Life Goes On

(#) - If you'll remember, this symbol denotes mental conversations between individuals.

Blue, this is sorta why I brought the Ryuji character into my story. I felt that Hiei needed someone who 'knew' him and had a better understanding, if you will, of his needs. Contrary to most popular belief, Hiei did show many different types of emotions during the series that may have been brief, but shown. :o) I made Ryuji to be the 'person' that nearly everyone needs in their life. Someone who knows the 'real' you and not the 'public' you. Understand what I mean?

This scene will be a tad long, but I don't think you'll be bored. (I hope)


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Scene 19 ------------------------------------------- The Other Side of the Portal

* When Hiei comes through the portal he glances at Ryuji when they find two stunned watchmen that were sitting at a table off to one side.


Ryuji- Hello. Could you hold this for me?


* Ryuji tosses Pehjo's severed arm toward them and one of the demons catches it. As they hot potato the bloody arm back and forth Hiei crosses his arms and looks back up at Ryuji.


Hiei- Why are you always so d---ed playful?


* Ryuji raises his right arm and flexes his hand as he glares down at Hiei.


Ryuji- If you'll recall, I said I may have figured out why you're so edgy..

Hiei- Besides my d--- heat, you mean?

Ryuji- Hn.. Dragon whip!


* Ryuji snaps his right arm in a sweeping motion toward the two juggling watchmen. Hiei watches calmly as his brother's dragon screeches and lashes out to obliterate them in a whiplike move before disappearing back into Ryuji's arm.


Hiei- D--- showoff.


* Hiei starts walking toward what seems to be the main building in this hidden complex. Ryuji shakes his arm as he hurries after him.


Hiei- Now's not the time to discuss my.. issues.


* Hiei stops and lifts his ward to scan the large, plain building. Ryuji uses his own inner jagan to search the area around them for more guards.


Hiei- (Quietly) Too easy.. I can sense Yukina and Imiko inside..

Ryuji- (Quietly) No other guards around, either.

Hiei- Hn.. Bad news is there's no door.


* Ryuji glances down at Hiei then turns to scan the building himself.


Ryuji- Perhaps we should have spoken to the dragon food back there before acting..

Hiei- Hn, you'll never learn.. Guess we'll just have to make our own door.


* Ryuji leaps backward some as Hiei raises a glowing fist.


Ryuji- You really need to do something about all this pent up..

Hiei- Fists of the Mortal Flame! Double!


* With a well-aimed double punch they discovers their way inside when the dust clears.


Ryuji- Aggression.

Hiei- You're one to talk. There's the door.


* Ryuji rolls his red eyes when Hiei smirks at him.


Hiei- Can the jealousy and try to keep up, Oto.


* Ryuji shakes his head and follows Hiei inside when the koorime blinks away. The full fire demon grumbles about 'amateur comedians' as he goes through the gaping hole. In no time, Hiei jolts to a stop at the base of a lighted spiral staircase. When Ryuji blinks to a stop right beside him Hiei motions up the stairs.


Hiei- They're up there.


* Ryuji looks up the stirwell with his jagan wide open.


Ryuji- But they're not alone.. I told you, this is too easy..

Hiei- I said that, baka.

Ryuji- It's time to get serious, Hiei. We need to be careful, the stairs could be...


* Ryuji sighs, but isn't completely surprised, when he watches Hiei's black blur disappear up the stairs.


Ryuji- (Mumbling) Doesn't think straight when he's in heat.. D--- it!


* Ryuji decides to ascend the stairs more cautiously. With his hidden jagan scanning out ahead he watches Hiei as he enters a large, dark room. Hiei spots Yukina easily enough in the darkness. She is laying asleep on a bed in the middle of the room, looking as peaceful as she normally does. Without thinking to look around the koorime blinks over to gather her up off the bed. But just as he reaches the bed a series of plexiglass walls spring up from the floor all around the bed. As they all clank tight against the cieling, trapping Hiei inside the small confined area, out in the hall Ryuji groans as he leans to hide aginst the doorway out in the hall. Hiei spins to look all around, but it's too late. He doesn't panic, though, of course. Instead he just snarls.


Hiei- Glass? - You must be kidding!


* Ryuji peeks in quickly, but decides to stay hidden outside as he waits to see what will happen next. Just before Hiei can launch another Fist attack to the plexiglass a deep chuckling fills the room.


Garuyun- Well, well.. Looky what I caught.

Hiei- Show yourself, you coward!


* The lighting comes up to reveal a side room where the demon Garuyun is standing behind another plexiglass shield.


Garuyun- Now, whatever shall I do with one and a half fire demons?


* Hiei moves toward the plexiglass with his right fist glowing. Garuyun chuckles again.


Garuyun- Go ahead and wear yourself out, Little One.. I got all kind of time.. Unlike you.. and your brother.


* In the hallway, Ryuji rolls his eyes with a quiet curse.


Garuyun- You might as well come on in and join us, Corporal Ryuji.


* After a moment, the fire demon calms himself and strolls casually into the room. He quietly watches Hiei attempt the same double fist technique that busted through the outer wall. The special plexiglass just wavers as it absorbs the blows. Ryuji approaches the encasement curiously. He can hear Hiei's cursing tirade easily, so obviously sound can get through the solid barrier, but not much else. Ryuji looks toward the smaller sideroom at the shielded large, debonair demon. He also deduces that the shield must be of the same type of material.


Ryuji- Only a coward hides, Garuyun.

Garuyun- Labels mean nothing to the one who's in control, Corporal.


