Chapter 6

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This was the final straw. He had dealt with her smart aleck remarks, her cold stares, even her harsh insults that were aimed not only at him, but at the few people he considered worth respecting. But this. This was unacceptable. The new 'teammate' had yet to introduce himself, even after staring at the koorime for several minutes, his own face not even four inches from Hiei's. Needless to say, the newcomer nearly lost his head as Mia had predicted.

Currently, 'Edeth' was walking around inspecting each of the members. He didn't touch them, he seemed to be simply evaluating their injuries. He didn't spend much time on the half awake Kerr. This was probably because the tired Thirian swung his long sword at the goggling male after about a minute. With a turn from Mia's body, who he had spent the most time staring at, he began walking back to the fire demon leaning against the entrance, giving Hiei the chance to look him over.

He was average height, around Kurama's size. This 'Edeth' had mossy green hair that fell into his face in small strands as it shone naturally in the little light. His build was sturdy and reliable and his face was set in an almost childlike glow that the koorime found unbearably obnoxious.

Even Kuwabara doesn't smile that dumbly, thought Hiei irritably.

But that really what got him most. It was his eyes. Despite his innocent appearance, his eyes stony and colored in a steel gray to match this feel. They seemed to carry no emotion that lasted for over a minute, and made the koorime uneasy. But he couldn't place his finger on why. It wasn't that his eyes were cold and cruel like Mia's, in fact they were accepting and content.

So what was it?

Then it hit him.

With one swift movement, Hiei swung out his katana at 'Edeth.' The eyes were identical in color to those of the changeling Karaz that had attacked them twice.

The changeling moved out of the way with a movement so swift, it was startling. How did he gain so much speed? Hiei continued his relentless barrage of swipes, barely missing him each time. His opponent made no move for a weapon, yet he seemed to grow less and less confident with every swing as the koorime gained speed. Suddenly, Hiei saw it. The changeling hadn't gotten faster, he was sinking into the floor as he moved, lowering himself out of each swing. The sword master fainted with his weapon and then swung low and pulled the changeling's feet out from beneath him. Pulling the blade above his head he prepared to cut of the intruders head, only to see him staring up at him with wide eyes. He faltered.

The changeling opened his mouth and spoke for the first time since 'hello'. "Well, Jagan Eye, I had heard that you were not talkative, but tying to kill me before I open my mouth is just a bit much don't you think?" His voice was that of a normal guy about twenty-five with a slightly hoarse tone to it. Nothing special. Not Karaz's either.

"Don't let Karaz trick you. Just cut off his head." Kerr was on his feet, sword now replaced with the spear from his belt.

"Karaz!" the changeling gagged on the word. "Don't insult me! I may be a changeling but I'm not that disgusting. My name is Edeth, as Mia so kindly told you."

Hiei brought the blade down next to his head in such a quick movement that 'Edeth' winced. "You have two minutes to convince me I shouldn't kill you."

"Because Koenma would have a fit like you've never seen and Mia would probably leave you stranded here in the middle of the island."

"...I doubt that woman cares about anyone that much, let alone a changeling. She seems to hate your race the most," Kerr muttered.

"Mia may be a cold hearted hag, but she still has emotions," Edeth growled at the Atlantion, looking truly angered by what Kerr had said.

Hiei pulled his blade out and stood straight. "We'll ask Mia when she wakes up. If you're not someone Koenma or her sent for," Hiei gave an evil sneer, "Then I'll really have to burn you alive."

Edeth flinched, sitting up with a nod.

/Are you sure that's wise/ questioned Kerr.

/He didn't sink through the floor despite the fact he was more than capable of. Either his real master will falay him alive if he returns empty handed, or he is who he claims to be./

/...Wonderful./ The Thirian stopped the link after that sarcastic remark, causing Hiei to glare at him.

Edeth had moved while they were talking. He was now physically inspecting Mia's wounds.

"Don't bother," Kerr growled in a voice that made the koorime smirk. "She's mainly suffering from battle fatigue. She'll wake up in an fifteen minutes to an hour depending on how far she pushed herself."

"Well, if her appearance is any clue, then I'm guessing towards the longer side."

