A.N. The finish line is but metres away. Let's go for it!
Silena MB: You aren't the only one feeling relieved. Truthfully, I'm sort of in two minds about it myself. Haruki has been part of my life for about three years now, if you count his conception before I started publishing Book 2.
He did deserve a lot of suffering, no question. And poor Master Shin...
Kenji and Sora's resignation was heartbreaking to write. Especially when they begged the boys to put a stop to it. I always knew they'd be the ones to give the final 'ok' to them. It was like the last thread being severed.
Sakura's got a jouney ahead of her, but she's not alone. Not anymore.
hw0134160: I'm glad you came back for the last one. I know it took ages for Haruki to be killed off, but hopefully now that it's all over, you understand why it took so long. A LOT of closure was needed, and I really wanted to write it all according to my original vision.
Book 4 is going to be wild, but challenging for me to write. And yes, it's been three years since I published the first chapter of Book 1. What a crazy thought!
Starrat: Thank you!
Ghost of Magic: They most certainly did not hold back! It had to happen though. Sad that even they couldn't change Haruki. He was just too far gone.
Karina Guardian: You know it! He's not touching her ever again.
Hina714: Yep. Kurama started cultivating that plant the moment he thought Haruki was still alive. To be honest, I took some inspiration from the plant he threatened Urashima with at the Dark Tournament. The idea of bones being melted... *shudder*
He did deserve it, but between you and me, I had a hard time writing him finally losing it too. Especially considering that it's technically all my fault!
And I'm with you. Book 3 is coming to a close and that's definitely bittersweet. And I'm so thankful for your comment. Writing brings me incredible joy and it's really the only thing keeping me going right now. See you soon!
Mugiwara - no - lucy: Hi there! Always love hearing from new faces. I am utterly thrilled to know you enjoy my work, I can't ask for anything more.
You're not the first person to tell me that Sakura's story got them watching YYH again. It means a lot. And I certainly hope you'll come back and review more often!
Love Or Pain: Of course! Book 4 will cover the Three Kings arc and after that, Book 5: Beyond the Darkness will follow Sakura's journey beyond the canon.
B Martinez: Here you go!
Chapter 48: It's Over
In the hushed aftermath, the four boys watched the final traces of life ebb away from their once-formidable enemy. The bittersweet taste of victory hung in the air over Haruki's hideously mutilated corpse.
He was gone. Haruki's life had finally ended. His deranged obsession with Sakura had dissipated into thin air.
"Holy shit," Yusuke muttered. It seemed the only way to express the prevailing sentiment after the sadistic end Kurama had dealt out to their once formidable enemy.
Kurama stowed the seeds in his hair, and with a look of satisfied contempt at the one who had tormented his precious flower, turned and made his way over to her.
Everyone else looked in silence at Sakura, lying unconscious in her twin's arms, the cuts and bruises covering her body a chilling reminder of her terrible ordeal, and the foreboding sense of the long road to recovery.
"Yusuke," Kurama said. "What happened?"
"I don't know. She just…collapsed."
"Are you honestly surprised?" Hiei snorted.
Kurama knelt down and gazed at his precious flower. "She's been through the most horrifying trauma. Her body can only take so much."
Hand trembling, he reached for her. She was finally safe. Finally away from that vile demon…
Wait.
Kurama's hand paused halfway. If Sakura were conscious, she would almost certainly flinch from any touch, including his.
He pulled his hand back. Even now, terror seemed to radiate from her entire body.
What did that monster do to you, my love?
As much as he longed to take her face in his hands, though he craved to taste her lips once more, Kurama merely cupped her face. He would not do anything more without her permission.
"It's over, my love," he said, voice cracking slightly. "He will never touch you again."
Yusuke swallowed hard. "Thanks, Fox Boy."
Kurama nodded but didn't make eye contact. Now that Sakura was free, he wasn't about to let her out of his sight. Never again.
