. : Muichimotsu : .
: . By Akikazu . :
. : Chapter Twenty Two : .
Keiko soon learned that her new 'master' was neither nice nor mean hearted. However soon after that she learned that he had a quick and fierce anger. This was realized when a youkai had spoken to her youkai captor. The youkai had soon found himself pushed into a rather conveniently placed campfire. Said youkai would never be the same again for even if he survived he would always be scarred, which was no small mean for a youkai.
He said nothing to her and she asked no questions as they walked through the Makai. She was tiring quickly as they tromped through all sorts of underbrush and forest, however it was beyond her supply of courage to speak about her discomforts. Her stubbornness caused her exhaustion to reach an all time high. By the time they reached the cave behind the waterfall that her master obviously called home, Keiko was seconds away from passing out.
Another youkai greeted her master and pulled him into conversation, only once gesturing back at her. Keiko took this time to tiredly examine her captor's physical appearance. He was tall, a bit less than Itsuki and his black hair was pulled back in a high horsetail, revealing pointy elfin ears. He wore rough clothing made of animal furs and at the end of his spine, a furry brown tail sprouted from his back. Keiko concluded that he was a canine youkai of some sort.
A growl rose from her captor and she lowered her eyes in a submissive movement. The youkai master moved before her and stared down at her for a moment before turning around again.
"Human's are weak. Go rest over there," he said gruffly before pointing over at a small pile of furs on the ground.
Keiko did as she was bid, moving in a normal a speed as she could help. The fur didn't smell particularly clean but Keiko knew that this was the best she was going to get being a slave and all. She was also beyond caring, as tired as she was.
Exhaustion tugged at her till she surrendered her senses to the inky blackness of sleep. Her youkai captor watched her intently from the other side of the room with clear blue eyes.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Kagome woke up first.
At first she sat up and looked around groggily, the lingering effect of sleep holding onto her. But as people usually do her mind cleared in degrees.
It was at such a time that she became aware of the red hair that spilled over the side of her bed. Kagome was certain that her hair was black and knew that someone was here with her. This bright and fiery shade of red could only be the cunning and polite kitsune, Kurama. And speaking of kitsune Kagome wondered what had happened to her fuzzy eared savior. She had the distinct feeling that Kurama had gotten into her head mind, literally.
Not being able to control herself Kagome ran a hand softly through the silky red tresses that where laying on her bed, seemingly begging for her touch. The hand that she had somehow lost control over roamed closer to the resting demon's face and then, brushed against his cheek in a feathery soft motion.
One of his hands caught hers and Kagome looked over to see that he was awake and completely aware of what she was doing. She averted her eyes, a blush staining her cheeks from the intense look in his eyes. Her eyes came to a rest on her hand and she glared at the traitorous appendage on which she placed the full blame of her situation on.
She could hear the rumble of his chuckle that he was trying to hold back and nearly pouted, an inappropriate reaction under the circumstance. He seemingly recalled them for the rumbles ceased and he tilted her face towards him, his eyes were serious once more.
"You are alright?" Kurama questioned.
A thin smile crossed her lips at his concern.
"I'm alright," she replied, finally.
He nodded in satisfaction and Kagome saw a brief glance of smugness flicker through his eye. It confirmed her suspicions that he had he had been the golden eyed fox that had saved her from Inu Yasha.
"Thank you, Kurama."
He looked surprised but it only last briefly and was gone before he nodded his acknowledgement.
"How did you know?"
Kagome patted his hand, understanding his concern that the information would be found out. He had put so much into his current life and if the information slipped out in an unfavorable place it could just spell the end of life as he knew it.
"I was with Sensui, remember? I was planning to use you boys to get me and Shippo out of there and I wouldn't trust our lives to just anyone. I preformed an extremely extensive search before deciding that you could help me."
"I see."
She still saw the worry on his face and patted his hand again in a comforting gesture.
"Don't worry, you weren't easy to find out about. All I could connect was Sensui's orders, some rumors, and a lucky find of a witness to your transformation. Your performance in the Dark Tournament isn't bandied about by unspoken law with repercussions in tact, but I was lucky to find a dying youkai. He didn't particularly care about being punished at the moment, only telling the nearest person his whole life's story."
