Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Dragons of Shame ❯ Chaptire 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Dragons of Shame

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Saiyuki, or Journey to the West. They all belong to their respective owners

 

Enjoy Chaptire 15: From the Hell Below Us

 

 

==Bam, Bitch, Bam==

 

Jessy and Sanzo walked out of the kitchen quietly, walking out of Goku's castle and down the cloud-covered path of a road towards Kanzeon Bosatsu's own home. They snuck in, just as quietly, ensuring Sanzo's delightful hermaphrodite cousin was not in the throne room, and they went in. It wasn't that they didn't care for the Merciful Goddess, they just couldn't tolerate her incessant snickers about “How cute a couple they will make when Jessy is all grown up!”

 

The thought of those words irked Sanzo's nerves so much that the tick in his forehead throbbed painfully. Jessy glanced at him and grinned as she pulled his hand towards the lily pond, urging him to come with her and gaze into the waters. With a calming sigh the yellow-haired god smirked and sat at the edge with the little girl.

 

They peered into the blue waters and watched silently as they began to swirl and clear, moving to the side like a curtain to reveal the Human World below. They waited patiently as the waters searched for the town they wanted to check on. It took only a moment for the crystal waters to show them Yusuke, screaming and punching whatever was closest.

 

Yusuke Urameshi had felt pain of both the physical and emotional kind, but never before had it hurt so much as the pain he felt now. Having his son taken from him was a fate worse than…well…death, which had not even been so painful. This was…unbearable. He had screamed at Koenma for a whole twenty minutes, before finally Keiko came out to see what was wrong. When she found her son had been kidnapped she fell to the ground and sobbed.

 

She cried and begged Heaven to bring him back. But her prayers were ignored. It had taken a while to get Keiko to sleep, to rest and hide from this pain. He stood outside their closed bedroom door and closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from running freely. He had to be strong. He had to be.

 

It had been two days, Koenma and the others convinced him to be still, to wait for the right moment. But it was so damn hard! He pushed his fingers into his eyes, and removed them when the pain was too much to bear. He pushed off from the door angrily wand walked downstairs to grab his car keys. He glanced at the clock.

 

11:17 pm

 

He knew it was late. He knew Koenma had told him to steer clear from Botan, just in case the god were there. But Yusuke didn't care. This was, after all, her fault.

 

He grabbed is coat and shoved it on roughly but stopped and turned around quickly at the sound of someone else in the room. It was Yuki.

 

Yuki stood there with curious eyes, blinking slowly. His stomach had started hurting at the absence of his twin, some sort of psychic connection between the boys, but Yusuke and Yuki were grateful for the tender link. It let them know Yuji was alive and alright. They didn't know what would happen if he was dead, but Yuki would be able to tell.

 

The two stared at each other silently for a long time, as if studying one another. But the silence was aggravating, it made Yuki nervous to an uncomfortable extent “Dad,” he said groggily “Are you going to that lady's house? To Ranma's house?” Yusuke gulped and gave a curt nod. “C-can I come?”

 

“No, Yuki.” Yusuke said softly, as if it were difficult to emit anything but angry screams from his mouth. He heard Yuki sniffle and realized his son was trying not to cry “Look, we're going to get him back. I promise, okay? I promise.”

 

“But you don't know for sure, dad!” Yuki exclaimed “I mean…Koenma said it himself! He said we don't even know if the gods are there at Ranma's house or whatever, and gods are…they're super strong, ya know? You can't…you just can't go running blindly like that! You have to…you have to think things through!”

 

Yusuke stared with wide eyes as Yuki broke down, letting his barrier that was so similar to Yusuke's collapse into tiny pieces as if it had never been there. It was hard to watch. It was hard to hear words of wisdom spurt forth from the boy who was so much like him, who was not supposed to have any words of wisdom! Who was supposed to be rash and spontaneous.

 

It wasn't fair. It simply was not fucking fair.

