Finally, a regular length chapter. It's 1350 words...long enough, GOT IT? Lol, hope you like this chapter.
The next morning Hiei woke up when he heard a shriek.
"Oh my god, Kei!"
Hiei walked into the family room to find Kei trying to calm down a hysteric Yukina.
"I'm okay. I swear. It's just a little blood. I'll wash it up."
"You promised you'd stop going out at night!"
"I'm sorry," Kei did sound sorry. "I'm sorry. Just relax."
Neither woman had noticed Hiei enter, so he grunted. Kei tensed up and turned. "Oh, hi."
Hiei ignored her and addressed his sister. "Are you okay Yukina."
"Oh, yes." She nodded. "I was just shocked, but I'm fine now."
"I see," Hiei took a quick look at Kei. "What happened to you?" He decided to play ignorant for Yukina's sake.
"Oh, just me and my clumsy self." She said, trying to play it off.
"Hn." He didn't feel like talking anymore. "It's messy, are you planning on cleaning up?"
"Yes." She stood up and bent over to pick up one of the towels she had used last night, and winced. Yukina didn't catch it, but Hiei did.
"Why don't I make some breakfast? Kazuma and Kurama should be waking up soon." Yukina headed toward the kitchen.
Hiei leaned against the doorframe and watched Kei try to bend over and pick up the other towel. "You really are a stupid girl," he said, shaking his head.
"How do you figure that?" she asked, massaging her stomach as she tried to bend over again.
"If you're hurting, it's okay to tell someone." Why am I giving her advice I would never follow?
"No," she whispered. "No, it's not." She fell to her knees, sobbing.
Hiei hadn't been expecting that. What now?
"If you tell someone you're hurting you have to explain why. And no matter why you're hurting, even if you fell and scraped a knee, it admits a weakness. And you can't trust them to never use that weakness." She was crying.
Tentatively, Hiei took a step towards her. "You're too dramatic." He said. "Not everything is so…hopeless."
"My my. My ears deceive me." Kurama had found his way downstairs. "Hiei, comforting someone."
Hiei turned away. "I was just trying to make the girl stop crying. It's annoying."
Kurama knelt beside Kei. "What's wrong? Did Hiei say something stupid or blunt?"
"No," She said, wiping the tears away. "It's nothing."
Kurama knew she was lying. What he didn't know was what she was crying about, or how Hiei was involved. "Okay. But if you want to talk to someone, Hiei might now be the best choice. You can come to me."
"Whatever." By then she had regained her composure. "Yukina makes delicious breakfast, why don't you go on in and eat it?"
Hiei didn't need to be told twice. He entered the kitchen to find heaping stacks of pancakes, a huge platter of scrambled eggs, orange juice, toast, and bacon. He stared at it dumbly.
"Have you ever had this sort of food, Hiei?" Yukina asked. "I hadn't until I moved in with Kazuma."
"What are these?" he said, pointing at the eggs.
"They're called eggs," Kurama chuckled.
"Like from a bird or reptile?" Hiei asked.
"Yes."
"Oh."
Yukina giggled. "Let's all sit down and eat."
Kei didn't come in for breakfast, which made Kurama suspicious. But before he could go talk to her, Hiei ambushed him.
"I have to talk to you."
"Concerning what?"
"Of rumors you may have heard in the demon world."
"Oh?"
"This Kei, her abilities. I had heard of a demon not unlike her in the demon world. Half wolf, half fire. Secrets revealed. Young girl."
Kurama looked thoughtful. "I'll tell you what I know if you tell me what happened last night."
"How could you tell?"
"I heard you return," He admitted. "I must admit, I have been curious."
"Oh. Fair enough." Hiei gave a brief description of the events of the former night.
"I see." Kurama looked distant. "Now I have to tell you what I heard.
'A young female demon is causing chaos in demon world. She's been very active. It is unknown if she works with anyone else.'
'What are her powers?'
'She is a half breed, so she possesses the powers of wolf and fire, among other things. Her key ability is having someone's deepest secret revealed to her when they meet. She is dangerous-she has been murdering S class demons. Not only that, when she kills, it's brutal. Bodies mutilated, so much so it seems another person must have been there. Reports say her work is fast, and she leaves the body in public for someone to find.'
'She must be very confident.'
'That's the odd thing. Before it was known as a fact that she was the murderer, government officials questioned her. She didn't seem confident. She seemed angry, depressed, and scared.' "
"A professional assassin." Hiei mused.
"Why do you assume that? Perhaps she does it for the thrill."
Hiei shook his head. "She is not like I was. She was not excited by the scent of blood."
"But it was her own."
"That's regardless."
"How is that?"
"A true killer thrives off the scent of blood. They want to see it, taste it, feel it dripping down their hands."
"Hiei…are you speaking from experience?"
He didn't reply. "Someone's blackmailing the girl."
"Do you know who this someone is?"
"No."
Kurama decided Hiei was done talking, and it would not be wise to push him. "I'm going to my mother's house today. If I am needed, you know where to find me."
He headed towards his human mother's home. When he got there, he rang the doorbell.
The door opened a crack. "Who's there?"
"Only your son."
"Shuichi?" She opened the door wider? "It really is you!" She embraced her son tightly. "I knew you were going away, but three years without a single visit?"
"I'm sorry Mom. I'm here now."
"And it's wonderful to see you. You've grown."
"Hmm? Oh, maybe a bit."
"Come in, come in. Actually, I have some company. You remember I have a degree in psychology?"
"Yes…"
"Well I decided to turn in into a career. Sort of. Come meet my patient."
She herded him into the family room where a girl was sitting with her back turned.
"Kei, I'd like you to meet my son, Shuichi."
"I don't have to meet anyone. I hate this stupid program and-KURAMA!"
"Kei?" He was equally surprised. "This is your patient Mom?"
"Yes. This is Kei. She's part of the Juvenile Correction Program."
This just gets better and better. "Juvenile Correction? Kei, you forgot to mention that."
"You two have met?"
"Yes."
"Oh." She glanced at Kei. "I had no idea. Kei, I hope you're not ignoring your parole."
"Parole?"
"Yes. Oh, Shuichi, let me explain."
"Don't explain." Kei said hastily.
"Oh Kei, this is my son. He won't tell anyone."
As Kei sulked in the corner Kurama's mother explained what had happened. "You see, Kei was walking alone one night, and a man tried to grope her. Instantly, she fought back. But she didn't stop, she beat him bloody. I think it was instinct, but the jury thought she needed a parole. She's not allowed to go to any public places after 6 o'clock without an escort."
"Oh. Who is she living with?"
Kei glared at him.
"She's living with a man named Kazuma Kuwabara and his wife, actually. Oh Shuichi, didn't you have a friend named Kuwabara?"
"Yes, I did." Kurama sweat-dropped. "A husband and wife?"
"Well, I assume they're married. A young couple wouldn't take in another for any other reason."
"Oh…okay."
Kei stood up. "My hour is over. Can I go now?"
"Oh yes. Come back tomorrow."
Kei slammed the door behind her and Kurama's mother sighed. "She's such a smart girl, but she doesn't care for school at all. She's caught up in things, I just know it."
"Not everyone has an easy time opening up." Kurama said, thinking of Hiei. "You're a wonderful person for trying to get her to."
She smiled. "Thank you. But now let's catch up. I've missed you so much."