I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...though it would be cool if I did.
Chapt. 2
Hiei, You Won't Die
Two days had passed since the day I met the Reikai Tantei. My life was becoming normal again. The painful memories went to the back of my mind once more, and the tears I cried were long forgotten. I felt happy again.
Just getting home from school, my mind was filled with the laughter of my friends. I thought life was pretty good. I had some homework, so I made my way downstairs to my room. The air filled my nose, but I could care less about the strange smells. But when I flipped on the lights that thought quickly changed.
"What do you guys want? I thought I had gotten rid of you!" I whispered loudly in shock. I quickly shut the door and ran over to my radio. Turning it on, I turn up the sound to muffle our voices from my family. "What are you doing here?!"
"We came back with news from Koenma," Yusuke informs me.
"Really? What does he want now?" I cross my arms and look at him skeptically.
"He wants you to come back to the Reikai and join our team."
"I'll pass, thanks," I tell him. I push past him and Kuwabara to my bed. Throwing my backpack on the floor, I slump down on my bed.
"But..."
"No buts Yusuke. I'm not leaving, I can't."
"Why not?" Kazuma asks.
"My family is here, I swore to protect them."
"But your parents...they died," Hiei says quietly.
"Yes, my birth parents were murdered. But my parents now are who I swore to protect 'til I get my revenge. My sister is also in danger, I have to keep her safe, too," I say solemnly.
"Oh..." Yusuke whispers.
"I'd be more than happy to spar with you here, but I can't join your team."
"Hn, sounds like an excuse to me...you afraid?" Hiei says in a challenging voice.
"Ha, I could make you look weak. I'm not afraid of a few weak demons," I reply coolly.
"You afraid to die?" he continues his challenge.
"My life isn't important enough in this world to be afraid of that...I would gladly die for anyone," I return.
"I will spar with you. We'll just see how strong you are."
"Fine." The challenge is complete. "Come back in an hour...and you'd better be prepared."
Hiei says nothing and turns on his heels back towards their portal. The others follow suit until the swooshing sound fades. I heave a sigh and flop backwards on my bed.
After lying there for a while, I turn to my backpack and pull out my algebra homework. The numbers spun through my head, math equations danced through my mind and new numbers were created through the courtship of the numbers. Pencils and paper doodled across my brain. It was giving me a headache.
"Ahhhhh! Math, I hate it. I could always do it after my spar with Hiei. But then I might be too tired and hurt to think, then my homework would be late and my grades would drop! Damn, school sucks!" I sigh and set my homework aside.
I look around my room once before I get up and stretch out a bit. I walk to my closet and start a little search. Digging through clothes and boxes and other junk, I finally come across what I was looking for. Pulling it out, I shut the door and air out my fighting kimono.
I strip down and grab the midnight black kimono top. I slip it on and tie the delicate strings carefully; the shirt reached just below my butt. Next, I pick up my blood red pants and carefully slip them on; being sure I don't mess up the top. The baggy pants were still a little big on me. I then slip on the second kimono top; which is also blood red; and carefully tie its fragile strings. Finally, I tie a black sash around my waist to hide the ties...also as a place to put my wakizashi, Kitsune. Strapping my katana, Ookami, to my back, I check my clock.
At ten 'til five, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama walk through their portal. Hiei was still sporting his usual wear. Behind the four I noticed a few new faces.
"Who are they?" I ask, indicating the girls behind them.
"Oh! This is Botan, Keiko, Shizuru and Yukina," Yusuke introduced, pointing to each of them in turn. "Care if they come to watch?"
"I don't care...do they want to come or are you dragging them along?" I accuse.
"They wanted to meet you, but you have to fight Hiei," Yusuke says, trying to fix my accusation elsewhere.
"Yes, but now that that's over with, I wish to fight," Hiei growls in irritation.
"Why, ready to loose?" I tease, hanging my arms on his shoulders and grinning like an idiot.
