Yujo Chronicles: The Final Chapter
Chapter Twelve: The Wounding of Kurama
There were mourners. Faceless people in black. Every rustle of their clothing, every soft tip-tap of their dress shoes against the wooden floors made him wince. He hadn't been home in ages. Where he had been; he did not care. Who had died? And why was everyone at his home?
He remembered something like this ages ago, almost before his real, solid memories. All he was really certain of was a pair of eyeglasses, glinting as they caught the sun. His mother had a tape of this somewhere, and his mind brought it to the surface. A slightly gawky man in his early thirties tossing a red-haired toddler into the air and catching him. The toddler reached his little arms up, giggling delightedly as he tried to reach the low-hanging branches of the cherry tree. The bespectacled man lifted the child up, and the short fingers caressed the pale pink blossoms.
But the man with the glasses started going outside less and less. He could barely cough out congratulations when his son told him about the paper-boat race across the rainwater puddle in the schoolyard. The glasses now rested on the side of the bed, because they got in the way of the air mask helping the man breathe. The constant bleeping of the heart-rate monitor making sure the man didn't fade off in the night was engraved into his son's memories. But even more prominent was the day the heart-rate monitor sounded out one long, unceasing note.
Kurama never really minded that he didn't know his human father. It was bad enough being weak about one parent, let alone two. But his human heart demanded its due, and the familiar rush of sadness accompanied these memories. There had been people in black clothes that day, too. Why now?
"Mother?" The call was a cautious one.
"Poor thing." A genderless voice murmured. A hand he could hardly feel touched his shoulder and guided him outside. Kurama frowned. Where was the garden? Since when had there been tombstones in his backyard?
"Read." The voice sounded very sad for him. Why? Kurama shook his head, trying to tell this person nothing was wrong. But the voice urged him on again, and he knelt before the headstone.
His knee sank a little in the freshly turned earth. Kurama frowned again. Someone was recently buried, apparently. He shook his head a little to further clear it, then guided his eyes to the headstone.
Minamino. Oh Kami. He could hardly see over the gripping shock he felt. Minamino. Beloved Mother, caring wife. We hope to Heaven her Soul has gone.
Oh no. Not this. He looked up at the black-shrouded figure who had guided him there. He couldn't see a face, but instead felt the sorrow this being was feeling. The hand gestured to the next stone over. Kurama half-crawled to read this one in dread.
Hirugatoshi. The man his mother had been dating. What? Why? Hirugatoshi. We hope to Heaven his Soul has gone.
The hand gestured over further. Tears teaming down his face, Kurama moved to the next stone.
Urameshi. No! Let it stop! Urameshi. We hope to Heaven his Soul has gone.
Over to another. Knees in the grave's dirt, hands trembling, eyes disbelieving.
Kuwabara. We hope to Heaven his Soul has gone. Oh Kami. Please don't let there be anymore.
Another gesture. Hopeless panic. More fresh earth. Another headstone.
Jiganshi.
Is there a thing called mercy?
We hope-
Too much. Too much pain.
To Heaven-
Not Hiei. Not just Hiei. Hiei, Kuwabara-
his Soul-
Yusuke, his mother, the man that made his mother happy-
has gone.
Why?
"Kurama."
Almost broken, cheeks streaming with tears, the fox looked up.
Emiko. Oh Kami. She can make this right. At least she's alive.
"Kurama, it hurts." His beautiful girl. His wonderful mate. Thank the gods she's still here……What hurts?
Emerald eyes shifted down his mate's body, and then stopped, frozen, on the growing red stain in her stomach. Cruel, cruel steel, in one side, out the other. Pain. Too much of it, all on her face, filling her words.
He stood up, reaching out for her. Tears claimed her face as well. Just as he caught her hand in his, she stumbled. On her knees, eyes trained on his. Kurama wrapped her in his arms, fearing the worst. Of course, the worst had to come to pass, here in this Hell.
"Kurama, I-…" Words failed her, and breath slipped from her. Among the mourners, among the graves, in her lover's arms, Emiko's life expired.
Kurama knew the meaning of grief. The screaming sobs wracked his body, his lean frame not big enough to hold it all in. The mourners pressed around him, muttering their sorrows. Knotting his fists in Emiko's hair, rocking her lifeless body, mumbling incoherent promises in exchange for waking up from this nightmare.
Alone.
They all left him alone.
Maybe, back as Yoko, he could have survived alone.
Not now. No, he needed them back.
The mourner's black clothing merged around him, covering him in a blanket of darkness. All he could see was his arms around Emiko's empty shell, and the graves yawning around him like leering teeth.
