Kuwabara stared off at nothing as he and his friends walked to school for the morning. His hands were in his pockets and his shoulders slumped in sorrow. He didn't bother to tune in to the conversation behind him.
"Why d'ya suppose Kuwabara's been so wound up lately?"
"Yeah, he's been quiet the past coupla days."
Sayomi walked in the back of the group behind Yusuke and Botan. She kept her arms in her pockets as she listened to his classmates in front of them. The boy on the far right had shaggy blond hair with sharp features. The boy in the middle kept his dark hair buzzed short and his head reminded Sayomi of an egg. The human boy on the far left was the heavy-weight of the group. His dark hair was combed back and he had a pudgier nose than the others. Her ears perked when she heard the familiar sound of coins.
"Five hundred yen says it's a new image." The pudgy boy muttered low to keep Kuwabara from noticing.
"Four hundred yen says he saw a downer movie." The egg-head suggested as he held up a finger before putting in his bet.
"Eight hundred yen says he was dumped!" The blond exclaimed confidently as he pitched in.
"Kirishima's pegged it." Yusuke smiled in glee that someone was able to tell.
"Huh? He wasn't dumped." Botan objected firmly with a scowl.
Yusuke turned to his Underworld assistant. "But his ice maiden's gone home to the glaciers." Then he lowered his voice and muttered, "Hey, lose the schoolgirl act."
"So?" Botan sighed, clasping her hands as she smiled broadly. "Long-distance relationships can be very romantic!"
"Doesn't sound very romantic to me." Sayomi muttered. "Just sounds like a trap."
"Oh, Sayomi. Just wait until you meet the right someone." Botan resembled that of a mischievous feline as she smiled over her shoulder. "Then you'll understand that love can overcome such silly things."
Sayomi quirked her eyebrow and asked, "You do realize this is reality, right?"
Yusuke chuckled as Botan sighed and sobered from the banter. She returned her attention to the boy. "In other respects, though, this case leaves a bad after-taste. Hiei copped out. He didn't tell Yukina he was her brother…"
"Yeah…" Yusuke muttered.
Sayomi recalled the incident and flinched. I was too cruel…
"Well, at least he didn't kill Tarukane," Botan added optimistically. "Killing humans – even loathsome toads like that – is forbidden. He'd be arrested for it. There was strong debate in the Underworld about telling Hiei in the first place. We compromised by assigning him to deliver that tape to you." Botan chirped with a broad smile and her finger pointed. She laughed nervously at Yusuke's scowl.
"Leaving it to him to watch it or not? That's pretty lame, Botan." Yusuke deadpanned.
"Yeah… well, case closed." Botan surmised. "You're not up for any assignments right now, so take a breather."
Sayomi stopped following the group once they reached the school gate. Instead, she wandered off on her own to think about other matters. Her mind wandered back to Hiei and Yukina. I wonder if he'll ever tell her the truth. I don't blame him, but he should at least let her have a say… Things might actually turn out well for them in the end if he just gives it a chance. He might even smile every once in a while.
It wasn't long before she found herself at a local park. Older couples walked together down the paths while new parents played with their little ones on the artificial jungle gyms. Ducks swam in a nearby river and squirrels scurried around the bases of various trees for nuts.
All in all, it filled Sayomi with an unfamiliar sense of peace. She searched for a place that was a little more secluded and found a nice spot along the water's edge. She had wandered off the path into the thicket of trees that were clustered together. She wandered just deep enough so that she wouldn't be disturbed.
She settled down on a large boulder and began her deep breathing exercises to calm her mind. She relaxed her body and closed her eyes, allowing her other senses more exposure to her surroundings. She could hear the trickle of the water and smell the greenery in the area. She could feel the wind breeze through the trees and against her skin and taste the moisture in the air. With every inhale she would let a negative thought come to surface in her mind before letting it go with every exhale.
It wasn't long before she caught on to a vaguely familiar smell. It was faint and muddled due to her close proximity with the water. It smelled like a bonfire with a hint of musk that could only belong to a male. She decided to ignore it as she focused more on her immediate surroundings. It smelled too distant to really be a worry.
After a couple minutes, she noticed the scent again, but it was closer. As long as he stays away, it won't matter. Just don't come any closer.
Her eyebrows scrunched together as she tried to ignore the scent. It continued to grow closer as time passed, yet it stayed just far enough away to annoy her. Letting out a huff of aggravation, she stood up to find the culprit.
