Anemone: heyhey! just trying to cook up chapter 25 for yas...while I finish, Fox and Flames are gonna keep you lovely readers entertained.
Hiei: nani?!
Kurama: er...what...?
Anemone: sing them a song or something, you two...*resumes writing*
Hiei: *casually turns to Kurama* well, we all know that you have a great singing voice, Kitsune...that, and I just don't sing for audiences.
Kurama: nani?!
Hiei: *shoves Kurama* sing, dammit!
Kurama: *sweatdrop* er...uh...
Hiei: come on, you can do it...*flops on Anemone's sofa*
Anemone: oo! I know what song would entertain ME...
Kurama: *suspicious glare* aren't you supposed to be writing...?
Anemone: *long pause* ...sing Rag Doll by Aerosmith! (note: this is a veeeeeeeery sexual type of song...lol! poor Fox...)
Kurama: *blush* nani?!
Hiei: hahahaha...
Kurama: *still blushing* must I?!
Anemone and Hiei: YES
Kurama: I reeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to...
Hiei: you know, I did manage to gather up some phone numbers, Kitsune...
Kurama: um...what?
Hiei: ...as in, I can just call all your fan club members over...
Kurama: *pales* my God you wouldn't!!
Hiei: oh, but I would...my entertainment can't be compromised.
Anemone: lol you're so evil, Flames...sing, Fox!
Kurama: *gulp, looks around awkwardly, clears throat, swears under his breath* er...Rag Doll, livin' in a movie...*groan* Hot Tramp, Daddy's little Cutie...
Hiei: *snicker*
Kurama: *blushing, annoyed* I refuse to continue!
Anemone: pa-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez?! You simply gotta keep my readers occupied while I write!
Kurama: you're not writing, Mones! You're watching me as I sing this perpostrously grotesque song!
Anemone: you can't prove that!
Hiei: *lazily raises hand* I can...*pulls out a video recorder thinger-ma-bober filming Anemone NOT writing*
Anemone: shut up!
Kurama: well no more! I find this song far too "slutty" for my taste (note: the author does like this song in reality...lol Kurama's opinion does not reflect that of Anemone)...you only wished for me to sing it because you KNEW I wouldn't like it!
Anemone: *shifty eyes* er...no...I wasn't intending on that at all...
Kurama: hmpf! I am excessively irritated with the two of you...*turns to readers* chapter 25! Enjoy, dammit!
Hiei: *fake gasp, actually kind of proud that Kurama swore* Kurama! Language! *finger point thinger* Tisk tisk...
Anemone: wait I'm not done!
Hiei: haha, OH well...
Chapter 25: The Final Moments
"Gah!" Kurama snarled sharply as the four arrows grazed his flesh. Stinging sensations burrowed deep within the four new gashes, but the fox had been clever as to where he led the weapons. He had pinned himself to a jag in the wall, high in the damp darkness of air of the cavern. In doing so, and in moving just slightly as to only suffer mere slits to the upper arms and calves, the four arrows dug deep into the stone behind him, splintering on impact. Kurama smirked slyly at his brother, releasing his grip to jagged rock and landing gracefully to the ground, on hands and one knee.
Kurama smirked hard, though exhaust was starting to get to him...he hadn't quite recovered fully after that fight with himself...it had taken some amount of concentration to focus his demon self to the back of his mind...though he had earned himself a decent amount of Spirit Energy at his outburst, he was still a little tired...not to mention it was kind of difficult to draw a decent breath without a stabbing pain in the chest when the only thing separating two wounds through your body is your very heart...yet despite that, and despite the fact that that one arrow was still lodged in his back, Kurama still possessed his delicate grace and animal-like reflexes...he could still win.
Slowly he kicked himself to a firm stand, and pricked slightly. "Oh my..." he breathed in surprise at himself, throwing his brilliant emerald gaze over his shoulder. "That arrow is still there...?" he chuckled slightly in embarrassment, the slope of his nose singeing red as his features tugged in a soft grin. "Heh...my...I must have been too focused on surpressing Yoko and getting back to the battle that I forgot all about it..."
