"Talking"
"Thinking"
-Telepathisis-
Flashback
-x-x-x-x-
Chapter Twenty
Revelations
"...have you ever gone back?"
I jump, startled, and turn to find Kurai standing behind me, her hands in her pockets. "...what?"
"You know...back."
"Back where?" I wonder aloud, nonplussed.
"To the Fire Demon Kingdom."
0x0x0x0
"Misaki?"
"If that's who I described, then..."
"No, not Kurai." Kimi sighs. "That's her last name. The Misaki I'm talking about...Misaki is her first name, not her surname."
"So...you do know her?"
She runs a hand through her hair. "Not by choice."
"What d'you mean?" Touya finds himself sitting by her; he senses that there may be a story behind this.
0x0x0x0
"...that's..." The ice demon struggles to find the words to express how he feels about the memories she just shared with him.
"Fucked up." Kimi states. "The words you're looking for are 'fucked up'."
"Agreed." The ice demon mutters. "But why would she...?"
"Search me." The ice demoness mutters as she runs a hand absently through her hair. "I mean, what Youko did afterwards was...well, mebbe it unhinged her or something..." A small sigh escapes her. "Not that I'm justifying what she did-there's no reason for it...if it was her." The fatigued demoness rubs her temples. "I...don't know what to think now."
Touya frowns before placing a hand over her lightly bandaged eyes. "...on the bright side, they're nearly accustomed to the light."
She smirks slightly. "I thought you hated your healing ability."
A slight smile curls the ice master's lips as he pulls his hand back. "I learned not to." (1)
0x0x0x0
Yukina calmly surveys the group that, by nightfall, has gathered in the main area. Genkai sits at a low table and sips her tea, as is customary. Kuwabara, Yusuke, Sora and Jin are clustered around a video gaming system; a racing game is their current poison of choice. Kimi and Touya are off to one side, discussing something in low tones; the occasional glances shot in Jin's direction by Touya cause the ice maiden to wonder what the relationship between the two is. Artemis, Botan and Kurama are seated on a couch; the redhead is in between the two girls. As Yukina watches, Artemis gives Botan the smallest of smiles-one the ferry girl hesitantly returns. Hiei, she notes, is actually in the room this time, though he pays no one any mind and is separate from the rest of the group.
She finds a small smile lighting up her features as she watches the peaceful, normal scene. What feels like a bucket of icy water erases the peaceful feeling the scene evokes as she realizes that, somehow, this will soon end.
0x0x0x0
"Do we need to investigate?" Yusuke whines as lunch time nears.
"No, you don't." Kimi returns for the umpteenth time. "I do." With that, the demoness calmly resumes packing a bag of supplies. Touya stands nearby, a similar bag already packed; Jin, too, is ready, though he prefers to catch a quick nap under a tree before they leave.
"I'm goin', Urameshi." Kuwabara plops his bag down beside Touya's with a note of finality. The detective shoots the fox demon that enters the room-also packed-a venomous look before storming off to pack as well. Hiei coldly surveys the scene from a windowsill; he feels that bringing such things is more nuisance than necessary.
"It is almost like we are going camping." Artemis comments in a weak attempt to lighten the mood; Sora, who has entered behind her, wrestles the urge to give her a slight smile. He settles for retreating behind Kimi and settling down on the sofa next to her nearly packed bag.
"For you guys, this IS like camping..." Botan mutters, then glares at Kimi.
Said demoness smirks. "Not my fault my attitude is...infectious."
"It's a disease alright." The ferry girl grumbles before slapping a hand over her mouth; a slight chuckle escapes most present and the atmosphere lightens a bit.
"I still think we ought to scout the area out and make a home base before we actually do anything." Kurama comments as Yusuke returns.
"But what if we encounter whatever's there before we make home base? What then?" Sora counters.
"We try not get separated."
"And if we do without this 'home base'?"
"Then we regroup!"
"OY!" Kimi hurriedly steps between the two; their auras are flaring and both have moved closer to the other. "If you two can't stay calm, you get to stay here." She snaps.
"What about you?" Sora retorts sharply.
Kimi glares and notes with a hint of satisfaction that her pupils becoming slitted unnerves him slightly. "I said I can go alone; you lot are the ones that won't let me!"
"Look what happened last time." Artemis interrupts.
"Are you sure you want to join the pissing match?" Touya quips.
"If it will get them to quit it, then I will."
