Chapter 7: the agora
Daja: The sunlight blinds me as I slowly stand up, letting the feeling come back into my legs. I blur over to Kurama looking at his astonished face and letting out an "hn."
I turn to Yusuke and Kuwabara who still lie sleeping though the hour is late this morning. I kick Kuwabara in the ribs and Yusuke in the butt while saying, "wake up you sleepyheads. I cannot believe you slept this late. Lazy Asses..." I grumble, as they become to come back into the world of the awake recognizing the feeling of pain on their bodies. "You amaze me.... to think the greatest detective team Koenma has and I have to be their mother...." I shiver at my analogy wishing I hadn't of said it. I feel a tear spring from the corner of my eye and I whip it away quickly willing that the tear be forgotten though I know it will not be any time in the near future. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I walk forward out of its grasp. Turning around to see his face, I watch as Kurama looks at me with questions in his eyes about what I had said about being a mother.
I answer by saying, "then again, what do I know about the profession of motherhood. I certainly never experienced it with my own mot..." I cant say it, the cut runs too deep into me and opening what I have worked for decades to scar closed would surely send me into a this time self induced coma, "I never experienced the kind of affection one should receive when only days old."
I walk past the dying embers, the remnants of lasts night's blazing fire. I saunter past Yusuke and Kuwabara who have begun to stare at me in my sudden voicing of some scrap of my past, and I can see them slowing piecing together the pieces they have received no doubt from my body language and what others have told them. They know nothing about what I went through, striving ever day to survive and find a place were I belonged. The closest I have ever come to finding that spot was when I was in Damien's arms. They stand up suddenly aware of my attempt to escape from the questions that no doubt are on their tongues. Yusuke wraps his arms around my tiny waist and I feel cold and repulsed by this sudden action of his male hormones, which have surely affected his brain now because he wouldn't have done this if he were in his right mind.
"Yusuke you fool" I say slapping his face as I have seen Keiko do hundreds of times by now, knowing this attack will strike home with him.
"I was trying to help." He pleads with me as I advance on him, feeling my eyes change to a greenish blue iris instead of the dull blue ones I "woke" up with this morning. I stop as my hand touches the hilt of my sword, as it always does with me when I turn into a murderer, and it reminds me that I am not going to be this evil creature anymore. Maybe if I stay in the light I will not be abandoned again?
I let my hand fall from the handle and look at Yusuke, saying softly so only he can hear, "You were trying to help me?"
He nods and smiles weakly and I look at him in disbelief.
"I was. Though it seems like we don't I know we all have a certain degree of respect for you and wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
I turn around and face the other three people and see truth in most of their eyes, damn it Hiei. Do you always have to hide you emotions. This is something I need to know. But I let him be his unsocial self as I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Kuwabara asks me suddenly aware that the intent of my previous action was to get ready to leave.
"I have a job to do you dumb shit, whether you are ready to tag along or not is not my concern even if Koenma told me specifically this was a 'group effort'. Plus I grew up in this city and I have been itching to see some familiar, though distant faces and or places. Yes," I say as Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke's mouths about hit the floor as I told them that I grew up in the Demon Realm, "I grew up here and it is the closest thing to a home I have, so I want to get back and immerse myself back into the way of life here. Damien would have been proud that I got the guts up to go ...back and face my past." I bite my lip as I say this last sentence and Hiei suddenly appears at the mouth of the cave.
"Who?" he asks me seriously.
"My conscious I guess you could say." I say with a smile remembering the words of advice Damien gave me about trusting my heart.
"What was his name?"
"His name was Damien, sometimes known as the Piper due to his abilities with the musical instrument called the flute. I myself learned from him and we became partners in all crimes together. He was my life at one time...."
"You knew the Piper?" Hiei asks me with a look of surprise adorning his normally unexpressive face.
"Of course. Isn't that what I just said. He and I even were commanders on a ship once. He taught me a lot, including how to avoid questions like yours but I guess I forgot how too. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have got to go and visit the agora. I just realized how hungry I am and it seems my food stores were depleted," I send a look at Kuwabara who just smiles innocently and I growl at him, taking that innocent my ass smirk off his face, "while I was out of it. See yah around detectives." I hear rustling behind me as I walk out of the cave, seriously considering running off and leaving them behind in the cave.
