Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Winter Murders ❯ Xania ( Chapter 7 )

Winter Murders

"His name is Xania," Death began as the group settled onto the floor in the living room of Genkai's temple. Death had made sure that she was in the apex of the half circle formed, and that Kurama was at her side. Yusuke was to her left who was next to Genkai. Hiei clung to Kurama's arm, keeping him from being to close to Death. Yusuke seemed slightly intrigued about what Death had to say, as did Genkai. Kurama was trying to comfort Hiei, who hadn't quiet gotten over his dream from that night.

"Xania is the man of white," Death continued. "He was the one who controlled my mind. He was the one with the creatures. He is the enemy.

"Xania lives on the farthest boundary of Yomi's territory. His castle is quiet impressive. I believe it is a classic horror film version of an antagonist's fortress. It lies in the frozen tundra, in the frozen forest. For those of you who don't know, the frozen forest is a forest made entirely of ice. Over the countless centuries the ice has formed into the shape of trees. These `trees' are even in the colors of trees. They look exactly like a tree. The only way to know the difference is to touch them, they will be cold. They mimic a deciduous forest…"

"A what?" Yusuke interrupted. Death sent him a short look of exasperation.

"A forest that loses its leave in the fall and gains them in the spring," Death stated.

"Oh," Yusuke said. "Now I know."

"You should have known before," Death muttered. "Humans learn these sorts of things in school."

"Hey!" Yusuke shouted. Genkai held him back. "Are you saying I'm stupid?!"

"You act it," Death responded. Kurama paused in his caressing to touch Death's shoulder.

"You don't want to provoke Yusuke. He only gets stronger with feeling," Kurama stated and returned his attention back to Hiei. Hiei quickly glanced at Yusuke and then sent Death a glare. It was filled with hate, malicious, and loathing. Death winked at him. Hiei growled. Kurama soothed him by lightly brushing his fingers over Hiei's face.

"I am sorry Yusuke," Death apologized suddenly. The youth looked at her a bit bewildered. Death smiled to herself as she saw his ki level go down. So it was true…

"I guess its ok. But don't ever insult me again," Yusuke replied. Death nodded.

"Where was I… oh yes, the deciduous ice forest. The thing with the leaves is opposite in the ice forest. The forest will have leaves in the winter, but not in the summer. That is the only difference other than them being made of ice. But I get off track. That is where Xania lives. He lives in the furthest and oldest part of the forest. In that part of the forest there is no visible difference between a normal deciduous forest, and the ice forest. Even the trees feel the same; the leaves come in spring and fall in the fall. It is very dangerous in that part of the forest. The `trees' have a ki of their own there. They will hide any creature's ki. You won't feel anything in that part of the forest, except an eerie calm. And that is why Xania lives there.

"His castle looks like the castles of the Renaissance. Or that particular castle that most think Vlad the Impaler lived in. Maybe even the second of Ludwig the Second's castles. Or you could think of it as the castle from Disney. But darker. The walls are a dull gray; they blend into the surrounding scenery. Especially the sky. The sky over the forest is always dark and gray. There is almost always lightning lighting up the sky. That is the only light that forsaken place gets. The tumultuous light of energy.

"Xania is different from most demons. He is of the rare kind of elementals. His element is Science. I know what you're thinking, Science isn't an element. Elementals are demons that focus all their powers into mastering every technique in a specific area. Example: me. I am the Elemental of Ice. I can do, and I know everything associated with Ice. That is why I'm an Elemental. There are very few Elementals. Simply because they normally die in the process of trying to become one. It isn't easy to master every technique in a given area.

"Xania has mastered the art of Science. He is the epitome of the `mad scientist'. Xania dabbles in every form of Science. He is exceptionally good at creating things. He has created many of things, including the `Wolves of Hell' that I told you about the other day. They are his pride and joy at the moment. But lately his time is consumed in creating a different creature. A mass destruction creature. Xania also does normal Science things, labs on bugs, Ice, and such. He doesn't restrict himself. At least that much. He doesn't like to work with things that have to do with the Ningenkai. It just doesn't sit well with him. He hates humans, and he figures he won't need to know anything about it since he'll never go there. But he knows it all the same. That's why he's an Elemental.

