Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Kaleidoscope Syndrome ❯ Sandstorm ( Chapter 7 )

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The Kaleidoscope Syndrome

 

Part VII

 

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It was painfully hot in the desert. The sun beamed down persistently upon Yusuke's back to the point where he just wished he had the power to completely demolish the ball of heat. He had remembered it being the same way the last time he visited—dry, inhabitable, and utterly desolate. There was not a single sign of life for miles around and Yusuke began wondering to himself then why he had suggested coming to the desert first—if at all. The only youkai he met previously were a strange bunch who lived under the sand, tunneling deeper and deeper until they hit water. They were odd and rather unattractive in appearance but they had offered him shelter. For that Yusuke was able to overlook their deformed figures and befriend a clan of relatively friendly youkai he never thought to have existed in the Makai.

 

A suffocating wind blew past Yusuke and he scowled deeply despite himself. “You know,” he began, “I think there's nothing here!”

 

Kurama stared at him from a narrowed gaze. “You met youkai here?” he asked, raising his voice against the wailing wind that was steadily getting stronger.

 

Yusuke nodded. “But they were nice!” he shouted back.

 

“There's a storm arriving,” announced Hiei.

 

The three companions stared at each other for a while before quickly moving. With all the sand rising above them, the sun was no longer a factor they had to fear. But the biting dust and howling wind were something else altogether. With renewed vigor, the trio began running to reach some sort of clearing. The storm, however, had risen to a point of no returns. Large columns of spiraling sand and wind whipped all around them, separating them and burying them deep into the ground.

 

For several minutes the storm raged on, giving no glimpse of the three youkai. When it did eventually calm, however, all that could be seen was a smooth terrain of sand. Then suddenly the top of a head emerged—one with spiny black locks and a distinguishable streak of white. The hair remained atop for some time, the wind blowing it gently before the owner's entire body leapt up from the sand, an irritable expression on his face. Hiei brushed off his clothes and spat into the sand loathsomely. He never was particularly fond of deserts. Glancing around, the fiery youkai narrowed his eyes and waited patiently.

 

And as if on cue, another head appeared—this time with silver locks. Kurama came up from the sand with some difficulty before finally spotting Hiei standing a bit off from him. A smile graced his features. “Still as helpful as ever, Hiei,” he remarked with some amusement as he finally managed to pull his body free.

 

“Hn. Where's the other one?” replied Hiei, eyeing the sand watchfully.

 

Kurama walked up to him, a contemplative look on his face. “I wonder,” he murmured thoughtfully.

 

It wasn't until several long minutes passed did he begin to worry. Kurama crossed his arms tensely and looked towards the sky. It was darkening quickly and nights in this particular desert were known to be brutal. Kurama did not wish to stay out in the open so vulnerably.

 

“He's been here before. I don't think he would be swept aside so easily by a sandstorm,” he remarked to Hiei, cautiously avoiding the usage of Yusuke's name. Kurama knew Hiei was worried enough as it was. Saying the other's name would only increase that feeling.

 

The smaller youkai grunted and looked away offhandedly. “That idiot is too much trouble,” he commented dryly. “We should go find some sort of shelter then.”

 

Kurama nodded in agreement then pointed onwards. “I believe I spotted a cave of some sort in that direction before the storm hit us,” he suggested.

 

An eyebrow went up curiously. “A cave? In a desert?” queried Hiei, unable to hide his curiosity.

 

The silver-haired youkai smiled slightly. “Well, it is the Makai,” he replied humorously.

 

The two then began heading towards that direction in a swift pace. Before long the bright blue sky had turned dusky and the beating sun to a soft, warm glow on their backs. Kurama couldn't help but gaze at the scenery with some awe. His home had always been in the forest, surrounded by life and mystery. The desert seemed like such a peculiar place for him to be in—so dead and empty, yet it held its own charm as well. Its mystery lied in its dual presence: the hot and scorching days combined with the cold and dark nights. He had no idea what to expect next. Yusuke had mentioned youkai living here, yet they hadn't encountered a single one thus far. Kurama waited excitedly for the next challenge to arrive—when they had found out where their missing companion was, though. The kitsune frowned inwardly and gave Hiei a sidelong glance.

