Summary: For Mika, life is a constant struggle for survival. After some very unfortunate situations, she has isolated herself and is dangerously close to losing her sanity. That is, until she meets Kurama who turns her life upside down. But things begin to get out of control when it is discovered that she could have a strange connection to a mysterious legendary force that could be plotting a major takeover of all three worlds! Could her misery be nothing more that a cruel twist of fate or is this all connected to something even bigger?
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho does not belong to me, unfortunately.
Angel's Cry
Chapter 12
"Strange"
Being grounded sucks. So does endless rehearsals for the school musical. Ugh. But, before we continue on with the chapter, I have something to say. And I'm putting it here because I know that it'd most likely be overlooked if placed at the top of the page with the summary and disclaimer. But I just wanted to say...
Thank you to all who have read my story, and thank you for all your kind messages of encouragement and your sweet reviews. You have no idea how inspired and how thankful I am for all of you.
I'm not going to get all mushy and icky, but I really want all of you to know that I am so thankful for everything. I honestly think that starting to write was one of the best things I could have done with my life.
You won't ever know how much writing has helped me with my own personal problems. And you will never know how obligated I feel to you all and how guilty I feel when I don't update for you guys.
Not only because I like to keep my readers happy; but, because I like writing and I like hearing what you all have to say.
So thank you all. Seriously. :)
Alright. Now that that's done, ONWARD!
3 -Jasmine
~.~.~.~.~
"Hiei, where is everyone?"
Mika was walking down the stairs, and she came to a stop in the middle of the living room. Hiei was sitting on the floor cross-legged, busily polishing his katana. He glanced up from his work with an irritated glare.
He seemed satisfied when she shrunk back a little in fear, and he proceeded to answer her question, "The fox is in his room. The two idiots are sparring outside."
Nodding, she turned and hurried out of the room and up the stairs. She approached Kurama's room cautiously, not wanting to disturb him incase he was still sleeping. She leaned her head against the door and listened for a moment. She heard a soft melody playing and the rustle of paper. She smiled and tapped against the door softly as she called his name.
"Come in," he called out.
Mika pushed the door open and came in slowly. Kurama was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a wooden acoustic guitar in his lap as he leaned over a notebook. His long hair was tied back, but his long messy bangs fell into his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Mika questioned as she sat down on the floor next to him. She snuck a peek at his notebook and saw wierd symbols placed in sections down the page and his eloquent script beneath them. He sighed and scratched out the words on the page before he turned to face her.
He smiled at her as he set his pen down and turned his attention to the guitar in his lap, "Nothing."
"You can't be doing nothing," she frowned at him as he plucked at the chords.
He looked up at her, a sly grin stretched across his lips and his eyes glinted with mischief. He laughed, "It seems that you are right."
"Exactly," she grinned back at him as she shifted to lie on her stomach. "Now tell me!"
He picked up his notebook and handed it to her. "I'm trying to write a song."
She picked up on his exasperated tone as she squinted in an attempt to read the words that he had crossed out. "What's the problem then?"
"I don't know," he said, "I've come up with the melody, but when I try to write words---nothing comes to me."
"Maybe you're not inspired right now?" she said as she handed the notebook back to him.
He nodded. He grabbed the guitar, stood up, and started to walk towards his closet---probably to put it away. "You're probably right. Maybe I'll try again later."
"Wait!" she called out, her voice filled with longing. She was dying to hear his song. Kurama turned to look at her, one eyebrow perked. She felt a bit shy as she reached for the notebook and held it out to him, "Could you... ummm, can you play the song for me?"
He was silent for a moment, before a small grin stretched across his lips. He turned back around and came to sit beside her. She smiled at him and handed him the notebook. He took it, set it down at his feet, and placed his fingers in different positions on the guitar. And then he began to play.
A soft enchanting melody weaved through the air, and Mika watched in amazement as one hand slid up and down the neck of the instrument and as the other plucked and strummed at the chords. His eyes were narrowed slightly as he focused. She smiled and closed her eyes as she listening, drowning in the spell of the beautiful melody. Music had always been a big part of her. She could hear it swelling all around her. She could hear it with each tick of the clock, with each chirp of a bird, with each rustle of the wind through the trees. Music was everywhere, and it had always been something that calmed her. Something that could penetrate to her heart and affect her unlike anything else. She couldn't help but smile at the soft intricate melody that he weaved. She wanted to get up and spin to the music, almost as if she were a little girl again. She imagined luxurious dresses as big as trapezes, beautiful people laughing and dancing, a princess and her knight in shining armor coming to save her, happily ever after---a fairytale. It was almost as if the music were swirling around her, leading her into a dizzying but pleasant waltz. But all good things must come to an end. And before she realized it, the song was over.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Kurama watching her carefully, a smile on his face. She could feel her cheeks warming up uncomfortably, and she struggled to find words.
"It was beautiful."
"Thank you," he smiled at her as he placed the guitar aside. "I'm glad that you liked it.
"Where did you learn how to play like that?"
"Art and music has always played a big part in my family," he said as he gathered his notebook to put away, "My mother taught me how to play the guitar, and my father taught me the piano."
She smiled, "My grandmother taught me how to play the piano too. I don't remember much of it though. It's a shame too. I really love music."
"As do I," he agreed, "Mother always told me: 'Although people around the world may not speak the same language, everyone speaks the language of music---it's something that touches your heart and your soul.'"
"She's right," she nodded in agreement as she shifted to lay down on her stomach. She rested her head on her arms as she peered up at him through her bangs. "I wish I knew how to play the guitar."
"If you'd like," Kurama began after a short pause, "I could teach you."
"Really?"
"Yes," he said, and when she sat up, he passed the beautiful wooden guitar to her. "I'll teach you the basics. And we can keep working on it little by little until you feel comfortable enough to learn the much more complicated things."
She nodded as she rested the instrument in her lap on its side, and placed her right arm around it. Her thumb hovered over the chords eagerly. Kurama smiled as he positioned her thumb on the first note.
"This is note is C. It's the very first note."
"C," she repeated after him, trying to memorize it's position on the chords.
He moved her fingers along the chords, as he recited the next, "Next is D, E, F and G."
"Where did A and B go?" She questioned, slightly confused.
"They come after G."
"Well, that makes absolutely no sense," she said as she tried to remember where the notes were, "Whoever created the notes should have learned the alphabet first. He's only making it more complicated for the rest of us."
Kurama laughed and she strummed and plucked at the strings randomly. It sounded awful---but she was only starting out. They remained silent for five minutes. He watched her struggle to arrange her fingers comfortably on the chords. Her face was scrunched up in concentration and frustration as her eyes scanned the strings, and she plucked at the chords again.
"This is so confusing," she sighed, her lips were turned down in disappointment and frustration. "I don't even remember where C is..."
"You're only just starting out. Here," his voice was gentle as he stood up and moved to sit behind her. He spread his legs on her sides and trapped her between his chest and the guitar. "I'll help you."
Mika's eyes widened in embarrassment, and she could feel her cheeks heating up. She could feel his chest on her back, and his warm breath against her neck as he rested his head on her shoulder so he could see. He reached across her, wrapped his hand around her tiny wrist, and he proceeded to help her arrange her fingers on the strings.
