Kurama's POV:
Through the extent of this life and depriving myself of certain things, otherwise normal to any individual, I learned that regret carries a different weight, however what I did not account for despite the foreshadowing, was how all of it would crash on top of me with just one single phone call. The words sounded foreign to my ears, all that registered was the panic in her breath, her goodbye towards me leaving her lips.
Staring at the kitchen floor in my parent's house thoughts erupted, actions, words, feelings all came down on me, knees almost buckling. I had to regain my balance by leaning against the counter, head in my hands as I forced everything back. Ito's words burned through me, screaming louder and louder, how weaker beings couldn't handle the phenomena, would perish faster. Hana was one of those weak creatures, she was a human, despite her powers and potential she couldn't deal with it.
It felt as if too much time was wasted from the moment Hana called until I arrived. Everything in between blurred, the hurried excuse provided to my family as I bolted outside, the phone call to Kazuma asking for him to lend his powers, all those moments were pushed back as their location came in view "Hey man I don't know the exact spot so we need to go on foot."
As soon as my feet touched the forest ground, I sprinted, nose picking up their trail, each scent used to lead me closer to her. Kazuma called out so I would wait for him. I could not, not when every second counted.
I thought I had time, I honestly, foolishly and wholeheartedly believe she would still be there, grin spread across her lips, eyes filled with mischief, despite knowing her life was short and fragile, I still wanted her to be there, with me. She pushed through walls and convictions grounding me, ripping them apart with a light touch. Hana did not give up on me and I sure as Hell will not give up on her.
Time.
Oh how wrong I was.
How selfish even.
I was out of it, deprived of each second that I now tried to hold on to.
Thankfully Yusuke wore a bit more body spray than necessary, that scent alone guiding me as I continued to run through the forest, branches stepping out of my path, not even daring to touch my skin. Leaves stopped moving, the wind ceasing to whisper as a shadow above, drew my attention, halting my search as I peered through the branches discerning Ayame hovering just above the tree line, waiting.
Suppressing the urge to cast her from the sky, I ran faster, I had to be close. I refused, could not focus on why she was there, did not want to believe she was actually waiting, witnessing the death of…no, ANYTHING but that. If her soul would cease to exist, there would be nothing left for her to take to Spirit World. She would just die, be nothing, leaving behind an empty body.
Entering the clearing they were in I felt as if my brain short circuited as I was trying to understand what I was seeing. I could not inhale, nor exhale.
Taking slow steps, passing what was left of a former SDF member gone rogue, Yusuke's arms stopped me from proceeding. I did not realise I had yelled out her name until it echoed through the forest, Yusuke forcing me back "Not now Kurama."
Hana, my Hana laid on the ground surrounded Kaito, her? No, Yanagisawa as they were working on something my eyes could not see, the only logic being that there was a territory in the works, or several by the looks of it, however I could not discern anything until I myself walked inside of it. Kido was holding her lifeless body, him also working in a sense, the trio being in way over their heads. Scratches married her chest as she more than likely clawed at her skin in her panicked state.
"Let go of me Yusuke." His grip tightened as I made an attempt to set myself free, wild eyes moving past me as Kazuma also managed to catch up "Now. I will not say it again." The tightness in his jaw spoke to me, hesitation clouding dark eyes for a moment, as my voice barely broke above a few decibels.
"No, you need to let them work, there's nothing you can do to help." Letting me go, the tension in his body delivered a clear message, he would fight if I made one move to trigger it. Time stopped. I stopped, wide eyes watching everything and yet focusing on emptiness, on my own shattering soul "You need to let them work ok?" he was speaking to me as if I were a child he could barely handle, one that cried up until that moment and he feared another outburst.
"Move." The moment my hand reached behind my head, Yusuke's energy flared, static filling the air as power surged, biting at my skin, threatening to feed the monster inside my veins. Feeling the trepidation under my skin, the whip cracking against the ground fuelled me, Yusuke's eyes focusing on nothing but me, challenge accepted the moment we stepped in this dance.
Kazuma came in our peripheral vision, trying to diffuse the tension in the heavy air, offer a modicum of comfort. Yusuke cut through nothingness with his empty hand, still trying, still hoping "Chill your ass or you'll make it worse. You need to believe they can help, you're not the only one hurting ok? She asked me to kill her." He pounded at his chest trying his utmost to make a point, to show me his suffering, however he spoke too much.
An involuntary twitch surged through me, fangs exposed as a growl left my throat. Throwing my head back I swore something snapped inside of my body as Yoko made a full appearance.
Kazuma shrieked like a banshee once I plunged at Yusuke, vines circling around his right wrist. With a pull, I managed to set him off balance, fist interacting with this jaw. Cursing, he spit to the side, aura visible as he retaliated, a fight blooming before startled eyes.