"I think she's ok," Yusuke added. "I mean…she's out cold, but she'll be alright…"
The words rang weak. Hollow. Physical wounds were one thing, but that would only be half the battle. They all knew it.
"I'll take her, Yusuke," Kurama said. It wasn't a request.
Even Yusuke wasn't stupid enough to refuse him. Carefully, he passed Sakura to Kurama, who tucked her safely in his chest where she belonged.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Kurama's gaze did not shift away from Sakura, but Yusuke noticed something else in his friend's eyes. Sadness. Regret.
Sheesh. Kurama's really going through it.
Yusuke took a breath and turned to glare at the spot where Itsuki and Sensui had vanished.
"Damn it…if I kicked his ass, why do I still feel like he won?"
"It's true, in a way," Kurama said. "Sensui achieved the very thing that he intended by initiating all of this."
Kuwabara hesitated. "Uh, question, Urameshi?"
"What is it?"
"I was just wondering if you…feel kinda weird."
Yusuke frowned. "Now that you mention it, yeah. Something on my back's really been making it itch quite a bit…"
He reached around to scratch the irritation, only to feel…hair?
"Huh?"
Yusuke seized a handful and tugged. He gasped, realising that his hair was now hanging past his knees. Then he saw the tattoos decorating his arm and chest. He put both hands on the top of his head and felt the shaggy mane he now sported.
"I must look like I've been playing around with an electric socket!" he yelped.
"See you guys, that's exactly what I said," Kuwabara muttered while Yusuke began to panic.
"That's just the physical resemblance to your ancestor rising to the surface, Yusuke," Koenma said. "And you aren't the only one."
He pointed with his chin to Sakura, and Yusuke finally registered her change. The much longer hair streaked with pink, the delicate gold tattoos just visible under the various cuts and bruises.
"Huh?!" Yusuke dropped to his knees beside his sister again. "What the…the heck am I even looking at?!"
"She transformed, only moments after you," Kurama explained. "Although, we believe that her metamorphosis is only halfway complete."
Yusuke's mouth hung open. "Holy hell…"
"It was insane, Urameshi. I've never seen her fight like that," Kuwabara added.
Yusuke's shock morphed to fury. "You IDIOT! I thought I told you not to let her fight!"
Kuwabara held up his hands in self-defence. "Sheesh, Urameshi. It wasn't like we could stop her! She just…leapt in!"
"That is correct," Kurama said. "None could prevent it, though we wanted to."
"What matters is that she's safe now," Koenma interrupted as Yusuke opened his mouth to argue again. "Maybe you should worry about that, Yusuke."
There was a pause.
"Fine," Yusuke muttered. "I'll just yell at her later."
He took a deep breath and continued. "So she's got the same ancestral genes?"
"Apparently so. I doubt she resembles your ancestor in the same way you do, however. And given what's happened, I'm beginning to suspect that he's still alive somewhere in this world."
"So then, he must've been the guy who turned me into his own personal marionette during that last shot on Sensui," Yusuke growled.
"What makes you so sure?" Kurama asked.
Oh, just something that the crazy voice in my head said to me, but you'd never know."
Kuwabara blinked. "You're hearing voices?"
Yusuke nodded. He could still hear the echoes of that deep, ancient voice in his mind.
*~*~*
"You are the one. At last…"
"Who…are you?"
"You don't know how to use your power. Let me show you!"
*~*~*
"And those words are the last thing that I remember hearing before everything went silent and I blacked out."
"Then what?" Kuwabara asked.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kuwabara fell backwards in alarm as Yusuke's Spirit Gun finger was shoved in his face.
"Hey! Watch where you're pointing that thing!"
"You asked me what happened next, right? Well, this is how I was when I woke up," Yusuke said. "I'd just finished shooting my Spirit Gun. I saw the blast heading for Sensui like it was in slow motion, but I realised I wasn't the one who fired it."