"This is C," he said quietly as he strummed her fingers against the chords. "Now, see if you can play the rest by yourself."
"O-Okay," she stuttered as she fumbled to position her fingers correctly. Feeling awkward and embarrassed, she slowly played a few of the notes. They practiced for a good fifteen minutes, with Kurama coaching her along with the utmost patience, before she let out a sigh and gave up.
"It's okay," Kurama said, "it takes some time."
"Y-Yeah."
"We could call it quits for the day and try again tomorrow if you'd like."
"That's fine," she said and let out a sigh of relief as Kurama moved away from her. She crossed her legs and tried to calm herself while he went to his closet to put his guitar away.
"Oh, and Mika?"
She turned to look at him. He was standing in the doorway of his closet, the guitar still in hand, and staring at her. "If you ever want to hear a guitar played, all you have to do is come to me. I'd gladly play for you as long as you'd like." [1]
A look of shock passed over her face, but quickly was replaced with a small smile. "Thanks."
"What was it that you had needed earlier?" he questioned as he turned on his heel and entered the closet.
"Oh," she reached into her jean pocket and pulled out the blue heart-shaped tear stone that she had found in her jeans. "I wanted to ask you if you could help me make this into a necklace?"
Kurama snapped off the light, closet the closet door, and walked over to her, his eyes alight with curiosity. "What is it?"
"It's a tear gem. Yukina gave it to me the night of the sleepover. I wanted to make it into a friendship necklace."
I remember that gem, Kurama thought as she dropped it into his palm. He turned it around in his fingers, and Mika stood by watching with eyes bright with anticipation. I was eavesdropping on their conversation. Kurama took another look at Mika's face. She was so upset and hurting that night. But now look at her... she's so different now. So much happier. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips.
And it's all because of us.
"So, what do you think?" Mika questioned softly.
"I know just what to do."
~.~.~.~.~
"Hurry up you guys!"
The boys all sat at the bottom of the staircase waiting for Mika, Botan, and Keiko to come downstairs.
"Oh shut up, Yusuke!" Keiko sighed. She was walking down the stairs with Botan and Mika following closely behind her.
"We're ready now," Botan chirped as she bounced down the staircase, her bright blue ponytail bobbing up and down. "So quit your complaining."
"I don't see why it always takes you all so long to get ready to go!" Yusuke started, "All you really had to do was put on your freakin' suits and--there!---you're done! But, no! You all gotta make it so goddamn complicated and do your hair, your makeup, and whatever it is the hell you girls do! You're going to get wet anyway! We're going to the beach for crying out loud!"
"You know what Yusuke? You're lucky that I even put in half as much effort as I do to look good for you!" Keiko roared.
"Yeah! You should be more appreciative of our hard work!" Botan joined in.
Mika shook her head as she walked over to stand near Kurama. Her arms were folded across her chest tightly, and she was covered from the neck down in a black long-sleeved turtleneck and dark-washed denim jeans. Her new hiruiseki 'friendship necklace' hung proudly and shimmering on its new chain around her slender neck. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a long fishtail braid. Kurama looked her over and perked an eyebrow, but he remained silent. She was the only one, other than Hiei, who was completely covered up. He, Yusuke, and Kuwabara had on swim trunks and t-shirts. Botan and Keiko wore their bikinis with only denim shorts to cover their bikini bottoms. She stuck out like a sore thumb, but no one dared to comment on it. Everyone knew that she probably was covering her body in self-consciousness, but no one was willing to make her upset. [2]
She glanced at Kurama, completely unaware of his intense gaze. A small grin was playing across her lips and she motioned towards the fight going on in the living room. Kurama watched as the two girls argued with the brunette delinquent, and both he and Mika snickered when Yusuke was smacked upside the head.
"Some things will never change," he said as he gestured for her to walk ahead of him.
"Never," she agreed as they all gathered around the fireplace as Botan conjured up a portal.
Without hesitation this time, she stepped through when it was her turn. Brilliant flashes of lights swirled around her as she moved through the portal. She had to squint her eyes so they could adjust to the sudden change in lighting.
"Where are we?" she questioned as she looked at the grand temple that stood before them.
"This is the old hag's temple," Yusuke answered as he slung his bag over his back. Suddenly something hit him upside the head with a loud thwap, and he let out a groan.
"'Old hag', am I?"
Mika looked down, and at her feet was a tiny saucer that looked like it belonged to a tea set. She picked it up, and looked up in the direction in which it had come from. On the deck she could see an elderly woman sitting cross-legged on a pillow, a teacup hovering in front of her mouth. Her eyes were narrowed in a dangerous glare.
"Genkai! What the fuck is your problem?" Yusuke growled angrily.
"You, dimwit. That ought to teach you a thing or two about disrespecting your elders!" she yelled back in a raspy voice.
Mika walked forward shyly towards the old woman. She had the saucer cradled in her palms, afraid that she'd drop it as she crossed the lawn. "Here you are, ma'am."
"Hmmm?" Genkai stared at the young woman standing before her. She took the tea saucer from her, and set it down beside her along with the teacup. "Thank you. And who are you?"
"I'm Mika, ma'am," she said politely and bowed in greeting.
"She's a very good friend of ours," Keiko smiled.
"I see. And does she...?" Genkai's voice trailed on and broke off into a unspoken question.
Kurama immediately caught on, and answered swiftly. "Yes, she knows."
"Alright. Then it's very nice to meet you, Mika. I'm Master Genkai." the woman said as she ran a hand through her short scraggly pink hair.
"Master Genkai?"
"Yes. You see, I trained that dimwit over there. Unfortunately he still hasn't learned any tact, nor has he learned when to keep his mouth shut." she glared at Yusuke, silently threatening him to say anything. Yusuke chewed on his lip angrily and took deep breath in order to calm down. Genkai smirked as she watched him, and then turned back to Mika. "It's a lesson we've been working on for a while. But you may call me just plain Genkai."
She smiled at the old woman, and then turned when Kurama put a hand on her shoulder. "Genkai, is Yukina out and about?"
"Yes, I think she's out in her garden. Why are you all here anyway?"
"We're going to the beach!" Botan chirped happily as she started off towards the back of the house.
"Would you like to come, Genkai?" Keiko asked sweetly but with a slightly teasing edge, "It will be a lot of fun."
Genkai's nose twisted up in disgust. "Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to pass this time... and all the rest."
Everyone broke out in laughter, and a chorus of goodbyes echoed through the place as they all walked off to find Yukina.
"Goodbye, Genkai!" Mika called out shyly before she turned to catch up with Kurama who was waiting for her.
"Bye," the old woman said as she stared after the young woman until they disappeared out of sight. Her lips twitched into a half-smile half-frown as she picked up her cooled tea.
"Hmmm... there's something strange about that girl."
~.~.~.~.~
"Oh! I must have lost track of time! I was meaning to be ready so when you all arrived we could leave."
Yukina strolled down the pathway towards them with a bright smile on her face. She set down a brightly colored watering can, and she wiped her hands on the front of her kimono.
