"Talking"
"Thinking"
-Telepathisis-
Flashback

-x-x-x-x-
Chapter Nineteen
Lessons Learned

"So...should we have a party?" Emma questions.

I blink. "Party?"

"To celebrate you hanging with us." Ze explains blandly.

"As far as I know, I doubt you want to celebrate that..." I mutter.

Arin, his girlfriend, snickers. "Well, I do. Not many people'd be willing to do what you did."

"When you've had a partner like I have, it's beyond easy, actually." I mumble.

Ze scoffs angrily as the group laughs.

"DO NOT QUESTION MY MANLINESS!" He snarls, turning red. I silently wonder if it's from rage or embarrassment. After a few moments, I decide it's a little of both; the group continues heckling him where I left off.

"Let 'im alone." I interrupt. "Said partner was my age--which is far older than all your ages put together...well, minus Kurai's."

"Not my fault." She mutters, crossing her arms.

"Mmhm..." Ze growls crossly as he storms ahead.

"Not mine either!" I yell after him.

His grumble sounds suspiciously like "is too".

Yeah. Right. I totally go out of my way to seduce people who are roughly...one nineteenth of my age. Mmhm. I live for it.

...NOT.

0x0x0x0

In a few moments, she returns and meekly holds out a book. Kimi pauses for a moment, eyes on the book, before spinning on her heel and marching out of the kitchen soundlessly. Yukina bites her lip; Botan and Kurama exchange glances; Artemis blinks.

The girl reenters the kitchen and slaps something down on top of the book. "Ya got any questions, just ask me."

Yukina gapes at the medal that certifies that a demonic healer has completed their training. "You--you mean it?"

Kimi's smirk is not warm or comforting. "If anyone knows who I am, they know I can heal. I never carry the damned thing anyway, so you're welcome to it as far as I'm concerned."

"...thank you."

"Don't thank me." She turns to leave. "Being a healer is more curse than blessing at times."

"What do you mean? If you're a healer, you can save people!"

"Idealism is nice..." The elder murmurs. "But I guarantee you'll lose it." She states before heading out the door.

0x0x0x0

Kimi checks the bandages; they are clean on the inside, meaning that her eyes are on the mend. Keeping her eyes shut firmly, she gently re-bandages them, but makes sure to use one less layer of bandaging. She knows that tomorrow she will have to be careful, as if her eyes are not healed enough, the minuscule amount of light less bandaging lets in could damage them further.

0x0x0x0

"Yukina!" Kuwabara runs in with an injured bird cradled carefully in his hands. "I had a rough time separating it and this cat..." He murmurs as Yukina begins to heal it.

"It's okay, Kazuma." Yukina grins. "She wasn't hurt too badly, so you must have acted fast.

The redhead beams at the praise and both head outside to find a safe place to release the bird.

Botan stops them. "Why are you guys ignoring me?"

"What the vampires are doing to Artemis is similar to what the Koorime did to my brother: they shun them because they're different." Yukina states.

"But..."

Both continue on, intent on finding a good spot for the bird.

0x0x0x0

"Hiei?" Kurama stands on the porch; he knows exactly where the younger demon is, but he does not want to spook him.

"What, fox?" The short, black-clad demon appears on a branch ten feet from him.

"Is something wrong? You've been ignoring Botan and me." Green eyes mask curiosity and a bit of worry.

Hiei turns to dart off. "Hn."

"Hiei?" Artemis pokes her head out the window. "Kimi and Yukina are making sweet snow. Do you want any?"

Without a word, he slips in through the window. Artemis goes to close it when Kurama grabs her arm.

"Yes?"

"Do you know why Hiei is acting like this?"

"Like what?" The nonplussed girl asks. "He has been quiet, but that is normal, yes?"

"What?"

"He has been training with me." She murmurs. "That is all."

Kurama nods, not realizing that his eyes are more than a little hostile.

"It is not my fault he is ignoring you." The girl snaps before slamming the window shut and storming off toward the kitchen. He follows her, though he is unsure of whether it is to apologize or snap back.

"Oi, Missy!"

Kurama glares.

"Not you. Missy! Ice cream's done!"

"Sweet!" She races in, deciding to lose herself in the creamy goodness as opposed to sulking over Kurama's sudden bout of hostility; Jin, Touya and Sora follow.

"The lass's good at video games." The Irish demon comments before helping himself.

"'To the victor goeth the spoils'." Quotes Sora.

"Then why are we stealing the victor's spoils?" Touya quips, despite not having touched Artemis's ice cream.

Kurama ignores their banter. "What was that about?"

"I am tired of that look." Artemis states. "Aside from the vampire fiasco, I have gone out of my way to be civil to you."

"And you and Botan have repaid her with hostility and suspicion." Yukina comments softly.

"Yukina told me about her brother." The dimilamia adds.

Kurama freezes. "He must have heard what Botan was talking about...damn. I agreed with the facts, even though...well, I don't hate Artemis. I admit I may be slightly...jealous...that Hiei has turned to her while ignoring me...I can't exactly blame him, though..." It is then that he spots Hiei sitting on the windowsill.

The jagan beneath his bandanna glows slightly, and the red eyes on him are less wary. The fire demon gives him a slight nod of recognition before continuing to eat his ice cream.

"Look..." He begins.

"Can we all just knock it off?" Kimi interrupts. "I get that you two are pissed; I'm not exactly Kurama's biggest fan either, but we have bigger issues to deal with."

"What do you--"

Koenma enters. "We're not too sure what's going on near the barrier at the moment, but...it's bad." The demigod is pale.

"When is anything good going on down there?" Kimi replies drolly.

Koenma manages a weak smile. "Be careful, alright?"

"We will." Touya states. The demigod nods before disappearing.

