Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome to the End ❯ Chain of Misfortunes ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter#5

 

Keiko pulled up to the warehouse where the package of money was sure to be waiting. As she got out of the car, she shivered slightly from the bitter cold and chill of the breeze. Dark rain clouds spread out over her, enveloping the town with a gray sky. Puddles of melted snow made a splashing sound as her heels clicked against the concrete.

 

“I've been waiting for you,” Came a voice from behind a pillar.

 

Keiko jumped in surprise and kept alert. “Whose there?”

 

A knife was pressed against her neck as the person brought a hand over her mouth, “That isn't any of your concern. Now why...” The man paused and let go of her mouth momentarily to toss a tan package in from of them. Keiko gaped at it in confusion before he continued. “Why would you be needed something like that?”

 

Keiko shivered uncontrollably. “You're going to kill me...” She whispered helplessly, knowing that screaming would only bring death to her faster. Small sobs escaped her lips as she pressed against his chest, trying to get away from the knife.

 

“Oh, come now, shhh,” He cooed softly, endearingly almost. “What in Egypt is so important, that you need all that money in that little package?”

 

“None of your concern,” Keiko replied bitterly, gaining some courage as she spoke.

 

The man pressed the knife against her even more, cutting ever so lightly into her skin, earning a gasp from Keiko. “What was that?”

 

“I-it's a trip... With my friends! We're students,” She thought of the excuse as she went along.

 

“Really? Are you? Lackie-of-that-pig-lord-Koenma!” He snarled dangerously.

 

“Aye... Sir Kurama...” Keiko said defiantly.

 

Kurama chuckled lightly and dropped the knife. As soon as it made contact with the ground, his presence disappeared altogether. Keiko looked around, then at the package. Quickly gathering it in her hands, she ran to her car; she had to tell the others.

 

“Damn I feel like shit,” Naruto coughed as Botan rubbed a wet cloth over his face.

 

“I don't understand! You were fine when I left!” Botan scolded, checking his forehead again.

 

Yusuke was leaning against a wall and chuckled. “You know, that's what you get for sleeping, with a mere windbreaker to warm you, in a house with no heat.”

 

Botan glared at him and scoffed, “I pay the bill! The generator is crap!”

 

Yusuke raised an eyebrow before looking back to Naruto. A troubled look came over him as he wondered where Sasuke could've gone. He had some explaining to do when he got back.

Hiei was sitting quietly in the living room; the fact that he hadn't started an argument with Botan yet was still surprising, but the others weren't going to try and provoke either of them.

 

Naruto broke the silence with a grunt, soon followed by vomit that spilled to the floor. “Sorry... Botan...” He muttered as he fell.

 

Yusuke caught him and helped him to the couch again. “Damn you're out of it aren't you?”

 

Naruto could only grunt another reply before blowing chunks in the living room as well.

 

“Get him out of here and into the bathroom you idiot!” Botan yelled furiously.

 

Yusuke didn't question or reply and hurried Naruto upstairs before he could throw up again. Botan gave an exasperated sigh and opened a small closet and grabbed a mop. “Perfect,” She muttered as she set to work on the mess Naruto made. She made a face as she mopped, then glanced over at Hiei, whose eyes were glued out the window.

“And what are you doing?” She finally asked as she set back to mopping.

 

“I'm listening,” Hiei replied sharply.

 

“To what? Naruto hurling?” Botan made another disgusted face.

 

“No... Keiko,” Hiei said impatiently, as if wanting her to shut up.

 

She stopped and put a hand to her hip, “Really? What for?”

 

“Bad feeling,” He answered quickly, looking more bothered than ever.

 

Botan looked at him worriedly, and reluctantly bit her tongue to not press an argument.

The stillness was soon interrupted as Sasuke walked in with Sakura by his side, clinging to his arm.

“Look what the cat coughed up,” Hiei murmured, knowing Sasuke's ears would pick that up.