"Indeed, little brother," Ryooki smirked faintly as his scarlet eyebrow pulled upwards at Kurama. "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice you had a weapon stabbed into your back..."
"Yes...I suppose it was far too serious a situation to focus on such petty matters..."
"Petty? Kurama, my archery is hardly, 'petty'..." Ryooki staged offense, Kurama snickering slightly in response.
"Hn," Hiei smirked at the scene...despite the obvious factor that one brother had to die, both seemed hesitant to abandon their relationship. 'If only I had such a relationship with a sibling...' Hiei side-glanced his dagger leer into the depths of the group by his side...to Yukina. The mint-haired aperition was peering intently into the battle scene, despite her wavering will to remain conscious...but, as Hiei, she somewhat possessed a sense of stubbornness. Hiei chuckled faintly to himself. 'It's too late...she's known me to be the loner Hiei for far too long...confessing to be her half-brother at this point would be foolish...' his weighed eyes set stern to the battle yet again. 'I can never hope for such a type of bond with her as Kistune has with his family.'
"Let's just get rid of this, then," Kurama smirked faintly, tucking his arm behind him and coiling his nimble fingers about the wood. With a slight tug, one that stung a wince to the faces of Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, and Yukina, the arrow was jerked free, warm redness seeping into the fibers of his once-teal shirt and a few droplets ripping loose into the air from the forceful yank. Kurama was emotionless, but his eyes stung against the darkness of the cool cavern, flashing brilliantly under the intimidating shadow his scarlet bangs caused. With one grip of his wrist, his knuckles flashing white for an instant, the arrow splintered and he allowed it to fall to the floor. Blood seeped from his calves, a gash each, a slit at his left forearm, a tear at his right shoulder, the stab to his front, the stab to his back, an earlier wound at his stomach from before his meeting with Ryooki, and the slice to his temple. Kurama seemed tattered, and in all aspects he truly was, blood streaking down the crevices of his muscled arms, and sweat burning at his brow...but despite his current luck in the battle, he honestly stood with a threatening air about him...though his expression was the same as Suichi had always worn it, pure calmness, he couldn't have seemed more frightening. "Let's finish this, Ryooki."
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%
"Pah-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez let me go?!" Botan whined cooingly to the highly irritated Grapko. She was still shakled, chains swarming the floor in heavy masses and rusted about her slender wrists. She had tried tugging at them several times to wrestle her wrists free, and had attempted to conjure up her oar as to swat Grapko a good one to the head...but neither had been successful...the tugging lead to the rust chaffing against her flesh and causing breaks in the flesh, scarlet streaking her arms in long runs. And summoning an oar was impossible...the chains blocked her ferrying abilities.
"I said no, dammit! Don't you get it?! You're a friggen HOSTAGE, DAMMIT! I'm TRYING to LURE Kurama and Hiei down here to KILL THEM, DAMMIT! Now be a good hostage and SHUT UP, DAMMIT!" Grapko seethed in pure anger, Botan blinking offended eyes.
"Well you didn't need to use so many swears in that explanation!" she scoffed haughtily. "And how do you KNOW they'll come down and rescue me, hmm?" she inquired slyly. Grapko eyed her for a good three minutes in pure silence.
"I have a crystal ball that can see into the entire mountain!" he answered sarcastically, staged hand motions and all...he then twirled on his heel to stalk again to the shadows.
"No need to get all cynical!" she gaped at his behavior. Despite her captivity she had somehow managed to maintain her very light-hearted, perky antics.
"Oh my GOD...!" Grapko snarled, thrusting his face in inch from hers, Botan instantly pricking in surprise, but refusing to let go of her stubborn expression, her lips pinched and the slope of her nose singeing red. Her raspberry leers were framed with narrow eyebrows as she stared dead straight into purely threatening gold. "You know...my mate used to annoy me like this...that is, until I taught her WHO was in charge!" Botan half-squealed as his roar breathed hard against her headstrong expression. "I suppose preference for steadfast, irritating women runs in the family!" he scoffed sharply, with each dagger pitch inching closer. Botan instinctively blinked back with each motion he forced towards her. (a/n: in case you're confused, here's a review...yes, Jiaanti was second choice to Grapko...he really wanted the ice demonness that ended up being Hiei's mother...Grapko just said 'preference' because he chose Jiaanti as second best...he still kinda sorta preferred her, I guess, in a way, over other demonnesses, though he reeeeeally wanted the ice aperition chic over Jiaanti...okay no more interruptions, I pwomise...lol)
"Kurama...Kurama doesn't have, 'feelings' for me..." Botan's though scarlet in a slight blush, forced a controlled, prim tone, huffing and casting her nose up in irritation away from the wolf.
