Disclaimer: Don't own them still…
Part 5Kagero went out for fresh air. A blob of red immediately caught her attention. He's still here? It's already one in the morning! He'll freeze to death! As she went closer, a voice interrupted her thoughts, "He's waiting for Tokiya. He doesn't want to leave from here."
She turned her gaze to the other pillar and was surprised to see the boys watching the sleeping guest carefully, "And why is that?"
The three shrugged. Kagero finally reached the place beside the redhead and looked at the sleeping face carefully and soundlessly. Worry was written over it, "And you? Why are you still awake?"
"We couldn't bear to leave him alone." "Really? I thought you hated him." It was more directed to the taller guys.
"Nah... It was because of his friend. I don't feel that anymore," Recca explained. Doumon nodded, "Yeah. What he said!"
Before more questions could be asked, the redhead stirred, his eyes opening, and he whispered, "Tokiya."
The four others looked to see the Hyomon Ken master approached, and instantly, Doumon and Recca acted, "Oi! Why are you so late?!"
"Yeah! Minamino was still here since after dinner. And he hasn't even eaten yet!"
Recca was about to punch the coming guy, but he paused when he saw the bruises and cuts. Not to mention the red that spread along the latter's shirt. Kagero went to assist, "Tokiya, what happened? Where were you?"
They only got a snort in reply, and their heads turned when they heard a rustle of clothes and sound of footsteps. Kurama stood up and went to meet Tokiya, "To-" But before he could even take one step, he fainted and was caught by his cousin. The bloodied guy painfully lifted the other and unaware of the others watching him, he brushed the red hair backwards and said, "Baka. I just ran into a little bit of trouble, that's all. I told you I'd come back... You didn't have to worry."
~ÀÀÀÀÀ~
"Hiei."
The fire demon turned and saw Yuusuke advancing towards him. He huffed, "What?"
"It's been a year."
"You disturbed me just to say that? " "How long has it been since your last visit to Kurama?"
"I'm not visiting him anymore. We said our goodbyes. It ends there."
"Even your friendship?!"
"Youkais don't feel loyalty and trust like ningens do. You always have to be aware of everyone, or else, you'll fall into their trap."
"Do you think that way of Kurama?"
A pause. "Yes."
"Then you didn't deserve him at all. I can't believe he is suffering right now because of an ungrateful imp like you!"
That caught Hiei's attention. "Kurama is not like that. He is a youko. Unfeeling. And even more because he is Youko Kurama. Kurama the Seducer, Kurama the Heartless."
"Have you ever accounted for his human heart?" He got a hiss for a reply. "He truly cared for you. And what does he get? A slap on his face? I can't believe you!"
"He could not have been affected by my leaving." It was I who suffered more. I am but an insignificant speck in his big world. Even if I didn't exist, his world would go on turning...
Yuusuke gave a bitter laugh and punched the wall, "You don't know anything at all. I'm sure you never heard how he nearly got kidnapped while going out in an outing with his cousin and his cousin's friends."
Hiei turned and grabbed the front of his former leader's shirt, "You're lying."
"Am I? When I called him up on his cellular phone, his cousin answered and said he was resting."
"Tokiya, let's go out!"
"You really want to?"
"Hai. I want to explore the whole island!"
During their trip, the redhead stopped once in a while, to finger any plant, weed, etc... Tokiya would just follow with his eyes carefully. Everything really went well, until, "Shuuichi, get down!" There was a hissing sound as an arrow passed by the older of the two. "Get back, Shuuichi."
Kurama quietly got out of the way and watched as a guy dressed in black attacked his cousin. Before he could start moving, however, a hand had grabbed him by the waist and on his mouth. He tried to shake them off as he felt himself being pulled away. He managed to bite the cover, and as his lips were momentarily released, he screamed, "Tokiya-kun!"
Immediately, Tokiya drew out his ice sword, thankful that a pond was nearby, and in the blink of an eye, his opponent was decapitated, and the hands that held his cousin were amputated, setting him free. Kurama immediately scrambled to his savior's arms, and Tokiya put the tip of his sword to the enemy's throat. He said, "You messed with the wrong person. Now you die." He covered the redhead's eyes and slashed the weak adversary. He carried his little cousin back to the villa, and set him down on their shared bed. Then, his cousin's cellular phone had rung. When he answered, it was Yuusuke.
