Chapter Nine-The Final Fight

"This is ridiculous. We're in the middle of nowhere, and this Razul hasn't shown any signs of himself." Yusuke remarked twenty minutes later.

"Patience is a virtue. Of course he will not come out. He knows he's in for a rude awakening." The silver haired fox-demon Youko Kurama replied. Of course,his sudden appearance from within Suichi had long since stopped surprising the group. "He will pay dearly for hurting my child."

"Eh…correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't she Kurama's god daughter?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, of course. However,her blood is that of my kin. Therefore,I also lay claims to her." Youko nodded. "Now for Razul." He pulled two thick stemmed roses out of his soft white kimono. "Stay back, all of you." He tossed the first one to his left; the second to his right. "If you dare to attack me, Razul, you will be sorry."

"Huh? I don't see anybody. Is he insane?" Kuwabara looked around frantically, as if he'd missed something.

"No. Stop talking, it only adds to your stupidity." Hiei muttered. "He does not see him either, only senses him."

"Watch your mouth,half-pint!" Kuwabara glared at him.

"Hush, both of you." Youko gave his two companions a look, then looked up at Yusuke. "If you do not want to risk being hurt, I would suggest we part ways here."

"No. We came here together, we will leave here together." Yusuke confirmed. "Razul hurt us all, by hurting you."

"Eh….Urameshi, are you sure that's such a good idea? You know how strong Kurama is in this form…."

"What the matter, half wit? Scared, are we?" Hiei smirked.

"I ain't scared of nothin'!" Kuwabara replied defensively.

"Would you two mind taking this babyish quarreling elsewhere? There is too much at stake for such nonsense." Youko's voice was silky,cold.

"Eh….sorry,Kurama." Kuwabara kept giving Hiei dirty looks to his back though.

"Well, where are you, Kurama? I've got a few words for you!" A growling voice spoke up suddenly.

"I assure you, I'm right here, Razul." Youko's thin,icy voice replied, as he turned to his opponent. "Thorny Cage!" Instantly, the two stiff roses began to extend, forming a tight barricade of thorns around Razul. "Any which way you move, the cage will shift. So you see, there will be no escaping the wrath you will feel from me."

"H-how did you become so strong?! You could not do such a thing before when I last saw you!" Razul's astonishment was clear.

"No…. I could not. However,it was not I you met. That was Suichi, my human counterpart. I am Youko Kurama." The fox-demon produced a white rose now. "Now do tell me why you took my goddaughter. If I don't like your answer, I'll have to punish you."

"Huh?! What's the rose going to do for you?" Razul was staring at the silver haired Youko,perplexed.

"I would advise you to answer my question, lest you find out the hard way." Youko replied calmly.

"I took her for two reasons. One, to get this "Suichi" back for betraying my brother, and two, I like children for dinner."

"Wrong answers, my friend." Youko chuckled to himself softly. "Suichi did not betray your brother. Gouki never asked him what he planned to do with his Artifact."

"That is true, nor did I." Hiei added. "But I also learned a long time ago that Kurama does as he will."

"And your second answer is unacceptable because it is barbaric." Youko continued. "Now, you are about to witness power that you've never felt before!" He flung the rose out to the side. "Rose Whip Thorn Wheel!" The whip formed itself into a wheel,as it rotated around Youko's arm. "Release!" The wheel of thorns whizzed towards Razul's thorn prison. It sliced through the thorny bars.

"H-hey!" Razul tried to dodge the whirring of the wheel.

"The more you dodge, the stronger it becomes." Youko informed him, taking a step back as the demon,and his wheel ran past. "I would suggest you accept your fate, and pay for the crime which you committed against my child."

"I didn't really hurt her! Please don't kill me!" Razul pleaded, as he dodged the wheel's second attempt to get him.

"I have no mercy." Youko extended his hand. "Return!" The wheel automatically returned, slackening into to the Rose Whip once more. "The last person I killed took four days to die. Fortunately for you, I do not have the time to play with you." He snapped his whip across the demon's neck, slicing his head clear off.

"Remind me never to hurt his family….." Yusuke muttered, turning to go.

"Wait a moment. That won't kill him. He is of a different breed than his brother." Youko said. "Yusuke, use your spirit gun."

Yusuke looked at the fox-demon, then nodded. "Alright." He prepared to use it,and when the head was blown up, he gasped. "There were little demons in him! Gross!"

"Quite." Hiei agreed, as he stepped on a few.

"That takes care of him. Now Suichi must return to Marcella. I'm sure she is desperate need of comfort." Youko stated. He vanished, and in his place, stood Kurama, in his human form. "Come. We go to her now."

"Are you feeling a lot better, Kurama?" Hiei asked him as they started back.

"Much better, Love. Thank you for being there, Hiei." Kurama smiled at him. "I can't wait to properly introduce you to Marcella."

The apparition chuckled. "I'm sure we'll get along fine. Let's just get to her first."

Kurama nodded, and after flicking the last of his rose stem out of his hand, led the group out of the village, and towards the bottom of the mountains.