Ch.21
I'm not dead yet, it's just a flesh wound
"C'mon now!" Raihoushi, still in the form of a female-looking Shishi, does some poses.
"Don't I make the cutest girl!?"
"I… will… kill… you…" Shishiwakamaru attempts to contain his anger.
"Ready?" Rai pulls a pair of pom-poms out of nowhere. "Let's go!" He cheers. "C'mon Shishi! Give me your best shot!"
"I… will… kill you!" Shishiwakamaru stacks Rai, drawing his sword and trying to slash him.
"You missed me!" Rai flips to avoid the blade. "Oh my, you missed me again!"
"Stay still so I can kill you!" He goes after Rai again but only ends up stabbing the pom-poms.
"Aw! Hey those were my favorite you jerk! Don't you have any respect for you female twin!?" Rai kicks him in the face with enough force to push him back. "Where's your fan club? I bet they'd love me!"
"Banshee Shriek!" The demon's blade glows a light purple as he unleashes a spirit energy attack. Rai dodges. Shishi attacks a few more times, barely missing Rai every time. Immediately following the attack, Shishi disappears. Rai dodges the attack, waiting for Shishi to show up in his face. He suddenly senses something behind him, but it is too late. The glowing blade of Shishi's sword pierces through Rai and he goes limp, being held up by Shishi's blade. "I told you that I would kill you." He rips his blade back, creating a loud tarring sound as he separates his sword from Raihoushi's body. Raihoushi's limp body hits the ground with a light thud. Shishi sheaths his sword and starts to walk away, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Hn." Hiei glares at the retreating Shishi, hand on the hilt of his katana. He goes to move when Youko puts a hand out in front of him. "Back, fox."
"No, Hiei. The battle is not yet over."
"I know. I'm about to finish it." Hiei goes to move around Youko, but once again the fox blocks his path.
"Raihoushi is not finished yet."
"He's dead. Let me kill that moronic fool." Hiei glares at the still retreating Shishi.
"No. I remember Kagome saying something about how both twins need to die at the same time or they'll keep coming back like dandelions. That was a hard blow to take and even though he can't really die, I'm sure he'll still feel it. Give him a few minutes."
"Hn." Hiei glances at the fallen shape shifter, then back at Shishi who is taking his sweet time to leave the make-shift arena.
"You can kill every demon that gets in out way in this castle after we're finished here." Youko bribes.
"… Fine. Deal." Hiei steps back, letting go of his sword.
"Ow. That really hurt, you bastard." All the demons look over at the fallen Raihoushi. Shishi turns to face him, an unhappy look on his face.
"… You're supposed to be dead." He grumbles.
"You can't kill me." Rai slowly starts to pick himself up off the ground. "But I can kill you." He shifts back to his own demon form; he stumbles into a run, drawing a sword.
"You cannot win a sword fight against me." Shishi draws his own sword. "I will kill you this time." They rush each other, within seconds they are standing in front of each other in the center of the arena, piercing through each other with their swords. Shishiwakamaru falls back, landing dead on the ground while Raihoushi remains standing.
"You lose Shishi." Rai pulls the blade out of his side and slowly walks off the arena platform.
"My turn." Hiei is immediately standing in the center of the fighting arena. "Step forward into the last remaining seconds of your life, Kuro Momotaro."
"Only if you can get through all three of my armors will you ever hope to defeat me." The named demon steps forward.
"I will kill you before you are able to use all three."
"Phoenix armor!" Kuro Momotaro becomes covered in phoenix feathers, save for his face.
"Your puny sword cannot pierce through this armor!"
"I could just use my dragon flame and you'd be dead within seconds. But I'd rather not waste a good, powerful attack on a pathetic demon like you." Hiei states in a monotone.
"Why you! I'll finish you here and now!" The demon attacks Hiei.
"Hn." Hiei dodges the attack and uses his Darkness Flame black energy sword to slice right through Kuro Momotaro's phoenix armor, cutting the demon in half and killing him. "You should rethink your strategy in the afterlife." Hiei walks off.
"I guess that means it's our turn to fight Kurama." A demon with long black hair, trench coat and boots, wearing a mask steps onto the arena platform. "I will kill you this time."
"I have no intention of losing." Youko states as he walks into the fighting arena.
(W/ the humans)
"Yurameshi!" Kuwabara yells as Rando picks him up by the foot and starts to fling him around, throwing him to the ground.
"I'm working on it Kuwabara!" Yusuke attempts to shoot at Rando with his spirit gun but Rando moves slightly. The attack misses him and just narrowly misses Kuwabara.
"Watch it Yurameshi! You almost shot me in the head!"
