AUTUMN'S PROMISE
By: Chevalle

CHAPTER 4          

Realization struck him like lightning. 

"You're my best friend," Miko had said. 

Kurama didn't know how to react to that. However, there was still hope. There always was. 

...Unless Hiei returned the gesture. As quiet as a fox, Kurama continued to watch and listen to the little fire demon and the mysterious human girl. He felt jarred, and very uneasy, but still he waited patiently outside the huge western-style house. He had been there all night. Birds were heard among the trees; even the wetness of dew was felt in the grass and bushes. Signs of morning were everywhere. 

*** 

The Koorime boy choked back a cough, and looked at the human girl before him with startled eyes. Damn her, Hiei thought. There had already been a story written in his mind, and this was definitely not part of the script! He directed his ember gaze at her, boring intently into her soul. This time, she didn't turn away, but searched his face, then gazed into his fiery depths. The two youths didn't say anything, but their eyes said it all. 

"Do I know you?" He asked her through telepathy. 

"I don't know," She answered him, using her own mind as well. "But I have a very strong feeling that I've met you before." 

"There's no denying it," Hiei closed his eyes. "I sense something familiar, yet vague, about you." 

*** 

The chirping overhead had stopped. All Kurama heard was the faint beating of his heart. Or had 
that stopped too? Hiei would have replied sarcastically, but he didn't. In fact, what was unsettling was that nothing came out of his mouth; he didn't reply at all. 

Kurama lowered his tired head, the red strands hiding his weary eyes. Was it really meant to be this way? Like having a mind of its own, his body moved away from the bushes and shrubbery. It took 
much effort, but Kurama didn't find any more purpose in prolonging his stay there. He gave a sigh of 
defeat. Jealousy didn't usually run in his veins, but the thought of losing a close friend to someone they had just met was beyond sensible to him. He turned to leave, his long flaming hair trailing behind 
him; the morn's breeze playing with the wisps. However, he stopped short when he felt an unwelcomed presence behind him; two of them, actually. He faced the twin entities, and his eyes widened in alarm, as he saw the demon man and woman from yesterday's episode by the window of Miko's house! 

"Aren't you afraid of me?" The fire Koorime asked. 

Their telepathic communication continued, as they sat across each other, exchanging looks and ideas. Miko shook her head, her golden-brown strands swaying wildly. Hiei was taken aback at this, but didn't reply. He stood up instead to indicate that the session was over. 

"My, aren't we having a sweet discussion," A female voice sounded by the window of the bedroom, breaking the pregnant silence. Miko abruptly got up. Hiei, with the reflexes of a cat, readied his sword. "Akuna!" 

Akuna gave a dry laugh. "Don't let me interrupt anything, forbidden boy." She entered the room, and looked startled, as she felt the soft coating of the floor. She quickly shrugged it aside, and turned her attention back to Hiei. 

"Now, be a good little boy, and come quietly with us." 

Hiei laughed back, his sword gleaming brightly in the sunlight. "Not on your life!" 

"In that case," Akuna produced a ball of energy in her palm which crackled with powerful electricity. 

She shifted her eyes towards Miko, as a wicked smile formed on her lips. 

Miko let in a sharp breath, and took a step back. Hiei clenched his fist tighter on the sword. 

"You do that, and I'll make you see a thousand hells!!" Hiei bellowed to Akuna, glaring daggers at her tall womanly figure. 

Akuna refused to heed him. Her dark eyes remained focused on the frightened Miko, who was about to sink to the floor. Instead of performing the pusillanimous action, Miko stared back at Akuna with narrowed eyes. 

Akuna cursed through her teeth. "Damn you! Don't look at me like that!" 

She took the powerful energy sphere that emanated from her hand, and threw it at Miko. Hiei made a low sound of panic; he wasn't fast enough to reach her! Miko couldn't find her voice. The ball was headed towards her with tremendous speed! Just before the energy ball had reached her, her knees gave way, and she sank to the carpeted floor. Akuna's sphere destroyed the bedroom wall, but Miko had escaped the fatal blow with only minor injuries from the wall fragments. Miko's pink Chinese pajamas were now completely torn at the neck and shoulders. Hiei's eyes widened even more when he saw that there was a scar on her right shoulder. 

Miko's eyes were closed when she fell on all fours on the rugged floor. 

Hiei could hear her rapid breathing, and the locomotive-like beating of her heart. 

Akuna gave another laugh. "See how powerful I am? You cannot escape, Forbidden Child! Your life is mine!" 

