A/N: Not too much to say this time around. Thank you all for the great reviews, I was super nervous about last chapter. Writing in Hiei's POV is kind of nerve wracking to me. I'm always afraid I will write him out of character. Anyway, here is chapter 26! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Not now, not ever.
Warnings: This chapter is written in Hiei's POV! Profanity, violence, blood/gore, sexual themes, adult themes, and other such M rated nonsense.
. . .
The next time I opened my eyes it was to a scene I couldn't quite comprehend. It took what felt like ages for my brain to catch up to my sight and realize what it was. A strangled gasp rose up in my throat. I tasted copper and spit it to the crumbled wreckage beneath me. I struggled up onto my elbows. I was wounded, not gravely, but bad enough. The blast had also shot my hearing. I needed to move. I needed to do something, anything.
Across what used to be the ring were four people. A man at least the size of Toguro Ototo, his arms covered in tattoos, and long brown hair plaited down his back. He held an unconscious Kasumi under one arm. She hung there like a ragdoll, covered in blood.
In front of him was the black haired girl. She had a sword pointed on the giant, the same neon green energy that had caused the blast surrounding her. On closer inspection I realized the sword was Kasumi's, just as I had assumed earlier. And behind her…was Hideki.
The smirk on his face made my blood run cold and I struggled to my feet. I had to assume that everyone here was an enemy. I could not remain on the sidelines and recover. I needed to get Kasumi away from them and get the rest of my comrades out of the arena. I would deal with the Hitomi situation later, once we were a safe distance from this place.
Just as I was about to move closer, the black haired woman pinned me with a dead stare. Her vibrant green eyes held something behind them that struck me as odd. There was clarity there…her eyes recognized me.
The green flicked away, back towards the massive man that held Kasumi. Ever so slow, she shifted in place, bringing the sword away. She turned to face Hideki, whose face turned to one of pure shock. The girl held the sword higher, in an unexperienced grip. What the hell was going on here?
"How dare you betray me!" I heard Hideki yell, the sound of his voice muffled as if I had water in my ears.
"You can't betray someone you had no loyalty to," answered the girl.
I felt a hand hit my shoulder and whirled around prepared to fight, but it was just Yusuke. He shook his head at me and jerked his thumb towards the other end of the arena. Standing there in one large group was everyone else. Even Ren and Makoto had joined.
"What's going on?" I asked. How long had I been out?
Yusuke didn't look pleased; he had sweat dripping down his brow. He was afraid…worried, but of what?
"That big bastard that has Kas…" he said. "He showed up right after the other chick did."
"Your point?" I snapped, once again turning to stare at the massive man.
"He reminds me of Chronos, Hiei…"
What the fuck did that mean?
I didn't have to wait long to find out. I turned just in time to see Hideki launch himself towards the other man, sword at the ready. With Kasumi still under his arm, he blocked the man's attack with nothing but his forearm. Blood red energy surrounded him and he pushed the other demon back with nothing but his aura. It wasn't so much the color of his aura…or the way he used it that intrigued me. It was the fact it felt so similar to Chronos'. It was godlike and deadly. It made the hairs on the back of my neck rise and a growl burst forth from my throat.
"What happened while I was out?" I snarled.
"I know as much as you. Genkai said we should get the fuck out of here."
"Why?"
"All she said was that he's dangerous."
If that was true then I wasn't about to leave Kasumi behind, they could flee like cowards if they wished. I didn't care how strong the man supposedly was, I would do what I must.
"Go then, I will remain here," I said.
Yusuke did not leave my side; he just stared at me in disbelief, his mouth gaping open. I didn't expect for these next words to leave his mouth and they did nothing but anger me further.
"You like her don't you?"
I glared at him, my aura flaring around me in warning, "You speak nonsense."
Yusuke scoffed, "No way man. I don't know how I didn't notice it before."
I growled at him, advancing a step towards him to try and an intimidate him. I didn't like Kasumi, not in the sense Yusuke was speaking of. I respected her and it just so happens that respect had turned into attraction. I was not blind. Though I often did not give a damn about a person's physical appearance…I couldn't deny that Kasumi did somewhat appeal to my tastes.
"This isn't the time for this," I snarled.
"Don't think I'll forget," he said.
I rolled my eyes. No, I'm certain he wouldn't. Nothing pleased Yusuke more than finding ways to harass me. It was unfortunate he was one of the few men in the three worlds that did not fear me.
I had no time to think about Yusuke's foolish revelation. I bright flash of whitish blue light blinded me and I brought my arms up to shield my eyes. When it faded it was only to find a giant chunk of the ceiling missing. It crumbled, falling down in great pieces that Yusuke and I were forced to dodge. A massive storm was brewing outside and I could see lightning flashing across the sky.
The domed cement ceiling continued to fall apart. The largest piece yet fell straight for the man that held Kasumi and for one brief moment I feared she would be killed. But all the man did was raise a fist to the sky. The chunk of cement slammed into his hand and broke apart into tinier pieces. They scattered, shooting out in all directions. I dodged a particularly large piece. It hurt to move this much. I had at least one broken rib and several other mild wounds. I had blood smeared across my bare chest and the bandages around the dragon had torn at some point. I could feel blood still dribbling from my nose. The wounds were minor, but annoying all the same.
I heeded Yusuke's previous warning and together we joined up with the rest. I watched from the sidelines as the new contender took over the fight. He kept the other girl behind him, protecting her even while still holding onto Kasumi. The blast must have knocked her out too.
I was also surprised her sister had so much energy, for someone who had no knowledge of fighting. I eyed the sword in her hand once more. I felt a certain kind of satisfaction that I had been correct this entire time. It was just a pity the girl had appeared now. My deal with Kasumi was only if I helped her find her sister. Not if the girl decided to take matters into her own hands.
"This is bad," I heard Kuwabara mumbled from somewhere behind me.
