Rui (泪 Rui?) (pronounced Ree in the English dub), is an Ice Apparition (氷女, kōrime; lit. ice maiden) who used to be Hina's best friend. She was the one who cast Hiei from the Glacial Village when he was an infant.
Appearance[]
Rui has long flowing grayish blue hair worn in a long ponytail tied by a white ribbon with four snowflake-like spikes pointing upwards. Like most ice apparitions, Rui has red eyes and wears a white kimono tied up with an obi.
Personality[]
She was the only one of the Ice Apparitions who actually pitied Hiei, telling the newborn just before she dropped him out of the Land of Glaciers to grow into a strong demon and kill her and the Elders to avenge his exile. Despite going through with the exile, it arguably broke Rui's heart just as much as it did Hina's, as shown when Hiei did return to the village through Shigure and her painful recounting of her old friend's death as Hiei was visiting. Showing that she had truly hated herself more than anything for the deed, Rui begged for death when she realized that Hiei was the child she cast out so long ago.
History[]
Before she did, she gave him a tear gem that came from Hina, and told him that she wanted him to grow up strong and one day take revenge upon the elders. Then she threw him into the Demon World below.
Hiei survived the fall, and was raised by thieves. After Hiei got the Jagan implant, he returned to Koorime to take his revenge as Rui had told him to.
He found Rui by Hina's gravestone, she then told him about how Hina had committed suicide after the loss of her son (in the manga, she died after giving birth). Rui then also informed him of Yukina and how she left to look for him. After hearing all of this, he left to find her. It is only then that she realizes that Hiei is the same boy that she tossed away all those years ago, and begs him to kill her. He ignores her and walks away, leaving her behind with her guilt and misery.
Etymology[]
- The name Rui means "tears, weep, cry" (泪).