Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Cloaking Shadows ❯ New Enemy ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

I stepped into my bedroom and quietly closed the door behind me. Leaning against it for a moment, I closed my eyes and sighed. School, as thrilling as it was, some days it just seemed to drag on and on. I shook my head and stepped forward, slipping out of my jacket as I moved toward my desk. I draped it over my chair and crossed the room to my window.
The last day of school, at least for three months. I pressed my forehead to the window sill and closed my eyes again. Working hard in school and then helping Yusuke on cases for Spirit World was really beginning to wear me down. It had only been three weeks since the Dark Tournament, and we still hadn't received a break. Demons were rebelling all over Makai, and several had tried to take over Human World.
A sudden tap on the window sill startled me out of my thoughts. I jerked back and found Hiei looking through the window at me. Frowning slightly, I reached out and slid the window open so that he could enter. Hiei slid inside and used his crimson eyes to capture mine.
"Is something wrong, Hiei?" I asked quietly, moving around him.
"I need you to come with me."
I paused at my desk, startled. Hiei was actually asking me to help him or something? "Why? Where do you want me to go with you?"
"Now isn't the time for questions, Kurama. Either come with me or forget about it."
I turned and frowned at him. Hiei looked angry, his eyes filled with irritation. Something wasn't right. I didn't know what was different, but something about Hiei had changed.
"Well, Kurama? Can you make up your mind or has this human world of yours affected more than your power?" Hiei snapped.
I winced at his words. Hiei hadn't used my human side to insult me in a long time. He had actually seemed to accept my decision to remain in Human World, and he had even begun spending more time here than in Makai.
"All right, Hiei. I'll go with you."
Hiei turned without a word and slipped out the window. Sighing, I followed him out onto the tree and climbed down to the ground. He darted off to the right, heading into the trees behind my house. Hiei didn't even glance back to see if I was following.
After trailing behind for several minutes, I abruptly stopped. It wasn't like Hiei to not match my speed when we were together. Now he was several feet ahead of me and still gaining. He must have sensed that I was no longer running because he stopped as abruptly as I had and whirled angrily to face me.
"Stupid Kitsune, why are you not moving?" he demanded, a cold, hardness to his voice that I have never heard before.
"Because I'm tired of trying to catch up with you. What's going on? This isn't like you."
"It's not?" he asked, a strange smile appearing on his face.
I stepped back reflexively as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end and my senses screamed beware. He laughed, throwing back his head. The laughter trailed off as he took one slow step toward me.
"No, I suppose it isn't. Then again, why should this be anything like Hiei? I'm not him, after all."
Pain shot through my right leg, tearing a short cry from me. I glanced down and saw a thorny vine curl tighter around my leg. Blood was already staining the pale pink uniform.
"Poor Kurama, do you find yourself caught in my fox trap?" Hiei's voice crooned, coming closer.
I gritted my teeth against the digging pain and pulled a rose from my hair. I tried to transform it but couldn't seem to draw any power. What's happening?
"Did I forget to mention what kind of vine that is wrapping around your leg?" the demon in Hiei's form taunted. "I believe that I did. That, dear kitsune, is a Burlogie vine. Are you familiar with it?"
I raised my eyes from the vine to glare at the impostor. So the vine was restraining my use of youki?
"Who are you, and what do you want?" I demanded, keeping my voice flat and calm despite the numerous emotions clawing through my chest.
"No, no, kitsune. I am in control here. You don't question me."
He was right in front of me now. "You're as weak as any human now. How does it feel, traitor? Do you like being helpless?" he sneered.
"I'm obviously not as weak as you. You're the one who had to take a different form to trick me. Even in my half human form I must be more powerful than you because you didn't even bother trying to fight me."
I didn't see it coming, the blow was so fast. My head jerked to the right, the left side of my face burning. I tasted blood in my mouth.
"Watch your mouth, my prisoner. Did you forget again who's in control?"
My hands curled into fists. What could I do? If I tried to free my leg from the vine so that I could run I would have to lose most of it since the thorns were so deeply embedded in my flesh.
"What do you want? To kill me?" I asked, turning my head to face him again.
"Eventually, yes. Right now, though, I would like to see your pain spread across your face," he whispered, a hand coming out to clench itself in my hair.
He jerked my hair painfully, yanking head to the left. I swung, slamming my fist into his face as hard as I could. He stumbled slightly, and I felt the vine loosen. I quickly jerked free, ignoring the burn as the thorns ripped my flesh, and began to run.
I couldn't face him and survive, not without my power, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to outrun him. He was using Hiei's form, after all, and I had already seen how fast he could move. His speed matched or was greater than Hiei's. I have to find some way to either hide from him or at least slow him.
I stumbled as my leg gave out. I fought to keep my balance but landed hard on my knees, my right leg completely numb now. I felt movement behind me and a slow growl trickled past my lips. It felt strange coming from my human body, but the fox in me was beginning to panic.
"Kurama!"
I glanced up at Hiei's form and dug my fingers into the ground. It may be hopeless, but if he touches me again I'm going to fight him. I may be weak but Youko Kurama doesn't go down without a fight.
"What happened? I felt your youki disappear," Hiei said. The crimson eyes that met mine were confused, even mildly concerned.
"Hiei, is that really you?" I asked, barely daring to breathe.
"Of course, it's me, you fool. Do I look like that idiot Kuwabara?"
I went limp, the tension draining from my body. Hiei crouched down beside me and reached out to steady me. "Kurama?"
"There's a demon out here with your form. He tricked me into following him," I said softly.
Hiei glanced around as one hand pulled the bandanna away from his forehead to reveal the glowing jagan. His natural eyes closed as the jagan went to work searching the surrounding area. After several minutes he opened his eyes.
"He's gone now. How badly are you hurt?" he asked, returning the bandanna to his head.
"My power is cut off and my leg is a bloody mess."
He slipped an arm around my back and another curled under my knees as he stood, lifting me off the ground. I dropped my head onto his shoulder, exhausted and aching. I tightly closed my eyes as the trees around us passed in a dizzying blur.