Silverwing013: How's the start up of holidays? Fanfiction now has their reply thing... Personally, I liked answering everyone where everyone could read it. They have a problem with the reviewers that don't have an account... ah, well. I don't want to use the reply button anyhow... Disclaimer: RJ tells me that YuYu Hakusho is copyrighted not for me. including the word hn and various quotes from the show... I'll follow that rule as well as he does! Hn! Now everybody read!
Mikko screamed, reaching for the nearly invisible thread five feet above her as if it were her only lifeline. Fingertips touched it barely, almost letting go at the slick, cold-fire feel of the strand. The thread lashed outward at her, shaking her as Mikko clung on tighter with her fingers. She looked down below her dangling feet, blanching at the abyss in her mind, attempting to drag her down to the darkness. A white pain seared through the dark area around her, revealing time stopped memories around her. Voices echoed.
"Hiei! You-Woo!"-- "I'm Botan! ----Ow! Yusuke!"--"You have a big mouth just like Kuwabara!"--"About time that shrimp's done some socializin' with the ladies."--"Hey, Shrimpy! Don't you be lookin' at me like that!"--"Nasty little feller over there."--'not many dare to mess with Hiei'--"I didn't know you sang Shrimpy."--"Enjoying the company Hiei?"--"A dress?"--"Spirit World toilets."--"What's wrong with runty's girl?"--"Did you force your past memories away?"
"Mikko!"--"Do that again and I'll cut open your throat!"--"I apologize to no one."--"Waste your human apologies elsewhere."--"Grrr…hn, I don't care anyway."--"Stop that, you'll just fall again."--"The answer is still no, Kurama. I don't have any friends. Get back to your twittering fan girls."--"Kurama! Open that door!"--"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming Or the moment of truth in your lies"--"You're shorter than I am, girl!"--"Won't! Just tell me, it'll shorten up the argument."--"Slow as a snail, huh? You look more like the snail to me."--"Actually, lemon for sour and drop for meaning you're short."--"Something bothering you?"--"Don't call me fluff head."--"Hn. Lemon drop."--"Your Mikko Songs."--"…I wasn't supposed to be born."
White pain seared through the inside of Mikko's brain again, the darkness below dragging her farther down, grasping fingers slipping on the thin thread.
"Stupid Forbidden Child!"
Mikko jumped at the sudden image of Akuna raising her hand ready to hit her and nearly let go of her lifeline. Everything after that image went pitch black with Mikko clinging onto the thread in the midst of all the darkness. She looked around carefully, seeing no speck of white or way out. Reaching up with her other hand to grasp the thinness better, she nearly slipped from the weight being moved, giving up the attempt to reach it with both hands in the dark, hanging on still with a hand.
"Somebody…" she whispered softly in the darkness of her mind. "HELP ME!"
The darkness sucked up the sound, leaving no trace of one echo. Mikko's body slumped after the call of help she made. "What's the difference? No one will miss me…." No mother or father to greet her. She couldn't even remember her brother, so there was no loss there. Hiei wouldn't care, he wanted her to leave anyway. The Forbidden Hunters were always chasing her, and always would. The memories were starting to hurt too much for her to even try remembering them anymore. Her fingers slipped downwards, relaxing their once tight grip, slipping farther and farther.
A white pain past all others pulsed across the darkness, the white blinding her sight with sharp knife thrusting pains to her eyes. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The whiteness had startled her so much, that Mikko automatically gripped the thin thread above her even tighter then before. It gave a vicious shake, yelling at her as she fell into mind blinding whiteness.
"Then keep to your own damn problems to yourself human!"
Mikko gasped in anger at the voice, falling and being sucked into yet another memory.
In the dreary darkness, a pair of bright angry red eyes opened to see they were in Kurama's guestroom. A flicker of the ruby eyes showed the fact that the window was locked shut. Simple enough to get open, unless the fox stuck his plants next to it. Hiei stretched up into sitting position on the bed, tossing the heavy stank of blankets off of him. Curiously, Hiei examined himself. His shoulder had no more than a mere scratch and seemed to be still healing over pretty well. That was good, Hiei concluded to himself. But his body felt weird…off somehow. Carefully, he poked gingerly at his skin, testing the odd feel. Shrugging it off because of lack of any signs of being hurt in anyway, he searched the room around him for his sword.
