Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ "Don't Catch Me." ❯ Chapter 6

“Don't Catch Me.”

A Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction

 

Me: Hello, minna-sama!! It' s been awhile since we last saw you, and once again I apologize profusely, but I am really, really busy when I'm not on a break from school. To make up for it, I'm posting two chapters!!

 

Hiei: Yay!!

 

Me: Yes, well, why don't you read the summary so we can get to the fic, ne?

 

Hiei: Hai!! -takes out an envelope- Last chapter, Jiryu remembered when Kiru was taken from him in her youth, and reflected upon Phena's insolence in trying to take her from him again. Meanwhile, in limbo (or wherever she is now…), Kiru discovered that she was in someone else's extremely unattractive body. Even as she fights against Phena's efforts to crush her spirit, how much longer can she last?

 

Me: By the way, if you haven't read the predecessors to this fic Friends and Unpaid Vengeance since they were posted, you might want to take a look at them just to refresh yourself on some of the events and facts. Some dormant concepts will be brought back into the light in these next few chapters.

 

Hiei: Enjoy!!

 

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Swirling in a thick haze of pain, Kiru could feel herself slipping away from existence. It was different than the feeling of death approaching- that she had felt many times, and, strange as it sounds, grown used to feeling it. This was more…final. She knew that if she gave in, nothing would be left of her existence.

 

By now she had recalled enough of her experience to figure out just what was going on. She remembered traveling here in Hiei's arms, and fainting just as they reached the cave she knew like the back of hand. After that, there was a gap, but she could recall seeing a dark reddish glow from which some sort of chant echoed. She knew immediately that this presence was not the creature that dwelled in the tattoos on her hands, but something far more sinister. The pressure had started seconds after the chant had ended. She had fallen into darkness after that. The next thing she knew, she was here.

 

She bit her lip, trying to bring herself out of the darkness. By all intents and purposes she knew she was dead. In fact, she should have long been dead and gone, but something was keeping her alive. She forced her thoughts to finding whatever was leaking vital ki to her. If only she could find it and magnify it…perhaps she could break free of this prison…

 

--

 

Hiei growled, reaching out to find any traces of his lover that remained in her tainted form. C'mon… Give me a feeling, a wisp, something…anything…

 

“It's no use, you fool,” Phena sneered, “There's barely anything left of her at all, let alone anything strong enough to bring her back to you.” She walked closer, and reached out to touch him, “But if you are that desperate to remember that sickly bitch, you could always become my lover, handsome.”

 

“Bite your tongue, bitch,” the fire demon growled, “I'd rather slit my own wrists.”

 

“Heh, feisty,” the enchantress cooed, “I'll bet you're great in bed…” She shook her head, tousling already spiky hair, “Too bad you have such a negative attitude…”

 

The false phoenix sashayed over to the large, open windows, and looked over her shoulder, “Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with an annoying little chit that refuses to bend to my will.” She winked at Hiei before taking flight on wings made of orange and red flames, “See you later, handsome.”

 

“Come back here!” Hiei growled, blurring to the window, ready to follow her to the moon and back if he had to.

 

“Hiei! Let her go!” Jiryu snapped, grabbing one of Hiei's wings to halt him, “Following her now will do us no good. We have to come up with something to get Kiru back before we jump into some foolhardy attack.”

 

Growling darkly, Hiei relented, folding and hiding his wings, “Very well…”

 

The ryu stepped back and called for his scholars, “Bring every book we have about the phoenix, Phena, and the trial to my private chambers!” He turned to the young demon, “It's going to be a long night. It's going to take some time for them to gather everything, so let us take this short break to rest and refresh ourselves.”

 

Hiei nodded, “Yes, for I fear this battle is far from over.”

 

-Ten Minutes Later-

 

Hiei leaned his head back onto the soft towel on the rim of the hot bath. Submerged up to just below his shoulders, Hiei closed his eyes, letting the warmth sap some of the stress away from him. He heard a splash from the tub next to him and looked to see Jiryu joining him in the bath houses.

 

“I see you found the baths, Hiei.” He nodded to a servant as she placed a platter of small sandwiches and other finger foods between the two tubs. “Please, help yourself.”

 

Hiei grabbed a sandwich and nibbled on it, “I must admit I have little appetite. It is hard to swallow anything when your mate's body has been possessed and her soul is on the verge of complete destruction.”

 

“Aren't we optimistic…” Jiryu mumbled, “We must have faith in her.” He poured two flutes of a light champagne, handing one to Hiei before sipping his own, “Besides…the phoenix is still with her.”

 

“All this talk about that blasted phoenix,” Hiei held up his tattooed arm, “Didn't you hear Phena? The phoenix is powerless.”

 

“You have not lived among us, young one,” Jiryu said, slanting a condescending glance toward him, “You have never experienced what wonders she can indeed do.” He gestured toward the painting on the wall. “You will see things like that all over the kingdom. They are based upon times where the phoenix has appeared to us, and given us gifts.”

 

“What, does she show up with a bag of goodies on Christmas?”

 

“Have respect, Jaganshi,” Jiryu growled, “If not for the phoenix, your lover would not be alive today.”

 

“What?” Hiei's eyes widened, “What do you mean…?”

 

“Kiru has no brothers or sisters because her mother had problems carrying and delivering children. Before we were blessed with our little flame, her mother had three miscarriages and two still-births,” Jiryu looked at his hands. “Kiru was born almost two months early. She was weak, and could barely breathe. We were so afraid we would lose her.”

 

Hiei stared at the dragon in shocked silence. His Kiru had almost died when she was just a babe?

 

“We stayed up all night with her, taking turns holding her, while the other two poured over medical books and talked to doctors. Then, the fourth night, at three minutes past eleven, she stopped breathing.” Jiryu closed his eyes, remembering how distraught he had been, patting Kiru's tiny back and trying to resuscitate her. “We prayed for a miracle. Her mother grabbed the pendant from the wall and cried upon it, begging the phoenix to save her child. Her father took Kiru from me and cradled her in his arms, sending her his ki and talking to her. He started to cry when he felt her pulse declining.”

 

He looked up at the ceiling, where a gorgeous mosaic of the phoenix blazed its way across the tile. “Just when we thought there was no hope, the room darkened, and a flame burst into being in the center of the room. A voice called to place Kiru in her crib. Her father lay her down and stepped back. The phoenix burst into life in front of our eyes, hovering above our precious little one. She lowered her head and enfolded Kiru in her wings. They were blocked from our view by a burst of intense black flames. When they finally cleared, Kiru was in her mother's arms, looking up at us. It was as if nothing had ever happened. From that day forth, Kiru was as any normal child.”

 

“I…I don't know what to say to that…” Hiei breathed, “I can't imagine not having ever met my Kiru…”

 

“The phoenix took a special interest in her from that day forth.” Jiryu got out of the tub, drying off and wrapping a towel around his waist. He walked out of the room, tossing another clean towel at Hiei, who was following the ryu's lead in getting out of the tub.

 

“If anyone can help us in getting back our Kiru, it is the phoenix.”

 

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Hiei: You are so horrible, not updating for like…forever then cutting off right there!! What's wrong with you?

 

Me: Oh chill…I'll try and update again soon. I hope you enjoyed this chappie!!

 

Hiei: Don't forget to review!!