Hey there! This chapter is 6 pages long, longest i've ever written.
kawaiikitty: Thank you for the reviews. I know my writting style has changed a bit but that is my true style. Glad you like the story so far.
in luv with cold hearted guys: UPDATE! Hope you like it.
Yusuke, Keiko, Kazuma, and a new person entered the store. Riley was currently in the back, helping out a little girl with a present for her mother's birthday. Kurama noticed his friends and walked up to them.
"Hey Kurama." Yusuke said, nonchalantly.
"Please, refer to me here as Shuichi. That is the only name my cousin knows." He noticed the short man beside Kazuma. "Hiei, you're back. I see Mukuro let you have a vacation."
"Hn. I am on loan to Reikai right now."
"Why?"
"Koenma contacted Yusuke this morning. There is a new mission and I am tagging along because I have two projects. Do you know any myths about Makai that I could use for my Mythology project?" Keiko asked him.
"I have a book at home you can borrow. What is the other project?"
"Koenma wants me to pick up Yukina and go to the Reikai library to look up information on the Quinque."
"Hey guys!" Riley cheered, walking up to them with a smile.
They watched her, confused at the change in attitude. Hiei looked at her briefly, eyes widening slightly, before staring around the store. Riley noticed him and walked up to her cousin.
"Who's that?" she asked, pointing to the spiky-haired one.
"This is Jaganshi Hiei. I have been friends with him for a while."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." she exclaims, sticking a hand out for him to shake.
He stares at it. He knew the human customs, doesn't mean he will follow. Humans were not his favorite creatures. They were germ-ridden beings who's stupidity always got the better of them. This one in front of him was...well...different. To humor her, he shook her hand, shocking the others.
"My name is Gonimuko Riley. I work here with my cousin, Shuichi." She let go of his hand and faced her cousin. "So...about dinner tonight...I will be leaving now so I'll talk to Usagi-san. We'll be over around...5:30?"
"Perfect. By the way, you and I are going to have a talk tonight."
About what, she did not know, but nodded anyway. Walking to the counter, she grabbed her bag, said goodbye to everyone, and left the store. Kurama watched her walk away before turning to his friends.
"Mother wants you four to come as well. You can bring Yukina, too, maybe Botan as well."
"No problem with me. One of my motto's...'Never turn down a free meal'. What time?" Yusuke wondered.
"Same time as Riley?"
"Got it. Well, I am off to get Yukina and Botan. See you later boys." Keiko said, giving Yusuke a kiss before walking out of the store.
The four men stood there in silence as Sannishi-sensei came out from the back of the store, a box of books in her arms. Kurama rushed over and took them from her so she would not hurt herself.
"Aww...thank you Shuichi-kun. Where is Riley?"
"She left. My mother has invited her and her brothers over for dinner and she needed to get her and them ready, as well as get her step-mother's car."
"Alright. Well, you head home then. Go help Shiori cook dinner."
"I will try to bring you some tomorrow."
"Thank you. Now, get a move on."
Kurama went behind the counter and gathered his bag, walking out of the store with Yusuke, Kazuma, and Hiei. They walked down the street, talking about the mission that Koenma gave them, despite the fact that they were all retired.
"Binkie-breath said that we need to research these people called the Quinque. They were an ancient group of sorcerers and sorceresses. Each one was human, but their Reiki was strong. They all had an element in which their power type was centered. They were Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Akashka. It is rumored that the line disappeared hundreds of years ago, but there have been sightings of humans in Ningenkai with the Ancient Power. He wants us to track them down. There is a demon in Makai that is looking for them. Legend has it, the original Quinque gave their lives to seal away the Oppressors, or the demons who were the same as them. It seems that both lines are trying to rebuild." Yusuke explained.
"What is so bad about these Oppressors?" Hiei asked.
"They have the power to destroy the worlds, typical. What is different is that whosoever wins, either the Quinque or the Oppressors, they choose the fate of the world. The Quinque are humans, but that does not make them all good. If the evil overrules the good, then we are fucked. Same with the Oppressors, winner chooses."
"We'll talk about it later, after dinner."
They made it to Kurama's house and entered. Shuuichi came from downstairs and noticed his step-brother and friends.
"Hey. Mom's in the kitchen, cooking. So who is this Riley?"
