A.N. Still a lot to wrap up before the end of Chapter Black. So, in the words of Yusuke, LET'S GO TO DEMON WORLD!
Karina Guardian: :D hope you love this one!
B Martinez: Don't worry about those two. They're not splitting up. It's one of my most HATED tropes in all of media.
Black Dragon: Your review brought tears to my eyes. Yusuke coming back is in my top three Yu Yu Hakusho moments. It's one I had planned for a really long time and was dying to write. There's so much to explore with Sakura, way too much to address in the few chapters left in this book. But never fear, Book 4 is definitely going to be a journey of discovery from page 1.
Ghost of Magic: Yusuke is the kind of person who's incapable of entering a room quietly. And I love him.
Keyword LF: I'm with you. The Mazoku rant never fails to crack me up. The reunion is below, and I assure you I got quite emotional writing it. And considering this is only the beginning...yeah, I'm definitely going to be dehydrated for a while.
Hmm, good question about the SDF. I hate Ootake as well. He deserves to be whacked in the face with a shovel. But don't worry, there's still quite a bit for them to do in Book 4 and 5. Sakura may just get revenge after all.
As for Sakura's power exploding out of her, the answers to that and more shall be unveiled before we finish Book 3, so stay tuned.
Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 44: Power Unleashed
The giant hole in the Kekkai barrier opened wide before the SDF trio, but the atmosphere couldn't have been more silent. They watched and waited, until purple-haired Rinbai got bored and took a seat.
"This babysitting detail is the dullest yet," he grumbled. "There's nothing coming out."
"Of course not," Shunjun said. "They may be dumb, but they're not suicidal. I'll bet those demons got one whiff of us and turned tail faster than you can say chicken. Even A-Class demons tell stories about the SDF."
"Ha! They're probably even sicker of hearing about the time you cornered the Spirit Fox than we are!" Rinbai snorted.
"Shut up!"
Suddenly, Ryohi's senses spiked. "Wait…something with immense demon energy is approaching the perimeter."
"Where?"
They stood up at attention and looked around. Ryohi was right; there was definitely something coming their way. But it wasn't from Demon World.
"Hmm…it's coming from Living World?" Rinbai said. "Impossible! There are no demons that powerful in Living World!"
Of course, this was proven grossly incorrect five seconds later, when a giant bird came barrelling towards them with three figures on its back.
"Hey, Tool Brigade! Get outta the way!" one of them bellowed. "And get some cooler uniforms while you're at it!"
The soldiers gasped out loud and ducked for cover as the bird soared over their heads and through the barriers.
"That was one big Spirit Animal," Shunjun trembled.
"I think that was Prince Koenma!" Ryohi said.
"And Yusuke Urameshi was with him!" Rinbai added in astonishment. "He's not dead. But who was the girl?"
Shunjun ran a hand through his mop of blue hair. "His twin sister, I imagine."
"That's where the demon energy was coming from." Ryohi said.
The trio exchanged a knowing look, but it was Shunjun who said what they all feared.
"We're all doomed."
Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama lay there, knowing it was over. Despite their best efforts, Sensui was just too powerful.
But for Kurama, the pain in his heart was greater than anything his body felt. If he died here, then Haruki would go back and take Sakura. Nobody could stop him. She'd be trapped in Demon World as his bride forever.
"To me, there's no credit in fighting a losing battle." Sensui said. "However, you also mean to honour the departed, and that deserves respect. I apologise if I happened to have caused you any harm."
Hiei hauled himself into a sitting position. "Kill us if you're going to. Just spare us the sound of your voice."
"Your physical strength is greater than ours at the moment, that's all," Kurama murmured. "Unfortunately, that's the only thing that matters here in Demon World."
Kuwabara stared up at the red sky. His heart was cracking in two with grief and shame.
I'm sorry, Urameshi. I failed you.
"I am merciful," Sensui said. "I want to relieve you of your misery."
He raised his hand, ready to end it all, when he stopped.
"Hmm?"
Sensui looked around. The portal was open, still being swarmed by demons crawling over each other to climb through first, but something else was emanating in the distance.
"What's that? A great Demon Energy…and it's coming from the other side…? No, it can't be!"
The tiniest red spark appeared on the horizon. Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara forced themselves to sit up as they too felt the energy wave heading for them.
The red spark came closer and closer, and then they saw it was in the shape of a huge winged creature.
But that was only the first surprise, for as the creature came into view, it was revealed to be a giant blue bird - an oddly familiar bird at that - and the biggest surprise of all? Riding on said bird was a smiling Koenma, and in the front was none other than Yusuke himself.
"I'm sorry I got delayed. Traffic was a bitch. But I'm back! And I'm ready to finish this!"
Everyone stared in utter disbelief, but Yusuke was unconcerned. Puu hovered for a moment, flapping his wings before gently coming to land on the battlefield.
Kuwabara sat up with a gasp. Hiei and Kurama were both speechless.
Yusuke calmly hopped off Puu's back and shot a smirk at Sensui, who gazed back with wide eyes.
"Impossible!"
"Is…that him?" Hiei murmured.
"But how?" Kurama breathed.
For once, it seemed Kuwabara's vocal cords were paralyzed with shock.
Yusuke's red aura flared around him as he sauntered over.
