Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Anguish ❯ Prologue

~~~~Anguish~~~~

 

 

~~Prologue~~

~A Secret I Don't Wish To Tell~

 

Today, everything mattered in this fight. It was either all or nothing when battling him. The moment was full in his mind as he tried to rid himself of Karasu's words, of his scent, of his...being. He shuddered. Just feeling the aura of the Quest-class demon made him stiffen up, which always brought questions from his companions, to which he replied softly, "Nothing." But he knew that the fire youkai suspected something; he wasn't as easily fooled as Kuwabara or Yusuke. He was smart, and he intended to find out.

 

It was true that it was in the nature of kitsunes to be slightly secretive, but the secretive act had been going on just too long. After the semi-finals, Kurama's world had already crumbled upon meeting with the Quest-class. His calm façade, the fake collected persona was destroyed upon meeting. Hiei was already too close to Kurama to not suspect anything, and Kurama himself suspected that the youkai was on to something. Then again, Yusuke wasn't that stupid either. It was as if he could feel whenever one of his… friends were in danger. Or deeply troubled, and in this situation, Kurama was indeed 'deeply troubled.' From the looks of everything, it seemed that Kuwabara was the only one clueless among them, not including Koenma.

 

As Team Urameshi entered the stage of the finals, hissing "Boos!" from demons (indeed, being called a traitor of his own kind somehow struck him) increased. They were introduced, and not soon after, Team Toguro was as well. Karasu, the raven-haired charismatic member of Team Toguro stepped up into the ring, made a gun-like shape with thumb and index finger, pointed to his forehead, looked straightly at Kurama, and murmured, "Bang."

 

Kurama's eyes narrowed dangerously into slits.

 

"Look at him!" Kuwabara said, "Trying to intimidate us with his stupid finger! This guy is mine!"

 

"No, Kuwabara," Kurama objected. "I will fight him." I just hope I'm doing the right thing…

 

The red-haired youkai-turned-human stepped up to the ring, only to be stopped by Kuwabara. "Hey," Kuwabara advised, "I don't think its smart fighting him without that potion Suzuka gave you."

 

"Don't worry," he replied, "I drank some about two minutes ago." And before Kuwabara could protest, Kurama had already gracefully flipped onto the ring.

 

Kurama looked onwards to Karasu, who was on the opposite side of the ring, walking coolly as if he didn't have a care in the world. Then again, it was most likely he didn't have a care in the world.

 

"You're either really brave," Karasu was saying, "or really stupid."

 

"I warn you Karasu," Kurama threatened, "don't think of underestimating me."

 

Once the referee had given them the shout, Kurama summoned a batch of petals onto his open palms, threw them into the air, and the rose petals surrounded him, forming a shield-like defense. Karasu started walking into the shower of petals as Kurama shouted, "Petals and Thorns!"

 

Ignoring the call of the attack, Karasu walked on. The rose petals started to engulf him, and as one caressed his cheek, blood dripped.

 

He's not stupid, Kurama thought. In a moment or so the petals will engulf him!

 

Karasu was…smirking? He raised his hand, and the petals an inch or so away from him exploded with green light. He doesn't need to touch the petals to destroy them!

 

"You see, Kurama?" Karasu sneered as if reading the other's thoughts. "My power is all around you, even in the air you breathe. My fingers are merely consoles. I don't need to touch you—" and he emphasized 'touch,' making Kurama flinch "—to hurt you."

 

What have I gotten myself into?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

A/N:

 

It's a pleasure to present you the first chapter of Anguish. If you have any questions concerning the plot, then please email me at krimson_karma@mugglenet.com. Suggestions for further chapters are also graciously taken.

 

Story Disclaimer (covers all forthcoming chapters): YuYu Hakusho does not belong to me; those rights are to Yoshihiro Togashi.

 

_~Krimson Karma~_