As a special Thanksgiving treat, I'm updating today. This chapter is almost completely just Kurama dancing. For me at least, it's very entertaining. I hope you like it!
Okay, I keep forgetting to include the disclaimer, should I go back and add it or just leave as is?
Disclaimer: It should be obvious to anybody who's ever read a fanfic that I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.
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Words Once Spoken: Chapter 3
"...Youko, dance with us this night, and make the flowers sing once more."
Kurama sighed, "Very well Cho, I shall do as you ask." Ha, she got you! The last time he had danced, it had taken so much of his energy that he hadn't been able to stand for a week. During the dance, all of his energy had gone into the flowers around him, and they had actually begun to move with him. The butterfly demons had been delighted and tried to make him dance again. The dancers were innocent, but they were also unable to empathize. They couldn't care less that he was drained, all they wanted was the thing that had brought them so much delight. He wasn't the tall, graceful demon that Youko had been though, so it wouldn't be quite as magnificent.
She laughed in delight. Grabbing his wrist, she led him away from his friends, practically floating as she did so. He walked with her until they were surrounded by dancers, all as beautiful as Cho was. Many of them knew him from before and were just as delighted that he would join them. It was almost sad, such a beautiful race to be unable to care about other's pain. Quickly they covered his face, chest, and arms in the markings of the dancers with a moist blue powder.
While the dancers were with Kurama, Yusuke was talking about the customs of the village with Kiyoshi. "So what's this whole dancer thing?" he asked the demon.
Yusuke half expected him to get mad, with the way Kurama had silenced him, but instead, the demon just began to lecture. "Our people are guided by the dance. It is a very important ceremony that guides our lives. We are divided into three factions, the dancers, the guardians, and the wise ones. Children are selected for each, and after the transformation they change to reflect the aspects of that faction. The dancers are small and light, always cheery and innocent, and the majority of them are girls. They are the ones that preform the dance and guide the children. " he didn't show any signs of stopping his explanation.
"The guardians are taller and stronger, usually more calm, and mostly male. We protect the homeland and dedicate our lives to the other two factions. The wise ones are small as well, they are more stern and are the only ones who travel outside. They seek out knowledge, especially of the spirits. Some of them are human in appearance, though they still have the power to fly." he seemed to realize he had been ranting. "Sorry, I lost myself for a moment. Was that helpful?" Before he could say anything Hiei made a startled grunt from behind them.
Yusuke whirled and was as surprised as Hiei had been. There was Kurama, covered in strange blue markings. His hair hung down limply around his shoulders, seeming longer than usual, but with a near phosphorescent sheen to it. His arms hung limply at his side as if he was sleepwalking. The most startling thing though, was that him and all of the dancers around him wore nothing but a few scarves as thin as their wings. Yusuke managed to avert his eyes. "What the hell is going on here?" he yelled.
"This is the dance. During the time Youko lived here so long ago, he only joined us in the dance one time. But it is an event that will never be forgotten. All of the flowers came alive and joined us in the dance. Our people were accompanied in every dance by the flowers for a year after that. Cho has wanted him to dance again since then." Kiyoshi answered.
"The kitsune lived here?" Hiei asked. He had been standing behind them silently for a while now, never feeling the need to speak up. Though he listened to them, his attention was clearly on Kurama as the dance began. The dancers raised there arms in sweeping motions and began to move. The dancing was very fluid, and Kurama matched the small, graceful demons in every motion. This dance looked like it would take months to learn, and even more to perfect it. Kurama's hair swung all over the place, mostly hanging over his face. Wisps of energy flowed outward as the dancers gently released it.
"Yes, Youko and his master lived here for about a year. He was only 18 years old then, a young one by any standards. He was placed with us to learn the dance and the ways of our people. He learned from the wise ones, the dancers, and the guardians. He and his master are the only two to ever see our children. They really got on well with him. Judging by the way he is dancing though, I'd say that he is much more shy than he used to be. Youko used his body much more and jumped right into the most complex movements in the dance." Kiyoshi told them. As he spoke, many more demons that must have been guardians came out to watch the dancers, an excited murmur rose up at the sight of Kurama.
"Kurama was a slave?" Yusuke asked, though he too, was gazing in awe at the dancing before them. The speed of the dancing had become more furious, though no less beautiful. Kurama's hair whipped around him as he performed complex twists and spins. His energy flowed more powerfully than the other dancers and soon the plants around them began to sway. He leapt into a nearby tree, still visible, and soon every leaf on the tree glowed, and vibrant flowers covered it. His energy left him at an incredibly fast rate, all of it going into the plants around them.
