Sayomi sat in bed with Hiei's head resting in her lap. He was still unconscious, but he was alive and completely healed. He groaned in his sleep until she started combing her fingers through his hair. As she tried to sooth him, she tried to think of her next move.
I'm free to leave, but what am I gonna do now? I don't wanna go back to Tourin. Although... It would be fun to see Yusuke again. Surely, he's still hanging in there, right? She bit her lip as another thought crossed her mind. I hope the old man is still kicking...
"Unh..."
"Huh?" Sayomi's hand froze. She looked down and saw Hiei staring up at her with sleepy eyes. She smiled and said, "That was quick."
Hiei blinked. Then he reached for the back of her head and pulled her down for a kiss. After a moment, he let her go and looked around. He recognized their room and asked, "What happened?"
"You practically killed each other," Sayomi answered, trying to ignore her blush. "Mukuro had you both in healing tanks. Honestly, I'm more surprised to see Shigure walking around after you cut his head in two. I can see why there aren't any healers around here."
"How long have I been out?" Hiei asked.
"Well, you were in the tank all night. They just let you out a few hours ago," Sayomi answered.
Hiei sat up and looked down at his left arm. A faint scar was all that was left of the injury. As he tested his arm's movement, he turned to Sayomi and looked at her neck. "It's still there."
"Yeah..." Sayomi scowled as she looked down at her black nails. "I thought this would've been gone, but..." She clenched her fist as she remembered what happened in the Void.
"You're still holding back. Why?" Hiei asked.
Sayomi glared as her nails dug into her palm and drew blood. She remembered what her Shade did during her last training session. She looked through Hiei's memories to find out his worst fear. It sounds a lot like what Hokushin said I did to the other monks. I didn't know I was doing it, but Yasuhiro did it on purpose...
She looked up at Hiei as a thought occurred to her. He's been sleeping restlessly since we came to the Demon Plane. Or has it been longer? Has he been having nightmares? Is it because he's been training with me?
Her glare softened as guilt flooded through her. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and uncertain. "I'm sorry, Hiei..."
"What for?" He asked.
"All this time... While we've been sparring, I've been... poisoning you with my aura." She forced her gaze to meet his and said, "That's why you've been sleeping so restlessly."
Hiei stared at her and said, "Nonsense."
Sayomi's eyes narrowed and darkened. "When I left Tourin, my old teacher told me that I was cursing the monks who were training me. He said I was doing it subconsciously, so he stopped me from fighting. Now you're having nightmares and my Shade tried to use your fears against you."
"You absorbed it, didn't you?" Hiei countered. "Doesn't that mean you're in control now?"
"Not completely..." Sayomi sighed. "If these marks are still here, that implies that I'm still at risk. I've accepted myself and became one with my Shade, but I'm still not in complete control of my power."
"Then keep training. There's no point in stopping now."
"The technique my Shade used on you was the same technique Yasuhiro used back then." Sayomi felt tears sting her eyes as she remembered the night she ran away. "The people he used it on were screaming. Yet he laughed as he made them suffer. If I'm subconsciously trying to use it on you when we spar, then who knows how much worse it can get later on?"
"You'll need more than nightmares to scare me off." Before she could argue, he cut her off with a kiss. She was stunned for a moment before she returned his kiss with equal passion. One hand tugged on his hair while the other clawed into his back. He growled and pulled her closer.
As his arms snaked around her body, his tongue gently brushed against her lips. The moment they parted open, he slipped in and found hers. They wove around each other, tasting and caressing while warring for dominance.
As Sayomi's nails trailed down his back, Hiei growled and lowered her down to the bed. He found her hands and pinned them down. Then he pulled away from her lips and kissed his way down her neck.
She gasped when he gently bit near her collar bone. He smirked and started to give the area more attention. When she tried to move her hands, he tightened his grip and nipped at her skin again. She sighed and arched her back, pressing up against his body.
Hiei groaned and let go of her hands to hold her closer. Her hands reached up to tangle in his wild hair and graze his scalp with her nails. He growled and pulled away to remove his shirt and toss it aside.
