Drip

Darkness. So utter and complete it was oppressive. The blackness laid heavy and thick over the eyes like a blindfold, eclipsing any hint of illumination. The calignosity was so impenetrable it seemed tangible. It was everywhere, stifling and suffocating, invading every pore in the body.

Drip

The cold, clammy hands of death chilled the air. The dungeon was dank, thick with lingering moisture and biting frigidity. With the combined feeling of icy stone beneath him and the damp air above him, he was enveloped by a cloud of freezing wetness. Given his unique nature, this had a particularly strong effect on the fire demon.

Drip

And that smell. The smell of mold, fear, and death clung to the air, cascading over the prone form in waves of acidic odor. It was simultaneously bitter and sweet. The terror reeked of putrid sour sweat even as the sickly sweet smell of rot mingled with that stench.

Drip

That sound. The only sound that was constant in this vile hole. The occasional wail would pierce the monotony of the relentless leaking water, but they were few and far between. The inhabitance of this prison lost their ability and will to cry out all too soon.

Drip

More numbing than the physical cold was the deep sense of cold dread and icy hopelessness that pervaded his entire being. He would die here, slowly but surely. It was inevitable: the price he paid for his heinous crimes.

Drip

His swirling thoughts turned darker than the Cimmerian atmosphere as they settled upon how he had come to be in this dismal place. Betrayed. He had been ruthlessly deceived by his first and only partner. The image of the smirking redhead flinging his crimson blood into the Jagan eye was forever seared into his memory. Burning rage filled him, scalding his veins as liquid anger coursed through his body, temporarily chasing away icy despair.

Drip

He had been trying to summon his ki for as long as he had been here. It seemed there were powerful wards around his cell to prevent just that. If there weren't, he'd have burnt this wretched place to a cinder by now. He entertained a fleeting fantasy of a fiery escape, reveling in the crispy, charred corpses of his captors. But these lofty dreams would never come to fruition. All that was left for him was the harsh reality of an agonizingly cold and pathetic existence until he slowly rotted away.

Drip

This painful emptiness and bitterness threatened to drag him into the wonderfully freeing oblivion of insanity. If he only gave in, lost himself, he would feel no more. It was a seductively tempting prospect. His entire existence had been fraught with nothing but agony and misery. To give himself over and embrace the nothingness of mania would free him from the chains of his bleak existence. He had nothing left to live for now. Why not allow insanity to claim him, leaving nothing but an empty husk to slowly decay and die, withering away in the blackness of his cell?

Drip

Yes, he would give in to it. Surrender himself fully to the oblivion of madness and know no more…

Hiei

A soft, sweet, lilting alto with such a melodious quality pierced the fog of his fitful meditations instead of the customary dripping of stale water. Even through the haze of his near madness, that voice sounded so familiar…


Kurama felt sick at the sorry sight that was his friend.

He had traveled to this dank, dark dungeon with an escort of oni guards. He had known the Rekai prisons were notorious for their deteriorating condition but hearing of it and witnessing it for oneself are two vastly different concepts.

He felt a stabbing pain in his chest at the thought of someone he cared for being trapped here…because of him. The guilt was crushing his heart, but he forced himself to feel the full weight of it.

The screams of the inmates echoed around him, bouncing off the walls and following them down the cavernous, labyrinthine dungeon. Deeper and deeper they walked into this cesspool of torture and agony, this pit of despair.

When they'd reached Hiei's cell, Kurama could feel his heart breaking. He'd looked down on the pitiful, petite form of the demon. Kurama had to struggle to make out his silhouette, scarce as the light was here. Were it not for his keen fox-like senses he would not have been able to discern anything at all.

He could see that Hiei was curled up in a tight ball with his back to the bars, making his small frame appear even more childlike, more innocent. The sight tore mercilessly at his already broken heart.

Kurama knelt as near to the prone figure as the bars would allow, gripping them and whispering the demons name. When he received no response, he grew worried. Spirit World prided themselves on their ability to make demons go mad.

"Let me in there," Kurama demanded of one of the guards. Said guard promptly blanched and jerkily shook his head.

"I-I ca—can't do that…" he stammered out, eyeing the fox with trepidation.

