Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Crushed Petals ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 3 )

Crushed Petals

- Chapter 2 -

Kurama exited the room to find Yusuke and Kuwabara standing nose to nose whilst in the middle of a heated argument.

"What'd you do to her, Urameshi? It had to have been your fault. Keiko would ofnever screamed at me like that!"

"Keh. Don't be stupid, Kuwabara. I didn't do anything! She just up and attacked me as soon as she opened her eyes!"

Kurama looked away from them, closing the door behind him as he scanned the hallway. Genkai was standing off to the side of the red faced pair, her hands behind her back as she watched the fight ensue. Yukina stood beside Genkai, cringing at every shouted insult that was thrown. And Hiei was.... leaning in somewhat too suspiciously next to the closed door.

Was he spying? Not that one couldn't hear Yusuke and Kuwabara's shouting through the paper thin door, but... Hiei was... observing quietly. The fighting had escalated, and thus was holding his interest, Kurama supposed.

Hiei watched the verbal match, as it grew steadily louder. Then he opened the door to Keiko's room, apparently deciding it would be quieter.

"Sure, and who's the one who swore to always to protect Keiko, no matter what?"

"Grrrr. Shut up, Kuwabara!! Besides, I've tried my best to take care of her. I always have! You don't have the fucking right to tell me to protect Keiko. She used to be my only friend!"

"I think that this really isn't the time for this," Kurama's somewhat calm voice came from their right. The two boys ignored him however as they continued on.

"The right? THE RIGHT? You're not the only one who cares about her, Urameshi!"

"I said, SHUT UP, KUWABARA! I don't need this right now!"

"It just pisses me off, that you think she's only important to you! What if she'd died, huh? Just because you couldn't protect her doesn't mean that it's my fault!"

"If you don't shut up..." Yusuke fisted Kuwabara's unform and glared. Kuwabara glared back.

"If you both don't shut up, Kurama is going to burst an artery."

The two would be combatants blinked at the voice, a familiar voice which hardly ever rose to intercept their brawls. Their heads turned in sync to stare in shock at Hiei. Or rather, at Hiei's head. It stuck out of the door which had been opened a crack and the fire demon was glaring at them sternly.

It was silent, suddenly. Hiei noted that Yusuke had let go of Kuwabara's shirt, and that both were staring curiously at Kurama, who had an eyebrow twitching. With him, such an action was equivalent to shouting. They sweatdropped.

Kurama managed to keep himself composed as he spoke again. "Thank you, Hiei. As I was saying, Yusuke, Kuwabara, I do not think that this is the proper place for such a discussion."

"Now go away," Hiei added complacently, and the closed the door softly behind him.

"... I think we were just dismissed," Yusuke said to Kuwabara, feeling stupid about their fight, but not wanting to say so.

Kuwabara shrugged, then did a double take. "Hey, wait a minute! What's the shrimp doing in there with Keiko, anyway?!"

Kurama resisited the urge to roll his eyes. The tension that had been so thick before had disintegrated completely. Now, everything was back to normal, like nothing had ever happened. He moved to bar the door as Yusuke and Kuwabara immediately pursued the object of their curiosity.

"I'm sorry, but we don't want a repeat of Keiko's earlier reaction, now do we? Who knows why she's acting this way towards you two, but ...."

From inside Keiko's room, Hiei could sense Yusuke and Kuwabara's disappointment at this statement. He frowned at the stupidity of their actions, wondering how they could possibly be arguing when the girl so obviously was traumatized. Through the paperworked door, they glared at him. Surprisingly, Hiei glared back. Did the idiots actually think noise was helping their so-called wounded friend recover? Morons.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Squashing down the instinct to flinch, he saw that the hand belong to Keiko. She had gotten up, apparently. Turning around, he met her gaze.

"Thank you," she told him, smiling timidly. Keiko observed the faint flicker of confusion that passed the fire demon's red eyes, and decided to elaborate. "For getting them to shut up... I, uh... their voices were making me nervous." With her last words, her gaze dropped to stare at the floor.

"They were bothering me." he professed impassively. But his eyes studied the floor as well. For some reason, he felt nervous. After a while, when neither of them had said anything, Hiei added, "You should sleep."

Keiko looked up, blinking in surprise. "E-excuse me?"

"You've been injured."

"I think I know that." she muttered, a hint of her prior spirit shining through her darkened dispair.

"Listen, I know you don't really care what happens to me... but... I really appreciate that you brought me here." Keiko said suddenly, taking Hiei by surprise again. How had she known he was the one to bring her here? She'd been unconscious the entire time... "You didn't have to, but you did, and... I just wanted to say, thank you." Keiko finished, oblivious to Hiei's inner musings.

"It's no problem," Hiei said, staring at the ground again. How unlike him. He was actually nervous and... it felt good to help someone. Wait, where had that thought come from? Of course, he didn't care! "I owed Kurama a favor, after all." he added to reinforce his nonconcern.

