Chapter: Rediscover The Reality
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters, except for Keiyma Suriei, Myrani Sakai, Etsu Nakamura, Itachi, and Zakoto.
Notes: "Ardention" is not a real word. I thought the word "ardent" described the situation perfectly, so I changed it into a noun.
Keiyma walked down the stairs to look for Genkai. She was surprised when she didn't just see Genkai, but also Botan, Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and a baby whom she suspected was Koenma.
"...Hello," she said, quite bewildered at the group that had been awaiting her.
"Hello, hello!" said Botan, attempting to calm and reassure her. Though, it seemed to just freak Keiyma out a little more. "Well, we just came to see your new weapon! It's a big accomplishment, you know! Although, Genkai was a bit, err, stingy on the details. She seemed to think we'd like to see it for ourselves."
"Uh, sure," Keiyma said, uncomfortable with all the eyes focused on her.
She was especially uncomfortable with Hiei's, and made a point to avoid looking at him. Instead, she glanced up at Genkai who gave her a curt nod.
Keiyma summoned her daggers and looked around at everyone, waiting for some type of reaction.
They all gaped at her.
"HEY! What's the big deal? How come she gets those TWO frickin' awesome weapons and all I get is a rinky-dink sword?" Kuwabara demanded, looking at Koenma.
"What? Well, uh, I, that is to say..." Koenma nervously began looking around the room for help. "OH!" he said suddenly, an uncertain smile appearing across his face. "I get it! You're playing a trick on me! Good one, you guys! April isn't for another few months though, you know!" He forced some laughter.
"No trick," said Genkai, causing a little gasp among the others and a little 'wow' from Botan.
"H-how? How did she...?" Yusuke asked.
"Is something wrong?" Keiyma interrupted, looking around the room.
"Not exactly. Your spirit weapon just looks a little different than most," Kurama said calmly.
"Yeah, a little." scoffed Yusuke.
"Well, what do normal spirit weapons look like?" Keiyma asked.
She turned to Kuwabara, who was looking extremely miffed about everything. He muttered irritably and reluctantly formed the orange blob that was his spirit sword.
Keiyma's eyes widened as she stared at the hideous mass. She couldn't believe that could be Kuwabara's spirit weapon. She turned her head back and forth between their weapons. Where hers was delicately detailed, his was harsh, looking more like a heap of light than a sword.
"You can see, now," Genkai said, causing Keiyma to turn her attention, "why your weapon was of so much interest to me."
"I don't understand," Keiyma said, returning her spirit. She turned to Koenma. "Hey, you're all-knowing or something, right? What exactly is wrong with me?"
"Aha! Yes, of course, I'm Koenma and I'm awesome! Of course I know! It's because... uhmm… well… Maybe the characteristics of the weapon depend on the artistic values of the holder's soul. Yes! Since your soul is more artistic than Kuwabara's, so is your spirit weapon!" Koenma said, nodding furiously.
"Hah. You know as well as I do that that's not true. Spirit weapons are based on spirit and nothing else," Hiei's voice cut through.
Keiyma turned to say something to Hiei, but, when she did, all she saw was his back walking out the door.
Why is he so upset with her?
She paused a minute and watched him leave. She found it difficult to tear herself away from him, even though she was discouraged. He was acting like a jerk, like usual, but there was something in his voice. Was it pain? Nothing was making any sense.
Keiyma quickly turned back to see Koenma pacing.
"It just doesn't make sense. Nobody would have this much spirit! Nobody except...," he stopped, suddenly looking up at Keiyma.
"...Myrani," Botan finished.
"What?" Keiyma asked suddenly. "Oh. You mean Etsu, right?"
"Yes... and no. At least, we thought, but... It must mean that..." Botan stammered.
"Wait a second, that doesn't make any sense! Etsu was at the fair like the prophecy said!" interrupted Yusuke.
"Well, so was Keiyma..." Kurama reminded.
"Yeah... well... what about her beauty mark, huh? 'While there, one spirit detective will notice a distinguishing mark upon her'. That's what it said!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Yeah! We already knew Keiyma, so, we didn't just notice anything about her," Kuwabara said pointedly.
