-Chapter Seven, Breaking Light-
Youko Kurama yawned, flashing needle-sharp fangs in the dimming light of his lampweed.
He raised an eyebrow at Kuronue. He was wide-awake, leaning against a tree.
"Did you get –any- sleep?" Kurama asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Not really."
The bat demon was fingering his collarbone as if something was supposed to be there. Something that he needed.
"Kuronue?"
"What?"
"Your pendant is lost. Do not obsess over it."
It had been years to the fox since Kuronue lost his precious red gem and died. However...to Kuronue, it seemed like yesterday, after dying and being resurrected, his memory didn't have a chance to dim that moment. To make him forget about it.
Kuronue nodded slightly, "I know. I just can't stop...it's as if I'm not allowed to forget."
Youko Kurama slanted his pale golden eyes in concern. Not allowed to?
'This does not bode well,' he thought.
He'd always wondered why Kuronue went after that pendant. They had the Adversity Glass...a mirror that allowed you to spy on your enemies. That pendant hadn't shown any powers whatsoever, but Kuronue had held onto it like his life depended on it.
How ironic...it was the very thing that ended his life.
Yusuke stirred, groggily sitting up. He rubbed his head, feeling the extensions to his dark hair. He snorted when he remembered it was deep blue now.
"So...foxboy...we're not gonna get out of this hellhole for a few days?" he asked.
Kurama nodded, "That's right, Yusuke. You're going to have to be patient."
Right...patience...something the detective positively overflowed with.
Not.
He snorted again and stood up.
The lampweed cast a bright golden glow on all three demons (one not-so- demon), and none looked very cheerful. Kuronue and Youko Kurama stood.
The fox bent over and plucked a fourth flower from his lampweed, one that had formed in the night. It was still only a round bud. It's light would last longer. The rest of the plant dimmed into nothingness, until the only light was the small bud Kurama held.
"Quickly," Kurama said briskly, and the other two followed him.
--
As they trekked through the pitch-black forest, groans and rustling in the dense foliage were hard to miss.
"Kurama, what the hell is making all that creepy noise?" Yusuke spat, glaring into the darkness, almost daring a demon to jump out and attack him. It'd be good to lash out at something and release his anxiety, anyway.
"Be quiet, Yusuke. They're low-class demons...probably hungry. They know we're much stronger than they are, so they're not attacking just yet. Waiting for the right moment to pounce, I assume," Kurama said casually.
"Wonderful," Yusuke said sarcastically, "Y'know, you're reminding me way too much of the ferry girl."
Kuronue glanced down at Yusuke from his height a few feet in the air. "At least I'm not whacking you over the head with an oar."
Yusuke slanted his grayish sea green eyes (courtesy of the contacts, remember?) at the bat demon. "Would you if you had one?"
"Depends."
Youko Kurama snorted at the senseless conversation, which was obviously started just to give the detective something to do. He held the lampweed – which had flowered over the past few hours – in front of him, occasionally whipping it around to illuminate a suspicious smelling dark spot in the forest.
His wings slightly sore from flying, Kuronue gently lands on the soft forest terra beside Kurama.
"There's more to this mission than the toddler told us," he said in a low tone.
"I agree."
"I'm still wondering why he resurrected me...you and Yusuke are probably powerful enough to complete this mission."
"Yes, I wondered that, too, but I wasn't about to question it," the fox smirked, "Are you tired of life already?"
"Of course not. But there's something Koenma isn't telling us."
"Yep, he has a tendency to be vague about some things," Yusuke grinned and sharply tapped Kuronue on the shoulder.
Said bat demon growled under his breath.
"He's right, Kuronue. Koenma has sent us into missions without giving much detail. Such as with Sensui, I had to corner him to get the additional information, that he was a former detective," Kurama said calmly.
Yusuke glanced over to Kuronue, a much more serious look in his eyes, "So you're thinking there's more to this than meets the eye?"
Kuronue nodded, "Exactly."
"Brat," Yusuke spat angrily.
Kurama smirked again, "Agreed."
--
They'd traveled for two days in mostly silence, only speaking occasionally, and it was usually random conversation brought up by the bored Yusuke. They were attacked several times, but it only took one of them to take down an entire gang of the low-class demons that lived in the forest. They took shifts at night to make sure their camps weren't attacked without them knowing, but after the first few blood baths the demons seemed to wizen up about attacking them.
Kurama had taken along several different seeds that produced edible fruit. Some of them were demonic, and left them full for hours. Needless to say they were well nourished, but didn't eat much.
