File 15: Yukina –when the past comes back to you-
The next day at school Yusuke went into Kuwabara's classroom.
"My VCR is broken. Can I watch this at your place?" The boy asked, holding a video.
"What?!" Kuwabara recoiled, knocking his chair over, as if the object was literally going to grow fangs and tear him apart and gobble him down, which was quite funny. Of course, it was 'just' Koenma's instructions. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You've got to be kidding?! I'm not about to get caught up in that anymore!"
"Get caught up? You're the one who always sticks his nose in trying to look cool, right?" Yusuke retorked, an eyebrow raised. Anyway Kazuma did not want to have anything to do with it. He would rather study (as it was obviously much safer than those said missions). It was then that Keiko came in and saw her childhood friend holding a shady video. She immediately began to scold him. It was not good, bringing such things to school. Yusuke quickly hid the video under his arm, telling her not to be so strict. The brown-haired class representative immediately found his reaction suspicious and wanted to know what it was about. And in front of that face, Urameshi remembered how she wanted him to tell her first next time he had a mission, and could not help but blab out a little, saying it was instructions for his next mission from the Reikai, although he hadn't watched them yet. Since Botan had told her everything. But then Keiko asked what the Reikai was. Yusuke almost fell. Just what had that ferry girl told her?
"W-what are you talking about? You heard from Botan, right? About my missions..." He stammered, a bit lost.
"Your missions? Oh, yes, you're assisting a famous detective, right? Ah, I get it! 'Reikai' is the name of the Detective Agency, isn't it?" She smiled proudly. Akari stifled her giggles as Urameshi fell over and Yukimura appeared completely clueless before that fall.
At Kuwabara's place the Spirit Detective was yelling at Botan, demanding to know what kind of explanation she gave to Keiko. He had not appreciated being taken for a fool. Although he was a fool. Indeed, for obvious safety reasons (except to Yusuke) she had had to make up a believable story without any mention of the Spirit World; or in this case: 'Yusuke has decided to become a serious young man... He has asked to become an assistant to a famous private detective... Unscrupulous drug traffickers took over Yusuke's school in order to make a profit from their bad trading. The teachers were bewitched into becoming common criminals. Keiko, who was in the building at the time, became a witness to the madness of the murderous junkies, rescued by Botan...' or so it seemed. Then at last, Kuwabara played the tape, after once more insisting on the fact that he was not about to get involved.
Koenma's baby face appeared on the screen –after a very personalized bumper-, telling them that this video was encrypted and they were the only ones who could see it. Of course Kuwabara was very doubtful as to whether this kid was really the Lord of the Underworld or not. The prince explained that their mission was to save a young girl. But this girl was not human, nor was she a complete stranger to them. Then he showed them the images of their destination, deep within the mountains.
"We only recently found this out through information from Reikai agents, but the girl is being confined within a mansion that was secretely built within the expansive forest at the foot of Mount Honetadare. Naturally, it is a place that no normal human could even set foot into. The girl's name is Yukina. She's from a group of youkais called the Ice Maidens. In the Ningenkai, she could also be called a Snow Woman, a Snow Princess, or Snow Child. Ice Maidens are able to produce beautiful gems of legendary purity called 'hiruiseki' such as this one from their bodies." He held what looked like a pearl to their view. "The man who has her imprisoned wants to enrich himself by making her produce those gems that come from her tears." After this, Botan informed them that those were worth several millions in the black market. Then Koenma showed them the footage of an old, fat, almost bald, disfigured man but obviously so filthy rich.
"The man who's holding her captive is called Tarukane Gonzo. He's a powerful criminal who's amassed considerable wealth thanks to some shady business dealings." A few colourful comments were heard concerning that man. "Our informant has sent us this image of the young girl." At this the image of a young woman became clearer and clearer. She looked around fifteen, sitting on a chair, her hands folded on her lap; although it was common sense that youkais usually were older than what they appeared to be. What first struck them was the bottomless sorrow and loneliness of her deep red eyes. Then it was the fairness of her face and skin, her turquoise chest-length hair held in a low ponytail by a red hair piece. She was wearing a light ice blue kimono with a deep blue obi. She appeared elegant, dignified, and seemed to possess a certain strength of character as well as a very gentle personality. And she could only be seen through a wire netting laden with wards.
