Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Eternity ❯ From Silk to Thorns ( Chapter 20 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: rain00205 
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.01.2012 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 162 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.01.2012 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 162 | Status: Completed
"You alright San?" asked Yusuke as she was able to stand with Kurama's support.
"I've had worse," she answered, wincing with every step. The bleeding had stopped, she wasn't dizzy anymore, it was just a manner of the wound to heal. It would be gone by tomorrow, if not, then the next day for sure.
"Maybe you should sit down?" suggested Kuwabara.
"No, I'd rather watch, it'll be better that way."
"Hn. I can't believe such a fool nearly killed you," said Hiei.
"And I can't believe you haven't grown an inch in years!" she stated, not caring for his tone at all. He looked away, slightly annoyed. She focused again on healing her wound, she didn't like needing assistance standing, but she didn't have a choice right now. The half eaten corpse of Wakato was taken off the ring, the blood being cleaned up. Genkai had told her he was related to Bui. She'd have to warn the one to fight him about that. She was sure his rage would take it out on his victim, especially since she was on the opposing team. She pulled out a vial, drinking its contents to make the pain more bearable. She knew it wasn't enough to stand on her own, and she knew she would re open the wound even if she tried, but at least her mind would be able to focus on other things. Like Karasu. Who was staring at her. It was hard to tell what he was thinking while he hid behind that mask, but his intentions still stood. He was going to do his best to kill Kurama, and take her as his prize. She was still afraid of him, of his power, of those eyes that bore into her. Kurama glared at him. San was his, his to protect and his to cherish. The rage of the beast inside him would do everything in his power to make sure Karasu died. His enemy walked onto the ring. He placed two fingers to his head like a gun, staring at the two of them. What an ass.
"Look at him trying to scare us with his dumb finger. Man, I'm going to beat him until his mother doesn't recognize him!" declared Kuwabara.
"No," said Kurama. He looked at Hiei, and the fire apparition nodded to him. He walked over there and let San lean on him for support. The others looked at Kurama surprised, especially Kuwabara, "I will handle him," he finished walking forward, hate on his face. He continued on towards the ring. San watched him go, hoping for the best.
"Wait!" she said, hobbling towards him. He turned and she threw herself in his arms, kissing him deeply, "I love you," she told him after.
He kissed her forehead, "I love you. Save your strength," and he left her with Hiei once more. He turned and began walking again, death glaring at his enemy. The crowd was going nuts, but the girls stuck out in San's ears. She smiled at their enthusiasm.
"Damnit, if they start a riot in the stands, I'm not going to be the one that saves them," San heard Yusuke mutter to himself. She then felt the wind of Kuwabara running up to the red headed fox.
"Hey Kurama, wait," and he stopped right before Kurama got in the ring, "You think you'll use that medicine stuff that Suzuka gave you?" he asked, terrible at whispering.
"Actually, I took some about two minutes ago," he answered, "I've run a few experiments and found it takes a considerable amount of time to absorb into my body and change me."
"Ah! I don't know if you should take that stuff multiple times buddy, it could be bad!"
"There's no way I would've shown up here without testing it first," said Kurama, jumping onto the ring. He was going thru mental preparations, that San was sure of. Leaning on Hiei was getting hard, so she sat far enough back that she would be able to see everything. She had to watch this, make sure he was alright.
"So, what's it do when you take it?"
"Suzuka was right in assuming it would transform me. However there is a time limit, and I can only stay in that form for fifteen minutes. I'm not worried though, fifteen minutes is more than enough," and Kurama walked up to Karasu. They stood apart from each other, sizing up. San was nervous, scared, and in pain. Hiei stood slightly behind her, waiting for this fight to start. Juri declared the match officially begun.
"You're either extremely brave, or extremely foolish," said Karasu, "Its rare for anyone who's seen my capabilities to go thru with fighting me. She must really be worth it, and mean a great deal to you. It will make taking her away from you that much more rewarding."
"Don't flatter yourself Karasu. I'm hear to defeat you, and by the way... I advise you not to underestimate me," replied Kurama. Karasu's hand began to glow green, as Kurama released rose pedals into the air. She knew what he was doing, stalling. If Karasu happened to get injured along the way, then so be it, "Pedals and Thorns!" Karasu walked casually towards Kurama. Idiot. One of the pedals nicked his cheek, leaving a cut there.
"It's incredible, each of the pedals is as sharp as a razor blade," he said. The cut healed instantly, making San gasp, "How oddly charming," he continued to walk, "I must say Kurama, they are absolutely beautiful. However they are also weak and lacking in substance, traits they must have inherited from you," San growled at him. He continued to walk, he must be stupid, and she wondered why she was so afraid of him. As she expected, the pedals began to head towards him. He stood there, waved his hand, and one by one, the pedals exploded. She gasped, remembering why she was afraid of him again.
"What the heck? Those things just spontaneously combusted!" said Kuwabara.
"Be careful Kurama!" said Yusuke. San was trembling again. He didn't have to touch things to make them explode. She had to figure out how he was doing that, there must be a trick to it.
