A/N: Hello once again for the first time in a long time since I kept a regular schedule, Audience!
Whew. So, as of yesterday, I appear to have fixed all of the silly mistakes I mentioned in the last chapter. If anyone catches anything else, feel free to let me know; I would definitely appreciate a new pair of eyes as mine have likely missed things. However, hopefully everything is correct for the moment. As an apology for my mistake, this chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones have been, though I do not intend to make this the new target length for future chapters.
The following is a note from the previous chapter that still applies to this chapter:
"In other news, I don't have a note on it in the symbols guide below since I don't think it's come up so far, and if it has the occasions are few and far between, but there is a portion in this chapter where Mukuro is conversing with the Artificial Intelligence of the Mobile Fortress itself, to put it simply. The AI's dialogue is unique in that it is in italics, but has a hyphen at the end of it. Similar to how we have used a tilde in the past after italics to indicate the All-Fire "speaking," the AI doesn't so much speak in words exactly, and it's only because of Mukuro's close ties to it that she is able to translate the resulting code of information the AI feeds her into a sort of sentience that no one else would likely be able to understand."
Ciao for now!~
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!
Wriggling away from Hiei's tickling,
Shikiyoku takes off running again,
Hiei chasing her down
as he senses her inner turmoil
still roiling just below the surface.
Mukuro and the Mobile Fortress
have locked onto the two energy signatures
that are flitting about at impossible speeds,
faster even than Mukuro herself had achieved.
This time when Shikiyoku missteps
while attempting to go faster in the layers,
she twists her ankle during the effort,
and Hiei quickly scoops his arms around her middle,
the two of them no longer running,
and Hiei holding her just off the ground,
though immediately starting to tickle her again.
Shikiyoku's sudden burst of laughter
echoes throughout the Shackle Room
in which Mukuro had been seated
and watching the other two
through the sensors of the Fortress.
Watching the moment with
no small amount of confusion,
the Fortress assesses the situation
and sudden asks Mukuro why
they do not have any 'fun.'
Hiei all at once becomes aware
that he and Shikiyoku are not alone,
and quickly drops them through the layers,
half-afraid that they might have angered Mukuro
with their intrusion.
Shikiyoku notes with surprise
as Hiei whisks her away
that Mukuro appeared more curious than anything.
As the two wind down,
Hiei carries her to their room,
the Jagan loudly insisting to the fire demon
that Hiei needed to kiss Shikiyoku.
Noting some sort of distress from Hiei,
Shikiyoku inquires after him,
Hiei admitting the Jagan having been
more aware since his fight with Shigure.
Making to the bedroom,
Hiei retrieves "sweet snow"
from the fridge in the corner,
and seats himself with Shiki across his lap
so that they could share in it.
With the Jagan continuing to assault Hiei
with ideas of kissing Shikiyoku,
Hiei finally relaxes into her,
though Shikiyoku still senses some of the turmoil,
brought on by the Jagan,
within Hiei.
She stares up at him,
suddenly struck by a thought that
perhaps the Jagan now contains the energy
that she has noticed absent from Hiei,
and when Hiei notes her staring,
she asks if he is not enjoying it,
to which he replies that perhaps he does,
but so does she since she has not stopped.
~!**!~
Akari, having finally returned to Yomi,
only brings three of those she gathered with her,
claiming the rest died in attacks via Crusnik-demons.
She is released to her room to rest,
however it is all too soon that Kurama
is sent to her door
with instructions to tell her she has more
layer-walkers to retrieve.
Upon delivering the message and no more,
Kurama leaves,
Akari unable to conjure up anything to say to him.
Split between trying to protect Mother
and what is left of her pack,
Akari traverses the layer with other demons in tow,
continuing to try and outmaneuver Crusnik
as well as collect that which Yomi demands:
more layer-walkers.
Eventually all the others have been left behind,
only Akari and Manami searching for layer-walkers,
though Akari leaves Manami behind for a moment,
so that the latter can rest.
As Akari returns,
she finds Manami being attacked by Crusnik,
and attempts to save her via shadows,
as well as run off herself.
Eventually Akari has recovered enough
to pull Manami out of the shadows,
though Manami admonishes her
for not going after the demon
that the two of them had been tracking,
knowing that the longer Akari delayed,
the harder Kurama would be treated by Yomi.
Two days later, Akari returns with four demons,
ordered to take them to the training rooms
that Kurama himself is overseeing.
Akari continues being sent out for layer-walkers,
trying this time to do so by herself,
though a little over a week later,
and she has Manami in her midst,
who has helped her track the latest pair
that she intends to return with to Yomi.
They all stop to make camp,
splitting up to forage for food and wood,
and Akari finds herself having been followed
by one of the male demons of two in the group.
He appears to notice the Hope flower bracelet
that is around her wrist,
despite the enchantments Youko had put upon it
in an attempt to prevent others from seeing it.
His noticing it sets Akari on edge,
unsure if he wants it for his own.
They return to camp,
and Akari spends the night restless,
deciding in the early morning
to head to a nearby waterfall before the others wake...
Akari stood beneath the falling water, letting it hit her head and fall over her shoulders and along her skin. It was better than any pressurized shower, and the cold water very quickly had her awake and alert to her surroundings. It helped her rub away the slight discoloration underneath her eyes and scrub the dirt from under her nails. It helped her wash away the sleeplessness and replace it with keen awareness that almost matched that of a fully rested demon of any kind.
And she absolutely loved the feel of the waterfall on her scalp, pressing her hair onto her head and sticking it to her face, neck, shoulders and back. She had her eyes closed, but there was a small, quaint smile on her lips even as she planned the quickest route back to the Eighth layer, back to Yomi's palace.
Even that didn't seem to dampen her mood as she stood beneath the water with her face turned up to the cool falls.
So it was really hard to convince herself to leave the cascade and wade her way to the water's edge, and even harder still to make herself leave the water and redress herself.
Which is exactly why she took her sweet time in doing so, in drying out and running her fingers through her hair. She took a good few minutes to braid her hair too, and to tie it with a little leather string she'd pulled from the bag she now hung across her shoulder.
And perhaps if she had actually been aware of her surroundings, she would have registered the raising hair on her arms to be alarm, and not a simple chill from the cold air rushing by. Were she actually as aware as she considered herself to be, she would have known long before she stepped into the clearing that something was wrong in every way.
Had she been the least bit aware of what was going on, she might have had time to save at least one of them.
No, that's not how it works in the real world. That's not how it goes when you miss enough sleep to count for two whole days. That's not what happens when you've been running on next to nothing in your energy supply.
What happens is you walk into a clearing where you and three others had been previously camping out, and you find two dead and the other missing. You find yourself standing in shock, staring at blood on the ground and realizing it shouldn't have been enough to be the cause of two demons' demises.
You find yourself lost. Confused.
I'd only been gone a minute.
