Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Imaginary to Reality ❯ Hearts Are Easily Broken ( Chapter 5 )

[ A - All Readers ]

By: Mukuro5

Mukuro5: Okay. I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and I'm not allowed to see Hiei for a while.

Yusuke: Well if you didn't go crazy at the party we wouldn't have had to keep you two away from each other.

Mukuro5: I didn't know he didn't like it.

Kuwabara: mukuro5, it didn't help that you also pushed shorty into the punch bowl full of lime pudding.

Mukuro5: -walks out of room- No one even ate the pudding.

Chapter 5: Hearts Are Easily Broken

“Kuronue, are you really a ghost?” Kelly all of the sudden asked after Kuronue stopped talking.

“Yes,” Kuronue answered.

“So why are you following me around?”

“It is a very long story.”

“I have the time. So how about you tell me.”

Kuronue sighed. He had nothing else to lose. The mix up in the classroom already put him in deep trouble. Kelly stopped walking when they reached the park. She sat on the white bench and looked over at Kuronue who was standing to her right.

“It started right after I died…”

Kuronue was brought before the prince of Spirit World. He was detained by ten oni since he already killed five of their comrades. They were not about to let him kill anymore.

A toddler wearing a big blue hat with a pacifier in his mouth sat behind the desk. His hands were folded on the desk as he waited for Kuronue to settle down.

“Kuronue, it's time to send you off to your resting place,” said the toddler.

Kuronue just grinned at him. Suddenly he killed three more oni. The others backed off enough to dodge his attack. Kuronue immediately ran at Koenma, the prince of the Spirit World. An oni grabbed Kuronue's arms, stopping him only a few inches from Koenma.

“Koenma,” said an oni coming in from the halls.

Kuronue got out of the oni's grasp again, but this time he headed for the open doors. Once he was out of the room, a group of oni was waiting for him. They detained him once more.

“Take him to Spirit World prison for now,” Koenma ordered his oni as soon as they brought Kuronue back into his office.

“And I stayed in that dark, damp prison for twenty years before—“ Kuronue was abruptly cut off.

“You were imprisoned? Is it because you tried to kill that Koenma person?” Kelly asked.

“It's not polite to interrupt a story. No, it's not because I tried to kill Koenma. Even though at the time I thought it was.”

It was twenty years since Kuronue was imprisoned. The time in there made him weak because he refused to eat but once every four months, and even then it was only enough to keep him alive. His bat wings were disabled from a spell Koenma placed on him.

Like every day, a Spirit World guard came to his cell. Kuronue was sitting in the far back, right hand corner of the cell. He rarely ever left the shadows

“Kuronue,” said the light green haired female guard.

Kuronue lifted his head up from where it was resting on his knees. A weak smile appeared on his face. He lowered his arms so they could rest at his side. He was happy that it was her instead of some other guard. The guard's bright purple eyes kept looking at him even through the darkness.

“Hello, Kitai. What are you doing?” Kuronue spoke up in no more than a whisper.

“Lord Koenma wishes to speak to you,” Kitai answered.

Kuronue got to his feet, a bit wobbly. He walked over to the cell's door and placed his back on it for some support. In the light it was visible that Kuronue's body was covered with many bruises and several cuts that still bleed freely.

“You look horrible. You should really eat more than just once every four months,” Kitai said, concern showing through in her voice.

“I'm fine. Really.”

Kitai took out the key to his cell and placed it into the keyhole. She then opened the cell door and quickly placed chains on his ankles and wrists.

“Kitai, you know I wouldn't try to kill you or escape,” Kuronue stated.

“I know. It is just procedure around here,” Kitai answered.

And it was true. Kitai and Kuronue became friends while he was locked in the prison. She was the only one that wouldn't try to beat the crap out of him every chance they got.

Kuronue went along with the chains, if only as a favor to Kitai. She led him to the main hallway. The bright lights hurt Kuronue's eyes enough for him to shut them. He wasn't use to the light since he was in the darkness of his cell for twenty years without so much as a ray of sunlight. This didn't help the fact that he hadn't had anything to eat for three months. Even though he was use to it since Youko and himself went several months without food when they were on heists it still wasn't fun to go through.

Kitai led him to the office doors. She stopped in front of Koenma's doors. Kuronue was not paying attention and bumped right into Kitai. He looked at her a bit confused. Her smile was gone as she walked behind him and put her mouth to his right ear.

“Good luck, Kuronue,” she whispered to him before she pushed him into Koenma's office.

She shut the door as soon as Kuronue was in. This fact left Kuronue and Koenma alone.

“No guards? You are either really brave or just plain stupid. I can kill you even now, when I'm all chained up,” Kuronue said, a smug grin appearing on his face.

“But you wouldn't, would you? You know as well as I do the severity of the punishment you would receive,” Koenma stated.

