*Do I really need to let everyone know again that I don't own Yu Yu
Hakusho?*
_Underscores mean italics_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter One: Mistakes
"_You bastard!!_" Hiei disappeared in a flash of black and reappeared, landing from an overwhelmingly powerful kick. Right to Kuwabara's stomach. The carrot top was sent flying across the huge warehouse into the wall nearly thirty feet away. Hiei's white headband had long ago been reduced to ashes by his Jagan's violent outbursts reflecting his own heart's rage. "HOW COULD YOU!?!?"
"I didn't chose to let this happen shrimp! Do you think I would have willingly let her die!?" Kuwabara choked through his own tears. He picked himself off the hard, grey cement floor of the building and started to walk back to the unruly fire youkai. Everyone was there, all avoiding the eyes of the two fighters. Yusuke, Kurama, Botan, even Koenma. They had all witnessed the tragedy. And there was a silent agreement between everyone present that Hiei and Kuwabara had to work this out in the their own terms until things got out of control.
"You were the one who was supposed to be protecting her!" Hiei screamed. Kurama lifted his head to look at Hiei. In all his years with the demon he had never once seen the Jagan eye glow so violently. Though in all his years, he had never seen Hiei lose his grip on everything so rashly. Kuwabara was sent flying by another of Hiei's attack, this time a flaming black wave of his energy.
"I had my hands full! I thought she would be fine!" Kuwabara argued with Hiei, "I never would have taken my eyes off her if I thought they'd go after her!" Botan clenched her teeth, and buried her head in Koenma's shirt. He could feel her warm tears seep through the thin material and put his arm around her.
"THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE!" Hiei raged again. He had no sense of right, wrong, morals, life, or death. Everything was the same emotion to him. An overwhelming anger and sorrow. "How could you let her DIE?!" Kuwabara was walking back to the living time bomb that Hiei had become, spirit sword in hand. Botan's sobs rang faintly in his head when he pasted her. She fell to her knees, her sky blue hair hiding her raining eyes. The ground was speckled with her salty tears. Koenma was by her side, behind Kurama, trying to comfort her futilely. She dragged her head up to watch her friend be beaten to a pulp.
"I already told you I couldn't stop it!" Kuwabara ran at Hiei and swung his glimmering sword down with all his might. The attack failed to come within even a foot of Hiei, out done the yokai's speed again. Just the opposite of Hiei had occurred with Kuwabara, his power being substantially diminished. He wasted no time in countering Kuwabara, assaulting him with another wave of black flames. Kuwabara's already battered body smashed into a pile of old wooden crates, sending splinter and dust flying all around. Despite all the abuse he had been put through, emotionally and physically, he stumbled to his feet and unsteadily pace towards Hiei. Kurama was still focused on Hiei, watching for a sign to intervene. Hiei's reiki was insanely erratic, spiking and falling unpredictably. Kurama let five seeds fall to the ground silently, preparing for the inevitable moment when the bought would have to stopped. Kuwabara, however, was oblivious to Hiei's raging energy and kept walking to him.
Then stopped frozen.
The bandage around Hiei's right arm were burning in ebony and violet flames. Tattered shreds feel to the ground revealing the deadly black dragon embedded to his arm. The dragon's eyes appeared to hold a spark of restless and vengeful life. Hiei didn't seem to realize the dragon was rousing, blinded by his anger. Even Kuwabara knew it was coming. Hiei possessed the immense power to annihilate the entire site and then some. And he was preparing to unleash it.
"That's enough Hiei," Kurama warned firmly. His hand was flowing a dim red, and the seeds had disappeared into the soft ground. He understood Hiei's devastation, but he wouldn't let him destroy everyone because of it.
"Stay out of this Kurama!" Hiei shouted to the silver fox. The black dragon around his arm was awakening slowly, feeding on the demon's energy. Kurama closed his emerald eyes regretfully and let loose his plants. Vines erupted out of the ground around Hiei and swiftly coiled around his body tightly. The fox's left hand lost it's faint aura, replaced with a strong and brightly shining one. Hiei struggled to escape the vine prison, but his lack of ration and the great amount of additional reiki Kurama was focusing in the strength of his plants held him fast. "Dammit Kurama, LET ME GO!!" The thief ignored the command and waited for the blinded fire youkai to release some of his flare.
