Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Heart of Darkness ❯ Encounters ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Category: Anime, GW fusion with SM, GW/YYH/IY crossover, Yaoi, AU/TWT
Warnings: violence, shonen ai, slight humor
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, Inuyasha/Miroku
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina
Japanese/English terms: ningen = human, youkai = demon, Reikai = spirit world, Shinigami = Japanese god of death
Misc Terms: familiars = companions to witches that are said to aid them in their magic, usually small animals such as cats, snakes, and birds

Heart of Darkness

Part 2: Encounters

The yard Duo worked at was a good walk from the school. But there was no reason to rush considering the boy would probably be working for hours. His main mission, as Heero had dubbed it, was to keep an eye out and just follow him in the evenings. Wing thought it was adorable and a little sad. Of course, he wasn't about to argue. He hadn't seen Duo in over a week, so even playing silent shadow would be better than nothing. And he had a suspicion he wouldn't be the only one following the boy around to watch out for his welfare. He fully expected to find Shinigami waiting around outside the yard when he got there. With that in mind, he was pretty happy when he reached the tree that stood across the way from the large fenced-in yard.

Wing sent one glance over at the gates Duo would be coming out before climbing up the trunk of the tree in a quick, feline skitter. It was a good thing he had quick instincts, too, because he wasn't alone. Where he'd been half sure that Shinigami would be in the tree when he got there, he hadn't expected to see not one, but two sets of glinting eyes among the shaded leaves. True to nature, Wing froze for a second before tilting his head to blink at the strange person who was reclining on the limb just beneath Shinigami. The black cat sent him a look that screamed 'act like a cat,' and the boy sent him a look that screamed 'not another one.' Well, the second look didn't scream so much as give an air of resignation. Wing sniffed and shifted on the limb he'd climbed up to.

Now what? Seeing a human in a tree wasn't really all that strange, but it was quite a nuisance. With him there he couldn't exactly chat with Shinigami. And wouldn't the guy wonder why two adult male cats would be choosing the same tree to nap in? Bored red eyes closed and the answer was clear. If the boy was suspicious, he hid it well. He seemed to dismiss the phenomena without missing a beat. Wing relaxed enough to hop up to the limb Shinigami was stretched out on. The black cat turned, giving him another of those 'you're a cat, act like it' looks. Wing smirked in return and promptly sharpened his claws on the limb they were sitting on. Shinigami rolled his eyes and dropped his head back onto his paws.

Though being quiet in front of humans was nothing new to him, Wing got impatient and bored before long. The boy was obviously asleep, the soft, barely heard breaths were even and deep, his head having fallen so his chin pressed his chest. That was odd enough to keep him occupied for a few minutes, wondering why a human would want to sleep in a tree. They had apartments for that sort of thing. But the silence eventually took its toll on him. Shinigami also looked like he was really napping, the dark fur moving gently with his breaths. It made Wing droop near the base of the limb they were on. So much for a chat before his stalking duty. He curled a bit, determined that if everyone around him were enjoying the nice breeze, then he'd do the same. He was just dozing off when something brushed his senses, the tip of one white ear twitching in reaction.

"You're adorable when you sleep."

Shinigami lifted his head, and Wing blinked down at the redhead standing at the base of the tree. He was rather tall, and had an oddly disconcerting glint in his bright green eyes. But his smile was soft. The dark-haired boy sniffed before hopping to the ground, going from a doze to full awareness in seconds. Wing's eyes narrowed at that.

"Took you long enough."

"I couldn't help it," Kurama smiled. "She had it inside her shirt." That managed to get a reaction from Hiei. "I know. She didn't have it at school, so she must have kept it at the temple until she got out. I had quite some trouble sneaking close enough to nab it, I can tell you that."

"And?"

"First," Kurama said, "tell me about your friends."

Wing stiffened when the two teens turned to look up at him and Shinigami, the black cat going just as alert. Why was it he had the sudden impression the redhead could see exactly what he was? No one could. Even Heero had never asked exactly what he was.

"Familiars," Hiei said. He waved a hand at the pair of seeming felines, dismissing their presence. "Too weak to worry about. They wouldn't even classify as youkai. Probably can't even talk, let alone shift."

Bright eyes flicked to him, and Wing glared, agreeing with Shinigami's silent command to be still. He wanted to tell the rude person that he certainly could talk, and quite intelligently. But the fact was...the two obviously knew what they were. That made them dangerous. It also made them useful. Shifting was something neither he nor Shinigami was able to do - not for lack of wanting to, but because they didn't know how. Neither remembered his childhood or anything that might tell them how to make the most of what they were. All they knew was that they were animal beings designed to match and coexist with certain partners. They'd done well to just find their appropriate partners.

"Perhaps," Kurama said. His eyes narrowed, moving carefully over the two cats. They were watching with what looked like intelligent gazes. "But what about their owners?"

"If you got the stone, then it doesn't matter," Hiei reminded him. He folded his arms and waited. "Well?"

"It's not that simple. The rumors were true, she broke it."

Slender fingers delved into thick red hair and the teen produced a small piece of what looked like glass held between his forefinger and thumb. It was just big enough to catch a glint of light. Wing exchanged a long look with Shinigami, both filled with nervous energy. That shard was dangerous. Even without knowing what it was, they could feel the power in the thing. Just seeing it filled them with an urge to have it. Wing could only imagine what it was like to actually hold onto the thing.

"That idiot." Hiei glared, his dark eyes reflecting the tiny sliver of crystal. "As big as the stone was, all she had was that?"

"Oh." Kurama's eyes widened, and he gave a quick smile. "No, she had quite a bit more than this. She was keeping the pieces in a little jar. It was a cute human thing to do, expected of a teenager."

Snorting at him, Hiei shook his head. "Cute. Keeping fragments of the most powerful crystal in the three worlds in a little jar in her house is cute. Ningens." The redhead beamed at him, and he scowled sharply. "If she had more, why did you just take that?"

