Kurama's Tale
Chapter One: Kuronue's Death
"This looks too easy," Youko Kurama said smugly. An angular black shadow shifted beside him in a nodding gesture.
"I agree," a deeper, heavier voice commented. The kitsune at the shadow's side smirked devilishly, contorting his handsome features into something much more beautiful and awe-inspiring. Silver locks fell about the youkai's face and over his bright, golden eyes in tendrils that had not been trimmed in quite a spell of time, giving him a rugged handsome aura. Pricked white ears towered stately above the mass of long silver hair, flickering at the night sounds that carried themselves about the two upon the night's mysterious waves of air. Murmuring breeze shuffled past them nervously, rustling Kurama's loose white clothing, running invisible claws through his hair in soft, motherly strokes as though to bring courage to his already bold expression, cooing softly about him. The kitsune, in turn, was allowed to calculate the scents on it's slithering svelte. The reeking scent of unhygienic youkai invaded his nostrils, giving a new thought to the word vulgar. But he snorted in contempt. Perfect.
"Low level demons. They shouldn't be a problem," said the shadow that crouched beside him. It watched the entrance of a cave-like palace, shaped as to resemble the face of a menacing, toothy demon, whose mouth gaped wide to engulf any and all visitors. Fangs jutted from the cavern of it's mouth like stalagmites, waiting to trip any intruder that dared to breach its frothing lips from beneath its empty eyes and vicious expression.
The shadow shifted, a whisper of leathery wings alerted Kurama to his partner's movement.
"So what do you think, Kuronue? Wait another hour, or go now?" Youko asked as though the question held great importance, of which it did not, as they both knew. Dark blue eyes flashed in the darkness.
"Let's go now, while they are still drowsy from their sake from the party," he answered, taking a step forward. Leaves from the bamboo failed to mask the creature, letting Kuronue's form to slink into half-light. Dark blue hair blended black in the night's clear light. Not that there was much of it. The moon was no where to be found on the dreary night. A leathery-black vest clung tightly to the youkai's torso, making way in the back for his spacious bat-like wings. The same leather bound his arms in a seemingly meaningless pattern that ran from his wrists to his upper arms. A floppy, torn hat rested atop his head, cut to suit his long and high pony-tail and sharp, pointed youkai ears, a gold buckle latched firmly at it's front. The shadows of the massive plants patterned the white cape-like cloth around his waist intricately, the fabric deepening the color of his black pants and soft boots. The umbrage clung determinedly to him, as though a selfish child hugging a doll that it did not wish to part with, even though the strength of the one pulling it away was that of a much greater magnitude than that of an infant. Its finger's snaked its way through his hair and pooled beneath the protruding, tattered edge of his hat, avoiding the brilliant chasms of azure that were his eyes.
"Yes. That golden platter is as good as ours," Youko snickered. They leapt together out of the thick bamboo trees as though given an invisible cue from some god who saw amusement in their race, stealing like the shadows that cloaked them into the palace. The first two guards they came across were drunk beyond what one would, in their right mind, believe, and barely saw the two thieves in the dim light.
"Gi? Is tha' ya?" one of the youkai hicced, the scent of sake enveloping his body as he stumbled forward, putting out an arm against the walls to catch his swaying form. It held firm under his dead weight as he clambered along its length as a source of support.
"Ye'h?" answered an equally drunk voice behind him, followed by heavy footfalls.
"Disgraceful," Kurama sneered. The first youkai looked up with dull eyes, squinting in hopes of recognizing the figure that stood before him in the dim and wavering light.
"Who goes?" he asked, straightening with sudden resolve at the cockiness in the voice that was not present in that of a drunken guards. A voice that did not match the one that sounded behind him.
"Your prosecutors," Kuronue answered in a cold voice. Clawed hands lashed out at the shadowy creature, which could hardly yelp in response, his slimy green body sinking to the floor as the invader slashed open his throat.
"Org, wha's goin' on?" came the second voice, closer now. "Damn. Smells li'e blood," the creature dubbed Gi cursed. He stepped closer and turned the shallow corner that had hidden him from view, a torch in his clawed hand. His bleary eyes struggled against the light as he held the torch up higher. His eyes widened in fear when he saw the two youkai standing before his dead comrade, the one clothed in black flicking his hand once to rid it of the blood that stained it.
