A/N: Hello once again, Fanficdotnet Lovelies!
Your friendly, neighborhood Star here with another chapter! The last one had a LOT of what is going on with Shikiyoku and Hiei at the moment, so the recap on their side of things is, naturally, a rather long one.
At this point in the story, we are beginning to circle back around to the anime itself, and the Three Kings Saga. There are, of course, major differences, but there will be moments of cross-over, where this Alternate Reality weaves back into the Canon, like in the last chapter where Hiei is in the training room and has visions of his past.
And, yes, I will be the first to admit that the name "Crusnik" is drawn directly from Trinity Blood. Tee hee~
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 Shikiyoku and Youko/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.
(Words in italics and within parenthesis is dialogue between Hiei and Shikiyoku via the bond between them after Hiei becomes Shikiyoku's Consort. As soon as the 'thought' occurs, it can pass between them, and does not actually have to be formed into exact words-feelings and sensations can pass through as well-in order to be picked up and the meaning translated immediately by the other. For the sake of the coherence by the reader, words and sentences are used as normal. It cannot be picked up by telepathy.)
"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).
The Nabu Exception also applies to anyone when they are in an animal form, if the dialogue is in italics and quotations, unless stated otherwise.
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
Akari is woken from her slumber for her training
by a demon that is not Kurama.
Meanwhile, Kurama has been sent with a lieutenant
to retrieve Shikiyoku from her home on the First Layer,
but they arrive well after her and her Consort were taken away.
Kurama finds the discarded letter from Mukuro,
and privately is thankful that Mukuro is the one to have taken Shikiyoku.
On another day, Akari 'enjoys' training with Jin,
hardly able to understand him as he speaks too fast.
By this time, Kurama has tracked Shikiyoku's trail,
knowing her to be lost to the Mobile Fortress,
and returns to Yomi's land.
Jin is attempting to help Akari regain her ability
to move inbetween,
though all she manages to do
is separate her spirit from her body again,
at which point Chu arrives,
and Akari finds herself desperately wishing for Kurama's company.
~!**!~
With a little debate between the two of them,
Hiei and Shikiyoku finally decide that they will go to Mukuro,
and as they stand, an escort arrives at the front door.
He takes them to Mukuro's Mobile Fortress,
and into an audience with the would-be King herself.
Hiei is almost immediately taken away,
sent to a training room,
while Shikiyoku is after a few words sent to the labs.
Shikiyoku is shown around by a tech,
with a veritable army of scientists following behind.
When confronted with the inappropriate desires,
harbored by a vast majority of those in the room,
Shikiyoku dismisses them all with a threat,
save for two of which she feels no desires at all from,
the head scientist and his assistant,
telling them they will be the ones to help her.
Some time later, she is pacing in a room
and it is there Hiei finds her,
the two of them feeling their tension fall away
as Hiei pulls her into an embrace.
Having been informed that his Koorime tear-gems
would likely be in danger were he to wear them,
Hiei decides to bequeath them to Shikiyoku for safe-keeping.
She tells him that such a gesture could be seen as a promise,
that he would return for them, and her.
They part ways, Hiei returning to his training room,
Shikiyoku to the labs.
Unfortunately for her, the choice of head scientist
brought to mind Taka, in Iketeru's brown feathery hair,
though his assistant, Rikei
with his purple hair, glasses, and amber colored eyes,
thankful at first reminds her of no one.
She feels relatively refreshed at being unable to send their desires,
and does not question it.
Hiei's training meanwhile is in full-force.
Finding herself unhappy with the fact that she is
beginning to understand some of what Kitoushi
had in some time past tried to tell her,
with Iketeru and Rikei's help, the three of them
are hard at work researching into the Crusnik,
though without Shikiyoku in her Crusnik form
there is only so much they can do.
In fitting with her constant reminders of Taka
by Iketeru's hair, and Kitoushi by way of the work before her,
Shikiyoku finds that Rikei smells somewhat of Douji,
and becomes worn out by the associations.
In the midst of a quiet moment,
Hiei is reminded of his past,
of the loss of his tear gem,
but his reflections are quickly interrupted
and his fight begins again.
We return, then, to Shikiyoku,
who we find in the science labs with Rikei and Iketeru...
As Shikiyoku ran over the treadmill, her blood pounded in her ears, acutely aware of the wires and devices she was hooked up to, both Rikei and Iketeru nearby, watching the monitors.
They had injected her with a serum that reduced her capabilities, rendering her nearly human for the duration of the testing and she had sweat rolling down her bare shoulders and collecting at the nape of her neck. Her muscles were screaming at this point, but refreshingly her mind was unable to wander.
Her normal clothing had been whisked away while the pair had her changing into what they considered clothing better suited for running tests where a lot of her skin would be needed to attach her to their machines and she ran in a sports bra that came up on her chest just high enough that the necklaces she wore were tucked safely down against her sternum so they wouldn't bounce everywhere, and the shorts only went down to her mid-thigh and clung to her skin.
She could feel her ponytail almost jogging along behind her as she continued to run, each step forced under her feet by the moving platform beneath her.
There was finally a blessed clicking noise and she felt the whirring of the treadmill beneath her start to slow until she walked and then finally came to a standstill.
Both arms shot out to grab for the railings on either side of her and she slumped forward a little, any further movement hindered by the patches that were set almost everywhere on her skin.
She reached down into the sports bra herself and ripped off the two that were positioned over her core, letting them hang as Rikei moved closer and began removing the others along her spine and waist.
Iketeru finished writing down the results, only glancing up briefly to see Shikiyoku slump a little further.
"The serum ought to wear off in the next few minutes." He informed her.
She didn't even have the strength to answer.
"But after that we'll need you to go ahead and switch over to your other form."
Shikiyoku forced her eyes open and gave Iketeru a look that he likely felt though he did not glance up again.
He raised a single brown eyebrow, "We're going to have to do all of this over again with you infected. Did you not think of that?"
That wasn't what her look had been meant to convey, but she couldn't catch her breath and only closed her eyes.
"Not to mention the fact that the only way we will be able to actually see for ourselves how the disease works is by witnessing it first hand on your person." Rikei commented.
"That's...I..." Shikiyoku couldn't even waste breath on a scoff, spending the next two minutes letting Rikei continue to unhook her, Iketeru eventually joining to speed up the process.
