Chapter Eleven:
Maybe she should have chosen the right side instead. Kurama engaged in a fight amongst four of the band of seven. He struggled against Bankotsu the leader with his gigantic sword Banryu, Ginkotsu the tank-like man, Renkotsu the fire-breather and bomb-maker, and Kyokotsu the giant. He managed to keep them at bay using a combination with his rose whip spinning in a revolving arc. Rose petals scattered about and stunned his opponents with energy blades from a constant barrage.
Kagome struggled against the trio consisting of Jakotsu and his retractable snake sword, Suikotsu the sweet doctor's mass-murderer alter ego, and Mukotsu the short poison master that tried to rape her when she was a teen. Using the strange plant wings on her back, Kagome was reminded of the flying sensation she felt riding on Kirara's back in the Feudal Era. She narrowly avoided Suikotsu's savage claws and the poisonous clouds Mukotsu launched in her direction.
"Jakotsu! Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked, hovering near the dark haired feminine man. Of the three she was facing, he was the most likely to listen to reason. And frankly, the only one she would want to talk to. The violent version of the Suikotsu was incredibly scary and the Mukotsu was a despicable person she looked forward to sending to the afterlife for a final time.
Jakotsu's dark eyes were made prominent by the tattooed purple streaks running vertically down his cheeks. "I was promised another chance to fight alongside Bankotsu as well as another chance to slice off your head!" He flicked his wrist and his snake sword elongated and came hurtling towards Kagome. She managed to evade most of the attack, but the sharp blade sliced through the sleeve of Kurama's leather jacket and nicked her forearm.
Mukotsu, the ratlike poison master, took advantage of her distraction and sent another wave of poisonous fumes in her direction. Kagome's fresh laceration burned as the noxious gas infected her open wound.
"She's mine!" Jakotsu roared. He whirled his snake blade around in a giant arc and then sent it crashing towards the old perverted man. Mukotsu shrieked in horror as his body was sliced into two equal halves. Then he was silent, as whatever magic Byakuya used to bring him back to life dissolved.
Suikotsu began to laugh hysterically, his eyes bright in a manic gleam. He slashed his clawed hands around in a frenzy. "Blood! So much blood!"
Kurama leapt into the air and jumped over a massive fireball to land with his back pressed against Kagome. The feel of the strong muscles of his back served to strengthen Kagome. "You got one," he said with a quick glance at the corpse of Mukotsu. His golden eyes were calm and measured as he took in the fight around them. "I took out the large beast, but that still leaves five powerful opponents. I believe our best course of action would be to turn them against one another." He spun his rose whip around them in rapid succession creating a temporary barrier against the six remaining opponents.
"Agreed," Kagome said, hissing in pain from her wound. She leaned her head back against the space between Kurama's shoulder blades. "If you'll just keep them off me for another minute. I need to heal my injury." She concentrated her miko powers on the laceration and worked to purify the miasma from the poison. "The one with the long braid down his back and the giant sword is Bankotsu. He's their leader. And then third in charge is Jakotsu, the one with the snake sword. They're best friends and the most reasonable. The one that keeps shooting fire is the second in command, but previously he betrayed them."
"I shall speak with the leader then," Kurama said. The silver fox ears on the top of his head twitched and his tail knocked against the back of Kagome's legs.
For a moment, Kagome was drawn back into her teenage crushes. Kurama was the best of all the strong allied youkai in her youth. He had Inuyasha's adorable ears and fighting spirit, Kouga's fluffy tail and speed, and Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, calculating intelligence, and regal poise.
"Wait, maybe you could convince Jakotsu. He had the biggest crush on Inuyasha, and well, you do kind of favor him," Kagome suggested. "Bankotsu and Jakotsu are the most capable of defeating the others if they so chose it. And if we can somehow reach Suikotsu's peaceful doctor persona he could help too. He's the one with the green tattoo marks and claws."
"All right," Kurama agreed. "We'll work on the first two you mentioned. I wouldn't count on there being much of the kind doctor in the green faced one." The mercenary with the split personality was busy slicing up the remains of the poison master. A constant spray of blood flew about Suikotsu as he continued to disembowel and pick apart his dead teammate.
Kagome cringed at the sight. "Maybe Bankotsu will let me hide behind him. Good luck with Jakotsu!" She took a deep breath and then using the plant wings Kurama gave her, she flew out over the top of his protective rose barrier and made her way for Bankotsu. The mercenary leader eyed her cautiously as she evaded fiery explosions from Reikotsu and his tank-like friend. Kyokotsu, the giant, struggled within the confines of a plant barrier having been taken out of the battle earlier by Kurama.
"Why are you working alongside him?" Kagome asked Bankotsu when she drew near. She gestured towards Reikotsu. "Surely, you remember how he betrayed you."