"Youko Kurama, Kuronue, the infamous thieves!" Gi managed to whisper hoarsely before a sickening crack resounded in the hall.
"Too loud, Kurama." The kitsune drew back his green, thorny whip, which had entangled itself around the guard's throat and smartly snapped its spine in two. He retransformed it into its original, flowering, state at Kuronue's blunt, yet amused statement.
"Yes. I know," was the reply. They moved forward, but came across no other guards to harass them and sidetrack them from their goal. They were as silent as veiled ghosts, making their way past rooms full of creatures, most reeking of alcohol and unhealthy scents that stung at their noses. They carefully made their way through the mazes of hallways, keeping away from direct torchlight that would bring them into plain view and an inadvertent sense of justice that they would rather not confront. It did not take them long to come to the hall in which lay the safe of which they had been in search of. Two large and impressive guards stood rigidly beside it, surprisingly not sinking of the scent of intoxification. The two criminals did not even have to look at each other to know what to do. They had played the trick so many times in the past that it was locked into memory with as much definition as the motor skills they used to speak with. From under his thick hair Kurama drew out the small, yet undeniably potent flower that he had used previously. Concentrating his energy on manipulating the plant, he lashed out. The foliage transformed before the first guard's eyes, impinging him before he even recognized the weapon as a potential threat, much less the bringer of his demise.
The second guard could hardly turn his head to watch the death of his fellow comrade before Kuronue slashed at him with brutal and unforgiving claws, severing his throat in a clean swipe. Kurama walked out from the shadows of the hall into the flickering light of two torches that burned regally beside the large, metal alloy door, inside of which held the possession they were in search of.
Kuronue wiped the blood of his victim on the dead body's shirt to deny any evidence of his recent kill. Kurama flicked his wrist and his whip returned to its smaller state, tucking it into his long tresses. The two looked at each other before approaching the door. Kuronue removed a torch and held it close to the lock for Kurama to observe in clearer light. The kitsune studied it for a moment before twisting the latch first one way, then another and pulling. The door did not budge. Crouching down again, he looked it over critically. The design was flawless and difficult, even for his advanced skill in the department. He ran his clawed hands over it's surface, turning the knob experimentally.
A faint, dull click alerted him a few moments later that he had succeeded in cracking the code. Smirking proudly he pulled open the door, which swung open on well-oiled hinges. Kuronue glanced back at his partner as the kitsune walked into the large room before turning his attention back to standing guard.
Kurama looked around the large safe critically in search of traps that might prove to be an annoyance. Assured that there were none, he straightened and walked toward the center of the room. A flat, golden object sat stately on a stone pillar, glinting faintly in the dim torchlight. Smirking, the kitsune picked up the prized object, observing his watery reflection on it's surface. He turned, tucking it securely under his arm. Kuronue looked back at him and smirked, nodding toward the platter.
"Simple," he said quietly. Kurama nodded.
"Let's get out of here," was the reply. Kuronue nodded once and replaced the torch in its respective position beside the safe.
The stole quietly back toward the entrance of the palace, passing the numerous rooms filled with drunken youkai along the way. Keeping to the shadows they managed to avoid detection, but they knew it wouldn't be long until the scent of blood wafted its way throughout the rooms and brought the demon's running to discover the missing platter.
The two ran swiftly passed the fresh bodies of the two guards they had killed and made for the entrance, leaping out of the cavernous mouth of the palace. Leaping back toward the tree line they stopped and exchanged smirks as Kurama lifted the platter, which grinned devilishly in the moonlight, boldly showing off the riches of their suborn.
Guttural bellows and roars erupted in a fury behind them, the youkai they had previously avoided having been informed as to what had occurred and servility venturing to sally against the prowess of the two thieves. With hardly a glance the two leapt into the vast forest of bamboo with solicitude, leaping about the trunks of bamboo with ease and grace borne of practice.
A sharp 'tink' brought Kuronue's movement to an abrupt stop. He leapt against a strong plant and bounded back the way they had come as a flash of red and silver caught his eye. Kurama witnessed the movement from the corner of his sharp golden eyes and landed among the leaf litter below the canopy as his friend veered off their coarse.