Her heart rate finally slowed, the buzz of energy through her veins returning-Smart demons. Revert me to more humanoid and my activity won't release my power-and Shikiyoku expanded her lungs to try again.
"I can't switch on a whim."
Both of the other two demons paused and stared at each other and Shikiyoku actually wished she could tell their desires in that moment.
"I suppose we didn't think to ask of that." Rikei said as the two of them went back to work, Iketeru pulling the last of the patches away from her skin, the both of them stepping back to let her step off the treadmill.
"If you need incentive, I'm sure we can give it to you." Iketeru glanced around the room. "Or find it for you."
"The incentive is my peril." Shikiyoku crossed her arms over her chest.
Another exchange of glances between the other two.
"One order of peril coming up." Rikei gave a little shrug. 3
Each new demon was stronger than the first, leaving Hiei with no time to step back and catch a breath. His sword never stopped as it moved through the air, flames encasing the blade and his other hand readying for another, completely separate attack as he turned and skittered away from a blow that would have ended any it came in contact with.
And in the process of passing that demon, Hiei's blade had appeared to move just the slightest.
Before the pieces of that demon fell, three more replaced him, jumping from above to start the battle all over again.
And once more, he found he'd lost count of the demons. Except this time, he didn't start counting again.
He was too enraged to care.
~!**!~
"That's a neato trick there Shiela!"
"How long have you been doin' tha' lass?"
It had taken a full hour for the pair to silence and give her enough thinking space to return to where she'd needed to be. A full hour of senseless banter from one demon and encouragement from the other, the occasional tip thrown in here and there.
"I don't remember how long it's been anymore." she replied honestly. "And I don't do it on purpose."
A very quick string of words from the redhead, and a jubious laugh from the drunkard.
Akari's nose crinkled. She wished she couldn't smell the alcohol.
The larger demon suddenly turned serious, his mood swapping so fast even Jin silenced. "That's a serious matter. And you don't have it controlled yet." When Akari didn't reply, he leaned forward with his hands on his knees and eyes narrowing at her scrutinizingly. "Gettin' ya down to tha' Ninth will be a trifle difficult with that spirit of yours wanderin' like that."
Another pause from the larger demon. His eyes followed the mark on her jawline and his lips seemed to twitch in consideration.
"Got any other markings you'd like to show this ol' bloke?"
Can I request a different crew? *
Yomi made an incoherent noise at Kurama's report.
"I haven't the faintest idea how she discovers them so quickly." Kurama was saying, "Though I did find a couple left behind that weren't too keen on her 'anarchy' stance. They've been put to work here accordingly."
"Good."
Kurama took another breath, "It does seem like Raizen isn't actively recruiting to his cause, but-" Kurama stared down at the paper in his hand and let out a little laugh. "But apparently he has killed off Yusuke."
~!**!~
"Is this really necessary?" There might have been a vein of annoyance pulsing on Shikiyoku's forehead if anyone bothered to look.
Rikei finished pulling on one of the straps around her ankle and stepped back.
"It will be easier to threaten your life, and for you to feel threatened, if you find yourself unable to move away from the threat." Iketeru walked around the table they had Shikiyoku laying out on her back over, checking each restraint at her wrists, her ankles, her stomach.
She shifted her head to watch him.
Another demon stomped into the room from somewhere behind her head and Shikiyoku could not see him.
"Where is she?"
"On the table."
The demon scoffed and Shikiyoku heard him approaching from her right, turning to look at him.
A lit cigarette was hanging from his lips, one that he would absently tip one direction or another with his tongue, but the thing had no smell except for the little swirl of smoke that would twirl upwards from the glowing tip when he stopped moving.
"Not very sporting." He grunted, eyeing her restraints.
"The object here is not to be very sporting, Ono." Iketeru sounded miffed. "You are to kill her."
"I know, I know. Doesn't mean I understand it." Ono started to climb onto the table.
"What...are you doing?" Shikiyoku finally asked, watching him as he planted his feet on either side of the restraint around her stomach and stood up.
"It's not very threatening if you can't see it, now is it?" Ono put his hands together, pressing his palms against one another and pulling them apart.
In a shimmer of energy, a double bladed war-axehead at the end of a polearm appeared and he grabbed the middle of the pole, hefting it over his shoulder as he took a long draw of the cigarette and then pulled it out of his mouth, eyeing her as if calculating how much force it would take to split her skull down the middle. And that is, in fact, the approach he intended to use, Shikiyoku could feel it.
Each side of the axehead was the size of Shikiyoku's torso. It wasn't going to take much more force than simply letting the weight of the thing do the job for him.
Which was the conclusion he appeared to come to as he flicked the cigarette to the floor and held the polearm in both hands.
His entire expression almost bored about the whole situation, he popped his neck and brought the axe up, Shikiyoku trembling as his desire to cut her in half just as he'd been told to do washed over her.
He gave a shrug and shifted his grip so that one hand sat just below the axehead and he swung at her, the axe passing swiftly through the air.
Shikiyoku's eyes widened and her skin burned savagely, etching deep scars into ashen-grey skin as her eyes darkened and she opened her mouth to snarl, straining at the straps that held her down.
With a tilt of his wrist as if it were the easiest thing in the world, Ono changed the direction of the blade so that it slammed into the table next to Shikiyoku's head, just barely cutting open a slice of the skin on her shoulder.
He grunted.
"Sorry about that." His eyes were on the blood that started trickling out from the wound.
A single tendril of energy shot out of nowhere and pierced through Ono's knee, shooting up from there to arc behind his back and jab into his shoulder.
The demon lost his balance and fell forward, Shikiyoku's eyes growing black as he neared her.
Iketeru and Rikei had been standing next to one another and they exchanged a momentary glance before turning back to the scene at the table.
"You know, I don't actually think she's kissing him." Iketeru noted. 3
Hiei leapt into the air and away from an attack he didn't recognize, his anger growing and boiling, creating literal sparks where flames threatened to form at the tips of his fingers. This particular group of demons- a total of fifteen if he counted correctly- were a particular pain in the ass to deal with. They'd gotten in more hits than any other demon had, and he couldn't even get close enough to strike, couldn't even pause long enough to gather the energy to summon the dragon, much less take an actual breath.
