Hi all! Sorry this chapter took so long. I no there are no good excuses for not posting this earlier so I'm not going to share mine, and if you don't like that cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it!. Hehe I know I'm so mean, anyways here is chapter 4 of my story I hope this chapter was well worth the wait.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu hakusho please don't sue me.
Chapter 4: Past Acquaintances
"Hey Kuwabara hurry up!" Yusuke yelled. "Coming!" Kuwabara caught up with the others. "Hey guys why aren't you moving?" he looked ahead; he saw an untamable forest of thorny vines that were blocking the entrance. Kuwabara drew his sword "what are you doing." Yusuke yelled "Noo problem I'll just-.." The vines wrapped tightly around his legs and his arm.
"Kuwabara don't move." Kurama warned "if this plant feels the slightest threat from you it will inject it's thistles into you which carry toxins. "What?!" "The more vulnerable it feels the more immense its size becomes, it is quite an amazing defense mechanism." "Hell I can't take this anymore, take that!" Kuwabara cut each of the vines and freed all of his limbs. "See I told you guys I could do It." he said cockily. His back turned to the multiplying vines which had just been cut.
"What are you guys looking at?" Kurama's mysterious eyes stared calmly at the creature "you've angered it." Yusuke heaved a sigh "here it comes." Kuwabara turned his head "ahhhhh!" Hiei grumbled "child's play" .He moved in a stance that looked like Yusuke used for the spirit grenade. His energy was concentrated into a sphere. He murmured something. "Summon the fires within me...." Hiei was motioning the orb forward with both hands as if it was becoming too massive to control. "Obliterate!!"
As Hiei yelled, the powerful orb shot out of his hands. The whole forest ignited into flames. The creature's painful screech was deafening. The vines slowly burned a pathway towards the entrance. "We should hurry." yelled Yusuke. "Yes, Kurama agreed, this won't hold it back for much longer." They all ran towards the entrance.
"Isn't it dead?" Kuwabara asked. "No it exterior is made to fool its opponents into thinking it's the typical vine forest when it is actually a demon's imitation, this demon is Genkaku, It wraps it vines around the limb's pulling the victim to the center where it will consume you."
"Like a sea anemone?" "I suppose" said Kurama trying to be encouraging. "Hn" said Hiei impertinently. "I didn't know you could do that." Yusuke just stood in the back laughing "I guess this is just another attraction to add to our freak show." Kuwabara pounded his head "you're the only freak around here moron, and maybe Hiei." "Yes" Kurama agreed laughing.
"So they managed to get past Genkaku, the shadowy figure's long dark robe swayed with his leisurely movement. "Interesting, I have a feeling this group will be very amusing, I especially look forward to seeing you Kurama." His fingers scratched against the walls, as he dragged his hands transversely, making a very threatening scratchy noise. The figure slipped back into the darkness. "Yes...very soon."
"How are we supposed to see anything its too dark in here." "Hiei we could really use some light about now!" said Yusuke impatiently. Hiei rolled his eyes (which you couldn't see because it was dark) a blue fire appeared in the palm of his hand, he saw what used to
be a torch at the ceiling and he lit it and gave it to Kuwabara. "You scared?" he asked as the flame's shadow was casting over his face making him look menacing. "NO!" denied Kuwabara as he took the torch. "Why is the flame blue?" "There isn't a lot of energy into it, wouldn't want you to burn yourself." "Exactly when did you learn these cool tricks anyways?" Yusuke asked. "This isn't a circus; my powers aren't used for your amusement!"
"Sheesh! What side of the bed did you wake up on Hiei?" complained Kuwabara,
"I slept in a tree idiot!" Kurama with a smug look on his face rolled his eyes "C'mon you two." "Only if Hiei goes first," said Kuwabara stoutly. "Fleas before beauty" he mumbled. Hiei stomped on his foot "what was that?" "Uh...Nothing...owww" 'thought so." said Hiei prudishly.
