Yay! Chapter 8! This is where I make my first appearance! ^_^ (I pop in randomly, you'll see what I mean later.) This chapter, if I remember correctly, is more up to date. I'm not sure when it was that I started to make it sound less....uh...rushed, I guess. It may have been this chapter, or others in the future. I can't remember. x.x;; Anyway, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I d not own Yu Yu Hakusho, especially Kurama. Nor do I own Leiko. I DO own Rose and everyone else, though. ^^

Enjoy!

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---The Next Day

Leikos' back slammed heavily on the deck, her ragged body covered from head to foot in scratches. Kurama stood a few feet away from her, his sword drawn and pointing at her threateningly.

"Giving up already? What a pity. I thought you would have given much more of a challenge for me."

Breathing heavily, Leiko glared up at him, managing to turn onto her left side. "Damn it! You're not even trying are you?!"

Smirking, Kurama moved his sword away slightly. "Not at all. You have yet to provide even the slightest hint of a challenge."

Growling in irritation, Leiko lay flat on her back once again, then jumped to her feet, her right hand clutching her silver hilted sword tightly.

"I'm not finished yet!"

With that said, she charged at him, her sword raised. Amused by her actions, he raised his sword and blocked her attack. As his dominant hand was busy, she took advantage of the moment to quickly punch him with her left fist, hitting him right across the face, and making him stagger backwards in shock.

Kuramas' gaze was blank as he stared at her in shock. Taking her chance at his disorientation, she charged once again, raising the sword with much swiftness. Sadly, Kurama regained his composure quicker and blocked her attack. Taking her shock as one of his advantages, he quickly gave her a quick jab in the stomach, then spun his sword with hers, disarming her and sending her sword flying, then sent her crashing to the ground once again.

Placing a hand on the side of his face, Kurama glanced back down at her, his sword still in his right hand.

"I'm surprise you managed to hit me…" He massaged his now bruised cheek, his right eye closed. "That actually hurt… You could give my brother a run for his money…"

Sitting up while clutching her stomach in pain, she managed to ask, "Y-your brother…?"

"Yes, my brother. He was the only other one that could hit me and it would hurt…"

Groaning in pain, Leiko stood up, her eyes focused on him. "You know, if it's hard to talk about your brother, you don't have to…"

Opening his right eye so that he could see her fully, he gave a small smile. "Yes… I do believe it is time for me to explain the actions of my older brother. For one, he is a womanizer. For another, he is considered the King of all Pirates, for no one can challenge him."

"Why don't you challenge him?" Leiko asked, interrupting him.

Sheathing his sword, Kurama replied with a straight face, "Because I know I am no match for him… He'd kill me before he could feel any remorse what so ever…"

"Uh-huh… Is there any thing else you want to warn me about?"

"Yes." He looked her dead in the eye. "Never be in the same room with him, alone. If you are a woman, no matter what the cause, he will..." His voice faded, not able to bring himself to say it.

She gazed at him curiously, blinking in slight confusion. He turned his head away, not able to look at her directly.

"He'd what? Rape me?"

Kurama gave a small nod, his mouth having gone completely dry.

Leiko could see that the thought bothered him, and decided to just leave the topic alone. Thinking briefly about what to change the topic to, she finally came up with something.

"Hey, Kurama? How am I coming along in the becoming more of a pirate thingy?"

Jumping slightly at the obvious change of topic, he looked back at her. "Uhm…you're doing…fine…"

Suddenly feeling the need of making him blush, she continued, "Are you saying that because I really did improve, or because you like me?"

Kuramas' face suddenly turned as red as a rose, his eyes locked on hers. Leiko controlled the urge to laugh uncontrollably, and made herself hug him.

"Don't worry about it. I know you do." With that said, she disappeared down the stairs below deck, leaving Kurama completely stunned and unmoving above deck.

---On a distant island somewhere…

A scrawny man's back slammed against a jagged wall, his bones cracking echoing throughout the damp cave. The man's unmoving body lay crumpled in a heap, the life having gone from him. A man with long silvery white hair and golden eyes walked forward, his narrow eyes glaring coldly down at the unmoving form.

"How dare you bring me inadequate information." He growled, his golden eyes flashing menacingly.

"Sir! We have new information!" A man called, rushing in on the scene while pointing back the way he had come. He stopped dead when he saw his boss towering over the man's crumpled body. "Uh…am I interrupting something, sir?"

"No. Get this trash out of here." He ordered before turning his back on the lifeless form and walking towards the man. Stopping right next to him, he said in a low and deadly voice, "You'd better have correct information, or you'll have a worse fate that your friend." then walked off.

Trying to control his trembling body, he carefully walked over to the dead man's body and hauled it over his shoulder. With fear in his eyes, he slowly made his way to the entrance of the cave, throwing the body into the dark sea water. Watching it slowly be consumed by sharks, he grew pale, his mind rapidly going over his chances of escaping, and the consequences of escaping as well.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, he reentered the cave. Storm clouds were beginning to gather, giving the ominous feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"Hey! Hey, boss! Check this chick out!" A large, muscular man laughed evilly, pulling from a small jail a young maiden. Her cerulean colored eyes were filled with fear as her gaze fell on the King of Pirates as he entered the room. His golden eyes swept over her, softening slightly, then returning to their cold stature as he looked away as he sat down heavily.