His eyes narrowed at the snickering demon he'd moved away from, and again he had to flit away from another attack, this one mid-air, which put him close enough to one of the demons to get an attack in. Which didn't do more than sever a limb.
These demons were weary of his speed, none of them able to block his sword once in range, but they did well in keeping him away.
He snarled, hand twitching as h-
Time suddenly seemed to pause and he blinked, feeling an odd sense of emptiness in his mind. All his anger suddenly disappeared as he took to analyzing it, the odd sense of silence in his mind that didn't seem… right.
And then time continued on, which he was reminded of by a blow to the stomach and another to the shoulder, a third to the knee and a fourth to the back of his head.
Before anything else could hit him, Hiei was out of their range, every inch of his body boiling with anger and his eyes darkening to a color they hadn't been in a very long time.
Something within him snapped, and he realized he could no longer feel Shikiyoku's connection, even if he hadn't really felt it as strongly as he had that first day.
And that thought sent the fire demon into a blaze unlike any other, pushing him over that edge.
The entire room erupted into roaring flames, everything in the enclosed space turning to ash and dust as he moved for the door. And any demon who entered for a fight was incinerated before they'd even known what was happening.
Because Shikiyoku wasn't in his head, and he was getting out.
And if she had been harmed, he was going to make sure and create his own personal hell for the demon responsible- if Shiki hadn't done so herself.
Except the damn door won't budge.
~!**!~
Chu scrambled forward to sit next to her and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Don' give me that look Shiela! It was only a joke!"
Akari wanted nothing more but to drop this one into a shadow. Except Kurama's words kept echoing in her head, telling her not to do anything he wouldn't do.
I hate you and your ridiculous logic, fox. Your stupid ability to keep me in line even when you're not here and-
She took a deep breath, using a carefully steady hand to remove the arm from around her. "If we are not doing anything useful, I'm leaving."
Jin said something she didn't understand.
The other laughed.
She'd had enough. "Come get me when you have a real solution." She pushed herself to stand and moved for the door, even had it open before a large gust of wind swept in front of her and slammed it shut.
"We haven' even started yet lass!"
Oh dear lord help me.
"Come have a seat again Sheila. We only got sidetracked for a little moment." There was a pause and Akari sighed. "We'll be gettin' ya to the Ninth before you know it!"
"You jus' gotta le' us do it our way!"
"We could send in a fighter, if that's what you want."
Akari gave another sigh. No, I don't want to fight. So she moved towards the pair again, sitting so that they created a little triangle, her eyes going to Jin. "Since the first two tries didn't help, what next?"
"We could try drinkin' on it, loosen you up a bit!"
Akari turned a glare to the bulkier demon, whose name she still didn't know. "Not happening."
"We'll stick to tha quicker methods firs', lass. Don' worry abou' him he's jus' a wee bit excitable!" *
"I highly doubt I heard you wrong, Kurama."
"Apparently, Yusuke Urameshi is a distant descendant of Raizen, and killing him awoke Mazoku blood already running in his veins." Kurama finished.
Yomi remained silent for a moment.
"So, we are no longer dealing with one Raizen. Now there are instead two."
"It would appear that way, yes."
"Kamis help us all. You're dismissed, Kurama. In lieu of losing Shikiyoku to Mukuro and having two Raizen's walking around, I'm going to need some time to think."
Kurama stood up and left the room.
When he felt out for the rose seed he had given Akari, Kurama felt surprised to find her in a training room, albeit not the one with plant life growing in it.
We can talk later.
His excursions actually left him bereft of strength and he had every intention of laying down and trying to get some rest.
~!**!~
Rikei wouldn't even get near her at first, and Iketeru had no plans of interrupting her meal.
So, the assistant started taking notes on the differences the form change had created, intending for them later to analyze what came about because she had switched and what was strictly disease related while Iketeru moved carefully around the table and started hooking her up to a set of machines, making certain he did not catch her attention by only hooking up what he could where he was able. 3
After a while, Hiei felt the flames around him seeping back into his body, peeling away from the room and his eyes locked on the door that was, well, locked. Rather sturdy too. And it made his lip curl and his nostrils flare. If it were possible, he'd probably be spitting fire at this moment.
Sadly, a fire demon's insides weren't fireproof, thus it was not a possibility.
To Hiei's chagrin.
He grit his teeth together as he realized no other demon was in the room, not even daring to make such an attempt, and as he took a second to check again, that anger returned when he found the same lack of Shikiyoku's bond within his mind.
So when he moved this time, it was purely out of reflex. His hands moved from his side, his sword, sheath and all, firmly fitted to his waist as he took a deep breath, a heat stirring in his core that he'd never once felt before this moment.
I can't feel her, and they aren't letting me out.
He slowly pulled his shoulders back, his arms wide as if he were about to grab someone, and then his hands came together in one motion, both ablaze with a flame hotter than any he'd ever dealt with, and the moment his palms slapped together a white-yellow blast that he'd never achieved before roared to life, barraging the door with every ounce of flame within him and easily throwing the door from its hinges, the metal white-hot and sounding as if someone were cooking atop a stove top when it landed on some cloth or another. He didn't look, but he was certain that the metal had begun melting away.
The flame quickly disappeared as demons all around moved out of his way, the mark on his skin glowing and his eyes dark as he turned and moved in the direction he could feel the aura of his tear being. He was met with no resistance as he flitted through the halls.
The next door was easy to open from the outside, as it hadn't been locked, and he merely slid into the room, the only hint of his presence being the heat waves that rolled around him, his energy very keenly centered at his core.
"What… do you fools think you're doing?" He was not happy with the smell of blood, but his concern had lessened when he'd realized it wasn't enough to prove fatal. And that Shikiyoku was very much alive, just having switched.
That didn't mean he was calm, however.
~!**!~
"I feel a little spark on the air, Jin!" Another long laugh.
Akari growled at the pair in the room.
"You migh' consider slowin' down that talk of yours, bloke. Not everyone can keep up."
Is that an insult?
"Lass, close yer eyes and-"
"I'm gonna go get a drink! Want anything?"
"-look for tha' little silver cord we talked abou'."
