Enjoy the new and improved revised chapters.

1234

EPIOSODE SIX: SCREAMING SILENCE

Sage watched Kuwabara with a quizzical eye, and couldn't resist a smirk at restless soul's antics.

The human soul had been struggling inside that necklace for twenty minutes now. Sage knew that inside that jewel, it was as good as being dead. For a soul to be repressed, to not aloud to move freely or move on, that was agony in itself. Kuwabara would be so weighed down by the pain of his own weakness…Kuwabara would never be able to escape his own pain. That was why Sage wasn't worried about Kuwabara escaping the necklace-it was too impossible. There was no way a soul could escape unless released from that prison, and there was no way that would ever happen.

Batto, was currently brushing his-or should I say-"Kuwabara's hair." A smile was plastered on his cruel face. He could feel the small soul in the necklace struggling in the large red jewel and there was nothing more delightful then the suffering of another in Batto's malicious opinion.

"Kazuma," Sage sighed, crossing his legs, "you can't escape from your imprisonment. Someone has to release you in order for you to get out. All you're doing is making it harder on yourself...you're such a fool. Every time you struggle, another heaping of pain is dropped on your weak, pathetic self. If you struggle enough you'll be so weighed down by pain your soul could deteriorate and completely disappear...we wouldn't want that…now would we?"

The soul looked at him through the red imprisonment, and Sage smiled imagining the look of misery on young Kuwabara's face. He was honestly disappointed that Kuwabara's soul had been shrunk down. Sage really wanted to see the look of suffering on his face.

"I'd rather disappear than know that I'm sittin' here doing nothing, while you guys do whatever the hell you want! Besides if I disappear…THEN THERE WON'T BE A DAMN THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT OPENING THOSE GATES!" Kuwabara banged his hand on the red glass, "IT'S NOT RIGHT WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Kuwabara sunk back, resting his tired head against the glass. "Me an' my buddies have been through so much now...so damn much. We finally get back together after a year of being apart, and we don't even get a full day to talk and not have to worry about some bad guy coming, and pissin' on our parade…" Kuwabara sunk weakly to the ground. This place, his prison, really did drain the life out of him. "You two can't even fuckin' hear me can you?" Kuwabara asked only seeing Batto and Sage smiling at him.

"Of course we can Kuwabara, but no one else will," Batto said fluffing his recently required orange locks. "Only we can hear your voice Kuwabara," Batto said as he continued preening.

Sage grinned and smiled at the tiny spirit, "And we will be the only ones that ever will…"

"You'll see…I'll make my voice reach my friends' ears! I will!" Kuwabara swore kicking the red glass in retaliation.

Sage looked at him. In all honest truth he was almost afraid of this young man. Most souls couldn't move inside such a despairing imprisonment, especially not after all Kuwabara was going through…but Sage had recently found out that the young human could not only move in there, but if one of his friends slept, and he was desperate enough, he could enter their minds. Sage wasn't sure if Kuwabara realized he was doing it, but he knew he had to put a stop to any hope Kuwabara had of getting out by himself.

"Batto, the necklace."

Batto looked up, and took off the fine piece of jewelry, and placed it in his father's palm. Sage peered inside the jewel, and smiled at the tiny soul inside. "Why don't I let you out for a spell Kazuma."

Sage took the necklace from Batto and placed the necklace down on the floor. He searched around in his robes, and pulled out a white piece of chalk, and began making a large circle, with very detailed designs. The whole process took him several minutes, and his son was now watching with curiosity. When Sage was done, he held his staff in front of him, and wind instantly began to pick up. He muttered words only he knew, and very slowly out of the jewel Kuwabara's soul arose. He was at his full height, and was wearing the clothes he wore the day he, had "killed," himself. He was transparent, and collapsed as soon as Sage ceased his muttering.

