Chapter 21: the other gems
"Kurama, Hiei, I told you, you can go." Koenma stood behind his desk sorting papers.
"Yes Koenma, of course." Kurama smiled and left the office with Hiei.
outside
"I think I'll go and talk with Karuka before I go." Kurama said.
"Fine." Hiei disappeared among the trees.
Kurama walked around looking for Karuka and found her sitting at the edge of a cliff. He stood next her and sat down.
"Are you okay Karuka?" Kurama asked her.
"Yes, I am fine." Karuka had her eyes closed and her head pointed down as she sat cross legged in the light of the setting sun.
"Your energy levels seem to tell a different story." Kurama looked at Karuka as her eyes suddenly opened but her head stayed pointed down.
"That must have been a tough mission for you. It being your second one after all." Kurama knew he was razor thin to getting Karuka to tell the truth of how she felt at the time.
"As you said," Kurama leaned back and looked at the sun, "you don't show coverable pain. I have a feeling that you're covering more than head pain." Karuka finally looked up from the ground and out toward the sun.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Karuka refused to give in to her pain that she felt, the physical and otherwise.
"The poison is having the same effect on you as it is Yusuke. Your head is in tremendous pain. And the antidote hurts you too, doesn't it?" Kurama looked at Karuka who still stared at the sun in envy. She thought, if only she could be burning alive right now... she wouldn't have these problems.
"No." Karuka refused to admit it, even though they both knew he was right.
"Fine then," Kurama stood up and brushed the dirt off of his clothes, "I guess we have nothing to worry about." He smile down at her and walked off to go back to the demon world.
Karuka sat contemplating. The wind blew her hair out of her face and the shining sun made her pale eyes glow. If you looked hard enough you could see the brewing pain rummaging around inside her body from inside her eyes. She titled her head to gaze at the moon. In its brightness of wonder, memories flooded back to her, but not childhood memories, recent ones. She thought of the times she spent with the guys, as she fought with them and worked together. It felt strange to her, being on a team. After her family's deaths, she was only a loner, no one understood her problems. No one, but her.
'When this time of my life ends it will become normal again. I will disappear like all the times before. No one wants me, they just get stuck with me.' Karuka closed her eyes again and lowered her head. She had her palms touching the ground through the hole she made with her crossed legs. She opened her eyes, stood up and turned around. With a last look at the sky, Karuka turned her waist around keeping her feet set pointing toward the forest and grabbed her hair to keep it out of her face. She looked up at the moon and something twinkled in her eye. She made no emotion to show her feelings as she shut them once again. Letting go of her hair, allowing it to blow in her face, she turned around and walked into the shadows with her eyes still closed.
next day
"Karuka hasn't come in yet. I went outside to find her and she was just sitting and staring at the sky." Botan stood in Koenma's office looking out the window searching for Karuka's faint shadow. She did not find it.
"I'm sure she is okay. We have nothing to worry about. No new missions have come in and I don't expect any to anyways."
"And why is that lord Koenma?" Botan looked back to the baby.
"Because," Koenma looked at Botan, "because of the Hamisha gem incident, security has been upped a few levels all over the demon world. Now it's harder than ever to try and steal anything."
"Oh, well, that's good I guess." Botan looked back out the window and was surprised to see Karuka coming toward the building.
"Karuka's coming." Botan said.
"Why? I didn't notify her to come." Koenma looked questioned as he came around his desk and looked out the window.
They waited for her to come up. And when she did, what she said first shocked them.
"I want out." Karuka stood at the open door with a dead face on surprising the two.
"What?" Koenma asked.
"After another big mission like this, I want out. I know I've been sentenced to five but I figure for what I did deserves two counts." Karuka put up two fingers in the air trying to convince the others.
"What did you do?"
"Saved the stump's life."
'The stump?' Botan wondered as Koenma and Karuka kept talking.
"If I risk my life for another again I want my accounts lifted." Karuka stood looking down at the baby as if she was the ruler over him.