"I don't care!" Grapko wailed in utter frustration. "Either way, he's risking his ass to come and save you! But if he truly doesn't have feelings for you, then I don't understand why he'd bother risking his life to help you! Actually, even if he DID have feelings for you I wouldn't understand why he'd attempt your rescue..."
"Hmpf!!" Botan grunted hard, her expression firm in pure stubbornness. Grapko growled low, the core of his throat vibrating slightly as his stinging golden eyes stabbing into Botan's pure candy stare. With that last gesture, the wolf snorted sharply at her, and his form melted into the darkness, Botan alone again in the black cavern.
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%
Heavy breaths escaped the young fox demon as his legs began to break under him. Exhaust swarmed and stung his emerald eyes, sweat beading at his temple. Kurama quickly and without a blink of hesitation stroked his bloodied hand into the wild locks of his crimson hair, clasping a scarlet rose in his tight, quivering grip. 'Finally! I have the time!' he thought as he gazed briefly to his weapon. Arrows continued to sting against the air for the rushing Kistune, engulfed in miniature auras of Ryooki's energy, but the supply was running short, and Kurama could at last claim his own defense.
"Rose Whip!" he wailed violently, having long past lost his all-around calm nature. This was a life-death situation, and he needed to win at all costs. With a short jerk of his hand, his fresh rose quickly melted into a long, spiked, emerald-shade whip, the scent of roses looming lazily about the fox demon, swelling his powerful, animal-like sense of smell.
"Ha!!" he bellowed as the whip lashed the air, striking Ryooki down.
Kurama had been stabbed a total of seven times, three of which could end as lethal if the fox didn't finish his brother off soon. His heart burned in pain from the wounds to it, but he stubbornly perservered against his older brother. From the sidelines Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara watched silently at their companion's ruthlessness. Kuwabara guarded little Yukina defensively, watching in utter disbelief and gaping quiet breaths. Yet his throat still stung with every other inhale from his battle with Hitorihamet.
Hiei stood firm enough beside the oaf, but listening to Kuwabara's silently strained gasps only reminded him of his own spar with Syaaka, and the brands she managed to force into his collarbone and arms.
Yusuke watched with a glare of utter frustration at Kurama's every brief wince. He had offered to fight Ryooki, but he was still defenseless with his gunning arm limp after his brawl with Kruntag. 'Grr!' Yusuke growled to himself, glaring at his numb arm slumped at his side. 'Stupid Kruntag!' Keiko sensed Yusuke's anger towards his arm, and slowly laced his fingers into his left palm, eyeing him with a reassuring expression. Yusuke gazed at her for an instant, then jerked back to watch the battle.
"Kurama!" Yusuke wailed as the fox demon was punched into the floor, falling limp against the crumbling rubble of his impact.
"Kitsune, look out!" Hiei shouted harshly to his best friend as another punch of Ryooki's gnarled fist came tumbling downward for Kurama's face. The fox's emerald eyes flashed wide with an angry glaze smearing their shade, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Kurama's whip coiled about Ryooki's broad arm, blood staining the thorns of the lime-colored weapon, and Ryooki was yanked hard into the floor below. Kurama instantly dodged Ryooki's massive body with a graced flip through the air and a soft landing on hands and one knee.
Ryooki lay limp against the massive chunks of rubble broken from his strike into the ground, and Kuwabara couldn't sense a dime's-worth of spirit energy from the creature's body.
"Yes! You did it!" Yusuke cheered happily. Kuwabara examined Ryooki's form slowly...'aw man, if the brother is this strong, imagine how powerful Grapko is!'
