The Mage and the Sorcerer Saga

Episode two: Trouble! The forbidden child

Ice-Puppet

--

A small snort left the small one before he dropped from the tree and broke off, speed too fast for all humans and most demons to see. Once he reached his destination – perhaps half an hour later – he stopped and called for the one he had come to see.

Glowing purple eyes watched him from the shadows of the cave, eager to hear his report.

"They have reached the mage and are returning with him now," the small one accounted, bowing low but never removing his eyes, letting the man know that although he worked for him, he was not below him.

"Do not let them reach the castle," he informed, a small grin on his face. "Kill the mage, but leave the guards. Ishall like to see their facesas the prince dies."

Snorting, the red-eyed once was off then, returning to following the mage and two guards.

--

"So you're a half-demon?" Yuusuke asked, attempting to make small conversation with the trembling boy that clung to him, squeaking every time the horse jerked. He had assumed Kurama was joking when he stated that he had never been on a horse, but now he knew that the boy was telling the truth. "I mean, because of your father."

"Yes," was the other's response as his fingers tightened on Yuusuke's shirt once more, body pressing to the brunette's and making him flush slightly. "Why?"

"Well, it's not common… I myself am a half-demon as well," he informed, jumping slightly when Kurama yelped again as Usagi jerked. "Hey! You stupid horse! You're doing that on purpose!"

"Really? I couldn't tell." If Kurama's sarcasm was responding to his confession or his curses at the animal Yuusuke could not tell, but either way he was right.

Silence passed between them and the animal seemed to sense the comfort, because it stopped jerking and settled into a calm walk. Kazuma had gone ahead to scout out for anything dangerous, also to leave Yuusuke to 'make amends for hurting Kurama's feelings' (as he had said).

"You know," the redhead commented, poking his head around Yuusuke's shoulder, almond-shamed green eyes watching the brunette and blinking owlishly. "You're really obvious."

"About what?" The guard inquired nervously, already knowing what the mage was talking about.

Kurama laughed at his fake attempt of nativity. "It's none of my business, though. But if you ever want to talk to someone you barely know who you kidnapped, you're welcome to." He moved his head back again and rested it against Yuusuke's back, grinning as he heard the other's heartbeat moving faster than normal.

"I just… care," Yuusuke mumbled, suddenly lost in thought. "And I guess… he cares too? I don't know… we listen to each other. And that's what we both need… no more, no less."

Smiling, Kurama moved his arms to fully hug the other instead of just clinging to him, resting his forehead against the brunette's neck. "I read feelings, Yuusuke," he whispered. "Not minds. You don't need to say it for me to know."

Silence filled them, then, and stayed that way for at least an hour before Kurama squeaking once more – much like he had done when Usagi had jerked – and squeezing Yuusuke tightly broke it suddenly.

"Kurama?" The guard questioned in surprise, looking over his shoulder. "What's wr-?"

He jerked and fell off Usagi along with the redhead when a burst of flame nearly hit him from the side, blocked by a large barrier and spreading out to the sides instead. When he looked up Kurama had gotten to his feet and had placed his hands together in front of him, fingers crossing in odd ways that Yuusuke was sure he could not do with years of practice.

"Come out, dragon," he stated calmly as Usagi ran off, out of the way of the fight he knew was coming. "Do not make me force you."

A black blur dropped down from a nearby tree and approached, stopping nearby and lifting a head full of black hair (a white pattern dancing across the front) to reveal red eyes.

Kurama jumped slightly, but his fingers remained laced together. "Forbidden child," he stated calmly, without accusation.

"Forbidden child?" Yuusuke repeated in surprise, looking from Kurama to the short man (obviously a dragon by the white hair that danced across the front of his black hair).

"Dragons have black eyes," the redhead informed, never taking his eyes from the dragon. "Koorime, ice maidens, have red eyes. He is half of both."

It took Yuusuke a moment, but he realized what it meant. Dragons were of the side of evil, while ice maidens were the side of good. This dragon… forbidden child, as Kurama had called him… was born of both good and evil.

