A/N: Hello once again, Beloved Yu Yu Hakusho Fans!
The scene between Shikiyoku and Hiei that starts at the end of this chapter (though it is unfortunately split up between this chapter and the next for sake of length) is one of my favorites up to this point in the story. I hope you enjoy it as well!
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!
Akari and Yusuke are still hanging out at the arcade,
but when they run out of things to do there,
Yusuke takes Akari to a laser tag facility.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku and Hiei end up "kidnapped" from the Niiro Kaga
by a pair of demons who work for someone they call Queen Rae,
who is someone Shikiyoku knows from back when she lived in this city.
The two of them are escorted to the palace of the Queen,
and told to wait until she is free to come and greet them...
"If we do not take any opportunity to escape that presents itself at the instant one appears, we may never get out of here."
Yama and Taikou had left the room, the door closing behind them and leaving Hiei and Shikiyoku alone.
"This room is only one connected to many other chambers that make up this particular section of greeting quarters." Shikiyoku replied, feeling herself tempted by the smell of the brewing tea that was exquisitely placed on the table in front of the couch. Of course, there were four cups and saucers already in place. 3
Hiei continued to stand there, eyes roaming between Shikiyoku and various parts of the room, ignoring the tea altogether. A small headache touched his mind, though he ignored it too since he felt no reason to dwell on the effects of not only his stress, but his rude awakening as well. He merely took in the colors around him, not that they varied much in his eyes.
When Shikiyoku spoke up verbally, he nodded, both in response to her verbal words and in acknowledgement of her telepathic words. He'd already considered it. "Easier said than done, as I'm sure you know."
"Typical."
He wasn't sure what to think at this moment in time, so he decided to simply sit back and see what happened next. There wasn't much he could do anyway. "We'll figure it out."
He wasn't sure if that last line was directed to her, or himself.
~!**!~
She completely ignored Yusuke's reaction, only following the boy to a room that, much to her surprise, was darkened, though the strange lights made odd things glow, such as the white in her shoes and the nail polish of the girl across the room, or the white of the boy's shirt next to her.
It was so…
Hm. She couldn't think of a word to describe it.
After a few moments of observing, she realized the human was talking, explaining the game, and she quickly tuned in to what he was saying, catching the basics despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to figure out how these lights created the effects they did.
"Remember, no running, and no cursing."
Akari rolled her eyes. She could only imagine that was the most ignored rule out of all the ones she'd heard so far. Humans tended to use profane language more often in situations that were meant for amusement that didn't go their way.
Such as a losing team.
"You have ten seconds before the doors unlock," the man said as he programmed her vest to shine a very vivid shade of green that momentarily distracted her, her mouth opening at first with awe at the change before the mental image of green eyes closing made her mouth snap shut.
Focus on the game, she thought as a loud buzzer sounded and doors unlocked, and kids were running everywhere, despite the last rule that had been said.
And it didn't take long for her to become completely engrossed in aiming at other people's hearts and pulling the trigger, the sound of the lasers shooting across the room and shouting people drowning out all previous thoughts and leaving only room for her own shouts and laughs. *
Completely lacking any of the stealth or finesse of either Kurama or Hiei, Yusuke charged into the fray with a shout and proceeded to shoot down as many opponents as possible, firing wildly with his gun, double tapping as often as his fingers would allow him to do so on the trigger.
He ducked and dodged, and managed to avoid getting hit for the most part, but only because he was constantly moving back and forth through the sea of bodies that were all also shouted and having a good time.
It wasn't until half-way through that particular game that he began to intentionally seek out and fire at Akari, attempting to slip out of sight as soon as he could hear the satisfying sound of her armor buzzing to indicate her momentary immortality from being fired upon in quick succession.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku let out an audible sigh as she ignored the tea and sat down cross-legged in the middle of the room, a smile coming to rest on her mouth as she closed her eyes.
"I wish you'd just burn the whole place down." Images of the entire palace going up into flames twisted past her mind's eye, accompanied by no small amount of satisfaction at the thought.
Beginning to relax and release her tension, her panic, her fears, Shikiyoku tapped into her energy reserves and felt the usual shimmer settle over her skin, reaching up calmly to pull her hood back from her face and let her dark hair stream down about her shoulders.
Her energy began to slowly weave its way around the room, and she let it extend until each corner had been covered with the tendrils of power that slowly snaked about as if alive.
The next breath she took was a deeper one than the others, and all of her pent-up emotions slipped away as she settled into herself.
If she was going to have to talk to the so-called Queen, she was going to do so on her own terms. And in her own territory. 3
Hiei glanced only briefly over at Shikiyoku after her words that had been sent to him, fighting the sneer that made his lips twitch just a bit. He'd already thought of it, though he'd also deemed it too risky. Burning down a house without killing the stronger inhabitants was the easiest way to get oneself killed.
Or someone close to you killed first.
He turned his red eyes away again, looking up to the ceiling as if it held answers for him. He took in a deep breath before letting it release through his teeth, forcing his muscles to genuinely relax instead of forcing himself to appear calm.
It didn't help much.
Plenty of images passed by his mind's eye, some more gruesome than others, and some simply too good to even consider being true. For example, simply walking out of here did not seem like an option.
Nor did killing each and every person in this palace.
Both were simply out of the question.
Impossible.
His hands did finally slide into the pockets of his cloak, the familiar cloth helping him calm even more and to think a little more clearly. But for the most part, he would simply be waiting for whatever happened next. That would likely decide what his next step would be.
~!**!~
Akari, despite her initial reaction earlier to Yusuke tossing her into something new, found that she enjoyed this one. She moved around corners, between obstacles, fired her gun and was fired at, even laughed a little at a yelling match a pair of kids were having nearby.
She'd been doing well, in her opinion.
That is, until her armor began buzzing continuously, and she wasn't really able to get many shots out. It took a few minutes before she realized it was Yusuke firing at her, then ducking behind obstacles before repeating it, his aim true and his laser always hitting on the mark since she couldn't seem to get away from him.
Now she understood why there were so many kids yelling foul language at one another. This was frustrating!