"Not now."

"But, sir! She could help you relax more! Just look at her hands! Soft and delicate." She cried out in both pain and surprise as he pulled her hands more than she was used to.

The King's eyes were on her, watching her struggle to get away in a futile attempt. She gave up after a few minutes, tears brimming her eyes as her wrists were rubbed raw.

"Let her go." He ordered, suddenly feeling exasperated. His irritated gaze watched as the man reluctantly let her go, and as she slunk away slightly into the shadows of the cave, her fear filled gaze on him.

"Come here, woman."

Jumping noticeably, she didn't budge. His eyes narrowed. "I said, come here."

Swallowing roughly, her throat having almost closed, she slowly made her way over to him, slinking around the walls, away from his other men. Finally managing to get next to him, she stood, trembling, before him. Her light brown hair lay matted to her head as she shook, her eyes trying to find somewhere else to look besides his cold gaze.

"Relax, woman. I will not hurt you, or command you to do anything. Take a seat." He assured her, his gaze softening slightly.

Surprised, she stared at him, her mind blank. Suddenly realizing that she was staring at him, she quickly took an uneasy seat next to him on his right. Turning his now even colder gaze to his men, he ordered, "Now, give me the information you've claimed to have gathered. If it's any worse, or I find out that you have lied to me, then you will die a slow and agonizing death."

The man that had interrupted him earlier stepped forward, wringing his hands nervously in front of him.

"Well, sir, we've gathered information that your brother was last seen on a merchant's island, about 30 miles from our current position. He shipped out the next day, I believe, and now we don't know where he's at. Unknown sources have told me that he is looking for Nacar Island, which, if I remember correctly, is our main hideout, right?"

Smirking, the king leaned on his right hand, getting more comfortable. "I see. So, my little brother is trying to track me down. Heh, he knows that I'm rarely even on Nacar Island, but tries nonetheless." His eyes looked down at the maiden that sat uncomfortably next to him. "It appears as if I'll have use for you after all, Rose."

She jumped as he said her name, then blushed immensely. "B-but..you said we weren't going to do anything…"

"Are you questioning me?"

She jumped once again, growing even more nervous. "Uh..n-no, sir… I-it's just… I thought you were one that kept his word…"

"Hm…true…" He turned his attention back to the rest of his pirate gang. "It appears as if you've gathered adequate information this time. It is time to place my plan into action. Asai, it's time. Take the smallest ship, not a dinghy, to the next biggest port, and wait for the arrival of my brother's ship."

"But…how do you know he'll go there?"

His smirk broadened. "Because of the fact that he is my younger brother. Now, do not delay. Get going."

"Yes, sir!" Asai replied, saluting slightly before bolting out of the large cavern and off of the small island.

The other pirate men scattered and exited the cavern in groups, leaving the king of pirates alone with the young maiden. Feeling his eyes upon her, Rose reddened and stared down at her folded hands.

"Well well, it appears as if it's just you and me, alone together, Rose."

Swallowing roughly once again, she made no effort to respond, knowing that it wouldn't matter either way.

"Why don't we have some fun, shall we?" The maliciousness in his voice made her skin crawl.

Standing up to his full height, the king of pirates held an open palm out to her, offering to help her stand up.

"I'm impressed on your acting, Rose. It seems to be improving."

Glaring up at him slightly, she took his offered hand and unsteadily got to her feet. "Yeah, well… I'm not making a habit out of this…" She tripped and fell into his open arms. "Just do me a favor and stop it with the 'woman' thing. It's so irritating…"

Chuckling, he turned and began walking away, her trailing after him. "I'll do what I must."

Sighing in defeat, Rose could do nothing but follow the older man, cursing herself for having fallen for him.

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And that's the end of Chapter 8! I hope you've enjoyed it, and have, possibly, a lot of questions on your minds. Oh, and, if I were to announce this at some point in this story, I guess now would be a good time to do it.

*Ahem* This part at the end, that has to do with Rose (me) and Youko, it is an entirely different story that I'm writing at the moment. Not sure when this one will be finished, considering the fact that I keep deleting and editing it and stuff, and that it's only in the -teen pages. x.x But, I'm working on it. (The reason to why I waited until after I finished ARAAR is because I didn't want to mix the ideas.)

Oh yeah, I'm sure you've noticed that Leiko is with Kurama, and Youko is with me. The explanation for that is, me and Leiko are, somewhat, fan girls. (Not rabid fan girls, just quiet fans.) We kept fighting over Kurama because I like Youko Kurama, and she likes the human one. So, we made up our own world that has them as brothers. Yes, I know it's weird. But, it worked! ^_^ This is a fan fiction OF a fan fiction. lol

Hopefully this explanation has helped clear your mind of some questions, or has managed to make things worse. Sorry if it has! Anyway, hope you're looking forward to the next chapter! Thanks, and please review!