"Mage," the dragon returned, one hand on his hip and an un-amused look on his face.

"You were sent here, correct?" Kurama inquired, voice blank as he watched the other. "By the sorcerer."

"Smart," the dragon responded, watching as Yuusuke stood. "I would stay out of this, ningen. A human is no match for a dragon. Even a half-breed."

Kurama snorted slightly, a half-smile on his face. "I doubt even I can win against a dragon yet."

"Good," the red-eyed man stated, pulling a sword from under his cloak in one swift movement. "That will make my job easy."

"Wait," the redhead requested, dropping his arms and with it, the shield. The dragon waited, still. "Won't you at least tell me your name?"

Snorting, the red-eyed man sent a quick glare. "Do you take me for a fool, mage?" He was referring to the fact that if one knew a dragon's real name, he held power over that dragon… although they did not necessarily need to abuse it.

A smile crossed the boy's lips at those words. "Of course not," he informed.

Yuusuke gaped as the dragon moved forward quickly, slicing his sword in an upward motion directly at Kurama – what surprised him even more, along with the red-eyed man, was that Kurama simply stood there and took the hit without as much as raising a hand to protect himself. With a gasp the mage stumbled back and fell to the ground, hands grasping the wound but not healing it.

"What are you, an idiot?" Yuusuke cried, attempting to move and help the mage but stopping when the other held up a hand – not by choice, but by magic. "Kurama… you know how to fight at least, don't you?"

"Of course I do," he breathed forcefully.

"Then why the hell aren't you?" With these words the dragon lifted his sword again, ready to attack in case the redhead decided to.

"I am a mage, Yuusuke," Kurama informed, looking toward Hiei as he spoke. "As a mage, I took an oath to never harm anyone on the side of good – no mater the circumstances." As he said this, he brought himself up to stand once more, one arm wrapped around the wound and a small smile on his face.

"Idiot," The dragon accused without emotion, moving forward once more and easily sliding his weapon straight through Kurama's right shoulder. The redhead cried out in pain softly, the sound only barely filling the air as he fought to keep on his feet. It took the red-eyed man a moment before he stated, "You really have no intention of fighting me?"

"No…" The other boy whispered, voice heavy with pain.

A snort was all that left the dragon before he stated, "Good. Makes my job even easier."

"You asshole!" Yuusuke accused. "He's not even going to fight you back! And you still plan on killing him?"

Before the red-eyed man could respond (if he planned on it), his body jerked backward a few feet and Kurama crumpled to the ground, sword still stuck in his shoulder. Yuusuke watched in awe as a person with long gray hair appeared, back turned to him.

"Dragon's have no heart," was all the person said before forming a seal (unlike the one Kurama had used before) and knocking the red-eyed dragon unconscious.

Turning, the person was revealed as an elderly lady with curly gray hair. She approached, ignoring Yuusuke and instead going to Kurama. As she spoke her voice had a small scratch in it, revealing her age to not only be appearance. "You have a good heart," she told the young boy before jerking the sword from his shoulder in a quick motion, drawing a small cry from him.

"Hey, old lady!" Yuusuke cried, hoping she was not there to kill the redhead as well. She had used magic, however, and looking at her face revealed glowing green eyes, meaning she was a mage. "What is it you want?"

"Shut up!" She responded angrily, placing her hands on Kurama's wound and sending waves of magic into it, closing it almost instantly. She did the same with the one on his chest but by then he was already unconscious. A wave of her hand and the spell on Yuusuke was released as well. "Why is a guard of Prince Koenma's out here with a young Kit mage?"

"We need him to heal Prince Koenma," the brunette stated, approaching Kurama and lifting him up when the old woman motioned for him to do so. "His father mentioned him."

"That good-for-nothing?" Sighing, the old woman approached the unconscious dragon.

"You know him?" Yuusuke asked, watching her. "And Kurama here, too?"

"I'm the one that trained him," she informed. "Them both, actually." Yuusuke's face twisted to one of surprise. "And you there, hiding in the trees. Get out here and help me carry this good-for-nothing dragon." As if to make her point the woman poked at the dragon with her toe.