Finally, she found a spot she could hide her upper body just right, where her armor was hidden behind a wall and she could fire from above the obstacle at the detective, her grin wide and white teeth shining oddly in the light as she finally was able to get her own hits on the boy.
This game was oddly very satisfying. *
A red flashing light started blinking from somewhere above and the moderator called the players back into the room they started in, the rowdy crew hanging up their uniforms and heading about out into the lobby where they waited for the scores from the game to show up on the TV screen above them.
Yusuke didn't say anything to Akari as he walked over to stand next to her, the other kids being too loud for anything they said to be heard, but there was a fine sheen of sweat all across his skin and his usually, perfectly smoothed-down black hair was sticking up in places around his head.
~!**!~
From an unseen door behind a tapestry on the wall burst a tall, slender woman into the greeting quarters, her long, platinum blonde hair streaming behind her underneath an exquisite crown as she rustling across the room, holding a portion of her flowing blue and white multilayered dress up as she did so.
Her vibrant purple eyes were fixed on Shikiyoku and she fell to her knees next to the woman still sitting cross-legged on the floor to envelop her in an embrace.
"You came!" Her light voice exclaimed.
Shikiyoku did not bother to open her eyes, even when Queen Rae planted a kiss on her cheek, but her teeth clenched together momentarily in obvious irritation before she could let the emotion slide away, another pulse of her energy gently releasing into the room and beginning to weave, not only around the queen, but around the other newcomer who had entered behind her, and Hiei as well.
The second demon who entered the room remained much more stately than his female counterpart, his golden-brown hair falling in curls around his face, the majority of it gathered at the bottom of his neck with a simple blue bow, his slender figure in a regal suit whose colors mirrored those of the queen.
He regarded Hiei briefly, one eye pink, the other white, before his gaze shifted back to Shikiyoku. His nose flared, her scent having hit him as soon as he passed through the door, but he satisfied himself with sitting at the couch, leaning over with delicate, white-gloved hands to begin pouring the tea. 3
Hiei had, some time ago, receded into his inner thoughts and musings without having intentionally meaning to do so. So, when there was suddenly two more energies in the room, his entire body reacted. His shoulders stiffened and his hands left his pockets, his arms hanging at his sides while his hands formed fists. Momentarily, his gaze narrowed at the pair that entered the room and became comfortable with Shikiyoku.
He quickly recovered and his expression shifted to neutral once more, his muscles relaxed, and he merely stepped closer to the three, choosing to remain standing unless directed to do otherwise, which he fully expected.
In truth, he wasn't sure what to do or how to act. He'd never been in a situation like this one before.
But the idea of being obedient to someone else was not an appealing one.
He eyed the woman he assumed to be the queen, taking in her appearance quickly before turning to regard the second demon, eyeing this one a bit longer before turning back to the demoness that Shikiyoku had been most distressed over.
And he waited, watching with a calm gaze.
~!**!~
Akari had stopped when the loud sound had pierced the room and her weapon had ceased fire on its own, her smirk of amusement disappearing faster than it had arrived. In no time at all, she too was standing outside the laser tag room, arms crossed over her stomach and eyes staring up at a screen that popped up screen names and scores.
She glanced at Yusuke briefly when he appeared, raising a brow at his sweat and slight huffs of air. Had he really run around that much? Had she? She turned to take in the other kids around them, noting how each and every person had sweat gleaming on their foreheads and were huffing even just a little.
To them, she must have appeared as if she hadn't played at all.
The crowd began thinning out as the scores were posted, Akari's being one of the lowest, but not the lowest, surprisingly. She'd thought she'd done awful at the game, since it had been her first attempt.
"That was…" she paused as she turned to Yusuke, her lips forming into a grin despite her efforts to hide the gesture, "rather entertaining." *
"I know." He replied, appearing smug. "It looks like this group is going to go in again. Shall we continue to crash their party?"
~!**!~
As Rae stood up, she grasped Shikiyoku's hand in her own and pulled her up to her feet as well.
The demon was at least twice as tall as Shikiyoku once they were both at a standing position, but the first still led the second to the couch and sat her down so that she would be inbetween the royalty. Rae reached for tea and handed Shikiyoku a set, which she took graciously, but proceeded not to drink.
"Seductress." The male demon intoned once she had a seat.
"Derrin."
"Prince Derrin, to you, my darling." Queen Rae insisted.
Shikiyoku turned her green gaze to Derrin to see his eyes looking down at her with amusement from where she sat inbetween them.
"Derrin." Shikiyoku repeated, an answering sparkle in his eyes though he did not speak.
Rae's thin eyebrow quirked, but she said nothing, only reaching for another cup and saucer for herself.
"What do you want, Rae?"
The queen obviously appeared irked that Shikiyoku referred to both her and her prince-mate by their first names only.
"You are to be my escort for the ball tonight." She lifted her cup to her lips.
"One is not enough?" Shikiyoku still did not drink, her eyes shimmering slightly as she glanced over at Derrin.
Derrin said nothing, remaining a silent observer.
"You do not truly wish me as 'escort.' I know you better. Am I simply to be your prize to show off?" Shikiyoku continued when she did not get an answer, turning back to Rae. "Or will I be a reinforcement of your power? I did not think your Household was ever in enough danger that you would need to use me in such a manner."
"That's enough." Queen Rae's eyes were narrowed, piercing violet glaring down at the small frame that Shikiyoku present. "You have a duty to perform and you will do it."
"And then I will leave."
Rae's features took on a fiercer beauty, her full lips lifting in a dangerous smile of sharp teeth that did not part farther to give an answer.
"There is still much preparation to be done and not many hours in which to do it." Derrin's calm voice cut through the sudden tension of the moment between the two demons, "Might I suggest you oversee the final touches, my queen?"
Rae said nothing, but her dress rustled again as she stood up, Derrin reaching to take her dishes from her.
For the first time since entering the room, Rae looked over at Hiei, her brilliant purple eyes revealing nothing of her intentions other than a sense of jealousy at his position.
