Chapter III
And as the sun and the moon was sealed by black laces, he marveled at the miracle that the troubles had brought.
Like fresh winter morning, he mused, while threading through the untarnished beauty of the season, its unusual hue swirls like buttermilk against the humbled cloud on her temporary harbor.
Sepals earnestly sets on the rosebuds peeping out of the snow as the delicate petals parted so softly, respiring, regaining the life that almost withered. Audition, usually sensitive did not fathom the shrieking and whistling rage of the dark, heart thumping the only sound it caught.
The vision starts to grow, pulled by the peace he desperately sought, enchanted by the narcissus waiting to be plucked by his blackened soul.
She is salvation — a serenity asleep, consciousness swirled in the land of dreams, blind and deaf to the physical world...
Oblivious to the volpone, and a buss on a velvety leather, he stole.
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Kurama laid awake on the berth, unseeing emeralds focused on an invisible spot in the ceiling as his sleepless mind wandered off to the time when the towering walls he built around himself was breached by the bubbly sky blue-haired ferry girl with a flying oar.
It was after he healed the gnarly stomach wound that Yakumo inflicted on her, after all the pained gasps and heart-rending whimpers that tugged at his chest and made him livid that he wasn't the one to exact the final blow. The epiphany that followed frightened him at first, however, as he gazed at her peaceful face and reflected on everything that revolves around them, the subtle attraction exponentially bloomed into something more uncontrollable, something that made him question his own beliefs, something that left him vulnerable, something that fueled his dormant greed...
Something that compelled him to indulge in the sweet temptation.
Fingertips absentmindedly brushed against his lips. It was selfish, he knew, but he is naturally possessive and his primal instinct impelled him to mark his territory. Strangely enough, after that evening, his attraction seemed to be reciprocated and he couldn't be more pleased.
A collective squawking of gulls pulled him back from his thoughts while the sound of waves, continuously beating against the hull of the ship, anchored him to the present. He craned his head to peer at the porthole where the early morning light and sea air admitted. With the whiff of the brackish water, he was peppered once again by nostalgic recollection.
Boarding this ship together with the gang brought back sentimental memories when they journeyed to the Haging Neck Island and competed on the Dark Tournament, their very first tug-of-war with death. The vessel acted as the stage of their unsporting preliminary bouts against robust demons, hosted by the captain whom Sakyo had somehow colluded. Who would have known the cranky pirate will be of use to them in such crucial times? Then again, perception tends to change over time. Botan was just an ordinary woman before she became precious to him for example.
A pang of frustration and sadness made him expel a heavy sigh, the deity barely left his thoughts as time progressed. He couldn't even meditate without his lady-love dancing on his mind.
"Kurama, Captain Sasaoka wants to go over the details of the dive. We'll discuss it in the bridge after having our breakfast." The muffled voice of Kuwabara resounded in the stateroom after his soft knock.
"All right. I will be right out. Thank you, Kuwabara-kun." He replied in good nature.
The bed creaked while Kurama rose from its platform as his heart clenched when he saw the barrette, glittering attractively on the bedside table. Bottle green shined aubergine when hit by the beam of sunlight that bounces off the violet prism, highlighting his savage yearning. The purplish rhinestone called at him, reminding him of his deferred endeavor, evoking a disembodied rattling of chains that echoed in his mind as the disgruntled fox battled to come out and reclaim what was missing.
Sculpted chest rising and falling as he breathed deeply, grounding himself, channeling his wayward emotions behind the once again impenetrable walls of his heart. Affection is nonsensical when she is not here. Kurama steeled himself as he reached for the door, casting a final look at the accessory that longs to adorn the mop of clear and unclouded crown of the deity before leaving the quarters.
He loathe to put off the search, but if this mission is the means to an end, so be it. I will find her, one way or another.
"Th' depth o' th' Yonaguni Ruins be 26 meters, with th' top terrace o' th' pyramid at 5 meters from th' surface o' th' briney." Captain Sasaoka pronounced in his pirate accent as he laid out the diagrammatic representation of the main pyramid on the table while the gang circled closer.
"Not so shallow for a first dive, huh?" Jin commented while the others replied with an indifferent shrug.
