Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Reunited ❯ Chapter 45

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.


-Telepathy-


(Thoughts)


Chapter 45


Hiei felt like he was going to be sick. His hands were shaking inside his pockets, and he mentally thanked Nana for putting them on. He was standing under the altar the villagers had built, and the villagers were all standing around, including the group Hiei had invited, with the exception of Naoru, whom was with Shiroi.


"You look like you're going to be sick," Yuseke said.


Hiei refused to look at him, knowing that the human was holding a video camera. He wasn't the only one, Kurama had one too, and Kuwabara had a camera for still shots. Hiei didn't mind the still shot camera, because he knew he could easily avoid it, but the video cameras ticked him off, since he couldn't avoid them.


"Come on Hiei," Kurama called. "Shiroi's going to be watching these too, do you really think she wants to see you standing there with a scowl on you face?"


Hiei gulped and removed the scowl, but he still refused to look at the camera.


"I think this is the only time that Hiei doesn't want to be the center of attention," Koenma said with a chuckle.


"I think you're right," Botan giggled. "Oh I can't wait to see Shiroi."


"Who doesn't?" Kuwabara asked as he took a snap shot of Hiei when the demon was somewhat looking in his direction.


The flash caught the fire demon's attention, and he realized what had happened. "Hey!" He yelled.


"Oh come on Hiei," Kurama said. "Let him get some solo shots of you. The rest will be of everyone else."


Hiei grumbled under his breath and ignored the fox. Soon he was lost in thought, and then found himself a blinking another flash out of his eyes when Kuwabara stole another shot of him.


"That's going to be good one," Kuwabara said.


Hiei sighed and figured that there was no way of getting out of it. All he really wanted to do was sit, but he couldn't, not while he was wearing white. Plus he wasn't allowed to; he had to stand there until the ceremony started, just another tradition of Shiroi's people.


"Anytime now," Kurama said as he looked at his watch.


Elder Sansa appeared at the altar, startling Hiei. "Don't be so nervous." The old apparition whispered.


"Easier said than done," Hiei mumbled.


Elder Sansa shook his head and cleared his throat, and everyone went quiet.


Hiei glanced around, but no one was moving, nor was anyone coming, at least not from his vantage point. He pulled his hands out of his pockets, knowing it would be inappropriate to have them in there when the ceremony started, if it hadn't already.


Will something happen already? Hiei thought anxiously.


Something did happen. A mass of villagers moved aside as two women, Hiei immediately recognized as Tana and Anada, came walking up. They wore matching brown ceremonial outfits and they each carried a lit torch, for what Hiei hadn't the slightest idea. They approached the altar and stood on either side of it.


The priestess came next, dressed in traditional ceremonial robes. She held a small bag in her hands, nothing more. Naoru and Nana immediately followed her, and Hiei heard gasps from the villagers when Naoru came into view.


Finally, Shiroi came into view. She was dressed better than he was, which was what he had asked for. She wore a dress, with long trailing sleeves, but they weren't long enough to touch the ground. She wore something underneath, because there were separate sleeves the attached to her middle fingers. She wore a cape too, but the front of it was around her shoulders like a shawl, and was trimmed with gold, as were the flowing sleeves and hem and the dress and cape. To finish it, she wore a chain with a teardrop shaped gem around her forehead and a matching necklace.


Hiei couldn't tell if she had seen Genkai or anyone else, and if she had she hadn't shown it. He couldn't stop looking at her. After not seeing her for a week, and seeing her now, dressed the way she was, he was completely and utterly speechless. He hoped he didn't have to speak during the ceremony, because now he couldn't.


Shiroi reached him, and Elder Sansa stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Everyone knows why they are today, so before we get on with the Bonding ritual, I will ask if there is anyone who is against this bonding?"


Even if there was, no one was about to speak up, not with the glare that Emperor Enma gave everyone.


Sansa cleared his throat again, "Let the Bonding Ritual begin."


(Bonding Ritual?) Hiei wondered.


