Pt 14
"Damn it! Where the hell is Kirai!" Hiei paced the length of the hall, more than slightly perturbed at the kitsune's lateness. She had never behaved like this before. Frankly he was worried; he had no idea what she was capable of.
Hiei was not now, nor ever was, known for his patience and he rapidly steamed. Then a thought hit him; what if that meddling Koenma had taken her?
The koorime stormed to the mini-monarch's chamber and flung the door open. The rooms were completely deserted, all trappings and signs of life long gone.
"You there," Hiei called to a passing servant. "Where has Koenma gone?" The servant pointed west.
"He and his entourage went that way. I figured you knew sir, since he took your fighter with him. He didn't look so good, like he was sick or something." Other passing servants said the same thing.
"Damn!" Hiei's fist slammed into the wall, shaking the frame and causing multiple splits. Koenma had undoubtedly grabbed Miya and disappeared before Hiei could react, believing it was safer that way. For a moment Hiei seriously considered going after them; who knew how she would react to a sudden change in her environment. There was no familiarity and she had already shown that she was unable to handle situations like that. The already frazzled state her mind was in could cause her to do just about anything without even a flicker of regret. He shuddered at the thought then quickly checked himself: that was Koenma's problem now; she was out of his hands.
He breathed a sigh and decided it was of relief and not regret. He didn't envy Koenma's job now. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The surroundings were all too familiar; the cave and the clearing sharply brought back memories of the mental warfare fought between kitsune and koorime. Hiei had thought he had won that battle but quickly learned that it was only the beginning of the war. Miya never passed up a chance to fight back and only grew more stubborn. Hiei momentarily found himself missing her characteristic green-eyed glare.
He looked about the clearing. Yukina was here, somewhere. Knowing Miya she was hidden underground.
Damn Koenma, he took her before Hiei could find out exactly where she had hidden his sister.
He walked around, looking for any clue but knowing that the kitsune would not have left any trail that could be followed; he had taught her too well for that. There were absolutely no lingering auras and all the scents were ancient and buried beneath the smell of the woods. Inside the cave was another dead end, literally.
Hiei covered his delicate nose and shuddered as he was forced out into the open. It smelled as if something had died in there, the stench effectively covering up any trace that might have been there. He took deep gulps of breath to clear his lungs. That was more than an awful smell; it was intentional, probably some stink-bomb plant. A quick peek back confirmed it. A single upright stalk stood near the back wall, sporting only two leaves, one of which was ripped open to expose its veins. Miya's work no doubt but as to the purpose, Hiei was more than at a loss. Whatever it was it smelled like bodies rotting in hell's fire.
Hiei leaned against a tree and surveyed his surroundings.
Over there was where I first stopped. Kirai slept in that corner while I was in the cave. He pointed out landmarks to himself. Kirai first tried to escape from this side; the path to the river is there and the first time he was able to wound me was… Hiei stopped. He remembered clearly when Miya had punched back after he had tried to discipline her. It had happened near the edge of the clearing, yet the place was no longer there. Instead a tree stood, dark, scarred trunk disappearing into dark green leaves.
Hiei racked his mind; maybe his memory was faulty. No he decided. That exact spot was part of the clearing once.
He walked around it, stepping carefully over the malicious-looking roots. The fact that they were above-ground meant that the tree was only shallowly rooted, making it all the more plausible that Miya only intended it to be a marker.
Finding no entrance hidden in the tree itself, Hiei wrapped his arms around the trunk and pulled. With relatively little resistance it came loose, leaving a gaping hole. Inside Yukina stirred and yawned before pushing herself off the floor.
"Hiei!" He helped her out and was slightly surprised to see Chi scrambling out behind her. Kirai must have deemed her trust-worthy.
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In the sunlight they made a perfect pair, Yukina and Chi. They looked at each other and couldn't repress laughter. Dirt clung to their hair and clothes. Hiei shook his head slowly; they were almost killed then left for hours in a hole underground and yet they found their dirty appearances funny. Hiei knew that he had no chance of ever understanding women.