Karasu laughed, "Well, well, well, perhaps it was I who was underestimated by you," he said, "My hands are not the sole source of my power, they are merely vessels. Poor Kurama, it seems you've entirely misunderstood me. You aren't able to see my power so you feel secure that its everywhere. Even in the air you breathe. You can't escape it, it's all around you, inside of you. Why don't you make things easier and submit," he said jumping into the air. San gasped, he was faster than ever. Karasu was doing his best to get Kurama, thrusting his hands out to unleash his attack. San held her breath, thankful that her fox was fast as well. He jumped straight into the air, unleashing his rose whip. Karasu simply pointed and bang. It exploded, rendering it useless, "You know you can't stop me, yet you continue to try all the same. That's what's so appealing about you... and her. It's a shame that circumstances couldn't be different for us," and he ran towards Kurama. Did he just hit on her mate? Wow, "But it doesn't really matter..." Karasu continued, "... even things that seem ideal always turn sour. I'm just speeding the process. Besides, I find that there's no greater rush than taking the life of someone you care for," Karasu was attacking the whole time he spoke. He was fucked up in the head, "The intimacy that murderer and victim share is unparalleled. Witnessing their spirit separate themself form their body!" his attacks were getting faster, more urgent.
"Is that what you plan to do with San? Kill her?" asked Kurama, still dodging his attacks.
"Physically no. I plan to rip that mark off her shoulder, and mate with her. Her loyalties to you will make it terrible when she must obey my every command. She'll hate it, everything about it, and I will greatly enjoy watching her suffer under me."
"You monster. I will not allow you to break her like that!" said Kurama in a hateful tone. San let a tear fall, Yusuke and Kuwabara staring at her, this being the first they had heard of all this.
"Kurama, you act as if you have a choice," said Karasu, he then disappeared, or so it looked like. He had simply jumped high into the air. Kurama finally noticed him, just in time it looked like. Karasu came down hard, damaging the ring where Kurama once stood. The fox jumped back, as Karasu landed on his feet. Then, an explosion went off on Kurama's left arm.
"NO!" San screamed, as Kurama dropped to his knees. She felt it, the pain, his pain.
"What's wrong?" asked Kuwabara.
"The pain..." she trailed.
"I don't get it..."
"San is Kurama's mate. Their bond grows over the years and the feelings become more intense. When he's in danger, she feels it, when he's in pain, she feels his pain, and vise versa. If he dies, his mark remains, but she won't live for very long without him to support her, unless she mates with another," explained Koenma. San turned her attention back to Kurama. She was really worried now.
Karasu laughed, "Like I said, it isn't necessary for me to touch you. It's just one of the perks."
"You okay?" Yusuke yelled to him.
"Damnit what's the delay! If that clown gave him some bad juice, I'll make him regret the day he was born!" said Kuwabara.
"Listen to yourself," said Yusuke. Karasu laughed again and Kurama began to run. The bastard landed in front of Kurama. There was another explosion, in his left leg above the knee. San felt that pain to, and she shed a tear. He was going to be killed if he didn't do something! Why hadn't he changed yet? He was shaking, having trouble holding himself up. Kurama...
"Perhaps I should explain how my power works. It's similar to yours and that we both manipulate things with our energy with one distinct difference. You can only control things that already exist like your plants. But I manifest my thoughts into tangible things. For example, the object I'm holding in my hand. Although you can't see it, it is still very real, and very deadly," said Karasu, "But honestly, I don't think words can do a justice. It's just one of those things you have to feel for yourself. After all, like they say, actions speak louder than words. Now make sure you pay close attention Kurama, I wouldn't want you to miss a single thing," and Karasu's hand began to power up. San could feel it, he was more powerful than she ever thought he could be. Green started to flow everywhere, the energy ball in his hands emitting wind and then, there was something in his hand. It was a demon energy made stick of dynamite. Karasu jumped and then threw it at Kurama. It exploded instantly, a massive one at that. She thought she saw something fly out just before, but her attention was focused on the massive smoke occupying the same space as Kurama.
"Where is he?" she heard Yusuke shout.
"Kurama..." she trailed, but she didn't feel pain, which meant he wasn't hurt. She tried to hone in on him. He was weak, and only getting weaker. Finally, he disappeared completely, and just like last time, his power emerged like thunder. He was angry, his energy was proof of that. Plus, San, or rather, Moriko knew his true power. She returned to her demon form, it seemed that when he powered up like this she was able to feed off of it in a way that it didn't affect him. Or did it? She wasn't exactly sure.
"Anyone see?" asked Yusuke, who obviously hadn't noticed her. The smoke was starting to clear, but just barely. Karasu had landed, and he was bleeding. There was a rose sticking out of his hand, that's what she saw earlier. She stood, but barely. Her wound was no better, even with Youko's power flowing thru her.
Karasu held up his hand, "Very amusing," was all he said before destroying the rose. The smoke started to have a bluish grey colour to it, and then, there he was. Youko, and he looked pissed right off. He blew the smoke away, he was always fond of an entrance. Moriko smiled, happy to see him. She felt better knowing that he had finally appeared. Now Karasu would see his power, and knowing what happened in the past, he would take his vengeance.
"Alright! This is going to be sweet!" said Kuwabara.
"You're telling me that's Kurama?" said Yusuke.
"Basically," said Koenma, "As you know, his full name is Youko Kurama, but he's known by many other types to."
"What?" questioned Yusuke, turning to look at San. Wait, "And just who the hell are you? Where's San?"
"Allow me to introduce the former Queen of the wolf clan, Moriko Chie, the mate of Youko Kurama. With his powers to the surface, San is able to return to her demon for Moriko."
