A shrill scream awoke me. I sat bolt upright and just barely
remembered to open my tired eyes. As my vision cleared, the ragged form of
Botan was only feet away from me. As I registered what I was seeing I let
out a gasp. What happened? I shook my head to clear the buzzing in my ears
but only made it worse. All was quiet, no calls for Botan. There was no one
here that I could sense. I crawled over to her to see if I could detect any
fatal wounds. Her blue tresses were spread messily over her face and her
expression was twisted in a painful grimace. The favorite pink kimono was
badly torn, however. I couldn't find any open injuries but as I studied her
I saw her body softly rise and fall with her breath. Good, she's alive. I
collapsed back on the ground and anger flooded me once again, only it
wasn't quite directed at Kumo or Ryo anymore. He seemed truthfully honest
in his words earlier. Ryo too. Who is it? I mentally kicked myself. I still
shouldn't trust them. That would be terribly careless.
Now I really can't go back to sleep. Not knowing at all what could happen next, I could very well be startled awake by the arrival of another injured friend by means of someone or something unknown. My body immediately told me I was still too weak to start moving anywhere. After letting everything else happen, the least I can do is watch Botan. Suddenly, as soon as I thought those words, my lids closed of their own accord. Sleep, a voice said from somewhere. At once I was struggling with this force to stay awake, but my mind was losing the battle. Finally, it left me half-asleep and even more defenseless than I was before. My thoughts were dreamy and didn't make much sense to the part of me that was still awake. Ethereal pictures formed against my closed eyelids and all I could do was watch them. I saw blurred colors, fragments of the forms of my comrades, and even adversaries of the past and now. I was raging silently to fully waken. For a second my eyes did open and in that instant I saw Yusuke. I know it was Yusuke; that aura of rei ki and youki is unmistakable. My spirits lifted and fell as my eyes were forced shut again. Then a powerful drowsiness washed over me and I completely lost consciousness.
Moments dragged past, how many I was unable to be aware of. My head ached enough to amazingly stir me from that inevitable sleep. Taking a deep breath I forced my eyes open. I quickly squinted as I focused my vision; the sky had become so bright that it hurt my eyes. Yusuke was gone. An illusion, huh? I slumped further down against the tree and realized that I wasn't alone. Sleeping, Yusuke was leaning on the other side of the tree. I let out a grateful sigh. Yusuke's eyes slowly opened on me and he smiled at the fact that I was awake. Maybe he hadn't been sleeping, but it didn't matter anymore. Seeing the look on my face, his eyes reassured me that he was fine. I wanted to ask questions but I found myself unable to speak. What is wrong with me?
I turned my head to make sure Botan was still there and she was. Yusuke saw me look and he simply said, "Don't worry."
That didn't alleviate me very much, though. "Yusuke." I desperately tried to talk again, but it felt as though my vocal chords were frozen. I closed my mouth in pure frustration. I merely stared at the ground since I couldn't say anything anyway. Where are the others? Why aren't they with you, Yusuke?
How am I supposed to communicate?!
He cocked his head in confusion. "Kurama, what is it? Spit it out!" he said to me.
I can't!
His expression hardened. He got up, walked around to face me and kneeled down. Now his eyes were set on me.
"You," Yusuke trailed off in a whisper, then continued, "Kurama, are you all right? By your aura you seem strong enough to at least talk. What did that bastard Kumo do to you now?"
I simply looked at him without a proper expression to answer that.
He was getting angry, angry on my behalf, and it that didn't make me feel any better about all of this. My fault, my fault. This wasn't what it used to be like. Back when I had only myself, there was no one else to endanger. Everything involving me was my problem and no one else's. No other person had to risk their life for me. Sure, I had my thief comrades, but I didn't consider them better than any other demon. They simply existed to follow my orders, and if they didn't they'd be rid of. Survival of the fittest, that was the number one rule of Makai. Anything else, like "Don't steal from the palace or you'll be exterminated." etcetera, well, that didn't really apply to me. At least I was notorious enough to think that. I lived a life of risky, mischievous, malevolent excitement. Living as the eminent youko, my opinion of my ever existing was for the sole purpose of wreaking havoc and stirring up chaos. Like streaking a red line across a vast map, I left the unmistakable path of victory. The thrill of the chase, the theft, the kill; these were things I enjoyed.
But, I look upon all that Yusuke has done for me; he humanized me, teaching me by merely accompanying me how to appreciate my new life, to see it for what it truly was. He showed me how to be thankful, considerate, and truly happy. He may not think it anything he should be recognized for, but that's very important to me. However, there is one thing that has remained attached to my soul: the desire for revenge. Old enemies track me down for that, also, and I have my same reasons to track them down. That particular fury will never die down.
Turning back to the present, though: what is the point of disabling my vocal chords? Making it impossible for me to speak? I have to admit that is something I have failed to encounter. I feel utterly helpless, defenseless, and useless. What good am I in this shape, unable to inform my comrades on the crucial situation?
"Damn it, Kurama!" Yusuke burst out suddenly, after the deafening silence that had stretched out for what seemed like forever. "You--you really can't talk, can you?! Damn it!!!"
I opened my mouth as though I would speak like any other time, but I then remembered and just closed it. I tried to make a noise, any kind of sound. All I ended up with was straining my throat. Not one reverberation. I sent Yusuke an unrepressed look of despair.