Sputtering like a dying fountain, Kuwabara flew forward and quickly slung the black-clad man over his shoulder, blushing like mad.

"My name is Genkai," the woman informed.

"Urameshi Yuusuke," Yuusuke responded. "That idiot is Kuwabara Kazuma."

"You can rest at my house until they both awaken," she stated, motioning for them to follow as she began walking. "I'm sure your horses will enjoy a real rest."

"Oh god! The horses!" Yuusuke cried suddenly, nearly dropping Kurama. "Koenma is going to kill me if he finds out I lost Usagi!" He did not notice his slip up.

"It was your horse that came and got me," Genkai stated, not commenting on the slip up, however. "He is fine."

Breathing a large sigh of relief, the brunette shifted Kurama to be more comfortable in his hold. "I'm glad… that horse is like Koenma's life… he would be so pissed off if I had lost him…"

Noting the second slip, Genkai only closed her eyes and continued walking.

--

Sipping her tea, the elderly woman shifted slightly and closed her eyes, taking in the feelings of those beside her. Kazuma was calm and comfortable, happy to be resting for more than just a few moments, while Yuusuke was edgy and eager to leave.

"His father's power is greater than you think," she assured the brunette. "It will hold for at least another month, Yuusuke. Calm down."

Sighing, the brunette did not calm one bit. Instead, he changed the subject. "You talk about his father like you don't like him."

"He is unworthy of my affections," she informed, glancing at him. "He was an excellent student, yes… but he left his child behind."

"Why?" Kazuma asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't know. But does it matter?" The old woman asked him and he frowned slightly. "That boy has lived through hell, not only because of being a half demon but because of being a mage, and he was forced to live through it without his father to help him. I could only do so much for him… I am not his family and I live so far away. When he is upset he cannot run a night's worth to have me comfort him."

"What about his mother?" The taller man asked, sipping his own tea after a moment. As soon as doing so his entire body calmed and he sighed gently. "This is really good tea…"

"Thank you," Genkai responded absent-mindedly. "His mother cared very much for him, but he was not enough to fill her heart and she married. She fell ill then and died a painful and drawn-out death. Kurama was unable to heal her and blames himself for it."

"Why does he go by Kurama?" Yuusuke asked, sipping the tea as well and feeling himself relax. "This is good tea."

"Thank you," she responded again without really hearing the words. "His step brother is named Shuuichi as well. In order to not get confused, his brother advised one of them take on a nickname. Kurama decided he would go by his father's name to make things easier. It is a rarity that anyone refers to him as Shuuichi anymore. I am fairly sure if someone were to do so he would be utterly confused."

Sighing, Yuusuke looked down into his lap, feeling suddenly guilty. He knew she could feel it and so he explained. "I feel guilty because… we just crash into his world and drag him from it in the worst way possible before we force him to fight our war for us… we didn't even think about it before hand. I guess… we were all just so worried about Koenma that we didn't have time to worry about anyone else."

"To be honest, he will be happier away from home," Genkai admitted, looking to him. "But I do not believe he is ready for everything that will happen."

"You don't think he can heal Prince Koenma?" Kazuma asked, still referring to the prince by his title.

"Kurama's healing power is great," she stated in a way that meant the healing was not the problem. "But his fighting power is not. During his training, he used tact, mostly… tricked the enemy into making a mistake without realizing it. He can battle, but if possible he does not wish to, and thus is not exactly well at it." Her eyes closed then, as if in memory. "But… if crossed, Kurama can become very cruel… someone that you would not recognize, no matter how long you have known him. He does not often kill, but he will if coaxed by rage."

Swallowing nervously, the guards looked to one another at those words. They had not expected someone like the sweet Kurama they had only just met to be able to kill someone.

"Get some rest," Genkai stated, standing up. "I will awaken you both when they do."

--

Yuusuke could not sleep, however, no matter how much he attempted to. Kazuma's snores echoed in his ears but his mind did not register them, instead filling with images of the dying Prince back home.