“What do you want? I know you didn't bring me here for meaningless chit-chat.”

“I can imagine you don't like it in Spirit World prison. I would like to make a deal with you.”

“What makes you think I would agree to anything?”

“This will help you get out of prison and lighten your sentence as well.”

“What is it?”

“You have to help two-hundred and seventy-five demons, humans, and future guardians who have lost their way or might get into catastrophic trouble. I will assign you one of these three to help. After each assignment you will report back here and get a new one. Of course, you'll have to stay with them until they are safe or have found their way once more.”

“Is that smart? What if I just abandon them and disappear?”

“We'll clip your wings, at least until you have finished this task, and your spirit will be linked directly to Spirit World. After you have done this you will be able to go to your final resting place.

“I'll take it since I'm sure I have no other choice.”

“Is that why you are following me? Am I one of the ones you need to help?” Kelly asked.

“I thought you wanted to hear the story. Stop interrupting me,” Kuronue ordered.

“Sorry. I just wanted to know.”

“Yes, that is why I'm following you.”

“So how do you know Shuichi?”

“If you would let me finish I was getting to that.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“You know, though, I'll reach Youko once I'm out of this place,” Kuronue said, putting his chained hand on Koenma's desk.

“Who's Youko?” Kelly asked.

“Kelly,” Kuronue growled.

“Sorry. Go on.”

“Kuronue, I'm not too concerned about that. Your first assignment is a kid named Shuichi Minamino. He is only four years old. You'll have to help him without giving your name. And you'll have to wear another pair of clothes. Just for this assignment. If you choose you can also dye you hair,” Koenma ordered, showing Kuronue a picture of a red haired, green-eyed boy.

“Your first assignment was Shuichi! No wonder you know him!” Kelly blurted out.

“Kelly!” Kuronue growled again.

“Oops! I interrupted again, didn't I?”

Kuronue sighed. He knew she wouldn't listen to any more of his story. “The one you call `Shuichi' is my old partner in crime and dearest friend. He is a fox demon named `Youko Kurama'. For some reason he has taken a form as a human.”

“Shuichi is…is…a…DEMON!!”

“Yes. A very strong, cunning one.”

“You two must have been very close. Why did he get so upset over your hat?”

“It's a reminder of an old wound that hasn't fully healed just yet.”

“How did you die?” Kelly asked, looking up at him from where she was laying on the park bench.

“If I tell you the story will you promise not to interrupt me till I'm completely done?” Kuronue asked, looking down at her with his arms crossed in front of himself.

“I promise.”

“Okay, but I'll start it from the beginning of that day.”

It was already after noon. Kuronue was still sound asleep, yet his white haired partner was up and cooking something for himself to eat. As soon as Youko took the rabbit off the fire, Kuronue opened his eyes.

Kuronue got to his feet and walked over to Youko. He grabbed the cooked rabbit out of Youko's hands. Youko got to his feet a bit angry with his partner.

“Kuro! You lazy bum! Get your own food,” Youko ordered, reaching to grab his food back.

Kuronue spun on his heels so Youko would stumble forward. Then he took a bite out of the food. Youko tried to get back his food again but to no avail.

“Why should I when there's perfectly good food here?” Kuronue asked.

“I'm going to go to the river. We have a heist tonight so I expect you ready when I get back.”

“Whatever, Youko,” Kuronue said, throwing away the bones of the now devoured rabbit.

Youko walked out of the cave and towards the river that was near by. Kuronue waited a few minutes before heading to the river as well.

Youko was about to get out of the water after taking a bath. Before he was even able to take a step on the land, Kuronue jumped out from behind a bolder. Youko fell back into the water with a big splash.

“I actually got you!” Kuronue laughed out, “I've finally got you! So much for the unafraid fox.”

“Kuronue! I'm going to kill you!” Youko growled, standing back up.

“Looks like I made little foxy mad,” Kuronue mocked before running through the forest.

Youko quickly threw on his pants and ran after his friend. Kuronue weaved in and out of trees but Youko didn't miss a beat. They spent the next ten or so minutes running through the woods. Kuronue started to spread his wings. He looked back at the pursuing Youko with a grin.

“So long!”

Kuronue only got an inch off the ground before Youko grabbed onto his wings.

“Not so fast butterfly,” Youko said, giving a slight yank on Kuronue's left wing.

Kuronue fell to the ground and landed on his back, hard. “Oww! Youko, you know my wings are sensitive! And I'm a bat not a butterfly! Get it right!” Kuronue complained, rubbing his left wing.

“Maybe you'll learn your lesson this time,” Youko stated, looking down at his friend with his arms crossed.

“You didn't have to -“

Kuronue was interrupted when Youko bent down and snatched his hat. Youko quickly sprinted off through the woods again. Kuronue got to his feet and raced after him. It only took about three minutes for Kuronue to finally catch up to Youko. Kuronue tackled Youko to the ground as soon as they were running neck and neck. Youko allowed Kuronue to snatch his hat back.