"It sounds convenient," he commented.
Her nose wrinkled, "I know."
Kurama stood and walked over to the large window, gazing out into the dawning morning. Kagome was quiet, knowing that he was processing information and drafting through the circumstances to come up with multiple scenarios of their situation.
"Something is going to happen," he muttered.
"I've noticed."
"Too much is taking place. Too many things are interlocking and their all leading up to something."
"I know, but what?"
He twisted a strand of hair around one of his fingers in an uncharacteristically telling gesture. Kagome wished she could get up and calm him down but there was nothing she could do, she wasn't even sure if she could stand at the moment.
"I haven't the slightest idea, and it bothers me," he admitted. "Someone's pulling the strings and we may or may not be playing right into their plans."
"Sensui?" She didn't think so but she wanted to hear his opinion.
"Unlikely, he has a small group of minions not a couple of demon hordes."
The situation sounded vaguely familiar.
Kurama continued, "we have to assume this person is highly rooted into the Makai, with a high chance of our new foe being at least partly youkai themselves.
"Could they not be human?"
"Again, unlikely. It is possible that a human got into the Makai and was somehow powerful enough to acquire a demon horde but the mass would be lower demons besides maybe a C class demon looking to take over from the human. The attacks we've faced could not have been pulled off by low leveled demons, they tend to start strong and then disassemble without help. These attacks were too organized and there were at least five C and two B class demons present. A B class demon wouldn't follow a human unless forced somehow, and there were two, it's unlikely that one human has such power without notifying the Reikai."
"They didn't notice me," Kagome pointed out.
"True, the do miss people on occasion, however the Reikai has been thrown into mass chaos with Enma gone and his young son taking over. If you haven't noticed Koenma isn't all that organized." Kurama paused and added, "however you cannot be classified as anything near to an ordinary cause. Your powers were dormant till you entered the Sengoku Jidai, and afterwards you were hardly in this time. Koenma did get a read on you occasionally and he's even called us out to the Higurashi Shrine twice shortly before after your shorter visits."
Kagome frowned, she didn't remember telling him about her days as a legendary miko in the Sengoku Jidai and that was the type of the thing one would defiantly remember. Confusion drifted across her face and she was hit with the thought that Koenma might know more about her than she had previously thought. She gave Kurama an examining look and opened her mouth to ask, but he was already answering her question.
"I was in Hijikata Sensei's class the day Koenma sent us out to meet against Sensui in the company of a certain Youkai Lord. Hijikata Sensei was telling us a most interesting legend about a miko that traveled into the Sengoku Jidai. Imagine my surprise when I met said time traveling miko later the very same day."
I guess we're even then, I know about your past and you've figured out mine," she sighed.
"Indeed," a small smile curved his lips. "Now let's continue with our discussion."
"Okay, we know that an unknown person is manipulating events that lead into something. We also know that our 'john doe' is mostly like to have an amount of youkai blood in him, enough to get the subservience of B class demons. And this very same person has a horde of demons hidden in a place from where he can sneak them into the Ningenkai," Kagome recapped.
"We have lead ourselves to more questions than answers, it would seem," Kurama mused.
"Well not look too happy about it Kurama, we need to know what we're up against. Otherwise it'll be like going into a pitch black room packed with propane tanks and trying to shoot a gnat with a rifle," Kagome ranted.
"Point taken, though why you would even attempt such a scenario is beyond me."
Kagome ground out a reply as they drifted off topic again, "I will hand you the rifle and stuff you into such a room myself if you don't get back and stay on topic."
Kurama cast a disarming smile in her direction, one that would have melt anyone of his fan girls but Kagome held herself firm. With a sigh, Kurama returned to the matter at hand.
"Another factor we have to consider is Sensui and Itsuki's involvement in this scheme. Have you learned anything to do with this during you time with them, Kagome?"
"Itsuki's a jerk but he has his moments when he's not taunting me. Shinoubu is weird and has some type of obsession with a book that he makes Itsuki read. Kazuya is even more of a jerk and has no moments what so ever, he likes to attack me for the fun of it," Kagome muttered.
