Warning: Spoilers if you haven't seen the end of the Dark Tournament . . . what if Toguro hadn't picked Kuwabara . . . what if . . . it was Hiei, instead? (Part Two of the 'What if' Stories) No shonen ai (or shojo ai).
(n.n;; ::peace sign:: lol n.n;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;)
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Now on to the fic. =n.n=
Warnings: This is the NON-SHONEN AI version
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Now, now . . . which one to kill . . . "Toguro turned from his opponent kneeling on the ground littered with debris, locking his gaze on the three tense figures of Yuusuke's friends, as they prepared themselves for what could very well be their own death sentence . . .
Toguro smiled evilly, his eyes taking on a nearly maniacal spark.
" . . . how about you . . . Hiei . . . you would be fun to break . . . " the fire koorime's crimson orbs narrowed, glinting, and, unnoticed, the bandaged right hand concealed in his pocket tightened.
"Ch. I'd like to see you try . . . you'd be in pieces before you'd take the first step." the Jaganshi commented with dark indifference . . . those green eyes that belonged to his fighting partner flicked from the monstrous fighter, to the confident being at his side, then, now slightly narrowed, quickly back to Toguro.
The grey demon laughed, a deep and mirthless sound, then glanced to the short Jaganshi, a smirk on his overly muscled face, reaching up but avoiding the cold, honorless eyes.
"Now, now Hiei, there's no need for such irrational bravado—" The red orbs shimmered, showing a bare spark of truth to the other's words, and the fire demon let out a low growl . . . k'so . . . Toguro laughed again, starting to walk towards him, dull steps thudding harshly on the ruined ground . . .
"—you're no match for me, little runt . . ." The hikoorime let out a hiss, and unsheathed his sword with a bright flash—Kurama's eyes widened in belated realization.
"Hiei, don't—!"The advice was brushed off with easy arrogance, as a small, dark blur was already speeding towards the sluggish-looking form of the younger Toguro brother . . . a glint of light from the blade the only indication of the swift forward movement of the Jaganshi . . .
There was a loud 'clang' of the polished metal hitting Toguro's chest . . . as is broke instantly upon impact. Hiei dropped the sword, but, in that bare moment of transferrence, Toguro's right fist came around with lightning speed and dug an unexpected punch straight into the hikoorime's left cheek, sending the slight-framed demon crashing headlong into what was left of the thick concrete barrier . . . that had once circled the now non-existent ring . . .
"Hiei!" cried a soft alto, watching with widened eyes as he had turned his head to follow his friend's painful path to the wall, . . . fear was deeply-seeded into the normally composed tone, just barely carrying to the surface.
At the sound of the fox's voice, Yuusuke pushed himself onto his feet, finally having absorbed the shock and finally returned to reality, focusing his own shocked orbs on the remains of the dusty, concrete-littered area where the Jaganshi had been so recently hurled into.
"—Hiei!" he cried belatedly . . .
Toguro laughed.
"I don't think you should worry over him so easily, Urameshi . . ." he began, closing his eyes to look down in arrogance, that sick smirk still lighting his face. ". . . he's fine . . ." without looking up, Toguro abruptly raised his right fist in a casual, if rather odd, gesture . . . his upper arm was on the level with his shoulder, while at the elbow it was bent straight up, his hand curled into a fist. ". . . but not for long . . ." Finally opening his eyes, but still not looking behind him, the huge demon swung his body around, including the fisted hand . . .
Hitting the attacking koorime directly, powerfully, unavoidably, in the gut, sending the slight form of their friend flying through the air . . . all saw the red eyes widen beyond comprehension at the pain, and also at being predicted so easily, before the black-clad form was pummeled down into the earth, Toguro's fists not easily distinguishable from the speed at which they moved. The Jaganshi's wiry body reacted to each punch, not quite absorbing the blows and spasming involuntarily at the merciless onslaught taking place several times in one moment.
. . . and Kurama couldn't take it any more.
. . . I will not stand idly by and watch my best friend and team mate be killed . . .
"Ro-o-ose Whip!" Toguro looked up, pausing from his abuse of the other demon, just in time for the strong, tough string of thorns to wrap tight and secure around his neck. The youko landed effortlessly, grasping the weapon taut with both hands, one on the handle and the other just barely missing the sharp thorns . . . the redhead's eyes glittered with an intense green fire . . . the emotion contrasting sharply with the cold fury found in their depths.
The grey demon laughed again, and caught hold of the whip laced around his neck, pulling it and its wielder off the ground, sending the kitsune into an upper level of the half-destroyed stadium—the few remaining apparitions quickly bustled out of the way—as the force of the redhead's abrupt flight caused him to break through the stone seats . . . when the dust had finally cleared, it looked as though Kurama had been buried alive under a puddle of broken concrete.
