Charms 46
Rinroga stood tall and his branches spread wide covering the forest canopy. The cherry tree seemed to completely dominate this clearing. The arbor's majesty was truely a site to behold, but Kurama was looking else where. Those green eyes scanned the forest edge waiting. He felt those similar emotions from the seventeen year old Daiki as when he was eleven, but he still hadn't seen him.
To be honest, now that he was at the time where the event of Daiki's soul theft took place, Kurama wasn't sure what to do. The red head would act as the one from the now and this was the then part that hunter must have been talking about but...How was he supposed to return the soul if he didn't have the vile anymore? There had to be something, a trick of some kind. The green eyed fox had to be aware of all the details here if he was going to figure it out.
Just then the strawberry blond emerged from the tree line. The young man was soaked, but the rain was barely getting through the dense coverage Rinroga provided. The teen's legs were muddy up to his knees and blood mixed with rain to drip down his skin. Even as he ran, the fox demon recognized the same vicious scratches he had treated when he found the teen at his apartment complex. //Yes. This was that time and this was that place, time to find out what really happened here that night.//
"Damn it." The teen collapsed onto his knees at the massive base of the ancient tree. "Shuichi-kun believed in me." His hands balled into fists dragging some dirt and petals from the ground. Daiki's heart couldn't hold back the tears anymore, he tried wiping them away but ended up smudging his cheeks with the forest's rich dark soil. "Now he knows how weak I am! Damn it!"
"Daiki." the fox demon could feel the anguish, the defeat the strawberry blond was feeling. "I never thought you were weak."
"But..." his strawberry blond bangs covered his expression as his shoulders jerked from his sobs. "He knew I was weak from the beginnging...That's why...that's why he told me he wanted to protect me..."
"No, Daiki, I..."
"Am I..." the teen's aching muscles shook, pressing his hands into the ground, pushing down the dirt and flowers. Blue eyes saw frailty in those dirty hands. Daiki felt himself forcing away everyone that ever mattered to him, just by being himself, by being alive. "Am I so transparent? Maybe I was never strong to begin with." He grit his teeth and pulled one fist up to clutch the raggy shirt over his heart. "I'm not sick anymore, but my heart is just as weak as it ever was. Shuichi..." his voice began to crack from his over powering emotions, "How can I face him again?"
"Dai-" Kurama began, but was interrupted by the strange cry of the hunter's animal form.
"H-Hoyo-chan?" Blue eyes noticed the fuzzy creature. "What are you doing here?" The tiny thing jumped into his lap and lightly licked at one of the scratches on his chin. "Ouch." the teen winced at first, but let the creature do as he wished. The strawberry blond's emotions seemed to settle a bit, having a warm body near.
"Ne, Hoyo-chan." Daiki mummbled to the animal. "I've been here before. I thought it was a dream but...and when I woke up, you were there. Do you remember?" The strange animal, which Kurama still couldn't identify, cooed a gargled pur as the strawberry blond stroked the creatures fur.
"Ne, Hoyo-chan? Why did dad have to die? Why wasn't I there for him? What could I have done differently?" The teen was still for a moment. The animal's tail fluffed back and forth, anxiously awaiting for more attention.
"Sometimes I wonder..." Daiki said finally. "If it would have been better if I just wasn't around anymore. Then I wouldn't cause anymore trouble to Fuuyuki and the others. Fuuyuki's a good master. He's much better than me. Maybe dad knew it to that's why he won't let me just inherit it."
"You know Hoyo?" the little animal just stared at him with big hazel brown eyes. "In my father's will, I can't have anything unless I 'find the wolf.' Doesn't that sound strange?" Daiki smiled bitterly. "I don't even know what that means." the teen laughed uneasily and the hunter made another one of those whining bark sounds.
"Hoyo-chan," the strawberry blond scooped the little one into his arms. "The worst part about all of this... Shuichi's been supporting me and encouraging me to find the truth about my father's death and to get my inheritance. And I..." he held the creature tighter. "And I haven't even been trying." The tears started again. His guilt and frustration were evident in his tone, like a sinner at a confessional. "I don't care about being the master or anything like that. I just...I want to live happily with Shuichi-kun and his mother. Is that wrong?"