"We're any other of Shinobu's personalities present?"
Kagome ran through all pf her encounters thoroughly bringing up several instances that stuck in his mind.
"Naru? I heard her and Itsuki talking on occasion. Is she one of Sensui's personalities?"
"Yes she is, though I'm surprised that she was one of the survivors."
"Minoru too, when he's around he just won't shut up," Kagome's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Blabber mouth."
Kurama's attention was perked.
"Did Minoru say anything that we could use?" He inquired, hiding his anticipation of finally revealing a clue.
She frowned, "he liked to talk about destiny, and also how though the future was already decided it was always subject to change."
"Destiny?" Kurama was obviously puzzled. "Changing the future?"
At that moment the door to Kagome's room slammed open and Yusuke stomped inside. Kagome flinched and moved away from the boy even as he nodded his greetings in her direction. Then he turned to Kurama with a glare, though the glare wasn't directed towards the kitsune.
"Look at what the idiot is having us do now!" Yusuke all but screamed while moving out of the doorway.
Itsuki sauntered through the doorway, looking perfectly at home though he seemed to be nursing some injuries. He took one look at Kagome on her bed and Kurama knelt at her side and smirked. Just the look on his face got Kagome's blood to heat with anger.
"Hello again, Kagome-chan. I see you've gotten quiet close to the kitsune. Is it too much to presume that you've been using his extensive knowledge of the kinkier arts?" Itsuki practically purred.
Kagome felt like launching herself across the room to attack the arrogant demon when a light blush stained her cheeks but Kurama put a restraining hand on her arms. So she settled for giving him a scathing reply.
"Ah, Itsuki-kun, so happy to see that you've given up on Sensui after all this time. Are you here to pant after me now?"
Itsuki growled while Yusuke sniggered and Kurama smirked.
"Don't flatter yourself, in fact I'm here while Koenma is tracking down my lover. She someone your new friends would know well seeing as she once stood by them so proudly."
Kagome didn't understand what the demon was talking about and looked to Kurama who had a shrewd look on his face. He had obviously had understood Itsuki had said. Giving a glance to Yusuke she saw that he was as lost as she was.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Yusuke screamed in frustrated, having had enough of the infuriating demon he now had to watch out for.
"Indeed Itsuki, what does Keiko-san have to do with this?" Kurama asked politely.
Yusuke's mouth dropped in surprise and his eyes filled with a myriad of emotions. Kagome could only watch in silence as the three men confronted each other, gathering question to ask at a more appropriate time. The foremost question being about the identity of this Keiko person.
"After her break up with Yusuke, Keiko was brought 'home' by Shinobu. Very recently she and I have formed a relationship of sorts but Shinobu has finally had enough of her. He decided that Keiko would make a nice slave for someone in the Makai, thus establishing contacts as she was sold. I objected, I had grown fond of the quiet girl and have scruples along that vein. Shinobu was the first to insist that we follow his course of action, then Naru confronted me, finally Kazuya was left to deal with me." He prodded his own side with a grimace. "I accepted the punishment, I did betray them after all. Then I went to Koenma, in exchange for information about Shinobu he would track down Keiko and bring her back. And to that point he left me here under your watch. I imagine after he holds up his end of the bargain and I heal from my injuries I will be serving on your team," Itsuki finished.
For a second no one moved, both Kurama and Yusuke seemed to be absorbing the information they had received and Itsuki was leaning against the wall, looking the part of a wounded warrior to her. Kagome reached into the side table drawer for some bandages and looked the man that had shortly ago been her enemy in the eye. She motioned for him to sit near her on the bed, making sure to keep him in Kurama's considering glance.
"Come here, I need to bind your wounds," she ordered.
"What! He's an enemy!" Yusuke roared.
"Not anymore," Kagome replied, barely cowering away from Yusuke now that she had a mission. "He's an ally now and soon he'll be working with you so you had best get along with him. Plus he got these wound from trying to keep this Keiko girl from being sold into slavery. To do so he went against Sensui's orders. Do you know how hard that is to do? Especially when you're loyal to him?" Kagome glared at Itsuki who wasn't moving. "Get over here and sit."
