"Talking"
"Thinking"
-Telepathisis-
Flashback

-x-x-x-x-
Chapter Four:
Training Sucks

"C-can you hold them off?" The little boy mumbles.

"I should be able to for a bit...why?"

"I might be able to get us out of here." He hurriedly begins to focus his energy--it feels strange, as it's not youki and it's nothing like Kat's power--on a point in the pile of rubble.

Kat sighs. "I'll help."

The next fifteen minutes to a half an hour is a haze of striking and being struck; in the middle of the fight, he races over, grabs us and drags us into a portal.

"Master Koenma!" Cries a girl in a kimono. Similar expressions are heard but I have to block it out; a group of ogres wielding weapons approach the two of us and surround us; one false move and we're done.

0x0x0x0

Sora groans as he picks himself up off the grass.

"At least the landing's softer than inside..." He notes absently as he takes his defensive stance.

"You've made progress." Genkai acknowledges as she signals the training is over for today.

He blinks. "What?"

The corner of her mouth twitches. "You have to go home, don't--"

"My mom will understand." He states and slips into an offensive stance; he then darts towards her. Her eyes widen briefly, as she has yet to teach him any; he mirrors her technique near-flawlessly. She then smirks, blocks and sends him flying over her shoulder.

The black haired boy hits the ground with a muted thud as the breath explodes from his lungs; he ignores his muscles' and lungs' protests and stands, rushing towards her again. Like the time before, he is sent flying; this time, however, he manages to twist himself around so that he lands on his feet. He dampens this accomplishment by stumbling, but it does not go unnoticed by Genkai...nor by the chance observer.

Kurama stares as he watches his childhood nemesis go at it with Genkai; he is somewhat impressed by the other boy's determination, if nothing else. He lingers there, continuing to watch as Sora is thrown about; despite that, every time he is, he gets right back up.

"He's either stupid...or very determined." Kurama reluctantly notes the second thought to be the correct conclusion.

0x0x0x0

Hiei scowls as the rain drips off the tree and onto him. Despite the fact that he can go inside at any time, he chooses to stay outside in the miserable weather. At the moment, he is unsure of what soured his mood more: the weather or the fact that the weather allows Sora to stay.

"That boy..." He glares, red eyes seeming almost slitted, as Sora assists Yukina in the kitchen. "If he's so dangerous, why is the toddler allowing him to wander around freely?" He scans the room and its inhabitants. "Even the oaf dislikes him hanging around Yukina..."

"Are you coming in?"

His gaze flickers to the inquirer. "Get lost."

Blue eyes seem to sigh. "I'll be sure to relay that to Yukina, as she's the one who sent me out here."

The jaganshi glares, hand on his katana, but realizes that the boy will not tell her what he said---at least not quite the way he put it. Instead of reassuring him, however, it only makes him trust the other boy less.

0x0x0x0

Kimi sighs as the doctors sew her back up for the second time in less than two weeks.

"New record, huh?" Koenma joked feebly.

"I think so." The bluette agrees affably.

The brunette frowns, as he observes all the injuries she had collected. "Perhaps I should have--"

"You okay?" Botan inquires.

"Yep." The aqua haired girl grins, seemingly unaware of the pain.

"How..." He trails off.

She pulls a face. "Chill, Koenma." She then holds up a weapon, aged by exposure to the elements. "I got it...and once they finish stitching me up, I'll work on fixing it."

He sighs. "I know you're not going to like this..."

The demoness resists the urge to snarl when a needle pricks the edge of a particularly sore wound. "What?"

"I may need you to join Team Urameshi...if only temporarily..." He blinks. "What? No protest?"

"I'll get to hang in human world. What's not to like?"

Botan stares. "Since when d'you like to go to human world?"

She sighs. "It's not my favorite place, but even I like a break every now and then."

"...no arguments?"

"So far? Not really..."

The demi-god grins, pleased by the unexpected acquiescence.

0x0x0x0

Sora groans quietly as he carefully sinks down onto the bed in the spare room he was assigned. His muscles--leg in particular--are one giant ache.

"Overload principle, huh?" He growls mentally. "It helps you get stronger...pfft. Yeah. Right." The teen finds himself sulking as he lays back on the bed. He frowns slightly, recalling how everyone but Master Genkai and Yukina were cold or extremely wary of him. "Well...in S--Kurama's case, that's expected." A small sigh escapes him. "I can't blame them for siding with Sh--Kurama."

