Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Fornever Tantei ❯ In Which a Decision is Made ( Chapter 22 )

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Between Death and Reality. And I'm guessing this far into the story, I don't need to say more.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I am not making any money from writing this. I do, however, own my plotline.

 

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Chapter 22

 

In Which a Decision is Made

 

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Kurama winced as he slowly regained consciousness. He was groggy from the continuous dose of tranquilizers he was being subjected to in his captivity and the throbbing in the back of his skull from withdrawal from his plants was slowly getting stronger. While the fox knew it wouldn't kill him immediately, he also knew that the longer he was away from his element, the worse the symptoms would get. Kurama estimated he had about a month left at most (and that was a high estimate, he was sure) before the symptoms became so excruciating that they would end his life.

 

While he hoped he wouldn't be imprisoned long enough to find out how long it would take for the withdrawal to kill him, the longer he spent in the Organization's hands, the more concerned he became. While he trusted his friends with his life - which was why he hadn't given up hope yet - the enemy they faced was one on a different level than they had faced before. He knew that under the conditions he was being held in - continuously sedated, unable to access his demon energy, and in poor physical shape - there was little he could do to help from the inside so had to vest his faith in his friends to get him out.

 

The sooner the better, the fox thought, and not for the first time since his capture. He did not regret his decision to sacrifice himself to save his friends - and Botan - but he knew his limits. I'm starting to crack. Kurama snorted wryly to himself. I'm sure that's exactly what they want, too. The addition of the return of the dreams from Karasu's return those years before was really straining the fox's precious control. And with the heavy dosage of drugs his captors kept him sedated under, it was nearly impossible to fight off.

 

The fox shook his head in a vain attempt to clear the fog in his mind and immediately regretted it as the withdrawal pain and the effects of the tranquilizers combined to cause his vision to black out for a moment. When he dared to open his eyes again, his vision cleared and he sighed. He could taste the dry metallic tang of blood in his mouth and could feel bruises aching all over his body. Kurama slumped in his shackles, which rubbed painfully against his raw wrists. I'm in bad shape here.

 

“You don't look so good, Kurama,” an oily voice said from the doorway.

 

Kurama looked up slowly as not to aggravate his head anymore and was greeted with the unwelcome sight of Risho leaning against the open doorway. “Unlike you, Risho, who doesn't need to take a beating to look not so good,” Kurama retorted. He would take every opportunity even for the smallest act of defiance. As bad as his situation was, he was not going to give up on his friends or himself.

 

Risho's lips tightened in irritation but showed no other outward sign of emotion. “Your small defiance will get you nowhere, fox.” Kurama shrugged, feigning indifference. Risho, however, could read the act and snorted. “How the mighty have fallen.”

 

Anger boiled in the pit of the fox's stomach but schooled his features the best he could. But with the drugs affecting his system, his powers of control were limited and Risho seemed to be able to read his expressions like a book. The earth master snorted. “It's almost sad to see the once proud Kurama in such a state.” Risho smirked. “Almost. It's just too satisfying.”

 

“What do you want, Risho?” Kurama snapped. His head was throbbing and he was losing his patience with the former Demon World Shinobi.

 

If possible, Risho's smirk seemed to widen. Whatever the earth master was doing here, it couldn't be good. “To let you know that you're not alone.”

 

Risho was getting at something but Kurama couldn't focus enough to try to sort it out. “What are you talking about?”

 

“We caught a couple of rats snooping around our hideout.” Kurama blinked, somehow sure this was important but couldn't quite figure out why. “Naturally they were apprehended.”

 

“You caught more demons. Big deal,” the fox snapped, his tone uncharacteristically impatient.

 

“Not just any demons,” Risho replied, wagging a finger at the red-head. “A traitorous ice master and a drunkard.”

 

The descriptions swirled around in Kurama's foggy mind for several moments before he was able to grasp who Risho was referring to. He felt as if Risho had landed a blow to his gut. “Touya and Chuu,” the fox whispered, horrified.

 

The earth master nodded in aggravating superiority. “I wouldn't trust your friends to get you out of here before the withdrawal kills you, fox.”

 

Kurama's eyes widened. They did know about his withdrawal from his plants. Of course, the fox mentally berated himself, Risho is an elemental as well, controlling earth. He would know all about withdrawals.

