Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Barriers ❯ Reckonings and Resolutions ( Chapter 17 )

Greetings, everyone, and welcome to the final chapter of “Barriers.” I hope very much that you enjoy it, and that it provides a satisfactory conclusion to the story. If you feel that I am missing something, feel free to say so. My beta seems to be temporarily MIA; she's had this for more than a week and I haven't heard back, so I will go ahead and publish it now and make any necessary changes when she gets back to me. I don't blame her though, the thing is around twenty pages or so…

 

I still don't own YuYu Hakusho, but Shiki, Kurogami, Kaito, Izumi, and anyone else you don't recognize (and the plot) are indeed mine. Please leave a review!

 

********

 

Hiei's group skidded to a halt behind him. Kaito, for his part, merely smiled and bowed at the waist.

 

“Welcome to the home of my master. So good of you to come,” he said smoothly, looking for all the world as though he had anticipated this exact situation. Of course, Hiei wouldn't put it past him at all. The guy reminded him of Kurama. Or at least an annoyingly sycophantic version thereof.

 

Hiei felt someone stir behind him, and readied himself. Perhaps they would be able to just get this over with quickly. His eyes followed Izumi as she moved to his front, scythe at the ready.

 

“Kaito,” she said softly. Hiei shifted his weight from one foot to the other and used his thumb to move his sword about an inch or so out of its sheath. He was prepared for just about anything, including Izumi's betrayal. Yes, if she turned that weapon on them, he would be ready.

 

When her brother didn't respond, Izumi continued. “I'm free.” She said it as though she was just realizing it herself. Hiei's eyes narrowed as he watched a play of subtle emotions pass across the man's face. Shock, disbelief, then… fury? He couldn't make sense of it.

 

“The bond is broken.” The usually cold woman's tone held a note of wonder, and her eyes flicked briefly to Shiki, then to each of the others in turn. Hiei, for his part, never wavered in his observation of both Izumi and her brother.

 

Which was why he was prepared when Kaito lunged, and swiftly slid his sword from its sheath, turning the flat end to block the man's fist. The contact reverberated through the metal, and the force sent Hiei back a few inches. Luckily, it seemed, this exchange had been enough to get everyone on their guard, and he soon had to jump backwards to avoid the nasty slice that Izumi was aiming in their direction.

 

Her eyes, which had for a few moments seemed alight with some kind of revelation, had turned cold and dull once more. Doubtless, she was exactly the opposite of people like him, who tended to channel their rage productively when fighting. Rather, she likely felt none at all, instead relying on an ability to shut out any feeling.

 

He focused on Kaito. The man seemed to be reaching for something beside the altar. Now! Hiei rushed forward, intent on taking out his opponent while he was distracted.

 

What happened next was almost too fast to register. Hiei realized belatedly that he had fallen into a trap. Just as the other group reached the site of the confrontation, Kaito grabbed a spear off the ground. Hiei, unprepared for a longer-range weapon, dove to the side, but it was too late. The spear was headed toward him, fast and sure.

 

Yet it seemed he was uninjured. He completed his dive with a roll that neatly took him out of range. What? I should have- the thought was abruptly cut off when he turned. Botan, Shiki, and Kuwabara all wore expressions that were masks of horror. Yusuke had his fists clenched at his sides, and even Kurama was tense. He quickly followed the direction of their gazes.

 

The spear had indeed found a mark, though not the one it was intended for. Instead, the bloody end protruded from the woman's- Izumi's- back. Her scythe dropped from her hands, unused. She wouldn't have had the time, he realized slowly.

 

“Trust me yet?” She managed to choke out.

 

“You're a fool,” he replied. She shouldn't have done that. He wouldn't have- not for her at least.

 

She smiled, and even managed to laugh weakly. “I know. But better me than her.” With that, she slumped to the ground.

 

Everyone seemed to freeze for a moment, as though still processing what had occurred. For the briefest second, a look passed across Kaito's face that Hiei could not identify, but it swiftly subsided into nothingness. Mechanically, he gripped the spear by the shaft and pulled. Izumi was too weak to register much protest, though she did groan feebly. Hiei contemplated attacking again, but wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. It would seem that they'd have to fall back on Shiki's plan after all.

 

***

Shiki made to rush to Izumi, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her short. The tears that had built behind her eyes upon Izumi's sacrifice finally spilled over when Kurama shook his head. She was too far gone.

 

Their plans were falling apart. Nobody could have counted on this being the way events turned. They were supposed to deal with Kaito before Kurogami was resurrected, but now it seemed that it was too late. She watched, paralyzed with horror, as Kaito, surrounded by the spirit shield he had used last time they had met, pulled the spear from his twin's body and carried it over to the altar, where he allowed Izumi's blood to fall onto the central platform. She resisted the urge to shrink back when he looked directly at her over his gruesome task.

 

“Only blood from a relative of the one who performed the seal will do. And it must be heartsblood. It was supposed to be you, but my sister will suffice.”

 

Shiki shook her head. This couldn't be real. “How… how could you just… kill her?!” She yelled, voice reaching shrieking pitch. “She was your family!” Something flashed in Kaito's eyes. Was it… guilt?

 

“I no longer have any family. I gave up all such loyalty when I took my oath. But you shall see: what I gained in return was much better.” He stepped back from the altar and lowered the spear.

 

As if on cue, the earth shook, cracking the stone floor under Shiki's feet. This was accompanied by a shower of plaster and dust from the ceiling, which all but blinded them to what happened next.

