Disclaimer: For the seventeenth time, I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho! Chill, already.
Well, now. Long time no see, eh? A day shy of a month. Sorry about that... explanations below. Anyway. At least I'm here now, right? Ah... I had something to say, yet forgot it. Oh! Yeah. This chapter is pretty much twelve pages long - that's about five pages longer than I intended. Lucky for you. So... 112 reviews so far? Wow. 1,100 + views? Interesting. To the ten reviewers of this fic? One big fat thank you. And a cookie. Do you think that's enough? Cause I'm wondering...
Agent Dark Moose Really? And do you still think I'm so wonderful with action scenes after I totally rewrote (once), mutilated (the whole thing's mutilated, but I suppose it's still 'good' to read), and reread this chapter three times more than I actually worked on it? Hm. Pfft. Last time I reviewed "A Well Too Deep" (by Fuzzy Eared. That's one awesome story,) I said "Would it make me weird to say I don't mind gore, or violence, am quite addicted to horror, yet love short, sweet, simple, stupid fluff stories?" I love that kind of stuff... I just can't do romance. That's why it's not a main genre, and it really only appears at the end of this fic. So, here you go.
YokoYoukai Such nice words! Thank you! I've also noticed you two normally review one right after the other. No Kuronue, Yuusuke, or Kuwabara in this chapter... but in the next there will be! Bad Karasu... yes. Bad. Here's the next chapter!
Kikira-san Oh... really? No one's said it like that yet! Thanks so much! I would have posted the chapter as it was... but it was bad. So I rewrote it. I hope you enjoy this!
Kuranga108 Not much "hitting on," because that wasn't ultimately the point of Karasu going after Kurama. See, in this fiction, Karasu thinks everything he touches or begins to fall for gets... tainted. So he destroys it so the beauty is 'preserved'... ah. I explain in the chapter. Read that!
Bluespark Yes... The Olympics. In London. Which got bombed. I'm going to keep my mouth shut on that topic. No, I'm American, for anyone wondering. I've got some comments about those bombings... but people would totally flame me out if I said them. Chapter seventeen now. Oh, my, three more left... Thanks for reviewing!
Hoshiko Megami Thanks! Well... Okay. So I didn't update soon... as least you got the chapter, right?
IwuvMyKenshyPoo I find your pen name so entertaining... Anyway. No, you didn't sound weird. It was a good, sweet, short, down to the point review. Thanks!
Draechaeli Ooh... A new reviewer! Don't we all hate cliffhangers, though?
Ilikeyaoi That's probably because it was forced, so I agree with you whole heartedly. I'm not so good a romance... much, much better at angst. You could say I took my time... ne?
Lady Akuma Your pen name is also interesting... I like it! Another new person! Three cheers! Unexpected in stories is good... means it's not so cliche, and that I can write unexpected things. Which I don't think I'm very good at. Ah, Karasu, causes problems, but you gotta love 'im. Thanks!
WARNING:
1. This story will contain Shonen-Ai in later chapters (will be mild), if you don't like it, don't read it.
2. Rated for reasons: Language and not so gory but bloody fight scenes in the following chapter!
(And the fact that "Remedy" by Seether was stuck in my head every time I wrote this. Hm.)
You have been warned!
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CAPTURED
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( Chapter Seventeen - End )
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Youko's brow suddenly furrowed. He kicked the crow off of him, and scrambled up from the ground, jumping backward about two meters, then glaring at the crow who was slowly getting up to his feet, a wide grin plastered onto his face.
Youko furiously wiped a hand across his mouth - nobody, nobody, especially not Karasu, could kiss him like that - to try to get the very memory of Karasu's lips off of his own. Spitting onto the ground, the fox glared at the crow. This time the glare rivaled, no, probably even surpassed Hiei's own glare.
Karasu just laughed.
This was too good to be true. And, the look on the Jaganshi's face! It was priceless. It would seem that the demi-koorime had grown a bit attached to the fox. It would be even more priceless to see the hi-youkai's expression when the fox was finally killed for good.
And after that? Well, the Jaganshi would have to go as well.
Hiei's jaw was clenched, visibly, hard. "Damn you." He snarled, eyes boring into Karasu's own. The crow raised a mental brow. He was slightly surprised. It would seem to him that maybe the hi-youkai wasn't just following the fox for his precious little gem... but maybe this Hiei was a bit more than 'attached' to the fox. Maybe... indeed.
