InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Ultimatum ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Ultimatum

Chapter 12

Boxing King

 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

Alrighty, got the next chapter out. Took a while, but I did it. Kind of long, too. :D I'm surprised more of you didn't think the worst possible thing, which it is, with the finger. Don't you remember who went missing and hasn't been noticed? Tsk, tsk. Anyways, Read and Enjoy. I'm hoping to get more reviews this time. ;P OH - does anyone know how to change the color on mediaminer? I put a hyperlink in the last chapter, and it made everything blue! How do I go in and edit the page or something? I'll try it again this time but just change the color of the link back to black. Maybe that'll work. http://boxingking-wordsofwisdomonwriting.blogspot.com

Read and Enjoy! Thanks, BoxingKing

 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

The room was quiet, silent, watching, waiting.

 

Six pairs of eyes were trained on Yusuke, whose face was frozen in a snarl. The little box held something the detective sincerely did not like.

 

Kagome hesitantly spoke up first, figuring she had the best chance of not being chewed out as a by product of his anger.

 

“Yusuke.” She waited until his chocolate eyes flicked to her own. “What is in the package, Yusuke?”

 

The room waited for an answer.

 

Yusuke clenched his teeth and flicked his eyes back to the front, studiously doing his best to ignore everyone around him.

 

He thrust his hand out in her vague direction. “Come see for yourself.”

 

Kagome had a niggling feeling in the back of her head saying she definitely wouldn't like what Yusuke was holding out to her. However, she wouldn't just sit there, ignoring the challenge the box presented. If she chose to not walk up and confront, she would be seen as weak in the eyes of people she was trying to impress. This was supposed to be her new life. She had screwed it up enough already, what with suicide and running away, but maybe now she could salvage it.

 

She walked up and gingerly peered into the box.

 

“Oh my God!” Kagome violently turned around and clapped a hand over her mouth. She would not be sick. She would not be sick.

 

Her sudden reaction had the others moving forward, anxious to behold the horror in the small parcel.

 

Kagome heard the others alternately gasp and swear. She was too busy closing her eyes and trying to control her sudden gag reflex to watch them. God, she had seen enough. Enough violence to last her a life time. Enough body parts wrapped up in boxes.

 

“That's sick,” mumbled Kuwabara. “Who would do that?”

 

She heard Kuwabara pacing the confines of the room. To her he perhaps seemed to be the most likely to freak out about the finger tip. Torture just wasn't something he could look at and not flinch. The rest had an edge, however, that said they saw this on a regular basis and could take it without flinching. It made her wonder about their shady pasts. Even her own cousin was not flinching.

 

She was not that brave.

 

Not anymore.

 

Kurama spoke up quietly. “I do not think that the most important question is who could do such a thing, Kuwabara. Needless enough to say, the list is extremely long. Yet the better question is to whom does the finger belong to?”

 

Kuwabara seized his mutterings at this thought. “God.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I hadn't thought of that.” He whirled to look at everyone.

 

“Who's could it be?” His faced was pinched with worry. A list of everyone close to him went through his mind. They weren't up to fighting off demons, not ones that would be so vicious as to perform torture. Hell, Yukina was even a demon and she didn't stand a chance.

 

Kurama shrugged.

 

Yusuke gave a strangled cry. “Keiko-”

 

A look of shock flittered across Kuwabara's face. “How do you know, Yusuke? How can you be sure it's - Keiko's?”

 

Yusuke pounded a fist into the wall. Plaster crumbled under his hand. “Because,” he said, “Because, she was painting her fingernails before school.” He thudded his arm weakly into the wall.

 

The hairs on the back of Kagome's neck stood up. She had met Keiko, however briefly at school. She had liked her, even though her personality had been almost the complete opposite of her own. It was happening just like before.

 

But, it couldn't be the same thing. It just couldn't. He - Naraku - he was… he wasn't here. He couldn't be here in the present, not with her. It had been five hundred years for him… Could he still be alive, still hurting people, just like before?

 

Kagome looked up, looking around at everyone else in the suddenly claustrophobic room.

 

Her gaze settled on the antagonizing man from before. Hiei, Yusuke had called him, Hiei. She decided to focus on him instead of the finger. Anything to not focus on that finger. On what it meant.