Either Shiroi read his thoughts or expression; she answered him. -You'll see. All I can tell you is not to fight it. Whatever happens, do not fight it. -


-Are you allowed to do that? - Hiei asked. -Speak to me through telepathy during this? -


-I don't know, - Shiroi answered. -But better not to let anyone know, just in case. -


Hiei gave her a small smile, and a slight nod, just as the priestess began chanting. Anada and Tana lowered their torches to an almost invisible fire pit, lighting it, and then backing away. The priestess came forward and opened the bag she held, still chanting. She sprinkled some of the contents into the fire, which roared and sparkled many different colors.


(It looks like the Spirit Flame,) Hiei thought.


-It's not, - Shiroi said, reading his expression again. -This is completely different, even though they look almost the same. -


The fires rose up as the priestess continued to chant. Suddenly, two balls of fire sprang away from the main fire.


-Hold out your left hand, - Shiroi said quickly.


Hiei did as he was told, and she did the same. The two fireballs sprang toward them, and to Hiei's shock, one latched onto his hand and the other to Shiroi's. He was about to fight it, but he remembered what Shiroi had said. The fire didn't hurt; it just felt like a living glove. Hiei glanced at Shiroi, whom was calmly watching the fire that engulfed her hand.


Hiei heard the sounds of Kuwabara's camera, but ignored them, he didn't want to do anything that would interrupt the ceremony, especially if it meant getting his burnt off by the fire.


The priestess' chanting was beginning to slow down, and the fire on Hiei and Shiroi's hands were beginning to die down. Hiei began to notice something forming in the flame, but he couldn't tell what it was. Before he realized it, the flames had vanished, including the one in the pit. Hiei blinked, and then noticed a bluish silver band around his ring finger.


Elder Sansa cleared his throat, and Shiroi and Hiei turned to him. Shiroi held out her left hand. -Take my hand in your left, - she sent to him. Hiei quickly did as he was told, and Elder Sansa tied their wrists together with a silver colored cord.


"The Bonding is complete," the Elder said. "Once you two have gotten out of the cord, you must return it to me. You can either untie the knot, or somehow get out of it and keep it in tack. Either way is fine, but you may not cut or tear it off."



Hiei glared at the cord that kept him bound to Shiroi. "I wasn't told about any of this," he grumbled.


Shiroi giggled, and Elder Sansa said, "You didn't ask."


"Poor Hiei," Naoru said, "He's so confused.


"So is the ceremony over?" Hiei whispered, ignoring Naoru's comment.


"Pretty much," Shiroi said as she took his wrist in her right hand. "Hold still and I'll get this off."


"How?" Hiei asked.


Shiroi shook her and flexed her wrist a few times, and cord slipped off, still tied together. Hiei caught it before it hit the ground, looked at it for a second, and then handed it to Elder Sansa.


"That was quick," the old apparition said as he took the cord. "It's been a long time since a couple have gotten the cord off without untying it."


"Just a little something I figured out how to do when I was younger," Shiroi said. She smiled at Hiei, whom still looked confused. "It's all over now Hiei, you don't have to try and figure things out anymore."


Elder Sansa cleared his throat again. "The celebration will begin soon, so I advise all of you to make your way to the festive area."


"Festive area?" Hiei asked as Elder Sansa walked away.


"You'll see," Shiroi said with a smile.


The villagers began heading toward the festive area, but Shiroi had questions first. Before she asked any of them though, she threw her arms around Genkai.


"How?" the amazed young woman asked.


"Ask Hiei," Genkai answered. "He's the reason why we're here."


Shiroi turned to Hiei, whom was trying to wrestle Kuwabara's still shot camera out of the human's grip. "You brought them here Hiei?"


Hiei looked up from his tug-of-war match, and Kuwabara took it as an opportunity and yanked his camera away. "Well I didn't exactly bring them here," he answered. "But I did ask them to come."


"I think Hiei's a little too embarrassed to really explain his full intentions," Naoru said. The formerly dead apparition had been fending off the older members of the village that had remembered her, and now was able to come over and help her son-in-law. "You know the custom of gift exchanging at the celebration don't you Shiroi?"


Shiroi nodded. "He has his gift already."