This only made a wonderful thing for Karasu to pull on. Maybe this would get the fire demon riled up. Oh, no doubt the Jaganshi was already fuming, but Karasu was sure that this wasn't the smaller demon's limit. The crow's wide-smile slid into a smirk. How he loved playing around with his victims... He hadn't forgotten about Youko, oh no, but he was wondering how the fox himself would act upon this news. Sliding his violet eyes to a quick glance at the youko, then moving back towards Hiei, he began to speak.
"First I'm going to hell - mind you, those five minutes were up such a long time ago - and now I'm damned. Well, little fire demon, won't you make up your mind?" When he was greeted with silence the crow continued, "I couldn't help but to notice this, too; you seem to have grown more or less attached to our little fox over yonder, haven't you?"
The only response Karasu got that showed the opposing demon was listening to him was a twitch of the eyebrow. That was good... he was beginning to irk the fire demon.
"I mean, really now, Jaganshi, it was only a little kiss." Karasu said, a look of 'innocence' passing across his features, before sliding into a smug expression at the Jaganshi's reaction to this.
"Innocent my ass, you bastard!" Hiei snarled, taking a step closer to the crow.
"So now I'm a bastard, am I?" The crow laughed, "In fact, the way you've been reacting to this whole ordeal, I might even go as far as to say that you've become a bit possessive of the youko, and be completely correct."
Youko took his eyes off of Karasu's back for a moment to look at Hiei. His brows were raised in a look of surprise. Hiei had gotten attached to him? Yeah, right. The demi-koorime never seemed to even show a bit of care to the fox since they met, at least not until the past few minutes while they both went up against Karasu. The fox had to say, the Jaganshi didn't seem to like it when Karasu set his bombs on him, and he looked down right pissed when Karasu kissed him... However, when the smaller youkai didn't meet his gaze, Youko frowned internally, still keeping his face expressionless yet glaring with the eyes on the outside.
If the hi-youkai didn't say anything against Karasu's assumptions... who's to say that they weren't incorrect?
The kitsune chose wisely not to say anything.
"No argument, Jaganshi?" Karasu asked, raising his brows, yet his smirk was still in place. Though, he was a little disappointed that Youko hadn't had more of a reaction... "Well, then does that mean that I'm correct?"
There was still no reply from the Jaganshi. Hiei himself was surprised. It would seem that the crow was on to something... When he felt 'torn' when Karasu injured the fox with his bombs... was that his 'attachment' shining through? What about by the river when Youko told his story to the demi-koorime? Was that attachment too? Oh, and how about when he felt that rage bubbling within him when the crow claimed the fox's lips - something that was most definitely not Karasu's? What was the crow hinting at?
That Hiei... that Hiei liked the fox?
Yeah, right.
With Karasu's next words, it would seem that this was exactly what Karasu meant.
The crow turned his head so that he looked at Youko from the corner of his violet eyes, "It would seem that a certain someone has a little crush on you, love. Isn't this, for lack of a better word, interesting?"
"I'm not your 'love.'" The fox demon said, defiantly, but he didn't say anything on Karasu's question. What was he supposed to say?
"You'll be nobody's love, given you're highly offended by the idea that you might possibly become mine. And if I can't have you, for whatever the reason, well, then... When you're dead, no one will be able to love you." Karasu said, waving the fox's comment off, turning back to Hiei, "Don't get attached to a fox. They're too restless to settle down. Besides, it's not like this one will be around much longer. And when he does go, I'll make sure that I'll be the last person he sees."
Youko quirked a brow. He did not feel like dying at the moment. There were too many places to rob, too many hideous demons to kill, too many places in Ningenkai that he wanted to revisit... No. He wasn't going to die. He would make sure of that. It would be Karasu to leave, permanently, today.
So while the crow had his back mostly towards the fox - such a stupid move - Youko held out his palm, a leaf lazily floated to his hand, eyes glowing with approval as it's edges grew sharper, as it became less flimsy and more sturdy. It was now a weapon; something to be wary about.
