Not up as quick as I wanted, but I got ... distracted with some things XD But you've got to admit this update came a lot faster than the last couple of ones! :D
Anyways, let's just get on with it!
Enjoy~!
Chapter 21 : Rescue in the Dark: Part I
"Oof!"
I landed on my butt, hard. Wincing and nursing my now sore bottom, the first thing that hit me was the musty smell that suddenly clogged my nostrils. Grimacing in disgust, I glanced around and saw that Kuwabara had also had an equally ungraceful landing. As Kuwabara muttered as he recollected himself, Hiei offered me a hand which I gladly accepted with a small word of thanks.
Rows of lit torches crackled brightly on the walls serving as the only source of light in the dim hallway. I turned around to see if the hole that had dropped us into this place was still there, but I was surprised to find myself looking out a window instead. Even more surprising was what I saw outside the window. Or rather not outside.
Where there should've been a blue sky, there was only black space except for the red and white twinkles that littered the backdrop like tiny spots of paint. Stars?
"Where is this?" I asked out loud, thoroughly both confused and mesmerized by the scene.
"Yeah, are we in outer space or something?" Kuwabara gripped the window pane and gazed out with unbelieving awe.
"If you mean outside of Earth's atmosphere then I'm afraid not, but I suspect we've ended up in some fracture of space." Kurama said, glancing at the stars.
"What does it matter?" Hiei snapped, "We can't afford to lose any more time now that we're here."
"We know that Hiei. The only problem now is actually finding them." Yusuke glanced to his right and left, "So... which way do we go?"
I checked both directions. The hallway we'd landed in was long and symmetrical so I honestly had no idea which way would reap greater benefits. Kurama spoke up.
"Please give me a moment. Similar to the Makai, this pungent odor doesn't do anything to aid my sense of smell. Maybe one or both of the girls are nearby, but I will need a moment to sort through the different scents." Kurama finished and closed his eyes in concentration. We waited for him silently though after a little, it was obvious that the guys were getting antsy.
Suddenly, his green eyes snapped open and he turned towards one end.
"Were you able to find them?" I asked eagerly. Kurama nodded.
"Though the scent has faded, I recognize faint traces of Botan's scent lingering in that direction." He pointed, "Though it's not very strong, it is a start and with luck, I might be able to pick up on a better trail along the way."
"What about Yukina?" Kuwabara urged, "Don't you smell her too?"
"It's entirely possible that Yukina and Botan have been separated, but I might have just missed the scent. Regardless, we will not leave without finding both, but for now heading in this direction is our best lead."
"Hey Kuwabara what about that pinkie string crap you used to go on about? You were able to find her like that once, so how about now?" Yusuke questioned.
"Yeah, I already thought of that, but..." Kuwabara looked down at his hand in frustration and puzzlement. "I don't know how else to explain it, but imagine a phone line that's been cut. I can feel that she's here, but at the same time it's like she's... not."
"Alright, so the moron's lost his connection. Now let's go before we waste any more time with this nonsense." Hiei said. Although he was trying to keep calm, I could clearly tell was that he was anxious about what Kuwabara had just said.
"Yeah this place is too creepy to stay in any longer." I said and Kurama agreed.
"Remember to stay together: we will be better off with safety in numbers. Don't let your guard down, we're in enemy territory now and thus carry a disadvantage in that itself. Now, this way."
Hiei jerked his head at me, "Stay close."
"Right," I said and fell in step by Hiei as the group took off in a jog down the hallway. Though we reached another dim right or left hallway, Kurama didn't hesitate in turning left and we followed him without question.
With each closer step and turn, Kurama seemed to grow more confident in where he was going, but to me it felt like we were taking random turns in some kind of enormous maze that only led to more hallways, each looking exactly like the one we'd started in.
However, only a few turns later we abruptly found ourselves in the center of a large circular-shaped room. At least a dozen doors lined the walls and Kurama cursed lightly, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve for a moment.
"Damn. I haven't lost her scent completely, but there's a much more putrid odor overpowering it. It's closing in as well. Be on guard! Something is coming."
Kuwabara felt it soon after, "Yeah... I can sense a bunch of points of spirit energy closing in!"
Falling loosely back to back, I ended up in the center of the four boys, the rate of my heart beginning to pick up. Suddenly a floating whirring noise started echoing in the walls, but as the moments passed the noise only got louder, becoming angry snorts and screeches. The shadows in each different direction grew darker as they charged and came closer.
"That sounds like a lot of somethings," I gulped. Sensing an inevitable battle, I let my energy begin to circulate and directed some to my hands where they began to glow with power.
"I was starting to wonder if anyone was home!" Yusuke cracked his fists in anticipation. Kuwabara was quick to follow with his spirit sword.
"Bring it on! I only sense weaklings anyways. Taking down these measly demons will be a piece of cake." Kuwabara cried, swinging his sword in example.
Suddenly a mass of demons burst from each opening and in no time we were surrounded. The room began to swell with large howling and screeching demons that each had a sporting range of nasty, sharpened weapons.
"Um... maybe a couple of pieces." Kuwabara coughed.
Kurama flicked out his rose and wasted no time in transforming it into a lethal whip. Almost immediately he swung it forward and large black droplets of blood spattered the wall as a handful of the demons were instantly taken out. His whip coiled around one of the weapons, and after yanking back on the whip, a silver blade stained with dried blood glinted as it went sailing through the air.
"Hiei!" he called.
Getting the hint, Hiei held out his arm and easily snatched the katana out of mid-air. Spinning the hilt a few times for good measure, Hiei grinned.
"Not really my taste, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose." He smirked and gripped the hilt with both hands, letting himself automatically adjust to the weapon and feeling more in familiar territory than he had in a while.
Glancing over his shoulder, Hiei spared a moment to look at me, "Ren, focus on protecting yourself. We'll handle this trash in no time at all." Turning back to the chaos, Hiei easily beheaded three more demons, but there would be no break.
It was true that they were obviously weak despite their gruesome appearances, but it was just their endless numbers that was causing the most trouble. They only kept coming and attacking us in all directions without rhyme or reason. Our loose circle easily broke apart, scattering us.
