AAAH!!! You guys are so great! I decided I'm way too lazy to continually respond to you though, just let it be known that I smile a LOT when I read your reviews, and it makes me happy to be alive. I punched this one out, not really knowing where I was going. I hope it makes sense. You guys are gonna hate me, again.
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Chapter 8: Pledges of Life and Death
Arami swirled around, narrowly escaping Kurama's deadly Rose Whip. Not expecting his hit to miss, Kurama stumbled forward, off-guard for one moment. One moment was all Arami needed. He jumped at Kurama's back, and sunk his teeth into the poor kitsune's shoulder. Kurama screamed with pain. Kuwabara and Yusuke looked back at Kurama, as they heard him scream. Their mouths fell open, ad Kurama fell to the ground.
"How do you kill a monster that even demon's can't catch?" Yusuke's mind screamed.
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*WAAAAA!!!!!!* Koenma wailed, as Kurama fell to the ground. *And here I thought Kurama would save the day! Botan! Go help! Get Yukina in there with them, take anyone, anything! Just help!* Botan looked at Koenma.
*Koenma, sir, Kurama may be down, but he's not out. Look, he is moving.* Botan pointed at Koenma's screen. It was true, the strong, pissed kitsune was gathering his spirit energy. Kurama had an attack in mind.
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Kurama stood up. His spirit energy flowed from his body, creating a haze around his form. He gathered his energy, looked at Arami, and pushed his energy into the ground. Arami gave his one puzzled look, before being pierced straight through the body, with tall wooden spokes. A forest erupted out of the ground around Kurama, through the ceiling and into the first floor of the school. The forest bloomed, enveloping Kurama and the others in autumn colors, and the leaves began to fall. They swirled around the youko's head, falling to the ground as gracefully as they had grown.
Team Urameshi had finally won.
Kurama pulled his body into standing position, and limped through the forest towards Hiei. Kuwabara was still pushing all his energy into Hiei, who was still unresponsive.
*We need to leave this place, I do not wish to explain a forest in the basement of your school, Yusuke. Whoever has any strength left, get Hiei. I do not wish to leave him here.* croaked Kurama, before he kneeled next to the three.
After a few minutes of heavy panting, the boys finally gathered enough strength to stand. Blood and sweat coated their outfits, as they made their way towards the stairs. After many failed attempts, the group was finally able to get themselves and Hiei up the stairs, to the first level. They could see the spike forest coming up through the floor, breaching the floors by two feet. They carefully crept around the spokes, trying not to put too much weight anywhere, or the floor might collapse. When they finally reached the door to go outside, it was dark out and not a soul was seen.
*Take him to my house.* Kurama stated. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at Kurama.
*Are you sure? I was thinking we could put him in the forest, there's not a lot we can do for him, Kurama. Hiei is dead.*
*You know that's a lie. He's not dead, yet. I can still feel his ki, no matter how weak it may be. Hiei is and always was a fighter. I refuse to accept that he is going to die. If I have to stay up all night with him, I will bring him back.* Yusuke looked at Kurama.
*Alright. But we're coming with you, too.* Kuwabara looked like he was about to say something, in protest, but decided against it. He knew this was important to his group, and no matter how much he made fun of Hiei, he knew the shrimp was his friend. The three made their way towards Kurama's house.
Kurama worried.
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*Shuuichi! Where did you go? Why did you leave me? What was the note about? What do you mean you can't live with me anymore!? You scared the hell out of me!! Don't you even love me a bit? Why are you covered in blood! Oh! Your friend! Shuuichi, what happened!?!?* Shiori exclaimed as soon as Team Urameshi reached Kurama's house. Kuwabara and Yusuke were confused. "When did Kurama leave?" they wondered.
*Mother, this is very important. I need you to stay out of our way for the night. I can tell you everything in the morning, but just not tonight. This is very important, please.* Kurama pleaded with his mother. She looked surprised. Her Shuuichi had never made such an odd request, nor had he come home wounded beyond her wildest imagination. She was upset, that her son would talk to her that way. But she knew it was important. She knew she would honor his request, but in the morning, they would have words.
She nodded and went to the kitchen. *I'll put on some tea. Come down whenever you want it.*
Kurama nodded at her back, then led the group upstairs. Once there, he began to strip Hiei of the rest of his clothes. Kuwabara looked embarrassed, that Kurama was making Hiei naked, but he understood, kind of. Kurama understood that the boys were a little embarrassed, and if his idea worked, Hiei would kill him if he were naked, so he left Hiei's underwear on.
Kurama knew what he was doing. In order to transfer his spirit energy, the best, he had to come in contact with Hiei's skin. He looked at Yusuke and Kuwabara. *I hope that this will be like a defibrillator. We are going to transfer a lot of energy into his small form, in a small amount of time. Hopefully, it will shock his system into responding and accepting all the energy we are trying to give him. The only way we can do this is to come in contact with as much of his body as possible. Now, I understand this is going to be weird, but I'm going to transfer my energy through his mouth, like CPR almost, and my hands on his chest. I need you two to get his arms and abdomen and his legs. Try to cover his body as much as possible. When you see me kiss Hiei, begin to transfer the energy.* Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded. *and don't stop until I stop kissing him. I don't want any of us over drained.* Nods.