"Welcome," Koenma had greeted the guest as he had done millions of times, smiling warmly and nodding his head as the man bowed before him and took hold of his thin, pale hand.

"My Prince," the black-clad demon had purred, living his eyes to the Prince's for only a moment, but making the boy freeze. Yuusuke had felt wary at that, but then Koenma had smiled again – a bit uneasily, however.

Lowering his head, the demon's lips had just barely brushed the top of Koenma's hand before the golden brown eyes of the Prince's had grown empty and he had dropped to the side of the throne, eyes still open and hand falling from the demon's grasp.

Chaos had fallen upon the throne room then, people screaming and guards rushing to catch the demon whom had already disappeared. Yuusuke had rushed toward the fallen Prince and gripped at his shoulders in an attempt to get a response out of him.

Koenma's mouth had, unconsciously, begun to work the pacifier in his mouth. This in itself was strange – not only was he doing so in an empty state of mind, but Koenma never really used the pacifier… it was only there for comfort.

"Koenma!" Botan had cried then, breaking him out of his surprised shell.

"Find that demon!" He snapped then, angrily, although he knew they would not. "Someone get a healer, or a mage, or… or something!" Lifting the Prince easily into his arms, Yuusuke had rushed out of the chaotic throne room then, holding the brown-haired boy closely in his arms and praying to whatever gods there were to spare his life.

"Thinking of someone special?"

Jumping, the guard turned to find Genkai watching him from the doorway. She motioned for him to follow and he stood.

The two of them walked outside to where a small garden was, a river flowing through with fish inside of it, the only light from the half moon.

"The Prince, right?" Genkai asked after a moment as he watched the fish quietly.

"How do you know?" He questioned, lifting his eyes from the fish to rest them on her.

She smiled slightly. "Kurama used to get the same feelings about his father." She hummed then as the wind picked up her hair. "Although there is something more there that he never felt for his father."

Ignoring the slight heat in his cheeks, Yuusuke turned back to the fish.

"You don't need to say it for me to know."

"Kurama said the same thing…" the brunette whispered, reaching out to touch the water and watching how, as it ripped, the fish made haste to get away as if escaping some sort of world-ending chaos. "What does that mean?"

Snorting, Genkai rested a hand on his shoulder. "You know what it means," she informed. "But what will you make of its information?"

Eyes softening, Yuusuke watched as, cautiously, the fish approached the un-rippling spot again, testing to see if the water would become unstable again if they approached… like they had been the cause of the problem.

"Does Kurama really long for his father?" The brunette asked, changing the subject to a safer one, although it still held the same meaning as the one before.

Genkai seemed to understand this as she looked toward the fish, as well. "Not anymore," she stated. "But perhaps he knows something that no one else does."

Lifting his eyes toward the suddenly rising sun, Yuusuke frowned slightly and thought carefully about his next words. "Is there any chance that Kurama can… save Koenma?"

The old woman hummed for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder. "There is no doubt in my mind that, once at the Prince's beside, Kurama will have the ability to heal him." She removed her hand then and began to walk away, calling back, "It is getting him there that will be the problem."

--

Red eyes snapped open suddenly only to see a smiling face, long red hair curling downward toward him, dangling just above his nose.

"Morning!" The Mage chirped, making the dragon jump and nearly knock the poor green-eyed boy off of the bed.

"Idiot!" The red-eyed dragon accused angrily, looking around for his sword and not finding it anywhere. So, instead, he attempted to summon up fire only to feel his body freeze. Upon shifting his still working eyes he found the half-kitsune holding his fingers together in a separate seal than the one he had been using before. "Hn. I thought you weren't going to hurt me?"

"You're not in pain, are you?" The mage inquired in an amused voice, tilting his head with a soft smile. "I just came in here to see if you were awake yet."

"And now you know. So get out."

"And let you leave? I don't think so."

As if a sign of trust, the pale boy's hands dropped, releasing the spell. A bit perplexed (although not showing it), the dragon shot him a small look but decided not to kill him just yet.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" The mage asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Hn," was the response. "Why are you so interested in my name?"

