Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ kokoro no arashi ❯ The bond ( Chapter 7 )

Arrigatou for all the reviews for the previous chapter! I am trying to upload at least one new chapter per week, hope that all of you will continue to read this fic^_^

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Chibi Kurama: Why am I still dead?

Yuki: it's not the time for you to be revived yet!

Chibi Kurama: Will you hurry up? * Impatient glare * I want to spend more time for Hiei!

Yuki: I am helping you, you know. Hiei chan will treasure you more if he went through a lot to finally get you by his side! Thank me!

Chibi Hiei: * snorted * I seriously don't think so. I will treasure Kurama no matter what happens. * Death glare * And dun call me Hiei chan!

Chibi Kurama: Aww!!! You are so sweet, Hiei! *Hugs him tightly *

Chibi Hiei: Give me my reward now then. * Drags Kurama into the nearest room *

Yuki: Hentai bakas!

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(Kurama's POV)

Where am I? It's so cold, yet so warm……………

Something is pulling me, what is it? Why can't I open my eyes?

I feel so tired. Everything is black. Who am I? Kurama? Everything is so confusing, I feel as if my mind is a blank.

I want to scream for help but……………I can't. Why?

Somebody answer my questions, somebody help me. I don't want to be alone, not anymore.

I want to be with someone, someone I love, who is it?

Hiei………I want to be with Hiei.

Somebody bring me to him………

I feel so………empty yet………I feel a tiny bit of comfort, peace even. Where is this place? Why am I even here?

"Stay strong, Shuichi."

This voice………Kassan………where are you?

I want to stay strong but…everything hurts. I want to see you, I want to go to where you are, I………

"No, Shuichi, go back to where you belong, where you should be. Someone is waiting for you, he needs you………and you need him."

Where I belong? Where do I belong? Makai? Ningenkai? I don't know anymore.

I am tired, I just want to sleep. Let me sleep, forever………I don't want to fight anymore. Just let me fade away, zutto.

A force is pulling me to I don't know where. I am following it but………something is stopping me. I can't follow it anymore. I am lost. Why did the force disappear? I want answers.

"Come back Kurama, come back to me,"

Another voice. It's………Hiei. Are you here too? No, you are not. I am alone here, just like what I have always been.

"I love you, Kurama."

You are kidding me, Hiei. You can't love me…don't toy with me. I must be hallucinating, hearing things in this senseless place and situation I am currently in.

I want to………What do I want? I don't know…just let me go to sleep…

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There was a thunderous sound and everything that happened next was too fast. The next thing everyone knew was they were currently on the ground of Koenma's office, exhausted.

"What happened?" Yusuke managed to gasp out, still panting.

There was a chorus of "I don't know".

"Kurama! Is he alright?" Hiei badly wanted to go over to where Kurama is, but he was completely spent, he couldn't even move an inch.

That got everyone's immediate attention and they turned their heads in unison in the direction where Kurama was.

A light purple glow surrounded the kitsune's motionless body, which was half floating in mid-air.

A gasp escaped from Genkai while Koenma could only stared blankly at the body. What he wanted to say was caught in his throat and the baby god found himself unable to speak due to shock.

Hiei was startled. "Is there something wrong?"

He did not like the expression on Genkai's face at all.

Her face was very grim and she said the three simple words which were the last thing the fire demon wanted to hear. "The ritual failed."

Eyes widened and a harsh "Why?" was the response she got.

Genkai remained silent for what seemed like an eternity before she sighed. "Rest first, everybody. After one hour when all of us have ample rest, I will explain." She gave Hiei a glare, which says `I will not say anything within this hour.' Before she glanced at Koenma. His expression confirmed her suspicions.

The one hour dragged on very slowly for all of them but there were no complaints they as they had to restore at least ten percent of their energy in order to move freely and to brace themselves for what Genkai had to say.

Hiei's mind was in a complete state of turmoil and he kept clenching and unclenching his fist. His mind kept chanting `What happened to Kurama?' over and over again.

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(After an hour.)

"The reason as to why the ritual failed is actually very simple. However, it makes things very difficult."

"Will you just get to the main point already?" An impatient Kuwabara gashed out.

He was rewarded by a glare from the old martial artist.

"Don't rush me. As I was saying, it is very simple. Kurama had a bond with one of you here. And that's what stops his soul from coming back."

"Bond?" All of them asked in unison with identical confused looks except for Koenma and Hiei. He was too shock to react.

Genkai nodded. "A bond between………lovers." She added.

"Lovers?" The gang echoed again.

They looked at each other. And all their eyes settled on Yomi finally. "Did Kurama bond with you before?" they eyed him suspiciously.

"No." Yomi shook his head. "As much as I like to, but Kurama doesn't love me." There was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

Silence enveloped them again.

`Who could it be?' Yusuke pondered.

"Masaka, Hiei!" he exclaimed out loud.

