~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 18 ~*~*~*~*~

"Welcome to my brother's castle! I hope you find your visit enjoyable."

The three intrepid heroes struck their best action poses and prepared to fight. With one swift movement Hiei pulled his katana from its sheath. In the blink of an eye his sword was in hand and battle ready. Kuwabara's spirit sword was out as well. Having no real weapon that he could brandish, Yusuke merely charged his spirit gun

Had Kurama been there he probably would have told them their actions were rash. That they should wait and analyze Arisu's attacks and find her weak points. Rushing blindly in to battle was never a good idea. But Kurama wasn't here was he? Which would explain why Yusuke asked the following question:

"What have you done with Kurama and Botan?" It was more of demand then a question, really.

Arisu chuckled. "That's for me to know and you to find out," she mocked childishly.

"Doesn't she get cold in that?" Kuwabara whispered, who was wearing considerably more and his skin had still turned a lovely shade of blue.

Hiei sneered. "She's an ice demon," he said vehemently.

"Oh..."

His temper rising and teeth on edge, Yusuke snapped back, "Listen, Lady! Either you give us Kurama and Botan or we start playing dirty!"

In an attempt to put in his two bits in Kuwabara profusely added, "Yeah!"

Arisu chuckled once more. She was certaintly getting a lot of entertainment today. "Oh! I'm scared now! oh, whatever will poor little ole me do?" the woman asked facetiously. To add to the facade of her utter helplessness she folded her hands in sort of a prayer like way and looked up imploringly.

Yusuke's temper hit the boiling point and then erupted, "SPIRIT GUN!"

A glow orb erupted (much like Yusuke's temper) from the end of his finger and rocketed towered Arisu. The ice demon for a brief moment actually seemed to have a trace of fear. Though, that fear may have been a mere feint for in the next moment it was gone. She pulled back her arm and in a quick sweeping motion flourished it in front of her. All the while screaming, "ARTIC WIND!"

A harsh blast of cold air hit the glowing ball of spirit energy and sent it in the opposite direction. As Yusuke's attack hit the wall and exploded Arisu laughed for the third time in fifteen minutes.

Beaming triumphantly Arisu gloated, "Is that all you have? Really! I expected more!"

Yusuke hid his surprise with a look of fierce determination. What was he going to do know? Kurama was his strategist. Without him, he had no strategy, no plan. It looked like he'd have to come up with his own. He'd done it before, surely he could do it again.

As if Arisu possessed the ability to read minds she said, "Poor little ningen! Without the brains behind the operation how will they every win?"

Kuwabara was this close to running up the stairs and slicing that dumb ice demon in half. He just needed a little signal from Yusuke. Just a the least little hint from his leader...

But what Arisu said next erased any though of that from his mind.

"I'll tell you what," she began suddenly, "I'll tell you what happened to your precious Kurama. Its only fair after all!" She cracked a grin.

Yusuke called her a word that really isn't worth repeating.

Satisfied with the hero's reaction she pulled out (from mid air, surprisingly enough) a small wooden chest. She held it in front of her, modeling it. In a funny way it was much like she was the auctioneer and the three were the bidders.

"What's that dinky thing?" Kuwabara questioned Hiei.

He'd said it loud enough to hear from Arisu's position, however, and she was more then glad to answer him.

"This 'dinky' thing is none other than The Box of Insanity!"

"More like The Box of Stupidity!" Kuwabara laughed at his own joke.

Yusuke was less then amused, "Look! I don't care if it's The Box of Creampuffs, but what does that have to do with Kurama?"

Arisu shook her head and clicked her tongue, "Poor, poor, little ningen. Doesn't know a demon torture device when he sees one."

"Demon...torture?" Yusuke reflected, stunned. How could that tiny little box torture anyone. Frankly, he'd always thought of torture devices as the things one would find in a medieval dungeon.

"Yes! Very good! Let me show you how this works!" Arisu seemed almost giddy as she did this, "All I have to do is open this lid and wham! Anything standing in front of it gets sucked in! Whoosh! Now, once inside, you'll be exposed to a numerous amount of things. I don't know what things but things. those things will inevitably drive you insane. Hence the name."

