Inner Needs
CHAPTER TWELEVE: NEW ENEMIES
Kurama groaned as he felt the ground beneath him shift and buck beneath him. Cracking one green eye open he spotted bars surrounding him. He bolted up right and saw he was in a cage, being pulled by a black and white pinto horse. His silver ears flattened against his head as a quick pain flashed through his chest. It rippled out through his limbs causing a shudder to run through him.
"You're finally awake, baka kitsune." Jaken called from atop the horse's back. "Just in time to meet your other master. Lord Sesshomaru is not working alone on this job."
Kurama rolled his eyes and turned away from the annoying frog demon. This seemed to aggravate Jaken, who sputtered miserably for snide come back. The kitsune had to laugh at the minion's fury at being beaten so easily by a wounded fox. But his grin faded when another pain stabbed him harshly. He whimpered slightly and curled up against the bars. The frog demon laughed loudly, overjoyed at seeing the prisoner's weakness. He grabbed his staff and ran the end along the bars, soaking in the sound of Kurama's cries as the rattling bore into his throbbing mind.
"Jaken, leave him alone." Sesshomaru's stopped the frog demon's torture as the cage came to a complete halt. "We need the goods undamaged."
One of Kurama's ears flicked forward, confused by the strong youkai's words. The goods? He viewed him as goods, like a bag of groceries? An anger flared up in him and he growled weakly. This was getting ridiculous. Didn't these people realize he was a demon just as they were? It wasn't like he was some run of the mill ningen they could just order around.
His thoughts were cut short when the door to his cage was pulled open. His emerald eyes flashed over to see the silver haired demon leaning in the open door. He cringed when the clawed hand reached in close to him. There was a sharp pain that flashed through him when the demon lord yanked him out of his prison by a thick lock of his hair.
"Damn it!" He snarled reaching up and untangling Sesshomaru's hand from his hair. "You could have just asked me to get out!"
"You're right." Sesshomaru answered in his flat, cold tone. "But where would the fun in that be?"
The fox demon snarled weakly. This demon had the temperament of Hiei but the dissipation was different. While the fire demon turned his rage into insults, this demon took it out in physical attacks. A pain jabbed restlessly at him once more, though this time he wasn't sure if it was the gem's doing or the mention of his closest friend.
"Obviously none." He grunted. "Why can't you just leave me be?"
"Because we need you."
Kurama jerked at the sound of the new voice. This voice seemed to be two toned, a light airy sound mixed in with an evil deepness. A shudder ran down the fox's spine, trembling out into his arms and legs. He groaned deep in his throat as a feeling of pure evil washed over him, slamming into his stomach like a heavy ball, rolling around and stirring up a nausea. This wasn't happening, there wasn't another one.
"Please," He groaned, feeling the weakness slam into him, "Just leave me be. I have nothing for you."
The third voice laughed, a rumbling chuckle that caused Kurama to fill with the urge to scream. But all he could manage was a guttural groan. He turned his head slightly to the side, allowing his silver hair to fan out in front of his green eyes like a curtain. All he wanted was to block the world out.
"Nothing?" The eerie voice continued. "Oh fox, you have everything to offer us. You see, your aliment will help us greatly in our quest."
Kurama's features darkened as his head shot up and he set a glare in the general area of the voice. To his amazement he found himself staring into the empty sockets of a white baboon. A thick white pelt surrounded the thin body and left the fur hanging in thick folds. The light blue of the primate's face heavily contrasted the darkness of the empty holes that should have held the creature's eyes. The only thing that hinted towards an actual being inside the baboon get up was a strong chin and thin lips that could be seen just below the mask's upper jaw and teeth.
"W-Who are you?" Kurama managed to stutter. "What are you?"
The baboon mask bobbed as the person concealed inside chuckled deeply. The little fox was quiet amusing. The way he feigned innocence and pure confusion was proving to be good for a laugh. Sesshomaru had been right though, the kitsune's soul had been bonded to the Shikon no Tama. Whenever a jewel shard was near, the fox demon would feel pain. But when the actual shard that had affected him was in range the pain he would go through was unbearable.