At the end of the tunnel there was a large lake of lava. There were no pillars to jump across the other side; Kurama would use the rose whip to swing across. "Yusuke when I cross you'll have to hang on tightly," "what about me?!" Shouted Kuwabara "Just use that technique you used with Byako..." said Yusuke "yes...." Hiei had an evil grin, Hiei pushed him straight forward into the lava,
"Ahhh!" Kuwabara yelled a spring load of energy from his hand and he sprang to safety. "Hiei I'm gonna kill you, you sick freak!" "Is that so?" Hiei said deviously, he took one clear bound and he made across to the other side. He landed beside Kuwabara looking at him obstinately. "Ready?" "Yeah" "let's go!" Kurama's rose whip latched onto a huge stalactite suspended form the ceiling.
They swung all the way to the other side, but Kurama never told Yusuke they were supposed to jump off. Kurama jumped graciously, "Yusuke jump!" "I can't my hands are stu-.." he went face first into the wall. "Urameshi you okay?" "..Yeah I'm fine I just need some yam cake." said Yusuke dizzily. "Typical" said Hiei. "Hey! why didn't you tell me we were supposed to jump off?" Kurama laughed as he scratched his head "Well I guess I just thought you would catch on. Heheh." They all started climbing up the flight of stairs. Mysteriously enough this side of the castle had lighted torches in every direction. Kuwabara felt a sinister foreboding aura emitting from the entrance. "Hey you guys something doesn't seem right about this opening." "Kuwabara stop being a chicken." "I'm no chicken!" he shouted as he approached the stairway being fully alert.
"Man, I had a really rotten week, I can't wait to beat the crap outta this guy, and for some reason I think my spirit energy is increasing." Kuwabara flexed his muscle. "pshhh, yeah right," retorted Yusuke "No...,Kurama interrupted, this fight is mine, you can take over if I fall" "What?! Why do you get to fight him first?" asked Yusuke and Kuwabara. There was a silence for some time. Kurama's face was stricken with grief. "He....he.." "Tell them Kurama." Hiei ordered. Kurama heaved a sigh "He's my brother."
All eyes were on Kurama now. "Why would you want to kill your own brother?" asked Kuwabara. Kurama faced him "because I left something unfinished." He said plainly. Kuwabara stared and tried to look deep into Kurama's melancholy eyes. He could easily see that there was a lot of regret and sorrow. Kurama looked at Kuwabara and realized he knew that this has been a day he long awaited nevertheless tried to avoid. "He really hasn't realized how strong his spirit awareness is becoming." Kurama thought.
"I know this sounds foolish, but I still feel I can relieve him from the darkness." "Kurama" Yusuke sighed "He's still my brother no matter what does." "Do you know what caused him to become evil?" Kurama looked long and hard at the floor. "...The death of our mother." "How did she die?" Kurama looked up from the ground at looked at them with a smile. "Well shall we be going?" Kurama and Hiei proceeded forward. Yusuke and Kuwabara stared at each other "can you believe that guy?" "Yeah, nobody is that well-adjusted."
Hiei was walking at Kurama's side. "Why do you hide grief behind smiles Kurama?" he said as if he knew everything. When Kurama spoke his heart sounded heavy, and even pained Hiei to hear, even though he wouldn't admit it. "Being sulky never helped anyone, I have to be strong for those two, I can't let my personal affairs hinder our battles...besides when those two are gloomy then everybody is miserable... especially Yusuke, he'll fight with anger, anger is very manipulative." Hiei didn't respond he just stared at the long distance of stairs that awaited him.
"Hey wait up!" shouted Kuwabara "Oh great more stairs." said Yusuke sarcastically. Kuwabara abruptly stopped when he saw two skeletons propped up against a wall. "That can't be good." Yusuke was sneaking behind him and threw a skeleton on Kuwabara "Come with us to the underworld." (Yusuke in a phantom voice) "Eww get the hell off me!" (he started spazing out swinging his sword in all directions) Hiei and Kurama had anime sweatdrop. Kuwabara realized it was a trick and turned his head slowly staring coldly at Yusuke who thought it was hysterical and was Guffawing uncontrollably.
He held the skeleton by the arms which were dangling form his shoulders and threw it to the ground. "Urameshi I'm gonna kill you!" Yusuke was still laughing when Kuwabara attempted to strangle him. Yusuke only took him half seriously, one punch sent Kuwabara flying to the other side knocking him into the wall. He clearly left a perfect outline of his body in some weird position.
