~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 19 ~*~*~*~*~

The box shook and rattled. All the while emanating with an even brighter light. Yusuke landed neatly and stared dumbly at the glowing box which was no on the ground. The shock of the box gaining a life of its own frightened Arisu so much that she'd abruptly cast it away from her and backed up against the wall. Her expression a mix of shock and fear.

Hiei and Kuwabara watched the spectacle from a considerable distance. But the glow of the box had become so strong that it was clearly seen even from where they were. A smirk snatched Hiei's lips.

It was Kurama.

And indeed it was. Yusuke could sense his unique signature of spirit energy. But it was mind-boggling at the shear power he was sensing. And it all came from Kurama.

The box splintered. A tiny cracking sound signaled it. The tiny sound was followed by a horribly loud one. Like the sound of bones cracking. Splinters exploded and went whizzing through the air. Yusuke was forced to shield his face with his arm.

And out of the blinding light a shape could be distinguished. At first, it was only a blur of red and fuchsia. Soon it became clear. There was Kurama shining with an inner light that somehow made him one to be feared. His eyes remained closed, until at last he opened them.

The shining pools of emerald reflected the same light as that which surrounded him.

Arisu pressed her back against the wall, hoping some how that it would suck her through. Getting her away from here. "Kurama..." He was powerful. Far more powerful than she could have possibly imagined. Power even to out shine her brother's. He didn't stand a chance against him. She didn't stand a chance against him. He was radiating with pure, unbridled power. There wasn't a soul alive who could match such strength.

.

Kurama stared blankly before him. And then at last recognition seeped into his mind and he turned. His eyes finally focusing on Arisu.

Arisu's breath caught in her throat. No! No! She couldn't stay here! He was going to kill her! He was to powerful! Fear seizing control of her rational mind and legs she sprinted out of there as fast as she could go. She whizzed past the still ambiguous Kurama and the stunned Yusuke. She ran down the stairs as though all of Hell was threatening to consume her whole.

Yusuke wouldn't allow this, "Hiei! Kuwabara! Get her!"

It was a wonder why he even bothered calling to Kuwabara for the carrot-top hadn't taken a step before Hiei had surmounted the distance between him and the ice demon and had her in his grasp. Katana poised at her throat.

"Don't even think about it."

Arisu gulped and looked close to tears. Defeated, she hung her head.

The glow that Kurama radiated died down into a small glimmer and soon was nothing. It was just normal, smiling Kurama. He looked from Yusuke to Hiei and Kuwabara, all the while smiling pleasantly. He patiently waited for someone to say or do something.

His patience was relieved by Kuwabara. In the time it took everyone to break from their trance, he had scaled the stair and was the first to greet the conquering hero.

"Whoa, Kurama! Where'd that come from! Heck! You weren't even in your Youko form! That was amazing! What was it like in the box? Hey, do you think you could do that nifty glow-y thing again!"

"Whoa, Kuwabara, give the man some room!" Yusuke admonished, pushing his friend aside.

Hiei stepped forward (with an iron grip on Arisu's wrist.), "Nice to see you back, Kitsune."

Kurama smiled pleasantly. Not bad for a guy that was on the verge of insanity, not moments ago.

"It's good to be back. And may I inquire, where are we?" Kurama asked his tone becoming slightly more serious though still with a blanket of cheer spread over it. He already had perceived a little about his surroundings. But when and how he had got there was still a mystery.

Arisu couldn't understand it. Hadn't the box worked? From what she heard from The Big Book of Tortures, the Box of Insanity was supposed to be like having every single thought and feeling torn from you and wrung dry. It was documented that when released from the Box, if the occupant had not already died then he'd either had a complete disintegration of his entire rational being and had become a gibbering idiot or they merely stared of into space and frothed the mouth.

This Kurama wasn't doing either of those things. His speech was perfect and his rationality seemed intact. And it could be seen that he was in no way frothing. So how had he escaped the Box unscathed?. What power did he hold that could make him disinclined to one of the strongest forms of torture known to Demon kind?

Whatever the reason it was bound to be one not in favor if Hakuma. It was indubitable that Kurama wanted his girlfriend back. And with Hakuma standing right in the middle something bad was inevitably going to happen to him. And Hakuma was to pig-headed to simply give up with out a fight. She would cry for the death of her brother later, right now her primary focus was getting out of this blasted fire demon's grip.

"We're in Hakuma's castle!' Kuwabara exclaimed. Ever prompt in delivering his answer first.

"Hakuma's castle?" Kurama restated, unsure that he'd heard him right.

"Yes, apparently that baka was an ice demon. He's kidnapped Botan," Hiei answered. He received a glare from Kuwabara for answering before him.

Hiei smirked slightly but it soon faded as Arisu wriggled in his grip.

Kurama stared in disbelief. Botan? Kidnapped? Those words in a sentence in that particular order took awhile to sink in. It was like every single thing he knew in loved had been taken from him in the night. Had the screaming really been Botan's? Had she really been calling to him for help?

No, Shuuichi! The Box was not real! This is reality!

Kurama shook his head again. The Box had done its job to some extent at least. He found himself constantly wondering what was reality and what was nothing more than a manifested dream.

He looked back and the girl trying desperately to force herself from Hiei's grip. He stepped in front of her and caught her attention.

"Where is Hakuma?"

Arisu resolved to remain silent. Be he the most powerful thing since sliced bread she would not betray her brother. Her staunch doggedness in this decision was demonstrated by a glare and an upturned nose.

She knew the answer of course. He was probably in the mirror room. And she could guess what he was doing with his precious mirror now. Watching Botan cry up in her room in the high tower. He'd watched Botan nonstop since he'd unwittingly discovered her when he'd sent his snow beast out to terrorize humans in the Ningenki. For some reason he liked that sort of thing.

"He's in the mirror room. And Botan's in the high tower."

Arisu was forced to double take. How had he known that? Drat! He was probably one of those blasted telepathic demons!

Hiei gave a superior smirk, "You guessed right."

Kurama took the information in with a steely expression. He turned toward the door and took long confident strides toward it. As he was about to turn the handle he stopped and said over his shoulder, "Yusuke; you, Hiei, and Kuwabara take Arisu to the Rekai. I'll handle Hakuma."

Kuwabara and Yusuke all stuttered the same question, "Wh-wh-what?

Arisu's expression fell considerably at the mention of "Rekai."

Kurama turned to them, an expression of unfathomed fortitude in his eyes. He didn't say anything, just looked directly at Yusuke.

And then it dawned on Yusuke. And with such a sudden revelation his mind was slightly numb with astonishment. Kurama and...Botan? Could it be?

Yusuke bit his lower lip and nodded, "Come on. Let's hand her over to Koenma."

Hiei followed a very fearful Arisu trying desperately to wrench free of his grip.

Kuwabara was still trying to grasp what was going on exactly. Why were they leaving Kurama behind? What the heck was going on? "But! But!"

Yusuke turned back to him, "Come on Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara stuttered a moment more before sighing resignedly, "Fine..."

And the three left with Arisu in custody. Leaving Kurama to endure whatever obstacle that lay before him alone.

And with thoughts of Botan fresh in his mind, Kurama turned the door knob.

~*~*~*~*~

There we are! Chapter 19!