10 Years of Waiting
by Kurohi Tatsaki
Day 11b - Moving Out
Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, & never will. Kurohi & Yamiryuinu, Shirokoori, and all the other original characters I and Kohaku Frost come up with are property of Beware of Mage & Tsuki Ryu Productions.
HieiNimbus3007 - No, he isn't, is he? He kinda likes to avoid answering things on the personal level, specifically.
Gami-chan - raises an eyebrow Look, I like the language, so I'm going to use it no matter what anybody says. So far, the other reviewers like it. If you have a problem with it, go elsewhere. After all, I'm not forcing you to read this. This fanfic is also a method for me to get BETTER. Besides, who would want ALL Japanese in a sentence? Some Americans don't fluently speak or read Japanese, (namely, me) and they wouldn't get the gist of sentences if I wrote a whole sentence in that language.
Everyone, I hope you enjoy! This is my first YuYuHakusho fic that became longer than three chapters, and I'm pretty damn well happy about this!
Waaa! I love your reviews! Sorry about the wait, guys!
/ song paragraph end POV switch passing of time 3rd pov sounds
"I was just comparing how Kurohi was to Koenma and how I was to you." Hiei
Angel took a sideways glance at her friend. He wore his usual large blue, button down shirt and light blue jeans, which didn't clash with his light blue shoes.
He looked as if he hadn't slept well at all.
Well, who would if your lover was unexpectedly taken just as you had realized the benefits and warmth of true, unbreakable love?
She looked at Botan and chuckled softly to herself. The chuckle was all but lost in her dark black robe.
The "it" in reference fumed next to her. The blue-haired, pink-eyed female-turned-male clutched his oar tightly before making it disappear off somewhere. He wore a dark green tunic and had combed his long, blue hair into a low ponytail instead of his usual high-up-in-the-air one.
Kurohi gazed into the entrance of the forest they were to enter soon. His mind, a blank, yet so full, the thoughts became even more jumbled than a hurricane tearing into a three story home. However, despite the chaos, one thought remained intact:
Save Koenma-koi.
prrirri
A redhead/carrot top opened the door. "Uh? Kurama? What're ya doin' here so early?" he asked, yawning widely.
The second redhead with much longer tresses looked calm, but grave. "Koenma has been taken hostage. We are to assemble at a forest south of here today."
"Um, like a mission like ten years ago?"
Kurama nodded once and pulled a strand of fiery red hair out of his eyes. "Precisely. Only this time, no Koenma to watch our actions."
"Ah, okay... Em, what about Urameshi?"
"Hiei is notifying him at this moment. Get what you feel you'll need. 'This mission could be the toughest we've ever faced,' to use Kurohi's words."
Kuwabara nodded. "Right! See you then!" He closed the door.
Done with his job, the green-eyed male ran back home to get himself prepared.
tk, tk, tk, tk, tk...
Brown eyes half closed, the ex-delinquent pulled open the window. He yawned once. "Whas up, Hiei?"
"Get your things and hurry to that large forest south of Kuwabara's home. Kurohi, Angel, and Botan are already waiting for us all there. This is going to be much like one of Koenma's tasks."
Yusuke frowned sleepily. "Fine... I'll be there. Later, Hiei!"
The spiky-haired male flitted off, and the other black-haired man closed the window and began to rummage in his dresser.
"Yu...suke?" mumbled his wife, sitting up. The sheets fell to her waist, but she didn't mind. She was wearing a white satin night gown.
"Yeah?" he asked, throwing some spare clothes into a duffel bag next to the horizontal dresser.
"Where are you going?"
"Koenma's been captured. It's our, the Reikai Tantei-tachi's, job to get him back."
"Nanda do? Do you know what happened?"
"Nope. What I do know, is that we're starting our 'journey' in the forest south from Kuwabara's. Y'know, that forest that has a gate that also goes into the Makai?"
"Yeah. You're going there?"
"Yup." Throwing a few more things into the blue bag, he zipped it up and gave his wife a long kiss, and broke away after a few seconds "I'll see ya when I get back. It might be a while. I'll bring my cell, okay? I'll call when I can if I don't break it fighting a stupid demon."
"Be careful, Yusuke."
He gave her one of his trademark grins, and left, trotting downstairs and exiting the house noisily.
"Mommy, where is Daddy going?"
"Out for a while."
"Will he be back?"
"Yes. Yes, he will. He always comes back."
"Yukina-chan?"
