So sorry about the mix up with the chapter before this guys - if you went to it when it came out some how it ended up being a copy of chapter 2 instead of 4 - but its all been fixed so if you haven't read it yet click the back button before reading this one ~
Thank you to: Loco Velcro and for your wonderful reviews! i look forward to more in the future!
PS. Still looking for a beta reader who would like to look over my short story fics~
enjoy! R&R
Chapter five: Time Stream
The day after briefing Hiei about what had happened was one of the busiest days I had since leaving the city two years ago. In the morning I tried to keep myself busy by cleaning up the apartment and making it homey again. The problem was there wasn't much of a way to do that with most of my belongings being left at the ranch. All I had to work with was one box of clothes that I had left behind, and even then that wasn't much. I was already mostly through it.
Feeling defeated and knowing I couldn't just follow Kurama around all the time, seeing as he'd been working, I mulled over the idea of contacting an old friend. On Kuronue's suggestion, I contacted Keiko, and we promptly made plans to meet at the mall. I hadn't known the girl that well, but we had talked a bit after the tunnel instant. She'd wanted to know how a woman handled the jobs of Spirit World and I'd been glad to indulge her.
The next few hours were spent mall crawling, as we went in and out of shops, tried on outfits and talked about, well, girl stuff. About half way through it I had taken off Kuronue's pendant and stuffed it into my coat pocket, since the poor bat demon had been ready to tear his own hair out. I reminded him it had been his idea, of course he'd simply glowered at me and said that women seemed to talk about the most superficial things. That had been the point where the pendant and the chain had left any part of my skin, as I shoved it away with a huff.
"Is it weird?" Keiko asked. "Having a voice in the back of your head all the time?"
"Sometimes. But it's also kind of nice, comforting. It gives you the opportunity to hear someone else's opinion on things."
"I think that would back fire every once in a while though."
I winced, thinking about my many conversations with my partner about Kurama, and sighed. "You have, no idea."
We laughed, and the shopping continued until she had to leave to get back to her home to take her shift at the family restraint. I had declined her offer for a meal; Kurama was going to meet me in an hour for dinner.
So there I was, walking home with about four bags, the handles digging into my hands from the weight of them as I walked along the sidewalk, dodging the many people that passed by, ever watchful of pickpockets. Kuronue had been restored to my neck at this point, but he was silent, simply watching the world pass by as I did.
The sun was starting to set when I made it back to the complex, and I grimaced as I looked at the stairs that lay out in front of me. I really needed to talk to Koenma about upgrading the place. He did own it, and the least he could do was install an elevator.
"You're getting lazy."
I scowled as I continued my climb. "I am not. I'm just tired."
"That seems to be your 'on call' excuse as of late."
I sighed, but didn't reply. He had stated a fact, and I really didn't have much of an explanation for it. I was just tired; my sleep hadn't been very good since I had gotten back. Two days of nightmares and laying awake thinking, even when Kurama had been there, led to days where I felt half asleep. I should have been used to it by now. Nightmares where something that haunted me constantly, but these ones were new, something I wasn't expecting.
I shook my head, trying to clear myself of the dread that hung onto me like freshly walked through spider webs. Kurama would be knocking on the door in less then an hour, and I needed to try and look a bit more decent. Shifting the bags to one hand I used my newly acquired key to unlock my door and pushed it open.
"I just need a hot shower…" I grumbled to myself setting my bags down for a moment so I could unlace my combat boots – I might have loved them, but they weren't really date appropriate.
"Still talk to yourself in English I see…"
I jerked, Kuronue's hiss echoing in my ears as I stood straight and then tapped into his energy, bring my senses up to a more acute level. I recognized him by smell far before my eyes adjusted to the low light of my apartment. His scent was covered slightly, the metallic tang of iron marring the unearthly smell that came off of beings from Spirit World.
I darted forward, hitting the light switch on as I passed and entered my small living room. Saitō was lying on my couch, his long black hair unkempt and sprawling over the armrest. His SDF uniform was in shambles, torn, unbuttoned in places and splashed with blood. He looked awful. I was frozen for a moment, a foot away, unsure of how to go about this. His brown eyes met mine and he smirked slightly.