In desperation I bent over and tried to write in the dirt with my finger everything I wanted to ask him. Finished, I fell back against the tree with a silent, tired gasp of pain. Yusuke immediately stepped back to read it and I anticipated his response.
"Hiei went with Kuwabara to find Kumo and Ryo. As for Yukina, I don't know where she is. I came looking for you when I felt that atrocious youki emanating from the crater. Back when all of us were together and had just recovered from that battle; you and Yukina just disappeared. There was no trace anywhere. None of us could sense either of you even being in the same world at us. That alarmed us so we went trying to find you. Here you are, still in the vicinity and yet you can't speak? You must have encountered Kumo. Doesn't he know when it's enough? Kurama, somehow you have got to tell me what the deal is with this guy." Yusuke explained in answer to my frantically scribbled questions.
There is no way I could write all that. I need to talk! I tried again, and failed. My frustration was building. ~Kumo!!! ~ I screamed out silently, hoping that he would hear. ~Kumo, Kumo! Kumo!! Give it back!! Why did you do this, Kumo?! Damn it Kumo! Ryo! Answer me!!~ I continued to rage in silence, forcing the unspoken words to them so hard I felt my body quivering from the strain. The next thing I felt was Yusuke shaking me by my shoulders.
"Kurama! Kurama, what's going on?!" he demanded in hopeless anguish.
I was writing a reply in the dirt but then something made me stop. I felt a vibration slowly making it's way to my mind. I let it come. ~Kurama? Did you call me? What in Makai did you call me for? You can't possibly want to speak to me after what I did to you. I-~ I cut him off with his own power. ~You know. Give me my voice back. Give it back. I am demanding it be returned. Do it now, or I will kill you~ I replied coldly. I heard his telepathic sound of surprise, but I paid it no heed.
Yusuke read the half-sentence and then frowned at me, waiting for me to finish. But I was preoccupied. Suddenly I lost control of my hands. The one that had been writing swiped the words away and began writing something else. I watched in anger as Kumo's reply was being written in the dirt by my manipulated hand. It read: "Kurama, I did not do that to you. There is no way I could have. My words are no lie, but I don't expect you to believe me. I think I may know who did that and how you can retrieve your voice. You must." My body jerked and then my hand fell limp. I stared at it mutely and clenched my fist.
"Kurama, is this Kumo's doing? It has to be! Oh, Kurama!" Yusuke fumed, his face getting even angrier, "Why?! We have to get it back! We need to find the others and kill that Kumo!"
I shook my head furiously. He stared at me, transfixed by the written words. Of course he's wondering. He wouldn't be if I could just tell him! I cursed silently. After trying desperately to restore the link with Kumo, I gave up. Gave up. Minutes passed and I grew frighteningly calm. Standing up with, amazingly, hardly any difficulty, I looked back at Yusuke, motioning for him to get up. He sprang up and came to my aid. I told him with body language that I didn't need it. He got the message. I glanced back at Botan after hearing her groan. Yusuke heard too and ran over to her. She sat up and looked around, at Yusuke and me.
"Botan, are you okay? Geez, how did you get here?" Yusuke asked her, relief in his voice.
I was silent. What else could I be? My life suddenly became a joke to me. He helped her stand up and walked her over to where I was. I would have laughed the kind of laugh that a madman would have. I must stay composed. I won't succumb to this.
"Ah, I'm fine; I'll live. Kurama! Are you okay? Yusuke, how did you get here? How did I get here? Oh!" Botan exclaimed to both of us.
Standing there looking at her was all I could do. Yusuke met my eyes. For some reason I didn't want anyone to know about this, except Yusuke and Hiei, if I ever saw him before this clears up. If that even happens. I didn't want Botan's pity. I tried my hardest to tell him that through my eyes. I could only wonder if he understood. I was startled when he nodded his head at me.
As expected, Botan gave me a funny look. "Eh, Kurama? What's the matter?" she asked the question I couldn't answer.
"He's just subdued, Botan. He has his mind set on Kumo. So just leave him alone, okay?" Yusuke quickly gave a random, reasonable explanation for me and I was very grateful.
As we started to walk I heard Botan mumble from up on her oar, "Why couldn't Kurama tell me that?" Thinking no one heard her. I couldn't help but give a grim smirk towards Yusuke. We would have been going three times as fast if I could run. I can't run very fast with wounds that my human body can't possibly heal at the rate I am used to as a youkai. There are too many of them afflicting me at the same time. I can't recall the last time my human body has taken in so much damage. Humans are fragile creatures, as any demon knows.
"I see it! I see it, Hiei's Kokuryuha!" Botan screamed in delight as she pointed to the horizon where the massive, unmistakable form of a pitch- black dragon hovered.
"Kurama, get on! We have to get over there as soon as possible!" Botan exclaimed as she lowered her oar and let me climb on.
"Hey! What about me?!" Yusuke shrieked, then grinned in compliance.
Yusuke sped up to his fastest run and Botan zoomed on her oar. I literally clung to that oar for dear life. I'd never ride one again if I could help it. Within minutes we had reached our destination. My spirits lifted a little; we had found Hiei, and hopefully Kuwabara too. As we got closer, our assumptions were confirmed when we plainly saw the small form of Hiei standing below the dragon. He snapped his head in our direction as he saw us and visibly relaxed. He called back the dragon to its place on his right arm and quickly wrapped it up. Yusuke came to a halt and Botan touched down on the ground, helping me down.
