Finally I'm back! My dad fixed my computer so everything is close to back on schedule. I'll try and update as often as I can! Also, I revised all the chapters. You should read them, I built up the stuff with Shoula more, especially the fact that Nikai actually did love him. . I hope I didn't just give anything away.

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or practically anything else, though I wish I owned Hiei grins maniacally Ok, make sure you read the part in chapter 15 with Victoria very carefully. It comes in handy at the end of this chapter.

Genkai's First Student by Toxic Tears

Chapter 17: Despair

"S-she's really gone..." Sukara whimpered. Kurama released her and she fell to her knees. Slamming her fists into the cold floor, she screamed, "WHY?! Why! Why! Why!" She looked like a little girl having a tantrum, but she had the right. Her best friend was gone and she'd more than likely never see her again. Botan knelt beside her, tears also slipping down her own face.

The boys had grim faces as they heaved the pieces of broken wood from the stairs off of Hiei. He seemed to have passed out.

"We should get out of here." Yuusuke muttered. This was the second time he had lost someone close to him and was already starting to feel the terrible pang of lost.

Kuwabara felt close to the same. Nikai was one of the only demons he respected, besides Hiei and Kurama, and now that she was gone, he felt like beating something into little bits.

Kurama's face showed no emotion, but on the inside he was at war with himself. Looking over at Sukara, he sighed heavily and slung Hiei over his shoulder. He knew that the water dragon would become cold and emotionless if she never saw her best friend again. 'I can't let that happen! But...' He also knew there was barely any hope that Nikai could really be saved without a possible Tantei casualty. They all knew that and weren't sure yet if they wanted to risk that, which is why they had all begun to despair.

Botan slowly helped Sukara to her feet, but the girl shook her off. She ran over to where Nikai's sword and sheath lay and picked them up. Then they walked with the boys back to Yuusuke's house. Kurama laid Hiei on the couch and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. Yuusuke went into his bedroom. He needed to be alone.

"I'm going to talk to Koenma about...this..." Botan said softly. Kurama and Kuwabara nodded, but Sukara stayed silent, looking out the window blankly. Botan left and headed for Spirit World on her oar.

Suddenly the phone rang a little too loudly. Kuwabara picked it up and Shizuru's voice blasted through receiver, "I knew you were at Yuusuke's house! Get home right now!"

Kuwabara replied in a sullen tone, "Yeah, ok sis, I will." He hung up and looked at Kurama. "Tell Urameshi I'll be by tomorrow. See ya Kurama." The fox nodded and Kuwabara walked out the door.

When he was gone, Kurama turned his gaze to Sukara. She was still staring out the window looking at nothing.

"Sukara," Kurama said softly as he walked up behind her. "I know how you feel. I lost my best friend too, but you need to try and move on."

Sukara turned and looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Did you ever 'move on' Kurama?" she asked, accusingly.

He shook his head slightly. "It's one of those things that stays with you." He sighed. "I apologize, it was not my place to tell you what to do about this." He suddenly jumped as Sukara leaned into him. At first he wasn't sure what to do, but when he felt wetness through his shirt, he wrapped his arms around her gently, trying to soothe her.

"I could have stopped her, but you had to stop me!" she sobbed, clutching his shirt tightly.

"He would have killed you." he whispered softly.

"So?! It's not like I would care! At least my best friend wouldn't be as good as dead!" she cried. Kurama winced. "Now don't you dare say you would care because that would just make this totally clichéd and I--" She was cut off by Kurama's lips pressing against hers. 'What the hell?!' she thought, not that she hated it...

Kurama pulled back and smiled. "Did I just make that even more clichéd?" he asked. He suppressed a laugh as she nodded. Really he didn't have any idea why he did that. It had been on pure impulse instead of thought. Most unlike him.

Sukara looked into Kurama's emerald green eyes and almost collapsed from the sight. She loosened her grip on his shirt and said, "We're going to save her right?"

Kurama didn't answer. He hated to lie, but he wanted Sukara to be happy. Of course they would go after Nikai. Saving her was a completely different issue.