Acting fast, lest Karasu grow bored with the hi-youkai, Youko threw the enhanced leaf at the crow, then jumping backwards even more, going up in the branches of a tree to watch from afar, wincing slightly as the actions caused his wounds to throb with a renewed pain. To be truthful, Youko had forgotten about the injuries the bombs left behind. He held back a sigh as warm blood began to flow down his arms, though the flow was merely a small trickle.
The crow felt the leaf approach, but didn't realize it had been tampered with. He suppressed a hiss of pain as the leaf cut through the skin of his neck, cutting of a few pieces of his dark hair in the process, then promptly fell back into its original state, fluttering to the ground with no haste. Blinking, the crow raised a hand to the wound on his neck. How... different. He hadn't been attacked with a leaf before. Or with grass, for that matter.
Then again, plant wielders weren't so common anymore... destroying Youko would mean there would be one less in the world. What a wonderful thought, for Karasu was growing less and less fond of flora as the fight progressed. No doubt he would hate any kind of plant at the end of it all. With the exception of the rose. Karasu had always been more-or-less fond of roses. Such beauty, though it had it's dangerous thorns.
Youko also had this beauty, as well as grace, a cunning mind, so many other qualities... yet Karasu wanted - needed - to destroy him. Anything and everything that he had somehow managed to fall for must be terminated.
Why?
Well, because. Simply because. He had no use for weaknesses, exactly what admiring something did to one. And, after all, everything Karasu touched always managed to somehow become tainted... ugly... tarnished. It was best to destroy them, so they wouldn't be subject to this exposure.
The beauty was preserved in death... and death itself was beautiful.
Turning around swiftly, he glared when he found Youko gone. He looked in the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of white or silver within all the green. No such luck. The crow frowned, selected a certain tree, and watched it burst into flames. He gave himself a satisfied smile, and moved on to a different tree.
Youko flinched slightly when the tree right next to the one he was in burst into the flames. He couldn't physically feel the tree's pain, but he felt the mental tug of the plants calling for his assistance. The fox forced himself to stay put. He couldn't risk giving up his position just yet. When Karasu set his eyes on the tree the youko was in, the fox braced himself, ready to launch out of the forest and back into the clearing in a heartbeat. And he did, but not because the tree was victim to Karasu's power, but because the crow had been distracted just before he had the chance to set the tree to flames.
Hiei had sprung at the crow when his back had been turned, using his flat palm to throw Karasu forward. Leaping over the crow now on the ground, Hiei landed on his feet and turned around, facing his opponent.
"Shut the fuck up," He snarled at the dark-haired demon, who was getting to his knees, before him. Karasu titled his head to the side ever-so-slightly, hair falling over his face. Said demon didn't speak a word, didn't move an inch, didn't even blink.
Cool, mocking violet eyes locked onto flaming red ones.
Karasu allowed his lips to curl into a scornful smile. He let his eyelids blink once, twice, rapidly then becoming still once more. Across the way, on the other end of the clearing, Youko sucked in a breath as the clearing became deathly quiet. Looking intently between the two dark-haired demons a little ways ahead of him, the fox noticed when Hiei jerked his head to the right, so fast he wasn't sure if he really saw it. And then the hi-youkai did it again, Youko understood - a signal.
A 'go'.
He flicked both of his ears twice, one after another, sliding a hand through his mane of silvery locks casually, pulling out a seed.
Holding it in his hand, he smirked when fine strands of grass sprouted, encasing his hand in a glove-like weapon; the grass extending from beyond his fingers, edges of the extra grass razor-sharp, the point was deadly. And when Youko tested his creation by using the tip of his sword-like glove made of grass by nicking himself on the wrist, he held in a hiss of pleasure and pain. This would do the job. Perfect. For the time being, anyway.
Karasu raised a brow when Hiei snorted, looking at something past his head. What did the Jaganshi find so entertaining now? He instinctively looked back behind him when the little demi-koorime flitted from view, then reappeared a few meters away, looking at the crow with an expectant expression. What the hell was the Jaganshi so anxious for?
The only thing he saw for the briefest of seconds when he looked down was green. Then the green thing came closer, swiping diagonally one way, and then suddenly the other. Karasu's eyes widened when he realized what exactly was happening.
The damn fox was using more grass to attack him, they were moving backwards with each slash of the grass sword. Each time when the grass came to strike down again creating a new abrasion, the cuts stung. They weren't exactly deep, but they were long and had the unfortunate ability to sting like hell - like when you get yourself cut on normal grass, or paper.