"Hey there Hiei! Are ya still in one piece?" Yusuke shouted in elated greeting.
Hiei didn't look bad off, and I didn't think he'd let himself get that way like I did. He gave Yusuke and Botan his usual looks, which would appear menacing to any stranger but in fact I know he was checking them over, physically as well as their aura. Shifting his eyes upon me I wearily returned his glance that noticeably changed when looking at me. I wonder if he could figure it out without Yusuke telling him. I absent-mindedly stared at the ground, waiting for someone to say something. I could use more rest right now, that's what my body is telling me and once again I am forcing myself to remain awake. If Hiei used his Kokuryuha then he must be exhausted as well.
Botan broke the silence, "Terrible! If only we knew where Koenma-sama was, I know he could be of some help! I couldn't feel his true presence in the Reikai and I can't feel it now. I don't like where this is going. Yusuke, we really have to tread carefully, especially with Kurama's injuries. Kurama, I think you should tell us what happened back there with Kumo. We need to know."
I winced. Why did she have to ask me? Why shouldn't she ask me! I'm the one with the important information that I can't even tell them. I turned to Yusuke with a worried face. Once more I attempted to talk but to no avail. With a sigh, I made the universal sign for not being able to speak: pointing to my throat and pulling my hand back across in the slicing motion. Botan cocked her head at me.
"Kurama? What?" Botan asked once again, eyeing me with concentration in her features.
Yusuke looked at me as if asking permission. I mouthed the words, ~I can't talk ~ to her slowly and shrugged my shoulders.
"Eh?" she asked again, still not understanding.
Feeling just a touch perturbed, I kneeled down and wrote it in the dirt. I sent a look of exasperation towards Hiei that I could not hold back. After she had read it, she looked at me in shock.
"You seem to be all right. By the looks of it you ran into that Kumo again," Hiei said, trying to understand the situation better, "But he did something to your voice, right?"
"Erm, yes, he did fight with Kumo. I found him in the crater, where we were all trying desperately to get to. Was that other demon with him, Kurama? Did you know her too?" Yusuke asked.
I nodded.
"Wait Hiei. I thought you went off with Kuwabara. Where is he?" Yusuke asked, frowning and turning to Hiei.
He gave a look of indifference, and replied, "How should I know? One minute he's running clumsily behind me and the next I can't sense him anywhere."
"Well, maybe he found Yukina." Botan trailed off, staring around at her surroundings.
Hiei stiffened.
"Well, maybe not. You never know, right?" Botan said, quickly trying to remedy the glum atmosphere and to save her skin. She laughed weakly.
Hiei sent her a look that said, "What makes you so sure that I don't?" and glared at her. Yusuke simply ignored the regular routine and walked back over to where I was standing. In fact I was about to sit down before I just fell.
"Do you want to rest for a while? We've all been through a lot today and none of us have gotten any sleep. We'll start going again once we all can move a bit faster, all right? If we are going to win against anyone, we have to rest up." Yusuke offered, looking over us.
In agreement I half-fell against the trunk of yet another tree and immediately closed my eyes. I could feel the wound in my front respond to my moving with a wave of pain. I heard Hiei jump into the tree and settle on a branch right above me. I felt a great deal safer in Yusuke and Hiei's presence. Fine, fine, I'll yield to my body's demands for sleep. It's quite strange that I am still exhausted even after sleeping a little bit earlier. Not a minute later did I hear Yusuke mumble something about being hungry. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
Getting up, he grinned at me, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna try and find me some fruit or something. I am starving!"
Nodding, I fell back to sleep, or as close to sleep as I could manage, being so restless. The first dream I had was about Miya. How strange, that I should have a dream about her at this time and place. I remember Miya. Just a few years ago, before I had regained my powers, and I was a normal human regularly attending school like everyone else. That girl had feelings for me that I honestly didn't have any to return. I made her happy for a short week or so and then detached her from me as gentle as I could. She was hurt nonetheless. I liked her as a friend and nothing more. I dreamed of her running through Makai, towards me, running from someone. I strained to see whom, but I couldn't.
I awoke to a pair of hazel eyes staring at me, no more than a foot away. After she confirmed her thoughts of I being who I was, she fell to her knees, hugging me tightly. Shock impacted me hard as I realized by her face and scent, that this was Miya. Miya.How did you get here? I could feel Hiei's suspicious eyes on me, and he was confused. Hell I was confused too. I couldn't believe she was here, right now, hugging me. Not knowing what else to do, I returned the embrace. Miya wouldn't let go; she was trembling so hard, it tapped loudly at my attention. Another thing also got my attention. Her aura; it felt different than the regular human's. I silently asked her, ~Can you help me? ~
She unwillingly pulled back and nodded her head at me. Tears were welling up in her eyes. What had happened to her? Miya looked up at where Hiei was silently watching and stood up. Botan too was frozen with bewilderment as she stared. A type of healing aura, very similar to Yukina's, began to strongly envelop her right hand. Stretching out her fingers she moved them back and forth across my face, over my lips. Then it snapped. I doubled over and began to cough. I couldn't stop. There was something stuck in my throat. It was painfully clawing the inside, and my breathing tightened up as I realized I couldn't breath. Once more I coughed with excruciating pain. With a final lurch, I spit out a small green demon. Panting heavily, I hardly noticed the presence of Hiei's hand tightly gripping my shoulder. I stared in horror. How had that gotten inside of me? I wiped away the blood that I felt on my mouth. I coughed that hard?
