Hey. HAH!! I FOOLED YOU ALL! THERE IS ANOTHER CHAPTER!!
This might be the last one, I dunno. Depends on what happens.
But there will be a sequel concerning Hiei and Yukina, inspired by Jeroun's slip of the tongue (for those of you who can't remember, it was when Jeroun first met Hiei and Yukina, and almost asked if they were siblings because they looked alike) in chappy four.
Hiei: Hang on, what's this "sequal" about?
Nagem: Ah . . . erm, nothing . . . .
Hiei: YOU'RE GONNA TELL YUKINA!!
Nagem: I never said I would. . . .
Kuro: But you never said you wouldn't.
Nagem: Kuro, hush!!
Hiei: You are gonna die, authoress.
Nagem: Uhhhh, on with the show!! *Runs away from Hiei*
Kuro: Nagem does not own Yu Yu Hakusho or anything else that appears in this fic.
Hiei: You're not getting away either! You're in this together!! *Kuro runs away, being chased by Hiei*
The front door was locked. Kuronue debating breaking in, but it wasn't worth it. All he did was sit on the front step, his head in his hands, blinking back tears as he thought about Kurama. The kitsune had given his life just so that Kuronue could live. Kuronue had then been set free, mainly because Koenma was upset about Kurama, and because, like Kurama said, he had proved that he could manage a life without stealing. Jeroun, of course, was set free, as he had completed his test, and had gone back to the Makai. He urged Kuronue to come with him, but Kuronue had declined, saying that he had some distant family to visit. Even though the fire demon hadn't believed him, Jeroun did not press on the subject. All Kuronue could do was grieve for Kurama. The scene replayed itself in his brain.
~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Kurama, you baka," Kuronue sobbed into Kurama's shirt. "Baka kitsune, baka baka baka. Gods, this can't be happening. Gods, please say this isn't happening." Yusuke and Kuwabara approached them.
"Kuronue, I'm so sorry," Yusuke said. "This is all my fault. Gods, I shot Kurama."
"You two were partners?" Kuwabara asked. Jeroun walked onto the scene. He already knew what had happened. He had seen it in his mind's eye while he was running.
"H-hai," Kuronue mumbled. "We were until I was wounded and caught. Then he was said to be killed."
"I shot Kurama," Yusuke said numbly. It was then that Hiei came into the picture.
"What's going on here?" he asked, walking over to the group of them. "KURAMA!! What did you do to Kurama?!?!" Hiei dropped to his knees and observed the hole in his friend's stomach. His eyes widened, and he looked at Yusuke. "No. . . . "
"I shot him," Yusuke said.
"Well why in the three worlds did you do that?" Hiei demanded
"I didn't mean to," Yusuke said. "He-he jumped in front of Kuronue when I tried to shoot Kuronue."
"Baka," Hiei said, staring down at his friend's body. "Baka." Hiei closed his eyes, hoping to blink back tears. He couldn't let the others see him cry.
"Yusuke! What's going on?" Koenma walked onto the scene. He stopped dead when he saw Kurama. "What happened?"
"I-I shot him," Yusuke said for the fourth time. Of all the things Koenma had been expecting, this was not one of them.
"Yusuke. . . . " he said. "Why?"
"I-" Yusuke began, but was cut off by Kuronue.
"It was m-my fault, K-Koenma-sama," he stuttered, from both fear and grief. "Yusuke was to shoot m-me, b-but K-Kurama. . . . He-he jumped in front of m-me, and t-took the b-b-bullet to the s-s-stomach. T-then he t- told me th-that old partners, they didn't let each other down, and th-then h-h-he . . . died. "
"Gods," Koenma said. "But I'm sure Botan will see that he has a safe journey to the Spirit World. As for you. . . . "
"Arrest me," Kuronue mumbled. "I deserve it. I as good as killed Kurama."
"You didn't," Koenma said. "And neither did Yusuke. But I came here to deal with different matters. Jeroun, you are free, because you went six months without stealing. You can either go back to the Makai, or stay here."
"I dunno," Jeroun said. "But what about Kuronue?"
"Because of everything that has happened," Koenma said. "And the fact that he didn't commit any crimes for five months, he's free." Everyone looked at Koenma.
