Chapter: Mind Games And Illusions

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters, except for Keiyma Suriei, Myrani Sakai, Etsu Nakamura, Itachi, and Zakoto.

Kurama and Hiei were still quiet, taken aback by the words spoken.

"Do you love her?" Kurama was first to break the silence.

"I haven't even spent much time with her… I mean, there were a few times, but, I tried to avoid being near her. Every time I was close to her, I felt like I wasn't in control of the situation. Not to mention I was distracted by Etsu."

"Are you sure that it was Ardention?"

"When she touched my lips, I was reading her mind. When the contact came, her entire soul was bared to me. It was so perfect… like nothing else in the world. I know I'm going to fall in love with her."

"But you didn't feel it before?"

"She'd only ever touched my shirt before. I felt something, but it wasn't nearly as strong as I had heard Ardention to be. I just passed it off as nothing. Today, though, that was… something."

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing. I left her there."

"You didn't say anything? She felt it, too, Hiei. She's probably sitting there now, horribly confused."

"I know, damn it. But, I was..."

"Scared?"

"Hn."

"It's all right, Hiei. Nothing like this has ever happened to you." He paused. "She knows about Ardention, you know."

"Yes, I saw your conversation in her mind."

"And you're all right with it?"

"She had been panicked. You handled it well. Besides, once you explained to her, her thoughts immediately turned to me. She'd only just heard about Ardention, but it seems as though she still knew more than I did."

"You need to find her, to speak with her."

"Hn. Perhaps I don't want her as a mate."

"Ardention doesn't make mistakes. I saw the way your eyes lit up when you talked about her soul. You've never looked that way before. You do want her as a mate, and you are going to find her."

Hiei paused.

"You know me well, kitsune." Kurama smiled.

"Even better than you know yourself."

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

"I-..."

Keiyma looked down at the darkness below her. The total blackness gave the impression that she was floating through space. Zakoto's gaze was tearing into her.

Will what she saw really come true? The prospect was something to consider.

If she says no, Zakoto may attack. If she says yes, she's a traitor.

Is that worth a life of love?

"I need to think about it, Zakoto."

"Of course, I understand," he said with an air of unnatural friendliness. He waved his arm and a portal of swirling color appeared. "If you come to a decision, just knock three times on the tree and my portal will appear. I'll be waiting my dear."

Keiyma looked at him curiously, but disregarded it. She was eager to leave and get back to the real world. She held her head up high and bounded through the swirling colors.

Landing with a small thud, Keiyma quickly covered her eyes from the sudden rush of light that burned them. It was actually very dark outside, but compared to the blackness of Zakoto's portal, it was intense. After a few seconds she was able to open them, her sight still slightly unfocused. Turning around, she saw there was no trace of the portal she had just been in, nor of Zakoto and his unknown dimension.

Keiyma began walking, quite dizzily, toward what was hopefully the direction of Genkai's home. She hadn't walked far when with a sudden 'SMACK!' she fell down to the ground. Looking up to see what she hit, she was startled with what she found.

"Hiei?"

"You lying, hypocritical bitch..." He was scowling fiercly, his voice full of rage. Keiyma quickly stood up.

"What are you talking about?"

"You go on screaming at Etsu for being a rat, when you're the one I find meeting with Zakoto. I saw the two of you go into that portal. What were you doing in there so long? Having a little tête - à – tête?"

"WHAT? No, no, no! You don't understand! Zakoto, he was trying to get me to join him, but I left because I could never have betrayed you like that. None of you, ever."

"Well, why not?"

"What do you mean, 'why not'?"

"We're finished dealing with you. We couldn't care one bit if you went off with him. In fact, we'd prefer it. I'd jump at any chance to not be sickened by the sight of you everyday. "

"You're... sickened by me?"

After seeing him react to her touch, she could tell how she sickened him. But for him to actually say it was… different.

"It took you this long to figure it out? I guess you're even more of an idiot than I though," Hiei said, laughing scornfully.

They all hate me... I didn't think…

"I'm sorry, I–I didn't mean to wreck your lives. I–"

"Well, you did." He silenced her. "Why don't you just get out of here?"

"If that's what you really want…"

"It is."

"Goodbye, Hiei." Keiyma whispered sadly, tears pooling in her eyes. She ran in the direction of the only place where she could be accepted.

She ran back to Zakoto's portal.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

Hiei stood, shocked at the sight in front of him. He saw Keiyma talking to... himself. He knew that wasn't right, that something evil was going on, but he couldn't budge. His whole body was magically petrified.

He watched as Keiyma ran away, crying. After a while, the imposter turned to him, grinning like a fool. Finally, Hiei felt himself able to move.

In less than a second, Hiei was next to the copy, who was currently nursing the new wound on his head that Hiei had been so happy to give him.

"Show yourself, imposter."

"Is that all? Well, you only needed to ask. No reason to get violent." He donned a mimicking smirk.

