"We're here now where the hell are you?" Yusuke shouts out to the silence. A cold breeze rises up suddenly as if answering him but nothing more. The boys stand waiting for anything at any moment to jump out at them but nothing.
"She's toying with us." Hiei said annoyed.
"Come on! If it's one thing you were always good for it was arriving to a fight on time now get here already so we can finish this for good!" Kuwabara yells drawing his spirit sword. Still only silence.
"Should we go looking for her." Kuwabara asks after a while.
"No we need to stay in a group. I believe that to seperate us would be suicide." Kurama answers.
"WE'RE TIRED OF THESE DAMNED GAMES KEAKA! JUST COME ON OUT SO WE CAN KILL YOU ALREADY!" Yusuke shouts. A maniacal laughter fills their ears and echoes all around them, the same as that day in Genkai's temple.
Nine Years Prior
"No it can't be. She would never do a thing like that!" Kuwabara shouted as they ran towards Genakai's temple.
"LISTEN DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER I'M JUST SAYING WHAT KOENMA SAID! THAT'S ALL!" Yusuke retorted.
"It does seem highly unlikely that Keaka would delibratly kill a human child however as much as I hate to admit it the evidence is piling against her." Kurama said.
"Well who was the last person to see her?" Yusuke asked.
"I haven't seen her in almost a year." Kuwabara said.
"Six months for me." Kurama added.
"I saw Keaka two weeks ago." Hiei said almost quietly. They stopped dead in their tracks.
"And?" Yusuke asked. Hiei clenches his fist and grits his teeth.
"She basically admitted to the murder that's what!" Hiei spat out angrily. The four team members stare at each other horrified for a moment before running even faster than before.
"Why did you not inform us of this sooner Hiei?" Kurama said becoming more worried and more agitated by the second.
"What the hell difference would it have made if I had or hadn't?" Hiei spat back.
They raced up the stairs to Genkai's temple and slammed open the door just as it began to down pour outside. The lightning clashed with the thunder illuminating the huge hall. Keaka stood in the middle of the room in her black kimono with the crimson butterflies on it. Her insane laughter echoed through out the hall and bounced off the walls.
"SIS!" Kuwabara said and began to run towards his younger sister. Another flash of lightning illuminated the room giving them a full view of the gory scene that lay before them. Botan, Keiko, Shizeru, Yukina, and Shiori all lay on the floor in a mangled heap strewn around near Keaka carelessy placed. Blood soaked into the wood floor as it oozed from the fatal gashes that had been inflicted upon them. The four tantai's stared disbelieving the site that lay before them
"No. Oh no..no..no...KEIKO!" Yusuke shouted out in anguish.
"K..K...sis, how, how could...you...kill...them...all?" Kuwabara asked sinking to his knees staring at Yukina and his older sister.
"M...mother!" Kurama shouted and ran to his human mother's side.
"You killed them. You killed them all!" Hiei said fingering his katana before racing towards Keaka whom still was laughing that creepy horrible laugh. She began to advance towards Hiei slowly with her hands outstretched never stopping in her ceaseless laughter. Her fingertips briefly grazed his cheek leaving deep gashes. Hiei cried out in brief pain as her touch seered his skin like a hot iron.
"She's too powerful. We must retreat!" Kurama said sadly but forcefully bringing himself out of his sorrow and grabbing Yusuke and Kuwabara. Hiei followed his friend out into the rain and ran to Reikai where they thought they would be safe.
Present Day
That maniacal laughter sounded in the open space making the tantai's jump.
"Awww. How kawaii I scared my boys." The all too familiar voice sounded before Keaka materialized before them. Her hair had once been an amazing shade of auburny orange that blazed bright it now shone jet black reflecting her dark personality as did her eyes. She flew at them throwing energy shards at them immediatly sending them flying in different directions. Yusuke pulled out his shotgun while Kuwabara charged at her with his spirit sword, both of which she easily dodged.
Hiei slashed at her in vain with his katana as she mocked him giggling softly. Kurama stood his ground rose whip in hand.