Taken up with watching their usually cool-headed team mate moved to such aggressive action, Yuusuke and Kuwabara's stares traveled from the stands when they heard something they thought they would never hear, their gazes cursed to move to the source of the sound . . .
—it was Hiei . . . gasping in pain . . . and breathing with some difficulty . . .
Toguro had pulled the fire apparition from the deep, vaguely spherical indentation in the ground, dragging the smaller out by his huge left hand at the other's throat . . . red eyes were unconscious, closed to the world . . . but the limp appearance of their friend's beaten body was all the proof the two ningen needed . . .
Bruises, some leaking blood, covered most of his torso . . . the hikoorime's shirt, already torn from fighting Bui, had all but ceased to exist from the barrage of punches . . . the tense, clipped face that was nearly his trademark was relaxed in a chillingly fatal way . . . unheeding, Yuusuke felt tears stinging at the corners of his wide, shocked eyes . . .
. . . Hiei . . .
. . . Hiei . . .
. . . HIEI! . . .
Then the fire apparition stirred . . . and Yuusuke was frozen once again, watching as the dark red orbs forced themselves open to glance up at the killer, a small, arrogant smirk finding its way onto the beaten and bloody face. Toguro met his victim's gaze with smug confidence and a slight amusement dancing in the soulless eyes.
". . . ba . . . ka . . ." the deep tenor managed out, in what could have once been a superior tone . . . before he took a deep breath . . .
Summoning the last remains of his energy . . . Hiei called his black fire once more, the ebony and dark violet flames emerging to lick at his body . . . erupting with cracks and explosions that far surpassed what he should have been able to produce at this certain time—the Jaganshi's currently severely drained state—and the fires, naturally, had no effect on the hiyoukai . . . but soon crept up Toguro's arm from where he grasped the dying youkai's half-torn collar. Dark eyes narrowed, but also wavered, as the short fire koorime focused more of his hellishly burning ki into the larger man . . .
"Hiei! Stop!" Kuwabara, who had been silent for all this time, called out, fear clear in his voice . . . which Yuusuke found rather strange . . . as he took his confused gaze to the carrot-top . . . he vividly recalled the pair's 'hate-hate' relationship . . .
"If you use any more of your life energy, you'll die!!"
Yuusuke felt his heart stop with the realization . . . and the next few moments, were seen through a halfway-numb state . . .
"Hiei!" . . . dull red eyes cracked open . . . to glare with weak contempt at the 'baka' . . . Kuwabara's eyes widened as he heard the mental command . . .
. . . take care of Yukina . . . if you don't . . . I'll come back . . . and kill you . . .
Hiei ignored the warnings that his body was screaming for him to obey, closed his eyes for the last time, and unleashed the final bit of his life in a dark explosion of pure, raw, fire . . .
In the stands, Kurama fought his way out of the rubble cocoon, and broke out into the dusty air . . . just in time for his eyes to widen in disbelief and awe at the last action of his best friend . . .
"Hiei—!"
. . . . and then . . .
. . . it—
. . . . . stopped.
After the dark flash, the eruption of the Jaganshi's remaining life . . . everything just . . . stopped.
Yuusuke, who had been blown back to the concrete barrier, rubbed his eyes to clear them of dust, and looked to the arena.
In the center was a black, charred mark . . . the only sign of the flames that had come from the very heart of the Makai . . . the prone, motionless body of the slight-framed fighter . . . and . . . Toguro.
For a few brief moments the brown-haired teen hoped . . . hoped that Hiei's final, sacrificial attack had succeeded . . . hoped that—
. . . but no.
The huge, grey demon stood with ease, dusting himself off and casting a final glance down to the cold body of the Jaganshi, it being now robbed of its inner fire. Smirking, his icy, unrepentant eyes stared down the young ningen teen's wide, hurt brown ones . . . mirth dancing in the freezing depths.
". . . you just wanted to see the show, ne, Urameshi?" Toguro said as he looked down again, and kicked the corpse away through the air . . . Hiei's body hit, then slid limply down to fall in a crumpled heap at the edge of the erected stone barrier. Smirking jet-black eyes moved back to Yuusuke's stunned form.
". . . and you did nothing to stop it. What a 'friend' you are."
Yuusuke's eyes were shadowed, as he was looking down, his fists clenched, the knuckles turning white, at his sides . . .
. . . k'so . . .
. . . why did you . . . ?!
. . . to . . . weaken . . . him . . . ?