"What gives you that idea?" Kerr grumbled walking towards Edeth. The Atlantian does not trust this man in the slightest, thought Hiei, still smirking.

"She's all sweaty and clammy. Unless she's been doing some very stupid things, this isn't good. I've never seen her like this."

" 'Never seen her like this?' "

"I've known her since she started working for Koenma."

"Ah...well does being dead for an extended period of time, unlocking a royal illusion, manipulating reality, and growing," he looked under Mia's hood an smirked, "Four years in less than half of one count as 'stupid things?' "

Now even Hiei was interested. She had aged again. Peculiar.

"Oh," Edeth scoffed in a strangled voice, "Is that all?"

"...She's very grumpy and reclusive, but since you called her a hag, I'm sure that doesn't count."

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU ALL BEEN DOING?" He yelled, his calm shattering. He raged on without an answer. "I told Koenma NOT to send so soon after a rebirth, but noooooooooo, he had to get her out of Spirit world! Couldn't possibly let her RECOVER from being held captive and tortured! Nope! I'll KILL the runt!" The changeling was now pacing, green energy flickering on and off as he grumbled in a different language. Though every once and a while a very crude insult would come out of his mouth.

Hiei remembered the night they had found Mia tied to the pole and how she had swore at Koenma for sending them. 'She still has emotions'. This must be a friend of hers. He watched the man rave. Then remembered her short temper with stupidity. Maybe.

The changeling growled, a deep animal like sound. Surprisingly, it wasn't very different from his normal husky voice. Without a second thought, he turned to Hiei, his eyes still ablaze with anger, yet, after a moment, the koorime realized it wasn't aimed at him. "You must be Hiei, Master of the Jagan Eye."

The koorime nodded.

"Kerr of Cathmor?"

The Thirian started visibly, "What did you just say?"

Edeth grinned. "I'm a spy. If I need information, I take it."

"In other words, you stole my temporary file."

"I wouldn't say steal."

"...I don't like you," Kerr stated bluntly, his eyes narrowing.

This only seemed to amuse their new teammate, because he gave a short laugh. "Not many do, I'm afraid. Mia would have killed me had she been allowed to. Took her fifty years to actually smirk without an evil undertone." He stood there thinking for a minute, then decided to add a bit of unneeded info. "Never, ever wish her to laugh. It's not worth the nightmares."

"And, exactly what does that mean, little Edeth?"

Said changeling stood with his back at the now standing Mia in all her shadowed glory. With a pale, blue tinted face and his features drawn taunt with a sudden fear, he slowly turned to look over his shoulder at the strange girl. "Gods have mercy," he muttered in a strangled voice. With an 'eep' he ran out of the cave as fast as he could.

Mia shook her head, and Hiei saw a glimmer of something under her hood. Why do they fear her? She even admitted her reaction to Angelo's intrusion was a pre set trap, so why are these two so afraid when she hasn't done more than glare?

The strange woman walked over to Kerr and placed a hand on his chest. Slowly his wounds seemed to disappear. "Excuse me," she said in a still raspy voice as she stood and walked after Edeth.

"Mia," called Kerr causing her to stood and turn to him slightly, but not look up. "Yes?"

"You shouldn't leave in your current state. I'm not stupid; I've noticed that you ha-"

"That is none of your concern. And consequently, I think your people would be appalled if they thought you sympathised with me." With that she walked out and pulled herself up onto the overhanging ledge.

There was silence in the cave save a few deep breathes from some of the wounded. The Atlantian stood and walked to his teammates and slowly healed them one by one. When he turned to Hiei however, the koorime just gave a soft growl.

"Don't bother. I'll heal by tomorrow."

"...whatever."

Hiei glanced around his fallen teammates. Satisfied with the fact they were all still out cold, he look back at Kerr. "What's with them?"

"No clue."

"Sadly, I don't buy that."

The Thirian stood and walked towards the opening after healing everyone. "Sorry, but I told you I have no clue about her personal life."

"...where are you going?"

"I'm going to find the answer to your question."

"You know they'll catch you right?"

"Probably."

"Then why risk it? You seem to respect her."

"I respect Mia like I respect any dangerous animal."

Hiei looked at him curiously. "You're a strange one."