"Daiki." Kurama was truely moved. The emotions from Daiki were not even remotely romantic. He just wanted a family that truely cared about him, one that wouldn't leave him, trade him off to other relatives or use him for his status. The fox had been misinterpreting Daiki's reactions for that of a love struck boy, when really the blue eyed teen was surprising himself by his feelings of caring and deep connection with Shuichi and his mother. The red head smiled, a little relieved by this discovery. "It would be nice to have you in our family." the demon fox admitted.
Suddenly a violet wind scattered the flower petals. It was so cold some of the blossoms on the tree began to freeze. Daiki sheilded the little animal and tried to potect himself as much as possible. The ghostly image of the woman Kurama saw at the school and out his window that night he was attacked, appeared before them. She stepped slowly and gracefully toward the strawberry blond, leaving glittering patches of ice. Kurama and Daiki gasped at the same moment when they heard her speak.
"Boya (translation: boy or baby)." Her voice was deep and melodious. She was beautiful but... "Watashi no boya (my baby)."
"This is...the ice demoness come to claim her son. I was right." Kurama muttered to himself.
"Okasan wa ne, aishiteru kara. (mother loves you very much) Oi de. (come)" The phantom woman extended her hands, welcoming her lost child.
"O-oka...san..." Daiki's blue eyes fixed with her blissful gaze. As she came closer, Hoyo-chan jumped from the boy's lap and ran off some where. "Anta wa...dare? (who are you)"
"Modori o modoshite (return to yourself) omoidashite (remember)"
"o...moi? (remember)" The teenager's words seemed to be following her influence. In this moment Kurama noticed a shifting in emotions. Something stirring deep inside the young man. The red head watched Daiki carefully trying to look for an answer to this sliding from one state of mind to another.
"So, watashi no boya (Yes, my child)." her fervent tones lulled the awakening of Kohaku's consciousness. Even Daiki's blue eyes reflected a change in color. It was subtle, but there was the merest hint of green that was definately not there before.
"O..." the teenager's voice seemed different some how, "Oka...s..."
"yoshi, yoshi (it's alright) anshinasai, okasan wa koko ni iru (don't worry, mother is here)" The woman's long hair flowed like waves of silk as she knelt in the pink petals. Her arms reached out, wrapping around the teenager. She pulled him to her breast in a comforting embrace. The teen's unstable emotions weren't letting him decide if this was a good or bad thing. So in a hazy sort of shock, Daiki let his eyes close as she stroked his hair.
Kurama wasn't fooled by her. It's true she's a mother caring for her son, but there was more to it than family ties. This may have been Korina, but the strange aura around her was not like the times the red head saw her before. There was something the fox was missing but...what?
"Mo iinda, sukoshi oyasuminasai (that's enough, rest for a little while)" She soothed the teen.
Kurama noticed that the change that held the boy in a kind of shock was moving or rather collecting into a concentrated spot in the strawberry blond's body. His spirit energy was becoming focused and gathered into his chest, where Korina's arms held him tightly. //Wha, what is she doing?// The red head already knew the answer of course. He was feeling it with Daiki.
The fox demon had to cup his hand over his mouth, he felt sick. //She's trying to extract your soul Daiki. When she gathers all your energy in one place she'll...// Kurama's sickness shifted to an uneasy feeling of detachment right in the center of his chest. He wrapped his arms around himself as if trying to stop his own soul from being extracted. //Are these Daiki's feelings or mine?//
"Okasan," a single tear touched Daiki's cheek, "Kowai (I'm scared)"
"Daijobu, kimi ga omamoru eku ni (It's alright, I'll protect you for all eternity)." she assured him.
