by Keiko no Miko
 
 

Chapter Three
 

"Kurama!" Hiei grumbled, opening the door to the restaurant. Three heads turned to look at him.

The redhead spoke up. "Hiei! You’re back!" he stated, apparently relieved.

"So I am," Hiei replied. His eyes traveled to the two other persons in the shop—Kuwabara Kazuma and his sister, Shizuru.

Kuwabara looked away. His face showed signs of anxiety, fury, and concern. Shizuru looked from Kuwabara, to Kurama, then to Hiei questioningly.

Kurama gave a curt nod to Shizuru, then turned to Hiei. "Let’s talk outside."

Hiei could sense that something was wrong—terribly wrong. He followed Kurama towards open air.

"So what’s wrong with you people?" Hiei asked, a bit irritably. "Especially that Kuwabara. I half expected him to insult me like he always does."

Kurama breathed deeply. His green eyes looked at Hiei intensely, as if waiting for an inevitable reaction.

"Where’s Yukina, anyhow?" Hiei asked. "I went to Kuwabara’s apartment but no one was home."

"It’s Yukina, Hiei," Kurama muttered gently.

Hiei’s gaze fixed on Kurama’s face. He could feel his heart thumping loudly inside his chest.

"Yukina—she was kidnapped, just this morning."

"WHAT?!"

"It happened too fast," Kurama continued. "She was with Keiko, walking around the deserted park near this place. We don’t know what happened next—Keiko is still unconscious, but we found a note in her hand." Kurama produced a piece of brown paper from his pocket and handed it to Hiei.

Hiei read the Makai writing on the paper:

We have abducted Yukina. If you want to save her, go to the Cave of Kohiko at midnight. And bring Hiei with you.

Hiei’s eyes widened with anger. "Who did this?!" he growled.

"We don’t know," Kurama said quietly, opening the door to the restaurant. "Come on in; let’s go upstairs. Yusuke is there."

Hiei grunted in response. They rushed upstairs. Seeing that the door to Keiko’s room was ajar, Kurama and Hiei peeped inside.

A figure rested on the Western-style bed, a blanket covering her body up to her neck. Beside her sat a boy, his head lying beside the girl’s, seemingly asleep. One of his hands was entwined with the girl’s right hand firmly.

"Keiko was hit pretty badly," Kurama whispered to Hiei. "Thank God Yusuke happened to pass by."

Hiei gritted his teeth. Midnight, he thought, looking at the piece of paper in his hands.

He crumpled the paper and thew it away disgustedly.

Why did she have to be kidnapped…again? And why did it have to happen now, now that he was already here?

His hands traveled towards the inside of his pocket. He fingered the contents one by one. Each gem held memories, promises.

"You know, if I don’t see that necklace draped on your neck again, I’ll be very sad." "So you’ll come back, okay?"

Her words echoed silently in his heart.

He remembered the pain Yukina had felt in the hands of Tarukane. He had hurt her several times, let her lovely koorime skin bleed just to make her shed tear gems. But she was always strong; she didn’t cry no matter how hard Tarukane and his henchmen treated her. The only time she cried was when Toguro Ani, the shorter, uglier Toguro brother, killed her only friends back there—little birds that cheered her up.

She was always selfless. She didn’t mind the anguish she felt; it was the others that mattered to her.

And again, Hiei thought, Yukina will feel that anguish, the anguish that she never took notice of.

By now, perhaps the one who kidnapped her has already told her who I really am to her.

He thought of the letter. "Bring Hiei with you."

"They want me, don’t they?" Hiei finally asked.

Kurama closed his eyes and nodded sadly. "Yes, I suppose. Another one knows our secret."

"Who told him?"

"You can trust us that no one but Yusuke, Shizuru, and I knows. I mean, add Koenma Daiou and Botan, but we haven’t seen them for a long time now."

Hiei’s thoughts suddenly wandered off to the man waiting at the first floor. "Does Kuwabara know?" he asked, his eyes flashing.

Kurama took a step back. "No, of course not!"

"Kurama?"

Hiei and Kurama turned to look into Keiko’s bedroom. Yusuke had sat up, looking at them, his hair tousled like a bird’s nest. He motioned for them to come in.

Kurama carefully walked in, dragging Hiei’s arm. "Is she all right?" he asked Yusuke.

Yusuke shook his head. "I don’t know," he murmured, running his fingers through his jet-black hair. He looked at Hiei. "Hiei…you’re right on time."

Hiei’s fierce red eyes glowed in rage. "For goodness’ sake, Yusuke, I was too late to save her!" he retorted, gripping the handle of his katana firmly, as if ready to slash everyone in front of him. He gestured at Keiko. "Who is the damned culprit? I’m going to kill him!"

Yusuke sighed heavily. His deep brown eyes grew intense as well. "Believe me, Hiei, I know how you feel."