"Well," Kurama's calm tone escaped his tattered form in heavy sighs. "He's dead enough for us to continue." Kurama cast sad eyes for his once gentle older brother, his emerald glare faceting into one of anger at himself for slaying his own kin.
"Obviously," Hiei smirked as his acute, scarlet eyes stung into the sight of the limp Ryooki.
"Remind me, why we're still here, again..." Kuwabara breathed heavily against the gash on his chest, Kuwabara still guarding little Yukina.
"Simple," Kurama coiled his arm around his stomach, blood leaking out heavily from a fresh wound and staining deep into the fibers of his sleeve. With a calm stare at the whip held loosely in his weakened grasp, Kurama's spirit energy tamed the weapon back into the form of a gentle, harmless rose, and it was stroked back into his loose, crimson mane. "To save Botan."
"Yoko..." Ryooki's voice escaped his tattered, exhausted form. Everyone instantly pricked in fear, all but Kurama.
"Gah! I thought you said he was dead!" Kuwabara stuttered, cradling Yukina in his tight embrace, the little ice aperition hiding her fragile face in the boy's shirt.
"Yes, Ryooki?" Kurama smiled softly at his brother.
"Thank you," was the response. Ryooki cast his narrow emerald eyes to the side, where a singeing piece of technology was crackling with zaps of escaping energy...it was the device that had been plugged against Ryooki's scalp.
"Of course," Kurama grinned faintly...when he had said Ryooki was dead enough for the group to continue, he had merely meant the evil controlling him was destroyed at that the Ryooki sent to murder them was no more.
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Anemone: hey there! Kurama isn't mad at us anymore for that whole singing thinger before *yay*...was that last part of the story a little familiar...? *hint hint*
Kurama: it resembles the first chapter...
Anemone: that's cuz it IS!...well, actually, it was a little bit modified...if you look back into the first chapter, you can see some obvious changes I made so it'd make more sense...for example, you readers already have a decent knowing about Ryooki, so I could drop the parts in this segment that describe him as "the new opponent" and stuff...if you look back you can see the changes I made.
Hiei: go review.
Anemone: *gasp* you remembered to say your line on your OWN?! Great job, Flames!
Hiei: hn...
Anemone: later, readers! :-D
Hiei: nani?!
Kurama: er...what...?
Anemone: sing them a song or something, you two...*resumes writing*
Hiei: *casually turns to Kurama* well, we all know that you have a great singing voice, Kitsune...that, and I just don't sing for audiences.
Kurama: nani?!
Hiei: *shoves Kurama* sing, dammit!
Kurama: *sweatdrop* er...uh...
Hiei: come on, you can do it...*flops on Anemone's sofa*
Anemone: oo! I know what song would entertain ME...
Kurama: *suspicious glare* aren't you supposed to be writing...?
Anemone: *long pause* ...sing Rag Doll by Aerosmith! (note: this is a veeeeeeeery sexual type of song...lol! poor Fox...)
Kurama: *blush* nani?!
Hiei: hahahaha...
Kurama: *still blushing* must I?!
Anemone and Hiei: YES
Kurama: I reeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to...
Hiei: you know, I did manage to gather up some phone numbers, Kitsune...
Kurama: um...what?
Hiei: ...as in, I can just call all your fan club members over...
Kurama: *pales* my God you wouldn't!!
Hiei: oh, but I would...my entertainment can't be compromised.
Anemone: lol you're so evil, Flames...sing, Fox!
Kurama: *gulp, looks around awkwardly, clears throat, swears under his breath* er...Rag Doll, livin' in a movie...*groan* Hot Tramp, Daddy's little Cutie...
Hiei: *snicker*
Kurama: *blushing, annoyed* I refuse to continue!
Anemone: pa-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez?! You simply gotta keep my readers occupied while I write!
Kurama: you're not writing, Mones! You're watching me as I sing this perpostrously grotesque song!
Anemone: you can't prove that!
Hiei: *lazily raises hand* I can...*pulls out a video recorder thinger-ma-bober filming Anemone NOT writing*
Anemone: shut up!
Kurama: well no more! I find this song far too "slutty" for my taste (note: the author does like this song in reality...lol Kurama's opinion does not reflect that of Anemone)...you only wished for me to sing it because you KNEW I wouldn't like it!
