Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Young Immortal ❯ Chapter 7

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

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-Telepathy-


(Thoughts)


Chapter 7


"I can't understand this girl," Genkai said. "One minute she seems like she's recovering, and the next she's going down hill again."


"She shouldn't be allowed up anymore," Yukina said. "Not until her energy levels are back at a reasonable level."


"I agree," Botan said. "Hiei had been talking to her for like five minutes, took another two to find me, and she was already out cold when he led me back to her, and we weren't slow about it by any means."


"But if what Hiei said was true," Yukina said. "Her father will be out looking for her, and what will happen when he finds her?"


"He won't find her," Genkai answered. "Not for awhile. He' probably tracking her by energy levels. Her levels are so low that even the finest of instruments wouldn't find her. Training her will be difficult though when her levels are back up, so I'm hoping she learns quickly."


"The guys will be here soon," Botan said as she checked the watch on her wrist. "They won't be pleased about this news."


"No they won't be," Genkai said. "But perhaps they'll start training on their own, to get themselves ready if Shiroi's father decides to show himself anytime soon."


"Hopefully not sooner," Yukina whispered.


Genkai cleared her throat, "We should decide on shifts. Shiroi's going to need round the clock attention. Yukina, how often should she be given water?"


"Every half an hour," the apparition replied. "Probably sooner, but I have no idea how long it's been since her body has consumed anything. You all saw the state of her body, they only thing that hides it is her clothing and the fact that her face has not been affected."


"Someone is definitely too thin when you can count her rib bones from four feet away," Botan said. "I'm surprised she was even up and around last night, let alone this morning."


"She seemed much better this morning," Genkai said. "Even I had thought she had recovered some, but perhaps it was only her happy appearance."


"Happy appearance?" Hinigeshi asked.


"Yesterday she was very withdrawn, but this morning she seemed much more confidant, less afraid. She even asked for something to do, and I don't know what made me allow her to do anything."


"You were probably just relieved to see her on her feet and feeling better," Yukina said. "Even I was fooled. I thought she had recovered somewhat too, but I guess we were both wrong."


"Well it's in the past now," Botan said. She got up, "I'll go see if the guys are here yet, they seem to take things better from me." The other girls nodded and Botan left.


No sooner did Botan leave the room than the guys and Keiko show up, and from the looks of it, Hiei had already told them.


"Where's Koenma?" Yuseke asked angrily.


"He's left already," Botan answered. "He really just wanted to come and see how she was, and being in his teenage form didn't help matters much."


"How's Shiroi doing?" Keiko asked.


Botan shook her head, "Not very good. She's still unconscious, but any sound other than our voices disturbs her, so I don't want the guys to come to close. She shied away from a crow's call, which means her senses are still alert, even if her body is not."


"Sounds like we're stuck in the shrine again," Kuwabara mumbled.


"Either that or you stay just outside the shrine," Botan said, "And try keeping your voices low, Genkai's worried that if you get too loud Shiroi's body will react in defense and may shock you with an electric bolt or something."


"Ouch," Kuwabara said. "I wouldn't what to get hit by one of those."


"Luckily no one has," Botan said. She turned to Keiko, "Come on, I think Genkai has a lot to talk about Shiroi's recovery and training." Keiko nodded and followed Botan back to Shiroi's room.


Yuseke sat down on the steps into the shrine building. "This sucks," he mumbled. "Now we can't even let her hear us anymore."


"She wasn't very good with hearing our voices in the first place," Kurama pointed out.


"Hiei," Yuseke said, "How were you able to talk to her earlier, being so close and everything?"


Hiei shrugged, "I don't know. I knew I was taking a chance, and I guess she was just too drained to run off anymore. She ran quite a ways into the forest."


"You mentioned something about her running into you," Yuseke said, "What was that supposed to mean?"


"Exactly what he said." The boys looked up to see Hinigeshi. "She ran into him, literally. Knocked him down too, which I think scared her even more, because she thought he was going to mad at her."



"So Koenma scared Shiroi," Kuwabara began, piecing the puzzle together, "She ran, Hiei intercepted her and got knocked down, and then Shiroi ran into the forest. Man, rough day."


"That happened only this morning," Hinigeshi said. "She's been out since then."


"You mentioned something about her father too, Hiei," Yuseke said.


Hiei nodded, "She said she knew he was looking for her, and was afraid of what her punishment was going to be."


