Chapter: Whispers and Laughs

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

Keiyma was huddled in the corner of Genkai's temple. Her shirt was pulled over her head from the back, like a hood, and her face was pressed against her chest. She was hiding herself, too afraid to look at anyone and too afraid to be looked at in return.

'You cannot escape me.'

Kurama stood across the room, keeping a watch over Keiyma. He had filled the room with sweet smelling flowers, hoping the scent would calm her, but to no avail. He was worried.

Yusuke walked in, looking solemn.

"She still hasn't moved?" Yusuke asked quietly.

Kurama shook his head.

"How come it only hurts Hiei to touch her?"

"Because they care for each other more than anyone else."

"That's just cruel. Isn't there some way to break the spell?"

"Zakoto said that it couldn't be lifted if he dies... My guess is only he can lift it."

"Damn. There's nothing else we can do?"

"We can't stop the curse, but there's a chance it can be transferred to a willing body."

"Someone willing to burn up the person they love? I don't think we'll have any takers there."

"No, I wouldn't think so."

"Hiei's still locked up down the hall... He'd probably kill Kuwabara and bust down the door if we hadn't charmed it. He keeps screaming that he wants to see her." Yusuke nodded towards Keiyma.

"He knows we're doing it for his safety. He would ignore the pain of the curse until the flames send him into his death."

"I can't help but to feel sorry for them." Yusuke clenched his fist in front of him. "But, we'll find a way to save them. We'll look everywhere if we have to!"

"Yusuke," came a low whisper, "you don't always have to try to be the hero."

Yusuke and Kurama turned to Keiyma, whose head was still covered. The voice had been scratchy and deep, but it was definitely Keiyma.

"Keiyma?" Yusuke asked, confused by the abnormality in her voice.

"It's true." her voice called out again, still sounding quite unnatural. "Sometimes, there's no need for a hero. Sometimes, things just can't be saved."

"Keiyma, are you all right?" Kurama asked, taking a cautious step towards her.

"All right? Is that all? Why, I'm better than all right. I'm perfect. Everything's exactly as it should be, as it was intended to be."

"Why are you talking like that?"

"Don't you know?" She raised her head to look up at Kurama. "I can't be happy. It's impossible. Every time I find something... something that actually gives me a tiny ounce of security... it DIES! It's such a cruel little fate, and yet so genius!" Keiyma's head fell back against the wall in raucous laughter. It wasn't among any of her normal, sweet laughs. It was deliriously happy and quite frightening given the circumstance.

She began again as her laughter subsided. "When you and Shiori took me into your house it was so unbelievable... I thought I might have at last found people who could actually care about me. Even though we weren't meant to be together, Kurama, I still thought we could all be a family. But I already have a family, a family unable to leave me behind. As soon as I was rid of mother, I managed to find my long-lost father. I can't really be mad him, since I know that I must have done something to deserve what he did to me. I must have done something to deserve all of it."

"You didn't deserve that, Keiyma. We can still be your family. We won't abandon you."

"True, I haven't lost you, Kurama." She looked back down at the youkai demon, an unnatural grin spread wide across her face. "But don't you worry," She wagged a finger in front of her as though she were speaking to a small child. "Your time will come. Nothing good lasts long."

"Keiyma, stop it! You're acting like an idiot!" Yusuke's voice called out to her, causing her to turn very slowly toward him.

"Don't worry Yusuke. This isn't my usual hopeless complaining. I'm accepting the truth. There is no happiness for me, I'm doomed. It's really quite hilarious when you think about it, don't you agree?" She began laughing feverishly again and pounded her fist onto the ground in her flurry of laughter.

"Will you stop being so selfish? We're trying to help you! I mean, first you sit in the corner ignoring everything, now you're acting like a complete lunatic and-"Yusuke yelled loudly, not even able to cause Keiyma to wince.

Her mind glazed over Yusuke's voice. She became distracted by a soft whisper inside her mind. It was Hiei, but she could only make out bits and pieces of what he was saying.

"...bastards... no curse... control me... let me out... Keiyma."

He was sufferingHer curse was hurting him.

Keiyma snapped back from her daze to find Yusuke staring at her expectantly, obviously waiting for some kind of response to an unheard statement.

"You're right, Yusuke," Keiyma said, still in the eerie, low, scratchy voice. "I'm being selfish. Nobody else should have to endure my life's punishment."