Keiyma was confused and felt silly standing there, not remembering a single word of the prophecy. She couldn't contribute to the conversation if she wanted to, so she instead just nervously played with her hair, pulling it back behind her ear. She stopped when she noticed Kurama's eyes drop dead on her hand.
"Your hand..." he whispered.
"What?" Keiyma choked, then looked down at her hand. She saw the thin scar on her left hand, left over from when she bombarded through the fun house. "Yeah it's from..."
"The fair, I remember. I noticed it. I noticed... a mark. On you," he said, closing his eyes. "You're... Myrani."
"What? I can't be. Etsu is, remember?"
"It all makes sense. That's why she was so difficult for Yusuke to train. For once, it wasn't his fault," Genkai chuckled.
"I guess someone's going to have to tell Etsu she can go back home. That is, whenever Hiei's done talking to her. I don't think losing my head is worth the interruption. "Yusuke said, sliding his finger across his neck to show precisely where Hiei's katana would end up.
"This is crazy! Can you all just... leave me alone for a while? I need to clear my head," Keiyma yelled.
"Yeah, sure." They muttered and headed toward the door.
Keiyma sat down and watched them all leave, rubbing her poor, overworked mind.
When Botan got to the door she paused, then walked over to Keiyma.
"What is it?"
"Well, I just wanted to let you know, Genkai told me about the whole Hiei thing. Apparently she's not too good at girl talk." Botan giggled nervously. "Uhh... so, if you want to talk about it with me, I'd be more than willing to–"
"There is no Hiei thing!"
"Of course there isn't. But, if you change your mind I'll be right across the hall." Botan said cheerfully before running out the door.
Keiyma sighed and sat with her head in her hands. She hoped that this was all dream, just so she didn't have to make sense of it all.
What if she couldn't do what they expected of her? Then… they'll leave her, won't they? If she couldn't help, if she wasn't what they were hoping for…
Keiyma stopped her thoughts and sat in the silence. But, she soon noticed, it wasn't perfectly silent. There were faint sounds of two people talking in the room next to her. She listened for a moment and realized that they belonged to Hiei and Etsu. Her heart sank in her chest, yet she couldn't help herself from pressing an ear against the door.
"You know what you said about your brother being murdered, how you lost him forever?"
"Yes, Hiei."
"I lost a sister. She wasn't killed, but... she was taken away from my life. That's why I got my Jagan eye, to help me find her."
"Oh, Hiei. That's... beautiful. You don't even know her, but you're trying to find her… How sweet. Your eye... what exactly does it do again?"
"I can read people's minds with it. Control them if they're weaker, things like that."
"Oh..."
"Don't worry, I'd never use it on you."
A high little giggle emerged from behind the door.
"Etsu… with all the losses that you've had, how alone you've felt… I feel like I can trust you."
"You can tell me anything, Hiei."
Keiyma pulled away from the door, refusing to listen to their conversation anymore, a terrible feeling of emptiness washing over her.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Keiyma knocked on the door in front of her, rubbing her hands together nervously. She just hoped this was the right room.
A surprised looking Kurama answered the door.
Before he had a chance to say anything, Keiyma jumped into his arms and attacked his lips with hers.
She was kissing him feverishly, desperately, her legs wrapped around his abdomen and her arms strung around his neck.
He was completely taken aback.
Keiyma finally released his lips, only to begin kissing his neck and collarbone with equal desperation.
"Keiyma," Kurama began breathlessly, "what are you doing?"
"Kissing you," she mumbled.
"Yes, I can see that. But why are you kissing me?"
Keiyma stopped her administrations and looked into his beautiful green eyes.
"Kurama, you've been so good to me. Can't you just let me do this for you?"
Her eyes were puffy and swollen.
"You're not thinking straight–"
"Yes, I am! I want… I want to be loved." Her voice cracked into a sob and she started crying. She brought her legs back to the floor and stood, sobbing against Kurama's chest.
"Shhh… it's okay." Kurama stroked her hair affectionately. She lifted her head.
"Can't you… can't you just…?"