"It wasn't a request," Kurama snapped dangerously, rising to his feet with a predator's grace. "You will let me in there." He loped smoothly closer to the guard, confidence in his lithe form and imperious stride. He narrowed his eyes at him, eliciting a flinch and a jittery nod. He fumbled with the keys, making them jangle noisily in the claustrophobically narrow space.

Once he found the correct key it took him several more moments to steady his hand enough to keep it from shaking so he could fit it in the lock. With an impatient snarl, Kurama seized the key with his deft thief's hands and inserted it into the lock. Upon opening the door, it was promptly closed behind him, and the guards scampered away. He frowned but didn't comment. Clearly they feared the little fire demon, but Kurama knew he would be let out again…and if he got his way so, too, would Hiei.

Kurama approached the supine form. He carefully crouched beside him, placing a light hand on his shoulder and gently turning him on his back to face him. What he saw did not give comfort.

An icy wave of panic threatened to drown him as he peered into glassy, unfocused red eyes. Hiei had clearly chosen to completely shut down in lieu of suffering more pain. By cutting himself off from the world he could hide from the pain. It was clear the little Imiko would struggle to remain unresponsive to any and all attempts to rouse him from his self induced coma. Kurama brought his hand up to touch Hiei's cheek tenderly. This empty shell was not his once friend and partner.

"Come back, Hiei."


Roses. The sweet aroma of these fresh flowers wafted to his nostrils, revitalizing him. It was a divine smell, pure and pacifying as the first rain after an eternity of drought. It was refreshing, not overbearing, yet sill powerfully invigorating. As the rose's perfume permeated his being he began to feel energized.

Come back, Hiei.

Again the dulcet, musical voice called to him. It was such a pleasant sound, warm and enchanting. It spoke lyrically, like a lullaby, comforting him. But behind the words a meaning was slowly forming within his sluggish mind. It was a rhapsodic plea for someone to return. That name…that name was so familiar to him, as familiar as the musical voice that spoke it.

With all of his remaining strength, he willed his eyes to focus on the figure leaning over him. A shock of red was all he could distinguish at first. Slowly the image coalesced into that of the all too familiar and far less welcome Kurama. His deep, forest green eyes locked with his, wide with unconcealed concern and relief at spying recognition behind the fiery red ones.

"Hiei, I—" that was as far as the kitsune got before he was roughly grabbed by the throat, effectively cutting off his words, and violently slammed into the cell wall. His head made a sickening crunch as it collided against the firm, stone. He let out a gasp of pain and went limp, pupils dilating before heavy lids drooped down, veiling them as he blacked out.

Hiei growled at the unconscious fox. He wasn't getting away that easily. One hand still firmly around his throat, not squeezing merely holding, he brought his other hand up and swiftly slapped the comatose demon with all the force he could muster.

Kurama's eyes immediately fluttered open, but took a few moments to focus, stars clearly dancing in his blurry vision. A bright red handprint marred his otherwise flawless, milky complexion. He gazed blearily down at the shorter demon once he had gathered his wits. Hiei had somehow managed to tower over the significantly taller statured redhead in his fury.

"Hiei, please, list—" Hiei squeezed the slender throat warningly, abruptly stifling the pleading.

"Shut up, traitor," Hiei spat, squeezing tighter, meaning to cause black spots to form in Kurama's vision.

Gasping for breath, Kurama manage to whisper out breathlessly despite, the strong chokehold, "I…don't expect you to…forgive me…kill me if you must…but…there's…something…you…should…"

The energy expended to speak through the crushing grip in which Hiei held his windpipe, combined with the lack of precious oxygen, was lulling him back into unconsciousness.

Hiei slackened his grip by mere millimeters and shook the fox. This motion had the simultaneous affect of keeping him conscious and making his head swim. He blinked several times and trained his dull eyes on the ones staring murderously at him.

Hiei had no desire to hear the fox grovel, but when he said that he would allow himself to be murdered, he was intrigued. If the fox wasn't trying to save himself, what had he to say to his executioner?

"Fine, say your last words," He spat through clenched teeth, maintaining his firm grip around the thin throat with enough pressure for him to feel threatened but not enough to constrict airflow.

Kurama had an attack of body racking coughs before he managed to sputter in between hacking fits, "I came here to release you."