 

Yusuke strode forward and gathered Yuki in a tight hug, tears falling freely down his scarred face. “No, he whispered harshly “No, Yuki. Don't cry. I need you…I need you to be strong. I need you to be constant for me. I need you to be the same, goofy kid that's so much like it's almost fucking nauseating. I don't want you to break down and cry like this. You have to be the rock right now. When I'm gone, you have to be the one to take care of your brothers and your mom. You have to be…”

 

“…Me?” Yuki finished stuffily, his face pressed firmly against his father's blue jean jacket, making it damp with his tears. He felt Yusuke nod and kiss him on the top of his head scruffily before letting him go and turning away.

 

“I'll be back soon, Yuki.” He said briskly as he walked out the front door to his car. Yuki stifled a sob and ran to the window to watch his father leave.

 

“You better be back, dad.” He whispered in an almost defeated tone.

 

== I think I may be too cruel, sometimes==

 

Botan sat on the couch in the dark, allowing herself to succumb to the mixed emotions she felt. Silent tears ran down her soft cheeks, her eyes stung and her lip was bleeding in great quantities as she bit it. But she made no inclination to straighten herself up.

 

Her stomach growled from hunger. She hadn't eaten for two days. She felt weak. But she still did not want to move.

 

It hurt.

 

That was all she knew at the moment. She only recognized pain of having Ranma taken away from her, and it hurt even more to know it was her fault. Another clamor of sobs escaped from her lips, she fell to her side on the couch and cried. Clutching a pillow that smelled like Ranma to her chest, she cried and screamed.

 

She was so stupid! Why, oh why had she let herself give into temptation?! She was a moron who didn't deserve her holy son.

 

Yes, he was holy. He was pure and perfect, and she had besmirched him with her sickening behavior. The house was filthy, not just literally, but spiritually too. For the past couple of months, she had noticed it whenever she came home from the putrid world that was outside her home.

 

She had noticed how pure the house was with Ranma and Jessy around. It was so excruciatingly untainted that it almost hurt. It almost made her feel…angry. No, not almost she had been angry. She loathed the wholesome feeling that surrounded her when she came home.

 

Subconsciously, she had begun to run from it. She thought the reason for always leaving the house was to be closer to Ken, but that was only a front! In actuality, Botan was always finding a reason to escape this holy house was because she needed to be away from the sacred place.

 

Another wave of sobs ran over Botan as she came to realize this. How stupid she was! How very, very stupid. How could she have been so blind? She was a monster. No wonder Ranma wanted to kill her two days ago, he had only wanted to purify his contaminated being.

 

He should not have stopped. Why did he stop? Why had he not just dug his holy fingers into the very flesh that bore him? The unholy flesh that bore that beautiful soul, that beautiful heart, that beautiful mentality, that beautiful and holy child! She was unworthy, and she knew it.

 

He knew it. But he never said a word. The words that had left his mouth so angrily were only out of pity, he had been trying to wake her up! To bring her back from temptation.

 

Botan sat up suddenly, the sound of a car pulling into her driveway went unheard, she stood and walked toward the stairs. She ignored the pieces of glass that cut her small feet as she walked through the living room and ascended the stairs. She walked to the attic door and pulled it down. She climbed the wooden ladder and into the freezing attic, she moved to the doors that hid the balcony, pulling them open a flurry of snowflakes soared in, hitting her hot flesh and melting. She ignored them.

 

She stepped onto the balcony, the old wood under her feat groaned threateningly, but by this point, her ears were deaf to the sound. She didn't even hear the calls below, screaming her name. She climbed to the roof blindly, her thin black dress fluttering in the wind that was so much stronger now. A storm was approaching.

 

The wind pulled the black ribbon from her hair, and it wavered wildly in the air like the waves of the oceans. The snow was thick on the roof, and freezing, but she was already numb. She was at the top of the house. She looked down, but really saw nothing except eh black abyss that was beckoning her like.

