A/N This fiction was inspired by Touya confronting Kurama during the Makai tournament. He said that Kurama had once asked him what he planned on doing after the end of the last tournament. He said he didn't have an answer. So, I decided to flesh out this little conversation. It picks up right where the Dark Tournament ended, with them having narrowly escaped the collapsing arena. This fic is also a gift fic dedicated to Reyka Sivao who has a soft spot for the frigid, yet warm hearted, Touya.
They all watched in silence as the sun set on the decimated stadium, the site of so much bloodshed and turmoil. Teammate stood by former opponent stood by spectator as they all watched the last evidence of their hardship crumble, razed to the ground. They had survived, whether they be the victorious or the defeated, they had lived through this ordeal, and had all become stronger for it.
"It's done. We finished it, Genkai!" Yusuke's words rang in the ears of those nearby, a testament to everyone's pain and grief.
"Well, there's no use just standing here like a bunch of statues. Let's get you guys to the hotel, you must all be dead tired," Botan announced with false cheer, eager to be away from the gloomy site. They all nodded appreciatively and began the long and slow trek back to their hotel. Team Urameshi was still closely followed by the remnants of Team Rokuyukai and Team Masho. Chu and Rinku were crowded around Yusuke, and Jin had enthusiastically taken Kurama's place in assisting him to walk so that Jin could regale Yusuke with his interpretation of his fight with Toguro, which left Kurama unburdened. Touya was shocked to find that he was limping slightly, his left leg having sustained a terrible injury, evident by the blood now staining the once white cloth, that bound his leg, a dark burgundy. He surmised that they both, rather than Kurama solely supporting Yusuke as they had believed, were actually relying on one another to remain upright.
Concerned that he may need help but might be too proud to ask for it, Touya approached Kurama, hesitantly as if gauging his reaction to his presence. He had, after all, attempted to murder him the last time they met, with his only justification being the death of his teammate by Kurama's hands. In truth, it was wrong of him to blame him for the death, Gama could have survived had he not been so intent on disabling Kurama's energy. He was not the one to land the fatal blow, and he was, after all, just fighting in the tournament as he knew that he must. It was nothing personal really, except for the fact that he felt he saw himself in this demon. When Kurama smiled at him in acknowledgement, he was emboldened enough to fall into step beside him.
Readying himself to catch the redhead should he fall, Touya voiced the question that had been bothering him since he arrived to watch the finals, "I noticed that you lost your last match, even though you slew your opponent. What happened?"
Something flickered in Kurama's calm, verdant eyes…something resembling loathing and disappointment, but it was gone far too quickly for Touya to analyze it further. Kurama's expression cleared before he spoke, "You didn't see?"
"No," Touya explained, annoyance evident in his tone, "Chu was harder to awaken than we had anticipated. Then we were engaged in a small scuffle with the guard outside the arena. By the time we had arrived Yusuke's match had already begun."
"I see," Kurama replied thoughtfully with a hint of amusement at their antics.
"I had wanted to watch your match, of course," Touya assured, "You should know I hold no grudge against you concerning our defeat. You are clearly much stronger and much cleverer than I am, and you deserve your victory. Your leader, Yusuke Urameshi, is truly a force to be reckoned with, as well. I've never seen Jin so admiring of another fighter."
They both turned to look at Jin, who was now attempting to imitate Yusuke's spirit gun and the loud noises it had made, all the while keeping one arm around the detective. Yusuke gave a loud whoop of mirth at this, and they both fell into gales of laughter barely remaining standing.
Kurama smiled affectionately at his friend and teammate, nodding as he mused, "Yes, Yusuke is something of a pied piper for apparitions."
"But you must quit your stalling for time, Kurama. I believe it is time we got back to the question at hand," Touya diverted smoothly with a knowing glance at Kurama.
He smiled slightly at this, repeating, "You've caught me with my hands red."
With a slight upturn of his lips, Touya made an impatient sound, urging Kurama to continue.
"It was a careless mistake on my part that led to my loss. I was unable to lift myself within the allotted ten seconds, and vanquished my opponent only after the match had technically been ruled as finished," he answered with self-depreciation, distance in his voice as if reliving the events that had past.
