Disclaimer: I don't own it….

Chapter Twelve: Fighting Tomo and A Fox's Feelings Confessed

Kurama dodged the first, weak attempt at a strike from Naoko. The female ogre whad been trying to get a feel for how he may fight against her, but he wasn't giving away anything. His face held no expression and the glint in his eyes only promised pain. She was going to have to outsmart him. Something she could tell was not going to be easy.

She started forward again, this time engaging him in a stronger attack. She unsheathed her sword in one swift stroke. Kurama, caught off guard slightly, jumped back and barely felt the sharp blade slice across his chest. He could hear a soft, startled gasp come from Botan. The pain started as a small stinging sensation. Nothing he had to really worry about right off. Botan could heal a minor wound like this quickly and then he'd be fine.

Naoko charged again, Kurama was ready for her. His rose whip catching her around the neck. A second and third vine sprouted from the vine, snaking their way down her arms and wrapping tightly around both of the female ogre's wrists. She dropped her sword to the ground and struggled to free herself from the constricting plant. It only got tighter as she fought.

"A little help, Tomo!" she called out. The frog demon stared at her, his back resting against the tree. He made no attempt to move, "Tomo, Naizen will have your head if you let me die like this!"

"Will he now?" Tomo croaked. He ran a plump green finger against his chin, "I was under the impression that he could care less about you or any of us for that matter. His care lies only in himself and what he holds captive at this moment."

"You traitor!"

"No, I'm still going to do my duty, but unlike you, I will succeed. You were a failure to begin with, Naoko. Naizen knew that. You were lucky to have stayed alive for this long."

"You shouldn't struggle so much. It'll just prolong your suffering." Kurama spoke with a calm, cold and serious tone. Naoko turned her orange eyes back to her captor. She regretted provoking this one first.

"I see. I picked the wrong one to fight with. My mistake." Naoko pulled her hands together, grasping the vines that had attached to the opposite wrists, "If you release me, I'll lead you to the girl."

"No." he pulled harder. It was only a moment of time before the air would be completely crushed from her body, "You won't live."

"He's really pissed off." Yusuke said quietly to Genkai, "I wonder what put him into that mood."

"I think I have an idea." Genkai muttered behind a smirk.

"Fine." Naoko spat. Her hands glowed orange and then red. A small sphere of demon energy formed before them, "I'll just use this to kill you."

"You can try." Kurama was unfazed by her threat. She hadn't been completely oblivious when it came to little things that occured in her temple.

The vines tightened their hold more. Wrapping themselves higher up Naoko's torso and chest. Her breathing became desperate and strained. The energy in her hands faded, forgotten and unused. Her eyes lost their determination and glazed over with unshed tears from her confirmed fear. She was going to die.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was Youko fighting and not our Kurama." Yusuke watched the frog demon. It was only a matter of moments before he engaged them in a fight.

Naoko's body slumped and the vines receded. Kurama put a shakey hand to his wounded chest and dropped to one knee. He could feel the pain more now than before.

In a flash, Tomo advanced quicker than was expected for a frog demon. His knotted wooden staff poised for a strike. The end of it began to glow a faint blue.

"No, you don't!" Kuwabara jumped in to defend Kurama, his hands clutching his spirit sword. He deflected Tomo back, "Are you alright, Kurama?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Kurama stood slowly.

"You take a break then. This little toad is mine!" Kuwabara watched Tomo.

"I'm not a toad!" Tomo grumbled. He came in to begin his assault. His long wodden staff flailing at the offender's head, "I'll make you suffer!"

"You alright there, Kurama?" Yusuke lifted his friend's arm over his shoulder delicately and helped him back to the others. Kurama was glad for the help. Things were starting to spin a bit.

"Yeah, it's nothing really." Kurama smiled as Botan joined them, "But I'll be better real soon."

"Let's get you fixed up before we continue on." She motioned for him to sit and he listened. She knelt next to him, "Alright let me see what we're dealing with."

She bit her bottom lip and blushed lightly. Her hands grazed over the fabric of his shirt, her fingers stopping to unbutton the first couple of buttons. She hesitated in unbuttoning the others.

"Hey squirt! Did you really think that would work?" Kuwabara's voice yelled out and startled Botan. She withdrew her hands from their current task. She looked up at Kurama as he laughed. Her eyes caught his.

