Measures of Nobility
- by PiperZ September 27th, 2003
Yu Yu Hakusho is not copyright to PiperZ. No money is being made from this fictional work. Do not use this fanfiction without permission, in part or in whole. This piece is for entertainment purposes only.
All Rights Reserved To Respective Creators
Warning: There are a few spoilers in this fiction that deal directly with episodes in the series. If you haven't seen the episodes in which they deal with, I suggest watching them first. This fiction deals with Kurama's part in the fight against Team Masho in the early stages of the Dark Tournament. That is episodes 37 - 39. Quotes used directly in this fiction were taken from the Dubbed Uncut Version.
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Kurama sat on the edge of the couch, waiting patiently for the others to return to the hotel room. Koenma had asked them to come speak with him, but Kurama had declined the meeting. He just wasn't feeling up to listening to their 'Team Owner' rattle on about the recent win in the succession of the Dark Tournament. Afterall, he *was* still recovering from his self- inflicted wounds. The mark left upon his body by the Death Plant he'd sewn inside himself, thus sealing another victory for his team, was not something lightly cast off.
With a slow, steady exhale of breath, the red-haired boy leaned carefully backward, resting upon the cushioned surface of the couch. The battle had been a tough one, indeed. The Ice Master, Touya, had been very determined, thus difficult to counter while under the enchantments of Touya's sacrificed team member, Gama. The fight might not have given the outcome it had if said enchantments weren't playing a part. It would have been easier to defeat Touya without Gama's magic, Kurama had accessed, though not necassarily a 'piece of cake', as the saying went. It still would have been a close battle, for Touya was very skilled in his Art. Though, Kurama thought he might have walked away with a less significant amount of injuries.
Kurama hadn't spoken with the Ice Master since the battle. He'd not even *seen* Touya, nor the rest of the surviving Team Masho. It wasn't as if opponents were *supposed* to continue seeing each other after a battle, but Kurama felt as if he needed to continue to speak with Touya further. There were a few things that he'd planned on asking the Ice Master if he had the chance before the next round began. At least then, if things turned ugly during the fight, Kurama would have found the answers to his questions before making his departure to Spirit World.
The youko crossed his arms slowly over his chest, and closed his eyes. The next battle in the Dark Tournament would be set against Team Uraotogi, and though this Team had swept easily through the ranks of the Tournament, Kurama sensed there was more to them than met the eye. He doubted they would be easily conquered. This was one of the many reasons he sat alone in Team Urameshi's room, to think.. to heal... to --
A knock at the door caused the boy's thoughts to freeze instantly, and he lifted his head, opening his eyes. Team members didn't knock. With a soft groan, and an unstable wavering of his body, Kurama was on his feet and heading for the door. He didn't spare any energy in trying to sense who was outside. It was against the rules to practice battles outside the Stadium this far into the Tournament. Unless it was an opponent that had already been defeated, Kurama really didn't need to worry. His hand turned the latch, and he pulled the door open with a curious look outward.
"Kurama." Touya said after the red-head opened the door, his azure eyes slightly lowered.
'Well... speak of the devil... ' Kurama thought to himself, leaning lightly against the door frame, the door half open. "Touya."
There was silence between them a moment or two before the shorter boy spoke. "Can I come in?"
Kurama hesitated. Though his thoughts had been on talking to Touya, he hadn't really expected it to be this soon, or in an instance where the rest of the Team was away from the rooms... and the fact that he was injured played on his mind at that moment as well. Kurama looked to the side, staring a little ways down the hall. "Jin... ?"
"Jin is... not here." Was the only thing the blue-haired demon said in response.
Again, more silence passed between them, and Kurama turned his eyes back to Touya. He knew he would be vunerable if Touya decided to exact revenge for himself and his teammates. Though, he also knew that Touya was not like Reisho. The Ice Master was intelligent, and surprisingly gentle for one of the Shinobi, and unlike Team Leader Reisho, Touya had honour. Kurama took a few careful steps away from the door, opening it wider for the other to enter the room.
Touya lifted his eyes directly towards Kurama, then gave a small, appreciative nod as he stepped into the room. He turned once inside, and watched in silence as Kurama closed the door gently behind them. "The others are...?"
"Not here." Was Kurama's soft response as he turned to face Touya. "I am the only one here." He paused a moment, his arms crossing almost defensively over his chest, then added. "Why are you here, Touya?"
The Ice Master lowered his eyes again, and turned away from Kurama. "I.. wanted to speak to you. I know that your battle with Team Uraotogi is soon."
Kurama nodded, then lowered his hands to his sides once more. "It is soon." He agreed. "But that hardly has to do with you. You've already lost your battle, so the rest of the Tournament should mean nothing to you."
Touya's face contorted slightly, almost in anger, and he lifted his eyes back to the red-haired boy before him, and his small hands formed loose fists at his sides. "And *your* opponents should mean nothing to *you*, Kurama." His words were tinged with what sounded like anger, but a sense of confusion was hidden in their depths as well.
