Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters. Just my OCs
HA! A week! Now we're talking. It won't be much longer now. I thank everyone again for their patience. I know exactly how it feels when you read a story you like and it takes forever for the writer to update, how frustrating that can be. But I promise the sequel will be better. I'm going to work on proofreading this story and re-uploading it once it's completed, and then I'll get to planning the sequel. Just a ballpark for this story, but there is only two chapters left to this story. I will make it a point to work on the next two chapters soon. I'm hoping that I keep up the momentum I had for this chapter. Thank you all again for your patience :D
The two months Kurama had between his mother's wedding and his departure to Demon World flew by far too quickly. During that entire time, he spent as much time as possible with his mother and mate. He focused on bonding with his soon-to-be stepbrother. His stepfather was usually busy with work, but made time for the family. He and Kurama had a respect for one another. Hatanaka made Shiori happy, and that was all the demon could hope for when he could not be there.
School had come to an end, and the transition into summer had been smooth. Kaili had gotten to enjoy the first weeks of summer with her lover, brother, and friends. Kurama and Chris were finally in a good place making the teenager very happy. Keiko, she was still feeling Yusuke's absence, but she and Kuwabara were incredibly focused on getting into their high schools. They had already taken preliminary exams and passed. They would be ready.
Kaili hid her pregnancy well from Shuichi, relieved that he had not yet picked up on the demon energy coursing through her. She figured it would be a red flag, the child inside her growing stronger each week. It had to be due to the stress. Though her mate was in control of the situation, there were many unknown variables, and it left him feeling overwhelmed some nights. He hid it well underneath his silence. Shiori didn't notice anything wrong. She was actually really happy that, despite whatever tiff her son and his girlfriend had, they were able to work through it. She didn't really know that her son was ready to enter a dangerous situation and that Kaili had been avoiding her son while frantically figuring out what she needed to do.
Now, there Kurama was, standing in Demon World overlooking Yomi's kingdom. His journey had been fairly uneventful. He was able to sneak around easily and avoid detection, not wanting to get into any side scuffles. He smelled both human and demon, not something that was commonly accepted as of yet, so he had had a few close calls.
Speaking of another type of call…
His phone rang, a failsafe he arranged. With his mother away for the month, there was no way she wasn't going to check in on him and Kaili almost daily. He had to ensure that the calls would be redirected to him since neither he nor his mate were home. Kaili was staying with her family, a decision that he and Kaili made together but were both reluctant to make. The girl still had difficulties with her father, especially knowing that he did remember everything and had yet to discuss it with her. The man continued to pretend everything was fine.
"Hello? Shuichi? Hello?"
"Yes, mother, it's me," Kurama smoothly said into the receiver. "I'm here. Don't worry. Everything's fine." He waited for Shiori to ask her slew of questions, ones he heard the last few nights. "Yes, we're feeding ourselves well." Then his mother asked him about something that happened back in Human World. "An earthquake? No, we didn't feel anything. Must have only gotten small tremors in town."
A crash of lightning struck nearby, but thankfully the woman didn't hear it. "I told you, mother. You needn't worry about us. Stay on your trip as long as you want. Honestly, you deserve it. And don't worry about the house. It's in good hands." She told him she knew that, of course. Still, she didn't know it was his plants who were doing most of the guarding. "I love you, too, mother. Take care."
He had hung up and once again looked over the kingdom Yomi had made for himself, his eyes calculating. They truly had led two completely different lives. Kurama would have never guessed that Yomi would ever be strong enough to rival the two kings. They had been far stronger, already big names in Demon World when Youko was attacked by Spirit World's Special Defense Force.
Where Yomi had been weak and arrogant, he changed and sought after power. Having fallen from a position of power, Kurama had chosen to live a simpler life, one that surrounded around family. One could argue that his group of bandits was a family, but, like what happened between himself and Yomi, anyone could betray you.
Kurama had reflected on this all throughout his mother's wedding. She spent most of his human life single. Yes, she had dated Hatanaka, but it took her until now to remarry. The fox knew deep down it was hard for her. Where he had known Shiori's first husband, technically his human father, for a brief time before he could force his human body to walk. The woman had mourned the loss of her husband while trying to deal with her demon-merged infant. Back then, he didn't think the woman would ever love again.
The wedding was small, and only family and close friends were invited. He noted that Shiori had looked so happy when she and Hatanaka had said their vows. Kurama listened well to the promises they made, the two promising to be partners in everything. That was how true lovers should live, though Kurama still struggled with the need to handle certain aspects on his life, including those of his past, on his own. He had practiced letting Kaili in more prior to the ceremony, but the reaffirmation was sobering.
He journeyed into the territory that almost looked like a city, attacked by weak demons he could easily dispose of, the welcoming committee he assumed. He also knew his former ally was somewhere nearby. "Yomi, was all that necessary?"
The demon king appeared before him. "Hello, Kurama. It's been far too long since I've seen you."