"That explains all this my Queen bullshit," said Yusuke. Moriko turned her attention back to her mate. He was bleeding, the injuries not making a difference in his demon form.
"Creating a bomb from nothing takes talent. That caliber of power is a sign that you belong to a superior class of demons, a class I consider to be fairly worthy. Worthy to fight and worthy to die. You have made a threat against something that is mine. For that you will surely die, from my hand only. Most demons are smarter than to go after my mate, you must think you really stand a chance," said Youko.
"You flatter me, but we still aren't equals!" said Karasu. His hands powered up green once again. Moriko could see now, see what they had been missing since the beginning.
"Rest assured Karasu, I wholly agree," Youko turned to look at her briefly, and then turned his attention back to his opponent, "Now I see, you create monsters that act as invisible bombs," he said, pulling out two roses and throwing them at the oncoming bombs. They exploded before they reached him, "How very clever, that's why I had such difficulty fighting you while I was trapped inside. Lucky for me I found a way to break free from Shuuichi Minamino just long enough to finish you."
"Thats fascinating. But nothing more than a loser's excuse. You weren't able to beat me then, and you won't beat me now," said Karasu. Youko stared, analyzing how he would finish him. Karasu created more bombs, plenty of them, surrounding the area he occupied, "But you're welcome to try," and he launched his attack. Youko dodged them easily, soaring thru the air, "When you come from the quest class of demons, you find that you can create all sorts of interesting things. These little jewels are what I like to call trace eyes. Once these bombs set their sites on you, they will follow you forever."
Youko moved between them without effort, "Have you heard of Ojigi? It's a rare plant found only on Earth's South America. The Ojigi is extremely sensitive to movement and if it senses any kind of vibration, it will quickly close it's leaves on its prey," Youko explained, still easily moving thru the bombs. Moriko was impressed, and forgot about getting some of the seeds off of her mate. She was fond of the Ojigi plant.
"I have no interest in gardening," said Karasu. Youko stopped moving. He stood still, the bombs completely blocked every place he could move, "My, my, looks like your surrounded. What's a boy to do?"
"I thought you'd know better than to corner an enemy like a fox Karasu. We have a tendency to show our teeth," Moriko smiled at his words. He powered up, and out burst his lovely weapon, "An Ojigi plant is quite dangerous regularly, and it is several times more lethal and more sensitive when grown under a demons energy," he turned to Juri, "You, unless you want to be plant food, don't move," he instructed. She agreed, moving slightly and the plant headed towards her, "Moriko!" she was there, hobbling towards Juri. She put a dome around the announcer, and asked the plant nicely to leave the poor girl alone. The plants bud opened up, glowing red, "It looks like it zeroed in on you. Guess all your trembling must have caught it's attention."
But Karasu ignored Youko and turned to Moriko. He walked up to her, slowly, "Interesting, you feed off the energy of your mate to revert back to your demon form. You really are an exquisite creature, my Queen, I think I'll keep you in that form once I claim you," Moriko glared, despite the fear she had. With her mate right there, she felt safer.
"Leave her!" Youko growled, as the plant began its assault on Karasu. He jumped out of the way, the plant making no contact with him whatsoever, "How does it feel to be the one pursued?" The plant cut off his every move. It had manifested all over the arena, branches popping up from everywhere.
"Oh yeah, this one's in the bag," said Koenma.
"Who cares that he's part of the whatever you call it class, Youko'll still kick his butt!" yelled Kuwabara.
"It's called the quest class. I bet you don't even remember your own name half the time," said Hiei.
"Get off me! Anyway, that super fox Kurama's going to beat that idiot, I just know it!" Moriko appreciated Kuwabara's support and confidence, and for both of their sakes, she really hoped Youko could pull it off. The plant began firing it's ray, and Karasu dodged all of it. He was stupid, the more he moved, the more attracted the plant got to him, it was only a matter of time before it caught him. He threw a bomb at it, thinking it had died, landing confidently, but Moriko smirked, knowing better. The plant emerged from the smoke, ready to claim him.
"The Ojigi also responds to aggression, so it will be all the more vicious once you attack," said Youko. One of the blooms headed right for Karasu, "You're going to have to come up with a smart way to kill it or else..." he held two fingers to his temple, "Bang," and he imitated a gun, throwing Karasu's actions right back in his face. Moriko laughed at this, and he winked at her. One of the flowers clasped onto Karasu, lifting him high into the air. It squeezed so hard his mask came off, and then all the other blooms began to pile on, covering him completely, "I thought it was going to last much longer than that. I would've liked to toy with him more before he died," and he turned to walk away. He smiled at Moriko, feeling a sense of relief. She was safe now, and that was all that really mattered. She walked up to the ring, waiting for him.
"Kurama sure showed that punk what was up, and he closed the deal in a measly five minutes!" said Kuwabara.
"Yes, two more wins and its done!" said Yusuke. Koenma was mumbling something, but Moriko was more focused on her mate. The plant then lowered itself, which was odd. It began protruding green lights. No, he was still alive!
"Youko!" she screamed, pointing behind him. He turned just as Karasu exploded the plant.
"I wouldn't count me out just yet," said Karasu, eying down his enemy and his prize, "You both look surprised. Did you really think that was the last you'd see of me?" Karasu then began to power up, breathing in the air. He glowed green and his hair changed from black to blond. His true power was showing.
