Destin Enchaîné

Me: Here you are. There's actually some pretty nice cliffhangers in this chapter. The story's turning out to be a lot more mysterious then I originally intended. –Sigh- Again, I will update the other story, I'm just kinda dead on inspiration for it. Let's just say that it isn't my most favorite written work in the world. Sorry it took so long to update, between school, the animal shelter, and DDR, I've been extremely negligent of writing. Gomen Nasai. Be assured, though, I did love writing this chapter, interpretations on how you think the dreams and memories effect the story are most welcome. In fact, I'd very much appriciate to see how people percieve them. Yay DDR, though, I'm doing better every day. Oh, yes, and if you want a faster update, PLEASE REVIEW. I love to hear people's comments, good or bad. Okay, read on!


Chapter 3

A light wind blew across the twilit landscape. It was cool; only a slight stench present in the air to remind one of the pollutants present in the air. Standing on a terrace outside, Hiei surveyed the city carefully. He had allowed his eyes to wander freely. Meanwhile, his sunglasses remained clutched securely within his grip, as if they were his most valued possession. It was rather chilly outside tonight, he decided. The air blowing past him had a rather defiant air to it. Truly, he didn't think there was such a thing as musty wind outside. Obviously, he had just proven wrong. The air had no scent to it. It did not excite him like it would any other time. Tonight, it seemed, the night world did not call to him. There were no adventures to be had, nothing to do. He leaned up against the balcony railing, bored out of his mind. It was still a little too early to be doing anything of large importance. Most everyone else was still sleeping. In general, they usually were active by ten o' clock. He stifled a yawn with his hand then turned his gaze back inside.

The adolescent redhead lay sprawled on the couch, fast asleep. He had curled into a secure ball, as if he was frightened of something. For now, he highly doubted it. Kurama actually looked calmer than he had in a long time. At least he wasn't screaming. That was beginning to annoy the leader. He wondered what the dreams were actually like. Were they really that frightening? He reminded himself that this was the first time he had ever seen the teenager that frightened out of his mind. It was as if a strange entity was haunting him. Also, he was sure to make note of how much paler he'd become. Once holding a healthy complexion, Kurama's skin had recently blanched to a color resembling pure white linen.

That long hair, the ridiculous style Kurama had refused to get cut… it now spilled over his shoulders, the color of fresh blood. Generally a silken mane, the hair was now slightly tangled and unruly from sleep. He walked back in and looked at a few particularly defiant strands that hung in the boy's face. He chuckled slightly and moved them back behind his ear. A slight frown passed his lips as he watched Kurama shift away from his fingers after immediate contact, a slight groan of incoherence passing his mouth in turn. He sighed softly and replaced his hand in its proper place. He knew he shouldn't be touching Kurama. If anything, he'd end up scaring Kurama more than any touch was worth. The boy was so jumpy lately that Hiei estimated he was going to make himself sick.

Ignoring the wishes his conscious mind was giving, he sat down next to where Kurama lay. Allowing his mind to wander, he softly looked back to Kurama. Well, he seemed to have actually calmed down a lot since he had come inside. He however, still remained in the fetal position, as if expecting to be hit or beaten. He reminded himself that he was being paranoid about it.

He was suspicious of whether or not Kurama was really telling him the truth about his rival. In his mind, he was making careful notes about the current state of the stressed teen. No matter what anybody said, he really did deep down care about Kurama as not only a guardian, but as a friend, even as a brother. Sure, he didn't show it, but he had never liked to outwardly show affection or inclination to anyone before. The redhead was supposed to be able to take care of himself without having to constantly be reassured. He refused to raise Kurama to be a weak-minded individual who hid behind someone constantly. Not that Kurama needed much help on that. After all, he was already a resolute person, worthy of respect in society. Hiei had no doubt in his mind that the boy would grow up to be someone of outstanding stature in the world. Inwardly, he laughed at his thoughts. He really shouldn't worry that much about what happened to Kurama when he grew up. Still, he felt oddly responsible for his fate. Perhaps it was a type of fatherly instinct, even if he was technically only four or five years older than him.

The seventeen year old shifted only slightly when Hiei reached out to stoke his cheek thoughtfully. Offhandedly, he began to wonder if Kurama would really be all right. Something sent up a red flag in his mind. Perhaps it was the simple fact that the teen had bad luck in life up until now, perhaps not. Easily brought to his mind were images of Kurama laying on the ground, form torn and bloody, eyes cold as stone. The very sight made him wince. Though many would claim the young man was perfectly able to take care of himself, he reminded himself of a fact of dire importance. No matter how much strength he would ever gain in this life, no matter how high a ranking he achieved, his body would always be delicate.

