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Chapter Five

(Midori)

Making my way through the still gathered mass of people I introduced myself to those I didn't readily recognize and laughed with those I did. Even though it was nearing midnight, Raiden and his band were still going strong and Yumiko was dancing with a few friends nearby. As I swept the crowd one more time, almost positive that I had spoken to most of the members of the mob I spotted a pair that I had not.

The girl was standing against the wall, and there was something about her that cried out sadness. She had long brown hair that was pulled back, but a few stray strands fell down in soft curls around her face. The deep blue of her eyes was magnified by her attire and she held herself with confidence. Next to her stood a man with black hair that stuck up in a flame like fashion and it took me a moment to figure out who he was. Hiei Jaganshi, on of the winners of a previous Dark Tournament my husband and I had attended.

"Hello," I greeted as I walked toward them. "How are you doing tonight?"

"Fine," the girl smiled at me. "How are you?"

"Wonderful! By the way, I'm Midori, the hostess, and you are…?" I trailed off strategically.

"Rei, I'm Hiei's date." She motioned to him with a nod of her head. "You have a beautiful home, it's huge!"

"Would you like a tour?" I offered; I always loved talking about my home.

"I'd love that!" Rei jumped at the offer and turned to look at Hiei. "You're going to come too right?" He shrugged his shoulders, but it was easy to see that he just wanted to stay where he was.

"Well, let's get going!" I led them into the house by the closest door, which opened up into the ballroom. "This is the ballroom; we're going to be having all the parties in here. It's a great room for rollerblading." I twirled around, and caught something flicker in Rei's eyes a sort of far away memory. "Taro used to complain about me marking up the floor when we first moved in, but after Sumi's birth he stopped. He finally realized how much fun it was when he zoomed around with his little girl in his arms. It was the cutest thing!"

I skipped the kitchen to point out a few of the entertainment rooms, parlors and the like. Rei seemed to be extremely interested in everything, but at the same time she was very withdrawn, almost anxious about seeing the house. Her expression turned troubled many times, and I worried about her. I don't think her dated noticed though, he seemed completely bored out of his wits.

Eventually we reached the last floor, the bedroom floor where all the guests and family slept including the children, Taro and I. This was my favorite part of our home because it was the most personal. All the rooms spoke about the habitant, and I always loved seeing other's rooms. We passed by a few, and I pointed them out, showing them certain ones and leaving the ones with guest alone.

"Whose room is this?" Rei asked, pointing to a door that was closed.

"That would be my daughter's," I answered tracing the piece of wood nailed on the door. On it in Nakari was a name, her name, Sumiko. It meant child of goodness, beautiful child.

"Oh, Yumiko," Rei said and I opened the door so she could peek inside.

"No, this is my other daughter's room; she was stolen from us when she was a small child. It nearly killed both Taro and me. She was our first child, every night before I go to bed I search for her with my Jagan," I lightly touched the back of my neck. The aqua colored eye that rested there ran in the family. I usually didn't use it, preferring to use my dream energy.

"I haven't given up hope, I just know she's out there. When she was first stolen I couldn't sleep or eat because I was so worried about her. Even now at the most unexpected times I will stop, and wonder if my baby's alright, if she's hungry, scared or alone." Shaking my head I gave the two of them an apologetic smile. "Sorry for dumping all that on you."

"No, don't apologize, how did Taro handle it?" Rei asked closing the door, and leaning against it. There was a haunted look in her eyes.

"He was completely destroyed, he and I had wanted a child for so long, and to have her taken away in such a fashion was horrible. I sometimes think the only reason he didn't fall apart was because of me, but because we lost Sumiko we became stronger and are closer." I blinked back tears as I stared at the door, "What I did, and it made it the pain only slightly better, was I furnished her bedroom as I think she would have liked it. On her birthday I add something to it, a little knickknack sort of thing, and if I see something I think she might have liked I add it. Taro has even put stuff in there along with Yumiko and Raiden."

"Mikki? Is that you?" A deep male voice called.

"Yeah it's me Taro, come meet Rei and Hiei! We're up in front of Sumiko's room!" I yelled back, and heard him pound up the stairs to reach where we were.

"Hello Rei, I'm Taro," he introduced holding out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir," Rei answered doing a slight formal bow, her blue eyes went vacant.

"I already met Hiei," he said and Hiei nodded in acknowledgement. "Your father is looking for you dear."

"Oh no, what does he want? He still can't believe I married you!" I exclaimed hanging my head. "Well, lead the way." I hooked arms with him, and smiled up into his golden brown eyes.

"Do you need help finding your way out?" Taro asked them, and Rei shook her head in a negative.

"No, I'm fine, I'm going to go use the bathroom that's at the end of the hall, and you don't have to wait. If I get lost I'll stick my head out the nearest window and yell really loudly for help." With that Rei turned on her heel and headed down the hall. Hiei thought for a moment before following her, a bored look still on his face.

"What's wrong her?" Taro demanded.

"I think you remind her of something painful she would like to forget," I replied.

"Great, well let's go handle your pappy," Taro smiled before sweeping me up off the floor and down the stairs.

X-X-X-X-X

"Mikki, it's midnight," Taro whispered into my ear coming up from behind and wrapping his arms around me cradling me close.

"Well look at that it is," I murmured leaning into him and his strength.

"So what do you want to see in the stars tonight?" He asked kissing my neck.

"A pig," I requested. Taro could find any shape or thing in the stars; cats, triangles, letters and faces.

"Right here," he picked up my hand kissed the palm, and pointed at a bunch of stars tracing around to form a pig, "And if you look at it like this it looks like he's got something in his mouth, I like to imagine someone's underwear."

"Taro!" I laughed staring at the pig.

"Anything else?"

