Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Par Tout Autre Nom ❯ Opportunity on a Razor Edge ( Chapter 36 )

Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N: Heh… -rubs head- it's been brought to my attention that I'm not explaining the terms I've been using, so I guess I'll have to go back and try to remember the words I've used that either don't translate properly, or just convey the idea better in their original form.

SO… if you're curious: Ki= the living energy of all things (animate and inanimate alike); Shinbatsu= Divine Punishment; Seibai=Judgment/Punishment; Tama=ball, sphere, (also used for jewel in certain context); Kaze no Kizu= Wound of the Wind; Kugutsu=Puppet (used for the series to describe the puppets Naraku and later another uses to copy themselves for attacks at no risk to the "caster"); Shikabane Mai= Corpse Dance (one of Kagura's signature attacks that manipulates those already dead). I think that's all of them that I've used so far, but if I've missed any, let me know.

As for why I stick to the Japanese… I prefer the direct translations rather than the changes made when they decided to transfer to English. ALL the attacks in both Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho sound soooo much better to me in original form, and they are rarely properly named when dubbed. Usually because some genius thinks they sound "cooler" if the wording is "touched up." (Case in point and one of my BIGGEST peeves… Inuyasha's main attack with his claws is "Sankon Tessou" which translates to "Soul-Shattering Iron Claw," not "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer." Don't ask my why they changed it or the other attack names, it bothers me, and that's that. But that's an entire rant on it's own that's just yet another reason why I refuse to watch dubs.

-chuckle- Now I can't really say much more with the chapters starting to speak for themselves, so I'll go right in to thanking all of you for sticking with me this far. I know it's confusing, and I'm a random, opinionated person by nature, so it's very flattering to know you've been willing to put up with it in reading. To my beloved junkies, worshippers, reviewers, and readers, you are simply fabulous and I adore you, as does Kazusa as it gives her more fodder to taunt me with. (LOL, Gravidy hit the 500 on FF.N) And to those of you like Silver Neko and Rosie for leaving me such long reviews after saying they don't do it anywhere else. Blue for putting up with random IM convo's, and Sylvannastyar and Lit_Chick for being there for me to whine at when Youko is chomping on my head and being generally demanding. Mou, I want to name everyone who continues to leave me such beautiful reviews, but we'd be here forever if I did! Honestly, all you guys really make my days and nights with your words. *^_____^* However, now I know you'd rather see what's going on with our current scene…

<~*~*~*~>

By Any Other Name

~Opportunity on a Razor Edge~

The sounds of battle slowly penetrated the thick haze engulfing Hiei's senses as his consciousness fought its way back up from silent void it had retreated to, shaking his head as he tried to sort through the confusion and reorient his thoughts to those oddly far-away noises, The explosion… dammit, I should have sensed it-

-upid bitch, get out of the way!

Hiei jerked when the unfamiliar voice flashed through his head in that deafening shout, forcing his eyes to open and face the source of the threat radiating through his senses like a tidal wave, only to freeze when the unrelenting dark remained, suffocating and oppressive as it pushed in all around him, blinding him to the things he could hear happening somewhere nearby, What the-?!

It is useless, hanyou, a new voice intruded on the darkness, deeper than the first and so malevolent that even Hiei tried to instinctively draw away from it before he was reminded of his disturbingly ethereal state. You think there is anywhere she can go that I would not find her? She is at your side with the final piece of my puzzle merely because I allow her to be.

That would sound more threatening if she hadn't broken all your attempts to control her mind, the first voice, angry and growling as it echoed and re-echoed through his head with painful intensity. Face it, asshole, no matter what you try, no matter how many spells and attachments you send for her, she's too pure for you. She always has been.

Yes…Get angry.

A pulse suddenly flared out from his body, bringing the tingling beginnings of returned sensation and arching his back as he felt his eyes widen uselessly in the dark in response to the new sound, like a thousand voices condensed down into a single, enthralling whisper.

Foolish as always, that second voice returned with a low chuckle, punctuated with a harsh grating sound, like metal dragging along bone. Don't you understand yet?

I know you can feel us inside you when we have you so close.

He half-anticipated the next pulse with the return of that third presence, feeling the words all the way through his soul when his stomach unexpectedly gave a violent twist. The pain seared through him, curling him back in on himself as his throat constricted on the mysterious attack, What is this?! Where is it coming from?

I understand that you're finally going to die today, Naraku.

Naraku? Hiei gritted his teeth hard, choking back a rise of bile from the rush of emotions filling his head at the sound of that name. The hanyou from the legend? But how is that possi-

Why won't you answer? Have we upset you?

Hiei's brow furrowed, thoughts distracted from the conversation at the almost pleading note that slipped into the cacophony. Were those things speaking to him?

Speak to us!

I can't be killed by something as weak as you, hanyou, Naraku's voice filled with sadistic amusement, something clenching around Hiei's heart as though a fist had reached into his chest and squeezed. I will destroy you and your companions… but the miko? The miko I will keep. The jewel is crying for the pieces she holds, for the power inside her. Her corruption will be truly beautiful in our hands-

Bastard!

