Hello, all! Sorry for the great delay, I seem to have developed a writer's block over the past week. Please forgive me if this isn't my best chapter; And if you're wondering, I am keeping everyone "In character". Yes, even Kurama. He may seem a bit off, but how would you react if all of your loved ones were getting killed, and you believed it was your fault? Yes, I believe you would most likely act the same way, if you thought that making yourself.. erm.. pass away, would help.
Well, enough of my rambling. Please review and tell me how well or badly I put together this chapter. Arigatou, to the people who do take the time.
Disclaimer: Gah, can't forget this, now can I? Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke are (c) to T. Togashi. All characters otherwise, are (c) to myself. Now.. get reading, will you?
~*~
"M.. my..," Kurama mouthed the words. Kate quickly ran over to him, and helped him up, a friendly arm around him.
"Kurama.. don't---"
"I knew this would happen, everyone close to me is dying because of me," Kurama choked on his tears,"I don't want to live anymore, take my life.. please.."
He used Kate for balance; He was clinging to her.
"Kurama I would never do such a thing.."
"DO IT!" he ordered her, tears still streaming down his face; Piercing his soul. Kate shook her head, her eyes now full of tears.
"I won't hurt you, Kurama, you're my friend.." Kate hugged him,"Kurama, you don't think.."
Kurama's eyes widened, as he ran into his father's room. Amber sat up against his father's bed, her head drooping torwards the ground. Kate and Kurama both ran torwards her.
"Get to Yusuke, Kate, before you get hurt. He's gotten to everyone else," he whispered to her shakily,"You're next."
"He obviously didn't keep his promise.. He lied.. So he'd think that they were protected.. He's never played the game like that.." he thought, his eyes still burning with tears.
"No, wait, Kurama.. look..," Kate pointed to Amber's face; Her mouth was open; She was heavily breathing. Kurama lunged his body forward into a tight embrace between the two.
"Kurama, she's still living, you don't want to kill her by hugging the life out of her." said Kate, resting a hand upon his shoulder. He nodded picking her up. A piece of a white paper fell from her hand.
"What's this?" Kurama bent down to see what it was,"This.. my bookmark.. Amber.." He looked into her somewhat open eyes, which were surrounded by blood.
"I'm sorry, Kurama.. I tried.. to defend it, and your father..," she tried her best to speak,"I failed.."
"You didn't, come on, you're a mess," said Kate,"Kurama, I need to take us to the tornament."
Kurama nodded sadly.
"Let's get going, then." he couldn't smile. Kate's hand slowly approched Kurama's, as she muttered the Transportation Spell she had learned from Yen.
When they arrived near the ring, the Urameshi team had just finished a round of "Rock, Paper, Sizzors", to see who would fight first. Kuwabara was up. Yusuke walked backwards, smiling, his hand's in his pockets, backing right into Kate.
"Well excuse me, Yusuke," said Kate,"Back right into me, why don't you?"
Yusuke turned around, having an annoyed expression, but as soon as his eyes met Kate's, his expression changed dramatically.
"KATE!" Yusuke glomped her,"You're okay!"
Kate lightly laughed.
"Not now, Yusuke, concentrate on your friend's fight, alright?" she smiled at him, incrediably happy to see him, hugging him back. His eyes glowed with relief with the knowledge that she was alright. He was too thrilled to be saddened upon the thought that Kate didn't want to share a 'moment' with him. He had grown quite attatched to her. The same was with Kat and Hiei; Neither would quit talking to each other since they came to the ring, according to Yusuke.
"That right?" asked Kate, amused.
"I've never seen Hiei speak more in his entire life," Yusuke chuckled,"The little guy's in love."
Yusuke looked over at Kurama, who was looking down upon the severely wounded Amber. He was playing with her hair; Her blood-stained hair.
"I didn't want to ask what happened before, he seemed too hurt," said Yusuke,"What happened?"
Kate looked away from Yusuke, and began to explain everything to the best of her abilities.
