Chapter Three: The Cursed Child
The group was now on the sidewalk outside the hospital. They had returned to key to the receptionist before leaving. It was now around 10:30 in the morning, and the sun was slowly reaching its peak. The late spring air was warm.
Shinka looked at her bleeding hand angrily. Her fingernails had dug into her palm when her hand had been in a tight fist. The blood slowly trickled from the deep cuts and down her arm. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a roll of bandages. She always carried a roll or two with her since she was always getting herself into fights at school.
"Here, Shinka. Let me do that," Kurama said, taking the bandages from her. She held her hand out and allowed him to wrap it up.
"So, onna, would you mind explaining?" Hiei's voice came from behind her.
"I will in due time. But how about I explain somewhere there aren't humans everywhere? We don't need them hearing the words 'evil mastermind' and 'demon' in the same sentence," she answered.
"Then where are we going to go?" Kuwabara asked in his annoying voice. To be honest, Shinka wasn't exactly sure. Humans were everywhere. The only place she could think of would be the forest, but that would be another hour's walk.
Eventually, after many minutes, they decided to head over to Kurama's house since they would have the most privacy there. Luckily, it wasn't too far of a walk.
It was only about a ten-minute walk to where Kurama lived. He led them in.
"Mother! I'm home!" he called. No answer. "Hm. I guess she went out. Oh well." Kurama led them to his living room and offered them a seat.
"So, onna. What is it you know that you're not telling us?" Hiei asked, leaning up against the wall next to the window. Shinka sighed.
"You guys are going to want to get comfortable. This may be a long story, although I'll try to shorten it as much as possible," Shinka said, positioning herself on the couch so that she had a clear view of everyone in the room. Kurama sat to her left while Yusuke and Kuwabara sat on the other couch that was located across the room. Hiei remained next to the window, his arms crossed.
"Those markings on the girl…. They're the symbol of a very powerful and evil demon named Toshihiro. I thought he was dead, but from the looks of it, I'm wrong," Shinka began. "I first came in contact with him many years ago. I was only seven at the time. He's the one who took my family away from me. He's the reason that my life took the path it did. Toshihiro ruthlessly killed my entire village. I'm the only one that survived that massacre. Out of instinct and fear, I ran, not knowing who this demon was or what he wanted. Years later, the day after my fourteenth birthday, after I had found a new home with my guardians, Nibori and Moriko, he took control of my mind and forced me to kill Nibori. Then, he took command of Moriko and had her attack me, making me believe she lost her temper because I murdered her husband. However, I was able to escape. Once she broke free of his control, she committed suicide.
"So, in reality, he had killed both of my families. I fled my second home, only not out of fear, but in order to protect everyone else I was close to. And so, my life as a thief began. Within that time, I encountered his subordinates, and once, Toshihiro himself. I was able to learn that he was after my power. During my face-to-face meeting with him, he forced me to unlock my true powers. It was then I found out that I was the legendary Blade Child. Unfortunately for him, his plan backfired and I was able to kill him. I thought that I could start a new life somewhere else and live normally from then on, but I was wrong. It just kept going downhill from there. I'm sure you all remember Yukio, that damn traitor…." Shinka voice became full of anger and hate. She trailed off. She could feel the eyes of her friends on her as she stared at the floor.
"And… that's about it." Shinka looked up to find everyone, even Hiei, staring at her. She narrowed her crimson eyes in a glare.
"I don't need your sympathy," she said coldly. Immediately, their gaze broke away from her.
"Well, now that we know who the killer is, how are we supposed to figure out his motives?" Yusuke asked, attempting to break the uneasy silence in the room.
"Easy. We have someone who knows how his mind works," Hiei said. "Shinka should be able to figure it out with very few problems."
"Unless his intentions have changed since I last fought with him. For all we know he may now just want to kill. He seems to have no problem doing it. He never did before," Shinka snapped. She sighed angrily. All of this recent information was going through her mind at a rapid pace and thousands of questions popped into her head. As a matter of fact, it was fairly stressful. She felt about ready to rip her hair out. Kurama must have noticed how upset she was becoming.
"It's almost noon. How about we go somewhere to eat? I'd cook for all of us here, but we don't exactly have much food in the house at the moment," he offered. Everyone agreed and once again, they set out for another walk.