But I never make it that far, Hiei tells me to stop moving and wait. So I do knowing even if I try to run off, Hiei will catch me and make me stay put. Eventually, I do make it to the city even if I have all the rug rats in tow. And upon trying to wind my way through this really familiar city, I run into a most unexpected old friend.
Hiei: The closer we get to the agora of this city, the more comfortable I become with my surroundings. As we walk down the street, I note that Daja knows exactly where she is going, never once looking around her in uncertainty at the streets and alleys. She continues to walk with the rest of us following a few steps behind her as she said to. All of the sudden, Daja is knocked to the ground by purple cloaked figure running to the tavern roughly 50 feet away. The figure turns around and says, "I am sorry, I wasn't watching were I was...Daja? Is that you? Let me help you up. They said you was dead, you look good." the figure had said all that while helping up Daja from the ground.
"Good lords of the Makai, Willow, you talk now more than ever." The cloaked figure threw her arms around Daja's neck and Daja stiffened up and said, "Willow, geerroffa me!" the figure pulled the cloak off her face and the visage of a young Human girl was exposed. There was no doubt in my mind that this girl was truly human, unlike Daja who may be part something other than human because of all her dilution and dexterity. This "willow" was undoubtedly human. She was tall and slender, her eyes a lighter shade of Kurama's eyes and her hair was a shade of pastel green pulled back into a single braid. This girl also had dark skin and white tattoos of various creatures, characters, and symbols littered her body.
"So how is... Where is..." Willow looked at Daja with many questions in her eyes. Daja just looks at the ground, and scuffs her feet. "Oh Daja, I am so sorry. I heard about it, but I always thought that it was a lie. You guys never... I mean, I never thought it could happen. You two were the strongest of us five." Willow grasped her shoulder. "Evander and Archimedes are at the bar up the road. How about one more drink, as a memorial to us as a troupe."
"Evander and Archimedes at a bar? Are you sure? I mean, I was the binge drinker (you know, I was the "alcoholic" as Evander called me)," here I thought I heard her grumble something along the lines of, 'idiot human/demon/cross inbred thing, always got to use the fancy words, your too clever for your own good. I hope you mellowed out in my absence.' "And they were always dry as a bone," and as I watch Daja's face contort surprise and something I have come to call as her hell-fire confusion. "All right, Willow, but I don't want to drink. I've been sober for a few months now, you know how much of challenge that was for me in the old days and I am kind of proud of the fact I haven't been wasted for a while, either by drink or drugs," Daja has succumbed to the girl and is being pulled off in the direction of the public house.
"Don't worry, Daja, they understand even if I do not. Not wanting a drink, I would not have even believed it if Damien had told me."
"Come on, we can start our search here," Daja yells after her towards Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and I who I think we all silently agree something happened to Daja last night during he coma. She seems so much...so much... happier...
As Willow notices us following she asks Daja raising one of her curved eyebrows, "Who are they? Admirers? You always sold it like a prostitute, you hooker, you."
"No, you dip shit," then she looks back at us with a strange look on her face as she continues, "At least I hope not. But alas Damien said last night that I had found my last devotion in life after him."
At this point, Willow freezes and says, "He came to you too?"
Daja nods and says, "yep, helped me a lot, but then again so did them guys, if you want to call that annoyingness helping... Those are my new 'partners', I botched it up, Willow, and Koenma makes me help them out. It's only temporary so don't look at me that way." She acts like we are a burden to her.
As we walk into the crowed bar, Daja hops onto a bar stool and asks for a drink. As the bar tender with the dark blue hair that is so dark that it looks black in the darkness that is in this small and crowded bar is about to hand her a flagon of some fiery alcohol of the Demon World, shouts, "You're back! Damien wasn't lying to me!"
"Nice to see you haven't changed a bit since I left. You look like you got a little older, but not much. But that's right, you live for 400 years till your spark is extinguished. I learnt an interesting ice attack in the North Sea, want to help me try it out?"
