Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Acts of Violence ❯ Chapter 1

ACTS OF VIOLENCE

The last of the youkai laughed as he followed the others out of the room, fastening his pants with one hand as he moved to close the door with the other. "Nice ride, traitor, maybe we'll be back later for another go."

Hiei kept his face carefully blank, contenting himself with a glare promising all a bloody death once he got free from the chains binding not only his arms and legs to the wall, but keeping his youki bound as well. Kurama lay curled into a fetal position on the floor, his face away from Hiei, but the gentle shaking of his shoulders suggested that he was crying. A small pool of blood was spreading around his mid-section, and his pants were pulled down to his feet. Although he could not see them, Hiei knew that Kurama's hands and feet were also manacled with the same youki binding chains as his own.

Hiei closed his eyes, shutting out the pitiful sight, and concentrated on trying to use his Jagan eye. A faint glow showed around the ward that had been sloppily tied to prevent such use. Satisfied at last, Hiei opened his eyes and looked again at Kurama. Kurama had changed neither his position nor the faint shudders. Hiei waited a moment, then sighed, loudly.

Kurama raised his face to look at Hiei. Hiei was right, Kurama had been weeping, the tears were running in smooth streams down his face, although his eyes now showed shock at Hiei's apparent insensitivity. Kurama was the only one Hiei knew who could look beautiful even when crying.

As Kurama made no additional move, Hiei tried again. "I'm getting bored fox."

Before Kurama had a chance to react, he added more softly, "No one is watching, the idiots weren't entirely successful in warding my Jagan eye, and I could check that much."

Tears drying as if by magic, Kurama fished out the key he had lifted from the last of his abusers and began twisting his hands so he could use it on his manacles. With just a touch of smugness tinting his voice, he asked, "What did you think of my performance?"

"Hn, too much."

Offended, Kurama spun around to look at Hiei, in the process losing the position needed for him to get the key into the manacles' lock. Realizing the need to start over again, he shrugged and resumed the process to get free of the manacles. "Well, if I were in my yoko form, I could have simply used my tails to spin a nice illusion, instead I had to play into their fantasies."

Hands now free, he paused to glance slyly at Hiei, "Besides, if you hadn't so uncharacteristicly decided to be heroic on Kuwabara's behalf, neither of us would be in this situation."

"The baka didn't move!"

Kurama smiled slightly at the mixture of surprise and indignation in the fire demon's voice, as his mind flashed back to that moment in the tunnel. The four had been doing some mop up activities after their return from the Dark Tournament. Koenma had directed them to Sakyo's demon slave trading operation, and the four began the battle in the rock tunnel that led to a small rift in the Kekai barrier allowing "B" class demons and below to travel between the Makai and Ningenkai worlds. One of Yusuke's rei gunshots made a portion of the tunnel start to crumble just above where Kuwabara was standing. Seeing his danger, and relying on his speed to be able to move them both to safety, Hiei threw himself at Kuwabara. Unfortunately, instead of allowing himself to be pushed aside by Hiei, Kuwabara unknowing of the danger above him simply took a step back when hit by Hiei and then stood firm. Hiei literally bounced off of Kuwabara, and almost immediately the rocks above fell, separating Yusuke and Kuwabara from Kurama and Hiei. Hiei was hit by one of the larger rocks and dazed. Kurama rushed to his aid, not seeing the spirit dampening net swung behind him to cover both himself and Hiei.

"Yes, I believe Kuwabara has had quite enough of being pushed around."

Now free of the manacles, Kurama looked at Hiei, "I'm sure they're fine. Before that net cut off my abilities, I could sense that both their ki's were strong, and it won't take them long to get past that pile of rock."
"Hn, I should have just let the rocks bury him. His head is as strong as one anyway."

Kurama smiled again as he stood and stretched. "One moment, Hiei." Turning slightly away, from Hiei, he raised his ki and directed healing energy toward his internal injuries and bleeding recently caused by their captors.

Bleeding stopped, and pants once again in place, Kurama moved to free Hiei from his chains. Freed, Hiei pulled the ward from his Jagan eye, and used it to explore the house where he and Kurama were being held. "Just the four we already know about."

Kurama moved to the door, but the lock was on the other side. Taking out a seed, Kurama grew a small vine and directed it under the door.

"We could just take the door down, you know."

"And alert our adversaries, I think not." Sensing Hiei's ki raising, probably for a silent incineration of the door, Kurama added "nor do we know if this ningen house has smoke or fire alarms."

Reluctantly powering down, Hiei snorted in disgust, and folded his arms to wait. Fortunately Kurama had the door open a second later. He still blocked the door, however, from the fire demon anxious to commit serious bodily harm on their captors.

Looking slightly wistful, "I wish" Kurama began, when from above them they heard a cry of shock and fear, followed in rapid successful by others.

"Ah, I see they have discovered the little gifts I left for them."

Looking up at Kurama, Hiei felt Kurama send a brief surge of his energy up to the area from which the cries arose. This time they heard shouts not just of fear, but agony.

A cold smile spread across Kurama's face, as he explained to Hiei, "I put the seeds in that portion of their anatomy that I found most offensive." Hiei smirked in understanding.

"I would like to play with them a bit, and explain their many errors in judgment to them in person," Kurama paused, considering, before relunctantly adding, "but that was another lifetime, and I suppose we should check on Yusuke and Kuwabara. Even if they don't require our assistance, they will be concerned. Besides, its getting late and I'm going to have trouble enough explaining these blood stains to my mother without having to explain why I'm out after the library has closed." Kurama again directed his energy up toward the floor where his abusers were located. Their cries reached a brief crescendo, and then the house was quiet.

"Can I least incinerate the trash or do you want to collect your seeds first?"

"I don't feel a need to preserve the fruits from that particular soil. Go ahead, but we should keep the house intact until we can determine if it is used by any other remnants of Sakyo's organization."

Hiei was gone in a blur of speed and back again before a minute had passed. Together the friends left the house and went to seek their teammates.

NOTE: For those who think Kurama takes what happened too lightly, I am a rape survivor who has worked with many other rape survivors. There is no right or wrong way to respond. The one common element is that rape is an act of violence, and I believe, that is what makes it so traumatizing. We don't know how Kurama would react to such an attack, but we do know that in his long life, Kurama has been subject to many violent attacks, and that he tends to respond as needed to preserve his life and those he cares for - thus this story.

Please read and review. This is my first fanfiction, and I know it needs improvement. How can I improve without feedback?