Itsuki did as she commanded sitting on her bed where she could easily reach him. Kurama watched him closely as he pulled his kimono and juban (top layer under the kimono) off. Kagome put a hand on his bare chest to search for any internal injuries when Kurama nudged her hand away.
"I do that do get some ointment for his bruises," he said quietly.
Kagome nodded and turned her torso so she could reach the bedside table again, she leaned down and opened the cabinet before searching its recesses for her first aid kit. Finding it at last she pulled it up on the bed and straightened herself. She looked over at Kurama and Itsuki to see the red head diligently examining the other demon's ribs. Satisfied that Kurama would be able to search out all of Itsuki's injuries, Kagome snapped open the first aid kit and rooted through its contents. The purple tube that she used to relieve the pain the bruise was easy enough to find and shortly after Kagome firmly shut the box and then set it aside.
She scooted closer to the two boys who were now murmuring to each other, Kurama looking blank while Itsuki had an evil smirk on his face. Kagome grabbed the injured boy's chin and forced his face up so she could see the bruise that was starting to color on his face. She uncapped the tube of ointment, squeezed some onto her fingertips, and began to rub it gently onto the bruise. Itsuki flinched.
"It hurts doesn't it," Kagome muttered. "I remember when Kazuya first gave me a bruise. He kicked you didn't he?"
Itsuki's head dipped, but it was so small that Kagome could hardly tell. She knew it must hurt being attacked by one that you had been so close to but it was Itsuki who made the first move towards betrayal. He had chosen Keiko over Sensui.
Kurama sat back, having finished his examination. Kagome looked over to him and nodded letting him know that her ears were all his.
"One broken and three cracked, all on the right," he reported.
Kagome finished smoothing the balm onto his cheek and picked up the bandage again. She moved over a bit and began to bandage the area Kurama had indicated, letting the kitsune help her when she had trouble getting the bandage roll around Itsuki's back. After making sure that she had bandaged all the necessary areas and that her bandaging was just slightly tighter than necessary to make sure it wouldn't come off, Kagome tied the ends off in a cute yet small and secure bow.
"There, finished." Kagome scooted back and looked up at the man she had finished bandaging, "you can go now, but it'll be a couple of weeks before it's all healed. Now nothing strenuous for the next week." She glared at Yusuke, "if I have to fix him up again, I'll have both your heads."
Kurama smiled thinly as Yusuke shuddered and Itsuki moved from the bed to sit in the chair by the room's desk. He help Kagome settled back into her many pillows. He hadn't liked when Kagome had begun to examine the yaminade (a demon able to move between dimensions freely, Itsuki is one of these) but was smug that he had been able to take over that occupation even if he had had to put himself under Itsuki's barbs about his attachment to the miko he was currently hovering over.
"Kagome are you hungry?" Kurama asked as the thought occurred to him.
"Yes actually. Will you help me down to the kitchen?" She inquired, looking up at him hopefully.
"Stay here, I'll bring a tray up for you. I have to go down to notify everyone that you've awakened, either way."
"I don't want you to go through any trouble for me," she bit her lip.
"It's no trouble at all as I've said I have to go down anyway. Also Hijikata Sensei and Souji-san are no doubt waiting down there with Kosui-san. I have to notify them that we have wakened. They will want to see you, no doubt."
Kagome brightened, "Hijikata-san and Souji-kun are here? I haven't seen Souji-kun in the longest time!"
Her bright smile made him happy, though knowing that the thought of some other man had put it there put a bit of a dampener on his joy. Kurama moved away while she was reminiscing, closer to Yusuke, knowing that he had to ask the demon prodigy about a certain someone's younger sister.
"Do you know where I might find Yukina? Hiei has asked me to look out for her and seeing as you're no longer with her I may as well bring her up her where I might keep an eye on her."
Yusuke's face tinted slightly and his eyes got a shade darker, he could only met Kurama's piercing green eyes for a second before he had to look away.
"Yusuke?" Kurama's voice had a tint of steel in it.
His answer was mumbled out and Kurama could barely hear it for all his enhanced hearing. "I don't know where she went."
