Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Kirinashi ❯ The Red Fox's Ketsueki Mouretsu ( Chapter 4 )

"It's as you suspected, Kuwabara." Genkai said absently as she passed a faintly glowing hand over Kurama's unconscious form. "His spirit energy was locked inside him and rebounded when he reached for it. Thanks to you boys, he should be fine by tomorrow morning." She sighed wearily and removed her hand, moving it to tuck a stray lock of pink hair behind a delicately pointed ear. Her matching pink eyes closed for a moment and she rubbed at her aching temples before reluctantly prying them open again.

"Yukina and Shizeru," she said, pointing a finger at each of the women. "I want you two to get him to a room in the west wing and make sure he gets washed and put in a warm bed. Yusuke and Kuwabara, you boys are sleeping here tonight. And you as well, Botan," she threw a glance at the hopeful-looking ferry girl. "Now get," she shooed them with her hands and rose slowly to her feet, giving out another faint sigh. Her tired old eyes watched her young student and his friends leave with regret. Oh, but to be young again… she forcefully shook herself from that frame of mind and thought back to the kid's ragged appearance on the steps of her temple.

After Botan's rather unexpected outburst, Kuwabara had fed Kurama a mass amount of his own spirit energy, somehow sensing that he'd needed it in such a large quantity immediately. This done they'd all piled up on the guide's oar, Yusuke in the middle with Kurama in his arms, slowly but steadily feeding the redhead his own reiki. The group had flown from there as fast as was possible without worsening Kurama's condition, then gotten off and ran past the shields to Genkai's Temple. The old sensei was still amazed at their endurance… that they were still awake was amazing.

She wondered exactly what had happened to Kurama and Hiei, but the redhead's mind had been such a jumble of confusion that trying to explore more deeply would have driven them both insane. Now completely alone, Genkai heaved another sigh and shook her head. For now she was too tired to think about such things- it was bed for her.

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Kurama sat bolt upright, emerald eyes springing open in panicked trepidation. Warm woolen blankets fell from his shoulders, leaving the cool wind to whisper across his bear skin. Where where where, his mind chanted frantically, racing in circles for the knowledge of his whereabouts. Where am I? He blinked as his eyes became adjusted to the dark, taking in the small room but spacious bed he was in. His head snapped to the left as the gentle flutter of sheer white curtains caught his attention. Window. Freedom. He sighed as the sense of being a caged animal subsided and looked at his surroundings with a little more rationality, noting the recently dead fireplace and empty chair by his bed.

Kurama gingerly reached for his you-ki, slowly feeling his way deeper into his mind where that well of swirling light sat temporarily dormant, awaiting his call. The breath he had not realized he was holding blew forth in a rush, and he sagged back against a soft pillow. He sent out his awareness to every corner of the compound he was in, taking in the energy signature of every surrounding being and bringing that knowledge back to his mind to be assessed and set aside for consideration. The infinitesimal spark tension that had found a place along his spine relaxed as he recognized the reiki of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Botan, Shizeru, Yukina, and Genkai. That's where I must be…Genkai's Temple. Fine. Now how had he gotten here?

Kurama swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose smoothly to his feet, noticing with some amusement that he really wasn't wearing anything at all. One crimson eyebrow lifted and he snatched one of the sheets off the bed to wrap around his slender torso, then traipsed over to the window and peered up at the starlit sky. Somewhere around midnight, his mind gauged as he took in the position of the moon and it's reflection on the ponds in the garden outside. Hm… west wing, this absently noted. The redhead considered for a moment, then walked back to his bed and seized the armchair, which he noticed had his clothes neatly folded in it, to take back to the window.

He turned it so the back would face the door, then shoved his clothes off and settled comfortably down, curling his legs up under him. He closed his eyes and pushed deep into his mind, searching for the memory. It did not take long, and the emerald orbs jerked back open as agonizing realization washed over him. Hiei...

His eyes narrowed and a low growl issued from deep in his throat. Revenge. The sheet settled silently to floor as Kurama rose and jerked the window the rest of the way open, forgetting his state of undress until the cool night air blew across his graceful figure. This time it was not even remotely amusing. It was a hindrance to his path of revenge. His eyes found the clothes he'd so carelessly deposited on the floor, and he stooped in one smooth motion to pick them up. Kurama quickly vested himself and moved back to the window. His crimson tresses stirred ominously in the gentle breeze, and then he was gone, a mere shadow making its swift way through the night towards a single destination. Ekitai.

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