At this, Kuwabara suddenly stood up, his cheeks and ears beet red. He had a really funny face.
"I-I'm in love." He stammered. "Let's go Urameshi, we're going into that bloody hole!" He exclaimed, suddenly pumped up.
"What? Now?"
"Of course!"
"The video hasn't finished yet. And didn't you say you'd pass?"
"Idiot! We already know enough! The poor girl... And there's no way I'd just let you steal her away from me... Hurry up or I'll leave you behind!"
"'Steal her' you say..." Urameshi muttered, slightly annoyed.
"Sis!"
"What?!" Big sis Shizuru inquired. She had been standing quietly at the door, with a tray of four tea cups in one hand, and a cigarette in her mouth. Her little brother wanted one million yens but she reassured him saying that nowadays even going to Hawai would only cost like sixty thousands, so going to Honetadare which was just nearby... And with a quick word of thanks he ran with his sister's wallet. Seeing his friend acting so weird, Yusuke wondered whether he was stupid. Akari who had been awfully quiet chuckled a little.
"Well, he is stupid, but in this case I don't think that's it." She smirked knowingly.
"Right right. It seems springtime has come for him." Botan grinned, sipping her tea.
"Anyway, take your time. Let's watch the rest of the video or something." Shizu suggested.
"The rest... you mean, you could see it?" Botan asked.
"Of course, this video is not of this world, is it?" The older woman answered naturally.
"Just what you might expect from Kuwabara's big sister. Both possess strong spiritual sensitivity, huh?" Urameshi commented impressed. And the four finished the tape, leaving Kuwabara to his own mind.
At the said mansion, Tarukane Gonzo arrived in his navy green Chinook helicopter and was greeted by his butler. When he asked about Yukina and whether she had cried, the servant answered that she had not, and on the contrary, she had lately stopped displaying any kind of emotion. Tarukane cursed the monster but then relaxed. It was for that very reason that he had brought professionals: the leaders of a band of youkais, the Toguro brothers. The younger one was indeed the tallest one and the most muscular, his imposing frame in a long jacket and his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He was sinister but much less than his small and lean older brother who felt more ominous, cruel, twisted. The older one was hanging from his brother's shoulder like a monkey.
In her prison, Yukina was talking to the little birds that had come to visit her. At least, they could fly freely in the sky; but she could not even reach out her hand outside. And as to illustrate what she had just said, the wards hurt her hand, forcing her to withdraw it. But she was genuinely glad for the birds.
Then she heard the familiar footsteps of Tarukane approaching. She ordered her feathered friends to go – for their own sake -, before freezing the whole room, including the outer layers of her skin. She would not let them get to her so easily. However, the evil man had grown used to such a reaction and was wearing a heavy winter jacket and hat. Young Toguro made a bloody cut on Yukina's left cheek but failed to get any kind of reaction from her. His employer warned him that they had already subjected her to the cruellest treatment they could imagine without success.
It was then that the little birds attempted to come back. Yukina, visibly very concerned, cried out to them that they should not come near. At his younger brother's demand, Toguro-ani extended and coiled his clawed fingers around two passerines two meters away and brought them inside. When the young looking girl tried to intervene, the robust Toguro hit her away across her right cheek. Yukina begged and begged. Each second painfully and fearfully wearing away. And then at last Toguro killed them. She screamed and her jewels of purity and sorrow fell and rolled on the ground. Tarukane hurried to pick them, laughing gleefully, his greediness rendering him even uglier than he usually was. He just could not understand why a demon would cry over the death of mere mountains birds. He then ordered that birds should be served to her at each meal and hurried out of the room to auction these off. Younger Toguro followed after one last piece of advice to the girl.
"If I were in your place I would make myself weep everyday. It would prevent me from being cruel in the future and it would simplify your life."
Then Tarukane received a report stating that intruders had trespassed on his domain. As he put it: some naïve kids interested in the secret of the hiruiseki who were going to serve as fertilizers for his trees. There were three of them: two boys and a girl. There was a boy with slicked black hair and a green uniform, another with orange hair and a blue uniform, and the girl had blue hair in a ponytail and was wearing a pair of jeans, a sweater and a brown jacket. But the girl was not the one younger Toguro had expected. Well, had it been that girl, she would have come for them, and only released the Koorime while she was at it. And she would have certainly choosen a different way to come. But those three, they probably would not last very long.