The demon twitched, but it did nothing more because Hiei's sword had sliced it. I just sat there, clutching my throat. Miya hugged me again, sobbing.
"It's okay, Shuichi. You can talk now. Shuichi?!" she cried out from what sounded far away.
Somewhere I discovered that I had blacked out again. It did not last long, though. I regained consciousness with a start. I groaned and heard myself. I gasped as Miya's words came back to me. I looked at Botan and at Yusuke. He's back.
"Miya." I said, the first word I had uttered in nearly a day.
"Shuichi, how did you get here? And who are these people? I want to go back home!" she answered with a sniffle. She didn't look into my eyes.
"Miya. I'd like to know how you got here and how you got that power." I replied slowly, still not used to my voice.
I heard Botan quietly utter, "Shuichi? She's appears to be human and yet here she is, somehow in Makai, but she doesn't even know Kurama's name?"
"Kurama, you're talking! She did that? Who is this girl?! And what is she doing here?!" Yusuke said suddenly, in disbelief.
Hiei's expression asked the same questions. Miya frowned at the mention of my real name. I was hoping no one would have to know.
I took a deep breath. "Miya is an acquaintance of mine, from the Ningenkai."
"Ningenkai? What do you mean by that? Makai? Somehow I have discovered that I can exorcise parasitic demons that are hiding in a host's body. Apparently I am in a sort of demon world? I don't like it here! All I wanted was to see Kumo, and the next thing I know, I am here!" she replied, rather sheepishly at the mention of 'wanting to see' Kumo.
Kumo?!
Doom could be seen on Botan's face. Yusuke had a somewhat disgusted, flabbergasted look playing his features. Hiei's face remained devoid of expression. I could only imagine what I might have looked like at what she had just confessed.
"He--he told me that he knew where you were, Shuichi. He said he could take me to you." She said quickly, after seeing my reaction.
"Kumo came to the Ningenkai?!" Yusuke demanded, still shocked not only by her connection with him, but by the fact that he was able to cross over.
"My world, if that's what you mean, yes. What's wrong with that?" Miya answered with a suspicious stare.
"Don't joke! This is no game! He is a demon, and he's just the one we are about to kill for all he's done to us!" Yusuke exclaimed with a tinge of anger.
Surprise hit her like a brick. She sank down to her knees and stared at the ground. I didn't know what to do. It was bad enough to hurt her like I did, but now this?
Yusuke turned to me and said, "Kurama, what is her problem? Why does this seem like such a big deal to her? I don't get it! But in any case we have to get him! We have to kill that bastard Kumo and before that we still have to find Kuwabara! We can't afford to waste time here!"
Miya looked up with rage in her eyes, which startled me, "Don't touch Kumo! You're all demons! All I have to do is focus this energy on you and you'll all be forced into unconsciousness! I have experimented with this power and I know how to use it. I will not let you hurt my friend. If he was such a terrible demon he would've killed me already."
"Oh?" Yusuke said, embracing the atmosphere of confrontation, "Let's see about that. We'll see how well you can do that effectively upon someone like me."
Nothing evolved into a fight; Miya wasn't lying about that power. No matter how fast Hiei dodged, she was able to catch sight of his form and stun him. He sank down into sleep. Her eyes settled on Yusuke. I wondered if it would work since Yusuke is half demon and half human. After quite a struggle from Miya, she was finally able to do the same to Yusuke. Botan, though not truly demon or human, was also rendered unconscious. I was calm throughout this because I knew, plain and simple, that she would never do that to me. This would also protect her of ever knowing that I too was such a demon. Not even glancing in my direction, she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, and finally disappeared through the trees, into the fog. I had this unbearable feeling that she was running to Kumo, that she alone knew where he was. I was undecided. Should I wait for them to wake up.or should I follow Miya to settle this with Kumo? It very well could be a trap. My eyes darted from my friends to the forest where she had run. I could still sense her weak human aura and the power within it that she had used. By the looks of it, they should wake up in about half an hour.that power would work extremely well on Hiei, but maybe Yusuke and Botan will arouse sooner, since they aren't of full youkai blood.
However unwise it might be, I can't lose Kumo, when I have access to his whereabouts. And Miya; I can't let her die here because of me. With that final decision made, I stood up and confirmed where she had gone. But before I left, I implanted seeds around the perimeter of the clearing that my comrades were now sleeping in. If any other being approached besides me, these seeds would spring out and form a shield that was harder than steel. If they attempted to break this shield, then the plants would consume the demon whole. That done, I sprinted off in the direction she had gone. As I ran, I noticed that my wounds were barely wounds anymore. As I felt my stomach, there was no gash of any sort. All I felt was a little sore in that spot. It was the same with my back, and even the lacerations on my cheek. I couldn't feel them. Miya had the power to do this, also? I wonder if she knew that she had been healing me, or maybe I'm the one who didn't know, hadn't even thanked her. I will find Kumo and Ryo, and I won't let them escape again. I will not rest until I find out why they are doing this. Is "this" even what I think it is? Kumo will tell me, because I will be forcing him. If he's alive when I find him, that is.