They lied there in the grass for another moment. Youko was the first to sit up. Kuronue sat up as well, and fixed his hat so it fit comfortably on his head once more.

“Okay. That's enough fooling around. We have to get ready for the heist this evening,” Youko stated, getting to his feet.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kuronue answered with a bit more attitude than need be.

“If you mess up this heist your pendent is the next thing to go.”

“Like you could get it away from me.”

“You want to try me?”

“Maybe I do.”

Youko and Kuronue were now a few inches from each other's face. It only took them a few seconds before the both of them burst out laughing as they backed away from each other.

Later that day Youko was looking over the plan for the heist one last time. Kuronue was asleep next to the right cave wall.

“Kuronue, wake up. It's time to start going,” Youko said, looking over at his sleeping friend.

Kuronue didn't wake up or even move. Youko called his name one more time with no feedback. He got a bit frustrated and threw a small rock at Kuronue. Kuronue woke up immediately. He rubbed his head where the rock hit. He looked over at Youko, who was now getting to his feet.

“You didn't have to hit me with a rock,” Kuronue announced.

“It was either that or me kicking you. Now get up! It's time to leave,” Youko answered.

Kuronue got up off the ground. He gave one last yawn before they left the cave.

“Do you remember the plan?” Youko asked, maneuvering around some bamboo trees.

“Of course, I do. Do you even have to ask?” Kuronue answered, keeping up with his friend's speed.

“Do I have to remind you of the last heist you messed up because you forgot what you were suppose to do?”

“Just don't mess up your part.”

About twenty minutes later, a loud siren went off. Its ring echoed through out the bamboo forest. Several loud voices were head as well.

“That went better than expected,” Youko stated, running down a darken hallway.

“A bit too smooth. There were not as many guards as originally thought,” Kuronue answered, following his partner.

Soon they hit the outside world. At least two hundred armed guards of the palace were on their tails. The two didn't care though. Just as Youko was sure they were out of harms way, he saw Kuronue double back. He quickly turned around, golden mirror in hand.

“Don't, Kuronue!” Youko called to his friend.

“I need it!” Kuronue called back to Youko as he continued to run back towards the palace.

As soon as Kuronue bent down to grab his pendent, he felt a sharp pain go through his entire body. He knew that something had hit a vital organ. In mere seconds sharpened bamboo spears surrounded his body.

Several of the guards started to pull the bamboo spears, that didn't hit him, out of the ground so they could get to Kuronue. A guard with short, white hair finally decided to punch Kuronue.

Blood spewed out of Kuronue's mouth. The pain from the punctured artery in his leg swept over again. Even though he wanted to lash back out at the guard, he knew it wouldn't do much good in his condition.

“Not so might now, are you?” asked the white haired guard before punching Kuronue again but this time in the face.

“Stop,” ordered a calm, fragile voice from the crowd.

The guards moved out of the way for a woman dressed in royal garments. A golden crown the size of a tiara was placed neatly on the top of her head. Her silver and black hair was in a bun with a few strands framing her flawless face. As she looked over Kuronue's blood soaked body with her golden eyes her warm features never faltered.

“Lady Kageryu, you shouldn't be out of bed,” the white haired guard reminded her.

“I'm fine, Zutto. Is this one of the ones whom stole my Hikari-Yami Mirror?” asked Kageryu, looking at the white haired guard.

“Yes. Shall we kill him immediately?” asked Zutto.

Kuronue knew the answer, but he didn't care. If they didn't kill him the blood loss would. The blood continued to flow from the wound on his ankle. He knew he had lost his color by now.

“No. Put him in the prison,” she answered before walking back to the palace.

“Yes, Lady Kageryu. You heard her! Get this scumbag into the prison!”

Kuronue grounded his teeth and took the pain of the guards pulling the spears out of his body. Once they were all out, Kuronue fell to the ground. The spears were the only things keeping him of his feet. The guards didn't care about Kuronue's condition though. Two of them yanked Kuronue to his feet.

Youko ran though the bamboo trees. He stopped as soon as he got a good distance away. Tears streamed down his pale cheeks.

“Kuronue, you fool! You should have just left your pendent behind! You should have continued running! You stupid bat!” Youko yelled into the emptiness of the bamboo forest.

He looked at the Hikari-Yami Mirror in his hands. He clenched onto it even tighter as more tears flowed down his face.

“Over this! It happened all because of this!”

Youko threw the mirror into the air. He swiftly took out a red rose and transformed it into a whip. He slashed the mirror into a thousand pieces. Once he did the surrounding area went up in a bright, almost blinding, white light. When the light dimmed down Youko was on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“KURONUE!!”