A/N: Hello once again, Denizens of the FanFiction Realm!
As I mentioned in the last chapter, the scene that continues first here with Shikiyoku/Hiei is one of my favorite among the earlier part of the series.
I'm trying to decide if the number of chapter might be overwhelming to a newcomer and if I should at some point in the near future start a new story (like a Part Two sort of thing) and make this like a series... Feel free to chime in with thoughts if you have any in that regard!
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!
As Shikiyoku and Hiei head for The Palace,
Shikiyoku feels more strongly the compulsion placed up on her by her mother,
when she was barely a toddler, to flee the lands and never return.
Apparently the mesmer has lasted up to this day,
and it continues to interfere with the pair's progress
right up to the point where she appears to slam headlong into an invisible wall,
which sets her nose bleeding, and then begins running in the opposite direction.
At that point, Hiei catches her and hops high up into a nearby tree,
keeping a solid grip on her and demanding to know the problem.
They begin converse via telepathy and the Jagan
as Shikiyoku's speech is being hindered by her bleeding.
It is then that Hiei learns about the story behind Shikiyoku leaving her homeland,
finding that their pasts were more similar than he might have imagined.
It is at that point Hiei finally reveals his dissatisfaction for her continually referring to herself as useless,
arguing that a demon with the ability to bind entire tribes together can be nothing but the opposite.
~!**!~
Akari questioned Foko about what might have happened between the two of them
had Akari taken Otento up on his offer and joined the rebellion. He admits he doesn't know.
Akari goes to school the next day and receives her homework,
which she works on that night until the next day.
She is beginning to lose control of her shadow powers,
and it's only by the interference of Kurama-
who has a plant pull on the fire alarm so he can drag Akari out of the school-
that no one else notices.
After they get outside, Kurama questions her on how long she's been without sleep.
Akari's attention was pulled away from Kyu for the moment, and though she couldn't actually see Kurama behind the first, she focused on his question. Her brow raised slightly and her eyes turned to the sky as she began calculating just how long she'd gone without sleep.
Well, there was the day with Foko, and the day after… That's 36… Plus yesterday… uh… fifty? Is that right? A frown pulled her lips down slightly. Plus now….
She finally gave up and shrugged, earning a peel of laughter from Kyu who promptly skirted away from her glare, shuffling to the side to stand near Sensui, whose expression was not very impressed with the situation. "Forty eight hours plus the twelve of the day before. Sixty. Plus the three hours since the sun's risen. Sixty-three hours without sleep, as of this moment."
Akari turned her eyes to Kurama finally with another shrug. "Sixty-three hours." She answered in a tone of mild annoyance. "Not something I haven't done before, though it's a bit different this time…"
"Yeah, you have both of us here to keep you company Sweetheart!"
"Though his company is unwanted."
Both of your companies are unwanted.
"Harsh." *
That explained...a lot.
Kurama heard the doors of the school start to open behind him and started to move towards the gates of the schoolyard, murmuring to Akari as he passed.
"If you don't want others to notice the-" He had been planning on saying something about her appearance, but quickly inserted another option, "Aura of power that you have going on around you, you might want to step away."
He did not feel like he was in a place to order her to go home and take rest, though if he had his way, that was exactly what he would do, and likely carry her there himself just to make sure the order was followed.
Hearing the girls of the school begin to talk excitedly about him, and knowing they would probably take the opportunity to mob him in the meantime, Kurama picked up his pace in an attempt to make it perfectly clear that he wished to be away from them, and went ahead and ducked out of the gates to the school, leaning up against the wall on the outside where he would be out of sight.
~!**!~
In her mind, the dance-the ritual, really-was not a tool used to bring tribes together. It had been born out of a sort of necessity, a product of her first Champion's genius-a term used begrudgingly at the thought of the cruel male, but no less truthful-in energy manipulation and fashioned by her, so that she might live. Be given food and drink and a place to lay her head at night, which was all her first Champion desired. A creation formed with a purpose, at the demand and tutelage of another, but not directly with the end result of binding in mind.
All of this Shikiyoku could feel Hiei picking up from her forethoughts, and she found herself spiraling in another direction with a sudden tension accompanied by more embarrassment with the admission.
In the end, the dance had held another purpose entirely, besides what had been ordered into place, out of the awareness of her first Champion-Shikiyoku desperately tried to turn her thoughts elsewhere-and became a source of solace in which she could secretly commune with those who held no hostility or malice or ulterior motives towards her, since she was all but neglected by the first Champion and his jealousness that kept her away from any other. And when the dance did not work, did not bring her together with one such as what she sought, it left her feeling useless, for the dance would then be useless to her, left her feeling as if it was her fault for not having danced well enough to bring to her someone to even simply talk to. 3
Hiei paid very close attention to the impressions he found being passed to himself, his mind grasping at each and every emotion that seemed to pass by her mind's eye. The images of her dancing, and then talking with another afterwards, made him realized he'd missed the actual point of what Shubou had been talking about. Shikiyoku had not been searching for a lover, as he'd assumed from the name of the dance, but for a companion. A source of… company, a source of comfort and consolation.
And suddenly, he was very, very aware of her hands on his wrists, of the place where her forehead touched his, just missing the open Jagan that stared at her and continued to send him images. Images he didn't pay any mind to at the moment.
At the realization of the meaning behind the ritualistic dance Shikiyoku had created, the realization of his own presence following the dance came with it. Had that been why he'd been so drawn to her? Why he had considered joining in the dance?
After a moment, Hiei's mind simply took to doing whatever it pleased, the Jagan taking over and copying the feeling of her hands on his wrist sending warmth over his skin and taking that impression, sending it to the one who had earned its attention.
The Jagan made sure that she could feel what he felt, as if she were in his stead and looking down at her. The calm serenity from her fingers around his wrist, the warmth of her forehead just touching his.