Irritated, Kurama clenched his fist and said, "I don't appreciate the pun, and what sort of welcome was that? I came all this way to help you, not to be attacked."
Yomi didn't seem phased by the outburst, more proof that he had matured over the centuries. "Don't be cross. I wasn't entirely sure it was you. You energy feels so much different than it did before." Kurama doubted the veracity behind Yomi's words. "I have to be sure I'm not advised by the wrong man."
Returning to his calm, however, Kurama replied, "So, you sent them to identify me. That's playing it very cautious, Yomi, a trait you never had when I knew you."
"You're not the only one who's gone through changes," Yomi returned before turning away from the redhead. "I can't afford to be reckless now. Mukuro and Raizen have had centuries to perfect the keeping of power. Now that I have an equal share, they'll take any chance to dethrone me."
"A thousand years is a long time," Kurama murmured.
Yomi barely reacted, but Kurama could hear something in his tone as he replied, "For some things it's not." Then Yomi's original countenance changed. "Forgive the attack, but if you were as strong as I heard you've become, it wouldn't have been a threat, and it wasn't. I believe in your power." He turned to face the fox demon. "Kurama, please give me your trust."
Kurama kept his firm gaze on his former thieving partner, studying the demon. Yomi was asking for his trust, yet he had not given Kurama a reason to award him the trust. He felt like there was something dangerous lying between them. There was no doubt in his mind that Yomi knew the truth, and yet he was acting friendly, sounding only slightly desperate. Even slight desperation could cause anyone, especially Yomi, to do something unthinkable. Until Kurama knew Yomi's intentions, his family was at risk.
"Lord Yomi." The demon was called and both Yomi and Kurama looked to see a small, decrepit, old demon.
"Yes, Youda."
"It's time for the unification conference, lord," the demon, probably Yomi's assistant, stated. "The council has gathered."
"Excuse me," Yomi said, facing Kurama for merely a moment before starting to walk away. Then he paused and looked to the other demon. "Actually, Youda, I have a thought. I want Kurama to attend today's meeting. Show him the way, please."
Youda's eyes traveled over Kurama. "That little thing?" Kurama hardly reacted. This Youda seemed irritated. "Well I don't pick up any special demon energy coming out of him. In fact, he smells half human. You sure you want him gracing our table?"
"You heard what I said." With that, the demon king left.
"Hm, well," Youda scoffed, looking to Kurama. "Come on then." He then led the fox demon to this unification meeting. Kurama was surprised Yomi was already allowing him to learn his position and vulnerabilities like this, but it mattered not. Once again, it rang in his mind that Yomi was desperate for his assistance, and he would do anything it took to get it.
He needed to be careful.
For the sixth time, according to Chris, in the last ten minutes, Kaili sighed. She had been writing in her journal, which she hadn't done in forever, not since right after the tournament, updating what she had of her story. It was starting to become really good, probably actual book material. Her mystery was now wrought with danger and secrets, her baby being one of them. She still didn't know how to tell Kurama. Finally, Chris tossed a chocolate bar her way. She looked over to her older brother, and he smiled.
"There ya are, Kai," Chris teased. "What's up with you?"
"I don't even know anymore," Kaili replied, admitting something else. "I guess I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I hardly know my mate at all, the complexity of his past…if he's safe or not. I'm worried about him."
And she was rightly so. Kurama had barely given her any information about the demon king who requested his presence, and she feared that he'd be hurt. She knew that Demon World was cutthroat. Wouldn't this demon want revenge on her mate for what he had arranged? Kurama seemed to not be worried.
This whole scenario was beyond Chris's understanding, and he had no idea how to make his pregnant sister feel better, so he decided to distract her instead. "Want to get out of here? We can go grab some lunch and then hang out. I'm meeting up with Mitari and Hagiri later."
Kaili was surprised, blue eyes wide as saucers. "The guy who shot me?" she exclaimed.
Chris cringed at the volume, but he understood the reaction. "I can explain," he told her. "Mitari, you know he ended up switching sides. And Hagiri, well, he came to us and apologized, sincerely apologized for targeting us…and for hurting you. He never meant to hit you, Kai. He has a sister himself. Since the whole tunnel thing went to shit, he's been a completely different person, trying to stop sociopaths instead of being one. The doctor guy who attacked the hospital, he saved him from his fatal would and then went off to heal people instead of infect them. I guess they saw the light."
Kaili could hardly process that information. Actually, she wondered if she should report it to Botan or Koenma since Spirit World was still in chaos because of those guys. Still, if they were trying to do good instead of harm, she didn't want to get in the way. Who was she to judge when her mate was a former thief and killer that Spirit World believed they needed to destroy? How could she deny them their chances when she was allowing her father to continue on pretending nothing happened? It didn't mean she needed to be involved.
"It's okay, Chris," she told him. "No one's here, anyway. I'll pass. I don't mind being home alone." It would give her time to finish updating her story and give her time to think. She had a lot to think about.
