Autheress here.
Ooh, it feels good to get back to the old Navvy's keyboard. But ironically, and to my utter dissatisfaction, it isn't dusty. Now here's the conundrum, HOW COULD THAT BE?
I'll tell ya. It's because I was "asked" to help get the house ready for a big party on Saturday. (If you're as tired as I am and didn't get why "asked" was in quotation marks, it's because "asked" comes basically down to "ordered.")
Our house is a mess.
Not only the house; why stop the torture there? Let's clean up the whole bleeping yard! Now, if my yard was like, twenty feet long and thirty feet wide, I would of gardened and pottered around happily. OH NO. Our yard is A HALF ACRE LONG, and A THIRD OF AN ACRE WIDE. Even to someone who enjoys weeding, (like me, it's strange) weeding all that, plus mowing, spraying, etc. etc. gets a wee bit much.
To add icing to this cake, my sister, for whom this party is for, is gone this entire week. She's on a mission trip in Wisconsin. SHE GETS BACK THE MORNING OF HER PARTY. For which I have wasted two weeks of my bloody summer vacation getting ready for.
Och, I needed to rant. Okay, enough of the Autheress Baggage, it's time for Chapter Number SIX!
And a reminder, all new attacks are property of Me and thanks given to Lauren Brown, author/illustrator of Weeds in Winter for ideas. V for Victory!
SSssssssssSSTTTTtttttttttttTTTTAAAaaaaaRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTtttttttt
This was Spirit World. Through the portal they had come, to this place.
They ran, single file, following Kuwabara. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, following the trail of the rat demon. The glands on his rodent feet left small pad marks of Spirit Energy that Kuwabara, in his heightened ability could see clearly.
Katsu tried hard not to slow down and gawk at the unfamiliar word surrounding her. A blood-red sky and the rocky, dull brown-black earth beneath her were strange, and not at all pleasant.
Kuwabara's path led them severely to their left, and the ground starting showing patches of dull green grass here and there. Soon, more and more odd-looking foliage sprang up, but still on they ran.
Kuwabara's pace slackened, as the forest they had traveled into suddenly stopped, the trees surrounding stone. But this atmosphere was not natural, and had been built instead. The ground was completely smooth, and a few yards away it rose sharply at a ninety degree angle. The building was the same make as the ground. Dark windows yawned like cavernous mouths, ominous and entirely uninviting. At the base of the drab structure, a wooden door was bolted tightly shut, metal hinges and enforcers shinning dully in the strange light of Spirit World.
"Right on time."
They all jumped, riveting their attentions to the cultured voice that spoke from the shadows. A demon stepped into view, a breathtaking view for Katsu.
The demon was very beautiful, though undoubtedly male. Humanlike facial features were defined on the pale blue face, deep lavender lips curved up in a warm smile that didn't reach the coal-black eyes. And what eyes!
So deep they were, Katsu felt herself drowning in their depths. Fixated on Kuwabara, they still seemed to take in every last one of them.
Above the eyes was a smooth, hairless head. It was shapely, and a crest rose up the center. If it weren't for the blue skin and extra long limbs, the rest of the demon could of been human.
Kuwabara stepped forewords, seeming to appoint himself leader in Yusuke's absence. "Let us in, Blue-boy."
"How highly unoriginal." The demon scoffed. "And I will, Master Human. But first, I must explain the rules."
"Oh, now there's rules to kidnapping?!" Hiei growled, placing a hand threateningly on the hilt of his katana.
"Yes." The demon nodded deeply before continuing. "There are two more doors past this one. And a number of demons await. You must fight your way past, and only then will you ever dream of rescuing the pest, your Spirit Detective. He has one hour until he is...executed."
Katsu opened her mouth, but both Emiko and Boton siexed her hands and squeezed a silent warning. She remained silent.
"But to the fights, you can only use the number of fighters as there are opponents. Disobey this rule, and your human friend dies earlier."
"How do we know you haven?t already killed Yusuke?" Hiei snarled.
"You don't. But, if you were to walk away now...his last requests will be heard at Heaven's gate..but most likely Hell's doors." The demon smiled widely. "And now...get past me, and these doors shall open. One opponent only."