Kuwabara hadn't really listened after he noticed Arisu was using her own sound effects. So it came of no surprise he was still confused as to how a box could drive you insane.

"So you're saying Kurama inside that thing?" Yusuke demanded.

"Ding! Ding! We have a winner!" That laughter of hers was getting old fast.

Yusuke would not stand for this. Nobody, but nobody, drove his friends insane. "That's it!" With a speed that matched Hiei's and perhaps even surpassed it, the black-haired teen charged up the stairs, all the while charging is fist with spirit energy. Reaching the top the first thing he did was take a flying leap into the air and come crashing down on Arisu. Fist first.

~*~*~*~*~

There was no point anymore. To try to escape was...futile...There was no way. His logical mind had assessed every possible way. But there was no way....He couldn't think. Pain had consumed him. It took over him to the point where every thought and feeling felt like being pierced with a nail.

A sharp nail, hammered incessantly into his mind, his heart, his very soul.

Attempts to escape were fruitless, in vain, otiose, abortive...Useless.

Why bother with that many adjectives working against you?

After is initial panic he abstained to remain devoid of motion...To remain tranquil and static. To stare blankly at the caliginous gloom that filled everything. Remain that way for all eternity. There was no other alternative. Anything to stop the nail...And her screaming...

You're pathetic, Shuuichi.

What? Who?

I said you're pathetic. you have every means and all my power at you're disposal and yet you resolve to do nothing.

Youko...

Indubitably.

There is no way out. How can one escape a void?

You can. You're supposed to be intelligent, Shuuichi. Though, perhaps I have misjudged you. If your wit near as matched what I had originally perceived you would have seen past this facade.

Facade?

This is all a ruse, Shuuichi. See past your own ignorance and you'll know what I speak of.

My own ignorance?

But the Youko didn't answer. He left him with nothing more than a lingering thought. A facade? Did he mean...No...But...

Was this all some sort of dream? All this darkness? All this pain? Was he inflicting it upon himself? Was he both the puppet and the puppeteer?

Correct.

All the darkness around him shattered and the light shone through.

~*~*~*~*~

Yusuke's famous flying attack. Or rather infamous. He only used it in two scenarios. The first being when it was truly advantageous to him in the situation or he'd lost his temper. The latter happening much more than the former.

His fist was inches away from connecting with Arisu's smirking face. And Arisu was mere seconds away from sending another blast of Artic Wind in Yusuke's direction.

But luckily, something happened that prevented both of them from following through with their aforementioned attacks.

The Box of Insanity, still cradled in the crook of Arisu's arm, began to glow.

~*~*~*~*~

0.0 I wonder what's going to happen next? If you want to find out check in next time for the action packed CHAPTER 19!

Speaking of action packed, I can't help but notice some of you are kind of getting restless with the sudden lack of romance in R & P. I apologize for that but the action has the soul purpose of giving this fic a plot, instead of just mindless fluff. Mark me, there's nothing wrong with mindless fluff. I quite enjoy it. But back when nothing was happening in the fic but Kurama and Botan's relationship developing people started to ask me when we'd get to the action! So, you're just going to have to make do.

On the plus side though, the action part is supposed to be over by Chapter 22. And because of all the complaints I added a lovely dream sequence at the beginning of Chapter 21. (Which I should probably get around to finishing.) Until then you'll just have to entertain yourself with the lovely Koenma and Arisu subplot the appears a little in Chapter 20 and (when I get around to finishing it.) the end of Chapter 21. So be patient!

And something else was brought to my attention. Kurama and Botan lover asked me if I was going to change the rating after the scene with Botan and Hakuma. Well, I didn't really see the need to. After all, all he really did was kiss her palm. But if the implications of what he might have done are enough to change the rating then so be it! Still, I'm still not sure that I should. R & P seems awfully happy being only PG.

It's really up to you guys. ^_^

Thanks a million for all the wonderful reviews! And please do so again!

- frith

Stay tuned for Chapter 19! Transcendence!