"We know," Naoru said. "He explained that to us. Apparently someone didn't tell him about the exchanging until late, so he had a big problem on his hands. So, he figured that bringing some of you deceased family members and close friends and colleagues to the ceremony would be the best think he could do in the short amount of time."


"You went through all of that trouble Hiei?" Shiroi asked him.


Hiei shrugged, "I didn't want to look like a complete idiot."


"And like I said earlier," Koenma said, "We would have been mortally crushed if we hadn't been invited."


Emperor Enma cleared his throat. "Shiroi."


"Yes my lord?" Shiroi asked, turning to the ruler of spirit world.


"I'm returning to Spirit World now, but before I left I wanted to make sure to talk to you."


"About what my lord?" Shiroi asked. Emperor Enma bent down and whispered something in her ear. She giggled, "I don't think you'll need to worry about that my lord," she said. "I can handle it."


Enma nodded and backed away. "Koenma, I expect you to bring Genkai and Naoru back with you when you come home."


"Yes father," Koenma said.


Emperor Enma nodded, and then vanished in a flash of light.


"So, Shiroi," Yuseke said. "What's this celebration thing? The ceremony is over, isn't it?"


Shiroi nodded, "The ceremony is over, but the celebration is the equivalent to a wedding reception in the human world."


"You men with food?" Yuseke and Kuwabara asked hopefully at the same time.


"Yes," Shiroi sighed, "with food."


"Point me in that direction my lady," Yuseke said as he handed the video camera to Keiko and Kuwabara gave Shiziru the still camera. Shiroi pointed, and the two humans ran off.


"Those two will never change," Botan sighed.


"Should we go after them to make sure they don't make complete fools out of themselves?" Shiziru asked.


"We couldn't stop them at the Autumn Festival," Kurama said, "So who knows if we can stop them now?"


"Let's go anyway," Naoru said. "It won't really start until these two show up." She glanced at Shiroi and Hiei.


They made their way to the festive area, where there was already music, dancing, and of course, food. They found Kuwabara and Yuseke already eating, and thankfully their suits were still decent.


They were finally able to drag the two away from the food. They went and watched the singing and dancing. It was fun to watch, especially when Shiroi got Hiei in the dance ring. Everyone had a good laugh as Shiroi coaxed the fire demon into dancing, but the two seemed to have a good time. Shiroi really enjoyed it when they all came in.


Once that was done, Shiroi convinced Hiei to stand still long enough so Kuwabara could get some still shots of them, solo and together.


"I want copies of all of those," Koenma kept saying. "And of both of the videos."


***


At the end of the day, when the sun was beginning to set, Koenma told Shiroi it was time for them to leave.


"The celebration normally goes on all night," Shiroi said. "Are you sure you can't stay?"


"We have to go Shiroi," Koenma said. "I don't want to, but we have to."


"It was fun though," Genkai said. "I'm glad I got to see it."


"So am I," Naoru added. "I thought I was going to miss this day, but apparently I was wrong."


"Okay," Shiroi sighed. She hugged Genkai and her mother, and then turned to Koenma, "Tell you father I said thank you, I didn't get a chance to tell him before he left."


"Will do," Koenma said.


"Oh wait," Naoru said. "Nana and Elder Sansa will be very disappointed if I left without saying goodbye to them."


"I haven't seen either of the two since the end of the ceremony," Kurama said.


"The older villagers normally don't get involved in the celebration," Naoru said. "They're all probably at Elder Sansa's right now."


"We can stop off there on our way out," Koenma said. "It's time to go."


Naoru sighed, "All right."


She gave her daughter one last hug, and Genkai whispered to Hiei, "We'll be watching you."


"Great," Hiei mumbled.


The three waved as they walked away, and Shiroi looked back at the festive area.


"Are you happy Shiroi?" Yuseke asked; he and Kurama had their video cameras going again.


Shiroi took Hiei's hand. "Yes, I am."


***


Author's Note: Oh my god, it's done! Whew, when I get a brainstorm, I get a brainstorm. I just wish I could get one like this for the rest of my stories. Hope this chapter wasn't boring; I couldn't get it as detailed as I wanted it. I do have a few ideas for another story after this, but I want your guys' input for that. So, tell me about it in your reviews. Thanks!