Black Snow Foxes and Red Fire Demons pt. 5

They ran from the mine and through the forest their footsteps echoing through the trees with the sunlight on their backs. Quickly, running from tree to tree, Hiei ran ahead carrying Yukina in his arms in a racing green, black, and blue blur. They charged into their clearing as Karasu continued crying out in joy.

"KARASU!" an old voice cried making Karasu stop his celebrations.

"What do you want you old woman?" he asked as he turned to the dwarves.

Menacingly, he walked towards the old woman sneering beneath his mask. Hiei set Yukina down as she quickly ran to Cristy's side hoping to heal her wound or find any sign of life in her pale, limp body. The others prepared to fight as they stood in fighting stances as Ura Urishima began to twirl his fishing line. Karasu continued to slowly and menacingly walk towards them his violet eyes shining sinisterly his mouth beneath his mask smiling an evil smile.

They charged. Majin Hiei drew his sword and attacked as Karasu dodged with deadly grace and skill as Hiei continued slashing and dicing. Ura ran up behind Karasu whipping his fishing line wildly as Karasu continued to dodge. Karasu laid a clawed hand on Ura's fishing line. The line exploded. Karasu turned and glared at the small black haired dwarf as Ura stumbled away in fear and fright. The others charged in. Old and young Genkai charged in angry for what Karasu had done as they fired Spirit Guns and other Spirit Wave techniques. (Author's note: forgive me but I forgot what attacks Genkai uses. If you know please tell me.) Toguro Ani's bony clawed fingers stretched out searching to find Karasu's throat as his body sprouted long spears that raced towards their victim. Then, unable to avoid the attacks as his quick steps began to falter, Karasu stumbled and fell to the ground in a thud as Toguro Ani's fingers and spikes, old and young Genkai's energies, and Hiei's sword came coming toward him as the final moments of his life flashed before his eyes.

The sound of shattering bones, energy burning through fragile flesh, and the cries of a dying king echoed through the forest as the last of the birds flew away in fear leaving the rest of the forest in an eerie silence.

Slowly, the rest of the dwarves made their way to a crying Yukina's side. She buried her face in her hands as the tear gems rolled from her cheeks and on to the forest floor. Majin Hiei dropped his blood stained sword to the ground and slowly walked to her side and pulled her close to him whispering comforting words in her ears. The dwarves' heads hung in sadness and shame.

"I couldn't save her," Yukina whispered hoarsely as she continued to cry.

Yukina looked up as she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned and found old Genkai staring kindly down on her.

"Don't worry child," she comforted her old voice rasping. "It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could do.. Wherever she may be.. I'm sure she is well."

"We best make preparations," said Hiei as he looked over to the limp form lying in the grass.

"And so we shall," Old Genkai continued. "We need a few things from the mine. Come."

The five of them stood and turned and slowly made their way back to the mine in a saddened silence as Yukina stayed by Cristy's limp side.

In another clearing, not far from the cottage, they build her a gold and glass coffin decorated with red and black priceless gems as Toguro and Hiei carved long rose vines into the gold making a background for the jewels and gems. Gently, they placed her inside and placed her hands on her chest as she held a red rose to her heart. Then, carefully, Hiei and Toguro Ani placed the glass cover over her. Slowly, the others walked up to her and placed flowers at the coffin's side. They kneeled as old Genkai stood and began to say the last respects.

They walked home in sadness and silence their heads hanging low tears falling from their eyes. Slowly, they walked into the small cottage as the sun slowly set in the distance as the first stars of the night sky kissed the sun goodbye while quietly in their hearts the dwarves said goodbye to a friend.

Prince Hiei, Youko Kurama, and Yusuke rode deep into the forest as the stars began to shine in the setting sun as the night's cold air began to set in their bones. Prince Hiei looked up and deep into the forming night sky.

The sky above him was painted with reds, oranges, blues, and golds and the first of the glistening stars. Youko Kurama turned his silver fox's head upwards and looked for a distant star.

"You know," he began as he continued riding breaking the silence between the three of them. "I think Venus is out tonight."

"Who's Venus?" asked Yusuke confused as Youko Kurama sighed. "We don't know a girl named Venus."

Youko sweat-dropped.

"Venus isn't a girl Yusuke," Youko Kurama corrected. "She's a goddess. And her star is out tonight."

"Goddess of what Kitsune?" asked Hiei as he looked into the sky curiously.

"Love," Youko answered. "If you make a wish upon her star, it is said, for true love that wish will come true." (Author's note: forgive me I don't know much about Greek mythology.)

Prince Hiei became quiet as he lowered his eyes to the dirt path before him and the others his mind wandering into thoughts and dreams. 'A wish for true love.. Will come true,' he thought quietly.

