Dislcaimer: Sigh. Don't own it.
Notes: Okay, I know I just updated this story, and that I should be writing a chapter of something else, like Memories of the Lost, but I was more drawn to this story.
We're getting so close to the climax!
Be happy Kuwa-kun fans! He's back…in a story sense, not in a life-sense.
Note 2: Please remember this line from the last chapter, if you have not read it recently:
Youko to Hiei: "Enter these grounds again, fire demon; threaten his Shuichi's well being once more…and I will have your head…despite what Shuichi may say of it."
It comes into minor play here, and I just didn't want anyone to be lost by a reference to it.
-o-o-o-o-
Embrace the Winter SnowChapter 7
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Kuwabara sat with his back against the soft white bark of the oddly twisted trunk. In the many days that he had resided in this land in between worlds, the orange-haired man had grown to rather like the strange, purple-leaved tree.
And it had been staked as his tree. At least, that was what one of the locals had said. And by locals, we of course mean the pigmy people that ran around, not two feet tall and seemingly made of bark and leaf themselves.
Those were certainly something when kept in numerous company. Their idea of "singing" was a high-pitched chirp combined with a deep grumbling in their throats.
Kuwabara shuddered thinking about it.
They were nice…pigmy things; very nice and welcoming, but they certainly had a creepy aspect to them. Especially their eyes, normally gold or yellow, that took up half of their face at least and stared at you with a wide, innocent gaze.
Then there was their curiosity. It was enough to drive anyone insane. Anything they saw anyone do, they had to repeat (including one of the smallest ones, who stood for three and a half hours waiting for a worm to come up out of the ground so it could peck at it like a bird.) Which meant that they were constantly following Kuwabara around, playing their game of copy-cat.
The man had thought he might go insane within a day.
Yet, in the end, they proved to be good company in this lonely land.
And lonely it certainly was. When Koenma came to visit, which was as often as could with all his paperwork and world-running to do, he would tell Kuwabara of all the other humans and demons that wondered the meadows and plains.
But the man couldn't see them; he never would. He was in the Intermediate World: the world between worlds. It was a place for lost souls to go; souls that didn't know who they were; souls that had been wondering so long they'd lost sight of their purpose; and souls like himself, those killed without reason, their own pasts a story of treachery and traitors.
Koenma said that hundreds of them wandered the plains of the Intermediate World, but they never saw anything more than then a paradise picked specifically for them. For one lost soul there might be a crystal beach and flowing water under waving palms. Another might be wandering among snow-capped mountains and white pines.
Kuwabara sat underneath an odd, purple-leaved tree in a meadow that seemed to have jumbled up the color scheme quite a bit.
He still hadn't quite figured that one out yet.
But these lost souls were everywhere, often within feet of the ex-detective, or so Koenma said. Yet one would never see another soul in the Intermediate World if one was a resident themselves. Although shaped to be a paradise, it was really a prison, meant to keep one locked helplessly away from either world until their pasts and futures could be found.
Kuwabara was aware of his position. Koenma knew where his future was and what it would be, and he certainly knew of his past. So then, you may ask, why would he be there?
To put it simply, they knew not of his death.
One can not pass into the next life leaving behind a blank in the texts. Before Kuwabara could return to the living world in a reincarnated form, they would have to discover the truth to his past.
And since none knew his killer, he could not proceed to the next world. After all, fate leaves nothing uncovered and, though Koenma knew everything fate had to offer on everyone, there were some things even fate didn't know.
Like the name of his killer.
Which would stay safe and secure within his own heart and mind. His and Kurama's, that was.
But that was a thought for another time. The pigmy that was beside him (of which he had named Akira, though it did little good as many of them looked so alike) was beginning to climb up the tree in a sluggish manner, it's mouth chirping happily away in the series of clicks and screech-chirps that made up the "pigmy language."
Akira never left his side (if it was, indeed, Akira every time, as it really was so difficult to tell them apart) unless he had company coming, or the sun was beginning to fade in a starry sky.
