A/N: Hello once again, Denizens of FF!
Onwards with the story!
Symbols Guide:
* : Written by CM; She writes for Akari and Hiei
3 : Written by Star (supposed to be the 'heart' symbol, but FF doesn't like the 'less-than' sign, so it's a 3 instead); She writes for Toriko and Kurama
~!**!~ : A universal transition between scenes or characters, sometimes used to indicate a passage of time, but most often used to transition between major scenes that are happening. As the story progresses, this will evolve into mainly separating the (usually two) scenes happening between authors/characters.
As a general rule, anything in italics is thoughts.
Unless it's used in a sentence like this, which merely indicates emphasis.
"Quotations are usually reserved specifically for telepathic dialogue being transmitted from one being to another, but sometimes this can also mean a character isn't being careful about what they're thinking and anyone with telepathy in the nearby vicinity can listen in without taking any effort."
The only exception to that last rule is for the Shiba Inu dog, Nabu. All of his "spoken" dialogue will be in italics and quotations, but is communicated through body language or dog-like noises, so unless a character is able to translate those they are unlikely to pick up on what he is saying any more than the average person might understand his general moods like aggression (bared teeth, ears back) or excitement (wagging tail).
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
By removing the bobby pins-the devices intended to seal Toriko's true self away-from Toriko's hair,
Hiei inadvertently releases the demon within, a rather passionate being,
who immediately sets herself to seducing him.
Slightly confounded by his complete and utter innocence in such matters,
Toriko struggles to hold herself back, only to be assisted by Maneshi
who recognizes who she truly is: Shikiyoku.
Breaking the moment between the two, Maneshi is hit with Toriko's power,
which releases Hiei from her attentions.
However, when Hiei reveals that he possesses the bobby pins,
it appears as if Toriko does not remember the moments before her release,
and questions how Hiei came to have them...
Hiei let his expression finally shift to neutral all over again, only a single brow remaining raised in the position it had shimmied to over the past few moments. Now, he was curious, trying to decode the situation logically, but he still felt a bit of fog over his mind. "You do not remember?" Genuinely, Hiei was surprised; he would have thought that a demon such as this wouldn't forget someone ripping pins from their hair.
He eyed her for a few more moments, then pulled another clip from his pocket to look over it again. The shine of it was brighter on this one, obviously one that had gotten more attention, and he felt the power that coursed through it. It pushed against his energy, almost painful were the power of a higher caliber. Must be why she kept so many, plus the glasses.
"Why would it be so shocking?" he suddenly asked, curiosity and amusement dominating his mind more than his need to figure her out. *
Toriko clenched her jaw together when he produced another one from somewhere underneath his cloak, "Remember. What." She said painfully clearly, "Did you steal them?" She followed up before he could answer, "Do you have all of them? Where are they? What possessed you to release me?"
"Because..." At his second question, Toriko paused. It would be shocking because she would only have willingly parted with the seals to someone she trusted with her life, would only give them to her protector. Her Champion. And if this Hiei who stood before her now held that title, she needed to know. And if he did not, she did not want him to know such a position existed. She could only imagine his derision at such a thought, his taunting of her complete lack of defenses. Her weakness that required someone to protect her. Especially since she did not picture him as the type to truly understand why she needed one.
How had he gotten a hold of all of her seals? She gathered they were hidden away on his person, but who else besides a protector would have them, would even dare to pull her hair down without her consent? And judging by the anger she felt at any attempt to remember what happened before her release, she could just envision the little sneak taking a great deal of pleasure in taking them out instead of a situation in which the protector needed her and gently removed the seals to call her out.
"Because there's no way I would have given them willing to someone like you." 3
Hiei eyed Toriko calmly, searching her expression for any sign that she was toying with him, as he was as well. Yet, she seemed completely and utterly sincere. No trace of amusement in her eyes, tone, or expression. No sign of any emotion at all aside from confusion and rising anger. This alone made his curiosity peak entirely, along with his amusement, and he couldn't quite stop himself from his next words that basically tumbled from his lips.
"Your forgetfulness is almost as strong as your desperation to have this back," he remarked snidely, yet his tone hinted at things he wasn't saying. He waited for a few minutes until he decided to speak up again, tossing the second pin in her direction, eyes ignoring the arc through the air it made. "Forgetting something of this magnitude, among other things, is unlike any demon I've met before." He eyed her again, searching for any hidden emotions all over again. "That's rather odd, and considering I am stuck in a realm filled with ignorant creatures and haven't killed them all yet, that's to a great magnitude." *
Toriko caught the pin with little effort, though his aim was true and she only had to open her palm to receive it.