~~~~~~Just earlier~~~~~~~
"Koenma why the hell are you here? That's one more person for us to have to try to protect!" Yusuke complained when he was informed the child ruler would be joining them on their next case to the Makai. The tantei had recently been told about a demon who had taken a liking to stealing ningen (a/n: human) children's souls while they slept peacefully. Without a soul the bodies of the unfortunate children died within hours of being visited by the new "grim reaper."
"Because I have to witness first hand the newest threat to the ningenkai," the child ruler explained, "There have been several reports of children's deaths due to missing souls, far too many for one lone demon to steal at a time. I believe there is a band of them working together, and it's my job to know how they work. Thus I am following you to see this one's vulnerabilities."
"Can't you watch from your tv or whatever you always spy on us with?" Yusuke asked.
"No."
"Stupid pain in the ass..." Yusuke mumbled under his breath.
"I heard that," Koenma said.
"Whoop de freakin do."
The group walked into sight of the large warehouse Koenma's intelligence reports stated the demons had last been known to stay in. "Kuwabara, your going to watch out for Yukina, correct?" Kurama asked concerned. He was nervous about bringing the sweet ice apparition with them, even though her healing powers would be an asset.
"Yeah, not a problem for the great man Kuwabara! I promise to protect you, Yukina!" he tried to impress the shy girl.
"Yukina, stay near the door so if things turn bad you can escape easily," Kurama advised, just in case.
"I will," she assure the fox as Yusuke walked up to the rickety door.
"Hey Koenma, maybe we'd be a little more intimidating if you weren't a baby," he mocked.
"Watch what you say Urameshi," Koenma replied, though agreeing with him in his head. He took on his teenage form in a smokey second, and nodded for the teen to push open the door. Or rather kick it open. The building they walked into looked even shabbier then it had from the outside. There were two windows near the ceiling on either side, letting in little light. There was one candle lit near the far side of the room, revealing one lone demon.
"Jeeze just one jerk? Where are the rest you said would be here, Koenma?"
"Genkai's right, you truly are a dimwit. Do you think all of them would be in the same place?"
"Unfortunately, majority of my students are seeking refuge here from your other grunts squirt," the demon interrupted, standing up, "but I am relieved that you brought so few tantei. Are you running short lately? I am confident my students will be able to dispose of you all in short time."
"Are you hallucinating? There's no one here!" Yusuke commented. The youkai's eyes glinted, setting more candles a fire like dominoes. They formed three rows along the roof, going straight across in perfect lines. The new light exposed more demons, sitting in small, perfected rows. Either precession held only ten demons. "Okay then..." the apparent teacher motioned for the disciples to rise. Kurama shot Yukina a glance, signaling her to back away and she followed unquestioningly. The band of youkai leapt from their former statue like state and attacked.
Hiei took a step back and placed his hand on the hilt of the ever present sword. His body disappeared in the normal flash of speed he was known for, and the first demon that came within ten feet of him had made the biggest mistake of it's life. Hiei's sword glimmered with newly spilt blood, and the pathetic attacker lay lifeless on the ground. He homed in on another heading towards his undefended sister, letting it's body fall to the ground one piece at a time. Yukina flinched at the gruesome sight.
"Your supposed to be protecting her fool!" Hiei scolded Kuwabara, who was standing significantly far away, trying to fend off some of the more skilled fighters assaulting them.
"If you didn't notice I'm a bit preoccupied here!" the orange headed boy replied absent mindedly.
"It's okay, Hiei, I'm fine. You don't need to worry," Yukina tried to end the quarreling between him and Kuwabara. Hiei shot another glare at his most hated ningen and darted off to put an end to the pointless battle.
Kurama and Yusuke were also having few problems with their opponents, though not as easy of a time as Hiei. Hiei's speed gave him the upper hand to all of the learning demons. Sensing that his students were going to decimated the leader fled, taking a door near left corner of the huge warehouse. Killing his third victim Hiei went after him, determined not to let one of them escape. Alive at least.