"Don't think that all Xania does is create creatures for the sheer pleasure of it. He does it for protection too. He doesn't need the protection, but they are quite good at keeping demons out of his area. Xania hates to be disturbed. Especially with his new project. ASH. ASH is the name of the triplets. The three former humans he had abducted and is currently changing their biology so that they are no longer human, but neither are they demon. They will look the same, but they will be different. Xania is trying to not tamper with their minds. He is just tampering with their bodies."

"If he's tampering with their bodies, how will they look the same?" Yusuke asked. Kurama and Genkai nodded. Hiei had his eyes closed, concentrating wholly on what Death was saying.

"Good question. The alterations he makes will be retractable."

"Retractable?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes. He is adding magicked steel wings. He is also adding nails and defense mechanisms. The neat thing about ASH is that they will have spirit energy, not youki. The wings, nails and defense mechanisms are retractable."

"How will that work?" Kurama voiced. Death turned her attention to him.

"Since they are magicked, they will be able to bend and twist at the owner, in this case wearer, `s will."

"So ASH will be able to grow and retract wings and claws and other such things by will," Genkai stated. Death nodded.

"Yes. They are the top of the line in biological weaponry. Biological in the sense of living creatures. They are quite deadly, believe you me. I know this by only having glanced at them. And that was when they weren't even done yet.

"Most of the powers the triplets have lie in their personalities. Individually they aren't the most dangerous of creatures. Each is eccentric in their own way. But together they are quite harmful. Their personalities clash and that gives them motivation, competition, and power. Not to mention numbers. The individual members of ASH are more powerful than an S-class demon. They are a threat to even the Gods when they are together. They are Xania's pride and joy."

"But what about Xania?" Hiei spoke up. He had opened his eyes and now faced the Goddess. Death smiled crookedly at him.

"Ah yes, Xania. I am sorry I got off track. Xania is the man of white. I have told you before that he is white. Hair, skin, eyes, everything. Xania is the `mad scientist'. He takes the most pride he can in his creatures. They are the only company he can keep. Xania is unsettling to everyone who has met him, or has seen him. This is why he makes the creatures, or at least another reason why he does. He gets no interaction with others. Xania is lonesome. But not in the sense of him pining after the company of others. He craves just one person, human or demon, to understand him. That is why he is lonely. He would be happy is someone didn't run, or scream at the sight of him. That is why he hides in the furthest reaches of forsaken land. He hates the fright people have at the sight of him.

"Maybe that's why he took me. I was an outcast in his eyes. Maybe I knew what he was going through, and maybe I'd sympathize for him. Maybe I'd be a companion. But it doesn't explain the `wolves' he took with him.

"The fright, the seclusion, and the exposure to toxic chemicals and ki have left him mentally unstable. He is as dull as a piece of blank paper when you have no pen, or the ability to fold it. It's just there. It is dull. Xania is like a multicolored piece of paper. He has many different personality traits, and each is a different color. Xania is eccentric, just like his creations. Yet he is dull. His creations are all he talks about, all he speaks about, and all he thinks about. After hearing five minutes on the neural cortex, one gets very bored indeed. Especially if he goes off on a tangent and begins speaking on how it is interesting to see people eat. And how you can tell what kind of a person they are by the way they tie their shoes. But don't forget that the Packers/Bears game is on tonight at seven.

"Yet he is brilliant. Sometimes he can hold an interesting conversation. I think that's why he seems like a broken walnut, he makes his speech so boring you don't know how you got from point A to point B, to point F. You zone out somewhere around C and don't tune back in until G."

"He really is the stereo typical `mad scientist'," Yusuke muttered.

"Indeed he is," Genkai commented. Kurama nodded in agreement.

Something doesn't sit well, Hiei thought to himself. She's not telling us a lot.

"Now that we know what we need to know, and now that we have another reason to go after this guy, what do we do now?" Yusuke said. Kuwabara burst into the room, out of breath.

"Why didn't you guys tell me there was a meeting today? What did I miss?" Kuwabara asked breathlessly. Yusuke sighed, and hung his head. Kurama and Genkai shook their heads. Hiei stood up.

"Maybe we didn't tell you there was a meeting because we didn't want you to come," Hiei said slyly.

"Why you…" Kuwabara started.

"Cool it Kuwa," Yusuke said exasperatedly. "Sit down and Death'll recap."

"Um… oh yeah. His name is Xania. Xania is the man of white. He was the one who controlled my mind. He was the one with the creatures. He is the enemy.