"Because we only need one to get to where the rest are. That temple is certainly the gateway to the past. We know the stone will be put back together eventually and used before the Reikai gets their hands on it. Otherwise it couldn't have been complete when Yusuke destroyed it."

"What's your point?"

"If we can get the entire stone before it gets used, then the Reikai will never intervene. They'll have no reason to if it doesn't fall into the hands of Naraku." His friend was scowling at the ground, and Kurama stared at the shard in his hand. "We just have to keep him from getting it all, and take back however many pieces he's managed to find on his own."

"To think the shards are spread over who knows how wide an area." Hiei growled, his gaze almost dark enough to set Kurama's hand on fire. "The youkai are going to have a feeding frenzy."

"If they aren't already," Kurama agreed. "But something has to have kept them from it if she had so many pieces in her possession. Aside from some spiritual energy, Kagome is nothing more than a weak human, weaker than Yusuke was the first time we fought him."

"Disgusting."

"A little sad," Kurama agreed. "Considering she had the power to split the stone, I expected her to be stronger. But it doesn't matter."

"What now?"

"We wait. I know the portal is somewhere on the temple grounds, but not where. And with her family living there we can't exactly search the place."

Hiei smirked, tilting his head with a wry, glinting look. "I could."

"Ah, I know you could. But I'd rather wait until she goes back. It would be best if we kept a tab on her shards while looking for the rest."

"Why not just take them from her?"

"Because she seems to be necessary for this." Kurama held the shard out to Hiei, nodding when his friend eyed it nervously. "She purified it, Hiei. Whether she poured her essence into the shard, or just touched it. It is completely pure." At that description, Hiei pulled away.

"Hn."

"Hiei." Dark red eyes flicked up to him, and Kurama smiled. "You can keep it."

"No!" The redhead stepped to him, and Hiei barely held his stance when Kurama reached into his shirt and pulled free a small necklace. The pearl-like gem sparked in the light, but glowed the moment the shard neared it. Hiei watched with nervous apathy. With a bit of twisting on the metal holding the teargem, Kurama placed the shard to sit entwined with it. The two gems pulsed faintly before going dim. "It's a bad idea," Hiei muttered, still staring down at the gems in Kurama's hand.

"Where better to keep our shard? If anything will maintain that purity, your mother's gem will." Hiei looked away sharply, and Kurama smiled as he tucked the necklace back into his friend's dark shirt. "You keep that safe, and I'll keep you safe."

"Baka."

"Have I told you how cute you are when you blush?" Kurama's hand lifted to cover his mouth when Hiei rounded on him.

"I am not bl-" Hiei's eyebrow twitched and he glowered at his laughing friend. "Idiot."

"Hey, guys!"

Hiei flinched, his narrow eyes snapping around. "That's..."

"Duo," Kurama greeted, pitching his voice so it reached the boy.

Wing and Shinigami shared a worried look as they spotted the person coming toward them. Duo hadn't spotted them yet, but he obviously knew the strange pair. What was he doing associating with two who were definitely not normal?

The boy jogged over and stopped to smile at Kurama and Hiei. "What are you two doing all the way out here? Don't you live closer to the school?"

"Ah," Kurama nodded. "Relena was nice enough to introduce us to Kagome, that girl I asked about. Her family's shrine is near here."

"Right. I forgot you were into history." Duo grinned a little, rubbing at his neck.

"What about you?" Kurama asked.

"Eh, I work over there." He waved at the yard he'd come from before grimacing. "But I had a little accident and had to leave early today." Something shivered the leaves of the tree above them, and Duo looked up in surprise. Sure enough, he spotted a pair of reproachful green eyes and knew Shinigami had heard every word. Perfect. All he needed was a lecture when he got home from his cat. A glint behind the dark feline caught his attention, and his eyes widened. "Wing?!"

Shinigami and Wing both winced when Kurama and Hiei turned to look at them again. Duo, of course, had no idea the pair knew what they were, or that they'd take them for anything other than the cats they appeared to be. But it would have been better if they didn't know the humans they were connected to. Still, Duo was beaming up at him, and Wing couldn't force himself to hurt the boy's feelings by ignoring him. Instead, he lifted his tail and gave his very best 'I'm a cute cat seeing a familiar face' meow. Duo choked on a bit of laughter that ended up sounding much like a giggle.

Kurama's eyes glinted, and he gave Duo a curious smile. "Yours?"

"Yeah, they follow me to work sometimes. Shi-chan's mine, and Wing is Heero's." Duo had moved to the tree, but he paused. "You remember Heero, right? That glaring guy I sat beside?" The redhead gave him a knowing smile and Duo grinned. "They're sweet, but a little bad about running around like they own the place. Come here, kitties."

That sappy voice and endearment made Shinigami's fur bristle as much as the 'Shi-chan' had. But he had to at least make an effort at being normal, whether the pair knew for sure what they were or not. Hiei had said they were familiars but unintelligent ones who were no threat - that was exactly what they would act like. After a quick stretch to get the kinks out, Shinigami jumped down into Duo's arms. He promptly made himself comfortable on the boy's shoulder so Wing could follow. Once they had both taken up their customary perches on the boy, Duo turned back to the pair who were obviously friends of his. Wing did his best not to glare at them. The moment they were alone, he'd repeat every word the two had said, not only to Duo but to Heero as well. Sneaky pair.

"They're softies," Duo said. He noticed that Kurama seemed especially interested in the cats, and he felt a quick worry that the two might have done something to give themselves away. But surely Shinigami and Wing knew better than to do that. "They're usually very well behaved."

"They look perfectly respectable," Kurama said. His smile was genuine, but the glitter in his eyes wasn't lost on either of the cats. He turned his gaze to the black one first. Hiei said they were weak, and that was true. The energy he got from them was just a hint if that. But with shapeshifters, there was only one way to know for sure. "Can I pet him?"

