A/N: Hello once again, Audience.
I apologize for not getting this chapter out yesterday. I am in the middle of tech week for a show and it completely slipped my mind.
That being said, I will not take time today to do my usual recap of the last chapter.
Suffice it to say that I am sure I will have more commentary later, but I am excited to finally have the return of ShikiXHiei! One thing I can think of off the top of my head is the fact that you'll notice Hiei interacting differently with Shiki, in a way that might almost be considered out of character for him, but as is mentioned, he has been waiting for Shiki for ten years and has done much growing and changing in that time.
Ciao for now!~
EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: The recap has now been added!
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!
As Hiei continues his typical drunken and rowdy behavior in the Niiro Kaga,
he receives a rather inappropriate drink
that he quickly pins on the darkly cowled individual
who just entered with a fire demon and sat down on a free stool at the bar.
Immediately upon translating the drink for himself,
Hiei rises and semi-threatens the individual,
informing them that he is taken.
When the being in the cowl does not back down,
and even refers to themselves as 'fierce' and not 'funny,'
something stirs in Hiei's soul
and he quickly flips back the cowl,
revealing a dark-skinned, scar-ridden female
with dark-amber eyes and long, sheenless silver hair.
The form itself he does not recognize,
but the scars he does,
and when he is left speechless,
she calls him 'little-fire'
which just seems to solidify his rampant thoughts,
though he quickly passes out into her arms.
She rises and heads to an upstairs room,
asking Kasai to stay until morning.
When Hiei awakens,
he finds himself to be in the embrace of a body he does not know,
and for a moment,
the pair only drinks in the sight of the other
until in his relief their bond begins sharing Hiei's former grief,
lifting a portion of it from him.
Shikiyoku asks if he needs other proof of who she is,
and he eventually arrives upon the necklaces,
which she returns.
He puts Yukina's gem around his neck,
places something on his own gem,
and then returns it to her,
kissing her and remember he can change her form.
While Shikiyoku is excited for Hiei to see her true form,
when Hiei pulls away from her,
it is to see the small, very human,
dark-headed Shikiyoku
that he had been dreaming of for years.
~!**!~
As Moriko and Akari continue their travels,
they are found by another wolf demon
who strikes up a conversation with Moriko
as Akari leaves them behind to continue her Northern trek.
Eventually regretting her decision to leave Moriko behind,
when Akari comes across what she thinks is his scent,
she eventually tracks down a fox demon and tries to 'play.'
When she pins the demon onto his stomach,
the demon rises up on all fours and shifts into fox-form,
but has escaped her and keeps moving forward as if in a trance.
As she asks to play,
the fox stops and regards her with golden eyes,
eventually insisting that he is 'loads of fun'
before turning and continuing on his way.
Struck with memories the phrase brings up,
Akari turns to run them out of her mind.
Some time later she is tracking a canine scent,
and is caught by a pack of wolves
who intend to take her to their Alpha,
and she amicably travels with them.
Akari followed the lead of what was now four seen dogs, two of them walking on two legs, the others remaining in their canine form for her escort. it only took a few hours, and during that trek a few more demons stepped into what was obviously a practiced formation for things such as this.
It made her wonder how many Alphas had passed through before now, and why she hadn't heard of such a population on the Layers before now.
But before she could think too much on it, the outlines of buildings were suddenly cropping up, and the sounds of civilization were beginning to accost her ears. Children's laughter, playful barks, loud jokes, even whispers. People moving this way and that, bustling from one place to another.
And then Akari was instructed to wait outside a building where the leader of her escort stepped inside to speak with what Akari could sense to be another Alpha inside the walls of this establishment. She sat back on her haunches and took to waiting patiently, finding herself oddly calm considering her situation. *
"This is a serious matter."
As the ookami made his way out of the meeting hall, he waved a hand at his beta's concerns.
"It's always a serious matter with you, Tetsu. You need to relax."
Whatever the beta mumbled in response, he did not listen, bright eyes finding the female Alpha about whom Tetsuban spoke.
Quickly assessing her in both stature and scent, he tossed a glance at Tetsu with a single eyebrow raised, but went ahead and said to the girl, "You know, it's considered rather rude to appear before someone like me not like me."
When he turned back to her, he looked her up and down and tilted his head, awaiting her shifting into her human form before going any further. 3
~!**!~
Something was...different.
Strange, even.
She knew that before she opened her eyes, before her brain rebooted and kicked her consciousness back on.
It certainly didn't help that her clothing was bunched up underneath her and-
…
Shikiyoku's eyebrows frowned deeply as a single word came flying out from her lips into the silence of the room.
"Dammit."
It wasn't a particularly loud expletive, but the rest of the breath she had taken for the word huffed out of her nose in a resigned sort of manner.
When she felt Hiei patting her of all things, she reached up and playfully swatted the hand away. Drawing her bright green eyes open and seeing Hiei next to her-suddenly aware rather intimately with his arms now enveloping her that he really had grown since the last time she'd seen him-brought a grin to her otherwise wry and dry expression as a single, dark eyebrow arched in a flirtatious manner that surprised even her.
"Well hello there."
Hiei's expression at the greeting had Shikiyoku closing her eyes, lips coming together to make a cynical sort of smile and letting a breathy laugh out her nose as she shook her head slightly.
"That...would have made more sense if it'd happened like it was supposed to."
Instead of me appearing out of nowhere like a doofus.
'Me' was associated with her current form, instead of the long, graceful one she had wrongfully assumed Hiei would finally get to see. 3
Hiei had pulled away after the change had been completed, his eyes watching her and a brow raising at the word she'd uttered, his lips tilting upwards at one corner in amusement. He wanted to say something, really he did, but for some reason, even now, he couldn't think of anything to say other than how much he'd missed her. And really, there was no way to tell her exactly how much he had missed her.
Her change in demeanor however, what with her sudden greeting, struck him in the core in several different ways. One, surprise: surprise that she greeted him in this way, and that on some level, he.. understood? Two, confusion: what did he understand, and why did he seem to enjoy the new greeting? Three: ...excitement? He wasn't really sure.