The sun was high in the sky and lit up the city. The group walked down the sidewalk, cars flying passed them on the road. Strange… Shinka though. It's Saturday and hardly anyone is outside. Those homicides must have scared them. Indeed, hardly anyone was outside. There were a few people out for walks, but Shinka could feel their uneasiness. Everyone was either in a car or locked within their homes.
These pathetic humans. A few dead bodies and they're too afraid to even set foot out of their homes. I don't understand why they feel so secure enclosed like that. A killer could easily murder them there, if not with more ease than if they were out in the open. Shinka never really thought much for humans, and she often wondered why she worked to protect these pathetic creatures. But deep down, she knew the reason. She had lost so many loved ones and she didn't want anyone to ever have to feel the sentiment of having those you care about being ripped out of your life forever. There was that, or a life of torture in a dark cell somewhere in Reikai.
Shinka snapped back to reality as they rounded a corner and found themselves in front of a small pizza place. Shinka rolled her eyes.
"I take it the two bakas suggested this?" she asked Kurama. He smiled and nodded. They walked in and found a booth at the back of the little restaurant. Yusuke and Kuwabara went to the counter to order while Hiei, Kurama, and Shinka sat down.
"Shinka, I'm curious. What did you mean by you being the legendary Blade Child?" Kurama asked.
"Do you mean to tell me you've never heard of the Blade Child?" Shinka asked, astonished. Kurama shook his head. She looked to Hiei who merely glared at her. Shinka's eyes darted around the room. Luckily, hardly anyone else was there.
Like Hiei, Shinka had one of her arms bandaged, the bindings reaching her shoulder. Carefully, she took them off. Kurama and Hiei watched her work with confused looks on their faces. Slowly, the bandages fell away from her arm. On top of her right hand was a strange marking of a sun, and within it, a black crescent moon. Then, Shinka turned her arm over, showing a long marking of a sword. The tip of the blade touched her wrist, and the hilt ended just before her shoulder. She heard a gasp escape Kurama's mouth.
"Most people think of it as a tattoo, but it's far from that. When I fought with Toshihiro, this marking appeared. I went through a lot of pain as this curse emerged," she said, looking angrily at the sword on her arm.
"Curse?" Shinka's head snapped up to see Yusuke and Kuwabara standing on the other side of the table. Quickly, she grabbed the bandages and wrapped her arm back up, concealing from them the markings. Yusuke and Kuwabara knew enough to leave the subject alone.
They had returned with a large half cheese, half pepperoni pizza and a wide assortment of soda.
As they ate, Shinka sat in thought, barely listening to the conversation going on around her. Her mind went back to the day she had fought with Toshihiro. How much pain she went through as her powers unlocked. How angry she had been. How much her thirst for revenge had grown. Even when he was dead, she still felt that need for revenge, and she wondered what it meant. But then she realized it.
I should have died that day along with that bastard. But I didn't and I was too craven to take my own life when I knew that's what would make my revenge complete. Shinka thought angrily. But there's no use focusing on the past. I need to spotlight the future and bring down Toshihiro once and for all.
She broke away from her thoughts when she realized the team was getting ready to leave. They paid and walked out into the warm sunlight.
"What do we do now? We've got the rest of the day to kill," Kuwabara said as they began walking in a random direction.
"How about something that doesn't involve hours of walking?" Yusuke suggested.
"Oh I know!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "We could hang out at the park! It's not too far from here!"
In the end, they all agreed to it, although Shinka and Hiei were reluctant to do so. Within five minutes or so, they were in the park on a grassy hill. Yusuke and Kuwabara had somehow gotten a hold of a football and were playing with it. Kurama sat under the oak tree that was situated on the peak of the hill, watching the two idiots run back and fourth. Hiei and Shinka were on separate branches in the tree. Shinka dozed peacefully for the most part, being startled awake every now and then by Yusuke and Kuwabara. For a while she had a small conversation with Kurama about the case and she was aware Hiei was listening in, but she made no sign of noticing.
Slowly, the sun began to set, and sky turning as red as blood. Shinka sighed contentedly, still lying on the branch. The rest of the group left at their own intervals. Shinka however, remained where she was. The only one else around that area was Hiei, who had moved to one of the upper branches of the tree.