Thrusting his hand out without thinking, as to try to stop the blows, the crow willed the grass to smolder and burn a horrible death, and it did. He of course paid, the grass sword getting him one more time across his palm where he had reached out to stop the strikes.
Youko also paid for attacking the crow, the fire that was burning his precious sword spread quickly. He called the plant to recede back into the form of a seed, but not before his hand was effectively singed. He winced when he moved it about, the burns hurt. Not as bad as the damage the bombs left, though, as they were now throbbing around the blackened skin where the bombs hadn't entirely managed to blow skin and flesh away.
Karasu felt his back pressed against a tree, he mentally kicked himself for allowing to be cornered like this. He sent a nasty glare to the Jaganshi, then to the fox who was regarding the crow with a malicious look, one hand resting against the tree, the other one - the singed one - hanging by his side.
The crow smirked as he brought out a leg, knocking the fox down, then kicked him again, sending him across the clearing. The kitsune landed in a small cloud of dust, biting his lip.
The familiar coppery taste flooded his mouth when he landed on the ground harshly, he spat on the ground and sat up, not bothering to wipe the crimson substance from his lips. Karasu rather enjoyed this image. The red stood out brilliantly against Youko's pale skin color.
Suddenly the feeling of exhaustion flooded through the youko. He felt the tingling of tiredness creep up on him. Shaking his head vigorously, he was back on his feet soon enough to see Hiei attacking the crow with punches and kicks, Karasu able to effectively block off all of them.
Youko sighed out loud with fatigue. He really hadn't wanted to run into Karasu anymore during his lifetime. Though this time wasn't as bad as the last, it was still draining on the fox. He really hadn't slept in a while, not even before Karasu had suddenly barged into the front room of the hideout. Then he had been thinking...
Pushing away any thoughts of sleep and pain, the youko ran forward to join the battle. As soon as the fox arrived, Hiei took out his sword and slashed one way or another, while Karasu ducked, and Youko punched, kicked, and occasionally called up a pointy or sharp plant to poke the crow in the back.
Karasu spun around, to face the fox, and set his hand on the kitsune's chest. Youko slid backwards on his feet as a bomb exploded, ripping away the protective clothing he wore. The fox's garments were made of youki - therefor the bomb didn't do as much damage as it could have done, but the clothing was torn, and a small flow of blood starting to drip downward as the skin had been burnt away, but the flesh was mostly unharmed.
'Dammit, fox, this isn't working.' Youko heard Hiei in his head. Brushing aside the though that someone was in his mind, the fox ducked a wild swing of the katana, and hit the back of the crows legs, causing Karasu to stumble and trip, falling to the ground. 1
'Really?' The kitsune replied, sarcastically, 'Jump back... I'm going to try something.'
Hiei let his eyes meet the youko's for a split second, and then he jumped backwards, as did the fox, leaving Karasu. The kitsune closed his eyes then opened them, leaves from the forest surrounding them came shooting into the clearing, blurs of dark and light green, all headed straight for the crow.
Karasu saw the leaves coming and held out a hand, each and every leaf incinerating mere centimeters before coming into contact with his face, then falling to the grassy clearing floor, smouldering and crumbling to ashes.
"You'll have to do better than that." The crow remarked, getting back up to his feet.
Hiei snorted, eyeing the crow dangerously. He sheathed his bloody katana and reached up, throwing off his black cloak which was torn in many places and beginning to get caked with blood. With the long sleeves of the cloak no longer concealing it, it became apparent that his right arm was covered in a long, white ward, with the appearance of a bandage.
Using his left hand to clumsily untie the bandage-like ward, both Youko and Karasu watched in mild fascination as bit by bit a long tattoo was revealed on Hiei's arm. The tattoo had the appearance of a dragon, it snaked around the limb, it's head appearing just before reaching the back of the hand. The white cloth fell to the ground.
Youko raised a brow, and Karasu merely licked a bleeding scrape on his arm - courtesy of the fire apparition's katana.
And then the tattoo started to smoke - Youko's mouth fell slightly open, and Karasu raised a brow. With the light grey, almost invisible, smoke seemingly floating of the dragon on Hiei's arm, it began to glow a black color, slightly tinted with purple. Hiei's expression remained schooled, and he looked over his arm.
