Chapter 11: The Ace of swords
Kurama rounded a corner and came face to face with the woman he had been trying to find.
"Welcome Master Kurama, what brings you to my dungeon?" She asked, voice a smiling sickly sweet.
Kurama forced a smile to curve his lips. "I need you to fetch Jen for me. Alive, I might add."
Jezebel sighed and ran a hand through her long golden locks of hair. "Very well, I shall bring her. But, if she is forceful, or unwilling…do I have the permission to bring her bodily harm?"
Kurama narrowed his eyes. "No broken bones, dislocated joints or missing pieces. She is to be brought to me as whole as you found her."
"Very well, I shall fetch her." That said, the blond woman turned on a soft soled shoe and walked off into the gloom of her domain.
Kurama watched her go, his gold flecked eyes tracking her every movement until she had vanished into the shadows. Once the woman was out of his sight, Kurama turned around and headed off towards another passage to fetch Yusuke.
---
Jen watched the three men talk, her blue eyes jumping from speaker to speaker. For the past fifteen minuets the boys had been discussing what they were going to do once they got out of the dungeon, the idea was, so far, that all four of them would run off into the castle and—according to Kuwabara: Kick some major butt.
Everybody seemed to like that idea, until Hiei had so bluntly put in the topic of how they were going to get out of the cell; that little comment started a whole new flow questions as Kuwabara dove into the new topic.
"What if the chains try to suck our spirit energy when we leave?" Kuwabara asked.
"You baka, it was the scrolls that collected the energy, not the chains." Hiei said.
"But what about when Kit used his energy to grow that plant? It wasn't the scrolls that yanked him back down, was it?"
Kit shrugged. "The talismans were what guided the chains, allowing them to move and react to our actions. Without the scrolls, the wards cannot function as a moving device. All they can do now is hold us down."
"Well, if the scrolls are down, why don't the chains come off?" Kuwabara asked.
Hiei hit his forehead with his hand, careful to avoid the large eye in the middle of it. "Would killing him be considered murder or…charity?" He mumbled darkly.
"They are still ordinary chains, Kuwabara." Kit explained, ignoring the fire demon's comment. "Just because the talismans were destroyed doesn't mean that they automatically fall off."
Kuwabara lifted his arm towards his face and studied the lock closely. "Well, how are we gonna get these off then?"
"I'll pick the locks Kuwabara!" Kit exclaimed.
"Well, eexxccuussee me!" The teen grumped and crossed his arms.
Kit closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn't going to help if he got snappy. Even if Kuwabara was not using his brain…he could deal. "I'm sorry I snapped. But, I'll just pick the locks."
"Oh, alright then..." The teen said, accepting the apology. "…but what about—"
"ENOUGH!" Hiei spat. "Save your fool questions, we'll get out and worry about those details later! What we need to worry about now is who is still on our side and how long do we have left before Skilt kills us all." His eyes sparkled in the darkness, giving the already evil demon an even more depraved appearance.
Kit cast a glance at the brooding fire demon. "Jen and I saw Yusuke, he was with Skilt when we first came in. I doubt that the boy is still on our side." The redhead took a breath. "If we are forced to face him; what are our chances?"
Hiei narrowed his eyes. "I can handle him."
Kit nodded, if Hiei said he could do it he believed him.
"Well, what about Kurama? I mean, Kurama's still on our side—Right?" Kuwabara asked, eyes searching Kit's face.
"I don't know." Kit answered truthfully. "I have not seen him."
"I did." Jen said quietly, finally joining the conversation.
All three fixed their eyes on her.
Jen fidgeted under the weight of their gaze and looked down. "He didn't seem right, he kinda hid from me. But I'm sure if something did happen to him, he's getting out of it." She looked up as she ended her statement, gaining confidence in her words as she said them.
"He hid from you?" Hiei snickered and closed his eyes.
Kit closed his eyes. Two of the members from the Reiki Tantai were against them. This was not going to be easy. "We should view them as enemies." He advised. "I say that after we escape, Hiei goes after Yusuke and Kurama. If they are still allies then we could use their help, if not…" He let his sentence trail off. "Meanwhile, I'm going to take Jen and Kuwabara off to find Skilt. Hiei, if we haven't run into you yet we'll attack and attempt to take him out. I'm sure you'll find us if we don't meet up."
