Thanks for the feedback once again! Sorry about the cliffhanger last time. XD
Chapter Four- First Encounters
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He immediately spotted the girl hovered in the corner.
Yusuke met her gaze and she flinched instantly. Her eyes widened as she clutched that little weapon for all she was worth. "Go away!" she said, hair hanging wildly in her face. But she wasn't fooling anyone. He could sense the fear moving off her in waves.
Yusuke's lips turned into a grin. "What if I don't want to?"
Her angry expression faltered but she continued to eye him warily. She flashed the sword in the light like a frightened kitten bearing it's claws. "Get out."
He frowned. "Hate to burst your bubble, but I don't answer to you." He straightened up in confidence, getting rid of his natural slouch and letting her know who was really in charge of the situation. But she didn't look intimidated.
"I don't care, get away from me."
He raised his brows. She had some guts at least. Most village women panicked at the sight of him, running around in circles like chickens with their heads cut off. How old was this girl anyway?
"Please, just go away." she repeated.
Yusuke let out a sigh. He walked over and crouched down in front of her. "Whatever. Listen, have you seen any..uh, ice girls around here? I'll leave you alone if you tell me."
Her face went still and cold like a stone, which probably meant she was hiding something. "Well have you?" he persisted. He leaned in closer to her, strands of his black hair brushing against her neck. "I dunno who you are," he growled, sending her a scowl that would make any youkai run for cover, "and I don't think you know who I am, but let me fill you in. I could tear you to pieces if I wanted. It'd be wise for you to answer me."
She glared at him and remained silent. Her arm jerked once as if she were about to strike out with the sword. Surely she had more sense than that.
Her brown eyes seemed to burn with emotion. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
She was convincing, but not convincing enough. He caught the tremor of hesitation in her voice. "I think you're lying."
Her lips parted in a reply, but instead she took a desperate chance. She swung the katana at him in one swift movement.
Big mistake. Yusuke jerked back and caught her wrist, the blade coming within an inch of his face. He tightened his grip hard enough to make her drop the sword, which fell out of her fingers instantly.
She whimpered in pain and he let go. He kicked the weapon across the room, out of her reach. "You're not stubborn or anything." he grumbled.
Sweat trickled down her forehead as she stared at him in horror, wishing she could take back what she just did. She was out of options now. But she remained tight-lipped and told him nothing, putting her own safety in jeopardy.
Yusuke fought the urge to tug at his hair in frustration. "This is going nowhere..." He groaned, mellowing out his hostile facade. "Just tell me where she is and I'll leave your village alone ok? I don't have time to play games. I know you know what I'm talking about."
But the girl continued to peer at him without a word, those brown eyes trying to examine his motif. Unshed tears glittered on her lashes.
His expression turned cool. "What's your name?"
She moved her head back, startled. "Excuse me?"
"I said what's your name?"
"Why?" she snapped, suspicion laced in her voice.
"God I was just wondering." he scoffed. "Don't frikken overthink it!"
She bit her lip. "Keiko."
He nodded slowly. "Keiko huh? Well Keiko, let me ask again. Where's that ice woman? Lemme guess, she's laying low with the other villagers somewhere right? I'll flush them all out of their little hiding places if you don't tell me."
Her composure cracked as angry tears began rolling down her cheeks. "Shut up! I don't know! Please, I don't know..."
He stood suddenly. "Fine, then I'll find her myself. Thanks for nothing." He turned away from her and headed towards the doorway, wincing at the sharp pain in his side. Blood ran down his legs and started a crimson trail on the floor.
Keiko wiped the moisture from her eyes, desperation and worry slipping into her expression. She couldn't let him leave yet. She couldn't let him find the villagers. "Wait!"
Yusuke stopped, turning around to face her. "Change your mind?"
Keiko looked down at her feet. "Ah...you, um...you're bleeding, I can heal your wounds."
