She's Slowly Saving Me From Myself...[Hiei][16]

Anger

That's what Hiei felt, anger towards himself. He was stood in the corner of Cerazas room, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. He watched Ceraza sleep, her breathing even and her face was relaxed.

But questions ran throughout his mind, Why did this happen? How could he have possible let his team mate get hurt like this? .. How could he let Ceraza be hurt like this?

His eyes would flicker to the window every once in a while, but they where mostly purely focused on Ceraza as she slept. After the fight between her sister Katsumi and herself, they had aloud Katsumi to heal her, then once she was done they brought her back to the hotel to rest.

Katsumi had explained what had happened at the fight, the way that Ceraza refused to fight back. It made Hiei snarl in disbelief. Ceraza had always been so strong, so full of pride. Yet her sister arrives and it is suddenly all gone? It made him even more curious about her Clan..and why exactly Ceraza left.

Hiei's attention was suddenly drawn from his thoughts to Ceraza as she moaned a little, her eyes slowly opening. Hiei immediately appeared by the side of her bed, looking down at her.

"How do you feel?" What the first words out of his mouth. He watched as Cerazas eyes scanned the room before landing on him himself, she sat up slowly before replying.

"Sore, but I'm fine. How long was I out?"

"A few hours, nothing drastic. Katsumi is quite the healer" Ceraza nodded understanding.

"I'm sorry if I made any of you worry..I guess this wouldn't have happened if you knew more about my past.." Hiei stayed silent, her words where true. And he did want to know about her history but he decided not to push it.

Then a knock came at the door, Hiei stood back from Ceraza a little so she could see who would walk in.

"Come in" She called, watching as the door was slowly opened to reveal Katsumi stood there, with a nervous look on her face.

"I was wondering if I could speak with you Ceraza..Alone" Katsumi eyes glance at Hiei for a moment then back to her sister. Hiei looked at Ceraza in which she nodded at him.

"It's fine, I'll be out soon" Hiei nodded and walked past Katsumi with a dangerously glare before closing the door behind him. The room was quiet for a moment long before Katsumi spoke.

"So uh..How are your wounds?"

"Much better, thank you"

"No, don't thank me. After all I am the one who inflicted the wounds upon you"

"Yes, but you didn't have to heal me.." Katsumi silently agreed to her statement. By now Ceraza had stood up from the bed and was stood in front of Katsumi with a smile.

"I'm so sorry!" Katsumi cried, falling to her hands and knees to Ceraza in a apologetic way, Ceraza gasped

"I realize now that everything was wrong, the clan, my hatred for you, Everything. Please forgive m-" But Ceraza cut Katsumi off.

"Get up you fool" Katsumi's eyes widen, as she looked up at Ceraza who held out a hand. Katsumi took it and stood up.

"Stop apologizing. I forgave you the moment I understood why you came. It is me who should be sorry. I swore that id always be there for you..but I wasn't..and it was all my fault."

Katsumi listened to her sisters words closely.

"Just tell me, is it true?..about mother that is...is she really gone?" Katsumi opened her mouth to say something, but didn't know how to say it. So she remand silent, Ceraza looked down to the ground

"I see..so it is truly all because of me.."

/Flashback: 110 years ago\\

A young Ceraza sat there limp on her knees in the dungeons of the Asakura house hold. Her wrists and ankles chained to the wall behind her, her head low as she stared at the damp and cold floor below her. No emotion could be seen on her face, for all emotion had been beaten out of her as punishment. Everything was silent other than an occasionally drip of water you could hear in the distance, leaking from the ceiling.

Everything was dark, damp and cold. Even the chains that held Ceraza where rusted and damp, not even rats would come here. Ceraza didn't move when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, there was no need, she didn't need to look up to know who was coming...for it was the same everyday.

Or so she thought.

"Oh Ceraza, my beautiful daughter" Ceraza looked up surprised to see her mother Kiyoshi stood there with flowing tears.

"Mother?" she managed to say weakly.

