Chapter Fourteen- Asa's Return
I hear the wind call your name.
It calls me back home again.
It sparks up the fire,
A flame that still burns.
Oh, it's to you I will always return.
She was there. He wasn't dreaming. She had a rather interesting new outfit – dark blue jean bell bottoms, black boots, and a black tank top under a form-fitting coat. A black choker hung around her neck as well, with an opal pendent hanging from it. Her hair had gotten longer, and her arm was no longer in its cast. She stood there, looking quite different from the innocent girl they'd all known before she went to Ireland, but at his utterance of her name, she turned her pearly blue eyes to meet his emerald ones. It seemed Ireland had softened her temper, for the moment she saw him, she smiled shyly, and those blue eyes began sparkling.
He took a moment to take in her new appearance, unaware of the knowing looks his friends shot his way. She looked well. Actually (he almost blushed gracefully but hid it well) she looked gorgeous. With that new outfit, more worldly eyes, longer hair…an aura of mystery encompassed her, adding to her already perfect persona.
Still feel your breath on my skin.
I hear your voice deep within.
The sound of my lover,
A feeling so strong.
Oh, it's to you I will always belong.
He vaguely realized Koenma was speaking, but what he said sounded distant and muffled as the girl he was speaking of walked to Kurama's side and sat down, reaching out and taking one of his hands in both of hers.
Now I know it's true.
My every road leads to you.
And in the hour of darkness, darling,
Your light gets me through…
At that moment, it seemed like everyone else had vanished, and Asa took his hand into her lap, smiling comfortingly at him as the others listened to the prince.
I wanna swim in your river,
Be warmed by your sun,
Bathe in your waters,
'Cause you are the one…
Heedless of their friends, she leaned forward, putting her lips by his ear, a curtain of dark hair falling over her shoulder to cover her face as she whispered to him, "I'm sorry…I overreacted, and I was wrong… I love you."
I can't stand the distance.
I can't dream alone.
I can't wait to see you.
Yes, I'm on my way home.
His eyes widened considerably, but when she pulled back, face aflame, he offered her a smile. I love you, too, Asa-chan…
Oh, I hear the wind call your name.
The sound that leads me home again.
It sparks up the fire,
A flame that still burns.
I'm on my way – I will always return.
Yes, I will always return.
I've seen every sunset,
And with all that I've learned…
Oh…it's to you I will always, always return.
The words had seemed to pass over his lips, but he didn't hear them. Panic swept through him then, as he realized he couldn't speak! A bright light blinded him, and in the next instant, he looked up to see that everything he'd just experienced…
…was a hallucination. (Oh, come on, you didn't seriously think it'd be that easy to get them back together, did you? She's still pretty highly pissed at all of them!)
Asa still stood in the doorway, behind Genkai, wearing the black outfit, but her long heir was tamed into a braid that hung over her shoulder, her face was certainly not smiling – it was set in a firm frown – and her eyes weren't meeting his; in fact, they couldn't be further from meeting his gaze – she was focused on the doorframe, her head turned away from him.
But he had just hallucinated, and in his mind he'd admitted…his mind! His eyes flashed as they turned from Asa to Hiei, who was smirking at him knowingly. Damn! He wasn't taken to cursing, but it was not good when he let his injuries take his conscious thoughts from him and reveal his secrets to the only one of his friends capable of getting to them…
It occurred to him that he'd been right about one other thing from his hallucination – Koenma was speaking – surprise, surprise.
"…and she'll be in Genkai's charge, but your protection. We have time – Sakai can't get all the way through the wormhole into the Divine World until the cherubim decide his soul has been cleansed." (Any Alison Baird fans in here? If so, do you recognize that? All credit goes to Alison Baird for this idea, btw.)
"Wait – cherubim?"
"Yes," Asa spoke darkly in reply to Yusuke's question. "Cherubim. They guard Kamekai from evil…and before you ask, Sakai isn't fully evil. The souls he's devoured, believe it or not, have cleansed his own soul enough to make it almost human. So I need to break through the barrier in less than a month, or else we're all – "
" – Screwed," Yusuke and Kuwabara finished in unison.
"Not what I was gonna say, but pretty much." So, Kurama thought, frowning, We'll be training her, too.
Yes, we will. Too bad for you, Fox.
He glared at Hiei sharply. Now Genkai was telling them, "…so as soon as you can move, Yukina will take you to your rooms."
She took Koenma into the hall for a word, and Asa was bombarded with questions, mostly from Kuwabara and Yusuke.
"How've ya been?"
"What'd you do!"
"Why do you look so different!"
"What happened!"
"When did you find out you were a priestess!"
"Where'd ya get those clothes!"
"How long 'til you lose 'em?"