****TO BE CONTINUTED. PLEASE WAIT, GOOD PEOPLE OF FANFICTION.NET!!!! =D IT WILL COMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!****
Now I really can't go back to sleep. Not knowing at all what could happen next, I could very well be startled awake by the arrival of another injured friend by means of someone or something unknown. My body immediately told me I was still too weak to start moving anywhere. After letting everything else happen, the least I can do is watch Botan. Suddenly, as soon as I thought those words, my lids closed of their own accord. Sleep, a voice said from somewhere. At once I was struggling with this force to stay awake, but my mind was losing the battle. Finally, it left me half-asleep and even more defenseless than I was before. My thoughts were dreamy and didn't make much sense to the part of me that was still awake. Ethereal pictures formed against my closed eyelids and all I could do was watch them. I saw blurred colors, fragments of the forms of my comrades, and even adversaries of the past and now. I was raging silently to fully waken. For a second my eyes did open and in that instant I saw Yusuke. I know it was Yusuke; that aura of rei ki and youki is unmistakable. My spirits lifted and fell as my eyes were forced shut again. Then a powerful drowsiness washed over me and I completely lost consciousness.
Moments dragged past, how many I was unable to be aware of. My head ached enough to amazingly stir me from that inevitable sleep. Taking a deep breath I forced my eyes open. I quickly squinted as I focused my vision; the sky had become so bright that it hurt my eyes. Yusuke was gone. An illusion, huh? I slumped further down against the tree and realized that I wasn't alone. Sleeping, Yusuke was leaning on the other side of the tree. I let out a grateful sigh. Yusuke's eyes slowly opened on me and he smiled at the fact that I was awake. Maybe he hadn't been sleeping, but it didn't matter anymore. Seeing the look on my face, his eyes reassured me that he was fine. I wanted to ask questions but I found myself unable to speak. What is wrong with me?
I turned my head to make sure Botan was still there and she was. Yusuke saw me look and he simply said, "Don't worry."
That didn't alleviate me very much, though. "Yusuke." I desperately tried to talk again, but it felt as though my vocal chords were frozen. I closed my mouth in pure frustration. I merely stared at the ground since I couldn't say anything anyway. Where are the others? Why aren't they with you, Yusuke?
How am I supposed to communicate?!
He cocked his head in confusion. "Kurama, what is it? Spit it out!" he said to me.
I can't!
His expression hardened. He got up, walked around to face me and kneeled down. Now his eyes were set on me.
"You," Yusuke trailed off in a whisper, then continued, "Kurama, are you all right? By your aura you seem strong enough to at least talk. What did that bastard Kumo do to you now?"
I simply looked at him without a proper expression to answer that.
He was getting angry, angry on my behalf, and it that didn't make me feel any better about all of this. My fault, my fault. This wasn't what it used to be like. Back when I had only myself, there was no one else to endanger. Everything involving me was my problem and no one else's. No other person had to risk their life for me. Sure, I had my thief comrades, but I didn't consider them better than any other demon. They simply existed to follow my orders, and if they didn't they'd be rid of. Survival of the fittest, that was the number one rule of Makai. Anything else, like "Don't steal from the palace or you'll be exterminated." etcetera, well, that didn't really apply to me. At least I was notorious enough to think that. I lived a life of risky, mischievous, malevolent excitement. Living as the eminent youko, my opinion of my ever existing was for the sole purpose of wreaking havoc and stirring up chaos. Like streaking a red line across a vast map, I left the unmistakable path of victory. The thrill of the chase, the theft, the kill; these were things I enjoyed.
But, I look upon all that Yusuke has done for me; he humanized me, teaching me by merely accompanying me how to appreciate my new life, to see it for what it truly was. He showed me how to be thankful, considerate, and truly happy. He may not think it anything he should be recognized for, but that's very important to me. However, there is one thing that has remained attached to my soul: the desire for revenge. Old enemies track me down for that, also, and I have my same reasons to track them down. That particular fury will never die down.
Turning back to the present, though: what is the point of disabling my vocal chords? Making it impossible for me to speak? I have to admit that is something I have failed to encounter. I feel utterly helpless, defenseless, and useless. What good am I in this shape, unable to inform my comrades on the crucial situation?
"Damn it, Kurama!" Yusuke burst out suddenly, after the deafening silence that had stretched out for what seemed like forever. "You--you really can't talk, can you?! Damn it!!!"
I opened my mouth as though I would speak like any other time, but I then remembered and just closed it. I tried to make a noise, any kind of sound. All I ended up with was straining my throat. Not one reverberation. I sent Yusuke an unrepressed look of despair.
In desperation I bent over and tried to write in the dirt with my finger everything I wanted to ask him. Finished, I fell back against the tree with a silent, tired gasp of pain. Yusuke immediately stepped back to read it and I anticipated his response.
