White Noise : Tuning (Hiei)

“We'll take you back to that temple now!” Aria chirped, taking Yukina's hand in her's. Yukina grinned back at Aria and chuckled. She felt bad for having to worry Miss Genkai, but she was glad to be saving the life of Kawari's brother.

Kawari sighed and looked as if a part of him had just died. “No. No we won't.” Kawari said softly, obviously upset.

“Huh?” Aria said, looking confused and turned her head towards Kawari who just kept his head turned towards the ground.

Kawari drew in a deep breath to fortify his resolve. “I said, we're not taking her back to the temple.” He said then grabbed Yukina and throwing her over his shoulder. Yukina screamed in surprise and slight distress. “Let's go Eika.” Kawari said, assuming Aria would stick with him not only because he'd hired her, because, well...why wouldn't she? Why would she want to help some strange Koorime over him...but then again, Aria had a weird way of selecting who she favored.

“No.” Aria said, already knowing the choice she was about to make would possibly get her killed. “I'm not coming with you.”

Kawari looked slightly sad, but not totally surprised. He figured that she decided that that was the end of her job since after all she had only really been hired to help him kidnap the Koorime and stop Koenma's boys from stopping him and technically she had already completed all those. “Alright. Do you want the payment now?” He asked.

'Still time to turn back.' Her mind told her but she mentally shook the notion off. Knowing who Yukina was, she couldn't just let Kawari give her over to the Black Market. “No, I retract my demand for a payment.” Aria said.

Kawari looked shocked but then Aria continued. “But I am taking something in return for what I've done.” She said and shot forward. He was so shocked that he didn't have time to react. She yanked Yukina off of Kawari's shoulder and kicked him directly in the stomach, causing him to double forward which also made it easier for her to get Yukina, who was flinching fearfully.

“We need to run now.” Aria forced out with labored breath. Yukina couldn't figure out why Aria seemed so tired but she didn't have time to think. Once Aria noticed Yukina was spending more time looking at her with concern than moving, she grabbed Yukina by the wrist and started to pull her away from the still struggling and in pain Kawari.

As Aria pulled Yukina through the forest behind her, she could feel her symptoms getting worse. Her stomach was rolling almost violently, threatening to empty its contents right then. Her head felt as if it was about to crack open. And she could taste blood in her mouth. She wasn't sure how much farther she could run. She had broken her promise to help Kawari get the Koorime and now her body was forcing her to pay the price.

Behind her she heard Kawari crashing through the forest, trying to catch up, but he couldn't see them through the thick woods and was having trouble keeping after them.

Aria ran forward. Unlike Kawari, she knew exactly where she was going. She had to find Hiei. She was dying anyway so even if he killed out of rage over what she'd done, it didn't really matter. All she was concerned with was getting Yukina back where she was safe. She had been all for taking Yukina away, getting the tears and then bringing her back, but what Kawari had planned? No. She couldn't do that. Not since she had learned who Yukina was and her relation to Hiei.

Behind her, Kawari crashed through the forest wildly. He was frantic to find the Koorime. He had been told in order to get his brother back to bring the people a Koorime and five tear gems as proof that she was the real deal(so technically he hadn't lied to Aria, he had need the five tear gems). He needed the girl in order save his brother. The way he saw it it was just the forced labor of a stranger or the life of his brother. He didn't want to make that kind of a choice but he'd been forced to and he would chose his brother, his savior, his hero any day of the week.

As Aria was racing towards Hiei, Hiei was headed straight towards her as well. Except unlike Aria who had nothing but good intentions, he had every intention of killing both her and Kawari (assuming Yukina was still asleep so she wouldn't stop him) the moment he found them. He had left Yusuke and the others behind, not bothering to tell them where Aria and the others were so they didn't have much of a chance of being able to follow him. He didn't want to have to deal with them getting in his way.

He felt as if pure rage was propelling him forward and he was running faster than he ever had in his life. As he ran, thoughts of both Yukina and Aria spun around his head in a confusing torrent of thoughts, memories, and emotions. Too many for his liking. This was just getting too complicated for his liking. It would be just so much easier if he had not gotten so close to Aria. He would be sure to never make that mistake again.

