P.S.- If you have a question to a chapter that is not the newest one, please review to that chapter (or with the newest one, but remind me which chapter you're talking about) so I can answer your question or fix the chapter to make it more clear.
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Chapter 4
Hiei sat drumming his fingers. Part of him said to turn against Kurama now before the fox could strike at him. Another said to be patient, he had seemed genuine, though that was hardly an excuse.
And then there was Myth. Everytime he even thought of the woman, his Jagan burned white hot and the hair stood up on the back of his neck as if to warn him of something. Something he couldn't quite remember.
The fire koorime looked down from the branch he was perched on. Kurama was asleep, sitting against a tree. Kuwabara was snoring obnoxiously. Yuskue muttered and gave a jolt everyonce and a while. Even Kerr looked totally relaxed lying on his stomach. Mia was perhaps the only one who seemed even slightly prepared, and that was because she was awake, staring blankly into the quickly dying embers as she had been everytime he looked at her through the night. What an odd child.
Mia stood up slowly and walked over to Kerr. She gave his body a poke with her toe and the large man slowly woke.
Rolling onto his back, Kerr was immediately greeted by Mia's shadowed face. \What is it?\ he asked her.
\The fire demon is being overly cautious. Something does not appear to be settleing well with him.\
The Thirian gave her an annoyed look. \Please tell me you didn't wake me up for just that. If so, I'm going back to sleep.\
\You act as though I'd let you. You should wake up the others, it is nearing seven in the morning by human time.\
Kerr stretched and gave a great yawn. \Whatever you say, oh wise one,\ he sent in a sarcastic tone as he stood and began waking the others.
Mia sighed and walked out of camp past Hiei's tree. The koorime did not look happy. For some reason he couldn't intercept the conversation between the two new comers. All he heard was a bunch of babble.
"That was Atlantian Code," came a whispered voice.
Hiei jumped and drew his sword. There, balancing on the branch behind him, was Mia. "Surprised, appirition? Surely you didn't think I was without some abilities?" Again she spoke in that non-mocking voice that Hiei loathed so much.
"Perhaps, onna, I should warm my blade."
"Don't be foolish. I simply thought you might want to know that the Thirian and I speak in code, and that you are only wasting your own energy by listening in."
"Get away from me," he growled, eyes glowing dangerously.
"As you wish," Mia replied in hushed tones. She jumped down and slipped into the woods.
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"You can't be serious," grumbled Yuskue. "You wake me up, and then fifteen minutes later expect me to start climbing a mountain! Forget it," he sat down with a stuborn look on his face. "No way, no how."
Mia glared at him from under her hood, but even her eyeless gaze that sent chills down his spine wasn't enough to move the stubborn battle demon.
Kurama sighed. "Come now, Yuskue, you can't give up so early. Plus, it's only a small mountain. There isn't even any snow at the top."
"I'm not giving up, I'm going on strike."
"A strike is normally unsuccessful when only one is involved."
Kuwabara sat as well causing the fox to groan.
Suddenly Kerr got a large, boyish grin on his face. "Let them stay, Kurama, then they won't get hurt."
"What's THAT supposed to mean!" yelled the human.
"Simply that Mia scouted this morning and found a formidable team."
Yuskue's face broke into a smile very different from the Atlantian's. "A fight, huh? Well then, lead the way." He stood easily and looked a Kuwabara. "You coming, complainer?"
"Darnit, Urameshi, you're the one who started this!"
"No, I don't think I did." He blinked innocently, tapping his chin.
"Like hell you didn't!" He tackled the hanyou to the ground in a sad attempt to harm him. And it was on.
Until Mia had her say.
"Enough, you fools." Her voice was raspy, and cut smoothly through the rucus. Suddenly the fact that she had come back from the dead hit them hard like a slap in the face. She was still very weak, apparently. "Save your energy on where it's needed."
"Lighten up, kid," smiled Yuskue weakly, "We're just playin', like always."
"Some traditions are arogant and need to be broken," she snapped in a tone that told that this was the end of the discussion.
Sadly, Yukue never took insults lightly. "Hey! What's your problem?"
"I'm surrounded by idiots that couldn't sneak by a bear that was hibernating and deaf."
"Alright, that's it!" The detective pushed Kuwabara off and stomped over to the girl. "Just because youre spooky, doesn't mean you can push us around! I refuse to-...to," he stared at the cold dagger tip coming out of Mia's cloak and pointing at his torso.
"No, you'll listen to me because Koenma sent me to guide you, and I have more ways than even Hiei could think of to make your life worse than Hell."
