InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Ultimatum ❯ Chapter 23

Ultimatum

Chapter 23

Boxing King

 

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I would like to remind all of you that I have not seen the actual show in who knows how long, so the details that are wrong here, they are made up. K? I don't remember them, so they are made up for the purpose of this story, and if they are wrong, pretend they are right while reading this. K? Thanks, as always, for reading!

 

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Kagome shuddered slightly as she opened her eyes. She glanced around an empty room before meeting Koenma's eyes. “Going about this without the other's knowledge, huh?”

 

He grimaced. Kagome suppressed a snort. “And why would you do that? Secrecy between your teammates will lead to problems. Hell, it already has.” Kagome sat up and swung her legs over the side of the gurney.

 

“We didn't have time to consult them. You are due to be traded in about five minutes.”

 

“I hope they like your excuse.” Kagome ignored his muttered me too. The man seriously needed to overhaul his system of control in the Spirit World. But, that was an issue for another time.

 

“How do you know he still wants to trade?”

 

Koenma sighed briefly before looking at Kagome. “We haven't received any body parts.” Kagome simply looked at him.

 

“You have always sucked at giving explanations. You know that, right?”

 

“He knows all of our plans up to a certain point. He knows we plan to either give back an empty shell or one with a soul that theoretically has the soul wiped clean of any memories. We know he still wants to trade by the fact that he hasn't sent any body parts, or even just the whole corpse, of Keiko yet. He would make his displeasure with our plans very clear, so the fact that he hasn't done anything obvious yet means that he doesn't care.”

 

“You haven't figured out what he wants with a dysfunctional body yet?” He firmed his mouth into a tough line. “Of course not,” she muttered, “you guys are always ignorant.”

 

He scowled. She smiled briefly.

 

“Where's the trade off going to occur?”

 

“It has to be the bridge leading here. That is the furthest that Keiko will be able to get into this realm while still alive without some type of clearance.”

 

“Who would need clearance? I thought anyone could just wander in here.”

 

“Humans have trouble coming here while alive without either clearance or a raised spiritual awareness. We revoked her clearance. We also increased security to make sure Naraku just doesn't wander in, and to make sure she can't wander through due to some sort of association she picked up after constantly being around everyone.”

 

“Smart of you.”

 

“Yes, well, concerning just about everything else besides you, we tend to be smart. Somehow, around you we are stupefied.”

 

“Glad I don't have that affect on everyone.”

 

“Let's head on over to the bridge, then.”

 

Koenma hesitated. “Do you want me to try and act like Hiei?”

 

“Well, it would make things a little bit easier…”

 

“To bad, I'm not going to be party to your actions. Suck it up and be held accountable.” She stood and began walking towards the door.

 

“I should have figured that one. What about for Naraku? Deferring to your experience with him, would he react better to a pretend Hiei or you?”

 

Kagome hesitated before responding, actually thinking over the best answer. “I think it might be best to pretend that my mind is swipped. He's expecting either Hiei or a brainless me. I don't think I can pull Hiei off, and he might let his guard down around me.”

 

Koenma nodded while following her. He grabbed her upper arm before letting her go through the door. He stared hard at her while talking. “I know we've been unorthodox in winning you over, Kagome, but don't let us down. Naraku getting this Jewel would be the worst possible thing for everyone, including you. Put the fate of the world above your hate for us.”

 

She regarded him coolly. “Clearly you haven't put the fate of the world above everything else. Why should I?”

 

His fingers tightened. “Think along the lines of what would happen to your family and friends if he won and got that Jewel.” He shook her slightly. “They wouldn't die quickly, Kagome.”

 

She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “I think I know that much better than you, Koenma. Now stop manhandling me.”

 

“Fine,” he took a step back and raised his hands in the air. She took a step forward. “I need to know your intentions, Kagome, before I let you walk out that door.”

 

She whirled around viciously. “I'll protect the Jewel, just like I always have. I'll be the one that suffers through this to keep that wretched piece of stone out of his grasp, just like I have before. You don't need to worry that the Protector of the Jewel will let it down. And besides, your pet demon in my body will be sure to follow through with your will. Now stop trying to act noble now, at the last goddamn second, and let me walk through that door in the dragon's mouth!” She snarled the last phrase and quickly turned and barreled out of the room.

 

Koenma watched her retreat for a moment before following. While she might profess ultimate duty towards the Jewel, she had already failed once with her suicide attempt. He could only hope she wouldn't repeat that failure.

 

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Kurama's eyes narrowed as Kagome's body walked furiously out of the castle towards the bridge. He watched her stride as she tried to calm down. Hiei would be better at controlling his emotions, even under the influence of new hormones. His gaze swiveled to Koenma swiftly on her heels.

 

“What have you done?”

 

“What do you think he's done? It's obvious, and if you're as smart as everyone says, you can figure it out.” Kagome stormed past the red-headed demon, Yusuke and Kuwabara.

 

Damn Koenma for questioning her will to protect the damn Jewel. For all he knew, the best way to protect it was for her to die. Then, the duty of protecting the Shikon would fall to the next reincarnation, who would be clueless as to it and its location. Of course, she had to hope that Naraku couldn't manipulate her soul after she died to get the info. If she was going to die and pass the buck, it needed to be in seclusion where her death would go unnoticed so that her spirit could safely transition on to the next realm (or body, as it were). Which meant she couldn't purposefully die while in Naraku's clutches.

