Reaching Your Limits: Continual Cycle
Episode 6: Brink. Uncertain Attempts
Hiei choked on his own air when the mirror suddenly seemed to explode and both Kurama and Yuusuke collapsed to the ground. He jerked forward before he could stop himself, kneeling beside Kurama's form. The other's were only a few paces behind him and Yukina quickly positioned herself between the two, each hand moving to each of the boy's throats.
There was a collective moment of silence before the Koorime maiden suddenly let out a deep breath. "They're both alive. Their pulse is faint, but it is there," she said quietly.
"In light of the sacrifice which each were willing to make for the life of another, I have granted the human's wish. I have taken only half of each of their lifeforce," the mirror intoned. Then the relective surface turned black, its spell-casting ability for the night gone.
Hiei held Kurama close to him for a moment, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. He hadn't even realized that he'd been holding it earlier. It had taken every ounce of his soul not to stop the reincarnated Youko from doing what he was going to. He owed Yuusuke, more than the human would ever know, for figuring out a way to save Kurama's life.
"We should take them back to Genkai's," Yukina said, but was interrupted when Kurama moaned.
It was answered with one from Yuusuke and the two teenagers slowly opened their eyes, both looking groggy as they gingerly sat up. Hiei moved away from Kurama quickly, not wanting the other to see the extent of his concern.
"What happened? Are we still alive?" Yuusuke questioned.
Kurama blinked and looked around. "It appears so," he replied slowly, then suddenly jerked to his feet. "Mother!" he yelled, spinning on his heel and racing back into the building.
The others quickly moved after him, Yuusuke grabbing the mirror as he ran past it. Hiei hung by the door while the others made their way into the room. Shiori was sleeping, peacefully now. There were many doctors in the room, staring at her charts as her lifesigns began to steadily grow stronger. They were calling it a miracle.
Hiei snorted and turned to go, but found himself face-to-face with Botan. She was looking at him sternly, perhaps even sadly. Abruptly, he realized that he'd forgotten completely about having stolen the mirror in the first place. She, along with Yuusuke and Kuwabara, was here to arrest him.
"Please, come with me quietly. It will be much easier that way," Botan said.
Hiei stared at her for a long moment, until she looked away. As the doctors began filing the teens from the room, Kurama paused at Hiei's side. Before he could open his mouth, Botan had recovered.
"By order of Koenma, Hiei and Kurama are to be arrested on the grounds of stealing the Mirror of Utter Darkness," she stated, her tone firm although quiet so that it would not carry to uninvolved ears.
Kurama gasped, his eyes going wide. "But, Botan," he began, but was interrupted.
"I wish things could turn out another way. However, you knew the reprocussions to your actions at the beginning. I have no choice but to turn you in for trial and possible imprisionment," Botan stated.
"Or an immediate death sentance," Hiei commented, his tone dark.
She flinched, unable to meet his eyes. "Please, come quietly. We do not want to be forced to fight you," she whispered.
***
Koenma stared at the monitor in front of him. It had a split screen, one side showing him Kurama in his cell while the other showed him Hiei in his own. They had been forced to different jails, Kurama in a minimal-security cell area because he was human and this was his first crime. The punishment would be severe, but Koenma was certain he could throw some kind of curve into the situation that would make things easier on the human boy.
Hiei, on the other hand, was in a maximum-security cell. He had been warded to the point of near-unconciousness. If it hadn't been for the strings which Koenma had pulled, the Forbidden Child's execution would of already taken place. As it was, it was all he could do to convince those higher than him, which wasn't many but was enough, to allow Hiei a trial.
Now the prince had only until tomorrow to figure out a way to spare the Koorime boy's life. Even if others did not understand Hiei's actions, Koenma did. He was sympathetic toward the fire demon. Hidden within the cold exterior was someone as vulnerable and heart-felt as anyone else. In light of the situation, there was nothing else for Hiei to do.
If they had stolen the mirror for their own purposes, Koenma's decision would of been forced whether he liked it not. Since they had taken it to save a life, something for which neither of them gained anything other than Shori's continuing devotion to her son, that gave Koenma a few options.
However, others were not so sympathetic. Hiei had stolen a sacred artifact not once, but twice. Even if his motive was selfless, he had still performed a criminal act of the strongest degree.
It would take everthing he had to figure out how to save the other's life.