"Well isn't he gracious, leaving us with the gangs and getting to go off on his own and take care of one without having to worry about who's going to stab you in the back next!?" Yusuke complained, getting more and more agitated when another demon tried to attack him from behind.
"They're just novices, Yusuke, you know your not having any problems with them but keeping your distance," Kurama said, lashing his whip out at another student. They had already depleted half of the force against them. Kuwabara had five going at him at once however, and waving the sword around wasn't the best strategy. Once he had his attention on one another would come to attack him.
"I'm glad your all having fun!" Kuwabara yelled from the other side of the area. Kurama slashed through the last of his adversaries and started to go over to help Kuwabara while Yusuke aimed for the last one on their side of the room. When all three of the fighters were cornering the remaining demons, Kurama and Yusuke sensed something. Two more demons came out of the shadows swiftly, each heading for the entrance.
"What are they scared?" Yusuke mocked, launching another small bullet at someone going behind Kuwabara. The fox was far more hesitant though to be confident.
"Yukina move!" Kurama yelled, realizing what was happening. They weren't going for the door. Just the helpless girl standing feet away from it. Koenma was already on the other side of the room, watching Hiei's battle from the door they had gone through, Botan was sitting in the air on her oar, Yukina was the only one left. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiei heard a muffled warning from the other room, barely making out the syllables of his sister's name. He shot his last flame at the demon desperately trying to get away, already fatally wounded. Hiei was merely speeding up the painful process. His crimson eyes shot to the door Koenma was standing next to, staring at the adjacent room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yukina!" Kuwabara shouted. His eyes were welling with tears. He ran from the demons he was supposed to be facing and slashed through one from behind. Kurama finished off the ones Kuwabara left behind, and joined Yusuke next to their friend. "Yukina..." Kuwabara couldn't hold back his emotions at her sight. His love. Motionless on the ground. Ruby liquid dripping from her chest, her heart. Kuwabara was shaking. Hard. His motivation, his beloved, was gone. Yusuke put his hand on the devastated boy's shoulder, and Kurama whispered a small prayer for her. After his undertone stopped the only sound left filling the room was Kuwabara's sobs and Hiei's almost inaudible steps.
"What..." he started. His steps stopped dead when he saw past Kurama. "Yu..." He looked to Kurama, whom turned his head. Hiei knelt down next to his sister and shut her gentle crimson eyes, so much like his own. Yusuke thought he saw a single drop of moisture hit the ground when Hiei brought his hand away. The person Hiei held in highest regard, the most important thing to him in any world...had just been extinguished. He clenched his fist and felt his nails digging into his skin. "Where....were you?" Hiei said, sorrow and anger filling his voice. It was painfully obvious he was trying not to explode.
"I...we didn't know...I didn't see..." Kuwabara choked.
"You promised...how could I have trusted you? How could I have left her in your incapable hands? I believed you...this one time I actually held you to your word...and this is the one time when I shouldn't have?!" Hiei started to lose his temper.
"Hiei calm down," Kurama tried to contain him.
"You try to calm down! She wasn't your sister! How would you feel if you left your mother in this fool's hands and he let her die?! How Kurama?!"
"I didn't. I couldn't help it," Kuwabara stood up, still quivering.
"Your excuses aren't good enough this time you idiot!" The white band around his forehead burned back quickly, his Jagan flaring wildly underneath. Hiei's sorrow turned to anger quickly, and all his former hatred for Kuwabara multiplied greatly. "Your sorry?! She's gone now! It doesn't matter any more, YOU LET HER DIE!!"
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I couldn't go long with out having a YYH fic in the works ^^; I started this chapter awhile ago, but put it off until Haunting Dreams was done. I'm sorry to all the Yukina fans! Her death was the only thing I could think of that would get Hiei to act the way I wanted and keep him remotely in character! Don't say Kurama to me cause I don't support them as yaoi. I think it got kinda cliche in some parts even though I tried to avoid that. The beginning (just the part before it says "earlier blah blah") hooks onto the end of this chap. Weird way to do it, but I liked it better for some reason. Please review and tell me what you think!