Several minutes ticked by before Akari could bring herself to move, to walk over to the two demons lying on the ground not ten feet from one another. And it took her an extra few minutes to bring herself to examine the males in hopes of figuring out what happened. Those moments ticked on to half an hour, where Akari could only guess at what had happened.
She stood upright and took a look around the clearing, sucking in a deep breath before calling to the wind. "MANAMI!" She went quiet, listening for answers, for calls back from her friend who might have gotten away. "MANAMI!"
Still, there was silence. Silence that echoed throughout her entire being and sank her heart to her stomach. Still, she raised her hands to frame her mouth.
"MA-NA-MII!"
This time, she heard a sound nearby, and her head whipped to the side in hopes to find her friend before she realized that the sound had been a little ways away. And before she could even begin to think through what she did next, she took off at a dead run in that direction, completely ignoring the bells in her head that said if she didn't get going soon, she'd be running behind schedule on returning to Yomi.
Kurama will suffer.
But she could be suffering too.
"Manami!"
And Akari ran for what felt like an eternity, despite the fact that the sun didn't seem to move an inch in the sky. She ran, and she ran, and ran. The further she went, the more confident she was that she was on the heels of a demon.
A demon who stumbled and fell a few times, she could hear. A demon that coughed when it picked itself back up from the dirt and grass.
She shifted to the inbetween and ran some more, finding it faster this way to catch up to whoever she was tracking.
Only to find she'd cut off her friend in the middle of the pathway, unfurling between the layers and standing in the way.
Which was the worst mistake she'd ever made.
The demon who looked like her friend barrelled at her, eyes a darkened shade of what Manami's used to be, and teeth bared. Her dark ears lay back in warning, and dark energy filled the area very quickly.
Energy that Akari didn't find herself able to escape. Not when it wrapped about her arms and forced her to the her knees, her forehead hitting the dirt harshly so she had to force her way into a proper position to see her friend. Not when the snarling, spitting demon who had never fought a day in her life was suddenly one of the deadliest creatures in existence.
She hadn't been aware of it, but Akari had begun trying to reason through to the girl who attacked, to the girl who seemed to be moving in slow motion. She reasoned over and over again to her best friend, hoping that somehow she'd get through and see the darkness in the girl's brown eyes fade to their usual chocolate color.
Instead, Manami kept running, kept growling and charging, and two thoughts occurred to her:
You're going to die here.
And:
Kurama's mother will be taking the heat from now on.
Akari felt her core skip a beat. For so long, she had been at least a slight diversion from Kurama's mother- a more immediate manipulating pawn. And now that diversion would be gone, and Kurama would have to bare a more prominent threat to the human woman he so loved.
….She could die.
The next instant she felt a chill come over her body. Her limbs moved of their own accord, lifting to block the attack that Manami launched at her throat. Claws grazed skin, earning blood trails down Akari's shoulder and shirtfront. Then a lunge for the throat that just barely missed the jugular.
The very next moment that Manami was close enough to strike a lethal blow, Akari took that chance from her entirely, acting on pure instinct, pure desperation to make sure no one Kurama loved came to harm.
Both of Akari's hands tore from the binding that was Manami's energy, and before Akari could even blink, were through the heart of the other demoness. The darkened energy dissipated instantly from the air, like vapor, and Akari found herself falling backwards with the momentum that Manami had been carrying knocking her over.
A weight that felt like a thousand worlds crashed in on the dog demon who lay on the grass, feeling the still-warm blood falling over her. It was everywhere, coating the front of her clothes and tangling her hair. A single breath huffed from the body atop her before going still, and Akari could do nothing more than stare up at the bright blue sky of the midday, watching the clouds roll by while her numbed mind refused to accept what had just happened.
And then all at once she became aware of many other demons in the distance, on another layer, calling for help and broadcasting nothing but pure agony. She felt a new wave of energy wash over her, restoring her own to full capacity and health so that she may carry out whatever Alpha duties needed to be done for the day. She felt an instinct that told her to get up and move, to run to the fourth layer and see to her pack that so desperately needed her.
And yet she couldn't move.
She couldn't even register the almost-clear skies overhead or the cold breeze that should have been the cause for her shivers, but was most definitely not the cause.
"I'm sorry, Manami."
And for a long while, the only movement she achieved was to roll Manami away from her own body and let her eyes close. Everything else was spent on tears.
I'm so sorry. *
~!**!~
Because after all, it was his lack of responses to her in the beginning that made any sort of 'affection' now trigger her energy.
Youko and Kit and all the others had played their role as Champion differently.
Hiei was...a singular individual.
(I will neither confirm nor deny whether or not I enjoy looking at you.) 3
Hiei made a sound of amusement.
Are you lying to someone who's in your head at this very moment?
"She's totally loving the attention, by the way."
(Fair enough.)
~!**!~
It was dark. Very dark. The whole castle seemed to be asleep, save for a few, and Akari was one of the only ones moving through the hallways. And yet, somehow, she still knew Yomi was sitting in his usual meeting room, waiting. Listening.
Her shoulders were straight, her eyes forward, her feet carrying her with deliberance up each and every step, her mind on nothing more than what she would have to say when she stepped into the room.
But she couldn't deny the part of her that wanted to yell eff it and find Kurama. There was no denying the part of her that wanted nothing more than a hug or even perhaps just a "you'll make it through".
But she battled that.
With every ounce of her being.
She carried herself with dignity, with pride, with confidence up every single step, all the way up to the uppermost floors and to Yomi's meeting room, where a guard pulled the door open for her. She gave him a nod of thanks as she passed, and gave Yomi the most respectful of bows when she came to stand a few feet from the blind demon.
"They were not strong enough to withstand the threat of a Crusnik this morning," Akari said after a moment, pulling herself upright and staring into what was the closed eyes of Yomi. "All three I had gathered for you today died within moments of an attack, sir."
The demon seemed to consider what she said before he simply waved her away. "that will have to do for now. Be ready for the next assignment."
Akari nodded and bowed again before turning and taking her leave of the meeting room, taking careful, measured breaths as she walked the halls, still battling with herself and instincts she'd only just acquired. *
~!**!~
The emptiness of the dark lab served as the buffer for Kurama's work, having dismissed the occupants from the room several hours before as he occasionally had been known to do, and ordering the two members of the High Guard who accompanied him everywhere to their post outside the door.
It wasn't as if he thought there were others who might attempt to steal his secrets. To his knowledge, he was the only one in Yomi's service able to manipulate the energy of plants, and that wasn't a simple parlor trick one might learn under a few moments of observation.
That did not mean, however, that he had not set up a zone of silence that prevented any sound waves from escaping the room.
He could feel the countless spores of the plant that clung to the walls pulsating softly at him, deadening any sound he might make while there.
Kurama reached for the powder he had just finished grinding with the mortar and pestle and tested the graininess between his finger and thumb, the very fine powder sticking readily to his skin, forcing him to manipulate the energy within it in order to get every single piece to drop back into the awaiting mortar.
