Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Shura's Quest ❯ Scene 24 ( Chapter 24 )

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

* An escort shows Yusuke and Clint into the King's throne room. The large demon greets Yusuke with a raised hand and a chuckle.


King Enki- Lord Urameshi. Welcome.

Yusuke- Hey, Enki.. Oh, sorry...


* Enki rolls his eyes and glances at his queen, who is seated beside him, when Yusuke bows with a flourish. Clint sinks to one knee reverently.


Yusuke- M'Lord, King Enki.

King Enki- Please conduct yourself normally, Yusuke.


* Clint hesitantly looks up, surprised at the casual tone coming from his king. Yusuke raises a hand to wave it around the room.


Yusuke- Love what you've done with the place. Guess it's been a while since I've been here.

King Enki- I allowed Kokou to do all the decorating.


* The Queen smirks at her husband and Yusuke laughs.


Yusuke- Allowed.. Good word, Your Highness.

Queen Kokou- For certain.


* King Enki grins lovingly at his petite, but fiesty wife. Queen Kokou looks at Yusuke and Clint again.


Queen Kokou- But it is good to see you again, Yusuke.. Please rise, Felotama.


* Yusuke looks at Clint as he stands up again.


Yusuke- Felotama?

Clint- That is my true demon name.. My mother always calls me Clint in Human World, though.. It was her human father's name..

Yusuke- Invite me to one of your family reunions sometime.


* Clint chuckles with a slight purr.


Nekotama- I see you have done your job well, son.


* Yusuke and Clint both look toward the new arrival. Clint bows his head.


Clint- Father.

Yusuke- Nekotama.


* The large Tiger demon goes over and extends his hand to Yusuke who accepts it cautiously.


Nekotama- It is good to see you, Lord Urameshi.

Yusuke- Yeah.

King Enki- I trust your accomodations were to your liking, Yusuke?


* The Toushin Lord looks back up at Enki nodding.


Yusuke- Yeah.. Real posh.. Sorry we had to crash in so late, but we had some.. company.. over at my place across the border.


* The King looks at his Chief General.


King Enki- So your source was correct.

Yusuke- Okay. So can you tell me what's going on so I can join in this conversation without looking like an idiot? You know how I hate being left in the dark.

King Enki- The next Royal Tournament is nearing.. Trouble has been brewing in various places..

Yusuke- I kinda got that impression.. Can hardly believe it's been three years already.

Nekotama- My source informed me that Lord Shura is one of the biggest concerns right now.. We understand that he's making plans to eliminate you and.. two others.. before you can take part in the tournament.


* Yusuke glances at Nekotama, then back up at King Enki seriously.


King Enki- Don't look at me. This was all your idea.

Yusuke- Thanks for reminding me.

King Enki- Lord Shura has been gathering strength for the past two years.

Yusuke- Lord.. Shura? Shura.. That name sounds...

Clint- Lord Yomi's mutated brat.


* Yusuke looks at Clint thoughtfully a moment until his memory returns.


Yusuke- Oh, yeah..


* Yusuke holds his hand out in front of him below his waist.


Yusuke- Little punk.. with ears bigger than he is..

King Enki- This.. 'little punk', as you call him, is nothing to scoff at, Yusuke.


* Yusuke rolls his eyes as he looks back up at Enki.


Yusuke- Doesn't his Father know how to control him?


* Nekotama looks away. King Enki's visage saddens.


King Enki- Lord Shura took over Gandera nearly two years ago.. when he killed his Father. Didn't you get my message?


* For a long moment Yusuke doesn't react, giving the King the answer to his question. Enki and Nekotama exchange glances. Then Yusuke looks at the general.


Yusuke- He.. killed.. his own Father?


* Nekotama bows his head with a quiet nod.


Yusuke- That brat was able to kill Yomi?!

Nekotama- Trust me. He didn't do it fairly.

Clint- I didn't say anything to him because I thought he already knew, Sire. He was pretty upset when I met him.


* Yusuke glances at Clint, then looks back up at Enki.


King Enki- From what we've been able to learn, Yomi was practicing some sword training with the boy.. Lord Yomi thought the sparring was over and relaxed to comment on his son's performance. He left down his guard for a moment and something distracted him..

Nekotama- That's when Shura ran his Father through with his sword.

Yusuke- Dirty little b------.

King Enki- It was only tjhe start of the boy's ruthlessness.


* Yusuke frowns and walks boldly up closer to lean on the first step to the King's dais.


Yusuke- Here's a hint, Enki.. This is why you're the King.. It's your duty to stop...

King Enki- I can't. I made the rule that permitted you to keep your Lordship.. Remember?

Yusuke- So you're just allowing this three-year-old brat to do what he's doing?

Clint- He's actually four.


* Yusuke gives his friend his best 'I-could-care-less' look that he can muster.


King Enki- Lord Shura is the ruler of his territory.. However he obtained it, though I don't agree with the method, it was done in his own territory.. I made the rule not to interfere in how the regional Lords.. You, Shura, and the late Lord Mukuro...

Yusuke- Ho, woah!! Mukuro's dead, too??!!


* Even Clint yowls at this news.


Nekotama- We were just informed about this late yesterday.

Yusuke- Well, gee. I wonder who would have done that? Here's a thought! Perhaps it was the same.. punk.. that sent some lowlife's across the border to attack me.. They crossed the border in my territory!!

King Enki- Was it Lord Shura that attacked you personally?

* Yusuke growls. King Enki sighs.


King Enki- I'm sorry, Yusuke. If Shura didn't leave his territory then my hands are tied...

Yusuke- You're the King for criminy's sake!! You can change your stupid rules!!


* The large ruler stands angrily.