We hope to Heaven their Souls have gone.
His fingers found the knife protruding from Emiko's back.
His hand was steady now.
The point was aimed at his heart. Or where his heart used to be, before all of this.
And as he raised it high, his world was completely submerged in blackness.
Ice World
Ankara glanced at Hiei's back. She had long since started walking behind him, as he had suggested about four hours ago. He acted as a plow and a windbreak, his footsteps providing a slightly less treacherous path for her through the deep snow. The wind howled against them, making progress even harder. Hiei explained gruffly that he was used to the harsher, longer punishment of traveling, so he would take the brunt of the storm and she could rest a little.
She blushed at her thoughts, coloring pink with the pleasure of finally being with the man who had held her heart for so long.
The crunch of snow sounded weak over the fierce howl of the raging winds that whipped their clothing around their bodies. Ankara felt a jerk at the back of her haori, and blamed it on the wind for only a few seconds. Then a hand closed over her mouth.
Hiei whirled around at Ankara's muted scream. The dark haired apparition was struggling madly against a coweled figure, tall and bulky in stature. Ankara's heel connected with her attacker's shin, and he grunted. With a quick twist, the assailant had Ankara pinned, a hand hard on a pressure point, keeping her immobile and in too much pain to speak.
"Let her go." Hiei said coldly. He didn't allow his voice to show any emotion other than disdain.
"Gladly." The attacker used his free hand to pull back his cowl, revealing a clearly demonic mien. Pale brown skin made a stark impression from the deep lavender eyes, and shocking white hair was cropped close to his skull. A dull blue tattoo marred his left cheek, and an evil grin split the creature's mouth. "But not without price, Hiei."
Hiei ignored the fact the demon knew his name. "Don't be coy with me, bastard. Name your fucking terms."
"You." The demon said simply. "We need a full set to sell at full price."
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Hiei snapped. "Full set?"
"Yes. You're quite the collector's item." The demon grinned. "We've got Urameshi, Kuwabara and Kurama already, and if Kahiru stays on schedule those three have entered a nice deep sleep."
What! How could Kurama and Yusuke be that stupid? And Kuwabara? Nice deep sleep? What the fuck?
"I don't understand whatever the hell you're saying, but my answer is no." Hiei snarled. "You'll not me or Ankara."
"I don't care about her." The demon retorted. "If you refuse I'll kill her and then I'll get you. But if you spare me the bother of killing her and catching you and come quietly, I'll let little Miss….Ankara, I believe...go."
Hiei's eyes smoldered dangerously. But, after a long look at Ankara's face, he nodded. Ankara kept her eyes closed through most of the exchange, and did not see Hiei's answer.
"Excellent." The demon raised an arm, most likely to knock Ankara unconscious. But as he brought his arm down, his movement became sluggish. His brown skin paled as a look of horror took over his features. He started to leap away from Ankara, but instead overbalanced and fell onto his back, arm seemingly frozen in its upraised position.
While Hiei watched on, mystified, Ankara got up and dusted the loose snow from her clothes.
"What the hell-?" Hiei sputtered briefly before Ankara cut him off.
"I didn't spend the last twenty-five years completely clueless about my Ice Apparition heritage." Ankara explained calmly. "Remember on the cliffs the day you stole me from the Suronials? Sayuuri, my predecessor as a Guardian, froze a man's blood to ice. It's a simple, effective trick I learned ages ago. I just needed to maintain contact with him long enough so I could gather my concentration." Ankara wrinkled her nose grumpily. "Sayuuri was a lot better at it than I am."
"Whatever you did worked, so stop complaining." Hiei said softly. "Are you sound enough to keep walking?"
Ankara nodded, and got to her feet. Hiei pulled her up to walk next to him, despite the deep snow. "No more walking behind me, so tough it out."
Ankara sent him a mock glare. "Well, then, you'll have to hold my hand so I don't fall behind."
Hiei didn't respond, but Ankara felt his fingers curl around hers a moment later.
Daijuboui Hotel, half a day away from Sariaski City
"RAN, I'm NOT sleeping another hour!"
"Yes you ARE! You're pregnant!"
"I'm FINE!"
Narrin Fujimiya glared daggers at the red headed man who was currently sitting on her thighs, hands on her shoulders, trying his hardest to keep her from rising. "Ran, don't make me make you."
Ran's glare was equally as dangerous as his wife's. "This baby's half-mine, you know."
"I'm warning you-"
"Narrinlorinia, don't you dare!"
"Let me go-"
"You're sleeping another hour-!"