"Sound reasoning." Jin mutters as Sora and Kurama resume their previous positions; no one misses the dark glowers leveled across the room at the other. Kimi closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and mentally counts to ten before releasing it, then calmly zipping her bag up. She then picks it up. "Are all of you really coming?"
"Not me!" Botan hurriedly scoots towards the side door. "No way..."
"I know not you." A hint of a smirk curls Kimi's lips. "But, based on all the activity around here, shouldn't some of us stay behind to protect the temple?"
"I will." Jin volunteers immediately; Touya silently agrees to as well.
Ze enters from outside. "I'll hang out here, if you want."
"Can you behave?" She inquires, wondering just what he has been doing all this time.
"Consider it done." He states with a bow.
"Coward." Artemis mouths as the others debate.
"Fine." The sulky Yusuke growls before storming toward the dojo steps. Everyone says goodbye-or does not-in their own way to the six that are to remain and follow their sullen captain.
0x0x0x0
On a mountain from which the dojo is easily viewable, a scout watches the group leave with glee alight in their eyes. A predatory smirk stretches their mouth into an ugly leer as they race to inform their leader.
0x0x0x0
"We wait." The leader states coldly, ignoring the ripples of excitement that spread through the group of fifteen he commands.
At nightfall, a figure creeps into their camp.
"What news?" Inquires the leader icily as he gazes upon the double agent he has placed amongst the 'trusting fools' who dared harm his colony.
"There are only two who can fight left amongst those down there. It will be easy..." The figure stops, smirking. "Laughably easy...to kill them and then lie in wait for the others."
A smirk akin to the one on the traitor's lips forms on the leader's.
"The time to strike will be soon..." The leader decides as his smirk changes to a predatory grin...this one, however, is far more terrible than his underling's.
0x0x0x0
"Dude." Artemis remarks gloomily as she is struck on the nose by an acidic rain drop. It hisses, but merely runs off and to the ground.
"Totally." Kimi replies flatly as she brushes the drops off her skin, ignoring the burning feeling. Both grin slightly before they begin to trade pop culture references, American style, to pass the time and ward off the melancholy mood that has fallen upon the group.
"Can you two be serious?" Kurama interrupts after listening to their conversation for ten minutes.
"Can you remove the stick up your ass?" The elder girl retorts. "We know this'll be stressful and exhausting, so we wanna have fun while we can. Besides, I'd rather be relaxed and confident than a keyed up bundle of nerves, which is what you are."
"Were I you, I'd ignore them." Sora mutters; he has been in a foul mood with everyone since his and Kurama's confrontation. No one knows why and no one particularly feels like braving his acerbic manner to find out.
"I am not." Kurama retorts, ignoring the advice.
"Your movements are stiff, if your shoulders were any more tense they'd be touching your ears, and your hands curl into fists every so often, but as soon as you notice, you unclench them." Kimi rattles off, ignoring the bat demon's grumble. "Shall I add more or is my current list sufficient?"
"You're tense as well." Kurama points out sharply.
Sora and Yusuke exchange glances before they, Artemis, Kuwabara and Hiei walk ahead.
"Because I'm trying to control my temper." She snaps.
"You're doing a horrible job."
"Considering I've yet to sock you, I'd say I'm doing quite well!"
Kurama frowns and weighs his options. He knows it would benefit both them and the team if they learned to be civil to one another...but by the same token, he knows she will not yield to him and that if he does yield to her, she will never let him forget it. Mentally swearing that if this does not work out, he will finally just rid himself of the issue all together, he yields.
"Then punch me."
She stops and gapes at him. "What?"
"Punch me."
She continues to stare at him. "...you asked for it."
He does not flinch or turn aside to soften the blow; he merely takes it, though he realizes as soon as her fist connects with his cheek that she has held back. "Feel any better?" He cannot resist taunting her.
Kimi inspects her throbbing knuckles for cuts. "Not really."
He internally curses. "...this is hardly the time to have a no-holds-barred sparring match."
The girl rolls her eyes. "I know." A small sigh escapes her. "Hitting someone who's bugging me and...well, okay, you did actually ask for it but...the person I wanna hit is the one behind all this."
"Which means, in other words, that I should have just ignored you." "Let's go." He turns and begins walking, not bothering to see if she follows.
She catches up with him and, to his surprise, walks beside him; she seems to be struggling with something. "...truce?" The word is reluctant to fall from her lips, almost as though it is hazardous to her.