His lips claimed hers in another passionate kiss. When her hands reached around his back, she could feel the heat and sweat of his skin. As she memorized his muscles and scars, his hand trailed down to her waist and slipped under her shirt to feel the smooth skin underneath.
He kissed her lips one more time before he went back to the sweet spot on her neck. His hand moved up further, rubbing and massaging her skin along the way. When she moaned his name and tried to stop him, he forced himself to pull away.
She stared up at him, breathless and hot. Whether it was Hiei's body heat or her own, she wasn't sure. As she stared up into his eyes, she tried to identify the emotion behind them. It's so intense... and lonely... He doesn't want me to leave.
Hiei stared down at her as he caught his breath. Then he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed and said, "We should stop."
Sayomi felt flustered as she sat up next to him. She glanced at Hiei's profile and looked away. "Sor—"
"Don't apologize," Hiei said. "I don't mind waiting. Although..." He smirked at her. "You seemed to enjoy it, too."
Sayomi blushed and did her best to focus on anything else. Then she remembered Mukuro. She sacrificed half of her own body for her freedom... She became strong, but almost lost herself for it. If she hadn't found Hiei's jewel, would she have been able to smile like that? She felt a dull ache in her chest as she recalled the calm look in her eyes. Was she happy... or sad?
Hiei noticed Sayomi's shift in mood and asked, "What's wrong?"
Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Hiei. "Hm?" He repeated himself and her gaze drifted down at the floor. "Do you remember anything from when you were in the tank?"
Hiei scowled and said, "I recall Mukuro's memories, but nothing else. Why?"
She looked up at him and arched her brow. "She showed you her past?"
Hiei nodded. "She saw mine, too."
"Oh." She looked down again.
Hiei cupped her chin and guided her eyes back to him. "It doesn't change anything. Were my actions not clear enough?"
She stared into his eyes and blushed. The look he gave her made her feel hot again. Then she noticed he was leaning in. When their lips touched, she was surprised by how gentle it was. It was slow and soft, but she could tell he was trying to hold back. When he pulled away, she swallowed the urge to pull him back.
Hiei smirked at her. "Feel better?"
She nodded.
He rested his hand on her head and said, "Good. We'll finish this discussion later. We have three days, right?"
Sayomi blinked and said, "Actually, Mukuro said I'm free to go, now."
"So you'll be leaving, then?" He asked.
"Not right away. I still need to talk to her one more time." She stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.
"Where will you go?"
"I'll need to focus on training that technique I was talking about. If it's affecting you, then it's only a matter of time before I start affecting the others. I'll be back after my chat with Mukuro and you can help point me in the right direction."
Before he could say anything, she left the room and made her way to Mukuro's door. She took in a deep breath before she let herself in.
Mukuro and Kirin turned to her when she walked in. Kirin glared at her intrusion while Mukuro remained passive. Before he could do anything, Mukuro said, "Kirin, give us some privacy. I'll call you when we finish."
Kirin sighed. "Yes, my lord."
He kept his glare trained on Sayomi. Then he walked out, leaving the two alone to talk.
"Was there something you needed?" Mukuro asked.
Sayomi took in a deep breath before looking up at the ruler of Alaric. Now that she knew Mukuro was a woman, she had trouble thinking of her as a lord or king. "Just a couple questions before I leave for a while..."
"I see. When can we expect you back?"
"I don't know..." Sayomi looked down at the floor. The old man said he had about a year left. It's been about six months now, right?
"Should we expect you back?"
Sayomi looked up and met the king's eye. "Hiei's here." She smirked. "And I'd like to get to know you better."
"Oh?" Mukuro blinked.
"Hiei told me that you showed him your memories." Sayomi averted her gaze. "I don't need to know everything, but I would like to... just hang out and talk maybe?"
"Hmm..." Mukuro mused. "I would like that. We girls need to look out for each other, after all."
"Huh?" Sayomi's brow arched in confusion. "Is that why you let me train?"
