Chapt. 13

Nameless Tears

Two months later, my arms worked as good as new. Kurama said they healed faster than normal, but he was glad I was back. He forgave me for kickin' him. Hiei still hasn't, and it's been four months since.

"Shuuto? Oi, Shuuto!" I call, dragging his pants as I run. Damned brat changed into a dog again. "Where could that demon bastard be?"

"Talkin' 'bout me?" Hiei frowns, jogging beside me suddenly.

"Naw, the midget one," I answer. Then I laugh. "I mean Shuuto." My silver-eyed friend is taller than Hiei now, even with his hair stickin' up like it does.

Hiei glares at me, causing my laughter to grow.

"Get used to it!" I tease. "Not like I've grown much since you met me."

"Hn."

Suddenly I skid to a halt and glance around. Something tugged at my brain a moment ago.

"Hiei, did you feel that?"

"What?"

"A tug at your brain. Just a moment ago."

"Hey, you hear that?" He points to the east.

I strain my ears for a moment, closing my eyes and clearing my thoughts. "Barking…?"

"Thought so. C'mon." Hiei races off and I follow best as I can after him. I can no longer see him, but I can hear the barking getting louder. I scramble up a grassy hill and stop at the top in shock.

"Fuck…" I whisper, staring wide-eyed at the burning village. I never knew it was there before, but now it doesn't matter. Staring at the bottom of the hill, I see Hiei and a brown dog. "Shuuto!" I call as I slide down the hill, cutting my bare feet on rocks and sticks. As the dog begins to change, I toss him his pants and slide down the remainder of the way backwards.

"Took y'all long enough," Shuuto snaps, jabbing my arm with his finger.

"So sue me," I growl, jabbing him back.

Before a wrestling match broke out between us, Hiei asks, "What happened here?"

"Dunno. Stumbled upon it when the fire was still small and helped the people out. They're on the other side of that hill." Shuuto points to his right. Hiei flits off in that direction, but I stay and stare at the flames.

"You sure you got them all out?" I question, my heart pounding.

"Positive, why?"

"My heart is pounding." The houses crack and fall in, as they should, but I can hear something other than that.

"What's that sound?" Shuuto growls, holding his head and staring into the fires.

"There's still someone out there!" Hiei calls from the hilltop. Before another moment can be wasted, I race into the burning village.

The sound keeps resonating in my ears, but I can't make it out.

"If you can hear me, call out your name!" I yell, taking in a breath of smoke. Falling to the ground, I cough uncontrollably, trying to rid myself of the suffocating air.

But I stop suddenly as I hear, "Kaoru!" being called through the cracking fire.

"Call it again!" I cough, crawling towards the voice.

"Kaoru!" To the right. "Kaoru!" A little farther. "Kaoru!" This one!

I open the door and smoke billows out into my face. Scrambling away, I gag and hold my scorched right hand to my chest.

A scream jolts me back to reality. Pulling my shirt up over my nose, I jump through the fire blocking the door and roll across the smoky room.

"Where are ya, kid!" I call, coughing again.

A wheezing answers me. I follow it to the corner of the room. A small boy, smoky and black, is curled up against the cracking wall.

"C'mon, 'less you wanna die!" I say, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him through the smoke. When we come to the fire-blocked doorway, I toss the child through and jump after him. Just as I clear the opening, the house bursts into flames and falls to the ground.

The kid starts to hack and cough and cry, so I pull him to my lap. Then I begin to feel dizzy. And then everything is black.

"Nanashi," a voice whispers.

I twist and moan, not wanting to open my eyes.

"Nanashi, get up," the same voice calls, shaking my shoulder gently.

"Dead…alone…grrr…" I mumble, pulling a blanket over my head.

"Fine, I'll just let Hiei resurrect you," the voice says, not kidding at all.

"Awright, I'm up!" I yell, jolting forward and looking around for any signs of Hiei. That youkai would murder me for being so stupid…again.

"Good. Oh, and Hiei wants a word with you."

My head swivels around to stare at the voice, alias Yusuke.

"The hell he does! One word, are you nuts! He's gunna chew me up and spit me out into next Thursday!"

"Shoulda thought about that 'fore you did somethin' stupid."

"There weren't no time for thinkin'! That boy woulda died if I hadn't acted! I saved his life, and you wanna let Hiei chew me out? What the fuck is wrong with you!"

His hand flies across my face, the smack echoing in my ears. I glare hard at the bed, forcing my tears to stay back. I knew this happiness would never last.

"Watch your tongue," Yusuke hisses, exiting the room.

Taking a final glare at the door, I get up and go to the window. Second story, no problem. I open it and crouch on the sill, leaning out carefully.

"Nanashi, wait a minute!"

I look back and see Hiei standing in the doorway. "No. I was lied to. I was hurt. Take care of Shuuto and make sure he isn't lied to or hurt." With that said, I slip out of the window and stumble upon landing.

"Nanashi!" Hiei calls after me from the window.

Without so much as a glare, I take off, not knowing where to. Not caring.

Tears slip from my eyes.

Real tears.

Youkai - Demon