She found herself wanting to tell him. To tell him that there were almost two of her, born of her desperate escape from Spirit World's lackeys and now maintained because they could not join together as one feared the other too greatly. That her thoughts were disjoined as a result, her memories scattered between the two of them. She wanted to make a snide remark about seeing how his sanity held up after spending over a decade alone among these smelly humans, but something held her back. To reveal her heart in such a manner or to casually toss banter between one another was reserved for...well her protector. Someone she could tell these secrets to, someone who already held her life in their hands.
She did not miss the suggestion in his voice, the subliminal message that she did not know how seriously to take, the one that hinted at his role in the removal of the seals from her person. But, then, why her anger at the thought? Had her more human-self misunderstood his actions? That would certainly explain it. And he didn't seem the type to do much explaining should that be the case.
"I...I forget a lot of things." She laced her words with as much undertones as he had, wanting him to catch on, to affirm or deny his relationship with her, and so she continued, "The last thing I really remember is..." She didn't want to reveal too much of her situation, "Fainting." She finally admitted truthfully, nodded her head towards the upstairs portion of the house, "In the bathroom." She grinned wickedly at him, "You want to fill in the blanks for me?" 3
Hiei raised a simple brow and a corner of his lips slowly. She had confirmed that she was not toying with him by her hesitations, by her underlying messages. He was not being fooled here, and that made the fire demon drop his act of amusement; no longer did he find this funny. He wasn't sure how he felt about not only an unstable demon, but an unstable demon who seemed to forget things that could be rather important, such as the blonde demon and his attacks. Hiei's face twitched ever so slightly at the thought.
"Indeed," he suddenly said, agreeing that she was definitely forgetting several things. Then, he proceeded to lift the rest of her hair pins, save one, and extend them to the demoness, as part of a small peace offering. He suddenly felt himself become cautious, though he didn't exactly know why.
When she asked about him telling her what had happened, he raised a brow at her and considered her for a moment, thinking back. Then his sneer returned and he gave a simple shrug. "Nothing important." His sneer faded as his mouth opened to continue. "However, your forgetfulness of your fan is bothersome." *
Fan? Toriko frowned, as she absently reached out to take the bobby pins Hiei extended in her direction. What is she hiding from me?
Toriko began attempting to sift through the memories that she did not have, becoming angry when she felt as if her other side was coveting them, refusing her access. A wave of fear that was not her own swept over her emotions, her heart skipping a beat, as she reached farther and farther back in time, flowing through memories that were fuzzy and disjointed. She had not experienced these directly, but rather in a state of semi-consciousness and as she tried to remember her frown deepened, anything she accessed coming back to her as if she were on one side of a pool of water trying to look up at the rest of the world.
Her head started to hurt with the effort, her legs feeling weak, and Toriko pulled away mentally from herself. Her eyes focused back in on Hiei, whose general aura told her he was not amused.
Well, if I was trying to impress him, I appear to be failing in that respect.
She wasn't exactly sure why she even cared about his opinion, another mark on a growing list of questions about this fire demon she had no answers for, as normally she would have simply used him for her own purposes and then ordered him away.
She found herself fighting that urge, her energy fully awake beneath the surface and protesting mightily at her refusings, her self-control surprising even herself.
Looking at him was not helping her trying to remember anything, however, so she turned away from him and moved to the front of the couch, sitting. Another flash of pain tore across her mind and she could not help reaching up and massaging at the back of her neck.
She opened up the other hand, which held the bobby pins, and sighed, tightening her fist about them once, the seals cold and cruel in her grasp. She could not know if Spirit World still searched for her, and she did have enough sense about her to be concerned about it, so she set the pins next to her thigh on the couch cushion and reached up to gather her hair together, twisting and folding it in on itself so that when she placed the first pin inside, it held her hair in place on its own. 3
Hiei eyed Toriko in silence as her eyes slid closed. He let her think back, wondering if she'd be able to remember if he merely made her curious about the past endeavors. He also wondered if she would keep her energy free and accept the inevitable, but something inside him spoke, saying it didn't seem likely. He didn't understand her need to contain her energy at all. Yes, he had concealed himself plenty of times, but not because he disliked it.
He raised a brow at the thought that crossed his mind, and curiously, his gaze shifted to the nearby windows. Each set of curtains were drawn, and he could see the shadows of life outside; nothing out of the norm for this time of day. Nothing suspicious. He turned back to Toriko and watched her shuffle around to the couch again, setting herself down on the edge of the cushion. For a moment, he thought she would space out in another attempt to call memories to the forefront of her mind, but it was evident that that was not the case when her hands began coiling the tendrils of her hair together. He watched her begin to put the pins in her hair, eyes following every motion her hands made.
Suddenly, he spoke up, deciding he'd ask a question or two in hopes of gaining answers of his own.