Captain Sasaoka considered the group with skepticism while blowing a smoke from his tobacco pipe. "I suppose none o' ye lads are professional divers which would make th' strong current n' th' hammerhead sharks one o' yer greatest obstacles."
"Sh-sharks?" Kuwabara paled, remembering the bunch of mainstream movies featuring the infamous sea predator.
A crinkle of amusement appeared at the corner of the captain's visible right eye as he regarded the baffled expression. "Aye. 'Tis th' season when sharks migrate nigh th' island. Why th' ugly face? Little 'earty afeard o' a fish?"
"A man-eating fish! And who are you calling ugly?!" The pompadour-head sputtered indignantly, an irritated vein popping out on his temple. Some of the gang gave a nervous chuckle as Yusuke shook his head and grumbled. "Kuwabara..."
"It would take us approximately 3 minutes to safely descend and reach the seabed considering the 26 meters depth, is that correct?" Kurama explicated while gazing intently at the map, steering the conversation back to the task at hand.
"Aye, lad. Ye will drop directly above th' western face o' th' pyramid since 'tis where th' secret entrance lies." The captain elucidated while eyeing the inquisitive fox demon who reached for the other document splayed on the table.
Kurama nodded in return while flicking through the list of their diving equipments, his mind working in rapid succession as he processed the given information. 6 minutes in case of a seamless descent and ascent which makes 39 minutes our total allotted time for the search...Not much time for a blind escapade and in the event of finding and traversing a water-filled labyrith.
"What are you thinking, Kurama?" Hiei asked the pensive red-head beside him while the rest of the gang waited for his reply expectantly.
The fox demon heaved a sigh prior to giving a response, pointing at the map as he poured his tactical adroitness in the briefing. "We have no idea what to expect beyond the main archway since no account has ever been made with regards to past exploration, and this is a pyramid we are talking about. It does not help also that Yonaguni is an earthquake-prone region, considering the seismic zonation on the diagram...such earthquakes can fracture the rock formations in a regular manner. Chances are, we might get trapped inside. Moreso, with an 80-cubic-foot tank, it is imperative not to take longer than 45 minutes underwater or we would not have an adequate amount of oxygen reserves to accomplish the mission and return to the surface - "
A haughty cackle made everyone look at Kuwabara who did a pose with smug pride, complete with a twinkle in his ideal bite. "You must've forgotten my Dimensional Sword, Kurama. If we find ourselves in a pinch...I, Kuwabara Kazuma-sama, will get everyone to safety." The corner of his smile and one of his eyebrows twitched in annoyance when a series of snorts and sniggers followed his melodramatic declaration.
Kurama smiled at his friend's antic before carrying on his account. "I bet you would Kuwabara-kun. If...we are able to use our powers when we enter the ruins. Keep in mind that Yonaguni is a massive ground enshrouding a sacred relic. Based from experience, infiltrating this kind of holy dwelling may temporarily rip ourselves of our abilities, thus, relying solely on prowess is inadvisable on this kind of situation." He finished before offering an apologetic smile to the dejected street fighter who pouted while mumbling incoherently under his breath.
"In other words, we're a full course meal for sea creatures unless we get back on or before 45 minutes..." Touya surmised thoughtfully.
"...With the dagger." Chu supplied with a hiccup.
"...While making sure not to get trapped inside." Suzuki chipped in.
"...And not to get carried away by strong water current." Shishiwakamaru added soberly.
"...While avoiding sharks." Rinku chimed in ghastly.
Their anxiousness was palpable as with the sudden tense atmosphere that filled the bridge. Yusuke could almost hear the gears of their minds working while drawing out the possible worst-case scenarios as he swept his gaze over the small crowd before chuckling, garnering everyone's attention.
"I don't know about you guys but it sounds like a plan to me." He spoke nonchalantly while crossing his arms at the back of his head. The facetious remark was rewarded with sheepish smiles and amused chuckles as the misplaced confidence washed away the silver of doubt on their heads, a usual effect of Yusuke-ish charismatic leadership.
Captain Sasaoka looked over the odd bunch and let out a miniscule slant of his lips. Koenma wasn't talking nonsense when he said that they've become even more unpredictably awe-inspiring after their last encounter. In a sense, the pirate became a tad bit confident that this group will make it through the tall order.
