Atrum Saga, Capitulus Duorum: Defluo et Constituo

Dark Saga, Chapter 2: Lost and Found

-:-

The green of the energy began to dissipate slowly leaving a scent of burnt earth, flesh and hair. The two prostrate figures began to stir jaggedly. Yusuke sat up slowly, his hands cradling his head between his legs. "Fuck," he said hoarsely, willing away the major traces of vertigo and nausea from his body.

Shihiko rose shortly after hearing a few more epithets voiced by Yusuke. She clutched her head and opened her eyes slightly trying to locate the bastard who sent that 'wonderful' package of pain and nausea their way. She slid her hand through her hair and stopped midway through. "Damn," she cursed softly.

Yusuke looked towards her, his own eyes widening slightly from the vision before him. Long white locks cascaded around her frame, pierced elfin ears protruded from the layers of her hair and her eyes and skin took on that lustrous quality that could only classify her as 'demon.'

"You changed back!" he yelled; both cringing at the volume of his tone. Indeed she had reverted back to her demon form. Whatever type of energy that was and whomever it was from had a tremendous amount of power if it was able to knock her out of her human form.

"Damn, you two look like shit,"

Both Shihiko's and Yusuke's eyes shot up violently towards the offending voice. A human man in his forty's with greasy brownish red hair and narrow black eyes strolled from out of the darkness of the forest and into the clearing.

"Well well, you must be the fucker who sent us the greeting," Yusuke said as he stood up slowly; still obviously affected by the last attack.

"The name's Kale, now get off your stinkin' asses and come and fight!"

"Ok, either you must be really stupid, or you have a death wish." Said Shihiko, folding her arms and watching the man in disgust.

"I'll opt for him just being suicidal, and it looks like I'll have to oblige him." Yusuke turned towards him, cracking his knuckles.

"Bring it you little bitch!" said Kale rushing towards Yusuke.

Yusuke flashed a cocky grin and in a split second his fist smashed into Kale's head. The lifeless body and head slid slowly off of Yusuke's fist leaving a trail of blood, and pieces of brain and skull along its path. Yusuke made a face at the sight of his fist.

"Eew, it's so disgusting. Why does shit like this always happen to me?"

"Maybe because you fly into any situation without thinking." Said Shihiko as she sauntered up to him, her eyes still fixed menacingly on the corpse of the dead human. "It serves him right, the bastard should have known who and what he was dealing with," she said, flipping her hair, dismissively, over her right shoulder.

Yusuke snorted and looked towards the body of the child lying on the ground, "What should we do with him?" he said staring at the abnormalities in the child's face, or lack there of. "The kid's still breathing; we should take him with us, right?"

"Whatever," she said nonchalantly and began to walk into the forest. Yusuke picked up the child and followed her into the darkness.

-: -: -: - Ten minutes earlier -: -: -: -

"Whoa! Did you feel that Kurama," A stunned Kuwabara froze in his tracks as a wave chilling power racked his senses. The two were on their way back to their homes from their outing with Shihiko and Yusuke.

"I think it came from the direction Yusuke and Shihiko were heading." Said Kurama; his senses also picking up the weird vibes that surge of power was giving off.

"Think we should go and check it out?" he asked staring off into the direction the two other tentei were headed in.

Kurama merely nodded, silently hoping that their comrades were all right.

-: -: -: - At the scene of the crime fifteen minutes later -: -: -: -

'She was here along with the detective. I could sense her essence, long before I arrived. But why only her?' Hiei knelt down on the ground and removed the ward covering his jagan. The third eye glowed in the darkened clearing casting an eerie violet glow in the area. He touched the scorched earth with his right hand, moving it slowly across the ground, 'this is where it happened, where she was.'

A rustle in the near by brush gained Hiei's attention as two familiar energy signatures approached.

'Kurama and the Baka' he rose from the ground and turned in their direction as they appeared.

