Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Elemental Education ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

A week went by before Bekka remembered that she wanted to ask about setting up a pharmacopeia. The week had been busy, full of training and sparring, usually causing the girl to fall asleep as soon as she fell into bed. Kurama's teasing had kept her on her toes mentally, as well, giving her little time to think when he was around. She was lying on her back on the bed, alone since Kurama had gone to the village when she began to think. She did not want to be forced to make another difficult decision and began thinking about herbs that would prevent pregnancy. `Well, there's Queen Anne's lace seeds, but those have to be taken every day and that's a lot of seeds. Tansy could work, but it's too toxic to take for a long time. I know there are things that are supposed to be permanent.' Biting her lip, she racked her brain, `umm….thistle? Yes, but which kind and how much? Stoneseed root? That takes six months to work, though and I couldn't take anything else while taking it. Argh!' she brought her hands up to her head in frustration, `What's that other thing? Oh, yeah, Jack-in-the-pulpit! And I could use it for headaches and antiseptic, too.' Satisfied with her solution, she relaxed into the bed. She became aware of Kurama's return, `Have I been thinking that long?'

 

Kurama slid into bed next to the girl, draping an arm across her stomach. Though her eyes were closed, he knew, “You're awake?”

 

Opening her eyes, Bekka sighed, “I was thinking.”

 

He pulled her closer, snuggling, “Hmm….about what?”

 

“I'd like to start a pharmacopeia,” she answered.

 

He pulled his head back to look at her, ears twitching at the unfamiliar word, “What's that?”

 

“It's a collection of herbs and mixtures used as medicines. I don't need very much for myself, but I'd like to have them available, please.”

 

“What do you want to have?” he asked, curious about ningen medicine.

 

Bekka frowned a moment, organizing her thoughts, “Willow bark, wild cherry bark, mint, parsley, Jack-in-the-pulpit, chamomile, jasmine”

 

“And those are for?” Kurama propped his head on his hand, enjoying the information.

 

Bekka wrinkled her nose before launching into what she thought of as lecture mode. “Willow bark is a general pain reliever. Wild cherry bark is a cough suppressant and can be added to willow bark to make it taste not so bitter. They're both taken as infusions. Mint is good for digestion and can be taken fresh or dried in an infusion. Parsley is good for digestion and helps prevent infection. It is usually eaten fresh, but can be eaten dried or added to other foods. Jack-in-the-pulpit is an antiseptic when the leaves are applied to the skin or a headache remedy when the leaves are dried and infused.” She blushed slightly, catching the kitsune's attention. Trying to ignore the warmth in her face, she continued, “Chamomile is calming and jasmine is balancing. For both, the flowers are dried and infused.”

 

“What else is Jack-in-the-pulpit used for?” he knew she was leaving something out.

 

“Well…” she tried to hedge, but knew he would not give up until she answered. Taking a deep breath, she explained, “When the roots are prepared properly, they supposedly induce permanent sterility in a single does with minimal side effects.”

 

`Permanent…?' “Why?” What was going on in her head?

 

Sighing, looking away from him, “I cannot be forced to decide between two lives again. I can't deal with it again. I won't allow it to happen again. I see my options as complete celibacy or permanent sterilization.” She began biting her lip.

 

“Is it effective? Have you used it before?” His mind was baffled, he just didn't understand her. “Can't you just control whether you get pregnant or not?”

 

Frowning, she glanced at him briefly. “In reverse order: No, human women cannot control whether they get pregnant or not. I've prepared it once before. My oma had a patient who had miscarried six times in five years. She got pregnant easily, but she couldn't keep a baby. She'd tried everything. Her regular doctor wouldn't do anything to help her and she was desperate and depressed. Last I heard, she'd gone a full year without getting pregnant and was much happier.”

 

Kurama cupped Bekka's cheek, waiting for her to look at him, “We'll go out tomorrow and find what you need.” He kissed her lightly on the lips, “Go to sleep, Bekka.” Turning her so she was on her side, back to his chest, he nuzzled her head, “Good night.”