Batto, and Sage stared at him for a long time, watching and waiting. Kuwabara didn't make any sound, or make any effort to rise. "I've created a barrier, so if you have any thoughts of escaping..." Sage trailed off, it didn't seem necessary to tell him that escaping wouldn't work. Batto leaned down next to his Father's ear. "Is he...will he be strong enough to perform the task? He could disappear as soon as you release him." Sage frowned and whispered back, "This is very risky...but I'll loosen his restraints. The last thing I need is for the one I need to die! He is the only one who can do this…so if we let him go we'll have to wait for his reincarnation to complete our task!" Sage was honestly worried now about what Kuwabara had said earlier. They both went quiet when Sage pointed at Kuwabara's back.

"I had a feeling those were there...they look worse than I thought."

On Kuwabara's back, suddenly rising as a butterfly's would when he came out of his chrysalis, withered, twisted and broken wings appeared. They faded away every time Kuwabara exhaled, but when he took in a deep breath they would appear almost glowing with some mighty strength. However the feathers looked if they were dull, and old. His wings looked overused, and were so small, as if they hadn't grown all the way out. The feathers weren't white, and didn't fully resemble feathers…they were more like fine pieces of cloth shaped to be like feathers. And the color was a vibrant orange, red, and yellow…the wings were in fact Kuwabara's spirit swords reformed and transformed into his wings.

Batto's mouth hung open, and he placed his hand on his father's shoulder, "Those...they are wings! But he's not dead! Not really after all…" Batto gasped.

Sage nodded, and whispered, "I know. He did die in a way, and yet because we keep him here in this plane, he is alive, but still dead...and all this at the same time. I forced him back to life you see, by trapping his soul I made him live, but the fact is he did technically "die," and since he's so pure, his wings are still trying to fully appear. If his soul had gone up he would have served the Lord most likely," Sage's eyes gleamed, "But I have him now, and the gates will open."

"No...you don't have anybody…"

Kuwabara was rising, his voice coming out in sharp rasps. His white shirt clung tightly to his body, which seemed suddenly drenched with sweat. He swayed, and he made strange sounds, the dying, crooked wings on his back flapping with out warning. Batto, and Sage watched, eyes wide. The two had to jump back, when the shield began to spark. "You took my parents," Kuwabara whispered, "you took me away, you took my body, and you tricked me friends. Damn you...you have no right...YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" Kuwabara's curls fluttered around his ghostly brow, and the crosses in his eyes, shone brighter.

"Oh fuck..." Sage whispered biting the nail on his thumb.

Batto looked at him, and then at Kuwabara. "Father, the shield! Look at the shield!" The shield that was keeping Kuwabara imprisoned had started to crack. Lines of yellow electricity, was striking the floor, so Sage and Batto couldn't get close if they wanted. Kuwabara began to scream loudly, scream words that they just couldn't make out. A piece of the shield flaked away, and just when Sage thought they were going to have real trouble on their hands, Kuwabara went still, his eyes dimmed, and the soul crumpled to the ground glowing orange feathers molting off his body flying up and fading into dust.

Sage stared at the teen, and cleared his throat, "We won't let him out anymore...You hear that Kuwabara? We let you out so you could stretch your legs but you blew your chance!" Kuwabara said nothing; it looked as if he'd passed out from the rush of energy her exerted. Kuwabara may have been asleep, yet he still managed to make Sage…afraid.

Sage coughed, and placed the soul back inside the jewel. He placed the fine necklace in his hand, and stared at it for a long time. Batto nervously stood there, he hadn't been aware at how powerful Kuwabara's soul really was. Sage looked at his son, and warned, "Keep this necklace with you at all times. If the jewel shatters, the human will be able to escape, and that means our plans would be ruined!" Sage placed the necklace in Batto's hands, and whispered, "I'll be in my room. Rest up. In just a few days longer we'll be able to enter the gates, and all will go according to plan. The destruction of this world and every world is coming to an end!"

However Sage walked the empty halls uneasily something was not sitting well in his stomach. He could feel it, feel the winds changing, but what scared him was he did not know if this, "change," would be in his favor. He heard a soft sound, and looked behind him, and saw Kuwabara looking at him, broken wings behind him. Sage blinked, and the image was gone. Sweat dampened his face, and he muttered, "Foolish bastard. I don't scare so easily." Something cold brushed his neck, and he turned, nothing was there...Sage frowned, "This is ridiculous!"

