Ode to the Scorned
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Chapter 4: The Plan
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A cool mist rolled through the forest of Makai, hindering Yusuke's view of the land before him. He trudged forward while ignoring Kuwabara's nagging from behind. He was not the only one who feared that with each step they were becoming more and more lost within the demonic land, but Kuwabara was a bit more... vocal with his concerns.
"Maybe we should have just waited for..."
"For what, Kuwabara" Yusuke snapped. "They didn't have us in their plans, in case you hadn't noticed. Ah, who needs them anyways? The only thing those two are really good at is pissing me off."
"Maybe Koenma gave them different orders." Kuwabara offered with a more hopeful tone.
"Why do you always have to be so dumb? Maybe if you'd just shut up for a minute, they wouldn't have left us. Besides, you're always slowing everybody down."
"And I'm sure they had a hard time tearing themselves from your charming personality." The taller boy replied blandly. It was true that Hiei and Kurama had often allowed Kuwabara to slip out of their schemes because he was one of the weaker fighters, though he would never actually say so. Nonetheless, the fact that his powers were innately human and not tainted with anything demonic helped heal the scar left by admittance of his feebleness. In any case, the two rarely ever left Yusuke out, so the both of them being left behind were a complete shock. "Hey, I'm getting a bad feeling."
"I bet." Yusuke kicked at the moist leaves beneath him. "This place is stirring with stupid monsters. Man, I had a lot of things to do today."
"That's enough, Urameshi. I don't want to hear that there's anything more important than a friend."
"Cool it." He mumbled, a faint flicker of power interrupting their argument. "You feel that"
"That's what I was talking about." He grumbled as he started into a run. It suddenly occurred to him why Yusuke hadn't been included in their travel.
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"What a nuisance." Hiei placed his sword in the sheath as a bloody mess of bodies littered the ground. It was almost pathetic that so many weak demons still existed so deep into Makai.
"I would seem we're getting closer." Kurama commented, methodically stepping over the strewed carcasses. His eyes were fixated on nothing but the path before him. His concentration was utterly eerie, almost as though Hiei was not even near him. Of course, Kurama did acknowledge his presence every so often, but most of the time he seemed to be speaking to himself.
It was understandable, however. It had been a couple of days since they had begun their search, and their only lead had been the odor of Botan's blood. That wouldn't be enough since the stench of the decaying land masked blood extremely well. It was possible, and very likely, that the abductor had been after one of them and therefore would not hurt Botan, unless the objective all along was to bring them into a trap. Hiei gritted his teeth. He hated being led into traps.
He opened his mouth to ask Kurama how he had come to the conclusion that they were close, but quickly decided against it. Whatever confidence Kurama had at the moment was the only thing that led both of them to believe Botan was still alive and that they had a chance to find her. He stayed a few good paces behind Kurama, sensing that an even greater nuisance was catching up to them.
"It doesn't make much sense for them to take her." Hiei finally broke the silence. "We've kept good records of the stronger apparitions here, and those who pose a threat are under constant surveillance."
"Then surely you know that humans still reside in Makai"
"Aa." He thought about the statement for a moment. "You're not implying that a human did this, are you" There was no response from the red-head, which irritated Hiei. "Ahou. No human would have the power needed..."
"Maybe not a full human." Kurama admitted. "Possessions... I don't believe there are many demons that have that ability. Though some would tamper with powers not born to them."
Hiei glared at Kurama, his patience quickly wearing away at the needless stabs at his factitious source of strength. The only real reason for the jab was because they had learned that his jagan was blocked by the kidnapper. Both of their powers were proving to be just as useless as the two spirit detectives following them.
"When they sealed the demons in Makai, there were several humans who were unable to escape. I was sure they would have been killed within hours of the confinement, but perhaps I was wrong in my assumptions."
"That wouldn't be far fetched."
"I'm not implying they couldn't survive in Makai through some other means, but demons have never been sympathetic to them, especially in that time." He grimaced before repeating the words of his possessed younger brother. "He said, 'Our agenda lies with punishing you for locking us up in Makai and for allowing you to become the assistant to the man who keeps us there.' I have no doubts now that this attacker must be a descendant of a human who was trapped in Makai with the other demons."
"Then why would he drag us into Makai without any direction? What's the point in making us wander for days?"
It was clear to Kurama why they wouldn't give them any clue to their whereabouts. Their grudge was with Kurama, not Hiei or the others. From the beginning, they had been trying to break the group up, and so far, they had succeeded. Still, unless he found a way to leave Hiei behind, he was risking another day of the wounded deity being held captive without coming any closer to where she was.
A pang of guilt surged through him. Botan was quite a character, the most emotionally unstable one of the group. At any given moment she could be scolding all of them as though they were foolish children, and in the next she would be the only one cheering them on, even at the risk of her own life. She was the soul of them all. Without her, there would have been no Spirit Detective Yusuke and therefore Kurama's life would have with no doubt ended after his wish to the Forlorn Hope. They all owed everything they had become to the deity, yet she asked for nothing, not even their respect. More guilt. They all treated her like trash. All of them were at fault for ignoring her or being downright rude to her. Despite all that, and even with her dealings with death, she remained completely innocent and loyal to them. That thought only infuriated him more. Only a coward would injure her and use her as bait.