"I'm inclined to agree," replied Kurama.
"Be silent, it will be over soon," said Genkai.
"How do you know?" asked Yusuke, incredulous.
The old woman refused to answer him and just folded her arms across her chest. She watched the proceedings with a critical eye. She'd apparently abandoned her original idea to flee. Or perhaps she knew that no one would follow. Either way, I was interested to see what this man was about to do.
A bolt of lightning struck the ground at Hideki's feet. The demon only just dodged it, the soles of his boots smoking as he jumped backwards.
"You can't kill me here," he said.
"We'll see about that," the tall man's voice was like thunder. Deep and sinister, it matched his presence well.
Another boom and the second bolt struck Hideki head on. He screamed but the other man gave him very little time to recover. He threw a fist forward, as if he were punching nothing but air. It created a gust of wind that sent the bastard flying straight through a wall.
"His power is strange," said Kurama.
"Hn," I agreed. It was strange. The lightning was no coincidence and neither had been the wind.
When the storm clouds above broke and rain began to pour through the gap in the ceiling my suspicions were confirmed.
The man drew the droplets of water around him until they had morphed into a swirling whirlpool. With a single movement of his arm he collected the droplets into a single, large stream. As Hideki was climbing back out of the hole in the wall he smashed the other man with a beam of liquid so strong it sent him flying right back through it.
How did this guy have Hideki on the ropes but Chronos had so much trouble?
"Who is this man?" I turned to Genkai with my question but Koenma was the one who answered.
"In the Reikai he's known as The Titan Killer."
"Excuse you?!" exclaimed Yusuke.
Genkai cleared her throat, "He's the man Kasumi has been searching for."
"You're telling me that's her uncle Takahiro?" said Kuwabara.
"Ay, that's exactly what I'm saying."
You had to be kidding me. This must be a sick joke. I had no idea that the man Kasumi was looking to have train her would be someone of this caliber. It was inconceivable. Could we even trust this man?
Forgetting this for the moment I concentrated on the issue at hand. Hideki had materialized into another mass of black magnetic particles. He came shooting out of the opening in the wall and headed straight for the sky. It would seem the coward planned to run once again.
"Shit!" swore Yusuke.
But the man, Takahiro, made no move to stop him. He just stood and watched as the black cloud filtered out towards the storm.
Genkai spoke up from behind me, raising her voice to cover the extra distance, "Do you think it wise to let him leave?"
He hefted Kasumi under his arm and for the first time I got a good look at his face. He was dressed in leather from head to toe. He wore a leather jacket with the sleeves rolled up, leather pants that were too tight for their own good, and a white t-shirt underneath it all. His eyes were as grey as storm clouds, a different shade from Kasumi's. Whitish blue electricity traveled up and down his arms, sparking and causing his face to form odd shadows.
He smiled at the old woman, perfect white teeth set in a tan face, "He was right, I can't kill him."
Can't or won't, was the first thought that ran through my head at his words. Something about this man irked me in a way I couldn't explain. He saw that I was staring and his smile only grew.
He lifted a hand in a wave, "Yo! Sorry we had to meet this way."
He advanced towards us, Hitomi trailing behind him. She sheathed her sister's sword but didn't say a word.
He stopped just before he reached us, realizing that none of us wanted him to get any closer. My aura surrounded me defensively and he flat out laughed.
"My name's Takahiro, but you can call me uncle Taka."
He turned to Hitomi then, "I'll take her from here. You better get going…but leave the sword."
She frowned, not pleased with his orders, but she unhooked the sword from her belt anyway. Reluctant, she handed it to him. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her black pants and began to walk away. Still she did not speak.
"Hey, wait!" shouted Kuwabara. He surged forward from the rest of us, as if he planned to run to her.
She paused and turned to him with questioning eyes. He floundered for a moment before finally finding his voice, the fool.
"Aren't you Hitomi?"
Green eyes sparkled and she gave him a lopsided grin. Up close there was no mistaking the resemblance. Their faces were exact. The only thing Hitomi lacked was the thin scar through her eyebrow. They were even the same height and build, it was uncanny.
She nodded once at Kuwabara and then her green aura flared around her once more. A circle of runes appeared at her feet and I watched as thick glowing lines covered her skin. They started at the back of her hands and I assumed they continued up her arms, though I could not see them. They emerged at the side of her neck to come up to her cheeks. There they stopped.
She spoke one word, "Go." And then she disappeared in a flash of green light.
Takahiro frowned and turned back to Genkai, "I'll meet you at the temple."
Another bolt of lightning flashed in the sky, coming down to strike the man. When the light faded he was gone.
After that all hell broke loose.
. . .
As a group we had traveled to the old woman's lands. Much to my chagrin Ren had accompanied us on this journey, whereas Makoto had left to sort things out in the Reikai. The trip did not take nearly as long as it normally would have thanks to Koenma. He used his powers to open a portal that spit us out at the bottom of her massive amount of stairs. While everyone else took their sweet time traipsing up them, I ran through the trees the rest of the way.
I was the first to arrive at the temple. Sitting outside on the porch, his arms now devoid of Kasumi, was Takahiro. He had a guitar in his hands and he was strumming the cords to some tune I did not recognize. He neither acknowledged my presence nor made a move to get up from his seat. This irritated me beyond measure.
"Where is Kasumi?" I demanded.
Grey eyes flicked up to me through a heavy fringe. He pursed his lips and sneered at me.
"She is within resting. It is best you leave her be for now."
I stepped forward, prepared to brush him off and do as I pleased. I wanted to see with my own eyes that she was safe. I would not take this man's word for it.
Blood red aura surged around him, his eyes sparking with a light of excitement, "Go ahead, try me youkai."
If it was a fight he wanted…
"Hiei!"