Breaking the silence by crushing the powder with a few more strokes, Kurama reached in again, but this time began spreading the result across his other hand, satisfied with how well his skin absorbed and masked the powder.
Shifting the fingers of the hand with the invisible layer of plant dust to test his mobility, Kurama quietly sought the energy still contained in the powder and morphed it, causing a rustle to fill the room as a green gauntlet formed where the powder had been rubbed, each finger and his thumb ending in claws that he swiped through the air once before picking up a bar heavy metal from the table and tossing it over his shoulder, pivoting around and slicing easily through the thick bar, the separated pieces clattering satisfactorily to the floor.
Flexing his hand again and appreciating the dexterity of what only felt like another layer of skin, Kurama let go of the energy of the powder and the gauntlet-like glove seemed to disappear.
Turning back to the remaining powder, Kurama spread some of it on the table in front of him and after a moment had a working gauntlet sticking up as if a disembodied arm had been torn from the elbow and stuck onto the counter in front of him.
The fingers appeared to flex and move on their own as Kurama took to examining it closer.
~!**!~
Thoughts of Douji and the others stirred again and Shikiyoku briefly wondered after Kafu. And Horu.
If she really had introduced the activated Crusnik to the Ninth Layer, who knew what sort of chaos might ensue.
Demons on the Ninth Layer were powerful creatures in their own right, so she could not rightly imagine them having any difficulty with one of their own.
But if too many of those demons decided to hunt on other layers…
Well, she supposed the Eighth Layer would have been attacked by now, and she would have heard about it. Hopefully that meant there were not many denizens of the Ninth Layer who could walk through the layers. She could see them skipping over the Eighth Layer as being too dangerous an area to trod-she had avoided this very layer during her own stint of losing her mind-but she couldn't see many demons of the other layers being able to stand up to one of her fellow citizens should they decide to stalk amongst their brethren in the other layers. 3
Hiei shifted, lifting his head again so that when he had a spoonful of the sweet snow ready, he could very easily slide it all into his mouth and savor the wonderful flavors on his tongue. He even left the spoon in his mouth when he rested his chin on her head again.
(What are you brooding over?) It was a question stemmed from nothing more than simple curiosity, though he had an inkling that it had something to do with earlier today.
~!**!~
Akari found she had paused in the middle of the walkway, eyes turning up to stare at the ceiling as if she could see through it and into the rooms above. Rooms that were empty, aside from one on another floor.
Her body simply reacted, her feet turning and deliberately taking her back up a few flights of stairs, carrying her across several hallways where the only sound was of her own near-silent steps.
When had she started walking so lightly?
She didn't remember her own steps every being so light, nor her body ever moving as it did now, where her hair did not so much as sway in its messy ponytail as it was. Perhaps it stemmed from her days outside the palace.
Perhaps it was something she gained just today.
She didn't know.
But by the time she reached the door that was guarded by two rather large and powerful demons, she had come to the decision that she was not here for consolation, for pity, for anything similar to an I'm sorry you had a bad day. In fact, she had no intentions of even hinting at the day she'd had, even though a large part of her was rather desperate for support.
She had other things to do now. Other priorities.
So she moved as close to the door as she felt she was allowed, and then waited in silence. *
While the demon to the right of the door did not so much as indicate he took notice of the presence of the shorter dog demon who approached, the one to the left ducked into the lab without saying a word, momentarily closing the door behind him.
Moments passed and the demon returned to his post, this time leaving the door open where he came through.
~!**!~
(Brooding?) Shikiyoku repeated with faux-indignance, glancing up again at what she could see of his face.
(The Great Kuraku does not brood, Gouka.) 3
Hiei made a sound that was obvious disagreement of what Shikiyoku had countered with, but at the same time tinged with amusement at her way of putting it. It had him actually pulling the spoon from his mouth as if to speak aloud, before he remembered that there was no reason to say it aloud anymore.
(Right, I'm the broody one.)
~!**!~
Akari stood patiently, eyes alighted on the door that the demon disappeared into, part of her thinking he would turn her away- not that she would blame him if he did. In fact, there was a part of her that recognized it would be easier if he did, if he denied all contact. Easier on so many levels, and yet difficult on others.
Funny how she could look at it so objectively, how she could consider walking away in that moment and simply not saying anything on the matter- or anything about anything at all.
Funny how that worked.
So when the demon reappeared, leaving the door open and granting her access, she momentarily hesitated, weighing her options on which would be best.
In the end, she decided to do what she'd come to do all along, and she stepped inside the room, slowly closing the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment to take in the various plants in the room.
And yet there was a part of her that didn't quite find it as fascinating as she had before. *
The High Guard who had entered the room just seconds before had been right in assuming Kurama already knew someone approached the room, and so the demon had only asked if the demon should be admitted.
"Well, there must be some reason I was sought out." He had told the demon.
The guard had only nodded, taking that as answer enough and leaving the room without another word as Kurama instructed him to close the door once the other party had entered.
One of Kurama's ears twitched slightly, noting without turning around that the demon of the High Guard hadn't had to close the door.
The rustling of the movement of the green, clawed hand on the table in front of him was the only sound in the room for a moment as he continued to run his fingers along it from where he stood at a lab table towards the back of the room, not bothering to so much as pause in what he was doing.
"You wished to speak with me." If it was meant to sound like a question, it did not quite achieve its intention. "Words cannot escape this room."
~!**!~
(Yes.) Shikiyoku reached over and poked him in the chest with her spoon. (Most definitely the broody one. And what exactly is it you are brooding over now?) 3
(Currently, I have little to brood over.) the tone was a haughty one, an almost prideful one, as if it should have been obvious. (Aside from getting home.)
Hiei took another spoonful of sweet snow and slid it over his tongue, almost cringing when the cold bit at his teeth.
(Perhaps the possibility of a nap.)
~!**!~
Akari did not move from where she leaned against the door, her eyes roving over each and every plant in the room with keen observation, almost as if taking in threats. They were interesting, yes, but they did not hold Akari's attention for long before her eyes found the back of the redhead who didn't so much as even look at her.
Which was fine with her.
It would make it easier.
When she spoke, her tone was calm and steady, "I came to apologize, despite the fact I know it would not change anything. I was not smart enough to think ahead in anything I did, and it's caused a lot of trouble." She paused, taking a step from the door, but keeping a hand on the doorknob. She hadn't ever meant to stay long. "I apologize for the messes you've had to clean up because of me." I'll keep them to a minimum, as best as possible. *
For half a beat, Kurama let the near-silence grow, as if waiting for her to continue, and in that moment he turned away from the green, rustling hand to wash his own hands at a sink built into the counter behind the one he had been using, rolling up the sleeves of his lab coat before doing so.
When she did not go on, he flicked his gaze up briefly towards her as if checking to see if she still stood there before turning his attention back to his hands, the water flowing from the faucet splashing quietly into the metallic bin below it as he rinsed his fingers clean, the end of his ponytail falling over his shoulder as he leaned over.
I missed you.