 

The fiery youkai seemed calm enough, but Kurama knew those impassive eyes well and knew Hiei was merely masking his emotions. He smiled faintly at this. Even after all these long years it seemed like some things never changed. This brought comfort to Kurama's heart, though. Being alive for so long did come with consequences. He had to inevitably watch those close to him pass on while life for him went on inexorably. It was good to have a few constant variables beside him; though Yusuke was most certainly not constant in the way he acted. Kurama thought about this fondly.

 

When they reached the cave, Hiei entered first, flashing his katana dangerously to ward off any enemies before lowering the weapon satisfactorily. He tossed his jacket over his back and turned halfway to look at Kurama.

 

“No one's here,” he commented needlessly as he began to head for the left side of the cave where a high slab of stone rested near the ceiling. Kurama watched amusedly as the youkai clambered up until he reached his destination, folding his jacket along the stone before lying down himself.

 

“You're worried? I was too at first. But now I think Yusuke's fine,” the kitsune quipped suddenly, as if speaking to himself. He watched slyly as Hiei stiffened from where he rested. “He may be reckless, but he usually knows what he's getting himself into. And to be quite honest, it's more often him who comes to rescue us.”

 

Only silence greeted Kurama, but this did not dampen him. He already knew his words had a profound effect on Hiei because of the way the youkai shifted to his side, his back against Kurama. The silver-haired kitsune smiled at this but wasn't yet done with his interrogation.

 

“Tell me, Hiei. When did you first fall for Yusuke?”

 

At this the smaller youkai responded by facing Kurama, an astonished look on his face. “What?” he gasped out, as if not wanting to believe what he had just heard.

 

Kurama smiled back charmingly and sat down on a boulder, taking on a more passive attitude. “You know what I said, Hiei. So tell me,” he replied knowingly.

 

Hiei's eyes on him narrowed darkly. “You don't know what you're talking about, fox. Go to sleep,” he snapped back bitingly.

 

“I told you once before you could never hide anything from me,” came Kurama's voice softly, his tone bringing to Hiei memories of a happy past filled with hopeful secrets and love. Kurama gazed back at Hiei with a nostalgic smile. “You remember this?”

 

Hiei stared at him for a moment then closed his eyes. “What did I tell you before about acting too much like a human?” he responded derisively. “You're more sentimental now than you were when I first met you.”

 

Kurama's face then broke into a more cheerful smile. “Yes, I suppose I have my mother to thank for this—Yusuke as well now that I think about it,” he said lightly, “but to be quite honest, this isn't about me.”

 

Hiei arched an eyebrow. “I can see you're not going to let this drop,” he stated tonelessly.

 

The kitsune merely sat patiently.

 

Hiei folded his arms and sat up cross-legged. “Your opinion is wrong, Kurama,” he said calmly.

 

The silver-haired youkai frowned slightly. “And what is my opinion?” he retorted.

 

“That Yusuke and I will work. It won't. We're too different for that to happen nor would I even want it to happen,” came the cold answer.

 

Kurama crossed his legs and rested his elbow on one of them, looking up at Hiei wonderingly. “Is that so? You say that now yet you're already falling for him. Do you really plan on stopping something as natural as this?” he replied.

 

“Natural? This is not natural, Kurama. He doesn't need me and I don't care for relying too much on one person,” remarked Hiei snappily.

 

Sharp, amber eyes softened at these words. “I think Yusuke needs all of us—and sometimes depending on someone else isn't bad. Isn't that what we did?” advised Kurama.

 

Hiei remained blasé. “You and me were something else. We had more in common. It was natural for us. There wasn't anything or anyone who could say otherwise,” he said as a matter-of-factly.

 

“Then why did we break apart?”

 

It seemed as if a sudden, powerful wave entered the cave, filling it with such intensity that all the inhabitants were stunned to silence. Hiei didn't look at Kurama, knowing all too well what he would see in the kitsune's eyes. His question was one that had haunted him endlessly in the recent past. Days would go by and Hiei would try to find an answer for this puzzle. And when he did, it came to him as a surprise—for it was something he had always known just never really paid much attention to.

 

“We were too similar on the inside. Both of us housed secrets we didn't want the other to know. This eventually led to a feeling of distrust on both behalves to the point where it seemed like friendship would indeed be the better path,” continued Kurama smoothly, without any remorse or regret.

 

Hiei raised his head and looked at Kurama as if to say, “Yeah. So what?” The kitsune smiled and shook his head at his smaller companion.