 

Her arms went out to the side, as if she were flying. Her face remained passive as she closed her eyes and sighed before letting herself go limp.

 

She was falling forward.

 

==Embrace the Solitude==

 

Hiei had watched as Yusuke got into the car and drove off. He followed him at break-neck speed. Yusuke was already a speed demon when clear-headed, so when his mind was flooded with angst at the loss of his son, he was almost too dangerous for even Hiei. But he knew where the man was going.

 

He knew what Yusuke had in mind. He was going to see Botan. Even Hiei had been tempted to sneak off with Yusuke and go. But he had to stop him this time.

 

Yuji's life was at risk, and perhaps, even Ranma's.

 

Yes, Hiei and Kurama had made the connection, much too late of course, but they had made it. Hiei realized who the boy was now, and why he felt such a connection him. It was because Ranma Death, was Hiei's son.

 

Nobody knew but Hiei, at this point. He had not told the others what he had done. What sin he had committed. How all of this was Hiei's fault.

 

Because he was too much of a coward. A drop of frosty condensation hit Hiei's cheek. It was snowing.

 

Hiei tore his eyes away from Yusuke's speeding car and glanced behind his shoulder. Kurama was following in his own red corvette.

 

He was coming for Botan. Hiei cursed under his breath and quickened his pace. He could not risk losing sight of Yusuke by attempting to stop Kurama.

 

Yusuke pulled up to a very large and handsome house, one that had to be at least three stories. It was massive. Obviously belonging to the wealthy. The sound of a car door slamming shut forced Hiei to avert his eyes from the mansion and on to Yusuke, who was marching up the driveway, screaming.

 

“BOTAN! GET OUT HERE RIGHT THE FUCK NOW! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR IMMATURITY! GET OUT HERE AND ACE ME!” he bellowed, his voice echoed up and down the street, through the thick and handsome trees. Hiei shot down from one of them in front of the very man he was following.

 

Kurama skidded into the driveway simultaneously, he got out of his car and ran foreword to meet them.

 

“Yusuke,” Hiei said, struggling to remain calm. His heart was racing “Calm yourself, we can't take this risk. What if the Gods have Yuji in there? They could easily kill him and escape back to Heaven.” Yusuke grunted and glared at the house over Hiei's shoulder.

 

“But-“

 

Hiei whipped his head around as Kurama ran past him to the door. “KURAMA!” he screamed “Get away from there! You can't-“

 

“Back off, Hiei!” Kurama snarled angrily, his eyes flashing silver made Hiei stop in his tracks “I have to know whose child that is! I have to see her! I have to know why she left!”

 

Hiei felt another stab of guilt so powerful it made his heart ache, he gripped his chest with a grunt and winced. “Hiei, what's happening to you? What's wrong?” Concern laced Kurama's voice as he stepped forward, Hiei had dropped to the ground. “Wait, let me get-“

 

“BOTAN!” Yusuke's scream made the other two men turn towards him, his eyes were wide with shock and he was pointing to the roof. “BOTAN! GET DOWN! YOU'LL FALL! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! GET THE FUCK DOWN! BOTAN!” Hiei and Kurama joined him, Hiei ignored the stabbing pain and the insistent whispering in his head.

 

Botan was standing on the roof, gazing at the dark sky, her hair flowing in the wind, and black dress fluttering wildly. She had only the thin dress on. She spread her arms.

 

“BOTAN! PLEASE! GET DOWN!” Kurama screeched shrilly “What is she thinking?!”

 

But that was the thing, Botan wasn't thinking. She wasn't seeing. She wasn't hearing. She wasn't feeling. She was going to jump.

 

Hiei realized it before everyone else, and he moved, fast. She let herself fall forward, but Hiei jumped onto the roof and pulled her back. She screamed at the touch and snapped her eyes open.

 

Her irises went wide and she went silent, gazing finally at something. Hiei. She was staring at Hiei and remained so for what seemed an eternity.