"It's getting late. We won't be able to find anything as soon as it gets dark."
"Please." Hiei snorted. "Just because your powers are useless as night doesn't mean mine are. We don't have time to rest your weak human legs."
Kurama sighed silently. Trying to shake Hiei off would be much harder than he initially thought. He gradually slowed down, finally stopping under a large, inauspicious looking tree. The leaves were withered from lack of nourishment, so unlike the fortuitous foliage in Ningenkai. Makai didn't appear constantly dead as such, but the sight of even one of these wasting forests gave life to the driest deserts on earth.
"You said yourself that we were getting close." Hiei nagged. "Could it be that your senses are failing you?"
Kurama lowered his head as a smirk played across his lips. He had felt alone in his search until that moment. Hiei had never shown any sort of kindness or even any interest in Botan. Yet, here they were, deep inside Makai with Hiei ready to leave Kurama behind if he needed to.
"I'll only need a moment." He quickly glanced up at his partner only to find him already resting against a tree stump. "Thank you, Hiei."
"Be quiet and rest." He spoke through a yawn.
"Alright." He leaned against the tree, gradually slipping down to the ground.
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By the time Hiei finally seemed to be asleep, Kurama could sense Yusuke and Kuwabara inching closer. It would only be a matter of time before their sheer noise would wake the sleeping fire-youkai. He pushed himself up silently and made his way over the worn path they had been following earlier. He waited there, half waiting for some sign that this was indeed the correct thing to do; the other half slightly worried what Hiei would do once he awoke to Yusuke and Kuwabara's faces instead of his own.
It had been nearly five years since they had first met, in a similar circumstance. Although his relationship with other people meant a great deal to him, it was often cumbersome having them used against him. His alliance with Kuronue had been much less riddled with setbacks. Nonetheless, he could be assured Hiei would be capable of taking care of himself in Makai. The smaller demon shifted uncomfortably against the stub on which he rested and his breathing became rhythmic once again, indicating a somewhat poised sleep.
Kurama knelt towards the soil, then retrieved a small seed from his red hair and pressed it into the ground. He waited for a drawn out couple of seconds to pass, then the seedling crept along the path while covering it in a thick blanket of tall, dry weeds. Even if Hiei decided to continue with his search, the disappearance of the path would hinder his ability to follow.
It didn't take long for the metallic smell of blood to return.
"Just be strong, Botan." Kurama pushed on in a run.
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Botan withheld her breath and her lungs began to ache with the need for air. She had never had such a fear for anyone in her life, especially someone she presumed to know. Of course, she knew of many horrible things Youko had done in his time that gave her great incentive to be afraid. And yet, she felt a sort of curiosity about the being before her. There must be something inside him, something she could do or say that would awake his humane side.
And yet her fear paralyzed her. Youko stood, leaning against the entrance to the cave, his fine, silver hair swaying only slightly in response to the light wind.
'Come on, Botan! Just think of him like who he is. Stop being a chicken.' She urged herself to crawl to the edge of the bed. Before she could summon the strength to stand on her own without the support of the bed, Botan fell under the piercing stare of the kitsune-youkai. His merciless eyes appeared to be looking right through her, but their subtle movement indicated that he was carefully scrutinizing her. The way he inspected a stranger hadn't changed at all. It was the same uneasy feeling she remembered having when she first seen the young teen.
He walked purposefully in front of her; the intensity of his gaze caused a great discomfort for Botan as she unwillingly broke away from his look. It was only an instant before his hand reached out, snatching her roughly by the conjunction of her neck and shoulder. His thumb pressed against her pressure point, threatening to cripple her frail form.
"Please..." She struggled to find something that would keep him from harming herself. "Kurama..."
"Stop addressing me as though you know me." He replied calmly as he kneeled over her, his body pressing against her luridly until her back was against the wall. Botan instinctively threw her arms up against his chest in a vain attempt to ward off his advancement. "He makes a mess of things sometimes."
"Kuro..." Before she could finish his name, his finger pressed harder.
"It's like caring for an irresponsible brother." A sly smirk appeared on his lips as he used his one free hand to reach behind his hair. "I can't take care of all his pets. Especially a weak kitten such as yourself."
Youko brought his hand against her nose and mouth as she fought to turn her head. Unfortunately, her mobility was severely restricted by Youko's other hand. The moment she opened her mouth to gasp for air, a small seed slipped onto her tongue. She looked up to her capture with genuine fear, knowing that every seed hidden in his hair was definitely used for murder.
"Go ahead and keep it in your mouth. I've always enjoyed the look of a woman before they suffocate."