"You have done nothing about which needs apologizing." He replied in a straight-forward manner, his expression never changing as he reached for a nearby towel and began to dry off his hands and arms as he stood there.
It seemed as if he might not say anything else, but his next words were at the least spoken quieter than the ones before, if no less direct. "Everyone makes sacrifices."
~!**!~
(Perhaps 'brooding' isn't the right word.) Shikiyoku teased, starting to guess for herself at the 'awareness' of the Jagan and how that had come to be. (But something is definitely bothering you.)
She nudged her head upwards against his, still feeling the flush across her face at being sat in his lap.
…
(Should I kiss it and make it better?) 3
The next onslaught from the Jagan consisted of one single word, repeated over and over and over again in the fasted way possible, and in the loudest way possible. Hiei had no capabilities of refusing the cringe this time, his eyes shutting and his body giving the slightest of jolts before he regained control.
And he retaliated with a very loud curse of his own at the Jagan, who continued to repeat "yes" in a very loud manner. Over and over again.
(You're quite the cruel creature.)
~!**!~
Akari had had every intention of turning the doorknob and leaving, of not staying any longer then necessary to say what needed to be said. And she had turned to the door, hand fully at the ready to turn the knob when she heard Kurama's last words in the near-silence.
It was likely the only thing he could've said to make her pause.
I suppose we've both sacrificed a lot.
It was hard to endure the momentary flashback to the moment she'd reacted, to the thought that had been the sole reason that she'd decided to react at all.
It was harder still to think of the reason behind her thoughtless killing of her friend when faced with this person who was certainly not who she should have killed for.
I was stupid.
And yet it made it so much easier to say the next words.
"Just so you know, I missed you." She paused, head down and hand still on the handle, mind unable to supply much more. "Also, I like the updo. It suits you now."
With that, Akari lifted her head and turned the doorknob. She needed some alone time. *
Kurama only looked up when she turned away, raising an eyebrow at her and briefly wondering what had in fact led to a petal from the Hope flower being used.
He dismissed the thought. He had learned how to 'not care' early on. One of the 'sacrifices,' as his former self might have once said.
His eyes twitched at the compliment of his hair, and the fleeting desire to immediately reach up and cut off the ponytail passed over him.
Something so drastic would catch Yomi's attention.
Every breath was a part of the game, it seemed.
It is not there for you to like.
Kurama dropped the towel next to the sink and started to move back towards the rustling hand as he heard her turn the knob.
"Your energy would be better spent missing someone else."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku felt Hiei give a slight jolt underneath her and she bit back her laughter, pulling her lips into her mouth and trying not to grin.
(Cruel? I don't know what you mean. It isn't as if I would offer a kiss and then not give you one if you asked. That would be cruel.) 3
The instant Shiki continued on with her little ploy, the Jagan got even louder, actually drowning out anything else that might have been even remotely important. It made his head hurt, his ears ring, even his teeth hurt.
He couldn't even muster up a response.
~!**!~
Akari had the door open and a foot out before she turned, her expression just as calm as before, and her tone taking on a matter-of-fact ring to it. "You either failed to hear the past tense, or didn't care to notice it. I've been made well aware of where my energy is best spent."
And with those words now gone from Akari's lips, she shut the door behind her and made her way through the halls, feeling a sense of calm that should have been rather frightening considering what had just been said.
After all, she hadn't gone there for pity or condolences or affections.
She went to say one thing, and now that she'd said it, there was no more need to keep herself in his company. *
Once he stood alone in the room once more, Kurama could not help the chuckle that came from his stomach.
I thought as much.
Standing over the fingers of the green hand, the chuckle came again, sounding cruel and flat against the silence of the walls.
And just who is it you lost, I wonder?
There had been little reason to laugh for him of late, and perhaps it swelled out of a thankfulness that he found he no longer worried about this particular pawn under Yomi's care.
Was 'cared' the better word?
Perhaps it was relief.
Was it your first loss?
"Hm." The noise meant nothing, but the thin line of his lips betrayed a little of the former amusement the room had witnessed.
Aren't those always the hardest.
And how amusing it would be when she realizes that she hadn't the slightest idea how her energy would best be spent. Yomi would make that clear to her.
Kurama picked up the rustling hand and added fresh powder to the end of it where the elbow might be, stepping back from the table and letting go of the arm, watching with satisfaction as from that arm grew with a quiet rustle the rest of the body until a green soldier stood stoically before him.
With only a moment of pause where he looked the creation up and down, Kurama reached out and slashed down the front of it, his hand suddenly wearing the clawed gauntlet from before.
The two made a horrible noise against one another, but neither broke or gave and Kurama brought the gauntlet back up towards his face, wriggling his fingers.
That's when the soldier attacked.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku took Hiei's lack of response as confirmation enough of her suspicions.
Likely having used his Jagan in his battle against Shigure, the third eye had somehow absorbed her energy within Hiei's body and was likely hounding the hybrid as relentlessly as Hiei had once hounded her.
She couldn't decide whether to feel sorry for him or not.
In any case, she shifted her face to plant a single kiss on his jawline before snuggling closer to him. 3
Hiei moved a little after Shiki planted the kiss on his jawline, more out of instinctual reaction to the loudness in his head than out of distaste for the action- which really, he didn't quite register either.
And as the Jagan went on explaining how much Hiei had liked kissing her before, Hiei took to another attempt at ignoring the annoying thing and trying to focus on the room around him again.
Devil woman.
~!**!~
There was very little time wasted between the steps it took to get Akari out of the lab where Kurama was and the ones that placed her into her own little room. She didn't bother locking the door, nor did she bother to go for a shower. She simply moved to lay across the bed, eyes up on the dark ceiling and arms splayed out over her tangled head of hair that she pulled from the ponytail.
And throughout the course of the night, she found she'd come to terms with parting ways with just about anyone and everyone. Objectively, she knew it would get her further in where she needed to be, and it would keep people out of her way in the meantime.
Assuming she lived through these next few months here in Yomi's place, that is. *
~!**!~
That time, Shikiyoku found herself chuckling quietly, wondering if Hiei had even considered yet how like the Jagan he had been over the past however long she'd been forced to deal with him influenced by her energy.
(See, you should be telling it that when it gets what it wants, then it has to be quiet for a while. That's how these things work.) 3
Hiei turned a stare down onto Shikiyoku, his eyes finding her face very easily and simply staying trained there, only blinking once here and there.
Devil. Woman. *
~!**!~
"The capacitors will greatly increase the amount of energy you can release at one time."
Shikiyoku kept rolling her wrists back and forth so that she could look at the strange metallic bracelets Iketeru had moments before clasped there as Rikei spoke from her across the room where he stood at the monitors.
Several weeks ago they had managed to train the improper steps out of her, and it had taken just about that much time for these bands to come out of prototype and actually, probably, work.
She cringed a little as Iketeru came back to her with the manacle-like necklace with the pulsing gem in front.