Kurama chuckled "let's take a break." Kuwabara's face was bruised and a huge bump on his head (Ugly beat up face) "Let's" he said tiredly. The all sat their backs against the wall. Kuwabara gave everybody a piece of chocolate he hid in his pocket. Hiei just stared at it in his hand as if it was about to do something "What am I supposed to do with it?" Kuwabara unwrapped the tin foil around his and stuck it in his mouth. "Ya chew it and eat it of course!" he replied with a smacking sound.
Hiei cautiously removed the wrapper and stared at it as if it were a poisonous snake. "Do you think this is a joke? What did you do to mine?" "Nothing" "You honestly think I would fall for that?...Look at it! It's brown!" everybody stared at Hiei doubtfully. Suddenly they all broke out in a burst of laughter (except Hiei of course) "Didn't' you have a childhood at all?" asked Kuwabara densely. "Of course" Hiei placed the chocolate vigilantly in his mouth. "Just eat it!" said Kuwabara impatiently. "It tastes funny, you didn't do anything?"
Everyone smiled as they showed him their chocolaty brown teeth. "Well?" everyone asked circling Hiei. "It's..." "Yes?" "It's..... The most putrid, repulsive, filthiest thing that I ever had the displeasure to experience!" everyone was stared at Hiei is disbelief. "Oh well more for me!" Kuwabara pulled a handful from his pockets Hiei caught a glimpse of the chocolates in the corner of his eye. In a flash they were gone. Kuwabara stared at his hand and blinked twice. He looked over to Hiei "Hey! That was the last of the chocolates!" Kurama rolled his eyes thoughtfully "sorry" he said conceitedly. "Stupid Hiei" said Yusuke muttering curses.
Within minutes Hiei was as hyper as ever. He was running vigorously charging forward running up the stairs. He ran faster than a bullet shot from a pistol. As Hiei charged the others saw him pass them every time as if he was running in a circle. Kuwabara stared at Hiei curiously passing them each time then returning. "Huh?" Kuwabara was confused... "I wonder..." Taking matters into his own hands he tried to run back down going the way they came. Sure enough he passed Hiei on the way down and he just ended up where he started and ran into Yusuke and Kurama again. "What does this mean? We're trapped!" "Is this an illusion?" Kurama asked.
"Look these walls keep repeating." Yusuke said as he pointed to the outline of Kuwabara's body on the wall and the skeleton in the exact position where Kuwabara threw it. "We past that, that doesn't make sense, wouldn't someone have notice by now?"
"What do we do now?" Hiei stopped right in front of them. "You might have not noticed this but these stairs are never ending." "You're a little late captain obvious." Said Kuwabara "oh....carry on." He suddenly broke out laughing. Kuwabara looked at him quizzically. "No more chocolate for you." "Say wha?" and he collapsed on the floor."Just leave him."
"We should look for a brick that looks different from all the rest; it might be our way out of here. It could be the starting brick that started this repetitive pattern" Suggested Kurama "Okay" Yusuke walked over to the wall, he tripped over the skeleton. "Stupid skeleton!" he kicked it "oww!" it didn't move "Yusuke let me see that!" Kurama tried to lift the skeleton it was stuck to the ground, "could it be...I believe this is the ripple effect...there's no mistake that these stairs defy time, Kurama stared blankly in realization, we could be trapped in here for eternity and not even pass a day." "Like a wrinkle in time?" (A/N I don't' mean to steal the book's title here pls. don't' sue) asked Kuwabara "Yes, at that moment Yusuke threw the skeleton at you, something must have happened in this castle that caused great change to pick that exact time frame. That's why the stairs froze time at that exact moment."
"No Kurama, but you are very close, These are called the stairs of truth, they actually pick a random time frame and freeze, but the way you said it makes it sound more suspenseful doesn't it? go ahead and make yourselves comfortable I don't believe you'll be moving for some time" the voice trailed throughout the flight of stairs echoing every word, making it sound more real the each time they heard it. "Risho wait!" Kurama yelled. The voice faded but the fear was more apparent to them than ever.
Kurama searched the flight of stairs hoping to find a suspicious brick in the wall that would open a secret passage or unlock a tapping sequence or code. Kuwabara on the other hand being the intellectual was randomly selecting any wall and trying to demolish it. Yusuke stared at Kuwabara's outline on the wall, and thought to himself "I wonder if this stairway froze a second after I threw Kuwabara into the wall which created a possible breakthrough from the wall a second before it froze." He thought, Yusuke put his hand out to trace the lines of the silhouette.
