Disclaimer: Again, it's in the first chapter. Song's are disclaimed in the chapter during which they appear.
AN Alright, even though it's Christmas, and I was forced to go to church twice this week *ugh!* I still managed to get this chapter up like promised. Stupid holiday schedule is messing up my sleeping patterns. Oh well, it's up. So enjoy.
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Part 7: Falling
In the brief moment that Yusuke and Hiei's embrace lasted - the former felt a part of his mind ease open. It was as though the physical connection had established a mental one between the two. If Yusuke had to describe it, he would say it resembled a sort of silver thread of emotions. Through that thread, he could feel Hiei's emotions, hear his thoughts and sense his actions. He got a sense of who the dark haired, fire controller was. Almost like the dragon on Hiei's back, he was clinging to his beliefs tooth and nail, not willing to let them go. Yusuke also managed to see a few brightly encased beings inside Hiei's heart. There was Yukina and Kurama, of course. And a woman who resembled Hiei, who could only be his mother. But there was also Yusuke himself, which sent the boy into an orbit of happiness to know just how deeply the smaller cared for him. It was a truly awesome feeling, much better then the stars and fireworks that everybody wanted their first kiss to be.
They pulled apart; Hiei's body temperature was rising with his embarrassment. His little ears brightened to pink, his garnet eyes were almost impossibly wide. And his mouth hung open while one hand moved up to trace his lips in shock. He was the picture of adorable, and Yusuke couldn't help but move in to kiss him once more - just as quickly as the first. His hand went up to tug lightly on one of the tiny pink ears, smiling all the while.
A moment or two later, an amused cough made itself known and the two turned around to look directly into Kurama's laughter filled green eyes. Yukina was, thankfully, still asleep, her head resting in Kurama's lap. If she were awake, she would be - no doubt - giggling with amusement at her brother's embarrassment. As it was, they had to contend with Kurama, who seemed intent on teasing them.
"Did I miss something important?"
Yusuke wasn't sure but he thought he saw Kurama's eyes flash with gold for a moment while he teased Hiei.
"I was establishing a link with him!" Hiei said hotly - tearing himself away from Yusuke's warm and comfortable embrace - though Yusuke noticed that the tips of his ears were still pink. "How else will I be able to find him if we get separated?"
Kurama's grin saw right through Hiei's hasty explanation. And a quiet voice in the back of Yusuke's mind questioned him about his actions. It wasn't his own voice; it came from the silver link with Hiei. The voice sounded unsure, almost frightened because of the simple kiss and the warm affection bestowed upon him.
"I'm going to see how much longer the ride is." Hiei announced, scrambling to his feet and darting out the door. He was gone within the space of two seconds.
Kurama turned his gaze to Yusuke, his smile had faded somewhat. His eyes were no longer the playful and sparkling green and gold - they were more of a subdued, murky green. He looked tired and worried.
"Be careful with him," he said softly, watching Yusuke's expressions carefully. "Hiei has the highest emotional walls I've ever seen, which is saying quite a lot. And you seem to have broken them down without trying." Kurama paused, going into overly-protective-older-brother mode. "I'll feed you to a plant if you dare hurt him!" He threatened.
Yusuke nodded before a curious thread ensnared him. "Just what did you see?" He asked.
Kurama's smile was back in full force, as was the golden gleam in his eyes. "Hm? Oh, nothing really. But the link between Hiei and myself is so strong that any strong surge of emotion he feels, is sent right to me. That's what woke me. I only saw you holding his ear. Being allowed to touch him is quite an accomplishment. Yet, you managed to kiss him... twice."
Okay, so the red head saw everything. He probably wasn't really asleep in the first place, just resting his eyes. That meant he probably heard the whole conversation about rape - and Hiei's promise to protect Yusuke. And yet, the delinquent felt no need to be embarrassed or ashamed of his fears or actions. Instead, he laughed. "You sneaky little fox!" He admonished lightly.
Kurama smirked. "Damn straight."
===
The four experiments settled into another dirty hotel later that night. None of them quite where they were, though Yusuke thought they might be somewhere in southern Japan. The train ride had been fast, but expensive. Yet the trip had been necessary, they needed to get away from where Togoru found them - and died - before somebody was sent to investigate.
In all honesty, the trip wore them out - even Kurama and Yukina who had spent half of the ride sleeping. Yusuke was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, his body being exhausted with the changes still taking place inside him. To tell the truth, all four of them were asleep almost automatically. Hiei seemed to be seeking refuge in Kurama by choosing to press against his human form during sleep.
They all woke with the sun, hungry as anything. Especially Yusuke, who hadn't eaten anything for nearly two days. They all sat in their room munching on breakfast 'health' bars. Not exactly the most delicious meal in the world, but it did give them energy to think and plan.
"We're going to have to earn more money soon," Yukina said, being the voice of logic. "It's unlikely that they can track us to here so quickly. If you two can earn money today we can be on the move again by tonight if needed.
Hiei and Kurama agreed, though Yusuke was a little skeptical. The feelings he was picking up within the city were less the welcome, and he could feel that something dark has hiding - as though waiting for them to appear so that it could snatch them up.
