Well, it's rather difficult to find out stuff about Kurama's past, since
not much is known anyway. I know he was a thief, or whatever. I'm
embellishing the little bit I know. Just to warn you. Also, I know nothing
about what Makai is really like, so I'm making it up for myself. The
symbols I put up to separate scenes don't show up anymore, I don't for the
life of me know why, but I found something that works. Not as neatly as I'd
hoped, but it'll do. If you see a little squiggly line at the end of a
sentence, just take it to mean that whatever comes next is in a different
scene or perspective.
~
"So, what's the mission?"
"Oh! I can't believe I almost forgot!" Botan laughed. "I need you four to go to Makai, the demon world, for me. You see; several of the smaller villages there are disappearing. Well, not disappearing, exactly, but we haven't been able to get messages in or out."
Yusuke frowned, a small fire or anger burning in his eyes. For just a moment he looked like the Yusuke Kuwabara remembered. "What?" He demanded. "You're sending me on a sucky mission like that?" He sounded really offended, that is, until Kurama gently touched his arm. Then, amazingly enough, Yusuke seemed to settle. He took a deep, steadying breath and looked away. "Sounds stupid." He said mildly.
"This mission could be your most important yet, Yusuke, and the most dangerous. Something like this rarely happens, and when it does, it's never good."
"Well, I'm ready." Kuwabara announced with bravado, puffing out his chest. Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke exchanged looks, then Kurama nodded at Botan. They were all ready as well.
"All right, this way then." Botan said cheerfully, leading them down the very alley she had emerged from.
"What're we doin' here?" Kuwabara asked in confusion. He didn't sense any demons except the ones in his party.
Hiei gave him his usual exasperated, you're-a-fool look, crossing his arms. "This is a weak point between Makai and Ninjenkai." He spat, voice cold and full of contempt.
"Oh.what?"
Hiei's glare intensified. "Fool." He hissed under his breath.
Botan cast them a pleading look. "Please don't fight here. Please!" She touched a brick on the wall that was a slightly different color than the rest and it flared pink under her fingertips. "Just concentrate your spirit energy into this brick." She instructed. "Not too much, or you'll blast us all straight to the Spirit World, minus our bodies. Just a trickle, mind."
"This may prove too difficult for the oaf." Hiei said coldly, shooting Kuwabara a snide glance.
"What's that supposed to mean, shrimp?"
"Without his spirit energy, Kuwabara wouldn't be pulled through to Makai." Botan frowned.
Hiei regarded her levelly. "And that's a problem?"
"No! No way are you leaving me behind!" Not really sure, afterwards, how he had done it, Kuwabara focussed a tiny amount of spirit energy into his index finger and touched the brick. As it flared orange he shot Hiei a triumphant look. The wall seemed to fuzz a little, bulging inward.
"Next?" Botan asked brightly.
One by one, they each touched the brick, causing it to flare with the colors of their spirit energy. Blue for Yusuke, green for Kurama, and a strangely deep black for Hiei. With each touch the wall fuzzed and suddenly-
~
Yusuke blinked at an almost green sun, yellowish clouds drifting across a bleached-out sky. Prickly lime green grass pocked into his palms, rustling dryly when he moved, as he picked himself up, standing. Kurama was just sitting up. Yusuke reached down to offer him a hand and he smiled - one of his rare, real smiles - and accepted the help.
"This is Makai?" Yusuke asked, peering at the strangely colored surroundings. He smiled to himself as Kurama's arm settled lightly around his shoulders. "No wonder you like to stay in the human world."
Kurama gave a small chuckle. "I stay for my mother. It may be difficult to believe from here, but there are places here much more beautiful than anything Ninjenkai can lay claim to. Perhaps, if there is time, I will show you one of my estates. Or Hiei's. His, too are beautiful."
"I've been trying to get him to move here for years." Hiei spat from behind them.
Kurama let his arm fall from Yusuke's shoulders and gave Hiei one of his rare, enthralling, genuine smiles.
With a groan, Kuwabara began to stir and Yusuke wiped all emotion from his face, liking how it had unsettled the other human. Botan, too, began to stir, blushing when she realized that she had landed on top of Kuwabara. They scampered backwards away from each other, Kuwabara running strait into Yusuke's knees and knocking him down.
