Kitsune Kit::swallows nervously: Yep, and it's gonna get worse. Oh, and thank you again for all the wind attacks! They really helped in this chapter!
Sonya-White-Angel: I'm glad you like my story! And don't be too sure about who it's gonna be! You never know what I might do!
Varan::wringing hands nervously: Demo...they're gonna kill me!
Kurama: Varan, you're the one who started this story and you're going to keep writing it.
Varan: Demo.
Jack: Yeah Varan! Besides, who cares if they kill you?
Varan: Shut up Jack!
Yusuke: Aw don't sweat it Varan. Besides, aren't you gonna.
Varan::slaps a hand over Yusuke's mouth: Shut up dimwit! They can't find out yet!
Yusuke: Mph!
Hiei: Just get on with it onna!
Varan::lets go of Yusuke: A-all right. Just don't let them get me!
K.L. and the others found themselves in yet another closed off room. This one was larger than the last, and was encased in a giant dome ceiling. K.L. ground her teeth in frustration.
"OK, this is starting to piss me off! We're here to fight Nightshade, not his stupid minions"
"Don't worry little girl, you'll get your chance soon enough." The detectives looked up to see another demon. She had long purple hair and matching eyes. Her arms were adorned with giant black wings, and a feathered tail could be seen coming out of her back.
"A raven demon," Kurama observed. "How appropriate." The demoness tossed her long hair over her shoulder.
"I'm not just any raven demon you filthy kitsune," she sniffed. "I am Leena Margarete, and once my lord has taken over, I will be his queen." Hiei snorted.
"Baka onna. The shadow is just using you," he told her. "Promising you power if you fight us...you're just a distraction like that other demon." Leena glared at the short fire demon.
"You insolent whelp! Master Nightshade sent me to take care of you and capture that little wind demon because I am his strongest and most loyal follower," she shrieked. Rita bristled indignantly.
"Hiei's not a whelp! He's just short like me!" K.L. and Kurama blinked at the wind demon and Hiei glared.
"You're not helping onna." Angel yipped suddenly to draw their attention to her.
: Come on! She only wants Hiei and Rita, so lets go after Nightshade while they fight: Kurama nodded.
"Of course," he said, heading to the exit with K.L. and Angel at his heels. "Don't take too long Hiei, we may need your help." K.L. turned her head to grin at them over her shoulder.
"Have fun you two," she called. Hiei smirked and drew his katana as they moved out of sight.
"Stay out of my way onna," he warned. Rita pouted and placed her hands on her hips.
"Aww, but that's no fun Hi-kun! I'm gonna help!" She pulled out her scythe and launched into the air. hovering above Hiei. "Come and get us birdie!" Leena sneered and held her hands out in front of her.
"I'll show you, you little wench," she snapped. Immediately a ball of dark energy gathered and was expelled toward Hiei and Rita. Rita shoved her scythe into her belt and thrust her palms toward Hiei.
"Oh no you don't! Breeze!" Wind flowed from her palms and enveloped both herself and the fire demon, forming a thin film that covered their entire bodies. Hiei guarded with his arms as the energy h it him. Much to his surprise, it barely singed his skin. Leena's jaw dropped and she glared at Rita.
"You little bitch! What did you do!" Rita giggled.
"Oh, I just made a buffer between us and your energy," she replied. "Now your energy attacks will hardly effect us!" Hiei lowered his arms and smirked.
"Hn, I guess you are useful after all onna." Rita smiled brightly and began to spin in place.
"Yay! Hi-kun said I'm useful," she cheered.
"How dare you ignore me!" Leena let loose an ear piercing shriek and jumped into the air as well. She stretched her arms and flared her wings, positioning herself in front of Rita. "Smog!" She forcefully flapped her wings in Rita's direction, and a sickly green gas formed around them. As her wings flapped, they blew the gas into Rita's face. The wind demoness couldn't defend in time and sucked in a lung full of poison. She hacked out a loud cough and clutched her neck.
"C-can't...breathe!" The wind around her ankles disappeared and she fell to the ground. Hiei quickly sheethed his sword and caught her, setting her down gently on the stone floor with her back against the wall. Once she was settled he stood and turned toward the cackling raven demon, moving into a protective stance before Rita. His eyes flashed dangerously and his hand moved to the bandage that covered his right arm.
