Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Worthless Humans ❯ One on One ( Chapter 21 )

Nari was drug out by Kuronue into the windy spring weather, the sun threatening to retreat for the day though it's bright light shown through the forest canopy for the time being illuminating the way for the three until darkness would overtake them. Kuronue stopping near a large oak looking tree whose branches shook when the wind caressed them, glancing over at the Spirit Detective before shoving the chain in his hands. “Here,” he growled rather irritably. “Talk to her, and this better be quick.”

 

Sensui's fingers slowly closed upon the chain he was soon given before smirking, almost mockingly, at the demon before him. “I will do what I can.” The two had a stare off until Sensui turned his back on Kuronue and walked further into the woods but not out of sight as it was part of their agreement. Getting to the lake that was a ways down from Kuronue, he glanced over at the bat demon for a moment before looking to Nari. “Sometimes I wonder if you all are truly worth saving,” Sensui just came right out to say.

 

Nari didn't think too much of his comment. Hearing that he would be obtuse enough to try and take on the demons almost made her want to throw her head back and laugh at his stupidity, but she kept her remarks in check for the time being.

 

“I know you have something you want to say,” Sensui almost urged, lifting her chin to stop her from staring at her feet, she seeming almost trance like. “I can see it in your eyes. If you wish to speak, it is best you do it now. I will not retaliate on your actions.”

 

Nari rolled her eyes that had gained dark rings under them due to her mental sickness that overtook her when she lost her last baby. Not eating or sleeping too well was really starting to eat at her and make her seem zombie like. Looking off towards the pond's ripples that the wind was creating, the ivy green eyes of the beaten girl landed back on the man before her. “What is your intention of being here?” She almost whispered, the wind catching her every word.

 

“I was sent to investigate this matter on Lord Koenma's behalf a year or so ago but didn't take an interest into it until curiosity talked me into it.”

 

Nari was silent, her eyes threatening to roll into the back of her head almost for a moment until she hummed in thought at his reply. “So, you really are the former Spirit Detective.”

 

“Yes, I am. I retired without telling Koenma of it.” Both being silent for a moment, Sensui eyed her oddly showing a hint of anger in there somewhere and once Nari saw it, she knew she was possibly in for a lecture. “Did you know that one of your own kind tormented and killed demons for his own sick amusement?”

 

The weary eyes of Nari rested back into Sensui's as she eyed him curiously wondering what he meant by this and where he was going with it. “No,” she answered flatly.

 

“I saw it with my own eyes. They tortured innocent demons and I killed all the bastards there since they deserved what was coming to them.” Sensui seemed to pause for a moment before concluding, “Just like you'll get what's coming to your kind.”

 

“With all do respect, Mr. Sensui,” Nari replied in a formal tone, her adult attitude breaking through almost, “are you not one of my kind? And just what the hell have I done to deserve this?”

 

“I may be a human—but I've been fighting apparitions at a young age and have powers that overwhelm almost every demon I encounter.” Hearing this prompted Nari to look at him as if he were just plain psychotic and making up stories. He could see the doubt in her face but all he could do was show her just a little bit of the spirit power he could harness before letting it vanish from his finger tip. “I could even take down your three masters if need be but that is all for me to decide and I have yet to come to a conclusion.”

 

“So, in other words, you just came here to watch us all suffer,” Nari clarified, leaning against the nearest tree since she was tired and wanted to sleep. Sighing a bit through her nostrils where she could feel a bit of blood draining down her esophagus thanks to the abuse she put up with early that morning when it came to Yomi having her for awhile. “It's sad, really,” Nari remarked, keeping her eyes off of Sensui's for a moment as she twirled her uneven, shaggy blond hair about her index finger, “it's sad that you want to blame one group of humans for that massacre when it was just a selective few that committed that crime.”