"This is so pointless," Hiei muttered, finally speaking. "Wake me when it's over…"
He swayed on his feet before losing consciousness.
"Puu!"
Clasping the back of Hiei's shirt in his beak, Puu lifted Hiei up and gently placed him on his back.
Yusuke gave no indication that he'd even heard Hiei speak. He whirled around and said, "Let's go!"
"Go where?" Koenma asked.
"If my ancestor is here and still alive, we have to find him!"
Everyone stared at him.
"Oh come on Urameshi!" Kuwabara groaned. "We closed the case and saved the world. Can't we at least take a nap?"
Yusuke slammed a fist into his open palm. "I'm not gonna rest until I get to the bottom of this! My ancestor interfered with my fight, and NOBODY gets away with that!"
"Are you nuts?" Kuwabara yelled. "Let's just get outta here! Look at Kura, she needs help!"
"If you aren't with me, fine," Yusuke said. "I'll just stay here and find him on my own."
Koenma stepped forward.
"You know, Yusuke…you may want to give this decision more thought. Even now, the SDF is closing the portal. They should be done in a matter of days."
"Wait a minute," Kuwabara began, "if the hole is sealed up, then we…uh…"
"Won't ever be able to return to the Human World again," Koenma finished, much to Kuwabara's hysteria.
"YOU MEAN I'LL NEVER EAT ANOTHER DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER?!"
"You can go back with us now, or stay here in Demon World forever," Koenma continued. "I'll give you a couple of minutes to decide."
Yusuke looked back at them with a frown.
"Either way, we're leaving," Koenma said bluntly. "We have to get Sakura back. Her condition is terrible. We can't wait any longer."
Another moment of silence passed. Yusuke looked at his unconscious twin for a long moment, then back out at the vast landscape.
"Ha! I don't need it," Yusuke said at last. "I've already made up my mind."
There was a very tense silence, until Yusuke smiled.
"Load up, Puu. Let's go back home."
Relief and joy flooded Kurabara's face. Even Kurama and Koenma cracked a smile.
Yusuke strode over to Kurama and tucked a loose strand of hair from Sakura's battered face.
"Let's get her out of here."
Kurama tightened his hold on Sakura just a little as he rose with her, only to stumble slightly when he realised how much energy he'd drained during the battle.
Kuwabara was there in a flash. "Woah there, pal. Here, let me-"
Kurama steadied himself. "That is not necessary."
"No really, it's all good; I can carry her-"
"I'm fine," Kurama said, a little more curtly than intended.
Kuwabara understood, and backed off with a nod.
Everyone stared at Sakura for a moment. She was still unconscious, and nobody knew how long she would remain that way, what would happen when she woke, or the true horrors of her captivity.
One by one, the boys made their way over to Puu and clambered onto his back. Except Kurama, who stayed where he was, looking down at his precious flower, then at the shell of the demon who had tormented her for so long.
He will never touch her again.
Haruki was gone. That deranged monster, that depraved creature, no longer walked among the living. No breath remained in him, nor was there any risk of his return. He was dead. Destroyed. Vanquished. Never again would he set his evil sights on her.
Kurama did not know or care what might happen to his enemy's soul. Death was too good for him. The ends of hell itself were too good for him.
Never again will you lay a hand on my precious flower.
Kurama gave one final, contemptuous glare at what remained of Haruki's melted corpse, then turned and began carrying Sakura towards everyone else without looking back.
"Hey, Fox Boy?"
From his perch, Yusuke reached out. "Come on, you'll need both hands to climb aboard. I've got her."
There was too much truth in this to ignore, so with great reluctance, Kurama passed Sakura to her brother. But the moment he had taken his place beside everyone, he immediately reached out his arms again.
Yusuke hesitated. The weight of what Sakura had endured was beginning to sink in. Haruki had been close…terrifyingly close, to snatching her away. If Koenma's contingency plan hadn't shown up when it did…
He shuddered a little, and hugged Sakura close.