"Kuronue, I'm guessing, had gotten enough energy, and went after his father, then, Amber, and left assuming he killed both of them, instead of just one."
"Hm," Yusuke pondered,"So he can hurt us in our dreams---"
"Emotionally."
"And outside of our dreams?"
"Physically, yes." Kate nodded. Yen walked over, her short hair playing around her neck due to the wind created by the opening attack of Kuwabara's opponent; Zai, the Wind Sorcerer.
"For the sake of Kurama, let's hope Kuwabara wins this match..," Yen muttered,"The poor boy. Only 7th grade and he's orphaned. His mother is killed, and his father lying dead right next to him.. and he believes this is all of this fault, that it is because of him that everyone he loves is dying.. And it is not."
"It is, really," said Yusuke,"Why doesn't he just give up Youko?"
"That, I am not aware of. But he wouldn't just let his very own mother and father bdie/b, Yusuke," said Yen harshly,"Look at him, he's in a deep state of depression right now; Part of his heart belongs to that young girl, the very same who is, at the present time, clinging to life. He'll end up killing himself for real if she passes away. We won't always be there to catch him when he's falling."
"Kurama's smarter than that," Kate assured her,"I know. So does Yusuke."
"Intelligence has nothing to do with what he feels right now. Jumping off a bridge would be considered the logical thing to do, if you asked him." said Yen quietly,"For now, we'll leave them at peace. Let's watch Kuwabara and hope he doesn't mess up."
Yusuke and Kate nodded, as Kat and Hiei joined them.
"Maybe I should talk to him," Hiei suggested,"I'm an orphan myself."
"I guess that would help," Yusuke seemed confused about the current situation,"Go ahead."
Hiei nodded, and walked over to his friend. He sat down quietly, and began to speak; So silently, that only Kurama could possibly hear him. The rest of the group decided not to eavesdrop, just as each of them had secretly planned to.
***
"I'll beat you up!" Kuwabara declared proudly,"I'll let you go if you beg, right here and now!"
"Don't get so cocky, I nearly blew you out the ring before. You really need to lower your self-esteem. Especially since you're such a weak little---"
Kuwabara stomped his foot, silencing Zai. Zai smirked.
"I see I'm offending you," said Zai,"Perfect.."
Zai held up his hands, his left horizontal, and his right vertical. Slowly at first, and then more powerfully, he span clockwise, in that same position, creating a very powerful gust of wind; Kuwabara's position, however, was changing every 3 and a half seconds, trying to maintain his balance.
"You won't last, ninjen," Zai roared,"I'll blow you away.. with this.. final.. ATTACK!"
Zai released his attack, knocking Kuwabara right out of the ring. The referee held up her hand. Zai began to laugh at his victory.
"So easy..," he muttered to himself.
"Because Kuwabara is out of the ring, Zai wins the---"
"Wait," said Yen, pointing to Kuwabara,"Begin the counting. Kuwabara isn't out of this match just yet."
Lone and behold, there he was; His Spirit Sword summoned, and planted into the ground, with Kuwabara fighting to stay above it. Slowly, his Spirit Sword dug into the earth; Kuwabara was getting closer and closer to the ground.
"Come on, Kuwabara!" Yusuke cupped his hands over his mouth,"Get back in the ring!"
"It's not as easy as it looks, Urameshi!"
"You are allowed to touch the floor, Kuwabara, you are aware of that, correct?" said Yen,"Or weren't you listening? Again?"
Kuwabara's face sank.
"No, I was listening. But touching the floor is.. is.." he tried his best to think,"Not manly."
The referee shook her head shamefully.
"No, infact, he isn't allowed to touch the ground.. I guess the rumours about you humans are right.. forgetful snobs.. Well, anyway," she continued,"On with the fight! As you know, 10 seconds out of the ring, even if you're not touching the ground, will be an automatic loss! One! Two! Three! Fo---"
Kuwabara pushed his sword into the ground, still deeper, then, with his last bit of energy, he flung up into the air, landing on the very corner of the fighting ring; Luckily, he maintained his balance on the slender part. Using the logical part of his brain, he stepped forward.