 

He felt the girl relax, seeming relieved at his acceptance of her requests. Just when he thought he was beginning to understand ningens, something else would come up. Sighing, he drifted to sleep.

 

Bekka woke to a sharp pain in her side. It receded briefly and came again. Swatting at the pain, she mutter, “Stop it,” not ready to wake up yet. `Why does he have to pinch me?'

 

“Wake up or I'll start tickling you,” was the amused reply.

 

“Do that and I'll bite you,” she growled.

 

“Promise?” he asked, running his fingers up her side, causing her to jump.

 

In response, she grabbed his hand, brought to her mouth and bit on his fingers. She was mildly annoyed that he laughed at her. Sighing, she let go and rolled away from the playful kitsune, managing to roll off the bed at the same time. “Why are you waking me up so early?”

 

“We have to go out. You need to change, though. Your skirt, while very lovely, will not be suitable for wandering around in the forest.”

 

“I don't have anything else. You know that. If I did, I'd be wearing it. I hate having to fight in skirts.”

 

“Why didn't you say something earlier?” he laughed as he got out of bed. He approached a wall that was covered in vines. Looking at her critically, he turned to the vines, rummaging through them, and brought out a bundle of fabric and leather. “Oh, I wouldn't recommend you try that, they're a little on the possessive side,” he warned her as he crossed the room to hand her the stack.

 

Bekka nodded, examining the clothes he handed her. The leather turned out to be a pair of pants that looked to be the right size for her. The fabric was a shirt of the softest silk she'd ever felt. Both were brownish in color, the pants darker than the shirt. “Thank you,” she said, following up with a wry, “Do I even want to know where you got them?”

 

Kurama laughed, “I liberated them a couple of days ago. I thought you'd look cute in them.”

 

“'Liberated'?” she asked, catching the meaning from his mind. He'd stolen them. Shaking her head, she stood and went to the bathroom, “Well, I suppose we should see if you were correct or if your efforts were wasted.” `Geesh, a thief? What next, Loki?' Turning around, looking at the kitsune who'd been following her, “I have to learn that too, don't I?” she asked.

 

Kurama looked surprised at her sudden question. “I was told you need to, yes.”

 

Sighing in disgust, “I really hate Loki, you know.” She turned and resumed her trek to the bathroom, leaving the confused demon standing in the bed room.

 

“She's quick,” Loki's voice sounded in his head.

 

Kurama's ears plastered themselves back against his skull. “What do you want? She'll know you're here,” he thought viciously at the god

 

“I wanted to tell you that Oberon was coming to see you two today. She won't know I'm here unless you tell her. I'm blocking her so I could warn you. She's never met Oberon before, and he doesn't want her to be expecting her, but he wanted to see her for some reason. He wouldn't tell me,” this last sentence was almost a pout.

 

“Don't you know everything?” Kurama thought sarcastically.

 

“Only when it comes to what's in your lesser minds. I can't read another god's mind.”

 

Kurama bristled at being called “lesser” but he could feel that the god had left him so a reply would be wasted. Shaking his head and blowing out a breath, he composed himself to enter the bathing room. Bekka was already in the pool and he stood a moment, watching her as she ducked under the water to wet her hair. He enjoyed the play of her red hair against the pale skin of her back. He continued watching her as she washed her hair, running her fingers through the strands and massaging her scalp. She knew he was watching her and started blushing. Kurama smiled at the color that spread across the girl's body. He liked that he could see her blush spread over her body. He had asked her if this was normal the first time he'd seen her blush naked, and she said it was because of her fair skin and red hair. Most people didn't blush all over. Bekka ducked under the water to rinse her hair out, trying to control her reactions to his enjoyment of her body. When she came up out of the water, Kurama was holding a towel out, waiting for her to step out of the pool. Squeezing her hair out and trying not to blush again, she walked into the towel.

