The story is not over yet. Although Karasu might to died, but there's more to come.

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Chapter 16: Losing Your Mind; Losing Your Heart

Hiei's POV

The silence around me was too intense, so quiet that I could not even hear myself breathing, making me doubt if I was still alive. There is but one fine line between life and death, and it was constantly smeared across with dust that it became blurry; it became vague. So unclear that you might have crossed it with noticing it; so indefinite that in one second, life could switch to death and vice versa.

The silence was like a huge blanket covering me, engulfing me in emptiness, trying to coax me into the sleep. I tried to obey, but a strong surge of worry was stimulated by the silence. I pressed it down, yet if always resurfaced, overtaking everything else and pushed my eyelids open. The darkness went away, but not the suffocating stillness and quietness.

Something was missing. I would not feel Kurama. But he was right there, kneeling once again by the dead body. Yet I could not sense his presence. His eyes were dull, to an extend that they seemed almost black. He just stared, not even blinking, not even breathing loud enough to break the dead silence, his heart not even pounding vigorous enough to let me be sure he was still alive. The rosy colour had been completely driven off his face, leaving grim paler than the dead. No, he was not the Kurama I knew.

"Kurama . . ." No response. I tried again. " Kurama, we need to report this to Koenma."

His head turned ever so slightly towards me, and I saw a flash of gold dart across his emotionless eyes, " Yes, Koenma. I have things to talk to him about." He rose, slowly but more elegant than ever. He was keenly aware of his every motion, keeping them to perfection so that it masked everything, every turbulence he felt but did not show. If he continued bottling up his emotions, he would burst.

"Kurama, cry, as much as you want, then return to your normal self." He smirked.

"What are you talking about, Hiei? Crying and returning to my normal self? This is my normal self, and crying will only make me give in to my weaker self. Isn't this what you've always agreed to? Now lets call a meeting, at Genkai's. I believe Koenma is already there."

Who was he? Where was the Kurama I knew?

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We walked to Genkai's temple without exchanging one word. He was emitting an aura that made me felt uneasy once I stepped near him. But I needed to be by his side; I wanted to be by his side, not matter what he had become.

Everyone was there, even the girls. I saw Yukian looking at Kurama worriedly, then glancing at me in question. I avoided her gaze, only to find all the other pairs of eyes gathered on us.

"How did all that happen?" Koenma startedin a business-like manner, "Give me all the—

"Koenma, what is this mission for?" Kurama cut him off and asked icily, without even lifting his eyes off the ground.

"You should know that by now. It is to protect all the three worlds from people's selfish, unrealistic wishes."

"When you say protect, who do you mean? The human and youkai who kill without blinking, the monsters, the despicable?"

Koenma was obviously baffled by the question, but answered, "To protect the people most important to you."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?! Kurama yelled and the gold returned fully to his furious irises, his youki pouring out uncontrolled. "The person I want to protect, whom I love, died because of this stupid mission. Now you are saying that the mission is to protect? What kind of protection if it, when I had to watch, helpless, as Shiori died so that thousands of others who don't even deserve a life may live. Yes, people just like all of you, it isn't right; it isn't fair. GIVE MY MOTHER BACK TO ME!"

he didn't cry as he shouted that, nor did any glint of grief tint his now bright golden eyes. They burned with nothing but loathe. He did not turn into his youko form, which meant that it was not the youko instincts that made him so. He had lost himself in the sea of sadness, but unwilling to give in, thus turning it into raging fury that blinded everything else.

"Hey, Kurama, calm down. This isn't like you." Yusuke said as if Kurama would smile back any moment, his irises green and tranquil, telling us, telling me that everything was fine. But it wasn't going to happen.

"I'm as clam as I could be after witnessing my mother being murdered. Do you want to know how I feel, Yusuke?" he asked with an icy smirk. "Maybe I could help you," with that, an extremely strong just of youki blew us off your feet and monstrous plants sprouted out of nowhere, cracking the tiles on the ground and tuned to capture us with their thick, thorny stems.

Yukina, Botan, Keiko and Koenma were soon held captive. The sharp thorns dug into Yukina's limbs, dyeing her azure kimono crimson. She bit her lip to prevent from screaming in pain, her eyes pleading me to save her, to save Kurama. I slashed frantically at the plants that stood in my way, only to prompt their growth. All these the youko watched in silent satisfaction.

"Kuso! Kurama, are you out of your mind?! GET THIS THING OFF ME!!" I heard Yusuke shout in agony, and just that one distraction was enough to make me miss warding off one attack, and soon I was immobile, the deadly thorns pressed against and into my flesh.

"Now, whom should I begin with?" Kurama asked and smiled eerily, striding past each one of us, now all bound by the plants. When he stopped in front of me, I noticed a slight bulge in his shirt pocket. What could he possibly put in there that kept him company all through Shiori's death? I didn't get much time to think, as he leveled his face with mine, and captured my mouth in a soft and gradual kiss. It was his scent, his warmth, his taste, and his movements; had he really changed?

"I'll come back to you, Hiei, once everything's over," he looked at me straight in the eye with his forest green orbs, but a second later, they switched to golden again. No, when everything was over, it would be too late.

"How about with the person who planned this mission, who caused all of these to befall on us? What do you think, Koenam?" the prince paled as the youko inched nearer to him, his calm and serious façade now mingled with fear.

"Kurama, you are looking for revenge on the wrong people," said Koenma shakily but determinedly, "Who enabled Karasu to come back as a soul? If you want to avenge for your mother, then fulfill her wish of protecting the human kind and complete the mission."