Youko Kurama paused, sniffing the air, "I recognize that scent...it's the Palace of Makai. Only a few more miles. Hurry!"
Ad hurry they did. They were all thoroughly sick and tired of this pitch- black forest and were all too eager to get out. But they knew better than to run. The huge trees' roots would snake along the ground, and hump up to trip an unsuspecting victim. Their branches would sometimes smack them in the face, even though they hadn't seen anything in their way. Yusuke swore the creepy trees were alive, but Kurama explained they did that to any newcomers in the forest. Then again, the greenery hadn't assaulted the fox at all, which didn't surprise anyone. Hell, they didn't even know if the forest WAS green...it could be purple for all they knew, but it was so dark, and Kurama's lampweeds cast such a yellowish glow, it was impossible to tell.
So they walked as swiftly as possible while keeping their eyes on the path and the trees, making sure they did not walk where Kurama's lampweed hadn't illuminated. The fox knew where to go to get them out by scent, otherwise they probably would've been wandering around for a very long time until one of them caught an energy signal from something outside the forest.
Finally, light poured in in front of the group.
"Man! That burns like hell!" Yusuke said angrily, shutting his eyes tight against the glare and stumbling backward.
Youko narrows his golden eyes to a squint, fanning his pale hand in front of him to block out the assault on his eyes. "We've gotten used to being in darkness...the light basically shocked our eyes," he explained.
Kuronue pulled the brim of his tattered hat over his violet eyes to shade them. "We're out of the forest, though."
"True enough," Kurama said, lowering his hand. His eyes were used to the light now, if not a little sore.
Yusuke blinked rapidly to get his eyes used to the light as they exited the forest.
"Yes...now we can get on with this," Yusuke said, smirking.
-End Chapter-
Finally...it's up! XD Hope y'all liked it. It was a bit boring, but the storyline would suck if I rushed into it, so.
I have a small favor to ask you guys: I've been looking for at least two weeks for Mukuro's song, Rebirth Saisei. PLEASE, I'm begging you guys, if any of you know where I can download that song, or have it, please email kuramarosesyahoo.com contact me on AIM/AOL at The Deserts Song, or, MSN messenger at KurayamiBaramsn.com I have a bunch of YYH and two Hunter x Hunter songs I could trade you if you want, but I'm really desperate for this song. Also if you have Youmi's song, I'd appreciate that, too. Arigatou in advance!
Youko Kurama yawned, flashing needle-sharp fangs in the dimming light of his lampweed.
He raised an eyebrow at Kuronue. He was wide-awake, leaning against a tree.
"Did you get –any- sleep?" Kurama asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Not really."
The bat demon was fingering his collarbone as if something was supposed to be there. Something that he needed.
"Kuronue?"
"What?"
"Your pendant is lost. Do not obsess over it."
It had been years to the fox since Kuronue lost his precious red gem and died. However...to Kuronue, it seemed like yesterday, after dying and being resurrected, his memory didn't have a chance to dim that moment. To make him forget about it.
Kuronue nodded slightly, "I know. I just can't stop...it's as if I'm not allowed to forget."
Youko Kurama slanted his pale golden eyes in concern. Not allowed to?
'This does not bode well,' he thought.
He'd always wondered why Kuronue went after that pendant. They had the Adversity Glass...a mirror that allowed you to spy on your enemies. That pendant hadn't shown any powers whatsoever, but Kuronue had held onto it like his life depended on it.
How ironic...it was the very thing that ended his life.
Yusuke stirred, groggily sitting up. He rubbed his head, feeling the extensions to his dark hair. He snorted when he remembered it was deep blue now.
"So...foxboy...we're not gonna get out of this hellhole for a few days?" he asked.
Kurama nodded, "That's right, Yusuke. You're going to have to be patient."
Right...patience...something the detective positively overflowed with.
Not.
He snorted again and stood up.
The lampweed cast a bright golden glow on all three demons (one not-so- demon), and none looked very cheerful. Kuronue and Youko Kurama stood.
The fox bent over and plucked a fourth flower from his lampweed, one that had formed in the night. It was still only a round bud. It's light would last longer. The rest of the plant dimmed into nothingness, until the only light was the small bud Kurama held.
"Quickly," Kurama said briskly, and the other two followed him.
--
As they trekked through the pitch-black forest, groans and rustling in the dense foliage were hard to miss.
"Kurama, what the hell is making all that creepy noise?" Yusuke spat, glaring into the darkness, almost daring a demon to jump out and attack him. It'd be good to lash out at something and release his anxiety, anyway.
"Be quiet, Yusuke. They're low-class demons...probably hungry. They know we're much stronger than they are, so they're not attacking just yet. Waiting for the right moment to pounce, I assume," Kurama said casually.