 

Shiki inhaled sharply, which caused the unclean air to fill her lungs and set her to coughing uncontrollably. She stumbled backward and fell into someone. Large hands steadied her.

 

“Hey, you okay?” It was Kuwabara. Far from the directed fury he had entered this place with, he now seemed to be struggling with something. If he was anything like her- and she had a sneaking suspicion that in this, at least, he was- then the idea of killing one's own sibling had shocked him. He seemed to be recovering from it better than she was though, for he managed a weak smile as she nodded and regained her feet.

 

Of course he can deal with it- he's seen bloodshed before. Only then did the full weight of what was happening settle onto her chest. She had never seen anyone killed before, and it occurred to her that she would have to be willing to face such things if she were to be any use at all to her friends.

 

But still… had Izumi known that the seal required the blood of one of Yuki's relatives? And Kaito had said the plan was for it to be her blood. Which could only mean… Yuki's child. That was the only possible explanation. Yuki's child had survived, and, at some point, had children of its own, down to her grandmother and her mother and Shiki herself. Which meant that Izumi and Kaito were her aunt and uncle, after a fashion.

 

The knowledge did nothing to calm the twisting feeling in her gut. Somehow, that made the stakes all the higher, her goal all the more necessary. It explained a great many things, and yet changed nothing at all. It only gave her more desire to see this ended.

 

She peered through the fog created by falling plaster dust. Kuwabara was still beside her, and she could barely make out the dark shape that was Hiei about ten feet in front. She felt rather than saw Kurama, a strange observation that she ignored for the moment, simply content to know he was there. As for the others… she couldn't see anything through this blasted shroud. She assumed- hoped, really- that they were all somewhere near Hiei. It wouldn't do to separate when they couldn't see, especially since this cover probably made it hard for the demons among them to smell, either.

 

As she was deliberating what to do, she noticed Kurama step in front of her. He gestured for her to follow, and put a finger to his lips for silence. Trusting that whatever he was thinking was smarter than the nothing she had so spectacularly managed to come up with, she repeated the signals to Kuwabara, just in case he hadn't seen.

 

The three of them moved swiftly but more or less silently towards Hiei, whose red eyes flashed as he observed them. He, too, made no noise, and an eerie silence permeated the room as the earth's tremors gradually subsided to murmurs.

 

As the dust began to settle, Shiki was seized by a blind panic. Sweat slicked her palms, and her heart hammered frantically in her chest. She almost wanted the air to remain thickly clouded like this, just so she wouldn't see what waited for her when it cleared. She wanted her terror to remain nameless, irrational, so that she might banish it with more ordered thoughts. She knew she was a coward for thinking it, but what did that matter?

 

But it was not to be. A few more sickening moments passed before an image began to resolve itself before them.

 

“Kurogami,” the name escaped her lips as barely more than a whisper, and the taste it left in her mouth caused her to shudder. She would have thought herself insane for thinking such a thing, were it not for Kuwabara's barely-controlled shaking at her left. The figure in front of her exuded malice matched only by power, and she resisted the unfettered desire to shrink from it, to turn and flee. At the same time, there was something in it that called to a part of her nature that she did not understand; something that whispered of strength and dominion and freedom.

 

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and opening them again, trying to subdue the effect this… aura… was having on her. When she again looked up, it was with more clarity.

 

The figure himself wasn't the towering, hulking monstrosity she had thought he would be. His bearing could only be described as aristocratic. His hair was bone-white, his eyes a dull, fathomless black. No irises or pupils, just black from one lid to the other. Kaito bowed before him, one hand crossed over his chest in what Shiki presumed was a gesture of fealty.

 

Kurogami glanced at Kaito for a brief moment, then turned his gaze so it locked onto Shiki's.

 

“Kill the extras,” he pronounced, loud enough for everyone to hear, and Shiki could not stifle a shudder. Even his voice was strange; something feral and barely-contained suffused it, and it had a strange multiplicity, as though several people were speaking at once. She shook herself. Now was not the time to be intimidated. She could cower in fear later. Right now, she had a job to do.

 

She forced her eyes downward, to her foe's neck, and spotted what she was looking for. A small, black stone was hanging from a leather cord, prominent against his red tunic. She swallowed and looked at Kurama. He was clearly not enthused by what he read in her face, but she shook her head. There was no time to argue.

 

“Very well,” he assented aloud. The others, attuned to the silent exchange, readied their weapons, and Botan took to the air, to direct the flow of battle from above. Their strategy depended on their ability to adapt, to shift fighters from one battle to the other, and only Botan would be able to tell them when they needed to.

 

Shiki took a deep breath and searched out the power that resided just above her heart. Power that was not hers, but consented to her use, flowed outward, channeled into each of her friends. She felt the corresponding surge in spirit energy, and was almost relieved when they leapt forward to engage Kaito as a group.

 

She had been almost certain that Kurogami didn't want her dead. The fact that Kaito had been planning to kill her to break the seal on him had caused her to doubt this, but the complete lack of surprise that his master exhibited upon his release led her to believe otherwise. Kurogami had likely been planning to use Izumi the entire time, and her aunt had simply facilitated with her betrayal.

 

Sadness and an unspeakable anger welled up inside Shiki, but she suppressed the feelings. She had not been trained to fight like Yusuke, and her emotions did not make her stronger like they did Kuwabara. No, she had been raised from her very birth to be a stoic okami's daughter, and to never lose her cool. Her fighting style was an extension of this, and if she lost her focus or allowed rage to control her, the battle would be over before it had begun.