"I DON'T CARE WHAT'S RIGHT OR WRONG! All I know is that my mother has died because of this, so I'll kill whoever related to it! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WHOLE HUMAN KIND! I just want my mother to be back with me!" He grabbed the collar of the prince's shirt and in one swift and graceful pull, he ripped the front to the shirt off, revealing Koenma's bare chest.

The youko skimmed his fingers across he uncovered skin and the teenage winced at the touch. The fingers ran over his neck, shoulders, collar bone and ended after drawing a bloody slit down the center of his chest. I could easily see the bead of sweat rolling down Koenma's forehead from the pain. Such a useless creature.

Kurama pulled out a seed and planted it in the wound, sealing it with a kiss. " Don't worry, Koenma-sama, you will die soon, after the roses have grown through all your veins." A vine sprouted through the cut, as if on cue and would itself around Koenma's neck.

"I have lost too much. Every time I put my heart in something, it soon leaves me. Kuronue, Shiori, I won't let this happen again, never again. Nothing can take him away from me anymore, nothing." The insanity in his voice, the meaning of the words; it can't be . . .

"Kurama, what do you want to do?" he turned to me, and smiled.

"I promised that I would return to you when all are over, and then, your heart will contain no once but me. Not one, not even . . ." no, that couldn't be happening . . . "ROSE WHIP!" the whip dashed past my face, and just the ki around it made a small gash on my neck.

I watched as if in slow motion, as the weapon drew a smooth arc across the room, ready to cut through the victim. I couldn't care about he stems and thorns binding me anymore. I yanked with all my might, the spikes tearing through my flesh, butting deep down to my bones, ripping my skin into a mess and saw my own blood spilling across the broken tiles. The pain must be intense, but I didn't have spare mind to notice. I never knew how my body moved with its usual burst of speed under such conditions. Only one thing was on my mind: Yukina!

I raced past the rose whip and placed myself in front of Yukina just in time. The whip came for me, and I sped towards it. I had to get as close to Kurama as possible. I had to give it one last shot.

The whip ran through my heart. Everything went pitch black, but I had reached my target.

I fell backwards, along with the tears gems, red and black, cluttering onto the ground.

"HIEI!"

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Kurama's POV

I walked through the mist, the humidity in the air clung to me, weighing my already heavy heart down. Where was I? Why was I here? I wandered further, and nobody was there. All was peaceful. Should I take a rest here? I felt too weak to go back. Yes, I should stop.

I sat down, but a dread kept pulling me, an instinct kept telling me that was not for me. Hiei. I needed him. Where was he? He wasn't there with me. I wanted to go back, to Hiei, the only thing that mattered to me. But a force was blocking. I tried and tried, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Hiei. I kissed him, and ensured him that I would return. I was sucked back once more.

I fought against that force, and suddenly, it disappeared, and I saw my rose whip running through Hiei's heart, his blood from all of his wounds was splashed on me. He fell backwards, and tear gems fell from my shirt pocket, the one he ripped open. Crimson gems, just like his blood, the symbol that we were one. We were one, Hiei. Hiei? Why weren't you waking up? Hiei! HIEI!

"HIEI!" tears sprang to my eyes, but they were not enough to express the pain in my heart. What should I do?! He was covered completely in blood; the wounds were so deep and hideous that I did not bear to face them. What happened to you? Who did that to you? What it me? Answer me, Hiei, open your eyes and answer me!

"Kurama-kun, let me take a look at him. I'll try to heal him. Please summon some plants or herbs to treat the other cuts," Yukina's soft voice rang out beside me and I quickly stepped aside. She gathered her youki into a faintly glowing ball and placed it over Hiei's heart. The blood stopped pouring out, and the skin slowly sealed together. Yukina shut her eyes in concentration, sweat appearing on her forehead as her own blood soaked through her kimono. Finally, she opened her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"It's fine now. The wound is a centimeter away from the heart, so his life is not in danger. I don't have any youki left, so please help me heal his other gashes, fast, or he would be too weak from excessive loss of blood."

I fumbled through my hair and found the correct seeds. The plants they grew into started to spread spores around the body, making the blood clot and quickly forming scabs, the fell off after further treating. I forced some herbs that would regain his strength down his throat. At least he looked fine now, just so pale that I could almost see through him. But he still lay there, not moving.

"Yukina-san, why isn't he waking up?" I asked, my voice weak and panic-stricken.

"He is exhausted, so maybe he will come to once he has regained enough energy. Maybe, but perhaps he never will. That depends on his determination. I'm sorry," she replied as her eyes tear up and cream coloured tear gems joined the red and black ones on the ground.

"No, it can't be. Hiei, look at me! Open your eyes and look at me!" I carried as I shook his limp body. I pressed him as close as possible against me and let my tears moisten the fabric of his cloak. This had happened before, and you used to put your arms around me. You were just as warm as that time, so why were you motionless?

"Hiei! You can't leave me! You said that to fulfill your dreams, you must be alive and keep on fighting, so tell me again hat everything's going to be fine. I can't lose you, I really can't, or else there won't be a meaning to my life anymore. Come back to me, please, I'm begging you. Don't leave me alone again; I have been lonely for too long."

"Kitsune . . . too tight . . . can't breathe," I loosened my grip and quickly held Hiei firmly by the shoulders so that he faced me. His eyelids were half open, his ruby orbs shining tiredly and he wore a small smirk.

"HIEI!" I squealed in delight, but soon, fresh tears poured down. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me," I said as I fell into his welcoming arms, sobbing out all my emotions I kept secret. "Hn. It's fine, kitsune. It's not your fault."

"So you guys ready for real revenge?" Koenma asked. I nodded. "THEN GET THIS STUPID PLANT OFF ME!!"