Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Theives' Guild ❯ Chapter 6

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters. I do, however, own everyone else.

Chapter Six

In two days the amount of people who knew the truth about her doubled. Youko had been so surprised when Hiei brought it up he had actually frozen in place. He said he knew Ayume was a girl and the daughter of a Miko. He asked why Youko had hidden it.

Youko didn't answer him, as per Ayume interrupting them. “Hey, are we going or what? I thought you wanted to get to Mount Kava as quickly as possible!” The look she gave Hiei was clear and impossible to misinterpret, “Ask him about it later.” Youko turned to Hiei, about to ask what that look was about, only to find the fiery little speed demon had already taken off to go stand by Ayume.

Hiei looked up at his sister-to-be. “You don't want me to ask him about it now. Why?”

“Because he'll pitch a fit and we're currently trying to go somewhere. We'll ask him together when we stop for the day. Don't even try to tell me he won't either Hiei-chan.”

Hiei flushed, as he was about to do just that. “You can't entirely blame him though. Before you, he hated humans, and doesn't see many people as worthy of being a sibling. Add on to that we want to be blood siblings and you're human…are you sure about this?” He asked, reminded of the fact she wouldn't be human for long.

“Hiei, I knew what would happen before I even said yes. I wouldn't have said yes if I thought that too high a price to pay. Of course, if I thought that, I wouldn't really be worthy of being your sister, would I? Well, older sister, since you do have a younger one. I do hope to meet her someday.”

“I'm not sure even I will meet her someday. I don't even know her name.”

“I'll help you find her. You know, I'm surprised Livoso hasn't told Youko or Kuronue, considering his reaction when he found out.”

“Livoso hasn't told us what?” Kuronue purred from behind them. Ayume didn't jump, for all she was startled. Hiei did. “Is there something the two of you need to tell us?” He asked, walking up next to Ayume.

The look in his eyes was one Ayume couldn't identify. “Of course.” She answered without blinking an eye. “Not yet though.”

“Oh? And why not?” He inquired politely.

“Youko will pitch a fit, and if you know it won't be long before he does. Too bad Kuro-sama. You'll have to wait.” Kuronue narrowed his eyes at her, but he didn't push the subject.

Instead he made sure the men weren't walking close enough to hear. “You're mother's a Miko, yes?” Ayume gave him a confused look and nodded. “Why aren't you a miko? I thought Miko trained their kids in the same arts.”

Ayume's face cleared. Her voice was full of resentment when she began talking. “I didn't inherit my mother's power. A Miko is a Miko, trained or not, but if you aren't born with the power, you'll never be one. You can't imagine what a disappointment I was to her. Her first child, a daughter, the oldest child and I wasn't a Miko like she was.” Ayume fell silent. Kuronue couldn't think of anything to say at first. That was probably the most personal thing Ayume had ever said in someone else's presence.

“Only the first?” Hiei asked.

“Only me. My sisters are all powerful Miko. My brothers didn't get shorthanded on holy powers either. I'm the little black sheep of the family.”

“Black sheep?” Hiei demanded.

“Oddball. The one that's different from all the other ones. Hey Kuronue, answer me something. Why did you need my help so much with that poem? I know you and Youko aren't stupid.”

Kuronue was silent for a moment. “We didn't. Not on the obvious stuff anyway. We didn't catch things like it's been found before, but we got the mines idea and the volcano area before you woke up. We had you explain it to see if we would reach the same conclusions.” He left off that it was also a test to see if she would try to mislead them.

“You could have just asked me.”

Kuronue shook his head. “That would have planted the idea in your head.” He ruffled her hair and wandered off, hiding a smile at her indignant protest.

Hiei looked up at his sister-to-be. “How come you know so much about all the Madain Sarai and stuff? Youko and Kuronue don't know near as much as you, and they've spent years finding out all they can.”

Ayume looked around, making sure they didn't have any eavesdroppers. “Some things, Hiei, don't touch the ears of anyone except in bedtime stories. The kind parents tell about what happened to them.” She explained vaguely. It took Hiei a moment to understand.

“You…You…You…” She was related to King Jules? “So you know where it is?”

“Hardly. Jules wouldn't have told anybody that. Not even his heir. I know stories. Legends, myths, facts mixed with so much fiction you can't tell what's really real by now. Didn't you wonder why my family just happened to be the ones guarding the map?”

“I hadn't really thought about it. He was your…”

“Grandfather, on my father's side. And a secret from my mother and the kids.”

“Why do you know?”

She sent him an odd look. “Because I'm the heir.” Hiei's eyes widened. “Madain Sarai is technically mine. At least, it will be when my father dies, not that he wants it. Not that I want it.”

“But human women don't inherit.”

“That's hardly how this works. It's the first-born who is the heir, not the first son. The others are obviously my mothers' children.” She noted with a smile.

“So you don't have powers because you're Jules's heir?”

In answer, she stretched her hand out. Blue fire materialized, then thinned to the thread form she usually used before dissipating. “I inherited Jules's kind of power, not my mother's. My father has it too. Not that regular people don't have spiritual energy, they just…”

“Don't know how to use it?” Hiei suggested. “Will I get it too?”

Ayume laughed. “Hiei, you already have spiritual power. You use it every time you light a fire.”

“That's demonic energy.”