Duo's eyes widened, and he turned to look down at Shinigami. The black cat had dug his claws into Duo's shoulder, the answer a blatant 'no.' But why? This wasn't nearly as bad as dumping him off in Hilde's lap, the way he had back when they were having their meetings at Wufei's temple. Wing was also digging into his other shoulder, and Duo took a step back. "I think they're a little skittish. Maybe another time, once they get to know you better."

"They were comfortable enough earlier."

This came from Hiei, and Duo looked at him in confusion. The tense cats on his shoulders stiffened even more when the short boy moved closer to him. Unlike Kurama, Hiei didn't bother to ask permission first. Duo barely saw the boy move before a pale hand was touching Shinigami's dark neck. And to his astonishment, the obviously angry cat let out a rumbling purr as well as a strange growl. "Shi-chan...?"

Not lifting his hand from the shaking cat, Hiei turned his head sharply. "Kurama."

Duo stiffened when the redhead moved closer, also placing a hand on his cat. This wasn't just rude, it gave him a wash of nervous fear. What the hell were they doing? "Guys-" He barely followed what happened next. Wing leapt off his shoulder so suddenly his claws cut right through Duo's shirt. A flash of black later, Hiei had caught him in midair as if the white cat fell in slow motion. Shinigami remained shivering on his shoulder as Kurama quickly joined Hiei, placing a hand on the struggling white cat. That strange mixture of growling and purring cut off into an almost whimpering whine. Duo growled himself. "Let him go! I don't know what's wrong with you two, but-"

"The game's up," Kurama said. His voice was colder than Duo had ever heard it, but he seemed quite gentle when he lifted Wing out of Hiei's hands. He started to place the shivering cat on Duo's shoulder and opted for his arms instead. Duo accepted the feline with a frigid glare.

"What are you talking about?" Duo asked. His own voice was nearly as cold, and he found himself eyeing the two just as he had Zechs not too long ago.

"He's bleeding." Wide violet eyes darted to the white cat, but Hiei shook his head. "Kurama?"

"He clawed you," Kurama said. Duo flinched back when he took a step toward him, and he shook his head. "A scratch from a normal cat is dangerous. Such a deep scratch from a familiar is much worse."

The redhead pulled a pale cloth from inside his vest and something green from his hair. Duo could only blink in confusion until Kurama drew his attention down to his right shoulder. Sure enough, his shirt was cut in near ribbons where Wing's front paws had been, red seeping into the cloth. "It's just a scratch," Duo mumbled. Despite his words, he suddenly felt dizzy. Surely the cuts couldn't be that bad. And they didn't hurt. In fact, his shoulder was oddly numb.

"A scratch from a familiar," Kurama corrected. "And a very powerful one."

Hiei glared at that. He knew it was his fault for underestimating the two felines. But he had only seen one familiar in his life, and he'd never touched one. Of course he'd assumed they would be as readable as any youkai. And they were very easy to read - once a person was in physical contact with them. Whether they were currently in their dormant forms, both cats had given off enough youki to be C class demons. That meant their full power would be considerably higher. Yes, he'd made a gross mistake to think they were weak.

"Familiar...?" Duo blinked groggily at Kurama, not even bothering to wince when the redhead tore his shirt more to get at the wound. "What are you talking about? And what did you do to them?" That reminded him sharply of the cats he was holding. Duo lifted Wing gently, wide eyes moving over the shivering form. "Wing? Shi-chan?" The black cat on his shoulder gave a soft mewl, ducking his head against Duo's neck. And slowly, Wing looked at him, one blue and one green eye, both filled with blatant guilt. "Hey, don't look at me like that," Duo said. He gave a weak smile and pulled the white cat closer. "They scared you."

Hiei snorted loudly at that comment, and found himself on the receiving end of one very heated glare. He blinked in surprise.

"If you hurt either of them," Duo growled, "I'll-"

"Hurt them?" Hiei snorted again, rolling his eyes at the suggestion. "The only one hurt here was you."

Duo frowned in suspicion, looking again at how limply Shinigami was lying on him, and the way Wing seemed boneless in his arms. "Then what did you do?"

Rubbing a bit of the plant into the seeping wounds, Kurama glanced up at Duo. "I frightened them into submission. If you want to be angry, then direct it at me. Hiei didn't do anything."

"Yes he did," Duo protested. "You may have scared them, but he's the one who made them growl."

"And purr," Kurama reminded him. He gave a wry smile to Hiei before focusing on the wound he was tending. "Hiei can't help that right now. But it certainly didn't hurt them in any way unless you consider frustration a form of pain."

"What?" The redhead gave a soft laugh, and Duo stared at him in utter confusion. "Frustration?"

"It doesn't matter," Hiei said sharply. He had a ruffled look of anger on his face and he glared at Kurama. "I won't be touching them again."

"No," Kurama agreed. "We've learned all we need to." He finished bandaging the wound and straightened. Duo was still watching him. "Duo, I want you to be completely honest with me. Do you know what these cats are?" The boy's eyes widened with visible fear. "You do, don't you."

"I..." Duo closed his mouth for a second before answering honestly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really." Kurama took a step back, giving the boy a bit more personal space. "Then maybe you can tell me why they reacted the same way any demon would when Hiei touched them."

"Demon?! They're not demons," Duo said. "I don't know where you got that idea, but there's no way they-"

"Demons aren't necessarily evil or monstrous," Kurama said. His voice was calm, but also gentle. "They are merely another form of being. Youkai. Some look as human as yourself, for instance. Others take the form of an animal that might be found anywhere in the human world. And still others can look either human or animal, choosing their form based on necessity. Those cats are a part of the latter."