 

And then…

 

She screamed and writhed around din his arms, trying to get away. “NO! NO! STOP TOUCHING ME! IT BURNS! IT HURTS! STOP TOUCHING ME! DON'T DO IT AGAIN, HIEI! PLEASE STOP HURTING ME, YOU'RE HURTING ME! IT BURNS! IT BURNS! DON'T TOUCH ME!”

 

Hiei tried to soothe her, he tried to calm her but the longer he held her the more she writhed. The more she screamed, the more she cried, the more she begged. The more she hurt. With great effort, Hiei dropped to the ground safely, with her thrashing in his arms. Kurama took her and held her close, whispering soothingly in her ear as they walked into the house.

 

She began to sob quietly, mumbling incoherent words. She clutched desperately at Kurama, as if she never wanted to let go. As if she were trying to make sense of the world around her, trying to suck his warmth through flesh. Soon she fell asleep in his arms and for the first time in a long time Kurama felt at peace.

 

Yusuke stared compassionately at the former ferry girl. Once, she had been a bubbly woman who always said silly things like “Bingo!” and “You got it!” with such a sweet smile. She was the sunshine that everyone always wanted in their life. The best of friends, the sunlight on a grave.

 

And then that sunlight was gone. But they found it! They found their sun!

 

…Broken. And dull. And altogether…defeated. She was a mess.

 

It was several hours before Botan awoke, feeling extremely warm. She was running a fever. And she was resting against someone familiar. She blinked the room into focus, taking several moments to gather her thoughts.

 

She stared into the sleeping face of the man holding her. Kurama. She gasped and pushed off from him only to collapse on the floor, dizzy from her fever. She groaned, catching the attention of Kurama who awoke immediately hearing her voice. He crouched down next to her and smiled.

 

“Botan,” he breathed quietly, resting a hand to her forehead “you're burning up, lie back down and I'll get a wash-cloth. Botan shivered and did as she was told. Glancing around the room she found that things had been straightened up. The broken contents that were scattered across the room from Ranma's burst of anger were no longer there. She sighed and laid on her back, staring up at the spinning ceiling.

 

The reality of what was going on hit her. Kurama and the others had found her. They would ask questions. Questions she didn't want to answer. Not at all.

 

Kurama walked into the kitchen and rummaged around Botan's kitchen drawers for the towels. Hiei and Yusuke watched him mildly interested. Kurama caught their stares. “Botan is running a fever.” He answered to their silent questions “would one of you watch over her while I'm looking for a wash cloth?”

 

Yusuke volunteered Hiei.

 

The black haired demon glared daggers at Yusuke but obliged nonetheless. He walked into the living room slowly and quietly, surveying the space. The fireplace crackled invitingly, extending its warmth throughout the house.

 

He walked around the couch, running his hands over the soft white material. Botan lay there, staring up at the ceiling, her violet eyes at half mast. Hiei kneeled down beside her, placing his hands over one of hers. She was freezing.

 

Botan turned her head at the touch. She blinked slowly “Hiei…” she whispered drowsily.

 

Hiei gulped down the lump in his throat “Yeah,” he whispered just as softly.

 

“They took him, you know.” She said “They took him because…I'm not good like him. I don't deserve him.”

 

“Who?”

 

Botan sighed and closed her eyes, tears were falling. Hiei wiped them away gently with the back of his hand and she shivered “Ranma. They took my baby.”

 

Hiei went frigid “Who did, Botan?” she turned her face away and began to shake with more sobs “Who took Ranma, Botan?”

 

“They did.” She answered sounding a bit crazy at that point “They took my son…They took your son, Hiei. Ranma's always wanted a dad. And I tried to give him one…but they didn't like that. They only wanted you as the dad, Hiei. Because you are his dad. Hiei…you know you're his dad. You're Ranma's dad…Ranma's dad is you…”

 

Botan then slipped into ramblings, repeating the words “Hiei is Ranma's father” oddly, saying the words out of order. Disappearing further into the delirium of her fever.