//Stop it!// Kurama felt an invisible hand closing over his heart and a bead of sweat fall down from his chin. //What will you do with him when you've killed him? Will you just keep his soul in an empty vessel? What kind of mother would wish something like that for her son?//
"Ya, yamete..." Daiki's eyes opened wide, sensing the danger of his spirit energy all in one concentrated ball in the middle of his chest. The woman didn't respond this time. The strawberry blond tried to move but only ended up trembling in fear. His breathing reflected the intensity of his insecurity. "Sh-Shuichi..." Kurama just barely heard the teen speak his name. //I've got to do something...I have to move.//
Kurama stumbled forward. //Daiki.// The pain was overwhelming, the fox fell to his knees, unsure what it was he could do, but he had to do something. Suddenly a shot rang out. Korina gasped, realizing all too late that the "bullet" was aimed straight at Daiki. When it hit, a bright flash of brilliant blue light shattered the darkenss. Korina was helpless to stop it. The soul energy she had gathered was instantly sucked into the ampule Kurama had recieved from the hunter. Korina's blue eyes grew wide, unsure as to exactly just happened. In this instance, the light brown furry animal sprang from the undergrowth, snatched the vile in it's mouth from mid-air and dashed away.
"N-NOOOO!" Korina let Daiki's body drop to the forest floor and gave chase after the little rodent.
"Stop!" Hiei seemingly materialized in the woman's path.
"Hiei." Kurama muttered his name. The fox was certain he was on the ground, the prospective was obvious, but he couldn't feel anything. His body, his heart, they were both numb. He glanced over and saw Daiki on the ground as well. His blue eyes vacant, hollow. "Daiki."
"You will come back with me." the fire demon insisted.
"AAAAAHGH!" she wailed her frustrations. "My son! Give me back my son!" She rushed at the fire demon with her hands in the air like claws of a fierce animal.
"Daiki." Kurama couldn't ingore the demon's battle however, he was here for this blue eyed teen, laying just a short distance away. The fox demon knew the numbness would weigh his movements down, but he absolutely wouldn't allow his body to refuse his will. The red head moved, pulling himself over to the teen at a creeping pace.
"I don't want to hurt you." Hiei caught the woman's forearms, pressing her back. The ice demoness bared her teeth at the fire demon and the air itself became thicker as the woman's eyes begain to turn totally white. A heavy fog began to cloud around them. Hiei wasn't at all threatened by this but he did seem to become more angry. "Snap out of it, Botan!"
"Botan?" the fox demon remembered his earlier theory that Botan could have been the spirit guide that captured Korina. If she gained some kind of sympathy with her... But, is it really possible for the spirit guide to turn into the dangerous ice demoness?
"I'll kill you! I'll never forgive you for taking me from my son! You can't have him, he's mine!" Hiei didn't respond, he must have realized he wasn't reaching her. Suddenly, the fire demon jerked back as the surface of her skin froze his hands.
"Daiki." The fox demon couldn't do anything for Hiei or Botan, but this blue eyed teen alone he could help. The red head crawled close enough that he could reach the other teen's hand. Kurama touched his wrist, actually touched his wrist! It wasn't like a memory anymore it was like reality. The cold ground, Diaki's warm hand, the quickly chilling air. He pulled the other teen close.
"Diaki." Kurama touched strawberry blond hair. His green eyed looked his companion over, not sure what to do or how to help, only knowing he must. "Please, Daiki." He shook his shoulder. "I know you're in there. I know can hear me can't you?" there was no response but... "You've got to listen to me..." An ice sickle speared the ground just above their heads. The battle had been progressing and although Hiei wasn't losing, he wasn't worried about Daiki's safety one bit.
"I don't know where you soul is, Daiki." Kurama admitted. "I can't return it. I don't know how." Kurama felt more despirate the more time passed. The fox demon had a sinking feeling that this would be his one chance if he was going to restore the soul. "You've got to snap out of it!"
"Daiki!" he shook the teen harder. "This happened in the past." Kurama strained to sit up, "Your soul is here somewhere. We've got to find it." The red head pulled Daiki up as he stood. "You have to come with me. We'll find it together." A heat wave pushed back the frozen air as Hiei unwrapped the black dragon on his arm. Green eyes grew wide remembering the devistation that left Rinroga as a pathetic charcoal pillor. "We've got to get out of here, Daiki." the boy was limp and uncooperative, but the fox demon wouldn't give up. "Come on!"
Kurama summoned his strength, drapped Daiki on his back, holding the teen's arms over his shoulders and ran. Only a moment passed before the black dragon wave devoured Rinroga and a good deal of the surrounding area. Kurama keep running, jumping whenever possible, he made his way out of the forest. The red head's first thought was to go to the Hazama main house, the hunter would surely go there, but something deep inside was telling him to go home.