 

“Where's Naruto?” Sasuke asked sternly, making Sakura looked at him disapprovingly.

 

“Upstairs, throwing his life up, care to join him?” Hiei came back sarcastically, keeping his eyes to something beyond the windowpane.

 

Sasuke held down his concern and started up the stairs. “Sasuke wait,” Sakura tried to hold him back. “You should leave him alone if he's sick.”

Her excuse was quickly brushed off and Sasuke continued up the stairs.

 

Sakura cursed under her breath and sat at the kitchen table.

“Why do you hate him so much?” Botan finally asked when she finished mopping the mess in the kitchen.

Hiei broke eye contact with the window and looked at the two, much more interested now.

 

Sakura's eyes showed surprise as she looked to Botan. “He's an annoying little brat that's why!”

 

“Liar,” Hiei said with a shake of his head as he returned his gaze to the window.

 

Sakura whirled in her seat to face him. “And just what do you know?” She argued heatedly. “You have no idea what it feels like to know that Sasuke...” She gasped and stopped herself, but she was too late. They already heard too much.

Botan and Hiei stared at her in disbelief, trying to comprehend what she said, and put it with different possibilities.

A piece of the puzzle was given...

 

“Just... Shut up!” Sakura finished. With that she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, showing no signs of wanting to talk or hear them out.

 

 

“That a buddy, you're ok,” Yusuke said soothingly as Naruto puked once again.

The vomit turned a tinge red; he was starting to cough up blood. “Dear God,” Yusuke muttered as he continued to pat his back. It was the best he could do for him now. A tense aura was felt behind him and Yusuke glanced back at Sasuke. “You did this didn't you?!”

 

Sasuke stayed silent, and his eyes were fixed on Naruto's sickly form.

Naruto coughed out the last of the blood and whatever was inside his stomach and fainted.

“Damnit!” Yusuke swore and glared at Sasuke. “What the hell is your problem!?”

 

“Would you rather I kept those seals on him!?” Sasuke cut in harshly.

 

“Depends! I don't know what the fuck they were!” Yusuke spat.

 

“They would be more deadly to him if they were still there!” Sasuke snapped back, getting a bit more irritated as the fight progressed.

 

“Spill it Uchiha! What the hell is going on with this kid?!” Yusuke yelled, “And don't act like you don't know! Because you know more about him than anyone here! And you know that!”

 

Sasuke was about to say something but stopped short, gazing at Yusuke in surprise.

 

“Contrary to popular belief, other people do care about him! He's my friend, something he probably didn't have before! Now tell me what's happening!” Yusuke pressed on angrily.

 

“Umm...”

 

The voice made the two look back in the hallway, where a very confused and worried Botan stood. “What's wrong with him?” She asked, choking on her own tears from hearing the argument.

 

“Nothing,” Sasuke muttered and pushed passed her, walking down the stairs in a silent fit of rage.

 

Botan looked to Yusuke, then at the unconscious Naruto. “Is he going to be ok?”

 

Yusuke went and hugged her to calm her down. “Of course he is. We just need to pry some info out of a certain asshole.”

 

 

Once the two returned downstairs, having put Naruto in bed, they found that Sasuke was gone, but Sakura wasn't.

“What a rare occasion! Sakura without her boyfriend!” Yusuke applauded teasingly and she threw an apple at him.

 

“Shut up!”

 

“He didn't want her to follow, he's just out front,” Hiei replied, having not moved since that talk with Sakura.

 

Sakura pouted a bit more and glared down at the table, thinking to herself. Botan and Yusuke stood in the kitchen, wondering if they should go after Sasuke and make him tell them everything he knows.

Before they could really act on any thoughts, the door swung open violently, slamming into the wall with a loud crack.

Everyone looked startled to see Sasuke standing in the doorway; his facial expressions were tight and his fists were clenched by his sides, earning a few audible cracks of his knuckles.

 

Before anyone could ask they heard someone talk from behind him. “Now walk in...”