"Well… I have to call you something. I can't just go around saying, 'Hey! Dragon boy!', can I? No… that's very rude."

Seemingly amused by the other's display of exaggerated words, the demon muttered, "Call me Hiei."

Smiling widely, the redhead gave a soft bow. "It's nice to meet you, Hiei. I'm Shuuichi, but I'd prefer it if you called me Kurama."

"Ah… so you're related to him."

The words caused a look of pain to flash through those green eyes that the other didn't bother to hide before flopping down onto the bed across from Hiei's, smiling again.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you," Hiei ordered, a bit fed up with the kitsune's games.

"No matter what I say you'll still want to," Kurama pointed out in amusement, an eyebrow arched.

"You're smarter than your companions, I see," the dragon commented, glancing outside where the two guards were making some sort of noise about a trivial thing. "Not to mention your fath-"

He hadn't even seen the other move before he was suddenly pinned against the unsteady rice-paper wall of the room, green eyes flashing angrily and small hands holding his neck in a tight but not bruising grip.

"That subject," Kurama breathed angrily. "Is off-limits."

Making his point, the redhead dropped Hiei and stood, crossing the room to where the other's sword lay, picking it up. He examined it for a moment before throwing it to the other.

"You cry black tear-gems," the mage commented, voicing the words like he was pointing out that it was slightly cloudy with a chance of rain. Hiei did not comment, and so he continued, "The one on the end of your sword… who did you cry if for?"

"You sound jealous, kitsune," the dragon pointed out.

Green eyes narrowed slightly and a small grin followed. "Curious. I am a kitsune." Although it was meant as a joke, Hiei knew the words were also to point out that while his father was off limits, his being a kitsune was not.

"Why tell you? I'm going to kill you," the red-eyed man informed, pushing himself off of the bed in one swift motion.

"If you were going to kill me, Hiei," Kurama pointed out, smiling not only in lips but also in eyes. "Then you would not have told me your real name."

"Ch'," the dragon responded although he did not deny the accusation. He approached then, lifting up his sword and laying it against the smiling half-kitsune's neck. "I could kill you, and you wouldn't stop me."

"You seem so sure of yourself," the other boy responded, smiling even more. "Because I showed you kindness once. Have you come to trust me, Hiei?"

"Trust?" Hiei asked in response. "I trust no one."

"As you shouldn't," was the simple answer before Kurama held up a hand and placed it against Hiei's, making the dragon jump. Slowly, as if testing the movement, the Kit pushed the sword from his neck, his eyes never leaving the red ones. With a snort, the shorter man pulled it the rest of the way and moved to stand on the other side of the room.

Amused, the kitsune inquired, "Why did you follow the orders to come and kill me?" Although he did not speak the words, the implication was there. 'You don't seem like the type to follow orders.'

"That bastard learned my true name," the elder informed, crossing his arms and glaring toward Kurama. "Sorcerers can read minds, after all." The redhead merely smiled at these words, knowing there was something beyond this but not inquiring as to what it was.

"Well," the redhead chirped after a moment, pulling himself to his feet. "It was nice to meet you, Hiei… I hope we do so again."

"Hn. You're going to let me go that easy," the words were not so much a question as a demand, red eyes watching him as if disbelieving.

"There isn't much else I can do," Kurama responded with a warm smile. "If I refuse to hurt you, and you want to kill me… it's best we not hang out and become the best of friends, right? Unless you feel like following two ningen and a mage toward the castle."

Not even having to think twice at these words, Hiei moved toward the door.

"Hiei," Kurama called out, requesting for him to stop but not demanding as he could have done. Finding a bit of comfort in this fact, the dragon turned to look at him. Smiling, the redhead offered, "Good luck with whatever it is that is troubling you."

"Hn," was all Hiei responded before he was gone.

--

Okay, so… Genkai doesn't have green eyes. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it.

Love you guys! –IP

Next chapter: Comfort! Taking it to the next level