She rolled her eyes when she found the source. Hiei was lounging in a tree with a single leg hanging freely. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping and his breathing was deep and even. Sayomi glared at the attempt to dupe her.
She cleared her throat a couple of times with no results. She sighed and melded with the shadows of the trees before solidifying just in front of him on the branch. She was crouched on the balls of her feet as she glared down at the demon and cleared her throat again.
Hiei's eyes snapped open in mild surprise then quickly shifted to displeasure. "What?"
"Don't pretend you've been asleep all this time." Sayomi glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "You've been making your way towards me and didn't consider taking a different path?"
"I go where I please." He shut his eyes again, relaxing against the tree trunk.
Sayomi continued to glare at him until he opened his eyes with a scowl. "What?"
Sayomi sighed and turned away, muttering under her breath.
"What was that, woman?" He growled, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
Sayomi turned to face Hiei eye-to-eye and spoke up. "I was wondering if you could train me to fight."
"No." Hiei slid his eyes closed again, ending the debate.
"Look, I know I haven't been the most trusting, but I think you're the only one who can really help me." Sayomi settled more comfortably on the branch and looked down at the ground below.
"Why should I?"
Sayomi looked up at him briefly then averted her eyes. "Well, I can't really pay you or anything, but maybe we could work out some kind of deal."
"I'm listening." Hiei sat up straighter against the tree as he focused on her.
She bit her lip nervously as she tried to think of a fair exchange. Crap, what would be a good trade? What could I offer him that would be worth his time?
Hiei waited patiently as she tried grasping at possible offers. I suppose I could barter with keeping his secret safe. Would that be too much or would that really be the only way to get his agreement? Dammit, I can't use his sister against him. I'm not that manipulative, but I don't know what else to do!
She thought for a few more moments before deciding on a proposal that might peak his interest. "How about this? I can't offer you anything at the moment, but I can probably do something for you in the future. A trade of favors. Does that sound fair to you?"
Hiei stared at her for a moment, weighing his options. "I doubt there's anything you could do that would benefit me."
Sayomi growled and she could feel her control slipping. He's really testing my patience… "Maybe not now, but you never know what could happen. Besides, if you train me, then I might just be strong enough for whatever you might need. I only ask that Yusuke is guaranteed to stay unharmed."
"Adding to the deal only tilts things more in your own favor. I still don't see how it would benefit me."
Sayomi glared at him, her tolerance for his ego wearing thin. She slipped her cloak over her shoulder and moved her shirt enough so he could see the black markings creeping out from under the fabric.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at the markings and noted her black fingernails. "What is that?"
"It's my secret. I haven't even told Yusuke about it. If I don't get stronger, then I might not be around much longer." Sayomi covered herself back up as she explained. "As you know, I'm a shadow demon. I was forbidden to use my powers for offense because shadow demons are known to fade into the Void if we become overwhelmed. Because of this, not many of us are left. According to the rumors, only the strongest can avoid fading away. If I don't get stronger, I might not live for much longer."
Hiei listened until she finished before asking, "Then why don't you stick to healing instead of pursuing combat?"
"I don't want to live in fear of my own power. I want to use it to my advantage rather than live a life of fear. Besides, how else can I expect to survive if I can't even use my power to defend myself? I don't want to rely on others for protection."
"Why haven't you told this to the detective?"
"Because then he might keep me from fighting altogether and that's not what I need. So, if you'll keep my secret from Yusuke, I'll keep your secret from Yukina." Hiei glared at her but she stood her ground. "I may not agree with it, but if you train me I won't tell her. I'll also owe you one favor in the future if the need arises."
Hiei continued to glare at her but she just stared him in the eye. Eventually he said, "Fine. We'll start tomorrow."
Sayomi lowered her head into a bow. "Thank you, Hiei."
When Hiei grunted and shut his eyes again, Sayomi jumped down from the tree and landed in a crouch. She made her way through the trees until she found herself with the local humans again. In a better mood than before, she made her way to Yusuke's school to wait.
Sayomi woke up a few hours later when she heard the bell that signaled the end of the day. She stretched and looked over the roof's edge to search for Yusuke. It wasn't hard to spot his green uniform among all the blue. He was already halfway to the school's gate.
