Ch. 16 - Death

Ronin and Youko arrive at the site were the torture house once stood. The place is in ruins. All the trees and the plant life within 3 miles have been killed and are completely black no sign of any living creature only the charred bones of the dead.

"so…" Ronin interrupts the eerie silence." Lets start digging."

(About an hour or so later)

"Hey Ronin, come help me move this." Youko gestures to what appears to be the ruins of the roof. They manage to pick up the roofing and throw it over the side, adding to the pile of debris they've already gone through. "I guess that there was more than one floor." He states, inspecting a giant hole in the ground that they just uncovered.

"I guess so." Ronin muses. "Well we ain't getting anywhere by staying here." He shoves Youko through and then jumps in after him. "Nice" he whistles. The floors of the house hidden under ground didn't seem to have an real damage done to them. The walls are all cracked and all the color has been changed to a solid black.

"so what floor do you think that they are on?"

( the next day)

"One more floor" Ronin exclaims.

"…Not another floor…"Youko complained

"Well, we better get started." Ronin muses. " You go that way and I'll go this way."

"Ok…" They began there search once more.

(Some odd hours later)

"Youko! Get over here!" Ronin Hollers.

"What?" Youko appears very bored.

"I found Konton." Ronin points down the hall.

Youko follows Ronin's gaze to see Konton at the end of the hallway ahead of them incased in a block of light blue ice. "Ok… how do we get her out of that?"

"Well, we can either try to smash through it and hope we don't hit or we can start a hue fire and try to melt the ice."

"If we accidentally hit her and she regains consciousness, we'll both be killed with in seconds."

"True, so… lets start a bonfire!" Ronin pulls a bunch of fire starters out of a pocket. "Gotta love being a dragon."

He remarks before shifting to his dragon form.

"Why don't you just breath fire on the ice? She's a dragon too so it couldn't burn her much."

"I will, but I can build a fire too. I'm pretty sure that ice is really cold so, she can warm up by the fire." Ronin builds up a huge fire before starting the task of melting the huge block of ice.

(Some odd hours later)

"Aw… isn't that cute" Youko taunts Ronin. Konton has been released from her ice prison, wrapped in Ronin trench coat and currently being held by Ronin by the fire.

"You. No talking." Ronin grows out his wings and also wraps them around Konton, Hoping she'll regain consciousness soon.

"But I'm having fun."

"Tell her and I'll give her this." Ronin pulls out a tape recorder.

"…What exactly is on that tape?" Youko becomes slightly nervous.

"You know… you moan in your sleep. I wonder what, or should I say who, you're dreaming of." Ronin smirks.

"Why don't you just fork over the tape and we'll call it even. How's that?"

"If you want to listen to yourself so badly, here." Ronin chucks it at Youko. "Keep in mind that I have another copy." He grins evilly.

"That's cruel."

"What do you expect from me? My girlfriend is the Avatar of Chaos."

"True." Youko stares at the fire. "Do you think we'll find Kagome?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure Konton will know something. And then we won't have to keep searching this place." Ronin looks over at Youko. "Get some sleep. I'm sure Konton will be up by tomorrow."

(The next day)

(Late morning/early afternoon)

Konton starts to stir. She slowly opens her eyes. "…ow." She shifts to find herself in the arms of a sleeping Ronin. "Well this is awkward. Hey Ronin! Wake up!"

Ronin slowly wakes up. "Oh hey Konton. Glad to see that you're finally awake. Youko! Konton had regained consciousness!"

"Morning Konton."

"Youko. Ronin, let me up or I'll smack you."

"I guess being encased in ice for 3 days makes you irritable." Ronin pulls his wings back and folds them behind him.

"I've been frozen alive for 3 days!?!"

"You didn't know that?"

"I only remember seeing Kagome's power flood through the house and hearing her give the most ear-piercing scream I've ever heard and then I blacked out."

"Well you were encase in a giant ice cube for 3 days. And you're still a demon!"

Konton unfolds her wings. "I see that. But why?"

"The ice must have protected you from being purified." Youko states.

"But why would I get frozen in ice instead of killed?"

"You will have to ask Kagome. Do you know where she is?"

Konton points to a big hole in the wall at the end of the hallway. "That used to be a door before it was blown off. If she is still here, she'll be in that room."

Youko runs down the hall and through the giant hold in the wall. "Should we go with him?" Ronin questions.

"Did Boton leave the palace?"

"No. And you got me put under house arrest in your office!"

"I see you got out without a problem."

"Well the idea of security at the palace sucks."

"If Boton didn't leave the palace, then we should just let Youko find Kagome."

"I made sure she couldn't leave." Ronin smiles.

"Do tell." Konton sits down next to Ronin. "C'mon. It'll be a while before Youko returns. Start talkin'."

(W/ Youko)

Youko runs through the damaged wall, looking around frantically. His eyes rest upon the scene in the middle of the room. There is Kagome, her lifeless body being held up by two chains in a circle upraised on the floor. "Ka…Kagome…" Youko is immediately by her side. "Kagome?"

The air around her doesn't even shift.