Hiei nodded in agreement.
"WAIT!" Kuwabara shouted, voice angry. "We just can't take Urameshi an' Kurama out! They're on our team, if we find 'em we gotta help 'em! We just can't wax 'em!"
Hiei glared at him. "You oaf, if Kurama and Yusuke aren't our allies anymore then we have more to worry about then us hurting them. They will kill you without even a second thought." Hiei's hand twitched as if the appendage was itching to hold a sword again." You can go ahead and try to sweat-talk them out of murdering your sorry hide. But I, for one, will get them before they get me!"
"Well, well, well," A snide voice whispered menacingly, cutting through the conversation. "So, you managed to destroy my binding scrolls? How cute."
All four turned towards the new voice that trickled through the bars on the door.
"What do we have here, hmm?" The owner of the voice purred as she slowly opened the door and sashayed into view.
Kits eyes narrowed, they were in trouble yet again. Joy.
"Well, forbidden one. You seem to have added some new friends to your collection." The newcomer, a young blond wearing a Chinese style dress and shoes said as she positioned herself between them and the door.
Hiei narrowed his eyes. That damn onna was back again and knew that they had been trying to escape! Kuwabara was defiantly going to pay for this. True it wasn't the oaf's fault, but Hiei did love to pin bad situations and any ill fortune on the boy.
"I'm here for the girl…" The woman began. "Oh, and seeing as how you all tried to escape; I guess for your lives as well, But orders first, pleasure later." As she spoke her arm stretched and shot out like a rubber-band.
Jen didn't have time to react as the fleshy appendage wrapped itself about her neck in a bone crushing embrace. The woman hauled her backwards and crushed her to her chest in a mock-love embrace.
"Don't even try anything foxy." The blond murmured sweetly as she nuzzled Jen's cheek with her own. "One wrong move and I'll snap this little chickadee's neck."
Kit lowered his hands away from his hair and watched the female with hateful eyes. "What do you want with her?"
The woman giggled happily as Jen's hands found their way to the coils at her throat and tried to pry them off. "Skilt wants a word with his new pet. I don't think he's very happy with her." She giggled.
Jen choked and pulled outwards on the woman's arms. Gods! She couldn't breathe.
"Your are suffocating her," Kit said calmly. "Does Skilt want you to bring him a dead girl?"
The woman grinned broadly and tightened her grip. "Oh, I won't kill her."
Jen struggled against the arm that was squeezing the life out of her. But it was as if she were trying to pry a vice from her throat. Suddenly an Idea hit her, and she was gonna do it! She needed air!
"AAAYEEEEE! You little bitch!" The woman screeched and grabbed her chest.
Jen pushed away from the woman and fell to her knees coughing loudly. She was barely aware as Kit lunged and scooped her up before the blond could again snatch her away.
"YOU DIDN'T JUST DO THAT!" Kuwabara hollered flabbergasted.
Hiei smiled evilly, now that was something interesting.
The woman growled loudly and took a step towards Jen, arms crossed protectively over her chest.
Kit, who had snatched and yanked Jen away bridle style, held her closer to his chest as she relearned how to breath. The back of his mind wondered why Jen was always getting herself suffocated for a moment before he squished the thought away to ponder at another time.
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU IMPERTINENT LITTLE WHELP!" The blond hissed like a snake.
Jen raised her hand and gave her the finger, she was quickly regaining her composure. "Touch me again and I'll rip it off!"
The blond sputtered and began to shout nasty things at Jen, who quickly retorted with something just as bad. Needless to say, the shouting match was not worth to put down in writing.
Kit backed up until his back hit the wall and he glanced at it momentarily. His back was to the wall both literally and proverbially. Everyone in the room save Jen and the new woman were still bound in the chains. If they had to fight, there was no way they could win. Unless…
Kit shifted his hold so that Jen's ear was pressed against his mouth. "Jen." He breathed.
Jen stiffened and stopped mid-insult as Kit's breath brushed against her ear.
"OH ho!" The woman crowed and closed her eyes, she didn't seem to be aware of Kit whispering a quickly summed up plan into her ear. "No comeback? Well, you little whore. Let's get down to business. Tell your keeper to release you and I can repay you for…" she paused a moment in thought.
