Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Right Here Waiting For You ❯ Chapter 54 ( Chapter 54 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

~*~*~*Story Start*~*~*~


I shook my head at the boy, a frown on my lips. Does he really think that it's going to be as simple as that?  Who am I kidding, of course he does! He's a child for fuck's sake! I was really going to kick Sensui's fucking ass for ever bring a child into this kind of fight. He was going to get this child killed just because he has a grudge for whatever the hell happened in the past! My fists clenched at my side in anger, already picturing myself breaking that guy's jaw. I couldn't wait to hear the satisfying crack of his bones either, I hate killing and I don't ever want to kill a ningen, but he fucking deserves it. Not just because of Amanuma, but because he's going to kill millions of innocent people for absolutely no reason at all! All those children, babies, animals and adults who are unaware that they're lives are in the hands of some psychopath could die and having that on my conscience was too much to bear.


We need to get the fuck out of here. Now.


“You have got to be the stupidest, most immature brat that ever lived! And that means a lot coming from me, your games' are gonna get us all killed!” Yusuke shouted angrily, his fists clenching at his sides.


“Nah, once the tunnel is done I'll throw the game and lose, then you'll all be free to go,” Amanuma stated.


Yusuke sneered at that response, the situation beginning to weight heavily on his shoulders like it was for the rest of us. Only a few hours until all Hell really broke loose. “Yeah, where are we gonna be free to go to if the whole world's been turned into a demon parking lot? We've got to find another way out of this--”


“It's no use,” Hiei cut him off, and we all turned to him. “I tried and look what good that did us. We're in the child's Territory and just how it was with Kaito and that ugly mansion we're bound to the rules he's set, no matter how ridiculous.”


When Hiei turned around, walking towards me Yusuke narrowed his eyes. “Where the hell you going?” he asked, some annoyance clear in his tone.


Hiei didn't turn around, just stuffed his hands in his pockets as he got closer to where I was sitting. “I know as much of games as I do of hugs and puppies, and care for them even less. Wake me for the end of the world.” he said as he sat down a foot away from me, his eyes closed as he crossed his arms over his chest, and I got a grin on my face. Yes, he's sitting next to me! Score!


“Wooh! Seat buddy!” I cheered, throwing my hands in the air.


Hiei opened his eyes and glanced at me blankly. “Do you want me to get up?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.


I shook my head quickly. “No,” I said slowly.


“Then shut up, Baka Onna,” Hiei demanded, but I heard no annoyance in his voice, and I stared at him blankly for a moment. Well, that was rather rude. Jerk.  I was happy goddammit, next time I'm just going to hit him!


Okay, maybe I won't...


“Aw, you're mean,” I whined, pouting.


Hiei smirked but closed his eyes, and said nothing else on the matter. I pouted even more, man he's such a jerk I thought he was gonna keep me company! However, I stopped pouting when I saw Yusuke manage to give me a smirk and wiggle his eyebrows suggestively at me, making me blush and throw a glare at him. Fucking pervert ningen, if I wasn't resting and I didn't have a wound in my side I would so be dropping kicking his ass right about now!


“Kurama,” Yusuke called a second later, turning to the kitsune seriously. “Is there anyway you can whoop this kid's ass?”


“Actually, I'm...more worried of defeating Amanuma than I am of not,” Kurama mumbled solemnly.


Yusuke narrowed his eyes, and I did as well, what did he mean by that? “You want to translate that?” Yusuke asked with a raise of his eyebrow, and I listened closely, as well as everyone else who was paying attention. Hiei excluded.


Kurama frowned deeply. “As Hiei said he's made it so that everyone in his Territory operates under the laws of the game, thus our fate is the same as that of the challenger in the arcade, as long as we choose to continue we can go on indefinitely. If we quit, our lives are over. However, as Kaito demonstrated, Amanuma is not immune to his own Territory's logic. I'm afraid this young boy is naïve when it comes to the dire consequences of his own power. If he loses, he too must follow his game counterpart's fate, merely a pawn in Sensui's shadowy grasp,” he said, his jade-hued eyes never leaving Amanuma's form.


I frowned, that horrible feeling appearing once again. *I don't like this...* I whispered to myself.


