Kohari: Well. Here we are. Another chapter. I hope you readers enjoy it. I truly did not think I'd make it this far.
Kaimonetstaska: Then why'd you start writing it?
Kohari: You see, it was a dream I had, as we all know, so it was in my imagination. I really liked it, and I wanted others to "see" it, too. So...I write it.
Kaimonetstaska: The problem is that you know how to end it but not how to get there, huh?
Kohari: Yeah, that, too.
Kaimonetstaska: Girl...
Kohari: Can you believe someone actually thought this was completely and totally stupid?
Hiei: -sarcastically- No. Really?
Kohari: -glare at him- And I know he's not the only who thinks that. Oh, readers, don't bother looking in the reviews. He told me in person, so you can't blackmail him. But what's really bothering me is that this is my favorite of all the fanfictions I've written.
Hiei: -sarcastically (again)- Oh. Poor baby. Cry me a river and drown yourself in it.
Kaimonetstaska: She probably would.
Hiei: Can we just start this? It's tormenting to listen to you two jabber on about your problems. The sooner we get the story ended, the sooner I can kill you both.
Kaimonetstaska and Kohari: Eep!
Hiei: I could do it now. –unsheathes sword-
K and K: That's okay!
-Chapter 12-
Kohari paced around "her" room, trying to decide what to do about this whole situation. They had decided to place her in the "princess" room 24/7, partially to prevent any further escapes, even though the switch of rooms really had nothing to do with it.
She plopped down on her bed, frustrated. This was just a game to him. She knew it. He was constantly, it seemed, three steps ahead of her, able to plot her every move before she even made it. In fact, he probably already knew what she was after, even if she didn't know how she was going to get it.
She sighed. The "he" of which is spoken is none other than Hiei. She didn't dare to so much as think his name. She didn't trust herself to. If she did, she may find herself unable to carry out her mission.
How was she going to do that, anyway? An aura scan of the whole premises from her location right now would take a lot of energy. And if she so much as stepped one foot out of her room, he would be right on top of her in an instant to apprehend her, asking questions to get her to incriminate herself. Get the confession straight from her mouth. More than likely, he'd probably succeed in making her spill, anyway.
She leaned back against the headboard. This was definitely going to take some thought, outwitting the mastermind without her affection getting in the way. Her eyes cast a glance to the windowsill, catching a glimpse of some circular object. What was it? She wandered over to it, picking it up and turning it over, inspecting it.
It was sky-blue. A stone, set in pure silver, clinging to a chain like a necklace. A concentration gem? But how did it get there, and why? This stone had the power to give her the advantage. To decide the fate of the world, in the right hands. Hiei wasn't stupid enough to just give it to her. Just like that. So who had put it there?
Her mind flashed to one of the guards. When she was going to her room after the meeting with Hiei, a few guards decided to "help" her to her room. This time she had put up a struggle. She had seen a young, blond-haired boy, estimating him at a little older than herself, who had refused to take part in it. As she had been shoved into her room, the last thing she saw before they slammed the door in her face had been him giving her a look of pure pity, as though he wished he could take her place so she wouldn't have to undergo this torture. One that gave you the impression that you could rely on him to do what he could to help you out, no matter what. He was the only one in the force who didn't hate her. It had to have been him.
But how could even he get a hold of something like this? Concentration gems were rare, and not the easiest to find or to come by. She could feel the aura power of the stone pulsing in her hand as she grasped it tightly. Well, she would use it. She just prayed that a certain apparition wouldn't sense what she was doing.
(Scene switch to Yusuke's group)
They knew this street well. More than they would like to think. A glowing snowflake engraved in the pavement signified the special meaning of this place. Just the sight of the unharmed road brought tears to their eyes, though pride prevented them from falling, and Botan tried desperately to hold hers back, allowing the few that escaped to drop where they may.
Yusuke sat on a fire hydrant, displaying his perfected balance as he leaned back and forth, serious for once. Kurama leaned against a nearby building, eyes closed, also feeling the pain of the loss. Koenma was absent, tending to his duties. Botan just floated on the oar (is it a broom or an oar?), sad as well. Kuwabara knelt beside the snowflake, crying his eyes out, a bouquet of flowers on the ground at his side. They all knew how much his heart ached for "his beloved Yukina." Knew how much it hurt that he may never see her again, but sacrificed all she had to save them.
(Enter Flashback)
"No! This can't be happening!" Kuwabara shouted above the sound of the explosions and against the wind that had been formed by it. A laugh could be heard, an evil laugh, coming from the throat of the fire apparition we all know so well.