 

After a lot more teasing and blushing, Bekka was finally dressed. Just before they were to leave the cave, for the first time for Bekka, Kurama handed her a knife. Glancing at him curiously, she unsheathed it, looking intently at the blade. About four inches long, it was a simple tool, the handle fitting nicely in her hand. “Why?” she asked.

 

“You're going to harvest things, aren't you?” Kurama really wondered about the girl at times. Sometimes, she'd make remarkable leaps in logic, other times she couldn't seem to connect two things together at all.

 

Sheathing the knife, smiling, “Aren't you worried I'll use it on you?”

 

“You should be more worried about me using on you,” he grinned, thinking about how useful a knife would be in removing her clothing.

 

Bekka blushed. “How far are we going?” she asked, changing the subject.

 

Kurama shrugged, “A couple of hours away to get what you want.”

 

“Lead on, then,” she bowed.

 

Kurama tweaked the girl's hair as he walked past her and out of the caves. He heard the gasp of surprise, turning to see Bekka looking around her, eyes wide. “It's so different,” she breathed. He looked around. Nothing seemed odd to him. There were the plants that guarded his den, the magenta sky with its frequent forks of yellow lightning, the wind that carried the scent of plants and death on it. He saw nothing different as his eyes returned to the girl, who was still looking around in amazement. “In the human world, the sky is blue, lightning isn't that common, the plants are different. This is different from what I'm used to.”

 

“Do you think you'll recognize what you need?” he asked. He really wanted to test her knowledge of identifying plants she claimed to need.

 

“I think so, but I'll want you to double check me. Some of the ones I want look similar to ones that are deadly. I know the differences in the human world, but if they look too different here, I may not be able to spot the differences.”

 

Kurama turned and walked away from the girl, flicking his tail in approval and a silent command for her to follow. They walked in silence, Bekka looking all round her at the various plants and insects, taking care to follow exactly in Kurama's footsteps since she didn't know which plant or insects could harm her. This amused him and reassured him that she did have some sense.

 

After a couple of hours of walking, Kurama stopped, gesturing around to the clearing, “You should find everything you need here.” He stood aside, waiting for the girl to start.

 

Bekka glanced at the demon and then looked carefully around the clearing. Pointing to a tree, she asked, “Willow?” Receiving a nod, she continued, “Wild cherry?” Another nod and a flick of the tail. “Okay, I'll start with those.” She walked over to the willow tree, walking carefully around it, examining the trunk for the best place to harvest what she needed. Taking bark from the wrong place could allow infection to invade the tree. She was aware of Kurama walking over and watching her, waiting to see what she'd do. Carefully, she removed the knife from its sheath and removed a small portion of bark, whispering “thank you” as she did.

 

“You thanked the tree?” Kurama asked, surprised.

 

“Oma taught me to respect the plants I use, even if I can't grow them.”

 

“By all means, continue.”

 

She looked down, noticing a smallish flower at the base of the willow tree. Kneeling, she looked up at him, “This is Jack-in-the-pulpit, isn't it?”

 

Kurama nodded and watched as the girl began to carefully remove the soil from around the flower's roots. He heard steps coming up behind him and turned to see who was approaching them. A man approaching his height with short dark hair and dark eyes was now in the clearing. His clothing was dark, as well, long pants and a long sleeved tunic. “You don't want that, Bekka.”

 

Bekka whirled, her knife in her hand, facing this newcomer with vicious suspicion, “Who are you?”

 

“You know who I am, my dear. You don't want that, Bekka. It'll make you very sick and it won't work,” he replied, unruffled.

 

“Why should I believe you? Who are you? How do you know my name?”

 

“I know a lot about you. You should believe me because I am who I am. You should know me, dear girl. Think for a minute and you will know the answer.” He gave her a gentle smile

 

Bekka's eyes narrowed. Kurama wondered if this was the Oberon Loki told him about. Bekka's narrowed eyes glanced at him. “What do you want with me, Oberon?”

