Disclaimer: Darth Vader: Luke, you do not own Yu Yu Hakusho . . .
Me: Well HE may not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do!
Darth Vader: Amethyst Tiger, you do not own Yu Yu Hakusho . . .
Me: ^_^ eheh . . . um . . . (Shoves Darth Vader in a random closet) Okay, I may not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I write about it a lot, and that counts for something, right? Oh yeah . . . I also don't own Star Wars, but I thought Darth Vader should make an appearance in one of these things. I mean, why not? Right? Right! Onward!
Author's Note: So, here is Chapter 11. It's not very long, but I felt like posting, don't ask me why. So here you go my friends, thanks for reading and enjoy!
P.S. Keep those reviews coming! ^_~
Chapter: 11
"You're quite certain that she is in this direction?" Questioned Tain.
Kurama nodded positively. "Her scent is leading me this way." He replied.
Tain sighed, and fell back with his two friends. Hiei, he noticed was walking along side Kurama. They'd all been walking along this corridor for hours, and he was beginning to get restless. Not that he didn't care about Keiko, and her well being, it was just that he was . . . bored. It was in his blood to be a little wild from time to time. He just couldn't help it.
"Light." Came a soft voice. It was Kurama. The fox had stopped in his tracks, and was starring at a few streams of bluish light peeking around a corner.
"I don't sense any danger, Kurama." Said Hiei, but never the less, placed his hand on the hilt of his beloved weapon.
That's when they all heard it, a muffled, choking sound, like crying. They stepped around the corner and were greeted first with the sight of the disassembled well, followed then by Keiko, crumpled up against the stone wall, hand covering her mouth, cheeks stained with tears.
Kurama and Hiei wasted no time in running to their friend's aid. They were followed by the other three demons. Kurama knelt down next to Keiko, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him through glassy eyes brimmed with glimmering tears that had not yet fallen.
"Keiko, what's . . ." But he let his sentence trail off as she pointed a shaky finger towards the well. He glanced at it, and nodded towards it, telling Hiei to go check it out.
The fire youkai nodded and walked over to it. He noticed the stones stacked up neatly on the ground. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Keiko's doing, as very few males would take the time to STACK the stones. An amused smile tugged at his lips, but disappeared as his eyes took in the gruesome sight that they found within the wells confounds. A thick metal bar was lodged into either side of the stone, and from there hung a thick rope stained dark brown with blood. Hanging from the rope were bodies . . . terribly mutilated bodies. Limbs hung by shredded muscles, and eyes dangled from their sockets. Many of them had huge, gaping holes where their faces should have been, and were missing vital organs, which was fairly easy to see because of the not so discreet lack of entire torsos. Flesh, moist from the water below and cool climate, peeled off of yellowish bones like old, thin paint, the blood, having drained out of them long ago, left the skin a strange off white color.
"Ah, that's . . . disgusting!"
Hiei tore himself away from the sight and cast his eyes over at Tain, who had just taken a glimpse, and now had his back turned to it. He saw Dimitre. The icy eyed demon just starred at the mangled corpses in disgust. Kane shook his head gently from side to side.
"Kurama, you'd better come take a look at this." Hiei said, not looking at the youko.
Kurama hesitated, but Keiko gave him the 'ok' to go ahead, and he did. He rose gracefully and walked over to the well. Golden eyes scanned the gruesome scene, but did not lose their usual calm, emotionless expression.
"What do you make of it?" questioned the fire youkai.
"Indeed. Surely something like this wouldn't have been done for nothing." Offered Tain, still refusing to look.
Kurama squinted and bent down further, inspecting the poor excuses for bodies.
"This may look like a simple job, but actually, the way these bodies were mutilated, the parts that they are missing, and the way they are strung up would actually suggest quite a precise method. This was a sort of sacrifice." Replied Kurama.
Now Kane looked closer as well, and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I believe you are correct. However, this sort of sacrifice is particularly cruel, yes?"
Kurama looked at the horned youkai, suddenly finding himself fond of him. He nodded.
"Yes. Most sacrifices involve tons of blood, but here, it would seem, there was another motive. It seems as if the blood from these bodies was purposely drained away. Very curious indeed."
"In that case, perhaps it wasn't a sacrifice." Offered Kane.
Kurama eyed him. This demon's intelligence, and unique observations matched his own. A very reliable source of information indeed.
"Care to elaborate on that?" Asked the fox slyly.
Kane nodded, a few curly locks bouncing down in front of his eyes. He brushed them away out of habit.
"A ritual of a sorts. One that does not necessarily involve sacrificing to ones self or a higher power, but a sacrifice in order to bring about a change. One that does not necessarily honor a being, but calls upon a power to altar one." He said, eyes still examining the sickly sight below them.
Kurama smiled. His thoughts exactly. This kid was sharp, despite his young age.
"You guys are acting like this is the most fascinating thing in the Makai. This isn't an autopsy you know. It's going to be dark soon, and we need to get going. Leave the dead to their peace." Cut in Tain, still refusing to look.