"Keiyma…"
She looked down in shame, tears still falling down her cheeks.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
Kurama sighed.
"It's complicated."
"Please… at least tell me why."
"Alright. You see, every demon is born with someone whom they are destined to be with. There's a pull between the two that demonkind calls 'Ardention'. This pull is so strong that, if a demon were lucky enough to find his mate, he would be willing to die just to be with her for a moment."
He cupped her face in his hands.
"Tell me, when I touch you, do you feel anything? Does it feel right? Not just good, but right?"
His skin was warm and soft. It felt good to be held by him, but no strange sensations were coming over her. There was no warm contentment, no reassurance of the world.
It's not like when Hiei–
She shook her head. He let go of her.
"Some demons keep lovers before they find their soul mate, but, it's always meaningless. I don't want that."
Kurama lifted her chin so that Keiyma was looking at his face.
"I do love you and care about you, very much. I will always be here to protect you and to help you in any way. But, I cannot offer you what you seek, I'm sorry."
Keiyma hugged him as hard as she could, happy despite her tears.
"You don't understand. Even just this, even anything, means so much to me," she whispered. He smiled.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Keiyma, having bid Kurama goodnight, was now at another door. She knocked quietly, far less nervous than she had been at the last door.
Botan opened the door and let her inside.
"Do you want to talk?" Botan asked, closing the door behind her.
That feeling she got when she touched him… She knew something didn't fit.
"Tell me about Etsu, about her life."
"Etsu? Hmm. Not much to say, really... she was an only child born to a wealthy couple who worked at home."
"She never had a brother?"
"A brother? No, she was definitely an only child."
"I see. Thank you, Botan."
"That's all you wanted to ask?"
"Yes. Goodnight, Botan," she said, walking out of the room.
Keiyma leaned against the door that was now closed behind her.
Etsu was lying to him. She's telling all this to him to get him to trust her. Why, though? Why would she be trying so hard to gain his trust?
Unless… unless that dream was real. It had felt so real. If Keiyma really is as powerful as they think, is it possible?
Keiyma glanced up suddenly and saw Etsu closing the door to where she and Hiei were talking. She was walking over toward the back exit.
Keiyma followed her.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
They had been walking through a thick wood for ages. Keiyma attempted to familiarize herself with the area, memorizing different parts of the path based on the trees, flowers, and unusual plants, without much success.
She was walking past an enormous mahogany tree, when Etsu suddenly stopped walking. Keiyma quickly hid behind the tree.
"Zakoto! Where are you?" Etsu yelled in her usual squeak.
"Shut up, you insolent twit," came the booming, deep voice of Zakoto.
He emerged from a portal of smoke so immensely black it was as though it was a cloud of nothingness draining the plush greens of the forest.
Just looking at the portal brought an inner cold to Keiyma. She didn't know why, but it reminded her of something. She didn't know what, but she loathed it.
"I'm sorry, Master, it won't happen again, I swear! It was just a lot easier when you'd come to me."
"Are you complaining to me?"
"N-no, Master. I came to tell you about my progress with the fire demon, Hiei. I've fully gained his trust. I have no doubt he'll tell me everything I want to know."
"Well, then. It seems that you are good for something, after all." He smirked at her. "You'd best work fast, though. Itachi has just informed me that the detectives have discovered you aren't Myrani. They are now certain that the other girl, Keiyma, is."
"Already, huh? Well, she's an emotional wreck. I wouldn't even worry if I were you. "
"I never worry. Nevertheless, Itachi will continue to follow her to find her weakness. Then I'll do a little manipulating of my own."
"Brilliant, Master!"
"That I am. Now get back to the others. They're probably looking to tell you the news. Remember, mistakes are inexcusably." Zakoto entered the portal of smoke, fading away into thin air along with it.
Etsu turned around and began to hurry back. Keiyma quickly moved to the side of the tree so as to avoid being in her sight as she ran by.
Keiyma was about to run after her, but suddenly got an idea. She formed her daggers and marked an "X" upon the great mahogany tree.
She smiled at her work ran back to tell the others what she had seen.