"Come on, we're going home." Yukina craned her neck and looked around.
"Where's Kirai?"
"Gone." She instantly sobered.
"What do you mean gone? Gone where?"
"I'd prefer not to discuss it. It shouldn't concern you. And don't worry, he's fine. He's just not coming back. I suggest you forget you ever even met him." No matter what Yukina tried, Hiei refused to say any more.
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Hiei had barely gotten into his room before one of his men-servants duly informed him that he had a visitor.
"Send them away."
"I've tried sir, but he's adamant. He says he will not leave until he talks to you." Nobility, Hiei thought.
"Then give him a room and tell him I'm very busy and will get to him as soon as I have time."
Out of spite he stabled Set-shou, cleaned his sword, took a long bath and had a drink before leisurely strolling to the guest suite to see who it was that had so rudely demanded an audience.
He strode through the door then stopped dead in his tracks.
"Well it sure took you long enough!"
"What the hell do you want?"
"I think you have a pretty good idea." Koenma rose and angrily faced the koorime. "The deal was 'end of the tournament'. The tournament's not going to happen this year and maybe not even next year. Time's up Hiei!"
Hiei went cold.
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't be stupid!" Koenma fumed. "I'm here to take Miya back and I'm not leaving without her!"
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"Of all the idiotic, incompetent, recklessly stupid things you've ever done, this is by far the worse! I can't believe you lost her! Again!"
"I did not lose her! Ten different people saw you leave with her...And what the hell do you mean by again?" Koenma whirled.
"You think I don't know Hiei? It was because of your carelessness why we lost her the first time! Because of you Shinbi's dead and now Miya will be too!"
Lightning flashed through the room and the floor shook as Hiei's snarl echoed around. Koenma drew back from the raging koorime.
"You weren't anywhere near there damn it! While we were fighting you were safe in your office sitting on your damn arse! You have no idea what it was like, you don't even have the slightest concept of what went on so don't you dare start pointing fingers!"
His chest heaved as he breathed heavily. Koenma remained frozen in place, more than slightly wary of his fit of rage. Minutes of silence passed as Hiei struggled to regain control of his temper. The moment he was able to think logically he stormed towards the door. There he paused, hand resting on the frame.
"Maybe you're right Koenma. Maybe this is my fault. I should not have let you distract me. I knew what I was doing and I allowed you to get in my way. I assure you, it won't happen again. You're not going to make me screw up again." He disappeared.
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Damn, my head! Miya felt like the war of the worlds was raging in her mind. She waited motionlessly but the pain did not diminish. Hesitantly she opened her eyes and tried to focus. At first she thought she had gone blind then, as alarm faded, she found that the room was pitch black.
Desperately she tried to remember what happened: she had told Hiei of the planned rebellion, of that she was sure, but after he went to wake Yukina, after Chi and Yaku ran into the room…everything after that was gone.
Vaguely she remembered other times when something like this happened, where there was a broken link in her chain of memories. No matter what she tried, she could not remember what happened between dropping Hana in the river and hearing Hiei's voice. The same thing had happened when Hiei deserted her in the woods – one minute she was sitting down to rest and the next she was covered in blood and surrounded by the dead. One thing was for certain – whenever that happened somebody died. She just knew that she had done something horrible.
Carefully she pushed herself up to a sitting position. Instantly she regretted it. Her vision would have blurred if she could have seen anything. The drumming in her head was practically audible, forcing her to clutch uselessly at her temples from the pain. Gulps of air barely helped to alleviate the pressure. Gently she moved her fingers to the back of her neck: everything seemed to stem from there. She brushed against a metal plate, perfectly fitted against her skin, sending more shockwaves of pain through her entire body.
Her own ragged breathing was her only company as she suffered in the dark. Slowly the pain faded to a dull roar…but didn't disappear.
"Having fun, Koji?" Miya actively resisted the urge to jump, knowing every movement would cause her pain. Blinding light flooded the room. She quickly shielded her eyes and was rewarded with the same electric pain. The owner of the voice chuckled. "You have no idea how satisfying it is to see you in pain."