"What?" He narrowed his eyes, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. "Why the hell would you want to do that?"
Keiko drew herself up off the floor and walked over to a cabinet on the opposite wall. Yusuke crossed his arms, watching with mild curiosity. People generally didn't react with kindness when threatened. He knew she was up to something.
He expected her to pull out another weapon, but instead she brought out a handful of herbs and a roll of bandages. "This should stop the wound from getting infected." she stated simply. Her face was still lit with anxiety and anger, despite the calm of her voice. "And the herbs will stop the bleeding."
Yusuke scowled, realization slowly dawning on him. "Hold on, I know exactly what you're doing you little pain! You're stalling! How stupid do you think I am?"
Keiko bit her tongue, stopping herself from saying something nasty. "That's not it!"
"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes. "You're such a bad liar."
Yusuke grunted in discomfort and plopped down onto the floor. "Heal my wounds then," he said, propping his elbow up on his knee in a nonchalant manner. "I know I said I was in a hurry, but this cut is really annoying. So go ahead."
It was strange, he acted almost...human, like Yukina did. But Yukina was no where near this irritating. "Fine."
She went over and sat down beside him, her heart racing at being so close again. He could reach out and easily snap off one her limbs at any moment. But it was a chance she had to take. Her loved ones would be in worse danger if her bravery failed her now.
"Try not to move for a sec." Keiko said as she pressed the herbs against the wound. It was a deep, long cut that ran from his lower back up to his ribcage. A scab was already beginning to form along his skin. "When did this happen?"
He shrugged. "Last night I guess."
An injury like that would surely kill a human, but his body was healing itself on it's own. She grimaced at the blood that ran in between her fingers and all over Shizuru's kimono.
Yusuke waited, his black hair tossed over one shoulder and out of her way. His muscles bunched and relaxed at her touch that brushed against his skin. He caught the light scent of Lavender. But she wasn't using Lavender was she?
Keiko leaned in and wrapped the thick bandages around his waist quickly, her fingers trembling. That long dark hair reminded her of a lions mane, and it tickled her hands when she touched his opposite side.
"What's your name?" she asked out of pure curiosity.
"Yusuke."
Funny, that sounded familiar. She shook her head, waving the thought away. Yusuke was a fairly common name.
A few moments passed as Keiko worked on his side. She concentrated on cleaning up the wound, trying to ignore the fact that she was touching a youkai. The reality of the situation sent shivers of alarm down her spine, and she only hoped stalling gave her friends time to prepare for an attack.
Yusuke directed his gaze away from her, staring straight ahead at the wall. Rays of the morning sun drifted through the doorway and onto the floor, lighting up the dull brown of the wood flooring. He still kept smelling the perfume of Lavender, adding to the dreamy quality of the atmosphere.
Which vanished when Keiko yanked roughly on the bandages.
"OW! Shit that's sore!"
She grinned triumphantly to herself as she tied the ends of the cloth, unable to stop the sarcasm from dripping into her voice. "Oh, I forgot. I'm sorry."
Yusuke leaned away and moved her hands off his side, pushing himself out of her reach. "I'm sure you are." he said, peering at her with a snarky grin on his face. "But thanks for the clean up."
Keiko stared at him in surprise. Did he just...? She hadn't expected a thank you from him. She really hadn't wanted to do this much interaction with him at all. "Sure." she grumbled. It was all for her friends. She hugged her arms to her side, trying to calm her nerves. She was in this situation for them.
He stood up from the floor and shook his head, moving his hair out of his face. He stretched lazily, testing the strength of the bandages. "Hey, do yourself a favor and get out of this place by tomorrow."
Keiko jerked her head up to look at him, his words churning a sinking sensation in her stomach "What?"
"Just trust me. Get out of here alright?"
"Why?"
He made a vague sound in the back of his throat. "Because. Things are gonna get dangerous. This coming from a youkai! So shut up and do it." He spun around to leave, but sent her once last glance over his shoulder. His dark brown gaze met her light brown one. "Sayonara."