 

Sensui's laughter started to build up at her response before he threw his head back going into quite the evil laughing fit. “And what of you, my dear, Nari?” Grabbing onto her chin, he forced her to look into his cold, narrow eyes that were as dark as the night sky. His fingers were squeezing her face just a bit too much, making her close her eyes, fearful he would go back on his word and slap her for being such a big mouth about the situation. “You cannot tell me that you would not feel animosity towards the other demons down here in Makai with all that Yomi, Yoko, and Kuronue have done to you! They have beaten you, raped you, treated you like a dog—I bet there is a part of you that feels every demon in Makai is just as twisted and sick.”

 

Nari couldn't hide the fact that she felt that way, tears squeezing from her tightly closed eyes, she whimpered within the back of her throat. “How would you feel if demonic creatures took away your humanity and made you feel like you were worth nothing at the mere age of fourteen? A part of me wants to return home so badly while another knows I will not be able to view the human world the same way again.” Sniffling as her sinuses began to bug her, she released a shaky breath. “If I were to go back home I would be trapped within myself and I cannot tell you which one would be worse—trapped in this fucking hellhole for all eternity or trapped within myself for just the same amount of time!”

 

Before Sensui could smirk at her response, he had to quickly duck from a scythe that he heard coming at him from the right. Nari released a surprised, squeaky yell as she pushed herself further against the tree scared the object would strike her once it passed over Sensui quickly. When the weapon came soaring back towards Kuronue who was the one to release it, Sensui stood to his feet gradually wondering what the hell that was about before the demon called out to him. “I told you not to touch her!” He exclaimed over the wind. “I don't want to see you doing it again!”

 

Sensui hissed, swearing at Kuronue's surprise attack on him before getting to his feet and turning his attention back to Nari. “And what of him—what of that bat demon?” Sensui asked, nodding in his direction. “I hear he watches that child of yours and shelters you like he's your father. And that kiss—.” As soon as Nari heard that, her face jerked in his direction, eyes widen at that remark. He had obviously witnessed the moment she shared with Kuronue and something about it made him smirk evilly. “—what a kiss it was. You cannot tell me something isn't going on there.”

 

Swallowing heavily, she looked over at Kuronue wishing he would bail her out of this conversation. “What's it to you…?” She asked almost defensively.

 

“It's obvious that you two care for one another,” Sensui said to the noticeable. “But did you ever think that if it was I who was to come and take care of this situation that your little demonic hubby would be dead as well as the others.”

 

“But you are off the job so it shouldn't matter,” Nari growled not wanting to think about Kuronue dead.

 

Sensui only showed off that evil smile of his before looking back over at the bat demon in the distance. “Tell me—how much do you love him?”

 

“Stay out of this!” Nari was quick to beg, biting her lower lip, forcing it to crack and bleed once more.

 

The dark man looked back over at Kuronue before eyeballing Nari once more with his thin brow cocked at her. “You love him a lot, don't you? I bet you dream of him sweeping you away from this place and somewhere safe, don't you?” Sensui began to pry trying to make Nari crack.

 

Covering her face with her hands, Nari shook her head wishing he would stop. The dreams that she had drudged up late at night were leaving Makai or at least relocating somewhere with him so she would be free from her other abusive masters. Though they were her dreams that kept her comfort late at night, she feared telling him of this and it would hurt her just the same. “Please stop,” she begged between her sobs. “I love him a lot—I really do…”

 

“How interesting,” Sensui merely whispered before staying silent in thought. Walking over to the lake there before them, he stared down at the rippling water that the wind continued to dance across. Rolling his tongue over his lower lip, he blinked closing his eyes for a moment before slowly reopening them. “I'll think this over—whatever my decision may be, I do not know. It may be years from now but either way, you'll be stuck here wallowing in your own misery until I decide on what to do.”