“Puzzle. Three 7. Level G,” Amanuma spoke, the slot machine finally done spinning, catching our attention once again. “All right, the game is Three 7, which one of you wants to play next? There's only three left and one of you's actually sleeping. Not that I couldn't beat you at Three 7 in my sleep.”


“I'll do what's best,” Kurama said softly, walking towards the controls.


“Um, guys.” The boys looked back at me, seeing my very confused expression. “What's Three 7?”


Kaito was the only one I expected to answer me, even if I didn't want to admit it. Damn him for being smart. “It's a test of your spacial reasoning, mathematical prowess, and hand dexterity. It's fun.” I sweat dropped, my face turning blank at that. “Various combinations of the numbers 0 to 7 drop and you must arrange them so that the sum of three numbers, vertically or horizontally, is equal to 7. Eliminating those blocks you can also get rid of blocks by, as the title suggests, lining up three 7's in a row. The object of the game is to clear as many blocks as possible which becomes increasingly difficult as they fall at faster speeds. If the blocks fill all the way to the top, you lose,” he informed me.


I blinked. “That's...very complicated,” I said bluntly.


“Yes, it can be quite the frustrating brain-buster.” Kaito nodded. “Once I played for 36 hours straight without sleep trying to best my own high score,” he explained, and I widened my eyes. My god. Why?


“36 hours?!” Yusuke asked in shock.


“Uh...yeah,” Kaito hesitated for a second, pushing his glasses up. “Everyone needs a hobby.”


I rolled my eyes, leaning against the wall. “If that's what you want to call it,” I mumble to myself sarcastically, although I swear I heard a small snicker appear next to me.


Hiei still had his eyes closed, but I saw a small smirk on his lips.


*I thought that you were trying to sleep?* I asked as I rose an eyebrow at him,


{Did you honestly think that I would be able to sleep with all the noise that is going on?} Hiei opened his eyes and glanced at me again, and when he saw my sheepish smile, he got a blank look on his face. {You really did think that, didn't you?} he asked with a sweat drop going down the back of his head.


I looked off to the side. *Maybe...*


{You're an idiot,} Hiei sighed.


I got an irk mark and glared at him with an anime mad face. *And you're an asshole who thinks he so cool, you can't even play a little ningen game!* I retorted, sticking my tongue out at him, arms crossed in victory.


Again, Hiei got a blank look. {Neither can you, Onna,} he countered.


*...Shut up! I bet I'm better than you are, though!* I shouted, my right eye twitching in annoyance.


Hiei rolled his eyes. {I'm sure you are.}


I shot him a look. *Don't you be sarcastic with me, young man!* I snapped with my hands on my hips, even if I did look weird thanks to my current sitting position.


{I'm older than you,} Hiei pointed out, glancing at me.


*Ha! You're an old man!* I got a large grin on my face, feeling rather smug now, thank god I'm not older than him or then I would've felt old. ...Somehow, I mean we're like sixteen in ningen years.  *How does that make you feel, Old-timer?* I asked with a cute smile on my lips.


I felt a sharp pain go through my head and it took every ounce of restraint that I had to keep from letting out a yelp of pain. Goddammit, he did that mental slap upside the head thing again! I'm going to kill him for that! I rubbed the spot that ached, feeling the dull throb pulse on my scalp. I glared over at Hiei, seeing him smirking at me in victory, and I had to see that was kind of...childish. I hid the smile that threatened to form on my lips. Was he being playful? ...Well, as playful as he can't get. However, I felt my cheeks turn pink at the thought of him actually opening up around me to be...abusively playful, if I can't call it that. ...Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm not sure...


{It feels just like that,} Hie thought with a snicker.


I pouted at that, dropping my hand to my side. *I don't know why the hell you're so abusive to me, I've never hit you!* I whined, anime tears building in my eyes as I looked at him.


There was a pause.


{Tell me you're not being serious,} Hiei said bluntly.


I shot him another look. *I am so being serious!*


Hiei had that 'my god you really are dumber than Kuwabara' look on his face, and I did not appreciate that, thank you very much. {You hit me earlier today, so you're both an idiot and a liar,} he insulted, again, rather bluntly.


I got an irk mark on my temple. *Bastard!*


{Bitch,} was his response.