"Hey, Yukina!" Kuwabara exclaimed happily as he ran forward. He grabbed her around the waist, lifted her into the air, and twirled her around.
"Oh my!" Yukina giggled, "Kazuma, please put me down!"
An alarming burning smell caught Mika's attention, and she turned only to be met with the sight of an angry Hiei. His ruby eyes were narrowed dangerously and she could see smoke literally rolling off his bare skin. Kurama stood beside his friend, making sure that he did not touch Hiei, and attempted to calm him down. When Hiei caught her staring, he bared her teeth at her. Mika jumped in fear and could feel heat creeping up her back. She snapped her head forward, and inched further away from the pair and closer to Yusuke.
"Hiei, calm down," Kurama whispered in such a low voice that Mika had to strain her ears to hear.
"I swear I'm going to kill him," Hiei replied in an acidic voice that was just as low.
"You know you can't do it."
"And why is that?"
It was obvious that they both thought that she couldn't hear their conversation. She bit the inside of her lip as Yukina greeted her with a hug.
"You're wearing the gem!" Yukina squealed.
Mika smiled at her brightly and nodded, but she still keep her ears on the conversation behind her.
"We have worked so hard to redeem ourselves, Hiei," Kurama responded, "Are you honestly willing to throw away this second chance? If you murder a human you will be sent back to jail. You could even receive the death penalty."
Mika's eyes widened in horror and shock. The death penalty? Would Hiei really risk everything---even his own life? She couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. Kurama had told her how hard that they had worked to redeem themselves. He had told her how they risked their lives---quite often--- just for another chance. She could almost cry at the thought of all the hard work he had put in---ruined for a shot at Kuwabara. She turned her head so she could get a good look at Yukina. The ice maiden was climbing the stairs to the temple so she could go inside and change. She then snuck a peek at Hiei before she took a seat on the wooden steps as they all waited.
Exactly who was Yukina to Hiei? She couldn't help but wonder. She didn't know much about him. He barely talked around her, let alone to her. He barely acknowledged her presence. He didn't seem too friendly, so she steered clear of him. But from what she had observed, he didn't seem to care for anything or anyone. The only person she could think that he actually liked was Kurama.
But now that she heard Hiei's comments about killing Kuwabara and that the cause of these comments seemed to be because of Yukina, she was deeply confused. Was he in love with Yukina? But no... that couldn't be right, because Yusuke had said himself that Hiei didn't.
"I'm ready to go!" Yukina's cheery voice cut through her thoughts. She had a picnic basket hanging from one arm. "It's too bad that Shizuru couldn't make it."
Wait a minute... Mika looked up and took a good look at Yukina's face. She took her features: the almond-shaped ruby eyes, the high cheekbones, the thin lips, and the slender nose; and then she turned to Hiei.
Mika's amber eyes scanned Hiei's face. He and Yukina did share some familiar features---something a bit uncommon but not enough to link them together. Her eyes shot between Yukina as they turned to leave and Hiei, and she scanned everything from the forehead down.
They both have... She could feel her eyes widening and her jaw dropping before she came to a shocking conclusion. But it was the two identical birthmarks on the side of each of their necks that caught her attention. Each one's birthmarks were almost hidden completely by their clothes and hair, but she still managed to spot it. Maybe Hiei did love Yukina---as a sister. A legitimate sister-brother relationship because, hell, there was no way they could not be related!
"You're smart."
Mika jumped in shock and slapped her hand against her chest in an effort to keep her heart from exploding out of her chest. She could feel searing heat against her neck and could feel someone's breath against her ear.
"Now let's see if you're smart enough to keep your mouth shut."
She inhaled sharply and held her breath as Hiei backed away from her. He shot her a dangerous glare before he turned on his heel and walked off, following her friends who had already walked off. She let out a sigh of relief as she slowly stood up with weak shaking knees.
"Are you alright?"
Mika jumped at the sound of Kurama's voice.
"It's only me," he said as he shoved a cell phone back into his pocket. "What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing. It's nothing," she responded quickly as she shook her head, "What happened?"
"I had to take a call," he explained, "Everyone went ahead, and Hiei and you stayed behind to wait. Speaking of Hiei, where is he?"
She chewed her lip as she willed her pounding heart to calm down. She was still a little rattled from her encounter with Hiei, and she couldn't help but shudder at the dark and dangerous look that had clouded his eyes. His threat was real and alive. And she knew that Hiei wouldn't hold back if she opened her mouth. What he would do to her, she didn't know. But she didn't want to find out.
"He decided to catch up with the rest," she answered.
Kurama nodded silently. "Hiei's been a lot more moodier than usual. I'm not exactly sure why, but I can only guess. I think that it may be for the best that you stay away from him. Something happened between you two while I was gone, didn't it?"
"No---"
"Mika," he said in a patient voice as he took her hand. She stopped and turned to look up at him. "Please, don't lie to me. There's no need to. But I do need to know, not only for your safety but for everyone else's. Something did happen, correct?"
"Yes."
"What?"
She was silent for a moment as she willed herself to keep her big mouth shut. "I know that Hiei and Yukina are brother and sister," she couldn't help but blurt out. The secret was so strange and she was curious to find out what was going on. "And he knows that I do. And he's mad about it. He told me that if I were smart, I'd keep my mouth shut. B-But I don't understand? What's the problem with people knowing? Doesn't everyone already know?"
"No," Kurama responded, "Only Yusuke and I know. No one else. Not even Yukina."
"But---"
"It's something that I'm afraid I can't explain to you. It's Hiei's business and it was his decision for it to be this way. How did you find out?"
"They have similar features, but the birthmark on their necks---they're identical."
"Not many people would have spotted that." Kurama looked surprised, "You have sharp eyes."
"I always had really good vision," she whispered and turned her face away from his staring eyes, "It runs in the family apparently."
Kurama nodded silently, but it looked like he was thinking deeply about something. They continued to walk in silence until they reached a densely wooded area. Mika stopped as she stared into the deep dark forest.
Memories began to come trickling back. She could almost feel a pair of callous hands running down her sides, touching her roughly. She shivered and shook her head in an effort to ignore the disturbing thoughts.
"I'll have to carry you now."
She turned to look at him questioningly. "It's alright, I can walk---"
He smiled at her. "It's too dangerous. These woods are a refuge for demons. It's best to get through as quickly as possible."
"But," she turned to look back at the dense forest, "if it's dangerous shouldn't we should turn back? Where are the others? We shouldn't go in."
"It won't be any problem for demons to pass through, and Kuwabara was trained to fight against them---we'll all be fine." He laughed as he quickly swept the petite woman into his arms, "But for humans like you and Keiko. It's too dangerous for you to cross on your own. I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Thanks though."
Mika lied her head against Kurama's chest and inhaled slightly. He smelled faintly of fragrant roses and warm earth. She smiled up at him. "You're welcome."
"Close your eyes. We'll be going so fast, it might frighten you."
"I'll be fine," she grinned up at him, "I'm not that easy to scare, Kurama."