King Enki- When it comes time for the tournament, I will take care of this brat myself!


* Almost as one, everyone in the room turns toward the balcony when they sense a new presence enter.


Lazurama- I'm sorry to say that that will not happen, Sire.


* Lazurama's eyes glance over everyone, sniffing at his blue rose. Yusuke relaxes.


Yusuke- Hey, Kurama.


* Before any of them can react, Lazurama's eyes flash to solid gold and his whip lashes toward them. Yusuke's reflexes manage to knock himself and Clint out of the way of the snaking, deadly, thorny whip. Nekotama leaps to attempt to defend his king and queen, but the whip's coils lash him aside. In an instant, Lazurama reveals his equally-deadly second attack as another whip emerges from his other hand to complete the task that he was sent there to do. Yusuke raises up to watch stunned as King Enki and Queen Kokou are both sliced to shreds.


Yusuke- Kurama, what the.. h---?!


* Yusuke leaps up and aims his finger at Lazurama.


Yusuke- Why, Kurama?!


* Lazurama makes Yusuke roll away again as he recalls his whips. Something niggles his instincts, instructing him to leave quickly from this 'stranger'. Clint raises up, notices his father stir, and hurries over to him.


Clint- Father!


* Lazurama pauses and turns back to send another whip towards Nekotama. The kitsune leaps back, thanks to his own fast reflexes, when Yusuke's spirit gun intercepts the killing blow. Clint growls and thrashes one of his hands toward Lazurama.


Clint- Claw Daggers!


* Five sharp energy daggers fly toward Lazurama. Two rip through the glider plant's leaves, another hits him in his right leg as he turns to flee toward the balcony wall.


Lazurama- I won't die here!!


* The last two daggers hit him as he leaps into the air, the plant's leaves flapping clumsily due to being shredded. One dagger embeds in his left shoulder, the other sinks into his back.


Yusuke- Kurama, wait!! You come back here and explain..!


* A shrill scream of agony cuts Yusuke's plea off. But it hasn't come from the fleeing kitsune. Lazurama looks back down at the balcony and gasps himself when he sees the fatally-wounded parasite demon that had leaped free from his back after the daggers hit him. Lazurama then quickly grows a new glider plant to replace the damaged one. The parasite demon gets Yusuke's attention when it tries to stand with another screech.


Yusuke- Just shut the h--- up and die already!!


* Yusuke dispatches the skinny, writhing, noisy demon with a small shot of his spirit gun. Yusuke hurries up onto the balcony to get a clear shot at the demon he thinks is Kurama. He can't explain it, but he just can't make himself pull the trigger. He raises his pointing finger as Lazurama disappears in the distance.


Clint- YuYu,..


* Yusuke growls quietly at himself, then turns and hurries down to help Clint sit Nekotama up.


Yusuke- Nekotama, will you be..?

Nekotama- No.. Listen to me.. You must go.. to the Bukimi (1) Cave in the.. F-For-bidden.. Forest...

Clint- Why, Father?

Nekotama- Sp-speak.. the name.. Aga-liarept..

Yusuke- Agalia..what?


* Nekotama coughs as Clint answers Yusuke.


Clint- Agaliarept.

Nekotama- Yes.. Tell him.. (cough) wha-wha.. happ..

Clint- Father!


* Nekotama's body goes limp, then disintegrates in Clint's arms.


Clint- No... No!!


* Yusuke swallows and stands to look around, almost in disbelief, at what has transpired in this room in a matter of a very few moments. Clint looks up at Yusuke flickering between his human and demon forms as he tries to control his grief and anger.


Clint- You.. know that.. murderer?!


* Yusuke glances at his friend, then looks toward the charred area on the balcony where the parasite demon's ashes are being drifted away by a breeze.


Yusuke- Do you see that pile of ashes, Clint?


* Clint stands and goes over to the balcony with Yusuke.


Yusuke- This was the murderer.. not Kurama..

Clint- A parasite demon.


* Yusuke nods and looks up in the direction Lazurama took off.


Yusuke- You killed it, Clint.. You got the one that killed your Father.


* Clint looks at Yusuke again when he searches through his jacket pockets and takes out a notebook and a pen.


Yusuke- Do you remember those directions?

Clint- Bukimi Cave in the Forbidden Forest.. I know where that is.

Yusuke- And that name again?

Clint- Aga-lia-rept.. Spelled like it sounds.


* Yusuke half glances at Clint then writes the name down.


Yusuke- We'll go here.. But first I need to track Kurama down and find out what's going on..

Clint- We need to inform the rest of the castle...

Yusuke- Right. Then they ask us a million questions.. that will take us the rest of the day to answer.. Then they'll execute us.


* Clint looks at Yusuke again.


Clint- The staff here knows me. They know I'd never kill my Father.

Yusuke- Fine. Then you stay here and handle things. I'm going after my friend to get to the bottom of this.


* Yusuke heads toward the balcony wall. Clint closes his eyes and grimaces when Yusuke blows in the ring to summon Puu.


Clint- D--- it will you warn me before you do that?!

Yusuke- Sorry.


* Clint hurries over when Puu floats over to hover beside the wall.


Clint- Hey! I'm going with you..

Yusuke- But...

Clint- No buts, Yu.. Just let me call King Enki's advisor to tell him... Arabue will believe me.

Yusuke- Fine...

Clint- Besides, going to this place was my Father's last request.

Yusuke- Understood.. But hurry.


* Clint nods and moves to the intercom on the arm of King Enki's throne to call for the Chief Advisor. Yusuke hops on Puu to wait with his arms crossed, still puzzling over what he's just witnessed.


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(1) Bukimi - Ominous