"I cannot do that Karuka." Koenma was stopped by Karuka grabbing his shirt collar and bringing him up to her level.
"If you don't let me go after one more mission I swear I will snap. I can kill your detectives, and now I have nothing to keep me from doing so." Karuka's eyes were now yellow and Koenma knew she wasn't joking. So, fearing her, he gave in and told her fine.
"Okay, okay. You can go after one more mission." Karuka looked at him a bit longer, only keeping his face a few inches from her own, she saw the truth in his eyes. She let him drop to the floor.
"Good. That is all I desire to leave this place." Karuka turned around and left.
"Koenma sir! Are you all right?" Botan ran over to Koenma on the ground.
"Yes, yes I am quite fine."
"Oh good." Botan then hit Koenma over the head.
"What in the world do you think you're doing telling Karuka that?!" Botan yelled.
"Botan! How dare you hit me like that!" Koenma screamed holding the new bump on his head.
"When Karuka finds out you lied like that she will... well... KILL you!" Botan said throwing her arms in the air.
"Don't worry Botan! Crime life is slow now and by the next mission she will have forgotten." Koenma explained.
"Oh, do you think she will do that?"
"I am sure of it." Koenma told her.
"Oh I hope so." Botan looked out the window one last time and saw Karuka's long shadow creep across the forest floor.
With Karuka
'Damn head.' Karuka held her head in slight pain.
'Little did Kurama know, I didn't get as much antidote as Yusuke did, which was really the cause of both our pain. Looks like the great fox thief is losing it.' Karuka smiled that she had more secrets to keep.
'I knew he was Youko Kurama from the moment his scent entered my nose.' Karuka stepped back and leapt into the trees to take a nap.
later
Karuka was still asleep. She really didn't want to wake up. The nap was too comfortable. Karuka stirred in her sleep, right before she woke up.
'Damn, that was a good nap.' Karuka sat up and shook her head to wake up more.
'When's another mission gonna come by? I need to get out of this place.' Karuka leaned back onto the tree she slept by and started to think more.
'Looks like my head is better now.' Karuka cracked open her left eye and looked up as she touched the back of her head.
'I'm so bored, hopefully a case will come by soon so I can get out of here. On the other hand, I still am not fully recovered. That poison had a good one on me, it'll take a while for my power back at this time of the month.' Karuka's thoughts were halted when she heard the cracking of a twig behind her.
She shot up to her feet and sped in front of the thing only to put down her fists and sigh.
"Hello stump." She said to Hiei.
"What are you doing here?" She sat back down on the opposite side of where she was previously sitting against the tree.
"Koenma called me. He seemed really fumed. Don't know why." Hiei had his hands in his pockets looking down at Karuka.
"Really? He didn't call me." Karuka crossed her arms.
"Maybe it's something about you." Hiei then walked by her toward Koenma's office.
"You aren't coming? I thought the humans were the only ones who ditched." He looked back at Karuka who still hadn't moved to try and visit Koenma.
"He never called, so I won't go." She said.
Hiei smirked, "fine." He turned around and left Karuka to sit and think.
'My energy is not high enough to fight. I guess it would be best for the next mission to be later rather than sooner.'
Koenma's office
"So Koenma, is there another mission or something?" Yusuke asked.
"Wait, there can't be, Karuka isn't here. Why?" Kuwabara asked looking around the room searching for a moving shadow just in case.
"I called you four here because of Karuka." Koenma was in his teenage form and sitting at his desk.
"What about her?" Kurama asked as Hiei rose an eyebrow.
"She has requested her leave after one more mission." Koenma said.
"Well you told her no right? She has more than one mission till her thefts are lifted right?" Yusuke asked Koenma.
"Actually, I said yes to her proposal." The four boys looked up in shock.
"What?! Why did you tell her yes?" Kuwabara wanted to know.
"Well... because..."
"Because she threatened you guys and him." Botan finished for Koenma.
