The further Kurama walked, the more dimly lit it became, simply due to the lack of flames on the torches. They seemed to befewer and farther between,the further down in the dungeons he went, and after he soon realized that he was going in a constant downward slope, he found it easier to move faster. However, he wasn't simply wandering aimlessly; there was a specific scent he was following, and though he would have liked it to be Kuwabara's, because he would be positive that he was going to find him, it was the strong scent of a tiger that lingered in the corridor that he was traveling through. Still, though, he found it a bit hard to focus; being ever-wary of the seizures of the level above, as well as the distant roars of the dragons in the other corridors above him. He distantly hoped that Yusuke and the others could fend them off, but for now, being so close to his destination, he wasn't about to turn back over a simple uneasiness---it just happened to be one of his only weak points…
Finding it particularly dark ahead of him, he took hold of the nearest torch to him, and carried on in a straight path, following the strength of the tiger's scent. He had gone only a few paces in the darker shadows when there was a flare of white behind him that one simply couldn't miss; he whirled, and who his eyes met made his scowl, even if only slightly.
Kurama: Shape-Shifter…
Sansai: I prefer the use of my name, if you please. It's Sansai, by the way.
Kurama: (ignoring the comment) What do you want?
Sansai: Firstly, to know where you're going. Secondly, to know if you require assistance…although, I don't know why I care…
Kurama: I don't suppose you're the one who let the dragons loose on us.
Sansai: No? Well, you suppose wrong, fox.
Kurama: Funny; I'd think you came here to try and kill me or something similar.
Sansai: Twenty minutes ago, I probably would have. However, I seem to have changed my mind…
Kurama: Less than half and hour is rather short a time for a character development, wouldn't you say? (he drew out his Whip) Now what do you really want? I'm not in much of a mood for games.
Sansai: (at the sight of the whip, he backed away) Not to fight you, for sure. I just want to help--
"I wouldn't bet on that. That Devil is never up to anything good."
Carrying his own torch, Taisei rounded a corner his eyes completely lavender, and his aura flashing the same hue. He was glaring daggers at the dragon standing before Kurama, and by the sound of his voice, those same daggers just had to be made of ice. Kurama wasn't exactly sure what kind of hostility was rooted between the two, but his instinct (and plain common sense) told him that it wasn't anything too mild. As Taisei came closer, it was evident that in his free hand, there was something of a silver staff he was holding, and at its end there dangled a thick chain, which connected something of a large scythe; the other end held a sphere of Onyx surrounded and held in place by many silver spikes. What Kurama also noticed, however, was the rip in the wolf's clothing, as well as the slightly pink bandages that wrapped around his middle; the wound that was there earlier, apparently, hadn't healed. A look back at Sansai told him as well, that the attitude of the dragon had changed significantly.
Taisei: So, Devil; you've let the dragons loose. Why don't you go put them back in their cages before I stop them the much easier way.
Sansai: You really want to kill me? (he raised the black staff in his hand) I'd love to have you try, Mutt. I'm the only dragon here, and the only one who can open the "cage" as you call it, that your little friends are held in.
Taisei: You're not the only dragon here. I can smell her in these corridors.
Sansai: She'll be dead by the time she gets here, unless I so choose to heal her. You need me more than you choose to realize, so just admit it and I can assist you, rather than kill you.
Taisei: I'll never ask you for help.
Sansai: Then I'll give you a few more wounds to match the one you already have.
Taisei: Take your best shot. (he turned quickly) Go Kurama! You've got what it takes to open the door, so use it; you're on the right path!
One doesn't need much more encouragement than that, and after putting away his weapon, Kurama turned and ran down the corridor, with the sounds of metallic clashes behind him.
"It's still behind me…And the walls are moving…I can definitely say that this is not good."
He'd been running for what felt like hours, even though it wasn't nearly that much time, and though he kept pace, he found it becoming rather difficult to breathe. There was a definite taste of blood in his mouth now, probably from his scattered coughs that forced their way out, and he was becoming more and more lightheaded; the dragon making so much noise behind him wasn't really helping either. In fact, he was feeling much like he was about to collapse, and he had stopped paying attention to his surroundings a long time ago; the result was, that he had absolutely no idea where he was, or where he was headed, but that he'd better keep going because there was definitely no way he could stop without being killed. The sound of the crumbling stone behind him was getting rather loud, and this, he determined, was because he wasn't running so fast anymore. In fact, this was the last thing he determined.