And even as she went on, he seemed to have nothing in his mind to say, nothing that seemed important enough to break his wall of confusion and surprise and… whatever else he felt in that moment.
So instead, he hugged her tighter, his nose burying in her hair and his eyelids sliding closed.
If you'd been anyone else last night, I'd have killed you, no hesitation whatsoever.
~!**!~
Akari sat just as she always did, spine straight, tail extended behind her, and ears forward in alertness. Several thoughts crossed her mind, and out of them all, her biggest concern was that she might have to shift forms here, for this moment.
Which, she wasn't comfortable doing without clothes.
Clothes that she had left by a pond.
Several miles away. Or… something like that.
So, when two canine demons stepped outside the establishment, Akari took a sniff of the air, recognizing one as the demon who had found her, and the other with an unmistakeable air of Alpha.
And a strong one at that.
One who'd been Alpha much longer than she.
Then again, Akari had only been Alpha long enough to kill her own pack, so there was no comparison by any standard.
And still, she did not so much as blink at the comment aimed at her. Akari merely gave a twitch of her ear to display her slight discomfort.
(I would have done so by now, if I had clothing, to be honest. Four legs gets tiring sometimes.) *
Face flattening out into a look of "really," the ookami gave a single glance to one of the other wolves around her before returning his attention to her.
"Well, to be honest, you don't really get a choice here. You've trespassed onto my territory, and we both know you're not stronger than I. And I'm not going to ask any pressing questions with you looking like that, mutt. Believe me when I say it won't be anything I haven't seen a million times before." 3
~!**!~
For some reason, Hiei's reaction was not one she had particularly anticipated, and so when she found herself drawn closer to him, her eyelids popped open in surprise and a shimmer of energy glimmered over her skin at his closeness, sending a pleasant tingle all across her body as she blushed.
She'd definitely forgotten this. This...effect he seemed to have over her where her energy was not completely in her own control.
It made her forget her original protest: the one associated with being unable to accept the return of the tear from his mother. It was a gesture that at the time she did not truly believe he knew the implications of, but one that had completely escaped her thoughts as his arms enveloped her and her now mis-sized clothing.
For a second time, his scent washed heavily over her, having been so far removed from it for so long a time, and she would have sworn he had once smelled like charcoal and cinnamon, instead of the cloves that she was picking up from him. 3
Hiei sensed her energy flux and begin to warm the air around him just a fraction, carrying with it the scent of her and the memory of the first time she had reacted to him in such a way. With that memory, so too did he remember lending his own power for her use, and how warm that had felt.
And yet, something about it tugged at the edges of his mind, peeling away the layers of relief, of content, of excitement, and everything else he felt at seeing her again, and revealing a new reason for confusion.
Hadn't she… been more… powerful? Granted, she was not weak by any means, and she was still powerful, it was just…
"Your energy is weaker," the fire demon commented, lifting his face from her head to look down at her, searching for the green eyes he'd only been able to dream about until now.
~!**!~
Akari's other ear twitched just a bit with the urge to glance at the other demon that the Alpha had turned to, but she resisted and kept her stare on the other. She contemplated only for a moment before giving a nonchalant shrug.
It was more for your knowledge then for my dignity. Ass.
Without skipping a single beat, Akari let the transformation overcome her, lengthening her body until she was standing on two legs instead of four. Surprising to her, she found that a demon had stepped forward and held furs between herself and the other male, though she took note of this before dismissing it entirely, her eyes returning to the other.
Despite her earlier thought, she was calm, composed, and found herself rather okay with the situation.
She tilted her head, waiting for a question, but not speaking a word. *
Crossing his arms over his chest as if impatient, the ookami watched as one of his men stepped forward and wrapped a cloak of furs around the acquiescing female, though she appeared to take little notice of the gesture, which the Alpha would have just as soon done without.
None of the others present seemed particularly surprised that he did not simply Dominate her and rid himself of the trouble of her presence, they did not tend to question their alpha in his ways, and their loyalty had been rewarded over the many years of their service as well as his.
He lifted a hand and made a couple of quick gestures, the other wolves around him and her dispersing to their other duties save for his beta, who made a motion that she should follow the two of them when the Alpha turned and marched himself back into the meeting hall.
He made little ceremony of making his way to the table from which he just left, to the exact seat in fact, knowing the girl would follow, though he motioned to the chair next to his at the head of the table, which had been set with a plate of food and hot drink, a nondescript, petite but older wolf standing near the wall with a jug of more drink in hand.
Sitting in his chair, he grabbed for the drinking vessel at his waist, the smaller wolf scuttling forward without question.
"Thank you, Kerai." He gave her a most genuine smile and nodded towards the food at the table as well when she began filling his vessel. "It looks wonderful."
"Best I could do on short notice." The other replied humbly as the beta came and stood just behind the shoulder of the Alpha's chair.
"I'm sure it's just as wonderful as it looks."
"Thank you, ookami." 3
~!**!~
For a moment, Shikiyoku checked herself, analyzing more closer the sheen of energy she felt coalescing over her skin.
Same as always…
Hm…
…
Oh.
Just as she realized what Hiei had noticed without directly saying it, a prickle of Hiei's desire brought her attention to his movement, and out of reflex she tilted her head just enough to glance up at him with energy-sparkling eyes before just as quickly breaking the gaze and staring at the soft material of his tank top at his chest.
His crimson stare flooded her mind's eye, an expression filled with the same sort of concern she felt traverse the bond between them, the space within herself where their connection was strongest.
She blushed a little further as remembered now his strawberry-colored eyes and how she had nearly forgotten the shade of them.
"It isn't you, that's for certain." Shiki mock-grumbled, out of one corner of her mouth, "You appear to have lost none of your potency in our time apart."
She fought against a grin that tugged at her lips. 3
Hiei's stare remained relentless as he looked her over, assessing the gleam that shimmered in the air as if she had thrown yellow glitter around the both of them. He stared, gaze unwavering as his brain began to mull it over, his eyes eventually turning to the new style she wore with her hair, and resting there as memories momentarily washed over him.