Do you want to lose to him? To this creature?

No! that first voice snarled out darkly, sending a rising flush of ki through the air that washed over him, warmed him in a way that pushed down the pain…

He can hear it too? Hiei sucked in a sharp breath, but felt his lips twist into a frown at the foreign thought. As though it wasn't his own despite the way it flowed from his mind, Who-?

It whispers to me when I hold it close to me, Naraku lowered his voice to a taunting murmur, but the words reached into his soul with all the clarity as though they'd been shouted to the sky. I can feel its power. Hunting… begging me to complete it and take it for my own with every beat of my heart.

We have been patient enough, haven't we? We are tired of waiting, tired of this vacant feeling.

That pulse again, even stronger and calling out to something inside him as the whispers began to pour more aggressively through his head, too low and jumbled to make out but growing progressively louder until he could sense his hands rising to instinctively press tight against his ears in an effort to shut them out.

But still, he felt nothing but each heavy pulse as it rolled through his blood.

We can give you strength…make you great. Make you whole.

Don't listen, Hiei's brows drew together in deeper confusion at hearing himself "speak" to those faceless voices, trying to force aside his disorientation even as his throat worked to add more. They're lying; don't listen!

What are you talking about? the still-unidentified voice shouted at him in frustration, clearly not understanding the warning any more than he did himself.

You cannot possibly appreciate the true power trapped within the Shikon-no-Tama, Naraku's voice gained strength, more of those little sounds in their hidden surroundings trickling into his head to mingle with the incessant whispers. He could hear the fighting more clearly, the roar of winds carrying the dying cries of countless youkai amidst a strangely melodic ringing, and the more brutal slam of a blunt edge rending flesh and bone somewhere behind him.

But why couldn't he see? Move?

Restore us and we'll grant you the power to crush our enemies.

Hiei could practically taste the way the first voice was swaying under those increasingly seductive promises, the way the threads of power were creeping along through the air, along the ground, in thick veins until he felt them close around them all like a spider web. But all the same, he knew that person wasn't actually hearing the voices, more of the impressions, This is all wrong…

Your allies will fall, hanyou, there is no denying it, Naraku was still speaking, still taunting, but his voice was losing focus under the way his heartbeat had begun to pound in his ears. The pulse of those disjointed whispers came more rapidly with every straining breath, speeding its pace until it had nearly matched to his own heartbeats as the heat flowing into him grew stronger. They are, after all, only human.

Don't you want to finish this?

Finish what? Hiei heard himself demand in a nearly desperate tone, seething at the sound of it even as it reverberated all around him. What do you want from me?!

Why won't you allow us to help you? It is such a simple thing…to use a soul that hungers so intensely for power.

Use a soul? the alarm of hearing himself form words that weren't his own was beginning to fade, curiosity rising in its place with every growing strike of power calling out to his soul, forcing it to answer through the pain it was causing.

We were in danger.

We are in danger! he answered back with a faintly hysterical laugh. Where are you? What are you?

Why are you asking us questions that you already know the answers to?

Look at her, Naraku intruded again, feeding his disorientation as his attention tried to split through the unfamiliar quickening in his soul and the conversations bouncing around in his head. Look at her determination when she fights to retrieve it. She is not complete without the jewel, hanyou, and she knows it. But does she share such thoughts with you?

We used Naraku to bring us all back together, but now that we have accomplished it, we are impatient. Let us finish this so we can be at peace.

Horrified surprise made his blood run cold for a split second before that inexorable heat banished the sensation, Used… Naraku?! How!? To gather the shards?

Of course! We were too weak before, tired… We let that… that vile thingsteal us, and we resolved to grow strong to prevent such mistakes being repeated. We traveled to gain it, to soak in that power and make it our own. To be strong enough to hold to what is ours.

A shiver ran through him at the dangerous possessiveness that suddenly filled those voices as one, bringing them into perfect unison with chilling precision, I-I don't understand-

All three of his eyes opened so wide he could feel them water and flare bright scarlet, mouth opening in a silent tortured scream at the jolt of agony that suddenly ripped through him, arching his spine at a dangerous angle when he felt… something lash out and wind itself chokingly tight around his soul. The blanket feeling suddenly began to unravel, changing into thousands of tiny searching ribbons of that same power as it feathered out over his body, seeking entrance to his soul and worming its way deeper inside.

It was our fault that you have come to feel this way, but we will make amends. We don't intend to let such a thing ever happen to us again. You cannot lie to us…we can feel how empty you have been, just as empty as we are…

Hiei choked on whatever response he might have made to that, one hand finding its way up to clutch frantically at his throat as it constricted in response to the forceful intrusion, I-it's ripping me apart.

Look at them. They're fighting for us, for control of us like a pair of animals.

I've had it with your bullshit, Naraku! the first voice was screaming out in guttural fury, renewed waves of ki washed over him and increased the speed of those pulses in his soul as each one was caught in those searching tendrils and absorbed into the whole.

