A/N: Hello once again, Denizens of FF!
This chapter is another one of those that has only Shikiyoku and Hiei in it.
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 joyously played several rounds of Laser Tag
before going their separate ways.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku and Hiei are forced to attend the ball put on by Queen Rae and Prince-Consort Derrin,
and the two must, according to tradition, be the first to dance.
Initially, Shikiyoku is worried as she is certain Hiei has no court-life experience,
but after connecting their minds via the Jagan, he reassures her as they take to the floor,
letting her lead as he is capable of reacting almost instantaneously thanks to the Evil Eye...
Shikiyoku found herself transported back to eons past when her "job" consisted of more than just the fulfillment of desires. She had been a teacher for those that wished to be in attendance of these revelries, and she suddenly found herself in the arms of one such student-if for different reasons than a true desire to be there-gazing intently into his blood-red eyes and feeling that the more she relaxed, the more easily he would be able to follow.
She let the rhythm of the music flow by one more time as she set herself into the frame he provided, her left hand, the one he did not take, resting lightly over his right shoulder, and then she began to move, growing quickly accustomed to the strange feeling of the "follower" leading the "leader."
In this particular case though, not only could she provide him with physical cues such as shifting her weight where his hand was at her back, or lightly moving her left hand at his shoulder to indicate their next direction, but this crash-course in routine also took place on another, more direct level where the movements almost flowed from her to him through the link he had established.
The murmur that started up again around them was one Shikiyoku did not notice on a conscious level, concentrated as she was, but the murmur picked up nonetheless, an indication that so far their charade remained a success. 3
Hiei, despite how deep he'd delved into her memories for this particular bit, was easily able to move when cued to do so, his ruby irises staying trained on her emerald ones unblinkingly as he searched and searched until-
It took everything in his power not to mentally say something about his find, instead channeling his relief into moving the information from her brain to his, to transferring the motions she had learned of the lead position to his own body. He stalled a few moments longer, keeping up the charade until he was sure he'd found exactly what he needed, his mind retracting from her memories to assess her movements.
As soon as he was completely and utterly sure, a shine flashed into his eyes, a gleam of accomplishment as he suddenly shifted, though he kept it subtle to the eyes, and began moving, taking over her job of leading as if he'd just recalled old information he'd stored away for this precise moment.
He couldn't quite help the sneer that ghosted across his lips for a very split moment before his expression shifted neutral again, his mind quickly going back to the motions he was required to make as he began leading her around and around in time with the music. *
Shikiyoku felt her stomach lurch when she was suddenly subjected to Hiei's lead, unable to do anything but follow him as they continued to dance around the room.
Gazing into his eyes as she was, the lurch stopped almost as soon as it started, seeing there a glitter of triumph and moments later almost a smile grace his lips. Her own mouth twitched with amusement when she realized what he'd done, and even though their position allowed for a certain amount of intimacy of conversation that dancing naturally gave, she instead spoke silently to him, still feeling his warmth within her head.
"Clever demon." She murmured into his mind appreciatively, relaxing into his arms and taking note out of the corner of her eyes that Rae and Derrin had joined them at some point, others having started to weave their way into the intricate steps. 3
Hiei didn't react at first to the words she sent him, only continuing to stare at her unblinkingly as if nothing had changed in the slightest. Though, for a mere second, he did glance about. Pretty soon after his gaze had wandered to the people beyond her head, his eyes returned to hers, the mirth shining in them brighter now that he'd confirmed that it seemed no one had noticed the transition, or if they had they didn't seem bothered by it.
This time, when his mind sifted through the information he'd taken from her, he found himself completely amused with something that seemed rather optional, something another dance partner had done with her in the past, though not in a gathering like this one, but as if in a lesson of sorts.
It was the same music, the same dance, so he hesitated none to pull her closer, making it so that his cheek almost touched hers, turning so that when he spoke, he was sure no other demon in the room could hear his words.
"One must be as clever as the person leading them, no?" As he spoke, he could feel his own breath moving across her skin, his eyes watching Rae and Derrin behind Shikiyoku before turning to her face, though he couldn't meet her gaze.
He wasn't sure why, but his triumph left him feeling rather… lighthearted for once. And for the moment, with his hand on the small of her back and the hand that held hers against his own chest with the closeness, he was feeling rather daring. "I've learned from the best." *
~!**!~
"Your majesty, you're supposed to be following, not leading." Prince Derrin murmured goodnaturedly into his queen's ear, catching her eyes as they continued to hold Shikiyoku's form in sight.
Queen Rae sniffed derisively at him before flickering her gaze back to the seductress and her champion.
Derrin felt Rae once more turn their bodies so that she could continue watching the other two and he heaved a long-suffering sigh as he let her do so.
"I'm really not sure why I'm here at all." He joked with her quietly.
Rae turned her brilliant purple eyes back to Derrin and he felt her stance soften in his frame.
"I don't want to lose her again." She admitted to his white and pink heterochromatic eyes.
"I know, my queen." He replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I wish the same thing."
All of a sudden, Rae stiffened again and Derrin could only imagine the reason why.
He lifted the hand that held hers above their heads and gave her a spin that set her gorgeous gown twirling about her as she turned in his grasp obligingly, affording him a moment to spot what had made the queen's stomach tighten.
Derrin smiled, and when Rae came back into his grasp, he did not let her take the lead again, forcing her back to the ones she wanted to watch.
She made a slight noise of protest, but Derrin simply gazed into her eyes until she gave in and let him actually do his job.
~!**!~
Since Shikiyoku had for the first time that night truly relaxed into Hiei's lead, it was nothing for him to pull her close, though she could not help her eyes widening at the movement as she became pressed up against him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered where exactly he'd picked up that move, but initially she simply felt her body flush at his closeness and his words, silently scolding herself for the act that was so unlike her.