_Underscores mean italics_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter One: Mistakes
"_You bastard!!_" Hiei disappeared in a flash of black and reappeared, landing from an overwhelmingly powerful kick. Right to Kuwabara's stomach. The carrot top was sent flying across the huge warehouse into the wall nearly thirty feet away. Hiei's white headband had long ago been reduced to ashes by his Jagan's violent outbursts reflecting his own heart's rage. "HOW COULD YOU!?!?"
"I didn't chose to let this happen shrimp! Do you think I would have willingly let her die!?" Kuwabara choked through his own tears. He picked himself off the hard, grey cement floor of the building and started to walk back to the unruly fire youkai. Everyone was there, all avoiding the eyes of the two fighters. Yusuke, Kurama, Botan, even Koenma. They had all witnessed the tragedy. And there was a silent agreement between everyone present that Hiei and Kuwabara had to work this out in the their own terms until things got out of control.
"You were the one who was supposed to be protecting her!" Hiei screamed. Kurama lifted his head to look at Hiei. In all his years with the demon he had never once seen the Jagan eye glow so violently. Though in all his years, he had never seen Hiei lose his grip on everything so rashly. Kuwabara was sent flying by another of Hiei's attack, this time a flaming black wave of his energy.
"I had my hands full! I thought she would be fine!" Kuwabara argued with Hiei, "I never would have taken my eyes off her if I thought they'd go after her!" Botan clenched her teeth, and buried her head in Koenma's shirt. He could feel her warm tears seep through the thin material and put his arm around her.
"THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE!" Hiei raged again. He had no sense of right, wrong, morals, life, or death. Everything was the same emotion to him. An overwhelming anger and sorrow. "How could you let her DIE?!" Kuwabara was walking back to the living time bomb that Hiei had become, spirit sword in hand. Botan's sobs rang faintly in his head when he pasted her. She fell to her knees, her sky blue hair hiding her raining eyes. The ground was speckled with her salty tears. Koenma was by her side, behind Kurama, trying to comfort her futilely. She dragged her head up to watch her friend be beaten to a pulp.
"I already told you I couldn't stop it!" Kuwabara ran at Hiei and swung his glimmering sword down with all his might. The attack failed to come within even a foot of Hiei, out done the yokai's speed again. Just the opposite of Hiei had occurred with Kuwabara, his power being substantially diminished. He wasted no time in countering Kuwabara, assaulting him with another wave of black flames. Kuwabara's already battered body smashed into a pile of old wooden crates, sending splinter and dust flying all around. Despite all the abuse he had been put through, emotionally and physically, he stumbled to his feet and unsteadily pace towards Hiei. Kurama was still focused on Hiei, watching for a sign to intervene. Hiei's reiki was insanely erratic, spiking and falling unpredictably. Kurama let five seeds fall to the ground silently, preparing for the inevitable moment when the bought would have to stopped. Kuwabara, however, was oblivious to Hiei's raging energy and kept walking to him.
Then stopped frozen.
The bandage around Hiei's right arm were burning in ebony and violet flames. Tattered shreds feel to the ground revealing the deadly black dragon embedded to his arm. The dragon's eyes appeared to hold a spark of restless and vengeful life. Hiei didn't seem to realize the dragon was rousing, blinded by his anger. Even Kuwabara knew it was coming. Hiei possessed the immense power to annihilate the entire site and then some. And he was preparing to unleash it.
"That's enough Hiei," Kurama warned firmly. His hand was flowing a dim red, and the seeds had disappeared into the soft ground. He understood Hiei's devastation, but he wouldn't let him destroy everyone because of it.
"Stay out of this Kurama!" Hiei shouted to the silver fox. The black dragon around his arm was awakening slowly, feeding on the demon's energy. Kurama closed his emerald eyes regretfully and let loose his plants. Vines erupted out of the ground around Hiei and swiftly coiled around his body tightly. The fox's left hand lost it's faint aura, replaced with a strong and brightly shining one. Hiei struggled to escape the vine prison, but his lack of ration and the great amount of additional reiki Kurama was focusing in the strength of his plants held him fast. "Dammit Kurama, LET ME GO!!" The thief ignored the command and waited for the blinded fire youkai to release some of his flare.