"What?! You gave in because she threatened you? How weak are you?!" Yusuke yelled as he slammed his hands on the table.
"Don't worry Yusuke! After Hiei got the Hamisha Gem with such ease, security has been advanced since then and crime has gone way down. Another mission isn't likely to happen any time soon." Koenma was hunched over hugging his knees behind his desk. Yusuke lightened his angered look and took his hands off the desk and backed up.
"Really? But when our next mission comes won't she want the same thing?" Yusuke asked.
"That's where you guys come in." Koenma stood up.
"Karuka proposed that if she saves one of you she should be able to go. So, if you four keep safe and don't get in any danger, Karuka will have nothing to save. On your next mission she will be looking for any chance to save your lives. But if there is none. She can, and will play out her full time."
"Ok, if that was all, then I guess we can go, right?"
"Of course, I just wanted you to watch out. You may leave now." Koenma waved them all off.
"Well that was a waste." Yusuke whispered into Kuwabara's ear with his hand. Kuwa nodded.
outside
"Kurama, what are you doing?" Hiei asked Kurama as he stood in a 'thinking' position.
"Oh nothing." Kurama turned around smiling his cover smile to make it look like there was truly nothing. After all the years, that didn't fool Hiei any more but he let it go and let Kurama continue.
"I'll be in the demon world." Hiei then disappeared.
Kurama, returning to his thinking, wondered what the demon he fought meant from before.
"There are more people above me that are now out for you and your friends' blood. By the death of me, you've opened up a new problem for the spirit world. A deadly one."
'What did he mean?' Kurama wondered.
'Could it be anything important? I hope not.'
Kurama popped out of his thoughts and went after Hiei. When he did catch him he was surprised to see that Hiei had heard his thoughts.
"So, you think that lowly demon was telling the truth?" Hiei said.
"No, not exactly. It's just, he meant something." Kurama still couldn't figure it out.
"I think you're losing your touch Kurama." Hiei smiled.
"Oh no Hiei," Kurama smiled back, "A fox never loses his touch."
"Then try and think harder Kurama, just think harder."
"Can do." Kurama turned around and headed off toward Koenma's office.
"Kurama, where are you going?"
"Back to Koenma's for some answers."
"Okay."
Kurama headed back through the doors and entered Koenma's office.
"Kurama? What are you doing here?" Koenma asked.
"I came for some questions Koenma." He said walking forward.
"Fine, go ahead." He said.
"Is the Hamisha Gem in any relationship with anything else?" Kurama asked.
"Well let's see, I do remember something about there being other gems of the elements. Obviously The Hamisha Gem was water. Why?"
"Well that demon I fought during the mission said something about there being other demons above him that would be looking for us. What do you think that means?"
"Hm, well the gems together do make a lethal power of the Earth. The others, ground, wind, fire, sun and snow, have similar effects such as the Hamisha. Together they can destroy as much as the holder wants. If the gems are in the same room together they can kill all the others that brought it there. They cannot be tamed or controlled." Koenma said, looking all "intellectual".
"Uh, Koenma?" Kurama asked.
"Yes Kurama?" Koenma strutted around looking "cool".
"Did you memorize that from the file?"
Koenma just looked at him.
"Yes, yes I did." Kurama smiled at this.
"Yes, well thank you Koenma." Kurama then left.
Koenma looked a bit stupid as he was about to leave the office before a phone call stopped him. He walked over and picked it up. Listening to the scared man on the other line, he stared in fear to the information he was being told. He put down the phone in shock.
"Kurama!" He called. Kurama ran in.
"What is it Koenma?" He looked worried.
"The other gems are in danger. You need to get the others." He told him. Kurama nodded and left the room in a hurry.
'Another mission has come up, the guys will need to watch out not only for Karuka, but for whoever the heck is cracking through the new security.'
Koenma waited patiently for the five fighters to walk through the door so he could explain their next mission.
