Chapter 5:
"An old acquaintance, huh," said Hina "Fine let's go"
They walk in silence for a few minutes. Hina took this time to take in her surroundings while listening to the crickets. It was dark she couldn't make out a lot. Then there was snap like twigs breaking she didn't stop to see who it was instead she, in a whisper, said "I think we are being followed"
"We are, I sense them the moment we enter the forest," whispered Yukiei with a smirk on his face.
Yukiei and Hina stop in their tracks. "Show yourselves said Hina coldly.
Then four demons appear out of nowhere surrounding them "Look what we have here said a demon with red skin and orange hair with horns sticking out from the top of his head, "Two lovers out for a midnight stroll." Yukiei's face blanches at what the demon said.
"Lovers?" questioned Hina her face held no emotion but her voice held her confusion.
"Look, let's get one thing straight we are not lovers," said a fluster Yukiei.
"Oh, said a demon with green skin and one yellow eye like a Cyclops and three rows of razor sharp teeth then you don't mind if we take her; we wish to have some fun." The others laugh at his double meaning of the word 'fun'. Of Course all of this was lost on Hina.
Hey boss look at what is hanging around her neck. Isn't that a Hiroseki stone that is cried by Ice Maidens," said a demon with yellow skin and red eyes and long sharp talons on his hands and feet.
The one known as Boss, who was by far the ugliest of the group, turn his attention to Hina's necklace. "Well fellows this is our lucky night to run into an Ice Maiden all the way out here. "Listen up, grab the Ice Maiden and kill the other. Yukiei let out a low chuckle.
What's so funny said the demon with the green skin as he approached Yukiei
"Oh, well it's the fact that you think you can actually kill me," and with that Yukiei chuckle turned into laughter.
The demon with the green skin growled in anger and charged Yukiei. Yukiei easily dodge and had already cut up the demon. "Who's next?" said Yukiei, in a deadly voice, with blood now dripping from his katana. Hina watched on in fascination as Yukiei prepared to take on another demon, His vibrant red eyes seeming to glow in the dark. The demon with the red skin and orange hair attempted to attack Yukiei from behind only to be incinerated by black flames that were now surrounding Yukiei.
"Black flames huh? Well he is certainly an accomplice fire demon I'll give him that," Thought Hina as she backed away and shielded herself from the black flames.
"Black Flames it couldn't be you're… Yukiei" said the leader.
"Hey boss what should we do?" said the demon with yellow skin.
"Grab the Ice Maiden and make a run for it," the boss replied.
The demon with the yellow skin was about to grab her when he realize he couldn't move. He look down and saw that his feet were frozen in place by a block of ice when he look up all he saw was a frosted white blade heading for his skull before everything went dark.
"Do you mind if I take out the leader?" She asked as she turned to the last demon.
"I don't care as long as you hurry it up," he said as he slid his katana back in the scabbard.
"Well, I don't know what your plans for me were, but I will make you regret approaching me in the first place," she said coldly. She swung her katana so that everything in its path was frozen she then approached the frozen demon and shatter it without another thought. "Okay, she said as she walked past him, "Let's head over see that acquaintance of yours."
As she past him he couldn't help but think "she is strong".
With no more interruptions they made it before daybreak.
*Knock, Knock* Yukiei knocked on the old oak door. He waited for a few minutes before the door open revealing a female kitsune she had long, wavy silvery hair and her eyes were a very pale blue.
*yawning* Well good morning said the kitsune "I thought I sensed you approaching.
"Is Kaijaoko here, Hanaoko," said Yukiei.
"Yes, but he is still sleeping you know," she said motioning him inside then her eyes fell upon Hina "Oh, my Yukiei is this you new lover,"
"There's that word again," thought Hina
"Yukiei blushes and responds "No, she is not my lover."
"She's not? Then who is she?" asked the female kitsune.
"She is just an Ice Maiden that I ran into," said Yukiei.
"Right, said Hanaoko sarcastically "you just happen to be in the neighborhood of a floating frozen village." Hanaoko then turn towards Hina, "so what is your name?" asked Hanaoko.
Hina was quiet as she contemplated "It might serve me well to earn her trust" finally she responded in a kind voice "It's Hina."
Yukiei eyed her suspiciously "What's up with her personality change it is completely different from before."
Hina then yawn surprising even herself at her tiredness
Hanaoko smiled, "how long have you been traveling; because, you look exhausted."
"We have been traveling all night without rest," answered Hina.
"Well Kaijaoko won't be up for a while so you should rest. I'll show you to a spare room"
"Thank you I appreciate it very much" Hina said feigning politeness.
Hina followed Hanaoko down a hallway after passing five doors Hanaoko stops at sixth one "here, you can sleep in here."
Hina gave a polite bow and walk into the room closing it behind herself. Hina took a look around the room it was quite nice the walls were decorated with pictures the bed was covered in satin sheets. "Hmm they appear to have quite a lot of money," she thought to herself as she flop on the bed and close her eyes for much needed sleep.
"How long have you've known her," said Hanaoko as she came from the hallway.
"Only a week," said Yukiei lying across one of the couches. "I was injured from my fight with a human by the name of Tetsuya Kuwabara and she was their to help me recover"
"Why, she is an Ice Maiden they cloister themselves away from men for a reason why she helped you?" questioned Hanaoko
"Hell if I know, her reasoning was she wanted to hear the story behind my injury," said Yukiei irritable.
