Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Mute ❯ Communication? ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

Communication?

 

Hikari grinned the next morning standing in the entryway. Yukina was up and so was Hiei, though that was a rather relative thing. He was there in body only. Yukina had agreed with her that they needed new clothing, the only problem was Hiei. Hikari was fine if it was just Yukina they were talking about, but Hiei was a completely different story. We've got to do this though. It really should have already been done. They've hardly had a change of clothes. Jeez, I'm a bad host during band season!

 

“Uhh, Hikari?” Yukina whispered. Hikari smiled at the aqua haired girl.

 

“Yes, Yukina?”

 

“I'm ready and I've found Hiei,” she whispered shyly.

 

“Alrighty then! Let's get moving before I lose my nerve!” Hikari announced. Yukina smiled demurely. Hikari's always so happy! Maybe, between us we can help Hiei. Maybe we can. Hikari put her arms around the two, provoking no reaction from Hiei.

 

Next thing they knew, they were very close to a shopping center.

 

“Come on!” Hikari giggled, feeling freakishly giddy. Yukina looked over to Hiei, who seemed to look right through her again.

 

“Come with us, Hiei. Everything's fine.”

 

“Uhn” Yukina turned around to look at Hikari. She stood clutching her head.

 

“Hikari?! Are you alright?”

 

“Hai, I'm fine. He not comin' or somethin'?” She asked, wincing. Her head hurt. It almost felt like her head was empty except for torment. It freaked her out. She ignored it the best she could, but for days now her head had just hurt in such a way. She turned back to Hiei and grabbed his hand. She tugged and he didn't budge.

 

“Hey? Could I have a hand here?” Yukina jumped and nodded.

 

With each girl holding one hand they got him inside, but garnered a fair few stares as well.

 

“Well, this'll be interesting,” Hikari said with a grin. Yukina nodded, not noticing she still held Hiei's limp hand in her own.

 

“Let's start with you, why don't we?” Hikari asked, facing Yukina.

 

“Okay,” Yukina whispered with a tiny bob of her head.

 

“Then let's go!” Hikari smiled, and led the way, Yukina following with Hiei on her heels.

 

---

 

“Okay,” Hikari whispered, looking at the cart and mentally checking off her list of things needed by the Koorime girl beside her. Most things there had been added by Hikari if Yukina seemed to show a bit of interest, which was hard to figure out as Yukina felt terrible that Hikari was going through all the trouble of buying them clothes.

 

“We really don't need this much! I don't think we'll be here that long!” Yukina whispered.

 

“Gonna need to speak up, Yukina,” Hikari said, looking over at Hiei. Hiei stood more or less in the aisle watching people go by and scaring some accidentally.

 

“I think he's scaring people,” Hikari mutter to her, “And don't worry about the clothes. When you go back you could always take them with you, or I'll just keep them. I have some younger girl cousins and I can give them the clothes. None of it bother's me,” Hikari chuckled.

 

“O-Okay,” Yukina smiled. I'm glad she's friendly. It would be lonely if she wasn't.

 

“Hmm, does he normally wear just black?” Hikari asked.

 

“Hai, he does,” Yukina answered.

 

“Okay then. Let's move,” Hikari grinned.

 

Hikari walked up to Hiei and gently took his hand leading him somewhere else in the store. Yukina followed a short distance behind, watching as Hikari slowly lead Hiei around. Hikari's trying hard to understand this, isn't she? To understand why we are running and why Hiei's been hurt and won't talk or anything else. Maybe she'll help Hiei. Maybe this will be good for him too…

 

“Don't look so glum, Yukina, everything's okay with the clothes and everything else is gonna be fine,” Hikari assured her.

 

“You'll help Hiei, right Hikari?” she asked. Hikari smiled.

 

“Yup, just as soon as we get him some clothes.”

 

---

 

“Alright, alright! We're leaving! Sheesh!” Hikari grumbled. As it turned out, Hiei was scaring people, and Hikari and Yukina's quick exchange in Japanese was freaking people out, too. Someone had kindly shown them the way out, but not before they had been allowed to checkout.

 

“Sheesh! You would think they'd never seen two people talking in a different language.”

 

“Does no one speak Japanese?” Yukina asked.

 

“Well, in Wisconsin, it's a heck of a lot more common to hear Spanish then Japanese that's for sure. So yeah, you're right,” Hikari admitted. Yukina though had heard little of her answer, as she stared intently at Hiei.

 

“Hey, Hikari.”