"Don't! Kuronue!" he called, turning to watch the retreat of black wings through his surprise.
"I need it!" his partner called back, running back to retrieve the missing treasure. A small clearing let the starlight bathe the floor of the forest in soft, argent, light. Red flashed incandescently in the center of it as though a perfect drop of solidified blood, encased in a mold of silver. Kuronue swiftly scooped up the prized pendent and turned to run in a single, fluid movement. But something stopped him, pinning his right leg roughly and painfully to the earth. A cry pierced his lips as more spears rained down upon him, cutting into his skin and letting blood spill from the wounds in spurting bursts of crimson.
"Kuronue!" Kurama cried, making his way back toward his fallen partner.
"Run," Kuronue said, his voice failing as quickly as his trembling legs, down which ran tears of blood, soaking into the fabric of his clothing.
"Forget about me, Kurama!" he said. The kitsune looked at him increndously, then glanced over the drooping wings of his partner and into the faces of the raging mob of youkai sent to imprison them. Growling in the depths of his throat, Kurama turned back to Kuronue, who fell weakly to his knees.
"Go!" he whispered hoarsely. "Get yourself out of here!"
"I can't leave you," Kurama said sternly. He received a glare for his impudent words from his fallen partner.
"Go, or I'll kill you myself," was the dark reply, interlaced freely with inanition. Kurama heard the unmoving determination in the thief's voice and stood from his crouch beside him. Without a word, he turned and ran.
"Go! Run!" Kuronue called after him frantically, grunts accenting his voice as thuds pounded on his back, telling a clear tale of how he was being impaled by the sharp points of spears. Kurama turned in realization that he was leaving his partner behind without first trying to help him escape, even though his ally had bid of him to flee. But too late he realized his mistake as several more spears bit ferociously into the youkai's flesh. The fallen thief collided softly with the dirt as his eyes went blank and cold, a final cry urging his partner on frozen in his throat.
~*~*~
Authoress: ^_^ well, I know I changed the wording around a bit compared to the second movie where Kuronue comes about, but that was full of much more action, hai?
Kurama: -_- hai…. -yawn-
J: aww, don't be like that, Kurama-kun! ^_^
Kurama: I am very tired.
J: well, you still haven't finished this, so buckle down! This is what we writers do!
Kurama: but I'm not a writer.
J: too bad. ^_^
Kurama: -grumbles-
J: anyway, you will notice that these chapters here after will be VERY long, due to the fact that this was supposed to be a one-shot and all. ^_^ But I made Kurama keep going. It was just so good! ^_^ Very addicting. anyway, reviews will be exchanged with other author's for encouraging writing implements [exp: whips, threats, etc..] for Kurama! ^_^ he SOO loves it when I find new ones.
Kurama: -half-asleep- crazy… ningen….. Onna…
J: ^_^ anyway, flames will be used to entice Hiei to burn down my school to make Kurama write more. ^_^ reviews also will help me buy the YYH manga v3 since I told my mother it is imperative for this story. ^_^ and it is, of course!
Reviews:
Sakurasango: ^_^ here's more for ya! Kurama and I thank ye!
Henrika: hmm, I don't know if Kurama's going to tell his mother yet. But, I guess we'll find out soon enough! Umm, I don't really know where this is on the YYH timeline, because it could be just about anywhere! Just let's just say right after the Dark Tournament, just to be safe. ^_^ enjoy and thank ye!
J: wonderful reviews, people! Now, Disclaimer, please, Kitsune…
Kurama: -jolts awake- huh?! Oh. Yes, -ahem- J-san does not own me, nor does she own Kuronue. She forgot to say as much last chapter…
J: no, you were just too lazy to do it!
Kurama: I was sleeping! Anyway, she does own those Gi and Org guys that died and all them other demons. -yawn- now, if you'll excuse me, a nap, lasting maybe a week, is in order. Please don't review, it will only make her wake me up and make me go yet another week without sleep… or food…
J: -hits upside the head- hey! You get just as much sleep as I do! And food too! I take good care of my characters that I lease. And what was that you said about reviewing, dear fox?
Kurama: o.o' please review if you hold my life in any way dear!
J: -pats on head- good fox.
R&R plz!