And then the image that Hiei had ignored.
The image of her energy reaching out to him, followed by the image of Hiei following her through the crowd, ignoring each and every demon who had called to him without his notice.
And with those images, the bond seemed to hum within their contact, singing almost with joy at the revelation.
~!**!~
This time when Akari's eyes turned cold and her lips turned down into a scowl, it was intentionally aimed at Kurama as he passed by. His words reminded her of Nabu nagging at her, constantly reminding her that she hadn't slept and that he felt she needed to do so.
But she didn't move towards him until he had disappeared behind the wall, at which point her irritation had turned to mild anger. You have no right. Not you too. Akari turned, ignoring the chatter of the students behind her, and followed the trail Kurama had made, passing through the gates and turning, passing by him on her way to….
Anywhere but here.
She paused in front of him, cutting her eyes at him from the corners and scowling at him. "I don't need your insight, fox."
With that, she turned resumed her steps and continued on, hands brushing at her skirt as she remembered she had no pockets.
And she held no bag.
She didn't even pause to consider going back for the object. At the moment, it meant nothing to her. It would be there tomorrow, should she decide to give this another attempt.
In the meantime, she'd go find a spot where she could simply sit and do absolutely nothing. *
Kurama flinched visibly after she kept walking, eyes casting down towards the ground.
Rationally, of course, she did. Since she appeared to have no sense about how much she radiated her power from her body. He wondered at the hallucinations she must have been having by this time, and how her illusory powers would mix in and make them seem that much more real.
He immediately pushed himself off the wall and took to following her, not particularly caring if she noticed, though she was far enough away at this point that he couldn't be sure.
He was not about to let her go wandering the streets of the city with that much power at her disposal while in a sleepless daze.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku gasped, a small sound that would have gone unnoticed had their minds not been so closely intertwined with one another, for the emotion that accompanied the sharp intake of breath and her eyes flying open rang clearly in her head.
Her mind's vision doubled for a moment, becoming both herself standing in Hiei's strength as well as the demon himself who radiated that strength, feeling her hands at his wrists, but also the wrists themselves, and the absolute calm that the gesture held.
The dance hadn't been useless. What she needed, what she desired with every fiber of her existence was standing before her in the form of a fiery demon. In the form of her Champion.
A blip of thought, which went unnoticed, maintained her viewpoint of still feeling useless as a general rule, but the overwhelming astonishment at having found something she had long searched for being in front of her the whole time completely undermined the momentary uselessness.
And at the understanding, in a welling up of relief and surprise and other emotions she had no name for in that moment, a small breath of laughter escaped her lips as she closed her eyes again. 3
Hiei's own mind had finally clasped onto the understanding of what the Jagan had been sending to Shikiyoku, and after a moment, his eyes slid closed again to take in the images it had lifted from his own mind, watching them as well from its odd viewpoint. It was as if he were watching from another's perspective at that moment, and it was the oddest thing he'd experienced as of yet.
And then the images faded, leaving Hiei with Shikiyoku's overwhelming emotions that left him simply…. existing within her mind, not saying anything and making no reaction whatsoever, observing silently even as she chuckled.
And after a moment, he remembered the reason he'd established this contact, and he searched her mind for a moment, looking for the power she had been fighting off curiously.
Was it still there..?
~!**!~
As she slinked her way along the sidewalk, Akari considered going home, meeting with Nabu and-
No. She wouldn't do that. Not after this morning, when he'd hid under the blankets from her. Plus, he'd simply continue on as he had for the past two days, reminding her with almost every waking moment that she hadn't slept a wink and that he wanted her to stay inside the dusty home and have nightmares.
The thought had a chill running up her spine.
Again her hands searched for pockets, and again she found none and gave a very loud sound of impatience.
"The park is quiet around this time." Kyu suddenly piped, voicing a thought that had passed fleetingly at the forefront of her mind.
"As is the gym." Sensui quipped.
Akari ignored the both of them, moving silently until she was inside the park gates of her favorite place, pausing only briefly to rub at her temples. Which way was it again?
Her feet finally continued moving, without her direction this time, and she found that her pace was much, much slower than normal, even as she released a yawn.
"...much less aware of your surroundings now, aren't ya?"
This voice was unfamiliar at first, but the words were not. She didn't turn to look behind her, figuring whoever it was would simply leave her be if she ignored them enough, as Kyu and Sensui seemed to do.
"It's only been, what, three days? You can't be getting weaker now. There's still much I have planned for you."
This time, the chill that raced up her spine was one of recognition, but her mind and body continued moving forward, ignoring the newcomer anyway. It wasn't as if she were there. He was simply a part of her overactive imagination, a product of her sleepless nights and exhausted mind. She knew that.
But when she blinked and then rubbed her eyes, she felt the change this time. As if she were dropping into one of her own illusions, except…
Less controlled.
And the scene she dropped into was just as colorless as Kyu, telling her instantly she was engulfed in another memory.
"There you go. Now you're responding as you should be. Keep that up and you may get a gold star of achievement." The snicker that filled the room was one of dark amusement that had her stomach rolling, coiling up and threatening getting sick. But it wouldn't have mattered. Her stomach was empty anyway.
~!**!~
His nose touched the ground as he walked, tail drooping as well as his ears to create a reluctant air of worry. Akari had left this morning despite his protest, had even been harsh in shooting down his concern, leaving without even saying her normal goodbye. He'd pouted for a bit before Nabu had decided to follow after her.
He'd followed her trail up to the school, noted that students were filing back into the large building before he turned away and backtracked, this time taking the only route he had a feeling she'd take around this time.
Except, he managed a shortcut.