"You won't win," Kuwabara spit onto the ring. Zai laughed, his hand to his heart.
"I'm sure!" he grinned, getting ready for his next attack. However, Kuwabara was ready for it.
"You should be," a cocky grin spread across Kuwabara's face,"Your number one weakness is that you only have one kind of attack.. wind.. so.. I'll use this against you!"
Kuwabara held his Spirit Sword horizontally, just as Zai fired his next attack; Kuwabara's sword had made the wind pass right through him, due to the aerodynamic effect Kuwabara had created. Yusuke jumped.
"NICE!" he shouted against his will, Kate also seeming a bit surprised at Kuwabara's strategy. Hiei and Kurama remained by the wall; Still talking.
***
"You're awake, we know," said Kurama,"When will you learn to stop pretending?"
Amber opened an eye suspiciously.
"You were speaking in a different language, Kurama, I wasn't able to understand you. And, I wouldn't tell anyone what you said. I'm not a Kuwabara." said Amber defensively.
"Thank god for that, I don't think we could handle two of those," said Hiei, chuckling to himself,"Not that we don't trust you, it's just that---"
"Kurama?" Amber asked, looking up into the dazed kitsune's eyes,"Are you alright?"
~*~
He was in a house. Not his house, but someone's house.
"Hello?" he called out into the distance. His echo answered him. He turned to what seemed to the be house's kitchen. There, he found 7 oddly shaped boxes; Coffins, of some sort. He stared at them curiously. Getting closer to them, names appeared. The first said "Shiori Minamino". As his hand approached the name, the box became translucent; Shiori's foiled body was now visible. Her soft eyes were covered with her innocent eye-lids; Her mouth was closed; She looked peaceful; Just as peaceful as she did when she was alive. Kurama's heart seemed to skip a beat, as his hand approached the next box with the same curiousity. The label read,"Kazuyu". His father. Despite what his mind was telling him, his body obviously had different plans. Going against the mind's wishes, his hand soon approached his father's name label. This box, also, became translucent; His father's body was just as Kurama had remembered it; The sight now, was still very gory. Kurama could feel tears coming on, but they never began to run down his cheeks. He soon formed a deep fear torwards the next box. He was truly, and utterly afraid to get any closer. By no, he was fully aware that this was only a vision; Like the ones he had had before. He felt weak. He had cried so many times; Never before had he cried so much. He'd always been able to keep them from coming. Always. But not now. Now, they would never cease.
"A name appeared on the thrid box. It read,"Amber Tsuta". He tried his best not to get any closer to the box. He would cru no more. He wanted to feel strong again; Have a better sense of pride. His mother and father had always been there to tell him that he was strong; That everything was going to be okay, Maybe that's why he was bursting into tears every time he saw them like this?
The third box gradually became transparent; His hand was no where near it, yet it had done it anyway. There was no body; Only a piece of white paper. It was ripped. Kurama recognized it. It was his bookmark.
"The girl is next," an erie voice, one which Kurama could easily identify as Kuroune, read the paper, then, it spoke freely,"And she's already mine.."
He woke up. He was in a dark room, under blankets, on a very comfortable mattress. Not forgetting the words Kuronue had spoken in his vision, or, dream, as it seemed, he scrambled out of bed. His foot had intertwined with his sheets, causing him to fall flat on his face from ontop of his bed. He ran to the door in front of him, as fast as his sheet-intertwined-legs would allow, only to be once again knocked down to the floor by Kat, who had obviously opened the wrong door at the wrong time.
"Oh god! Kurama, what the hell are you doing down there!?" Kat lended a hand. He shook his head and got up himself.