The necklace had been the greatest source of ire Shikiyoku had ever encountered in her long life, and she knew it was something of her own fault.
Program with the steps she was not supposed to take, the necklace delivered a rather uncomfortable jolt to her nervous system before she could complete it and had been the method they used to prevent the Crusnik from controlling her.
Needless to say, the first few days of using it had rendered her twitching even after they removed it completely.
Rikei paused in the middle of inputting the day's formulae into the system, blinking at the screen after a moment and turning to Iketeru with his mouth open as if to say something.
Iketeru stepped back from Shikiyoku with an appraising look, crossing his arms over his chest.
Rikei lifted a finger, mouth still slightly open.
"She-" He began, pointing at Shikiyoku but acting as if he was not addressing her directly. "She...is to report to...well to Mukuro. Post-haste."
Shikiyoku felt her core drop into her stomach as she glanced back and forth from one demonic scientist to the other.
Rikei blinked again and then pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"She's in the usual place. She says you've been there recently."
Her core could have fallen out the bottoms of her feet and Shikiyoku wouldn't have noticed.
"If she wanted to kill you, she would have already done so." Iketeru told her as she stood there frozen in place, though whether intending the statement to be of a comfort, it was hard to make out. "She wouldn't bother calling you up there to do it."
Shikiyoku swallowed, half meaning to say something.
"You should get moving." Rikei closed his eyes, trying not to let his irritation at being interrupted show. "She hates waiting."
Shikiyoku gave a little nod, the best she could muster at the moment, and let the layers swirl around her, standing inbetween for a second and realizing that delaying would do nothing for her courage. And if she didn't start moving soon, she likely would never come out again.
Taking the first of many steps, Shikiyoku ascended to the highest room in the Mobile Fortress where she knew the Demon of Rage awaited her.
~!**!~
Mukuro pulled further away from the A.I. once her message had been delivered, not bothering to stay and listen to any further conversation that might occur in the room.
Why are we even doing this?
It was your idea, self.-
Note: Remind me to stop having ideas.
Noted.-
Mukuro let out the smallest of sighs at how literally her words could, and would, be taken.
She opened her eye and reached down to adjust some of the wiring that grounded her to the Fortress.
It would do her little good to accidentally destroy the very demon from whom she sought help by flying into a rage over some trivial comment.
Help. That's a funny way of putting it. Me, the soon to be King, asking help from a peon.
Peon is an inaccurate term, self. This is still the Kuraku and the rightful heir to the throne you seek. She is, in essence, ranked higher than yourself.-
Technical as always.
The affirmative Mukuro received as not one of so many words, but it conveyed the agreement succinctly.
Mukuro shifted a little where she sat, not out of uncomfortableness, but pent up energy.
She hated waiting.
Kuraku, self.-
Mukuro opened her eye again to see that the demon whom she had called had appeared out from what Mukuro could only assume was the layers of the Fortress, and stood-was that shyly?-a good twenty feet away from where Mukuro sat, cross-legged and deeply entrenched into the A.I. of the Fortress.
Blinking once or twice before saying anything, Mukuro felt almost awkward at the sight of the very human looking female who had bands around her wrists and neck that keenly reminded Mukuro of her former bondage.
These are for part of their research, self.-
The information did little to ease Mukuro's mind.
"You may sit." Her voice echoed into the otherwise empty chamber, the A.I. feeding her information relating to the Kuraku's biological state, her cybernetic eye switching to analysis-mode and reading the infrared signatures the other demon was giving off.
The agitated core rate and closed body posture told her that the Kuraku was most distressed in this situation, and the A.I. suggested they do something to ease her condition.
Shikiyoku swallowed, extremely aware of the lack of presence in the room, the power that her senses could so utterly not comprehend that they fed back to her an empty space, a nothingness that she did not have the capacity to understand.
"Come closer and sit."
Shikiyoku blinked, realizing that the previous suggestion had become a command, and so she hurriedly closed the distance until her eyes told her she was five feet away before quickly kneeling and sitting back on her feet, finding that she could not look away from the Demon of Rage as her sight was her only source of input for where the demon sat across from her.
And Mukuro stared right back.
"What were you doing?"
"Excuse me?" Shikiyoku squeaked, flinching a little when Mukuro broke the growing silence again.
"The other day. What were you doing?"
"Uhm..." Shikiyoku assumed Mukuro meant the day she and Hiei had accidentally dropped in on her, but that had been weeks ago.
"When you and Gouka were standing over there." Mukuro continued a bit impatiently, nodding at the place where she had seen the two standing together. "What were you doing?"
Mukuro's abrasiveness was rendering Shikiyoku speechless, afraid that the other might kill her in an instant if she answered incorrectly.
"Were you having fun?"
Mukuro did not know when she started to lean forward as if to better hear Shikiyoku when she answered.
"Yes?" Shikiyoku squeaked again, barely finding her voice under the intensity of Mukuro's blue eye.
"Aahh." The noise came out more like a sigh and Mukuro leaned back again as if disappointed, putting her left elbow on her left knee and resting her face in her hand. "I don't know what that is." It sounded as if she were hoping for a different answer.
Once Mukuro's gaze left her, Shikiyoku felt her body relax a little and she found herself better able to assess the strange situation she found herself in.
You know, you're probably a lot older than she is.
Shikiyoku's lips twitched a little.
That doesn't mean she isn't capable of giving me the willies.
"Hiei-uh-Gouka was helping me." Shikiyoku said finally.
"Eh?" Mukuro sent a brief glance in Shikiyoku's direction.
"Gouka was helping me." Shikiyoku repeated, finding her voice more stable than before.
"Helping you?" Mukuro seemed incredulous.
Shikiyoku nodded, "I was sad and he was cheering me up."
Silly fire demon.
That time her lips did curve into a small smile and Mukuro huffed and looked away.
"I'm sorry if we bothered you." Shikiyoku gave Mukuro a bow, "We didn't mean to."
Mukuro huffed again and sat back up, squaring her shoulders, but not looking directly at Shikiyoku this time.
"You should be. Make sure it doesn't happen again."
She sounded dismissive enough and Shikiyoku gave her another little bow as she started to get up.
When Mukuro did not stop her, Shikiyoku wrapped the layers around herself and disappeared from the room.
Her huff this time had the slightest noise behind it that Mukuro herself didn't understand as she leaned over into her hand again, frowning.
When can we have fun, self?-
Mukuro sat up abruptly and closed her eye.
A demon of rage does not have 'fun.' Now shut up and get back to work.3
Hiei had been suffering for weeks against the onslaught of the Jagan, who had never stopped talking since the day he'd called upon it for help and it had somehow ended up with every ounce of whatever it was it had.
He'd just about become accustomed to it, even able to ignore it by the time it decided to broadcast random things here and there.
Such as when he's walking through the halls and a group of demons had met up to exchange notes, a loud "Keep it moving!" had resounded throughout a telepathic message for all to hear.
It had worked, though. He couldn't rightly complain about it when no one knew where the source of the message was.