Yusuke cursed loudly. "Kuwabara, you idiot! Why don't'cha watch where you're goin' next time?" Screw dignity, no one knocked him down!
Suddenly, hands grabbed him and pulled him roughly to his feet, one hand covering his mouth. "This is a bad place to raise your voice, detective." Hiei's voice hissed in his ear as Kuwabara picked himself up from the ground. Yusuke tried to pull away, but Hiei's hands were like steel manacles. If anything, his grip on Yusuke only tightened. Yusuke grew very still as he felt the dark haired demon's breath brush his ear.
Abruptly, Hiei released him, shoving him at Kurama, who caught him easily.
"Keep your pet quiet." He snarled.
"Bastard." Yusuke seethed, rounding on him.
Kurama caught his arm. "Easy, my dear, Hiei is correct. This is not a good area to be looking for trouble in. I believe we would not like the fight we would find here."
Yusuke shook him off, but didn't go after Hiei. Botan and Kuwabara both blinked in surprise.
"Whoa, major tension! Hey, since when do you listen to reason Urameshi?"
"Bite me."
"The lands that have been disappearing are in the north." Botan informed them, shooting the two humans warning looks. "I'll be popping in from time to time to check your progress and bring you supplies. Be careful." She vanished, a last plea of "And behave yourselves!" Echoing in the air around them.
The four exchanged glances.
"Let's get some rules down before we begin, shall we?" Hiei said quietly. "The detective may be the," He snorted, "Leader of our little group, but Kurama and I know this place the best. So here's what I propose. Unless there is a battle, Kurama and I are in charge. Got it?"
"No! No way!" Kuwabara objected explosively. "Ain't no way we're followin' you two! Tell em' Urameshi!"
Everyone looked to Yusuke, who smiled coldly.
"Lead the way, Hiei."
Kurama nodded his approval while Hiei merely smirked. They began to walk, leaving Kuwabara gaping. After a few moment he seemed to realize that he was being left, and rushed to catch up.
"Hey! Hey wait! You guys aren't leavin' me behind! Hey! Urameshi? Hey, I said get back here!" ~
Yusuke sat outside watching a reddish moon rise in a purple sky, cold blue stars twinkling. As the sun had begun to set, Botan had arrived with camping supplies - enough sleeping bags and pillows for everyone, flashlights, matched, food, pots and pans, and two tents. She had promised to return in the morning to take it all back so they wouldn't need to lug it around. They could make better time without being weighted down, after all.
Kuwabara approached, sending glares back at the dramatically tilting tent he had just erected. "Get off your lazy butt and come help me, Urameshi." He ordered.
Yusuke ignored him, continuing to chew on a toothpick.
Kuwabara glanced at the tent Yusuke sat beside, for the first time noticing the quiet but unmistakable noises that were coming from the makeshift dwelling. His face grew very pale. "Are Hiei and Kurama both in there?" He asked slowly.
"Yup." Yusuke drawled, tossing away the toothpick.
"What are they-" Kuwabara cleared his throat nervously. "Are they-?"
"Yup."
"You mean they're-?"
Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "You mean you didn't know?"
Kuwabara shook his head slowly in bewilderment.
Yusuke smirked, beginning to have some fun. "Well, they are." He informed the taller man smugly, watching his face redden. "Oh yeah, definitely." He listened intently as the noises from the tent began to dim.
"C'mon, Urameshi, don't sit there. We'll fix our tent and sleep on opposite sides like normal strait guys."
Yusuke smirked again. "I'm afraid you'll have to have that tent all to yourself, Kuwabara." He announced with no little amusement, watching horror fill the other boy's eyes.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
The tent flap opened and Hiei stepped out. "I'm going for a walk." He informed Yusuke without bothering to look at him. "I'll be back in an hour."
"An hour?" Yusuke leapt to his feet. "Oh, come on! I gave you more than an hour!"
"That's because you are a fool, detective."
"You don't play fair!"
"I know." Hiei smirked, walking away proudly with his hands in his pockets.