 

“We were the same. We understood each other better than anyone else ever did. But it wasn't love—at least not the kind we had hoped for. It wasn't the one where two individuals fell for each other and slowly began the long process of finding out more about the other. Ours was the opposite. We knew too much about each other—so much that we became like two souls intertwined eternally with no chance for freedom or excitement despite our, at times, dangerous lives,” explained Kurama as he turned a critical gaze on Hiei. “But you originally held a special place for Yusuke in your heart. We both did to be frank, but you let him in more freely than you ever did with anyone else. I was once envious of this for a while—until I realized why you did this. Yusuke has that kind of charm over people.”

 

Hiei's eyebrows scrunched together slightly, a sign of slight irritation. “I do not hold a special place for that…idiot,” he responded, though he knew Kurama could see through his words.

 

And the silver-haired youkai only smiled. “Don't let this chance escape you, Hiei. Just because we didn't work out doesn't mean you two won't. Yusuke is quite different from me—which I believe is a good thing. He's got plenty of mystery and excitement in himself to satisfy you until the end of time, I believe,” he mused aloud before turning a playful look on Hiei, “and he's lovable. Did I forget to mention that?”

 

A short chuckle was issued from Hiei as he broke his gaze with Kurama by closing his eyes. “I'm not in that deep,” he remarked.

 

“You soon will be, though. It was inevitable. You were attracted to Yusuke from the beginning. His power, his seemingly carefree attitude, and loudness called out to you. He's your contradiction—yet he may be your match at the same time,” commented Kurama.

 

“Is this your way of telling me that you approve?” questioned Hiei, smirking.

 

Kurama gave a lighthearted laugh. “We've got a long life ahead of us, Hiei. I'm sure of it. And you need someone by your side for the long journey,” he replied.

 

“And you?”

 

A slow smile spread over Kurama's face. “You can worry about me some other time. I'm the least of your concerns right now,” he answered smartly, a mischievous glow in his eyes.

 

Hiei gave an amused half smile. Many used to think he and Kurama were a perfect pair—destined and suited for one another. Many still did think this in fact. Even Yusuke had perceived this notion. It brought Hiei some grief considering he wasn't pleased with people meddling in such personal affairs, but it also annoyed him greatly. He had learned long ago that destiny was only half the story. He had allowed himself to fall blindly for Kurama only to wind up with even more regrets than before. Their time together was good while it lasted even if half the time was spent shying away from others—and ultimately, each other. Significant other? Hiei scoffed at the idea. Love was such a trifling yet substantial subject that eluded the fiery youkai to no ends. He didn't want to wind up as its victim for a second time.

 

But Yusuke wasn't something he could ever predict.

 

Hiei lied back down against his jacket and stared at the ceiling. A faint rustling below him alerted him that Kurama had taken his leave. The youkai frowned at the direction his thoughts were flowing in. The absence of the loud Yusuke still haunted his mind and Hiei couldn't deny the fact that he was worried. It didn't matter if the other youkai was one of the strongest fighters around—he would continue feeling this way until Yusuke was back by his side again. Hiei scowled deeply. He always did hate the emotions Yusuke managed to rouse within him. No one else had ever done this so naturally, so freely since Yukina. It made Hiei feel weak.

 

He's your contradiction—yet he may be your match at the same time. Kurama's words echoed throughout Hiei's skull incessantly, taunting him yet giving him some spark of hope. The crimson-eyed youkai sighed deeply and closed his eyes. As much as the subject affected him, Hiei knew he had to put it aside for now. Love was not his main priority now—finding Yusuke's mysterious enemy and getting rid of them was. No one threatened his friends. Hiei had made this declaration long ago, and he did his best to uphold this promise—even allowing those like Keiko and Shizuru, whom he was never particularly close to, into the bargain. He had failed once when witnessing Yusuke die by the hands of Sensui. That pain was something Hiei never wished to experience again.

 

“Hiei.”

 

Eyes fluttering open, Hiei gave a start and sat up to look down. Kurama stood by the entrance, still and a calm expression in his eyes. If it weren't for the fact that he could detect a slight panic in the kitsune's tone, Hiei would have completely disregarded him. But this was not the case and the fiery youkai stood up, katana in hand.

 

“What is it? Kurama?” he demanded.

