Part Eleven: A New Ally and a Forced Confession
Karasu hangs up the phone and sees Oto looking at him. "So?" he asks. The violet-eyed demon hesitates to answer him. "Karasu." The warning in the burly demon's voice tells Karasu that he had better give him a response.
Kuwabara couldn't reach anyone at Koenma's office but Kurama did," Karasu admits worrying about the burly demon's reaction to such information.
"You think Koenma is behind this?" Oto demands.
"Yes," he answers hesitantly. He watches Oto's eyes widen from behind his sunglasses.
"Why would he want to take my brother?"
"We don't know, Oto, but we WILL find him. Koenma will NOT get away with this!"
"Why do I have a feeling that it is going to take an incredibly suicidal stunt to save that pregnant midget?" Bui asks.
"Because more than likely, it will," Karasu tells him still watching Oto. The burly demon looks as if he's going to start hyperventilating and Karasu knows that this is NOT going to be a pleasant scene if he does.
"Why are we going after Ani again? Couldn't we just leave the midget there?"
Karasu cringes. "Now you've done it. Oto is going to kill you." He doesn't get finished with that sentence before Oto charges at Bui. The violet-eyed demon decides that he should get outside before the walls start falling. Walking outside, he sees Kuwabara heading up the path. "You don't want to go in there," he says walking up to the carrot-top who looks at him in confusion. "Bui said something incredibly stupid and Oto is inside beating him up."
"I am guessing he said something about Ani didn't he?" Kuwabara asks.
"Yes," Karasu answers. The carrot-top shakes his head. Didn't that demon EVER learn?
"I am worried about him," Kuwabara says softly, looking into the distance, "I don't have a good feeling about why Koenma would want him kidnapped."
"In all honesty, neither do I," Karasu answers him. He takes a moment to look at the youth. Kuwabara hadn't changed much since he'd last seen him at the Dark Tournament…not physically anyway. The youth looked stronger though and he certainly felt that way as well, though Karasu doesn't know why he senses a demon aura around the boy. He doesn't think it prudent to worry the Detective more then he obviously was. Thought the fact that he is worried about Ani makes him wonder just what the youth's feelings were about the smaller demon but he doesn't ask. There were more pressing matters to deal with without him trying to figure out Kuwabara's intentions.
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Ani doesn't know how long he's left there on the floor of the cell. Koenma hadn't been decent enough to leave a cot but that doesn't surprise the golden-eyed demon. The prince had revealed that he wants him dead and he is still trying to come to terms with the realization that he had killed four others because they were pregnant as well. 'You're thinking to much,' he mentally berates himself, 'You need to try and figure out how to get out of here not worrying about the fate of other demons who are of no consequence to you.' He finds it hard to accomplish this as he is sure he's heard of Kuronue before. He just wishes he knew where he had heard THAT name…wait, he had said YOKO! A sick feeling twists in his stomach as he realizes that Koenma had been responsible for the death of someone dear to the fox-demon. 'Have you any idea what he will do if he finds out YOU killed his lover, Koenma?' he wonders. It would probably be a sight no one would want to be privy to.
Footsteps approach and Ani wonders if Koenma was finally ready to kill him. He watches and is surprised that it is the other demon that helped kidnap him. He watches the male warily wondering what he wanted. He silently observes Ani from the doorway of the cell. "Do you need something?" the smaller demon demands.
"That cannot be comfortable," the stranger comments. Ani doesn't answer. "He's incorrect, you know."
"Who?" Ani inquires suddenly curious.
"Koenma. He thinks he's getting rid of ONE child…that's not true," the demon answers. Ani looks at him. "You're having triplets," the demon says answering Ani's unspoken question. He watches as Ani's eyes widen.
"T-triplets?" the smaller demon whispers.
"Yes, triplets. Two boys and a girl."
Ani stares at him. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to take precautions. Having ONE child is hard enough but three…you are going to have a wonderful time trying to keep your hormones in check."
"I fail to see how that matters now. I am going to DIE!"
The demon snickers. "No, no you're not."
"How do you know?"
The demon merely reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone. "What's your number?"
"I fail to see what good my number will do y…wait, what are you doing?"
"I want to call your brother. I am sure he'd like directions to where you are, don't you think?"
"You actually expect me to believe that you are going to call my brother and lead him here?"
"What's your number? We don't have much time. Koenma's plotting how best to kill you." Ani sighs but complies. The demon punches in the number and Ani watches him wondering if he was being honest about helping him. "Hello, is this Oto? No, you don't know me but you do know an…acquaintance of mine. He's about three feet tall with golden-eyes and more mood swings then necessary. Hey, I am not threatening your brother! I am calling to tell you WHERE he is and HOW to get here but if you don't want my help…ah, so you ARE going to see things my way? Good. Yes, you can talk to him AFTER I tell you how to get here…jeez, you are really paranoid."