"Some friends you are, ditching a guy while he's down and then hogging the bad guy all to yourselves! I gotta admit, I'm disappointed in you jerks. But did you honestly think I'd just lie there and let you guys fight my battles for me? Gimme a break!"
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara gawked. "But you were…well, you were definitely dead, I swear it! Your heart stopped beating; I double checked!"
Yusuke thought for a second, then said, "Yeah, I can't explain that. In fact, my ticker's still not ticking. I guess I should be worried, huh?"
Hiei and Kurama looked at each other, then they started laughing. Quietly at first, until they could no longer contain themselves and gave into their mirth completely.
"You'll get used to that," Kurama said once they'd settled. "You see, demon hearts don't beat in the conventional human sense."
"Demon?!" Kuwabara gasped.
"Yes, demon," Koenma said.
Kuwabara's mouth hung open.
Koenma jumped to the ground, then looked back and said quietly, "You just stay here and rest, ok?"
The three fighters weren't entirely sure who he was talking to, but they didn't get a chance to ask.
"I keep hoping I'll wake up soon…" Kuwabara said in a daze.
"It's no dream," Koenma said. "Yusuke had dormant blood inside him. Mazoku blood, which explains a few things, I'd say."
"Yeah, funny story. One of my ancestors way back was this Mazoku guy. So when I died, I was able to come back…but more like him."
"Ahh!" Kuwabara yelped. "So you are a demon?!"
Yusuke nodded cheerfully. "Yep!"
Kurama sat up a little straighter and asked, "Where is Kura? Is she safe?"
"I'm…right here."
She appeared from behind her position on Puu's neck. In the daylight, her injuries were revealed to be far more serious than they'd initially thought, but she smiled.
"Hey everyone. Thanks for…waiting."
Kurama stared at her. At last, she was before him, unrestrained, smiling and free. Granted, this smile was small and barely masking pain, but it was still hers.
Kurama's eyes misted as he stood up. "My love…"
So much emotion saturated his voice that Sakura welled up too.
"Kurama…"
"Wait a sec!" Kuwabara squawked. "What were you guys thinking, bringing her here?! We're still on full maniac alert, it's not safe!"
"No, but it's much safer than the other options." Koenma said. "Believe me, neither of us relish the idea."
"But Urameshi, I mean, you can't possibly think-!"
"I don't like it any more than you do," Yusuke snapped. "But like Koenma said, it was the best choice out of a long list of bad ones."
Sakura shook her head. "No, I…I wanted to…come…"
She swayed and was forced to lower herself back down.
"Kura!" Kurama hurried over to her.
"Kurama," she whispered. "Are you…ok? Hiei, Kuwabara?"
Kurama swallowed. "Yes, love. I'm alright. We all are."
She's been subjected to the most savage abuse…beaten half to death, forced to watch Chapter Black, and yet she's still more concerned about everyone else.
He reached her and held out his arms. "Come here, my love."
She went to get up, and Puu squeaked in concern.
"It's…ok, Puu," Sakura murmured. "It's ok."
"Wait, that thing is Puu?!" Kuwabara spluttered.
Sakura reached for Kurama, and he lifted her off Puu's back and into his arms. He held her as tightly as he dared, not wanting to hurt her any further.
"Kura. My precious, precious Kura."
This was where she belonged; tucked safely into his chest.
"Kurama, I…"
She trailed off, and they simply looked at each other, brown eyes into gold.
The whole world melted away, a calm silence filled the air, and time came to a gentle halt while a thousand unspoken words passed between them.
For this one brief moment, nobody existed but they two, and words were not enough.
"Is this real?" Sakura whispered.
Could it be true? Was she actually back in his arms, instead of Haruki's? Was she looking into his glorious golden eyes that wanted to love and protect her always, rather than Haruki's tormented blue gaze full of anger and lust?
"It's real," Kurama said softly. "I've got you, my love. And I will never let you go again."
"I love you," she whispered. "And I'm…sorry. I'm so sorry…"
She looked so shattered, and his chest ached. Instead of trying to reassure her, he simply planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. He was afraid to do anything else for fear of causing her more pain.
"You don't need to be afraid anymore, sweetheart. It's alright now; you're safe."
Sakura flinched at the contact. Her whole body tensed in his arms.
Kurama pulled away. Is she in pain? No, it's more than that.
From the way her ki signal felt, it seemed to be a mixture of pain from her various wounds, and the fear of another's touch.
Oh, my love. What did that monster do to you?
Every cut, bruise, swelling, scratch and mark gave him a very good idea of what. And he was positive there was more. A lot more.
"Sorry," she whispered. "It's not that…I don't…want it. I just…"
Kurama shook his head firmly. "It's alright now," he murmured, again. "Rest, my love. I'll keep you safe."
She nodded and leaned closer into his chest. His eyes fluttered.
"So wait a sec," Kuwabara said. "Urameshi, if you're a demon, then…what about Kura?"
"Well, that's technically still up in the air," Koenma said. "But so far, all signs point to yes."
"I see," Hiei said. "So if she died as well, it's likely that she would also revive from demon blood."
Kurama gave a soft growl. "We will not be testing that theory."
"Transmigration," Sensui spoke for the first time since their arrival. "The atavism of the Mazoku."
"That's correct." Koenma said.