There were quite a few people at the meeting, and Kurama observed all of them as their attention was directed to the screen. Youda brought up a chart regarding military power among the three kingdoms and a projection of how the power would change in one year's time. The graph depicted that Raizen's strength would then go down to zero, due to his hunger strike.
"That's wishful thinking," a demon stated.
"And reckless," another added.
"Not so," Youda stated, "because from one year today, Raizen will be dead." He let that sink in for a moment before he continued. "Raizen's ridiculous hunger strike has brought his body to critical condition. He cannot last through the year. This comes from highly dependable sources."
Kurama wondered who the sources could be. He wondered what that would mean for the future. After the year, would Yomi try to claim Raizen's territory? If that was the case, how would Yusuke fair? He had only been a demon for a couple months, and despite the difficult training his friend must be undergoing, would that make a different against the S class Yomi? There had to be something Kurama could do to tip the scale in Yusuke's favor while making Yomi believe that he was fully on his side.
It was then Youda gave his plan, to bring the defectors from Raizen's territory to their side, a tactic that was clear, concise, and, as Yomi stated, by the books. Surprisingly, given the seemingly sound strategy from his advisor, he turned to the fox demon he had invited. "Kurama," he called. "I'd like to hear your opinion now."
Biting back his surprise, his eyes as neutral as ever, Kurama gave it. He didn't even heed the comments from the other demons who wanted to see how resourceful the fox was. They wanted to see if Yomi was foolish to bring an outsider to their elite table. "I'm confused," Kurama stated, looking to Youda. "The power of each territory mirror its ruler. I'd like to see individual stats of the first and second strongest in each land."
"Strength of the leader is strength of the team," Youda declared, "but if you need proof, I can show you stats of every single warrior."
Kurama wasn't looking for proof. Part of it was that he needed to see what he was working against and then devise a plan for himself and a plan for Yomi. "No, the first and second will suffice."
Youda snickered, taunting Kurama, stating that all that information would be too much for his brain to handle. Kurama did not play into the demon's derision. They were skeptical of him and his presence, what he had to offer their leader. By the end of the meeting, Kurama had no doubt that he'd stir everyone the way he wanted. He already knew who the hothead of the group was.
The demon put up the power of the three rulers, and they were closely matched. Then he put up the levels of the second-in-commands. They were about even too, and, Kurama thought, easy to overcome. Yomi's military chief, Shachi, was the current second, but he would not be for long, and the seconds of Raizen's and Mukuro's territories, Hokushin and Kirin, respectively, would be changing out soon as well. Kurama knew. He'd always known. By the following year, the second-in-command in each kingdom would be Yusuke, Hiei, and himself, if he played his cards right.
"Well, that confirms it for me," he stated coolly. "The right-hand man of each of the lords has not been present long enough to be collected into your database." That seemed to get Shachi's less than enthusiastic reaction. "Let's assume, for a moment, that your information is complete, and Raizen's army will collapse upon his death, leaving a two way fight, because Mukuro's and Yomi's power is identical, the deciding factor would normally be the strength of the number twos. But in this case, they're all too weak to make any difference, and if they're the second best, logic follows that all warriors besides the lords are useless. The only thing that Mister Youda's intelligence shows is that we know nothing, not until the number twos are as strong as the lords."
"Hm," Shachi scoffed arrogantly. "So our only tactic is no tactic? Sounds like you've been wasting Lord Yomi's time."
Kurama's cool and stoic composure remained. "Not at all, because the whole balance is about to change."
Shachi didn't like his remark. "What?"
"As I've explained, those second-in-command determine who prevails here, and in half a year they will all be replaced."
"You damned fool!" the angered second cried in an outburst. "Watch your tongue. These hierarchies of power have survived here for five hundred years, unchallenged by any demon, and only a sword will make them change."
"Shachi, control yourself. He's a visitor here and doesn't understand our ways."
With an angered, volatile demon and a pensive Yomi considering all of what Kurama had to say, the fox demon had to admit that he had a pretty successful first day among them. Now, he just had thirty more days to go to worm himself into Yomi's good graces.
Still, there was one concern lingering in the back of his mind. When was Yomi finally going to confront him about their past?
When Kaili heard the door unlock, she looked up from her laptop and put it aside. She had a strange premonition, and she knew it couldn't be related to either Chris or her mother. Footsteps sounded, and she could feel a presence in the doorway watching her. "Hey, dad," she breathed out, all of her nerves on edge and her hairs standing up. "I didn't expect you to come home."
"Kaili," the man breathed out, his voice soft yet distant. She knew where this was going. He was about to entrap her in a conversation that she really didn't want to have. "This has been long overdue."
A sigh escaped the teenager as she turned to the downtrodden man. "Do we really have to?" She really didn't want to relive it, didn't want to go back to the time of the tournament.
"We should at least discuss it," her father replied, him smiling sadly and empathizing with his only daughter. "I remember all of it, what I said to you, what I did…all of it."
Kaili had been surprised when Chris told him he remembered any of it. Shuichi seemed so certain that he wouldn't remember. "How?"