"Not a sight you thought you'd ever see, huh, Izumi?"
I'm not sure if it was his words, or the fact that I saw blood on his teeth that had me moving again, but panic flew out the window in moments, replaced with concentration.
"Saitō!" I placed my hands on the couch and leaned over him, looking for the wounds. I found a set of slashes on his chest, skin and fabric cluttered together in ribbons. I could see the dark shapes of bruise forming on other pieces of skin and I grimaced. Gently I looked at him and reached out, pushing hair from his face. "You are a mess." I saw him smile slightly at I scolding. "I'll get you cleaned up though."
I just had to figure out how to do about doing that.
"Any ideas…?"
"Izumi…I'm a Shadow Demon. I inflict pain and control darkness."
I huffed, turning and quickly walking to my bathroom.
"Yes, but you were always the Thieves guild doctor. You forget I've seen your life Kuronue. You knew ways – know ways, to help."
"Yes, with tonics and salves made from plants and minerals found in Demon World Izumi."
"I'm not asking for some cure. Just talk me through binding his wounds okay?"
The bat demon gave an exasperated sigh before agreeing to do what he could. I could understand his frustration, knowing what he needed when there was no way to get it. From under the sink I pulled out my first aid kit. The little white and red box seemed in antiquity, with its content of gauze, Band-Aids, medical tape and sterile wipes. It would hardly do any good with what Saitō had; then again, most people went to the hospital if they had injuries like this.
It made me wonder how he had gotten here.
That thought combined with the hundreds of other swimming in my head since I'd laid eyes on him made me feel more tired then before. I couldn't integrate him now though, not when he was hurt. No matter how much I wanted to…
Grabbing a washcloth and running it under the tap at Kuronue's suggestion, I returned to the couch and sat down on the little table in front of it. I helped Saitō get his uniform top off, so that I could see the wound better. A lot of his torso was covered in the same kind of burns I had not my shoulder and collar bone, along with a large slash on his left arm. I started with the arm, drabbing at the wound carefully, cleaning off the dirt and making sure not to get it in the wound.
"I don't really know what I'm doing…" I admitted after a moment, trying to follow the instructions Kuronue told me. Saitō laughed slightly. Cringing when I started applying sterilizer.
"You never have been good at taking care of people, not even yourself." He teased me, but it still stung a bit, though I knew he was right. I was a horrible caretaker. "That is how we met after all. With you wondering around Spirit world trying to find the medical wing, all the while bleeding on the floor."
"I think the blood lose has made you drunk," I grumbled at him embarrassed. "It was hardly that bad. I was not 'bleeding all over the floor,' just a drop here and there." The more embarrassing part was that I had been about to walk into the men's quarters when he had been walking out. He had stopped me of course and recognized me. By then I had worked with the SDF about twice, both times he had been in the squad.
In the end Saitō had led me back to his quarter to take care of the injury to my arm and shoulder himself, rather then bother with walking all the way back across Spirit World to get a healer's help.
"Odd how our rolls have switched," he remarked. I smiled slightly, slowly placing gauze over the wound and tapping it in place.
"You did a lot better job." I grumbled as I scowled, a piece of gauze falling off. Kuronue snickered in my head before carefully explaining the right way to tap it. Once it was all padded, I moved to wrapping it up in bandages, which took a few tries because I kept making it too loose.
"I wasn't as distracted as you must be." Saitō pointed out and I looked at him as I tied off the wrap. "I can only imagine how many questions are swimming around in your head right now… seeing me here like this."
He had no idea.
Once again I bit back my questions and stared at the burns on his skin. I wasn't sure there was much I could do for that. Covering them up as is would only make it worse, and I didn't have that stuff Kurama had used.
"You can tell me once I feel better about your condition."
He nodded his head laying back on the armrest and closing his eyes as I pondered what I could do.
"I have stuff for sun burns… would that help?"
"I would have to look at the ingredients."
