A/N: Yo, minna-san! Time to update! Thank you to:
XxAnimeLover14xX-Thanks for the review. It might get a little more depressing here but hey!
Izanami-fire-Thanks for your review. Yeah, Kuwabara possesses the ability to cut through dimensions!
Let's continue with the story!
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own YYH.
"…" talk
[…] thoughts
{…} telepathy
= = = = = = changes in scene/time
Chapter 13:Jikan ni Tomeru ga Dekiru Kara: If Time Could Stop
Hiei's POV
I felt myself falling downwards for a rather long time before the dark space opened up and I fell out of the portal. I landed rather hard but uninjured. Quickly, I looked at where I had fallen and felt familiarity seep into my senses. I was back in Makai. Suddenly, a loud crash a little distance to my right caught my attention. I ran towards the area, hoping that Mizuko was all right.
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3rd Person's POV
Bako had a tight grip on Mizuko's ankle, and they were plunging downwards at a very dangerous speed. She kicked at him, trying to free her ankle. The demon did the opposite instead, he held on tighter. The rocks were drawing terribly close. [Shit! If I hit the ground now, I'm dead!] "Haah!" There was a huge explosion. A crater 50 meters in diameter had appeared in the ground. Mizuko was lying in the middle. Coughing, she sat up slowly. She felt bruised and her arm hurt like hell, but otherwise, she was alive. [Thank Kami-sama I managed to reduce the momentum.] Some distance away, Bako was lying in the middle of his own crater. When she released a large amount of youki to cushion her fall, he was blown off and had hit the ground first. The speed and impact of the fall was damaging, if not fatal for him.
She stood shakily and looked around. [Where the hell am I?] Suddenly, the back of her neck prickled as Mizuko recognized the familiar sensation of being watched. Out of the gnarled trees around her, strange creatures walked out. The creatures looked almost like wolves, except their fur was red and they had weird eyes. Really weird eyes. And they looked really hungry. Hungry, hungry. [Shit! I'm their dinner!] Mizuko backed up as more of those demonic wolves appeared. [Damn! It looks like the whole pack is here!] A sudden sound made her wheel around. Golden eyes widen as Bako emerged from a pile of rocks. [He lived through that?! Oh no, this doesn't look good.] The smell of blood reached the wolves' noses and their grey slits turned completely black. Mizuko took that as a bad sign.
It happened very fast. So fast it just flashed in front of her eyes. The wolves pounced onto Bako and sank their razor-sharp fangs into him. The demon tried to fight them off but he was overwhelmed by their huge numbers. Mizuko witnessed how Bako was ruthlessly torn apart by the wolves, how greedily they ripped at his flesh. Her eyes registered the bloody scene taking place before her and her ears hurt from Bako's screams of pain as he was eaten alive. Mizuko didn't even have time to feel sick at the scene. The wolves finished their meal and were now turning onto her. Mizuko felt fear grip her. The bloodlust was so evident in their eyes. They had not had enough; they wanted to taste her flesh now. Slowly, they advanced towards her. Mizuko stumbled backwards. She couldn't possibly deal with a pack of demon wolves! And then loud roars were heard and she saw fire. The sight she beheld extracted relief from her. Hiei stood a little distance away, Jagan glowing menacingly. He was setting the wolves on fire.
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Meanwhile, at Reikai
"Nani?! They fell through a portal?" "Can you trace them?" asked Yusuke. Koenma nodded and pressed a button on his table. "Ayame, check all portal systems. See if a portal just opened up anywhere." "Hai." The voice at the end said. Almost instantly, there was a beep and Ayame's voice came through clearly, "Koenma-sama, a portal had just opened in Makai. I'll send you the location." Koenma directed his attention to the screen, as did Yusuke and Kurama. "Asoko da!" exclaimed Yusuke as he stared at a red blinking spot on the screen. "Come on!" "I'll open a portal to Makai for you. It's faster this way!" "Aa, hayaku!"
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Back at Makai
Mizuko and Hiei stood back to back. "Kuso, they keep coming!" "Hn. The smell of blood led them here." "This isn't getting anywhere." They were tired and scratched all over the place. Hiei had use the Gokuryuha on himself to power up but as the number of enemies increase, he felt the side effect kicking in. Risking it in the one blow he can manage, Hiei gathered remaining youki. "Jyao Ensatsu Gokuryuha!" he yelled. The black dragon managed to wipe out most wolves but not all. "Ch'" he spat before letting fatigue take him. [This is the only chance to get away.] She picked up Hiei and began to run. "Ch'. You're heavier than I thought." She kept running, and after some distance, looked back. "!!" The wolves were gaining on them! She turned her head back to the front and ran faster. She spotted a cave and quickly ran in without much thought. The wolves skidded to a stop. They didn't enter the cave for whatever reasons Mizuko didn't know, but for now at least, they were safe.
Mizuko's POV
A little while later, I had a fire started and Hiei was lying near it. The cave had good airing so the smoke won't suffocate us. I even found a small pool of water! I began to clean Hiei's wounds first before bandaging them up the best I could. Guess having a doctor for a father really helps, huh? After that, I cleared myself up as well. The sky had turned completely dark when I was beside the fire with Hiei. The wolves were prowling outside the cave but they won't come into this cave. I didn't know why but at least it kept them away. Sitting with my knees drawn up to my chest, I sat facing the fire. [I have no idea where we are, no idea how to go back, no idea when Hiei's going to wake up.] I just stared into the fire, intently watching the orange flames as it flickered now and then. After a while of staring into the fire, I turned to look at the unconscious Hiei. As far as I checked, he was still asleep. [He's really so much cuter when he's sleeping.]