"Shot gun!" Yusuke called somewhere behind me and there was a flash of blue and the howls of evaporating demons, but the large gap that had been left was quickly filled with more screeching demons. Kuwabara's golden sword slashed in and out of my vision, but it was hard to focus on any one thing- everything was happening too fast to really register.
I heard a vicious growl to my immediate right and I spun around to stare into yellow, spidery eyes. With a cry, I focused a lot of energy into my hands and pushed the beast as hard as I could. There was a squeal and then my arms were covered in a warm and sticky liquid. I stared open mouthed at the gaping hole that now rest where the demons stomach had once been. Staring at the rotten insides, I almost lost my own stomach.
Too engrossed with my first kill, I would've been a goner if Hiei hadn't noticed a separate onslaught of demons coming at me. He slid in front of me and with only several solid swings, the demons fell down dead. Then from the side in Hiei's blind spot, a demon with a wolf-like head charged straight for him with outstretched claws. I immediately put out my hands.
The wolf was thrown off to the side with a loud whimper, the barrier I'd just created around Hiei already dissolving. It had bought him enough time to send a startled glance in my direction, but then the next second was already back to spending keeping the demons at bay.
As easy as it was to strike the demons down, I knew the guys would tire out eventually and if I tried to make a bomb, there was a good chance I'd hurt one of us in the process. I'd considered the possibility of making a barrier to wrap around all of us, but that would ultimately be useless and a waste of energy because then there would've been no way out and I would tire out eventually myself. There really seemed to be no end to them, but saving Hiei had just given me an idea: we just needed to buy a little time.
"Kurama!" I tried catching his attention by jumping up but Hiei skewered another demon that almost got me from behind.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He yelled at me, but I only turned to him and blocked another attack before yelling back.
"Of course not! I need to get Kurama's attention- I have an idea that might help us get out of here. Just cover me for a second."
Before Hiei could protest, he was already back to slicing and dicing, but I didn't doubt for a second that he would have my back which was confirmed seconds later when we promptly beheaded another demon that had aimed for my side. However, I could see the way his attacks were getting slower and how his breathing was getting heavier; he wasn't going to last long.
Motivated, I pushed and shoved my way towards Kurama who was a lot cleaner than either Hiei or me but still seemed to be having difficulty keeping them all at bay.
"Kurama!" I called again. I saw his eyes flick towards me and with a harsh swing he tore apart another wave of demons before landing by my side.
"I think I can do something to help." I said breathlessly, "How long do you think it will take you to find Botan's scent again?"
He frowned, "At least several minutes. Why? Duck!" He lashed the whip over my head.
I felt my resolve crumbling, but forced myself to get a grip. Several minutes...Yeah! I can do that!
"I can buy us time for a little, enough for you to pick up the trail again. Then all we'll have to worry about is getting through, but at least we'll be back on track. I need us all back together though."
"Behind you!" Hiei barked at me and I turned around, swinging my arm on instinct. Half of a demon's face flew off and I withdrew my hand, cursing colorfully and flapping it in the air. How did Yusuke and other people go around punching others all the time? That hurt!
"I'll get them," Kurama said quickly and plowed his way through the horde to Yusuke and Kuwabara.
"I want to be as close to the middle of the room as possible. It'll be easier for me." I said.
"Easier to do what?" Hiei asked, but I was too busy fighting my way to the center to bother with answering him.
Just short of getting there, a stream of blue crossed directly in front of me and I squeaked in fear. It had missed me by inches! Yusuke followed by Kuwabara and Kurama ran up to me in alarm.
"You idiot! Watch where you're aiming that thing!" Hiei shouted at him, but I shook off the brief scare. There wasn't any time for arguing between explaining my idea and continuously defending ourselves.
"Never mind that. If we time this right, I'll be able to buy Kurama a couple of minutes to find the right door. Listen, when someone slams into my barrier they ricochet off of the surface; the harder they slam, the better. If it's possible, I need you guys to make- eep!" I ducked automatically as a demon was sliced over my head, courtesy of Hiei. Wasting no time, I started up again. "-to make them all back off for just a couple of seconds and when they come charging, I'll create a barrier to blow them all back which should stun them for a second or two. It's important that you don't attack again after you push them back. I'll hold it up for as long as I can but when they all start coming back I won't be able to protect us as long as I wish I could so that's all the time I'll be able to give us. Will that work Kurama?"
"It seems that it will have to." Kurama said with a nod. I steeled my resolve.
"Will you be able to keep it up that long?" Hiei asked with disquiet. I know he was aware of my limits but I nodded firmly. I was ready as I'd ever be.
"Okay then! I'll be happy to get rid of more of these bastards!" Yusuke said and turned around to punch one of said bastards into a larger group of them.
"Right then, all at once." Kurama said. On a count of three, the team lashed out and killed the immediate front attack from all sides, giving me an approximate five second window. I closed my eyes and concentrated, focusing the energy around my entire being, stretching it over the others. Two seconds. They were almost upon us once more. One.
I cried out, snapping the barrier open as hard as I could. There were collected squeals and shrieks as the demons slammed into the barrier- I winced- and were promptly thrown into the opposite direction at the exact same force. Forcing it wider, I was able to push the barrier out a few more feet to give Kurama the space he needed. I was fine for now, but when they started recollecting themselves and applying force to the barrier, I wouldn't last long. Luckily, Kurama had already started concentrating on the different smells, trying to find that one specific one again.
I tensed. There were already some demons trying to barrel their way in on one side. They were getting up a lot quicker than I thought they would.
"Hurry up Kurama," Hiei urged as from the outside, more and more demons were finding ways over to the edge of the barrier.
"Just a moment," Kurama muttered.
The sounds began to pick up again and it had only been barely a minute. I began to struggle under the strain. The longer I held it, the more it felt like I was trying to carry an elephant in my arms.
"Ren!" Hiei knelt beside me just as my knees gave out. The demons were banging and beating on the surface now with ballistic ferocity. I gasped at the pain in my arms as they began to shake in mid-air. That was two and half minutes. Just a little longer...
"Kurama!" Yusuke cried out urgently, the blue light of his spirit gun already glowing at the tips of his fingers in preparation for the worse.