"Shut up, Urameshi! This is Asa for crying out loud!"
"Yes, leave her alone you perverted JERK!" Keiko slugged him hard on the arm. Asa smirked as he cried out in pain and the couple started to argue. Just like old times…She paused then, and glanced at her cast-free arm, dark outfit, then at each of her friends, and added with a rueful smirk, Well, almost.
She looked back up, and just as the pair of inquisitive emerald eyes caught hers, she crossed her arms over her chest and edged out of the doorway, turning her head to give a quick smile to Kasumi, Natsumi, Jin, and Touya. "Where've you all been?" she asked quietly.
"We jus' caught up to ye, lass! Haven't we taught ye some patience?" Jin chuckled, earning a raised eyebrow from Asa.
"No. You haven't," she replied tersely, leaving the room. All the girls glanced around, and left Jin and Touya to take care of the guys, exclaiming that it was "girl time," and that they had to see if Asa was still angry about the secrets they'd kept.
"That sounds like a plan, but I would advise you not to annoy her," Touya said. "She could bring down the temple at any time."
The girls exchanged a nervous look, and took Yukina, Kasumi, and Natsumi with them on their quest to reconcile with the younger priestess. She had already passed by Koenma and Genkai, who said that she was going to the gardens, and indeed, it was there that they found her, always having been the one to take care of the flowers in the Labyrinth's courtyards when she could.
At present moment, she was taking small amounts of water from the fountain and pouring it over the roots of a lilac bush. Keiko was the first to approach her, always the motherly sort that Asa could get along with.
"Asa-chan, we need to talk…" she said gently, rousing the girl's attention. Asa nodded to signal to her to begin the conversation, which Keiko feared would be more one-sided than she'd thought. "You're…still angry. For the secret?"
"Shouldn't I be?" Asa asked tersely, standing and dusting off her hands before turning back to them. She glanced at Kasumi and Natsumi with a small smile. "Didn't think you two'd be joining the berate."
"We're just referees," Kasumi said, smirking back.
"Oh, okay. Well then," she turned back to Keiko, Botan, and Yukina. "Give me five good reasons why I shouldn't be angry, and I'll drop it now."
"Firstly, because being angry has changed you – or maybe you did that for a different reason," Botan giggled at Asa's look then. "Secondly, because of that different reason…he's been completely guilty since you left. Thirdly, because you're Asa, and being mad at us isn't an option. Fourthly, because if you don't drop it, I'll tell Hiei on you!"
"…Pretty good reasons. Can I offer the ones why I am angry?" She raised an eyebrow, and they nodded. "In not telling me about what you guys have been involved in, you were saying that you didn't trust me as a confidante, which is really not cool. You also proved that all of you only think I'm a child still – and I'm not. You were trying to protect me from something that, had I known about it, would have probably saved me. By lying to me all this time, you all could have been endangered by me, and that's been weighing down on my conscience since I found out about the guys… How the hell did you guys expect me to be able to live with myself, knowing that I couldn't figure this out, and that you might have been feeling a lot of pain from it. What if one of the boys had gotten hurt – or one of you? Actually, if I remember correctly, all of you have been hurt!" Her rant had grown from informative to emotional, and they knew then that it was probably wrong of them to hold back in telling her their secret. Tears had started to well in her eyes, but for the life of her, she didn't let them fall. "What if he had gotten…"
She ducked her head down then, shading her eyes, and Keiko could see how hard she was trying not to cry. Surprisingly enough, it was Yukina who stepped forth to comfort their younger friend, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, Asa-chan, you know none of us ever meant to hurt your feelings," she told the girl. "Kurama and the rest of us just thought we could keep you out of this, and keep you the same innocent person as you always were. It is good to be that innocent."
Clouds had started to gather in the skies above them, and soft rain drops fell to the ground around them, but not upon them. Startled, they realized a moment too late that it was Asa who was making it rain – making the sky cry the tears she could not. Softly, she spoke to Yukina, "I just can't forgive him."
"I'm sure you don't mean that, Asa-chan…"
-
The rain was now falling in torrents, signaling to the others that Asa was indeed highly upset with them. But she still was sitting in the tea room with the girls, joined by Genkai, who eyed her with something akin to concern as she glanced outside at the storm. "Yukina, I think the boys can be moved to their rooms now," she advised the young ice maiden, who nodded and went to help them to their new rooms. "Girls, if you would go help her," she added, raising an eyebrow at the others, who took the hint and left, knowing that she meant to speak privately with Asa.
After the door shut behind them, the elder psychic gazed from it to the young priestess who sat staring into her tea. "You've changed, Asa."
"Doesn't everyone?"
"Yes, but not like this. Not even these new powers of yours should have altered your spirit. Something happened in Ireland."
"Yes…something did."
