Author: Swythangel
Email: swythangel@hotmail.com
Title: The Reddest Rose
Type: Series 3/?
Rating: PG (just to be safe)
Disclaimer: All characters of YuYu Hakusho are owned by their writer and company. They aren't mine (sigh!) and even if I wished on a hundred falling stars, Kurama will never be mine. This fiction was made to entertain and hopefully does not infringe on their copyright.
No yaoi singsong voice and its driving me a bit nuts to finish. lol yes, I'm weird. I know I am. Anyway thanks to all who commented. Here's another one! ^o^v
The Reddest Rose
Part 3
Kurama joined in the happy reunion that was taking place. Almost everyone was there. Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, Yukina, Botan, Koenma…only Hiei was missing from the group…
"Oh, Kurama!" Koenma raised his head to look at Kurama. "Hiei told me he'd be dropping by later. I don't know if it's later today or later this week. You know how Hiei is. I hear he has some important news from the Makai, something about the 9 Tails of Kitsune…"
Kurama stiffened a little, remembering what had happened six months ago…it made his words sound clipped and vehement. "I do not belong in that world anymore and I have no interest in what is happening there."
"Kurama, is something wrong?" Koenma tilted his head sideways to look at Kurama. "I'm just bearing the message Hiei asked me to give you."
Kuwabara walked in, bearing a tea tray for Yukina. "Oh, Hiei?" He had heard the tail end of the conversation. "How is the little runt?" Kuwabara said then realized how that might sound, looking at Yukina. He retracted his words. "Uh, I mean, how is the guy?"
This distracted Koenma from his scrutiny of Kurama. He smiled up at Kuwabara. "He's fine, he's fine. Still the same."
"When is he coming here? It has been so long since I've seen the littlle runt!" Yusuke said grinning, repeating Kuwabara's description without any hints of remorse. "I want to take him on again, just to see who'll win this time." Yusuke flexed his muscles.
"Training, fighting, training, fighting. That's all you ever think about." Keiko sighed.
"I think that's about all Yusuke's good for, anyway. Hee, hee, hee!" Botan chimed in, jumping up.
"Hey, take that back, Botan." Yusuke said, swiping at her, too late as Botan had already moved across the room."
"No way, what I said is true, after all." Botan grinned.
"Yeah, I agree with Botan." Kuwabara shouted. "Yusuke is all muscle and no brain."
Even before he finished speaking, his neck was locked in a vise-like grip as Yusuke strangled him.
"Why, you, overgrown idiot! " Yusuke told him.
The two got into another wrestling match with Keiko and Yukina trying to separate the two. Botan was rolling on the floor laughing. Only Koenma noticed Kurama who had unobtrusively slipped out of the room.
***
Night had already fallen as Hitori walked back down the path. The tears had dried and her eyes held a look of weary conviction. I'll just sneak in the back way. Everyone must be inside eating by now.
"It's a bit late for walking in the forest, don't you think?"
The mild voice startled Hitori.
"Who…" She swung her head and saw Kurama leaning on one of the dojo's wooden posts, his form silhouetted by the light that fell from behind him. He was smiling a little.
It just had to be him. Jeez, today is not my lucky day! Hitori rolled her eyes. "I thought everyone would be eating by now…"
"I didn't feel like eating so I decided to come out and…think." Kurama told her, watching her curiously. He could have sworn the girl's left hand was bleeding a little and that her eyes were a little red…What could have she been doing? He pushed against the post and walked towards Hitori, examining her more closely, his medical instincts taking over.
Hitori became nervous as Kurama came near her. He had this intense look on his face that made her just a bit nervous. It was like he knew that she was hiding something. Some fear crept into her eyes and she took an involuntary step back, a move that Kurama noticed. He smiled, looking straight into her eyes. "I don't bite." He told her, laughter tinged his voice. "I just wanted to see your hand."
Kurama then reached out and took her left hand, turning it this way and that. "Hmmnn… there's some splinters lodged in the wound. But all in all, it's not that serious, though you should have this taken care of. Here sit down. I'll treat the wound." He indicated the big rock near the small pond.
