Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Through Hell and Back ❯ Love and Desperation ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2
Love and Desperation

 

Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara trudged up the hill toward Kuwabara's house.

“Man I'm beat.” Yusuke announced.

“I agree, Yusuke. I didn't think mending those holes would take so long.” Kurama added.

“How did we get stuck doing it anyway? I thought Koenma had others working on it.” Kuwabara asked.

“Hn. That's what happens when you only hire weaklings and incompetents.” Hiei muttered.

Kuwabara slid his key into the lock, but the front door fell open as he did. Confused, he stepped in to find the house had been ransacked. “Ah! What the hell?” Yusuke exclaimed.

Kuwabara, however looked panicked. “Shizuru?” he called, running further into the house and down the hall. “Shizuru?” He yelled louder as he returned and bolted up the stairs.

At that moment, Yusuke's phone rang. Seeing it was from Keiko, he answered quickly. “Hey babe.”

“Oh my God!” Kuwabara yelled from upstairs, and both Kurama and Hiei had jumped to the second floor landing in seconds.

 

“We have a problem.” The voice on the other end of the line announced. It was familiar, but it wasn't Keiko.

“Grandma?” Yusuke asked, confused.

“Yes, dimwit.”

“What are you doing with Kieko's cell? Let me talk to her.”

 

Tacked to Kuwabara's bedroom door was a note with blood splattered on it. The note read:

We will call the Minimino house at 6pm. If you do not answer, we will kill one of our captives. I suggest you comply if any of you wish to see your loved ones again.

Hiei sniffed at the blood.

“Is it…?” Kuwabara let his question die in his throat.

“Not human. Spirit.” Hiei replied, turning to Kurama, who was pale as a sheet. “Kurama?”

“Mother!” was the only word that left his trembling lips.

 

“Damn it!” Yusuke growled loudly from below, rage unmistakable in his tone. “They've got Keiko, too. Got her on her way to grandma's.”

Hiei's eyes widened suddenly. “Yukina!”

Before anyone could react, Hiei was gone in a blur. He raced over rooftops and trees, making a beeline for Genkai's temple. Hiei found Genkai standing on her front porch, gazing into the woods, deep in thought. “Where is she?”

“She went to gather herbs hours ago. I expected her back by now.” Genkai explained. Hiei was gone before she finished her statement.

Once inside the wood, Hiei yanked his headband off. Genkai had the place so heavily warded that it was impossible to feel Yukina's ki. The jagan found her with little trouble, and he raced to her location. “Yukina!” Hiei shouted, as he saw her laying motionless face down on the ground, a basket of herbs strewn beside her. He ran to her, turning her limp form over. Her breathing was shallow, her energy was slight, and her normally cool skin was hot even to his fire-demon touch. Hiei scooped her into his arms and rushed her back to Genkai.

Hiei laid Yukina on the bedroll in her room, and Genkai began using her psychic abilities to feel her energy for clues to her illness.

“Can you tell what's wrong?” Hiei asked with a faint edge of concern to his normally emotionless tone.

“Patience, Hiei, this is not a poison I'm familiar with.”

“She's been poisoned?”

“Yes.”

Hiei clenched his fists tightly, releasing a low growl and turning angrily.

“And just where do you think you're going?” Genkai asked.

“To kill whoever's responsible.”

“And do you have any idea who that is?”

There was a pause, and Genkai let out a humph. “As I thought. Going off half-cocked isn't going to help anyone.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Hiei snapped.

“You should get in touch with Koenma. Maybe he knows what's going on.”

“Hn.” For the first time since receiving it, Hiei took out the communication compact Botan gad given him.

“Hmm? Oh, Hiei!” Botan said through the screen.

“I need to see Koenma.”

“Oh, well, he's got a lot on his plate with this underworld thing…”

“Now, you perky twit!”

Botan paled at the deadly seriousness in Hiei's voice, and it was seconds before she appeared in the room. She gasped when she saw Yukina.

“Oh my, what's happened?”

“That's what we need to find out.” Genkai explained.

“Of course.” Botan exclaimed, allowing Hiei to climb on to the back of her broom.

 

Hiei stormed into Koenma's office, despite desperate pleas from George, who knew it was pointless to try and stop Hiei, but feared the Goodling's wrath if he didn't at least try.

“Ah, Hiei, perhaps next time you could leave my door on its hinges.”

“Unless you have some answers for me then there won't be a next time.”

“As I've already informed the others, we have a pretty good idea who is behind the kidnappings, and I'm working on pin-pointing where they are being held captive.”

“It's not about that. Yukina's been poisoned.”

“Oh my!” Koenma turned on the small television on his desk, and Genkai appeared almost instantly having been expecting his call. “How is she?” Koenma asked.

“It's bad.” Genkai said her matter of fact tone thrown off by a faint undercurrent of concern. There was no doubt in the three years Yukina had lived with the woman she had earned a special place in the old psychic's heart. “My spirit wave seems to be doing nothing for her.”

“Hmm. Tell me, what color is her skin?”

“It's grey, very weird looking.”

