InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fire in Ice ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.
FIRE IN ICE

A/N: I just love Genkai. =P Thank you, everyone, for your continued reviews. They keep me typing. And R.P., I do not take your suggestions as hazing, but as good constructive criticism, which I always welcome. And I will explain Kurama’s behavior in the next chapter, as I hope I have Hiei’s in this one. (Fate)

Chapter Eight

The Dark Forest. It was an ancient place, filled with the denizens of nightmares, some so old even their legends had become lost to time. Some called it the Forest of Death, for death stalked those who dared venture within its close confines. Trees, black of limb and gnarled by age, clutched at each other with skeletal hands, entwining so close little daylight pierced the gloomy depths.

The evil aura that surrounded that fell wood made Botan shiver, and she drew closer to Genkai to whisper hoarsely, “You want Sango to go in there?”

The old priestess simply stood, hands clasped behind her back.

“I don’t see what the big deal is.” Yusuke scowled, hands knit behind his head as they watched the slayer standing a little ways off. “I already kicked that stupid forest’s ass. That bat-thingie didn’t put up much of a fight.”

“Baldoc isn’t the only creature living in that forest,” Kurama said, a trifle grimly. “There are other, more formidable demons who make that particular wood their home.”

“Like Hiei?” Yusuke slyly suggested. “Seems just his style---dark and creepy.”

Kurama shot the detective a quelling glance.

Hardly fazed, Yusuke looked around. “Where is the little bugger, anyway? Didn’t think he’d want to miss this.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Genkai said. Moving away from them, she approached the slayer, who shifted the giant boomerang to a more comfortable position over her shoulder. She held the heavy weapon like it was nothing; an impressive feat in itself. It towered over the girl, the demon-bone polished to a creamy-yellow hue. Remembering the relief on Sango’s face when her weapons were finally returned to her, Botan bit her lip, reminded of the numerous stars, bombs and knives the taijiya had carefully hidden about her person.

She hoped it would be enough.

“This is a simple test,” Genkai said, smirking slightly. “Even the moron managed it, though you, I hope, won’t show up late like he did.”

“Hey!”

Ignoring the detective, Genkai held up one finger. “A few rules. One, no flying.” She glared at Kirara, who wrinkled her nose, and raised a second finger. “Two, you got three hours to get through to the giant oak on the other side. I suggest you use your spirit sense to take the best path, and avoid any direct confrontations.”

“Three hours? What the hell, Grandma! You only gave me two!”

“There were more of you then, dimwit. About twenty, if I remember right. And only eight survived.” She smiled sweetly.

The slayer looked over the sinister forest, her hand tightening on her Hiraikotsu. Flames engulfed the small kitten at her feet, her size increasing substantially as Kirara became the formidable, saber-toothed cat Botan remembered frozen in Tarukane’s vaults. Botan’s heart ached to see the determination on Sango’s face, and she wondered if Lady Genkai was being fair in giving them this challenge so soon after their ordeal. Not to mention, the exhausting fight with Kurama this morning. But Genkai had dismissed her concerns, claiming there was no time like the present. Sango had agreed, but Botan wondered if the girl really knew what she was getting herself into…


The forest hardly looked menacing, at least to the naked eye. A little overgrown, perhaps, and wild, but nothing she hadn’t encountered in her own time. But there was a feeling to those woods, an eerie prickling along her spine that told Sango in no uncertain terms that what lurked beneath those shadowed trees was anything but welcoming.

Not that the careful sutra-strung ward surrounding the forest wasn’t enough clue. That containment barrier was strong. That argued that whatever hid behind it had to be strong, too. And the silence…the silence was uncanny.

Kirara whined uneasily in her throat, her black ears lying flat along her head. A crow cawed, far above them, and Sango noted how it avoided flying directly over the forest. A light wind blew, sending the sutras dancing on their wire, and then shifting through the ancient trees, making them groan and complain.

