Wonderful! Fifth chapter! There isn't much else to say, so on with the story.
Oh, yes, there is. I lied. X.x Two things.
NO FLAMES. Constructive critiscm is encouraged; however if you flame my story I will get angry. SapphireAngel is now helping me out with the story. And I give her a HUGE thanks for that!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did, all the Original Characters would be protected by laws that prevented despies Role-Playing with their made-up character infatuated/related/married to them. –shudder-
I only own Saggi, the assorted villains you will me, and the plot of this story. :)
All righty then. Just a warning, this chapter is a 'filler' chapter. The next will be more exciting. Promise!
And thanks for reading this far, especially Sakura Seita:) Thanks for the wonderful reviews!
I was trapped… and free…
Of anything and everything.
At the moment…
But the strangest feeling.
It didn't make sense…
One thought still ran its way endlessly through my mind.
'Sage…'
-...-
"You see Yusuke, we don't have any information on this Organization, that was mentioned in the letter you received. However the coordinates written on the back point specifically to a vacant area in South Africa. Some random country…I don't know the details…" A small chubby hand waved away the matter, his tiny voice becoming less important.
"Gee, thanks Koenma. I don't think we could have gotten such important info without your help…" Yusuke rolled his eyes before grinning teasingly.
"This is serious, Yusuke." The toddler-sized protector of Spirit World gritted his teeth onto the small yellow pacifier to contain his anger.
"If they were able to take Saggi away, either subduing her or otherwise, then these guys are someone to deal with. Just because we don't have anything on them doesn't mean they're not dangerous. You need to take this seriously, Yusuke." Koenma leaned over his large desk, resting his arms on the table and interlocking his fingers.
He stared at the group arranged before him, whose members would look odd in another world.
A tall orange-haired adolescent had on a look of realization on his face, at the moment. He truly accepted the fact that the foursome would need to do more work. He had changed out of his school uniform, now wearing a simple white T-Shirt. One dark green jacket was placed over this, ending briefly at his shins. A bit dramatic for Kazuma Kuwabara, but it worked. 'I wonder when we're gonna get going… I always did want to go to Africa… Saggi'll be okay… I'm sure of it…''
Yusuke Urameshi had changed out of his school uniform and now stood there, tapping his foot impatiently. He wore a white shirt, and a faded orange and blue jacket with sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He, too, had on blue jeans, which were tighter, though comfortable. 'This better not take too long… Every second counts. Stupid toddler…' Yusuke's brow was rumpled with impatience, hoping Koenma would end his lecture soon.
Hiei was leaning rather sullenly against the wall next to the door. He couldn't believe he had been dragged to this whining baby's office. His eyes were closed, his face clear. But unlike Yusuke, he wasn't showing his impatience. But it was there, all right. It was there, alive and waiting to spring out. The black-haired youkai opened his eyes, waiting for the moment when they could leave. 'Do none of them ever shut up?' He continued standing, waiting some more.
Arms folded calmly across chest, head inclined slightly to an angle. Kurama did not want to miss any of what Koenma was saying. In his opinion, the crimson-haired kitsune was in a more preferred outfit. Long sleeved white cloth, reached down to his wrists, while equally clean pants ended just short of his ankles. Comfortable pointed black shoes fitted his gentle feet. A pale yellow sheet of sorts covered his anterior and posterior, fitted neatly into the lilac wrap around his waist. The color was the same as the border of yellow cloth. It was impossible to say what he was thinking at the time.
"All of you need to." The baby ruler looked up at all of them gathered in his small office, "I fear that none of our sources can tell us any information about them so they could be more dangerous than perhaps even Toguro, Yusuke."
Yusuke's cold brown eyes narrowed at the mention of Toguro, and he nodded once.
"Okay. I catch your drift Koenma. We'll bring her back and shut down this organization." Yusuke turned and started to leave, the other three following silently.
Koenma nodded at the retreating backs of the foursome. His eyes were grim, thinking about the upcoming mission they were partaking in.
'These things don't happen often. Organizations popping up from nowhere. One of my Spirit Detectives being kidnapped...' He rubbed his temples with a sigh, as the familiar blue ogre came running up with another matter of business.
'I'm too young for this…'
-...-
My eyes opened just a crack, ever so slowly
A crack, and that was enough.
'I can't remember anything…' The newest thought moved around in my head, 'Why can't I remember anything!'
I closed my eyes again, as I felt the numbness slowly ease its way out of my body. It would probably be awhile before I could move again.
My ears twitched involuntarily, trying to catch a scrap of sound. There was none. 'That's weird… There should be at least SOMETHING I can hear… I don't like this.'
I grinned ruefully to no one in particular, my lips dry and parched, 'I don't like any of this. I can't move… and the last thing…'
My eyes opened in shock.
