Hinote Kyou Mizu

Chapter 11

She blinked a few times, her eyes cloudy. She couldn’t see a whole lot at first, her vision grayed out. She shook her head a few times as she sat up, her bright blue hair sticking out in strange directions. She blinked again taking stock of where she was.

“Hello, Saikoubai.”

The blue haired female looked up into the face of the Junior Lord of the Spirit World, Koenma Daioh, resplendent in his teenaged form and standing at the end of her bed along with a Somber looking Botan.

“What the hell is going on Koenma?”

She looked between Botan and Koenma, trying to decide what was going on. “You can kiss my ass if you are here to collect me.”

“Don’t worry Saikoubai. It’s not your turn. We do need to talk though.”

She sat up fully, scowling at the Young God before her as she swung her feet out of the bed. “I really don’t have much to say to you Koenma. I would rather figure out where my mate is and get something to eat. Now Move.”

He shook his head. “You don’t even realize you have been unconscious for six weeks, do you?”

Amaya stopped, almost sliding on the too-long legs of her dark blue satin pajamas. She looked up at the teenager and frowned at both he and the blue haired girl next to him. “Six weeks…”

“Do you remember what happened at all?”

Amaya shook her head. “Last thing I remember was Hiei’s voice saying I would be ok. Before and after that, its one big blur.”

The young god nodded. “I thought as much. Amaya, I will tell you now that you need guidance right now. You probably won’t understand right now what will happen soon, but you will soon. A woman known to very few people as the Mizu-reidou will seek you. She will train you to control yourself. I suggest you receive her aid with gratitude and learn, because very soon you will need it.”

“I don’t need her, Koenma. I’m fine, just a power surge.”

“Amaya, for once listen to Koenma.”

Amaya turned to see her mate standing in the doorway, arms crossed and glaring at the young god. His demeanor a mixture of frustration and slight relief.

“Well good morning to you too. Why the hell do I have to listen to the runt? It was just a power surge. I lost control.”

“That was not just a power surge Maya.”

Koenma turned to Botan. “Botan I think it would be best if we let them talk right now. Saikoubai, I do hope you will take my advice and seek out the Reidou.”

As he left Amaya turned to Hiei, hands on hips, her entire radiating a defiant attitude.

“What the hell was that Hiei? You actually want to listen to the pain in the ass?”

“I don’t want you dead and I know what will come of this if you don’t get control. You don’t realize what has changed.”

She stepped forward, hands to her sides. “I just want to rest right now Hiei. Can we please not argue?” She walked forward and reached out to touch him, wanting a warm shoulder to lean on and the comfort of her husband.

As her hand touched him he drew back, the shock of electricity jolting him back in surprise. “Just static electricity Hiei…”

“No Amaya, it’s not. You’ve changed.”

“I’m the same person Hiei; I am still Amaya, the Mo-zaku, Spirit Detective, Wife, and Mother. All of the above applies.”

He shook his head knowing she was oblivious and trying to deny her new found power.

“Hn, you don’t listen very well do you? Enma Daioh wants you dead and Koenma wants you to seek guidance. You would be smart to do as Koenma asks.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Are you ready, Hinote?”

The young woman nodded as she looked out from behind the rock she was at the back of. Her shoulders fell as she turned away from the music, flowers and group of her friends and family, all standing in the grassy area near the spring her parents had shown her as a spot for her wedding.

“Dad, I’m scared.”

Hiei smiled, understanding his daughter’s fears. “You will be fine Hinote. You have wanted this for as long as you have been with Ryu. Why are you so nervous now?”

Hinote shook her head, long blue hair softly swinging back and forth. “The unknown.”

Hiei took his daughter’s hand, looking down at his daughter. “You are the daughter of the Saikoubai and the Jaganshi. You have fought demons of many shapes and sizes, including your own ice demon cousin. You have known the demon you are set to mate with since the day he was born. What do you have to fear from the unknown? Take life as it comes at you, enjoy your time together, you have eternity.”

“Who are you? And what have you done with my dad?”

Hiei smirked, nodding toward the other side of the rock, all of Ryu and Hinote’s friends and family on the other side. “Go, claim your mate.”