"My cousin. Her father and mother are siblings. Let me say now, her father is nothing like mom. Riley is kind of eccentric at times, so keep your comments...nice. You do not want to see her get mad." he laughed to himself and began walking to the back of the house. "Just to let you know, she is terrified of spiders. I am not sure why but I used to have fun with that when we were younger."
"He used to be bad?" Kazuma asked, not entirely believing what he heard.
Shuuichi shrugged and went to the living room to watch TV, Kazuma and Yusuke following after. Hiei simply sat at the window seat and gazed out the window, ignoring the baboons behind him.
Riley entered her house. Her father was at work and her step-mother was in the kitchen making herself some dinner. Placing her back by the door, she went to go talk to Usagi. Damian, Dante, and Takini were in there as well.
"Hello everyone."
"Hey sis. Why are you happy?" Damian asked, looking at her weirdly.
"We have been invited to dinner."
"By who?" asked Dante, looking up from the worksheet in front of him.
"Aunt Shiori. You see, the bookstore I am working at, well, Shuichi works there now and he told her that we were back in town. She wants us over for dinner tonight. Is it alright with you, mom?"
"I do not see why not." she replied, placing her bento box into a bag.
"Is it alright if I borrow the car? The house is kind of on the other side of the city. We can drop you off at the hospital on the way and I can pick you up tomorrow when your shift ends."
"Sounds like a plan to me. Why don't you three get ready and I'll get Takini's things together."
Riley and her brothers nodded and went upstairs, each branching off to their own rooms. She went to her closet and got a nice pair of blue flare jeans, a long-sleeved black shirt, a black side-tie skirt to wear over her jeans, and blue scarf. A pair of shin-high boots sat in the back of the closet. Her real mother had bought them for her when they went out to the mall before they moved. They meant a lot to Riley. Putting these clothes on, she went over to her dresser, picked a hair tie off of it, and braided her hair with it. Simple bright blue eyeliner, under lined with black finished her strange outfit. Grabbing a purse, she stuffed her wallet, money, sunglasses, and spare cell phone her father got only for emergencies into it, and headed downstairs. Her brothers were still in their rooms. Usagi stood by the front door in her scrubs, matching shirt and pants with the Di Gi Charat girls all over it. Takini was in a simple crawler that was white with little green frogs in his car seat.
"Just waiting on the boys." Riley said loud enough for the slowpokes upstairs to hear.
Their footsteps were heard as they raced each other down the stair case. If their father was home, he would surely kill them. Alas, he was at work, so the house was much calmer. Damian and Dante entered the room while Riley picked up the front carrier in which Takini would sit in when they got to Shuichi's and Shiori's. Usagi had the diaper bag and car seat/carrier with Takini in it in her hands.
"Everyone ready?" Usagi asked, placing a note to her husband on the front table where he puts his keys.
"Yes, ma'am." The boys saluted.
They left the house and Riley locked the door with her house key. A spare key to Usagi's car hung on the ring and she used it to open the driver side door. The others piled in; Damian, Dante, and Takini in the back, Usagi and Riley up front. Turning the car on, she pulled out of the driveway and drove to the hospital to drop her step-mother off.
"Where is she? She's taking her sweet time." Yusuke grumbled from his seat on one of the couches.
Kurama sat in one of the lazy boys and jumped up when he heard a car pull up.
"She's here, detective." muttered Hiei from his window seat.
All of them, minus Hiei, of course, got up and greeted Riley at the door. Damian and Dante ran to Kurama as soon as they saw him. The cousins all hugged as Riley gathered up Takini, putting him in the frontal carrier she wore. Keiko walked up from behind and offered help to carry the seat and bag. Riley smiled at her and replied with a thank you. Yukina stood on the porch beside Botan, each of them in jeans and a t-shirt; Yukina wearing pale blue jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt, and Botan in deep blue jeans and a pink shirt like Yukina's. Shizuru couldn't make it because she had to work. Riley stepped onto the porch and gazed at the new girls.
"Hi, my name's Riley. Are you friends with Shuichi-kun?"
"Yes, we are. My name is Botan and this is Yukina."
"Hi." said the timid Koormie with a smile.
Takini looked at the two girls in amazement, as were the boys. They had never seen people with hair that color. Apparently, they had never seen the kids at Riley's old school back in England. Everyone went inside the house and were met by Shiori. As soon as the mother saw Riley, Damian, and Dante, tears came to her eyes. She had not seen her niece and nephews in 11, almost 12, years. They had grown so much and it was overwhelming for her. They ran into her arms where they were given kisses on the tops of their heads.