"Are you sure?" Kuronue asked. "I'm a deadly criminal. There has to be a bounty on my head the size of . . . of . . . I dunno, but it's really big!!"
"Kurama had one too," Koenma said. "But I let him go." Kuronue gaped at him. "You are free to do as you please." Koenma then left the clearing. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End of flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had eventually gotten Kuronue to let go of Kurama's body, then had dragged him, kicking and screaming for his lost partner, out of the clearing they had been in. He didn't know what had become of the fox's body. Hiei had seemed to be unfazed after the initial shock, but Kuronue had seen him in the tree outside of Kurama's room, silently crying. Kuronue had resisted the urge to collect the tear gems that fell to the ground. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, and looked up to see Jeroun standing there, human form, with a sad smile on his face. Kuronue tried to wipe the tears away before Jeroun saw him, but the youkai shook his head.
"I know how you feel," Jeroun said. "Even in the short time I knew him, he was like a brother to me." Good thing Kuronue was in his human form, otherwise he would have already gotten some very odd looks.
"What are you doing back here?" Kuronue mumbled, not wanting to talk about the kitsune.
"I remembered that Kurama's ningen mother, Shiori, was coming home from her business trip today," he said. Kuronue sat up straight. "And I thought it might be easier to break the news to her if both of us were here." As if on cue, a car pulled up in front of the house, and Shiori stepped out, a bright smile on her face. Kuronue hated to break her good mood, but there was news to tell.
"Jeroun! Kanon! What are you two doing here outside? Go in, go in," she said. Then she caught the looks on their faces. "Why aren't you two happy? Is there something wrong?" Kuronue stood up, swallowing to remove the lump in his throat.
"First off, I want you to call me by my real name," Kuronue said.
"Then what is it?"
"Kuronue. Pretty. What's the next thing?"
"K-Shuichi . . . isn't with us anymore," Kuronue mumbled. Shiori froze, her smile plastered on her face in confusion.
"What?"
"He died a few days ago in a freak car incident," Jeroun said, putting his head down. "It hit us all really hard."
::Why aren't you telling the truth?:: Kuronue mind-asked Jeroun.
::She just lost who she thought was her son! Do you want me to break her even more by telling her Kurama wasn't really her son?::
::I guess not, but we'll have to tell her soon,:: Kuronue said.
::Agreed.::
"N-no," Shiori said. "It can't be true."
"We're sorry, Ms. Minamino, but he's gone," Kuronue said. "The doctors at the hospital did everything they could save him, but he had lost too much blood-" He would have said more, but Shiori broke down, flinging her arms around Kuronue and sobbing into his shoulder.
"He's gone, my Shuichi is gone," she sobbed. "What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Jeroun said, moving forward half to comfort the woman, half because Kuronue was almost as bad as she was.
"My baby . . . my poor little baby," Shiori cried. "Where did he go?"
"I wish we knew," Kuronue muttered. "I really wish we knew."
A few hours and several cups of tea later, Shiori's tears had stopped. And, against Kuronue's and Jeroun's wishes, she had gone out alone into the forest. As she walked through the trees, she thought about Kurama. She remembered when he was younger, and had no friends, and then when she had gotten sick, and spent all his time with her, urging her to get better. Then, right after she had gotten well, had those strange friends of his. And now this. His future, his life. Everything was over. Shiori leaned against one of the trees, fresh tears coming down her face.
"Shuichi . . . " she muttered. "Why? What have we done wrong to deserve this?" She fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands. "SHUICHI!!!"
Jeroun and Kuronue heard her shout. Kuronue made a move to make sure she was all right, but Jeroun stopped him.
"She needs to deal with this her own way," he said. Kuronue grudgingly agreed.
She was had her back pressed against a tree, not caring what she was doing. She then heard footsteps. (Jeroun?) she wondered. (Kuronue?) She ignored the footsteps. If they were polite, they would leave her to grieve in peace.
"Hold back your tears," a raspy voice whispered. "Do not cry for me." Shiori shrieked. She reached out to the figure that was standing in front of her. Hmmm . . . should this be the last chapter, or should I continue it? Your choice. Please reveiw!!