Kurama leaned over Hiei's form, with his mouth inches away from Hiei's. He placed his hands on his chest, as Yusuke and Kuwabara each took another portion of Hiei's body. Kurama placed his mouth on Hiei's, and let his Spirit Energy loose. He was blinded by the pain of it. Kurama didn't expect it to hurt this much, it was because he was so wounded. "Please work, please work, please work." Kurama thought as he literally poured his soul into Hiei. He could feel that Yusuke and Kuwabara were struggling, too. But they couldn't stop. They couldn't give up. Everyone had always given up on Hiei, and Kurama was determined to break that cycle. He would bring Hiei back, no matter what the cost. The pain was steadily growing. Kurama involuntarily broke his connection, as his body shut down. He had given too much Spirit Energy. If this try didn't work, Kurama doubted he could do it again. It was a one-time chance. He blurrily saw Yusuke and Kuwabara fall backwards, out of exhaustion. Kurama forced his way through his blind pain, to feel Hiei's ki. If the youkai had gained any more strength, the body would start automatically recovering itself. It would accept their Spirit Energy at much smaller quantities, and slower, so they didn't all pass out. If this try worked, Hiei would probably live. Hiei could now feel Hiei's ki.
They had failed. They didn't jumpstart Hiei, he wasn't getting better, he was getting worse. Kurama could now clearly feel the ki draining out of Hiei's body.
Kurama gave a shout, and threw off his shirt. As he climbed on Hiei, he ordered Yusuke and Kuwabara to place their hands on his shoulders. Kurama had to try again, he would give his life energy. He would give everything, to make this small fire demon live. It wasn't fair for him to die, it just wasn't fair.
Kurama yelled to Kuwabara and Yusuke to give him all the Spirit Energy they could muster, as he placed his hands over Hiei's, his arms over Hiei's, his abdomen and chest over Hiei's, and his mouth over Hiei's. He let loose all of his energy, as he felt a very small amount being transferred back into him. He set up a direct line from what Yusuke and Kuwabara was giving him, so it would pretty much just go into Hiei. He drained himself, and he could feel a wave of dizziness approaching. He was going to pass out, but not until he had given every speck of energy he could muster into Hiei. Blackness was overpowering his eyes, and he no longer knew where he was or what he was doing. He could feel hid body shifting forms, into that of Youko Kurama, but he did not stop it. He knew it would just give him one last jolt of energy before dying. His body was dying. "It will be worth it if he lives, it will be worth it. Please please please…" Kurama panicked. He didn't want to die, but what was life without Hiei?
Kurama slumped over Hiei's body, and Kuwabara looked at Yusuke.
*They're both out. What do we do? Are they dead?* Yusuke asked Kuwabara. *If they both die, I'm gonna be really pissed!* He warned no one. Kuwabara merely shrugged.
*Put them in bed?* he asked Yusuke. Yusuke nodded. It was all they could do. They put the kitsune in bed next to the fire demon, and went downstairs for some of the tea Shiori had promised them. Shiori looked worried when her son did not come down with them, but said nothing. She served the boys tea, and went back to staring out the window. When the boys finished their tea, they thanked Shiori, and went back upstairs. They looked for blankets and, on finding them, set up small beds on the floor, and fell asleep. What else could they do? Now all they could do is wait, and see which one survived, if any of them did.
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Morning came, as it does every day, and Kuwabara rose with Yusuke. They decided to go to school, so they went downstairs and explained to Shiori that Kurama and Hiei were asleep. They asked her to realize they may not wake up before the two got back from school, but for her not to worry, that they were just 'super-tired.' Shiori nodded, resignedly, and finished getting ready for work. Once she was ready, she left the house, with a note to Shuuichi telling him to eat, if he woke.
Day turned into afternoon, and Yusuke returned with Kuwabara, Yukina, and Keiko at his side. They upstairs, to see if Yukina could help in any way. Then, Yusuke Kuwabara and Yukina each took turns pouring their Spirit Energy into the boys. They didn't seem to be responding.
Yukina and Keiko left, for dinner, but Kuwabara and Yusuke stayed on. Shiori had checked in, to see what was going on, but the boys had rudely shooed her away. Angrily, she left them alone.
Around midnight, Yusuke heard a stirring in Kurama's bed. He looked at the two figures, to see who was up. Yusuke smiled happily, as the stirring continued and he finally saw who was up.
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I was warned that if I save Hiei, it will be a cop out. But what if I save Hiei and kill Kurama? I hate having to kill any of them, though. I don't like when they die in fanfics. I don't know what to do. Who's alive? Who do you want to be alive? It's up to you, because I have no idea. I could take it either way. I could also, in theory, save them both. I know I hate it when they die. That may be the way I go…. I don't know yet. Don't hate me. If I cop out on my first fanfic, it's forgivable, right? I like happy endings!!! Well, respond. Let me know how you feel and what you think I should do. Thanks!!!! ::smiles::