She smirked to herself as she vaulted over the ledge of the roof and, as she fell, reached out to touch the wall on her way down. The shadows on the wall of the building began to engulf her and she melded in with the shade. She solidified at the base of a nearby tree and casually strolled towards the gate.
"You! But – you died!"
Sayomi jogged up to the gate wall and stayed out of sight. So long as Yusuke doesn't know I'm here, I could probably keep under the radar and we can double-team him. But if someone's supposed to be dead, does that mean a former enemy?
"Come with me. We need to talk." The voice was low and composed, in control of himself and the situation.
Sayomi did her best to keep her breathing calm and steady. If she lost control of her breathing, not only would she give herself away, but she would also wear herself out faster if the situation became too dangerous. She also did her best to just keep track of Yusuke's green uniform just within her sight range. She didn't want to be obvious about her pursuit.
She began to become more on edge the further they went away from the crowd. The stranger leading them was tall and wearing a large olive green coat. Sayomi couldn't see many other details from her distance behind them, but Yusuke's stiff body language was enough to let her know just how dangerous this guy really was.
By nightfall, they had entered a construction site that was blocked off to pedestrians. The site was empty of any other humans, working or otherwise. Once inside, they traveled up a few stories before settling for their confrontation.
Sayomi kept herself hidden several feet away from them and covered herself with the shadows that engulfed the property. She didn't need to focus too much on her hearing since their voices echoed throughout the space.
"Our first encounter… was not on the up-and-up. Thankfully, that is over and done with." The stranger's voice hinted at relief. "Now, I'd like to discuss something personal… a secret between two men, you might say."
"You got a point? Get to it!" Sayomi could hear the annoyance in Yusuke's voice but there was something else just beneath the surface.
"Heh…" The stranger chuckled to himself humorlessly. "You scared of me?"
"Hah!" Yusuke exclaimed loudly. "Don't kid yourself!"
"Tough guy, huh? Well…" Sayomi could hear the amusement in the stranger's voice. She clenched her fists to hold herself back. "…Your instincts know otherwise."
Sayomi's fists slackened when she felt a power shift in the air. It started off subtle enough, but then it began to fluctuate as the weight of it increased. Feeling well-hidden by her dark aura, she peeked around the corner she was hiding behind and she gasped quietly. He had removed his coat and she was able to recognize him in his sunglasses. He's the one Yusuke and Kuwabara fought to save Yukina!
"If you could learn one thing, learn to recognize danger. You are strong and you'll get stronger. That's why I thought I'd show you…" The stranger began to flex his muscles and his aura instantly doubled. "…The real me!
"Haaaah!" The stranger shouted as his aura erupted from his body and his muscles instantly grew. "It's all about muscle mass. In our first fight, I was probably at 20%."
Sayomi couldn't see Yusuke's face from her vantage point, but she could imagine his shock based on her own reaction. He's probably the one responsible for that gory cell in Tarukane's basement.
"Phew…" The stranger was no longer lean. His upper body had probably tripled in size and his legs strained against the fabric of his jeans. His whole body seemed as if he was overloaded with steroids. Sayomi felt an involuntary shiver run through her body as his aura seeped back into his body. "I'm now up to about 60%. I could level this building in three minutes! Wanna see?"
Sayomi and Yusuke could only watch as the stranger began dashing in all directions, kicking and punching down the beams and pillars holding the building up. Sayomi could only dodge the rubble in her shadow form to keep from getting crushed. The stranger was able to keep any of the debris from landing on Yusuke to Sayomi's relief.
When he disappeared from view, Sayomi and Yusuke were taken aback by his speed. How could someone so big move so fast?! She couldn't wrap her mind around how Yusuke and Kuwabara survived a fight against such an opponent.
Sayomi and Yusuke flinched when he reappeared just behind Yusuke. His back was towards Sayomi but she didn't need him to face her to hear him.
"In two months, a tournament will be held. Wealthy humans who get their power from the Dark World sponsor teams of five demons – the strongest and most skilled. The humans do it for the money and thrills… we demons do it for blood and pleasure. I extend to you and Kuwabara an invitation to compete. Refuse, and I will kill you right now. Get in shape. Your lives depend on it as you will be fighting to the death!"
Sayomi clenched her fists at the threat but kept herself in place. If Yusuke can't beat him, I wouldn't stand a chance in Hell… She glared down at her fist and held back a growl. Now I really need to get stronger.