"So it's decided." Kurama said with a smile. "We'll split up and meet in a park somewhere, at noon. Yukina and I will look for a decent club for tonight. Hiei, you and Yusuke try to pick up some more food for us."
It was also a clever ploy to force the latter two to spend time together. After Kurama had discovered Yusuke's intentions in respect to Hiei, he had given his full permission and promised to help get them together at what ever cost. The only warning, of course, was to be careful not to hurt the Jaganshi beyond repair.
Hiei flushed at Kurama's decision, knowing that he couldn't out-argue the fox. So, he hung his head and resigned himself to his fate. Yusuke tried to hide his laughter behind his hand, but his eyes twinkled with good humor. Hiei glowered at him, obviously having felt his humor through their mental link.
===
It was the piano, really, that led to them being caught. Yusuke saw it in a music store and couldn't resist the pull of playing it. Neither he, nor Hiei understood why the piano seemed so important - but Yusuke just had to play it.
So he did. Even though he had never played a musical instrument at any time in his life. Even though he didn't know which key was which. Even though he knew they were supposed to keep a low profile. He sat down and began to play the most beautiful and sad song that anybody had ever heard. He didn't care if everybody in the store stopped to stare, or even that Hiei's mouth had fallen open in shock.
And because he didn't care, and that neither of them was on their guard - they were captured.
It had been quick and painless. They left the store and were hit from behind with a blast which left them unconscious. When the two finally woke up, it was in a very plain, very sterile, and very empty room.
In hindsight, it was amazing that they were still together.
Not to mentions still alive.
===
Hiei's reaction had been immediate. He jumped to his feet and drew out his katana, which for some reason was still with him. With his weapon drawn, he focused his energy into it and lit it on fire before darting towards a random place in the wall and slashing the hell out of it. He then repeated this process with the other three walls before letting the fire die away and dropping down on the ground next to Yusuke.
The little one hunched over, looking weak and terrified. Yusuke scooted over to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.
"This is Hell?" He asked softly.
Hiei nodded shortly and answered his voice low and tight. "I destroyed the cameras, so that will buy us a little time at least. I need to contact Kurama - I don't know if he was caught..."
He didn't return the hug, although that was expected. Hiei wasn't a very affectionate person by nature.
And if Kurama was caught, so was Yukina. Hiei didn't want his sister to suffer in Hell any more. She had been so happy in the real world. Her fascination with even the littlest things. Colors, life, music - all things that Yukina found comfort in, and if she was caught, she wouldn't even have that. Of course, it probably wouldn't be all that hard to contact Kurama. He and Hiei still had their mental link - and it shouldn't matter about the space between them or the changes in time. All Hiei had to do was focus on the thread he and the red haired fox shared.
But, even with the fact that it was easy, theoretically, it still took Hiei nearly twenty minutes before he sat up straight, a few beads of sweat dripping down his face. Before the two could exchange words, a door that hadn't been there before burst open and impossibly white light filled the room. Hiei flinched almost unnoticeably - Yusuke only seeing it because he was still holding the other in a loose grip. And Yusuke began quaking with fear, because the figure in the doorway was throwing out amazing burst of negative emotions.
Hatred, scorn, annoyance, anger, they were all there - but hatred shown through the strongest.
The figure took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the sudden change in lighting, before said eyes - yellow, Yusuke noticed - landed on the two figures in the room. If it could be called a room. And then, he laughed. It was a cruel sound, grating against ears and conscience alike.
"You actually thought you could get away!" The figure, now revealed to be male, laughed cruelly. "You thought you had a chance."
The man stepped further into the room, changing what seemed to be just a silhouette to a hard faced man. He had beady yellow eyes, and pasty white skin. His hair was dark, but dirty and tangled, reaching down to his chin. His nose looked as though it had been broken more than once, and what was visible of his neck was covered in scars. His clothing was what seemed to be a type of uniform. A dark green jump-suit. It was a single piece of clothing, complete with sleeves that cut off just before the wrist, and legs that ended just above the ankle. Over the jump-suit was a very light blue removable sash going from one shoulder to his waist. On the sash were nearly a dozen symbols. One, Yusuke recognized as the tattoo on his back. The others were quite different, being so numerous that some overlapped others. On this guys feet were a pair of shoes that were colored exactly like the green jumper. His hands were covered in latex gloves.
"Come with me, Jaganshi." The man snapped, apparently tiring of his mirth. He stepped even further into the room, pulling two golden bands from a hidden pocket as he did so. Hiei's eyes widened and he started to struggle in Yusuke's grasp. The teen let him go, only for the man to begin using the same technique that Togoru had used. But this time, Yusuke could understand what was being said.
"You wouldn't want to let your precious little sister get hurt again, would you?" The man hissed in that unknown language. "Or the Fox? What about your little friend here. He's much closer, an easy target I'm sure you know. I'm sure I could have lots of interesting fun with a normal human - he's not like you experiments. I'm sure he'll fight back much more..."
Hiei stilled, his eyes narrowed with hatred and terror. The two bands were put around each of his biceps before the green clad guard took a firm hold of him and dragged him from the room. "Good boy. Now, hurry along, the Doctors want a word with you..."
His voice trailed off as he got further away.
