Life Goes On

Big thank you to ShibuNoNeko for reviewing!!

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Scene 18 ------------------------------------------- Later That Day

* Hiei and Ryuji come to a sudden stop overlooking the village where Kurai was left with Yukina and and Kasaba. Ryuji looks at Hiei as the koorime lifts his headwrap ward from his jagan to scan the village.


Ryuji- I think I figured out what causes your episodes.


* Hiei hesitantly looks at Ryuji.


Hiei- My sister and Grandson are missing and that's what you've been thinking about?

Ryuji- She's my sister, too, Ani.. Besides, they're not missing anymore..

Hiei- You're sure this is where you left them with that bloodsucking..

Ryuji- Yes. And his name is Kurai.

Hiei- I don't sense Yukina anywhere near here.

Ryuji- What? Your fake thing must be on the blink.. Besides, Kurai probably has a barrier up.


* Hiei watches Ryuji look toward the village and concentrate. After a couple moments the taller fire demon scowls.


Ryuji- He's.. not there..


* Ryuji blinks away and Hiei follows with a quiet growl. When they reach the main gate they slow down to a more normal pace down the main dirt-covered street until they hear a voice from the side.


Demon- Shiyounin?


* Hiei freezes in his tracks, then looks toward the demon sitting on an old crate. The scent of the joint the demon is smoking tickles Hiei's nose and memory.


Hiei- Pehjo?


* Hiei watches Ryuji blink to snatch up the skink demon by his throat.


Ryuji- You dare call my brother that?!


* Hiei comes over and touches Ryuji's arm.


Hiei- Relax, Ryu. I know why he calls me that..


* Ryuji drops Pehjo onto his rear. The skink coughs and looks back up at them.


Pehjo- I was told to wait here for Lord Hiei.. You sure look like the way my boss described..

Hiei- I am Lord Hiei.


* Now Pehjo pales as quickly as a chameleon. He then scrambles to his feet and glances around nervously.


Pehjo- If I'd known it was you the Boss is after I..


* Now Hiei grabs Pehjo by the throat and draws him closer to snarl at him.


Hiei- Tell me what you know before I roast you!

Pehjo- He only told me to wait here for Lord Hiei.. Scrawny-looking fire demon with black spikey hair.. He said that you'd be with Kurai's former partner.

Ryuji- Former? - You know this guy, Hiei?

Hiei- Dasan's little brother.

Pehjo- Yeah. You saved my brother's life.. and mine..

Hiei- I did no such thing! Ginsen lured us out of Kichiro's village.. He and his pack of wild dogs killed your brother..


* Pehjo lowers his eyes.


Pehjo- But he left town because he wanted to save you.. He was kinda.. attached to you.. We could've both been killed by Lord Yomi when he torched the village..

Hiei- This is all ancient history.


* Hiei releases Pehjo.


Ryuji- Who's your new boss?


* Pehjo rubs his neck.


Hiei- Answer my brother.

Pehjo- I'll co-operate with you, Shi..

Ryuji- I told you not to call him that!


* Hiei half glances at Ryuji. Pehjo looks up at the taller flame-haired demon.


Pehjo- I actually thought you were the one he's after..

Hiei- What does this fool want with me?

Ryuji- Who is he?!


* Pehjo cowers back away from Ryuji's heating aura.


Pehjo- D---, man.. You're scary.

Hiei- This is Ryuji. He's my half brother.. Cool down, Ryu.

Pehjo- Oh..


* Pehjo lowers his eyes again with a brief memory of Dasan, then he glances around again before leaning closer to them.


Pehjo- This demon's name is Garuyun.


* Hiei and Ryuji look at each other, both recognizing the name of the demon who'd visited Alaric quite a few times during the past couple months. They'd both thought, at the time, that he was just another guy trying to woo their mechanized lady Lord.


Both- D---.

Pehjo- You know him?

Ryuji- Not personally.

Hiei- He's visited Lord Mukuro a few times.. What is his plan?

Pehjo- He says it's to use a koorime to take out the b---- Mukuro..


* Pehjo throws his hands up when Ryuji steps forward snarling again.


Pehjo- His words, not mine!


* Hiei looks at Ryuji. Both of them now realize the reason this Garuyun has Yukina and the boy.


Pehjo- When Kichiro got whacked, my ring fell out of my ear.. Ya know, Shi?


* Hiei nods.


Hiei- Hn.. Ours did, too..

Pehjo- I'd lived that way for so long.. I just..

Hiei- If you take us to this Garuyun we'll release you and give another chance at a new start.

Pehjo- I suck at that, man.

Ryuji- We'll help you.


* Hiei looks up at Ryuji. Pehjo also looks up to evaluate the taller of the siblings. When Hiei looks back at Pehjo he recognizes the lustful look in the skink's eyes.


Hiei- Hn.. I have a mate now, Pehjo.. But my brother here is available.