Hitori mutely followed Kurama to the rock, a little dazed at this unexpected show of kindness. Before she knew it, she was sitting on the rock and Kurama was kneeling in front of her, with her left hand in his hands.
"Didn't this hurt?" Kurama said, looking up for a few seconds, while he removed the splinters.
"Uh…" Hitori was looking at his bent head, liking the way the moonlight struck his red hair. Get ahold of yourself, Hitori! "No, actually. I didn't even notice it."
"Nani?" Kurama said. "This isn't an ordinary wound you know…what did you do, punch the trees?" Didn't notice it? That must've been one big problem not to notice this. He had seen that her eyes were red (the whites of course, since her pupils were naturally red.) and blotchy, a sure sign that she had been crying.
Hitori stiffened. "That isn't any of your business." She had shook herself out of her daze and now tried to take back her hand.
"Hold still." Kurama told her, maintaining a firm hold on her hand. "Ok, I know it isn't any of my business. Sorry. I won't ask any more questions." He had finished taking out all of the splinters. Kurama gently washed the hand with water from the small pond. "Now just wait a few seconds and I'll heal this up, alright?"
He closed his eyes and let his right hand rest a few inches above Hitori's injured hand. A dim yellow light began to emanate from Kurama's hand engulfing Hitori's, suffusing her hand with a warm glow.
A few seconds later, the light began to fade. "Alright. That's about it." Kurama had opened his eyes and surveyed his handy work. Hitori's left hand held no trace of the wound, the skin unbroken. "Not bad, if I say so myself." His voice had a self-satisfied tone to it. "See for yourself." He let go of her hand and looked at her, intending only to see her reaction.
She looked quickly away, blushing, embarrassed at being caught staring at him. "Um…yes, arigato gozaimashite, thank you very much. I…I have to go…" She turned away from him and ran towards the lighted dojo, leaving Kurama wondering what was wrong with the girl.
Strange girl…Kurama thought to himself then he recalled what had happened earlier. But then again, I've been acting a little strange myself. I've never felt that way before either. I must think on this.
Blag!
"Heeey, Kuramaaaa!" Yusuke had pushed open the door to the living room. "Hey Kuramaaaa! Are you out here?"
Kurama raised his left hand just high enough for Yusuke to see and said in a voice just loud enough to carry. "I'm over here."
"Huh?" Yusuke squinted out at the dark. "There you are! Hey Kurama. Come on inside, we're going to start dinner already."
Thinking would have to be done later then. "Be right there, Yusuke."
***
Day 1
Yusuke, Hitori,
Hey, sleepyheads! Its such a nice day outside that we decided to go to the beach. We've been waiting for you for hours to wake up and since you didn't, we went on ahead. Breakfast is waiting on the table. Just catch up, alright? (Preferably, before the sun sets, ne, Yusuke?)
Keiko J
"Aawwww! I can't believe they left us already!" Yusuke said after reading the note that Hitori had handed to him. "I'm only a little late!"
Hitori snorted. "A little late? It's already 11 AM." Her voice lacked the usual life about it, sounding just a bit dull and heavy.
Yusuke turned towards Hitori. "You're one to talk. You got up late too, you know. Which is very strange since you wake up earlier than most of us, usually up at dawn, aren't you?"
"Yeah, well. I overslept today. I had many things on my mind." She shrugged.
He threw a worried look towards Hitori, noticing the lackluster reply. "Hey, are you alright? Kurama told us about your injured hand. Its not inflamed or anything? You're not sick, are you?"
Hitori heard the worried tone in Yusuke's voice and almost backed down from the decision she had made the night before. No, this is the only way. I can't back out of this decision now. "I'm fine." Tension made her voice sound clipped. She adjusted her tone of voice, realizing that Yusuke might get suspicious. In a more cheery voice she told him. "In fact, I'm feeling great. Care to have a match or two?"
"Say what? Did I hear you right? YOU are challenging me to a match?" Yusuke had an incredulous look on his face. "This is a first. Usually, I have to cajole you to death to even make you agree to have a match with me." Then he grinned and flexed his arms. "Well, Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth. Sure, why not?" I'll just get into an old set of jeans alright?" He turned to leave.