The trio walked and walked, finding their way in the forest thanks to Botan's demon-sensor wristwatch. Yusuke was always complaining, unlike to Kuwabara who was quite fired up, and did not need any wristwatch. His spiritual awareness was more than enough for him, although there was something more driving him, guiding him; something like a red thread tied to his pinky finger, something like lo~ve...
"We can't talk to him about the rest of the video like this." Botan sighed. The detective agreed with her. Neither of them had the heart to dampen such passionate feelings with what they had learnt.
"This Koorime is not unconnected to you." Koenma had affirmed in the video. "Especially you, Yusuke. You are indebted to her. Yukina is Hiei's younger sister." Hiei would probably kill them anyway if they said anything. Thinking of that, Akari had been strange too.
"I'll pass." She had said suddenly, surprising everyone. Her arms behind her head, she did not seem to have any motivation at all. "Rescuing a girl and beating the bad guy is just too cliché and boring. I mean I'd go and kick their butts if they wanted to invade my turf like the Shiseiju... but saving a princess is a man's job isn't it? Doesn't look like there'll be any dangerous opponent either so I won't get to show off. And even if there were, the priority is for you to get stronger as the Detective of the Spirit World. I have other business to attend to anyway. Well then, do your best. Bye." And she had left. Wasn't it strange? It's unusual of her to speak so much.
Suddenly, the three felt a presence: a demon was approaching. They saw him, disguised as an ugly middle-aged man in a brown suit, with short greesy black hair and round sunglasses hiding his eyes. He warned them to go back as they were on a private property, although he probably had no real intention of letting them go back alive. They played along and pretended to be lost, asking to stay over at Tarukane's home. When he refused Yusuke said it wouldn't hurt, after all the money Tarukane had swindled with his dirty tricks.
Seeing as it was no use wasting more time than that, the demon showed his true self. Under the pression of the swelling flesh, the fabrics were torn apart, and the man turned into into a monster. Still of human height, slimy green of colour, its lower half now consisted of eight tentacles kind of like those of an octopus, on his chest, height claw-like overgrowths opened wide to reveal a drooling, sharp-toothed mouth, his muscled arms were terminated by trunk-like fingers, there were mouths on his palms too, and on his face, his nose had become two slits and his human mouth had elongated into a big fly's mouth.
The humans were obviously disgusted. The demon had been ordered to slaughter anyone who was after Yukina. Yusuke and Kuwabara naively thought that youkais would be the kind who helped each other out but this one couldn't care less what happened to Yukina as long as he got money. Humans too were as dirty and selfish as can be and would sell their souls for their own self-interests. It was exactly the same. The demon was sure that if presented with a pile of money, the humans would do the same as he did. And that disgusted them even more than his appearance. They didn't want to be lumped with scumbags like him. Their fists were glowing with reiki. The youkai attacked, and while it was in the air, Kuwabara summoned his reiken, jumped, and cut it apart, and Yusuke blew it with his reigun. There was not a single cell of it left. The three started again.
Younger Toguro was surprised to feel his underling's youki disappear at once, but in the same time seemed to find the situation quite interesting. Tarukane was having doubts concerning the strength of those he had hired. He was paying them a lot and this failure had made him lose his trust in them. He demanded to test their abilities. He took them to his 'cute little collection': weird life forms in cages that had cost him a fortune. Then he showed them the star of his collection: a huge four-legged creature at least three meters tall with a long tail to keep itself balanced and white hair on its head. Its long fangs, its roars, and the way it turned around like a lioness in a cage clearly indicated how ruthlessly ferocious it was indeed. Tarukane had called this masterpiece of abnormal genetic manipulation 'Helen-chan'. And to gain back the trust he had lost, Toguro had to defeat it. The greedy human did not actually thought that Toguro was going to kill it and was merely planning to cut down his wages using the demon's cowardice as an excuse. That was why, when Younger Toguro entered the cage, he tried to convince him to come back. The tall and muscular young-looking man took off his jacket and increased his muscular mass and strength by thirty percent. When the beast attacked, he blocked it and blew it in two with a punch. Then he calmly joined his disbelieving employer and his older brother who had watched the slaughter with a sadistic smile. Tarukane was so delighted he decided to triple his wages.