Just a little more and he will break.

No, Hiei stirred against the insinuation in those words, gritting his teeth hard as he tried to gasp in enough air to regain some measure of control. No, I won't let you break him!

Then help us. We have the strength inside us to correct this, but we must have all of our power if we are to avoid using these souls to complete us.

Why should I believe you when you're hurting me like this? he hissed out when a new streak of pain raced down his spine, curling him in on himself with a shuddering gasp.

We would neverhurt you! It is Naraku's corruption that flows through us, and we cannot keep it from the powers we try to use until we are well. Your pain is our pain… We want to end it, want to punish him for forcing this feeling on you.

I'm not going to fall for your tricks, Hiei had no idea why his lips twitched at that, but something about it just felt like a child trying to get a treat before dinner.

No, our tricks are not meant for you… You have never been able to hear our seduction the way the others could. That's how we knew it was time, but that unfortunately, is also what we need the other one for now that you have stopped pushing us out of you.

I wish-

NO! Hiei felt panic shoot through him unlike anything he'd ever felt before when he heard that barely decipherable growl get lost in the unmistakable song of metal grinding against metal. Don't say the words! Don't-! He tried to force his lips to form that scream, but his throat closed again and effectively silenced the warning as those tendrils in his soul snapped taut and yanked him upright.

Now…Now, we will finallybe as we should be.

Before he'd even taken in a breath to respond the world around him exploded with searing light, making him instinctively cringe away as his eyes closed in a belated, instinctive effort to save himself even more discomfort. When his arms lifted to reflexively add to the shield, a spasm went through the muscles in his back, but before he could move to correct the sensation the air shifted and whipped past him like a gale. Startled and feeling the undeniable burst of apprehension, Hiei stubbornly fought to open his eyes and twist around to follow that wind when his body was violently arched.

The "ground" beneath his feet vanished as his senses caught up with the speed of that strike, realization setting in at the way his flesh pulled against the intruding spike. The force behind it thrust harder, sending countless slivers of fire raining out all around the point of that lethal injury. He could feel his head falling back, teeth bared in a twisted grimace as he fought the tortured scream burning in his lungs, uncaring of the light burning painfully into his eyes when they opened involuntarily, and growing impossibly brighter as the seconds ticked by.

Hiei hadn't thought this could possibly get worse without dying, or at the very least losing himself into the blessed oblivion of unconsciousness. And yet that pulse returned at that moment, deafeningly loud and making him feel like his body was going to split in half as it receded only to begin again with the rapid beat of his heart.

I can't stop the bleeding!

Move back! I can't do a thing with you standing here!

New voices… familiar voices…

Hiei gripped his head against the added onslaught of voices raised in panic, emotions crashing in on him as though his carefully wrought barriers didn't exist even as he again threw back his head and tried to scream through a throat long-closed from the searing pain radiating outward from the center of his back through every inch of his body and soul.

Hold on, koishii… Please. Hold on! that other voice was close, terrified and pleading as it whispered in his ear, but the sound was already fading to his dimming senses as something cool slowly began to penetrate the unrelenting agony.

Hold on… Yes, yes we will hold on now.

Hiei's eyes slipped closed, mindlessly turning when he felt slender arms wrap around his soul, pushing numbness through his body in soothing waves as they tucked him close with all the care and tenderness of a lover. Or…

Mother? Hiei whispered in awe, blindly reaching until his hand found a face above him, fingertips ghosting along the insubstantial jaw to find the lips before he lost to sweet oblivion. Mother… you're… smiling?

We are safe.

At me?

<::………::>

"Hey."

Hiei shifted uncomfortably when that soft murmur demanded his attention, straining against the thick shroud of unconsciousness trying to hold him perfectly still and unresponsive when his mind felt an undeniable need to answer that concern in Kagome's voice, What the hell happened?

"We had an intimate encounter with a nice, big rock, courtesy of a nasty explosive, I think," she let out a sigh, the shifting sound in ears telling him that she was just moved back from where he could feel her hovering over him. "There's still too much smoke to see anything, but you need to wake up. I can hear everyone fighting over there, but they can't find us. I need your help."

My help? Hiei frowned sharply and tried to rise, muttering a few more choice phrases when his body moved in sluggish reluctance to his mind's demands. Why do I feel so heavy?

"Sorry about that," Kagome honestly sounded apologetic, and he heard her shift farther away as the numbness in his arms and legs finally began to fade. "I wasn't exactly expecting you to come rushing out of the smoke and then try to squish me."

Neither was I, he opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to try and clear away the stubborn, blurring haze still obstructing his view. Furious, he scrubbed at his eyes and turned to scowl in the direction he could hear the sounds of fighting, letting out a relieved sigh when he recognized his companions unique auras mingling with the kitsune brat, They made it through.

"Kurama nearly ripped it in half when we hit," Kagome let out an annoyed snort as she responded to that statement to give him more details. "Do you have any idea how hard that was to stop the whole damn thing from breaking down and giving the world more of a show than it should ever have?"