Kurama pursed his lips together, and stepped forward. Without looking down at Touya as he past, Kurama walked with care back towards the couch. Touya turned as the youko passed, his hands opened now, their palms turned up in a pleading gesture.
"Tell me, Kurama! Tell me why you .. did what you did..." The shorter boy's words faltered slightly towards the end of his sentence, but he didn't lower his eyes this time, as he had the others. "Why did you care, Kurama? You asked so many questions."
The youko sat slowly back upon the couch, and it was *his* eyes cast to the side this time. "You know I was buying time, Touya."
"Liar." Came the sharp reply. "You spoke to me even after your victory was sealed."
Kurama frowned slightly, but kept his eyes turned away. Touya took a few steps foward, his feet scuffling with whispered movements upon the floor.
"Tell me, Kurama. I know you had more to say when your unconsciousness overtook you."
"You came here tonight because you thought I had something more to say to you?" Kurama kept his eyes focused on the table across the room to keep them from wandering back towards Touya. Yes, he'd wanted to speak with the Ice Master as well, but this was NOT really the subject he'd had in mind. He'd planned on asking Touya about the reasons they had wanted Hanging Neck Island, and what they had planned to do with it if they had gotten it. Although this was a close subject to the things he'd said to Touya during battle, Kurama didn't feel they were related enough to speak any further on his own thoughts at that time.
"Yes... I came to talk to you about what you had said. I came to talk about the questions you had asked, and the words you had spoken just before -- " Touya trailed off a little, walking over to stand on the other side of the coffee table, just in front of the second couch.
"Before the fight ended." Kurama supplied for the other's lack of finishing the sentence he'd begun. Slowly, Kurama turned his eyes around to meet Touya's, they were slightly narrowed. "I don't believe you."
"No." Touya protested, his hands once again clenched into small fists. "This was what I came to talk to ---"
"There is something else." Kurama said flatly, refusing to show any of his emotions, unlike Touya.
Once again, silence crept between them, and they stared at each other for several minutes. It was Touya who finally looked away. He took a step back and sat upon the other couch that was centered behind him. His hands rested upon the curved edges of his knees.
"There *is* something else, isn't there?"
Touya nodded slowly, almost as if he hadn't wanted to admit it. "I.. feared what had happened to you when you had sewn the Death Plant inside your own body in order to defeat me."
Kurama blinked sharply. That had NOT been the response he'd expected from the Ice Master, and it showed plain across his startled face. He took a second to collect his thoughts, and inched forward to sit on the very edge of the couch, one hand propping himself up. "'And *your* opponents should mean nothing to *you*, Touya.'"
The blue-haired boy stared at Kurama for a second, then gave a soft chuckle accompanied by a brief nod. "You're a surprising person, Kurama."
"You are just full of surprises yourself, Touya. Unfortunately, I'm not really in the tempermant to be 'surprised' right now."
The Ice Master nodded again. "I know. What with your upcoming battle against Team Uraotogi, I was expecting you to be a bit more edgy. I'm actually surprised at how calm you appear, but I guess that's just what makes you so hard to predict in battle."
"So it would seem." Kurama said softly, his green eyes searching Touya's own blue stare. He was becoming suddenly unsettled that the Ice Master was in the room with him, and beginning to regret ever letting him step a foot inside the door. He pushed his discontent downward, and cleared his throat. "I'll allow five questions in exchange for five questions. I would then appreciate it if you left, Touya."
"You have to rest, I know, and I understand.... So, who asks first?"
"I do." Kurama said quickly, not allowing Touya any time to put in more words. "When you talked about being let into the 'light', and having Hanging Neck Island as your own.... what had you truly meant?"
Touya shrugged lightly, turning his eyes towards the window on the other side of the room. "Exactly what I had said, Kurama. Hanging Neck Island was to be our Prize. When you live in shadows as long as I have, you desire the light more than anything. To not have to work as Shinobi.. to not have to slay in order to survive... to enjoy the world around us as anyone else would.... Kurama, this Island would have become our home to do with as we chose." Touya shifted his eyes back to the youko, the unmistakeable emotion of desire straying over his features. "It would have become our Light, Kurama. Just as you have your Ningenkai to live your life within, we would have had Hanging Neck Island."
Kurama shook his head slightly, adjusting his hand upon the couch's surface. "I do not understand, Touya... You would have just *lived* here?"
"That's two questions, Kurama." When the red-haired boy nodded, Touya continued, answering. "I told you once, in the Arena, Kurama... when you asked a question similar. You had asked me.. ' ... This new life on the outside.. what do you TRULY plan to do with it?' I remember those words very clearly, Kurama. I replied to you that the world would know when we got there... Do you really think we would have restricted ourselves to just *living* on Hanging Neck Island when there is a world of excitement waiting for us? A world we have been denied for so many years?"
