Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance in this story.
Chapter 1
The remnants of the stadium were dark and still, the wind howling as it blew through the ruins. A little ways off from the destroyed structure, a mound of carcasses was piled high-- the remains of those that had lost their lives in the Dark Tournament. Scavengers were eating the meat off the cadavers, leaving slightly chewed skeletons in their wake as they moved through the pile.
After picking the bone clean, one vulture hopped over to another corpse, pecking some of the skin on a pale, waxy hand. The bird tried to fly away as the hand moved, grabbing the scavenger and snapping its neck in one fluid motion before tossing it aside. The other vultures and buzzards were startled into flight, circling the mass grave as one body pulled itself free from the pile of death, standing and surveying the area around it. The other animals scattered as well, watching this living stranger from the shadows.
Long, matted black hair moved slightly as the wind ruffled dirty and torn clothes. One gaunt arm was raised for inspection before narrow blue-gray eyes. A malicious smile stretched over thin lips as a decidedly evil-sounding laugh shattered the silence.
"It was a clever move on your part to drain all the blood from my body. However, it was not enough to destroy me. As long as I still have a body, it is only a matter of time before I regenerate, but I suppose there was no way you could know that, now was there?" the not-so-dead corpse said, his silky voice slightly raspy with disuse. He looked to the left as a sound caught his attention.
A wild dog growled, baring its teeth as it advanced menacingly, trying to protect what it viewed as its dinner. One emaciated hand flicked towards the animal, as if throwing some invisible object. There was an explosion and the canine fell, joining the dead at its feet.
The solitary figure gazed at the mound of half-eaten cadavers at his feet. "You won the last round, but that just makes me want to destroy you even more. It was carelessness on my part to not realize you would be willing to give your life in order to kill me, yet I do not see your beautiful body anywhere among these rotting corpses. It seems you were able to cheat death once again." The black-haired individual looked at the dog, surveying his work. "It will be some time before I am back at full strength," he said, looking disappointedly at his hand. Shrugging slightly, he raised the limb, pushing several locks out of his face before turning and walking away. "I can be patient. Besides, I've always loved a challenge. But, I wonder, how well will you fare when I bring the battle to you, Kurama?"
. . .
A brown-haired teenager pulled his cell phone from his pocket, flipping the cover up. "Great, I don't have any service here," he said, kicking a tire on the car. "You and your nature drives... How far away does this person live, anyway? We've been driving for hours through this forest and there's still no city in sight. And, to top it off, now we're stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no reception!"
"We're not stuck, Suuichi-kun. And it won't be too much longer before we reach Master Genkai's," his companion replied. The redhead pulled the spare from his trunk, as well as a jack and a lug wench. "We only have a flat tire. Don't tell me you've never changed a flat before?"
The teen folded his arms, looking away. "Never had to." He surveyed his surroundings once more, looking back at his stepbrother. "And you've been saying we're almost there for the last half-hour, Shuichi-san. I'm beginning to think we're lost."
Kurama loosened the bolts on the tire before raising the car up on the jack. "She lives in a shrine in the middle of this forest. The road passes the steps leading up to her dwelling. You can see the roof of the temple if you look over there," he said, pointing. A little bit of red was visible in the distance above the treetops. "I told you she lived several hours away when you asked if you could come along," the redhead replied calmly, taking the flat tire off.
"You said you were going to visit an old friend, not a hermit in the middle of nowhere!"
The kitsune hid his smile as he put the spare on and tightened the bolts. "You didn't ask for specification," he stated, lowering the car down off the jack before replacing the tools as well as the flat in the trunk. "There. Shall we continue?" he asked, climbing back into the car. A bit sulkily, his stepbrother followed suit.
They drove for a few minutes in silence, before Kurama turned to the teenager, the smile falling from his face as he noticed something outside the passenger window. His eyes widened and he threw his arm across Suuichi as a painfully familiar object came hurtling through the air, exploding as it hit the bottom of the car. The vehicle was flipped from the force of the blast, sliding off the road and rolling down the side of the mountain, smashing into several trees before finally coming to a stop at the bottom.
Kurama slowly raised his head from the steering wheel, feeling warm blood spilling out from a gash across his forehead. It seems the airbag malfunctioned, he noted, trying to focus his scattered thoughts. He started to lift his arm to wipe the blood from his eye, but stopped as his stepbrother cried out. Glancing to the side, he noticed his arm was caught between Suuichi's arm and chest. "Suuichi-kun, are you all right?" he asked as the teen slowly sat up.