 

And so Shiki did what Shiki did best: she pushed back her anger, quelled her fear, and arranged her features into a suitable façade. She felt weak and useless, but she would force herself to be strong and skilled. These thoughts firmly in mind, she took a deep breath and sprang forward, staff in hand.

 

***

Kurama did not give voice to the noise of frustration that grew in his throat. The power that Shiki had lent them had disappeared almost immediately, probably due to her proximity to Kurogami's stone. That would leave Kurogami weaker as well, but it seemed to be having no effect at all on Kaito.

 

The water apparition stood passively behind the impenetrable barrier that was his spirit shield. There was an almost imperceptible smirk on his face. He was toying with them, and Kurama knew it.

 

The redhead watched as Kuwabara launched himself once again at the shield, this time employing his dimension sword. For a moment, it seemed as though this would work. The sword sank hilt-deep into the barrier, but for some reason Kuwabara's hand could not follow it. The high-schooler grunted in frustration as he pulled it loose.

 

Yusuke was attempting a different tactic entirely. “Who the Hell just sits there behind a shield? Why don't you fight us for real, ya coward?!” A spirit gun blast accompanied this for emphasis, but ricocheted harmlessly off the kingfisher-blue surface of Kaito's defense.

 

Their opponent widened his smirk just enough for Yusuke to notice its presence, and the teenager let off a string of profanities.

 

“He intends to, Yusuke,” Kurama replied calmly. “After we've used up all our strength.”

 

But was that really all there was to it? Clearly, Kaito believed he could kill them all, weakened or not, so why wait? Unless… he stalls. But to what end? On a hunch, Kurama shifted some of his focus to Shiki and Kurogami. The answer likely lay there.

 

Kurogami was speaking. “You bear a striking resemblance to her, you know. I don't suppose you could be persuaded to join me?” Shiki was silent as she launched attack after attack, all of which were deftly dodged. For now, at least, Kurogami had no intention of retaliating.

 

“No, I suppose not. Think of it though. A world where humans and demons exist together once more. Granted, the humans wouldn't last too long, but wouldn't it be grand? All beings following a single mandate: be strong or die. Think of the possibilities, of the beings we could become. Stronger, faster, better beings, as we were in ancient times. Even as little as a few hundred years ago, we all had so much more power than the pathetic excuses for demons that live today. If only the worlds had not been separated… but I intend to fix this damage. Once more, I ask: will you join me? Lend me the power of the stone within you?”

 

Shiki stopped her assault, leaning heavily on her staff, trying to catch her breath. “Of course, I hope you understand that if you choose not to, your friends will pay the price.” He let the implications hang in the air.

 

Well, that explains the stalling. As he thought this, Kurama remembered with some trepidation that this was the very threat that had nearly worked on Shiki last time. Had it not been for the secondary plan he had come up with, she would have been theirs a long time ago. Now, however, there was no second plan, and Kurama felt the increasingly familiar bite of worry twist his gut. He opened his mouth, to tell her not to give in, but she was already speaking.

 

“My friends,” she said coldly, allowing each word to drop with the weight of stone, “are not so weak as to fall to you, or any other tyrant. They would never allow me to give into you, not even to save their lives. And I trust and respect them enough to do as I must.” She stepped back, and held her staff out before her, but did not attack. Perhaps Kurogami could have assaulted her then, but he seemed too interested in figuring out what she was doing. Kurama noticed that even as she finished speaking, Yusuke and Kuwabara's faces had broken into wide grins, and they were pounding away at Kaito's shield with renewed vigor. Even Hiei managed a gruff “hn” before returning his attention to the matter at hand.

 

Kurama, however, kept most of his focus on Shiki. The posture she was using seemed familiar somehow… like the one she had adopted when first trying to learn to control her spirit energy. If her concentrated frown was anything to go by, she seemed to be channeling more energy into the metal staff.

 

Sure enough, a few moments later, a burst of blue-purple light issued forth from the end of the weapon, and resolved itself into a naginata's blade comprised entirely of spirit energy. Kurama was reminded of Kuwabara's sword. When did she find the time to learn that? Perhaps it was something Genkai had taught her; either way, Shiki had managed to surprise both himself and certainly Kurogami.

 

***

Shiki let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding. It had worked. It had actually worked. Her excitement caused her concentration to falter slightly; she sobered and redoubled her efforts as the blade at the end of her staff wavered, then solidified again.

 

Genkai had, of course, explained the rudiments of manifesting spirit energy in this way, and so Shiki knew the theory of it. The rest had come from observing Kuwabara and Yusuke, both of whom fought with just such a technique. Still, she hadn't been sure she'd be able to manage it. To see it now, working just as she had willed it, would have made her smile had she been in nearly any situation but this.

 

As it was, she made sure the technique would hold, before returning her focus to Kurogami. He was regarding her with a sort of detached interest, like a spectator at a zoo. He still emitted a frightening energy, but by this point, Shiki was running on too much adrenaline to care.

 

Her hands tightened on her staff, and without preamble or warning, she rushed her opponent again. This seemed to bring Kurogami back into the fight, and he moved aside just in time to avoid the bite of the blade. Naginata style was a little different form the kind used with a staff, and Shiki used that to her advantage, striking in ways that did not resemble what she had been doing earlier.

 

Unfortunately, when her initial attack missed by only a hairsbreadth, Kurogami decided it was time to actually engage her. As she swung her weapon at his legs, he jumped, propelling himself over her head.

 

Too slow to meet his midair advance with steel, Shiki tried instead to leap out of the way. Only partially successful, she felt a sting on her right shoulder, swiftly followed by a numbness all down the corresponding arm. She rolled and recovered, but her arm wasn't responding well to her commands. It felt sluggish and unresponsive, as though she were moving it through water instead of air.