"Typical gentleman.." she muttered to herself. Kurama's eyes were full of panic and worry, Kat noticed, as he ran right passed her, and out into the hallway. As he ran down the stairs, and into the first room he saw, the kitchen, he grew pale. He recognized this kitchen. For, it was, the same kitchen he had seen in his dream...
Well, enough of my rambling. Please review and tell me how well or badly I put together this chapter. Arigatou, to the people who do take the time.
Disclaimer: Gah, can't forget this, now can I? Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke are (c) to T. Togashi. All characters otherwise, are (c) to myself. Now.. get reading, will you?
~*~
"M.. my..," Kurama mouthed the words. Kate quickly ran over to him, and helped him up, a friendly arm around him.
"Kurama.. don't---"
"I knew this would happen, everyone close to me is dying because of me," Kurama choked on his tears,"I don't want to live anymore, take my life.. please.."
He used Kate for balance; He was clinging to her.
"Kurama I would never do such a thing.."
"DO IT!" he ordered her, tears still streaming down his face; Piercing his soul. Kate shook her head, her eyes now full of tears.
"I won't hurt you, Kurama, you're my friend.." Kate hugged him,"Kurama, you don't think.."
Kurama's eyes widened, as he ran into his father's room. Amber sat up against his father's bed, her head drooping torwards the ground. Kate and Kurama both ran torwards her.
"Get to Yusuke, Kate, before you get hurt. He's gotten to everyone else," he whispered to her shakily,"You're next."
"He obviously didn't keep his promise.. He lied.. So he'd think that they were protected.. He's never played the game like that.." he thought, his eyes still burning with tears.
"No, wait, Kurama.. look..," Kate pointed to Amber's face; Her mouth was open; She was heavily breathing. Kurama lunged his body forward into a tight embrace between the two.
"Kurama, she's still living, you don't want to kill her by hugging the life out of her." said Kate, resting a hand upon his shoulder. He nodded picking her up. A piece of a white paper fell from her hand.
"What's this?" Kurama bent down to see what it was,"This.. my bookmark.. Amber.." He looked into her somewhat open eyes, which were surrounded by blood.
"I'm sorry, Kurama.. I tried.. to defend it, and your father..," she tried her best to speak,"I failed.."
"You didn't, come on, you're a mess," said Kate,"Kurama, I need to take us to the tornament."
Kurama nodded sadly.
"Let's get going, then." he couldn't smile. Kate's hand slowly approched Kurama's, as she muttered the Transportation Spell she had learned from Yen.
When they arrived near the ring, the Urameshi team had just finished a round of "Rock, Paper, Sizzors", to see who would fight first. Kuwabara was up. Yusuke walked backwards, smiling, his hand's in his pockets, backing right into Kate.
"Well excuse me, Yusuke," said Kate,"Back right into me, why don't you?"
Yusuke turned around, having an annoyed expression, but as soon as his eyes met Kate's, his expression changed dramatically.
"KATE!" Yusuke glomped her,"You're okay!"
Kate lightly laughed.
"Not now, Yusuke, concentrate on your friend's fight, alright?" she smiled at him, incrediably happy to see him, hugging him back. His eyes glowed with relief with the knowledge that she was alright. He was too thrilled to be saddened upon the thought that Kate didn't want to share a 'moment' with him. He had grown quite attatched to her. The same was with Kat and Hiei; Neither would quit talking to each other since they came to the ring, according to Yusuke.
"That right?" asked Kate, amused.
"I've never seen Hiei speak more in his entire life," Yusuke chuckled,"The little guy's in love."
Yusuke looked over at Kurama, who was looking down upon the severely wounded Amber. He was playing with her hair; Her blood-stained hair.
"I didn't want to ask what happened before, he seemed too hurt," said Yusuke,"What happened?"
Kate looked away from Yusuke, and began to explain everything to the best of her abilities.
"Kuronue, I'm guessing, had gotten enough energy, and went after his father, then, Amber, and left assuming he killed both of them, instead of just one."
