FFFFF... IDK but replaced the chapter with an older on... heres the right one, thanks to those who told me .;
Thanks to Counting Sinful Stars, Verry-chan and Skyla15699 for your reviews!
News: For now I have a Beta for this story, but for none of my short - which most of them are nearly finished. SO if anyone feels like looking for some short stories(ish) in: Naruto, Dragon Age(1 and 2) Or Yu-Gi-Oh(been on the back burner for who knows how long...) give a shout out - remember, i post these for you guys, i just enjoy writing them and seeing what you all think!
Enjoy the chapter~
R&R
Chapter Four: Suspicions
"So… we just walk through it then?"
I felt rather foolish asking, but I did anyway. Kurama and I stood in front of a line of trees – not the forest line, no, far from it in fact, far deeper then any reasonable hiker would ever go – that looked normal to the human eye, but to those who used demonic eyes, or had a power to sense other forces, it was certainly not. With the warm hum of energy flowing through my eyes from Kuronue's powers – that turned my eyes blue like his – I saw the passage way. It wasn't a barrier; that had been taken down, but it was still a wall of sorts. In the light with the right eyes it looked like a pane of glass ran infantry in both directions in front of us.
Visiting Demon world to find Hiei seemed to easy…
"Yes." There was humor in the redhead's voice. "Not everything is so difficult Izumi."
I flushed, torn somewhere between embarrassment and aggravation at his comment. It was late afternoon now, the sun high over head, but I hadn't been up very long. Kurama and I had some how managed to sleep through the morning, not waking up till close to noon. I had felt a bit more refreshed after sleeping, a bit of my energy lighting up my spirit, but I still carried the weight of my lose on my shoulders.
It hadn't been long after we had eaten that I had told Kurama I needed to find Hiei and ask him about the attack. Koenma might have been tied up at the moment, but I wasn't, and I wouldn't just stand around and wait. I wanted answers.
Still, the idea of simply walking through a film to get to Demon World and back seemed … too easy. I had my fair share of trips to Demon World; most of my missions had been to deal with some demonic threat after all. I'd had to jump through small holes in the barrier to get there though, and then I'd have to find a way to safely reach the ground from the sky I appeared in. Thankfully, Kuronue had wings.
But to just simply walk on in? A lot had truly happened during my isolation up in the mountains for two years.
Rubbing my neck I waved slightly at him, dismissing any words of encouragement before they were spoken.
"Alright, just give me a moment."
He nodded his head and took a small step away from me as I touched the pendant hidden under my shirt collar. Twenty percent, I decided. I wasn't going into battle or anything; I just need protection from the toxic air and enough of an aura so that lower class stayed away. As normal, warmth trickled down over me, followed by prickles of pain and then slowly the light that had engulfed me faded.
I stood in Kuronue's cloths again – minus the hat, and plus my combat boots of course. Kurama gave me a weary smile. He had excepted the fact that his old friend and I were soul bound, but it still must have been strange to see a girl wearing what had once belonged to the bat demon.
"It can't be that strange, I mean there were several times the girls I brought home felt the need to steal my vest and hat and such."
I raised a hand and rubbed at a temple, giving the Kuronue my best mental glower.
"Are you ready?"
I nodded slightly at Kurama before walking to the wall and staring at it for a moment before taking a deep breath. Just one foot in front of the other. I stepped through. I had thought it would be something like falling through a window, but instead I was met with the feeling of running through water. My movements felt sluggish and my arms felt like they were being tugged backwards.
Then it was over, my next step touched the ground and the resistance was gone. I stumbled slightly, dazed by the sudden change before turning around. The same glass like wall met me, except instead of the normal green and dark blue of the human forest, the red and purple of the demon forest stood around me. I looked around, turning slowly in a circle, as I smelled the blood tainted air and listened to the chirp of spirit beasts, the buzz of insects the size of my fist, and the sluggish movement of man-eating plants.
Yeah, this was defiantly not a place I'd ever want to stumble into.
"Izumi?"
I looked over my shoulder as Kurama came up next to me and I frowned to myself. I'd meant to watch him come through so I could see what it looked like. I'd have to make sure he went though first on the way back. I rocked on my heels for a moment before smiling.
"Have any way of finding our oh so favorite grumpy fire demon?" I smirked and Kurama snorted, shaking his head before grabbing my wrist and leading me forward.
"If he is not here yet, then he is off duty and closer to the head quarters."
Honestly, I'd been joking. I hadn't really thought Kurama had Hiei's routine all figured out. Then again, this was Kurama.
We walked quickly through the forest and I took my chance to thread my fingers through his. True, we hadn't really talked about our relationship, but I'd enjoy everything I could until he denied me something.
When we broke through the tree line, we were met with the giant bug that was head quarters and I found my eye twitching as I looked upon it.
Who in their right mind would make their home inside a bug?
Oh right, Mukuro would.
Crazy, ex-slave, cyborg, chaos obsessed Mukuro.
I couldn't understand why Hiei wanted to be her heir.
"Nh. What are you two doing here?"