"Step back Moriko!" her mate instructed. She obeyed, hobbling back to her former position. She parked beside Hiei, unable to support herself any longer.
"Can someone explain this? What exactly is going on here?" asked Kuwabara.
"It's an explicit sign that he's internalizing his power which means that the bombs he creates are inside of him, virtually making him one giant explosive," explained Hiei.
"Are you serious?" asked Yusuke.
"Of course I am. If my assumptions are correct, he's about to detonate, if you're wise, you'll take cover now," said Hiei. Moriko watched as Youko took a step back. Karasu powered high, making the stadium glow green and jumping into the air, laughing.
"Youko..." she trailed as Karasu was coming down fast on him. She felt someone grab her, and her powers growing weaker. Hiei had pulled her out of the way, "YOUKO!" she screamed in fear for his life. The explosion was so huge it blew a hole in the side of the stadium. The smoke was clearing, just as Hiei had landed with her on the wall of the stands. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma pulled themselves out of the rubble. Hiei jumped down with her, placing her on the ground. She was too weak to stand on her own still, "Where is he?" she asked. His pain, it was hers. He was still alive, just not visible. Karasu was laughing, and she saw Kurama break out of the rubble. She looked down at herself, she was human again. But, it hasn't been fifteen minutes yet? Maybe it was her presence that shortened it. But it wasn't by much, there was no way it could cut off as much time as it did. San looked at him, he was wondering what was going on, just as she was.
"Forgive me for disturbing your train of thought but, shouldn't you take this time to pray? Maybe say good-bye to the Queen over there? After all, you're about to meet your creator! And lose the love of your life!" Karasu laughed, San growled, "You can ask him why he flawed with you!" and the bastard continued to laugh. Kurama pulled out a rose, trying to summon his rose whip. It just exploded. San gasped, "You're too weak Kurama, you can't even control the most basic of your attacks. Make this easier on both of us and give in, I promise it won't hurt too much. I'm just going to take your life and then take what should be rightfully mine. If you think about it, death isn't really so frightening. Who knows? You might even enjoy it," Karasu finished. Kurama jumped onto the ring and used his swift moves to attack Karasu. She didn't understand, surely he wasn't going to do something stupid... was he?
"He has a plan, it's obvious in the way that he moves," said Hiei. Kurama continued his assault, not landing a blow, but San knew that it didn't matter. What was he up to?
"I think you've finally lost your mind. If you come any closer, you are a dead man!" said Karasu, powering a bomb in his right hand.
"I will not be afraid of something I cannot see!" declared Kurama, charging at his enemy. Karasu launched his attack, and Kurama dodged it, landing in front of him and making a massive strike, knocking his enemy back.
"You're just full of surprises, but I thought you'd be more original," said Karasu, pulling out the seed of the death plant, "You really thought this would work. It's called tact Kurama, you should really consider using some. I must congratulate you though, you've injured me more than once and that's practically unheard of," and he exploded the seed in his hand. Something came out of the ground just then, a claw looking thing latching onto Kurama's ankle. A little tiny bomb came out of it, "That's what I call my mad bomb," Karasu explained. It exploded, blowing a chunk of his flesh, leaving him bleeding. He screamed, she felt it.
"NO!" he fell to the ground. The wound was great, and he struggled to get onto his feet, grunting in pain with every movement. He made it to his feet while Karasu laughed, "Don't move! You're surrounded!" she screamed at him. She was scared, the fear was evident in her eyes. The bombs were glowing, but other than that they reamained unseen.
"Didn't you say you chose not to be afraid of that which you could not see?" said Karasu.
"Shut the fuck up you piece of shit!" San yelled at him. She was furious, scared, and in pain.
"Speak now while you can my Queen, it won't be long that I'll have complete power over you," he taunted. She gasped, trying to stand. Yusuke grabbed her arm, helping her up and supporting her, "You know this entire battle has been an exercise in futility. You're weak, you're tired, you're powerless, you're pathetic. Yet it seems you have a masochistic streak that needs indulging. In that case..." one by one the bombs exploded directly on Kurama. She felt each one, and could barely imagine how he was feeling. He was smoking, as he dropped to his knees, bleeding badly. It was all she could smell, taste, and feel. Tears were in her eyes, threatening to fall, "That red hair is perfect for that fiery spirit I admire. You know that's why I've decided to leave your beautiful face unharmed? I may not be able to keep you, but I'll always have you're face as a memory, and make sure my Queen will remember it always, I'll keep it as a constant reminder to her," at those words, the tears fell, and Kurama stood once more. He couldn't let him win, he had to do everything he could. He turned to look at her. Yusuke was holding onto her, no doubt she could feel all of his pain. She stared back at him, face full of fear. Karasu laughed again, "Yes, say your good byes now, because this will be the last you see of each other ever again!" and he commanded the rest of the bombs onto Kurama. He screamed in agony, and she screamed with him. He was dying, covered in blood, and fell to the ground.
"NOOO!" she screamed, the tears pouring down her cheeks. He was getting weaker, his life energy diminishing, "No..." but then he began to rise again. He was up to something. He powered up and released the Vampire Tree, that latched onto Karasu and sucked away all of his life. She had never seen this before, but knew that he was dying. He used the last of his energy... No... She gasped, relieved this time. He began to rise once more. Karasu was dead this time, no one survive the Vampire Tree.