Her hair, long and shiny, soft-looking as it bounced on her shoulders the day he had considered touching it. How it too had shimmered with her power, like her eyes, when he had stared too long into her features. How it seemed to hold more of her scent than any other part of her, that he noticed before now.
Surely she didn't cut it for entertainment's sake, especially if it seemed to have this effect on her power supply.
Finally, after what could easily have been several minutes, he blinked and turned his gaze to her face again.
"Was it while you were trying to get to me?"
~!**!~
Akari followed after the pair, her hands making a grab for the furs the moment she became aware of the possibility of them falling from her body. Her fingers curled about the edges gently, and she let herself take a moment to feel the softness of them before she brushed the thought away and focused on her surroundings.
She noted the large building, and how it seemed proportionate in some way to the large pack she'd seen so far. There were more canine demons in one area than she'd seen in her whole life, this pack probably equaling about three of her own previous.
It had her straightening up just a little more as she eyed the Alpha.
Realizing she wore a cloak and not a simple blanket of furs, Akari's arms dropped to her sides again, and when gestured to do so, she did not hesitate to take the seat to the left of the other.
She did stare at the plate of food for a moment, however, wondering briefly what kind of game it was. She'd seen a few creatures out and about, but really, this pile of meat looked all the same. Maybe it was from the same animal.
…
It smelled rather wonderful.
She glanced around her plate only for a moment before she picked up a slab of the meat and tore it into several pieces, looking up at the Alpha after a brief pause.
"Thank you."
Only after her thanks to the Alpha, and then a nod of appreciation at the one who had claimed to cook it, did she put a piece into her mouth. it was juicy, and very well cooked. Tasted a little gamy, but she rather preferred her meats that way.
It reminded her of when she was a child, sitting in Mother's tent with a handful of other pups, listening to stories about past happenings of their pack.
Momentarily, she thought she felt something stir at her core.
Really, it was her stomach asking for more. So she ate in silence, waiting for the moment a question would be aimed in her direction. *
"I didn't do any of it." He leaned back in his chair, reclining with his drink. "For which I suppose I'll accept your thanks." He took a giant swig.
"He burns it." Kerai commented wryly.
The alpha's eyes glimmered over the top of his drinking horn.
"Only so he does not get asked to cook." Tetsuban replied.
Tetsu got shushed with a wave of a hand as the drink lowered, "You're supposed to protect my secrets, beta. Not give them all away."
Even in the midst of the exchange, he never stopped watching the girl, noting how she looked for utensils, and thinking about how she had been "passing through."
To where, exactly?
From where, more importantly.
"Interesting how you thought you were only 'passing through.'" He finally said with a casual air as Kerai refilled his drink. "Do you intend to just fall off the edge of the world? I've heard it's a terrible way to die." He lifted the horn to his lips. 3
~!**!~
Shikiyoku didn't answer at first, his telepathic question lingering between them in silence as her expression grew more reserved.
"...I went in thinking they had information on you." She replied softly, her hand starting to find its way out of the ridiculously large sleeve in which it had become hidden.
She gave a little shrug as if it wasn't a big deal, "Turned out they didn't."
Fingers free, she slipped her hand up to brush them against Hiei's shirt, just over his core where she knew the centerpoint of the tattoo had remained after all this time, given the dark markings that swirled up one side of his face.
After another moment she let the hand drop to the bed between them.
"I made it out. Or...most of me did anyway." She added ruefully. 3
Hiei's expression never so much as twitched at Shikiyoku's little explanation, giving nothing of his thoughts on the matter away for her to read. He only blinked once, a silent understanding seeming to fall over him- any other day, he likely would have gotten rather… explosive about it, though whether it be on her attacker or her recklessness, he wasn't quite sure himself. He simply… was happy that she was back.
"Shiki," the name rolling off his tongue tasted familiar, of content and happiness, of life and of... hope, and how he wished to say it again. Instead, his hand grabbed hers and tugged on it briefly, before spreading her fingers open and pressing her palm to his chest, over his core. "i missed you." His eyelids slid closed and his expression softened just a little, the edges of his mouth twitching for a moment in the barest hint of what might have been a smile, before it disappeared and left his countenance calm, content.
~!**!~
Akari did not pause her eating as she turned her eyes from her plate to the demon next to her, her expression giving nothing away of her thoughts on what he said. She did not answer right away, partly because she was still chewing, and partly because she didn't know how to interpret what he'd said.
Was he asking if she meant to disappear and be alone until she died?
It sounded tempting enough, if she were honest.
She did not respond to this demon in the end, only stuffing another large piece of meat into her mouth, following it with a swig from whatever drink she'd been given.
I don't understand you, or anything you just said. *
Interesting.
"Well, I suppose you might as well know, that if you want a quick one, it's certainly the way to do it. I've seen it happen." Another drink, his tone remaining casual. "I'm sure you realized I don't see you as any sort of threat, so if the edge of the world is what you seek, mutt, I'll take you there myself. I'm fairly certain you have something to live for though. Like, say, returning to your own time?" 3
~!**!~
The manner in which he spoke her name sent a fresh batch of tingles down Shikiyoku's skin.
Shiki…
She'd almost forgotten about that.
She had forgotten about that.
And when he took hold of her hand, she felt the blush creeping further down her neck as her core did a funny little skip.
Her lips finally came together for a gentle smile, watching Hiei place her now smaller palm up to his core through her blush, and with little effort, she set the heart-shaped mark beneath her hand aglow, feeling more than seeing at first the shine spread outwards from that point, down his torso and leg and up his chest and neck.
(I missed you.)
Without intending it, her sentiment flooded across their bond before she could think about it, taking with it her own complete and utter relief at being in his arms once more, though she had certainly forgotten how much the gesture affected her, as well as being accompanied by the countless ages she had lived through without him, the searching, her ability to become emotionless without him and it becoming a defensive mechanism so that she might survive long enough to find him.
...and at the last, her final trek through the Eighth Level, a journey she associated with no small amount of resolute acceptance that it had been something she would either do or die from.