 

“Kurama!” Shiki was vaguely aware of Botan's shout. “Shiki needs help.”

 

Do I? she thought dreamily. Yes, I suppose I might at that. Shiki processed her own train of thought, frowned, and shook her head. What the? It seemed her thoughts were growing sluggish, too.

 

She glanced at Kurogami, and the glint in his eyes confirmed it. “Do you like my neurotoxin?” He asked casually. “I'm afraid your thoughts will continue to spiral towards chaos, child, until you have no control left at all. I recommend you try to enjoy it.”

 

Chaos. So that's what the aura was. It petrified her, and yet called to some part of her nature at the same time. Perhaps the demonic side? No, humans were just as chaotic as demons, sometimes more so.

 

Ah, stop! This doesn't matter now. I have to maintain focus. Have to… have to fight him. But why?

 

***

Kurama took his exit from the confrontation with Kaito, moving aside and allowing Hiei and the others to spread out a little more to compensate for the gap in their ranks.

 

He jumped into the other fight without really pausing to assess the situation, which was just as well. He only barely managed to come between Kurogami and the strike that was clearly meant to incapacitate Shiki. This surprised the other demon enough to cause him to divert the attack entirely. Kurama's eyes flicked to the girl. She appeared to be in some sort of trance, dazed at the very least. Unsurprising, considering the chaotic pulses that Kurogami was emitting at this proximity. The usually emotionally passive Kurama found that the suppressed desires of his demon self, those that urged him to fight and revel in the gory demise of those who might stand in his way, were being drawn towards the surface of his consciousness.

 

One does not successfully tame these baser instincts on a daily basis only to lose control at an inopportune moment, however, and Kurama found that it was not yet unbearably difficult to keep his rational mind in control of his actions. He reached out and placed a hand on Shiki's shoulder. The contact seemed to snap her out of whatever reverie she had been in, at least for the most part, and she smiled weakly at him, shaking her head to clear the last vestiges of bleariness from her mind.

 

The two swiftly turned back to their task, however, and found that Kurogami was gazing at them levelly, as though appraising something. Whatever it was, it only kept him contemplating for a millisecond more, until he once again launched himself at them.

 

The two dodged different ways. Kurama was the first to recover, and he realized with some exasperation that Kurogami seemed intently focused on attacking Shiki first, which would make this substantially harder.

 

As though I ever thought it would be easy.

 

***

Izumi watched with the apathy born of extreme pain as her blood flowed outward onto the stone floor. Guessing from the amount of time she'd been lying here, she probably had but a few minutes yet to live.

 

She fully appreciated the irony of her situation. She had long ago given up her freedom to save her life, when Kurogami had forced her to make the bond. Then, somehow, meeting Yuki's descendant and her strange friends had given her the strength to sever it, just enough to get them here. And then, in the moment she had declared herself free, she had been cut down.

 

Really, she supposed she had it coming. You could only do so many terrible things before it came back to haunt you. Why should the one good deed she had managed in more hundreds of years than she cared to think about be enough to redeem her? No, she had not done it to be redeemed, nor even to be freed. She had just done as she always had: as she must.

 

And there is one more thing that I must do.

 

She carefully flexed her fingers. It seemed she was numb enough now that the pain no longer felt unbearable. Slowly, cautiously, she raised herself to a sitting position. Pain lanced through her chest, and she bit her tongue until it bled to keep herself from crying out.

 

Surveying her surroundings, she found that things were rather as she had predicted, but not as she hoped. The two boys and the suspicious one were unable to penetrate Kaito's defense, and the fox and Shiki were both sporting numerous cuts and bruises. More worrying, however, was the fact that they both seemed to be running out of steam. She fixated briefly on the figure of Kurogami, and bile rose to her throat as she fought the need to use the last of her energy protecting him. A wave of resentment washed over her. He had twisted the sacred bond of her people, and killed her sister. She was not about to give in this time.

 

Her eyes finally fell on her scythe, laying not five feet away. Perfect, she thought grimly.

 

***

 

Hiei noted the woman's movements through narrowed eyes, only occasionally flicking his gaze towards where she was struggling to reach her weapon. He didn't want Kaito following his sightline and discovering that she was still alive, though why he cared, he didn't know. Izumi was dying, and therefore it did not matter if her brother saw her or not, she was bound to fall soon anyway. Perhaps if he did find out, and decided to administer a coup de grace, he would be distracted enough for Hiei to slip through his defenses.

 

The fire apparition dismissed the idea as stupid. Kaito's defense was clearly an all-encompassing barrier, it wouldn't matter whether or not his back was turned. So Hiei kept Kurogami's servant busy, and allowed Izumi to do whatever she thought necessary.

 

***

Kurama's face was set in a sort of grim smile. They were fighting a losing battle impressively, but the result was still painfully obvious.

 

Had their opponent not been possessed of an obviously unnatural level of power and speed, Kurama was certain he would have fallen beneath their combined onslaught by now. As it was, Kurogami seemed able to shrug off wounds that would have killed another, and Kurama observed them healing almost before his eyes.

 

It seemed that even though the proximity of the stones was keeping Shiki's from working, it wasn't having the full effect on Kurogami's. But why? Perhaps he can just use his to the fullest where Shiki cannot?

