-Tren: Well, I'm back for chapter five of Sympathy for the Devil. What do you think so far? This is actually one of my more amusing stories, considering I love when people review, and Lucas has been a pet project of mine for a while now. Let's keep this short and beautiful, huh?
-g(o)od and (d)evil- Sam Keen (get it?)
It was like a nightmare, or some horror movie you could see at the cinema for five bucks. People find bad guy (or in some cases, bad guy finds people) and people kill bad guy… then bad guy rises from the dead. Kurama and Kuwabara could feel the hair standing up on the backs of their necks when the man's voice said-
"Funny how life turns out, huh?"
This wasn't funny. No… the fact that you most certainly killed a man and he just rose from the dead is never funny, unless you become hysterical which neither of the young men was seriously contemplating but the idea was still in their heads.
"I must say… the weapon of yours really does hurt. Makes me wonder why you use a whip though," Lucas' voice mused, soundly oddly amused considering he just died and now he was making insinuations towards the most modest of their group.
"This… can't… be… happening…" Kuwabara found himself whispering in a breathless tone, his heart currently caught in his throat while it simultaneously dropped down a bottomless pit.
"Oh, it indeed can."
"Impossible…" Kurama breathed, not wishing to turn around but knowing it was inevitable.
"When people say things are impossible, it's simply because no one's done them yet."
Silence greeted this statement as slowly Kurama was the first to turn around, his body tense and ready for the fight he knew to be inevitable. Sure enough, standing right where he body once lay in pieces was a very whole Lucas, and he was grinning the same smug grin. His legs were covered by loose, distressed jeans and secured around his slim waist by a thick black leather belt, the clasp made of thick silver that seemed somewhat black. His feet where bare along with his chest, revealing the same soft, pale skin as the rest of his body. Body retaining the gloriously toned physic of an Olympic swimmer, he managed to look fit without appearing as creepily buff as Arnold Schwarzenegger. One hand resting lightly on his hip, they could see that a thick black cuff was wrapped around it, just barely the moonlight glinted out carved words in a language they didn't understand. Soft hair now hanging around his face, he looked oddly angelic as his icy blue eyes stared at them with an almost giddy expression.
"Hello… you don't look to happy to see me," he noted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he looked, a melodramatic pained expression racing across his face to be replaced by his laughing. Though they both wanted to run, the soft chuckle was so kind and warming, making them feel as though the place was safe though they knew it wasn't.
"Can you blame us?" Kurama replied, getting to his feet as he stared warily at the man who just sighed.
"No… I would guess not, though you should. I mean, did I start the fight?" Lucas asked, ignoring the fact that the spirit of Yusuke was now screaming at him to shut up.
"Yes, but YOU aren't supposed to be here in the first place," Kurama replied while Kuwabara was checking Yusuke's vital signs.
"Oh, not you too. I had heard that you actually possessed a brain. Seems as though once again I've been proven wrong," he muttered off the last part before starting up again, "Of course, can you really blame me? I hate it when people tell me what I have to do. Could it really be any more frustrating?" Lucas waved his hand off casually, sighing forlornly.
"There are usually well founded reasons behind limits such as those," Kurama said, shaking his head slowly as he looked over his shoulder at Kazuma to see how Yusuke's body was doing.
"He's fine… still not respondin'. Getting' sorta cold though."
"Seems like you're running of time," Lucas noted, nodding his head over to them, "I think I'm gonna leave though…" he turned on his heel and made to walk off. As he did so, he revealed a long, thick scar running down the right side of his back, covering a good portion of where his shoulder blade should be. It looked old and painful, as though something had been ripped out of him.
"Wait! Put our friend back into his body!" Kurama cried out, taking a few steps towards him hastily, then stopping as the man glared over his non-scarred shoulder and glared at him.
"I'll do so… if…" There was always an 'if', "If you can beat me. Though I doubt you can, so maybe I should make it more fair. How about, if you amuse me, you'll little friend can finally get back to his body once more, he should really take better care of that thing, smoking will kill you, you know."
Even though he had stated that his habit was indeed lethal, he reached down and picked up his cigarette that had fallen out of his dead hands. He stared forlornly at it for a moment, mainly because it had been snuffed out and crumpled like an accordion.
"Damn… last one of the pack."
Sighing he tossed it despondently away and looked over, making a vaguely annoyed face before turning around completely and once again standing there, one hand still on his hip.
"Gonna amuse me yet? I mean… you do have two ways…" he whispered the last part and licked his lips slowly, his eyes beginning to smolder with something other than hatred.
"You're disgusting," Kurama spat back, motioning to Kuwabara to stay out of "this".
