Chapter 7
First off I'd like to thank my regular reviewers
kit-kit, KyoHana
And I'd also like to thank the newest of my reviewers-
Kikira-chan
Now I would like to beg your forgiveness! I read over the last chapter, and it was definitely under the list of poorly put together. There were so many mistakes and I repeated the same passage twice, so I'm sorry about that. But anyways I think this one is better.
So without further ado!
"The great Youko, eh?" Yuusuke said his face twisting into a cruel smirk. "Sounds interesting, but what's in it for me? And why do you only require my assistance, Youko Kurama is very powerful?"
"We only asked for you because we know you are the strongest and most feared kyoushu in Makai, and we do not doubt your ability, but if you believe you need the assistance of your partner, then by all means do," the taller cloaked figure said in a feeble attempt at flattery (the mock in his voice pretty much destroyed the complement).
"Indeed. But now you would like to know what you'll receive in return, no?" the smaller man said in a deep smooth voice. "I noticed that you have taken a fancy to a whore, a believe her name is Yanagi." Yuusuke bristled at the mention of Botan's fake and the horrible title the youkai had given her.
"Ah, so I am correct in my assumption. You do realize the price for a harlot's freedom is very high, we are willing to give you the money to buy her, and even more if you so desire, in return for Youko's… untimely demise."
Yuusuke looked long and hard at the duo as if thinking over their offer, though he had already made his decision. "I accept."
"Good, good, very good indeed," both men chirped in unison clapping their hands together.
Jeez, these guys are weird! I don't think I can take much more of their overly mocking comments. Yuusuke thought to himself. "Hold on a second, what are your names?"
"We are the Immortalité (note1) brothers, our first names are of no importance to you." The taller one answered. "And neither is our appearance, we will know when your mission has been completed."
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"Do your meetings usually take this long?" Botan asked Hiei from her precarious position on one of the couch's arms; an hour had past since Yuusuke had left the small room and Kurama was now sound asleep on the overly large bed, and Hiei had been either talking with the silver kitsune or pacing the room.
"It depends on the person and the mission they have assigned us," Hiei said offhandedly his mind elsewhere; Botan still didn't quite know of his or Yuusuke's present occupation, but she was beginning to figure something was up.
"What does that tattoo mean on your hand? I saw one on Yuusuke's too," she said out of the blue.
"It's just a simple tattoo, it doesn't have a meaning."
"Really? I heard that most designs like that have meaning in Makai," Botan was very determined to push the subject; too bad Hiei wasn't feeling the same way.
"Yanagi, I do believe I'm the one who was born and raised here, I think I would know if the design tattooed to my hand meant anything or not," Hiei stated simply, and, keeping to what he had said to Kurama earlier, kept his cool. Botan sighed in defeat and decided to take up watching Kurama sleep instead.
Hiei jumped back, Kurama shot up from the bed, nearly fell over, and Botan did fall off of the couch arm as the door suddenly burst open, and Yuusuke stormed through his face a mask of rage.
"What the hell?" Was all Hiei got out as the pissed hanyou grabbed him and the startled Silver Kitsune by the collars of their shirts and dragged them back out the door. With a blink of Botan's eye they were gone and the door had slammed with surprising force.
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Botan's head began to nod to the side as sleep began to consume her, and it became constantly harder to keep her heavy lidded eyes open, but once again the door proved to be a sort of wake up call.
"What the-?" She exclaimed as Yuusuke, Hiei, and a very unexpected guest- Yoshimitsu- (who didn't look all that pleased) rushed through the door.
"Where's-" She began, but was quickly cut off as Hiei shook his head in a gesture telling her to stay quiet.
"Well it seems Yanagi that this man here has taken a fancy to you," Yoshimitsu began casting a resentful glare at Yuusuke who only grinned in reply, "and has paid a great sum of money for your release."
"What?" the former ferry girl asked greatly surprised; she looked to Yuusuke for some sort of answer who nodded in confirmation.