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"I've had worse," she answered, wincing with every step. The bleeding had stopped, she wasn't dizzy anymore, it was just a manner of the wound to heal. It would be gone by tomorrow, if not, then the next day for sure.
"Maybe you should sit down?" suggested Kuwabara.
"No, I'd rather watch, it'll be better that way."
"Hn. I can't believe such a fool nearly killed you," said Hiei.
"And I can't believe you haven't grown an inch in years!" she stated, not caring for his tone at all. He looked away, slightly annoyed. She focused again on healing her wound, she didn't like needing assistance standing, but she didn't have a choice right now. The half eaten corpse of Wakato was taken off the ring, the blood being cleaned up. Genkai had told her he was related to Bui. She'd have to warn the one to fight him about that. She was sure his rage would take it out on his victim, especially since she was on the opposing team. She pulled out a vial, drinking its contents to make the pain more bearable. She knew it wasn't enough to stand on her own, and she knew she would re open the wound even if she tried, but at least her mind would be able to focus on other things. Like Karasu. Who was staring at her. It was hard to tell what he was thinking while he hid behind that mask, but his intentions still stood. He was going to do his best to kill Kurama, and take her as his prize. She was still afraid of him, of his power, of those eyes that bore into her. Kurama glared at him. San was his, his to protect and his to cherish. The rage of the beast inside him would do everything in his power to make sure Karasu died. His enemy walked onto the ring. He placed two fingers to his head like a gun, staring at the two of them. What an ass.
"Look at him trying to scare us with his dumb finger. Man, I'm going to beat him until his mother doesn't recognize him!" declared Kuwabara.
"No," said Kurama. He looked at Hiei, and the fire apparition nodded to him. He walked over there and let San lean on him for support. The others looked at Kurama surprised, especially Kuwabara, "I will handle him," he finished walking forward, hate on his face. He continued on towards the ring. San watched him go, hoping for the best.
"Wait!" she said, hobbling towards him. He turned and she threw herself in his arms, kissing him deeply, "I love you," she told him after.
He kissed her forehead, "I love you. Save your strength," and he left her with Hiei once more. He turned and began walking again, death glaring at his enemy. The crowd was going nuts, but the girls stuck out in San's ears. She smiled at their enthusiasm.
"Damnit, if they start a riot in the stands, I'm not going to be the one that saves them," San heard Yusuke mutter to himself. She then felt the wind of Kuwabara running up to the red headed fox.
"Hey Kurama, wait," and he stopped right before Kurama got in the ring, "You think you'll use that medicine stuff that Suzuka gave you?" he asked, terrible at whispering.
"Actually, I took some about two minutes ago," he answered, "I've run a few experiments and found it takes a considerable amount of time to absorb into my body and change me."
"Ah! I don't know if you should take that stuff multiple times buddy, it could be bad!"
"There's no way I would've shown up here without testing it first," said Kurama, jumping onto the ring. He was going thru mental preparations, that San was sure of. Leaning on Hiei was getting hard, so she sat far enough back that she would be able to see everything. She had to watch this, make sure he was alright.
"So, what's it do when you take it?"
"Suzuka was right in assuming it would transform me. However there is a time limit, and I can only stay in that form for fifteen minutes. I'm not worried though, fifteen minutes is more than enough," and Kurama walked up to Karasu. They stood apart from each other, sizing up. San was nervous, scared, and in pain. Hiei stood slightly behind her, waiting for this fight to start. Juri declared the match officially begun.
"You're either extremely brave, or extremely foolish," said Karasu, "Its rare for anyone who's seen my capabilities to go thru with fighting me. She must really be worth it, and mean a great deal to you. It will make taking her away from you that much more rewarding."
"Don't flatter yourself Karasu. I'm hear to defeat you, and by the way... I advise you not to underestimate me," replied Kurama. Karasu's hand began to glow green, as Kurama released rose pedals into the air. She knew what he was doing, stalling. If Karasu happened to get injured along the way, then so be it, "Pedals and Thorns!" Karasu walked casually towards Kurama. Idiot. One of the pedals nicked his cheek, leaving a cut there.
"It's incredible, each of the pedals is as sharp as a razor blade," he said. The cut healed instantly, making San gasp, "How oddly charming," he continued to walk, "I must say Kurama, they are absolutely beautiful. However they are also weak and lacking in substance, traits they must have inherited from you," San growled at him. He continued to walk, he must be stupid, and she wondered why she was so afraid of him. As she expected, the pedals began to head towards him. He stood there, waved his hand, and one by one, the pedals exploded. She gasped, remembering why she was afraid of him again.
"What the heck? Those things just spontaneously combusted!" said Kuwabara.
"Be careful Kurama!" said Yusuke. San was trembling again. He didn't have to touch things to make them explode. She had to figure out how he was doing that, there must be a trick to it.