"I think," Shikiyoku breathed just as quietly as Hiei had taken to speaking with her, "At least in this case, your cleverness far surpasses my own, flame-boy." 3
Hiei, now simply letting his feet move as he had memorized, turned so that his lips were no longer near her ear, his eyes turning to survey the room again, noting the last vestiges of a glance in his and Shikiyoku's direction before the 'royal' pair were out of sight. He couldn't help the twitch of his lips that formed a sneer, which only grew at Shikiyoku's breathed admittance.
He turned his head again so that his lips let his breath wash across her ear again, eyes still wandering the room. "Adaptation is a requirement in this world. You simply present more of a challenge to adapt to."
This time, when he was done speaking, he pulled away just enough to return to their first poise, his eyes meeting hers again and completely ignoring the coloring of her cheeks, unsure really what to think of it anyway. He allowed a small moment of silence so that she understood how much he meant his words of her being a challenge.
After a few moments, he realized that she was the largest challenge he'd ever had to face, as she kept him constantly on his toes, always doing something that threw him off guard.
Such as getting them captured for a dance, of all things.
"Bored yet?" *
Shikiyoku blinked up at Hiei for a moment, the silence growing between them as she felt unsure of how to take his words.
Coming from anyone else, being referred to as a 'challenge' would have been almost insulting, as if she were lots of trouble. Too much trouble.
It didn't help that she could still feel his breath as it moved over her ear when he'd spoken with her just now. As if she hadn't already found his words entirely too cryptic.
Was it...approval? behind his gaze as they continued looking into one another's eyes. Shikiyoku supposed perhaps 'approval' wasn't something Hiei often felt, and the thought that perhaps he 'approved' of her in his own way sent her mind reeling again.
He hated her, right? For 'capturing' him with the pact? For 'tricking' him into it? Wouldn't he run as fast as possible as soon as she figured out how to break it short of getting herself killed?
"I don't think there's ever a dull moment with you, Hiei Jaganshi." Shikiyoku admitted once he spoke up again. "So, bored? No. Wishing the entire palace would burn down around our ears? Yes. Most definitely, yes." 3
Hiei watched the female in his embrace as the silence between them stretched on, noting the flickers behind the brilliant color in her irises. He waited however, wondering what she would settle for as her thoughts visibly turned in her mind's eye.
And after a few moments of silence, his eyes wandered again, deciding to give her time to think, though he wasn't sure what all there was for her to consider. He simply turned to memorizing faces in the crowd, taking stock of the demons inside and how many were-
There was a familiar form in the distance, on the very edges of the dancing group that disappeared behind a taller demon, and for a moment, Hiei almost paused. Somehow, though, his feet continued moving, and his hands suddenly moved without his conscious prompting, calmly gesturing Shikiyoku into a gentle twirl that helped him move further through the crowd now, not at first realizing she'd spoken up again as a metaphorical light bulb popped into his mind.
There.
He'd seen the same demon again, and this time he was able to confirm that it was indeed the demon from the pub. Though, he did look much more sober, and less of a mess. He even looked highly jovial, as if he hadn't had more than a few drinks in his entire life.
Or maybe that was just in stark contrast of how Hiei had previously seen Uryo.
By the time Shikiyoku was back in Hiei's arms, he was pulling her close again his joking demeanor gone and his expression carefully blank to give no thoughts away to prying eyes. Only now did he realize Shikiyoku had spoken.
"That can be arranged," he said in an even tone that betrayed nothing more than boredom, though his mind was methodically thinking over several different things.
He'd have to plan this out carefully, should it go wrong.
He swiftly shifted back into a facade that mirrored his earlier mood, easily slipping into an act since he noted a few eyes on himself. His expression turned to one of mischief, a smirk on his face as his lips turned to Shikiyoku's ear again. "The guests are interesting." he hinted, eyes shifting from the form he'd seen and back to Shikiyoku's cheek as he quickly shifted the conversation. Or so it would seem. "How many dances are there that you know of?" *
Even if she had not been looking so directly into Hiei's face, Shikiyoku would have felt the change in his demeanor in the very way he held her, noting appreciatively that he also slipped just as easily back into his previous mood.
He might actually make a good member of court with a little coaching.
Shikiyoku's mind raced, knowing he meant to tell her more than what he said.
"Rae is not particular about who shows for these events, should they be of high standing and clean up well." Shikiyoku replied congenially, starting to smile, "And I know all the dances. Though if you mean for tonight, they are neverending. We can stop and start as much as we please, but the music will keep going until the ball is finished." 3
Hiei nodded once, eyes glancing around again and, just as before, noting eyes on himself, some meeting his gaze before he turned back to Shikiyoku, taking a step away from her and making her spin again, this time a little slower. "Uryo." he sent to her carefully, hoping she would see him in the elongated turn he allowed her before he pulled her back again, his act never faltering even as his mind continued churning over and over the possibilities.
He knew what he'd do first, but it meant keeping an eye out for the demon to walk away from his partner. So, for the moment and while he was very aware of keen eyes, he turned his gaze onto his own dance partner, keeping her close as they moved through tighter spaces due only to his own direction through the bodies that moved around him.
It was almost as if others were afraid to get close enough to touch them, as if they were special, in their own way.
As his gaze stayed on Shikiyoku, he realized that to everyone else, she was the special one. She was like royalty, simply because the queen had keen interest in her. He was a simple obstacle, a prop in the way. A dangerous prop to anyone other than these patrons.
This time, when his lips twitched, he had to keep the sneer from forming, instead making sure that it remained a simple smirk of amusement. Again, he found an odd emotion moving through him, thrumming through the bond almost, that was alien to him. It was almost what he'd consider…
Awe.
"You intrigue me," he gave a small pause at the sudden admission his lips had given without his permission,. He opened his mouth to continue, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement of a form he'd began keeping tabs on. Movement unlike the previous, and without looking towards Uryo, Hiei began directing Shikiyoku through the crowd using borrowed memories until they were at the very edge of the dancers, able to break away without fighting the flow of the song. *
Before Shikiyoku could even have a moment to let her brain finish processing Hiei's words, a pair of demons who had stepped back to let them slip off the dance floor came up to them again.