Well, no time like the present. Taking a deep breath, she nodded to the large nekomata. Kirara deliberately took the lead, carefully stepping over the ward so that none of the sutras touched her. Gingerly following, Sango lifted her Hiraikotsu, its solid weight reassuring as the chill shadows enfolded them.


This, Sango concluded, had to be the most boring forest she had ever been in. Demons? What demons? She had hardly seen anything more evil than a thorny bush. Marauding man-bats? Even the gnats avoided this place. Vicious, man-eating wolves? Hardly. Venomous snakes? Maybe if you squinted at one of those draping vines hanging from the trees, you might think it a snake. Speaking of trees---where were those maniacal demon-trees, reaching out their tentacles to ensnare you?

*Yeah, right. Tell me another one.*

Sango kicked a pebble out of her path in sheer disgust. Yusuke had hyped her up on all the gory details from his own trials to become Genkai’s apprentice, claiming he was “preparing” her for the worst while they shared a light lunch. She wondered angrily if this were all some sort of joke at her expense. He must be at that stupid tree laughing his ass off right now.

Creepy? Yes, this forest was damn creepy. The menace that seethed through her spirit sense made Sango want to shiver involuntarily---but that was all it was. A heavy feeling, like the building tension before a thunderstorm struck, the ominous uncertainty before battle closed. The nameless dread that woke you from your nightmares, gasping as the images faded around you into nothing. Her spiritual sense was overwhelmed by pure evil, gone crazy with the presence of too many demons to count, surrounding her on all sides. Demons who weren’t even there.

What kind of test was this anyway? Her ability to overcome fear? That was something for rank beginners, not battle-hardened veterans who had been fighting with the other warriors in their village since they were ten! Well, Genkai-sama hardly knew that. It wasn’t as if Sango had spelled out her training or experience. For all the priestess knew, she could’ve been new to demon slaying. Genkai might even take her difficulty during this morning’s match with Kurama as a sign that she was.

Hell, for all she knew, she may well be considered a novice by these people. Sango frowned. Kurama was good. Damn good. Better, actually, than she, although that was hard for her to admit. The kitsune was a master of more fighting styles than she could ever dream. With a thousand-plus years of experience…what did her paltry eleven years of training have when compared to that?

Lady Genkai had told her as much, even warned her that those boys were strong. Too strong, maybe, for her.

Sango sighed, unhappy with the situation. It rankled that her skills, skills she had fought so long and hard for, might count so little here in this time that wasn’t her own. Had taijutsu really developed so much in the past five centuries that her skills were but an amusing anachronism to their futuristic eyes?

Damn it, she couldn’t swallow that. She had to be something more than someone to be indulged and amused. Her father had tried that, when she’d first cried and pleaded to be taught the ways of a warrior. Such skills were for men, he’d said, though she demanded to know what was the difference. Being only five, she couldn’t see it mattered all that much. She was strong, stronger than any of the boys her own age, and yes, even those a few years older. She could out-wrestle and outrun any of them, climbing any tree like a monkey. Her father had laughed at her insistence, finally indulging her with learning how to shoot a bow, saying it might come in handy to fill the cookpot, and then later a knife, when old Hideo said it couldn’t hurt. But when he found her stubbornly practicing with a sword too long for her, he’d finally sat her down and explained that it wasn’t a woman’s place to fight.

As if that had ever stopped her.

So she practiced in secret, mimicking the moves she had seen others doing while watching sullenly from the sidelines. And then shown her father, when he finally caught her at it, just how much she’d learned. Which was when he had shown her how much she had yet to learn. But he’d finally given in to the inevitable, and from that point on she’d been given equal training with the men, flouting traditions set since Midoriko’s time.

Sango smiled wryly. It had been Midoriko, actually, who had allowed the others to accept the unacceptable, albeit grudgingly. The legend of the warrior-priestess who had created the Jewel of Four Souls had given them an excuse. And Sango had thrived, becoming the best at their craft and finally returning pride to a man who had always been proud.