Karasu laughed, "Well, well, well, perhaps it was I who was underestimated by you," he said, "My hands are not the sole source of my power, they are merely vessels. Poor Kurama, it seems you've entirely misunderstood me. You aren't able to see my power so you feel secure that its everywhere. Even in the air you breathe. You can't escape it, it's all around you, inside of you. Why don't you make things easier and submit," he said jumping into the air. San gasped, he was faster than ever. Karasu was doing his best to get Kurama, thrusting his hands out to unleash his attack. San held her breath, thankful that her fox was fast as well. He jumped straight into the air, unleashing his rose whip. Karasu simply pointed and bang. It exploded, rendering it useless, "You know you can't stop me, yet you continue to try all the same. That's what's so appealing about you... and her. It's a shame that circumstances couldn't be different for us," and he ran towards Kurama. Did he just hit on her mate? Wow, "But it doesn't really matter..." Karasu continued, "... even things that seem ideal always turn sour. I'm just speeding the process. Besides, I find that there's no greater rush than taking the life of someone you care for," Karasu was attacking the whole time he spoke. He was fucked up in the head, "The intimacy that murderer and victim share is unparalleled. Witnessing their spirit separate themself form their body!" his attacks were getting faster, more urgent.
"Is that what you plan to do with San? Kill her?" asked Kurama, still dodging his attacks.
"Physically no. I plan to rip that mark off her shoulder, and mate with her. Her loyalties to you will make it terrible when she must obey my every command. She'll hate it, everything about it, and I will greatly enjoy watching her suffer under me."
"You monster. I will not allow you to break her like that!" said Kurama in a hateful tone. San let a tear fall, Yusuke and Kuwabara staring at her, this being the first they had heard of all this.
"Kurama, you act as if you have a choice," said Karasu, he then disappeared, or so it looked like. He had simply jumped high into the air. Kurama finally noticed him, just in time it looked like. Karasu came down hard, damaging the ring where Kurama once stood. The fox jumped back, as Karasu landed on his feet. Then, an explosion went off on Kurama's left arm.
"NO!" San screamed, as Kurama dropped to his knees. She felt it, the pain, his pain.
"What's wrong?" asked Kuwabara.
"The pain..." she trailed.
"I don't get it..."
"San is Kurama's mate. Their bond grows over the years and the feelings become more intense. When he's in danger, she feels it, when he's in pain, she feels his pain, and vise versa. If he dies, his mark remains, but she won't live for very long without him to support her, unless she mates with another," explained Koenma. San turned her attention back to Kurama. She was really worried now.
Karasu laughed, "Like I said, it isn't necessary for me to touch you. It's just one of the perks."
"You okay?" Yusuke yelled to him.
"Damnit what's the delay! If that clown gave him some bad juice, I'll make him regret the day he was born!" said Kuwabara.
"Listen to yourself," said Yusuke. Karasu laughed again and Kurama began to run. The bastard landed in front of Kurama. There was another explosion, in his left leg above the knee. San felt that pain to, and she shed a tear. He was going to be killed if he didn't do something! Why hadn't he changed yet? He was shaking, having trouble holding himself up. Kurama...
"Perhaps I should explain how my power works. It's similar to yours and that we both manipulate things with our energy with one distinct difference. You can only control things that already exist like your plants. But I manifest my thoughts into tangible things. For example, the object I'm holding in my hand. Although you can't see it, it is still very real, and very deadly," said Karasu, "But honestly, I don't think words can do a justice. It's just one of those things you have to feel for yourself. After all, like they say, actions speak louder than words. Now make sure you pay close attention Kurama, I wouldn't want you to miss a single thing," and Karasu's hand began to power up. San could feel it, he was more powerful than she ever thought he could be. Green started to flow everywhere, the energy ball in his hands emitting wind and then, there was something in his hand. It was a demon energy made stick of dynamite. Karasu jumped and then threw it at Kurama. It exploded instantly, a massive one at that. She thought she saw something fly out just before, but her attention was focused on the massive smoke occupying the same space as Kurama.
"Where is he?" she heard Yusuke shout.
"Kurama..." she trailed, but she didn't feel pain, which meant he wasn't hurt. She tried to hone in on him. He was weak, and only getting weaker. Finally, he disappeared completely, and just like last time, his power emerged like thunder. He was angry, his energy was proof of that. Plus, San, or rather, Moriko knew his true power. She returned to her demon form, it seemed that when he powered up like this she was able to feed off of it in a way that it didn't affect him. Or did it? She wasn't exactly sure.
"Anyone see?" asked Yusuke, who obviously hadn't noticed her. The smoke was starting to clear, but just barely. Karasu had landed, and he was bleeding. There was a rose sticking out of his hand, that's what she saw earlier. She stood, but barely. Her wound was no better, even with Youko's power flowing thru her.
Karasu held up his hand, "Very amusing," was all he said before destroying the rose. The smoke started to have a bluish grey colour to it, and then, there he was. Youko, and he looked pissed right off. He blew the smoke away, he was always fond of an entrance. Moriko smiled, happy to see him. She felt better knowing that he had finally appeared. Now Karasu would see his power, and knowing what happened in the past, he would take his vengeance.
"Alright! This is going to be sweet!" said Kuwabara.
"You're telling me that's Kurama?" said Yusuke.
"Basically," said Koenma, "As you know, his full name is Youko Kurama, but he's known by many other types to."
"What?" questioned Yusuke, turning to look at San. Wait, "And just who the hell are you? Where's San?"
"Allow me to introduce the former Queen of the wolf clan, Moriko Chie, the mate of Youko Kurama. With his powers to the surface, San is able to return to her demon for Moriko."
