Chapter II
Little Black Heart by K. Firefly
E-mail: Dscully13@aol.com
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple" -Oscar Wilde
"What the hell?!" Hiei had been freed from the paralysis as soon as they'd left the area around his body, and he thrashed violently against Karasu.
"Be quiet, please." Karasu shifted the demon in his arms. He would actually have enjoyed this if it wasn't for that fact that Kurama was who he was after.
"Shutup!" Hiei growled fiercely, beginning to power up his black dragon.
"Come on now, Hiei. What can you do? We're both dead, and you don't have any youki here. Why don't you wait until you know what's going on?" Karasu reprimanded the demon as he would a child. Hiei glowered at this, but stayed quiet until Karasu had taken them to wherever he was headed.
They 'landed' in a cavern like structure. Candles flickered consistently, and later on, after spending hours in this dark place, Hiei noticed that they never decreased in size. Here, he also realized, he was physical and could touch things. It was dry in the room, and bookshelves lined the walls completely. Most of the books were in the shelves, but some were lying on the table or counters and some of those were open. At the table were two chairs, and Karasu motioned to one of them.
"I'll stand," Hiei told Karasu in his coldest voice. The other demon shrugged at this.
"I'm not doing this to be evil," Karasu told Hiei as he pulled the chair back and sat in it, resting his hands in a clasped position on the table. "I usually don't explain myself, but for this situation I'll make an exception. I'm after the fox, but you already knew that."
"You're not going to hurt him," Hiei narrowed his eyes.
"It's not your decision. I really do love the fox, do you understand?"
"No."
There was a moment of silence as the two eyed each other. Karasu tried to decide if he should waste his time explaining himself to the diminutive demon. On the other side of the table leaning against the wall, Hiei was busy fuming over the fact that he'd been killed-or something-by this poor excuse for a demon. "I think you'll understand," Karasu finally spoke, "And we have time to waste before the next part of my plan is acted on."
"It's not going to work."
"Being emotional in the Makai is a curse," Karasu plowed ahead, heedless of Hiei, "One cannot grow attached to *anyone* because usually they use those emotions to take advantage of you. Even if the emotions are returned, we both know how short a life in the Makai usually is. So, growing attached is more painful."
"I don't need a lesson of life in the Makai," Hiei responded sourly.
"If you want to know why I want to kill the fox, then listen," Karasu responded coolly. Hiei considered, and then clamped his mouth shut. The prospect of killing someone you loved was an odd one, and he was a little curious to what skewered logic had made Karasu want to do that. Besides he was stuck in the crow's company, and it didn't seem as if there was anything else interesting to do.
"Even though I knew the consequences of growing attached, I kept doing it. Time and again, I've lost those I've loved and cared for. All of them were ripped cruelly from me. I finally decided that since they were all going to die, why shouldn't I be the one to kill them? That way, they will always be with me. I won't have to feel the loss from seeing it second hand anymore. I would see them at their last moments, hear their last words. No one else would be able to have them, or call them their own."
"You're nuts," Hiei accused.
"Perhaps. But don't condemn my way of dealings with things."
"I don't care who you've liked and who you've killed, but when you're toying with Kurama it's time for you to stop."
"Your fox is alive, and you're dead. You can't be with him, why not make him join us?"
"He's not my fox," Hiei responded crossly, not taking the moment to actually answer the question.
Karasu simply waved his hand dismissingly.
* * * *
"What do you mean his soul has been stolen?" Yusuke slammed his fists down on Koenma's desk.
"Karasu took his soul after injuring his body severely. Mukuro has his body in one of her tanks, but it's pointless without his soul."
"How could you have let this happen?" Yusuke looked evilly at Koenma.
"The important thing now, Yusuke, is to get him back. I'm sure both Kurama and Kuwabara will go with you?" The Prince of Death looked past the leader of the old Reikai Tantei at the two behind him. Both looked troubled, but nodded when Koenma addressed them.
"Good. I've prepared a gate for you. I suggest you begin this by talking to Mukuro." After they'd left, Koenma sighed, his head clumping on the table. "I hate these situations," he groaned.
* * *
"Do you think he'll follow you into hell?" Karasu looked at Hiei.
"He has better things to do," Hiei replied shortly.
"Even over a best friend?"
"He's a Youko. We both know his attachments are never permanent. He doesn't have *your* problem," Hiei looked pointedly at Karasu who returned the gaze evenly.
"I think you underestimate him."
"I think you're glorifying him too much. He's not as perfect as you make him out to be."
"I'll have an eternity to find out." Karasu chuckled from beneath his mask.
"This conversation is pointless," Hiei crossed his arms and looked away. He hated being in this damn room. There was no concept of time here, and everything was slow and monotonous. "Where the hell are we?"