"Well if you didn't get captured so easily we wouldn't have this problem! I can't kill him with you in the way!" Suddenly Rando is attacked by some invisible force. He freezes in place for a moment, when he unfreezes, Kuwabara has disappeared.
"What the hell?!" He looks around angrily. "There's no way such a pathetic human could've just done that!!!"
-'He's all yours Yusuke.'-
-Who the heck are you?- Yusuke is suddenly on the defensive.
-'It's Daihoushi. We took care of Kuwabara for you, Shita has him. Now stop talking and kill Rando already!'-
"Spirit gun!" Yusuke shoots at Rando. The demon copies him, the attacks clashing, trying to push the other back. "Double." Yusuke's attack becomes more powerful, pushing Rando back and pinning him against the wall. "Shot gun!" Rando is pelted with a ton of energy gun pellets and falls to the ground, covered with holes and blood.
"Nice job." Daihoushi appears next to Yusuke, Shita beside him with an unconscious Kuwabara on her shoulder. "Now let's go."
"Where?" Yusuke questions.
"We have to get the others now."
"Do you know where they are?"
"I know where Raihoushi is, and he's hurt, follow me." They take off out of the room, leaving the dead Rando to decay into nothingness.
(W/ Kagome)
Kagome opens her eyes to find herself still with pieces of Naraku's chains attached to her wrists and ankles. She looks around, noticing that whatever room she's in, resembles a cell. "Oh great… out of one room of captivity and into another." She sighs.
"No." Suzaku enters the room and walks over to her. "This was the only room they weren't in. But they've been taken care of. Come." He gestures for her to get up and follow him as he walks out of the room.
"Where are we going Suzaku?" Kagome asks him as she follows him down a few different hallways.
He doesn't answer her.
"… I don't know where we are so if you're concerned about me running off if you tell me where we're going… your answer isn't going to help me any."
"Then why do you ask?" He looks at her strangely.
"Curiosity."
(W/ the demons)
The battle begins as the two demons race towards each other. Smoke fills the air as plant pieces are thrown around the room. –He's gotten faster.- Youko thinks to himself.
-Let me fight him.- Kurama speaks up.
-Are you sure that's wise?- Youko questions him.
-Yes. You have fought this far. I'm not saying shift back. I'm asking that you give me control.-
-Alright. But I get to hug Kagome first.-
"Quit talking to each other." Karasu throws something at Youko, an explosion goes off and Youko is thrown into the air.
-Be careful Suichi. His attacks have become more powerful since the last time we faced him.-
-Don't worry Youko.- Youko's eyes change from gold to green. –I can handle him.- Kurama throws a death see at Karasu as he dodges another attack. "Now this battle is finished."
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Karasu smirks. "If I die, I'm taking you with me."
Kurama notices a light weight on his arm. He glances over to find what looks to be beads encircling his arm. –No wonder I didn't notice these sooner. With such a light weight I didn't sense any threat.-
"Those are some special bombs I made, just for you. If you continue to grow your death seed, the last of my energy will ignite the band you now have around your arm and you will be blown into dust. So our match is either a draw, or we both die. It's your choice. But do think of this, if you die, there's no coming back this time. You won't get another second chance to see your beloved miko."
"…" –Damn. He's right. But eventually we'll both die. We both mat have become more powerful, but that doesn't mean we can hold back our attacks from becoming too strong to control. There's really no way out of this.-
"Have you reached your decision yet? There's no way you can avoid dying." Karasu has a satisfied smirk on his face. "I may be going to hell, but I will take you with me. At least then I won't get bored."
-There really is no way out of this. The strain from holding back an attack that's already started is taking effect.- Karasu screams out and falls to his knees as Kurama's death seed grows inside of him. His eye widen as he realizes that the comment he made about the miko earlier didn't faze Kurama in his decision to end the fight. –I'm sorry Kagome, but there is no way out of this. Too bad I never got the chance to ask you that question. We never got enough time alone. But you will find someone, there's no way you can't.- Kurama unleashes the death seed inside of Karasu. He sprouts into a huge, thorn-covered bush with pointed flowers. The band on Kurama's arm detonates. A he shock is sent through Kurama's body and he is immediately knocked out. Some and particles of dust fill the air, blocking everyone's eyesight.
When it clears Raihoushi and Daihoushi are both standing in the middle of the arena with Kurama. Raihoushi has a blue energy ball in his hands next to Kurama's arm and Daihoushi is holding the unconscious fox upright. "Good thing you got here fast enough." Raihoushi remarks. "Otherwise we all would've just died."
"Let's move him quick." Daihoushi suggests.