"Yo, 'Medis. Look who showed up after all these years. What is that now, about fifteen or sixteen years since you left on the Sunfire looking for some type of tranquility with Damien. Did yall?" He asks Daja and she gapes at him in disbelief,
"Well nice to see you too 'Vander. And that's not of your business, perverted bastard."
A golden haired woman about six feet tall towers above the brunette woman on the bar stool, so she leans down on the counter with amazement in her eyes, "Look what the cat youkai dragged in. I agree with 'Vander on this one, you have been gone for too long. We missed you on our last raid, you could made things run a bit smoother, you being so, um, not short, but uh...uh, PETITE, that's the word. Could a slipped through that open window with out even thinking twice and unlocked the door for us and we could been outa there lickity spilt with all the goods. Oh well, glad your back even though it isn't forever."
"You guys fancy a walk in the agora?" Daja says hopefully. "I heard the midday music begin to play when I passed through it earlier."
"'Medis, 'Vander. You up for another walk as a team, well as close to a team as Daja can get. See, she's a spirit world goony now." The green haired girl says mockingly poking Daja in the stomach and receiving a mischievous shove in return from the disgruntling girl who had been stealthily drinking from the flagon of alcohol for quite some time now while saying, "you slut of a woman" and receiving a "you kleptomaniac pirate" in return. I note that neither are fazed by each other's name calling while the blonde and the blue-black hair take up shocked expressions complete with the stereotypical dinner plate wide eyes. I inwardly shudder knowing now that I have spent too much time in the human world if I use that way of expressing my thoughts to myself.
"You are a what?"
"No! How?"
Daja laughs as she begins to recount her capture and drink again from the steadily emptying flagon until the blue-black hair seizes it from her.
"Vander, I can hold a lot of alcohol. Give it back before I sink some fangs into your hand."
"I don't think so little girl, I hate seeing you wasted, and what fangs are you talking about, you look human to me."
"Oh thanks a lot, you bastard. Wait till I find some throwing knives, I wont use my dice on you. You are not powerful enough."
"Oh yeah!"
"Yeah"
"You wanna start something"
"You guys are starting to..."
"Shut up Willow!!!" The two arguing people shout at her irritably who then shrinks back.
"I could beat you with out even trying!'
"Oh Yeah!"
"YEAH"
"Please you guys," the green haired girl starts again.
"Bring it ON, bi-otch"
"Ok." Daja says, leaping up onto the counter and punching the blue-black haired demon right in the mouth. Then blue-black hair punched her gut while she slapped his cheeks over and over. I steal a glance at the rest of the detectives and noticed that they are surprised as hell looking at this strangeness in front of them. Yusuke's mouth hangs wide open cringing every time that Daja's hand hitting the cheek of blue-black hair probably imagining the same savage beating on him from Keiko. Kuwabara watches in awe probably because he has I think never been able to hit Daja once. Kurama just stares having sweat dropped along time ago.
"Daja and Evander stop!" Said the green haired girl, suddenly both hands each holding swords like Kuwabara's spirit sword, except shorter and an ungodly green color. "I have had it up to here," she motions high over her head, "now I am not your mothers," here Daja snorts, "that's right, mine's a slut," and reluctantly steps off Evander who sends thank you glances towards green hair, "but stop! I hate it when you do that... and I hate summoning the swords." She shudders as the swords disappear into thin air leaving a very distinct power surge in the air around her. "Daja you are no better now then when you left, no manners," Daja winces as green hair points towards us, "none at all."
"Well, I may have no manners, but it's a lot more exciting when I am around, no?" Daja says with a blank expression, "and you should respect your elders, I am much older than you young whippersnapper you."
"Hmm, how much older Daja?" Green hair asks menacingly looking at her with laughter in her eyes.
Daja sends a frightened look our way as she says, "they don't know about that."
"Hmmm... " Says the blonde, "you don't trust them yet? I mean they are your partners, shouldn't they know about your strengths... " she rubs her wrists and looks knowingly at Daja. "and weaknesses."
"No. They don't ever need to know. I can hold my own with out using the rings."