It all came rushing back to me.
The sunset.
The park.
The boy, Shoot.
His friends. The shadow-dancer. The cold eyes.
Torch. Ebony.
I was incapacitated.
"That's… what happened…" My voice was raspy, probably from the fact I hadn't used it in who knows how long.
-...-
"Remind me to kill all of you soon."
"Come on Hiei, that plane ride wasn't THAT bad!"
"Yusuke, don't make me remind you of what happened in there." Hiei glared evilly at the taller boy.
Yusuke said nothing but his face revealed it all, mouth twisted into a grin, full of stifled laughter.
The foursome was walking down a crowded African street market, after just getting off a small plane that led to the barely heard of town. They still had a ways to go, their means of travel varying-from what Botan had told them-from driven-down buses to walking.
'Why?' They had asked. Simple. Apparently, any sort of energy given off by Boton would most likely alert the 'Members' and depending on what they had to go on, (nothing, by the way) they would be shot down and everything would fail.
Of course, this was all speculation given by Koenma.
Even better.
The shouts in foreign languages and squawking of fowl filled the foursome's ears. Along with that came cows braying, and prices being shouted, accepted or rejected. They wouldn't forget the hustle and bustle of this shopping area for some time.
Hiei constantly sent out glares at the salesmen and women that dared to approach him. Unlucky dark-skinned individuals backed away, clutching their advertised fruit or bird. They continued to look for other buyers after the unlucky encounter.
'I wonder what happened to these humans. All the rest of the pathetic human dwellings they care to call cities and towns seem much larger than this place. How can I think of a way to decapitate the fools who stole Saggi when I can hardly hear anything among this noise.' He continued walking and ignored the rest of the noise.
-...-
After an hour or so, the group had reached the ends of the town, the stalls and mud-made homes dwindling down to a few every couple hundred feet. It was evening again, the sun slowly sinking down over the treetops of the nearing rainforest.
Shadows of it had grown larger over the last few hours. They came to a point where they could see the path, and soon lost their way in the dense forest. Even from their position, they could see the tropical pink, purple, and blue flowers, the vines ensnaring the trunks of the enormous trees.
Unfortunately, one of the foursome had grown impatient while walking.
"We've been walking for like FIVE HOURS!" Kuwabara raged, breaking the formation of the stiff line they had been marching in, jumping ahead of the other three, one of whom was giving him a dirty look. (Hiei, of course.)
"Can't the toddler come up with something other than walking! What ever happened to that bus system we were supposed to ride that would've taken us to this point!" He made a fist with his left hand and pounded it into the open right, "I'm gonna find out what!"
Yusuke shrugged and began walking again. He brushed past Kuwabara, while calling over his shoulder, "You heard it. The Bus Depot said that they all broke down or something. C'mon, you needed the exercise anyway. Admit it." He sniggered and turned his head back to the path in front of him.
"Yes, Yusuke's right. Relax Kuwabara, for we have more walking ahead of us. You had better get used to it." Kurama stepped up to Kuwabara and smiled reassuringly before following Yusuke.
Hiei walked until he was beside him, "Hn." He muttered, giving him a look, "Why did you make us stop?" He began walking again, muttering, "Buffoon…"
Kuwabara paused, then turned on his feet to look at the retreating backs of his friends, as a single raindrop plopped onto his nose.
"Hey… it's raining." He commented, looking up into the sky as more tiny drops pelted down. A downpour commenced.
"Well no kidding Sherlock. It's the RAINforest." Yusuke called back to Kuwabara, rolling his eyes and beginning to run to the shelter of the tall trees' canopies.
Kurama and Hiei followed suit, Hiei disappearing in an instant and reappearing under the canopy of the trees. Kurama soon caught up with Yusuke and his strides.
Kuwabara pouted for a moment. This just wasn't his week. 'I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed last Wednesday…'
He began to run into the rain forest, before looking into the sky, rain quickly turning dusty roads into mud.
"I don't like the feel of this rain…" He murmured, almost thoughtfully.
"Hey! Kuwabara! You coming or what?" Yusuke called over the roar of the pounding rain.
"Ergh… I'M COMING URAMESHI!" He yelled back, and began to run.
Only to have a bolt of lightning strike the ground inches from his feet.
"Ahhh!" Kuwabara yelped, and fell back onto his bottom.
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke ran out of the rainforest, nearing his friend.
Another lightning bolt struck the ground, causing him to skid to a stop.
"What the heck is this…?" Yusuke muttered, upset that he was getting soaked and evil lightning bolts were attacking him and his friend.