"If ye 'earties ready. 'Tis time t' dress up. We be boardin' Yonaguni."
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"It is no use. Something is blocking my probe." Hiei stated begrudgingly, looking down at the turbulent and foggy waters as the glow of his Jagan subsided.
"Safe to assume that you're right, Kurama. If Hiei can't see through the sandstones it only means that we're going to do this as mere humans and nothing more." Yusuke remarked with a sigh, frustratingly flopping down to sit on the steel platform of diving deck.
At least we are not taken by surprise. Kurama thought while coming up with a solution to their dilemma. "We need to maximize our resources in that case."
"What would you suggest?" Jin questioned while floating above the sea surface, squinting his eyes to get a better view of the submerged monument.
Time is of the essence in finding the dagger and having a handful of men conducting the search will save us an ample amount of extra time, however, we need to reduce the party to accommodate our oxygen needs. Calculating green orbs fluttered close in careful rumination while Kurama fingered the strap of his buoyancy compensator, opening his eyes thereafter to regard the rest of the gang who are clad in the same thermal wetsuit before coming up with a definitive conclusion. "Each divers need to carry 2 cylinders. In other words, since there are 10 of us, only 5 will go aquanaut and the rest will have to be on stand by."
Kuwabara shifted uncomfortably, pinching the neoprene material to adjust his constricted nether region. This suit sticks like a second skin, damn it. "No doubt, the 4 of us will have to participate. Question is, who among you guys is the fifth lucky sacrifice?" He put forward after righting himself, gesturing to the former Team Kurama.
The afore-mentioned group shared awkward glances before Chu proffered sheepishly while holding out 2 oxygen tanks to the quad. "You can always carry another set of spare oxygen tanks, you know. Safety first! Eh heh..."
"What the heck?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara exclaimed incredulously in unison before throwing a barrage of ridicule while Hiei muttered 'pathetic' under his breath.
"Err...Actually, to be honest, none of us knew how to deep swim without using our demon energy. Wouldn't want to become a nuisance, so...You know." Rinku admittedly mumbled, scratching his cheek in embarrassment while darting his uneasy gaze from one person to another.
The deadpan look on Kurama's handsome face morphed into a reassuring expression with a gentle smile gracing his lips. We have no choice. "Very well. All of you will be on the look out then." He uttered while reaching for the extra cylinders.
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"Remember the hand signals that I taught you. If we cannot talk telepathically, aside from using the diving slates, it is our only means of immediate communication underwater. Furthermore, during the dive, I will set the pace while you guys follow. Also for compliance, Hiei will be my buddy while Kuwabara-kun will be Yusuke's." Kurama directed while tying his hair in a low ponytail as the rest of the gang geared up.
"Man, I shudder to think if ever Kurama wasn't with us." Kuwabara commented while slipping on his fins.
If only you knew. Kurama mused as he recalled the wakeful night prior when he diligently buried his face on various references, memorizing every detail of the comprehensive diving handbooks and manuals — for beginners. "Ready?" He asked before donning his goggles and regulator just as he did a giant stride to enter the water after receiving a simultaneous nod.
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After a few safety checks underwater, the gang slowly descended towards the monolith, reaching the top of the massive angular structure in over half a minute. They then trimmed down, traveling beside the vast walls, steps and platforms that are covered in lichens and coral barnacles, carefully swimming against the ripping currents at the same time.
At their safety stop, Kurama spared a look at his friends, who gave an 'okay' sign while anchoring themselves onto the rock formation, before resuming his way below, reaching the seabed at exactly 3 minutes. He was about to enter in what seems to be a distinctly built gateway when a bonnet head shark swam directly towards him from the opposite end of the passage. With a graceful but quick movement, he avoided the unnecessary confrontation by latching himself onto a nearby crevice. The gang followed suit with Kuwabara and Yusuke holding onto one another like a bunch of scaredy-cats, recoiling after the shark made it past their location.
Two enormous slabs greeted them upon entering the archway, with the parallel structures appearing to be perfectly blocking the entrance.
'See any entry point?' Kurama wrote on the diving slate, showing the material to the rest of the group. Sweat dropping when he, together with Hiei and Yusuke, saw Kuwabara making a series of strange hand gesture.