 

“Yeah, Yukina?” Yukina watched as Hiei's eyes moved to Hikari when she spoke and back to her when she did.

 

“Say something.”

 

“Okay,” Hikari muttered. Hiei did it again.

 

“Hikari, say something to me so I answer, but watch Hiei,” Yukina whispered.

 

“Alright, do you like this place?” Hikari asked, looking over to Hiei who watched her.

 

“Yes, I do,” Yukina answered. Hikari's eyes widened when Hiei's focus switched to Yukina.

 

“He didn't do that before,” she whispered.

 

“No, he didn't,” Yukina answered back. Both smiled.

 

“I think we're getting somewhere. Now he needs a way to communicate.”

 

---

 

“I don't mean to burst your bubble, girls, but it's not an improvement,” Kathrine gave the two a sympathetic look.

 

“How can it not be an improvement?!” Hikari demanded, slamming her fists on the table. Yukina looked disbelieving. Kathrine sighed.

 

“When you're with other people in a crowed area, he doesn't even notice the two of you exist. You were alone when you both noticed this. He had nothing else to focus on. And who knows if he was focusing period?”

 

“But Hiei…he looked at us, Katherine,” Yukina whispered.

 

“I know, but he didn't look you in the eye, did he? He could have been looking past you.” Yukina looked over to Hiei who sat on the couch looking at nothing once again. Hikari yelled at Kathrine and Annai looked on.

 

“Kathrine, give them some hope. There must be something,” Annai whispered. Kathrine looked at him, eyes unbelieving.

 

“Annai, are you feeling alright. You hate when I give false hope for any reason. You hate the boy more.”

 

“So?” Kathrine put a hand to Annai's forehead.

 

“No fever, but you've got to be sick.” Annai growled.

 

“I'm not sick, One-chan! I just…. Say, do…something,” he pleaded. He looked to the two girls.

 

“These two…Yukina… he's the only person she can really trust. And Hikari… I've never seen her take an interest in someone so quick.” Kathrine sighed.

 

“If you can get Yukina and Hiei from the room, I have a proposition for Hikari.”

 

“Thanks One-chan,” he whispered, pecking her on the cheek.

 

“Yukina,” Annai approached her, “Why don't you see if Kath's right. Walk around the house. Just to see.”

 

“Sure, we could try.”

 

“I'll go with you.” Yukina smiled.

 

“Thanks, Annai.” Hikari watched them leave, Hiei trailing, with wide eyes.

 

“Is something wrong with Annai?” she whispered, clearly creped out. Kathrine laughed.

 

“No, he's fine. I asked him too, though I thought he'd stay.” Hikari looked suspiciously at her.

 

“Kathrine,” she stressed the name, “why'd you want them out of the room?” She cocked her head, eyes boring into the older white haired woman.

 

Kathrine smiled, nervously, playing with her skirt. She let go a sigh and spoke.

 

“He needs a way to communicate,” she stated simply. Hikari rubbed the bridge of her nose.

 

“I know that! How does that help-,”

 

“I can give him the means to communicate. It will take a while though. First we start with Yukina.”

 

“But Yukina can talk.” Hikari cocked her head further, studying.

 

“Yes, but she speaks only Japanese. That won't help her here, not in Wisconsin. Not in a town where the only people who would understand her are considered crazy. And that's not including what people think of you.”

 

“Good point,” Hikari admitted begrudgingly, “but it takes quite sometime to learn another language Kath. They aren't going to be here that long.”

 

“They were going into hiding, who knows how long it'll be before it's safe to go back.”

 

“Still, how to teach her? And how will this help Hiei?”

 

“You'll see. Now we've got to find them. Your's feels so big, it could take hours!”

 

“But how do we teach Yukina English?” Kathrine laughed.

 

“You'll see.” Hikari watched her leave the room. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head as she had done at the parade grounds. Right now screams echoed and bounced in her head. Cries of pain and overwhelming sense of fear.

 

“Damn,” she breathed, “as much as this hurts its better then nothing.” She staggered to her feet and walked out the door, following Kathrine.

 

~ ~

 

Annai looked at Yukina, whose full attention was on Hiei.

 

“It's not happening, is it?” he whispered softly. Yukina looked to the floor stopping.

 

“No it's not. We are alone again, but isn't happening. Oh Annai! I don't know what's wrong! I thought….I thought he was getting better!” She turned her cherry red eyes, now filling with tears to him. Annai's eyes widened. Damn, don't cry! I'm not good with crying people. Uhhh, think, think!!