"Seductress." The male bowed his head slightly after making eye contact with her, turning to greet Hiei as well with a similar bow, "Champion. It has been ages since we have seen you two grace these halls with your presence. Might I say that you have made her re-entrance a spectacular one." He said the last bit to Hiei, the female demon at his side nodding her agreement at the both of them.
"My thanks for your kind words." Shikiyoku responded, slipping her hand back into the crook of Hiei's arm and inclining her head slightly as the other pair moved away.
Shikiyoku dropped her voice as low as it would go, "Whatever you're wanting to do, it needs to be done quickly. That sort of conversation is going to keep happening to us more often the longer we are not out on the floor." 3
Hiei had paused at the pair that stood in his way, his arm moving just in time for Shikiyoku to slide her hand beneath his elbow as if she'd done so a hundred times. Perhaps it was another part of the memory he'd taken for reference, but hadn't focused on. Or perhaps it was simply because his Jagan was still in contact with her.
He nodded once at the pair in appreciation before the dancers left again, leaving the path clear for a moment. Even as Shikiyoku spoke, he was leading the way to Uryo, eyes trained on the male as he approached.
When within the appropriate distance, Hiei lent out a hand to shake, testing the waters carefully. "Uryo, am I correct?" Of course, he had memorized the name, but this was merely by way of getting the male's attention in a way he felt suitable for the occasion. Might as well look the part as well. *
The approach of the Champion and Shikiyoku did not go unnoticed by those Uryo stood with, but neither did they appear to find it unnatural for Hiei to wish to associate with the black-haired demon among them.
Uryo took Hiei's hand, "Correct indeed, Champion."
There was a chirp from around Uryo's shoulders and the black dragon Ryou lifted his head from where he had it laying down, whirling a 'fire-brother' greeting into Hiei's mind, but appearing to make no movement otherwise, eyes swirling red as he stared at Shikiyoku. 3
Hiei shook Uryo's hand briefly before releasing, his hand falling back to his side almost naturally and completely out of habit. For a millisecond, he wasn't sure what to do, unsure of how to go about this, but knowing it needed to be done. "We haven't officially met, though I understand you are familiar with my Dependent." He gestured to Shikiyoku, his expression calm as he assessed the situation. *
While Uryo's expression did not change, more than a couple of the demons in the circle they had entered found their eyebrows raising at the Champion's term for Shikiyoku. And even Shikiyoku herself had a hard time not coughing awkwardly. Hiei was...certainly going to leave an impression.
Uryo looked to Shikiyoku, the both of them knowing they had only first met at the Niiro Kaga the previous night, but Uryo held his hand out, palm up, to her, and she placed her hand in his.
"A pleasure, Shikiyoku. As always." He bent down and lightly brushed his lips across the top of her hand. "If your Champion would allow it, I would be honored to dance with you." He did not let go of her hand, gazing meaningfully into her eyes, but waiting to see what the fire demon would say. 3
Hiei reacted none to the looks he received, not surprised at all. He knew his word choice was different than most, but… he had his reasons for everything. Normally. He turned and glanced behind himself for a mere second, and when he turned around again, he wasn't surprised to see Uryo's form of greeting; he'd learned to expect anything and everything when it came down to it.
At the request, Hiei eyed the demon for a moment before deciding it was exactly what he needed. And, he added, what Shikiyoku needed. Another opportunity wouldn't come so easily.
After the millisecond's pause, Hiei turned to Shikiyoku and nodded once as if to say he would be watching carefully before turning to Uryo. "If she does not mind, then I certainly wouldn't mind a break from the crowds."
"Test the waters," he said briefly to Shikiyoku in a calm manner, as if he had already expected her to understand. "He might be the one chance we get tonight." *
"I would be delighted, Uryo." Shikiyoku immediately piped up, releasing Hiei's arm as Uryo stepped forward and wove her hand around his arm, leading her off to the dance floor.
The demon cut a striking figure in his traditional garb, forest green in color with his sword hanging openly by his side. He did not appear to be hindered by it, however, as he easily swept Shikiyoku out onto the floor with a single spin before falling in step with the other dancers.
His height meant Shikiyoku had to crane her neck up to look into his face, but the difference did not seem to bother him, and his frame stayed firm as he lead her around the floor.
When they finally were set into a groove with the other dancers, Uryo looked down into Shikiyoku's eyes, his red irises gleaming.
"Your Champion is no fool."
Shikiyoku could smell the alcohol from his breath, but it seemed much less pungent than it had been the first time she'd encountered him.
"I would pick no fool for a Champion." Came her riposte.
"Fair enough." Uryo allowed, his eyes drawn above her head as if he searched for someone.
Even though she had only seen him briefly, his apparent soberness seemed out of place, his eyes moving rapidly about the room, and their steps almost in double time from the music that moved about them.
"What is your game, Uryo?"
"You know, I'm partial to what the humans call 'chess.'"
Shikiyoku felt that his answer couldn't have been more appropriate to their situation.
"Some don't understand when exactly to move the pieces." Shikiyoku commented carefully.
Uryo glanced back down at her.
"Others don't understand how intricately a knight must move in order to protect a queen." His searching gaze lifted again and his eyes brightened as he found what he was looking for. "Tell your Champion to wait for my signal. He won't miss it." His expression turned mischievous.
"Hiei...come cut in." Shikiyoku sent to him.
"I only came here tonight for a bit of fun. It's the first time I've ever shown up to one of Rae's ballroom parties."
Something about the look in his eyes made Shikiyoku realize that her and Hiei's escape had been the only reason Uryo came at all. She had made a powerful ally without realizing it or truly understanding why.
Uryo bent down and planted a gentle kiss on Shikiyoku's cheek.
"You smell quite lovely." He pulled back to smile at her, his crimson eyes glittering, "What with that aura of energy and all. It's no wonder why many demons are looking jealously at us right now."
Uryo lifted a hand and pulled away from her to set her to a spin, releasing her completely.
Shikiyoku found it strange as she realized that none of Uryo's words held any sense of suggestiveness or desire in them.
