Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Theives' Guild ❯ Chapter 9

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters. Everyone else, however, belongs to me.

Chapter Nine

Ayume admitted, silently, that she was hungry after going without eating all day. Drinking nothing but water wasn't hard, as that was what she usually drank. Going all day with no contact with anyone didn't bother her either. Being alone was easier than being surrounded by a crowd of people as she had been for the past several days. She'd spent her time meditating. All over, it hadn't really been bad. But this was a bit much.

She did not want to take a ritual cleansing bath in the mountain stream in the middle of winter. No matter how far south they were, that water was icy.

Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact she'd willingly signed up for this.

She stepped slowly into the water, lowering herself until only her head remained above water. Thankfully they'd at least allowed her to take her bath unsupervised. Generally before a rite, one was escorted silently through the entire process by their speakers. The band did take into account though that those speakers were usually the same gender as the participant and allowed her this small privacy.

Dunking her head beneath the water, she allowed the cold water to wash away all the worries of time, ritual, and her family that had been plaguing her mind before resurfacing. As her body adjusted to the not-quite-freezing temperature, Ayume gazed up at the sky. Thousand of stars on the night of the half-moon shone brightly on an unclouded night.

“All things living are halves.” She chanted. “Half light, half dark; half good, half bad; half healthy, half sick; half pure, half tainted; half wise, half fool; half balance half chaos.”

It was an odd feeling to have her mind focused on nothing. Even when she meditated, her mind was usually working on her worries.

When she started to shiver again, she rose from the water and slipped the thin, plain white robe on over her soaked skin. Automatically her hands moved to free her hair from the cloth.

As if they sensed her emergence, Youko and Kuronue appeared. Silently each offered an arm to her. Ayume took them, glad the waiting part was over.

While she and Hiei had been in seclusion, the band had been scurrying about getting everything ready. She had to admit, for a bunch of ruffians, they could pull off some amazing stuff. As the ritual was always performed indoors, they decided to use Youko's and Kuronue's tent, being the biggest. There was incense burning in all four corners of the tent. In the middle was a short table upon which were set a ceremonial bowl, knife, and a candle which provided what little light there was. On the east and west sides of the table there was one ornate pillow, probably stolen from some lord, for her and Hiei to sit.

Ayume sat on the east side where she was indicated. Hiei was not far behind her. Ayume was glad that this was only the ritual, with not much for actual speech. Their speakers had done their job already, by instructing them and escorting them, so they moved off to the side with the other onlookers.

As she was the older of the two, Ayume began by setting both hands halfway on the table, palms up. Hiei placed his hands over hers. Neither so much as looked at the knife. This first part of the ritual had nothing to do with blood, after all.

Ayume gathered her energy to her hands, as Hiei did the same. Their joined hands began to glow a dim purple, Hiei's red demonic energy mixed with Ayume's blue spiritual energy. It felt a bit strange having Hiei's energy flowing with hers, but she released any fear of it that would make her block it out. After all, this acceptance was the entire point of the rite.

Energies still linked, the two pulled their hands away. Ayume sat up on her knees so she could reach him, and kissed Hiei on his forehead, taking the energy he offered. Again, it felt strange as his energy entered her body, but not in a bad way. Instead of mixing this energy with her own, she allowed it to flow into the bowl. The swirling red energy didn't even fill it up halfway.

She sat back down and closed her eyes, waiting for Hiei to repeat the action. It felt odd when he pressed his lips to her forehead, almost as if he was sucking her energy away, but she didn't resist. He took what he needed and put it in the bowl as she had. When she opened her eyes, the two energies were swirling around each other, but they had not mixed.

This was because they'd only finished half of the rite. Ayume took the knife and heated it in the candle flame so it would cut quickly and cleanly. She pulled it across Hiei's right palm horizontally. To his credit, he barely flinched. He took it from her and repeated her actions, slicing the skin on her right palm easily.

Youko and Livoso stepped in here to press the two cuts together and hold them over the bowl so two drops of blood fell in. A searing pain shot through Ayume's entire arm as Hiei's blood mixed with hers. She did her best to stay absolutely still, and not give Youko any trouble for holding her, but this was why one speaker from each side stepped in. Hiei jerked in her grip, but Livoso and Youko managed to keep them joined.

The pain did not subside, but it became easier to bear after a moment, and Youko and Livoso pulled away. At this point, they had the option of pulling apart themselves, as the binding was already complete. Hand in hand still, however, they both looked down.

The two drops of blood that had fallen in the bowl were absorbing the swirling energies. They crystallized once they'd absorbed it all and fell to the bottom of the bowl with a clink. The crystals were teardrop-shaped and lavender in color, as well as slightly see through. Identical in every way, they were the visual representation of what exactly had taken place during the rite.

Using her left hand, Ayume picked one up and pressed it to her lips. Closing her eyes, she extended her power into the little gem. Her eyes snapped back open when she sensed Hiei through it, and she saw he'd picked the other up himself. He smiled back at her as he pressed it to his lips as well.

Both gems let out a bright light. Ayume was blinded for a moment. When she could see again, she noticed Hiei's confused look, as well as the fact both gems had disappeared. Ayume and Hiei both pulled their hands back.

Youko, Kuronue, Livoso, and Kiev stepped forward worriedly. “What happened?” Hiei asked. Ayume leaned forward to seep the bangs off of his face, and as she did she saw a small lavender teardrop mark on his forehead. “What?”

“You have a mark on your forehead.” She answered simply.

“You have one next to your eye.” He replied. “It kind of looks like you're crying.” He looked down at the cut on his hand, which was already healing. “Where did they go?”

She poked him on the forehead. “Right here, silly.” She turned to the others. “What was that about an after-party?” she inquired with a small smile as they all started talking at once.

The after-party was more for the witnesses that for Hiei or Ayume. Neither of them was too keen on staying up for very long. They ate the simplest foods offered to them: some bread, cheese, and water.

As the men celebrated, Ayume snuck off. Kuronue and Youko followed her. “It's going to be painful for you tonight.” Youko stated, referring to immanent change in her body from a human to a demon.

She smiled weakly at him. “I know it's going to be.” She paused. “I told you I knew pretty much everything except for how to do it. Still, I think it's easy to say you know, and quite another to actually experience it.”

Kuronue nodded. “I wouldn't want to do it.” When he saw her wince he asked, “It's already begun, hasn't it?” She nodded. “That's amazingly fast. Usually it takes hours to begin.”

“Sorry guys, but if you don't mind I'd like to be alone tonight.”

“But…” Youko began, “what if something happens. You won't be able to protect yourself.” She remained silent. “We'll leave you alone,” he conceded, “but we'll stay near enough to you to sense if something's wrong. On this point, I won't budge.”

She smiled at him and waved them off.

“What do you mean she left?” Hiei demanded.

Livoso paused. “Hiei, you have the easy end of this. You barely change at all. Ayume, on the other hand, has to go through a full transformation from a human to a demon. It's a very painful process, and she probably didn't want any of us to see her like that.”

“But I-.”

“Hiei, she needs space for this. If you see her in such a weakened state, it'll only hurt her pride too, and she's a very proud little lass. Come enjoy the party. It's in your honor, you know.”

Livoso led him back to the others.