Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Barriers ❯ Resolve ( Chapter 6 )

 

“What will you do?” Kurama was careful to keep his tone level; it was not his decision to make.

 

Shiki chewed slowly, thinking it over intently. They were eating lunch on the roof of the school, something Kurama found enjoyable. In the weeks that had passed since they had returned form the temple, this had become a shared custom. Nobody else seemed inclined to be up here, which meant he was able to relish in the quiet. Only his question had broken the silence. At length, his companion leveled her cool blue eyes at him and shook her head. “I don't know.”

 

The brief exchange lapsed once again into silence. Neither of them was particularly keen to speak, but the silence was of a companionable sort, and there was no real need to fill it. Still, he reasoned, I need an answer. He was considering prodding her further when she began again of her own accord.

 

“I mean, I understand that people like that having possession of the stone can't be a good thing, but what are they even going to do with it? Besides, even if I went after them, I wouldn't be able to do anything. You saw what happened. That guy… I couldn't touch someone like him.” She lost volume as she spoke, and were it not for his excellent hearing, Kurama doubted he would have heard her at all. Her eyes were fixed on the bento box in her lap, though she seemed to have lost her appetite, stowing her chopsticks and setting it aside.

 

Kurama cast about for something to say; Shiki was acting without her characteristic cheerfulness. Even the façade she so often resorted to in difficult situations was faltering, laying her insecurities bare. He wasn't accustomed to dealing with people who lacked confidence in their own abilities. On the contrary, he was much more used to tempering outright arrogance.

 

Just tell her, Shuichi. Youko's voice penetrated his thoughts. For all they were the same person, it was easy to tell when Youko's sensibilities were making themselves known. Still, he supposed his more ruthless side had a point; Shiki was logical enough, perhaps all she needed was more information.

 

“Are you all right?” Shiki was looking at him curiously. “Just now, you seemed… different somehow. Is something wrong?”

 

“I am well, thank you,” Kurama replied, smoothly arranging his features into a smile. Shiki's eyes narrowed; she seemed unconvinced. “You must decide on your own, of course. But I do not think that your concerns about your strength should be what makes the decision. You are untrained, yet. With a few more weeks under Genkai, it would not be as much of a problem as you think. Besides, it is not as though you would be journeying alone.”

 

“Hmm…” was her only reply. She seemed rather intent on studying the roof tile directly before her, and Kurama sighed inwardly. He respected her, this child. She had been thrown from the familiar entirely, endured great pain and still had the fortitude to save them all. Yet she could not be brought to believe that she was anything other than a convenient vessel for some ancient artifacts. He wondered what kind of life she could have led, to have been convinced so thoroughly of her own insignificance.

 

“It's not as bad as you think,” she said, and for a moment, Kurama was startled, thinking that he must have spoken his thoughts aloud. “I know I'm not all that strong, but I'm not scared or anything. I fight people stronger than me every day. I'm just… I don't really know what I'm getting myself into, do I?”

 

Kurama recovered from his surprise swiftly and shook his head gently. “The demon realm is… certainly different. But you need not worry about that. We all know our way around fairly well.” He thought back to the last time he had been to Makai and almost chuckled at the absurdity of his own understatement.

 

Before Shiki could reply, the bell rang, signaling that it was time to return to class. They stood, and she gathered up her half-eaten lunch. Kurama held the door open, and she moved to walk through it, but then stopped and turned around.

 

“Thank you,” she said softly, then hurried down the stairs.

 

You're welcome, he thought, knowing that she was to far away to hear him if he spoke.

 

Coward, hissed Youko. You could have told her. She would have believed you.

 

It matters not. We will see soon enough if I am right.

 

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

 

Genkai's eyes narrowed, and she made no effort to hide her growing irritation as the conflict dragged on. Somewhat against her better judgment, she had accompanied Takahashi back down the mountain. The goal of the past week or so had been to convince the girl's parents (or, more specifically, her mother,) to allow her to take up residence in the temple for training over the school break. Shiki's father was against it on principle; apparently he did not like the idea of his daughter being anything other than a timid okami-in-training.

 

Genkai snorted inwardly. Unfortunately for him, it's far too late for that. The mother's objection was somewhat more reasonable. She knew there was more to this arrangement than she was being told, which was true. So, Takahashi had arranged for the three of them and Shiki herself to meet privately. To his dismay, it wasn't going as smoothly as he had expected.

 

For her part, Genkai was largely silent. This wasn't really her affair, though she had some stake in the results. Her pupil was likewise silent, though whether because she had no opinion or because she chose not to reveal it, Genkai could only guess. Perhaps it was something else entirely.

 

That left the old man and his daughter to fight it out.

 

“Absolutely not!” Ayaka, at least, seemed to have no difficulty asserting herself. “There is no way I will allow my daughter to put herself in that kind of danger!”

 

“Aya, you are allowing your feelings to obscure your logic,” replied the old man stoically. Genkai silently approved of the tactic; turning this into a shouting match would do nobody any good.

