Eep, extremely sorry. Got caught up in the whole drama of going back to China and coming back. Then went through a phase where the computor was icky oo, and finally the phase now where I have a shorter temper than usual. TwT

And towards the story.

Before the Battle

The heat got worse and worse.

I could actually feel an un-seen fire scorching the skin on my arms.

Which meant it was getting closer.

Panicking, I did the first thing that registered in my mind.

Shai always saved me.

So this time, I would save her.

Jumping on Shai's back, forcing her down, I landed in front of her. I found myself facing the creepy little girl. Gulping, I felt a wave of heat as she moved closer to me.

The creepy smile was still on her face, and her hands were held behind her back. The air around us seemed to just disappear, leaving me gasping for breath.

"Your loss." She smiled freakishly, bringing her hands from behind her back and shoving the heat thing in my face. To be exact, in my eyes.

I was stunned for a moment, seeing nothing but white.

A blinding white light.

The kind you're supposed to see when you're about to die.

XOXOXO

They say when you're about to die, your life flashes before your very eyes.

But mine didn't.

All I saw, no- Heard, was a bunch of voices.

"Tears don't fit you my dear."

That was my mom.

"Don't be like me. Never cry. It just makes you lose faith in humanity."

Ivy.

"I hate seeing you cry."

My big brother.

"You have to be a big girl now. And big girls don't cry."

I mentally winced.

My dad.

"Hey Jo? If I die, remember not to cry."

Shai…

They all told me not to cry. Not to cry for them.

"It's alright for you to cry, isn't it onna?"

But then he came along.

And told me it was okay to cry.

I felt as if my head was about to split in half. Half of physical pain and half of mental confusion.

Oh god, help me.

XOXOXO

Shai leapt up to her feet, rushing over to her fallen friend.

Jo was screaming.

Screaming.

Screaming.

And it was no wonder. She had just been hit in the eyes by that stupid lil' bitches attack!

"What the hell did you do to her!" Shai screamed at Xyona, grasping Jo's hand within hers.

Xyona merely gazed up at Shai with fake innocence. "She put herself in front of me. The attack was meant for you." She said sweetly, an edge of amusement creeping up in her high little voice.

Shai gritted her teeth together, knowing it was true.

"She's lucky." Xyona's voice suddenly hardened, "My attack could've killed you. But for nigens, my attack will merely cause them pain."

Trying to ignore Jo's frantic screams, Shai spoke through gritted teeth. "So in other words you're attack is not perfect." She growled, pulling her hand away from Jo's and standing up.

"No. I guess it's not." Xyona replied back, a grin crept onto her face and grew wider as each second passed, "Clarice? Perhaps you should entertain the others…"

XOXOXO

I continued to scream. I don't know, I couldn't stop myself. My voice wouldn't obey me, and I still couldn't see anything but white-ness.

A lump rose in my throat, but I pushed it down. I would not cry. Would not throw away six tear-less years of hard work, just to cry now.

"Onna!"

I stopped screaming for a split second.

Hiei?

"Hiei?" I repeated out loud, my voice all high and panicky, "I can't see! I-I can't!"

I felt his hands over my eyes, which surprised me so much, I stopped screaming again.

That didn't necessarily take away the pain though.

A frustrated 'hn' came from him. "I can't help you on this one onna…" He muttered, almost as if he were sorry.

But no, I probably was just dreaming that up. A whimper escaped my mouth, even though I didn't mean to let it out.

Suddenly, I felt his presence disappear, and I collapsed face-down onto the wooden floor.

I felt somebody else standing in front of me.

Someone with really long hair.

"Hiya, Jo- kun…" That little girl purred, stroking my cheek with abnormally long fingernails.

My voice caught in my throat this time. I lay there, paralyzed with fear.

"Your friend wasn't much of a fighter…" She said, laughing. I felt anger bubble in my chest, "And the others? Well, Clarice is taking care of them."

Suddenly, I understood her words. S-She killed Shai? And she was going to kill the rest of them? I gulped.

"So, it's just you and me." She whispered in my ear, her hot breath tickling my neck.

Grasping a handful of my hair, she picked me up, ignoring my whimpers. "Hiei obviously sees something in that hideous body of yours…" She hissed, sounding very pissed, "And to have some fun, I'll tell you this. I can give Hiei his body, and life back, on a few… Conditions."

XOXOXO

Dull blue eyes stared as the coffin slowly was pushed upon the stone table.

Yukina saw those eyes, and felt a new wave of tears hit her. Sniffling, she tried to stop them.

Shai had died in the attack last week.

Everyone else had mild wounds. Apparently, that little girl, Xyona, just wanted to make her point.

Jo had been temporarily blind for three days.

When she saw Shai's body, she wouldn't stop screaming.

Large crimson eyes filled with more tears. It was hard. Witnessing your brother's funeral, and then a close friend's funeral.