"And just where do you thin you're going?" The Elder Tagoro steps onto the small battlefield. "I haven't had a chance to kill you yet." His fingers grow long and pointy as he slashes at the twins. He is blocked and thrown back as Shita makes her presence known.
"I got him." Shita takes Kurama from Daihoushi. "Now you hold that and you go kill that bastard over there before I lose my patience." Daihoushi takes the energy ball from Rai and follows Shita back to the side lines.
"I'll take care of that if you can contain it for this match." Raihoushi glances at Dai.
"Alright. Just kill him quick ok?" Dai responds.
"Will do." Rai gets ready to battle.
"You will die here." Tagoro laughs as he attacks Rai with his sharp, claw-like fingers. Raihoushi parries with a pair of bear claws. After sparring for a bit Tagoro stabs Raihoushi through his other shoulder. "Now I've got you." He smirks as he moves to stab Raihoushi with his other hand. But Raihoushi vanishes and Tagoro's attack misses. "What?! Where are you!?"
There is no reply.
"You're such a scared little weakling! Come out and fight! You can't avoid that I can kill you."
"Nothing happens.
"Weakling –" Tagoro's eyes turn wide and roll back in his head as a pair of wings sprout from his back. He is torn into pieces as Raihoushi steps forward, Tagoro's heart held in one bear claw and his brain in the other.
"I didn't know which one was more important to him, so I took both." Rai crushes them between his claws and drops them on the ground, being sure to squish them with his foot on his way off the platform.
"I'm not going to be able to hold this thing back much longer." Cuts appear on Daihoushi's face. "I'm not as good as you are with this freeze power."
"Then pass it here." Raihoushi reaches over and takes the energy ball from Dai. "Alright Hiei. Finish him quick."
"Hn." Hiei jumps into the ring.
A huge demon robot hybrid creature stomps into the ring. "You will not be able to defeat me as easily as last time."
-/He can talk/- Hiei thinks to himself. -/Must be a new feature./- "We shall see about that Gatasubal. You didn't fight me last time." Hiei unsheathes his sword and slashes at the hybrid. The creature just laughs as Hiei's attacks barely leave scratch marks. "Hn." Hiei sheaths his katana and calls on his Darkness song, continuing to attack the robot demon. The hybrid receives various scorch marks, but no other damage. Hiei rips off his bandana, in annoyance and shifts into his full demon form, green-skinned and covered in eye, his own eyes hold a tint of red. His attacks become more powerful and this time he is able to leave cut marks on Gatasubal's armor, but still no major damage.
"I am even more powerful then before!" The robot demon taunts Hiei.
Without warning, Hiei unleashes the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, eating a hole right though the robot demon hybrid. -/Got him./- Hiei nods.
"That's no enough anymore."
"…" Hiei looks over to find Gatasubal still standing, the hole Hiei just punctured through him starting to heal. -/You've got to be joking./- "Hn."
"You can't defeat me now Hiei! Dr. Ichigaki updated my programming so my demon side could use its healing ability. Not to mention that nothing can break my powerful armor!"
-/I need some way to break his armor from the inside./- Hiei thinks to himself. -/How inconvenient that Kurama is unconscious./-
-"You know that was so cute of you to defend me earlier."- A voice sounds in the back of Hiei's mind.
-/Who are you and what do you want!?/- Hiei pins the voice.
-"Oh calm down Hiei, its Raihoushi. I hear you're looking for some kind of plan."-
-/I didn't ask for your help./-
-"I didn't ask for yours either. But I'm returning the favor so deal with it."-
-/Hn. Fine. What's your idea shape shifter./-
-"You have to get inside his armor, right?"-
-/Yeah./-
-"If I throw this at him it will definitely crack through his armor. But I'm pretty sure the castle will collapse in the aftershock."-
-/The only ones who are most likely not fast enough are the humans./-
-"Hold on a sec."-
-/Hn./- Hiei dodges an attack from the hybrid creature.
-"Alright. I will take care of the castle. Shita will get you guys out of here. If I let this thing go the castle will drop faster then any of us can get out. Ready?"- Raihoushi steps closer to the arena. –"You have to kill him fast or we'll all die."-
-/Don't worry about my speed. Worry about your aim./-
-"Go!"- Raihoushi shoots the energy ball at Gatasubal. It breaks his arm and the explosion shakes the whole castle. Smoke engulfs everything. Hiei jumps into Gatasubal's open armor and unleashes a Dragon of the Darkness Flame form inside his robot body. The hybrid is immediately burnt up into tiny little pieces. The castle shakes again and parts of the walls and ceiling start to collapse as the castle continues to shake. "Everyone get out of here!" Raihoushi throws up his hands, creating a freeze barrier, freezing the room and holding it up to keep from falling on them. Shita throws Kuwabara at Yusuke and takes Kurama from Daihoushi. "Go now!" Raihoushi yells as the weight of the walls and ceiling gets heavier. He starts to shake under the pressure.