Hinote turned and looked out at the gathered demons, spirits and humans, seeing so many of the people she cared for. There was Kuwabara and his new wife Akina, sitting next to Enki, Jin and Shizuru. Her bridesmaids, were only a few feet away from her, lined up with their paired groomsmen that Ryu had chosen. Kurama’s daughter Inari was teamed up with her twin brother Matsu, both serving as attendants along with Yukina, Hinote’s best friend Sora and Amaya, who was serving as Matron of honor. With Yukina was Kurama; with Sora, Ryu’s buddy Shoichi, and with Amaya, Yusuke. These were some of the people she cared most about, The rest sitting out in the chairs set up in front of the God Koenma Daioh and two of the Ferry girls from Spirit world, Botan and Hinageshi, attendants to the spirit world prince who would be officiating. Hinote looked out at the rest of their friends: Kaida, Keiko, Chuu, and Yusuke’s elderly, but still feisty mother Atsuko as well as so many others. She smiled, turning to her father and putting out her hand.

“Shall we?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Koenma smiled as Hiei placed Hinote’s hand in Ryu’s, walking back to sit in the row of chairs next to Keiko and Kaida, opposite Kuwabara. The Jaganshi watched as Koenma went on with the ceremony, talking about the joining of the families, true love and the future. Hiei sat and listened, not interested if not for the fact it was his only child’s wedding.

The God took a piece of paper from Botan, the bubbly ferry girl dressed in her formal pink kimono and smiling brightly. “Here you are sir.”

“Thank you Botan. I have a reading Hinote and Ryu wanted to have today. Amaya, would you do the honors?”

Amaya handed her single rose to Sora and took the piece of aged parchment from Koenma. She stood in front of her daughter and son in law, looking down at the paper and reading.

“Love is a friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weakness. Love is content with the present. It hopes for the future and it doesn’t brood over the past. It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have love in your life,
it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is. It is not enough so search for it, ask the gods for it, and share it! Remember this; my son and daughter, no matter what, protect each other.”

Amaya handed the paper back to Hinageshi and returned to her spot by Sora, retrieving her rose and nodding to her daughter and son-in-law.

Koenma put his hands out in front of the couple and smiled taking first Hinote’s then Ryu’s hand and placing them together. “Hinote, daughter of the Jaganshi and Ryu, son of Raizen. I now pronounce you one. May no one, even King Emma himself break that apart.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Let’s get this party off right!”

Chuu had already opened the first of many bottles of Sake’ he had
Commandeered from the bartender, chugging half of the bottle down before he came up for air. The clear liquid proud down is face as he turned to talk to Atsuko, who was drinking right along with him and Shizuru, who was chain smoking while sitting on the rock nearest the spring.

“Hey Chuu, don’t get so drunk we have to have you and dad in a rematch!”

Ryu turned away from the demon reveling in his drink, wrapping his arm around Hinote’s waist. “Ten to one odds Chuu fights someone tonight.”

“No he won’t because he knows I will seriously kick his butt.” Amaya wandered by, champagne flute in hand, the green skirt swaying around her hips as she sauntered up to her own husband, ignoring the smiling glances of her son-in-law and daughter. She went past the groups of demons and trusted humans, spirit gods and ferry girls, heading over to the farthest part of the roped off reception area. She had spotted the uncomfortable looking demon, standing with his tux coat in hand, draped over his shoulder. She walked within a few feet of him and stared at his back, watching him look out across the water, his gaze falling out toward the mountains in the distance.

“Hiei…”

He tuned his head slightly to acknowledge her, turning back to stare out at the silver water. “Just let me be, Maya.”

She shook her head, stepping up behind him and speaking softly. “It’s your daughter’s day Hiei. Can you be a bit more social for one day?”

“If I wanted to be social, I would be.”

Amaya stepped next to her husband, the frustration in her voice subtle yet very clear. “Hiei, what is your issue? Why the hell are you acting like I have the plague?”

He turned, starting down at her, his eyes speaking fathoms of disappointment and loneliness, the same things they had held since she ha awoken after her power surge.

“Hiei, this is stupid. What do you want me to do? You have been like this for weeks, with no break in the cycle.”

He turned, his voice calm and belying the emotions his eyes. “I will not deal with a broken mate.”

She glared at him, eyes narrowed at her nearly silent retort. “I am not, nor will I ever be broken Hiei.”

“Then kiss me Amaya. Prove it.”

“Fine.”

She leaned up and put her hands on his face, the resulting power surge sparking violently between the two of them, sending Amaya a few feet back from where she stood; her cradling her hand, the electrical burn healing quickly as she watched.

“Do you believe me now?”

She didn’t look at Hiei as she spoke, nodding. “I will. I can’t live like this anymore Hiei. I will listen to Koenma.”