. . . to give me a chance . . . ?
. . . D—N it, Hiei . . .
Finally, he looked up, the remains of tears shining on his youthful face, oblivious in his rage and grief to the redheaded kitsune making his way back down to the ring . . .
—Toguro.
. . . in the stands . . .
". . . Hiei-san . . ." Shizuru quietly murmured, her eyes shimmering, the lit cigarette still held in one motionless hand, gazing down with almost reverent sorrow on the body just visible at the edge of the ring . . .
". . . . . " Keiko was unable to speak, but the girl sank to her knees, covering her face with her hands, hiding the tears themselves, but the liquid slipped freely to the ground, nonetheless . . .
. . . he never even had a chance . . .
Botan was motionless in her shock. Pink fushchia eyes darted past Shizuru's stunned face, over Keiko's weeping form, to Yukina, who was fighting with her silent tears, grief visible on the innocent face.
Somehow the blue-haired Grim Reaper managed to make her way over to the girl, and laid a soft hand on one shaking shoulder. Yukina looked up, the slow tears still carving moist paths down her cheeks . . .
". . . Yukina-chan . . ." the green-haired girl met her gaze with wavering ruby eyes . . . eyes so much like her kin . . . whom she had never really . . . 'met' . . .
". . . Hiei-san . . . he was . . . like a brother to me . . ." she whispered in a broken tone . . . and it was now that the ice apparition broke down, crying, covering her eyes with her hands, hiruiseki gems clattering harshly on the carved stone . . .
" . . . why . . . "she whispered, as Botan helped the grieving girl to her knees, one small, child-like hand grasping onto the upper sleeve of the normally cheery spirit guide's pink and black-striped button-up shirt . . .
" . . . why did he have to die, Botan-san . . . ?" Unable to say anything, the blue-haired girl merely closed her eyes, continuing to sooth and mutter comforts to her friend . . . though she felt tears of her own coming, throat constricting as her vision blurred . . .
. . . if only she had known . . .
OoOoOo- After Yuusuke beats the CRAP out of Toguro, lol n.n;;; -oOoOoO
Yuusuke looked over to where Kurama had leaned Hiei up against the side . . . the somber kitsune had already closed the dead garnet eyes. Unable to keep his composure, he spoke to Kuwabara.
"Oi . . . let's get out of here before it blows up." Slightly shocked at the firm tone in such a time of distress and grief, Kuwa then nodded, glancing over to the two demons . . .
"What about—?"
"Fox boy can get out on his own, even with . . ." here, Yuusuke choked a bit, but continued as though everything was fine, and he wasn't . . . . .
Dead . . .
"—Him."
oOoOoOo
Climbing wearily up the stairs of the escaping boat, holding the dead form of his best friend, Kurama entered the room designated personally for the youko, and gently lay the Jaganshi down on the gentle bed. Sighing, he brushed a few strands of fire-red hair out of his face, then left, his head bowed, leaving the room to its one silent occupant . . .
oOoOoOo
Hiei registered with uncomfortable realization that, as soon as he opened his eyes, he was greeted with nothing but white. Startled, he crouched back into a fighting stance, but was surprised when Koenma appeared, in child form, a few moments after he had 'awoken'.
"What do you want? Aren't I supposed to be dead?" he fired at the demi-god, red eyes narrowing in annoyance.
. . . hey . . . isn't this place . . . supposed to be—
Said toddler shook his head, offering no response, then looked up, slightly puzzled as the crimson orbs widened.
. . . wait a minute . . .
"WHY AREN'T I IN HELL?!?" the demi-god (as well as the authoress) flinched at the youkai's choice of words.
"You haven't finished serving your time." the pint-sized ruler of Reikai said in a flat tone, his expression matching the impersonal message.
"Nani." Hiei said in a dark voice, red eyes narrowing further. "You mean the only reason I'm here is because I haven't suitably fulfilled your—"
There was flash of blinding light, not allowing the very pissed-off fire demon to continue.
OOoOoOo
With a loud growl, Hiei sat straight up, angry eyes taking in the room around him . . .
D—n Koenma . . .
Now in a very bad mood (despite being alive) Hiei walked out of the room, nearly breaking the door off its hinges, glowering, looking around for something he could burn to death . . . the dark eyes glinted upon suddenly seeing a reason for amusement.
. . . ah.
Kuwabara was standing outside a pair of double doors, light filtering out from the cheery hall behind, staring out at the dusk sky hovering over the ocean. Baring a fang in a smirk, Hiei walked noiselessly up behind him, fully aware that the carrot-top likely still thought he was dead . . .
