A/N: Hi everyone. This is a story idea that I've been playing around with for a while. My friend SFD accused me once of being an angst-obsessed imagist writer who cares more about character motives than actual plot. Fair enough. I am kind of an angst-obsessed imagist writer who a lot of times cares more about character motives than actual plot...but since SFD asked so nicely( read: pestered me mercilessly until I agreed in order to get some sleep), I've decided to try my hand at a drama, with a villain and everything...I hope you guys like it. Tell me if you do. You can tell me if you don't, too, but tell me why you didn't like it so I can fix it. Um...let's see...oh, yeah: There are a couple of OCs scattered here and there, but before you hit the back button because of that, I promise they don't play a major role in the story. This is most definitely not a Mary Sue fic. Well, I hope you enjoy it...
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.
Cracks In The Mask
Ch. 1--And back in rain
"String him up."
Kazu grinned viciously at the demon cowering against the base of the tree as he spoke. He tossed the end of the rope he was holding up into the branches, where it landed with eerie accuracy in the outstretched hand of the woman perched casually on one of the lower limbs.
"Make sure you tie it properly this time, Elani," Kuronue called from the ground, shielding his eyes from the pouring rain and glancing up at the tree, scanning the branches for her. "It's unprofessional to have to do it twice."
"That wasn't my fault," Elani protested, as the man on the ground gave a terrified moan. Elani, who had been swinging her slender legs in a bored fashion, flipped upside down, hanging by her legs from the tree branch. Lightning flashed, and for an instant she ceased to be a dark silhouette and the others could see her raise one elegant violet eyebrow at Kuronue. "You'll need to raise him off the ground if I'm to tie this to a suitable branch, Sir Professional."
Kuronue rolled his eyes at her and beckoned to Kazu. The two of them advanced toward the base of the tree. Their captive whimpered and attempted to press himself farther back against the tree, clawing uselessly at the rope around his neck.
"Stop," he moaned. "Oh please..."
Kazu and Kuronue each grabbed one of the demon's shoulders and pulled him to his feet. The demon moaned again and dug his trembling feet into the mud in a futile attempt to stop his progress. The rain had started to fall harder, and thunder rolled in the distance as the demon started gasping, "Help me...God--somebody--help--"
Kazu laughed as he helped Kuronue to hoist the demon up into Elani's waiting grasp. The fish demon pulled her captive up by the shoulders and dragged him up to a higher branch.
The trembling demon seemed beyond words. He simply whimpered and shook, his eyes rolling back into his head. Elani brushed his face with her green-tinged hand in a mock gesture of comfort, the securely fastened the end of the rope to the tree limb.
"You're sure it's fastened?" Kuronue called again from below, raising his voice to be heard over the sheets of rain now falling from the sky.
"For goodness's sake," snapped Elani. "I do know how to tie a--"
"Can we get this over with?" came the voice of another silhouette in the shadows of the surrounding trees. "I was planning on getting some sleep tonight."
Whatever color was still in the demon's face left it. Another demon was emerging slowly from the shadows, a tall demon with large golden eyes, silver hair that seemed to gleam even in the current downpour, and several long, sleek tails. "Unless you're ready to answer our question?" the newcomer added, looking skyward and meeting the demon's terrified eyes.
The demon opened his mouth, but seemed unable to produce sound. Tears began to stream down his face, mixing with the rain as he sobbed soundlessly.
Youko allowed himself a disdainful smile as Elani smirked, Kazu laughed again, and Kuronue crossed his arms, looking disgusted. He leaped upward and landed gracefully beside the prisoner, leaning in close to his tearstained face. "I know that your death has been guaranteed you by your superiors if you disclose the location of the weapon," he said softly. "Unfortunately, I will personally guarantee you the same result if you remain silent."
The demon closed his eyes, as if by doing so he could turn this into some terrible dream. Youko raised his eyebrows. "No?" he asked as thunder rumbled again. He nodded to Elani, then raised his eyebrows further as he realized that she'd been staring him up and down for the past several minutes, her pink tongue slightly visible through her painted lips. She grinned, totally unabashed, and made to throw the captive demon over the side of the tree. He screamed, and she drew him back.
"How about now?" Youko asked, leaning in even closer so that the demon turned away in terror. When there was still no answer, he smiled. "It doesn't really matter. The Akan region is not enormous. We'll simply have to search it inch by inch."
At this, the hopeless demon finally seemed to find his voice. His fear seemed, for now, to be giving way to anger.
"You won't find it," he spat at Youko. "It's hidden well enough from scum like you--"
He stopped at the sudden looks of satisfaction that crossed the four thieves' faces.
"So it is in Akan, after all." Kuronue gave Youko a mock bow. "Nice."
The demon turned red, then white. "You--"
Youko gave him a last, fleeting smile before dropping suddenly out of the tree and landing deftly on the ground.
"So all we have to do is search Akan?" Kazu said. "Seems too easy."
Elani jumped down to stand beside him. "Well, I'm not complaining. I thought we were going to have to cover the whole of Makai."