Fragile, frail, slim, they were all perfect descriptions on how exactly Kurama's body was built. If someone knew how to properly do it, Kurama was as easy to break as a thin pane of glass. There of course were consequences to anyone who did it. Kurama held a danger all his own that had given birth as soon as he was born. Anybody who dared try and ruin the beauty that rested before them risked being cut by an infinite wave of shards, sharper than any knife. His fingers paused from their regular actions as he felt the form beneath him exhale gently. Yes… Kurama's soul was exactly like glass. He however was so tempted to explore it. His personality held so many secrets, dark sides, and mysteries waiting to be solved. It was hard for Hiei not to dive in headfirst. Only his sanity kept him rooted to the spot. This WAS what danger Kurama held, the compelling beauty that could seduce the strongest person. Yet he was like the spirits that could lead men astray with their beauty, only for the mortal to find his downfall soon after.

"What 'cha doing, Hiei?" A casual, persistent voice behind him asked. Hiei jumped out of his seat, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Quickly, he replaced the glasses he always wore and turned to see Yuusuke, who was sitting behind him, waving with a large smile plastered to his face. Hiei only rolled his eyes, for the sudden break in the serious moment was almost comical. He still had the typical frown on his face. He didn't laugh, nor did he ever smile. The only thing that was slightly close was the occasional smirk, or a dark chuckle elicited by something that was usually far from funny in a commoner's view. The frown remained tonight. Hiei, for once, wanted to be alone with Kurama. Yuusuke made it hard to think.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked pessimistically, glancing back at the redhead who lay before him. After turning back to Yuusuke, he saw that the man was also looking worriedly at the boy. His expression had changed from inane to solemn. He too, was worried about Kurama. It was something quite obvious.

"There's something wrong, you know? He's in pain, I can see it." Maybe this was one of the more observant things that the man had said in a while, Hiei thought. Thoughtfully, Hiei flicked his gaze once again to the slumped form lying on the couch next to him. After taking in the sound of his steady breathing and watching the soft rise and fall of his chest, he sighed softly, an uncharacteristic thing for him to do.

""It's nothing. I've already talked to him about it." He replied softly, his regular manner returning. After looking out the window, Hiei stood. Yuusuke looked questioningly at him.

"I'm going out. If you're planning to come with, get ready," he said simply. Once again, Yuusuke looked worriedly towards the redhead, who groaned slightly in his sleep but still managed to keep a pleasant expression. He could still clearly envision how gently Hiei had looked at the redhead, and how Kurama would never know it. If the teen were to be subject to such affection, he thought, then maybe he wouldn't be so closed off about his problems. He'd seen Kurama in pain before, and he'd been helpless to even offer the boy some comfort. However, the gang leader was not as helpless as he was.

He'd helped Kurama out when life had been rough for him. As he knew Kurama was extremely grateful, he often held the boy to that fact. He'd always have Kurama running around, doing practical errands and such. He had the type of power to help the redhead. It was only the fact that Hiei didn't take the initiative. That slight apathy, the tiniest amount of ignorance was what kept the teenager closed. He was nearing adulthood, yet had not learned proper social skill. This was not in the sense that he was rude, had poor manners, or didn't know how to act. In fact, it was far from it. It could drive people away, though, the fact that Kurama wouldn't reveal any of his pain. Yuusuke knew that Kurama's intentions were nothing short of good, sparing the attention focused on him, but it was a truth that people didn't like it. With one last glance at the boy lying on the couch, he followed Hiei out the front door, oblivious to the memories that flew through Kurama's mind.

It was a very happy day for a small young boy, traveling with his mother. As he could see, the skies were completely blue, and the atmosphere, perfect. It was a new thing for him to experience, the sights and sounds all new. He had just recently traveled here from a land far away. This was different from what he knew; the sights and sounds were different. Not only that, how people spoke seemed strange to him. The foreign tongue made his brain swim, a sudden flood of confusion being pressed on his brain as a result. Of course, the one thing that would always remain stable was right by his side. His mother, a beautiful woman in her late twenties spoke softly to him in the language he recognized.