And seeing as the sun was in a high noon position, as it had been for the last fourteen hours (the sun only sank when Kuwabara felt the need for it to, and he certainly hadn't felt like dwelling in the dark or even the land of dreams of late,) he quietly turned his gaze to the left.
Visitors always came through a doorway made from two immense, arching trees. As thick as a man, they arched sideways to form an arc of hanging branches and thick, green leaves.
Through this doorway the scenery began to shimmer slightly and turn like water gently disturbed by a ripple. And then, as if stepping out of a wall of water, Yusuke Urameshi entered into the Intermediate World.
He looked around briefly before spotting the orange-haired man beneath his white and purple tree. Waving to him, he started towards Kuwabara. Oddly enough (though Kuwabara had grown used to it, as all visitors did it) Yusuke was walking as if dodging many unseen things.
The man knew he was moving around the hundreds of other souls that wandered the plain.
"Hey, Kuwabara," Yusuke said as he plopped down unceremoniously next to his friend. The orange haired man put down the book he had been reading, book marking his page as he did.
It wasn't like him to read in life, but when one had nothing to do…
"Hey," he replied with a stupid-silly grin he always got when he saw Yusuke. "Anything new? I thought you were watching over K'rama."
The raven-haired man shook his head in answer to the first question and locked his eyes on his friend's black ones. "I was; he's back in Reikai. He…doesn't like being trailed everywhere he goes and…though he's restricted to the Reikai palace and Grandma's temple, he is already sick of being followed like a child."
Yusuke put his head in his hands as he suppressed a low groan. "It hasn't even been three days and he's gone insane. He's already wandered off into the woods twelve times. Twelve fucking times! And he won't listen to me when I tell him not to go!"
"Yusuke," the man glanced up at the mix of seriousness, sorrow, and amusement in his friend's tone, "Kurama is a fox, a mischievous and sly animal. No animal likes to be cooped up in a cage."
The raven-haired man smirked slightly to stop a frown from coming over his face. The smirk turned to a teasing grin as he pointed at Kuwabara, poking him in the chest.
"You're starting to sound all philosophical. This world has given you too much time to think," he smirked as Kuwabara began to frown and sense what was coming next. "Be careful, Kuwa-kun, it might make your head explode!"
"Urameshi!" Yusuke dodged a fist and rolled away, standing up to avoid a charging Kuwabara.
The two ran in circles for several moments before Kuwabara jumped and attempted to pummel his friend into the ground.
He didn't succeed.
Yusuke laughed as he collapsed against Kuwabara's tree, the teen in tow with a blackening eye and unruly hair. Folding his hands behind his head, the raven-haired man leaned back to observe his surroundings.
"This place isn't so bad," he commented lightly. Kuwabara sighed; Yusuke had said something of the sort the first time he had visited. He was only trying to console the orange-haired man.
"Yeah, I guess," Kuwabara replied as he sat down beside his friend. "Though, it's a bit lonely sometimes."
Yusuke was quiet for a long while before he tilted his head back slightly, taking in the purple leaves and yellow flowers above them. "…You know you can always move on, Kuwabara…"
The man didn't reply for about an equal amount of time before he quietly answered, "No, I can't…and you know I can't. I won't give the name, Yusuke. And besides, I still have something I need to do. I have to make sure that Kurama doesn't join me in this world, or any of the other than the one he lives in now, for that matter."
Yusuke frowned and stood, restlessly pacing in front of the deceased man. "Kuwabara…I'm just as worried for Kurama as you are, but I can't do anything about it unless I know what I'm up against!
"I can't go after this guy and claim revenge, both for Yukina and for you! I can't protect Kurama because he refuses to be protected and I can't free you because you simply refuse to be freed! What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"The best that you can." Yusuke turned to look at Kuwabara's sober words. "No one is asking more than that. If Kurama does not want to be protected, then he won't be protected. But…that isn't the case, Yusuke.
"Kurama doesn't want to be treated as a child, unable to cross the street without holding someone's hand," Kuwabara slowly turned his gaze away from the teen to look out over the landscape before him. "Yukina and I do not need to be revenged just now. She is happy in her next life and I…I wish to be 'freed' as you put it, but I won't endanger Kurama."