* Ryuji scowls down at Hiei.


Pehjo- Garuyun, he took that blood demon out like nothin'.. He's real strong.

Hiei- Just point him out.. Ryuji and I will take it from there.

Pehjo- He has that demoness and some halfbreed kid..

Hiei- That halfbreed kid is my son Sabaktu's kid!


* Pehjo hisses as he looks back at Hiei.


Pehjo- Oh, no wonder you're so pissed off, Shi..

Ryuji- Hiei.

Pehjo- Do you trust me?


* Hiei eyes Pehjo a moment, then nods.


Hiei- Hn.. Just take us to where this b------ is staying..

Ryuji- Then we'll take it from there.


* Pehjo sighs and stuffs his long-fingered hands into the pockets of his baggy pants.


Pehjo- (Quietly) That's the reason he left me here for, man.

Hiei- To make sure we'd follow you to him.

Pehjo- That, plus he told me to take you in circles for a while..

Ryuji- Circles?

Hiei- Is he planning on.. doing something to Yukina?!


* Pehjo raises a hand to scratch at one of his long, floppy ears.


Pehjo- Well, he actually thought you'd be here sooner.. I sat here all friggin'...


* Pehjo's last word is lost as Ryuji gathers him up and tosses him over his shoulder.


Ryuji- We need to go now.


* Ryuji blurs back toward the main gate. Hiei keeps up with him easily. Pehjo yells and clamps a hand over his eyes. The skink moans as the village whizzes past him.


Ryuji- Stop moaning and tell us where to go, Skink.

Pehjo- I can think of where I'd like you to..!

Hiei- No more games, Pehjo!

Pehjo- Hang a right outside the gate!


* Pehjo raises his hand when he feels the shift in direction but can't take the blurring landscape.


Pehjo- Head straight.. until you come to a.. big, black okunenju.. It's about an hour.. from the gate..


* Ryuji and Hiei skid to a halt.


Hiei- You mean this black okunenju?


* Pehjo swallows and carefully looks around Ryuji's head.


Pehjo- Uh.. Yeah.. C-could ya.. put me down.. now..please?


* Ryuji dumps the skink demon onto his feet. He half consciously steadies the staggering lizard as he looks at Hiei.


Ryuji- Check it out, Ani,


* Hiei turns, lifts the ward again and scans the area. He discovers the information Pehjo provides next before the demon even starts.


Pehjo- The okunenju.. is an illusion.. It's really a portal..

Hiei- Hn.

Ryuji- So you think this demon would be stupid enough to mate with our sister?


* Hiei scowls up at Ryuji. Pehjo staggers away to lean against a thinner, real okunenju stalk.


Hiei- Is that all you have on your d--- mind?!

Ryuji- Think about it, Little Brother.. If he mates our sister we wouldn't be able to kill him then..

Hiei- Hn.. If he's smart enough to figure that out.. I almost hope he has mated her, then.

Ryuji- Hn. Then we can make his life a living h---.

Hiei- Right. The customs say that we can't kill him.. but they don't say that we can't torture him for the rest of his existance.


* They both glance toward the real okunenju when they hear retching. Pehjo is now down on all fours beside the tree-like plant, his head hidden behind it.


Ryuji- Motion sickness.

Hiei- Hn.


* Pehjo gets to his feet wiping his mouth, then comes back over.


Pehjo- You two are.. real masterpieces..

Ryuji- Do we just go through the portal?

Pehjo- No. I was only supposed to bring one person back, so this portal is enchanted to only allow me and Sh-


* Ryuji glares down at Pehjo and he quickly corrects himself.


Pehjo- Er.. Lord Hiei.

Ryuji- Two people can enter then..

Pehjo- But I have to be one of them..


* Pehjo raises his arm to show them the tight-fitting wristband he's wearing.

Pehjo- Only the ones wearing these can..


* Hiei holds out his hand.


Hiei- Give it to me, then.

Pehjo- (Sighs) Do you remember the earrings? How they wouldn't come off unless 'Chiro died or removed them himself?


* Hiei growls.


Ryuji- You could cut his arm off.. He's a skink, it'll grow back.

Pehjo- Hey! That don't mean I'm not fond of my a-ahh!!


* Before Pehjo can react Hiei removes the banded arm at the elbow. Ryuji places one of his hands on Pehjo's bleeding arm to cauderize it.


Ryuji- Now stay here and heal until we come back.


* Hiei takes his opportunity to startle Ryuji by tossing the bloody stump to him. He grins at Hiei.


Ryuji- I would have preferred flowers or candy.

Hiei- Do I look romantic to you?!


* Hiei sets his gaze toward the okunenju and they walk steadily into it. Pehjo shakes his head then moves to sit down against the real okunenju trunk to concentrate on re-growing his arm as he watches the two brothers disappear.