Underneath the canopy, inches from the falling rain, Kurama and Hiei stood silent, watching the proceedings. Each knew something was happening, and it was best to stay put… for now. (True, you have a point, but everyone likes trees! …Right? '' ))
BZ-AAAAP!
The lightning struck again, closer to Yusuke this time. Each time the lightning hit the ground; it left a large hole, like a pothole, showing the danger of the element.
BZ-AAAAP! BZ-AAAAP! BZ-AAAAP!
This time, Yusuke barely had seconds to respond, as he realized the lightning was now aiming for him. Dodging and rolling, he moved with the lithe of a cat, inches from where the bolts struck, dirt flecking his face.
'Hey… wait a minute!' he thought, as another bolt came down, 'Lightning doesn't strike twice!'
Grinning satisfactorily at his own wit, he chose the hole of the latest bolt that had come down to hide in his refuge.
"Come get me now! Stupid lightning bolts!" He screamed into the sky, rain washing away the dirt on his face and turning it into mud, streaming off.
There was a pause in the out break of lightning, during which Kuwabara pulled himself off the ground with an off squelching noise, and other than that, all was silent except the constant pitter-pattering of the rain. Then…
BZ-AAAAP!
Yusuke screamed in agony as the stream of lightning collided with his body, sending wave after wave of pain through him. His skin felt as though it were on fire, the bizarre torture rippling under his skin. It only lasted a second, but it felt like a lifetime.
"ARGHHHHHHH!" Yusuke's scream echoed through the air as the boom of thunder followed, melding into his own voice.
Kurama and Hiei's eyes widened. What was happening!
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara called, and scrambled to meet Yusuke's falling, stiff body. His eyes were wide and his pupils dilated, unfocused. His clothes were already starting to unravel, the threading weak.
"Kuwa… bara… Something's… wrong…" Yusuke's words were rough and harsh-sounding, as if the words didn't quite fit in his mouth.
"Quiet Urameshi. Somethin' weird's going on out here, and I can't say I like it." Kuwabara held his friend close like one might do to a crying and worried child.
Yusuke grunted, the closest he could get to a laugh at the moment.
"Idiot… that was… your first… clue…" He whispered.
Kurama took that moment to run into the storm, feeling Yusuke fading.
"Oh really? That old 'Lightning never strikes twice' nonsense? And I thought you were the Spirit Detective! Ha ha ha ha!" A bemused laugh followed the statement given by an unknown voice that seemed to be magnified by the falling rain.
"Just who the heck are you? And what the heck do you think you're doing!" Kuwabara yelled, as a moving shadow materialized from the curtain of rain, coming from the direction of the town the group had left.
"Tell you who I am? Sheesh, I never thought that I'd be doing this. Apparently Shard was correct…" The voice sounded amused now, in his own world. Yes, the voice was male. A baritone voice was tinged lightly with a spark of its own.
"I am Sparks." The figure stepped from the small mist, and he was no closer than fifteen feet away from the tensing Kuwabara and Kurama, and the shallow-breathing Yusuke.
Sparks, apparently their new aggressor, was around six feet tall, his form not entirely menacing. He seemed more like the guy you would have a Sunday cookout with than an enemy.
'There are laughter lines around his mouth,' Kurama noted, 'and his brows look not at all like they enjoy the angry position they were in.'
True, Sparks' dark eyebrows were narrowed in an angry grimace, giving his amber eyes a deeper look. A few long strands of black hair fell in front of his face, plastered there from the rain. The rest of his hair was pulled low, a ponytail which fell down his back.
The rest of his torso was concealed by an equally black cape, curled around his body, like shadow wrapped light. Despite their position in a remote city in Africa, its edges were not frayed or spattered with mud. It was merely soaked to its watertight skin, but seemed to protect its owner well. A circular amber badge imprinted with the image of a single lightning bolt had been placed on his right shoulder, holding up the cape around his body.
A single hand was extended from this dark shadow of a cape, as Sparks took a few more steps closer. To the elbow it was encased in a purple armor of sorts, shining and glistening because of the rain slipping off its almost plastic-like design.
Sparks' skin was tanned slightly, giving him more of a Hispanic look; his teeth were pulled into an almost happy looking grin.
"I suggest you stop moving forward unless you wish to meet with an unwanted end." Kurama's voice filled the empty silence as he tensed, a seed having slipped down from his sleeve and into his hand.
"Oh, terribly sorry. I didn't realize that you were so protective, Kurama." Sparks stopped moving forward and the hand was pulled back into the folds of the cape.
"As Kuwabara asked, what are you doing here? Is there a reason behind your unprovoked attack?" Kurama glared at the almost cheery man.