"Hiei?" Kuwabara said as he was greeted by the sight of the jaganshi. Hiei ignored him and turned to Kurama.

"Yusuke and that dragon onna were here," he said debriefing the two; though he knew that they knew this already. He had been tracking Kurama and Shihiko since they left the school and was a third part to their little outing. He wasn't trying to stalk them or anything; he just didn't trust the onna.

"Yes, we know." Said Kurama, coming towards the 'battlefield', "We just left them about twenty minutes ago."

"Then we felt that weird energy near them and came to check up on them." Said Kuwabara joining the two demons, "But they're not even here."

"That human body has traces of both the onna and Yusuke's energy on it. One of them must have slayed him," said Hiei. He looked off to the side at another bloodstain, "and there was somebody else here who shared in the fatalities. That area has traces of both of them as well, but the onna's energy signature was the strongest and had the most exposure to the area."

Kurama quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He knew exactly what Hiei was trying to imply. However, why he thought his accusations were correct was beyond Kurama. He must know something that he is not saying. He looked towards the body of the dead man and checked it out. It wasn't that he did not trust the jaganshi; it was just that he needed to sense it for himself.

Kuwabara was pissed at Hiei's allegation. There was no way either Yusuke or Shihiko would kill a human. "What the hell are you talking about! Urameshi wouldn't kill a human!"

"Hn, exactly. So that only leaves one other person." Hiei said, his eyes flitting towards Kurama. As he thought, the fox's eyes were on him. He knew, better than anyone, even Kurama himself, that the fox was completely enamored with that onna. He believed her to be totally incapable of committing a crime now; that she was truly reformed. It was sad, considering…

"You can't be serious! She was just with us! We just had ice cream together AND she's nice…unlike some people!" Kuwabara said, looking pointedly at Hiei.

Hiei merely stared at Kuwabara, a bored expression gracing his features, "your idiocy truly knows no bounds," he said turning his attention elsewhere.

"What! You evil little midget-"

"Kuwabara," said Kurama, cutting off his friend, "let us try to focus on the situation at hand. And Hiei, can we not cease these accusations for now. For all we know someone could be trying to frame BOTH Yusuke and Shihiko. We should keep our heads together and remain logical, trying to view all angles of this situation to figure out what truly went on. Anything is possible."

"Including your woman being responsible," Hiei clarified.

"If that is what you choose to believe Hiei," he said stoically. He had no idea why Hiei despised Shihiko so; but he was going to find out. "Now, the first plan of action we must take is to locate Yusuke and Shihiko. Kuwabara, I will leave Yusuke to you. Hiei, can you check the city to see if there are any traces of them around?"

The jaganshi nodded and stalked off. "So, you're going to go check on Shihiko?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, I will go to her apartment. I will contact you tomorrow and we shall discuss what we found."

"Alright, later," Kuwabara said, waving from behind as he walked away.

Kurama watched the orange haired youth until he disappeared behind the foliage. He walked over to where the area where the missing body was and knelt down beside it. He brought his face down to the earth and inhaled deeply, trying to pick up anything he could. Indeed he did smell Shihiko's scent in that area as well as Yusuke's and the other person. However, there was something else there; something that stung his nose and caused him to reel away. It smelled like…battery acid, ice and smoke.

'That's very unusual…and yet familiar.'

He stood up, dusting off his uniform pants, and made his way to Shihiko's apartment; imprinting that scent on his mind.

-:-:-:-

The next morning

-:-:-:-

Kurama sat at his desk in Biology class, not really paying attention to his teacher. His mind was preoccupied by the events of last night. Two of his teammates and friends had disappeared and were no where to be found. There were many mysterious clues left behind and none of them seemed to lead anywhere. Last night, he swung by Shihiko's apartment to find any traces of her. Unfortunately, there were none. However, he did sense that there had been traces of other being in her house…youkai. When and why they had been there, he did not know.

