MUAHAHA! Koenma gets his say finally! Woo! Go Koenma, cute thang! (laughs at my stupidity)
Kairai no longer had the strength to cry. She merely trembled and hiccupped as she held onto Hiei. He held her and rocked her gently, surprised at his own kindness. He watched her as she slowly fell into a fitful slumber.
Kurama walked over and sat by his friend, a disgusted yet sad look on his face. "Why would he do something like that...?"
Hiei shrugged, carefully, so as not to wake the sleeping girl in his arms. "To protect Kairai from her sister, I think..."
The fox sighed. "I think he was in love with Kairai. You're lucky he's dead, or you might have had competition."
Hiei looked up at him sternly. "It's not funny."
"I'm not trying to be funny. I'm serious. He kidnapped her once, he could probably have done it again. And I know you and Kairai should be together."
Hiei looked back down at Kairai's face, which was contorted in sorrow. "What if she just... What if she misses Damian too much to move on? What if she lives with grief and regret forever? What if she can't be happy with me?"
Kurama closed his eyes, chuckling softly. "Once... you told me, 'A soul that did not carry scars on his heart would be a shallow soul.' I still believe that..."
Hiei brushed Kairai's hair back from her forehead carefully. "But, fox, she's... she's not..."
"She's no weaker than us." Kurama chuckled. "Emotionally, I mean. She's been through a lot. She can last a little longer, with help. You just have to believe in her."
Hiei sighed. "We'll help her with her sister then?"
Kurama smiled. "Naturally."
They sat in mutual silence for a moment, Hiei watching Kairai, Kurama watching the sky as the moon rose. He smiled as stars blinked into existence. "Hiei, we should take her to Reikai for a while. Koenma will wonder where she is. And he'll wonder where we are, too."
"Yusuke and the oaf sure have been lazy lately. Maybe we should make them help us take down this Kozue person." Hiei said amusedly.
Kurama grinned. "Oh, yes. And we should take them on general principle: we don't know what kind of minions this woman has. What with Damian..." The fox trailed off, suddenly feeling sorrowful. He didn't quite understand why. Something nagged him at the back of his mind, something subtle and very important. He knew he was missing something. There was something more to Damian. Kairai knew what it was, Kurama thought.
Hiei nodded. "Right." He stood very carefully, holding Kairai bridestyle.
Kurama stood as well. "Portal's that way." he said briefly, pointing south.
End Chapter Thirty Three
Kurama walked confidently into Koenma's office, Hiei close behind with Kairai.
Koenma looked up from his papers, eyes immediately widening. "You found her!" he exclaimed in slight disbelief.
The fox nodded to the teen prince. "With great difficulty."
Hiei stepped forward, the sleeping girl cradled in his arms. "She needs rest."
Koenma ran around his desk and stood in front of the emiko, staring at Kairai worriedly. He glanced up at Hiei, who glared back stubbornly as if to say, "Forget it. Touch her and you're dead."
Koenma nodded and turned to walk down a hallway. "This way." he said over his shoulder.
Kurama and Hiei followed him to an extravagant room with a huge bed- complete with a canopy- in the middle. Hiei set Kairai down on it, carefully placing her head on the pillow.
Kurama nodded and left to wait outside for Hiei.
The emiko glared at Koenma fully. "I get it. You want her."
Koenma shrugged. "I want her to be happy. Why should you care? It's none of YOUR business. I am still your superior, Jaganshi." he said firmly.
"But she loves ME. You know that." Hiei snarled.
"Why so possessive?" The Reikai prince gasped mockingly. "Could it be? The heartless emiko actually... cares for someone?"
Hiei glared but said nothing.
"Or maybe... you're just fooling around? Are you merely playing?" Koenma continued, eyes narrowing slightly.
The emiko growled. "You're asking for it, fool. Don't push me, or you might find your head suddenly gone from your shoulders."
The prince stared at Hiei for a very long time in silence. He finally turned and left, though he wanted to ask more questions. He began to walk to his office, thought better of it, then turned back around and hid in the room next to the one Hiei and Kairai were in. He waited until Hiei had left, then went back to Kairai.
He leaned over her, watching her. Her eyebrows went up on the inner ends in grief and pain, she was biting her lower lip so hard he thought she might draw blood, and her fists were clenched at her sides, every muscle strained.
Koenma ran his fingertips up her arm soothingly, debating what he would tell her when she woke up...
End Chapter Thirty Four