 

Nari could see some sort of elation in that from when he turned his focus back on her. It was there, all in his face making her nails rake against the bark of the tree behind her. “It won't matter what you do,” Nari chided behind her tears that continued to sweep down her face. “I will still be miserable either way if this matter is in your hands. So you can get your laughs in, Sensui for with or without your help I know I will be trapped in a world I hate…”

 

The spirit detective merely came back over to her to dig the chain out of the grass where it hid once he dropped it thanks to Sensui getting a nasty surprise when it came to Kuronue's earlier attack. Pulling on it a bit, he forced her forward and back to the demonic bat who was waiting as patiently as can be for their tête-à-tête to be over with. Seeing Nari looking down at her feet, her raggedy hair trying to conceal her saddened expression, Kuronue could tell she was quite upset over whatever went on. “Are you through tormenting us?” Kuronue asked once he grabbed the chain back from Sensui.

 

“Tell your leader and his friends I have seen what I wanted,” Sensui replied coldly this round. “I will leave you with your whores now to tend to. Just like them I think the same thing of the human race—it should be destroyed.”

 

Kuronue and Nari said nothing to him in return praying this would be the end of it and the troublesome enigma would leave them be. Sensui placed his hands into the pockets of his black pants before walking beyond them. Kuronue looked over his shoulder to watch as Sensui's slowly moving figure eventually disappeared in an abnormal fog that steadily began to appear. Huffing through his nostrils, the bat demon turned back to Nari who was still looking down at her bare feet. Sucking in his lower lip in thought, he dared not pry but guide her back into the hideout as the sun hid behind the mountains to make way for the crescent moon.

 

 

 

 

All of the candles were blown out for the night when Nari surfaced once more with Okuro and Kuronue. Keeping a single lit candle in his right hand, he guided the two of them down the long corridor to get them to the washroom where he planned on cleaning himself up as well as Nari and Okuro. Okuro shook a bit at the shadows about him though his demonic eyes could pierce through the thick blanket of darkness and see every little object about him. Nari held onto him tightly knowing his surroundings frightened him, she nuzzling into his side for comfort and support though he was only three years old. The shadows dancing across the flooring and walls of the lifeless hideout scared Nari as well making her fear something would try to jump out and grab her. She couldn't help but seize onto Kuronue's free arm to know she would be safe so long as he would be there. Looking up at his features for a moment, Nari watched the candle light pranced across the demon's face and outline some of his features under the visor he wore. Thinking about what Sensui said before he left couldn't help continue to replay within her mind making her stomach twist and turn in discomfort. No matter how the tables would turn one or the other would die—Nari dying inside out without Kuronue if he was ever destroyed as so many people threatened.

 

Opening the wooden door to the washroom, Kuronue stepped inside to guide the two over near the edge of the large tub. “Stay here,” he ordered softly so that he could light up the room. Taking his single light he had acquired, Kuronue went to light up the essential candles that were littered throughout the washroom so the three could see what they were doing. Looking to the shivering Nari and the boy he pretty much adopted as his own, he sighed a bit undressing himself.

 

“Shouldn't I do that, Master Kuronue?” Nari inquired sounding quite reserved.

 

Tossing off his visor before reaching behind his head to untie his hair and let it slap against his ankles, he shook his head at her question forcing some of the strands to flow over his broad shoulders, “No. I can handle it myself, kiddo. Go over there and grab the Lavender for me, as well as the Chamomile will you?” He asked pointing over at the shelf that held all the bathing oils and herbs. “And give me the Cedarwood for it could help your vaginal pain.”

 

Nari nodded before placing her son down on the wooden floor beneath them. Walking over to the oil and herb display, Nari's thin shaking fingers began to search each bottle there trying to find the three he specified. Finding each one, she plucked them from the shelf before coming over to him. Knowing that Lavender only needed at least three drops, Nari did so, letting it merge with the bathing water that was fairly warm. Feeling the warmth of the water caress her weary body almost made Nari shut her eyes in exhaustion but she continued to jerk her head back and tell herself `no' over and over again.