 

Sasuke's eyes held hatred and rage as he took robotic steps forward to reveal Koenma behind him. Koenma walked in holding his head a bit higher than usual as he brushed by Sasuke. “And close the door; it's cold in here.”

It was pretty obvious the two were arguing outside, but only Hiei could know for sure.

 

Koenma sat at the kitchen table and looked up at Botan warmly. “How's the operation moving along dear?”

 

Hiei grunted loudly but Botan ignored him. “Keiko went to go pick up the money we will need for the trip, other than that, it's up to us.”

 

 

The icy wind pushed against her car as she sped down the seemingly empty streets. Panic swept through her body like it was coursing through her very veins. She couldn't detect or see any sign of a person or life. She was alone in the city, and she was losing sight of what she was supposed to be doing.

 

Puddle of water flew up behind her tires as they slid across the ice covered roads. “Where is everyone!?” She sobbed to herself as she looked around frantically. “Where am I?!”

Her tires screeched as she slid around turn after turn.

A frightening chill ran down her spine, like a finger stroking her neck softly.

She turned around to look, panting in fright,

 

As she turned back around her eyes widened as she let out an ear piercing scream, slamming onto the brakes.

 

 

“Keiko!” Hiei yelled and jumped from his seat and darted out of the still-open door.

 

“Hiei?” Yusuke called after him and ran out as well.

 

Botan and Sakura looked at each other with uncertainty as well before sprinting after them. Koenma rose from his seat quickly to follow but a thud from upstairs made him stop.

He stared at the ceiling a good 5 seconds before turning from the door and heading up the stairs.

 

 

“Naruto?!” Koenma gasped as he helped him back onto the bed.

 

“What's going on?” Naruto uttered out weakly.

 

“That's not important! Get back in bed,” Koenma tried to keep him still but Naruto wouldn't keep still, however sluggish his movement.

 

“Like hell,” He coughed out before passing out.

Koenma sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. “What am I gonna do with you?”

 

“Aren't they so cute when they're young?” Asked a stern voice from the door.

 

“Holy shit!” Koenma shouted in surprise and fell backwards, facing the doorway. “You...”

 

“Me,” Kurama smiled innocently.

 

“What are you doing here?” Koenma hissed. He stood up and got in a defensive stance.

 

“Now, now. Must we really consort to violence?” Kurama asked, putting both hands up as a mocking gesture of peace.

 

“Shut up!” Koenma spat irritated. “Why the hell are you here?”

 

Kurama's eyes glanced at Naruto before he looked back at Koenma; a smile played on his lips as his eyes bored into Koenma's. Koenma stared into his eyes of jade, mesmerized by the depth and swirl in his eyes. Kurama set free a small smirk as he tilted his head to the side artlessly.

 

You hear me Koenma? Koenma tried to blink the voice out. Relax dear friend, take a load off. Once again he tried to move but he felt too comfortable to do anything. “What the hell...” Koenma croaked, gaping dumbly into Kurama's eyes.

Kurama's smile stayed the same as he pointed his index finger up towards the ceiling.

Sleep.

And with a beckon of his index finger towards the floor, Koenma fell powerlessly to the ground in a deep slumber.

 

Kurama chuckled mechanically as he stepped over Koenma and next to the snoozing Naruto. “It seems someone has gotten rid of the seals I put on you,” Kurama said to no one in particular as he outwardly gazed through the windbreaker and to his stomach where the seals had long since disappeared. Kurama looked at his hand in front of him, pondering something. With a sigh he said aloud, “Doing it again would only kill you, and I can't have that.”

 

Looking down at the sleeping boy, Kurama rubbed his temples to edge a thought out. Finally, with no words out loud, he grabbed a fistful of Naruto's hair and brought him up to eye level with him.

Naruto grunted in pain before narrowly opening his eyes.

 

“Put him down,” A venomous voice made Kurama's attention snap to the open window.

 

“Ah, the Uchiha,” He said with a mocking smile.

