I'm sorry if this chapter confuses anyone, this is my first time trying to not write in script form on fanfiction and in this story. So please bear with me.
-
"Frick," exclaimed Yusuke. All Kurama could say was, " Calm down..."
"Don't tell me to calm down! I just let Keiko be taken from me again! I didn't even try to save her!"
Kurama again tries to speak to Yusuke, "I know this is troubling but Yusuke, if you don't calm down we will be discovered." Yutsuki also tries, "He's right. If you don't shut up quick enough I will not hesitate to prevent you from going any further for at least a few days."
Kuwabara, however is with Yusuke, "Come on, we just watched some of the people we care about most be taken away from us." But of course his sister was trying to reason with him too. "Still lil bro, we can't afford to be found out. We'll die quickly, or become slaves. I really don't agree with either option."
Koenma also attempts to give advice, "Yusuke, I realize that this is a difficult situation, but we can't be rash, even if that's what you do best."
Yutsuki finally warns them, "We can't just sit here talking, the Kori will be here shortly"
-
"What is your name?" Silence. "I asked you what your name was. Now tell me!"
"Why?"
"We need to know something. Now tell me!"
A weak girl finally replies, "Keiko."
The younger of the second born twins begins to become more and more frustrated, "Crap. It didn't work brother, this one is almost too strong, we've been at this for two hours. Surely we have something stronger." "We do. But anything else might harm her even more."
"I don't care. We should do it!"
"This will have to be on your head and not mine."
"Fine! Hurry it up!"
"Patience Naserui."
"I will not be patient Tsiku!"
" Fine, bring him in."
As Keiko looks up from the floor which she had been staring at for almost two hours in her chair that now bound her so tight she could hardly breath. When she looked up her breath was stolen away.
"Hello Keiko." "HIEI!" "Who else did you think would be able to get you to talk?"
"You betrayed everyone! Yusuke, Kurama..."
"Those names mean little to me."
"Kuwabara, Botan, Genkai, Yukina..."
"What?"
"Yukina?"
Hiei suddenly grabs his head as he starts seeing a beautiful girl with blue-green hair and fierce yet gentle red eyes. Then his whole world goes black. Keiko lets out a scream as two of the guards on the princes command knocked him out cold.
"Why did you do that you monsters? He's on your side." Tsiku looks both shocked and angry, "What did you say?"
"What?"
"He was beginning to get his memory back. Why? What did you say that made him react that way?"
"I don't know."
"Take him away and make sure that he doesn't see any of the other girls, we can't afford the memory effect to wear off."
"Memory effect?"
"You didn't think that Hiei willing joined our side, did you? No, when he was unconscious my brother put our family seal on his back where he can't see it and he is under our power. However, whatever you said or did made his memories begin to come back and if that happens then we would have a big problem."
"Really?"
The door flies open once more only this time Hasakie is standing there.
"Everyone leave, leave us at once."
Tsiku, who is not used to receiving orders, is furious, "What is the meaning of this Hasakie?"
"Do not bother me with questions, please escort yourself out and do not disturb us. I must speak with the jewel carrier alone."
"Very well. Everyone go."
As everyone leaves, Keiko becomes more and more confused. As the thick oak door closes tightly Hasakie turns to face Keiko.
"Good evening Keiko. How are you feeling?"
"Is this a trick question? Cause you know we got one of those on a test once."
Hasakie begins to get a little chuckle until he says, "No, it's not a trick question."
"Oh, well considering that we escaped from our cell, ran down a hall where we could barely breath, fell down a trap door, got caught in a monsters' trap, and then you captured us again anyway and I've been chained, bolted, electrocuted, and tied down to this chair for the past two hours with no food or water I think I will say that my day is not going to well."
"That's funny. Here have some water."
He walks up to Keiko and holds a flask up to her mouth. Keiko refuses to drink it keeping her mouth shut tightly.
"Well maybe later, and don't worry it won't harm you. I wouldn't do that to you."
"Really, and why not?"
"I have come to propose a bargain."
"What?"
Hasakie takes a deep breath and then begins to tell Keiko the purpose of his visit, "Keiko, I must tell you that you are a miraculous girl, you've stood up against incredible odds and won. You battle the evil inside you even now, and you still have enough guts to see if you can make me irritable. Like I said, I will propose a bargain."
"And what would that be?"
"If you let yourself have your memories forgotten and become my princess..."
"Never."
"Let me finish, you get something out of this too."
"Oh really."
"Yes, in return for letting go of your memories and joining me at my side, your friends in the dungeon will be free to go and I will spare your other ones as well."
Keiko pretends to be dumbfounded, "What do you mean?"
Hasakie takes out a bright yellow ball. Then it begins to glow a brilliant white and right in the middle are the faces of Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Shizuru. Once again, Keiko can hardly breath. "We'll let them into the castle and let them see you. After that they will be free to go and no harm shall ever again be fall them from anyone in this realm."