It had many scars running along it - some from before the dragon, most from after it. Most from because of it. The creature-like attack proved to be such a hard thing to control... It had taken Hiei weeks to make it listen to his commands. Even still, it took so much willpower to contain the beast's fury and will to do as it pleased, despite the fact that it had agreed to listen to Hiei's commands... some of the time, that he had to 'punish' it. A few hacks across the good 'ole arm with his katana usually worked.
Because of this, using the attack took up much of his power and energy. He knew that after he used the dragon, he would probably instantly fall backward - sound asleep, or most likely unconscious, if not just minutes after. He might have been able to stay up ten to thirty minutes after the dragon was released, but with the wounds Hiei was currently sporting, there was no way this would be possible.
In fact, he wasn't exactly sure if he had enough energy to control the dragon...
What if he simply didn't have enough energy... what if it changed it's meant target from Karasu to Youko? Then again, what did Hiei care? They were both demons that had taken up his precious time. They were both demons that had managed to annoy him. But Youko... had earned Hiei's respect. Not in his mannerisms, nor his attitude or ways, but because of his superior control over plants, and his ability to fight, and to continue fighting. Also the air of which the fox had around him... and air of confidence and superiority. Not to mention the fact that it seemed that he and the kitsune were literally meant to fight side by side.
When they had been punching, kicking, slashing, and attacking Karasu together... not only had they fought so well together - each knowing where the other was going to attack just before they did - but they also covered each other. When Karasu would lash out at one, the other would attack from a different angle, stopping the attack before it had the chance to do any damage at all. This didn't always work, Hiei could feel bruises forming as he stood there, but it was highly effective all the same.
And as much as Hiei hated to admit it... he really wasn't looking forward to seeing the fox dead. He couldn't quite put his finger on why... But he had an idea. And this idea scared the living shit out of him. This idea could not be possible.
Shaking his head mentally, Hiei raised his arm, aiming it at the crow.
"You will go to hell - now. You are a bastard." Blinking his red eyes a few times rapidly, Hiei began to focus his energy solely onto the dragon. He felt the energy rippling through his fingers, spreading throughout his whole arm. The temperature in the clearing rose with Hiei's energy. The sweat that had already begun to break out on Youko's brow increased.
Karasu raised his other brow, his own mouth falling agape.
And then he started to laugh. It was the type of maniacal laughter of the insane... It wasn't the standard evil-villain chortle, either. 2Youko slide his eyes from their transfixed state on Hiei's arm to the crow's laughing face.
Karasu through his head back and his body shook as he began to get his chuckles under control. Moving his head back to the normal level, he eyed Hiei. His fierce violet eyes mocking. Though now they had a glint to them... Something was different.
"Me, go to hell? Oh, I'd like to think so, Jaganshi! But I doubt it'll be now! What are you going to do? Sic your precious little tattoo on me? So frightening! Why are you so eager to finish me off? Do you want to protect your prized fox over yonder?" The dark-haired demon shook his head, "Don't even try! I've told you so many times, little fire demon! I'm going to kill that little kitsune, with a big reputation!"
Turning around, the crow position his palm so that it was facing towards Youko. Right before the fox's eyes, green bombs appeared everywhere around him. They completely surrounded him, front, back, and both sides.
Sparing Hiei only a quick glance, the crow's mouth turned upwards into a victorious smirk. Without twitching a muscle, the bombs inched forward only slightly before they stopped and began to explode, whether they were near the fox or not. One of the bombs was so close to the youko, that he could feel the heat radiating off of it. Said weapon happened to be right by his left hand. There was only one other this close to the fox, and it would have been staring him right in the eye, if it had any eyes itself. He had to look cross-eyed to see it.
The fox bit his lip when one by one they exploded, tearing into his flesh, burning away the skin that hadn't managed to incinerate. His protective clothing only did so much, and it was slowly but surely being coated with red and ripped away by the force of the mini explosions.
The pure agony brought the injured fox down to his knees. The force of the release of power behind the bombs created a hot, smokey breeze. Youko's silvery hair flew about him, his clothing (or what was left of it, anyway) pulling against his body as the wind pushed it around. It was like a fire was burning strongly, running up, down, all over his body, while at the same time somebody was sticking needles in every single bit of exposed flesh. He tried in vain to contain the cry of pure pain that ripped through his throat, tearing itself out of his mouth and out into the open.