Chu left without another word, taking it as a no. And Akari couldn't be more grateful, heaving a sigh and did as instructed. "You keep talking about a cord but I haven't seen it once," she grumbled.
"Qui' yer complainin' an' do it."
She wasn't sure if she liked that he could partially understand the atmosphere around her or not. She took another deep breath and began to walk around the room, forcing herself to a calm place in her mind. To the meadow, where she could lay and-
"Tha's it lass."
-lay with Kurama, Nabu running around in the distance and chasing insects, shouting at them to join.
"Open yer eyes. Is it there?"
Akari's eyes came open and she looked around the room, a small smile on her face at the thought of the meadow. And for a moment she didn't register the shimmering silver energy that seemed to link her to her sitting body a few feet away.
"If so, yer doin' it righ'. Follow it."
Akari moved with the slowly waving energy, stopping to the right of her body. Curious, she made to grab the cord, her hand circling it and-
Her eyes came open and she was staring at Jin, who smiled in triumph and wiggled his ears. "You did it lass! Now you know! It's gonna be a bi' difficult to ge' down, but until it stops happenin', yer se' to return when necessary! You jus' gotta remember to keep calm is all."
How long had they been in this room? Days? Weeks? And this was the only thing good to come of it.
"I thin' you deserve a good ol' snack!" From that moment on, his speech picked up in speed and his accent thickened, but with the wiggling of his ears and the movement towards the door, she took that to mean they were done.
Where did Yomi find the crazies?
She waited until the wind master was gone before following after, making sure to go the opposite direction- towards the furthest kitchen- to avoid the pair. *
It had been a few days since Kurama returned without Shikiyoku and delegations on what the next step should be were in full swing.
As for himself, he had spent the last couple days with Akari in his arms inside his training room, though as he leaned up against the wall next to the door this morning to wait for her he had different plans for what was going to happen inside.
Because he had found out about a few newcomers on the compound.
And he thought it was high time they all had a meeting of their own.
~!**!~
"Heart rate inconsistent. Core readings are...going to take a moment." Iketeru glanced over the monitors.
Rikei looked up from his notes and raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose we should be thankful Ono has so much energy to steal."
"I think so." Iketeru walked over and tentatively placed a hand over her shin. "She's rather occupied. Her skin is almost clammy." He ran that hand down towards her ankle, keeping careful tabs of her reaction, but she continued draining the demon of his energy and paid him no mind. "The smoothness in her other form is marred by these...scars."
"I think those come from the process needed to change her."
Iketeru gave a nod and lifted his hand, walking back to the monitors.
"Still not picking up much from her core. But given the demon on top of her, the patch isn't exactly in an ideal location."
"You could move him."
"Funny."
Neither of them turned as they heard the door open, Hiei's footsteps, if not the giant leap in temperature, giving him away.
"Gouka." Rikei said in greeting, not looking up from his notes.
"Science." Iketeru replied in regards to Hiei's question, flicking a few switches as he read the screens before him. 3
Hiei moved further into the room, hands finding the pockets of his pants as his eyes focused on Shikiyoku, who was very busy taking her feast on a demon he didn't know nor care about. Because if he'd learned anything, it was that whoever attacked, always was struck back. And they almost always died by her hand.
That helped a little in ebbing that anger again, and for the first time since he'd gotten into that inferno of anger, he realized how much energy he'd used- and how much he still had available.
I've gained more.
Hn.
"The more she takes, the worse it gets." Hiei suddenly said, tone even and emotionless. "The longer she's in that form, the sicker she becomes." I don't like it.
But…
…
I don't like it.
"Once your friend dies, I'm taking over. Otherwise, you will too."
~!**!~
Akari had become accustomed to the early mornings, even going down to the kitchen and scouting out the bread box every time before going towards the room where Kurama waited. And really, she supposed her making him wait a little was fun for Yomi, since she was inciting more ire from the fox demon. Or, really, so it seemed.
So this morning, when she meandered down the hall with bread in her mouth, she was purposely taking her time, chewing as she walked.
And as she approached, she gave Kurama the most passive expression she'd ever used, as if she hadn't taken her sweet time. And she didn't say a word, since it was a charade she had to play.
A charade she hated playing.
…
We're his damn soap opera….
The thought almost had her giving in to amusement. *
Kurama had the plants in the room give out a warning to those already inside and he drew back the foliage that had grown over the door as Akari walked towards him.
"You're late." Kurama told her. "Get inside."
~!**!~
Both of the demons in the room paused for a second before going back to what they had been doing.
"Don't mind us." Rikei commented.
"Thank you, in fact. You won't be in the way quite as terribly as Ono. Granted, Ono just collapsed on top of her like that and I'm sure you could at least-"
One of the machines beeped at Iketeru and he frowned, reading of a series of numbers that Rikei scribbled down.
"It's picking up core-rate now too. If I had to guess, she's just about drained him dry."
It was not two seconds later that Shikiyoku blinked, her eyes almost light enough to be considered their normal color, and she shifted her head, pulling her mouth away from Ono's and ending up looking to the right, away from where Iketeru and Rikei had set up their things.
"He tasted disgusting." She informed them bluntly as her hoarse voice rang out low in the room. "And because you did not wait, now you are going to have to unhook me and rehook me." 3
Hiei's first reaction was to scoff at the pair who had thought he meant he'd be leaving her in that form. His second reaction was to sneer, his mouth opening to give a snide remark, but closing again when he saw Shikiyoku's eyes come open and her head turn to the side.
And he blinked.
He'd never seen her eyes almost so clear as they were now, and he couldn't remember her being so calm about things. Then again, he couldn't really remember anything past the fact that every time she had switched, she'd been angrier than he'd ever seen her, or in pain of some kind.
Or she'd gone comatose quickly after her attack.
He couldn't exactly remember her being so lucid after feeding either.
….Was that something from the Consort thing, or was it because she wasn't as sick as she had been? Because of Kitoushi?
A scowl came to Hiei's face as the last of his anger ebbed away, replaced by calm calculations in his head.
She… seemed fine, aside from the obvious fact that she'd changed and taken a demon's life.
The fire demon suddenly stepped forward, easily hefting the body of the one called Ono from her and dropping it to the ground unceremoniously. It wasn't like he felt sorry for the guy who'd attacked her.
Had he even been informed that he'd die?
