozen times trying to avoid making Hiten's character fluffy...By the way...
Special thanks to everyone that reviewed! You know who you are! ~.^
Chapter Six: Crash Course
Taking a deep, drawn out breath, Hiten gradually brought himself out of the depths of his dreamless slumber. Flexing slack fingers, the blanket that had been draped over him some time after he fell asleep slipped down from his shoulders allowing a slight chill of the air in though his thin clothes. Opening sleepy eyes, he sat for a few moments gazing across the room. Not sure where it was he woke, at the current time not particularly caring.
The soft morning light poured in though a pair of windows along the wall behind him. The quiet warmth like a place he had enjoyed visiting many times before, but seemingly unable to remember exactly where it was. Muffled music threatened to lull him back to sleep. Enjoying more that anything this time which he took to wake himself, he was in no rush to get up.
The pleasant smell of food drifted to his sensitive nose. His starved body, drawn like a nail to a magnet, rose sluggishly from his comfortable seat. The plush give of the carpet under his bare feet another small pleasure. Letting the utopic state of mind cloud any other train of thought, he dodged emotional turmoil that hovered at the edge of his mind. His unrestrained hair flowed around him as he moved. Curiously taking inventory of the garments her currently wore, he found a half buttoned white long sleeve shirt and a pair of loose fitting black pants. He marked a mental note to find out where his armor had been stashed later.
Taking in another deep breathe, Hiten identified the sent of that human girl. The memory of her came into clear and vibrant memory. Catching himself before letting his wandering mind free, he put what he remembered into order. The haunting nightmares would not be pushed aside even as he stood awake. There was no way to hide from himself, from his past, be it years ago or mere moments. Reining himself in, he tried to make up for any emotional freedom that had stretched itself farther than he felt comfortable with, that had exposed him to such damage.
Looking around the large room, he noted several objects that appeared to be of interest, at least enough to investigate. The high pitched ring that shattered the silence, make him grasp for where his spear would have rested on his back, in its sling. Turning on the balls of his feet, he found himself looking down at a black contoured box. Feeling a bit foolish, Hiten swallowed his now adrenaline pumped nerves, thankful no one has seen him, his pride had already been drag though the dirt enough as of late. The ringing came again, tilting his head to the side, Hiten peered down at it. What purpose did this noisy article serve? Bending his knees, he lowered himself down until he was eye level with the small end table the ringing box sat on. Stretching his youkai senses to the limit, he certain there was no one around to observe his child like curiosity. Unsure whether it would be wise to touch, he reached a hesitant finger toward it.
"Hi! Tash here! Umuri, where are you?" A shrill voice sang out from the box. Pausing, now unsure if the voice was addressing him, Hiten listened as the voice continued. "I hope you've heard from your brother. I'll see you in class! Chow!" The room grew quiet as the ring of the tinny voice faded.
"Do you do that often?" Retracting his hand in the same motion standing in a rush, Hiten came face to face with Haruki. His spirit dimmed but there none the less. Feeling trapped, a flush threatened to rise onto Hiten's face. "Its used to communicate with people that are far out of voice range," The fox explained as if it were as obvious if it were written on the phone itself. Shrugging off his momentary embarrassment, Hiten eyed the fox. Finding is easier to become angry, Hiten splayed his feet into a more commandeering stance.
"If you can tare yourself away from explaining the nuances of foolish mortals, can you tell me exactly what happened? You did not tell me that taking over my body would send me into a mental snare of razor wire," Hiten spat. He could have forgone the revisiting of hurtful memories that even before hand did not lie far below the surface.
"If I had told you, would you have agreed to it?" The spirit shrugged, unconcerned by the polar switch of mood made my the thunder demon. Hiten, narrowing his eyes to a fiery glare, give no other answer. "Although I did not expect you to force me out like that and then try to kill my sister," The apparition growled out the last bit. His eyes a dangerous flare, matching Hiten glare for fevered glare. "Being forced to react as I did, was dispirit, pulling your weaknesses apart like that. But you left me with no choice." Hiten turned away, looking else were he hadn't exactly intentionally take his body back over by force, but when comforted with your darkest of near insanity and nightmares one dose not always act rationally.
"So that was your sister?" Hiten changed the subject, avoiding expanding upon an inflamed metal wound. The brief moments he had had her in his arms, he had wanted to stay that way came flooding back to the forefront of his mind. His mouth drew a thin line as he cursed his weakness, this could only be seen as an after thought that was of a considerable degenerating nature on his part. The roller coaster that had become his state of mind must have taken its toll on him. She was just a human, mortal and temporary in all aspects.