"I expect you'll want to be in attendance of your charge." Rae spoke as diplomatically as possible. She glanced back and forth between him and Shikiyoku. "I'm sure you can find something in your old rooms, darling." She reached over and tapped Shikiyoku on the nose. "But don't even think about leaving me again." She swept her dress up in her hands and left through the door Hiei and Shikiyoku entered from. 3
Hiei watched the scene, not reacting in any way to anything that was being said since, for the moment, it seemed his presence was unknown. Of course, he knew that wasn't actually true, but for a moment he was allowed to observe without being observed in return, and he took advantage of it for as long as he was allowed.
Until the woman rounded on him, her eyes flashing with an emotion he momentarily was surprised by before he raised a dark brow at her, that being his only reply to her. Why reply? She hadn't posed a question. His brow resettled into place, though it did twitch just slightly at her demand of Shikiyoku not leaving again, the implication making even Hiei cringe internally. Staying here would likely be hell, and he would probably be ignored.
Who knows how Shikiyoku felt about it.
He didn't even want to feel her emotions about it through the bond. Instead, he made a mental note to do just as she had said: make an escape as soon as he saw a fit opening to do as such.
And burn it down on his way out.
The thought made it very difficult to not suddenly scoff into the silence as the queen took her leave. He kept his lips firmly shut and the air built up for the scoff stuck in his chest, his breathing stopping momentarily in a show of restraint before he released it into a small sigh.
Better to feign boredom than blatant amusement at inner musings.
He almost considered saying something to Shikiyoku via his Jagan, but decided against it with a glance over at the remaining male.
And all he did was give a nod of acknowledgement.
~!**!~
Akari raised a brow and her grin widened into a flashing smirk of deadly intent. "I have picked up the way of the game. Might as well continue," she replied honestly, letting her arms drop to her sides. "And don't think I'll be playing fair, detective. This game is a whole new level of play." *
"Hmph!" Yusuke stuck his nose in the air, "Well, I suppose if you don't cheat, then this'll prove to be a most interesting round!"
They were once again led into the black-lit entrance chamber after the lecture to suit up, and set free into the arena, twenty seconds given to disperse throughout the hall.
~!**!~
Derrin tilted his head at Hiei, a faint smile across his lips.
"You are a source of consternation for her." Prince Derrin supplied, his two-colored gaze flickering towards the door Rae had left through. "She wished to be the next Champion for our seductress here."
"It doesn't work that way." Shikiyoku grumbled, finally lifting the cup to her lips to take a drink. "There's no choosing to have her as my Champion. It wouldn't work out like that."
Derrin said nothing, but even though his expression maintained its neutrality, there was no mistaking the amusement he had at the fact that Rae found Hiei's presence frustrating.
The prince gestured to the now-open spot on the couch next to Shikiyoku, crossing one leg over the other after reaching forward for a cup and saucer for himself.
"You are welcome to sit, Champion. Or stand. Make yourself comfortable as you see fit." 3
Hiei stared unblinkingly at the male, showing no reaction to his words of the queen or even making any indication that he had heard them. He almost thought that Shikiyoku felt more comfortable around this demon than the female, though from the small amount of interaction he'd seen, he could certainly see why. This one kept his distance, to a degree that is.
The fire demon made no motion to move from his spot either. While he was not happy just standing the way he was, stock still and all, he didn't feel obliged to sit either. When he considered it, wariness washed down his spine and made him stand even just a fraction taller.
So he remained where he was, turning red eyes onto Shikiyoku and finally speaking, pointing his words more towards her than in response to the other. "I have no plans of leaving. I have a duty and I will serve as long as I am necessary." Whether she wants me to or not.
~!**!~
Akari quickly dispersed away from any other person in the room, smirking to herself at the challenge that was presented to her: watch for Yusuke, and all others. She looked down at her shoes with a slight feeling of awe, contradicted with disdain that the white, despite the dirt that befuddled them, stood out. Her shirt, luckily, was just as dark as her jeans, making it just a bit easier to conceal herself- aside from the blue armor that flashed in the darkness as the beginning buzzer sounded.
It didn't take long for her to find the detective and open fire, striking his armor and rendering him momentarily 'dead'. She quickly moved to hide again, though restrained from using her full speed to do such. *
Yusuke joyfully blasted at any and all he found, dodging nimbly out of the way from shots fired until a few minutes in he felt his armor buzzing at him and he quickly trotted off in the opposite direction, looking around eagerly for the enemy who had caught him in the few seconds he had of "freedom."
He soon became distracted by all the others around and thought nothing more of the single shot for the moment.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku had turned back to Hiei when it appeared he would begin to speak, but when his crimson gaze trained upon her and he spoke back, she felt a strange constriction around her core and the half-pact within her mind settled into a steady thrum, echoing an assurance in her mind at this Champion's statement that she had not felt in ages.
Or perhaps...ever? That was...impossible. She had more than one Champion before. This...thrumming of protection was not tainted by ulterior motives and it felt...strange...pure.
Derrin did not miss the exchange, even sipping on his drink quietly and not quite privy to the entire conversation he knew was happening on a different level between the pair in the room.
His tea only had one last swallow in it and when he finished, he placed it back down on the table and started to rise.
"There are still many more preparations to be made, as I'm sure you understand, seductress." He said as he stood.
Shikiyoku nodded absently before pulling herself away from the sight of the fire demon before her to look up at Derrin's pink and white eyes.
As if it were a natural thing between them, Derrin bent over Shikiyoku and tipped her face towards his with a single, slender finger, planting a kiss on her lips that lasted perhaps a second or two longer than was necessary before he pulled away and rose to his full height.
"She's chosen a gown for you."
"My joy knows no bounds." Shikiyoku's eyebrow quirked at the thought of what exactly Rae wanted her to wear.
Derrin did not laugh, but the edges of his mouth twitched in his amusement as he turned away to follow the path his blonde queen had taken out the visible door. 3
Hiei stared for a few more moments before the sound of glass meeting the coffee table met his ears, and after blinking slowly, he turned to glance at the male demon, whose name he hadn't really cared enough to listen for. He met the odd gaze before the demon turned away, Hiei's own eyes shifting to the side and his jaw clenching momentarily before the demon moved to follow after the queen.
The moment he was gone, Hiei found himself glancing down at his cloak and sneering. He looked back up at Shikiyoku, sneer still touching his lips. "I suppose my attire will not change," he mused, though he wouldn't be surprised if he was forced to change.