"Well, yeah, but–"Yusuke began, but Keiyma didn't stop to listen.

She stood up stiffly and began to walk out of the room. She didn't bother to move aside to avoid hitting Yusuke and Kurama. She just walked straight between them, pushing each in turn to the side.

She walked robotically through the hall toward where Kuwabara was leaning against a wall beside a door, which was covered with various spells.

"Wha–?" Kuwabara sputtered as she walked towards him.

Her eyes had dark circles under them and her face was boding evil. A small frenzied smile slid across her black-tainted lips. Accompanied with gloomy shadowing from her black shirt, which was still pulled snugly over the back of her head, she looked quite frightening. Kuwabara felt fear tingle across his spine, paralyzing him. He was helpless to do naught but watch this warped form of Keiyma.

She stopped once she reached the door. She stared at it, still smiling, and pulled her shirt down from the back of her head, letting the cloth fall back in place. She shoved at the door with great force.

Her mind was not worrying how to hit the door or whether or not it would fall. All she felt was that she was going to break it down without difficulty. Her smirk widened as she heard the thud of fallen wood. She stepped inside.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

Hiei swore as his latest attempt at opening the door failed. He froze for a second as he heard her voice whispering faintly in his mind.

"...suffering... curse... hurting..."

He thought Keiyma was in pain. He punched at the door, desperate to save her, but to no avail. He stepped back, planning to send a fire attack, and began to gather his energy.

Before he could release the attack, the door fell over and Keiyma stood there, smirking. She stepped inside, walking over the door.

Hiei had to restrain himself from running up to hold her, remembering the curse. His mind didn't even brush upon how Keiyma managed to bust open the charmed door. He was too busy staring at her face. There was something very, very wrong.

"Keiyma..." he muttered, gaping at her with wary eyes.

Her creepy smile slipped down slowly and her lips pursed seriously. She held her hands up in front of her, and, in a flash of energy, her spirit daggers appeared. She began to slowly approach Hiei.

"What's going on?" he exclaimed, too bold to take a step back.

She moved swiftly and pushed him against the wall, careful to cover her hands with the sleeve of her shirt. She pointed each dagger at an angle toward his throat.

Hiei felt an urge to dawn his characteristic smirk, along with the inclination to fight against Keiyma. Burning desire to cease her control and seize his own dominance blazed inside of him. But he ignored these feelings, convincing himself that he wouldn't hurt her without understanding. Though the possibilities seemed grim, he refused to believe his sinister suspicions of betrayal.

"What are you doing?"

"Making a deal."

"What deal?"

"You're going to take this curse from me."

"You want to curse me?"

"When you touch me, it hurts you, but I feel nothing. I'm not going to let you feel the pain I deserve."

"So, you want me to take the curse that you can suffer. I don't think so."

"If you don't, I'll kill you." She moved her daggers slightly closer so that the tips were practically touching his pale skin.

He knew she was bluffing.

"Fine, go ahead and kill me. I won't let you hurt yourself."

Keiyma pulled the daggers back in order to stab him, but froze, unable to thrust them forward. Her fanatical smile drooped into an angry scowl and she drew back.

Hiei didn't alter his cool tone, but was internally sighing in relief. There was something odd about her, something frightening, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to reach her.

There was barely enough time for Hiei to relax, when Keiyma moved unexpectedly. This time her right dagger was pressed against her throat. The frightful smirk returned to her face once again.

"You're right. I wouldn't hurt you. But, I wouldn't dare say the same about myself." She spoke whimsically and let out an unfitting, hearty chuckle as she pulled the dagger across her throat just close enough to graze the skin.

"You can't-!" Hiei cried out. He stifled himself quickly, but, as he watched Keiyma raise a victorious eyebrow, he knew it was too late. He'd shown vulnerability and lost his bargaining ground.

He never would have slipped up like that before.

"I can't? You'd be surprised how easily I could. One of the perks of being crazy, I suppose." She laughed cheerfully again and let out a little sigh.

"You're not crazy. You're just... confused."

"Confused? I'm not confused. Why don't any of you understand that for the first time I'm seeing things clearly?"

"You're not. You need to think this through... We can't afford you overreacting-"

"That's right. You can't afford for me to overreact. You can't afford me to die either, you need me. Even if you don't really love me, which wouldn't be very surprising..." She paused, the part of her still intact was hoping for some sort of dismissal to her accusations. None came. Her insane persona took over once again and she continued. "You still have to consider who I am. You can't forget that I am the almighty Myrani Sakai, whose power has potential to reach unlimited heights!"