 

“It'll be okay,” he murmured, resting a clawed hand on her head, “Kath will figure something out and Hikari, well, Hikari seems to really want to help him and you too.” Yukina held back her tears, looking sadly to the black haired demon, who was struggling to do something for her. He's not good at this. But he's trying. Annai continued to pat her head, mumbling the best encouragements he could think of.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured, looking to Hiei, who was clearly more interested in what was going on outside the widow.

 

“I see you two are getting along!” Kathrine laughed, walking up behind the two, Hikari trailing her, rubbing her head.

 

“Any luck?”

 

“I doubt they managed to notice in that short of time,” Hikari muttered.

 

“Nothing,” Yukina said sadly.

 

“We'll keep trying,” Hikari assured her, placing a hand on Yukina's shoulder.

 

“It's late, why don't ya'll go to bed? Hmmm? Anybody tired?” Kathrine suddenly gushed. Annai, Hikari, and Yukina (Hiei oblivious) blinked in surprise, confusion, and a little worry.

 

“Kath, it's five o'clock,” Hikari whispered.

 

“If you want to do something to us, ask. Don't do it to us in our sleep,” Annai muttered. That got the two girls to look worriedly to Annai.

 

“She's my sister. I know these things.” It didn't squash their apprehension. Annai put a hand on their shoulders. Kathrine looked away. Finally she sighed, and began to walk through the door to the right.

 

“Fine, fine. Come with me. I'll explain. Would've been so much easier just to do it in her sleep.” Annai's grip on Yukina's shoulder tightened, and Yukina didn't notice she moved to be closer to Annai.

 

~~

 

“What is it you wanted to do Kath?” Hikari asked hesitantly. Kathrine, though, didn't answer. She was busily looking through a chest of drawers.

 

“Kathrine, isn't this the room you've commandeered? The one you don't let anyone in?” Kathrine continued her search. Hikari's eye twitched.

 

“Everyone in my family is taking over my house!” Annai snorted hiding a laugh.

 

“It's not funny!” Crash and an `oops' came from the direction of Kathrine, “I have to put up with your snoring!”

 

“Annai snores?” Yukina whispered shyly. Hikari barked a laugh, ignoring what Kathrine had broken.

 

“Oh yeah! You don't know that he does because since you and Hiei got here, he's been sleeping outside. Thank the deities you arrived!”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I do not snore that bad!”

 

“Yes, Annai you do,” Kathrine called, still searching. Hikari couldn't help laughing again. Suddenly, Hiei moved passed them all and walked up to Kathrine. Kathrine dropped the book she'd found in her surprise.

 

Hiei knelt down and grabbed it, standing back up and holding it out to her. But Kathrine didn't take it from him. She looked speechless.

 

“Kath?” Annai whispered. She tore her gaze away from Hiei and looked at Hikari and Yukina.

 

“You two were right. He does notice things. I think it just has to be the right things.”

 

“Why do you say that, Kath?” Hikari whispered. Yukina looked at her questioningly.

 

“I do believe that is eye contact.” Hiei stood still, arms out, holding out Kathrine's book. His lifeless red eyes looked straight into Kathrine's shocked goldenrod. Smiling, Kathrine took the old beat up tome from Hiei before she knelt down and affectionately ruffled his hair. Yukina opened her mouth to speak, to stop Kathrine, but stopped. The gesture had no effect on Hiei, who stood emotionless, now focusing on the wall behind Kath. Kathrine smiled once more before setting the thick volume down on a table, opening it seemingly at random.

 

Annai walked into the room, passing by the three child height youkai. He looked worriedly at his sister.

 

“Kath, Nee-chan? This is a bad idea.” Kathrine giggled.

 

“Come, come, Annai! It's not as bad as you think!” The next words to fall from her mouth made no sense at all. Everything went black for the Koorime twins.

 

--

 

Yukina drifted towards consciousness slowly, the hazy darkness warm and almost a sad thing to part from. But the voices on the other side of that darkness sounded worried, drawing her back.

 

“Kathrine what did you do!” Yukina slide open her cherry eyes to spot the auburn hair of Hikari. Annai turned to Kathrine, holding her old book captive.

 

“You shouldn't have used this. You are forbidden to use this. What if it had backfired? What if it did?!”

 

“It didn't. They're awake,” Kathrine whispered pointing to Yukina and Hiei, who had sat up. Hikari rushed over.