When she looked back up, the stranger was gone and Yusuke had fallen to his hands and knees. She scanned the area one more time before running out to him. She released her aura and kneeled beside him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. He's trembling… "Yusuke? Talk to me. Who was he? I thought you and Kuwabara beat him already."
"Toguro…" Yusuke whispered quietly, unable to focus on anything. "This is not good…."
Sayomi scowled at the name. It sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I heard it before. Dammit, why am I so bad with names? "Let's go, Yusuke. Master Genkai might be able to help."
"Genkai…" Yusuke murmured and his shakes began to die down. "I need to get stronger." He pulled himself to his feet with Sayomi's help and they made their way out of the damaged construction site.
Sayomi bit her lip as they lapsed into silence. She gave him his distance but made sure she was near enough to catch him if he stumbled. I'm sorry, Yusuke. I know I'm not much help now, but you'll see. I won't be dead weight next time. You'll be safe with the Master. I won't be able to come with you, but just you wait. I'll be stronger the next time you see me.
The next day…
Sayomi had left with Yusuke to the train station, but she didn't get on the train. Yusuke was sticking his head out the window as he spoke to her. "Are you sure you don't want to come suffer along with me? Maybe we'll get to spar a bit for once."
Sayomi smiled up at him and kept her hands in her pockets. "Nah, I didn't realize what I had signed up for the first time. Besides, I already have something set up here so I might as well follow it through. Compared to Master Genkai, how hard could it be?"
Yusuke raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "With who? Kurama? I doubt Kuwabara could teach you much of anything except how to take a punch."
"Ha ha ha! That's not completely true." Sayomi grinned up at the boy. "Besides, it wouldn't be any fun if I told you who I was training with. That just makes our next encounter that much more fun!"
"If you say so." The train whistle blew and the locomotive began to move from the station. "Well, I guess that's my signal. Time for two months in Hell. Do me a favor and tell Keiko where I'm at."
"I'm not doing anything of the sort. It wasn't me who promised her." She smiled and waved as the train carried Yusuke down the tracks.
"Shut up, Sai!" Yusuke playfully glared at her as he waved farewell.
Once he was out of sight, Sayomi sighed and turned around. She nearly yelled when she saw Hiei standing right behind her with his hands in his pockets, as if he had been there the whole time. She glared and clenched her fists, keeping herself from lashing out at him. "Where the hell did you come from?!"
"Your perception needs work. Let's go. We've already wasted too much time." He turned to depart, leaving Sayomi to follow after him with a scowl.
She followed him down the tracks in the opposite direction of Yusuke and Genkai's temple. Eventually they made their way into the mountains. Sayomi looked out over the horizon occasionally to memorize her location and keep track of where the city was. Knowing him, he'll probably disappear occasionally to do his own training. It would also be useful if I'm expected to leave on my own as well. The monks did it all the time, so it's nothing new. Old rules, new face.
They eventually stopped a little higher than half way up the mountain. There was plenty of shade and enough room to not feel too restricted. She could smell water close by, but it was still a good distance away. The sounds of scurrying critters intrigued her but she ignored the temptation to investigate.
"This will do." Hiei turned to face Sayomi who stood casually with her hands in her pockets. "Get comfortable. We'll begin with an hour of meditation."
"That's it?" Sayomi raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What about after?"
"That depends on how the meditation goes. I will be monitoring you periodically to gauge your progress."
Sayomi glared at him and crossed her arms. She face him straight on without averting her gaze. "I thought I asked you not to."
"You asked me not to do it of my own volition. Hence, I informed you." When her glare began to slip in confusion, Hiei elaborated. "I won't be staying for long. I will only check in every three days or so. If that doesn't satisfy you then too bad. This is what you signed up for when you asked to train with me."
Sayomi sighed and took a few deep breaths. She took a seat where she stood and let her body relax. She took in the scent of the forest and the nearby water. She felt the breeze in the trees and listened to the sounds of various wildlife. Here in the mountains, it almost feels like I'm back in the Demon Plane.
She let her thoughts flow freely until she was left in the familiar darkness that was her mind. Sayomi's Shade was smirking at her, mirroring her seated position. Sayomi kept her expression neutral.
"How goes it, host? Not clinging to big brother Yusuke anymore?"