"Kurama is not that weak!" Hiei steamed indignantly.
"He wasn't, until you left."
Before Hiei could protest any further, Yuusuke had gone to the meeting hall. He wasn't, until you left... That can't be right. As he moved towards the same meeting hall Yuusuke had disappeared to, he felt a menacing ki behind him. He turned and saw Yomi. "Good day, Koorime."
"Hn." It sounded weak, and dispassionate. The taller youkai wryly grinned, "So, we meet again. I'll take Kurama from you now."
Somehow, something possessive in him bubbled, but he kept his face indifferent, though it didn't matter, because Yomi couldn't see him,
"He was never mine. Youkos are free." That hurt a lot.
Yomi nodded, "Good. But you are mistaken about youkos being free, for Kurama is MINE."
"A tournament!"
Everyone in the room seemed to cheer at that. This was a meeting of the different rulers of different sectors of Makai, may it be major, or minor. Yomi, especially, loved the idea, "And the prize?"
The mediators smiled and spread their hands, "A good question! Anyone here want to propose for the prize?"
Yuusuke smiled, What the heck! "I suggest a gamble."
Everyone turned to the youngest ruler present in the room. Mukuro nodded appreciatively, "The boy learns..." Enki was as loud as thunder, "Hai! Hai! We all bet something that we'll lose if we lose. Hehehe..."
Now that, appealed to Yomi, "Yes, I agree." Those who where present also liked the idea. They all cheered. A new tournament will begin.
Suddenly, a bright-red colored youkai stood up and asked, "Will there be the traditional... ningen group?"
Silence dominated the room, and someone shouted, "To toy with, yes!"
Once more, cheers. Yomi volunteered, "I'll see to that."
A new chance, for everyone. A new hope. They should choose carefully what to give up. There should be no uncertainties, or it could prove fatal.
~ÀÀÀÀÀ~
"What is your name? I'll try to remember it."
"Kurama."
An ordinary day. A faithful meeting, a start of a bond.
"Let's steal the three Reikai treasures."
A plan. A crime. Betrayal. A stronger feeling.
"Hiei, are you all right?" "Hn."
"Kurama don't be an idiot!" "Kurama!"
"Give me more 'i scream!'" "But you already had ten scoops!"
Fighting together. Days spent. A friendship.
"Would you still be here when the leaves of my tree fall off, Hiei?"
"Hn."
"Promise me that."
"I promise."
A covenant, broken. The end of a bond...
You broke your promise, Hiei. I... I hate you!
Kurama's inner self nagged at him, *Why feeling so down? Isn't it what you used to do?*
::That was different! I cared for Hiei! I gave him everything he asked for!::
*How different was that from those you deceived?* ::I...::
*He was afraid... You gave him too much love. It practically drove him away.*
I hate you, Hiei.
~ÀÀÀÀÀ~
Tokiya watched his cousin carefully. The redhead was playing with some blades of grass at his feet, butterflies just hovering about. No wonder. He smells like a rose... He also didn't fail to notice the mark that formed around his sleeve, a bracelet, which he had given to the redhead the day he came home late. Tokiya was content being that way, when he turned as he felt Recca getting closer. The latter seemed surprised, "You know, you and that redhead are weird! You feel people coming!"
"Hn." Maybe it's a family thing... But... I trained for this skill.
"So, how is he? After the kidnapping incident, I mean." Tokiya didn't feel compelled to answer, but he did anyway, "He seems pretty oblivious to it now, as you can see. It's as if the occurrence never happened."
"He trusts you too much that you'll protect him forever." That didn't garner any reply. Silence, as the two watched the lithe form dancing about in the meadows, chasing a white butterfly. A thought popped into Recca's mind, and a really weird smile got plastered on his face, "Oi! Tokiya! Remember when you said that if I failed to protect my hime, you would kill me?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I tell you the same now." Tokiya shot Recca a look. Then he replied, "As you said before, Hanabishi, if I fail to protect him, then I will take my own life."
The flamecaster smiled, "Now that's more like it!"
They turned their gaze on the guest once more, and saw a flicker of a frown on the redhead's face. But it was quickly covered up, and the two doubted whether they imagined it or not. Recca spoke up once more, "Oi, Tokiya. I was just thinking..."