"Don't you dare touch her," Haruki snarled. His tail bristling, his body, if it could be called that, taut trying to emanate an intimidating form. Dawning his classic smirk, Hiten turned back to face the fox demon. He actually hadn't intended to deal with her, but now that the fox mentioned it, he didn't have to say couldn't see exactly what could be gained by it.
"You are not in any position to stop me," thrusting his hand though the spirit's form, Hiten's point stuck home. With out attacking his now more or less stable mind set, Haruki was powerless. His attack upon the thunder demon's mind had taken advantage of the extreme mental fatigue, a frontal assault now would be far more difficult, if it could be done at all. Only responding with balled fists and venomous glares, Hiten could only laugh to himself as the fox made ever attempt to see if a look could kill. Hoping it was particularly fatal to thunder youkai.
A faint feminine voice caught the attention of both demons. Hiten tensed again, he had grown far less confident in his abilities in his brief stray in this time. Fighting with his habitual boldness and the possibility that this confrontation may not end in his favor, the thunder demon clicked his teeth together trying to come to a decision quickly. The voice faded, Hiten letting out breath he had unknowingly been holding.
His stomach seizing the opportune silence to be heard, growling a viscous cry for sustenance. The mood lightened as Hiten glanced down at his noisy gut.
"Ah, one of the advantages to not having a body," Haruki mused. "Although I do miss the taste of food. I suppose you would be hungry after not eating for three days," The spirit floated into a separate subsection of the large room. The area set aside by a counter and a few stools. Hiten paused, finally deciding following would be the most expedient way to get food.
* * *
Hiten sat in the recliner, rather pleased with himself. It had not taken him very long to figure out that leaning back in the chair, a foot rest would present itself. His stomach satisfied despite the strange taste of the food, he was no worse for wear because for it. He had expected to have to force himself to eat detestable human food, he was more than relieved to find it a bit more to his liking. Having ventured into the few other rooms that split off of the main room, Haruki had been very helpful even if Hiten hadn't admitted it. Borrowing a comb, Hiten had preened his hair and re-braided it, the process easily preformed by his adept hands. Smiling to himself, he found it almost out of place to have this momentary reprieve. The sudden change of tempo leaving him faltering, as if waiting for the next disaster.
"Where did you say your sister was?" Hiten opened his eyes, a full stomach and comfortable chair had put him in an uncharacteristic laziness. Although after three days of hunger, mental trauma and frustration, he wasn't knocking it.
"She is at school, she'll within the hour," Haruki lay stretched out in the air, his arms behind his head. It wasn't that Hiten didn't like him or couldn't get a long with him, in fact that morning had passed with little mishap as side from the occasional verbal volleys. The fox wasn't as submissive as Manten, but not having a body had averted any physical reprisals.
"I should be going then," Standing, Hiten stretched in synchronous with a toothy yawn. Although it was enticing to stay, he didn't like letting that momentary lapse that could be skewed as feelings for a human be an excuse for him to live with or even close to one.
"Oh? You take my sister's hospitality and then you leave before even thanking her?" Haruki righted himself, giving a half hearted gesture toward the kitchen before continuing. "You know its not taboo like it used to be, a human and demon couple I mean." Hiten bristled, he didn't like the suggestion in the least. He didn't even know her name, laughing it off without a second thought he squared his shoulders toward the spirit.
"My thanks to her will be to spare he life. I was also under the impression you didn't want me to touch your dear sister," the thunder youkai's lips peeled back in a demonic smile. "I was also under the impression you didn't want her to get involved with the dealings of that bitch." Turning on his heel Hiten strode toward the apartment's door, Haruki in tow.
"Don't kid yourself, she is already involved," Haruki drifted around him. Reaching for the door knob in silence, Hiten would avoid contact with humans, at least on friendly terms, as much as possible. It was far too ingrained in his character to look down on them to just throw it to the wind. What good would it do to get to know a human anyway? They just die after fifty or sixty years and he would remain. Getting to know them is just setting yourself up for grief later. Hiten justified his actions, as if trying to prove to himself that he was right. Of corse he was right, why was he even doubting it in the first place?
Before Hiten could reply, the clink of a key in the door made interrupted the conversation. Glancing around, Hiten once again cursed the little human that dare destroy his means of flight, he was too high up and the building was too far removed from others of similar height to go out a window. He was trapped, he had no choice but to go past the human.
The door knob started to turn, the door swung open and he was face to face with the human girl. The honey curls framed her face, apparently surprised to find him there in the entrance. Opening his mouth to speak, Hiten found him a little short on things to say. To say the least social dealings with humans was a bit lacking, but why couldn't he say anything? Feeling suddenly vulnerable without his armor, he scolded himself for not inquiring where it was earlier.