"Where do we find this star Kitsune?" the Prince asked as his crimson eyes turned upwards toward the night sky once more.

"Uh..." Youko Kurama began as he turned his head looking for a star.

He looked towards the setting sun and found a bright star shining near the sink golden orb.

"There," Youko Kurama said as he pointed a clawed finger towards the brightest star. "It's the first star that comes out in the night."

Prince Hiei nodded as he turned towards the star. 'Starlight star-bright,' he quietly began in his mind as he remembered the old child's rhyme. 'First star I see tonight. I wish I may. I wish I might. Let me have this wish I wish tonight... I wish to find her again.. For I have fallen in love.' The star above him glowed brightly and seemingly disappeared in a flash of light.

They rode as the night turned darker with more stars appearing in the darkening sky. They stopped in the clearing where they had first arrived a few days before the mist of the spring softly coating the ground in a white cloud. They prepared a small fire to last the night as Youko and Yusuke fell into a deep and tired sleep.

Prince Hiei watched his comrades sleeping contently as he stared deep into the fire's burning flames. The red flames reflected deep into his crimson eyes as his mind wandered back to the mysterious woman he had only met and fallen in love with a few days before. 'Hm,' he thought to himself frustrated. 'Why can't I stop thinking of you?!' He sighed his mind whispering the truth softly to him. 'I've.. I've.. Fallen in love with you,' his mind sighed as the words ran circles in his head.

"Hm," he said quietly to himself. "Fallen in love.. I'm going soft."

He leapt into a nearby tall tree and leaned lazily on the trunk as his eyes looked deep into the starlight and slowly closed to the starlight's lullaby.

The morning light crept across the forest floor and through the trees as the morning dew gathered on the leaves and flowers as the Prince and his advisors slowly woke and cleaned up the campsite. Youko Kurama yawned and tiredly stretched as Yusuke stood tiredly and made his way to his horse as the Prince leapt down from the tree. They mounted their horses and made their way into the deep woods hoping to find the elusive demon princess for their Prince.

Sunlight shined through the cottage windows waking the dwarves as it did so. Sadly, the rose from their beds and readied themselves for another day in the mine in a sad silence.

"Old Genkai?" Yukina asked softly as she walked up to the old dwarf and the foreman of the mine.

"Yes child?" Genkai asked softly back to her.

"May we..." she began nervously as she wrinkled her kimono in her small hands.

"Yes?" Genkai replied softly asking her to continue.

"Stop at Snow White's grave?" Yukina finished lightly blushing as she turned away embarrassed and ashamed.

Old Genkai smiled softly.

"Of course," she rasped gently. "I think it would do us all good."

Yukina smiled.

"Thank you," she said kindly as she turned away. "I'll tell the others."

Old Genkai nodded as Yukina slowly walked away to tell the others.

As the old Genkai waited outside, she watched as slowly the other dwarves walked out of the cottage. In silence all carrying flowers in their hands, they made their way to Snow White's clearing only to find three strangers standing beside Snow White's coffin.

They rode deeper into the forest as a glimmer to gold caught Youko Kurama's gold eyes. He turned and looked into a small clearing with a gold and glass coffin, covered with dewdrops and decorated with red and black gems and jewels sitting in the middle of the forest.

"Prince Hiei. Yusuke," he began as he and the others stopped their horses.

"What?" asked Yusuke as Youko Kurama pointed into the clearing. "Wow."

"What is it?" asked Prince Hiei as he turned his horse towards the clearing. "Treasure?"

"Good question," Youko Kurama replied as his nose twitched to a scent lingering in the air. "But it smells of death."

"Lets check it out," said Yusuke daringly as he rode his stallion into the clearing.

"Yusuke!" Youko Kurama cried. "Wait! It might be dangerous."

"Baka," Prince Hiei muttered as he slowly rode forward. "Come.. If he gets into trouble, we'll have to get him out of it."

"Yes your Highness," Youko replied as he followed his Prince into the clearing.

Yusuke de-mounted his horse and walked to the dew and mist covered glass coffin as he held the horse's reins tightly in his hands. Prince Hiei and Youko Kurama walked to his side as they tied their horses to a nearby tree.

"It must be a coffin," Yusuke said as he looked to the flowers on the ground.

"That explains the smell of death," Youko added as he wondered who lay inside the coffin.

"Who do you think is inside?" Yusuke asked again.

"Hm," Prince Hiei snorted as his hand reached up to the glass cover. "Why don't we find out?"

He swiped his hand across the glass making the morning dew and mist fall and roll of the curved cover. Then, Prince Hiei stepped back in shock as he studied the face of the figure inside.

"It's her," he whispered shocked as he walked up to the coffin.

"What happened to her?"asked Yusuke confused. "She was fine a few days ago."