The brown-haired boy groaned. "My head...and my arm..." he said softly, hissing as he tried to cradle the injured limb to his chest.
The redhead noted the slightly odd angle of the arm, concluding it was broken. The younger boy seemed to have a number of minor cuts from the shattered windshield, but nothing else too serious. "Come on," he said, getting out of the car. "We have to get out of here." He quickly walked to his stepbrother's door, using his demonic strength to get it open. Suuichi shakily stepped out of the ruined vehicle, slipping on the uneven terrain. Kurama lunged forward to catch him, but his foot landed in an unseen hole, causing him to roll his ankle instead. They both went down, the teenager crying out involuntarily as his arm was jarred by the impact.
Kurama lay on the ground, clenching his teeth together as he waited for the pain in his ankle to subside to a manageable level. It seems that I have sprained my ankle. We are too far away to seek refuge at Genkai's and I do not wish to reveal myself to Suuichi. I shall have to find a place for him to hide before our pursuer catches up with us, he thought, carefully untangling himself from his stepbrother before painfully pushing himself to his feet, steadying himself against the car. "Suuichi-kun, we have to go."
The brown-haired boy looked up at him. "Go?" he questioned uncomprehendingly. His eyes widened, alarmed as he saw the amount of blood running down Kurama's face. "Shuichi-san! You're bleeding!"
The kitsune shook his head. "It isn't serious. Head injuries just bleed a lot. I'm fine," he reassured the teen, wiping away the blood that had fallen into his eye. "We have to go," he repeated, sending some of his youki into the plants surrounding him. Hopefully, that would be enough to slow their pursuer down.
"Why?" Suuichi asked, taking the hand Kurama offered him as he stood. "Shouldn't we stay here, so someone can find us?"
"No." The redhead pushed away from the vehicle he had been leaning against, limping heavily as he tried to walk. He had to stop after two steps, bracing himself against a tree. "That was not an accident. There is a demon coming after us. We need to put as much distance between him and ourselves as possible."
The brown-haired boy looked startled. "A demon?! Are you sure?!" he asked.
"Yes." I just hope it is not who I think it is, Kurama thought, pushing away from the tree and attempting to walk again. "We don't have any time to waste."
"You can lean on me," Suuichi said, coming up beside the redhead. His voice shook a little despite his best efforts as he clutched his injured arm, trying to get over the shock of the accident and the knowledge that a demon was after them.
The kitsune put his arm around his stepbrother's shoulder, grateful for the support. He's taking this better than I thought he would, he mused as they moved away from the wreck. His keen hearing caught the faint sounds of bombs exploding. I had hoped the plants would have been able to hold him off for a little longer than that. We have to hurry, he thought, quickening his pace.
The blasts gradually became louder, each one causing Suuichi to jump. He kept glancing behind them fearfully, unsure of the fate that waited them at the demon's hand.
The wind blew through the trees, bring a new scent to Kurama's nose. "Karasu," he growled, his suspicions confirmed.
"What?" the teen asked, surprised by the venom in the normally calm redhead's voice.
Before Kurama could respond, a shadow passed over them, causing them both to look up. "Puu!" the kitsune exclaimed, startled but grateful for the spirit beast's appearance. The blue phoenix landed in front of him, cooing happily.
Suuichi didn't share the sentiment. "I-is this the demon?" he stuttered, trying to back away from the gigantic bird in front of him.
"Not exactly, but he will be able to help us," the redhead said, his voice neutral once more. He turned his head, addressing the phoenix. "Puu, I need you to take Suuichi to Genkai's temple."
"What?!" the teen demanded. "What about you?! I can't leave you here alone! That demon's still coming after us!" A bomb exploded much nearer than before, as if punctuating his statement.
Kurama took a step away from the brown-haired boy, supporting himself against a tree. "Puu, please keep him safe. You must go-- now!"