Kurama didn't particularly care for this answer and his eyes iced over giving a firm impression of the glare that his enemies received.
"Yusuke what happened?"
"I kissed her and she ran. I was going to go after her but first Kuwabara came, then Koenma, and finally that bastard over there chatting with your girl."
"She not my girl Yusuke," Kurama said absently as he looked over to the bed.
Sure enough Kagome was talking with Itsuki like they were the best of friends. Itsuki saw him looking and smirked, then he leaned in close to Kagome. A growl rose from Kurama's chest.
"Not your girl, right… I believe you," Yusuke bit out sarcastically.
The sheer amount of sarcasm in Yusuke's comment brought Kurama back to the previous words of the detective. Suddenly he felt like knocking some sense into the boy's head.
"It's understandable why Yukina would run," he commented knowing that Yusuke would interrupt and wanting him to so he could have just a small bite of revenge.
"What! Are you saying something's wrong with me!" Yusuke demanded.
Kurama blinked in mock, but completely realistic surprise and turned to the not so human boy.
"No at all, Yusuke. I was just saying that it was understandable that Yukina would run. She is a member of the Hime clan after all, and if she found to have formed a relation outside her tribe she would be punished. If Yukina marries and has children outside of her tribe she would be put to death, just as her mother, Hina was. Her children may be hunted down as Hiei is or live in shame knowing that their mother was a traitor to her clan as Yukina does," Kurama explain. He then added, "you should really stop interrupting people when they speak Yusuke, it's an appalling habit."
Yusuke huffed and turned his glare around the room, Kagome saw it when it passed over her and cowered away, this made Yusuke's glare even fiercer. Kurama saw Kagome's eyes land on him and gave her a gentle look, he was directed by a warm smile.
"Don't worry about leaving me alone, Kurama. Itsuki and Lon will keep me company," she assured him.
Kurama spotted the small fuzzy creature curled in between Kagome and Itsuki. However he wasn't comforted by the thought that Itsuki would be keeping Kagome company while he did the things on his growing to do list. He was resigned to his fate however and settled for accomplishing it all as fast as he could.
"Watch over her for me Yusuke," Kurama whispered as he passed the still glaring boy and went through the doorway.
The hallways of the master wing were empty save two maids who were cleaning several rooms out. Kurama strode through them, navigating the hallways of the manor-like house with ease.
The kitchen wasn't hard to find at all, and soon Kurama was standing in the warm area, looking for a cook so he could fulfill his first task, get food for Kagome. Finally he spotted people deep within the recesses of the kitchen. Souji was sipping tea on an island counter near the stove, sitting across from Kosui. Hijikata was scowling at both of them as he pulled assorted items out of a nearby fridge. The three appeared to be arguing and Kurama cleared his throat to get their attention. All threes head turned to look at him simultaneously.
"Could any of you please tell me where I can find a cook? Kagome is awake and ravenous."
Souji smiled at him and waved an arm around in dismissal, "don't worry about that Hijikata was cooking anyways, Kurama-kun. We'll wait till he's done and deliver it to her ourselves. You just go up and keep our girl company." His brow quirked, "or is Lon with her."
"Lon, Itsuki, and Yusuke are all up there with her. I have to deal with a little problem that has come up in addition to making a phone call."
The man with purple hair nodded and smiled over at Hijikata in a patronizing way, clearly taunting the man for some obscure reason. Kosui rolled his eyes at the two and stood.
"I'll show you to the main rooms and a phone," the shape changer said before walking away.
"We'll be in Kagome's room as soon as Hijikata is finished cooking," Souji called to their departing backs.
Kosui lead Kurama into the very familiar parlor and showed him to the cordless phone which was hidden in a panel in the wall.
"You have to dial one to get an external number," Kosui said before leaving the room without waiting for a reply.