"Oh, Yusuke? Let's have this match outside. Its such a beautiful day out and besides, I wouldn't want to damage the practice room more than it is." Hitori told Yusuke.
"Sure, why not?" Yusuke told her, not turning around. "Outside is as good as any. I'm still gonna beat you silly you know. Hehehe!"
"Ha! In your dreams, buddy boy!" Hitori told Yusuke, also going up to her room to change into more suitable clothing.
***
Ba-boom!
CRASH!
Keiko, Yukina and the others had stopped playing on the beach. Everyone swiveled their heads to where they could see a big dust cloud.
"What happened? It sounded like a tree just fell…" Keiko asked no one in particular.
Kuwabara had jumped up to a more elevated portion of the beach, craning his neck out to see. "It looks like there are two people fighting it out. But I can't see who they are…" He looked up towards Kurama who had jumped up a taller tree. "What about you, Kurama? Can you make out what's happening?"
"No. They're too far off to tell. But whoever it is they're really fighting seriously." Kurama jumped down to the beach. "I think I'll go check. We have to know what's going on." He turned to go.
"Hey, we're coming too!" Keiko told Kurama. "We want to know what's going on too."
Kurama shook his head. "No, it might be dangerous. You ladies stay here. Kuwabara and I will go." He looked at Koenma. "Koenma-sama? Can you stay and guard the ladies?"
"Go on. I can handle anything that comes this way." Koenma told Kurama.
Kurama nodded and looked at Kuwabara. "C'mon." They sprinted off to the forest.
"Just be careful, you guys." Koenma called out to their retreating backs.
***
"Ay-yah!"
Hitori blocked all of Yusuke's punches and countered with a kick of her own which Yusuke also blocked. She jumped out of the way and pointed at Yusuke.
"SHIZUKANE KAZE!"
A deadly silent twister sprang up from Hitori's hand to attack Yusuke. He crossed his hands and placed it in front of his face, effectively blocking the attack.
When Yusuke finally looked up, he was smiling. "This is great." Yusuke told her. "You're really going all out on this, aren't you, Hitori?"
She shrugged. "Less talk, more action." She gathered in more of her power until the reddish glow that enveloped her shone so brightly that the dust swirled around her. Her hair lifted from her neck.
Oh, so we're fighting serious this time, are we? Yusuke thought to himself. I don't really know what's come over Hitori but I like it. "Ready or not, here I come!" He was smiling as he flew towards the air and charged Hitori.
***
"Kuwabara, its only Yusuke and Hitori, after all." Kurama told Kuwabara who was a few paces behind. They had reached the highest bluff and had a vantage point on the whole forest.
"Doggone it. I ran all this way just because Yusuke and Hitori felt like bashing each other up?" Kuwabara plopped down on the ground. He was panting and sweat rolled down in rivulets. "I didn't even get to put on a t-shirt. Now my chest is all scratched up." He scratched his chest, which had assorted small cuts that hadn't been there that morning.
"Hey, at least you aren't going to face a demon or some such…" Kurama told him, his mouth quirking up into a smile. Unlike Kuwabara, he wasn't sweating at all and remained impeccable in his tight blue jeans and black t-shirt, not one hair out of place.
Kuwabara sighed. "I suppose you're right." He stood up. "Well, I'm going back to Yukina and the others to tell them not to worry. Coming?"
"Go on ahead. I think I'll stay around and watch some more." Kurama told Kuwabara, leaning on the solitary tree on the bluff.
Kuwabara lifted one shoulder. "Suit yourself. Personally, I've had enough of watching those two. See you, Kurama!" He walked slowly away, groaning to himself. "Fighting this early in the morning? It must have been Yusuke's idea. Now I have to go back down. Damn, once I get my hands on that Yusuke. Hmmnn… Maybe not. I'll just tell Keiko about it. Heehee! That would fix him… "
Kurama watched Kuwabara go and returned to watching the two figures in the distance. He could sense that one of them, probably Hitori, since the power signature was unfamiliar, was pouring everything she got into the fight. Strange. Yusuke told me that Hitori always held back before. Why is she attacking now? And Hitori was attacking Yusuke, taking the initiative and giving it everything she's got, or at least that was what it looked like to Kurama.