* Ryuji half-glances toward Hiei when he tries punching through different areas inside the clear cage. Getting the same results everytime.


Garuyun- These walls are similar to Lord Yomi's Absorption technique. Everytime he punches them he loses a little more of his energy.

Ryuji- (Quietly) Stop, Hiei.


* Hiei now turns to growl and glare at Garuyun.


Hiei- What the h--- do you want, b------?!

Garuyun- It's like the skink probably told you.. I fed the idiot enough information to draw you here like magnets.

Ryuji- My brother's not big on patience right now. I'd advise you to get to the point.

Garuyun- I would suppose not.. Demons in heat can go quite feral rather quickly.

Ryuji- To quote my brother.. What the h--- do you want?

Garuyun- By the scent, I'm gathering that Lord Hiei has about a week before his heat reaches the uncontrollable stage.


* Hiei's eyes widen briefly, then he looks toward Yukina. Ryuji can feel the koorime starting to panic inside and tries to soothe him mentally.

(#) Ryuji- Don't lose it, Ani.


* Hiei ignores Ryuji and begins to pace around the encircled area.


Garuyun- My desire is fairly simple, Ryuji. You have approximately one week to kill Mukuro.


* Hiei stops pacing and turns to meet Ryuji's matching red eyes.


Ryuji- Approximately?


* The well-dressed demon shrugs.


Garuyun- I guess it depends on how long the slut.. I mean, Lord Hiei can control himself in there.


* Hiei glances quickly toward his sleeping sister again.


(#) Hiei- He must have her drugged!

(#) Ryuji- Stay calm, Ani.

Garuyun- Yes, I know you're mated, Little One.. But you're a fire demon predominantly.. The lovely maiden is your younger twin sister. I've done careful research in planning all of this.


* Hiei snarls at the self-absorbed demon who continues, paying Hiei no mind.


Garuyun- I'm not really a monster, though.. I just want Mukuro dead so I can take her place and show all of Demon World...

Ryuji- What an idiot you are.

Hiei- Hn.


* Now Garuyun scowls at them.


Garuyun- You're wasting time, Ryuji. You can use the same method to leave as you came.


* Garuyun turns to leave.


Ryuji- Hiei's more powerful than me, Garuyun.. I'll take his place in there.


* Garuyun pauses, then turns back to look at Ryuji.


Garuyun- You're not in heat..

Ryuji- But he'd have a better chance of killing...

Garuyun- The clock is ticking, Corporal.. Oh, and one more thing..


* Garuyun waves a hand and another light shows in as a wall across from the plexiglass cage slides up to reveal Kasaba behind bars, scrunched up in a corner hugging his knees.


Garuyun- Reveal anything that will bring anyone else here.. The boy and I will be gone.. Killing half breeds may be against King Enki's stupid laws now.. but it says nothing about selling them as slaves.

Hiei- If you touch him..!

Garuyun- Taa taa.. for now.. Have a safe trip back to Alaric, Ryuji.


* With that, Garuyun's room goes dark. Hiei crosses his arms when Ryuji looks at him again.


Hiei- What are you waiting on? Go! (#) Think of something on the way!


* When Ryuji motions to his wrist Hiei shakes his head.


Hiei- I can't let the dragon go in here...


* Ryuji raises a hand to rub his forehead.


(#) Ryuji- No, you baka! Look at your wrist!


* Hiei raises his hand. When he sees the band he's wearing, one of the newer model portal remotes Koenma's developed, he remembers slipping it on just before he'd left Spirit World. Hiei moves back over to the bed and taps the button on the band. When nothing happens, the koorime taps it a couple more times getting the same result. In a fit of rage he yanks the band off and throws it toward Ryuji. Hie brother's quick reflexes help him to raise a hand and catch the band when it sails through the barrier easily. Ryuji and Hiei both blink and stare at each other in surprise a moment. Now Ryuji decides to try the button, but still nothing happens. Now Ryuji growls and glances around.


Ryuji- D--- it!! Must have a blocking barrier of some kind..

Hiei- Ryuji, we may be in the Shikyo region.. Will you quit wasting time and get out of here?! Try it on the other side of the Okunenju!

Ryuji- Okay.. I'll do what I can.. You try to stay calm.


* Hiei tilts his head giving Ryuji an annoyed glare.


Ryuji- Right.. Going.


* Ryuji leaves the room, using his demonic heritage of speed to blur back to where they left the charred watchmen, finds Pehjo's arm, and hurries back through the swirling black hole. He is pleasantly surprised to find the skink still there waiting for them. Pehjo looks up from examining his newly regenerated arm. When Ryuji walk over Pehjo leans to glance behind him toward the black okunenju.


Pehjo- Where's Sh-- uh.. Lord Hiei?

Ryuji- You were played like a fiddle, skink.

Pehjo- What?!


* Ryuji tosses Pehjo's old arm tp him as the skink stands to glare at him.


Pehjo- What the.. ?!

Ryuji- Take the band off that and put it in your pocket. You're taking a trip with me.


* Pehjo scowls disgustedly as he works the portal band off his old, severed arm. Ryuji hits the button on Hiei's wristband. Immediately a Spirit World portal swirls open. Ryuji looks at Pehjo again in time to stop him from putting his band back on his new wrist.


Ryuji- Are you really this stupid? Or do you enjoy losing appendages?


* Pehjo looks up at the fire demon blankly. Ryuji grabs him up with an exasperated growl and blinks into the swirling portal. Neither of them witness the black okunenju fade away.