This was a powerful ally indeed. 3
Hiei had watched the pair go, though his eyes were not able to stay trained on them as a demon or two approached, complementing their entrance and Shikiyoku's reappearance, commenting on how it was nice to have her return. He nodded graciously, as he figured was expected of him, then watched as the last demon turned to leave him.
He turned to the dance floor in time for Shikiyoku to call for him telepathically, though he didn't get far before another demon, a female, was standing before him.
"My, what a lovely dance, don't you think so? Your entrance was quite beautiful. How many years did it take for you to master this one?" She batted her long lashes at him and waved the fan in front of her face, as if thinking it were a coy thing to do.
Hiei answered her despite his feeling of being rushed, his expression that of patience. "Not as long as I'm sure you're thinking." he replied honestly, eyes flickering to the dance floor again in time to catch the beginnings of a twirl. It was now or never, he realized. If he didn't cut in, it was likely someone else would.
"Oh, he's modest as well! Perhaps you could accompany me soon, Champion?"
Hiei saw the demon near Shikiyoku, and before he could even make way for her, the male had her hand and was bowing, obviously asking for a dance. The fire demon felt his eye twitch, but his sight was lost on her as the crowd between himself and Shikiyoku thickened.
"Champion?"
He hadn't realized that he hadn't answered the woman. He turned to her, at first intending to turn her down, but another look at the crowd had him realizing he wouldn't get through alone. "I am available," he said, keeping the wariness from his tone with ease as he held out a hand.
Delighted, the woman eagerly set her clawed hand into his offered one, and with a few simple steps, they were maneuvering through the crowd, Hiei using his Jagan to track down Shikiyoku and easily guiding the demoness whichever way he so desired. "I'm Heidi," the demoness introduced with a bash of her lashes, and Hiei turned to meet her dark blue irises calmly. He did not offer his own name in response. It wasn't necessary. "You know, you're quite the rarity around these parts. A fire demon willingly staying in one place? Why?"
Hiei turned his eyes to the side, locking on Shikiyoku quickly. "Business is business, and if it calls for it, then staying in one place means very little to me." he replied casually, until he was almost running into Shikiyoku.
At this point, he spun his own dance partner and slid his free hand towards Shikiyoku, in an offer to take her hand while simultaneously offering his former partner to the male Shikiyoku had been stuck with.
"Apologies for the lateness. I was caught for a moment." *
"Hmph. Remind me to dock it from your pay." Shikiyoku replied loftily, her eyes reflecting none of the irritation her voice suggested as she settled back into his arms. 3
Hiei settled into the familiar rhythm of the song, making a point to move away from the disappointed pair of demons he'd swapped. His eyes met Shikiyoku's. "Hn. Perhaps you should pay me a bit better. I might feel obligated to do more." *
"And perhaps you should decide how exactly I'm supposed to be paying you." Shikiyoku shot back with the smallest hint of a grin twitching at her lips. 3
"Start with no more cities." He replied swiftly, his expression neutral, aside from the twitch at one corner of his lips. "We'll go from there." He gave way to a pause before his eyes wandered to find Uryo, who wasn't in immediate sight. "Well?" *
"But the next one is my favorite." Shikiyoku teased with a bit of a pout. "He came here for us. He's got something planned." 3
"Favorite or not, no." he replied just as quickly, his tone stern and gaze hard as he met her emerald one. But her next reply lightened the air around him just as quickly, and a sense of relief washed over him. It was much easier to have another for distractions, rather than himself creating the distraction and hoping Shikiyoku got away first. "Good." was all he said in response before falling silent again, figuring there would be a signal of some kind.
Hiei felt the subtle change in tempo of the music, and quickly settled back so Shikiyoku could lead for the beginnings of the new dance while he sifted for information again. *
Shikiyoku felt Hiei drop back into following her, and she absently led him for a moment, using the control to turn them around so that she could search for Uryo, but as soon as she spotted him, the dance required another turn and her back was to the demon. She frowned, but wondered what the demon could be up to.
~!**!~
"Your majesty, if I may be so bold." Uryo bowed to Rae and held out a hand.
Derrin let go of his queen's hands, taking her face in his and kissing her soundly before relinquishing her to Uryo.
Uryo took the turn with the rest of the company of dancers and slid the two of them back into the groove with practiced ease.
~!**!~
With the next turn, Shikiyoku could see Uryo now dancing with Rae, and watched as Derrin spotted her and began to approach.
"It has been too long, Shikiyoku." Derrin bowed to her once he reached she and Hiei. Shikiyoku stopped moving as he continued with, "Would you grace me once more with a dance?"
Shikiyoku knew that regardless of Hiei's feelings, which she had no clue of in one direction or the other, slighting the host of the evening would be a poor move. 3
Hiei sifted. And sifted. And sifted.
But his shuffling for the necessary information was cut short when he felt Shikiyoku pull to a stop, and immediately his eyes turned to Derrin, though Hiei acted as if he had known the male to have been there all along. He eyed the bowing male and, without so much as a pause despite his reluctance towards doing so, he released his remaining hold on Shikiyoku, aside from her hand, to which he offered to Derrin calmly by way of showing approval.
Not like he had much of a choice.
"I will be," Hiei paused as the female from before reappeared at his side, batting the same long lashes at him, "nearby," he finished before offering his hand to the same demoness. Hos Jagan shifted once more through Shikiyoku's mind, this time much quicker, and as soon as he found what he needed and stored it away, letting his body absorb it for him, he was being pulled to another section of the floor.
He resisted the urge to look back at Shikiyoku. *
Shikiyoku found a great deal of comfort in Derrin's frame as he easily carried them amongst the other dancers. This was a demon with whom she had many times before danced, and she knew him better than any other demon in the room.
"I have this distinct memory of you being much taller, seductress." Derrin quipped as they flowed along their path.
"And I have the same sort of feeling in regards to you being shorter, Derrin." Shikiyoku replied with ease, matching the glitter of amusement in the Prince's eyes.
In spite of that fact, or perhaps because of it, Shikiyoku meticulously began releasing more of her energy, bit by bit, so slowly as to not come under notice. She wanted some answers. And Derrin had provided her with the perfect opportunity to get some.