"My dear boy, I haven't even started, though thank you!" he laughed at the last part, waving the hand with the cuffed wrist through the air.
Despite himself, Kurama felt himself oddly curious about the thick bracelet as he tried to figure out just what it was, and more importantly, what the writing carved into it said. After a moment of silence Kuwabara brought up what was on Kurama's mind.
"Hey, wazzat?" he pointed vaguely in the direction of the cuff.
"What?" the man looked around "Is this one of those things where when I turn around you'll have run off?"
"No, that!"
"Hm?" he followed where the boy was pointing though he looked instead below his belt. "I am male…"
"NO!" Kuwabara was getting more annoyed by the second.
"He means, that cuff you wear on your left wrist," Kurama added briskly, one brow beginning to twitch in annoyance.
"Oh? This old thing?" he cocked his eyebrows at them and held his wrist up to the level of his jaw so they could see it better. "This, my dear children, is a manacle…"
"A what?" the question came obviously from Kuwabara.
"A manacle… the old, clunky versions of hand cuffs. Good Lord, are you renting the empty space in your head, it could be quite profitable."
"Why are you wearing one?" Kurama asked, gladly beating Kazuma to the chase so he wouldn't ask yet another dumb question.
"Hm? Oh… for my terrible sins…" he looked off, theatrically placing the back of his hand to his head. When he finally looked back he had a dastardly grin spreading from ear to ear, "Of course, it's not like I'm paying in other ways… But no… I cannot remove this until I've been… forgiven, per say." He let loose a short, self loathing laugh as he derisively looked off.
"And what would your sins be?" Kurama asked, stalling until he could come up with a battle plan.
"For me to know and for you to… well, ponder about. So how about you try and entertain me?"
"My pleasure," Kurama nodded his head towards Lucas, transforming his whip back into its bud and tucking it behind his ear. He had already realized that using the whip hadn't worked, so outright killing wouldn't affect him. Reaching back he pulled out a simple plant with thick jade colored leaves at perfectly round black berries. As soon as Lucas' smelled the soft odor he paled even more so than usual and his eyes grew slightly wider.
"Deadly Nightshade?" he asked warily, his eyes returning quickly to their original size and skin back to its usual creamy shade.
"Yes… Since physical attacks don't seem to work, perhaps something from the inside," Kurama replied, turning it quickly into an elegant blade and with that he darted forward, grateful that Hiei had taught him how to fight with a sword.
"HEY!" Lucas cried out in surprise, barely dodging the blow by a hair's width. "Where's the fairness in this fight! I have nothing to defend myself with!"
"Then find something or return Yusuke back to his body!" Kurama replied quickly, making three slashes at the man, only one connected, a long thin line of black across the man's right shoulder.
It took only seconds for the poison to begin to take affect, burning through his body like fire as his heart sent it through his veins. His dodges became slower until finally Kurama went to make a killing blow towards the man's neck when the blade wouldn't move forward any more. Scanning down the length of the blade he could see the man was holding it between his fingers, again his blood dripping down between the digits.
"You're good, normally it would cut a man's hand in half," Kurama noted, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the man's face.
Poison had definitely taken its effect; sweat was beading up on the man's forehead and was now drenching his face and dripping off his chin. Skin almost ashy now, the only lively thing about him was his eyes which looked as though they were beginning to dim.
"I'm lucky…" he replied breathlessly, "I tire of this weapon and its poison."
As he stared the red haired teen straight in the eyes he suddenly grinned, his body appearing normal once more as bright blue flames engulfed the plant's blade. Stumbling backwards as he quickly let go, Kurama tried to blink away the damage that the surprisingly bright flames had done on his eyes. Sadly it didn't work as dark afterimages floated across his vision to the point that it obscured anything in front to him. Next thing he knew, there was a fast, hard pressure against his chest as Lucas planted a kick straight to the base of his ribcage, making him sprawl backwards.
"Hm… I do believe this is a bit more fair," Lucas mused, his voice hinting at his slight glee.
"HEY! That's unfair!" Kuwabara cried out as he tried to get over and defend Kurama.
"Kazuma! Don't!" Kurama warned, his eyes unfocused and staring at the ground before him, although all he saw was darkness.
"But!"
"Not 'but's. Yusuke's life is on the line, I'll be fine!"
"Aw… isn't that…CUTE!" as Lucas shot out the last word his knee collided just under Kurama's chin, making the teen collapse backwards.
"I just love the camaraderie of you Spirit Detectives. How sweet, don't worry, Kazuma, you're little rosy haired bishonen will be just fine…" Lucas reassured, walking a slow circle around the teen.