This had only worried the kitsune more. On top of that, the same scent: ice, battery acid and smoke were present in her apartment. When he returned home Kuwabara called him to inform him that Yusuke had not returned home either. It hadn't surprised him really, but it did unnerve him. It was not like Yusuke to up and disappear without some type of notice. For Shihiko, such a thing would be expected, but, Yusuke was grounded here in Ningenkai and had too much to leave behind. Indeed, it was a strange set events.

He and Kuwabara contacted Botan to inform her of what was going on and they had agreed to meet at the scene of the crime after school today. He only hoped that the grim reaper had found something useful.

The lunch bell rang, startling Kurama out of his reverie. Already, with the absence of Shihiko, his fan club had swarmed around him like stink on shit. Kurama sighed silently, already missing the presence of the white dragoness. 'This is most definitely not what I need right now,' he thought while excusing himself from their squeals and wandering hands.

-:-:-:-

It was most unnerving, the sight set before her. The dead man had remained in his post mortem pose with the remnants of his exploded head lying around him like candy from a busted piñata. All around the area was dried blood and burnt earth, proof of the scuffle that had occurred. Botan tore her gaze away from the scene for it was making her wretched.

The sounds of muffled of footsteps approached her from behind, "Hey Botan," a slightly gruff voice sounded, it was Kuwabara followed by Kurama. They were both impeccably dressed in their school uniforms.

The two approached her; grim expressions gracing their features. "Any news Botan?" Kurama asked. The ferry girl knew that he was worried about Shihiko. It seemed like the two of them had a very close connection, much like the bond he shared with Hiei, but, different.

She sighed, exhaustion and worry both taking their tolls on her as well, "It's not much I'm afraid. Koenma has found blips of their energy mingled with another unusual source of energy all over the city since last night. However, as soon as we locate the energy, they disappear without a trace,"

"Interesting, is there anything else?"

"No, I'm afraid not; but we're still looking,"

"Damn it! This is really starting to bug me," said Kuwabara, "It's not like Urameshi to do something like this. I hope Hiei is doing better than us,"

"Hiei?" asked Botan.

"Yes, I asked him if he could search the city with his jagan. He might find something that we have missed." Said Kurama.

"Hm, well I should be getting back to help with the search, keep your communicators close to you. We may find something soon." She said, trying to regain her optimism.

"Very well Botan-Chan,"

"See ya," said Kuwabara.

With that, the kimono clad ferry girl materialized her oar and flew up into the heavens.

-:-:-:-

Hiei's P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

I cannot tell you why I found my way to this place, or why I am sitting here reading her 'diary.' I can only tell you that I was drawn here, that I had to know more…more about who she was, her relationship with the fox…

Do not mistake my curiosity for something else. Do not presume that I am interested in her in any way. I simply like to know my enemies; to know how to destroy them. From reading her words, it is obvious that she has weaknesses, that she is weak. If she were to ever cross the line, it would be a simple thing to get rid of her…that is quite reassuring.

I flipped the page to read on about her personal history, her plight, and her ties.

The fox was here. He entered into the onna's bedroom, as graceful and quiet as ever. He had an air about him that would suggest that he had been in her bed on more than one occasion; and judging from her journal entries, it seems that that estimation is correct.

Cool verdant eyes surveyed the room and then landed upon me and then on the object in my hands. Mind you, I was not watching him during this time. My eyes were transfixed upon the journal I held in front of me. However, my jagan was uncovered and open, watching everything around me.

"Hiei," he said calmly, as unreadable as ever, "please tell me that you are not reading her diary,"

-:-:-:-

Kurama's P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

I rounded the corner of the hall that Shihiko resided on. It was quiet, most probably due to the late hour. As I approached her door, a familiar energy signal greeted me. It was Hiei. Hopefully the koorime had found something useful. I picked the lock to her apartment with an ease, which comes second nature to one who has practiced the fine art of larceny for over a millennium, and entered, taking in the view of her living area, trying to see whether or not she had returned. Everything was as it was the last time he came. No traces of her and everything impeccably neat and in its place.

