The Red-headed Assassin
Chapter 10: Wake up
In a cliff, on a mountain near the fortress of Alaric, looking over the vast land below him, a lone figure stands. His hair, flowing like a crimson waterfall of blood, reaches the forest floor, and above his head, a black, fluffy kitsune ear twitches. His eyes are a kaleidoscope of green, gold and black. His body is draped in an ensemble all in black that does nothing to hide the curve of a sinfully sexy body, and at his back, a kitsune tail of midnight black twitches in anger and sadness as a soft, alto voice whispers on the wind…
"Betrayal is far worse than death. For I am better off dead than to have learned of the betrayal of each of those I considered my friends."
*Flashback*
The dark, red-orange clouds hovering above the purple-blue sky of Makai and the frequent roar of thunder and flashes of lightning indicate that a strong storm is approaching. High in the mountain near the fortress of Alaric, a Shoin-style Japanese house, complete with a well-tended garden and small pond, is the simple abode of Makai's well known healer, Yukina and her mate, Tourin's second-in- command, General Kazuma Kuwabara.
There within the shadow of the surrounding trees, a figure with waist-length red hair blown about by the harsh wind stands waiting; his emerald eyes, reflecting pain and uncertainty with unshed tears threatening to stain the smooth rosy cheeks, watch cautiously.
"Kurama-san."
Distracted and preoccupied, the kitsune-in-ningen- guise failed to notice the two familiar youki until said owners of that youki were standing behind his unguarded back. Startled, yet alert now, the redhead turned around and acknowledged the presence with a slight nod.
"Yukina-chan, Kuwabara-kun"
An awkward silence filled the already tense atmosphere until it was broken by the delicate Koorime.
"I beg you to leave this place now, Kurama-san, before I do something I might regret."
Deeply surprised by the boldness and the venom in the voice of the usually mild-spoken Koorime, Kurama opened his mouth to speak but was cut-off by her companion, his comrade, General Kazuma Kuwabara.
"Look, man, this thing's happened so fast and is still so fresh… so it might be better if you leave for now, and maybe when it's cooled off a bit you can come back and…"
"No, please, Kazuma, I don't want him anywhere near Hiei…"
Instantly, the great general closed his mouth and let his mate handle the situation.
"Kurama-san, I repeat, will you please leave this place. You have hurt my brother enough - "
"No! Yukina-san, you don't understand… this is between Hiei and me. Please don't interfere."
*Slap* To say the kitsune was surprised would have been an understatement. The rather violent reaction of the gentle healer was unexpected by both men. Lifting a hand to touch his reddened cheek, he looked back to his offender and was utterly shocked to see fury and pain, without a single hint of resentment, unmistakably reflected in the ruby orbs of the sister of his beloved.
"It is my brother whom you have hurt and betrayed, yet you say I must not interfere? You may be right, though, I honestly do not understand how you could have hurt Hiei in such a way. You, of all people, Kurama-san…"
Tears began to flow from those blood-red eyes and formed a perfect pool of hiruseki in the grassy ground as the fury began to subside, only to be replaced by disappointment.
"You need not explain. Whatever the reason, I care not. You have hurt my brother, and that is all I needed to know. Leave, now, please and do not ever show yourself to him again. Hiei is better off without you, you deceiving liar of a kitsune!"
With that she turned and ran off inside the house to check on her deeply troubled, sleeping twin brother.
The two men stood and stared as the ice maiden fled inside the house.
"Kuwabara-kun, will you, at least, hear me out?"
"Kurama, it's not you owe an explanation to, but I was with Hiei when it happened… I saw you… I heard you."
"And yet, it is not what you think."
"Do I still look like a stupid oaf to you? My advice is that you had better get out of here now. We both know that Yukina is not the type to resort to violence, but you've clearly pissed her off…"
"I did NOT betray him! I love him…I love Hiei!"
"You disappoint me, Kurama"
And he too, the honorable and ever loyal pure heart who proclaimed to be the "soldier of love and justice", Kazuma Kuwabara turned his back on his comrade as well.
*End Flashback*
No one believed…
No…
No one cared…
No…
You have been used…
That's not true…
They betrayed you…
…
All of them
NO!
So dark
Wake-up
So cold
Wake-up
A voice
Please wake up!
Five pairs of eyes grudgingly open as they became aware of their surroundings. They'd learned that, somehow, they were within a different dimension much like that of Itsuki, the youkai that assisted Sensui in his ill-fated attempt to create a portal that would connect the Makai and Ningenkai so very long time ago.
"Where are we?" It was Shura who dared to voice the question the rest were too afraid to ask.
"Kazuma!" Yukina hurriedly ran to hug her mate, relief washing over her.
"I take it that you missed me, Sweetheart?"
He was answered by a single nod as the poor Koorime hide her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed.
"Yusuke?"
"We'll talk later, Keiko."
Obviously Raizen's heir could not yet grasp the truth behind Kurama's disappearance which his mate had told him.
"Urameshi, this is just like Itsuki's territory…" Kuwabara started.
"So… is it? Are we inside Itsuki's realm then?"
"Hardly."
Five heads turned to the source of the new and oh-so-familiar voice.
"KURAMA!"
Standing before them was what could only be considered the perfect hybrid of Kurama's ningen and youko forms. Long silver hair, streaked with red, fell just below a shapely rear, and above that rear, the same red-streaked silver tail. Wide, gold-rimmed emerald eyes were slightly slanted as the kitsune gazed upon those he'd once called friends. There too, the same luscious full lips and same lithe, almost feminine body, dressed now in a somewhat translucent golden robe that resembled closely the white robe once worn by Youko Kurama.
"Kurama?"
Those same five sets of eyes blinked rapidly as if seeing an illusion and expected that illusion to suddenly disappear. However, they were proven wrong and yet still they doubted what their eyes plainly saw.
"Only a few hours left. Tonight is the blue moon. Will you remember your promise, then, Hiei?" These were his thoughts.
Tentatively, the kitsune stood and whispered to the wind to bring the message to him…
"Meet me and remember your promise."
Hiei could not believe it! When he'd returned, everyone was gone. His sister was missing, as well as the oaf. The cold body of the Makai's emperor and his mate were found in the middle of their palace garden, and his queen, Mukuro, was found dead in her chambers, a peaceful smile on her face and a note inside a small vial containing a single word…
:::Kurama:::
"Does this mean… did you really have something to do with all of this chaos, Kurama?"
He lifted the vial to his nose and sniffed. No doubt, it was Kurama's.
All of it had happened in a single night and half a day. Hiei needed to know… who the culprit was and how and why he'd done this… needed to know… to be sure… that it had really been his kitsune…
A strong wind blew and he heard it… the message… the challenge.
"Meet me and remember your promise."
Gomen… I miscalculated again. This is not yet the last chapter… … Gomen ne? College happens and work and stuff… I know I've been overusing these but really… I just don't have enough time… gomen please bare with me a little while…
Please do thank Kyo-chan… she's my beloved betaer… if not for her, this story sucks…. Lol .. Ja ne!