Sayomi felt a spike within her core, but only smiled at her reflection. "He's better off training with Master Genkai. She's the only teacher he has any real respect for. At least, below the surface."
"Looks like you're not missing him too much. Is it because of the thief? You sure switch hosts pretty quickly, don't you?"
"It's not like that at all. Yusuke is my friend. If he's expected to win the Dark Tournament, then Genkai is the only one who can get him ready."
"I wasn't talking about Yusuke anymore…" Her Shade began to chuckle quietly to herself at Sayomi's confusion. "I was referring to Hiei. Why didn't you go with big brother Yusuke to train with the Master this time?"
"It's true Master Genkai is a great teacher, but she's still human. There are some things only demons can teach other demons. Besides, Yusuke doesn't need me around to distract him."
"But that's not the only reason, is it? You specifically asked Hiei to train you before even attempting to ask anyone else. Do you pity him? Fear him?"
Sayomi took a deep breath to keep herself calm. She needed to maintain control before she could move forward. "I noticed that he has good control of himself. I want to learn from him so I can keep myself from fading."
Her Shade frowned, losing all sense of taunting and gaining an insecure uncertainty. "You told him…?"
Sayomi became alert to the shift in her darker emotions. It was like fear, but she couldn't put a proper name to it. "I didn't have much choice. His time isn't cheap, it seems and I had nothing else to barter with besides secrecy."
"And a favor…" Her Shade began to hug herself as if she was cold. "Seems like the dying King left an impression. What if it's something you'll regret?"
"I already told him that Yusuke was to come to no harm."
"Is Yusuke the only new friend you made?"
Sayomi paused to think the question over. Now that I think about it, I suppose I have made a few more friends… The images of Kuwabara, Kurama, Keiko, and Botan flashed through her mind.
"Why didn't you ask the red-head to train you?"
"Kurama is a dedicated scholar so he will still be attending his classes. Hiei was the only one with the most available schedule."
"You can't stop it. It's gonna happen anyways." Her Shade rested her head on her raised knees, staring straight through Sayomi. "You just haven't noticed yet."
Sayomi kept her voice calm but her sarcasm still managed to slip through. "It's kinda hard not to notice the mark. It spreads more as time passes."
"Still haven't noticed…" Her Shade began to fade out of sight until Sayomi was left alone in the abyss.
When Sayomi opened her eyes, she froze at the sight of Hiei sitting across from her. He simply sat with his legs crossed and his hands resting in his lap. His eyes remained closed but what caught her attention was just above his eyes. His white headband was missing and a third eye with a violet iris stared straight at her. She was able to tear her gaze away from the Evil Eye, but then gasped quietly when she saw his blood-red eyes watching her.
"That was pitiful," he said dryly. "What was it?"
Sayomi narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed with his tone. Damn. I forgot he was watching me. "It's me. At least, it's the part of me I would rather not reveal to others. And that's the best I can get right now apparently."
"It was toying with you. It knew how to make you react react and it played you like a lute." He stood and pulled the white cloth from his cloak pocket, covering his Evil Eye again. "Get up. Now we move on to the next lesson."
Sayomi got to her feet and began to stretch. Meditating always left her body feeling sluggish and heavy. "Alright, what's on the agenda?"
Hiei removed his cloak and tossed it to the side. He stood in his black boots and sweatpants along with a black shirt with missing sleeves. His sword was tied at his waste and carried behind his back. He got into his fighting stance, gripped his sword's sheath and hilt, and waited for Sayomi to get the idea.
She kept her face blank as she untied her own cloak and discarded it. She reached behind her back for her kusarigama. Sayomi tossed the weapon from hand to hand, warming up for the match. Crap, if he uses his speed then I'm screwed unless I use my aura.
Hiei ran straight toward her, drawing his sword with a well-practiced motion. Sayomi braced herself and blocked his strike, forcing the blade to follow the curve of her sickle. Hiei followed the motion, side-stepping behind her to strike again. Sayomi crouched and swiped around to attack his legs.
Their movements continued to flow and Sayomi was beginning to wear down. Is it just me, or is he getting faster? And he's not even breathing heavy!
Hiei gradually picked up speed, making his movements harder to predict. Once he disappeared from Sayomi's view, he struck her from behind with the hilt of his katana. She went down and spat out the dirt that got in her mouth.
"Why didn't you use your aura? You would've been able to dodge it at the very least."