*Asshole!*


{Brat.}


*Jer k-ass!*


Hiei let out an exasperated sigh at that. {Its still not a word, Baka Onna,} he said throwing me a look.


*It so is, Otoko!* I stuck my tongue out at him.


{You're a child,} Hiei said with another roll of his blood red eyes.


I felt like I won, and I smirk in my victory. *Yet you love me anyway, huh?* I asked as my triumphant smirk turned into a cute smile once again, and I was practically beaming.


There was a long pause after that, and at first I was confused, but that's when it dawned on me. I turned a very bright shade of red, and I nearly had a heart attack. Oh fuck me. {...Shut up, Onna,} was Hiei's long awaited reply, lowering his head to block his face, closing his eyes once again.


I have never felt so dumb before in my life.


Dammit me.


I, however, was snapped out of those thoughts when Kurama stopped before the control stand, and he turned to the young boy a few feet to his right. “Listen Amanuma, I have something I need to ask you,” he informed, his jade-hued eyes meeting Amanuma's purple orbs, and something in Kurama's eyes made me feel uneasy.


“What is it?” Amanuma asked, standing in front of his controls too.


“Did Sensui specifically instruct you to challenge you at Goblin City?” Kurama questioned.


“What's it to ya?” Amanuma asked with a smile on his lips, and that innocent smile was really starting to become too much too look at. “Yeah, Mr. Sensui really likes this game and thought it'd keep you guys busy. I said I didn't care 'cause I'm good at them all.”


Kurama tensed up, his hands gripping tightly into fists at his sides. “I need to know, do you understand what Sensui plans to do?” he asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as he possibly could.


“Of course I do, he'll let a bunch of demons out of their holes so they can reek havoc and mess with everyone.” Amanuma grinned, and I frowned deeply at that. So naïve... “I thought it'd be fun, plus no school for a while, sweet. I think the best part is while all those dumb people are running and screaming I'll be safe in my Territory playing games without homework or parents,” he said happily, smiling.


“Didn't Sensui tell  you, you won't be around that long?” Kurama asked, eyes overshadowed.


“Huh?” Amanuma asked back.


A cold chill ran through me, my eyes widening. *Kurama...? Wh-what?* I thought, a thought beginning to surface to my mind, but I desperately tried to push it back, not wanting to believe it.


“You'll die if you lose,” Kurama informed.


Amanuma had a look of terror on his face, his eyes shrinking slightly.


Yusuke and I stared in shock, our eyes wide. “What?!” we shouted together, but Yusuke narrowed his eyes angrily, while mine were filled with horror and sadness. Tears filled my eyes, my hand rising to my lips. Oh god...


Kaito's eyes only widened.


Genkai just narrowed her eyes, not showing any other emotion.


My eyes stared widely at the floor, my gaze have blurry by the tears that side on the edges. My hand didn't lower from my lips, the shock of the truth still hitting me hard. So...that's why I've been feeling this way for so long. I gritted my teeth angrily, my fingers clenching tightly into a fist, my nails digging into my palm. I didn't even flinch when my nails broke through the skin, and I felt blood coating my finger tips. Sensui...that...that fucking bastard! How could he do that!? Amanuma didn't do anything to deserve to die! Sure, he can be a brat sometimes, but what kid wasn't?! That didn't mean he needed to be condemned to death! Fury, sadness and guilt raged through me, and I opened my left hand, seeing the four crescent-moon indents that I inflicted upon myself. I wanted that fucker's blood.


“What do you think?” Kurama asked as he closed his eyes, his tone sounding...harsh, and that made me flinch back to reality. “Does it still sound fun?


Amanuma composed himself, a smirk forming on his lips, but I could still see the small fear and doubt that was in his eyes. Kurama's words hitting their mark. “You almost had me for a sec, but I'm not that gullible. He told me you'd try something like this,” he said, trying to wave it off completely.


“Because he's counting on us to figure it out,” Kurama explained, his eyes staring straight ahead. “Now, I'm sure you've made it to the game's end more times than I.”


Amanuma frowned, turning to him. “The end of the game?” he asked.


Kurama nodded shortly. “When you beat the game they vividly depict the Goblin King's death, that's a ending very specific to this game.”  Amanuma's eyes widened, recalling the end of this game in his head, and he knew that Kurama was right. “Of course, Sensui never want you to practice your power playing Goblin City inside your Territory, did he?” he questioned the boy.