"Human or animal?" That couldn't be right. Duo turned to look at Shinigami, but the cat was still half buried against his neck. Wing was a little more helpful. The white cat shivered a bit before easing up so he was standing with his paws on Duo's chest. "Wing?"

"I don't know how..."

Duo's eyes widened when he realized they'd just given away unquestionable proof to both Kurama and Hiei. But a glance found the two watching him without the least bit of surprise on their faces. Had they known just by touching them? And if they'd known the cats were intelligent, did that mean they were right about them being demons? Shinigami, a demon? "Shi-chan?"

"I don't know how to shift, either," Shinigami mumbled, his face still hidden on Duo's neck.

It was true, then. Duo's eyes lifted to Kurama and he shook his head. "How did you know? How could you know just by touching them?"

"First," Kurama said, "who are their owners? You said they belonged to you and Heero, but that can't be right. Familiars align themselves with the most powerful beings they can find. And neither you nor Heero has enough reiki to suit a familiar."

"Shi-chan is mine," Duo said. His voice didn't leave room for any doubt, and he glared at the insult. "And I have no idea what this reiki is, but Heero and I are great owners. Shi-chan came to me, and he's been with me since he was a kitten. He's mine."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "Then you're hiding it." The boy flinched at that, and he knew it was true. "What are you to have enough energy to hold a familiar, but no sense of anything but average human reiki?"

"Why?" Duo asked. He couldn't help it when he took an instinctive step away from them. Suddenly one of the comments Kurama had made was forefront in his thoughts. Demons weren't always monstrous, and some looked as human as anyone. "What are you two? And why do you want to know anything about me?"

Kurama gave a tired looking smile. "Because your friends there overheard our conversation, and they're guaranteed to repeat it to you. We can't have anyone trying to stop us without understanding the full weight of what we're trying to do."

"Stop you. What are you trying to do?" The redhead shook his head at him, and Duo edged a bit further from the pair. "What are you?" he asked again.

"You tell us, and we'll tell you." Kurama winked at the boy and grinned when Duo's mouth fell open. "I don't think we're enemies, though. That's what is important." The boy dropped his gaze to the white cat again, and Kurama sighed. "We had to know if our suspicions were right about them. I promise, they've suffered no lasting harm. Although, they might be dreaming of Hiei for the next few weeks."

The last bit was given in a teasing tone, and Duo looked up in time to catch the way Hiei growled and turned his back on them. He was about to ask about the odd behavior when a beeping sound went off. For a long moment the three of them stared at each other in confusion, then Hiei glared down at Duo's arm. Duo flushed. The communicator hadn't gone off in weeks and he'd completely forgotten that he was still wearing it daily. He just thought of it as a bracelet or watch that he never bothered to check. He didn't think he really wanted Kurama and Hiei to see him talking in it, but there wasn't much to do other than to answer it. After all, they already knew about Shinigami and Wing.

Shifting Wing closer to Shinigami, Duo lifted his wrist. It was a little embarrassing with the two watching him, and he suddenly felt like he was a kid playing some science fiction make-believe. "Yeah?"

"Duo, this is Quatre. Are you still at work?"

If he had been, it would have taken him longer to sneak off and answer the call. Duo didn't mention that. "No, but I'm right outside it."

"There's something out there, Duo. Whatever it was, it attacked a girl near there. It's on the police banner. They're saying it's a guy in an outfit, but it tore a hole in the girl's wall during the escape. We're on our way."

"In the daylight?" That was more a taunt than anything since Duo knew the others had yet to be seen in their 'uniforms' during the day. The response wasn't nearly as lighthearted.

"They're saying this thing is eight feet tall, Duo. With six arms. Be careful. We'll get there as soon as we can."

"Right," Duo said. His tone was abruptly serious. "Call the girls if you haven't. No sense underestimating it."

"See you soon."

"Six arms?"

Duo turned at Kurama's voice, but the redhead was looking at Hiei. He didn't know what to say about what they'd heard, no more than he knew what to say about the cats.

"And eight feet tall," Kurama murmured. "Capable of tearing a hole in a wall. And he attacked a girl near here." Hiei's eyes narrowed and he gave a sharp nod. Kurama's own eyes darkened. "If he has the shards she had, then he's going to be above an A class, if not S."

"Scared, fox?"

"You're one to talk," Kurama said. His gaze flicked skyward and he gave a little sigh. "Fighting for myself is hard enough under normal circumstances. Trying to protect you is a challenge."

"Ch'. You're the one who couldn't wait."

"An entire year?" Wide green eyes snapped to Hiei, and the short male looked away. Kurama quickly shifted his tone. "I'm teasing you, Hiei. You can't help this any more than I can help us not being able to wait. Besides, unless I'm wrong, we get to see why the familiars chose Duo as their owner."

That brought the two back around to looking at him, and Duo paled. "You guys can't go with me. I don't think you get it - this is a monster they're talking about. It already attacked one person-"

"But didn't kill her," Kurama said lightly. "If it had, they would have mentioned that. Chances are it's completely unintelligent, just impossibly strong. And while I'm sure your hidden power is interesting, I suspect you'll need some help."

"I have help," Duo countered. "You don't know anything about me or my friends. I don't have any idea what you guys are, but I know you're not like us. This isn't your fight."

"Why do you think the demon came to this world?" Kurama asked. His smile was dark, not the least bit soothing. "It's after the same thing we are. And I'm positive it came from the same place we're seeking to go. Of course it involves us."

"Enough," Hiei snapped. His eyes flicked away and he glared suddenly. "It's coming."

Duo turned to look for whatever it was that Hiei had spotted but didn't see anything. When he glanced back, Hiei was gone. "Where did he go?" The redhead was looking back at the tree they'd been standing under earlier and Duo spotted a dark shadow in it, blending almost perfectly with the branches. "How could he-"

Kurama blinked suddenly and whipped around, his voice sharp. "Hiei! The shard!"

