Reaching Your Limits: Continual Cycle
Episode 7: The Warded. A Human Hiei?
Kazuma felt Yukina's hands tighten around his own. She was clinging to him, and he could both feel and see her anxiety. The group of them had met at Genkai's in order to wait for Botan. She would be bringing them news of Hiei's trial, as none of them had been permitted to watch. The night before, she had come to his house and poured out her fears on his shoulder. It had always been her most terrifying nightmare, that Hiei may be taken perminantly away from her. He had been able to do nothing but hold her and murmur nonsense words of comfort, then hide her tear gems afterward.
Kurama was looking just as distraught as Yukina, his hands constantly fiddling with the folds of his clothing, his face pale. He had returned three days ago, to all of their relief. Koenma had been able to secure a punishment that hadn't been very strict. During the time of his probationary sentance after being released, Kurama had to work for Koenma. Similar to what Hiei had been forced to do when he'd stolen the first artifact, Kurama was now a perminant member of the Spiritworld Detectives as Yuusuke and Kazuma were. He would have to work for Koenma for a minimum of five years, protecting the Humanworld.
None of them had spoken beyond short, tense phrases. There really was nothing to say. Botan would be here within a few moments, to tell them that Hiei was either in jail or dead. Although neither choice was favourable, one would certainly be better than the other. As much as the overprotective Koorime bothered him, Kazuma had to admit that he was more than a little frightened as well. Hiei was certainly a dangerous demon, but he did not deserve death for what he had done. Or imprisionment, for that matter.
They all jumped in unison when the temple doors opened. Glad for the break in tension, Kazuma started laughing. Soon, everyone was laughing along with him, a few sounding almost hysterical. However, once Botan made her way through the doors, they fell silent once again.
She looked rather sad, but she hadn't been crying. Kazuma figured that was a good sign.
"Botan, what happened? Is Hiei okay?" Yukina questioned, pulling away from Kazuma and running to the other girl.
Botan shook her head. "No, I don't think he is," she said.
Yukina gasped, her eyes filling with tears. "Do you mean..." she started, but trailed off.
Botan sighed, then turned slightly. "You should ask him yourself," she replied.
Hiei then made his way into the temple, scowling at something behind him. He wasn't dressed in his usual clothing, but rather in dark 'human' attire. Kazuma noticed almost instantly that he had a headband around his forehead that hadn't been there before. It seemed to almost glow with power.
"Hiei!" Yukina cried, throwing herself into his arms.
Hiei looked almost startled for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. "Yukina, are you all right?" he asked.
"How is this possible? Was Koenma able to convince them to let you go?" Yukina questioned, checking him over as though looking for wounds.
Botan and Hiei exchanged a look. "You feel different," Kazuma commented, causing everyone to look over at him quickly. He grimaced a little, then motioned over to Hiei. "You don't feel like a demon. I can't sense any youki coming from you."
"Now that you meantion it, I haven't been able to feel our connection. I assumed that it was because they had warded you from being able to," Yukina said.
Hiei pulled away from his sister, scowling as he made his way over to the window. It didn't seem like he was intending to answer.
"It has something to do with your punishment, doesn't it?" Kurama questioned.
Hiei remained quiet for a moment, the nodded. "Koenma was able to convince them to spare my life. However, all of my youki has been warded down. Only Koenma can remove the ward without it killing me. Also, he is the only one who can turn the warding spell off so that I'm able to use my abilities in battle," he explained.
"A ward to supress your youki?" Yuusuke echoed, his eyes wide.
"More than that," Hiei said, his tone turning harsh. "All of my demonic abilities. Not just my youki, but my physical strength and speed have been taken away as well. My senses, also, have been reduced to the duller ones of a human."
"In essence, so long as the ward is on, Hiei is now a human being," Botan finished.
End Episode 7
Episode 7: The Warded. A Human Hiei?
Kazuma felt Yukina's hands tighten around his own. She was clinging to him, and he could both feel and see her anxiety. The group of them had met at Genkai's in order to wait for Botan. She would be bringing them news of Hiei's trial, as none of them had been permitted to watch. The night before, she had come to his house and poured out her fears on his shoulder. It had always been her most terrifying nightmare, that Hiei may be taken perminantly away from her. He had been able to do nothing but hold her and murmur nonsense words of comfort, then hide her tear gems afterward.
Kurama was looking just as distraught as Yukina, his hands constantly fiddling with the folds of his clothing, his face pale. He had returned three days ago, to all of their relief. Koenma had been able to secure a punishment that hadn't been very strict. During the time of his probationary sentance after being released, Kurama had to work for Koenma. Similar to what Hiei had been forced to do when he'd stolen the first artifact, Kurama was now a perminant member of the Spiritworld Detectives as Yuusuke and Kazuma were. He would have to work for Koenma for a minimum of five years, protecting the Humanworld.
None of them had spoken beyond short, tense phrases. There really was nothing to say. Botan would be here within a few moments, to tell them that Hiei was either in jail or dead. Although neither choice was favourable, one would certainly be better than the other. As much as the overprotective Koorime bothered him, Kazuma had to admit that he was more than a little frightened as well. Hiei was certainly a dangerous demon, but he did not deserve death for what he had done. Or imprisionment, for that matter.
They all jumped in unison when the temple doors opened. Glad for the break in tension, Kazuma started laughing. Soon, everyone was laughing along with him, a few sounding almost hysterical. However, once Botan made her way through the doors, they fell silent once again.
She looked rather sad, but she hadn't been crying. Kazuma figured that was a good sign.
"Botan, what happened? Is Hiei okay?" Yukina questioned, pulling away from Kazuma and running to the other girl.
Botan shook her head. "No, I don't think he is," she said.
Yukina gasped, her eyes filling with tears. "Do you mean..." she started, but trailed off.
Botan sighed, then turned slightly. "You should ask him yourself," she replied.
Hiei then made his way into the temple, scowling at something behind him. He wasn't dressed in his usual clothing, but rather in dark 'human' attire. Kazuma noticed almost instantly that he had a headband around his forehead that hadn't been there before. It seemed to almost glow with power.
"Hiei!" Yukina cried, throwing herself into his arms.
Hiei looked almost startled for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. "Yukina, are you all right?" he asked.
"How is this possible? Was Koenma able to convince them to let you go?" Yukina questioned, checking him over as though looking for wounds.
Botan and Hiei exchanged a look. "You feel different," Kazuma commented, causing everyone to look over at him quickly. He grimaced a little, then motioned over to Hiei. "You don't feel like a demon. I can't sense any youki coming from you."
"Now that you meantion it, I haven't been able to feel our connection. I assumed that it was because they had warded you from being able to," Yukina said.
Hiei pulled away from his sister, scowling as he made his way over to the window. It didn't seem like he was intending to answer.
"It has something to do with your punishment, doesn't it?" Kurama questioned.
Hiei remained quiet for a moment, the nodded. "Koenma was able to convince them to spare my life. However, all of my youki has been warded down. Only Koenma can remove the ward without it killing me. Also, he is the only one who can turn the warding spell off so that I'm able to use my abilities in battle," he explained.
"A ward to supress your youki?" Yuusuke echoed, his eyes wide.
"More than that," Hiei said, his tone turning harsh. "All of my demonic abilities. Not just my youki, but my physical strength and speed have been taken away as well. My senses, also, have been reduced to the duller ones of a human."
"In essence, so long as the ward is on, Hiei is now a human being," Botan finished.
End Episode 7