Chapter 8
Well it seems Ayumi is a disliked character- I had someone in my class read this and, like kikira-chan, he didn't like her. Why am I mentioning this? Well I'm glad to know people don't like her 'cause neither do I (I had meant for her to be a character that you didn't quite like so I'm fairly content )
Anyways I would once again like to thank my regular reviewers
kit-kit and KyoHana
And I would also like to thank my newest reviewer
Heather
Well anyways I think this is going to be the next to last chapter and the last one is going to be posted on Saturday the 29th and there is a reason for it.
The 29th is my birthday!
YAY!
Kurama watched solemnly as Yuusuke followed after his two odd companions leaving him standing in the empty doorway and a still unconscious Ayumi behind him. The Kyuuketsuki had somehow transformed back into her orange haired human form and by the way she tossed and turned on the floor it looked like she was having an alcohol-induced nightmare. The kitsune-youkai smiled down at the girl, but there was no feeling behind except a long burning remorse.
He dropped a small slip of paper onto Ayumi and walked through the door and closed it quietly behind him- hopefully never to return to this musty inn that reeked of cheap beer and old sex.
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Hiei and Botan trailed slowly behind Yuusuke as he stalked away from the inn his hands shaved deeply into his black jumpsuit and his long, rugged, coffee-black hair fell against his back like a wild waterfall. His withdrawn attitude was beginning to worry the two, but neither felt right about asking him why he was acting that way- luckily for them they didn't have to.
"Sorry guys, I didn't mean to drag you out of there so abruptly," Yuusuke began an uncharacteristic apology, "but I got a job offer and I couldn't turn it down- especially sense its beginning pay was enough to free you, Yanagi."
"Thank you Kage-kun," Botan said again. "I have a question to ask you though, what is it exactly that you do?"
Hiei nearly groaned aloud in exasperation when she asked that, but managed to keep quiet. She not going to give this subject up is she?
"Nothing special," Yuusuke lied easily.
"That's not true, I know it's not," Botan prodded irritably.
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"Satisfaction brought him back- now tell me," Botan countered smugly. Yuusuke sighed and turned around to face her.
"Fine, if you want to know, that's your choice, but I know you won't enjoy the answer." Botan nodded and looked at the trouble chocolate eyes of her friend waiting for an answer. Yuusuke gave resigned sigh before starting a quick explanation of his occupation. The Ferry Girl sat through the explanation without any reaction except a thoughtful nod at the end.
"Sounds about right," she said slowly catching the two Kyoushu off guard.
"You're not surprised." It was a statement, but a little questioning lay behind Hiei's words.
"Well of course not! I was a freaking whore- why would I be surprised if you were assassins? You worked for Koenma-sama as fighters- sometimes killers- so I would have been more surprised if you were just a bunch of rouge fighters!"
Hiei and Yuusuke gave the former Spirit Guide a shocked, but in a way, relieved smile, but the look quickly dropped as two figures made themselves present.
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"What do you want now?" Yuusuke asked exasperatedly as two black clad figures appeared before them.
"That is not how you treat your employer especially when they are only trying to help," the taller Immortalité Brother said with a phony hurt voice; Yuusuke growled.
"Shut up and answer my question."
"Humph, snotty little brat—" The taller one began before explaining. "Like I said, we're here to help, we know where the Silver Kitsune is going to strike next."
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Kurama sighed deeply as he finished his transformation from Shuuichi Minamino to the great thief Youko Kurama. His plain white tank and baggy grey pants were now gone and in their place was his elegant white Yukata (note1) spun from his own youki (note2). His kitsune ears twitched in irritation as he stood outside a broad grey stone building; he was hidden behind the Makai's equivalent of a wild rhododendron bush, but instead of the Ningenkai's usually showy campanulate flowers the demon plant sported vicious bell flowers with a strong acid like pollen.
With a swish of his tail he ran to another bush in blur of silver; he then repeated the action several times until he was only yards away from his target- a tall black stone wall surrounding the circumference of the squat grey building in a twisted barrier. The Youko pulled a flower bud from his hair that quickly changed into a beautiful red rose, and then, with a final burst of youki, turned into his infamous Rose Whip.
He flicked his wrist lazily and the thick razor sharp thorns caught in the stone deeply turning his whip into a makeshift rope that he used to pull himself over in a single graceful bound. He crouched down low before hopping off the ledge and hit the ground running with his whip coiled loosely around his slender palm. He glanced to the side briefly and noticed two warped shadows melt away into the darkness of the thick Youkai Rhododendron garden.
A smirk graced Kurama's lips as he used his whip to pull himself up through a window on the second floor. He was immediately enveloped in a velvet blanket of darkness.
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Yuusuke and Hiei watched from the shadows as Youko Kurama hopped the wall and ran across unkempt lawn in a blur of silver. The kitsune-youkai slowed briefly to glance to his side and he caught sight of the two. They grinned and as Kurama pulled himself up the grey stone surface of the building's side he smirked as well.
"Should we go?" Hiei asked slipping out of the darkness.
"Yeah, we might as well get this over with," Yuusuke replied sprinting over to the building and jumped up to the second floor window; Hiei mirrored his move exactly.
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Botan watched as Youko Kurama, then Hiei and Yuusuke jumped through the second story window of the squat grey mansion from her perch atop the black stonewall. The two kyoushu had reluctantly left her behind on the wall after they were sure the Immortalité Brothers were long gone- all three of them got a bad feeling whenever those two were around.