"You remind me of myself when I was younger." Mukuro's gaze softened as she spoke of the past. "I was desperate for freedom. Once I had it, I resorted to fighting. Then that wasn't satisfying enough. I eventually made a reputation as being a cold and ruthless killer. Fortunately, you didn't resort to that."
Sayomi stared at Mukuro. "Were you testing me?"
"You can call it morbid curiosity. There aren't many strong women in the Demon Plane. You show potential for the future and I would like to see what you can accomplish." Mukuro turned to the Demon Plane outside. "Who knows? You may even be a challenge for me before too long."
The compliment made Sayomi feel slightly embarrassed and she averted her gaze to the floor. "I highly doubt I'll be a match for you any time soon."
"So long as you don't waste your time, there shouldn't be any reason to doubt your potential." Mukuro stared down at the horizon, then focused on Sayomi's reflection. "Speaking of which, mind if I ask what you'll be up to while you're gone?"
"I'll be training," Sayomi answered. "There's a certain technique I need to learn and I don't have many people to learn it from."
"You wish to train with Yasuhiro?"
"No. I have a teacher." Sayomi smirked. "I do need to travel a bit, though."
"Then I'll be looking forward to your return," Mukuro said.
Accepting that as a dismissal, Sayomi left the chamber with a wave over her shoulder. When she passed Kirin, she smirked and said, "Don't worry. You won't need to deal with me for a while, now."
Kirin's eyes narrowed. "Let's hope it's a long one." Then he walked back into the room.
When Sayomi walked into her room, Hiei stopped stretching and asked, "So are you going to tell me where you plan on going?"
"Sure." She nodded and smiled. "Let's go."
They made their way to the roof of the fortress. Hiei's eyes were closed and his Evil Eye was open. When he found who he was looking for, he said, "He's about a 3-day run to the north."
"Do you think he'll be there long?" Sayomi asked.
"Hard to say." Hiei opened his eyes and looked at her. "You agreed to meet before coming to the Demon Plane?"
"Sort of," Sayomi muttered. It was his idea...
"Are you sure you want to go alone?" Hiei asked.
Sayomi looked at him. He stared at her with a steady gaze that made her think of their moment in the room. She ignored the flutter in her stomach and said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It shouldn't be too hard getting to him."
Hiei sighed and shook his head. "Just don't draw attention to yourself."
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Sayomi crossed her arms and scowled. "I'll be sure to stay out of sight until necessary." She blinked when Hiei stepped in front of her and stole a kiss. Then he slipped one of the jewels around her neck. "Huh?"
"It's mine, so don't lose it." Hiei stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared over the horizon. "When should I expect you back?"
Sayomi held the jewel in her palm, then dropped it under her shirt. "I think in about six months, give or take."
"Will that be enough time to master this technique of yours?" Hiei asked.
"It'll have to be." Sayomi stared at the trees passing beneath. "Just don't die before then."
"Heh." Hiei glanced sideways at her and smirked. "I think that's my line."
Sayomi smirked and waved. "If you ever get worried, you can always keep an extra eye on me." Then she jumped down to the forest below.
She ran instead of using her Shadow Step. If I travel through the Void, then I miss out on the beauty of the Demon Plane. It's not as tranquil as the Human World, but the forests are still the most fun.
She ran and jumped through the branches of the trees. She traveled at night, when the shadows were strongest, to boost her natural speed. When the sun was at its peak, she took her rest breaks.
Sayomi made it to Gandara within two-and-a-half days. She stuck to the shadows of passing pedestrians until she reached a familiar aura.
"Yes, I'll return within six months with seven warriors. Each one will have a power rating over 100,000 TP."
"Very well. I look forward to meeting these warriors, Kurama."
Sayomi waited for the unfamiliar demon to leave the room. Then Kurama left in the opposite direction. Hokushin has told me a few rumors about Yomi. Apparently, he can hear even the faintest whispers within his territory. I should stay hidden so long as we're here.
She stuck to Kurama's shadow until he said, "You can come out, Sayomi. We should be out of Yomi's hearing range by now."