Suuichi shook his head vehemently. "No, I won't lea--" His protest was interrupted as the bird picked him up by his shirt, depositing the human on his back. The phoenix jumped into the air, flapping his wings to gain altitude as he headed for the shrine. The brown-haired boy clung to the bird's mane with one hand, desperately hoping he wouldn't fall off. He looked back over his shoulder in time to see the redhead fall to his knees as something exploded on his back. "No! Shuichi-san!" he screamed, unable to do anything but listen to his stepbrother's cries of pain as he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. Tears stung his eyes as the sounds faded, the blue beast taking him further and further away from the injured man. As the smoke started to clear, he was able to get a glimpse a familiar figure for a split second before the trees blocked him from view. "No...it can't be..." he whispered, shocked at what he had just seen. "It isn't possible..."
. . .
Kurama watched as Puu carried the brown-haired teen to safety. His eyes widened slightly as he realized the explosions behind him had stopped. Before he had time to do anything, a bomb hit his back. He cried out involuntarily as he fell to his knees, several more bombs injuring his legs to keep him from escaping.
"And here I thought you would have become stronger over the years we've been apart."
A growl escaped Kurama's throat when he heard the familiar silky voice, smoke already hiding his form as he began to change. The color drained out of his once red hair, turning to a vibrant silver as it grew longer. His ears changed from human to canine, repositioning themselves on top of his head. Green eyes turned to gold, fangs and claws replacing his teeth and nails. His jeans and button-down shirt were replaced by a flowing white tunic, his tail swishing back and forth behind him. As the smoke cleared, he rose to his feet, grateful that the injuries didn't carry over to his demonic form. He glanced up, noting that Puu and Suuichi were out of sight. It appears that my timing was perfect, he thought, turning his attention back to the Quest class youkai. "Karasu. I thought I had seen the last of you in the Dark Tournament," he commented, his deep voice void of emotions.
"Yes, that was a clever move on your part, draining all my blood from my body. However, it looks like we were both deceived. I thought you had given your life to summon that plant and you thought that you had actually killed me. It appears we both have our little secrets now, don't we?" the bomb master asked.
"So it would seem," Youko agreed. "And now you are back to challenge me again. I would have thought you learned your lesson the first time."
Karasu smiled maliciously. "I did. I underestimated how far you would go to win. I won't make that mistake again," he stated, stepping closer to the kitsune.
The silver-haired demon didn't move, a confident smirk settling on his features. "I am also a Quest class demon. I have complete mastery over plants, just as you have over bombs. And in case you did not notice, we are standing in the middle of a forest."
"We may be in a forest, but it is a ningen one. Your plants have not been of much help to you so far," Karasu said, gesturing to the smoking path that led up the mountainside. "You are no match for me." He held up his hand, an item glowing within it as it started to take shape.
The fox calmly ran a hand through his hair, withdrawing several seeds. He watched his opponent carefully, the cruel smile never leaving his face. You say you will not underestimate me again, but you have already done so by assuming that I pose no threat. I think I shall enjoy this battle immensely.
. . .
It took several minutes for Puu to reach the shrine, landing in the large courtyard. The phoenix cooed loudly, trying to get someone's attention inside. It took a minute or two before a black-haired man came out.
"What's with all the racket, Puu?" he asked, rather annoyed.
In response, the spirit beast craned his neck around to his back, picking the teenager up and depositing him on the ground.
"Suuichi? What are you doing on Puu?" He paused, taking in the shorter boy's appearance. "What happened to you?"
The brown-haired boy looked up, recognizing Yuusuke as one of his stepbrother's friends. "I...I was in a car accident..." he replied, trying to regain his composure. He was failing miserably.
"A car accident? What were you doing all the way out here?"
"Shuichi-san said he wanted to come visit an old friend...and then the demon attacked..."
Yuusuke's eyes narrowed. "A demon attacked? Where's your stepbrother?"
Suuichi raised his eyes, meeting the older man's gaze. "He sent me here and stayed behind..." he answered faintly.
If Kurama sent Suuichi away, that means that he couldn't beat the demon without an obvious display of his powers. He could take out lower class youkai just by using the plants around him, so this must be a powerful demon. I wonder if he needs my help? the toushin thought. "Can you tell me what the demon looks like?"
The teen shook his head. "I didn't see him. Shuichi-san said a name, though."
"And?" Yuusuke prompted.
"Karasu."
"Karasu?!"
Suuichi jumped at the black-haired man's reaction. Yuusuke didn't seem to notice, mumbling to himself. "How did he survive? I saw Kurama kill him in the Dark Tournament! Don't tell me Koenma screwed up again! It's weird that we haven't seen him before now... Oh, man! Kurama's in over his head!"
