Lerra shifted out of restlessness as she watched the sky lighten as dawn approached. It had been a day since the mysterious voice had spoken of Maribella's doomed future. The Spirit Detectives were taking extra cautions now. Ari had been pacing a lot, determining what was a threat and what had only been said to scare her.
Lerra knew the truth. The demon who had attacked Maribella would not just say things to cause mental torture without backing it up in some form or another. She closed her eyes as the dawn light slide through her, no longer warming her skin as it had when she'd been alive. What a shame. Even as a shadow and ice demon, she had enjoyed the warming of her skin from the sun. IT had meant she was alive and ready to take on the new day. Now… She missed the sensation even more.
She could feel the Spirit Detectives meeting, discussing, planning beneath where she hovered above the dining room. Yusuke was demanding action. Kuwabara wanted to protect his friend, but didn't want to risk her either. Kurama was warning about practical and logical attacks. Hiei was silent but just as angry at the threat to the soulmate he was now accepting without any reserves. That was good. She was happy for Maribella and Hiei. A soulmate should be treasured. They should be held safe and protected above all. Her hand ghosted over her left shoulder where her own soulmate mark was. She'd known her soulmate once. It had been a grand thing but… He had been betrayed and killed, sent off to whatever punishment the great Yama had decided he deserved for his life. As much as Lerra had wanted to follow him, she had to have her revenge for his death. That had taken her almost 400 years to exact. A painstaking task that had required becoming stronger, and growing in her own regards.
And after she'd gotten her revenge, she just couldn't take her own life. Fear of what awaited her was what kept her from pulling the blade through her own flesh. She'd gone after demons who could kill her, all to have her fighters instinct win out. And now, she'd given her life for a water-air elemental demoness, and she still didn't want to cross over. She would have her revenge, but to have that she needed a body which would give her a second lease on life.
You are running from death Lerra, a voice inside her warned. You are running away just like Ari did whens he found out that Hiei was her soulmate. Why? Yoritomo was not a bad man to be a soulmate to.
"And yet he is dead and I still live," she said out loud, sighing as she rose into the air and then down to peer in through the living room window. She was struck by the similarity that Yusuke had to Yoritomo. It was impossible though. She knew that Yoritomo was dead, and his soul had been sent to Limbo. The files said so. His soul would not have ben reincarnated into a human body. Even a human as powerful as this Yusuke Urimeshi. It was impossible.
They were starting to complain about not knowing anything again. Lerra looked at Ari who sat there, not offering anything to the meeting, who looked as if she were a million miles away trying hard to focus on something that just wouldn't come in clearly. Had Lerra done the right thing in taking Ari's memories of the attack when she'd saved the woman? It had not been easy, and had been the reason her powers had been too weak to save her own life.
You could save her now too. Tell them what is coming, that voice in the back of her mind told her. She knew that without preparation they would never survive. Without protection they would face the same fate she had saved Maribella from. But how could she bring herself to sacrifice herself again, sacrifice her own revenge for someone she hadn't known until Maribella had freed her from her prison before facing the demon who had engulfed her in flames?
They would't survive.
She'd never get a second chance at the demons who had betrayed her or the ones who had killed her.
Maribella… This all revolved around her now. Lerra took a soft breathe and stepped through the wall that separated her from the plotting group. Kuwabara noticed her first because of his heightened awareness. He jumped to his feet and pointed at her as she shimmered into view for everyone. "Demon ghost!"
Everyone but Touya, Jin, and Maribella rose, ready to do battle if they needed to. Touya's eyes were filled with curiosity as he watched his childhood friend. "Lerra, is there something you wanted to share with the group?" He asked slowly.
"You know her?" Yusuke demanded.
"His name is Valek." Everyone quieted as Lerra's voice rang through the room. "He is an air elemental being, not a demon. He has three other elementals under his control, an earth, a fire, and a water elemental. There are also roughly 30 demons of lower class levels that follow each of the three captains. They are located on the outer edge of the Makai."
"How do you know this?" Maribella was the one to speak first.
"Because I was a captive of his until your visit," Lerra answered. "But that is another story for a different, peaceful time. Right now, all you need to know is what you will be facing. Because of what I am, I have some powers still and will help as I am able to, but… Without a body it will be limited."
Maribella, well, everyone really, stared at the ghostly apparition. They had someone who knew how many and what they would be facing. How useful. It wasn't long before the 'story for a different time' part was ignored and Lerra was welcomed to give whatever knowledge she had of the organization of Valek's. As they worked out a plan, she settled her ghostly self down next to Touya, seeming to rest against his side quite happily without really being a physical burden to him. Touya relaxed as well, happy that he didn't need to keep her a secret any more. Kurama obviously didn't trust her still, and neither did Yusuke. Hiei seemed to tolerate her because Maribella was aware she was there before this little planning session. Kuwabara just seemed to be wary for the moment. Touya just wished that she would tell the full story. It wasn't as if they would blame her for what she'd done. She'd probably be thanked graciously by all there for saving Maribella…
As the plan came together, Maribella went to the window and stared out. "I am going," she finally said, turning to look at them. "I have to face this Valek, and this… what did you call her Lerra? The fire elemental."
"Rahina."
"I have to face this Rahina," Maribella said, puffing up with determination. "I've been able to access my powers in limited bursts. If I can keep my powers in reserve until I face them, I can defeat them. And.. I must repay them for what they did to me."
"No, absolutely not!" Kuwabara said, shaking his head. "You still are weak sometimes Maribella."
"I agree with Kuwabara," Hiei said, though his tone implied he couldn't believe he was saying it. "You are very strong compared to when you first arrived Ari, but you have no regained your true powers yet. It would be suicide to face them by yourself."
"Then come with me and protect my back," Ari said, turning to Hiei. "You are already going. Cover my back and I'll cover yours. We fight together perfectly. By the time we get there, we'll be seamless in our fighting skills."
Hiei watched her for a long moment. "You won't let this go, will you?"
"No." Ari's chin was set in that stubborn line it liked to take whenever she and Hiei argued. He was starting to find that quite attractive in her. He also knew that when that came up, he never won against her.
"Fine. Let us all go," Hiei said with a wave of his hand. "I'll not let you go against them by yourself. You will have me there with you, or not go at all."
Ari smiled and came over to sit quite blatantly in his lap, leaning up to kiss him. "I'll go with you," She said when she pulled back. The others stared at them, taken back by such a blatant display between the two that had barely held hands in front of them. What happened next made some of them suck in their breathe in double surprise. Hiei smirked and rolled them both so he had pinned her down below him and stole her lips in a kiss.
"And never you forget it," he growled almost playfully when he pulled back. He couldn't help it. She made him feel giddy whenever she was this close to him. He knew he should have more restraint but damn it he loved her and he wasn't going to let her go in alone. The realization struck him hard as he looked down at her as she beamed up at him. Yes… he loved her. He loved her, and was selfish, and this was the reason that he had to protect her—so he could keep her next to him and not let anyone else take her from him. He'd fight all of Valek's army himself if it meant keeping her safe.
"I shan't ever forget it," she promised, the rest of the world fading away for the moment as she stared up into those ruby eyes she'd come to love looking into. She didn't want to go without him any more. She trusted him not to burn her, just as he trusted her not to push too hard on their relationship. She was his protector from pain just as he was hers. She would never hurt him if she could help it. She had fallen in love with this ornery fire demon. She'd take whatever he was willing to get her relationship wise. She'd take it happily and cherish it.