"Hi there," She recovered first, stepping into the apartment, although not closing the door, no quiet trusting enough to close off her means of escape. Pulling himself back together, Hiten made his best effort to compose himself. Why was she confronting him? This is most disturbing, she isn't scared...well... he could smell a bit of fear in the air, she wasn't scared enough not to talk to him anyway.
"Hello," He mimic, why was this being so difficult? He looked her over as she placed her book bag on the table in the hall. She wasn't a demoness, but she was not without a feminine figure. Her clothing wasn't exactly the most modest of out fits he had seen either. A faint tinge of a blush spread across his face, Haruki was laughing at him. What was so funny? He glare in the apparition's direction, trying his best not to look ruffled.
"Ah, the thunder demon isn't as cold as one would be lead to believe," the fox demon mocked. The school girl didn't even seem to hear the banter of her adopted brother, as she turned back to face Hiten. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Hiten felt rather childish. He wasn't a young, pure youth that was so easily caught off guard. He couldn't banish the feel of her hair, the warmth against him. Was it because he had never held a human in such a way before that was throwing him off so much.
"Hiten, right?" She put on her best smile. Haruki had explained quite a bit about him and the most valuable favor he had preformed by allowing use of his body. Hard to swallow but without any other explanation for why her brother had suddenly changed, or rather was replaced by a completely different person, she had no choice but to accept it for now. Finding out one's close family is a demon after years of living with them can make just about anything believable.
"You seem to have me at the disadvantage then. You are?" Putting his best foot forward, Hiten decided to entertain this conversation long enough to find out what he needed to know and then make a hasty exit. He put on his trade mark smirk to hide his failing nerve. A human that lingered in his presence willingly was a bit daunting. Is it possible she knew something he didn't? Was she a threat or simply ignorant?
To be continued...
AN: Yeah! Hiten is mentally and physically in one piece at the end of this chapter! That's a first.
Please review, this was a difficult chapter to think though, while preserving the characters. I may revise this chapter depending on how things turn out. So what do you think should happen next? I'm kinda stuck at the fork in the road on this fic.
AN: I really must thank Rainy for this one. I read her last review and got around to thinking about how Hiten would adjust. I've rewritten this chapter at least dozen times trying to avoid making Hiten's character fluffy...By the way...
Special thanks to everyone that reviewed! You know who you are! ~.^
Chapter Six: Crash Course
Taking a deep, drawn out breath, Hiten gradually brought himself out of the depths of his dreamless slumber. Flexing slack fingers, the blanket that had been draped over him some time after he fell asleep slipped down from his shoulders allowing a slight chill of the air in though his thin clothes. Opening sleepy eyes, he sat for a few moments gazing across the room. Not sure where it was he woke, at the current time not particularly caring.
The soft morning light poured in though a pair of windows along the wall behind him. The quiet warmth like a place he had enjoyed visiting many times before, but seemingly unable to remember exactly where it was. Muffled music threatened to lull him back to sleep. Enjoying more that anything this time which he took to wake himself, he was in no rush to get up.
The pleasant smell of food drifted to his sensitive nose. His starved body, drawn like a nail to a magnet, rose sluggishly from his comfortable seat. The plush give of the carpet under his bare feet another small pleasure. Letting the utopic state of mind cloud any other train of thought, he dodged emotional turmoil that hovered at the edge of his mind. His unrestrained hair flowed around him as he moved. Curiously taking inventory of the garments her currently wore, he found a half buttoned white long sleeve shirt and a pair of loose fitting black pants. He marked a mental note to find out where his armor had been stashed later.
Taking in another deep breathe, Hiten identified the sent of that human girl. The memory of her came into clear and vibrant memory. Catching himself before letting his wandering mind free, he put what he remembered into order. The haunting nightmares would not be pushed aside even as he stood awake. There was no way to hide from himself, from his past, be it years ago or mere moments. Reining himself in, he tried to make up for any emotional freedom that had stretched itself farther than he felt comfortable with, that had exposed him to such damage.
Looking around the large room, he noted several objects that appeared to be of interest, at least enough to investigate. The high pitched ring that shattered the silence, make him grasp for where his spear would have rested on his back, in its sling. Turning on the balls of his feet, he found himself looking down at a black contoured box. Feeling a bit foolish, Hiten swallowed his now adrenaline pumped nerves, thankful no one has seen him, his pride had already been drag though the dirt enough as of late. The ringing came again, tilting his head to the side, Hiten peered down at it. What purpose did this noisy article serve? Bending his knees, he lowered himself down until he was eye level with the small end table the ringing box sat on. Stretching his youkai senses to the limit, he certain there was no one around to observe his child like curiosity. Unsure whether it would be wise to touch, he reached a hesitant finger toward it.