"An ironic twist. The Demon Hunter has become the demon." Sensui smiled. "Most interesting. It appears Haruki was correct after all."
Kurama hissed. The rest of the boys shot death glares at him.
"Hey Sensui?" Sakura looked him up and down. "The 70's called, and…they actually don't want their outfit back. They've committed…enough crimes against fashion…and this get-up would tip them…over the edge."
Sensui scowled, but the boys laughed.
"I had no idea you were one of us, Yusuke," Hiei smirked. "How's it feel to be so superior?"
"Uh, honestly?" Yusuke looked himself over. "I don't really feel all that different now. I mean, I haven't sprouted horns or extra eyes yet."
"Meh, give it time."
"Shut it, you damn brat!" Yusuke snapped. "Anyway, I do have a sudden burning desire to tear this guy to pieces. So how 'bout it, Sensui? Ready to feed some worms?"
"Back off, Yusuke," Hiei stood, his own power flaring with a newfound strength. "We're in the middle of something, and I've suddenly discovered my second wind."
"No, Hiei." Kurama gently placed Sakura onto Puu's back. "I will take him."
"What is this, a prom date dispute?" Yusuke groaned. "I mean, I'm sure Sensui's flattered by the popularity and all, but this is my damn fight. I hate to say it, Kuwabara, but you're the only one acting sane."
Kuwabara started laughing again. He too jumped up as his power shot to new heights. "I'm ready! And better than ever! Stand back 'cause I can kick his butt myself!"
Hiei rolled his eyes. "You do realise he'll be…kicking back?"
"Yeah, and after him you're next!"
"There won't be a next."
"JUST SHUT UP!"
Sensui nodded to himself while Kuwabara threw a few punches at Hiei, who naturally dodged each one with ease.
Those three have become as strong now as they were when they watched Urameshi die. No…even stronger.
He smirked a little.
Koenma, you've chosen your team wisely. It's one thing to be empowered by rage at the loss of your friend. It's something extraordinary to be empowered by his return.
Sensui's seikoki radiated from him, and Yusuke stepped forward.
"I sense how strong you've all become," he said. "And I appreciate your help but I need to finish this alone. Ya dig?"
They each nodded in turn.
"Knock him dead, Yusuke Urameshi," Hiei said. "But if you fail, know I've got your back."
Yusuke sent a grateful smile his way. He took a step towards Sensui, but then he paused as if something else had occurred to him.
"Hey, where's that other nutcase? Did you kick his ass already?"
"No," Kurama said. "He was separated from the fight earlier, landing in the Forest of Fools. But he's on his way."
"So, we'll have to rearrange his face after Sensui's done?" Yusuke grinned. "That suits me just fine."
He winked at Sakura. "Won't be long now, Squirt. Just stay with the guys, ok? Don't worry about me."
"Be careful," she whispered.
"Hey, it's me!" Yusuke laughed. "But you guys…" he eyed his friends. "Don't let her try to fight, ok?"
"Urameshi, even for you that's pretty stupid." Kuwabara said. "She can't possibly fight like this!"
"I know, but she's stubborn enough to try. So, Fox Boy? Take care of her."
Kurama nodded. "Always."
Having said all he needed to, Yusuke and Sensui began walking towards each other. It was just them now. Two Spirit Detectives. One, a human fighting to liberate demons and destroy his own kind. The other, a half-demon fighting on behalf of the Living World.
The final battle between Sensui and Yusuke was about to begin.
"Sir, I'm sorry." Rinbai bowed to Captain Ootake. "I don't know how he did it. But the Mazoku Urameshi blew right past us."
"I know how!" Oho growled. "We were there when he was reborn. The guy's demon energy is off the charts!"
"We've never had any problems in the past neutralising even the strongest A-Class apparitions. So why aren't we able to stop this teenage boy?" Ryohi asked.
"I hunted the Spirit Fox, and his energy was nothing compared to the vibes coming off this kid." Shunjun added.
"It doesn't make any sense, Captain sir!" Sorai said. The SDF started talking over each other.
"It's impossible!"
"They said we're the best!"
"How can this be?"
"Let me assure you that you soldiers are the finest Spirit World has," Ootake began. "But with that said, there's always someone better."
"This…can't be." Sorai gasped.
"We've operated on a need-to-know basis," Ootake continued. "And as long as we stayed clear of Demon World's pits, you didn't need to know. But beyond B and A-Class, there exists an S-class."
Rinbai blinked. "So you're saying that Urameshi is…"
"...the descendant of one of these S-Class?" Saitou finished.
"And what about Sensui?" Shunjun asked.
"Sensui is still a human, but his power is equivalent to that of an S-Class Demon."
Horror settled over the group, but Koshinuke quickly composed himself.
"What about the Urameshi girl? Hiroshi said that she -"
"Whatever Hiroshi felt, we cannot confirm either way." Ootake said. "Since her powers may not exist, she may return to this realm with Prince Koenma. When she does, we will deal with her as King Enma commands."
More uneasy questions erupted at once.
"So what now? We should just throw in the towel?"
"No! I refuse to believe that a human and demon are stronger than Spirit World's toughest!"
"Is that really the situation, Captain?"
"How can we do this?"
"Is it hopeless?"
Ootake lost patience. "Attention, hut!" he barked.