She did not speak up at first, letting the shimmer of power steadily settle over her eyes, and feeling her scalp tingle with energy.
"I have missed your scent." Derrin finally said once they had been around the floor once.
Shikiyoku took his words to be her sign.
"I have missed your dancing."
Derrin smiled softly at her.
"Is that all you have missed?"
"Of you? Of course." Her expression was coquettish.
Derrin let out a long-suffering sigh as if they'd had this conversation many times together in the past.
"What does Rae want with me, Derrin?"
A single eyebrow rose as he regarded her.
"The same thing she always wants from you?"
"Does she really feel her Household is in so much danger of being overthrown that my presence is necessary?"
"Things have changed a great deal since you left." Derrin said simply.
"I hate politics." Shikiyoku commented.
"Which is why you're so good at them."
As more of her energy silently invaded the area around them, Shikiyoku made sure to keep as much eye contact with Derrin as the demon would allow.
"What does she want with me?" She asked again, taking no notice of the fact that Derrin actually held her closer than before.
"Many things." Derrin replied crytically again, leaning his head down to her.
"Is she going to let me leave after the ball?"
"No." He shook his head slightly. "She has made arrangements that you should never leave again."
"Typical." Shikiyoku grumbled. "Why, though. That's what I want to know. What makes this time so different that she would send half a legion of her High Guard to fetch me?"
"It's her brother, he-" Derrin trailed off, appearing to take another deep breath of the air.
Shikiyoku felt this time his arms twitch as he held her, but she remained unconcerned, pushing him further.
"Rae has a brother?"
"You know him, he-" Another pause and Shikiyoku was pulled closer for another few steps. "You know him quite well."
"You're of no help, Derrin."
"Am I supposed to be?"
She did not answer for a moment.
"You know who he is." Derrin chided. "You've known since forever."
Shikiyoku frowned. 3
Hiei had been pulled much further away than he'd liked, but it didn't matter, because this dance quite literally had him around the entire floor, moving round and round like a machine. And all the while Heidi batted her lashes at him, made small talk of nothing of interest, and did a very fine job of forcing herself to be the lead.
He didn't know how to handle her.
Normally, he would have simply killed her by now.
"Don't you think so?"
Hiei turned his eyes down to meet her gaze again, raising a brow as if interested.
And she continued on just as if he had answered her. "I mean, my family, you can't tell we're all related because of how many fathers my mother has been with." She paused. "Your family must be a dangerous one, considering your level of power. Yours is higher than my own. She's lucky to have you, you know."
Hiei nodded once with as much patience as he could muster, no longer able to see Shikiyoku again. A moment of silence passed. He was thankful for it as he spun her again, crimson eyes searching for a reprieve and finding none.
"Oh, but him passing through caused so much chaos. Otento really does have a knack for causing trouble." She gave a sigh. "Do you enjoy making trouble? You have to, considering your line of work, I assume."
Hiei finally turned his eyes down to Heidi's and met her gaze and kept it, sneering. "Trouble? Do I enjoy it?" He paused, resisting the urge to scoff. "It finds me. Whether I enjoy it or not means no-"
His words stopped altogether. His pupils grew large and he stopped mid spin, hand releasing Heidi's, who turned to him with a look of alarm, as if she thought he had run away from her. "Champion?"
"Repeat what you said." he said in a low tone, which she didn't seem to catch as she only smiled nervously at him. It was obvious his sudden tension was not lost on her. "What you just said. Repeat it. Now."
A nervous laugh. "I asked if trouble was in your-"
"No. Before that. The name. Repeat it."
Her smile was gone now, and she blinked at the intensity behind his demanding glare. "Otento?"
He immediately turned to look for Shikiyoku, not finding her immediately thanks to the continuously moving crowd. They needed to leave. Now. *
When Derrin felt a tap on his shoulder, he paused mid-step, but did not turn from Shikiyoku.
"I must get my dances in while I can, prince."
Shikiyoku realized it was Uryo attempting to cut in, and she also realized it wasn't likely that Derrin would give her up so easily, but she slowly lowered her arms anyway, aware of the fact that Derrin's two different colored eyes did not leave her face.
"You had your dance, Uryo." Derrin murmured.
"And I shall have it again, boy." Uryo's voice took on just enough of an edge that Derrin looked up and appeared to resign himself to the inevitable.
Without warning, Derrin swept Shikiyoku into his arms and kissed her, leaving Uryo standing in front of them having to resist rolling his eyes.
When the kiss lasted longer than was prudent, Uryo put a hand on either shoulder of the pair in front of him.
"That's quite enough of that, thank you." He gently peeled Derrin away and turned Shikiyoku to face him, taking her off before Derrin could do anything else in the moment.
"Spoilsport." Shikiyoku stuck her tongue impetuously out at Uryo as they danced away.
The dance changed to yet another, though this was closer in tempo to the slower waltz of the very first one, and Uryo made the adjustment masterfully.
"You didn't really wish to bed the queen's prince-consort, did you?" He raised an eyebrow at her and the mass of energy he could see wafting around her.
Shikiyoku just narrowed her eyes at him in turn.
Uryo moved on, "Tell your Champion to cut in again. Everything is in place. When things start heating up, head down that hallway." Uryo let his eyes lift to indicate an area that he then spun Shikiyoku around to see. "I'll clear your path."
Shikiyoku hadn't spotted Hiei and she reached out to where she still felt him connected to her.
"Hiei?" 3
Hiei, after a moment of fruitless searching, turned back to the nervous demoness. "When did he pass through last?"
"Um, a week ago?" she replied with a flighty wave of her hand. "But it's just one demon, what does it-"
"Is he to return?"
"He passes through every so often. I think he's supposed to come back through sometime this week or the next?"
The information was ended more like a question, but Hiei didn't want to chance any more than that. Suddenly, he was leaning forward, calm demeanor shattered and replaced with an intense glare. "Your information, how credible is it?"