"You won't be endangering him!" Yusuke shouted out in frustration, anger coming from his sorrow. "I'll protect him, but I can't do that if you won't tell me how! Why can't you tell me ho-"
Yusuke's words were cut off as he suddenly found himself in an embrace. Surprised, he blinked as Kuwabara held him tightly in a hug. Slightly embraced at the odd contact, he squirmed and the orange-haired man released him, but held onto both his shoulders at an arms length.
Staring straight into his eyes, and Yusuke unable to look away, Kuwabara spoke, "I will not reveal who harmed us, Yusuke. It would endanger so many more in just speaking the name aloud. But…I will give you a warning."
Kuwabara's voice dropped to a low whisper, "Kurama is in more danger than you know. The youko within him has been brought to his last strength and will no longer stand for the pain done to his human half. He is ready to fight back, Yusuke, and he will request to do it alone.
"Do not let him face his attacker alone. Do you understand me? He will fight on strength that he does not now possess…and he will loose." Kuwabara's grip had become almost painful against Yusuke's shoulders, digging into his collarbone.
"I do not want to see him in this world, or learn of his death once I am released. Do not let him fight alone, Yusuke," Kuwabara released his shoulders with a sudden face of impassive gentleness. "I have no choice but to leave him to you, Yusuke. I know you can protect him, and would even if it wasn't your job, but it is now your responsibility. You must not leave him alone, no matter what he says or how he pleads."
Yusuke, both stunned and fearful of all declared in this mini speech, was immobile, staring at his friend through wide eyes. He'd seen Kuwabara become passionate about a fight, or about his honor code, or about a friend, but this still scared him.
His friend was serious. He was laying out the responsibility of protecting the fox all within Yusuke's hands.
The man smiled slightly; he wouldn't let that trust down.
Clapping a hand over Kuwabara's back, he gave the man a thumbs up, causing the latter to yell something about childish demeanors and not taking anything seriously.
Which led to another fistfight, chase around the tree, and pummeling into the ground (the last one being on Yusuke's behalf.)
-o-o-o-o-
Kurama was waiting silently for Yusuke to leave Koenma's office, having been in there for at least half an hour, if not more.
A chair had been pulled up beside the two double doors and there is where he sat, watching the ogres hustle and bustle about, running here and there with stacks of papers.
Though bustling with activity, the office was a rather boring place. There was nothing new to see and after several minutes the running routes and routines of every ogre became apparent, memorized, and utterly dull and boring for the kitsune.
He turned his attention elsewhere, staring off into space while his thoughts turned towards other things.
Sometimes, more now on these recent visits, he thought of the possibility of living in the Reikai. Although it would be far from home, there was little reason left for him to reside there.
It was always beautiful on the other side of the Reikai palace, where the clouds formed islands that often turned the lightest shades of blue and purple when the sun sank slowly in the east.
And the River Styx ran beautiful once past the guards of the palace doors, where the souls trapped lightly within it's crystal waves were released for their destination beyond the world of the living.
And besides…it did not snow in the Reikai.
"Must everything with you end in an escape from snow?" Several days prior, Kurama's body would have frozen up immediately, gone rigid at the sound of the deep voice, echoing gently within the bustling noise and hubbub of activity that was Koenma's office.
But now Kurama only growled in silent annoyance, turning a very angry, but ignoring, glare in the direction of the fire demon, suddenly standing beside his chair as if he had been all day, and as if it was quite natural.
This was the third time this day, thetwelfth time since their first meeting, and the thirteenth total in the three days. Kurama was beginning to hate more than dread these sudden talks.
Hiei lightly cast aside the glare, not bothering to return it and schooling his expression to an almost thoughtful nonchalance. "Don't look at me that way, Kurama. I am not on Temple grounds and have not come to cause you any harm. Therefore, you have no need to speak of my death through your eyes."
Kurama's glare only darkened, but he moved it onto some unsuspecting ogre across the room rather than stare into the fire demon's crimson eyes. The purple-skinned ogre squeaked at the look that could turn a man to stone and ran for it, papers flying off the stack he held in his hands.