The meaning of those words took several minutes to process. When he was finally certain he had not misheard, he snorted in derision.

"What in the name of the Makai are you prattling about, you fool?" He said in disgust, successfully masking the doubts he had upon hearing the sincerity in those sputtered words.

Kurama let honesty burn in his passionate emerald eyes. "I am the one who lead you here, so I will lead you out…"

"I don't need help from a traitor! I made that mistake once, I'd be as big a fool as you to do so again," he yelled, hand clenching convulsively around the slim neck. Kurama choked, small, pained noises tore from his throat as gasped, desperately struggling to inhale.

Hiei was no fool. With these wards containing his power, Kurama could have easily overpowered him by now and escaped the hold after the initial blackout. He had been taken by surprise at first, that was why Hiei had thought he didn't try to break free. But as he continued to let the virtually powerless demon strangle him to death, Hiei had his proof that the fox meant what he had said about letting Hiei kill him.

Slowly the demon withdrew his hand, releasing his hold on the fox. With a deep, shuddering breath and a renewed wave of coughs, he slumped to the floor, hand reflexively going to his throat, massaging the blood into re-circulation.

Hiei felt a sour sense of satisfaction as he saw dark blackish bruises begin to blossom on the creamy flesh of Kurama's pale, slender neck. The demon blinked down at the kitsune, staring at him until he met his eyes again.

"I meant to kill you just now," he said coolly with no hint of remorse.

Kurama made no effort to pick himself up as he spoke simply with raw honesty, "And I meant to let you."

"Why?"

"You shall have to be more specific with your question," Kurama answered, voice hoarse.

"Why would you have just let me kill you like that? You and I both know you could easily defeat me as I am. Why did you betray me? Why come here after all you've done? Why try to help me escape?" He exploded. He had intended to ask only one question, but as he started more pour from his mouth against his will. All the questions he had been obsessing over since the fox's treachery escaped his lips all at once, working into a frenzy of inquiries. "Why bother?" He finished somewhat lamely with his most desperate question of all.

Kurama sighed. "That's quite a list of why's. How about I start at why I betrayed you?" When Hiei gave no answer or comment upon his skipping of his first question, Kurama took it as a sign of acquiescence and continued. "I owed that detective my life. It would have been a poor way to repay the boy if I had let him be killed."

"I'm to believe you risked your life to settle a debt?" Hiei inquired dubiously, scrutinizing the fox with utmost disdain. His very voice dripped with animosity and suspicion.

"I do not like to be in the debt of others, so I choose to settle them immediately and on my own terms before the person to which I am obliged is able to dictate the terms of its fulfillment, but…I'd be lying if I said I did not have an ulterior motive also…" He averted his eyes as he said the last.

"Well, what was it? I want the whole truth or I'll begin to squeeze the life out of you again," Hiei demanded venomously.

He could see a smile being forcibly fought down before the fox answered. "I knew at the time that you were under the influence of the Shadow Sword…" Before Hiei could protest his being controlled by an inanimate object, Kurama continued, "…and therefore not thinking clearly. If you had killed the detective more powerful hunters would come, hunters that would not hesitate to dispatch you. No demon has survived the hunters save for me, and my case was unique. Killing humans is a crime that merits instant death for any demon foolish enough to break their golden rule. I knew if the detective remained living that the damage you had done would remain minimal and that you might be able to be let off with a light sentence."

"I'm to believe you planned that far in advance and that this was all for my sake?" He grumbled doubtfully, raising an ebony eyebrow at the demonic fox. He was unable to contest much of his little speech, but at least that bit he could.

Kurama heaved another long suffering sigh. "I do nothing without fully anticipating the outcome, and I just said I also did it to settle a debt, so it clearly was not all for your sake. While I'm sure that you will believe what you will, none of that matters. What matters is that I can get you out of here."

Hiei snorted and turned his back on the figure leaning against the wall.

"Shall I answer your next question?" He asked lightly as if he were some teacher in a Ningen school, teaching a rather dense student some complex theory that he just couldn't grasp.

Hiei's only answer was a noncommittal grunt.

"I've come here now to help you out of a sense of duty and guilt. I'm here to right a wrong I have done by you."

"Again, why do you think I need your help!" He growled, feral, as he turned back to the now smug fox.

