Saga 7: Demons, ghosts, & goddesses
Ch.2. Blind Hope disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Yu-Hakusho characters, except for 'Shido',
Jugo, and Lenos.
// = thought speak

All four looked over to see Kuwabara carrying his Spirit Sword and wearing a ridiculous grin, as usual. "Looks like you could use a bit of help Urameshi." Yusuke face-faulted then smirked. "Normally, I'd say no, but in this case..." both the boys turned to Lenos and Jugo, whose expressions were unreadable; and grinned evilly. "I think I could use some extra muscle to beat the spit outta these scumbags." Yusuke finished, cracking his knuckles. "Uhh...Urameshi?" "WHAT Kuwabara?!" Yusuke shouted irritably, not taking his eyes off either thug. "W-who's the p-pretty girl?" Yusuke sweat- dropped and then quickly turned to Kuwabara and whacked his carrot-colored head. "OW! What the hell was that for?!" The disgruntled Kazuma hollered, raising his fists at the irritated Yusuke, who in turn, replied, "Why do you think you idiot?! Here you are, flirting with a woman whose life is in danger, which is hardly the time and besides the fact that you're dating Yukina, remember dumb-butt?!" Kuwabara's mouth opened to reply but then closed when the subject of Yukina popped up. He sighed happily, thinking of his sweetheart back home when a movement caught his eye, rushing him back to reality. Yusuke and Kuwabara then realized with graveness they made their biggest mistake yet. Both quickly spun around, facing their opponents in front and gasped.

Lenos had disappeared from sight, but Jugo and 'Shido' were still there. To make things worse, the thug had yanked back the woman's layers of thick chocolate-brown hair, exposing her soft pale neck to a thin but sharp knife. He looked at the two boys, malice showing in his dark eyes. The woman still did not struggle. Yusuke was beginning to wonder if she even cared her life was in jeopardy. Jugo spoke, his voice deeper and somewhat more croaked. "Don't even think of moving. You do, and her blood is going to stain this blade, along with your hands." he grinned viciously. 'Is it just my imagination or did his teeth just get longer...and sharper?!' Yusuke thought with a slight shock.

Sure enough, the gangster's teeth were slowly growing pointier. Not only that, but he was growing larger and muscles seemed to bulge underneath his dark trench coat! The girl obviously sensed it as well, because for the first time, she was beginning to look frightened. "Yo, Kuwabara. Do you see what I'm seein'?" Yusuke questioned, still keeping an eye on Jugo, since it looked like he was slowly starting to back up. "Yeah. Me-thinks this ugly no-good bastard just may happen to be the one thing we've fought too many times before. Agree?" Kuwabara replied, readying his Spirit Sword, just in case there might be a chance for a quick attack. "100 %" Yusuke agreed, also secretly charging up his Spirit Gun. 'I gotta buy some time and just hope that the others get here soon' he thought with gritted teeth. He'd just have to keep talking to the demon.

"Alright, give up your disguise youkai!" Yusuke shouted, hoping it might slow the demon down a little. It didn't. He didn't stop backing up, however, he did pause to grin coldly. "So you finally figured it out, eh? Took you long enough." Yusuke smirked. "Yeah, well, I already had a hunch, since you're ugly enough to be one." Kuwabara laughed in the background and Jugo growled at the insult, but continued to back away. Shido was still not struggling, but instead quietly sat, obviously scared stiff. Yusuke took this opportune moment to send her another telepathic message //Don't worry. I have some friends coming in for backup. We'll get you outta here soon, so just hang on a bit longer// Again, the young lady looked into Yusuke's brown eyes. //Do not try to save me. I will die at their hands eventually, anyway// Yusuke sucked in his breath, startled at her lack of hope. //Have you always been this enthusiastic?// he asked, sarcasm dripping on every word. //...// She looked down as if struck by an invisible hand. Yusuke then felt a little guilty. But just as quick, she raised her head again, teal eyes staring deep into his, and then replied //Please, go find my family and protect them...// she thought quietly. When Yusuke looked like he was about to shout //Whaaaaaaaaaaat?!// she quickly continued on. //I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't lay such a burden on your shoulders, but I will surely die before I can get back to them. I beg of you, take them out of Japan! My grandfather is getting too old and my sister is only seven! They are not capable of taking care of everything without someone there to help them. I'm not asking you to take care of them, but PLEASE get them to safety! Lenos will come for them & kill them if they are not warned! Please, I implore you, go now. It is too late for me...// she thought, her eyes beginning to close, a sign that she was giving up. //OH NO YOU DON'T!!!// Yusuke mentally shouted, causing the woman to flinch. //NO, you're not gonna give up on me just yet!! NOT ON MY WATCH!!//

Yusuke then realized his Spirit Gun was fully powered up. He stole a glance at Kuwabara, who clearly looked ready to slice through a dozen demons. However, they both knew they were not fast or accurate enough to hit their enemy without the young woman coming out of it unscathed. (A/N: Wow, they're being smart for once!) At that point, Yusuke decided that maybe if he could trick the demon into changing into its true form, he might be able to shoot the demon without hurting the girl. But then again, there was always the prospect of that knife...he would just have to chance it.

"Hey, ugly! You can show your true form now, since we all know what you are! It might actually be an improvement!" Yusuke goaded, hoping the youkai would take the bait. But the demon only smirked and continued to back up. Yusuke and Kuwabara were beginning to panic. The creature's transformation was their only chance of possibly even rescuing Shido, who was looking terrified. Their only other hope was if either Kurama or Hiei showed up in a miraculous appearance, but they weren't going to hold their breath. The boys had to act fast; the youkai was almost at the edge of the woods, his hostage still not making any effort to struggle, much less escape. In fact, it seemed the gangster's increasing size was alarming her more than the knife aimed at her delicate throat.