The change in forms, the Infected surrounding her, eating through her energy as quickly as she could expel it, and finally dropping to the ground, the sensation of being lifted and carried the last few meters, and then pointing in the direction which Hiei lay before blacking out.
The images and memories passed over her mind's eye as they explained to her Consort what she had been through.
And then, a second time…
(I missed you.) 3
Hiei's eyes remained closed, the darkness of the inside of his eyelids serving as a sort of projection point for the memories that were suddenly sent to him, the feeling of the bond within him quivering and alerting him to such a matter seeming to waken him on a whole other level. As he watched those memories, each passing faster than the one before it, he felt a part of himself seem to click back into place, as if he'd been missing it even as she had lay next to him.
And suddenly he remembered how to utilize that bond, the memory coming forth from a dusty old box that had opened to cobwebs, and after it was dusted, shined bright like a new gem.
This time, his lips belied the emotion he felt by tilting upwards at one corner, and remaining that way.
(Let's not do that again.) Of course, he referred to the whole being apart thing.
~!**!~
Akari blinked, realizing that what he was saying he seemed to believe to be true, that she could literally jump from the edge of the earth if she so desired. It made her lift her eyes from the food she'd been ingesting and sit back, her ears forward to hear the rest of what the other had to say.
All of which didn't make sense to her.
Her head tilted to one side.
"I never said I wished to die." She raised a brow, somehow finding the fact that the earth could actually be something she could fall from being more plausible than her being in a different time period. She did, however, glance about herself for a moment, seeing all the hues of the grays, whites, and blacks- the black being shadows that lurked about and stirred whenever she so much as glanced at them.
She turned back to the Alpha, before glancing once up at the Beta, and then back to the Alpha.
If she'd thought he'd been joking before, she couldn't quite find herself able to believe it now. Not after the look on the Beta's face.
Her head tilted to the side and she sat back in her chair, arms crossing underneath the cloak and one knee crossing over the other.
And suddenly, she smiled. "Thanks for the tip." *
"I don't think she believes you." Tetsuban immediately piped up.
"I don't think you're wrong." The ookami allowed. "But I am certain that if she were truly to feel as our alpha-kind can feel, as diluted as it might be for her as a mutt, she would know the truth." He leaned back again, fingers folding together around his drinking horn as he watched her for a moment.
"Your..." He searched for the word. "Essence? No. Your lifeblood. Closer. It's...new...er. Newer. It's very strange for me to say, that you are somehow younger in years than the world around us, which has not been around for a very long time itself, and yet coming from somewhere far older than any living." He shrugged and started to stand. "It matters little to me. However, I am not allowing you to 'pass through,' as you said. You may stay here as you like, one more soul, even yours, will make no difference. But you will be put to work if you do. You are quite young; there is much we could teach you should you prove to be up to the task. Return to your time or don't." He shrugged again, taking another drink and preparing to leave. "Whatever."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku lifted her head to look up at Hiei, catching sight of his humored expression.
"Such wise advice, oh great and mighty Gouka." She teased him, "And how exactly do you propose we 'not do that again?'" 3
Hiei finally opened his eyes and glanced down at Shiki, before he rolled them to the ceiling in thought for a moment. Finally, after a few seconds of 'mulling it over', he gave a slight tilt of his head, as if to say "dunno".
(Perhaps with ropes. I hear it works in rescue groups for humans.)
~!**!~
Akari eyed the pair of males during the beginning of their exchange, wondering if they truly thought she didn't believe them. Funny, really, how much sense it made when she reflected on it. It explained several things, such as her ears and tail, the lack of her scars, and lack of seeing color.
It was almost amusing, really.
The more the other talked, the higher Akari's brow rose, until it was hiding in her hair, underneath her messy bangs. She found it odd, that he offered her a place here, in his home, in his pack. Most Alphas would kill for simply trespassing.
This one was odd.
i don't understand you.
She lifted her drink her her lips again, watching the males keenly over the rim.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
"You don't even know my name, and you're offering a place in your pack?" The thought was almost amusing. "That's a lot of faith in a stranger, don't you think?" *
He lowered his drink, giving her a grin full of confidence.
"I could kill you now, if you'd prefer." He pointed a finger at her, "And, if we're being technical, you don't even know my name and yet you're considering accepting my offer of a place in my pack? That's a lot of faith in me, considering we both know I could kill you whenever I pleased. Why stick around when my mood might change at any moment and I could decide you are no longer welcome?"
~!**!~
Her mouth opened as if she had a response for him, but it closed again as her expression grew puzzled by his answer.
What-
It-
I-
What?
"Ropes...flame-boy." She finally managed to say through her mock-exasperation. "You suggest...ropes. As if ropes are going to prevent us from being torn apart against our will. ...Ropes." The corner of her mouth pulled upwards in a crooked smile, and she probably would have poked him in the chest had he not still been holding onto her hand.
"I think all that drinking must have killed a few of your braincells." 3
Hiei could feel her struggling to answer, struggling to comprehend whatever "logic" he had used in his response to her mock question, and it brought out the shiniest gleam in his eye, a gleam of amusement at her struggle. And when she finally gathered herself to give a retort, it only served to make him sneer at her a little, amused that that was all she seemed to have found worthy of saying in the moment.
"It kept me sane enough," he replied off-handedly. "I had to pass the time somehow."
~!**!~
Akari leaned forward only a little, placing her cup onto the table, her eyes never leaving the Alpha. this time, when she smiled, it was one of reflection. Reflection upon a pack she had once known herself, and had refused to lead until she had been forced to do so.
"The loyalty of the pack members say much about an Alpha. I would have no qualms with you killing me if you felt I threatened the safety of your pack." *
"We both already know you're no threat. I'm sure you know Tetsu here would have killed you instantly if that were the case." Still standing, but presumably in no hurry to leave until the conversation-end, Kerai filled his vessel up again and he took a drink. "Not to mention the fact that I won't make you a member of my pack, loyalty or no, it's a choice. There are those here among the rest who are under my protection and yet not mine." He reached up with the hand holding the drink and tapped a finger to his temple before lowering the hand again. "Besides, it would require me to officially defeat you and Dominate and blah-blah-blah and I'm just not really up for that." He raised his eyebrows, "Unless you're willing, I suppose. And maybe not even then."