With a wave of his hand, Hiei's face and body melted away, and a new one of each began to form.

The face of Zakoto leered condescendingly at Hiei.

"You son of a bitch! What did you do to her?"

"I just needed to ensure that Keiyma would be joining me. Apparently, she finds you very persuasive."

"Bad idea," Hiei growled, making an attempt to attack Zakoto. An almost invisible barrier appeared around Hiei, blocking the hit. "Hn. I could break through this easily."

"Maybe so, but I can't tell you anything if I'm dead, so I'd advise you to listen."

Hiei calmed down. Zakoto continued.

"I'm an illusionist, as you no doubt know, having seen me in action." He paused to smirk at Hiei's sudden growl.

"Get on with it."

"Impatient, aren't we? Well, the most successful illusionists can copy images from the mind and heart, which of course I am able to do. I managed to persuade Keiyma enough to let me show her what her 'future' would be should she join me. Though I was unable to see the illusion, I have an idea of what it was, considering the person whose shape I took when I copied the image of the person she wanted to see the most. Luckily, she was kind enough to say your name, so that I didn't have to have a conversation without knowing who I was..."

"Damn it, what did you say to her?"

"I just told her how you all 'really' feel. It was just enough to give her the nice, unwelcome feeling, that sent her back home to me."

"What are you going to do to her?"

"Now, now, I can't tell you everything. Where's the fun in that?"

"I swear. if you hurt her-"

"Ohh, I see. You're a protective one, too. Tell me, do you act this way for everyone, or just her?"

"Shut up." Zakoto laughed.

"No need to respond, I've already found my answer."

"Listen, you-"

"I would, really I would, but I have a meeting to get to. Can't keep dear Keiyma waiting, now can I?" Zakoto laughed, using his powers of illusion to make himself vanish.

Hiei growled before dashing off in the direction Keiyma had run, hoping he wasn't too late.

After only a few of seconds, he saw her, standing in front of a swirling black vortex. She was stepping into it, almost completely through.

"KEIYMA! Don't go! The bastard's LYING to you!" he yelled to her. She made no response and continued to step into the portal until she was gone.

Hiei began to run, attempting to jump into the portal and follow her, but less than a second before he got there, it dissolved.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

"Zakoto?" Keiyma called out into the darkness.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting," he said, stepping out from behind her. "I was a bit preoccupied."

Keiyma wasn't listening, she was wondering about the noise she had heard while entering Zakoto's dimension. She could barely understand it, but it sounded almost human, as if someone was yelling out to her, telling her not to go. It sounded almost familiar, but was so distorted that she couldn't place it.

"What brings you here? Surely, I'm not so lucky that you've come to a decision already?"

"Yes, I have. I-I'm going to join you."

Zakoto grinned wide.

"You won't regret it, my dear. It's always better to be on the winning side" He chuckled.

Keiyma nodded.

"So, what exactly was it that convinced you?"

"What? Oh..." Keiyma blushed slightly. "I just wanted to be on the winning side, like you said."

"Of course." Zakoto said calmly, laughing hysterically in his mind. "Would you like to rest before we progress any further?"

"Yes, I really would. It's been a long day. Uhm... where-?"

Zakoto waved his hand and a wooden door appeared.

"I'm sure you will find it suits your needs."

Keiyma opened the door and gasped.

"Is the room to your liking?"

"Uh, yes, it's, uh, fine, thank you. Goodnight," she mumbled awkwardly, a furious blush on her face.

"Sleep well, my dear." She heard Zakoto call as she quickly shut the door behind her.

The room was almost identical to what she had seen in her glimpse of the future. The picture of her and Hiei was missing, but the furniture was the same. She quickly looked in the mirror, relieved to find she wasn't staring at the older version of herself. She glanced over at the wooden door and realized that it was the same door Hiei had entered through in her vision. Her cheeks smoldered, remembering what had happened the last time she'd been in the room.

That couldn't be her future, though. Hiei hates her. She sickens him.

But…

Maybe he'll realize she never betrayed him. Maybe that was all he was upset about. Maybe they can still be together. Maybe…

Keiyma was too tired to think any further, and instead lied down on the bed, closing her eyes to welcome sleep.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

Keiyma woke up many hours later, sitting up and stretching her arms out with a little yawn. She had a very peculiar dream and was trying to understand exactly what it was supposed to mean, if anything.

She had dreamt that she was being pulled away into one of Zakoto's black portals. It was sucking her in, but she was straining against it. She saw Hiei, who was waving at her, sneering. He kept laughing and telling her to accept her destiny. Then Hiei melted and disappeared. Suddenly he appeared again, this time he was next to her, trying to pull her away from the portal. He was crying and yelling at her not to go. She tried to tell him that she didn't want to leave him, but the portal kept sucking her in more and more. Then she slipped out of Hiei's grip and was pulled completely in.

That was when she woke up.