Author's note: If the blood/energy in the previous chapter seems a little too weird, let me know and I can revise it. This is the final chapter in this part so look for the next part coming soon. I usually try to add at least one chapter a day ^_^ Don't forget to review.
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With Youko's and, the least familiar, Hiei's yoki swirling through him, Kurama awoke with only a few aches. The throb in his head was gone and when he glanced down at his hand, the worst of his wounds, he found it nearly healed. The energy/blood transfusion had gone successfully obviously or he would have been pretty stiff upon waking.
He threw off the thick blanket and sat up. He was alone in the cave but he could feel Youko's and Hiei's presence nearby. Kurama checked his wounds and sighed with satisfaction. Youko and Hiei had done an excellent job of healing the numerous cuts and gashes.
Kurama glanced around and saw some fresh clothes laid out on the floor beside him. He stood and quickly dressed, sheading the bloody torn clothing. He ran fingers through his tangled hair, working at the knots. Kurama sighed and dropped his hand.
He moved towards the cave entrance and stepped slowly outside. It was dark outside, darker than human world. This darkness was thick and cold, drowning. It was a living darkness that would swallow anyone who accidently stumbled into.
~~Don't venture out, Kurama. We are returning.~~
Kurama startled at the voice in his head. Youko. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. His strength was returning much more quickly than it had been before. He didn't feel as weak.
Kurama drew a rose and brought it to his nose. His stomach lurched at the memory of all the blood he had lost. He forced the memories away, instead concentrating on the rose's sweet aroma. A presence made itself known at his side, and he glanced down to find Hiei looking up at him with concerned eyes.
"I'm not weak, Hiei. I can take care of myself," he said, not liking how vulnerable he was feeling.
True, he had failed miserably against the demons but what was to be expected? He had at least succeeded in killing two of them, and had even fought Xezen off for a few minutes. His eyes darkened at the thought of Xezen stealing his yoki.
"He is dead, Kurama," Youko said, stepping out of the darkness.
"I would have liked killing him myself," Kurama muttered.
'Could you have killed him?" Youko asked.
"No, but still.... He stole my yoki! No one does that to me!"
"Calm down. I know what you're feeling," Youko reminded his other half.
Kurama turned and walked back into the cave. He sat down on the blanket, drawing his knees to his chest.
"You said we were dying, Youko. Explain this to me. Your thoughts were difficult to understand," Kurama said after a long moment of silence had passed.
Youko crouched beside him and began, "I was feeling the same weakness as you so I did some research. It seems that that dagger didn't seperate us completely."
"Yes, I figured that out for myself. I kept catching flashes of what you were doing."
"Same here, which is why I knew something was wrong when you were attacked."
"So, we're dying?"
"Since the break wasn't complete we can't survive apart."
"So we are going to slowly die?" Kurama repeated.
Youko sighed and said, "That's what I thought, but I think there is something we can do."
"What?"
"Have you noticed that while we're close the weakness disappears?"
"Yes," Kurama replied.
"Then maybe we can live if we stay in touch, I don't think that it would have to be constant but close enough that we don't fade anymore."
"Makes sense. Six weeks was quite a stretch. I felt...lost...abandoned."
"I know."
They stared at each other for a moment, understanding passing between them. Kurama stood and smoothed down his vest.
"I think I'm ready to go home. This has all been...very eventful, to say the least, and I could do with some rest."
"I'll go with you," Hiei said, catching Youko's eye.
Kurama sighed and asked, "I guess that I'm going to have to deal with a baby sitter from now on, right?"
"Just until you're back at full strength," Youko assured him.
Kurama shook his head and turned to Hiei, "After you."
Youko watched them fade into the darkness before moving into the back of his cave. He stood over the terrified demon bound tightly on the ground. Xezen was trying to beg Youko but the gag muffled his words.
Youko crossed his arms casually over his chest and said, "Now, there is something I would like to know. Those demons you sent after Kurama were more powerful than they should have been. Your energy has increased tenfold. I want to know how this is possible."
Youko yanked the gag off and waited expectantly.
"Speak," he commanded.
"A powerful demon lord gave us a potion to increase our yoki."
"His name?"
"Don't know it, master. He came and he went like a shadow."
"Why did he hand over such a powerful potion?" Youko asked.
"He wanted to destroy the Spirit Detectives. He knew somehow that..."
"That you wanted Youko Kurama dead."
"Yes. I did as you asked. I told you everything."
"Yes, and I won't make you suffer much," Youko replied as he slowly placed a golden seed on the ground before the trembling demon.
"But..but...." the demon began as Youko backed away.
"You can't live after what you tried to do. There are hundreds, thousands of way to kill you, and, believe me, this is the one of the least painful ones."