~~~~~~Just earlier~~~~~~~
"Koenma why the hell are you here? That's one more person for us to have to try to protect!" Yusuke complained when he was informed the child ruler would be joining them on their next case to the Makai. The tantei had recently been told about a demon who had taken a liking to stealing ningen (a/n: human) children's souls while they slept peacefully. Without a soul the bodies of the unfortunate children died within hours of being visited by the new "grim reaper."
"Because I have to witness first hand the newest threat to the ningenkai," the child ruler explained, "There have been several reports of children's deaths due to missing souls, far too many for one lone demon to steal at a time. I believe there is a band of them working together, and it's my job to know how they work. Thus I am following you to see this one's vulnerabilities."
"Can't you watch from your tv or whatever you always spy on us with?" Yusuke asked.
"No."
"Stupid pain in the ass..." Yusuke mumbled under his breath.
"I heard that," Koenma said.
"Whoop de freakin do."
The group walked into sight of the large warehouse Koenma's intelligence reports stated the demons had last been known to stay in. "Kuwabara, your going to watch out for Yukina, correct?" Kurama asked concerned. He was nervous about bringing the sweet ice apparition with them, even though her healing powers would be an asset.
"Yeah, not a problem for the great man Kuwabara! I promise to protect you, Yukina!" he tried to impress the shy girl.
"Yukina, stay near the door so if things turn bad you can escape easily," Kurama advised, just in case.
"I will," she assure the fox as Yusuke walked up to the rickety door.
"Hey Koenma, maybe we'd be a little more intimidating if you weren't a baby," he mocked.
"Watch what you say Urameshi," Koenma replied, though agreeing with him in his head. He took on his teenage form in a smokey second, and nodded for the teen to push open the door. Or rather kick it open. The building they walked into looked even shabbier then it had from the outside. There were two windows near the ceiling on either side, letting in little light. There was one candle lit near the far side of the room, revealing one lone demon.
"Jeeze just one jerk? Where are the rest you said would be here, Koenma?"
"Genkai's right, you truly are a dimwit. Do you think all of them would be in the same place?"
"Unfortunately, majority of my students are seeking refuge here from your other grunts squirt," the demon interrupted, standing up, "but I am relieved that you brought so few tantei. Are you running short lately? I am confident my students will be able to dispose of you all in short time."
"Are you hallucinating? There's no one here!" Yusuke commented. The youkai's eyes glinted, setting more candles a fire like dominoes. They formed three rows along the roof, going straight across in perfect lines. The new light exposed more demons, sitting in small, perfected rows. Either precession held only ten demons. "Okay then..." the apparent teacher motioned for the disciples to rise. Kurama shot Yukina a glance, signaling her to back away and she followed unquestioningly. The band of youkai leapt from their former statue like state and attacked.
Hiei took a step back and placed his hand on the hilt of the ever present sword. His body disappeared in the normal flash of speed he was known for, and the first demon that came within ten feet of him had made the biggest mistake of it's life. Hiei's sword glimmered with newly spilt blood, and the pathetic attacker lay lifeless on the ground. He homed in on another heading towards his undefended sister, letting it's body fall to the ground one piece at a time. Yukina flinched at the gruesome sight.
"Your supposed to be protecting her fool!" Hiei scolded Kuwabara, who was standing significantly far away, trying to fend off some of the more skilled fighters assaulting them.
"If you didn't notice I'm a bit preoccupied here!" the orange headed boy replied absent mindedly.
"It's okay, Hiei, I'm fine. You don't need to worry," Yukina tried to end the quarreling between him and Kuwabara. Hiei shot another glare at his most hated ningen and darted off to put an end to the pointless battle.
Kurama and Yusuke were also having few problems with their opponents, though not as easy of a time as Hiei. Hiei's speed gave him the upper hand to all of the learning demons. Sensing that his students were going to decimated the leader fled, taking a door near left corner of the huge warehouse. Killing his third victim Hiei went after him, determined not to let one of them escape. Alive at least.