I growled low in my throat at the interruption. The rest of the group had just stepped through the massive doors that lead to the stairway. The glower I sent them was strong enough to freeze over hell.
Takahiro laughed behind my back and I turned that look on him instead. He remained unfazed, not at all afraid of me. His guitar had disappeared, meaning he had control over the empty space between worlds. Not many had that type of ability.
"You won't get anywhere with that one," said Genkai, as they came to a stop at my side.
"Tch," I released a noise of annoyance. It no longer mattered anyway. Takahiro had gotten to his feet and he gestured for us to follow him inside.
He must have visited the temple at some point in his life, because he traversed the maze like hallways with ease. He came to one that housed several unused bedrooms. It was the same section of the building I had claimed as my own, with my bedroom the last one down the hallway. It was the only place no one else had claimed. I was only mildly annoyed that he'd picked a room close by for Kasumi.
Ren had followed as well, trailing behind the group. He was nervous, it was easy to tell. As he should be, why was the bastard even here?
"Why don't you buzz off?" said Yusuke, who had apparently been sharing my sentiments.
Ren glared at him, "I want to make sure she's okay."
"No one cares what you want."
"Yusuke, leave him be," said Keiko.
The women had all been lead to safety. We'd met up with them afterwards and we'd all arrived here together. I would have preferred no one had come along. I didn't like how many had become involved in this situation.
"Why should I? This jerk has been lying the whole time!"
"I only lied about what I really do for a living," Ren snapped.
"Yeah, well that is pretty much your whole identity asshole."
We had no comradery with the SDF. The four of us felt even less inclined to include someone who worked under Enma's nose.
"Ren, just wait outside," said Koenma.
The man looked ready to kill the prince. It made a smirk a mile wide cross over my lips. I made sure he noticed it too. He was fuming as we all trickled into the tiny bedroom and shut the door in his face.
We took any available space there was, but most of us surrounded the bed Kasumi was currently sleeping in. Takahiro sat on the edge beside her and brushed the hair out of her face. I took notice that Chronos' runes were still present on her skin. That lead me to question why she was asleep at all.
"She'll wake soon. I had to knock her out after Hitomi interrupted," explained Takahiro.
He was silent after, just watching her face, waiting. After a time her eyes fluttered open and it was only to discover them still black, the white specks swirling. As soon as she spotted Takahiro they narrowed in anger. She shot up in the bed, a hand heading straight for his throat.
He grabbed her wrist before she could even make an attempt to strangle him.
"If it isn't the bastard son of Susanoo," she snarled.
"What the hell did she just say?" snapped Kuwabara.
"You have to be joking," said Kurama.
We were all in states of confoundedness. Susanoo was the god of storms in Japan. He ruled over the wind and seas, born from Izanagi's snot. He was a trouble maker, a wrathful god that did not obey anyone. What did Chronos mean that Takahiro was his bastard son?
Takahiro tossed her wrist aside and addressed the room at large, "I am half human, half god," he began.
"I was born of a human mother, raped but Susanoo who wished to spread his seed."
No wonder his power had reminded Yusuke of Chronos. It made sense that he was a demi-god; why else would someone such as Ryuunosuke fear him enough to flee? It still made my guts twist unpleasantly. How had Kasumi become involved with such a creature?
Chronos laughed at him, "And then even she abandoned you."
He snarled at her, his lips curling into a sneer, "Bring back Kasumi."
Chronos smirked at him, intent on not giving him what he wanted. But Takahiro had other ideas.
He slammed a palm to her forehead, causing Chronos' eyes to widen. She struggled at first and then screamed as steam began to seep from her forehead. Her eyes slammed shut, her face twisting into one full of agony.
"H-hey! Stop, you'll hurt Kas!" Kuwabara lurched forward, to do what I did not know. Did the fool really think he could stop this man?
"Be gone with you Chronos," said Takahiro. He pushed his palm more firmly against her skull and then Kasumi fell back into the bed, out once more.
Kuwabara gasped and lunged towards the bed. He was at her side in an instant, hands coming to her face to check for wounds that were not there. The runes had faded, both from her hands and forehead. Chronos' heavy, suppressing aura had also left. It was safe to assume that Takahiro had some kind of control over the other god…interesting.
"She's fine, Kazuma-san," he said.
The redheaded man turned to stare, "How do you know my name?"
"I know all your names, just as I know of the prophecy and the part Kasumi plays in it."
We sat in stunned silence. I wanted this day to end, for the absurdity surrounding Kasumi to just come to a halt. The day I met her I knew she was going to be trouble. I supposed I just never realized how much.
"Keep the prophecy out of this, please," spoke up Koenma.
"They will discover it eventually, Koenma-dono…"
"Yes and when that time comes feel free to loosen your tongue then."
Takahiro sighed and shook his head, "Have it your way."
He turned back to Kasumi and reached out a hand to shake her. She moaned at the disturbance and tried to roll over. Takahiro smiled and then shook her again. She batted at his hands.
"Come now, Umi-chan. Is that any way to greet your uncle?"
Her eyes snapped open and for one breathless moment of silence she did not move.
And then..."Uncle Taka?"
"Yes little one, I'm here now."
She did not question him further; she only launched herself into his arms. He held her in a tight embrace, allowing her a moment of peace before she would have to face the aftermath of the day.
Her face contorted into a wince and she pulled away from him. She was still injured, though it was not as serious as I had originally thought.
She looked down at herself, "Chronos didn't heal me."
"There is a reason for that," said her uncle.
"One we should have told you sooner," added Genkai.
She eyed the old woman with a worried gaze. What had they hidden now and why?
"When Chronos heals you…it isn't really so much healing as her turning back time," he explained.
"Whenever she uses this ability it takes more power to fix bigger wounds," he continued.
"When the wounds are too severe, she is unable to repair them," said Genkai.
"Why?" asked Kasumi.
