I'm supposed to be doing an English assignment due on Tuesday right now, but my computer decided it wasn't going to let me get to the site with the rubric on it. Oh well, consider this fair warning that I probably won't be updating tomorrow. :P So, yeah. Sorry I didn't update before this. This has been a movie weekend for me. A double header of Fantastic Four and War of the Worlds at the two dollar movie theater on Friday (Four kinda sucked but War of the Worlds I really enjoyed, though the end was cheesy) and then me and my friend went to see Red Eye last night. That movie had the best line, second best on my all time best movie lines list. "Dude, there's you're pen." :) I love it! The only thing that tops it is Rachel's "I'm not your F-ing mommy" line from the Ring 2. Alright, enough out of me, ON WITH THE FIC!
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Shrill electronic beeping filled the room at exactly 6:30 am. The redhead muttered something under his breath as he shut off the offending device, getting out of bed only semi-conscious and heading towards the bathroom. He almost dozed off in the shower twice and was seriously starting to think about crawling back in bed and taking the day off when he nearly choked to death on his toothbrush. But sadly, that perfectionist human personality of his wouldn't here of it.
Still almost sleep walking, he trudged back to the bedroom and, turning his back on the bed, opened the closet door and proceeded to get dressed. He growled slightly, trying to force himself awake as he mismatched the buttons on his shirt for the third time.
"Quickfire," he called quietly over his shoulder, intending to recruit the fire demon to button the shirt since he was apparently incapable of it this morning. There was no response.
"Hiei," his voice took on a pleading note. Again there was no response. Sighing he pulled the last button out of the wrong hole and turned around to wake the half-Koorime who was ignoring him. His eyes widened when he faced an empty bed.
"Hiei?" he called, casting out his awareness. Hiei was nowhere to be felt in the apartment. Now fully awake he checked again, expanding his search to a full mile radius of the apartment complex. No luck. No Hiei.
"Where would he have gone?" the fox wondered aloud. His rebelling shirt still half opened, he left the bedroom searching for any sign of his missing fire demon. Entering the kitchen, he scrutinized the room carefully. He caught sight of two things on the table. One was a piece of paper, and the other was what looked like a small black marble.
Walking to the table, he picked up the marble and examined it closely. It pulsed slightly and Kurama nearly dropped it when he realized what that meant. It was energy, pure crystallized energy…a teargem. Looking closer he saw that though it appeared at first to be a solid inky black, there was in fact a swirl of crimson fire deep in the very core of gem. It felt like Hiei.
Tearing his eyes away from the precious stone, he turned his attention to the note. He immediately recognized the handwriting…strong and bold…faintly reminiscent of Makain characters though it was in fact in Japanese.
"Hiei…"
Fox
I know you are going to be angry when you read this. I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do. Things have to change. You can try to reassure me that everything is fine all you want, but the reality of the situation is we need money and we need it now. I've gone to the Makai to retrieve some of my gold. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ME! I'll be back in two or three days, I promise. DO NOT COME AFTER ME. Just stay there. I WILL be back. Kurama, please don't be mad at me for this. I'm only doing it for you, for our child.
I love you,
Quickfire
Kurama stared at the note, seeing the words but not comprehending them. Hiei wouldn't really do that. He wouldn't really be foolish enough to go to the Makai…alone…and pregnant! He wouldn't. He wouldn't! He wouldn't! But…he did.
Kurama suddenly snapped out his daze. Sprinting to the front hall he grabbed his coat, his shoes and bolted out the front door. Judging by the scent on the note, Hiei couldn't have left more than five or six hours ago. Maybe, if he hurried, he could still catch up with the fire demon.
(xxx)
Hiei landed on a branch awkwardly. His balance was off, partially because of the pack he carried and partially because his head didn't seem to want to stop spinning. He was hungry and nearing the painful stage, but didn't dare use any of the food he had brought until he absolutely had to. His Jagan glowed brightly on his forehead, guiding him to the hidden treasure he had come to collect.