He smirked down at her, his emerald eyes glinting with devilish delight. "Alright. Don't say I didn't tell you so."
Determined to prove him wrong, she tilted her head in a challenging way. He returned her challenging glance before he took off at an impossible speed. She took a sharp breath as the world around her zipped past her in a blur. Colors ran into each other like a wet watercolor painting. They were traveling so impossibly fast that her eyes were watering as the cold air slapped against her bare face. She felt nauseous and sick as if she had left her stomach behind at the forest's edge. She snapped her eyes shut as she prayed that Kurama wouldn't drop her as she bounced along in his arms slightly. They traveled for a few more minutes until he began to slow down until eventually he was strolling along at an easy pace.
"You can open your eyes now," his soft voice sounded, "We're here."
When she opened her eyes she was met by a triumph and smug expression on his face. She scowled at him, and he put her down.
"Were you scared?" he questioned in a teasing voice.
"No. I wasn't," she sniffed as she turned away from him. He snickered, and she turned and stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, wipe that smug look off your face!"
They both exploded in laughter as they headed towards their friends who were crowding around a picnic basket on the sand.
"Took you two long enough!" Yusuke jerked his head in greeting as he ripped his sandwich in half and stuffed part of it into his mouth.
"Sorry, I had to take a call," Kurama said simply as they took a seat in the sand. He reached into the wicker basket and withdrew two sandwiches wrapped in plastic. He handed one to Mika, who sat beside him, and then unwrapped his.
"Sure," Yusuke muttered through a mouthful of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Yusuke." Keiko rolled her eyes before she exchanged a wicked glance with Botan. They both giggled as they shot looks at the late duo.
"What's so funny?" Mika questioned, without looking up from her sandwich that she was tearing up into tiny little squares on top of a napkin.
"Oh, nothing!" Botan said in a singsong voice.
Kuwabara, Hiei, and Yukina came over and everyone settled down for lunch. The sound of the gentle waves breaking onto the sand accompanied the warm laughter and the energetic chatter of the group of friends. Mika, on the other hand, remained silent. Her attention was focused on the sandwich in front of her, and she ripped it into smaller and smaller pieces, only stopping to laugh quietly at a few of the jokes Yusuke cracked.
She knew that Kurama noticed her, but he said nothing. No one else seemed to pay her much mind, but it was Yukina who noticed and spoke up. "Mika dear, what are you doing to your food?"
Mika looked at Yukina, her eyes downcast. She looked like a guilty child who had been caught in the act of doing something she knew she wasn't supposed to do. She fiddled with her fingers nervously, "N-Nothing."
"Aren't you hungry, Mika?" Kuwabara questioned. "You only ate one slice of toast this morning."
It was much more than she usually ate. Usually she would nibble and pick at her breakfast, and sometimes she even skipped breakfast entirely.
"I know, but I'm not that hungry."
"You should at least---" Yusuke started, but Kurama cut him off.
"It's alright, Mika. Just save it for later in case you get hungry."
Mika nodded and took the plastic Zip-Lock bag that Keiko passed to her, and she began to transfer her maimed sandwich into the bag.
"Who's ready to swim?" Yusuke called out as he jumped to his feet.
"We shouldn't swim now," Keiko said, "You should wait at least---"
"Ahhh! Who cares?" Yusuke laughed as he grinned cheekily at her. "If you get cramps and start drowning, I'll be there to give you mouth-to-mouth."
"Yusuke!"
"What? Hey, it's better than letting' you drown, right?"
Keiko's face was flaming red as she took the brunette's outstretched hand. Only Mika and Kurama remained sitting as the rest of the gang stood up to pull off their clothes before taking off at full speed towards the water. Hiei glared at Mika as he stood up. She held her breath and averted her gaze to the sand, and she could feel the searing heat he cast off lick her skin as he passed by to retreat towards the forest edge.
"Don't mind Hiei," Kurama whispered to her as he rolled his brilliant eyes.
She nodded as she collapsed back on the sand. She folded her arms behind her head and began to watch the clouds. Kurama leaned back on his hands and turned his attention skyward as well. She closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. She could taste the salty summer air on her tongue. She could feel the lovely warmth of the sun's rays penetrating through her clothes and kissing her skin. She sighed in contentment.
"What are you thinking about?" Kurama whispered softly.
She opened her eyes, and smiled slightly before she closed her eyes again. "Just about how good it feels to be out here."
"It is," he agreed with a nod, "But aren't you hot? I mean, you are covered head to toe."
Mika's lips twisted up into a grimace before she answered honestly. "I am a little hot."
"Then why don't you change into a bathing suit? We can go out to the water."
"Ummm..." she bit her bottom lip as she turned her gaze to the ocean.
She could see her friend's splashing through the waves, their laughter and squeals of joy ringing in her ears. The ocean was beautiful and sparkled like diamonds underneath the hot summer sun. Of course she would like to join! It looked like fun.
But she'd have to take off her clothes and show the world the skimpy bikini Botan had lent her. And was she planning on doing that? Hell to the N to the O. Hell no!
"I'm alright," she said as she turned her face back towards the sky.
The corners of Kurama's lips twitched into a small frown. He shrugged, "Alright. Well, you don't mind if I go out then?"
She felt a bit guilty when she realized that he was trying to keep her company even though he really wanted to go out to the water. And although she wanted to go out as well, she wanted him to stay with her. It would be selfish of her to make him sit here with her and burn up in the sun. So she shook her head, "No, I'm fine! Go ahead. Have fun."
He instantly jumped to his feet and tore off his shirt. She could feel her eyes widening at the sight of his bare chest, and she forced herself to avert her gaze to her toes that she flexed to keep herself distracted.
"I'll be back later!" Kurama called out over his shoulder as he strolled out to the sea line without as much as a second glance at her.
"Bye..." she called back softly as she lied back in the sand. She closed her eyes to shield her pupils from the radiant sun, and she couldn't help but pout. The way Kurama had hurried out to the water made her feel wierd. He didn't plead with her like he usually did, he didn't try to coax her to take off her clothes, nor did he even give her a second glance as he left. She felt like a big baby as she crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.
"Kurama!" She heard her friends call his name in delight.
She sat up, and her eyes went straight to the redhead who was now being assaulted with a noogie by Yusuke. She watched as Kurama let out a laugh and easily tossed the delinquent off of him and into the deep crystalline waters. Kuwabara jumped for him, but he quickly moved out of the way. The girls giggled behind him. Keiko was carrying Botan on her back, and Yukina had a brightly colored bucket that she shifted from both hands as she scanned the ground for seashells.
Mika puffed out her cheeks in slight irritation and couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. She wanted to have fun too!
"Mika!" Botan yelled as she caught sight of her watching them. "Come join us! The water's fine!"
The silverette hesitated which caused all her friends to call out to her and beg her to come out to the water [3]. Her hands fluttered down to her midriff and trailed down her legs as she squeezed her eyes shut. With a sigh, she finally stood up and began to unbutton her jeans. She could feel her face flush as her friends began to wolf whistle at her and send her catcalls.
"Ow owww!"
"What a babe!"
"Take it off!"