That was when Kurama realized that he didn't need his eyes to know just where
Lucas was. Each step the man made was heavy and though he hadn't noticed it before, seemed to land against the grass with the weight of the world. Sure, he was silent enough, but with the distraction of vision temporarily taken away, Kurama knew he could still fight.
"So, dear boy…" Lucas got ready to give another kick, "Are you ready to give up the… ghost, so to speak?"
Just as his attack was about to collide, Kurama dodged to the left and was ready for the follow up, scuttling backwards just in time. It continued like this for a good three or more attacks before his vision finally returned, though it was a bit fuzzy. Trying to figure out just where exactly the man was Kurama readied himself to dodge when it didn't happen. Instead the man looked off, spitting something off, and it hit Kurama three seconds later that it was the poison. How the man did that, he'd never know.
"Hm… vision coming back?" Lucas asked, cocking his head playfully as Kurama stood up, still wary. Though the man looked laid back, it seemed impossible to tell when he might strike because of that very reason. His body never seemed to have to get ready for an attack, it just happened.
"I am not finished yet…" Kurama replied, and though he acted calm he felt terror.
"Really? Because I think you are… Lucky for you I'm in a generous mood. It's late tonight, you boys are definitely up past your bedtimes… and I'm intrigued with you now… This will not be the last you see of me," Lucas waved one hand, bored, and slowly, Yusuke began to move.
"So… Spirit Detectives…" he walked calmly over to Kurama, bending down ever so slightly so he could look him in the eyes, "Make sure to… keep in touch?" With one swift movement he spun around and left, quickly, and quietly as ever, leaving dumbfounded Reikai Tentai in his tracks.
"Damn… I hate ending fights quickly," he muttered as soon as he was a ways away, scowling as he made his way back to his hotel. Doing some complex motion with his left hand a small slice of shadows from the alley he was passing flowed around him, settling into a warm black oxford shirt, the top three buttons undone as usual. With another wave a thin ribbon of darkness wrapped around his hair, pulling it away from his face and back into it's pony tail.
Though he didn't like the idea he went back to his room and slept the remaining few hours of the day away, waiting until the sun would wake him and he could begin to his scheming once again, or if all else failed, return to his vacation.
In the meantime the Spirit Detectives were finding out why the blonde haired pretty boy had left in such a hurry…
Slowly Yusuke was regaining total control of his body until he managed to sit up, leaning against the arm that Kuwabara had gently placed against his back. At that moment, his entire body started to get that disgustingly tingly feeling that always happens after your leg falls asleep. Although this time, it was his entire body.
"Do you think he's gone for good?" Kuwabara asked timidly, his voice slowly stopping its trembling and returning to its usual sandpaper tones.
"I wouldn't bet on it. He isn't done with us yet," Kurama responded ominously, checking Yusuke over for any signs of long term damage.
"I don't like the sound of that," Yusuke groaned, finally standing up on weak legs that, at any given moment, threatened to give out from under him.
"You shouldn't."
All three of the teens realized that the voice did not come from them at the same time, their skin growing ghostly pale and their eyes becoming around the same size and shape of dinner plates.
"Not again…. Not now…" Yusuke nearly cried out, feeling vaguely faint though, like any macho idiot just put up more bravado.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to fight," the mystery speaker added tersely.
Now they were looking around almost frantically, not in anyway trusting the voice, though it sounded vaguely male.
"If you're not here to fight, then show yourself," Kurama responded quickly.
Softly, behind them, they could just barely feel someone, a chaotic aura that was paradoxically tranquil. Reluctantly they turned to face him and were floored by what they saw.
Standing calmly in front of them from across the clearing was a man, just as tall a Lucas, though he had none of the terrifying presence. Instead he was simply awe inspiring. His thin, well muscled body was covered in an old pair of jeans that had defiantly seen better days which was firmly affixed just below his hip bones with a black leather belt with a gold clasp in the shape of a wing, the tips made of onyx. Covering his torso was a stiff jacket that appeared to be made of canvas. The collar was wide and rose up to a little past his chin while the sleeves were long and intricate patterns were cut out of the fabric to reveal his tanned, weathered hands and wrists, though the fabric went about a good eight inches past his fingertips. Thick silver buttons kept the jacket closed across his body in military rows and two thick silver bars were affixed across the shoulders like a general of a age long since hence. Large black boots were keeping his feet covered, though they made him appear vaguely like the bought them at the nearest Hot Topic. Though that was not the truly impressive thing about the man, no, it was his face. Perfect in every choice of the word, he managed to in no way look girly, but instead appear like every woman's dream man, a real life Indiana Jones without the fear of snakes or the four o'clock shadow. His eyes were alert, awake and the most perfect, pure color of periwinkle any of the boys had ever seen. Framing his face were wild, chin length bangs, the rest was pulled back away from his face at the nape of his neck with a thick ring of silver and fell evenly just to his knees. Each soft lock was the color of pure gold that glowed gloriously in the light. Adding to the final effect was the impressive sword strapped across his back, the large handle glinting in the light as the moon refused to reflect of the soft straps of cloth tied around criss-cross style in of most swords used in the medieval era.