~!**!~
"Aside from attempting to burn acres of my home level? Passed several of those places you know. Seeing as how everything here is more fire resistant than normal, those patches will probably burn for decades." She stuck her tongue out at him momentarily before adding, "You should have tried to find less destructive hobbies." 3
"It's not exactly destructive if it's flame-retardant. I destroyed nothing."
Okay, so that wasn't true. Hiei had knocked a few buildings down here and there, but he hadn't burned them. Not like the forests, anyway.
…
Those buildings had been in his way anyway.
~!**!~
Akari's eyes briefly turned to Tetsu before turning back to the Alpha, her expression never changing as he spoke. Her smile never wavered, as if she'd expected this answer, and it remained even after he finished speaking, at which point she only shrugged.
"I'm not one for committing to a pack, if I'm honest. I did that once or twice, and it didn't end well either time." A little sigh escaped her, as if she found the words rather unfortunate herself. "I appreciate the offer. And your generosity. I do believe I will stay a while- I'd hate to turn such a fine thing down without giving it a chance."
Her expression turned serious, and she leaned forward onto her elbows. "Akari, by the way." Might as well learn the name of the person you've offered such hospitality to, no? *
I know.
He had sensed the truth of her first statement, as well as her loss, almost as soon as he had seen her.
"A fine thing indeed." He said aloud, giving a declarative sort of nod of approval, at her name, taking another drink and gesturing to his beta. "This is my beta, you may call him Tetsu. He'll take care of anything you need. At least until he passes you off to someone else." The Alpha stepped quickly to the side as if he half-expected the other to take a swing at him, then continued towards the exit, waving a hand without turning back as he said something like he had almost forgotten to mention it. "He's a real ladies-man, that one, so you better watch out. He may not hand you off at all!"
~!**!~
Shikiyoku's eyes narrowed playfully up at him.
"You shouldn't try to lie to someone who's in your head, flame-boy." 3
"They can be rebuilt." The fire demon's response was immediate, as if he'd been ready to fire it at her. "Rebuilding homes rebuilds character."
~!**!~
Akari glanced over at Tetsu, seeing an expression on his face that read displeasure at being called by aforementioned name. A brow raised, but she turned back to the other male, watching him leave as she tossed the last piece of meat from her plate into her mouth and chased it with the drink.
If she had any thoughts on the comments, she did not give any indication of them other than a twitch of her lips at Tetsu- a twitch slightly upwards before disappearing entirely.
She shifted until the chair scooched backwards, and she stood upright, brushing the cloak she'd been given with gentle fingers. Not for the first time since arriving in this room, she wondered what the other stood to gain from her presence here.
By the time she lifted her head, all trace of such thoughts were gone, replaced with a neutral expression.
"You should probably put me to work before i get bored." Kamis know my boredom gets destructive. *
~!**!~
When he felt his destination approached, he found himself changing once more from four legs to two, walking, still trance-like, through the trees just as the moon started to rise high enough in the sky to cast its glow onto the lands below.
Coming to a break in the trees, there was much to take in all at once.
The clearing into which he stepped was filled with kitsune, laughing, drinking, talking, dancing under the moonlight. There was no fire, but they did not need one.
He stood blankly at the edge, staring at the reds and browns and blacks, even a few whites were present, but he saw none like himself. He only barely spotted perhaps one silver all the way across the clearing.
His golden eyes gleamed.
"Still moon-struck, huh?" A black from the midst of another group finally noticed him and grin, yelling over the others and earning himself a few knowing laughs.
He blinked and shook himself to see that a few were beginning to approach him with eager, open faces.
"Don't worry, the first one is always the weirdest." Another assured him, though after a moment the red cocked his head. "It is your first isn't it?"
A couple others took a sniff of the air, and the ones nearest started murmuring to one another.
It was his first, they could all tell by that look in his eyes, but he was...how many tails? And only now struck?
"You're...not from around here, are you?" The black who first spoke had gotten up and sauntered towards him.
He shook his head, "I...do not believe so. But I cannot remember."
The black grinned, "What's your name, green-feet?"
"Youko."
Where he came up with the name, he did not know, for until now he had not been able to remember.
He felt as if a mist within his mind was slowly dissipating, the moon light above piercing through and affording him a clarity he had not until these moments known.
He still did not know why they laughed at him.
"Hey, I'm Youko!"
"Me too!"
"And I!"
The laughter that went up as everyone around him claimed to also be called "Youko" confused him and for the first time his face expressed that confusion.
The original black who had by now approached him did not frown, but did note how the silver-tail did not appear to understand.
"We are all youko here, green-feet." He said kindly, reaching out to place a hand on the other's shoulder. "I did not ask for your designation, but your name."
The silver-tail blinked, but the moonlight had done much to restore his mind, and he finally gave them their answer.
"I am Kurama. Kurama the Youko."
~!**!~
"If that's the case, I expect to not see you very much in the future. I imagine you need to rebuild those homes most of all." 3
"What fun would that be?" This time, the red eyes that glittered with amusement flashed, as if taking a challenge. "You'd be bored, watching me rebuild all day anyway, seeing as we'll be tied together." *
"I'm not the one who needs to build character, it's you. And there is absolutely no way I'm letting you tie me up." 3
Hiei's left brow arched ever-so-slightly, hiding in his hair completely with the gesture. His lips gave a twitch, a single corner going upwards before his expression flattened out, only his eyes telling that he was amused in the moment.
I've missed you.
(I have plenty of character.) *
(No, definitely not.)
"You certainly are a character." Shikiyoku allowed. "As far as having any, I just can't see it." She finished loftily, closing her eyes. 3
"Or you've just forgotten." It's been a decade, after all.
~!**!~
"It's happened. In the East."
