Hey guys!

I don't think I'm allowed to write responses to reviewers here, so reviewers will receive emails, so keep it up!

This chapter was hard to write! I hope it's up to standards, if not please tell me and I'll be sure to at least try to fix them.

Alright, I'm sure you're sick of me talking, so on with the story!

"An honorable fighter would put down one of his weapons to make it a fair fight."

"Honor means nothing. It's your own fault that you lack the strength to hold up your own sword."

Kurama's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

Shintaro charged again. He started a vicious onslaught with both scythes, but Kurama was holding up quite well with only one sword, and that angered Shintaro to no end. He decided to go even lower than low.

He leapt into the air and aimed a blow at the fox's head. The redhead instinctively blocked, but Shintaro had something else in mind. The mongoose changed his course in mid-air and landed a sharp kick to the kitsune's injured side.

Kurama gasped as white-hot agony shot up his right side. The pain was so intense that it forced him to let go of his remaining Grass Sword.

"KURAMA!" Yusuke's yell was lost upon the injured fox's ears.

Shintaro took no notice of the detective's outburst either as he headed towards the redhead.

Without losing another moment, Shintaro slid his scythe into Kurama's stomach. The demon fox choked back a scream but a small cry still managed to escape his lips.

Pleading green eyes locked onto cold navy one, but, Shintaro's heart was too cold to be affected by such displays.

He cruelly twisted the scythe before roughly jerking it out.

Kurama, unable to remain strong any longer, let out a pain filled scream. His knees buckled, and his vision swam. Blood streamed down his battered body, soaking his tunic, turning it a deep red.

"No!" This time the cry came from Hiei. The mongoose had gone too far. He thrashed around wildly in his bindings, trying to get to his friend's side.

"Are you talking about this piece of trash?" Shintaro kicked Kurama, causing him to completely fall over. The old fox lay on his side, the blood from his wounds pooling around him.

"Don't touch him!" Yusuke's voice was but a low growl.

"I'd like to remind you of your current position. You are at my mercy young detective, and I don't recommend that you test me."

"You're just mad because Kurama could have beaten you if you had a drop of honor in your veins. You act like you're the mightiest demon, but if you can't fight fair, then you're nothing but a scared child!" This really got under Shintaro's skin.

"I'm warning you detective, one more word."

"I'm shaking."

"Fine. Have it your way." Shintaro reached into an inside pocket to reveal— a needle.

"Wow. I'm petrified."

"You will be. You see, this little beauty is doused in a special little potion of mine. No amount of healing can fix it. It thins the blood, making clotting impossible. With a single wound, you would bleed out in two to four weeks. The side effects are also quite fun to witness. You are going to be my new test subject spirit detective."

While Shintaro was still going on about the poison, Kurama was struggling to his feet. He was not about to let his friend suffer such a death.

"Are you ready for your demise detective?" Shintaro started towards the tethered Yusuke, brandishing the needle. Upon reaching the restrained team, the mongoose felt something large and wet bowl him over.

Shintaro lost his balance and fell, hitting his head on a stone.

"All right Kurama!" But the kitsune wasn't listening. Instead he was gazing intently at his right hand. "Yo man. Are you okay?"

Kurama just looked at him. With the last of his energy, the old demon raised his hand. More that one gasp was audible as, deeply imbedded in the redhead's flesh was the needle. He promptly passed out.

Shintaro, only being dazed for a moment, quickly regained his feet.

"Aww red, you're being noble. Well with his wounds he won't last a week." He started laughing maliciously.

This was the spark that started the wildfire, as Yusuke's fury was unleashed.

His energy radiating off him waves, the young detective obliterated the earth that bound him and his friends to the ground.

Faster than he had ever moved before, Yusuke seized Shintaro's throat.

"There has to be an antidote! Tell me where it is."

"Go – to hell." Shintaro's face was turning blue.

"If you value your life, you'll tell me where it is."

"And if you want to know—you let me go."

Yusuke released him, but pointed his Rei Gun at his face. Hiei, moving slower because of his broken ribs, put his sword to the fallen mongoose's neck.

"Now talk!" But Shintaro merely laughed. Hiei's eyes narrowed into slits. "You clearly do not understand the severity of the situation that you are currently in, mongoose." The demon continued to laugh.

"Do you want to know why I'm laughing? It's at you. The poison is called Rasputine, but you'll have a hell of a time finding the antidote."

"Where is it?" Hiei's sword inched closer to Shintaro's throat.

"Wouldn't you like to know!"

"Yes I would." Trying to come up with a way to make the mongoose talk, Hiei kicked Shintaro full in the face.