"Hm," Yusuke pondered,"So he can hurt us in our dreams---"
"Emotionally."
"And outside of our dreams?"
"Physically, yes." Kate nodded. Yen walked over, her short hair playing around her neck due to the wind created by the opening attack of Kuwabara's opponent; Zai, the Wind Sorcerer.
"For the sake of Kurama, let's hope Kuwabara wins this match..," Yen muttered,"The poor boy. Only 7th grade and he's orphaned. His mother is killed, and his father lying dead right next to him.. and he believes this is all of this fault, that it is because of him that everyone he loves is dying.. And it is not."
"It is, really," said Yusuke,"Why doesn't he just give up Youko?"
"That, I am not aware of. But he wouldn't just let his very own mother and father bdie/b, Yusuke," said Yen harshly,"Look at him, he's in a deep state of depression right now; Part of his heart belongs to that young girl, the very same who is, at the present time, clinging to life. He'll end up killing himself for real if she passes away. We won't always be there to catch him when he's falling."
"Kurama's smarter than that," Kate assured her,"I know. So does Yusuke."
"Intelligence has nothing to do with what he feels right now. Jumping off a bridge would be considered the logical thing to do, if you asked him." said Yen quietly,"For now, we'll leave them at peace. Let's watch Kuwabara and hope he doesn't mess up."
Yusuke and Kate nodded, as Kat and Hiei joined them.
"Maybe I should talk to him," Hiei suggested,"I'm an orphan myself."
"I guess that would help," Yusuke seemed confused about the current situation,"Go ahead."
Hiei nodded, and walked over to his friend. He sat down quietly, and began to speak; So silently, that only Kurama could possibly hear him. The rest of the group decided not to eavesdrop, just as each of them had secretly planned to.
***
"I'll beat you up!" Kuwabara declared proudly,"I'll let you go if you beg, right here and now!"
"Don't get so cocky, I nearly blew you out the ring before. You really need to lower your self-esteem. Especially since you're such a weak little---"
Kuwabara stomped his foot, silencing Zai. Zai smirked.
"I see I'm offending you," said Zai,"Perfect.."
Zai held up his hands, his left horizontal, and his right vertical. Slowly at first, and then more powerfully, he span clockwise, in that same position, creating a very powerful gust of wind; Kuwabara's position, however, was changing every 3 and a half seconds, trying to maintain his balance.
"You won't last, ninjen," Zai roared,"I'll blow you away.. with this.. final.. ATTACK!"
Zai released his attack, knocking Kuwabara right out of the ring. The referee held up her hand. Zai began to laugh at his victory.
"So easy..," he muttered to himself.
"Because Kuwabara is out of the ring, Zai wins the---"
"Wait," said Yen, pointing to Kuwabara,"Begin the counting. Kuwabara isn't out of this match just yet."
Lone and behold, there he was; His Spirit Sword summoned, and planted into the ground, with Kuwabara fighting to stay above it. Slowly, his Spirit Sword dug into the earth; Kuwabara was getting closer and closer to the ground.
"Come on, Kuwabara!" Yusuke cupped his hands over his mouth,"Get back in the ring!"
"It's not as easy as it looks, Urameshi!"
"You are allowed to touch the floor, Kuwabara, you are aware of that, correct?" said Yen,"Or weren't you listening? Again?"
Kuwabara's face sank.
"No, I was listening. But touching the floor is.. is.." he tried his best to think,"Not manly."
The referee shook her head shamefully.
"No, infact, he isn't allowed to touch the ground.. I guess the rumours about you humans are right.. forgetful snobs.. Well, anyway," she continued,"On with the fight! As you know, 10 seconds out of the ring, even if you're not touching the ground, will be an automatic loss! One! Two! Three! Fo---"
Kuwabara pushed his sword into the ground, still deeper, then, with his last bit of energy, he flung up into the air, landing on the very corner of the fighting ring; Luckily, he maintained his balance on the slender part. Using the logical part of his brain, he stepped forward.