"You will regret that," he told Leena darkly. The raven demon sneered nastily.
"Oh don't worry maggot, she won't die. Master Nightshade has use for her in his army, so I have orders not to kill her." She spat on the floor next to Rita's leg. "Although I don't know what that filthy little slut could do. She's obviously a horrid fighter." Hiei growled and his white bandana burst into flame. As it's ashes fell away, his jagan eye was revealed, open and pulsing with power. His aura flared and he pulled off the seal to his infamous dragon.
"You dare call Rita a slut," he spat. "After all, it's obvious why Nightshade has kept you alive for so ling. Do you honestly think he'll allow a fool such as yourself to have any power?" Leena flushed darkly with anger.
"I'll show you who's the fool!" She tucked her wings and made a nose dive directly toward him. Hiei sneered as black fire gathered along his arm.
"Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" The dragon rose from Hiei's palm and roared loudly before moving to attack. Leena dodged around it, never pulling out of her dive toward Hiei. She was too intent on spilling the fire demon's blood to notice the dragon hit the wall, then bounce off to follow her. Hiei was held fast, unable to run and control the dragon at the same time. He braced himself and shut his two natural eyes as the raven demon drew closer. Suddenly Rita coughed from her place behind him.
"Oh no...cough...you don't!" She coughed again and glared as Leena reached out to Strangle Hiei. "Gust!" Hiei opened his eyes as he felt the wind blow past his ears. Several rapidly fired gusts of wind shot at Leena and sliced her wings, covering both of her opponents in flecks of blood. The raven landed in a heap on the ground, her wings too shredded to hold her up any longer. Hiei saw his chance and took it. With a triumphant roar, the dragon pounced on Leena, catching her in its flaming jaws. Hiei watched coldly as the raven shrieked in pain as she burned to death. He called the dragon back to him and quickly re-wrapped the seal, satisfied that there was nothing left of Leena except for a scorch mark on the floor. Once he was done sealing the dragon, he sat down next to Rita, his eyelids beginning to droop.
"Are you going to live onna," he asked gruffly. Rita coughed and nodded.
"Yeah...I think so." She smiled warmly. "Arigatou Hi-kun. For protecting me I mean." Hiei blinked as he began to drift into unconsciousness.
"Hn." He closed his eyes and slumped against her side with his head resting on her shoulder, out cold. Rita coughed lightly and closed her own eyes. Slowly, a triumphant grin wormed its way to her lips.
"And thanks for using my name when you defended me."
Varan: I'd just like to stop for a second and give all credit for the wind attacks to Kitsune Kit. :bows: I really appreciate her allowing me to use her ideas, and would like to thank her once again. Thank you very much!
K.L. shivered as she, Kurama, and Angel entered a pitch black room. She could feel the dark energy sweep over them, forming goose bumps all over her arms. Angel growled and snorted.
: He's here! His disgusting scent is all over the place: she snarled.
"K.L., can you create some light," Kurama asked. K.L. nodded.
"Yeah." She drew in a deep breath and swung her arms in front of her chest, crossing them and clenching her hands into fists. Fire gathered over her arms and she swiftly uncrossed them, driving the flames into the air. They took the shape of a large phoenix and flew up to the ceiling, casting a dim light over part of the chamber.
"That was a very bad idea elemental. Now that there is light, there is bound to be shadow." K.L. and Angel were suddenly encased in darkness, as Nightshade moved forward into the light. KL. panicked, unable to see past the dark walls of the small cage that had formed around her.
"Kurama!" Angel snarled and threw herself at the cage, only to be repelled by Nightshade's power.
"It's no use," Nightshade told them. "Nothing can escape my shadow cage." Kurama glared at the shadow demon.
"Let them go," he ordered quietly. Nightshade chuckled.
"Don't worry kitsune, I don't plan on harming her quite yet." His blood red eyes glowed eerily in the firelight. "Now why don't you shed that pathetic ningen form so the battle can begin?" Kurama didn't need to be told twice. The tell tale silver fog surrounded him, and Yoko emerged. His amber eyes darkened with anger and he drew out a seed from his long silver hair.