His gaze focuses blankly on the ceiling for a few moments before he chides himself. "Now isn't the time to sulk or have a pity party. I need to sleep or training will be worse than usual." With that thought, he rolls over, closes his eyes and focuses on sleep.

0x0x0x0

Kurama sits upon the couch; Yusuke and Kuwabara enter, tussling; Sora follows calmly as Koenma appears.

"Yo." He greets. Kurama nods stiffly; Yusuke and Kuwabara's tussle slows before ceasing; Sora turns his attention to him obligingly.

"Well...Kimi--"

Said demoness trips as she darts in the door, hits the floor and rolls over. Hiei appears behind her and tries to slice her in half; she catches the blade between her hands and then kicks him over her head with both feet. She then stands, tosses the blade up and catches it by the hilt.

"Nice weight." She comments before flipping the sword; her grasp is now on the blade as she offers the sword back to Hiei. He snatches it back; she sighs and calmly bandages the cuts his action caused her.

"Ah, I see you've made it." Koenma mumurs.

Kimi nods before picking up the bag she dropped when she tripped.

"So you have the blade?"

"Yep." She calmly places the bag on the ground.

"Sora, would you pull it out for us?" The demi-god requests. Sora obligingly steps up and pulls the weapon from the bag.

Kurama goes dead white; no one can tell if it's from anger or shock. "Who gave you the right to remove that weapon from where it was left?"

"You're not the only one who knew him, Kurama." Kimi interjects calmly.

"If you had known him, I would have--"

"Are you sure of that?" She arches an eyebrow at him; Kurama stares.

Koenma smothers a smile. "Ahem...how does--" He stops, as Sora gives the weapon an experimental swing. His form is flawless and a slight smile graces his features.

"About time he found the right weapon." Genkai comments as she enters.

"Whaddaya mean?" Kuwabara questions while Yusuke pesters the still-pale Kurama.

"He's tried almost every other weapon, but none of them clicked."

Kurama frowns. "Koenma, what exactly--"

The demi-god interrupts. "Kimi, explain."

The bluette rolls her eyes at the command, but obeys. "As you suspected, he's the reincarnation of a demon...albeit in a more traditional sense than him." She nods to Kurama. Koenma gives her a flat look.

"You're trying to tell me he's Kuronue's reincarnation?" Kurama questions icily.

The chain and scythe fall from Sora's grasp.

0x0x0x0

I sigh softly as Kat shifts in her sleep. It has been three days since the ogres threw us in this cell and I'm beginning to think that we've been forgotten. That can actually work in our favor...well, if it's impossible to die in spirit world, that is. Footsteps echo down the hall but I ignore them, as they march right past the cell Kat and I occupy.

"Kimi?" Her large, frightened eyes lock with mine; it appears the footsteps woke her. I nod, as I do not want to say a statement I will most likely be forced to retract. I will do anything and everything to get her out of here alive...but I cannot guarantee that the same fate will befall me as well.

"Do...do you think..."

I stare blankly at the wall, concealing my thoughts and emotions; despite that, she can tell that our situation is not good. "...is...is there anything--"

"Nothing can be done." I quietly explain and shoot her a brief, strained smile.

"Ah, there they are."

Both of us instantly glance up and tense; two large, muscled ogres with clubs leer down at us from beyond the bars.

"We'll have fun with them, eh, Puron?" Smirks the taller of the two.

"Looks like I won't be able to get out of here unscathed." I think. If these two decide to try anything, I will have to kill them...and, thus, will make an enemy of Enma.

"Shut yer gobs!" Snaps a third voice; it's accompanied by a loud clanking. A larger, purple ogre marches into view with two heavy chains. "Alrigh' lasses, ya need to put these on afore we can letcha talk to King Enma."

I stare coldly at the shackles as Kat wordlessly slips hers on.

"You too, lass." The purple one commands as the other two leer.

I scowl. "That has seals on it."

The purple ogre's smile is grim. "Tha's the idea, lass."

I stall further, trying to find a way to avoid putting them on; if I do, I'm a sitting duck.

Finally, the purple ogre tires of my tarrying. "Lass, either git 'em on yah, or I'll haveta let them fools atcha."

Their leers become predatory; I acquiesce, if only to ruin their fun.

-x-x-x-x-

Woo?
Haha, sorry. It's 1 AM and I'm not quite coherent.

EDIT: I AM SO SORRY!
I tried to post this on Sunday but...it didn't work T_T
My deepest apologies. :bows:

Meh...enjoy.
Emma