Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Hanyou ❯ Chapter 18 Game Over, Childs Prayer ( Chapter 18 )

 

A/n- yes, I'm updating again, this is an extra special apology (don't I seem to do this a lot? Eh, it's just part of my nature.)

 

-Nope, I still don't own the series, no matter how much I wish upon a star. lol

 

Chapter 18- Game over, Childs prayer

 

 

“That's enough, Gourmet,” Sensui called off the constant assault on Ryu.

 

The dragons' humanoid form looked pitiful. He no longer had any connection to the outside world besides his hearing, and even that was going deaf. Those once blazing orange eyes were now a light peach color since they had dulled so much and the pupils were gone from their irises. He was almost just a like dead corps as his Shedding began to rid him of his old shell.

 

The Dragon didn't move from where he hung suspended on the wall in chains. His silver and black striped hair covered his face now as he hung his head and his breathing was shallow.

 

“Is he …. Is he dead?” Kuwabara whispered.

 

“Come now Kunai,” Sensui said from where he was sitting on a couch watching a war movie on a large TV. screen, “Dragons are not just any weakling creatures to die by the likes of a little wailing here and there, even when they are rendered helpless during Shedding. They are not even considered Demon, nor celestial beings since their energy is of neither base, but something of far greater power. The spirit world killed off your race since they grew too numerous with such power, they even came head to head in combat with the prince, you yourself I believe, yet here you are, fighting on their side.”

 

Dull orange eyes widened a good fraction as his minds eye flashed to the memory of his late clan and race.

 

It was true, and the memory of the slaughter days of his clan made the pained dragon wince. The SDT had been sent to go through the heart of the Dragon races' den during a time the dragons had set aside for the entire race to reside in a deep slumber. The team had slaughtered male, female, and even pups and crushed eggs still warming in their nests. He himself had just come back from fleeing the fall of his lord of the nether world that the dragon clan had sworn allegiance to. Apparently spirit world wanted to eliminate any and all allies to the fallen realm, and since the dragon race was by far the strongest and most feared, King Enma had seen it fit to drive the race to extinction in fear that they may rise up in rage of their fallen comrades. Ryu had just stepped at the mouth of the hidden entrance to the clans' cave when the smell of blood and death consumed him.

 

Fearful, the young dragon prince had stumbled awestruck with denial deeper in the cave to see his own mother being slain while she stood over a few of the younger pups in her dragon form to protect them. He saw the beheaded body of his fathers' humanoid form near the bloodstained ebony throne. It was just too much to be real! All he could do was stand there at the mouth of the cavern while his mother fell with her cry of pain. Her dead weight of her massive body crushed the young pups under her as she was unable to make move to avoid them. The officers turned to him when one of them shouted out at him in alarm.

 

Instinct had kicked in and the adolescent had fled in his own dragon form. It was then that he attacked Rekai in the first place and so was the story of his capture and trial by lord Koenma known. Although the dragon blood in him burned to kill the spirit prince for what his people had done to his own kin, the dragon was amazed that the other prince persuaded his father not to kill him and send him into the limbos of human waste for eternity like his fallen lord Yakumo had, but seal him in the hanyou instead and have a spirit creature of heaven bonded to him and keep him in check. He showed the dragon mercy, and with out it he would have never come to be whom and what he was now.

 

Ryu grimaced as he lifted his head just slightly, “when you reach the age I have in an immortal life, you realize that an enemy is only your foe so long as those feelings of anger and revenge go unchecked in your soul. Whether I fight for you or the spirit world is not what concerns me.” He gritted through his teeth, “besides, you try taking all this crap you're giving when you're at your weakest point and tell me how it feels!”

 

“If you don't fight for Koenma, then who for? Surely it has to be something to weigh so heavily on your conscience when I'm giving you a choice to exact revenge for your clan.”

 

“I wouldn't expect a human to understand.” Ryu bit out.

