Chapter: Fragile Psyche
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters, except for Keiyma Suriei, Myrani Sakai, Etsu Nakamura, Itachi, and Zakoto.
Keiyma's head was now swirling with memories and phenomenon. She had the unquenched desire to scream out, but she was weak and the possibility of waking up Itachi sent an icy cold fear through her spine.
Keiyma couldn't help pondering why she hadn't seen it before. He looked different, the scars on his face weren't there before and he wore normal human clothing. But still, how didn't she notice? She felt like an idiot.
He must have forgotten her. Not that she wanted him to remember. She didn't even want to remember. That was why she didn't notice at first. She hadtried to forget. She almost succeeded, but now she remembered. Now she knew.
Zakoto was her father.
Not her real father. She strained to remember Botan's story. Zakoto had killed Myrani's parents.
No, Zakoto had killed her parents.
'The Jaganshi knew of this attack ahead of time and hid the child with a fake mother and father.'
Fake parents, it was a smart idea. The Jaganshi altered Zakoto's memory, thereby halting the most prominent threat to her life. He would never think to look right in front of him.
But the plan was flawed.
At first, it wasn't as bad. Zakoto had only beaten and raped her. But, as she grew older, he began to toy with her mind, giving her no escape from the torture. He had changed her.
She was on the ground with him on top of her. His hands were on her back, his nails clawing away at her flesh, making her burn and bleed.
'Please… please, stop!'
'No.' He dug more deeply. She screamed.
'Why? Why are you doing this?'
'Because you want me to.' He licked her earlobe while viciously clawing the back of her neck, rubbing the blood over her chest. 'Because you need me to.'
The Jaganshi's spell wasn't strong enough to keep its hold on Zakoto. When she was thirteen, Zakoto started to remember who he was. He left her and her mother alone.
Thank god he remembered.
Keiyma's eyes grew red and swelled tears. She was shaking violently. She remembered not only him, but also the feeling she got whenever he was near, or even in the same room as her. She remembered her fear. Here it was again, coursing inside her body, forcing her to remember the pain.
But why? Why was she so afraid? He didn't know she was his daughter. At least, he didn't seem to. Even still, he won't hurt her anymore. He wouldn't dare put his power in jeopardy.
That's not true. He is hurting her. Not with physical abuse, but he's taken her away from her only chance at love. She'll never see Hiei again. He's still torturing her, just as he had all those years ago. He's killing her from the inside, out.
What if Hiei found her again? What if he saved her?
She couldn't tell him, it was certain. He'd never look at her the same way again. Maybe he wouldn't read it in her mind. Maybe she could block it out. Anything to stop him from seeing that.
She felt dirty and guilty, as though every inhumane act Zakoto's ever committed was her fault. She knew it couldn't possibly be true, but that didn't stop the horrible feeling she had from slowly gnawing away at her sanity.
No, she wouldn't tell him, but she'd give anything to see him.
Even just once more to see arrogant smirk would be worth it. She longed to be in his arms once more, wrapped tight in his grip and held against his chest where she could feel the rhythmic beating of his heart. She had never before felt as safe or as supremely happy as when he held her.
Keiyma continued to think dreamily about Hiei, ignoring her surroundings. She was glowing with an aching feeling for him and it surged from the depths of her soul. A sudden, comforting warmth seemed to fill her senses, centering at her heart and traveling outward in a wave over her body. She felt peaceful... as though her troubles were instantly washed away.
A rhythmic beating came from within her, and it seemed so loud. It wasn't loud though, since she couldn't hear it, but she felt it.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Hiei raced around. He knew it was useless, but he felt helpless to just sit by. He was angry with Zakoto for hurting Keiyma and at himself for allowing it to happen. He wasn't just angry, though.
He was masking his feelings with rage and violence, but inside he was scared. He'd never been hurt this deeply before. In his life, many things had been taken away from him, but he had not had much time to appreciate them before they were gone. He barely even remembered his family before he was cast away.
It had made him feel sad and alone, but he'd never felt quite as emotional as he did at this moment. He'd finally had someone, and he'd been able to love her and to feel the need to be with her. And he, in turn, felt needed, appreciated. His heart had finally been able to hold on to someone, and she was taken away from him.
No, a tear didn't streak from his vehement eyes. He was too tough for that. But, deep inside where he locked up his fear, love, and sorrow, he was bawling. Utter misery, which he expressed in the only way he knew how, as bloodlust. He wanted slow, excruciating, agonizing, revenge.
He'd get Keiyma back and watch Zakoto suffer or he'd die trying.