 

However before she slipped into her hallucinating state Kurama and Yusuke had walked into the room. Hearing every word, Kurama dropped the damp cloth, letting it fall between his fingers and onto the floor. At the sound, Hiei stood up and stared at them.

 

“Hiei…you are…Ranma is your-“ Kurama trailed off and furrowed his brow, gathering his thoughts “How? When did you and she, did you know?!”

 

“Hiei…father…Ranma” Botan muttered, plucking at her necklace.

 

“Kurama, you must understand.” Hiei began, raising his voice slightly as Botan continued her mantra “It was…I never intended to hurt you. Botan didn't-she just did not…”

 

“And BOTAN!” Kurama bellowed “SHE BETRAYED ME! AND ALL THIS TIME! ALL THIS TIME I HAVE BEEN SO WORRIED ABOUT HER!”

 

“Kurama, no. Botan did not-“

 

“HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!” Kurama was going red, his anger rising.

 

Botan continued to ramble and then she was screaming, as if wanting to be heard. And then suddenly she stopped and sat up, her eyes clouded. She was no longer seeing anyone. She cocked her head to the side “Hiei?” she said in an almost child-like voice “Why did you do that to me?”

 

Hiei stared at her clouded eyes, her voice was somehow…different. “Botan…what's wrong with you?”

 

Botan blinked and then began to laugh, not the sweet laughter they had once known, no. This was the laughter of…a lunatic. She was laughing hysterically, eyes cloudy and silver. “Oh Hiei! You're so funny!” she giggled madly “What's wrong with me? Why are you asking me that? Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?'

 

“Botan,” Yusuke said worriedly, rushing to her side, he gripped her hands “Botan, you need to rest. You're running a fever.”

 

Botan raised her eyebrows and smiled at Yusuke “Ah! Yusuke! You're here! I'm so happy to see you!” her hand went smartly across his face “Damn you! Look what you made me do, Hiei!” she looked up at the red-eyed demon “You know your son, Hiei, he's gay! Yeah! With this man's son!” she looked back at Yusuke whose cheek was red and throbbing.

 

She slapped him again.

 

“Botan, stop this.” Hiei urged “What's wrong with you? This isn't the fever doing this. You're acting crazy!”

 

“CRAZY?!” Botan shrieked sharply “The only reason I am `crazy,' Hiei, is because of you! You did this to me!”

 

“What dies she mean, Hiei?” Yusuke asked sharply, spitting out a small amount of blood. Botan had hit him hard.

 

“What?” Botan asked in mock-surprise “You haven't told them, Hiei?”

 

“Told us what?” Kurama snapped.

 

“Oh, Kurama, my sweet, sweet Kurama.” Botan mused, standing up and holding her arms out towards him “You think I betrayed you? No, never. I didn't do it on purpose.” She walked towards him and giggled hysterically “I love you, Kurama. I would never, ever intentionally hurt you.” She snapped her head insanely towards Hiei, smiling wickedly “Hiei betrayed you.” She giggled.

 

“He came into my house and raped me.” She turned back towards Kurama “And knocked me up with Ranma. You didn't know?”

 

Botan's eyes went wide and violet once more, losing their murkiness as a shuddering and guttural moan ran through her before her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed in Kurama's arms.

 

The three men stood very still and very quiet, none of them moving save for the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed. When Kurama took a step towards the couch, the other two jumped violently. Yusuke's eyes were narrowed in the dim light of the fire, the orange and reds reflecting deliciously on his brown eyes. He glanced at Kurama who avoided his gaze as he set Botan on the couch gently, placing the cool cloth on her forehead.

 

His back was turned on Hiei, so the red-eyed demon had no idea of the expression on his friend's face. And with his Jagan damaged from Jessy's earlier attack, he couldn't read his mind either. So he was taken by surprise when Kurama turned at break-neck speed and attacked Hiei full force, throwing him across the room towards the fire.