"A butterfly,"

"Hmm, a butterfly, now that is going to cost you two kisses," Taro informed me as he lifted my hand to trace out the stars that formed two butterflies side by side.

"And two kisses you shall get," I turned around and kissed him square on the mouth.

(Reiko)

Watching Taro and Midori stand there in each other's arms, I felt more alone than before. Reaching up I touched where Jagan was on the back of my neck, hidden underneath the silver choker. I was all confused.

Who was I supposed to believe? What really happened? Was I kidnapped, or had my father thrown me away? Had I been blocking them out with my own Jagan my whole life unknowingly? Did they love me? Feeling someone start to prod my mind I slammed my defensive walls down blocking anyone who dared try out.

"No visitors?" Hiei asked coming up behind me.

"NO visitors," I snapped at him stalking off. No one was allowed into my domain. It was the only place where I could be completely honest, and no one could find out. Maybe I had been too harsh on Hiei, but he had no business in my mind.

'You're always too harsh,' Hiei's voice rang inside my head.

'How the hell did you get in my mind?' I demanded.

'You let me in, your defenses crumble under my touch,' Hiei said sounding smug.

'Well what do you want?' I growled

'What are you doing next?' Hiei questioned.

'I told you, I don't want you involved. I got in you deep enough as it is, I don't think your sister wants you dead.' I snapped staunchly

'I want to know; if you want me to I will go, and look for myself.' Hiei told me.

'You try it and I'll kill you,' I growled.

'No you won't. I you do you won't have a date and you'll have to leave,' Hiei reminded me. Snarling out loud I gathered up my telepathic energy, and formed it into a large fist. I waited for the right moment and then slugged him with it.

There was a loud thud as someone fell out of a tree onto the cold hard ground. It was easy to survive an attack on the body but not the mind; he would be stunned for a little while. Grinning with triumph I turned, and walked right into somebody else.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized looking up. My mind froze, my body shut down, and my breathing nearly stopped, "Oh…God…plea-" I then turned, and stumbled away not knowing where to go.

"Miss? Is there a problem?" the man asked.

"Pro-problem?" I stuttered, "N-n-no," I leaned back against the nearest tree.

'You are dead,' a voice snarled in my head.

'Oh god Hiei, you've got to, you just have to!' I cried hysterical.

'I've got to what?' Hiei demanded.

'It's him! It's him! Oh God it's him!' I couldn't think I couldn't focus. Everything was way out of my control spinning away, and if I didn't grab hold of it I would never come back. The memories were flooding in.

"You're hurting me! Stop! Let me go!" I wailed trying to free myself.

"Give me one good reason bitch!" I was then flung into a wall. The sound of flesh hitting solid concrete echoed around the alley. Jumping to my feet I bolted for the street only to be stopped by his cohort. He grabbed me by my hair, and dragged me back.

"Please stop! Why are you doing this? Help! Someone help me! Oh God! HELP!" I screamed at the top of my lungs before one of the greasy thugs slapped his ham-sized hand over my mouth and nose, blocking all my airways.

"If you stop screaming bitch I'll have my friend here remove his hand," he explained, "Will you stop screaming?" Nodding my head franticly I waited, and the cretin removed his hand just as I collapsed semi-conscious from lack of air.

"Too bad I just don't trust you." As I was beginning to be able to move he stuck something into my arm, and I lost all feeling in my body instantly. My mouth went numb and my voice wouldn't work, but my eyes didn't close though, so I saw him unbuckle his belt and whip it off.

It slashed across my skin burning like a red hot iron.

"Stop Daddy, please, stop!" I begged twisting my hands in a futile effort to loosen the tight rope that kept my wrists tied together around the canopy bed's post.

"Shut up! I wouldn't be doing this if you didn't deserve it!" He bellowed.

"But Daddy I didn't mean to spill the milk! I swear I didn't!" I was sobbing as the pain became too much to bear. The only thing that kept me up was the thought that if I slid down to the floor the beating would be even worse. I could feel the blood oozing down my back to pool on the floor at my feet, and knew I was going to get another beating when I couldn't remove the stain. I leaned my head against the post, and let my tears flow as silently as possible under his tirade of swearing.

Tears of pain and sorrow.

Wrapping my arms around my waist I wept for my dead mother. Why had she done it? Why had she killed him and then herself? Why couldn't we have just run away like we always planned? To a place where he could never reach us?

"Come Reiko, it's time to go," my Aunt Aki called holding out her hand to beckon me to her. Her husband and son stood next to her all dressed in black, but none of them grieved for her like I did.

"Get in the car!" My Uncle Akio snapped shoving me into the car next to my cousin Yokio who grinned at me.

"Reiko!" Aunt Aki shouted shaking me, "What is your problem? Why aren't you sweeping the floor?" She grabbed my arm in a bruising grip, "I don't know why we took you in! You are nothing but a lazy little slob! Now clean! After all we do for you, you can't ever do your share?" I grabbed the broom, and started franticly sweeping the floors but when I passed Yokio he stuck out his foot, and tripped me.

"Clumsy girl! Go to your room!" Her voice was shrill, and it hurt my ears to listen to so I gladly raced to my sparsely furnished room. I flung myself down onto the bed when I heard the door open, and looked up to see my uncle stumble in a whiskey bottle in one hand.

"Reiko," he slurred as panic rose to clog my throat.

"REIKO!" A voice screamed. It was my little Jomei! He'd fallen in the river!

"Hold Jomei! I'm coming!" I shrieked flinging myself into the river to get him, I had to get to him!

'Reiko, stop, it's me,' a voice hollered.

'Who are you?' I demanded.

'Hiei.' His voice was soothing. 'What's wrong?'

'It's him Hiei!' I exclaimed

'Who?' Hiei questioned.

'Yokio. Yokio,' I whispered.

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