Copycat: I'm back! Yay!!! Thanks for my support during my time of crisis in writing. We found out why I was so out of it! I had a slight fever with a head cold! YAY!! Isn't it wonderful?! –chews on her thermometer- Rawr… well… anyway… I'm gonna try and write a better chapter… and with an evil cliffhanger! BUWAHAHA!! Actually… after I'm done with this chapter… I'd like to hear whether or not you like it better with or without cliffhangers. I disappear to work now! –disappears into dark room to type the story-
Hiei leapt through the black treetops, his mind racing with pesky memories of the past as he rushed forward towards a hidden clearing and the house of onyx stone that lay there. A small young woman sat quietly outside by a water feature, her icy green hair pooling around her like the waters before her. Her sallow skin was comparable only to the white of her kimono, offset only by the unfathomable blue trim on the edge. Her empty gray eyes turned in Hiei's direction as he landed beside her, a small smile crossing her cyan lips. "Hiei… I haven't seen you in a while…"
"You haven't 'seen' me at all." He replied coldly, not in the mood for her gentle banter.
"A kind greeting as always." She said with a sad laugh, turning her blind eyes back to the tiny pond, her hand tracing circles in the water. "So what is it that has brought you back to me after all this time?"
"One of my friends have fallen prey to one of your students. Only you could teach someone how to make a lifelike golem that could fool even death's assistant."
"Your friends?" She asked quietly, her finger catching against a flower and gently picking it up. "Such an endearing term from your mouth… You've changed…" She whispered softly, her fingers brushing the petals. Hiei looked unnerved, glaring at her.
"I assure you I have not. I use the term loosely, now tell me, which of your students could have done this."
"You're wrong… I knew you remember? You have changed… years ago you would have put a sword at my throat to get information, no chances given… You're asking kindly now…"
"I could always draw it if that's what you want." He hissed threateningly.
"No… that's not necessary. I will tell you want you want to know… for Rysa's sake." Hiei winced at the flood of bad memories the name brought forth and turned away a little with a small growl. "Don't say her name…"
"Hiei… you can't run from her memory forever… sooner or later you WILL have to face what happened." She muttered with a painful strain in her voice. Hiei glared and drew his sword causing the woman to flinch. "If you would stop reminding me I wouldn't have to remember." He snarled, his blade's edge inching closer to her.
"Hiei… I'm not the one who brought it up in the first place. You came to me after the young sky child appeared. That's what brought this up again. That is really why you are here is it not?" His blade stopped centimeters from her throat, shaking slightly before he took his sword back and sheathed it, turning away as he started to leave. "I don't want to hear you're damn prophecies Megumi. I shouldn't have come here. I'll find your student on my own." He snapped.
"Before you go! I must warn you!" She started to call, but it was too late. He was already gone.
"Hiei…" She said sadly, the flower in her hand falling to pieces on the ground.
Meanwhile, Kurama had arrived at the temple, his breath tight in his chest with the ominous feeling he had as he walked inside, narrowly missing the same sign that had scared the wits out of Yusuke. He set his shoes aside, stepping cautiously forward, stopping only when he sensed the boundary of the spell. He looked around, taking in his surroundings and looking for any hint at what might have happened to Yusuke. The room seemed ordinary enough… like a gift shop. He knew he wouldn't be able to investigate the rest of the temple safely until the spell was removed, but in order to do that he'd have to find the demon that cast it and find out how they did it. "This is a perplexing problem." He muttered, looking at the ground a moment.
"What is?" Said a voice from just off to his left. Kurama spun to look at the speaker, coming face to face with the mysterious temple keeper.
"Oh… ummm… what I should buy for my niece." He lied quickly, smiling. She looked at him with a knowing smile and shook her head.
"Well if it's something for your niece… I recommend this guardian." She muttered, walking to the back of the store and returning a moment with a small porcelain doll in traditional Japanese clothing. "It's a doll that protects the owner from harm while they carry it with them." Kurama, blinked at her, his guard up in an instant. "So you're the caster." She smiles at him and sets aside the doll.
"I was wondering if you'd get the hint. Most don't."
"It's not that hard to figure out."
"Yes well… the stupidity of the younger generations can amaze me at times… Would you like to tell me why you're here… Kurama is it?" He frowned, not dropping his guard.
"How did you know my name?"
"You're part of Yusuke's group, the intelligent Kitsune demon with the tragic past that forced him to the guise of a human child to recover." She said simply, continuing before he could comment. "I do believe you are here for answers. Follow me and I will give them…" She said with a smile, chanting something softly as the barrier fell. She walked slowly into the back, bowing before a small alter before sitting in front of it at the table, pouring some tea for both of them. "Sit, have some tea and I'll explain." Kurama sat, but did not drink as he watched her carefully waiting for answers.
"I suppose I should start with who I am."
"That would be nice."
"Quite. My name is Kitami, and as you may have guessed I'm a forest demon. I control the earth and plants, similar to yourself."
"Yes… you built this temple with your abilities."
"Yes. One learns to build a shelter instantaneously when you've lived in inhospitable areas for over 500 years…"
"So, now that I know who you are, care to tell me exactly what is going on? Where is Yusuke?"
"I cannot answer the second part of your question for I do not know where he is."
"What do you mean you don't know where he is! You…"
"Kurama be calm. I will explain just do not get rash I will not be able to keep talking with you on pleasant terms." She snapped, standing, her eyes glowing a deep green. Kurama glared, not sitting down but not moving forward either. "What has happened to him?"
"Suka has taken him to show him the choices that lie ahead."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. She's taken him to where she can show him what will happen if he makes the wrong choice."
"Wrong choice in what?"
"The final battle. Megumi forsaw that she would bear a set of twins, one of which would be the rare and dangerous sky demon. This demon's child would bring about the end. The end of what is Yusuke's decision. He can either end the demon's life, or watch the end of the world."
"And how is it that this all hinges on Yusuke."
"Because he did something he shouldn't have. He saved her life."
Copycat: Okay… I was gonna go somewhere with all of this… but I forgot where because I found out I'm still sick! –dies- Yay… Anyway… Here's some more story… Any suggestions would be much loved. Now that I've thoroughly confused myself, Kurama, Botan, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, and just about everyone else except Megumi because she can see the future!
Megumi: It's quite a handy skill… can I have my sight back yet?
Copycat: No!!! You're the blind water demon that has a mysterious connection to Hiei and Rysa who has a connection to Suka and Kasumi which only Yusuke knows that Kasumi is Suka's twin sister and Suka has employed Kitami and some other unknown person to go figure out where she is and take care of her, but the Yusuke went and aaahhhhh the heck with it! –is tangled up in a whole bunch of character connections and storyline conceptions.- Little help?
Megumi: I'm blind. How am I supposed to help you?
Copycat: I hate you so much right now…
Megumi: It's your own fault.
Yusuke: -helps untie Copycat- There. I helped you.. you help me. I'm the main character of YYH! Get me back in the goddamned story!
Copycat: I can't do that yet!!! You have to stay absent until people choose sides! – Runs from Yusuke before he kills her.-
Megumi: -drowns them both in the bath tub.- Calm down you two. You'll ruin the story for everyone.
Y and CC: SORRY!
Megumi: I don't know why I put up with those two. Anyway… please review. Helps us out. The more you review… the better we feel.