However, it had escalated a little during the next week, when Hiei had been called for a small meeting about possible sword fighting 'lessons', so to speak. the moment the door had been opened for him, the loudest, most obnoxious words had been broadcasted throughout the room and made things tense for quite some time.
Needless to say, none of the others were impressed with the words "Boom baby, the second in command is here!" echoing through their minds.
And neither had Hiei.
Lately, it had been silent though.
Thankfully.
But perhaps that was because he'd taken a day to do absolutely nothing but concentrate on the eye and attempt to close it. Yes, he'd been aware when Shiki had left, but he hadn't moved an inch since. And he didn't plan on it unless absolutely necessary, or until the Jagan was closed.
~!**!~
Akari had been out nonstop since the day she'd spoken with Kurama, and truth be told, she wouldn't have it any other way. She knew that the message was clear, that she was no longer a necessity and that she was supposed to die out here. Hell, she'd considered disappearing again- not like any of them cared at all at this point.
But really, it didn't seem to phase her. It hadn't in a long time.
In fact, nothing phased her much anymore. Not the agonizing cries that pulled at her attention from the fourth layer, not the occasional tug from Pack Mother, nor the thought of Yomi deciding he'd had enough and might send a hitman. Not even the nightmares that kept her from sleeping at night.
Nor did she seem to care in the least that Kurama couldn't care less for her either.
In fact, it was a mutual thing at this point, which should have been something of an alarm to her. It should have jolted her from whatever state she was in and thrown her back to herself. It should have told her that there was a fault in the system that needed attention.
But, really, all it did was strengthen her resolve to get out, to find the members of her pack and either figure out how to help, or put them out of their misery.
Which was probably the only thing that stirred any kind of reaction from her.
But, for the meantime, she simply went on Yomi's pathetic little errands and returned, only to be sent out again. And none of the sleep deprivation seemed to hinder her in any case.
It only drove her forward. *
~!**!~
"What are you doing, woman? We have work to do."
Shikiyoku had appeared in the midst of the laboratory after her encounter with Mukuro and immediately began taking off the bands around her wrists.
Or attempting to in any case.
Rikei frowned at her as she tried.
"I can't. I won't be able to concentrate. There's no point in try."
Iketeru amiably made his way over when Shikiyoku huffed and she held out a wrist for him to see.
"I don't know how to do it."
He didn't move.
"Please take it off?"
"Very well."
"Iketeru!"
"What?" The brown-haired demon asked the other scientist who had barked at him from across the room as Iketeru began unclasping the band from around her wrist. "I'm only doing what she asked."
"If we always did what she asked, we would never get anything done around here." Rikei replied with annoyance.
Shikiyoku stuck her tongue out at him as she held up the other wrist for Iketeru.
"You talk with Mukuro for half an hour and then try to concentrate on the hundreds of steps it would take me to try these devices."
Rikei made a sound of derision and turned away, obviously unhappy.
"Don't mind him. He just wants to put you through more testing. It's what he lives for." Iketeru reached up and removed the heavy necklace as well, stepping away from Shikiyoku. "Go rest. We'll do this tomorrow."
Shikiyoku gave him a little smile and disappeared from his sight before anything else could be said.
She reappeared in the main room she and Hiei shared, moving back towards the open door of the bedroom and prepared to tell the likely slumbering hybrid about the strange interaction she had that day as she reached up for the band that held her hair up and pulled it out as she walked into the bedroom, running her fingers through it as it fell around her shoulders and down her back to her waist. 3
Hiei sat crosslegged on the covers of the bed, eyes closed- aside from the Jagan, obviously- and breathing deep. His hands rested in his lap, his entire being still and concentrated on the third eye that had been rather silent all day.
And if he hadn't already been aware of Shikiyoku's return, the Jagan sure did make it easy for him to find out.
"Pst. Shiki."
Hiei tried to tune out the 'whispering' Jagan.
"He's concentrating. Let's talk while we can!" *
Shikiyoku resisted the immediate laughter that bubbled up from inside her, fully aware that if she could hear the Jagan, Hiei could also hear the Jagan.
They had been through this before. On several occasions.
"Oh good!" Shikiyoku stage-whispered, drawing closer with a conspiratory grin on her features, climbing up onto the bed and intentionally bouncing her way across it as she crawled over on her hands and knees to sit cross-legged next to Hiei, facing him with her hands curling around her ankles as she peered upwards at the half-lidded eye in the middle of Hiei's forehead that gleamed yellow with her energy. "What are we talking about?" 3
Despite all of his best efforts, Hiei felt an eyebrow twitch just slightly, his whole body moving with the bounce of the mattress that Shikiyoku created as she made her way towards him. And it was very hard to regain that straight face and concentration again.
And the moment before he could regain that concentration, the Jagan made a sound similar to a shush before going on.
"Because he deserves to be knocked off his high horse every once in a while, you should totally help me. He's been ignoring my commentary on you and him kissing, even though everyone knows you both like it!" *
"Everyone does?" Shikiyoku whispered again, eyes growing wide. "That's a lot of people." She replied with utmost sincerity. 3
"Well, it's pretty obvious."
I can hear you.
The Jagan seemed to get quieter. "It's really obvious!"
Hiei refused to make a sound of consternation, though his eyes did come open very briefly to look up, earning a "shhh, go back to concentrating, nothing to see here."
And then it went on. "Especially that one time, when you got frustrated and said that thing about showing him how to really kiss- I know for a fact you both loved it!" *
Shikiyoku's mouth opened as if to reply, but she found her hand reaching up to cover her lips, unsure if the sound that was trying to strangle its way out of her throat was a laugh or a groan or something else entirely.
She most definitely recalled that moment, and unfortunately the mention of it made her ears hot as she shifted her gaze to the side, unable to look directly at Hiei.
"Well...I did warn him…" She muttered as if to herself, swallowing back whatever noise she had been wanting to make. 3
If it were possible, the Jagan would have laughed. Thankfully, it was not, and Hiei didn't have to hear it.
"My point exactly!"
Would you shut up.
The fire demon shifted, crossing his legs tighter and crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'll be quiet if you do it…"
This was not the first time the Jagan had attempted a negotiation, nor did Hiei consider it the last- though he sure hoped it was. He almost couldn't take it anymore.
"I think he's stressed because he hasn't kissed you recently, Shiki. You should consider switching and-"
No.
"Why not?"
I said no. *
At first Shiki meant to answer, but realized Hiei must have been silently arguing with the creature and let her mouth close, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Hiei, finally putting an elbow on her knee and resting her face in her hand.
"Isn't it just terrible?" 3
I don't like this.
"Yes you do, liar."
No.
"Yes." The Jagan shifted focus. "It's terrible that he's so stubborn!"
"You are of no help."
"She's not supposed to be; we're a team now!" *
"Yeah, how about that flame-boy? We're a team now. Doesn't that sound dreadful? Being teamed up on?" Shikiyoku wasn't sure where the suddenly stoic expression managed to come from, but she delivered the lines with a straight face, against all odds. 3
I will burn this place to the ground.