"I have no idea," the man admitted, leaning back against his chair. "Honestly, it came like a dream. I wonder if it had anything to do with my abilities overcoming whatever it is your boyfriend did to me." Kaili hesitated, and he could see the tautness of her muscles. "I'm not upset. Like I said, I have abilities, like you, your mother, and Chris, but like what happened with your brother, I had no control over mine, and it drove me to do things I never wanted to do, drove me mad. Sleeping around, gambling, destroying lives…abandoning all of you, all for nothing. For the longest time, it felt like my true self was lying inside my body, trapped in a shell while the body and mind did whatever they wanted. I was cruel, heartless. There's nothing I can do to erase what you suffered. The things you saw, what we both saw, I can't believe I found entertainment in yours and your friends' pain."
"Dad, stop," Kaili coughed out, unable to handle those words. She felt like she was drinking sand as she swallowed. "Please, I can't…I can't go back there. It was hell." Tears streamed down her face as she remembered just how terrible things became. Her father left before the absolute worst of it.
"We don't have to talk about it then," her father assured, taking her hand. "What I really wanted to say was that I'm thankful to the boy…that demon. Whatever he used may not have erased everything from mind, but it calmed and cleared it. I'm working with Chris and your mother to manage my own abilities so I never become that horrible monster again. Kurama did me a favor." Kaili got quiet at the mention of her mate's demon name. Her father frowned, tuning in to her sullen aura. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Kaili clipped. "I just…I need to go out for a while."
She didn't allow her father to get a word in edgewise as she abruptly departed, and he made no move to chase after her. It was all too much to handle in one day, and there was really no one she could talk to about it. No one knew what she saw at the tournament except her mate and friends. No one understood the animosity she held towards her father, what Shuichi did. No one knew other than her brother that her mate was not there with her. There was no way she could burden Keiko with this, and Botan was off doing whatever she had to in Spirit World. She barely knew Yukina, and she really didn't want to introduce herself by unloading all of her baggage on her. Her only option was to go to the Kuwabara household. There she would be safe and she would be able to talk to someone who understood. She wasn't the only one left behind. She was sure Kuwabara would listen and be able to relate…on some things, at least.
"Now that was the most stirring conference we had in years," Yomi said, thoroughly amused by the happenings at the unification meeting. He and Kurama were walking through the halls of his palace. Kurama had no idea what their destination was, but he had some idea. Still, even Yomi, his former rash and reckless partner, could kick back and reminisce the hilarity of his own subordinates. "You should have seen the way Shachi was staring at you as you spoke. The expression was undeniable. He doesn't simply despise you. He's already plotting your death."
"For a blind man, you certainly have good eyes," Kurama replied, eyes narrowing at the demon lord.
Yomi explained. "I heard his quickened heartbeat, felt the heat from his eyes as the filled blood vessels turned them red. Losing my eyesight was, in part, what made me stronger." Silence resided between them for a few second before Yomi spoke again. "But now, let me guess what you see in half a year. In the land of Raizen, his half-human, half-demon offspring, Yusuke Urameshi, trains relentlessly and looks to take control of Raizen's army, thus preventing its collapse. While in Mukuro's fortress, your friend, Hiei, has improved drastically and, from a few vague reports, has garnered rare attention from that soulless tyrant.
"Urameshi, Hiei, and yourself will be the number twos in just half a year from now," Yomi determined. "Isn't that what you believe, Kurama?" Kurama didn't need to respond for them both to know that Yomi was correct in his assumption.
"The second-in-command is key in determining who prevails," Yomi stated, ignoring Kurama's silence. "That's what you've always believed."
Though his words were honest, Kurama could hear something in Yomi's tone, suspicion. The fox demon knew it was getting closer, the moment where Yomi would confront him on what happened, the lure that brought him to the plane he had no desire to ever return. He couldn't help but look to the demon king, a slight glint of fear in his eyes. Still, he had to remain composed. As of now, he had some control in the situation. He'd find a way to get it back.
"So, friend," Yomi spoke, and Kurama tried not to be on edge. If Yomi could tell everything about Shachi's reaction, he'd know if the fox couldn't keep his wits about him. "I think now's a good time to address the other reason I invited you." Kurama failed at hiding his surprise at both Yomi's direct approach and timing. "After all, it seems out of order to discuss your future here before you meet him."
Kurama heard it again, that underlying threat that forced him there against his will, away from his family and from his mate. Yomi didn't even give him a moment to recover, continuing to walk ahead while Kurama remained frozen in place, his face displaying his shock, but hopefully not enough for Yomi to "see."
Yomi led Kurama to a room guarded by a thick, metal door. "Can you guess who's in this room?" Kurama was unamused, nervous, a small sound of pondering escaping him as if he didn't know, eyes narrowing and slightly wavering on their own accord. "The one I've search for for years, the one who took my light. That's my favorite saying for what he did to me."