The mazoku proceeded to admonish his friend's silliness by grabbing onto his neck and running a gloved knuckles onto his orange head, stopping when Kuwabara indignantly jut his forefinger towards the blockage. They directed their gaze towards where the pompadour-head was pointing and noticed several bubbles rising from one corner of the humunguous slab.
A possible air pocket. Kurama thought positively as they approached the opening, switching on their diving light in doing so. He went in first followed by Hiei, Yusuke, then Kuwabara. They squeezed through the cavity, large enough to fit a single person, and swam with neutral bouyancy above the colony of invertebrates as a variety of bony fishes dispersed upon their intrusion. In a matter of seconds, they surprisingly broke the surface after doing a vertical swim.
"Woah! Now that solves our oxygen problem." Kuwabara's astonishment echoed through the narrow tunnel as they came out of the water.
Hiei clicked his tongue while mimicking the red-head who removed his gear, save for the scuba boots, flashlight and dive knife, and his katana of course. "Tone it down, you buffoon. We do not know what lurks in the dark." He chided as he set aside his articles, smirking when the street fighter became affronted while grumbling. Curious eyebrow raised when his eyes fell on Kurama who is currently examining a wooden stave.
"Yusuke, I believe you have a Swedish FireSteel in your gear. This looks like some sort of medieval torch, which paradoxically, still has traces of sulfur and lime, we can use it for illumination. We should also utilize the strobe lights to mark our way back since I cannot use my seeds to light a pathway." Kurama stated while offering each one of them a piece of the wood, observing the mazoku as he violently striked the firesteel to produce a spark that successfully ignited the combustible ends of the woods.
"And then, there was light." Yusuke propounded as the flame of their torches generously illuminated the passageway.
"This reminds me of the famous catacombs." The fox demon muttered while looking around the small space.
"You mean the subterranean burial site in history class?" Kuwabara shuddered when Kurama nodded mutely. "No wonder this place gives me the creeps." He commented in a timorous voice, putting up a 'finger' to the fire demon who regarded him mockingly after the terror-stricken utterance.
Yusuke shook his head in amusement before traipsing ahead with Kurama. "Well, we didn't come all the way here for nothing. Let's go before Kuwabara pees in his suit." He snickered along with the red-head when his friend sputtered and stomped his foot on the ground while advancing towards them.
"Ack...Boat ride isn't really my thing." Chu croaked out before barfing once more. His body convulsed as he tightly gripped the handrail by the starboard side of the deck.
"Tough luck, Chu. We will not make it here without boarding this ship." Touya commented as he tapped his back.
"Life, although beautiful, is a vicious boomerang. We warned you, didn't we? That's what you get from drinking too much last night." Suzuki remarked coolly, flicking his hair dramatically while leaning against the rail beside the drunkard, opposite of Shishiwakamaru.
Chu grunted while wiping his mouth with his arm. He muttered his thanks when Rinku arrived and handed him with a cup of warm water. "Think they'll be alright?" The child demon querried, worry evident in his voice.
"This is Team Urameshi we're talking about. No pyramid will keep them from completing the mission." Jin asserted, hovering above the group while staring at the sky. His gaze shifted down the deck upon hearing the heavy footsteps of the captain as he approached the group.
"That might be. But ye lads should nah be worried about th' labyrith. Thar are other forces in th' monument, that when disturbed, can be a major threat t' those who seek th' loot." Captain Sasaoka divulged to the lot.
"How in the three realms would you know that when not a single soul has entered Yonaguni?" The question was thrown before Chu was once again overwhelmed by nausea. Bits of his spew flew towards Shishi's cheeks, resulting for the pretty boy to grimace in disgust while washing the abomination off his face with the remainder of warm water.
"How did ye reckon I lost me eye?" The captain challenged while raising an amused bushy brow, shifting to regard the suspicious looks from the rest of the gang. "I be a pirate 'n I know me booty. Besides, I didn' say that nah a soul boarded Yonaguni. O' course thar are other scallywags who dared t' explore its depths, me included. But I didn' made it past th' slabs afore a bony fish feasted on me eye when it got into me cheap goggles."
Touya turned to lean his arms on the railings, staring with mild contemplation at the distorted image of the pyramid's upper terrace. "If that's the case, then how come the dagger remains undisturbed from its resting place?"