And Yusuke was finally able to cease his quaking. Until he realized, he was now alone in that white room. Belatedly he noticed that the four places Hiei had slashed the walls had somehow been replaced, for they were once again flawless. It was like Yusuke was sitting in a white, shadowless box. It was hard to tell where the floor met the ceiling, or in fact how big or small the room was. It was simply a cold, empty, white room without dimensions or blemishes.
It was truly Hell.
===
He didn't know how long he had been sitting, completely motionless, when a door opened. It didn't seem like it was in the same place as previously, but Yusuke was past the point of caring.
Into the room stepped a very small figure, clad in another of the green jump-suits. Yusuke noted that the blue sash on this one had only two symbols on it. Again was the symbol on Yusuke's back, but there was another that looked to be a simple camp-fire. This person wasn't a man, but a very short woman. Her eyes were a clear green; her light colored hair was pulled back in a tight bun that was covered by a dark green hood that again, matched the jump-suit. She wasn't scarred, like the man before, though her expression was just as hard. She had on a face that seemed to scream, 'don't ask questions, and don't do something stupid. Don't make me hurt you, because I will - and it *will* hurt.' Yusuke was disinclined to disagree. The woman though, didn't strap anything to Yusuke's arms; she just grabbed him in a tight hold and literally dragged him out of the room into a hallway that was just as white, and just as spotlessly boring. Once in the hallway, she began talking in short orders, like a drill sergeant.
"Change your clothes." She snapped, opening a place in the wall and pulling out, surprise, surprise, a pure white jump-suit. It was, like the green uniforms, a single garment. It was without sleeves and the pants legs only went mid-calf, where they clung most uncomfortably to Yusuke's skin, as they did at his shoulders and waist. He wasn't given any shoes, so Yusuke went barefoot. "You won't argue. Your name is Toushin, learn it, and remember it." She watched as Yusuke slowly changed into the white jump-suit, his eyes lowered. They began moving again.
Down the hallway they went. There were no windows, and no doors. Yusuke was sure that if he looked, he wouldn't even be able to tell where the room he had been in was. The woman stopped walking at what seemed to be a random place in the hallway and tapped on an equally random place on the wall. The empty place transformed into a door and she yanked it open before tossing Yusuke inside.
The teen was impressed at how strong she was.
"Have fun." Were her parting words before the door slammed shut and disappeared.
It took a moment before Yusuke gathered enough courage to chance a glance around the room. He was relieved to find that it wasn't an empty white room like the other. No, this cell had people in it - all dressed in the same white garment as Yusuke.
Then Yusuke blinked. The people in this room... they were all staring at him. But there wasn't a speck of malice in any of their gazes. And not only that - but three of the people were *flying*. A girl was sitting on what looked like an oar, floating about three feet off the ground. And a crimson haired boy who looked about Yusuke's age, but for all he knew was probably two hundred years old, was sort of drifting around near the ceiling. And the last flying person was - a baby? The boy was looking at Yusuke while the teen tried to figure out the logistics of flying people while everybody else was simply sitting around on the floor.
"Hello!" The girl chirped, almost impossibly happy. "My name is Botan, welcome to Chamber 4 of Hell." She directed her oar until she was sitting right in front of Yusuke; the latter noticed that she had a gold band on one of her arms. He wondered what they were for. "What's your name?"
"...Toushin," Yusuke said softly.
Botan smiled, letting the new experiment take in her dazzling white smile, large purple eyes and blue hair. "No silly, your *real* name."
Yusuke sighed in relief. "Oh, my name is Yusuke."
The other people still flying in the room landed and made their way over, while the people sitting down stood up and moved to his side as well. Next came a flurry of names.
The red haired boy was named Jin. The toddler, who could surprisingly talk, was named Koenma. There were two others one was another boy with blue hair - though his bangs were green - and iris-less blue eyes that were rather unnerving to look into. He introduced himself as Touya. The last was a strange blue creature with a horn who called himself George. He seemed to be Koenma's caretaker.
They all clamored, well Jin and Botan clamored, to hear his story. Yusuke's head spun with the emotional mess he was picking up, and quickly became dizzy. Koenma ordered that they give him space and that everybody calm down. The toddler, much to Yusuke's surprise suddenly became a teenager and helped Yusuke clear his mind. He informed the others that the newcomer had indeed been injected with a drug. The group calmed significantly, but they still wanted to know about Hiei, Kurama and Yukina. They wanted to know about the outside world. They wanted to know how Yusuke managed to beat Togoru. And Yusuke told them as best he could, while throwing out questions about their life. What was Hell like? How often did they test on the experiments? Why did Hell exist in the first place?
Although in the end, Yusuke wasn't sure he was happy with the answers.
It seemed that Hell was a research facility that had gone out of control. It had originally been a place created when national borders had been eliminated and the Unified World came into existence. Hell was a place completely against the Unified World, and its purpose was to create an army to break the world back into smaller parts. But somewhere along the line, when it became clear that the Unified World would stand firm though thick and thin, the facility had gone corrupt. People who had volunteered themselves were no longer just volunteers. They were specimens, low life creatures. They were tested on, and controlled through fear. The few children born in Hell were used as experiments as well. Hell was turned from research to torture, without anyone being the wiser about it.