 

Kuronue spied her inner battle, making him hum aloud before bending down to pick up Okuro so the boy wouldn't wonder into the water he could not swim within. “Will you not sleep better tonight? Your body would suggest otherwise.”

 

Nari moved from her knees and went over to put the Lavender back since it was no longer needed, keeping her back turned to him with her hands rested upon the many shelves of oils and herbs. The small fires that continued to finger the air from the candles he had lit on top and about the shelves she was now at helped Kuronue's eyes watch her and view her actions. She was so thin it made him almost sick lately to look at her when she was this bad off. Her hair had broken and some of it was falling out from how horribly it was taken care of and concerning her recent diet change she forced upon herself. The dusty blond hair was now resting on her mid back but there was another layer that was up there near her shoulders and another that seemed to be alone on the right half of her head near her chin. “I cannot sleep in this world,” Nari insisted quietly, looking off to the side where Kuronue could not see her hurting expression. “If I close my eyes, I dream of a place…any place that is better than here. But when I wake up, I am back in this same dump with a curse of immortality.”

 

There was bitterness and sadness in her tone from what the bat demon's elfin ears could hear but not entirely directed at the comment she made. Obviously something that was said by Sensui was still gnawing away at her and he could only wonder what it was since he knew if he pried, she would switch the subject. Running his fingers through Okuro's shaggy silver hair, he asked her, “Do you know what immortality we speak of?”

 

Nari turned around to look her master in the eyes best she could from where she stood. A bit baffled at his question, she remained quiet not sure what he meant.

 

Taking her silence as a response, Kuronue sighed a bit continuing, “Do you know what that shot was that we gave you?” His narrow eyes looked over at her with concern on her definition of `immortality' since there were several forms of it out there in the world. “The shot was fused with demonic DNA but you know demons can die. We just have a hard time of being killed because our bodies are so resistant depending on what is forced upon it. We can live for thousands—millions of years and not age in outward appearance so long as we don't run across someone stronger than us that can and wish to kill us. With our prized slaves, we infuse them with an S minus class demon's DNA since that is all we have at our disposal thanks to Yoko Kurama. S plus demons are the highest ranking ones. They are the hardest to kill so you still have a chance of being killed if the right demon comes along—but those are rare to find in this part of Makai.”

 

“But—if you gave me demon's DNA, can I not do the things you all can do?” Nari asked a ping of hope in her tone.

 

“Sadly, that's not how it works,” Kuronue stated, getting into the water with Okuro before motioning her to join him since they all could use some sort of relaxing treatment after Sensui's visit. Nari came over to Kuronue's side as he continued his point once her hope was already shot, “Humans do not have the powers of demonic creatures even if we inject them with the DNA. Unless you're like that spirit detective and have spirit energy, I am afraid you won't be able to tap into the demonic powers that shot has. It only morphs your body into putting up with damage directed at it from anyone of the same or lower level as an S minus class demon. You are not eternally immortal—just partially I guess you could say.”

 

“What class are you and the others?” Nari pried trying to get settled next to him with a disappointed sigh.

 

“I am an A minus demon. Yoko Kurama is an S minus and Yomi is a B plus though Yomi is working on getting stronger. The highest you can be is an S plus demon,” Kuronue clarified moving some of her now dampened hair out of her face to see she was listening even if she was watching the water for the time being. Looking over at the Cedarwood he asked Nari to retrieve, Kuronue reached over and took the glass bottle, pouring a bit of it within his hand trying to keep Okuro situated as he attempted to multitask. “Stand up for me, kiddo.”

 

Nari did as he asked, standing up and on the top step so the water wouldn't hide her abused womanhood that would need the Cedarwood Kuronue had for her. Taking a bit of it on his fingers, he raked it gently across the area that needed the care from it causing her to hiss a bit from the sting it gave her. “That stuff burns!”