"--Honking your jugs?" Kuwabara supplied.
Everybody turned towards Kuwabara.
"What?"
Kit gently lowered Jen to the ground and prayed that she would do as told. Earlier she had been chomping at the bit to hurt Io, she had been refused. Well now she was going to get her chance to hurt someone else. If she challenged this new woman to a battle, or just down right started one. He would have enough time to get them the hell out of here.
Jen allowed herself to be placed on the ground and took a few steps towards the fuming bimbo who was now insulting Kuwabara for his 'lack of sensitivity'. With a gulp, Jen pointed a finger at the woman and began with Kit's plan.
"Hey, Ugly!" She said, hopefully in a challenging kind of way. The blond stopped yelling and turned her narrowed eyes on Jen. Our hero licked her lips and continued. "I challenge you to a battle!"
The woman arched an eyebrow. "What?"
"You heard me! I wanna fight you."
The woman began to laugh, loudly. "You, challenge me? Oh my dear chickadee. That is so old fashioned. Besides, I'm not stupid. You only want to fight me so that your little foxy friend can buy some time to pick those wards." She began to advance on Jen.
Our hero began to back up under the predatory gaze she was sending her way.
"You have no idea who you are dealing with." As the blond spoke, fangs sprouted from her mouth and her eyes turned into feral slits. "I am Jezebel, mistress of all these dungeons and keeper of lost souls. I devour little peeons like you for breakfast every day."
Jen felt her stomach clench as fear began to worm its way down her spine. This woman screamed snake!
Jezebel stuck her tongue out of her mouth for a moment then darted it back in. "Mmmm, you taste of fear, little chickadee. You're not scared? Are you?"
Jen bit her lip. Hell yes! Not for the first time, she wondered why the hell she had gotten herself into this mess. Gods! Jen narrowed her eyes and halted her retreat. If she gave up now…
"Hey, I'm woman enough to not lie. Yes, I am scared." Jen said as calmly as she could and crossed her arms. "But, I also know when to call your bluff, so stop with the whole intimidation bit."
The blond stopped and smiled, revealing those curved fangs to the fullest. "But, my sweet chickadee," She countered. "Intimidation is half of a battle, the other is brute force!" As she ended her statement, Jezebel launched both of her hands forward and pushed back, sending the unprepared kitsune out of the dungeon and into the large corridor outside the cell.
Jen braced herself as she collided with the floor, but she wasn't a fighter and the impact of her body being pummeled into the stone sent a level of pain that she wasn't expecting and hadn't properly braced for. She lay dazed for a moment, pinned underneath the weight of Jezebel's left hand as her attacker pulled her right arm back, slammed the dungeon door shut, and then dragged her hand across the thick wood.
Hissing erupted from beneath Jezebel's fingertips as a new type of scroll began to materialize across the wooded surface. "Thought you'd be foxy, eh?" The fanged blond laughed. On the door lay a brand-spankin' new scroll. Its design was similar, but not quite the same as the scrolls that had been decorating the cell previously. With a hiss of delight she turned her attention back to those still trapped inside. "Go ahead and pick those locks, it won't do you any good so long as this scroll stays intact."
Somebody (by the name of Hiei) cursed loudly in a foreign language that neither girl could identify.
"Ohh, so testy my forbidden one!" The blond mocked. "You don't have to speak that language to understand what you said."
With a feral growl Jen reached up and seized Jezebel's hand with her own. Instinctively she twisted it smartly to the right, attempting to break her wrist and, if she were lucky, dislocate the elbow as well.
"HANDS OFF!" Our hero shouted as she completed the move. The hand, which had not been securely latched to her in the first place came off of Jen's body without too much force; and with the blondes attention elsewhere, her hand was easy to manipulate and turned in the desired direction. But, instead of the lovely popping noise one would expect to hear when a joint has been sufficiently popped—not to mention broken, the whole appendage contorted about itself as if it were something boneless.
Jen's face twisted into one of disgust as Jezebel turned her attention back to her.
"Ha!" The blond chortled. "A good idea, well…at least it would have been if I had the same bones as you do." With a yank she removed Jen's hold and allowed her arm to spin back into its normal position.