"You're safe, Kura," he murmured. "That freak is gone."
She didn't move.
"Yusuke."
Kurama sounded firm, expectant. Yusuke honestly couldn't blame him. Kurama had arguably been more affected by Sakura's kidnapping than any of them. It only made sense that he wanted to be the one to hold and comfort her. The one to carry her out of danger, the one to take her back home, back to safety and healing…
But at the same time, Yusuke didn't want to let his precious sister go. He didn't want to risk losing her again. He didn't want her to feel like she was alone anymore. He wanted to be there when she opened her eyes again, to keep her safe, like he should have done the whole time.
"Yusuke, give her to me, please."
Trying to hide his reluctance, Yusuke allowed Kurama to take Sakura into his arms.
My love.
Kurama didn't care how it might look, or what they might think. Nothing could make him let go of Sakura now. Nothing.
"How's she doing?" Kuwabara asked carefully.
"Not well," Kurama said without looking up. "Her injuries are numerous and severe. We should return swiftly."
Yusuke glanced at Haruki's remains, then back to Kurama cradling his twin sister.
"That was insane," he muttered.
How could it be over? After all this time, after the torment, the deceit, the depths of Haruki's fractured psyche, the seemingly unstoppable force and the astonishment of those returning souls…it was over. It seemed almost impossible, but it was true. The lone survivor of Master Shinsuke's class was no more.
"Let's go," Kuwabara said.
Puu screeched as he lifted off the ground and soared back towards the portal.
As they flew towards the tunnel, Kurama remained silent while his eyes swept over Sakura. Her body was cold as ice, and the gunshot wound on her shoulder was bleeding again.
What did they do to her?
The cuts, the bruising, the scratches, the finger marks on her neck…and the dress…
For the first time, Kurama considered how she'd come to be wearing it. And deep inside, his gut feeling was that she hadn't been the one to put it on herself.
His stomach churned at the thought. There seemed to be no end to Haruki's depravity.
"She's safe, Kurama," Koenma said. "We'll get her to Botan…it'll be ok…"
Kurama did not look at or even acknowledge Koenma. He couldn't. The only thing in the world that mattered was Sakura. His Sakura. His precious flower, who was finally free.
Outside Demon's Door Cave, the sun was just peeking over the horizon. Keiko, Botan and Shizuru now stood among the group, but nobody felt like talking.
Genkai was the first to notice Amanuma's movements.
His hand twitched. His face was next, and then, ever so slowly, his eyes opened once more.
Huh?
He stared up at the sky, then sat up in alarm. He was lying in the back of the very truck he'd driven, outside the cave. His lungs were full of air. His heart was beating again.
I'm…alive?
"Have a good nap, kid?" Genkai asked.
"I don't get it," Amanuma said. "Why?"
"Koenma brought you back to life. As for why, I couldn't say"
The truth smacked Amanuma in the face. After everything he'd done, after being a key piece in Sensui's plan, Koenma, the Prince of Spirit World, had chosen to give him another chance?
Tears filled his young eyes. "Maybe I've been wrong…"
Genkai turned back to the cave mouth as Amanuma began to cry quietly.
The battle must be over by now.
At last, Kaito broke the silence as he said, "Sure been quiet. Wonder what's going on in there?"
"That other gang hasn't come back either," Yana said. "Think they managed to reach Urameshi?"
Genkai looked grim. "The action has probably shifted to the Demon Plane."
"Huh?" Yana jumped. "You think the portal's been…"
"Opened? Yes, and the SDF is busy closing it."
"But if it's closed what will happen to our guys?"
"That…I honestly can't say."
Yana stared at Genkai, then back at the cave. "So we just…wait?"
To the surprise of Yusuke and Koenma, Sensui's lair was empty when the group came through the portal. The SDF was nowhere in sight.
"Hey, where'd the Tool Brigade go?" Yusuke asked.
"Who?" Kuwabara asked.