"Maybe not," Kurama tried. "You said blindness helped you to gain your throne."
"Right," Yomi curtly said, walking forward. Kurama was glad his old comrade could not see him, his nerves shining through to the surface, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. It was only a matter of time. If Yomi did not know, he would know. It was clear he already suspected the truth, and Kurama had no idea where the demon stood, where they would go from there.
There was a keypad by the door, Yomi typing in the numbers from memory. The doors were about to open. Kurama didn't swallow, but he looked down and clenched his eyes shut. He wondered when he garnered such a weak stomach for this sort of thing. In the past, he wouldn't have cared if Yomi returned to him to hold him accountable. Now, though, he had something to protect, and Yomi was far stronger than he was currently.
"What's wrong?" Yomi's smooth voice reached his ears. Kurama was brought back to reality, jolting upright once again. He let himself go too far. "Your heart is beating so quickly and your eyes are pointed down. Look up." Kurama listened to the order. "Yes, get a good view of him, at the way he is today."
The door slowly opened, Kurama unable to look away from it with Yomi's precise knowledge of his every move. Uncharacteristically, a look of horror flashed in Kurama's eyes at the once powerful demon he had hired to rid himself of Yomi, beaten, broken, tortured…on his last leg of life. Kurama had seen much in his day, experienced much during the Dark Tournament, and yet this terrified him.
But it was also a relief. Maybe, in all the demon's brokenness, he had not said anything. He looked like he was about ready to die. Perhaps he was in the clear with Yomi. Hope flooded him, and he calmed once again.
"His decay has become much worse the few days," Yomi stated. "He hardly speaks anymore." That confirmed Kurama's belief, and, once again, relief flooded him. "It hurts him too much." Kurama had yet to say anything, even when Yomi looked directly at him. "Heh," the demon king chuckled, pondering. "It was one thousand years ago when he fought against me. Still, I can only see him as he was.
"In that distant epic," Yomi began to describe, "our worlds were opposite. You were the leader and I your right-hand man. I still had my eyes. We were greedy, you and I. We wanted to make ourselves known, carve out our own territory." Kurama could not disagree with that. His goals were very ambitious back then, and he had the skills to get the resources they needed. Yomi even knew that. "But to be a lord," he continued, "one needs power and wealth. To gain both, we became bandits.
"We led a legendary horde, raiding all corners of Demon World for its most precious treasures," Yomi told. Kurama just let him talk, waiting for him to get to the point without acting hostile, like he had something to hide. "I was hot-headed then, obstinate, thirsty for action," the demon king admitted. "I often forced us into confrontation when you favored stealth. Soon, I disobeyed you altogether, leading our best men into the most well-guarded strongholds, costing many of their lives. I didn't care."
Yes, that had been what caused Kurama to realize that Yomi was not the best right-hand man. He was young by comparison to the fox, and Youko Kurama had already seen the path he needed to take to get to where he wanted in life. He didn't believe he could get there with Yomi, not anymore, and that is why he sent the assassin. But he couldn't kill his comrade. Something inside told him that it would be a waste. Clearly, he was right, but his action had now put his new future in danger. This was something that left Kurama feeling unsettled.
"I was selfish and reckless," Yomi acknowledged. "I just wanted the quickest way to power. I could never understand your patience."
They both remembered a time when Kurama had to rescue Yomi for his own foolishness.
"You should watch it, Yomi," Youko warned. "Your foul character will be the death of you."
"Looking back," continued Yomi, "I don't know why you saved me and kept me onboard, except that we were friends. We were so opposite. You were cruelly ambitious, but in a different way…calculating, always planning three steps ahead. Must have been difficult for you to make your careful plans with such a loose cannon at your side, yet still you trusted me, and it didn't take me long to waste that again…" Kurama regarded Yomi with a hard look, again, still allowing him to talk, get his feelings out there. It was the least he could do after what he had done in the past, and hopefully this would not end badly for him. He had to be careful.
"A few weeks after my mistake, I heard of another fortress that was impossibly defended," he declared, "but it held unspeakable treasures. I disobeyed you again. When I arrived, the castle was deserted." Yes, Kurama knew. The lead had been a false one, planted by him in the thieving villages. It was where he sent the assassin to meet Yomi, the day that he had abandoned his downed comrade and left him for dead. "The entire fight, he never told me who he was or why he attacked. He was strong, at least, compared to me at that time. He only said, once he blinded me, 'Life is more important than the reward.' My only consolation from the creature who had taken away my light. I didn't understand anything or how I could live blindly. I could only wait for you to save me, as always.
"But this time, you never came."
Those words hung between them, a heaviness existing over both of them. It was then that Kurama knew. Yomi had to know. He figured it out, somehow, even if the creature hadn't told him. It didn't matter if the demon couldn't speak. Yomi knew. He understood why. Kurama could hear it. The demon king wasn't expecting an apology, but he was holding it against him. He was going to use this, he knew, as a way to get Kurama to follow his doctrine of unification. He would be forced to face off against his friends if he wasn't careful. But, in his mind, he was still looking for a way out.