"Jen, she's a snake demon!" Kit shouted from inside the cell. "Her body is like rubber!"
Undaunted Jen hauled herself to her feet. "Nice." She grumped.
"Your move, Chickadee." Jezebel informed and spread her arms wide as Jen cocked her head to the side and studied her body. "Or are you out of ideas?"
---
Kuwabara heaved himself to his feet and staggered over to the door. Even though he hated to admit it, he was still a little weak due to the life force donation he had to give to Jen. With a grunt he peered over through the bars as Kit hurried about and picked himself then Hiei from the nest of wards decorating their bodies.
"Kit," Kuwabara started as his eyes roamed from girl to girl. "Does Jen even know what the heck she's doing?"
Kit growled and struggled with yet another lock. "No." He spat. "I didn't have the time to teach her a thing. Ahh!" He threw a tool down and reached into his pocket to remove another one. He was quickly becoming distressed over the fact that things were quickly going to hell in a hand-basket.
"Then what the hell is she doing out there?" Kuwabara demanded.
"Buying time." Kit answered. Though truthfully he had hoped that this wouldn't have happened. True he had sent the girl out there to battle an opponent, but he thought that they would have had their skirmish inside the cell; a…for lack of a better word, "cat fight" was all he had been looking for. "This was not what I had in mind." He grumped and disentangled himself from the chains. Once free he swiftly descended onto a more then willing fire Kurumi.
"But!" Kuwabara sputtered. "Girls shouldn't fight!"
---
"Well?" Jezebel demanded as she advanced a step towards our hero.
Jen took a deep breath but didn't back down. "Could you give me a moment?" She asked calmly.
Jezebel quirked an eyebrow. What was she up to? "Why?" She demanded, deciding to humor the girl.
Jen, sensing her opponent's amusement took the time to remove the tie that was holding up Kuwabara's pants. Kit's white cloth-belt made a slithering noise, almost like silk as it loosened and gracefully allowed itself to fold about Jen's skilful hand. "I need to return some clothing that's not mine. I don't want to ruin it when I pound your face into the pavement. " Jen lightly stepped out of Kuwabara's pants as she talked and draped them neatly about her arm. "Blood is so hard to get out of fabric."
Jezebel smiled grimly. "I do agree with that."
Jen held the garments out in front of her. "Then, may I?"
Jezebel gracefully stepped backwards, one foot crossing behind the other until she stood far enough away that Jen could walk to the cell's door and still maintain a three foot space bubble. "Be my guest."
Jen walked confidently towards the door, ignoring the eyes that bore into her as she moved. Kuwabara was now standing behind the bars, eyes flicking between the two intently as she approached.
"Jen? What are you doing?" He whisper-screamed.
Jen lifted up the clothing and fed them through the bars. "You wanna run around half naked?!" Her voice sounded pinched, gods she was gonna die!
Kuwabara helped take the clothes from her. "Listen." He mumbled. "Use your left hand to guard your head and your right to beat the crap out of that snake-lady. Aim for the face or her gut for a take out shot, and when you hit her throw your whole upper body into the shot or your gonna get creamed out there." He advised.
Jen nodded dumbly. "I gotta get in close?" Her voice was high.
Kuwabara nodded back. "Now, don't panic. Just try to take her out as quickly and with as much force as you can. When she goes down, I know its not honorable but just keep hitting her! Don't stop 'till you know she's not gonna get up again!"
Jen took a deep breath while her thoughts jumped to her favorite fighting game at home. YYH Dark tournament; in the game she used tactics like that all the time. "Just like in the game?"
"Just like in the game." Kuwabara assured, not having a clue as to what she was talking about but agreeing with it all the same.
"Okay." She breathed and turned around, then faltered. "You're telling me to fight?"
Kuwabara made a face and jabbed a thumb into his chest. "Hey, I don't like it. But you're all we got!"
With that, our hero turned back to what she was supposed to be doing.
---
Jezebel stood examining her long nails as Jen made her way back over. "I trust you are all taken care of?"
"Yes."
"Good, it's still your move."
Jen took a deep breath, Okay, this is just like YYH dark tournament. I'll go in close like I do with Yusuke and…wait, I use mostly kicking attacks with him. Should I do that or follow Kuwabara's advice? Oh hell, I'll figure that out when I get there!