She quickly kicked her jeans aside and pulled her turtleneck off over her head. She pulled at the bottom of the bikini to make sure that everything was in its proper place, and she began the short walk to the shoreline. Kurama was smiling brightly at her from the center of her cluster of friends.
"Hey, there miss..." Yusuke winked at her as she came towards him, "But damn you're looking' mighty fine! Can I get your number?"
Everyone cracked up at Yusuke's pickup line and Mika's fire hydrant face. Well, everyone except Keiko, who smacked Yusuke upside the head.
"Stop it!" Mika cried out as she crossed her arms across her chest in embarrassment.
"Awww," Yusuke said as he patted her head, "I'm just joking."
"But, seriously. You look great, Mika," Kuwabara said reassuringly as he smiled sincerely at her.
"Thank you," she smiled back at him as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
~.~.~.~.~
"Put me down you guys!"
Mika was screaming as Kurama and Yusuke held on to both ends of her body and were swinging her back and forth.
"Put you down?" Yusuke repeated, looking up at his partner in crime with a mischievous sparkle in his eye.
"Yes!" Mika screeched in laughter as she tried to kick herself loose. But it was no use, Kurama had a steel-grip on her hands, and Yusuke on her ankles. "Let me go!"
"Alright," Kurama said in a sly tone.
"What are you all doing--"
CRASH!
Water broke like shattered glass all around her after she was sent flying in the air only to land in the ocean. The waves swished around her and rocked her frame back and forth as she scrambled to find which was up. When she felt the squishy sand bottom of the ocean floor touch her feet, she pushed as hard as she could, sending her body rocketing to the surface. She wiped the saltwater from her eyes, and she could hear Yusuke and Kurama laughing hysterically a few feet away from her.
"You bastards!" She yelled at them before she broke out in laughter. "Come back here!"
Yusuke and Kurama took off back towards the shoreline, and she ran after them.
"What're you going to do about it, little girl?" Yusuke called out in a taunting voice.
"Come back here, Yusuke!"
"You can't catch us, we're too fast for you!"
And thus the chase began. Mika took off as fast as she could after the two teenaged boys but, of course, they were indeed much too fast for her. By the time she made it to the edge of the shoreline, Yusuke was already halfway down the beach. He danced around, yelled at her, and roared with laughter. Kurama, who was a little close to her, smiled at her tauntingly.
"I'm going to get you!" she roared at him, and everyone laughed behind her.
"Really?" his eyes narrowed at the challenge, and at that moment he looked every bit like the sly fox he was.
She took off after him, kicking up sand behind her. Kurama, of course, didn't run as quickly as he could so she could have a chance at catching him. But whenever she got at least within arm's reach of him, he'd put out such a strong burst of speed that he seemed to disappear and reappear fifteen feet ahead.
"Give it up, Mika!" Yusuke called out, "You'll never catch either of us!"
Mika chased after Kurama until she had a stitch in her side. Her breaths came out in short shallow bursts and her heart was pounding in her chest. He didn't even seem to be tired. But she pressed on, and when he was an arm's length away she launched herself forward so that she jumped onto his back. She knew that he would slow down immediately so she wouldn't fall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
"Caught you," she breathed into his ear.
Kurama let out a loud laugh, "It seems that you have."
"I win."
"If I had been running as fast as I could, there would be no way you could catch me---let alone see me," he whispered back.
"Nobody said that you had to hold back."
Kurama was about to retort when a loud scream cut through their playful banter. She and Kurama instantly whipped their heads in the direction of the noise and their eyes widened at what they saw.
"Hiei, stop! What are you doing?"
Hiei and Kuwabara were wrestling in the sand, and Yukina stood a couple feet away from the brawl. Her cheeks were streaked with tears and frost was beginning to creep from her feet to cover the sand around her. Before she could blink, the world was suddenly flying around her. She could hear the heavy footsteps of Kurama's feet in the sand, and knew that he was running full speed ahead. Before she could even blink twice, they were in front of the two fighting boys. She hopped off of Kurama's back as he lightly but firmly applied pressure to her legs to tell her to let go.
"Hiei, what the fuck are you doing? Get off of him!" Yusuke was yelling as he dove into the brawl trying to separate them.
"Hiei, stop!" Kurama hollered at his friends who were rolling around in the dirt.
Chaos surrounded her. Yukina was sobbing heavily on her knees. Kuwabara and Hiei were yelling death threats at each other. Kurama and Yusuke were trying to separate the two. And Botan and Keiko were screaming.
Suddenly something bright and blinding caught her eye. Kurama and Yusuke instantly backed away from the brawl with their hands up in the air. Hiei had drawn his blade, and he was pointing it at anyone who came close to him. His eyes were wild with rage as he looked down at a bloodied Kuwabara.
"I am going to kill you," Hiei hissed in a voice \ filled with so much rage, so much hatred, so much pent-up bloodlust that she could feel her heart stop in her chest and her blood ice up.
He was serious. The threat was no bluff. It was real and deadly. And he was going to kill Kuwabara.
"Stop, Hiei!" Kurama shouted.
Mika's eyes were wide in fear as she watched Hiei swipe his blade at Yusuke who had come too close. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She couldn't believe what was happening. She kept seeing blood in front of her eyes.
Her grandmother was dead. Now Kuwabara's going to die. And then Hiei will too. Who would be next?
Yusuke? Keiko? Maybe Botan? Or sweet Yukina? Shizuru?
Kurama?
She kept seeing their dead bodies in front of her eyes. Her vision was a red as blood. She felt her heart stop in her chest.
She couldn't let them die!
She could feel her body moving without her consent. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she rushed forward. She could see Hiei lifting his blade, and she slid in between the fighting pair. Her eyes were burning with compassion and with determination. She spread her arms her side as if they could protect the wounded Kuwabara behind her.
"MIKA!"
She let out a loud scream as she felt the cold blade push into her stomach. In pure reflex, she reached out with her hands and gripped the blade to try and stop it from pushing into her further. She let out another scream as she felt the blade slicing through her palms. Blood began to blossom from the slits in her palms and began to steadily drip crimson onto the blade.
"They're going to kill you!" she cried out, "Don't throw everything away!"
"You're crazy!" Hiei hollered as he stared into her eyes.
Her tearful brown eyes were filled with a sympathy so great that he could almost feel his anger melting away. He shook his head with frustration in a stubborn attempt to break free of her piteous curse. He yanked the blade from her hands. Mika could feel the waves of pain rocking through her body, and breathing hard, she fell to her knees with tears blurring her vision.
"Don't do it!" she cried, "They'll kill you! Please! What about Yukina?"
She knew that she had said the wrong thing when Hiei's eyes flashed. She scrambled backwards in the sand as he tightened his grip on the blade's handle. His eyes were black with terrifying anger as he hovered above her.
"You can die with him!" He roared as he took a step back to lash out at her.
Kurama and Yusuke immediately took the chance to tackle the fire demon to the ground. Kurama was wrestling him in the sand when Kuwabara joined in. Yusuke took Hiei's katana and threw it into the sand away from them before he dove into the pile of boys to help restrain Hiei.