And they also told Yusuke about their 'quirks'. Jin, it seemed had somehow been given control over wind and air. He basically just used that gift to fly, and for some reason to create noise. The red haired boy also had a horn on the top of his head, which he told Yusuke, grew in after a test to make him stronger. Botan told him that her quirks, besides flying on an oar that she could will in and out of existence, she was knowledgeable of every single language there was. In addition to that, she could also fade her body in and out of view until she was little more than an outline of herself. And she had basic healing powers. The blue haired Touya told him in few words that he had power over ice, though it was nothing like Yukina. He could change water molecules in the air into ice and change temperatures of anything around him. He also was able to move at amazing speeds. George it seemed had a very quick mind. He was able to learn quickly and as such was the only of the experiments that could read and write. His blue skin was the result of an experiment to toughen his skin into a type of armor. And Koenma, in addition to being able to switch his physically form from toddler to teenager, had a sort of power reader. He could, in a way, 'read' how strong somebody's added power was. And he could tell somebody the best way to turn that power into an attack strategy.
The teen wasted no time telling Yusuke that if he could harness the energy in his aura and gather it around his fist he could have a sort of enhanced power punch. Yusuke wasted no time in scoffing. But the experiments didn't take offence; instead they took his questions and reactions and distracted him with their own questions and reactions.
Yusuke didn't realize it, but he spent four days talking to the group of strangers until there were no secrets left between them. He wondered how these people remained so open, even after being tortured and tested on. He wondered if it was all just an act, or some sort of drug was given to them to force them to act a certain way. Yusuke wouldn't have been surprised.
What did surprise him, however, was the return of Hiei. The little Jaganshi was dumped unceremoniously into the chamber nearly four days after Yusuke arrived. The fire controller was still wearing the gold cuffs on his arms, in addition to a white uniform that looked too big for him. The bandanna over his third eye was still in place, though it looked incredibly dirty and sweat soaked. Hiei also looked thinner then Yusuke remembered. Thin and exhausted. It looked as though he wasn't sleeping again.
The delinquent rushed to his side, gathering up his little friend and holding him in what he hoped to be a comforting embrace. It apparently was because the body in his arms automatically relaxed into sleep.
"It looks as though he went through Training." Botan said softly, peering over his shoulder.
"Training?" Yusuke asked, "What's that?"
"Training is a very demanding physical experience designed to break down a person until their morals seem pointless. It's torture, really. It's only used on people who can't be forced to talk by use of bribery and drugs. After they put in the Jagan, Hiei is mostly immune to the drugs here. Training must have been the only way to go." Botan said, summoning her oar and settling herself down on it.
"Indeed." Koenma said, now in the guise of his toddler form. "Some experiments spend weeks in Training. So long that they collapse from lack of food, and sleep."
"Torture?" Yusuke repeated softly, looking down at the thin face pressed against his chest.
"They cut off access to our quirks as well." Jin told him, watching the goings-on from an upside down position in the air. "That's what the gold cuffs are for, a complete cut off. The white uniforms we wear do that too, at a lighter scale, anyway. That's why they're so tight in the leg and shoulder and waist."
Well, that explained that anyway. It didn't explain what Training was. Besides torture.
Touya ended up being the one to describe Training. "It's basically a very difficult obstacle course." The experiment said softly. "But in addition to nearly impossible tasks, you're being chased by the most fit and brutal guards. If they catch you they beat you to their liking. The longer you avoid them, the more tired they get, so they won't beat you as much... but our bodies can't hold up forever. Hiei probably exhausted himself completely."
Hiei twitched slightly, as though he was waking up. The little one moaned softly, before speaking words that were almost hauntingly familiar to Yusuke.
"With the three that fled,
A forth shall emerge.
His aura bright as the sun.
But with his return,
Darkness shall fall.
The fate of many,
Are held by one."
Botan blinked and fell off her oar. "Was that a prophecy?" She asked.
Yusuke blinked at her before looking back down at Hiei. His red eyes were now open and staring at the one holding him.
"You're the forth." Hiei whispered. "You've come to save us... I'm sorry."
Koenma blinked. "That's the first time I've ever heard Hiei speak kindly to anyone. Training must have really messed with his head for that to happen."
Yusuke blinked uncertainly. He wasn't sure whether to be confused, angry or a mixture of both.
===
Kurama gasped, bringing his and Yukina's progress to a stand still. Hiei must have been going through Training. The link between them was still as strong as ever, but for the first time - Kurama was wishing that it wasn't. He had been having trouble breathing for the last few days, trouble seeing, changing his personalities, and most importantly, trouble taking care of Yukina.
"We have to help them." Yukina had said desperately. "I thought I'd lost Hiei once - I don't want to think that again."
Tears had been coursing down her cheeks, transforming into icy gems within seconds.
"We'll get them." Kurama had promised, "Don't worry. I'll tell you the moment something with Hiei changes."
Technically nothing had changed except Hiei was physically exhausted. And Kurama didn't want to worry the little Ice Maiden, so he didn't. And they began leaving clues of themselves. They needed to find a guard and try to overcome him. Then they could find their way back to Hell.
It was the only way they could think of to help. And it was, quite unfortunately, the most dangerous way as well.