"You hit me and now you want a truce? This-" He stops his volatile thought and forces himself to calm; this is the result he wanted. "...you want a truce?" His green eyes are wary.
"If you're willing to let me hit you to calm down and put everything back in perspective, especially considering that'll leave one hell of a mark on you in your current form, I figure it wouldn't kill me not to snap at you as much..." She sighs. "Of course, if you'd like to hit me back..."
Floored, Kurama is almost unable to come up with a suitable retort. "My mother raised me properly; I do not hit ladies." After he sees her expression darken, he decides that even with this 'truce', they will never have a real understanding.
"...do I look like I sit in a garden, dressed as a doll and monotonous tea parties?"
He finds himself chuckling as he realizes why she became angry. "That is not my definition of a lady."
She frowns before making a face at him.
Nonplussed, he stares at her. "She's insane. There's no other way..."
The look on his face causes her to laugh.
He finds that he does not dislike her laugh...and wonders why they cannot be more at ease or at least more like this some of the time.
"Oh, right." Kimi mentally smacks herself. "Thanks for not killing Artemis."
"She definitely knows how to ruin a mood." "What do you-" He recalls that he had the perfect opportunity and is again struck by a sudden realization about her. "...you're welcome." "You...are not what I expected...and I don't know if that's a good thing..."
0x0x0x0
"What is taking them?" Artemis murmurs.
"Maybe they killed each other..." Sora mutters, his attitude still sour.
"They're over there." Hiei's flat voice interrupts; he nods to the forest they exited moments before.
"What's that?" Kuwabara questions.
All stare in the direction a massive killing intent is coming from.
"Hey, isn't that-"
"It's headed for Kurama and Kimi!" Sora races toward them, his bad mood forgotten; the others follow.
0x0x0x0
Kurama hides a disgusted look as he recognizes the scent that just assaulted his nose: rotting flesh. "She doesn't appear to have noticed..."
Kimi keeps her face and stance calm, though her every instinct is screaming at her to run or unsheathe her weapons. The next thing she knows, she is on the ground, Kurama on top of her, as an arrow shatters on the rocks behind them.
"Shit." She hurriedly shoves Kurama off her and barely manages to draw her sai in time to block the broad sword that, had it not been stopped, would have sliced both her and Kurama in half.
"What the-?"
Kimi silently agrees with the fox demon's startled exclamation but says nothing as she kicks the rotting corpse's feet out from under it and uses the chance to stumble to her feet. The smell alone is enough to make her stomach roll; behind her, a pale Kurama is barely resisting the urge to retch.
She continues to block, wincing at the force behind the sword. "What am I supposed to do? This thing is built like a tank! If I go in close, it'll cleave me from crown to sole!" Only a quick sidestep saves her from that very fate; luckily, that draws it further from Kurama. She decides to take a chance and darts in close while it struggles to pull it's sword from the ground; a single strike sends her flying. Her back collides with the same rocks the arrow did and she slides down, stunned.
The thing abandons it's sword and moves in, it's rotted hand going for her neck. Kurama, forgotten, strikes with his whip and cuts it neatly in half. The shaken demoness regains the use of her limbs and staggers over to the marble white Kurama.
"You okay?" She questions; he nods stiffly. Without a word, she places her hand on his shoulder and allows some of her healing energy to stream into him. He relaxes slightly and regains some of his color a moment later.
"Thanks." He murmurs but a tinge of green enters his complexion.
"Right back at ya." She mutters before frowning at the still-moving corpse. "Let's find the others and get away from this thing, shall we?"
He nods and is grateful when she makes a point of staying in physical contact with him; it prevents his stomach from violently rebelling. "The others-" He breaks off as the scent increases and, despite her help, he nearly pukes. The energy he is receiving from her increases until he can open his mouth without worrying whether or not he'll lose his lunch. "More are coming." He manages out.
"Great." She mutters. "Next time I'm bringing a bow."
"Why didn't you this time?" He questions as he tightens his grip on his whip.
"Those things are unwieldy in a scramble." Kimi replies as she creates a shield of ice to block any more arrows. "And that's what we normally have."
"Fair enough." He replies and then the things are on them.
0x0x0x0
Several hours find all of them, sans Yusuke and Kuwabara, seated around a campfire. All sport bandages or stitches from the battle with the Undead. Sora, Artemis and Kimi silently and swiftly prepare some food. Hiei grudgingly eats some; the other three do as well, too tired to question why Kurama has not touched his portion. Yusuke and Kuwabara reappear, flushed and irritated.
