Wingless Bird

A collaboration between HateBecomesYou and BlueWater26

Writer's Notes: BlueWater26 again. Still desperately trying to think for once and not sound like a complete idiot while doing so. Blame school.

Disclaimer: Don't we wish we could own Yu Yu Hakusho. Our lifelong dream, I tell ya.

Chapter Five: Stuck in a Pickle

063s6 was not in her best mood when she woke up. She was scared, certainly, and lost and confused. Her mind was unfocused, her vision unhealthily blurry, but she did her best to observe. The yellow light was still there, hanging over her, with its sickening shade of brightness--in fact, it seemed like the surroundings hadn't changed at all.

"Up, I see," said the voice that was now frighteningly familiar. "You'll find that you can move now without too much trouble. And you have human clothing on."

063s6 glanced down at herself, finding a strange garment of dark material clinging to her now dry skin: a dress, but she had no way of knowing for certain.

"Where…where am…I?" Her voice was hoarse and stammering from lack of use, her tongue floppy.

"Nowhere of your concern." The reply was light and seemingly uncaring. "Don't worry about such things."

The man moved farther away from her and leaned over three prisons similar to the one she had been in before. Shivering with cold, she slipped off the cold table and winced as the frigid metal touched her skin.

"Wha…" 063s6 tried again. "What…what are they?" The words came slowly, one by one as if each was a struggle. "An'…who…are…are you?"

"Ah." The man looked faintly pleased and amused that 063s6 has asked such a question. "They're none of your business…only a few new…toys of mine."

For some reason, 063s6 didn't like how he accented "toys."

"As for my name, I have none….But 'master' will do as well as any." He turned to something--a small, feathery, alive something--and said, "Eda, get her some food and water."

With a mad flutter of wings and a few obedient chirps, 063s6 realized that Eda was a bird.

Once again, the dark silence settled gloomily over the two, and 063s6's curiosity grew. "Master" poked a few fingers at the things inside the green casing and the tubes, now and then muttering something with a satisfied smirk.

Eda came back from who knew where, holding a small leather pouch in her beak. From within it, Master withdrew a few strips of dark brown and tossed it with particularly good aim at 063s6.

Instinctively she reached out and caught it. The texture of it was slightly rough and it smeared salt crystals over her cold hands.

"Salted meat," Master answered before she could ask. "Substandard fare."

And that showed 063s6 what Master's opinion of her was, along with the badly-hewn wooden bowl of water that came next.

-:-

"Hiei!" Botan gasped as she scrambled outside, trying not to stumble on the steps. "Who is…" Her voice faded away as her eyes took in the situation. Behind her came the audible sounds of fear emitted by Keiko and Yukina as they nearly crashed into her in their urgency to see.

"How ugly," remarked Shizuru calmly, cigarette still puffing out smoke. "What a waste of space."

In front of the gate that was now hanging haphazardly on its hinges was a giant white-skinned demon with three sharp horns that glinted in the light. Its black eyes shone with the furious intent of killing, and it swiped at a swift black blue with a heavy claw.

Hiei glared at the near miss and snorted. "Pathetic." He drew his sword in one smooth motion as the demon lumbered forward--quickly, if clumsily. "Fortunately, I can't kill you now….We need you for questioning as to how you found this place."

No answer but a few gurgles of unintelligible speech.

"Erm, what's he saying?" Keiko asked blankly.

"I think he's telling Hiei the exact way to kill him," Shizuru suggested.

"Is he really?" Yukina queried innocently.

The other three girls sweat-dropped. "No," Botan finally said.

There was a slight spurt of blood as Hiei placed his blade against the demon's throat. "Now tell me," the fire demon snarled.

The white demon shook its head frantically. It pressed its claws to its heart and dug into the cavity, tearing into the organ without hesitation.

"Damn." Hiei released the demon with disgust. "I should've guessed." He turned away as the demon vanished into a flurry of crow's feathers.

Yukina stared at the jet-black down for a moment, then followed the group back within the safety of the temple.

-:-

Master loomed over the green compartments, speaking to himself. 063s6 had taken to stretching her new muscles, though her mind was filled only with suspicion. What was she doing here in this dark forsaken place that resembled a mess-up lab?

Her legs, stiff and numb, bent reluctantly as she gripped nearly things for support--tubes, the wall, random handles. Master watched her with an eagle's eye, Eda perched on his shoulder and giving out several chirps.

"A few more injections should do the trick." Muttering, Master withdrew a few silver syringes from a nearby shelf and clicked them. The needle tips glinted silver in the light. With a swift movement, they were plunged into whatever-they-were.

063s6's curiosity had not dwindled. Now she tried to peer over at the casings, wondering…until her mind ceased to dwell upon such mysteries.

"Curious?" asked Master. It was one of the few words he has said to 063s6 all day.

063s6 managed to nod her head, out of shock more than anything.

"You'll find out soon. After all, they are pretty famous amongst demons."

"De…mons?" 063s6 stumbled over the strange word.

"Yes, what did you think I was, a stupid, coddled human?" He practically threw the word out in contempt.

"Erm…" For that, 063s6 had no answer. She had never even thought about what Master was…but now she was open to ponder. "Demons…demons…really exist?" Her mind was foggy.

"Obviously," scoffed Master. "I'm alive, am I not?"

No comeback, no reply. "Are they…demons?" 063s6 pointed at the prisons.

"One of them" was Master's cryptic response. "Now…" He snapped his fingers, and 063s6 suddenly slumped to the ground, off to the shores of sleep.

Author's Notes: Um…bye?