"What kind of sick game are you playing?!" Emiko hissed.
"One that ensures us a crack at our worst enemies." The cultured voice grew triumphant. "Under our own demands."
"Home field advantage." Emiko tossed her head defiantly. "That'll do you no good."
"Me first." Kuwabara shoved forewords. "I got a plan. Urameshi would want me to go fir-"
He had barely finished speaking when the ground cracked beneath his feet. He flailed wildly, but to no avail. The earth crumbled away until he was balancing precariously on one foot, a dark chasm one every side for ten good feet. The demon, however, was standing on solid ground.
Kuwabara took an awkward leap to the demon's side, a burst of Energy alighting in his fist. It lengthened into his trademark Spirit Sword.
The demon hissed, and dodged the rapid-fire attacks Kuwabara sent his way. Instead of summoning his own Spirit Power, the demon kicked at Kuwabara's shins.
Before Kuwabara could recover, the demon attacked. Strange blue tendrils snaked their way around the angry teen, multiplying and widening until Kuwabara was blocked from view.
His voice was heard faintly over the hissing of energy. "Don't- me! -Plan!"
"And now.." The demon smiled. The coils surrounding Kuwabara snapped in, tightening and completely wrapping around him. A surge of golden-yellow Spirit Energy flared, a last attempt by Kuwabara. Only a few of the tendrils snapped away, but the rest stayed sure.
"He comes with me, to where the Spirit Detective is. Two human imbeciles under our supreme watch. And, in..fifty-five minutes, he suffers the same fate. I wish you the same luck your blundering friend had."
A burst of blue light later, and the demon disappeared with the mass of coils that was Kuwabara.
Katsu screamed. Hiei glared. Kurama and Emiko exchanged looks, then turned to Boton. "You and Katsu go back. This is worse than expected. We three can handle the rest."
"But-"
"No, Boton." Kurama said firmly. "We need someone to inform Koenma-sama about Yusuke, and now Kuwabara. Though he said he had a plan, perhaps getting captured was part of it."
"Komiko!" Katsu turned to her friend.
"It's Emiko." Emiko gave her a half grin. "And what? We gotta hurry."
"You said my being along might help Yusuke. I'm comin'."
"I would go faster without her." Boton offered.
"Fine. But keep up." Kurama instructed. "Let's go."
Hiei lept the gap easily, and Kurama and Emiko were readying to follow when Katsu stopped them. "Uh.."
"Oh, right." Emiko grabbed Katsu's arm and threw it about her own shoulders. With a surge of energy, she too jumped the gap, Katsu clinging on and squeezing her eyelids shut.
The door opened noiselessly in front of them, as promised by the sleek demon in front. They ran past more stone walls, shoes making pattering sounds that reverberated around the room.
Without warning, two voices began to chant in sing song voices, from opposite ends of the chamber, their voices alternating with each other.
"Ring around the rosey-"
"-Pockets full of posey-"
"-Ashes-"
"-Ashes-"
"-We all fall-"
"DOWN!"
One the last word, they spoke together, and the floor jolted, throwing all off their feet. It became still again, except for the laughter of whoever was in the room. Katsu could see nothing, due to her lack of Spirit Awareness. To the others, the two new demons were as clear as day.
Little sprites, human in appearance, they scampered around, movements exactly the same as the other's. They could of been mirror reflections of each other, such was their likeliness.
"You can play two now." The first demon said gleefully.
"Two unlucky souls to face us." The second chimed in.
Kurama and Emiko exchanged glances, amused. "Katsu, stand perfectly still. This'll be over in a few minutes." Emiko muttered to Katsu, who complied.
"We'll have you know-" The first cackled.
"-That no one has ever defeated us." The second finished. It seemed to be their style of speaking.
"We know each other's thoughts-"
"-And therefore can work as a seamless team!"
"Oh, Emiko," Kurama said gravely. "Can we handle this?"
"I'm not sure.." Emiko ducked her chin, covering her laughter.