Perhaps it was something the queen hadn't counted on at first, and had waited before making a decision.
His sneer was gone in the next second.
"We'll be leaving as soon as an opportunity opens up. When the conditions are right."
~!**!~
Akari strolled down the sidewalk beside the detective, arms stretched in the air as a breeze blew by, cooling her warm face exponentially as she gave another small laugh. Laser Tag, turns out, was a very tiring game, even for her. She had even actually broken out into a sweat after the third round, when things had gotten more intense.
"Laser tag will now be dubbed as my favorite. Thank you, Yusuke," she said to the boy, turning her shining hazel orbs onto him with a wide smile. "Not many things here make me feel obligated to spend my energy in such a way." Another pause. "I enjoyed it, likely more than I should have." *
Yusuke had the jacket of his school uniform tossed carelessly over one shoulder, his hands jammed into the pockets of his pants as they walked along.
His smile still hadn't faded, and did in fact widen at Akari's admission to enjoying herself.
"I don't believe that it is possible to enjoy things more than one 'should.'" Yusuke pointed out. "If you're enjoying it guilt-free, then why complain?"
He let out a happy sigh, pleased to see that perhaps even if only for a little while, Akari's mind had been pleasantly distracted.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku also placed her cup and saucer on the table, her eyes straying after the slender form the prince cut as he left the room, taking a moment longer to stand and pull herself back to hear Hiei's words.
"I would not put it past Rae to have something in your exact size set out and waiting for us before we get over there. She has an uncanny knack in that respect, regardless of her feelings towards you." Shikiyoku started to walk towards the door herself, withdrawing her energy from the room as she went. 3
Hiei shrugged once noncommittally at Shikiyoku, as if he couldn't care less one way or the other. It would certainly be an inconvenience to have a suit, since he wasn't sure he'd be able to conceal his sword.
Not that the weapon would do anything.
He brushed away the thought and turned to stare after Shikiyoku as she passed. "And where are we going, exactly?"
Of course, he wouldn't let her roam by herself in a place so crowded with… threats…
~!**!~
Akari raised a brow, taking his words as a challenge and feeling her smile turn from joyful to sly. "I once met a demon who enjoyed alcohol so much he made his own." She gave a pause, to make it sound more innocent than it actually was. "The main ingredient was his daughter's blood and hair."
Okay, so maybe she was pulling his leg, though it wasn't something that would be unheard of in demon world, creatures doing harm to their kin for personal gain of any kind. It was more common.
"Also, to counter your words, Kamiya is a rather pointed example. He enjoyed medicine so much he used it against people, remember?" A smirk. "'Course," she gave a pause, suddenly realizing she knew nothing of how that had turned out. I'll ask Koenma.
By now, she'd completely forgotten her train of thought. She simply continued onto another conversation, her eyes turning to the sun that was slowly making its way across the sky, knowing it had to be close to time for school to be out. "Anything you want to do before the after-school rush of students? If not, I think I'll go home and take Nabu for a run. He's been at the house all day." *
"Nah." Yusuke intoned, deciding not to comment on her other subjects as he was sure she knew what his answer would be anyway, "I've got a few things to do myself anyway. But thanks for hanging out. It was pretty cool." He tossed her another grin and started to trot across the street in another direction.
~!**!~
Letting the path she cut speak for the question Hiei asked her, as Shikiyoku led the way out of the room, she fell silent.
Along either side of the hallway were stationed demons whom she assumed to be members of the High Guard, standing at attention.
She quietly moved to the left and began weaving her way through the halls, only having to pause once to think about a turn. The entire way, there were guardsmen stationed on either side, usually within thirty or forty feet of one another, and anything Shikiyoku wished to say to Hiei fell away each time she opened her mouth and then caught sight of another guard.
Their escape was not going to be an easy one.
Shikiyoku eventually led the way to a door that she opened and stepped inside, noting the two sentinels stationed on either side of the frame.
A sigh escaped her lips as she stepped inbetween them and into the room beyond.
This one was much larger, taller, and more lavishly decorated than the previous sitting room, though it appeared to serve the same purpose as the other.
Shikiyoku did not stop, instead moving across the smooth tile to another door at the back, stepping through it into a second room much like the one they just left, but with a more intimate feel, and then into a third door that opened up into what was obviously a bedroom with vanity and chair in one corner, doors that likely led to a large closet along the side of it, and an exquisitely huge bed with a dark, wine-colored canopy and black, likely Demon World's equivalent of satin, sheets.
As Shikiyoku had surmised, there lay on the bed two different sets of clothing. The bright pink pile of ruffles and ribbons she summarily ignored, but the outfit next to it did make her eyebrows raise.
The dark, loose attire was a very old, very traditional Demon World garb reserved for special occasions and most similarly resembled those outfits worn by warriors in times long past when demons and samurai often walked the same paths. Shikiyoku had no doubt the clothing would fit Hiei as if it were made for him. 3
Hiei had followed silently, eyes staying trained on Shikiyoku's back the entire trek around the palace, not allowing his eyes to leave her form as she lead the way to… wherever she decided she was going. His senses checked each and every demon lining the halls, and wasn't surprised to find each one close to, or maybe even surpassing the lower S ranking in power. And it set him on edge with each demon he passed.
Security was very strict around these parts, it seemed. But after a few minutes, they were in a room and no other demon was within sights. He looked around the room before realizing Shikiyoku was still walking, and he too moved to the next room, moving until Shikiyoku gave a pause.
He followed her gaze to the outfits on the bed, and after a second, he realized the one to the right was meant for him.
His expression shifted almost instantly to one of disdain. No. That was his lone thought on the matter. He slid his gaze to Shikiyoku, giving her an obvious look of defiance.
"It's a suit meant for apes."
~!**!~
Akari smirked at Yusuke obviously ignoring her retorts, noting he didn't call her out on her first bluff. When he moved to jog away, she tossed a wave at him. "Maybe we'll do it again sometime," she called after him before turning and continuing on her own way, making it back to her own home before too long. For once, she wasn't greeted with a bouncing pup. Instead, she was greeted with silence and dust motes floating in the air of the living room.
