I have heard the plea of my reviewers
And I must comply to their wishes!
Here, from sessha to you...
The Price of Kindness: Chapter 8

Once again, sorry for the long wait. No excuses this time. Although, this starts my new style, I hope you like it.

I noticed some confusion regarding Youko's 'kiddo' usage. It's not from anything or anyone; I just wanted a little nickname for him to call Macha.

Disclaimer: No matter how long I pray, no matter how many chickens I sacrifice, YuYuHakusho will always belong to Yoshihiro Togashi-san. Such is life, sigh.

Macha stood at the door to the dining room, her hand on the knob. She paused, taking a deep breath. She knocked hoping that Kuronue and Youko would hear.

"Hai, come in!" came a voice Macha recognized as Kuronue. Macha smiled, almost bouncing with joy and opened the door. The two bandits were sitting at the table like last night: Youko at the head and Kuronue to his right. An empty seat and plate was on Youko's other side. Macha waved.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, desu." she said taking a step. Kuronue turned in his chair and smiled at Macha, his hat dripping slightly over his eyes.

"Mornin' Ma-chan. Did you sleep well?"

Macha nodded. "Hai, very well, arigato." her eyes drifted to Youko who was sipping his glass. After a moment, he put down his glass and his amber orbs turned to Macha. When they met, Macha felt electricity go down her spine. It made her face blush but she quickly covered by pushing her hair from her face. The blush faded and her eyes turned back to Youko. He was smirking.

"Come join us, kiddo. We were just about to start." he motioned to the chair next to him and Macha walked over. She sat down and put her hands together.

"Itadakimasu," she said and picked up, thankfully, a fork. She did not want to repeat last night's embarrassment with the two sticks. Youko and Kuronue picked up their utensils and began eating. After a few moments of silence, Macha finally spoke.

"Ano... how was your heist last night? Were you successful?" she asked her eyes dancing with curiosity.

Kuronue smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Kuso, it was fun! I hadn't felt an adrenaline rush like that in ages!" he leaned across the table, pushing his plate aside and set up the knife fork and spoon and the drinking glass in a certain arrangement. It clicked to Macha that he was recreating the scene of last night to her.

"The guards were coming at us fast after we nabbed that jewel but our band was fighting back. I'm up there too, swinging my scythe around lopping off heads and limbs alike. Keep in mind we're also running like heck." He moved the drinking glass into the center of his arrangement. He looked at Youko, a wide grin on his face. Youko, however, rolled his eyes and looked away. Macha kept her attention on Kuronue, captured at his story.

"And then... we ran into an ambush! Guards surrounding us from all sides there must have been hundreds--"

"Wasn't that many--"

"Ok, maybe not-- but it seemed like it! Anyway, we're standing there, thinking our end's coming. There's just no where to run, the ceilings, the exits: all blocked."

Macha's eyes blazed with curiosity. "How did you get out?"

Kuronue grinned. "Well, when all hope seemed gone, Youko turns to all of us, jewel in grasp, and says. 'Go. I'll take care of these guys,' and he takes out a seed and throws it up into the air. It bursts through the ceiling like a bomb and explodes, blinding the guards. So, our band rushes off without another thought, me and Youko standing there. We turn and smirk. The suckers! They ran off and we got the prize!" Kuronue and Youko laughed, Macha chuckled, although not quite understanding.

"Then, Youko over here takes out this huge ass whip! Like bigger than I've ever seen, I mean it was long, twice, maybe three times the size of the normal whip and starts whirling it around!" Kuronue took of his pendant and twirled it around to imitate him. Youko laughed, turning to Macha.

"And this lug over here, just stares in shock. Another second or two and I swear he would have been bawling, thinking we were doomed!"

"What! No way, Youko!" Kuronue's mouth fell open as he glared at Youko.

Youko laughed "you're right, I give you too much credit; you were bawling your eyes out."

Kuronue glared at the fox demon. "Shimatteyaru!"

"I'd like to see you try." Youko responded, taking a sip of his drink. Macha giggled. She never saw this side of the two before. Before it was as if they were just partners, but now Macha knew that they saw each other as friends. Macha looked to Youko, his eyes were something different. They blazed and danced with something Macha had yet to see. Before they were stone hard, but now they were... alive. She turned to Youko, a question on her lips. However, before she spoke it she lowered her head. Would it be too much to ask?