Speaking of fire demons. Kurama and I looked to our left as the cloaked forbidden child walked towards us, his hair shifting in the wind. I let go of Kurama's hand and put mine on my hip, smirking slightly.
"To see you silly! I missed my daily does of vertically challenged fire demon these last two years." The sarcasm on my voice was almost gushing. I saw Kurama coughed into his hand to stifle a laugh. Hiei just stared at me – more like glowered – until finally I wondered if I had offended him and moved forward to retract my statement. "Honestly can't you-"
And then he was moving. My eyes tracked him better then last time and I saw the punch as it came straight at me. I narrowed my eyes ignoring Kuronue and Kurama's startled shouts as I stepped to the side dodging the blow. Just as quickly I raised my own hand and swung forward. When my hand was inches from his face he suddenly vanished and reappeared a few feet away, causing me to stumble slightly. I got ready for another punch but the fire demon just eyed me from where he stood before grunting in some kind of approval.
Hadn't Kurama written about him saying I had better be better at throwing a punch or something? Ah, well it seemed I had passed his screwed up test either way. Kurama shook his head before coming to stand by me again.
"Was that really necessary?" When the only reply Kurama received was a glowering stare, he sighed slightly and got down to business answering Hiei's earlier question. "We've come here because of a rather disturbing event that has taken place Hiei, and you're the only one who can answer the question." Kurama was all business in his tone, and it reminded me of some of the memories of Youko from Kuronue.
Hiei frowned at us before crossing his arms and glancing from one to the other. "Talk then."
So we talked. I explained the best that I could everything that had happened to me in the last 24 hours and how Koenma was baffled that something like that had taken place. Kurama had pointed out that he hadn't been aware of any demons being let through to the human world side as of late.
By the end of it, the fire demon didn't look pleased.
"No, there haven't been any approvals to cross the boundary. Nor have there been any reports of illegal crossings. There must be another explanation."
"There isn't." I snapped, earning a looked from both men. "Five B class Demons Hiei. Five. And they all seemed to know what they were doing. This wasn't some random attack; no one is suppose to know where the ranch is. They planned this, which means some how they got through your or someone else's watch."
"Are you sure they were B class? Power means nothing if they could catch you off guard."
Frustrated by his lack of trust in me and took a small step forward and then quickly raised my hand to the caller of Kuronue's vest, and pulled it over my shoulder. It wasn't the red and black, puss filled mess it had been before, but the scar tissue forming was dark in tone and the scabs were black with dried blood. The burn was better then it had been, thanks to Kurama, but it was still a bad wound caused by a smart demon.
Hiei stared at it for a moment, knowing full well I was no push over, and that some weak fire wielder did not inflict a wound like this. He would know, after all, being a fire apparition as well, or at least half of one anyway. He scowled looking away, upset by the proof so blatantly in front of him.
Somehow they had outsmarted him and he didn't like that at all.
"This will not go unchecked." Hiei ground out. "I will need to see if there was a hole in the shift, or a weak number of checks." It appeared the fire demon didn't like paper work any more then anyone did.
"I think it wise to also consider another option."
Both of us looked to Kurama who had a calculating look on his face. I shifted, pulling my gauze and vest back into place. Hiei scowled.
"And that would be."
"A traitor of course. No easier way to get through the boundary then having an inside man let you through when it's their shift."
It had been something I was sure all of us had been thinking – it was the most obvious explanation when you thought about it. Still, it was a bit unsettling for me. It made my stomach twist and turn into knots; loyalty was one thing I found to be very important if I was to trust anyone. They can have their secrets and their bad background as long as I know they won't stab me in the back. Hiei's glower turned into something darker and more anger driven as his hands clenched tight.
"If that is the case then they will burn by my hand." His eyes shifted to me, and I nodded. Loyalty was one thing we had always had in common; it was why we could trust each other. His ruby eyes looked very me once more before he spoke again. "Be glad your master went down as a warrior. He will not be forgotten."
I was surprised that he was trying to comfort me. I must have looked really bad. Was my grief truly so easy to see, or did he just know me too well? Either way I nodded my head slightly in thanks.
"What do we do now?" I finally asked. Hiei snorted again, grumbling.
"For now you go back to your duties to the child. I am sure he will have work for you soon, concerning the rebels that are running amuck. I will do some digging and contact you when I have answers."
"Tread carefully Hiei."
The fire demon looked to his old friend with a look that could only be described as 'duh'. With one last glance at the both of us, Hiei turned away and flitted off in a blur of black.
I stared at the spot he had been for a while, my head spinning in incoherent thoughts that left Kuronue muddled and muted. This was all becoming a bit too complicated, though I had known it most likely would be. People who were involved with more then one world normally didn't have simple lives.
A gentle hand touched my uninjured shoulder and I looked to my side to see Kurama looking at me. He offered me a smile and I at least tried to give him one back. I had never been very good about keeping up appearances around him; it seemed silly, seeing as he would see through them anyway.
"We'll figure this out."