"My darling, what has he done to you?" Kiyoshi asked, Ceraza knew it was a rhetorical question. She walked closer to her and knelt down in front of her, placing her hands on Ceraza face and began to heal her. Kiyoshi was the best healer of the clan, so she managed to heal Ceraza rather quickly.

"Mother you can't do this, if Father finds out he wont be happy" Kiyoshi smiled at her daughter.

"Even at a time like this, you always think of others before yourself."

"But mother i-"

"Enough dear, everything will be alright..You'll see. Now lets get you out of these chains" Spoke Kiyoshi after healing Ceraza, she stood up and pulled out a key from her Kimono and unlocked the shackles. Once Ceraza was free, with the help of her mother she was able to stand up and find her feet again.

"Now hurry, follow me"

"But mother, where are we going?"

"There is no time for that my darling, now come quickly" Ceraza didn't ask any more questions and followed her mother silently until they got outside the clans house, which was more the size of a small village. It was then Ceraza realized it was night time, and the only light her mother and herself could follow was the glare from the moon that lit their path.

Ceraza stopped behind her mother who had stopped to search through some bushes near by, Ceraza keep her guard up the best she could so scan the area around her in case someone was to arrive.

"Here Ceraza" Ceraza looked to her mother, then down to her arms to see her hold a short Katana. Ceraza immediately recognized it to being her ancestors, in which was the first woman to ever receive more than one Eiodin, she kept it a secret for a long time but once her secret was revealed she was executed for her sins.

"Is that..?" Kiyoshi nodded.

"Yes, your ancestor's sword, it has been passed down throughout each generation, now I hand it down to you. My eldest daughter." Ceraza took the blade and studied It closely.

"No time for that lovely, it's time for you to go"

"What?" She asked, suddenly confused, Kiyoshi bent down and placed her hands on Cerazas shoulders, new found tears falling from her eyes.

"I have always been proud of you, but I'm afraid it hasn't been enough to protect you. You must leave, and head to the world of the living. Start a new life there my darling and don't ever come back do you hear me?" Ceraza began to cry also.

"But mother, What about Katsumi? And you? I don't want to leave you both" she cried, making her mother weep more.

"Oh my darling, I know, I know. But this is the way it has to be. You will become a beautiful and strong woman one day, and I know you will continue to make me proud. But until then you must train hard with the gifts you have, and don't ever regret having them..for your Eiodins make every Asakura who they are..including you." Ceraza nodded bravely and gripped the Katana tighter, a few stray tears falling to the ground.

"Now go, and don't look back. Don't stop until you are far from this land. And remember that I love you with all my heart Ceraza."

/End of Flashback\\

"That's why I'm not going back" Katsumi replied with a smile, Ceraza looked at her in shock.

"You have to! Father will kill you if he finds out you stayed!"

"I don't care! If you can go through this for a hundred years then I can help! Please, don't send me back there...I want to stay here, with you!" Ceraza thought for a moment before sighing, she knew Katsumi would not go back whether she said yes or no.

"Ok, Ok..Hiei is not going to like this one bit" Ceraza mumbled the last part to herself, Katsumi giggled.

"He'll come around, he likes you after all"

"He has to like me, we are team mates" Katsumi rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean he Likes you...You know he never left your room while you where resting?" Ceraza blushed a little at her sisters words.

"Oh would you look at the time, we should go see the others before they worry!" Ceraza said changing the subject and pushing Katsumi out the door.

"H-hey! Stop changing the subject, Wait you like him don't you!" Katsumi said, her face lighting up with realization. Cerazas blush depend.

"I have no idea what you're on about- Oh hey Kuwabara!" Katsumi grinned the whole time they sat in the living area with Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara.

"Ceraza! You're awake!" Kuwabara stated, Ceraza rolled her eyes.

"No you Baka I'm sleep walking" Katsumi and Kurama muffled a laugh.

"Hey shut up! I was concerned about you and this is how you repay me!"

Ceraza laughed a little then looked at the four of them.