I slowly shifted closer. I reached out hesitantly. I wanted to touch his face but I didn't dare. What if he woke up? I won't want him to get angry. I didn't think he would like any contact with other people. It must have looked strange, sitting there with my hand hanging in midair as if trying to catch something. I withdrew my hand and contented myself with just looking at him. [When you still can do so freely…] said a voice in my head. A hand came up to grip the fabric on my chest. [Doushite…why do I feel this pain?] The stab of longing. A longing for something so close by me and yet so untouchable.
Mizuko's thoughts
I want so much to tell how I feel, so much that it hurts. Nande? Why does it have to someone so out of my reach? Why must it be you? But I can't tell my heart what to feel. Trying to stop myself from thinking about you, it only served to make the feeling stronger. Strange how things work, huh? The more you want to escape from it, the more attached you feel. All I can do now…is to watch you…while you're still like that. For the moment you awake, I will no longer be able to gaze at you freely anymore. My chest hurts, like someone had drove a knife in it and twisted now and then. Is this how it feels to love someone who might never feel the same for you? Will you? Will you even like me a little bit? There's always a chance but I'd rather not risk what we already have. Respect for each other. Maybe…maybe even friendship. I don't want to take any chances. Sorry, but I'm a coward. Every time I want to tell you, my heart grows cold. Rejection is my greatest fear, has always been, will always be. I don't want to lose you but I really can't. I don't even own any of your feelings for me yet, so how can I lose you? But for the fear I cannot conquer, I'll just watch you from far. If only time could stop, I could stay like this and watch you forever.
3rd Person's POV
Mizuko felt like she was suffocating. Hastily, she stood up and walked to the back of the cave. She kept walking until she heard a soft swooshing sound. Mizuko squinted and almost let out a gasp. In the dark, she could barely make out the outline of a huge beast. As her eyes grew adjusted to the dark, she was able to make out certain features. It reminded her of a horribly furry yak, but with very sharp-looking fangs, scaled legs and three times the size of a bus. [So this is why the wolves won't enter. There's another predator.] By the look of it, the beast was sleeping. Mizuko crept away. Once back near the fire, she let go the breath she was holding. Now, she had even more problems. Mizuko tried to concentrate, thinking of a way to get them out of this very sticky situation. Outside, she had a pack of demon wolves waiting for them. After all, they couldn't stay in here forever and with what she just saw they needed to get out, fast. She weighed her options. She could sit and wait, hoping the wolves would give up and leave. Then, she could get both of them out. But, there's the risk whatever at the back of the cave would wake up and fancy them as a snack. Or she could chance it, go outside and fight it out. But she would most likely lose or worse, wake the monster up. And there's a chance that hunger would overcome natural instincts; the wolves' hunger may be stronger than their fear of this beast. After contemplating for a long time, Mizuko had a plan mapped out in her head. [I hope this works.] The first thing she did was get some rest. She will need the strength tomorrow.
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Dawn came early, and Mizuko didn't really sleep. She extinguished the already dying fire and moved Hiei to a rather hidden spot. [Time to do it.] Her mouth was set in a grim line, a serious glint in her eyes. She headed to the back and stood a little way from the monster. Then she did the most unexpected thing. She threw a shuriken at it. The shuriken didn't really hurt the creature, but the slight sting and the chink of metal was enough to rouse it. Its eyelids drew up slowly. Mizuko held her breath. The creature was now staring at her. She turned and ran. It took the bait and ran after her, roaring. She kept on running until she was close to the entrance of the cave. Deeming it near enough, she ducked and hid behind some rocks.
The beast ran right outside and the first thing it saw was intruders on its territory. All beasts have the instinct to protect its own territory and the fur on its neck bristled as the monster eyed the wolves. Mizuko ignored the inhuman screams and screeches as she hurriedly carried Hiei, who was unbelievably still unconscious. She sneaked out of the cave quietly. Her stomach lurched upon the sight that greeted them. Torn bodies, blood, fangs and claws. All a part of this ugly play. She turned and tried to escape, using the fight as a distraction. Unfortunately, the monster had efficiently disposed of the trespassers and now had noticed Mizuko. Bellowing, it trampled towards her.
Trying to fight a monster of humongous size, with an unconscious person on top of that, was never a good idea. And right now Mizuko felt that it was very bad indeed. Running away didn't seem like a good idea; she couldn't possibly outrun this thing! She had only one option. She put Hiei down and created a barrier around them. The creature pounded on the light blue barrier. [You've got to be kidding me!] With each pound, Mizuko could feel her barrier cracking. Gritting her teeth, Mizuko strengthened the barrier and stepped out of it, hoping to distract it. It worked, but now Mizuko had to avoid being crushed, stamped or torn apart by it.
"Gyah!" screamed Mizuko as she was thrown against her own shield. Her back was bloody with a long, deep gash acquired from the claws. She felt strength seeping out of her. The monster screeched and Mizuko covered her ears. Just then, it swung round and slammed its thick tail at her. The impact broke her ribs, and the barrier behind her. Mizuko felt very light-headed. She was in excruciating pain and blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth. Mizuko was only barely aware that the monster was advancing on her. "Rose Whip!" was the last thing she heard before darkness claimed her.
Asoko-There
Hayaku-Faster
Doushite-Why
Nande-Why
A/N: Whew! Done finally! Everyone knows who saved our little couple here. And Mizuko had to face her demons. (figurative and literally) NEXT CHAPTER!!! Why did you protect me? Please review! Arigotou.