"There's just no end to them." Kuwabara grit out.
I was at my limit. I couldn't do it anymore- the barrier erupted around us with a loud shatter, but then it was at that moment that Kurama's eyes snapped open.
"There!"
I couldn't see where he had pointed, but Yusuke whooped and fired his spirit gun, clearing a direct path to the doorway. Strong arms wrapped around me.
"Hold on!" I did what Hiei said immediately, too dazed to think much of anything else. My body felt like lead but I was vaguely aware of being pulled up onto his back. Leaning heavily onto him, I allowed myself to be carried away as the noises faded behind us completely.
~.~.~.~.~
"Come on, get a hold of yourself! If you need to pass out, do it after we get out!" Yusuke shouted into my face.
I vaguely realized that my shoulders were being shaken back and forth. The world that had once been a fuzzy blur was now coming back in a whipping streak.
"Enough!" Hiei shoved him out of the way and I groaned at the oncoming pounding in my head that I was getting from having my brain tossed around.
"What..." I mumbled, still dizzy, looking around at each of their faces and noticing that I had somehow ended up on the floor. We'd stopped in a new room and I was surprised by the extra furnishings; bowls of fire that hung from the ceiling served as the only points of light and tall gargoyles were perched along the walls like the knights you would find in a medieval castle. The air felt cooler and damper than before.
"Don't worry, the light-headedness should pass quickly. Holding your barrier that long against all those demons must've over-exerted your body's limits for a short time." Kurama explained calmly, "We managed to escape pursuit though; we're safe again, at least for the moment."
"I feel like I just ran a marathon. I'm sore everywhere," I winced in pain as I tried to stand up on my own. My arms felt like jelly and I wobbled when I was fully upright.
Hiei scowled at me, "Tch, that's why you shouldn't be so reckless."
"Hey, I helped us out though didn't I?" I snapped, tensing as an ache swept through my body, "Oww... "
"Will you be able to go on?" Kurama asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need to go slow." I said.
With a small shake of his head and without even asking, Hiei pulled my arm over his shoulder, "Here, lean on me. We'll be faster this way until the soreness fades."
"Are we ready to keep going yet or not?" Kuwabara called impatiently from a little up ahead. "We've got some girls to save still. A few bumps in the road aren't going to stop me, especially since now we're for sure Yukina is with Botan!"
"She is?" I exclaimed, perking up.
Kurama nodded, "I caught on her scent not long ago and she is indeed at least in close proximity with Botan. We're close now as well; the trail has become quite strong."
"Judging by the feel of air and slope, it would seem that we keep going down. We're probably looking for a dungeon." Hiei remarked.
"Yes, I thought so too. There are likely to be guards posted as well. I think it'd be best to behave a little more quietly from now on so as to avoid any other run-ins." Kurama said.
"Ha! If we can deal with a never ending wave of demons, nine or ten dumb ass guards are going to be no problem." Yusuke snorted.
"Unless they call a never ending wave of back up." I frowned worriedly, not liking the sound of a dungeon at all. However, we set off once again, albeit a little more stealthily and slowly this time though I did constantly try to stand up on my own weight as we went. My mind betrayed me with horrible imaginations of torture rooms, chains and worse things when I thought of dungeons, and now Yukina and Botan were supposedly in one.
"Calm down," Hiei said firmly as the images in my head began spinning with worry, "We'll find them- they'll be fine." Although Hiei told me that, I couldn't tell whether he was trying to soothe my worries or his own.
We turned down a particularly dark corridor and, after reaching the end, stopped at a long, stony staircase that stretched down and disappeared into looming darkness. I shivered.
"They're down there?" I asked in dismay.
"I'm afraid so." Kurama had already retrieved a torch from the wall and took the first steps down, the rest of them falling into single file order behind him. Yusuke went last to cover our backs.
I was just waiting for one of them to yell at me about my loud, obnoxious beating heart. I could've sworn it was echoing off the walls while I was waiting for some kind of rigged trap of flying daggers or falling stone, but I was perplexed to see only moments later another spot of light towards the bottom of the flight and the closer we came, the easier it was to make out different noises: the chinking of metal, scuffling, snorts. I shrunk into Hiei.
Finally reaching the bottom, a dark, heavy door with a bulky cauldron handle and set of bars as the only windows revealed itself to be the source of light. Kurama pressed against the wall of the door, peeking through the bars, but from my angle, I could make out a long hairy snout and a chipped tusk. Kurama held up two fingers.
Stepping back, Kurama reached inside his shirt and pulled out a small blue flower that gave me a sense of déjà vu (Hiei scowled)*, plucked off two petals and blew them towards the open space. Almost immediately, two simultaneous thumps hit the door as the demons fell into a dead faint.
Yusuke put his hands on his hips, "I could've taken those two out a lot quicker Kurama."
"Yes, but that would defeat the purpose of silence Yusuke. We don't want to summon any more unnecessary attention."
"Enough chit chat! I'm coming Yukina!" Kuwabara promptly kicked the door down with a single super stomp, flattening the already incapacitated guards. "Lead the way Kurama!"
Kurama sighed, "Such impatience," but gestured at Yusuke, Hiei, and I to follow. I brought my hand up and pressed it to my face in the only way I could in an attempt to block out the stench. It smelled putrid down here and I was surprised Kurama didn't have to stop to recollect their scents again; between the mix of decaying corpse and the occasional grimy demon prisoner, it was difficult to breathe without wanting to gag. We rushed past countless of occupied cells and I stayed as evenly in the middle as I could to avoid any arms reaching out to try and catch a hold of us. It was like another maze.
Kurama paused at a four-point cross section, a grimace playing on his expression. "Their scents are too intermixed with everything else in this place, but I'm positive they have to be in one of the cells around this area."
"Let's split up. We'll find them faster that way." Yusuke suggested.
"While we might find them faster, I'd still be concern-" Kurama was cut off when Kuwabara suddenly hurled himself down the middle way.
"I'm comingggg Yukinaaaaa!"
Kurama pinched his nose, "Very well, but don't wander. I'll take the left path. I'll leave the right to you three; check thoroughly."