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AN Remember to review!
.
AN Alright, even though it's Christmas, and I was forced to go to church twice this week *ugh!* I still managed to get this chapter up like promised. Stupid holiday schedule is messing up my sleeping patterns. Oh well, it's up. So enjoy.
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Part 7: Falling
In the brief moment that Yusuke and Hiei's embrace lasted - the former felt a part of his mind ease open. It was as though the physical connection had established a mental one between the two. If Yusuke had to describe it, he would say it resembled a sort of silver thread of emotions. Through that thread, he could feel Hiei's emotions, hear his thoughts and sense his actions. He got a sense of who the dark haired, fire controller was. Almost like the dragon on Hiei's back, he was clinging to his beliefs tooth and nail, not willing to let them go. Yusuke also managed to see a few brightly encased beings inside Hiei's heart. There was Yukina and Kurama, of course. And a woman who resembled Hiei, who could only be his mother. But there was also Yusuke himself, which sent the boy into an orbit of happiness to know just how deeply the smaller cared for him. It was a truly awesome feeling, much better then the stars and fireworks that everybody wanted their first kiss to be.
They pulled apart; Hiei's body temperature was rising with his embarrassment. His little ears brightened to pink, his garnet eyes were almost impossibly wide. And his mouth hung open while one hand moved up to trace his lips in shock. He was the picture of adorable, and Yusuke couldn't help but move in to kiss him once more - just as quickly as the first. His hand went up to tug lightly on one of the tiny pink ears, smiling all the while.
A moment or two later, an amused cough made itself known and the two turned around to look directly into Kurama's laughter filled green eyes. Yukina was, thankfully, still asleep, her head resting in Kurama's lap. If she were awake, she would be - no doubt - giggling with amusement at her brother's embarrassment. As it was, they had to contend with Kurama, who seemed intent on teasing them.
"Did I miss something important?"
Yusuke wasn't sure but he thought he saw Kurama's eyes flash with gold for a moment while he teased Hiei.
"I was establishing a link with him!" Hiei said hotly - tearing himself away from Yusuke's warm and comfortable embrace - though Yusuke noticed that the tips of his ears were still pink. "How else will I be able to find him if we get separated?"
Kurama's grin saw right through Hiei's hasty explanation. And a quiet voice in the back of Yusuke's mind questioned him about his actions. It wasn't his own voice; it came from the silver link with Hiei. The voice sounded unsure, almost frightened because of the simple kiss and the warm affection bestowed upon him.
"I'm going to see how much longer the ride is." Hiei announced, scrambling to his feet and darting out the door. He was gone within the space of two seconds.
Kurama turned his gaze to Yusuke, his smile had faded somewhat. His eyes were no longer the playful and sparkling green and gold - they were more of a subdued, murky green. He looked tired and worried.
"Be careful with him," he said softly, watching Yusuke's expressions carefully. "Hiei has the highest emotional walls I've ever seen, which is saying quite a lot. And you seem to have broken them down without trying." Kurama paused, going into overly-protective-older-brother mode. "I'll feed you to a plant if you dare hurt him!" He threatened.
Yusuke nodded before a curious thread ensnared him. "Just what did you see?" He asked.
Kurama's smile was back in full force, as was the golden gleam in his eyes. "Hm? Oh, nothing really. But the link between Hiei and myself is so strong that any strong surge of emotion he feels, is sent right to me. That's what woke me. I only saw you holding his ear. Being allowed to touch him is quite an accomplishment. Yet, you managed to kiss him... twice."
Okay, so the red head saw everything. He probably wasn't really asleep in the first place, just resting his eyes. That meant he probably heard the whole conversation about rape - and Hiei's promise to protect Yusuke. And yet, the delinquent felt no need to be embarrassed or ashamed of his fears or actions. Instead, he laughed. "You sneaky little fox!" He admonished lightly.
Kurama smirked. "Damn straight."
===
The four experiments settled into another dirty hotel later that night. None of them quite where they were, though Yusuke thought they might be somewhere in southern Japan. The train ride had been fast, but expensive. Yet the trip had been necessary, they needed to get away from where Togoru found them - and died - before somebody was sent to investigate.
In all honesty, the trip wore them out - even Kurama and Yukina who had spent half of the ride sleeping. Yusuke was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, his body being exhausted with the changes still taking place inside him. To tell the truth, all four of them were asleep almost automatically. Hiei seemed to be seeking refuge in Kurama by choosing to press against his human form during sleep.
They all woke with the sun, hungry as anything. Especially Yusuke, who hadn't eaten anything for nearly two days. They all sat in their room munching on breakfast 'health' bars. Not exactly the most delicious meal in the world, but it did give them energy to think and plan.
"We're going to have to earn more money soon," Yukina said, being the voice of logic. "It's unlikely that they can track us to here so quickly. If you two can earn money today we can be on the move again by tonight if needed.
Hiei and Kurama agreed, though Yusuke was a little skeptical. The feelings he was picking up within the city were less the welcome, and he could feel that something dark has hiding - as though waiting for them to appear so that it could snatch them up.
"So it's decided." Kurama said with a smile. "We'll split up and meet in a park somewhere, at noon. Yukina and I will look for a decent club for tonight. Hiei, you and Yusuke try to pick up some more food for us."