"Now, you see, I don't think that's possible," he replied cockily.
"You will often find, Yuskue Urameshi," she put her dagger away and turned. "That physical pain is not what make the strong fall." She jumped easily up the mountain, her figure shifting from one place to the next like a shadow.
"I believe she has decided to move with or without us," stated Kurama, following soon after he made his statement.
The climb was a steep, harsh journey that caused every bone to ache that wasn't already chilled by the altitude. Hiei was the only one who seemed unthankful for the cave near the top, and this was probably only because his body could easily sustain in cold weather.
Mia sank to her knees in the middle of the cave and began rummaging through her small bag at her belt.
Hiei stood at the entrance, staring out into the cold, noon air as the others searched the cave.
It was large in size. The cavern they were in know appeared to be carved out by hand and could have easliy fit two houses in it. The back wall and ceiling were untouched by the gloomy light let in by the small entrance.
Kerr moved to stand near Hiei. He stared into the accumulating clouds with wise eyes that took the koorime slightly off guard. After a moment, he turned back into the cave with his regular features. "It's going to storm, Mia. Bad."
She shrugged.
"I wanted to fight something," Yuskue groaned.
Kurama sighed. "It may be for the best, most of us are tired from the vertical climb."
"Yeah," muttered Kuwabara, "I feel like my limbs are falling off."
"You sound like a tree," scoffed Yuskue. "The whole Battle Royal thing sounded like fun at first, but right now it seems like everyone is just trying to sneak around."
Kerr scratched the back of his head for a moment before responding. "About one fifth of the teams are gone already. The weak one's left are trying to hold out until the others are too tired to fight. The strong one's are making bee lines and are pointless to fight now because they'll probably collapse from exhaustion soon. The smart groups are picking people off, one by one, binding their time and energy."
"So," muttered Hiei, thurning to look at Mia and not Kerr. "Which are we? Weak or intelligent?"
"Currently, both." Everyone stared at her blankly. "You've all reached the uper levels for demons, but many of the creatures aren't of demon origins, and easily surpass this group. While we are not weak, there are most assuredly stronger here.
"Now, if you would be so kind, Hiei," she added after a moment, "As to move away from the entrace, I would appreciate it."
The fire appirition glared at her. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by voices above his head. As they became louder and more distinct, he shifted away from the opening.
"Are you sure this is the right place, Sergio?" came a rough, deep voice.
"I'm sure, Carmine," replied a calm, velvety voice that made you wonder what he looked like.
"For once in your life, can't you just trust him?" questioned a man with an average sound about him.
"Shut up, Gino. I can handle myself," shot Carmine.
"You handle yourself as well as you make jokes," said a laughter filled air about him.
"HEY!"
"Now, Vinny, you know better," said a male with a deep, shadowy sound. "To use similies around Carmine would require him to think."
"That's enough, Dominic," said a guy in a half-felt attempt, his voice dying against Carmine's rantings.
"Who died and made you king?" hissed Dominic.
"Angelo's right, we all need to shut up." Gino muttered. "The storm is coming." But the rucus continued to rise as the tension grew.
Mia slunk farther into the cave as the voices came right above their heads. She slipped into the shadows in the back until nothing of her could be seen.
The others soon took the hint and followed suit.
"I SAID ENOUGH! NOW SHUT THE HECK UP, ALL OF YOU!" There was a few more harsh words from the rest of the group before the sound of someone's getting his face slammed in echoed through the cave. A tall, muscular man that seemed to have arms and legs a bit too long for him dropped head first infront of the entrance. He sat up almost instantly despite the drop and held his nose. "Dambit, Gino, you dibn'b hab to hib me so harb."
Kerr muttered something under his breathe.
Another man jumped down. This one had his hair short and sleeked in the back with long bangs the front. His features were thin and snake like. "Should've listened then."
"You were yelling just as loud, Dominic" a younger man with deep set eyes and slouching, yet well built body was the next down. He stood, shaking some of the now falling rain from his knee length hair.
"Shut it, Angelo, I can pick on the oaf as much as I'd like."
Another man jumped down, but Angelo replied before he could speak. "Carmine. His name is Carmine. Just because you were away for five years doesn't mean you can treat them like dirt."
"Watch me."
Angelo leaned against a wall and did so.
"That's enough," replied the man who had just jumped down, Vinny. "You two fight more now then before we all split up. And here I didn't think that was possible." He had a muscular, straight as a board build on him that only came with constant discipline. This thought was only backed by his buzz cut. Despite that, he had a friendly air about him.