Nabu ran along the concrete, between buildings and around pedestrians along the sidewalks as he made his way towards Akari's favorite spot, the place he knew she would go for peace and quiet. But she wasn't there.
His nose lifted higher into the air, sniffing momentarily until he did find traces of her scent on the wind, to which he followed until he was walking up to the female, who stood stock still in the middle of the play area, no other person in sight. "Akari!" he barked once, confused by her glazed-over eyes and withdrawn expression. When she gave no response, he barked her name out again, louder this time.
And then he was scurrying out of the way, tail tucked and ears down as she simply fell. There was no other way for him to describe it, really. He stared at her still frame for a minute, nose twitching as he sniffed at the air, not paying any mind to the moving shadows around her and the feeling of being watched.
"...'kari?"
And then she was throwing an arm at him, barely missing his head as he ducked out of the way of the strike. A growl escaped her, a sound of desperation, he knew. He whined once at her, earning a forceful command of him to leave, her tone demanding and tone low.
And then the dog was moving, turning tail and deciding he'd go find the one person he felt could fix this.
Flowers. *
Kurama let Akari get more of a lead on him, finally deciding that he really didn't wish for her to know he was there should she happen to turn back.
So he stalled for a moment or two along one of the sidewalk vendors, feeling his stomach give a lively churn at the smell of the food that wafted from their wares.
He exchanged currency for a meal and then took to following after Akari's trail while he ate, lazily keeping track of the energy signature he could read somewhere up in front of him, making sure that it did not grow any stronger as he tailed her.
~!**!~
At the release of her chuckle, so to did Shikiyoku's energy release in a silent eruption around her, rolling off of her skin whose prickling she felt singing excitedly inside her mind, and wafting through her hair which shimmered and gleamed in the waves of power as it also tingled at her scalp.
Like when she had stood in the clearing trying to break through Toriko's wall to free her true form, the energy swirled up into the air, but unlike that time, it appeared to come from both her and Hiei, including him in the eye of the storm of intensity.
The compulsion set in place by her own mother had become only a whisper by that time, and this sudden burst of demonic energy shattered through the spell that had unknowingly cursed Shikiyoku throughout her entire existence, beckoning in that moment she had only wondered about before: that moment where she had finally surpassed her mother's strength.
Humming about her from head to toe, still pulsing into the air around them, the energy thrilled through her and Shikiyoku tilted her head up just enough, still keeping her forehead in contact with Hiei, to let the tip of her nose nudge gently, affectionately, against the Champion's.
"Thank you." For many things. But mostly for simply being there. Standing with her and lending her his strength. For his touch, which sent more sparks of power from her body. Her gratitude, her joy, was almost palatable in her mind, aiming appreciation not only so that Hiei might feel the depth of it which sprang from her very soul, but also at the Jagan and the role it had played in that moment.
The two words she spoke into his head did not seem to do the feeling justice. 3
As if in response to her influx of power, the sudden rush of his own energy sent Hiei's mind reeling, his skin crawling and his body seeming to hum with the amount of power that not only surged from himself, but from the one whose face he still held between his hands. His energy was released in a way that could only be described as an explosion, except, for once, his energy was not destroying things. In fact, he felt as if the warmth that radiated around them had nothing to do with flame or anger, as his energy was normally associated, but with…
Happiness?
Relief, in the very least, as he felt the snap of Shikiyoku's energy against the hold that had been placed on her consciousness. And the emotions he felt, the extreme amount of gratitude that was being directed at himself seemed to fuel his own energy into flying higher in the air, creating a dance around hers in swirls and streams.
The absolute feeling of his energy being free, and not destroying things…
It was a feeling unlike any other, and he felt his awe slipping underneath the tide of emotions Shikiyoku was sending, and for once, the unknown contact that she issued was not exactly something he found himself uncomfortable with. In fact, he rather… enjoyed it in the moment.
And he just couldn't find any words to respond to her with.
~!**!~
Nabu ran, nose up in the air and taking in large puffs of the wind that blew by. For a single moment, he paused, turning in circles around and around on the street corner, eyes searching the moving crowd of people on errands or whatever it was they were up to.
He made a small sound in his throat before turning and tearing off again, this time in the direction of the school again.
It wasn't long before he found the scent he needed. His claws made pitter-pattering sounds on the concrete aa he lowered his head, no longer needed to follow a trail as he'd figured the male was heading this way. It was such a convenient thing that he almost thought he'd end up running into the wrong Flowers.
But when the male came into sight, Nabu let loose a bark that called out his name, not even slowing until he had to skid to a stop at the other's feet, at which point he began jumping, planting his front paws on the shins of Flowers before dropping to the ground and doing frantic circles, knowing that if he just got the male's attention… *
Kurama lifted his head from the food he'd been enjoying, continuing his slow meander in the direction Akari, when he heard a bark whose timbre rang familiarly in his ear, and suddenly Nabu had jumped on his legs, turning around and around as if chasing his own tail.
"Nabu-" Kurama started, opening with the intention of greeting the dog warmly, but his eyes shot in the direction that Akari had disappeared in, and without another word, he took off running, sensing the concern in the dog's presence.
He had not felt an immediate change in Akari's energy, but that didn't mean something else hadn't happened, and he dashed through the park, letting his demonic senses lead him to her.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku's breath had steadied, her nose no longer dripping blood, and she finally opened her eyes, looking into Hiei's face and finding that she wore a small smile on her lips.
With their minds so closely linked, there was nothing at the forefront of her thoughts that she could keep to herself, though she did try to reign in her happiness, which she realized was likely overwhelming to anyone but her.