 

Hiei had a peculiar look on his face, like this scene was just as familiar for him as it was for her.

 

Their argument from before seemed to be forgotten for the time being. Kagome was glad. What the hell was she supposed to say to him, anyways? She had no idea why they were sharing dreams all of a sudden, and that flare of power from before…

 

It was troubling to say the least.

 

Would he really kill her? She hadn't thought the dreams were that much of a bother. Ok, so she had liked them. They were… different. They made her feel… appealing. Sexy. Wanted. She hadn't felt something like that since she and Inuyasha had spent time together in the past.

 

How screwed up was she that all she was thinking about were erotic dreams when there was a severed finger in a box?

 

Kagome decided it didn't matter. Anything was better than thinking of that finger, of thinking of other fingers just like it.

 

Ok, now she was back to the finger. She frantically tried to focus on the small demon in front of her.

 

He was cute, in a cruel kind of way. His eyes seemed to always be glaring, and their stark ruby color was too reminiscent of blood and violence for her tastes. But he did have interesting hair. Did it all stick up naturally, like curls, or did the man use massive amounts of hair gel? She figured it was probably natural, being as he didn't seem like the type to use hair products. But then again, he did wear a cape. It wasn't like jackets weren't in fashion. Kagome eyed the cape critically. It looked too plain to be a fashion statement - maybe it was so he could easily get to his sword. Yeah, that sounded more reasonable. His facial features were pronounced - strong chin, straight, aristocratic nose. All the better to look down at people, she supposed. He probably had lots of practice at that. She wondered whether his ears were pointy. Wonder what genetics those would point to, excusing the pun…

 

Kagome's eyes flicked to his ears, but froze as she met his eyes. She swallowed nervously. Apparently, he was done looking at the finger.

 

Now he seemed to just be more interested in glaring at her. Damn demon…

 

He narrowed his eyes.

 

Kagome practically snorted. Like she was gonna settle for that.

 

Her eyes practically went to slits. Let the bastard glare at her now.

 

He purposefully began to walk up to her.

 

Her eyes opened back up in shock. Good god, was he going to kill her now? Kagome frantically looked at Yusuke. What with her powers gone, there was no way she would be able to one-up the demon. She opened her mouth, ready to shout out to her pissed cousin.

 

“Don't,” hissed the demon.

 

She reflexively closed her mouth, glancing back at the demon.

 

“What do you want? Come to kill me?” She forced her voice to be strong, but stayed relatively quiet. Everyone else was busy conferring without them, and she didn't really want that to change.

 

The little man gave a contemptuous snort. “If I wanted to kill you, woman, I wouldn't need to give you a warning. I've decided you pose no threat to me. I looked at you with the Jagan, and you have no spiritual energy whatsoever. You couldn't have controlled the Jagan.”

 

Kagome stiffened. He certainly had nerve, saying she was no threat. If she ever got her powers back, she was gonna zap the little bastard just to show him.

 

He continued. “I want to know why you caused it to flare.” He stared at her expectantly.

 

So what, she was just supposed to know things about something she'd never even heard of? Definitely not.

 

“How the hell should I know? I don't even know what a Jagan is anyways.”

 

Hiei let out a snarl.

 

Kagome headed him off, not really wanting to talk about what else they seemed to share in common.

 

“Besides, don't you care about the finger? You knew her too, didn't you? Shouldn't you be over there planning things?”

 

Hiei looked down at her. “There is nothing to be done for her this second. And the plan is useless without knowing who to go after, which they do not. The woman will just die unless they find out.” And this was what Hiei was waiting for. They were desperate enough to come crying to him, ready to give him whatever he wanted.

 

Of course, Kagome knew nothing of this. Her eyes had widened when Hiei had spoke of Keiko being killed. She didn't want that, especially since she could prevent it. Here, she finally might be able to redeem herself. She could lead them in the right direction. That was, if Naraku was even alive.

 

“You're right, Hiei. There is nothing you can do.” A small smile graced her lips. “But there is something that I can do.” She looked him in the eyes. “I know who is holding Keiko hostage.”

 

Kagome whirled to tell all to Yusuke when a strong hand flicked her back around.

 

“What the hell are you doing, Hiei?”