"Recently, a new demon has shown himself in town with the ability to completely conceal himself; energy, scent, and all. It isn't very common of a demon to have such abilities, and the fact that he's been around here several times raises several questions. Ring any bells?" He wasn't sure if she would remember anything, but Hiei had the suspicion that this demon knew Toriko, and just maybe Toriko knew the demon as well. *
As if in protest of her attempts to seal the power away, instead of quieting the more pins went into her hair, her energy began fighting madly against her and just the act of reaching over to pick up another pin took a great deal of effort. Toriko in no way thought she had become that much stronger since being sealed, but she felt briefly concerned that perhaps she did not have enough pins this time to complete the ritual.
She paused as Hiei spoke, the hand reaching for the next pin trembling at the effort and she pulled back, closing her fist tightly and letting it rest on the couch next to her. Her power was nearly bursting at the seams, screaming at her to pull the pins back out and she closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on Hiei's voice.
It didn't help.
She knew he meant nothing by continuing to speak, but his smell and presence were about to drive her mad, and as if her energy knew it, it did everything in its power to pull her attention to him.
"If it hasn't already been made clear to you," Toriko spoke up between clenched teeth, forcing her eyes to look forward and not over at the fire demon, "I remember nothing. And you're of no help. You release me, and then play tricks with my mind. Your kind of game is no fun at all. What do you want from me other than to call me out and torture me?"
Toriko did not expect to get a direct answer from him, but the events since she had been set free were sending her mind whirring down a rabbit hole. The longer she resisted, the more her energy grew within her.
She glanced at the pins next to her, snatching up the one pulsing the strongest seal and driving it into her hair, releasing a breath she'd been holding with relief as the seal managed to drain away a larger portion of her power, simultaneously ridding her of the headache she'd acquired in the meantime. 3
A scowl made itself known of Hiei's lips, his eyes narrowing in irritation and thought; he'd assumed as much, but it didn't mean he felt any better about it. His arms crossed over his chest as he took a deep breath in, puffing up only slightly as she spoke. His ruby orbs flashed dangerously at Toriko's words, which he began to take as a challenge, and his mind began coming up with every possible retort and snide remark imaginable. But, he settled for the most convenient one that would supply him with more answers than any other would.
"And how exactly is anyone supposed to go about protecting someone who has so little defences and memory of their own power such as yourself?" he remarked, his tone sarcastic but meaning every word. She was making things impossible- more so than anyone else had in the past. He felt his irritation turn to mild anger. "You are the one who ripped a promise from my throat," he finished, tone as steely as his gaze as he recalled the moment. *
Toriko's eyes popped open, having closed them in partial response to the relief she felt after adding the stronger bobby pin with the two others in her hair now, and she stared down at the floor in front of her feet, rendered completely speechless.
Every question she had, every suspicion, confirmed by Hiei's vehement response, his accusations at her somehow cornering him into a promise he never would have made under normal circumstance almost comical.
But how had this happened? Toriko had no memory of them forming a pact, no recollection of this promise that he spoke of so angrily. And neither would she have ever asked it of this pesky fire demon.
Her mouth opened, but no words came out, her mind rushing too quickly. That's why she found herself struggling to not seduce him. That's why the Jagan had completely ignored her. That's why she could feel his presence more strongly than she normally would have.
Without the remembrance of the pact, however, her energy still reacted strongly towards him, having been fettered within her for so long that without knowledge of the pact it did not distinguish between her protector or not.
"R-...Run that last part by me again?" Toriko finally looked over her shoulder at him. 3
Hiei raised a disbelieving brow at Toriko; she had heard him. He knew she had. No demon could have misheard what he'd just said. A sneer formed on his face at the thought of her being stunned into silence. But it dissipated after a second, replaced again by a scowl. His arms uncrossed and his feet carried him to stand before her, his gaze meeting hers squarely as he opened his mouth, speaking slowly so that there was no mistake.
"How can anyone protect someone so defenseless and forgetful as yourself? It's ridiculously intolerable. And such a pointless promise, really."
Hiei let his hands slide into his pockets, a single one pulling out her glasses and tossing them onto the cushion beside her, his stare hard as rocks when he glanced at her again. "You say I'm playing games, yet you claim to have forgotten some rather important details. This game you claim that I am playing is my way of prying information from you, yet as stubborn as an ox-demon you are, you refute nothing but irritation."
He turned to leave, hands finding solace in his warm pockets again. "When you're done with your silly games, perhaps I'll return." *
Toriko stood abruptly as Hiei turned to leave.
"There's two of me."
She hoped her sudden admission would stop him in his tracks before he got any farther away from her. She resisted an urge to reach out to him physically, trusting that her words would be enough to keep him around and also unsure exactly how to treat this, her new guardian. She did feel most assured that he was not lying to her about this 'promise,' whenever it had been made, and that led her to continue.