The demons didn't catch the sarcasm, and cackled again. They began moving around with such speed they were blurs. They were perfectly synchronized.
Hiei narrowed his eyes, then glanced at Katsu. She was staring into thick blackness, unaware of any movement in front of her. He groaned, then undid his bandana. "Here."
Placing a hand on Katsu's shoulder, he concentrated, letting his Evil Jagon eye glow. Katsu gasped. Through Hiei's power, her own eyes began to register the activities of the demon fight.
"Now, to stop you little devils from rocketing around like fools, a little Demon-grown Knotwood." Emiko smirked, taking a tiny, hollow wooden tube from her pocket. Knotwood, Japanese knotwood, was considered a weed, though originally put into gardens for decoration. It grew swiftly underground before pushing up shoots, and was incredibly strong for being hollow. And when grown under a demon's care such as Emiko's, it was as firm as steel.
Emiko let the wood fall. It seemed to melt into the stone floor. Nothing appeared to be happening for a few moments, but then the stone itself seemed to ripple like water. Then, green-brown shoots pushed up past the stone surface, then started growing at an alarming rate. The demons were had to stop, and then the knotwood forced them into a small, thirty-meter circle. At one end was Emiko and Kurama, and the other end was the door. Hiei and Katsu were safely enclosed in the branches, still in view, but away from harm. The demons glared.
"This smaller arena-"
"-Won't hurt us at all."
"No." Emiko said simply. "But it protects Katsu and Hiei. And, it insures you cannot run away. Try to, and you will become so ensnared in the branches, you'll die before you're freed."
The demons glanced at one another. Apparently, they hadn't planned on being in a capture-or-be-killed situation, in the middle of a thicket. They both rocketed forewords at once, without warning.
"My turn." Kurama's smooth voice was almost smug. "Love conquers all, correct? I prove my point!" He threw something, a plant, at the demon on his left. The plant was more like a vine, but the moment it came in contact with the demon's skin, little suckers attached themselves firmly. The plant began to glow, until both demons stopped dead.
"What-" One gasped.
"-Is this monstrosity?!" The second finished, staring down at the glowing parasite in horror.
"It's sometimes called a Love-vine." Kurama explained sweetly. "But also it's referred to as the Strangle Weed. The original name, Dodder, is no longer relevant. It's now totally something else, now that it's matured under my care. It's fascinating, really."
The demon started to use Energy attacks at the plant, which only glowed all the brighter. "Why's it doing-"
"-Such things?!"
"Because, the HumanWorld version lives off of a host plant it attaches itself to shortly after sprouting. And my version, it feeds off your Spirit Energy. The more you use, the stronger it gets, and the closer you are to death." Kurama bowed mockingly.
"Touché." Emiko smiled at her mate, who took a small step back. "Now, finally." She reached into her jacket pocket again, pulling out what seemed to be a ball of thorns. At her touch, it opened slightly, revealing a blood-red center.
"The Datura Stramonium, one of my favorites." Emiko purred. The demons looked at her fearfully, out of ideas after Kurama's Love-vine attack. "The use? It'll make me ten times stronger than usual. I will be able to turn this puny little castle into dust with a thought! All I have to do is squeeze this red center, and inhale its gases. It can cure just about any ailment I could ever have, too."
The demons glanced at one another, grinning. Katsu looked to Hiei in confusion. Why would she let all that information slip? She wondered.
There is a reason. Hiei's voice sounded in her mind. Wait.
Emiko raised the small thorn ball, and opened her mouth. The demons reacted, and fast.
Moving as a finely tuned duo, they rocketed in front of Emiko, and one lept on the other's shoulders to snatch the thornball away from Emiko's lips.
"This will take care of-"
"-This love-vine and then-"
"-We shall take you both to the dungeons-"
"-To be killed with the Spirit Detective!"
Together, they squeezed the red center, mouths open expectantly. The gas hissed out, Emiko crying aloud, but not running after it. That in and of itself was strange to Katsu.
The demons both inhaled, and Emiko giggled. "Gotchya." She winked.
"What?" The demons gasped together. Their faces contorted, and the Love-vine pulsated with power stolen from its host.