In the midst of thinking of ways to harm Zakoto, Hiei felt a sudden throb. At first he'd instinctively thought the pulse was from his Jagan eye, picking up on a strange energy. But, as it throbbed again, he smartened. He wasn't sure what he was sensing at the moment, but the low, shallow beat he had felt was from within his heart.
The beat continued in his heart, eventually throbbing in tune with his own pulse. His mind blocked out all surrounding sounds, concentrating on the beat.
Hiei didn't even realize that he was still moving. The beating in his chest was calling him, commanding him to go somewhere.
He didn't fight it. The comfort he felt made his movements seem so natural, and so serene, that he just ran to the will of his heart.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
How long had he been running? Hiei wasn't sure. He was oblivious to the steps he took and the now dark sky above him. He continued to run in an almost comatose state, the pounding in his heart getting increasingly intense.
Suddenly, it stopped. His mind snapped back into reality and he looked around quickly.
He was in a room he didn't recognize, with a sleeping man whom he did. It was Itachi. A strong desire to hurt the man crept inside Hiei, and he would have gladly complied with this yearning, had it not been for a small whimper from behind him.
"Hiei..."
It was Keiyma. She looked so frail, yet there was an unmistakable brightness to her eyes when he turned to her. Hiei wanted to hold her in his arms and just stand for hours, to feel her and to kiss her.
But he wasn't about to make that mistake again. He knew they had to get out of there, fast. Although there was no doubt in his mind that he could defeat Zakoto's manservant, he didn't want to take the chance that Itachi would trigger some sort of trap before his death.
Hiei picked up Keiyma and she instantly rested her head against him. He closed his eyes for just a moment, to treasure the feeling. Then, he ran as fast as he possibly could away from the lair.
Inspired by his want to protect Keiyma, this was immeasurably swift.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Even Hiei was shocked at his arrival time. It had taken him merely seconds to run the unfamiliar route. But he couldn't dwell on that. He needed to help Keiyma. He set her town on a couch in a room where Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Genkai were sitting, surprising them with his sudden entrance.
"Hiei!" Kurama yelled, standing up. "Keiyma... where was she? How did you find her?"
"I don't know. She called me to her," he replied, never taking his eyes off the still girl.
"She looks almost dead," Kuwabara remarked.
"Not helping," Yusuke muttered toward him. "Is there any way we can help her?" he asked, mainly directing his question to Genkai.
"Keiyma's been almost completely absorbed. The only way she can possibly function again is to get a power source back. She's far from Zakoto now, and both of them have weakened power. She's draining what's left of her life energy just to exist," Genkai said, even her usual cranky voice seemed slightly saddened.
"So, we'd have to get her power back from Zakoto in order for her to live." Kurama said. "We'd have to extract it from him unwillingly. An extremely difficult task, one that will take time that we don't have."
"What if," Hiei croaked, still staring into Keiyma's eyes, "she was given a partial power source? Would she be able to survive then?"
"Yes, I suppose so," Genkai said. "She wouldn't be as powerful as she once was, but she'd most certainly be able to function normally. But, in order to do that we'd still have to give her power from someone."
"Hiei... You're not going to–?" Kurama asked.
"I have to. If it will save her, it's more than worth it." Hiei looked up at Genkai. "All right, what do I do?"
"Just concentrate on your power as it circulates within you. Let it pass into your hands and then into Keiyma's. Be careful not to give too much. You're no help comatose."
Hiei gently grabbed Keiyma's hands and did as Genkai said, concentrating about half of his power into the girl. He felt a sudden rush and weakness as the energy left him.
Keiyma's eyes roll back and then closed. He let go of her as he softly fell on to the ground.
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
"Yuck! So, she's grown another eye?" Keiyma heard Kuwabara shout.
"God, you're stupid. Pipe down, you'll wake them both up," Genkai scolded.
"It doesn't seem to be a Jagan eye, just a curved line across her forehead," Kurama said. "I wonder… Genkai, why would such a mark form upon her?"
"Power transfer is dangerous and not very commonly used, so little is known about the after effects. However, there have been cases where the recipient takes on a small characteristic of the donor. It's my belief that this is a sign of acceptance, that the exchange was supposed to occur."
"Well, that's good, then," said Kuwabara.
Keiyma opened her eyes and was somewhat taken aback by the four people standing above her.
"Hey! How ya feelin'?" Yusuke shouted excitedly.
"Fine," she said instinctively, but it was actually true. She no longer felt weary and tired like she had earlier. "Where's Hiei?" She sat up, relieved to be able to move again.
Kurama signaled towards a large black mat on the other side of the room where Keiyma could see Hiei's sleeping body. "He passed out after the power transfer."
"He's okay, isn't he?" Keiyma asked, worried.
"He should be fine."
