Athena Zandrite
Notes notes: Red: Worry about Yuusuke more! LOL At least I wrote him into this chapter for you ^.~ Caramel: X_x I don't know where the Aya x Botan hints are. I've tried to make it obvious that Botan is terrified of Aya, and Aya himself has seriously considered spilling her internal organs more than once. X_x I wouldn't think that was an Aya x Botan hint. But you know I suppose it depends on what you think of as sexual tension. X_x I also don't like making stories where everyone falls in love with the female lead. That get's old fast. X_x So I hope I'm not being bad... Sapphire-chan: I actually blushed when I read your review. Thank you for the wonderful compliments my ego doubled in size ^.~ I'm working hard to finsish the fic so be patient with me :D And yes guys, I lied. It's been less than a week and I'm already updating. Well be happy right? I mean, it's getting interesting! Thanks for all your reviews, keep it up and I'll keep posting! YAY!
And yes I don't own any of this but you all know that so I won't go into detail. :D
Yuusuke wakes groggily, to complete darkness. His head pounds as though someone is beating on it with large mallets. He blinks a few times getting used to the darkness. Soon he notices a small sliver of light coming from a place on a nearby wall, he focuses his sight on that sliver and squints, trying to flex the muscles of his hand. His whole body feels like it is filled with cement and he impatiently tries to lift his hand to his aching head but it flops next to him unsuccessfully. Waves of exhaustion wash over him and he nearly passes out again, but he fights it and manages to turn his head and observe a lump on the floor next to him.
His eyes slowly take in the object trying to put together the shapes and textures as he glares at it. Finally he comes to the conclusion that the lump next to him is hair. Yes that's it, hair, it must be a hairball. He grits his teeth as this simple logic, however illogical, manages to send shooting pains through his head. The hairball stirs next to him groaning but not moving. Blasted noisy hairball. Yuusuke flops his foot out trying to kick it, yet again unsuccessful and causing another wave of exhaustion to make him black out for a moment.
The next time he comes to, something is above him, hissing in an altogether unpleasant voice, glowing slightly. He can't comprehend the blue light moving between his body and the hissing thing but he feels himself weaken again and then blackness swallows him again.
Time passes though he doesn't know how long nor does he currently care, he wakes up twice more, the second time a little recovered. Enough to flop onto his side and push the hairball next to him to get a better look. This time he recognizes it. Not a hairball, but Omi. A dried trickle of blood caked to the side of his face, blood matted in his hair. Yuusuke tries to speak but can only manage a croak. He hasn't the energy to shake Omi awake, not that the other would wake anyway. His body is still warm giving Yuusuke hope that at least he isn't dead. He taps his cheek with all the energy he can muster. Omi musses his face into a look of pain but doesn't wake up. Yuusuke gives up, his energy exhausted for the time being. He relaxes his muscles and welcomes sleep.
"You're sure it was here?" Ken asks Botan curiously, looking at the depressed house warily. "It seems so … cliché."
Aya glares at him as though daring him to question his memory again, then he glares at the fence which obstinately refuses to wither under his glower.
"Ahh.. it's the one all right. Look, the detector watch is going crazy." Botan shows it to Ken who watches it spin between Kurama and the house. "I guess she's inside." Botan shrugs and hands the watch to Ken who takes it and puts it on his wrist. Botan frowns at her kimono and presses on an adamant wrinkle in irritation.
Youji shoves his hands in his pockets and shakes his head. "So we're just watching for now right? Should we be out in the open like this?"
Kurama shakes his head and points to a thicket of bushes across the street. "Let's go there, we'll be less noticeable."
Ken and Youji head toward the bushes followed by Kurama, Botan tugs on Aya's jacket and flinches as he nearly hits her. "Oh don't get so testy, just come with us." She says glaring back at him, following him to the bushes. "KoEnma had one of his messengers watching this house but they couldn't be here very often so he never saw anyone come or go. I would think she'd have to come and go occasionally. Right?" Botan settles behind the bush next to Kurama and frowns.
"Well it's better than doing nothing I suppose." Ken says thoughtfully. He glances at the house which has no movement at all.
"I don't know what it needs to do, unfortunately." Kurama says picking a dead leaf off Botan's shoulder and flicking it away then pulling out a little notepad to write down the time.
"So we just sit here." Youji concludes.
There are nods from everyone else and the waiting begins.
Ken leans back and rubs his knee glancing around and sighing. "This waiting is killing me."
Youji looks as though he agrees though he doesn't say anything, they share a look of boredom before blinking in surprise at Kurama and Botan stiffening and looking at the building nervously. Ken crawls forward again, next to Aya and frowns at the house, nothing moves and he squints to be sure he's not missing anything.
Botan clutches a branch of the bush tightly, knuckles whitening as she lets out a hissed breath. "Where...?"
Kurama's green eyes shift watchfully and he tries to pinpoint something that Ken obviously can't see or hear. His eyes move not only over the house, but the surrounding area. He remains quiet but rises slightly on his feet, as though preparing.
"What's going on?" Ken asks Botan quietly, feeling extremely nervous watching the two become so edgy.
Botan shakes her head and puts a finger to her lips. "shhh.." it comes out as more of a breath than a word, she draws her eyes to the building and makes a motion with her hands before turning back to the house.
For a moment everything in the area is still, then suddenly both Botan and Kurama spin and stand coming face to face with Omi or what looks like Omi.