 

“Only to warn you that what you're planning on doing won't work.”

 

“So, then, what should I do?” she spit out bitterly.

 

“Come here, child, and I will take care of it.”

 

“Take care of what?” she asked suspiciously.

 

Oberon sighed, “I'm going to fix your body so that you don't get pregnant any more. You are right, you do not need to go through that situation again and had I been thinking more clearly, you wouldn't have gone through it in the first place. I am sorry, my dear.”

 

Bekka gaped at the man standing before her. “You're sorry?” She couldn't believe her ears. “You're sorry? Why didn't you do anything to stop it, then?”

 

“Because, my dear, once the game begins, we are not allowed to disrupt the players. You had already started the game the first time you went through the maze. I wasn't permitted to help you in anyway. The game hasn't begun yet now, so I can help you.” Oberon was the image of patience, remaining calm during his explanation.

 

“What are you going to do me?” Bekka asked, some of the anger leaving her frame.

 

“I will fix it so that you cannot become pregnant ever again.”

 

“How?”

 

Oberon smiled, “I'm a god. I'm allowed to do things like that in ways you cannot understand.”

 

Bekka was uncertain. Kurama was just watching the two, taking in their interaction. This god seemed slightly different from Loki. He still had the same arrogance, but he didn't deliberately bait the girl into anger. Slowly, she walked over to Oberon, looking ready to bolt at any second. Oberon stood still, waiting for the girl to approach him before placing his hand on her head. Bekka felt a warmth spread throughout her body and a feeling of weight lifting from her. Her eyes grew wide in amazement as she knew beyond any doubt that what he told her was true. She would never have to choose between two lives again.

 

Oberon smiled at the girl, “Good bye, Bekka, and good luck, my dear.” With that, the god turned to Kurama, “You're doing an excellent job of training her. Show her what air feels like, make her learn that.” He smiled at the kitsune and vanished from sight.

 

Bekka stood where she was, turning around only when she heard Kurama laughing. He had suddenly sprouted wings. Her jaw dropped as she took them in. “Come on, Bekka, we're going flying!” he laughed at her surprise and held out his hand toward her.

 

“Flying? I thought you were a fox, not a butterfly.” Heights still made her nervous and she was stalling.

 

He laughed, “They're a plant, Bekka. Come on.” He walked over and took her hand, pushing off the ground as he did.

 

Bekka grips convulsively at his hand, trying to reach up for a better hold, but he wouldn't cooperate, even slapping her other hand away as she tried to grab his wrist with it. “I hate you, too, you know!” she screamed at him in frustration.

 

He only laughed at her. “How are you supposed to feel air if you're busy feeling me, girl?”

 

“Feeling you? You arrogant, self-assured, cocky kitsune!” she screamed.

 

“I know, I know,” he laughed. “Now feel the air, my dear,” she wrinkled her nose at his use of Oberon's phrase, but it was a little better than being called girl. She stuck her tongue out at him, ignoring his taunt about that and closed her eyes. She could feel the breeze as they traveled through the sky, caressing her body. She felt free, unhampered by the ground. Flying was an incredible sensation. “Can you summon wind? Can you make it answer your call?” he asked quietly, barely penetrating Bekka's consciousness.

 

Bekka concentrated on the feeling of the air around her body, trying to amplify that, to call on it the way she did with fire. Kurama watched her aura reappear. It flickered between colors, from red to yellow with shades of orange in between. Finally, it settled on a pale yellow, coalescing in her free hand, where a small funnel cloud formed, weak, unsteady, faltering. She lost the fight to maintain it, however, and it dissipated soon after it formed, leaving the girl exhausted. Kurama could feel her grip on him loosening and pulled her up to his chest. “Good, Bekka,” he said simply, holding the girl to his chest. Bekka mumbled something incoherent and fell asleep in his arms.