Turning around, he soon came to face the dragon (and its fangs), but he looked up into its eyes, and everything from that point went hazy. His eyes clouded over, and flashed blue only once as his hair grew to pronounced lengths, and the azure, nearly black markings appeared on his paled skin. Claws and fangs extended, and he suddenly regained all his senses, for he felt his ribs cracking as the bones returned to their proper place. An all-too-familiar rumble shook his throat, and his aura pulsed, like his eyes, only once with angry flame-like strength. It didn't take much, for the dragon was already in a horrible rage, and after dodging the blast of fire that was shot in his direction, Yusuke leapt, his hand extended, and cut through the beast's most vulnerable point.
Rearing back with a most deafening screech, the dragon shook its head violently, blood rushing from its eye that rivaled the hue of many of its scales. Its limbs thrashed dangerously, and it wasn't until after a powerful blast of pale energy went through its injury did it hit its target. Its wild thrashes were strong enough to crush through the stone of the floor, and with a blow from its talons, Yusuke was knocked through that hole.
Though, where he plummeted was the last place he would have expected to…
As if being scared beyond fathomed possibility and having a dying woman to carry around weren't enough for one person to handle, Hisaka was lost on top of it all. She had no idea where she was, and even less of where she was going; the only thing that she paid attention to was the lighting in the halls, and that none of the single colors was the same as any other that she had found before. Long ago, she had stopped seeing dual torches, and rather, every path that she took now was a single light, and a complete maze; the noise from the dragons had also stopped, but it gave her little comfort. Now, things were too quiet, and as an animal, she felt that a rather bad thing.
Which she soon found out to be quite accurate.
As she was about to round a corner, she couldn't help but scream; a body flew past, and hit the wall behind her. It was also then that an overwhelming scent filled her nose and clouded her senses; looking around, she was aware of the dark shadows that a large abundance of blood made on the torch-lit stones of the passageway. She started to back away, but froze when a voice echoed slightly as a man spoke.
"Hey, Kitty-Kitty…No worries. You should know by now that I don't bother with cats…or felines, or anything in-between. Chill, Hisaka."
Hisaka: Wait…Taisei? Is that you?
Taisei: In the flesh; or, you know…what's left of it right now. (he began to walk toward her, appearing from within the shadows, and bearing many new cuts and scrapes, but nothing too vital had been hurt.)
Hisaka: What happened to you?
Taisei: (leaning on the end of his staff) I got into a fight with the Devil back there, but no harm really done. Rather, what happened to your friend there?
His gesture toward Satsuki made Hisaka suddenly have a pang of worry hit her stomach; she didn't remember how long ago it had been since the dragoness had fallen asleep. Taisei seemed to sense this, and removed himself from his lazy stance; rather, he flipped his staff, and moved forward, letting the Onyx on the end hover over Satsuki's body, as it began to emit a white glow. Her wound healed, and the blood disappeared from her clothes, before Taisei moved the rod away and began to lean lazily on it again. He watched with mild interest as Satsuki's slow breaths picked up in speed and returned to what they normally would have been for one who slept: steady and even. With the slightest of smiles, his eyes returned to meet Hisaka's, and once again, his voice echoed when he spoke in the empty hall.
Taisei: We'd better get your friend reunited with her unknowing-grandfather.
Hisaka:…You can tell who she is?
Taisei: Have you never met the dragon named Hitairu? …No, don't answer that; you've probably only heard the others talking about him. No matter; let's get moving.
Hisaka: To where? Where are we right now?
Taisei: Very close to the dungeon where the others are being held.
Hisaka: Oh…(she hesitated, as they started walking) Taisei…I never asked her, because I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer, but…Do you think--
Taisei: I already know what you want to ask me, and I'm not going to give you an answer. Why? Well, to tell you that would be as good as answering your original question, so just follow, okay?