“I feared as much.” Koenma said, his tone softening, “It's creeping poison. A poison derived from the extract of a plant that grows only in the underworld. Knowledge of this poison and its cures has been lost for decades.”

“What are you saying?” Hiei demanded.

“I'm sorry, Hiei, there' nothing that can be done.”

Hiei's eyes narrowed and he drew his sword, pointing it at the toddler lord. “Wrong answer.” Hiei's tone was like ice, and his eyes held the promise of death in their ruby depths.

“W-well.” Koenma waivered. Truth be told without the others around, Koenma found Hiei to be quite intimidating. “There might be one way.”

Hiei lowered his sword, and Koenma relaxed. “You could travel back in time to before the information was lost.”

“How?”

“I could loan you the jewel of ages. It will allow you to travel through even the smallest tear in the veil of time, but you must guard it with your life.” As he spoke, Koenma walked over to a safe on the wall behind his desk and opened it, removing a small ring which he handed to Hiei.

“You and anyone touching you will be transported.”

“Where is the nearest tear?” Hiei demanded.

“Technically there's one here in spirit world, however, there's someone whom I'm positive has the ability to help you, and know a portal that will get you closest to her. I suggest you take Yukina with you.” Hiei nodded. “Botan, I know you're out there, come in.”

Botan appeared in the doorway. “Yes, Koenma sir?”

“Escort Hiei to the Higurashi Shrine. Talk to the old man there, he will show you the portal. Hiei, once on the other side, search for a priestess named Kaede. “

“Yes sir!” Botan answered, tugging on Hiei's sleeve so that he'd follow her out.

***************************************************************** ************

Hiei jumped out of the well with ease holding Yukina securely in his arms, and emerged in a world that was neither Ningenkai or Makai, but a strange melding of both. Its beauty was even greater than that of modern-day Japan, with more trees and less man-made structures. It smelled faintly of his home in the Makai, but with the added scent of humans mingled in with the stench of blood, death, and beasts.

“Not another step, stranger.” A voice from the shadows to his left warned.

Hiei smelled him before he saw him: a human with the thick smell of demonic blood clinging to him. When the boy stepped from the shadows, Hiei felt as though he were seeing his own personal boogey man. Bedtime stories and fairytales were not common in the world Hiei grew up in, but legends of the fierce demon slayers, from a time before the barriers between worlds, were told like ghost stories around campfires, with one small difference: they were true. It struck Hiei as incredible that the details about their clothes, weapons and scent seemed so accurate despite being passed from mouth to mouth for generations.

I suppose with something like humans armed with weapons and mastered techniques for the sole purpose of eradicating entire demon races, embellishment wasn't necessary.

Hiei swallowed hard. As a child he always boasted that he'd never allow himself to be killed by a mere human, but now, when faced with one whose uniform still carried the scent of many recent kills, and him at a disadvantage with Yukina in his arms, he was more than a little intimidated.

“I mean you no harm. I'm here looking for a human.”

“I bet you are.” said a female voice to his right. Hiei watched her emerge from the trees. She too wore a uniform of the demon slayers, and carried a weapon that looked much too large for her slight frame. “Here to find your next meal?” she asked accusingly.

“What? No! The mere thought of that repulses me.”

The woman relaxed ever so slightly. “Who is it you seek, then?”

“A priestess named Kaede. I was told she lived near here and that she could help cure her.” He said, indicating Yukina.

Both slayers relaxed completely at the mention of the woman's name. “I'll take you to her.” The woman said, turning to the boy, “Kohaku, I'll be back soon.”

The boy nodded his understanding and disappeared back into the forest.

“Kirara, please carry her.” As she spoke, a small cat demon appeared from behind her, transforming into ten times its original size. “You can trust her.” The girl encouraged, and Hiei finally set Yukina on its back. In truth his arms welcomed the rest.

“My name is Sango.” The girl said as they began to walk, “My brother and I protect the village and the priestess within.”

“Does this Kaede woman have many enemies?”

Sango smiled softly. “Not she, Lady Kagome, keeper of the sacred jewel of four souls is the one with the enemies.”

“The shikon no tama?” Hiei marveled, “I always thought it was a myth.”

Sango smiled again. “Sometimes we all wish it were.”

When Hiei and Sango cleared the forest, there was a small party waiting for them. Included among several human men with various weapons whose stances told Hiei immediately that few if any of them had ever been in a fight, were two women in priestess' robes. The elder one held several small vials of various potions; the other held a bow and arrow aimed directly at Hiei's head.

As Sango, Hiei and Kirara got closer, weapons were lowered, and Hiei caught a familiar scent on the wind.

“You!” The younger priestess exclaimed when she saw Hiei.

“Do ye know this demon from your travels, Kagome?” asked the older priestess.

“He was in my time not 48 hours ago!” Kagome exclaimed, “Did you follow me?”

“I see you survived your night in the woods.”

“Yeah, we called it off early.”

“Hn.”

“Well, stranger, explain how ye have ended up in our time.”