This might be the last one, I dunno. Depends on what happens.
But there will be a sequel concerning Hiei and Yukina, inspired by Jeroun's slip of the tongue (for those of you who can't remember, it was when Jeroun first met Hiei and Yukina, and almost asked if they were siblings because they looked alike) in chappy four.
Hiei: Hang on, what's this "sequal" about?
Nagem: Ah . . . erm, nothing . . . .
Hiei: YOU'RE GONNA TELL YUKINA!!
Nagem: I never said I would. . . .
Kuro: But you never said you wouldn't.
Nagem: Kuro, hush!!
Hiei: You are gonna die, authoress.
Nagem: Uhhhh, on with the show!! *Runs away from Hiei*
Kuro: Nagem does not own Yu Yu Hakusho or anything else that appears in this fic.
Hiei: You're not getting away either! You're in this together!! *Kuro runs away, being chased by Hiei*
The front door was locked. Kuronue debating breaking in, but it wasn't worth it. All he did was sit on the front step, his head in his hands, blinking back tears as he thought about Kurama. The kitsune had given his life just so that Kuronue could live. Kuronue had then been set free, mainly because Koenma was upset about Kurama, and because, like Kurama said, he had proved that he could manage a life without stealing. Jeroun, of course, was set free, as he had completed his test, and had gone back to the Makai. He urged Kuronue to come with him, but Kuronue had declined, saying that he had some distant family to visit. Even though the fire demon hadn't believed him, Jeroun did not press on the subject. All Kuronue could do was grieve for Kurama. The scene replayed itself in his brain.
~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Kurama, you baka," Kuronue sobbed into Kurama's shirt. "Baka kitsune, baka baka baka. Gods, this can't be happening. Gods, please say this isn't happening." Yusuke and Kuwabara approached them.
"Kuronue, I'm so sorry," Yusuke said. "This is all my fault. Gods, I shot Kurama."
"You two were partners?" Kuwabara asked. Jeroun walked onto the scene. He already knew what had happened. He had seen it in his mind's eye while he was running.
"H-hai," Kuronue mumbled. "We were until I was wounded and caught. Then he was said to be killed."
"I shot Kurama," Yusuke said numbly. It was then that Hiei came into the picture.
"What's going on here?" he asked, walking over to the group of them. "KURAMA!! What did you do to Kurama?!?!" Hiei dropped to his knees and observed the hole in his friend's stomach. His eyes widened, and he looked at Yusuke. "No. . . . "
"I shot him," Yusuke said.
"Well why in the three worlds did you do that?" Hiei demanded
"I didn't mean to," Yusuke said. "He-he jumped in front of Kuronue when I tried to shoot Kuronue."
"Baka," Hiei said, staring down at his friend's body. "Baka." Hiei closed his eyes, hoping to blink back tears. He couldn't let the others see him cry.
"Yusuke! What's going on?" Koenma walked onto the scene. He stopped dead when he saw Kurama. "What happened?"
"I-I shot him," Yusuke said for the fourth time. Of all the things Koenma had been expecting, this was not one of them.
"Yusuke. . . . " he said. "Why?"
"I-" Yusuke began, but was cut off by Kuronue.
"It was m-my fault, K-Koenma-sama," he stuttered, from both fear and grief. "Yusuke was to shoot m-me, b-but K-Kurama. . . . He-he jumped in front of m-me, and t-took the b-b-bullet to the s-s-stomach. T-then he t- told me th-that old partners, they didn't let each other down, and th-then h-h-he . . . died. "
"Gods," Koenma said. "But I'm sure Botan will see that he has a safe journey to the Spirit World. As for you. . . . "
"Arrest me," Kuronue mumbled. "I deserve it. I as good as killed Kurama."
"You didn't," Koenma said. "And neither did Yusuke. But I came here to deal with different matters. Jeroun, you are free, because you went six months without stealing. You can either go back to the Makai, or stay here."
"I dunno," Jeroun said. "But what about Kuronue?"
"Because of everything that has happened," Koenma said. "And the fact that he didn't commit any crimes for five months, he's free." Everyone looked at Koenma.
