Yusuke twisted his body so he was facing the ground, with his hands acting like cat's paws as he landed a solid kick with both legs to the demon's face. Next to his left, Kuwabara delivered a similar kick to the beast's face, but he was facing upwards. Sayomi was using the demon's shadow to keep him in place.
The demon was an actual red ogre with a wooden spiked club. He covered his waistline with a grass skirt and ropes. He had wild black hair that blended with his thick eyebrows and mustache. He had three horns on his head and he was at least three times the boys' heights. Wrapped around his body were thick chain links that ascended from the demon's shadow. Once he fell on his back, blood spilling from his nose and mouth, the shadows dispersed.
Yusuke and Kuwabara each planted a foot on the ogre's chest and pointed to the ceiling with thuggish expressions. "That's three! Your time's run out, Tarukane!"
"I didn't even introduce myself…" The ogre muttered before passing out.
The boys proceeded to punch towards the camera and throw peace signs with smug grins. Sayomi crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she watched their display. "Guys, I don't think we have time for this."
"Yeah yeah, we're comin'." Yusuke drawled as he turned to Kuwabara. "Where to now?"
"I'm getting a feeling this way! Come on!" He took off down a hallway, leaving Yusuke and Sayomi to chase after him.
"I don't detect any demons!" Yusuke notified the team.
"Let's find my Ice Maiden and clean Tarukane's clock!" Kuwabara ordered as he ran.
"You haven't even met her and you're already staking your claim? You humans are so straight-forward." Sayomi observed.
"That's just him, actually." Yusuke muttered to her behind Kuwabara's back.
"Whoah!" Before Kuwabara could retort, he skidded to a stop, forcing Yusuke and Sayomi to mimic his actions. "I sense something! Not evil… it's her! Must be!"
"I'll try to make contact!" He lifted his finger to his forehead to help his focus. "'Cept…. I don't know her name!"
"Yukina." Yusuke and Sayomi deadpanned.
"How do you guys know?!" Kuwabara grilled.
"We watched the entire video!" Yusuke answered, frustrated with his friend's inattention to detail.
Kuwabara brushed off the detective and continued to concentrate. In the meantime, Yusuke and Sayomi waited patiently. When Kuwabara fell over dramatically, Yusuke looked at him curiously while Sayomi shook her head at the thought of what could have possibly happened. Then he jumped back to his feet with a confident grin. Sayomi smirked to herself as she watched him. I gotta admit, when he wants something, he doesn't give up. I guess that's why they get along so well. She shifted her eyes to Yusuke.
"You're outside those suppressing wards! I know where you are!" Kuwabara suddenly took off running down the hall again at full speed. "Like it or not, you're being rescued!"
Kuwabara led the trio through what seemed like a maze of turns before he found stairs that led down. "This way! The basement!"
Once in the basement, they ran by glass cells with grotesque looking demons and monsters. Sayomi nearly tripped and almost threw up when they ran past a certain cell that was painted in blood and intestines. A large beast was torn in half and blood was splattered all over the room.
"Ick! What the heck's that?!" Yusuke asked, just as appalled as Sayomi.
"Who cares? Onward!" Kuwabara ignored the gore altogether and pointed ahead as he charged ahead.
A sudden loud creak reached their ears before they saw the large steel doors shutting on them.
"Uh-oh! Those doors!" Kuwabara panicked.
"Before they close!" Yusuke yelled as he sped up.
The boys made it through just before the doors slammed shut. Sayomi ran to the locked doors and began pounding on them, yelling in rage as she was separated from her charge. Damn it all! Why?!
Her pounding dwindled down to a slow stop. She took deep breaths as she tried to calm down. "Okay. Let's think this through. I can stay here and get nowhere…" She turned and slumped down with her back against the door. "…Or I can find another way in."
She closed her eyes and continued her deep breathing exercises. She relaxed her body first before trying to quiet her mind. Okay. I need to get to Yusuke, but I also need to rescue Yukina. Yusuke has Kuwabara with him so he should be okay. Hopefully. Kuwabara even said he didn't sense anything strong, but that could be a trap. However, if Kuwabara was able to get a read on Yukina, there's no reason I shouldn't be able to get a lock on her.