He walked away, the silence following him.

1234

Yusuke had woken and was sitting with one of his knees bent up, arms draped over it. He was trying to think, trying very hard to think of a way to save his Best friend. He completely ignored the others, who were discussing what they should do, ignoring the fears they all shared about trying to stop Kuwabara. Hiei was all for just storming in there, killing Sage, and beating the crap out of Kuwabara until he snapped out of it. Kazuma, and Kari, of course did not like this approach staring at Hiei nervously wondering if he was really here to help save their son. They turned more to Kurama for ideas, his plans seeming much more friendlier and well thought out. He'd come up with several sensible ideas, but for the most part, had no idea how each one would end.

Kazuma looked over at Yusuke, and then at the bushes, where a river was. "I need a bath." All turned to look at him, at that random comment, and Kazuma gave the simple explanation, "My wife and I have not gotten to bathe more than once every two weeks, I think we should wash up." He held out his hand for his small frail wife, and she took it, rising with his help. Kazuma held her shoulders, and looked at Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke. He stared at Yusuke the longest. "Will you tell us more of our children when we get back? I want to know everything about them…and more of how you all met."

Hiei was the first to agree, Kurama nodded with a gentle smile, but Yusuke just stared at them. He swallowed the lump growing in his throat and he wondered if he could bear to reveal anything more about Kuwabara. He rose, "No one's had anything to eat. I'll go look for something. Get a fire started."

They watched him leave, and Kazuma sighed, "I wish I knew my son like he does...I lost my son, and he lost his friend...but it's painfully clear it's affecting him more." Kurama looked at the man with pity, "You have been away from each other seven years...you never even got the chance to know your children...but you do care about your son...if you didn't, you wouldn't look like you were about to break in half."

Kazuma smiled, a tired expression on his face, "No man...no woman...should outlive their child," Kazuma led his quiet wife away softly saying, "I am so old and tired now...I would like to get some rest." And with that he took his wife's hand and the two walked towards the river.

Kurama and Hiei sat in silence for a long while, before Kurama whispered, "He certainly looks like Kuwabara."

Hiei nodded, and turned away from Kurama, "I'll get the wood…we're low on it." Hiei went into the forest a little ways, Kurama watching after him. He turned his head to the left spotting a big pile of wood. "Oh Hiei…I wish you wouldn't hide your feelings," Kurama whispered closing his eyes letting his mind drift to thoughts of his friend.

Hiei walked a long ways away and pulled out the piece of the letter he had saved, the folded, crinkled piece that he probably knew by heart now. He turned to this paper for answers, and for the life of him he didn't know why…He crumpled it up. There was no comfort in those teasing words written from Kuwabara. He tossed it on the ground staring at the parchment against the green grass.

Hiei didn't know why seeing Kuwabara that way bothered him so much, it wasn't as if they were friends. Hiei mused over this problem, as well as those odd crosses in his former teammate's eyes. When it came to fighting, they could work together, but outside of fighting, they were eager to openly expressing their real feelings. And those feelings normally came out with biting words and glaring tempers. Hiei mostly started the fights, he knew that much, but who couldn't help but pick on the clumsy, seemingly out of place teen.

"How long do humans live?" Hiei suddenly questioned. He thought and answered himself, "Seventy...eighty years on average…a hundred if they're lucky?"

That ox of a human would live for at least one hundred years Hiei didn't doubt that. Hiei cut down the tree, and growled in pain. His injured side let itself be known. He looked at it in a curious manner. Kuwabara had done that to him. He wasn't normally that strong, that was a fact. Hiei wondered if maybe Kuwabara was holding his power back subconsciously. Even Hiei knew Kuwabara's power could be a very dangerous, and a destructive, if not controlled properly. After all…Kuwabara had a sword that could cut through dimensions, space, and time itself if used correctly.

And Kuwabara knew that.