Once she had cleaned her mouth of any soil, Sayomi turned to Hiei with a glare. "If I overuse it, then I'll be consumed."
"By what?"
"I'm not too sure on the details myself. All I know is that shadow demons fade into the void when they are overwhelmed by their own power." Sayomi got to her feet and unscrewed the base to release the chain. "Therefore, I need to stay in control at all times."
"Excuses. You're not even in control now and it scares you." Before Sayomi could protest, Hiei cut her off. "Use your aura and don't release it until I say otherwise."
Sayomi growled and used the shade from the forest to fuel her aura. She attacked him head-on at full speed, but he still managed to block and parry each of her attacks. As the fight dragged on, Sayomi struggled to hold on to her aura. When she lost it, Hiei pinned her to the ground with his sword at her throat. She was breathing heavily while he was as calm as ever.
"I didn't grant you permission to release it." He glared down at her.
"I didn't really have… much say in the matter…" She defended, breathless until she had regained control. "There's only so much I can handle before I lose it."
"Hn. You will do this every day until you can hold it indefinitely."
"We're gonna need more than two months." Sayomi sighed and brushed the dirt off her face. "Is that all for the day?"
"Again. This time, keep your aura up." He dashed towards her, forcing her to call on her aura again. He pressed on, forcing her to defend. "If you can't find any openings to attack then create one."
He slashed at her repeatedly and she continued to block and dodge. Sayomi glared at him the whole time, annoyed with him already. Dammit, if I lose control, it'll be the death of both of us.
She used her chain to wrap around one of his legs and she pulled. He fell to his knee but immediately raised his sword to block her attack. He smirked at her frustration. "That's better, but still too obvious."
"I think that's the closest thing to a compliment I've gotten out of you all day." She used the shade from the forest to shoot chains from every direction. They latched on and wove around Hiei's limbs and torso, keeping him in place. "Too bad you were too quick to judge."
Hiei smirked and Sayomi braced herself for what was coming. He chuckled quietly to himself before meeting her eyes. They screamed predator and she was going to be his prey. Well crap.
Hiei's body temperature rose until the shadow chains binding him glowed red. Then his fists became engulfed in fire. The light from the flames was enough to keep the shadows at bay, giving him the advantage.
Sayomi growled and used her chain to keep a barrier between them. She kept her distance, but then he moved. She tried to find him before he could attack, but she wasn't able to get a clear lock on him. He was dashing through the trees, keeping himself out of sight and range.
"You left yourself open."
Sayomi froze when she heard his low voice so close behind her. She could feel his body temperature radiating with intense heat. She glared and swung back with her elbow. She gasped when she hit nothing but air. Dammit, where did he go?!
She felt her legs slip under her and she realized too late that he had ducked when she attacked. She landed on her back and he pinned her with his knee, his burning fist held ready to punch.
She struggled to push him off but he only applied more pressure. The heat was making her sweat and she started to lose her grip on the shadows. Her aura dissipated until she was left in her normal body.
Sayomi tapped Hiei's leg that kept her pinned, acknowledging her loss. He released the fire from his hands and relinquished his weight from her chest. She stayed on her back and took in big gulps of air. She closed her eyes and welcomed the cool breeze that blew through the trees. It was a relief compared to the heat Hiei was giving off.
"You will stay in the area and survive on your own for two months." Sayomi's eyes snapped open and she sat up to look at him in shock. Without acknowledging her reaction, Hiei continued. "I will spar with you and occasionally observe your meditations. I have my own training to do and I don't need you slowing me down. The demons in the area should provide enough practice in my absence."
Sayomi regained her composure and got to her feet, brushing the dirt from her back. "How will you even know I'm training if you're gone?"
Hiei had retrieved his dropped sword and was walking to his cloak. "That question is not even worthy of an answer." He pulled the fabric over his head and turned to her with a bored expression.
Sayomi mentally slapped herself when she saw the dim glow beneath his headband. How do I keep forgetting about that? "Fine. Just don't completely ditch me up here, alright? What do I do while you're MIA?"
"Survive. Meditate every morning and night. Use your aura and just make sure you're still breathing when I get back." Without any further delay, Hiei vanished from sight.
Sayomi huffed to herself and sat back down on the forest floor to meditate and regain her composure. The sun was already beginning to set. I'll show him. She let her aura creep over her body and linger just above her skin. I'll show him not to underestimate me.