"Oi, let’s wait before you do anything wrong, okay?" Kurama whispered loudly. He started pacing back and forth the room. "Let’s think of a logical way of saving Yukina."

"Logical way?" Hiei returned roughly. "There is no logical way, Kurama. We are not even sure that she is in the Cave of Kohiko!"

As he said it, Keiko gave a loud moan.

Yusuke ran towards the bed and took hold of Keiko’s hand. "Keiko? Are you all right now?"

"Uh…Y-Yukina?"

"No, it’s me. Yusuke," Yusuke replied gently.

Keiko slowly opened her eyes. She looked at Yusuke groggily, her chestnut-colored eyes dull. "Yusuke?" she mumbled incoherently. Then, as if remembering something, her eyes snapped wide open. She gripped Yusuke’s hand tightly and tried to stand up. "Yusuke…Yukina! Where is Yukina?"

Yusuke pressed a palm across her bandaged forehead and set her head back down on her pillow. He took a glass of water that was set on Keiko’s bedside table. "Settle down, Keiko."

Keiko took the glass from Yusuke. He helped her sit up, her back leaning on the headboard. "B-but—ugh!"

"What?" Yusuke asked, his eyes wide with alarm.

Keiko took a close look at her left arm. Bandages covered her arms and shoulders. A big wound was covered on the skin just near her left wrist. "Oh, no. What had happened to me?"

Yusuke frowned a bit, gazing at Keiko’s face. "We don’t know either," he said silently. "I just found people huddled around something in the park, and when I looked, I found you lying there unconsciously."

"Keiko," Hiei uttered, "where is Yukina?"

Keiko inhaled sharply. "Yukina…no…."

Hiei gulped. "What? Where is she?"

"What happened to you?" Yusuke barged.

Keiko looked at one distressed face to another, seemingly disoriented herself. Her hands began to tremble. Her gaze landed on Yusuke’s face, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Yusuke…we were just sitting on a bench there. Then, out of nowhere, we heard this voice from behind. Then I felt something throw me back." Keiko shook her head anxiously, then held it, as if feeling a sharp pain inside. "I must have knocked my head several times. When I looked up, I saw…a horrible creature, holding Yukina by the waist…and muffling her shouts with his palm…."

A tear fell from one of Keiko’s eyes. She quickly wiped it away. "I wasn’t able to move…I was too weak to move…I must have passed out. I-I’m so sorry…I wasn’t able to save her…." Keiko broke down, hiding her face in her hands.

Yusuke sat on her bed and embraced her soothingly. "It’s okay," he whispered in her ear, smoothing her long brown hair. "It’s okay, Keiko."

"We’re going to save her," Kurama added quietly. "He left a note in your hand, telling us to meet him at midnight in the—"

"Tell me, Keiko," Hiei interrupted. "What does the creature look like?"

Keiko looked up from Yusuke’s shoulder. Yusuke looked at her tear-streaked face, then at Hiei’s demanding one.

"He was terrible," Keiko whispered hoarsely. "The ugliest creature I’ve ever seen. He had…horns on his head…was it four on either side? His face was brown, wrinkled…and he wore something like metal…and he had a black cape…."

Hiei blinked in surprise. He stared at Keiko, who buried her face on Yusuke’s shoulder again.

Metal…black cape…eight horns… Hiei thought, trying very hard to picture the creature Keiko had described. Definitely a Makai creature. Eight horns…eight horns…black cape….

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a face zoomed straight into Hiei's conscious mind. Twisted and a muddy brown. Blood trickling from his mouth. A sword in hand. Scowling at him in fury, muttering words Hiei had long forgotten about.

"Kurama!" he suddenly yelled out loud. "It’s Goushiki!"

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Who’s that?"

"You don’t know?!" Hiei asked in exasperation. "He was one of those youkais who adopted me when those koorimes threw me away." He frowned. "One day, we got into a huge fight and I wounded him terribly. He…swore that he’ll get back at me."

"You didn’t have your Jagan then?"

"No…."

"That was a very long time ago, then? And he only decided to take revenge on you now?"

"I don’t know, okay?!" Hiei bellowed, turning his back on the three. He took a deep breath, getting rid of the hammering of his heart behind his chest. He hadn’t seen Goushiki for a very long time. What if he’s now a Class-S youkai?

How is he treating Yukina right now?

It’s all your fault, a voice inside his head said scornfully. You put Yukina into trouble because of your own misdeeds.

"I’m going to save her, okay?" Hiei finally said hoarsely. "I’m going to save her."

"We’ll go with you," Kurama said after a while. "Let’s meet in Yusuke’s place two hours before midnight."

It was already close to one o’clock. Four figures were barely visible in the darkness of the cave. Three light-emitting plants made up the only light inside the Cave of Kohiko. On its walls were the shadows of Hiei, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Yusuke.