Ani is staring at the demon in shock. Why in the world was he helping him? What could this demon get from doing this? He's brought out of his musings as the demon squeezes his shoulder. He looks up and sees that he's holding the phone out to him. Cautiously, he takes it. "Hello?" he asks.
"Ani!" Oto exclaims.
Ani's eyes fill with tears. "H-hello, brother," he whispers clutching the phone tightly.
"Are you all right?"
"For having my life threatened…yes."
"I am going to kill that idiot."
"No, that is Yoko's place, not yours."
"Do I even want to know why you just said that?"
"Bring Kurama with you when you come. He needs to hear something…he's not going to be happy but he needs to hear it."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Please bring him, brother."
"All right. We'll be there as soon as we can…I promise."
"Thank you."
The demon takes the phone gently from Ani. "You have a little less than two hours to get your friend and get here. I will stall for as long as I can but I cannot guarantee that it will work. No, there is no reason to thank me and my reasons are my own. Just come here and get your brother. There is a LOT I need to discuss with you." He turns the phone off and looks at Ani. "Everything will be all right. They'll be here, don't worry."
"Why, why are you doing this?" Ani asks. The demon gives a soft, sad smile.
"Personal reasons I'd rather not get into. I don't approve of what he does but it is not my place to judge someone of such high standing."
"Well, can I at least have your name?"
The demon smiles sadly again. "There is no need for that. I will be out of your life shortly. You don't need to spend the rest of your life worrying about a demon that was partially responsible for almost killing you. I'll also give you another word of advice. Don't return to that hospital you went to. They are good doctors but Koenma has made it quite clear that he is to be notified if a male demon comes in pregnant. They won't disobey him. You need to find a demon that specializes in healing to come to where you are."
"Well, Koenma knows where we live."
"You'll have to move."
"You're kidding!"
"No, no I am not. If you don't want him to find and kill you and your unborn children, you had best start over somewhere he doesn't know you'll be. All you have to do is wait long enough for your triplets to be born. Then, no matter what his personal opinion is, they can't be touched."
"Why not?"
"Because it is a sin to kill an innocent child."
"They already are!"
"That's not how Koenma and King Yama see it. Trust me on this, Ani. I know. Until the child is born, it is considered not a person yet and can be killed. You must hide from him until that day comes."
Something clicks into place. "One of the demons killed was your lover wasn't he?" he asks.
The demon smiles sadly. "Yes. He was one of the first ones killed. Koenma had found out when my lover was eight and a half months pregnant. I watched helplessly as he took from me the only ones who made my life worth living. I vowed that after THAT day, I would do all I could to try and keep it from happening again. I've met with little success…until now."
"You know that Koenma won't take well to you betraying him."
"Yes, but I don't care…not anymore."
"How do you know that I am having triplets?"
"Because I can sense their spirit energies."
"This soon?"
"Yes."
Ani looks impressed. The demon merely smiles softly before his head turns towards the hallway. Ani watches his eyes widen. "So, all along you've been on HIS side," Koenma comments stepping out of the darkened hallway. The demon swallows. "I should have guessed you would be. You have never forgiven me for killing your lover."
"This is wrong, Koenma! These children are innocent!" the demon argues.
"These children?" Koenma asks, "There are more then one?"
The demon looks as if he could kick himself. "There are three."
"He's having triplets?" Koenma looks shocked.
"Yes, he's having triplets."
"That just makes this even more impertinent that they are never born."
"Koenma, don't do this. They are innocent!"
"Forget it. He won't listen to reason," Ani says softly, "I only wonder if he's doing this because he's concerned for the welfare of everyone or out of punishment to those who have done something wrong."
"What are you implying, Toguro?" Koenma demands.
"The ones you have killed have all been criminals. It makes one wonder if this is how you punished them," he answers. He sees Koenma's eyes narrow.
"How dare you think that?" he demands.
"Well, that is the only reason I can think of. Tell me, was that the reason you killed Kuronue?"
"What are you doing?" the demon hisses. Ani ignores him and continues to look at Koenma.
"Kuronue was a danger to the Makai. Something had to be done."
"So you had him killed? Boy, I wonder what would happen if someone like Kurama found that out?"
"He's never going to discover this."
"Really now?" a voice hisses from the doorway behind them. Startled Koenma turns around to see four very pissed off males and in front…Kurama. "YOU killed Kuronue?"
"K-Kurama!" the prince stammers.
Ani smirks. "Oops," he says with a sly smile.