 

“A plant master of your strength, I'd estimate would have another two to three weeks, maybe a month at most you could go without being near plants,” Risho said, crossing his arms across his chest in a calculated manner. Kurama grimaced, not liking that Risho had estimated the same time frame that he had come up himself. “At the rate your friends are moving to help you, I wouldn't hold my breath. You'll die here.”

 

Kurama opened his mouth to disagree but the earth master cut him off. “You're thinking that we wouldn't let you die as we want your power.” The red-head shut his mouth. He must really be out of it if Risho was anticipating his thoughts. That irked the proud fox to no end. “But we know enough of your power now that it would almost be advantageous for us to have you dead than alive and with the slim possibility you could oppose us. We will gain plenty of support from the public if we were to rid them of any of the Tantei.”

 

In a sick, twisted sense that was fitting to their enemies, Risho was making sense. And Kurama hated it. Risho inclined his head as if to acknowledge what the fox was thinking.

 

“But if you were to join forces with us, you wouldn't have to worry about that. You would be freed, uncollared, and allowed free reign, as long as you served the Doctor's long term goals.”

 

“I'd rather die than help that bastard. We all would,” Kurama snapped in return. “You know that.”

 

“But what about that pretty ferry girl? Would she want you dead; playing martyr in a vain cause?” Risho replied smoothly.

 

“Botan…” The named slipped off the fox's tongue before he could catch it and the earth master grinned.

 

“Yes. How do you think she's fairing now, with you captive? It's causing her unnecessary pain, don't you think?”

 

“Bastard,” Kurama snapped weakly at Risho. Images of Botan flashed through his head, the look of fear for him the night he was captured lingering in his mind. If she was missing him half as much as he missed her, then she must be miserable. Red hair fell into Kurama's face, veiling his pained features from Risho's sight.

 

“It doesn't have to be like this, Kurama,” the former Shinobi leader said silkily. “One word and you'll be free. All you have to say is, `yes'.”

 

Images of Botan danced in front of Kurama's eyes, but he heard what Risho said. A small part of him told him to take the offer. He could always rebel once he was in better shape, another part reasoned. His composure was cracking even further and there was little the fox could do to stop the erosion of his once proud control on his emotions. But then his teammates popped into his head and with a sudden clarity he hadn't felt since his capture, knew what he had to do.

 

“No,” he whispered.

 

“What?”

 

“No,” Kurama repeated, this time with more conviction. “I know what you're trying to do, Risho, and it's not going to work.” Emerald eyes rose from the ground and met Risho's black.

 

Risho blinked. “Be reasonable.”

 

“Go. To. Hell. I won't fall for it.”

 

The earth master seemed taken aback by the fox's sudden strength of will and clarity of thought but quickly regained his own composure. “Fine,” he sneered. “But remember you don't hold only your own life in your hands with your acts of defiance.” And with that he slammed the fox's cell door shut and left Kurama wide-eyed. The earth master was threatening to use Touya and Chuu against him.

 

Dammit.

 

But another thought hit the fox as his thoughts gathered for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. If Touya and Chuu had been captured near the Organization's headquarters, it must mean the group had an idea where to find them. There would be no way they would be risking being caught for any other reason.

 

For the first time since his capture, Kurama felt a sudden jolt of hope in his stomach. And he smiled.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Risho stalked into Dr. Ichigaki's office, visibly irritated after his confrontation with Kurama. The demon scientist had watched it all on his monitors and did not blame the earth master for his agitation, though wished he would control it better. He made sure the fox was administered a stronger dose of the sedative he had been under after that meeting before turning to his second in command.

 

“Did you see that?” Risho demanded, sitting on the couch.

 

“Yes,” the doctor replied impassively.

 

“Nothing gets to him. Even after all of this, he's still defiant.”

 

“That's where I disagree, Risho.”

 

The earth master blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

 

“He's cracking. Slowly but surely, the fox's control is slipping. There was visible surprise on his face when you mentioned the withdrawal symptoms he is obviously experiencing and by his reaction I'd say we gauged his timeline accurately. And when you brought up the ferry girl, he very nearly lost it there,” Ichigaki replied.