 

“Ah, I see.” Sensui stood up and walked calmly over to the dragon and lifted up his head by the dragons chin to look into the voided eyes, “When you heard that Gourmet intended to consume Kuwabara for his power, you're energy surged in anger. Dragons are typically solo creatures unless they find a pack they find worthy enough to befriend. Even so, that's rare enough.”

 

“You seem well educated in my clans' ways, why should I tell you anything?” Ryu snarled, too weak to do much anything else.

 

“Yes, but 17 years ago you were trapped in a seemingly Human body. Do you know why it was that chosen human?”

 

“The bastard king found out that a successful half-breed was bred from a dieing spiritual line of humans and the shadow fox himself. It was a way of punishment for me and a way to get rid of the demonic power in HER since we all know what Half-breeds can do if bred under the right lines.” Ryu gritted out, “it's nothing new so why bring it up!”

 

“You have absorbed that girl's naivety as well I see.” Sensui let go of Ryu's chin to walk back to his couch.

 

“And just what are you insinuating?” suddenly, the weakness in his voice was gone and his deadly tone was back, regardless of how helpless he really was.

 

“There it is again, even though on a more microscopic level this time since you're nearly drained as it is,” Sensui stopped.

 

“ANSWER ME!” Ryu roared, “YOU SAID SO LONG AS I AGREE TO WORK UNDER YOU, YOU'D LEAVE HER ALONE! WHAT'S WITH THE SUDDEN INTREST?”

 

“It's not only her, but a combination really.” Sensui evaded.

 

“Cut the crap”

 

“I guess it won't hurt to humor you.” Came Soukou's voice. Ryu started and then started to struggle with a new ambition.

 

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT BASTARD DOING STILL ALIVE!!”

 

“I was never really dead to begin with. Did you really think I'd let my own body die off while I inhabited your luscious corps?” Soukou purred.

 

“Stay the fuck away from me!” Ryu snarled.

 

Soukou chuckled, “You're still so fun to rile up, old boy. Now about your little girl friend, she's done quiet a number to distract us from the course of plan I'm afraid.”

 

“Sounds promising” Sensui mused, “what exactly has she done?”

 

“She is no longer fighting on her own, nor living life on her own.” Soukou started off, and then looked dully at Kuwabara who was making a racket with his attempts to get free, “do something about him will you! I can't think straight!”

 

Gourmet once again kicked Kuwabara hard enough to knock him out this time and all was quiet.

 

“Now then,” the Warlock demon sighed, “As I was saying, she has mated with the silver spirit fox, Yoko Kurama. That, and the fact that her dormant power is just barely under the surface of her soul. If she were to tap into it-,”

 

“That's exactly what we want.” Sensui cut in, “the power that was absorbed by Ryukunai's spirit while he lay dormant inside her one that reacts to help give a spiritual boost in a situation. If one of her friends has a dormant power, her own aura tends to help reveal it and adds its power by double the amount it would have been if revealed the natural way. The `Source' is what it's referred to at the Hashine Shrine that her human half was from. It's a celestial trait that is only passed down to the heirs with the purest of the pure hearts.”

 

“I see that you've done your research well.” Soukou nodded in respect, “Then you should also know that it doesn't matter if they are her friend or foe, whoever knows the enchantment to call upon it shall use the never ending energy source to boost up their own power. The only way we can do that was when her heart was not shared, but now that she's mated …,” Soukou trailed off.

 

Ryu chuckled sinisterly, “and just what were two dirt bags like yourselves going to use with a battery charger like her anyways? Or me for that matter. If you're not going to kill me while I'm shedding then why am I here?”

 

“You ignorant fool.” Soukou smirked, “I can't believe my old nemesis hasn't figured it out yet.”