"No," the fire demon snapped. Obviously he was furious that Kurama had bonded with someone else. To put it simply, he was jealous. //Kurama is mine………now, where did that come from? He was never mine to begin with.//

Koenma faked a cough, causing them to turn their attention to him.

"The bond could be from your past life. If the love was so strong that the bond did not vanish despite of the reincarnation, then it's possible that the bond is still here which link one of you with Kurama. Even if the memories disappear, the bond would never be destroyed. That's the power of a bond, a spiritual link which connect two hearts together forever."

"Right. The question is, among all of you, who has this bond with Kurama?" Genkai added.

"How do we know, when we can't remember anything?" Jin's voice piped up.

"Yeah, and has this kind of situation occur before?" Touya, was currently leaning against Jin with his head on his shoulder chimed in.

"Good question. If the bond still exists, chances are that the two lovers will gain their memories of their past life back slowly, pieces by pieces. This ritual which we just performed is very rare and seldom used. So far, the only records Reikai have of the use of this ritual is only six, starting from millions of years ago. And this kind of situation has only occurred…" Koenma paused. "once."

"But if the bond is to keep two lovers together, why is it that the bond prevents Kurama from coming back?" Yukina asked softly.

"Yeah, it's puzzling." Kuwabara scratched his head, all the blushing while staring at Yukina. //She's so beautiful.//

"The real reason is unknown. But it is said that the force of the bond and ritual don't work together." Genkai shrugged.

All of a sudden, they were blinded by a very strong light.

"What the………?"

The light slowly dimmed and they cracked open their eyes, which still hurt from the impact just now.

Where Youko Kurama's body once lay was now replaced by three large blue crystals and a Kurama which looked very much like a spirit. He was so light that they were able to see through him.

At that moment, the three crystals shook and gave another glow, before they disappeared, leaving only the `spirit' Kurama behind.

"What the hell just happened?" Yusuke immediately asked.

"Kurama's body has just changed into the three crystals which you had just seen. They had disappeared into his three most significant places in his heart. It is now your task to go and find them back to be performed on another ritual, be them in ningenkai, Makai or Reikai." Genkai explained.

"The three places that are most important to Kurama? That will be………" Kuwabara left the sentence hanging.

"Ningenkai, in our town." Yusuke added helpfully.

"Makai, where he was born" said Yukina and Keiko.

"Where youkos roam about." Continued Mukuro.

"And……?" asked Jin.

"……..Shimoki." Hiei finally answered.

"What's that?" Botan asked.

"Long story. I will go there. The other two places you can decide yourselves."

"Will the crystals disappear or will they drop somewhere and just wait for us to find them?" Yomi asked.

"They will appear but the `where' is unknown. They could be anywhere with anybody. But the good thing is that only certain people and youkais can see it. For example, in ningenkai, normal ningens won't be able to see it al all. Maybe those with powers can though. But I assure you that all of you here can see or sense it. However, you only have one and a half days to find the crystals. Tomorrow evening, if all three are not found yet and the ritual could not be performed, Kurama will be gone…………forever." Genkai's expression was grave.

"Is that Kurama's soul over there?" Botan pointed.

"It is. His soul was partially pulled back before the bond prevented it from coming back. He may or may not wake up in a while's time. It depends on how much he was pulled back and how much he wants to wake up."

"Will we be able to talk to him?" Hiei blurted out. // Say yes, say yes. Please say yes.//

"Yes." Hiei heaved a sigh of relief. // Please wake up, Kurama.//

"You can even touch or feel him. That's about the only good point of this kind of soul. However, I have to say that the ritual may not be a complete success. Like Koenma said, this kind of situation only happened once before and unfortunately, the ritual which was performed that time did not work. The soul was completely destroyed and the youkai was lost forever. I only knew about this ritual after reading the sort of dairy of one of the youkais who performed the ritual. Nevertheless, we must give it a try. This is the only solution and we cannot allow any failure." Genkai warned.

It took a while for all of them to digest all this information.

Hiei was a nervous wreck. He could feel his heart thumping wildly. // What if the ritual fail? What if Kurama never comes back? What if I can never see him again? How am I going to live without him? What if……..what if……Oh for god's sake stop thinking about all these what ifs. Kurama will come back to me and he will be perfectly fine.// he admonished himself.

With that, he managed a small smile and walked towards where Kurama's soul now lay, in a standing position with a light glow around him.

"One more thing." Genkai's voice caused him to turn to her. "The core person of this ritual is the one who bonded with Kurama. So, please inform me immediately if you are having any strange dreams recently. It is extremely important."

//Strange dreams? I don't have any recently. Then I am not the person who bonded with Kurama.// Hiei was clearly disappointed. It hurt to think that someone else in this room had bonded with Kurama and that the kitsune might never be his.

"Minna………" //This alto………it's…….it's…….// Hiei could not continue his thoughts. All he knew was that there were gasps coming from Yusuke-tachi before he whirled around, only to find himself staring at………..

…golden orbs……

To be continued……..

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End of eighth chapter! How was it?