"I thought you didn't care?"
"..."
"I guess the best way to describe it is...purgatory."
"You don't belong here. You're supposed to be in hell."
"I wouldn't have been able to reach you or the fox if I were in hell. You know how well they ward that place. I didn't want to waste my energy there."
"You can't just not go because you don't want to," Hiei frowned.
Karasu smiled in response, "Love can find a way, or so the humans say."
"Don't give me that stupid human cliche!" Hiei responded hotly. Somehow, Karasu's calmness and total lack of aggression towards him, or even Kurama at the moment was pissing him off horribly.
"You shouldn't be so mad. I really do love him."
"You have the weirdest way of showing it," Hiei pointed out. "Maybe you should let him live."
"You have the weirdest way of showing you care for him too," Karasu's voice held some amusement in his voice, but the mask covered any hints of a smile. Hiei did think he detected a slight crinkling of the eyes, and he bristled before answering.
"He's just a friend," He responded stiffly. Karasu responded with a chuckle.
* * * * *
Kurama gazed down the dirt path that was covered in premature darkness by the boughs of trees over it. His hands were clasped loosely behind his back. The sun had just set, so things were hazy looking the world couldn't quite decided if it was still day or if it'd passed to evening yet. The forest was graced with golden beads of dancing light, flickering in and out. He heard soft foot steps behind him and turned to look at the ice demonness who'd come up behind him. She came to rest silently beside him, and he turned back to the path that curved before them, reaching into the deeper part of the woods. Yukina darted forward suddenly, and Kurama watched her, interested, as she pulled back with a firefly crawling on her hand.
"I heard about what happened to Hiei from Kazuma-kun," Yukina's soft voice seemed to accent the feeling on the path. She glanced sidelong at Kurama who nodded his face, an unreadable expression gracing his features. "Would you tell me something? Truthfully?" In reply, Kurama simply nodded. "Is Hiei my brother?"
"What? Where did you get that idea?" Kurama looked down at the blue haired girl, managing to keep a neutral expression that bordered on surprise.
"He's my twin," Yukina nodded her head, making it more of a statement then a question this time.
"Ah, now..." Kurama chuckled slightly, though more out of nervousness then actual humor.
"Could you just confirm it? I'm not as naive and innocent as I play off to be," Yukina looked pointedly at Kurama, and he caught a glint in the red eyes that resembled Hiei so well.
"I can't say either way," Kurama finally answered, shrugging.
"Kurama..." Yukina pursed her lips.
"Well, if you know, why are you asking me?"
"So you can confirm it. So you can tell me why he hasn't told me."
"How long have you known?" Kurama sighed, giving into her. Answering her question however indirectly.
"Since he came with Kazuma-kun and Yusuke-kun to rescue me. Only...I didn't want to say anything. I could feel...that he didn't want to tell. I know it's nothing I've done, but he never talks to me so I can't ask what's happened in his life beyond what I see through glimpses in dreams," Yukina explained quietly.
"Are you connected that strongly?" Kurama looked at her, doubly surprised.
"Yes, but I think that it's stronger on my side...a woman's thing," Yukina giggled at that.
"You know what's happened to him?"
"Mm," Yukina nodded the confirmative," Especially when there's a heightening of emotions."
"Did you know when...when he'd been ripped?" Kurama asked cautiously, not wanting her to get upset.
"Yes, but we're still attached, I don't think it's possible for us to ever truly be severed."
"Aren't you upset?" Kurama's face was almost slack in amazement, unused to her being calm after explaining to him she'd known what happened and that she'd known who Hiei was the whole time.
"No, he'll make it. He always does," Yukina smiled cheerfully up at Kurama before looking out at the forest in front of them, which had grown exceedingly dark. The fireflies around them had more pronounced lights which flickered every so often. "They're very pretty."
"Yes."
"Almost like human lives. Just brief flickering..." She uttered a soft sigh. "Poor Kazuma-kun," The two stood quietly for a minute.
"We should get back," Kurama finally said, turning.
"Yes...and Kurama-kun?"
"Hm?"
"Don't tell Hiei I know..."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Kurama chuckled quietly at the thought.
"Good," She smiled up at him before matching his pace as they left the almost magic like forest.
End Chapter II
Authors notes:
I truly don't think that Yukina is so unaware and naïve as she's usually played off to be.. I think that as a twin, she'd be able to figure out who Hiei was. Besides, she heard the story, she's been searching for him.and, she's a woman, and she's just got to have that woman's intuition. ^^ She does manage to keep an awesome façade, though.
Admirable.
Anyway, that's my point of view. Feel free to argue.
The next chapter is shorter. A downfall, I feel. Perhaps I should start combining.? I'll get more reviews that way, or something. Personally, I love this fic.