After a few minutes, she sighed and began shifting her things around the room, moving her belongings about and reordering the mess she'd created with her school things. Once that was done, she simply turned and moved to plop down on the bed of roses.
Except, her body hit the mat instead, making a small cloud of dust puff into the air around the edges while her face sunk into the pillow. She released a sigh of content and, for the moment, reveled in the silence of the room.
Maybe a nap was in order. *
~!**!~
The tension that had been building up across the back of Shikiyoku's shoulders suddenly fell away at Hiei's disdain and subsequent derisive comment about the attire Rae had placed out, and that tension bubbled up as a string of laughter out past her lips and off of her muscles.
"You," Shikiyoku heaved a breath, clutching at her stomach and squeezing her eyes together in her humor, "You are a delight, my dear fire demon."
Still chuckling, she closed the distance between her and the bed and wrinkled her nose at both outfits as she looked down at them. 3
Hiei narrowed his eyes at the sudden burst of laughter that filled the air, his crimson irises flashing in annoyance. He hadn't meant it to be funny. He opened his mouth to say something about her outburst, but Shikiyoku beat him to it, and his mouth closed only briefly until she was done speaking and had taken to staring down at the outfits, as he himself had.
"Glad to be of service," he grumbled sarcastically, turning his eyes the opposite direction.
After another moment, he released a sound similar to a scoff and turned back to her. "I am not wearing that."
~!**!~
Akari hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until she'd begun dreaming. At first, it was nothing, simply images of things that made no sense and meant nothing in particular. But after a while, she didn't know when, the dream shifted and she was again witnessing the moment in the gym. Though, after his weapon had hit her, she seemed stuck at that very moment, her mind concentrating on the pain that he'd caused and the confusion that had flooded her at the gesture. Shifting in her sleep made the wound actually sting, making the dream, or rather memory, more vivid than before.
He'd been trying to make a point. Her unconscious mind tried making sense of it, but instead she was stuck on the simple fact that he'd added another line across her torso, another memory that would be triggered each time she changed outfits.
Just like the rest.
Just like the other lines across her skin, just like the previous attacks that had hindered her movement for more than just a few weeks. Just like-
Akari shifted again, a hand batting at something outside the dream realm as a moment of pause ensued during a transition.
This time the darkness didn't clear. But, she was indeed dreaming again.
She was in a darkened room, the floor beneath her no longer cool, but sticky and uncomfortable. Her body stiff.
"-this long. She's more resilient than the others."
"It's the possibility of getting away."
"There is none."
"She hasn't admitted that yet, moron. That's why she's our best captive yet. The only one from the first trial period."
She'd shut them out. She shifted, curling tighter around herself despite the stiff protests of her bones and the dried liquid in her hair and clothing, clothing that they'd supplied for her. The floor, once smooth, not pulled at her skin, creating an angry burning along her side even as she settled in for another attempt at sleep.
"Ready for the last one?"
"Might as well. She's awake anyway. If Sakiyo returns and she still has an ear, he's gonna kill us."
The dream had continued, though her mind desperately tried shutting it out. But after a while, she'd gone through what felt like an eternity of memories, ranging from that moment to the days after, to another moment where she'd wished for nothing more than to be left alone.
She suddenly jolted awake and was sitting up, sweat coating her skin and her breath nothing more than short, panicked huffs as her eyes looked around the room, searching for the faces that had been leaning down towards her for another round of testing, poking and prodding.
"N-Nabu?" she called, searching for the pup that normally pulled her from these dreams. The dog was nowhere in sight, and for the first time since the dog had appeared, she felt completely and utterly alone. The darkness of the room closed in around her, and she drew her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on her knees while her arms wrapped around her shins.
The silence was deafening, so when paws did make sound outside the house, it wasn't known to Akari at first.
Not until a wet nose ran across her arm.
"Akari!"
She jolted at the dog's bark, eyes turning to Nabu and staring with wide pupils, suddenly realizing there was a wetness on her cheeks.
"You're gonna be okay." She gave him no reply, only turning away and resting her chin on her knees again. "You have to look at me, 'kari. It doesn't help, you know that." She tried taking a deep breath, but it didn't work. It stopped in her throat, and more images passed by her mind. Her eyes squeezed shut and she tried putting up the mental walls again, but this only enabled more memories to pass, her breathing now short enough to almost be classified as nonexistent, and her body shook enough that she irrationally told herself she was only cold.
Paws were now on her shins, and Akari's eyes slid open to meet the wide brown eyes of Nabu, whose nose rubbed against hers. "I'm back. I didn't mean to leave for so long. I'm sorry, but I'm here now." Another pause as he sighed. "You're not alone."
For the first time, she realized how much older the dog was. His body was huskier, his eyes wiser and his pawls larger. He weighed more, and his coat was thicker. And in this moment, he didn't seem like a pup.
"Try this. Make it bloom." He dropped a small seed onto her shoe and sat on his haunches. "I wanna see it bloom."
With robotic movements, Akari's arm reached out and her fingers grasped the seen that Kurama had given her. She stared at it, but it didn't change. "You're not trying hard enough." She huffed and then took a deep breath, staring harder at the rose. It moved, forming a small sprout, but nothing more. "Come on, you can do better than that."
She hadn't realized it, but her breathing had slowed, her shaking had almost ceased, and slowly, images were fading away. After a few more minutes of staring, and much more prompting from the dog, the red flower was in full bloom, opening in her hand and releasing a fragrance throughout the room. "See? Isn't it pretty?" *
~!**!~
Somewhere in the abyss of sleep, Kurama felt a stirring of energy that slowly pulled him from his dreamless rest, and his eyes slowly opened to look up at the ceiling of his bedroom.
It only took another second for him to identify what had rustled his core, and the answer actually surprised him.
The rose.
He had not even considered at the time that the gesture of the gift would be so much more than he had intended. For perhaps the first time in his life, there had been no ulterior motives in the giving, nor had all the outcomes been analysed. He felt positive he wasn't the first to find themselves slightly foolish in such a situation.
The silent hum of his demonic energy bubbled somewhere inside him, and he was vaguely aware-still half-asleep-that the rose had changed forms, from seed to bloom. And if he concentrated just a little bit more, he could even tell which direction the seed had been activated in, and a small smile passed over his lips as he drifted back into slumber.