"You may call me Naraku." The baboon faced man spoke quietly. "And I am a demon of sorts. I am neither human nor demon."
Kurama tilted his head to the side, a universal sign of confusion. How could someone be neither human nor demon? Unless…
"You're a hanyou?" He asked in a tired voice.
The reaction he received was not the one he expected. Naraku rose, the extra folds of fur stretched out and revealed his true height but kept hidden his strength. Kurama pulled back suddenly very afraid of his question.
"I am not a hanyou!" The creature growled. "I have the power of many demons flowing through my veins! They've taken away any of the human blood that was in me, taking away all that tainted me! Do not mistake me for a creature that is weak! I have power that you could not understand. The power of these..."
He pulled out a tiny shard of pink jewel. It glowed brightly for a second. Kurama cried out slightly and jerked away, a sharp pain stabbing him directly through the heart. He curled up tightly and tried to scoot away from Naraku and the offending gem.
"Put it away." He whimpered. "Please, I'm sorry. Just put that thing away."
Naraku chuckled and took a step closer to the moaning kitsune. He grinned at the pained noises coming from the pained fox.
"I don't think so." He held the jewel up in front of his face and turned it from side to side. "I have another place for this. I need it and you. You see, neither me or Sesshomaru can attack him out right for fear he will beat us again. But there seems to be a new demon traveling in that hanyou's group of annoying travelers. A short fire demon with a shorter temper. I must admit though, I love the disrespect that he shows towards my foe, Inu Yasha.
"But I also fear he is a friend of yours, my dear kitsune. So if I use you to attack them, they may be hesitant to attack you, which would give me and my partner to crime time to get a secret attack in. With you little fire friend on their side, your safety and their defeat are almost guaranteed."
The color rushed from his face at the mention of his friend. His heart swelled with a mixture of relief and terror. Hiei was here, in this new place? And he was helping Inu Yasha and Kagome find him and save him? That didn't sound like Hiei. But the part about him disrespecting Inu Yasha did sound like his short friend.
But now Hiei was in danger because of him. If he did anything to harm the small youkai he would never forgive himself. A slight pain rippled through him again drawing a whimper from him.
"Oh stop teasing the fox." Sesshomaru growled from where he stood a few feet over. "Just get this over with. Place the jewel within him."
Kurama's eyes widened at that comment. Place the jewel within him? What the hell did that mean? And if they managed to get that thing 'in' him, what would it do? Would it turn him against Hiei? No! That was something he would never allow to happen. If Hiei had traveled all this way to see him safe he wouldn't allow anything to happen to deter the little fire demon's quest.
"I won't hurt them." He spoke, his voice steady, not showing the fear that ran rampant through him. "No matter what you do, I will not hurt Hiei or any of the others."
"Oh my dear kitsune." Naraku chuckled, bending over Kurama and lowering the gem to his shoulder. "You will have no choice."
A few birds loosened themselves from their perches when the scream penetrated the once silence around them. The cry changed slowly into the sound of a mourning howl before fading into a feral growl. Soft, hurt green eyes hardened while quivering lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp fangs. Silver fox ears lay flat while sharp claws dug into the ground, the knuckles turning white as they tightened reflexively.
The kind kitsune now saw everything through a red haze of fury and evil.
~*~
Hiei stumbled once more, his weak legs protesting the strain he was forcing them through. But after riding that damn feline for two hours his pride had been dented beyond repair. He grunted and forced himself to keep going. His toes caught a barely showing root and he tripped, falling forward. With a quiet yelp he brought his hands up to keep from falling on his face. Slowly pushing himself up, he continued forcing himself forward. After another few steps, he stumbled once more and let out a tiny noise when someone reached out and grabbed him before he hit the dirt. Looking up quickly he came face to face with the soft eyes of Miroku.
"Maybe you should ride on Kilala." The monk suggested softly, motioning to the fire cat that was now in its kitten form. "You aren't up to this kind of harsh traveling yet."