Miko opened her eyes. They weren't the same hazel eyes that searched Hiei's face for a sign of friendship. They were now confident, fierce... they had a fiery glaze, but gentleness still lurked in those depths. Their hazel color had vanished, and were now a proud shade of bright blue. They glowed furiously at Akuna. Akuna didn't know what hit her after that. She suddenly felt a strong gust of wind that sent her flying out the window. 

Kurama ran towards the house. He stopped short at the startling scene of Akuna being thrown out the window by such a violent force. It wasn't Hiei's. There was only one other, but how--? 

Akuna hurriedly recovered, and got up. "Kuanja! Get them!" 

Kuanja appeared, sitting on the tree branch just outside the bedroom window. His enormous sword rematerialized in his hand, as he headed for Hiei and Miko. 

Hiei's mouth gaped open when he realized Miko was no ordinary human being. "Y-you--..." He took a loud swallow, as his eyebrows knitted together. 

She gave him one of her usual sad smiles. "Hello, Hiei." Her voice was lower, more mature. 

"Eisila..." 

Her blue eyes shined with touching faith. "I knew we'd find each other someday." She was on her feet, and walked gracefully towards Hiei. A Chinese attire replaced her pajamas. She looked more like a warrior now, as metal cuffs encircled her wrists, her waist, and her neck. Her hair, which was now longer, took on a snowy color, mixed with the hue of her eyes. She raised her head all of a sudden in surprise. "Hiei, behind you!" 

The Koorime boy turned a second too late. Blackness was the next thing he saw after the heavy sword crashed down on his head. Kuanja picked Hiei up by the belt on his waist, slumping the litte fire demon's limp body across his shoulder. 

"Stop! Kuanja!" Miko, who was now Eisila, demanded. She summoned another mighty rush of wind. It took on the form of small tornado. She gave a somewhat loud battle cry, and aimed the whirling wind at Kuanja. 

"Hoh, you're alive... but not for long." 

Kuanja decided to play along. With his free hand, he stopped the miniature cyclone, holding it into place. Eisila uttered a tiny gasp, but didn't take any step back. Kuanja gave her a sinister glare, and threw the powerful wind back at her! 

Eisila screamed, as she felt her back and her head hitting the hard wall with such intensity. She wasn't even able to feel the pain when she fell to the floor, and heard the thud of her weight. Her eyes drifted closed, as Kuanja's laughter grew fainter and indistinct. 

*** 

His hair was the color of bluish-black fire, similar to the Demon World's power of darkness. He intrigued her, that little Koorime boy. He had such a gruff, crude manner, that it was so adorable. Eisila couldn't help but smile at the Forbidden Child, Hiei. She watched him from atop a tree. He usually did that, but Eisila decided that it was her turn. So this is my mission, Eisila thought. She was given instructions to save this fire demon from the two criminals who had killed her. Koenma, the Spirit World's prince, had brought her back to life to accomplish this task. It looked easy enough. 

As if hearing her ponderings, Hiei took out his sword, and charged for her. Eisila let out a small cry, and dodged out of the way. She leaped from the tree, and landed on her feet on the soft grass. 

"What do you want??" Hiei demanded to her, still holding his sword. The sharp-edged metal never looked so dangerous, but she didn't cringe at the sight of it. She put a hand on her hip, and looked at him, tilting her head in such a way that made Hiei lower his brows. 

"I was just curious," Eisila stated. She beamed at him. 

Hiei could feel annoyance flowing in his blood. "Curious about what??" 

"Oh, nothing," She replied casually. She laced her hands behind her head. She couldn't hide her amused expression when she saw his confused one. 

She giggled. "Oh alright, I'll enlighten you. I was curious about you." 

"About me? What do you mean? Why would you be curious anout me??" He seemed more confused now, but he didn't put his sword down. 

"Hmm, end of discussion," She quipped, and swiftly retreated. Just as soon as she thought she was out of the little fire demon's range, strong arms pinned her down to the ground, her chest crashing down on the pappy sedges. She winced, as the rude person locked her arms together in a very uncomfortable position. 

"Ow! Good thing you picked a soft place for me to be pinned down on," Eisila said sarcastically, struggling to get loose from her captor's hold. "Women's bodies are built differently, you know!" 

"Now tell me why you came!" Hiei demanded again. 

"Hiei," She answered. "Get off me first, then I'll tell you!" 

"You will tell me NOW!" He touched the cold steel of his blade to her cheek. She let in a sharp breath, and stopped struggling. 

"Oh great," She muttered. "How can I watch over you if you're going to kill me?" 

Hiei withdrew his sword, but kept a firm hold on her wrists and hands. 

