| Disclaimers:
Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Shonen Jump
Weekly, Fuji TV and Studio Pierrot
Keshiki, Kurai, Fuyu & Minora are mine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the far side of the makai, where everything was distinctively foggy and not a single icicle on sight, Yomi and Minora exchanged defensive and offensive attacks. Yomi dodged a particularly huge ball of red fire. He had to hand it to Fuyu, he knew what he was doing when he enlisted the help of this particular youkai and the same youkai was an expert in avoiding and returning his attacks. Yomi generated a protective shield just as Minora threw him a vicious red fire. The makai lord watched in surprise as another ball of energy struck the youkai from behind. Minora gasped as he fell on the ground, unprepared for the sudden attack. He watched in mixed anger and horror as he saw his attacker. Keshiki stood before his fallen form. The blue-eyed youkai's stance was very taut with anger. "How dare you, Minora? Why are you attacking my friends?" Keshiki demanded. Minora's body shook as he grasped Keshiki's hands on his throat. "You are a traitor! I regret the years of friendship we had, Keshiki. You left us, left me for that redhead!" "I'm sorry if I failed you in any way. But I-I never planned to fall for Kurama." Keshiki attempted to explain. Yomi scowled darkly at hearing Keshiki's confession, but remained watchful of Minora's reaction. Minora's eyes blazed with senseless rage, his whole body flared with dark red energy. "There's no more reason to spare your life, is there?" He mumbled very softly. "KESHIKI!" Yomi shouted the warning as Minora aimed the hot energy straight at Keshiki's head. Yomi sighed in relief as a familiar black, darting shadow pushed the youkai to safety. "Hn! Careless!" The fire demon stood up quickly and stared menacingly at Minora. "I demand a rematch!" *************** Kurama pushed Yukina to safety as Fuyu sent his weapons raining on them. One managed to pin the youko on the ground. Yukina screamed. Kurama cursed and placed a palm on the icy ground. He knew it wouldn't be easy to call his beloved plants to life, but he had to try! The redhead closed his emerald eyes which were turning gold intermittently. His youko aspect was raging to show itself, but he held it down sternly. He closed his mind to the pain, the agony in Yukina's voice, the sound of Fuyu's maniacal laughter and the daunting prospect of fast approaching pointed weapons. He felt the pulsing life within the earth and infused his ki. Yes, they were definitely eager to come to life. *************** "Shit!"
Kuwabara gritted his teeth as another mental scream almost sent
him sprawling. Yusuke's
fists were clenching and unclenching. "I know...." Yusuke trailed off at the sudden explosion that shook the ground. White, filmy particles were everywhere. Curiously, Yusuke held out a palm and watched as the white dainty particles melted. "Kuwabara, it's snowing!" *************** "Aaaah!"
Kurama screamed as multitudes and multitudes of makai heat plants
grew into gigantic proportions and broke Fuyu's icy spell. The icy surroundings exploded as the giant plants generated
more and more heat. Fuyu
growled as the air began to heat up despite the fact that it was
snowing. Yukina herself
felt the uncomfortable prickling heat for she raised her ki a bit and
released a tiny snow storm to cool herself, watching nervously as one of
Kurama's tropical plants grew very near her and released more hot air.
Yukina flushed at her lapse and gazed at Fuyu quietly.
