Forgotten
Summary: "It's like… like I don't know who I am anymore. Who I belong to…." ANGSTY Hiei/OC
Author's Notes: Yeah. My original draft of this chapter sucked, so I'm totally revamping it. Because I'm the author; I can do that. :shrug: Oh well. Yeah. I hope you guys like this chapter: it's been hell to write (and rewriting it will probably be even worse). But I always look forward to hearing from people like:
samuraiduck27: Yeah, I have to agree with you; getting kicked in the ribs doesn't serve as the best wake-up call. But really, how great can Hiei's people skills be? Besides, it takes a lot to get Akiko to wake up. Thanks for reviewing!
Taylor: Yeah, I thought that might be it. That's cool. I'm glad you think so highly of the fic! Keep reading and reviewing.
Thanks so much, guys. Your reviews really encourage me to keep working on the fic.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. Nothing. Period.
Part Six: Seeing in the Night
Akiko heaved a sigh as she leaned against the trunk of the tree that was to be her shelter that night: Kurama's parents had come back from their trip, so Akiko and Hiei were back outside.
And it really sucked, too.
But there was really nothing that could be done about it. Besides, the weather was warming up again: light zephyrs replaced the frigid wind gusts that had been shaking the few stubborn remaining leave from the trees. Silently gazing at the star-filled midnight sky, she pulled her thin knit sweater tight around her thin shoulders; she felt herself slowly dozing off, the sky becoming darker and darker….
..O.O..
"Such slaughter cannot be permitted."
"If we remain as we are, we'll all be dead by the week's end."
"We've no choice. I say we leave Ningenkai."
"But where will we go? Rekai has no room for us and the yokai of Makai would kill us sooner than look at us."
"There's nowhere else to go. It seems we are doomed to disaster."
"We will create our own world. A land of angels. Tierra des Ángeles. What say you?"
"It would be safer than staying here. But what of the human's and their war? Are we to leave them to drive themselves to extinction?"
"No. But we will give no one involved a pleasant end. Death is to be their reward. The last they will know of us. What say you, Paciencia?"
"I say you may do as you please. I choose to remain in the Human World."
"Are you mad? You will die here on your own!"
"Then I will die here. I'm staying."
"Are the humans really worth your life, Paciencia? Even after they killed your kind?"
"One mistake does not merit damnation. And we, who offer counsel to the good, should know that. Their nature is pure. Corruption is a risk present everywhere, and if they are abandoned, the humans will fall to it. They deserve better."
"They are murderers and hypocrites, Paciencia. They are not worth the time or effort. And they are certainly not worth losing eternity, becoming mortal."
"Think what you like. I am staying here, and that's final."
"Fine then! Die cursed among them! And may you burn in hell for your betrayal."
"They humans are redeemable. And I will prove it to you. Just wait."
..O.O..
Cold sweat dripped down Akiko's face and back as she woke with a start. She wiped the perspiration off with the back of her hand, her breath coming in short pants and a haunted look in her emerald eyes.
"Just a dream," she whispered to herself, gently closing her eyes. "Only a dream." And she began to slip into slumber once again, not knowing that two crimson eyes were watching her from the tree limbs above and pondering what dark dream could have disturbed her so.
Fuerza smirked, watching his sister toss in her sleep. The memories he was implanting must have been working.
"Keep dreaming, Sister," he whispered mockingly to the night air. "What you dream can't harm you."
Laughing darkly, the angel disappeared into the night.
She didn't sleep very well the rest of the night. The dream kept haunting her sleep, lurking in her mind. Not that sitting wide awake under the tree helped her escape the dream. It was just so vivid.
"Man," she muttered to herself. "I'm gonna be a total wreck."
The fire yokai, still reclining in the treetop above her head narrowed his eyes. He hadn't slept much either; he'd been watching her ever since the first time she woke during the night. He had a shrewd idea as to what had caused her to wake so suddenly, but he hoped he was wrong. He really didn't want to tell her.
Akiko's jaw cracked with a yawn as she pulled herself to her feet. Once in a standing position, she knocked on the tree trunk as if it were a door. "Hey, Boss," she called to Hiei, "We going to breakfast?"
Wordlessly, the yokai jumped from the tree and landed on his feet beside her. "What kept waking you up last night?" he demanded without a moment's preamble.