The snake like man glared at Vinny and opened his mouth to say something when the last two figures dropped.
"Ab leab you sbill resbec Gino oo sobe debree," muttered Carmine under his breathe. His broken nose made awful whistling sounds as he spoke.
One of the men smiled weakly at this coment giving him away as Gino. He was actually only the second tallest there (next to Angelo), yet he held himself proudly -yet not to the degree that it was snobbish- as though he had earned his station. His hair was average looking as was the rest of him, but still, something about him was unnatural.
"That's because he's the eldest," said the last man, Sergio. He patted his brother on the shoulder and walked into the cave. Sergio was a hair's width at being unbelievable. He easily gave Kurama a run for his money in to looks department. Narrow eyes were framed with eyelashes so long that they were almost girly. His shap, attractive features were softened by a warm smile. His hair was probably shoulder blade length and was pulled at the nape of his neck and wrapped loosely so a few strands fell like bangs. Sergio had a strong, V-shaped torso that went into long, muscular legs. By far, he was the one that stood out the most.
"It takes more than birth order to gain my respect," growled Dominic.
Angelo sighed and shook his head. "I don't suppose-"
"No, you don't," he growled.
"Leab da rub alom."
"Thanks," Angelo muttered dryly.
"Shut it, runt," Dominic added with a cruel smile.
His sibling just gave him a meaningless glance that set his comrade's teeth on edge.
Gino groaned, "Just for a month, can we work to gether like the family we are!"
Vinny chuckled and patted the man on the back. "Just because we're brothers, doesn't mean we have to like each other. In fact, it gives us more reason not to." He left Gino to rubbing the bridge of his nose in stress, and moved onto Carmine.
"Fell on your face again, huh?" He ruffled the large man's spiked hair, obviously just to annoy him. "Told you not to do that." He began to wrap his brother's head with glowing bandages as the our team looked over the group.
Though they were very different in appearence, but there were many similarities that gave away that they were relatives. They all had black hair and bright green eyes. All their clothing, while in different styles to match their looks and personality, was of the same green cotton, embriodered with black and appeared to be very durable.
Mia stood up to her full height in the shadows. "Gentlemen, I present to you your first challenge."
The enemy wheeled to look into the cave. "Who's there?" questioned Gino, his face going hard.
Kuwabara laughed as he stood. "I barely sense anything."
"They're good at hiding their energy trail, you dolt," muttered Hiei, coming off the back wall.
Angelo looked back with a smile. "I wondered how long they were going to hide."
"YOU KNEW THEY WERE HERE!" Bellowed Carmine, sending Vinny head over heels.
"I was going to say something, but Dominic decided it wasn't necessary."
Yuskue smirked and began walking forward. "They fight more than we do."
"Don't underestimate them. I put up a shield so they couldn't sense it and the small one still found us."
"You mean the runt?" said Kuwabara. Angelo twitched.
"Don't get attached," hissed Mia.
"Do you worry about us, little girl?" Dominic sneered.
She simply stared at him from under her hood making her oponent tense up.
"Ansewr me."
"..."
He swore crudely at her causing Vinny to laugh. "She gets under your skin as much as Angelo."
Thunder cracked outside causing Carmine to jump away from the entrance. Water poured in making the ground become soppy and slick.
"There's no reason to fight now," Mia muttered sitting on the ground.
Everyone, including the opposite team stared at her in disbelief.
Suddenly, Sergio gave a silky laugh, "She has a point."
"Have you completely lost you mind, brother?" Carmine said with a horrified stare.
"No," said Gino, a smile slowly draining off his features. "She's right."
"Well, would you fill us all in?" growled Yuskue. "I'm dying to know."
"Don't get attached!" Mia hissed urgently.
"I'm NOT!"
The cave above them gave a shudder.
"This alcove is old, it could collapse if-"
"We have a full fledged battle," Kurama finished Sergio's sentence. "The water making everything softer is not helping either."
Gino nodded. "Plus we're all tired. Fighting now would only have the outcome based on luck."
Hiei grumbled under his breathe leaning against the wall once more. "So, we're just supposed to sit here and share the cave?"
"That would be nice," whispered Mia, appearing to be nodding off in her sitting position.
"No WAY!" Yelled Yuskue. "I will not stay in here with the enemy!"
The cave gave a tremendous shake that drowned out the thunder and lightning outside.
"We'll cause a cave in if we fight here. And climbing a mountain at this height in a thunder storm is suicide. We'll all stay put until the storm clears and dries out." The frail girl gave a bone ratteling cough. "Then you can all beat the crap out of each other."