 

Kurama spared a glance at his companion. Even under the strain of the battle, she was able to maintain her composure, though the hands that gripped her naginata were white-knuckled and shaking. The two worked remarkably well together, he had noticed. He could read subtle shifts in the flow of her spirit energy and predict what she would do next, though he did not know how it was that she could anticipate his movements so well. He had a feeling that if he asked, she would not be able to answer either.

 

Kurama shook his head grimly. Whatever it was, it wasn't enough. Even had their teamwork been entirely flawless, Kurogami still would have had the advantage. As it was, both of them were bleeding steadily from numerous cuts and the occasional gash, and Shiki's use of one of her arms was still shaky at best. Kurama had discovered early on that without Shiki's stone, he was unable to transform, though he could feel his demon consciousness on the edges of his perception, just out of his reach.

 

He gritted his teeth as Kurogami began another advance. He would protect her, protect Shiki. Of this, at least, he was absolutely certain. He had lived long enough, and her life was just beginning. The thought surprised him a little. While not an unkind person, he was not generally what anyone would describe as self-sacrificing. Perhaps that was just because there were few situations he could not resolve without needing to be. But now, he understood. It was not that he would die to save her life, it was that he would do anything to ensure she lived, and dying was a possible side effect.

 

Satisfied that this approach, at least, was logical given the value he placed on Shiki's life, he shifted his weight, feeling her move behind him and knowing that she would approach from the left.

 

To the right, then, he thought grimly.

 

***

Izumi tightened her grip on the scythe in her hand, planting the butt of it firmly in the ground and struggling to stand. The first couple of times, the effort was simply too much, and she fell back to the floor. Not about to give up, she suppressed a moan and tried again, this time throwing herself at it with all she could manage. This caused even more blood to rush out of the wound in her chest, and she was left gasping, but on her feet.

 

Kaito, the fool, was too busy taunting his three opponents with his `perfect defense' as he called it. Izumi hadn't been about to correct his assumption about the completeness of his guard, and now she was glad of it.

 

She caught the eyes of the one called Hiei, and made a feeble motion she hoped he would interpret as a signal to keep attacking. Not that she thought he would need any urging on that one. Still, he seemed to understand and redouble his efforts, the other two following his lead. She hoped that third eye on his forehead could tell him something about her plan, because she didn't have enough time to try and communicate all of it in signs.

 

She lurched as silently as she was able to towards Kaito, face set in a grimace. Kurogami had been so very wrong, all those years ago. There was nothing glorious in revenge, or ridding the world of the weak and spineless. Nor was there any joy in victory, when victory meant death for someone. Still, Izumi's mind was better than most at separating what was right from what was necessary. Perhaps she was too good at that, and had eventually forgotten that such things as right and wrong even existed, let alone what they were. Nevertheless, she knew in her secret heart, the part of her that she thought had died with Yuki, and the only part that had ever resisted Kurogami's rule, that what she was about to do was the best thing she could.

 

She came to a stop about ten feet from Kaito's back. She stared hard at Hiei, willing him to understand her thoughts. Attack on my signal, all at once. Please. She thought she saw him nod slightly, but she could have been mistaken. Either way, there wasn't much time. She could already feel herself swaying on her feet, dizzy with blood loss.

 

Izumi turned her eyes to her brother's shield. It was a vibrant blue, though almost transparent. It flickered with deeper blues and the occasional purple or green hue. As someone's weapon would glance off the surface, color would seem to concentrate in that area, then fade back into the roiling pattern of shades a moment later.

 

The water apparition closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

 

“Now!” She bellowed with all the force she could muster.

 

Hiei attacked without hesitation. Whether this was because he had understood her earlier efforts to contact him or simply because he had no reason not to, she did not know. Either way, the attacks of the other two were not far behind.

 

Kaito was startled, and the light of his barrier flashed haphazardly as he tried to overcome his shock and block three very strong attacks at the same time. Izumi allowed a slow smile to spread across her face as she saw the area furthest away from the attacks- and closest to her- lose all hue entirely and take on the appearance of glass.

 

She seized the opportunity and sprang forward, allowing her momentum and the weight of her scythe to carry her the rest of the way. Kaito's barrier fell to a shattering blow from the weapon. With all she had left, she reversed the direction of the blade without reducing its speed.

 

Her smile disappeared as metal met flesh, then caught on bone. She released the weapon, and Kaito fell like a stone, crumpling to the ground. Izumi's strength at last gave out, and she fell to the floor beside him.

 

“I…Izumi…” Kaito mumbled, blood bubbling in his throat. “Forgive me… I only wished to…” He coughed weakly, and his eyelids fell shut.

 

“I know,” she said softly. A single tear slid down her cheek as she clasped her brother's hand. Then she, too, closed her eyes for the last time.

 

***

Shiki forced down what would likely have been a growl of frustration. This isn't working! Her mind screamed with all the agitation she wouldn't allow her face to show. Kurogami was far too strong for the likes of her, stone or no stone, and Kurama was doing his best just to keep her alive. Her wounds had slowed her, and she was no longer able to feel the rushing sensation that accompanied her whenever the two of them fought in tandem. She just wasn't strong enough to keep up anymore…

 

She watched as Kurama attacked yet again, and flinched when Kurogami repelled the assault with practiced ease. No, no, please! Not him, not them! She tried again to access her stone, but found the power still blocked by Kurogami's. Kurama was thrown back onto the floor. No! Let me through! She fought against the barrier between her stone and her consciousness, flinging herself at it repeatedly.

 

Desperation lent her strength, and as Kurama pulled himself to his feet, her fleeting and slightly irrational joy at the fact he was still alive did the rest. Once more, she flung her inner self at whatever separated her from the stone, and was rewarded when she felt something crack under her assault.

