Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Salvation and Damnation ❯ Price of Freedom ( Chapter 2 )

Kurama awoke with a start, panicked and unaware of his surroundings. He scrambled to his feet with a snarl.

"Hey calm down Kurama!"

Focusing his eyes on the source of the voice, Kurama sighed in relief as he saw Yomi sitting on the ground with the little concubine huddled in his lap wrapped up in his shirt. Kurama sighed again and ran a hand through his silver strands then sat down next to Yomi. Trying not to let his eyes linger on Yomi's impressive physique for too long, he looked down into the innocent face of the girl.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Not good… she stopped bleeding a little while ago but she lost a lot of blood. She may not make it."

"…I see." Kurama let his eyes wander across the small cell they were in, it seemed as if they were underground. The walls were made of solid stone with no windows and only a few torches from the hallway lit the place. The cell bars were thick and incredibly sturdy. Escape was not going to be easy. "Any word on what they plan to do to us?"

"Execution in the morning in honor of Lord Mobu, compliments of his son."

Kurama snorted. "What a devoted little bastard."

Yomi shifted the child in his arms and contemplated asking Kurama about his dream. Yomi had been the first to awaken in the dingy cell and began to attend to the girl. During that time, Kurama was thrashing about and crying out for someone. He had seen the youko sleep many times, but never had he ever witnessed him like that. As he was about to ask, footsteps began to echo down the hallway.

Kurama stood and placed himself in front of Yomi and the child as the figure of an old woman appeared at the door of the cell. "Nika chan? Is that you?"

"Who are you?" demanded Kurama.

"I am Aurora, grandmother of the small child you seem to be protecting."

Yomi looked down as the little girl moaned and her eyelids fluttered open. She looked toward the doorway and smiled. "Baa chan…" she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes Nika it's me…" the old woman pressed herself up against the bars. "Oh Chibi… what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"G-gomen ne… baa chan…"

The old woman looked at Kurama. "You are Youko Kurama are you not?"

Kurama nodded his head once.

"I offer you a deal. Are you willing to listen?"

"What kind of deal?"

"I offer you your freedom; in exchange you will take Nika with you and find her a suitable home."

"What about you? Aren't you going with her?" asked Yomi as he peered around Kurama's body.

"No, I'm too old and would only hinder your escape. I am not long for this world anyhow so I do not mind. All I ask is that you take Nika with you. If she remains here, she will be killed. I don't want that to happen." The old woman choked back a sob. "Please…"

Kurama looked back at Yomi who nodded then turned back to the woman. "Agreed, but how will you open the gate."

"Why with this key of course." smiled the old woman as she pulled the key out of her pocket. "Being a medicine woman I sometimes have to heal the wounds of prisoners that are to be kept alive." She unlocked the gate and rushed inside to see her granddaughter one last time.

"Baa chan… come with me please." Whispered Nika as her grandmother kneeled before she and Yomi.

"Chibi… you know I'd never make it…"

"But…"

"Shh…" Aurora hushed the small child as she ran a hand over her forehead. She looked up at Yomi. "When you make it out of the palace try to find some gray root, it will bring down her fever and help her recover. Also make sure she drinks plenty of fluids and try to get her something to eat as soon as possible." Tears began to stream down her face as she gazed at her granddaughter.

"Don't worry old woman, I promise I'll keep her alive and find her a good home." Yomi shrugged. "Just because she's a twerp doesn't mean I don't like her."

Nika frowned up at her `savior' and snorted. "Jackass."

Aurora shook her head and smiled. `Oh she definitely likes this one…' She leaned down, pressed a kiss to Nika's cheek, and stood. "All right you must go now. Take the passage to the left and follow it until you reach a set of red wooden doors. The stairs behind the door will take you to the courtyard, once there take the hallway to the right, it will be deserted, all the troops are celebrating your capture right now. Follow it until you are at the stables, there will be a hay wagon waiting. The drivers name is Zaki. You can trust him, he adores Nika."

"Thank you Aurora." Kurama clasped the old woman's hand.