"KAMINARI!"
Hitori threw a thunderbolt at Yusuke but Yusuke only deflected it carelessly. The thunderbolt headed straight for Kurama.
"Makai-no Ojigisou!"
Blam!
Kurama was thankful that he didn't get hit. The demonic plant sizzled, burned to a stump by the blast. It was what had saved him from being fried by Hitori's thunderbolt. When the smoke cleared, he looked up to see the two only a few feet away from him. He could see that Yusuke was shouting at Hitori who didn't seem to hear him or didn't want to hear him.
"Damn it, Hitori! That nearly fried me." Yusuke told Hitori while blocking her series of punches and kicks. Yusuke was confused. At first, it had been fun to fight a Hitori that didn't hold back but things were getting more serious. Hitori's eyes had this steely cast to it and she seemed earnest, deadly earnest, to hit him with all she had. "Hitori?"
She didn't answer him at all, only continued to attack him with all the power she had. "Hitori? Hey, come on. This isn't a joke anymore. Someone can get seriously hurt."
Kurama watched, wanting to interfere but respecting the two fighters' privacy. He knew Yusuke's temper well and realized that if Hitori didn't back down anytime soon, she would be courting danger. A thought occurred to him. Hitori is deliberately provoking Yusuke! But why?
"KITSUNE-KAJI!"
Yusuke fell to the ground, hit by the flaming fox-spirit that Hitori had called. That had really hurt him. It's been a long time since I've been hit by anything. He grinned a deadly grin. Hitori isn't half-bad. Guess its time to fight for real.
He looked to where Hitori floated above the air, a meter or so away from him. That's right…don't move from there. "You want things serious? Then I'll give you serious." He also gathered his power, causing the surrounding environment to ripple with the amount of power he was emitting. Yusuke now glowed a bright blue. He raised his two hands.
"Rei-Kou-Hadou-Ken!"
He unleashed the biggest rei gun he had, knowing that since Hitori was still fresh, she would be able to take it with only minor damages, especially if she used a spirit barrier to block it. But to his surprise, Hitori didn't block it; she just put her hands on the side of her body and waited for the rei gun to reach her. What the…what is Hitori doing? She'll be killed! "Hitori? What are you doing? Block it!" He jumped, intending to snatch the girl away, knowing he wouldn't reach her in time.
"Fu-Ka-Enbu-Jin!"
BAM! BOOM!
When the smoke cleared, he saw Kurama, no, Youko, cradling the girl in his arms, the rose petals from Kurama's Blast Petal Waltz Formation attack drifted around them. It seemed that the rose petals had absorbed most of the attack.
Youko's form began to shimmer and Kurama stood in his place. Kurama jumped down to the bluff to lay the unconscious girl on the base of the solitary tree he had been leaning on earlier, frantically examining the wounds and scratches that Hitori had. He was relieved to find no major damage. Kurama didn't want to admit it to himself but the moment he had seen Hitori lay her guard down to accept Yusuke's rei gun, he had experienced a desperate fear. Without hesitation, he had changed to Youko, just to save her.
"Kurama!" Yusuke was surprised and thankful at the same time. "I didn't realize you were here." He looked at the unconscious Hitori with a worried frown. "Is she going to be alright?"
Kurama smiled a little smile, calm now that danger had been averted. "Don't worry about it. As far as I can tell, the most serious wound is this one on her head." He pointed at Hitori's forehead, which was bleeding. "I didn't get to her on time to prevent this." He shook his head a bit, reproaching himself. "The others are all superficial wounds and cuts. Nothing to worry about."
"Then why isn't she waking up?" Yusuke's voice was still a little worried. His eyes scanning Hitori's body for any sign of damage Kurama might have missed.
"She was expending a lot of energy back there, you know. And if I'm right, she was also under a lot of tension. That, combined with the force of the rei gun you threw at her would probably account for her unconsciousness." Kurama told Yusuke. "What we need to do now is get her to the dojo and get her to a nice soft bed before she wakes up."