~!**!~
"I'm not laughing at you." Shikiyoku huffed, "But rather your opinion of the outfit. I half-wished Rae had been here for your...apt description."
She reached forward and plucked at a portion of the ruffles on the dress.
"Though, you'd be able to more easily remain armed at the ball with an outfit such as that." Shikiyoku remarked absently, grasping at the pink fabric in both hands and giving a rough tug to pull it apart at the seams, letting out the most satisfying tearing noise as the pieces created a large hole in the gown up the side of it.
"Oh no." She said emotionlessly, tossing it back down on the bed in feigned disdain, "It's ripped. I can't possibly wear it now."
Shikiyoku flippantly turned away from the dress and stepped towards the closet doors. 3
Hiei raised a brow at Shikiyoku before turning away, deciding he didn't care much about her outburst or anything following. Though, he did find himself rather amused when Shikiyoku tore the dress. He hadn't considered sabotage. It certainly would do the trick now, wouldn't it?
He eyed the two outfits again before an even more amusing thought crossed his mind. His hand reached out and took both fabrics in his grasp, and a second later, a flame burst over the outfits, and his neutral expression was highlighted, the disdain in his irises reflected with the glow of the flames that licked at his hand.
After only a moment, the outfits were no longer in existence, and no sign of them was to be seen. That was the perk of his energy; he could burn anything, and if he so desired, leave no evidence.
"What outfits?"
~!**!~
Akari stared at the bloom, the red petals continuing to open up just a little more as she moved it around between her forefinger and her thumb. The color of the flower did trigger something in her mind, but Nabu's wet tongue on her cheek completely washed it away, and she was allowing the flower to return to seed form before she wrapped her arms around Nabu for a hug that made a small whine leave the not-so-small dog in her arms.
"You're hurting me."
She released him wordlessly and wiped his slobber from her face. He landed neatly on his feet and began pawing at her knees, silently asking to sit in her lap.
"Show me again."
She let her legs slide so that they were stretched out in front of her, the blanket falling the rest of the way from her waist as Nabu crawled to sit on her thighs. Her breath hitched again, this time from the remaining emotions from her memories and her restless sleep, and again Nabu's wet nose roamed her face, followed by his tongue.
"Show me again, Akari. Now."
"Demanding little creature."
"Do it."
She took a deep breath and willed the rose to change again, this time not needing his prompting o continue shifting the flower back and forth from one form to another.
And all the while, Nabu chattered her ear off, not giving her mind time to wander for longer than a second.
"Oh! I know! Let's go to the park!"
"Nabu, do you know what time it is?"
"Do you? I've been alone all day! Now play with me!" *
~!**!~
The hum of his energy never quite pulled Kurama from his sleep again, but instead, the feeling settled just below his core in a pleasant thrum that caused a smile to twitch at his lips even without being awake.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku felt the flare up of energy before she actually got the closet door open, and by the time she turned around with a frown at his question, Hiei stood as innocently as likely possible for the fiery soul, the dress and garb nowhere in sight.
The frown on her face deepened, her expression dark.
Had this been any other of her Champions, she would have promptly thrown her arms about their neck and kissed them soundly for being so ridiculously brilliant.
"You-" Shikiyoku began, eyes narrowing at him as she held back almost painfully her initial desire at Hiei's destruction of the clothing, "-have just earned my undying devotion. And if you don't burn as many things as possible like that while we're here, I'll consider it a slight upon my very person." 3
Hiei stood there, letting his hand fall to his side before he turned to look at Shikiyoku, meeting her dark expression with a neutral one, trying to read her thoughts without using his Jagan. For a moment, he thought he'd angered her, but her words glossed over any suspicion of such a thing, leaving him staring at her unblinkingly for a moment before his lip twitched briefly.
I'll keep that in mind.
He made a gesture that said 'go back to what you were doing', choosing not to react to her words outwardly more than the simple twitch his lips had given before his expression again turned blank. "Find something worth my time." He paused. "And yours. Might as well." With that, he approached and stood behind her, peering into the open doors of the closet curiously.
Might as well take whatever interests us.
~!**!~
Akari frowned and looked to the nearest boarded up window, already knowing it was dark out. By the silence of the outside world, it could very likely be after midnight. She looked to the dog, noticing again how much larger he was than when he'd first started following her around town. He didn't look much like a pup anymore.
The memory of falling asleep on the park bench with him that first day fled across her mind's eye, completely replacing any other image that had been trying to push to the forefront of her mind. She gave a sigh.
"Please? I wanna play. We haven't played in a while."
Another sigh, this time one that was resigned as she watched the rose shift back to seed form for the final time. "Alright, grab the toys you want and put them in the bag."
"Yay!" he barked as he turned and bounced to the duffel bag across the room, peering inside before turning and bounding by her again to fetch.. whatever it was he wanted. All the while, she stretched and pushed herself to stand, her body reacting as if she'd been laying in a very odd position all day, cracking and popping painfully.
She wouldn't be sleeping again tonight. *
~!**!~
Shikiyoku stepped into the walk-in closet, various articles of clothing hanging about in the small, square room. With an unnatural fondness as Shikiyoku walked forward, she found her hand brushing against the fabrics at her shoulder, lost in memories briefly.
She pointed to a corner almost opposite them, "Anything you'd be interested in will be in that area." She turned to appraise Hiei's size briefly, "We're roughly the same size. I'm sure anything in here will fit you." 3
Hiei didn't follow Shikiyoku at first. He merely stood there, staring at the different cloths, the different outfits, the different fabrics and colors that stared back at him. After his slight hesitation that allowed him to take it all in, he did step inside, but even when Shikiyoku pointed him towards a corner of the closet, he didn't move right away.
He turned to eye her momentarily, noting her faraway gaze as her hands touched materials, her fingers brushing fabrics that appeared smooth to the touch. He took in the serene moment silently, watching her every move and memorizing each motion she made.
He shook himself out of it and swiftly moved to the corner that she'd indicated to. It didn't take long for him to see the transition, and for a moment, he stared at the varieties with an expression akin to disbelief. There were some outfits that were extremely expensive, he could tell, and some even appeared to be rather…. tight-fitting, even for her general size.