"I wouldn't say unlimited."

"Hmm... probably not." She chuckled. "But the fact remains that I don't care if I die or not. All I care is that you don't have to feel the pain meant for me. I'm not supposed to be happy, Hiei, but I'm not going to let my cursed life ruin you. There's two ways for me to solve that problem. I'll leave the choice to you."

"I don't understand... you're acting just like..." Hiei trailed off.

"My father? Well, that's fitting. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know."

"But, you're not really like this. You're not really like him."

"Maybe this is who I really am, who I've been destined meant to become. Maybe all those years I was just living under a false optimism, thinking that, one day, I was going to find the joys of life! I'm not that naïve anymore, not just an innocent child sheltered from the truth. Though, I guess I never really was innocent, was I?" She let out a hollowed laugh. "Nothing good in this life lasts, but the pain is always there."

"I've never before thought someone could speak such complete ludicrous," Hiei huffed. "Well, I don't believe in destiny. It's up to us to determine our fate. You can't just sit aside and let this overcome you." Hiei's words caused Keiyma's face to soften to normal. It only lasted a moment. Her features quickly changed back into the twisted, happy smirk, though it wasn't quite as severe.

"Don't worry. It may sound like I'm worse off, but it's really for the best. It won't hurt as much, now."

"Do you regret meeting me?"

The question caught her off guard. "No… I don't regret meeting you, but I regret bringing you into my life, into my pain. We can't be together forever. Something will happen… something will take you away."

"Not unless you let it."

A sad look overcame Keiyma. Her right hand started to slip down, away from the threatening position against her neck. She quickly caught herself and snapped it back.

"You're not going to talk me out of this Hiei. Make your choice."

"Don't– "

"NOW!" Keiyma screamed. The force of her voice shook her hand, causing the point of her dagger to jab into part of her neck.

"I'll do it!" Hiei yelled back. It was not Keiyma's urgency, nor watching her hot blood trickle down her neck that persuaded him. It was the fact that she didn't even flinch as the blade stabbed through her tender flesh.

"It's a deal, then," Keiyma said, reabsorbing her daggers and grabbing Hiei's hand in hers.

His eyes slammed shut as he felt the surge of pain overtake him, the white-hot burn that felt like it was ripping apart his hand. The pain began to subside, dulling down more and more. It became mild enough for him to open his eyes, and, as he did so, he saw Keiyma gritting her teeth in pain. He tried to pull his hand away from her, but she was holding on to him to tightly. Finally, the pain Hiei had felt was gone.

Keiyma cried out as she felt the full infliction of the pain and quickly released his hand.

The soft pink of her skin showed no sign of the assault. She looked back up at Hiei, her reflection shown brightly in his eyes.

Her lips were still black. She would always be tainted.

"Thank you, Hiei"

"Don't thank me," he muttered. "I don't deserve any thanks for letting you hurt yourself."

A deranged grin swept upon Keiyma's face at his disappointment.

She was doing the right thing. Once she's gone… he'll be safe.

"Let it go. It doesn't matter. Just forget me."

"How am I supposed to forget you?"

"It will be easier once I'm gone."

"Where are you going?"

"To fight Zakoto."

"Alone? There's no way I'm letting you–"

"Shhh." Keiyma walked up close to Hiei, shushing him softly. She put her lips close to his ear and said, almost silently, "Don't worry. Just forget me."

Her voice echoed eerily in Hiei's mind. He didn't even notice she was leaning in until he felt her lips against his cheek in a chaste kiss. It short and simple, but it held a sweetness that he didn't know she was still capable of. It was so gentle, so meaningful. He was taken aback.

It was a kiss purely from the heart.

Keiyma had wanted to kiss Hiei longer, but the pain was too much. It was nearly one thousand times worse than the pain she'd felt when touching Hiei's hand. She thought back to Zakoto and her black lips.

He'd punished her for finding love, cursed her kiss with a kiss. Brilliant... he was such a brilliant man. If she lost her battle, at least she'd know she died at the hands of a true artist.

She smirked, no longer even considering her thoughts to be fanatical. They were merely honest.

She turned from Hiei and ran out of the room expeditiously, determined to find Zakoto and to keep Hiei safe.

Keiyma had a head start, for her knight in shining armor was still too dazed from her kiss to notice she had left.