"If you truly are my...protector," She avoided 'Champion' as she did not know how he would react to his new title, "As you say, then you have a right to know information such as this. Secrets which I would not relinquish to any other being in the three worlds are yours for the keeping. For the asking. And you may request anything, for I will answer you to the best of my knowledge." She stared at him candidly before continuing.
"My mind is," She searched for the right word, "Fragmented. My memories incomplete. I will not disagree with the word 'forgetful' that you keep tossing around as I cannot make a valid case against it, but is it the right term for someone who did not know the information in the first place?"
She drew herself up as tall as possible and dared him to challenge her next words, "I did it to myself, but know before you cast judgement that it blossomed out of survival instincts, out of a desire to continue living that even the most base of creatures will carnally pursue when all else fails, and I do not regret what I have done for it saved my life. After sealing myself and my energy away, Toriko emerged as a personality out of a need to continue to function. She is fully aware of my existence as I am of hers, but she fears everything about me for reasons that were absolutely necessary at the time of her creation, though she does not fully comprehend or understand the reasons. Neither does she remember them, for that matter. Similarly, I am unable to access the memories she has accumulated short of fuzzy recollections for I slumber deeply when she is in control. Only when an encounter disturbs her past functioning do I stir to interfere, able to intercede on our behalf and relieve her anguish before she pulls us into madness."
"You continue to point out that I am defenseless. This is a part of my nature. As you must have witnessed at some point in the past, my demonic energy cannot be used offensively to defend myself against an attacker. The harder I try to use it in such a way, the stronger my assailant's advances will become as a result until...until all my demonic energy is depleted or I die during my struggles. Whichever comes first. This is true for all demons of my kind, and often leads to our untimely demise quite early in our lives, rendering our numbers near those of extinction. There is an extremely high chance that I am the last one in existence. I have never heard of another in all my years. But I do not know. One of our ancestors unlocked the ability to create a pact with another being, someone powerful enough to step in and stop what we cannot, when we cannot. A guardian. A protector. You." 3
Hiei had been almost hell-bent on leaving, but had been calm and slow in taking his leave. He had only just reached for the door handle when Toriko spoke up again, making him pause, hand still stretched for the door. At her initial words, he'd been unreacting, acting as if he didn't care what she said. But as she had continued, her words hesitant, he hand paused, and now he turned to glance at her from over his shoulder. He watched her as she went through her confession, a single brow steadily rising until it was hidden in the line of his bangs. The more she spoke about her two… "personalities", per se, the more he began to understand. It seemed to make more sense, in a way. It was slightly similar to Kurama, except for the fact that Toriko was actually two people, in an odd way, whereas Kurama seemed more as one person, memories all together and everything, the only difference being the shell he wore to hide himself with.
It was just as clever a trick as Kurama's, which did raise a few questions in the fire demon's mind, but he halted those thoughts to listen to Toriko's continuing speech. By the time she was to the point of talking about his accusations, he was facing her and three steps closer to her than he had been moments before. He stayed silent for a few moments afterward, suddenly confused.
Yes, he had promised to protect her, but she spoke as if it were a permanent thing. As if it hadn't been a rather short-notice declaration that he hadn't exactly been aware of making in the first place.
Or at least that's how he remembered it.
He thought back to the circumstances, remembering the gaze that had ensnared him, the coaxing in her voice that had entranced him. And then the nature of his promise.
Had he really even been the one agreeing to it? Or had he been coaxed into it? He had figured out the breed of demon this woman was, but for some reason, he hadn't thought of his interactions with her at all. And now that he was, he felt a blossoming emotion that would, normally, strike fear into anyone who felt it bloom into the atmosphere. His expression twitched a bit and he was soon scowling at Toriko, lips pointed downward and brows furrowed to shadow his darkening gaze. "A Protector," he repeated, clarifying that he understood the word as not just a description of someone watching over another, but as an actual title. Something he recognized as a ranking ordeal, like in armies or anything else that required ranked divisions. "I was not aware that the title seemed so… permanent," he said slowly, telling her that he himself understood nothing of what the title meant to him, and what he was now signed up for. He knew nothing of the terms of this promise, and something told him that he wouldn't be very happy at her response.
"That promise had been a work of your enchantment. I am not responsible for you." *
Toriko fought to hold her ground at the near-murderous intent in Hiei's eyes, swallowing nervously. It wasn't as if she didn't expect this reaction from him, but the intensity of his simmering was overbearing and Toriko did not know him well enough to gauge what her own reaction should be.