Anemone: *shifty eyes* er...no...I wasn't intending on that at all...
Kurama: hmpf! I am excessively irritated with the two of you...*turns to readers* chapter 25! Enjoy, dammit!
Hiei: *fake gasp, actually kind of proud that Kurama swore* Kurama! Language! *finger point thinger* Tisk tisk...
Anemone: wait I'm not done!
Hiei: haha, OH well...
Chapter 25: The Final Moments
"Gah!" Kurama snarled sharply as the four arrows grazed his flesh. Stinging sensations burrowed deep within the four new gashes, but the fox had been clever as to where he led the weapons. He had pinned himself to a jag in the wall, high in the damp darkness of air of the cavern. In doing so, and in moving just slightly as to only suffer mere slits to the upper arms and calves, the four arrows dug deep into the stone behind him, splintering on impact. Kurama smirked slyly at his brother, releasing his grip to jagged rock and landing gracefully to the ground, on hands and one knee.
Kurama smirked hard, though exhaust was starting to get to him...he hadn't quite recovered fully after that fight with himself...it had taken some amount of concentration to focus his demon self to the back of his mind...though he had earned himself a decent amount of Spirit Energy at his outburst, he was still a little tired...not to mention it was kind of difficult to draw a decent breath without a stabbing pain in the chest when the only thing separating two wounds through your body is your very heart...yet despite that, and despite the fact that that one arrow was still lodged in his back, Kurama still possessed his delicate grace and animal-like reflexes...he could still win.
Slowly he kicked himself to a firm stand, and pricked slightly. "Oh my..." he breathed in surprise at himself, throwing his brilliant emerald gaze over his shoulder. "That arrow is still there...?" he chuckled slightly in embarrassment, the slope of his nose singeing red as his features tugged in a soft grin. "Heh...my...I must have been too focused on surpressing Yoko and getting back to the battle that I forgot all about it..."
"Indeed, little brother," Ryooki smirked faintly as his scarlet eyebrow pulled upwards at Kurama. "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice you had a weapon stabbed into your back..."
"Yes...I suppose it was far too serious a situation to focus on such petty matters..."
"Petty? Kurama, my archery is hardly, 'petty'..." Ryooki staged offense, Kurama snickering slightly in response.
"Hn," Hiei smirked at the scene...despite the obvious factor that one brother had to die, both seemed hesitant to abandon their relationship. 'If only I had such a relationship with a sibling...' Hiei side-glanced his dagger leer into the depths of the group by his side...to Yukina. The mint-haired aperition was peering intently into the battle scene, despite her wavering will to remain conscious...but, as Hiei, she somewhat possessed a sense of stubbornness. Hiei chuckled faintly to himself. 'It's too late...she's known me to be the loner Hiei for far too long...confessing to be her half-brother at this point would be foolish...' his weighed eyes set stern to the battle yet again. 'I can never hope for such a type of bond with her as Kistune has with his family.'
"Let's just get rid of this, then," Kurama smirked faintly, tucking his arm behind him and coiling his nimble fingers about the wood. With a slight tug, one that stung a wince to the faces of Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, and Yukina, the arrow was jerked free, warm redness seeping into the fibers of his once-teal shirt and a few droplets ripping loose into the air from the forceful yank. Kurama was emotionless, but his eyes stung against the darkness of the cool cavern, flashing brilliantly under the intimidating shadow his scarlet bangs caused. With one grip of his wrist, his knuckles flashing white for an instant, the arrow splintered and he allowed it to fall to the floor. Blood seeped from his calves, a gash each, a slit at his left forearm, a tear at his right shoulder, the stab to his front, the stab to his back, an earlier wound at his stomach from before his meeting with Ryooki, and the slice to his temple. Kurama seemed tattered, and in all aspects he truly was, blood streaking down the crevices of his muscled arms, and sweat burning at his brow...but despite his current luck in the battle, he honestly stood with a threatening air about him...though his expression was the same as Suichi had always worn it, pure calmness, he couldn't have seemed more frightening. "Let's finish this, Ryooki."