"And until now," Yomi interrupted his thoughts, "ten full centuries later, I did not meet you again, Kurama. Didn't even know who you were. How funny is that?" It wasn't. Kurama was in a full sweat now, trying to determine Yomi's game and his next move, planning three steps ahead as Yomi predicted. "I resolved that the only way to answer that question was to find the creature that blinded me. And so I searched these one thousand years, but now that I have him I've yet to learn a thing."
Yomi snickered suddenly, and Kurama could only guess as to why when he started outright laughing. "You find something amusing?" he questioned.
"You, Kurama," Yomi admitted, tilting his head to face him. "Your heartbeat returned to normal the moment you saw the awful physical state this killer was in, as if he were no longer a threat. Heh."
The demon king walked forward to his victim, the demon suffering in agony. "You!" Yomi called out loudly. "Wake up." He kicked the weakened monstrosity, a groan escaping the former assassin.
"Please, your great lordship, take my life from me," the demon begged. "I can't take this pain any longer."
"Very well, demon," Yomi said almost sounding merciful. "Then I shall grant you your wish. You've suffered more than enough." The ruler smirked. "But you must answer my one question your fear has kept you from saying. Who ordered you that day to ambush us and forfeit my life?"
Kurama's pulse elevated slightly when the demon spoke. This was it. "Okay," the assassin weakly uttered. "He had cold eyes. They were such cold, terrifying eyes, and silver hair. It was Youko…Kurama."
Angered by the full admission, Yomi yelled out his rage and struck the demon down, killing him in cold blood, crushing his skull. Kurama's eyes remained stoic. His whole countenance was calm. Now, that the truth was out there between them, Kurama could resume what he was used to, calculating. There was no secret making Yomi unpredictable. The demon king had two options, kill him or use him, and Kurama knew just what Yomi would do. It's what he would do if the roles were reversed.
That gave him the advantage again.
Yomi was breathing heavily for the moment before he too regained composure. "There it is," he stated. "Of course, I long suspected it, but I didn't want to believe. I should tell you right now that I bear no grudge against you, old friend." Kurama didn't doubt that, but it didn't mean Yomi was to be trusted. "In the enterprise of power, you made a business decision. Thinking back, I was a liability, rash, disobedient. I lost countless men. I would have tried to kill me too."
Despite his friendly words, Kurama had to know. He glared at Yomi, finally needing answers. "What do you want from me?"
"Precisely as my spirit of words told you. I want you to assist me any way that you can, just as I assisted you in the past despite my mistakes of immaturity." He was going to use him, just as Kurama expected. He was going to trap him into it meaning he knew more than he let on. "I learned much from you, Kurama. I've tried to model myself after you. I only brought up the past so we could move beyond it."
"And yet, if I say no…" Kurama tested.
The air was stale between them, and then Yomi spoke words that flipped Kurama's world and made his core burn with anger.
"Your human mother is on a plane right now."
Emerald eyes widened at Yomi's audacity. "No, Yomi…"
"At least, according to the schedule my agents have supplied. That was nice of you, by the way, to give them that trip." It was out there, and it didn't do anything to quell the ire within the fox demon. Backed into a corner, he sneered, gritting his teeth as his eyes narrowed only slightly. "I just hope it doesn't crash. Middle-aged newlyweds dying on their honeymoon is a bland topic for even your lousy, human TV shows."
"You bastard," Kurama growled, infuriated by the threat. He didn't even bother to hide his displeasure from Yomi. He didn't care if he was playing into the demon's hands. How dare he threaten them? How dare he threaten her?
"Quite a life you had after my hit was botched, reverting to your fox form and venturing into Spirit World for a solitary life of thieving," Yomi recounted, pushing Kurama further and further. "Until injuries forced you to hide in another world, possessing an unborn human child. And there, after fourteen years, of softening up, your human mother felt sick. To save her, you teamed with other demons to burglarize Spirit World again. That led you to a debt with Urameshi, which led you to Demon World fighting Sensui, which, in turn, led you to me, and all because of mommy dearest. Well, her and your human mate. I guess congratulations are in order to you as well, old friend."
That son of a bitch… Kurama thought to himself, feeling even more frustrated. He knew this would happen, and yet he still found himself surprised that Yomi had done his homework. "Collecting information," the king stated. "Another lesson you taught me. It showed me how much they meant to you."
"Earlier today you said you didn't recognize me," Kurama challenged. "A smart lie to disguise how much you knew."
Yomi chuckled again, pleased. "I've angered you greatly, and yet your mind's already considering our every encounter calmly, trying to sniff out an advantage." He wasn't wrong. "While others would be overcome with real emotions, blinded by their rage, you're methodically planning out how to save your mom and mate, and no one can say if that's because you actually love them or because you don't want anything to handicap your control of the situation."