"Well, the barkeep across town-"
With that, the fire demon was moving away from her, making sure to reach out with his Jagan and erase the conversation from the demoness' mind altogether, momentarily breaking contact with Shikiyoku before reinstating it again, in time to not only see her, but to approach in a flash, just as her call echoed through his mind. His calm demeanor had returned, though it was more dutiful than before, and he nodded once at Uryo before offering his hand again to Shikiyoku.
It was a good thing Uryo was assisting. Had Hiei learned of Otento's passing through and not been able to get out, it likely would have been ugly.
Then again, they were not out yet.
"I'm cutting in." he said tartly, though in a way that did not disrespect the larger demon. *
Uryo noticed the change, but said nothing of it.
"Of course you are, Champion." He slid Shikiyoku easily back into Hiei's awaiting stance before moving off and disappearing.
Shikiyoku looked after the other demon for a moment longer before turning back to this second set of crimson eyes and frowning at him and his tenseness, hardly noticing that her energy had picked up on that fact and had started to weave around him in a subconscious attempt to relax whatever had stirred Hiei's ire.
"Hiei?" She inquired quietly, seeing the far off look in his eyes. 3
Hiei, despite having cut in and taken Shikiyoku into his own hands, had retreated inward, to concentrate on his Jagan and search not only the room, but the entire palace for the threat that could very well be nearby, if the demon had decided to show early. He saw no sign of the blonde-haired, purple-eyed demon male, but again, he knew that meant next to nothing.
Shikiyoku's voice pierced his concentration and he returned to the present, returned to the room of dancing demons, and returned to the gaze that had met his as soon as he'd taken over.
And after a moment's silence, he felt his body relax, almost as if it were an instinct around her. Causing distress for her as well would do no good.
"For now, it's unimportant," he replied, tone low out of precaution as his eyes left her gaze briefly, only to trail right back. He suddenly decided he wouldn't tell her. Not here, anyway. Not in front of so many watching eyes. His expression shifted to that of a genuine calm, and his spine straightened as if he suddenly had a job to do: to appear as he had before.
But still, the overwhelming need to leave as quickly as possible lingered, just behind the calm, and while it wasn't shown, it didn't diminish either, no matter whatever outside force was working at calming his nerves.
Pick it up, Uryo. *
Shikiyoku made a mental note to ask Hiei about it later, because before she could open her mouth to question him again, a loud shriek pierced the air and the music came to a sudden halt, all the dancers dropping their partners and starting to back away from an area of the floor.
Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Shikiyoku paused for a second to look the direction from which the cry came.
It was the queen and the prince who were the center of attention, and Derrin was backing up, wide-eyed, away from Rae, whose beautiful blue gown had caught fire and was rapidly burning from the bottom up as the flames hungrily consumed her dress and left no ashes behind.
Shikiyoku now let her hands fall from where she and Hiei had still been poised to dance, maintaining a hold on the one he held as she did so. She slowly began backing away much like the others, fighting the urge to turn and run full-tilt as it would likely draw attention. Her motives were more precise than the other patrons in the room as she meant to get closer to the hall Uryo had indicated.
As the entire company watched, Rae's purple eyes were flecked with tears of pain, her long, white-blonde hair getting caught up in the demonic fire, but she maintain her composure after her first initial outburst, and seemed to gather herself as the dress shortened near her knees.
With little warning, a black pulse of energy radiated outwards from her body, concealing herself from view, and as it expanded briefly the entire Grand Hall fell within the shadow of it.
That was the moment Shikiyoku turned and burst out of the room, taking the moment of darkness as cover to make their escape into the hallway she hoped Uryo had cleared, keeping a hold of Hiei's hand so that they would not lose each other in the opportunity.
They burst out from the line of power that was just now starting to recede, and Shikiyoku kept moving down the hallway.
She didn't dare pause to look back, though her eyes took in the fallen members of the High Guard that lined the pair's path with bodies.
Raising her gaze, Shikiyoku could not see what exactly had the guard further down falling seemingly without reason off his feet, and it was only when Uryo suddenly came to a stop several paces beyond said guard, at a fork in the hall, that she realized she literally was unable to track his movements as he took out the guards before they likely knew he was there.
Uryo moved to step down the right hallway and before his foot had touched the ground, he blinked out of sight again, leaving Shikiyoku with eyebrows raised.
"He drinks to slow himself down." She suddenly realized as she and Hiei kept running down the long hallway. That was why he hadn't smelled quite so potent tonight, and it explained what she considered the 'ticks' of his body, like his eyes moving too fast and his steps almost double-time to the music when they danced.
And even as this realization dawned, she also suddenly understood that this was not his highest speed, for his breath had still smelled of drink.
"A powerful ally indeed." 3
Hiei had paused and turned just as Shikiyoku had, his eyes taking in the sight of the queen among the crowd and the flames that licked at her dress. The energy from them was not unlike his own, and he could feel the energy moving, pulsating, as if it were his own. Though, he knew for certain that it was not his power.
He took this as the first, more subtle cue, and as he realized the crowds were moving, Hiei too began to move, not needing the prompting from Shikiyoku. He stayed a little away from her, however, to shield view of her from Derrin, should the prince or queen decide to look over.
But in the next second, darkness overwhelmed him. He reacted a second after Shikiyoku, turning and following after her while his Jagan quickly confirmed that there was no obstacle in their way.
In fact, when his Jagan assessed the hall, he had to blink, and when he was actually in the hallway, he was blinking again. There was a blur, though a very discreet one that even he had trouble catching, were it not for his Jagan, but before he could utilize his third eye to witness what was actually happening, Uryo paused at the end of the hallway, answering his question before turning and again disappearing.
The amount of respect that welled up for the demon was more than he'd ever felt towards another- aside his partner in previous crimes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized the same thing Shikiyoku had, came to the same conclusion that Uryo was much faster than this, and his drinking slowed him down.
It explained much about the demon.
"Indeed," Hiei replied before he took the lead, switching so that he held her wrist as he picked up his speed, testing how fast she herself could go.
