Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Rose Murderer ❯ Falling Forever ( Chapter 10 )

"Not so innocent are we now, koorime?" Youko mocked as he stood up.

"I may be innocent, but I'm not weak," Yukina replied, her eyes flashing with hate.

"You'll pay for that one..." Youko warned, placing a hand at nape of his neck.

He withdrew a blood red rose and threw it at Yukina. Suddenly there was a flash of light, a loud explosion, and the cage was engulfed in flames. The room went dark and Botan screamed. There was a flash of black in the corner of the dungeon and then back at the cage. This happened about three times; all the while Youko watched in amazement. The blurs and the flames subsided and Hiei stood a few feet in front of Youko, his katana drawn. Youko glanced around and was surprised to see that Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko and Yukina were in the corner of the room.

/This fool broke out of his prison- damn him! / Youko thought, his rage growing. "You think you're so smart eh? Don't worry, Jaganshi. You won't win that easily. Go ahead- try to hit me."

"SPIRIT GUN!" Yusuke shouted. He hit Youko square in the back and the kitsune toppled forward. Hiei smirked, a fire of hate burning in his ruby red eyes. Youko slowly rose and glanced sideways, too much of a strategist to turn his back on the jaganshi.

"Don't have enough honor to hit me from the front detective?" Youko asked, sarcasm shining in his voice.

"HONOR?" Yusuke spat back, his voice shaking with rage. "You have no right to talk about honor! You murdered Shuiichi, even though he didn't have any youki!"

"But you still have your spirit energy," the kitsune reminded him, and in a flash sharp vines shot from his left hand, heading straight for Yusuke. Yukina and Kuwabara rushed to help their friend. More vines flew from Youko's right hand. Kuwabara jumped out of the way, but Yukina was trapped within the snare of green plants.

"HIEI! HELP BOTAN!" Kuwabara yelled as he formed his spirit sword. Hiei stood frozen, torn between two choices- save his sister or save Botan? The fire demon took a step towards Yukina.

"NO! I'll help her! Save Botan, damn it!" Kuwabara yelled. Hiei ignored Kuwabara's words and sliced the thorny wall that held his sister captive, then dashed toward Botan. Vines crawled around Youko's arm and he extended a hand towards Hiei, but before he could release them his hand was encased in a block of ice.

"Don't even think about it," Yukina warned dangerously.

Youko smiled, unable resist a challenge. He tried to attack Hiei once again, but was stopped by the Shards of Winter. Yukina also smiled, realizing that Touya's training at the temple was useful after all. The tiny, frozen daggers glistened, lodged in Youko's arm. Hiei hesitated, but Yukina, confident in her newfound strength, motioned that he should save Botan. He returned to the pit where the ferrygirl held tightly for her life.

"Someone please help me!" Botan screamed desperately. Her hands were starting to slip; she couldn't hang on any longer...! A strong hand gripped her wrist firmly and she gasped, looking up.

"HIEI! Oh thank God! I can't hang on…"

"I'm going to try and pull you up," Hiei called down. "Is there anything you can climb on?"

"No, the walls are too slippery!"

Hiei resolved to pull her up, but he met more resistance than he'd expected. He frowned. "Do you feel as if something's trying to pull you down?"

"I-I don't know, I really can't feel my legs, its as if they were weighed down with lead"

Hiei tightened his hold on her wrists and rose slowly, using his own body as leverage. The ground suddenly seemed to slip beneath him and he pitched forward, into the crevasse.. but didn't fall. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiei was shocked to see his savior- Kuwabara!

"Don't worry I've got your back; now don't let go of her!" Kuwabara grunted, clinging to the jaganshi's ankles as if his life depended on it..

"Hiei" Botan gasped "I can't hold on..!"

"NO!" Hiei shouted, but he could not stop her fingers from slipping slowly from his grasp...

Botan's scream echoed off of the dungeon walls as she fell. Kuwabara, realizing what was happening, yanked Hiei back over the ledge, then backed up to give the jaganshi room, stumbling into Youko as he did. Determination renewed with the sudden loss of their friend, Yukina, Yusuke, and Kuwabara prepared to attack Youko again, but Hiei's weapon remained sheathed. To everyone's surprise he turned back to the hole and leapt in after Botan!

"HIEI! DON'T" Yusuke yelled, but it was too late.

Youko got up, and threw a handful of seeds at them. They were prepared and attacked at the same time.

"SPIRIT GUN!"

"Shards of Winter!"

"DUCK URAMESHI!" Kuwabara yelled as he took a swing at Youko, the kitsune jumped out of the way only to be struck down by Yukina's Shards of Winter.

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Hiei felt as if he fell forever, and he guessed that the pit did not end in rocks or water. He sensed some sort of youki; it seemed so familiar… A few seconds later he felt solid ground beneath his feet. A quick look around revealed Botan sitting a few feet away. She was looking at the massive trees that seemed out of place in a cave...

"Hi-Hiei where are we?" Botan asked, realizing she was no longer alone. Hiei drew his katana and surveyed their surroundings before answering.

"I think we're in Makai…"

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TNG: *Dh and Yusuke are tied and gagged* Hope you liked this chapter, sorry I took a long time to update. Thanks once again to Ma Crew for understanding. Chrislea, I didn't thank you properly, so: Thanks for editing! You're the best! ^_^

*Turns to Dh and Yusuke* Now if you're sorry I might let you go… Are you sorry?

Dh and Yusuke: *nod vigorously*

TNG: Hmmm…Nope I'm not letting you go, bye *starts to walk away*

Dh and Yusuke: *muffled words* Mufa Mm mufa!