Sayomi hesitated. Then she solidified from Kurama's shadow. "Was I that noticeable?"
Kurama smiled. "I was keeping a close watch out for your aura. Although I can't say for sure whether Yomi noticed or not. If he did, he didn't seem to mind either way."
"I hope you're right," Sayomi muttered. She looked around and noticed they were no longer in the city. "So do you have a way to get back?"
"I have arrangements with Koenma. He promised to have a portal ready." Kurama looked down at her. "So how have you been? You've grown quite a bit stronger since the last time we saw each other. Were you able to finish your business?"
"Yeah, I paid off my debt in Tourin and trained in Alaric." Sayomi smiled as she thought of her time training with Hiei. "I think I'm ready for this."
"Did you find your brother?"
"Yeah..." Her gaze narrowed slightly. "He was with Mukuro this whole time. He brought me straight there."
"I see." The fox's gaze became thoughtful. "Did you have a chance to meet Hiei while you were there?"
"Yeah, he's one of Mukuro's elite warriors now. We trained together for the majority of the six months, but only he took the test to earn the title." She looked up at Kurama and asked, "So how have you been? You didn't leave the Human World when we did, right?"
"Things have been going well, overall," Kurama answered. "My mother is traveling so she doesn't know about my absences."
"Oh, how is your mother doing?" Sayomi recalled when Yusuke told her about his first case to catch Kurama and Hiei. Yusuke said he was willing to give up his life to save her. He must really care for her.
Kurama's gaze softened as he spoke about his mother. "She's doing great. She moved up the date of her wedding, remarrying in July with only immediate family attending the modest ceremony. They appeared quite happy. Mom's fiancé first apologized for being old-fashioned, then proposed with a promise to take care of her for the rest of her life. My gift to them was a rather forceful insistence that they honeymoon abroad for the entire month of August. I admit, I wanted them at a remove..."
Sayomi smiled as she listened. So, this was her second husband? Based on Kurama's expression and description, he must be a good guy.
Kurama looked at her and said, "By the time of the wedding, you and Yusuke had been gone for two months. You'd both have come otherwise, I'm sure. About a month after you left, I joined Yomi as his advisor, though only during Summer Vacation. I owed Yomi that much."
Sayomi's smile faltered as his tone changed. "So, you're going back to the Human World because your Summer Vacation is over?"
"Yes. School is about to start on Monday and I can't let my grades suffer for Demon Plane politics."
Though he meant it as a joke, Sayomi could see he was serious. "When is Monday?"
"The day after tomorrow." When he smiled, there was no sign of his earlier gloom. "I will be going to Genkai's after school if you care to join me."
Sayomi shrugged a shoulder and said, "Okay, I don't mind waiting until then."
"I will apologize in advance," Kurama said steadily. "My house is under close surveillance, so you should keep a safe distance. However, you're welcome to wait for me at school."
"That's fine." She smirked at him. "I'm used to sleeping outdoors in the Human World."
They walked through the portal about an hour later. As Kurama made his way home, Sayomi kept a widening gap between them. When they reached a neighborhood, she took a separate path from him and found a tree.
As she settled in to sleep in its branches, she found herself wondering about what Kurama told her. There's also what he didn't tell me. He's been open with his past in the Human World, but he tends to avoid talking about his days as the Fox Demon. If Yomi is an old friend, does that mean they were bandits together?
She stared up at the stars through the leaves and shifted her thoughts from the past to the future. I hope Monday goes smoothly. The sooner I start training this technique, the better. I just hope I can finish my training in time.
On Monday, Sayomi lounged on the roof of Meio Private High School. She watched the clouds float by as she waited for Kurama to finish his classes. When the final bell rang, she made her way to the edge to watch out for the red-head.
After minutes of waiting, she spotted him in the thinning crowd of teens. She was about to jump down to meet him, but she saw him stop and talk to a younger boy. She arched her brow curiously as she watched them. Who's that? He's not dressed in the school clothes, so that means this isn't his school, right?