"So I've been told."

A thought struck the koorime violently. An evil smile crept over his features. "Let me go."

"What are you playing at?" Kerr said with a peculiar stare.

"I'm excellent with blackmail." And with that, he was gone.

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The fire demon was determined. There was something between these two and he wanted to know, if only to make this girl seem possible. No one can live without some sort of familiar.

Hiei climbed easily to the top where, much to his surprise, he found a cool plateau with spires of rock jutting skyward in assorted size. Oh yes, it would have been wonderful place to hold a battle it it wasn't around twenty degrees there.

For some reason though, it wasn't stopping Mia from beating the crap out of Edeth in a dagger fight any way. It seemed evenly balanced at first glance to the fire koorime; they both moved at the same speed and Edeth was dodging the young female's moves properly. But that illusion of a thought soon faded. Edeth was breathing hard and sweating heavily while Mia continued to move with a eerie grace that seemed to take no effort at all.

With a sudden swing, Mia switched how she was holding her blade and came back around and cut the changelings hands on the upper wrists causing him to drop his weapons. She swung her entire body into a side kick to his ribs forcing the man to drop to the ground on his back. Somehow she managed to arrange herself with him between her feet and brought the daggers down causing Edeth to close his eyes give a strangled cry. But then he blinked realizing that both blades had just missed his head. Suddenly, he began laughing. "You still have that horrible sense of humor, you hag."

"And your retorts are still pathetic. What's your point?" She moved off of him, cracking her neck.

"Tell me, is that one of your questions I can't come up with a good answer for you?"

"Not in that excuse for a brain, no."

He sat up with a sigh, shaking his head. "You never change."

"Hm," she pulled down her hood farther, that had managed to stay up, but had been pushed back enough to see her face.

Hiei took the hint, knowing that she had only done that sensing his stare, and stepped out from behind a rock he had used to hide himself. "How long did you know?"

"Since you came over the ledge."

Edeth's eyes went wide, "Who, what- He!...huh?" He ruffled his hair in frustration. "Ow, my head."

"Hiei's relationship with me is not a kind one. The fact that he would look for a weakness is only natural."

"Do not act like I'm easily read," the Forbidden Child growled. "I am not some pawn in your game."

"Of course not. You are far to strong for that. You all are." She walked over the edge without even bothering to hold on the the edge, and dropped to the edge that held the rest of her team.

Now, Edeth was another story all together. "...I'm confused."

"That doesn't shock me." Hiei growled, reluctantly following the girls lead leaving an amusingly baffled changeling.

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"This is...a new member? Is that legal?" Yuskue said, staring at Edeth. They had all finished coming over the mountain and were now getting ready to eat.

"Um...yes and no," the newcomer said, scratching the back of the head.

"That doesn't sound reassuring."

"There aren't any rules about adding to your team as long as they were on the island when it started."

"Were you?"

"Yes."

"So where does the 'no' come in?"

"I'm not a registered participant."

"Ooooohhhhhh," he said with a nod.

"Yuskue," Kurama whispered in his ear, "You do realize that means he's not supposed to be here and we could get kicked out for smuggling him."

"Sure I knew-WAIT! WHAT!"

Mia pulled the large bird that Kerr hand caught (Everyone was so hungry they didn't bother to ask what it was) off the spit and started cutting it up. "Don't worry, despite his looks, Edeth is the best spy Other World has."

Said changeling gave a dazzling smile.

"Though he's not that good of a battle strategist."

And it faded. "Party pooper."

She shrugged and starting tossing people random pieces for them to eat. The group soon found that though the smell was faint the taste was very spicy. It was an interesting combination that confused the brain and made them very glad they had stopped for extra water.

Edeth gave a content smile. "Good stuff." He popped his last piece him his mouth with an obnoxious grin that just caused Kerr to stare openly at him in disgust.

Mia stood, not making any movement to remove the dirt from her body, though there was plenty of it. "We should move on to the oasis."

"Why would there be an oasis in the middle of a grassy field?" Kuwabara quiestioned as he swung his arms around for emphasis.

"Because tomorrow, we're going through a desert. The climate here is unbalanced due to the area and strange shape and oddly placed mountains. We should reach it by night fall."