"Kurama?" the ningen repeated softly, gazing at older the man. So, it is true. Why didn't he tell me?
"What's all the noise about?" an old woman demanded, walking out of the temple.
"I don't have time to talk, Grandma! Kurama's in trouble! Karasu's back and he's after the fox again! Puu, take me to them!" he yelled, jumping onto the bird's back. An explosion shook the ground, a large plume of smoke visible rising into the air in the distance. "Puu, hurry!"
The phoenix raised his wings, jumping into the air and flying as away swiftly as he was able. Suuichi watched them go, his mind still struggling to absorb everything that had happened in the last hour.
"Hmph. Dimwit," Genkai muttered, glaring after her apprentice. Her gaze shifted to the injured teenager in the courtyard who was also staring after the phoenix. "Well, come on, kid," she said, getting his attention. "Let's go inside and get you cleaned up."
. . .
Karasu stood in the middle of the crater, tossing his blonde hair over his shoulder and wiping the blood away from a small cut on his neck. "And so, it ends. Come, Kurama, I wish to see your beautiful face one last time before I kill you. Do not hide from me," he said, walking towards a fallen tree. He paused, his eyes widening in surprise, as his opponent stood.
Youko stepped out of the smoking remains of the tree, blood running down his arm in rivulets from a gash in his shoulder. He was still smiling, unaffected by the wound and seemingly pleased with the outcome of the attack. "This battle is not over yet, Karasu," he said, licking some of the blood from his arm.
"Oh, so you have become a little stronger than you were in our last encounter. However, it still makes no difference. You weren't able to kill me then and you won't be able to beat me now," the bombs master stated.
The kitsune jumped out of the way as Karasu's 'mad bomb' popped out of the ground, trying to latch onto his leg. It caught one of the tree's roots, instead.
"I'm sure you remember my ojigi?" the fox asked casually, the plant growing rapidly and forming a barrier between the two demons. "After all, you had such a wonderful time playing together at the tournament..."
"It seems that the old saying is true. You can't teach an old dog new tricks," Karasu said, remaining still. There was enough wind in what was left of the trees that, if what the fox had told him about the ojigi was true, it might go for the trees instead of him.
"Why change strategies when the original tactics gained satisfactory results?" the silver-haired youkai asked, smiling as if he was privy to an inside joke. Surprisingly, the demonic plant just stayed where it was, swaying slightly in the breeze. It didn't seem to even be aware of Karasu's existence.
The stand-off continued for what felt like an eternity. The bombs master narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering why the plant wasn't attacking. It had had no trouble the last time zeroing in on his demonic aura, but now it seemed to be just an ordinary plant with no one pulling the strings. Karasu's eyes widened slightly as he shifted his gaze to the kitsune, noticing he was remaining completely still as well. So, it seems you're not as strong as you are trying to make me believe you are. You were able to summon the plant, but you lack the energy to control it. If I can make you move, then it will devour you instead! he thought gathering his energy to create another 'mad bomb.' It took much more effort than it should have and he was left feeling quite weak afterwards, but he smiled when he saw the bomb latch onto the fox's leg.
Youko merely looked annoyed, ripping through the metal tines holding his leg in place with his claws before jumping out of range of the blast. The ojigi didn't move.
The blonde narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something when the plant suddenly sprang to life. He scrambled to get out of the way, not having time to attempt to create a bomb as he dodged the leafy plant.
Youko watched calmly as Karasu's body became rigid in mid-air, the ojigi easily catching and holding him. The leaves did not completely cover him, nor did the plant attempt to eat him. The kitsune smiled cruelly as the confused demon was brought over to him and laid almost reverently at his feet.
"What--have--you--done--to--me?!" the bombs master demanded, straining to speak.
"I implanted a deadly vetch seed into the cut on your neck just before you exploded in front of me," the fox replied calmly. "It has drained your youki from your blood and immobilized your body. You are helpless."
The ojigi withdrew, leaving Karasu paralyzed on the ground. Youko retrieved the seed, replacing it in his hair as he drew another. Red branches sprouted from his hand, shooting out and hovering near the blonde, sharp tooth-filled mouths opening and drooling in anticipation of their next meal. The ground sizzled, smoke rising up from where the saliva touched the dirt.
