Chapter Four

Catch Me Catch You

Katani ran without looking over her shoulder. Her pack added extra weight and slowed her down but she kept a steady pace. Without thinking she reached into her pocket and took out the sphere that contained the Phoenix Down project she had stolen the other day. She took a side path into the woods and said the thing that would open the sphere that Koenma and his vassals had tried for so long so crack.

"Open," The sphere split along the center and the casing fell away leaving a glowing ball of red light with two chasers forever going in circles around the light. She gazed at it in wonder as she ran. Finally another key to her past and she was finally old enough to inherit it. Today was her seventeenth birthday and she could merge with the Phoenix Project to become more powerful. What she would become she did not know but anything at this point was worth a try to get rid of those annoying detectives.

She was still running and stopped to take her sword pendent and cut her palm. The familiar sting of pain and warmth of blood on her hand came and she placed the Phoenix Down in her palm and clenched her fist.

"Blood Bind Us, Phoenix Lift Us, Make Us Whole!"

The words came from nowhere and Katani spoke them first in the common tongue then in her language, she spoke it so fast she had no time to realize what she said. Her pack was strewn aside and she was thankful she had hidden herself in the park so no passerby's would see her transformation. She looked at the ground. Golden waves of spirit energy were rolling across the forest floor. Even humans with minimal spirit awareness must be sensing something. She would be a beacon to the spirit detectives.

Feer! she called in her mind. Her telepathy was weak but her language was not and hopefully Feer would understand her. Maybe he could hear her in some way. She thought of their connection and how they had always been linked in some way. He must be transforming too! That's why she had said 'us' when she held the Phoenix Down!

She reached out for Feer but felt a wave of sickness as the transformation began. The very bones and ligaments in her shoulders were shifting and new tissue was growing. It felt as if her shoulders were on fire. She was in so much pain she didn't see the spirit detectives arrive.

They stood at the edge of the small clearing Katani had chosen for her transformation. They stood in awe. She was slightly levitated above the ground with a golden aura around her. Despite all that she looked to be in great pain. Her pupils were dilated and though her mouth was open she could not scream.

Kurama felt his blood boil again and felt pain roil through his body. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he began to breath heavily. How could he feel what Katani was going through? The worst pain was in his back, he felt as though the muscles and bones were being realigned.

"What do we do, can we help her?" Kuwabara asked.

"No, this-" Kurama gasped for breath, "is something she must go through."

"You ok yourself Kurama?" Yusuke asked worriedly. Kurama's breathing was coming in short, fast gasps.

"Kurama can somehow feel what the girl is feeling. They are connected." Hiei observed.

"Say again?" Yusuke yelled. A flash of golden light cut him off. Katani's muted screams could finally be heard. "Kurama what's going on?" Yusuke asked

"Her blood, when I healed her I absorbed some of her blood. That must be what connects us now. Earlier-" He coughed up blood. It was red with flecks of gold as if to testify to the truth in his words. "I felt some of her emotions and now I feel her pain." Kurama felt a deep burn go across his shoulders. "I think she is almost past it now. She is strong, and bearing it well."

"How bad is it?" Kuwabara asked with a wince.

Kurama looked up at him with a smile, a drop of sweat rolled down his brow. "Bad,"

Katani felt her shoulders separate even more and knew the fox was feeling her pain. She felt him take some of her pain away from her. They were connected because he had some of her blood in her veins.

Why are you doing this? she asked him. I am the one who owes you a debt.

If it is truly your desire I will give you your pain.

Katani looked at him, he was in pain and she was not going to let him suffer because of her. She forced him to return it. This is something I must go through. Not knowing he had said the same thing aloud moments ago.

Very well, he released his hold on her pain.

New pain shook her. Her body writhed in pain and she almost told Kurama to take back what he had given her. A rip started along her left shoulder blade and went to her right. She screamed and tears poured down her checks. Gold hibiscus rose to her feet and quelled some of her pain. Her screams stopped as two large gold wings erupted from her back. The wings were as long as she and the shape of eagle's wings.

The detectives looked closer in awe, Yusuke gave Kurama an arm to lean on. The wings were glowing and almost translucent. When flapped they gave of a golden stardust as if from the heavens. Katani's eyes opened. She was no longer in pain. She smiled to no one. Blood trickled down her back and onto the ground some three feet below her.

However just as quickly as the ritual had happened it ended. The waves of aura disappeared and the wings faded; Katani fell to the ground. Leaving her with a jagged scar across her back as proof of her transformation.

She was so weak, all those waves of energy had come from within her and now she was exhausted. She wanted to drop and sleep forever, but she had to run away. She picked up her bag slowly and tried to flee.

The boys looked at her, did she actually think she would make it? Was she that strong willed or just incredibly stupid? "Where are you going?" Yusuke asked. He walked up to her, he actually felt bad for her. "Come on let's go, I'll let you off the hook without a fight this time."

Katani snarled at him and wrenched away. She felt so many different emotions that it confused her. Only moments ago she felt the detectives almost supporting her thorough her transformation to the next stage of her people. For one of them that was literally true. Yet these same people had taken her brother from her and were chasing her. She didn't know what to think so she didn't the only thing she could think to do: lash out.

"Leave me alone! Haven't you done enough? I don't want this! You want my blood? Well here!" Katani took her pendent and cut a new gash along her arm and poured some hot golden blood into a vial and threw it at the detective. "Take it! Just leave me the heck alone!"

"Idiot. You're going to die again if you don't get those wounds treated. Do I have to knock you out to shut you up or will hurting that beast of burden help you listen to reason?" Hiei stepped closer to Katani.

Katani became furious at the mention of them harming Feer. She transformed her sword and stood at battle stance. "Kurama you have the cuffs?" Yusuke asked.

"Her energy is so low using them might kill her."

"Then why the heck won't she just pass out?" Kuwabara asked.

"Katani…" Kurama stepped closer. Katani looked at him. Out of all of them she might listen to Kurama. It depended on what he said next. "You owe me a debt. Repay it here and now. Come with us. Your brother is dead and you have nowhere to go. You have committed numerous crimes against Spirit World," Katani knew this was false but telling them this would be useless. "so turn yourself in and your debt to me will be repaid."

Katani weighed the options. Behind the detectives she saw Feer. With awe she saw two beautiful golden wings on her stallion and knew he had gone through the same transformation she had. She held back tears of joy for her horse. She knew they could now escape, she sensed that he had energy to burn. Yet she sensed that even Hiei would not hurt her Feer. She saw in him the old bushido that the old samurai followed though she doubted he would admit it. He was honorable and she felt all the conflicts within her resolve. She had to give in, what choice did she have? A risk every now and then was good. She sensed in her stallion the question and she gave him and answer. The stallion accepted her answer without question. Besides, she was indebted to that Kurama guy.

Katani looked at the detectives. She returned her sword to a necklace. "As if I stood a chance anyway." She then gave in to her body's cries and blacked out. She would have fallen into a pool of golden blood had a pair of strong hands not caught her.