Chapter 8: Some People Are Better Off Dead
As Hiei came around a tree, he found Kurama and Amaranta in a small clearing, but they weren't alone. A teenager clad in blue robes stood by them, a blue pacifier in his mouth.
"So, you've finally decided to grace us with your presence, Hiei. I was starting to get impatient," the teenager replied.
"There was some unfinished business that needed taking care of, Koenma," Hiei replied, not exactly happy to see this familiar face from the spirit world.
Hiei stopped next to Kurama, facing Koenma. He looked over at Amaranta, who was just staring off to the side, her braid draped over her left shoulder. Why hadn't she wanted to go back with that man, whom Kurama believed to be her master? One would think she would be more willing to take off with her superior. Apparently, though, Hiei was wrong.
"Well, let's get down to business, shall we?" Kurama suggested.
"Right. I'm sure Yusuke has already told you that I was going to speak with you two," Koenma began.
"Yes he did. He said that this new demon is going to be tough to beat."
"Oh, he is. You don't necessarily have to kill him, though. We just need him stopped. See, he has been gaining a lot of power recently, from what, we don't know. There is a cell in the spirit world for him if you should keep him alive. If not, well then we will have no troubles that may happen in the future."
"So, you only want him defeated because he is gaining too much power? But a lot of demons gain power. Why should he be the one we watch out for?" Kurama asked, studying Koenma's facial features as if trying to find the answer there.
"Alright. We've been after this guy for a little while now. He has a bad past, and not too long ago he killed one of the people we hired to bring him down. We find him to be a threat in the future."
"Do you know which world this demon resides in?" Hiei asked.
"The last time we've had contact with him he lived here, among the humans."
"Perhaps," Kurama began, "a picture or name would help us to track this mystery man down."
"Right, right." Koenma pulled a small picture out of his robes and held it up for Hiei and Kurama to see. "He goes by the name Braeden."
Kurama and Hiei gasped. The picture showed a long black haired man looking over his shoulder at the camera and smirking. It was Amaranta's master, the demon that Hiei had just fought.
"Hn. I will defeat this demon personally," Hiei replied.
"I'm glad to hear that you are willing to accept this mission, Hiei, but you will find that he is harder to defeat than you may think. Kurama and Yusuke are going to have to assist you in this matter."
"Please, Koenma, don't make me laugh. This guy is going to die by my hands."
Hiei was going to make sure that his statement would turn out true. He didn't want anyone else killing Braeden. They had promised to battle again, a battle to the deaths. No one was going to stand in the way. Hiei would make sure of that, even if he had to kill the person himself.
"Hiei, please," Kurama said. "We must talk to Yusuke about all of this before you jump to conclusions."
"Before I jump to conclusions?" Hiei was getting a little angry. "Kurama, when Braeden disappeared back there he promised me one thing. That one thing was that he would be back to fight me again. Now as I said before, this demon will die by my hands."
"You've already met him?" Koenma asked.
"Yes. Just a little while ago. He came for Amaranta, who is apparently a pupil of his," Kurama explained. "He and Hiei had a little dispute."
Koenma looked over at Amaranta, who was now staring deep into Koenma's eyes. Koenma jumped back in what seemed like fear and quickly turned his gaze back to Hiei and Kurama. "Yes, yes, I see that. Well, if he came to find her then make sure you don't lose her. She may be an important asset in having Braeden reveal himself again. Just don't let her get in the way."
With that, Koenma left to go back to spirit world, leaving the three demons standing in the silent woods. After a couple minutes, Kurama turned to Hiei.
"Well, do you think it is time to head back to Yusuke's?"
"Hn. Whatever." Hiei started walking away. Kurama sighed and looked over at Amaranta. "Ready to go Amaranta?" She looked up at him, expressionless. "Do you mean to kill him? Braeden?" "I think we are going to try to bring him in alive." Kurama gave a weak smile. "Kurama, don't give the girl false hope. I would kill him rather than let him survive," Hiei said without turning around. "I don't care," Amaranta said. "I don't care if he lives or dies." "But he's your master. I would believe that you should care at least some," Kurama said. Amaranta began to walk in the direction Hiei was going in. "Some people are better off dead," she said as she passed by Kurama. Kurama watched her walk after Hiei. She seemed to be the complete opposite of him. Here, Kurama was saying that he would like to save the life of this powerful evil demon, while Amaranta wouldn't care if her master lived or died. Some people are better off dead. How could she say that? It was like she had no sympathy. No one deserved to die, or at least that's what Kurama always thought. He was once told that his niceness was his one weakness. Kurama began to walk after the other two demons, who were a ways in front of him. It was true. Was he too nice for his own good? Should he toughen up a little more? And why was he thinking this now? It had to be because of Amaranta. Kurama found himself wondering what views she had on other things. He would have to have another discussion with her later that night. Maybe she could expose him to things that never occurred to him before.