A few seconds later Aria came into sight, towing an obviously flustered Yukina behind her and Hiei felt his blood boil. He growled and lept out in front of Aria and Yukina with his blade out and pointed directly at Aria.

“Traitor.” Hiei growled, all his hate, rage and hurt forced into that one word. This was the second time he felt Aria had left him but this time was so much worse.

Aria opened her mouth to defend herself but her knees gave and she collapsed to the ground gasping for air and her stomach finally forced up everything she'd eaten in the last few days along with a bit of blood, which left Hiei totally at a loss for what to do. Should he kill her like planned or let her suffer for a while? But what got him to stall even longer was that he couldn't figure out why she seemed to be in so much pain. She hadn't been that sick, he was sure!

“Miss Aria!” Yukina cried, kneeling down next to Aria and placing her hands on her shoulder, trying to figure out how to help. She had tried to use her healing ability while they'd been running but it obviously hadn't helped much, if at all.

Before Hiei could ask why in the world Yukina was helping her would-be kidnapper, Kawari burst out of the woods, hot on the trail of Aria and Yukina, but he stopped dead in his tracks once he saw Hiei.

“Don't kill him!” Yukina cried, noticing the murderous look in Hiei's eyes.

Hiei growled low in his throat but didn't want to upset his sister so kept put but god help the mirror demon if he made even the slightest move towards Yukina.

“I'd suggest you turn yourself around mirror demon and go the other way.” Hiei spat at Kawari who cringed away from him.

Kawari just wanted to help his brother and Yukina pitied him for that and understood why he was doing what he was. She didn't hold it against him at all.

Kawari collapsed all fours, biting back sobs. He had failed. He had failed his brother. There was no way he could take Hiei in a fight and he recognized that. It was over.

Seeing the mirror demon fighting back sobs of defeat, Yukina looked over at him sympathetically. “He just did it because he cares about his brother.” Yukina said sadly and Hiei felt as if someone had taken a katana and stabbed it right through his heart. She may not have realized it but that was a really low blow. But then Hiei noticed the look that Aria was shooting him and he immediately knew...she knew. She knew who Yukina was to him. She must have heard something and it felt like his stomach had turned to ice.

Hiei just sighed and flashed over to Kawari, hitting him over the head with the butt of his katana and knocking him unconscious. He would deal with Kawari later.

Aria began coughing up more blood which caused everyone's attention to snap back to Aria.

“No!” Yukina cried while fighting back tears.

“After she helped kidnap you why are you helping her?” Hiei snapped.

“Because she helped save me. When the mirror demon tried to take me off, she kicked him in the stomach and grabbed me and ran towards here.” Yukina said still clinging to Aria's shoulders.

Hiei's eyes widened slightly and he immediately felt confused, but also relieved. She had helped and not hurt his sister. He didn't have to kill her. She hadn't betrayed him....but he immediately knew the problem. Kawari had hired Aria to help him take Yukina and by going back on her word she had broken her promise and a sound demon's body reacted violently when they lied.

Hiei knelt down next to Aria and felt her forehead with the back of his unbandaged hand as Yukina watched with hopeful eyes.

“Will she be Ok?” Yukina asked.

Hiei just shrugged. It was the truth. He wasn't sure at all sure if what he was about to do would actually save Aria's life. All he knew was what was wrong with her and how to possibly make it better.

By this time Aria was completely out of it. She was still technically conscious but she wasn't aware of anything that was going on around her. All she was focused on was drawing in air as breathing seemed to be growing harder and harder. Her whole body gave out beneath her and she collapsed to the ground.

Hiei untied the bell that had been tied to the sheath of his sword for the last four years and tied it to her wrist with the other bell that was already tied there. “I need you to try and use your healing youki.” Hiei said to Yukina.

Yukina nodded and started to concentrate her youki fully on healing all the mayhem that was going on in Aria's body.

Aria fought for consciousness but it was a losing battle and finally she felt her grip on the world loosening. The last thing she heard before falling unconscious was Hiei's voice saying 'Don't you dare die.' She wasn't sure if he'd said it telepathically or out-loud.