"Hiei went with Kuwabara to find Kumo and Ryo. As for Yukina, I don't know where she is. I came looking for you when I felt that atrocious youki emanating from the crater. Back when all of us were together and had just recovered from that battle; you and Yukina just disappeared. There was no trace anywhere. None of us could sense either of you even being in the same world at us. That alarmed us so we went trying to find you. Here you are, still in the vicinity and yet you can't speak? You must have encountered Kumo. Doesn't he know when it's enough? Kurama, somehow you have got to tell me what the deal is with this guy." Yusuke explained in answer to my frantically scribbled questions.
There is no way I could write all that. I need to talk! I tried again, and failed. My frustration was building. ~Kumo!!! ~ I screamed out silently, hoping that he would hear. ~Kumo, Kumo! Kumo!! Give it back!! Why did you do this, Kumo?! Damn it Kumo! Ryo! Answer me!!~ I continued to rage in silence, forcing the unspoken words to them so hard I felt my body quivering from the strain. The next thing I felt was Yusuke shaking me by my shoulders.
"Kurama! Kurama, what's going on?!" he demanded in hopeless anguish.
I was writing a reply in the dirt but then something made me stop. I felt a vibration slowly making it's way to my mind. I let it come. ~Kurama? Did you call me? What in Makai did you call me for? You can't possibly want to speak to me after what I did to you. I-~ I cut him off with his own power. ~You know. Give me my voice back. Give it back. I am demanding it be returned. Do it now, or I will kill you~ I replied coldly. I heard his telepathic sound of surprise, but I paid it no heed.
Yusuke read the half-sentence and then frowned at me, waiting for me to finish. But I was preoccupied. Suddenly I lost control of my hands. The one that had been writing swiped the words away and began writing something else. I watched in anger as Kumo's reply was being written in the dirt by my manipulated hand. It read: "Kurama, I did not do that to you. There is no way I could have. My words are no lie, but I don't expect you to believe me. I think I may know who did that and how you can retrieve your voice. You must." My body jerked and then my hand fell limp. I stared at it mutely and clenched my fist.
"Kurama, is this Kumo's doing? It has to be! Oh, Kurama!" Yusuke fumed, his face getting even angrier, "Why?! We have to get it back! We need to find the others and kill that Kumo!"
I shook my head furiously. He stared at me, transfixed by the written words. Of course he's wondering. He wouldn't be if I could just tell him! I cursed silently. After trying desperately to restore the link with Kumo, I gave up. Gave up. Minutes passed and I grew frighteningly calm. Standing up with, amazingly, hardly any difficulty, I looked back at Yusuke, motioning for him to get up. He sprang up and came to my aid. I told him with body language that I didn't need it. He got the message. I glanced back at Botan after hearing her groan. Yusuke heard too and ran over to her. She sat up and looked around, at Yusuke and me.
"Botan, are you okay? Geez, how did you get here?" Yusuke asked her, relief in his voice.
I was silent. What else could I be? My life suddenly became a joke to me. He helped her stand up and walked her over to where I was. I would have laughed the kind of laugh that a madman would have. I must stay composed. I won't succumb to this.
"Ah, I'm fine; I'll live. Kurama! Are you okay? Yusuke, how did you get here? How did I get here? Oh!" Botan exclaimed to both of us.
Standing there looking at her was all I could do. Yusuke met my eyes. For some reason I didn't want anyone to know about this, except Yusuke and Hiei, if I ever saw him before this clears up. If that even happens. I didn't want Botan's pity. I tried my hardest to tell him that through my eyes. I could only wonder if he understood. I was startled when he nodded his head at me.
As expected, Botan gave me a funny look. "Eh, Kurama? What's the matter?" she asked the question I couldn't answer.
"He's just subdued, Botan. He has his mind set on Kumo. So just leave him alone, okay?" Yusuke quickly gave a random, reasonable explanation for me and I was very grateful.
As we started to walk I heard Botan mumble from up on her oar, "Why couldn't Kurama tell me that?" Thinking no one heard her. I couldn't help but give a grim smirk towards Yusuke. We would have been going three times as fast if I could run. I can't run very fast with wounds that my human body can't possibly heal at the rate I am used to as a youkai. There are too many of them afflicting me at the same time. I can't recall the last time my human body has taken in so much damage. Humans are fragile creatures, as any demon knows.
"I see it! I see it, Hiei's Kokuryuha!" Botan screamed in delight as she pointed to the horizon where the massive, unmistakable form of a pitch- black dragon hovered.
"Kurama, get on! We have to get over there as soon as possible!" Botan exclaimed as she lowered her oar and let me climb on.
"Hey! What about me?!" Yusuke shrieked, then grinned in compliance.
Yusuke sped up to his fastest run and Botan zoomed on her oar. I literally clung to that oar for dear life. I'd never ride one again if I could help it. Within minutes we had reached our destination. My spirits lifted a little; we had found Hiei, and hopefully Kuwabara too. As we got closer, our assumptions were confirmed when we plainly saw the small form of Hiei standing below the dragon. He snapped his head in our direction as he saw us and visibly relaxed. He called back the dragon to its place on his right arm and quickly wrapped it up. Yusuke came to a halt and Botan touched down on the ground, helping me down.
"Hey there Hiei! Are ya still in one piece?" Yusuke shouted in elated greeting.