"I'll give you one last chance Nightshade. Release them, and I'll make your death a swift one." Nightshade chuckled again, and although Kurama couldn't see any sign of a mouth, he could hear the smirk in the shadow's words.
"Really now? And why do you care so much for a pathetic little ningen girl and her mutt of a familiar? They're so weak, I can barely even sense the girl's aura." Yoko bristled and transformed the seed into his rose whip.
"I have no need to explain myself to the likes of you." Nightshade's eyes flashed.
"Ah...is she your mate then? There's no other reason for such protectiveness." He shook his head with mock regret. "And I thought you would have better taste than that. It seems that all that time you've spent in Ningenkai has corrupted you." Yoko glared at the shadow and drew back his whip.
"I gave you a chance," he growled. "Now I'll show you no mercy!" He flicked the whip at Nightshade who glided back to avoid it. Nightshade shook his head again and tsked disapprovingly.
"There's no need to be hasty. I'm not the one you should be attacking." He raised an arm and pointed at Yoko. "Frankly, you're not worth my time. I will however, provide for you a suitable substitute." He lowered his arm almost all the way, then slowly raised it once more. Yoko sensed something happening behind him, and turned to face it. His amber eyes widened in shock as his shadow broke away from his body, and slowly rose from the ground, adapting a three dimensional form. Yoko narrowed his eyes and scoffed.
"Using my own shadow against me? How very clich"
"As you like. Whether you think it clich‚ or not, you will end up dead." Yoko's shadow solidified and two pupiless golden eyes opened, blinking at the shadow's flesh and blood counterpart. Yoko brought his whip around and flicked it towards Shadow's neck, thinking to end it quickly. Shadow didn't even flinch as the sharp thorns flew directly towards it. It calmly reached out, grasping the shadow that Yoko's whip created and tugged hard. The whip flew out of Yoko's hands, and was flung into the darkness behind Shadow. Shadow charged at the now defenseless kitsune, wielding the whip's shadow. He flicked his new weapon and wrapped it tightly around Yoko's wrists. Yoko jerked back, to try and free himself, causing the shadow thorns to dig into his skin and forcefully tear it away. Yoko growled and jumped toward his shadow, kicking out with his right leg once he was in range. Shadow blocked with his free hand and knocked the kitsune off balance. Yoko hit the ground with a thud, and his back popped painfully on impact. Shadow wasted no time in driving his claws home into the left side of the kitsune's chest, while at the same time removing the shadow whip form his wrists. Yoko coughed up blood and recoiled violently. The shadow watched as his counterpart closed his eyes, and a silver mist surrounded them both. The mist dissipated and Shadow was gone, leaving a red headed Kurama laying on the floor as his life blood flowed out of his body and pooled around him. Nightshade tsked and glided toward the wounded boy. "There, you see? A weak creature such as yourself is not worth the effort." Kurama's chest shuddered, then his breathing slowed, until there was no movement at all. Nightshade nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now to deal with the elemental." He waved an arm and the cage that surrounded K.L. and Angel disappeared. K.L. turned to face them and screamed.
"NO! KURAMA!" She ran to him as fast as her feet would carry her and fell to her knees at his side. She flinched seeing his chest...there was so much blood! She reached out and shook his right shoulder. "Kurama! Wake up! Please!" Angel raced to her partner's side and whined pitifully.
: I-is he...: K.L. shook her head violently as tears formed in her eyes.
"NO! He can't be!" Nightshade sighed impatiently.
"Just face it onna. The kitsune is dead, and there's nothing you can do about it." Angel bristled and bared her fangs at the shadow, growling deep in her chest.
: You! You did this! I'll kill you: she snarled. K.L. reached out and grabbed Angel by the scruff of her neck, not looking away from Kurama.
"No Angel, don't." The elemental released her familiar and stood slowly, turning her tear stained face toward her enemy. "That's my job."
Varan::hides behind Kurama: Don't kill me!
Kurama: I can't believe you just wrote that!
Varan: TT I know! I'm so sorry but I had to!
Jack: But...Kurama can't die...he's a main character!
Varan::flattens ears against her hair: .
Yusuke: Well, you readers had better review so we can see what else goes wrong.
Varan: Shut up Yusuke!
Kurama: See you then.
Varan: And please tell me if the chapter came out all right spacing wise! I'm still working on fixing that!