Kurama frowned. "You mean the Ningenkai."
Touya nodded, his eyes drawing slowly back towards Kurama. "But don't feel threatened. We, at least Jin and myself, had not meant any harm by it. We simply wish to experience the light, is all."
"By light, you mean freedom?"
"That's three, Kurama." Touya said softly, but nodded. "Freedom outside the darkness of our lives of slaughter. Freedom to enjoy the world around us as we desired. Jin has rarely used his wind abilities outside of battle or training." Touya closed his eyes, and smiled a little to himself. "You wouldn't believe how much he talks about flying high above the Ningenkai, and looking down at all the big, sparkling cities at night. We don't have things like that in the Makai."
"I know." Kurama said, being forced by his tired body to inch backward upon the couch, leaning against the cushions behind him. "I *am* from the Makai, remember?"
"Should that count as the fourth question?" Touya said, still smiling a bit, as he opened his eyes. Kurama just frowned at him, and the Ice Master chuckled. "I suppose not."
"Why Hanging Neck Island, Touya? Of all the places you could have picked from, why *this* Island?" Kurama had drawn out his own conclusion to this question, but he wanted to know exactly what Touya thought of it....
"*That's* a simple question, Kurama. One that, I'm surprised, you haven't answered for yourself." Touya lifted his hands from his knees, and held them up, as if he was balancing equal parts of a scale. "On one side, Kurama, you have the Committee and the Dark Tournament." He lowered that hand significantly downward, lifting the other in opposition. "And on the other side, you have the fighters, such as ourselves. Now, the fighters are a very poor balance when it comes to the Tournament and the Committee. We really don't mean as much, you understand? Fighters such as myself, Jin, and your own team... we care nothing for a Tournament set in place only to destroy potentially strong fighters. There isn't any point in it, really. Though we, Jin and I, have trained for all our lives in the Art of Battle... it was because it was our job as Shinobi."
Kurama nodded slowly, listening to the Ice Master's words. "So, by asking for Hanging Neck Island as your prize -- "
"We would thus be able to extinguish the Dark Tournament." Touya lowered the highest hand, placing it equal height with the other. "The Committee would be upset, of course, if they found out, but... " He lifted the 'Committee Hand' high, and lowered the 'Fighter Hand'. "It wouldn't be their choice anymore, really."
"They could just build more Arenas on other Islands, Touya." Kurama said after a moment, watching the Ice Master lower his hands back to his knees.
"True. But how long will that take? Years? Decades? And how much money? The Committee may be powerful, but only their greedy supporters have the funds to relocate the Tournament and rebuild the Stadiums."
"It could still happen." Kurama argued pointedly, nodding his head a bit. "People like Toguro, who live for the Tournament, would see that they had a place to fight."
Touya nodded his head in agreement. "Now, your fourth question?"
Kurama lifted one hand to slip a finger thoughtfully under his chin. He'd gotten a little carried away with getting answers about the Island, but that was really all he'd wanted to know. He sat in silence, thinking, and Touya watched him patiently, also keeping his silence.
After a few more moments, Kurama spoke. "Risho... If you knew he would sacrifice all of you to gain the Island, then why did you join with him in the battle?"
Touya blinked slowly, and shook his head. "Risho is part of the Shinobi. Together we are a team, and thus as a team, we entered in hopes of winning. I knew that Risho was desperate to gain his light, but I truly did not know that he was willing to cast all of us aside to gain it. We have disputes, and dislikes among us all, but I really didn't know he would have went as far as he did, even if he had to gain his light and live it in alone."
"Understandable. If you are friends, or comrades with someone as long as you were with him, I suppose the thought of betrayal wouldn't have been the first thing to cross your mind."
"Exactly."
Again, a short silence between them. Touya took this time to lean back against the cushions of his own couch, and rest his hands across his stomach. His eyes were focused on Kurama, but the smile that had been on his face earlier was no where to be found.
The youko cleared his throat, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to answer everything the way you did. I fear I am out of questions." Kurama lifted his shoulders lightly in a small shrug, the edge of his lips twerking up a little.
Touya shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I only have two questions, anyway."
Kurama nodded. "Alright then. I suppose you can ask away, now."
The fingers on his top hand curled slightly, like claws, over the bottom one, and Touya continued to stare at Kurama as he spoke. "First off.... why, Kurama? Why did you care so much what we would do with the Island if we gained it?"
Kurama shook his head slowly. "I told you before, I was buying time, Touya. You said it yourself when we fought."
"Just buying time... " Touya shook his head. "I don't believe you."
The red-head protested, lifting his chin slightly. "Other than the fact I was curious why someone would want the Island that housed the Dark Tournaments Arenas, Touya... I was buying time."