He turned red eyes to the area Shikiyoku was in for a brief moment before turning back to his selections. And after a few moments, his mind was made up. It was the only thing that he even considered, since it had a coat long enough to hide his weapon, should he decide to carry it.
As if he wouldn't.
He pulled on the black and white outfit, glancing at the layers of clothing and realizing it consisted not of two parts, but several. There was a black shirt that almost appeared to be attached to the black pants beneath, and a long sleeve black jacket over that had white stripes along the seams. There was also what appeared to be a harness-like fabric that hung over the shoulder, likely to keep the jacket in place.
Or was it a type of trench-coat?
He wasn't entirely sure, but it did serve as he felt fit. There were even gloves, though he saw no reason to wear them.
He pulled on the hanger that the outfit resided on, releasing it from the position it hung in and turning to leave the closet, not even pausing to show Shikiyoku, as he assumed she would either see it when he passed, or she'd just figure it out when she emerged as well with her own outfit. *
Shikiyoku moved farther inward, still awash in memories of other times, other balls thrown by Rae, where the dancing and revelry had lasted for days without end as demonic stamina would allow, and she remembered spinning about the room in the arms of her second Champion in dresses tailor -made for her station in life.
Was that what Rae was trying to accomplish? Kidnapping her into an era long past and making it so that she did not wish to leave? Shikiyoku would not have put it past the other demon. And she was certain Derrin was in on this little scheme as well.
When Shikiyoku reached the back wall, she stopped, eyes alighting on a dress she remembered commissioning personally of a tailor in the city, but never actually wearing.
Without further consideration, Shikiyoku slipped off her deep crimson cloak and began undressing, grabbing for the dress hanging in front of her and stepping into it, finding herself smirking and wondering if Hiei even knew how to work a zipper. 3
Hiei moved from the closet and swiftly changed outfits, surprised when it fit almost perfectly. He hadn't realized he and Shikiyoku were-
Wait, this was her outfit. Why hadn't he realized that before? Why? Why would she need such an outfit? He shook the thought away and continued adjusting the harness-like object, and once he was done fiddling with it, he began moving about the room, testing its restrictions and limits of movement. For the most part, it posed no issues. So, he grabbed his sheathed sword and continued to strap it to his waist, letting the coat fall over it to test how well it veiled his weapon.
Perfect.
This was all he'd need. He looked up, satisfied for the most part as he glanced around the room.
"It isn't all ridiculous," he finally commented, wondering how long she'd be taking. *
"My things usually aren't." Shikiyoku replied as she stepped out of the closet, holding the front of the dress up in one hand that clutched at the jacket which went with it while the other clutched a portion of the dress so that she would not trip on it while moving.
Before she could think to ask Hiei for help, her head tilted slightly to the side as she regarded his choice of clothing with a blank expression. She nodded once as if in approval, then spoke, turning so that her back faced him.
"This is your job." She said simply, the two sides of the back of her dress needing to be zipped together. She let go of the bottom part of the dress she held to gather her hair with those fingers and pull the long tresses over her shoulder and out of the way. 3
Hiei raised a brow as Shikiyoku emerged from the closet, the color choice one he appreciated and the dress being one he found he rather… admired. It seemed to suit her. After another moment, he recovered and watched her turn her back onto him, his eyes finding the bottom of the zipper and understanding rather quickly.
He closed the distance and, in a single motion, had the dress zipped up, and he took the step away to cross his arms over his chest, watching her for a moment before he released a breath through his nostrils, suddenly feeling apprehensive.
"This is going to be the longest stretch of time ever experienced."
And again, his mind whispered three simple words:
I. Hate. Cities. *
Shikiyoku said nothing, her feelings on the matter very much in tune with Hiei's, and instead simply slipped the jacket over her shoulders and let her hair fall back down behind her.
She paused for a second and looked down at herself, seeing the gem still around her neck. The one that would open the door back to Human World once this was all over.
It didn't match.
Shifting her arms around a bit, she let the smooth, dark cloth settle in just past her elbows as she moved back into the closet, silent save for the pleasant rustle of the fabric.
Slipping the necklace from around her neck, Shikiyoku tucked it away safely on her person, too cautious to leave it here, and deftly plucked the jewelry she had purchased for this very dress from a drawer, the crimson gems of the necklace nestling in the empty space of her skin around her collar bones.
In another moment, she had retrieved a strange looking device as she once more pulled her hair over her shoulder, weaving the strands into the thing and waiting a few seconds before untwisting it all, leaving the ends of her hair in a curl and within the next second, having it all pulled up to leave the back of her neck bare and placing two pins precisely within to keep it from falling.
As if I'd forget how to look presentable. She thought ruefully, stepping into a pair of flat slippers the same color as the dress as she also adorned herself with gems meant to dangle from her ears.
One such ear perked as she caught voices coming from the room beyond, and she felt glad of the timing, or she might become a bit stir-crazy with any wait.
She swept back into the bedroom, holding the dress up with both hands out of habit, and reaching for the closed door, pausing as she realized the voices were not of Rae or Derrin, or of anyone she recognized.
"-came calling again not too long ago."
"He's been asking for her help for ages. He's been more persistent of late, though."
"She's not going to help him."
"The fact that they're siblings doesn't even seem to phase her in the slightest. She turned him away just as she has all those other times. Says she might get concerned if the threat extends to the Ninth Level. Thinks that it's a poor choice having what's-his-face put on the masquerade and pretending to be-"
Shikiyoku went ahead and opened the door, stepping out to see two plain demons who were likely part of the lower caste in the Household abruptly fall silent at her entrance, eyes guarded.
"The queen has requested that we escort you to the ball." One of them said.
"Of course she has." Shikiyoku stepped all the way into the room and looked back to see if Hiei was ready. 3
Hiei had immediately become aware of the demons outside, and had turned to eye the door as soon as their energies grabbed his attention. He eyed the closed door for a few minutes until Shikiyoku passed and pulled it open, revealing two more demons he had yet to see.
Or maybe he had. He didn't know. There were simply too many people to keep up with. He'd try his best, however.