"And then be slaughtered by Mukuro. Shiki, he's not using his brain again."
I will cut you from my forehead myself.
"And being mean." *
"Oh, now there's no need to be mean, Hiei." Shikiyoku admonished him. "After all, was I ever mean to you when you were like this?" 3
There was a unanimous yes that resounded both in the room and telepathically, one a little begrudgingly and the other much too chipper. And to be honest, it amused Hiei that the Jagan had answered as well, seeming to shift gears for that split moment before shifting again.
"He's just embarrassed."
I don't get embarrassed.
"You should've heard his thoughts when I announced our arrival to that meeting last week."
"I'm lucky you didn't have me attacked."
"He's very grumpy today too." *
"Hold on, backup." Shikiyoku sat up and raised a hand. "How on earth was I mean to you? You're the one that was inflicted the worst kind of torture on me. You do realize how good I was to you, right? Do you have any idea the kind of things I could have gotten you to do? And I didn't! I just want the record to show that I didn't. Could have. Did not." 3
"But you should've!"
Hiei let out the slightest of snarls into the room at the Jagan. And through clenched teeth, he said, "that was sarcasm."
"He's lying now. Such a liar."
Don't you make me go find Shigure.
"We killed him, remember?"
And yet you haven't realized Mukuro would have thought that far ahead.
"Can you guys kiss now?"
If you were a physical being, you'd be dead. *
I most definitely should not have.
It was the one thing she and the Jagan tended to disagree on.
And I didn't!
"Now, what was it you wanted me to help you with?" Shikiyoku let her eyes leave Hiei's to look directly at the Jagan as it gleamed in the middle of his forehead, attempting to steer the thing back to whatever convoluted reason it had for speaking to her in the first place.
Which tended to have to do with its last question. 3
If it were possible, steam would have been rolling off of Hiei at this point. And the Jagan's next words only seemed to add to that agitation, enough to where there was a moment where a spark flew in the air over his shoulder with his slight temper.
"I'm thinking if you kiss him again, you'd unlock every secret and suddenly he'd be kissing you every day! And then you guys would get together, go see that weird flame thing and talk about littles- whatever that means." *
Shikiyoku had her hand up to her chin as if in deep thought as the Jagan started talking, nodding and intoning an 'uh huh, uh huh,' as it spoke.
"I don't understand how me kissing him is supposed to unlock any secrets." Shikiyoku replied seriously, attempting to gloss over the rest of the dialogue before she caught herself thinking about it too hard. 3
If Hiei had ever made a list of curses, he was using that entire list now, silently saying each and every one of those words towards the Jagan, who merely seemed egged on by the whole situation.
"Well, Hiei only kisses you when you switch, and hasn't figured out that he likes it yet. But, he always insisted on you kiss- wait, Hiei should do the kissing. That would make this much faster than the other way around."
Another spark flew about Hiei's head briefly before dying out.
(Make it stop the incessant rambling.) *
Shikiyoku continued nodding and psuedo-agreeing with the Jagan, while her eyes flicked down to Hiei's face, wondering where his uncomfortableness truly stemmed.
(Is that an order?) 3
(Yes- no-)
"You both know how to make me stop."
Hiei took a deep breath, and a sudden calm seemed to wash over the fire demon, as if he'd been splashed with water and his flame had been put out. His eyes came open and he found that the sudden calm had taken the third eye off guard and silenced it for the moment.
He considered saying something to Shikiyoku, but quickly decided he'd get nothing more than babbling accomplished, as he himself wasn't sure of the source of his own ire. Perhaps it was impatience with the eye that had been rambling incessantly like that for weeks on end, or it could be something else entirely, he didn't know.
And into the silence the Jagan spoke one more time.
"You guys just need to kiss and make up."
From what, exactly?
And it was blissfully silent. *
Shikiyoku's lips twitched with a small smile, unsure herself what her and Hiei needed to 'make up' about as she didn't really think either of them were actually upset with the other.
And she was hesitant to speak, unsure if anything she had to say might stir the Jagan up again.
...as much as the thought of all the things the Jagan might approve of her doing to make Hiei uncomfortable amused her. 3
Hiei let out a little breath, his eyes catching the slight smile that twitched at Shikiyoku's lips. The fire demon had given up on attempting to reign in control of the third eye, which had him checking his internal clock, expecting it to be late into the night due to her appearance in the room.
So he was surprised when he realized it was mid afternoon, which was why he was not yet tired enough for sleep.
(You're back earlier than usual.)
~!**!~
There was a terse silence in the little tent, but whether it was blooming because of Akari, or if it had been present before her arrival, she did not know. She simply sipped at the hot tea that had been handed to her and stared at the withered old dog demon who had been calling on her for days on end.
And yet the silence stretched on.
She drained the last of the tea, her eyes never so much as wavering from the demon who had called upon her. "May I ask why I'm here?" She leaned forward and set the empty cup onto the grass floor, her eyes falling down to stare at the little thing for a moment before she righted again.
"I was curious of your plans, dear," the woman replied in good-natured patience, eyes just as level as the stare Akari issued. "It's good to keep your pack informed of your next moves."
Akari's head tilted just a little. "Currently, I have no plans. I don't have the luxury right now to move any of you to a better place without getting most of you killed." Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if she had run this conversation over in her head a million times over. "If I move you now, the nearby Crusnik will have a hayday. I need time to clear this area first, and in order to have that time, I need to survive whatever Yomi throws at me."
Kyon, the bulky watchdog in the corner of the room shifted his weight and made a sound in his throat, obviously unhappy. "Mother's energy is fading; if we stay here much longer, we'll all die."
Akari turned an unblinking stare to the demon, whose ears turned back as if he'd been scolded. "That's why I chose today to come. You wouldn't think I'd leave you all here with such little hope, did I?" She pulled a little leather bag from over her shoulder and dumped its contents onto the ground, eyeing each little fruit, root, and herb that was there. "Tomorrow, a demon will be stopping by to create an incense, something from his homelands. He will be able to whip up a few things that are meant to be restorative to any and all energies within a certain radius, ie, this tent. And he will be staying here until my return to ensure you all stay well equipped and ready by the time I am able to come back."
"You're going to leave us again, oh fearless Alpha?" Kyon quipped.
Akari ignored him, eyes still on Mother. "I plan on, eventually, moving you to the first layer."
"You didn't even want to be Alpha, so why do you care now?"
"You could kill me and take the title yourself, if you wish," Akari retorted, finally turning to look at the demon from over her shoulder, meeting his widening brown eyes with her own calm hazel ones. "If you think you can handle the pressure."
He blinked, and she could almost see the smoke of the gears in his head coming from his ears as he worked for a response.
"What demon, if I may ask, did you manage to hunt down, child?" Mother intervened, gaining Akari's attention just as quickly and easily as if nothing more than the weather were being discussed.
