Part 24: Counter Strike

 

"Hit, hit. Good, keep it up." Hiei's voice was drilling you relentlessly: as per-usual. Perspiration gleamed from your furrowed brow, trailing drawlingly toward your chin. Your breath was catching sharply in your chest. Aching. Tired...

 

"Focus!"

Your eyes sprang back open on command. Hiei's Katana was positioned at your throat, lethally near to your main artery. His eyes were blank.

"Dead - Again. You have to keep focus, work through the exhaustion, Brianey."

Your sigh echoed around the empty training room, as you moved toward your bottle of water, which was promising the return of energy and relief. Hiei scowled at you slightly.

"We've been fighting like animals for six hours straight, Hiei. I-"

"Yusuke fought for a week continuously, as well as intensely several hours when Sensuei threatened to open a tunnel to Demon World - Do not complain. When Akki comes for you, it's possible you may have to do the same. Don't expect him to give you breathing time and room to have a drink. Again." He was facing you, in a fighting stance his sward poised.

"Hiei-"

"Again, baka inu!"

You lunged at him growling deeply from within your throat. The sound surprised you at how feral it actually was. He had blocked you easily but you were one step ahead of him. Shifting nimbly, you sent a spirit orb into his stomach - and actually did some damage.

"Don't call me that! I'm a wolf, not a dog!" You threatened, chaffed at his insult. He collected himself quickly, the emotion rapidly dissolving from his angels face.

"Your offence is better when you're angry... Hn. Interesting." Your glare hardened but then apprehended his evaluation. He was trying to see if I still had energy and strength to fight? You relaxed.

"You got me mad on purpose?"

"Clever Ookmai." He complimented dryly. You sighed. He attacked...

 

*

 

"So, three-eyes is trying to kill you... Damn, he stole my ide-"

You jabbed your elbow sharply into Yusuke's stomach. He jolted but only ended up laughing at you.

It was a few weeks after the bowling trip: several in fact. The training with Hiei was becoming more and more intense, and he now had you fighting in the dark every night to get your darkness and wolf senses in top condition. You, however, thought it was just so he could slam your face into the dirt outside and then laugh at you from the shadow of a tree. 

 

Your bonding with the gang had also come a long way. You had fixed your differences between yourself and Kayko; having decided it was just too much hassle to argue, though you still hadn't entirely forgiven her and Yusuke. You thought that would have been understandable, after all - no one would want to be shown their spouse was sleeping with someone else, would they? 

 

Hiei also seemed to be allowing his defences to decrease around you too, though he was still hesitant to look you in the eyes for too long. You assumed that was because he still wasn't sure if he could completely trust his feelings after Akki had suggested he may be controlling him somehow, even though he had been confirmed clean of potions and telepathic tampering from an S-class physic demon and Koenma's nurses.

 

For the time being, you were just going to enjoy your day off, and hopefully catch up with Shadow. You hadn't seen much of her lately but you knew why, and it made you laugh a lot. It was sometimes an asset to have highly sensitive hearing, because it meant that you could hear people sneaking into other people's rooms and not coming back out until early the next morning.

 

"Can the spirit detectives please assemble in Koenma's office at once?"

George's voice boomed out over the intercom that was installed throughout the apartment so loudly that it caused you to have to slam your hands over your ears to save yourself from being deaf. Yusuke was looking at the wall dumbfounded, obviously off guard like you had been. He looked at you quickly, you sighed.

"Go on, have fun killing things..." You tried to sound enthusiastic, but in actual fact this was going to seriously trample on your plans for the day. Shadow was a member of the detective team. She'd been promoted to that title on account of Kurama persuading Koenma that she could protect you better if she was made an official member.  Yusuke frowned seeming to pick up on your mood.

"It's probably something like Koenma wants us to go help an old lady across the road - he's been getting too serious lately." Yusuke mumbled irritation in his voice. You raised an eyebrow slightly.

"And you can't think of a reason why?" You asked incredulously. He gave you a sheepish smile.

"Oh... yeah Akki. Still I don't see why he's worrying so much.  Your training's been going good, Hiei said you have a physical soon to see what level your power is."

"Yeah go on you're gunna get a detention, or told off." You replied seriously.

"Er, sorry - Can the Detectives and Brianey, come to the office." George's voice sounded pained on his second announcement, and you concluded that Koenma must have hit him for his negligence at relaying the entire message. However, you let that thought dissipate quickly, as you followed Yusuke to the office, in confusion at why you were being summoned as well.

 

*

 

"We've captured one of Akki's spies; he's told us where his hide out is." Koenma's rushed explanation sent you all on edge as soon as you stepped foot through the ancient, oak door. You tensed at the name, but remained silent. The others, however, launched into questioning, that you assumed was routine from how specific the questions were. You on the other hand felt overwhelmed - it was flying over your head before you could even grasp how serious the situation was getting. 

They found his hide out? Is that good? You watched dizzily as the others conversed over maps and travel times. You froze.

They aren't thinking of going too his hide out... Are they?

Fear paralysed your very bones. There was no way you were ready to take the fight to Akki, and as arrogant as you were in your own abilities, you knew there wasn't any possibility in you taking him on and being the victor in a fight, and you weren't going to rely on the others to kill him for you.

"How long will it take to get to this...? Where was it?" Yusuke was pointing to a place on the map on the large LCD screen. Koenma promptly giving him the estimations of a three day walk, without complications. Shadow on the other hand was working out the best way into the layer, obviously too caught up in her duty to see you were apprehensive in a counter strike.

"Don't you think we should allow Brianey to decide?"

Silence filled the room, as each occupant turned to look at Hiei, who was standing off centre in the large, oval room. His eyes board back into theirs challengingly, though he quickly repeated himself, fully. "This is her fight is it not? She's the one he's after, and it's her family that has suffered for what he is trying to accomplish - she should get the decision on if she wants to go through with the attack now, or later on." 

 

"Hiei, need I stress the importance of this information to you? We can't wait to counter attack; we need to do it now while he's off guard! We can't afford to wait." Koenma's voice was so stern, so stubbornly set, that you knew he was going to order this strike, with or without everyone on the team.

"This isn't your fight Koenma! It's Brianey's. You gave us this case to protect her - running head long into a fight against an A going S-class demon is ludicrous - you're going to get us killed!" Hiei's voice overrode Koenma's objections so completely, that you were left staring at him, along with the rest of the detective team. Quietly, your mentor, and most trusted friend beside Shadow, looked at you.

"Do you think you can do this now?" His voice was emanating silence for the remaining six people in the room. You shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm still only a C-class Demon. There's no way we can go up against him at the minute." You were being brutally honest. You knew not to underestimate your enemy, and you weren't about to start now. Yusuke chuckled at you slightly.

"Look I'm an S-class, and even I'm slightly scared of you in a fight and we have your back." He reassured. You looked at him and the others and smiled.

"I know that, but still like Hiei said: this isn't your fight. I need to kill Akki on my own, that fight is mine, and I'm not ready yet. I need more time."

"How much more time?" Koenma insisted urgently. It was clear Hiei's little speech had persuaded him slightly to reconsider. You looked at Hiei slowly.

"That's all up to my sensei." You replied. Your remark caused the others to look at Hiei, who in turned looked slightly surprised. Curtly he answered.

"She'll be ready in one week. I'll make sure she is." He informed the small ruler. Koenma nodded.

 

"Then it's decided. The counter strike on Akki commences in one week. Make sure you're ready." He stated, his voice was aimed at you more that the others.

"Don't worry: I will."