Takahiro sighed and placed a hand at the crown of her head, ruffling the hair there. "It takes time off your lifespan."
She wasn't fully awake, her mind not all there she didn't say anything at first. Her mouth opened and closed a few times and then…
"What did you just say?"
"Minor wounds only take minutes, but life threatening injuries could take years," he said.
This had to be a joke. How many times had I seen Chronos dissipate the injuries on her body? How many minutes had been taken from her? How many years? It sickened me. Then I recalled the times Chronos had done nothing to aid her. The day her childhood home had been destroyed, she would have died if it were not for me. Chronos must pick and choose when she feels the need to fix the girl's body. What worried me more was the reversal of time. Could she do more than just fix injuries? Could she turn back whole events and change things? Had she already done so?
Kasumi waved a hand in the air, dismissing this current problem to bring up a new one.
"Where is Hitomi?"
Takahiro's mouth snapped closed, a hand going to the back of his head nervously.
"I can't tell you…"
This did nothing but piss her off. She grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and pulled him down until they were face to face.
"Fuck that, tell me or I'll – "
"You'll what, Umi? Fight me? You know it won't get you anywhere."
Her hand dropped, as did her eyes. Tears gathered in their corners, tears she did not allow to fall.
"I was going to kill her…" she whispered.
Her uncle's face was sympathetic and he rubbed a soothing hand down her back, "Not you, Chronos."
She shook her head, her fringe falling down to shield her face, "No…I would have, if you hadn't stopped me."
The room fell silent, unable to believe her words. I now understood why Chronos would wish for Hitomi's death. If the god managed to kill the vessel that held the key, there were no others to inherit it. It would return to Chronos by default. This was an event the Reikai had been too arrogant to foresee, the fools.
I could also understand to a certain extent why Kasumi wished to end her sister's life as well. For the past so many months she'd believed her to be a murderer. Now, I felt as if there was much more to that story than what Chronos had shown us.
"Don't be so quick to trust the god," I said.
Her eyes shot up to me, her gaze so forlorn it made something clench in my chest. I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to analyze her during this state. It was another side of Kasumi I'd had yet to see. It excited me in a way that was not only disturbing but confusing. It seemed that all aspects of her intrigued me in one way or another.
"Are you saying you don't think Hitomi killed my uncle?"
The room's attention had turned to me. I despised being in the center of anything but I couldn't take the words back now.
"No, but you shouldn't throw the idea out," I said.
Takahiro cleared his throat, "I will tell you whatever you wish to know, but you must make a choice."
"I already know what I want," she said.
"I know why you came for me, I will give you three days," Takahiro held up three fingers and Kasumi nodded.
"You have time to change your mind, my training won't be easy," he continued. "It will be long and grueling."
"I understand," she said.
"I'll talk to the police commissioner in the meantime, he owes me a favor."
Takahiro rose from the bed, pulling down the sleeves of his leather jacket to cover his body art. He stretched and then turned to her with a smile, "It's good to see you again, Umi-chan."
"You too…uncle Taka," she replied.
He went to leave the room, but then stopped halfway to the door, "Ah, one more thing!"
He reached a hand out and much the same as Botan with her oar, he plucked a sword out of thin air. It must have been the same thing he'd done with his guitar earlier. By the sight of the scabbard I could tell that it was Kasumi's. He handed the blade over and she looked down at in shock.
"But…"
"Hitomi needed it for a while, she sends her apologies."
She sat there with her mouth gaping open. With a grin, Takahiro waved goodbye and exited the room. I heard hushed words passed between him and the idiot known as Ren, before the man finally took his leave.
There was an awkward moment of silence, before Kurama cleared his throat and said, "I think it best we leave Kasumi-san be for now."
Most everyone agreed, other than the four of us and the detective's woman. Yukina promised to return with bandages and some hot tea. Genkai left for a cigarette, Kuwabara's older sister in tow. Botan scampered off to assist Yukina. I noticed belatedly that Koenma had also stuck around, though I had no idea what for.
"Glad you're okay, Kas," said Yusuke. He leaned over to give her a quick, awkward hug. Then he also left the room, embarrassed by his actions.
Kurama spoke much the same sentiments though he forwent the embrace and then took his leave as well. He cast me a look as he went that I did not return. I had no doubts that they would all be discussing today's events. I would hear all their theories later. For now, I wanted nothing but to speak to the girl in the bed. If these fools would hurry up and leave it would be all the easier.
Keiko was the first to settle at her bedside and envelope her in a hug. She touched her palms to the girl's cheeks, her eyes sympathetic and sad. Kasumi brushed her off, angry at being pitied.
"Don't look at me like that," she said.
Keiko still remained soft spoken and kind, "Can I do anything?"
Kasumi patted her on the shoulder, "No…I just need to be alone."
Keiko nodded and rose from the bed. She grabbed Kuwabara on her way out, dragging him along with her. He protested, turning to look back at Kasumi with pleading eyes. But she only smiled and waved sarcastically. It was obvious she did not wish to have their company and Kuwabara gave up after a time.
"We'll talk later!" he called, just as Keiko shut the door.
That left only Koenma and I. The prince eyed me a moment, realized I was not going to leave and then sighed. He stepped forward, his head hung and face a mask of guilt.
"I wanted to say that…I'm sorry," he said.
Kasumi scoffed at him, "For what? Hiding things or lying through your teeth?"
"Both…?" he offered.
She snorted, "Whatever, get out of my face."
"Morimoto-san…I don't dislike you. I didn't ask for this either!"
"I didn't say you did…listen I get it. I understand, just go."
She turned to stare out the single window contained within the bedroom, dismissing the prince. Koenma scowled at her back, but turned on his heel and left without another word. The door slammed shut behind him and I heard Kasumi release a bark of laughter.
"Idiot," she mumbled.