Fear filled the air, startled heartbeats freezing the SDF in place as all they could do was sit and watch. Casting Kazuma to the side since he tried to intervene gave Yusuke a window of opportunity to hit me repeatedly, managing to send me down on one knee "Had enough fox boy?" a startled gasp left his lips as the earth beneath his legs broke, plants wield solely by me bore sharp fangs ready to devour his body until there was nothing left.
Getting up a low chuckle reverberated through my stomach, tongue licking the blood off my lips "I would advise you not to move unless you want your flesh peeled off your bones." This adrenaline heated my limbs, freeing my spirit, reminding me of old dynasties and vast lands unravelling before my eyes.
"Are you crazy?" as the plants leaned in, Yusuke ceased all movement, feral eyes still glaring as I slowly edged towards him.
"Perhaps, or maybe this is who I've always been." Spirit energy made the hair on my arms prick, Spirit Gun charging ready to deal with whatever consequences after "You are still young and so naive." A small tug at my arm made me turn ready to attack, a slap moulding perfectly against my cheek, fawn like eyes staring at me "Hana?" my eyes flickered to the same scene unfolding, only this time Yanagisawa was not there.
"No, but I know exactly how she feels." He had been crying, the weight of Hana's memories and raw emotions still swimming in his eyes "And this is not helping, you are not helping. She needs you to think." perspiration coated his face, the task tremendous for unpolished powers such as his.
Ice filled my veins as everything inside me subsided with one short nod, limbs returning to a familiar length, scarlet bangs hiding tired eyes "Can you show me what you see?" Yanagisawa looked back, shivering despite the warm weather, submissive pose answering everything for me, he could not, he was barely keeping his eyes opened. Kaito looked to be in the same position by how his chest expanded "What is the taboo word?"
"Hope." I scoffed, how redundant that was. Turning to Yusuke, he was still glaring at me, despite the threat not being there anymore.
"I need to speak with Yomi, do you have the phone on you?" showing me the middle finger his steps took him near Hana's bag, throwing my way the desired object. Brows furrowed as Yanagisawa went back, reclaiming his previous position. Wheels started working, connections firing up inside my head. Heading to Hana's backpack, Yusuke stiffened as I approached to check its content "I am alright, there is no need to worry."
"Right." Producing from his pocket a packet of cigarettes, he light one up, exhaling more out of exasperation "And if we lose her what, we lose you both is that it?" keeping my eyes lowered, I could not look at him right at that moment for the anger inside my gut still bubbled, threatening to spill "If you weren't such a coward and faced me properly I would have made sure to beat some sense into you."
Lifting, I stood in from of him, inhaling the fumes raising from his cigarette "If you must, do it now, however I need to" his punch knocked me backwards, rearranging all thoughts previously formed. He rotated his hand from the wrist a couple of times, grinning at me.
"Damn that felt good! Now you can think." Cupping my jaw, I was thankful it was still in place, despite the aching pain I felt. Groaning I set my attention back to the backpack, spilling its content onto the ground. One syringe appeared in the clutter of objects, question was, who needed it the most?
Entering Kaito's territory, I breathed in through my nose, sitting on top of fresh grass, not looking at Hana for I could not bare to see that lifeless expression "Walk me through it, you first Kaito. I need to know exactly what you are trying to do." I kept my expression trained on him as information was provided.
Kaito's territory was built this time with one purpose, for that thing to not kill Hana and thankfully from what he was telling me, it fell in a sort of catatonic state, however that also made it more rigid, harder to extract. Yanagisawa was performing the exact task Hana would, however his powers were not as developed. Kido was for all intents and purposes trying to cast a shadow on her soul, slowly but surely making that creature focus more on Yanagisawa.
"Yana, I will inject you with this, you are the primary one here. Kaito, Kido I will do my best to secure more." It was settled, plan easily enough accepted "Also Yana, do not focus on healing, but removing the creature, the healing act takes too much time and power." Something told me he also understood, however he worked on Hana's memories of this thing, he was just mirroring actions previously performed by her.
As soon as Yanagisawa had more to go on, I dialled for Yomi, which took a while to have the call direct to him "Kurama, what a surprise, to what do I owe the pleasure?" pleasantries made me sick to the stomach, especially in such dire times.
"I am going to send someone over to retrieve some serum from you." after a brief description of the situation he concluded rather coldly.
"The relocation was from Gandara, alongside the escort party and by now there is no word on their whereabouts. Opening a portal to save Hana could be dangerous." I thought I did not hear him correctly "Why would I risk so much to save a human girl Kurama, why attract unwanted attention?"
"What are you truly telling me Yomi?" I felt my mind slipping as his words followed.