"Just make sure she is happy…" she said as she watched the group go.

"Baa chan! I love you!" called Nika as she cried. "I love you!"

"I love you too, Nika chan!" `Goodbye Chibi… thank you Inari.'

*~*

Kurama peered out from the safety of the shadows. He could see the hay cart and the man named Zaki waiting for them. Motioning for Yomi to follow, he approached the man. "Zaki I presume."

The startled man nodded vigorously and motioned to the back of the cart. "Hurry! Get in the cart and cover yourselves with the hay, make sure that no part of you can be seen."

Nika sniffed delicately. "Ew… what's that smell?"

Yomi peered down into the back of the cart and grimaced. "That's not regular hay… that's used hay from the horse's stables."

Kurama made a face and pinched his nose. "You're not serious are you!" he asked Zaki.

Zaki sweat dropped and gave the trio a sheepish grin. "I'm terribly sorry but this is the only way… every night it is my job to take out the used hay from the stables and burn it out in the dump field."

"Let me get this straight!" yelled Yomi as he resisted the urge to drop Nika and cover his face. "You want us to sit in a cart and cover ourselves head to toe in hay that horses have been shitting on all day!"

"I'm so sorry…"

Nika face turned a slightly green color as she murmured, "I think I'd rather be executed…"

Kurama rubbed his temples and moved toward the cart. "Well, let's get this over with…."

*~*

"Oi Zaki!" yelled the guard at the gate as the hay wagon passed. "How come you waited until so late to take out the horse shit?"

"Well one of the horses had a bit of diarrhea and I had to wait until it passed to collect it all."

Yomi groaned. So that was the wet squishy stuff he was laying in…

*~*

"Jeez you really smell like shit kid!" grumbled Yomi at the small girl he carried on his back. "How about you walk for a while? You know, somewhere downwind of me?"

Nika leaned over Yomi's shoulder and glared at him. "Don't you have any pity for a poor innocent injured child? Besides, I'm not the only one who smells bad Mr. Grumpy!" She wriggled on his back a bit inadvertently causing a sickening slushy sound. "Why's your back so moist and squishy?"

Yomi just grinned.

Kurama could not help but chuckle at his companions antics. It was hard to tell which one was the adult. "Relax you too, were almost to a village. As soon as we get there, I will con us a room and bath. Sound good?"

"Wow Kurama you are so cool!" cheered Nika as she gave him a dazzling smile. "No wonder you're the leader! Of course, you would have been cooler if you had really been a woman like I thought you were… I mean imagine a woman telling a bunch of stupid men like Mr. Grumpy over here what to do!"

Yomi's eye's narrowed. "Okay that's it! You are definitely walking now! Get off brat!" he yelled as he reached back to pull Nika off his back.

"NO!" yelled Nika as she slapped his hand away. Her little arms wrapped around his neck even tighter than before and her legs came up and locked around Yomi's waist.

Yomi coughed from the death grip chokehold Nika had on his neck. "L-let g-go!" he sputtered as he pulled her arms apart.

"H-hey stop it! I don't want to walk, I'm hurt!" screamed Nika. She fought against his hands as he pried her off his throat. Realizing how futile it was she pulled back one arm freed it from his grip and grabbed a handful of his manure-encrusted hair. "I'm not getting off!"

"Ouch, HEY! That's not fair!"

Nika stuck out her tongue. "HA HA!"

Kurama watched the two continue to bicker and rubbed his forehead… it was going to be a long night.

*~*

Well that is it for this chapter. Once again, I would like to thank all those who reviewed. You guys are great! In addition, I realize Yomi and Kurama seem out of character for those who have watched or at least read about them. The thing is this is how I think a young Kurama and Yomi, who are barely becoming recognized thieves, would act. They have not been through all the crap they end up going through later. Besides, they are a lot more fun to write this way! Trust me; we will get to all the hidden emotions, jealousy, and betrayal later.

One more thing; if you want to know more about Yomi, or are looking for some good fan fiction starring Yomi and Youko Kurama please check out this site:

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/8752/index_english.htm