Kurama and Kane looked at him and then at one another, their eyes twinkling with amusement. The sprite was very childish, which reminded Kurama of the teenage ningen boys going through puberty back when he was still Suuichi. Because of the fox spirit within, he had been lucky enough not to have to travel that particular path toward adulthood. From what he saw, heard, and read of it, it was a very obnoxious time in a boy's life. The very idea sickened him. However, on a lighter note, Tain also reminded him of Yusuke, and that thought lightened his mood.
"He is right. We need to get moving." Dimitre's serious voice sliced through the air, bringing about an atmospheric seriousness. All facial expressions turned grim as Hiei turned to look at Keiko, who was standing up, but still hugging herself.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked, trying to hide any concern from his tone of voice.
Keiko nodded. "Yes, but so much for avoiding emotional trauma." She replied bitterly.
They all gave her an odd look, but she shrugged it off. "Never mind. May we please go now? This place is . . . I don't like it in here." She said, her eyes shifting from left to right as if expecting some hidden foe to jump out and attack them.
Keiko walked passed the group of five male demons, exit bound. She did not stop to wait for any of them, assuming that they would follow, and they did. In a single file line, they walked, not needing any sort of light, as she had already memorized the corridor, and her companions were perfectly able to see in the dark, if not with their eyes, then surely with their senses.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nissa. Hey Nissa!" Came a voice.
A slender girl with long brunette hair adorned with crimson red streaks, turned toward the voice. Her bright indigo eyes glinted as she faced her friend. Her features were striking, as she was quite lovely, and yet, there was sternness about her, as well as a certain amount of stubbornness for sure. This was Nissa, twin sister to Kane, and like her brother she had elfin ears, as well as two small horns protruding from her head, but well hidden by her curly hair.
"Keep your voice down! There is absolutely no need to shout. You'd think that these halls didn't echo at all, honestly." Replied Nissa, a delicate looking had being placed upon her right hip.
"Sorry." Replied the other female.
Nissa rolled her eyes, and let out a sigh.
"Yes, yes, you're ALWAYS sorry. Now what is it that you want?" She asked impatiently.
"I was curious. How is he?"
Nissa's hand dropped from her hip, and all of her previous scorn disappeared. Her eyes seemed to dull a bit, perhaps from sorrow, or even fatigue.
"There hasn't been a change. I'm not sure if he's even ALIVE anymore." She replied.
"Don't say that. Things are going to be okay again . . . they have to be . . . they will be."
Indigo eyes looked toward a pair of huge doors rather dejectedly.
"You'd better be right." Nissa replied.
Me: Well HE may not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do!
Darth Vader: Amethyst Tiger, you do not own Yu Yu Hakusho . . .
Me: ^_^ eheh . . . um . . . (Shoves Darth Vader in a random closet) Okay, I may not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I write about it a lot, and that counts for something, right? Oh yeah . . . I also don't own Star Wars, but I thought Darth Vader should make an appearance in one of these things. I mean, why not? Right? Right! Onward!
Author's Note: So, here is Chapter 11. It's not very long, but I felt like posting, don't ask me why. So here you go my friends, thanks for reading and enjoy!
P.S. Keep those reviews coming! ^_~
Chapter: 11
"You're quite certain that she is in this direction?" Questioned Tain.
Kurama nodded positively. "Her scent is leading me this way." He replied.
Tain sighed, and fell back with his two friends. Hiei, he noticed was walking along side Kurama. They'd all been walking along this corridor for hours, and he was beginning to get restless. Not that he didn't care about Keiko, and her well being, it was just that he was . . . bored. It was in his blood to be a little wild from time to time. He just couldn't help it.
"Light." Came a soft voice. It was Kurama. The fox had stopped in his tracks, and was starring at a few streams of bluish light peeking around a corner.
"I don't sense any danger, Kurama." Said Hiei, but never the less, placed his hand on the hilt of his beloved weapon.
That's when they all heard it, a muffled, choking sound, like crying. They stepped around the corner and were greeted first with the sight of the disassembled well, followed then by Keiko, crumpled up against the stone wall, hand covering her mouth, cheeks stained with tears.
Kurama and Hiei wasted no time in running to their friend's aid. They were followed by the other three demons. Kurama knelt down next to Keiko, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him through glassy eyes brimmed with glimmering tears that had not yet fallen.
"Keiko, what's . . ." But he let his sentence trail off as she pointed a shaky finger towards the well. He glanced at it, and nodded towards it, telling Hiei to go check it out.
The fire youkai nodded and walked over to it. He noticed the stones stacked up neatly on the ground. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Keiko's doing, as very few males would take the time to STACK the stones. An amused smile tugged at his lips, but disappeared as his eyes took in the gruesome sight that they found within the wells confounds. A thick metal bar was lodged into either side of the stone, and from there hung a thick rope stained dark brown with blood. Hanging from the rope were bodies . . . terribly mutilated bodies. Limbs hung by shredded muscles, and eyes dangled from their sockets. Many of them had huge, gaping holes where their faces should have been, and were missing vital organs, which was fairly easy to see because of the not so discreet lack of entire torsos. Flesh, moist from the water below and cool climate, peeled off of yellowish bones like old, thin paint, the blood, having drained out of them long ago, left the skin a strange off white color.