The other guy muttered, "A miracle."
"I heard that... Anyway, why don't you just teach him self-defense? That way, he won't depend that much on you. I heard a lot try to hurt him in school..."
They heard a small noise and saw 'Shuuichi' walking towards them, a purple flower in hand. He sat between the two guys and the shorter of the two smiled, "Right, Shuuichi?"
"What is?"
"A lot try to hurt you in your school."
Kurama winced at that. How could Hanabishi have known, anyway? "Ano..."
Tokiya turned his cousin's head and looked at him in the eyes, "Tell the truth..."
"Hai... Sometimes." The answer was shaky. He didn't want Tokiya barging into school and demand who tries to hurt him...
"What do you do then?"
"Most of those times, I'm with Kuwabara, so he beats them to a pulp. Other times, Itosugi is just around the area, and he does the same. And if none of those two are there, and Yuusuke finds out, he does the job..."
"Hm... Good."
Recca scratched his head. Yuusuke... Yuusuke... And then the words, 'Yuusuke! Yamero!' came into his head. He stood up and caught the two's attention, "Yuusuke, the guy who punched me?"
"Ah-" "He was so fast! How was that possible?"
Think up of an excuse, fast! Um... Training! He was saved from further explanation, when a gust of wind blew and he was starting to get lifted up into the air and was started to be carried away. Immediately, Recca summoned Nadare and began to fire at the unseen opponent. He must have hit the mark, for the redhead was dropped and Tokiya caught him. A battle began, and thankfully, the girls had gone shopping. With all the racket going on, Doumon and Kaoru finally appeared. His cousin instructed, "GO INSIDE! NOW!"
Kurama wasted no time getting in. He didn't know why he was being targeted. As he turned around a corner, a hand clamped on his mouth to prevent him from calling for help. He was about to expend his ki, when he realized that it was a familiar presence. As he turned, he saw first, the black outfit which the uninvited visitor wore. "What is it, Asa?"
The black-clad guy bowed down, "Yomi-sama sends you this. It has been long, Kurama-sama. I have searched for you, and at last, I've found you."
Before he could thank Asa, the messenger had already disappeared. Lord Yomi...
"So... Where do we steal now, Kurama?"
Youko Kurama languorously stretched his body, resembling a cat, and gave a wide smile as he half-closed his eyes, "Um... The treasury at that fathead's castle? The jewellery at the west? Or maybe the guarded gates of Reikai? Again, that is. Who knows? We can do any right now."
Yomi smiled and sat beside his companion on the bed, and drew his sword, placing it carefully under the smooth chin, on the milky white neck, "Why not stay for a while? Linger a little bit. And.. Just enjoy this moment?"
The youko hummed, as he laughed, "You lazy partner!"
Yomi removed the sword and laughed as well. "Call me, lazy, will you? When you're the one lying down there?"
A bagful of gold coins sounded as it hit the table. The winged youkai looked up at a hooded figure who handed him the treasure, "When?"
"I have set up a trap for him. Be there. Do it in any method you want. But be sure to kill Yomi."
The assassin left. Youko Kurama removed his hood and watched indifferently as the youkai left.
"Is it there?"
"Hai." Yomi keyed in his code to open the door. Kurama looks at the marble floor tensely.
"Why don't you raise your head up so you would see him? Are you nervous? I want you to see him very well."
They enter the prison cell. An old, dried up, winged creature is chained to the wall. He looks weak, pathetic, sick, and dying. He groans in pain and fear while they approach.
"These past few days, he has refused his food and rarely does he speak. I remember the time he attacked me, 1000 years ago. I remember... Yes, you were our leader before and I was your right hand. We had different views then, and I still had my sight. We were both determined to be famous around Makai. So then, we formed a group. We needed fame and fortune. And to achieve that, we decided to become thieves. It was the fastest way to gain riches, and fame at the same time. In the past, I was very cruel. I underwent all the dangers and did what I wanted to. I also became a leader, didn't I?"
The redhead did not answer. The blind youkai continued, "I didn't follow your orders, and as a result, many of my companions died."
*More flashback* Yomi fell into a pit. He looks up and finds his enemies looking down at him, laughing. The sounds of a slashing whip was heard. The laughing youkais were cut into pieces.