Over-proud, maybe---for what their father had come to expect from his daughter he now sought twice-so in his son. Poor Kohaku---it was as if the two of them had been switched at birth. Her little brother, always so sweet and gentle, while she was so stubborn and boyish. What came easily to her was difficult for him. The pressure put on poor Kohaku, to be better than his sister, it was hard on him.

Sango bit her lip. It was wrong of her to think so ill of the dead. Whatever mistakes her father had made in this life were moot now. She judged harshly when all she was really doing was judging herself, and the harsh reality that she had a whole heck of a lot to learn. She knew Kurama had pulled his blows---even if she couldn’t see them. She had felt the ghostly ripples against her skin, an echo of a whisper of his various attacks. He was incredibly fast; she had to learn to be faster. And there was only one way to do that.

Training.

But she didn’t know if they would even let her train, if they thought her so inept. And how was she supposed to prove herself, if there was nothing in this damn forest for her to even fight? Which just brought her right back to her initial irritation with this stupid forest. This stupid, eerie, empty forest.    

Spying a break in the trees ahead, Sango glumly plodded towards the giant oak and the people there waiting. Kirara paused to look back over her shoulder, her red eyes glowing as she made a low noise in her throat.

“Kirara?”

The big cat turned back with a rippling shrug, bounding in two leaps to catch up so they could emerge from the Dark Forest together.

What a complete waste of her time.


What was it about humans, especially annoying human females, that brought out every lowlife scum and bottom-feeder within a hundred mile radius? It was as if that stupid girl had a “Come and Get It” sign painted right on her forehead, for every single low-class trash who had ever called the Dark Forest home was zeroing in on her.

It was enough to make even his arm tired. Raising his sword time and again, slashing and slicing and cutting and gutting his way through the demonic hordes who showed up, near slipping on the blood spilled by his efforts as he swept her wandering path from side to side, back and behind. Gods, it was annoying---did every damn demon in the whole damn forest decide to come calling?

He had lost count some time ago of the innumerable monsters who attacked him. Snakes, wolverines, wombats, flying skulls, evil skulking lizards, tangler-trees. Vicious viper-wolves, howling spiders, crouching three-eyed crows, a rooting bear-youkai and its evil boar-headed cousins. A nest of venomous scorpion-ants, some type of piranha that could fly instead of swim. A mouthy, man-sized bat who was so laughably slow it was pathetic, a screaming snapper-demon who used its three-foot-long claws to eviscerate its prey.

Even a chicken. A demon chicken, with enough teeth to make an alligator jealous.

Speaking of alligators…

That elongated snout split easily on the wicked edge of his sword, its gurgling shriek cut short before it could even be uttered. Good. He didn’t want her knowing. Quick as he was, Hiei could barely keep up with the slobbering mob that showed up just because she was there.

Of all the stupid, tedious, annoying wastes-of-his-time, this shit had to be the worst. (He stabbed another slavering beast with each snarl.) And entirely pointless! What the hell was that old crone thinking, letting that defenseless human girl wander about in this damn forest?  

Gutting a nearby banshee, Hiei paused long enough to wipe the sweat off his brow. His hand came away bloody---none of it his, actually. He flicked it away in disgust, knowing he would have to wash out his damn clothes on top of everything else. He was splattered head to toe in blood and gore, his hair plastered to his skull with it. Gods, humans were always more trouble than they were worth.

Seeing a break in the trees, he circled---shortening one howler-monkey by its head on his way past---and watched as the stupid girl finally made her way out. Her annoying cat paused to look up at him, its red eyes glowing with amusement, before going and joining her.

Slumping to the ground of a nearby tree, Hiei sneered as he stared at his sword, the blood dribbling down to the ground with distinct splats. Making a face, he ripped out the furry toenail still clutching at his leg and threw it away in pure disgust.

What a complete waste of his time.


“Holy crap---you got through with two hours to spare!” Yusuke regarded the demon slayer with dawning awe.

Sango frowned. “It wasn’t that hard.”