Jezebel smirked and shifted into a low crouch as Jen ran towards her, the little chickadee was a newcomer to the fighting world. This was evident through her bold charge and unsure stance as she drew close. Jezebel formed a fist as the girl came forward, ready to punch her square in the face.
Suddenly Jen switched her charge, instead of surging directly into the heat of battle, she veered left and pivoted quickly on her dominant leg. The force of the movement quickly whipped the girl around so that she could deal a swift uppercut to…empty space?
Pain erupted on the side of Jen's head, rocking her world sideways and popping her neck. A new blow followed quickly, delivered straight into her gut and throwing her back a few feet. Instinctively our hero's arms encircled her squashed midsection and she hacked violently. Sour bile surged up her throat under the intense pain. But, by some miracle, she didn't puke; only sank to her knees in winded agony.
Jezebel snapped back into perspective a few meters away laughing gaily. "Again a wonderful effort. But lets be serous, my sweet little chickadee. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."
Jen moaned pathetically, her body ached like hell and she wanted nothing more then to crawl into a hole somewhere and just die.
"You're doing fine!" Kuwabara yelled from the sidelines. "Just stay with it!"
I'm not doing fine! Jen hissed mentally as she dragged herself back to her feet.
"Back for more?" Jezebel asked and shifted into a new stance.
Jen brought her fists up the way she had seen boxers do and planted her feet squarely on the ground.
"Don't lock up, keep it loose!" Kuwabara shouted.
Jezebel cast a glare over her shoulder. "Enough from the peanut gallery!"
"No!" Kuwabara bellowed defiantly.
Jezebel straightened and turned toward Kuwabara. "Listen, you idiot. I'll give you something to shout about when I—"
Jen's fist connected with the demoness's jaw, hard. The blow staggered the taller woman while Jen backed up and brought her hands back up into position about her head.
"He may be an idiot. But he's my idiot!" Jen snarled, lips curving back to reveal her own set of pearly fangs.
Jezebel brought a hand up and dabbed where she had been punched with her fingers. With a slowness born of intense anger, the blond turned on the girl and resumed her position.
Both women eyed each other for a moment before Jezebel launched into action. The demon snapped out of perception, leaving Jen to wonder where she would strike.
Our her caught a flash of gold out of the corner of her eye just in time to turn and bring up a cross armed block. Her bones vibrated as Jezebel's attack harmlessly bounced off her forearms. The blond jumped back and brought her leg up for a devastating kick. Jen danced out of the way, grateful for the feeling of wind as it whistled by in a harmless breeze. But her relief didn't last long as she was forced to hit the dirt to dodge the next kick Jezebel sent her way. In response, our hero kicked her leg out, sweeping it across the ground and catching it on her opponents leg.
Jezebel landed hard on her back as Jen took her chance and scrambled to her feet. Once on them the black haired girl kicked again, landing a blow to the larger woman's stomach area. Jezebel let out a rather unladylike "oof!"
Jen pulled back and sent her foot forward again, attempting to strike Jezebel yet again. Only to find that the woman had taken the opportunity to flee while Jen had pulled back.
Jezebel was on her feet in moments and tried to sneak behind our hero. But, Jen wasn't going to have any of that. The black Kitsune changed her attack and moved with the blond, keeping her facing the front at all times, circling each other like wolves.
"not bad." The blond said.
Jen panted heavily, choosing not to retort.
Suddenly, they were off again. Jen shot forward and used her momentum to propel her right fist forward. The blond's arms went up, blocking the punch and shoving it off course.
Jen staggered, thrown off balance by her own momentum.
Jezebel leaped into the air, using her opponents moment of weakness to ready herself for a more devastating attack. A smirk formed on her lips as one of her pail hands reached out.
"POISON PINS!"
Jen had watched too many shows to not understand the implications of her enemy shouting something at her. But she was off balance, she'd never be able to block in time! She had only one choice. Our hero allowed the momentum to follow through, which basically meant she allowed herself to fall to the ground. She landed with a dull thud and started to roll, hopefully out of range of whatever was being shot.
SMACK!
Jen cursed thickly as her back collided with the wall.