His heart sunk as he noted the time. His fox would be waking up soon, if he hadn't already. What would the redhead do when he found the note Hiei had left him? He prayed the fox would do as he had asked and stay in Ningenkai, but deep in his heart he knew it was a futile wish. The fox would be back in the Makai within the hour, guaranteed. That was one of the reasons why he had to hurry. If the fox caught up with him he would drag him back to Ningenkai immediately. Hiei had to make sure he at least recovered some of the gold before that.
Taking a deep breath in an attempt to clear his head Hiei jumped from the branch. His vision swam and nausea rose in him, but he fought it off. He was stronger than this, he could beat this. He'd have to if he was to survive three days in the Makai.
(xxx)
The shadow perched on a branch a few trees away, watching the short half-Koorime regain his balance. It was the first time the small fire demon had stopped since he started nearly five hours past. The shadow had to admit he was impressed.
Noticing that the demon looked to be having some trouble regaining himself quite as quickly as he had before now, the shadow decided he had enough time to check in. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes and concentrated.
(xxx)
A few of the Elders, including the youngest, nearly jumped as the astro body of their assassin appeared before them.
"Yes? What have you to report?" the oldest asked.
"The boy is in the Makai."
"What?"
"So soon?"
"Silence," the oldest ordered, the other Elders falling quiet. "Bring him here."
"As you wish," the shadow replied, seeming to evaporate from their presence.
(xxx)
Kurama landed on a carpet of needles on the forest floor. The very smell of the Makai was almost enough to force the Youko to the surface, but he pushed back just as hard. He needed to stay focused now. Inhaling deeply he caught his lover's scent and sped off in that direction as fast as he could. He couldn't decide if he was more angry or worried or frustrated or, on some deep level, touched by Hiei's actions. It all seemed to blend into one. He'd choose one emotion when he finally caught up with the half-Koorime. Until then, all emotion was buried.
(xxx)
His foot slipped as he tried to land. His balance was lost completely and he fell. After crashing through numerous branches Hiei landed hard on his back, his vision growing dark as consciousness threatened to escape him. Groaning, he lay there for a moment just blinking, trying to get his head to cease throbbing.
When the spots finally cleared from his vision he sat up slowly. Pain shot through his back and head and he groaned again. Whether he was driven by instincts or not he didn't know, but without even realizing what he was doing he focused the Jagan on his abdomen. He immediately saw what he was looking for; a small, premature form blanketed in a ball of his ki. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. The child was fine.
He was so wrapped up in making sure his unborn child was unharmed that he didn't even hear or sense the figure that suddenly landed behind him.
"So, you are the imiko," a deep voice, deeper even than his, said from behind him. He whipped around, scrambling to his feet. The figure before him was dressed all in black, a black hood hiding his features except for two glowing points of yellow light. Hiei growled, unsheathing his katana. The shadow didn't move.
"How nice to finally meet you," the shadow said conversationally. Hiei lunged forward. He didn't know who this shadow was, and he didn't need to know. It had called him the 'imiko' and that was proof enough that they were enemies, or at least potential enemies.
The shadow remained immobile as Hiei approached. His katana sliced through its chest, and it disappeared. Hiei stared in surprise for a moment before he realized what had happened.
'An astro body!' he realized, quickly spinning on his heal and scanning the area around him. A growl rose from his stomach and he suddenly doubled over in pain, nearly dropping his blade. The hunger pains had accompanied this growl, and the pain had only served to intensify that which was already coursing through his back and head. He squeezed his eyes shut until it passed, dropping to his knees.
When the pain finally subsided, he opened his eyes to find spots swimming before him and bile rising in the back of his throat. Even if he hadn't been too disoriented to feel the presence of the shadow's true body behind him, he couldn't have moved in time, not in his position.
Hiei cried out as the side of his head erupted in pain. He felt himself falling and suddenly flashed on that memory from so very long ago. There was snow all around him and he was falling…falling…falling… And then everything went black.