 

The silver-haired youkai looked positively livid, yet one would never have known this by staring at him. His anger was written clearly in his eyes, under cool depths of amber, swirling viciously and waiting for a chance to burst.

 

“We have to go now,” he stated firmly, leaving no room for further discussion. Just then, several holes erupted open before him, dust and sand blowing everywhere. Hiei shielded his eyes with his arm before leaping down to greet the intruders.

 

“Don't,” warned Kurama just as the smoke cleared and Hiei was about to strike down the nearest youkai. “They have Yusuke.”

 

Those three simple words managed to stop Hiei from going all out on his enemy. He lowered his stance slowly with bitterness. The small youkai before him were dirty looking, with bulging black eyes and wispy brown hair. Their bodies were round and stout but on their hands were glittering claws about a foot long. Hiei glanced behind them and saw long tails in the air, swaying gently with long, glittering spikes poking out dangerously. He had never seen such youkai before.

 

“What did you do to him?” he inquired blandly.

 

The youkai spoke in high, squeaky clicks. Hiei looked behind to Kurama and saw that the kitsune was in fact tied down to the earth by chains of stone around his ankles. He narrowed his eyes warily. It appeared these youkai were not to be underestimated.

 

“Come with ussss…” hissed out one sand youkai, snatching Hiei's arm with surprising force before suddenly leaping high in the air. Hiei's expression changed to one of shock as they abruptly dropped down the hole they had come out from.

 

As they fell, the cold air bit at Hiei's face and he began to try and break the sand youkai's grip to no avail. The small youkai had an unbreakable hold on him, and he gave up soon after. It was best to just follow through with everything. After what seemed like hours, the darkness around them gave way to a soft, steady light. Hiei blinked in surprise as they landed on soft ground. The youkai gripped his arm more tightly as he began dragging Hiei away to the corner, where a dark tunnel splayed out before them.

 

“What do you want with us?” demanded Hiei sharply.

 

The youkai only gave an indiscernible murmur to which Hiei didn't even try to comprehend. As they emerged from the tunnel, however, his confusion gave way to wonder. There, towering before them, was a series of tunnels and holes decorating the high walls all around them. The air was cleaner here and Hiei could spot small huts in the center, the sand youkai's homes most obviously. The range of tunnels was simply unfathomable, however. It was a world belonging entirely to these youkai—and no one else could possibly take it away. Hiei couldn't imagine how long it had taken to build them.

 

At that moment Kurama then walked up to his side, being dragged along by two of the sand youkai. Hiei shared a look with him and both knew what the other was thinking immediately. They could not make any attack in fear for Yusuke's safety. Hiei clenched his teeth together but remained calm as he looked onwards. The sand youkai were coming out of their small huts in curiosity and were now poking and prodding at him and Kurama with small gasps of wonder.

 

“Uramessshi bad,” muttered one of the youkai as it glared down at Hiei and Kurama.

 

“He bringsss usss trouble,” added another.

 

All at once Hiei felt the blood rush from his head. It seemed like these youkai also bore a grudge against Yusuke. Did that mean they were brought here simply for amusement? Hiei balled his fists.

 

The sand youkai suddenly began laughing.

 

“Uramessshi very bad! Tricky! Dangerouss to be around! Not anymore!”

 

And the laughter went on.

 

Both Hiei and Kurama at this point were trembling with building rage before someone new spoke up—someone with an oddly familiar voice.

 

“Hey, hey, I'm not gone yet.”

 

The sand youkai stopped laughing and turned around, taking Hiei and Kurama's gazes with them. Standing before one of the endless tunnels spread out before them was a cloaked figure. Underneath the hood, however, Hiei could see whitish hair and familiar facial markings. His shock kept him from speaking, though.

 

The figure lifted the hood from his face and Urameshi Yusuke promptly greeted everyone with a sunny smile.

 

“Hiei, Kurama. These guys were right you know. It is dangerous being around me,” he remarked casually, a smirk on his face. He then shrugged noncommittally. “I really can't help myself you know. Sorry. But you can't say I didn't warn you.”

 

And Yusuke raised his arm, adopting an old stance, and a brilliant cold blue light appeared at the tip of his index finger as he aimed it at Hiei and Kurama. The light illuminated his face eerily and for a moment, Hiei wondered if in fact he had managed to make the biggest mistake in his life by trusting Yusuke.

 

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TBC