I remained silent. I could hear footsteps coming down the hallway, my sister's aura telling me she had returned. There was a tentative knock on the door announcing her arrival and I turned to answer it.
"Oh, Hiei-san, I didn't think you'd still be here!"
"Hn," I grunted.
She held a tray with a single steaming tea cup, ointment, and bandages. I reached out to take the tray from her, but she took a step back and shook her head.
"I'm sorry; let me go get you a cup as well!"
Before she could run off I snapped, "It's fine, just give it here!"
She looked hurt, but she was quick to hide it. I hadn't meant to be so harsh with her, the stress of the day causing me to act irrational. I ran a hand down my face and sighed.
"I'm sorry, just…I will take care of it," I said.
She frowned, her face contemplative and then she smiled. She handed me the tray and promised to return with more tea. I waited in the hallway until she had disappeared around a corner and then I returned to Kasumi. She was still staring out the window, one hand running down the length of her sword's scabbard. I set the tray down on the tiny desk against the room's farthest wall. I collected the bandages and thought about what I would do with them. Should I just hand them over and allow her to tend to herself?
I turned around to ask her if she'd need assistance but what I saw caused me to stop in my tracks. Her eyes set in cold determination bored into me. She held her sword out towards me, one hand wrapped around it so hard it was shaking. My eyes narrowed.
"Take it," she snapped, brandishing it at me.
"No," I said. I hadn't gone through with the bargain. I did not deserve to have it.
I walked to her side, ignoring the blade the entire time. I couldn't say that I didn't want it. It was an amazing weapon and it intrigued me. Her sister had stolen it for a specific purpose, which meant the blade was special in some way. Without getting my hands on it so I could inspect it I doubted I'd ever figure out what that was.
I lowered myself onto the edge of her bed, bandages still held in my hands. There was an awkward pause and then she whipped the sheathed sword at my head. I dodged it easily and when she swung it at me a second time I grabbed it. She let it go, leaving it in my hand and then her face turned smug.
"There, it's yours now."
I growled at her, "I do not want it."
She ignored me, struggling to untangle herself from the bed sheets. She crawled off the end, her movements staining the white of the sheets red. She wandered over to the desk, picked up the cup of tea and sniffed it.
"Ugh, I need something stronger than this."
"Here," I said and when she turned to look at me I tossed the bandages at her.
I got up to leave and she lurched forward to stop me, "Wait, where are you going?"
I smirked at her, "To get you something stronger."
Her mouth opened in a little oh of understanding and I rolled my eyes. I also planned to set the blade down while she wasn't looking, but she noticed what I was doing. She glowered at me, her lips pursed and eyes angry.
To placate her I shoved the scabbard through the belt on my waist. She nodded in approval and then started to strip off her clothing. Her wounds were superficial, just nicks and slices from Hideki's blade. The only reason she was so covered in blood was because there were so many of them.
To give her privacy I left the room, shutting the door silently behind me. I walked off to Genkai's pantries. They branched off from the kitchen and one entire room was dedicated to her home brewery. The old woman liked her liquor strong and full of flavor. The only other place you could find booze as potent as hers was the Makai. I'm sure humans would consider her home brews illegal to sell on the markets.
I searched the rows of bottles, one after another. I wanted to find one that wouldn't knock the tiny woman out, but also satisfy her needs. Perhaps I would even partake with her. It had been a long and arduous day. I could use a stiff drink as well.
I found what I was looking for. It was a soft amber liquid that would burn on the way down, but warm your insides. I took two, knowing that if I chose to drink with her it would require much more than what she would need. As a hiyoukai I tended to just burn the alcohol off. If I managed to get drunk it never lasted long. Perhaps that was for the best.
I was about to return to her, bottles in hand, but I felt her sword brush against my leg. I paused, set the bottles down, and then pulled the scabbard from my belt. For a long time I just stared at it. It was a magnificent piece of work. The craftsmanship damn near perfect, when I pulled the blade from its sheathe I was stunned by its quality. I had only seen the sword once and it hadn't been unsheathed at the time.
I held the blade in a well-practiced grip, the movements of swordsmanship like a dance for me now. I gave it a few swings and it sliced through the air with perfect balance. The blade had been designed for Kasumi…but I couldn't deny that it fit me quite well. Perhaps I would keep it…if she insisted so vehemently.
So busy with testing the katana, I didn't notice when Yusuke slipped through the storeroom's doorway. He cleared his throat loudly and I twisted to point the blade at his throat. He grinned, not at all fearful that I would chop his head from his neck. I lowered the sword and returned it to its scabbard. I had a feeling I knew what the detective wanted and I would be damned if I stuck around to listen to him.
"So…" Yusuke started. I made to dash around him, but he placed himself in front of the only exit. I would have to go through him if I wanted to leave.
His eyes cast a pointed look at the liquor bottles I'd set down on the floor, "You planning on taking advantage of her?"
There was no preamble, no time for him to react. How dare he accuse me of such a thing? I hit him with a right hook straight in the jaw. He stumbled back, shock crossing over his face. It was replaced with another grin right after and he began to laugh.
"I knew it! You do like her!"
I did not know how my previous action was a testament to what I felt for Kasumi. I felt nothing for her, after all. It was just some sick attraction I couldn't rid myself of. I was certain once I'd had my way with her I would no longer look at her in the same light. It was just a matter of time and soon I would be rid of these pathetic thoughts.
I growled low in my throat, "Are you looking to die, detective?"
Yusuke grinned at me again, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."
"There is no secret to keep," I snapped.
"Oh, so it's cool if I go tell everyone?"
He pivoted on the balls of his feet, as if he planned to go and do just as he said. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and ripped him down to my height. The glare I was sure I had set in my eyes did little to faze him. But when I barred my fangs a bead of sweat traveled down his brow.
"You will not say a word," I ground out from between my teeth.