"The Special Defence Force," Koenma explained. "Spirit World's elite squad. My father only deploys them in the most desperate times. But trust me, they're not our allies. Not anymore."
"What?! Why not?" Kuwabara frowned.
"Long story," Koenma muttered. "There's no way they'd leave the portal open. So if they're not here, they must be waiting outside. Keep your guard up."
"Mitari's gone too," Yusuke said. "He must've gone back on his own."
Kuwabara and Koenma climbed off Puu's back. Puu lifted the still-sleeping Hiei and placed him gently on the ground.
Kurama grudgingly gave Sakura to Yusuke again while he leapt off, but the moment he landed on his feet, he reached out and took her into his arms once more.
When Yusuke joined them, he smiled and patted Puu's head. "Thanks for the ride, pal. Can you wait a sec?"
"Puu! Puu!"
"What are you talking about, Yusuke?" Koenma asked. "We need to get out of here!"
"There is still one more task to be completed," Kurama growled, and glared towards the den that had been Sakura's prison.
"Relax, Pacifier Breath. It'll only take a minute," Yusuke waved his hand, and made his way towards the den. "You comin', Kurama?"
"Yes."
Koenma, realising what Kurama needed to do, reached out to take Sakura. "Do what you have to do, Kurama. I'll look after her."
Kurama's furious glare sent a shiver down Koenma's spine. Guilt quickly followed.
Without a word, Kurama gently placed Sakura into the care of Kuwabara. "I will be back in a moment."
Kuwabara nodded. "Sure thing. I'll take care of her."
Kurama swirled around and stalked off after Yusuke. Once they were out of sight, Kuwabara turned to Koenma's remorseful face.
"What was all that about? Kurama seems kinda…ticked off with you."
Koenma swallowed. "He has every right to be. I…didn't keep track of the records properly after the tournament, and the whole Netherworld crisis. If I had, we would've realised that Haruki was still alive a lot sooner."
Kuwabara's eyes widened.
"After what happened at the hospital, Kurama began to suspect that Haruki was the one who attacked her. He came to me, and asked me to investigate. But I was only able to confirm he'd survived literally seconds before he broke into her bedroom and kidnapped her."
Kuwabara looked down at Sakura. "Holy hell. No wonder he's so mad."
"Believe me, I'm mad at myself too," Koenma said. "Sakura had gone to her room alone, and we were all outside asking Mitari who went after Sakura in Mushiyori City. He mentioned Haruki's name as her assailant just as the confirmation came through, that Haruki's soul had never passed through the Gate of Judgement.
"Kurama panicked. He knew right away that she was in danger. But it was already too late. We both ran upstairs and heard her screaming for help. By the time we got to her room…he'd taken her. Even left a note behind."
Kuwabara's eyes started stinging as he held Sakura just a little tighter.
"If I'd gotten the message even a minute earlier, we could've stopped it," Koenma went on, looking at the ground in shame. "We could've been there before he came in. We would never have left her alone in the first place. I doubt that monster would've been able to snatch her if she'd been with us at the time. But…"
"Koenma," Kuwabara said quietly. "Look, I don't blame Kurama for being angry. I get that you're mad at yourself too, but really…you need to give yourself a bit of a break."
Koenma's head snapped towards Kuwabara.
"Sure, you screwed up," Kuwabara said. "You made a mistake, but it wasn't deliberate. I know that you'd never want Kura to get hurt. None of us do."
"Of course not."
"Exactly," Kuwabara gave a small smile. "Maybe we could've stopped Kura from being taken, but at the end of the day, that psycho was the one who actually did it. And Sensui told him to in the first place. Yeah, they wanted me when my new sword appeared, but Sensui was targeting her from day one. It's their fault that she actually got kidnapped and all, not yours. You weren't the one behind all that."
Koenma stared at Kuwabara. "I…I guess you're right."