"Hi! Tash here! Umuri, where are you?" A shrill voice sang out from the box. Pausing, now unsure if the voice was addressing him, Hiten listened as the voice continued. "I hope you've heard from your brother. I'll see you in class! Chow!" The room grew quiet as the ring of the tinny voice faded.
"Do you do that often?" Retracting his hand in the same motion standing in a rush, Hiten came face to face with Haruki. His spirit dimmed but there none the less. Feeling trapped, a flush threatened to rise onto Hiten's face. "Its used to communicate with people that are far out of voice range," The fox explained as if it were as obvious if it were written on the phone itself. Shrugging off his momentary embarrassment, Hiten eyed the fox. Finding is easier to become angry, Hiten splayed his feet into a more commandeering stance.
"If you can tare yourself away from explaining the nuances of foolish mortals, can you tell me exactly what happened? You did not tell me that taking over my body would send me into a mental snare of razor wire," Hiten spat. He could have forgone the revisiting of hurtful memories that even before hand did not lie far below the surface.
"If I had told you, would you have agreed to it?" The spirit shrugged, unconcerned by the polar switch of mood made my the thunder demon. Hiten, narrowing his eyes to a fiery glare, give no other answer. "Although I did not expect you to force me out like that and then try to kill my sister," The apparition growled out the last bit. His eyes a dangerous flare, matching Hiten glare for fevered glare. "Being forced to react as I did, was dispirit, pulling your weaknesses apart like that. But you left me with no choice." Hiten turned away, looking else were he hadn't exactly intentionally take his body back over by force, but when comforted with your darkest of near insanity and nightmares one dose not always act rationally.
"So that was your sister?" Hiten changed the subject, avoiding expanding upon an inflamed metal wound. The brief moments he had had her in his arms, he had wanted to stay that way came flooding back to the forefront of his mind. His mouth drew a thin line as he cursed his weakness, this could only be seen as an after thought that was of a considerable degenerating nature on his part. The roller coaster that had become his state of mind must have taken its toll on him. She was just a human, mortal and temporary in all aspects.
"Don't you dare touch her," Haruki snarled. His tail bristling, his body, if it could be called that, taut trying to emanate an intimidating form. Dawning his classic smirk, Hiten turned back to face the fox demon. He actually hadn't intended to deal with her, but now that the fox mentioned it, he didn't have to say couldn't see exactly what could be gained by it.
"You are not in any position to stop me," thrusting his hand though the spirit's form, Hiten's point stuck home. With out attacking his now more or less stable mind set, Haruki was powerless. His attack upon the thunder demon's mind had taken advantage of the extreme mental fatigue, a frontal assault now would be far more difficult, if it could be done at all. Only responding with balled fists and venomous glares, Hiten could only laugh to himself as the fox made ever attempt to see if a look could kill. Hoping it was particularly fatal to thunder youkai.
A faint feminine voice caught the attention of both demons. Hiten tensed again, he had grown far less confident in his abilities in his brief stray in this time. Fighting with his habitual boldness and the possibility that this confrontation may not end in his favor, the thunder demon clicked his teeth together trying to come to a decision quickly. The voice faded, Hiten letting out breath he had unknowingly been holding.
His stomach seizing the opportune silence to be heard, growling a viscous cry for sustenance. The mood lightened as Hiten glanced down at his noisy gut.
"Ah, one of the advantages to not having a body," Haruki mused. "Although I do miss the taste of food. I suppose you would be hungry after not eating for three days," The spirit floated into a separate subsection of the large room. The area set aside by a counter and a few stools. Hiten paused, finally deciding following would be the most expedient way to get food.
* * *
Hiten sat in the recliner, rather pleased with himself. It had not taken him very long to figure out that leaning back in the chair, a foot rest would present itself. His stomach satisfied despite the strange taste of the food, he was no worse for wear because for it. He had expected to have to force himself to eat detestable human food, he was more than relieved to find it a bit more to his liking. Having ventured into the few other rooms that split off of the main room, Haruki had been very helpful even if Hiten hadn't admitted it. Borrowing a comb, Hiten had preened his hair and re-braided it, the process easily preformed by his adept hands. Smiling to himself, he found it almost out of place to have this momentary reprieve. The sudden change of tempo leaving him faltering, as if waiting for the next disaster.