 

“Are you alright, Oh!” she shook her head berating herself, “Are you alright?” she asked again. Yukina stared. The first question had sounded strange, a little hard to understand, and the second time had been easier and more…familiar.

 

“Its okay, Hikari. She'll understand you now. See Annai,” She whispered, turning to him.

 

“She's fine and so is he. Well, he's no different.” Hikari turned and looked Yukina in the eye.

 

“Can. You. Understand. Me?” she asked slowly, speaking as clearly as possible.

 

“Yes,” she answered almost instantly.

 

“Say it again,” Kathrine prompted. And now the word Yukina had said before felt strange on her tongue.

 

“Y-yes,” Yukina whispered. Hikari smiled. She turned to Kath.

 

“Is this what you meant to do?”

 

“Yes. It's step one. I have to figure out the next step, for it won't be as easy as this one. So we'll just have to wait, but that won't be so bad, will it?” Kathrine smiled as Hikari hugged the startled Koorime.

 

“That was risky Kathy. Do you really want to try a second thing?” Annai whispered to her.

 

“Hai, we need to be able to speak to them?'

 

“But Hiei can't speak. What are you going to do about that?”

 

“You will see. Maybe in a few days time.”

 

“Why a few days? Don't tell me you did this with out a plan at all!?” Kathrine winced before smiling fondly at the three on the couch. Hikari spoke slowly, clearly to Yukina, who spoke back as clearly as possible with a few mistakes here and there. Hiei sat there watching them, eyes shifting back and forth between the two.

 

“I have a plan it's just not complete. Beside this give her a chance to learn the language instead of just having it in her head. After all, no spell is perfect. A few days for the last of my plan to be thoroughly thought out, will be given to us.” And so we can know if anyone felt that. Hikari laughed hugging Yukina, who was giggling happily with her.

 

--

 

Why must it get so bright so early? Hikari walked stiffly and sleepily down the hall in the large black t-shirt she called pajamas. She smiled when she looked out the deck doors. The sun, still low as it crested the horizon between the trees, gave a gentle light to the woods that sprawled over the land. But it also creates darkness's for our worst nightmares to hide.

 

Ignoring the early time, her pessimistic thoughts, and the dew soaked wood of the deck, she stepped out onto it. She sat down on the railing. Her thoughts clouded her mind; she was unable to enjoy the scene around her. Yukina was happy to sit practicing the language previously unknown to her. And Hiei, well they had all reason to believe that he understood them to some point even if he didn't acknowledge them. But there is two points to Kathy's plan. What else could she have in mind? What else could she have done in such short notice? She's been pale, woozy, not eating. Annai was right, she shouldn't have used that. What if someone sensed it? We could all be in danger. I don't want to put them in danger! Could I protect Hiei and Yukina, if push came to shove?

 

The sliding door opened, Hikari's head snapped towards it. Hiei stood in the doorway, Kathrine waling with Yukina and Annai behind him.

 

“What's everyone doing up so early?” Hikari called.

 

“Just to explain the last phase of my plan.” Kathrine whispered. Hikari nodded.

 

“You mean now that you know it?” Annai asked snidely. Hikari sighed as her aunt and uncle glared at one another, casting a glance to Hiei. He looked with his ruby red eyes to her different colored irises. Instantly her head hurt. Her breath hitched, but she'd learned a while back not to worry her family with trivial things such as headaches. As the pain pulsed, no one noticed the change in her position on the deck railing.

 

“Hikari, you and Hiei need to stand over here!” Kathrine called. Hikari nodded, which she regretted. Yukina walked over taking Hiei's hand to pull him into the line the three were to make. Hikari also walked closer her head still aching.

 

“Here we go,” Kathrine began ready to launch into her explanation. She opened the book seemingly at random once again. The moment that Hiei saw it though, he hit it from her hands and ran, sprinting into the woods aglow with the dawn light. Hikari dropped to her knees, feeling the pain intensify.

 

“…Guess he figured it out the first time Kath...” she murmured before falling, eyes drifting closed.

 

--

 

Viola!! Chapter 4 finished. And only a couple months late. Summer break makes me lazy and I forget to write. Though if you keep up with my work at all, you'd know that I've written many little shots over break. Also if you would like to know how I see Hikari in my head when I describe her chick out heavenschaos.deviantart.com my other pictures are there as well. JA!

 

Ps thanks to Angel of forgotten Souls! She reminded me to get my but in gear. Thankies!!!