"Mika!"
Botan, Keiko, and Yukina ran towards their fallen friend, and they dragged her away from the brawl. Mika's entire abdomen was covered in her crimson blood and sand, and she was still screeching.
"They're going to kill him!"
"What do we do! What do we do!" Keiko screamed as she collapsed in the sand beside Mika who was screaming like a madwoman and laid her friend's head in her lap. "Calm down, Mika!"
"They're going to kill him..."
"No! He's going to be alright." Keiko whispered as she caressed her friend's face.
The three girls were able to calm Mika down within a matter of minutes, but it was getting worse and worse. The silverette's wound was so deep, and she was losing a major amount of blood with each passing moment.
"Oh my god!" Botan was trying to stop the heavy blood flow with her hands. "Do we have any cloth? Yukina can you do anything?"
Yukina nodded, her tears streaked with tears. She rushed to her friends and dropped to her knees in the sand. She pressed her hands into the large wound that covered Mika's abdomen, and she squeezed her eyes shut as her hands began to glow brightly.
"C'mon Mika," Keiko cried as she ran her fingers through her friend's hair. "C'mon!"
"Can you hear us?" Botan questioned as she watched her friend's eyes glaze over slightly before they fluttered shut entirely. "Mika!"
The silverette remained unresponsive. Her eyes were closed, and she laid limply in Keiko's lap.
"The wound is too dirty," Yukina cried, "I can heal it but it'll trap infection inside."
"Do we have a first-aid kit?" Botan questioned.
"No!"
"We need to get her to a hospital!"
"We can't open a portal here! We have to cross through the forest!" Botan yelled as she jumped up, "I'll call Koenma now!"
~.~.~.~.~
"What the hell is your problem, Shrimp!" Kuwabara hollered in anger.
Hiei was glaring up at the redhead in front of him, his teeth bared in furious anger. Yusuke and Kurama were behind him restraining him. The midget kicked up sand towards Kuwabara and spit at his feet.
"I don't know what the hell's gotten into you," Yusuke growled as he wrestled to keep his hold on the fire demon, "but you better chill out! We should whoop your little imp ass right here, and right now after what you just did."
"Look what you've done to Mika!" Kuwabara roared, "YOU ATTACKED A GIRL!"
Kurama kept his mouth shut. He knew that if he were to speak, he wouldn't be able to restrain himself. How could Hiei attack Mika? What the hell was wrong with him?
"You guys!"
Everyone turned their attention to the shrill voice calling out for their attention. Keiko was kneeling on the ground with Mika in her lap. Yukina was crying hysterically beside them, and Botan was snapping her communicator shut.
"We need to take her to the hospital," the deity called out, "It's too dirty for Yukina to heal it properly. But we can't make a portal here. Someone needs to carry Mika back quick to the temple. There's a portal waiting there."
Kuwabara glared at Hiei one last time before he ran forward to help the girls. Hiei was about to make a lunge after him, but Yusuke held him tight.
"Where do you think you're going?" Yusuke hissed, "We're taking your ass straight to Koenma."
"Can you hold him yourself?" Kurama questioned as something caught his eyes. The gleaming blade of Hiei's katana was laying in the sand a few feet away. "There's something I want to check."
"Yeah, I got him."
Kurama ran towards the katana, and he picked it up. Turning it slowly in the sun, his jade eyes scrutinized every inch of the blade carefully. His eyes narrowed at what he saw, "Shit. Kuwabara!"
Kuwabara turned his attention to his friend. He had already had Mika gathered in his arms and he and Yukina were already walking towards the forest. "Yeah?"
"This blade has rust on it," Kurama called out, "she might get tetanus. Try to get her to Spirit World as quick as you can."
Kuwabara nodded and then he and Yukina took off at a blinding speed into the forest. Botan sat on her flying oar with Keiko behind her, her arms around gripping her friend's waist fearfully as she glanced down.
"Hurry!" Botan called out before she zipped forward into the forest.
As soon as the coast was clear, Yusuke shoved Hiei to the ground roughly. Kurama held onto the fire demon's weapon as he approached the two slowly.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Hiei!" Yusuke hissed. "Do you realize that if you killed either one of them you'd be thrown back in jail?"
Hiei just glared up at him stubbornly. His lips were pressed firmly together in a thin line, and he stood up and brushed himself off. He shoved Yusuke as he walked past him, "Hn, I'm out of here."
"You're not going anywhere." Kurama said in a low voice that was as sharp as a razor.
The fire demon stood still for a moment before he turned to face his friend with a challenging look on his face. They stared each other down long and hard.
"You're not Hiei," Kurama concluded as he reached his hand into his hair to retrieve a seed to turn into a weapon.
A grin spread across the brunette's face, and his blood eyes glinted dangerously.
"Who are you exactly?"
"I'm Hiei, dumb ass."
"Don't lie," Kurama hissed, "Hiei would never act as stupidly as you did."
'Hiei' let out a laugh, and when he spoke again his voice was much deeper: "Your friend Hiei is nothing more than a pawn in my game. All the pent up anger he had made it all the more easier and all the more entertaining."
"Who are you?" Kurama demanded sharply, "Don't make me ask again for my patience is thin."
"I linger in the darkness. I control the mind, I control the heart, and---"
"We asked for a name, not a fucking monologue! Don't play games!" Yusuke yelled as he grabbed the midget by his collar and lifted him into the air, "A name! Give us a name so I can put you on file, and whoop your ass."
'Hiei' just cackled like a maniac before he turned his eyes skyward. "Do you hear that? It's an angel's cry. She's furious. And we'll all suffer her wrath." [4]
"What the fuck?" Yusuke questioned as Hiei's eyes closed and his body went limp.
Kurama crossed his arms across his chest, and watched as Yusuke dropped the man to the ground.
"Kurama, what the hell is going on?"
"I don't know. But whatever it is, it doesn't look good."
~.~.~.~.~
You can run, but you can't hide!
You can pretend that you're not hurting.
You can lie to yourself all you want.
But it's slowly eating you alive.
Why don't you just give in to me?
Just sink into your despair, let yourself be eaten by your anger... and you'll find me waiting here in the shadows.
I'll make you strong.
You'll never fear again.
If only you come to me, it'll all be fine.
I promise.
~.~.~.~.~
"She's waking up!"
Mika could hear voices buzzing around her. Her head felt so heavy as she attempted to move it. Her thoughts were a giant blur and were unfocused. She was so tired, she wanted to go back to sleep. But, she forced herself to open her eyes. Everything was brilliantly and painfully bright. She squinted and could see several dark silhouettes gathered around her.
"You're okay," Keiko breathed in relief.
"Now don't freak out, Mika," Yusuke started as he saw the silver haired woman jolt up when she realized where she was, "Look, we had no other choice."
"It's alright, Mika." Yukina whispered in a soothing voice as she touched her cool hand to the woman's sweating forehead. "The doctors only cleaned the wound. I did the rest."
Mika pulled away the hospital blankets and realized that she was still in her bikini. Her eyes stared at her bare stomach, and she realized that the wound had disappeared. Her eyes were narrowed in confusion as brushed her hand across abdomen. "It's... gone?"