Now reassured, another idea formed in his twisted mind and he ordered his attendant Sakashita to contact the Black Book Club. Toguro and his band of Youkais against the intruders. What a perfect way to make an entertaining show and make some money in the same time. By adjusting the spectator's fee and the betting rate, he could certainly make a few billions more. When Younger Toguro lit a cigarette and remarked he was not going to have a good death, Tarukane replied confidently that he would just buy his own life with money.
While in the forest, Botan had fallen into a trap and was tied head down to a spider web meters above the ground. The demon had the body of a huge black and blue spider and humanoid head with blond hair. It was planning to eat the three of them. Kuwabara quickly cut the web, and Botan fell into Yusuke's arms. He put her down. The youkai landed and attacked and again was taken care of in an instant.
In the Reikai, the little prince was tired of Yusuke's dilly-dallying. Georges commented that it was getting really dark out there. Kurama came in. His chin on the palm of his left hand, Koenma asked him whether he had found Hiei and Akari.
"No, he hasn't come back here, and Akari hasn't contacted us." The fox answered.
"Geez... Hiei is one thing but now even Akari... They must have sensed something about this tape." The toddler surmised. The Ogre questioned his master about why, even though his little sister was involved, Hiei hadn't been informed about it. Koenma blew at him. If the demon had been informed he would have stormed the place and killed everyone in sight. And if a youkai killed a human, then, no matter the reasons, he would become a criminal. Which was why he had meant for Kurama to go with him but the kitsune had refused.
"It will be alright." Kurama reassured him. "Even if he has caught on to the case, I doubt he will go against Yusuke."
"You think it will really go that well? With that warped guy?" Koenma looked at him suspiciously. "This is all your responsibility."
"R-right." Kurama stammered, a little disconcerted.
"But after all, it's Akari I'm really worried about..."
"Why?"
"Usually she at least let her presense be known, one way or another... to hear nothing from her… There's always the possibility that she just went to find Hiei to try and control his actions but..." He doubted it could be so simple. "And I fear that with her great sensitivity and instinct she might have sensed something that we didn't... I have a bad feeling..." The prince frowned, remembering events from three years ago, the day she came to ask him for a way to go to the Makai, and the reason she came, because of what had happened four years prior to that day. The red-haired teen looked at the little lord and a seed of dread for that girl he had grown to be so fond of settled in his belly.
"Well, we can do nothing but wait now. I'm going to sleep. Tape the rest on video for later." Koenma ordered, jumping down his armchair and leaving. After one last glance at the screen, Kurama left too.
In the forest, the trio was also getting ready for the night. A fire had been lit and they were grilling some snacks. When, suddenly, Hiei jumped on a high branch near their firecamp. He watched them for a time, and sat down, his back against the trunk, ready for the night.
The stars had long started to dot the night sky before Katsuyama spotted Hiei resting on the branch and jumped to join him. He opened his red eyes. He hadn't been sleeping yet, merely resting. Akari had followed her friends' reiki and youki, and she had seen the embers of their fire glowing dimly in the darkness.
"So you came."
"Yup, I came."
"What's with that smile?" The little demon asked, referring to how strained his friend's grin had appeared. Because she was such an honest person, and because he looked at her more than most, such a thing was obvious to him.
"So you found out. Well, it can't be helped. This mission just doesn't sit well with me. I feel there's something off but I just can't put my finger on it." Akari replied gazing at the embers without seeing them, her eyebrows delicately knitted together.
"That's why you're using these guys as decoys and planning to sneak in instead of barging through the front door with them like you usually would. Or is it to keep an eye on me?"
"Bingo." The girl smiled more earnestly this time. "Well, it's a bit of everything. But isn't it the same with you?" She sat down.
"Hn." Hiei merely looked away. The human grinned wider and scooted over, closer to him.
"You are worried about me. I'm really happy."
"Who woul-?!" He began loudly, sharply turning his head toward her before an index was put on his lips.