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Kurama scanned the open field that grew suspiciously adjacent to the forest. He had never seen such a dramatic difference in landscape in his many years of living in Makai. Yet he knew she was somewhere within, her blood was unmistakably close.
"And finally you've arrived." A voice welcomed him.
"Where is she?"
"What would someone of your predominance care about a lowly deity as herself" There was a weighty silence before a chuckle interrupted. "I must admit, I am ashamed of you, Youko Kurama."
Kurama narrowed his eyes, still trying to determine her location. There had to have been some barrier preventing him from pinpointing her scent. Even his usher's voice echoed without a detectable source.
"My honor would not allow me to attack your human wench because I was well aware of her importance to you and her similarity to myself. Instead I find that your weakness extends much further than just her."
"If you had any doubts that I would come for her, why did you choose her"
"Whether or not you came was not my concern. I was heavily disappointed in the former Spirit Detective Sensui for mishandling the Chapter Black videos. Turning the entirety of humanity on itself would have been far to complicated for even you to handle. It is an unstoppable trait of us humans, isn't it?"
"What is your point?"
"With those tapes no longer accessible, I decided man will eventually kill each other off while I wait for that in the safety of a world that had been separated form them for their protection. Then I realized the sheer stupidity of Yamma. The fool who allows his infant son to use you and other reputable demons as his dogs. A tiff in Reikai would prove much more dangerous for humanity than anything they could do to themselves. It took many years, Youko, for me to develop a way to make a person relive one of your victim's pasts. To take their very last moment in life, their fear, anger, hatred, and make another feel the same as though they are dying by your hands. I commend you for allowing your prey to die after what you caused them to go through, but she will awake and live with those emotions forever. Who better to change Koenma's view of you than his most faithful servant?"
A large explosion kicked dust out of the middle of the field. Kurama shielded his face from the flying debris until it finally settled. His vision still blurred by the dirt, he stumbled foreword, running into a neatly stacked stone wall. Without hesitation, he ran to a large set of doors near the end of the wall and pushed them open.
At first he was too shocked to move. Her body seemed gaunt and sickly white even from his distance. Kurama waited expectantly for the speaker to appear and only reconsidered when he noticed how Botan struggled for air. He raced towards her, her appearance becoming ever more startling. Blood was pouring slowly, but steadily from the wound in her side, dripping on the floor below. He mindfully assessed her injuries and pressed his hand against her side, preventing further blood loss, and then carefully lifted her shoulders off the cool table.
"Botan." He said in a quiet, demanding voice. He wasn't sure to what extent that kidnapper had been telling the truth and therefore remained unsure of her dreams. Kurama hoisted her into his arms and began back at the door. Her heartbeat became noticeably faster as she began gasping for breath. Although he wanted to get her out of Makai as soon as possible, she would most likely die if he couldn't stabilize her.
Her eyes snapped open, wildly darting across the dark room before realizing that she was being carried. For a moment, she fell silent.
"It's just me, Botan." Kurama assured.
Suddenly, she thrashed savagely until her hand crashed into his cheek, causing him to stumble back a few steps before regaining his balance.
"Don't touch me"
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I apologize for not updating sooner, but I fell into a horrible writers block and was slightly discouraged by the lack of reviews I have received. Then I noticed that maybe reviews aren't everything (yeah right... heh...) and finished the chapter anyways. Hope it's satisfactory.
I forgot to respond to my reviewers when I initially posted this story, but since I've gotten the time, let me beg for forgiveness by reposting the story with my replies.
Pili-chan: I hope you had a great holiday break and are having a wonderful new year. School can be such a nuisance, but I only have one more year left before I'm off to the big U schools, which is mostly why I started this story. I can't imagine sitting in some University writing about anime⦠But anyways, I was sort of haphazardly throwing out the first couple of chapters just to see if the idea would fly. Low and behold, it did for awhile. I apologize for my story being so confusing and I'll go back to edit it when I have time. And now that I've already stated it, it is quite difficult to create some situation for this unlikely couple to begin to notice each other in a romantic way, but I'll try my hardest. Thanks for the review, and don't worry about your grammar, look at my own. .'
Pen Copyright: I completely understand what you are saying. I've been struggling to write this because there aren't many outstanding authors, and I don't mean that as an insult either. Everyone has to start somewhere, and it seems they start here, you know? I've been thinking about this fic for some time now, but I couldn't seem to find the right words, and when I did, I was in such a rush to post it that it appears I've made quite a few mistakes. I'll keep in mind to edit the other chapters, and I thank you for pointing that out. I hate how I make stupid mistakes like the ones I've been making!
Anichan: I appreciate your review. Now that I'm stuck on how they'll actually get their feelings for one another, I sort of wish there was an alternative direction for the two to go. No other character on the show just looked into each others eyes and fell in love (save Shizuru, but I'm not a huge fan of hers anyhow.) and I don't like stepping off the platform the creator made. I hope my newest chapter leaves everyone on the edge, because I think the 5th chapter will be the last. I'll have to find a way to wrap this up quick!
