Jewel
By Ninetails
Chapter 1: Makai
The Makai sun beat hotly on my exposed skin, even though it was still early. A lock of my silver hair stuck damply to my cheek. I look at my side and gaze at my lover's face, smiling a little when I see him cuddle the necklace I gave/stole for him last night. It was the Evil Eye necklace, a pendant rumored to have great powers. Kuronue stirs then wakes up. "I'm starving. I'll go hunt for a while," winking at me, a world of significance in his words. I smirk back as I remember the scene last night.
à ------
Kuronue and I creep stealthily through the tall grass towards a large cave. We were on a mission: to pilfer the great Evil Eye necklace kept by some weak youkai. Then more paces and we were at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly, a blue youkai with a horn appeared and started to whirl a ki-ball towards me. I easily deflect it and Kuronue struck at the youkai... dead.
I take a moment to wink at him and he smiled back; we make a great team. Then suddenly, a slightly powerful youkai smiled a challenge at me and I acknowledged it. I summoned some plants and one, a demonic version of a Venus flytrap, captured the youkai in its gaping mouth and killed it with venom.
I grin wickedly, and then turn to see Kuronue give a manic laugh as he beat another youkai. I was surrounded suddenly by youkai and by the time I defeated them all, I saw Kuronue venturing into the heart of the cave.
When I reach him, he was about to reach for our prize when I stopped him. "Don't be so eager," I told him. "Why? We deserve this," he said, gesturing to the necklace lying on an ornate box in the middle of the place.
"Here's why," I said, demonstrating to him. I stroked my hair and my hand came out with a rose. I threw it towards the necklace when suddenly, a black light surrounded it and disintegrated my beautiful creation. "Hmm, I hate to see lovely things destroyed," I mused, staring wistfully at the ruined remains of the rose. "I take that as a compliment," Kuronue smiled.
I produced a seed and threw it at the shield. A plant immediately grew with a crystal-like flower. The blossom seemed to absorb the black light and moments later, I had the Evil Eye in my hand.
We went swiftly back to our air to celebrate. I first checked the traps Kuronue set earlier and found a solitary Makai rabbit. "Hey, that's mine, fair and square! I was the one who set the trap!" he said. His argument proved to be valid so I opted for persuasion. I glided over to him and fixed him with a golden stare. "Kuronue, you don't want me to go hungry, would you? You want me to have energy to screw you every night, don't you? Why can't you spare a little rabbit for me?" I pouted, then kissed him hard.
"Damn you! You know I can't resist your kiss... Oookay, but leave some for me. Hmph, probably the tail," he grumbled. I laugh at his brooding expression and kissed him again. "There are some left-over mammals in the back, you can eat those," I told him, then went to the vault.
I sighed at the sparkle and splendor of our hoard. We had stolen so many jewels and valuables that it was hard to keep track of them all. I try to find a place for the loot of the night but found none. Instead, I went in search of Kuronue to ask him about it.
He was sitting on a low rise near our lair and was looking at the night sky. I sit beside him and said, "Why don't you wear this necklace? I can't find a place for it in our vault, and you know that it's not my style, so you wear it."
"Ne, Kurama, if I didn't know better, you're actually giving me a gift! You really love me, don't you?" he teased, then pounced on me and started kissing his way down my neck.
"Back off, you baka! It's not a gift, it's just for safekeeping," I fend him off and lay down on the prickly grass, trying to shape the night clouds into something familiar. 'Do I really love him?' No answer was forthcoming so I let the matter drop from my mind.
"Hmmm, maybe I should give you something back, something you'd surely enjoy," he uttered in his low alto. "Oh yeah? Which is?" I drawl sleepily. "A good screw!!!" he shouted then threw himself on top of me, kissing me like there was no tomorrow. He started to loosen my tunic and I slipped his clothes off. He started rubbing our groins together. 'This is going to be a steamy night...'
à ------
I smile at that last thought, then I stroll back to our lair. It seems so desolate and bleak around our dwelling. No wonder. Kuronue and I have a reputation for being the most feared, powerful and respected bandits in the whole of Makai. They were too frightened to pay a visit. 'Hmph, whatever.'
I reach the vault and stare at all the sparkling beauties we collected. It doesn't impress me anymore. There was a time when I couldn't stop staring at the loot we had. Now, I was clean gone tired of it. There was something missing. I was not contented. There were rings, crowns, swords, precious stones, it goes on... but I must admit that we still don't have enough of the famous artifacts.
Like tear gems, for example. These gems are considered the purest gems in the Makai; very rare too, for these are the tears of the aloof Ice people of the mysterious Floating City seen only after a hundred years. 'What was that race's name again? I am certain it starts with Koo-something, it's at the tip of my tongue. Well, never mind.' I longed to get a hold on even one of those gems.
I was still pondering on these thoughts when a pair of strong arms encircles my waist and soft lips kiss my neck. "You were away too long," I told him. "Why? Would you miss me if I were gone? You youkos have a reputation of infidelity to your lovers. Am I certain that you are not of that nature?" he asked with a strange emotion in his eyes.
I stare at him incredulously and say, "Why so serious all of a sudden, Kuronue? Was there something wrong in what you ate?" He turned away and I was relieved. I wasn't quite sure that I could answer his question. Was I a true lover?
à ------
I finally persuaded Kuronue to help me find a tear gem. We decided to split up on a wide clearing. I passed by a river and it was there that I saw the youkai. He was bathing. What I can see of his was quite blurred because of the water and our distance but what caught my eye was the thing sparkling on his chest.
I take a closer look and I was thrilled to see it was a pearl-like jewel; a tear gem. 'Hey la, just one day's searching and it was delivered right into my hands. Didn't even drop a sweat.'