 

Hiei practically spat out his question. “How the hell do you know who it is?”

 

She stiffened. “That, Hiei, is none of your business.”

 

He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. He needed to be able to reason with this obstinate female if he had any chance of getting that favor from Koenma.

 

“You can't tell them.”

 

“What are you, stupid? Of course I have to tell them. Keiko's life depends on it!”

 

Hiei's hand involuntarily tightened fractionally at the name. “I know that. They will get this information.”

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed and her voice grew suspicious. “How?”

 

Hiei's eye twitched. “I will tell them.”

 

“If you know, why the hell are you sitting back here?”

 

“I'm waiting for them to ask.”

 

“What the hell for?”

 

Hiei clenched his teeth. “That is no concern of yours, woman.”

 

Kagome suddenly understood what the smaller demon was aiming to do. “You want them to owe you, don't you?” A triumphant smirk flitted across her face.

 

His hand clenched a bit tighter.

 

“Well, it won't work. I'm going to tell them.”

 

Hiei swallowed convulsively. “What -” He paused, trying to keep his voice from rising. “What can I do so that you won't do that?”

 

Kagome looked at him, considering his worth.

 

“I'll give you a taste of your own medicine, Hiei. Owe me one.”

 

“Get real. I'm not going to indebt myself to a mere human.”

 

Kagome looked up, watching the remaining detectives come together. They were ready to find out that name.

 

“Decide now, Hiei. It looks like everyone is ready for that name.”

 

Hiei ground his teeth.

 

“Yusuke?” Kagome sweetly asked.

 

“Fine,” snarled Hiei. “I'll owe you a favor.”

 

“Anything I want?” she hurriedly bit out.

 

“Yes,” he practically hissed.

 

“Good. It's all yours, Hiei. Just make sure they know now.”

 

Yusuke strode up to the couple. “Hiei, unhand Kagome this minute.”

 

Hiei released his hand, and Kagome resisted the urge to rub her arm. She'd probably bruise, but she'd be damned before she would give the demon the satisfaction of having hurt her.

 

Koenma strode forward. “Ok, Hiei. You have your deal. Give us the name of the demon behind this. Keiko's life is at risk. We have no more time.”

 

Hiei gave a satisfied smirk.

 

“The demon that used the spider emblem five hundred years ago went by the name of Naraku. He was a filthy half-breed trying to take over all demon existence.”

 

Koenma frowned. “How have we not heard of him before?”

 

Hiei slightly shrugged. “He disappeared right before he was about to complete his goal. He seems the likely suspect.”

 

“So what if the guy used spider. Big deal, so do others. How the hell do you know this is that same demon?” asked Yusuke.

 

Hiei focused on the detective. “He would send calling cards of the territories he was about to over - severed body parts of the leader's mate.”

 

Yusuke swallowed. “Did they all die?”

 

Hiei knew who the detective was referring to. “Yes, Yusuke, they all died. The mate would be slaughtered at the beginning of the battle with the leader, just to show them how much stronger he was.”

 

Yusuke closed his eyes and turned away from the group.

 

“We can't let that happen. We have to find her first.”

 

Kurama broke his silence, looking at Koenma. “Koenma, what progress have you made on the amulet found on the lesser demon? Perhaps we could use it to track Keiko.”

 

Koenma looked up at Kurama, shaking his head slowly. “We have been trying since we have gotten it to put it to use. We haven't been able to trace the demon in the least.”

 

“Koenma, we have to do something. We can't just sit here. Do you have anything on this demon?” Yusuke turned tired eyes to Koenma.

 

Botan spoke up. “Koenma, we can trace Keiko.” All eyes turned to the grim reaper. “We've done it before, set our system to the specific waves of a human. Keiko should be easy; we had to use her to bring Yusuke back. She hasn't - she hasn't passed over, yet. We would know if she had, so we can track her energy waves.”

 

“Botan, I could kiss you right now.” She blushed at the attention.

 

“That's what I'm here for. I'll go get a communicator.” She whisked out of the room as the team was once again revitalized, ready for action. A plan began to form.

 

No one noticed the minuscule spider sitting atop Koenma's desk, placid for days. Eight little eyes eagerly trained on the group blinked once. What a plan it would be.