...it might have been something Shikiyoku hadn't wanted to mention?
Internally he shrugged at himself.
"Get moving, before I change my mind and change her."
Because he wasn't sure about her current state and how long it would last.
~!**!~
Akari blew a huff of air from her nostrils and did as was told, moving for the door and pausing briefly when she felt other energies inside. Energies she hadn't felt from the outside.
She almost thought she recognized a few of them, but she couldn't exactly say who it would be, since she had grown familiar with most energies around here as Yomi's men.
So the moment the door shut, she turned to Kurama with a raised brow that asked 'what the hell is going on?' *
As soon as the door closed behind them, the plants grew back over it, and instead of answering her question, Kurama only leaned forward, kissed her forehead, and started walking deeper into the room.
~!**!~
With the body lifted off of her, Shikiyoku took a breath and turned her head upwards as Rikei set down his things and moved to help the other demon start to remove her restraints.
The axe that had pierced her shoulder had disappeared when the last of Ono's energy left him.
Shikiyoku started grumbling, "I cannot remember the last time I actually got to finish a m-"
Blink.
There had been another voice in the room, but-
She turned her head and finally realized Hiei had come in at some point.
After a moment of staring at him, she frowned, "What are you doing here?" 3
Hiei's eyes narrowed at Shikiyoku's question, again testing for the connection and finding none. Nothing. Zilch. It was unsettling considering she was alive and well, if only changed forms. His lips twitched downwards until he had a scowl prominent on his features, accompanying the narrowed gaze.
"I lost the connection."
He wasn't about to say it aloud. Because it was easily known he was a telepath, but not many would know they had a mental connection such as the one he'd lost track of earlier.
"Why else would I be here?"
~!**!~
Akari gave a small groan and turned to follow after, wiping the bread crumbs from her hands onto her thighs as she walked. Then again, if this was the worst he was going to do when she was going to start throwing demons left and right into random layers, then she'd deal with it.
Because she wasn't sure how he was going to react to what she was going to do.
But, by the way he'd relaxed, these people were friendlies. Not meant to keep a charade up in front of.
But I wanted to lay around… *
A portion of the foliage parted to let them pass and they were greeted with several words from the various demons sitting around, all of whom spoke at once upon their entry.
Kurama gestured to Akari and the demons all gave her some form of a grin or another as he said, "Most of you know this is Akari, but consider this my official introduction."
~!**!~
With one of her wrists now free, Shikiyoku lifted it from where it had been pinned against the table and flexed her fingers.
"Lost? Perhaps you have. Broken, no. Do you really think we are so weak as that?" 3
Hiei's scowl deepened at her words and a brow twitched. When in the middle of battle and he suddenly couldn't feel her anymore, he'd simply acted out of instinct. Because here, he didn't know what these demons were capable of, and really, he didn't care to try them.
Except for the fact he blew an entire room into ash and-
Not important.
He took a deep, calming breath.
"...Hn."
(I was worried.)
He shifted his stance a little, moving his weight from one foot to the other, feeling the slight breeze in the room move through the various rips, tears, and slices through his clothing and over various wounds that hadn't healed completely yet. He scratched idly at his face as if in thought, but really he suddenly felt…
Hm. What was that?
(Mukuro won't be happy with the room.)
Heh.
(Shouldn't have locked it.)
"This is what you do all day? Hook up to machines and bounce numbers around?"
Because that didn't seem anything more than boring.
~!**!~
The moment the foliage moved out of the way, Akari was able to smell the scents of other demons in the area, the grass and such no longer cloaking their musks in any form. And two of them she recognized immediately, before she'd even looked at the group Kurama had lead her to.
She came to stand at Kurama's right, eyes roving over each demon in turn, pausing on the two she'd already met.
I thought I was done with the drunk and the fast-talker.
Apparently not.
I hope they're not all crazy.
I dunno how much more crazy I can take.
With the introduction, she raised a hand in a lazy wave. "I've already met Jin and Chu." Her eyes alighted on a demon in the group she knew she'd passed several times in the halls. "And Rinku."
The boy gave a grin. "Hiya!"
The other two gave their individual greetings, one too slurred for her to catch and the other too quick.
This….
She turned her eyes to Kurama.
What's going on? *
As the others intoned their greetings to Akari when she said their names, Kurama sat down, a chair of plant life forming underneath him that he leaned back into as he crossed one leg over the other.
"The others are Sazuka, Touya, and Shishiwakamaru. Former enemies on the battlefield, now allies and conspirators."
When Kurama gestured to the three he introduced, they each gave her a greeting and nodded at her.
"Any news, then, gentlemen?"
~!**!~
It was not that the connection between them had been broken, much like Shikiyoku had said, because she could still sense those moments where things passed between them.
It was only that her ability to feel, to respond, had been muted, for very little actually made it past her severe façade, not much stirred her emotions.
Of course, when he mentioned Mukuro not being happy with the room, her eyes flashed wickedly and she held no small amount of satisfaction at the knowledge.
(Good.)
She could go to hell for all Shikiyoku cared.
"Of course it is boring. But it is also necessary. I expect to have to be in this form many more times before we make progress." She looked over at him again, lowering her hand back onto the table as the other two demons continued unstrapping and unhooking her, and her gaze was blunt, if rather closed and unfeeling.
Via his telepathic link with her, she sent him an image of them laying on the bed in their rooms.
"...I wish to relax with you." 3
There was a small spark in his mind that had the fire demon momentarily turning inward, searching for that connection again, and this time he found the connection before the feeling she'd sent was gone. And he realized it was still there, just… quiet. Muted, perhaps.
And that sent a new release of tension through his body, because it made him realize she could hear him, but he couldn't hear everything from her. Or, rather, feel. Sense. Whatever.
And when she mentioned being in this form more often, he made a mental note to make sure and access his telepathy next time he felt the bond go mute, since he couldn't exactly feel what she was thinking at the time.
And then the image of them laying next to each other, not even sleeping, just laying there, was broadcast at the forefront of his mind. And he wanted nothing more than that in the moment.
How long had he been fighting for? He wasn't sure. It was hard to tell.
...And Mukuro may have to send people to repair the room he'd likely destroyed.
Tch.
She shouldn't have locked him in there and expect him to keep it intact.
