Don't say anything. I know I haven't updated in ages, and I know I've been bad, but I've been having my share of problems and I really don't feel like explaining myself. Let's just say that writer's block is evil and leave it at that.
Hiei: No one is going to buy that.
Kia: Oh, shut up. Anyway, last time, Kaeru was betrayed by her only living relative, her uncle Hiken, who turns out to be Zenkai! Now, as Kuronue is forced to look on helplessly and the gang races to the rescue, it's Koorime versus Koorime, and it's winner take all! Who will be triumphant? Let's find out, shall we? This may be short, maybe not. Dunno.
Hiei: …I want my katana back.
Kia: You have two. Think of it like this: you're helping Kaeru.
Hiei: That's why I want it back.
Kia: I know you don't mean that. Now go away and let me write!
"I don't expect this to last long," Zenkai hissed softly, barely audible, the vehement whisper nevertheless reaching his opponent's ears as they circled each other warily. "After all, you're a Koorime…and that in itself is your ultimate weakness."
Kaeru refused to rise to the bait. "You're a Koorime as well," she countered calmly, stepping back and raising her katana to block a strike from her uncle. "Should I focus on that as your weakness? I'd say we're pretty evenly matched."
"The entire race is fated to destruction at my hands!" The hunter laughed. "I, who have cleansed my hands with the blood of the Ice Maidens…I am too experienced, Kaeru. And how many have you killed? None? You'd cry if you accidentally stepped on a frog, wouldn't you?"
Again, she was undaunted. "Most likely…but that shows I have a heart, unlike yourself. To murder your own twin…was that when your soul died? Or was it before that, when you had your first kill? If being experienced and being a match for you means that I have to kill scores of my people, I'd rather die!"
Kuronue blinked, startled by the Koorime's quiet intensity. She'd never sounded so passionate before…but who could blame her? He'd gotten the feeling when they'd visited her home that she was fond of the other Ice Maidens and considered them all family…her own mother had been killed by this man! In a sense, he understood her anger and silently encouraged it, while at the same time praying that she didn't let it conquer her entirely. Zenkai laughed again, although the sound was even more harsh and grating on the chimera's ears than before. "That is one wish I'll willingly grant you, my dear. Think of it as a family favor."
Kaeru stumbled backwards as he pressed on, slashing and slicing at any part of her body that he could reach. For the most part, she managed to evade most of the critical attacks, although she ended up with a few shallow (yet painful) gashes on her legs. She didn't want to lower her katana to defend her lower half, knowing full well that her uncle would take advantage and either aim for her head or her heart. She kept her lips pressed in a thin line, doing her best to ignore the taunts and threats he was throwing at her in the hopes of distracting her and making her drop her guard. It didn't seem to be working.
The Koorime hunter heaved a silent sigh of frustration. The girl's self-control was admirable, but at the moment, it irritated him to no end. He had to discover a way to make her falter, or they'd either be locked in a stalemate or he might actually lose! ((A/N: Oh, the HORROR!)) Then he remembered something Suzaku had griped about, when he had been masquerading as Hiken. He also recalled something else the Saint Beast had mentioned.
"She hates that nickname…dunno why, but it ALWAYS pisses her off. And here's another thing…she's always been big on her friends. They seem like a bunch of brats to me, but she told me that if I zapped any of them, she'd freeze me for a month. Hunh. Go figure."
Well, it was worth a shot. "Oh, by the way, Snowdrop…" He started off innocently, mentally smirking when her big ruby eyes narrowed in suspicion and suppressed ire. "After I'm done with you, I plan to hunt down every last one of your little friends and slaughter them. I think I'll start with the bat. Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell them that you send your regards."
That did it…but not in the way Zenkai had hoped. For as he spoke those words, Kaeru's brewing anger reached its boiling point and erupted. The next moment, the roles had switched: he was on the defensive, desperately keeping his sword up and having to invoke every ounce of his speed and wits to keep himself from being gutted by a very pissed-off Ice Maiden.
"Leave them out of this!! Lay a finger on them and I'll kill you!" The words erupted from her mouth in a vicious snarl that left her wondering, Did I just say that? Surely she had…the surprised look on her foe's face was proof enough.
After a startled silence between the two Koorime, the elder sneered elegantly at the younger, smaller one, both eyebrows raised. "And how do you plan on doing that if you're dead?"
"I don't plan on dying."
"Indeed. How quaint. Then let's continue…"
--The Rescue Party--
"KAERU! KAERU! WHERE ARE YOUUUUU--hey, a rhyme!"
Touya and Kia both groaned in unison and Kelsey palmed herself in the forehead.
Chuu rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you think she's gonna come out if you keep screaming like that?"
Rei stuck her tongue out at him. Unfortunately, she didn't put it back when she began to protest.
"Imph mpho Kaurmpph mmprh!"
Chitsuko smiled slightly. "What she said."
Suzaku looked frustrated with the entire group. "We're supposed to saving Kaeru and here we are making RHYMES?! DAMMIT, THIS WON'T GET US ANYWHERE!! We don't even know where the hell she IS!"
Kurama opened his mouth, about to reply, but the priestess got there first.
"Oh, is THAT why this is taking so long? Axe?" She lifted the six-foot weapon closer to her ear, and fell silent, occasionally bobbing her head up and down and muttering little "uh-huh"s and "uh-HUH"s. As the other seven members that made up the search-and-rescue party looked at her quizzically, she beamed and looked up. "Axe says she's in the forest by Kurama's house. She's fighting Zenkai and Kuronue's there too, but he's tied up."