Yusuke picked his jaw off the ground as the others stared at her like she had spilled another sandwich.

“There was nothing in there,” Sango insisted, her irritation somewhat mollified by their dumbfounded expressions.

“But…” Botan began, puzzled, as Yusuke scratched his head and Kurama considered.

“Oh, it was ominous enough; my spiritual sense was going wild. But if you wanted to test my response to fear, you could have done it a lot easier than that,” Sango said shortly, rather put out by the whole farce.

“Uh…” Yusuke didn’t know what to say to that.

Genkai’s hazel eyes narrowed.


“You did her a grave disservice, youkai.”

Pausing to drop his sodden pants back in the creek, Hiei scowled at the short, elderly figure who confronted him on the bank where he had stopped to wash the blood off himself and his clothing. His cloak hung from a nearby branch, drying in the late afternoon sun. His sword, carefully polished, lay sheathed against the same tree’s trunk.

“Hn.”

Ignoring the old crone, he wrung the water out, the pinkish tinge making him frown. Plunging the sturdy black fabric back into the stream, he squeezed again, watching as the last of the blood was finally swept away by the running water. He knelt naked on the rock above the creek, but was hardly self-conscious, even with the old bat standing there.

“What chance will she have against stronger demons if she doesn’t get the opportunity to test herself against lesser foes?”

“And what concern of that is mine, witch?” he growled, taking his anger out on his clothing by squeezing the last of the water free with a savage twist.

“Hmph.” Genkai crossed her arms. “Think I don’t have eyes in my head, boy?”

Hiei stood up, his pants balled into one fist as he glared at the interfering hag. “You want her for the tournament.”

Genkai gave his naked body a slow perusal, one brow quirking up in amusement as he made no move to cover himself or acknowledge her candid appraisal. “So you guessed my evil plan, then, Jaganshi?”

Ignoring the reference to his third eye, which was bared, the white bandana he usually covered it with now hanging up there with his cloak, Hiei scowled. “That girl has no business being in the Dark Tournament.”

“And you do?”

“I,” Hiei spat, “can take care of myself.”

“Hmph. Think any of you are truly ready for that consummate bloodbath? You think too highly of yourselves.”

“You should know, priestess.” Hiei sneered. “It wasn’t more than fifty years ago when you took part in that same tournament.”

Genkai smirked. “And won, if you remember right.” Her smirk faded into a sour look. “It wasn’t as if I had a choice.”

“As we do?” Hiei said sharply, irritated with the reminder.

“Whining about the fact won’t help, and bitching about it even less.”

“I will do what I have to,” Hiei snapped.

“As will your teammates.” Genkai jerked her head back towards the shrine, where presumably the others were.

“I’m not worried about either Yusuke or Kurama. They can handle themselves.”

“And Kuwabara?”

“That idiot can die in whatever way he pleases,” Hiei growled, turning away. “I don’t care.”

“Yukina might.”

Hiei’s bristly head whipped back around, his glare almost scorching in its intensity. “You go too far, witch.”

“Hmph.” Genkai crossed her arms, matching him glare for glare. “You forget one important detail, Hiei. Each team is required to have five full members.”

“That is hardly my---”

“It should be. Automatic disqualification is instantly punishable by death.”

“Hn.” Hiei smiled chillingly. “Let them try.”

“Ha! Your bravado won’t work on me, boy. You wouldn’t be taking part in that damn tournament if you hadn’t already realized that you didn’t have a choice.”

The temperature in the air lowered by several degrees as Hiei stared at the old woman, who only smirked.

“Your concern is touching, and betrays you, witch.” Hiei hit home, as he knew he would. He pressed the advantage. “You once took part in that tournament. Who says you won’t again?”

“I say,” she snapped. “I don’t have the strength I did fifty years ago, demon. If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve grown a little old since then.”

Hiei stared at the priestess, surprised by the her candor. Genkai suddenly looked tired, as if she bore more weight on her shoulders than she’d ever admitted to anyone. Such a revelation from the elderly priestess was startling.