"I don't even want to know," Kuwabara said with a shudder.


Yuseke slammed his fist into his other hand, "Man, the next time I see Koenma, I'm gonna beat his head in!"


"Shh!" Hinigeshi hushed. "Not so loud." Yuseke looked guilty. "I know all of you want to help her, but you just can't, not for a while. Perhaps it's best that you stay away from the shrine for the rest of the week, it'll give Shiroi a chance to recover a bit."


"Hinigeshi's right," Kurama said. "We should stay away, for now. Until we are aloud back, we should meet somewhere and work on plans and strategies just in case he father shows up anytime soon."


"I'm with that," Kuwabara said as he raised his hand.


"Then that's what we'll do," Yuseke said.


"I'd better go to the Spirit World to inform Koenma," Botan said. "It'll make things easier that way, so we don't have to worry about him popping up out of nowhere."


"He already does that," Yuseke mumbled. Botan giggled, summoned her oar, and was out of sight a minute late. "Well at least we don't have to worry about him anymore."


"Hopefully," Hiei mumbled.


"Did something happen?" Kurama asked.


"He popped up next to me and made me jump six feet in the air," Hiei grumbled.


"Koenma startled you?" Yuseke asked. "I didn't think that was possible."


"The only time you can sneak up on Hiei is when he's lost in deep thought," Kurama said, amusement glittering in his eyes.


Hinigeshi suddenly smacked herself in the forehead. "I forgot."


"Forgot what?" Kuwabara asked.


"Hiei's the only one here who knows about this," Hinigeshi answered.


"Knows about what?" Yuseke asked.


"I'll show you," Hinigeshi answered. "But it's about Shiroi, so be very, very quiet." They nodded and followed Hinigeshi to Shiroi's room. Hinigeshi opened the door a crack. "Look."


Yuseke, Kurama, and Kuwabara peeked inside to see Shiroi. Yuseke shuffled backwards, nearly knocking over Kurama and Kuwabara. He was mouthing something, and straining to keep from making a sound.


Hinigeshi beckoned them back to the shrine, and Yuseke and Kuwabara gasped and sat down, while Kurama began to pace.


"That's Shiroi right?" Yuseke asked.


"Mm-hmm," Hinigeshi answered nodding.


"But her hair was white," Kuwabara stammered.


Hinigeshi nodded again, "That's her natural hair color. From what Botan and Shiziru found out, Shiroi's father dyed her hair because she got the color from her mother."


"Then apparently he didn't know," Kurama muttered.


"That's what I said," Hiei replied.


"Didn't know what?" Yuseke asked.


"White hair among apparitions and demons is rare," Hiei answered. "Either Shiroi's father didn't know, or he didn't care. If her knew he may not have dyed it, but our best bet is that he didn't know."


"Why is it rare?" Yuseke asked, "And what does it mean?"


Hiei looked at the pacing half-demon, "Kurama."


Kurama stopped pacing and leaned against the wall. "White hair is rare because it's the trademark of an ultimate level apparition or demon."


"Ultimate level?" Yuseke asked.


"When a demon is born with white hair, a lot of times it's disposed of, because its power will be very destructive, that's why it's rare among demons because it's been taken away."


"But your demon form has white hair," Kuwabara said.


Kurama shook his head. "No, it's mostly silver. It only looks white because it bleaches from the sun easily."


"He's right though," Yuseke, said, "We hardly saw any white haired demons at the Dark Tournament." He changed the subject slightly, "What about apparitions?"


"It's the exact opposite," Kurama answered. "Normally a white haired apparition is cherished and honored, but those that are white haired and have the fabled power, most times don't survive because the power is too much for them and they are consumed by it."


"Botan said she got it from her mother's side," Hinigeshi put it. "I wonder what he mother did. Koenma said she was an earth apparition, but that was it."


"She could have been a healer," Kurama suggested. "I wouldn't be surprised, and I can sense healing energies coming from Shiroi, and I doubt her father could heal."


Hinigeshi nodded, "It does make sense, and with her power, she must have been one of the best healers around."


Yukina walked in. "Genkai decided to take the first shift."


A thought struck Yuseke, "Hey Yukina."


"Yes?" the ice apparition asked.


"Did you ever meet a healer with white hair?"


Yukina thought for a moment. "Why, yes. I think I have."