The black haired boy throws himself to the ground and begins eating sullenly.
"...things..." Kuwabara's grumbling and cursing in muted by his food.
"They're patrolling the border." Yusuke growls. "There's no way around 'em."
"Great." Artemis mutters as a silence that echoes Yusuke's mood descends. Kimi watches the flickering fire dance and feels herself getting sleepy. Swearing like a guardsman, she wrenches her eyes off away and stumbles to her feet.
"What's wrong?"
"We're up against fire demons. This damn thing," she indicates the campfire, "is like a fucking beacon!"
Just then, noises sound from the direction Yusuke and Kuwabara returned from.
"Let's go." Yusuke hisses; those who have supplies grab them as all take off at a run.
"Any ideas?" Sora manages out between breaths.
"Not sure." Kimi replies as Artemis darts past them. They continue to run and after a half an hour, the skies open up again. The thick foliage prevents them from going along the same path; eventually, Kuwabara, Hiei and Yusuke become separated from Sora, Kimi and Artemis.
"Catch up with the others." She tells them. "I'm going to find Kurama." The bluette drops back and slows before arguments can be made; all she can hear is the water pouring down. The next thing she hears is a faint sloshing sound. Tensing, she readies herself for an attack only to see a soaked Kurama trudging toward her. She rushes to the pale boy's side.
"Knew I'd catch up eventually..."
That is when she notices the telltale flush across his cheeks. "...you're sick, aren't you?"
"Just tired." He corrects. She rolls her eyes and manages to pick him up piggyback style. Before he can protest, she starts running; in his current state, it's all he can do to hang on.
0x0x0x0
-Kimi.-
"Oh great." She thinks. "Now I'm sick too." Grumbling mentally, she returns to wondering how Kurama could have fallen this ill, this fast.
-Kimi.- This time the voice is angry.
"This hallucination is incredibly persistent." She sighs.
-I'm no hallucination.-
"Then...since when..."
-Jagan.- Hiei snaps, then is silent for several moments. -Where are you and the fox?-
"Back about a mile, why?"
-There's a group of Undead between us.-
"Great. This day can't get any better..."
0x0x0x0
She has decided not to risk running into the Undead; she does not know their numbers, she cannot fight them effectively and she does not want to risk Kurama's neck alongside hers. After debating the options she has left, she decides on one of Youko's old dens and promptly slips inside.
Exhausted and drenched, her skin stinging, she does not feel like caring for herself, let alone Kurama.
"Kimi?" The fox demon looks better; his flush has lessened and his eyes are clearer. "Where are we?"
"We're in one of your old dens." Said girl sighs. "C'mon. You need to get cleaned up and get in some dry clothes."
"What about you?" He questions as he allows her to tow him toward the bathing area.
"I'm not the one who's sick."
0x0x0x0
After both are cleaned up, Kimi finds herself tending the injuries of a half-naked Kurama. The fox demon in question is leaning against her, dozing lightly, and ignoring the feeling of a needle sewing his skin back together. When she finishes, she does not feel like waking him, but knows he will be worse off without a shirt on...and that, if she tries to put it on him herself, he will wake.
"Kurama." She gingerly moves his shoulder a bit.
"Mm?" Sleepy green eyes open; their owner reluctantly and slowly sits up and even more reluctantly accepts her assistance with putting his shirt on. "You okay?" He frowns as, even in his weakened state, he notes that her paleness matches his.
"Low on energy, but otherwise fine." She states as she begins the task of sewing herself up.
"Here." He takes the needle and thread from her as she attempts to tend to an injury on her side.
"It's fine." Her tone is openly nervous; she actually backs away from him slightly.
He frowns. "I may be tired and feverish, but I can still sew a wound shut properly."
"Forgive me for suggesting otherwise, but no thanks." She returns, backing away further.
"Am I not allowed to attempt to repay you?" He inquires, knowing this argument will make her pause at least.
She glares. "I don't-"
By then, he has her trapped between himself and the wall. "You know if you try this, the stitches will be crooked."
"I can live with that." She mutters as she makes a bid for freedom; he easily thwarts her.
"Are you going to hold still?"
Growling obscenities, she complies; he, true to his word, stitches it up properly. "Was that so hard?"
"No." She hisses through clenched teeth before yanking a shirt down over her head. (2)
"Careful, or you'll rip your stitches."