"The Thorn-Apple in Human World causes fatality if inhaled by mere humans." Emiko explained, looking as pleased as a schoolgirl with a perfect paper. "And...boosted up with demonic power, it causes even the strongest demon to-"
The demons both dropped to the ground, dead before they landed.
"-Drop down dead." Emiko gave a mocking pout. "Aw, sorry I didn?t tell you that before you inhaled it. That'll teach you.." She waved a mocking finger at the dead bodies. "Never trust a vixen-"
"Unless she's on your side." Kurama finished with a grin. "I haven?t heard that one for a good fifteen years!"
Kurama gave his mate a one arm hug in congratulation, then Emiko parted the knotwood to let Katsu and Hiei pass. They ran to the next door, Katsu carefully avoiding the dead demons, the Love-vine creeping to cover them both in a last embrace.
EEEeeeeeeeeeeeEEeNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDddddddddddddddddDD
Autheress here.
I seriously believe I'm getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. Ouchie!
I apologize. From last chapter all throughout this one, you were probably expecting wonderful attacks of great originality, and sorry, this is it. The Japanese Knotwood, the Love-vine, and the Thorn apple, also called Jimson Weed. But have mercy. I thought these up while I was at my job. My job gets r e a l l y s l o w at times, so I'm like.."Hrm...I bet Jimson weed could be a wicked attack...." And I had to try it. I apologize again for making you suffer through it.
But I have excuses! Not only was it original, it was my first "real" battle scene. And it's one in the morning. Gimmie a break already!
And now...sleep...
Never mind. And now....preview.
Katsu, Hiei, Kurama and Emiko have one door left, which is surprisingly easy. But behind that door is practically an army of demons. Unskilled as they are, sheer numbers might cinch the good guys' fates.
Katsu feels more like baggage then a "member of the team," but also sees that no demons are noticing her. By slipping past them, she could either save all her friend's lives...or lose them.
Okay...NOW TO BED. Guess what? I gotta get up at 7:30 to get back to housework! Yippie! (Note: Complete and utter sarcasm!)
Ooh, it feels good to get back to the old Navvy's keyboard. But ironically, and to my utter dissatisfaction, it isn't dusty. Now here's the conundrum, HOW COULD THAT BE?
I'll tell ya. It's because I was "asked" to help get the house ready for a big party on Saturday. (If you're as tired as I am and didn't get why "asked" was in quotation marks, it's because "asked" comes basically down to "ordered.")
Our house is a mess.
Not only the house; why stop the torture there? Let's clean up the whole bleeping yard! Now, if my yard was like, twenty feet long and thirty feet wide, I would of gardened and pottered around happily. OH NO. Our yard is A HALF ACRE LONG, and A THIRD OF AN ACRE WIDE. Even to someone who enjoys weeding, (like me, it's strange) weeding all that, plus mowing, spraying, etc. etc. gets a wee bit much.
To add icing to this cake, my sister, for whom this party is for, is gone this entire week. She's on a mission trip in Wisconsin. SHE GETS BACK THE MORNING OF HER PARTY. For which I have wasted two weeks of my bloody summer vacation getting ready for.
Och, I needed to rant. Okay, enough of the Autheress Baggage, it's time for Chapter Number SIX!
And a reminder, all new attacks are property of Me and thanks given to Lauren Brown, author/illustrator of Weeds in Winter for ideas. V for Victory!
SSssssssssSSTTTTtttttttttttTTTTAAAaaaaaRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTtttttttt
This was Spirit World. Through the portal they had come, to this place.
They ran, single file, following Kuwabara. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, following the trail of the rat demon. The glands on his rodent feet left small pad marks of Spirit Energy that Kuwabara, in his heightened ability could see clearly.
Katsu tried hard not to slow down and gawk at the unfamiliar word surrounding her. A blood-red sky and the rocky, dull brown-black earth beneath her were strange, and not at all pleasant.
Kuwabara's path led them severely to their left, and the ground starting showing patches of dull green grass here and there. Soon, more and more odd-looking foliage sprang up, but still on they ran.