Fuyu was shaking violently with anger. "You impress me, but your tactics however remarkable are childish!" He said insultingly. Kurama grinned back at him and stood up slowly, wincing as he almost fell back. He gestured for Yukina to stay where she was as the she would have run to him. "If you think that was childish, Fuyu, I wonder what you would say to this?" Kurama said as two new groups of makai plants sprouted from the ground. Kurama watched in satisfaction as a plant with large, simple, dusky green and red leaves bore green berry fruits. Another group of plants with light red spots on the stems and with very disagreeable scents surrounded Fuyu. "I advice you not to move, Fuyu. They're very sensitive to slight movements." Kurama warned the youkai. Fuyu glared at him. "You think you can scare me? You're pathetic!" Fuyu snarled. Kurama just stared at him with emerald gold eyes. Fuyu shrank back in astonishment as the fruits of the dusky-leafed plant began to change color from green to purple to black. He gasped as the fruits shot and embedded themselves into his skin. The purple leaves followed suit and wrapped themselves against Fuyu's wriggling body. Fuyu felt a throbbing pain inside his chest and he began to perspire profusely. The makai heat plants surrounding him made it worst. The youkai staggered as the plants released their fruits unto his mouth. Kurama stepped back as Fuyu's pupils began to dilate, his skin angrily flushed. The youkai stopped moving abruptly, paralyzed. Kurama gestured the second group of waiting makai plants toward Fuyu as Kuwabara and Yusuke burst into the clearing. "Ku-Kurama! What....?" Yusuke gasped as he saw the paralyzed Fuyu kneeling on the ground. Kurama turned cold emerald eyes to Yusuke. "It's poison, Yusuke. I'm mixing the right blend to poison an already poisoned heart." He said and flicked his hands. The parsley-like leaves of the second makai plant wrapped themselves on Fuyu again and squeezed at the unmoving body. Yusuke winced as a vile stench rose from the dead youkai's body and leaves suddenly sprouted from inside. Kuwabara covered Yukina's eyes and hugged her tightly. Kurama turned Yusuke away as Fuyu's body exploded. The scattered carcass and body parts sprouted more and more poisonous makai plants, quickly covering the whole area. "Let's go." Kurama said swiftly and led the others away. "Before these critters decide to eat us too." He smiled as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Yukina quietly, but quickly complied. *************** Keshiki grasped down Hiei's raised katana and said sternly. "Hiei, this is my fight! Stay away from this!" The fire demon eyed him back with flinty ruby eyes. "You forget. He owes me this fight too!" "Look out!" Yomi shouted and quickly enclosed all three of them in a protective energy shield. "You idiots! This is not the time to argue! We must work together to finish him off. Kurama is still with Fuyu!" Yomi rasped impatiently and heard both demons beside him snarled and cursed under their breaths. "My sentiments exactly!" Yomi suddenly grinned at the two frowning demons and sprang without warning. Hiei and Keshiki cursed again and dodged Minora's energy attack. Hiei swiftly unraveled the bandage on his right arm, ignoring Keshiki's and Yomi's indignant expressions. "JA--OU--EN--SATSU--KOKU-RYU-HAAA!!! The fire demon released the fire
killing dragon wave straight at the stunned Minora. Keshiki bit his lips
and watched as Minora came to his slow, but inevitable death.
Yomi watched it with impassive eyes and came to stand behind Hiei.
Keshiki moved to Yomi's side.
Hiei dropped on his knees with exhaustion and stared numbly at
the four approaching figures. Hiei felt his insides cringed with shame as he and Kurama stared back at each other. The others sensed the sudden tautening of the atmosphere and became quiet, wondering what was to happen next. Kurama stepped in front of the fire demon and looked down at him coldly. Hiei's gaze dropped to the ground. All the guilt, shame, concern and love for Kurama, swirling inside his chest. The fire demon slowly unsheathed his katana and handed it over to the redhead. The others gasped in shock. "No, stay back!" Hiei spoke clearly and raised defeated eyes to the redhead. "Kurama, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I've done you wrong in all possible way and still--still you saved my life. I don't know why...." Hiei stopped as a drop of red tear fell on the ground and coalesced into a tear gem. Yukina gasped and started to move forward. "Yu-Yusuke, H-Hiei's my...." Yukina stared tearfully at him. Yusuke nodded and squeezed her hand. Kuwabara stared from Yukina to Hiei and back, his jaw slackening. Yusuke promptly closed it shut, grinning broadly. Kurama eyed the sobbing fire demon quietly and took out a single red rose from his hair. Yomi's eyes glinted with unexplained emotion, wondering what the youko was going to do next. Keshiki at his side was very subdued. The makai lord turned his head and sensed the melancholy air around the youkai. He turned his gaze back to the spectacle before him as Kurama flicked the rose whip to life, cutting the air sharply, but Hiei did not flinch. "Don't you know why, Hiei?" The youko asked harshly as he jerked the katana from the fire demon's hand using the whip. Yukina struggled from Kuwabara's clutch and Yusuke's restraining hands. "No, Yukina. Kurama knows what he's doing." And besides Hiei does need a whipping. Yusuke added silently to himself. Kurama suddenly grasped the fire youkai's chin roughly. "Do you love me, fire demon?" Kurama growled under his breath as Hiei nodded his head vigorously. The next thing the dazed fore youkai knew, the rough hands became soft and tender and a warm mouth covered his in a passionate and possessive kiss. A single red rose and a katana lay forgotten on the ground as Hiei kissed the youko back ravenously with all the love bubbling inside his chest. Yomi and Keshiki gazed down at the ground dejectedly, but with small smiles on their faces. They expected nothing less from the youko. Yukina giggled happily and leaned back more securely against Kuwabara who was blushing furiously. Yusuke scratched his head and addressed them sternly. "Don't you think it's time for us to go now?" ~OWARI~ ******************************* |