"This is my death tree. You will be dead in under a minute, but the excruciating pain you will experience will make it feel like an eternity to you. This time, you won't come back."
. . .
Yuusuke desperately scanned the area below him, trying to find the two fighters. "You would think that they'd be easy to find," he complained, looking over the destroyed remains of plants leading from the road down the hill. He spotted Kurama's car crashed at the bottom about the same time he heard the screams. "Hold on, Kurama! I'm coming!" he yelled, jumping off Puu and running towards the sound. When I find Karasu, I'm going to kill him! I don't care how he survived, there won't be anything left by the time I'm through! I just hope I'm not too late to help Kurama! he thought, easily running down the path of destruction. The screams were getting louder.
Yuusuke came around a tree, charging up to fire a rei gun blast when he stopped, wide eyes taking in the sight in front of him. Karasu lay on the ground, screaming in agony as a familiar red tree attacked him, eating him alive. The silver kitsune, who had been watching this impassively, glanced up, his cold amber eyes questioning the toushin's presence.
The black-haired youth had the decency to look chagrined as he scratched the back of his head, a nervous smile covering his face. "Wow, I guess you didn't need my help after all, huh, Kurama?"
The fox blinked, the motion slow and controlled. "Did you think I was incapable of dealing with vermin such as this?" he asked, his voice low.
"No, no, it wasn't that!" Yuusuke assured him quickly. "It was just that, uh, your brother was worried and, uh, he said you were in a car accident and I wasn't sure how badly you were injured," he explained, hoping he sounded convincing.
The kitsune chuckled. "It is alright, Yuusuke. I am honored that you would so quickly run to my 'rescue,' even when it is not necessary." He looked back at Karasu as the screams faded, his diaphragm no longer functioning properly as half of it was ripped out. "My human form has been injured, however, so the assistance will be appreciated."
Yuusuke glanced down at the dying demon, quickly averting his gaze from the gruesome sight. It did not pay to get on Kurama's bad side. "No problem, I brought Puu with me..." the toushin trailed off as he looked around for his spirit beast. "Puu? Hey, Puu!"
A soft cooing was heard from above as the phoenix descended, landing next to his master. Yuusuke ruffled his feathers, scratching behind his ears. "I thought you'd ran off there for a minute," he said.
The bird looked at him as if trying to say 'You were the one who jumped off and left me,' before he leaned down, rubbing his head against his master's.
Youko turned back to his prey, experiencing a deep feeling of satisfaction as he witnessed the last of Karasu's body be consumed by the demonic tree. When he was completely gone, the death tree withdrew, wrapping around the kitsune as if thanking him for the meal before disappearing back into a seed once more. The fox tucked the seed back into his hair, turning to his ally. "Shall we be off?"
Yuusuke nodded, hopping on Puu's back and sitting down, one leg on either side of the phoenix's neck before motioning for his friend to follow. The kitsune did so, landing gracefully behind the black-haired man, holding onto him to keep from falling off. He nodded, signaling he was ready.
"Alright, Puu. Let's go!"
As the spirit beast took off, the fox repositioned himself, turning so his legs were stretched out as he sat back to back with Yuusuke, being sure to keep a firm grip on the toushin's arm. He sighed, allowing his demon form to fade, being replaced by his ningen one. His breath caught in his throat as the injuries reappeared on his body.
The mazaku looked over his shoulder, eyeing the injuries on his friend's legs. "You look like you've seen better days," he commented.
Kurama didn't reply, focusing on completing the transformation. When he was finished, he let his head fall back, resting against Yuusuke's. "I take it Suuichi arrived at the temple safely?" he asked, his voice soft. He sounded tired.
"Yeah, he did. Grandma's probably got him all patched up by now, too," the toushin replied. "Although, he seemed pretty out of it when I talked to him."
"Well, after being in a car crash, learning that a demon is after you and then flying to safety on the back of a blue phoenix, I would expect no less. I was surprised by how well he handled the situation, all things considered," the redhead replied.
"Yeah, I suppose so," Yuusuke agreed. The rest of the trip was spent in silence. When they arrived at the temple, the toushin jumped off before helping Kurama down. The redhead flinched as the impact jarred his injuries, but did not make a sound, allowing the ebony-haired man to support him as they went inside. "Yukina's off with Kuwabara right now, but Grandma's still here. Do you want me to go get her?" Yuusuke asked, helping the kitsune into one of the empty rooms.