"That explains all this my Queen bullshit," said Yusuke. Moriko turned her attention back to her mate. He was bleeding, the injuries not making a difference in his demon form.
"Creating a bomb from nothing takes talent. That caliber of power is a sign that you belong to a superior class of demons, a class I consider to be fairly worthy. Worthy to fight and worthy to die. You have made a threat against something that is mine. For that you will surely die, from my hand only. Most demons are smarter than to go after my mate, you must think you really stand a chance," said Youko.
"You flatter me, but we still aren't equals!" said Karasu. His hands powered up green once again. Moriko could see now, see what they had been missing since the beginning.
"Rest assured Karasu, I wholly agree," Youko turned to look at her briefly, and then turned his attention back to his opponent, "Now I see, you create monsters that act as invisible bombs," he said, pulling out two roses and throwing them at the oncoming bombs. They exploded before they reached him, "How very clever, that's why I had such difficulty fighting you while I was trapped inside. Lucky for me I found a way to break free from Shuuichi Minamino just long enough to finish you."
"Thats fascinating. But nothing more than a loser's excuse. You weren't able to beat me then, and you won't beat me now," said Karasu. Youko stared, analyzing how he would finish him. Karasu created more bombs, plenty of them, surrounding the area he occupied, "But you're welcome to try," and he launched his attack. Youko dodged them easily, soaring thru the air, "When you come from the quest class of demons, you find that you can create all sorts of interesting things. These little jewels are what I like to call trace eyes. Once these bombs set their sites on you, they will follow you forever."
Youko moved between them without effort, "Have you heard of Ojigi? It's a rare plant found only on Earth's South America. The Ojigi is extremely sensitive to movement and if it senses any kind of vibration, it will quickly close it's leaves on its prey," Youko explained, still easily moving thru the bombs. Moriko was impressed, and forgot about getting some of the seeds off of her mate. She was fond of the Ojigi plant.
"I have no interest in gardening," said Karasu. Youko stopped moving. He stood still, the bombs completely blocked every place he could move, "My, my, looks like your surrounded. What's a boy to do?"
"I thought you'd know better than to corner an enemy like a fox Karasu. We have a tendency to show our teeth," Moriko smiled at his words. He powered up, and out burst his lovely weapon, "An Ojigi plant is quite dangerous regularly, and it is several times more lethal and more sensitive when grown under a demons energy," he turned to Juri, "You, unless you want to be plant food, don't move," he instructed. She agreed, moving slightly and the plant headed towards her, "Moriko!" she was there, hobbling towards Juri. She put a dome around the announcer, and asked the plant nicely to leave the poor girl alone. The plants bud opened up, glowing red, "It looks like it zeroed in on you. Guess all your trembling must have caught it's attention."
But Karasu ignored Youko and turned to Moriko. He walked up to her, slowly, "Interesting, you feed off the energy of your mate to revert back to your demon form. You really are an exquisite creature, my Queen, I think I'll keep you in that form once I claim you," Moriko glared, despite the fear she had. With her mate right there, she felt safer.
"Leave her!" Youko growled, as the plant began its assault on Karasu. He jumped out of the way, the plant making no contact with him whatsoever, "How does it feel to be the one pursued?" The plant cut off his every move. It had manifested all over the arena, branches popping up from everywhere.
"Oh yeah, this one's in the bag," said Koenma.
"Who cares that he's part of the whatever you call it class, Youko'll still kick his butt!" yelled Kuwabara.
"It's called the quest class. I bet you don't even remember your own name half the time," said Hiei.
"Get off me! Anyway, that super fox Kurama's going to beat that idiot, I just know it!" Moriko appreciated Kuwabara's support and confidence, and for both of their sakes, she really hoped Youko could pull it off. The plant began firing it's ray, and Karasu dodged all of it. He was stupid, the more he moved, the more attracted the plant got to him, it was only a matter of time before it caught him. He threw a bomb at it, thinking it had died, landing confidently, but Moriko smirked, knowing better. The plant emerged from the smoke, ready to claim him.
"The Ojigi also responds to aggression, so it will be all the more vicious once you attack," said Youko. One of the blooms headed right for Karasu, "You're going to have to come up with a smart way to kill it or else..." he held two fingers to his temple, "Bang," and he imitated a gun, throwing Karasu's actions right back in his face. Moriko laughed at this, and he winked at her. One of the flowers clasped onto Karasu, lifting him high into the air. It squeezed so hard his mask came off, and then all the other blooms began to pile on, covering him completely, "I thought it was going to last much longer than that. I would've liked to toy with him more before he died," and he turned to walk away. He smiled at Moriko, feeling a sense of relief. She was safe now, and that was all that really mattered. She walked up to the ring, waiting for him.
"Kurama sure showed that punk what was up, and he closed the deal in a measly five minutes!" said Kuwabara.
"Yes, two more wins and its done!" said Yusuke. Koenma was mumbling something, but Moriko was more focused on her mate. The plant then lowered itself, which was odd. It began protruding green lights. No, he was still alive!
"Youko!" she screamed, pointing behind him. He turned just as Karasu exploded the plant.
"I wouldn't count me out just yet," said Karasu, eying down his enemy and his prize, "You both look surprised. Did you really think that was the last you'd see of me?" Karasu then began to power up, breathing in the air. He glowed green and his hair changed from black to blond. His true power was showing.