She smothers the urge to growl at him; despite this, she does. He raises an eyebrow at her stomach, which loudly protests it's emptiness.
"You hungry?" She asks as she attempts to ward off a blush.
Green returns to his complexion. "No, thank you."
"Are you still feeling sick to your stomach?"
"No, I'm-"
Kimi rolls her eyes and rises before heading to the kitchen. A few moments later, she returns with what seems to be a mug of hot cocoa.
Kurama eyes the mug flatly. "And this'll help?"
"Believe it or not, yes. It's not hot cocoa." She sighs. "It's the only way I know how to make it."
"What do you mean?"
"This isn't a healer-taught thing. When I was little, I got sick a lot...someone who cared about me knew how much I liked chocolate, so they made it chocolate flavored..."
Frowning, he accepts it and cautiously takes a sip; after a few moments, his stomach calms.
"Feel any better?"
"...yeah. Thanks."
"No need." She grins. "I'm a healer; it's what I do." They sit in silence for a few moments. "Think you can manage down some dry toast?"
He takes another small sip of the not-cocoa. "Probably."
She vanishes into the kitchen.
0x0x0x0
"Jeez." Yusuke mutters as he watches the water pour from the sky.
"Can we even get to them if we can get past those...things?" Artemis grumbles, wrinkling her nose.
"I doubt it." Sora murmurs as he focuses on a tree outside their cave.
"Hey, Hiei, they okay?" Yusuke questions as Kuwabara, swearing, stumbles back into the cave.
"Kurama's signature is fading." The demon is irritated and (dare I say it) worried for his friend. All exchange glances.
"What about Kimi's?" Artemis plucks up the courage to ask.
"Can't sense her at all."
0x0x0x0
"You shouldn't be fighting it, you know."
Kurama, who is feeling disoriented and dizzy, can barely focus long enough to string two words together. "What...?"
"I'm surprised you can still speak, actually."
"K-" He breaks off; the demoness's face morphs into that of people he knows.
"Get it n-" Her head connects with the floor with a loud 'thunk'.
"Hang on, fox demon." States a foreign voice as Kurama's vision fades to black.
0x0x0x0
"Where are we?" Yusuke grumbles as Sora leads the way down a dank, cold passageway.
"One of Youko's hideouts. It's not a more frequented one, so I don't know what condition it'll be in." The bat demon replies as he searches for where a torch should be. Finding none, he sighs. "Just follow me exactly, okay?"
"Fine." Kuwabara grumbles.
"How'd you know this was here?" Artemis questions as they continue on.
He ignores the sudden haze of emotions that threatens to envelop him. "I was Youko's second in command. I had to know where the dens were, how the traps were set up, where any and all secret entrances were..." Sora murmurs.
0x0x0x0
"He's coming 'round." States the voice that told him to hold on.
"...thanks for the save." Kimi's voice mumbles.
Kurama's eyes snap open as he reaches for the seed in his hair.
0x0x0x0
"They're ahead." Hiei states; all, including Artemis, feel Kurama's aura pulse.
"Why did...?"
"Something might have gotten in." Artemis mumbles as everyone increases their pace.
"We're almost past the last trap." Sora murmurs, glad; everyone is going for speed over safety now and he does not want the trap triggered on any of his companions. They pass the final trap and move even faster.
The group barges into the room as Kurama's whip wraps itself around Kimi's neck.
0x0x0x0
I'm only able to stare at the girl standing near me; it is then that the feeling of deja vu I always have around her makes sense.
"...you're...?"
A stiff nod is my answer.
"But...then..." I stop, as too many questions are swirling around inside my brain; attempting to ask just one will tangle my tongue in knots.
"It's...a long story." Kurai admits softly as she gazes at the rapidly setting sun; a slight breeze ruffles her hair, causing it to catch the waning sunlight.
-x-x-x-x-
(1) - In my freaky lil' corner of fanfiction, ALL ice demons in the YuYuverse can heal-including Touya.
(2) - Just for reference, she was wearing a bra and a cami-the cami was pulled up slightly so the injury could be bandaged.
HOLY CRAP.
Everything from our friend the turncoat's report up was brainstormed today-and all of Kurama's thoughts, save one, were inserted during the course of typing this bitch up. How is that for AWESOME? :thought I had lost the ability to ad-lib it T_T:
Sorry for the uberlate update. Thing've been hectic...and having to ad-lib threw me for quite the loop.
I will update ASAP.
Emma (EDIT: NEARLY 5,000 WORDS!)