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Chapter 12: Fiery Agony

Breath is tearing at my lungs. I am so unbelievably tired. I don't even know if I'm being chased and I'm running like a dog. I am so exhausted…could I at least afford to take a bit of a break?

No. Can't risk it. I don't know at how fast a rate they're moving. I can't afford to take any chances, no matter how likely those are. But how I wish I could just stop…I think I really am in a coal mine. The air here is little better than poisonous. I really don't want black lung.

Finally, I can't go on, and feeling around for the earthen wall, I relax, breathing dangerously hard. If I was an asthmatic, I'd be dead. Dead. I'm so close to dying as it is. All of my pitiful life would be for naught.

I refuse to let them kill me. I did not live my 15 years to die without achieving what my life is all about.

I really, really, really want to know what's going on here. I just don't understand what's happening here. Why did they try to melt me with that light? A deranged electrician…I really find that insulting that they think I'm so stupid. What would be the point of burning me? Don't they need me? Yeah…Hiei said that "THEY" can't afford to have me run away again, right? I must have made them really mad, to manage like I did for those whole two days. They'll definitely come after me. THEY need me. And I so did not need to hear that from a guy, anyway.

And that Keeko girl must have squealed on me by now. They'll be returning any moment. That is to say, that Kuwabara oaf and that mysterious Hiei. There must be more to them than they are letting on. But what? Why am I feeling like this? Why am I getting these vibes? What makes me believe that they aren't just ordinary kidnappers? I guess it's because it doesn't make sense why they'd kidnap me. I don't come from a rich family, and they can't know about my thiefhood.

But what if they do?

I shake my brain by rattling my head. I never really believed in imagination too much, but maybe it's time. Either that, or I'm having brain hallucinations.

I think I hear a small thump behind me.

Panicking, I run off again, still seeing nothing. Why me? I don't really get scared, but when it's a life and death situation, can you blame me?

I am about to die of exhaustion when I finally see a beam of light just up ahead. Maybe that's the door out of this awful mine. I just want to get out of here!

Putting on an extra spurt of speed, I run towards it…and straight into a wall. Non-surprisingly, I flip over, blinking stupidly.

Lying on my back, stunned, I slowly stand up. Where is the light?

I look around me. It's at my feet mostly, but all around me too, in a hexagon shape. At least that's what I think the shape is. I'm not good at math. Anyway, so…

How am I standing in it? If it's surrounding me…

I look up, and get a blue spot in my eye. The light is coming from the ceiling. A very, very high ceiling. A trap door. A hole bathing my stance in light.

How am I going to get up there?

I think crazily. I can't lock pick anything that's sixty feet away from me. No normal person could do that, not even Sakara Azhura. Not Catwoman. Not anybody. And I have nothing else on me, not even a rope. I can't get out.

My God, where the hell is Batman when you need him? He always beat Catwoman, right?

I stare up at it longingly. They anticipated this. They must have. They made sure I couldn't get out. After all, I'm only human. And they…they exploited that. My only, only weakness. I'm not a demon. And I need to be.

Close behind me, I hear that tapping again. It must be Hiei. They sound like the soles of some shoes. Very, very, very fast moving.

Yes. Hiei. Kuwabara couldn't find his way down a brightly lit tunnel. But if it is indeed Hiei, how is he moving that fast? No human could do that.

A thought occurs to me. I might be human, but he might not be. It's preposterous enough to make sense with all the other weird stuff—this shaft, all the electronics deep underground, the inhuman abilities, the strange technology that's way ahead of our time. So, what does that make Hiei, then? A boy with special powers? And if so, do I really know him? Maybe he isn't as shallow as he seems to me.

Or maybe he's just riding a mutant ostrich…I mean, why not? If they have meltable and reusable glass, why not mutant ostriches?

I think back. 'A thunder demo—' What was the word he had meant to say? Could that have something to do with inhuman speed?

Tipatapa.

Tipatapa.

Tipatipatipatipatipatipa…TA! It stops. Then I hear a yell.

"Over here! NO, NOT THERE, HERE, OAF!"