Kurama walked away with the boy and she followed from a safe distance. She did her best to blend in with the crowd as she tried to get close enough to eavesdrop.
"I was in the area and thought I'd walk home with you," the young boy said optimistically.
"Watch it," Kurama warned. "I only put up with you because I've got no choice."
Sayomi recognized the danger in his tone and she glanced at the boy. Who is this kid? Not many people get on Kurama's bad side unless they really deserve it.
"What's the beef?" The boy asked. "I'm just doing my job. No one figures you'll make a run for it."
Sayomi's eyes narrowed. So that's it. He's one of Yomi's men. Curious about the situation, she slipped into an alley and merged with the shadows. She quickly found Kurama's shadow and followed him home.
They entered a pleasant house and walked up to a room on the second floor. The boy shed his coat and black uniform jacket. Then he sat on the bed, facing Kurama who stayed on his feet.
"Hiei's getting stronger. He's becoming a real asset to Mukuro." The boy reached for a cigarette and lighter. "You're probably right that some changes are in store."
Kurama swiped the cigarette from the boy's mouth and glared. "Didn't Yomi tell you, Kara... not to mistreat the hostage?"
The boy's expression became empty as a long, gray parasite stretched out from both of the kid's ears. It spoke with a raspy voice that would've made Sayomi's skin crawl if she was corporeal. "Don't get uppity with me, Kurama. I could blow this kid's head open if I wanted."
Kurama's glare was ice-cold as he said, "Don't be an idiot. What's a dead hostage worth? You have your orders, so stop trying to act tough."
"Heh..." Kara chuckled nervously. "I could still, say... cut off a finger or..."
"That's enough of that." Kurama's tone was sharp and cut straight to the point. "I'm under some pressure these days, and might want to try out some torture techniques to ease the stress. Care to sample a few, Kara?"
The parasite became pale as a cold sweat covered his body. "Heh... Sorry. Just got a little carried away. So, how goes your proposal to Lord Yomi to train up and present him with seven demons that have gained over 100,000 TP in six months?"
Kurama let his glare slip into a professional calm. "All seven have cleared 50,000 already."
"For real?!" Kara stressed. "How can the Underworld tolerate their presence in the Human World?"
"That's need-to-know. And you don't," Kurama answered.
Seven demons? Sayomi stayed hidden as Kurama and the parasite finished their conversation. Who is he talking about? What demons would be willing to train under Kurama after everything that's happened?
Once Kurama was far enough away from the house, Sayomi solidified next to him and asked, "Who was that?"
Kurama glanced down at her, then ahead. "The boy is my new stepbrother, Shuichi Hatanaka. He's 13 years old. The parasite, Kara, is one of Yomi's spies. He's using my brother as a hostage to keep an eye on me."
"So that's what you meant by close surveillance..." Sayomi slipped her hands in her pockets and stared down at her feet. She looked up at him and asked, "Isn't Shuichi your human name?"
"Yes," Kurama answered easily. Then he asked, "Why did you follow me into the house after I warned you not to?"
Sayomi flinched when she heard his tone. "You looked off. I wanted to be there in case anything happened."
"You're fortunate. He's not adept enough to sense your presence when you're in the shadows. If Yomi had sent a more competent spy, you might've been noticed."
"Sorry. I was just worried." Sayomi scowled as she mentally smacked herself for overlooking the possibility.
"I appreciate your concern, but I have the issue under control." Dropping his lecturing tone, Kurama smiled down at her and said, "I also don't need anyone to become too familiar with your aura too soon. I proposed seven warriors to Yomi and that includes you."
"Really?" Sayomi blinked.
"You'll strictly be recon," Kurama explained. "That should keep you out of the major war conflict in Gandara. If things go as planned, you will only need to report to me and I will handle Yomi."
"So, who are the other six demons?" Sayomi asked.
Kurama smiled and winked at her. "You'll see when we get to Master Genkai's."
A couple hours later, they climbed the stairs to Genkai's temple. Then Kurama led the way to another path on the mountain. Sayomi followed him and tried to find landmarks to keep track of where they were going.