"Curious, hmm?" Touya mused softly where he sat, then pushed himself upright again. He leaned a little forward, his hands on either side of his thighs, and resting on the couch's surface. "Alright, then the second question... "
Kurama waited patiently for Touya to ask his question, but the back of his mind itched with the thought of the coming question. Deep down, he knew what the inquiry would be, and he was not ready to give that answer to the Ice Master. Kurama visibly winced when Touya finally spoke, the very question he'd dreaded being the very one that the other asked.
"What did you mean when you said 'I, too, have spent years in shadow.. interesting... how unexpected regret can appear. That's what this light does... I only wanted to know.. if you could make your life better.. nobler.. than mine has been...' ... ? It's been nagging at my mind since the end of the battle, Kurama. I did not lie when I said that I'd gotten to know you in the short time of the battle, and that I was beginning to like you. But this is one thing about you that I do NOT know or understand."
The youko had turned his eyes to the window as Touya spoke, staring at the darkness of the night beyond the glass panes. He'd never known why he'd said it in the end, when Touya had lay on the Arena floor, and he had stood, aching with the pains the Death Plant was causing him. In truth, he wanted to blame it partially on his pity for Touya and the rest of the Shinobi, who only sought a light to their darkness, but he knew that wasn't the reason.
"Well, Kurama..?" Touya stared patiently at the red-haired boy. "What did you mean?"
Kurama didn't turn his eyes back to Touya, but continued to stare at the window and beyond. Maybe it was because he thought he was going to die, and his mind felt that he needed to say what he had before the fact? Another lie...
"Kurama..?" Touya frowned a little. "You won't tell me? I answered *your* questions." He paused, turning his eyes to look at the window as well, before replacing them in the youko's direction. "What are you hiding?"
Sighing softly, Kurama closed his eyes, his face still directed towards the window. "I truly do not understand why I said it, Touya. To you, I mean. As I have stepped from my youko world to my ningen one, I have felt the transition from darkness to light."
Touya nodded, bidding the other boy to continue, though Kurama's eyes, closed as they were, could not see the movement.
"The regret I spoke of," He continued, "Was the regret that I had when looking back upon my life as Youko Kurama. I was feared, revered, hated, and worshipped as Youko. I was living my own life in the shadows of my thievery, and trickery. You, too, have lived your life in your shadows. Unlike myself, however, you had the abilitity to change yours so early on. To change, and live your life more nobler than I."
The Ice Master frowned slightly, lowering his eyes to his lap. "What makes you think you have not lived a noble life, Kurama?"
The youko opened his eyes, and chuckled. "Now, now... you said you only had two questions."
There was a brief silence, then Touya lifted his head, a smile on his face. He chuckled. "You're right. I did only say I had two questions." He lifted his hands to pat his knees lightly, as if dusting them off. "And I've asked them. I'll be on my way, then." He stood a moment later.
Kurama stood as well, slower though. Touya stepped away from the couchs, and the youko that lingered around them. It wasn't until his hand was placed upon the door's latch that Touya turned back around to face Kurama, the smile that had been upon his features nowhere in sight.
"You are far more noble than many others, Kurama. Those less noble would have killed their defeated opponents after the battle."
Kurama said nothing, but gave a slow nod to Touya.
The Ice Master nodded in return. "I thank you for that, Kurama." Touya twisted the latch, and turned back around as he opened the door, stepping out into the hallway.
Kurama took a small step forward, watching Touya leave. Before the other boy shut the door all the way, Kurama called out softly to him. "And thank *you*, Touya."
There was a hestitation in the movement of the closing door, but it was very brief. The Ice Master did not look back, and the door closed quietly behind him. Kurama stared at the shut door for several minutes before he sat back down on the couch, resting back against the cushions behind him.
---
He shut the door quietly, and let his hand fall away from the latch. Standing in the hallway a few moments, his back to the door, Touya smiled to himself. They had both learned something tonight, with only those few questions asked. Touya had learned that Kurama lacked the confidence in himself that everyone else seemed to want to aspire to, and that the youko also bore a kindness that would probably always set him apart from the rest of those in the Makai.
And Kurama?
Touya believed that Kurama had learned these things as well. This in itself, Touya thought as he turned to leave down the hall, wouldn't be enough to aid him in the coming battles, but mixed with the support and care from the rest of his Teammates, Kurama held a powerful tool in his hands.
The Ice Master continued to smile, even as he left the most intellectual fighter amongst the Urameshi Team to muse quietly by himself, and to recover his lost strength for the upcoming battles he would have to face.
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(Author's Notes: This is a little shorter than I'd intended it to be, but it's almost exactly how I planned it out in my head. ^-^;; Again, if you haven't seen the Yu Yu Hakusho series far enough to have seen the battle between Kurama and Touya, then I suggest you go try to get a hold of a copy, and watch it. Episodes 37 - 39 deal with Kurama's part in the fight with Team Masho. I took a few of the quotes directly from the Dubbed Uncut version of YYH. And yes, I know I made it look like there might be a bit of a crush thing between Touya and Kurama... that was intentional. ^-^;; That's all. Thanks for reading. Comment and Critique, please. )
- by PiperZ September 27th, 2003
Yu Yu Hakusho is not copyright to PiperZ. No money is being made from this fictional work. Do not use this fanfiction without permission, in part or in whole. This piece is for entertainment purposes only.