The fox decided staring up at the junction of wall and ceiling was a better plan.
Hiei stood, neither moving nor speaking, beside the fox as he stared off at the other wall in a similar motion as the kitsune. Were it not for the hostile vibes coming from Kurama or the overall violence imminent in the air between them, it would have been much like it was in the old days, when the two would stand beside one another with no need to talk nor move but simply enjoy one another's company.
One ogre passing by later reported that he could see lightly sparking between the two of them, though it seemed more one-sided.
After a while, Kurama's patience wore thin and with a very cold voice, close but certainly not Youko's voice, he turned to the youkai with a loathsome glare. "What are you doing here, fire demon?"
"I have a name," the flame wielder replied easily, no malice in his voice.
"Not one worth using."
Hiei simply shrugged off the insult that, in any other case, he would have cut Kurama's head off for. But, for some odd reason that he could not alone justify with "I need answers," Hiei couldn't bring himself to fully hate the fox any longer. Nor could he bring himself to blame the fox for his anger.
After all, Yusuke had said that he had spilt Kurama's blood that morning too. Perhaps, in some regards, he was no better than the attacker.
"If that is how you see it than you may address me as you see fit, Kurama," the hiyoukai replied just as easily as before, not looking at the kitsune but keeping his eyes on the wall. The fox's comment should have struck a lot deeper than it did; a thought that Hiei decided not to dwell on.
"You have not answered my question," Kurama ignored the privilege given to him with a cold voice.
Hiei merely shrugged once more. "Nor have I in the last twelve visits."
Kurama briefly closed his eyes in frustration before his anger could get the best of him. He did not attempt to open his mind again to the fire demon. If he did, the words that would come out would not be those that he had intended…at least on the conscious level.
Both fire demon and fox (the former slightly annoyed and the later relieved) looked up as Yusuke exited Koenma's office. A small look of surprise crossed his face when he saw Hiei, not three feet from the fox and standing perfectly still and relaxed.
Kurama looked to be on edge, but not out of nerves. Yusuke smirked slightly, more to himself than anything, as he saw the fox's hands clench and unclench, wishing for a resting place around the fire demon's throat.
"Hey, Hiei," Yusuke started calmly and good-naturedly. Unless Hiei did something wrong, he would not hold any more grudges against his ex-partner. After all, he might just need him if what Kuwabara had said held any truth. "What are you doing here?"
The fire demon gave a slight nod in his direction, though he did not answer the question presented. Yusuke did not think much of it. He had felt the fire demon around often and figured that he was both looking for information as well as judging Kurama.
Hiei's presence, therefore, was fine, though Yusuke feared only one thing. There were some things that the detective knew of, some things told to him by various people about the situation they were in, that he did not want Hiei to know.
And so he kept his mind very carefully guarded against the demon's powerful Jagan. But some things, like the notion of hiding a secret, are hard to keep unnoticeable and he did not doubt that Hiei knew there were things being kept from him.
"Kurama, the toddler wants a word with you," Yusuke mentioned, drawing out of his thoughts and glancing down at the fox. The kitsune gave a nod and stood, gathering his book bag by the strap over his shoulder and turning towards the office. Without a glance back, he stepped over the threshold and the doors closed behind him.
Yusuke immediately turned to Hiei, though the non-hostile approach was still there. "What are you doing here, Hiei?"
"I would think you'd know," the fire demon replied, his eyes still on the doors that Kurama had disappeared through.
"If you're looking for information, Hiei, go somewhere else." Yusuke plopped down in the seat that Kurama had formerly occupied. "Following Kurama is going to get you nothing but a fight."
"Perhaps that is what he needs to get back on his feet." Hiei knew the gravity of what he said, and he knew the real truth behind the statement. But, as of late, he really didn't know why he said half the things that came from his mouth anymore. They just…came out.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared almost eye-to-eye with the fire demon. When he spoke, his voice was dangerously low, "You will not engage him in a fight, Hiei. He does not have the strength to waste on pointless squabble. Do not provoke him, or you will deal with me."