Curiously looking around at the surrounding area, he surveyed a butcher's shop, obviously having a sale. People were packed inside and a long line trailed far from the door. He turned, blinking to the woman holding his hand. "Mama, what is this place? It's really strange." He asked quietly. Though he possessed the soft, childish tone his vocabulary and manner of speaking were very mature for his age. It showed intelligence that had surfaced early in his life. So to say, his mother took much pride in how smart he young son was already.

Smiling and turning to him, she replied in a kind voice. This was the type of tone he had acclimated himself with. It was so warm, so kind. He couldn't ever remember a time when he heard her raise her voice. "Well, Ku-chan, we're going to be living here for a while. Why do you ask? Is there anything wrong with this place?" She spoke to her son in the utmost respect and love. The boy before her paused and put his hand on his chin to think. It seemed that he was trying to decide what his impression was. The bustling crowd and odd language made his vision fuzzy, but then again, the people seemed nice enough here. A new adventure was a temptation in his mind, but something seemed wrong. There was something missing. Though he knew he probably, shouldn't ask, he decided to voice his mind.

"It's a very nice place, I like it. Where's daddy, though? Isn't he going to come with us?" he almost immediately felt sorry for asking the question. At it, his mother saddened considerably. She was trying to hold it back, but it was near impossible. Softly, biting her lip, she tried to think of an answer that would satisfy the young one's mind.

"Well, dear, he had to go on a trip. He promised me that he'd join us soon. We're going to live here, Kurama. Daddy said that he'd be here tomorrow." She knew there was no sense in lying, but she had to protect her son. The useless information would only weigh the boy down. For having a son that was always cheerful no matter what, she couldn't bear to see him worried or sad. She was the mother, and she was the one to fuss over her son, not the other way around. She scooped up Kurama in her arms and held him close. The thin boy accommodated well to that, she had no problem carrying him, despite the fact that he was already an older toddler. Unexpectedly, the young boy reached out and touched her face, giving her an inquisitive look that ached for knowledge.

"He didn't leave you, right? You're so sad." He replied simply, burying himself into her neck as any young boy would. "No, no, dear. He loves us too much to ever leave us, especially you. He's on a trip. Remember? He said to you just a few days ago he was going on a business trip. Don't you remember him telling you that we'd be going some place new and he'd see us in a few days?" she asked softly. Nodding in affirmation, he smiled at her, not wanting for her to be sad. An early-built intuition told him there was really something wrong. However, a moment later, that disappeared as his mother smiled her regular smile and set him down on the ground, letting him walk beside her once again.

After shooing Kurama off into a park for a while, she sat down on the bench and watched as her child kept a close distance to her. She almost laughed as he played with the other children. Though unable to communicate with them, he soon found out their names and they were all playing an avid game of hide-and-seek. Kurama had the advantage. From a young age, he had been able to climb trees well. Now finding his hiding spot in the branches of tall trees, he was always the last one to be found. The mother was happy to see her son being so normal. Part of the reason they moved away from their old home was because many children thought Kurama to be weird. It was not anything personal either. His parents, Shiori and her husband led odd jobs, and were known as nothing but eccentric in the community. That view rubbed off on other children. It didn't help that adults whispered whenever Kurama walked near them, whether it be to buy groceries for his mother or to make his way to the library every few days.

Yeah, he had always been a little 'odd' in that sense. He couldn't help being different than the others. While they obsessed about their favorite bands, cartoons, toys, or friends, Kurama took to the greenhouse at a young age. Whether it be working in the flower garden at home, watering the old lady's flowers across the street, or even helping out at the greenhouse, he loved it. As a result, surprisingly, he was extremely intelligent for his age. He already even knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. Over and over, he would say that he wanted to be a botanist, working in a small town in the mountains of Kyoto as an apothecary. Of course, that had changed since they moved. His mother called it 'France'. His teachers had never talked about foreign countries, nor had his parents. Because of this, he had absolutely no clue what it would be like. It was so strange, but the young boy felt that something held his mother back from returning to their home in the middle of Yokohama. Somehow, he felt that Kyoto was out of the question. Before, his mother had always been enthusiastic about moving to the mountains, but she was now running away from it all.