"Kagome…" he violently slashed at the chains, breaking them into thousands of tiny pieces. He catches her and gently holds her close to him. "Kagome…you cant leave me… please wake up. You don't even have to say anything. Just open your eyes and I'll take you home." She doesn't look like she is breathing.

"Please Kagome…" a tear falls to the floor." I cant lose you… I love you…"

(W/ Konton)

" That is good story. Can I have a copy of that tape?" Konton asks Ronin. "Please?"

"I was going o Wrap it and give it to you for your birthday…" Ronin muses. "But I guess I could give it to you early. You can have the one in your office if Boton hasn't ripped it up yet."

"SWEET!" there is a few moments of silence before Konton speaks again "do you think that Koenma would send someone besides Boton here?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because Boton isn't the only death fairy."

"But she's the Grim Reaper."

"She only has that title because she is the head fairy."

"You mean… there is more copies of her?"

"Not all of them are as chipper as she is. Some actually have the personality that fits their station."

"Oh good … I was scared for a minute there."

"But do you think Koenma would have to send someone to come and get her if she died. And you kept Boton at the palace."

"… I didn't think about that. I didn't know there were death fairies."

"did you think that Boton went every where?"

"… Yes"

"Boton only handles the top cases."

"OK. Then wouldn't this be an important case?"

"One of the Highest-" Youko walks over, holding a lifeless Kagome in her demon form in his arms. He doesn't speak but the look in his eyes is enough to tell them what's wrong. "Lets leave" Konton speaks up after a few minutes of dead silence.

(Three Hours Later)

The Three demons arrive at the door of the palace. They are suddenly surrounded by a bunch of guard demons. "You Shall not pass!" one of them yells out in a clear stern voice.

"I will give you but one warning." Konton looks at them coldly, a sense of blood lust starting to seep into her eyes. "Move or I WILL rip you to pieces."

"You shall Not pass!" the voice rings out again.

"Then I will not hold back." Konton eyes turn completely red. Ronin takes a step away from her to stand by Youko. About five minutes later Konton stands in the middle of a small battlefield covered in blood. The small army of guard demons that once stood between them and the palace now lay in pieces on the ground around her. Her eyes change back to normal and she looks over at Ronin and Youko.

"Well I feel better. Lets go." Once they enter the castle Ronin walks down a different hallway to go get Boton while Konton and Youko proceed to Koenma's office. Konton kicks open the door. "Where are you toddler!?!" She looks around; the room appears to be empty. "Get out here right now! I know you're in here! I can smell your fear!"

"I'm not here." He squeaks from under the desk. "Go away."

"You get your ass out here right now damn you!" She yells. "Or I'll break that desk in half and drag you out myself, which would you prefer!"

Koenma peeks over his desk at her. "What do you want?"

"What do you think!? Look!" Konton points at the lifeless Kagome, Youko is still holding. "Look what you did to her!"

"There's nothing I can do its –"

"BRING HER BACK!"

"But that's against the rules!" He cowers behind his desk.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK! THIS IS AN EXCEPTION!"

"Where's Boton?" He squeaks.

"Ronin's gone to get her, and when they get here you better figure out a way to bring Kagome back or you'll never see daylight again!"

Ronin walks in, Boton behind him. "So what did I miss?"

"She's threatening me!" Koenma whines.

"Well then, I guess I didn't really miss anything. Please continue."

"Ronin said you needed me sir?" Boton speaks up.

"…" Konton glares at Koenma. "Yes! I mean, I requested that you come here because we need you to do something about that." He points at Youko.

Boton seems confused until she sees the lifeless Kagome being held protectively in Youko's arms. She goes over to Youko. "I will take care of her." She motions for him to hand her over.

"No!" Youko withdraws. "You will not take her from me! I will not allow it! No one is taking her away from me!"

"You have to let her go Youko. Look at her, she has already left."

"Then bring her back!"

"I can't. I'm not the one who went to get her." She glances sideways at Ronin. "I had some other issues I was attending to. I could not get there in time."

"Then who can!?!"

"The only one who will now where to find her is the one who brought her there. It could take a while to figure out who acted as her guide in my place. I'm sorry." Boton tries to take Kagome again.

"Don't you dare try to take her away from me!" Youko growls. "You will find that guide and bring her back."

Boton looks over at Koenma. "What?" He whines.

"I need to call them in." Boton states.

"All of them?"

"Yes."

Koenma sighs. "Fine. But you're on your own for this. I don't like dealing with the other guides. It's your job." He walks over to the door. "I'm leaving."

"So how many death fairies are there?" Konton inquires.

(A few hours later)

"Oh no…" Boton looks concerned.

"What's wrong?" Konton asks.

"We've talked to all of them except…" She trails off.

"Except who Boton?" Youko inquires.

"There's another guide!" Ronin exclaims. "There's too many already!"

"Well… the only one left… the one that didn't show up… he might as well be death himself. He's only been here for about 500 years. And I changed him a bit so he could be a guide…"

"Who is he Boton?" Youko inquires again.

"…Kuronue…"