"Ah, that's . . . disgusting!"
Hiei tore himself away from the sight and cast his eyes over at Tain, who had just taken a glimpse, and now had his back turned to it. He saw Dimitre. The icy eyed demon just starred at the mangled corpses in disgust. Kane shook his head gently from side to side.
"Kurama, you'd better come take a look at this." Hiei said, not looking at the youko.
Kurama hesitated, but Keiko gave him the 'ok' to go ahead, and he did. He rose gracefully and walked over to the well. Golden eyes scanned the gruesome scene, but did not lose their usual calm, emotionless expression.
"What do you make of it?" questioned the fire youkai.
"Indeed. Surely something like this wouldn't have been done for nothing." Offered Tain, still refusing to look.
Kurama squinted and bent down further, inspecting the poor excuses for bodies.
"This may look like a simple job, but actually, the way these bodies were mutilated, the parts that they are missing, and the way they are strung up would actually suggest quite a precise method. This was a sort of sacrifice." Replied Kurama.
Now Kane looked closer as well, and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I believe you are correct. However, this sort of sacrifice is particularly cruel, yes?"
Kurama looked at the horned youkai, suddenly finding himself fond of him. He nodded.
"Yes. Most sacrifices involve tons of blood, but here, it would seem, there was another motive. It seems as if the blood from these bodies was purposely drained away. Very curious indeed."
"In that case, perhaps it wasn't a sacrifice." Offered Kane.
Kurama eyed him. This demon's intelligence, and unique observations matched his own. A very reliable source of information indeed.
"Care to elaborate on that?" Asked the fox slyly.
Kane nodded, a few curly locks bouncing down in front of his eyes. He brushed them away out of habit.
"A ritual of a sorts. One that does not necessarily involve sacrificing to ones self or a higher power, but a sacrifice in order to bring about a change. One that does not necessarily honor a being, but calls upon a power to altar one." He said, eyes still examining the sickly sight below them.
Kurama smiled. His thoughts exactly. This kid was sharp, despite his young age.
"You guys are acting like this is the most fascinating thing in the Makai. This isn't an autopsy you know. It's going to be dark soon, and we need to get going. Leave the dead to their peace." Cut in Tain, still refusing to look.
Kurama and Kane looked at him and then at one another, their eyes twinkling with amusement. The sprite was very childish, which reminded Kurama of the teenage ningen boys going through puberty back when he was still Suuichi. Because of the fox spirit within, he had been lucky enough not to have to travel that particular path toward adulthood. From what he saw, heard, and read of it, it was a very obnoxious time in a boy's life. The very idea sickened him. However, on a lighter note, Tain also reminded him of Yusuke, and that thought lightened his mood.
"He is right. We need to get moving." Dimitre's serious voice sliced through the air, bringing about an atmospheric seriousness. All facial expressions turned grim as Hiei turned to look at Keiko, who was standing up, but still hugging herself.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked, trying to hide any concern from his tone of voice.
Keiko nodded. "Yes, but so much for avoiding emotional trauma." She replied bitterly.
They all gave her an odd look, but she shrugged it off. "Never mind. May we please go now? This place is . . . I don't like it in here." She said, her eyes shifting from left to right as if expecting some hidden foe to jump out and attack them.
Keiko walked passed the group of five male demons, exit bound. She did not stop to wait for any of them, assuming that they would follow, and they did. In a single file line, they walked, not needing any sort of light, as she had already memorized the corridor, and her companions were perfectly able to see in the dark, if not with their eyes, then surely with their senses.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nissa. Hey Nissa!" Came a voice.
A slender girl with long brunette hair adorned with crimson red streaks, turned toward the voice. Her bright indigo eyes glinted as she faced her friend. Her features were striking, as she was quite lovely, and yet, there was sternness about her, as well as a certain amount of stubbornness for sure. This was Nissa, twin sister to Kane, and like her brother she had elfin ears, as well as two small horns protruding from her head, but well hidden by her curly hair.
"Keep your voice down! There is absolutely no need to shout. You'd think that these halls didn't echo at all, honestly." Replied Nissa, a delicate looking had being placed upon her right hip.
"Sorry." Replied the other female.
Nissa rolled her eyes, and let out a sigh.
"Yes, yes, you're ALWAYS sorry. Now what is it that you want?" She asked impatiently.
"I was curious. How is he?"
Nissa's hand dropped from her hip, and all of her previous scorn disappeared. Her eyes seemed to dull a bit, perhaps from sorrow, or even fatigue.
"There hasn't been a change. I'm not sure if he's even ALIVE anymore." She replied.
"Don't say that. Things are going to be okay again . . . they have to be . . . they will be."
Indigo eyes looked toward a pair of huge doors rather dejectedly.
"You'd better be right." Nissa replied.