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Shuichi raced through the empty village with the swiftness of a fox. His long crimson hair flailed out behind him as he searched for any sign of movement.
"Keiko!" he called, only to have his own voice echo back in a reply. "Keiko!" he yelled again. No use hiding his location, the youkai probably knew where he was. Even the lowest of them could smell a human and sense his aura from miles and miles away.
The redhead couldn't believe that Keiko would wander off like that. She knew how dangerous it was.
He cursed himself silently, biting his tongue in frustration. He couldn't be there to protect everyone. If only he were stronger...
At least the sun was up, and the lights shown over the mountains to guide his way. He clutched his weapon, not a sword, but a long winding whip covered in thorns. It could slice a boulder in half with no effort, making it a deadly defense against tough demon hide and bone.
He passed house after house until he came to his own. He stepped cautiously up to the walkway, but stopped immediately when he noticed something was off. The door was gone.
The wind ran past him, carrying the wave of power he had felt earlier. But it was much stronger now, or closer, and it sent ripples of energy through is body. He felt it, the forest animals felt it, and even the grass around tremored with it as they wilted in the breeze.
And the source of this energy walked out of Shuichi's own house.
He immediately bristled, eying the dark markings that ran across the stranger's arms and torso. He had matted black hair that cascaded down his back, framing a face that regarded him with mild interest. Most youkai didn't look like that, and Shuichi knew instantly what he was.
A variety of emotions moved in his stomach, but his expression gave away nothing. The stranger was a Mazoku, the sort of demon that devoured humans for food. And Keiko was an ideal meal for one; young, healthy, and defenseless.
Shuichi was far from weak even though he was human. He could send youkai running for cover with one crack of his rosewhip. He fought off numerous raid attempts, keeping the village one of the more populous areas in this region. But despite this, he wasn't sure if he could take on this breed of demon.
He fixed a stern gaze on the stranger, hostility shining behind those emerald green eyes. "Leave now and go back to whatever land you came from."
The Mazoku came closer, a hateful smile spreading across his face. Shuichi held up his whip, the string of thorns dangling down to the ground and brushing against his legs. "Keep your distance." he warned.
"Sorry, can't do that." he said, waving the threat away. "I'm on a mission here, so get out of my way."
Shuichi didn't move.
"Are you deaf or something? I said get lost!"
"I'm not going anywhere." Shuichi growled, his voice cold and laced with dangerous undertones. He felt the pulse of his energy leak out from his core. "And I can't let you go any further. I suggest you go back. You are not welcome here."
The youkai's expression changed when he truly looked at Shuichi, the way a warrior sizes up his opponent. His eyes darkened. "There's something...strange about you, but I can't figure it out."
Shuichi waited for his next move, straining all his senses in an attempt to understand his motive. The man's fists were raw and bruised, but his build wasn't all that tall or buff, and he carried no weapons. This was a bad sign; it meant he could do damage barehanded.
But Shuichi would fight if that's what it came down to. He was the only thing standing between this youkai and the villagers. "Leave." he said again. He noted the dark blood that stained the Mazoku's side. Where was Keiko?
The youkai shook his head. "As much as I'd love the fight you, 'cause I don't think you're a normal human..I can't right now. So get over it, whip-boy."
"Don't call me that."
He scowled. "Look, I don't want to argue with someone again. You haven't seen an ice maiden around anywhere have you?"
Shuichi said nothing as he stood there with impatience, the wind moving the whip around him like a tail.
The man let out an annoyed sigh. "Didn't think so."
To the redhead's surprise, the stranger turned around, leaving his back unguarded and bare. He was either foolish or very confident that Shuichi wouldn't attack him. "I'm outta here." he said before he started off in the opposite direction.