The pain was so intense that it blinded his eyesight, he only saw black, and then he saw everything. His blood was still splattering on the ground, the previously brilliant green grass, or what was left of it, was now a dark crimson color. His white clothing now looked like it was red with white spots. His left hand that the bomb had been so close to - nearly touching it - had only remnants of flesh, how the tendons were still there holding the bones in his fingers together Youko didn't know. It was quite miraculous how they too hadn't been burnt or incinerated when the bomb exploded. But the sight of his exposed pearly white bones, with only bits of flesh, clinging perilously onto the skeletal structure of his hand and blood flowing from everywhere, the fox felt extremely sick to his stomach, and extremely dizzy and tired. He had always had a vivid imagination... he could just picture how he must look to the crow and to Hiei. 3
Said hi-youkai was staring at the fox, wide-eyed in horror and shock. Somehow the kitsune had managed to bend over on his knees, and was clutching his scorched and wounded arms to his bloodied chest. Blood was everywhere, and the faint smell of burnt flesh reached Hiei's sensitive nose. The sight of dead, blackened skin, exposed muscle clenching and unclenching as the fox tensed and un-tensed his body (in what Hiei assumed was an extremely futile way to stop the pain), and meat made Hiei himself gag.
The youko's mouth was still open, a silent scream still coming through. His eyes were closed so tightly... he felt so dizzy... so tired... so... so... in pain. It still seemed to tear at him, biting... burning...
Karasu... that bastard. That fucking bastard...
The thought was unanimous between the two demons that opposed the crow.
Then Youko noticed that there was one single bomb that Karasu hadn't set off yet. It was the one still staring him in the face. If he moved his head, it followed his movements.
"I see you noticed this bomb... eh?" Karasu asked, with a sickeningly cheery voice. He was elated that his bombs had gone off so cleanly. The kitsune was clearly in agony, for even when he moved his head to see if the bomb would follow, it was a short and jerky motion.
The picture of beauty the fox was now... Karasu had created it. Every drop of blood on the ground, on the fox's body... Every piece of clothing that was torn or crimson... He'd done it. He was proud of it, too. So... perfect. Even the grass in the part of the clearing where the youko was had been burnt away - something the crow silently enjoyed.
"I haven't set that one off... and I don't intend to, either." He went on, violet eyes still sweeping over the fox's injured form, "You see... you're face... It'd really be such a pity to lose, you know? It's gotten you so far in the world. In all the worlds, really. The most infamous thief in Makai and Rekai - ever. You've even got ningen books written about you and your 'legendary heists,' along with that chimera bat. Wouldn't it be sad if everyone's last view of you was with your precious face mangled? But I'd like to think that I'm not so evil... See? I'm sparing you your greatest treasure, Youko. Hm... I might not go to hell after all, ne, Jaganshi?"
Youko raised his head, and squinted in the light of the glowing green bomb at Karasu. His voice came out hoarse, and it hurt to talk - from all the screaming.
"You're sick... and insane..." The fox spoke around clenched teeth.
"You really think so? Sick and... insane, was that? I'm flattered... I've been called psychotic before - mental, even, but not exactly 'insane.'"
Hiei set his mouth into a grim line... and then he smirked. His arm was still raised, still positioned to hit the crow. He was positive that he would not miss. The dragon would hit Karasu head on... Right in the chest. For, when the crow mocked the power of this creature, it had deeply set it off. It might have been a small bit of name calling... but the dragon had no patience and no tolerance when it's power was being underestimated.
The smoke hazily drifting off from his glowing arm increased. The energy surging through his arm gather in the shape of the dragon - it seemed to just lift up off from the hi-youkai's arm. It shimmered in the light of the sun. The contrast between the dark beast and the bright yellow sun was great.
Karasu glanced over at the Jaganshi. Something in the middle of his stomach squirmed slightly... But the crow ignored it. The little fire demon simply couldn't defeat him. Maybe if he was more angry... However, he still doubted it. The little demon was just that, little. It was so unlikely that the hi-youkai could control the creature, much less keep his aim steady.