All Rights Reserved To Respective Creators
Warning: There are a few spoilers in this fiction that deal directly with episodes in the series. If you haven't seen the episodes in which they deal with, I suggest watching them first. This fiction deals with Kurama's part in the fight against Team Masho in the early stages of the Dark Tournament. That is episodes 37 - 39. Quotes used directly in this fiction were taken from the Dubbed Uncut Version.
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Kurama sat on the edge of the couch, waiting patiently for the others to return to the hotel room. Koenma had asked them to come speak with him, but Kurama had declined the meeting. He just wasn't feeling up to listening to their 'Team Owner' rattle on about the recent win in the succession of the Dark Tournament. Afterall, he *was* still recovering from his self- inflicted wounds. The mark left upon his body by the Death Plant he'd sewn inside himself, thus sealing another victory for his team, was not something lightly cast off.
With a slow, steady exhale of breath, the red-haired boy leaned carefully backward, resting upon the cushioned surface of the couch. The battle had been a tough one, indeed. The Ice Master, Touya, had been very determined, thus difficult to counter while under the enchantments of Touya's sacrificed team member, Gama. The fight might not have given the outcome it had if said enchantments weren't playing a part. It would have been easier to defeat Touya without Gama's magic, Kurama had accessed, though not necassarily a 'piece of cake', as the saying went. It still would have been a close battle, for Touya was very skilled in his Art. Though, Kurama thought he might have walked away with a less significant amount of injuries.
Kurama hadn't spoken with the Ice Master since the battle. He'd not even *seen* Touya, nor the rest of the surviving Team Masho. It wasn't as if opponents were *supposed* to continue seeing each other after a battle, but Kurama felt as if he needed to continue to speak with Touya further. There were a few things that he'd planned on asking the Ice Master if he had the chance before the next round began. At least then, if things turned ugly during the fight, Kurama would have found the answers to his questions before making his departure to Spirit World.
The youko crossed his arms slowly over his chest, and closed his eyes. The next battle in the Dark Tournament would be set against Team Uraotogi, and though this Team had swept easily through the ranks of the Tournament, Kurama sensed there was more to them than met the eye. He doubted they would be easily conquered. This was one of the many reasons he sat alone in Team Urameshi's room, to think.. to heal... to --
A knock at the door caused the boy's thoughts to freeze instantly, and he lifted his head, opening his eyes. Team members didn't knock. With a soft groan, and an unstable wavering of his body, Kurama was on his feet and heading for the door. He didn't spare any energy in trying to sense who was outside. It was against the rules to practice battles outside the Stadium this far into the Tournament. Unless it was an opponent that had already been defeated, Kurama really didn't need to worry. His hand turned the latch, and he pulled the door open with a curious look outward.
"Kurama." Touya said after the red-head opened the door, his azure eyes slightly lowered.
'Well... speak of the devil... ' Kurama thought to himself, leaning lightly against the door frame, the door half open. "Touya."
There was silence between them a moment or two before the shorter boy spoke. "Can I come in?"
Kurama hesitated. Though his thoughts had been on talking to Touya, he hadn't really expected it to be this soon, or in an instance where the rest of the Team was away from the rooms... and the fact that he was injured played on his mind at that moment as well. Kurama looked to the side, staring a little ways down the hall. "Jin... ?"
"Jin is... not here." Was the only thing the blue-haired demon said in response.
Again, more silence passed between them, and Kurama turned his eyes back to Touya. He knew he would be vunerable if Touya decided to exact revenge for himself and his teammates. Though, he also knew that Touya was not like Reisho. The Ice Master was intelligent, and surprisingly gentle for one of the Shinobi, and unlike Team Leader Reisho, Touya had honour. Kurama took a few careful steps away from the door, opening it wider for the other to enter the room.
Touya lifted his eyes directly towards Kurama, then gave a small, appreciative nod as he stepped into the room. He turned once inside, and watched in silence as Kurama closed the door gently behind them. "The others are...?"
"Not here." Was Kurama's soft response as he turned to face Touya. "I am the only one here." He paused a moment, his arms crossing almost defensively over his chest, then added. "Why are you here, Touya?"
The Ice Master lowered his eyes again, and turned away from Kurama. "I.. wanted to speak to you. I know that your battle with Team Uraotogi is soon."
Kurama nodded, then lowered his hands to his sides once more. "It is soon." He agreed. "But that hardly has to do with you. You've already lost your battle, so the rest of the Tournament should mean nothing to you."
Touya's face contorted slightly, almost in anger, and he lifted his eyes back to the red-haired boy before him, and his small hands formed loose fists at his sides. "And *your* opponents should mean nothing to *you*, Kurama." His words were tinged with what sounded like anger, but a sense of confusion was hidden in their depths as well.