"Xania lives on the farthest boundary of Yomi's territory. His castle is quiet impressive. I believe it is a classic horror film version of an antagonist's fortress. It lies in the frozen tundra, in the frozen forest. For those of you who don't know, the frozen forest is a forest made entirely of ice. Over the countless centuries the ice has formed into the shape of trees. These `trees' are even in the colors of trees. They look exactly like a tree. The only way to know the difference is to touch them, they will be cold. They mimic a deciduous forest…"

"Uh, Death?" Yusuke hesitatingly asked. Death gave him an innocent look. "You don't have to tell him everything."

"Oh. You mean paraphrase? Put the information in a nut shell?" Death asked innocently. Yusuke smacked his forehead.

"Yeah," he said.

"Oh. Well then, I feel rather stupid. Basically, Kuwabara, Xania is the eccentric bad guy who lives in the furthest outreaches of Yomi's territory," Death said simply. Kuwabara beamed. Then he frowned.

"Hey! Urameshi!" Kuwa shouted. Yusuke looked at him balefully. "Am I too stupid to hear the whole thing or what?!"

"Oh no," Yusuke groaned. He fell forward onto the ground. Hiei took full advantage of the situation. He pried himself out of Kurama's grip, where he had resettled himself after Kuwa's entrance, and stood up to the once again standing human.

"As a matter of fact idiot," Hiei said. Kurama cringed. "You are too stupid to hear the whole thing."

Kuwa growled something menacing and lunged at Hiei. Hiei easily dodged and kicked the taller boy to the ground, right in front of Death.

"Stay down stupid," Hiei sniffed. Kuwa growled something and managed to kick Hiei's feet out from under him. Hiei caught himself before he hit the ground and flicked over to Kurama's side.

"I'm going to kill you shrimp!!!" Kuwa yelled. He stood up and faced Hiei and Kurama. Hiei smiled maliciously and kissed Kurama. Kurama, though he knew what Hiei was doing, kissed the fire demon back. He couldn't help it. Hiei had only been his love maybe two days and he still felt as if he were going to lose him every second of the day. He didn't want to miss a thing.

Kuwa turned green and ran for the bathroom. Yusuke laughed, as did Death and Genkai. Kurama wrapped his arms around Hiei and pulled his lover closer. Hiei returned the favor by wrapping his arms about Kurama's neck. Yusuke sighed. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Genkai went after Kuwa. Death scowled. She moved to sit on the couch. The two lovers fell over.

5 minutes later……..

"Would you two stop already?" Yusuke asked irratatedly. "Come on, we've got to decide what we're going to do."

Hiei broke the kiss. He kept his arms wrapped about his lover. Kurama smiled at his fire demon and placed a light kiss on his forehead. Hiei rested his head on Kurama's chest.

"Hey Death?" Yusuke called out to the Goddess. There was no reply. Yusuke tried again. No reply. He got up and went over the Goddess. She was asleep. Rather than risk his life, Yusuke postponed the meeting. Kuwa went off to find Yukina, Yusuke and Genkai began talking to each other, and Hiei and Kurama left the room hand in hand. They headed in no particular direction, to enrapt in being in the other's company.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked as they reached Hiei's room at the temple. Hiei opened the door.

"Hn?" Hiei asked. He closed the door after them. Kurama let go of his hand and sat on the foot of the bed. Hiei sat beside him.

"What was your dream about?" Kurama asked. Hiei stiffened up. He laid back on the bed, letting his feet dangle. "Hiei?"

"Can I say it was horrible and leave it at that?" Hiei replied. Kurama frowned.

"Hiei, you cried yourself back to sleep. There was nothing I could do to cheer you up. I even told you I loved you."

"I know."

"Can't you tell me?"

"You wouldn't like it, and I don't want to place my suspicions on your mind… I might lose you…"

Kurama glanced back at Hiei, he was on the verge of tears. Kurama laid back and gathered his fire demon in his arms.

"Hiei, it's eating you up inside. The best thing to do is to let it out."

"But you will leave if I tell you!"

"No I won't."

"Yes you will! I know it!"

"I will never leave you firefly."

"You will if I tell you what I think about De…."

"About Death?"

"…….."

"Hiei, is that what you think"

*silence*

"Hiei, I won't get mad at you, and I won't leave you. Your suspicions are always justified. I trust your judgments."

*"Wake up," he heard Kurama say. Hiei looked up to his lover. Kurama threw Hiei's clothes at him. Death was standing in the doorway. "Get out."