Little Black Heart by K. Firefly
E-mail: Dscully13@aol.com
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple" -Oscar Wilde
"What the hell?!" Hiei had been freed from the paralysis as soon as they'd left the area around his body, and he thrashed violently against Karasu.
"Be quiet, please." Karasu shifted the demon in his arms. He would actually have enjoyed this if it wasn't for that fact that Kurama was who he was after.
"Shutup!" Hiei growled fiercely, beginning to power up his black dragon.
"Come on now, Hiei. What can you do? We're both dead, and you don't have any youki here. Why don't you wait until you know what's going on?" Karasu reprimanded the demon as he would a child. Hiei glowered at this, but stayed quiet until Karasu had taken them to wherever he was headed.
They 'landed' in a cavern like structure. Candles flickered consistently, and later on, after spending hours in this dark place, Hiei noticed that they never decreased in size. Here, he also realized, he was physical and could touch things. It was dry in the room, and bookshelves lined the walls completely. Most of the books were in the shelves, but some were lying on the table or counters and some of those were open. At the table were two chairs, and Karasu motioned to one of them.
"I'll stand," Hiei told Karasu in his coldest voice. The other demon shrugged at this.
"I'm not doing this to be evil," Karasu told Hiei as he pulled the chair back and sat in it, resting his hands in a clasped position on the table. "I usually don't explain myself, but for this situation I'll make an exception. I'm after the fox, but you already knew that."
"You're not going to hurt him," Hiei narrowed his eyes.
"It's not your decision. I really do love the fox, do you understand?"
"No."
There was a moment of silence as the two eyed each other. Karasu tried to decide if he should waste his time explaining himself to the diminutive demon. On the other side of the table leaning against the wall, Hiei was busy fuming over the fact that he'd been killed-or something-by this poor excuse for a demon. "I think you'll understand," Karasu finally spoke, "And we have time to waste before the next part of my plan is acted on."
"It's not going to work."
"Being emotional in the Makai is a curse," Karasu plowed ahead, heedless of Hiei, "One cannot grow attached to *anyone* because usually they use those emotions to take advantage of you. Even if the emotions are returned, we both know how short a life in the Makai usually is. So, growing attached is more painful."
"I don't need a lesson of life in the Makai," Hiei responded sourly.
"If you want to know why I want to kill the fox, then listen," Karasu responded coolly. Hiei considered, and then clamped his mouth shut. The prospect of killing someone you loved was an odd one, and he was a little curious to what skewered logic had made Karasu want to do that. Besides he was stuck in the crow's company, and it didn't seem as if there was anything else interesting to do.
"Even though I knew the consequences of growing attached, I kept doing it. Time and again, I've lost those I've loved and cared for. All of them were ripped cruelly from me. I finally decided that since they were all going to die, why shouldn't I be the one to kill them? That way, they will always be with me. I won't have to feel the loss from seeing it second hand anymore. I would see them at their last moments, hear their last words. No one else would be able to have them, or call them their own."
"You're nuts," Hiei accused.
"Perhaps. But don't condemn my way of dealings with things."
"I don't care who you've liked and who you've killed, but when you're toying with Kurama it's time for you to stop."
"Your fox is alive, and you're dead. You can't be with him, why not make him join us?"
"He's not my fox," Hiei responded crossly, not taking the moment to actually answer the question.
Karasu simply waved his hand dismissingly.
* * * *
"What do you mean his soul has been stolen?" Yusuke slammed his fists down on Koenma's desk.
"Karasu took his soul after injuring his body severely. Mukuro has his body in one of her tanks, but it's pointless without his soul."
"How could you have let this happen?" Yusuke looked evilly at Koenma.
"The important thing now, Yusuke, is to get him back. I'm sure both Kurama and Kuwabara will go with you?" The Prince of Death looked past the leader of the old Reikai Tantei at the two behind him. Both looked troubled, but nodded when Koenma addressed them.
"Good. I've prepared a gate for you. I suggest you begin this by talking to Mukuro." After they'd left, Koenma sighed, his head clumping on the table. "I hate these situations," he groaned.
* * *
"Do you think he'll follow you into hell?" Karasu looked at Hiei.
"He has better things to do," Hiei replied shortly.
"Even over a best friend?"
"He's a Youko. We both know his attachments are never permanent. He doesn't have *your* problem," Hiei looked pointedly at Karasu who returned the gaze evenly.
"I think you underestimate him."
"I think you're glorifying him too much. He's not as perfect as you make him out to be."
"I'll have an eternity to find out." Karasu chuckled from beneath his mask.
"This conversation is pointless," Hiei crossed his arms and looked away. He hated being in this damn room. There was no concept of time here, and everything was slow and monotonous. "Where the hell are we?"