"You are an eerie creature, Shinka. You do know that, right?" Hiei's voice came from above her. She looked up to find him standing on the branch over her.
"Look who's talking," she retorted, taking her gaze off of Hiei and settling it on the setting sun.
"There's so much you're not telling us. The others may have not noticed it, but there's a part of that story of yours that you left out. Mind telling the truth?"
"I told you all you need to know, Hiei. The only things I'm keeping from you are details of no importance." With that said, Hiei dropped the subject and with a "Hn," leapt from the tree and disappeared.
A few minutes later, after the sun was gone completely, Shinka could clearly see the stars. She heaved another sigh before deciding to head home. She slipped off the branch and landed lightly on the ground.
Just then, a chill wind blew. But this was no normal late spring wind; it felt more like wind that came straight from the depths of winter. Shinka's body recoiled from the cold air. Her black and crimson hair billowed out behind her. She opened her eyes, which had been closed as the wind came in contact with her, and found that the area around her hand been covered in dense fog. The stars that were once overhead were concealed behind a thick layer of mist. The air grew dangerously cold and her arm began to sting with pain. The bandages covering her right arm leapt into flame, revealing her markings.
Evil, ominous laughter filled the air. Just in front of her, Shinka could vaguely make out a dark form. Immediately, she knew who it was.
"Toshihiro…." She growled, her heart quickening.
"So you do remember me, Sereg'wethrin. I was so hoping you would." Toshihiro's voice echoed. He stepped forwards, coming into clear sight. He was just as she remembered him. He was tall, about six foot five, with spiky crimson hair tipped with a deep violet. His golden yellow eyes were seemingly pupil-less, and were full of malice. He looked to be only about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, however, in truth, he was well over a thousand.
"What do you want?" Shinka asked coldly. Toshihiro laughed again.
"I would think that by now you would know. I want you," he answered. Shinka's eyes narrowed in a glare and she got into a fighting stance.
"Do you really think you can fight me? I've grown much stronger since we last fought. And from the looks of you, you have as well. However, it won't be enough. I will have the power of the Blade Child."
"Like hell you will!" Shinka shouted, lunging at Toshihiro. She aimed a punch at his head, but he caught her by the throat before she even got close.
He's fast! She thought. Faster than before! She then found herself pinned against the old oak tree, Toshihiro's grip on her tightening. She could feel her heart beginning to slow and she gasped for air, desperate to stay conscious.
"You're pathetic. Someone as weak as you doesn't deserve the kind of power you possess. I will have it." Toshihiro's eyes suddenly went black and Shinka could feel something being pulled from within her. She began to panic. A ball of fire formed in her hand and she brought it up into Toshihiro's face. He screamed in agony and dropped her, backing away. Shinka struggled to her feet, using the tree for support.
Toshihiro, now thoroughly infuriated, created a blade out of thin air. Shinka's eyes widened and she went for her katana, but realized it wasn't there. Damn it! She thought. She had left it back at her home so as to not arouse any suspicions amongst the humans.
"Now you die, Cursed Child." Before Shinka knew what had happened, she found the blade embedded in her shoulder. She winced and gritted her teeth, ripping the blade out.
"Now you've really managed to piss me off, Toshihiro!" she shouted, throwing the blade back at her enemy. Toshihiro merely leaned to the side and the blade flew by his head.
"CRIMSON FURY!" Shinka's voice echoed loudly as her anger took control. Beneath Toshihiro, binds of flames shot up from the ground and wrapped themselves around his body. Shinka slowly began closing her outstretched hand into a fist, making the binds constrict. Toshihiro laughed manically.
"Is this the best you can do? I seem to remember being in pain the last time you pulled this trick on me." Suddenly, the binds around him snapped. Shinka gasped and stared at her opponent wide-eyed.
"I'll make you a deal, Cursed One. When you get stronger, come find me. I want to battle you when your power has reached its full potential. Until then, I will resume my killing streak. Goodbye, Sereg'wethrin." With that, Toshihiro disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. The fog cleared away and the air began to warm up. Shinka looked at her arm. Both markings had a strange glow to them.
My power's full potential? Shinka began her long walk home, cutting through the nearby forest, trying to figure out what Toshihiro had meant.