"No, thank you," the redhead replied, gently easing himself to the floor. "The car accident needs to be reported and it would be a bit suspicious if Suuichi-kun and I survived it without a scratch."
The toushin nodded. "Okay, I'll go get you some bandages and stuff. Then we can take my car and check you two into the nearest hospital," he said, leaving the room.
Kurama closed his eyes, distracting himself from the pain of his injuries by thinking through his newest predicament. It is going to be difficult to explain how the accident happened to the authorities. It will be obvious that it was not through natural means that the car left the road in the first place. And my injuries will be difficult to account for. While there are probably scorch marks on the outside of the vehicle from the explosion, there are none on the interior and I have burns on my legs and back from Karasu's bombs. And the odd placement of the wounds will also be hard to explain-- His train of thought was interrupted as Yuusuke re-entered the room, carrying a first aid kit, an extra roll of bandages, a bowl of water and several cloths. "Thank you, Yuusuke. Do you know where Suuichi-kun is?" he asked, rolling up the tattered remains of his pants and cleaning his wounds.
The black-haired man shrugged. "I'll see if I can find him. I doubt he's wandered too far," he said, leaving the room.
The redhead continued tending to his injuries, rinsing the cloth out in the now-bloody water. He paused as something occurred to him. Reaching into his hair, he withdrew a leaf, placing it underneath his tongue. That should negate my demonic healing abilities, forcing my body to recover at the same speed as a normal ningen. I'll have to leave it there until we are released from the hospital, he thought, using the antiseptic from the first aid kit. My other herbal remedies will have to wait until then, as well. He paused again as footsteps approached his room, the air thickening with anger. Why is Suuichi upset? he wondered, watching the teen as he entered the room. His right arm had been splinted, a makeshift sling keeping him from trying to move it too much.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" the youth demanded.
Kurama's forehead furrowed in confusion. "I'm afraid I do not understand."
"Why didn't you tell me who you were, Kurama! I saw you change in the forest when that thing was taking me away!"
The kitsune's brow cleared in understanding. So, he did see me transform, after all. he thought, calmly meeting his stepbrother's glare.
"Well, say something!"
"What would you have me say, Suuichi-kun?" he asked softly, his tone neutral.
"For starters, why did you lie to me?! Why did you just sit there and let me make a fool of myself when I was telling you about the kitsune that rescued me?!" the brown-haired boy asked heatedly.
Kurama continued wrapping the bandages around his legs. "I did not lie to you, Suuichi-kun. Minamino Shuichi is my human name. Youko Kurama is my demon name. You were introduced to both, only at different times. And I was not patronizing you when I listened to your stories about your voyage with the demon," he explained.
"Then what would you call it?!"
"I was protecting you."
"From what?!"
"My past."
The ningen paused, obviously not having foreseen that response. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his confusion overriding his anger.
"I have a long and dark history in the demon realm. It is sufficient to say my acts have left a great deal of youkai who would love to see my demise at their hand. What you experienced today was an example of this," the kitsune replied.
"What is that supposed to mean? This Karasu was actually after you and because I'm your stepbrother, I get caught in the middle of it? It still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me," the teen said, sulkily.
"Yes, he was after me. However, he is an exception to the general rule. Karasu was arrogant enough to think that he could defeat me without the crutch of hostages. He did not know of my human family, nor do many and I intend to keep it that way. There is an old saying: 'Three men can keep a secret if two of them are dead.' "
"So, you really didn't trust me to keep your secret. That's what it basically comes down to, isn't it?"
Kurama met his stepbrother's gaze, the hard look in his eyes causing Suuichi to take an involuntary step backwards. "You do not understand or appreciate the gravity of this situation. One slip of the tongue and you would have endangered not only your own life, but our entire family's. Karasu was not after you to get to me, but he still had no regard for your life. It will be no different from any demon that manages to find out my connection to you. So, in order to protect you, I chose to keep my demonic heritage a secret. You cannot tell what you do not know. As they say, ignorance is bliss."
"Except when you suddenly find a demon chasing you for no apparent reason. Don't you think it would be better to be prepared in case something should happen?" the teenager asked.