If she could keep up, he'd run a full speed. If she couldn't, he'd simply carry her. *
Shikiyoku's ears were trained on the commotion behind them, unsure if their escape was truly going to be this 'easy.' As soon as Rae or Derrin realized she was no longer with them, they would give chase. Whether within the next second or the next minute remained as of yet to be seen, for Shikiyoku heard no sound of pursuit from behind them.
She felt Hiei's grip on her change and he started to speed up.
An out of place smile fluttered across her lips and for a second, Hiei's image became interposed with a blurry image of her second Champion, and all she could remember was him turning to give a roguish smile back to her, but then Hiei's speed picked up again, passed what any other she knew-save Uryo-could accomplish, and the image shattered, leaving her smiling at the back of Hiei's head.
Sensing that Hiei would keep pushing as fast as she could go, Shikiyoku knew her dexterity of movement in the gown would only go so far.
Without hesitation, Shikiyoku reached for a portion of the fabric at her waist and ripped it, continuing to tug until the skirt of the dress was completely torn from the upper part, revealing the fact that she had wisely kept on the black pants of her previous outfit.
She did not release the skirt from her clutching hand, knowing that dropping it would give away her escape, but wishing it would burn away or something.
The jewels around her throat and dangling from her ears glowed and Shikiyoku's fingers reflexively dropped the skirt as it started to grow warmer in her grasp, disappearing in a burst of fire behind them. 3
Hiei didn't look back at Shikiyoku when he heard a ripping sound. He merely understood that she was making it easier for herself to keep up, and with that, his speed increased even further, his eyes on the falling guards ahead as Uryo continued making a path.
He'd have to remember to repay the demon sometime, if he ever had the chance to do so.
Perhaps Koenma would lend a helping hand once they returned.
Again, Uryo paused at another fork in the hall, just long enough for Hiei to see which direction he was going before he took off again. By this time, Hiei could feel his feet moving as if they weren't even touching the ground, his speed almost being entirely utilized, and still the guards continued to fall more than just a few meters ahead of himself and Shikiyoku.
He could feel Shikiyoku's body resisting, his top speed much greater than her own, and he slowed for a mere millisecond, tugged at her arm, and pulled Shikiyoku's small frame into his arms, one arm under her knees and the other under her back as he glanced at her briefly, flashing a smirk, before his eyes turned forward and his feet moved with his ultimate speed again.
So far, so good, it seemed. *
Shikiyoku did not resist when Hiei picked her up, but the slightest hint of a growl rumbled silently in her chest as she quickly pulled off the jacket she wore and then reached up to wrap her arms about his neck, narrowing her eyes playfully at his smirk before huffing a breath of disdain and sticking her nose in the air.
Uryo paused again, feeling out the area and having to resist just blasting a hole through the palace to make the exit that much simpler. He gritted his teeth a little, feeling his body begin to complain at being still, but waiting half a second longer so that he was sure the pair behind him could still follow.
He should have had more to drink, he thought ruefully. He was having to painstakingly hold his speed back or else risk moving so fast that he did manage to walk through the walls by accident. And leave the two behind him without a path to boot.
Luckily, it did not take much longer to get outside, the morning of the ninth level dawning around them.
Allowing himself this one moment, Uryo nearly teleported himself to the gate in the blink of an eye, two miles from the exit of the palace. The path was a straight one, and he came to a stop about a mile out of the city limits, starting to bounce slightly from one foot back to the other as he waited as patiently as he could for Hiei and Shikiyoku to join him. 3
Hiei followed, his feet moving until he was outside. The morning sun made him blink once as he glanced around, Uryo nowhere in sight, but after that brief hesitation, he was moving again, his Jagan feeding him the information he'd needed in the split second he'd paused.
As he ran, he became more aware of happenings around him. While there weren't many demons out, most of them turned to look in his direction, eyes wide as if unsure of what had just moved by them. And, even as he passed a few more buildings, he began feeling as if he needed to move faster. As if he were now being pursued.
He didn't check. He merely pushed his legs to move faster, leaning forwards and ducking his head so that he minimized wind resistance and was able to speed up even more. A frown set over his lips as he pulled to a halt in front of Uryo, not yet letting Shikiyoku down onto her own feet, in case whoever was now pursuing him were able to catch up.
"What next?" *
Uryo's eyes never stopped moving about, even when Hiei came to a stop, and instead of answer the question as he opened his mouth, his eyes alighted on the gems Shikiyoku wore.
"Fire rubies?" He exclaimed a tad too excitedly, "Where did you get them? She probably has them tracked, you know."
When Uryo held out his hand, Shikiyoku removed the necklace and earrings and placed them in his palm.
The jewelry started to glow in his hand and Shikiyoku raised an eyebrow.
"You know, of course," She started, "That they're completely resistant to-"
The flames that had started to lick about the red gems burst in intensity, then a second time, and then disappeared.
Uryo wiggled his fingers.
"Everything melts eventually." He stared down at his fingers. "Just have to get it hot enough!"
In the next blink, Uryo stood where Hiei and Shikiyoku had been, and had pulled Hiei into the place where Uryo had stood before that blink.
A ringing sound tore through the relative silence of the area around them and when Shikiyoku came to realize that they had been moved, she saw Uryo had his sword out and had come to clash with a very put-out Rae, her dress shriveled to her thighs, her hair singed and a wild look in her purple eyes.
Her fists were tight, and over one hand were three blade-like claws which were now stuck around Uryo's sword, her other fist as if in the start of an uppercut held in his other hand.
"You probably want to leave now." Uryo told Hiei calmly.
"He's not taking her!"
"You're not stopping him."
A growl broke past Rae's lips and she pulled back, twisting her the clawed hand in an attempt to disarm Uryo. He deftly snapped his hand to the left and pulled the sword out from below the claws, changing his hold on the weapon so that he could bring it around and back between two of the claws, jerking Rae closer as he saw her shift her weight to get at the other two.
He calmly turned his head from Rae to regard the pair next to him.
"You'll probably have to wait another few centuries before she forgets this. I wouldn't suggest coming back in the meantime." 3
Hiei had been moved, he knew. He had seen nothing more than a very brief change in the space where Uryo had been standing, and then before he knew it, he himself was standing in the very place the larger demon had been, watching the clashing of blades that was enough to create a flying spark. He adjusted his hold on Shikiyoku so that it was a much firmer grasp, shifting her so that she was closer to his body, already planning on making a break for it.