It was also a clever ploy to force the latter two to spend time together. After Kurama had discovered Yusuke's intentions in respect to Hiei, he had given his full permission and promised to help get them together at what ever cost. The only warning, of course, was to be careful not to hurt the Jaganshi beyond repair.
Hiei flushed at Kurama's decision, knowing that he couldn't out-argue the fox. So, he hung his head and resigned himself to his fate. Yusuke tried to hide his laughter behind his hand, but his eyes twinkled with good humor. Hiei glowered at him, obviously having felt his humor through their mental link.
===
It was the piano, really, that led to them being caught. Yusuke saw it in a music store and couldn't resist the pull of playing it. Neither he, nor Hiei understood why the piano seemed so important - but Yusuke just had to play it.
So he did. Even though he had never played a musical instrument at any time in his life. Even though he didn't know which key was which. Even though he knew they were supposed to keep a low profile. He sat down and began to play the most beautiful and sad song that anybody had ever heard. He didn't care if everybody in the store stopped to stare, or even that Hiei's mouth had fallen open in shock.
And because he didn't care, and that neither of them was on their guard - they were captured.
It had been quick and painless. They left the store and were hit from behind with a blast which left them unconscious. When the two finally woke up, it was in a very plain, very sterile, and very empty room.
In hindsight, it was amazing that they were still together.
Not to mentions still alive.
===
Hiei's reaction had been immediate. He jumped to his feet and drew out his katana, which for some reason was still with him. With his weapon drawn, he focused his energy into it and lit it on fire before darting towards a random place in the wall and slashing the hell out of it. He then repeated this process with the other three walls before letting the fire die away and dropping down on the ground next to Yusuke.
The little one hunched over, looking weak and terrified. Yusuke scooted over to him and pulled him into a comforting hug.
"This is Hell?" He asked softly.
Hiei nodded shortly and answered his voice low and tight. "I destroyed the cameras, so that will buy us a little time at least. I need to contact Kurama - I don't know if he was caught..."
He didn't return the hug, although that was expected. Hiei wasn't a very affectionate person by nature.
And if Kurama was caught, so was Yukina. Hiei didn't want his sister to suffer in Hell any more. She had been so happy in the real world. Her fascination with even the littlest things. Colors, life, music - all things that Yukina found comfort in, and if she was caught, she wouldn't even have that. Of course, it probably wouldn't be all that hard to contact Kurama. He and Hiei still had their mental link - and it shouldn't matter about the space between them or the changes in time. All Hiei had to do was focus on the thread he and the red haired fox shared.
But, even with the fact that it was easy, theoretically, it still took Hiei nearly twenty minutes before he sat up straight, a few beads of sweat dripping down his face. Before the two could exchange words, a door that hadn't been there before burst open and impossibly white light filled the room. Hiei flinched almost unnoticeably - Yusuke only seeing it because he was still holding the other in a loose grip. And Yusuke began quaking with fear, because the figure in the doorway was throwing out amazing burst of negative emotions.
Hatred, scorn, annoyance, anger, they were all there - but hatred shown through the strongest.
The figure took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the sudden change in lighting, before said eyes - yellow, Yusuke noticed - landed on the two figures in the room. If it could be called a room. And then, he laughed. It was a cruel sound, grating against ears and conscience alike.
"You actually thought you could get away!" The figure, now revealed to be male, laughed cruelly. "You thought you had a chance."
The man stepped further into the room, changing what seemed to be just a silhouette to a hard faced man. He had beady yellow eyes, and pasty white skin. His hair was dark, but dirty and tangled, reaching down to his chin. His nose looked as though it had been broken more than once, and what was visible of his neck was covered in scars. His clothing was what seemed to be a type of uniform. A dark green jump-suit. It was a single piece of clothing, complete with sleeves that cut off just before the wrist, and legs that ended just above the ankle. Over the jump-suit was a very light blue removable sash going from one shoulder to his waist. On the sash were nearly a dozen symbols. One, Yusuke recognized as the tattoo on his back. The others were quite different, being so numerous that some overlapped others. On this guys feet were a pair of shoes that were colored exactly like the green jumper. His hands were covered in latex gloves.
"Come with me, Jaganshi." The man snapped, apparently tiring of his mirth. He stepped even further into the room, pulling two golden bands from a hidden pocket as he did so. Hiei's eyes widened and he started to struggle in Yusuke's grasp. The teen let him go, only for the man to begin using the same technique that Togoru had used. But this time, Yusuke could understand what was being said.
"You wouldn't want to let your precious little sister get hurt again, would you?" The man hissed in that unknown language. "Or the Fox? What about your little friend here. He's much closer, an easy target I'm sure you know. I'm sure I could have lots of interesting fun with a normal human - he's not like you experiments. I'm sure he'll fight back much more..."
Hiei stilled, his eyes narrowed with hatred and terror. The two bands were put around each of his biceps before the green clad guard took a firm hold of him and dragged him from the room. "Good boy. Now, hurry along, the Doctors want a word with you..."
His voice trailed off as he got further away.