"The Temple has been awakened."
"What happens now?"
"They're saying that whoever did it is heading Here. To the North."
"The Northern Temple has been guarded; surely no one can get by the Monks."
"They did it at the Eastern Temple."
"What if it brings destruction to our realm?"
"Nobody really knows what happens."
These words and more had been traveling around the pack within the past two days, and ever since the first rumor's arrival, Akari had stuck by Tetsuban's side, remaining diligent in her tracking duties in case anyone decided to try and get by the first sweep of security on the perimeter of the Northern Territory. She had run alongside her new friend, but instead of their usual talk about this world, things she could learn, and duties that would keep her from trouble, the pair had gone silent, listening for anything and everything in the area.
And then halfway through the second night, Akari had been pulled from her sleeping quarters by the other demon by the wrist, dragged from peaceful sleep and into the world of the ones awoken by the Alpha himself- whose name she still did not know. Funny how she'd been there so long, and never learned his name. Not even from Tetsu.
They'd been briefed, she, Tetsu, and a handful of other demons. They had been told that they were the first wave meant to guard the Temple should it still be in command of the Monks, and to take back the Temple if it had been claimed by others. There seemed to be no explanation here either as to what would happen should the Temple be awoken, but nobody had wanted to know the answer either, it seemed. Most seemed fearful of the answer, of what destruction might come.
All Akari could do was go along with it, run alongside Tetsu in silence as they made the journey from one side of the Northern Territory to the other, hoping to make it on time for…. something. To prevent… something.
She didn't ask questions, didn't feel the need to. She trusted the pack more than she had trusted anyone before this point, and had even come to love them as a family.
So, when the small group of demons came close enough for Akari to smell something rustic on the air, she felt a dread in her stomach that had her running a little ahead, as if she might find that this somehow was not related to her and her stay here.
After all, every pack she'd been a part of thus far had been torn apart in one way or another, or she herself had been thrown out for this or that. This pack…. She wanted to protect this one. It was large, and lovely, and everything a pack should be.
And the moment she came to a stop, four paws skidding in the dirt in front of the temple, she felt as if every ounce of her being wanted to give up. As her eyes found first the bodies of Monks, of Demon slayers, and then two people she knew standing over them, she felt as if everything would crumble. She felt as if the world caved in on itself again, as if she suffered another loss when in no way had she yet to lose anything at all.
Except maybe the illusion that she would be happy here.
Akari, the fluffy furball she was, stood at the head of a pack of wolves, Tetsu at her side- much larger and more intimidating then she- growling at Yusuke and Kuwabara. Threats were being growled in tones that raised her own hackles- not in anger, but in fear.
And suddenly, Akari and Tetsu were the only two demons who had not shifted into their human form to hurl insults, threats, and demands at the pair. Yusuke, whose tattoos and Mozoku markings were prominent in his skin. Kuwabara, whose energy was different, whose very being was not the same as she remembered.
She knew they were not responsible for whatever had happened, and thus was the first to respond to the cries from inside the Temple. Her feet kicked against the dirt and grass, sending it flying as she sped by the pair and Tetsu, who barked at her but did not physically move to stop her.
She would not let this pack die for anything associated with her. She'd handle the problem herself if need be. *
"Dammit, what the hell?!" Bent over one of the bodies of the fallen humans, Yusuke could see no outer markings of a fight, but he didn't even had to check for a pulse to know that their life energy was gone.
"We're about to have company." Kuwabara stood over him, looking behind, and Yusuke raised up from his spot, having learned over the past several months that Kuwabara's "hunches" were a lot more refined.
As always, he was not wrong.
The wolves seemed to materialize almost from nowhere, and they didn't even have to say anything for the other two to know what they were assuming.
Yusuke had just raised his hands in an attempt to console the demons-whose worries he did not understand given that his understand of this world was that there was no love between the humans and the demon in habitants-when a scream from behind them, in the temple, echoed out through the open doors.
"He's here."
Yusuke glanced up to see the faraway look in Kuwabara's eyes and knew the redhead could feel the bit of his soul that had been swiped away in the moments before he had become Earth's Champion, and just as he meant to say something, a wolf, no a dog, burst out from the line of the pack and rushed passed them, and while he did not immediately recognize her, he picked up on her scent as she dove beyond them into the gloom.
Without so much as another word between them, the pair dashed after her, more fearful of the moment in which the screams would cease.
There were too many corridors in too dark a light for anyone but Kuwabara to navigate his way swiftly and smoothly to the large chamber which they sought, and he did so with great purpose, never breaking his stride, never for a moment doubting his instincts.
But just as they broke through into the giant, main room of the temple, a bright flash of light and wave of power knocked them off their feet, and suddenly the room was bathed in flames.
Throwing a hand up over his face, Kuwabara could make out across the room another, smaller flash and his heart gave a jolt as the piece of him disappeared: they were gone.
Yusuke jumped to his feet and paid little heed to the flames, seeking out the source of what had been screaming moments before and scooping up the human to take him from the temple, Kuwabara leading them quickly out as the flames behind them began to grow in size and heat.
Just as they crossed back over the threshold of the temple into the outside air, the building behind them burst into flames, burning-but not consumed by-the fire that had been released within.
"Damn."
Yusuke had knelt down to lay the human on the ground, but felt no life from him either.
"Can you heal him?"
Kuwabara kneeled next to them, closing his eyes and passing a hand over the other's body.
"His spirit hasn't left yet, but his time has run out."
"Can you talk to him? Ask him what happened?"
Yusuke recognized the release in Kuwabara's shoulders, his hands held over the human's body and beginning to glow with a holy light, and the dark-haired Mazoku waited.
~!**!~
"Hm. Perhaps."
She had almost at this point grown accustomed to the feeling of buzzing along her skin.
"You would do well to remind me about it then, I suppose." 3
"In due time."
Hiei grew quiet, his eyes suddenly lifting to watch the colored swirls that almost seemed to dance along his skin as they glowed, alight with her energy and warming him to the core. That warmth was nothing, however, to the warmth of her hand on his chest, her fingers tugging ever so slightly at his shirt.