I creep towards the figure which was, I think, meditating. I summoned a plant and blew its pollen towards the figure. He was more asleep than a stone in seconds. I hurriedly snatch his necklace and ran as swiftly as only a youko could do.
I find Kuronue and show him my victory. I placed it around my neck to show-off its beauty. But oddly, I still was not contented. How many more jewels in the world could ease my discontent?
à ------
Little did Kurama know that a certain fire demon caught sight of him as he blew sleep pollen over him. Not enough to recognize him, but enough to vaguely distinguish the thief of his prized possession. Hiei's eyes blazed an unholy red as his anger stoked up. 'How dare that thief take my tear gem, my mother's only memory?! That youkai will die before this day ends.' And with these happy thoughts, he fled.
à ------
"I'll just up a few prey enough for a feast, lover. I won't be back till nightfall," I told a brooding Kuronue, then quickly smack his lips with my own. "Sure, just don't be long enough. I miss you already," he said, and there was another meaning to his words, rendered in his eyes. I smile a little. "I'll keep you aroused, but later, I promise to give more attention to you," following my cheeky statement with a wink. I then slipped away into the Makai forest to hunt some animals for ma and my lover.
à ------
'This is where my jagan has led me, to a lair surrounded by Makai plants. Not just ordinary ones, but deadly, demonic Makai plants.' He was not worried about them, they were but simple twigs to his katana and moments later, nothing was left of the grotesque garden but burnt soil, minced flowers, and a few charred remains of plants.
He charged into the lair to find a youkai with black hair. 'He doesn't look like the one I saw. Hn, still, somebody has to pay.' "Where is my tear gem?" he growled, his deep voice eliciting slight trepidation from the other youkai. He then ran into what seemed like a vault but his tear gem wasn't there. Thoroughly angry, Hiei turned all the sparkling beauty into a furnace.
Before Kuronue could respond, there was a black blur charging towards him and he dodged it only to find it hovering to his right. "This is going to be an interesting fight," Kuronue said, taking up the challenge. There was a wild smile on his lips. He sent a few of his ki blasts into the belly of the impudent youkai who dared to trespass in his lair. But suddenly, he felt cold blade go through his body. He looked up into the eyes of his foe, satisfied to find pain in his crimson orbs, then... All went black.
à ------
I was going back to our lair, a bundle of dead bodies slung over my shoulder. I was in my kitsune form, finding it easier to hunt when I am in this shape. When I was in nearing the lair, such a sight beheld me. All around me were charred remains of what once was the pride of my heart. All my beloved plants were ruined. I stood transfixed as I gazed around.
As one in a trance, I ventured into my lair. I found my lover lying in a pool of blood. All my strength seemed to drain away. I kneel beside him give him what little comfort I could offer him. After futile attempts to give him ki, he finally opened his eyes. I laid his head on my lap.
"Kurama, worry doesn't suit you..." "WHO DID THIS?!!! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! DAMN IT, KURONUE, TELL ME WHO!!!" I couldn't control my voice, but I try to lessen it when I see him wince. "Tell me please," I whisper, my hands trembling on his face.
I sensed that his ki was rapidly weakening and felt a dread come over me. A lifetime, an eternity, lived alone. "Don't die on me, Kuronue! Don't you dare leave me alone!," I was almost hysterical and all that baka could do was smile. "Well, last time I know, I'm no deaf. He was looking for the tear gem. He has a katana, and red eyes. Don't, Kurama. You can still live without me."
I could hardly control my body from shaking.
"I know you don't love me."
My tears were freely falling.
"You will find another to replace me and you'll be happy again.
I thought I was too dignified to sob. I wasn't.
"Don't worry, I'll still love you...."
"No, Kuronue...
"Kurama, kiss me one last time, onegai..." there was nothing to do but comply. I kiss him, trying to hold on to the thrill his lips gave me, trying to hold the memory of his warm, soft lips on mine, of the love that shines through his eyes.
"Kuronue, you don't understand! You're the only one...the only one I ..."
I was too late. There was nothing to do but close his glazed eyes.
I sat on the lair we shared for centuries, thinking of the times we shared. Slowly, a great fire burned inside me. The fire of revenge. I thirst for blood. He didn't have to kill my lover, he had no right to! I saw red. All my senses were on full alert I could feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through my blood.
He had a katana. And his eyes were red.
"YOU'LL PAY, DAMN YOU!!!!!" I cried hoarsely, intending it for the ear's of my lover's killer. With one final glance at our lair, I left.
Never will I return.
à ------
Author's notes and disclaimer:
The character of Yu Yu Hakusho aren't mine.
Who the heck is Kuronue, you ask? Since I made this fic about four years ago, way back when YYH was still hot, I vaguely remember the youkai who was with our hero when he was still youko Kurama, the thief. Oh, you remember Kuronue, guy with the black hair in a high ponytail, black wings, sleeveless black form-fitting top with arm-ribbon-thingies... no? Oh well...
Eventual kuramaXhiei, people, so don't fret. I'm actually through writing this fic, but my pc decided to bonk out on my so all my fics were erased. Good thing I always print my fics. I just had to root around to find them... (No small feat, I tell ya!). This is gonna be a trilogy so just wait patiently for my next two installments. Now I wonder when I could have time to type fics again....
Gomen for the shaky plot. I really don't have time to revise the whole story since I have a few more things to do so... Waaaah! Hontou ni gomen nasai!!!! (I ain't Japanese so I dunno if that's correct). Thanks to my ONLY tow reviewers: what2callmyself and Hakudoshi-chan!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! (BIIIIIIIG GLOMP) No reviews are needed though. Hehe.