"So in exchange for me, you would let the others be free and let them live the rest of their lives peacefully."
"Yes, I know this is a big decision, so I'll let you sleep on it. GUARD!"
The door flies open once again.
A stout guard is standing at the door, "Yes sir."
"Take the jewel carrier back to her cell with the others. She has much to think about."
"Yes sir."
Hasakie removes the locks and chains from Keiko's hands, feet, stomach, and neck then hands her off to the guard.
"Hold on guard, on more thing I need to tell the jewel carrier."
"Yes sir."
"What do have to tell me now?"
Hasakie walks up close to her ear and whispers so only she can hear, "The reason I'm doing this is because, I've fallen in love with you"
-
"Fine. Let's just get moving. I can't stand just waiting around for more time to be lost." says Yusuke
" Yes. We're leaving now. I am guessing that we have little more than 20 seconds before the Kori get here," Yutusuki informs them.
"Less," says Kurama.
Kuwabara seems to be the only real worried one, "Let's go already!"
They all race towards the door. As they reach the tightly sealed gates the Kori arrive. All six push as hard as they can and finally shove the door wide enough to get through. When they force the door shut again there a huge force hits the door.
Koenma thinks that it's his turn to be sarcastic, "That was too close for comfort."
"Come on. Someone would have heard that," says Yutsuki.
"Yes they did," agrees Kurama
As everyone looks up they see a giant figure of a man who appears to have a high rank. They all shake except for Kurama and Yutsuki when he speaks to them,"So their were a few rouge rebels who got lucky because we had to kill the Guardian of the Gates. Well, your luck just ran out"
"Hello Captain."
"Which one of you said that?"
Yutsuki steps forth,"I did."
"What are you doing here? You've been missing for almost a year."
"It's a long story and I have little time to talk."
"Yutsuki, how do you know this man?" asks Kurama.
"He is my inside source. He will appear to treat revolutionaries rough but then he releases them as soon as he can."
"Hmm.. Miss Yutsuki is one of the best fighters in the realm."
Again, Kurama asks a question, this time to the Captain,"How have you managed to keep your identity a secret?"
"I've been serving in this family for longer than I can remember. Before the king grew ill I can't say that we were at peace but it wasn't like this. There has always been a rebellion but none as determined as this group. I'm sure that you know all about the curse. Well something happened that set off the war. Yutsuki's mother was discovered helping the rebellion a great deal and was brutally murdered. She was a friend to many including me, until she was killed by the palace assassins. That is what started the whole uprising and why I help them."
"We have been great friends for along time," Yutsuki is proud to admit.
"I see," says an unsatisfied Kurama.
"This is all very touching, I don't know about the rest of you but I have some girls to save," Yusuke says with a little aggravation in his voice.
"Yes, we best press on."
"Don't give me any of that fancy talk junk you ex-pacifier junkie."
They all take off at a brisk pace until the Captain says something that makes them all stop.
"I'm afraid you may be too late."
"What do mean!" screams Yusuke.
"Well, at least maybe. You have until dawn which is in a half hour."
"So why did you say that we are probably to late?"
"I think that she already made up her mind"
-
After about and hour of silence from her, a shy Keiko finally speaks, "I need to tell you all something."
Genkai, already knowing that Keiko obviously had something on her mind, asked, "What?"
"I have been given an offer."
"I already don't like the sound of this."
"In exchange for me giving up my memories and joining one of the princes, you will all be set free never to be harmed again."
"We won't let you! I would rather die than let you do that!" yells Yukina.
"I know, but..."
A "wise" Botan exclaims, "No buts, Yusuke would kill us if we let you."
And then an even wiser Genkai says, "Then bring us back and kill us again."
"Well, I haven't know you very long," says Aiyka, "but I would be willing to die at your side."
"That won't be necessary. I know what I'm going to do."
Their cell door swings open. Standing in the middle of it are Hasakie, Naserui, and Tsiku.
Tsiku whispers in Hasakie's ear, "Are you sure this is going to work?"
"Yes. Almost definitely." Then he turns to Keiko. 'Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"I will go with on two more conditions."
"Oh? And what might those be?"
"I want to be able to see them leave this place alive and un-harmed with my memories still intact."
"Done. And the second?"
"We marry at sunset four days from now."
"Why?"
"It will be the day before my birthday."
"Done."
"NOO! KEIKO, I WON'T LET YOU!" yells Genkai.
Keiko turns to Genkai, "Genkai, you have always been wise and kind to me especially when it comes to Yusuke. Now I'm asking you to put the same trust in me as you do him. I know this is the right thing. Botan, you're always so comical, I will miss you always. Please, take care of Yusuke, he'll need it."
"I will."