"Daiki...Did you go home?" Kurama didn't have enough energy to back track if he chose the wrong place so...It didn't take too long to get to the appartment complex, being familiar with the path now. Kurama wanted to pass out, but it wasn't over yet. Daiki was like a limp noodle, no help at all, but it wasn't his fault. //Where is your soul?// Kurama looked up at his apartment building. //Well, I'm here...// "Now what?"
Through the sound of the falling rain Kurama became aware of sniffling and sobbing sounds. Someone was crying. The red head held his breath rounding the enterance to the apartment building. There a transparent shape, shivered in the lamp light. Kurama let out a relieved breath.
"So this it where you've been." The red head set the soulless teen from his back to rest against the wall. It was the exact same spot the fox demon had found him before. "I'm sorry it took so long." he knelt before the boy with gentleness in those green eyes. "But I finally found you." he touched the transparent shoulder of the barely defined shape.
"Shu-" the shape's voice was a mix of Kohaku's and Daiki's, "Shuichi!" The soul threw itself into the fox's arms, holding onto the fox demon like he was holding onto life itself. "It was so dark, I couldn't see. I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to do and I...I was so scared!" the pour thing wailed sobs.
"It's alright now." Kurama embraced the soul, feeling a tear fall down his cheek. The fox demon was so happy to finally be able to keep his promise. "Welcome home, Daiki." He closed his green eyes and let the soul cry to it's heart's content. //It's going to be alright now.//
"Excuse me." There was a knock on the door to the Hazama guest room where Kurama had been staying. The fox demon nearly leaped out of skin from the sudden change back to the real world. Green eyes blinked, feeling the warm body hugging his middle. Blue eyes blinked before he awkwardly let go of the red head.
"S-sorry. I didn't..." the strawberry blond was blushing from the embarrassing situation he suddenly found himself in. "What was I doing?" he scratched his head.
"Don't worry about it." the red head noticed the burnt gold orb was no where to be found, nor the ampule. //What does it mean?//
"Excuse me?" the voice came again with a light tapping knock.
"Y-yes?" the red head answered inwardly promising not to mention this to anyone, for Diaki's sake.
"There's a phone call for our guest."
"For Shuichi-kun?" Daiki rubbed his head. "Who knows you're here?"
"I...don't know." The fox demon opened the door and accepted the phone from the middle aged woman who took Yuma's place, at least temporarily. "Thank you."
"Oh and young master, breakfast is prepared. Fuuyuki-sama will be expecting you soon." her eyes seemed to say more than her words.
"Th-thank you." he nodded as she shut the door.
"Hello." the red head spoke into the receiver.
"Shuichi-san? Is this really you, Shuichi-san?"
"Michiba-san! How did you know I was here?"
"I didn't. I called here because I exhasted all of my other options. Do you know how long you've been gone from school? I've been holding things together, but we need you for the up coming cultural festival and aside from that I heard you haven't even been home. I tried calling may times and finally you mother answered."
"Mother? She's back?"
"That's right. She told me she canceled her trip early cause she couldn't get a hold of you either. She's worried sick about you."
"I'm such an idiot." he slipped his fingers into his crimson bangs, feeling like a genuine heel. "I'll call her now." he promised.
"Acctually, she's probably on her way now."
"What?!" Green eyes grew wide.
"When she told me that Hazama-san had been staying with you I gave her the address and..." Shuichi hung up the phone and grabbed his clothes.
"What's wrong?" the strawberry blond noticed the other's sudden urgency.
"My mother's coming here, now!"
"What?! This is really a bad time." Daiki expressed his panic with both arms.
"Your telling me," he slipped his pants on and threw aside his yukata to pull his shirt over his head, "take a look outside."
"Huh?" the young man obeyed. "It stopped snowing and its a little foggy."
"Yes and if I'm right, Korina's about to make her move."
"Who?"
"Damn it! Why now!" the fox crossed an arm over his middle to hold his elbow in place to bite his thumb. "Why did she have to choose such a populated place?" He let his arms cross fully as green eyes locked with blue. The strawberry blond jumped, feeling a sweat drop on his temple, Daiki had no idea what he was talking about. "My family, your family, their all about to be in very serious danger."
"Shuichi."