"Hn...remove your arms from me now...before I do it for you!" Hiei snarled, but turning a little pink none-the-less.
"Whatever you say Hiei!" I remove my arms and stand there, still grinning like a buffoon. "You guys ready? Ok, let's go!" We were suddenly engulfed in darkness that faded just as quickly as it came. Standing in a lush forest, green and tall, I look around to make sure I got everyone.
"What the hell was that?!" Kazuma shrieked.
"Kinda like teleporting, but I use the shadows as my mode of transport. Hehe, it's one of my specialties." Grinning like an ass again, I race off into the forest. "Come on!" I call back over my shoulder. I could sense Hiei in my blind spot, trying desperately to catch up with me. Kurama was keeping up fairly well towards the back, but the others were sadly lacking.
I skid to a sudden halt in a decent sized clearing. Hiei slides past me before he finally stops, inches from a tree. Kurama pulled in and gracefully stopped next to me. Five minutes later, Urameshi, Kuwabara and the girls come in.
"'Bout time," I say in annoyance.
"Well excuse us for not being super fast!" Kuwabara defends.
"Excuse me, do you like red and black?" a peppy voice squeaked.
"Yea, why?" I ask turning to face the blue-haired Botan.
"Well, you are all black and red...I just was wondering why."
"Oh, red fox, black wolf...fire and darkness...the whole black and red thing kinda fits don't it?"
"I guess," she said.
"Your eyes look like Hiei's and Yukina's," another girl said.
I turn to face the brown-haired Keiko. "Why do you say that?"
"You all have red eyes. Yours look like a cross between theirs...gentle like Yukina's, but secretive and hollow like Hiei's," she explained.
"Oh..."
"I didn't mean you were hollow Hiei! Eek!"
"Hiei knock it off, you ass!" Yusuke yelled. Hiei had Keiko by the neck against a tree. He glared at her with a deathly stare. He wasn't kidding.
"Hiei!" I screamed.
He didn't move. Drawing my katana, I rushed at him with the hilt aimed at his head. Still unmoving, I took my hilt and hit his wrist, allowing Keiko to slide to the ground. I slid Ookami back into his sheath and glared at Hiei.
"What the hell where you thinking Hiei?!" Yusuke yelled, rushing to Keiko's aid. "She said the truth; it's not her fault that you're a cold hearted bastard." Big mistake. Before Yusuke could blink, Hiei had him in the same position as he had Keiko in moments ago.
Yusuke kicked and pulled, trying desperately to get free. Hiei wasn't budging. I gave Hiei a death glare.
"Let go Hiei," I said in a deathly calm.
He didn't say anything, just held tighter onto Urameshi. I wasn't going to let Yusuke die. I stepped in front of Hiei's glare and returned it ten fold. My hand flew up and slapped him, hard. He dropped Yusuke and stood there in complete shock, a red mark on his left cheek.
"You ok Yusuke?" I ask, still glaring at Hiei.
"Yea, thanks," he gasped.
"Hiei," I placed a hand on his shoulder, "if you want to let out some anger, I'm your opponent, not them."
His face slowly turned back to me, his eyes still wide with shock. "You...hit me."
"Yea, I did. You deserved it."
He touched his red cheek gingerly. His eyes returned to their normal and he glared at me. "You'll pay dearly for that."
"We'll see," I say coolly and walk off. I stand on the left half of the clearing, waiting for Hiei to take his position. He walked over to the right half and stood right in front of me. I took a stance and fingered the hilts of Kitsune and Ookami. Hiei just stood there.
"Ready? Set. GO!" Kurama yelled. The fight had begun.
I charged at Hiei, he didn't move. Pulling out Kitsune, I back slashed Hiei. I hit his coat. I sheathed Kitsune and stood my ground. The scents of everyone there clouded my nose and I couldn't find Hiei.