"You are free, at least once he gets rid of those youki binding rings." The hanyou glanced pointedly at the inn owner who quickly waddled over the blue-haired beauty and, with several grunts, removed the binding rings successfully freeing Botan from him.
"I'm free?" Botan began to laugh joyously, but stopped herself just before a giggle could escape. "But how?"
"Let's just say my meeting turned out more successful than I had imagined."
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After the little outburst from Yuusuke, and a slightly disturbing meeting with the same half-breed, Kurama found himself pulled into a sick tale of twisted revenge that had him questioning his morals. The only good thing to come out of his little, yet pretty long, conversation with Yuusuke and Hiei was that they were now on speaking terms, and he wasn't glared at every time he said something. But then again, it was only Yuusuke he was having trouble with, Hiei had never held a grudge against his absence, at least he didn't act like he did.
Slowly Kurama walked to his room and opened the door quietly before slipping through and closing it with as much stealth. Immediately his senses were invaded by the undeniable stench of alcohol, and a slight tinge of oni blood; it didn't take him long to pinpoint the source of the odor, and it took shoving his thumb between his teeth to keep from laughing. Ayumi laid sprawled on her back across the entryway with her mouth agape and her hands were groping for something in his sleep— to say the least she looked like a Ningenkai house dog dreaming about squirrels.
She's absolutely hopeless, He thought to himself as he attempted to gingerly step over her, unfortunately he was moving too slow and the Vampire's hands grasped his ankle and she quickly tugged it towards her chest. Having not expected this Kurama lost his balance and fell flat on his face with Ayumi still cuddling his leg.
Absolutely and utterly hopeless.
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Hiei and Yuusuke exited their room with the newly freed Botan at their heels, and walked down the short expanse of hallway leading to Kurama and Ayumi's room. They stopped outside the door and Hiei knocked lightly on the rough wood; there was a muffled groan from the other side, but that was the extent of reaction to his knock. The three waited a moment, but the Kitsune or Koumori (note2) didn't answer the door. Yuusuke- being as patient as he is- didn't bother to knock a second time, but kicked the door in instead.
"Nice to know you're still as polite as ever Kage-kun," Botan commented sarcastically from behind Hiei who had made a similar, though more obscene, comment. The three stopped short when they finally noticed Ayumi and her annoyed captive sprawled on the worn, peach carpeted floor.
"We're leaving Fox, maybe we'll see you around," Yuusuke said trying hard not to chuckle.
"Maybe old friend, but before you leave do you think you could pry this damned being off of my leg?" Kurama asked irritably. That was a little too much for the Hanyou and he just could resist laughing at the Silver Kitsune's predicament, this also proved to be the downfall of Hiei's apathetic demeanor, for he too began to chuckle. Botan on the other hand looked down at Kurama sympathetically and she bent down to help drag the kyuuketsuki (Note3) away from his leg. After a few moments of tugging at Ayumi's death grip Botan managed to free the Youko, and was rewarded with a warm smile, the other two on the other hand received a hard glare but that only made them laugh harder.
"I suppose we should be leaving now," Hiei said helping the Kitsune to his feet. Botan smiled sadly and embraced Kurama quickly before exiting the door behind Hiei only leaving Yuusuke and Kurama.
"Hey I'll see you around, and maybe then I can get a straight answer out of you," Yuusuke said with a wink before heading after his friends.
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Author's notes-
Note 1- ImmortalitéFrench for Deathlessness
Note 2- Koumori Japanese for Bat
Note 3- Kyuuketsuki Japanese for Vampire
Special note- In the last chapter I said that I believed that Makai is of different roots other than Japanese, and just to prove my point I made sure to add characters with different backgrounds like the Immortalité Brothers are French, and Keona (from chapter three I believe) was Hawaiian. But just to clear up any confusion Yoshimitsu is of Japanese origins.
Anyways I hope you enjoyed this update, and I'll make sure to start up with some action soon!
'Til then,
Catie-brie