"Whatever you say manner less and weak Daja." The blue-black haired guy says mockingly.
"Hey I am not weak! Manner-less MAYBE, but not weak!"
"Wanna take this outside?"
"Sure, the agora is more fun anyway."
I am disgusted at the fact that they can argue so much about such petty thing so I say, "I pity you all."
Daja narrows her eyes at growls at me "no, I pity you. You know nothing about us and yet you can make assumptions about us. Make assumptions about me if you must because you know more about my past then theirs. I am warning you, don't go and tick off us four thieves. I doubt you will receive as much mercy from them, Hiei, as you would from me."
Willow: Sometimes I just get so fed up with the bickering and play fighting I lose control to the youkai blood that flows in veins from a very distant ancestor. My temper rises as my power does and the green swords form in my hands before I even know I had summoned them. I almost cry every time I get angry, but I know that Daja would start to cry seeing me shed tears and when she cries it blows the cover she has worked so hard to perfect over the years. I watch as Daja tells off one of her partners for making fun of us. So she still does care about our honor. I might as well up hold the old woman's.
"Daja, want to go to the agora? Your friends can come to, if they desire." I say good-naturedly trying to get back into Daja's good book. She shrugs and hops off the barstool. Its a very small book.
"Might as well be a good hostess, since I have so other choice." She walks up to stand between them and us. By us I meant Archimedes, Evander, and I. By them I meant Daja's detective team. She stands next to the tallest of the four men, well teenage boys I guess. He is tall and bulky, proportioned so much more differently than the other three. "This is Kuwabara, you don't need to say his first name because I seriously doubt he answers to it." Moving over to the next in line, the slightly shorter and black haired kid in green and says, "this is Yusuke Urameshi. Him and Kuwabara are for the most part human." Stepping once again another step to the left she says this about the deep crimson haired, green eyed, and generally the same sized as the previous male, "this is Kurama. He can give you the details about his past if he so desires." And finally, with a step again the left and a wave of her hand, "this is Hiei. He's pretty unsocial and he'll bite my head off if I say anything else about him."
Continuing by walking over to us, she steps in front of me and smiles, "this is Willow. Like some of you over in camp team Urameshi, she is totally human except for one thing. Willow, you can tell them if you want." I shake my head just wanting her to move on with the introductions. Shrugging Daja moves in front of Evander and says, "This is Evander, and he is a youkai. How old would you be now? Not the point. A lot older than most of you," Daja coughs and I think I hear her say to Yusuke, Kuwabara, "so don't mess with him. Knows a lot more about fighting than you think." And stepping in front of Archimedes and looking into her eyes she said quietly, "this is Archimedes, she is a sylph. A good one to... I am sorry I have been away for so long, I should have listened to you the first time... you were right." Daja turns around and says, "I guess we should be off huh?" She sends us all a look of false cheer as she walks out the door.
I walk next to the man named Kurama as we journey down the street to the commons as well as the market. I try to be friendly by saying, "Hello, my name is Willow nice to meet you." Kurama smiles at me and I smile back trying to be friendly towards this fellow human.
"My name is Kurama, and the pleasure is all mine." I shake his hand slowly and watch his eyes flicker for a moment and then return to there normal luminous green.
"So, have you ever been to this city before?" I ask him, suddenly forgetting what I wanted to ask him before.
"No, I cannot say I have. It seems Daja likes it here." He says in return,
"Yes I suppose she would seeing as lived here when she found me and that was nearly, oh how many years ago. Just a second, let me ask her. Daja! How long ago was it that you freed me from my fate?" Kurama looks at me as I shout all the way up the line of people towards Evander and Daja who are punching each other and beginning to get a little more than rough with each other.
"Huh...Ooh, How olfph, are you NoOOOOhw, That was definitely beloOooAw the beAAlt 'Vand'r."
"I am 22 now." I shout all the way back up the line.
"Let's see, I left 15 years ago on the Sunfire. And I found you when you were five, so that's, um...." Daja stops moving and closes her eyes, trying to figure out this math problem while still managing to keep Evander off her by punching him more than once, "seventeen years, I think... you'll have to check my math."