 

All of the sudden, she was pulled entirely within herself, and she collapsed on the floor.

 

***

She was conscious of a darkness that seemed somehow familiar. Yes, she had experienced this once before, when one of her stones had been taken from her. Then, she had felt emptied, as though she was missing a vital part of herself. This time, though she drifted slowly through her own mind, there was no loneliness, only peace.

 

Peaceful though she may have been, she was not content to stay. “I suppose you're still there somewhere?” She asked the space before her.

 

I am.

 

“I think I understand what you said, last time. I think I am beginning to find my own power. My own purpose,” she thought of her friends. “My own reasons.”

 

Good. Does that mean you are ready to do what must be done?

 

She nodded. “I understand, I think. And yes. I know what I have to do. I am ready to stand on my own,” she replied, smiling as she recalled the voice's words to her from before.

 

***

Shiki was abruptly hurled back into consciousness. She blinked slowly a few times, and allowed the world to fall back into focus. She met Kurama's eyes, and was both surprised and inexplicably warmed by the unguarded worry she saw reflected in them. She nodded once, just to let him know she was okay, and he turned his attention back to Kurogami, who was regarding her with something resembling puzzlement.

 

She leaned heavily on her staff as she hauled herself to her feet. The blade on the end had disappeared, but she barely registered this as she prepared herself for the onrushing wave of pain she knew was coming.

 

Sure enough, a ripple of agony seemed to set her skin on fire from the inside out. Shiki locked her jaw firmly in place and did not cry out as she closed her eyes against the torturous sensation that seemed to spread outward from her heart. She wondered if her infant self had hurt this much when the stones were first given to her, and was glad she did not know the answer.

 

Still, this time was different. She was voluntarily relinquishing the stone, and so was able to retain consciousness even as a white sphere about two inches across materialized in her free hand. Either that, or she had simply become, as the voice of the stone-Yuki's voice, she was almost certain- had suggested, strong enough to deal with it now.

 

She felt the stone grow warm in her hand. Was that… approval? I suppose I could believe anything at this point. Shiki closed her fingers over it, and shifted her grip on her pole to a one-handed style that Jii-chan had taught her what seemed like a very long time ago. She would have to give this everything she had. Readying herself, she took stock of her spirit energy. Without the stones there to block it, her power coursed freely through her body. It wasn't as much power as she sensed from Kurama's demon form or Hiei or Yusuke, but it had to be enough.

 

“Now!” she heard a voice shout.

 

Though the cue hadn't been meant for her, she took it as a sign.

 

So be it.

 

***

Kurama watched with an increasing twisting in the pit of his stomach as the tremors wracked Shiki's slight frame. She did not make a sound, but he could tell the pain was extreme. Ordinarily, this lapse in his guard would have spelled his end, but Kurogami seemed just as distracted as he.

 

When Shiki at last straightened, he caught a flash of something in one of her hands. Before he could ponder the significance of this, he felt Kurogami shift, and abruptly turned to face the demon behind him, even as a cry of “Now!” rent the air. He felt Shiki's spirit energy surge behind him, and a split second later, realized what was happening.

 

Unfortunately, that spilt second was one too late. He was faced with a choice: try and stop her and take away what might be their only chance for victory in the process, or step aside and allow this to happen. For what seemed like an eternity, but could not have been more than another heartbeat, he was crushed by the weight of the decision he knew he must make, and then he swallowed hard and moved out of Shiki's path, allowing her to charge full-on at Kurogami. The entirety of her staff glowed the bluish-purple of her spirit energy, the blade at the end sharper than any piece of steel. Shiki's eyes were alight, even as she charged past him. He was vaguely conscious that the other battle had ended, and his friends were watching the scene play out as well.

 

But nothing could force his eyes away from what was happening before him. With a yell, Shiki thrust her naginata at Kurogami, who, caught off guard at the suddenness and ferocity of the assault, received an ugly slash to his shoulder. But the blow had not hit home, and the fact that he had managed to dodge the worst of it left Shiki open to a counterstrike. Moving in under the girl's guard, he delivered a devastating blow to her ribcage, and Kurama heard the sickening crack as multiple ribs snapped at the impact.

 

Shiki staggered backward, and Kurama rushed forward to catch her. Once she was safely cradled in his arms, he retreated backward a few yards to where the others now stood. Kurogami seemed content to let him go, a vicious and triumphant smirk plastered on his face. The others wore expressions that ranged from Yusuke's red-faced rage to Kuwabara's broken hollowness to Botan's tear-streaked despair.

 

As he laid her down on the ground and knelt beside her, Shiki's eyes fluttered open. Kurama opened his mouth to speak, but clamped it shut again when she smiled.

 

It was neither a smile of joy nor irony, and Kurama did not understand. He watched as Shiki opened her hand to reveal nothing at all. His eyes grew wider, and she nodded slowly, eyelids falling so that only a sliver of cobalt-blue iris was visible beneath them.

 

Kurama stood, and looked first at Botan. “Do whatever you can to keep her alive,” he ordered, and something in his tone made the ferry girl nod firmly and wipe at her eyes before kneeling down next to her fallen friend.

 

The redhead observed how the others all stood around, looking at him for some indication of what to do. Yusuke, usually the undisputed leader of the group, remained as mute as the rest.

 

“We fight,” he said simply, and they all readied their weapons.

 

“Well, well, you still insist on dying, do you? I suppose that's to be expected. But really, you should not be so foolish as your friend there. Why throw away your life for nothing? You know you cannot win.” His smirk widened into a grin, and Kurama caught the flash of madness in his eyes.