A deep growl sounded an instant before Hiei landed in a crouch beside them, and Duo jumped back. He wasn't just fast, he was inhuman. And the way the boy's red eyes looked when he glared was definitely worrisome. Not to mention that he seemed to have found a sword either in the tree or during his jump from it to the ground. Duo stared.

Clenching his teeth, Hiei sheathed his sword. To Duo, it seemed to disappear behind his back. "You're using me as bait," he growled.

Kurama winced, but nodded. "I'm sorry, Hiei. But he's certainly coming here for the shard, and you're more resistant than I am at close range. You don't have to let him catch you, just stay where he can see you."

"Hn. While you hide."

"Only at first," Kurama promised. "As soon as he's in range I'll attack. I just don't want him to hesitate. If he isn't intelligent, even the shards' power won't change his cowardice." His friend was still scowling at him, and Kurama moved closer, his voice dropping so Duo couldn't hear him. "Besides, you should be flattered. You're the reason youkai find me so intimidating right now."

"I won't inflate your ego," Hiei sniffed, glaring to the side. "Just go. He'll be here any second now."

With a nod, Kurama turned for the tree, the closest 'hiding' spot around since they were in the open. Duo was relieved to see that he didn't disappear the way Hiei had. He ran to the tree and jumped. Of course, the jump was as inhuman as Hiei's had been, but it was better than nothing. Now if he just knew what the hell the two were talking about, he'd be set. But this wasn't the time. Duo turned and crouched, setting Wing and Shinigami down. The two were unsteady on their feet but seemed well enough to run. "Stay safe."

Wing gave a quick nod, then they both turned for the tree. A moment later and they came an instant stop. Shinigami shivered, and Wing couldn't help the soft whine that built in his throat. The soft, answering laugh did nothing to soothe them.

Kurama sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you. Get up here and stay near the top. I may have to use the lower branches, but you should be safe up there." The two cats climbed up and he nodded above him. "Go on. Stop looking at me like that. I protect what's mine, but I don't attack unless provoked."

Wing hesitated, glaring despite the way the redhead's gaze made him want to turn tail and flee. "You can keep him."

"Thank you ever so much," Kurama smirked. "Now get up there and keep quiet."

Duo watched as the two cats disappeared into the foliage. He really wanted to ask exactly what they were so afraid of, to ask what had happened when Kurama touched them. But if Hiei were right, there wasn't time for that. The dark-haired teen was standing a few feet to his left, watching the road. As much as he hated the idea of transforming in front of them, the last thing he wanted was to be caught unready over something so trivial as embarrassment. Besides, Hiei wasn't even looking at him. Turning just a bit away from them both, Duo closed his eyes and called on that power reserved only for him.

He'd had some experience doing this in the daytime, unlike the others, and the moment that rush of warm power settled over him, his demeanor changed. Sure, someone wandering by might recognize him since he didn't wear any sort of mask over his face. But the person would have to get close in order to see well enough, and few dared come close during his battles. They tended to get a little wild. Duo smirked at that thought and gave a glance back in the direction of the school. The others shouldn't be too far away now, not as urgent as Quatre's call had been. If they were fast, they could meet the thing when it came, whatever it was. The thought was broken by a growl a few feet from him, and Duo whirled back around. His long glowing scythe was held readily in his hands. He ended up jerking it back when he realized Hiei was the one growling at him.

The short dark-haired teen had his shoulders hunched forward, that sword back in his hand. But he wasn't facing in the direction he'd been looking earlier. As far as Duo could tell, he looked set to attack him, not some monster. Duo blinked in surprise. "Are we enemies, then?" he asked. His voice was soft, but his grip tightened on his scythe. Hiei glared and moved further away from him, putting the tree directly behind him.

"Stay away from me," Hiei spat. With that order, he turned back to watch for the demon he'd sensed. It was moving slowly, definitely a sign of cowardice. He could only hope the human's energy wasn't enough to keep it from attacking. As much reiki as the boy was putting out, there was no point in Kurama's having hidden. No demon with an ounce of fear would come near him. Sure enough, the youki stopped yards from them, just around the corner, and then turned. Hiei gave a frustrated sigh before leaping after it.

"It's running," Hiei called. He didn't wait for Kurama to answer.

Duo jerked in surprise when Hiei vanished. He took a quick step toward where the boy had stood, but stopped again. Kurama had leapt down beside him. "What-"

"Stay here," Kurama said. With that quick command, he ran after Hiei. He didn't like to, but he kept his pace slow enough to give Hiei a chance to encounter the demon first. The last thing they needed was for it to hide out somewhere in the city. And if it sensed him as well as Duo, that was just what it would do. Then they'd be forced to look for it instead of getting on with their plans.

The redhead ran away from him, and Duo stared for a moment in confusion. Then he glared. He probably should have let them go. The others were on their way, so there was no reason to follow them. And he didn't know for sure that they'd gone after the monster he was looking for. But they'd ordered him to stay, when it was his fight to begin with. There was no way he'd obey that. Duo nodded to himself and took off after them. He lifted his arm as he moved, giving a quick message to the others. Then he sped up to catch the fleeting redhead.

Kurama gave a light growl when the boy reached him, but didn't bother to argue. From the youki he was sensing, Hiei had caught the demon. There wasn't time to try dissuading Duo. And the boy was powerful enough that knocking him out would take even longer than just convincing him to stay put. The best he could give was a warning. "Don't get in the way. We can't afford to lose it here or the next humans to come near it will be eaten."

The warning didn't quite fall on deaf ears, but Duo gave no response to it. They rounded the corner together, and all of Duo's indignation at being bossed around died along with his run.