"It's right, isn't it Archimedes." I yell at Archimedes who is just behind Daja and Evander trying to keep them in line.
"Yep!" She yells back at me.
I look at Kurama who looks surprised at something and I guess it is because I can't do math. "I never got to go to a school when I was young, and now I have no desire to. So I rely in 'Medes and Vander's wisdom for they are both centuries old. Daja is smart, just not like she wants to be I guess. She knows how to survive, how to steer ships, how to steal, how to fight, and the list goes on and on. I probably shouldn't be telling you this though. I have had a feeling for the past two days that something bad is going to happen, and it involves heat," I shudder remembering the dream of the heat. It was all around, trapping me, there's no way out of the flames.... "And Daja's is well let's say, um, a pyromaniac at times. I really don't want to get hurt by her, she can be savage when threatened even by a close friend."
Kurama laughs nervously as he says, "I can vouch for that. She was hard to catch roaming in the human world. I think we eventually found her in Japan, though, trying to catch a portal back to the Demon World. She nearly killed Kuwabara, Yusuke, and I. She couldn't or wouldn't kill Hiei though, and I could never understand why."
I say, "That would make sense," and seeing Kurama's confused face I continue, "that she wouldn't kill him. She wouldn't kill some one so like she, both in appearance and heritage or past. She isn't that heartless; I know she has a heart underneath all the barriers she erected around herself around the years. Like, the time Vander was going to die. She stayed up with him three days in a row, slowing healing him with her life force and not even caring that she was slowly killing herself off in order to save him."
"She did all that for the guy she is trying to bump off right now." Yusuke says astonished at what I had just said. I look up a Daja and Evander and start to laugh, somewhere Daja had acquired a set of throwing knives and was threatening to throw a few at Evander if he didn't back off. Evander looks at her and pulls a wild rose out of his pocket and transforms the flower into a bunch of small sharp throwing disks. Upon each seeing the other armed with dart like weapons, they burst out laughing and tackle each other onto the ground. They are so immature even if they both are much older then I myself. I laugh at their antics, which causes them to stop and look at me slowly getting up from the ground and shoving each other off balance. Again.
"It might look like they hate each other, but deep down they care for each other like a brother and a sister, not that either of them would know about that much since they both are with out biological siblings." I say quietly as to assure they don't hear me.
"sshhhhhh.... Listen, its the midday music...." Daja, having suddenly dropped back from the front of the line to talk to me, whispers pulling my ear down close to her mouth. I remember when she was taller than me and she would have to lift me up to rest on her hip in order for me to hear her clearly.
Daja listens to the sounds coming from all around her and watches as Evander turns to Archimedes, grabs her hands, and pulls her along past some of the stalls stopping only to realize that Daja and I are behind with the men.
"I haven't heard this for years...." Daja says softly her eyes changing colors to a real dark shade of indigo as she bites her lip and looks at all the stalls. And this moment is ruined for her when the carrot topped human Kuwabara says, "I don't hear anything but a racket from everybody moving around in this crowded market."
"I wouldn't expect you to hear it. You only hear what you want to, you big oaf." She looks at all of the men and I gently step away knowing that I am in the way now. I send them all reassuring glances and Kurama smiles back at me. I am glad I at least made one new friend today amongst the strangers I note as I walk away trying to find 'Vander and 'Medes so I can enjoy the midday music as well.
Kurama: Daja looks mad at Kuwabara for insulting her way of life here. I can hear the music of the market with its strange noises that somehow wind their way into music comprised of breaking glass, banging pots and pans, chopping, and I think a grinder running to sharpen swords. "Kuwabara, you act as if you know everything yet you know nothing. Look deeper and see the power within the sound. You will be surprised." Daja scowls and turns around but stops short. Looking over her shoulder, she says, "I know it doesn't look like much, but it is the closest thing to a home I have ever had..." she turns around and blurs off towards her three friends, her family.
"Are we sure Daja is not possessed or something?" Yusuke asks seriously thought he is fighting laughter.
"She is herself, just different..."Hiei says trailing off at the end.
"What was she like when you were training her?" I ask.