Captain Sasaoka released a puff of smoke from his pipe before giving a harrowing reply that made the group impetuously gawk at the apathetic remark.
"Oh. Me apologies. Did I forgot t' mention that nah a single soul ever made it out alive?"
"Can you see, Urameshi?"
"Uh-huh."
"Can you believe, Kurama?"
"Yes."
"Can we just -..."
"No." Came Hiei's antagonistic interjection, effectively cutting off the absentminded ramblings of Kuwabara who, together with Yusuke, unabashedly gaped at the extensive array of treasure troves at the hall that they just ventured into after descending three storeys below the entrance. He can't blame the fools though, the chamber bursts with an astonishingly copious amount of precious stones, jewels and other valuable artifacts where piles after piles of the delightful shiny things almost reached half of the walls. At a certain thought, he shifted his impassive gaze towards Kurama, subsequently smirking at the lopsided grin on his face and the subtle twitching of his hands.
The red-head heeded the knowing stare, chuckling as he subdued his rising thievishness while boyishly biting his thumb. "What can I say? Old habits die hard."
"Hn." The fire demon grunted in return before descending the stairs, lighting a bunch of golden cauldrons adorning the side of the steps.
"We're getting close. Don't you think?" Yusuke put forth after recovering from his momentary stupefaction.
"I believe so too." Kurama uttered while visually examining a golden mirror.
"Man, we don't need to work our ass off if we could just take home a handful of these babies." Kuwabara proffered while tossing a gold coin onto the sandy ground.
The distinct chinking of the metal rang throughout the enclosed space before the ground moved with a persistent tremor followed by a thunderous noise, purportedly coming from beneath the flooring. Panic ensued as the gang scrambled up to their feet, holding onto whatever sturdy object that they could find to ground themselves amidst the violent quake.
"I swear to whatever gods that I will beat you to a pulp if we got buried alive because of that coin, Kuwabara!" Yusuke bawled out while struggling to maintain his balance.
They breathed a sigh of relief when the freakish rumbling became minor before it gradually stopped, just as a muffled snarl resounded below the surface. A sudden crack on the floor compelled the gang to jump away from the ground in time for a minor blast to emanate from where they just stood.
"Everyone alright?" Kurama ascertained while coughing in the midst of the disturbed sand. Sharpened green eyes immediately spotted the hunched form of his friends, distributed not far from each other.
All of their heads whirled in front at the sound of a deep guttural growl, eyes widening as the clearing of sand smoke bared the horrifying sight of the creature ahead. The humongous mythological chimera appears to have the head of a crocodile, the forelimbs of a lion, the hind limbs of a hippopotamus and the bony armor of a Komodo dragon — a personification of man-eating predators so feared by humans. They slowly stepped back as the hybrid prowled towards them, its leathery tail swaying dangeruously behind its tall form. An intermittent vibration shook the vale of treasures as the beast let out a series of vociferous hissing threat call while baring its teeth menacingly.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Yusuke exclaimed, catching the attention of the beast. He moved out of the way as the creature swiftly charged at him with a mighty bellow, evading the attack but not before the lion's claw nicked at his arm. It's faster than it looks.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit." Kuwabara repeated like a broken mantra while dodging the strong tail of the beast, scurrying past a tall pile of coins before rounding a thick pillar, accidentally bumping into Hiei who was already perched behind the structure.
"Quiet, moron!" Hiei sibilated while slapping a hand over Kuwabara's mouth. The pompadour-head relaxed after the admonishment then waved amicably to Kurama on the opposite pillar, who, in turn, stealthily moved to join them in hiding.
"It seems to be attracted to Yusuke's blood." Hiei surmised while keeping an eye on the series of onslaughts towards the mazoku.
"You guys better be coming up with a plan while I do all the hard work here!" Yusuke shouted while rolling over to avoid the deadly mouth of the crocodile.
"We need to at least cripple the beast to slow down its movements." Kurama proposed.
"Does the monster look like it has any blindspots?" Kuwabara querried while squinting to get a better look at the galloping creature.
"Weakness is always present even in powerful beings. You just have to learn how to perfectly mask it to make yourself seem invincible. Which I deemed is an impossible route for you, Kuwabara." Hiei muttered whilst smirking at his baffled expression.