Rinroga stood tall and his branches spread wide covering the forest canopy. The cherry tree seemed to completely dominate this clearing. The arbor's majesty was truely a site to behold, but Kurama was looking else where. Those green eyes scanned the forest edge waiting. He felt those similar emotions from the seventeen year old Daiki as when he was eleven, but he still hadn't seen him.
To be honest, now that he was at the time where the event of Daiki's soul theft took place, Kurama wasn't sure what to do. The red head would act as the one from the now and this was the then part that hunter must have been talking about but...How was he supposed to return the soul if he didn't have the vile anymore? There had to be something, a trick of some kind. The green eyed fox had to be aware of all the details here if he was going to figure it out.
Just then the strawberry blond emerged from the tree line. The young man was soaked, but the rain was barely getting through the dense coverage Rinroga provided. The teen's legs were muddy up to his knees and blood mixed with rain to drip down his skin. Even as he ran, the fox demon recognized the same vicious scratches he had treated when he found the teen at his apartment complex. //Yes. This was that time and this was that place, time to find out what really happened here that night.//
"Damn it." The teen collapsed onto his knees at the massive base of the ancient tree. "Shuichi-kun believed in me." His hands balled into fists dragging some dirt and petals from the ground. Daiki's heart couldn't hold back the tears anymore, he tried wiping them away but ended up smudging his cheeks with the forest's rich dark soil. "Now he knows how weak I am! Damn it!"
"Daiki." the fox demon could feel the anguish, the defeat the strawberry blond was feeling. "I never thought you were weak."
"But..." his strawberry blond bangs covered his expression as his shoulders jerked from his sobs. "He knew I was weak from the beginnging...That's why...that's why he told me he wanted to protect me..."
"No, Daiki, I..."
"Am I..." the teen's aching muscles shook, pressing his hands into the ground, pushing down the dirt and flowers. Blue eyes saw frailty in those dirty hands. Daiki felt himself forcing away everyone that ever mattered to him, just by being himself, by being alive. "Am I so transparent? Maybe I was never strong to begin with." He grit his teeth and pulled one fist up to clutch the raggy shirt over his heart. "I'm not sick anymore, but my heart is just as weak as it ever was. Shuichi..." his voice began to crack from his over powering emotions, "How can I face him again?"
"Dai-" Kurama began, but was interrupted by the strange cry of the hunter's animal form.
"H-Hoyo-chan?" Blue eyes noticed the fuzzy creature. "What are you doing here?" The tiny thing jumped into his lap and lightly licked at one of the scratches on his chin. "Ouch." the teen winced at first, but let the creature do as he wished. The strawberry blond's emotions seemed to settle a bit, having a warm body near.
"Ne, Hoyo-chan." Daiki mummbled to the animal. "I've been here before. I thought it was a dream but...and when I woke up, you were there. Do you remember?" The strange animal, which Kurama still couldn't identify, cooed a gargled pur as the strawberry blond stroked the creatures fur.
"Ne, Hoyo-chan? Why did dad have to die? Why wasn't I there for him? What could I have done differently?" The teen was still for a moment. The animal's tail fluffed back and forth, anxiously awaiting for more attention.
"Sometimes I wonder..." Daiki said finally. "If it would have been better if I just wasn't around anymore. Then I wouldn't cause anymore trouble to Fuuyuki and the others. Fuuyuki's a good master. He's much better than me. Maybe dad knew it to that's why he won't let me just inherit it."
"You know Hoyo?" the little animal just stared at him with big hazel brown eyes. "In my father's will, I can't have anything unless I 'find the wolf.' Doesn't that sound strange?" Daiki smiled bitterly. "I don't even know what that means." the teen laughed uneasily and the hunter made another one of those whining bark sounds.
"Hoyo-chan," the strawberry blond scooped the little one into his arms. "The worst part about all of this... Shuichi's been supporting me and encouraging me to find the truth about my father's death and to get my inheritance. And I..." he held the creature tighter. "And I haven't even been trying." The tears started again. His guilt and frustration were evident in his tone, like a sinner at a confessional. "I don't care about being the master or anything like that. I just...I want to live happily with Shuichi-kun and his mother. Is that wrong?"