"Where did you say your sister was?" Hiten opened his eyes, a full stomach and comfortable chair had put him in an uncharacteristic laziness. Although after three days of hunger, mental trauma and frustration, he wasn't knocking it.
"She is at school, she'll within the hour," Haruki lay stretched out in the air, his arms behind his head. It wasn't that Hiten didn't like him or couldn't get a long with him, in fact that morning had passed with little mishap as side from the occasional verbal volleys. The fox wasn't as submissive as Manten, but not having a body had averted any physical reprisals.
"I should be going then," Standing, Hiten stretched in synchronous with a toothy yawn. Although it was enticing to stay, he didn't like letting that momentary lapse that could be skewed as feelings for a human be an excuse for him to live with or even close to one.
"Oh? You take my sister's hospitality and then you leave before even thanking her?" Haruki righted himself, giving a half hearted gesture toward the kitchen before continuing. "You know its not taboo like it used to be, a human and demon couple I mean." Hiten bristled, he didn't like the suggestion in the least. He didn't even know her name, laughing it off without a second thought he squared his shoulders toward the spirit.
"My thanks to her will be to spare he life. I was also under the impression you didn't want me to touch your dear sister," the thunder youkai's lips peeled back in a demonic smile. "I was also under the impression you didn't want her to get involved with the dealings of that bitch." Turning on his heel Hiten strode toward the apartment's door, Haruki in tow.
"Don't kid yourself, she is already involved," Haruki drifted around him. Reaching for the door knob in silence, Hiten would avoid contact with humans, at least on friendly terms, as much as possible. It was far too ingrained in his character to look down on them to just throw it to the wind. What good would it do to get to know a human anyway? They just die after fifty or sixty years and he would remain. Getting to know them is just setting yourself up for grief later. Hiten justified his actions, as if trying to prove to himself that he was right. Of corse he was right, why was he even doubting it in the first place?
Before Hiten could reply, the clink of a key in the door made interrupted the conversation. Glancing around, Hiten once again cursed the little human that dare destroy his means of flight, he was too high up and the building was too far removed from others of similar height to go out a window. He was trapped, he had no choice but to go past the human.
The door knob started to turn, the door swung open and he was face to face with the human girl. The honey curls framed her face, apparently surprised to find him there in the entrance. Opening his mouth to speak, Hiten found him a little short on things to say. To say the least social dealings with humans was a bit lacking, but why couldn't he say anything? Feeling suddenly vulnerable without his armor, he scolded himself for not inquiring where it was earlier.
"Hi there," She recovered first, stepping into the apartment, although not closing the door, no quiet trusting enough to close off her means of escape. Pulling himself back together, Hiten made his best effort to compose himself. Why was she confronting him? This is most disturbing, she isn't scared...well... he could smell a bit of fear in the air, she wasn't scared enough not to talk to him anyway.
"Hello," He mimic, why was this being so difficult? He looked her over as she placed her book bag on the table in the hall. She wasn't a demoness, but she was not without a feminine figure. Her clothing wasn't exactly the most modest of out fits he had seen either. A faint tinge of a blush spread across his face, Haruki was laughing at him. What was so funny? He glare in the apparition's direction, trying his best not to look ruffled.
"Ah, the thunder demon isn't as cold as one would be lead to believe," the fox demon mocked. The school girl didn't even seem to hear the banter of her adopted brother, as she turned back to face Hiten. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Hiten felt rather childish. He wasn't a young, pure youth that was so easily caught off guard. He couldn't banish the feel of her hair, the warmth against him. Was it because he had never held a human in such a way before that was throwing him off so much.
"Hiten, right?" She put on her best smile. Haruki had explained quite a bit about him and the most valuable favor he had preformed by allowing use of his body. Hard to swallow but without any other explanation for why her brother had suddenly changed, or rather was replaced by a completely different person, she had no choice but to accept it for now. Finding out one's close family is a demon after years of living with them can make just about anything believable.
"You seem to have me at the disadvantage then. You are?" Putting his best foot forward, Hiten decided to entertain this conversation long enough to find out what he needed to know and then make a hasty exit. He put on his trade mark smirk to hide his failing nerve. A human that lingered in his presence willingly was a bit daunting. Is it possible she knew something he didn't? Was she a threat or simply ignorant?
To be continued...
AN: Yeah! Hiten is mentally and physically in one piece at the end of this chapter! That's a first.
Please review, this was a difficult chapter to think though, while preserving the characters. I may revise this chapter depending on how things turn out. So what do you think should happen next? I'm kinda stuck at the fork in the road on this fic.