It wasn't until the old woman's voice pulled him from his thoughts that he realized he'd been staring into the brown depths of the girl's eyes. He reluctantly pulled his gaze from the story those brown orbs were telling him, and focused it on Kaede. “I was sent by Koenma, ruler of spirit world. This girl has been poisoned by creeping poison, and all knowledge of its treatment has been lost in our time. He sent me here hoping you would know what to do.”

“Aye. It's not an easy poison to treat. Let's get her back to the village.”

Once they arrived at the village, Hiei watched helplessly as treatment after treatment failed to help Yukina, and her condition deteriorated before his eyes. Finally Kaede sent him to gather an herb that grew only at the top of a dangerous cliff side. Kagome showed him where it was, and he was up the cliffside and back again in a flash.

On their way back to the village, Kagome noticed the worry lines disrupting Hiei's normally smooth features. “She means a lot to you, doesn't she?”

“Yes, she's my sister, but she doesn't know it.”

“Why doesn't she know?”

“Because that's the way I want it.” Hiei's tone told Kagome that it was best to change the subject.

Hiei could tell the girl was only trying to lighten his mood, but he was too worried about Yukina to think of much else, let alone the feelings of an insignificant human girl. Hiei was so deep in his thoughts that it surprised him when the jagan was the first to pick up on the fact that they were not alone in the forest. They were, in fact, surrounded.

How did I miss this?

“We've got company.” He said in a low, calm voice, never altering his expression or his stride.

“I know. It's best to ignore them unless they are stupid enough to attack.”

“So this happens often? Demons stalking you?”

“It's not their fault. The jewel makes them crazy. They are drawn to it nearly against their will.”

“Why do you not have an army protecting you?”

“Well, to the west there is a treacherous mountain range that shields us. To the south there is a pack of wolf demons that stand guard. To the north there is an Inu-demon lord with a small army who pretends he is not our ally, even though I know he'd never let an enemy sneak by. And as you witnessed, we have two demon slayers patrolling the east, and myself and a monk who protect the village. He is on a trip at the moment visiting his mentor.”

“You should have a demon of some sort protecting the village as well. Some demons are too fast to be hit with your arrows, and from what I've been told of the cursed monk, he's useless in close-quarters. He would level your village.”

“You're quite the tactician.”

“Hn. I worked for one of the kings of Makai, training her armies, it came with the job.”

“We had another demon that helped us protect the jewel, but he…isn't among the living anymore.” Kagome's eyes took on such deep sadness that it was nearly tangible. Hiei could tell that the demon had meant a lot to her.

“He died protecting it?” Hiei asked, his tone softened by her expression.

Hiei hadn't thought it possible, but her expression darkened even more, only now sadness was not the driving force. Hiei couldn't put a name on the emotion he saw, but he did know that it was one that had no business being on such a kind and gentle face. “He didn't die, exactly, nor was he protecting anything, he…”

Kagome was cut off as ten demons rushed at them from the trees, coming in from all sides, surrounding them in an inescapable ring. At least that had clearly been their plan. They hadn't counted on a lightening quick fire demon to take them all out with one pass of his sword. The only one who remained on his feet was the one directly behind Kagome. Undeterred by his fallen comrades, the demon wasted no time grabbing Kagome from behind.

“I highly suggest releasing her.” Hiei said, narrowing his eyes into a deadly glare.

“Not until I get the shikon jewel” The demon snarled.

“You want to have the jewel's power?” Kagome asked calmly, drawing an arrow from the quill at her side, unnoticed.

“Yes! “ The demon replied, exuberantly.

“Then take it!” Kagome said her voice hardening as she shoved her arrow into the demon's stomach. The demon shrieked as the arrow pierced his gut, emitting the deadly purifying light and erasing him from existence, not a trace of him left behind.

Hiei fought to keep the shock from registering on his face. It was surprising and a bit unnerving how fast Kagome had gone from sweet and kind to sad, to deadly. He was glad she could take care of herself, but realized such violence was not in her nature.

Hiei gave a small smirk. Worrying over a human girl's soul. Could there be a bigger waste of my time? He thought dryly.

“Ick. This is why I prefer long distance attacks.” Kagome said, indicating the demon blood on her hand and forearm.

“Here.” Hiei said removing his headband and handing it to her.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile as she used it to clean herself off, “Now let's hurry and get this back to Kaede and get your sister well.”

Once back at the village, Kaede mixed the plant with some other herbs into a foul smelling elixir. Hiei couldn't repress the grimace that crossed his face. “And this will cure her?”

“I should warn ye, it has been known to work against many poisons, but those it cannot cure, it aides.”

“You mean this could make her sicker?” The angry edge in Hiei's voice was nearly drowned out by the worry.

“Aye, but it is the last resort since she's failed to respond to any other creeping poison treatments.”

Kagome watched as a shadow settled over Hiei's features as he grasped the reality of Kaede's statement.

“Will she be in pain if it doesn't work?”

“I know not. It reacts differently with each person.”

Hiei's heart ached in an unfamiliar way as the possibility of Yukina dying weighed on him. He took the elixir from Kaede, a new resolve filling him as he walked over to Yukina.

She will not suffer.

 

Japanese Words:

Shikon no tama-Jewel of four souls

Inu-Dog