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%
"Pah-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez let me go?!" Botan whined cooingly to the highly irritated Grapko. She was still shakled, chains swarming the floor in heavy masses and rusted about her slender wrists. She had tried tugging at them several times to wrestle her wrists free, and had attempted to conjure up her oar as to swat Grapko a good one to the head...but neither had been successful...the tugging lead to the rust chaffing against her flesh and causing breaks in the flesh, scarlet streaking her arms in long runs. And summoning an oar was impossible...the chains blocked her ferrying abilities.
"I said no, dammit! Don't you get it?! You're a friggen HOSTAGE, DAMMIT! I'm TRYING to LURE Kurama and Hiei down here to KILL THEM, DAMMIT! Now be a good hostage and SHUT UP, DAMMIT!" Grapko seethed in pure anger, Botan blinking offended eyes.
"Well you didn't need to use so many swears in that explanation!" she scoffed haughtily. "And how do you KNOW they'll come down and rescue me, hmm?" she inquired slyly. Grapko eyed her for a good three minutes in pure silence.
"I have a crystal ball that can see into the entire mountain!" he answered sarcastically, staged hand motions and all...he then twirled on his heel to stalk again to the shadows.
"No need to get all cynical!" she gaped at his behavior. Despite her captivity she had somehow managed to maintain her very light-hearted, perky antics.
"Oh my GOD...!" Grapko snarled, thrusting his face in inch from hers, Botan instantly pricking in surprise, but refusing to let go of her stubborn expression, her lips pinched and the slope of her nose singeing red. Her raspberry leers were framed with narrow eyebrows as she stared dead straight into purely threatening gold. "You know...my mate used to annoy me like this...that is, until I taught her WHO was in charge!" Botan half-squealed as his roar breathed hard against her headstrong expression. "I suppose preference for steadfast, irritating women runs in the family!" he scoffed sharply, with each dagger pitch inching closer. Botan instinctively blinked back with each motion he forced towards her. (a/n: in case you're confused, here's a review...yes, Jiaanti was second choice to Grapko...he really wanted the ice demonness that ended up being Hiei's mother...Grapko just said 'preference' because he chose Jiaanti as second best...he still kinda sorta preferred her, I guess, in a way, over other demonnesses, though he reeeeeally wanted the ice aperition chic over Jiaanti...okay no more interruptions, I pwomise...lol)
"Kurama...Kurama doesn't have, 'feelings' for me..." Botan's though scarlet in a slight blush, forced a controlled, prim tone, huffing and casting her nose up in irritation away from the wolf.
"I don't care!" Grapko wailed in utter frustration. "Either way, he's risking his ass to come and save you! But if he truly doesn't have feelings for you, then I don't understand why he'd bother risking his life to help you! Actually, even if he DID have feelings for you I wouldn't understand why he'd attempt your rescue..."
"Hmpf!!" Botan grunted hard, her expression firm in pure stubbornness. Grapko growled low, the core of his throat vibrating slightly as his stinging golden eyes stabbing into Botan's pure candy stare. With that last gesture, the wolf snorted sharply at her, and his form melted into the darkness, Botan alone again in the black cavern.
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%
Heavy breaths escaped the young fox demon as his legs began to break under him. Exhaust swarmed and stung his emerald eyes, sweat beading at his temple. Kurama quickly and without a blink of hesitation stroked his bloodied hand into the wild locks of his crimson hair, clasping a scarlet rose in his tight, quivering grip. 'Finally! I have the time!' he thought as he gazed briefly to his weapon. Arrows continued to sting against the air for the rushing Kistune, engulfed in miniature auras of Ryooki's energy, but the supply was running short, and Kurama could at last claim his own defense.
"Rose Whip!" he wailed violently, having long past lost his all-around calm nature. This was a life-death situation, and he needed to win at all costs. With a short jerk of his hand, his fresh rose quickly melted into a long, spiked, emerald-shade whip, the scent of roses looming lazily about the fox demon, swelling his powerful, animal-like sense of smell.
"Ha!!" he bellowed as the whip lashed the air, striking Ryooki down.