Hiei growled at the monk before ripping away from his grasp. He didn't need help from anyone and he didn't to ride on the cat's back. In fact, if he wasn't restricted by these wards, he'd be in perfect health once again.
"I don't need to ride your dumb creature." He snapped. "And if you'd remove these wards I'd be fine. Like that damn flea said, I have healing blood, but your stupid papers with symbols are keeping it at bay."
Miroku pulled back sharply, shocked by the demon's angered assault. He had thought they had gotten past that point in their life. But obviously he had thought wrong. Why did Hiei still view them as enemies? They were helping him find his friend, keeping him safe, even saving his life. Yet he still looked and treated them as help, but nothing else. Miroku was actually thankful that he had placed those wards on the small demon's body. At the moment they seemed to be the only thing keeping him alive.
"Just ride the damn creature!" Inu Yasha shouted from his spot perched on the back of Kagome's bike. "You want to save your friend, then get on. You're slowing us down."
Hiei set a deadly glare on the half breed and reached slowly for his katana. He knew that if used it on anyone it would be that damn hanyou. His knuckles turned white as they tightened around the dragon carved hilt. He so badly wanted to tear something apart at that moment, but he couldn't touch anybody around him.
Well, nobody but the baka dog demon. And he wasn't objecting to that.
"I'll be fine!" He growled, slowly loosening his grip on the katana. "Just let me walk. I'll get my strength back quicker this way. So leave me be."
"Fine." The demon slayer shrugged as she passed by the grumbling demons. "Be that way. But it's you who's doing the slowing down. Remember that later."
Hiei growled and quickened his pace, trying to prove he was fine and they were just imagining the strain he was feeling. But right as he was about to pass out Sango, his knees wavered and he stumbled forward. The demon slayer snapped out easily and quickly caught him. Hiei groaned. This was perfect, just fucking perfect.
"Back on your feet!" She called out cheerfully, pushing Hiei back up and continuing onward. "We've got a lot of ground to cov-"
Sango was cut off as a ki rose and snapped around them. Hiei felt a shiver run down his spine. There was something about the energy he now felt. It flicked around him like thousands of tiny whips, cracking easily through the air. The fire demon pulled back away from the monk and demon slayer and sought out where the energy was focused from. His eyes landed on a bush that shook slightly when his gaze landed on it.
"Leave it be." Miroku announced, standing in front of Hiei. "I will take care of this demon. No need in wasting your little left strength."
Hiei growled, but backed off, deciding it would be funny to watch this baka fight. What could this mere mortal do? Fighting a demon none the less. Granted Sango had given him a run for his money, but she was trained in fighting his kind. He leaned back and crossed his arms with a grin.
Miroku raised his right hand slowly, his left raising to grab the prayer beads that were wrapped tightly around a strange leather looking glove. Hiei raised a brow. Why hadn't he noticed this before? When the bush moved again, the monk ripped the beads from his hand and shouted.
"Wind Tunnel!"
A tremendous void opened in his hand and began pulling everything in. Hiei jerked back with a gasp. This ningen had…powers? Now this side of the monk he could grow to like. The bushes started to be pulled into his hand in leafy clumps. Suddenly the entire shrubbery came loose and was sucked into the hole.
Hiei cried out and jumped forward, shoving Miroku hard. The monk let out his own cry and stumbled, his hand moving to suck in a few unsuspecting birds and bits of tree tops. With one fluid motion he wrapped the prayer beads back up and closed off the abyss. He turned to see the reason the little fire demon had pushed him.
There, kneeling where the bush had just been was a demon. Its silver hair hung around its face in clumps, large ears pressed back against its head. A silver tail stood puffed out in a defensive position. Its green eyes were narrowed in fury and pain, its lips pulled back to reveal its fangs in a snarl. Hiei chocked on quiet noise and uttered one word.
"Kurama?"
AHHH!!! I've turned Kurama on Hiei and the others!! What have I done?! Any way, I wrote this before Christmas but it probably won't get posted till afterwards so I hope you like it and Merry Christmas.
Next chapter will be action packed and I think you will like it. Now please review on this one and I'll start the next chapter!!!