She made her decision and expanded her senses throughout the building. She could sense the boys behind the door, but there was no way she could get through that way. She probed further just to get an idea of what they were up against. She could sense two others in there with them, but she still couldn't get a clear estimate of just how strong they were. They felt just a bit stronger than humans.
She reached out further and could sense the ice maiden, Yukina. She had a very peaceful aura that just felt like a glacial blue. It felt cold, but in a soothing way, like taking a deep drink of cold water on a scorching summer day. She found herself more at ease just by being near the girl.
How could she give off such a serene aura and be related to Hiei of all people? If he's been searching for her for over two years, it's no wonder he's so angry. He must have been worried sick about her. I wonder if she's looking forward to being with her brother again…
A sudden pain in her chest made her stumble on her breathing for a brief moment. She slipped back into rhythm within a couple breaths. …She's very fortunate…
She began to brush past the girl and try to feel her way through the building to find a quick enough path. As she neared the front entrance, she caught a familiar signature and her breathing became shallow. Oh crap… I knew he'd find out sooner or later!
After she recovered her sense of self, she stood up and made her way back through the basement. She made sure to ignore the carnage of the poor beast's cell. When she made it up the stairs, she searched along the ceiling and the floor. When she found what she was looking for, she smiled and let her shadow aura merge her with the shadows inside the air vent.
She couldn't remember all the turns they made in the halls, but inside the ventilation system, all the shadows were connected. It was no problem for her to immediately make her way anywhere so long as the shadows were connecting. It sucked with broken shadows but she could adapt if need be.
She let the shadows take her in the natural direction based on where she felt the aura signature. To her it felt smooth and casual like slipping into a dream. When the light hit her eyes, her physical body re-manifested. She kicked out the vent gate and jumped into a hall with some unconscious guards.
She knelt down by one of them and touched her fingers to his throat. Good. He still has a pulse. Now where is he?
It didn't take her long to catch up with the demon in question. Just down the hall and around the corner, Hiei was facing away from her and holding a guard in place by the throat, his katana just barely against the man's jugular. He was speaking in a low and dangerously calm voice. "I know she's here. Either tell me where, or I'll end your life now."
"Drop him, Hiei!" Sayomi called out as soon as she saw him.
Hiei looked at her over his shoulder, glaring at her with a murderous gaze. "Why should I?"
"Because I know where Yukina is." Sayomi kept her voice calm and steady, trying to avoid triggering the wrong reaction. When he kept his silence, she pressed on. "Yusuke and Kuwabara are currently fighting some demon goons, but I think I might've found another path to her."
Hiei let go of the human guard, then hit the back of his head with the hilt of his sword. The guard was unconscious instantly and left with the rest of the sleeping security. "What do you know about Yukina?"
"I know she's your sister and that you've been searching for her for a couple years now." Sayomi crossed her arms and kept her outside appearance calm and collected, but on the inside she was trying to steady her rapid heartbeat.
Hiei walked towards her slowly, his sword still drawn. "How do you know this?"
"I watched the video with Yusuke."
"Obviously. How do you know I've been looking for her for two years?"
Sayomi hesitated, biting her lip nervously. Should I tell him? I know he has some respect for Kurama, but what will happen if I tell him that he was the one that told me. Man, I hope he doesn't get too angry with him. "Kurama told me."
Hiei stopped walking when he was within striking range for his sword. He didn't say anything at first. Instead, he just glared at her, as if he was probing her sincerity.
When Sayomi felt a little tingle in the back of her head, she tried to scratch at it. As the feeling increased, she applied a little more pressure until she had an epiphany. The more Hiei glared at her, the stronger the itch became. She then recalled a comment that he made back at the Labyrinth Castle, followed by a comment from Kurama's story.
"You would be better off accepting him as an ally than looking for reasons to label him as an enemy."
"And your evil eye… Your aura indicates you got it quite recently. That's not something one acquires without a compelling reason."