Everyone stared at her. ((A/N: Free cookies for anyone who can correctly guess who says what. XD))
"…What? Shouldn't we go save her or something?"
Almost at once, shouts and yells exploded from the group.
"Rei no baka! Why didn't you say that SOONER?!"
"We're really not taking advice from a weapon of destruction, are we?"
"I dunno, it's making more sense than Suzaku is."
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"Weapon or not, it's our best bet of finding her right now!"
"You're not SERIOUS! I mean, REALLY! An AXE??"
"This from a drunkard."
Kurama cleared his throat. "We'll discuss the methods later. For now, let's go."
--Back to the Fight--
Kuronue gritted his teeth, watching Kaeru and Zenkai glare at each other, each one panting and out of breath. They couldn't keep up this speed for very long, and with the intensity that they'd been battling, he was surprised that neither had collapsed of exhaustion yet.
Zenkai decided the tables had to be turned. He could not…WOULD NOT…accept defeat at the hands of a big-eyed, sweet-tempered Koorime who only came up to his waist! And then he realized the one thing that would definitely sway things in his favor. He shifted and sped towards Kuronue, sword ready to spill the struggling chimera's blood. Nari bristled and leapt forward, but was quickly kicked aside.
Kaeru was puzzled for a moment, wondering why the man wasn't attacking her--and then realization struck, and she quickly jumped in front of the captive bat-winged youkai, determined not to let any harm come to him.
With a smirk, the Koorime hunter brought his katana down on the girl's right arm, satisfied that she'd walked right into his trap. She'd been so worried over the chimera's welfare that she hadn't had the time to defend herself, and he'd taken advantage of that show of weakness. The blade bit into cloth and skin, and the Ice Maiden let out a sharp cry of pain, which only increased in volume and agony as Zenkai reached out, grasping her wrist and squeezing it cruelly, while twisting it towards him.
All three heard the crack, and all three reacted to it differently. Kaeru screamed, falling to her knees, while dropping the katana to cradle her broken wrist. Kuronue let out a guttural roar, straining against his gelatinous bonds, and Zenkai smiled quite cheerfully, adding a final touch: he bent down, forced the girl's hand away from her injured appendage, and brought his boot down upon it, twisting it back and forth until Kaeru went limp. With a satisfied grin, the man backed away, turning to Kuronue, who was staring at the motionless Koorime in horror.
"Oh, don't worry. She's not dead, just unconscious. I want her to wake up and see your corpse." Zenkai approached the chimera, pressing the blade to his throat and pushing in slightly. Kuronue flinched, but stayed silent as blood slowly trickled down his pale skin, pooling on the mirror-like surface of the blade. "It's time for you to pay for interfering…"
From where she lay, Kaeru could dimly hear her uncle's voice, low and mocking…but it was drowned out by the other voices whirling around in her head.
Does this mean…I'm not dead?
It hurts…it hurts so bad…make it stop!
You've got to get up! If you don't, Kuronue-san will…
Will WHAT?
I…I can't do this!! I'm scared…
If you DON'T do anything, Kuronue-san will DIE.
What can I do…? I…it hurts…
"Listen to me carefully, Kaeru...I want you to stay alive. You must, it's essential!"
…Okaasan??
"You're part of a great destiny, and Zenkai will NOT kill you…"
Okaasan, tell me what I should do!!
Silence. Kaeru's eyelids fluttered slightly.
I'm all out of options…
You're NEVER out of options. Not while you still have breath in your body!
I can't help…I'm not that powerful!
"You're the bravest Koorime I know, and I'm sure you can overcome this."
"I…I almost lost you…"
I don't…want him to die…I don't! I CAN'T let him die!! I don't want to lose him!!
Kuronue yelled out as the blade cut in deeper.
"K-Kuronue-san…" Kaeru whispered, her heart beating painfully, and she sensed tears prickling in her eyes. Something inside her shifted, and she heard Zenkai shout in surprise.
A bright golden light filled the clearing, illuminating the entire forest area, and signifying to a certain spiky-haired Jaganshi where the fight was being held. It also became apparent to the rescue party that Axe had been truthful…sparking more arguments about the truthfulness of sharp objects.
Kuronue blinked as the radiance faded, looking over at Kaeru, who had used her katana to prop herself up on her knees. She was staring down at a glowing golden gem nestled in the flattened grass, a look of weary astonishment resting on her face. Zenkai was gone.
Hiei landed near her, eyeing her impassively. "The Kinmuku hiruiseki?"
She nodded.
"…The choice is yours, Koorime."
Kaeru merely smiled softly, then took hold of the katana with both hands, grimacing in pain. With a look of intense concentration, she drove the tip into the very center of the tear-gem. The explosion knocked her back into Hiei, and the bonds holding Kuronue dissolved. Giving his head a brief shake, he dashed over to the short swordsman, looking down at his armful in worry.
"Is she…?"
Hiei shrugged, passing her over. "She destroyed Zenkai by sealing him into the gem and unleashing all that power. The resulting shockwave may kill her. Who knows. It was her last resort." He vanished in a speedy blur, leaving the chimera alone with a lifeless Ice Maiden. Kuronue looked down at her, tenderly wiping a smudge of blood off of her cheek.
"Kaeru…you better not die…"
-OOC-
I'm tired. It's midnight. Thanks to Kelsey for motivation and Seth also, and Kaly…and everyone who reviewed…Mai-chan and Shin-san and everyone…so please review. NEXT Chapter!
- Suzaku has a few surprises of his own…(thanks, Kota-chan!)
- Kuro's feeling guilty again! Will Kaeru awaken, and what new surprises will be revealed?
- Hiei learns something, and Kuronue has to be even more careful now…