"Well, if you want me to go ahead and finish what I started earlier," She let her eyes rove over him lewdly, shrugging, "We can break the contract right now." At just the thought, Toriko felt her energy stirring again, pleading with her to release it from its bonds. 3
Hiei waited, thoughts becoming a torrent just as dangerous as the rising emotions as he continued to broil over the sudden realizations, the memories that he slowly and quietly rummaged through. He silently thought over each and every sign he had missed, and wondered why he'd been so reckless. Then again, it isn't quite me who is at fault.
When Toriko spoke up, his brows furrowed further, casting more shadows across his red eyes, though they were unnoticeable for the spark that flew in his irises. He wasn't sure he quite understood the tone she used either.
There was just so much going through his mind at once. He almost didn't know what exactly to do or say.
"And exactly how do you manage that?" he finally inquired, wanting to be informed of at least something about the situation. *
"Breaking the contract?" She asked, shrugging again and assuming that's what he meant, "By seducing you and then dying. As part of the unspoken terms at time of our contract being instated, I cannot under any circumstances intentionally use my powers to bring you under my control. I'd be inducing an infraction of one the rules that I swore to uphold when asking you into this agreement, and I will die for doing so, freeing you from any promise made to me. It's the fastest way to undo what you've done, if you're so hell-bent on releasing yourself from it." 3
Hiei's emotions only seemed to become jumbled, confusing. His anger grew, but so did his confusion. Didn't that defeat the purpose of asking for protection? Ridiculous is what this was. Why was he even in this situation? Again, his thoughts circled, and this time he said them aloud instead of simply letting them ferment in his brain. "I am not responsible for you, nor your life." His tone was harsh, his glare stone cold, but inside he was unsure. There was a reason Kurama protected this girl, and he didn't understand that reason or even have a clue about why he cared so much, but he did know that he was growing angrier by the second. "If you had kept better control of your power, you wouldn't be in this mess," he griped, turning to leave. *
"Oh, so this is my mess?!" Toriko balled her fists, "Look here, flame-boy," She seethed at him, "This is just as much your fault as it is mine."
More than at him, Toriko felt angry at herself. She simply could not recall anything about entering into this contract with Hiei in the first place, neither could she understand how on earth her other persona managed to do it.
No, of course she couldn't trick anyone into the contract. There were very specific requirements that had to be met before she could even pose the request, and regardless of her powers, the would-be protector could not agree unless he meant it, seeing her defenselessness and at the same time having the desire to become her defender. But how her human persona had even managed to ask, much less get her herself in a situation where Hiei could answer 'yes' truthfully was beyond Toriko's reasoning.
"You couldn't have agreed to this unless you wanted to." She snapped. 3
Hiei felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand on end. His eyes widened and he grit his teeth for a mere moment before parting his lips with a scoff of anger. He huffed once more before meeting her gaze squarely all over again, nose flaring. His chest swelled with the intake of breath he issued, and this time, when his lips parted, he spit out the words he had been dancing around for a few moments, trying to comprehend even himself.
"Why would I want to keep up with someone so useless and brainless as you? Protecting someone with a death wish is only for the damned, and I will not be dragged into this because of your instability. I will be forced to do nothing, especially serve the likes of you."
With a final growl, Hiei swiftly turned towards the door, a single hand moving under the cat on his shoulders and tossing him to the ground while the other pulled at the handle. When it refused, he snarled and forced it to unlock in a flick of his wrist and then proceeded to take his leave. *
Maneshi landed confidently on his feet, even being tossed unexpectedly as he was, and watched Hiei storm out of Toriko's apartment. The cat made a quizzical noise and turned back to Toriko, who shook with rage where she stood.
He quietly slipped over to her ankles and wove around them, his expression inquiring as to her mental state.
"AUGH!" Toriko threw her hands up into the air in frustration after a moment, "Of all the beings in this realm, why did I have to get stuck with the most impossible one of them all!" She swept Maneshi into her arms and buried her face briefly into the dark fur of his side.
Maneshi didn't exactly approve of his position, and he huffed a breath as she held him to express said uncomfortableness.
Toriko released her grip slightly and pulled away, stroking a hand down the cat's spine and feeling herself calm down, if only slightly. As she continued petting him, she looked around the living room with resignation.
"I think I've had enough fun for one day." She told Maneshi, turning to the couch and holding him out towards the back of it where he obliged by uncoiling himself from her arms and landing firmly on the upholstery.
"In fact, I think I've had enough fun to last me the next ten years," She continued dryly. "I didn't realize how good I had it, being completely uninformed as to anything going on around me."
She sat down on the couch next to the bobby pins she left there and reached for another, "It'll be nice to not think for a while."