"Me too," he finally admitted, eyes closing. "...how do you feel?"
~!**!~
Show off.
Akari lowered herself to sit on the grass, eyes moving to memorize the three names with the three faces she didn't know. And after a moment, she found herself zoning into a conversation she hadn't realized had stirred.
"Yomi has been testing every demon who claims to use the Veil one by one by having us send a random demon to the Ninth Layer." Touya said calmly, eyes watching her for a moment before turning to Kurama. "But with the way things are now, he's the current underdog."
"I imagine the bloke's all shaken up now that Urameshi is training with the monks."
"And Yomi's current second in command has been looking for a reason to stick you in the spotlight." Rinku suddenly piped. "But I bet you already knew that. He doesn't like you very much since you're Yomi's favorite."
Akari gave a sigh, but didn't voice an opinion on anything. *
"I know it's been a bit since our last meeting, so I'll go ahead and bring you all up to speed on what I was doing in my absence.
"There is actually a true heir for the throne in the Ninth Layer, and Yomi sent me to fetch her because he wished for her to challenge the right for the throne and then have her pass it to him. She has no desire for it so he expected her to comply. Mukuro got to her first because she wishes to keep her from both Yomi and Raizen, who would put her on the throne and leave her there. Mukuro has also recruited Hiei to her side, and has of late been picking up layer-walkers before we can get to them, so the lead that Yomi did have in regards to those numbers is dwindling. Slowly, of course, since he already snatched up a large portion and now finding such demons is few and far between, but the gap is closing.
"I have also since discovered that Yusuke has died."
~!**!~
"...I...don't feel much." Even as he asked the question, Shikiyoku turned inward, but was interrupted from her reverie by something Rikei said and her gaze lifted as she slowly sat up.
"If you expect me to run," Her expression darkened, "Then you had better find me more fodder. And since I do not think Mukuro wishes for me to thin any more the ranks of her top fighters, I might suggest we wait on that particular procedure." Shikiyoku carefully swung her legs over to the side Hiei stood on and let them dangle.
"Are you usually this lucid?" Rikei wanted to know, "I had been told people with the disease go out of their minds."
"I did go out of my mind." Shikiyoku replied archly, "For several years. And the answer to your question is no, but neither have I actually been allowed to finish a meal since my mind was restored."
The statement brought to mind Kitoushi kissing her, turning her back to 'normal.' And for once the memory of him stirred nothing inside her.
Iketeru stepped up next to her and took one of her arms in his hand, beginning to draw her blood. 3
Hiei's head tilted slightly to the side, his eyes watching Shikiyoku as he tried picking up anything more from her side of things and found nothing. It was… odd. And he didn't like it. Then again, he recognized that it was a part of this side of her, the lack of feeling things. It had been the thing she'd told him before he'd become her Consort. That in this form, she didn't feel the pain. At least, not near as much as she had. Why would it be any different about everything else?
He found himself lost in thought for a moment, thinking about that concept and still searching for that connection, ensuring he would recognize it later when this was repeated.
And suddenly, he wanted nothing more than a nap. Than to lay down in that room he hadn't been to in… some lengthy amount of time or another, with Shikiyoku, and just lay there until they both fell asleep.
In fact..
(Hn.)
He was going to wait a few minutes after he switched Shikiyoku back. And if no one came for him, then his mind would be made up.
Because dammit, he deserved a nap after that tirade. And being separated from Shikiyoku was taxing.
He was suddenly aware of another being outside the room, waiting. Hiei turned to look at the door, recognizing the presence as that of the Lieutenant. With a scowl, he moved towards the door, with every intention of coming back.
~!**!~
There was a moment during Kurama's little debriefing where Chu leaned to Jin, making some comment or another that sounded similar to, "The short bloke found a Sheila?" Of course, the redhead only glanced at Chu before turning forward again, listening to the rest of what Kurama had to say.
Akari herself…
Well, she hadn't known any of this either. And she hadn't asked Kurama during their days of laying around, because this was their escape from it for a few hours. In fact, she realized they hadn't done anything with the second necklace yet.
Because they had simply let the time pass with small talk and-
Wait.
Akari had to replay the last words Kurama had said in her mind, the others in the room going deadly quiet for a second before a few of the others began talking all at once, all in disbelief.
Akari only stared at Kurama. Then blinked once. Twice. And then she narrowed her eyes at him, waiting for him to continue because there was no way that was all of the information. Otherwise, he would've told her their friend was dead.
At least, she trusted him to do so.
Not to mention how easily he'd said that sentence. *
Kurama rested silent for a moment in the chair he grew for himself, face divulging nothing as the allies of the former Spirit Detective clamored among themselves for a moment at the piece of information.
At the instant in which they began to die down, he took up again and they fell the rest of the way silent, "And risen again to join our ranks as a demon himself. Raizen killed him personally in order to activate the Mazoku blood passed down through the generations."
"So, now there are two Raizens walking around?" Shishi's eyes widened.
Kurama gave a little nod. "Now there are two Raizens walking around."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku's upper lip trembled a little with the threat of a growl as she noticed the reason for Hiei walking off, but with Iketeru drawing blood and Rikei having come up with sensory equipment he held near her heart, there was no way for her to either stop Hiei from going or get down and threaten the newcomer herself.
Her irritation at the intrusion was strong enough for her to feel it filtering through the connection between them. 3
Hiei moved from the room, actually feeling the mental connection lighting with anger that wasn't his, but mirrored his own that had began to boil. He knew what she was thinking, and quite frankly, he had a few ideas in mind himself.
But he stepped calmly into the hall and turned to stand near the masked demon, eyes darkening a little. He almost made the demand of this being quick, but the demon spoke up first.
"In light of recent events, you will have two days of free time to do with as you please, not including today. On the third, you will report to Mukuro."
Hiei stared at the demon, eyes narrowing a little.
"The king will be giving you your new task then. Do not make Mukuro wait, Gouka."
Tch.
Hiei watched the demon disappear from sight, and after a moment he turned and, on silent feet, strode back into the room, only stopping when he stood in front of Shikiyoku. And he said nothing, only standing, watching her calmly.
~!**!~
Akari could have laughed.