 

“But he didn't,” Risho retorted.

 

“No,” Ichigaki agreed, “but he is still cracking. Somewhere deep down he knows we won't let him die, but you planted a seed of doubt in his mind that will haunt him while his thoughts are foggy from the sedative. And when you mentioned his captured friends, he was definitely concerned. We should be able to use them to our fullest advantage.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Not only will we be able to get their power with time, but we can use them to keep the fox in line. They are not as strong as he is, though much stronger than any other of our specimens.” Ichigaki smirked. “This is a good time, my friend.”

 

Risho was about to reply when a loud knocking interrupted the meeting. The demon doctor snorted in irritation before calling the intruder to enter. A blue-coated human stepped into the room looking visibly shaken.

 

“What is it?” Ichigaki demanded.

 

“It's the island laboratory, Sir,” the human replied.

 

Ichigaki blinked. “What are you talking about?”

 

“We can't get visual on it, anymore.”

 

“The equipment must be faulty,” Risho said, rising from his seat.

 

The human shook his head. “That's not it.”

 

“Then what is it?” Ichigaki asked, both impatiently and nervously. Something was wrong.

 

“We can get visual of the island….”

 

“Spit it out,” Risho hissed. The human paled.

 

“The laboratory is no longer there, Sir. All we can see is rubble.”

 

Ichigaki's eyes widened in shock but the doctor found himself incapable of forming words.

 

“Rubble?” Risho demanded in his stead.

 

The human nodded, sweat beats breaking out on his already pale skin. “And…”

 

“There's more?!” Ichigaki growled.

 

The blue-coated man nodded and swallowed. “We also spotted Gattasval's remains in a crater a few hundred meters from the remains of the laboratory.”

 

“Remains?” Ichigaki asked weakly.

 

The man nodded faintly, obviously afraid of the reactions his superiors would have to this startling news.

 

“Anything else?” Risho demanded.

 

“No.”

 

“Then get out.”

 

The blue-coated man knew better than to dally so gave a hasty bow to the doctor and earth master before hauling it out of the office, glad to have left the room with his life after imparting such bad news.

 

“The Tantei,” Ichigaki growled, his voice dangerously low. “They did this.”

 

“How could they have found the lab?” Risho asked pragmatically, though also with his suspicions. The location of the Organization's headquarters was in that lab, so that would explain why Touya and Chuu were lurking around so close to the once secret hideout.

 

“Even without the fox, they are a crafty bunch,” Ichigaki replied coldly. “It seems I underestimated our enemies even after working hard to do just the opposite.”

 

Suddenly the demon doctor began to laugh. “Good. I'm glad my worthy opponents are going to give me some fun after all.”

 

A sudden shiver ran down Risho's spine at the sound of the doctor's maniacal laughter.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

“Turn up the TV!”

 

Yusuke looked up from the papers he was going through at the table with Botan in the main room when Mitari broke the tense silence. Maya grabbed the remote from her seat adjacent to the table and turned up the sound of the muted television. It was usually left on 24/7 in case a news report came on, like now.

 

The reporter was standing in a crowded room that looked to be set up for some kind of meeting. “We are coming to you live from an undisclosed location,” the reported said, over the noise of the milling crowd behind her. “The Organization has called a press conference and brought the media to the location, though we were all blindfolded.”

 

“Well isn't that nice,” Genkai snorted from somewhere behind Yusuke.

 

“We don't know the details of what is to be announced today, but I can only assume it relates to the rumors of their latest captures,” the reporter went on. She looked like she was about to say something else when the room went silent. The reporter turned around to face the stage and in a hushed tone said, “It appears to be starting.”

 

Yusuke felt a snarl threatening to form on his face when Dr. Ichigaki walked onto the stage and took his place behind the microphone. He wanted nothing more than to land a few blows to that contorted face that seemed to be eternally plastered with an oily smirk.

 

“I have called this press conference today,” the troll doctor began, “to call out my - nay, society's enemies, the Reikai Tantei and their cohorts, as well as the rebel humans.”

 

“Has something happened?” an impatient reporter asked.

 

“Funny you should ask that,” Ichigaki replied, “because something did indeed happen. Something valuable to me - to the cause - was destroyed recently by the Tantei.”