"Watch over me?" He echoed. 

Eisila nodded. "Yes, it's my assignment." 

Hiei looked bewildered as ever, but quickly recovered. "I don't need anyone to look after me!" He shot back. 

"That's probably true," She said. "If you don't get careless." 

"What do you mean by that?!" 

Eisila's voice took on a sad tone. "I got careless once." 

Hiei let her go. She gave a relieved sigh, and massaged her sore wrists. 

"You sure have a strong grip," She commented, and blew at her wrists to sooth the burning pain. 

Hiei sat on the ground, and leaned on a tree trunk, embedding his sword in the dirt. After the 
throbbing on her wrists had gone, she seated herself beside Hiei on the semi-loose soil. There was a 
lengthy lapse of cessation between the two. Silence. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and waited for a reaction or a roar of disapproval. 

Nothing. 

"Errm," She faltered. "We should be going. There are two dangerous demons in the vicinity who want to use you." 

Hiei gave a half laugh, half snort. "Let them come! If they bore me, they'll be the next ones on my list of my blood-thirsty blade." 

"You don't understand," She said. "They can blackmail you into doing things you don't want to do! Your family---" 

"I don't have a family!" He replied forcefully. 

"What about Yukina?" 

He reacted as though somebody had jabbed him in the gut. "How do you know that??" He stood up, making her feel small and insignificant. 

She bit her lower lip. "Sorry, I didn't mean--" 

"I don't want apologies! I want explanations!" 

"I just know a lot about you," She explained. "I know everything that's happening in the wind. I know about your family... and you do have one. I know about your search for your half-sister. I know you are nicknamed 'the Forbidden Child'. I know you were banished from your land because you were born a fire demon, and not an ice one. I know---" 

"ENOUGH!!" He roared. This time Eisila cringed. 

"I don't know where you got your information," He continued. "But if you're lying about just knowing a lot about me, you and the person who told you this are going to pay severely!" He took the sword out from the earth, and pointed the tip at her. 

"Your Jagan can tell if I'm lying or not," She provided. 

In reality, she wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling the truth either. When she was younger, she had heard tales about the forbidden fire child among the Koorime. She hadn't believed all of them, until the two criminals, Kuanja and Akuna had kidnapped her, and until the day she died when Koenma told her. She didn't want to tell him that she was Koorime herself because it might have made matters more complicated. 

A strange presence filled the air. Even Hiei felt it. Eisila stood up from the moldy earth, and put her guard up. She sensed two puissant battle auras. Demon energy. She gasped. They were nearing! 

They appeared a moment later, Kuanja and Akuna. "I thought we killed you, little Kuukime," Akuna said to Eisila. 

Eisila gave her a million dollar smile. "Too bad, I'm still here!" 

Akuna laughed. "Not at all. The more, the merrier, right?" 

"Talk about weirdos, huh?" Eisila whispered to Hiei. Hiei looked oddly at her, like she was sprouting weeds from her ears or something. 

Eisila linked her hands together, and a powerful blast of whirling wind burst forth in her hands, 
shaped like a saber. Hiei's carmine eyes widened in surprise. Eisila looked throughly proud of herself with that wide grin of hers. 

So this is my weapon as a spirit detective, she thought happily. 

"Why couldn't you have just used that earlier to fight me?" Hiei whispered back. Eisila shrugged. "Uh... slipped my mind?" 

"Hn. Figures, with such a bubble-headed twit like you," Hiei retorted. 

"Hey, watch it, you!" Eisila scowled. 

"Anyway," Hiei said. "Should we take them?" He readied his sword. 

Eisila nodded enthusiastically. "You bet!" 

The duo leaped for Kuanja and Akuna with their destructive swords. Akuna moved out of Eisila's swing, and poised herself on a thick, steady tree branch. Akuna took something with a feathery end 
from her back. Another long object appeared in her hand. Eisila recognized the weapons as a bow and arrow. 

"You coward!" Eisila yelled to her. "Come down from there!" 

"Certainly," Akuna replied, positioning the weapons so they were directed at Eisila. "After my darlings have a taste of both of you." Akuna aimed them at Hiei instead. She pulled on them, and let go. While Hiei and Kuanja were evening it out, Eisila heard a grunt of pain. Hiei! The arrow! Another arrow flew towards the petite air demon with such velocity, she didn't even have time to utter a scream or react. She heard Hiei's loud voice calling... or was it shouting... her name. She saw the ground just before an unwanted shadow settled over her, and she saw nothing but darkness. 