It was an odd turn of events, the spirit detective who'd fought demons turning into a demon. And for a moment, that was the only thing she thought about, was the fact that he was alive and kicking- in more ways than one.
Now, the fact that there were two Raizens…
When the fight came around, that would be a huge factor. And Yusuke could have changed too, personality wise.
Akari suddenly blinked as Nabu's voice rang in her head. "Stripes!"
Her lips parted into a small 'o' and her eyes widened, and suddenly she wished she could talk to Nabu. Ask him about the stripes he'd seen and what all he'd seen about Yusuke. Because the dog…
Nabu had seen clues the whole time, and I brushed them away as his imagination.
Nabu had known, in his own way. And had told her repeatedly about the stripes on Yusuke's face and arms.
She'd have to remember to talk to Nabu about it later. *
"Now." Kurama leaned forward a little, drawing the rowdy bunches' attention back to the present. "The question I have for you, for each of you, is where your loyalties actually lie. Should it come down to a battle, would you fight against Yusuke? Or Hiei? Would you stick by Yomi should it mean turning on your former allies?"
~!**!~
Shikiyoku met Hiei's steady gaze with her own, turning to the two demons still standing over her.
"Hurry up." She didn't growl it like she would have growled something at the intruder, but her voice took on a little more gruffness than there had been in it before.
Rikei let out a noise of distaste, "Readings take a while, woman. Patience."
"You can get your readings later, man."
"I'm getting them now." He sent his amber eyes in her direction and it quieted her after a moment until she actually broke the stare first and dropped her glare to the side.
"I'm sure you will return when you can." Iketeru finished his own work by her side and stood there for a moment, clearing her arm and reaching up to do the same to her shoulder. "But if you can manage to already be this way when you get here it will save some trouble."
Shikiyoku sent her eyes in the scientist's direction this time, "You worry about gathering enough food to make it worth my while and we'll see."
"Hmph." Iketeru turned away. 3
Hiei had been calm, had let his ire set aside and even almost dissipate as his eyes continued to meet Shikiyoku's gaze, finding that the color was very close to her normal green irises, and that they somehow had a calming effect despite her grumbled demand.
And then the demon had to speak up.
Instantaneously, that ire sparked again and Hiei's eyes cut to the demon who'd used the term in disrespect, glare narrowed and flashing with a silent threat. Want your skin to melt from your bones? It's possible to happen. Rather fun to witness, actually.
He half expected the other demon to pipe in, but his glare didn't turn away from the other when Iketeru seemed to step in as a type of median of the situation.
Which didn't really deter the fire demon.
At least when he used it, it was not meant as disrespect.
~!**!~
Akari was pulled back to reality and away from her thoughts when Kurama spoke up again, his calm tone and smooth voice getting everyone's attention at once and bringing silence in the room. And at his question, she felt no need to answer.
She did, however, turn her eyes to the others. Say you'll join Yomi. See what happens.
And she wasn't exactly surprised to find that each demon in the room looked at one another, gave a smile at the other, and then turned to Kurama, all with the same answer, all in unison.
"Yusuke."
Her lips twitched and suddenly she was smiling as each demon began listing reasons why they wouldn't turn on their allies, why their loyalties would remain to the team of once-were Spirit Detectives. Even the bitter one- Shishiwakamaru?- had ended up conceding, despite his original expression of consternation.
Seems there's a new team in this war. I bet no one is ready for it either.
She watched the group for a moment before turning sparkling, amused eyes up at Kurama. *
Kurama glanced down at Akari as the others continued talking over one another.
"Did you ever really have any doubts about them?" Kurama asked her in a low voice, slight smile on his face.
~!**!~
The device beeped and Shikiyoku's hand shot out to curl around the wrist that held it when Rikei did not make a move to stop.
"Your test is done." Shikiyoku glanced meaningfully at the sensor before looking back up at the glasses-wearing demon.
He did not let her push his wrist away, continuing to press a few buttons at the screen of it.
"And there are three more-"
"Which can wait." Shikiyoku seethed.
Rikei's eyes flashed, "One of which will take two days to come back with results, just like the other one I just finished."
The device started whirring again, Rikei and Shikiyoku still locked down in a glare.
For a second time, Shikiyoku dropped her eyes away from his, releasing her hold on his wrist. 3
It would be such an easy task to boil that skin away to nothing.
After a few seconds of the banter between Shikiyoku and Rikei, Hiei found himself very strongly considering kissing Shikiyoku, just to end the testing and take their leave. He'd been standing, running, fighting for days, possibly weeks, and he was feeling rather temperamental considering how his day had been so far.
And perhaps the only thing stopping him from an attack was Shikiyoku herself, who conceded.
Which had him waiting not-so-patiently, watching every little thing the demon did as if searching for something foul and a reason to attack.
But for the time being, he waited.
~!**!~
Akari eyed Kurama for a few moments before letting out a little breath and shaking her head. She opened her mouth to speak, only to become aware of a demon nearing her, throwing his arm over her shoulders and tugging her in his direction.
And the absolutely disgusting smell of alcohol all over Chu. "Hey, how goes that projection Sheila?"
Akari crinkled her nose as his breath washed over her face. "Rocky, but better."
"I couldn' tell ya how to fix tha' problem o' yours, but at least you know how to get back now!"
She nodded, leaning a little away from him. "And I thank Jin for that."
The windmaster piped up, suddenly giving a slew of words she didn't catch other than "lass". *
Where he had leaned forward to talk to the others, Kurama now had an elbow resting just above his crossed knee, the thumb of that hand holding his chin and his fingers underneath his nose.
...which effectively masked the chuckle that threatened to bubble past his lips when Chu grabbed Akari, the distaste on her face clear.
"Chu, I thought your solution to most problems was drinking more? Did that not work for her?"
~!**!~
It was something about his eyes, how unnerving, maybe unearthly, they were, that kept Shikiyoku unable to hold his stare when he turned it on her.
At the moment, he dutifully stuck to watching the sensory equipment in his hand, but at this proximity she once again picked up Rikei's scent, which seemed so like the young demon she watched get torn apart before her very eyes.
And like her remembrance of Kitoushi, the thought of Douji stirred nothing within her.
