Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Game of Five ❯ Planning and Such ( Chapter 3 )

"Hey, Bekka," Yusuke called out to her, irritated that she didn't answer, he tried again, "Bekka….hey…Absinthe!"

Her left fist came up quickly and stopped just a fraction of a centimeter from his nose, which she then flicked. He could feel the breeze off her fist when it stopped and the flick was none too gentle, either. He fought the urge to hit her back, barely, when she spoke around her fingers, "I heard you the first time, and I told you not to call me Absinthe."

"Why does that Loki character call you Absinthe, then?" he demanded.

Removing her fingers from her mouth, she answered, "Because my mother thought it sounded pretty and gave me that name when I was born. I've never liked it. I started calling myself Bekka when I was two after a babysitter read a story about someone named Rebecca to me, but I couldn't say it correctly. Only my parents and Loki get away with calling me Absinthe, and my parents only use it when they're a little more than pissed at me. Loki does it to irritate me."

"Why is Loki out to irritate you?" Kuwabara asked.

She pulled a bitter expression, "He finds me entertaining. If I fail to entertain him, I get punished." She winced, "I've been hung, stabbed, shot, stoned, dropped off cliffs, electrocuted, poisoned….you name it…but he won't let me die…I have to suffer."

"So you can't die," Yusuke asked, "what's so bad about that?"

Bekka's eyes were vacant as she turned toward him, "No, I can't die, but how would you like to live through every single bone in your body being broken, and major trauma, feeling everything, not even able to pass out, because you didn't want to play a stupid game?" Her voice was harsh and bitter. He recoiled from her and her expression and voice softened, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. We just have to play his stupid game and hope for the best."

"Hope?" Kurama asked.

"Yes, hope. Dum spiro, spero…while I breathe, I hope. Loki doesn't understand hope, he thinks it's utterly silly. It is the best weapon I have, but it's double edged. I can hope for the best, or I can simply hope things don't get worse….the second backfires. Never tempt the universe by hoping things don't get worse, or thinking they can't."

"What do you mean, tempt the universe?"

She smiled, "Make something foolproof and the universe will make a better fool."

Botan spoke up thoughtfully, "I've heard that before."

"How does this help us rescue Hiei?" Yusuke spoke up impatiently.

"It helps to know the mind of the enemy, dim bulb," Bekka returned.

"Who you calling dim, Ab…" he retorted, posturing for a fight

"Enough, you two!" Botan yelled before Yusuke could finish saying anything he'd regret. "Can we have a little focus here? Bekka, you know Loki. What do you think we'll have to do?"

Bekka refocused on the task at hand. "First, Botan, you're not going with us. He only will allow the four of us to go. If you come, the game is forfeit. The first task will be to rescue Hiei and then we have to beard the lion in its den."

"What does that mean?" Yusuke asked bitterly.

Bekka ignored his tone and shrugged, "I don't know exactly. It could mean literally shaving the mane off a lion or it could mean taking something valuable from someone dangerous. It's basically a task for fools and those who are desperate. We'll need to work together, though, so I am sorry for calling you a dim bulb."

He looked at her, surprised. Botan nudged him in the ribs and he spluttered, "Uh, yeah, and I'm sorry for calling you Ab…..errr…well, y'know"

She smiled ironically, "Yeah, I know"

"So, what do you think we'll need to do?" he asked, sitting again.

"Other than show up where the X is tomorrow night after seven? I'm not really sure. I guess I should explain a little better how the elemental energies work, since you aren't familiar with them." She looked around to each of them in turn. Yusuke's face was still, Botan's was excited, Kuwabara looked deep in concentration, and Kurama looked calm. She took a deep breath, "Elemental energies are the energies of the earth…of the non-living generally. Earth is a very stable energy, solid, like the earth, obviously, but it can be very dangerous when aroused, like an earthquake. Water is stable and flexible. Its surface can be riled easily, but it takes a lot to affect the depths. When the depths are aroused, you get tsunami. Wind is constantly in motion and usually harmless. When aroused, you get tornados or hurricanes. Fire is variable but always potentially dangerous. It can be deadly and out of control or it can be calm and beneficial. Void, or spirit, is the combination of all four. It is the essential energy of the soul or spirit of living things."

"How long have you been using elemental energies?" Botan asked, unable to contain her excitement.

"Oh, hmm…about 150 years now, I think. I also have a sneaking suspicion that this is the last time I'll be able to."

"Why do you say that?" Kurama asked.

"Loki said it, I'm getting too strong. He can't take my powers now, but after this game, I kinda think he will."

"What happened to hoping for the best?" Yusuke challenged.

"I am hoping for the best," she smiled at him ironically again. "There's a difference between hoping for the best and hoping for the impossible, you know."

"Alright, so now we understand a little about what the elemental energies mean, how can we use that?" Kurama broke in before the two could start bickering.

"Oh, hmmm….hang on, let me find it…" Bekka began rummaging through her pockets. Even though what she wore looked like a normal pair of jeans, t-shirt and zipped sweatshirt, she had a lot of pockets hidden around her body. She pulled out a random assortment of items, including chalk, a small pair of balanced scales, a tennis ball, a length of string, matches, charcoal, various packets of herbs, several pens, and finally a battered book. "Here it is," she smiled triumphantly at them.

"A book? We have to read a book?" Kuwabara asked, worried.

"Oh, no. This is my book of shadows. It's a collection of spells and other randomness. It's my instruction book. You don't have to read it, just what I give you out of it." She began flipping through the pages while continuing her explanation, "I ran across a spell, or a rune, a while ago that calls on all the elements. I haven't used it because the need hasn't come up, so it's possible it can surprise Loki, which will help us. Ah, here it is." She looked up, "Do you have any paper, or do you want to try to memorize this?"

The crystal began to glow again on the table. It picked itself up again and skitted across the map, leaving another set of burnt lines. This time it said, "Patrick won't help you, silly girl."

She gaped at the writing on the table, her mouth moving wordlessly. When she found her voice, "Damn him! How did he….? There's no defense against….Damn him!"

"Are you going to sit there stuttering or explain what that means?" Yusuke demanded.

She glared at him. "The spell is called Patrick's rune. It calls on the four elements in their various forms. There's not supposed to be any way to block it. Unless…."

"Unless what?" Kurama asked.

"Unless he's found someone to make him a witch's mirror."

"What's that?"

"It is supposed to be able to reflect a spell back on the witch three fold. It's only a myth, I've been told. There's not supposed to be a way to make one, at least if you want to survive the process. He would use something like that, if he could get it made."

"Why doesn't he make one himself?" Kuwabara asked.

"A witch's mirror relies on the soul of the creator to energize it. Gods don't have souls," Botan answered, causing the others to look at her. She blushed and shrugged, "I've been studying magic for a while and heard about it once. I've never seen one, though."

"I've only heard it as a myth or legend, something to scare young witches out of seeking revenge or trouble."

"Can you break it?" Kuwabara asked.

Bekka frowned at Botan and she shook her head. Botan answered, "There's no actual record of one being made, so there's no actual record of one being broken."

But just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it can't be done, right?" Kurama insisted.

"Well," Bekka answered thoughtfully, "that's true, but I don't know enough about the mirror to figure it out." She sighed and began returning the stuff to her pockets. Briskly, she said, "Nothing more we can do tonight. See you guys tomorrow at the lion's den."

A/N Yes, one last Hiei-less chapter…he shows up in the next chapter…I'm borrowing Shakespeare's format of three leading up and two of action. I think there will be a brief epilogue at the end of the story, which you may be able to guess at by careful reading of this one :D I swear, my Shadow, Hiei shows up in the next chapter :D