"What are you implying, you twerp?!"
"With that puny brain of yours, I understand the confusion." The fire demon taunted while dodging a lackadaisical punch from the tall man.
"Why you —..!"
"Take your time guys! NO PRESSURE!" The mazoku yelled once more before tripping over a bunch of scattered coins, dropping face first on the ground; cursing when he almost got pinned by the sharp lion claws if not for his quick reflexes. Damn it! I would've blasted this thing to hell if only I could use my spirit and demon energy. He frustratingly thought while flipping away from the frenzied beast.
Kuwabara snickered at his friend's current plight, foolishly scratching the back of his head thereafter when the demons in his company regarded him with an unamused expression.
"Our best bet for weakness is on the hippo hind legs. Though we have to be mindful of its tail when aiming for that part." Kurama asserted, wincing when Yusuke slammed onto the stonewall after receiving a violent lash from the creature's powerful tail.
"Leave it to me." Hiei avowed before leaving the safety of the pillar.
Kurama and Kuwabara held their breaths as their friend made his approach.
The fire demon carefully timed his movements while clutching his katana on one hand, touching his leg when Yusuke looked over his position behind the beast. After a non-verbal agreement, the mazoku charged with a battle cry, catching the creature off-guard, then jumped to land a solid punch on the snout of the crocodile. "Hiei! Now!"
Upon seeing an opening, Hiei swiftly sprinted towards the disoriented beast and managed to cut one of its hind limbs before getting walloped on his head by its long thrashing muscular tail.
"HIEI!" The gang cried out in unison as his small frame flew across the room and onto a pile of coins, the bloodied katana twirling in the air before embedding itself on the ground beside their friend.
With the pain eliciting a protective motor, the carnivorous beast opened its mouth while sniffing the air for traces of its blood then the mobile slit of its pupil narrowed when it fell on the unmoving fire demon. Without warning, the behemoth mongrel galloped towards their fallen comrade, albeit limply after losing a limb, but the momentum was still undeniably hard to keep up without having the spectral powers reinforce their movements. They raced to impede the attack and could only stare wide-eyed, mouth agape in silent screams as the snarling creature leaped into the air with its claws and salivic mouth poised towards the unconscious form of Hiei. The chimera extended its claws as it roared once more in deliverance of the fatal assault —
Until the sound of a single gunshot sliced through all the ruckus. Followed by a heavy thump when the lifeless body of the beast met the ground, landing a short distance away from their reposed friend, with the chimera sporting a golf ball-sized hole on its crocodilian head.
"Having a hard time embracing humanity, I see."
They snapped their attention towards the source of the familiar voice and gaped at the man clad in similar diving gear when his figure slowly came into light after passing through the dimly lit walkway. Powdered gas still coming out of the muzzle of the pistol in his hand, the telltale sign of their saving grace.
"You're..." Kuwabara stammered while Kurama wasted no time in collecting Hiei after recognizing the newcomer.
"Sniper!" Yusuke acknowledged as he sprinted towards the group. "What are you doing here?"
Hagiri was about to give a retort when another vicious rumble resonated in the chamber. "We'll save that for later, in the meantime, let's get out of here." He motioned for them to follow, raising his eyebrow when the offer was met with a collective defiance.
Yusuke smiled apologetically while clapping his shoulder. "Sorry, man. We still need to retrieve the Morty Dagger - ..."
"Mortis, Yusuke." Kurama sighed tiredly, correcting the foolish mistake while Kuwabara hoisted the fire demon over his shoulder, relieving the fox of the added weight.
"Ah. Yeah, my bad. The blade before we call it off." The mazoku finished just as another round of strong quake bombarded the area.
Hagiri regarded them with a strange expression before turning his back on the group. "Hn. Suit yourselves. Though you would be disappointed to know that your efforts proved worthless."
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked.
"Just follow me and you'll find out."
The knowing smirk that accompanied his cryptic reply made the gang hesitant at first, since they are unsure of his allegiance and intention, but a nagging hunch compelled them to relent as they later on nodded in agreement.
"Where are we going, Sniper?" Yusuke querried while they dashed along the elaborate system of passageways. The quake intensifying as they traveled deeper to the base of the pyramid.