There, on the table. Keeping an eye on the door for Kurama; Hiei stood walking over to it. Wait, this wasn't his sword, it was much too small. Hiei eyed it over. No…it was his, which meant…. He was taller? Quickly dashing over to the one wall in the guestroom where the human height ruler thing hung upon the wall, he glanced down to spot his mark at four foot ten inches. How he had hated Kurama for making him measure himself in such a way when Kurama had persuaded him to do so. Now, Hiei thanked Kurama. Apprehensively, Hiei raised a hand on the top of his head, slowly moving it toward the wall until it touched the crinkling paper. He turned, careful to keep his hand on the mark where it had stopped.
Huge crimson eyes starred.
Five foot four inches.
A whole six inches taller.
Hiei fearfully raised a hand to his forehead, already knowing what he would find, or more accurately, wouldn't find. One implanted Jagan eye. His other hand tightened dangerously on his sword that was now much too small for him. His mind flashed back to being hung on the tree, Akuna grinning down at him. "To pay you back for nearly destroying everything Forbidden," she said with a psychotic glint in her eye as she reached for his forehead. Hiei's hand feeling his forehead clenched into a fist, realizing it wasn't a horribly bad nightmare. And he went ballistic.
The family dinning at the table raised their heads to the ceiling above at the sudden crashing noise. The red head looked startled, muttering to himself in a rather pissed way, "Does he not realize where he is…?" The red head stood up, speaking to his mother. "Pardon me. My friend must have wakened up."
"Are you sure he didn't hurt himself further Shuichi dear?"
The whole group jumped as a string of a rather creative use of curses bellowed out in the midst of the crashes. The younger boy looked at his stepbrother.
"Bad time to ask to meet him?" Both parents looked above at this question before at each other, as if agreeing to keep the younger boy away from the elder boy's friend at what seemed to be a…rough time.
The red head nodded with a wince as another string of profanity was heard from upstairs. "Very." And he left for upstairs, the noise dying down after a minute or two.
The younger boy put his elbow on the table, using it to prop his head as he lazily stirred his food as his father and stepmother looked fearfully at each other and then at the ceiling. 'Man, I wanted to see a real demon. Shuichi isn't one but I'm positive that he has something to do with them with that newspaper. Man…. And I've skimmed that newspaper a couple of times. They sound flipping awesome. Not all are bad…. Oh, wait. I've got to say something to get attention off of Shuichi if I want to see one for real.' "Hey dad…any chance I can use some of his friend's vocabulary?"
Both his father and stepmother looked disapprovingly at him.
"Absolutely not Shuichi," his father said sternly.
"Awwwe," the younger Shuichi stirred his food over again. "That's no fair. His friend is probably his same age…can I use it when I'm a few years older then?"
"No," both parental figures told him sternly.
Shuichi's father started lecturing him about the use of that type of language as Shuichi listened to see how long the quiet would last upstairs.
"Um…pardon me sir?" The shortly fashioned brunette haired nurse stepped inside the room, seeing the oddly dressed boy standing next to the hospital bed.
"Ya?" The back of the red head turned, eyes peering at the nurse under the loosely placed fishing hat.
The nurse blinked at the formed chest under the barely covering two strips of white cloth, then shook her head at the young man before her. "This room doesn't allow any visitors."
"Ah right. Somebody might a mentioned that a'fore. Oh ya, well I guess Kurama did! But I'm worried about Mikko Songs," the young man's rather long and pointed ears were barely able to be seen under the fishing hat as they drooped downwards.
"You know this girl?" The nurse asked quickly in interest as she flipped through the white papers on her clipboard with short red nails.
Jin nodded, turning away from the nurse as he put full attention back on his sister when she let out a small noise from her throat, turning restlessly in her unnatural sleep. Jin carefully swept his hand across her forehead, wiping the residue sweat off onto his pants. It was then the nurse noticed when she glanced down that this young man had no shoes upon his bare feet.
"Sir! Don't you have any shoes?" She asked with wide eyes.
Jin frowned to himself, turning back to the nurse to voice out loud, "…shoes?"
"For your feet," she replied frantically with a nervous glance at the door for anyone out there. This was her new job and she most certainly didn't want to mess it up. There was a strange young man, even though he claimed he knew the girl, inside a room that wasn't allowed any visitors and without shoes on! "Please," the nurse begged, "follow me out to the hallway sir."
Jin turned his head back to the bed resolutely, crossing his arms across his chest. "I ain't leavin' Mi-shell here alone. She's been alone long enough." This time, Jin thought, 'I ain't leaving her. No matter what!'