The SDF fell silent. Whenever that tone of voice sounded, they knew the Captain meant business.
"There's a good reason why you never knew that S-Class existed," Ootake said. "Because the Kekkai barrier kept them out of our way. So what do we do, stand around feeling sorry for ourselves? We're the SDF for crying out loud! I'm sealing that net! Who's with me?"
"We are, sir!" they chorused.
"That's more like it. We'll have that baby sealed up in 48 hours. And we won't quit until those two monsters are stuck in there for good!"
Yusuke's red demon aura and Sensui's gold seikoki pulsed. They stared each other down, mirroring the other's movements in a semi-circle before they sprang into the air as one, and the battle picked up right where it had left off.
They soared at each other, power ready, and their fists met in the dead centre. Their power ignited and blinded everyone momentarily. By the time their vision came back, Yusuke and Sensui had already begun trading lightning-fast punches.
Sakura couldn't keep up with the speed of the battle. The only thing she could make out was bright streaks as each presumably connected. At least, until another colossal blast nearly knocked everyone over and sent giant boulders into the air.
BAM!
Sensui's blow hurled Yusuke head over heels onto a floating boulder. He righted himself in the air, just in time for Sensui's foot to come crashing down onto Yusuke's chest, straight through the stone.
Yusuke halted a few feet away and aimed.
"SPIRIT GUN!"
Even Sensui noticed the massive power increase of Yusuke's signature move.
It's too fast!
At the very last second, he moved his head and missed a direct hit by millimetres, though a few scraps of fabric from his armour wasn't so lucky.
The ki blast sailed over the vast forest and straight into a huge mountain on the far end. The force from the impact shook the earth.
"I missed?" Yusuke gasped. "With a blast that giant?"
"It barely grazed my Sacred Armour," Sensui smiled. "If that had been a direct hit, I'd be in pain."
Yusuke either didn't listen, or didn't care. He was far too busy examining his index finger. "My aim's off, I guess."
Kurama understood. "He must learn to adjust to his new powers."
"Yes, hardly a marksman-like performance," Hiei said. "But don't forget: if we've learned one thing fighting with Yusuke, it's that he adapts quickly to new circumstances to squeeze out a win."
"That's my brother for you." Sakura piped up.
Kurama tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Rest, my love."
She tried to stop herself flinching, but failed. Kurama paused.
Kura?
I'm sorry. Sakura told him. It's…it's not you. It's just…
How could she possibly tell him the truth? How on earth could she ever explain the terrifying things Haruki had done? The way his possessive hands had touched her at every opportunity? How she'd woken up stripped of her clothing and forced into this blue dress? Could she recount every slap, every punch, and every stomach-churning declaration of his crazed obsession? What words could possibly describe his hands around her throat, or his mouth forcibly pressed against her skin, or how he'd…?
She clamped her lips shut as a sob threatened to escape.
What's the matter with me?
All those terrible hours she'd been held captive, she'd longed only for Kurama's comforting touch. But now? Any contact prickled as adrenaline shot through her veins.
It's alright, sweetheart. His words were gentle, understanding. He will never lay his hands on you again. Nobody will.
Sakura desperately wanted to believe him.
"Urameshi, don't waste any ammo!" Kuwabara shouted.
"Oh! Right, I forgot. There's only one shot left," Yusuke considered his options, then said, "Well, I hope I can save it for the after-party. For Haruki."
Sensui gave a yell and started to power up.
"Now what?!" Hiei grumbled.
"I don't think he likes sarcasm," Kuwabara suggested.
Whether Sensui did or not didn't really seem to be the point. In the blink of an eye, he'd gone back to his original clothing.
"He's stripped off his Sacred Energy Armour," Kuwabara said. "But won't that make him easier to attack?"
"He's shifting his strategy to offence!" Koenma said.
One costume change later, Sensui stood in a more futuristic black jumpsuit complete with gloves, boots and a blue spiked chest plate that went all around his neck.
"Well, it's better than the last one, but I'd still say it needs work," Sakura mumbled.
"Tch. Hey, nice change," Yusuke said, and started to power up himself. "Now let's go!"
Botan soared through the night, urging her oar faster. Seeing the giant hole in the town square surrounded by curious onlookers only increased her sense of urgency.
If I can just get back to the cave, I'll know for sure…hmm?
Something caught her eye at a nearby bus stop where two forlorn figures waited.
Keiko? Shizuru? Well, of all the places!
"Hey, up here!" she waved.
Keiko looked up. "Botan?"
Once she reached the ground, Botan jumped from her oar. "What on earth are you girls doing here?"
"Well, Puu stopped breathing and then he started to float, so Shizuru and I followed him here. But then he turned into a giant bird."
"So Puu is still alive?!" Botan's face lit up. "That means Yusuke must not be dead -!"
She slapped her hands over her mouth, but the damage was done.
"Then it's true…" Keiko whimpered. "Yusuke really…oh no…"
Shizuru glared at Botan before pulling Keiko closer.
"I'm sorry," Botan said. "Let me re-emphasise that this is good news. It means Yusuke is alive!"
Comforting as this realisation might be, Keiko's eyes filled with tears and her legs gave way. Shizuru knelt beside her and for a moment, there was only silence.
"Well, we should probably find Genkai and see what she knows," Botan said quickly. "Come on!"