It didn't change the fact that it was still there, and the portion of the pact that she had access to thrummed in time with the one she could feel within Hiei, making her release another quiet chuckle as she watched his face. 3
Hiei felt the Jagan pulse with energy of its own once, twice, three times before it seemed to have had enough of this for one day, and after a few moments, the third eyes was closed, lost in slumber and leaving Hiei with his mind now linked to hers by his own power, seeming to quiet the amount of energy he felt from Shikiyoku and the amount of cheer that he could sense within his own mind. Her near-silent laughter had him pulling away after a moment, realizing that he hadn't moved a single inch since having grabbed at her cheeks.
His arms dropped to his sides and his eyes suddenly cast downward, to the ground that was at least thirty feet down. He made a small sound of amusement. How had he forgotten how high up they were?
"One step this way or that, and we would have been falling to our deaths."
Of course, this was not true, as the fire demon knew both of them had instincts quick enough to stop their fall.
Now that his mind had receded from hers just enough to veil their thoughts from one another, he almost felt as if his mind were too empty.
~!**!~
As soon as Flowers was moving in the direction Nabu had come from, the dog stopped his frantic circle-making and he stood, staring after the male as he panted, fighting to catch his breath for a moment. At least this one was smart enough to understand. Had it been someone like Loudmouth or Stripes, he wasn't sure he would have been able to make them understand without biting at their ankles and then dashing away.
After that brief thought and a moment to catch his breath, Nabu shot off again, following after Kurama. He didn't feel as if leading him right to her were necessary, so by the time he reached the park, he was merely trotting, deciding that he'd stay out of the male's way and watch from-
Screw it. He'd be as close as the other would allow.
~!**!~
The floor underneath her cheek was cold, despite the fact that she'd been laying in the same position for a very, very long time. Her eyes were squeezed shut, making tears fall as she struggled to keep her breathing steady, only succeeding in keeping her breaths short, labored, and pretty much useless. Her lungs burned, her head hurt, but in the end, it was nothing compared to the painful fact that she couldn't get away.
A single calloused hand continued to toy with her hair, a normal ritual for this time of day that left her, normally, so angry that she'd growl or even struggle. But now….
There was no use in it.
"That's right. You're no longer the alpha, now are you?"
Her breath hitched, and for a moment that stretched longer than normal, she didn't breathe again. The chuckle she'd come to loathe sounded again, and instead of invoking anger in her, this time it invoked fear that intensified as the male shifted his weight, leaning forward and running his hand over her bare shoulder, tracing wounds that were scarring over.
"Without the ears and tail, you're actually attractive." *
Kurama immediately dropped to his knees next to Akari's fallen body and watched her energy rolling off of her body, knowing she could not be dead for he could still hear her core beating.
"Akari, I don't know if you're still awake, but I'm going to turn you over." Having her face in the dirt surely wasn't comfortable, and he wouldn't be able to administer anything with her eyes, nose, and mouth stuck in the ground.
Kurama reached out to turn her over towards him.
~!**!~
As soon as Hiei had pulled away, both physically and mentally, Shikiyoku started trying to wipe away at the dried blood that had crusted just beneath her nose, unsuccessfully attempting to rid her face of the stuff, and licking her lips a little, tasting a strong iron flavor that meant the blood had dripped down farther than she realized.
Shikiyoku let her own gaze flicker to the ground and smiled a little at Hiei's comment, knowing that neither one of them would have simply let the other fall.
She kept her gaze turned downwards as if she could see where the blood was she was trying to remove still remained.
Even with only half a pact to work with, Shikiyoku could still feel the echoes of the moment they had shared earlier resounding within her mind, for it was not a moment she would soon forget.
For her at least-she could not speak for Toriko-it would remain forever etched in her mind: the first moment she and Hiei had been on the same page, carried the same desire, the same purpose. It was those moments which she as the Ward strived for, fulfilling whatever it was her Champion desired. Like a drug, she was addicted to that feeling, but she also wished it for more innocent reasons as well, because the truth of the matter was she wanted nothing more than for her Champion to be happy. 3
Hiei stood there, staring at the ground for a moment in thought, though not many thoughts crossed his mind at the moment other than the fact that he still felt as if his own energy was intertwined with Shikiyoku's. He could see his own energy blending with hers, creating an odd glow that could only be seen by the keenest of gazes, and even then it was nothing more than a slight distortion of color in the air.
He was rather impressed with the discreetness of such a combination, finding that it could likely be something that could later prove to be very, very useful. Perhaps in a stickier situation he'd remember this.
Assuming they could duplicate what had just happened quick enough to make a difference.
He turned his eyes up to Shikiyoku now, a smirk just gracing his features for a moment. "I suppose we should continue on, get this over with."
And with that, he began dropping from branch to branch, making his way to the ground.
~!**!~
Nabu trotted up to where Kurama was kneeling beside his best friend, coming to a stop beside the male's knee and watching his hands move Akari, who, at the moment, seemed completely unresponsive. His ears lay flat on his head and he glanced over at Kurama, taking a step closer to the thigh of the other as he craned his neck towards Akari, sniffing at the air around her. "Akari?" he whined out, earning no response either.
And again he turned his head to look up at Kurama, saying nothing to the male but silently begging for him to help.
And then he was ducking behind the male as Akari's body suddenly came alive with movement, hands reaching out and pushing Kurama's hands away and proceeding to form fists that flew almost at random.
~!**!~
Akari made as if she weren't even alive, her breathing nonexistent in the moment as she ceased all movements at the touch of now two hands at both shoulders, pulling her not only closer to the male on her right, but over onto her side. Still, she didn't react, not even when her bare skin peeled painfully from the surface it had stuck to.
"Another chuckle rang in the still air, and this time her fear drove her to at least attempt fighting again, despite her six other attempts that had all ended in the same way. It was instinct, and those instincts weren't so easily squashed.