"Step back Moriko!" her mate instructed. She obeyed, hobbling back to her former position. She parked beside Hiei, unable to support herself any longer.
"Can someone explain this? What exactly is going on here?" asked Kuwabara.
"It's an explicit sign that he's internalizing his power which means that the bombs he creates are inside of him, virtually making him one giant explosive," explained Hiei.
"Are you serious?" asked Yusuke.
"Of course I am. If my assumptions are correct, he's about to detonate, if you're wise, you'll take cover now," said Hiei. Moriko watched as Youko took a step back. Karasu powered high, making the stadium glow green and jumping into the air, laughing.
"Youko..." she trailed as Karasu was coming down fast on him. She felt someone grab her, and her powers growing weaker. Hiei had pulled her out of the way, "YOUKO!" she screamed in fear for his life. The explosion was so huge it blew a hole in the side of the stadium. The smoke was clearing, just as Hiei had landed with her on the wall of the stands. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma pulled themselves out of the rubble. Hiei jumped down with her, placing her on the ground. She was too weak to stand on her own still, "Where is he?" she asked. His pain, it was hers. He was still alive, just not visible. Karasu was laughing, and she saw Kurama break out of the rubble. She looked down at herself, she was human again. But, it hasn't been fifteen minutes yet? Maybe it was her presence that shortened it. But it wasn't by much, there was no way it could cut off as much time as it did. San looked at him, he was wondering what was going on, just as she was.
"Forgive me for disturbing your train of thought but, shouldn't you take this time to pray? Maybe say good-bye to the Queen over there? After all, you're about to meet your creator! And lose the love of your life!" Karasu laughed, San growled, "You can ask him why he flawed with you!" and the bastard continued to laugh. Kurama pulled out a rose, trying to summon his rose whip. It just exploded. San gasped, "You're too weak Kurama, you can't even control the most basic of your attacks. Make this easier on both of us and give in, I promise it won't hurt too much. I'm just going to take your life and then take what should be rightfully mine. If you think about it, death isn't really so frightening. Who knows? You might even enjoy it," Karasu finished. Kurama jumped onto the ring and used his swift moves to attack Karasu. She didn't understand, surely he wasn't going to do something stupid... was he?
"He has a plan, it's obvious in the way that he moves," said Hiei. Kurama continued his assault, not landing a blow, but San knew that it didn't matter. What was he up to?
"I think you've finally lost your mind. If you come any closer, you are a dead man!" said Karasu, powering a bomb in his right hand.
"I will not be afraid of something I cannot see!" declared Kurama, charging at his enemy. Karasu launched his attack, and Kurama dodged it, landing in front of him and making a massive strike, knocking his enemy back.
"You're just full of surprises, but I thought you'd be more original," said Karasu, pulling out the seed of the death plant, "You really thought this would work. It's called tact Kurama, you should really consider using some. I must congratulate you though, you've injured me more than once and that's practically unheard of," and he exploded the seed in his hand. Something came out of the ground just then, a claw looking thing latching onto Kurama's ankle. A little tiny bomb came out of it, "That's what I call my mad bomb," Karasu explained. It exploded, blowing a chunk of his flesh, leaving him bleeding. He screamed, she felt it.
"NO!" he fell to the ground. The wound was great, and he struggled to get onto his feet, grunting in pain with every movement. He made it to his feet while Karasu laughed, "Don't move! You're surrounded!" she screamed at him. She was scared, the fear was evident in her eyes. The bombs were glowing, but other than that they reamained unseen.
"Didn't you say you chose not to be afraid of that which you could not see?" said Karasu.
"Shut the fuck up you piece of shit!" San yelled at him. She was furious, scared, and in pain.
"Speak now while you can my Queen, it won't be long that I'll have complete power over you," he taunted. She gasped, trying to stand. Yusuke grabbed her arm, helping her up and supporting her, "You know this entire battle has been an exercise in futility. You're weak, you're tired, you're powerless, you're pathetic. Yet it seems you have a masochistic streak that needs indulging. In that case..." one by one the bombs exploded directly on Kurama. She felt each one, and could barely imagine how he was feeling. He was smoking, as he dropped to his knees, bleeding badly. It was all she could smell, taste, and feel. Tears were in her eyes, threatening to fall, "That red hair is perfect for that fiery spirit I admire. You know that's why I've decided to leave your beautiful face unharmed? I may not be able to keep you, but I'll always have you're face as a memory, and make sure my Queen will remember it always, I'll keep it as a constant reminder to her," at those words, the tears fell, and Kurama stood once more. He couldn't let him win, he had to do everything he could. He turned to look at her. Yusuke was holding onto her, no doubt she could feel all of his pain. She stared back at him, face full of fear. Karasu laughed again, "Yes, say your good byes now, because this will be the last you see of each other ever again!" and he commanded the rest of the bombs onto Kurama. He screamed in agony, and she screamed with him. He was dying, covered in blood, and fell to the ground.
"NOOO!" she screamed, the tears pouring down her cheeks. He was getting weaker, his life energy diminishing, "No..." but then he began to rise again. He was up to something. He powered up and released the Vampire Tree, that latched onto Karasu and sucked away all of his life. She had never seen this before, but knew that he was dying. He used the last of his energy... No... She gasped, relieved this time. He began to rise once more. Karasu was dead this time, no one survive the Vampire Tree.
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