"Yes," she smiled proudly.
"Are you alright?" she turned to Kuwabara as her eyes scanned him for any damage.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he responded with a grin, "Yukina's a great nurse."
Yukina's face turned bright red, and Yusuke pinched Kuwabara's arm before he mouthed the word 'dirty'.
"What about Hiei?" Her heart sped up as she realized that Hiei and Kurama were missing. "Is he in trouble?"
"No," Kuwabara answered, "Urameshi and Kurama said that some weird shit went down."
"It was almost like Hiei was being... I dunno, possessed." Yusuke scratched the back of his head in confusion. "They're checking him out now, but he can barely remember anything. And we know that he's not lying because we were witnesses and it was some freaky shit man."
"Oh, this is awful!" Botan shook her head.
"You're tellin' me!" Yusuke yelled, "Hiei's one of the toughest guys I know. Nobody could take over his mind unless they were really powerful."
"You're lucky, Mika," Kuwabara turned to her. "That fake Hiei had no sword skills. If it had been the real Hiei attacking you, let's just say that---"
"Don't say that, Kazuma!" Yukina scolded. "You're scaring the poor thing!"
"Sorry."
Before anyone could say anything else, the door opened. Mika's eyes shot to the three figures filing into the room. A doctor led the way, with Kurama following suit.
Mika could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as she watched the doctor bustle around the room. Kurama smiled at her brightly and came to stand next to her bedside. He placed a friendly hand on her shoulder, and began a conversation to distract her. "I see that you're feeling better." She nodded and smiled feebly, but her eyes still shot between the doctor and her best friend. "It's fine," Kurama said to her softly as the doctor came forward.
"You were scheduled for a checkup next week?" the doctor questioned as he flipped through a file, and peered over his glasses at the pair.
"Yes," she nodded before she pursed her lips in obvious petulance.
"And for---?"
"The doctor ordered that she come in two weeks later so that they could keep a record of her weight and her vitals." Kurama answered.
"I see," the doctor nodded as he scribbled something down on his clipboard, "Well, we might as well kill two birds with one stone. We can do a basic checkup on her today so that she won't have to come in next week. We'll have to do a blood test. Let me go get the needles and I'll be right back."
As soon as the door closed behind the doctor, everyone made a dive for Mika who (just like they expected) decided that it was time to make a run for it. The woman struggled against the several pairs of hands restraining her, but to no avail. She kicked the bed sheets off of her, and blew her bangs out of her eyes when she was pinned down.
"C'mon, Mika!" Keiko sighed as she held onto her arm with Botan at her side, "You're fine."
"Kurama, please!" She begged in a pitiful voice as she looked up at him. "Please can we wait until next week? Please, please, please?"
"If you get it done now, you won't have to worry about it anymore."
"Please? I'm perfectly fine! Yukina healed me, there's no reason to be here anymore!"
"But, Mika they need to---"
The door interrupted Kurama in the middle of his sentence. The doctor strolled in with a white plastic tray. On top of the tray were three syringes, a bottle of iodine, cotton pads, and a blue marker.
"Too late," Yusuke shook his head. "You've got bad luck today."
Mika glared down at him, and attempted to kick him but he had her pinned. Yusuke grinned at her as he patted her leg mockingly.
"Should we sedate her?" The doctor laughed as he gazed at the woman being held down against her will.
"Nah, she's fine. Just a bit scared," Kuwabara said from his place at her right leg.
"A bit scared? More like terrified." Yusuke added. "You big baby scared of a little itty bitty needle."
"Don't worry, Miss Mika," the doctor said as he came over to her and began to run his ice fingers down her arm searching for a vein. He marked the spot, rubbed it down with iodine, and prepped the needle. "This won't hurt at all."
Mika squirmed, and the doctor applied a firm hand to her arm to keep her still before he broke the skin and plunged the needle into her arm.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
~.~.~.~.~
Mika on the sink counter in the hospital room, a disgruntled look on her face. Her lips were puckered in a sour pout. She had a huge beige bandage wrapped around the spot were the doctor had drawn blood. But not only had he drawn blood once, he actually came back once more and drew two more samples! And on top of that she had just been weighed on a scale.
How humiliating, she thought as the doctor stared at her like she were an elephant and kept sliding the metal rungs to the left before he finally recorded her weight. [5] And everyone had been watching with curiosity as if it were some huge thing.
"Awww, c'mon don't be mad, Mika." Yusuke teased her as he ruffled her hair. She swatted his hand away in response, her irritation growing more pronounced by the moment.
"The doctor will be back with your results soon," Kurama said as absentmindedly made a plant dance in his hand, "and then we can leave."
She remained silent, and she watched the plant in her friend's hand sway from side to side. Quiet chatter filled the room as everyone waited for the doctor to return. By the time everyone was getting bored and anxious, a nurse bustled through the door. A worried yet confused look was plastered on her porcelain face, and she held a clipboard in her hand as she approached the silverette and her fiery haired companion.
"The doctor is... ummm... busy in the lab," she explained as she scanned the paper before her, "so he told me to take over. Miss Mika, it says that when you were an in-patient for intensive treatment, you gained about fourteen and a half pounds. But, now the scale is weighing you in at two and half pounds lighter than when you left."
"If you were eating a well balanced diet, we estimated that around this time you should be about five pounds heavier. Ummm... have you been eating correctly?"
Mika opened her mouth to retort that indeed she had been eating. But Kurama cut her off and answered truthfully. "She has been eating more than she used to. But it's not a lot."
"That's exactly what we thought," the nurse fidgeted a bit as she shuffled from side to side. She ever so slightly inched away from Mika who seemed to be on the verge of a fit, "You've been losing weight slowly, and your vitals are only a tad bit lower than when you left. You're organs might not be able to function correctly if you don't have enough of these metals and proteins in your blood. If you continue like this, we will have to require that you become an in-patient again."
Mika scrunched up her nose at the possibility. Being an in-patient was one of the most worse things that had happened to her. She hated the way hospitals reeked of disinfectant and old people. She hated how painfully bright everything was with it's white lights, white sheets, white walls, and white floors. She hated the way people stared at her as if they were wondering and trying to guess what her problem was. She hated the way the nurses followed her wherever she wanted to go as if she were a child that needed constant supervision. And she hated the way they took away her self-control and forced her to eat. She hated anything and everything that had to do with hospitals. So living there? Um, no thank you.
"The doctor has prescribed her with zinc supplements which will help speed up the weight gain and increase her appetite. Please," she turned to Kurama and hesitantly stepped forward to hand him the bottle of pills, "make sure that she takes one capsule each day and that she eats well."
Kurama nodded as he pocketed the medication, "I will."
The nurse nodded and smiled. "Alright, well you're next appointment will be in two weeks from today. Good luck, Miss Mika. I hope that you get better soon."
Kurama watched the nurse carefully as she left the room. His eyes were narrowed.
"Did that nurse seem really twitchy to you all or what?" Yusuke questioned as he watched her leave through the door. He draped his arms across Keiko's shoulders.
"She did," Kurama agreed, "I wonder why..."