It was huge. That was the first thing that went through his mind, but Duo reminded himself that next to Hiei, almost anything would seem larger. Still, the monster wasn't just tall but wide and bulky. As Quatre had stated, it had six arms, not too dissimilar from the monsters in myths. But the hands were long and seemed to be made out of claws rather than fingers. The body was humanoid enough that he could see where police officers might consider it a suit. But the head was distorted, flat to the point where it was obviously no mask. The eyes were mere slits on the slight snake-like rise, and a gaping maw of teeth took up almost the entire area. Duo's first impression was that it didn't have a head, just a mouth. And then there was the tail, which looked like some sort of twisting blade. Any thought of using an energy attack was instantly canceled out. Hiei was far too close to the thing.

Kurama had halted when he did, and Duo turned to him. "Tell Hiei to pull back," Duo said quickly. "I can't hit it with him that close. And with those arms it's too dangerous to fight close up."

"Which is why he'll cut them off first," Kurama returned. His casual statement made the boy stare at him, but he nodded to the fight. The demon was a quiet one, its cries more like deep sighs of air from its gaping mouth. And Hiei was silent when he fought. Only the swishes of the youkai's tail and Hiei's sword were evidence to the movements. The first real sound was the sucking wet noise as the sword severed one of those thick, clumsy arms.

Duo grimaced at the shower of dark greenish black liquid, noting that Hiei had darted back out of the spray. The monster gave a deep exhalation and swung to the side, another arm reaching toward Hiei. When it met with the same fate, Duo frowned and eased up on his scythe. Maybe they could handle it after all, if Hiei could cut it into pieces all by himself. The teen in question seemed to notice their presence. He moved further away from the monster and turned so they could see him clearly. His dark shirt was split open along his stomach, dark red blood splattered on his left arm.

"It regenerates," Hiei called, his voice seemingly neutral. A moment after giving that bit of information, he was in motion again, dodging the fast, blade-like tail.

Kurama stiffened and pulled something out of his hair. A flick of his wrist turned the rose into a long green vine that seemed to be covered in needles. Without so much as a glance in Duo's direction, he darted forward. The demon let out another of those strange sounds and shifted so the tail moved at him instead. Kurama countered with the vine as Hiei moved to cut through yet another arm. And as he'd said, the two stumps were rapidly growing themselves out again.

"It has to be the shards," Kurama said. "That's what they meant by invulnerable. You could cut it to ribbons and so long as the shards remain in its body, it'll just piece itself together again!"

"I know." Hiei snorted and sidestepped one clumsy, but potentially deadly swipe of the demon's arms. "I tried that. I barely got one shard before it started fixing itself."

Kurama's head jerked up, and he sent a sharp look to Hiei. "You got one? And?"

"You don't expect me to *use* it." Hiei turned to send a disbelieving look at Kurama. "Never!"

"Hiei-" That tail twisted at him, and he jumped back, blocking with his whip. A flick of his wrist and the sharp vine wrapped around the thing. He was just strong enough to hold it when the demon tried to pull free. "It will even the grounds!"

"No." The youkai wasn't the least bit intelligent, as they'd guessed. It continued to strike with one side of its body at a time, ending in awkward movements Hiei easily avoided. The tail was its only fast defense. And with Kurama holding that, it couldn't even step forward when Hiei moved back. Instead, it turned to tug on its trapped tail, putting its back to Hiei. He smirked at the idiocy before slicing into it.

The dark blood that was covering the road was nearly enough to make Duo sick. But he had to admit it was one way to get rid of a monster, cut it into pieces. It would have been a messy but efficient method if the thing didn't keep healing itself. Still, the two new students were holding their own. Duo was just starting to feel completely useless when the monster roared.

Kurama flinched, the deep vibrating sound making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The creature's tail shuddered and large spikes split from inside, cutting it free. He could tell by Hiei's sudden curse that its back had also changed. So it was true that the shards could transform youkai as well as make them invulnerable. Even a completely ignorant demon was infinitely dangerous with so many of them. "Hiei! Use the kokoryuuha!"

"I-" Hiei's words were choked off, literally. Along with the sudden spikes, its speed changed. It whipped around and latched onto him with four arms, two of those clawed hands nearly crushing his throat. That gaping mouth ducked toward him and he immediately burst into black flame.

The demon's jaws snapped shut to keep the fire from entering its mouth, but its hide seemed resistant to the heat. Kurama cursed. That explained why Hiei hadn't used his dragon. He tried to get closer, but that tail cut him off, the spikes not slowing its speed, though they did cut into the ground when it moved. This wasn't going to work. Cold anger swept over him, and he dropped his useless whip. He was about to shift forms when a dark figure passed him. His instincts were such that he nearly attacked the boy before he recognized him. The strange violet glow that surrounded Duo had almost completely masked his previous reiki signature.

That spiked tail swung in Duo's direction when he ran towards the monster, and he was forced to jump to the side. Once he was out of its reach, he lifted his scythe and aimed a straight path that wouldn't include Hiei. The small teen was held close to the monster's chest, but it was thick enough that he thought he'd have a clean shot. His scythe glowed as he swung it in an arc so the energy swept along the ground. It sliced through sidewalk and blacktop seconds before slicing through the monster as well.

Hiei hit the ground hard, his numb hands moving to pull free of the severed arms still holding him. His throat was damaged to the point where he couldn't speak. The best he could do was to send a furious look at the boy standing not far from him. Duo didn't seem to understand the order because he advanced on the split demon. With a choked groan, Hiei tackled him.

Duo let out a light cry when he found himself shoved onto his back. Hiei was crouched beside him, one blood covered hand holding his shoulder and keeping him down. Dark red eyes glared at him for a second before the teen turned to Kurama. Duo growled in frustration. "Can't you see I can fight this?"

"Wait."

That one word was given in a hoarse whisper, and Duo looked at Hiei again. His eyes widened when he saw the cuts on Hiei's neck. He'd bleed to death!