I had no idea why he was making me so angry. There was nothing between Kasumi and me to hide. If he were to say anything it would be false. I didn't count our two encounters during the tournament as anything other than moments of weakness. She'd broken me down without really trying and I'd been unable to resist. That would have to stop. I couldn't have my comrades assuming I had gone soft and for a human woman no less.
I let Yusuke go and he pulled at the neckline of his t-shirt. I'd practically been strangling him with it. I had no sympathy for him; he'd brought it on himself.
"Jeez, man, no need to get so defensive," he said.
I picked up the items I had come for and brushed past him. I did not say another word. I knew Yusuke could hold his tongue where I was concerned. In the years he had known me he had not once breathed a word about Yukina. I was certain he would do the same for me now. If he didn't, he might discover that he'll be missing an appendage or two.
I walked with a slow gait back to Kasumi's room. When I turned the corner that connects to the right hallway I stopped and listened.
…Yelling. I could hear loud voices ahead. One I recognized in an instant, but the other…
I rushed to her room, slamming the door open without warning. My lips curled up into a snarl at what I saw.
Ren and Kasumi were in the midst of a heated argument. She'd stripped out of her clothing, wearing little else than a pair of undergarments. She'd had the presence of mind to wrap a layer of bandages around her chest, so at least she was not exposed there. She had no more wounds on her body, leading me to believe Ren had healed her. That meant the idiotic man had the audacity to put his hands on her. I would cut them off, mark my words.
I lunged at him, grabbing him by the back of his neck and slamming him face first into the wall. I heard his nose break and smirked in satisfaction. The smell of blood hit my nostrils and I pulled him back to smash his face into the wall once more.
"Hiei, don't!"
I stilled. She'd sounded panicked and fearful. Did she truly care what happened to this man?
A feeling I wasn't all that familiar with settled in my chest. Jealousy…that is what it was. I couldn't fathom why. This man had nothing on me. He was a pathetic excuse of person. He deserved to die for his traitorous ways.
I turned to her with a glower so dark in my eyes that her own widened in shock. I was beyond angry. How dare she sit there and defend this fool?
She rose from the bed, her steps careful so as not to exacerbate my anger further. I growled at her when she got too close, like the beast that I was. She was unafraid. She did not back off when my aura flared around me in warning. She only drew closer, until she could place a hand against my arm.
Her eyes skipped over me, taking note of my wounds and the blood. They paused briefly on the ruined bandages around my right arm. She could see hints of the dragon, I was sure. I watched as she stored that information away for later and then turned to the issue at hand.
Ren groaned against the wall and I wondered why he hadn't used his powers on me yet.
When the realization hit me, I almost laughed…almost. He hadn't used them simply because Kasumi was here…and she knew nothing of them. He didn't want her to see him as a monster. In reality, he probably thought me attacking him worked in his favor. Kasumi would see me as the monster instead. I cared little. She'd seen me like this more often than not. Her opinion on me had never changed. Why would it now?
I had nothing to fear…
"Let him go," she said. Her voice was soft, soothing. She was trying to placate me.
It would not work. I dug my fingers into his neck harder, prepared to crush his windpipe. What had they been arguing about? How had he even managed to sneak in here without anyone noticing? I shouldn't have left her.
I cocked my head, my eyes still set in a glare, "What were you arguing about?"
Her eyes narrowed. Her voice hard she said, "None of your business."
My lips turned up into a sneer, "Perhaps I will just end his existence then?"
The hand against my arm sparked to life with reiki. The electricity she created burned, leaving red welts on my skin. Still I did not let go. It would take much more than that to hurt me.
Finally, she released a heavy sigh, "I'll tell you if you let him go."
"No, Kasumi, he doesn't need to know!"
I smashed his face into the wall again to shut him up. It was hard enough that it created an indent there in the plaster, but not quite enough force to put him through it.
"Shut up Ren, you're digging your hole deeper," she said.
"Give me one reason I should not kill him," I said.
Her eyes implored me, her resolve strong and unwavering, she said, "Because I need him."
I did not like her answer. I felt a rage rise in me unbidden. My nails dug into the sides of the man's neck, causing him to bleed. I let him go, tossing him aside. He hit the floor with a loud thump and then rolled back onto his feet.
I thought he might attack me but all it took was one word from Kasumi to get him to change his mind. How disappointing.
"Enough!" she yelled.
She stomped over to him, in a rage not unlike my own. She grabbed him by the arm and flung him out the door.
"We'll talk later," she said.
He screamed one obscenity after another when she slammed the door in his face. Someday I would lay waste to Amano Ren. But today would not be that day.
I retrieved the bottles of liquor I had dropped previously, surprised to find them unbroken. Kasumi stood in the center of the room, a hand to her face. She looked weary…lost. But none of that mattered. I was beyond angry with her. She needed him? What was this disgusting nonsense?
"What do you mean, you need him?"
The look she gave me was cold, empty. It was one I would expect to see on my own face, not hers. My anger abated, but just a small amount. She didn't need him for the reasons I had jumped to, that much was obvious. There was not an ounce of love on her face at this moment. Surprising, considering she'd admitted to loving him such a short time ago.
"He told me everything," she said.
So she knew he was SDF, if that even mattered to her. She had no knowledge of the inner workings of the Reikai as far as I knew. If she did, she might have better understood Koenma's choice to keep her in the dark.
"His power can enhance the power of others," she continued. "Even if I train with Takahiro, it won't be enough."
I frowned at her and she reached over to take one of the bottles from my hands. She returned to the desk with it. She drained the tea cup of its contents and then refilled it with the alcohol. She swallowed the entire first glass in one go.
By her behavior, I could tell there was something eating at her mind. She knew something that I did not.
"What do you know?"
"While Chronos and I were battling Hideki…he told me some things," she said.