The fire demon finally turned to look at Yusuke, regarding the man rather lightly. In the end, however, he simply gave his shoulders a slight move in the form of a shrug. Yusuke seemed to relax at this, but not to his former extent.
"So why are you here, again?" Yusuke asked as he stifled a yawn. He had gotten up a tad too early for this. "I mean, I know you've been tailing us for the last few days. So what's the deal?"
"You want to protect Kurama," Hiei stated and Yusuke gave an unnecessary nod even as the fire demon continued, "I want to avenge my sister. Following you will get me to my goal."
Yusuke once more regarded him with narrowed eyes, though not nearly as dangerous as before. "You will use him as bait, then?"
Hiei shrugged. "It is no different than what Koenma is doing."
Yusuke sighed, having finally come to a topic he really rather not think about. He still wasn't sure about the godling's motives, but he was beginning to fear that Hiei was right in this situation. However, it truly didn't matter. Yusuke was not going to leave the fox's side until the situation was null and void.
"And…?" Hiei turned to regard Yusuke with a raised eyebrow. The starter for a sentence was left as a question that Hiei feigned great confusion with. Yusuke rolled his eyes. "I know there is something more. In all five years you have not sought your sister's killer beyond the initial year's worth of tracking from the temple. Why now?"
Hiei was silent for several long minutes before he turned back to his junction of wall and ceiling. When he spoke, his words sent both a shiver through Yusuke as well as a small spark of buried care in the fire demon's view of Kurama.
"Though I am no longer his mate, I once was. With that trust comes theresponsibility over his well being and safety during such a time. Seeing as the date of his harm fell within the time of our relationship, the act of vengeance on his behalf still falls on my shoulders, despite the different paths we took.
"Avenging the pain placed upon him is my responsibility and I will see it done."
-o-o-o-o-
Well, how was that for a chapter? Not too shabby? I like that last line…hmm…
Of course, I know that it was mostly talk, but I tried to put some humor in there to keep you entertained. I hope it was all right.
Aww, but see, Hiei does have a heart in this story! It's just teeny weeny itsy bitsy litt-
Kit: Please stop.
Polkadotbikni!
Anyways, I hope you liked the description and "locals" of my intermediate world. The locals are sort of a mix between Tree Sprites, Bowtruckles, and Kodama (see Princess Manonoke)
Ahem, instead of Authors notes, I'm just putting up a few tidbits. About the intermediate world; it's a plain where hundreds of lost souls wander until Spirit world has found a destination for them.
In my view, one can not move on if something is left unknown or undone in life. Therefore, if you do not continue to wander on earth as a ghost, yet fall in this category, you are put in the Intermediate world.
There, you are alone in a world that is shaped as the paradise of your dreams. It is an illusion of a place, where each of the hundreds of guests see a different land and none can see each other. Only visitors and those who do not reside in the Intermediate World, can see all the others there.
Okay: Not much to say otherwise. Three days has passed since the last chapter and, in that time, Hiei has shown up twelve times (thirteen if you count the Reikai meeting.) You should have picked up that Kurama has escaped off to the woods twelve times.
Meaning: Kurama ran off to be in the woods after Hiei visited. You know, Kurama's anger only seems to be growing. And, though Youko promised to take Hiei's head, both Shuichi and Hiei have been finding little loopholes to keep him from doing it.
Shuichi still loves Hiei, as does the Youko, but he can not put the pain Hiei caused him in front of his love and he has forgiven the fire demon in a manner that Youko never will. That is why Shuichi continues to hold Youko's anger back, or tries to.
There really isn't much else to talk about…
Next chapter! A new secret comes out! Yusuke has not told Hiei about everything that happened that night. What else could he possibly have withheld!
AND AND AND! I'm not sure whether it will be next chapter or the one following, but I will REVEAL THE IDENTIDY OF THE KILLER!
Bum-bum-bum!
Kit: …nice dramatics.
Oh shut up! Anyhoo! I hope you people liked it and I hope you stay tuned for the next chapter!
Weee!
Please review!