Except…
He caught the glint in Rae's purple eyes, the maniacal, crazy gleam of a panicked demon losing its prey that had continuously slipped her grasp.
And the glare made his entire body freeze. He knew Uryo had prompted him to leave. He knew that He should have been long gone by now. But the glare, the stance of the female was too familiar, and in his mind, her face was replaced with another.
His jaw set and the reaction within him was proving to be the most difficult urge to control, likely in his entire lifetime. His hands flexed in his hold of Shikiyoku, his stance shifted as he resisted grabbing his blade and simply beheading the woman. The kin of Otento, who quite obviously shared more than just her looks with the despised male.
End the problem. Now, before it becomes worse, one part of his brain whispered.
Go. the other shouted.
His jaw clenched even tighter, the muscles in his cheeks standing out and adding to the narrowing of his eyes to create a very deadly expression, though the gleam of contemplation in his eyes was even brighter.
Was it worth it?
Fight.
Run. Let Uryo handle it.
His mind was at war.
"I wouldn't suggest coming back in the meantime," Uryo finished, bringing Hiei forth from his inner debate, his inner emotions that left him completely and utterly still. Instincts battled wits. Emotions fought strategy. But he couldn't bring his eyes away from the feral queen, who he now could only really see as Otento. How had he not noticed before?
A snarl rumbled in his chest, and surprisingly even to him, his body turned to go the opposite way than his instincts were driving him.
Whatever had caused him to move, he wouldn't ever know. *
Shikiyoku seemed utterly unsurprised by Rae's outburst, though she felt Hiei tensing underneath her and refused to let his concern interpose on her calm.
Instead, as the fire demon silently fought a battle Shikiyoku felt aware of on some level or another, she took a breath and let the energy that had been floating around her since she danced with Derrin release into the space around her and Hiei, weaving silently in the air with each deep breath she took, curling around her Champion.
She is not a threat. She can do us no harm.
Shikiyoku knew also that killing off the leader of the highest and largest household in the ninth level would create aftereffects that Hiei had absolutely no awareness of.
When Hiei turned to go with a growl, Shikiyoku said nothing, did nothing, but sit there in his arms.
Rae attempted to pursue them, but was stopped each time before she started by Uryo, who calmly drove her back towards the city step by step.
Realizing she'd been beaten, Rae gnashed her teeth and leapt back from Uryo, pulling her hands back and then jamming them forward, releasing a giant, black orb of energy that shot off towards the backs of Hiei and Shikiyoku.
Uryo felt his core skip a beat, and he slowly turned his head to follow the blast as it whipped past his shoulder, completely unable to sense the energy, even though his eyes told him it was there.
Rae stood looking smug, staring after the retreating pair.
"Shit." Uryo breathed through clenched teeth as he turned.
Uryo sheathed his sword, feeling the entire world slowing around him as he dashed off after the orb, having no way to warn the others and knowing they would not be able to sense or hear it coming.
Maybe he shouldn't have drank as much as he had.
Uryo ducked his head farther and felt his skin begin to buzz with his speed, molecules protesting. He gritted his teeth as he caught up to the orb, but could not at his current rate pass it.
The sudden sobriety of the life or death moment flushed more alcohol from his system and he slowly started to overtake the blast, but wondered if it was too late, seeing the escaping pair approaching much too fast for his liking.
Feeling as if his skin might start peeling back from his muscles at any moment, Uryo lengthened his stride and finally inched past the gigantic orb.
With two quick steps, he had caught up to Hiei and turned so that his shoulder shoved against the fire demon, pushing Hiei forward, twisting around and bringing up his hands to take the full force of the blast.
The energy slammed him against Hiei's back, sending the fire demon dashing forward much faster than before even as Uryo started to dig his feet into the ground to slow the orb's progression.
Clenching his jaw, Uryo felt Hiei against his back and shifted his hands so that only his right was between them and the orb consuming them, and within the next second, he had brought his left hand up with his sword and as he unsheathed the weapon, slashed the blast away from them, coming to a sudden halt as its pressure left, and then dashing forward again as he saw that Rae had not been content with just the one ball of power.
Two more had followed in quick succession once she realized what Uryo meant to do, and the demon dashed back towards her, slashing through the energy and sending it hurtling through the air as he ran in the opposite direction of Hiei and Shikiyoku to intercept the other blasts. 3
Hiei hadn't gotten too far before the hairs on the back of his neck arose, telling him of a pursuer, just before another body rammed into his, sending his feet almost scrambling to adjust to this new speed that he'd never accomplished before now. Instinctively, he ducked his head and made his body almost smaller, his back against the other's telling him that he hadn't been pursued, but helped.
He didn't look back to see whatever it was that had caused Uryo's presence so near. He simply continue to adjust to this new, odd feeling that washed over him with the new speed that was almost hindered by his outfit, the coat catching the air around his hips and billowing out, almost catching on Uryo before the demon broke away from his back. Surprisingly, the fire demon continued on at this speed, his feet having adjusted accordingly and his instincts now taking over, instincts telling him to get a move on before the situation became too sticky.
He glanced back now, silently thanking Uryo for the help before turning forward again, narrowed eyes and keen gaze watching everything pass by him as nothing more than a constant blur of movement as he passed by. *
Shikiyoku felt the change in speed, felt Hiei falter to adjust before picking up his stride again, and she did glance up to spy Uryo's back against Hiei's, the older demon between them and certain death, his long black hair whipping wildly against the pressure of the orb whose color she knew belonged to Rae.
And in the next instant, Uryo was gone again, the orb sent hurtling upwards into the sky.
The black color reminded Shikiyoku of something as she let her eyes follow the path of the orb for a second before turning back to duck her head against Hiei's neck and her body heaved slightly in a withheld bark of laughter as she remembered something Rae had said about Otento long ago.
Little brother always was a pain in the ass. 3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star