"Kazuma, why would he do something like this?" Yukina asked, frightened, clinging to the red-haired punk's arm.
"I admit, this is a little unexpected," Kurama confessed, an arm instinctively shooting up to protect his eyes, hair flowing behind him, out of control.
"Unexpected?!" This was Yusuke. "Dude, I didn't think he had it in him to kill anymore! I thought he had changed!"
"We all did," Kurama responded as the speeding airs subsided. "But that doesn't change the fact that he is doing this. We must think of him as the enemy."
"You can't stop that! His power is off the charts!" Botan glided in on the conversation, watching the unwanted fireworks destroy the city.
"Well, what do you expect us to do? Just lie over and take it?" Yusuke demanded sarcastically. "I refuse!"
"No, but..."
The battle turned to them. Hiei appeared, a glint in his eye seen only a few times before. Bloodlust. He raised his hand, his palm aimed straight at them. Kuwabara stepped in front of Yukina to protect her, ready for the worst. They knew Hiei would never hurt Yukina, but they also thought they knew that he would never turn on them.
"No! Stop!" She ran from behind Kuwabara, and ignored the calls of her name and hands trying to hinder her from going any closer to her brother that she didn't know about. She stood in the middle of the street. "I won't let you hurt them!" Her arms began to rise, forming a cross with her body. She glowed, a wind they couldn't feel lifting her slightly.
A look of surprised crossed Hiei's face, abandoning his attack. Kuwabara screamed out her name, sensing danger and that she was about to do something that would seriously hurt her. Kurama let out a gasp, and Botan cried out, "Don't do it!" She knew what was about to ensue, even if the others were clueless. A light expelled from her body, blinding them all.
When they could see again, Yukina had disappeared, and Hiei was nowhere in sight. The symbol described before, her element, was all that was left on the street, besides the feeling of protection in the atmosphere and the untouched surroundings. They could still sense Hiei, but what had happened to Yukina?
Kuwabara again called out her name, his voice portraying pain and anguish. They all knew something bad had happened to her, but what?
"What did she just do, Botan?" Yusuke asked in the silence of the aftermath. "Is she...dead?" Kuwabara cried out at this question, afraid that he had lost her forever.
"No. Not quite," she responded, causing Kuwabara's face to light up hopefully. "What just occurred is much worse." His face fell again. Botan explained, "You see, she sort of gave up her soul to keep this place from harm."
"NO!" Kuwabara broke down, falling to his knees. Man though he was, he was about to do something that would be considered from the masculine point of view weak. Cry.
"Is that even possible?" Yusuke pondered aloud.
"Yes. It is," Kurama joined in. "Giving up her soul isn't exactly accurate, however. Her soul still exists, and it's still hers, but she is in a deep slumber, right below us."
"So we can bring her back?!" Kuwabara rose, once again joyful.
"Not really," Botan answered for him. "We could...possibly...but we don't know how."
"It's a sort of coma. She's trapped beneath the city, her spirit giving all it has to protect this street. She did it for us. I wonder if it was worth the sacrifice." This was Kurama. "She may never wake up...she knew that..."
"Yukina! You did care!" Kuwabara blurted out. "You didn't have to do this!"
The other three shook their heads. What were they going to do? They had just lost one of the most valuable members of their team, and Hiei was on a rampage to conquer the universe. This did not look good.
(End Flashback)
Eventually, they all left to get some rest. What they didn't realize was that, deep beneath the city, the sphere of energy containing Yukina lost a little of its brilliant luster, and that the concentration gem that Kohari had found and the final orb, wherever it was, all glowed in unison with more power than ever.
((End Chapter))
Kohari: Chapter over!
Hiei: Good.
Kohari: But there will be another soon! I hope.
Hiei: Not if I can help it. –about to unleash full fury of Dragon of the Darkness Flame-
Kaimonetstaska: -glomps him on the head from behind, knocking him out-
Yukina: -covers her mouth, gasps, and runs over to inspect his wounds-
Kohari: -shaking head- This is just sad.
Kaimonetstaska: I know. Isn't the power of sibling love wonderful?
Kohari: I was talking about the fact that she actually cares for a jerk like that. (Not that I have room to talk, huh?)
Hiei: -eyes pop open suddenly and scarily-
Kaimonetstaska and Kohari: -scream and run away from Hiei-
Footnote: Review, y'all. Please and thank-you. Byes!