Kuwabara nodded. "And to be honest, Kurama's probably even more pissed off with himself. You know how he is. So…don't beat yourself up too much."
"Kuwabara…" Koenma's voice stuck in his throat. "Thank you. Really."
Kuwabara shifted Sakura slightly to support her better.
"Tell you the truth, I'm kicking myself for the whole thing too. I mean, I saw her here. I heard all the screaming, the way he was hitting her…if I'd just been able to get myself free, I might've, ya know, helped her. But I couldn't. And I'm gonna have to accept that. In time. Of course…" Kuwabara chuckled in spite of himself. "Knowing Kura, she'll be apologising to me for not being able to get me loose."
"Can't argue with that," Koenma couldn't hide his smile either.
But then, the moment of relief and hope vanished. Koenma and Kuwabara turned solemn, looking down at the still-unconscious Sakura. The sheer number of injuries she'd sustained was staggering. And the dress…where did it come from?
As one, they looked up at the entrance to the den. Yusuke and Kurama had not returned, but it was clear what they must be doing.
"What did she go through, in there?" Koenma muttered.
"Honestly?" Kuwabara admitted. "I don't think I wanna know."
From the moment Yusuke and Kurama entered the den, the atmosphere thickened.
They looked around, in complete silence, at the remnants of Sakura's captivity. The books. The scented candles, now dripping wax. The king-sized bed with satin covers and tangled restraints. The array of flowers. The now-destroyed television screens. The table she was strapped to when they found her.
The sight was sickening.
"Can you imagine it?" Yusuke said. "Being stuck for hours, here? With him?"
Kurama didn't respond. He made his way over to the IV line that Sakura had been hooked up to and inspected the bag.
"I'll…see if I can find her clothes," Yusuke offered, and began looking.
Kurama pulled out a seed and grew a special tube-shaped plant. While it had come in handy more than once during his thieving days, he had never required it in the human world.
Until now.
The plant extended a hollow thorn that stuck directly through the bag and sucked up the sickly green liquid inside. Once full, the thorn retracted and smoothed out to seal its container. Kurama slipped the plant inside his hair and turned away. He didn't want to look at this place a second longer than he had to.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!"
The disgust in Yusuke's voice caught Kurama's attention.
"What is it?"
"I found her clothes. Well…what's left of them."
Yusuke emerged from a shadowy corner with his arms full of charred fabric. Kurama's eyes narrowed.
"That fucking psycho!" Yusuke breathed. "Is there anything he didn't do to her?!"
Kurama gritted his teeth. "We can only hope."
The two of them fell silent. Neither wanted to say it out loud.
Yusuke closed his eyes, then dropped the burned clothing and headed for the TV.
Kurama looked around in furious silence. He noticed bloodstains on almost every surface. The ground, the pillows, the table, the restraints, even the walls…
Permanent reminders of the savage abuse. How dare they treat her in such a way.
Monster.
Yusuke removed the tape from the VCR player and tucked it under his arm. "Let's get out of here."
Kurama didn't need to be told twice. He was already halfway to the door when he suddenly came to a halt. His entire body tensed.
"Kurama."
Yusuke's hand fell on his back. Those brown eyes, identical to Sakura's, were more sincere than he'd ever seen them.
"It's over. He's gone. He can't hurt her anymore."
Kurama looked back at him. The pain in Yusuke's eyes reminded him that he wasn't the only one suffering from Sakura's pain.
She's his sister. His twin sister. He must be as devastated as I.
"Go on, Fox Boy," Yusuke pointed with his chin at the exit. "I'll take care of this damn room…"
Kurama gave a single nod and left Yusuke standing alone.
Heading for the door, Yusuke stopped and glared around the place his sister had been held. Where she'd been terrorised. Where Haruki had caused her so much grief.
Never again.
He raised his hand and fired.
Kurama re-entered the main lair and made a beeline for Sakura.
"Kuwabara, how is she?"