Hiei looked at one of the plants with wide eyes, perhaps because of uneasiness. Very rarely had he felt as anxious as this. His fingers wound around the handle of his katana once more, his fingers trembling.

He had almost forgotten about Goushiki. He had turned his back on the memories of his past with the youkais with whom he lived when the Koorime clan abandoned him.

Yes, he did got into a huge fight with him years ago, but he hadn’t told the rest of the story.

Hiei closed his eyes and tried to recall the moment when he had uttered the secret to Goushiki.

"I have a twin sister. However, koorimes don’t allow twins, let alone those who turned out to be fire youkais. They let Yukina live with them, as she’s purely koorime, and they threw me away…."

It was a complete slip of the tongue, perhaps. He felt desperate then, wanting another being to know of his past. But he was young; he didn’t know what it would bring to Yukina.

Then, one night, Hiei and the other youkais of his band raided a settlement known for its rare treasures. Hiei slashed left and right, blood of red and black splattering on his face. He moved swiftly from one youkai to another, just lashing with his katana. He felt powerful. Especially when he thrust his sword through the middle of the chest of a big, brown-faced enemy.

"NOOO!!!"

Hiei turned around to the sound of the voice. It was Goushiki, running towards him.

No, he was running towards the youkai he had just killed. Goushiki stared at the body, then fell down on his knees. Hiei just looked at him with asking eyes.

"Kuso, Hiei! This…this youkai here…he is my father!"

Hiei’s jaw dropped. He stared at Goushiki, then to his father. He felt confused, guilty, triumphant, unnerved. He felt everything.

Goushiki leapt above him, his sword coming straight towards his head. Hiei easily evaded the sword and instead lashed his katana on Goushiki. He wounded him on his gut.

"I’m going to get back to you, Hiei," Goushiki mumbled, blood leaking out of the corners of his twisted mouth. "Remember that."

Goushiki left the band. Hiei, on the other hand, forgot about the incident.

Until Keiko’s description of Yukina’s abductor….

Hiei’s eyes snapped open. He wiped the sweat that had suddenly formed on his forehead. His eyes wandered towards Kuwabara, who was staring at him.

"How could you just sleep like that?" Kuwabara asked, quite weakly.

"I wasn’t sleeping," Hiei retorted.

"Oh, really? What do you care about Yukina anyway?"

Hiei felt his blood boil. "Kuwabara, I’ll appreciate it most if you just shut up."

"I’ll appreciate it if you give more seriousness to this mission."

"I am serious about this mission."

Kurama and Yusuke cleared their throats. "Guys, onegai—"

"Hah." Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "I doubt if you care a single bit for Yukina."

"Of course I do!" Hiei suddenly stood up, gripping the handle of his katana, ready to pull it and slash that ningen’s throat. "What gives you the notion that I’m here for just the sake of being here? I was just thinking about Yukina when my eyes were closed! I care more for Yukina than you do!"

"You what?!"

"She’s my twin sister, for goodness’ sake!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Two pairs of eyes stared at each other sharply, unblinking. Hiei and Kuwabara breathed heavily, as if they had just finished fighting against Goushiki. Yusuke and Kurama looked at them both wordlessly.

"You’re Yukina’s long-lost brother?!" Kuwabara yelled. He advanced towards Hiei and grabbed his black cloak. "Do you know that she has spent her whole life looking for her niisan? And you were there all along, and you knew that you are her brother! You could have just told her, you know?! You didn’t have to lie about her brother’s death! She cried a great deal because of that, and she still does!"

"Don’t tell me what I should have done!" Hiei shouted back, pulling his cloak off Kuwabara’s grip. "Yukina’s in trouble now because somebody else knows about my relationship with her!"

"Then it’s all your fault!"

For once, Kuwabara put Hiei into a loss-for-words situation. Hiei opened his mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out.

"If she only knew, then at least she’ll have a reason for why she’s kidnapped!" Kuwabara continued loudly.

"Look—I’m…sorry." The words were almost hard for Hiei to utter, especially in front of Kuwabara. "I’m going to save her…I know it’s my fault."

A sudden gust of wind blew inside the cave. The four felt the youki vibrations coming along with it. They knew that it was time.

Kurama looked at Kuwabara and Hiei alternately. "Let’s go."

Kuwabara gave Hiei one long look and started walking out.

Hiei bit his lip forcefully. He had just told the truth to Yukina’s lover, whom, among the former Reikai tanteis, he hated the most. If Kuwabara were in his usual mood, he’d probably kick him out of Ningenkai. But Kuwabara felt emotionally weak. All he could give Hiei was a tongue-lashing—but a very strong one at that.

Hiei felt his chest for the gems. Yes, they were still there. Yukina’s necklace, along with his.
 
 
 

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Chapter Four