As his mother sat with him in a café the following night, he looked up at the sky. God help him, the food was strange. It tasted much too different than what he was used to. The food was far different from the wonderful sukiyaki his mother treated him to every once in a while. The taste on his tongue was sharp, repugnant, and most of all, as foreign to him as the language spoken here. It only made him feel farther away from home. He began to wonder, how much had they really left behind. His whole family was still back in Japan. Would they ever attend his grandmother's tea ceremonies anymore? What about his uncles and aunts they visited every Sunday? He felt tears well up at the thought of it. He was so attached to his entire family he could barely stand the thought of life without them. He thought pointedly to himself that at least he had his mother. What about everyone else, though? He never thought that his own mother would be so apathetic as to leave everyone.

He immediately cursed himself for such thoughts. His mother was not cruel and apathetic in any way. At that moment, he felt like he wanted to spit his food out, not because it tasted bad, of course. It was just foreign to him. The childish part of him cried out for something familiar to eat, rice, sushi, miso, or sushi, anything to satisfy his growing homesickness. The only thing that kept him from it was the reminder that it would be rude to do such a thing in front of his mother. He was a well-mannered young boy, and one who always behaved. "Come, let's go Ku-chan. we're going to see our new home." She told him silently after about an hour or so of sitting there eating. Without a word, Kurama silently followed along. Though he remained obedient, Shiori could tell that he was still somewhat distant from him. She knew that he was upset that she had brought him here on such short notice. Even if people were rude to him, moving halfway across the world would upset anyone. It didn't help that she hadn't told Kurama until they had arrived. Their departure had been casual. Shiori already had arrangements for everything. The only things that they had brought from Japan with them were a few outfits and a few of Kurama's favorite books.

Kurama was currently busy gawking at a large mansion they had come upon. His eyes practically radiated curiosity, thinking of how large it would be, and how interesting it would be to explore. Shiori smiled softly at he son and motioned for him to come on. He gave her a inquisitive look, as if to ask: what do you have planned? "Is this where we're going to live, Mommy?" For the first time today, Shiori spoke with excitement.

"Yes. Don't you think it'll be a lovely place? It's plenty big enough for you to explore. I know you've never met your grandparents who live here, but they've given us the place. They wanted somewhere more quiet to live, so they moved out of the country and invited us to come live here." She said. For some reason, Kurama had a feeling she was lying when she said this. Though he was dying of curiosity, he asked no further questions as Shiori and he strode up to the front door. Shiori raised a brass knocker once and knocked. A bubbly lady answered them immediately.

"Shiori! How nice it is to see you! It's been years!" she exclaimed. Kurama couldn't understand her. She was speaking in the foreign language. He did catch his mother's name in the jumble of speech though. To his utter surprise, his mother answered back with equal skill, as if she had spoken the language in years. They hugged tightly and then the cheerful lady turned to him, immediately switching her language. "What a cute little boy, Shiori! This is Kurama, right?" he was surprised to hear her speaking Japanese. She nodded and Kurama soon found himself being scooped up into a set of arms, cradling him gently.

"Yes, this is my son," she replied. "It would be easier if you spoke to him in Japanese for now, he still hasn't gotten around to learning French." She said politely as Kurama was strangled within the girls suffocating grip. As he felt the grip on him loosen slightly, his mother spoke to him. "Kurama, dear, this is my friend Botan. She's going to be living with us, okay? I need you to stay in your room for a while, though. Botan and I will show you there. Once I leave, I have something I need to do. Just be a good boy and stay in your room. It's getting late, anyways, so you might just want to go to be. Will you do that for me, Kurama?" Once Botan had set him on the ground, he followed them up a large staircase and down a few twisting hallways. Kurama tried to catch a glimpse in some of the rooms, which had an open door. It was near impossible, though. He decided that he'd have to just go exploring for himself tomorrow.

The room they led him to was huge. Kurama positively gawked at it. He was in shock, disbelief at how big it was. It was over five times the size of the tiny space he had as a room in his apartment back in Japan. In truth, he had never seen such a large room. There was a king size bed with a canopy nestled in one corner. The beautiful black carpet was absolutely clean, spotless. In another corner there was a desk, while in another there was a comfy looking armchair and a rather large bookcase packed with everything from short stories to novels several inches thick. His eyes only bulged more at the beautiful assortment of plants adorning the room. Something that caught his eyes in particular were beautiful red roses, the color of blood in a fancy vase. Botan knelt down and smiled at him. "Like it? It's your room. Your mom said you like plants." The only thing he was able to manage was a weak nod and a large bow.