"What do you mean by that?" Hiei asks.
"Like, her demeanor. You know what she acted like." Yusuke adds.
"Hn. depressed most of the time," he answers softly.
"So, she is exactly like you. Shameful, stupid, and stubby, except she's a girl and that makes it worse. You at least don't have 'That Time Of The Month' Hiei," Kuwabara says as he starts laughing.
I watch Hiei closely who scowls at Kuwabara and in his eyes I see confusion as to that slang term, I guess Hiei doesn't know much about the other sex even thought he is at least 50 years older than Kuwabara. I bite my cheeks to hold back peels of laughter wordlessly calling out to Hiei 'don't ask' as he says darkly and to my personal horror, "What is that?"
Kuwabara and Yusuke stop in mid-giggle and just stare at Hiei with a look of absolute astonishment on their faces. They look at each other and back at Hiei. I bite my cheeks harder and pinch my arm to hold back the snorts and chuckles that are violently trying to force their way out of my chest. Kuwabara and Yusuke look at each other again, and this time, fall into each other laughing until neither of them can breath enough to laugh anymore. No matter how hard I tried, one or two snickers escape from me and I smirk at Hiei who just narrows his eyes at me and the two helplessly idiotic boys on the ground still laughing though not as hard as before and with slight tears at the creases of their eyes.
"Oh that was a classic," Yusuke says returning to his feet looking quite happy.
"I have to agree with you on that Urameshi, but only this once." Kuwabara says fighting back another wave of laughter,
I pat Hiei on the top of his head of spiky black hair and receive a squirm in response. "You still haven't answered me."
Yusuke looks at Hiei and says, "you really don't know?"
Hiei, who isn't about to admit to anything, stays silent just staring at Yusuke. Wow I can just see myself trying to explain this to a most decidedly innocent Hiei. Maybe I should let him ask Daja about it. Now that would be a real fun conversation to eavesdrop on, 'cause I am not about to initiate a discussion about sexuality with this hotheaded, and very innocent, fire demon and Daja would probably have a response similar to Keiko's.
I on the, other hand as a way to get Hiei out of this embarrassing predicament, say "Don't you think we ought to find the others? They have been gone for quite awhile."
Yusuke catches my drift and agrees with me. Kuwabara just nods still snickering. I look around for Daja and the others and immediately spot Daja at a jewelry vendor trying to bargain for something with a small object. The vendor laughs and Daja scowls at him stuffing whatever it was back into her pocket and kicking the dust beneath her feet. Next she walks over to a weapons vendor and looks at some of the swords and knives they are selling under that tent's roof. Picking up a small curving blade, turns it over in her hands, examining both sides of the blade for imperfections and dullness. She smiles as she offers the vendor something from her pocket and he smiles as he accepts it, allowing her to take the blade with her. She shakes his hand in order to close the deal as she puts the blade into her bag.
Daja notices us loitering around and watching her so walks up to us and says, "I thought at least you guys would move a little. I might as well tell 'Medes and 'Vander that we are leaving soon, since you guys aren't doing anything. Might as well get the job done early, eh?"
"I think we should stay here for awhile, just you know, scouting the place out for bad guys," Kuwabara says like he is the group leader and gets to make decisions.
"You guys could stay with us." A voice behind us says knowingly.
"Willow, are you sure?" Daja answers. "I mean, they aren't the most "mannerful" group of guys we know. Well, Kurama could pass for manners, but not these two fools," she says putting her arms around Yusuke and Kuwabara's waists and pulling them tighter to her like she was hugging them. "I couldn't bear imposing on you with these two."
Archimedes and Evander suddenly appear out of nowhere in particular and say, "Daja we have running water at the flat now! You can bring your team if you want, the common area is big enough for them."
"I want to stay with you guys but it is their decision not mine." Daja looks at us, pleading for us to accept their hospitality. Needless to say after a short discussion between Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and myself, we decide to stay with Daja's makeshift family in their flat above the bar they work at because we honestly have no where else to go.
satorisama-not much of an ending thought, except that maybe daja isnt heartless. she seems to have friends, doesnt she? Review and tell me what you think.