As if knowing her thoughts, Youko looked to her as he put his glass down. "Would you like to see the jewel?"

Macha's head snapped up, eyes wide and sparkling. "Hai, I would like that very much, arigato!"

Youko stood and nodded to Kuronue and then motioned for Macha to follow him. Macha stood and walked with him out of the room. She stayed behind him as they walked down the hallway and entered a room Macha hadn't noticed before. It was bare and Youko headed straight to the left wall. Macha stood in the doorway, confused. Youko beckoned her to come to him and she did, as he searched for something on the wall.

"Ano, Youko-sama--"

"Ha!" Youko found something on the bare wall that interested him, and pressed it flat with his palm. A key pad appeared and Youko punched in a series of numbers. He smirked to Macha who oh'ed. A doorway suddenly slid open in front of them and Macha jumped in surprise. Youko turned to her as her heart rate returned to normal.

"You ok, kiddo?"

Macha nodded and looked into the room that the doorway opened to. It was dark enough so that she couldn't see. If she didn't know better, it was just darkness itself. Youko stepped inside the room and Macha gasped, it was as if he disappeared!

"Youko-sama!" she called, following him. She hit the pitch black stretching her arms out. Turning around, she couldn't see the light from the place she came from. "Youko-sama! Where are you?"

"Over here." she heard a voice. She tried to walk towards it, but her legs felt like they were in water. She tried swimming but she went no where. She felt tears fill up her eyes, was she trapped? Did Youko finally get tired of her and want to leave her to die in this black abyss? She could feel a warm wetness down her cheeks and she stopped struggling against the darkness. She stood, frozen, not knowing what to do. The tears streamed down her cheeks, hearing nothing but the sound of her sniffling and beating heart.

"Kiddo?"

"Youko-sama?" Macha pulled her head up, searching, but still no light... or Youko.

"What made you stop?" The voice asked again, kinder this time.

"I... I can't move... and I lost you, Youko-sama! I can't find you! I--"

"Calm down, kiddo, that's what this room does. It's to stop and trap anyone who tries to steal my treasure."

"But I'm not trying to Youko-sama! I would never steal from you..."

"Well, then I guess I'll put you with the rest of my treasures."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, can you follow my voice?"

Macha tried to move towards the voice. Amazingly she started to move. "H-hai! I can now!"

"Only those with a specific purpose and their heart, clean of taking what is mine, can pass through. Also, panicking doesn't help."

Macha blushed. Panicking was exactly what she did. I should have had more faith in Youko-sama. I should have known he wouldn't leave me! Didn't he say he never would? She kept moving, gradually growing faster and faster, until she was at a sprint. Suddenly, she burst into light and fell to the floor.

"Oof!" She hit the floor face first. She sat up and looked around, spotting Youko standing next to her. She rubbed her nose and her eyes as they adjusted to the light. "Itai... are we at your treasure room, Youko-sama?"

The fox demon looked down at her and offered her a hand to stand up, she took it and he nodded. "Yea, this is it."

Macha looked around the room and gasped. The room was filled with pedestals containing jewels, artifacts and priceless items. Treasure chests filled with gold, paintings and statues covered the room as well. Macha blinked, making sure that what she saw wasn't a dream.

"Wow, Youko-sama! You're really good if you have this much stuff!" She smiled to him. He chuckled and walked over to the middle pedestal. She followed him. On the pedestal, incased in glass, on top of a pillow, sat a large gem. It was the size of Youko's hand, Macha guessed and that same length across. It was blood red and shimmered in the light. "It's beautiful."

"Do you want to hold it?" Youko asked, with raised eyebrows to her. Her eyes widened and she nodded. Youko took off the top of the glass and picked it up with one hand. He held it to her. Macha reached tentatively to it. She held out both hands and Youko placed it in them. Her hands dipped in its extreme weight but held it up to her face to get a good look at it.