"Puu," Yusuke said, "Take them so they can watch the fight from a safe distance. I have a feeling this is gonna get pretty rough."
Puu reared his head back with a screech just as Sensui flickered out of sight.
Koenma jumped onto Puu's back. Kurama's gliding leaf unfurled. Hiei seized one of Puu's talons. Kuwabara yelped as Puu picked him up with the other claw. Sakura clutched at Puu's feathers and as one they took to the skies.
But on the battleground, a flicker of movement caught Sakura's eye and she knew what was coming.
"Yusuke!" she cried. "Look out!"
But that was all she managed to say before Sensui appeared from nowhere, fist alight with seikoki as it slammed directly into Yusuke's face. He barely had time to register the hit when a second, equally powerful blow sank deep in his stomach. The force sent him careening backwards. Jaws dropped as the shockwaves destroyed half the plateau in a gigantic explosion.
But Yusuke wasn't down for long. In fact, he was already back up and flaring his new power amongst the rubble.
Kuwabara and Hiei hopped up beside Sakura and Koenma on Puu's back.
"Kura," Kuwabara said. "Are you…ok?"
She shook her head. She wasn't ok. Not at all.
Kuwabara's eyes misted over, and he opened his mouth to say something else when Yusuke's shout caught their attention.
Both fighters had powered up again, and Sensui was already coming at Yusuke, who surged forward to meet him halfway.
As they met, red demon energy and golden seikoki collided in a tense standoff. Then, with a crackling sound, the air exploded.
The others could not see, they could not hear, and all they knew was the world turning brightest white around them with lightning-fast wind and rubble rushing past.
Koenma shielded his face and yelled, "Which one of them did that?"
"I think both!" Kuwabara yelled.
Sakura hung onto Puu's feathers as he swerved to dodge the projectiles.
Hold on, Yusuke. Hold on!
Whether he replied or even heard she did not know, for at that moment, Sakura's vision was replaced by another's…
*~*~*
"Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all!" Kazuya cheered. "Soon, every human will be ass-up in their graves!"
"Shinobu, it feels so good to manipulate them," Minoru laughed. "We hold the Human World with the words on our tongues, and we can crush them like little ants!"
"I know that's not what you really want!" Hitoshi said. "I know that deep down you truly love your own world."
He knew how much Shinobu loved animals and flowers, because he felt the exact same way. If it was up to him, none of those innocent souls would be touched.
"Yeah, love it so much you wanna kill the humans that plague it!" George snorted, cynical as ever. What else were the weapons he forged for Shinobu meant to do?
Makoto turned away. He had no interest in this. He was in charge of daily errands like driving, shopping and so forth. Even if he had an opinion on the matter, it wouldn't make the slightest difference.
Minoru stood up. "With arrogance and insecurity they have destroyed their most sacred gifts, their world and their brothers," he said. "At long last, their day of judgement has come."
Shinobu folded his arms and looked at each of the six. "Who am I to pass that judgement? This ends here."
"Never, Shinobu!" Kazuya said. "It has yet to begin! After all this, don't pussy out now! Not when things are about to get really frickin' fun here!"
"We wouldn't survive to see that," Shinobu said quietly. "It's already too late for us."
Behind them, a single tear ran down Naru's face. All of this violence might be necessary, but it was breaking her heart.
"Please, stop fighting!" she begged. "Can't you all just get along? It hurts my feelings!"
*~*~*
With tremendous effort, Sakura pulled herself out of the vision. Watching Kazuya and the others brag about their plans was bad enough, but seeing Naru was her limit.
Sakura pressed her face into Puu's neck and tried to slow her breathing.
That's them. All of them.
"Kura? Kura!"
She looked around. The hand-to-hand battle between Yusuke and Sensui was raging below, but up here, all eyes were on her.
Kuwabara leaned over Sakura, having apparently shielded her from the explosion. Koenma's face was full of concern, and even though Hiei was doing his best to pretend otherwise, Sakura could sense his worry for her as well.
"It's ok," she whispered. "I just…got lost in a mind connection."
"What kind of connection? You look scared."
"I saw them. All seven. They're in constant communication with each other. It's almost like a board meeting."
Kuwabara shuddered. "Creepy."
"Yes," Sakura trembled. "It's…it's scary."
Kuwabara nodded. "Yeah, I bet."
Sakura took a breath and turned to Hiei. She hadn't had a chance to say anything to him yet, and she needed to.
"Hiei?"
"What is it?"
"I…I'm glad you came back."
"Is that so?" Hiei snipped.
Sakura nodded. His eyes softened, but only for a moment before the scowl returned in full force.
"Tch. Like you would've survived without me."
Don't tell him I said this, but he's not wrong. Kuwabara admitted.
Sakura raised a brow, but didn't question further. This wasn't the right time. She had more important things to say.
"Are you ok, Kuwabara?" she asked. "Did they do anything bad to you, in the cave?"
"Huh? Well, nah. Not really. I mean, they kicked me a few times but that's no big deal."
"I'm glad. I was worried about you."
"Me?!" Kuwabara gawked.
Had she looked at herself? As far as he could tell, there wasn't an inch of her that wasn't cut, scratched or bruised. And that wasn't even counting the ki bullet hole on her shoulder, those strange markings on her collarbones, or the unseen damage. But in spite of that, she was concerned for him. For his well being.