"Sir, please!" The nurse spoke with more urging in her voice. Jin showed no signs of movement to show he was leaving anytime soon. "Sir!" She walked over to him, grasping onto one arm and giving it a slight pull toward the doorway. "Would you please, just come with me to the hallway?" Still nothing from the young man. Letting go of his arm she walked around him, hesitantly placing her palms on his very visible muscular back, shivering slightly at the body heat, she shoved, digging her feet in as she pushed. Panting, she gave up. "Please sir," she asked again when she saw he had looked over at her in her attempts for a few seconds. But his short attention span on her was back to the girl lying in the bed. "We'll be only two steps away from the room. If she wakes up, you'll be able to see her after we check on her. There's nothing to worry about. Can you just please step out of this room now sir?"
Jin glanced down at the persistent nurse and scratched his head, the fishing hat tilting to a slant on his head as the hand brushed up against it. His gaze went back down at the sleeping girl in the bed and the nurse gave an irritated blow of air from her lips. Decision made, Jin leaned down to squeeze his sister's hand. "I'll be right back Mikko Songs. This 'ere lady in white persists…but I'll sneak right back in fur ya," he made promise to the sleeping girl. A calm look flickered upon Mikko's face for the first time since she fell into the state she was in before it disappeared just as quickly.
She turned in her sleep, muttering under her breath now. "Don't worry Jin-Jin," Mikko's breath caught as she turned over in her sleep, "this is my problem and my responsibility."
Jin sucked in a quick breath. Still, even in her sleep she somehow pushed everyone away from herself to protect them like she had on that day. His head dropped down slightly as he thought back.
'They almost killed me then. Da and Ma though…. A small saltwater tear formed around Jin's eyes. She's remembering…and if Urameshi and Kurama spoke the truth then the memory must be twice as powerful for her if the one she's bonded to ain't here. And to just start remembering all that she had gone through'…. Jin silently followed the nurse out the door with a backwards glance to his sister; tear disappearing as he blinked down hard with his eyes.
"Please tell me your name sir," came a voice off to Jin's side somewhere through the haze of his mind. "And then anything you can about the patient please, if you can."
Jin opened his eyes. "Me name is Jin. The girl in dere is me sister, or half sister, Mi-shell Sato."
"Good, good. Are her parents around to give us any more information Jin…?" The nurse looked up from her clipboard.
Jin crossed his arms. "No," he replied simply.
"Why not? We need information to help Mi-shell," the nurse explained. Jin blinked.
"That's not how you say her name."
"It is how you said it," the nurse said confused.
Jin laughed. "I kin never say her English name right! dat's why I call her Mikko Songs instead. She loved dat nickname when we were little."
The nurse let out a smile at Jin. "My name is Miko. Miko Takanori."
Jin smiled easily at her. "Takanori," he tested the word out loud. "So, Takanori, what do you already know about Mikko Songs?"
Yusuke sat, brow furrowed in a worried look, perched on the couch of the Kuwabara household. He leaned forward, propping his head up as his brow furrowed deeper. A second later, he blew out a frustrated breath as he leaned back on the couch, placing his arms behind his head. The teen slouching on the floor near him gave Yusuke an aggravated look. "Knock it off Urameshi."
"I can't Kuwabara! Did'ja see what Hiei looked like? How easily they took three powers from the two of them! Did you happen to notice Hiei was missing a whole eye for god's sake!"
"Well duh, Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled slightly up at Yusuke. He turned away from Yusuke, slouching more. "Of course I noticed…."
Yusuke blinked at Kuwabara's actions. "Hey…Kuwabara. Kuwabara!"
The copper head moved a bit. "…Are, you okay Kuwabara?"
"Kazuma," came a voice from the kitchen. "You blame yourself too much," Shizuru entered with a poof of smoke trailing behind her as she carried a bowl of a various mixes for the two boys. "Don't let him rattle you. You might have seen it happen beforehand but you most certainly did not cause it. Here," she placed the bowl down on the table. "Now eat and stop slouching about. Form a plan or something. What do you know about these two?" She nimbly sat down behind her brother, next to Yusuke on the couch, flipping through the folder.
Yusuke grunted slightly. "Akuna and Kuanja. 'The Forbidden Hunters.' Power drainers." Yusuke whopped an angry fist against his palm. "…And they stole Hiei and Yukina's powers."
"Hm…interesting," Shizuru muttered, proving she wasn't listening to Yusuke's venting. "They work for Nekoyami." Her foot nudged her brother's shoulder.
"Hey!" Kuwabara's head whipped around at his sister sitting up on the couch. "What was that fo—uh, Nekoyami…?"