"O..ok! I hope you're right, Kurama!" He followed Kurama who had picked up HItori and slowly walked back to the direction of the dojo.
"Trust me." Kurama said quietly.
They walked a few minutes in silence, each occupied with his own thoughts. Yusuke kept glancing towards Hitori.
Yusuke seems so concerned over Hitori. I wonder if he…well, in any case, I'm certainly not going to ask.
"You seem quite worried Yusuke…what would Keiko say if she saw you fretting over Hitori like this?" Kurama told Yusuke in a light, joking tone that belied the nervousness he felt at Yusuke's answer. He shook his head at himself. He could have sworn he wasn't going to ask that.
"Huh? Say what?" Yusuke blushed a little and grinned like an idiot. "You think I like Hitori? Hahahaha! Its nothing like that Kurama!" In a flash, Yusuke's face turned serious, his eyes had a contemplating look to them. "Well, I do like her. But not in the sense that you mean, Kurama. I dunno. You'll probably laugh at this," Yusuke's eyes held a threatening look to them, as if daring Kurama to laugh, "but she's like the sister I never had. Don't ask me why, but that's how I feel…" Besides, I want Hitori for someone else…But Keiko will kill me if I told you that. Yusuke smiled to himself, sliding a sideways glance at Kurama.
Kurama expelled the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding, immensely relieved for no reason he could think of, wondering why he had been holding it in the first place. He didn't even know why he had asked Yusuke that question. All he knew was that he had wanted an answer. He cleared his throat. "Well, let's get back to the dojo. Hitori will be waking up soon."
"Yeah, let's."
***
"It has been some time since I felt him." Gratification tinged the dark voice.
"Yes, my lord." The cowled youkai staring in the scrying bowl nodded his head with satisfaction. "It seems our scheme is proceeding as planned. Kuronue has already come to the tribe."
"Yessssss…the others are also coming, I can feel them. Soon it will be time."
***
"There! That should do it." Kurama took his hands away from Hitori's forehead and reached for the cloth in the basin of water. He squeezed most of the water out of the cloth and wiped off the blood that remained on Hitori's face. His patient stirred slightly and opened her eyes. Finally!
Hitori looked around a little dazed. Am I…dead? She saw a flash of red at her right side and saw Kurama sitting there smiling down at her. Why am I not dead? I should be. The last thing she had remembered was staring straight at Yusuke's rei gun, then a flash of pain. That rei gun should have killed me. "Why am I alive?" She asked Kurama, a bleak look in her eyes.
Kurama was startled at the question. He could have sworn that he heard a regretful tone in her voice. "I don't blame you for wondering. Yusuke's rei gun could be very deadly, especially if you let down your spirit barrier." There was a slightly reproachful note in his voice. He knew that Hitori had deliberately let down her guard. "If the rei gun had hit you, you would probably be dead by now. Fortunately, Kuwabara and I were in the area. I got to you just in time to prevent any major damages."
"You should have let me die." Hitori told him in a flat voice and turned away from him.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You should have let me DIE!" Hitori was still turned away from him. "What right did you have to save me? That was my decision to make. You should have let me die." She gripped the blanket, she couldn't help the tears that squeezed out of her shut eyes nor the sobs that came after.
Kurama reached down to put a comforting hand on Hitori but as soon as his hand touched HItori's right shoulder, the girl jerked back. "Don't touch me!"
Kurama didn't know what to do. He was worried and not a little bit surprised at Hitori's outburst. He had never had to handle hysterical girls before, at least not this kind…This is just great. What do I do now? He couldn't even ask anyone for help since Yusuke had gone to the beach to tell the others what had happened so Kurama was all alone with Hitori. He wanted desperately to help out but judging how Hitori felt about him at this moment, he knew that it would be a bad thing to even open his mouth. So instead, he sat there watching the sobbing girl with a helpless look in his eyes.
TBC ^_~
Comments onegai? This is one shameless author who isn't below begging for comments. lol And minna knows that ne? Ahoho!