Youko watched her examine it, but had to turn away when the red light shone on her face. It reminded him of blood, and having that cover her face made him sick. He looked around the room, admiring his other treasures. But strangely, he didn't get the same satisfaction this time. They all seemed small and insignificant. He shook his head, but it was the same. They were all boring and worthless. He turned his gaze back to Macha. Then, it hit him. She was the only treasure in here. Her eyes sparkled more than any jewel, her face was more delicate than all the paintings and she was more beautiful than a statue.

She looked up at him with those eyes that he found himself wanting to see everyday. Her face was that of confusion as she held the jewel.

"Ano, Youko-sama? This... spot... is it supposed to blink like that?" Macha pointed to a spot she found while examining the gem. It was blinking the same color as the gem, so almost unnoticeable. Youko's eyes widened as he took the jewel from her.

"Kuso!" he swore and turned, throwing the jewel against the wall. Macha screamed, surprised at his sudden action. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the treasures and towards the black abyss.

"Youko-sama, what--"

"A tracking device, dammit, I didn't see it before!" he pulled Macha into the black void and they quickly resurfaced in the original room. He broke into a run, dragging Macha behind him. They ran to the dining hall where they left Kuronue, bursting in to see Mina talking with the bat demon.

"Youko-dono, there's--"

"Kuronue, there was a tracking device on the jewel, prepare for an attack." Youko said, breaking Mina off. Kuronue pointed to Mina, who continued. The normally calm demon's eyes were filled with worry as she spoke to Youko.

"Youko-dono, there has been a breach in security. Demons are coming onto the territory; they'll be at the mansion within minutes." Her eyes darted to Macha's in concern.

Youko ran a hand through his silver hair and took a deep breath. "Mina, call the band and set up the emergency defenses. Kuronue, prepare for battle, I'll be right with you."

Youko grabbed Macha's hand again and dragged her out the dining hall. Macha didn't speak as he pulled her along. He was in trouble, so was Kuronue. The men they stole the jewel from last night was coming back to get it! Macha bit her lip, scared, what could she do? Youko stopped at a door after numerous hallways and turns. He opened it with the same number pad as the treasure room and the door opened. He pulled her inside and took her by the shoulders, leaning down a little to be eye level with Macha.

"Youko-sama, what--"

"You must stay here." Youko said in a whisper. His breathing was harsh from running so much and his eyes darted back and forth around his room as if questioning its safety. "I'm going out to stop those demons from coming to my mansion and take my treasure."

"Let me help you Youko-sama! This could be the chance for me to repay you!" Macha reached up and put a hand on his own that rested on her shoulders. Youko shook his head violently.

"No, absolutely not. That would be throwing my most prized treasure to the enemy." Before Macha could process that thought, he leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back, Macha."

With that, he turned and raced out of the room, pulling the door closed and locking it behind him. Macha blinked, staring at the spot where Youko stood. She put a hand to her forehead. Most prized treasure? Her? But... she ran to the wall behind her to a window out looking the front of the mansion. She could see a hoard of seemingly never ending demons rushing towards the mansion. She saw Youko standing in front of the mansion, Kuronue and his band at his side. Tears sprung to Macha's eyes as the horrible thought crossed her mind.

"Youko-sama won't lose! He can't!" Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks. She saw Mina run out of the mansion to Kuronue and he took her into his arms. After a moment she pulled away, kissing him on the cheek. She turned and ran back into the mansion. "Youko-sama will come back... he promised..."

The oncoming demons came closer to the mansion and the band ran towards it, weapons brandished, Youko at its head. Macha sunk to her knees, her head at the window sill. She put a hand over her ears to block out the battle cries of both sides.

"No... no, please... come back, Youko."

'Itadakimasu' - basically, 'thanks for the food'. it's typical for Japanese say this before a meal and 'Go-chisou sama deshita' after the meal

'Ano' - 'Ummm'

'Kuso' - this is reappearing because as well as meaning 'shit' it can also mean 'damn' in this Kuronue is so happy, he's swearing . Also, Youko uses it later on in its 'shit' form.

'Shimatteyaru' - 'I'm going to beat the living crap out of you'

As always...
I like helpful criticism.
Reviews gratefully appreciated; flames, not.