 

It was then that something shifted inside the redhead. Anger and demonic instinct, so carefully suppressed, spilled over into his greater consciousness. He reached for the power lurking at the edges of his mind, and found that this time, it came easily, perhaps even eagerly, into his hands. He allowed the sensation to overwhelm him, and when he opened his eyes, he found that he could see everything a little more sharply. He inhaled, and the smells of battle were quickly taken in and sorted. Most dominant was the smell of blood. Everyone was bleeding. He concentrated on one particular smell, and knew from its unique tang that Shiki was still alive, though how long she would remain that way, he could not say.

 

This needed to end, and quickly.

 

***

Kurogami allowed the thrill of victory to overtake him. Now that the girl was dead, her stone wouldn't be an issue to him any longer. It was as good as done. Just a few more flies to swat, and he would finally have what was his.

 

He glanced over at where the bodies of his former servants lay. Disgusting. It was a waste, really. With them, the last of the water apparitions from the elder age had died. Those that remained were too intermixed with other demons and- appallingly- humans. Or at least that had been the case with the stone-bearers. It was rather clever, he had to admit. He'd been chasing down Yuki's bloodline from behind his seal for centuries. When he had finally found the one called Mizuki and sent Kaito to kill her, it had been too late. The stones had already been passed on, and the foul woman would not give up their location. It was a surprise, when he had finally found them in the humans' world. If he hadn't already been working on dissolving the barriers between worlds, he likely wouldn't have ever discovered them.

 

I'm surprised a quarter-demon would have been strong enough to withstand the strain. He hadn't thought it would be possible even for a half-breed. Perhaps some freak accident of genetics had given the girl the necessary strength to serve as vessel. Whatever the cause, the problem was now eliminated once and for all.

 

His train of thought was derailed when he sensed a sharply shifting spirit energy. He snapped his eyes to the source. It appeared the troublesome human who'd been fighting with the girl was not what he seemed.

 

Kurogami felt a slight tremor run through his body as the transformation completed. This made things substantially more exciting.

 

“You… you're from the elder age.”

 

The answering glare was positively feral, and Kurogami laughed. “I thought that none as old as you still lived.”

 

Could he be here to challenge my rule? He would make a good servant, save that I am not so foolish as to trust those not forced to do my bidding. It would appear that he must die. Shame, that. Such a fine example of what we demons once were… but tainted by humans once again, I see.

 

“Do you wish to Challenge me? Like things were then. You and I, fighting to the death, for no other reason than to see which is stronger.” If his voice cracked at the end or his madness shone out of his eyes, Kurogami did not notice.

 

The white-haired demon's eyes narrowed to golden slits. “I would never bother to grace one so weak with a Challenge,” he responded, voice laden with undertones of barely-controlled rage.

 

“Weak?!” Kurogami nearly screamed. “I am not so weak as to fall to the likes of you!”

 

“No, you are not,” the demon continued smoothly. “You are much weaker than that, weak enough to fall to this girl.” He gestured with one clawed hand to the prone form of the stone-bearer.

 

Kurogami laughed again, mirthlessly and with a twinge of annoyance. “Me? Fall to that? Clearly, you have lost your wits.”

 

The demon did not respond, but merely came at him, the others close behind, with more speed than Kurogami was ready for. Reflexively, he reached for the wellspring of power contained within his stone, and was startled when none was readily available. He tried again, more desperately this time, with the same result. Glancing down at where the stone was kept around his neck, he felt himself overcome with a cold terror. The Akuma stone was gone.

 

And all of a sudden, it made sense. The girl's odd convulsions as she tried to stand, the way she held her weapon in only one hand as she came at him, the way she didn't even try to back up as he ducked under her guard… she had wanted him to get close, close enough that she could steal his stone. Should the two ever actually touch, both would be destroyed completely.

 

Kurogami felt the blood drain from his face as he realized what was about to happen. He braced himself, and then-

 

***

Shiki opened her eyes slowly, than abruptly shut them again against the light that flooded her senses. Blinking, she was able to get some sense of her surroundings. She was in a small-ish room, one with pleasantly-colored walls, a soft green, perhaps.

 

She attempted to keep up as memories assaulted her. She had grabbed Kurogami's stone, and then… there was pain, and she could feel everyone's spirit energy surge… then nothing.

 

She tried to sit up, unsure if she was still in danger, only to feel strong hands push her back down.

 

“Don't be a fool, child, you'll only pass out again that way,” the voice was rough, gravelly, and somehow familiar. Her bleary mind struggled to provide her with a name.

 

“G…Genkai-sensei?” Shiki put a hand to her throbbing head.

 

“Yes. Now stop trying to move. We've managed to patch you up, but if you go sitting up, your wounds will reopen. There, good girl,” Genkai finished gruffly.

 

“Is everyone-”

 

“All doing much better than you. Now, sleep.”

 

Shiki obeyed, allowing fatigue to close her eyes and carry her away from wakefulness.

 

***

A few days later, she was able to sit up, and Genkai decided that she could see visitors. Botan was the first, and had thrown herself at Shiki, weeping about something, words incomprehensible when muttered against her friend's sleeping yukata. Shiki had gently eased the girl's arms from around her neck, trying not to wince from the painful effect the gesture had on her still-healing ribs.