Oh shit… It's his Jagan! Sayomi glared at Hiei and growled, "Quit that!" Once the words left her mouth, she lowered her gaze to the ground to focus on her breathing. Hiei was still glaring at her, but the itch was no longer present. Her voice was soft-spoken, but in the silence, it was clear enough for him to hear. "I would appreciate it if you could refrain from just reading my mind as you please."
"Hn." Hiei sheathed his sword and said, "That damn fox needs to learn to keep his mouth shut."
When she lifted her eyes, she saw him just standing in front of her with his arms crossed. "It's not his fault…"
"The damage is already done. Just tell me where Yukina is."
Sayomi took a few more breaths and extended her energy again. This time, it didn't take her long to get a lock on the girl. "She's not in the talisman room anymore, but she's still with the humans. Yusuke and Kuwabara must be having a harder time than I thought…"
"What do you mean?" Hiei narrowed his eyes, curiosity piquing his interest. "Are you insinuating that she is trackable at the moment?"
"Yusuke and Kuwabara are fighting the Brokers of Darkness. They were supposed to be the last two opponents. I wasn't able to see anything about them but they didn't feel that strong." Sayomi chewed her lip as she began to worry about the boys. "We were able to contact her shortly after we defeated the Triad."
"If they're fighting now, then that means they won't be as focused on her. Take me to her now so I can end it."
"Are you going to kill him?" Sayomi couldn't help but ask. He had a reputation for being a cold-blooded killer. Yet, Sayomi couldn't help but hope that he would refrain from killing the human, even if he was a criminal. If living with the monks had taught her anything, it was the value of life. Her King seemed to think even more so when it came to human lives, no matter how wicked they could be.
"Of course I am. He has it coming."
Sayomi sighed and began to make her way through the mansion with Hiei tailing close behind. Can't say I don't blame him, but… She looked at him over her shoulder. …Is he really willing to kill someone in front of Yukina?
"What's with the pitiful staring?" He kept his eyes forward, but the look she was giving him was beginning to annoy him.
"Are you going to kill him right in front of her?"
"As I said, he has it coming." Then, as if in afterthought, his tone sounded just a little less threatening. "How much further?"
"I'm sure you can sense her for yourself by this point." She sighed heavily before she began to take off at an easy run.
Not expecting the sudden change in pace, Hiei only hesitated a second before running after her. He began to focus on his third eye, keeping the white cloth covering in place. He could sense her in a room with a few humans, including the one who took her. He growled and picked up the speed, leaving Sayomi to chase after him instead.
"Hiei! You can't kill him!" Sayomi shouted after him. She knew he wasn't using his full speed, but he was still hard to keep up with. "It'll only make your punishment worse!"
She clenched her jaw when he refused to acknowledge her. Why am I surrounded by stubborn men?! If he kills Tarukane, he might not be able to even see his sister after this is all over. The Underworld will not let that slide and, unfortunately, neither can I…
As she chased after him, Sayomi focused on Hiei's shadow as he ran. This sucks, that last demon was a snail compared to Hiei!
Clicking her tongue, Sayomi covered herself in shadows to catch up and trip him. Relying on his reflexes, Hiei used his hand to flip himself over to face the shadow demon. She wasted no time in using his stationary position to her advantage. She only got close enough for their shadows to meet on the floor before solid black chains emerged and shackled his limbs to his own shadow. He glared at her with such murderous intent that Sayomi felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
"You need to calm down, Hiei. I understand your anger…" She tried to speak some sense into him before he growled at her.
"If you think you can stop me with this then you are gravely mistaken." He was kneeling on one knee and was using his other leg to force himself up.
Sayomi kept her calm as her dark aura continued to swirl about her semi-physical form. So long as I can maintain control, I should be able to hold him at least for a little while. "You need to calm down, Hiei. It's my mission to save her too, but we can't kill the guy."