"You have all got so big. The last I saw you Dante, you were an infant, now look at you. Damian, you're taller then me! And Riley, you seem to have matured so very much. I can remember all those times when you and Shuichi would run around the house, pretending to fight. You know...I have yet to fix that vase."
"It is so good to see you, too, aunt Shiori." all three of them said.
"And who is this?" Shiori asked, signalling to the child Riley had.
"This is our half-brother, Takini. His mother, Usagi, if you remember the pictures I sent you, couldn't make it because she had to work. Father is working too."
"Ohh...well, you can always bring food home for them."
"That works."
"Well, you four just head into the living room and relax. My husband is out of town right now on business and can't join us."
Shiori turned around and walked back to the kitchen. Riley and the boys went into the living room where Kurama, Yusuke, Keiko, Kazuma, Yukina, Botan, and Hiei all sat. Taking the carrier, Riley put Takini in it and took off the frontal carrier. Damian and Dante sat in between Yukina and Botan on the couch and watched Yusuke and Kazuma arm-wrestle. Setting Takini beside Keiko, Riley faced the window seat Hiei was in.
"That, I am sorry to say, is my seat."
"Hn, don't see your name on it."
"Then you did not look hard enough."
She grabbed Hiei by his cloak and nudged him off. Pulling up the coushin, she showed him the initials carved into it 'GR, KD, & MS'. Hiei cocked an eyebrow at this and looked over a Kurama who was whistling a nameless tune. Riley plopped down into the seat and looked at the others. Hiei huffed at this and made to storm off but Riley stopped him. She curled her feet up, giving him room to sit. He didn't need to be told twice and sat down. Everyone sat around in the living room until Shiori called them all to eat.
"That was great, aunt Shiori." exclaimed Damian as he finished his second slice of cake.
Dessert was being passed around the table. Pudding, cake, and ice cream was shared by the group. Riley and Hiei got into a tassle over the chocolate ice cream, each wanting more then there was. It had to be settled by giving them each half the carton on top of a slice of cake. They might get sick, but it would be well worth it. Takini, after being fed his bottle, fell asleep and was currently in the living room where it was quiet.
"Thank you, all of you. Tonight has been fun, but it is getting rather late." she replied, looking at the grandfather clock behind her.
"Ohh...it is 10:00 already?" Riley asked, standing up. "We must be heading home."
She gave a look to her brothers and they got up from the table. Kurama stood up as well, to help them to the car and to ask Riley a question. He noticed something on her back as she bent down to pick up Takini.
"Riley?"
"Yes?"
"Can I talk to you...outside?"
"Of course, Shuichi."
She picked up Takini in his carrier, gathered up the diaper bag, and walked with him outside. Damian and Dante were already in the car and she put Takini in there. Kurama pulled her out of his other cousin's eyesight.
"What is that on your back?"
"Wha...what do mean?" she asked, paling slightly.
"You have a large mark on your back. Let me see it." he wasn't giving up.
"No...no, it's nothing."
"Then why are you so scared?"
As she looked into his emerald eyes, Riley knew she had lost. Turning around, she pulled up the back of her shirt to let him see the marks. A gasped came from his lips as he ran his hand over the scars. There were many of them, from knives, nails, and whips. His stomach churned as he pulled up her sleeve and saw something similar there. It was the same with the other arm. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Riley just stood there, emotionless, as he searched her. He knelt in front of her and ran his fingers over the ones on her stomach. She gasped and pushed herself away.
"Who gave you those?" he demanded, grabbing her arms and pulling her closer.
"Let me go. Let me go." she struggled against him.
"Who did it!"
Drawing back her fist, she punched him in the gut and ran to the car. He keeled over slightly and watched as she pulled out of the driveway and drove home. Kurama heard something behind him and whipped around to see Hiei there, smirking.
"Let a little girl hurt you."
"I don't care." he stood straight and watched the tail lights of Usagi's car decend the hill. "She is in trouble. There are scars all over her. I fear...she might be abused. Could you...follow after her while I go tell the others?"
"Hn...fine fox."