"Well isn't he gracious, leaving us with the gangs and getting to go off on his own and take care of one without having to worry about who's going to stab you in the back next!?" Yusuke complained, getting more and more agitated when another demon tried to attack him from behind.
"They're just novices, Yusuke, you know your not having any problems with them but keeping your distance," Kurama said, lashing his whip out at another student. They had already depleted half of the force against them. Kuwabara had five going at him at once however, and waving the sword around wasn't the best strategy. Once he had his attention on one another would come to attack him.
"I'm glad your all having fun!" Kuwabara yelled from the other side of the area. Kurama slashed through the last of his adversaries and started to go over to help Kuwabara while Yusuke aimed for the last one on their side of the room. When all three of the fighters were cornering the remaining demons, Kurama and Yusuke sensed something. Two more demons came out of the shadows swiftly, each heading for the entrance.
"What are they scared?" Yusuke mocked, launching another small bullet at someone going behind Kuwabara. The fox was far more hesitant though to be confident.
"Yukina move!" Kurama yelled, realizing what was happening. They weren't going for the door. Just the helpless girl standing feet away from it. Koenma was already on the other side of the room, watching Hiei's battle from the door they had gone through, Botan was sitting in the air on her oar, Yukina was the only one left. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiei heard a muffled warning from the other room, barely making out the syllables of his sister's name. He shot his last flame at the demon desperately trying to get away, already fatally wounded. Hiei was merely speeding up the painful process. His crimson eyes shot to the door Koenma was standing next to, staring at the adjacent room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yukina!" Kuwabara shouted. His eyes were welling with tears. He ran from the demons he was supposed to be facing and slashed through one from behind. Kurama finished off the ones Kuwabara left behind, and joined Yusuke next to their friend. "Yukina..." Kuwabara couldn't hold back his emotions at her sight. His love. Motionless on the ground. Ruby liquid dripping from her chest, her heart. Kuwabara was shaking. Hard. His motivation, his beloved, was gone. Yusuke put his hand on the devastated boy's shoulder, and Kurama whispered a small prayer for her. After his undertone stopped the only sound left filling the room was Kuwabara's sobs and Hiei's almost inaudible steps.
"What..." he started. His steps stopped dead when he saw past Kurama. "Yu..." He looked to Kurama, whom turned his head. Hiei knelt down next to his sister and shut her gentle crimson eyes, so much like his own. Yusuke thought he saw a single drop of moisture hit the ground when Hiei brought his hand away. The person Hiei held in highest regard, the most important thing to him in any world...had just been extinguished. He clenched his fist and felt his nails digging into his skin. "Where....were you?" Hiei said, sorrow and anger filling his voice. It was painfully obvious he was trying not to explode.
"I...we didn't know...I didn't see..." Kuwabara choked.
"You promised...how could I have trusted you? How could I have left her in your incapable hands? I believed you...this one time I actually held you to your word...and this is the one time when I shouldn't have?!" Hiei started to lose his temper.
"Hiei calm down," Kurama tried to contain him.
"You try to calm down! She wasn't your sister! How would you feel if you left your mother in this fool's hands and he let her die?! How Kurama?!"
"I didn't. I couldn't help it," Kuwabara stood up, still quivering.
"Your excuses aren't good enough this time you idiot!" The white band around his forehead burned back quickly, his Jagan flaring wildly underneath. Hiei's sorrow turned to anger quickly, and all his former hatred for Kuwabara multiplied greatly. "Your sorry?! She's gone now! It doesn't matter any more, YOU LET HER DIE!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I couldn't go long with out having a YYH fic in the works ^^; I started this chapter awhile ago, but put it off until Haunting Dreams was done. I'm sorry to all the Yukina fans! Her death was the only thing I could think of that would get Hiei to act the way I wanted and keep him remotely in character! Don't say Kurama to me cause I don't support them as yaoi. I think it got kinda cliche in some parts even though I tried to avoid that. The beginning (just the part before it says "earlier blah blah") hooks onto the end of this chap. Weird way to do it, but I liked it better for some reason. Please review and tell me what you think!