Chapter: Dreams
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters, except for Keiyma Suriei, Myrani Sakai, Etsu Nakamura, Itachi, and Zakoto.
Keiyma was soaked in sweat, but she continued to beat the punching bag senseless. She had no idea how much time had passed and was oblivious to the extreme strain on her body, its aching screams for her to stop, to rest.
She tried to resist it, but the intensity eventually wore her down past her limits. She yelled as her power left her, along with her consciousness, and she fell down to the floor with a thud.
O-o-Dream Sequence-o-O
"Get up, you stupid girl," Zakoto growled.
He kicked the form of a person who sobbed in return. Their face was engulfed and hidden by the darkness.
"M-master... I'm sure it's her. I heard them talking. They spoke of the prophecy and how they found her. She has to be Myrani." Itachi said, trembling, kneeling fearfully to Zakoto.
"No. This creature is weak. She didn't even attempt to save herself, she just pleaded for mercy, begging me, willing to obey my every wish in return for her pathetic life.
"She has to be! They said–"
"Imbecile! Do you dare question me?"
"Never!" Itachi cried. He fell to the floor and began kissing Zakoto's feet.
"That isn't necessary," Zakoto said, pulling away from the groveling servant. "Perhaps your failure may still work to our advantage. This isn't Myrani. But, the spirit detectives have yet to figure that out. We can use her."
Zakoto bent down and pulled up his prisoner by her blonde hair.
"You are going to be our spy, little girl. You will discover the weaknesses of each detective. You will tell us how to kill them all." He moved his face closer boring his eyes into hers. "Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes... my lord," squeaked Etsu.
-End Dream-
"Hello? EARTH TO KEIYMA!"
Keiyma woke with a start at the scream, holding her poor, damaged ear.
She looked up to see Genkai, Yusuke, and Etsu all standing above her.
"What happened to you?" Etsu asked, offhandedly. Keiyma's eyes widened in remembrance and she fiercely pushed the girl to the ground.
"BACK OFF, SPY!" she yelled, raising her fist angrily at the now terrified Etsu.
"Keiyma, calm down. What the hell are you talking about?" demanded Yusuke.
"She's a spy... I saw it all! She works for Zakoto! She gave you all up to save herself. We can't trust her!"
"What? Where did you see this?"
"Before you woke me up. She agreed to work for him. She called him her lord!"
"Keiyma!" Yusuke rubbed his forehead, annoyed. "You mean you DREAMED it?"
"I-I..." Keiyma began, and then stared down at the floor, dumbfounded.
"Are you serious? You can't go around attacking people over DREAMS. Are you some kind of idiot?"
"Shut up! Why don't you just get the hell out of here and leave me alone?"
"Yeah sure, go ahead and bitch at me for helping you out..."
"I didn't need help."
"Whatever. I have to go finish training Etsu anyway," He said, dragging Etsu out the door.
Keiyma leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.
"It just seemed so real," she whispered to herself.
She sighed, frustrated, and looked back down to see Genkai was still in the room.
"What is it now? Going to lecture me on how I'm too weak and useless to stand up?"
"Nice attitude," Genkai said, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, like yours is any better," Keiyma replied stiffly.
Genkai raised her eyebrow.
"I can't help but wonder what it was that made you punch that bag so hard. I highly doubt you were simply training. Maybe... pretending it was someone else?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Listen girl, I've got much better hearing than my good-for-nothing apprentice. How do you think I discovered you'd fainted? We were right next to the porch where you were talking to Hiei. I heard the conversation."
Keiyma flinched.
"So what?"
"It's not like I've never experienced unrequited love myself. It takes over even the strongest among us."
"Unrequited love?"
"Obviously you haven't even admitted your feelings to yourself, yet. Well, until you can, you won't be able to overcome them."
"I don't have any feelings to admit."
"Whatever you want to believe. I mean, your mind wouldn't purposely dream thoughts of Etsu being a traitor so that you'd still have a chance with him, right?" Genkai said with a smirk. "I'll leave you to your training. Just, try not to pass out this time," she added, walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Crazy old hag," Keiyma muttered to the door.
Genkai was wrong. Keiyma didn't have feelings for Hiei. Not really.
She couldn't deny that it felt good to touch him, warm and comfortable. It felt as though everything was right in the world. It was a feeling she had never had before.
But that was nothing. She didn't love him. She thought maybe he cared for her. It was stupid, but, god, she wanted it so bad. Someone who really cared for her, who didn't just want to hurt her…
Was that so much to ask?
Keiyma wanted to cry, but she didn't. She had already promised herself she wouldn't. Not anymore. The unreleased emotion built up inside her, but she refused to let it out.
Suddenly, her eyes flickered.
She had an idea.
She felt aware of every muscle in her body. She felt her life force and her spirit moving through her, running through her body at great speed. She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing the spirit energy to move, gathering it in her hands.
The pain was horrible. It was as though she was being pulled apart. She wanted to quit, to stop hurting so badly, but she refused. Her mind worked harder as her strength grew weaker. There was an explosion of heat that coursed through her blood, which began to boil and bubble. She was burning, shaking like mad, her hair standing on end.