"You could say that. Yes, the chimera was an old friend of ours. He decided that we could influence Youko's training better than himself, so he brought Youko here. At first he was cold and didn't smile, but within weeks he was smiling and laughing with the children." Kiyoshi too, watched the dancers with an awe that bordered on reverence.
The dancers' skin already glistened with sweat, and they had barely begun. Kurama listened to Youko's memories for the dance. He was already panting from the loss of energy to the plants. You can do better than that little one. He picked up the pace, losing himself fully to the power of the dance. Everything started to blend together at that point. He began to interact with the other dancers, linking arms, back to back, and so on.
Before he knew it, half of the night was over. He was about ready to collapse, but the dancers still awaited the phenomena from last time he danced. I will help you now. A strange slippery feeling, and then Youko's soul was outside his body. Looming behind him, all of Youko's energy flowed outward. They danced as one. The strain of the dance was taking it's toll, and a burning sensation swept over Kurama's body. Memories of Kuronue watching his dance came to mind, and soon sorrowful tears flowed down his cheeks, shining in the moonlight.
Youko moved behind him, swirling and stepping to a soundless rhythm. He guided the other's movements gently. A pure humming note rang out from the plant life around them and the plants grew to at least twice their size, swaying to the rhythm. Throughout the night, that note rang out, moving the dancers in a hypnotic fashion. The note was pure joy, as were the dancers when they heard it. Hiei and Yusuke could see what Kiyoshi had meant about Kurama's dancing now. While Kurama preformed all of the movements, Youko did even more. His hips were constantly swaying, in fact, every part of him was. He and Kurama were back to back now, Youko moved his hips against Kurama's, urging him to echo the movement.
Soon Youko's soul had coaxed Shuuichi's into dancing the same way. His grace now increased by tenfold, he gave himself to the plants. A new surge of energy came from his body, matching Youko's in power. The flowers humming delighted in their energy. For hours they danced, their souls relishing in the melody of the plants.
Before they knew it, dawn had begun to appear. As one, every dancer turned towards their audience with that sweeping bow the demons seemed to use often. Youko's soul slipped back into his body after the bow. Damn, that was worse than last time. As the dancers straightened themselves out, some of the watchers came over to converse with them. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kiyoshi approached Kurama, who was still frozen in the bowing position. They came over just in time to see Kurama fall forward onto the ground.
"Kurama!" Yusuke cried. His two friends rushed over and lay him on his back. Kurama's face was completely blank. His eyes were just as dull as when he began the dance, his hair was damp and matted. He was panting quietly. "What's wrong?" Yusuke asked.
"Don't worry." Cho's voice came from beside them. "This happened last time he danced too. He was immobile for about a week. His childish master just laughed and said he had trouble coping with the loss of his energy. If I recall correctly, he knew that Youko would be fine, and exactly when." she peered down at Kurama, smiling and bright eyed.
A weak chuckle came from Kurama. "Yes, he told me later that I gave all of my energy to the plants. As soon as I could stand again, we left this village. That was almost two hundred years ago, and I hadn't been back since." His gaze turned weakly to Cho. "All you wanted was for me to dance again, and you kept trying to get me up. You were just a new dancer then. Well, you got me to dance, though I hadn't intended to do that again. I won't be able to move at all for a few days, and then it will take over a week to regain the ability to walk."
"Sounds like a jerk if you ask me." came Yusuke's disbelieving remark. Kurama snarled at him. "Sorry, it just seems wrong that he made you go through that without even frickin' telling you what would happen."
"I was his to do with as he pleased." Kurama said with a note of finality. "Cho, will you please select three children and prepare them for the trip to human world. Two wise ones and a guardian preferably. We will return in a few months to bring them there." He asked her, but there was no question in his voice.
"Yes my friend. I will have the guardians prepare a litter for you to be carried on. I hope you have a safe journey Youko. May the dance see you safely from the homeland." she replied, jumping into the parting words of her species.
Kurama replied weakly, "May the flowers sing for years to come. So long Cho, it was nice to see you again."
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So that's the end of that little adventure. I know it was a bit strange, but when inspiration hits, you've gotta go with it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I will have the next one up soon. Until next time on Words Once spoken.
Oh and you have one or two more chapters to vote on Hiei's reaction. So far 1 and 2 are tied with two votes each. K, bye.