I followed Hiei's energy signature to the room to my left, the bedroom. It was the second time I had visited this room. The first time, after I healed Shihiko from her injuries during the carnival, I had memorized every detail of its confines while she slept. Of course, she had no idea that I had done such a thing, but, none of that matters now.

Hiei was lounging to my right on the chaise lounge near the window. He was wearing his signature black ensemble which consisted of a black tank top, loose fitting pants tied close with two red belts and black boots. He reclined leisurely, seemingly relaxed, reading a leather bound book. A book he knew all too well to have been Shihiko's diary. He almost couldn't believe that the koorime had the audacity to read it. Truthfully, had he been in the same situation, he probably would have read it as well…

"Hiei, please tell me that you are not reading her diary," the young youkai merely snapped the book shut and tossed on Shihiko's bed. He looked up at me, a lazy look in his eyes, and settled deeper into the couch.

"And if it was…" he said with the tiniest hint of amusement coloring his tone, obviously trying to baiting me into an argument. I ignored his comment and the sly smirk that played across his lips at my avoidance.

"Have you found anything yet?" That was the reason I was here after all, to find out more clues, not to get into an argument.

"Nothing as of yet," he said, his eyes sliding past me to gaze out of the window, "However, there have been traces of their energy all around town, so they are alive."

I sighed, that was all I could do, this whole situation was beyond frustrating, "I am worried about them Hiei. It is quite unusual for them to disappear, not only, from the sight of your jagan, but also from watchful eye of Reikai. Whoever is holding them against their will must be quite powerful indeed."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hiei's eyes flick towards me and his right eyebrow raise in disbelief. I turned towards him, and saw that his normally stoic features had adorned the mask of incredulity. "What?" I inquired of him.

He didn't answer immediately, letting the pause between our dialogues further dramatize his skepticism. "Are you sure you can trust this woman?" There was no cynicism or malice in his tone only curiosity with a hint of concern.

"Hiei," I honestly did not know how to react.

"I'm just wondering how well you 'think' you know this girl," he said, his gaze completely serious and level with my own.

"You cannot possibly still think her an enemy Hiei."

"I trust no one fox, least of all her,"

Hiei rose from the chaise silently, heading for the window. Sensing that our conversation was over, I let the matter drop. "Koenma will contact us at the end of the week with more information," I said to him as he opened the window. He nodded, and then flitted out of sight.

I stood there, letting my conversation with Hiei seep into my mind. His concern was most endearing, but also misplaced. There was no need for him to concern himself with Shihiko. She was not our enemy. I looked over towards the bed at the discarded diary, and walked towards it, my curiosity overriding my sense of decency. I picked it up and flipped to the creased in page where Hiei most likely left off and turned to the beginning of the entry. It was written in a common dialect of Makai and not her draconic tongue. I sat at the edge of her bed and began to read.

'It has been a long time since I have written. It seems decades have passed when in fact it has only been about a year and a half. However, I now find myself in the quandary of all quandaries, a situation which forces my hand to write in your pages. The motivation for this entry: once again, emotions have reared their ugly heads in my life. I do not know how to explain my situation, or more so, how to make it coherent…but such has been the crux of my life since I was brought into this world- an act of adultery and consequence. A bastard child, born by chance in a union which embodied a nonsensical, loveless confusion. How else could one born in such a state record the events of her life, or explain their hopelessly rampant and unpredictable actions with out the words themselves being a jumble of incoherence.

'To understand my present situation, I must send you back to the beginning.

'It all started with you Youko. Sex, lies and abandonment. My first intimacy. Consensus and freedom. A choice made by me, uninfluenced by outside forces. It was mine, my choice, regardless of how screwed up the end result was.