She balled her hands into fists, swiping her arms at the hold on her shoulders and proceeding to strike from where she lay, earning a grunt or two from the male as her hands struck the bare abdomen of the other. A snarl left her lips, and she was pressing her feet to his knees and kicking him away from herself, her arms taking to covering herself as she scooted across the tiled floor on her back now. "You will not touch me!" *
"Akari-" Kurama blocked the fists that searched for him, deflecting them away.
She was most definitely asleep. And not only asleep, but likely trapped in her own illusory dreams.
He could only guess at what those dreams consisted of, but even what little he knew of her past sent him frowning at the prospects.
She would probably continue fighting against any effort he made should he continue in this manner.
As Kurama quickly filtered through what he considered his options, searching for the one that would bring the fastest result, he felt a little sigh escape from his chest.
This was not going to be pretty.
"Akari…" He grimaced, but placed a hand on the grass beside him and started feeding his energy into the ground, "I'm so sorry."
The grass burst upwards in between them, strategically encircling Akari at her ankles and wrists, reaching up and pulling her until she lay flat on the ground, and then acting as restraints to keep her in place.
Kurama's face had grown dark at the sight, knowing that he would only feed her visions with such an action, but also strongly feeling as if this would be the fastest way to rid her of those visions.
As the grass settled, another quick burst of growth shot up from the earth near her head, covering her entire neck and the lower part of her face, leaving her nose free to breath, and becoming only tight enough that she would not be able to move. Kurama did not wish to become bit for his efforts as he reached with his free hand into his back pocket and pulled out the sleep-inducing, dreamless remedy that he nostalgically recalled the two of them talking about at a time when he did not think he would be using such a concoction in this way.
The dirty-white crystal was brought up to Akari's nose and Kurama rubbed at it between his fingers, releasing its scent into the air and simply...waiting.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku followed after Hiei, taking off once again for The Palace as soon as her feet touched the forest floor, her core soaring as she felt no resistance with the thought or the direction coming from within her own body.
Her energy still licked off of her skin into the air around her as she ran, creating this streamlined effect that echoed her direction, and she saw no reason to contain the power, her eyes glowing excitedly as they closed the last bit of distance between them and The Palace itself, the miles going past in mere minutes for the pair.
As they broke out of the treeline, the building suddenly loomed in front of them, towering high into the sky in red marbled slab, truly a gorgeous palace to behold.
There was no sign of life coming from the castle, no guards or servants scurrying around. And there were no walls either, the entrance just a long and wide series of smooth, marbled red steps leading up to the doors, starting roughly half a mile out.
Shikiyoku came to a sudden stop about a third of the way up, seeing a demon come into view heading down in their direction.
The other demon appeared to have spotted them as well, her pace slowing until she stood twenty or thirty steps away from them.
This female had spiky orange hair, short, sticking out from the top of her head, and her expression looked as if it were stuck in a permanent frown, her steel-grey eyes staring at the pair angrily as if she did so all the time. Her clothing was fairly nondescript except for a thin silver circlet that she wore on her head.
"I take it you are the ones responsible for the disturbance on our lands?" She called, her tone matching the angry look in her eyes.
"We weren't on your lands." Shikiyoku clarified. "Not when we did that."
Her energy still filled the air around her and she took a languid step in the other demon's direction, moving up two or three stairs to close the distance between them with her hips swaying, her eyes glowing coyly.
"Tell me, gorgeous: where can we find Gekijou?" Shikiyoku's eyes pulsed once with a mesmerizing gaze, catching the other demon's stare and not letting her look away.
The other demon seemed fairly bored with the question, raising a single orange eyebrow.
"Are you paying more than the other guy?" The demon responded.
Shikiyoku did not flinch, but took another couple of steps closer, "I assume that means you are she?"
"Or are you just a messenger of his?"
Shikiyoku moved the tendrils her energy forward to start encircling the demon, though as soon as they got within reach, Gekijou batted them away absently without taking her eyes away from Shikiyoku, and to Shikiyoku's surprise, the energy responded to the gesture, moving to the side as if actually hit.
"You do not wish to try my patience." Gekijou spoke up again. "I thought he said he needed my brother and I because he could not get you to comply with his wishes."
Over fifteen years was a long time since the last Shikiyoku had interrogated anyone, and she was usually close enough to them to touch them, which played into how responsive they would be. She did not think this demon was going to let her approach any closer for now so she let out another pulse of energy and made sure it went far enough to brush through Gekijou before fading.
"He told you about me, then." Shikiyoku's voice grew huskier as her energy wafted into the air, her smile luscious.
"Naturally." Gekijou responded without hesitation. "Though your attempts at interrogation also give you away, demon of desire." Her eyes flicked over to acknowledge Hiei's presence for the first time since his and Shikiyoku's approach before returning to Shikiyoku. "That must be your Consort. It would explain the energies I felt mingling all the way in there." She jerked her head back towards the palace behind her.
Shikiyoku blinked at the incorrect title Gekijou gave Hiei, a small frown drawing the edges of her brows together. She sent another pulse of energy outwards.
"What exactly does Otento need you for?"
The tendrils of power had woven themselves around Gekijou during her speech, and Shikiyoku made sure the two of them had locked gazes.
"Same thing he needed you for." The reply came readily enough, as if she were still not affected by the power and answered of her own free will. "Though obviously you were too useless for him. Otherwise he wouldn't have called on my brother and I."
Shikiyoku felt a pang of anger shoot across her mind, vaguely aware that the emotion had not directly come from within her.
This time Gekijou took the step forward, coming down two or three steps closer.
"Ah, a reaction, I see. I must have hit a nerve." Her eyes smiled cruelly, but the emotion did not reach her frown. "How exactly can one be so useless when they have a Consort?"
"He is a Champion." Shikiyoku spat, "Not whatever you keep calling him."