"It is said that Ice Maidens lack the ability to feel emotion," said Hanaoko "I could tell that she was just mimicking my emotion to adjust to the situation." They sat in silence for awhile before she spoke again "Well, I'm going to go lay down for a couple of hours before my son comes in wanting to play," she said as she headed back to bed.
He watched her go before settling himself back on the couch not really tired he decide to rest his eyes.
Hina who was fast asleep fail to notice her door open and shut. It wasn't until the bed she was laying on shifted that she realizes someone was in the room. She slowly opens her eyes only to be greeted with a pair of wide golden eyes. She stared at the intruder of her space as the sleep started to wear off; she noticed that it was a small kit, it had the same silver hair as Hanaoko but instead of pale, blue eyes they were gold.
"Hi," said the golden eyed fox child.
"Hi," said Hina warily "Who are you?" she said while looking around the room for any other intruder she may have missed.
"My name is Kurama," said the kit happily "What's yours?"
"Huh, oh it's Hina" she said now getting out of bed and checking the door "I could have sworn I locked this," She thought.
"I'm three years old," said the kit by the name of Kurama.
*Sighing* She gives up on trying to figure out how the child got in and turns and responds "three huh well you are practically an adult.
Kurama giggles and she takes this time to pick the child up tucking the kit underneath her arm she leaves the room. She senses Yukiei in the living room and approaches him. He appears to be sleeping she takes this time to drop the kit on him.
Yukiei eyes snaps open in surprise as he felt something drop into his lap
The kit is still having a giggling fit which causes Yukiei and Hina to eye the child warily.
"Why is she laughing," asked Hina.
Yukiei shrugs "It's a child they tend to laugh for no reason at all and by the way I am pretty sure it is a boy."
"Really because he looks a lot like Hanaoko," stated Hina.
"Yes, Kurama is a boy and what is with all the laughter," said a deep and slightly annoyed voice.
Hina turned around to see who it was; it was a male kitsune with reddish gold hair and piercing golden eyes.
"Daddy!" exclaimed an excited Kurama
"Well, look who finally decided to wake up said Yukiei, took you long enough"
"Yeah, yeah," replied the male kitsune.
"Kurama, where are you?" yelled Hanaoko.
"In here," he said while still bouncing around.
"Well he is just full of energy isn't he," Hina said as she watched Kurama begin to run around in circles.
"Yes he is," chuckles Hanaoko. "Come Kurama you need to get washed up and dress for the day".
Kurama whines "but I want to go play in the garden."
"Later," Hanaoko said kindly.
"But-"Kurama began but was cut off by his father
"Do as you mother said," the male kitsune said sharply.
"Okay," as he said as he shuffle to his mother
"So what brought you here late last night," asked the kitsune in a lighter tone.
"Well, Kaijaoko I'm sure you are aware of my fight with a human," said Yukiei.
"I am and you know a great deal of Makai believes you're dead since your energy fell off the radar," said Kaijaoko "but that doesn't explain why you are here."
"Do you know a Tetsuya Kuwabara," Yukiei asked.
"Yes, I've heard of him. He is a very spiritual aware human and the next part is just a rumor but they say that, that particular family and a few others have the ability to bless weapons," said Kaijaoko.
"Well I know first hand that the Kuwabara family can bless weapons, but there are other families that can do that too?" asked a surprise Yukiei
"Since you manage to confirm that rumor to be true then it is possible that the other part is true as well," said Kaijaoko.
While Yukiei sat contemplating this new news Kaijaoko turn towards Hina. "I don't think we have been properly introduce my name is Kaijaoko" he said.
"My name is Hina," she said.
"Yukiei you didn't tell me you had a new lover," said Kaijaoko slyly.
Yukiei growled before he answer she is not my- "What is a lover?" Yukiei was cut off by Hina's question.
"This is the third time someone has a mention us being lover's what does it mean?" Hina questioned.
"Wow you really are an Ice Maiden from the Glacier Village to be someone lover hmmm how to explain you devote yourself to one another you basically love one another.
"Love?" Hina questioned.
*sighing* It's kind of hard to explain it is an emotion that cannot be imitated you are practically willing to give everything for that one person. You either love them or you don't.
"Love huh, sounds like an irritating and useless emotion," responds Hina.
"It is," reply Yukiei.
Chuckling Kaijaoko responds, "Anyway if you two are going to infiltrate the Forbidden world Ningenkai you will have to go in disguise.
"You mean dress up like a human," said Yukiei sounding disgusted.
"A bit more than just dress up you'll have to change everything about you including your demon energy and your appearance," said Hanaoko coming from the hallway with Kurama in her arms. She put him down and told him to go play out in the garden in which he happily complies.
"I can understand the demon energy part but why our appearances," inquiry Hina.
Well not everything will change just the things that are abnormal to humans like your seaform hair and Yukiei's crimson color eyes," said Kaijaoko.
"And how do you plan to make this change in us occur," said an annoyed Yukiei.
"I can put together a potion that will make you human," said Hanaoko that is the only way you will infiltrate their world without being caught.
*Sighing in defeat* "fine if it is the only way, but this isn't permanent is it?" questioned Yukiei cautiously.
"Of course not that is impossibly," said Hanaoko as she got up to go put together the potion "It won't take me long."
"How long will it take her," asked Hina as she watched Hanaoko retreat to another room.
"Five minutes at the most," replied Kaijaoko.
They waited.
A/N: Any mistakes please tell me and tell me where I could improve.