“Call it what you want, it's still the same thing. Demonic energy is spiritual energy, just in a different form.”

“So will I have both forms of it then?” Hiei persisted.

“Will I?” She retorted. Hiei stopped for a moment. She knew the basics of what would happen, more than he could expect of her, but she didn't know any more than he did exactly how it would turn out. “I won't be human anymore. Will my energy transform into demonic energy? Or will I retain mine and get the new as well? Or will I just keep what I have? I don't know Hiei. To my knowledge there isn't anything to go off of either.”

“Will I still be a demon?”

“Of course. Maybe not completely, but mostly at least.”

“So will you still be mostly human?”

“No. I'll be as demon as you. Didn't you know?” She asked, looking down at him.

“The only things I know about it are what my instincts say. Nobody ever taught me this. Do you want to be like me? I mean, with your mom and brothers and sisters…”

“If I didn't, I would never have said yes.” She answered, falling immediately silent afterward.

“Why did you say yes?” She remained silent. “Tell me about your dad. What's he like?”

She laughed. “Dad is…something else. He's the kind of guy who'll murder you if you sneeze on him, but then he turns around and gives piggyback rides and wrestles with his kids. He's great to be around if you know him. Hard if you don't. Kinda like our fearless leaders up there.”

“Youko-sama is not great to be around. Kuronue-sama either.” Hiei contradicted her. She shook her head.

“You like them.” She noted, calling his bluff. “You think they're entertaining, but you also respect them so much you fear them a little. It makes you want to keep your distance, so you can't really know them well. They can't know you either. However, you do hide a lot less since I came.”

Hiei looked at her over her shoulder, surprised as he realized that what she said was true. “How do you know me better than I do?”

“I can see what you do. You don't always have such clear vision of yourself. To you, you will always be the hardest person to truly know because of it.”

“It's hard to know yourself?”

“Only if you try. If you don't, you are simply yourself, and there isn't anything more to worry about. When you try to see yourself clearly though, the nice simple image is distorted. It becomes harder and harder to comprehend. People surprise themselves all the time because they can't see through that distortion.”

“Do you surprise yourself, Ayume-chan?”

“All the time Hiei. All the time.”

Youko saved her from having to explain herself by calling them to run. Ayume and Hiei ran with the rest of the small band of thieves.

That morning, Livoso caught up to Youko and Kuronue after most of the men had gone to sleep.

“What?” Youko demanded loudly. Kuronue hushed him. “They want to what?”

“So that must have been what they wanted…” Kuronue muttered. At Youko's look he elaborated, “When we took off last evening, they said they had something they wanted to ask you, but not until we stopped. Ayume -rightly- assumed you would pitch a fit.”

“I am not,” Youko growled, “pitching a fit.” He tried to calm himself. “Hiei obviously has no idea what he is doing. Or asking. I'm surprised Ayume would agree to it.”

“Think of it from Hiei's view.” Livoso interrupted. “The kid's got no family. He ain't got much for friends either. Ayume is the big brother -sister- he never had already. She's the most important person in the world to him right now. That pro'ly won't change `til he gets himself a sweetheart. If you were him, wouldn't you want to make it as real as possible?”

“And Ayume?”

“I caught up with her when she was alone. She knows everything.”

“And she's still willing to go through with it?” Youko demanded incredulously. “Ayume, the daughter of a Miko, probably raised to hate demonkind, is willing to become one?”

“Of course I am.” An easily recognizable voice stated from behind them. Youko twirled. “And you should already know why I'm here.” She said seriously, casting a look at Livoso.

“There is no going back.”

“I know it as well as you.” She replied. “Youko, I love him.” She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts into words. “Before, I never would have considered this. You're right; I was raised to hate demons. I'll admit to having my share of demons' blood on my hands. Never once did I mourn them. Killing them was my job as my mother's daughter. There was no anger or sadness or joy in it. Then Likora got old enough to start her Miko training, and it wasn't my deal anymore. Then you came. It wasn't my job to kill you anymore. That was left to Likora or our Mother. I could honestly have just let you steal the stupid thing and been done with it.”

“Yet you broke it into a million pieces and slowed us down.” Kuronue put in.

“I did. But, indifference isn't hatred. Much to my mother's displeasure, I never really hated demons. I saw a chance and I took it. You needed the map. There were only two ways for you to get it. The glass orb, or my memory. For my memory, you would have to take me with you. So I broke it. I went with you. Do you know what I found?”

Livoso smirked. “A bunch of rowdy demons who couldn't tell you were a girl.”

“I found a family. One that's far more held together than my own, save a few…” She trailed off, referring to the Kahoka incident. “I found a clan of people willing to follow their leaders near anywhere. I found two leaders who deserved far more respect than my mother ever did. I found friends who would stick with me no matter what; even finding out I was a girl.” She glanced at Livoso with a knowing smirk. “And I found a lonely boy who deserved far more than what life had handed him. I took that boy in, and found him to be a really good kid, one I could easily love. One I do easily love. Don't tell me I should rethink this. I know what I'm doing.” These last words were almost hostile.

Youko was silent for a few moments. “Alright. I'm sure you know all the consequences, but do either of you know how it works?”

“Why do you think we're asking?” She teased. “Demons don't really offer that information, so it wasn't really something Mother could include in our lessons.”

“First off, you need the witness.” Kuronue began.