"GET OFF OF ME AND GET TO THE CAR!"Thunderous waves of power issued from Narrin's lips as she nearly screamed a command, backed with the magics she had retained from being a goddess.
Ran leapt off of her, and hastily grabbed the car keys sitting on the bedside table. Snatching up the small suitcase they had brought for the short trip, he nearly ran from the room.
Narrin sat up, giggling a little from her husband's puppy-like obedience. Normally, she allowed the feisty red-head to have his way. Or, she'd argue like any normal woman would. But every now and then, she'd play her trump card and use the power that forced anyone who could understand her words to instantly obey them. It was her only legacy from her time as Narrinlorinia, Goddess of Honeyed Tongues. And today it was particularly useful.
She had to hurry to catch up with Ran, but when she did, he was in a foul mood.
"You're sleeping on the way there, then."
"You're crazy. I slept the entire trip yesterday, all last night, and now you want me to sleep today?" Narrin tousled her husband's hair affectionately. "I'm a woman, and I know when I need rest. I AM the one having the baby, after all."
"I know." Ran pulled out of the hotel parking lot. "But with all of this danger we're heading into, I'd rather you well-rested and in perfect health."
Concern was interlaced with affection in his comment, and Narrin sighed. She might have the power to command him to whatever she willed, but she knew Ran had her wrapped around his little finger. All he'd have to do is say something heartfelt and Narrin melted.
"Fine. I'll try to sleep. But speed, okay?"
"What?"
"Speed. Those boys might not be able to afford the time it's taking us to even get to the city, let alone Demon World." Narrin tilted her seat back slightly.
"Just worry about yourself right now. I'll worry about Yusuke and the gang." Ran assured her. His wife only sighed in response, keeping her eyes closed.
KaibaCorp
"Oh my God." Kiamo's horror-struck whisper rang loudly through the small control room. Emiko's knees had gone out long before the end of the transmission, and now Katsu comforted her friend. However, Katsu wasn't sure that Emiko could be solaced after that.
The vixen was sitting, mouth slightly agape, tears pouring silently down her cheeks. One hand was held loosely over her stomach, where Dream-Emiko had been apparently stabbed, and the other hand clutched at her heart.
"I wonder why the transmission cut….?" Seto wondered aloud. He was not unsympathetic to Emiko and Katsu's situation, but not prone to long periods of shock when work was needed to be done.
His hands skated over the keys, and the schematics that had scrolled silently at one corner of the transmission while it had played. Eyes narrowed, the teen-millionaire perused the information listed.
"I'll bet that these are all bodily functions being recorded." Seto remarked aloud. "See, eighty-four beats a minute for heart rate at the beginning of the transmission, and by the time it cut out Shuichi's heart rate was one-hundred and four. Breathing, swallow reflexes, everything that indicates levels of stress."
"Why did it cut out, though?" Katsu asked timidly.
"I can only guess it was to keep Shuichi alive." Seto said after a pause. "I mean, if Shuichi's mind is convinced he's stabbing himself, and then he would completely shut down. And if your story is true, which evidence has shown, then these…. demons wish all three to be alive. They can't afford him to die."
"Can you tell us any location?" Emiko had recovered sufficiently to ask the question.
"I wish I could." Seto said grimly. "But seeing as it's a different world, well, all I can tell you is what the schematics have listed. According to their polar system, or where the magnetic pull comes from in D-Demon World, they're somewhere around 74 degrees longitude, and either 45 or 65 degrees latitude."
"That's enough to find them." Emiko responded, getting up on her feet. "Come, Katsu. Let's get our boys back."
"And Narrin and Aya?" Katsu followed suit, jumping up and hastily wiping her face.
"Ran, now, I believe. Koenma will have them follow us. We can't waste time waiting for them." Emiko turned towards the door.
"Wait." Seto's voice made her pause.
"What?"
"Let me equip you with walkie-talkies, at least." The business teen implored. "Then, if there's any more information I can dig up from the schematics, I can tell you. And, I can track you, so these Narrin and Ran people can find you faster."
Emiko and Katsu exchanged a brief look. "Thanks, Seto." Katsu said. "Sounds great."
"But hurry," Emiko added. "We can't waste anymore time. Who knows if those demons will catch Kurama, Yusuke or Kuwabara next time one attempts to die?"
End Chapter
Authoress here. And here. Wait for it……. (sprints to the left) AND HERE!
Poor Kurama! Poor Yusuke! Poor…..Kuwabara! I swear, that man doesn't get enough love…..And I can see why. Oh, but he makes the show, doesn't he? I mean, without him, who would be the bumbling idiot that's always to essential to the plot?
I rest my case.
So…….Review…? How 'bout it?