When they stepped out of the forest, Sayomi looked around and saw spiritual wards wrapping around stalagmites of stone. Strings of the paper charms hung everywhere and she could feel strong power as soon as she stepped into the barrier.
As they were about to start up another set of stairs, Master Genkai approached them and said, "Nice t'see ya."
"How's it going?" Kurama asked.
"Beats training Yusuke, that's for sure." The old woman turned her smirk on Sayomi and said, "I didn't expect to see you back so soon."
Sayomi shrugged and grinned. "It wasn't easy, but I made it in time to catch Kurama before he left."
"Hmph! Does this mean you'll be sticking around here?" Genkai asked.
"To train, yeah." Sayomi crossed her arms. "There's something I need to work on and I could use your help with it."
"That's fine," Genkai agreed. "At least you don't whine like my lazy apprentice."
"Hey."
"Hm?" Sayomi turned to see Koenma in his human form.
"Hi," Kurama greeted.
They started their climb up the stairs as Koenma updated Kurama. "They gained another level. We'd better fortify the force field to match, or the Underworld will get wind of this." The prince stared at the red-head. "What are you plotting, Kurama? Your calm suggests something pretty big."
Kurama turned back to him and said, "It's about the balance in the Demon Plane. Beyond that, you'll have to trust me."
"The Demon Plane has been in equilibrium while Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi have held sway there, but once Raizen dies, there'll be no avoiding a clash between Yomi and Mukuro." Koenma watched Kurama knowingly and asked, "Then again, will someone step up as a third power?"
"Hard to say at this point." Kurama smiled. "I think a lot depends on Yusuke."
Sayomi listened quietly as she followed them up the stairs. Once the old man is gone, what will Yusuke do? Will he battle with the other two kings? Will he be strong enough?
"You two beat everything," Koenma muttered. "I thought you wanted to avoid conflict, but I'd say you're both really looking forward to this dustup."
When they reached the top of the steps, they came to two large double doors built into the massive stalagmite. As Kurama pushed one of the doors open, he turned to smile at Koenma. "Friendship like ours needs a kick in the pants once in a while."
Koenma sighed and glanced down at Sayomi before following Kurama inside. "All right. I'll arrange to get your seven 'recruits' to the Demon Plane. The current Special Force Captain is more reasonable than Ohtake."
When Sayomi stepped inside, she was left speechless. Then a wide grin spread across her face when she saw five familiar demons.
"Hey Kurama," Chu greeted. He was shirtless and his facial hair and sideburns were shaved to just a stubble. Rinku, Jin, Toya, Suzuki, and a small imp stood with him in light training clothes.
Sayomi's eyes lingered on the imp that perched on Suzuki's shoulder. He had long blue hair with two long horns sticking out of his forehead. His long-pointed ears and large eyes were odd, yet the creature felt familiar. Should I know him?
Chu flexed his muscles and said, "Gotta tell ya, this training's been great!"
Rinku jumped up to lean over Chu's shoulder. He crossed his arms loosely and smirked. "Nothing beats a top-quality teacher."
Jin smiled, a small canine poking into his bottom lip. "We're not at Yusuke's level, but I'd love to fight him again."
Toya smirked. "Whoa, Jin. Don't get suicidal just yet."
Suzuki stood proud and said, "You have brought my withered dreams back into bloom. May I prove worthy of this great opportunity!"
"Hmph..." The imp scoffed.
"Can you double your TP in six months?" Kurama asked.
"You betcha!" They cheered.
"Hah!"
They paired up and started sparring with each other. Jin fought Chu while Rinku sparred with Toya.
Kurama smiled as he watched them. "Yomi knows we participated in the Dark Tournament. Which means you can pretend you're doing this in order to get back at Yusuke."
"Hmph!" The imp scoffed and glared at Kurama. "I won't need to pretend!"
Suzuki glared at the imp hovering in front of him. "Shishiwaka! Bad boy!"
Sayomi stared at the imp with wide eyes. That's the pretty-boy samurai wannabe from the semi-finals?! This is going to be a long six months.