Hiei blinked. Kurama repeated what he had said. Hiei gingerly put on his clothes. Kurama threw a small package at him. Hiei caught it.

"Take your worthless tears with you," Kurama spat. Hiei barely kept back the tears. He jumped out of the window.*

"You'll leave me…"

"I won't."

*That bitch that had ruined his life. That bitch that had stolen his Kurama's heart away from him.*

"You will leave me for her…"

"Never."

"Kurama…"

"Tell me."

"I dreamed…"

"Yes?"

"I dreamed that you left me for her, because she was controlling your mind."

Hiei closed hi eyes and prepared for the worst. He was surprised when he felt Kurama's arms tighten about him.

"…Hiei…"

"She's not what she seems Kurama. I think it was her who was in my mind the other night. And that dream felt so real…"

"…I can't say I agree with you. But then again, I don't have a reason to doubt her. You do it seems. I trust you Hiei. You don't judge people's characters falsely. I will stand behind you, even if I don't think what you do."

A single tear ran down Hiei's face. The door slammed open.

"She's up!" Yusuke boomed. Hiei cringed. Kurama flinched slightly.

"We'll be out in a minute Yusuke," Kurama replied. Yusuke nodded and left.

"Hiei," Hiei looked at Kurama. "I'm going to ask Genkai if she has anything that will enable me to see and feel what you felt yesterday night. I need to know what you know."

Hiei shook his head adamantly in the negative. Kurama sighed and placed a light kiss on Hiei's head. He sat up, taking the half-Koorime with him.

"I need to," Kurama replied. Hiei looked into his lover's eyes. He saw determination there. He nodded in assent. Kurama kissed his lips and they headed back to the living room.

"So our basic idea for a plan is that we go to the furthest reaches of Yomi's territory, and break into this guy Xania's castle," Yusuke said as they arrived. Kurama rose an eyebrow. Hiei stared at Yusuke. He listened to this incompetent Ningen?!

"You'll need a form of transportation to get through the forest," Death added. She patted a spot next to her for Kurama to sit in, there was only enough room for the kitsune. He shook his head and sat next to Yusuke, placing Hiei by his side.

"Yeah yeah yeah," Yusuke said. "But basically we just go to his castle, break in, and destroy the bastard."

"You could say that," Death replied. She frowned. Why had he not sat beside her?

"Whatever," Yusuke said. He waved his hand at her. She froze one of his fingers. "Hey!"

"Don't be so insulting," Death warned him. Yusuke narrowed his eyes, but nodded. Genkai noticed and nudged her former student.

"Sorry," Yusuke muttered. Death unfroze his finger. Hiei looked at Yusuke. Maybe he had more support than he had thought…

Half an hour later……….

"Genkai?" Kurama asked. Hiei clung to the kitsune's arm. He didn't like this idea.

"Yes?" Genkai replied. She looked at the kitsune.

"Do you have something that could show me what Hiei felt last night?" Kurama asked the old woman. Genkai thought about it for a moment and then nodded.

"Yes I do. Why?" Genkai headed to her medicine cabinet. Kurama and Hiei followed.

"I need to know what happened," Kurama replied. Genkai nodded and lead them into Hiei's room. She motioned for Kurama to lie down. Hiei sat next to his lover.

"I need some of your blood, Hiei," Genkai said. She held out a knife. Hiei slit his index finger. Genkai placed the blood on a pill.

"Swallow this," she commanded. Kurama did as he was told. He went out like a light.

"Stay by his side," she told Hiei as she left. Hiei nodded. He picked Kurama up and quickly went back to their apartment. He laid Kurama down on the bed and lay himself next to the sleeping kitsune.

*The gang stood up. The sun had begun to lower itself into the abyss that was the other side of the world. Yusuke helped Keiko up and the two of them started off down the path, hand in hand. Kuwa picked up the sleeping Yukina and started after them. Shizuru walked with Genkai, seemingly in deep conversation. Death rushed over to help Kurama up. Hiei growled at her, but she just smiled at his beloved. Kurama grabbed Death's hand and was hauled onto his feet. Hiei was at his side before he could even blink. Death wrapped her arm around Kurama's and they started off together. Hiei was left alone.

I hate her…*

Notes: How's that for a new chapter? I like it. It's pretty good. Maybe not as good as the last one, but good. Hope you enjoyed it! Please Review! I like hearing what you have to say.