"Stay there," Kurama called. His voice was as icy as his anger, and he crouched, directing that to the ground. Palm flat, he called for a plant beneath them and forced it to rise. A moment later sharp spikes broke through the blacktop, wrapping around the pieces of the demon. Instead of regenerating, the pieces were trying to go back together. He directed the plants to hold them exactly where they were. If black flame couldn't destroy them, then he'd just have to find an acidic plant to do the trick. The demon's severed body struggled, pieces jerking as if they had minds of their own. The vines were just strong enough to keep them down. He'd have to shift forms if he wanted to call something strong enough for this task.

Standing, Kurama sent a sharp look to where Hiei had been. "Hiei?"

Red eyes glared bloody murder at Duo, but he ignored them. He'd pulled off his dark headpiece and wrapped it tight around the teen's bleeding neck. Kurama's call made him look over, and he gaped. The redhead wasn't a redhead now. The tall teen's hair was silvery white, and his school uniform was gone. In its place was a thin white outfit that opened in the front to bare quite a bit of his chest. But more startling were the silver gray ears, and the long tail that swept behind Kurama's legs. "What did you do?!"

Kurama blinked, his pale golden eyes widening. "The question is, what did you do to get him to hold still?" The boy had somehow convinced Hiei to sit still long enough for him to wrap cloth around his neck. Duo looked surprised, but Kurama winced at the way his friend was baring his teeth at the boy. Hiei had to be injured badly if he hadn't resisted the treatment. "Hiei, are you all right?" A snort and a glare answered him.

Duo stood when Kurama moved to them, still staring at the teen's new look. If he'd wondered earlier about him not being what he appeared to be, he had no doubts now. "You're a demon, aren't you." Pale eyes flicked up at him, but he didn't press the question. Kurama had crouched next to Hiei, probably to tend the wounds that were still bleeding freely. Duo turned away. The monster had been cut cleanly by his attack, and bound by the strange plants. But it was still moving. "What does it take to kill this thing?" Duo muttered.

"There are shards somewhere in its body," Kurama answered. "We have to get them out or it will continue to heal indefinitely. But we don't know exactly where they are. The best route would be to destroy the flesh till they're revealed." His gaze moved back to Hiei and he nodded. "Acid, perhaps, unless you can try fire again. With it open like this, the inside could be more susceptible."

"A plant won't work." Hiei grimaced when the words grated his throat, but shook his head. "If it ate the shards it would break your control."

"What are these shards?" Duo asked. He'd ventured close enough to the demon so he could see how its front half was squirming against the vines. It was enough to make his stomach turn over. "What do they look like?"

"They're jagged crystals." Kurama gave a light sigh when Hiei nodded at his chest. The shard was still securely bound next to the teargem. He lifted it so Duo could see. "Like this one. He either ate them, or planted them somewhere inside his body." The boy nodded, but Kurama had already turned away. His eyes were wide when he leaned closer to Hiei. "You said you'd gotten another one," he remembered.

Hiei nodded toward his sword. He'd dropped it when the youkai rounded on him earlier. "In the hilt. It's tainted."

"Naturally," Kurama sighed. "We'll have to be careful handling the others. If we can find them."

"Found them!" The two turned in disbelief, and Duo grinned. "You said he ate them, so I looked in the mouth. It's more mouth than anything, after all." Kurama stood and joined him near the still struggling demon. Duo nodded to where he'd propped those jaws open with the curved blade of his scythe. "You didn't mention they were in a jar."

"I didn't think they would be," Kurama said. "Why would he take one shard out but keep the rest in the jar?" That question was directed at Hiei, but his friend shrugged.

"It was in an arm," Hiei said. He'd raised his voice so it would carry, and abruptly regretted that decision. His throat burned and it was difficult to resist coughing. He was sure that if he coughed now he'd be coughing up blood. With a tight glare, he pushed to his feet. His arms were still numb from the hold on them earlier, but his legs were fine. He went over to collect his sword and then joined Kurama in staring down at the demon. Sure enough, the jar was half embedded in the flesh on the top part of its mouth. Hiei used his sword to pry it loose.

Though Duo had faced a variety of monsters and battles in his time, this had to be the grossest one so far. He blanched when Hiei crouched and pulled the bloody jar free. The monster struggled when the jar was removed, and Duo raised an eyebrow at it. "I thought taking those out would kill it."

"So did I." Kurama frowned at the demon, his senses moving over the bound pieces. "These are still pure, meaning he never absorbed them. But why take a few and not all? This makes no sense."

"Unless it had shards already," Hiei glared. "And was sent here to get the rest."

Kurama shook his head with a wry smile. "Naraku. Of course."

"Who is that?" Duo asked.

"Later," Kurama said. "We need to find the other shard, if there's only one. If there are more, we have to find them."

"They're in the tail."

The three of them turned in surprise, and Duo flushed in embarrassment. He'd been standing around so long he should have known the others would reach them soon. But between the strange monster and Kurama, he'd been more than a little distracted. Now he stood to smile at his friends, particularly Heero.

Kurama raised an eyebrow at the group of familiar faces. He hadn't counted heads that afternoon, but he was fairly sure they were all the ones who'd sat at the table with them during lunch. And they were certainly the same as Duo, if the outfits said anything. What really surprised him was that he hadn't sensed them coming. Duo's energy had been very strong earlier, and it was even more obvious now that Kurama was in his youko form. But the reiki he was getting from the others wasn't the same. They felt exactly as weak as they had during lunch. The dark-haired boy was the one who'd spoken, and Kurama looked to him. "How do you know where the shards are?"

Heero raised his own eyebrow at the strange person, not recognizing him. "They glow," he said. "Are you blind?"

Duo winced at the way that was asked, and waved a hand at Heero. "I don't see them either," he said. "Can the rest of you see them?" His friends all shook their heads. Heero frowned in reaction. "It must just be you."