Kurama pursed his lips together, and stepped forward. Without looking down at Touya as he past, Kurama walked with care back towards the couch. Touya turned as the youko passed, his hands opened now, their palms turned up in a pleading gesture.
"Tell me, Kurama! Tell me why you .. did what you did..." The shorter boy's words faltered slightly towards the end of his sentence, but he didn't lower his eyes this time, as he had the others. "Why did you care, Kurama? You asked so many questions."
The youko sat slowly back upon the couch, and it was *his* eyes cast to the side this time. "You know I was buying time, Touya."
"Liar." Came the sharp reply. "You spoke to me even after your victory was sealed."
Kurama frowned slightly, but kept his eyes turned away. Touya took a few steps foward, his feet scuffling with whispered movements upon the floor.
"Tell me, Kurama. I know you had more to say when your unconsciousness overtook you."
"You came here tonight because you thought I had something more to say to you?" Kurama kept his eyes focused on the table across the room to keep them from wandering back towards Touya. Yes, he'd wanted to speak with the Ice Master as well, but this was NOT really the subject he'd had in mind. He'd planned on asking Touya about the reasons they had wanted Hanging Neck Island, and what they had planned to do with it if they had gotten it. Although this was a close subject to the things he'd said to Touya during battle, Kurama didn't feel they were related enough to speak any further on his own thoughts at that time.
"Yes... I came to talk to you about what you had said. I came to talk about the questions you had asked, and the words you had spoken just before -- " Touya trailed off a little, walking over to stand on the other side of the coffee table, just in front of the second couch.
"Before the fight ended." Kurama supplied for the other's lack of finishing the sentence he'd begun. Slowly, Kurama turned his eyes around to meet Touya's, they were slightly narrowed. "I don't believe you."
"No." Touya protested, his hands once again clenched into small fists. "This was what I came to talk to ---"
"There is something else." Kurama said flatly, refusing to show any of his emotions, unlike Touya.
Once again, silence crept between them, and they stared at each other for several minutes. It was Touya who finally looked away. He took a step back and sat upon the other couch that was centered behind him. His hands rested upon the curved edges of his knees.
"There *is* something else, isn't there?"
Touya nodded slowly, almost as if he hadn't wanted to admit it. "I.. feared what had happened to you when you had sewn the Death Plant inside your own body in order to defeat me."
Kurama blinked sharply. That had NOT been the response he'd expected from the Ice Master, and it showed plain across his startled face. He took a second to collect his thoughts, and inched forward to sit on the very edge of the couch, one hand propping himself up. "'And *your* opponents should mean nothing to *you*, Touya.'"
The blue-haired boy stared at Kurama for a second, then gave a soft chuckle accompanied by a brief nod. "You're a surprising person, Kurama."
"You are just full of surprises yourself, Touya. Unfortunately, I'm not really in the tempermant to be 'surprised' right now."
The Ice Master nodded again. "I know. What with your upcoming battle against Team Uraotogi, I was expecting you to be a bit more edgy. I'm actually surprised at how calm you appear, but I guess that's just what makes you so hard to predict in battle."
"So it would seem." Kurama said softly, his green eyes searching Touya's own blue stare. He was becoming suddenly unsettled that the Ice Master was in the room with him, and beginning to regret ever letting him step a foot inside the door. He pushed his discontent downward, and cleared his throat. "I'll allow five questions in exchange for five questions. I would then appreciate it if you left, Touya."
"You have to rest, I know, and I understand.... So, who asks first?"
"I do." Kurama said quickly, not allowing Touya any time to put in more words. "When you talked about being let into the 'light', and having Hanging Neck Island as your own.... what had you truly meant?"
Touya shrugged lightly, turning his eyes towards the window on the other side of the room. "Exactly what I had said, Kurama. Hanging Neck Island was to be our Prize. When you live in shadows as long as I have, you desire the light more than anything. To not have to work as Shinobi.. to not have to slay in order to survive... to enjoy the world around us as anyone else would.... Kurama, this Island would have become our home to do with as we chose." Touya shifted his eyes back to the youko, the unmistakeable emotion of desire straying over his features. "It would have become our Light, Kurama. Just as you have your Ningenkai to live your life within, we would have had Hanging Neck Island."
Kurama shook his head slightly, adjusting his hand upon the couch's surface. "I do not understand, Touya... You would have just *lived* here?"
"That's two questions, Kurama." When the red-haired boy nodded, Touya continued, answering. "I told you once, in the Arena, Kurama... when you asked a question similar. You had asked me.. ' ... This new life on the outside.. what do you TRULY plan to do with it?' I remember those words very clearly, Kurama. I replied to you that the world would know when we got there... Do you really think we would have restricted ourselves to just *living* on Hanging Neck Island when there is a world of excitement waiting for us? A world we have been denied for so many years?"
Kurama frowned. "You mean the Ningenkai."