He flickered from view and Kurama was dumbstruck. Hiei never agreed that easily. Kurama smiled. Maybe everyone's favorite kajihenge...No. He sighed and went inside to have the others get ready to head over to Riley's house...just in case.
Riley pulled up to the house and saw that her father was home. All of them piled out and went up to the house. Telling her brothers to stay behind her, she opened the door. No sounds were heard inside and that made her uneasy. Walking in slowly, she gave Takini to Damian and the bag to Dante.
"Run if I tell you." she whispered to them.
They got scared, but nodded none the less. She walked into thel living room where she knew her father was. He sat on the back of the couch, grinning at her. She noticed that his hair and body was different. He was taller, now, and had stringy, shoulder-length green hair. His eyes gleamed with malace as he hopped down and walked towards Riley. Waving a hand at her brothers, she gave them the sign to run. They stummbled momentarily, before hauling butt out of the house. Riley's gaze never left the man before her. Her suspicions were confirmed, he was definitely not her real father.
"Smart boys, but not you. Why do you stay here knowing full well what I can do to you?"
"I just want my brothers safe. As long as they are protected, I could careless what happened to me."
"So, you're saying you would die so long as they are safe?"
"Anything for them."
"Good."
He jumped at her, knocking Riley down on to her back. Akai towered above her. She pushed at him and managed to get a leg in between the two of them. Kicking him off, she ran upstairs to the attic where she had something that could bring him down. Not knowing what she was planning, he followed.
Damian and Dante ran out onto the sidewalk, fearing what their father would do to Riley. Takini began crying so Damian fished him out of his carrier and rocked him. Dante had tears running down their face, and that is how Hiei found them. He jumped down from the tree he was in and landed beside them They were startled but, seeing who it was, they ran to him. Hiei wasn't used to having children clinging to him and crying. Crossing his arms, he sighed.
"What is it?" he asked.
Dante sniffled and Damian patted him on the back.
"Sissy."
Riley pulled down the staircase up to the attic and hurried up it just as Akai reached the top of the stairs. Entering the dusty room, she hid behind a box on the far end. The box was full of old photos. She pulled out a book of matches from underneath it and, with a whisper of apology, lit them. The fire was small at first but soon grew. As she heard the door close, she knew her fate. The door could only open from the outside and it was a 30 foot drop from the window. Akai could smell the fire and his eyes went wide.
"Whore! Get you ass out here now, lest I search for you."
Riley rolled out from behind the boxes and rose to her feet, the matchbook falling by her feet. He smirked at her and jumped, taking her hair into his hands. Yanking her towards him, she saw his hand reach into the pocket of his coat. Before she could react, he pulled out a .9 mm Cobalt and held it to her stomach. Safety clicked. Finger on the trigger. She squeezed her eyes shut as a bullet ripped through her stomach and out the back. He did it twice to her abdomen before pushing her off. She landed hard on the floor. Blood seaped out of her and was soaked up by her shirt. He stood 4 feet away from her and aimed the gun at her head.
"Goodbye." he whispered.
As the fire raged around them, he pulled back on the trigger. The bullet ripped out of the barrel. Time seamed to slow down for the two of them. A smirk decorated Akai's face. Riley watched him as a smirk came to her own face.
"No...not yet."
The bullet slowed down and stopped just before her forehead. Akai watched this and was angered. Riley looked towards the wall and noticed that the fire was getting closer to the paint and other explosive materials in the corner. The bullet turned and Riley released her hold on it, aiming it at the materials. Jumping up, she ran as quickly as she could towards the window and threw herself through the glass and out it just as the bullet impacted. Bang.
Hiei watched the boys. Kurama would be there soon. A smell wafted on the air. Smoke, he identified it. Looking up at the house, he saw the faint light of flames in the attic window.
'Hurry up Kurama.' he mentally urged.
Just as that thought passed, he saw Kurama and the others running up the sidewalk. They reached his side.
"Oh my. The house is on fire!" yelled Botan pointing at it.
"Hiei!"
Hiei darted off to the house, but was thrown backwards as it exploded. Tears came to the boys eyes.
"RILEY!" they screamed.
Kurama noticed that Riley wasn't there...tears came to his eyes, too.
Well...what did everyone think of it? Major cliffie! I will start working on the next chapter, but won't finish. Not entirely sure when it will be out. I am busy all weekend and school starts back up on Tuesday.
Jinx-the-Pink-Goddess