The ice maiden looked up at her towering husband. She gave a small smile. "Don't worry. Just like you, I'll protect Hikina and Kesumi with my life." Just like his honor. I understand him, unlike how he used to be such a puzzle. She stood up from the edge of the bed and embraced him around the middle, resting her head against his lower chest. He knelt down so her head could rest on his shoulder.
"I'll be back soon. That I promise you. We guys jes gotta get Koenma back, and we, too, shall get back. Don't worry."
"I trust you."
Kuwabara hesitated a moment longer before leaving his beloved's embrace. He exited the home, and closed the door softly behind himself.
Where are they? They should be here by now.
"Kurohi!" uttered an alto voice.
The boy turned around, sun hitting the top of his hair, making it glitter a more fine red and gold. "Hai?"
Kurama and Hiei were the first spotted. The one who had spoken was Kurama.
"Well, since we're here, where's everyone else?"
"Guys! Wait up!" hollered a boyish voice.
"Yeah! Some of us snore so loudly we can't hear you guys come to our places quickly!" yelled a higher-toned tenor.
"Kuwabara! Yusuke! So glad you could arrive before we left!" replied Kurohi. "Everyone ready? Despite whenever you guys ever decide to chicken out, I'm not going to!" As he said this, he eyed everyone except for Hiei. "I don't care what's in there. Just as long as we get Koenma outta there." He kept his voice free of emotion despite the rage and fear that churned inside him.
"We will not run, just like you. You can count on us!" retorted Yusuke. This response made Kurohi's face tug upward into a small smile.
"Arigatou, Yusuke. Okay, guys..." he looked at Kuwabara, Yusuke, Hiei and Kurama. "and gal," He gazed at Angel. "and it," He eyed Botan. "Let's go!"
The group trooped into the forest. For the Tsuki Ryu male, it pulled at him unlike anything ever before. Was it his feelings for the god that pulled at him? Was it to seek his heritage, that even he knew next to nothing of?
To the others, it seemed like an ordinary forest that simply lead to the world of demons that they had traveled so many times before.
The boy seemed to be the most eager. Even when going into the heart of enemy territory, he seemed oblivious to the fact. However, a single glance into his eyes told that he was aware of every movement around him. Including the terrain surrounding him.
He glanced everywhere, gaze never lingering on one spot for very long. His red-orange, striped tail swished impatiently, betraying his inextricable emotions and thoughts. His hand clutched the hidden hilt of his Ryuken, or 'Dragonsword' tightly. When he realized what it was he was doing, he forced his arm to relax.
It itched to hold onto anything - anything at all. In frustration, he ran a hand through his hair roughly before trying to hold himself from sprinting or whining, "Are we there yet!" It wouldn't be good for him to whine, especially since he's seventeen ningen years of age.
Kurohi settled for sighing loudly just as he sensed a presence right next to him. He turned his head and looked slightly downward at the person - no - demon, next to him. "Hai, Hiei-sama?"
"Keep up your guard. Once we enter that gate, you'd better be prepared for a few fights. I hope you haven't copied Kurama and my techniques down to the individual movements."
Kurohi stopped walking, letting the others pass him. He stared at Hiei with a slightly confused and pondering gaze, slightly thrown out of proportion by his large, humanoid eyes. Angel stopped behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder. It was taut to the touch. He was seriously thinking about what his trainer had said.
Copied their techniques?
Rosewhip... his speed... the Ryuken...
But he wasn't Kurama, nor Hiei. He just had some of their genetics inside of his own, right? It wasn't his fault, right?
Right?
"Kurohi! C'mon! Don't you wanna get this over with!"
He looked up at Yusuke and nodded once, ignoring his friend. "Yes! Yes!" He dashed up alongside the black-haired, brown-eyed husband, and probably to-be father. "Of course I do! Let me at my brother! I'll give him ANOTHER pounding!"
"Hold the phone! He's your brother we're gonna wind up seriously injuring? Perhaps killing?"
"I really don't care. He hurt me, Kurama, probably Hiei-sama, and he confused me into thinking my dragon was the bad gal! Let! Me! AT! HIM!" He started to lunge.
The other male grasped the seventeen-year-old by the back of the shirt. He "gaaaakkkk"ed and fell backwards right into Yusuke. He thrashed in the grip. "Let me GO! Yusuke! Let me go!" After thrashing for a while, and Yusuke not yielding an inch, the boy went slack into a quiet fit of sobs. Yusuke set himself and the boy down in the grass, letting the younger one lean against him weakly.
"Look, Kurohi. We'll get him back, y'know?"