Nodding my head I stood up and made my way back to the bathroom. Putting the bloody rag in the sink for now I bent down and started looking for the aloe. I would probably need to contact Spirit World as soon as I could, sooner if I couldn't help with his burns. Part of me didn't want to until he told me what he knew.
Was Kyo alive? What had happened?
I was still looking for the bottle when I heard a knock on the door and jumped, hitting my head on the counter.
"Ouch! For the…" I trailed off in my grumbling, standing up and rubbing at the sore spot as I made my way over to the front door. When I opened it, I was hit with a dose of life again like a bucket of water. "Kurama? Why are you…shit."
The redhead blinked, looking at me confused as I rubbed my eyes, remembering the date I had been planning to get ready for over thirty minutes ago. He looked nice, wearing slacks and button up green shirt with a winter coat on top. He tilted his head looking at me before a startled look past over his face and he reached up, touching the sleeve of my shirt. Following his gaze I found a streak of blood on it from helping Saitō.
"Its not mine." I assured him smiling slightly. He raised an eyebrow and I waved him in. "I'm sorry, something… came up and I lost track of time and…" I let out a long breath. "I could use your help though…I'm not sure how thrilled you're going to be about it."
After all, Kurama and the SDF didn't see eye to eye, seeing as one of them had hunted him down and tried to kill him.
Kurama frowned a bit before nodding his head and following me into the main room where he stopped suddenly upon seeing Saitō, who still had his eyes closed for the time being. "Izumi, what in the – "
"Please don't." I cut him off biting my lip. "This is Saitō… the one I told you about in the letters… the one that helped me get out when the ranch was under attack."
Kurama frowned before apparently remembering me speak of him and sighed nodding his head. He might have not liked the SDF, but he could deal with them. "If you trust him…"
"I do. With my life." I answered without pause, and the redhead nodded his head again, taking off his coat and hanging it up on a hook where mine was.
"How long has he been like this?"
I watched him walk over and take the place of where I had been minutes ago. "I don't know, it's been over two days since the attack, but he wasn't hear when I left around noon."
Kurama nodded and I walked over to sit down next to him as he looked at my hack job bandaging Saitō's arm. A smirk curled on his lips but he left it alone. Narrowed my eyes I bumped my shoulder with his in protest and he laughed slightly.
"I see Kuronue's medical work didn't transfer to you very well."
"I've never had to do it before," I complained, flushing as Kurama reached into his hair and took out a few seeds. I often wondered how in the world he kept them in there…his hair never seemed tangled. He looked at them for a moment before picking one out and putting the rest back. Energy ignited around him for a moment and the seed glowed and then suddenly broke appear, growing into a long vine like plant and then sprouting large blue bell like flowers.
Once again I was reminded about his sudden drop in power and I frowned for a moment looking at my hands. Not my call, I told myself, but I could feel Kuronue's disapproval in the back of my mind.
Silently Kurama plucked a few of the flowers from the plant and hand them to me. I examined one, finding them rather soft and slightly heaver then I would have thought. From the corner of my eye I saw the plant stop growing and then it reverted back to the seed it bad been, where Kurama stored it away once more.
"Use a bowl and crush these with some water." He instructed me. I nodded my head, getting up, flowers in hand and walked into the kitchen across the way. I did as I was told, placing them in a small bowl with some water and used a spoon to start crushing it.
I felt a bit guilty really. I think Kurama had been looking forward to taking me out, and now he was stuck helping someone he wasn't very fond of. I winced slightly at the thought Kuronue brought to mind. Right now, my old friend with benefits, my current romantic partner and my best friend who had feelings for me were all in the same place.
I didn't want to know what would happen if Kurama knew about the other two.
I tilted me head concentrating on the bowl where the once blue flowers were now resembling a mush and heard the two boys in the other room speaking quietly. Saitō must have woken back up. Unable to help myself I drew on Kuronue's power slightly enhancing my hearing.
"It would seem I have trampled on plans tonight." Saitō said quietly.
"I doubt you had much choice."
"No, but I can see you aren't very happy about it. Our last meeting wasn't under the best of conditions."