We nodded and turned down the right path. We'd actually picked a pretty vacant hall at first glance. Each cell we peered into was empty.
"They must not be on this side," Yusuke said glancing back at me and Hiei after checking another empty one. "And I'm not sensing their ki or anyone's anywhere nearby either."
Hiei grit his teeth in frustration, "Kurama's age must finally be catching up with him."
I bit my lip. What if they're just not here at all? I mused worriedly.
"Here Hiei, I think I can walk on my own now." I pushed against his shoulder feeling like my legs would be able to support my own weight again. I stumbled forward a little but instead of falling, heavily hit another cell. I groaned in frustration but managed to push myself straight without too much of Hiei's help. However, it was then that a flash of blue caught my eye. My stomach dropped.
I tripped over to the other side, only two cells down by Yusuke.
"Botan!" I cried grabbing the bars. It really was her and she wasn't alone. Yukina was lying on her shoulder. They were even awake- their eyes were open! I hadn't realized that Yusuke had already called Kurama and Kuwabara back from the other side until Hiei was pulling me back as Kurama took out his rose whip again. In two single slashes, the rusty bars were sliced away creating a large hole. We sprinted inside.
"Botan, Yukina! We're here now!" I grabbed Botan's shoulders as Kuwabara tended immediately to Yukina. Their clothes were a little cut and they were dirty, but otherwise they seemed completely unhurt at which I sighed with immense relief.
However, Botan only flopped like a rag doll as I shook her. Her head drooped when I stopped. Thoroughly confused at Botan's lack of response, I tensed with worry.
"Botan, can you hear me?" I whispered carefully. Then I tried making direct eye contact.
It was like looking into a corpse's eyes: vacant, cold, and lifeless. I would've thought she really was dead if it hadn't been for the regular rise and fall of her chest. Flinching away, I let her go and scoot back.
"Something's wrong with her!" I whispered hoarsely. Beside me, Kuwabara also seemed to be having no luck. No matter how he tried to rally her, Yukina only looked on without really seeing.
"Kurama, what's going on here?" Hiei demanded, kneeling beside Yukina.
I quickly moved out of the way to let Kurama check Botan. He looked into her eyes for a moment and then visibly tensed. Kurama cursed under his breath, backing away.
"Don't mutter Kurama! What's wrong with them?" Hiei repeated.
Instead of immediately answering, Kurama turned to Yusuke with a grimace, "Yusuke."
"Yeah, I think so too." Yusuke closed his eyes in frustration.
"Ok enough of the secrets! If you know what's wrong with them, tell us!" I said.
"You are not exactly one to talk, Ren." Kurama shot me a glance and I wanted to go crawl in a hole, but he continued on, "I'm surprised you didn't recognize it right away Hiei; though fortunately they appear reasonably unhurt and their bodies are indeed functioning properly, the technique that's been used is not so different from the Orb of Baast**."
"The Orb of Baast?" Hiei froze and let that sink in, "Their souls have been taken?"
"Their souls?" I repeated, horrified.
"What?!" Kuwabara exclaimed.
"The ideal hostage," Kurama muttered with a frown, " They're nothing but empty shells right now. It should've been obvious that there was more to it to begin with, especially with how easy Asami made it to find them. So far we've only encountered weak, lowly demons and two guards whom were the easiest to dispatch of so far, no doubt. No dungeon is that easy."
Yusuke looked like he was about to punch a hole through the wall, "Damn it! It's like they're just playing with us!" I couldn't help but feel that Asami really might be doing just that.
"Let's go get her then and get their souls back!" Kuwabara shouted, standing back up, "Nobody does this and gets away with it!"
"Wait, we can't just leave them here." I protested. If we left them here, there was no telling what could happen if someone came. Unfortunately, even though we would have to take them, it would only serve as a lose-lose situation. If we came across any more trouble, keeping them safe would only serve as a handicap.
"Here," Yusuke easily pulled Botan over his shoulders, Kuwabara reaching Yukina first before Hiei could get her himself. Other than scowling with bitterness, Hiei didn't make as big of a fuss as I'd expected him to. Maneuvering carefully back through the dungeon, we were able to quickly and safely climb back up the stairs without running into any trouble. However, in the brighter light it was clear to see how both Botan and Yukina were frighteningly white with no color in their face.
"Now, if I were Asami, where would I be hiding?" Yusuke looked around questioningly. We were in trouble. Even though we'd retrieved the girls, we now had no idea where to go. The plan had been to get the girls and get out... I sighed. I could see where we might've had few holes in this.
"Who says we have to go find Asami?" Kuwabara protested, "We have to find their souls!"
"The chances of finding them anywhere else than with Asami are small," Hiei said, "If it were me, I would find that having them would be the fastest and most effective bait and bargain to draw us in, and from there on manipulate. I can confirm this from experience." He added that last part with a small smirk at Yusuke who proceeded to slap Hiei a little too cheerfully on the back.
"Ah, good times... hey, wasn't that the time where I kicked your ass, Hiei?"
As expected, Hiei angrily caught his arm before he could hit him again, "You only won from dumb luck."
"If you say so, Hiei." Yusuke grinned knowingly with a laugh.
"I actually have to agree with Hiei on that point, Yusuke." Kurama chuckled.
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Yusuke exclaimed.
Hiei made himself so easy to tease and rile up, I felt sorry though admittedly I had to stifle my giggles. Also, I was curious as to what they were talking about, but I would have to ask another time because just then Kurama and Kuwabara both sensed something at the same time and whirled around to look down a hall.
Yusuke readjusted Botan, quickly sensing the shift in mood, "What's wrong?"
Kurama turned to look at them, "It'd be wise if we started moving. Now."
Kuwabara whirled around, Yukina securely in his arms "What he said! Let's go!"
"Wait! Go where?" I worried, glancing at all the different paths, but then I heard the familiar screeches closing in quickly and it didn't matter where we had to go, just that we should be going the opposite way. Kuwabara was already sprinting down another hallway.
"Damn it!" Hiei cursed and pushed me forward, "Start running! Don't look back!"