"Huh?" Yusuke's head turned toward the Kuwabara siblings. "Am I missing something?"
Kuwabara looked up and blinked at Yusuke. "Oh, it's nothing, nothing at all Urameshi."
Yusuke looked at Kuwabara for a second, shrugging. "Eh, this planning stuff is more for Kurama anyway."
Shizuru sighed, another puff of smoke flouting up to the whitened ceiling above their heads. "Thing is…the sixth sense is pretty precise Yusuke. There's a reason Koenma put you two on this mission, by yourselves."
Kuwabara turned his head away from his sister and childhood rival.
"And you," Shizuru spoke directly at her brother. "I said just because you saw it doesn't mean you did it."
"You're kidding…right?" Yusuke said as his face paled. "You mean…. Kurama and Hiei are really going to die!"
"We all die someday," Shizuru said dryly. "Add in Mikko too."
Yusuke's brows furrowed down in thought. "Oh yeah…. Hey, where did Jin go?" Yusuke looked up at the teen slouched on the floor. "You don't think he's still at the hospital with Mikko, do you Kuwabara?"
Kuwabara shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but the runt would still be at Kurama's. And Akuna and Kuanja…they're no where close to any of us right now. I get a bad vibe coming from them though so let's hurry."
Yusuke nodded at Kuwabara, rushing out the door. Shizuru placed a hand on her brother's shoulder, stopping him before he could leave. "Brother. Don't listen to his insults. Perhaps you can figure out what Akuna and Kuanja's weaknesses are from him. Uphold your honor. It wasn't right what they did to Yukina or Hiei."
Kuwabara mumbled something under his breath.
"Don't be pessimistic. Just because most dream visions are right, everything is dictated by everyone's choices. Do you remember our cousin? He proved that one to be true, always keeping hope of a chance of being able to do something about it." Shizuru paused before adding in her last words. "If there is a slim chance to save them, then there's a chance. And with you four, there is always that chance."
Kuwabara lifted his head and nodded. "You're right Shizuru. I'll prove my own vision wrong. It won't come true!" He raised his fist in the air at the promise.
Shizuru smiled. "Good." She smacked him lightly over his head, grinning at him. "That's what I like to hear. Now get going."
"Hey Urameshi! Wait up for me!"
"Hey Jin!" Yusuke greeted loudly down the hospital hallway, causing the nurses, doctors, and other visitors glare over at him. He paid little mind to everyone as he and Kuwabara walked over to where Jin had leaned himself against the doorframe of Mikko's room with his arms behind his head as usual. The fishing hat was tilted dangerously upon his head and nearly fell off as Jin opened his eyes, grinning and wiggling his ears as the two approached him. An unknown nurse stood next to him, a hand across the doorway as to stop Jin from getting by her. From Urameshi's standpoint, it was a nearly pointless thing to do and looked rather like she had it across Jin's shoulder, but knocked that thought out of his head at the glare Jin was unknowingly receiving from her.
"Urameshi!" Jin popped up from his leaning position, fishing hat falling completely off his head. "Oops there." A quick breath of wind blew by, sending the hat flying back up to rest on Jin's head. "No harm done." And it was true, the quick blow of the wind tusseled around Jin's large mop of red hair, conveniently hiding the demon quality that wasn't so easily explained off. "Hey Urameshi, you were saying something 'bout Mikko Songs being bonded to a guy?"
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other and blasted out in laughter.
"Hey!" Jin protested at the laugher. "What's so funny? I hafta find him, even though he clearly dumped me sister, if her memories are coming back this way!" Jin's ears twitched irritably.
"Sorry Jin. With what happened earlier, we completely forgot about that!" Yusuke said after he and Kuwabara stopped laughing.
"Yeah," Kuwabara agreed solemnly, "we've got another mission. Just me and Urameshi cause it deals with Kurama, your sister, and the shrimpboat."
Jin tilted his head, fang showing on the side of his mouth as spoke in question. "Just you and Urameshi on your own?"
Yusuke nodded. "Kuwabara here," he jacked a thumb toward the tall teen, "had some dream that those three are going to die. Some other dude up in Spirit World had the same one, so we're going after Akuna and Kuanja before they can reach them."
Jin shook his head. "Mikko Songs can't die. That jist can't happen." He grinned, flashing the fang again. "She's a Forbidden Child, first female one ever. Forbidden Children fade, not die."
"Yeah yeah, well binky face has us on the case anyway."