"Daiki." Kurama was truely moved. The emotions from Daiki were not even remotely romantic. He just wanted a family that truely cared about him, one that wouldn't leave him, trade him off to other relatives or use him for his status. The fox had been misinterpreting Daiki's reactions for that of a love struck boy, when really the blue eyed teen was surprising himself by his feelings of caring and deep connection with Shuichi and his mother. The red head smiled, a little relieved by this discovery. "It would be nice to have you in our family." the demon fox admitted.
Suddenly a violet wind scattered the flower petals. It was so cold some of the blossoms on the tree began to freeze. Daiki sheilded the little animal and tried to potect himself as much as possible. The ghostly image of the woman Kurama saw at the school and out his window that night he was attacked, appeared before them. She stepped slowly and gracefully toward the strawberry blond, leaving glittering patches of ice. Kurama and Daiki gasped at the same moment when they heard her speak.
"Boya (translation: boy or baby)." Her voice was deep and melodious. She was beautiful but... "Watashi no boya (my baby)."
"This is...the ice demoness come to claim her son. I was right." Kurama muttered to himself.
"Okasan wa ne, aishiteru kara. (mother loves you very much) Oi de. (come)" The phantom woman extended her hands, welcoming her lost child.
"O-oka...san..." Daiki's blue eyes fixed with her blissful gaze. As she came closer, Hoyo-chan jumped from the boy's lap and ran off some where. "Anta wa...dare? (who are you)"
"Modori o modoshite (return to yourself) omoidashite (remember)"
"o...moi? (remember)" The teenager's words seemed to be following her influence. In this moment Kurama noticed a shifting in emotions. Something stirring deep inside the young man. The red head watched Daiki carefully trying to look for an answer to this sliding from one state of mind to another.
"So, watashi no boya (Yes, my child)." her fervent tones lulled the awakening of Kohaku's consciousness. Even Daiki's blue eyes reflected a change in color. It was subtle, but there was the merest hint of green that was definately not there before.
"O..." the teenager's voice seemed different some how, "Oka...s..."
"yoshi, yoshi (it's alright) anshinasai, okasan wa koko ni iru (don't worry, mother is here)" The woman's long hair flowed like waves of silk as she knelt in the pink petals. Her arms reached out, wrapping around the teenager. She pulled him to her breast in a comforting embrace. The teen's unstable emotions weren't letting him decide if this was a good or bad thing. So in a hazy sort of shock, Daiki let his eyes close as she stroked his hair.
Kurama wasn't fooled by her. It's true she's a mother caring for her son, but there was more to it than family ties. This may have been Korina, but the strange aura around her was not like the times the red head saw her before. There was something the fox was missing but...what?
"Mo iinda, sukoshi oyasuminasai (that's enough, rest for a little while)" She soothed the teen.
Kurama noticed that the change that held the boy in a kind of shock was moving or rather collecting into a concentrated spot in the strawberry blond's body. His spirit energy was becoming focused and gathered into his chest, where Korina's arms held him tightly. //Wha, what is she doing?// The red head already knew the answer of course. He was feeling it with Daiki.
The fox demon had to cup his hand over his mouth, he felt sick. //She's trying to extract your soul Daiki. When she gathers all your energy in one place she'll...// Kurama's sickness shifted to an uneasy feeling of detachment right in the center of his chest. He wrapped his arms around himself as if trying to stop his own soul from being extracted. //Are these Daiki's feelings or mine?//
"Okasan," a single tear touched Daiki's cheek, "Kowai (I'm scared)"
"Daijobu, kimi ga omamoru eku ni (It's alright, I'll protect you for all eternity)." she assured him.