As Hiei came around a tree, he found Kurama and Amaranta in a small clearing, but they weren't alone. A teenager clad in blue robes stood by them, a blue pacifier in his mouth.
"So, you've finally decided to grace us with your presence, Hiei. I was starting to get impatient," the teenager replied.
"There was some unfinished business that needed taking care of, Koenma," Hiei replied, not exactly happy to see this familiar face from the spirit world.
Hiei stopped next to Kurama, facing Koenma. He looked over at Amaranta, who was just staring off to the side, her braid draped over her left shoulder. Why hadn't she wanted to go back with that man, whom Kurama believed to be her master? One would think she would be more willing to take off with her superior. Apparently, though, Hiei was wrong.
"Well, let's get down to business, shall we?" Kurama suggested.
"Right. I'm sure Yusuke has already told you that I was going to speak with you two," Koenma began.
"Yes he did. He said that this new demon is going to be tough to beat."
"Oh, he is. You don't necessarily have to kill him, though. We just need him stopped. See, he has been gaining a lot of power recently, from what, we don't know. There is a cell in the spirit world for him if you should keep him alive. If not, well then we will have no troubles that may happen in the future."
"So, you only want him defeated because he is gaining too much power? But a lot of demons gain power. Why should he be the one we watch out for?" Kurama asked, studying Koenma's facial features as if trying to find the answer there.
"Alright. We've been after this guy for a little while now. He has a bad past, and not too long ago he killed one of the people we hired to bring him down. We find him to be a threat in the future."
"Do you know which world this demon resides in?" Hiei asked.
"The last time we've had contact with him he lived here, among the humans."
"Perhaps," Kurama began, "a picture or name would help us to track this mystery man down."
"Right, right." Koenma pulled a small picture out of his robes and held it up for Hiei and Kurama to see. "He goes by the name Braeden."
Kurama and Hiei gasped. The picture showed a long black haired man looking over his shoulder at the camera and smirking. It was Amaranta's master, the demon that Hiei had just fought.
"Hn. I will defeat this demon personally," Hiei replied.
"I'm glad to hear that you are willing to accept this mission, Hiei, but you will find that he is harder to defeat than you may think. Kurama and Yusuke are going to have to assist you in this matter."
"Please, Koenma, don't make me laugh. This guy is going to die by my hands."
Hiei was going to make sure that his statement would turn out true. He didn't want anyone else killing Braeden. They had promised to battle again, a battle to the deaths. No one was going to stand in the way. Hiei would make sure of that, even if he had to kill the person himself.
"Hiei, please," Kurama said. "We must talk to Yusuke about all of this before you jump to conclusions."
"Before I jump to conclusions?" Hiei was getting a little angry. "Kurama, when Braeden disappeared back there he promised me one thing. That one thing was that he would be back to fight me again. Now as I said before, this demon will die by my hands."
"You've already met him?" Koenma asked.
"Yes. Just a little while ago. He came for Amaranta, who is apparently a pupil of his," Kurama explained. "He and Hiei had a little dispute."
Koenma looked over at Amaranta, who was now staring deep into Koenma's eyes. Koenma jumped back in what seemed like fear and quickly turned his gaze back to Hiei and Kurama. "Yes, yes, I see that. Well, if he came to find her then make sure you don't lose her. She may be an important asset in having Braeden reveal himself again. Just don't let her get in the way."
With that, Koenma left to go back to spirit world, leaving the three demons standing in the silent woods. After a couple minutes, Kurama turned to Hiei.
"Well, do you think it is time to head back to Yusuke's?"
"Hn. Whatever." Hiei started walking away. Kurama sighed and looked over at Amaranta. "Ready to go Amaranta?" She looked up at him, expressionless. "Do you mean to kill him? Braeden?" "I think we are going to try to bring him in alive." Kurama gave a weak smile. "Kurama, don't give the girl false hope. I would kill him rather than let him survive," Hiei said without turning around. "I don't care," Amaranta said. "I don't care if he lives or dies." "But he's your master. I would believe that you should care at least some," Kurama said. Amaranta began to walk in the direction Hiei was going in. "Some people are better off dead," she said as she passed by Kurama. Kurama watched her walk after Hiei. She seemed to be the complete opposite of him. Here, Kurama was saying that he would like to save the life of this powerful evil demon, while Amaranta wouldn't care if her master lived or died. Some people are better off dead. How could she say that? It was like she had no sympathy. No one deserved to die, or at least that's what Kurama always thought. He was once told that his niceness was his one weakness. Kurama began to walk after the other two demons, who were a ways in front of him. It was true. Was he too nice for his own good? Should he toughen up a little more? And why was he thinking this now? It had to be because of Amaranta. Kurama found himself wondering what views she had on other things. He would have to have another discussion with her later that night. Maybe she could expose him to things that never occurred to him before.