"Well, I'm out to help out me sister and I need whoever she's bonded to, to get over here or I'll bring her to him," Jin said moving toward the doorway that was still blocked by the nurse.
"Uh-uh! No visitors in here Jin! We went over this. And you still need some shoes," the nurse added into the list.
"She's me sister and I know what needs to be done." Jin looked over at Yusuke and Kuwabara. "Why did Kurama bring her to a human hospital anyway? She really needs more along the lines of the gods help with this bonding issue; I don't know nearly enough to help much."
Kuwabara shrugged, eyeing the nurse. Yusuke noticed the look and realization hit over him.
"Hey Jin," he started out the lie for the look on the nurse's face, "do you always need to call general and specialized hospitals that? You're making us all look like some sort of mental people that need the psycho-wham."
Jin blinked, utterly confused. "Urameshi, I don't know what all that junk coming out of your mouth means but I know I need to bring Mikko Songs to the one she's bonded to."
"Alright, but I don't know how you'll get her out," Yusuke motioned to the nurse. "We're heading over to Kurama's house anyway."
"Kurama?" Jin paused, and then grinned. "I guess that'll make 'im a half brother-in-law."
Yusuke paused as he looked at Jin, Kuwabara flat out started laughing.
"Dude," Yusuke clapped a hand onto Jin's shoulder as he laughed as well. "I told ya, ya wouldn't believe it. Mikko's not bonded to Kurama, she's bonded to Hiei, man."
Jin double blinked. "Hiei? Well…. I guess opposites attract! 'Cept that they're both real short!" He added in the last one brightly.The two of them roared up into laughter and Kuwabara was the first one to get serious.
"Urameshi…we gotta get them and make sure Akuna and Kuanja don't gettem'."
Yusuke stifled down his laughter. "Yah, all right. Come on Jin. Let's grab Mikko and get going."
Takanori spread both arms and legs across the doorway as Jin turned to go inside the room. "No visitors allowed! We've got a patient and we'll take care of her! Besides, you all sound like you're from some street gang with all that talk! I'm not moving from this spot!"
Jin scratched his head, starring down at Takanori. "Um…. Okay!" He grinned down at her, tossing her over his shoulder. Takanori blinked as Jin continued walking inside the hospital room, taking in the two teenagers' laugher at her position.
"Put me down! I said I wasn't moving from that spot! You can't take her out of here without filling out papers!" She pounded Jin's back.
"Hey Urameshi. I think she's a new nurse. The nurses I've had know how to handle situations with the family and patient," Kuwabara told Yusuke.
"I think your right," Yusuke agreed as they laughed at the nurse again.
Jin left the room, setting Takanori back down inside the doorframe where he had picked her up. "Dere see! Ya haven't moved one bit Takanori and I still got me sister!"
"Seems Jin had it all worked out around the rules of the hospital," Yusuke grinned. "Let's go."
The three walked down the hall as Takanori blinked from where she stood. Jin was just walking away, carrying the patient in a bridal style form, asking the fellow two boys a question as they walked away from where she stood still blinking. "What rules Urameshi? I didn't see no rules."
Takanori sweat dropped, eyes big. "uh…. Doctor! Doctor Minitato! Doctor Minitato!"
Hiei stood, ticked, in the middle of the guest room. Several vines grew over the window, his normal form of escape from this room. He snapped his eyes across to the four corners of the room, noting that the fox had planned this out well as the plants rustled around in their pots. He clenched his sword tighter in his hand, feeling the rough edges bit slightly into his palm. "Kurama. Move."
The red head shifted his weight over onto the other foot, leaning almost casual-like against the closed door. "Really Hiei. Lie down and calm yourself. Over exerting yourself like this isn't going to do any good after those injuries you received."
"I'm fine fox. Now let me out."
Kurama raised an eyebrow at Hiei, smiling. "Of course. My little step-brother has been anxious to meet my 'mysterious' friend."
"Hn!" Hiei raised his sword to point it at Kurama. "Move. Or I'm chopping these plants back down to size fox."
An unexpected giggle reached Hiei's ears and he glared at Kurama before blinking. Kurama didn't just…giggle, did he?
"Shuichi, I know your behind this door," Kurama called out, stepping away from the door.
A head cautiously popped its way inside the room to look upon a startled Hiei. The young boy let out that laugh again as he looked back at his older step-brother.
"Kurama?" He questioned the name for his step-brother. "Ya know, if you just ask your mother to call you that I'm sure there'd be less confusion around here," the boy walked in, shutting the door carefully behind him as he gave Hiei another look at. Stepping up to Hiei, with a few feet between them as he took notice of the sword, he starred carefully at this new person in the plantinized guest room. "He doesn't look like a demon. Except the hair. The hair is awesome."