"Are you sure?" Kuronue asked. "I'm a deadly criminal. There has to be a bounty on my head the size of . . . of . . . I dunno, but it's really big!!"
"Kurama had one too," Koenma said. "But I let him go." Kuronue gaped at him. "You are free to do as you please." Koenma then left the clearing. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End of flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had eventually gotten Kuronue to let go of Kurama's body, then had dragged him, kicking and screaming for his lost partner, out of the clearing they had been in. He didn't know what had become of the fox's body. Hiei had seemed to be unfazed after the initial shock, but Kuronue had seen him in the tree outside of Kurama's room, silently crying. Kuronue had resisted the urge to collect the tear gems that fell to the ground. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, and looked up to see Jeroun standing there, human form, with a sad smile on his face. Kuronue tried to wipe the tears away before Jeroun saw him, but the youkai shook his head.
"I know how you feel," Jeroun said. "Even in the short time I knew him, he was like a brother to me." Good thing Kuronue was in his human form, otherwise he would have already gotten some very odd looks.
"What are you doing back here?" Kuronue mumbled, not wanting to talk about the kitsune.
"I remembered that Kurama's ningen mother, Shiori, was coming home from her business trip today," he said. Kuronue sat up straight. "And I thought it might be easier to break the news to her if both of us were here." As if on cue, a car pulled up in front of the house, and Shiori stepped out, a bright smile on her face. Kuronue hated to break her good mood, but there was news to tell.
"Jeroun! Kanon! What are you two doing here outside? Go in, go in," she said. Then she caught the looks on their faces. "Why aren't you two happy? Is there something wrong?" Kuronue stood up, swallowing to remove the lump in his throat.
"First off, I want you to call me by my real name," Kuronue said.
"Then what is it?"
"Kuronue. Pretty. What's the next thing?"
"K-Shuichi . . . isn't with us anymore," Kuronue mumbled. Shiori froze, her smile plastered on her face in confusion.
"What?"
"He died a few days ago in a freak car incident," Jeroun said, putting his head down. "It hit us all really hard."
::Why aren't you telling the truth?:: Kuronue mind-asked Jeroun.
::She just lost who she thought was her son! Do you want me to break her even more by telling her Kurama wasn't really her son?::
::I guess not, but we'll have to tell her soon,:: Kuronue said.
::Agreed.::
"N-no," Shiori said. "It can't be true."
"We're sorry, Ms. Minamino, but he's gone," Kuronue said. "The doctors at the hospital did everything they could save him, but he had lost too much blood-" He would have said more, but Shiori broke down, flinging her arms around Kuronue and sobbing into his shoulder.
"He's gone, my Shuichi is gone," she sobbed. "What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Jeroun said, moving forward half to comfort the woman, half because Kuronue was almost as bad as she was.
"My baby . . . my poor little baby," Shiori cried. "Where did he go?"
"I wish we knew," Kuronue muttered. "I really wish we knew."
A few hours and several cups of tea later, Shiori's tears had stopped. And, against Kuronue's and Jeroun's wishes, she had gone out alone into the forest. As she walked through the trees, she thought about Kurama. She remembered when he was younger, and had no friends, and then when she had gotten sick, and spent all his time with her, urging her to get better. Then, right after she had gotten well, had those strange friends of his. And now this. His future, his life. Everything was over. Shiori leaned against one of the trees, fresh tears coming down her face.
"Shuichi . . . " she muttered. "Why? What have we done wrong to deserve this?" She fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands. "SHUICHI!!!"
Jeroun and Kuronue heard her shout. Kuronue made a move to make sure she was all right, but Jeroun stopped him.
"She needs to deal with this her own way," he said. Kuronue grudgingly agreed.
She was had her back pressed against a tree, not caring what she was doing. She then heard footsteps. (Jeroun?) she wondered. (Kuronue?) She ignored the footsteps. If they were polite, they would leave her to grieve in peace.
"Hold back your tears," a raspy voice whispered. "Do not cry for me." Shiori shrieked. She reached out to the figure that was standing in front of her. Hmmm . . . should this be the last chapter, or should I continue it? Your choice. Please reveiw!!