 

“WHAT DID YOU JUST-,”

 

“Do you see this pool of water under the demon tunnel? That is where your old draconian skin shall be skinned off of you literally when the four soul powers inside you loosen from your body to complete the usual spell of indistuctablilty, instead of remeding its self to your body like it normally would. There's an ancient spell in it that I created myself just for this type thing those long years ago when I worked under the dragon slayers. But my power can only focus on one thing at a time when it is this great, and first off, I need you to morph, but I doubt you'd do that willingly.”

 

“What gave you that idea!” the dragon hissed.

 

“So, in order to activate the spell, seal you in the water, and transform you, I'll drain a good portion of her energy into myself when she arrives with the others who unknowingly gave her to us.” Soukou smirked, “after that, I'll sacrifice myself to transport your hide's energy into Mr. Sensui along with the last of my own to ensure victory. With our combined powers, he'll be able to take on the Yusuke and the others with out a glance and live out his dream!”

 

“Dream! WHAT DREAM!! HE WANTS TO TEAR DOWN A WHOLE WORLD FOR THIS SO CALLED JUSTICE HE GOES ON AND ON ABOUT! HOW THE HELL DO YOU PLAN ON SACRIFICEING YOURSELF TO HIM!!” Ryu shouted out.

 

“The same way you'd do just that if it were that girl who needed it.” Soukou said softly, “I chose who to set my loyalty of my life force to, just as you did for her life!” the Warlock demon said harshly, “I suggest you relax in your painless hold for now and let your little cocoon overtake you to ripen yourself for when the time has come to pick your fruits, dragon. You'll soon join the race you were once destined to rule soon enough.”

 

 

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Amanuma, known as the Game Master, leaned up against the slot machine after he had revealed himself and beat Kaitou at a quiz game.

 

“Well, now that you know my plan,” he said a little crestfallen, he jumped up to stand tall once more with a bright smile on his face, “You know that we have all the time in the world to play games, so come on and let's play some more, cause you guys are fun to beat!” He smirked playfully.

 

“Shoma shinana” Kyo sighed in aggravation from his roosting spot on Kurama's shoulder for now.

 

“You've gotta be the most stupidest, immature brat that ever lived! And that means a lot coming from me!” Yusuke growled out, “You're little games are gonna get us all killed!”

 

“Almost did,” Yumi sighed as she recalled her `Hunting-game' challenge she took on right before Kaitou. She won of course, but the games roles were reversed, you weren't the hunter shooting down animals for points, you were the hunted hiding and making tricky get-a-ways for points. She had a sense of de-javu for a while, while she played the game.

 

Amanuma turned around to them just before he pulled the lever for the next game, “Nah, once the tunnel is completed, I'll through the game and loose.” He pulled the lever, “then you'll all be free to go.”

 

“Back to what!? A demon parking lot!” Yusuke bit out, “we've got to find another way out of here.”

 

“There isn't, we've tried that already and look what good it did us.” Hiei rolled his eyes, “We're in the childs' territory, just like we were with Kaitou back at that ugly mansion.” Hiei grumbled then he turned to head back to sit against the wall behind them.

 

“Hey, where the hell are you going?” Yusuke asked.

 

“I know just about as much as games as I do hugs and puppies and I care even less for them.” Hiei sighed as he closed his eyes to rest, “Wake me for the end of the world, will you.”

 

“Well, considering recent events, I'd say you know a lot about `hugs and puppies' in one way or another, but that's not really the point I guess huh?” Yusuke shot back almost absently.

 

Yumi blushed and Hiei gave him a small glare before choosing to doze off.

 

“SHUT UP URAMESHI!” Yumi snapped and wailed a fist on his head in retaliation, “You're not suppose to talk about other peoples love affairs like that!!”

 

“Love ….. affairs?” Desota repeated, “What on earth does THAT mean?” She looked to Kurama, but he didn't seem to be in a sharing mood right now. His green eyes were dead set on Amanuma with a conflicting look, and through their bond, she knew he'd come to a decision that was tough on him as it was already.

 

“Kurama?” she whispered.

 

“Tch” Yusuke turned to Kurama, “Kurama is there any way you can whoop this kid's ass?”