I jump and stare into the darkness. It's Hiei. No one else says that sixty's insult 'oaf.' But…it doesn't sound like Hiei at all. It must be, though. Maybe his mutant ostrich is speaking for him. Or maybe he can become a kind of running bird. Or a penguin. He looks enough like one.

I stare further, and do pick out a small shape. I think it's Hiei. He has spiky hair. So Hiei.

He steps into the light, inches from me, and I see that it is definitely his body. But…

I scream. What the hell is that thing? What has so many eyes diamond tattoos…?

I hear something slice the air right by me. Something like a sword…the thing steps out of the light and into the darkness.

"I'll handle her!" Says Kuwabara, and the sword slashes stop momentarily.

Completely overtaken by fear, I screech like a small child and dive out of the way. Who are these people?

I hear a stomp near me, trying to aim for my foot, and jump out of the way again. God knows how I'm doing this with broken legs.

"Kara – hold – still!" Yes, that's definitely Kuwabara.

I am suddenly blinded by something. It's long, sharp, yellow, and glowing. Oh, and its aflame with what looks like electricity.

It's an electric sword, held and wielded by Kuwabara.

I stare at it. It's definitely lethal, and I'm no expert on swords.

I am so dead. And it's not even funny.

Kuwabara poises his sword. "Just come back quietly and we won't have to hurt you!" He says, hoping sound threatening and failing. The glow illuminates his face.

"Hurt me? Hurt me! I think you've done a fine job of that without the electric sword! Was that given to you by the deranged electrician who wants me dead?" I don't hide my scorn.

Kuwabara is silent. "You were the one who refused to come with us the first time. This could have all been much easier."

"What first time? Why would I go with you, oaf?"

"I dunno."

This is just embarrassing.

The "thing" steps into the light again.

"WHAT ARE YOU?" I yell, trying to mask my panic. I've never seen anything more revolting. It was definitely the thing that flung the non-glowing sword at my head initially. It is a little green creature with eyes all over it's body, which I originally thought were tattoos, and it has black hair tipped with blue parted into two triangular sections on both sides of its head. The worst part is how much it resembles Hiei. The black hair is only in a different style, and the cold red eyes are exactly the same. Ignoring the lizard skin and all, though.

"Someone." It says coolly. It even talks like Hiei, even if the voice pitch is lower.

"SOMEONE WHO? I KNOW YOU'RE HIEI!"

"I'm just someone. Not Hiei. NOT. I am Opalapa…Ninafrancis Junior. Comply quietly with me and I won't have to use my Jagan."

"Wha---NO, you freak! I'm not going back in that little cage! I HATE CAGES! BUT DO YOU CARE? NO!"

"You have to be in a cage, otherwise this would happen again. We can't really afford to take that risk. There's now no way you are ever getting out of your cage again, until we enlist further precautions. So, come. Now. Back to your glass box."

"N-no!"

"So be it. Kuwabara? Kill her. I'll keep watch."

The huge figure nods, and he comes at me again with the yellow glowing sword.

I jump out of the way again. Something tells me that if that even touches me, it's all over.

I avoid blow after blow, but I realize that he is backing me up against the wall. I can't let that happen.

And his blows are increasing in sheer tenacity. Head-stomach-chest-legs-arms over and over again, only not in that pattern. I don't know how I am reading all these moves. I guess it's just because depending on the pullback swing, you can judge where it's going to cut.

Just like picking locks. There, you listen for the clicks of the combination. Here, you see where the drawback motion leads. Just like picking locks…

I finally hit the background surrounding me. Man, I'm done.

I see him draw that electric sword back. Back farther and farther…to the right, and up.

He's going to attack my left leg.

I can't let that happen. With all these injuries, my leg will come cleanly off.

I take a deep breath and recoil my leg just as the sword cuts through the stone floor like a hot knife through butter. Squinching it up as tight as I can, I spring load my broken leg and blindly kick it out horizontally. I feel it connect with something squishy and Kuwabara lets out a yell worthy to cause a cave-in, which clues me in to exactly what I hit. The sword flickers and then dies. It is not completely dark except for the light, which I am still standing in.