"Of course we are." The two looked over at Hiei who had spoken. He stood up and grabbed his cloak from the back of the couch. "But first I have to go bitch at that toddler." With that he stormed out the door. Kurama and Sukara looked at each other, then followed him.

.. In Spirit World ..

Hiei stormed through the door to Koenma's office where the demi-god and ferry girl were talking. They looked up just in time to see Hiei phase through the air, over to the desk. He grabbed Koenma around his tiny neck and shook him.

"You knew didn't you?! You knew who was going to be at that club tonight and you made her go anyway!" he yelled. Koenma's head lolled back and forth as the demon rattled him.

"Hiei stop it!" Botan shrieked, trying to pry him off, of course to no avail.

Kurama and Sukara ran through the open door.

"Hiei, let go!" Kurama commanded with definite force. "Do you want to get arrested again?"

Hiei glared up at him then threw Koenma down into the chair where the prince coughed for a few moments. The fire koorime was still on probation after all and didn't want to risk jail.

"Now what was that all about Hiei?!" Botan shrieked. "I don't know how Nikai could possibly put up with you!" She instantly clapped her hands over her mouth. 'Oh man, now he's gonna kill me!'

Hiei did look like he was going to kill her, but somehow he managed to hold himself back. He looked at Koenma. "You knew." He hissed "You it was him that was showing up, but you made her go anyway. It's all your fault she's gone!" He looked like he was going to pounce again, but Kurama put a hand on his shoulder.

"Is it true? Did you know?" Sukara asked quietly. If the answer was yes she was fully prepared to join Hiei in killing him.

Koenma sighed and rubbed his neck. "Yes, alright? I knew" He ducked as both Hiei and Sukara lunged for him. "Hang on! I'm not done explaining yet!" he yelled. Kurama was having difficulty holding both of them back. "I knew it was Shoula appearing tonight and I knew Nikai's history with him, but I had to take the risk! I see now that my decision was wrong." He sighed again. "I'm forbidding any detectives from going after Shoula and Nikai for the time being." Koenma finished.

"And what about Nikai, huh? You just gonna leave her there to rot?" snapped Yuusuke's voice. The others looked to the door and saw the green-clad teenager with Kuwabara beside him.

Once again Koenma sighed. "A great loss to be sure, but I can't risk anymore detectives. Perhaps you Sukara, could take her place?"

Sukara looked disgusted with the idea. How the hell could he even think of replacing Nikai?

Yuusuke stormed up and punched the desk, cracking it. "Listen here toddler, we're saving Nikai whether you like it or not. For once the detectives are going to do things the way they want and if we die, well you run Spirit World, that's your problem." With that he and the rest of his team left, slamming the door behind them.

Koenma was left speechless and amazed. "I-wow-I..." he stuttered.

"Oh shut up! They're right you know!" Botan yelled. She followed the others.

..Somewhere In Northern Makai..

Nikai flinched as Shoula made to hit her again. It hurt so much, but even worse was the helplessness. She stumbled to her feet and weakly tried to push Shoula away, but her energy was completely spent.

"Weakling!" Shoula yelled as he backhanded her. Nikai hit the wall full force and toppled to the floor. Again she tried to stand and fight back, but that effort was cut short by a kick in the face. This time she just lay there and shielded her head with her arms, shoulders trembling. "You're pathetic." he spat. "This no longer amuses me." With one last kick, he left, closing the heavy door with a bang.

For a few moments Nikai just lay there on the floor, then she slowly climbed to her knees. She wiped at the cuts on her face and tried to keep her mouth from bleeding so much. Her lips trembled and her hands shook uncontrollably.

'Damn,' she thought. 'I couldn't even fight back.' She had already sunk into a self-loath for giving up so easily. She would never see her friends again and it was all because she hadn't been strong enough to protect herself. Cursing again she remembered what Shoula had done to her in the last few hours. As soon as Shoula had gotten her to his manor he had started beating her, shouting foul and insulting things in her sensitive ears.

Nikai, in an attempt to free herself from those thoughts, looked around the room. It was apperently some sort of bedroom. There was a large wardrobe in one corner and when she saw it she decided she needed to change clothes. First of all, she was freezing. Shoula had slapped sutras around her arms so she couldn't even produce a healthy amount of body heat. Her clubbing outfit didn't really help either.

