A Fight for the Light

A Time of Treachery

After Hiei had departed, I left my room and went to knock on the door to Team Masho's suite. I suddenly felt a bit better. It seemed as if Hiei had forgiven me, and if someone as relentless and bitter as Hiei could forgive me, I was sure the others could too. Still, it was treason and I still felt ashamed of myself. I tapped on the door three times slowly.

"It's Alicia," I could hear Jin say on the other side.

"Very well then. I'll get it," Risho came to the door and opened it. "Hello."

Being greeted by such an ugly, superficial, sinister face only helped to add to my feelings of guilt. I choked down my hatred and forced a smile. "Greetings, Risho."

"Did you keep your word?" he asked.

"I left Team Urameshi," I replied.

"Do I detect a hint of bitterness?" Risho spoke sarcastically.

"I don't have the patience to keep up a farce for very long tonight and you're not helping it," I grumbled.

"Regretting that you left the human team, Alicia? Maybe you shouldn't be here."

"I'm not talking about that. If you honestly want to know, regret isn't my problem, you are," I admitted, malice dripping from every word I spoke.

"You bitch," Risho slapped me across the face. I didn't even flinch.

"Please, continue to call me that," I insisted seriously. "I don't want someone like you speaking my name."

I was slapped again.

"Risho! That's no way to treat the lass!" Jin scolded.

"No, Jin, leave it be," I smirked. "I'm letting out my true feelings, shouldn't he?"

Jin stared at me. "Alicia, lass, I think tha' fever's messin' yer head up."

"No, I'm thinking clearly. I feel like scum for the contract I made and I should be punished. If the only way to be punished is to aggravate Risho into hitting me, so be it," I said. "However, he's too weak to deal out any real pain."

I was hit again but this time it was a punch to the stomach.

"You're nothing but a hollow bastard, Risho. The previous Master of Earth made a poor choice in selecting a student. Or perhaps, was your sensei senile?"

I was kicked, punched, and kicked again.

"That's enough!" Touya jumped into the way. "Risho, she is our ally, not our enemy. Save your strength for the true enemy."

"You're too self-righteous, Touya," Risho kicked him. Touya dropped to his knees. Risho laughed. "That's a fantastic look for you - on your knees with that pitiful look!"

"You bastard!" I attacked Risho. Within thirty seconds, I had Risho pinned and I was pummeling him, though I had Gama and Bakken attempting to restrain me. Feeling smothered by Bakken and Gama, I paused in my beating of Risho to throw a strong back fist into Biggy's face. The pitiful fool fell back onto the floor, blood trickling from his forehead. I then continued to hit Risho until I felt contented. When I was pleased with my work, I let Gama pull me away finally. I broke free and walked back to deal one final blow. I kicked him sharply in the side and muttered bitterly, "That was only fifteen percent of my maximum power. Do anything you want to me, but I swear to God, touch Touya again and I'll show you the full hundred. Demon reincarnates aren't tried for murder of demons, after all."

"Sounds like the ruckus is all finished with," I could faintly hear Kurama say in the room below.

Risho, who was almost totally incapacitated, groaned. A large bruise was already forming on his cheek. He spit out a tooth. His nose was bleeding, as well as his forehead his lip and his right eye, and I had heard a rib crack when I kicked him. He was in very bad shape… but I didn't give a damn. I hated Risho. I still do.

Tuning out Risho's cries of pain, I went to check on Touya. He was still on his knees, grasping his stomach painfully. Jin was crouching beside him, patting him on the back softly.

"You should learn to keep yourself out of darker dealings," I sat down before him. "After all, you're trying to get into the light. Entering the darker dealings will drag you away from your goal."

"Yes, you're right Alicia-san… but… I'd agree to stay in the dark forever just to protect you," he spoke. His voice was strained with pain.

My eyes went wide. "Touya-san… if it did ever come down to it, I couldn't let you do that for me."

"That's the one thing I can't stand about you," he chuckled weakly. "You're ready to give up everything for me and yet you'd never let me give up anything for you."

"Don't waste your breath complaining. Come on Jin, let's get him into bed," I switched my gaze from Touya to Jin.

"Right," Jin replied. He went to Touya's right and I went to his left and we both picked him up, each with one arm under his shoulders and another under his knees. We carried him over to his bed and gently laid him down.

"Ye've started a bit of trouble, lass," Jin notified me. "I may not mind ye wailin' on Risho and Biggy but I think they and Gama do."

"Oh well," I shrugged. "I'll be seeing you later." I went to leave.

"Hold it right there, lassie," Jin ordered. I paused and turned around.

"What is it Jin-chan?"

"Yer a part o' our team now. Ye sleep here," he insisted with a smile. "An' since we's only got five beds, yer gonna ha' ta sleep with me."

"You pervert!"

"Pervert!? Yer the one who started the whole bloody thing!"

"Jin, you're a grown man now and I'm a grown woman," I pointed out.

"Doesn't mean we ha' ta act it," Jin laughed.

"I'm going back to my room. If all you intend to do is sleep if you share a bed with me, you can come too."

"Just li' ol' times!" Jin grinned as he followed me to the door.

"Hey, you two can't leave me out," Touya sat up.

"Fine, I suppose if we squeeze in there's enough for three," I went back and helped him onto his feet. I threw his arm over my shoulder and walked slowly back to the door. Jin Touya and I left.

"She's some strange woman, that demon traitor. She can completely ignore her surroundings and the other people in the room like that and just have an ordinary conversation. She didn't seem like a warrior who had just finished a fight. She was too energized and she seemed like she forgot the fight entirely," Gama muttered to himself as we left.

It was a rather peaceful night's sleep, despite the havoc that had been wrought while we were awake. Jin Touya and I slept tranquilly throughout the night, huddled in my bed. However, the instant I awoke, I was troubled with the strong feelings of guilt deceit and treachery again. I began to wonder if Kurama was truly accurate when he said it was "an honorable betrayal."