Shade- Please review
"Kurama, Hiei, I told you, you can go." Koenma stood behind his desk sorting papers.
"Yes Koenma, of course." Kurama smiled and left the office with Hiei.
outside
"I think I'll go and talk with Karuka before I go." Kurama said.
"Fine." Hiei disappeared among the trees.
Kurama walked around looking for Karuka and found her sitting at the edge of a cliff. He stood next her and sat down.
"Are you okay Karuka?" Kurama asked her.
"Yes, I am fine." Karuka had her eyes closed and her head pointed down as she sat cross legged in the light of the setting sun.
"Your energy levels seem to tell a different story." Kurama looked at Karuka as her eyes suddenly opened but her head stayed pointed down.
"That must have been a tough mission for you. It being your second one after all." Kurama knew he was razor thin to getting Karuka to tell the truth of how she felt at the time.
"As you said," Kurama leaned back and looked at the sun, "you don't show coverable pain. I have a feeling that you're covering more than head pain." Karuka finally looked up from the ground and out toward the sun.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Karuka refused to give in to her pain that she felt, the physical and otherwise.
"The poison is having the same effect on you as it is Yusuke. Your head is in tremendous pain. And the antidote hurts you too, doesn't it?" Kurama looked at Karuka who still stared at the sun in envy. She thought, if only she could be burning alive right now... she wouldn't have these problems.
"No." Karuka refused to admit it, even though they both knew he was right.
"Fine then," Kurama stood up and brushed the dirt off of his clothes, "I guess we have nothing to worry about." He smile down at her and walked off to go back to the demon world.
Karuka sat contemplating. The wind blew her hair out of her face and the shining sun made her pale eyes glow. If you looked hard enough you could see the brewing pain rummaging around inside her body from inside her eyes. She titled her head to gaze at the moon. In its brightness of wonder, memories flooded back to her, but not childhood memories, recent ones. She thought of the times she spent with the guys, as she fought with them and worked together. It felt strange to her, being on a team. After her family's deaths, she was only a loner, no one understood her problems. No one, but her.
'When this time of my life ends it will become normal again. I will disappear like all the times before. No one wants me, they just get stuck with me.' Karuka closed her eyes again and lowered her head. She had her palms touching the ground through the hole she made with her crossed legs. She opened her eyes, stood up and turned around. With a last look at the sky, Karuka turned her waist around keeping her feet set pointing toward the forest and grabbed her hair to keep it out of her face. She looked up at the moon and something twinkled in her eye. She made no emotion to show her feelings as she shut them once again. Letting go of her hair, allowing it to blow in her face, she turned around and walked into the shadows with her eyes still closed.
next day
"Karuka hasn't come in yet. I went outside to find her and she was just sitting and staring at the sky." Botan stood in Koenma's office looking out the window searching for Karuka's faint shadow. She did not find it.
"I'm sure she is okay. We have nothing to worry about. No new missions have come in and I don't expect any to anyways."
"And why is that lord Koenma?" Botan looked back to the baby.
"Because," Koenma looked at Botan, "because of the Hamisha gem incident, security has been upped a few levels all over the demon world. Now it's harder than ever to try and steal anything."
"Oh, well, that's good I guess." Botan looked back out the window and was surprised to see Karuka coming toward the building.
"Karuka's coming." Botan said.
"Why? I didn't notify her to come." Koenma looked questioned as he came around his desk and looked out the window.
They waited for her to come up. And when she did, what she said first shocked them.
"I want out." Karuka stood at the open door with a dead face on surprising the two.
"What?" Koenma asked.
"After another big mission like this, I want out. I know I've been sentenced to five but I figure for what I did deserves two counts." Karuka put up two fingers in the air trying to convince the others.
"What did you do?"
"Saved the stump's life."
'The stump?' Botan wondered as Koenma and Karuka kept talking.
"If I risk my life for another again I want my accounts lifted." Karuka stood looking down at the baby as if she was the ruler over him.