Two deaths in a year.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to gaze at Shai's cremation.

Kurama had mentioned it first. Said that Shai always was the free spirit kind of girl, so why not let her ashes fly freely in the wind instead of placing her in the cold ground?

They all agreed.

Except Jo.

She did nothing.

And when Yukina said nothing, she meant nothing.

After screaming, Jo had refused to talk. After refusing to talk, she refused to leave her room. And finally after that, she resumed talking to herself, sitting in a corner of Shai's room, her arms wrapped around her knees.

She spoke rapidly in English, and since Yukina didn't know English, she could never find out what Jo was talking about.

"Another one bites the dust. Leaving me alone. With unshed tears."

Yukina shook her head, bringing a hand up to her forehead. Jo always repeated that in English. It hurt her so much that she couldn't understand.

Suddenly, large flames erupted. And Shai's body was set afire. In seconds, the wood around Shai caught on, joining together into one, huge fiery flame of death. Smoke trailed from the fire, spiraling up towards the sky.

Tears sprung up to her eyes once more, as Yukina caught sight of Shai's body betwixt the flames.

It seemed Jo had as well, for a minute later, the young nigen girl scrambled towards the fire. "SHAI! SHAI!" She screamed, her eyes dry, but her voice trembling with hidden pain.

XOXOXO

"SHAI! SHAI!" I screamed, refusing to cry, but not refusing to hide my emotions. I mean, why should I? If I can't find, I always find another way to let out my emotions.

I stopped at the edge of the huge fire, wary of the heat. But shaking my head, ignoring the cries of the others, I thrust my hands and arms in. I mean, why should I care about the others? They were Shai's friends, not mine.

Don't say things like that…My conscience sighed, I mentally felt someone stroking my hair, as if trying to make me feel better.

I didn't bother to respond.

The flames licked at my exposed skin, and clamped onto my clothes, creeping onto them, slowly turning them to ash. I winced, but felt no pain.

"Don't leave me, Shai!" I begged, not being able to see the wolf girl through the flames, but my hands had clamped onto her wrist, "Please?"

'Course, how could a dead person answer?

I started to feel the pain now. A stinging sort of pain, traveling from my hands up my arms. I paused, it kind' of felt tingly at first. And was slightly enjoyable.

But then I felt hands encircled my waist. Surprised, my instincts took over and I started to flail. Kicking my legs this way and that, I thrashed about, but the grip never loosened.

And slowly, I was dragged away from Shai.

The last thing I remember was seeing the image of the wolf girl. Her long black hair glittered in the sunlight that was just there, like those things you see in the movies, her green eyes sparkled sadly. Holding up her hand in a goodbye, she gave me a small smile.

"Sorry Jo… Really I am. C-Could you give them the tapes…?"

I shook my head. My eyes telling her everything. I would give them the tapes unless she was there. That was our promise to each other.

But she had disappeared.

And I remember nothing more.

XOXOXO

"So, you see, Jo-chan." Xyona spoke, fiddling with something in her hands, "That's how I will resurrect him. All you have to do is your part."

My mouth hung open; I could literally feel my jaw drop. "MOUTH TO MOUTH!" I screeched, "THAT'S MY PART?"

She smiled sweetly at me. "Oh, is that a problem?" She said in a fake caring voice, "I don't see how it is. You seem to ADORE Hiei-chan."

I flushed, but said nothing else.

Her smile dropped, and a glare of anger reflected in her eyes. But she did nothing.

I looked around. It was foggy. Everything was unclear but me and her. You see, this was in my dream, I suspected. She had told me it was the only way to contact her without getting attacked by the others.

My hatred for her boiled in my stomach, but I refused to yell anything inappropriate or do something stupid 'till I found out EXACTLY how to resurrect Hiei. I mean, after Shai died, I needed to resurrect SOMEONE.

My heart dropped at the mention of Shai's name in my mind, but I shrugged it off. No need for that stupid little girl to see me sad.

"Well then, Jo-chan. Everything's been set up." She started, holding up the something she had been fiddling with.

At first glance, it was a dagger. But when I peered closer, I could see extremely thin, glowing strings. They wrapped around the dagger, and I could tell these were no ordinary strings.

"The strings of time." I heard myself say, but didn't know where it came from.

She nodded. "This is my weapon. Your weapon and protection will be those friends of yours." She said wryly, and played around with the dagger.

And then she started to get blurry.

I blinked, and knew what was coming up.

The Final Battle.

XOXOXO

For your peoples information, the story shall be ending soon. -nodnod-

I suppose it will end in the next two-three chapters.

I plan on doing a sequel, since I already have the sequel all set up in my mind.
I like the sequel better than this one. It's got more battles in it. xD

Mm, being bored and such, and wanting to know what you people think, do you think the title fits the story? Or should I change it?

Hei Huo