Hisaka: I suppose. (she sounded far less than pleased, and Taisei stopped to face her. Because he had calmed down, his eyes were back to normal, and they were boring right into her own)
Taisei: Hisaka…I know you never have since that day, and I know you may never fully do so, but please…Just this once…Trust me.
And with that, he turned around, leading her down the path that Kurama had taken moments before…
Kenyusa: Now, that was interesting…
Yusuke: I'm sure it was, but please, never EVER mention it again.
Well, there was good news as well as bad news. The good news was, that Yusuke had found Kuwabara, and that he was quite alive and alright. The bad news, however, (depending on how your mentality worked) was that he had fallen right "on top of him" in a sense. The fact was, however, that rather than being flattened by his falling friend, he had simply caught him, and as both had been stunned at this rather "compromising" turn of events, they didn't move until Kenyusa mumbled something to Kijou about Taisei being one to love to see the position they were in; it wasn't until that moment that Kuwabara dropped Yusuke, and gave Kenyusa a nice, wholehearted glare. At this, she only laughed.
Kijou: Oh come on; it wasn't even that bad. Its not like you two hold each other on a regular basis, right?
Yusuke: (sitting) It's not the point…
Kenyusa: I still want to know why he held you for ten minutes…bridal-style, no less…
Kuwabara: It wasn't that long…
Kenyusa: Of course not…More like fifteen…
Yusuke: What happened to not mentioning it EVER AGAIN!
Kijou: (too innocently) We…forgot?
Yusuke: (glaring up at him) You know, this is not the way you keep allies.
Satsu: Oh, who gives a crap? There's an angry dragon thrashing around up there, in case you idiots forgot.
Yusuke: Who asked you for your twenty Yen?
Kuwabara: Well, he does have a point. How are we gonna get out of here, if the rest of the ceiling falls through?
Kijou: No worries. (he moved toward the door, placing an ear against it and smiling afterward) I don't know who's coming, but help has arrived.
Satsu: (walking over toward the door as well) Hmm…Smells like a fox…
Yusuke/ Kuwabara: That's Kurama.
Kijou: You don't say…Well then, I suppose we can help him out a bit by telling him which door to choose.
With this thought in mind, Satsu stepped back, just as Kenyusa walked forward. She nodded once and Kijou's eyes flashed red, just as hers flashed green, then violet, before returning to normal.
Kenyusa: It won't take long now. Kurama's smart; he'll figure this one out, if he's gotten this far…
He'd been running in a straight path, hoping that it was best and the most logical direction. Now that he was being faced many a door that looked the same, he wasn't so sure it was really as logical as he planned. The ground was level now, and he wasn't catching as much speed as he had been before; thus, he decided long back to slow his pace, now hearing the dragons' roars echoing louder than they had before. He supposed he must be just beneath them, but as he pondered this, he caught a glimmer of light from the corner of his eye. Looking toward it, he saw it to be a trail of fire, wafting toward him with the slightest of breeze, but still seeing it come nearer. Under opposing circumstances, he would have gone in the opposite direction, but with all the other oddities and riddles of these tunnels, he decided it better to follow the path; besides, in such close proximities to the flames, they should have been hot, but yet they weren't, and thus was what made up his mind for him. With only the slightest of hesitation, he began to follow the trail that the flames led him down.
When he came nearer to its source, however, he felt an odd chill from the Emerald around his neck. Instantly, the fire turned deep green, and rose higher like a wall, but appearing more as an illusion. He had turned around when the flames changed, but after hearing something of a loud bang from in front of him, whipped back around; the door where the flames stopped had flown open, and as it hit the wall beside what had to be invisible hinges, the fire disappeared. The first person he saw when the flames vanished was Yusuke; the second, however, puzzled him less, and in fact, seeing Kuwabara was a much-needed relief. As if to emphasize the lack of stress, his body demanded that he sigh, and he moved forward, nearly colliding with Kuwabara as he ran out of the chamber.
Kuwabara: Yes! Freedom at last!
