"Too bad you won't be together for long." Standing in the doorframe of the Konai shrine, Karasu eyed Kurama and Hiei.

"Karasu..." Kurama glared back at the figure.

"Looking as delicate as every, my dear Kurama." As he stepped forward, Muruko and Yomi perched on his broad shoulders.

"Don't call me that..." Kurama's eyes narrowed with anger.

"Fine then, Kurama...If you do not wish to converse with me, then we might as well get on with the fight." Taking a few steps back, Karasu flexed his shoulders and the two crows flew off and out to the outside trees where they could watch anxiously.

After looking to Hiei, Kurama nodded solmnly. "Hiei...don't try to move, it will only cause the poison to spread quicker. I promise we'll get through this together."

Pulling the familiar rose from his hair, Kurama flicked it and it became the rose whip that he always used. There was a set determination present and the kind hearted Kitsune no longer had the showing of concern or mercy.

"Dear, dear Kurama. Frowning only hides your beauty, I liked you much better when you have that peacefullness to yourself, that weakness..." Karasu sneered.

"Just shut up and fight." Kurama thrust his rose whip at Karasu but before it could hit, he had moved his position.

Karasu moved with much ease and Kurama gasped as his attack did nothing but merely breeze past him. Hopping up, Karasu flipped over the Youko and placed a small bomb upon his shoulder. The action was super fast, and before Kurama could remove the explosive it had created a small bleeding hole within his shoulder.

Crying out in pain, Kurama grabbed his shoulder and squinted his eyes as prespiration ran down his face.

"Heh, the fight has barely begun and already you are losing. You underestimated me, Kurama. You could have spent a lifetime with me, but instead you chose to die. Die with that Youkai of yours."

"Shut up..." Reaching behind his ear, Kurama pulled a small blue seed from his hair. Holding it within his clenched fist, he focused some of his spirit power on it causing it to sprout.

Hiei tried to watch the fight but the poison was circulating its way through his body and his vision shortly fogged and he began to expirence small convulsions. The Youkai tried to clench his teeth and bare it but the more he fought the more it he sank deeper.

"Let me heal your pain, Kurama... You don't need this you deserve better..." Karasu stepped forward towards Kurama, his hand outstretched.

"Sorry, but I think not!" Speeding towards Karasu, Kurama clutched the seedling tight. When he reached what he believed was close enough, he shot his palm out towards Karasu's chest and attempted to plant the seed within the Demon's chest.

"What...?!" Eyes narrowing, Karasu moved to the side though he was not fast enough. The seed shot into his left shoulder and vines immediately shot out. Wrapping themselves around his arm, they began to suck the energy from Karasu. Blood dripped down his arm and Karasu glared at the plant with great disappointment.

"I expected more from a Demon of your stature, Kurama. But then, I guess I can't expect much with you in that human form." Gritting his teeth, Karasu ripped the seed from his shoulder. The plant although, did not wish to let go and in the process of its removal ripped out several chunks of Karasu's arm.

Breathing heavily, Kurama held tight to his rose whip as he watched the amount of blood collecting on the floor. His a rosey red, and Karasu's a deeper purple-red.

Forming another explosive, Karasu tossed it within his hand. "I'm going to kill you now, Kurama. Then you and your friend will truly be together... In the flames of eternal sleep!"

Sweeping his hand in the air, the explosive grew bigger and Karasu threw it at Kurama. The Youko was unable to dodge it, as he was trying to gain his breath back and it hit. Dead on.

The bomb exploded and the shrine was clouded in smoke.

Karasu smirked as he knew he had won the battle and finally killed Kurama.

Hiei inhaled sharply and tried to find Kurama's figure because he could no longer sense his spirit energy and that really scared him. Either Kurama had used all his spirit energy up and he had none left, or...he was dead.

The smoke cleared and Kurama's form could be seen spralled out upon the ground.

"Hn." Karasu grinned devilishly behind his mask as he walked towards Kurama's form. Roughly, he kicked him and got no response which only increased his excitement.

Turning towards Hiei, Karasu sneered. "Your friends dead. Now, it's your turn to join him..."

From his spot upon the floor, Kurama reached behind his ear for the final time and grabbed the bamboo leaves. Having no spirit power left, he stuck the leaves within his shoulder wound and the plant grew from within his own arm. The pain was beyond being unberable, and the bamboo shot from Kurama's arm dripping with his own blood.

Just as Karasu was about to attack Hiei, Kurama sprang to his feet and slammed the bamboo protruding from his arm into Karasu's back and straight through his heart.

"...You...Why you..!!!" Karasu coughed blood up and with his last energy sent a explosion quite near Kurama's heart. Karasu fell to the ground dead, and Kurama's hands flew to the scorch marks upon his chest.

Quivering, Kurama fell to the ground and cringed into a ball. The small bomb made its way through and stopped dead within the middle of his chest.

Reaching out to his friend, Hiei stretched his arm and squinted against his blurring vision to try and save him. "Ku...rama..." The Youkai began to drag himself to Kurama's side swallowing his pain just to be by his best friend's side.

Blinking slowly, Kurama saw Hiei's outline and felt his hand lie itself upon his own. He smiled.

"Hi...ei..." After Kurama had said his friends name, his eyes closed and his chest stopped heaving and remained still.

Looking over at Kurama, Hiei's eyes quivered and filled with moisture. "Kurama...? Kur...ama...?" The Youkai lightly touched Kurama's shoulder but he did not move or answer. He only laid still, his eyelids closed.

"No... No...! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Hiei clutched Kurama's arm and cried to the shrine's ceiling. "Why Kurama?! Why not me?!" The tears fell down his face freely and he too collapsed next to Kurama. Their hands held together by their bond of friendship...

The two Demons lay in a sea of blood. The blood of pain. The blood of suffering. The blood of evil. The blood of friendship... Both had died, to save one another... Their love was stronger than their will to live and now both...were dead.


Sometime in the early morning, Yukina had woken up. The words Konai Shrine had been screeched in her ear and she tapped lightly on the door frame. "Hello?" Taking a step inside, she saw the three bodies and the whole floor covered in blood. Two crows sat atop the body of a tall, black-haired figure pecking at his body. Then...she saw them.

"KURAMA?!!! BIG BROTHER?!!!"