Author's note: Sorry it took so long, really! At first, I had serious writers block, but then, when I got back to it, I had so much homework and so little time that I couldn't do anything! I don't know when I'll be able to update again, because finals are coming up, and, although I don't plan to actually study until the night before, and between, each final, my teachers are really piling it on, trying to make up for everything they missed. It's a miracle I got this done in the time I get!

Oh, and to those of you who're reading 'Disappear', I'm really sorry about not updating that one, too. I'm getting to it, and almost finished with the next chapter, so please don't hate me!


Flashback

Dream

Thoughts

a/n: author's note

e/n: editor's note


Chapter 12

"Of Plans and Vapors"


Blare surveyed the scene before him. His vampires were being destroyed. Sure, there were thousands of them, and there were only five beings opposing them, but these vampires had led a sheltered life, not having to fight much besides among themselves. They weren't used to this kind of intense combat as the Reikai Tantei were.

He frowned. This had to stop, and soon. Without Dalli, the job might be harder, but not at all impossible. If he could rally his minions, and get them into some sort of attack formation, he was positive he could win.

A figure in a black robe swept past Blare. The king grabbed the vampire's wrist, pulling him away from the battle. "I have something for you to do for me," he hissed at the vampire. "Something that will turn the tide of this battle in either direction, depending on how well you complete this little 'mission'…"


Kal dropped to the floor to avoid a punch, sweeping her leg around to knock her opponent off her feet.She then quickly stomped on the un-dead woman's neck, effectively killing her.

Another vampire came at her from behind, and she ducked under a dagger thrust at her head, spinning in the process to face her newest opponent. He jabbed the dagger at her heart. Kal grasped his wrist, turning it swiftly to deflect the attack.

The vampire gasped, the momentum from the thrust too much to stop in time. The weapon dug into his own stomach. "You wench," he hissed. "You'll pay for that…" He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach, the dagger still grasped firmly in his hand.

Damn… Kal thought. It'll take him 15 minutes to die now, which gives him plenty of time to kill me, or at the very least, distract me until someone else can do the job! Oh… what to do? What to do…?

The vampire crawled closer.

Kal bit her lip, taking a step backwards. She bumped into Kasume, setting the werewolf off balance. Kasume toppled into Kurama, who took one step forward in shock. In that one step, Kurama accidentally trod on Yusuke's foot. Yusuke jumped up with a yelp, landing a good seven meters away - in front of Kuwabara. Kuwabara gasped, unable to halt his spirit sword, which was a mere inch away from Yusuke's head.

The spirit detective ducked to get out of his friends way.

Many of the vampires fell over laughing. The ones that didn't see the commotion stared at their companions in confusion.

Hiei shook his head, slicing cleanly through his opponent without taking his eyes off the scene. "Pathetic," he muttered.

Another wave of vampires surged forward.

"We'll never get anywhere at this rate," Kal shouted to Kasume. She smacked one of the creatures beside her (a/n: Winslow! For people who don't get it, it's an inside joke, so I wouldn't worry about it.), growling in frustration.

"But what else can we do?" wondered the werewolf as she ducked under a sword.

"I don't know!" Kal pushed the vampire onto the sword of the monster Kasume was fighting.

"May I make a suggestion?" Kurama intervened. Both girls nodded. "Cut off the head, and the creature will stop fighting."

"…" Kasume adopted a confused expression. She lashed out at the creature she had been fighting when he momentarily dropped his guard.

"Um… Kurama?"

"Yes, Kal?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" The water elemental kicked a vampire in the gut, sending him into a torch-holder-thing (a/n: forgot what they're called).

"Kill Blare."

"Oh… good plan."

Kasume leapt over a corpse that came flying out of the crowd. "Wonderful. And just how do you propose we go about doing that?"

Kurama thought for a moment, a blade flicking past his face, cutting off a few strands of silvery hair (a/n: remember, he turned into Youko a while back) in his moment of indecision. The kitsune growled. His whip lashed across the monster's chest, severing it in two. "Maybe," he began, "the two of you can gang up on him. I'm sure you can take him down."

"If we can get close enough, I guess. The thing is, there's an ocean of vampires in between," Kal reasoned.

Kurama thought for a minute more. "I'll be right back." He glanced at Kal, who had a small, questioning frown on her face. "I'm going to get the others here," he explained.

"Oh, ok," she responded, throwing a vampire over her shoulder and stomping on its neck.

Soon enough, Youko came fighting his way back with Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei in tow.

"What's the plan, Kurama?" asked Yusuke, ready to get down to business.

"Cover the two of them," Kurama replied, motioning at Kal and Kasume with a bloodstained hand.

"Why?" wondered Kuwabara vaguely.

"So they can get to--"

"Kurama?" Kal glanced away from her opponent in time to see Kurama fall to the floor, unconscious. A faint, almost invisible cloud snaked between bodies, slowly, unnoticed, filling the room.

The rest of the gang, minus Kasume and Kal, started swaying on their feet, struggling to stay awake. Hiei was thesecond to fall, then Yusuke, followed by Kuwabara.

"Guys?" Kasume asked uncertainly, staring at the bodies.

"What the hell's happening?" Kal demanded. Many of the vampires were also beginning to drop.

"Oh, nothing much," Blare called over the heads of his undead minions. "Just a little gas for them, so there's no way they can interfere."

"Interfere with what?" inquired Kal, glaring at the king.

"Why, our fight, of course."

"Our... fight?"

"Yes."

"Question!" Kasume intervened. "Why are they asleep, and not us?"

"The gas puts demon, humans, and vampires to sleep," responded the King offhandedly.

"In that order, I assume," Kal muttered, crossing her arms angrily.

"Very observant. Yes, in that order."

Kasume frowned. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why isn't Kal asleep?"

"She's an elemental human. It'll start affecting her much later, but she will come under its spell sooner or later."

"I see." Kal rolled her eyes at Blare. "And why is it that you're still standing, oh great king of vampires?" she sarcastisized.

Blare laughed. "I created this vapor, child! It will not affect me for hours, because I have been exposed to it for much longer periods of time, while refining its affects, than any living being. And now, we fight. Come, both of you against me. A match to the death, as it were."


Author's Note: Great! Now I'll try and hurry up with chapter 13, butI make no promises. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I'm not going to demand reviews 'cuz I took so long and probably don't deserve them for making you wait, but I would like to get some. If it's not too much trouble to you people, of course.

Amaya