Then Keiko turns to Yukina, "Yukina, you really are such a wonderful girl, I hope that you will be happy for the rest of your life with whoever you so choose."
Yukina begins to weep and the precious stones fall on the ground.
"And last, Aiyka, as you said we don't each other very well and I wish we could have, but I don't know that we ever will. Please take good care of yourself. Genkai one more thing."
She bends low and whispers something in her ear.
"Please tell them all that, especially Yusuke."
"I will."
"Let's go." says an impatient Hasakie, "Release the prisoners after they have had a proper meal and drink then make sure no harm comes to them while we are waiting."
"Yes sir," say three or four guards in unison.
And, as always, a suspicious Genkai asks,"Waiting for what?"
Hasakie smiles a wicked smile and says, "Our other guests to arrive"
-
"We better get moving, we're running out of time, come on," urges Yusuke.
"I will say that I was helping the injured and left my post only for a moment," says the Captain.
"Thank you my friend," says an appreciative Yutsuki.
"Think nothing of it."
"Good bye."
"Let's go already!" says Yusuke with urgency in his voice.
As they run down the long hallway they come to a fork in the road, actually more like six forks in the road.
"Crap, which way?" asks Yusuke.
Yutsuki points to a hallway that looks to go on forever. "All of these lead to The Hall of Mirrors, except that one. There is a drop off after about ½ a mile."
Yusuke just has to ask, "What's so bad about the Hall of Mirrors?"
"Well, it's a maze that you will probably never be able to navigate because the true door is reflected so many times."
Yusuke sarcastically states, "Oh, well that sounds pleasant."
Kurama has a nagging question that he finally can't help asking, "How do you know all of these things and yet I'm sure that you've claimed that you've never been inside of the castle?"
Yutsuki seems speechless for a moment then replies, "The others who gave their lives kept a log and left where we had access to it or the Captain would take it from them."
Kurama is now even more untrusting but just nods his head.
"Perhaps," says a strange yet familiar voice,"You should tell them the whole truth."
Out of the shadows appears the figure of a man who is short in stature with eyes as pale as the night sky when it's covered by clouds.
"HIEI!"
"Hello, did you all miss me?"
Yutsuki asks Koenma, "Is this one you said betrayed you?"
"Yes, it is."
Yutsuki tells them something that they really didn't want to hear, "He hasn't betrayed you, he is under the curse of my family."
"YOUR FAMILY," exclaims Kurama!
"Yes. My family, I am the youngest daughter of the king and the late queen."
Hiei begins to laugh cruelly, "Now see? Everyone likes people who are honest."
Kurama looks at all of his team mates thinking quickly to himself, ""Alright, he'll probably go Shizuru first since she's unarmed, then Koenma to finish off the future ruler of Spirit World, then Yusuke and myself for no interruptions while he can battle the princess. Which means that I need to get everyone else out of here."" "Everyone go, I'll handle him."
Yusuke is not about to let Kurama try to play hero of the day, "No way man, we all go or none of us do."
"You need to leave, please, I have a plan."
"No."
"Your still as stubborn as ever Yusuke, please, go down the right hall and leave Hiei to me."
"Fine. Ten minutes or I'm comin back."
"Agreed, although I have a feeling that when you try to come back I won't be here."
"What?"
"Go."
Koenma yells from the rest of the group who is already making their way down the hall, " Come on Yusuke, you heard him. He can handle himself. Please come on!"
Yusuke begins to run down the hall with the rest still feeling un sure about the decision.
Kurama and Hiei look at the party run down the hall and then turn towards each other.
Hiei is the first to say anything, and when he does it makes Kurama's stomach do somersaults at the extreme iciness in his voice. Hiei's voice had always been somewhat icy, but they also always that little hint of warmth that was hard to pick up unless you really knew him. But Kurama wasn't sensing any warmth, pretend or not, it was just gone. "So, those pathetic excuse for humans and royalty are fleeing from a challenge? What pity I would have for them if I cared. So, it looks as if you will be my adversary."
Kurama says quite cooly, "Yes, that is how it appears"
-
Oh, just when it was getting good. Can't you just feel the tension mounting? Hiei and Kurama are going to battle it out. But can even Kurama beat Hiei now that he has the power of the dark realm in his pocket, not to mention that nifty little Jagan Eye of his, he has quite the advantage. Or does he? You'll have to read the next chapter to see. I'm sure that a lot of people are going to be mad that they'll have to wait until the next chapter. Ooo, and what about Keiko's decision? Man, that's another reason on top of the fifty others that Yusuke is going to have kick some serious butt seriously soon. If not he just might pop. I can't wait to get my next chapter up.
I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories your, umm, "advice" was helpful in a lot of areas. Keep reading, it gets really good, and I guarantee that you won't see half of the stuff that's coming, coming. And yes Meghann, that does make sense.