"Sounds like a tedious technicality to me. In my eyes, the victor is the one who survives the battle and the loser the one that does not, Kurama, and I am proud to have lost to a fighter such as you."
"It is said history is written by the victor, but I suppose in this case it can be written by the survivor," he smiled at the thought, silently giving his appreciation that Touya did not think any less of him due to his defeat. He stumbled slightly as he walked, a throbbing pain shooting up from his wounded leg. Touya caught him easily, having prepared for this eventuality.
Turning back, Yusuke noticed Kurama's fall and asked in concern, "You okay, man?"
Straightening up with an appreciative nod at Touya, he called, brushing aside Yusuke's worrying, "Yes, I'm fine. I must have stumbled on an errant rock."
With a skeptical frown for Kurama was far too graceful and cautious to stumble on anything, he turned back to Jin. Kurama turned his own face, a small smile playing about his lips, yo Touya after reassuring Yusuke, fighting down the pain in order to make his face as passive as possible. Touya wasn't fooled.
"I know you're in pain, Kurama. I must insist that you allow me to support you at least until we arrive at the hotel," he advised reasonably.
Kurama considered the offer for a moment before finally relenting, allowing Touya to pull one of his arms across his shoulders. Touya looped his other arm across his slim waist, effectively supporting the burden of Kurama's, albeit, slight weight. Kurama had to slouch a bit as Touya was far shorter than himself, but he found a comfortable position as they began to walk precariously forward.
"I've thought deeply about what you told me…about seeking light," he announced thoughtfully, looking sideways at Kurama for a reaction.
"Yes, I found your tree metaphor to be quite poetic, unsurprisingly," Kurama teased lightly, meeting Touya's cool, ice blue gaze.
Touya shook his head with a bantam beam, "I thought you would appreciate the plant reference."
"So, please, tell me. What's on your mind?" Kurama queried compassionately, inquisitive as to finally having an answer to the question he had asked when they had fought. Of course, he was buying time then, with all of his questions, but that did not mean that he was not honestly curious, as well.
"Before I answer, I have a question to ask of you," he stated blandly, but Kurama could detect an undercurrent of interest carefully hidden in his voice.
"You may ask," was his cautiously acknowledgement, careful not to promise an answer.
Touya smirked at this reoponse, clearly understanding what was left unsaid between them. "While fighting you, I realized that you must be very old and experienced very much like I am."
Kurama dipped his head in accession. "I remember well, and I told you that we were, indeed, more alike than you knew."
"That's just it. I want to know what you meant by that," he insisted, his grip tightening on Kurama.
He looked speculatively at the smaller demon. He had meant every word that he had said to him that day. He saw himself in this misguided apparition. He, too, had spent many aimless years losing himself to the darkness both within and without. He had done so many things in his long life that he wasn't proud of, and he could sense that this demon felt the same. He had his doubts about the nobility of their desire to claim Hanging Neck Island as their own. He feared they would do more bad here than good, if they had won it.
"I spoke the truth. I see myself in you. I see my ambition and how it has destroyed me," he whispered ardently, willing him to see the truth in his eyes.
Touya looked at Kurama expectantly, silently urging him to continue his tale.
"The human form you see before you is merely a vessel for the demonic soul within..." Kurama began.
Touya looked at Kurama, startled by this revelation. "So it is true, you are truly the yoko that was said to have perished all those years ago…"
Kurama nodded sadly. He had run afoul of the pervious set of Shinobi during his thieving career in the Demon Realm. He had never met these current fighters, but he was sure that their masters had told ghost stories about him to their young apprentices.
"But…how?" Touya asked weakly, enraptured by the fighter in his arms.
"Before my wounds could destroy me, I transferred my soul into the unborn body of a human infant fifteen years ago. I lived in that realm as one of them, until I became indebted to the Spirit Detective. I manifested my demonic powers and began to fight for the good of the realm I now call home. Through this, I hope to make amends for the sins of my dark past."