"Sorry." He replied quietly and looked down at the ground.

"Can you finish removing your shirt so I can heal the damage?"

"Of course." He willingly complied with her request and removed his shirt.

"This wound isn't too bad." Botan smiled. She placed her palm over his chest and let her energy flow to his wound.

"Every attack he throws, Kuwabara can get through, but he can't seem to get close enough to actually attack him." Touya watched the fight, "He's just wasting our time."

"I agree. We need to end this." Hiei replied reaching for his katana.

"Let me take this one, Hiei." Touya stepped forward slightly, "Can you warn Kuwabara to duck?"

"Yes." Hiei opened a mind link with the fighting teammate and gave him the warning.

Tomo had sent another wall of water towards Kuwabara. When he had heard Hiei tell him to duck he had at first been confused, but he listened. Hiei wouldn't warn him in the middle of a battle unless it was for the best.

Touya used a move Hiei recalled him using against Kurama in the dark tournament. Hundreds of ice shards formed and with a simple gust of frigid wind from Touya's lips, the shards were sent flying threw the towering wave of water and piercing several areas of Tomo's body. His attack stopped, but Tomo was still prepared to continue. Touya charged forward, his right arm freezing over into a sword.

"Even if you manage to pass me, there are more waiting to claim your heads as prizes." Tomo dodged Touya's first swing, "You'll never make it into the compound and you'll never rescue the girl. By now she's likely being tortured by Naizen. Who knows what deviant things he's doing to her young, pure body? Ah, but I'm sure for Naizen they are very pleasurable, whether they are her breathy moans or her screams of agony."

"If he has harmed her, then I will claim his head as my prize!" Touya swung again, slicing through the torso of the frog demon. Tomo's eyes widened before his pupils dilated and all life left his body.

Everyone had heard Tomo's last taunting words. None of them liked what he had said and they each swore that Naizen would pay if in fact Etsuko was harmed.

"Are you ready, Kurama?" Genkai questioned him, "Are you healed?"

"Yes, I am." Kurama re-buttoned his shirt and slowly rose to his feet. Botan's tiny hands enclosed around his bicep, helping him to stand.

Kurama had decided then. It was now or never. He pulled Botan in for a hug. She let out a small gasp. The group around them watched, but Kurama didn't care. He only hoped Hiei would watch.

"Kurama?" Botan said quietly, nervously. Kurama had yet to release her.

"Thank you, Botan." he whispered gently.

"It should be me thanking you, Kurama. After all, you protected me from her."

Kurama chuckled and pulled back slightly to stare in Botan's eyes, but kept his arms still embracing her. This was going better than he could've hoped for. Botan's responses to him were perfect.

"There is something I've been meaning to tell you, Botan." He smiled and blushed, "Please don't freak out on me, just hear what I have to say."

"I'm listening." A blush spread across her cheeks matching Kurama's. She bit her bottom lip and waited for him to speak. Her mauve eyes never left his emerald ones and she swore she could see small flecks of gold within them as well.

"Botan, I…for the last couple of months I've been thinking about you. I wasn't sure why at first, but I know now what it is." Kurama cupped her chin with his strong hand and gave her a serious expression, "Botan, I am in love with you."

Her breathing hesitated, her heartbeat sped up. All eyes were on her waiting for her response to Kurama's confession. She froze. Her eyes widening from his confession. She was sure her cheeks were redder than before. She was taken off guard when he hugged her, but for him to say that he loved her really threw her for a loop.

"Me?"" she questioned him softly. He smiled and she pulled him in for a hug, "You are in love with me? How did I ever get so lucky? I must be dreaming. I have to be dreaming."

"You're not dreaming, Botan. I can pinch you if you'd like?" Kurama whispered.

"Maybe later." Botan pulled away, "I am honored you love me, Kurama. We can talk about this more after we get Etsuko, okay?"

"Yes." Kurama replied and turned to the team, his eyes passed by Hiei. Hiei's face was scruntched slightly in concentration, "Let's continue on. If I remember there are still two generals left waiting for us."

The group nodded and they continued on. Kurama touched Hiei's shoulder as he passed and nodded his head towards the path. The fire demon shrugged off Kurama's touch and took his place back in front protecting Kyo. Kurama smiled to himself. Something told him that his actions had gotten through to his friend.