Youko turned on his heels, exiting the cave as the first screams were ripped from Xezen's throat.
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Kurama groaned silently as someone pounded on the front door. He sat up in bed, blinking his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Hiei stood, head cocked to the side as he sought out their visitor.
"Yusuke," he said.
"What time is it?" Kurama whispered, searching the darkness of his room for the clock. Only 3:30! What was going on?
"Stay in bed. I'll let the fool in," Hiei said, pulling open the bedroom door.
Kurama was too tired to feel relieved that his mother had gone to visit one of her sick friend. How he would have explained his wounds, Hiei, and now Yusuke he did not know.
Minutes later Yusuke stepped into his room, his wide brown eyes passing over Kurama's face with concern.
"Hiei said that you were attacked. Are you all right?" he asked, moving closer to the bed.
"I'm fine now, thank you. What is wrong?" Kurama asked.
Hiei found a seat by the window and waited for the Yusuke to explain.
"Boton dropped off a video a few minutes ago...."
"Another case?" Kurama asked.
"Yes. Some demon is preparing an attack on Makai and Spirit World. We are to find him and destroy him."
"That's all?" Hiei asked sarcastically.
Yusuke chuckled and added, "This demon is building up armies of lower class demons. Supposedly he can power them up with some kind of potion."
Kurama glanced at Hiei and saw that Hiei had sat up with interest. The demons that had attacked Kurama had been lower class, but their powers had been greatly enhanced.
"Am I missing something?" Yusuke asked, seeing the glance.
"The demons who attacked me were stronger than they should have been," Kurama replied.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"So we're already involved in this case," he said softly.
"It would seem so. I have not healed enough to assist you...." Kurama began.
Yusuke waved a hand at Kurama's words and said," Don't worry about it. We can wait until you've healed completely. You're a demon. It doesn't take long, right?"
"Right," Kurama agreed, leaning back in the bed, his weary head falling against the pillow.
"Then get your rest. Hiei, I'm glad that you're here watching over him," Yusuke said and waved goodbye as he stepped out of the room.
Kurama chuckled at the look on Hiei's face and said, "Of course he knew. What other reason do you have for being in my house? It's not raining nor is it cold outside."
"Go to sleep, fox. You're going to need all the rest you can get if we're taking on this case."
Kurama nodded and watched as Hiei made himself comfortable in the chair, his sword clutched tightly against his chest.
Kurama closed his eyes and sighed. He had a strange feeling that Hiei was right. This case was going to prove a lot more difficult than the previous ones.
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With Youko's and, the least familiar, Hiei's yoki swirling through him, Kurama awoke with only a few aches. The throb in his head was gone and when he glanced down at his hand, the worst of his wounds, he found it nearly healed. The energy/blood transfusion had gone successfully obviously or he would have been pretty stiff upon waking.
He threw off the thick blanket and sat up. He was alone in the cave but he could feel Youko's and Hiei's presence nearby. Kurama checked his wounds and sighed with satisfaction. Youko and Hiei had done an excellent job of healing the numerous cuts and gashes.
Kurama glanced around and saw some fresh clothes laid out on the floor beside him. He stood and quickly dressed, sheading the bloody torn clothing. He ran fingers through his tangled hair, working at the knots. Kurama sighed and dropped his hand.
He moved towards the cave entrance and stepped slowly outside. It was dark outside, darker than human world. This darkness was thick and cold, drowning. It was a living darkness that would swallow anyone who accidently stumbled into.
~~Don't venture out, Kurama. We are returning.~~
Kurama startled at the voice in his head. Youko. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. His strength was returning much more quickly than it had been before. He didn't feel as weak.
Kurama drew a rose and brought it to his nose. His stomach lurched at the memory of all the blood he had lost. He forced the memories away, instead concentrating on the rose's sweet aroma. A presence made itself known at his side, and he glanced down to find Hiei looking up at him with concerned eyes.
"I'm not weak, Hiei. I can take care of myself," he said, not liking how vulnerable he was feeling.
True, he had failed miserably against the demons but what was to be expected? He had at least succeeded in killing two of them, and had even fought Xezen off for a few minutes. His eyes darkened at the thought of Xezen stealing his yoki.
"He is dead, Kurama," Youko said, stepping out of the darkness.
"I would have liked killing him myself," Kurama muttered.
'Could you have killed him?" Youko asked.
"No, but still.... He stole my yoki! No one does that to me!"
"Calm down. I know what you're feeling," Youko reminded his other half.
Kurama turned and walked back into the cave. He sat down on the blanket, drawing his knees to his chest.
"You said we were dying, Youko. Explain this to me. Your thoughts were difficult to understand," Kurama said after a long moment of silence had passed.
Youko crouched beside him and began, "I was feeling the same weakness as you so I did some research. It seems that that dagger didn't seperate us completely."