She continued to replace the pins in her hair-taking the time to reactivate each one and make sure they were operating at full-capacity-feeling her demonic energy, and herself, draining away into oblivion with each cold seal. She fought the drowsiness that overcame her as she plucked the last one from the couch cushion, managing to get it into her hair just before she collapsed and became oblivious to the world. 3
~!**!~
Several days had gone by rather quickly lately, seemingly blurring together for the demon who had forced herself into masquerading among the humans. She'd done as she was supposed to over the course of time, working hard on grasping the school work issued and actually asking for help when she didn't understand something, despite her distaste in doing so. And, surprisingly, she found it better than what she'd been doing before. Now, she was learning about the place she was stuck in, learning how to better blend in, instead of simply wandering the streets and observing. Despite the amount of people around her, who she continuously found she had to interact with from time to time, she didn't mind it. Sometimes, she even found herself lightly enjoying the classes, though she wouldn't let it show. Especially since she didn't want to admit that she was beginning to enjoy this different lifestyle.
After all, she had been nothing more than a puppet for a decade, and nothing more than a toy for the years before that. She hadn't really had a chance to do anything of her own accord.
And yet there were days that left her frustrated, borderline angry at everything. Those were the days when she called on Toriko, who seemed so calm when giving advice and instructions. Small tutoring sessions that weren't even required by the teachers. She'd simply grown tired of trying to figure it out on her own. It always ended up with nothing anyway.
Today, though, she'd felt an odd feeling of slight cheer when she'd been given back her math test and several other things, such as her Biology lab work. When she'd seen the circled B- in red atop her math test, even earned a nod of approval from her teacher and a "good job", she'd felt elated. Relieved. In Biology, she'd almost cracked a smile when the teacher boasted on her progress as of late, her overall grades going from embarrassing low to decent.
And yet, she still wouldn't admit it that she owed Toriko for every bit of it.
Nor would she ever admit that she was becoming comfortable with confronting the girl with her problems.
Lord knows that if Akari ever showed any emotion other than her normal nonchalance and irritation, she'd be shot down by anyone watching. That's just how it'd always been. *
Toriko missed a day of school.
She couldn't believe it. She woke up in the morning, rather disoriented and confused as she had no idea how she ended up on the couch-her last memory being that of Kurama leaving her apartment- but upon arriving at school in her usual timely fashion, she found that she had somehow slept an entire day away, slammed with homework and a feeling of insecurity.
A whole day? Not even a whole day, but an entire evening and the next day besides! How had she managed it? The unease at her predicament slowly dissipated as the week wore on, no answers to her questions arising, her mind unable to recall anything after her unsuccessful session with Kurama. Anything, that is, except for Hiei.
Hiei...
Toriko knew something had happened between the two of them, but for the life of her she had no idea what.
Where before she tended to feel his presence nearby on a regular basis, that being something surprising to her in and of itself, now she neither saw nor felt anything of the fire demon whatsoever. It troubled her, having come to see him as a staple in her daily interactions whether they actually acknowledged one another or not, and his absence wore on her frame of mind, sending her thoughts down a path of guilt at the mere insinuation that she had done or said something to drive him away.
A week passed in this way, and it was after school that she found herself in one such dark moment of musings, second guessing herself and silently berating whatever issue she wedged between her and Hiei for ever occurring.
She hitched her slipping messenger bag farther up one shoulder, glancing up into the tree overhead, feeling her discomfort worsen as her eyes confirmed what she already knew: Hiei did not grace the branches.
She clutched agonizingly at the pair of textbooks in her arms and pulled her eyes back down to stare at them, deeply disturbed at Hiei's complete and utter absence.
So much so, in fact, that she barely noticed Akari making her way out of the building and walking down the steps towards her. And Akari was the reason she waited leaning with her back up against the tree in the first place.
The girl's grades had improved so much that the math teacher had allowed Akari to retake the first test, and Toriko had gladly agreed to help Akari study for it, even going so far as to waiting outside now while Akari took the test in support of Akari's efforts, eager to discover the new grade. 3
Akari stood in front of the teacher's desk, brown eyes intently watching the red pen that moved across the paper. She already had her things gathered and ready to leave, knowing that there was a person outside waiting on her. She'd told that girl to go home anyways, but even now she could feel the quiet presence of Toriko outside, waiting patiently as Akari was becoming accustomed to witnessing. Her eyes glanced out the window to see the girl leaning on the wall of the school's gate, eyes looking around. She raised a brow, but her attention snapped to the teacher at his desk when the ruffling of paper caught her attention. She witnessed him circling a letter on the page and then flip it over so she couldn't see it- not that he knew of her higher senses anyways.
"Well, I must say, you're improving very quickly," he said slowly, replacing the cap on the pen with a click. "You did well this time around as well. I assume you're still asking for help from Toriko? I can tell now when you get confused in class."