Touya studied this enigmatic demon before him. He had, naturally, recognized the name Kurama, but he had never guessed that this Kurama and the infamous thief were one in the same. He had said that light brought with it guilt. There was certainly much for the spirit fox to lament in his long life of crime.
"Incredible, you truly are insane. I underestimated your survival instinct. You truly are immortal…" he declared in awe.
Kurama shook his head at this, "No, not immortal by a long shot, merely cunning and skilled. I have survived this long, and it takes much more than a botched burglary or a sword of ice to destroy me."
"Or a death plant growing through your body," Touya recalled with a smirk.
Kurama laughed softy at this, gracing him with a subtle nod in affirmation. "Forgive me if I caused your mentors trouble. I was something of a terror."
"That's an understatement," Touya chuckled, inwardly he marveled at the fact that he had survived an encounter with the ruthless fox of legend. Which reminded him…
"When you defeated me…I asked you to take my life from me," he stated emotionlessly, "Why didn't you?"
"Everyone deserves a second chance," he stated simply, "I received mine, and I used it to turn my life around. I'd hoped you could do the same."
Touya blinked at this blunt, yet earnest statement. "I'll try not to disappoint you. What I told you during our fight, was true, as well. I feel like I know you quite well, and I like what I see. I respect you greatly, and I hope to be worthy of your's in return, once I find my place in this light…"
"I have faith in you, just take care… the light you so desperately seek, cannot always chase away the shadows of your soul. Sometimes, the illumination that light creates serves to emphasize the darkness that lurks beneath…stepping from darkness into light can be a blinding experience," Kurama reflected, turning a pensive smile to Touya.
"Thank you," he replied simply. For everything, he added in his mind.
"Now, it seems I've indulged this distraction for long enough. I believe, I asked you a question. Now, who is playing for time?"
Touya smiled at the reversal. He should have known better than to play this game with Kurama.
"Yes, I believe I owe you an explanation. Perhaps the reason I was so adamant about defeating you was that I believed it was my only chance for freedom. I've carried out my obligations to maintaining peace and order at the cost of my own inner peace. We had planned on using this island as a base: a place to reacquaint ourselves with this world in order to find our places within it."
Kurama absorbed this information in silence, patiently waiting for him to continue.
"But, I know, now, that we don't need this island to be free. From the moment you spared my life, I knew my chains were forever broken. Breaking ties with Risho has cured us of the very last remnants of our imprisonment."
"Freedom is something I, too, seek, being trapped as I am in this human form, and then trapped in the tournament," he admitted, "I feel as though I found my freedom with Yusuke and the rest of the team."
"Yes, I had heard that this tournament was meant to be a death sentence of sorts for you and your team. I suppose I was wrong to take our match so personally, when all you were trying to do was survive."
"No, it was honorable for you to wish to avenge the death of your fellow comrade. Something I wished I possessed…" he trailed off despondently, dipping his head and shielding his expressive eyes from view.
"You are very noble, Kurama. If you were not, I would not be here to tell you so."
Kurama looked down at his fervent companion, grateful for his support. "Do something righteous with your new found freedom…cast of the shackles of your dark past and seek out a shining new purpose. I feel as if our paths shall cross again, and it would make me happy to see you come to terms with your past and move beyond it."
With that, they had all reached the safety of the hotel. They all parted ways, giving each other fond farewells and promises of future reunions. After Kurama had very pointedly and stubbornly insisted he could walk from here, Touya relinquished him with a fond smile.
"What will you do now?" Kurama asked.
"I can't answer that. I don't know what fate has in store for me or where my path will eventually take me. Well in any case, take care of yourself, Kurama. Don't get killed before I have my chance for a rematch."
"Let's not have that slay ruin our friendship," Kurama agreed, mocking him for his former arrogance as he departed, taking up his usual space beside Jin.
"Had a nice little chat with old Red, didcha, Boy-o?" Jin asked amiably as they left the others, heading for their special clearing where they trained during the competition.
"Yes…I did."
A/N I'm not as happy with this ending as my others. It don't think it's as strong. As always, I hope you enjoyed, and please review. Tell me what you think of Touya. Is he in character? It was my first time writing him, so tell me your thoughts. Thank you to the readers.