Touya nodded, his eyes drawing slowly back towards Kurama. "But don't feel threatened. We, at least Jin and myself, had not meant any harm by it. We simply wish to experience the light, is all."
"By light, you mean freedom?"
"That's three, Kurama." Touya said softly, but nodded. "Freedom outside the darkness of our lives of slaughter. Freedom to enjoy the world around us as we desired. Jin has rarely used his wind abilities outside of battle or training." Touya closed his eyes, and smiled a little to himself. "You wouldn't believe how much he talks about flying high above the Ningenkai, and looking down at all the big, sparkling cities at night. We don't have things like that in the Makai."
"I know." Kurama said, being forced by his tired body to inch backward upon the couch, leaning against the cushions behind him. "I *am* from the Makai, remember?"
"Should that count as the fourth question?" Touya said, still smiling a bit, as he opened his eyes. Kurama just frowned at him, and the Ice Master chuckled. "I suppose not."
"Why Hanging Neck Island, Touya? Of all the places you could have picked from, why *this* Island?" Kurama had drawn out his own conclusion to this question, but he wanted to know exactly what Touya thought of it....
"*That's* a simple question, Kurama. One that, I'm surprised, you haven't answered for yourself." Touya lifted his hands from his knees, and held them up, as if he was balancing equal parts of a scale. "On one side, Kurama, you have the Committee and the Dark Tournament." He lowered that hand significantly downward, lifting the other in opposition. "And on the other side, you have the fighters, such as ourselves. Now, the fighters are a very poor balance when it comes to the Tournament and the Committee. We really don't mean as much, you understand? Fighters such as myself, Jin, and your own team... we care nothing for a Tournament set in place only to destroy potentially strong fighters. There isn't any point in it, really. Though we, Jin and I, have trained for all our lives in the Art of Battle... it was because it was our job as Shinobi."
Kurama nodded slowly, listening to the Ice Master's words. "So, by asking for Hanging Neck Island as your prize -- "
"We would thus be able to extinguish the Dark Tournament." Touya lowered the highest hand, placing it equal height with the other. "The Committee would be upset, of course, if they found out, but... " He lifted the 'Committee Hand' high, and lowered the 'Fighter Hand'. "It wouldn't be their choice anymore, really."
"They could just build more Arenas on other Islands, Touya." Kurama said after a moment, watching the Ice Master lower his hands back to his knees.
"True. But how long will that take? Years? Decades? And how much money? The Committee may be powerful, but only their greedy supporters have the funds to relocate the Tournament and rebuild the Stadiums."
"It could still happen." Kurama argued pointedly, nodding his head a bit. "People like Toguro, who live for the Tournament, would see that they had a place to fight."
Touya nodded his head in agreement. "Now, your fourth question?"
Kurama lifted one hand to slip a finger thoughtfully under his chin. He'd gotten a little carried away with getting answers about the Island, but that was really all he'd wanted to know. He sat in silence, thinking, and Touya watched him patiently, also keeping his silence.
After a few more moments, Kurama spoke. "Risho... If you knew he would sacrifice all of you to gain the Island, then why did you join with him in the battle?"
Touya blinked slowly, and shook his head. "Risho is part of the Shinobi. Together we are a team, and thus as a team, we entered in hopes of winning. I knew that Risho was desperate to gain his light, but I truly did not know that he was willing to cast all of us aside to gain it. We have disputes, and dislikes among us all, but I really didn't know he would have went as far as he did, even if he had to gain his light and live it in alone."
"Understandable. If you are friends, or comrades with someone as long as you were with him, I suppose the thought of betrayal wouldn't have been the first thing to cross your mind."
"Exactly."
Again, a short silence between them. Touya took this time to lean back against the cushions of his own couch, and rest his hands across his stomach. His eyes were focused on Kurama, but the smile that had been on his face earlier was no where to be found.
The youko cleared his throat, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to answer everything the way you did. I fear I am out of questions." Kurama lifted his shoulders lightly in a small shrug, the edge of his lips twerking up a little.
Touya shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I only have two questions, anyway."
Kurama nodded. "Alright then. I suppose you can ask away, now."
The fingers on his top hand curled slightly, like claws, over the bottom one, and Touya continued to stare at Kurama as he spoke. "First off.... why, Kurama? Why did you care so much what we would do with the Island if we gained it?"
Kurama shook his head slowly. "I told you before, I was buying time, Touya. You said it yourself when we fought."
"Just buying time... " Touya shook his head. "I don't believe you."
The red-head protested, lifting his chin slightly. "Other than the fact I was curious why someone would want the Island that housed the Dark Tournaments Arenas, Touya... I was buying time."