Akari nodded, her expression calm, as if she didn't care one way or the other how this went. "I figured since she goes through the trouble, might as well keep it up."
"Well, you work hard, and I appreciate that." He flipped the test over and handed it to her, a smile on his face. "Good work. You're officially passing with a high B now."
Akari nodded and gave a brief wave, already turning to leave. "Thanks," she called over her shoulder.
"Geez, it wouldn't hurt her to smile," she heard the man mumble as she exited the room. As Akari sauntered her way through the school, she rolled the paper up in her hand, using her free hand to push open the front door, eyes immediately finding Toriko. She observed the girl as she walked, until finally she decided to make her presence known.
"I thought you'd go home." *
It took a moment for Toriko to pull herself from her reverie, Akari's voice tugging her away from personal concerns.
She pressed her glasses farther up her nose as she looked up, "I-I wanted to know how you did." 3
Akari eyed the girl, only stopping a foot or two away from Toriko as she considered her with a raised brow. A small part of her was rather amused by this situation, even reminding her of how Nabu had stuck around. She pushed the thought away and gave a sigh, as if she were tired. "I am passing with a high B now, according to mister whats-his-face," she said, jerking a thumb up to the school nonchalantly.
She paused, turning her head to the side a bit and glancing at the sidewalk behind her, half thinking someone would be there. Half expecting to see blonde hair, even though she hadn't seen him since the day he gave her the note. She jerkily turned her eyes back to Toriko, forcing her thoughts away from the maddening puzzle. "I was close to an A," she finally said, unrolling the graded test to reveal an 89 marked in red. "It's not as bad as it used to be," she commented, referring to her confusion about this particular subject. *
Had Toriko not been holding books in her arms, she might have clapped her hands together in delight, "Th-that's wonderful!" She summed up in relation to everything Akari relayed.
"Would you l-like to go out for dinner together to celebrate?" 3
Akari faltered. Dinner? She raised a brow in disbelief. Wasn't that something humans did when they enjoyed the other's company? When they knew each other well enough to be past simple small talk? No, wait… Wasn't it like, a mating ritual?
Her expression shifted to utter confusion as she thought of the many couples in restaurants she'd seen in this world, most of them holding hands and smiling at one another. A faint feeling of disgust hit her. "Isn't that a little odd?" she said slowly, still confused. Why would you celebrate grades anyway? "I'm not sure I follow." She paused, eyes rolling to the sky in thought. "But I suppose if that's what you humans do, then…" again, she paused. "...no, sorry, not even then. This is beyond me." *
Toriko tilted her head in an expression of confusion at Akari's response, unsure of the reason as to her hesitations. Suddenly, a revelation hit her and her mouth formed a small 'O' before she quickly covered her mouth and released an uncharacteristic giggle.
"I-I am very s-sorry." Toriko apologized, her giggle leaving a small smile behind on her lips as she attempted to reassure the girl and make her purpose more clear, "I s-simply meant that your improvement was reason to celebrate, and it is quite c-common among the humans of this region to do so with a meal. I know of a ramen shack a few blocks away that would do w-well for our purpose, and I would buy you a bowl i-if you wished to go." 3
Akari's chin lifted upward, like a paused nod, and she eyed the girl with an expression that simply read "oh". Then her chin fell to finish her brief nod of confirmation and she released a small breath. "This world is… confusing," she grumbled, adjusting the bag on her shoulder by hefting it up higher, gesturing with her left hand for Toriko to lead the way. "I haven't had much time to roam here, so I know little to nothing," she admitted carelessly, shrugging nonchalantly at the fact. "Learn something each day, I suppose." *
Akari's acquiescence to the prospect of dinner did a good deal to lift some of the weight from Toriko's mind, giving her something else to think about other than the strange loneliness that had lately overwhelmed her.
She lead the way to the ramen shack, a street vendor whose building was a plastic pavillion, the inside warm with steam from the cooking ramen at the assembled stoves in the middle. Toriko purchased both herself and Akari a bowl and then sat down at the fold-out table and chairs in one corner of the large tent-like restaurant. 3
Akari had taken to sitting quietly beside Toriko, eyes following the movements of the chef at the stovetops. The smells that bombarded her nose made her mouth water; living on simply sandwiches for as long as she had been making her miss living in Sensui's penthouse just a bit, but this smelled even better than anything Sensui had cooked up. She had been tempted to speak aloud of that thought, but instead had resigned herself to sitting in silence beside the small girl.
When the two had eaten and gathered their things, Akari hadn't thought twice about taking the lead, deciding she'd escort Toriko to her home as a way to thank her for the meal. She briefly waved at the chef as he called farewell, but not long after, she was walking down the sidewalk, weaving her way through foot traffic expertly.