Gekijou's eyebrows rose, "Only a Champion?" She shifted her gaze to Hiei, "Well, no wonder Otento could not use you. You still have to have a Champion. How cute."
Shikiyoku could feel the anger within her begin to simmer the longer Gekijou talked.
"Perhaps one day when you're less useless yourself, you'll find yourself a companion who is worthwhile." 3
Hiei had pulled up short so that he was standing about a foot behind Shikiyoku, expression its normal, neutral by the time he'd been able to see the palace that jutted out into the air, almost the same exact color as its surroundings were it not for the shine of the siding and windows. For a moment, he took to memorizing the details of the building, eyes taking in every inch he could see before turning to the patron on the steps that Shikiyoku had taken to addressing.
He spoke no words, brought no attention to himself for the time being, instead deciding to watch rather than take over. It wasn't his place anyway, and his form of interrogation would not work here. At least, he assumed it wouldn't, as it appeared that the other demon was completely unphased by Shikiyoku's energy that poked and prodded at the air around her.
His hands slid into his pockets after a moment, ruby eyes trained on the unfamiliar demon that Shikiyoku had confirmed to be the one they'd been sent after. He watched the features of the demoness, seemingly unimpressed by her ability to wave away Shikiyoku's prodding and continue on.
As soon as grey eyes met crimson ones, the fire demon began assessing her expression, taking in everything in stride, mind recalling that Koenma had said Otento had wanted her as a replacement for Shikiyoku.
The fire demon stared unblinkingly at Gekijou even as she turned away from him, eyes immediately taking to searching for clues as to what he needed to guard against. And, oddly, he became aware of a dull thud in his mind. He turned inward for a moment, assessing the bond that seemed to throb here and there, as if being poked in the wrong way.
By the time he refocused on the conversation at hand, Shikiyoku had spoken up with defensive words.
It couldn't have been more obvious at this point, and the fire demon blinked once more at the pair, considering his options while simultaneously checking his mental guards. He would have spoken up by now, but he knew that one slip of the tongue could bring the attentions onto himself, meaning he'd be poked and prodded.
And he wasn't sure how strong this one was.
"Caution, Shikiyoku."
~!**!~
Akari hadn't gotten very far before the male was towering over her, on his feet in a movement that almost couldn't be considered humane as he reached down and pulled her back to where she'd been laying before, promptly dropping so that he straddled her waist, his large hands quickly making grab for her wrists and roughly pressing them to the floor. She wriggled about underneath him for a few moments longer, snarling weakly.
"You know how this ends. Might as well give in and lay down like a good dog."
The words cut across her mind like a blade to skin, and while she struggled just a little longer, her snarls dying away into whimpers, the feeling of his breath on her neck was enough to send her to tears that begged for mercy. Her lips parted and released a small sob as her muscles simply went lax, one of his hands moving from her wrist to cover her mouth and stifle the sound.
And she simply gave up, eyes staring at the dark ceiling overhead as another, very quiet, very gruff chuckle echoed in the dark, quiet room.
I just want it to end.
She was giving up. No use fighting a battle she'd never win.
~!**!~
Nabu had slowly re-emerged from behind Flowers , leaning around the male's hip to peer at Akari, whose muscles went so still that he thought maybe the problem had been solved within a few short minutes. He slowly moved out from behind the back of the male he'd lead here, taking cautious steps to Akari and sniffing at the bindings that held her to the ground, eyes watching the crystal that Flowers held beneath her nose.
Just has he had the first time.
His ears perked up just a little and he turned to the person beside him, silently thanking the other before turning back to his best friend, who suddenly released a sound of distress that made his body go still, his ears going flat again as he crept closer, nose sticking to her face as he sniffed at the rivers that had begun to fall down her cheeks.
She's never cried before.
He released a whine and slowly lowered himself to the ground next to her shoulder, curling up so that he could rest his chin on her arm, his head pointed to Flowers and worried eyes watching him as well. *
Kurama wasn't entirely sure what to think of Akari giving up when she had so vehemently attacked him before, but he slowly loosened the restraints around her, letting them morph back into the rest of the grass beneath her body.
Glancing around once, Kurama hesitantly slipped an arm underneath Akari's neck, sliding the other under her knees, and picked her up, turning and walking for the nearest tree where he sat down with Akari in his lap, holding her up so that when he resumed intermittently rubbing the crystal and waving it under her nose she would not fall over.
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the tree.
"I-" He sighed, feeling as if he spoke to the wind, "I'm so sorry."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku clenched her teeth together when the other female simultaneously insulted both herself and her Champion in the same breath.
She took another step closer, hearing Hiei in the back of her mind, but paying him no heed.
Eyes pulsing with power, Shikiyoku pulled her energy inward until it caressed the skin of Gekijou.
"What is Otento's game?" She said through her teeth.
Gekijou regarded Shikiyoku with a momentary glare, "Haven't you heard?" The female leaned closer to Shikiyoku, breath washing over her face the two had gotten so close together, "There's a war coming." Gekijou leaned back again, "Otento is gathering troops who will fight for his cause. And there happens to be enough mayhem planned that I will be more than useful to him."
Gekijou's own eyes flashed as she emphasized the word and Shikiyoku let out a low growl.
"It's too bad, really." She went on, "I would have thought someone like you could have been more help. Were you not strong enough? Can't hold on to more than one thing at a time? Is that it, then? I thought your kind was good at that sort of thing. If you can't multitask, then I suppose you really aren't of any use."
Shikiyoku snatched at the front of Gekijou's shirt and pulled the demon's face until it was inches away from her own.
Her power had started to become more densely formed around the two of them.
"What. War."
"Between the demons and Spirit World."
"Then why is everyone gathering in Human World?"
"Because it's much easier to get Spirit World from Human World."
"But why. Why are they trying to get there?"
