Sakura: Short chapter! AHHH! A CHAPTER! dies FOR ALISON:)
Chapter 17
"Dammit," Hiei swore, unable to hear or see the ookami.
Achiko was running too swiftly, too quietly, for him to hear. She was under his radar, locked on to the thoughts of her prey.
She knew where she was going. She knew what she was doing. All she needed was a little help and an open glade. Achiko continued to run until she had reached a small field. The moonlight cast strange shadows and she held her hands in front of her, open.
"Shirui! I beckon thee! Beyond the stars of my ancestors- I beckon thee!" Achiko said, panting.
A star fell from the sky, glowing and glittering, into her hand. She smiled a little, then frowned as a flashback hit her:
There she was. A younger version of herself hiding behind her father's robes as his voice boomed angrily.
"My pack! This man has violated our trust and was caught harassing my daughters! Say you, what punishment does he receive? For such an unworthy man he will be put to death! Prepare your blades, Shima, may Shirui's guide aim them true."
The younger Achiko shuttered and hid herself further into her father's robes as the man looked her way. Curiously, the real Achiko looked to where her younger self was last staring- that man!
Achiko gasped. Blonde hair, icy blue eyes, a ceremonial tattoo on his arm- it was Ryu!
Achiko gasped again as she was wrenched out of the flashback. She had heard before that the fallen star could give warnings, premonitions- but never a flashback to the past.
She had hardly enough time to ponder such things- but the story told her where to go.
"Shirui! Take me to the place I once called home!" Achiko shouted and warm, crystalline glow encased her.
And then she was gone.
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"Hiei! Did you see where Achiko ran to?" Kurama asked once Hiei returned to the group.
Hiei shook his head, "She ran into the woods,"
"Yeah- where in the woods?" Yusuke muttered, running his fingers angrily through his hair.
"I don't know- do I look like a blood hound?" Hiei shouted.
"Koenma wants to see you all now," Botan, fully dressed in her pink kimono, told the group and they quickly made their way towards his office.
"Well, team, it's taken a lot of my greatest information gatherers to get us this info so pay attention," Koenma started, "In a small corner of the makai was a tiny village where a wolf clan lived. We have come to the conclusion that this is, indeed, Achiko's home town. Of course, it was destroyed very long ago and is now a glade filled with flowers and, you know, stuff like that."
"Well, where the hell is it?" Hiei asked in his most calm, I-don't-want-to-be-here-right0now-give-me-the-damn-directions!- voice.
"This map should be able to help you- Botan will prepare a portal that will get you towards the outskirts of the town. I circled the town in my new silver sharpie!"
But no one heard his excitement at the silver sharpie- they had taken the map and rushed out of the room.
"I love you silver sharpie!" Koenma praised his pen and doodled all over his work.
Meanwhile.
"It's so familiar," Achiko stood, surrounded by barren land and wild flowers.
"So, you made it, did you?" Ryu walked up behind her and Achiko spun around quickly.
Atticus stood behind Ryu, her eyes dazed and her expression blank. Achiko watched her old friend carefully: she looked like she was about to fall over.
"What's the matter with Atticus?" Achiko demanded, planting her feet firmly in the ground.
"Nothing, nothing. And so, Achiko, we are able to speak one on one. Do you know why I hate you with every power of my being?" Ryu asked in his cold voice.
"Because my clan sentenced you to death," she muttered angrily.
Ryu stared at her a moment, then laughed raucously. He leaned a little into Atticus and Achiko watched carefully, cunningly.
"Oh, Achiko, you always were the slowest of your clan, weren't you?" he chuckled and then snapped his fingers.
The girl from the picture appeared- her brown eyes obedient and her hair in a tight knot. She bowed quickly before Ryu before standing to his side.
"Mayu!" Achiko muttered under her breath.
"So you do know?" Ryu grinned, "I thought I'd have to hold a whole family reunion for you to even begin to recognize her!"
Achiko growled and looked her older sister in the eyes, "Sister! Do you know not who I am?" Achiko shouted.
Mayu glared, "Bitch, I have never laid an eye on you before my master called to me."
"That's impossible! You're my older sister!" Achiko shouted.
"She lies," Ryu told the girl calmly, and to Achiko: "She'll never remember- the spell upon her is too great!"
"Ryu! It was my father who caused the death of yours! Why can't we just drop this shit!" Achiko asked in her own special way.
"You foolish, naïve little girl," Ryu chuckled, "It was not my father you killed- it was me!"