 

Kurama glanced at him a moment, then looked as if he were spaced off again, “actually, I'm … more worried of defeating Amanuma than losing to him”

 

Desota was starting to get worried, `what's got him on edge like this for?' she looked up at him then at Amanuma worriedly, `surely he's not thinking of killing the kid, is he? No, neither Kurama, nor Yoko would do that now. Sure maybe back then, but now he had to have changed his morals.'

 

Yusuke looked just as worried as she did, “wanna translate that?”

 

“As Hiei said, he has made it so that everyone operates under the rules of the game. Thus giving us the fate of the challenger in it. As long as we choose to continue, we can go on indefinitely, however …… if we win, the goblin king is destroyed and Amanuma is playing that role. So it is his life that goes if we win, and he seems to be too naïve to notice this fact.”

 

Desota was startled at that, “So Sensui is giving us no choice but to … to,” she couldn't even say it! A child's life meant more to her than most things in life, and for one to die at their hands was …. …

 

“Sensui was counting on us to figure this out to see if we would hesitate for the kill or take it and move on for justice. He's testing us.” Kurama gritted his teeth in anger.

 

//He's really starting to piss me off// Yoko snarled.

 

The frustration in his aura zapped around him and made Desota perfectly aware of what he was feeling at the moment. Neither Yoko nor Kurama took lightly to people who played with lives, as he proved at the mansion before with Kaitou.

 

“You'll find that playing with things like that is some what of a hobby for him” Desota said out of the blue with a bit of resentment in her tone.

 

The game machine stopped, “Puzzle; 3-7; level 9” Amanuma announced, “Alright, the game is 3-7. Which one of you wants to play next? There's only 3 of you left and one of you's even sleeping! Not that I couldn't beat you in my own sleep at 3-7 too” the kid joked.

 

Kurama's bangs hid his eyes just before he took Kyo by the scruff of his neck and handed him down to Desota with out bothering to make eye contact with her, “I'll do what's best” he said then approached the platform.

 

Yanna leaned forward, “pardon my ignorance, but what is 3-7?”

 

 

“It's a game that tests your special reasoning, mathematical prose and hand extremity; it's fun” Kaitou began to explain.

 

“Gives me a head ache just hearing about it” Yumi deadpanned.

 

“Various blocks contain numbers ranging from zero to seven drop down and you have to line them up vertically or horizontally to equal seven. Or you could get a combination of 3 sevens together. The blocks come down faster and faster as time progresses and once the pile reaches to the top, you lose. Once I went on for 36 hours straight to best my own highest score!”

 

“Th-thirty-six hours!?” Yusuke started.

 

“Uh …. Ya,” Kaitou pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose, “Everyone needs a hobby”

 

“How can you sit in front of a flashing screen staring at falling blocks for 36 hours straight? That's hardly a hobby!” Desota grunted. Although deep down, she knew she would do the same if the game was that amusing. But what was so amusing as building blocks falling down constantly?

 

“Yeah, well I got a migraine from just listening to the instructions” Yanna sighed.

 

 

Kurama stepped up to the platform and looked down at Amanuma, “Listen, Amanuma, I have a question I need to ask you”

 

“Sure what is it?” Amanuma smiled.

 

“Did Sensui specifically tell you to challenge us at Goblin City?”

 

“Yeah, what's it to ya? Sure Mr. Sensui thought I should challenge you guys at Goblin City to hold ya over,” the boy pointed proudly to his chest, “I said I didn't care because I'm good at them all.”

 

//Just as we thought// Yoko's tail ruffled its fur in agitation before it quickly settled down calmly in their mind.

 

“I need to know, Did Mr. Sensui tell you what he planned to do with the demon tunnel?”

 

“Of course he did. He's building a tunnel for the demons so they could wreck havoc every where. I thought it'd be fun, plus- no school for a while. SWEET!” Amanuma gave thumbs up.