//Stop it!// Kurama felt an invisible hand closing over his heart and a bead of sweat fall down from his chin. //What will you do with him when you've killed him? Will you just keep his soul in an empty vessel? What kind of mother would wish something like that for her son?//
"Ya, yamete..." Daiki's eyes opened wide, sensing the danger of his spirit energy all in one concentrated ball in the middle of his chest. The woman didn't respond this time. The strawberry blond tried to move but only ended up trembling in fear. His breathing reflected the intensity of his insecurity. "Sh-Shuichi..." Kurama just barely heard the teen speak his name. //I've got to do something...I have to move.//
Kurama stumbled forward. //Daiki.// The pain was overwhelming, the fox fell to his knees, unsure what it was he could do, but he had to do something. Suddenly a shot rang out. Korina gasped, realizing all too late that the "bullet" was aimed straight at Daiki. When it hit, a bright flash of brilliant blue light shattered the darkenss. Korina was helpless to stop it. The soul energy she had gathered was instantly sucked into the ampule Kurama had recieved from the hunter. Korina's blue eyes grew wide, unsure as to exactly just happened. In this instance, the light brown furry animal sprang from the undergrowth, snatched the vile in it's mouth from mid-air and dashed away.
"N-NOOOO!" Korina let Daiki's body drop to the forest floor and gave chase after the little rodent.
"Stop!" Hiei seemingly materialized in the woman's path.
"Hiei." Kurama muttered his name. The fox was certain he was on the ground, the prospective was obvious, but he couldn't feel anything. His body, his heart, they were both numb. He glanced over and saw Daiki on the ground as well. His blue eyes vacant, hollow. "Daiki."
"You will come back with me." the fire demon insisted.
"AAAAAHGH!" she wailed her frustrations. "My son! Give me back my son!" She rushed at the fire demon with her hands in the air like claws of a fierce animal.
"Daiki." Kurama couldn't ingore the demon's battle however, he was here for this blue eyed teen, laying just a short distance away. The fox demon knew the numbness would weigh his movements down, but he absolutely wouldn't allow his body to refuse his will. The red head moved, pulling himself over to the teen at a creeping pace.
"I don't want to hurt you." Hiei caught the woman's forearms, pressing her back. The ice demoness bared her teeth at the fire demon and the air itself became thicker as the woman's eyes begain to turn totally white. A heavy fog began to cloud around them. Hiei wasn't at all threatened by this but he did seem to become more angry. "Snap out of it, Botan!"
"Botan?" the fox demon remembered his earlier theory that Botan could have been the spirit guide that captured Korina. If she gained some kind of sympathy with her... But, is it really possible for the spirit guide to turn into the dangerous ice demoness?
"I'll kill you! I'll never forgive you for taking me from my son! You can't have him, he's mine!" Hiei didn't respond, he must have realized he wasn't reaching her. Suddenly, the fire demon jerked back as the surface of her skin froze his hands.
"Daiki." The fox demon couldn't do anything for Hiei or Botan, but this blue eyed teen alone he could help. The red head crawled close enough that he could reach the other teen's hand. Kurama touched his wrist, actually touched his wrist! It wasn't like a memory anymore it was like reality. The cold ground, Diaki's warm hand, the quickly chilling air. He pulled the other teen close.
"Diaki." Kurama touched strawberry blond hair. His green eyed looked his companion over, not sure what to do or how to help, only knowing he must. "Please, Daiki." He shook his shoulder. "I know you're in there. I know can hear me can't you?" there was no response but... "You've got to listen to me..." An ice sickle speared the ground just above their heads. The battle had been progressing and although Hiei wasn't losing, he wasn't worried about Daiki's safety one bit.
"I don't know where you soul is, Daiki." Kurama admitted. "I can't return it. I don't know how." Kurama felt more despirate the more time passed. The fox demon had a sinking feeling that this would be his one chance if he was going to restore the soul. "You've got to snap out of it!"
"Daiki!" he shook the teen harder. "This happened in the past." Kurama strained to sit up, "Your soul is here somewhere. We've got to find it." The red head pulled Daiki up as he stood. "You have to come with me. We'll find it together." A heat wave pushed back the frozen air as Hiei unwrapped the black dragon on his arm. Green eyes grew wide remembering the devistation that left Rinroga as a pathetic charcoal pillor. "We've got to get out of here, Daiki." the boy was limp and uncooperative, but the fox demon wouldn't give up. "Come on!"
Kurama summoned his strength, drapped Daiki on his back, holding the teen's arms over his shoulders and ran. Only a moment passed before the black dragon wave devoured Rinroga and a good deal of the surrounding area. Kurama keep running, jumping whenever possible, he made his way out of the forest. The red head's first thought was to go to the Hazama main house, the hunter would surely go there, but something deep inside was telling him to go home.