For an instant, all three Reikai Tentai were speechless as the man walked over, silent as Lucas, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket.
"So, I've shown myself… still think I'm here to fight?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at them sardonically.
"Uh, yeah. You still have a weapon," Yusuke replied quickly, wishing with every fiber of his being that the man was being truthful.
"Bit skeptical aren't you? I'm a good guy, does that make sense?"
"You'll forgive us, but we haven't had the best luck with meeting new people as of late. And Yusuke is correct, you do have a weapon," Kurama added, trying to be helpful as usual.
"I carry a weapon because I'm forced to. It's not like I can leave lying around," the man added, a pained yet annoyed expression racing across his perfect features for an instant.
"Still, you don't seem trustworthy," Kuwabara nodded his head along with the statement.
"Oh, sorry for THAT!" the man replied sarcastically as he walked over, stopping first at Kurama. He gently placed a hand against the largest wound on Kurama, a large bruise from one of Lucas' various well planted kicks. Slowly, light began to spread from his hand in oceanic like waves until each injury had returned to it's original unmarred state. As he went to work on Kazuma (he simply ignored Yusuke) the orange haired punk noticed, with slightly confusion, that for an instant, the man appeared to have wings. They disappeared within seconds and even then were nothing more than a soft relief of moonlight, but they seemed, somehow, tainted. Not evil, but not as pure as they could've been either. The man sighed, stepping away from them, making as to leave when he was stopped by Yusuke.
"Hey, why exactly are you doing this?"
Thinking it over, the man looked over and gave sigh that they had often heard Hiei give when presented with another menial mission.
"Because my own boss wanted me too. Personally, I don't care if He kills off a few spirit detectives, but again, by boss does. So…," at this point he spread his arms out in the universal sign of "Here I am".
"That's… comforting…" Kurama looked off before Kuwabara spoke up as soon as the man tried to once again leave.
"Hey, what's your name?"
The man looked casually over his shoulder and responded.
"Gabriel."
"Now THAT is a good bad guy name!" Yusuke cried out, making the man stop, a vein popping out at being, in a way, called a bad guy.
"What?" Gabriel asked, staring almost shocked at the three detectives.
"I'm just sayin'… Lucas is wimpy… Gabriel… yeah, that has a good ring to it!"
Looking off, Gabriel quickly walked away and the spirit detectives went back to their lives, if a bit startled and scared while Lucas sat up in his room, watching old re-runs of t.v shows, zoning out.
Whoever said Evil had the most fun?
-Thanks for bearing with me this far! Another character has been set into the storyline… Wow, can you guess figure out, without a doubt, who Lucas is now? Or do I still have you stumped? How are the lengths of my chapters? Good? Well, onto the review responses.
Sabs- Oh my! Bit upset in this review?
Paperpenguin- Lucas is stereotypical? Well… now that I look back on him, I guess he is… whoops! Though I must admit, he seems to be workin' it pretty well. And goodness, you're comparing it to Good Omens? I'm flattered. Gawd, I love that book!
M0nk3ys wI11 Ru13 th3 w0r1d- Wow… it was awesome? Shuh-weet! And sorry, I hate reading cliffhangers…. But LOVE to write them. Did his chapter live up to your expectations?
Hottytottie90-This is your first response on a…. quiz…? Glad that you feel honored! I like honoring all my reviewers… without you I'd just… feel dumb… Hey, you like cliffhangers? Why not talk to M0nk3ys up there? Can you find more biblical references?
Mirakuru Rein- Oh my…. O.o. Sweet! I love responses like that! You were at the edge of your seat? Well, I was on the edge of my seat writing this… but that's cuz my parents don't know that I type fanfics…. Shhhh…. And no… I've never been one to write fanfics where everybody dies in the end… though it's never to late to try out new things. Well, you're guesses will all be figured out eventually!
Sugar high water uma- Intelligently written? Wow, didja read THAT Sabs! Coolio! I hate doing fight scenes because I'm afraid people won't get what I'm trying to get across! Is this work still awesome?
Niana Kuonji- Ooooh! Pocky? Can I have some? And shall we dance? (looks over to Lucas)
Well… until next chapter, cheerio!