You knew he was strong, Hiei scolded absently, rotating his shoulders as he searched for anything to give evidence of that horrific scene that had just played out in his head. But he felt fine, a lingering headache and minor body soreness non-withstanding, so… where had that memory come from? It was about the legend, he was sure, so why had hitting Kagome into-? He winced when he felt a stirring of guilt and turned to try and find her in the obscuring smoke, You hit first, didn't you? Are you all right?

"As well as can be expected," she shrugged, and his eyes focused on the strongest point of her voice. "Actually, I'm more worried about you… Do you feel okay?"

Hiei frowned at the anxious concern in her voice, wondering if she had seen all that happening to him too even as he gave a snort of disgust, It would take a great deal more than that to actually hurt me, miko. They took me by surprise and that's the only reason they got in that cheap shot. Maybe they had hit so hard it had knocked loose a memory from her previous life, and being so close in contact, he had relived it with her? The legend did say the second wife had died after the final battle from injuries…

Kagome chuckled at the arrogance in his voice, "Well forgive this unworthy little miko for questioning you, oh great and powerful youkai."

If he could have seen her face through the smoke, he would have glared at her for finding amusement at his expense in these circumstances, but as it was, he settled for muttering about the questionable intelligence of humans before pointedly turning his focus back on the fighting, How long were we out?

"You have been out for several minutes," Kagome emphasized in a lofty tone at the suggestion she had automatically been unconscious as well. "You were starting to worry me… but I've taken harder hits than that repeatedly in the past and come out of them just fine."

Hiei rolled his eyes, debating with himself as to whether or not he should ask her if that was truly something to be proud of before he settled on a more banal, If you say so, miko.

"I do say so."

He almost smiled, abruptly scowling again when he realized he didn't have the foggiest idea what had prompted that uncharacteristic response as the confusion returned him to his more comfortable clipped tones, Fine. What happened then?

"There's something on the other side of the rip controlling these youkai even if we kill them," Kagome's voice lost its playful edge as quickly as though it had never been, snapping into perfect, impressive focus that had Hiei shaking off an irrational comparison to Youko's own sporadic attention spans. "I've seen something like this before, but the two people with that skill died a very long time ago." Yura could do it… or someone like her, but there's no hair to show a point of control. And Kagura was destroyed, wasn't she?

Hiei let out a soft sound of discomfort, reaching up reflexively to splay his hand out above his heart at the strange twinge pulling inside his chest while faint echoes of Kagome's thoughts whispered through his head. More confused at hearing her now after being shut out for so long, he shoved it aside as more examinations to be had at a peaceful time, shaking his head hard and reaching up to undo the bandana still securely wrapped around his ever-watchful Jagan, Stay behind me. I don't want to be held responsible for your death if it sees you and decides it doesn't like you.

"Oh please, I'll be fine," Kagome gave him a poke in the sides and started to chuckle when he hissed and snapped at her to stop it. "What are you doing?"

I can't see in this mess, and I'm sure you realize that's what whatever bomb they used to make this smoke was supposed to do, he wound the bandana around his palm in a distracted fashion, shivering at the strange way the Jagan's ki flared to life, eager and humming through him with a sense of pleasure that he struggled to ignore. So I'm going to "look" a different way.

"Ahh, Kagome made a sound of understanding and he could feel her urge to hover and examine him again. "Well, at least this answers my question about your overlapping vibrations. Is it natural or implanted?"

Implant, he answered, scowl abruptly darkening as he gritted out. Miko, whatever you're doing, stop it! I do not want to answer your foolish questions!

"Mou, you're grumpy when you wake up," Kagome clucked her tongue before turning again to look at the portal when it sent a new pulse through her, whispering in ways it knew would pass by anyone else. "Don't blame me for your answers when you're being inattentive. I'm not making you do anything."

I do not speak with humans unless such a thing proves unavoidable.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."

And do not compare me to your dog.

"You could be compared to worse things," Kagome pointed out, frowning as she murmured. "It wants to close… but whatever is over there is forcing it to stay open."

And you can feel it? Hiei arched an eyebrow as he waited for the Jagan to blink and refilter the scene in front of them into a greyscale with the living auras reflecting stark white in the smoky gloom. I wondered about that… you always sensed us, but you tried to say you had no skills. Which, as you know, you have no reason to lie about anymore, since we saw it ourselves.

"Side-effect," Kagome shrugged absently, breathing out a sigh as he finally felt her powers expand instead of that hollow nothingness that she carried around her. "I never used to be any good at being specific, I was just sensitive, but that changed after Sesshoumaru helped me. So what do you see?"

Auras instead of all this, he waved a hand to indicate the smoke, sighing in annoyance when he realized he was doing it again.

"Well, that's handy," she smiled, folding her arms over her chest as she cocked her head to one side.