Kuwabara blinked fiercely and reached out to grasp her less-injured shoulder. "You…don't need to worry about me, Kura. I promise I'm ok.."
Sakura involuntarily flinched away from him. Kuwabara paused, hand halfway out. He looked surprised.
Oh no. I've hurt his feelings. After he's been through so much…how could I be so insensitive?
"I…I'm sorry," Sakura said. "I'm really sorry, Kuwabara. It's not you, I just…can't right now."
Understanding passed over Kuwabara's face, and guilt quickly followed.
"That makes sense, but…" he hesitated. "Listen, Kura…I - ahh!"
Sakura gasped. Puu had angled himself slightly and Kuwabara lost his balance. He would have fallen straight off had he not managed to grab hold of Puu's feathers just in time.
"Sheesh," he whimpered. "I think it's getting a bit crowded up here."
"Indeed," Kurama floated beside them, arms out. "Come, my love."
"Kurama, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean -"
Kurama's ice cold glare instantly silenced Koenma. Whatever thoughts Hiei and Kuwabara had, they kept their mouths shut.
"Come here," Kurama said softly. He was aching to hold her again.
Sakura nodded once and held out her hand. Kurama took it, and swept her into his arms with a swiftness that took her breath away.
"That's it; I've got you. Now hold on…"
Those purple vines from the gliding leaf started curling around Sakura's waist.
She winced.
"Kura?"
Sakura closed her eyes and simply said, "It hurts, Kurama. A lot."
She wasn't just referring to the physical pain, Kurama knew. She was still terrified. She wanted him close, she wanted to be in his arms as much as he craved her, yet it brought more suffering.
What did he do to you, love?
He could not ask. This was neither the time nor the place. Instead, he simply brought her closer to his chest where she could feel his heartbeat.
"I know, my love. But it's going to be alright, I promise. We'll help you recover."
Even to him, the words rang hollow.
Physically, she would recover, even if it took some time. But emotionally? Psychologically? That was another story.
"Kurama?"
Sakura's fingers ghosted his face. He looked down, and to his surprise, she was smiling again. A genuine smile of pure wonder.
"Yes, my love?"
"I think…I think this is the first time I've seen your demon form up close. Every other time, I've been too far away. Or…you know, unconscious."
Kurama couldn't help it. He smiled back. "And…does it meet with your approval?"
She nodded. "You're so beautiful."
"As are you, my precious flower."
And she was. Even with the deep gashes and severe bruising on her face, she was more beautiful than ever to him.
Mine.
Without thinking, Kurama leaned down to plant another kiss on her forehead when she went rigid again. He instantly pulled back.
I'm sorry. It's not you. I swear it's not you.
More tears sprung up in her tormented eyes, and with it, Kurama's heart thumped painfully. He couldn't bear to see her in such agony.
You don't need to be sorry, my love.
Sakura looked at him for just a moment, and to his surprise and relief she hooked her arms around him and nuzzled into his neck.
The whole time, I knew that you'd come for me. No matter what they said, I knew it.
The contact made his heart flutter, but he could also sense how she pushed away her discomfort in order to be closer.
Always, my love.
She sighed and snuggled deeper into him. Kurama carefully tightened his hold, just a little. Having her back in his arms was like coming up for air after spending too long underwater, but he knew this was not over. It wouldn't be until her captors were vanquished.
Haruki, you will pay for every moment of her suffering.
The sound of a searing energy attack made everyone look towards the battle again. This whole time, Sensui and Yusuke had inadvertently been edging closer and closer to the portal in the sky, and the ladder of drooling demons climbing towards it. The latest blast attack had careened into the mob and sent a few hundred toppling to the ground.
"What's going on out there?" Kuwabara asked.
Koenma groaned. "Great. They've knocked the demon masses out of rank. And it's safe to say they won't be dropping in to give Yusuke a helping hand."
Koenma was right. The enraged demons who had lost their place at the top of the pile came swooping on both Yusuke and Sensui.
The first wave of demons didn't make it far, as Yusuke and Sensui's hand-to-hand combat was sending deadly waves of energy around them like a shield, and the low level apparitions didn't stand a chance. But Yusuke and Sensui both noticed the new arrivals, and jumped back from each other to deal with them.
"Beat it, jerks!" Yusuke shouted as he punched several away.
Sensui flared his seikoki. That was enough to take care of the first horde rushing at him, then he looked up and saw hundreds approaching from above.
"Damn! I don't need your meddling!"
He sent a colossal blast upwards, and the demons screamed as they were all vaporised.
Sensui scowled at what he'd done. I thought my demon-slaying days were behind me.
"It's just you and me now," Yusuke said. "Well, you and you and you and you and you and you and you and me. We're gonna finish this, for good."
Sensui started to laugh. "You're single minded in your vengeance, Urameshi. I like that about you."
"The tunnel was one thing," Yusuke said. "But the minute you decided to take my sister and mess with my friends, you painted a target on your back."
"When it comes to your sister, I think your quarrel is with Haruki."
"You don't need to worry about that," Yusuke hissed. "We'll take care of him the second you're done."
Sensui powered up with a yell. The ground beneath him split, and he came at Yusuke again.
How much further?