The sound of metal hit my ears just in time as I drew Ookami and turned to block. His eyes flared with a fire like no other. I pushed him off and attacked his hand with Ookami's hilt. I hit my target and he dropped his katana. Still in the air, I kicked it to the edge of the clearing.
Hiei, being unarmed, jumped back. I sheathed Ookami and took him and his brother off. I leaned them against a tree and took a different stance. Hiei looked a little shocked that I did that, but kept his cold glare.
"FIST OF THE MORTAL FLAME!" he yelled and punched the air. From his fist, a swirling black fireball came towards me. I dodged it easily and turned to watch it fly off. It was heading to the tree with my weapons and I wasn't going to let that happen. Moving quickly, I jumped in front of it and stood strong.
The blast made contact with my stomach. I slid back a couple inches but I stood my ground. It stung like a bitch, but I wasn't going to let it pass me. It faded and I fell forward, smoldering.
I could here Kurama start a ten count. I couldn't lose. Shakily, I got to my feet. Smoke rose from where I had been hit.
"What the hell?!" Hiei gasped. "You could have died from that, but you stood against it to save your weapons?!"
"Those weapons were my fathers; I would gladly die for them. But that's not why I did that." I took a moment to breath. "My weapons would have been safe. I did it to protect the tree."
"A TREE?!" His jaw dropped.
"Yea, this isn't my forest you know. Besides, that tree has lent me his leaves many times, he's a good friend," I choke out. "The fox in me won't allow it."
"But, a tree? You'd trade your life for a tree?"
"In a heartbeat."
"Hn, how pathetic...protecting a tree," he scoffs.
"At least I have something to protect," I lecture.
"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW OF PROTECTION?!" Hiei snarls.
I glare at him. "More than you think Hiei Jaganshi. I'm protecting you now."
"How's that?"
"You're still alive aren't you?"
"Hn."
I take another stance, still smoldering a little. Hiei, looking rather annoyed, did the same. He lunged at me for a punch. Blocking, I deliver a counter punch of my own to his gut. He quickly moved away and came in for another punch. At the last possible second, he switched to a kick that I narrowly dodged.
This continued for about another thirty minutes. Hiei looked irritated by the fact that I kept evading him. I kept a straight face, trying to hide the pain that arose from my smoldering wound each time I moved. Hiei grew more impatient with each passing attack.
"I'm tired of this!" he yelled as he jumped back. Landing on the opposite side of the clearing as me, he stood there panting. Sweat dripped down his face and soaked his midnight black shirt. He was breathing easy compared to my labored breathing.
"Tired...of what?" I manage to gasp.
"You! You keep evading and dodging me! You're weak, yet you fight as though you're winning! I will end this now!" He threw himself at me. "DOUBLE FIST OF THE MORTAL FLAME!!" he shouted. He punched the air multiple times. A large number of black fireballs came at me. I stood there.
"Move Darkfire!!" Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara and the girls screamed at me.
I didn't budge.
"Baka," Hiei muttered as the flames moved in to strike.
I widened my stance and awaited impact. My eyes grew wide and the flames hit. I let out a blood-curdling scream. My body felt as though it was being tore limb for limb by Satan himself. The pain was so excruciating it's beyond words.
When the blasts finished their assault, my bloody, smoldering body lay limp on the ground. I could hear gasps from the sidelines. Footsteps started towards me.
"Don't move; this is still a battle. Kurama, count!" Hiei barked.
I won't lose.
I told you, you're too weak for me.
I'm not done yet...give me a minute.
You've got five seconds.
Gasping and coughing for air, I stumble to my aching feet. Kurama stops just before he reaches ten. "I...told you. I'm...not done...yet."
"How?! You're not immortal!"
"No...I'm not, but...I haven't...even scratched...the surface of...my power," I gasp threateningly. "I won't...lose to...an arrogant...ass like you, Hiei."
He looks taken aback by my comment, but quickly returns to his unemotional expression. "Hn, looks like you're half dead to me. But if you say so."