“But how could you possibly know that?” Amanuma looked confused, but denial set in when he threw his arm to the side. “No! I couldn't play this because I didn't have seven people to play with! Besides its not like I died in other games!” he shouted.


Kurama's eyes were now hidden completely under the shadow of his hair, no other expression visible on his face besides the frown on his lips. “But you have never tested your powers in manifesting any games of this type have you, Amanuma? Where you take the role of a villain who explicitly dies at the game's conclusion, is that correct?” he asked once again, glancing at the boy with narrowed eyes.


“I don't know, yes?” Amanuma answered unsurely.


“Surely Sensui gave you some reason for avoiding them,” Kurama said, his tone growing an edge.


Amanuma frowned. “Well...” he trailed off quietly, recalling whatever lie Sensui had given him who knows how long ago, and I bit my lip harder, almost drawing blood. Dammit...


“Wait a second,” Yusuke spoke up, catching our attention, but neither player looked at him. “So, Sensui's putting his own man up on the chopping block just to stall us for a couple of hours while he digs a hole? I gotta tell ya, between you and Mitarai Sensui's not big on the whole building company loyalty, is he?”


Kurama clenched his left fist even tighter, and I saw blood drip from his knuckles, exactly like what had happened to me. “A man like Sensui has no other loyalty except to himself, and his cause. And he cares nothing for how much blood is shed to reach that goal.” Kurama looked at his bleeding palm before he closed it once again and looked over at Amanuma with a frown. “Not even the blood of an ignorant young boy who foolishly chose wrong over right,” he stated solemnly.


Amanuma just stood there, his body frozen with horror when he realized the truth of those words.

“Game Start,” the computerized voice spoke causing Amanuma's eyes to widened and he gasped, quickly grabbed a hold of the joystick, his eyes still wide with fear. “The player who clears the most blocks without filling them to the top wins the game.”


Kurama just moved his blocks as they began to fall, keeping his calm composure and placing them strategically at the bottom of the red outlined rectangle that appeared before them. Amanuma's body was tensed up, his movements stiff and jerky as he moved the joystick around to place the blocks his shaky fingers hitting the buttons to turn the blocks vertically or horizontally. I bit my lip, not taking my eyes off of Amanuma, my heart aching for the poor boy. I knew how he felt, the fear of dieing because it was staring him right in the face, and he had no control over it. He was powerless to stop what was coming to him, but unlike me he wasn't going to get a lucky break. I clenched both of my fists now, both at my sides, and blood began to drip on the floor once again. God, I hated this so much. Why did Sensui have to do this to us? Why Kurama?


“You can go ahead and call me a dimwit, but let me just ask the stupid questions.” All of us turned to Yusuke, or at least I glanced at him anyway. “If Kurama's got this all figured out, why did he tell the Game Master instead of keeping it to himself? And why'd he wait 'til it was too late to stop the round?” he asked, looking down at Genkai.


“Sensui had a strategic reason for not telling Amanuma he would die in real life if he died in the game.” I looked away fully this time, looking at Genkai with a sad frown on my lips. “Young people are stupid about life and death, they think they're invincible; to young to die so they're not consumed with the fear of it. That's why armies recruit teenagers, that's why Koenma recruited you,” she said as he looked over at Yusuke, him being a very nice example.  


“Hey, I resent that, I know I can die because I've done it once and lived to tell about it,” Yusuke said, and I wasn't sure if he was serious or not.


“I don't have time to show how you proved my point.” Genkai rolled her eyes at him in annoyance. “Sensui didn't want the boy thinking of the possibility of death, however, he counts on us to figure it out and think of nothing else. It fits into Sensui's pattern, testing our moral limits; seeing if we will justify the kill,” she explained seriously. I wished desperately that this was just a horrible nightmare and I would wake up soon to find myself in the hospital, with no threat towards Ningenkai. But I knew that was impossible, and I really hated it.


Yusuke frowned. “Well, we won't...will we?” he asked hesitantly, looking at Amanuma.


“Kurama has, that's why he told the boy the truth. To make him weak.” Genkai's expression stayed the same, but my eyes widened in disbelief. “Its a dirty trick, but Kurama knows what he must do,” she said.