Hiei didn't look bad off, and I didn't think he'd let himself get that way like I did. He gave Yusuke and Botan his usual looks, which would appear menacing to any stranger but in fact I know he was checking them over, physically as well as their aura. Shifting his eyes upon me I wearily returned his glance that noticeably changed when looking at me. I wonder if he could figure it out without Yusuke telling him. I absent-mindedly stared at the ground, waiting for someone to say something. I could use more rest right now, that's what my body is telling me and once again I am forcing myself to remain awake. If Hiei used his Kokuryuha then he must be exhausted as well.
Botan broke the silence, "Terrible! If only we knew where Koenma-sama was, I know he could be of some help! I couldn't feel his true presence in the Reikai and I can't feel it now. I don't like where this is going. Yusuke, we really have to tread carefully, especially with Kurama's injuries. Kurama, I think you should tell us what happened back there with Kumo. We need to know."
I winced. Why did she have to ask me? Why shouldn't she ask me! I'm the one with the important information that I can't even tell them. I turned to Yusuke with a worried face. Once more I attempted to talk but to no avail. With a sigh, I made the universal sign for not being able to speak: pointing to my throat and pulling my hand back across in the slicing motion. Botan cocked her head at me.
"Kurama? What?" Botan asked once again, eyeing me with concentration in her features.
Yusuke looked at me as if asking permission. I mouthed the words, ~I can't talk ~ to her slowly and shrugged my shoulders.
"Eh?" she asked again, still not understanding.
Feeling just a touch perturbed, I kneeled down and wrote it in the dirt. I sent a look of exasperation towards Hiei that I could not hold back. After she had read it, she looked at me in shock.
"You seem to be all right. By the looks of it you ran into that Kumo again," Hiei said, trying to understand the situation better, "But he did something to your voice, right?"
"Erm, yes, he did fight with Kumo. I found him in the crater, where we were all trying desperately to get to. Was that other demon with him, Kurama? Did you know her too?" Yusuke asked.
I nodded.
"Wait Hiei. I thought you went off with Kuwabara. Where is he?" Yusuke asked, frowning and turning to Hiei.
He gave a look of indifference, and replied, "How should I know? One minute he's running clumsily behind me and the next I can't sense him anywhere."
"Well, maybe he found Yukina." Botan trailed off, staring around at her surroundings.
Hiei stiffened.
"Well, maybe not. You never know, right?" Botan said, quickly trying to remedy the glum atmosphere and to save her skin. She laughed weakly.
Hiei sent her a look that said, "What makes you so sure that I don't?" and glared at her. Yusuke simply ignored the regular routine and walked back over to where I was standing. In fact I was about to sit down before I just fell.
"Do you want to rest for a while? We've all been through a lot today and none of us have gotten any sleep. We'll start going again once we all can move a bit faster, all right? If we are going to win against anyone, we have to rest up." Yusuke offered, looking over us.
In agreement I half-fell against the trunk of yet another tree and immediately closed my eyes. I could feel the wound in my front respond to my moving with a wave of pain. I heard Hiei jump into the tree and settle on a branch right above me. I felt a great deal safer in Yusuke and Hiei's presence. Fine, fine, I'll yield to my body's demands for sleep. It's quite strange that I am still exhausted even after sleeping a little bit earlier. Not a minute later did I hear Yusuke mumble something about being hungry. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
Getting up, he grinned at me, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna try and find me some fruit or something. I am starving!"
Nodding, I fell back to sleep, or as close to sleep as I could manage, being so restless. The first dream I had was about Miya. How strange, that I should have a dream about her at this time and place. I remember Miya. Just a few years ago, before I had regained my powers, and I was a normal human regularly attending school like everyone else. That girl had feelings for me that I honestly didn't have any to return. I made her happy for a short week or so and then detached her from me as gentle as I could. She was hurt nonetheless. I liked her as a friend and nothing more. I dreamed of her running through Makai, towards me, running from someone. I strained to see whom, but I couldn't.
I awoke to a pair of hazel eyes staring at me, no more than a foot away. After she confirmed her thoughts of I being who I was, she fell to her knees, hugging me tightly. Shock impacted me hard as I realized by her face and scent, that this was Miya. Miya.How did you get here? I could feel Hiei's suspicious eyes on me, and he was confused. Hell I was confused too. I couldn't believe she was here, right now, hugging me. Not knowing what else to do, I returned the embrace. Miya wouldn't let go; she was trembling so hard, it tapped loudly at my attention. Another thing also got my attention. Her aura; it felt different than the regular human's. I silently asked her, ~Can you help me? ~
She unwillingly pulled back and nodded her head at me. Tears were welling up in her eyes. What had happened to her? Miya looked up at where Hiei was silently watching and stood up. Botan too was frozen with bewilderment as she stared. A type of healing aura, very similar to Yukina's, began to strongly envelop her right hand. Stretching out her fingers she moved them back and forth across my face, over my lips. Then it snapped. I doubled over and began to cough. I couldn't stop. There was something stuck in my throat. It was painfully clawing the inside, and my breathing tightened up as I realized I couldn't breath. Once more I coughed with excruciating pain. With a final lurch, I spit out a small green demon. Panting heavily, I hardly noticed the presence of Hiei's hand tightly gripping my shoulder. I stared in horror. How had that gotten inside of me? I wiped away the blood that I felt on my mouth. I coughed that hard?