Turning his insane gaze back to the kitsune, he smirked. The fox was looking at him, but those golden eyes were lacking the certain light to them that made them so... fierce, and intimidating. Now the almighty Youko Kurama just looked... defeated and broken, kneeling on the scorched ground.
"The almighty Youko Kurama indeed," Karasu thought aloud, "You look down right pathetic now, fox. Where's your little chimera friend? He ditched you, and instead you got this weak little fire demon koorime half-breed. And you... A pure silver youko. Most likely the last one left. How... rare. I shall have to take some of your silvery locks before I do away with your body, permanently. There must be something other than rumors to remember you by...
"Youko Kurama. The great thief, the most cunning of them all... Able to seduce any demon or human, male or female, ugly or beautiful. Such a whore... You really are useless without all your precious titles. Where would you be without them? A pathetic, weak urchin. No... probably killed for your fur. I don't want that, though. I want to see you dead. Imagine what people would say when they found out - Karasu was the one who killed the Youko Kurama. Soon I'll be the Karasu...
"But, unlike you... I'll be more. I won't reduce myself to a whore with only titles and hundreds whom you've left in the bed... Killed. I'll kill more. But I don't just want to see you dead... It's been so... heavenly to kill you, love. You look so beautiful... so broken and frail... What... was that a flash of anger? Why, yes, Youko. I've gone and called you weak and pathetic. Broken and frail... a who-"
Karasu never got the chance to finish his sentence. As soon as Hiei felt the power of the dragon rise up to its full capacity... he let it go.
"JAOU ENSATSU KOKU RYUU HA!"
But still, in the mere seconds before the swirling black and purple tinted dragon was unleashed, Youko managed to rise clumbsily to his feet, and stumble backwards. His previously blank golden eyes were on fire - blazing with hatred and fury.
How dare Karasu speak about him - to him - like that! Nobody downed Youko Kurama, and if they did, they were sure to perish. He had promised himself a long time ago that if he ever met Karasu again, he was die. Here the crow was, his eyes glittering at him like small, violet gems, tinged with insanity. They laughed at his situation, at his weakness. They called him names...
Weak... Pathetic... Broken... Frail... Whore... Coward... Urchin... Worthless... Useless... Mine...
If only he still had some amount of youki... He stood swaying on his feet, eyes scanning the area. The crow, laughing, the hi-youkai, getting ready to kill the crow... The hi-youkai! Hiei! The golden eyes found the small demon's black, tattered cloak. Inside the pocket... Inside the pocket was his rose... But his face fell. It was probably that youki that was keeping him on his feet - and he was just barely doing that. Still, there had to be some left. Had to be.
Pulling at the dwindling supply of energy enclosed within the rose that lay inside of Hiei's cloak pocket, he focused back to the crow. Youko's golden eyes locked onto the place where his seed, though it wasn't a seed anymore, was. It had to have grown throughout the fight, he'd been feeding it bits of youki at a time. It should be ready. Had to be ready.
Gathering every last piece of energy in the rose, the fox turned it all over to the seed within Karasu's body. Right by his heart.
"SHIMANEKI SOU!"
The words came out just as Hiei's dragon charged at the crow. It's black and purple body was long, and moved quickly, it's red eyes were glowing with anger. Just as the seed without Karasu's body burst into full bloom, the dragon hit the crow full force, all in a quick blast of black energy, the crow's body was ripped apart, limb by limb, piece by piece. Each and every single bit of Karasu's torn body was then consumed by the flames of ki that made up the dragon. The ground around the crow was torched black, and the force of impact with the two creature's, as well as with Youko's plant, flung the other two demons in the clearing backward.
Hiei flew back, and landed on the hard ground. The youko was pushed backward, square into the truck of a nearby tree. The tree bent in the trunk where the fox had it, it's bark on the opposite side of the impact splintering as the fox's body left an imprint on the tree. After hitting it, the kitsune slid down to the base of the plant, his body limp. Hiei struggled to sit up against the fierce hot, dusty wind that blew from the force of the dragon's sheer power.
What he saw was, first, Youko slid to the ground unconscious. Then the kitsune's body changed - white fur began to sprout out of the skin, arm and legs shortened and became more canine-like. The youko's ears and tail stayed in place at the rest of his body morphed into the shaped of a fox. Then he saw Karasu. Or... rather what was left of him, a bunched of ashes that was quickly being scattered by the wind. The ground from where Karasu was standing and twenty feet out, in all directions, was scorched black, turning gray around the edges.