Yusuke looked at Kurama's back in shock as well, his eyes slightly wide. I shook my head slightly, unable to believe that he would so such a thing. I knew that it was the only way for us to have a sure fire way at winning, but...I still couldn't get over how cold he was acting. That wasn't Kurama...was it? However, Hiei's words from all the way back at Maze Castle penetrated my thoughts. Kurama was more cut-throat and more ruthless than Hiei was, and he was really showing us. Despite that, I didn't look at him in a different light, and I didn't hate him even if I was disappointed in him. If...If I had to make a choice like this, I doubt I would have done anything different. However, my thoughts were cut off when I heard Amanuma let out a scared gasp, and I looked up at him, seeing him miss a easy three 7, his hands becoming shakier.


“Hey, he just missed a pretty easy three 7,” Yusuke announced with a frown.


“Shuichi's under his skin,” Kaito observed solemnly.


Amanuma's body was beginning to shake as he thought desperately to win, but it was obvious he was having a hard time. He wasn't getting any points, missing easy chances that came his way without even realizing it, his mind on too many things to concentrate on the game. However, when he did get his mind on the game he let out another scared, shaky gasp when he saw that his tower of blocks was getting higher than Kurama's, making him more nervous and scared than he was before. With each passing second that went by the tower grew, and it was getting too hard for me to watch, but even if I wanted to look away I knew I couldn't.


“This is bad,” Yusuke mumbled, his eyes softening on the boy.


Kaito frowned, his eyes too losing their narrowed look. “The Goblin King's distracted himself,” he stated obviously, but I said nothing about it.


It wasn't before long that Amanuma's tower of block was only less than halfway from reaching the top, and I felt my body shaking. In a minute or two, that boy will be laying dead on the ground. The thought made me sick to my stomach, that gut wrenching pain curling and tossing around in my stomach horribly. Amanuma was feeling the gratify of the situation, his body visibly shaking more and more that I was surprised he was even able to hold onto the joystick like he was. His purple eyes were wide with fear, and sweat was trickling down his temple, fear covering his whole body in a cold blanket that nothing but the sheer knowledge of his survival could make it go away.


“Please!” Amanuma turned his pleading us to Kurama. “Is there anything I can do to get out of this?!” A block hit one of the rows, making the boy gasp and turn towards the screen, glancing at Kurama this time. “Anything?!” he asked desperately.


“Is there not a way to shut down this Territory and void your power?” Kurama asked back.


Amanuma looked at him fully. “No! I tried that! Its impossible to shut it down while a games' still in progress!” Amanuma somehow got three blocks to get a sum of 7 before he turned to Kurama again. “Unless you choke at this game there's now way out,” he explained, and that made any hope of seeing this boy come out of this alive fade into nothing.


Kurama held his head up, eyes narrowing. “I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen,” he refused emotionlessly.


Another block on Amanuma's screen hit the row below it, and stayed there, making Amanuma gasp. He looked at his screen, seeing how far his tower had gone up, and Kurama's harsh words took its toll on him. Tears filled Amanuma's eyes, his body shuttering with sobs that he wasn't going to let be audible, at least for now. His eyes lowered and his bottom lip trembled, his breathing becoming harder and quicker than it had been previously before. He was losing it, and I clenched my eyes tightly, not being able to watch that child break down over his own eminent death. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I kept them down as best as I could, and all they did was just keep building on the edges of my eyes.


“This isn't about choosing one life over another,” Kurama spoke up, but his voice was still emotionless as it had been before, and I almost hated that tone in his voice more than anything right now. “You know what Sensui's going to do. I can't say you aren't responsible for your fate.”


Amanuma trembled. “But I didn't mean for this stuff to really happen!” he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.


The blocks were coming down faster and faster with each passing seconds, Amanuma's blocks making the tower build higher and higher, now growing dangerously close to hitting the top of the rectangle, and we all knew that there was no going back. He had no way of digging himself out of the hole he had created, and it was only a matter of time before his time ran out. Amanuma soon lost all hope and ability to think rationally, and his shaky hands both clasped the joystick. He was moving it around, holding it for dear life as if that would safe him, and his breathing began to get higher, faster and shakier. He was beginning to hyperventilate, and just hearing him make that sound was heart wrenching. He shouldn't have to go through, he shouldn't EVER have to go through something like this.