'I was never forced with you, not like with the others; although, in hindsight, I can honestly say that I have never known heartache or true pain until I knew you…Sai, my rapist 'father' Danrai, and other-so many others-

'Why did I still fool myself into believing that I loved you Youko. Ah, the tale of my unprecedented, unbridled decisions begins. A man who destroyed me not physically but mentally and emotionally-he shattered me. Why do I still let him in? Why is he the only one? I must be a glutton for masochism.

'Truly, this must be so. The reason I pine for men that I cannot have. My true father, the nameless white haired warrior; maybe it all started with him. Who knows. Perhaps my need for my silver haired kitsune stems from the need of the absent father figure in my life. By Ryuushi, I sound like a shrink. But, I digress-is that not the meaning of my life…to digress further and further into uncertain choices that leave me irreparably scarred inside?

'Kairen, the lord of all the dragons. A man, the only man who has been unbeseechingly devoted to me. A man who claims he loves me. My once mentor in the sacred art of Ryuu-tau. My lover. A man that I forced into the arms of his new wife, Cecilla, a gold dragon keeper from the west. "A tie," I said, "that will bring you power and happiness." Funny is it not? The way I create my own personal hell…The only man who has ever truly cared for me, who loved me. Why do I do such things, why am I like this? And why, after I gave you away do I lure you into my bed while your dutiful wife waits for you, fully aware of the sins you commit with me during the twilight hours. Why do I hurt these people: Kairen and Cecilla- I lure you in only to push you away; I steal what is lawfully yours, though I am the one who gave him to you.

'Youko, why have you entered into my life again? I had toughened my heart, erected impenetrable walls around my broken core-a series of mismatched puzzle pieces that were forced together since the beginning.

'Since my emancipation of Kairen had taken place, I forced myself into a project to distract me from my blunder. Complete and utter domination over 'Ningenkai' and the destruction of the ningens who dwell in it. To think that this place is actually called Ningenkai when it was originally the home of all Ryuukind. What cheeky bastards those fools in Reikai are.

'My domination over the ningens, a project which would surely keep me away from Kairen-running away once again- brought me to Ningenkai which in turn got me captured; imprisoned and forced to serve a life sentence on probation under the 'almighty' toddler and assisting his young spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi.

'But, none of those things would have ever been as punishing as being forced to work with who? Tah dah, none other than the one who started it all: Youko Kurama, or Suuichi Minamino as he is now called in his borrowed ningen form.

'My, what a twist! So what, might you ask, has the masochist done now that she has been forced into this quandary? What is she feeling? Ye gods, if only she knew.

'He is so different now. Why is he so…I cannot say. There are no words to describe it; he is his old self, and yet, he is not. I want him, there is no question about that, but, the mere thought of wanting him makes my body and mind react violently. DON'T TOUCH! Not for one who is so emotionally fragile! But, he is the reason why I am the way that I am…is he not? At least partially. So, does it not make sense that our being together again will mend old wounds? Would it not be the completion of the tumultuous and arduous cycle? The conclusion of my search? Surely I am insane.

'However I may fill myself up with these delusions, I know that such a joining cannot be. For as I have aforementioned, my body and mind react most violently to such thoughts.

'I have also recently found myself wanting to be changed, slowly but surely, by outside forces. Another intriguing male specimen has found his way into my curiosity. A man who seems quite unattainable, but who soul could be more desolate than my own. Those eyes…the things he hides behind those eyes…so tortured. He has a pain that can only be recognized by someone who has suffered from similar wounds. He is a temptation which I will try my damnedest not to indulge in. But the masochist in me howls and claws at the opportunity. By Ryuushi, grant me the power to withstand his lure.

'Inconclusive ramblings; junk. That is all this is. But this is the only way it can be expressed. Pick up your mask, hide your broken soul and act.