Haruki stopped running through the forest just long enough to catch his breath. Just above the treetops, he saw flashes of red and yellow which meant he was heading in the right direction.
Won't be long now, honey. We'll be together again soon.
How sweet it would be, when the Spirit Fox lay dead, when all of them were dead. Sakura would be free of their control. She'd remember everything, like Sensui said. She'd belong to him alone.
I'll make it all up to you, honey. I'll look after you. We'll start again, just the two of us. I'm going to make you so happy.
Where would they go, to start their new life? Somewhere secluded, private, and befitting her beauty, of course. She deserved that, and so did he.
A patch of flowers at the base of a tree caught Haruki's attention. Delicate blue flowers with ruffled petals. They gave him an idea.
We should go somewhere with flowers. Lots of flowers. Trees too. Yes, she'll like that, just like Sora would…
Haruki paused with a sharp intake of breath.
Sora.
Her face floated into his mind. Then Kenji. And the other 13 students.
Sora. Kenji. Everyone...
Haruki missed them. He'd spent the last twenty years missing them. Every single day, no matter how hard he'd tried to put it behind him, the ache was there. It was always there.
How he wished his friends could be with him now. The whole class would have loved exploring this forest, carving out their own little paradise. It would be a mystical kingdom. Kenji's perfect training ground. And Sora? He could hear her now, plain as day…
"Hari-chan, just look at all these trees and flowers. We could make so many beautiful things here!"
All she wanted was to make the world beautiful. And she'd never had the chance. None of his friends had. They were frozen in time, only existing in his blood-stained memories.
It's ok now. The old man is gone. Both Toguro brothers are finished. And when the world pays for everything, I'll have avenged you all completely.
All at once, a faint rustling made Haruki whip around.
What was that?!
There was nothing there. Not a soul. His aura didn't detect anything either.
Must be my imagination.
Another round of explosions erupted from the battle, and Haruki knew it was time to move.
As he ran off again, the three strangers hiding in the treetops shared a knowing look.
"Hokushin, you sense it too."
"Indeed. That apparition is afflicted with deep suffering, but overtime it has melded into a corruption that cannot be healed."
"Why does he race to the battle?" Seitei murmured. "Does he have a stake in it?"
"Hard to say," Hokushin said. "I am certain that his ki is not the one we felt entwined with that of the human female, but I still sense traces of her ki from him."
His companions stared in disbelief. "You do?!"
"Yes. However…" Hokushin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Contrary to his beliefs, his intentions are not pure. Let us continue to follow him, unseen. Quickly!"
The Jagan slipped shut again, and Hiei's face hardened.
He's coming, Kurama. Through the forest, from the western side.
Kurama's eyes darted in the direction Hiei indicated.
Hiei, how long do we have?
Hiei concentrated again. He should be here in five minutes or less.
Kurama suppressed a growl. We'll be ready when he does.
Sakura chose that moment to snuggle deeper into him, which only steeled Kurama's resolve. The moment Haruki reappeared, he would strike. There was no way he would leave this plane of existence with that monster still among the living. The other boys wouldn't either.
I must be the one to destroy him. Nothing else will suffice…
BANG!
Sakura looked down even faster than Kurama. "Yusuke!"
Her brother and Sensui had started by trading punches, but that all changed when the flying wreckage started to impede their space. Both powered up, both streaked across the sky and slammed into each other to continue the bloodshed.
BAM! Sensui got Yusuke in the jaw. BAM! A direct hit in the torso. BAM! A fierce uppercut. BAM! The final hit resulted in Yusuke flying head over heels. He crashed straight through a giant slab of rock and fell down, down, down, until he landed on his feet, fifty metres opposite Sensui.
As they stared each other down, Yusuke licked his lips with pleasure.
The spectators were gobsmacked. The giant Plateau of the Beheaded had been reduced to little more than gravel.
"What the heck was that?" Kuwabara gasped. "One minute there was a rock ledge there, and now that those two are through, there's nothing but a pile of pebbles!"
"What is this power?" Sakura murmured.
Yusuke got to his feet and flashed his trademark cocky smile. "Hey, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling crowded. What do you say we move this fight to a more open schoolyard?"
"Alright, Yusuke. Where do you suggest?"
"See that tall pointy mountain over there?" Yusuke pointed to a summit at least three kilometres away. "There's nothing but rocks and sand around it. It'll be perfect."
"You sound familiar with it, as though you've been there before," Sensui said.
"Must be an ancestor thing," Yusuke shrugged. "But enough of this walk down regressed-memory lane. Let's go!"
They grinned at each other, and in the blink of an eye they were gone.
"Where did they go?!" Sakura cried.
"They're moving." Hiei said, pointing. The yellow and red lights, known to be Sensui and Yusuke respectively, leapt from rock ledge to rock ledge, towards the mountain.
"Puu, follow them!" Koenma ordered. Puu screeched, flapped his wings and sped up.
"Hold tight," Kurama said to Sakura, and he too accelerated to keep up with the others.
Kuwabara shook his head. "I don't know. I still can't believe this giant beast of a bird is really our cute little Puu."
"Well, he's a reflection of Yusuke's self," Koenma said. "As Yusuke was reborn, so was Puu."
"But Urameshi didn't get all jumbo sized."
"Not on the outside," Koenma muttered.