"I cannot do that Karuka." Koenma was stopped by Karuka grabbing his shirt collar and bringing him up to her level.
"If you don't let me go after one more mission I swear I will snap. I can kill your detectives, and now I have nothing to keep me from doing so." Karuka's eyes were now yellow and Koenma knew she wasn't joking. So, fearing her, he gave in and told her fine.
"Okay, okay. You can go after one more mission." Karuka looked at him a bit longer, only keeping his face a few inches from her own, she saw the truth in his eyes. She let him drop to the floor.
"Good. That is all I desire to leave this place." Karuka turned around and left.
"Koenma sir! Are you all right?" Botan ran over to Koenma on the ground.
"Yes, yes I am quite fine."
"Oh good." Botan then hit Koenma over the head.
"What in the world do you think you're doing telling Karuka that?!" Botan yelled.
"Botan! How dare you hit me like that!" Koenma screamed holding the new bump on his head.
"When Karuka finds out you lied like that she will... well... KILL you!" Botan said throwing her arms in the air.
"Don't worry Botan! Crime life is slow now and by the next mission she will have forgotten." Koenma explained.
"Oh, do you think she will do that?"
"I am sure of it." Koenma told her.
"Oh I hope so." Botan looked out the window one last time and saw Karuka's long shadow creep across the forest floor.
With Karuka
'Damn head.' Karuka held her head in slight pain.
'Little did Kurama know, I didn't get as much antidote as Yusuke did, which was really the cause of both our pain. Looks like the great fox thief is losing it.' Karuka smiled that she had more secrets to keep.
'I knew he was Youko Kurama from the moment his scent entered my nose.' Karuka stepped back and leapt into the trees to take a nap.
later
Karuka was still asleep. She really didn't want to wake up. The nap was too comfortable. Karuka stirred in her sleep, right before she woke up.
'Damn, that was a good nap.' Karuka sat up and shook her head to wake up more.
'When's another mission gonna come by? I need to get out of this place.' Karuka leaned back onto the tree she slept by and started to think more.
'Looks like my head is better now.' Karuka cracked open her left eye and looked up as she touched the back of her head.
'I'm so bored, hopefully a case will come by soon so I can get out of here. On the other hand, I still am not fully recovered. That poison had a good one on me, it'll take a while for my power back at this time of the month.' Karuka's thoughts were halted when she heard the cracking of a twig behind her.
She shot up to her feet and sped in front of the thing only to put down her fists and sigh.
"Hello stump." She said to Hiei.
"What are you doing here?" She sat back down on the opposite side of where she was previously sitting against the tree.
"Koenma called me. He seemed really fumed. Don't know why." Hiei had his hands in his pockets looking down at Karuka.
"Really? He didn't call me." Karuka crossed her arms.
"Maybe it's something about you." Hiei then walked by her toward Koenma's office.
"You aren't coming? I thought the humans were the only ones who ditched." He looked back at Karuka who still hadn't moved to try and visit Koenma.
"He never called, so I won't go." She said.
Hiei smirked, "fine." He turned around and left Karuka to sit and think.
'My energy is not high enough to fight. I guess it would be best for the next mission to be later rather than sooner.'
Koenma's office
"So Koenma, is there another mission or something?" Yusuke asked.
"Wait, there can't be, Karuka isn't here. Why?" Kuwabara asked looking around the room searching for a moving shadow just in case.
"I called you four here because of Karuka." Koenma was in his teenage form and sitting at his desk.
"What about her?" Kurama asked as Hiei rose an eyebrow.
"She has requested her leave after one more mission." Koenma said.
"Well you told her no right? She has more than one mission till her thefts are lifted right?" Yusuke asked Koenma.
"Actually, I said yes to her proposal." The four boys looked up in shock.
"What?! Why did you tell her yes?" Kuwabara wanted to know.
"Well... because..."
"Because she threatened you guys and him." Botan finished for Koenma.