"Could you tell us about her?" Kurama asked.


"Well," Yukina said. "I met her about ten years ago, when I first thought about learning how to heal. I wasn't too sure about it then, but when I had heard about a gathering of healers and those that wanted to become healers, I decided to go." She paused for a moment, to sit down and gather her thoughts. "She was the one who had called the gathering together. After the main seminar, she gathered those who had thought about becoming healers, so of course I was among that group.


"They're weren't many, so we got to know her pretty well, for the short time we were with her. She told us a lot about how she used her healing abilities, what her other abilities were, and even a little bit about her life."


"What were her other abilities?" Yuseke asked.


Yukina thought for a moment, "Lets see. She could somewhat control the wind to her need, and control plants a little, but her main ability was controlling earth."


"Earth," Yuseke echoed. "Earth!"


"What about earth?" Kuwabara asked.


"Shiroi's mother was an earth apparition," Yuseke replied.


"That's right!" Kurama exclaimed.


"She did mention that she had a young daughter," Yukina said.


"Did she mention her name?" Yuseke asked; he couldn't believe how much they were finding out."


"Oh I don't think so," Yukina answered. "Shiroi must have been only four years old at the time. Koenma said that she had died when the girl was six, so it was two years after I met her."


"Do you remember her mother's name?" Kurama asked.


Yukina racked her brain, "Naoru, her name was Naoru."


"Naoru huh," Yuseke said. "Fitting, I wonder if that would jar Shiroi's memory into remembering her real name?"


"It might," Kurama said, "But then again, it might not"


"We won't know until she wakes up," Hinigeshi said.

***


Hinigeshi relayed their newly found information to Genkai. "So, Yukina knew Shiroi's mother," Genkai said. "It's a start, a good start." She thought for a moment. "Well, until she wakes up, all we can do is wait, and try and prepare." She looked up at Hinigeshi, "What are the boys going to do?"


"I think they said something about planning and strategizing just in case Shiroi's father shows up."


Genkai nodded, "Kurama I expect. Well, at least they'll be doing some constructive." She got to her feet as Yukina came in. "Your turn I'm guessing?" Yukina nodded and Genkai and Hinigeshi walked out.


"What will you do once Shiroi awakens?" Hinigeshi asked.


Genkai thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. I'm torn between starting her training right away and letting her get her entire strength back first. Getting her entire strength back would probably make her training faster, but that will take a lot of time, so starting her sooner will save some time."


"Time," Hinigeshi said, "We never seem to have enough of it."


"Exactly," Genkai said as she looked up at the sky, the sunning was setting, turning the sky a deep orange. "We never have enough, and I'm afraid that we may run out of time before that demon gets here."


"You're sure he's coming?"


Genkai nodded, "Of course. He's not going to let Shiroi get away with running away. Even with demons, they have to be eighteen to leave their parents, unless of course they don't have any."


"Hmm," Hinigeshi sighed. "I feel so bad for Shiroi. First having to live with that devil for so long, and then running away to another world where she's still afraid."


"If her mother was still alive, things would probably be different," Genkai said. "But who knows, maybe it wouldn't."


Hinigeshi nodded, and then looked up. "Here comes Botan."


Botan landed in front of them. "Well, Koenma knows, and he'll refrain from coming here without word." She noticed their facial expressions. "What's wrong?"


"Nothing's wrong," Hinigeshi said. "But we did find out something."


"And that is?" Botan asked.


"Yukina knew Shiroi's mother."


"No way, you're kidding!"


"Not kidding," Hinigeshi said as she shook her head. "Yukina was surprised when she realized who she was. Her name was Naoru She met her when Shiroi was four, at a healers gathering."


"Well that's interesting, so Shiroi's mother was a healer. Do you think Shiroi has the ability?"


"Kurama says she does," Hinigeshi answered. "He says he can sense the healing energy inside her."


"Well he's practically a healer himself, so of course he does," Botan said with a smile. Then she thought of something. "If Shiroi's mother died, then..."


She snapped her fingers, re-summoned her oar, and flew off again.


"Wonder where she's going," Hinigeshi said. Genkai shrugged and they went into the shrine.

Author's Note: Jeez, these chapters just keep getting longer. As for the white hair thing, I made that up too. You get to meet Naoru in the next chapter.Well, you won't get that next chapter for a while, I have a major busy week this week and I'm not going to be home, sorry!