"No change," Kuwabara said as he approached. "She's still out of it."
"That is to be expected," Kurama said. "I imagine it will last for a while."
He closed his eyes and finally transitioned back into his human body. Ironically enough, this form had more strength at the moment than Yoko.
The moment Kuwabara handed Sakura back to Kurama, they heard the sound of an explosion coming from the den.
"Woah! What the heck is that?!" Kuwabara cried.
"It's alright; Yusuke merely did what he had to," Kurama said, nestling Sakura's limp body into his chest.
Right on cue, Yusuke appeared. He casually dusted off his hand and said, "So, you guys ready to get moving?"
Kuwabara shook his head at Yusuke's carefree attitude. "Thought you'd never ask, Urameshi."
"Hey, Puu?" Yusuke handed the tape over. "Hang onto this, won't you?"
"Puu!"
"Awesome. Can you go meet us outside?"
"Puu! Puu!"
Flapping his wings, Puu took off through the giant hole he'd originally entered from.
Kuwabara leaned down and hoisted Hiei onto his back. "I've got him. Let's get out of here already."
Kurama laid his forehead on Sakura's. "I'm taking you home, my love."
She didn't respond, but she did feel slightly warmer. A good sign.
Without another word or even a backwards glance, they left Sensui's lair.
The long walk back through the cave felt even longer in the silence. Nobody said much. After everything that had happened, it didn't feel right.
They walked past Elder Toguro, eternally wrapped in the Sinning Tree. Their footsteps echoed off the rock walls as they made their way through the labyrinth. They passed stalactites and stalagmites, reached the halfway mark where they'd faced Amanuma, followed Kurama's wilting lamp weeds through the winding tunnels and continued towards the final stretch.
"Nearly there," Koenma said at last. "Just a bit further."
"Thank God," Kuwabara panted a little. "I'm starved."
"Kurama, how's Kura doing?" Yusuke asked.
Kurama adjusted his grip on Sakura before answering, "Still unconscious. She'll need immediate care when we're back."
"Botan should still be waiting outside, right?" Yusuke said. "And Grandma. I reckon they'll be able to do something."
He didn't finish the sentence.
Hopefully.
A few more moments of silence passed before Kuwabara nudged Yusuke.
"You really scared me for a second back there, Urameshi. I thought you were gonna stay in that crazy place for good."
"Yeah, for a second I did too," Yusuke admitted.
"So…" Kuwabara hesitated. "What made you decide to come back with us?"
Yusuke shrugged. "The Demon Plane is interesting, but I prefer my action in the Human World."
Kuwabara shook his head again, seeing through Yusuke like glass. "Yeah right. You just didn't want to piss off Kura, did you? She would've been so mad…"
"Ya think?" Yusuke gave a small laugh. "Forget your sword; the damn brat would've ripped the tunnel open with her bare hands and dragged me back out."
The boys couldn't help grinning at each other, despite their worry.
At least, until they caught sight of Sakura once more. She still hadn't moved, and blood was now dripping from where Sensui had shot her in the shoulder.
"She'll…she'll be alright, Urameshi," Kuwabara muttered. "We'll take care of her."
Yusuke's throat was too tight to speak.
Thankfully, just then, they rounded a corner and saw the first hint of light up ahead, and a collective relief settled over everyone.
Yusuke strode to the head of the group, ready to step into the glorious sunrise and go home where they belonged.
A.N. Two chapters left! Hope you all enjoyed seeing Haruki's den get destroyed; I know I did.
Not much to say here, except that this chapter went in a slightly different direction than I thought. The scene with Koenma and Kuwabara happened organically while I was writing, and I'm SO glad it did. I just love Kuwabara so much. He has the biggest heart and I want to hug him.
The next chapter is already half finished. I should have that out in a couple of days, so keep your eyes out for that.
Looking forward to reading all your reviews. Sakura and I both love it when we get a notification.
Let's finish this together, guys.
Rosentic xx