"You won't win," Kuwabara spit onto the ring. Zai laughed, his hand to his heart.
"I'm sure!" he grinned, getting ready for his next attack. However, Kuwabara was ready for it.
"You should be," a cocky grin spread across Kuwabara's face,"Your number one weakness is that you only have one kind of attack.. wind.. so.. I'll use this against you!"
Kuwabara held his Spirit Sword horizontally, just as Zai fired his next attack; Kuwabara's sword had made the wind pass right through him, due to the aerodynamic effect Kuwabara had created. Yusuke jumped.
"NICE!" he shouted against his will, Kate also seeming a bit surprised at Kuwabara's strategy. Hiei and Kurama remained by the wall; Still talking.
***
"You're awake, we know," said Kurama,"When will you learn to stop pretending?"
Amber opened an eye suspiciously.
"You were speaking in a different language, Kurama, I wasn't able to understand you. And, I wouldn't tell anyone what you said. I'm not a Kuwabara." said Amber defensively.
"Thank god for that, I don't think we could handle two of those," said Hiei, chuckling to himself,"Not that we don't trust you, it's just that---"
"Kurama?" Amber asked, looking up into the dazed kitsune's eyes,"Are you alright?"
~*~
He was in a house. Not his house, but someone's house.
"Hello?" he called out into the distance. His echo answered him. He turned to what seemed to the be house's kitchen. There, he found 7 oddly shaped boxes; Coffins, of some sort. He stared at them curiously. Getting closer to them, names appeared. The first said "Shiori Minamino". As his hand approached the name, the box became translucent; Shiori's foiled body was now visible. Her soft eyes were covered with her innocent eye-lids; Her mouth was closed; She looked peaceful; Just as peaceful as she did when she was alive. Kurama's heart seemed to skip a beat, as his hand approached the next box with the same curiousity. The label read,"Kazuyu". His father. Despite what his mind was telling him, his body obviously had different plans. Going against the mind's wishes, his hand soon approached his father's name label. This box, also, became translucent; His father's body was just as Kurama had remembered it; The sight now, was still very gory. Kurama could feel tears coming on, but they never began to run down his cheeks. He soon formed a deep fear torwards the next box. He was truly, and utterly afraid to get any closer. By no, he was fully aware that this was only a vision; Like the ones he had had before. He felt weak. He had cried so many times; Never before had he cried so much. He'd always been able to keep them from coming. Always. But not now. Now, they would never cease.
"A name appeared on the thrid box. It read,"Amber Tsuta". He tried his best not to get any closer to the box. He would cru no more. He wanted to feel strong again; Have a better sense of pride. His mother and father had always been there to tell him that he was strong; That everything was going to be okay, Maybe that's why he was bursting into tears every time he saw them like this?
The third box gradually became transparent; His hand was no where near it, yet it had done it anyway. There was no body; Only a piece of white paper. It was ripped. Kurama recognized it. It was his bookmark.
"The girl is next," an erie voice, one which Kurama could easily identify as Kuroune, read the paper, then, it spoke freely,"And she's already mine.."
He woke up. He was in a dark room, under blankets, on a very comfortable mattress. Not forgetting the words Kuronue had spoken in his vision, or, dream, as it seemed, he scrambled out of bed. His foot had intertwined with his sheets, causing him to fall flat on his face from ontop of his bed. He ran to the door in front of him, as fast as his sheet-intertwined-legs would allow, only to be once again knocked down to the floor by Kat, who had obviously opened the wrong door at the wrong time.
"Oh god! Kurama, what the hell are you doing down there!?" Kat lended a hand. He shook his head and got up himself.
"Typical gentleman.." she muttered to herself. Kurama's eyes were full of panic and worry, Kat noticed, as he ran right passed her, and out into the hallway. As he ran down the stairs, and into the first room he saw, the kitchen, he grew pale. He recognized this kitchen. For, it was, the same kitchen he had seen in his dream...