"Where exactly do you see them?" Kurama asked. He'd gone to the tail, which was still struggling against the vines wrapped around it. He looked over at the boy who'd spoken, so he was watching him when Heero took a step away from the others. Nothing visible happened, but the moment he separated from the group, his energy made itself known. Kurama flinched. What were these humans? What sort of energy was hidden en masse but apparent separately? He sent a sharp look at Hiei, and knew his friend had sensed it as well. Then Heero crouched beside the twitching tail and he turned his gaze down again. The boy pulled a long blade and stabbed it into the tail. A twist later and a small shard was flicked free. The demon went immobile the second it was out.

"That was simple," Duo smiled. He'd come to stand beside Heero, and he blinked when Kurama gave him a wide eyed look. "What?"

"How do you do that?" Kurama asked. He rose slowly, still looking from Duo to Heero. "Your energy masks itself the moment you're near each other. Do you block it out intentionally?"

Heero turned to look at Duo, and the longhaired boy shrugged. "Don't ask me," Duo said. "They've been confusing me since I ran into them earlier."

"So I heard." Heero's eyes narrowed and he looked over at Hiei. The dark-haired teen was scowling at his sword, not paying them any attention. "Wing told us you were with Kurama and Hiei. And that they were demons." Red eyes flicked up at that, and Heero blinked. A moment before Hiei's forehead had been clear. Now there was a white band wrapped around it. And he could suddenly see a strap where the boy had a sheath for his sword on his back. The teen's clothing had also changed to a long black cloak. The only thing left untouched was the familiar cloth wrapped around his neck. Duo's headpiece.

"Wing?" Kurama shifted back to his human form as he waited for the question to be answered. And since he'd distracted them, he had to wait even longer for Heero to stare at him in surprise. Surprise and more than a little hostility.

"Wing is Heero's cat," Duo answered. Though he'd been just as surprised earlier, he enjoyed the way Heero's eyes had widened when Kurama shifted forms. He smirked at the boy now. "Kurama's a demon, and so are Wing and Shi-chan - at least that's what they said."

"Demons?!"

The sharp feminine cry made Heero and Duo both wince. Kurama turned and blinked wide green eyes at the group of teens still standing a few feet from the monster. Relena had jumped forward so he could now read her energy. But her voice was much louder. She appeared to be going into shock. "Yes," Kurama said. His tone was the same polite one he'd used with her earlier, but there was a smirk twitching his lips, and a glitter in his eyes. "But I'm also human, if that makes you feel better."

"I think you'd better explain more than that," Wufei said. His tone was hard, and the hostility in his expression was even stronger than Heero's.

"But not here," Dorothy smirked. "Are you going to invite them to your temple?"

Kurama blinked at the black-haired boy. "You have a temple?" A sharp laugh broke out beside him, and he smiled when Duo clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"I said the exact thing when I heard," Duo snickered. "And I think that's a great idea. That way we can sit while we talk." He glanced back, intending to comment on Hiei's wounds and how it would be better for the boy to rest instead of being interrogated right there. And then he did a double-take. "When did you change your clothes?"

Hiei sniffed at that comment, but didn't answer. He went to the second shard and placed it in the hilt of his sword next to the one he'd gotten earlier. That brief contact made his white headband glow green, and it was still glowing when he stood to face the others. Duo stared.

"He dropped his illusion," Kurama said. "But that's another thing it would be better to discuss elsewhere. First we need to get rid of the demon. It would be dangerous to leave it here."

Duo nodded, his gaze moving over the sticky body parts. "Yeah. That's pretty gross. I can just see pictures of it splashed all over the papers." He straightened and turned a bright smile on Wufei. "Since I just invited them to your place, you want to have the pleasure of melting this thing?"

"Pleasure?" Wufei raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at the mess. "Hardly." Despite his tone, he did move away from the group, his dark cape swishing behind him. Duo and Heero moved out of his way, and he glared at Hiei when the teen continued to stand right next to the remains. "Do you want to be included in this?"

While he was doubtful that the boy would be able to burn the demon, Kurama was willing to give him a chance to try. He moved to Hiei and, with a light prod, directed him out of the way. A moment later the demon burst into what looked like pure reiki. The only difference was that it was dark purplish black. In fact, it looked almost like Hiei's black flame, except it seemed to burn inward rather than out. Whatever it was, it did the trick. By the time the dark energy was finished, only stains remained.

"Nice work," Duo complimented. Wufei rolled his eyes at him, and Duo smirked. Turning to Heero, he blinked before shifting to match the boy's school clothing. A glance found his friends changing back as well, the brief flashes of colored lights mixing before dying out. Then he turned back to look at Kurama and Hiei. "Guess that's it. Wufei's temple is on the other side of town, though. Will you be able to make it?"

That question was directed at Hiei, and it received a very hateful glare. Kurama winced at Duo's lack of tact. But then, the boy couldn't very well know that reminding Hiei of an injury was equitable to challenging him to battle. "Don't worry about it," Kurama said quickly. "Just lead the way."

Duo had a doubtful expression, but he decided not to argue. "If you say so."

The group of friends moved together, and Kurama found himself trailing them a few feet behind. Hiei was silent next to him, glaring at the ground. Kurama lifted the small jar of shards from his vest and turned it in his hand. While he fully intended to take the time to explain things to the humans, he knew he'd have to get the shards back to Kagome as soon as possible. And if he played his behavior right, he could make her indebted to him for having returned them. After all, as long as she didn't know he was using her to keep them purified, she'd see it as the 'right' thing to do. She didn't need to know their motives. That would be revealed as soon as they followed her to the past.

* * *
TBC
--notes--
The GW characters' outfits were described in the first fic, and I'll probably go over them again here at a later time. But it won't be a group description. I plan to spread it out and incorporate it into the story itself. Simplified: If you want to know now, check out the first fic - 'Without the Moon.' ^.~