"Hello, baka." Hiei said in a low, dangerous tone, the wicked intent blatantly ringing through . . .
The orange-haired teen froze, and turned his head with a series of jerking 'clacks', his face ashen . . .
"OI!!!!!!" He pointed a finger at the half-koorime, his eyes terrified.
"IT-IT'S THE GHOST OF HIEI!! HE'S COME TO KILL ME!!!"
. . . and he ran away into the brightly lit room.
Hiei scoffed, following shortly afterwards, as having nothing better to do than torture the baka . . .
The fire apparition blinked in slight confusion at the scene.
Seated at the far end of the table were Botan, Shizuru, Keiko and Yukina . . . Kurama leaning against the wall to his left, eyes closed and cast down, Yuusuke standing next to the wall at his right, with an equally grave expression . . . and all the rest with solemn faces. Kuwabara was the only one who showed an emotion other than sadness . . . and he had run behind Yuusuke's back, pointing directly at the fire apparition from over the tantei's shoulder.
"HE'S COME BACK FROM SPIRIT WORLD TO KILL ME, URAMESHI!!" the carrot-top howled pathetically, eyes wide and fearful at what powers the already formidable Jaganshi could have gained in death . . .
Ch . . .
Hiei mentally scoffed, an outward glare the only visible evidence of his train of thought, disgusted with himself for thinking that this baka was even capable of watching over his sister . . .
"Kuwabara, how many times do I have to tell you . . . it's all in your imagina—"
Yuusuke's brown eyes widened to an impossible size, he stopped mid-sentence and then . . . pointed, too.
Hiei only cocked an eyebrow in silent scrutiny.
"OI, LOOK EVERYONE!! IT'S HIEI!!!" the lead detective shouted out in an almost-shrill voice. . . Kurama's head shot up, unbelieving green eyes flashing over the room, as did Yukina's innocent, tear-stained rubies, the remaining others' following shortly afterward.
Seconds passed . . .
And they were still just staring at him.
. . . finally, Hiei's eye started to twitch.
"Hn. Koenma decided I hadn't served the . . . appropriate time yet."
Yuusuke let out a loud guffaw, and was at the fire apparition's side in a mere moment, laughing, and clapping him on the back. Kurama relaxed, as well, the formerly crossed arms falling, relieved, to his sides, and a gentle smile curving his features . . . at the brown-haired teen's oblivious confirmation of the fact that this Hiei was, indeed, solid.
. . . ah . . . so he is alive . . . . . I should have known . . .
Yukina was crying again, but now from the joy brimming over, as she watched on happily, her crimson eyes shining from the fact that he had survived . . .
. . . Hiei-san . . . it's like . . . having my brother come back . . .
The petite ice maiden couldn't explain it, but watching his friends swarm about him, only to be met with short, glib answers and annoyed looks, warmed a part of her heart in a way Kazuma couldn't touch . . .
It was indeed as though he were a part of her . . .
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
whew!!
LOL!!
that was longer than the last one, eheh ( n.n;;; )
ah, well, this is end of my Labor Day weekend . . . so no updates for this series of 'what if's for a while, yet, minna-san!! ( ;.; sigh u.u;;; . . . )
::peace sign::
:3
( heh, don't blame me . . . blame the American educational system!! . . . lol ;3 )
ah, yes, and review review REVIEW!
seriously!!
I like this better than the Kura version, I think ( n.n;; eheh . . . )
OH!!
also, I won't be doing the shonen ai of this for a while yet, either . . .
::shrugs::
school, ne? =n.n=
lol, please review! =n.n=
- Kita-chan peace out :3
PS
. . . votes . . . opinions . . . ?
should I add another shonen ai chapter to 'Story One: Kurama DT' (if I get the time) . . .
. . . only with a Yuusuke x Kurama, Kurama x Yuusuke pairing?
or not?
and also . . . for this story . . .
. . . should I try to write two shonen ai chapters with the pairings . . .
Yuusuke x Hiei, Hiei x Yuusuke
Hiei x Kurama, Kurama x Hiei
. . . or just one or the other . . . ?
( . . . I'm thinking of doing a Yuusuke x Hiei for a second chappie, then a Hiei x Kurama one PERHAPS if I get time . . . same goes for 'Story One' lol =n.n= ::peace sign:: )
eheh, please tell me! =n.n=
PPS
::twirls::
Thankies to all those who reviewed or read chappie number two of 'Story One'!!
=n.n=
doumo arigatou!
lol, if I do another update on that fic, I'll put all of your names in!!
:3
Ja ne, and thank you very much, everyone!
=n.......................n=