 

“It will heal you to a certain degree,” Kuronue said continuing to put it on her until he felt there was enough. Waving for her to come back into the water with him so the cool water could sooth it and help with the healing, Nari listened to him though the water's touch made the stinging feeling a bit worse than before.

 

Trying to relax within the water as he used the Chamomile to wash his hair, Nari continued to think about the demon classes and the DNA shot she was handed since it made her a bit sick inside to know she now had a bit of demon in her veins. Being handed the Chamomile soon enough, Nari grabbed onto the bottle to pour a bit of it into her hand to try and make her rat mess of a hair looking a little decent. “Kuronue, where do you get the demonic DNA? And can you not just use it on yourselves to go up a level?”

 

“Goodness,” Kuronue remarked with a brief laugh, “like a newborn baby, you are just full of questions, aren't you?”

 

Nari couldn't think of an appropriate response to that so she just shrugged, continuing to roll her fingers foaming with the Chamomile through her raggedy hair.

 

“Well, the demon's DNA is grabbed from Yoko Kurama and mixed with a few herbs of his to attack some of the negative affects it may have on humans which is why it looks green more so than red. We found out by past experiments on humans that it would morph their body and try to make them demon like without the powers but with the rough exterior of an S minus demon and so we had to throw them out to fend for themselves since they were morphed into ugly beasts.” Clearing his throat for a moment, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, he thought of an explanation for her next question. “As for us using it on ourselves to level us up, I would have to say we've never tried it out. But for most demons it is about working your way up and to get there instead of using shortcuts. Lower class beasts are normally the desperate ones that want to get up to an S class unlike those of us who are almost there and just need a bit more training. And while we may have a few of them in our group, we hide the DNA from them and only so many are made since Yoko Kurama's DNA is the thing to bring it all together.”

 

Hearing that Yoko Kurama's blood was running through her body made Nari want to run out of the washroom to throw up from disgust. It was bad enough the demon was allowed to release inside of her but now that his blood was there mixed with hers made Nari want to draw a line. As Nari was beginning to get the Chamomile out of her hair, she felt someone grabbing onto her sudsy tresses. Ivy green eyes darting over at that was responsible, she found her son pulling on the layer that was closes to him in Kuronue's arms. “Mommy!” He just came right out and said, little coal black ears moving from the word. Okuro was learning a lot more his third year and was already walking just fine and getting into a bit of trouble. Because of this, Nari insisted that she hold onto her son and rock him in her arms since he enjoyed that. His ears had grown out into a fox point finally and his tail was getting a little bit longer. He was a good bit bigger than he was last winter and was becoming a bit too heavy to haul around like she used to. Okuro's vocabulary was becoming a bit bigger too though there were a few gaps in between each word when he spoke.

 

“Hey, Okuro,” she replied with the broken smile she had. Opening her arms once she was finished with her hair, she took her son from Kuronue. “Goodness, I hope you are getting tired because I don't think I can stay up with you this night, little one.”

 

Kuronue eventually pulled himself from the bathtub, helping Nari and Okuro with him. Ordering Nari to put back the other used bathing oils, Kuronue threw his long hair over to the side to ring it out so it wouldn't annoy his neck due to the water weighing down his long tresses. Pulling it back quickly, he grabbed onto his clothing to put on before reaching for Nari's hand. “Come on, Nari,” he insisted quietly. “Let's go back to the room.”

 

Nari nodded, hefting her son up on her right hip so he wouldn't fall. Walking over to him and taking his hand into her own, she sauntered along side of Kuronue until they got back out into the corridor. Stopping for a moment, she couldn't help but look out at the dark beauty that was about the lounge area of the hideout. It was nice to see it so quiet for once and every rare occasion when she got to see it this silent and lifeless, she felt as though the place was only made for her, Kuronue, and Okuro.

 

Feeling her stop, Kuronue did the same watching as her eyes darted out about the dark, uninteresting room. “Nari, is something wrong?”