"...I promised myself..." He fisted his hands into his lap and shook slightly with both rage and depression. "I promised myself," he said a bit louder. "that I'd... I'd PROTECT HIM! YU--SUKE! I FAILED that! How could I ever live with myself if he got hurt!" A certain signature touched him lightly in the face and he growled, standing up. Anger kicked in full force. "Taka..." He dashed in the direction of the bird-dragon, disappearing behind a Makai portal.
He reappeared on the other side of a dreary and dank world. The rest of the group caught up a few seconds later. Tail swishing, it picked up speed to a flit as he honed in onto the signature. They ran through gray tiling of a town of sorts. It was flocked with Youkai. Some eyed the intruders suspiciously while others just plain ignored them.
The lead boy yelped LOUDLY as his tail was caught and he was pulled into the grip of another. Lashing blindly, he managed to hit the kidnapping figure in the nose before flitting out of harm's way. He glared at the Youkai that stood before him, gripping his pointy, bloody nose.
"Don't. Touch. Me," clipped Kurohi.
The Youkai growled back at him. "Shaddup. You don't know who yer talkin' to, kid." He was tall. VERY tall. Kurohi had to crane his neck up, practically hyper-extending his neck just to look the demon in the face.
He must have been over ten feet tall.
Kurohi didn't care one bit. "Look. Leave me alone, and I'll leave ya alone."
"YOU, little boy, need to come with me! My boss awaits your arrival."
"I'm in a hurry. There's a message you can give me?"
The rest of the group caught up at last with the swift Tsuki Ryu.
"Kurohi, you know this guy?"
"No."
"And... we have some bad news..." continued Yusuke.
"I know. I can't sense Taka anymore. She's gone. I can't afford anymore detours, sir," he said to the demon before him. "I'll go to your boss as soon as MY mission is complete. Sayonara!"
Giving him a sideways glance, the genetically altered demon walked past the ten-footer.
Something was up with this guy, and it wasn't his head.
"Kurohi hasn't uttered a word since we set up camp."
"Yeah. Probably upset about Koenma," agreed Kuwabara to his rival, glancing up at the tree said male sat in. He was in an unsettled slumber.
Hiei was sitting on the ground next to Kurama's stomach. The redhead had his hands folded behind his head and was gazing at what little sky was visible through the thick branches high above them.
The fire demon turned his fiery gaze to the brunette for a moment. He couldn't quite compare the sudden loss of someone loved to one who had never loved at the time.
It must be very painful... to have love and then have it ripped away. Jaganshi Hiei turned his gaze back to the redhead. I hope that never happens with Kurama and me... Just how Koenma is to Kurohi, Kurama is to me.
"Hiei?"
He blinked once. "Mm?"
"What is it?"
Knowing full well that Kuwabara and Yusuke were in earshot, he replied telepathically//I don't want to lose you. I was just comparing how Kurohi was to Koenma and how I was to you./
Kurama used a long finger to motion him a bit closer. Hiei settled himself on the grass next to him and fixed his piercing, but otherwise soft gaze onto the emerald-eyed beauty. "I won't let anyone take me from you, Hiei," whispered Kurama.
Their moment was interrupted by movement above. The boy had woken up. His eyes were half closed, his mouth slightly agape. Kurohi blinked once, slowly, catlike. He yawned, and sniffed the air a few times, then flitted to his right, out of sight.
He needed a bath... and he needed to clear his head.
A lithe, nude body slid into the cold water, but it didn't stiffen nor did the owner yelp. He increased his body heat to warm the liquid around him. Then, taking a large breath, he went under. The weak barrier parted for him, sliding against him as he pressed forward.
Koenma... I'll get you back. I promise! I promised I'd protect you! After a moment, he forced himself up to the surface. He gasped softly for air.
His eyes must have betrayed him there. He must have imagined the image of Koenma hovering near him.
It disappeared quickly when he blinked. Kurohi sagged in defeat. I really MUST be going insane... for... the second time? Matte, where did THAT thought come from?
He changed his center of balance and settled for floating on his back.
/You okay, baby/
No one replied to him.
/...Koenma/
Silence.
What happened to him?
Why wouldn't he answer?
Was he okay?
/Koen---ma.../
He received no answer.
He was getting worried.
Was his koibito okay?
Realizing his large eyes were closed, Kurohi opened them. He doggy-paddled over to the shore and used his ki to dry himself. He threw on his clothes, letting his tail poke out of the hole in his pants once more. It swished agitatedly.
He and Koenma had a link. So, why wasn't he answering?
That thought kept him up for half the night.
End Day 11
R&R!
Started 4/14/03, 4:56PM; Finished 4/17/03, 5:11PM