 

“That's right,” Kuwabara said, pumping his fist. Yusuke looked back at his best friend and they shared a victory grin. The former detective then looked back at Hiei and though the fire demon appeared stoic, Yusuke could detect the slight upward turn of his lips, denoting a smirk. Destroying the lab was no small victory for their side and it was satisfying to see their work being rewarded.

 

“But in return,” Ichigaki continued and Yusuke turned back to the television, “two of their powerful demon allies were captured.” The Toushin felt a sudden wave of worry in his gut when Ichigaki's exaggerated features broke into a grotesque grin. Next to him he felt Botan tense and he knew she was worried as well. He put a hand on hers and she squeezed it tightly, never once looking from the screen. “And while they are dangerous, I don't think they will be able to hold up to the same treatment as the fox.” Botan squeezed Yusuke's hand even harder at the comment and the black-haired teen winced.

 

“You may have destroyed my old laboratory, but I hold the lives of all your friends in my hands. And just between you and me,” Ichigaki said in a conspiratorial tone, “Kurama is cracking. I give him two weeks before the withdrawal kills him, so I would do something before then if I were you. And we'll be waiting. Make no mistake about that. It's your move.”

 

The room the press conference was being held in was silent for an extended moment before it burst into a flurry of questions. Not caring what the media had to ask the demon doctor, Maya hit the power button on the remote and put the remote down slowly, not sure of what to make of the broadcast. The hideout remained silent, everyone with their own thoughts and no one ready to break the silence.

 

Finally Kuwabara couldn't take it anymore. “Withdrawal?” he asked. “What does that mean?” Yusuke was glad Kuwabara had been the one to ask, since he was just as lost. Looking around the room, Maya and Mitari seemed to be confused as well. The rest of the gathered group - Genkai, Jin, Rinku, Botan, and Hiei - didn't appear confused but rather, unwilling to reply to the question.

 

“Withdrawal is something that happens to elemental spirits,” Botan replied finally, her voice tight. She had let go of Yusuke's hand and clenched both her hands into fists in her lap. “When an elemental spirit is forcibly separated from their element for extended periods of time, they go through a painful withdrawal that eventually soaks up all the spirit's energy and kills them. It's a very slow and…” she paused, swallowing, “slow and excruciating experience to the spirit. The stronger the spirit is the shorter the time they can be separated from their element before they suffer withdrawal symptoms.”

 

“It's said to be one of the most painful ways for a spirit to die,” Genkai added quietly.

 

“Two weeks isn't a very long time,” Maya said slowly.

 

“That's due to Kurama's strength and bond with his element,” Hiei replied tersely.

 

“His plants,” Yusuke said as everything pieced together.

 

“I wen' through th' early stages o' withdrawal once,” Jin said quietly, hovering in mid-air. “Mah master wan'ed me tah know what it felt like so I would never be anywhere withou' the wind fer long.” The wind master shuddered at the memory. “It was… it was terrible. Ah can only imagine what Kurama is feelin' now.”

 

Yusuke could feel anger boiling in his stomach and it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep it from erupting at the surface. The haunted look in Jin's eyes only served to make the ex-detective furious… and afraid for his friend. “They're killing him and are taunting us with it.”

 

“Would they really kill him?” Rinku asked. When everyone looked over at him, he shrugged. “I mean, he's like their trump card, right? It wouldn't be very smart just to let him die.”

 

“There is no way to know exactly how long any spirit will last before the withdrawal kills them,” Hiei replied. “Two weeks is an estimate.”

 

“But if we chance it and wait any longer to make a move,” Maya began.

 

“Then there is a very real chance he could die before we got to him,” Hiei finished.

 

“So they're planning on uncertainty?” Maya asked, confused.

 

“I think that about sums it up,” Genkai replied. “They don't want Kurama to die, but they understand the very real possibility of it if they stay on their current path, which I'm sure they are loath to deviate from at this point.”

 

“We're in a crappy situation,” Kuwabara grumbled. “Even when we think we got a victory, they just put us down.”

 

“So what do we do now?” Mitari asked.

 

“What can we do?” Botan echoed.

 

Yusuke looked around at each person in the room and received a nod. He nodded in return determinedly.

 

“We do what the doc wants us to. We make our move.”