I was barely able to keep up with them being barely recovered from my fatigue, but the thought of having those demons overwhelm us again was so unpleasant that my legs practically grew wills of their own to keep moving fast.
"Now what do we do?" I yelled, panicked. There was something different about the noises- they were much louder and coming up much faster than before. I choked on a cry; in a few moments, we'd be overrun if we didn't lose them.
"Just keep going!" Yusuke shouted from ahead, but all I could see ahead of us was a long, straight hall. There was nowhere to go.
"Ren!" Hiei shouted.
My vision sailed past my eyes as something snapped both my legs together and I went down hard. For a terrifying moment, I couldn't move them as if they were bound by something. I scrambled to look at my legs but there was nothing holding them together and I didn't see anything I could've tripped on. But I did see the black mass of racing forward from the mouth of the hallway.
Hiei tried yanking me up, but my legs refused to cooperate. It was like lead weights had been chained to them.
"Hiei, I can't stand! My legs!" I exclaimed in horror.
"What?"
"Shit!" I heard from ahead as Yusuke and the others realized that Hiei and I weren't behind them anymore. I saw them turning back and heading towards us.
A breeze tickled my face and I froze; Hiei had felt it too. Glancing to the left, my breath caught as we found ourselves looking down another dark hallway. I'm sure that wasn't there...!
Hiei cursed in frustration and gripped my arms, making a decision right away, "To hell with it! This way!"
Hiei forcefully dragged me in as I struggled to make my legs work again. Kuwabara followed by Kurama and Yusuke came in a second later and not a second after that, there was a loud rumble over our heads.
"What the?" Kuwabara glanced up and his eyes widened. "Guys, look out!"
Two slabs of rock crashed downwards. Hiei pulled me into him just in time to miss getting squashed by one of them while Yusuke jumped to avoid getting Botan and him crushed from behind. There was a flurry of crying demons for an instant before we were closed in and the entrance was completely sealed.
"Thanks," I muttered to Hiei weakly, though I didn't try to move away from his grip, shivering for several moments more in his arms.
For a minute, all I could hear was the chorus of our shallow breathing and the rapid thrum of my heart against Hiei's chest... or was that his? My head was too overwhelmed and spinning too quickly to actually process anything except that whether it be from the adrenaline or something else, I suddenly found my legs no longer locked together.
What on Earth?
"What the hell! Are you guys oka-" Before Yusuke could even finish his question, a third groan came from above and a third slab sailed down.
"Watch it!" Hiei gripped the collar of Kuwabara's shirt and yanked him back, giving me only one brief and final flash of the surprise on Kurama and Yusuke's face just as the final rock sealed itself into the ground. As soon as the dust settled, the realization set in. A single torch on the wall was the only light we had: with me, there was Hiei and Kuwabara who looked as stunned as I felt, Yukina still safe in his arms, but Yusuke, Kurama, and Botan...!
"Yusuke, Kurama!" I shouted in distress, stumbling over to the rock that had just divided our team, "Can you guys hear me? Are you ok?" I asked desperately. I pressed my ear hard into the rock.
To my relief, I was elated to hear light coughing! Thank goodness! It sounds like they're still there!
"What the fuck was that?" I heard Yusuke start shouting from the other side.
"We're alright here. Is everyone on your side safe?" I heard Kurama ask. Though their voices were muffled, we could hear them fine.
I first nodded before realizing that he couldn't actually see me, glancing at the others, "Yes, we're okay."
"Great idea! What kind of place did you drag us into Hiei? And we've even been separated from Urameshi and Kurama!" Kuwabara started fuming, but Hiei only ignored him and stepped up beside me.
"Kurama! Is there any way you can cut this wall down?" Hiei said to the other side.
"Stand back," came his reply. We all moved to the other side, as far from the wall as possible. There was a sharp series of clanks but the wall didn't budge.
Kurama's stifled voice floated over, "For some reason, my whip's thorns can't penetrate this wall."
"I thought they could cut through rock!" I protested.
"They should... these walls appear to be constructed with some other material." He replied grimly.
"Then how about I just blast it down!" Yusuke suggested and we frantically scrambled away from the wall once more.
"Urameshi are you crazy! Even if you get the wall, you'll just get us too!" Kuwabara shouted in a panicked tone.
"Yusuke, the risk is too great. You'd just end up injuring them all." It was a good thing that Kurama was there as Yusuke's voice of reason otherwise he might just end up doing something stupid. I sighed in immense relief.
"Well damn it! What are we supposed to do then? If you can't tell, we're all kind of trapped in these forsaken-" Yusuke shut up. There was the sound of rock sliding again, but thankfully not from above like before. This time one of the rock walls slid down and soon enough we found ourselves staring down another path.
"What kind of castle is this?" Kuwabara exclaimed, very confused, "Why do the walls keep moving?"
"Kurama, a path just appeared for us." Hiei explained through the wall.
"It happened for us as well." Kurama replied.
I peered down the pitch black hall and shivered. Glancing at Hiei, I asked, "What do we do?"
Hiei frowned, closing his eyes for a moment, "Hn, what do you think? We move forward."
"I was afraid of that." I said faintly.
"We're going ahead," Hiei informed the other side, "It appears we don't have much choice."
"No, it appears we do not." Kurama said. There was a pregnant pause and then seriously he said, "We'll be going on as well. This troubles me deeply, but what's done is done. We will be looking for your scent, so try not to wander too far off. Be careful... you don't consist of an ideal group."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kuwabara huffed, but taking a look at each of us, I pursed my lips, knowing full well where Kurama was coming from. Sure Kuwabara might be able to hold up his end, but he had Yukina to look after, then there was Hiei who still had the stolen katana (though it was quite feeble looking after how banged it up it had been already) but there was only so much he could do, and then there was me who could do even less. Yes, we get into a lot of trouble.
"Regardless, stay close and watch the walls; we don't want to be separated further. Good luck." Kurama said.
"We're going to need it," came Yusuke's quiet response and then there was a brief patter until it was completely silent. I rested my hand against the wall and heaved a sigh.
"And then there was less..." I mumbled. "Okay, let's go. There's no point in stalling anymore. Can we take the torch at least?"