Hiei turned to face Kurama as the fox merely smiled at his younger step-brother's comments.
"I don't have time for this," Hiei snapped. "Let me out of here Kurama."
"Shuichi, I know you've been looking at my newspapers and I'll answer about any questions you may have later. But," Kurama stood up straight, "I believe we have business to take care of."
The doorbell rang a cheery tune throughout the house and Shuichi rushed to the window, peeping through a small hole in the vines. "It's Yusuke and Kuwabara. There's some guy in a fishing hat with them though with hair like yours. Is he your cousin I haven't met or something? He's holding a small girl. What's going on?" The boy paused as he turned back around, not use to saying this to his step-brother. "Kurama?"
"Later Shuichi," Kurama motioned for the boy to leave the room. "Just…don't mention anything quite yet. There's enough going on right now here. Go finish your schoolwork now."
Shuichi nodded, giving a smile to both Hiei and Kurama as he left the room. Hiei gave Kurama a look and Kurama shrugged. "You knew one of your human family was there and let them find out?" Hiei's voice rang out in disbelief.
Kurama shrugged his shoulders again. "He's figured it out himself. Besides, I needed someone to pick up my weekly paper anyway." Kurama smiled a tad, tone extremely serious with the faintest laugh being held back from the humor Hiei could hear in the tone. Kurama looked dead serious though. Hiei scowled at the red head as the smallest of sweat drops formed, not totally believing this.
"It's true Hiei. He's young, he'll accept for whom I am while being mature enough to handle it when he's still child enough to keep it secret right now. I told him the newspaper thing was just between friends, him believing it to be a joke newspaper at first until it fully hit him that it came every week. I caught him glancing at it one day, clearly fascinated by it and a while after that he started asking me how come it looked to be done so professionally," Kurama glanced down the hallway as steps were heard coming up the stairway. "Then I decided after this morning that there was no reason not to at least…show him more of my other life if he was so interested in it. After seeing the mirror again, it reminded me fully of my wish that I evoked from it. 'Health and happiness'. Shiori's not going to get angry, mad, disappointed, or at all what I believed she would be. I don't know if I'll actually tell her, but Shuichi was already figuring it out and I figured he might as well have straight facts if he were to know. But that's for later."
"Hey, Kurama," Yusuke came up from around the corner, whistling as he saw the room. "Man, feel sorry for you Hiei."
"Hello Yusuke. Kuwabara. Jin. Jin, did you even sign her out of the hospital?" Kurama straightened up in his worry at what he saw. "They wouldn't have let you sign her out. She was in too critical of condition to even be allowed visitors."
"Ya, I know Kurama. Urameshi, where did'ja say…?" Jin came into view behind Yusuke. "Ah, Hiei. I have a bone to pick with ya." And with that, Jin came inside the vine incased room, handing over what he had to Hiei. "There. I know it's your problem. And since she's me sister, it me problem too."
Hiei shoved Mikko back into Jin's hands. "I don't want her," Hiei spat at the wind master.
"You're bonded! You take her and do…whatever the bonded would do to help! Me would love to take me sister but I can't! I've been spending half me life trying to find her and when I do, she don't need me to help her. She need her bonded to help her," Jin spoke back at Hiei, his ears reddening as he spoke.
"…Jin," Yusuke said with wide eyes. "You aren't mad much are you?"
"Jin, mad? Everyone has feelings Urameshi," Kuwabara came walking through the door. "Here," Kuwabara picked up Mikko. "I'll try something since the runt doesn't have the balls to help someone."
Hiei glared at the oaf but Kuwabara missed it as he closed his eyes to concentrate on the task he was about to attempt.
A voice called inside Kuwabara's head. Kuwabara shoved the voice away, concentrating deep within himself as he searched Mikko's spirit energy. Come on, Kuwabara thought, if my sixth strength is stronger I should be able…. He groped carefully around the spirit energy. I've got to be able to do something…something to do that may save these three…. A shocking current flew through Kuwabara with a sudden fierceness.
The group around Kuwabara looked on as Kuwabara's eyes snapped open, red, as he gasped in utter shock. Kurama gracefully dashed forward to save Mikko's head from cracking open from before hitting the floor.
"Kuwabara?" Yusuke stepped toward the bewildered teen with his hands pressing against his temples.
