Here is the next chapter. I hope you all like it. Might have 9 out tonight or tomorrow and 10 (maybe an 11th) by Sunday. Part 3 will be posted by Monday or Tuesday.
Kurama, Hiei, and Koka emereged from the portal at the edge of the Kaihan forest. The trees loomed overhead, massive giants compared to them. Koka lead them down one of the many paths into the forest. Small Makai animals weaved in and out of the bushes, gazing curiously at the newcomers. It took about 5 minutes, Hiei running with Koka in arms and Youko, having switched with Shuichi before entering into the forest too much, followed close behind. A small cottage sits in the middle of the clearing they arrive in. Standing next to it, as if expecting them, is an old man with white hair, a grey beard, and worn blue robes. Koka wiggles out of Hiei's arms and runs to the man. A smile comes to his face as he scoops her into his arms.
"My, my. Nekokani, you have gotten so big." he exclaimed, smiling at her.
"Of course I have. Inazuma has been taking care of me."
"How is she, anyway?"
"Not good." she shakes her head and he puts her down. "She got her memory erased."
Hiei and Kurama come up behind her. Shigon watches Youko, knowing who he is.
"This is Hiei-sama, king of Makai, and Youko, the infamous kitsune theif." Koka announces, taking them by the hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both." Shigon says, shaking their avaliable hand. "Please, please come in and tell me what you need. Inazuma must have sent you for something important. What happened to her anyway?"
He lead them into the house. It was simple looking at first, but he lead them to the back and down a staircase, into the basement. When they entered, Youko and Hiei gazed around in awe. Thousands of shelves extended hundreds of feet in all directions from the stairs. The basement must cover the entire woods for root hung from the ceiling. They glowed a light green, showing that they were special trees powered by spirit energy. Ingredients of all types were upon the shelves and they passed by them on their way towards a table. Shigon sat down in one of the chairs around the table and the other three followed suit.
"Now tell me what has happened."
"Well, Inazuma lost her memory after a man named Takanashi cast a spell that was meant for Hiei. She jumped inbetween them and took it on to herself."
"Takanashi, you say? That is not good."
"What do you mean?" Hiei asked.
"She never told you." he looked at them.
They didn't understand what he meant. Shaking their heads, the urged for him to continue.
"Takanashi was once madly in love with her. Why, about 982 years ago, when she was 18, Takanashi came to her father and asked for her hand in marriage. He denied it because he could sense the lingering evil within his heart. He came to me and I also told him no. You see, Inazuma is my granddaughter. Then, Takanashi got angry and ook her away. Her brother went after her and fought him. He left a rather brutal wound on Takanashi and left him there to die. He must have lived because he is trying to get her back. Do you know if he ever had any children?" he asked.
"Yes, he had twins with a Koormie." Hiei scoffed.
"Really? Would you happen to be one of them?"
"Unfortunately. My sister Yukina seems to be one of his targets now. He is trying to get to me because I am the king and he can rule through me. I can tell he is trying, not only to get to me, but also Inazuma."
"And where is Inazuma?"
"In Ningenkai." said Youko. "Uhh...oh no."
Youko and Hiei jumped up from their seats and started to leave when Koka stopped them.
"We can't leave now. What about the poison? If we don't get what mommy wanted, aunt Yukina (she got very close with her), Keiko, and Genkai, plus many others can die. That is what he wants, for everyone to suffer."
They looked at the child with admiration. Her bravery is outstanding. They face Shigon.
"We need the Hikan-Tyshin drug and the Boketsuin. One of our friends have become infected and that is the reason we came. Inazuma plans to use the plant to create an antidote to the drug." said Youko.
"Anything for her."
Hurrying around the room, he obtained a pouch of Boketsuin seeds and a small box. Inside the box was round, white tablets, the drug. Handing them over to Kurama, he wished them luck.
"Keep a keen eye out for Takanashi. He is the reason Inazuma's parents and brother are dead. She knows what he did to her parents but not what he did to her brother. Do not tell her I told you that, either. Take care."
They bid him a farewell and hurried out of the house, back to the portal that awaited them at the edge of the forest.
"Do you think he planned this, getting all of us to leave?" Kurama asked Hiei as they ran through the trees.
"I'm not sure. Let's just hurry."
He held Koka to him tighter and sped up, Kurama right behind.