"Took the Shikon jewels for himself," Bankotsu confirmed. "Stole them right out from Jakotsu's dead body while he was still warm. He could have saved him, but chose power instead." He shifted the weight of Banryu on his shoulder. "Of course, I remember."
"Then why are you working for Byakuya? He was one of Naraku's attachments," Kagome explained. Another ball of fire came hurtling towards her from Reikotsu, but Bankotsu blocked it half-heartedly.
"He found us in the Meidou. We have wandered about aimlessly there for hundreds of years. He offers us another chance at life, how could I deny my men such an opportunity?" Bankotsu asked. He deflected a large cannon ball shot from the tank-like mercenary, once again protecting Kagome.
"Why aren't you letting your men kill me?" Kagome asked. She didn't trust Bankotsu, but of the pawns of Naraku she met over the years, he was one of her favorites. Aside from his mass-murdering resume, he was a rather honorable man.
"If anyone gets to kill you, it's Jakotsu. He's still upset that you had Inuyasha and you left him. He swears he won't forgive you for making his beloved suffer," Bankotsu explained. He stepped in front of Kagome blocking her from an aggressive attack by Ginkotsu with Reikotsu balanced precariously on his cannon . "Can't you see I'm having a conversation?" He swung Banryu in a wide arc, missed Reikotsu, but sliced through Ginkotsu's tank-like body.
He turned back to Kagome, the lavender cross tattoo on his forehead splattered with a mixture of blood and oil from the damage he inflicted upon Ginkotsu's mechanical body. "How are you still alive? You are a human, no?" Bankotsu asked, his eyes bright in curiosity.
"Time travel," Kagome explained. "I wasn't from the time where we met. After we defeated Naraku, the magic that brought me back into the past returned me to the future."
"Ah, I suppose it's unfortunate that Jakotsu is so determined to kill you then," Bankotsu said. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. His eyes drifted over the battle and settled upon Suikutso. "Hey! Stop ripping apart Mukotsu!"
Suikutso growled at him, but did step away from the fallen mercenary. Unfortunately, he seemed to have turned his attention onto Kurama and Jakotsu's fight.
"Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother," Bankotsu said shaking his head.
"Why would you bother for the likes of Byakuya?" Kagome asked. "You are an honorable man."
Bankotsu laughed heartily. "I suppose I do pride myself on being an honorable mercenary," he agreed. He took a deep breath and quieted down. "What would you have me do? Wander about the Meidou for five more centuries?"
"Well, you could work with us," Kagome suggested.
Bankotsu readjusted his sword. "I think not."
OoO
Jakotsu stepped back, his eyes wide in shock as Kurama approached. "It's impossible! You're dead! I saw your suffering! I saw her leave you!" Jakotsu's voice quivered in barely suppressed rage. He pointed an accusing finger in Kagome's direction. "She abandoned you!"
"Perhaps you have me confused with someone else," Kurama suggested. He held his rose ready in his hand. It wouldn't take much effort to create his rose whip and counter the snake sword. He focused his attention on Jakotsu's footwork. He was a skillful swordsman with excellent balance.
"I don't think so," Jakotsu said shaking his head. "I know you, Inuyasha!" He swung his arm out and used his extendable snake sword to destroy the ground at Kurama's feet. It would have sliced him in half if his reflexes had been anything less. "Why would you choose her!?"
"You definitely have me confused. My name is Kurama. And I'm pretty sure Kagome didn't leave this Inuyasha willingly." Kurama elongated his rose whip and locked it around the snake sword rendering it ineffective. Kurama had one ear trained on the clawed mercenary. He was still busy playing in the entrails of his fallen comrade.
"Suikotsu!" Kagome shouted, barely dodging Bankotsu's fist. She shot a ball of pink holy power at the clawed man. It hit him squarely in the chest. "Don't let Jakotsu hurt my friend!"
The glazed look of madness in Suikotsu's eyes lifted as the holy power purified him. "Kikyo?" He asked, blinking in confusion. He shook his head and then turned towards Kurama and Jakotsu, "Anything for you, priestess," he murmured.
Kurama didn't know a Kikyo, but maybe it was the alias Kagome used while sojourning in the Fuedal Era. He suspected that in his demonic form that if he'd intercepted Kagome's pink ball of energy it would have been very unpleasant. Kurama could hear the abrupt charge of Suikotsu coming in his direction.
Jakotsu's pretty face contorted into a mask of rage. At that moment, Kurama shifted out of the way of Suikotsu's trajectory and the bloody mercenary ran his clawed hands into Jakotsu's midsection.