"To overthrow the king and take back what is ours, I assume."
The two glared at one another before Gekijou finally smiled, a wicked, nasty thing upon her lips.
"You're lucky the rulers aren't here, seductress. They would put you in your place. How dare you step onto these grounds as if you have any right. You have no place here any longer. They killed your entire family. What makes you think they won't hesitate to do the same to you should they find you here?" 3
Hiei felt his brows furrow at the turn of the conversation, suddenly finding himself struggling to stay in place, to stay in check. His composure outwardly hadn't changed, but at Gekijou's last words, he felt a small amount of irritation form. Simply to get into one's head.
Obviously, it was working.
Yet, simultaneously, he felt as if Shikiyoku was making a type of breakthrough as well, as she was beginning to get answers. Answers that were very valuable to them. Again, he refrained from stepping in.
Why interrupt when Shikiyoku was getting the answers they needed?
Except, things were going pretty far in the heat of the moment. Finally, he decided to cut in, taking a few steps forward until he was standing just a few steps from the ground, having climbed three or four stairs before pausing again, keeping his distance.
"What do you mean by take back what is ours?" he suddenly inquired, deciding to pry into the conversation with a metaphorical crowbar. "Wouldn't such a war be swatted down by Enma?"
~!**!~
Nabu moved when Flowers did, following after the male as he carried Akari quietly across the park until he was settled at the base of a tree. The dog watched the other male for a moment, contemplating the air about him before giving the dog equivalent of a deep sigh as he approached the male, this time taking to curling up next to him.
He rested his chin on Kurama's thigh, at the small space between himself and Akari that was free, and just large enough for such utilization. Silence followed for a moment until Kurama spoke up, earning a small whine from the dog's lungs.
"She's going to be okay. You'll see." He didn't know why the male blamed himself for Akari's circumstances, but.. "I like you more than the other one. You don't play games. You care, and she knows that. You'll see."
With that, he turned his eyes to Akari, who shifted once to move an arm, her body now relaxed in a way that was much different than before as a hand grabbed at Kurama's shirt and she turned her face towards the male, her head coming to rest on his shoulder as tears dried and she took in a deep breath.
"See?" *
Kurama pulled back the hand that held the crystal as Akari shifted, careful to not let it get knocked from his fingers as he watched her move.
When she finally came to rest, even closer than before, Kurama noted her warmth in his arms, her breath moving across his neck as she seemed to sigh and perhaps relax a little.
This shouldn't have happened in the first place. He let out his own sigh and rested his head back against the bark of the tree behind him. He felt reluctant, but…
I should tell her I can remove the scars whenever she wishes.
~!**!~
Gekijou was locked in a stare-down with Shikiyoku and did not answer until Shikiyoku snarled, "Answer his questions."
Gekijou growled as Shikiyoku tightened her hold on the shirt caught between her fingers.
"I do not know." She raised a lip threateningly to reveal her sharp teeth. "Something is different this time. Enma is too sure of his defenses. And the end goal-" Gekijou snapped her lips shut.
Shikiyoku's energy writhed furiously in the air.
"What?"
No answer.
"What is meant to happen?"
"I do not know." Gekijou blurted out, "Only...only that removing Enma from power is just the first step."
"Why does that matter?" Shikiyoku pushed farther, sensing something in the way the demon spoke the last sentence.
"Enma uses us." Gekijou spat.
"Enma cannot stand demons."
"Enma is a two-face bastard."
Shikiyoku's eyebrows rose as the word venomously dripped from Gekijou's lips.
"You are demons. You know there is more to us than what they think."
"Do go on."
"There are stories, stories of demons torn from their homes, from their lives, dropped into Human World by his hands with their minds wiped of anything but hatred. Just so his people can have something to do. So that it will keep the masses thinking he is good. That he is doing something. When in reality he is of no use. And when a ruler is of no use, they are removed from their rule." 3
Hiei's brows furrowed, drawing together to create a shadow over his eyes in contemplation, confusion. Removing Enma from power was not something so easily done. The king had been in rule for… eons. Longer than Hiei could even imagine, and his power was something that even the strongest of demons feared.
Right?
In any normal circumstances, Hiei likely would have scoffed at Gekijou's words, but…
This time, the sincerity behind the words she spoke was hauntingly clear. And it seemed just like something someone such as Otento would be in to.
But the most unsettling part was the last things said, the last words even so much as uttered. If it were true, then…
Suddenly, a sneer was on Hiei's face. He'd always hated the system and how it worked. He'd always joked about how skewed it was. Now, he was practically being told that he'd been right all along. Hiei stepped forward, taking the last few steps until he was standing beside Shikiyoku, expression deadly as he glared at Gekijou.
"These stories, how often is one circulated? What makes you believe in them as you do? Surely no fool would simply fall into blindly believing tales. Enlighten inquiring minds."
~!**!~
Nabu frowned up at Flowers, staring at the male who rested his head back and seemed to fall more into the mood that had the air feeling so heavy. The dog released a sound into the silence, a small bark no louder than a usual whine. There was no reason behind it, other than to make his presence known, to offer a small sound to let him know that the dog was concerned over him as well.
As if to highlight the meaning behind the sound, Nabu's nose ran along the arm he could just reach, licking at the hand momentarily before resting his chin on said hand and looking up at him again. "She's okay. I promise." *
Kurama let his eyes open at the dog's attentions, and sighed again, slipping his hand out from under Nabu's chin and idly beginning to pet him.
"I know." Kurama smiled a little, "But her predicament was my fault in the first place." His smile faded and he turned to watch her as she breathed deeply, "So, you can hardly blame me for worrying."
~!**!~
"Answer him." Shikiyoku immediately demanded.