Inazuma sat beside Keiko, feeding her some warm soup Kazuma brought to her. The room was well below zero and they were bundled up in blankets, coats, and sweaters. Yukina lay sleeping on the floor. Genkai, however, was wrapped from head to toe in a blanket. The poison had shut down her bodily functions and she passed away in her sleep peacefully. Kazuma was dumbstruck when he heard this and stood outside the door, waiting for the others to return. Botan arrived to guide Genkai's soul to Reikai. The old psychic was rather pleased. She knew that it was better for her to pass then deal with the pain that came from the poison. She prayed that Hiei and Kurama will hurry because she did not want the Koormie joining her any time soon.
Kazuma was pacing outside the room when Yusuke walked into the temple. He had gone on a long walk to gather his thoughts.When he saw the look on his friends face, he knew something terrible had happened. Kazuma explained to him how Genkai passed away and the detective was saddened. She was like a grandmother to him and she was gone just like that. Tears did fall from both their eyes as they talked about all the good and fun times they spent with the psychic. Laughs were shared, as were tears, and that is how Kurama, Hiei, and Koka found them.
"What happened?" Kurama asked, kneeling beside his friends.
"Genkai...didn't make it." Yusuke said, sniffling slightly. "Yukina is frozen in order to prevent spreading and Keiko is resting. Inazuma is in there with them, attempting to slow the poison until you came back."
"And it is a good thing you got here now." huffed Inazuma as she hurried out of the room. "Did you get what I asked for?"
"Right here." replied Hiei, handing over the seeds and drug.
She took them from him and dragged Kurama into the room with her. Yukina was convulsing on the floor and Hiei was instantly at her side. As he went to touch her, he has pushed away by Inazuma.
"Do not touch her! Did you not here me before? It is passed through touch and breath. Staying in here to long will cause you to catch it. I want everyone out of this room, except for Kurama. Go drink some hot green tea with honey. It will help."
She pushed them all out, but paused when Hiei took her hand.
"Do not let my sister die."
"I will not Hiei."
"How come you don't have it...or do you?"
"I'm immune somehow. Now, I have work to do."
She gave him a soft kiss on the lips that everyone saw and closed the door. Kurama, having known why she kept him in the room, sat at the far end with the seeds. Sending his youki into them, they grew to their full size. The Boketsuin looked like a bowl, about 2 inches wide, and inside were little stems that secreted a toxic substance. They were used to create antidotes by adding the poison to the substance causing the two 'negative' toxins to create a 'positive' serum. As Kurama grew them, Inazuma set to work on adding half a pill to each plant. It reacted to the plants secretions and began to bubble. The once hazy white liquid turned into a vile green color to a dark red and finally to a soft blue color. The smell was terrible. Opening one of the packs of first aid supplies Kazuma brought her, Inazuma took a sterile needle from it, opened it, and withdrew a little of the liquid. Not wanting to test it on Yukina or Keiko right away, she pulled a mouse from box. It had wandered into the room an hour before and was rather close to Yukina. It had caught the infection. Piercing it's now yellowish skin, she injected the serum. At first, the mouse didn't do anything, then it started convulsing. The eyes rolled back and it went limp. Inazuma gazed over at Kurama, thinking it had failed, but felt a twitch in her hand. Looking down, the mouse stood up, tottering slightly, but was doing all right.
"It worked." she whispered.
Preparing two more sterile needles, she walked over and injected Yukina. The Koormie's convulsions stopped and she laid still. Her skin started to gain back it's light pink hue and she blinked open her crimson eyes.
"Inazuma."
Happy that it had worked, Inazuma hugged the Koormie and went over to Keiko, injecting her as well. Her skin also went back to normal. Kurama set to work on bottling up the serum for later use. His eyes wandered up and saw the body wrapped in a blanket. Knowing who it was, he bowed his head. Yukina saw this as well and tears formed in her eyes. The temperature in the room rose back to normal. Keiko stood up on wobbly legs and made her way out of the room to Yusuke. As soon as he saw her, he scooped her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Inazuma came out of the room holding Genkai. Everyone bowed their heads as she went to take the psychic to her room. They will bury her in the garden of the temple. Hiei followed behind her. Upon placing the psychic on her bed, Hiei wrapped his arms around Inazuma's waist.
"I was worried that Takanashi had come to temple or that Yukina had died. We hurried as fast as we could."
"It is good that you did. Any later and we would have lost her."
She bowed low, showing reverance for Genkai, and left the room with Hiei. They headed outside where Koka was playing with her German Shepherd Tani. Hiei kept an arm around Inazuma's waist as they sat on a bench and watched her play.
Yet another cliffie. Expect the next chapter to be full of action. Keep your eyes out.
-UtsukushiiCho