Her eyes watered as the figure in front of her came into focus – Lord Jougen's malignant face commandeered her view.
"You thought you had seen the last of me. Well I don't give up that easily." She tried to respond but her voice came out as a dull groan.
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Where the hell do I start looking? Hiei hated it; he hated the feeling of helplessness. He hated admitting that he had failed…and that he had no idea how to undo his mistake. He smiled ruefully – hate seemed to be all he had now.
The tournament grounds were abandoned; he had expected as much. Cleaned then deserted, it wasn't much of a prospect but it was the last place he saw her. There was no chance that she would still be there but he hoped he could find some clue.
Damn that girl, she always seemed to cause problems. She seemed to have a knack for getting him in trouble. He just couldn't think logically when she focused those green eyes on him. If Koenma wasn't so insistent that Banshi would try to take control of her powers to he would just leave her where she was. It was safer for him when she wasn't around; things were less complicated.
Hiei caught a whiff of a scent he knew better than anyone else's. That's Yukina's, and it's fresh too! What was she doing at the rear entrance? The fight was going on there. Puzzled, he followed the scent. Then another familiar scent joined it. Miya! What the hell was going on?!
Then the scent changed. Now it smelled like…Koenma!
"Koenma!" Hiei called out telepathically.
"What?"
"What do we know of Banshi?"
"Nothing, well almost nothing. We know he uses telepathy to fight and we're pretty sure he's a water yokai but apart from that…"
"Could he be a shape-shifter?"
"Well it is possible. What are you suggesting Hiei?"
"Things aren't adding up. Miya's scent is here, along with yours and Yukina's but neither of us has her. Jougen said that he owned Miya and her mother yet Banshi was the one who defeated me and took them. There's no possible way he could have gotten them, no reason for him to want them except…"
"Except?"
"Except that Jougen and Banshi are the same person. It would explain how he manages to stay one step ahead of us. He's able to read my mind without my knowing."
"Hiei you're going to hate me for suggesting this but…"
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"Can I borrow the car dad?"
"Absolutely not! You've had your license for a month and you've already had two tickets. You are staying home this weekend." Jon sulked and stormed up the stairs. Keiko leaned over to Yusuke.
"You're not really going to keep him here all weekend are you?" Yusuke grinned and shook his head.
"Nah, he can go out tomorrow, just don't tell him that. It's much more fun to let him think I'm the evil parent. I want to see how much he's gonna plead for the car."
The doorbell rang and Jen, Jon's twin, screamed that she had it. A few seconds later she bellowed again.
"Dad! It's for you!" Yusuke dropped the kitchen towel on the counter and headed to the door. Keiko breathed a sigh of relief. She loved him but Yusuke just didn't know how to do dishes. She dumped all the dishes he had 'washed' right back in the sink.
Yusuke turned the corner and glared at the man in the doorway.
"Go away Hiei." Hiei sighed.
"Look, I don't want to be here any more than you want me here but I've tried to do this on my own and I keep screwing up. You're the only person I can turn to right now." Yusuke could hardly believe what he was hearing. That was the closest thing to an apology he had ever heard from Hiei.
"What are you trying to say?" Hiei refused to meet his eyes.
"I need your help Urameshi."
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"No, no, no! This is not going to happen!" Keiko blocked the doorway. "You've almost gotten yourself killed hundreds of times! I'm not letting you just throw your life away, not now that we've finally settled down!" Yusuke gently drew her out of his way.
"I have to go, one last time. Hiei wouldn't ask for my help unless it was a life or death situation. I know you don't understand and I'll have to explain everything to you when I get back, just be patient okay?" She nodded and kissed him.
"Come on Hiei, let's go!" As the two reached the front door and black haired boy planted himself in their way.
"So you can go fight demons and I can't use the car! This doesn't sound fair to me!" Yusuke rolled his eyes and handed Jon the keys, then to Hiei he said,
"Welcome to my world."