"But you won't tell me what."
"Nope. Stubborn ol' me, can't tell anybody anything." Genkai sent her a sharp glare of disapproval, and she shrugged. "I'm sorry, Genkai! If I could, I'd gladly tell you everything that happened in Ireland – it was a freaking rollercoaster ride. But I can't. It's a whole big secrecy thing. I can tell you that…I won't be so different for long."
"What do you mean?" Genkai asked, sitting across from the girl.
"What I mean is…" She paused, searching for the right words. "I'm…not like the others now. I have to be that way until…another time." She knew her words were perplexing, but she gave the psychic a look that begged her to understand.
"I see. So, what I think you mean is, you couldn't explain it until you were a full-fledged priestess. Am I right?" Asa broke into a grin, nodding. "Hmm…well, I suppose that's fair. But I do need to ask you one more thing."
"Aa?" Asa asked tentatively, raising an eyebrow.
"This new look of yours…was it designed for a specific purpose?" She knew very well that Asa knew what she was talking about, and was answered by the younger girl's blush. "Ah, so it is. I thought as much. I won't pretend to acknowledge that the advice your grandmother gave you is true, but I can assure you…" Glancing about, she leaned across the table, whispering very quietly, "I think you are "letting yourself have it." He seemed very…entranced."
Blushing furiously, Asa replied, "Well thanks for that tidbit, Miss Genkai, but I think I should be going to bed now…"
"Of course. You know where your room is." Asa bid her a hasty goodnight, and fled to her room – just as Yukina was helping Kurama into the one across from hers.
She happened upon the scene of the red-haired fox demon almost falling forward when Yukina rested him against the wall, and hurried forth, more out of instinct than will, to catch him – his face landed in the nape of her neck, but his arms had reached out instinctively to catch himself by bracing against the wall, and when Yukina turned back to them, the result appearance was rather interesting. Asa's eyes were saucer-wide, and so were his, when he lifted his head to stare at her, while she held him up around the midsection and his arms were braced against the wall on either side of her.
"Um…do you think you two could find a more appropriate place for that?" Yukina asked timidly, causing the mortified pair to hastily part. (OMG you don't KNOW how long I've been wanting to do that! (is rolling around laughing on the floor)) She wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders, frowning as if in annoyance, although he could still plainly see her bright blush at such proximity as Yukina took his other arm and both of them led him into the room – which was, as previously mentioned, right across from hers, to her chagrin. Genkai must've set her up, she realized with annoyance, cheeks puffing out angrily.
"I'm sorry, Asa-chan," Kurama muttered, drawing her attention back to him. She realized he was speaking about more than what had just occurred, and simply gave him a brisk nod in reply. She couldn't forgive him – but a part of her told her she already had. She couldn't be near him – but apparently, the fates were against her. The rule that she'd learned…just after her training…it had forbidden…
"Asa, we should let him rest now," Yukina interrupted her thoughts, causing her to blink at her, blushing when she realized she'd been tending to Kurama without knowing it, and had just finished fluffing his pillows and forcing him against them while he spoke to the ice maiden and tried to ignore her.
"Um…yeah. Sure. Okay. Sweet dreams, Fox-boy." She almost slapped herself in the forehead as she crossed the hall to her room. Jesus, Asa! "Sweet dreams, Fox-boy?" Could you have come up with anything less obvious! Furious with herself, she kicked off her boots and shrugged out of her coat, moving to the center of the room and pulling a piece of chalk out of a small bag attached to her belt. She drew a temporary Circle on the ground (a/n: a Circle is a … well, a circle, with the elements and their symbols designed into it, specifically designed for finding your "center," or collecting your power. Basically for meditating), and sat down in the middle of it Indian style, closing her eyes.
Umbra. Lumina. Humus. Aqua. Flamma. Ventus. Meas servas, ex vitā, in anima mea. Serva tuus volunta! (a/n: In translation. "Shadow. Light. Earth. Water. Flame. Wind. My servants, out of life, into my spirit. Serve your purpose.)
The Latin words were familiar now, drawing energy from the elements to balance her mind and make her spirit calm again. After today's activities, she desperately needed that calm. She'd almost blown it twice – by nearly allowing herself to cry, by what she'd just done concerning the fox demon across the hall…
Calm down, Asa. Chill out. Just concentrate on the words…
Repeating them to herself further calmed her appearance, and after about ten minutes, the storm outside died down as well. She almost sighed in relief, falling back and folding her arms behind her head as she stared at the ceiling. I seriously need to get a grip if I plan on letting myself start to get over that damn secret they kept from me. She bristled. See, Asa, you're not doing yourself or anyone else any good by getting upset. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the day her grandmother had taught her the self-calming chant.