*** 

She gave a startled cry, as she bolted upright on the bed. Her shoulders rose and fell because of her 
rapid breathing. She clutched her breast as if to stop the accelerated beating of her heart. She blinked, and looked around. Where was she? It definitely wasn't her room. 

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" Miko's gaze settled on a pair of resplendent green eyes. 

"Kurama...!" She said, as she saw the cerise-haired stripling seated on a chair beside the bed. She felt an ache on her temple and at the back of her neck. "Where's Hi--?" 

"They took him," Kurama replied solemnly. He leaned his arms on the back rest of the chair he sat on in front of him. "I tried to stop them, but they disappeared before I could lash out at them." 

Miko pinched at the blanket. "So you know about me then, huh?" 

Kurama nodded. "Eisila. Yes, I know." Then brightly, he added, "Your parents were looking for you this morning. They were wondering what happened to the wall of your room." 

Miko checked the clock. It was almost noon. She had been out like a light for about four hours now. "What did you tell them?" 

"They didn't see me," Kurama answered with an amused expression. "I was already out of there carrying you. Mr. Kazehito, your father, did say that you were grounded for a month for throwing one of your parties again." 

Miko groaned, and gave a dry laugh. "Some party! There were two uninvited guests who crashed it!" 

Just then, Yusuke, Botan, Kuwabara, and a caped teenager entered the room. Botan carried a fresh 
bouquet of tulips, and Yusuke and Kuwabara carried a grocery bag filled with goodies. Yusuke threw Kurama a can of cola. 

"Hey, Miko!" Yusuke greeted. "How're you feeling?" He handed her a cherry coke. 

Miko smiled. "I'm alright, really. ...Thanks... Just a little bruised." 

Botan arranged the freshly-cut white tulips into a slender vase. The good-looking young man with the cape stepped forward, and looked Miko in the eye. Miko sank back onto the bed, puzzled at the sudden eye contact. Her gaze moved to his forehead where the letters 'J' and 'r' were imprinted. 

What was highly unsual was that he was sucking on a baby's pacifier! Miko didn't want to be impolite, but she had this nagging urge to come right out with it. 

"What's with the pacifier?" She asked bluntly. 

Yusuke and Kuwabara snickered. Botan punched them on the arm to keep quiet. Kurama remained passive. The tall lad looked as though he might swallow his pacifier. He forced a smile. "How easily you forget, Eisila." 

That voice... Miko stared at him in awe. "Koenma-sama?" 

Koenma gave a genuine smile this time. "Miko... Eisila," Kurama said. 

"What's the real story between you and Hiei?" 

Everyone took a seat to listen to Miko/Eisila's tale. 

*** 

She moaned softly, as she came to. Why was she still alive? She felt a stab of pain on her left upper arm where the arrow had hit. It seemed to be just a minor puncture to the skin. The arrow's sharp tip was probably dipped in sleeping potion or something. She averted her attention to her surroundings. It looked and felt quite dull and dark. It reminded her of a dungeon. Eisila instantly turned her head from left to right, searching for the demon boy. A knot tied in her stomach. He wasn't there! 

Her eyes probed the caliginous environs. It took a while for her eyes to adjust. Once she did, she ordered her body to do so next. She searched the darkness for the door, and found it. 

Unfortunately, it was locked. This really was a dungeon! 

She heard a cry; a low, masculine one filled with plea, anger, and panic just outside her cell. She was relieved that Hiei was still alive. Kuanja and Akuna dragged him towards the dreary cell. They unlocked the door, and threw him inside. Kuanja and Akuna laughed for awhile, and closed the door, locking it again. What brutal monsters they were! Eisila ran to Hiei's crumpled body, and knelt beside him. He looked so exhausted and hurt, that Eisila's heart cried out to him. She brushed a tendril of ebon hair away from his forehead, and revealed the scar-like structure of his third eye. He shifted position, and crinkled his nose. She chuckled, and continued to play with his hair. 

Hiei's eyes flew open. "Where am I?" His voice came out barely a whisper. It took a whole lot of effort for him to sit up, but he managed to do so with Eisila's assistance. 

Eisila hesitated. "What--what did they do to you?" 

Eisila thought she saw a flicker of a smile on his handsome face. "Hn. It's nothing. I've been through worse..." "I don't care if you've been through worse!" Eisila countered. "If something happens to you---" If something happens to him, then what? Eisila thought. Then Koenma-sama will brand me as a failure? I won't live up to my role as a spirit detective? 

Duty and responsibility were not part of a carefree demon's nature, but she felt she owed Koenma 
for bringing her back to life. 

She decided to say it, nonetheless. "...I won't forgive myself." 