"Now, now, you wouldn't want them to hear you now, would you?" She smiled sweetly at him with the hint of a smirk.
"Who would?" He repeated softly, looking away again. He had recovered from the surprise but not from the embarassement. It was then that Akari sighed and leant against him, snuggling and making herself comfortable.
"The HELL you're doing?!" He whispered and struggled angrily as the female took the sides of his long jacket and covered them both with it before doing the same with his arms.
"Well, I was worried about you, so be grateful and lend me your chest. Just for tonight. It's alright isn't it? You're toned so you can make an acceptable pillow. And you're a fire demon, meaning your body heat is higher than normal and I won't get cold thanks to you. You better feel honoured that I'm going to let you be my personal heater." She yawned sleepily despite her annoyance. "Or are you that scared of me?" She asked provocatively.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, woman." Hiei retorted, suddenly wrapping his arms around her in a fierce, aggressive, almost possessive embrace. She was always so playful, fearless, unpredictable, throwing him off balance. He never knew how to react around her. And that attracted him as much as it angered him. Just who did she think she was?! How could he let himself be tossed about so easily by a mere human girl? He had to win against her at her own game. Kurama might have gladly accepted from the beginning, but he was not Kurama.
However, such a reaction was so unexpected, so unlike him, that an unvoluntary blush had rosied Akari's cheeks and she remained silent and perfectly behaved until she fell asleep.
Just for tonight...
It was seven years ago. She was only eight. Just a little girl playing in the park with her friends. When she had reached the age of reason, she had agreed that her powers be sealed. And she had agreed not to talk to anyone about strange things. It did not matter. It was for her parents' sake, for her mother's sake, for her own sake. So she would not suffer like her mother did because of those cursed powers. If they were sealed, demons could not sense them, and would not try to eat them. They would not always have to fight and risk their lives or the lives of those they loved. She was just a normal eight-year-old girl, with a normal family, living in a normal home, having normal friends and living a normal life. Those were days of bliss and ignorance. But they would soon turn into a nightmare called reality.
For some reason, her little chest was feeling tight, like an impending danger was closing upon her. As she could not shake off that sense of dread, she decided to hurry to the security of her home.
"Mom, dad, I'm back!" She yelled as soon as she opened and closed the door. She was immediately assailed by an unfamiliar smell that froze her on the spot. It was the acrid smell of freshly spilled blood. Her eyes widened. Her little heart started to pound painfully against her ribs. She slowly turned around. There was a man she did not know. Who was that man? What was he doing here? Surely she would have remembered someone so tall and muscular with these black sunglasses if she had seen him somewhere.
"Oh, so you've come. I've been waiting for you." He said; his voice low and deep; and a wicked smile curving his lips.
And mom, what was she doing there? It looked like that man's hand was sticking out of her back. It was coated with a shiny red liquid that was dripping and forming a puddle on the floor. The same red was trickling down from her mouth. Blood. Red. There was red everywhere, on the floor, on the walls, on the table, on the chairs. And dad? Where was dad? What was this crater on the wall? There was red splattered on it too. Then she looked down. Dad? Why was he lying there? Was he sleeping? He shouldn't be sleeping there. He could catch a cold. Why was there so much red around his head too? There... There...
Suddenly she fell on her knees. Her head was spinning. She was feeling sick. Her small body was trembling and tears were rivering down her round cheeks. Her lips were quivering and she was gasping for breath. It was like she was swaying on the brink of a bottomless precipice of darkness and despair with nothing to hold onto. She was hugging herself so tight, as if the pain could ascertain her existence in this world and wake her up, anchor her into the reality she wanted back. The man smirked wider and let the corpse fall. He did not care anymore. That little girl was all that mattered to him now.
"Because she was weak." He answered her voiceless question. Her trembling and tears stopped suddenly. Her eyes, wide open, were fixing the floor without seing it. Her whole being was intent on that man, on his voice, his words. "She was a weakling and a coward scared of her own power. She would not use it even after I killed that man. She was a traitor to her blood. I couldn't bear to see her aging and wasting away. So I cleaned out the trash and killed her before she became a useless clump of flesh and bones like her own mother, that cowardly little weakling."