"Ehhh, who cares?" Kuwabara yawned largely, "I'm tired. Let's get outta here!"
"What a shame," Yukina sighed as she gathered her things, "Such a fun day, ruined."
"It's alright, Yukina." Kurama smiled at the koorime woman as he helped Mika down from her perch on the counter, "We'll make it up sometime soon."
"Yeah!" Botan chimed in.
"Definitely!" Keiko said, as everyone said their goodbyes.
Kurama handed Mika her jeans and her turtleneck. She hurriedly pulled on her clothes over her bathing suit. When she was finished she let out a large sigh. Kurama just smiled uneasily at her.
Today had been one of the strangest days in his life.
~.~.~.~.~
"Sir, what in the world could this possibly mean?"
The doctor and the nurse were sitting in the hospital infirmary, gathered around a computer screen.
"I have no idea," the doctor whispered in disbelief, "I don't understand any of this. Ms. Mika's DNA is so strange! Look at this."
The doctor's fingers brushed across the image of a DNA chain that was on the screen. The nurse's eyes were narrowed in confusion as she listened intently to the doctor.
"Her DNA has all the correct chemicals---A, T, G, and C--- but look at this. These... tiny spheres of light in the chain. What could this be? I've never seen anything like this. Not in humans, not in demons, not even in animals or plants."
"Do you think the test went wrong? Maybe there's a malfunction with the machine?" The nurse whispered fearfully, as she chewed on her bottom lip.
"There's no possible way. We ran this test several times," he sighed, "I have no idea what this could be, but I think that it may be best to show this to Prince Koenma."
The nurse nodded as the doctor's fingers flew across the keyboard. He printed out a screenshot of the picture and shoved it into a manila folder that contained Mika's papers and files.
"While I'm gone," he turned to the nurse, "I want you to run a comparative against all the DNA we have on in the system."
"But, sir! That could take days!"
"I know."
"Even the DNA stored in the restricted vault?"
"Only until after we've checked the rest of our data," he said, "Prince Koenma made it clear that no one is to enter that vault unless absolutely necessary."
The nurse nodded as the doctor left. She sat down in the chair, and her fingers flew across the keyboard immediately as she typed in commands to the computer. This was the weirdest thing that had ever happened in this infirmary.
~.~.~.~.~
"I'm going to get you."
Mika woke up in the middle of the night with a loud gasp. She bolted straight up in bed, her eyes wide with fear. She slapped her hand over her heart as she willed herself to calm down.
"It was only a dream," she whispered to herself as she wiped her hand across her feverish forehead. She laid back down, closed her eyes, and shifted around in an attempt to get comfortable. But whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was several pairs staring her down. She opened her eyes and let out another deep sigh.
She crossed her arms behind her head and let her mind wander until a loud growl echoed throughout her room. She glared down at her stomach and closed her eyes. She had barely touched her food despite Kurama's insistence, but she was a good girl and had taken her medicine---which only made her appetite worse.
When it got to the point where she could ignore her hunger any longer, she threw off the sheets and slid into her house shoes. She tiptoed out the room and down the hall, and stepped quietly down the stairs. She felt like a teenage sneaking out---but the only difference was that she was sneaking to get food. She came into the living room wondering about what she would eat when she froze.
Hiei was sitting on the window sill. When she entered the room, he turned to meet her gaze with his fiery one. The corner of his mouth twitched before it became a full blown sour frown. She bit her bottom lip as she moved forward.
She wanted to tell him that she was happy that he was alright. She wanted to let him know how relieved she was that he wasn't in trouble. But the words never came.
"I-I was just getting some hot chocolate," she said slowly, "and some ice cream. Would you like some?"
He remained silent and just continued to stare her down.
"I-I, I mean... it's no problem if you want some," she shuffled her feet, "I know that you like ice cream, s-so it's not a big deal for me to make a bowl for you, y-y'know because I'm going in there anyway?"
He pursed his lips, and she let out a sigh and was about to walk to the kitchen when he finally spoke, "I don't remember much."
"What?" she turned to stare at him.
"I don't remember much of what happened," he repeated. "But I remember you. Why did you do it?"
"What do you mean?" she questioned before she tilted her head, "Do you mean why did I step in front of you?" She took his silence as a 'yes,' and she let out a sigh before she looked down at her feet.
"I overheard you and Kurama talking," she admitted, "I know that if you had killed Kuwabara, then you would have been thrown back in jail, and that they would've killed you. I can't stand for someone else to die. And, you've put in so much work to redeem yourself. You've risked your life so many times."
"..."
"Hiei," she started as she clasped her hands together, "I know the reason why you wanted to hurt Kuwabara. I've never had a sibling, but I can sort of understand. But Yukina's got to make her own decisions. And I don't know why you won't tell her that you're her brother. I don't understand. If you think that it's because she'd be ashamed of you, then I can tell you right now that that's not true. And from now on, I promise that I'll stay out of your way and out of your business."
Hiei was silent, and then he turned to stare outside the window. She sighed before she turned to head into the kitchen. When she came out a few minutes later, with two mugs of hot chocolate and two bowls of vanilla ice cream on a tray, she set it down on the table near the couch.
"Hiei?"
His eyes were closed, and he didn't respond. She figured that he was awake but didn't feel like talking. Hiei was a little strange, she could help but think. He most definitely had his own issues, but then again, who doesn't? She could only hope that maybe one day he'd open up to her.
With a sigh, she sat down on the couch and ate her ice cream and drank her mug of hot chocolate as quietly as she could. And that was the first time that she had ever ate or drank without a second thought.
When she finished, she went to return her dirty dishes to the kitchen before she headed to the linen closet down the hall. She returned with a neatly folded blanket, and she set it down next to the tray.
"Goodnight, Hiei," she said softly before she turned on her heel and walked up the stairs.
Hiei listened to Mika's soft footsteps as she went up the stairs and into her room. When he heard the slight 'click' of her door shutting for the night, he opened his eyes. His ruby orbs went straight to the tray that she had left out for him. He moved over to the couch and grabbed the bowl of ice cream and the spoon.
He began to dig in as his mind jumped from one thing to another. What in the hell was going on today? It was so strange.
"Goodnight," he whispered, even though he knew she couldn't hear.
"...And thank you." [6]
Author's Notes
[1] - I had a dream like this. What's hotter than a hot guy serenading you on guitar---and then giving you private lessons? ;)
[2] - Someone asked me how much Mika weighs. Honestly, I don't know because I never thought of it. But if you type in 'anorexia' and look at images, she is not so skinny that she looks like a skeleton. You can tell that she is too skinny but it's not so much that it's frightening to look at her.
[3] - Like my invented word? :D
[4] - Creepy as hell, right? And cheesy the way it was written too.
[5] - The metal rungs (I don't know what to call them) on the scales are moved to balance the scale to get an accurate weight of the person standing on it. If the rungs are moved to the left, like in Mika's case, it means you weigh less. To the right, you weigh more. Well, that's how all the scales I've been weighed on work.
[6] - Cheesy. Yes, I know. It's hard to make them interact. Ugh.