Hiei eyed her resolutely. "Heh, don't ever mention such things to me!" 

She gave out an exasperated breath. She knew he'd take it the wrong way! "That's not what I meant!" She flared, turning her face away from him, as she crossed her arms indignantly. 

Unexpectedly, she felt his warm palm on her cheek. She froze like a deer stuck in the clutches of a 
hunter. He turned her face so that he was looking directly into her eyes; windows of the soul that were an azure color. Even in their Cimmerian prison, Hiei could see the way her effulgent eyes sparkled like twin jewels. He gently stroked her cheek, and moved his fingers to her chin. She kept as still as a rock, as his face neared hers. 

"W-what are y-you doing?" Her voice quivered. 

"Teaching you a lesson," He said when his face was only a few inches away from hers. She could 
feel his hot breath mixing with hers, as her whole body trembled. 

Just before Eisila could pull away from him, he roughly covered his mouth on hers. She struggled by trying to push him away, but both his hands encircled her upper arms, and held her fast. Eisila didn't know what hit her, however she stopped struggling when she realized that all the movements she 
made were feeble and futile. 

Hiei continued to kiss her, despite the fact that he knew it wasn't a real kiss. Or was it? He nibbled her lips with his own, teasing and tormenting her to respond. She didn't, and refused to do so. She kept her eyes tightly shut, waiting for the whole thing to end. However, Hiei wasn't done yet. He freed one of her arms, and traced her sensitive lips with his thumb. Still, Eisila kept her eyes firmly closed. Damn him, she thought. Damn! Inside, she was crying freely, but she held back on the outside. 

Hiei knew he was going too far, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to stop. Something about this girl seemed... right. He cupped her face in his hands, and outlined her lips with his tongue. Then, without further ado, he placed his lips on hers again. Eisila moved slightly with startled surprise when she noticed that his kiss was no longer boorish and crass. She suddenly relaxed, to her horror. Hiei knew that he had triumphed, and decided to be more forward. He dove his tongue into her mouth, delving and exploring, tempting her to succumb and to accept defeat. A shocked gasp escaped her, 
but she did no such thing as to renounce her pride. She still didn't respond to his kisses. 

After a prolonged interval, the kiss ended. Hiei broke it off, and Eisila turned her head away from him. It was extremely quiet, except for their jagged and heavy breathing. 

"Did.. you.. want to.. prove.. a point?" Eisila panted. She didn't look at him. In the darkness of the chamber, her expression was vaguely readable. "You could have just fought back," He said as-a-matter-of-factly. "You had every opportunity to do so." 

She winced as though he had slapped her. She turned her head abruptly, and faced him. With one 
swift sway of her arm, her palm smacked loudly onto Hiei's cheek. Hiei slightly stumbled back onto the clammy stone floor. He touched his hand to his sore cheek, but didn't say anything. Eisila couldn't make out his facial cast. 

They sat in reticence for countless minutes, sitting on both opposite sides of the chamber. Eisila 
thought back to when she had said that this mission, this task, was easy enough. She was probably 
wrong. More wrong than wrong, actually. She leaned her small-framed body on the cold prison wall, and gave a downhearted sigh. 

Hiei finally cut through the hushed ambience. "Do you still want to know what they did to me?" 

Eisila looked at him, and nodded, sure that her voice would betray her. 

"I gave them my power," He stated simply. He heard Eisila suck in her breath. A ghost of a smile 
touched his lips, as his voice grew gentle and soothing. "Well, not all of it, just some of it. I had to fight to keep the rest." 

"Did they hurt you... badly?" She asked, her voice cracking. 

"No," He replied, his tone low. "If they destroy my body, then who would show them the way to the Spirit World's treasures?" 

Eisila eyed him with disbelief. "You're actually going to lead them to the Spirit World's treasures?? But why? Did they threaten you?" 

He never did answer her. However, she knew that he was doing this against his free will. Kuanja 
and Akuna were forcing him somehow, just like what they did to her. She wasn't going to let this go 
on. It was her task to rescue the Koorime boy from their grasp. And even if it cost her her life, Eisila vowed to fulfill and accomplish her mission. 

Eisila walked up to Hiei's sleeping figure several hours later when dusk befell them. She had never seen or heard of the frightening "Forbidden Child" falling alseep. She smiled down at him, and swept 
his ink-colored hair off his eyes and brow. Eisila gathered a tad bit of courage, and leaned down to kiss his forehead. 

"Hiei," She whispered to the fire demon. "Thank you." 

And with that, she lay her worn head on his chest, and fell into a deep slumber with a million dreams rolled into one. 

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