A noise like shattering glass echoed through the room as Jezebel's attack fell short. Jen's eyes grew wide as she witnessed the attack. It was very similar to Touya's 'shards of winter', but only because they both threw shards of something at the victim.
Unlike Touya, Jezebel's attack was constructed of what appeared to be long, thin glass. Only, stronger.
Jen pushed herself up, adrenaline beginning to pump through her. That pile…that could have been her.
Jezebel landed with a soft tap. "Dang, I missed."
Our hero's eyes flicked between the impaled ground and Jezebel. The demoness could use long range attacks, while Jen still had nothing in the arsenal department. Wait…she had that spear thingy that she thought of in Inari's tent. Maybe she could call that out?
Jen brought her hands out in front of her and focused some energy there, the way she had seen Kurama or Yusuke focus before they could launch an attack.
Instantly that warm feeling, the same she had used when destroying the wards, fizzled and sparked between her hands.
Jezebel smirked and tossed her hair with the same finesse as any model in a shampoo commercial, making its sparkling waves do interesting things about her shoulders. "Mmmm…your aura, it's good. No wonder your broke my seals."
Jen scrunched up her face in disgust and tried harder at the weapon, coaxing it out of her mind and into her hand. Finally, something began to form in her hands. It was long and see-through, almost a tangible object.
Jen's hands shook and her head throbbed, but she still went on. If she didn't have a weapon, she was screwed. And not in a good way either.
Jezebel laughed and snapped her fingers.
With the sound of a party popper, Jen's weapon fizzled and sparked out of existence.
Jen jumped and let out an eep of surprise.
Jezebel laughed and put her hands on her cheeks. "Poor, poor little chickadee. She doesn't even realize that her chi is all dried up."
Jen looked at her trembling hands. She had failed in getting her weapon. What was she gonna do now?
"But mine," Jezebel continued gaily, drowning out Jen's thoughts. "is not. Poison Pins!"
Jen looked up and watched as Jezebel threw out her hand and launched a new barrage of glass at her. Our hero gasped and threw herself to the right, barley escaping the attack.
"RUN!" Jezebel crowed as she zeroed in on Jen. "POISON PINS!"
Jen rolled and leapt to her feet, glass pounding into the wall behind her. She ran, trying to stay one step in front of Jezebel's attack. But Jezebel wasn't going to have any of that. She closed one eye and angled her hand to fire an attack in front of Jen, having the girl run full into them.
"POISON PINS!"
The shards flew from the blond towards the wall with dizzying speed. But, it was stone, not flesh that they imbedded themselves. Jezebel smirked, she had missed the child, but now she had an excuse to reveal her next attack.
"boom." She whispered. Instantly the shards behind and in front of the trapped Kitsune exploded into a hailstorm of poisoned shards.
Jen screamed and barely had enough time to cover her eyes as the glass exploded and cut into any exposed flesh. The scant dress and bodice protected her vitals but the rest of her was covered in bloody scratched anywhere from paper-cut to an inch deep. Jen staggered backwards, blinded by pain and the need to get away. Glass cut into her feet and imbedded itself there.
Jen screeched again and fell to the ground in a bleeding heap.
Glass cut her cruelly where the dress did not cover her, sinking into her flesh and ripping her skin.
Jezebel laughed and watched the piteous creature before her. The girl was sure to die soon. Every shard of glass was covered in a toxin which would destroy her body permanently with in the hour.
"Had enough?" Jezebel demanded the slightly sobbing girl.
Jen gritted her teeth and tried not to cry as she began to pull the glass out of her feet. But pain had never been her thing. Fat tears welded down her face as quickly as the blood that oozed from her broken body.
"Ohh, don't cry." Jezebel cooed. "It will speed your heart-rate; which, in turn, will send my poison running through your system faster. Not that it matters." The snake woman grinned, eyes glowing a sickly shade of green. "Slow, or fast, the poison will take your life in an hour."
"…Skilt wanted her alive…" A dark voice purred coldly.
Jezebel turned quickly to face two new opponents. Kurama and Yusuke.
She gasped, pretty face contorting into an 'O' of surprise. "M-master Yusuke, Kurama?!"
Both of them stood in the shadows. How long they had been watching the fight was unclear. They could have just arrived, or have been there for hours. The pair was as silent as the grave and had a timeless air about them.