"I grow weary of this." keaka said and released a massive amount of energy in one blast sending Yusuke, Hiei and Kuwabara flying.
"There my chance." Kurama thought and threw a seed at her that quickly emerged into a large strangle plant wrapping it's tentacles around her.
"Ahhh. You think you can catch me...ahhhhh..what is this?" Keaka struggled only to find the vines unbreakable even under her massive power.
"I have learned quite a few new tricks over the years Keaka one being the art of magic." Kurama said emotionless.
"YOU SUCK!" She spat as the vines grew tighter around her. Kurama looks around at his friends then back at Keaka.
"Why? Why all this? Was it something I did?" Kurama asked advancing towards her. Keaka did not answer. Kurama placed a hand against her frigid cheek.
"It wasn't supposed to be this way moneca. (-doll) Not between us." Kurama said sadly his ears laying flat against his head. Keaka tried to pull away put only found it harder to breathe. She bit at Kurama's fingers drawing blood but Kurama did not flinch.
"We were such good friends before all of this. I know that if things had gone right we would have been married but that's all gone now isn't it?" Keaka began to gasp for air as her lips swelled and turned a light blue. Her head fell down to touch her chest and Kurama's heart broke.
"Why..didn't...you...kill me...back then?" She sputtered out in a whisper. Kurama's eyes grew wide.
"What did you say?"
"I don't want to kill anyone!" Keaka said forcefully and looked up at Kurama with tears in her eyes. Kurama gasped as he saw Keaka, his sweet little friend whom he loved dearly had come back to him if only for a moment. Her blue eyes sparkled with tears as the black cloud began to ascend around her.
"I knew it! I knew you weren't capable of such things! Who are you and why are you doing this?" Kurama asked forcefully.
"All the impure evil thoughts of all those demons killed. Somehow manifested...themselves...in me. Kitsune, please..you must...please..." Keaka begged. Kurama shook his head.
"No I will save you." Kurama said weakly. Keaka managed to get a hand free and bring it to Kurama's cheek to stroke it gently.
"I don't want to kill anyone. Kill me, kill me, kill me, KILL ME!" Keaka yelled in his face as she brought his hands to her neck. His fingers wrapped slowly around her neck as the dark cloud began to manifest around Kurama as well. Keaka's eyes flutuated between pitch black to clear day. Kurama brought his lips to hers gently pressing against her's for one last kiss. He pulled back just enough to gaze into her eyes.
"Kill me." Keaka said again quietly. Kurama tightened his grip and he watched as Keaka's face swelled slightly turning red from his grasp. Her hand held onto his wrist weakly before falling to her side. Kurama let go slowly and watched as her head dropped down quickly. The deep red marks stood out against her pale neck wrenching Kurama's heart. The malevolent cloud gathered around her momentarily as if looking for any sign of life and Kurama could have sworn that he heard a scream of agony rise up from it before it dissipated.
Kurama watched sadly as her hair returned to normal and embraced her in his arms letting her loose from the plants grip.
"It's over huh?" Yusuke asked weakly walking over slowly to where Kurama sat with his mate. He nodded once.
"So what now?" Kuwabara asked staring at his little sister with tears running down his face.
"Do what we can and rebuild with the rest of the survivors." Hiei said blankly.
They returned to what was left of the Ningenkai and buried Keaka's body by Genkai's temple where they decided to reside at despite the horrible memories. Kurama sat by her grave that was not far from the others and gently caressed the soft rose petals that grew next to her grave. He rubbed his eyes free of his tears with his other hand and sobbed deeply.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry keaka-chan. I'm sorry I could not protect you from that thing and I'm sorry I could not save you my love." Kurama sobbed even harder.
'Shhhh. There, there kitsune don't cry silly fox.' Kurama glanced around him but didn't see anyone there but he could have sworn that he'd heard her. He turned back towards her grave and traced the letters that had been carved onto the stone. He felt soft lips gently press against his and he stifled a gasp.
'Thank you. Sayonara bye-bye, until we meet again my love.' Kurama looked around at his surroundings again and wrapped his arms around himself.
"Good bye Keaka." He whispered as her presence left him for good.