Several minutes passed before he curiosity got the better of her and she summoned her oar for the first time in fourteen years and zoomed towards the opening the other three had entered earlier.
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Kurama pretended to search the mansion for goods of great worth, but in truth he was only looking for an open area. His sensitive kitsune ears picked up two thumps from the window he had entered through, and knew immediately that Yuusuke and Hiei were in the building, and he needed to pick up his pace.
He turned down a dark hallway and took a left turn into a spacey personal library filled with dusty books and old wooden seats. He quickly began rummaging through stacks of papers and a couple of old desks. He tried to not to be as quiet as he could so that the other two could pinpoint his whereabouts and find him quickly.
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Hiei picked up the sound of rustling papers from a room to his left and by the reaction of his companion he realized that he heard it as well. The two of them made a sharp turn into a library where they began to look around for Youko Kurama; it didn't take them long to find him because he seemed to want to be found.
"Well, well. It seems the King of Thieves has lost his touch, eh Kokushi?"
"Oh yes, Kage, he seems to have become crude in his methods."
Kurama looked up at them with a smirk in his golden eyes, but a frown pulling at his lips.
"Well if it isn't Kageboushi and Kokushibyou- what are you two doing here?" He asked giving the two a mock bow.
"Like you don't know- we're here on a mission, and you happen to be our next paycheck," Yuusuke sneered. There was a sharp decline in temperature and everyone in the room was aware of two new presences in the room.
"Well, here are our employers now," Hiei said trying his hardest to keep his contempt for the two out of his voice.
"Oh don't mind us, continue on." One of the Brothers cooed from a darkened corner.
"Don't worry, we won't," Yuusuke said offhandedly before turning serious. "Okay Youko I know there is no use asking if you will give up peacefully so draw your weapon."
"I already have, now don't tell me you are going to fight me with bare fists?" Kurama mocked uncoiling his whip and sliding his feet into a battle position.
"And why wouldn't I? You are of no comparison to myself, and if Kokushi joins the fray you are as good as gone."
"I think I'll sit this one out Kage, I doubt you'll need any help." Hiei slid towards the entrance of the room where he had felt an additional aura pop up, and unsurprising Botan hid in the hallway still clutching her oar.
"Pfft you are one arrogant son of a bitch, Kage, but after hearing your rep, I guess you have some right to your overly confident attitude."
"'Nough talk, let's play," Yuusuke spat happily (an odd combo) bringing his fist up and sliding his feet apart. A thick silence blanketed the room before the two fighters shot towards each other in a flurry of movements.
Kurama's whip slashed left and right parrying Yuusuke's vigorous flurry of kicks and punches. But soon Yuusuke was on the defensive as Kurama had quickly figured out his fighting style and was viciously attacking the hanyou with curt arcs of his whip and a kick here or there to fill in a blind spot.
"Maybe I underestimated you Youko," Yuusuke laughed grabbing hold of the thorny whip with one hand and with the other he grabbed the Kitsune's wrist. He suddenly dropped down into a crouch and swiped his leg in a half circle knocking Kurama off balance and onto the floor.
"No I think it is I who underestimated you." Kurama said as he tugged hard on his whip causing the sharp thorns to tear through Yuusuke's tan flesh like a knife through butter. The boy stumbled forward and soon found the Silver Kitsune's foot embedded in his stomach.
"Damn." He coughed, a shower of crimson blood splattering Kurama's yukata in dark splotches. Somehow he managed to regain his balance and he aimed his index finger at the Youko's chest and it quickly took on a glowing blue tint.
"Rei Gun Bullet!" He cried letting loose a thin beam of energy that hit the Kitsune Youkai's chest instantly knocking the man out permanently. There was a gasp from the doorway and Yuusuke turned to see Botan with a trembling hand to her mouth a river of tears spilling from her wide violet eyes. Hiei stood beside her his eyes narrowed, but he was looking past Yuusuke towards the corner where their employers stood chuckling.
"Good job Yuusuke, you just single handedly killed your best friend," one of the Brothers said applauding the hanyou's handy work. Yuusuke bristled at the sound of his real name, as did Hiei.
"Oh yes we know who you are- and you should know us," the other brother cooed in a voice as thick and sweet as poisoned honey.
"We know who you are." A voice cooed in the same tainted honey voice from behind the two.
"WHAT! You're supposed to be dead!" The two exclaimed in unison whipping around to face the Youko.
"You underestimated us, and that is a very fatal mistake- Rei Gun!" Yuusuke shouted shooting two more shots at the Brothers. The Reiki blasts hit the two dead on and they staggered back into Kurama's whip drawn taunt behind their necks; he quickly wrapped it around their necks and pulled decapitating them instantly.
"Well now that that is over-," Yuusuke said with a sad smile as he lifted his index finger to his forehead. "I'll see you in hell guys." There was a flash of blue light and Yuusuke fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.
"YUUSUKE NO!"
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Author's notes
Note one- Yukata- a loose, casual unisex kimono
Note two- from what I've heard Youko's Yukata is made from his Youki (I think that's why when he changes forms he is always in it) and it creates a sort of armor.
Wow this was a hard chapter! I feel so bad for killing Yuusuke, but I just couldn't help it! And now all you have to do is wait a week and you'll find out why. Also that scene was supposed to seemed rushed so I hope that didn't bother anyone.
Well please review and tell me what you think
Till later
Catie-brie