 

Weary expression shifting back to Kuronue she shook her head once at his inquiry. “No, I just like it like this when everyone is asleep. In a way, it reminds me of my grandma's house in Augusta minus all the many rooms, mind you. It wasn't very fun there in her one story house, but at night it had some sort of eerie, relaxing beauty about it.”

 

Kuronue released her hand and chain, allowing her to hold it since he could tell she wanted to wonder off to look about.

 

Taking the chain into her hand keeping Okuro in her right arm and hip, Nari walked down the stairs to get to where the many sofas and chairs were. Looking up at the dull chandler that wouldn't show off its miraculous shine at night, the young teen sighed at the sight before helping herself down on one of the sofas nearby waiting for Kuronue to join her. “At night I really love this place—I guess because when I walk out with you it more or less feels like it's just the three of us,” Nari admitted aloud.

 

Kuronue was still standing at the top of the stairs but was gradually making his way down, folding his wings about his front for a moment. Hearing of her story, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit at it. Of course, this lead Nari to believe he was laughing at her silly dreams.

 

“You're laughing at me, aren't you?” Nari asked, narrowing her eyes a bit at him.

 

Grunting a bit, Kuronue took his spot next to her, shaking his head at her question before placing the candle down on the wooden table before them. “No, no, Nari,” Kuronue insisted before looking to her, “you know I wouldn't do that to you. Do you not think I wouldn't enjoy moving elsewhere with you?” Hearing him say such a thing forced a smile back on Nari's face even though it was hard given her situation. “But, I think you do not understand that Yoko Kurama is my best friend and I cannot leave him or betray him in anyway possible. If it weren't for him, I would leave for your sake.”

 

“I guess it's nice that you really like your friend and would do anything for him,” Nari said almost in a whisper even though she wished ill will on Yoko Kurama for ever being in the picture and causing Kuronue to stay put. “I just don't understand why you cannot leave if you are such buddies with Master Yoko Kurama!” She was pleading—whining almost, wanting him to reconsider and just tell Yoko Kurama he was leaving.

 

If the room wasn't so dark and the candle light so weak Nari would have been able to catch the sour look on the bat demon's face but she could tell he was somewhat angered by her choice of words. “Nari, stop that,” he ordered firmly before gripping onto her wrist to scold her. “As selfish as this may sound to you, I've known Yoko Kurama longer than you and I would do just about the same stuff I do for you that I do for him. I am not putting one or the other first.”

 

Nari felt the wind getting knocked out of her by those words. From how he said it, Nari couldn't help but still feel like a stubborn little eight-year-old that wanted her way. Kissing Okuro's head as he released a squeaky yawn to hint his exhaustion from the Lavender that embraced his body, Nari sighed softly once Kuronue released her wrist. “I am sorry, Kuronue…”

 

Sighing through his nostrils, the demon could tell she meant it even though it was hard. Looking up at the ceiling where some of the trees from outside the windows that were up front close to the two large front doors caste their shadows above to create an intricate design of black thanks to the moonlight, Kuronue shifted his right leg over his left before looking back at Nari. “Do you want to go back into the bedroom now or do you wish to stay out here?” He wanted to change the subject since he knew Nari hated Yoko Kurama and possibly wished some times he would be destroyed.

 

“Is it okay if I stay out here for now, Kuronue?” Nari asked silently before leaning on his shoulder that was closes to her. “I just want to fall asleep out here and then you can drag me back to the bedroom…”

 

Kuronue said nothing, moving the shoulder she was resting on so she could shift to his chest and hopefully sleep better there, wet or not from the bathwater. Lying back on the sofa they were relaxing upon, the bat demon let Nari try and sleep for the time being since there was something about the hideout at night that reminded her of her home and settled her internally. Watching as the candle suddenly burned out for the night, he waited until Nari was engulfed by the dreams that she wallowed in late at night before bothering to remove her back to a safer haven.