"I thought you didn't care?"
"..."
"I guess the best way to describe it is...purgatory."
"You don't belong here. You're supposed to be in hell."
"I wouldn't have been able to reach you or the fox if I were in hell. You know how well they ward that place. I didn't want to waste my energy there."
"You can't just not go because you don't want to," Hiei frowned.
Karasu smiled in response, "Love can find a way, or so the humans say."
"Don't give me that stupid human cliche!" Hiei responded hotly. Somehow, Karasu's calmness and total lack of aggression towards him, or even Kurama at the moment was pissing him off horribly.
"You shouldn't be so mad. I really do love him."
"You have the weirdest way of showing it," Hiei pointed out. "Maybe you should let him live."
"You have the weirdest way of showing you care for him too," Karasu's voice held some amusement in his voice, but the mask covered any hints of a smile. Hiei did think he detected a slight crinkling of the eyes, and he bristled before answering.
"He's just a friend," He responded stiffly. Karasu responded with a chuckle.
* * * * *
Kurama gazed down the dirt path that was covered in premature darkness by the boughs of trees over it. His hands were clasped loosely behind his back. The sun had just set, so things were hazy looking the world couldn't quite decided if it was still day or if it'd passed to evening yet. The forest was graced with golden beads of dancing light, flickering in and out. He heard soft foot steps behind him and turned to look at the ice demonness who'd come up behind him. She came to rest silently beside him, and he turned back to the path that curved before them, reaching into the deeper part of the woods. Yukina darted forward suddenly, and Kurama watched her, interested, as she pulled back with a firefly crawling on her hand.
"I heard about what happened to Hiei from Kazuma-kun," Yukina's soft voice seemed to accent the feeling on the path. She glanced sidelong at Kurama who nodded his face, an unreadable expression gracing his features. "Would you tell me something? Truthfully?" In reply, Kurama simply nodded. "Is Hiei my brother?"
"What? Where did you get that idea?" Kurama looked down at the blue haired girl, managing to keep a neutral expression that bordered on surprise.
"He's my twin," Yukina nodded her head, making it more of a statement then a question this time.
"Ah, now..." Kurama chuckled slightly, though more out of nervousness then actual humor.
"Could you just confirm it? I'm not as naive and innocent as I play off to be," Yukina looked pointedly at Kurama, and he caught a glint in the red eyes that resembled Hiei so well.
"I can't say either way," Kurama finally answered, shrugging.
"Kurama..." Yukina pursed her lips.
"Well, if you know, why are you asking me?"
"So you can confirm it. So you can tell me why he hasn't told me."
"How long have you known?" Kurama sighed, giving into her. Answering her question however indirectly.
"Since he came with Kazuma-kun and Yusuke-kun to rescue me. Only...I didn't want to say anything. I could feel...that he didn't want to tell. I know it's nothing I've done, but he never talks to me so I can't ask what's happened in his life beyond what I see through glimpses in dreams," Yukina explained quietly.
"Are you connected that strongly?" Kurama looked at her, doubly surprised.
"Yes, but I think that it's stronger on my side...a woman's thing," Yukina giggled at that.
"You know what's happened to him?"
"Mm," Yukina nodded the confirmative," Especially when there's a heightening of emotions."
"Did you know when...when he'd been ripped?" Kurama asked cautiously, not wanting her to get upset.
"Yes, but we're still attached, I don't think it's possible for us to ever truly be severed."
"Aren't you upset?" Kurama's face was almost slack in amazement, unused to her being calm after explaining to him she'd known what happened and that she'd known who Hiei was the whole time.
"No, he'll make it. He always does," Yukina smiled cheerfully up at Kurama before looking out at the forest in front of them, which had grown exceedingly dark. The fireflies around them had more pronounced lights which flickered every so often. "They're very pretty."
"Yes."
"Almost like human lives. Just brief flickering..." She uttered a soft sigh. "Poor Kazuma-kun," The two stood quietly for a minute.
"We should get back," Kurama finally said, turning.
"Yes...and Kurama-kun?"
"Hm?"
"Don't tell Hiei I know..."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Kurama chuckled quietly at the thought.
"Good," She smiled up at him before matching his pace as they left the almost magic like forest.
End Chapter II
Authors notes:
I truly don't think that Yukina is so unaware and naïve as she's usually played off to be.. I think that as a twin, she'd be able to figure out who Hiei was. Besides, she heard the story, she's been searching for him.and, she's a woman, and she's just got to have that woman's intuition. ^^ She does manage to keep an awesome façade, though.
Admirable.
Anyway, that's my point of view. Feel free to argue.
The next chapter is shorter. A downfall, I feel. Perhaps I should start combining.? I'll get more reviews that way, or something. Personally, I love this fic.