Glaring after him, Yusuke poked his head inside the tent. "Kurama, Hiei's being an ass. He only left us an hour, you wanna' just wait until tomorrow? You're probably tired."
Kurama pulled him into the tent and into his arms, smiling into his surprised eyes. "I love camping." He whispered, smile becoming rather mischievous. ~
To Be Continued
"So, what's the mission?"
"Oh! I can't believe I almost forgot!" Botan laughed. "I need you four to go to Makai, the demon world, for me. You see; several of the smaller villages there are disappearing. Well, not disappearing, exactly, but we haven't been able to get messages in or out."
Yusuke frowned, a small fire or anger burning in his eyes. For just a moment he looked like the Yusuke Kuwabara remembered. "What?" He demanded. "You're sending me on a sucky mission like that?" He sounded really offended, that is, until Kurama gently touched his arm. Then, amazingly enough, Yusuke seemed to settle. He took a deep, steadying breath and looked away. "Sounds stupid." He said mildly.
"This mission could be your most important yet, Yusuke, and the most dangerous. Something like this rarely happens, and when it does, it's never good."
"Well, I'm ready." Kuwabara announced with bravado, puffing out his chest. Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke exchanged looks, then Kurama nodded at Botan. They were all ready as well.
"All right, this way then." Botan said cheerfully, leading them down the very alley she had emerged from.
"What're we doin' here?" Kuwabara asked in confusion. He didn't sense any demons except the ones in his party.
Hiei gave him his usual exasperated, you're-a-fool look, crossing his arms. "This is a weak point between Makai and Ninjenkai." He spat, voice cold and full of contempt.
"Oh.what?"
Hiei's glare intensified. "Fool." He hissed under his breath.
Botan cast them a pleading look. "Please don't fight here. Please!" She touched a brick on the wall that was a slightly different color than the rest and it flared pink under her fingertips. "Just concentrate your spirit energy into this brick." She instructed. "Not too much, or you'll blast us all straight to the Spirit World, minus our bodies. Just a trickle, mind."
"This may prove too difficult for the oaf." Hiei said coldly, shooting Kuwabara a snide glance.
"What's that supposed to mean, shrimp?"
"Without his spirit energy, Kuwabara wouldn't be pulled through to Makai." Botan frowned.
Hiei regarded her levelly. "And that's a problem?"
"No! No way are you leaving me behind!" Not really sure, afterwards, how he had done it, Kuwabara focussed a tiny amount of spirit energy into his index finger and touched the brick. As it flared orange he shot Hiei a triumphant look. The wall seemed to fuzz a little, bulging inward.
"Next?" Botan asked brightly.
One by one, they each touched the brick, causing it to flare with the colors of their spirit energy. Blue for Yusuke, green for Kurama, and a strangely deep black for Hiei. With each touch the wall fuzzed and suddenly-
~
Yusuke blinked at an almost green sun, yellowish clouds drifting across a bleached-out sky. Prickly lime green grass pocked into his palms, rustling dryly when he moved, as he picked himself up, standing. Kurama was just sitting up. Yusuke reached down to offer him a hand and he smiled - one of his rare, real smiles - and accepted the help.
"This is Makai?" Yusuke asked, peering at the strangely colored surroundings. He smiled to himself as Kurama's arm settled lightly around his shoulders. "No wonder you like to stay in the human world."
Kurama gave a small chuckle. "I stay for my mother. It may be difficult to believe from here, but there are places here much more beautiful than anything Ninjenkai can lay claim to. Perhaps, if there is time, I will show you one of my estates. Or Hiei's. His, too are beautiful."
"I've been trying to get him to move here for years." Hiei spat from behind them.
Kurama let his arm fall from Yusuke's shoulders and gave Hiei one of his rare, enthralling, genuine smiles.
With a groan, Kuwabara began to stir and Yusuke wiped all emotion from his face, liking how it had unsettled the other human. Botan, too, began to stir, blushing when she realized that she had landed on top of Kuwabara. They scampered backwards away from each other, Kuwabara running strait into Yusuke's knees and knocking him down.
Yusuke cursed loudly. "Kuwabara, you idiot! Why don't'cha watch where you're goin' next time?" Screw dignity, no one knocked him down!