A line of blood dribbled from the corner of the demon's mouth.

"Well I'm not going to tell you." Shintaro snatched at Hiei's katana, grabbing the blade. Though the metal sliced at his hands, Shintaro wrenched the weapon away from the fire apparition and hit him behind the jaw. By hitting his pressure point the mongoose caused Hiei's eyes to roll up into the back of his head. The small demon fell to the ground, his mind reeling.

Shintaro sliced at Kuwabara as well. The sword wedged itself in the teen's knee, cracking it. The orange-haired boy howled in pain and fell, unable to balance on one leg.

"This is it Shintaro. You are going to tell me where to find this Rasputine or you're dead."

"Even if I did tell you, it wouldn't make a difference. You won't get your hands on it either way."

"Try me."

"Let's see…..no."

"Fine have it your way." Yusuke gathered energy from the trees and other life around him.

"I don't think so detective." Shintaro gathered orange energy in his left palm.

Both fighters let their immense energy loose at the same time. A huge explosion resulted. After the smoke had cleared, both Yusuke and Shintaro were down.

The teen groaned as he sat up. A sharp pain shot through his right shoulder. He looked down and saw a large, pointed rock imbedded there. Yusuke pulled it out and the gash bled sluggishly.

The spirit detective stood up and walked over the rubble to where Shintaro was lying.

The mongoose definitely looked worse for wear. His once flawless face was covered in bruises and burns. His hair was disheveled, and where they weren't ripped, his clothes were bloody and smoking.

Yusuke kicked Shintaro once in the side and the demon's eyes fluttered open. He weakly tried to sit up, but found that he could not. The young detective realized that the mongoose was not long for this world, and got to the point.

"What is the antidote!"

"Never." Giving Yusuke one final menacing look, he passed out of the living world and into Rekai.

"NO!" As Shintaro's soul fled Ningenkai, so did Kurama's last chance. Coming up with no other thoughts the chocolate-eyed teen decided to get his teammates someplace safe.

He pulled out his Communication Mirror, and Botan appeared on the screen.

"Yusuke you look terrible! But I guess that is to be suspected after your tough mission. By the way congratulations, Shintaro's spirit is here and he is being dealt with as we speak."

"Botan, can you pick us up? Kurama's in pretty bad shape and I don't think any of us have the strength to get him to Genkai's.

"Of course! I'm on my way." Yusuke pocketed the Communication Mirror and went to go wake up Hiei.

"Hiei….Hiei wake up!" The fire apparition's eyes shot open and he quickly sat up. He immediately regretted has actions. Pain and nausea swept over his senses, making him feel sick. However, he soon regained his steely composure and looked over at Shintaro's dead body.

"I take it we won." Then he remembered. "The Rasputine, what's the antidote?" Yusuke hung his head.

"He wouldn't tell me. He died still smirking about it."

"You mean now we don't know where to find it! You idiot! How is Kurama going to survive if you killed the only one who knows where it is!"

"I…don't know. Let's just wake up Kuwabara. Botan's coming, and maybe we can take him to Yukina so she can try to heal him."

"Didn't you hear the mongoose? Only the antidote can save him."

"Don't you think I know that?" Yusuke turned his face towards Hiei, his chocolate eyes shining with unshed tears. "Don't you think I know that it's my fault? The poison was meant for me, and now Kurama's infected with it!"

The fire apparition's gaze softened, but he didn't know how to comfort the distraught teen. He was saved, however, by the arrival of Botan on her oar.

The Deity of Death gasped and rushed to the team's side.

"Botan, we need to get Kurama to Yukina now!"

"Yes, yes. But someone has to carry him. He can't balance on my oar if he's unconscious."

Yusuke bent over and scooped the old fox into his arms. One hand supported his back, and the other held him under the redhead's knees.

"But Yusuke, your shoulder!"

"So what? If Kurama could save me with all of those wounds, then I can sure as hell do this one thing for him."

Botan jumped back onto her oar and Yusuke sat down on it gently.

"Hold on tight." Yusuke wrapped one arm around the fox's waist, and held onto the oar with the other.

"I'm trusted you with him Yusuke. He'd better still be alive by the time I get there."

"No worries." The trio rose up into the air and sailed off in the direction of Genkai's temple.

(A/N: Poor Kurama! Please review with comments on the Rasputine. I would like to thank my friend Alfred for the name of that one, but I still need ideas for where to find it. I'm not sure where this story is going next, so the more you review, the quicker the update!)

¡Adiós!

MightyMongoose