 

Hiei barely managed to catch himself before being consumed by the threatening flames, he gasped as Yusuke also attacked from the side, his bone-shattering punch missing Hiei's head by a mere inch. Hiei bolted towards the door, Yusuke jumped in front of him, forcing Hiei to skid on the wooden hallway floor. He turned around and attempted to run for the kitchen, bursting through the shoji screen door that separated the living room and the dining room.

 

Kurama was a step ahead, however, and managed to latch his whip around Hiei's ankle, thorns pierced flesh and Hiei screamed in pain. He had to overcome it as Yusuke's shout of “Spirit Gun!” rang through the house, reverberating off the walls, grazing Hiei's back, ripping his shirt and exposing his smarting skin. “I won't miss this time, Hiei!” Yusuke shouted.

 

Another lashing form Kurama's whip hit Hiei in the chest, he screamed in agony and fell to his knees. Kurama pulled his arm back for another but Hiei grabbed the thorned flog, blood running liberally down his arm, and yanked hard, pulling the red-haired halfling to the floor. Taking the opportunity, of Yusuke's steered spirit bullet to avoid Kurama, Hiei ran through the kitchen and into the pantry.

 

“What the hell-“ he muttered angrily only to be shocked when he pressed a wall that turned into another cupboard for stairs. He whipped his head around at the sound of Yusuke and Kurama bursting in. He took the stairs leading downwards.

 

He didn't notice the pantry shut back to its original state as he descended into the dark. The steps beneath his feet were sandstone, the walls as well, the pathway was narrow and winding and dark. He didn't know where it led, but he silently wished it led to safety.

 

Hiei's eyes were so adjusted to the dark by that point he barely noticed the dim light coming from below. The stairs were no longer rough and unsteady, but smooth and sure. The walls began to feel like tall pillars of cool marble. And soon, Hiei was in a well lit room of cool blue light.

 

The room was large and ornate, with several paintings of the Bodhisattvas claiming the ceiling. As Hiei took in everything he realized what room this was. It was Botan's treasure room. Scattered on the floor in large piles were gold and silver coins, paper money, gold blocks, golden statues, rubies, diamonds, and other jewels of all variations. There were pearls and emerald-encrusted scales from dragons, and golden weights of different sizes.

 

There was also a small table on which the scales Botan used to measure how much she needed to take out of the room. Hiei had never seen so much beautiful things. He wandered the round room and found in a large trunk were kimonos and saris of unbelievably expensive silks, silks so fine they had to be from a different century.

 

Along one of the walls he realized there were several swords. Swords demons and humans alike would kill for. These were all swords…from the gods. The whole room itself was a gift from the gods. Hiei approached the swords, so enticing in all their sheathed glory, but stopped himself short when he noticed a particular large chest full of jade dishes. There was a slight breeze coming from it.

 

He reached out a hand to touch the armoire, only to find it moved to his gentle touch. Pushing it aside, the draft became stronger as it revealed another marble path way. It led outside. With a longing glance back at the swords, he fought the thief within himself and followed the path.

 

= =Knocking on Heaven's door…almost literally= =

 

Jessy giggled and sat up, stretching her arms. “Well!” she groaned softly at the stretch of her lithe muscles “I'm sure glad I'm not down there.”

 

Sanzo smirked in agreement “It's Hell down there.”

 

And from somewhere down on earth, a demon was laughing shrilly, staring greedily up at the sky. He blew a kiss and grinned, baring his pointed teeth “FROM THE HELL BELOW, MY DARLING GODS!”

 

==TBC==

 

AN: well, everyone, thanks so much for following this lovely little chapter. It was kinda…weird, I admit. But, hey. You gotta love it? Neh? My authors notes will become shorter and shorter. Possibly. Haha. If you have any questions you know where to find me!