"Wonderful," Yusuke said sarcastically, "Y'know, you're reminding me way too much of the ferry girl."
Kuronue glanced down at Yusuke from his height a few feet in the air. "At least I'm not whacking you over the head with an oar."
Yusuke slanted his grayish sea green eyes (courtesy of the contacts, remember?) at the bat demon. "Would you if you had one?"
"Depends."
Youko Kurama snorted at the senseless conversation, which was obviously started just to give the detective something to do. He held the lampweed – which had flowered over the past few hours – in front of him, occasionally whipping it around to illuminate a suspicious smelling dark spot in the forest.
His wings slightly sore from flying, Kuronue gently lands on the soft forest terra beside Kurama.
"There's more to this mission than the toddler told us," he said in a low tone.
"I agree."
"I'm still wondering why he resurrected me...you and Yusuke are probably powerful enough to complete this mission."
"Yes, I wondered that, too, but I wasn't about to question it," the fox smirked, "Are you tired of life already?"
"Of course not. But there's something Koenma isn't telling us."
"Yep, he has a tendency to be vague about some things," Yusuke grinned and sharply tapped Kuronue on the shoulder.
Said bat demon growled under his breath.
"He's right, Kuronue. Koenma has sent us into missions without giving much detail. Such as with Sensui, I had to corner him to get the additional information, that he was a former detective," Kurama said calmly.
Yusuke glanced over to Kuronue, a much more serious look in his eyes, "So you're thinking there's more to this than meets the eye?"
Kuronue nodded, "Exactly."
"Brat," Yusuke spat angrily.
Kurama smirked again, "Agreed."
--
They'd traveled for two days in mostly silence, only speaking occasionally, and it was usually random conversation brought up by the bored Yusuke. They were attacked several times, but it only took one of them to take down an entire gang of the low-class demons that lived in the forest. They took shifts at night to make sure their camps weren't attacked without them knowing, but after the first few blood baths the demons seemed to wizen up about attacking them.
Kurama had taken along several different seeds that produced edible fruit. Some of them were demonic, and left them full for hours. Needless to say they were well nourished, but didn't eat much.
Youko Kurama paused, sniffing the air, "I recognize that scent...it's the Palace of Makai. Only a few more miles. Hurry!"
Ad hurry they did. They were all thoroughly sick and tired of this pitch- black forest and were all too eager to get out. But they knew better than to run. The huge trees' roots would snake along the ground, and hump up to trip an unsuspecting victim. Their branches would sometimes smack them in the face, even though they hadn't seen anything in their way. Yusuke swore the creepy trees were alive, but Kurama explained they did that to any newcomers in the forest. Then again, the greenery hadn't assaulted the fox at all, which didn't surprise anyone. Hell, they didn't even know if the forest WAS green...it could be purple for all they knew, but it was so dark, and Kurama's lampweeds cast such a yellowish glow, it was impossible to tell.
So they walked as swiftly as possible while keeping their eyes on the path and the trees, making sure they did not walk where Kurama's lampweed hadn't illuminated. The fox knew where to go to get them out by scent, otherwise they probably would've been wandering around for a very long time until one of them caught an energy signal from something outside the forest.
Finally, light poured in in front of the group.
"Man! That burns like hell!" Yusuke said angrily, shutting his eyes tight against the glare and stumbling backward.
Youko narrows his golden eyes to a squint, fanning his pale hand in front of him to block out the assault on his eyes. "We've gotten used to being in darkness...the light basically shocked our eyes," he explained.
Kuronue pulled the brim of his tattered hat over his violet eyes to shade them. "We're out of the forest, though."
"True enough," Kurama said, lowering his hand. His eyes were used to the light now, if not a little sore.
Yusuke blinked rapidly to get his eyes used to the light as they exited the forest.
"Yes...now we can get on with this," Yusuke said, smirking.
-End Chapter-
Finally...it's up! XD Hope y'all liked it. It was a bit boring, but the storyline would suck if I rushed into it, so.
I have a small favor to ask you guys: I've been looking for at least two weeks for Mukuro's song, Rebirth Saisei. PLEASE, I'm begging you guys, if any of you know where I can download that song, or have it, please email kuramarosesyahoo.com contact me on AIM/AOL at The Deserts Song, or, MSN messenger at KurayamiBaramsn.com I have a bunch of YYH and two Hunter x Hunter songs I could trade you if you want, but I'm really desperate for this song. Also if you have Youmi's song, I'd appreciate that, too. Arigatou in advance!