Sakura twisted her head as much as she could to get a decent look in all directions. Her dizziness had improved a little since arriving, so she was able to see more of the landscape.
So this is the Demon World.
The vast desert. The lush forest. Purple lightning that illuminated the dusty red sky…
Wait.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Kurama."
"Yes, my love?"
"This is it. It's what I've been seeing in my visions. The Demon World."
His eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"You know those visions I started having, when I got lost in the woods on Hanging Neck Island?" she said. "You thought it could be Foresight, but I think it's something else. Another dimension, like Genkai said. Whoever's been calling to me must be from here."
Shock flashed across Kurama's face. "It's…it's possible, but Kura…"
"What other explanation is there?" she said almost desperately. "This is virtually the exact same landscape! And…" she swallowed, "in my last vision, I think I saw - oh!"
Far below them, Yusuke kept sprinting towards that mountain. He was faster than a bullet, lighter than silk. These plateaus were nothing more than stepping stones in light of this new power he wielded. He'd never imagined he could possess such might. It towered above Toguro. It knocked Genkai's orb from its pedestal. Rando and Goki and the Saint Beasts from his first few cases would have run for their lives if they'd felt this kind of strength…
Huh?
The world around Yusuke went silent. His heart throbbed, so loudly it was all he could hear. For a second, he almost felt separated from his body…and then it was over.
What was that?! Maybe a demon heartbeat?
He couldn't understand it.
At the exact same moment, Sakura clutched at her chest as her heart gave the same odd tremor. The sound rang in her ears.
Yusuke…I felt it too.
"Love, are you alright?" Kurama's voice pulled Sakura back to reality. "What's wrong?"
"I…don't know. My heart just…did something weird."
"That doesn't sound good," Kurama frowned. "Kura, would it be alright if I inspected your condition with my demon energy? Just to make sure?"
She hesitated. "Ok."
Kurama released his ki, pushing it out and gently allowing it to scan her body. Sakura winced, but thankfully the feeling didn't last long.
"Your heart rate seems normal," Kurama said, though the worry in his eyes did not fade. The rest of her body was far from alright. "That was likely a heart palpitation. But given all the…substances in your system right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you started experiencing more symptoms such as an irregular heartbeat and so forth."
She closed her eyes. "Makes sense."
"Don't be afraid, my love. I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side. Never again."
Sakura gave a tired nod and rested her head against his shoulder.
I love you.
And I love you, my hana.
The explosions and flashes of light ahead indicated that Sensui and Yusuke had not only reached the mountain, but that their battle had resumed in earnest.
"Uh, that kinda looks painful," Kuwabara said.
Sakura shivered. Be careful, Yusuke.
Even at the speed they were flying, it still took more than a few minutes to arrive at the mountain. Well, what was left of it. Yusuke and Sensui were locked in combat, pressing against each other with everything they had.
The precipice they stood on split from underneath them, and without either backing down they fell and landed in that same death grip.
Who would give way first? Nobody could even guess.
The first sign of the impending disaster was the sand swirling around their feet while the combined power skyrocketed. Higher and higher it spiralled into a funnel, reaching them in the skies. Puu and Kurama were both forced back by sheer force.
"Ok, what are the odds of a tornado popping up right about now?!" Kuwabara said.
"Quite good, considering that the two of them caused it," Hiei said.
"It's not a tornado!" Sakura gasped. "It's…it's an aura cyclone!"
And it was only gaining momentum. Not just one, but six sand tornadoes had sprung up around the crackling epicentre of the fight. Yusuke and Sensui's power, both combined in a sphere that neither wielded alone. Lightning crashed down from above into the bubble while the brown dirt of the Demon World disintegrated beneath their feet. The very air felt like a blunt knife sawing on the skin.
"Alright, well we'd better pull back for now," Koenma yelled over the commotion. "The power they're generating is as great as two S-Class demons. We'll get fried if we stay too close!"
Sakura looked back at Kurama, her eyes wide with fear. "Kurama, what does it mean if -"
He never heard the question, for at that moment the aura cyclone detonated and sent the five of them flying through the air.
Had to do a RIDICULOUS amount of research and double checking for these two most recent chapters. The SDF's names are reassigned to different members between the manga and anime, and two of them don't get named at all so I just had to come up with a couple on the fly! Somehow I doubt the names Hiroshi and Koshinuke were what Togashi had in mind, but eh. He never gave them official names, so I figure I've got permission.
It was a similar story with Sensui's six other personalities. Only Minoru and Kazuya get named in the anime, the manga mentions Naru once, and we're simply told that three more exist. However, Togashi did give an interview where he revealed the unnamed personalities. These are Hitoshi, who loves nature, George, who creates the weapons Kazuya wields and Makoto, who takes care of all those pesky errands like shopping and cleaning. It's all quite fascinating and I don't think I'm alone in wishing we'd seen a little more of Sensui's personalities in the story. But alas, this did not happen.
With maybe 5 chapters left (still playing around with whether to split or join a couple, I'll know for sure when I write them!), the finish line is in sight, folks. Every moment is mapped out, everything is planned and in place for an explosive conclusion.
Chapter 45 is going to be massive, and I'll have it out as soon as it's ready. Until then, make sure you let me know your thoughts on the chapter, and stay awesome!
Til next time!
Rosentic xx