"Nani?" At the top of the pit stood Youko Kurama, he looked down at Yomi. *end of more flashbacks*
"You told me then that my attitude would be my death someday... You were always calm and collected. You had your own cruelty, but you planned every move before you acted. I never really expected to reach this level. Maybe you became my leader so that I could see how I could become strong and powerful. I was really careless before, and I jumped immediately into gear when I heard that there was a palace with great treasure. I rounded up my group and we headed there, believing there was a treasure. We were not ready for the danger."
*flashback* Thieves were entering the palace grounds, but it was way too silent and empty.
"How odd-" A winged creature suddenly attacked him. He blocked the creature's weapon with his sword. "Who are you, and why?"
The creature attacked again. "What do you want from me?" They fight. Suddenly, the creature leaped into the air. "What?!"
The stranger was triumphant, "You're through!" He slashed at Yomi's eyes. "Uhg! AHH!" He stumbled, he blindly struck at the creature and managed to wound him at the midsection with his sword. The creature howled in pain, "Ah! We'll see each other again!" Yomi shouted after him, "Come back!" The injured youkai took several steps and ended up rolling down the side of a rocky slope. *end of flashback*
"Life is more important than riches, he told me, as he left me crawling in pain. My sight was taken from me. I expected you to come, but you didn't. From that day on, I never saw you in a millennium."
Yomi turned to the chained prisoner, "Maybe this is the key to the mystery. Why?" Kurama remained silent.
"I searched for him for a thousand years until I finally found him. I want to hear the answer in front of you." The blind youkai then laughed. The redhead asked, "What's so funny, Yomi?"
"I find you very amusing. Even though you see a tortured monster in front of you, you can remain calm. You really are good." He kicked the prisoner, "Wake up!"
It stirred, pained, and pleaded, "Enough! Finish me already!"
"Fine. I think you've suffered long enough. Tell me who. Give me the answer."
"O-One who's very fierce...
...who has no fear and is cruel...
...with silver hair...
Ku-Kurama! It's Youko Kurama!"
Yomi was enraged and he struck at the youkai, killing him. He turns to face Kurama, breathing hard, then he calms down, "I want to tell you that I'm not angry with you. Because I know that I was careless and I sacrificed a lot of members before. If I was the leader then, I think I would have done the same thing, maybe I would have ordered my followers to finish you off."
Kurama became apprehensive, "What are you trying to say?" "I'm saying that I need your help to win and to conquer Makai. I know you won't disappoint me, Kurama."
The redhead was doubtful, "What if I say no?"
The taller youkai paused, then spoke up, "Humans get into accidents very often, don't they?" "What?" "The person you really love is riding an airplane right now, and is traveling, am I right?" The half youko took a step back.
"It's good if the plane won't crash. She's very happy with her new life now... It's a very pretty picture. I know you don't want it to change." "You-" "She took care of you in the human world. As a result, you learned to love and care from the ningens. You even wanted to give up your life for her using the Mirror of Utter Darkness.." Silence.
"Now, you need to follow what I tell you to do."
Yomi laughed again, "I really admire you, kitsune. I know that you are thinking of ways to save your mother. You're planning your next move. I don't know why you give so much concern to that person more than yourself. The tournament is near, and I need your help. It would be better for you to use all of your knowledge so we could have an edge, Kurama. I will expect you to follow my wishes. If you have any questions, ask Yoda."
"There is nothing you can do, but to follow."
"God! Finally!" Recca was referring to their opponent, who had just disappeared. Doumon collapsed on the grass and panted heavily. He had been more than a challenge for the four of them. Well, three actually, since Tokiya was too busy glancing at the house to make sure that his guest was okay. Kaoru screamed, "What kind of guy is Shuuichi anyway? Why is someone trying to kidnap him?"
Recca agreed, "I know he's really well-wanted, but this? It's ridiculous!"
As the flamecaster moved to sit down on the grass, there was a slight displacement of air that threatened to bang him down on his legs. Before that happened, however, Tokiya had shouted, "Hanabishi, stop."
The one called stopped himself from falling, and the Hyomon Ken master reached for something from where he would supposedly land on. It was a dark-colored ball, slightly opaque, with an ominous shine.