Shiori smiled down at her son and gave him a hug. "Goodnight, dear. I'll see you in the morning. There're pajamas in the dresser for you, so pick something out and make yourself comfortable." Botan smiled back at the two, the toddler gave his mother a big hug while wishing her a 'goodnight.' He was such a sweet young boy, she thought to herself. It was sad he had to go through so much, being different and all.

When his mother and Botan left the room, Kurama set off to explore his new room. It was a lovely, ornate room. The carpet, upon inspection was a flawless black with the light design of gray roses on it. There was nothing like this in Japan. There was also a door he discovered that led into a large closet, and another that led into the biggest bathroom he'd ever seen. There was another feature he particularly liked about the room; it had a balcony. An ornate set of doors with beautifully decorated wood led out to a balcony. He noted, that there was a strange carving of a crescent moon on the door. It seemed out of place. Proceeding under it was a fully detailed sun that was… frowning? Since when did an artist depict the sun to be frowning? He let the door open to get some fresh air while putting on his pajamas. He took another change to look at the roses, which had first attracted his attention. They were beautiful, he thought to himself.

He sighed slightly as he shivered from the cold night air. Even the wind smelled different then back in Japan. He supposed that he's get used to it in time. Somehow, he felt that he never would. After traveling to the bookcase to retrieve a paperback copy that attracted his interest, he headed over to large bed and with slight difficulty, climbed onto it. The covers were heavy, warm, and comfortable. After making himself comfy under them, he turned to open the title less book, searching for something of interest. Before he even started reading, he remembered something. He didn't even have to look at the pages to realize that it wasn't likely in the language he could understand. He felt a slight disappointment that he couldn't read it, but decided to look at the words, thinking it might help him with learning the language.

There were no pictures to help him, and it was thick with the odd writing. His head began to throb, so he placed the book on the ground and lay down. With the entrance of this silence, he could hear snippets of his mother's conversation.

"We had to leave. It was dangerous. Still it is, now, but you're asking me to go to Siberia. I'm going to have to take Kurama with me if I do. It isn't that I don't trust you, Botan, but I am literally the only one who can fully protect him right now. He's a prime target. I still feel bad for it, though. I mean, he's just a toddler, I shouldn't be putting him through this much stress." His mother said in an almost avid whisper. Kurama briefly wondered why she was talking in Japanese if he wasn't meant to hear this conversation. Perhaps she felt awkward speaking in French, perhaps not.

"I know Shiori. But you have to do this. A village is in trouble and people are dying. I know you've vowed to give it up because of the incident, but this isn't like that anymore. They are begging for your help. How can you deny them that? I mean, a simple accident shouldn't hold you back!" There was silence for a long time. Kurama dare not move, or even breathe out of fear of being caught.

"Botan, it isn't the fact that there was one little accident. For now, I can't let Kurama out of my sights. He was threatened last time, and I was warned. I know now that if there is any chance at Kurama living past age ten, I need to lay as low as I possibly can. They already got him last year, and he was coughing blood. I know he doesn't seem like it, but that lung condition effects him. I don't want to lose my son. I love him too much for that. I am absolutely begging you to tell them that I am dead, that you haven't seen me in over a year. PLEASE THIS IS MY SON I'M WORRYING ABOUT!" Shiori's voice rose with each sentence until she was practically yelling. Kurama had never heard her like this before. She was nearly hysterical, and it scared him. Finally, Botan managed to calm her down. They were whispering again, but they were still loud enough that Kurama could hear them.

"Listen. You don't have to worry. These guys aren't connected to the ones that hurt Kurama in any way shape, or form. The village has already verified it. They even say it's safe enough to bring Kurama along. Pleases, Shiori, they're desperate." Botan told her. His mother sighed in resignation.

"I'll go next week, then. But you need to think up a good enough excuse that I can tell Kurama." She said softly. Kurama heard no more after this. He felt slightly scared, what was Shiori hiding from him. Who had hurt him? He had no recollection of ever coughing up blood or going to the hospital for it. He felt slightly scared after thinking about this. After trembling for a few minutes, he settled under the covers and slept peacefully.

Blood…

A scream…

Suddenly the scene changed for Kurama. His vision was stained a dark red, and he couldn't see anything. All the new was that his hand was bloody and torn, it hurt more than anything in the world could've. Tears streamed down his face and dripped wetly off of his cheeks. He was in the arms of a man, and he was silently being assured. After sobbing slightly, the man quelled him with a soft-spoken "Hush." He felt a burning pain travel throughout his body. Then darkness came, erasing anything else he felt.