"I'm not going to leave you here by yourself." Daihoushi runs over to him. "You'll kill yourself!"
"I can't really die, remember? As long as you're still around I can come back."
"But you'll be seriously injured! It could take weeks for you to heal!"
"I'd rather be half dead for a month, then have one of us die. They can't come bake like we can Daihoushi. Now get them out of here!!!" Rai yells as the weight of everything brings him to his knees. "I am already injured enough. If there is one more battle I will be of no use."
"I will be back to get you." Dai runs back to Shita.
"You better. Now go!" Shita's eyes glow red and the fade into the air, leaving Raihoushi behind.
They appear a few miles away from the castle. -/-You're not still in the castle, are you Kagome.-/-Shita calls out.
-No.-
-/-Good. Cause Raihoushi's about to bring down the house. Literally.-/-
"Rai!" Daihoushi takes off running.
"Wait!" Shita grabs him and tackles him to the ground. The castle explodes, the effects covering a 2 ½ mile radius. "Ok, now you can go." Shita lets Dai up.
"Rai!" Daihoushi takes off again.
Shita picks Kurama back up, having placed him on the ground in order to stop Dai. "Get Koenma. Now." She states, looking at Hiei.
"Hn." Hiei pulls out him communicator. "Boton."
"Hiei!" The chipper death fairy pops up on the screen. "You actually called me!"
"We need a portal. Now. Kurama is dying."
"Oh my gosh! I'm coming!" Boton appears seconds later with a portal to spirit world.
-/- Dai, contact Kagome and check on her if you can. I'm bringing Kurama to King Yama right now.-/- Shita calls out.
-'Ok.'- Dai answers her.
"Move out." Shita pushes everyone through the portal.
(W/ Kagome)
"This is my place." Suzaku answers her after several minutes of silence.
"The castle that Yusuke brought down before?"
"…" He glares at her.
"Sorry." Kagome stares at the floor.
"It was rebuilt and over-run by the lower class demons that lived outside." He continues to walk down another hallway.
"So… why are we here?"
"Naraku's castle was unsafe."
"But my friends were there."
"The castle has been demolished. Karasu was given the order to destroy it. Your friends are probably dead."
Kagome stops walking and just stares at the floor. –Was that why Shita was talking about when she asked if I was still inside the castle? But what if they're still trapped in there? What if they're dying?- Her eyes fill with fear and concern. Suzaku just watches her. –What if they really are gone? What if Koenma can't help me see them again? What about Kurama? What's going to happen to the throne of hell if Shita's dead? What about the twins?- "Send me back." She looks up at Suzaku with tears in her eyes. "Please."
"No. It is unsafe,"
"Send me back!"
"The area is probably crawling with ravenous demons looking to eat up whatever flinches. No. I'm not sending you back into that."
"I can take care of myself! I'm not completely useless!" Kagome yells at Suzaku.
"You snapped me out of Naraku's mind control, so I saved you from a castle about to collapse. We are even; I do not have to do anything for you."
"I did not ask you to do that!"
"I do not care. There is the door. You may leave if you wish." Suzaku points to a pair of big iron doors and walks away.
"Well you're a gentleman." Kagome remarks sarcastically as she storms out the door.
-'Kagome?'- A voice sounds in the back of her head.
-Daihoushi?-
-'Where are you?'-
-I'm leaving Suzaku's place. And where are you? Are you still alive? What about Raihoushi? Is Shita still around? Is Kurama alive? He's not dead is he!?!-
-'I'm fine. So is Shita. Rai and Kurama on the other hand have received some serious damage.'-
-WHERE ARE YOU?!?-
-'Calm down Kagome. Shita took Kurama to King Yama and Rai is with me. You're at Suzaku's old castle, yes?'-
-Yeah. I'm walking down the stairs.-
-'DON'T!'- Daihoushi yells at her. –'Those human-eating demons still live down there! Go back up those stairs and stay by the door, I'm coming to get you.'-
As if summoned, said demons start to come out of hiding, walking towards Kagome. She turns and runs up the stairs. They follow her, surrounding her before she can reach the doors to the castle. She screams as one jumps at her. "Dai!"
The demon is slammed into the ground. "You called?" Daihoushi is standing there, rapier in hand. "Would you feel better fighting beside me?" He asks Kagome.
"Yes." They fight off the ravenous demons and within minutes, killed them all.
"Alright." Daihoushi grabs Kagome around the waist. "Bring us back Shita." They fade into the air.