"Daiki...Did you go home?" Kurama didn't have enough energy to back track if he chose the wrong place so...It didn't take too long to get to the appartment complex, being familiar with the path now. Kurama wanted to pass out, but it wasn't over yet. Daiki was like a limp noodle, no help at all, but it wasn't his fault. //Where is your soul?// Kurama looked up at his apartment building. //Well, I'm here...// "Now what?"
Through the sound of the falling rain Kurama became aware of sniffling and sobbing sounds. Someone was crying. The red head held his breath rounding the enterance to the apartment building. There a transparent shape, shivered in the lamp light. Kurama let out a relieved breath.
"So this it where you've been." The red head set the soulless teen from his back to rest against the wall. It was the exact same spot the fox demon had found him before. "I'm sorry it took so long." he knelt before the boy with gentleness in those green eyes. "But I finally found you." he touched the transparent shoulder of the barely defined shape.
"Shu-" the shape's voice was a mix of Kohaku's and Daiki's, "Shuichi!" The soul threw itself into the fox's arms, holding onto the fox demon like he was holding onto life itself. "It was so dark, I couldn't see. I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what to do and I...I was so scared!" the pour thing wailed sobs.
"It's alright now." Kurama embraced the soul, feeling a tear fall down his cheek. The fox demon was so happy to finally be able to keep his promise. "Welcome home, Daiki." He closed his green eyes and let the soul cry to it's heart's content. //It's going to be alright now.//
"Excuse me." There was a knock on the door to the Hazama guest room where Kurama had been staying. The fox demon nearly leaped out of skin from the sudden change back to the real world. Green eyes blinked, feeling the warm body hugging his middle. Blue eyes blinked before he awkwardly let go of the red head.
"S-sorry. I didn't..." the strawberry blond was blushing from the embarrassing situation he suddenly found himself in. "What was I doing?" he scratched his head.
"Don't worry about it." the red head noticed the burnt gold orb was no where to be found, nor the ampule. //What does it mean?//
"Excuse me?" the voice came again with a light tapping knock.
"Y-yes?" the red head answered inwardly promising not to mention this to anyone, for Diaki's sake.
"There's a phone call for our guest."
"For Shuichi-kun?" Daiki rubbed his head. "Who knows you're here?"
"I...don't know." The fox demon opened the door and accepted the phone from the middle aged woman who took Yuma's place, at least temporarily. "Thank you."
"Oh and young master, breakfast is prepared. Fuuyuki-sama will be expecting you soon." her eyes seemed to say more than her words.
"Th-thank you." he nodded as she shut the door.
"Hello." the red head spoke into the receiver.
"Shuichi-san? Is this really you, Shuichi-san?"
"Michiba-san! How did you know I was here?"
"I didn't. I called here because I exhasted all of my other options. Do you know how long you've been gone from school? I've been holding things together, but we need you for the up coming cultural festival and aside from that I heard you haven't even been home. I tried calling may times and finally you mother answered."
"Mother? She's back?"
"That's right. She told me she canceled her trip early cause she couldn't get a hold of you either. She's worried sick about you."
"I'm such an idiot." he slipped his fingers into his crimson bangs, feeling like a genuine heel. "I'll call her now." he promised.
"Acctually, she's probably on her way now."
"What?!" Green eyes grew wide.
"When she told me that Hazama-san had been staying with you I gave her the address and..." Shuichi hung up the phone and grabbed his clothes.
"What's wrong?" the strawberry blond noticed the other's sudden urgency.
"My mother's coming here, now!"
"What?! This is really a bad time." Daiki expressed his panic with both arms.
"Your telling me," he slipped his pants on and threw aside his yukata to pull his shirt over his head, "take a look outside."
"Huh?" the young man obeyed. "It stopped snowing and its a little foggy."
"Yes and if I'm right, Korina's about to make her move."
"Who?"
"Damn it! Why now!" the fox crossed an arm over his middle to hold his elbow in place to bite his thumb. "Why did she have to choose such a populated place?" He let his arms cross fully as green eyes locked with blue. The strawberry blond jumped, feeling a sweat drop on his temple, Daiki had no idea what he was talking about. "My family, your family, their all about to be in very serious danger."
"Shuichi."