Kasumi went on to explain that during their fight he had been unable to control his gloating. He had gotten his body back…all thanks to her sister. She had learned other things, things I had learned months ago and had chosen not to speak of. The night of the police operation, the demons were looking for something. A sigil to be exact, which once activated would release a seal. That sigil was placed by Chronos several hundred years ago. Unbeknownst to Hideki, the seals could only be broken with a particular weapon; Chronos had made sure of it.
She had seen visions of the future, where there was a girl with fiery hair and an attitude to match. She carried a blade made of a special metal, forged in the fire of the gods. Chronos figured it was a safe bet that Hideki would never find the sword. Of course, that was before she'd had Kasumi's grandfather seal her up inside the girl. During her slumber, the god never realized Hideki had hunted down and killed Kasumi's entire family. When she did finally awake, thanks to the failsafe in the seal activating one night, she came to know the truth.
The night in question was the same night Hideki had caused that garish scar across the girl's back. It was the same night Kasumi had believed she'd murdered him. After that Kasumi had met Kuwabara and Keiko. She had a person around her frequently that happened to have reiki. Chronos began to chip away at the seal, weakening it until Kasumi got to a point where she would need her spirit energy. When that time came, the girl cracked the seal herself. It was just blind luck that she'd been taken to Genkai's and the old woman had removed it completely.
She paused in her story to take another drink and returned to the bed. She sat with the cup held between her knees and I went to join her. I sunk down onto the mattress, closer to her than was necessary, but she did not seem to mind. She released a sigh and handed me the cup. She poured me a drink, which I downed in one go.
From there she continued to speak. She told me that Hitomi had stolen her sword for the purpose of releasing the seals. It was one of the reasons why she had wanted to kill her. Hideki had the strength of a god now and there was only one way to kill him.
"How?" I asked.
"With a dragon's heart," she replied.
I suppressed a strangled gasp, covering up my shock by taking another drink. She had spoken of this before and I had spent extensive amounts of time researching it. Kurama had assisted me and we'd found little to no information. What we had found did not seem promising. The last dragon was killed in the Makai some five hundred years ago. Kurama knew this because he'd been alive during that time. If that is what would be needed to kill Ryuunosuke, were would we get one? And why was that the only way to kill him?
"Why a dragon's heart?" I asked.
"Because he's the last of his kind, an ancient breed of demon that Enma locked away with good reason," she said.
"What is he then?" I had taken him for a magnetite demon, born from metal used in dark magic.
"He called himself a dracon," she replied.
I almost choked on my drink. I'd heard of dracons. They were an ancient, extremely rare breed of demon. They're a mix between a high level demon and a dragon. I had thought them all dead. The Reikai had hunted and killed many of them, considering them an abomination. The offspring of an S class demon and a dragon would have a horrifying amount of power, after all.
He had to have been lying about the dragon's heart than. If the Reikai had managed to kill them off they had done so without the aid of some mystical item. If they had all possessed dragon's hearts there would have been more lore on the subject.
"That is impossible, the Reikai managed to kill them all," I said.
She shook her head in denial, "No, they only managed to contain them."
That I could believe, they would have boasted that they had killed them off to cover up what really happened.
"Purgatory then?" I said.
She nodded, "All of them…and then Hideki murdered them from within."
"What?" I asked in shock.
She shrugged, taking a long pull off the liquor bottle. She'd given up on the cup.
"Who knows, power, envy, insanity? All I know is he's the last."
I put that information aside for now, I needed to know what else Ryuunosuke had told her. It might lead us to where we may find this item in question.
"What else did he say?"
Her eyes darkened and she took another long drink. She was fast becoming drunk but I did nothing to stop her. Whatever the man had told her was weighing heavily on her mind.
"I know what he plans to do," she said.
Kasumi continued to explain that he wished to open the doorway to Purgatory. In normal circumstances, Chronos and the key worked together to open the doorway to whatever Enma chose to throw in there. When that happens, the door opens inwards, so nothing can get out, only in. Ryuunosuke plans to do the opposite. He wishes to open the door outwards, letting the horrors inside free to do as they please. To do so is much more difficult than opening it inwards, it requires the key and Chronos. It also requires the death of one…or both of the vessels. The ritual necessary to open the door can only be completed on a certain day, at midnight under a blood moon.
"When?" I demanded. When she didn't answer me I turned to grab her by her shoulders.
Her eyes were blank, devoid of all emotion. What was going on here? Was Kasumi going to die? I shook her, trying to get an answer out of her. My efforts halted when I saw something I never expected to see from her.
A tear, small and glistening dripped from one corner of her eye. It rolled down her cheek to fall off her chin and land in her lap below. It was the only one she allowed to fall. All the same, it had left a streak down her face. She had broken her vow. A vow she had kept for over a decade.
There was no thought behind it, just instinct. I reached up to place a hand against her cheek. I used my thumb to wipe away the damning evidence. Her actions told me things I'd rather not admit, but knew I would have to. The ritual required that one of them died. Kasumi planned to sacrifice herself…if she could not stop Ryuunosuke.
"I can close the gate," she said, her voice hoarse and tired.
She'd known what I was thinking, could see it in my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"If it gets to that point…Chronos told me to jump through the door," she said.
The door would close and she would save the world…at the cost of her own life. It did not sit well with me. All my previous anger with her came forward once more. She was giving up. She had already decided she would sacrifice herself. She did not believe we could win against Ryuunosuke. Was this the same woman I had grown to respect?
"You are a fool," I said.
"Yeah…I guess I am," she replied, reminding me of a conversation we'd had before the tournament, though the mood had been much lighter then.
I shot to my feet, intent on ending her idiotic train of thought. I would not allow it. I wouldn't allow her to end her own life to save a world that hadn't given a damn about her. She had disrespected me; she had disrespected my strength as well as the power of the others. She knew nothing of what we were capable of. I would not lose to that bastard.
"Get up," I snapped.
"Why?"