"I don't mean to offend but isn't this suicide?" Kuwabara chipped in while equializing his ear by pinching his nose and blowing gently, shifting the knocked out Hiei on his shoulder at the same time.
"Watch out!" Kurama cried out as he pushed Yusuke and Kuwabara out of the way when a granite block fell from the ceiling.
Hagiri didn't reply at once, glancing on the small GPS monitor on his wrist instead as they continue their journey. Adrenaline coursed through their veins while pushing their arms back and forth. They jetted to their destination, leaping over small potholes, dodging never-before-seen insects that wanted to suck their blood clean, pumping their legs as far as they could go. They zoomed amidst the ruthless onslaught of the ground shaking as if they were soaring like eagles on a mission. Then they saw it. A warm light at the end of the tunnel.
"Where are you?" Hagiri asked all of a sudden when they reached the entrance of the stunning grand gallery, holding up a hand when Yusuke and Kuwabara sputtered incredulously at his utterance, then pointed to his earpiece. Narrowing his eyes after when a slab of granite started to fall down from the overhead crevice with the intention of sealing the chamber. "Doors are closing on you. Hurry up and get yourself here at once. Your foolish tendencies might have activated some sort of a booby trap." He sternly spoke to the intercom.
The gang exchanged curious glances just as a flash of blinding white light seared onto their retinas followed by an earth-shattering cry of a massive explosion, its extremely vigorous shock wave sent them flying a few meters away from their location.
"What in heaven's name is going on down there?" Suzuki entreated, clutching the handrail while anxiously staring at the troubled waters.
"Might be a seaquake. Kurama did mentioned before that this is an earthquake-prone region." Touya reckoned albeit slightly perturbed by the happenstance.
The old skipper spared a glance at the distraughted men whilst taking a puff through his clay pipe. He then turned to the ocean, lone eye fluttering closed while making out the rocking manner of the ship and the behavior of the sea. "Niy. I feel th' quake be from an underwater explosion rather than a natural phenomenon." Captain Sasaoka muttered before his eye slowly flew open.
The demons regarded the man closely, not daring to oppose the experienced pirate on his assumption, before all of them shifted to look at the pulsing waves of the sea as the ocean buzzed with its dormant strength.
Sudden total silence came after blast. Disoriented, the men staggered to their feet, feeling shaky. Confused and deafened when their ears felt like they're stuffed with cotton accompanied by the persistent ringing sound from the roaring boom of the report.
Upon recovery, they slowly stalked blindly towards the smoke-filled entry with Hagiri taking the lead. And as the haze receded, they were greeted by a chill mist, a rattling breathing sound that seems to suck the air out of the room and the sight of a hunched dark hooded spectral creature that had its glistening, grayish, slimy-looking and scabbed hands curled around a slender neck from which a very distinctive face was attached to.
Kurama's breath was caught in his throat while his heart erratically pounded against his chest, the surprise and disbelief evident from the stiffening of his posture and rigid muscles. Denial was there eventhough the unmistakable hair color was a dead giveaway. However, as the bangs from the shortened mop of cerulean fell away from the woman's purple - purple! - eyes, all of his uncertainties instantly vanished into thin air.
There is no doubt, it's...
"Botan."
A/N:
Waaahhh...A cliffhanger!
I would just like to apologize for those of you who are into diving, I have no experience or watsoever so please bear with me on the terminologies and procedures used. Feel free to point out an error.
The Captain was not named in the anime by the way, I used 'Sasaoka' since the late Mr. Shigezo Sasaoka was his voice actor on the Japanese dubbed YYH. I hope you understood his dialogues.
For imagination purposes, please search Ammit in wikipedia for the crocodile-headed monster, made some modification by throwing in the reptilian characteristics of a Komodo. Also, just picture out the Dementor in Harry Potter for the spectral figure on the last part.
Ringo Shion, malo.bad, Tashio, h114, Guest Lilly, sweetcanines...and to all my readers — sorry to have kept you waiting. I hope this chapter compensated my idleness.
Shout out to those-who-must-not-be-named that PMed me to get up and continue the story! You know who you are! Thank you for all the profanities! LoL xD
Thank you for reading.
I would love to see your reviews, loves!
Xoxo