Hiei snorted again, but he couldn't stop the sense of pride at the candid admiration in her voice, Do not presume to know my limits simply because you have an ability to sense the truth of things such as youkai.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she answered flippantly, but he could actually feel her concentration pouring through his veins at how intently she focused her senses beyond the battle and into Makai before she blinked and retracted it to speak with him again. "So! What else have you got hidden away in that head of yours? Any `special attacks?'"

You have become infected by the idiocy of those human brats, Hiei rolled his eyes at hearing that term come from her in such an amused, but hopeful voice, unable to prevent himself from closing his right hand into a fist.

"Aaah, so you do," Kagome chuckled triumphantly at the telling action, fingers skimming over his arm and making him jerk back uncomfortably.

I don't call it a `special attack,' he informed her disdainfully.

"Of course you don't, so what is it?" she huffed, frustrated at his actions as she pressed for more information.

I can't use it here, Hiei's voice held a note of bitterness that he couldn't fully contain. It has a mind of its own, and barely answers to me when I let it free. Not to mention it tries to consume my arm and succeeds in rendering it useless while it sucks out all of my ki. I have no desire to be comatose at this time.

"I see," Kagome sighed thoughtfully, trailing her fingers down his arm lightly again as she turned the information over in her head. "But it is a distance attack? Enough to take care of this mess and let the rip heal itself?"

Yes, he answered reluctantly.

"Well then!" Kagome clapped her hands together, making his brows raise in confusion at the way her voice had nearly gone cheerful. "Let's give it a whirl."

Miko- he started to growl.

"Don't `miko' me, youkai," she cut in with a hard, authoritative tone he'd never suspected she would be capable of, effectively silencing him in his surprise. "You handle the attack and let me worry about the consuming, uncontrollable part. It's still youkai energy, and miko power can contain that." Not to mention all the practice I've had calming down things that thrive in chaos and dissention…

There is absolutely no way in any level of hell that you can control it, Hiei snapped at her in exasperation.

"Try me."

Fine, then you can explain to Kurama when you're dead.

Hiei ground his teeth together, unable to figure out what it was about this particular miko that had his emotions so close to the surface, not to mention his unwillingness to argue against her. Whatever it was, it was damned irritating, and he felt the Jagan flash scarlet as he tamped down his temper and moved his hands into position when she suddenly chuckled.

"Besides, it's not really a matter of controlling it or not, you know," Kagome chided him, but her voice was soft as her focus again flowed over him, aiding his own efforts to raise his ki appropriately high.

Why's that? he couldn't resist asking even as his eyes closed under the potent rush of energy, lips parting in confusion at how sharp and raw it seemed to feel along his soul before he passed it off as remnants of that earlier vision.

"You already know how to control it," Kagome's arms slid around his waist, and he could feel her whisper against his ear as her right hand moved to curl around his shoulder before trailing down to align with his.

Hiei drew in a sharp breath when his vision blurred for a split second and returned with a clarity that nearly had him crying out in alarm until her hold on him tightened and sent another ripple of tingling warmth sparking across his soul, Miko, what-?

"Shh," Kagome's lips curved up in a smile as ripples of violet fire started to flow outwards from her body more steadily, snaking out and trailing along his skin as it learned the feel of him before expanding to visibly arc around him sporadically. "All you have to do is focus and attack. And all I have to do is convince it that it wants to listen when you call it back."

<::………::>

Shippou staggered back under a wave of distressed energy, eyes wide and glassy as his swords slipped from nerveless fingers and he dropped to his knees, mindless to the youkai looking at each other in confusion before recovering to press their advantage. He stared up at them vacantly, one hand pressed flat below his throat with the claws digging in hard enough the draw blood as precious seconds ticked by.

"Kagon Retsuzan-shi!"

Somewhere his mind was vaguely aware of the lines of light slashing in front of his face in an intricate pattern, aware of the man who moved to stand in front of him protectively… He even recognized the unmistakable hair giving away the youkai's identity as he fell back gracelessly on one elbow, head lolling to the side as though at some point in the past minute it had become too heavy for his neck to properly support it. But all of this was overshadowed by the screams suddenly echoing in his head, the tortured sounds that haunted his nights for centuries while his heart stuttered and leapt to match pace with the deep pulse in his soul, Kagome… Kagome is…

"Shippou, get up!" Kurama hissed back at the fallen kitsune, alarmed at the way his ki was steadily draining away and well aware it had nothing to do with his Fuyouheki by the way the blood was leaving his face chalk white against his auburn hair. "Get up!" Where are Kagome and Hiei?"

Shippou had looked up at the sound of Kurama's voice, eyes heavy-lidded and glowing dimly as he tried to process it with some semblance of coherency, "Kagome?"

`What the fuck is wrong with him?' Youko flicked his tail nervously, gritting his teeth against the faint shiver of unease that went through them to see the normally disgustingly energetic kitsune behaving so… horribly lethargic. `What started this fight, and what the hell is sucking out his ki like this without touching anything else but him?'