"You want the most recent rumor?" Gekijou scowled. "Of an Aswang from the first level who had taken in orphaned demon children? Disappeared. I can only imagine the spirit detectives found her rather quickly. All the demons that go missing are from up there. You would think the smarter ones would have caught on." 3
The words from Gekijou left Hiei momentarily speechless, his mind quickly going back to stories he'd heard when he was younger. Stories he hadn't listened to because he'd been too wrapped up in his own dealings to care about others and their ridiculous tales.
After a few moments of recollection, Hiei suddenly found himself scowling, this time not at Gekijou, but at the prospect of it all. Scowling in thought. He hadn't heard of any Aswang being in human world, but, knowing Yusuke, or any of the others, in fact, there would have been no hesitation.
He made a mental note for later.
"Any other recent rumors?" he inquired, this time tone much less harsh and filled with genuine curiosity, colored with caution. "We will leave you be, should you answer our last few questions."
~!**!~
Nabu leaned into Kurama's petting, eyes remaining up at the male's face as he spoke his thoughts aloud. The dog's head turned slightly, as if in thought, before he made another sound and gave a gentle swish of his tail. "You couldn't have known. She will forgive you, just like you would forgive her. Right? That's how friends work." He gave a pause, tail swishing once again. "I forgive her for being mean sometimes, because I know she's just tired. And she forgives me for waking her up at night because I can't sleep."
Another pause, another tilt of his head. "She forgave you when you bit at her for her scars and compared her to another. I don't know why you guys were so mean to each other, but she forgave you, and you her. Why would now be any different?" *
Kurama considered the little dog carefully.
"When-" Here he ruffled a little at the dog's head, "-did you suddenly go and grow up?" This time his smile was wider.
~!**!~
Before Shikiyoku could demanded another answer, the demon Hiei addressed spoke up.
"My anger only fueled you." Gekijou's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Shikiyoku did not respond but with a small tilt of her head and a sultry smile.
"Heh." Gekijou's laugh did not reflect in her expression. "Maybe you'll be worthy of a Consort some day after all."
Shikiyoku frowned at the word, its meaning escaping her.
"Tell me-" Gekijou's eyes flashed, "-how are you with pain?"
Shikiyoku growled, but released Gekijou, reaching up and brushing the back of her hand against the other's cheek.
"Tell me," She purred, "Who else has gone missing?"
Gekijou's eyes flinched at the question.
"There are at least two more within recent enough news who have disappeared unannounced. Both on the first level." 3
Hiei watched the new exchange with disinterest, waiting until the conversation again turned to what he had wished to know about, his mind going over many things at once even as he listened to the current conversation at hand.
One, if this were true, should this information be passed on to Koenma? Not likely. However, he had the slight suspicion that perhaps the prince was uninformed of such rumors.
Two, if this were true, and Enma was behind such disappearances, would that…. Would that make the enemy more like.. an ally? If the tables were to turn in such a way, it would make the enemy to be those who are creating unnecessary problems, correct? In that case…
Otento still dies.
Hiei was, for the first time in a long time, confused about where to go from here. So, when Gekujou enlightened them of two more disappearances, Hiei nodded once and turned, taking his leave silently, too wrapped in his thoughts to say anything verbally about heading back the way they'd come.
They'd gotten the information they needed. There was no reason to linger any longer.
~!**!~
Nabu ducked his head and closed his eyes this time when Kurama rubbed at his head, huffing once as if the male were speaking of a topic he had already been informed in. Otherwise, he gave no response to Flowers' question, which, in his opinion, warranted no reply whatsoever.
After all, in order to keep up with his best friend, he possibly couldn't stay a puppy forever. Though, that didn't mean he wouldn't act like one here and there.
Nabu released another sound, this one more of a sigh that was a little bit more relaxed than before as he rested his chin again on Kurama's thigh, eyes closing. "I like you. You're my favorite." *
~!**!~
"You, my dear," Shikiyoku smiled at the female, "Will speak of this conversation to no one. You will join your brother and accept Otento's offer, and you will also find a way to inform me when you feel the next step is about to be taken, understand?"
A low growl had started in Gekijou's throat.
It felt to Shikiyoku as if breaking the mesmer put upon her by her mother had unlocked, at least momentarily, the knowledge of how to use the spell. And she wove said spell around the demon with a precision she had not realized she was capable.
Shikiyoku released Gekijou and the latter stared at her as she turned to follow after Hiei.
Hopefully the mesmer will ensure she won't turn obsessed like Otento…
She didn't feel optimistic. Not with her lack of experience in using such a spell.
Shikiyoku trotted to catch up to Hiei, lost in her own thoughts as the two moved silently beside one another.
"I can only imagine what my powers were meant to be used for, and why they decided I was not worth the trouble," Shikiyoku began, "But I think the prospect of removing Enma from power will rally many a demon to the cause of the fake Youko. Especially if what Gekijou said about Enma using demons like she claims is true. The part that bothers me is the fact that she really did think that overthrowing Enma was possible, and that taking down Spirit World's leader is only the first step in some larger plan. How exactly does one take down Enma? And what else is there after that?" 3
Hiei continued on, walking away from the continuing conversation behind him at a leisurely pace. He only half listened to the orders Shikiyoku was giving to the other demoness, mind still stuck on his circulating thoughts of what had just been revealed to him. He, for the time being, didn't know what to think. Demons going missing wasn't exactly something to go crazy over. The fact, however, that most were from the first level…
To say the least, Hiei didn't believe in coincidences.
By the time Shikiyoku had caught up, speaking her thoughts aloud, he'd already made up his mind. They were going to investigate a little before heading back.
Or, at least, he would be investigating. If Shikiyoku wished to return to Koenma, he wouldn't stop her. But the fire demon's curiosity accompanied by the need to know more about the topic was strong enough to keep him here.
At least for a little while longer. *
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star