"Asa, take heed of these words, they'll help you… It will be difficult to keep your calm without them, when that boy you're so angry with is near."
"Nanna, why exactly am I wanting to stay calm again?"
"I have yet to tell you this reason," she sighed. "Asa…a part of the training to become a priestess is within your own soul…until you do gain your full powers, you may not…"
She awoke several hours later with one hell of a backache. Groaning, she lifted her head and slowly turned it, so as not to further offend the muscles in her neck, to glance at her watch, which told her it was now about six in the morning. She'd spent all night on that damn floor, and now she'd be facing a day full of trying to tend to the boys, who she could help to make their healing process quicker, and possibly doing some training with Genkai, with a throbbing in her shoulders and neck. "Blessed bullshit," she mumbled under her breath. (a/n: my best friend started that curse. We were going down main street while visiting my grandparents in NY and some random guy came up to us and started spazzing out about how he was the Blessed One meant to save our souls and all that… After he walked away, she muttered, "Blessed? Yeah, blessed something… Blessed bullshit." It…was kinda hilarious at the time. Although now I have to wonder if that was some sort of message from God telling me to get my butt in shape… (nervous look))
She stood up, and went to her duffel bag, rummaging through it for some clean clothes then going into the bathroom attached to her room to shower and change, praying that the hot water would do something for her backache.
It didn't, of course, since Irony was a bitch to her.
As big a bitch Irony could be, though, she always seemed to land Asa into situations that on normal days would probably be a lot more enjoyable. Since she wasn't anywhere near a normal day, however, the situation Irony chose to create for her this time seemed…rather stinking cruel. Those damn fates…
Kurama, it seemed, had been healing faster than the others – except for Hiei, who was healing about the same time as him, the two being demons and all, and had made a hasty recovery. Unfortunately for Asa as well as the rather disgruntled fox demon, he had an urge to take a shower – and the bathroom Yukina directed him to was across the hall, which he hadn't known was also the one Asa'd be using during their stay.
He was still focused on keeping himself upright, extremely mortified by the thought of another episode like the night before, so the sound of running water didn't reach his usually-alert and -sensitive ears, although it would have been quite a warning sign. He backed into the door, carrying his own change of clothing on his arm, and turned – to meet the utterly horrified gaze of Asa, who thankfully had grabbed a towel over herself just when she'd noticed the door opening.
"Oh…err…" Stupidly, he remarked, "Hi Asa." Then, she grabbed the first thing her hand hit – a bottle of shampoo, and hurled it at him, crying out a vulgar term that he had thought was associated with the fatherless, but apparently could be used for people who accidentally did stupid things as well.
"YOU ARE A DAMN FOX DEMON AND YOU COULDN'T HEAR THAT I WAS IN HERE!" he heard her roar, as he ducked out of the line of fire and shut the door behind him, blushing a brighter red than his flaming hair.
"Mm…oops?" he offered with a nervous chuckle, retreating quickly into his room, but listening closely as Asa continued muttering and practically crying in embarrassment as she hastily dressed and retreated into her own room – locking both doors. (Very Kenshin moment. Sorry. Had to do it.)
However, that was…not the first bad experience the two of them had…
-
OMG I'm getting back into bad experience fluff. All for you guys! (beams) So, any comments from the peanut gallery?
Kurama- O…M…G…
…Did you just speak in Net-English?
Kurama- W…T…F…was THAT!
…(shy grin) Anyway. Review responding now please?
Kurama- ...Uh, sure. We can do that.
I should hope so.
Hiei- Sun Priestess, hi. Yes, everyone's back together...but, you were right, obviously. Asa is still being a moody onna. Thanks for the review!
Touya- Hi Sazuka-Chan! Meka-chan made me immortal so you can glomp me so tight my head pops off, but I have no clue what she meant by that, so. Thanks for the review, and you're welcome! And, um...come back, and there'll be cookies and fluff later!
(BTW, Touya's on a sugar-high.)
Kurama- Hi, Mel! We've missed you! And of COURSE I'll still respond to your reviews - you haven't failed anyone by not reviewing that last chapter. We're ALL busy, apparently some of us more than others. (glares at Meka, who shifts away) And don't worry, Asa should heal me all up the rest of the way (adds in a mumble) if she doesn't KILL me first...
Yusuke- Lala, wow...what a cool name. It kinda reminds me of that song by that new chick, Ashlee Simpson.
(Meka pokes him) YOU know about Ashlee Simpson?
Yusuke- ...Yeah? Your point?
(shrug)
Yusuke- Anyway. Thanks for reviewing, and we hope to see you again, too!
Kuwabara- (holding the disclaimer STILL, whispering) I sell secrets for cookies! Give me a cookie and I'll give you a part of the plot. (winks)