He was wrong, of course. Well, he was right that Kurama had calmed, getting over his momentary anger, but he had still given into emotion for mere moments. He'd let Yomi believe himself to be right. It had partly to do with control, but he did not want to lose the few people he cared for. "That's cold and very threatening," Yomi accused. "Very soon all of Demon World will fall into chaos, and that's when I'll need your calm and cruelty, your ability to think without emotion. Join me, Kurama. Help me unify them all."
The lord didn't wait for Kurama's answer. He already knew what it was. The legendary bandit did not have a choice. But he would plan a backup. No matter what he did himself, he would not let Yomi's plans come to fruition. Kurama was not foolish. He knew what unification meant in Yomi's mind. His friends and family would be put at risk if Yomi succeeded. Kurama would not let his friends be defeated, ever.
The month had passed by quickly, Kurama keeping track of every day in his mind. His mother's phone calls acted as a timer for when another day was drawing to a close. Kurama had thought about contacting Kaili, but he refused to put her in any more danger than he already had. Yomi had come out and verbally threatened every single member of Kurama's family, without even an inkling of remorse. The demon shouldn't have been surprised. He himself had been merciless and cutthroat. Of course, he never expected for his dismissal of Yomi to lead to his growth to power. This was completely on him. Either way, he managed to get into Yomi's good graces, the demon lord knowing Kurama would not betray him a second time, not when the lives of those he cared of were waiting on the chopping block. No, Kurama would not betray Yomi, or at least that's what the king thought.
Home seemed so foreign despite the familiar glow of the television clock lighting the room slightly or its familiar smell of his family. He figured it was due to the fact that he had been back in Demon World for a short time, his home for over a millennia. In truth, he could say that he hadn't missed it, not entirely. He really had become a sentimental, old demon, but it didn't matter. Kurama had a life in Human World, a productive one, and he would not exchange it. Yomi thought, though, that it was just the fox saving face. He accused him of it, after all, that he just disliked that he lost control, that he didn't love his mother and mate. He had to excuse it. Yomi had not been exposed to humans in the way Kurama had.
The distance he felt to the home could have also attributed to the fact that it was empty. Kurama looked around the home, memories of his human childhood surfacing, especially when he glanced into the kitchen. He could remember the day where he grew frustrated at not being able to perform the simplest tasks because of this human body, back when he still intended to return to his form life as a demon and leave Shiori behind. His mind could never forget how the woman had been hurt, protecting him. He hadn't needed her assistance, despite his impetuous move. Even if he was in the weak body of a child, Kurama assumed he'd be fine, but he had miscalculated, and many heavy plates rained down upon him, but Shiori took the fall for him, broken shards cutting her body. It was the first moment he cared what happened to the woman, learned what love in this world was really about, the sacrifices one made for the ones they treasured.
And, like with his mother, he had learned to love another. It didn't matter that Kaili's soul was younger than his, that they were friends first, that she was another puzzle he needed to crack before he realized he cared for her wellbeing. He never expected to fall in love with anyone, always avoided the opposite sex like a plague at school. Kaili had been unlike the other women. She seemed older, wiser than her years, mainly from her experiences. She was kind, considerate, caring, everything that he desperately wanted to be. She was also understanding yet innocent, and he had tried to shield her from the brunt of it. She wasn't a child, yet he tried to coddle her. He couldn't do that anymore, not if he wanted a future with her.
He found himself in their room which had become solely his room once again before he left. From the day he told Kaili about his plans, despite her return home, she didn't spend many nights with him. She had grown distant, but some nights she'd slip into bed and curl into him while thinking he was asleep. Her scent still lingered there, a bit different from before, but still distinctly hers.
Those two women, the two he would give his life for to protect, loved and treasured…they reminded him of why he had to do what he was about to do.
First and foremost, he needed to talk with Kaili, before his mother and stepfather returned from their honeymoon. She needed to know what she needed to expect in the upcoming months and possibly years. He went back downstairs, picking up the phone to call Kaili's. It went straight to voicemail which left him feeling disheartened.
"…Leave a message!"
The last words of her voicemail sounded so youthful, recorded sometime before the tournament and before Sensui, before she was fully thrown into his horrific world. He had feared from the beginning putting her life in danger, but he had been selfish. Even Hiei had warned him, and Kaili agreed despite being unaware as to what she was signing up for.
He hung up the phone without saying anything.
What he didn't know what that Kaili was at Kuwabara's house, talking with him about the happenings in their group. Other than Keiko and Shizuru, she and Kuwabara were the only two humans, and they had to watch this war destroy everything they thought they knew. She lied on the redhead's bed, looking up at the ceiling as if she was in a therapist's office. She felt like she needed a good one. Maybe Chris could recommend her. Until then…
"This is just too much…"
Kuwabara looked up from his textbook and flashed the girl an empathetic glance. He knew what Kaili was feeling, could sense it pouring off of her in waves. Both he and Shizuru had sensed something different about the teenager. Shizuru had been the one to figure it out, and the redhead picked up on it when she asked Kaili, "So, when you due?" so nonchalantly. Kuwabara gaped at Kurama's girlfriend, stunned. The two siblings were the first people aside from Kaili's brother to know of her pregnancy. That had come as a surprise to the psychic.