The redhead laughed humorlessly. "If you find yourself being chased by a demon, chances aren't high that you will be able to escape, prepared for the encounter or not. In this situation, knowledge would avail you little and, in fact, only make you worry more about something that you have no control over. As long as you didn't know, you could not accidentally tell anyone else, nor would you worry over things you could not control. This was my decision to make, Suuichi-kun. I do not ask you to agree with it. I am sorry you felt I betrayed your trust. However, everyone keeps their own secrets. Some are merely darker than others," the kitsune said, signaling the conversation was over.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, Suuichi lost in his own thoughts while Kurama finished bandaging his legs. The brown-haired boy let his gaze rest unseeingly on the floor as he pondered the words that had been spoken. So, Shuichi didn't say anything because he wanted to protect us. Yeah, right! If that's the case, why didn't he tell me not to tell anyone about him when we were on the boat? I mean, he even gave me his name! I could have told half of Japan for all he knows! Of course, I didn't know he was Shuichi at the time and I really had no idea where he had gone, so I guess I wouldn't have had any useful information for demons looking for him anyway... I hate it when he's always one step ahead of me, thinking things through! Although, come to think of it, where did he disappear to after we got to shore...? the teen wondered, his eyes sliding back to Kurama. He opened his mouth to speak, but his stepbrother beat him to it.
"Suuichi-kun, I need to ask a favor of you."
The teen blinked. "What?"
"I cannot reach the wound on my back and it needs to be cleaned before I can bandage it," the redhead explained, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off his shoulders.
"Um, okay," the youth said, kneeling behind the kitsune. Picking up a cloth, he gingerly dabbed at the injury, cringing at the scorched flesh around the open wound. It looked quite painful, but Kurama didn't make a sound.
So, this is what Karasu is capable of? I don't know anything about Shuichi except that he can use plants. I can't imagine him as a fighter. Why does he seem to think everyone is out to get him? What did he do? He paused, a thought occurring to him and he wondered why he didn't think to ask earlier. "What happened to Karasu?"
"He has been taken care of," was the vague reply.
"Did you..." Suuichi hesitated, not sure if he wanted to know the answer or not. "Did you kill him?"
"...Yes."
The teenager was silent for a few minutes more, absorbing this new information. He had a hard time believing that his soft-spoken, calm, mild-tempered older brother could become angry enough to yell, let alone kill someone else. Of course, I also thought he was human, too, he reminded himself, still a little bitter about being left in the dark, but grudgingly accepting Kurama's explanation. He cocked his head to the side, remembering when he found out Shiori believed in demons. "Does Shiori know?"
"She does."
"I guess you told her because she's your mom, huh?"
"No. She knows because she saw me change on the cruise ship four months ago."
"Four months ago and she's known you since you were born?! Well, I guess I shouldn't feel bad for finding out after only knowing you for five years!" Suuichi said. "But, if that happened when we were on the cruise, why'd you leave afterwards? Where'd you go?"
"She...reacted badly. I returned to the demon realm, planning to never enter Ningenkai again," was the melancholic response, his tone soft.
Suuichi's eyes were wide, the bloodstained cloth forgotten in his hand. "So, what happened?"
"Mother came to the Makai after me," Kurama explained, purposely avoiding the confrontation. Although the issue had been resolved, it was still painful for him to think about. "Have you finished?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Huh? Oh, yeah," the brown-haired boy said, dropping the cloth back into the bowl. He watched as his stepbrother slowly wrapped the bandages around himself, hissing slightly when his movements pulled at the wound. "So, what now?" he asked when the redhead had finished.
"Now, we need to find Yuusuke," the kitsune said, slowly rising to his feet. "He's offered to take us to the hospital. There, we will have to explain what happened--"
"Uh, how exactly are we going to do that?"
Kurama smiled, wryly. "We'll coordinate our story on the way to town. We have several hours to come up with a plausible story, although we'll probably have to stop and alter the evidence at the crash site..." He raised an eyebrow as his stepbrother chuckled. "And what might you find so amusing?" he asked.
The teenager shook his head. "It's nothing, really. It just sounds like you've done this several times before," he explained, grinning.
"More so than I'd care to admit."
"And here I thought you were a good driver! How many accidents have you been in?!"
Kurama smiled. "Come. They will want to question us both extensively and the sooner we get back, the sooner we can go home," he said, avoiding the question as he limped out of the room.
Suuichi followed his stepbrother. Well, at least it's nice to know that he's not quite as perfect as everyone thinks he is.
. . .
The End
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