(Do you realize that if you hadn't actually been you last night, you would have died?)
~!**!~
Akari had followed Kuwabara when he'd caught up and taken the lead, her instincts telling her better than anything else to trust him. And when they'd reached the room where the screaming man resided, Akari found herself overwhelmed first by light, and than by heat.
She had turned to leave long before Yusuke and Kuwabara, knowing they'd be fine, trusting that whatever change had come over Kuwabara that he'd know to get out without her advising them to do so. And she trusted them to get the man.
So she could deal with the wolves outside.
Tetsu met her halfway through the building, snarled a question at her, but did not question her when she told him to turn back, to follow her through the building again if he wanted to live.
Outside, however, was a rather infuriated, terrified pack of wolves snarling, growling threats, questions, demands all at once. And for once, instead of her turning to Tetsuban, he turned to her for answers- his stare none too friendly in the moment. She didn't blame him- she'd run off with the people who had appeared to break into the Temple.
She sat, patiently, in front of the wolves, letting them all get their words out, whether it be human-formed words or snarls from chests. She did not stop them, only waited until Tetsu growled for silence and attention.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"Just that, Tetsu. I don't know what happened. It was all in flames before i could get a look."
"You know these two."
She did not deny him, and lack of denial lead to threats. Akari didn't so much as twitch. She wanted to defend Yusuke and Kuwabara on activating the Temples, but really, she couldn't do so when she hadn't spoken to them in so long. So she stuck with the safe route. "They did not kill the Monks. Not a one of them."
At this point, there was not a single wolf in human form, each one standing nearby, bristled, demanding answers. Akari's tail swished once against the dirt.
"I know who we can go to."
"Not in our pack's camp, you're not."
"Tetsu, there's only one person who might have answers."
"I cannot trust these two, I don't-"
"you know me. Trust me."
Before any answer was said, Akari turned away and trotted over to Yusuke and Kuwabara, pausing at the detective's side and placing a paw on his knee to gain his attention.
The moment he looked up, she gave a jerk of her head, meant to say follow me, before she turned and addressed the pack members. "They are not enemies of yours. I can promise you that."
And before any of them had a chance to retaliate, she was carving a path through the small crowd, head down and feet kicking up dirt. *
When Kuwabara's eyes came open, Yusuke waited expectantly for the other to share news of any kind, but before they could speak with one another, the dog from before came up and touched him on the leg.
"Akari! We thought we were the only- okay, well apparently no one cares." Yusuke got up as she walked off without saying a word and huffed, hands on his hips.
"Leave her be." Kuwabara murmured as he stood up, murmuring a few more words at a lower pitch and drawing his finger over the forehead of the deceased human.
A brief holy glow, the body became purified, and the cleansed soul was released, the body and clothing turning to dust.
"I'll follow when I finish." Kuwabara moved to the next monk and began again.
Yusuke knew he might as well leave Kuwabara to the work he had apparently decided needed doing, and also knew the other was perfectly capable of finding him later.
~!**!~
She closed her eyes at the comment he made aloud.
Of course.
(Worried that it wasn't me, hm?) She looked back up at him. 3
(Not in the least.)
The fire demon didn't bother looking up from the swirls he watched, the color mesmerizing enough that even if he had wanted to, he likely wouldn't have been able to look away anyway.
(It's brighter than I remembered.)
~!**!~
Akari ran at the center of the small pack, Tetsu growling at her the whole time before she turned to him with an odd look. "You should probably go tell ookami that I'm bringing visitors, and of what little we know happened."
"How should I explain this to the Alpha that the other Alpha is bringing playmates?"
"Tetsu, do you want to figure out what's going on with the Temples, or no?" When he gave no immediate answer, she blinked at him. "Trust me, and go tell him that we're coming."
With a growl, the other did as she plead with him to do, and he took off even faster than any of the others, disappearing from sight within mere moments, leaving Akari to deal with the rest of the angry wolves on her own.
In her mind, she deserved it.
She should've left long ago.
Mid-stride, Akari's form lengthened, stretched out until she was on two legs instead of four, curls flying in the wind behind her instead of fluff. Instead of fur, the strips of her fur-skin skirt flew with the same air that worked against her hair.
She slowed her pace only a little to match hers with Yusuke's.
"Tell me you're not the ones activating the Temples." it was not a question, nor did it seem a plea despite her phrasing. And while her expression remained rather neutral, inside, she was hoping that they weren't the ones, so she wouldn't have to figure out who's lives to save first. *
"I haven't the faintest idea why that matters," Yusuke replied easily, jogging along at a slow stride so he did not outdistance those he ran with, "But no." He gave Akari a side-long glance, wondering exactly how much he should say.
It was obvious she had no intentions up to this point to seek out a way home, giving how cosy she had gotten with the natives, but dammit he and Kuwabara were, and that block-head seemed to think getting that piece of his soul back was a part of the process.
And Yusuke wasn't exactly going to argue with a guy who was somehow still capable of functioning when part of his soul was missing.
~!**!~
(Or just feeling particularly unkind towards anyone that could have been me?) The impression was accompanied with a wave of happiness at being with him again.
She let out a slightly exasperated breath that had little to do with what he said as she relaxed her hand into his, the glow of his tattoos fading away.
"I just wish I hadn't ended up like this." She grumbled. 3
While the wave of happiness that initially washed over the bond for Hiei to witness did afford him some of that emotion, as the color of the glow of the tattoos faded off, he felt slight disappointment. He'd gone so long without seeing the glow, without seeing her…
And the last sentence she said miffed him a little; was she not happy being there, in his arms, their hands intertwined?
(What, in my bed and arms?)
~!**!~
Akari's demeanor didn't so much as flicker one way or another. Her eyes remained forward, occasionally glancing at a nearby wolf who listened in, hearing their words and threats.
She didn't want to have to choose.