Genkai looked away from him, her hands now clasped behind her back. He wondered what she sought in the distant trees, or if she sought anything. “This tournament isn’t about me. At least, not anymore. Toguro…it’s Yusuke he wants. Yusuke he’s after. Don’t you see, Hiei? Toguro won’t stop until he gets what he wants, and everyone else will suffer until he does. That damn dimwit knows that, knows it in his bones, and he is going to do everything he can to stop him. As I have to do everything in my power to help.”

She turned back to the fire demon, her look withering. “But none of that crap matters, boy, if the team can’t take part because you lack numbers. And I don’t see anyone hanging around just itching to volunteer, do you? I don’t believe in shit like coincidence. That girl is here for a reason---”

“Your reason isn’t hers,” Hiei accused.

“True.” Genkai smirked. “But you got a better one?”

Hiei remained silent. There was nothing, really, that he could say.

“She won’t survive,” he finally growled. “As she is now, she doesn’t stand a chance. Not against what the Dark Tournament will bring. You saw how slow she was. She couldn’t even take on the Four Beasts, let alone the Toguro brothers.”

“She’ll have to,” Genkai answered firmly, then amended, “She’ll have to learn to.”

“From who? You?” Hiei scoffed. “She’s not a priestess. Her spiritual awareness is minimal.”

“It’s enough,” Genkai replied. “And no, not me. I’m too busy training the idiot not to be such an idiot. That Herculean task is going to take all my time. You can’t learn the Spirit Wave in just one day.”

Startled, Hiei stared at the old crone. The Spirit Wave? Was that what she hoped to teach Yusuke before the Dark Tournament? If the detective learned Genkai’s legendary technique, then they might actually stand a chance in that damned tournament.

“Hmph.” Genkai smirked. “Yes, maybe you numbskulls will survive. If you don’t fuck up too early, and get yourselves killed in the preliminaries. It takes a  lot of guts---literally---and determination to get through to the final round, where you’ll still have to face Toguro and whatever nosebleeds he digs up to fill out his team. And believe me, they aren’t going to be your average candy-pants. They’re going to be tough, tougher than any opponents any of you has ever fought before.

“And that will take training and preparation. I’m already working Yusuke’s ass off, and Kurama has been busy with Kuwabara. That leaves you, Sparky, the only one free to attend to our fifth teammate---Sango.”

Hiei stiffened. “You ask the impossible, woman.”

“Not if you’re good enough, demon,” Genkai tossed back.

“My strength is not at question here, witch.”

“Is it?” Genkai mocked.

“She’s human,” Hiei spat.

Genkai snorted. “So am I,” she reminded. “As is the rest of your team. And that never stopped Yusuke.”

“That’s different.”

“Is it?”

“Yes,” he snapped.

“She’s not Yukina,” Genkai suddenly said.

Hiei’s red eyes burned.

“Transferring your bleeding heart sentiment for Yukina on that girl doesn’t do you or her any good. You can’t protect her. Not that one. You’d be foolish to even try.”

Hiei’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Genkai smirked.

His fist clenched before he deliberately relaxed, folding his arms as he drawled, “You forget, witch, that she might not even want to take part in the tournament. Not after she realizes what it truly entails.”

Genkai actually laughed, a snickering snort of sound that set Hiei’s teeth on edge. “You really don’t know her, do you, demon? Ah, but you’ll find out soon enough.”

“I haven’t said I agreed,” Hiei snapped.

“Oh, but you will, won’t you, Jaganshi? Just so you can prove me wrong.” Genkai smirked, a knowing glint in her hazel eyes as she turned away.

His silence was telling.

Glaring at the old witch’s back, Hiei angrily grabbed his wrinkled (but now dry) pants and yanked them on.

Unable to resist one last sally, Genkai threw over her shoulder, “Nice third leg, by the way. You might make a good stool with that thing.”

Stunned, Hiei stared after the old woman  as she airily waved. That crazy crone was just as much a pervert as Yusuke…



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