"What?! You gave in because she threatened you? How weak are you?!" Yusuke yelled as he slammed his hands on the table.
"Don't worry Yusuke! After Hiei got the Hamisha Gem with such ease, security has been advanced since then and crime has gone way down. Another mission isn't likely to happen any time soon." Koenma was hunched over hugging his knees behind his desk. Yusuke lightened his angered look and took his hands off the desk and backed up.
"Really? But when our next mission comes won't she want the same thing?" Yusuke asked.
"That's where you guys come in." Koenma stood up.
"Karuka proposed that if she saves one of you she should be able to go. So, if you four keep safe and don't get in any danger, Karuka will have nothing to save. On your next mission she will be looking for any chance to save your lives. But if there is none. She can, and will play out her full time."
"Ok, if that was all, then I guess we can go, right?"
"Of course, I just wanted you to watch out. You may leave now." Koenma waved them all off.
"Well that was a waste." Yusuke whispered into Kuwabara's ear with his hand. Kuwa nodded.
outside
"Kurama, what are you doing?" Hiei asked Kurama as he stood in a 'thinking' position.
"Oh nothing." Kurama turned around smiling his cover smile to make it look like there was truly nothing. After all the years, that didn't fool Hiei any more but he let it go and let Kurama continue.
"I'll be in the demon world." Hiei then disappeared.
Kurama, returning to his thinking, wondered what the demon he fought meant from before.
"There are more people above me that are now out for you and your friends' blood. By the death of me, you've opened up a new problem for the spirit world. A deadly one."
'What did he mean?' Kurama wondered.
'Could it be anything important? I hope not.'
Kurama popped out of his thoughts and went after Hiei. When he did catch him he was surprised to see that Hiei had heard his thoughts.
"So, you think that lowly demon was telling the truth?" Hiei said.
"No, not exactly. It's just, he meant something." Kurama still couldn't figure it out.
"I think you're losing your touch Kurama." Hiei smiled.
"Oh no Hiei," Kurama smiled back, "A fox never loses his touch."
"Then try and think harder Kurama, just think harder."
"Can do." Kurama turned around and headed off toward Koenma's office.
"Kurama, where are you going?"
"Back to Koenma's for some answers."
"Okay."
Kurama headed back through the doors and entered Koenma's office.
"Kurama? What are you doing here?" Koenma asked.
"I came for some questions Koenma." He said walking forward.
"Fine, go ahead." He said.
"Is the Hamisha Gem in any relationship with anything else?" Kurama asked.
"Well let's see, I do remember something about there being other gems of the elements. Obviously The Hamisha Gem was water. Why?"
"Well that demon I fought during the mission said something about there being other demons above him that would be looking for us. What do you think that means?"
"Hm, well the gems together do make a lethal power of the Earth. The others, ground, wind, fire, sun and snow, have similar effects such as the Hamisha. Together they can destroy as much as the holder wants. If the gems are in the same room together they can kill all the others that brought it there. They cannot be tamed or controlled." Koenma said, looking all "intellectual".
"Uh, Koenma?" Kurama asked.
"Yes Kurama?" Koenma strutted around looking "cool".
"Did you memorize that from the file?"
Koenma just looked at him.
"Yes, yes I did." Kurama smiled at this.
"Yes, well thank you Koenma." Kurama then left.
Koenma looked a bit stupid as he was about to leave the office before a phone call stopped him. He walked over and picked it up. Listening to the scared man on the other line, he stared in fear to the information he was being told. He put down the phone in shock.
"Kurama!" He called. Kurama ran in.
"What is it Koenma?" He looked worried.
"The other gems are in danger. You need to get the others." He told him. Kurama nodded and left the room in a hurry.
'Another mission has come up, the guys will need to watch out not only for Karuka, but for whoever the heck is cracking through the new security.'
Koenma waited patiently for the five fighters to walk through the door so he could explain their next mission.
Shade- Please review