Chapter Thirteen

Does anyone else just really like chokers and how they look but hate how uncomfortable they are? I bought a Sailor Moon one from Hot Topic (it was way too expensive but it's so cute) and it fits nicely, but something about it makes me feel uncomfortable. FYI, I don't normally wear necklaces of any kind. The few times I have, they've been long chains with relatively light pendants.

Stepping through the portal and coming out to the other side was jarring, to say the least. The ride was uncomfortable in the worst way and quite disorienting. It was like taking 5 steps forward and becoming ridiculously tired. It seemed that the other three fared better than Yuki, though, seeing as all Yusuke could do was open his mouth wide and look around. Kurama seemed cautious but not scared, and Hiei looked more content than Yuki had ever thought was possible (which in hindsight, wasn't actually all that much).

"So this is Demon World, huh?" Yusuke whistled. "Looks pretty nice."

Yuki was inclined to agree. Even though the sky was a blood red, the portal had dropped them off in a relatively scenic area filled with giant trees and colorful flowers.

"Yes, but be careful of the plants, Yusuke," Kurama glanced at a small yellow flower at his feet. The petals opened to show off jagged teeth. It hissed and lunged at the red head's foot, but Kurama quickly killed it by stepping on it. "They may look harmless, but as with everything here, it never is."

"If we're surrounded by those things, I think we should leave before they all start to wake up," Yuki commented, looking around.

"I agree," Kurama nodded. "We should move quickly. Our target should be nearby."

"We can get a good look around if get up into the trees," Yusuke pointed upwards. "They're pretty big."

"Yes, that's a good idea," the red head smiled, reaching for a nearby branch and hoisting himself up.

Hiei shot up in a blur and stopped several hundred feet above on a thick branch.

Yusuke grinned and grabbed another tree branch and did the same as Kurama, pulling himself up and reaching for the next one. Yuki watched them climb higher and higher before stepping towards a tree.

"Hurry up Yuki!" Yusuke yelled from above.

The white haired demon pulled himself up into the tree and started ascending as fast as he could, the leaves blurring. In almost no time, he emerged at the top of the canopy and looked around. Hiei was already standing in his tree, bandana off and eyes closed.

A second later, Kurama and Yusuke emerged.

"Wow! You're fast!" The black haired Spirit Detective laughed. "I didn't think you had it in you!"

"Have you found it, Hiei?" Kurama asked the shorter demon.

Hiei shrugged. "I can't tell. I'm getting blocked and can't pinpoint anything."

So even he's having issues trying to find Mitsu.

"Is it a mental barrier?"

The black haired demon shrugged again, putting on his bandana.

"Then how are we supposed to find it?" Yusuke groaned.

"You could try jumping off the tree and seeing where you land," Hiei growled.

Yuki couldn't help it. He snorted.

Brown, green, and red eyes all stared at him.

"Sorry," Yuki mumbled.

"Hey! You have a sense of humor! Good to know you're not just a way cuter version of shorty," Yusuke grinned and then frowned. "It's not gay to say that right? Since you're also a girl?"

"I can change if that makes you feel better?" Yuki tilted his head.

"Uh, yeah. That would definitely make me feel better about the whole thing."

The Spirit Detective watched in fascination as Yuki's chest inflated and puffed out. Then he frowned again.

"Are those bigger than before?" he asked.

Yuki looked down and frowned as well. "Weird. They are."

"If you're all done with this, we need to move," Hiei snarled. "There's a group coming towards us."

"Hostile?" Kurama asked, reaching into his hair.

The shorter demon didn't respond, only pulled out his sword. Kurama seemed to take that as a yes and pulled a whip out of his hair. Yusuke grinned and pounded his fists together.

"You can fight like that, right?" Yusuke inclined his head towards Yuki.

She nodded. "I can fight."

The group immediately dove under the canopy and dropped towards the ground at alarming speeds. Hiei and Kurama landed softly while Yusuke and Yuki landed fairly heavily.

"You may look like Hiei, but you sure as hell aren't as graceful as he is," Yusuke snickered, glancing over at Yuki, who began to turn red.

"Shut up, detective," the aforementioned demon growled.

