Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Angel of Death ❯ The Heart's Comet Doth Burnt Thy Skin ( Chapter 8 )

The Angel of Death

Chapter 8

The Heart's Comets Doth Burnt Thy Skin

"I don't believe it," announced Yusuke. He crossed his arms and pouted. "I refuse to believe it."

Keiko clicked her tongue. "See, your tutor is royalty. And to think how rude you were to her!"

Yusuke's face was slightly flushed. "I was much rudder to Koenma himself," he said airily. "Besides, she's being chased by bullies every afternoon. I help her out often enough so she should be thankful."

"I never noticed how beautiful she is," commented Yukina. "And the lady beside Hiei. Who is she Hiei?"

"Huh?" Hiei was shaken out of his reverie. "What?"

"Who is she?" repeated Yukina.

"Who?" returned Hiei.

"That woman with the copper blond hair." said Keiko pointing.

Hiei was speechless. The very light, hardly perceptible coloring of his cheeks hinted embarrassment and discomfort.

"She's uh--uh...she's..." he blurted out.

"Ah, I remember!" exclaimed Yusuke. "Of course, the very powerful Mukuro. She is quite eye-catching now. Your former master, Hiei?"

"Uh--right." came the somewhat relieved answer.

"Oh those ruddy locks!" said Yukina. "I love it so. It's just like yours." Her fingers grazed the crazily curled hair of Kuwabara much to Hiei's disgust.

"I never noticed she is attractive," said Botan. "There's something different about her, though."

"I love her eyes, " said Keiko. "Really deep blue and fathomless like an unexplored well of secrets. How come she covers half her face? It must be accidental. No one with such a face will hide it deliberately."

A little while ago Hiei wondered why none of them mentioned about her gauze-covered face. He glanced at the monitor and saw her hair hanging over her face. No, Mukuro didn't cover her face deliberately. Though I doubt you'd find her as enchanting later, he thought.

"Oh, I remember," said Botan. "Half her face is scarred."

"I don't think it will make her less pretty, " answered Yukina.

"You know she beat up Hiei in Yusuke's tournament," said Botan. "But it was an impressive battle. I thought Hiei was winning because she didn't make any attacks at first. Oh well, none of Hiei's tactics worked. Not even the Kouryuhha!"

"Hn."

Kurama snickered.

"Come to think of it," reflected Keiko. "That's the first time I've seen Ebony's hair down."

"Yeah," said Botan. "It's always in braids. At least, here it is," she added darkly.

"I haven't seen her in her uniform, though." said Yukina. "She always tends to dress so boyishly."

"Oh!" said Botan excitedly. "Remember when Yusuke first met her? He thought Ebony was a guy and was so jealous. And what a slap he received when he tried to prove her masculinity!"

All of them burst out laughing. Excluding Hiei, of course, and the indignant Yusuke, who was blushing.

"If you think she's handsome," said Botan. "Wait till you see her brothers. They are soooo cute. And her sister's one hot babe."

"You knew Ebony is a princess?" Yusuke demanded. "You've even seen her siblings. And you never told us?"

"Ah-heh-heh." Botan looked sheepish. "I was to shut my mouth on the pain of death." She giggled nervously.

"How did you meet anyhow?" Yukina gently asked the still fidgety Botan.

"Once in a while they visit or Master Koenma does and he tags me along."

"It's true then that they are childhood friends?" inquired Keiko.

"Uh-huh. The five of them are but I haven't been around Master Koenma for that long."

Kuwabara grinned, eyes full of mischief. "I guess we're right about Kurama being the only one left to be a bachelor, eh?"

Kurama was beet red. "I-I-I..." he tried to speak.

"Oh!" remembered Keiko. "My classmates asked me to give these to you." She handed Kurama a big bag full of love letters, stuffed toys and other keepsakes. "And they keep on nagging me about giving them photos of yourself."

The ever-famous dream lover seemed to have gained back the composure that drive his admirers nuts. "Ah, just thank them for me, will you? And tell them not to bother next time. Please."

"OK," said Keiko.

Kurama decided to hit back. "Hey, guys. Do you really think Ebony has some serious relationship with Koenma?"

He was right about glancing at Botan for the girl suddenly jumped up and said hotly, "No way!"

Kuwabara, Yusuke and Kurama glanced at each other meaningfully. "Why?" asked Yusuke with a smile dripping with hotcake syrup. "Are you jealous? How come the idea seems so unorthodox for you?"

"Unorthodox?" teased Kuwabara. "Ooh, that's hot Urameshi. Where'd you learn it?"

"Shut up, Kazuma. Why so silent Botan?"

"Um," Botan was speechless and her face was like a ripe tomato. "You know Ebony. She hates being linked with Koenma. Once, news leaked out that they were betrothed and she got very pissed. I don't want to get into any trouble at all."

"Oh really?" asked Kuwabara, hinting that he was unconvinced.

"You forgot about Hiei." Botan said, shifting the conversation as a last resort. "He'll be another bachelor."

Hiei glared at her. Uh-oh. Wrong move, thought Botan. Now she's in even hotter water.

"Hey Hiei," asked Kuwabara in his ever boisterous voice. "Is it true you ran off with some dame and got married?"

Hiei turned redder than his iris. But he was fortunate as ever. For right then, something happened. A miracle!

"WE"RE HEEEERRRRREEEE!!!!!!!"

Ebony's eyes swept the scene. Hmmm. Botan's here with Yukina, of course. Ooh Kuwabara is here, too. Shuichi, present. What do you know! Keiko and Yusuke are here, too. Where's that Hiei? Oh my gosh he's redder than red!