Finally, something gleamed in her hands…
…and she fell once more to the ground.
O-o-Dream Sequence-o-O
Zakoto sat in a tall golden chair in dimly lit room. The décor around him was dark and gloomy, yet impeccably tasteful. Zakoto casually read the newspaper in front of him, sipping something red from a long wine glass.
"I don't mean to disturb you, Master, but, I couldn't help myself. Forgive me, I must ask, if that girl wasn't Myrani, where is she? Do you think that the spirit detectives have yet to find her?"
"Maybe, Itachi. Or, perhaps they have found her and are just too thick to realize it." He sighed. "Such a pity. We may have had the girl in our clutches and lost her."
"The girl... Keiyma was her name."
"Yes, Keiyma," Zakoto said, chuckling. "She was certainly an entertaining girl. I can't say I would despise meeting her again. Though she may not be as easy to manipulate as Etsu, I'm sure we'll find a way. Perhaps you should keep an eye on the ningen while Etsu watches the detectives. Then we'll know for sure."
"Thank you, Master! I am beyond words!" Itachi cried, throwing himself to the ground to worship Zakoto.
"I know, I know, now get out of my sight."
Itachi stood and bowed low before quickly scurrying out of the room.
Zakoto smirked at the speed at which his newly appointed spy ran from the room. He knew Itachi lived to serve him in hopes that he would spare his pathetic life. He knew it, and he loved it.
-End Dream-
"Wake up, girl! You did it," came the rough voice of Genkai.
Keiyma woke up. She held her head, which was aching from exhaust.
"I did it? I made a spirit weapon?" Keiyma attempted to stand up, but Genkai stopped her.
"Yes, you did, but you need to rest for a minute before you get up."
"I can't believe I–!" Keiyma stopped and suddenly frowned. "How did you know I was trying to make a spirit weapon?"
"I was watching you. I knew you could do it, I just thought I'd give you a little 'pep talk' to motivate you." Keiyma glared. "Don't you get all pissed off at me. You wanted a weapon and you got one."
"Fine. You're forgiven. Where is it? I haven't even seen it yet. What kind of weapon is it?"
"I don't know, I didn't see it long enough. It disappeared immediately when you passed out. You're going to have to unleash it again to see."
"WHAT? I have to do all of that again?"
"Don't be such a child. Yes, you have to unleash it again, but, now that it's been created, summoning won't be as difficult. It grows easier every time."
"Okay, I'll try. I just hope don't fall down again. Twice a day is my limit." Keiyma said, closing her eyes.
She concentrated her energy again. The push that seemed to prevent her from collecting energy had weakened, though she still felt pain in her head. There was a sudden tension and release as the pain left her. She felt burning heat in her right hand, then in her left. Confused, Keiyma suddenly sprung her eyes open.
She stared down to find a menacing dagger in each of her hands.
The silver blades were frighteningly sharp and shined brightly. The handles were bluish-black, except at the tips where they gleamed a rich gold. Identical sapphires were lodged into the front center and the back of each dagger had a symbol engraved. One read 'light' and the other, 'dark'.
They looked real.
Keiyma stared in absolute aw.
"I didn't think that spirit weapons would be so beautiful."
"They're not."
Keiyma huffed.
"Do you have to insult everything I do?"
"I'm not. Spirit weapons don't look like that. They're one color. They take the shape of a weapon, but, I have never seen or heard of an emulation so… precise." Genkai wrinkled her brow.
Keiyma wasn't listening. She was feeling incredibly lightheaded. Suddenly, the weapons disappeared and Keiyma leaned against the wall. She was still awake, but too exhausted to use her spirit.
"We'll talk more later. You need rest now. Can you make it upstairs on your own? There's a mattress in the first room to the right where you can sleep." Genkai said quickly.
Keiyma nodded and slowly began to make her way to the bed for much needed rest and relaxation.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Keiyma stood up and stretched. The nap had done her well, but she still felt poorly. She looked around the hallway and was pleased to discover a bathroom with a large shower. Before she went in, Genkai called up, obviously hearing Keiyma walking around, and told her that she would wash her clothes if she left them outside the door.
Keiyma thanked her and went inside the bathroom. She undressed, reopened the door a crack, and placed her clothes outside. She then turned on the hot water and stepped into the shower.
All her muscles immediately began to relax at the massaging heat. She gently washed her body, humming to herself as she went along. Once she was completely clean and feeling significantly better, Keiyma turned the faucet and ceased the steady flow of water.
Keiyma stepped out of the shower and grabbed a white towel that was hanging on a rack attached to the bathroom wall. She started to dry off her body when she heard a strange noise.
A noise that sounded an awful lot like breathing.
Eyes darting around the room, Keiyma searched for an intruder, but found herself alone.
She dismissed the noise and continued toweling off, only to find the noise had returned. She looked around, but, once again, found nothing.
She pulled herself together, convincing herself it was just her imagination.
Imagination or not, it was still scary.
Deciding she was dry enough, she dressed as quickly as possible and ran out of the room.
In her rush, Keiyma didn't hear the faint voice from outside the bathroom window the creepy, slimy little voice.
"And so the hunt begins."