Kaili had asked him not to tell anyone since she had yet to tell Shuichi. He felt awkward making any promises against his friend and teammate. They had discussed it after he responded, "Oh, yeah, I won't." Then, he asked, "But why haven't you said anything yet? Maybe he would have stayed."
The girl sighed and nodded. She knew Shuichi would have stayed despite his concerns to make sure she was okay. This demon wouldn't have taken kindly to it. Besides, there was something else to consider other than the demon king's volatile nature. "Unlike the others, he's coming back. Just…something about the demon he's meeting…I don't feel good about it. I feel like something is wrong."
"I feel it too," Kuwabara agreed. "That's why I argued so hard before they left. Being on opposing sides like this…none of this is right."
Another sigh escaped Kaili, and she was starting to understand what Chris was telling her earlier. "Why does it feel like they got themselves involved in something they can't get out of?"
The two stopped speaking for a time about this craziness and focused on Kuwabara's high school career. He had already passed his entrance exam and would be attending in the fall, but he wanted to do really well, and so he was already studying course material for his first semester. Kaili spent time quizzing him and didn't hear her phone buzz. Actually, it wasn't until she was about to go to bed that she saw she had a missed call from Shuichi.
Both she and Kuwabara looked at the phone like it was in an alternate dimension. "Guess that means he's back," the redhead stated. "You wanna go? I can walk you home."
"It's okay," Kaili assured him. "I trained with Genkai, so I think I'll be okay. But yeah, I'm going to head home."
"Tell Kurama I said 'hello,' then," Kuwabara requested. Kaili nodded, letting him know she would.
It had only been a month since the last time she saw her mate, and she already felt like a lifetime had passed. Part of her wondered the condition she'd find him in, but he was back. He had to be safe. Maybe this Yomi guy wasn't as bad as she originally thought…she hoped.
She made it home and found the place dark. "Shuichi?" she called out, but she received no answer in response. Her heart started to race. Could her initial thought have been true? Was Shuichi hurt? She had to calm herself, stop to take a deep breath. Stress wasn't good for the baby. Before she panicked, maybe she should check their room. It was late, and her mate was probably in bed. There was no doubt in her mind that he had had a long journey. He was probably resting, and that was a good thing.
Kaili ascended the stairs and headed straight to their room. She expected to find Shuichi asleep, but he was sitting at the foot of the bed, seemingly staring into space in a trance. Something was off. "Shuichi?" Kaili called again, and the fox demon flinched slightly having not heard or sensed her.
Slowly, he turned his emerald gaze to her and breathed out her name. "Kaili…"
"Hey," she whispered a greeting. "You're home."
Kurama looked away from her again and closed his eyes. "For the moment."
Anxiety returned to Kaili. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He opened his eyes, but kept his eyes on the wall in front of him. "It means we have a lot to discuss."
"Are you leaving again?" she questioned abruptly. She really wanted his answer to be "no."
Kurama finally looked at her. "At times," he answered.
"Why?" the teenager questioned.
The look in his eyes became intense as he growled out, "He threatened all of you."
That didn't come as a surprise, but Kaili still didn't like the idea of her mate leaving again, not when she was pregnant. "So what?" she snapped harshly.
Green eyes narrowed. "He will kill you if I don't," Kurama stated, his voice firm. His eyes flashed, glowing gold in that instant, reminding her of Youko. "I will not let him harm you."
"So you'll fight Yusuke and Hiei instead?" Kaili hissed. That was not an option to her. They were their friends, and they all went through so much together. "Is that really a better option?"
"That is what we must discuss."
Kaili blinked in surprise. It was? So this wasn't just him telling her he was going to up and leave and continue to keep risking his life despite her words. But moments later, Kurama started filling her in on every detail of what he was planning, asking for input and looking for approval. Never before had Kurama shared his plans in their entirety. It amazed her. This was the first time he was completely including her. The plan actually wasn't that bad either.
"Why are you telling me this?" Kaili asked. "Instead of keeping me in the dark…"
"I've done that enough," Kurama confessed, keeping true to his mental promise to both her and himself. He would no longer hide his methods. They were partners in this. "This directly affects you and our family. You need to know what is happening."
"Will you be okay?" was the only thing Kaili wanted to know.
"Yes," he promised.
His mate nodded. "Okay," she responded, no longer feeling defensive. She was still worried, but at least her mate had laid out a good scenario to enact. Yomi would be unaware this entire time. She just needed to wait until the monster was defeated and pray his plans would never affect her children. For now, though, she was just going to relax with her mate. They both needed it.
And so, the two of them cuddled together for the night. Kaili still believed it would be best to keep him in the dark about the baby, not yet ready to rock his world and add another variable. It would just be something else to worry him, and she just wanted him to get some rest. Everything else would fall into place.