Walking to the wardrobe she winced from various injuries. She opened every drawer and sighed. Nothing, not even men's clothes. She closed the wardrobe and limped over to the bed. Sitting down she curled into a ball as cold air washed over her.

"M'lady?" came a soft feminine voice. Nikai's head snapped up and saw that a young woman, about her age, was standing in the now open door. She held a cloth bundle in her arms. "It's morning and Lord Shoula wanted you properly dressed for breakfast." she said, bowing.

Nikai looked the girl over, there was something familiar about her. Then she remembered. This girl had been a servant in this manor a year ago when Nikai had stayed of her own free will. Her name had been Miyu. Then Nikai realized what she had just said. "Morning?" she wondered, and sure enough, very pale light was filtering in the room from a large bay window. 'Hn, how time flies when you're being tortured.'

Miyu entered the room and closed the door behind her. "Would M'lady please stand so I can dress her?" she asked softly.

Nikai looked at her. 'She had more of a brain before. I guess Shoula can't have servants that think on their own' She climbed off the bed slowly, regretting it as soon as her feet touched the cold stone floor. She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest, but tried not to show too much weakness in front of this girl.

Miyu was already unlacing Nikai's corset top, but was quickly stopped.

"I can do it myself." Nikai muttered. So Miyu bowed and backed off.

When Nikai had finished undressing, Miyu draped a lavender color kimono with a swirl of gold sakura blossoms around the body, across her shoulders. A darker violet obi went around her waist. It was beautiful. Nikai hated it. Not only was it from Shoula, which made it really horrible, but it was dressy and not her style. Miyu took the band of Nikai's braid and brushed her hair out.

"Stop it!" Nikai exclamed.

"But I was told-" Miyu started.

"I don't care what your 'master' told you!" Nikai yelled, her voice reaching the breaking point. "I can brush my own damn hair, thank you very much!" Abruptly she sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands.

Miyu blinked. "I beg you to stand M'lady, you are rumpling your furisode."

Nikai groaned. 'Is this my future? Being waited on by mindless drones and beaten everyday?' She sniffed and stood, running fingers through her hair. "Fine, do whatever you want, but I refuse to be pampered and primped like a doll." she snapped. (A/N: What she meant was that she wouldn't tolerate makeup, hairstyles that took an hour to get right, and being bathed by servants. I mean, she's already been dressed so she can't really say much about that)

Miyu bowed again and put Nikai's hair in a simple twist. She then adjusted her obi and stood there motionlessly.

Nikai rolled her eyes. 'Obviously I'll have to do all the thinking here.' "Aren't you going to take me to the dining room now?" she asked.

"Hai, M'lady." She answered and led Nikai out the door and down the hall.

..Somewhere Else In Makai..

In a dark room a hand reached out and moved a pawn on a jade and ivory carved shogi board.

"Report Nakura." a man's cruel voice said.

Someone cleared their throat lightly and said in a Texan accented voice, "The guy came to 'da club 'round ten. Took the girl like you expected and injured the one wif porcupine hair."

"Good, you're dismissed Nakura." There were booted footsteps and the close of a heavy door. The hand moved one of the ivory shogi pieces with Nikai's named etched in kanji. A jade piece moved of its own accord and literally destroyed Nikai's piece. The cruel voice laughed and didn't stop.

This has to be one of my favorite chapters so far. I thought it was good.

TT: stops chasing Hiei, breathing heavily Chest...burns....need...WATER!!!

Hiei: sticks tounge out from other side of the room

TT: dying bastard

Kuwabara: comes in with a glass of water What's wrong TT? starts drinking Tired or something?

TT: glaring at Kuwabara Water, give me water, you imbecile!!

Kuwabara: finishes glass Sorry, didn't hear you. What?

TT: suddenly forgets her need for water and starts chasing Kuwabara for being an idiot.

Hiei: snickering slightly Hey, you humans. TT's in a bad mood because she couldn't catch me. Would you mind trying to cheer her up with a review? Thanks