And Yusuke was finally able to cease his quaking. Until he realized, he was now alone in that white room. Belatedly he noticed that the four places Hiei had slashed the walls had somehow been replaced, for they were once again flawless. It was like Yusuke was sitting in a white, shadowless box. It was hard to tell where the floor met the ceiling, or in fact how big or small the room was. It was simply a cold, empty, white room without dimensions or blemishes.
It was truly Hell.
===
He didn't know how long he had been sitting, completely motionless, when a door opened. It didn't seem like it was in the same place as previously, but Yusuke was past the point of caring.
Into the room stepped a very small figure, clad in another of the green jump-suits. Yusuke noted that the blue sash on this one had only two symbols on it. Again was the symbol on Yusuke's back, but there was another that looked to be a simple camp-fire. This person wasn't a man, but a very short woman. Her eyes were a clear green; her light colored hair was pulled back in a tight bun that was covered by a dark green hood that again, matched the jump-suit. She wasn't scarred, like the man before, though her expression was just as hard. She had on a face that seemed to scream, 'don't ask questions, and don't do something stupid. Don't make me hurt you, because I will - and it *will* hurt.' Yusuke was disinclined to disagree. The woman though, didn't strap anything to Yusuke's arms; she just grabbed him in a tight hold and literally dragged him out of the room into a hallway that was just as white, and just as spotlessly boring. Once in the hallway, she began talking in short orders, like a drill sergeant.
"Change your clothes." She snapped, opening a place in the wall and pulling out, surprise, surprise, a pure white jump-suit. It was, like the green uniforms, a single garment. It was without sleeves and the pants legs only went mid-calf, where they clung most uncomfortably to Yusuke's skin, as they did at his shoulders and waist. He wasn't given any shoes, so Yusuke went barefoot. "You won't argue. Your name is Toushin, learn it, and remember it." She watched as Yusuke slowly changed into the white jump-suit, his eyes lowered. They began moving again.
Down the hallway they went. There were no windows, and no doors. Yusuke was sure that if he looked, he wouldn't even be able to tell where the room he had been in was. The woman stopped walking at what seemed to be a random place in the hallway and tapped on an equally random place on the wall. The empty place transformed into a door and she yanked it open before tossing Yusuke inside.
The teen was impressed at how strong she was.
"Have fun." Were her parting words before the door slammed shut and disappeared.
It took a moment before Yusuke gathered enough courage to chance a glance around the room. He was relieved to find that it wasn't an empty white room like the other. No, this cell had people in it - all dressed in the same white garment as Yusuke.
Then Yusuke blinked. The people in this room... they were all staring at him. But there wasn't a speck of malice in any of their gazes. And not only that - but three of the people were *flying*. A girl was sitting on what looked like an oar, floating about three feet off the ground. And a crimson haired boy who looked about Yusuke's age, but for all he knew was probably two hundred years old, was sort of drifting around near the ceiling. And the last flying person was - a baby? The boy was looking at Yusuke while the teen tried to figure out the logistics of flying people while everybody else was simply sitting around on the floor.
"Hello!" The girl chirped, almost impossibly happy. "My name is Botan, welcome to Chamber 4 of Hell." She directed her oar until she was sitting right in front of Yusuke; the latter noticed that she had a gold band on one of her arms. He wondered what they were for. "What's your name?"
"...Toushin," Yusuke said softly.
Botan smiled, letting the new experiment take in her dazzling white smile, large purple eyes and blue hair. "No silly, your *real* name."
Yusuke sighed in relief. "Oh, my name is Yusuke."
The other people still flying in the room landed and made their way over, while the people sitting down stood up and moved to his side as well. Next came a flurry of names.
The red haired boy was named Jin. The toddler, who could surprisingly talk, was named Koenma. There were two others one was another boy with blue hair - though his bangs were green - and iris-less blue eyes that were rather unnerving to look into. He introduced himself as Touya. The last was a strange blue creature with a horn who called himself George. He seemed to be Koenma's caretaker.
They all clamored, well Jin and Botan clamored, to hear his story. Yusuke's head spun with the emotional mess he was picking up, and quickly became dizzy. Koenma ordered that they give him space and that everybody calm down. The toddler, much to Yusuke's surprise suddenly became a teenager and helped Yusuke clear his mind. He informed the others that the newcomer had indeed been injected with a drug. The group calmed significantly, but they still wanted to know about Hiei, Kurama and Yukina. They wanted to know about the outside world. They wanted to know how Yusuke managed to beat Togoru. And Yusuke told them as best he could, while throwing out questions about their life. What was Hell like? How often did they test on the experiments? Why did Hell exist in the first place?
Although in the end, Yusuke wasn't sure he was happy with the answers.
It seemed that Hell was a research facility that had gone out of control. It had originally been a place created when national borders had been eliminated and the Unified World came into existence. Hell was a place completely against the Unified World, and its purpose was to create an army to break the world back into smaller parts. But somewhere along the line, when it became clear that the Unified World would stand firm though thick and thin, the facility had gone corrupt. People who had volunteered themselves were no longer just volunteers. They were specimens, low life creatures. They were tested on, and controlled through fear. The few children born in Hell were used as experiments as well. Hell was turned from research to torture, without anyone being the wiser about it.