"That was rather abrupt." Artemis mutters.

"He probably has paperwork." Kimi murmurs before making more ice cream.

0x0x0x0

Over the next few days, Kuwabara finds several injured birds; each is hurt worse than the last. Each time he brings them to Yukina, who heals them. The next time, however...

Kimi is curled up on a windowsill, trying not to strain her eyes by looking for the faint blurry blobs she can now see through the bandages when she hears a 'clack' from the doorway.

"Th-this...." Another tear gem hits the floor. "This i-is what you m-meant, i-isn't it?" Yukina's hands are gently cradling a motionless bird.

"Just because you have the power to save someone doesn't mean they can be saved." The elder demoness murmurs, turning to face the other and finding her as best she can without the proper use of her sight; a sad smile is on her face.

Kuwabara enters, shoots at dirty look at Kimi and escorts Yukina away to try to cheer her up.

"Don't bother with her." Kuwabara grumbles as he makes her some tea. "She's just jealous that you're such an awesome healer."

Yukina gives him a watery smile of thanks as she sips the tea he made; she recalls Kimi's sad smile.

"Hey, that's it! That's the cat!" Kuwabara chases a pure black cat. Said cat races past Yukina and dives behind Kimi, who has entered the kitchen for a glass of water.

"What the--Ze, quit it!--don't--"

Kuwabara tries to scoop the cat up, but it claws it's way up the back of Kimi's legs. It then yowls and lets go as her acidic blood beings to eat away at it's claws. Snarling a curse, Kimi kicks out; it connects and the animal is punted into another room.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" Kuwabara yells as Yusuke and Kurama race in to find out why there's a commotion.

A boy with red eyes and red-highlighted blonde hair peeks out of the room. "Sorry about your birds."

All gape.

Kimi, however, scowls. "The next time you use my leg as a scratching post, I'll neuter you."

0x0x0x0

"So...you're a cat demon?" Kurama questions.

"Yep." The blonde replies as Kimi offers him a cup of water. "No, thank you."

"Take it or I'll--"

"Fine." He grumpily accepts and downs it.

"So why--"

"ZE!" He is tackled by Artemis.

"Hey, Missy. How've you been?"

"Pretty good." She grins. "You?"

"Why are you here?" Sora interrupts, voice cold.

"I was near the border of the land dead and I thought you might wanna know about the fireworks."

Kimi yawns. "Some idiots are charging the barrier?"

"Yeah, but from the inside."

Kimi sighs. "I'll have to investigate."

"What? No--"

The girl points at her eyes. "I am not stupid enough to go charging off before these are healed."

"That's good to know." Kurama mutters. Kimi deadpans before sticking her tongue out in his general direction.

0x0x0x0

"Hiei?" Botan calls. The demon in question, despite being right above her head, does not respond. "I have the whistle!" She threatens; he slips in a pair of earplugs he stole from Youko's hideout that block spiritual frequencies.

"Don't bother." Kurama tells her. "He's annoyed at both of us and, if he talks to us again, it will be on his own terms, not ours."

"But..." Botan's eyes are bright with unshed tears. "I just want to apologize!"

"Artemis is--"

"I was killed by a vampire!" The ferry girl cries. "Th-that's why..." The tears spill from her eyes and stream down her cheeks. "That's why I-I don't l-like Artemis! Sh-she reminds me o-of..."

"Of Aras?" Artemis comments coolly from the doorway.

"H-how..."

"I killed him...but he is my sire."

"If you k-killed him..." Botan pauses to wipe her streaming eyes. "H-how are you alive?"

"A 'dimilamia' is created with the venom of a dead vampire. I killed him, took his fang and went about my normal 'business'. My friends and I got in over our heads...I used the fang and turned myself into what I am. Saved my friends and then got shunned by them. Lots of fun."

"I-I'm sorry." Botan manages out as she tries to calm herself.

"It's fine." Artemis mumbles. "I knew what I was getting into when I turned myself." She runs a hand through her hair. "I'm not asking you to trust me or be 'bestest buddies'...but I'll be civil to you if you return the same courtesy."

"Done." Botan offers her a hand to shake; Kurama watches the two make their accord before turning to raise an eyebrow at the demon watching them from above.

"Hn."

Artemis and Botan jump and look up at the same time; Hiei nods to them before darting off.

"...h-has he been there the whole t-time?" Botan stutters from shock this time.

"M-maybe." Artemis gives her a frazzled grin before ducking inside warily.

0x0x0x0

"Hey."

Sora looks up from the grass to find Yusuke in front of him. "Yah?"

"Wanna play in the arcade with us?"

"Arcade?" The older boy rises, brushing himself off.

Yusuke smirks. "C'mon."

Sora follows and enters behind him to find Jin and Master Genkai already there. Jin is grinning like a maniac and pressing buttons furiously; Genkai is calmly battling her way through the final level of a zombie/shooter game.

"Wow..."

"You've never been here before?" Yusuke questions as he approaches another fighting game.

"Yeah. I've only trained outside...and inside, if you count meditation."

"Well, you gonna yap or are you gonna fight me?"

The other boy grins. "You're on!"

0x0x0x0

"Kimi."

The girl pauses mid-stretch to find Touya standing before her. "Yep?"

"The one behind all this...it isn't him."

The bluette, who is rising, tumbles to the floor as her muscles go slack. "...what?"

0x0x0x0

Kurai sighs. "Are you gonna sulk the rest of your time here?"

I cross my arms. "...I haven't decided yet."

She snorts and rolls her eyes.

-x-x-x-x-

Fun fact: Aras is Lithuanian for "eagle".

I would give an exact date for the next update, but ...I don't know. I took this outside what I had previously planned, so...I've gotta take it piece by piece until I can reconnect it to what I've had planned.

'Til then.
Emma