Kurama was indifferent to the youkai's reaction and dialed the Kuwabara's house phone. Since Koenma had lifted the barrier between the worlds, allowing more access to Ningenkai for demons with kinder intentions, Yukina had moved from Genkai's shrine to the Kuwabara residence. The fact had no been unnoticed by Hiei but the Janganshi (literarily "Master of the Jagan") had settled knowing that Yukina would not become involved with Kuwabara or any other male during her reproduction period, whenever it occurred, for fear of being persecuted by her clan or having her children suffer the fate of the other children that had been born because of such a union. In addition Kuwabara's home was safer with Yukina being around Shizuru all the time since Kuwabara's elder sister was now finished with beauty school. Plus Kuwabara was usually at his house at every opportunity to be with his "one true love". At Genkai's Yukina was often left alone when Genkai went about her everyday life. Still Yukina enjoyed spending time at Genkai's, which whomever there enemy was had to have known seeing as that's where she had been attacked.
The phone rang twice before Shizuru, Kuwabara's elder sister, who didn't look a thing like her younger brother, answered the phone.
"Kuwabara residence," her voice was crisp through the phone.
"Kon'nichiwa Shizuru-san," Kurama greeted automatically.
"Hey, Kurama. My dumb brother isn't home, in fact he was head of there and should have been there by now." She sighed in a grievously world-weary tone, "don't tell me the dork got himself lost."
"No Kuwabara did make it here, though I have no idea where he is now. I actually called to see if Yukina had gotten back to the house. Did she?"
Shizuru sighed again, this one being very really and very different from her previous one.
"Actually she just got here a couple of minutes before you called. She looked like she was going to start crying and immediately went to her room. She won't let me in either, I already tried. Do you have any clue about what caused this Kurama?"
"You aren't to talk about this incident to anyone," it was more of a suggestion though it had been phrased as a command.
"You got it fox boy, my lips are seal. Now tell me what's going on."
"Yusuke kissed Yukina."
"…"
"Shizuru-san?" Kurama was worried about the silence.
Her reaction was explosive.
"DAMN! Did he force her? Did Kuwabara see? What about Keiko? This is so SCREWED UP! I'm gonna beat Yusuke to a pulp!"
"Indeed. From what I hear they were both willing. Kuwabara did see and I assume that's why he's missing. Keiko broke up with Yusuke a while back and is also missing, though Koenma is looking for her for Itsuki so I would mention her around here," Kurama replied in order.
"If she was willing why is she here? And why are you the one that's calling?" Shizuru demanded.
Kurama leaned back against the wall before answering the demanding woman's questions.
"If Yukina is found to have had a relationship with a male she would be persecuted. Yukina has had to live a life of ridicule within her tribe because her mother had had such a relationship and had produced a male child. As for your second question I have just learned of Yukina running off and Hiei put me in charge of her safety while he's off doing me a favor. I cannot protect her if she's under another's roof. I'll be over there to pick you up in a bit so, I suggest that you two get ready to depart. I presume you will want to accompany her and do not know how long we'll be staying in our current lodgings."
"Alright I'll have us ready in fifteen minutes. How do you suggest I get her out of her room?"
"There are two injured persons over here, if you would like to mention it. Also the fact that Botan was recently killed in an attack so there is no other healer available. We don't know if another attack will soon occur so it is best if we're all together in the eventuality that one does occur."
"Alright, need a healer and protection. Okay Kurama, I'll see you when you get here."
"Good bye Shizuru-san."
He waited for the other line to click off before he hung up the phone he was using. Then he walked back to the hallways, he had to inform the others that he was leaving and had to see if there was a vehicle that he could borrow nearby. After that he was have to contact Hiei.
Kurama entered the room to find Kagome holding court on her bed. The fuzzy ball that was Lon was settled royally on her pillow. Kagome herself was propped against the wall with a bowl on her lap, she was settled with Yusuke was out of her direct line of vision. Yusuke was still leaning near the door, so Kagome hadn't seen Kurama enter. Hijikata was sitting on the desk chair which had been pulled closer to the bed. Kosui was seated on the ground, his legs curled under him. Itsuki and Souji were both sitting on the bed Itsuki on the edge of the bed and Souji sitting next to Kagome, also leaning on the wall.
Hijikata, Souji, and Kosui had probably just arrived themselves because Hijikata pulled Kagome's bowl away from her when Souji launched himself at the girl. Kagome squeaked when the man hugged her fiercely. Itsuki had obviously noticed Kurama's entrance cause he tossed an infuriating smirk in the red head's direction.