"Curious, hmm?" Touya mused softly where he sat, then pushed himself upright again. He leaned a little forward, his hands on either side of his thighs, and resting on the couch's surface. "Alright, then the second question... "
Kurama waited patiently for Touya to ask his question, but the back of his mind itched with the thought of the coming question. Deep down, he knew what the inquiry would be, and he was not ready to give that answer to the Ice Master. Kurama visibly winced when Touya finally spoke, the very question he'd dreaded being the very one that the other asked.
"What did you mean when you said 'I, too, have spent years in shadow.. interesting... how unexpected regret can appear. That's what this light does... I only wanted to know.. if you could make your life better.. nobler.. than mine has been...' ... ? It's been nagging at my mind since the end of the battle, Kurama. I did not lie when I said that I'd gotten to know you in the short time of the battle, and that I was beginning to like you. But this is one thing about you that I do NOT know or understand."
The youko had turned his eyes to the window as Touya spoke, staring at the darkness of the night beyond the glass panes. He'd never known why he'd said it in the end, when Touya had lay on the Arena floor, and he had stood, aching with the pains the Death Plant was causing him. In truth, he wanted to blame it partially on his pity for Touya and the rest of the Shinobi, who only sought a light to their darkness, but he knew that wasn't the reason.
"Well, Kurama..?" Touya stared patiently at the red-haired boy. "What did you mean?"
Kurama didn't turn his eyes back to Touya, but continued to stare at the window and beyond. Maybe it was because he thought he was going to die, and his mind felt that he needed to say what he had before the fact? Another lie...
"Kurama..?" Touya frowned a little. "You won't tell me? I answered *your* questions." He paused, turning his eyes to look at the window as well, before replacing them in the youko's direction. "What are you hiding?"
Sighing softly, Kurama closed his eyes, his face still directed towards the window. "I truly do not understand why I said it, Touya. To you, I mean. As I have stepped from my youko world to my ningen one, I have felt the transition from darkness to light."
Touya nodded, bidding the other boy to continue, though Kurama's eyes, closed as they were, could not see the movement.
"The regret I spoke of," He continued, "Was the regret that I had when looking back upon my life as Youko Kurama. I was feared, revered, hated, and worshipped as Youko. I was living my own life in the shadows of my thievery, and trickery. You, too, have lived your life in your shadows. Unlike myself, however, you had the abilitity to change yours so early on. To change, and live your life more nobler than I."
The Ice Master frowned slightly, lowering his eyes to his lap. "What makes you think you have not lived a noble life, Kurama?"
The youko opened his eyes, and chuckled. "Now, now... you said you only had two questions."
There was a brief silence, then Touya lifted his head, a smile on his face. He chuckled. "You're right. I did only say I had two questions." He lifted his hands to pat his knees lightly, as if dusting them off. "And I've asked them. I'll be on my way, then." He stood a moment later.
Kurama stood as well, slower though. Touya stepped away from the couchs, and the youko that lingered around them. It wasn't until his hand was placed upon the door's latch that Touya turned back around to face Kurama, the smile that had been upon his features nowhere in sight.
"You are far more noble than many others, Kurama. Those less noble would have killed their defeated opponents after the battle."
Kurama said nothing, but gave a slow nod to Touya.
The Ice Master nodded in return. "I thank you for that, Kurama." Touya twisted the latch, and turned back around as he opened the door, stepping out into the hallway.
Kurama took a small step forward, watching Touya leave. Before the other boy shut the door all the way, Kurama called out softly to him. "And thank *you*, Touya."
There was a hestitation in the movement of the closing door, but it was very brief. The Ice Master did not look back, and the door closed quietly behind him. Kurama stared at the shut door for several minutes before he sat back down on the couch, resting back against the cushions behind him.
---
He shut the door quietly, and let his hand fall away from the latch. Standing in the hallway a few moments, his back to the door, Touya smiled to himself. They had both learned something tonight, with only those few questions asked. Touya had learned that Kurama lacked the confidence in himself that everyone else seemed to want to aspire to, and that the youko also bore a kindness that would probably always set him apart from the rest of those in the Makai.
And Kurama?
Touya believed that Kurama had learned these things as well. This in itself, Touya thought as he turned to leave down the hall, wouldn't be enough to aid him in the coming battles, but mixed with the support and care from the rest of his Teammates, Kurama held a powerful tool in his hands.
The Ice Master continued to smile, even as he left the most intellectual fighter amongst the Urameshi Team to muse quietly by himself, and to recover his lost strength for the upcoming battles he would have to face.
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(Author's Notes: This is a little shorter than I'd intended it to be, but it's almost exactly how I planned it out in my head. ^-^;; Again, if you haven't seen the Yu Yu Hakusho series far enough to have seen the battle between Kurama and Touya, then I suggest you go try to get a hold of a copy, and watch it. Episodes 37 - 39 deal with Kurama's part in the fight with Team Masho. I took a few of the quotes directly from the Dubbed Uncut version of YYH. And yes, I know I made it look like there might be a bit of a crush thing between Touya and Kurama... that was intentional. ^-^;; That's all. Thanks for reading. Comment and Critique, please. )