 

She felt a sharp twing in her head. Another damn, Hiei was hearing every word she thought. Well, it's not like you would care if I did commit suicide, now would you? She got another twing. She had no idea how to interpret it, so decided a no was safest, and most likely.

 

She reached the end of the bridge and turned with her hands on her hips. “Well? You dragged me all the way out here, at least be timely.”

 

Koenma cleared his throat under the scrutiny of Kurama. “We put her mind back in it and sort of wiped it?” He couldn't help but let the end of the sentence come out as a question.

 

“Try again,” came the Fox's stony reply.

 

“Fine,” he muttered. Kuwabara crept closer to catch all of the conversation as Yusuke stared dubiously at Kagome. “We put both her and Hiei's soul in her body. We figured that Naraku wouldn't be expecting that, at least.”

 

“You put Hiei's soul at risk again!” Kurama whispered furiously.

 

“No risk that he didn't want to take,” snapped Kurama.

 

“Is she supposed to be acting like that?” Kuwabara asked.

 

“She's supposed to be pretending her mind is wiped. I have no idea how she figures that's a wiped mind.” Koenma glared at the verbosely irritated Kagome.

 

“She's going to ruin the entire thing!”

 

Kurama felt a slight push on his shoulder. “I am not,” Kagome snarled at him. “The story is that you reverted my mind back to before I knew of the Jewel. I am currently an irritated high school student who has been fed some bull-shit story by people she doesn't trust. Trust me when I say I know how to act the part. Now what's the deal with him being a no-show?”

 

Every spine in the circle minutely stiffened as a malicious laugh the area after a small pop concussed through the air.

 

“My dear Kagome, I would have thought that you would be a bit more fearful of my arrival.”

 

Kagome turned around quickly. “I don't even know who you are,” she managed to get out in a voice that quavered. Her eyes landed on a much familiar baboon clad form.

 

“And what is with that ridiculous fur outfit? Really, you shouldn't harm animals just for an ugly coat.”

 

Kagome could practically feel the consideration coming off Naraku as he tried to figure out what her game was.

 

“We don't have time for this dribble,” snapped Yusuke. Kagome resisted the urge to turn and look at him.

 

“My cousin's right. Apparently there's a life at stake here, baboon-man. Where's his girlfriend?”

 

“I figured that you idiots would try and pull some stunt if I brought the human along with me. I figured the two other humans would try and attack and win back my prize. So,” he smirked, “I left her a bit of a ways away. Once I get her,” he shifted focus to stare directly at Kagome, “I'll tell you where.”

 

“What's your guarantee?” snapped Yusuke.

 

“There isn't one, and you don't really have a choice, Cousin. This is the only chance you will have for a trade. If I don't get her, then I'll rid myself of the nuisance the human hostage has become.”

 

Kagome flicked her eyes nervously between Yusuke and Naraku. “Wait a minute, now. What's this about a trade? You told me I just needed to distract him so that you all could attack and win the day.” Kagome let her panic filter through her voice.

 

“Go ahead, take her,” Yusuke stated without inflection. “We won't stop you.”

 

Naraku smirked victoriously as Kagome cried out in shock. “What the hell, Yusuke?”

 

Naraku leaped forward and roughly grabbed her forearm just as Yusuke grabbed her wrist. “The location, Naraku.”

 

“Go back to where it all began, Yusuke. I advise you to hurry. She might bleed to death before you get there.” With that knowledge, Yusuke let go.

 

Naraku disappeared in the same way he came with a struggling Kagome in his grasp, eyes wide as she reached out to Yusuke.

 

The sudden silence on the bridge was deafening. “You didn't even care that you were letting her go, did you, Yusuke?” Kuwabara was looking at Yusuke was a strange look in his eyes. “She may have been acting, but there was real fear there, and you just let her go.”

 

Yusuke turned around, ignoring Kuwabara. “Koenma, I need a portal to the school. That was the beginning of Keiko's involvement and where she went missing. That has to be it.” He turned towards Kurama, already assuming Koenma's aid. “I need you to come with. You know enough about healing to make sure she can get to a hospital.” There was a frantic energy to Yusuke just then, as his goal was so close to being met.

 

Kurama nodded. “Of course I'll go help Keiko.”

 

Koenma quickly moved up to Yusuke and opened a portal. Yusuke and Kurama wasted no time in jumping through, eager to go save a life.

 

Koenma closed the portal firmly before turning to look at Kuwabara. “He had his priorities, Kuwabara. He had to make a choice, and he did.”

 

The man turned towards Koenma. “But he didn't regret it at all. He didn't regret throwing her life away.” Kuwabara's face contained a bewildered expression. “He should have at least cared, Koenma.”

 

“He wouldn't have been able to go through with it if he had cared, Kuwabara. He had to abandon his emotions for Kagome.”

 

“No, no he didn't.” Kuwabara turned slowly towards the castle. “He broke a code there, Koenma. And he shouldn't have done that.”

 

Koenma watched Kuwabara slowly walk inside. He had a feeling that Kuwabara wouldn't be able to forgive Yusuke for that breach. It seemed like their actions were finally sinking in for the last teammate.

 

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Yes, it's short. But it's an update! I figure that has to make up for some of the shortness, right? Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Review, review, review!! ~BK