OoO
Yusuke and Hiei left Makai, the Demon World, to perform a surveillance on Kurama and Kagome's families under King Sesshoumaru's orders. Sesshoumaru had men scouring all of Makai looking for any sign of the two. Yusuke was pissed that there wasn't anything he could do, but make sure their families were safe. Kouga, the Wolf King, had insisted that he would check out the Higurashi family personally. No one wanted to argue with the short-tempered wolf youkai.
"So, Hiei," Yusuke said in an attempt to make conversation with his short, brooding friend.
"Hn," Hiei grunted. He kicked his booted foot at the pebbles beneath their feet on the sidewalk.
Yusuke grinned. He missed Hiei's annoyed personality. "It was pretty strange seeing you and Botan together."
Hiei shrugged. "I've been serving guard duty in Makai for years. Koenma contacted me and asked if I was interested in working PRN for the Spirit Detectives and I agreed."
The green-eyed jealousy monster started to churn in Yusuke's gut. Koenma had fired him from the Spirit Detectives. He knew it was so that he could live a normal life and pursue a normal relationship with Keiko. But, things hadn't gone quiet so smoothly. After his time in the Makai training under his ancestor Raisen, the human world seemed too tame. His relationship with Keiko crumbled because no matter how pretty and sweet she might be, she couldn't compare to his longing for adventure.
"And then my sister, Yukina, had been made a Spirit Detective. She often worked alongside Kurabawa and by working with Koenma this gave me a chance to see her again," Hiei continued. "She's knows we're related now. No secret is safe with Kurabawa."
Yusuke stared down at his fire demon friend in surprise. "I don't think I've ever heard you speak a longer string of words, except when you're taunting someone in a battle," Yusuke admitted.
Hiei snorted. "I have quite an elaborate vocabulary should I choose to utilize it."
They passed the large cherry tree that was in full bloom outside of Kurama's family home. Yusuke and Hiei were careful to keep to the shadows. Yusuke spotted Kurama's step-brother, Kokoda, playing video games in the living room. His step-father, Kazuyo, sat at the kitchen table across from a police officer. Yusuke and Hiei exchanged a worried look.
"Shiori wouldn't have left, officer!" Kurama's step-father slammed his open palm angrily across the tabletop. "My wife doesn't even go grocery shopping without leaving a note."
"And what about her son? This Shuuichi Minamino?" the officer asked, glancing down at his notes. "She's close to her son. What about the young man's father?"
"Deceased," Kazuyo said on a sigh. He propped his elbows on the table and cradled his head in his hands. "He travels a lot with his work, but he's good about checking in. He wouldn't want to make his mother worry."
"Okay, so I'm guessing the same person behind Kurama and Kagome's abduction was busy over here," Yusuke whispered.
"Do you know where the girl lives?" Hiei asked.
Yusuke glanced down at his watch. They still had some time before they were to rendezvous with Kouga. "Not too far actually. It's only about two stops away by train. I'm sure Kouga is already there." He peeked into the window once more, but the expression on Kazuyo's face was painful to see. "Let's get out of here."
As they waited inside of the train station at the tracks, they were surprised by the arrival of two more Spirit Detectives. Yukina, Hiei's ice demoness sister, hurried towards them with Kuwabara, their loud-mouthed former teammate, hot on her heels. Yukina threw her arms around Hiei and hugged him tight.
"Koenma sent us to help," Yukina explained. She stepped back from Hiei and brushed back her long, jade green hair anxiously. Once their former teammate caught up, she took hold of Kuwabara's hand. "Have you found Kurama and the girl?"
"No, we haven't found Kurama or Kagome," Hiei snapped. "Would I still be wandering about the human realm if I had found them?"
"Gosh, Yukina, I thought you said that if Hiei fell in love with Botan that he would have a nicer disposition," Kuwabara said. He scratched the back of his unruly red hair with his free hand.
"You did what?" Hiei hissed angrily. His dark eyes flared with inner fire.
Yukina smiled at him sweetly. "I felt sorry for you and wanted you to open up your heart. I slipped a love spell into your drink so that you'd fall in love with the next woman you saw. And that next woman was Botan." She shook her head sadly. "I felt really sorry about it, but Genkai assured me that it would be good for you."
Hiei began to chuckle. The sound of his mirth sent shivers of fear racing down Yusuke's spine.
"So those strange feelings I had for Botan were the result of a spell," Hiei said.
"Maybe we go to the shrine now. Check on Kagome's family," Yusuke suggested. A laughing, amused Hiei was probably the scariest thing he'd witnessed in years.
A/N: Thanks so much for both your patience and reading! Special thanks to those that reviewed last chapter: londonpizzaplace, rspringb, Infinities Lover, Fairy Demon 26, EmperialGem21, BlueMoon-Darling, angeles372, FanficLover577, alex 988, kristina. .3, and northpeach.
August 15, 2014.