"Eh, Shuichi?" Ebony reprimanded. "What's the idea of exhibiting that video? I can sue you people for exploitation you know." She was very indignant, silently vowing to bop Koenma in the head.

Kurama looked at her wonderingly. "But didn't Koenma tell you?"

"Darn, Koenma," said Ebony crossly. "Why can't he stick in that brain of his that I do not have ESP! Well, what didn't he say now?"

"That Yusuke of Makai is Urameshi Yusuke."

"What?" Ebony's eyes were wide open. "Why am I not surprised." She only shrugged good-naturedly. Kurama expected her to be flabbergasted. After all, she always ranted about what horrid torture it was to teach Yusuke. On the other hand, she wasn't too shocked when she saw, him, known to her as Minamino Shuichi, in Makai. She only chuckled saying, "I knew there was something fishy about you. Or should I say hairy?"

How did she know I was a kitsune? wondered Kurama. She said she haven't got ESP. Well, Yusuke was on the same line of thought.

"If you don't have ESP--," asked Yusuke. "--then why is it that you can predict my answers?"

"I don't need ESP to do that," said Ebony coolly. "My eyes are good enough."

"You're supposed to be some powerful entity, right?" demanded Yusuke. "Then why didn't you know I wasn't an ordinary human or Kurama for that matter?"

"I had sealed my powers," she replied quietly. "I'm not capable of controlling such energy."

"Then how---" asked Kurama.

"How did I find out you're a fox?" she completed for him. "'Kurama', Shuichi. I do know what's going on around and my local history. We are taught that, of course. You're quite famous in the Lethian files. After all, you did rob a hundred castles or so and took off with about $3 trillion's, Sharian, worth of treasure and booty."

"Gosh, princess," remarked Botan. "I didn't recognize you either when I first saw you with Keiko. I mean, you dress so glamorously and all in Lethe."

"You know Aiea'd wring my neck if she sees me in these." She indicated her clothes.

"So it's true?" asked Yukina. "You're a childhood friend of Koenma?"

Ebony looked thoughtful. "I don't know. After all he's thousands of years old and he's been an adult for so long. And yet, he never outgrew his first childhood until now. Someday I'll figure out all that muddle about ages and stuff."

"Wow," commented Kuwabara. "You're not lying at all." He was wearing a deeply probing look.

"No, I'm not."

"You did to me," said Keiko icily.

"Oh, come on, Keiko," Ebony said. She raised her arms then let them fall loosely on her sides. "I didn't fib, honest. I just left out a big chunk of the truth."

"Don't worry," came the cool reply. "I should be used to it by now. What with all my friends doing that." She looked at Yusuke, Kurama, Botan and Kuwabara rather pointedly.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Kuwabara.

"We aren't do anything," cut in Yusuke. "You are going to stay here to guard the others, I mean the girls. Then we, meaning Kurama, Hiei, Ebony and I are going to cream the jerk Azrael."

"Wrong," said Ebony. "We haven't pinpointed that location of his. Besides, we'll need all the help we can get and Kuwabara can be very helpful. Haven't you seen that movie Forrest Gump?"

"What?" asked Kuwabara suspiciously.

"Never mind. I'll have to talk to the others. Nike, will you please bring in that bag for me."

Everybody turned to the door, even the indifferent Hiei. Mukuro walked in carrying a duffel bag.

The Three Graces were visibly elated when they recognized her. Yukina and Keiko tried their best not to whisper with each together.

Hiei, however, snorted. "You're letting her call you Nike?" he said incredulously.

"The Roman goddess of victory," Ebony said beaming brightly as she sailed over to her bag. "Impressive, isn't it?"

"Prodigious," seconded Keiko smiling warmly. "Hello, my name is Keiko. Yukimura Keiko. You're name is Mukuro, right?"

Mukuro graciously bowed, her face kept in stern gladness. "You may adapt the princess' nickname."

"Umm," interrupted Ebony. "I'll have to leave you guys for your introductions. I have to set up the communication line. Excuse me."

"I'll help," volunteered Kurama, sending lips curling in intrigue.

"You have an outlet?" asked Ebony. "This thing's electronic."

Kurama led her to another room, where there was a vacant outlet. Peculiar Hiei had taken it into his head to flip around the channels on television.

"How come you're being helpful today, Minamino?" asked Ebony.

Kurama laughed. "I hope you don't mind. I think I'd like to put up some show for those guys so at least they can get off my back for a while. They're kinda putting a lot of pressure on me. After all, Hiei's married, Kuwabara and Yusuke are engaged and Koenma and Botan will probably follow suit."

"The feeling's mutual," said Ebony. "The nobles of Lethe are supposed to get married before passing the age of twenty-one. There's some formal courtship period that's supposed to happen in five years for girls. Sheesh! I only have three years and I haven't even got a beau. And don't forget royalties can't just marry anybody. Well, Aiea is already engaged and she was supposed to get married late last year but with Ixion in Azrael's clutches I doubt it would still happen at all. Adrian's as hopeless as me. Yeah, sure he can hook any girl like you but ever since that woman toyed with him he never took any relationship seriously. And well, we just can't break that tradition that's been around for generations and all."

"And your other brother?"

"Audric? He's married and soon to be a father. His expectant wife is under tight security now. We think she may be Azrael's target. Which reminds me, get the others here, will you?"

(EDITING:101500: Ramayana na bukas. Keep your fingers crossed. And your toes too! 0:15 Actually, 101600 na, so mamaya na ang Ramayana.)
4th ed. 111201 19:15:27