'It is said that you are the only person that can bring me catharsis without criticism, without insincere concern or psychobabble bullshit, but instead I find myself the same lost, rampant and broken child. Unsure of her thoughts, feelings and actions. The schizoid…fucked up in the head. Mona Lisa's Cheshire smile that hides the truth of a withered, weary masochist, still hanging onto…hope?

-Whatever.'

I reread the last two paragraphs over and over again, not sure how to take it. This was truly not what I had expected of Shihiko. Perhaps Hiei was right, it was quite possible that I did not know her as well as I thought I did. My feelings about Shihiko are mixed. I do care for her. She is unlike any woman that I had ever been with, and she is the only woman that I can truly see myself with. However, I know myself, I know that there is no way that my personality will allow me to fall in love with anyone. My mother, my only exception, had changed me somewhat, made me more genial, more compassionate. However, my relationship with her has not changed me completely. I am still Youko Kurama, steely, calculating and ruthless when needed. I cannot be the one for her because I know that I cannot truly make her happy. Satiate her lust, yes, but not her heart.

I want to heal her heart…to heal the broken child, in an way I could. But first, I have to find her.

-:-:-:-

Normal P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

In what felt like an eternity, a week passed them by and there was still no sign of either Shihiko or Yusuke. The Tentei gathered in the great gold, jade and ivory office of Koenma. The young prince sat, in his toddler form, behind his grand mahogany desk. There was a slight grimace on his face. A sure sign that Reikai had failed to produce anything to contribute to the whereabouts of the two missing Tentei.

Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara and Botan were scattered about the office listening to the disheartening news.

"The only clue we have to go on is the constant blips of unusual energy that consumed Yusuke and Shihiko, which keeps on appearing throughout the city. We have found that everywhere that particular energy signature shows up a crime is committed. Since this is the only cookie in the cookie jar that we have, so to speak, I think it's about time that we assume finding Yusuke and Shihiko a lost cause, for now at least, and focus on finding the source of the energy," said Koenma. He looked away at the shocked expressions that came across the others faces. He had expected them to act this way, but, the combined force of their penetrating gazes on him made him uncomfortable nonetheless.

"What! Koenma, you can't do that," Botan stormed up to his desk and stared him in the eyes, "Yusuke would never give up on any of us if we were in his position, so don't you dare expect us to do the same!" her plum hued eyes began to water slightly at the possibility of Yusuke not returning.

Kurama walked up to Botan to place a consolatory hand on her shoulder, "She is right Lord Koenma," he said.

"Yeah, you can't just expect us to give up trying to find them!" said Kuwabara.

Koenma sighed, "Yes, I know how you all feel, but what you are failing to realize is that if we are able to track down that weird energy, it just might lead us to them."

"Lead you to who?" a familiar, cocky male voice sounded from behind them. The group turned around in utter shock.

There before them stood the two prime subjects of their conversation looking quite disheveled.

Yusuke and Shihiko…

-:-:-:-

To be continued…

Well that was chapter 21, sorry for the long wait, but as I mentioned before in the previous chapter, I was unable to update due to hurricane Katrina.

But, anywayz, tell me what you all think of the chapter. It took me forever to finish it. Why do you all think that Hiei doesn't trust Shihiko? Do you think Shihiko and Kurama will ever be a couple? What did you think of Shihiko's diary entry. There are a lot of thing in there that are confusing, like the history with her parents. In a previous chapter, Ran reminded her that she was the child of two silver dragons; does it ring any bells. Anyway, if you go back to the chapter 'and her name is Shihiko' you'll see what I mean. There is a reason why what Ran said is different form what Shihiko wrote in her diary.

Also, this story is being rewritten in more of an adult fashion on adult and it will be very different from the one I am posting on this site. The link is on my profile page.

Lastly, I have uploaded some pictures on of the way Shihiko and Ran look. I will continue to post the images of the rest of my characters on there once they appear in the story. So please visit that site and tell me what you think. The link is on my profile page.

Please review the story. I hoped you liked it, and I will update soon, because I now have internet access.

Tchao