She turned to Yusuke finally, eyeing him up and down for the first time. "Tell me." She could sense his weariness, his unsurity with her. But she wanted to know, needed to know, so she knew what to tell the Alpha when she got back. When she brought Yusuke and Kuwabara into the camp. *
Yusuke raised an eyebrow at her, "Tell you what, exactly?" Giving a shrug as if nothing he had to say was going to matter.
It didn't look as if she'd really want to hear what he had to say, and as soon as they got done with whatever business she seemed to think he and Kuwabara needed to do for her, they were just going to go back to what they had been doing before they had been interrupted.
Preferably sooner rather than later.
~!**!~
If the blush across her face had faded in any capacity, it suddenly flushed a deeper red and filled Shikiyoku to her toes, her fingers suddenly finding great interest in fiddling with the material of Hiei's sleeveless shirt.
As his answer appeared in their bond, it was accompanied by his indignant emotions that she mightn't be satisfied, or even happy, having finally been rejoined with her Consort.
It was the frankness of the statement that caused her skin to grow more pink and the energy just beneath the surface of her skin buzz along her body in a quicker fashion briefly.
(That is not what I meant.) The assertion of the extremes with which she felt contented, more so than perhaps ever in her life, washed themselves in her reply as it answered his own.
And she had a hard time believing he really thought it.
"I just- You haven't-" She let out a heavy sigh, and grumpily pouted in an exaggerated fashion as she continued staring forward at his shirt, grumbling out, "Seen me."
And as miniscule as the frustration at that statement was when compared to her contentment, it was less even than the frustration she held in regards to herself, for she found that she couldn't rightly conjure up an image to accompany her "me," because she seemed to have forgotten what she actually looked like. 3
There was a moment of silence that hung in the air after Shikiyoku spoke, Hiei only watching her with a steady gaze as he assessed the red on her face, neck and ears, and the buzz of energy that sent the room into smelling like her- of strawberries and whatever shampoo she used. It was sort of...tropical-smelling. Perhaps it was a body spray of some kind, he wasn't quite sure.
When she didn't see, able to offer him an image of what she'd looked like minutes ago, the fire demon decided to provide that image for her, recalling the super-tall demoness with long hair and fingers, skin covered in scars and eyes watchful and a color he never would have imagined on her.
It was an odd image, and yet even in that form he had still been able to smell that it was indeed her, if the bond hadn't already alerted him to that fact.
(Well, now I have.)
And if he was honest, now that he thought back on it, he was rather intrigued by that form.
~!**!~
Akari kept running, at first saying nothing. Her eyes turned forward again, suddenly feeling as if she no longer wanted to see this person. Really, a part of her had been a little happy at first to see Yusuke and Kuwabara. Had been glad to see someone else whom she had known before everything went downhill.
Funny how things change.
"Kurama is here too." She glanced at him this time, expression twisting into something similar to solemn. "Don't leave him behind." She didn't want to argue. She'd done enough of that in her lifetime.
Leave if you want.
She switched forms again, running forward ahead of the others with Mother Wolf in mind. *
"Yeah, whatever that was, it wasn't Kurama." Yusuke muttered to himself as she moved away. "And I sure as hell left that asshole right where he was."
He remembered very clearly his encounter with...whoever that kitsune that claimed the name "Kurama" was. Yeah, yeah, he knew it was the one from the present. Couldn't mistake it, really. But there was very little of the Kurama he knew within that demon, if any at all.
Following the rest of the pack, the terrain turned rocky and before long he found them nearing a group of mountains, scaling the side until they reached a cave, on the inside of which were another one of the wolf-man-demon types seated next to another of his kind that reminded him somewhat of Genkai, being small in stature and old, as well as a very young child perhaps, who seemed to be hovering over the older woman.
"Kuwabara, you idiot." Yusuke scoffed, seeing that the redhead was already there, seated on the other side of the old woman. "I should have known you'd be here before us."
"Yeah, that's because you slowed them down."
"Hey! You-"
"Please." The Alpha raised a hand, shaking his head, "This is holy ground and I'd prefer you not to spill your…" He paused, giving the newcomer an assessing glance before just settling with, "Blood all about the floor."
"It's not my blood that would get everywhere." Yusuke countered.
"Just wait'll I get my soul back in one piece." Kuwabara muttered, refusing to rise to the challenge. "Then I'll show yah."
The pronouncement from the redhead drew the eyes of the other three near him, staring with thinly-veiled astonishment.
"Excuse me, you what now?" The ookami nearly choked.
Kuwabara opened and closed his mouth before casting his gaze to the side.
"It's a long story." Yusuke provided, taking a seat when the older woman gestured that he do so.
"You don't have to speak for me, Urameshi." Kuwabara grumbled.
"Yeah, well you weren't doing it, so somebody has to."
"Seriously, I'm gonna-"
"Can we please just put the lid on whatever it is you two have going on for, oh I dunno, the next hour or so?" The Alpha finally interjected, pointing emphatically at Kuwabara. "You. Explain."
When Kuwabara opened his mouth the Alpha suddenly shook his head, "No, wait. You." He pointed at Yusuke. "Explain."
Yusuke opened his mouth as well, but shifted uncomfortably.
"From the beginning, dear." The older wolf-woman said.
He blinked in response, but knew exactly where to start.
"End of a giant battle to save the world, right? This asshole went and got himself killed, but the Kami started to bring him back, claimed that Earth needed a Champion and his selflessness blah-blah, start to resurrect him."
Kuwabara twitched, but stayed silent.
"Problem is, Baddie McBadderson and Co. found him and had started to mimic his Jigen Tō, because her twin kids died and she was gonna use it to cut through the Veil and get her dead kids back."
The Alpha glanced over at the older wolf at the mention of a "veil," unsure what it meant or why the dead kids weren't with their mother in spirit as all dead were.
"Well, the resurrection spell was more like a time-shift spell that was reverting this guy's body back to the last moment before it died. So, instead of just getting his power, they also got the Kami's power, but because it was, you know, Kami-strength and all, they couldn't control it and it blasted us into the past. Uh, here. I guess."
"When the mimic spell went awry, they tore a piece of my soul away." Kuwabara finished quietly. 3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off!