"No…get away…." Kuwabara nearly let loose an angry growl from the back of his throat. "Go away…get…away…. You bastard…get away…out…out…OUT!"
"Kuwabara?" Kurama asked worriedly, placing a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder. "What is it?"
Hiei looked over in shock at Kuwabara as everyone crowded around the fool. Kurama wasn't paying attention to him any longer, Hiei suddenly realized. Slowly, he dragged his feet across the room, quietly as to not attract any attention from the fox…. The vines tightened in front of Hiei's face as he had been centimeters away from the window.
"I asked you to stay here Hiei," came Kurama's voice.
"She…she…" Kuwabara's voice echoed through the room, almost hollowly. "Akuana and Kuanja killed…they killed the cat…they killed…."
Yusuke face faulted. "Is it always about the poor pretty little kitties Kuwabara?"
Kuwabara's eyes reddened for a second as they widened at Yusuke's words. "Yes it is!" Kuwabara shook his head. "That's not just it…. They simply just murdered her parents right in front of her own eyes."
Yusuke starred at Kuwabara in horror. "Those bastards…. If they couldn't sink any lower…."
Jin sighed rather loudly at this point. Everyone faced him to see the fishing hat off of his head, eyes hidden by his red hair hanging over them. "I kinda figured that. Kurama said she's lost her memory and it makes sense. Being bonded, what is it that ma always said…? Through bondage they keep the other safe in body and soul. Mikko Songs, if in ridding herself of all memories because of da and ma being killed, needed that part of the soul to come back safely. Being bonded is bringing everything back to her. But this isn't safe. I'm guessing something happened which is bringing memories back like this instead of the safer way. The bondage merit between the two needs to reconnect."
Everyone in the room starred at Jin as Jin gave a small glance over upon the fire demon.
"Hn!" Broke the silence inside the guest room. They all turned to face Hiei. "I'm not connected to anyone. Most defiantly not this girl." Kurama smiled at Hiei.
"I know a certain mating side that would disagree…."
"Quiet! I can't wait till your mating season comes around so I can throw it back in your face fox." Hiei retorted back. Kurama rolled his eyes slightly as he knew he wouldn't be having his mating season, he didn't spent enough time in that form to be able to, so his reproductive system was all human. But Hiei glanced down at the girl held in Kurama's hands before scowling. "Stupid girl," he muttered. He attempted to walk past Kurama, but Kurama stepped before him, causing Hiei to halt to a stop. "I'm surprised. I thought Koenma would be more worried about what I stole than about this human's well being."
"I have been meaning to ask that…. Where are they Hiei? Wait," Kurama's eyes widened in dawning comprehension. "You gave them those objects for Yukina?"
There was a shocked silence from the red head as he finished his sentence.
"Hn. It's not something I want everyone to know. I…much as I hate to say it, pulled something only the detective would do. Although maybe since I haven't been the 'best' of people in my life, fate didn't work out for me as well as it did for Yusuke."
"Huh?" Yusuke said stupidly.
"Let me guess…you gave them the objects to get Yukina and then proposed to fight them to get the treasures back? It backfired on you and then Danielle found the two of you battered and beaten by that tree in the park. Hiei, you do realize that the full moon is tonight?"
Hiei turned his head, avoiding the questions. "I would have achieved both…."
Kuwabara stood up, taking Mikko from Kurama to hand her back to Hiei. "Here. I know you two are very angry at each other but please…I don't need my vision coming true. I don't need to see you three dead. Come on," Kuwabara turned slowly out of the room. "Leave the two runts in here. I can feel Akuna and Kuanja nearby. Come on Urameshi."
"Right!" Yusuke followed Kuwabara out of the room for a change before whacking him over the head. "Snap out of it! I swear, everything has flipped upside-down besides me! Your down on yourself and are sixth strength thing is stronger than Shizuru's, Hiei has a girlfriend, Jin just got angry…jezz! Ever since Mikko came aro-oh!" Yusuke stopped as he saw the younger Shuichi peer out from his room. "Hey there kidd-o. Come on Kuwabara." And Yusuke was once more in the lead instead of Kuwabara.
"Wait up for me Urameshi!" Jin hurriedly caught up with the two, Shuichi starring as he went by. "Who's that?"
"Oh, that's Shuichi. Step-brother to uh…" Yusuke stopped, not wanting to say Kurama in front of the kid.
Shuichi was in total stardom land though. He had noticed Jin's one horn.