The demon twitched, but it did nothing more because Hiei's sword had sliced it. I just sat there, clutching my throat. Miya hugged me again, sobbing.
"It's okay, Shuichi. You can talk now. Shuichi?!" she cried out from what sounded far away.
Somewhere I discovered that I had blacked out again. It did not last long, though. I regained consciousness with a start. I groaned and heard myself. I gasped as Miya's words came back to me. I looked at Botan and at Yusuke. He's back.
"Miya." I said, the first word I had uttered in nearly a day.
"Shuichi, how did you get here? And who are these people? I want to go back home!" she answered with a sniffle. She didn't look into my eyes.
"Miya. I'd like to know how you got here and how you got that power." I replied slowly, still not used to my voice.
I heard Botan quietly utter, "Shuichi? She's appears to be human and yet here she is, somehow in Makai, but she doesn't even know Kurama's name?"
"Kurama, you're talking! She did that? Who is this girl?! And what is she doing here?!" Yusuke said suddenly, in disbelief.
Hiei's expression asked the same questions. Miya frowned at the mention of my real name. I was hoping no one would have to know.
I took a deep breath. "Miya is an acquaintance of mine, from the Ningenkai."
"Ningenkai? What do you mean by that? Makai? Somehow I have discovered that I can exorcise parasitic demons that are hiding in a host's body. Apparently I am in a sort of demon world? I don't like it here! All I wanted was to see Kumo, and the next thing I know, I am here!" she replied, rather sheepishly at the mention of 'wanting to see' Kumo.
Kumo?!
Doom could be seen on Botan's face. Yusuke had a somewhat disgusted, flabbergasted look playing his features. Hiei's face remained devoid of expression. I could only imagine what I might have looked like at what she had just confessed.
"He--he told me that he knew where you were, Shuichi. He said he could take me to you." She said quickly, after seeing my reaction.
"Kumo came to the Ningenkai?!" Yusuke demanded, still shocked not only by her connection with him, but by the fact that he was able to cross over.
"My world, if that's what you mean, yes. What's wrong with that?" Miya answered with a suspicious stare.
"Don't joke! This is no game! He is a demon, and he's just the one we are about to kill for all he's done to us!" Yusuke exclaimed with a tinge of anger.
Surprise hit her like a brick. She sank down to her knees and stared at the ground. I didn't know what to do. It was bad enough to hurt her like I did, but now this?
Yusuke turned to me and said, "Kurama, what is her problem? Why does this seem like such a big deal to her? I don't get it! But in any case we have to get him! We have to kill that bastard Kumo and before that we still have to find Kuwabara! We can't afford to waste time here!"
Miya looked up with rage in her eyes, which startled me, "Don't touch Kumo! You're all demons! All I have to do is focus this energy on you and you'll all be forced into unconsciousness! I have experimented with this power and I know how to use it. I will not let you hurt my friend. If he was such a terrible demon he would've killed me already."
"Oh?" Yusuke said, embracing the atmosphere of confrontation, "Let's see about that. We'll see how well you can do that effectively upon someone like me."
Nothing evolved into a fight; Miya wasn't lying about that power. No matter how fast Hiei dodged, she was able to catch sight of his form and stun him. He sank down into sleep. Her eyes settled on Yusuke. I wondered if it would work since Yusuke is half demon and half human. After quite a struggle from Miya, she was finally able to do the same to Yusuke. Botan, though not truly demon or human, was also rendered unconscious. I was calm throughout this because I knew, plain and simple, that she would never do that to me. This would also protect her of ever knowing that I too was such a demon. Not even glancing in my direction, she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, and finally disappeared through the trees, into the fog. I had this unbearable feeling that she was running to Kumo, that she alone knew where he was. I was undecided. Should I wait for them to wake up.or should I follow Miya to settle this with Kumo? It very well could be a trap. My eyes darted from my friends to the forest where she had run. I could still sense her weak human aura and the power within it that she had used. By the looks of it, they should wake up in about half an hour.that power would work extremely well on Hiei, but maybe Yusuke and Botan will arouse sooner, since they aren't of full youkai blood.
However unwise it might be, I can't lose Kumo, when I have access to his whereabouts. And Miya; I can't let her die here because of me. With that final decision made, I stood up and confirmed where she had gone. But before I left, I implanted seeds around the perimeter of the clearing that my comrades were now sleeping in. If any other being approached besides me, these seeds would spring out and form a shield that was harder than steel. If they attempted to break this shield, then the plants would consume the demon whole. That done, I sprinted off in the direction she had gone. As I ran, I noticed that my wounds were barely wounds anymore. As I felt my stomach, there was no gash of any sort. All I felt was a little sore in that spot. It was the same with my back, and even the lacerations on my cheek. I couldn't feel them. Miya had the power to do this, also? I wonder if she knew that she had been healing me, or maybe I'm the one who didn't know, hadn't even thanked her. I will find Kumo and Ryo, and I won't let them escape again. I will not rest until I find out why they are doing this. Is "this" even what I think it is? Kumo will tell me, because I will be forcing him. If he's alive when I find him, that is.
****TO BE CONTINUTED. PLEASE WAIT, GOOD PEOPLE OF FANFICTION.NET!!!! =D IT WILL COMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!****