Yusuke: Yeah…(he walked out at a bit of a slower pace, after Kenyusa) But I hope this isn't going to be like that whole Sensui episode, and we be tricked into some other kind of battle…
Kijou: No…(he sounded rather quiet and uneasy all of a sudden) The Dragons are the only defense for this maze. Aside from the new Keeper, who I have no idea the identity of, there's no one else down here.
Yusuke: Keeper? (he turned to Kurama) You didn't run into Sansai, did you?
Kurama: Briefly, but Taisei took care of him, hopefully.
Kijou: So he actually came, did he? There's a surprise…
Yusuke: You know Taisei? Hmm, he never mentioned you, I don't think.
Kijou: I don't suppose he would have…(he turned to Kurama) My name is Kijou. I don't expect you to know me, but I've heard a few things about you in the past, Yoko Kurama.
Kuwabara: Pfft. Who hasn't?
Kijou: You got that much action, did you?
Kurama: Not really "action"…More like a notoriety.
Kijou: Sounds just like something Sesshoumaru would say…
Yusuke: You know the flea-bag too, do you?
Kijou: Yes…(suddenly harsh) And I take it to great offense if he's insulted. He's a dear friend and old ally; I don't handle such things lightly.
Kurama: Forgive him; he rarely holds his tongue, no matter who he talks about. If you stay in our company long enough, its rather something you'll come to expect.
Kuwabara: Believe him; its true. Yusuke insults everybody at some point or another. Just ignore him like everyone else.
Yusuke: What, do I have to kick your butt to make you stick up for me?
Kuwabara: See what I mean? (They moved to have a bit of a scuffle, but were interrupted by a familiar voice…)
Taisei: So this is where the party is, eh?
Kenyusa: I wouldn't exactly call this a party…(her eyes traveled to Hisaka) What's Satsuki doing here; and why's she being carried by you?
Hisaka: Nice to meet you too, Dragoness.
Satsu: No word of greeting to your old forgotten mate, huh? It's nice to see I've been missed…
Her building dislike for Kenyusa quickly vanished. She seemed stunned at the simple sound of his voice, and at first, only turned slowly to stare at him blankly. She frowned slightly, and shook her head slowly as if in disbelief at the fact that she saw him standing there, but when he opened his arms slightly, welcoming her into them, she immediately came back to her senses and practically leapt into his awaiting grasp. It was as if her simple presence was enough to break the ice enshrouding him, and slowly, a smile crept up on his face as he nuzzled her hair, taking in the familiarity of her scent. Kijou leaned in toward Kenyusa, also smiling, but ever-so-slightly.
Kijou: You know (he whispered) it's the first time in hundreds of years, that I've actually seen him smiling for real… One day, you an Hiei will feel the same way that they do; trust me.
At his comment, she looked away, suddenly not really wanting to watch the two in their happy reunion.
Kenyusa: I wish I could believe that, (she said softly) but Hiei can't even stand my presence.
Kijou: Once again, I ask you, has he told you that personally?
Kenyusa: No, but its obvious that he hates me. He doesn't even want to be in the same room with me…
Kijou: Then there may be a bit of misinterpretation being done on your behalf. (he put his arm loosely around her shoulders and patted her arm softly) You'll see. (he turned back toward Satsu and Hisaka, speaking a bit louder) And I really hate to interrupt this wonderful display of public affection, but I really think we've ALL had enough of these dungeons. There'll be plenty of time for you two to kiss and hug once we get out of here, okay?
And on that note, still holding on to Kenyusa, he began to lead the way toward the quickest exit to the maze, with the others closely in tow.
And there's the end to a rather long-winded episode. But hey, even the series had a few of these, right? Okay, beware of a time jump in the next chapter, because the next one will be about a day or so after they actually get out of the place, but we don't need to describe that, now do we?
Zee: Thanks for responding to chapter 10, and I know I should pick up the plot; I thought so too, but couldn't really figure out how to do it. Many a time, I have no idea how this is gonna turn out, but all I can hope is that things move faster later on. I know that you must hope so too; if I were reading, I'd have died of boredom by now…
As for those of you who haven't read this yet or responded yet, or I just haven't checked it in time, I thank you for responding as well. Now, I hope, I can update faster for you, and get on SOME KIND of schedule…