Hiei tried to pull it off the wall, but it wouldn't budge. I gulped.
"Perfect." He muttered. "We'll just have to keep close so we don't get lost in the darkness."
"Okay. I'll lead, since I'm the only who can actually see in the dark and I'll be able to sense anything else that comes our way. Ehh, this is pretty spooky..." Kuwabara trailed off as he took off down the path.
Hiei beckoned for me to follow him, but I had to muster my courage. Sure I wasn't afraid of the dark, but this was dark dark.
"Are your legs ok?" Hiei asked. I nodded.
"Yes, I don't know what happened. It felt like they were tied together with weights, but it's ok now. This place gives me a really bad feeling though." I confessed.
"It's not exactly homey." Hiei smirked and I smiled a little.
"Come on guys! You're already falling behind- I don't want to get separated again!" Kuwabara called from somewhere ahead. I could barely make out his silhouette.
"Let's go," Hiei said and turned to go, but before taking another step, he reached behind and snatched my wrist. I jumped in surprise, the warmth from his touch soothing my nerves.
"...So you don't get lost." He muttered. I stared at his back; my heart skipped a beat and my cheeks warmed. Even so, I nodded, suddenly losing my voice.
"Okay," was all I could manage and together we went into the dark. Only then did I tug his hand down until it was touching my own. I even squeezed his hand, more for myself as a reminder that he was right there in this void. Thank Kami it was so dark because now I really didn't want to be looked at. I squeezed my eyes in distress, thankful that Hiei was there to lead me. Why won't this stomach ache go away?
It's too fluttery ...
Then I heard the small exhale of breath, a combination of a small sigh and a chuckle, and I felt a reciprocated pressure on my hand. I almost ripped it away in alarm when my breathing hitched, but managed to keep enough cool not to freak out so obviously... and I'm glad I didn't because I didn't really want to let go.
In the dark like this, I feel like there's absolutely nothing... nothing but Hiei.
~.~.~.~.~
"There's a right turn here, so don't run into the wall or anything." Kuwabara announced, ending the unbroken silence.
Walking blind had made it feel like they had been walking for hours, but it couldn't have been more than fifteen to twenty minutes. Maybe. Hiei really couldn't say, having already lost all sense of time and direction. It had been straight forward since the beginning though so when Kuwabara spoke out so abruptly, it had startled him out of whatever trance he'd taken to. He hadn't even realized he'd zoned out.
His first instinct was to check over his shoulder, but recalling the darkness he focused on his right hand and realized that there was, indeed, a continuous warmth that seeped into his fingers and throughout his body. Perhaps it had been this warmth that had lulled him so easily. He shook his head with annoyance. He couldn't let his guard down, especially in this place where he couldn't even rely on sight.
This was something he hadn't experienced before though: this complete loss of sight. Never before had he been so blinded; he'd always had the jagan when typical sight had failed him, but now he didn't even have that.
He felt a light squeeze around his fingers and twitched. Ren would do that every now and then and it was interesting to feel what she felt when she did. There was the fear of the dark, yes, but there was also safety and when she would squeeze, comfort and relief. As if he was about to let go, he scoffed in his mind.
"I hope the others haven't run into any trouble..." Ren said out loud, stopping his train of thought.
"I'm sure they're fine." Hiei replied. The question had crossed his mind a couple of times already but what good would it do to worry when the situation was out of his control; he could only rely on Yusuke and the fox to handle themselves with Botan as well as they could. However, he needed to focus on what he did have control over and that was here with Ren and Yukina. The moron lingered somewhere in the recesses of his mind.
"...Asami is leading us straight to her." Ren whispered.
Hiei almost stopped walking before remembering again that he still wouldn't be able to see her face. He decided that it was annoying to not be able to see that dumb expression of hers that she surely had on right now, "Is that a fact?"
"Yes...well, no, but like I said, I have a bad feeling. Where else could we be going than to her? Separating us like that, completely in control of where we're allowed to go and how easy it is to get there; she wants us to go meet her and she doesn't want to go through the trouble of moving herself."
"I guess we'll see if we ever get there."
"Hiei." He felt her hand tug for an instant and in that instant he was suddenly hyper-aware of the alarm that swept through his limbs when he though she was going to let go and be abandoned in the darkness, but it hesitated as if rethinking and she adjusted her grip instead as if to counter the act of almost letting go.
"...I'm sorry." was all she ended up saying, but there was something more that went unheard; a hidden significance in the words she hadn't said rather than the ones she had. But she wouldn't let him in at the moment and so he couldn't understand. He could normally read her so well, so easily, but again the dark.
Annoying had just become irritating. He just needed one glimpse at her face and then he'd know. He was sure.
Then the most unexpected noise resounded behind him. A tiny sound, yet so loud in his ears that it practically echoed.
Ren was... laughing?
"What?" It came out harsher than he'd intended, being so irritated, but she didn't seem to notice or necessarily react to it. When she spoke, even without seeing her in the light, at least he could imagine the small smile that lit her face.
"It's just... kind of funny. Who would've thought that we truly do have a lot in common Hiei. It's ironic, really."
"What?" Hiei couldn't help but feel more irritated. This girl did nothing better but confuse him, always catching him off guard whenever he least expected it. "Where is this coming from?"
"Don't act so shocked," She smiled, "You were the one who first told me that anyway..."
Ah, that was right. He had told her that last night... It was becoming uncomfortably hot. Hiei grimaced, unconsciously going to grip his glass tear which he'd also let her touch then.
"Yesterday, you told me all about you, all that's happened in the past..." she paused thoughtfully, "I want to do the same, so please just listen to me. You don't have to say anything. I... I just want to prove to you that I... that I trust you too."
Hiei honestly didn't know how he should be reacting. Proving? Trust? Why did she feel the need to...?
"I've never told anyone this and I'm not telling you this because of a desire for sympathy. Like when you told me, I want you to know this about me because... just because." She fell silent for a moment.
Hiei's grip tightened around her fingers. She took a breath.