"Oh..." Keiko cleared her throat nervously. "Yes... I remember, Kurama found me."

"Right, so it's none of my concern."

There was a moment of awkward silence before she blurted out, "But I'm grateful to you too!"

Hiei arched an eyebrow. "But you couldn't have known it was me who carried you to Genkai's."

"But, I do know."

"...."

"Yukina told me."

"Oh."

"Yeah... oh." And with that, she returned to her futon.

Keiko blinked, realizing that this had been the longest conversation she could remember ever having with Hiei.... A conversation with actual sentences. How odd.

Hiei stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed and expression impassive. The only thing giving away his nervousness was the slight shift from one foot to the other as his red eyed gaze darted from the seated girl to the door.

He almost wished Kurama would come in and interrupt them. But not really. She was looking at him with a half irritated, half forlon expression, as she draped the futon's cover's over her lap. Sitting like that, draped in that airy yukata and bankets; she looked delicate. If he closed his eyes, he could see on her now unblemished skin, vivid, flowering bruises.

Keiko could feel him cast his gaze upon her every so often, and surprisingly, she found the intense stare strangely comforting...

~*~

Outside the room in which Hiei and Keiko occupied, Genkai, Yukina and Kurama stared as Kuwabara and Yusuke practically plastered themselves against the shouji door in order to hear anything even remotely suspicious.

"Can you hear anything, Kuwabara?" Yusuke whispered.

Kuwbara leaned closer, pressing his ear to the door "No..they're too quiet. What is he doing in there anyway?"

Genkai, who stood across the hallway, rolled her eyes at the the two eavesdroppers. "Idiots..." she muttered.

Kurama shook his head, "Er.. Yusuke? Kuwabara? Perhaps it would be best to leave well enough alone."

"How come Hiei is in there?" Kuwabara asked, pulling back in order to shoot the kitsune a questioning look. "Why doesn't he have to leave it alone?"

Yusuke ignored Kurama's suggestion. "Dammit... He doesn't have any business in there. What the hell is Hiei up to?" he wondered aloud.

Kurama sighed. "I'm sure Hiei has his reasons, there's no need to be suspicious."

Kuwabara scoffed. "But how do we know we can trust him? What if he just makes it worse?"

When Kurama replied, it was in a low tone that held a hint of irritation. "I dare say Hiei could not make it any worse than both of your presences have already made it."

At his words, Yusuke was on his feet in an instant. "Say that again, fox boy?" The detective raged, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he fisted the front of Kurama's shirt into his fist whilst cocking the other back in preparation for a punch. "Just what the hell are you implying?!"

"Nothing, Yusuke." Kurama said simply, "But you do realize that hitting me won't solve anything?" his calm facade never wavered.

"Maybe not... " Yusuke snorted in disgust. "But it'll sure make me feel a hell of a lot better!"

All occupants of the hallway stood gaping, not believing Yusuke would go through with the blow, when suddenly the sound of the temples front door being opened hurriedly sounded throughout the corridor and stilling the Spirit Detective's flying fist.

"Yusuke, oh, thank Enma you're here!" The frantic voice of Botan heralded her arrival as she rushed up to the collected group. "We have an important case that needs your attention now!"

Yusuke froze, fist only inches from a unflinching Kurama's face. "Botan! Can't you see I'm busy? I don't have time for that right now!" he growled.

"Well, you'd better make time!" the ferry girl shot back, "This is urgent, Yusuke. There are a couple of shape-shifters on the loose and wrecking havoc in the Ningenkai. Poor Koenma-sama is throwing a fit due to it and- why does it look like you're about to punch out Kurama?" Botan blinked in confusion.

"Huh?" Yusuke started, looking confused himself now that his temper had been quelled. He suddenly realized what he was doing. He looked from Kurama to his raised fist, then to the kitsune's rumpled shirt before releasing his hold abruptly while sputtering in embarrassment.

Kurama shrugged it off and began straightening his rumpled shirt until something Botan had just mentioned clicked in his mind. He turned to the blue haired woman, "Shape-shifters?" he asked, just to make sure.

Botan nodded, "Hai. There are two of them. They've broken off from the main clan that normally frequents the Makai and have somehow crossed through the barrier. They've been preying on innocent women for the past two weeks and Koenma has just been made aware of it! And... well, let's just say that he is not a happy camper!"

Kurama's face took on a contemplative look as Yusuke still grappled with Botan's rapid fire explanation.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold up a sec, Botan. Now what the heck are you babbling on about?"

Botan rolled her eyes, "Koenma has been informed of a situation involving two Henkou demons. Their names are Hadrian and Karayan. They're shape-shifters with the ability to read minds and they're in the human realm as we speak! Most likely attacking some poor, defenseless woman."

"Well, why the hell didn't you say so?!" Yusuke shouted, suddenly needing to be away from the temple and the uncomfortable feeling he had begun to plague him ever since Keiko's reaction to him earlier. "I'm assuming the toddler sent a clue as to where I might find them?" He asked, already on his way out of the temple.