"He's the brother of a demon who died with Manami. Their homeland is rich in herbs and they specialize in medicines and the like. They're very useful and knowledgeable." She shifted and rose to her feet, leaving the items where they lay, along with the bag she'd been using to carry them in. "He will be here after dawn, no later than noon. When I am able, I will come back."
She turned to leave, paused only by a single question from the old woman: "And your wishes of the human woman I've been watching?"
A small debate lit inside Akari for a brief moment before it dissipated, leaving her with her natural sense of calm. "If you have the energy, keep watching over her and the family. If not, someone else is likely already keeping tabs."
"...You've grown to be a wonderful young woman, Akari, keeping up with the fox's loved ones for him while he is not able."
The copper headed demon lowered her head a little, allowing her hair to hide the way her eyes cut to the ground and narrowed at the grass at her feet.
This is not for him. It's for Manami.
"She would be proud of you, Akari."
Akari lifted her head, but did not turn to look at Mother. "It's what I strive for." With that, she spun through the layers, going back to her original business before she could be stopped again. *
~!**!~
(Uh...yeah.) About that.
Shikiyoku's eyes cut to the side, thinking back to her encounter earlier with the Demon of Rage.
(M-Mukuro asked me to- Ordered me to-) Shikiyoku shook her head. (I had to go up there.) 3
Hiei's eyes stayed trained on Shikiyoku, looking for any telltale signs that might hint as to what happened. Obviously, she was still alive, so it wasn't...major? Was that how to put it? However, the Demon of Rage calling on someone was usually for specialized meetings or for penalizing of-
A flashback to seeing Mukuro after chasing Shiki into a random room flashed across Hiei's mind, and he almost cringed.
(And she said..?) *
Shikiyoku let out this strange chuckle that harbored some of her relief that the encounter had not ended with her own life being taken.
She cocked an eyebrow at Hiei as she looked back at him.
(She asked what we were doing.) 3
Hiei's eyebrows drew together at the sound she made, and then even further at her reply. He thought about such a question coming from Mukuro, and while it wasn't hard to guess what she had been asking of, it was a little difficult to come up with an answer for such a question.
If he had been asked, he wouldn't have had an answer.
(and?) *
Shikiyoku shrugged.
(And I told her.) 3
Hiei felt an odd sense of fatigue. Told her what, that we were playing around? Wouldn't that have caused a little fit of anger? Playing in her fortress when we are here to work and fight?
…
I'm confused.
(That we were having our fun?) *
Shikiyoku gave Hiei the weirdest look when he finally spoke to her again.
(You know, she asked me that.)
She blinked.
(If we were having fun. She asked me that exactly.) 3
Hiei made a sound of thoughtfulness.
(Likely because she's never experienced it.)
Almost like he hadn't until he'd met this one.
Well, if you didn't count slaughtering demons as fun, that is. *
(She said something along those lines.) Shikiyoku admitted, nodding her head a little as she recalled it. (Said she didn't know what that was. She surprised me with the question in the first place and I just told her 'yes' because I didn't know what she wanted me to say.) The last part was accompanied by Shikiyoku self-consciously rubbing at the back of her neck and giving another little shrug and half-smile. 3
Hiei gave a little nod to himself as he thought it over, finding himself not surprised that he actually understood, to some degree, the thought process of the King. He figured Mukuro wouldn't have time for fun, being a King and all. And there was this feeling that seemed to hang around the demon that simply seemed to say that she hadn't a clue what anything enjoyable actually was.
(We may have made a King curious of something she's never seen before.) *
(She seemed very...confused.) Shikiyoku's head tilted to the side as she considered it. (Especially when I told her you were helping me.) 3
(Because why would a cursed child know anything about fun and companionship? I'm supposed to be fierce and kill anything and everything I see that moves, remember?)
And I'm supposed to stay a cursed child, alone. *
(I keep telling you, you are not 'cursed.') Shikiyoku closed her eyes and stuck her nose in the air as she had many times before. After a second, she opened her gleaming eyes to look at him, (Though I think we've discussed the fierce part ad nauseam.)
She lowered her head to look at him straight on again.
(I don't know though...I don't think her confusion had anything to do with you personally. She genuinely wanted to know if we were having fun, and when I told her I was sad and you were cheering me up, I don't think she understood what that meant.) Shikiyoku appeared thoughtful. 3
Hiei didn't reply, his mind already having gone through the different scenarios that would have caused such a confusion, and he had come to the conclusion that somehow, someway, Mukuro had been raised with very similar thinking as Hiei had grown up on. A rule-the-world type of thing where fun and cheer was not in the vocabulary- either because it couldn't be or it hadn't been introduced.
It made sense, despite him not knowing details of her specific situations.
And for the first time in a long time, Hiei reflected on those days, of his childhood where he'd had nothing but death and destruction to live for. It made him realize how much had changed in the past year or so.
Had someone told him he'd be chasing around a demon with the intentions of creating joy and not spilled blood, he would've called that person a fool and ended their life then and there. *
Lost in her own trail of thoughts, by the time Shikiyoku pulled herself out of them and realized that Hiei had not responded either, a tiny smile had rested across her lips as she watched him, considering some idea or another and lost in those thoughts.
Not keen to interrupt him, she only murmured very softly, almost to herself, "I'm glad you're here." 3
Hiei considered those thoughts for a while, before suddenly coming to the conclusion that Mukuro's past was not of importance to them; it was the king's business, and only her business. If she wanted people to know, she would have posted a newsletter or something.
Which brought around the thought that Hiei very likely could have been extremely similar to Mukuro, were it not for the woman sitting nearby at that moment. In fact, he was sure he'd been headed down that path, and likely would have eventually ended up here anyway, if not simply because of the hinted similarities they shared in some way or another.
Hn.
He slowly emerged from those thoughts and his eyes focused on Shikiyoku again, catching the look she had been giving him.
(She doesn't have someone like you.) *
Shikiyoku shook her head, same smile in place.
(I'm nothing great.)
(She doesn't have anyone at all.) 3
Hiei raised a brow, and before he could stop it, released a little "Tch," into the air. (You undervalue yourself.) *
Shiki gave a little shrug.
(Don't we all do that to ourselves?) 3
(I suppose it's one of the flaws of demons and humans alike.) Hiei gave a little shrug that mirrored Shikiyoku's perfectly. (Some are arrogant, some are unable to see their own worth. Suppose there's a medium?) *
At the mention of 'arrogance,' Shikiyoku let out a little chuckle.
(I take it back. Some demons know exactly what they're worth.)
She could think of several off the top of her head.
She gave him a little smile, (Others need reminding.) 3
Hiei shifted a little on the bed, letting himself fall back onto his back with his arms behind his head. He got comfortable quickly, eyes closing.
"Hn." *
Leaning her face into her hand again and resting the elbow on her knee, Shikiyoku imitated the sound Hiei made, smirking in his direction before laying down next to him and falling into a light slumber.3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off!