"Yes, actually. …And no. I admit, I was intrigued by the lone Kuwabara, and the thought that crossed my mind, 'Target Practice.' Of course, when Yusuke came and proved a more interesting target, my attention was caught. Of course, I didn't expect to actually hit him." He laughed again, and then stifled suddenly by the rose that slit the right side of his face. It started to bleed, a thin line of red trickling down his tan complexion.
"Tell us why you are here!" Kurama shifted to a fighting stance, another rose in his hand. Kuwabara pulled the still form of Yusuke onto his back, backing slowly behind Kurama.
Sparks said nothing, but pulled the same hand out from underneath and felt the cut across his cheek. Pulling his hand away, he studied the blood on his fingers for a moment, before looking up and glaring at Kurama.
"That wasn't the most wisest move, considering I'm the one here to tell you where to find your dear friend Saggi." His voice was suddenly cold. Lightning cracked and struck ground off road and into barren fields before the rainforest. Thunder boomed and roared, following its master.
"Where is she?" Hiei slid from the rainforest to the side of Kurama in an instant, his katana drawn and pointing at the cold villain. A command, not a request.
"There." Sparks said nothing more but pointed behind the Reikai Tantei. Kuwabara turned, the only one to look, knowing that Kurama and Hiei were keeping an eye on Sparks.
"What the - "
" - You will find her there." Sparks interrupted Kuwabara's voice. "Have fun reaching her. And I suggest that you improve your aim Kurama," Sparks hissed between his teeth, voice as cold as ice, "Because next time I'll be there to kill you, whether or not we've met before."
And with that last threat hanging in the air, the lightning lashed down to where he was standing, and Sparks was gone.
Ever so slowly, Kurama and Hiei released their attentiveness; Hiei sliding the katana back into its sheath and Kurama allowing the rose to fall back into a seed.
"That was… weird. But not as weird as that." Kuwabara said, turning to look at what Sparks had pointed to earlier.
"Yes…" Kurama began, turning to face Kuwabara but his voice trailing off as he saw what Kuwabara was indicating.
Floating above the rainforest was a giant fortress. It was enormous, how could they not have seen it before? It was similar to that of a rounded castle, only a hundred feet or so above the surface of the tallest trees. It was built like a castle, as mentioned before, with spires that rose into the sky around the walls of it. It was light purple, an odd color for a fortress. Built of what seemed like a sturdy cement stone, its appearance was misted slightly by rain. They couldn't get a specific detail on its architecture. It was after all, a demonic castle. Its appearance was misted slightly by the rain, so they couldn't get any specific detail on its architecture.
"What the heck is that thing?" Kuwabara asked, even though he knew he wouldn't get an answer.
"I have no idea." Kurama spoke.
Hiei remained silent.
After a few more moment gazing at the awesome size of the floating fortress, Kuwabara blinked out of the daze it held him in. He grew concerned, realizing what had happened.
"Guys, what about Urameshi? Getting hit by a lightning bolt doesn't seem very safe…" He mumbled.
"Yusuke should be… okay. He should wake up in a few hours. He may be a bit stiff, but other than that fine." Kurama smiled reassuringly, coming to inspect Yusuke just in case.
"Whew! That's a relief. I thought he was dead or somethin'." Kuwabara laughed, a nervous one despite his words.
"Are we going or not?" Hiei asked, and Kurama and Kuwabara found the small apparition inside the first few feet of the rainforest, shielded by the elements.
"Yes. We should get inside the canopy Kuwabara. The tops of the trees will prevent almost all the rain from hitting us." Kurama spoke, walking towards to where the path ended and the rainforest began.
"Yeah…" Kuwabara mumbled, and shifted the position of the unconscious Yusuke on his back before following his friend into the trees.
"How come you know so much about rainforests anyway?" He asked, reaching the safety of the trees and shaking his head furiously to get some of the water off.
"Many years Kuwabara… many years." Came his cryptic and not so helpful reply.
Kuwabara grunted. He wasn't going to get any good conversation with these two. Sheesh. How was he going to at least try and enjoy the trip with these two brick walls?
Hiei took the lead, having marked the location of the fortress in his head.
Kurama took up second place, his eyes distant and full of thought, numbly moving aside the branches and leaves that got in his way. He was thinking of what Sparks had said, and how powerful their opponents might be.
'The entire field of rain that came suddenly… it felt strange. Like it was masking his energy or something similar. I feel that Sparks was right. We will meet again, and most certainly it would be in the edge of battle.'
Kuwabara, having the load of Yusuke on his back, came last, the unfortunate receiver of all the branches that 'suddenly pop up from outta no where.' Or so he says.
Sort of a lulled chapter. I hoped you liked the unveiling of Sparks! He was my favorite villain when I came up with his idea… xD
Hope you enjoyed it though, so now review! Thanks!