"Oh," Botan replied, "Yes, there are energy signatures of the Henkou in the forest on the east side of the city. I'm sure you'll find them there."

"Well, alright then, come on, Kuwabara. Let's go kick some demon ass!"

Kuwabara followed just as enthusiastically and they both left, not paying any mind to Kurama's sudden outburst which followed their abrupt departure.

"Of course!"

Botan turned to stare at Kurama as did Yukina. Genkai had a look of revelation on her weathered features very similar to Kurama's.

"What is it, Kurama?" Botan asked, knowing that the kitsune must have figured something out of importance.

"Botan, you say that these demons can read minds? And that they are shape-shifters?" Botan nodded once again and Kurama frowned, "Then, it is safe to assume that these demons read their victims' minds before they attack them. Perhaps even taking on the form of someone that their victim trusts... or even loves?"

"That's true. In fact, I do believe there was something in the report that mentioned something like that. What's wrong, Kurama? Why do you look so worried?"

Genkai stepped forward in response to the ferry girl's inquiry. She placed a gnarled hand on Botan's slim shoulder as she spoke, "I believe that Kurama has figured out who attacked Keiko." she said lightly.

"WHAT?! Keiko's been attacked? Goodness, is she alright? Where is she? I want to see her." Botan spun to look at Genkai with pleading eyes, begging to be reassured of her friend's safety.

Genkai smiled kindly, "Calm down, Botan. Keiko is... well, let's just say she survived her ordeal, but only after she managed to drag herself to Kurama's house and then Hiei brought her hear for Yukina and I to heal."

Botan's eyes widened at this news. It had taken both Genkai and Yukina to heal Keiko completely? "Oh my... what... what happened to her?" she spoke softly, looking to Kurama this time for answers.

Kurama closed his eyes to hide the look of pain that entered his eyes as he remembered the condition in which Keiko had been in when she had reached his front door. "She.... was attacked.... and raped by some demons, I'm afraid."

Botan gasped, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. "You mean..." she began, only to lose her vocal abilities and so fell silent.

Kurama nodded then opened his eyes. "You said these shape-shifters are able to read minds. Does that mean what I think it means?" he asked.

Botan's pink eyes were brimming by now as she replied, "I'm afraid so, Kurama. It's basically the way these two hunt and catch their prey. They follow them in the shadows and probe their victims' minds until they find a memory of someone, or in this case, two someones, that that person trusts beyond all others..." Now Botan's eyes drifted shut to hide her pain. "....and then, they take on those forms in order to reel in their victim."

An eerie silence settled in the temple's hallway and Botan looked at the three others standing around her, noticing that they each held looks that somewhat resembled relief. A light blue eyebrow rose in confusion. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Earlier, when Yusuke, Kuwabara and I made it to the temple to check on Keiko, Yusuke went inside to see about her first. She was asleep when he went in, but, somehow he managed to wake her up. And when he did, well... let's just say, she wasn't at all happy to see him, or Kuwabara for that matter." Kurama explained, "You see, Botan, it would seem that Keiko's assailants were the shape-shifters that you just sent Yusuke and Kuwabara after."

"Oh..." Botan said faintly... then her eyes widened. "Oh... poor, Keiko."

There was more silence that followed, that is, until Botan gasped suddenly, drawing the other's attention. "Oh no! That means that the demons have taken on Yusuke's and Kuwabara's forms, doesn't it." she said, looking toward Kurama, who nodded.

"Yes, they did. They took on their forms in order to lure Keiko somewhere and... do, what they did to her." For some reason, Kurama found it hard to repeat what had happened to the young ningen girl.

"Ohh.... Koenma's gonna kill me!"

Kurama's eyes flew to Botan in surprise at her outburst. "Why is that, Botan?"

"I forgot to give Yusuke an important bit of information. I didn't really think it was necessary at the time, seeing as how I didn't know they had assumed their forms, but...." Botan hung her head dejectedly as she spoke weakly, "Once they assume a form, they know everything that body knows, be it thoughts, feelings, memories.... fighting knowlege." she looked back at Kurama, "Fighting techniques."

"I see," Kurama murmured, "That does pose a problem."

"Of course it's a problem; Yusuke might as well be running to meet his executioner!" Botan exclaimed over-dramatically. She began to hop up and down in agitation. "Oh, what to do... I need to go after them, but I still need to go inform Koenma about Keiko, ooooh!"

"Calm down, Botan," Kurama said, catching Botan's shoulders to still her. "Go to Koenma, I will go after Yusuke. Besides, I'm faster than you and can find them more quickly."

Botan sighed in relief and nodded before turning to Genkai. "Genkai, please tell Keiko-chan I will be back to see her soon." Genkai nodded solemnly as Botan turned to leave the temple.

Kurama sighed as well. "Genkai, please inform Hiei that I have went to help Yusuke and Kuwabara and to stay with Keiko while I am gone." With that, Kurama nodded to Yukina and walked out of the temple as well.

~*~

TBC...