Kurama had been stabbed a total of seven times, three of which could end as lethal if the fox didn't finish his brother off soon. His heart burned in pain from the wounds to it, but he stubbornly perservered against his older brother. From the sidelines Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara watched silently at their companion's ruthlessness. Kuwabara guarded little Yukina defensively, watching in utter disbelief and gaping quiet breaths. Yet his throat still stung with every other inhale from his battle with Hitorihamet.
Hiei stood firm enough beside the oaf, but listening to Kuwabara's silently strained gasps only reminded him of his own spar with Syaaka, and the brands she managed to force into his collarbone and arms.
Yusuke watched with a glare of utter frustration at Kurama's every brief wince. He had offered to fight Ryooki, but he was still defenseless with his gunning arm limp after his brawl with Kruntag. 'Grr!' Yusuke growled to himself, glaring at his numb arm slumped at his side. 'Stupid Kruntag!' Keiko sensed Yusuke's anger towards his arm, and slowly laced his fingers into his left palm, eyeing him with a reassuring expression. Yusuke gazed at her for an instant, then jerked back to watch the battle.
"Kurama!" Yusuke wailed as the fox demon was punched into the floor, falling limp against the crumbling rubble of his impact.
"Kitsune, look out!" Hiei shouted harshly to his best friend as another punch of Ryooki's gnarled fist came tumbling downward for Kurama's face. The fox's emerald eyes flashed wide with an angry glaze smearing their shade, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Kurama's whip coiled about Ryooki's broad arm, blood staining the thorns of the lime-colored weapon, and Ryooki was yanked hard into the floor below. Kurama instantly dodged Ryooki's massive body with a graced flip through the air and a soft landing on hands and one knee.
Ryooki lay limp against the massive chunks of rubble broken from his strike into the ground, and Kuwabara couldn't sense a dime's-worth of spirit energy from the creature's body.
"Yes! You did it!" Yusuke cheered happily. Kuwabara examined Ryooki's form slowly...'aw man, if the brother is this strong, imagine how powerful Grapko is!'
"Well," Kurama's calm tone escaped his tattered form in heavy sighs. "He's dead enough for us to continue." Kurama cast sad eyes for his once gentle older brother, his emerald glare faceting into one of anger at himself for slaying his own kin.
"Obviously," Hiei smirked as his acute, scarlet eyes stung into the sight of the limp Ryooki.
"Remind me, why we're still here, again..." Kuwabara breathed heavily against the gash on his chest, Kuwabara still guarding little Yukina.
"Simple," Kurama coiled his arm around his stomach, blood leaking out heavily from a fresh wound and staining deep into the fibers of his sleeve. With a calm stare at the whip held loosely in his weakened grasp, Kurama's spirit energy tamed the weapon back into the form of a gentle, harmless rose, and it was stroked back into his loose, crimson mane. "To save Botan."
"Yoko..." Ryooki's voice escaped his tattered, exhausted form. Everyone instantly pricked in fear, all but Kurama.
"Gah! I thought you said he was dead!" Kuwabara stuttered, cradling Yukina in his tight embrace, the little ice aperition hiding her fragile face in the boy's shirt.
"Yes, Ryooki?" Kurama smiled softly at his brother.
"Thank you," was the response. Ryooki cast his narrow emerald eyes to the side, where a singeing piece of technology was crackling with zaps of escaping energy...it was the device that had been plugged against Ryooki's scalp.
"Of course," Kurama grinned faintly...when he had said Ryooki was dead enough for the group to continue, he had merely meant the evil controlling him was destroyed at that the Ryooki sent to murder them was no more.
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Anemone: hey there! Kurama isn't mad at us anymore for that whole singing thinger before *yay*...was that last part of the story a little familiar...? *hint hint*
Kurama: it resembles the first chapter...
Anemone: that's cuz it IS!...well, actually, it was a little bit modified...if you look back into the first chapter, you can see some obvious changes I made so it'd make more sense...for example, you readers already have a decent knowing about Ryooki, so I could drop the parts in this segment that describe him as "the new opponent" and stuff...if you look back you can see the changes I made.
Hiei: go review.
Anemone: *gasp* you remembered to say your line on your OWN?! Great job, Flames!
Hiei: hn...
Anemone: later, readers! :-D