Kuwabara's pace slackened, as the forest they had traveled into suddenly stopped, the trees surrounding stone. But this atmosphere was not natural, and had been built instead. The ground was completely smooth, and a few yards away it rose sharply at a ninety degree angle. The building was the same make as the ground. Dark windows yawned like cavernous mouths, ominous and entirely uninviting. At the base of the drab structure, a wooden door was bolted tightly shut, metal hinges and enforcers shinning dully in the strange light of Spirit World.
"Right on time."
They all jumped, riveting their attentions to the cultured voice that spoke from the shadows. A demon stepped into view, a breathtaking view for Katsu.
The demon was very beautiful, though undoubtedly male. Humanlike facial features were defined on the pale blue face, deep lavender lips curved up in a warm smile that didn't reach the coal-black eyes. And what eyes!
So deep they were, Katsu felt herself drowning in their depths. Fixated on Kuwabara, they still seemed to take in every last one of them.
Above the eyes was a smooth, hairless head. It was shapely, and a crest rose up the center. If it weren't for the blue skin and extra long limbs, the rest of the demon could of been human.
Kuwabara stepped forewords, seeming to appoint himself leader in Yusuke's absence. "Let us in, Blue-boy."
"How highly unoriginal." The demon scoffed. "And I will, Master Human. But first, I must explain the rules."
"Oh, now there's rules to kidnapping?!" Hiei growled, placing a hand threateningly on the hilt of his katana.
"Yes." The demon nodded deeply before continuing. "There are two more doors past this one. And a number of demons await. You must fight your way past, and only then will you ever dream of rescuing the pest, your Spirit Detective. He has one hour until he is...executed."
Katsu opened her mouth, but both Emiko and Boton siexed her hands and squeezed a silent warning. She remained silent.
"But to the fights, you can only use the number of fighters as there are opponents. Disobey this rule, and your human friend dies earlier."
"How do we know you haven?t already killed Yusuke?" Hiei snarled.
"You don't. But, if you were to walk away now...his last requests will be heard at Heaven's gate..but most likely Hell's doors." The demon smiled widely. "And now...get past me, and these doors shall open. One opponent only."
"What kind of sick game are you playing?!" Emiko hissed.
"One that ensures us a crack at our worst enemies." The cultured voice grew triumphant. "Under our own demands."
"Home field advantage." Emiko tossed her head defiantly. "That'll do you no good."
"Me first." Kuwabara shoved forewords. "I got a plan. Urameshi would want me to go fir-"
He had barely finished speaking when the ground cracked beneath his feet. He flailed wildly, but to no avail. The earth crumbled away until he was balancing precariously on one foot, a dark chasm one every side for ten good feet. The demon, however, was standing on solid ground.
Kuwabara took an awkward leap to the demon's side, a burst of Energy alighting in his fist. It lengthened into his trademark Spirit Sword.
The demon hissed, and dodged the rapid-fire attacks Kuwabara sent his way. Instead of summoning his own Spirit Power, the demon kicked at Kuwabara's shins.
Before Kuwabara could recover, the demon attacked. Strange blue tendrils snaked their way around the angry teen, multiplying and widening until Kuwabara was blocked from view.
His voice was heard faintly over the hissing of energy. "Don't- me! -Plan!"
"And now.." The demon smiled. The coils surrounding Kuwabara snapped in, tightening and completely wrapping around him. A surge of golden-yellow Spirit Energy flared, a last attempt by Kuwabara. Only a few of the tendrils snapped away, but the rest stayed sure.
"He comes with me, to where the Spirit Detective is. Two human imbeciles under our supreme watch. And, in..fifty-five minutes, he suffers the same fate. I wish you the same luck your blundering friend had."
A burst of blue light later, and the demon disappeared with the mass of coils that was Kuwabara.
Katsu screamed. Hiei glared. Kurama and Emiko exchanged looks, then turned to Boton. "You and Katsu go back. This is worse than expected. We three can handle the rest."
"But-"
"No, Boton." Kurama said firmly. "We need someone to inform Koenma-sama about Yusuke, and now Kuwabara. Though he said he had a plan, perhaps getting captured was part of it."