"Kagome-chan, I've missed you so much! Have you finally decided that you love me and are now ready to become my wife?" Souji asked.
"Souji! Get off, I'm hungry!" Kagome cried.
"But do you not love me more than food Kagome-chan? It's only Hijikata's cooking," Souji pouted.
"Hijikata cooked! I want the food."
"I'm only a paltry second to the mighty Hijikata's cooking," Souji cried, climbing off.
Hijikata gave Kagome her food and the cheered woman looked around the room and spotted Kurama in the doorway. Her eye brightened and Kurama was soothed from the mood that seeing Souji jump her had put him in.
"Kurama you're back."
"Only for a minute. I have to go pick up Yukina and Kuwabara's sister Shizuru. Is there a car I could borrow?" Kurama asked politely.
"It's okay Kurama, Kosui will drive you. Won't you Kosui?" Kagome looked at the demon on the floor.
"If that is what you wish," Kosui said humbly.
"See Kurama."
"Very well, let's be off Kousi-san. We'll return soon, Kagome."
Kurama shot a glance at the half dozing Yusuke and left the room. Kosui said his farewells before following after him.
Five minutes later Kurama was seated in the passenger seat of a less suspicious car than the limo and Kosui was navigating the streets to get where they need to go. It was time for Kurama to contact Hiei.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
Hiei was seated in a bar of sorts in the Makai. This particular bar was favored by demon forms of the lowest kinds, many having dealing with the black market and the majority of the rest being dealers of one sort or another. Hiei was currently seeking any useful information about Sensui or his crew.
So far there had been one type of reply, another example coming from the person he was currently questioning.
"Sensui you say? That scrawny son of a bitch that failed to get that tunnel of his up?" The semi-drunk demon continued after Hiei's nod. "I heard that he died. Heard he was killed by that Yusuke shit."
Hiei left the demon to drown in another bottle of demonic alcohol. He was beckoned by a shady figure in a corner of the room and went immediately, knowing he had a hit this time.
"You are seeking information about the Dark Angel?" The figure inquired in a toneless voice.
Finally having found a professional, Hiei took a seat and nodded.
"I have information, the real stuff not the kind the others were spouting off. It'll cost you however."
Hiei dropped a small black bag of several gold coins, he had lifted off a person on the way in, onto the table allowing several of the gold coins to spill onto the table, tantalizing the greed within the demon before him.
"Very well, the Dark Angel is very much alive. The Gatekeeper took his barely alive body through the dimensions and there they recuperated. A couple of months back after the All Demon World Tournament, the Dark Angel himself made an appearance in the black market with the Gatekeeper, both were under disguise so this isn't widely known. They bought a book before they left, a cursed book one that will tell you the future of anyone that you ask. It is rumored that he who is in control of that book can control the future."
"Is that all?" Hiei asked a bored mask in place.
"No. The Dark Angel was here very recently, he came to establish some contacts I suppose."
"How?" Hiei asked, his curiosity piqued.
The dealer laughed, "have I finally gotten you're attention little one?"
Hiei growled and glared.
"He sold a human girl into the slave market, one who was supposable the former woman of Raizen's heir. The Gatekeeper didn't accompany him so I can only assume that the Gatekeeper refused to take part in such dealings. The Dark Angel has probably disposed off the traitor."
Hiei knew that the dealer had run out of information if he was beginning to make assumptions and knew that he would soon try to exhort more money out him so he swiped the bag off the table, after all he had never said that he would give the dealer payment, and left the room. It all happened in the blink of the eye so the dealer had no opportunity to stop him.
Somewhat richer both in money and information Hiei left the area and prepared to leave the Makai. It had taken less time than he had expected to gather the information, less than two days but he was ready to leave the lowly life forms around him.
It was at this moment that he felt the tugging on his mind that he knew was coming from Kurama, the only life form he would admit to be his friend. He was also the life being currently in charge of watching his sister. Being such Hiei responded to the kitsune's metal pokes.
Yes Fox?
We have a situation Hiei.
Hiei scowled, Kurama wasn't one to dance around with words unless there was a reason for it.