"I know." I sighed, "I just wish none of this had happened. I was looking forward to coming back, but I didn't mean to drag you into another problem with demons." I looked at him and pressed my lips together, chewing on one slightly. "You didn't want to deal with this kind of thing any more and now…"
"Izumi." His hand on my shoulder trailed up and ran through my blond locks. "If I had truly wanted none of this, I wouldn't have kept writing to you. I understood full well what being in a relationship with you would mean. You don't need to worry."
I shifted a bit at that. Relationship. It was such a daunting word.
"Where do we stand in that?" I ask finally my eyes trailing from the ground to look at him. "Last night was… well I won't say I didn't enjoy it Kurama but… we spent two years apart, with only letters to keep in contact. I wasn't sure…"
His hand reached the end of my hair – near my waistline – and then started over again at the crown of my head, as if we were speaking of something normal.
"Being apart hasn't changed anything Izumi. You wrote once that time seems displaced when you're in the mountains, that you forget what day it is because you don't feel you need to know." He smiled, moving so he was in front of me and moved his hand to brush the side of my face. "That is how it is when I'm with you. It is unsettling and different, but I never want to leave it. I just want to start up where we left off, if that is alright with you."
I smiled leaning my head into his hand, for a moment forgetting that we were in demon world, standing next to a giant bug.
"I was hoping you'd say that. I'd like nothing more."
"Good." His hand moved, lifting my chin and before I even had a chance to think about his action, he was kissing me again. I didn't mind it; hell I enjoyed it, my hands knotting in his hair in reply.
Sadly my partner was less then thrilled, and the waves of agitation and anger filtered over my mind, ruining the lovely sensation. I grimace and pulled back sighing as I raised a hand to my forehead. Kurama frowned slightly, understand my gesture quickly and nodded his head when I gave him a sad smile. He knew Kuronue was the cause of it, but he didn't know why. That was something I hoped I wouldn't have to explain, though I knew I should.
"It's not his business."
"Well technically it kind of is, since most guys like knowing when their girl has...complicated relationships with other men. "
"Is that what you're calling it now?"
I let out another sigh. Sometimes dealing with the bat demon was more of a headache then I could really put up with. Kurama watched me the entire time, reading my face as I spoke with his old friend. Slowly, a frown marred his face.
"If Kuronue has a problem with us, then he should take it up with me."
The replying snarl that echoed through my head was enough to make me wince. "No. I… let's just get back okay?" I rubbed at a throbbing temple as I spoke and Kurama frowned even more before slowly nodding his head. I was sure he'd bring it up later, but I was glad he let it drop for now.
"Alright. Come on."
The walk back was quiet, though the air seemed thicker with tension then it had before. If I wasn't still tired from everything that had happened I would have started a rather intense discussion with Kuronue, but I was sick of the same old song and dance. He could say how he felt about me as much as he wanted, but that wouldn't change how I felt.
It was weird watching Kurama walk through the boundary. As soon as he touched it, the entire thing rippled like water, and his form turned unstable as he stepped through, dissipating as if he had been a simple drop of ink in a pool.
When we got back, I was sure the temperature hadn't gotten much warmer, so I wrapped my arms around myself and walked next to the redhead, my shoulders hunched to the wind. Releasing my hold on Kuronue's powers did little to help, even if my shirt was long sleeved. After a moment, Kurama's arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me closer as I shivered.
As we walked back into the city, milling through the streams of people, I started to see things I hadn't seen the trip through this morning. I wasn't much of a morning person, and so my sleepiness some times made me very unobservant. Now I really looked. There were lights strung on the roofs above, sparkling even in the daylight. Larger sticker signs were plastered to store windows advertising sales and great ideas for gifts. My mind back peddled a bit, trying to remember what day it was, or even what month. When I finally grasped it, I felt rather stupid.
"Its almost Christmas isn't it?"
Kurama raised a red brow at me. "In a little over a month yes, its November twentieth."
"I hadn't really realized it…" When I saw the look of curiosity in his eyes I smiled slightly. "Kyo doesn't use clocks or calendars up there. He says knowing those type of things makes you feel like you need to keep a time limit on things. He says you should be done, when you feel you should be done. Putting a number on it does little."
Talking about him, the man who was like an older brother to me, and thinking about how I might never see him again, dampened my mood. My heart clenched tight in my chest as my hands fisted tight against me. I couldn't bring myself to talk about him in past tense, not yet.
"He is very wise." Kurama noted, and I realized he used the present tense on purpose, following my lead. "I would like to speak to him one day."
I could just imagine that: two old fighters sitting, sipping tea, and talking about the good old days. The thought made me want to roll on the ground laughing at the silliness of it all.
"Maybe. He'd interrogate you first, make sure you were good enough for me." when I had first told Kyousuke about Kurama he had laughed, then as the days went by, he began to act like that typical male family member in old cartoons. No one was good enough for me, after all.
"I think that could be quite the interesting discussion."
I rolled my eyes, bumping my shoulder on his and smiling.
Of course he did.
Izumi's Playlist: Only Time by Enya