 

 

“That's right; Mr. Sensui didn't let Amanuma watch Chapter Black like he did the others.” Desota realized, “that's why he's acting like its all a game. He doesn't know the full extent to what Sensui's trying to do!”

 

`But still …,' she thought, `the Sensui I met didn't repulse Kyo, so his heart had pure intentions! What made him change after he took me under his wing? When he started talking about a demon tunnel …. That's when Kyo sensed his heart twist and turn into this grey area we're at now! That's also when Soukou started the physical torture to start bringing out Ryu longer ……' she shivered on impulse as a few memories of the warlocks tortures. Nothing too harsh, but that didn't mean it didn't involve pain, poor health, or starvation, `But how and why would he bring a kid into this!'

 

Her ears flopped to her skull worried like when she saw how hard Kurama was clenching his fists, `Kurama must have figured it out by now that the kid is just a pawn …'

 

“I think that the best part is while the demons are out there terrorizing everybody, I'll be safe in my territory with out homework or parents!” Amanuma stuck his nose in the air.

 

Kurama's eyes were hooded by his long red bangs again, “Didn't Sensui tell you that you wouldn't be here that long?”

 

“Huh?” Amanuma looked up at Kurama almost confused.

 

“You'll die if you lose.” Kurama said softly.

 

Amanuma gasped in horror.

 

 

“WHAT!?” Yusuke jerked.

 

“Is that true!” Yanna gulped.

 

“It can't be!” Yumi growled, “This guy is just adding to the list on why we should kick his ass!”

 

“What do you think? Does it still sound fun?” Kurama taunted.

 

Amanuma's horror shifted to a glare, “HA! He said you'd try something like this! I'm not as gullible as you think!” he huffed as he crossed his arms.

 

“Because he's counting on us to figure it out. Tell me, you've been to the end of the game more times than I, right?”

 

“The end of the game?” the kid blinked.

 

“Yes, it depicts very specifically the goblin kings' death at the end in this specific game”

 

`That part will be played by me!' Amanuma thought.

 

“Of course, Sensui didn't allow you to practice this game in your territory, did he?” Kurama continued the onslaught.

 

“But how did you know that?” Amanuma seemed to go in denial, “No! He didn't want me to practice it in the territory because I was still too known with my powers!”

 

“Is that it, was that the true reason? The reason why he didn't let you practice games where the villain always dies at the end?”

 

“I don't know. Yes?”

 

 

 

“So wait a minute, Sensui's putting his own men on the chopping block just so he can stall us for a couple of hours? I gotta tell ya, between you and Kyoshi here, Sensui's not all that big on building company loyalty is he?” Yusuke sighed.

 

“Sensui uses every one he takes under his wing as tools and called them as such. He called me a pet of sorts since I was only half of what he needed while Ryu was his true tool.” Desota said.

 

“Hai” Kyo mewled sadly in her arms.

 

 

A few drops of blood splattered at Kurama's feet from his clenched hands that had dug his own fingernails into his skin in anger, “A man like Sensui has no loyalty to anyone but to himself and his cause.” He looked down at his slightly bloodied palm, “He cares nothing of how much blood is shed to get to that goal.” He looked over at Amanuma with angst in his eyes, “Not even the blood of a young boy who foolishly chose wrong over right!”

 

 

Amanuma shivered as the weight of the situation started to slowly descend to his young shoulders and fear gripped him with a refusal to let go.

 

 

“Game Start!” the video game announcer said, “the player who clears the most blocks with out reaching to the top wins the match”

 

And so the game began that would decide Amanuma's young fate.

 

And it wasn't looking good.

 

“You can call me a dimwit, but let me just ask the stupid questions,” Yusuke said, “If Kurama already figured this all out, then why did he tell the game master right before the game started? Why didn't he just keep it all to himself? And why'd he wait until it was too late to stop the round?” he turned to his master Genkai for an explanation.