Everyone stared at Mia in awe. Despite the fact that her voice was nearly gone and her body sounded like it was about to fall apart, she still spoke with an authority that sent chills down the backs of ten of the other eleven people. It just irked Hiei to no end.
Dominic was the first to recover. "There is no way I'm going to-"
"Let it go," said Gino with a sigh. "She's right."
Hiei could have swore the snake's eyes became slitted. "There is no way I'm going to listen to that-"
"You can beat me black and blue when the storms over, fool. Just wait until the floor dries or you'll kill us all." Mia gave him a rare look out from under her hood and, for some reason, it caused him to shut up immediately.
Angelo broke out into a wide grin for the first time. "She's mine when this get's started."
The strange girl didn't reply. Instead she just sat there, looking dead.
Kurama gave Kerr a pleading look, but the Thirian shook his head with and mouthed 'she-won't-let-me.'
The kitsune looked like he wanted to strangle something for a moment before quickly regaining his composure and sitting against the wall, watching the water slowly leak in.
Gino let out a deep breathe and glanced around, searching the group for a moment before giving out a heavy sigh of defeat.
Yuskue watched him with curiosity. This one is the leader, and the eldest apparently. But I can barely sense anything from them... perhaps they're like Mia. She seems to manage pulling off threats without any strength behind it yet... I still shiver at her glance. Are these people like her? He let out a frustrated groan and flopped into a Indian-stlye position, his leg bouncing impatiently. Who cares! First fight I get, and I have to wait for it!
Dominic stood straight in the middle of the room, eyes closed, supposedly in complete control of his emotions. But Hiei saw right through that.
Not that he was any better.
The koorime glanced every once and a while to the resting Mia. She was quiet enough to be sleeping, yet, unlike most unconcious minds, her mind was well protected.
"You might as well give it up," muttered Angelo, somehow managing to sneak up on the koorime while his head was bowed. "It's a stone wall, no way in, even if she was sleeping. Honestly though, I think she's scrying. Hard to tell." With a child like bound, he dodged Hiei's carelessly swung sword and plopped himself down infront of Mia. An intrigued look came over his face as he shifted from side to side shamelessly, trying to get a look at her face.
"That's very distracting," she whispered.
Angelo's face brightened. "Finally, a response."
"You're very open all the sudden."
"What can I say. You're a bit creepy."
"And that arouses the desire in you to try and find the reason why, even at the cost of your own head? How interesting," her voice cracked on the last word and she gave another great cough.
"You shouldn't be out in weather like this just after cutting it so close."
Hiei stared at he small man -in all his glorious long-haired innocense- and couldn't believe his ears. "How did you know that?"
"She still has some basilisk venom in her blood," he said looking at the fire demon curiously. "Odd how she blocks you out that much. She must really not like you."
His red eyes flickered black. "And why would you say that?"
"Because between her physical condition and her lack of Spirit energy, it's probably killing her to keep you out with that Jagan."
The koorime's eyes widened. He was sure he hadn't givin off any glow while trying to break into Mia's mind. "What did you just say?"
"Don't look so surprised, it gives off an aura all it's own. Yours is remarkably close, must be why they stuck you with the original."
Hiei's curiosity got the best of him. "Original?"
"I don't know the whole story," he muttered sadly, but Sergio was a step ahead of him.
"Apparently some demons found your eye and tried to use it only to backfire on them. They soon turned it over to some genesists who slowly studied it over the years until they figured out the basics in how it worked. They then reconstructed new eyes and tried them on some...volunteers until they got it right. No one's possesed the original one -except you- since it's been found."
"...interesting"
Mia gave out a great sigh. "Idiots. We're preparing for a fight, not a reunion. Shut up, before you start hugging."
"What are you so worried about?" yelled Yuskue. "You tell us to stay in here together until the rain stops, and you want us to be QUIET! No can do!"
"Is that all you say? You're very pessamestic."
"You're not one to talk." He muttered.
"The rain could last all night with how much the air smells. You keep your talking up at this rate, and only a third of us will be fighting when it's dried out because you all care too much."
Angelo leaned back. "Lighten up."
"No, Vakilian, I won't."
The small man looked like his face was going to split in two from his smile. "So you do have some abilities! I didn't even feel you reach out. How incrediable!"
Gino laughed. "You better stop girl, or you may be recieving the first hug. I haven't seen Angelo this curious in years."
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"Ah," grined the man before her, "But satisfaction brought him back."
The creature looked up, her eyes as chillingly bottomless as ever. "Cats only have nine lives." With that she stood and walked away to stare at the rainy expanse before her.