Ignoring her words, Hiei struggled against the chains. Sayomi could feel the strain as she tried to keep him down. "She's in the same room with him, so it'll be easy to find them. They're probably watching Yusuke and Kuwabara fight even as we speak. If you kill him in front of her, you'll not only be screwing yourself over with the Underworld, but what will Yukina think when sees her own brother is a murderer?"
Sayomi let out a small sigh of relief when she felt his resistance subside. When he spoke, it was so low that she wondered if she heard him right. "She doesn't know…"
"Doesn't know what? That her brother is a wanted criminal?" Sayomi wondered how she could not know when his reputation was so infamous.
"She doesn't know I'm her brother and there's no reason she should." Sayomi felt glued to her spot as her aura dissipated and the shadow chains receded into the floor, releasing their captive. "We have different mothers and she's an ice maiden..."
He got to his feet and looked at her evenly. "They're supposed to keep to their wintry realm. It's been two years since I learned she was missing, after the little fool snuck off to frolic with some animal. No doubt that's when the Brokers got wind of her."
"Two years… You met Kurama a year ago. And according to him and Yusuke, your eye is not natural, right? Did you get it to look for her?"
"Hn." Without another word, Hiei ran off through the mansion again. This time Sayomi didn't bother trying to stop him. She was too confused by his claim.
How could she not know? Is he saying they only share the same father? But according to Koorime lore, they shouldn't need a male to repopulate. So is he lying? Probably. But even so, then what is the real story?
As they neared the ice maiden, the number of guards began to increase by the dozen. Sayomi felt grateful when she noticed Hiei's sword stayed in its sheath as he struck. Sayomi used the chain in her sickle to aim for pressure points just hard enough to immobilize them.
"Rev up the helicopter, Sakashita! Yukina and I are leaving! Now!" Sayomi heard the panicked voice and darted into the room in time to take care of a couple guards while Hiei subdued another guard and the main butler. "Hee hee… Why worry? With the tears of ice I'll…"
"Turn around, fatso." Hiei kept his voice calm yet threatening as he stepped in front of the ice maiden and fixed a dark look at Tarukane. Sayomi placed her hands gently on Yukina's shoulders to let her know that she was safe. Hiei began to walk slowly towards the trembling mad crime lord with clenched fists. "I hear you kept Yukina caged with talismans. Explains why my Evil Eye couldn't find her. But then you let her out. Careless…"
"St… Stay away… No…" Tarukane's voice pitched, and he raised a hand to shield himself as he broke out in a nervous sweat.
With no hesitation or restraint, Hiei delivered a solid punch through the center of Tarukane's face. The force was enough to break a few teeth, break his nose, and swell his face enough so he couldn't open his eyes. Losing consciousness instantly, the billionaire was blown off his feet and he crashed into the thick glass panel, causing a bloody web of cracks.
Hiei looked down at the twitching man as he struggled to breathe. "I won't kill you. Yukina's worth far more than your pitiful life."
Sayomi smiled in relief at his words. At least he won't get punished any more than he already is. And this way, he might be able to see her. When Yukina moved forward towards the swordsman, Sayomi let her go easily and slipped her hands in her pockets, walking towards the glass panel to get a glimpse of the view. Yusuke was on his feet with his hands in his pockets while Kuwabara was sitting up, resting one of his arms on his raised knee while his other arm supported his weight.
"Th… Thank you. Um… Who are you?" Yukina's voice was so quiet and small that Sayomi couldn't help feeling protective of the innocent girl.
"Oh, just… a friend of theirs." Hiei answered neutrally, keeping his eyes on the boys.
"Oh, my! They need me!" Yukina saw the boys and scurried off downstairs to thank them for their help.
Hiei watched her leave while Sayomi took notice of another body in the arena. He was a strong-looking man with very well-defined muscles and sharp facial features. His eyes were covered by a pair of sporty sunglasses. His hair was black and slicked back but the bottom half of his scalp was shaved. He was splayed out on his back with Kuwabara's Reiki sword piercing through his abdominals. She also noticed a strange sword that had fallen from the man's right hand. It looked as though long black hair was coming from the twisted guard.