I don't know, but Kagome will have our head if we let anything happen to Shippou while he's like this, Kurama shook his head, hand steady and whip poised in a deceptively casual stance as he waited for the youkai to regroup and come through the portal again. And if Yuusuke and Kurabara don't get their asses down here so I can find Kagome and Hiei in this mess, I'm going to string them both up by their ears and leave them for fodder.

`Someone's feeling violent,' Youko snorted, his movements still antsy and impatient as he tried to unsuccessfully tamp down his own concern at their inability to get a response to their mental calls.

Don't think I can't feel how much of this is you just because you're pretending nothing's wrong, jackass, Kurama snapped back shortly, flicking his wrist in an elegant motion that severed his newest opponents' heads in a single swipe.

`And don't you get snippy with me, you little bitch, or I'll take over and put an end to this nonsense,' Youko growled back just as darkly at the vulgar insult, expanding his ki in a painful jolt to prove to Kurama he wouldn't stand for such treatment either. `Fine, I'll admit that we're both worried about our lover, but Hiei got to her before that bomb went off and he might be a self-serving bastard, but he won't let her get hurt. He still has questions only she can answer.'

"Kagome…" Shippou's voice sent a chill down Kurama's spine, turning him back to stare in disbelief to verify that the broken, childish whisper he'd just heard had actually come from the investigator. Sure enough, the other kitsune was still digging his claws into his own chest, his other hand pressed hard against his temple as tears poured unchecked down his cheeks, baring his fangs and choking out, "The blood… we couldn't stop- couldn't… The grass was slippery. Blood…"

`Good gods.'

No shit, Kurama whispered, taking an unconscious step back when Shippou's ki suddenly flared up in a violent arc, his eyes wide and unseeing as he screamed out into the portal.

"YOU FUCKING COWARD!" his hands flicked, one after the other to snap the wakizashis back into them as he started forward. "Stay away from her! I won't let you do this! I won't forgive you for this, I'll never forgive you for this!"

Kurama's ears were ringing, wincing at the not just the volume, but the emotion trapped behind those screams as Shippou let out a wordless roar, his fire lashing out in long, deadly streaks as he raced into the oncoming youkai like a thing possessed, What the hell was that?

`He isn't here,' Youko shook his head, setting his jaw as he shoved at Kurama to follow. `He's fighting, he's seeing these enemies, but his mind isn't here. Come on… we have to pull him back before he does something stupid and gets himself killed.'

"Shotto Gan!" Yuusuke's voice rose over the din of battle, drawing Kurama's focus to the side as he breathed out a resigned sigh and darted into the fray.

Or gets in the way of that, he mentally swore at whatever nightmares had gripped the kitsune's mind, wary of calling it a weakness with the complete oddness of the situation. Almost as though he had come under a spell, Dammit, I don't have time for this!

`Then pick it up and lets get him tied down out of the way so we can be more focused on finding out where Kagome was thrown,' Youko insisted with a stiff nod, blending with Kurama even more to add speed to their intricate dodging as they followed the swath left by Shippou's frantic dash. `Yuusuke and Kurabara have been dying for a good fight for long enough that we can give them this one.'

Agreed, Kurama's eyes flashed with anger at the youkai continuing to get in his way rather than move to the other two detectives engaging the others of their kind more directly, but he still took great pleasure in the fluid dance of his whip across those foolish enough to try.

It took longer than he'd anticipated, and both he and Youko were growling when they finally sighted the younger kitsune flickering in and out with two copycat versions of himself around a massive oni halfway through the portal. His eyes narrowed sharply when he caught sight of the violet sneaking into the ice-blue of Shippou's fire, brows drawing in as he searched for the source until he found the ofuda wound around the base of his swords, That… that can't be!

`How is he even touching those swords?' Youko shook his head at the sight, leaning back in suspicion at such a blatantly impossible thing right in front of his own eyes. Holy magic simply didn't allow for kitsune hands, and yet Shippou was here throwing it out as though it was a part of his own soul, `That magic should be devouring him, draining his soul!'

Kurama had just started to take a step forward, determined to get the wild kitsune down before he sank any deeper into his berserk state when a pulse ran outward just below his feet and brought the air to a complete standstill. Shippou's head snapped up, scarlet eyes flickering and fading slowly back to their normal shade as he looked around in surprise at his location, barely managing to dodge when the dying oni took one last swing in his direction.

The two fakes vanished with a poof as Shippou skidded to a stop at Kurama's side, shoulders heaving with his gasping breaths and casting about in the smoke for some sort of answer, "When-? What happened?"

"You're asking me?" Kurama's eyebrow kicked up in amazement.

Shippou opened his mouth only to shut it just as quickly and whip around to face a direction diagonal to the portal, "Oi… does the short guy have any big attacks? Unique power? Things like that?"

`What the fuck is he rambling about?' Youko demanded irritably. `What difference does it make what Hiei uses to attack? He wouldn't attack us under these circumstances.'

"Hiei?" the eyebrow went higher, biting down the need to hit the boy over the head and demand something clearer than what he was offering in regards to what was happening around them. "Hiei's a powerful youkai, of course he has big attacks."