And they also told Yusuke about their 'quirks'. Jin, it seemed had somehow been given control over wind and air. He basically just used that gift to fly, and for some reason to create noise. The red haired boy also had a horn on the top of his head, which he told Yusuke, grew in after a test to make him stronger. Botan told him that her quirks, besides flying on an oar that she could will in and out of existence, she was knowledgeable of every single language there was. In addition to that, she could also fade her body in and out of view until she was little more than an outline of herself. And she had basic healing powers. The blue haired Touya told him in few words that he had power over ice, though it was nothing like Yukina. He could change water molecules in the air into ice and change temperatures of anything around him. He also was able to move at amazing speeds. George it seemed had a very quick mind. He was able to learn quickly and as such was the only of the experiments that could read and write. His blue skin was the result of an experiment to toughen his skin into a type of armor. And Koenma, in addition to being able to switch his physically form from toddler to teenager, had a sort of power reader. He could, in a way, 'read' how strong somebody's added power was. And he could tell somebody the best way to turn that power into an attack strategy.
The teen wasted no time telling Yusuke that if he could harness the energy in his aura and gather it around his fist he could have a sort of enhanced power punch. Yusuke wasted no time in scoffing. But the experiments didn't take offence; instead they took his questions and reactions and distracted him with their own questions and reactions.
Yusuke didn't realize it, but he spent four days talking to the group of strangers until there were no secrets left between them. He wondered how these people remained so open, even after being tortured and tested on. He wondered if it was all just an act, or some sort of drug was given to them to force them to act a certain way. Yusuke wouldn't have been surprised.
What did surprise him, however, was the return of Hiei. The little Jaganshi was dumped unceremoniously into the chamber nearly four days after Yusuke arrived. The fire controller was still wearing the gold cuffs on his arms, in addition to a white uniform that looked too big for him. The bandanna over his third eye was still in place, though it looked incredibly dirty and sweat soaked. Hiei also looked thinner then Yusuke remembered. Thin and exhausted. It looked as though he wasn't sleeping again.
The delinquent rushed to his side, gathering up his little friend and holding him in what he hoped to be a comforting embrace. It apparently was because the body in his arms automatically relaxed into sleep.
"It looks as though he went through Training." Botan said softly, peering over his shoulder.
"Training?" Yusuke asked, "What's that?"
"Training is a very demanding physical experience designed to break down a person until their morals seem pointless. It's torture, really. It's only used on people who can't be forced to talk by use of bribery and drugs. After they put in the Jagan, Hiei is mostly immune to the drugs here. Training must have been the only way to go." Botan said, summoning her oar and settling herself down on it.
"Indeed." Koenma said, now in the guise of his toddler form. "Some experiments spend weeks in Training. So long that they collapse from lack of food, and sleep."
"Torture?" Yusuke repeated softly, looking down at the thin face pressed against his chest.
"They cut off access to our quirks as well." Jin told him, watching the goings-on from an upside down position in the air. "That's what the gold cuffs are for, a complete cut off. The white uniforms we wear do that too, at a lighter scale, anyway. That's why they're so tight in the leg and shoulder and waist."
Well, that explained that anyway. It didn't explain what Training was. Besides torture.
Touya ended up being the one to describe Training. "It's basically a very difficult obstacle course." The experiment said softly. "But in addition to nearly impossible tasks, you're being chased by the most fit and brutal guards. If they catch you they beat you to their liking. The longer you avoid them, the more tired they get, so they won't beat you as much... but our bodies can't hold up forever. Hiei probably exhausted himself completely."
Hiei twitched slightly, as though he was waking up. The little one moaned softly, before speaking words that were almost hauntingly familiar to Yusuke.
"With the three that fled,
A forth shall emerge.
His aura bright as the sun.
But with his return,
Darkness shall fall.
The fate of many,
Are held by one."
Botan blinked and fell off her oar. "Was that a prophecy?" She asked.
Yusuke blinked at her before looking back down at Hiei. His red eyes were now open and staring at the one holding him.
"You're the forth." Hiei whispered. "You've come to save us... I'm sorry."
Koenma blinked. "That's the first time I've ever heard Hiei speak kindly to anyone. Training must have really messed with his head for that to happen."
Yusuke blinked uncertainly. He wasn't sure whether to be confused, angry or a mixture of both.
===
Kurama gasped, bringing his and Yukina's progress to a stand still. Hiei must have been going through Training. The link between them was still as strong as ever, but for the first time - Kurama was wishing that it wasn't. He had been having trouble breathing for the last few days, trouble seeing, changing his personalities, and most importantly, trouble taking care of Yukina.
"We have to help them." Yukina had said desperately. "I thought I'd lost Hiei once - I don't want to think that again."
Tears had been coursing down her cheeks, transforming into icy gems within seconds.
"We'll get them." Kurama had promised, "Don't worry. I'll tell you the moment something with Hiei changes."
Technically nothing had changed except Hiei was physically exhausted. And Kurama didn't want to worry the little Ice Maiden, so he didn't. And they began leaving clues of themselves. They needed to find a guard and try to overcome him. Then they could find their way back to Hell.
It was the only way they could think of to help. And it was, quite unfortunately, the most dangerous way as well.
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AN Remember to review!
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