“I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!” Amanuma shouted in fear and sadness, his eyes closing as tears streamed down his face.


*I can't watch this...* I closed my eyes tightly as I held my hands over my ears, tears spilling down my cheeks. Memories resurfaced, the feeling of horror and fear as Kane took away my air supply. Those words had been the words that screamed in my head as I desperately tried to escape.  *Stop it...just stop it...* I pleaded in a whimper, trying to drown out Amanuma's hyperventilating gasps of fear.


{Onna,} Hiei's voice broke through my thoughts. {Calm down.}


I shook my head, hating the sound of the blocks hitting the rows. I could just picture what was happening, but my eyes refused to open. *Hiei, he's just a child. H-how could anybody do that to a child?* I asked, both angrily and sadly.


Hiei's voice gave a sigh, obviously not use to trying to give words of comfort. I'm surprised he's even trying. {Kurama has already said it, Sensui doesn't care who dies. Even if its a child,} he said, frowning.


*Why is this happening?* I asked, biting my lip to stop the tears. *There had to have been another way!*


{You know that was impossible, Onna,} Hiei stated quietly.


I refused to believe that. *That isn't right! We're suppose to be the good guys, we're suppose to make sure that everyone survives! But we can't even save a child?! That...dammit, there had to be another way! Thi-this isn't right!* I thought, wishing nothing more than to make that bastard feel pain, to wish that he had never, ever been born into this world.


I wanted him dead.


{...I know, Onna,} Hiei spoke up hesitantly, struggling to find words. {...I know.}


A buzzer went off.


My head snapped up and my eyes opened instantly, staring at the screen that showed Amanuma's blocks. They reached the top. Kurama's, however, were still barely even in the middle of his rectangle, showing that he was the winner. The blocks on Amanuma's and Kurama's screen flashed and began to disappear before their rectangles went black, and red letters appeared saying “Game Over”. My heart stopped, watching as Amanuma's hands began to fall limp, and before I knew what had happened I appeared next to the boy's side in a second, catching his body in my arms when he fell. The boy's body just laid in my arms limply, I felt no heart beat and his body didn't move as if to take a breath. I just stared a the boy's face, seeing tears still in the boy's eyes, which were unlike mine as they continued to fall.


“Game over! Hark and rejoice for the evil Goblin King is dead, and peace has been restored to the town!”


It was silent. No-one was moving or saying a word, but what was there to say? All I could do was sit on my knees, holding this boy as his body grew colder and colder, reminding me so much of my parents, and I bit my lip once again. Dammit... However, when the room began to rumble violently, my eyes snapped up and widened as I looked around with the others.


“The hell is that?” Yusuke asked as he took a step back, his eyes narrowing into a confused glare. “I didn't know this game came with a rumble pack.”


Genkai's eyes, however, narrowed and looked at the others. “Heads up, boys!” she warned.


The machines began to crackle loudly as red electricity sparked and coiled through the air, but I made no move to get up, I only held Amanuma tighter to me. The walls around us exploded and smoke filled the room, Yusuke, Kaito and Mitarai letting to shouts of surprise when rocks almost fell on them as the ceiling collapsed. Hiei, Kurama, Genkai and I stayed where we were, debris and smoke barely missing us as they whipped around before, behind and beside us. The door that we had walked through earlier exploded and the debris flew out of the opening and into the darkness of the cave. Soon, there was nothing left of the room that we had been in, leaving everyone but Hiei, Kurama, Genkai and I to lay on the ground in a heap. Groans were heard from Yusuke, Kaito and Mitarai as they pushed themselves up a second later, getting their barrings back from the explosions.


“Did anybody else feel that, or was that just me?” Yusuke looked around, but his eyes widened when he only saw the cave and a little machine between Kurama, Amanuma and I. “Where did Goblin City go?” he asked with a frown.


Genkai walked forward. “When Amanuma died, his Territory went with him,” she explained.


Yusuke's frowned deepened. “These Territory things are messed up,” he said with a tone of disgust.


I nodded to myself. “Yeah, they are,” I whispered.