"That's bad," he grimaced, shooting looks between the distant point and the portal nervously.

"Bad?" Kurama repeated in bemusement, reaching out to grab Shippou's shoulder and jerk him around to meet his eyes as his patience finally stretched to the breaking point. "Why is that-?"

"Jaou Ensatsu-!"

Kurama's eyes went round in an instant when he heard that voice yell out across their battlefield, WHAT IS HE DOING?!

"-Kokuryuu Ha!"

Trusting Yuusuke and Kurabara knew better than to stay in the path of that attack, Kurama hooked his fingers in the back of Shippou's shirt and yanked him off his feet as he leapt backwards to get as far from the sound of that voice as possible. Ignoring the yelp of startled protest from the boy, he slammed Shippou face-first into the ground in subtle vengeance for his behavior as he crouched, jaw clenched at the overwhelming sight of that energy streaking upwards above the trees to gather into its true shape.

Shippou shoved him off, pushing up on his fist with a snarl in his throat that completely died when he felt the light being sucked out of every living thing and dragged inwards, twisting to stare just as the air switched directions with brutal force. The smoke immediately dissipated, leaving the youkai exposed and alone while Kurama unerringly found Yuusuke and Kurabara gripping the trees across the field and staring back to where the dragon had broken the tree line.

Youko let out a low hiss the instant they had a clear view, backing them away a step farther, `That's not Hiei's dragon.'

What? Kurama stiffened, starting to demand what Youko thought he was talking about when he abruptly realized the dragon seemed content to hover there, staring down at the youkai and cocking its head as though listening to something only it could hear. But… that can't be. That's Hiei's dragon, that was his voice!

`He's never been able to control it like that,' Youko was flexing his claws, growling low in his throat and vaguely noting Shippou had also pressed instinctively closer to the ground at the feel of one of their kinds' worst enemies. `It's always been-`

Whatever Youko would have said was cut off when it finally threw back it's head and let out a deafening shriek, like steel grating across stone as its wings spread wide, mouth releasing a short burst of black flame mixed strangely with violet as it blurred across the distance between itself and the portal. Shippou cringed back as the trees were obliterated in its wake, practically flattening down at the mixed light snapping and arcing off it in long whips as it tore into the portal and beyond, leaving nothing behind by the faded sounds of screaming from the remaining hoard.

More than willing to turn his attention away from the destruction being wrought on the other side, Kurama spun around to face the source of the attack so rapidly his hair came fanning out over his shoulder before he shoved it back with a frustrated hand, "Hie-!"

Shippou blinked up at him when he choked off even before finishing the name, pushing himself up and following his line of sight until he found the reason behind the kitsune's sudden distress, "Well dammit all to hell and back." So that's what happened.

Hiei didn't even bother to look at them, standing in the most casual stance Kurama had ever seen him use in an attack situation, especially not for one so very serious and consuming as calling out the dragon. His left hand still held his katana pointed down and away from his body, legs spaced for balance and turned instinctively to provide less of a target to direct attacks while his right hand was extended, palm facing out and crackling wildly with that same tangled black and violet fire. But even from this distance it was easy to see all three eyes uncovered, glowing deep scarlet while his clothes and hair fluttered now and then in the unnatural wind spiraling up around him.

`Where is Kagome?' Youko demanded, snapping Kurama out of his dumbfounded trance with a hard shove. `Goddammit, Kurama, stop staring at Hiei as though you'd never seen him before and find our lover! We can worry about what the fuck got into him after we're sure she's safe! She might need us, she might be hurt-`

"Hiei!" Yuusuke was yelling out across from them, both younger men obviously highly disturbed by the sight as well while Kurama conversely felt Shippou relax at his side. "Oi! Hiei, what the fuck happened to you!? What's going on?"

"He won't answer," Shippou sighed, flicking his swords in absent chiburi before sheathing them openly rather than absorbing them completely, just in case. "Can't you feel the way the ki in this place went nuts? He's right in the middle of it, and he's not going to snap out of that focus until that attack is done."

Kurama had rounded on him in a heartbeat at the mere suggestion he had answers for Hiei's altered behavior, closing his hand around Shippou's throat and lifting him up the ground the way Sesshoumaru was so fond of doing to him, "What the hell do you mean, he won't answer? What do you know about this, kit?"

Shippou rolled his eyes, "See the wind? You think he can hear you over that? With that fire? He can't hear you because of that attack." And if he hit what I think he hit… Sesshoumaru is not going to be happy, he fidgeted at the thought, reaching back behind him subtly when Kurama frowned back at his friend and pressed his palm against the nearest tree to send out a searching beat of energy, trying not to let his worry show at the answering hum that came to him a moment later..

`But why is it doing that?' Youko's eyes narrowed, unable to shake the suspicion that there was much more to this scene that Shippou knew, but wasn't willing to offer to him even at threat to his own health. `Has Hiei gained more control of it? Or gotten stronger without telling us? That doesn't make any sense… where would he be able to practice that we wouldn't know? And where the fuck is Kagome?!'