"Well apparently she's dead," Prince Hiei spat bitterly as rare tears formed in his eyes. "Get this cover off the coffin."

"Yes your Majesty," replied Yusuke and Youko as they went to lift the heavy glass from the coffin.

"WAIT!" an old voice cried angrily making them turned to a small band of dwarves. "HOW DARE YOU DESECRATE THIS GRAVE SITE!"

"Get away from her," a green-skinned, many-eyed dwarf said menacingly as he drew his sword.

"Forgive us," Youko Kurama said as he and Yusuke stepped away from the coffin. "Our Prince just wanted to see the girl inside.

"Why?" the old dwarf asked sternly as she stepped forward. "We knew the girl inside.. You may not have her."

"Because..." Youko Kurama began unsure of what to say.

"Because I love her," Prince Hiei interrupted as he stepped forward placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

The dwarves and Prince Hiei's advisors stared at the Prince in shock.

"I met her only a few days before," he said sadly as he placed a hand on the coffin just above her face. "And I came back to ask for her hand in marriage."

The looks on the dwarves' faces softened as their threatening air vanished.

"Forgive us," the old dwarf said. "We had no idea."

"I only ask for one thing," Prince Hiei said softly as small tears welled in his eyes.

"What is it?" the old dwarf asked again.

"That I may give her one last kiss of goodbye," he said softly as a rare tear fell from his eyes.

The old dwarf nodded softly smiling.

"What is your name old dwarf?" Prince Hiei asked.

"You may call me old Genkai," she replied softly as the saddened Prince smiled a rare smile. "Remove the cover."

The green-skinned many-eyed dwarf and a smaller dwarf with long wavy gray hair walked to the coffin's side and removed the glass cover and placed it gently on the ground. Slowly, Prince Hiei walked up to the still girl's side and sat on the edge of her coffin. He ran a gentle hand on the soft skin on her face as more rare tears filled his eyes. He leaned down and gently placed his lips on hers for a soft lingering kiss. Seconds seemed to pass in minutes as minutes passed in hours as Prince Hiei kept his soft lips on hers unaware of the red-gold eyes of Snow White slowly flutter open.

Cristy's eyes softly fluttered open as she felt a soft and gentle pressure on her lips. She looked as her eyes went wide to find her handsome demon from the spring gently kissing her.

Eyes went wide all around as Snow White slowly woke up.

"Uh.. Your Majesty..." Yusuke began shocked as he tapped Prince Hiei on his shoulder.

Prince Hiei ignored his touch.

"Prince Hiei," Youko Kurama tried as he shook his Prince gently. "You... might want to open your eyes..."

Inwardly, Prince Hiei sighed as he opened a crimson eye only to have a young girl's red-gold eye stare deep into his. Shocked, Prince Hiei quickly removed his lips from hers lightly blushing.

Cristy smiled. Slowly, her skin turned white as snow as her lips turned red as blood. She sat up and moved to his side.

"Snow White?" Yukina asked shocked as she staggered forward. "But... you... y-you.."

"Were dead?" Cristy finished for her as Yukina nodded shocked. "I know... I can't explain it either."

"It's a miracle!" Yusuke cried joyously throwing his arms up in celebration.

"Dimwit," Old Genkai said as she smiled. "But I'll agree with him.. For when love is true enough.. It itself cannot be parted by death."

Prince Hiei looked deep into her eyes in shock as she looked deep into his in love.

"Forgive me," he began shocked the words falling clumsily out of his mouth. "I do not know your name.. But I think I have fallen in love with you."

Cristy blinked and blushed lightly.

"Marry me," he said quickly and bluntly.

Cristy smiled and blushed brighter.

"I am called Snow White.. But you may call me Cristy," she said smiling. "And I will marry you.. For I have fallen in love with you as well."

Prince Hiei smiled a rare smile as he pulled her close and into a deep kiss as her eyes went wide in surprise. Slowly, she closed her eyes as the cheers of the dwarves and the Prince's advisors echoed through the morning forest.

(Author's note: well.. That's the end of the "Snow White" parody.. I hope you liked it!... and forgive me since Hiei was ooc again.. *sweat-drops*.. Uh.. I doubt you want me to do another one.. But if you want me to check the cast list choices back in "White Rose Beauty and the Red Rose Beast pt. 8" and give me another vote.. But I revised one of the lists:

~Rapunzel Cast List (revised):

Rapunzel: Yusuke's demon form.. I saw a pic. Of it and he has the longest hair out of all the guys.

Prince Charming.. Or in this case Princess: Keiko.

Rapunzel's parents: Atsuko and Raizen.

Evil Witch: Genkai (old)...

Obviously.. the Rapunzel list will be a Yusuke/Keiko fic if you want it so.. Let me know!)