Kurama made an impatient sweeping gesture that encompassed the entirety of the small cell. "The fact that you are here suggests that you need all the help you can get. But if it galls you to accept my aid then think of it only as a way to assuage my guilt at landing you here."

"I don't give a damn about your feelings!" He shouted.

Kurama's smug expression turned into one of sadness. "But I care about yours." That statement gave the small youkai pause. "You feel hurt and betrayed, and I want to ease the anger I know you feel towards me by helping you now."

"How dare you presume to know how I feel!" Hiei demanded, his rage flaring unreasonably.

"Forgive me. I meant no disrespect. Let me move on to your last question."

Hiei took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself and nodded curtly for him to continue. The fox clearly wasn't going anywhere until he had had his say.

"I believe you're worth it."

That simple statement said with so much conviction brought all his walls crashing down. His whole life he had been looked down upon, stepped on, used. He was told over and over again that he was worthless until it was a constant mantra resounding in his head. To have someone say otherwise, and with such unwavering conviction no less, was so shocking, he couldn't process it.

"Worth?" He breathed.

"Worth a second chance," Kurama elaborated with a gentle smile.

Hiei digested his words with detachment. They sounded like they were coming from far away and that they were intended for someone other than him.

"You didn't address my initial question…" he finally whispered after what could have been minutes or hours of silent contemplation.

Kurama blinked in surprise, but Hiei could not tell whether or not it was feigned. "Oh?"

"Why let me kill you?"

Kurama cocked his head to the side and studied the little Koorime before him. "I would have thought that were obvious, Hiei. You are my friend, and what better way to die than in retribution by the hand of a friend I have so grievously wronged?"

His eyes widened at this unexpected answer then, as he recovered from his initial shock, they narrowed. He practically shrieked, "How dare you call me a friend after all you have done! Do you customarily betray your so-called friends and lead them to their ultimate doom?"

Hiei was puzzled as he saw Kurama's face darken, a black shadow hanging behind his eyes, turning them lifeless and dull: haunted. He was completely devoid of all emotion as he spoke tonelessly, "It is a cruel tendency of mine, yes."

This answer completely threw the small demon. He stared in wide eyed…fear at the ruthless figure before him. Throughout his entire life, he had never felt terror inspired by another being. Kurama was truly a force of nature: treacherous as the sky, clear and bright one moment and a torrential tempest the next. He was one fighter he hoped he never had to face.

Ignoring the mounting storm clouds swirling around the fox he gave the only response he could if Kurama had meant his previous words about being his friend. "I don't have any friends. They are a weakness that I cannot afford."

He had said this emotionlessly, mechanically, masking the feelings of wistfulness Kurama's words evoked. He had never had a friend because he was forbidden. No one chose to call the Forbidden Child of the Koorime "friend." He was undeserving of such a distinction.

Kurama looked slightly crestfallen at this, the whirlwind of his dark thoughts and emotions abating capriciously, but he quickly masked his hopelessness with a nod. Hiei felt a twinge of regret for his harsh words. "Of course, I was clearly mistaken then. Regardless, I have enjoyed the companionship you have extended to me these past years."

It was Hiei's turn to sigh at the clearly veiled affronted tone. "Well, assuming I'm willing to accept your help, how do you plan to assist my escape?"

Kurama smiled in triumph at this small concession. "I have made a bargain with King Enma Jr. for both our conditional freedoms," he said, managing somehow to be both simultaneously succinct and vague.

"Conditional?" Hiei asked, getting the distinct impression he was being manipulated by the tricky fox.

Kurama inhaled slowly, clearly steeling himself for Hiei's reaction to his next words. "We have both been granted parole on the condition that we use that freedom to perform community service for the Spirit Realm."

Hiei was fast losing his patience with the decidedly tight lipped fox. He bit out in frustration, "What type of 'community service?'"

"We will be assisting the Spirit Detective in his missions," Kurama replied swiftly with the air of one wishing to get the pain of their words over with as quickly as possible.

"Hell no!" He riled, rounding on the fox.

"Hiei, it is swallow your pride and accept or remain foolish and rot in prison forever," he pointed out reasonably with a hint of heat in his tone.