 

“Logic? Where's the logic in letting Shiki go to Makai and get killed?” Her tone was sharp, but at least she had stopped yelling.

 

The four of them were arranged around the Aoyama's dining table, Genkai and Takahashi opposite Shiki and Ayaka, respectively. This gave Genkai an opportunity to observe the girl's reactions to the conversation. Not that she showed much. She seemed to be elsewhere with her own thoughts, and her face was largely impassive.

 

“She has to do this. You know as well as I do the danger the stone poses. The other one is the only way to stop it.”

 

“Then take it out and give it to someone else. Please, father!” Ayaka was becoming slightly hysterical, something that Genkai judged to be out-of-character, since it seemed to stir her daughter from whatever state she was in.

 

“You know we can't do that. The stones should only be removed when another host is ready for them. A forced removal now would be too much strain on her body.”

 

Ayaka just shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. Oh, wonderful, thought Genkai. This wasn't getting them anywhere.

 

“So you don't think I could do it then.” Shiki's voice was flat, and she looked at her mother with deadened eyes.

 

Ayaka recoiled as if stricken, clearly surprised by the girl's demeanor. She looked as if she were trying to say something, but Shiki spared her the effort.

 

“I know I'm not a genius like Ichirou or beautiful like Emi,” she began. There was no bitterness to her tone, just a matter-of-factness that was rather unnerving, as though she accepted this as absolute truth. “But I can fight. Other people-” and here she paused, before continuing haltingly. “Other people think I can, too. And- it's not like I'll be going alone. But, it really can't be stopped without the other stone, can it? So I have to. I'm going. I'd like it if you let me, but I'll go even if you don't. Because- because I must.” The speech appeared to have taken a great effort, and Genkai imagined that Shiki had been fighting her own instinct to obey every step of the way.

 

For a long moment, there was naught but silence. At first, Ayaka appeared shocked, then horrified, then confused, but at length a small, sad smile settled on her features. “I suppose if I no longer have the power to stop you, I've no choice but to believe in you, do I? Go, and do what you must. I will be here when you return.”

 

Shiki nodded and stood abruptly, visibly shaking. She and Takahashi made it out the door, but Ayaka took Genkai's arm before the latter could follow. Genkai raised an eyebrow, inviting the half-apparition to explain herself.

 

“She's wrong. That daughter of mine… she's always been stronger than any of us. That's why the stones were transferred to her. I was… too weak to keep them any longer. It tore me to see her burdened with them, but… I had no choice if I wished to live and protect them. But my child… I think I may have protected her too much. She has never fought my will like that.” Ayaka's voice was strange, a mix of wonder and perhaps bitterness.

 

Genkai scoffed. “So you blame yourself because she's the perfect doormat?”

 

Ayaka shook her head, unoffended by the older woman's rudeness. “She's a gentle spirit. I worry that she won't be able to stand up for herself. But just then, she did. I suspect you and your friends are the reason. Thank you.” The last was delivered with unrestrained sincerity, and Genkai found herself at a loss for a caustic comeback. No child should be raised that way, and yet… perhaps there was more at play here than she knew. She simply nodded, and Ayaka relinquished her arm.

 

“Please, protect her.” The woman whispered to the air as Genkai left.

 

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

 

“Everyone ready?” Yusuke asked impatiently, directing the question at the assembled group. The majority nodded, Shiki made some quiet response and Hiei just glared at him. The six of them were each carrying a small bag of belongings but nothing else. He, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, Botan, and Shiki were making an excursion into Makai. With no idea how long it would take or what they'd be facing, it had seemed wisest to pack lightly. Genkai, Shiki's grandfather and Yukina stood a ways off, having just bid them farewell.

 

At the less-than enthusiastic response, Yusuke frowned slightly. This was going to be a pain, that was for sure. “Well, let's go then.” He turned around and headed directly for the portal. Hiei rolled his eyes and followed, Kuwabara and Botan close after. Shiki reached the portal next, but hesitated.

 

“Nervous?” came the unperturbed voice from behind her.

 

She nodded slightly, swallowing. “A little. Can't say I've ever been through a portal before.”

 

Kurama smiled gently. “Then perhaps it would help if we went through together?” Without waiting for a response, he laid a hand lightly on her shoulder. “Shall we?”

 

She nodded, throat dry, and stepped into the rift between worlds.

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Kiku's Corner!

 

Well, hello again, everyone!

 

Special thanks this time to Kai and akpixie for their reviews, they make me feel all nice inside.

 

Just as a note to anyone who may have been confused, the time elapsed from the last chapter to this one was about a week or two, and there was about another week in between the argument and the journey's beginning. If I could write better, that probably would have been a little more clear lol. Also, I'm switching my references to “Demon World” to “Makai.” Mostly because it's more convenient.

 

Last but not least thanks to Beth for beta-ing this chapter for me. It may get edited later if Corri gets back to me with anything extra, but I wanted to get it to you guys asap since I still have a chapter of my other story to start.

 

Please keep reading and reviewing!

~Kiku~