"Where is she, Shippou?" Kurama took in a deep breath, forcibly pushing down Youko's instinctive attempts to lash out in response to his frustration and confusion.

"Hiei put her behind the rock," Shippou answered with a careless shrug, folding his arms and frowning in that direction as Kurama lowered him back down to the ground with a muted rumble to show his continued displeasure with the entire situation. "Don't believe me? Don't you think I'd be a little freaked out if I didn't know my sister was perfectly safe?"

"You went berserk," Kurama pointed out, trying to equally divide his attention between Hiei and Shippou when the hybrid turned his head, eyes narrowing in their direction, actually making him shiver at the severity of the Jagan's heightened aura until that glowing attention returned to the portal.

"What can I say? I guess my barriers aren't as perfect as I thought," Shippou didn't miss a beat, reaching up to press his middle fingertip against the corresponding third-eye point between his eyebrows. "Something slipped in."

He's lying, Kurama's fists clenched, starting to say more when the ground began to shake in warning just before the dragon ripped back through the torn barrier with a loud, triumphant roar. Shit, it's turning on him!

Kurama had started to bend his knees, determining to at least try to get the hybrid out of the way of what had proven to be a murderous rampage when he felt Shippou hook his foot around his ankle and jerk to throw his balance off. A simple twist and roll saved him from landing on his face, but the dragon was already in motion before he could correct enough to try again, leaving him with nothing to do but stare in morbid fascination as it burned a wide path back towards the waiting youkai.

"Hiei!" Kurama called out in renewed alarm when they hybrid continued to stand as still as a statue, waiting for inevitable return.

The dragon swept in a wide circle around him, its tail leaving a glowing ring to cage him in as its body rose up to tower over him with bloody claws curling and eyes narrowed as it made a low, unidentifiable sound. Hiei's palm turned up as he tilted his head back and seemed to calmly watch those jaws open to bare its teeth as it dipped lower with serpentine grace, the rumbling dropping another octave as it seemed to stare down at that palm for a long moment.

Hiei snorted, turning it again to rest flat on the dragon's snout as it let out another odd cry and ducked lower, leaning forward until it could rest that spot against the Jagan in what very nearly looked like affection.

Kurama didn't need to look across the way to know that the poleaxed expression on his face was being mirrored on two more, hardly noticing when Shippou walked up beside him to watch curiously now that the dragon appeared docile and allowed his instincts to settle.

"Hn… so that's your little friend's finishing move? No wonder," he sighed and folded his arms behind his head. That had to be too tempting to resist.

`That's damn impossible,' Youko seethed, pointing at the scene in front of them furiously. `That's not Hiei, and that's not Hiei's dragon! If it were, Hiei would be unconscious in the grass with his arm torn up and scorched to hell! What the fuck kind of trick is this?!'

Hiei's other hand lifted, sheathing his katana and patting the side of the dragon's head as more of that energy flashed and coiled around them, slowly gathering into a vortex at the center of his palm. Little by little, the roiling energy receded, the dragon shrinking itself back down obediently as it allowed its power to calm and redistribute through Hiei's body carefully to prevent the usual weakness.

The ground pulsed once and again in echo to those wide arcs of ki before they gradually diminished, sucking back into Hiei's body and reabsorbing to leave behind only the very faintest of trace flickers until those too had disappeared. And with his expression openly mirroring his amazement, Hiei turned his hand around to stare at it in disbelief, reaching up to grip his arm and curl his fingers to test the movement before his search extended to patting himself down curiously.

Right up until a blur of light came streaking out of the closing portal, catching Hiei by the throat and lifting him up to slam his body forcefully into the recently split rock at his back, before materializing into the scarlet-eyed form of a vividly enraged Sesshoumaru.

Clawed fingers shifted, pressing hard against two points on either side of the hybrid's neck that blocked off the blood-flow to his brain so rapidly that Hiei was unconscious before he'd done more than register the foreign presence in front of him.

Sesshoumaru continued to hold him suspended that way for a moment, staring at him with those unreadable eyes and bland face before he lifted the limp body over his shoulder, stalking off towards the West with the intent to take a more roundabout path to buy them more time, "Takashima."

"Yes?" Shippou's back stiffened, rushing to get to the taiyoukai's side as his eyes quickly scanned the slack lines of Hiei's face for any lingering pain, and breathing out a relieved sigh when there was nothing to be seen but calm unconsciousness.

"Prevent them from following this Sesshoumaru."

"Yay," Shippou muttered flatly under his breath, openly wincing at the command as Sesshoumaru took off with all the speed he possessed, raising a chilling wind in his passing that hummed dangerously with his anger-spiked ki. Twisting around to look back at the rapidly darkening faces of Hiei's companions, his shoulders slumped even as he blew out a heavy sigh and reached for the hilts of his wakizashis, Why do I get the all the annoying jobs?