"U-Urameshi!?" Kuwabara bellowed through the bars.
Yusuke didn't even look in that direction. Instead he fixed Jezebel with a cold glare.
Jezebel took a step back. "M-My lord. I never would have killed her! I…Lord Skilt has an antivenin, h-he keeps it with him constantly!"
"Be that as it may," Kurama said quietly, "I ordered you to bring her to me unharmed, 'as whole as you found her.' Those were my exact words. Were they not?"
Jezebel's eyes grew wide. "T-there is still time. We can save her life!"
Kurama looked at Yusuke, then back at Jezebel.
With out a word he walked over the glass, ignoring the crunching as he went and stood over the still sobbing girl.
---
"Kurama!" Kuwabara shouted and reached through the bars. "C'MON!"
Two others had joined Kuwabara at the grill. One silent; the other sad, knowing that this was it. Everything was over.
Kit closed his eyes. "We failed." His voice was clipped.
Hiei turned smoldering eyes on the fox. "We fix our plan." He spat, for once taking the lead.
Kit closed his eyes and leaned against the door. "You don't understand." He whispered, everything about him reeked defeat.
Hiei glared his ruby eyes and grabbed Kit by the chin, dragging the tall youko down to his level. "Shut up." He spat. "We win this." Ruby eyes flicked out to Kurama and back to Kit. "NOW!"
Kit rolled his eyes away. "We can't win. Skilt has three of the worlds most powerful fighters on his side, plus armies ready to march. Even if we do take down Yusuke and Kurama, we cannot defeat Skilt. Not in our current condition."
Hiei squeezed his hand painfully on Kits jaw. "Three? That female was pathetic."
Kit closed his eyes. "That is what you don't understand."
Hiei narrowed his eyes. "Then explain it!"
Kit sighed. "Inari created Jen specifically for this job. He gave her power, more then you or I could ever imagine. But, right now its sleeping. Kept dormant by her dominant consciousness. It's the same mechanism that keeps a human from overloading its body with spirit energy." Kit cast a glance out towards Jen.
"Even though she knows she has been transformed into a demon, she still thinks and believes that she's human. As long as that mode of though continues, her conscious brain will forced her power down. Lock it away inside her."
Hiei growled. "Then call it out of her!"
"I can't. She has to realize it for herself."
Kuwabara turned back towards Kit. "If she's got all this power in her, then why is it over? We can beat Skilt!"
Kit laughed bitterly. "A Jagonshi that is too weak by torture to call even his most basic attacks, a human deprived of spirit energy, and a kitsune. That's all we have against Kurama, a fully charged Yusuke, and Skilt. Yes…we'll win for sure."
Kuwabara glared at Kit. "We've been through worse!" He spat. "Now, you can either suck it up, get us out 'a here or we leave you."
What ever kit was going to say was silenced by a shout.
"SPIRIT GUN!"
All sound and sight was obliterated by a flash of blue tinted white light. Seconds seemed like hours as they waited for the light to dim. But finally, it did, leaving only nothing left of its target. Not even a puff of smoke.
"Now do you see." Kit whispered, after the true horror of Yusuke's attack sunk in. "Skilt's drugs enhance a person's ability to tap their power by nullifying the conscious brain. When he takes Jen…we'll be fighting a demon with the strength of a demi-god."
---
Jen looked up at the gold-green swirled eyes of Kurama, and felt fear. There was an emptiness to them yet at the same time, something intelligent lurked just beneath their depths. He watched her, cold and detached. Like some puppet waiting for orders.
"Kur…" She started in a whisper, but said no more. Those inhuman eyes fixed on her and chilled her soul.
Jen looked away towards Yusuke. He stood five feet away, tall and deadly. His eyes were the color of chocolate, burning chocolate.
He raised his hands at Jezebel, while she still chattered on about how life could still be preserved. Desperately trying to get Yusuke to spare her. Yusuke shaped his right hand in the form of a gun and cocked his thumb.
Jen gasped and started to move.
Kurama reached down and placed a hand gently, but firmly on her shoulder. "Stay." He commanded.
Jen looked up, but he was no longer paying attention to her. Though his hand stayed where it was.