"Do you eat there often?" she asked Toriko suddenly, still thinking of how much she had enjoyed the new taste. Her eyes moved with the intent to study Toriko's face, but instead she caught a flash of color that made her pause. Her step faltered for only a second until her eyes found the color again, finding a familiar person among the crowd. She met his lavender gaze, but he turned to walk away, disappearing from sight.
"Follow me," Akari ordered suddenly, grabbing Toriko by her wrist and following the path Otento had taken, hell bent on getting an answer or two. *
Otento knew her, now. Knew the presence of the human-persona under which she hid. Wheels had been turning in his head the instant he spotted the two women together, making sure that the more rash of the two demons saw him as they left the ramen vendor's tent.
He easily made his way along the street, keeping just ahead of the them enough to tantalize his prey into continuing her pursuit. He slipped off into an alley out of sight, knowing she would follow.
Toriko did not know why Akari pulled her along through the crowds, her concentration falling to keeping her feet as the taller girl dragged her at a rapid pace. When Akari turned abruptly into an alleyway, Toriko stumbled forward as Akari stopped suddenly, and she looked up to see a dead-end, huffing and short of breath.
Akari did not seemed pleased by this dead-end, and Toriko had no idea why until a velvety voice spoke up from behind them.
"Ah, Darling, you've done so well." Otento purred pleasantly after dropping silently into the alley, successfully blocking both women from making a quick exit without passing him.
Toriko whipped around and made a high-pitched noise of distress through her nose at the sight of Otento, practically jumping behind Akari and hiding with Akari's body between herself and Otento, clutching at Akari's shirt with one fist and burying her face in the small of Akari's back, trembling with fear.
"I knew it wouldn't be terribly hard to get her alone with you," Otento went on before either of them could say anything, "You've become such dear companions of late, haven't you? You almost managed to even convince me."
Toriko's heart, already pumping wildly in her chest, skipped a beat and she ripped her eyes open, dropping her hold on Akari and taking a fearful step back, the insinuation of Otento's words dawning on her as she managed to move another foot back.
Memories of the night that Otento...slipped into her room, started to creep past Toriko's attempts to block them out and she dropped to the ground, ending up with her rear on the concrete, legs bent with her feet on either side of her hips, her textbooks falling out of her arms and scattering nearby as she started to fall forward but caught herself with both hands, leaning over and staring down at the alley floor wide-eyed through her glasses.
"This can't be happening. This can't be happening." The words formed a mantra for her and she continued to repeat them. She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as they would go, fighting the thoughts that threatened to overtake her senses.
She had stopped listening to the world around her, but as she moved, Otento had continued to speak, "I'll stay true to my word and take the seductress and you, both, back to the boss. I'm certain he'll extend a personal invitation right on the spot for a job well-done." 3
Hiei had been walking among the humans- for once- in search of the target. It was difficult when the demon was able to hide himself, but soon enough, he found the person he was looking for. And when Otento had turned to leave, Hiei had at first thought he'd been spotted. But then, when he took to the rooftops, he saw them. He saw Akari and Toriko, the first of the two leading the latter through the crowd. His eyes narrowed; he'd seen that concentrated look once before. His lips parted to bare his teeth in sudden anger and frustration when he realized she was following Otento, and immediately, he felt his Jagan open beneath the band that hid it. His energy sparked just enough to allow him a message, without being known by another.
"Kurama, we have a problem," he spoke into his friend's consciousness, having found it in a split moment. "The demon is here, but so are Akari and Toriko. Akari lead her here." He paused as he continued running, listening to the beginning of the conversation, and he felt his anger grow more. "Make it quick. I'll stall."
Hiei waited for a response before letting the connection taper off. He watched the blonde address Akari, hearing the words that confirmed his belief of Akari being a part of it all. He witnessed Toriko stumble away from the girl, the dog not even glancing back at her. She took a step toward Otento, and Hiei decided to draw the line.
He dropped to the ground, landing himself behind Otento, cutting of any form of escape for anyone here. His expression was dark, angry. "If either of you move to leave, you won't live to see the day." *
"This is definitely not good." Kurama thought as he ran, desperately searching the streets for any sign of Kuwabara and Yusuke.
They were lucky that they were already planning on springing a trap on the blonde demon that evening, otherwise whatever he had planned would have eked unnoticed by the gang and who know where Toriko would have ended up.
As it was, things were still being set in motion much faster than any of them had planned and Hiei had left Kurama's mind behind before Kurama could ask that he alert Yusuke and Kuwabara as well.
He felt as if the whole situation were partially his fault. He'd been too caught up in his human life lately to even attempt to take further notes on the demon who stalked Toriko, and the lack of information left him feeling more vulnerable that he would have liked.
And he hoped desperately that vulnerability would not cost them Toriko.3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star