End Episode 6
Episode 6: Brink. Uncertain Attempts
Hiei choked on his own air when the mirror suddenly seemed to explode and both Kurama and Yuusuke collapsed to the ground. He jerked forward before he could stop himself, kneeling beside Kurama's form. The other's were only a few paces behind him and Yukina quickly positioned herself between the two, each hand moving to each of the boy's throats.
There was a collective moment of silence before the Koorime maiden suddenly let out a deep breath. "They're both alive. Their pulse is faint, but it is there," she said quietly.
"In light of the sacrifice which each were willing to make for the life of another, I have granted the human's wish. I have taken only half of each of their lifeforce," the mirror intoned. Then the relective surface turned black, its spell-casting ability for the night gone.
Hiei held Kurama close to him for a moment, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. He hadn't even realized that he'd been holding it earlier. It had taken every ounce of his soul not to stop the reincarnated Youko from doing what he was going to. He owed Yuusuke, more than the human would ever know, for figuring out a way to save Kurama's life.
"We should take them back to Genkai's," Yukina said, but was interrupted when Kurama moaned.
It was answered with one from Yuusuke and the two teenagers slowly opened their eyes, both looking groggy as they gingerly sat up. Hiei moved away from Kurama quickly, not wanting the other to see the extent of his concern.
"What happened? Are we still alive?" Yuusuke questioned.
Kurama blinked and looked around. "It appears so," he replied slowly, then suddenly jerked to his feet. "Mother!" he yelled, spinning on his heel and racing back into the building.
The others quickly moved after him, Yuusuke grabbing the mirror as he ran past it. Hiei hung by the door while the others made their way into the room. Shiori was sleeping, peacefully now. There were many doctors in the room, staring at her charts as her lifesigns began to steadily grow stronger. They were calling it a miracle.
Hiei snorted and turned to go, but found himself face-to-face with Botan. She was looking at him sternly, perhaps even sadly. Abruptly, he realized that he'd forgotten completely about having stolen the mirror in the first place. She, along with Yuusuke and Kuwabara, was here to arrest him.
"Please, come with me quietly. It will be much easier that way," Botan said.
Hiei stared at her for a long moment, until she looked away. As the doctors began filing the teens from the room, Kurama paused at Hiei's side. Before he could open his mouth, Botan had recovered.
"By order of Koenma, Hiei and Kurama are to be arrested on the grounds of stealing the Mirror of Utter Darkness," she stated, her tone firm although quiet so that it would not carry to uninvolved ears.
Kurama gasped, his eyes going wide. "But, Botan," he began, but was interrupted.
"I wish things could turn out another way. However, you knew the reprocussions to your actions at the beginning. I have no choice but to turn you in for trial and possible imprisionment," Botan stated.
"Or an immediate death sentance," Hiei commented, his tone dark.
She flinched, unable to meet his eyes. "Please, come quietly. We do not want to be forced to fight you," she whispered.
***
Koenma stared at the monitor in front of him. It had a split screen, one side showing him Kurama in his cell while the other showed him Hiei in his own. They had been forced to different jails, Kurama in a minimal-security cell area because he was human and this was his first crime. The punishment would be severe, but Koenma was certain he could throw some kind of curve into the situation that would make things easier on the human boy.
Hiei, on the other hand, was in a maximum-security cell. He had been warded to the point of near-unconciousness. If it hadn't been for the strings which Koenma had pulled, the Forbidden Child's execution would of already taken place. As it was, it was all he could do to convince those higher than him, which wasn't many but was enough, to allow Hiei a trial.
Now the prince had only until tomorrow to figure out a way to spare the Koorime boy's life. Even if others did not understand Hiei's actions, Koenma did. He was sympathetic toward the fire demon. Hidden within the cold exterior was someone as vulnerable and heart-felt as anyone else. In light of the situation, there was nothing else for Hiei to do.
If they had stolen the mirror for their own purposes, Koenma's decision would of been forced whether he liked it not. Since they had taken it to save a life, something for which neither of them gained anything other than Shori's continuing devotion to her son, that gave Koenma a few options.
However, others were not so sympathetic. Hiei had stolen a sacred artifact not once, but twice. Even if his motive was selfless, he had still performed a criminal act of the strongest degree.
It would take everthing he had to figure out how to save the other's life.
End Episode 6