"I know so." Raising my energy level, black flames seemingly consume my figure. My name comes from this little trick, Darkfire. "You see, my power is almost limitless. Certain gems keep others and me safe from my power. Would you like to taste some of that power?" I taunt from within my flames.
"Fine, if you want to go down in glory."
"Fine!" Untying a red velvet pouch from my sash, I pull out a grayish-black stone with the imprint of a wolf on it. This is my ace in the hole. "Ready or not Hiei, I'm comin'!" I fist the stone in my right hand and call out, "CALL OF THE WOLF!!" The flames around me flew wildly in an energy that just exploded from my body. "You picked the wrong demon to fuck with, Hiei Jaganshi," I growl as the winds and flames finally die down.
"What the...?!" Hiei exclaims.
I smirk evilly and let my knuckles crack as I flex my dangerous claws. Baring my fangs, I rush at him, ready to swipe his head off in one fail swoop. I see his eyes grow wide, and my grin grows wider. Aiming for his head, I take a wide sweep. I hit air.
"Gotcha," Hiei sneers from behind me as cold metal touches my neck.
"You forgot something."
"What's that?" he asks, twisting my left arm roughly behind my back.
"Make sure both arms are beneath the blade!" The last words spoken, I grab Hiei's hand, give it a sharp twist and ram my elbow into his nose.
He lets out a muffled sound of pain and drops his katana. Stumbling to the ground, he holds his bloody and broken nose. I turn to face him, smiling evilly. He scoots back as fast as he can.
"What? Scared?" I mock.
He nods once.
I grin wider. "I shall bring down the mighty Hiei Jaganshi with no trouble! Prepare to die Hiei!" I yell insanely. His eyes grow wider, if possible, with fear. I leap into the air and come down upon him with all ten claws.
Hiei lets out a bone-chilling scream of agony as he falls back into a pool of his own blood. Claw marks ran from his cheeks, down his neck and stopped at the middle of his abdomen. I had just created eight straight rivers of crimson blood that overflowed their banks and seeped into the grass.
I fell to my knees, clutching the wolf stone. Tears mixed with blood and hate mixed with sorrow. I could now see through my own eyes, untainted by the wolf's spirit.
"Hiei, what have I done?" I ask, shaking furiously as more tears fell.
He made no answer. The sound of panicked racing reached my trembling ears. His eyes looked like they were glazing over.
"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE DARKFIRE?" Yusuke screamed at me.
"I, I didn't mean to," I sobbed. "I didn't mean to."
"How can you not mean to murder someone?!" Kuwabara screamed.
"Stop fighting, we have to help Hiei," a gentle voice said somewhere behind me.
"Don't worry 'bout Hiei, Yukina. He'll be ok," Kazuma comforted.
"HIEI!" I cried, throwing my head back to stare into the sky. Tears silently streamed from my crimson eyes. My heart burned and shattered with each tear.
A mournful howl filled the heavy air. The heavy black clouds that loomed over-head began to let their rain fall freely like my tears. Soft at first, it became a downpour. I didn't care. My howl continued through the rain.
The others just stood by Hiei and me in the rain, my howl filling their ears. I fell back to my hands and stared at Hiei's almost lifeless body. The rain had washed away the blood, but the deep gashes shown clearly in the lightning. Tears fell behind me; I had broken so many hearts.
"Hiei, you won't die...you are too loved for that," I whispered through the thunder, wiping the tears away. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard on Hiei. Slowly, his gashes started to disappear. I cringed slightly and held back the urge to scream out. I had completed my task.
Hiei's eyes regained their original blood red glow, he sat up and he stared at me blankly. I gave a weak smile and a nervous laugh. His expression went to shock when he saw my face and body. Gashes appeared on my face and neck and blood pooled beneath me.
"I told you, you wouldn't die," I gasp before I fall into a black abyss.