"You took my light all those years ago and while I don't hold a grudge anymore what if this time I took your light?" of all the times life could come back and bite, this one came with a roaring vengeance "Alas, she does not need to suffer, you're lucky I like her, but I did want you to know I could have taken from you something precious." Inside the walls of my mind dark images flashed, cruel acts involving his child, him.
"Yomi." I needn't say more, my tone sufficed, threat clear. If he took anything from me I would personally act, there will not be an intermediary this time around, no "Prepare everything." Closing the call I turned to Yusuke who sat a few feet away. He would go, he would take on this task.
Yelling at the SDF to snap out of it, he left as soon as the portal was big enough to allow him entrance. It was a waiting game, him running fast enough to Gandara, retrieving said items and returning before one of the physics fell unconscious.
It was in those moments I allowed myself to look at her, to truly look at the girl who stood there lifeless, breathless, the energy of the moment slithering inside of me, carving away at wounds. Where there used to be hope, there was not despair. Where there used to be happiness, there was only dread. I wanted to reach out, I truly did, yet I needed to keep them awake.
I needed them alert so I spoke of every possible thing that would still come to mind and when my tongue failed me, Kazuma finally gathered the courage to step next to me and talk on my behalf. At least I thought it was courage, however he was not doing it for me. Something about how I acted, about what he saw did not sit right with him, however those would be discussions held at another time.
Once Yusuke returned, it was as if we could all breathe once more, powers renewed even if by just a drop. Yanagisawa took in account my advice, working just on removing that creature from Hana's soul. He was still crying, all throughout the ordeal, everything weighting on his shoulder as if he couldn't handle it, silent screams making him tremble, having to compose a second later as to not harm the soul he was trying to save.
Then the pull came, Kido's shadow encompassed the fragile sphere, protecting its fragility. Yanagisawa fell back, blacking out a few moments later as that creature just hovered, stuck in its catatonic state inside Kaito's territory all of us staring at it.
Pushing his glasses up with a trembling hand, Kaito exhaled loudly "At least it's not exploding in our faces." Nodding over at Kido, the shadow drew back allowing for one last push of power, as Hana's soul was returned inside her body, everything around us returning to normal.
Hana's eyes shot open, her standing abruptly, tripping against Kido. Picking herself up, sharp nails dug inside tender skin despite her territory erupting, despite her eyes telling her it was gone. Panic gripped her lungs, eventually spilling, voice breaking as a scream echoed.
Slowly approaching, raw pain drowned her eyes, tears relentlessly flowing as she kept digging inside her flesh, blood painting her nails "Please" extending my hand out to her "don't do that." Hana looked at me like a deer in the headlights, shaking like a leaf, eyes locked with mine "Here, take my hand." She did not, not retreating, yet not sure of what do to either.
But she allowed me to get near, take her hands so she would stop scratching at her chest, pull her to me where she broke down in muffled cries and screams.
I will kill this thing.
I will destroy it entirely.
It took us a few good hours to bring everyone back to some sense of normality, for Yanagisawa to wake up, Kaito and Kido to regain some energy, the SDF to get answers on the relocation and what happened and for Hana to stabilise, although that might have been too strong of a word.
We all crammed up in the first café that came in sight, tired eyes lost in the drinks before us. Hana watched a hot chocolate swirl in her cup before reaching out for the whip cream, dumping some in the cup. After a few seconds she threw her head back and downed an entire tube, leaving us speechless.
"What?" using the back of her hand to wipe away at her mouth, she all but reached for another one available at another table, if I had not stopped her.
"Hana? Are you somewhat alright?" she shook her head, arms reaching to her zipper. She had refused to heal the scratch marks, but at least we managed to convince her to wear a hoodie "Not that I was expecting it however can you concentrate long enough to hear my plan? I intend to be brief." All eyes rolled to me, the silence between us even more evident.
"Sure Kurama, I can listen. Anything to kill this fucker." That glare was not intended at me, but I felt her, I understood. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze I finally turned my attention to everyone.
"Alright, listen to me and listen well, this is what we are going to do if we want to survive until the tournament because I believe that will determine everything." It had to be, up until now whoever is behind this managed to take us by surprise, but I have had it. Enough is enough, Hana was the last straw I could withstand.
The tournament would bring everyone together, Enki not wishing to leave things to chance. That's when the two teams would join in order to run a check against every demon wishing to participate in the tournament. Yanagisawa, Kaito and Kido would need to go through the training of their lives if they wish to keep up and endure everything. Hana would be the "bait" her light seeking and attracting those monstrosities.
We would move everyone from the temple and grounds as that location is known. This is how we fight, by being smart. This thing has at its disposal one more rouge SDF member to open portals to Human World.
We will fight this, we will end up on top, together.
The Darkness will step out into the light.