"You didn't tell her after all." Sayomi couldn't help but feel sad for the siblings. Does she even realize she has a brother to begin with?
"No, and you would do well to keep your mouth shut. Besides, she's better off not having a murderer for a brother."
Sayomi felt a sharp pain in her chest as he used her own words. "Hiei… I can—"
"Huh? Sayomi and… Hiei?!" The two demons turned their attention to Yusuke as he barged into the room. His clothes were in tatters and he was covered in scratches and bruises.
Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at the boy and asked, "Are you okay? You look like you could use some healing."
"Yeah, and don't worry about Kuwabara. Yukina is taking care of him as we speak." He walked up to Hiei and his tone became serious. "So, how was the family reunion?"
Sayomi made her way to the detective and set to work healing his wounds. Not as bad as it could've been… She refrained from looking back at Hiei.
"Hn." Hiei simply slipped his hands into his pockets and walked out of the room.
Yusuke looked down at Sayomi as she finished up. "Was it something I said?"
Sayomi shook her head no. "Not the best of endings, but at least he left the humans alive."
Yusuke thought it over for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not our place to intrude. At least she's safe."
"Yeah…" Sayomi allowed herself a small smile for Yusuke's optimism.
"C'mon, let's go round up Yukina and lover boy." Yusuke made his way back down through a door down the hall. Sayomi nodded and followed close behind him.
Later that night, Sayomi was sitting on the roof of Yusuke's apartment. The moon was almost full and the illumination was soothing and she could feel the natural darkness that made up the night. She easily slipped into her meditative state of mind and confronted her Shade.
"So, what's got you so down in the dumps this time?" Her shadow self was sitting across from her. Unlike usual, it was hugging its knees to its chest with its eye cast down at the floor.
Sayomi kept her expression neutral. "You know very well the cause for the emotion. It's not something I wish to discuss at the moment."
Her Shade lifted its head slightly, still exuding loneliness. "Does it still hurt?"
Sayomi felt a dull ache in her chest but chose to ignore it. "Time heals all wounds."
"Yet there are still scars left behind. Constant reminders of the past."
"I can't waste the present by living in the past." Sayomi kept her breathing even, trying to stay in control of the conversation. She refused to acknowledge how right the Shade was. There's nothing I can do about it except learn from it.
Her Shade sighed heavily and crossed its arms as its mood shifted quickly. "Then what do you want already? I'm getting tired of your self-pity party!"
Sayomi smirked and asked, "What can you tell me about this?" She slipped her left arm out of the sleeve to show the Shade the markings. Just behind her shoulder, there were some wisps of black that resembled stripes. They creeped over her shoulder and slithered just a bit further across her back.
Her Shade tilted its head at the markings and smirked. "You don't understand what's happening, do you?"
Sayomi readjusted her clothing and looked directly at her shadow self. "I know what it is. I would like to know how to maintain it. How can I keep it under control?"
The Shade's smirk began to slip from its expression. It hugged its legs to its chest again and it began to shake like a leaf. "You can't stop it. Eventually, you will be consumed. You can only use so much power before it starts to use you."
Sayomi kept her expression neutral. "What if I master it?"
Her Shade began to shake its head as it muttered to itself. "No, no, no… It's too late. You've already triggered the change."
"What change? I thought I would fade away…" Sayomi remembered her teacher back in the Demon Plane. He explained that it would be dangerous for her to learn to fight because Shadow demons were notorious for fading away into the Void. He mentioned that only the strongest demons could resist fading away.
"You fade… You fade away until…" Her Shade continued to tremble before it eventually faded into the darkness. Sayomi could only hear the echo of its fearful cries. "No, no, no…"
When Sayomi opened her eyes and looked up at the night sky, she couldn't help letting out a heavy sigh. "A change… That's not very helpful."
A faint memory began to emerge from her subconscious and she shut her eyes, trying to banish it altogether. If that's true then…
Sayomi laid on her back and gazed at the stars. "Then there's only one thing I can do…" She shut her eyes, letting sleep cloud her thoughts. "If only the strongest can handle this change, then that just means I need to get stronger."