Hiei, however, was beyond all logic. "I'd rather rot than become a traitor to my own kind."

Kurama shook his head sadly. "I'd rather you didn't."

The complete and open candor with which he said this penetrated his fog of mindless denial. Still, he had reservations.

"All I want to do is kill that damned child!"

"He spared you. He didn't have to do that, you know. Listen to me, Hiei. He is different from most humans. He has no prejudices against demons, and I find it is quite refreshing. I find him to be kind and compassionate if a bit rough around the edges and stubborn…like another person I know."

"Do not compare me with a sniveling human whelp!" He replied, indignant at the perceived insult.

"A whelp that defeated you…" Kurama teased lightly. He was the only person in all three words who dared mock the Imiko.

Hiei snarled savagely. "That was a fluke, and you know it. Had it not been for you meddling he would have fallen effortlessly."

"While I disagree that it would not have been effortless for the child has great potential, I do not doubt that you would have eventually defeated him. However, he is not as weak as he was before. He is currently training as the renowned psychic Genkai's apprentice. He will be quite formidable when he has completed that apprenticeship. What better way to answer the question of who is stronger once and for all than to spar him after that and test it for yourself? The only opportunity you will get to do this is if you agree to Koenma's terms…" You tricky fox. He was playing Hiei's pride against him as well as his lust for battle. Though he knew the game the fox was playing, he could not help but play straight into his hands.

"Knowing you, you'd interfere then as well."

Kurama laughed easily at this, knowing he had won at long last. He stated cheerfully, "Only if you planned on using a seemingly harmless rematch as a guise to take your revenge and kill him."

"You're insufferable," Hiei groused. Had he not been Hiei he would have pouted at the kill-joy before him. As it was, Hiei did not pout nor would he give the smug fox any more satisfaction today than he had already gleaned from him.

"Well, you had better build up a tolerance, because you are about to suffer quite a bit of me in the near future," he responded playfully, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. While Hiei hadn't forgotten the betrayal or forgiven it, he was beginning to. The fox was very suave when he wanted to be, and it was hard to resent the charming redhead.

Hiei grumbled under his breath but did not correct the kitsune so Kurama naturally took it as Hiei's way of grudgingly agreeing to the terms of their parole.

"Guards!" Kurama called imperiously, though he still remained seated on the floor.

Said guards immediately ran into the room, clearly thinking that the fox had been attacked. They seemed put-out upon discovering the companionable scene the two of them made.

"He has agreed to Lord Koenma's terms. Now release him." Hiei snorted at the term lord, but was impressed more with the natural commanding tone Kurama used. He was clearly used to giving orders. When the guards looked reluctant, Kurama continued in a voice of deadly calm that held the promise of agony to anyone who should fail to comply. Clearly, he was used to his orders being followed, also. "He's a fire apparition trapped in a cold, damp space. Get. Him. Out. Now!

Hiei balked at the thoughtfulness that was implicit in those words. Hiei could even fool himself into believing that he cared for the fire demon's wellbeing.

The guards subsequently rushed over, swayed more by the threatening, deep voice than the fact he'd stated. Hiei swept out of the cell as soon as the door opened with astounding celerity, a black blur even to the sharpest of eyes. His abrupt flight made one of the guards yelp in terror and the other flinch in surprise. Hiei smirked with satisfaction at their reactions.

As Kurama tried to get up swiftly to follow, he swayed on the spot. Hiei knew something was wrong with the fox and cursed himself for not having the common courtesy to help him to stand. Kurama was grace personified; his every move down to the smallest gesture was carefully controlled and casually elegant. This stumbling meant he was grievously injured.

Kurama reached a hand to his scalp, coming away with blood. He stared wide eyed at his long fingers stained red with crimson fluid, for several long moments. Hiei eyes flicked to the wall behind the fox, and he noticed for the first time the faint, thin line of blood staining the wall that he had been leaning on, leaving a streak of almost indistinguishable crimson on the dark stone. The wall itself was so close to the color of blood it had previously camouflaged it from view as well as the lack of light helping to mask it.

"Oh…" Kurama whispered in surprise, seconds before the concussion took its toll, and his eyes rolled back in his head as he crumpled to the ground. Hiei rushed to his side and caught him before he collapsed to the floor.