“This is where your Goblin City went,” Genkai said with a humorless laugh, standing before the machine that was to my left. It was small and had two controllers attached to it, and a cartridge placed in the top.


Kaito pushed his glasses up as he looked down at it as well. “His power must have been very great indeed to create such an elaborate illusion out of nothing,” he said with a bit of awe in his voice, but there was a frown on his lips when he glanced over at Amanuma and I.


I heard the sound of footsteps appear behind me, and I looked over my shoulder, seeing Hiei standing there. There was a frown on his lips, his eyes connecting with mine, but all I did was try and give a smile of appreciation for the gesture. However, I couldn't pull it off, and I turned to look over at Kurama who stared at the floor. The other's followed my example, their eyes falling on Kurama's form as he kept his back to them.


“Kurama,” Yusuke spoke up softly, walking over to the kitsune. “Don't...blame yourself--”


Yusuke's eyes widened and he jumped back, sweat trickling down his face at what he saw. My eyes narrowed, and I looked over at Kurama's face, only to have the same reaction. Kurama's eyes were hard and cold, his face emotionless and not showing an remorse for what he had done. Shock filled me to the core, my mouth open in disbelief at his expression. He...he didn't care? He didn't care that he took an innocent child's life? I would have tightened my grip, but I was aware of this boy's cold body against mine, and I made sure to handle him carefully. I continued to stare at him, unsure of what to do.


“I have no regrets, Yusuke,” was Kurama's short reply.


Kurama walked ahead of us, not even looking back to see if we were following him. I just sat there, not knowing what to think of what just happened. “I don't know what to do, I've never seen him like this before,” Yusuke said, taking the words right out of my mouth.


“Kurama...” I mumbled, frowning sadly.


“Kaito,” Genkai's strict voice suddenly broke the silence that shrouded us, making the pink clad boy look down at her. “We'll resume the original plan and go outside to guard.”


Kaito nodded. “Yes.”


I heard another pair of feet coming towards me, and I looked up to see Kaito there. Looking once more at Amanuma I turned to Kaito and held the boy out to him, and Kaito took him in his arms. Walking back to Genkai, Kaito and her began to walk out the way that we had come through earlier. Hiei grabbed my hand gently, lifting me up off the ground and once I was back firmly on my feet Hiei let me go, but stayed close. I felt exhausted and emotionally drained for what had happened only a few moments ago, and I was surprised I wasn't shaking from it, but I pushed that thought of my mind. I turned to Yusuke and the others did as well, and when Yusuke gave a nod we began walking after Kurama's retreating form.


The silence was deafening, no-one willing to break the quiet that fell around us once again. The only person who did speak was Mitarai, but only when he was telling us which direction we would take when we came across another fork in the road. There were so many turns in this last hour that I couldn't help but wonder how anyone could navigate their way through this place. However, I stopped thinking about that, the silence that was around us still penetrating my thoughts, but I didn't have the courage to speak up to try to break it. Everything felt awkward and tense, and I hated it, making me hold my arm tightly as I looked down at the rocky ground that crunched with every step that I took.


“Up here we'll turn right,” Mitarai spoke, knocking me out of my thoughts.


I looked up, letting out a sigh.


“Hey, Hiei.” Yusuke stepped closer to the fire youkai and I, glancing at the red haired kitsune. “You've known him a lot longer than I have, you're not worried about Kurama at all?” he asked, a frown on his lips.


Hiei glanced at Yusuke, closing his eyes. “You think that's the first child Kurama has killed in his day?”


Yusuke blinked in slight surprise, thinking that Hiei would have smirked at the question, but shook that thought out of his mind. “Yeah, but he's not like other demons, he's changed,” he retorted, turning his eyes forward, his frown deepening, his eyes flashing with worry.


I frowned deeply at the thought of Kurama killing children before, but I believed in Yusuke's words as well. Kurama has changed, and he was just hiding his guilt behind this cold facade. That made me feel better to know that he did care about Amanuma, but I had a feeling that his words were lies. However, I snapped out of my thoughts when all of a sudden we came to a stop. Hiei, Yusuke and I looked at Mitarai, our eyes narrowing in question, while Kurama only stared calmly ahead. What was going on now? There wasn't another thing that wasn't suppose toe be here, right? I don't think I could handle another Territory right now, that was the last thing I wanted to do.