"There's something different about this wall." He noticed that his hand had completely vanished into the wall, which was followed by a complete shriek. "Whoa dude! There's a hand coming outta this wall!" Hiei's eye's immediately flashed open resulting in fist in Kuwabara's face. "What did I miss?" he asked. "The farther we go the more complex this puzzle becomes." Kurama said stressfully "What?" asked Hiei . Yusuke pulled his hand out and gaped at it. He looked at the outline again but this time he threw his whole body in. Yusuke just came out the side "This doesn't make any sense!" he yelled
"It doesn't make sense...one answer just adds up to another question." Kurama tried to reason his logic. Kuwabara just had his back against the wall and slowly slid to the floor, he stretched out his legs. Kuwabara stared at his shoes as he was lost into the thought of making it out alive. His gaze became out of focus and fell on the step right behind his shoe. As he stared deeper he realized there seemed to be something engraved on it. He stood on all fours and looked closer.
"What the heck are you doing Kuwabara?" As Kuwabara read the sentence aloud each letter slowly began to illuminate. "What travels up the stairs without moving?" they all thought for a moment. "Is this a riddle?" asked Kurama. "Seems like it." Kuwabara answered obviously. "What's the answer?" Yusuke asked himself. Hiei looked at the stairs and his eyes traveled through the steps from top to bottom. He started thinking of the stairs in spirit world. All the stairs in spirit world were flourished with a great red carpet. "a rug" he said confidently.
At the sound of that word the stairs broke into little pieces and shifted into a circular pattern. The pattern looked like a whirlpool of bricks. Another riddle was imprinted on the stairs. It was written in an arch at the center of the walkway. This time Kurama read "I am as big as an elephant yet I am as light as a feather.... what am I? Choose your answer wisely, wrong answers will be penalized. Unlock the answer to be restored"
They all stared at each other. This time Hiei didn't' have the slightest clue. "Damn, I'm not good at riddles." Kuwabara scolded himself mentally. "Wait a minute...bigger than an elephant lighter than a feather ...A hot air balloon?" asked Kuwabara. He was instantaneously frozen solid by ice, making him a human ice sculpture. "Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled. Kurama and Hiei stared in shock.
Yusuke ran to the statue and started punching it with all his might, attempting to free Kuwabara. "Kuwabara you moron, you were supposed to choose carefully!!" Yusuke yelled as he was beating the statue not realizing the pain he was causing his body without doing any damage to the sculpture whatsoever. "Yusuke stop, you'll just tire yourself." Kurama pulled Yusuke off the crystallized monument of Kuwabara.
Hiei tried to think of all the things that were large but seemingly weightless. He inhaled deeply and stared at the ceiling. He looked back at the ground "A cloud." He said jadedly. Nothing happened "was that the correct answer?" asked Yusuke. Nothing seemed to have changed, Then Hiei realized he couldn't move his feet. His feet actually appeared to be cemented to the floor. Suddenly a spear broke through the wall and drilled directly into his shoulder from behind, his entire arm went limp.
"Hiei!" Yusuke and Kurama yelled. Hiei stood paralyzed, trying to take in the pain. With the slightest flinch he could feel the pain traveling through his whole chest. Yusuke ran over to Hiei, he was about to try to rip out the spear himself, Hiei pushed him away. Hiei strained to look at the spear thrusting spirally into his shoulder; the blood was gushing out, he made a bitter face and pulled the spear out with his left arm.
Hiei held his shoulder, his right arm was useless. There was a huge gaping wound where the spear penetrated his shoulder. "Dammit." He abruptly realized he couldn't speak. "Hiei chose his answer which has left him mute .he passed his chance, It's all up to us, I must be careful." Kurama thought as he stared at his friend suffering. Hiei sat holding his shoulder tightly silently cursing, as he winced in pain.
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So how was it?.....you like? Sorry this took so long to get up. Heheh had to leave right there! Just to keep you interested. Anyways please review! I look forward to reading them all, Thanx for reading! Please search for updates from Kuramaz grrl. And please! Please! I can't push you enough! Tell me what you think!! ..By the way...does this chapter titles sound okay?...I can't really think of anything.....I wanted to name it rude awakenings but I think that's taken anyways. Bye! ï