Suddenly, hands grabbed him and pulled him roughly to his feet, one hand covering his mouth. "This is a bad place to raise your voice, detective." Hiei's voice hissed in his ear as Kuwabara picked himself up from the ground. Yusuke tried to pull away, but Hiei's hands were like steel manacles. If anything, his grip on Yusuke only tightened. Yusuke grew very still as he felt the dark haired demon's breath brush his ear.
Abruptly, Hiei released him, shoving him at Kurama, who caught him easily.
"Keep your pet quiet." He snarled.
"Bastard." Yusuke seethed, rounding on him.
Kurama caught his arm. "Easy, my dear, Hiei is correct. This is not a good area to be looking for trouble in. I believe we would not like the fight we would find here."
Yusuke shook him off, but didn't go after Hiei. Botan and Kuwabara both blinked in surprise.
"Whoa, major tension! Hey, since when do you listen to reason Urameshi?"
"Bite me."
"The lands that have been disappearing are in the north." Botan informed them, shooting the two humans warning looks. "I'll be popping in from time to time to check your progress and bring you supplies. Be careful." She vanished, a last plea of "And behave yourselves!" Echoing in the air around them.
The four exchanged glances.
"Let's get some rules down before we begin, shall we?" Hiei said quietly. "The detective may be the," He snorted, "Leader of our little group, but Kurama and I know this place the best. So here's what I propose. Unless there is a battle, Kurama and I are in charge. Got it?"
"No! No way!" Kuwabara objected explosively. "Ain't no way we're followin' you two! Tell em' Urameshi!"
Everyone looked to Yusuke, who smiled coldly.
"Lead the way, Hiei."
Kurama nodded his approval while Hiei merely smirked. They began to walk, leaving Kuwabara gaping. After a few moment he seemed to realize that he was being left, and rushed to catch up.
"Hey! Hey wait! You guys aren't leavin' me behind! Hey! Urameshi? Hey, I said get back here!" ~
Yusuke sat outside watching a reddish moon rise in a purple sky, cold blue stars twinkling. As the sun had begun to set, Botan had arrived with camping supplies - enough sleeping bags and pillows for everyone, flashlights, matched, food, pots and pans, and two tents. She had promised to return in the morning to take it all back so they wouldn't need to lug it around. They could make better time without being weighted down, after all.
Kuwabara approached, sending glares back at the dramatically tilting tent he had just erected. "Get off your lazy butt and come help me, Urameshi." He ordered.
Yusuke ignored him, continuing to chew on a toothpick.
Kuwabara glanced at the tent Yusuke sat beside, for the first time noticing the quiet but unmistakable noises that were coming from the makeshift dwelling. His face grew very pale. "Are Hiei and Kurama both in there?" He asked slowly.
"Yup." Yusuke drawled, tossing away the toothpick.
"What are they-" Kuwabara cleared his throat nervously. "Are they-?"
"Yup."
"You mean they're-?"
Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "You mean you didn't know?"
Kuwabara shook his head slowly in bewilderment.
Yusuke smirked, beginning to have some fun. "Well, they are." He informed the taller man smugly, watching his face redden. "Oh yeah, definitely." He listened intently as the noises from the tent began to dim.
"C'mon, Urameshi, don't sit there. We'll fix our tent and sleep on opposite sides like normal strait guys."
Yusuke smirked again. "I'm afraid you'll have to have that tent all to yourself, Kuwabara." He announced with no little amusement, watching horror fill the other boy's eyes.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
The tent flap opened and Hiei stepped out. "I'm going for a walk." He informed Yusuke without bothering to look at him. "I'll be back in an hour."
"An hour?" Yusuke leapt to his feet. "Oh, come on! I gave you more than an hour!"
"That's because you are a fool, detective."
"You don't play fair!"
"I know." Hiei smirked, walking away proudly with his hands in his pockets.
Glaring after him, Yusuke poked his head inside the tent. "Kurama, Hiei's being an ass. He only left us an hour, you wanna' just wait until tomorrow? You're probably tired."
Kurama pulled him into the tent and into his arms, smiling into his surprised eyes. "I love camping." He whispered, smile becoming rather mischievous. ~
To Be Continued