 

Sasuke's sharingan stared at Kurama without blinking. Rage seethed through his breathing and out his eyes as he glared dangerously at him.

 

“Mad I presume?”

 

“You have no IDEA!” He shouted as he lunged for Kurama with godly speed.

Kurama held Naruto in front of him and Sasuke slowed down hesitantly.

In the moment of uncertainty Kurama dropped Naruto and conjured a ball of his own energy in his free hand, making contact with Sasuke's stomach. Sasuke's eyes went wide as it burnt into his flesh and he was shot backwards, feeling stupid and even more enraged.

 

Kurama grinned at this great amusement and looked down at the now unconscious Naruto.

“Don't you fucking touch him!” Sasuke yelled, poison seemed to drip from his very word, like a promise of death.

 

Kurama looked to Sasuke with a dangerous look in his eyes. His movement was one, and swift, and Sasuke got the feeling that this man was completely insane. His breath caught in his throat as Kurama opened his mouth to say something, but turned it into a smile as he put his hands in his pockets, and walked out of the room.

Sasuke scrambled to his feet and ran out into the hallway, even though he knew, Kurama was no where near this house.

 

He looked into the room where Naruto lay, coughing violently in his sleep. His heart pounded and felt like it was going to burst from his chest. Who was that man? How could he make me feel so uncertain and weak during battle? His eyes... Sasuke closed his eyes tightly and slammed his fist into the wall out of frustration. “Damnit!”

 

 

A crowd formed around the wrecked car. Scraps of metal and broken glass covered the intersection, bathed in a pool of blood.

The people looked around for the cause of such a wreck, but found nothing, and no vehicle around as evidence. A hit and run?

“The poor girl,” a woman's voice from within the crowd was heard over the whispering and gasps.

Some men approached the unsightly accident and looked at the body with pity.

 

“Keiko!” A young mans voice screeched over the hush as Yusuke pushed people out of his way.

His friend followed behind him as they ran towards the scene. Yusuke finally stepped into the clear and heard a cracking sound under his foot. Looking down he saw a pair of already broken glasses; she never drove without them. Looking up at the wreck in a panic Yusuke shouted, “NO! KEIKO!!”

 

“Yusuke wait!” Botan shouted tiredly, trying to catch her breath, but he was already running.

 

Sakura joined soon after and looked worriedly as Yusuke stopped and froze where he stood. Walking up to him slowly she looked from behind him, and put a hand to her mouth to keep in a horrified gasp. Hiei was already there, standing just a little bit ahead of the crowd, staring blankly at her. Botan soon joined and tears immediately started to fill her eyes.

 

“No...” She croaked as she fell to her knees.

 

Keiko lay there motionless; eyes open wide and her mouth open in a scream. Yet no sound. Blood stained her hands, and clothing, and there was no telling where the wounds were. Her ears and eyes as well were spilling blood onto the unforgiving street. Her car was thrashed and looked as if it were hit by 15 trucks. But nothing else was there. No other skid marks, just her car... And herself...

 

Sakura stared on with tears flowing down her cheeks, her teeth bit harshly into her hand. “No...” She finally whispered before running towards Keiko. “I won't let you die!”

Sakura kneeled next to Keiko, soaking her knees in her blood as she held both of her hands over Keiko's body. Her hands glowed a soft yellow color and soon, so did Keiko. Sakura closed her eyes and yelled, “LET'S GO!”

 

Springing into action, Botan turned to the crowd and her eyes glowed a deep purple and the crowd of people fell to the ground, in a short sleep, soon to wake with no recollection of the accident. Yusuke stood frozen still and Hiei ran to his aid.

 

“Yusuke?!”

 

“What do you need Sakura?!”

 

“Warm water! Now!”

 

“What?!”

 

“We don't have time! GO!”

 

“Yusuke?!”

 

“Got it got it!”

 

“MOVE!”

 

“Don't let her die!!”

 

“YUSUKE!?”