"Cool…. Now that's a demon…." He muttered awed under his breath before attacking Yusuke's dilemma. "Hi! I'm Shuichi Minamino. Kurama's step-brother." He took in Yusuke's look and kept his word to Kurama. "At least, that's what I know you guys call him. A lot less confusing than us having the same name. So Yusuke, who's this?"
"Me name's Jin!"
"Uh, guys," Kuwabara spoke up. "Let's get going, I don't like what I'm getting from Akuna and Kuanja."
"Yeah. They're not getting away with what they did. Let's go," Yusuke ran down the stairs, yelling a goodbye to Kurama's mother.
Shuichi jumped from looking at Jin leave as he heard a voice behind him. "I believe I asked you to do homework."
"Jezz! You're worse than my dad!" Shuichi turned around half annoyed to see his step-brother looking down upon him, hands casually placed inside his pockets. "So," he asked not able to contain his questions. "What type of demon are those two? I thought demons would look more…demon-like."
"Those are only pictures. Jin is half of a wind master. Hiei's family lines are more…personal for him," Kurama explained as he glanced back at the guest room door.
"What about you? Why are you friends with them?" Shuichi asked excitably.
Kurama smiled slightly at his enthusiasm. "We work together, to help in our own way, save the world. Although, Yusuke does get more credit than the rest of us."
"Cool…. Like super-heroes…." Shuichi spoke still in amazement. "So, do you have any like…special powers like demons would?"
"I'm merely good with the plants."
"Well, that's not cool. How would you fight with plants to be a super-hero?" Shuichi seemed puzzled by this as he asked it.
Their conversation was cut short however as a small, pissed female slammed the guest room door shut and stomped, shoving her way between Kurama and Shuichi. Her angry steps echoed as she went down the stairs. "Stay out of my life you idiot!" Was the scream that followed her. Hiei pushed his own way past Kurama and Shuichi to yell after the pissed female down the stairway. "I would if you wouldn't be weak!" Hiei turned, satisfied. He seemed to notice Kurama and Shuichi for the first time.
"And what are you two looking at!"
Kurama took Shuichi by his sleeve, pulling the two of them inside Shuichi's room "Awwww. Kurama," Shuichi whinned. Kurama paid no mind as he kept gaze on Hiei out in the hallway. He hadn't heard the door downstairs slam shut with his hearing and could only guess what would happen. Mikko must be brewing up a storm to throw back at Hiei. Wind blasted down the hallway, blowing off all the picture frames and knocking down a vase with a crash. Hiei's body spun back in the wind, flying back down the hall as he tried to valently search the walls for something to grab onto. He found an empty nail to grab hold on as the wind continued for nearly ten more seconds before dieing down. "Weak is for the weak oh mister hot head who can't keep his own feet attached to the ground!"
Then the door slammed and Kurama considered it safe to walk outside of Shuichi's room. "That…was…so…AWESOME!" Shuichi grinned wildly. "What is she?"
"Shh, Shuichi!" Kurama toned down at his step-brother.
"Shuichi?" Came a worried voice from down below. Shiori.
Kurama and Shuichi both turned. "Yes?" Came the answer as it clashed with Kurama's "Yes mother?"
"Is everything all right up there?"
"Just fine mother," Kurama answered. "Just a vase I'll replace when I go into town tommorow. The argument is finished."
"Good," Shiori smiled from the bottom of the stairs as she looked up at her two boys. "How's your friend doing?"
Shuichi turned to see Hiei behind them before beating Kurama to the punch. "Shuichi's friend is fine. But he isn't saying all those nice words from before…."
Shiori smiled to Kurama's surprise. "No doubt he isn't anymore. A boy like you doesn't need to hear about things like that."
"That's right," Kurama agreed politely with his mother. "There are some things people shouldn't hear."
Shuichi scowled. "It's a conspiracy."
Shiori and Kurama laughed at him as the younger Shuichi scowled more. "What? It is," he insisted. Hiei rolled his eyes from behind the pair of them, taking off through a window down the hallway that wasn't covered by the red head's annoying vines.
Siverwing013: and there we are! Another chappie to enjoy! Hiei is taller! gasp! Shuichi knows! double gasp! Mikko's awake! ...nothing...
now, now. no calling names at me. and please do send the minions of dr pepper after me! i luv dr pepper! sorry Koji... and i try to work on the story. till next updates reviewers! waves goodbye!
Silverwing013: so...what are Akuna and Kuanja up to? And has anyone figured out what three objects they now have? Will Mikko and Hiei get back together? Will it be the usual fairy tale ending for the gang? Send down the next chappie we all hope to be soon! Happy Holidays everyone!