"Hey listen..Katsumi will be staying with us from now on, then once the tournament is over..she will be leaving with me"

"W-What? Are you sure? I mean what if she tries to kill you again?" Kuwabara exclaims with concern for his friend. Ceraza shook her head.

Katsumi frowned a bit as her eyes pricked thinking about the damage she caused her sister. Katsumi wouldn't blame them all if they refused to let her come with them or if they even ignored her while she was around. Sighing she looked up as she noticed Hiei look up.

"It's fine, if she wanted to..she could have already" Hiei growled but speaking.

"And you trust her?"

"Yes. As much as I trust all of you"

Katsumi snickered a bit behind her hand as she watched Kuwabara and Hiei argue. Looking at Ceraza she smirked. "Do they always do this?" Katsumi asked as she watched the two amused. From the corner of her eye Katsumi noticed Ceraza nod.

"Hn. Then you are a fool, along with the rest of you" Hiei then left the room without another word. Ceraza sighed and Katsumi became concerned for him.

"Shouldn't we do something?" She asked.

"No, believe it or not..this is just Hiei's way of showing his concern for Ceraza. It will take a while for him to adjust to the situation, but he will eventually" Kurama spoke, looking at the door that Hiei had walked through.

"Does that mean you are ok with this?" Ceraza asked him with hopeful eyes, Kurama nodded.

"Yes, but I believe you will need to also convince Yusuke and the Masked Fighter" Ceraza nodded.

"The masked fighter?" Katsumi asked, confused.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you it later..Hey Kurama..where is Yusuke and the masked fighter?" Kuwabara and Kurama then looked at each other then back to Ceraza and Katsumi.

"They have been gone a while now, they started arguing earlier today while you was asleep. Then they suddenly left and haven't come back.." Kurama spoke. Cerazas eyes widen.

"W-what? Already?" Ceraza panicked, she then ran out of the room with Katsumi calling behind her.

"I-Its okay, I'll be right back just STAY HERE!" she called to all of them, at this point Katsumi pouted and sat down on the nearest couch. "So,…poker?"

Pretty soon Ceraza was running outside the building and into the forest in the pouring rain to which she felt Yusukes energy.

/Scene Change: With Yusuke and Genkai\\

"Yusuke!" Ceraza shouted over the rain once she saw Yusuke at the entrance of a cave, Yusuke turned around quickly once hearing her call.

"Ceraza? What are you doing here? You should be resting" Yusuke replied, grabbing her shoulders.

"I'm fine, but yo-"

"Well it's about time you got here slacker.." Ceraza and Yusuke look over to Genkai who was stood in the cave, her hands behind her back.

"Damn it master, you could have at least waited for me!" Ceraza moaned to Genkai.

"You mean, you're helping to?" Yusuke asked her, Ceraza nodded.

"I'm here to make this go as smoothly as possible." She replied. Yusuke nodded.

"Alright, just one problem.." He said, Genkai looked at him.

"And what is that?" She asked.

"I can't do it..I can't kill you I'm sorry but id rather take my chances fighting as a team"

Ceraza smiled slightly and looked at Genkai.

"All and all I think your a head case, See ya" Yusuke said and began to leave the cave.

"You answered correctly" Genkai called before he left, Yusuke stood still.

"Don't look so startled moron. You've qualified for the test so lets go" Genkai began walking into a deeper part of the cave. Yusuke was stunned and didn't move for a moment until Ceraza grabbed his hand.

"You heard the old hag. Lets go"

"Wait a minute didn't you hear me? I said I wasn't going to do it"

Ceraza began to laugh.

"You give quiet an important speech when its important Yusuke, but do you really think Genkai would give her power to someone who would willingly take away her life for it?"

"And yet at the same time, she needed someone who wouldn't refuse the idea immediately. This isn't for a sissy you know" Ceraza added with a grin.

"Alright, then why didn't she give you her power?"

"Because my Eiodins would have rejected it, so you're the next moron in line for the power."

"Stupid fossil! I can't believe I said all that touchy feely crap for nothing!" And with that Yusuke and Ceraza walked further in the cave after Master Genkai.