 

Yusuke and Kuwabara had joined them soon after, both sporting bandages in various places themselves. Yusuke's head wound was still dressed, and he appeared to have several cuts that had not yet scabbed over. Kuwabara was slightly worse off, one of his arms in a sling. When prompted, he had explained with some embarrassment that this had happened not in the fight itself, but on the way back. He had used his dimension sword to cut them a portal directly to Genkai, and in his eagerness, had not realized that he had placed it at least three stories in the air. Shiki could not help but laugh at that, then wince at the pressure it put on her injuries.

 

Yukina had stopped in next, and even Hiei had stuck a head through the door and muttered something, which just made Shiki smile. She had spent several hours in conversation with Jii-chan, relating exactly what had happened. Her grandfather had assured her that her parents would never know of her injuries, and that she still had a few days before they expected her home. Her mother, at least, knew something of what was happening, but it would perhaps be best to spare her the sight of a child in such a condition.

 

As Jii-chan left, Shiki settled back against the wall, and tired to ignore the unease she was feeling. She tried to tell herself that she was reading too much into a certain conspicuous absence. After all, what did he owe her?

 

She bit her lip and closed her eyes. She was being stupid, to expect that he would come see her. Sure, they were friends of a sort, but he was surely quite a busy person, and besides, it wasn't as though she had known him all that long. Their journey had seemed to take months, but it could not have happened in more than three weeks, all told. Still, she wanted to thank him properly for all he had done for her, which by her estimation was quite a lot.

 

Trying to distract herself, her thoughts drifted to what must have happened when she was unconscious. She had managed to get Kuwabara to tell her all about it, and had spent some time afterward weeping for Izumi's death. Tears for the woman herself, and also for the loss of her last connection to a part of her history. There was still so much she had yet to learn about being a water apparition, details that she doubted anyone else could provide her. Perhaps, in time, she would grow strong enough to visit Makai again, and find someone who could tell her of herself, and maybe even her grandmother…

 

All her thoughts seemed to vanish when she felt a familiar presence behind her door. That was something she had yet to get used to, being able to sense who was near. Apparently, the stones really had been suppressing her spirit energy, and learning to deal with it was going to be another major hurdle, she was sure.

 

As expected, a knock followed.

 

“Come in,” she nearly choked. Fantastic. Hopefully he would put it down to her still being injured.

 

The door slid aside, and Kurama entered soundlessly, leaving it open somewhat as he sat beside her.

 

“Shiki,” he said simply.

 

“Er… hello, Kurama.” Much to her agitation, she found herself unable to meet his eyes, exactly. Instead, she focused on a point in the wall over his shoulder.

 

“Are you well?”

 

“I'm much better. I should be able to move about freely soon.” She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring fashion.

 

“That is good news.” They lapsed into silence, and Shiki frowned inwardly. Conversations with the others hadn't been so stilted, and she couldn't say why this one was. Well, that wasn't exactly true. She was remembering with some trepidation and embarrassment what had happened the last time the two had been alone.

 

Ugh. I can't believe I just lost it like that… no wonder he doesn't want to talk to me. And the thing with Youko was my fault, too. And he nearly died several times because I wasn't as strong as I should have been. Why is he here? He should probably never want to see me again.

 

Put like that, Shiki began to understand why he had taken so long to come, and was more bewildered by the fact that he had bothered at all.

 

“Thank you,” he said softly, causing her to whip her gaze, currently unfocused and on her hands, to his face. What?

 

“Why?” She asked aloud.

 

It was Kurama's turn to look surprised, though he hid it well; the shift in expression was almost imperceptible. Were Shiki no so accustomed to wearing a mask herself, she probably would have missed it entirely.

 

“For… for everything,” Kurama seemed unusually tongue-tied.

 

She shook her head slowly. “It seems to me I should be the one thanking you. For saving my life, for helping me, for… understanding.” She felt heat rise to her cheeks and cursed herself for being so transparent.

 

His expression softened. “We would not have been able to do any of this without you. And I… I wish to thank you too, for showing me how to understand myself.”

 

Shiki didn't quite understand what he meant, but all possibility of figuring it out was promptly killed when he took her small hand in one of his and brought it upward, touching it to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers. Shiki burned what she was sure was probably an impressive shade of crimson, and looked away.

 

She missed the hint of amusement that played across his face as he released her hand and stood to leave.

 

“Farewell for now, Shiki.”

 

“Um… sure. Goodbye.” She couldn't help sneak a glance at him as he left.

 

Just what have I gotten myself into?

 

**********

Kiku's Corner!

 

So, how'd you like it? That's all there is, folks. I personally have mixed feelings about this. It's the first project of any magnitude that I've ever completed, and in a sense, it's extremely cathartic to be done with it. On the other hand, I've grown quite attached to it and am sad to see it completed.

 

I think I left the ending fairly open to a sequel, but I don't know if I will ever write one. If I do, it will be a while from now, I think, and only if there is interest of some kind. Who knows? I'd need to think of a satisfactory story first, since I like to write things with more plot than fluff, you know?

 

At any rate, this chapter is for Beth, my wonderful and patient beta-reader, and for Torin Jingles, my most faithful reviewer and generally hilarious and awesome person.

 

If you have any opinions on the story as a whole, this chapter, a possible sequel plot or just whether or not there should be one, please leave a review. I love getting reader input; it really does influence how I do things.

 

And so, my lovely readers, I apologize for the length of these author's notes, and until next time, I bid you farewell.

 

Love,

Kiku

 

P.S.: Should I decide to write something else related to this, I will post a note and a preview as an extra chapter, so you may want to subscribe to alerts for it? I just think it might be useful, I'm not plugging or anything. Well, maybe a little.