"Hey, Urameshi." Yusuke snapped out of his daze, turning to give Kuwabara an irritated look for interrupting his brainstorming for an evasive solution. But his aggravated look changed to a puzzled one, for his comrade was peering very hard at the woman, or at least something in her direction. "Kuwabara! Stop thinking about her and start thinking how we can get her outta here!" "I'm not thinking about her!" "Well, then what is it, egg- head?!" Yusuke almost shouted. Instead of going into hysterics like he normally did, Kuwabara simply shot his partner a dirty look and then replied, "The woman. She's scared." Yusuke fell over, then shouted "THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE NEWSFLASH, MR. OBVIOUS!!! MY ASS YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT HER!! Either tell me something I don't know or quit bugging me and let me think of a way to get out of this situation with all our asses in tact!!" Kuwabara was silent for a moment then answered "Hey scuzzball, it you'd let me finish, that's not all I was gonna say!" Yusuke rolled his eyes. "What do you care to enlighten me about, o brainless one? I'm aware her life is in danger, if that's what you were gonna say-" "Shut up, jack-ass! If you'll quit flappin' your yer lips for a microsecond, I'll inform you on what I was gonna say!" "Then by all mean, inform away carrot-top..." Yusuke responded, his hand motioning in a flinging sort of way. "Stuff it! Don't you see it yet?! The chick has Spirit Energy!!!" "WHAT?!" Yusuke shouted, swerving to look at her. She looked back at him, her face unreadable. But sure enough, Yusuke saw a faint green shimmer around her body. Kuwabara continued. "She's not scared the tiniest bit of the knife...She's scared more of the demon dude!" 'That tears it!' Yusuke thought. 'I have to get her to safety and question her!'

Suddenly, Jugo started laughing. At first it was just a chuckle, but then turned into a maniacal one. The woman's eyes widened as her body was squeezed tightly under his arm. Yusuke and Kuwabara gasped as the man swiftly grew larger than any normal person should; and then exploded in a giant ball of fire. "NO!!!" Yusuke shouted, sprinting towards the woman, who was finally struggling, trying not to get burnt. Within a brief flash, Jugo had lost all human appearance, and now stood towering over the boys. He looked like a giant bull standing on his hind legs, flames consecutively spewing all over his dark and muscular body. Again, it laughed, sounding more like a bellow. "SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?! YOU WANTED TO SEE WHAT MY DEMON FORM LOOKED LIKE! WELL, HERE IT IS!!! JUST FOR YOU!! HAHAHAHA!!!!" Yusuke stole a quick glance at Kuwabara again, who looked like he was about to faint. "Hey Kuwabara!! If you pass out, I'm gonna use my gun on you!!!" he shouted. Kuwabara stood in a daze for a moment, then shook his head, snapping out of it. "CRAP! That thing's a fire demon!! I don't have ice attacks or anything like that!" Yusuke's mind raced, searching frantically for any possible way to beat down the giant behemoth. The thing that once was Jugo squeezed tighter on Shido's body, still holding the knife at her throat. //RUN!!// she thought to both the boys. //NO WAY!!// //NOT IN HELL!!// they both answered back. The youkai stared down at his opponents, eyes burning like hot coals, and giving off an evil grin. "WILL YOU STILL RISK TRYING TO RESCUE HER, AT THE POSSIBILTY OF EITHER OF YOU BURNING OR HER THROAT BEING CUT?! TRY TO STOP ME, I DARE YOU!!" Kuwabara suddenly screamed some sort of war cry, and then ran straight for Jugo, Spirit Sword glowing brightly. "NO STUPID!! THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO!! GET BACK HERE BEFORE YOU GET KILLED, IDIOT!!" Yusuke shouted at his friend, but it was too late. The demon swung its huge hand at Kuwabara, knocking him back several yards and into a tree. He then slumped down like a sack of potatoes, his Spirit Sword disappearing from his hand.

Yusuke turned back to the creature, eyes ablaze. "Y-YOU BASTARD!!!!" He screamed, and with amazing speed, shot off his Spirit Gun right at the demon's chest. It hit dead on. Yusuke stepped back in case the youkai would fall. But nothing happened. The demon stood there chuckling and then said "TOO BAD. I GUESS I FORGOT TO MENTION MY TORSO IS AS HARD AS GRANITE. OH WELL. NOW SHE'LL HAVE TO DIE." he grinned, taking the knife and aiming for her neck. "NOT WHILE I'M ALIVE!!!!" Yusuke shouted, jumping up with great stamina, readying another bullet to go straight into the thing's head. He was too late. The youkai quickly drew the blade across the woman's neck in one swipe. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" he screamed.

I know, don't you hate me for cutting off the chapter at the climax? I know this chapter was kinda crappy, but I was pressed for time, and my muse is mad at me right now, or she's off on vacation, so I don't have a lot to work with. Boy, that demon guy is scary, huh? Big creep, too for picking on a woman. Read the next chapter and you'll find out why! I hate to be a spoiler, but don't worry. She's not dead. Yet. Neither is Kuwabara. *all Kuwabara haters groan* Hey, I'm nicer than most people. I'm not gonna make him die or anything like a lot of you would want me to, so sorry. Someone will die though, but I'm not gonna say who. You'll just have to wait for the next chapter! = P