The demi-koorime reached out for his cloak, which had been blown not even three feet away from him. Throwing it over his shoulder, he slowly got to his feet.
The dragon hadn't been that hard to control, this time. Hiei knew it was because the creature agreed with Hiei's target, and had eyes for no one else. Still, the effort of summoning and containing the dragon until it was ready to go took up massive amounts of energy, leaving Hiei with barely any left.
He walked, with no haste, simply because he couldn't walk any faster, to the fox. The youko, even though he was in his animalistic form, was seriously wounded. His fur was beginning to coat with the red liquid that oozed out from under his silvery coat. The spots where Karasu had set his deadly bombs on the fox were still there. Those the size of them had shrunken with the fox's body, the amount and severity of them stayed the same.
Arms shaky with fatigue, Hiei scooped the wounded fox up. Some of the injuries had stopped bleeding, Youko's demon blood already healing them, but the most recent ones were still wet with crimson liquid that seeped over the kitsune's silvery fur and began to reach Hiei's already bloody arms.
He didn't exactly know if he would make it to the hideout... but he was going to try. Starting at a run, though it was extremely slow compared to how fast he could have normally gone, the fire demon set out in what he hoped was the right direction. He himself was just barely awake. His arms were covered in bruises, and though it seemed Karasu only used his bombs on the youko, the single one he used on Hiei was throbbing painfully. As his body moved, any healing that had begun was quickly undone as the demon felt the warm substance slide down his lower back.
He then noticed that his shirt was almost completely blown away from when he first released the dragon... but he didn't care. He knew they must look like quite the odd pair running slowly through the woods. He didn't care. He had to get to the hideout... but not just for himself.
The fox in his arms was alive... but if he lost any more blood, he wouldn't be for long.
If the fox died... then even with his own death, Karasu would have achieved his goal. Killing Youko Kurama.
Hiei did care about that - Karasu was not going to win. Hiei smirked... after all the comments and arguments over it, it now seemed so stupid and trivial that he and the crow had fought over it... But that didn't matter. Hiei had been correct. There was no doubt.
Karasu had gone to hell.
- - -
Oh, man, am I sick with this chapter. I mean, I think it's okay and all... sort of, but I'm so tired of having to write it, rewrite it, and reread it. If something's wrong with it, it won't be fixed. Count on it. I'm not going to work on it anymore. But, huzzah, it's finally finished! Woot. Anyway. I've got some notes to do... So here they are:
1 - You know when you kick a person in the back of the leg (the opposite side of the knee) the leg kind of gives way? You know how when you kick both of the back of the legs, the legs give away and you fall forward? Exactly. Try it to someone who won't get to pissed at you... cause I find it hilarious.
2 - C'mon, you know what I mean. The typical 'evil dude' laugh. Muwhahaha... Buwhahaha... That.
3 - Totally possible. Once upon a time I was going to kick something but my little toe got caught on the doorframe. It popped the toe out of place and almost tore the thing off. Needless to say, it didn't come off, I managed to get it back into place, but not after I lost my vision and hit my head on the sink counter, and sit heavily on the toilet until I could see again (I was in the bathroom at the time). If that happens, ignore what your parents say and just go see the damn doctor. Mine made me walk around at school (and gym) painfully. I got asked many times if I broke the toe. Oh, and to this day it's slightly... crooked, or something like that. Back to my point, totally possible... but you'd probably black out instead of getting your vision back. Oh well. It's my story. Remember that, please.
So. That's over with. Eh... Yeah. Oh, yes! My excuses! Just for the heck of it, I'll list them. The Harry Potter book (took me a whole nine hours to read, not to shabby), brother, mother, friends, stupid computer, writers block, boredom, laziness, absolutely no will to write, what so ever, Gaia, other people with awesome stories of which they've been updating and I reading them, and, of course, laziness. Again. So, yell at me for late chapters... hey, I deserve it. This was a long bunch of notes. Ah, well, see you next chapter. Hopefully that won't take a month to write. It shouldn't, anyway. This is not the last chapter, by the way.
Well, as always, please leave behind a review, from the kindness of your... heart... Ha, right. Say whatever. Thanks!