Shuichi's shoulders sagged in relief. But he had to know one thing before it was over. The bandages on the youkai's side weren't bleeding, yet the stains on his legs and arms looked fresh. "Did you hurt a girl?"
His heart felt like a dead weight in his chest. But he had to know.
"No." he said, not bothering to turn around. The sense of conflict in the air dispersed completely, like it had never been there to begin with. "I didn't."
Shuichi thought over his answer warily. But despite his better logic, he believed him. It was baffling, but true.
He waited until he was out of sight before darting into the house, the floorboards squeaking loudly when he entered the room. "Keiko?"
She glanced up at him with surprise, eyes wide and lips quivering, but unharmed. "Shuichi? Thank god-" she stood up and launched at him with a hug, forcing him to drop his rosewhip. She began sputtering out excuses and apologies. "I'm sorry I ran off. I didn't mean to put you all in danger, and where is everyone? Are they alright? Listen, that youkai-"
"Relax," he smiled cooly, "no one's been hurt, and the youkai just left."
Her mouth fell open. "You ran into him?"
"Yeah."
She tugged on his arm. "No, no, he's after Yukina! We can't let him-"
"Wait, who's Yukina?"
Keiko bit her lip. "The ice maiden me and Botan rescued last night. But that's not important right now...he's looking for her, and she's in the cave with everyone else."
"Well we'd better get back there quickly." He paused, frowning. "Why are you covered in blood?"
She glanced down at her kimono, which had splotches of red across the front and sleeves. "Oh it's not my blood."
He gave her a confused look.
She shook her head. "I'll tell you on the way to the forest. There's alot of things I think you need to know, I think we're gonna be in some serious trouble."
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"How dare you, you little shit!"
The man charged at Hiei, barreling straight at him with the strength of a bull. His eyes were wide with fear and rage as he brought down a dull sword, aiming straight at his head. But Hiei stepped to the side, avoiding the attack with little effort. "Too slow."
The man crashed onto the floor.
Hiei glared down at him with cold apathy. Normally he would have finished him long ago, but the bastard had wanted a fight. "There's no way you can harm me. I suggest you give up now."
"I'm so sick of this, you demons, you can't do this forever!"
"That's where you're wrong." Hiei said calmly. "We can, and we will. The human race won't be around much longer when the new king comes to power. You should thank me for killing you fools when I did."
The man's dirty face twisted into anger as he pushed himself to a standing position. He was the village protector, he couldn't let the fire demon destroy everything he had loved. But he was failing. With arms built like tree trunks and head nearly touching the ceiling, he towered over Hiei both in weight and height. Yet he had no chance.
And Hiei was unafraid. "You're too stubborn for your own good."
He ended the man's life with one slash of his sword. That ugly liquid splashed out of the body like a reminder of an old tune heard over and over again.
He moved out of the house and into the village. Bright flames reached for the sky as they ground homes and lives into the dust. Soon there would be nothing left of the little village, save for the ghostly memories of those who had perished in an earthly hell. No one would remember them.
Yellow light reflected into Hiei's crimson eyes, which shone like rubies amongst the devastation. Burning embers surrounded his form, giving him the appearance of a dark deity, a fallen saint. The heat warmed his skin as he walked within the inferno.
Yukina was not here. But what else had he expected?
He took off his cloak and tossed it into the fire.
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I really don't like this chapter. I took me a long time to write even though it's shorter than the others, and the character motivation seems off. Hopefully I can redeem this next time. Because I can't stand this. At all.
Hiei's pretty mean isn't he? He's supposed to be that way though. XD I don't like fics that make him softer than he really is. He's an anti-social psychopath, not a cutesy boy. (He's also fun to write about because I enjoy writing violence, lol.)
So..Yusuke and Keiko finally met eh? They're not exactly romantics. I hate it when couples start making out even though they met like four seconds ago, like movies and stuff love to do. Lol! So I'm trying to avoid that too.
Enough of me ranting about what I don't like...thanks for reading! c:
