Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters are property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Fuji TV, Shueisha, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot. (Hatoko: Woah! I actually did a standard disclaimer for once! Oo;;)
Hatoko: Well, minna-san, I'm back again with another chapter, much to your chagrins, I'm sure. Anyways, straight down to business. I've been contemplating taking out the whole "Hiei and Kurama interact with the author" thing, and I've decided that this is going to be the first day I do it. Unless, of course, I get thousands upon thousands of near unreadable flames telling me to put them back in. However, I doubt that'll be likely. As a matter of fact, I doubt any of you will notice... (cough cough). Anyways, time for the "Reviewer's Corner"! (waits for applause) ... (doesn't get any, and sighs, walking off stage yes, STAGE!).
LoversPastForgotten: I did update! n.n Yay, I'm loved! n.n ...Actually, I didn't really like that chapter, much... but, who am I to complain? You're not that only one who seemed to enjoy it... n.n;; Yeah... I thought I'd throw in a little "trouble in paradise"... Kekeke... That's another one of my favourite sayings. n.n Anyways, thankies for reviewing!
Romantic Devil: Hahahaha... You know, I can honestly say that this is the first complaint I've ever gotten about my story chapters being too short. (Except that one-shot I wrote... Uhg... Everyone who reviewed told me I should've made it longer... I shudder at the memory... Shudder) But, if you're in need of some good Hiei/Kurama-ness, let me just point you in the direction of my "Favourite Stories" list. I'm am slightly embarrassed, and disturbed on the behalf of everyone reading this that every single one of the fanfictions on my list, yes, all 97 of them, are Yuyu Hakusho ones, and are guaranteed that over 90 of them are Hiei/Kurama fics. Yes, I have no life, and yes, I already know. n.n;; But, anyways, I will try to fulfill your request, and make longer chapters! (I've been trying to find the proper motivation for myself in ages... n.n;;)
Ame-tennyo: Hehehe... yeah, Kuwabara is very dense, if you ask me. As you could probably tell, he's not one of my favourite characters. n.n;; But, I really have nothing against him. Nothing personal, at any rate... n.n;; Thank you! Umm... Yoshi? (confusion! Oo;; Oh, don't worry. it's not that hard to make me cofused... n.n;;). Thankies for reviewing! n.n
Black-Fire-Ryu: Okies! Better to know after the fact, than not at all, right? n.n;; Thankies for the review! n.n
Lynn (Agent Dark Moose): Hmm... you really think so? As I said before... I didn't really like that chapter much... n.n;; Maybe it is just me, after all... n.n;; However, I do thank you deeply! Arigatou! n.n Hahaha... well, I guess that's a good thing for me, then, because I was trying to make Kurama seem smart... but, it is kinda hard when you're not very smart yourself, so... n.n;; It seems that all of my efforts weren't in vain! n.n;; Thankies for the review!
Emory The Plutonian: Why, thank you very much! I'm happy to hear that you think so highly of my story! n.n Arigatou gozaimasu, for the review! n.n
DemonUntilDeath: Thank you! Oh, dear... perhaps my efforts were in vain after all... n.n;; Well, let me put it this way, if it makes it seem any better: at least I didn't have Yusuke or Kuwabara solve it! And, I thought that if I made him know the answer right off the bat, than if wouldn't be as fun, and it would make him seem less human than he seems to be. Like, it would just be like, "Well, jeez, sounds like he knew all along!". You know? I was just trying to add to the drama, and make him seem like he actually has to think about some things before he actually gets them. Yeah. So... yeah. Thanks for the review! n.n;;
Imomen: Hey, just because I prefer Yusuke with his suggested mate, and NOT interfering with our favourite youkai couple, doesn't mean that I can't throw a little trouble into paradise (the same thing I said to LoversPastForgotten... n.n;;). And besides, he could mean it from a strictly platonic point of view. I haven't decided yet. And, it's not like he knows that Hiei and Kurama are in love (yet), so he doesn't think anything is coming from all the time that the two spend together. He's probably just jealous that Kurama is better friends with him than the rest of the Tantei are. But... I haven't decided yet. Kekeke! XP Oh, and about the whole, Kurama whispering sweet nothings to plants... I have no idea. n.n;; To me, it just seems like he should be able to, don'tcha think? And, yes. Yusuke did flip Kuwabara off. n.n;; Ah, yes... we all know about that little world of yours... Oo;; Unfortunately... And, hey! Just because I'm a lazy-ass procrastinator, doesn't mean you can call me a slow-poke, baka teme! XP
Hiei's Gothic Angel: Arigatou gozaimashita! You've made my day! n.n When I got this, it was the last day of my February vacation, so... it lifted my spirits a great deal! n.n ARIGATOU! I don't think you're a weirdo! If you are, then I must be a weirdo too, and, we all know that that's impossible... (Oo;;). Thankies! It makes me very happy to hear that you think I'm very talented! n.n Even if I have trouble meeting my deadlines... n.n;; Hehehe... I tend to repeat myself repeatedly a lot. n.n;; Hee hee! I'm glad that my update made your day! Just know that your review made my day! n.n Thank you, again! n.n
Silvermane1: Arigatou, and thankies for the review! n.n
Hatoko: Arigatou gazaimashita, minna-san! I LOVE YOU ALL! n.n Anyways, here we go!
Detication:
This chapter of "The Day the Hiroseki Fell", by Hatoko (YokoYoukai), Is hearby deticated to, Hiei's Gothic Angel, who has been
Hatoko's longest reviewer, meaning, she has been reviewing Hatoko's story since it was first published
in December, and has reviewed every chapter since.
Arigatou, Janessa-sama! Hatoko sincerely hopes you enjoy this chapter!
The Day the Hiroseki Fell
"Well, now that you know that, I'm sure that the both of you are quite hungry. Please feel free to dig in!" she said, gestering to the food piled on every square inch of the small table.
Yukina happily complied, but Hiei turned to Rui and said "So that's why you took both me and Yukina. So you could preform the power transfusion."
Rui didn't answer, but smiled, and started helping herself to the food Yukina was already merrily helping herself to.
'Then why...' Hiei thought sullenly as he, too, started serving himself from the heaping piles of Koorime cuisine. 'Why does something feel so... wrong about all this...?'
Chapter Seven: Truth and Despair
Hiei once again awoke in an unfamiliar place. As there were no windows, he couldn't tell whether it was day or night, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he hadn't fallen asleep naturally. He sniffed the air, which confirmed his suspicions about not being in the same place. Not only that, but... he sniffed again. He couldn't smell Yukina either. That wasn't good. If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself.
Not sensing anyone in the immediate vacinity, Hiei decided that it was time to investigate his new surroundings. He stood up, and wobbled slightly.
'Dammit!' he thought angrily. 'How long was I out, anyway?'
Finally gaining his balance, he walked about the room he was currently occupying, surveying his new accomodations. This didn't take more than a few seconds, however, as the only things in the room were the pallet he had been sleeping on, and chains of various shapes and sizes. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the surrounding darkness (he tried to use his youki, only to find that he didn't have the energy to conjure up any flames), he knew that he was in a dungeon/torture room, complete with blood stained floors and bars all around, acting as walls. And wards. There were lots of wards.
'Well.' he thought, annoyed. 'Doesn't look like I'm going to be leaving this god-forsaken place any time soon...'
He sat back down on the pallet, and once again attempting to call upon his flames. Nothing. There wasn't a ward on his body (he knew; he checked), and he still couldn't summon his flames! Okay, he was now righteously pissed off.
'All this was because of that damn, friggin', wench, Rui! I knew something was up... I just didn't want to believe... that, after supposedly experiencing so much guilt after throwing me off the Isle... that she wouldn't have done anything more to fuck up my life... Kurama... I wonder if you're looking for me... Do you even care that I'm gone? What am I saying? Of course the kitsune cares! He cares about everyone...'
Hiei sat up abruptly when he heard a door open at the end of the hall that the 'room' he was in came off of. The steps continued in his direction, and he sat with baited breath, listening to the person leisurely make their way towards him.
"So, you're finally awake," a male voice said, as the foot steps stopped in front of the door.
The owner of the voice was tall, at least six feet. He had long silver hair that he wore loosely about his shoulders, and trailed down his back. He was wearing a light coloured Chinese tunic with baggy white pants and black shoes. His skin was also light, but his eyes were a complete contradiction to the rest of him: his eyes were such a deep green that they almost looked black.
"Who are you?" Hiei snarled.
"Hehehe..." the demon laughed.
Hiei narrowed his eyes, and glared harder at the demon.
"Don't worry," the demon reassured. "I'm not going to say anything creepy, like 'I am your father', or something like that."
"Then just spit it out," Hiei growled.
"Very well," he continued. "My name is Inazuma. A pleasure to make your aquaintance, Jaganshi Hiei."
"And, how do you know my name?" Hiei asked quietly.
"Oh, come now," The older demon reasoned. "Who doesn't know who you are? You're the infamous hiyoukai imiko of the Koorime. The one that they threw out and supposedly got rid of at birth. Everybody knows about you. As a matter of fact, I might even go so far as to say, your legends are as well known as the mythical thief, Youko Kurama."
"Don't you ever..." Hiei began, trembling. "Don't you ever... lump me in with him! He is twelve times an all-around better person than I could ever hope to be!"
"Oh?" Inazuma questioned, on an uprising note. "Seems like somebody has a little thing called 'adoration' for our silver tailed friend."
"Stop talking about him. Now," Hiei spat, glaring as intensely as he could into the murky green depths of his newfound captor.
"Hmm," Inazuma hummed thoughtfully. "Seems like something more than adoration. One might say that you were even... in love with the fox," he smirked.
Hiei growled in place of answering, but on the inside, he was shocked with what Inazuma had just said. He had been thinking about the fox more and more often, but he hadn't thought that it meant anything. It was just then that he felt a twinge in his heart. He missed the fox terribly, and wished him by his side through this whole ordeal. Could this be love...?
Inazuma laughed loudly.
"Well, I take that from your lack of answer, I was right on the money!" he exclaimed, laughing.
Hiei growled louder.
"If you do anything to him..." he warned.
"Ooh, I don't think you're in any place to be threatening me, Jaganshi," Inazuma smirked. "Besides, he's not the one I'm... interested... in. Although, it might be kind of rewarding to see what you would do if I captured him..."
"Don't you dare..." the hiyoukai rumbled.
"Very well," Inazuma acquiesced. "But that just means I get to play with you all the more."
Hiei snarled, but bowed his head in defeat. Inazuma smirked, and grabbed Hiei by the chin, forcing him to look into his eyes.
"I knew you'd see it my way..." he grinned, and pulled Hiei's face up closer to his own, and placed a bruising kiss on Hiei's lips.
Hiei kicked the taller demon in the stomache, and pulled away, vigorously rubbing his lips on his sleeve.
"Heh..." Inazuma chuckled, as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. "Don't worry, imiko," he soothed. "It'll get more tolerable in time, I'm sure..."
And with that, he left Hiei alone in the dungeon.
Hiei flopped back against the pallet, and sighed, willing his mind to stop churning, and his stomache to stop reeling. His mind was digesting this piece of information that he had just learned about himself: he was in love with the fox? It just seemed too much like a dream to him. But... there was no point in running from what he knew to be the truth. He just had to accept it. His stomache was reeling because, well... wouldn't yours be if some guy who seemed to have the hots for you stole the kiss from your lips that you had been saving for a certain youko since you had first met the fox? Well, that's why Hiei's was. And he didn't like it.
"Shimata..." he swore, trying once again, and failing, to clear his head. How was he supposed to concentrate with all those vicious thoughts running through his head? The three first ones were: 'You've cheated on your fox! How could you?', being the first, 'Eww... his lips were cold and clamy...', the second at hand, and, 'How the hell are you planning on getting out of here?', the third. In order of importance, of course.
After the first two thoughts had flown around in his head for a while, he concentrated on the last: How the hell was he going to get out of there?
It was just then that a thought struck him in the back of the head. Inazuma never closed the door on his way out! (Hatoko: Gomen ne... I couldn't think of anything else, and it was only now that I realized that I could use my vagueness of words to my favour... n.n;;)
Hiei raced towards the door, and peered out into the hallway. The coast was clear. Taking this as his chance, he quickly and quietly snuck towards the opposite end of the hall.
The door was slightly ajar there, too. The jackass must've really been in a mood... Hiei stopped right beyond the crack of light drowning out a little of the darkness in the hall. Beyond the door was a large staircase that, from Hiei's point of view, at the very bottom, seemed to go on forever. He took a deep breath, pulled the door opened, and flitted off up the stairs.
He reached the top in about five seconds flat, and pushed open the door at the top only a crack, and peaked through. The coast was clear. He slipped through the doors, letting his childhood with the bandits remind him of the skills of a thief he had aquired from them. Moving like his name sake (1), he followed the smell of the light demon all the way to the very top floor.
The number of guards increased rapidly the higher up he went, and the fortress he was now being held in seemed to go on forever. Finally, however, when he reached the top, where the scent was strongest, there were absolutely no guards what-so-ever. The intrigued Hiei a bit. Was the demon really powerful enough to not need guards on the very floor he seemed to reside to protect him? Perhaps he was just cocky. Or, maybe it was a trap? As all these thoughts made their way through Hiei's brain, his feet, which seemed to be on autopilot, were directing him down a large hallway, in both length and width. As he cleared his head, his feet were still moving him forward cautiously, still sticking to the shadows, although all the danger seemed to have left them on the floor below.
Hiei made it down the hall, and to a set of polished oak double doors that rose all the way from the floor to the ceiling of the hall, and were easily over 15 feet high, with intricate designs and swirls covering every square inch of the expensive material. He marveled for a moment with an unreadable expression on his face, and pushed the door open.
Just as Hiei expected, on the other side of the door was none other than Inazuma. He was sitting in a high leather-padded chair behind a large desk covered with maps and the like, facing Hiei. Inazuma smirked as Hiei stepped into the room, and the doors shut with an echoing clang.
"Well, well," Inazume said, amusment evident in his voice. "I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon."
"Expect the unexpected," Hiei retorted, glowering.
Inazuma's smirk broadened, as he stood up and stepped out from around his desk. In nothing but a blur (which Hiei was proud to say he could follow), Inazuma was behind Hiei.
"So, little Jaganshi," he sneered. "Did you want something?"
Hiei, who hadn't turned the whole time, smirked.
"Actually, yes."
"And, what would that be?" Inazuma asked pleasantly.
"For you to die in the most painful and horrifying ways known to men, demons, and gods put together," Hiei replied smoothly, finally turning around, only to find Inazuma not there.
"I'm afraid I can't grant that request, hiyoukai," a voice in Hiei's ear remarked casually.
Hiei shuddered at such close contact, and suddenly let out a slight yelp of pain when Inazuma pulled one of his arms behind his back and twisted it.
"However," he continued. "I can tell you who gave you to me, because I know you've been wondering about it."
"That too," Hiei managed, grimacing as Inazuma slowly pulled is arm higher and higher out of its natural position.
"The one who brought you here, to me," he started, leaning down so that his breath tickled Hiei's ear in the most unnatural of unnatural ways. "Was none other than the one claiming to help you."
Hiei's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean..." he gasped. Inazuma's torture on his arm was really getting to him. "That it was... R-Ru-"
"That's right," Inazuma whispered, licking Hiei's ear inbetween breaths. "It was Rui."
.-.-.-.
When Yukina awoke, she was in the same room she had awoken in before, only this time, she was not frightened when she opened her eyes. She sat up groggily, stretched, and almost died of shock when she noticed the other occupant of her room. It was Rui.
"Rui-san," Yukina said, gentley. "What are you doing here?"
Yukina was shocked when Rui looked up at her with tear-filled eyes.
"I have done a horrible thing..." she chokingly admitted before tears started rolling off her face and and crystalizing before their very eyes. Neither of them paid any attention, though, having seen far too many in their lifetimes'.
Yukina was immediately by her side.
"What happened, Rui-san?" she asked, deeply concerned. "You can tell me."
"That's just the thing," Rui sobbed. "I don't think I can tell you. You see, it has to do with... with your brother."
"With my brother?" Yukina asked, beginning to worry. "What happened to Hiei-oniisan, Rui-san?"
Rui's sobs doubled, and the sound of dropping hiroseki filled the room. Yukina patted Rui's back in a soothing motion, attempting to calm her down.
"I took him..." Rui managed, swallowing hard before continuing. "I took him to someone... who wants him dead."
Yukina's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She managed a weak smile, and choked, "You're joking, right Rui-san? You don't really mean that, do you?"
Rui was now doubled over with tears.
"I-I really... really did," she gasped. "I... was in over my head... I-I... I loved him... The man... I gave H-Hiei to..." she elaborated. "He-he told me, that... that if I helped him... he would take me as his mate... and, since K-Koorime mate for life... if they ever d-do get to find one... I was overjoyed... but... I'm just repeating Hina's m-mistake... But, it's t-true... what she told me... that falling in love... is the m-most wonderful f-feeling... in the world..."
Yukina was on the verge of tears herself now. Apparently, Rui was expecting her to get angry, perhaps even attack her but, Yukina didn't even think the word "attack" was part of her vocabulary. Instead, she hugged Rui as tight as she possibly could.
Rui's tears stopped long enough for her to ask, "I thought you wold be mad. I thought you would try to kill me. Why aren't you?"
"I am mad," Yukina replied, still hugging Rui. "Livid, even. But, violence won't solve anything. And, if you really feel that badly about it, you can help me get him back, right?"
Rui smiled through her tears. "Yes! But..." she trailed off, looking uncertain.
"What it is?" Yukina inquired.
"Well..." Rui began. "Tomorrow is your three hundredth birthday... and, Hiei will need the tranfusion before midnight tomorrow night, or... or he might not make it."
Yukina gasped.
"I had forgotten all about that!" she said, frantically. "So, you're sure that that's what will happen?"
"Yes, very," Rui confirmed. "I hadn't been lying about that..."
"Which means," Yukina gasped. "We don't have much time!"
Rui nodded. "We must start planning immediately if we are to get Hiei out of Inazuma's keep in time."
"Inazuma?" Yukina questioned.
"That's the demon's name," Rui explained. "The one whom I thought I loved, and the one to whom I brought Hiei."
Yukina nodded her understanding. Suddenly, she stood.
"Yukina-chan?" Rui questioned.
"Well," Yukina said, turning towards Rui with a determined smile. "Let's get to work, shall we?"
-Owari-
(1): Hiei was moving like his name sake. It means that, he was moving quickly, like a shadow. For those of you that don't know, Hiei's name means "Flying Shadow", thus, "moving like his name sake". I thought it was clever, at any rate. n.n;;
Hatoko: So! What'dya think? Good? Bad? Too short? Too long? I tried my very hardest to make it as long as I could, and I succeeded in making it longer than any other chapter to this date (except the Extra Shot), so... hopefully, that'll be satisfactory for now. Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chappie! n.n Please, find it in your heart to review! (puppy dog eyes) Arigatou!
Hatoko-
P.S. "Inazuma", means "lightning" in Japanese. Just thought you all might like to know that. n.n