"Komiko!" Katsu turned to her friend.
"It's Emiko." Emiko gave her a half grin. "And what? We gotta hurry."
"You said my being along might help Yusuke. I'm comin'."
"I would go faster without her." Boton offered.
"Fine. But keep up." Kurama instructed. "Let's go."
Hiei lept the gap easily, and Kurama and Emiko were readying to follow when Katsu stopped them. "Uh.."
"Oh, right." Emiko grabbed Katsu's arm and threw it about her own shoulders. With a surge of energy, she too jumped the gap, Katsu clinging on and squeezing her eyelids shut.
The door opened noiselessly in front of them, as promised by the sleek demon in front. They ran past more stone walls, shoes making pattering sounds that reverberated around the room.
Without warning, two voices began to chant in sing song voices, from opposite ends of the chamber, their voices alternating with each other.
"Ring around the rosey-"
"-Pockets full of posey-"
"-Ashes-"
"-Ashes-"
"-We all fall-"
"DOWN!"
One the last word, they spoke together, and the floor jolted, throwing all off their feet. It became still again, except for the laughter of whoever was in the room. Katsu could see nothing, due to her lack of Spirit Awareness. To the others, the two new demons were as clear as day.
Little sprites, human in appearance, they scampered around, movements exactly the same as the other's. They could of been mirror reflections of each other, such was their likeliness.
"You can play two now." The first demon said gleefully.
"Two unlucky souls to face us." The second chimed in.
Kurama and Emiko exchanged glances, amused. "Katsu, stand perfectly still. This'll be over in a few minutes." Emiko muttered to Katsu, who complied.
"We'll have you know-" The first cackled.
"-That no one has ever defeated us." The second finished. It seemed to be their style of speaking.
"We know each other's thoughts-"
"-And therefore can work as a seamless team!"
"Oh, Emiko," Kurama said gravely. "Can we handle this?"
"I'm not sure.." Emiko ducked her chin, covering her laughter.
The demons didn't catch the sarcasm, and cackled again. They began moving around with such speed they were blurs. They were perfectly synchronized.
Hiei narrowed his eyes, then glanced at Katsu. She was staring into thick blackness, unaware of any movement in front of her. He groaned, then undid his bandana. "Here."
Placing a hand on Katsu's shoulder, he concentrated, letting his Evil Jagon eye glow. Katsu gasped. Through Hiei's power, her own eyes began to register the activities of the demon fight.
"Now, to stop you little devils from rocketing around like fools, a little Demon-grown Knotwood." Emiko smirked, taking a tiny, hollow wooden tube from her pocket. Knotwood, Japanese knotwood, was considered a weed, though originally put into gardens for decoration. It grew swiftly underground before pushing up shoots, and was incredibly strong for being hollow. And when grown under a demon's care such as Emiko's, it was as firm as steel.
Emiko let the wood fall. It seemed to melt into the stone floor. Nothing appeared to be happening for a few moments, but then the stone itself seemed to ripple like water. Then, green-brown shoots pushed up past the stone surface, then started growing at an alarming rate. The demons were had to stop, and then the knotwood forced them into a small, thirty-meter circle. At one end was Emiko and Kurama, and the other end was the door. Hiei and Katsu were safely enclosed in the branches, still in view, but away from harm. The demons glared.
"This smaller arena-"
"-Won't hurt us at all."
"No." Emiko said simply. "But it protects Katsu and Hiei. And, it insures you cannot run away. Try to, and you will become so ensnared in the branches, you'll die before you're freed."
The demons glanced at one another. Apparently, they hadn't planned on being in a capture-or-be-killed situation, in the middle of a thicket. They both rocketed forewords at once, without warning.
"My turn." Kurama's smooth voice was almost smug. "Love conquers all, correct? I prove my point!" He threw something, a plant, at the demon on his left. The plant was more like a vine, but the moment it came in contact with the demon's skin, little suckers attached themselves firmly. The plant began to glow, until both demons stopped dead.
"What-" One gasped.
"-Is this monstrosity?!" The second finished, staring down at the glowing parasite in horror.