"You were watching me sleep?" the girl asked, cocking an eyebrow quizzically. "No offense, Hiei, but that's kind of creepy."
He rolled his eyes. "Just answer the question."
"No." She looked away from him. "It's really nothing. Just a stupid dream. That's all."
"What was the dream about?" the yokai asked softly.
Akiko still did not look at him, and she did not answer.
"Tell me," he demanded quietly. "I won't hurt you to tell me."
"So Hiei still hasn't brought her by here?" Kurama questioned. "That's odd. I would've expected him to be glad to relinquish responsibility for her."
"Well, this is an odd case," Koenma responded wearily. "I knew it would be. And now the angels are demanding her that the girl be sent to them." The deity rested hid head in his hands. "It's a delicate situation. Hiei can't wait much longer to bring her here. If you see him, tell him that."
"Surely he already knows that."
"Did he make any indication as to when he would bring her?"
"No. I don't think he's even told her of her true nature yet."
"That's not good. Perhaps you should go find her and bring her here. That is, if Hiei doesn't bring her within the next twenty-four hours."
"I'll go find them. Maybe I can convince Hiei to tell her. She'd probably rather hear something like this from him than from me."
The gates of Rekai loomed ominously in front of the two of them, covering both of them in its vast shadow.
"So let me try this again," Akiko said, gawking at the great blue doors. "I'm some weird being's reincarnation, and you brought me to the gates of death so that some prince guy can tell me what's gonna happen?"
"Yeah, basically," the yokai answered bluntly as the giant blue doors swung slowly open, admitting them into Rekai.
"Somehow, I don't think I'm going to like this," the girl whispered, following Hiei into the Spirit World.
Koenma eyed Akiko shrewdly over his desk, serenely taking in her appearance. "I realize that this must be difficult for you," he stated. "To be told that you're not really what you think you are and that you have to leave the land you call home can only—"
"Really suck," she finished for him, twirling a strand of her auburn hair around her finger. "I don't mind the whole 'not human' thing, but why do I have to leave? Why can't I stay here?"
"That's a complicated story," Koenma sighed. "To put it plainly, your people demand that you return to them. And denying them what they want wouldn't be a wise move for either of us."
He couldn't hear all of what they were saying: the doors of Koenma's office did a better job of stifling the sound than he would have thought. But that didn't really make much difference. He had a close enough idea as to what was being said.
Muttering an indifferent, "Hn," Hiei ambled back to the gates. She was safe now; he's kept his promise to Kurama.
And now, he was leaving.
"Okay, so I have to go back," Akiko relented. "How do I get there?"
"There will be a portal opened for you. And you'll need an escort, just to be safe. I'll contact Yusuke; he'll be—"
"That's not necessary," the girl stated. "I'll just ask Hiei to take me there." And before the deity had a chance to discourage this action, the girl was halfway to the gates.
Hiei had barely made it to the doors when Akiko caught his arm. "I have to go to Tierra des Ángeles," she said blandly.
Hiei didn't look at her. "Hn. I know."
"I want you to come with me," she whispered.
"No way."
"Why not?"
"I'm done babysitting you. I got you here safely. That's all I was supposed to do."
"I need someone to go with me. I know you won't let me get hurt, so I want you to come with me. Please?"
He was going to tell her to leave him the hell alone when he got a good look at her face. Tears were forming in her eyes. He was making her cry.
"Fine," he sighed. Damn honor code….
When Akiko let go of his arm, the yokai began ambled back to Koenma's office.
A bit taken aback, the girl called after him, "Hey! What're you doing? The portal's the other way."
"I'll meet you there," Hiei called back, not turning around. "I've got something of my own to take care of first."
She watched him go, her head cocked slightly to one side. "I'll never understand that guy," she said finally, pulling open doors as well as her diminutive frame could and heading out to the portal.
Author's Notes: Yeah. That's much better than the first draft. I'm really sorry for the delay: lots of stuff has been going on around here lately. But it should get better. Chapter seven is already being drafted, but it might take a while to finish, because I'm going to take some time to work on my original novel this week (118 Swancott Road; if you're interested in hearing some about it, send an email to the address in my profile), but I should still hopefully havechapter sevenposted before the beginning of March. Well, much thanks for reading this chapter; I hope it was okay. Please review!