"Yes, I figured that out for myself. I kept catching flashes of what you were doing."
"Same here, which is why I knew something was wrong when you were attacked."
"So, we're dying?"
"Since the break wasn't complete we can't survive apart."
"So we are going to slowly die?" Kurama repeated.
Youko sighed and said, "That's what I thought, but I think there is something we can do."
"What?"
"Have you noticed that while we're close the weakness disappears?"
"Yes," Kurama replied.
"Then maybe we can live if we stay in touch, I don't think that it would have to be constant but close enough that we don't fade anymore."
"Makes sense. Six weeks was quite a stretch. I felt...lost...abandoned."
"I know."
They stared at each other for a moment, understanding passing between them. Kurama stood and smoothed down his vest.
"I think I'm ready to go home. This has all been...very eventful, to say the least, and I could do with some rest."
"I'll go with you," Hiei said, catching Youko's eye.
Kurama sighed and asked, "I guess that I'm going to have to deal with a baby sitter from now on, right?"
"Just until you're back at full strength," Youko assured him.
Kurama shook his head and turned to Hiei, "After you."
Youko watched them fade into the darkness before moving into the back of his cave. He stood over the terrified demon bound tightly on the ground. Xezen was trying to beg Youko but the gag muffled his words.
Youko crossed his arms casually over his chest and said, "Now, there is something I would like to know. Those demons you sent after Kurama were more powerful than they should have been. Your energy has increased tenfold. I want to know how this is possible."
Youko yanked the gag off and waited expectantly.
"Speak," he commanded.
"A powerful demon lord gave us a potion to increase our yoki."
"His name?"
"Don't know it, master. He came and he went like a shadow."
"Why did he hand over such a powerful potion?" Youko asked.
"He wanted to destroy the Spirit Detectives. He knew somehow that..."
"That you wanted Youko Kurama dead."
"Yes. I did as you asked. I told you everything."
"Yes, and I won't make you suffer much," Youko replied as he slowly placed a golden seed on the ground before the trembling demon.
"But..but...." the demon began as Youko backed away.
"You can't live after what you tried to do. There are hundreds, thousands of way to kill you, and, believe me, this is the one of the least painful ones."
Youko turned on his heels, exiting the cave as the first screams were ripped from Xezen's throat.
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Kurama groaned silently as someone pounded on the front door. He sat up in bed, blinking his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Hiei stood, head cocked to the side as he sought out their visitor.
"Yusuke," he said.
"What time is it?" Kurama whispered, searching the darkness of his room for the clock. Only 3:30! What was going on?
"Stay in bed. I'll let the fool in," Hiei said, pulling open the bedroom door.
Kurama was too tired to feel relieved that his mother had gone to visit one of her sick friend. How he would have explained his wounds, Hiei, and now Yusuke he did not know.
Minutes later Yusuke stepped into his room, his wide brown eyes passing over Kurama's face with concern.
"Hiei said that you were attacked. Are you all right?" he asked, moving closer to the bed.
"I'm fine now, thank you. What is wrong?" Kurama asked.
Hiei found a seat by the window and waited for the Yusuke to explain.
"Boton dropped off a video a few minutes ago...."
"Another case?" Kurama asked.
"Yes. Some demon is preparing an attack on Makai and Spirit World. We are to find him and destroy him."
"That's all?" Hiei asked sarcastically.
Yusuke chuckled and added, "This demon is building up armies of lower class demons. Supposedly he can power them up with some kind of potion."
Kurama glanced at Hiei and saw that Hiei had sat up with interest. The demons that had attacked Kurama had been lower class, but their powers had been greatly enhanced.
"Am I missing something?" Yusuke asked, seeing the glance.
"The demons who attacked me were stronger than they should have been," Kurama replied.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"So we're already involved in this case," he said softly.
"It would seem so. I have not healed enough to assist you...." Kurama began.
Yusuke waved a hand at Kurama's words and said," Don't worry about it. We can wait until you've healed completely. You're a demon. It doesn't take long, right?"
"Right," Kurama agreed, leaning back in the bed, his weary head falling against the pillow.
"Then get your rest. Hiei, I'm glad that you're here watching over him," Yusuke said and waved goodbye as he stepped out of the room.
Kurama chuckled at the look on Hiei's face and said, "Of course he knew. What other reason do you have for being in my house? It's not raining nor is it cold outside."
"Go to sleep, fox. You're going to need all the rest you can get if we're taking on this case."
Kurama nodded and watched as Hiei made himself comfortable in the chair, his sword clutched tightly against his chest.
Kurama closed his eyes and sighed. He had a strange feeling that Hiei was right. This case was going to prove a lot more difficult than the previous ones.