 

“Sensui had a strategic reason for not telling Amanuma he would die in real life if he died in the game. Young people don't believe they can die. They do not fear it and as such don't take it into consideration and aren't consumed with the fear of it. That's why armies recruit teenagers. That's why Koenma recruited you.”

 

“Hey I resent that, I've died before and lived to tell the tail” Yusuke objected.

 

“I don't have time for you to prove my point. Sensui didn't want him thinking about his death, but he wanted us to figure it out. He wanted to test our morals and see if we justify the kill.”

 

“Well we won't.” Yusuke said, “Will we?” even he was unsure.

 

“Kurama has. He told him the truth at the beginning to make him weak.” Desota's ears folded to her head unsure of what to make of what Genkai just said, “It's a dirty trick, but he knows what he must do”

 

 

The minutes ticked by and already Desota could tell the young kid was starting to lose focus. Her ears perked up when he missed a very obvious 3-7.

 

“Hey, didn't he just miss that 3-7? It looked pretty easy to me.” Yusuke remarked.

 

“Suichi's getting under his skin” Kaitou said.

 

More and more times Amanuma missed easy points and was quickly falling behind as more and more layers closed up.

 

“I'm not all up for this whole strategy thing, but isn't that the opposite?” Yanna asked.

 

“Yeah, it's bad” Yusuke nodded.

 

“The goblin king has distracted himself!” Kaitou said.

 

“It's a perfect strategy on Kurama's part, but …. Amanuma's really taking it hard. Sensui must have really messed him up.” Yumi agreed.

 

Yet still, the younger boy was continually losing points in his distraction.

 

“P-please! Isn't there anyway to get out of this?” he asked Kurama. Another layer was blocked off and the boy gasped in desperation, “anything??”

 

“Is there not a way to shut down the game?” Kurama countered.

 

“No, I already tried that. I can't shut a game down while a game is in play.” Amanuma was getting very nervous, “unless you choke at this game there's no way out.”

 

Kurama seemed to harden on his resolve, “I'm afraid that's not going to happen.”

 

Tears started to form at the creases of the young boys' eye lids and his breathing became ragged. His hands barely moved.

 

“He's locking up!” Desota gasped, “He's entered a desperation shut down!”

 

“This isn't about choosing one life over another, you know that. I can't say you haven't chosen your own fate.” Kurama said to Amanuma as if he were talking to a very small child.

 

Which was what his peace of mind was now, a small child in fear.

 

Amanuma was desperately trying to hold himself together and was starting to breakdown slowly into tears, “Bu- But I didn't really mean …. FOR THIS STUFF TO HAPPEN!” he couldn't hold back the tears now as they flowed down his young cheeks.

 

Desota's eyes widened. A part of her was telling her to stop this, to save that boys life with any thing she could! But another more rational side of her told her there wasn't anything she could do. If she stepped in, the game would continue on and Amanuma would lose just the same.

 

Amanuma was gasping for breath in perspiration and he no longer even pushed the buttons but held on to the joystick with both hands as if it were his life line, “I … I don't want to die….. I DON'T WANNA DIE!!” he yelled as loud as he could just as his blocks hit the top.

 

 

“Game over! Kurama wins!” the game applauded.

 

Desota held her breath as her enhanced hearing picked up the quick pace of the boys heart and gasped when she heard it slow down and suddenly stop.

 

“AMENUMA!” she cried out and rushed forward.

 

“Dessy!” Yumi called after her, but stopped when she heard rumbling a rumbling nose.

 

“What the hell is that? I wasn't away this game came with a rumble pack!” Yusuke said.

 

“Heads up!” Genkai warned as the whole thing started to collapse.

 

Everyone ducked down and took cover from the debris. Kyo quickly darted over to where Desota held Amanuma's limp body in her lap and stood over them protectively in his larger form while Kurama didn't move a muscle. To Desota, the way he held himself reminded her of an angry phantom coming out of the chaos.

 

 

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