I didn't answer her. I just grabbed her by the arm and hauled her to her feet. I took a back route out of the temple to avoid any disturbances. When I reached the back gardens I remembered she no longer had on shoes. I was swift to fling her up over my shoulder. I launched off the porch and headed for the woods.
I was surprised to hear her grumble in protest only once, before giving up and hanging off me limply. I ran through the trees, doing my best not to jostle her too much. It would not take long to reach my destination.
I was headed for a rather high cliff. It overlooked the ocean and was just a small piece of the vast amount of land Genkai owned. During my travels, I was acutely aware of my previous injuries. My ribs were on fire and the air stung the cuts on my arm. I did not care. The alcohol had numbed me for the most part. It had also clouded my brain.
I reached the cliff and was gentle when setting her down. She looked at me, her face confused now instead of emotionless. Good, that was better than nothing.
"Let me show you, why we will not lose," I said.
The bandages around the dragon were ruined and flapping in the wind. I removed them and thought for a moment what would happen should I release it now. I was no fool. There was no doubt it would devour Kasumi. It would have been a better testament to my power, but this would have to do.
I opened the Jagan, the purple light glowing bright in the darkness. I summoned flames to surround me, the kind that come from the deepest pits of hell. She backed away. She was smart enough to know they would burn her to nothing but ash.
The flames became an inferno, swirling around me in one giant mass. I created a pillar of fire and then brought that fire all to one focal point – my hands. It balled up there, the size of a small sun. I touched the heels of my palms together, my fingers crooked inwards. When I pushed them out towards the ocean with a loud cry, I released the fire. It blasted across the water, no longer a ball but a giant stream of flames. It made the ocean rise up in great waves as it traveled. I didn't see when it stopped, but knew it had nowhere to go. It would burn out after a time.
I turned back to Kasumi with a smirk on my face. She was smiling…an odd look after such a display. I expected fear…or even shock, but instead she looked nothing but impressed. I would even say she seemed pleased.
"You truly are amazing, Hiei," she said, returning to my side.
That was when I kissed her…for the third and final time that day. I buried my hands in her hair, so much like my fire it was impossible to resist. She kissed me back this time…didn't try to push me away. It might have been the drink, but a deep, dark part of me prayed that it wasn't.
When her mouth opened and my tongue touched hers I felt my blood boil. Fuck, I wanted her. I wanted all of her. I wished to devour every inch of Kasumi until she was nothing but an empty shell afterwards. I wanted to make her mine.
I blamed my disgusting train of thought on the alcohol, though it had long since burned off. I continued to kiss her, only stopping when it became necessary for her to breathe. She backed away from me then, her hands resting against my shoulders.
"Hiei…?"
"Hn?"
"Will you take me to Yokohama? There's something I must do there."
The mood had turned serious once more and I searched her face for an answer. I was curious to know what she wished to do there. Her childhood home had been razed to the ground; there was nothing left for her. So what could she possibly need to do?
My curiosity got the best of me and I nodded, "Alright."
I also couldn't deny that I felt a bit of satisfaction at the fact she'd asked me to take her. The trip would be much faster should I run her there and I was sure she knew that. It changed nothing about how I felt. I would get to see what she was going to do…not Kuwabara, not Yusuke's woman – me.
Those grey eyes stared up at me, boring into my own, recording every aspect of my face. I let her have her fill, let her take in all there was to see about me without a word.
Her hand ran down the dragon marking, causing a shiver to travel down my spine. She did not ask what it was. I had no doubt she knew it was significant, however. Her eyes told me so.
"Hiei…?" she whispered my name again, the sound tantalizing to my ears. What would my name sound like leaving her lips on a moan?
"Do you…have…feelings for me?"
Her question floored me. The natural instinct to flee flooded my mind. It was unfortunate I couldn't leave her out in the middle of nowhere; otherwise I might have done just that.
"Why do you ask?" I said, trying to avoid giving her a straight answer.
"I would think that would be obvious," she replied.
Yes…I supposed it was. I had kissed the woman several times now. They were all moments of weakness in my opinion. However, I would not take them back, even if I could.
So I answered her, as truthful as I was willing to be, "You…cause me to feel desire."
"So you want to fuck me?" she asked. It was beyond blunt. And exactly what I would expect to come from someone as uncouth as her.
I closed my eyes and sighed. What do I say? I couldn't just tell her yes that would be admitting to something I wasn't yet ready to say aloud. Of course, her next actions were designed to change my mind and they caused a possessive growl to rise up in my throat.
She had reached forward to place a hand against my bare chest. She picked at the dried blood there, her fingers doing a dance across my skin. She traced scars with her fingertips, her hand traveling ever lower. When she reached the waist band of my pants, her fingers dipped beneath the material. They went no further, just remaining there to rub in lazy patterns.
"Stop," I growled. This could not continue. She was drunk and I refused to take advantage of her in such a state.
All she wanted was someone to keep her bed warm for a night. It mattered not who that was. I heard Kuwabara speak a time or two about Kasumi's sexual antics. She brought home strange men and kicked them out before the sun rose. I refused to be one of those men.
I snatched her hand away from me and hauled her up over my shoulder once more. She yelped, disappointed I had ruined her fun.
Once again, as I ran back to the temple with her, a thought crossed my mind. One I'd had many a time while in her presence.
Morimoto Kasumi would be the fucking death of me.
. . .
A/N: This chapter is literal garbage. I hate it. I hate it so much and I had so much trouble with it. UGH! Anyway, more will come to light in the next chapter, which will return to Kasumi's POV. There will also be a lot of Hiei/Kasumi alone time. I know this entire chapter is a confusing, jumbled mess of shit. I'm so sorry. I rewrote this FOUR TIMES. Yes you read that correctly. I still hate it. So I sincerely apologize and hope it is at least somewhat readable. Thanks for sticking with me!