Youko shrugged. "I told all of you that all it would take would be a little patience to narrow it down."
"Go team," Kuronue returned sarcastically. "Can we go now?"
Youko nodded his agreement, and the four turned and began to walk together into the woods.
"You can't--leave me here!" the unfortunate demon cried from the branch to which he was still tied. "I'll be--eaten by a--a tree-dweller or--"
Youko paused. He turned slowly and made his way back to the clearing to stand underneath the demon's branch. The rain streamed down his face as he looked up to survey him calmly.
"You're probably right," he said, and leaped upward, grabbing the legs of the demon as he landed next to him. Youko vaulted back off the tree branch, still holding to the demon's legs, and did not let go when the demon reached the end of his rope and the noose yanked him back in protest.
Youko dropped the body on his way down as if he did not want to soil his hands with it any longer than necessary. The other three looked back up into the tree as lightning flashed again, illuminating the head that now dangled from the tree limb.
"You see?" Elani said to Kuronue. "It was secure after all. You worry too much..."
****
Kurama knew he was dreaming. He had not thought of this particular memory in a long time, but it was one of hundreds of similar ones. He hoped that he would wake up soon; this was not a part of his life that he looked back on with any fondness. As the dream faded, a voice completely unconnected with this memory or any of Kurama's others said, softly,
"I see...So this is how you are..."
Kurama had barely any time to register this. As soon as the voice spoke, he felt himself leave the world of dreams, as if he had been yanked out of a warm blanket. He opened his eyes...
****
It was still dark outside. Kurama sat up quickly, his sweat-soaked hair sticking to his face. He looked down at himself and realized that he had been forcibly separated from his quilt, courtesy of Hiei, who lay beside him, now clutching Kurama's half of the blanket and watching him out of cool crimson eyes.
"What did you do that for??" Kurama demanded, a little wildly.
Hiei paused before answering. "You were making noises. If one of your ningens comes in here and finds me, you'll have some explaining to do."
"Me? I live here," Kurama said, still rather distractedly. Where had that voice... "Go back outside if you're that worried."
Hiei made no move to leave. "Have you looked outside? No doubt I'd be blown in here anyway if I didn't get struck by lightning first. I half expect my tree to come crashing through your wall any second now."
Kurama gave a half-smile, though the mention of a thunderstorm did nothing to make him forget what he'd just witnessed. Hiei watched his eyes, and when he next spoke, it was in a more serious tone.
"What were you dreaming about?"
Kurama hesitated. "There are things...that I wish I could say were only dreams."
Hiei looked at him a while longer, then said, "Go back to sleep."
"Give me back my covers."
Hiei looked for a moment like he was going to argue, then tossed the blanket back over Kurama. "It's all sweaty anyway" he said stiffly.
Kurama smiled to himself and turned over, closing his eyes. He felt better, but the dream still troubled him. He told himself that there was no reason to worry everyone; he wouldn't mention it. If it happened again, he decided, he would go see Genkai about it privately. He yawned as he felt his limbs grow heavy, and allowed himself to return to sleep.
****
On the other side of the wall between dimensions, another man was sitting up in bed as well. His dark eyes studied the image being projected into his handheld communicator. The rain somewhat obstructed the view through the window, but he could still see that Kurama had fallen asleep. As he watched, the smaller boy beside Kurama raised himself quietly onto an elbow and peered over at the redhead. When he seemed to satisfy himself that the boy truly was sleeping, he slid out from under his side of the blanket and folded it over, placing it on Kurama as well, so that he had two layers. The small boy then leaned back onto his pillow and folded his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling, watching the rainshadows dance across it.
The dark-eyed man watched a the two boys a little while longer, then held the communicator up to his mouth.
"Very well," he murmured. "You may proceed as you see fit."
The image in the glass flickered and died, leaving the room and the man in total darkness.
****
The boy in the tree shut his communicator with a snap. He rose to his feet and stared through Kurama's window, ignoring the rain in his eyes. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Kurama's sleeping form, and an expression of pure hatred crossed his face. You wait, he thought, and his hands clenched into fists. You wait. Your time will come. You'll feel it soon enough. He stared at Kurama a while longer, then slipped his communicator into his pocket.
You'll feel it, he thought again, and his eyes shifted to the smaller form of the boy on the other side of the bed...
****
A/N: So...was it okay? I know how I want to end this, but I am not quite sure of all the details, so it might be a while between updates. If you have a suggestion, I'd be more than happy to listen and I might take it if it doesn't interfere with the few loose plot threads I have in my head already...-_- Oh, and before anyone starts: Elani is not going to come to the present and get together with Kurama. Sorry. I can't write romance worth a flip, and besides, relationships between original characters and OCs are distracting to me. Please do drop a review, though, and I'll try to get this updated as soon as I can. Oh, yeah, and if you can guess the random poem that my title comes out of each chapter, you'll get...my...congratulations. And a mention in the next chapter.^_^