“Why are we stopping here, pal?” Yusuke asked, looking at the blonde.


Mitarai narrowed his eyes at the wall before us, a lied illuminating the stone. “Just around that bend ahead is the final corridor that will take us to Sensui's lair, I just wanted to make sure that we're all ready to face him,” he explained, and I tensed up, feeling the anger flow back into my body.


“Like I said, why are we stopping?” Yusuke asked again, his tone now serious.


None of us said anything else, and we all continued to walk until we came to the opening, and light washed over us. We came to a stop, our eyes widening at the sight before us. There a few feet away were two men, and one of them was Sensui. He was sitting on a brown leather couch, sitting before a large television screen and a VCR player. Another man was there, standing not too far away from the couch. He had long, teal hair and was wearing a light blue outfit with a yellow obi sash tied around his waist. On the screen was some kind of moving picture, but they weren't what we were really looking at. We were looking at what was above and in a large lake of water that sat in the middle of the cave.


In the water was a boat that held Gourmet  and a tied up, gagged Kuwabara. Behind them was a large hole, with millions of youkai faces desperately trying to get out. Their eyes were on Kuwabara and Gourmet, their fangs dripping with saliva, hunger filling their eyes. I glare heatedly, my fingers curling into fists once again as I looked at Sensui, wanting nothing more than to go over there and slam my fist through his face. Not only has he kidnapped my friend just so he'll be eaten, but he caused a child to die just for his own sick, twisted pleasure! What only made this worse was that Sensui that it was a justified cause, like all of this was for the greater good. I wanted him dead, and I want him to burn in Limbo until his soul ceases to exist.


“Urameshi, you're late!” Kuwabara shouted annoyed, his voice muffled by the cloth around his mouth.


Yusuke clenched his fist, stepping forward. “We're coming, Kuwabara!” His eyes fell from Kuwabara's form and looked at the youkai that were still trying to reach out to Kuwabara. “That's some welcoming party you've got in this cesspool, Sensui. This place has definitely got a spooky vibe, like the Aquarium from Hell. Like I could reach out and touch them except for a thin sheet of glass between--”


The barrier that was holding the youkai back began to crack, making Yusuke and I jump, and we all knew that our time was running short. I looked over at Kuwabara worried, seeing the fear that was in his eyes, sweat trickling down his face. He had his Spirit Energy back, and he could feel the strength that all those Youkai had combined, and it wasn't a nice feeling to be sure. I couldn't stop myself from shivering at the feeling of it, but I pushed those thoughts out of my head. I couldn't get intimidated by those youkai, the real threat was Sensui, and it was obvious that he was stronger than any of those youkai, even if their strength was combined. Fun thoughts, real fun thoughts.


“It's a beautiful view, isn't it?” Sensui asked, making Yusuke and I glare. “I can tell you, you can keep your sunsets and crystal blue oceans, and snow-capped mountains. Just give me a view to the dusk of human civilization and I'm the happiest man alive. The mark of true art, it has a profound impact on those around it. You're witnesses to history my friends, and trust me you couldn't ask for better seats to the end of the world,” he said as he turned to look at us over his shoulder, an insane smirk on his lips.


I stepped forward. “Bastard--!”


Hiei grabbed me back, and stood in front of me, his arm out. “You'll only kill yourself, Onna, by rushing in there like that,” he said seriously, his narrowed red eyes appearing over his shoulder as he looked down at me.


“...But,” I started, but Hiei's glare made me stop. “Sorry...”


Sensui chuckled, making me bristle and I glared over at him. “I can tell that you're very eager to watch the spectacle that's about to unfold, aren't you Miss?” he asked sarcastically, just to get under my skin, and I hated to admit it but he did a pretty good job. His voice just held superiority, like he was a God or something, and I really hated him for that.


“You're fucking insane, you psychotic bastard,” I spat heatedly, ignoring Hiei's warning glare.


Sensui only laughed.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Ending it here! Sorry that this one is so short, but most of it was Amanuma's back story, and stuff with Sensui that none of the characters were around for, so yeah that kind of cut the length down a whole lot. I hope you all liked this chapter, and I hope you all forgive me for not updating for like two months. I even put two chapters up because I felt so bad for making you all wait! Bye!
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