"It's sometimes called a Love-vine." Kurama explained sweetly. "But also it's referred to as the Strangle Weed. The original name, Dodder, is no longer relevant. It's now totally something else, now that it's matured under my care. It's fascinating, really."
The demon started to use Energy attacks at the plant, which only glowed all the brighter. "Why's it doing-"
"-Such things?!"
"Because, the HumanWorld version lives off of a host plant it attaches itself to shortly after sprouting. And my version, it feeds off your Spirit Energy. The more you use, the stronger it gets, and the closer you are to death." Kurama bowed mockingly.
"Touché." Emiko smiled at her mate, who took a small step back. "Now, finally." She reached into her jacket pocket again, pulling out what seemed to be a ball of thorns. At her touch, it opened slightly, revealing a blood-red center.
"The Datura Stramonium, one of my favorites." Emiko purred. The demons looked at her fearfully, out of ideas after Kurama's Love-vine attack. "The use? It'll make me ten times stronger than usual. I will be able to turn this puny little castle into dust with a thought! All I have to do is squeeze this red center, and inhale its gases. It can cure just about any ailment I could ever have, too."
The demons glanced at one another, grinning. Katsu looked to Hiei in confusion. Why would she let all that information slip? She wondered.
There is a reason. Hiei's voice sounded in her mind. Wait.
Emiko raised the small thorn ball, and opened her mouth. The demons reacted, and fast.
Moving as a finely tuned duo, they rocketed in front of Emiko, and one lept on the other's shoulders to snatch the thornball away from Emiko's lips.
"This will take care of-"
"-This love-vine and then-"
"-We shall take you both to the dungeons-"
"-To be killed with the Spirit Detective!"
Together, they squeezed the red center, mouths open expectantly. The gas hissed out, Emiko crying aloud, but not running after it. That in and of itself was strange to Katsu.
The demons both inhaled, and Emiko giggled. "Gotchya." She winked.
"What?" The demons gasped together. Their faces contorted, and the Love-vine pulsated with power stolen from its host.
"The Thorn-Apple in Human World causes fatality if inhaled by mere humans." Emiko explained, looking as pleased as a schoolgirl with a perfect paper. "And...boosted up with demonic power, it causes even the strongest demon to-"
The demons both dropped to the ground, dead before they landed.
"-Drop down dead." Emiko gave a mocking pout. "Aw, sorry I didn?t tell you that before you inhaled it. That'll teach you.." She waved a mocking finger at the dead bodies. "Never trust a vixen-"
"Unless she's on your side." Kurama finished with a grin. "I haven?t heard that one for a good fifteen years!"
Kurama gave his mate a one arm hug in congratulation, then Emiko parted the knotwood to let Katsu and Hiei pass. They ran to the next door, Katsu carefully avoiding the dead demons, the Love-vine creeping to cover them both in a last embrace.
EEEeeeeeeeeeeeEEeNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDddddddddddddddddDD
Autheress here.
I seriously believe I'm getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. Ouchie!
I apologize. From last chapter all throughout this one, you were probably expecting wonderful attacks of great originality, and sorry, this is it. The Japanese Knotwood, the Love-vine, and the Thorn apple, also called Jimson Weed. But have mercy. I thought these up while I was at my job. My job gets r e a l l y s l o w at times, so I'm like.."Hrm...I bet Jimson weed could be a wicked attack...." And I had to try it. I apologize again for making you suffer through it.
But I have excuses! Not only was it original, it was my first "real" battle scene. And it's one in the morning. Gimmie a break already!
And now...sleep...
Never mind. And now....preview.
Katsu, Hiei, Kurama and Emiko have one door left, which is surprisingly easy. But behind that door is practically an army of demons. Unskilled as they are, sheer numbers might cinch the good guys' fates.
Katsu feels more like baggage then a "member of the team," but also sees that no demons are noticing her. By slipping past them, she could either save all her friend's lives...or lose them.
Okay...NOW TO BED. Guess what? I gotta get up at 7:30 to get back to housework! Yippie! (Note: Complete and utter sarcasm!)