And a true brute would use such powers to get greedy and most likely vile plans fulfilled if they had such a power. But Kuwabara was more gentle than he was a brute...what had Kurama teasingly said once…that Kuwabara was like a "sweet and kind of ugly kitten." And Kuwabara really was…a decent person and would not use his powers for wrong. So was it possible Kuwabara had been holding back his powers all along? Was this brain washed Kuwabara, releasing everything Kuwabara was holding back, or could it be something else?

A cold wind caused him to turn, and Hiei froze, dropping his sword. Just like in Hiei's dream with only a few differences, Kuwabara stood staring at Hiei with unblinking eyes. There were no tears of blood, no short gown, and no barbed wire. But Kuwabara did have twisted, and broken wings. He did stand there half way transparent. And He did stand there with crosses in his eyes.

And he did stand there, gazing at Hiei.

"Kuwabara?" Hiei whispered, eyes narrowed, "Is that you?"

Kuwabara didn't answer. He lightly shifted his chin to the left the sun shining through the transparent man. Hiei didn't blink; he just stared eye to eye with this specter wondering how long it would last. Kuwabara seemed to be doing the same thing, and Hiei mildly thought that this was like a contest.

And then Hiei was finally forced to blink, and Kuwabara was gone.

Hiei turned, and went back to chopping wood.

1234

Kurama sat in silence. Things were so quiet. Kurama had noticed the silence when Kuwabara had been kidnapped before. He noticed the silence when he, Yusuke, and Hiei were away fighting in the Makai Tournament. He noticed the silence when Kuwabara lay on the floor of the Dark Tournament after getting fingers thrust through his chest. He noticed the silence that filled the atmosphere as Kuwabara fell towards the lava during that first mission years back. Kurama always noticed the silence whenever Kuwabara was out of commission

It was a terribly loud, obnoxious, silence.

There were several times, Kurama had wished for Kuwabara to shut up, but he would never say it. It was cruel, and Kurama liked Kuwabara, he didn't want to ruin anything between them. But Kurama was an intelligent being who had lived years and years, and sometimes Kuwabara's ignorance towards the world, and endless questions grated on Kurama's nerves.

However, in all honesty when Kuwabara wasn't around hanging out with them, Kurama missed his boyish laughter and loud words Kuwabara spewed every second. He could remember once he was helping Kuwabara cram for a test, Hiei at their side. Hiei claimed to be there to watch Kuwabara struggle, but Hiei did help Kuwabara and even corrected his mistakes…in almost what you could call a kind matter. Suddenly, out of the blue Kuwabara got up, and left. For a full minute he was gone with Kurama sitting there confused, the door opened and in came his mother, thanking Kuwabara for helping her with the groceries. "How did you know I was out there?" Kurama and Hiei shared a secret smile, and Kuwabara said casually, "Lucky guess."

Kurama frowned with a heavy sigh it was so quiet…

Wind tousled his hair, and Kurama turned towards the direction it came from.

He froze.

"Kuwabara?"

The young man looked at him, wings twisted, and eyes half lidded. "Kuwabara is that you?" Kurama cried, rising. Kuwabara said nothing but walked towards him. He was so close...so close Kurama could touch him, then he just disappeared with out warning. Kurama stood there, and only turned when Hiei came back with the firewood.

"Kurama?" Hiei's voice held a question that Kurama didn't know how to answer. Kurama reached out to touch the air in front of him where Kuwabara had just been, closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. He turned towards Hiei, the two staring at each other and Kurama wondered silently if Hiei could remember that day in Kurama's home smiling secretly as they both thought that Kuwabara was just that kind of guy to use his psychic abilities to help out an older woman with her groceries.

"Welcome back Hiei…you've got plenty of wood…" Kurama said dully dropping his hand.

Kurama started the fire.

Yusuke showed up with a giant hog, and they began to cook it.

Kazuma, and Kari showed up, damp, and looking refreshed, even if their faces were miserable.

They all sat down.

They all ate.

And they all kept a spot empty for the human that wasn't there.

End of this chapter

Well...you all might kill me for this, but "Kuwabara," is going to kill someone in the next chapter.