I grimaced again thinking about the cave. Of Kurama in his demon form stocking over to the SDF who had me in their grasp. Of Saitō stepping in and offering me to the fox demon like some sort of treaty.
"It wasn't." Kurama agreed, and I heard a bit of shuffling.
"You have nothing to be suspicious about, fox demon. Izumi is a close friend and has been for years. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, including doing anything to you."
"I would prefer you not call me that. As for yourself, you haven't proven anything to me. No motive is ever completely innocent."
"No, they aren't, but sealing your powers like you have? It doesn't help anyone you know – what? You thought I wouldn't feel the difference? I don't know your motives for doing it, and Izumi won't say anything because she cares too much for you. I would think about it carefully if I were you though, what your choice could mean for her."
"What is your point?"
"She is not some naïve child Kurama. You'll have to let her in completely at some point – if you want to know her more then you already do."
"You sound as if you know more then a normal friend should know."
I heard Saitō chuckled slightly and I flushed looking as the gunk in the bowl more carefully, registering that it was the same stuff Kurama had used on my own burn before. Kuronue snorted.
"I think he's less injured then we thought."
I scowled slightly wondering what I had gotten my self into before stirring the stuff once more and heading back out into the living room. Kurama and Saitō both looked normal, of course, but I could tell from the tense muscles in the redhead's jaw that he was annoyed.
Silently I walked over and sat down handing the bowl to Kurama who took it nodding slightly. As he applied it to Saitō's burn I took in a deep breath, figuring if he had enough energy to scowl Kurama, he could tell me what needed to be done.
"Can you tell me what happened after I left?"
Kurama paused at my words, but after a moment kept going. Saitō frowned, sighing but nodded his head.
"You should know I suppose, before I give my report to Spirit World and they strip it down before telling you." We all knew that Spirit World only liked to tell us what we had to know to do our jobs. "After you left…" I watched as he closed his eyes and thought. "I ran back to help Kyousuke, we fought off most of the demons but that damned fire elemental was causing all kinds of problems. He'd set the place on fire and was using everything in his power to wear us down." He shifted, wincing when Kurama started binding his wound. "I ended up taking a blow for him when another demon appeared and took a swipe at him." He gestured to his chest where I'd wrapped the slices. "We were running out of time Izumi and I was injured… so was he."
"…How did you get here?" I said quietly looking at him as he pushed himself into a sitting position after Kurama was finished. He frowned reaching out a hand to touch mine but stopped half way, placing it back where it had been.
"I wasn't sure at first, but Then I was suddenly here and only moments before I had been fighting? I think he used his time teleportation magic on me. I heard you say it had been two days to Kurama, but, well, I was fighting just hours ago."
I hunched my shoulders slightly, cursing. No wonder Koenma hadn't been able to find anything; at that point Saitō had been in the time stream. I found myself cursing Kyousuke for his noble act. Now there was no way of knowing what had happened to my master.
"I'm sorry, Izumi."
"It's not your fault." I said after a moment, taking in a deep breath. "It was his own choice. We can only hope he got away or…" I swallowed and Kurama put a hand on my shoulder. "We can only hope." I repeated after a moment sighing. Saitō looked at me sadly, but said nothing more. There weren't any words he could say that I hadn't already heard in the last few days. "I'm going to call Koenma, get someone here to take you home." I said after a moment.
"Alright. I should get out of your hair, you have plans you should keep."
I looked from him to Kurama and the redhead tilted his head nodding that he still wanted to. It took a bit of effort, but I smiled knowing it would do us both some good.
"Alright. I'll be back then."
I patted the SDF's shoulder and then stood up, my hand brushing Kurama's before I walked towards my bedroom. Kuronue sighed in the back of my head but said nothing. I was heart broken and tormented by the thought of my master being dead somewhere, but I held on to the hope that he was all right. I shook my head, no I wasn't going to keep dwelling on it, not when life kept moving forward. Not when I had the chance to do something other then worry. I needed to do something for myself tonight, and hell if that was going to change.
Reaching my nightstand I picked up my communicator and turned it on.
Izumi's Playlist: Living Through the Ghost by Shinedown (from Saitō)