I have to get out of the light. They'll find me that way.

Still not daring to stand for fear of getting decapitated by either of them, I crab walk out of the light and into sweet darkness. I relax for a second and I get back up.

Then, my leg lets out a nerve roar so loud that I almost scream out of the pain. What the hell happened…? Is this what I should expect out of this leg?

Then, the fire dies down, and I get a second agony from my bruised right arm. This is fiery death. My breathing comes in short gasps as I try to control the pain, and I collapse, lying vulnerable on my back on the floor. I can see the pillar of light 3 yards in front of me. The fire dies down again suddenly and both of my remaining limbs go off at the same time.

I am so close to fainting…

I use my left arm and right leg to crawl away, my vision going blurry. Somehow, I know THEY'RE responsible. But how?

There is another random sword swipe near me in the darkness. I don't know why he doesn't just shine it around to find me and snuff me out for good. Hiei is still standing in the light, onlooking, seemingly unable to see me.

Then, I experience the pain that hell's angels experience. All four of my limbs go off at the same time, and I feel like several hands have seized each of them and are pulling—hard. My eyelids flutter. I hate myself. I was just complaining about nonexistent asthma.

I just want it to end…

Then, as another sword swipe is taken at me, a gleaming white light shines all around me as though another trap door from the ceiling opened and the pain vanishes. Not caring, my mind floats in dreamy bliss. It…it did end…

The sword slashes have stopped. I can see the eye-creature-that-might-be-Hiei staring at me, as well as my immediate attacker, Kuwabara. Or at the light that has suddenly illuminated us.

He slashes at me, and there is only a dull ringing sound of metal on metal as he makes contact with my fleshy stomach. Finally. I really have died. I guess I did want the pain to end…and I got my wish. Only I guess that I really won't ever see him again…

More slashes. Nothing happens. My lethargy disappears with that thought of death.

I will see him again. I swore I would. I will jump out of heaven. I will kick God in the rear. I will not die.

The light disappears, and once again, the pillar of light is the only thing nearby that I can see.

I suddenly feel a whole lot better, feeling no more fire.

"Hiei?" A long thin person drops down through the pillar of light.

There is another set of feet nearby.

"Hiei, I found a bus! We can get out of here!" It sounds like Kurama.

The green thing seems distracted. I turn and bolt, only to run dead smack into the wall again. New pain resounding in my head, I run in the opposite direction, and hit something else that topples right over. I yell as whatever-it-is drags me down with it. I fight it. I punch that hand and the rest of that thing…

"What is going on here?" Still Kurama. Clueless ass.

I still punch the thing, which hits me very hard over the head in response, but I do not relent.

Then, I hear a whip sound nearby as well as sword slashes in the distance.

Mr. Hair!

I yank the unfortunate person's that I landed on hair and they finally let go of my shoulder. I stand up, stomp on them one last time, and run to the pillar of light again. There's no way in the world that I can beat both Green Dude, Kuwabara, Mr. Hair, and probably Kurama too. I need to get out of here.

The walls are too slick. I can't climb them up. I already tried. I have to fly. Maybe it is stupid and childish, but if I can see a creature of 1000 eyes, and a magic electric sword, I can fly. That's all there is to it.

I stare up at the trap door all the way up there. Fly, fly…

Fly…

Fly…

Fly…

I hear some more pattering and then something grabs me from behind in a bear hug. I jump and stomp on their foot. It grunts and only squeezes tighter. Then, I feel even more pain. It's that Fiery Limbs of Hell thing that keeps coming to me.

I eyes widen, and probably burst. I am being swallowed up.

Out of agony, I slam the person holding me, and I elbow, stomp, whatever else, and jump high in the air, my last attempt at flight.

I fall back to the ground when I feel a kind of powder encircling me, as if pollen from a breeze, and suddenly, I stop fighting. I have no energy left.

It's…some kind of poison spore…

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A/N Review! Happy I updated? I am too!