"PLEASE! MASTER YUSUKE!?" Jezebel was screaming.
Yusuke simply smirked and fixed his glowing eyes on the snake woman. "SPIRIT GUN!"
Jezebel inhaled to scream. But she never made it. The large white ball flew towards, and enveloped her form in its haze. Jezebel's arms and legs jerked like mad things as she fought to hold off Yusuke's attack. But Yusuke's strength beat hers. The ball overwhelmed the demon and devoured her whole. Wiping away every speck.
The wind of Yusuke's attack swept over Kurama and Jen, whipping their hair around in a maddening frenzy of red on black. Finally, after about twenty seconds, all was over but the shouting.
Yusuke looked at Kurama and smiled a little smile. Something between intense pain and pleasure. He turned his eyes on Jen and walked over.
Never before in Jen's life had she wanted to shrink away from Yusuke as she did now. Yusuke had always been a cocky boy, with a happy smile. But this grin he wore, this perverse mask. This wasn't the boy she had come to know, and love.
Yusuke stalked forward until his sneakers ground the glass in front of her. He kneeled down and squatted on his heels. This position placed their faces close together.
Jen drew back from him as much as she was able. Yusuke's eyes were as dull as Kurama's, and something moved behind them too. What, she didn't know.
Yusuke glanced up form her to Kurama. "How bad is she?"
Kurama looked down. "Bad. She has that toxin running through her. I think Skilt will be able to save her, though."
Something flashed in Yusuke's eyes, something akin to despair. "Good." His eyes flicked back to the boys. "I'll take care of them."
Jen looked at Yusuke." W-What?"
Kurama bent down and got ready to pick her up. Jen struggled and managed to bat Kurama's hands away.
"Yusuke! Don't you hurt them! I-I'll…!"
The black haired teen stopped and slowly turned around. That same sick smile curving his lips. "You'll what? Kill me?"
Kurama glanced between the two, pausing.
Yusuke took a step towards Jen and held his arms out to the side. "Go ahead and try." He bent at the waist a little. "I welcome it."
Jen licked her lips as tears found their way to her eyes. "Please." She begged.
Yusuke chuckled darkly and turned back towards the cell, raising his hand as he did so. "Like shooting fish in a barrel." He said, and fired his spirit gun.
"YUSUKE!!!"
"KUWABARA!!!"
---
Kuwabara froze as Yusuke turned to face them. There was something wrong with the dark haired fighter, as if a piece of him were dead. It wasn't something you could see, or touch. It was a feeling. Just a feeling of off-ness, like when he got the 'tickle-feeling'. Something that screamed 'wrong.'
Kit closed his eyes. "Game over." He mumbled darkly.
Hiei growled loudly and shoved the useless fox aside. Things were going to get bad, and quickly. He did not need a handicap.
"Yusuke! Don't you hurt them! I-I'll…" Jen cried weakly.
Hiei shifted uncomfortably.
Yusuke turned back towards Jen. "You'll what? Kill me? Go ahead and try. I welcome it."
"Please!" Jen begged.
Kuwabara gritted his teeth as he dug his fingers into his palms, ignoring the pain when they started to bleed. This wasn't Urameshi. There was no way he could just waist someone like that and not care. He would never turn on his friends, it would be…un-manly!
Yusuke turned back around and, crazily enough, locked eyes with Kuwabara.
…Help me….
Kuwabara blinked and shook his head. No way, no friggin way! He did so not just hear Yusuke pleading for help in his head.
Yusuke chuckled, very evilly, and raised his hands.
…please, somebody….help…me…
Kuwabara stood wide-eyed and didn't even register that Yusuke had brought up his hands. He could hear, through some freaky sort of link. It was almost like when they had been fighting Dr. Ichigaki's crew. M1, 2, and three. He had dreamed of them, begging for help. For rescue.
But he wasn't dreaming now! He was wide awake!
"Like shooting fish in a barrel. SPIRIT GUN!"
Something white shot at Kuwabara, breaking the frozen teen from whatever bond had held the two together before. The carrot toped teen took a reflexive step backwards, but there was no way for him to dodge this bullet.
Somewhere in the background, he could hear Jen screaming Yusuke's name, and right after it, his own.
end chapter 11