"I've lived my whole life with my uncle. From the moment I was born, I was always with him, and for the longest time after that I never thought about my parents. There was simply no need for them because Mako was all I ever knew... and needed, but there was always that nagging curiosity when we'd go see a movie together or go the grocery and all the other little kids would be with their parents. Every kid seemed to have them wherever I went, and I knew I had my own, but it wasn't until I was older when I finally gathered enough courage to ask Mako straight out. I'd already spent so many nights wondering and imagining stories about the parents I never knew, but then I couldn't help but wonder other things like why weren't they with me in the first place and why I had to be with Mako instead of with them. So I wasn't about to take no for an answer... Even now it hurts a little to think of all those wasted nights.
"I understand now why Mako was so set on not telling me what I wanted to know, but I was so stupid back then. Heck, I'm still stupid, but I must've been an ungrateful brat because the things I remember yelling at him were nothing short of cruel for the man who'd given up his life to raise me. Because that was what he had really done... chose to give up his youth to take care of me where my mother wouldn't.
"After I'd screamed and done my pouting, I was pleased when he gave in. Really, I'd thought, they were my parents, I deserved a right to know as their child, but I was too naive to even have it occur to me that I might not really want to know, that Mako was protecting me in keeping me in the dark. Ignorance is bliss after all.
"We took a trip the very next day. I was excited because we'd never gone on a vacation before, but the look on his face... it was so sad. I couldn't understand why he wasn't excited. I asked him about it and he said he wasn't, but that we were going to go see my mother. And I couldn't believe my ears, couldn't believe what he'd just told me. After all that time, I was finally going to get to see her with my own eyes. I dropped the subject, running back into my fantasies of what having a real mother would mean. I dreamed up all kinds of things.
"We drove into a little town. I honestly don't even remember what it was called, though I wish I did. I expected for us to stop for a snack, but Mako didn't stop. We actually pulled up by a small house and then I realized. This was it. This was all that I had been waiting for. This one beautiful, magical moment... She was here.
"At the time, I didn't get why Mako couldn't be happy for me. All he would do was sigh and look so sad. The sad look would not go, but it only made me annoyed. Annoyed because I would finally be happy. Why couldn't he see that, I thought.
"We reached the front door and those few seconds spent waiting were like an eternity. My mother was behind this thin piece of wood. This was our reunion and we would be together at last."
Ren stopped talking for a long moment.
"But it wasn't her."
~.~.~.~.~
An ashen, wrinkled face poked out of the door. Dark eyes narrowed as they fell upon me and I stepped back in fear, sliding nervously behind Mako's leg. Who was this old woman? This couldn't be my mommy! My mommy was supposed to be beautiful... Just as I was about to ask Mako who she was, the stranger suddenly gasped.
"Makoto!" She exclaimed, the astonishment blunt on her face.
"Mom," Mako greeted stiffly.
'Whaa... Mako's mommy?' I thought in shock. 'Of course, Mako has a mommy too, but why is he being so cold?'
"This is... unexpected." The woman sniffed. This was weird. If this was Mako's mommy why wasn't she hugging him or doing something mommy-like? It seemed like they hadn't see each other in a long time! Suddenly, the old woman was pointing at me and I felt shy. "Who's this?"
"Mom..." Mako then sighed, passing a hand over his eyes, "This is Eiko's daughter, Ren."
After he said that, I'd never been so scared. The old woman looked truly evil and she stared at Mako with a cold, cruel glare. Then she looked at me and I felt petrified.
"How dare you... how dare you..." She chanted like a mantra, stabbing a bony finger that shook with anger.
Mako put his hand around me, taking a step back, "We weren't planning to stay. After this you'll never have to see us again... Please, can I just have a word with Eiko?"
The old woman stopped speaking then, but hobbled back into her home, but now I could see that her shoulders were quivering. She was also shaking her head.
Then with a look of absolute disgust, the woman shrieked, "Eiko's dead. She killed herself six years ago. Now you show up at our door with this bastard- has our family not suffered enough shame?"
And the door was slammed in our faces.
I didn't realize that I was trembling, but when I finally looked up into Mako's face I almost started crying; he wasn't just sad anymore. Mako looked... broken.
"Mako," I whimpered, tugging on his sleeve. He wouldn't look down at me for a moment, but when he did, he bent down and gave me a big hug. I couldn't stop shaking though; that had been so scary.
"Yes, honey?"
I couldn't hold them back anymore; fat tears rolled down my eyes, and I gazed at him wistfully, "What's a bastard?"
~.~.~.~.~
"My mother's name was Eiko Hashi and when she was sixteen years old, she drifted into a bar late at night, had a few too many, and ended up having a one night stand. There was no love involved and Kami knows who the man was, but in the morning, all she was left with, though she didn't know at that moment, was a bad hangover and me.
"If being that young and pregnant with a fatherless child was bad enough, she lived in a small town and having a bastard child... well, those kinds of scandals could permanently ruin a family. I've never actually lived in a small town, but from what I hear, the judgment and close-mindedness is normally cruel and merciless.
"When she found out, she confessed everything to her family and begged them for help. However, without a thought she was immediately shunned and in an instant she became dirty and disgraceful in their eyes. After her family had turned her away to avoid the shame that she would bring with me, her child, she ran off to the only place she thought of and that was with her older brother, Makoto, who was twenty-one and in university by that time. He accepted her because that's what family is... a family is supposed to consist of the people that will always be there for you, through thick and thin. So she stayed with him for months, like a leech, until I was born.
"Surprisingly, she actually stayed long enough to name me, but then, only a few days after she'd been discharged from the hospital with me, Mako went out shopping for groceries while Eiko stayed home with me and when he came back... she was nowhere to be found. After investigating it for himself, Mako was able to discover that my mother had actually gone home, back to the family that had initially disowned her. She told them that she'd ... got rid of it and that she wanted to be a part of the family again.
"Mako went back home to confront Eiko, but when he tried to talk about me, my mother denied my existence and the family, afraid at the chance of their name being tarnished once again, devoured her lies and instead shunned Mako. Mako, who had only done everything for her out of love, was cruelly betrayed by his own sister.
"And that was the end. He never returned to that town until that day when I went with him. He really had no idea about what happened to my mother. She took a bottle of pills and was found dead the next day, and that was it. And yet..."