"Shit!" Youji exclaims nearly falling over and wondering how Omi had gotten there without him noticing. He stands with Aya and Ken as Botan and Kurama are suddenly armed, one with a baseball bat and the other with ... a rose.
Omi smiles, mouth widening sickeningly and white teeth flashing, k-9's sharper than normal humans. "A welcoming party, how kind of you to stop by." His eyes are almost yellow with tints of red, and they look predatory. "I certainly appreciate all the food your friend has given me, I feel almost as good as new. Quite filling."
Ken covers his ears trying to get rid of that gravelly voice coming out of their youngest members mouth. Like death speaking through Omi's mouth, looking through his eyes. He grits his teeth and backs away instinctively.
Aya's violet eyes flash and his sword is out, he doesn't know what he's doing but he's ready to go in full throttle and kill this thing, whatever it was.
Omi tsks at him. "Ahh Aya you always were so mindless in battle." His eyes mock the redhead then move to Botan and Kurama. "He thinks he can kill me." The amused smirk rests on Botan. "Ahh but you know that's not going to happen. And I'm not as weak as I was last time." the eyes move to Kurama. "You may have been able to kill me then. But not now." He tilts his head back and laughs the sound scaring away what few birds there were left in the trees. His hand slowly moves forward, first brushing the petals of Kurama's rose, then moving down the thorned stem to his hand. He steps forward, fingers touching Kurama's cheek. "You are a pretty one. And such an essence. Perhaps I'll take you when I'm done with your friend."
Kurama jumps back and slashes his whip out of the rose at the creature in Omi's form. "Don't touch me." He grips the rose whip tightly, taking minor pleasure in the fact that he's at least injured the creature's hand.
Omi looks at his hand thoughtfully, as blood drips down from the thorn wounds. He quietly raises it to his mouth and licks some of the blood away as the wounds close themselves shrinking back down to perfect skin. "Now now, no need to resort to violence." he laughs again and glances at Botan's bat. "It won't save you anyway."
"Give us our friend back." Youji says from the side, feeling like he needs to say something, anything.
Omi keeps his eyes on Botan's bat as he responds, stepping toward the girl as the bat wavers in her hands. "I won't. He's mine now. Cute little thing, so fragile." Suddenly ki surrounds him and pushes the others back. It's like they were hit by a hurricane wind. Youji and Aya are thrown over the bush and into the street, Ken hits a nearby tree and Kurama is pushed into the bush. Botan falls back, dropping her bat as she looks up at Omi fearfully.
He walks forward, eyes locked on hers, ki now visible to those who can see it, streaming around him like a cloak, he takes purposeful steps coming to a stop above her. "You're a servant of Enma, are you not?" he is not smiling anymore. He glares at her as she shrinks back against a rock. "Answer woman!" she flinches as though struck.
She tries to look defiant. "So what if I am." Her eyes search for her bat and she sees it behind him, out of reach completely.
Kurama struggles to his feet and looks around frantically for Omi, finally seeing him closing in on Botan. His eyes narrow and he clutches a fist next to his side.
"Ah yes, Enma, he always was such an ass." Omi smirks again, reaching down and lifting her by her collar, her feet dangle in the air and she kicks at him feet thudding against him though he doesn't seem to notice, her hands are clawing at his arm. "I think it's time I sent a message back to him."
Kurama's eyes widen for a moment in surprise as Omi lets her feet touch the ground but only long enough to grab her by her hair and yank her toward him, mouth opening and all his teeth lengthening as he bites down on her neck drawing a strangled scream from her before he yanks her head back by her hair and tightens his jaw. Ken and Youji watch in shock as a gurgled sound comes from her throat and a trickle of blood runs down her chin, pooling on his shoulder. Kurama rushes forward blindly but Aya passes him pulling something out of his pocket and raising it in front of him.
She is suddenly in a crumpled pile on the ground and Omi has jumped back far out of their reach, blood dripping from his mouth, and eyes darkening to a full fledged red. "You can't win with that. I'll see you again, and next time none of you will survive." He disappears too quickly for Aya to see where he's gone
Kurama is kneeling next to her, tearing the sleeve off his shirt and wrapping it around her throat trying to stop the bleeding. Youji stands in the street and looks around waiting for another attack. Ken rubs his neck and tries to stand up but falls back against the tree.
Botan's eyes focus and unfocus as she tries to get her bearings, hand suddenly clutching for Kurama's as the pain shoots through her body. Kurama flinches looking at the wound which refuses to stop bleeding. Her whole neck is raw, a large chunk of flesh ripped from it tendons and blood vessels exposed. "Shhh, don't move. I know it hurts, please stay still Botan-chan." She feels tears prick at her eyes but holds onto them gritting her teeth and trying to ignore the pain shooting from her neck she sits still as Kurama reaches into his hair pulling out some seeds and he begins applying herbs to her neck.
Youji moves forward quietly. "Dang... that doesn't look good."
"Get some water." Kurama says quietly. He turns to Aya. "He's gone, can you grind this for me?" he hands Aya some leaves and then goes back to putting an ointment onto Botan's wound.
Soon Youji comes back with water and Kurama puts the ground leaves into it making Botan drink it. She smiles at him weakly before passing out.
"Let's get her to Genkai." Kurama stands, lifting her now limp body in his arms and turning toward the city hills. "We don't have much time."
"Who's Genkai?" Ken asks having finally mustered the strength to stand after being thrown so hard against the tree.
"Someone who can help Botan." Kurama says as he walks forward, the others trailing behind.
((ooh action! YAY! Another section up, I hope you all like it!))