"... Something like that..." Air pressure had picked up and was spiraling around her, blowing her hair away. "For something like that... you..." She looked up. A glowing symbol had appeared on her forehead. "Give them back..." The symbol started cracking, her eyes were glowing too. "Give them back... GIVE THEM BACK!" She shouted hatefully as the symbol shattered in an explosion of light, unleashing all her ki that had been bottled up until now. In the same time, she jumped and lunged at the man, her face bathed in tears. Her tiny first was caught in the man's large hand, but the sheer force of her ki released by her raging emotions of hatred, sorrow and grief was enough to hurtle him into the wall, destroying it.
"Not bad." He smirked again. His hand was torn but it was like he did not feel anything. He caught her around the neck with his other hand, the one slick with blood, and rammed her into the ground. The force of the impact had broken five of her ribs and made a crater. Blood flowed from her mouth, mixing with her mother's blood on his hand. Her throat and the back of her head had suffered too. Her eyes were clouded with pain, but hatred was burning more fiercely than ever.
"There should be value in letting you live. If you hate me that much then live, live on and survive. You can come and try to kill me anytime."
"Die now." She managed to say as she painfully raised her arm toward him. She was going to release the last of her reiki and blow him away but he snapped her arm like he would have snapped a twig. She screamed in agony.
"Now, don't sweat it. Right now, you are powerless. You must grow stronger. Until then, I'll remember you. No matter what, I won't forget you, Akari. So you too, remember my name. I am... Toguro."
Akari opened her hateful and murderous eyes. She sat up straight. She was still in Hiei's arms, breathing hard. She touched her cheeks. They were still damp with tears. She sighed heavily, and held her head with one hand, her fingers lost in her pink locks. Why was it all coming back now? And after that he had left, looking so damn satisfied. The woman looked at Hiei. It appeared he was still sleeping. She had never thought he would allow anyone so close to him during his sleep and felt somewhat flattered, even though she had had to force his hand a bit. It was a good thing he was so easily provoked. Unlike Kurama... But still, what could he be dreaming about?
Hiei opened his eyes. His vision adjusted to the light. He tried to move his arms, but found out he could not. He was lying on an operation table and his ams and legs were bound to and 'by' it.
"I will ask you one more time. You won't change your mind?" The demon surgeon looming over him asked for reassurance. "Implanting you with a jagan involves pain far beyond anything you can imagine. You will moan, scream, writhe, and suffer to the limit between life and death." He warned him again, but then he did not seem to care much about it.
"That's enough talk. Hurry up and get on with it." Hiei replied, as curt as ever.
"Well, then, let's begin. There's no need for you to hold back. When it hurts, you are free to scream." The practitioner said. And at these words, the biological machine that had been hanging above him began to descend upon him. Four sharp-pointed blades were afixed to a four-branched rotor. The rotor was spinning at a very high speed. This thing was going to drill a hole in his forehead. As it was closing upon him, a familiar image flashed in his mind. An image of that day, when he had first found her a long time ago, as an innocent little girl playing in the snow with her animal friends, with two little birds on her shoulder and the icy wind blowing her hair, she was smiling so warmly.
"Yukina!" Hiei yelled, suddenly waking up and reaching out in front of him. He was breathing hard. It looked like it had not been a very pleasant dream either. Akari looked at him, surprised, before smirking.
"Well, sorry, I'm not Yukina. But it seems you've been dreaming of the past too."
"None of your business."
"You might say that but you're still a cute, caring, and protective older brother." She grinned, half teasingly, half seriously.
"What are you babbling about?!"
"That no matter what you say, I'm proud and glad to count as my friend. See? You do have a heart, and it's in the right place." She told him, her ear against his chest. Beating wildly and rapidly.
"The HELL you're-?!" He could not finish as Kuwabara, who was waking up too, turned his head toward them. And in order not to be seen, the fire demon had to once more wrap his arm around her waist and disappear with her in the morning mist. Really, he always appeared so cool but it was so easy and fun to throw him off guard and embarrass him, since he was not used to girls acting this way around him. Kurama had been like this too, at first. Since no girl at his school was as pompous, selfish, and bold as she was. Now it had become so difficult. Heck, how many times had she lost to him already?! It was so frustrating! So she was glad Hiei was there.