"You act like we are afraid of the dark, onna." (A/n: Come on, you real didn't think he wasn't going to try to annoy her, did you?) "We're not children."

"Because a great deal of the creatures on this island thrive in the dark and despite all of Kerr's best efforts, we all still smell like blood."

Edeth stood, supposedly not at all full or gloated like the others. "Moving, moving, moving," he chanted under his breathe as he cleared the area.

Mia seemed to let out a small exasperated sigh. "Impossible," she muttered, but no one seemed to hear other that the koorime that was still glaring at her.

It didn't take long for them to clear out. They each only had a small back pack and a flask of water, so doing much more than cover the fire was not needed.

The group moved at a steady, fast walking pace so not to reopen some of he wounds still remaining. Slowly the new member began to hum a song. It had a slow, yet upbeat sound that made the walking less and less strenuous. It seemed to change it's tune more and more as it went by though, still keeping it's calming effect, yet becoming more haunting. When he reached the last note, Edeth paused for a moment taking a slow deep breath and looked at Mia. She simply stared forward from under her hood. He seemed slightly put out by this, but started to sing anyway. Strangely, his rough voice wasn't at all grating and seemed to fit the tune nicely. But the words were strange and cryptic.

"A friend is a friend

Until the end.

Some people refuse this.

Pain causing their brains to miss

That the reality of friendship

Is a dedicated hardship."

Even Hiei was glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Even though he had just heard the tune, it somehow seemed...heart aching still, yet in a comforting way. He couldn't place his finger on it.

"We ignore the call.

We won't allow others cause us to fall.

Oh, no. We are too proud

To allow such feelings to be shone aloud.

So we curl up tight,

Ignoring the battle we have to fight.

No one can exist without one.

A friend is an anchor second best to none.

We don't want to have our emotions free,

We want to live alone and empty.

So we can die in peace.

But we should think of death least.

Shove it away.

Push it away.

You allowed it to enter,

Only now do you falter.

You see the obligations.

And you know it throws away all precautions.

So why not just forget?

No reason for you to admit.

The pain will just heal.

The wounds of betrayal will seal.

Friendship is so easy.

Nothing that simple is steady.

If you think I'll buy this, you fool,

Then just go hide in your numbing pool.

I won't stand your denial of warmth.

I can't stand your refusal of hearth.

Life shifts beneath your feet even now.

You need a commitment, or expect to bend the knee and bow.

The world will fall.

It will destroy all.

Nothing but God is everlasting.

Better take mortal love, even flawing.

But remember, even a strong one will move.

Cause you to once again to lose.

But it'll be there when you need it.

When everything hurts more than a bit.

A true friend's wound will mean nothing.

In the cold, they are your clothing.

You deny them the right

To be mortal and bite.

Take them back.

Something alone is nothing but black.

And the shadows can never last in the light.

They can't seem to gain enough spite.

The Truth made the Lie in it's absence.

You won't survive alone in it's presence.

A friend is a friend

Until the end.

Some people refuse this.

Pain causing their minds to miss

The reality of friendship

Is a dedicated hardship."

And then he stopped and spoke quietly to the girl, "Mia, why didn't you-"

"We're here," she muttered, not even bothering to look at the changeling that had stopped to stare at her with a hurt expression.

Kurama gave him a worried glance. "Edeth?" For some reason he now trusted this creature. He was open and easy to read, just like a child's book. "Is something...wrong between you two?"

"I didn't think so but...she's," he cocked his head to one side. "Avoiding something. And I don't think asking her 'Why didn't you sing along with me?' was it."

"She...sings?" Kerr blinked as though the idea was a sign of the apocalypse.

"Oh, yes. In fact, only song I ever heard her even bother with."

"What's it called?" Kurama asked, ignoring the flabbergasted look on Kerr's features.

"Don't know, I don't think she bothered to give it a name." With that he ran to catch up to Mia and help her set up camp, leaving the other five to stare at his back in awe.

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A/N: I have...reviews? Me? Excuse me for a moment while I go do my happy dance in private.

THANK YOU!

Tsume-Hiei lover: So...bit different ain't he?

Kitsune katana: Thank you. I'm doing my best.