When she looked back at him, he raised a brow at her as if to say I was waiting on you, and his hands tested for pockets where his cloak normally held them, disappointed to know that they were not there. So he contented himself in letting his hands fall to his sides again and he moved to join her, staring unblinkingly at the pair of demons beyond the open doorway.
Let's get this over with. *
The pair of demons led the other two through various paths of the extensive Household, silent the entire way.
As they went, Shikiyoku began to recognize the path they took, knowing that they were being led to, not the main entrance where other demons of the city would be allowed in, but instead to the grand doors that Rae and Derrin had likely already been presented in.
There was a low murmur of sound that had begun to waft in the air, though it surprisingly never seemed to grow any louder.
The two demons stopped in front of a regally dressed older demon who did not appear to notice them, instead looking beyond at Shikiyoku and Hiei.
"You're expected." He said simply, turning towards the magnificent doors.
The two demons scrambled to either handle and began pulling them back.
Shikiyoku stepped up so that when the doors came fully open, it would be a simple matter to step beyond into the Grand Hall.
As the doors slowly pulled towards them, the older demon just in front of her, Shikiyoku reached out and pulled Hiei next to her gently, arranging his arm bent at the elbow so that she could slide her hand underneath, between his side and arm and rest her fingers in the crook of his elbow.
Her posture shifted taller as the older demon opened his mouth to announce the arrival of the pair.
"Presenting the Venerated Seductress and her Esteemed Champion!"
The low murmur grew softer as Shikiyoku stepped forward, her hand at Hiei's elbow allowing her to bring him along with her, into the gigantic ballroom with its high ceiling and tiled floor.
The two of them were up a small set of stairs that placed them higher than the others for the moment, the room stretching out before them.
With a guarded gaze, Shikiyoku paused just shy of the staircase and let her eyes rove over the many demons spread out below, recognizing certain faces and trying not to heave an exasperated sigh at the entire situation.
Rae and Derrin were awaiting them at the bottom of the stairs and Shikiyoku moved down to them.
"The first dance is yours as always, seductress." Derrin murmured when they were close enough, gesturing to the middle of a completely cleared area meant for dancing, the other demons of the evening scattered around the edges of it.
Shikiyoku stiffened. She'd forgotten this part. Which meant Hiei knew nothing of leading her out there, and if she had to guess, knew nothing of dancing.
"I'm sure your majesties would prefer the first one all to themselves?" Shikiyoku smiled demurely. 3
Hiei followed, his mind roaming over the different energies he could feel throughout the area and feeling himself stiffen up even more at the sheer amount of people, not to mention the amount of energy he could feel pulsating throughout the palace. It was almost as if the air itself held its own thrumming energy that moved with the patrons inside, and it took a great deal of concentration to force his body lax.
By the time the small group paused before a large pair of doors, he'd regained his calm demeanor enough to adjust accordingly when Shikiyoku tugged at him, his body moving almost instinctively to make it appear as if she'd only gestured for him to step up to her. It didn't take long for him to realize that he would need his Jagan, to read minds and figure out what was expected of him.
In the very least, he'd grace Shikiyoku with his mind's presence touching hers. He wouldn't dare try it on another. Perhaps he could pull it off in such a large gathering.
By the time the doors were open and he'd taken in the sheer numbers, he'd prepared himself for making telepathic contact. Even as his feet moved in synchronization with Shikiyoku, he mind was slowly reaching out.
He paused midway at the demon's words, turning an unblinking stare onto Derrin. He felt the pulse of panic in the bond, and that was when he turned to her, his mind swiftly reaching out to hers to grab her attention.
"Concentrate." That was all he said, already having figured they wouldn't be able to get out of it. *
"We would never dare encroach upon your territory." Queen Rae's eyes glittered, as if she knew everyone within earshot understood the statement was false.
"I hate politics." Shikiyoku grumbled to herself, suddenly aware that her forethoughts did not only echo within her own mind, but within another's as well. She tried not to blink in surprise at the discovery, instead nodding her head in a manner that was not only benefitted by appearing to be for Rae, but was truly meant for Hiei.
It took no time at all for Shikiyoku to adjust to Hiei's presence, the feeling only slightly different than Champions previous as in this case it was Hiei's abilities that allowed them this boon and not the pact between them. She readily welcomed the warmth of his thoughts through the Jagan's power and relaxed into it, feeling a great deal of her previous anxiety lifting at the thought that they were here. Together.
The eyes of every single demon in the room were trained upon them, and a gentle rhythm of music started from somewhere unseen.
Shikiyoku began to step forward towards the center of the room with Hiei at her side. Words took too long to form in the short amount of time they had, and instead Shikiyoku sent the fire demon images of what he was meant in this case as Champion to do.
He was to lead her to the middle, take her into his arms as one did for dancing, and then they would begin in time with the music being played. Others would join them after a couple of minutes, first the 'queen' and 'prince,' but then whoever else wished, and their steps would weave patterns in and out and around each other, each couple's dance only a part of a larger dance that incorporated all those on the floor. 3
Hiei turned his eyes away as soon as he was sure Shikiyoku had noticed his mind's presence, his crimson orbs turning to the queen and carefully avoiding her gaze, so as to not make accidental contact. He busied his eyes with looking towards the open area of the room, as if eager to get it over with. When Shikiyoku began to move, his Jagan seemed to warn him of the movement her brain had decided on, and he moved with the same foot she did, mirroring her movements with a precision that he'd only been able to accomplish through his rather special ability.
Along the way, he received images, impressions, and took them in quickly despite the sudden distress he felt. One misstep could cost… who knows what.
Swiftly, that thought was pushed away and replaced with images that Shikiyoku had sent him, pausing in the middle of the cleared dance floor to turn to her and poise himself just as she'd shown him, eyes following his own motions to ensure they were as smooth as she'd asked of him, and once he had one of her hands in his and his other resting on her waist gently, his eyes moved to meet hers.
Waiting. He knew she would be able to take the first step, since he would know nothing of the first cue. So he concentrated, his Jagan picking through her mind for memories deftly, though not in such an obvious way as to distract her from her own thoughts.
And he would adjust accordingly. *
In case anyone cares: Hiei is wearing something like the outfit of Kirito from the first season of Sword Art Online.
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star