Just as the device sang out again, Rikei shifted it in his grasp and reached forward with both hands, taking Shikiyoku by her bare, scarred waist and lifting her down from the table to set her on the floor before turning away, murmuring data readings to himself. 3
Hiei had watched every little move of the demon who had incited his ire, up until the moment Rikei let Shikiyoku onto her own feet and turned away. And the fire demon took that to mean that all business here was done. Or, at the very least, all business Shikiyoku had been willing to finish for the day. And before the other could do or say something else to further irritate him, Hiei turned to Shikiyoku and placed his hands on either side of her face, quickly pressing his lips to hers to end this string of tests and ensure the sickness didn't get worse.
He didn't like it when she was in this form. And he especially didn't like it now that they were here, and she'd be changed more often, and very likely at times when he wouldn't be here.
And then all at once his tension melted away and his brain focused on one thing: changing her back.
~!**!~
"I offered," Chu piped up, lifting his head so he could look at Kurama, "But she just wouldn' take it!"
Akari turned her head to send a narrowed stare at Kurama. Don't.
And then Chu was demanding her attention again, pulling her closer, producing a bottle from who knows where and holding it to her. "Try it, you migh' find you like it!"
"No, I'm fine."
"I'll drink if you do."
"No, really. I'd rather not." *
"Ah, Chu, what problem are we solving this time by offering her a drink?" Kurama wanted to know, his face mirroring his tone in that it remained perfectly serious.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku had been going to say something to the assistant, but having her face caught up by Hiei, not to mention being kissed, smothered whatever words had been bubbling up to cast in Rikei's direction.
For a second, she blinked at Hiei, feeling certain he wasn't just kissing her for the sake of doing it, but at the same time, neither was anything happening, so the thought did occur.
Her core tugged at her and her eyes closed, feeling the change starting to overtake her, a pleasant buzzing licking away at the scars until they were all gone, her mind restarting.
This time, however, upon reboot and blinking her eyes open again, when Hiei didn't immediately pull away, she felt the buzzing of her veins that had started as it always did when she woke to his lips against hers suddenly shift into a higher gear, deep red blush exploding across her cheeks as she jerked back from him all at once, blinded by the connection between them feeding back her own emotions at herself in a magnification. 3
Hiei had known the moment when the change had been complete, but a thought had crossed his mind, a small reminder, and he'd decided to hold himself there a few seconds longer, his eyes closed and his body suddenly going completely relaxed when he felt the return of the connection at full-blast.
And to be honest, he found himself quite amused when Shikiyoku jumped back, his hands releasing her cheeks and his arms falling to his sides as he calmly looked at her, no emotions clear on his face as he noted the bright red color to her cheeks. The elevated temperature there.
(I was impatient.)
His lips twitched a little and he turned away, already having a destination in mind.
(And tired.)
~!**!~
Chu didn't even look up, his fingers curled around the neck of the bottle and the bottom of it pointed at Akari in another offer. "She's too tense, mate. Gotta loosen 'er up a bit!"
Akari's fingers touched the bottom of the bottle and gently pushed it away from herself.
"Maybe she's tense because of you, Chu!" Rinku suddenly voiced, and Akari cast a thankful glance in the boy's direction.
"Nah, she's just nervous is all!"
Akari gave a sigh and turned a pleading look to Kurama. Help me...
"There are other ways to alleviate tension, you know." One of the others spoke, drawing Akari's narrowed eyes to the purple-haired demon that had given a comment she'd very much expected from someone like Youko. But he went on. "For instance, a good fight."
"Nah, what Sheila needs is to have a good time!"
Akari gave a long-suffering sigh and gave a little scoot away from Chu, bringing her closer to Kurama's leafy chair. These people are going to be the death of me. *
Kurama was absolutely no help. In fact, he found her uncomfortableness rather amusing given that he had known Chu for a long time now. Plus, if the demon really were to do something stupid, it would only take a look from himself to put a stop to whatever nonsense was going on.
Not to mention the fact that perhaps if Chu flirted with her around the compound on a regular basis it would further pull her out from Yomi's gaze, which was fixed rather firmly on Kurama.
So to speak.
"As long as we keep our ears and eyes open, I think between us all we ought to be able to keep rather close watch on everything going on here." Kurama turned to the rest of them, letting his eyes settle across the group. "It's good to have you with me."
~!**!~
It wasn't that Shikiyoku didn't hear Hiei, because she had not ever really stopped hearing him.
But that didn't mean she could move to follow him once he started walking away.
A long string of curses passed over her mind.
Her rate of breathing had increased as if she couldn't quite catch her breath, her scalp tingled madly, and there had been this bright flash of yellow behind her eyes that accompanied the surge in her energy and even when she blinked her vision did not clear at first.
"Ku...raku?" Rikei felt the flood of power as it briefly made his own core hitch, and the second portion of her title had come out hurried as he whipped around only to see she had returned to her other form, albeit with a few differences.
Iketeru was only slightly faster than his assistant, but they were both kneeling in front of her in a matter of a second as she blinked and jerked her head back and forth trying to clear her eyes.
Rikei checked her pulse, though he could see the vein at her jugular beating erratically, and placed his hand over her core, catching the feel for the flood of energy that already leaked out seemingly from her skin and altered her appearance, if only slightly. Hair shinier, skin beckoning touch, eyes brighter and gleaming when she opened them.
At the same time, Iketeru took a hold of her face in one hand and turned her head back and forth before reaching out to force an eyelid open, witnessing the shimmer that cascaded over her eyes and dilated her pupils.
"I'm...fine." Shikiyoku mumbled, trying to bat their concern away physically by fending them off with a wave of her hand, but they simply avoided her and continued.
The buzzing in her veins had not lessened in this time, nor had the blush across her face, and it was really that phenomenon which drew Rikei's attention. Because it did not seem to him a reaction to her heart beating faster, as the 'blush' remained only across her face and did not spread over her exposed neck or shoulders, or even on her ears.
"Really..." Shikiyoku murmured again, shaking her head to try and clear her eyes, going ahead and taking a step forward, but unsure on her feet and clutching at Iketeru's arm.
Realization dawned that Hiei had not kissed her, not on the lips anyway, since becoming her Consort, though all the other times he had pulled away once the shift finished.
And the feedback she was getting made the phrase 'multiply your joys' echo somewhere in the middle of her mind as she stood there. 3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! BOOP! -Star