Kurama took a moment to smile before turning to Yuki. "Actually, how well do you think you could take on a group by yourself?"

Yuki thought for a moment. "As long as it's not too big, I guess I could do it."

The red head turned to Hiei. "How big is the group?"

"Five, maybe six."

Kurama turned back to Yuki.

"Doable," she responded.

"Then would anyone mind if we left this to Yuki?" he asked the other two.

Yusuke shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

Hiei seemed more than a little against it. "And what if these are her comrades?"

"You can see if they are, can't you?" Kurama smiled.

The black haired demon growled but sheathed his sword. "I refuse to help out if she can't handle it or if I'm right."

It didn't take long before the group of six demons came through. They looked grotesque and large, with extra limbs carrying dangerous looking weapons. Yuki tossed her backpack to Yusuke. "Hold this, will you?"

"You don't need it?"

She shook her head, before lifting herself back up into the tree. Yuki made her way towards the group of demons and began her attack.

Her first target, and subsequent source of weaponry was a demon with a tough looking body and four arms carrying clubs and a crude sword. Yuki concentrated on making his blood harden and become sharper and sharper before it began to pierce the veins.

The demon made a face and seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable. It wasn't long before his blood pierced his flesh and began gushing out in large streams. He screamed and tried to stop the bleeding, dropping his weapons and trying to cover the holes. It was a futile effort as he dropped to the ground in the puddle of blood, dead.

His comrade with four legs shouted, "Ambush!" and all the other demons readied themselves.

Yuki concentrated on making the blood into sharp limbs and the puddle slowly rose and formed sharpened tentacles. The white haired demon frowned, because that wasn't quite what she was going for, but it seemed to be working. Two demons dropped dead from the initial attack, but the other three seemed to be doing just fine, blocking and dodging the assault.

She clicked her tongue and gathered the blood from the newly dead demons to form a larger pool of blood and more tentacles. She gathered a smaller puddle of blood and it crept towards her, forming a sword. She picked it up and rushed forward, stabbing a demon in the head, killing him.

The last two demons yelled and swung their weapons at her. Yuki swept her hand in front of her and the blood tentacles collapsed and formed a shield in front of her, blocking the attacks.

The demons seemed confused but regained themselves, this time retreating a little. The shield collapsed and reformed into the tentacles, gathering around Yuki. One demon rushed forward and started attacking as fast as he could. It took half of the tentacles to block the attacks and the other half to counterattack. This demon soon followed his dead comrades and collapsed as a tentacle ran him through the chest.

The last demon, who had yelled 'Ambush', realized he was the only one and that a single demon had taken out his group of six lower A class. He was either dealing with an S class or above.

"Spare me!" he yelled, dropping his axe and shield. "I'll serve under you if you spare my life!"

Yuki faltered and frowned. "I don't want an underling."

"Please! Spare my life milady!" he begged.

Kurama watched as Yuki killed the demons in remarkably precise movements. It was good to know of her abilities and what she was capable of, but if it came down to it, would they be able to fight her? He watched the last demon beg for his life and how Yuki and her group of blood tentacles stilled. Was she considering his servitude? It seemed not, with her response and seemingly utter distaste at the notion. He started to his feet in shock as one of the bodies moved and grabbed a fallen sword. The begging demon grinned, and Yuki didn't seem to notice the demon behind her.

He watched as two of the tentacles whipped around and sliced through the sneaking demon, cutting him into three pieces. He watched as Yuki turned in shock a second later and watched her large blue eyes grow even larger at the sight. He watched the pieces fall to the ground and saw the horror in Yuki's face. The last demon, recovering from the surprise, saw the opening and grabbed his axe, charging at the much smaller demon. All the tentacles sliced through him and he fell to the ground in little chunks of bleeding flesh.

Those tentacles moved like a separate being, and probably were, if Yuki's shock said anything.

Ohhhh boy! Finally I get to show off female Yuki's power! Gosh, I love her ability. I actually wonder if I made it a little OP. I love OP characters and abilities. It's why I love Mondaiji Tachi's Izayoi so much. Also, I sort of came up with the demons' designs from Steven Universe and their weird fusion bodies. Like Malachite, Sugilite, or Sardonyx. Just not quite as big.

DFTBA!