Don't mince words with me, Fox.
Yusuke kissed Yukina.
Hiei's reaction must have been what Kurama must have been trying to avoid, however it didn't work for the rage was swift to build in the Jaganishi's stomach. Yusuke was better than Kuwabara but just thinking of what Yukina would suffer if her clan leader found out over rode any reason.
Hiei?
I will deal with the detective personally.
Keep in mind that they were both willing. This might be Yukina's chance to find happiness. Otherwise she could end up as the other ice maidens do.
Hn.
He sensed that Kurama had left but blocked of the telepathic port that Kurama used. Not that it would stop the fox if he was truly determined. He was after all a most well known and feared thief.
This brought him back to the fox's last words.
Damn the kitsune for making so much sense.
But still the anger did not dissipate and he decided that his visit to the detective would only be slightly less vengeful than he had previously plan. His not rubbing his failure to protect his ex-girlfriend should be enough.
With that thought in mind Hiei ripped a hole in the barrier between the worlds. The hole was small and would be gone seconds after he slipped through and under Koenma he was allowed to do such things.
Hiei found the man who had stirred his ire easily enough, he was lounging against the wall in the room of the human female that Kurama fancied. He appeared before Yusuke in all his narrowed eye glory. Hiei barely took time to survey the room and note Itsuki's presence before he focused on the man that had dared to touch his sister.
"Out," he ordered.
Yusuke's eyes darkened but he rose and left the room not saying a word to anyone. Hiei caught Kagome's worried look and Hiei sent her a look that must have comforted her somehow because she sat back and said nothing after mouthing the word "dojo".
Then he left speeding past Yusuke and into a room that must have been the dojo for it was very, very big and open with many weapons arranged strategically on the walls. Hiei crossed to the center of the room and waited for Yusuke to enter.
M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M . M .
When the disorientation left him, a strange calm settled over him tinged with only a hint of panic, a residue of his former life where he must have had a phobia of endlessly dark places. Pushing the feeling back with determination he rose and wandered around the room, taking extra care to avoid the unmoving body that were lined up neatly, staring unseeingly at whatever was set before them.
He finally came to a door, which opened for him, under a heave backed by his full weight.
It wasn't much brighter outside of the room but thankfully the room was empty of all beings as he knew that the any person that could have been in this room could have had something to do with the bodies in the room he had just escaped.
It took what seemed like forever but he eventually found his way into the bright light of the outside by going through door and trial by error. Luckily he didn't run into anyone for the duration of his escape.
It was eerie how no one was around, the place he was escaping from seemed to be empty, deserted almost.
He basked in the sun for a while before noticing the slightly acidic tang in the air and the large metal, box like objects that lined the horizon. For some reason he hadn't been expecting this. It was an awkward moment that only he was privileged to witness.
The man with fiery red eyes looked around at the unfamiliar world that lay unveiled before him. He was well and truly lost in this strange place.
It was out of the pot and into the fire.
. : End Chapter : .
: . Author's Note . :
This chapter is well over six thousand words long that double the normal chapter length but it got out of hand during the Kagome/Kurama section.
It's a late chapter though, I'm so sorry I wanted it out on Christmas, but at least it's extra long for the trouble.
I bet you know who Keiko's new 'master' is. The hints are there but it's really not a big secret. On the other side our detectives are starting to piece together the plot of our creepy man who was missing from this chapter in favor of visiting our living 'doll', of which we know had red eyes.
Now for those who are concerned.
I see now that this story is going to be long, I have no intention of leaving it with dangling strings nor of making a sequel. But no one should worry for this story has a life of its own and I have no intention of cutting it short.
Also
After Inazuma is finished I'll start a new story to work on the side of this story, though currently both stories seem to be taking equal chunks of my time. Still I want to know what my readers want to see and so I'm open to request for pairings.
Wha! Now it's another day later because the site wouldn't let me log on yesterday!
Ciao
. : Next Time : .
An alliance, of sorts
Hiei vs. Yusuke
Red eyed stranger
Hope for Kuwabara
Comforting Yukina
The healing touch
A breathing corpse
How you remind me
A family matter