Hiei had remained absolutely silent the entire time she'd been speaking and, up until now, she hadn't shown any sign of distress, but he could feel the tremors in her hand and the thick emotion that welled up inside her now.
"And yet... I still could never get over her. No matter how hard I tried to hate her, to resent her for everything she did to me, to Mako... I only felt hollow with the desire to have been with her. Even though she never wanted me, even though she tried to deny my existence... all I wanted was a connection with her, the chance to make memories, to laugh, to cry, to love and be loved by her. That's all I wanted; what I still want, but will never have."
Her voice cracked and Hiei's chest squeezed disturbingly.
"Hiei, remember that ribbon I always used to wear?"
"...Yes."
"It was her favorite one, you know. She would wear it every day when she was living with Mako. He actually found it on the floor after she left and when I finally knew the truth, he gave it to me. It used to be my most cherished possession and I know it must sound ridiculous, but like your mother's tear, by tying my hair up with that ribbon, I could imagine that connection. Even if it wasn't real, it was all I had; at least, that's what I thought until... Hiei, I know this might seem a little out of the blue, but remember that night at the park by the fountain where you told me... that I should wear my hair down? Without even realizing it, by taking off that ribbon I felt like I'd been freed from my own imprisonment. For years, I'd have that ribbon as a constant reminder, and even now that it's gone, lost in that fire, I still feel a little sad, but I'm not weighed down by those dark memories anymore. I can finally look to future properly, and I still feel like it was all set in motion because of you. So... thank you."
For an unexplainable reason and for the first time, the words seemed to lodge themselves in Hiei's throat.
"Why... did you tell me this?" he finally said, and he already knew her answer because he suddenly saw himself last night and the words from then.
"Because... I trust you with all my heart."
Then he knew; he just knew. Hiei let go of her hand, ignoring her gasp and sudden fumbling in the dark. He felt her hands looking for him, moving frantically in search of security, but he was moving with a different intention. He brought up both his hands, finding her shoulders, and then moving them up to her face. With his thumbs, he delicately touched the surface of her cheeks. They were wet.
Past annoying. Past irritating. Past infuriating.
This was maddeningly unbearable.
What kind of look did she have on her face right now?
"Hiei," There was the slightest tremble in her voice. In just a whisper of his name, a question was being asked and naturally he was expected to respond, to say something, but what could he say when he suddenly found himself shying away from it. What kind of answer was she looking for? But also...what was going on with him?
"I-"
Any opportunity he'd had to say anything was missed because just then low vibrations could be felt beneath his feet until they had grown to all of them and there was a steadily growing grumble emanating from the walls.
"What's happening?" Ren cried out.
"I think this place is about to cave in!" Kuwabara abruptly announced and Hiei flinched at the sound of his voice, astonishment briefly replacing alarm. Even for a little, how could he have completely forgotten that Kuwabara was also here, and with his sister no less! To think he'd been so absorbed that even Yukina had slipped from his mind...
"Run! This way!"
Grappling blindly for Ren's arm, Hiei grabbed it and then started sprinting after Kuwabara's voice just as the first series of collapsing rubble began to resonate around them.
"There's a turn here. Left!" Kuwabara shouted.
Hiei abruptly yanked Ren to the left and barely missed hitting the corner. Then to his shock, he realized the he could see Kuwabara's silhouette lining itself against the shadows as the darkness began to ebb away. They must've been nearing an exit!
"Yes! See that? There's a light up ahead!" Kuwabara rattled excitedly as he continued to sprint forward, ducking over Yukina's body to keep her covered from any stray debris.
The fool didn't lie. There was tiny blue speck at the end of the hallway and it only grew as they ran until it was a glowing opening.
"The exit!" Ren shouted in excitement. "We're so close!"
In the elating moment, Hiei almost missed it coming. Along with the crumbling ceiling, other loose pieces were falling down behind them. There was a particularly loud crack as a large chunk began to fall. In the dim light, it was like a blanket of darkness coming down, down- and Ren was right below it.
Kuwabara and Yukina were out, Hiei himself only seconds behind, but it was upon her- there was no time. Using the last split-second, he resigned any thought he had and willed his body to just move.
Adrenaline bursting through his blood, Hiei yanked Ren hard and threw her ahead despite her shout of surprise. She fell through the door way into the light; she was out. Relief overtook him, but not very long.
Hiei grunted sharply as a violent burst of pain tore through his shoulder and there was a harsh pop; his entire arm went numb.
"Hiei!" Ren's panicked voice barely registered as he stumbled forward, reaching out-
The last thing he saw was Ren's outstretched arm as the doorway smashed itself closed in a final deafening crash.
*Haha! Chapter 3 memories :D (If you don't remember, it doesn't surprise me because they were barely mentioned XD This was when Kurama had to knock Hiei out because he was being a baby about having to be staying with Ren as if she were his baby-sitter!)
**The Orb of Baast was that green sphere that sucked out souls at the beginning of YYH when Yusuke met Kurama and Hiei for the first time :D
CLIFFHANGER! SEPARATION! DUN DUN DUN!
Phew! Another chapter finished! I think this one is one of my better ones, plus I liked all their in/direct Ren + Hiei moments together :3 Did you? Let me know with a review, if you don't mind! OH! And Ren's past! What'd you think about THAT? Personally, I've always been really pleased with it (even from the beginning, this was how it's always been so out of all the changes I love that I could keep this the same!) I don't see it as making her a cliché protagonist with a pitiful past because I don't think she's the cliché heroine either. At least, I hope she's not O_O
Like I mentioned above, I got a little distracted recently xD You know, with Free!... and Attack on Titan... OTL THEY'RE SO GOOD OMASDHKLFS... But I still love YYH so no more (major) distractions for me! I will resist temptation! `'
AS ALWAYS MY LOVELIES, thank you SO MUCH for all your follows and reviews ;A; 15 more people started following too! ... ( '~") yes,ikeeptrack... *mutter*... quitefrequentlytoo...
Next up, Rescue in the Dark: Part II so look forward to it BD
If convenient, review below.
If inconvenient, review anyways.
...
Sherlock fans anywhere? ;D
Love always, InuChimera7410