"And I'm sure he'll be even better once he sees you!" Yusuke said in an ever-so-slightly perverted tone. Keiyma was too preoccupied to notice.
She walked up to Hiei and knelt down next to the mat. He looked so incredibly peaceful and beautiful that she felt as if she was only dreaming once more. She touched his cheek and felt the smooth skin against her hand, the Ardention reassuring her that she was awake.
"Hiei..." she whispered, watching as his eyes slowly opened.
"Keiyma." A rare smile appeared on his face.
Keiyma beamed and grabbed him in a tight embrace. After a minute, she reluctantly let go, in fear that he couldn't breathe.
"I guess that means you're all right then," Hiei said, laughing at her. He reached up to touch her forehead. "What's this?"
"I'm not sure, I haven't seen it. It's some kind of mark from the power exchange."
Keiyma got up and walked over to a mirror she had spotted out of the corner of her eye, Hiei walking behind her. It looked just as the others had spoken of, a black curved line like a closed Jagan eye.
"I'm sorry. Maybe it's not permanent," Hiei said, feeling guilty.
"Don't be. I like it. It reminds me of you." She blushed.
"This is so romantic!" Kuwabara shouted, sobbing.
"You know, you're really good at ruining the moment..." Yusuke said.
"It's not my fault if I was raised to be caring and sensitive."
What Yusuke quirked in response to that, Keiyma didn't hear. She was too busy watching Hiei's eyes roam over the scars across her arms and neck.
"Did Zakoto do that to you?"
"…N-no," she choked.
"You're lying."
"He didn't. Not… not him, really."
"What are you talking about?"
She looked down at the floor.
"Please, tell me."
"I don't want you to know. I don't want to… to say it… please… don't make me say it…"
He looked into her mind. She could feel him reading her thoughts. She could see him reading those thoughts.
His voice was only a whisper. "…your father."
O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O
Keiyma eventually explained the whole circumstance to Hiei and anyone else with them in the room. They were very sympathetic, but even their kind words couldn't rid Keiyma of her shame.
Everybody was inside, trying to fall sleep after the complicated night, except for Hiei. He didn't bother. He knew he couldn't. There was too much anger boiling inside him. He hadn't slept for the last two nights, but it didn't matter. He'd had enough rest after the power transfer.
Hiei was now sitting on a sturdy tree limb under the sky. He was plagued by images he had seen in Keiyma's mind, images from her past with Zakoto. There was so much pain, so much abuse, so much suffering.
"I'll make sure he feels all the pain he's inflicted on Keiyma."
"Is that a promise?" Zakoto's voice slithered distortedly from the sky.
Hiei gracefully jumped to his feet, keeping his balance on the branch. He saw Zakoto floating above him opaquely. He was just an illusion.
"Show yourself, you coward!"
"Oh, do you miss me? I'm sorry, I didn't realize you liked me that way..."
"You're filth," Hiei roared, spitting at the faux-Zakoto.
"Yes, yes, I know. Now, then, I must say, I don't appreciate you stealing my power source. It was incredibly rude. Not that I won't get her back again, but it's the principal of the thing."
"You'll never get her back. I'm not going to let you hurt ever again."
"Again?" The illusion bared its teeth happily. "Does little Keiyma finally remember me?"
"You knew it was her?"
"Oh, yes. It was questionable, as she seemed to have no idea who I was. She obviously tried to suppress the memories of me. Such a shame…" He looked up blissfully. "The memories are so… satisfying."
"Satisfying? You call torturing a little girl, your daughter, satisfying?"
"Very. She was useful, a wonderful way to work out the stress I'd had those years. She always fought back. It was a waste of time, but… entertaining. I stayed awhile after I got my memory back, just to be with her. I wanted to make sure she was completely broken before I left. When I see her now, it's… pleasing. Her fragile psyche so scarred and easy to manipulate... no doubt remembering me has freshened old wounds. She's terrified of me. I can do anything I want with her. Not that I didn't before…"
"You bastard–"
"Really, you shouldn't be so upset. I left her desperately looking for someone to cling on to, to love her. That's how you managed to get her, isn't it?"
"Shut up. I'm going to kill you one way or another, so you might as well show yourself."
"Oh, I highly doubt that. Nevertheless, you'll have to wait a bit longer before you get to see me again. I really must be going... things to do, people to see. Keep an eye on my little Keiyma for me. I don't want her dead before I get her back. Sweet dreams." Zakoto cooed, before his image melted and disappeared.
"I'm going to fucking KILL you, Zakoto!" Hiei screamed into the empty sky.
He couldn't appreciate the beautiful orange and pink hues of the sunrise, for all he saw was red.