Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Watching You ❯ The Truth, Part 2 ( Chapter 6 )

BlackRoseVixen05: Hello, again! The sixth chapter is finally finished! Go me! Lol, anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed! You all made this chapter possible! And now, on with the fic!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

 

Chapter Six

 

Flashback Continues in Kuro's POV

 

When I woke up, I found myself back in my cell. I winced as I sat up. My head was killing me. It hurt worse as I remembered what I saw in the Rewinding Orb. I…I didn't want to believe it, but I knew it was true. You were gone. It was my fault and I knew it. If only I hadn't got caught. I could have been there with you. I could have helped you…somehow.

 

“Yoko…” I whispered as tears began to fall from eyes again.

 

I sat upright on my cot, my knees pulled up to my chest, and my arms wrapped around them. I found myself sitting like this a lot since I'd been here. I wrapped my wings around my body, hugging myself. My wings creaked and my bones popped as they moved. It felt like forever since I'd been able to fly, but I didn't care about that now.

 

I recall not caring about anything anymore. You were all I could think about. I barely noticed my hunger anymore, and I had totally forgotten about my plans to escape. I just wanted to see you again. I sniffled as I wiped away some of the trails of endless tears that covered my face.

 

“What's the matter?” I suddenly heard a voice ask.

 

My head snapped up and I looked around. It was the voice of a woman, an old woman. That's when I remembered. I stood up and walked closer to the front of my cage. The old jackal demon was looking at me with curious amber eyes. This was the first time I had even seen her out of her meditative state.

 

I could tell that she was waiting for me to answer, but I didn't feel like talking right then. So, I sat down near the bars of my cell, leaning against them.

 

“Well?” she said, continuing to watch me. I just sniffled in response, wiping my eyes again. I heard her sigh.

 

“Come now, I know you can talk. I've heard you,” she said. I still said nothing. She sighed again.

 

“You know, all the time you've been in here, no matter how harsh the words, no matter how painful the beatings, you've never shed a tear. Why now?” she asked.

 

“Why do you care?” I answered, my voice raspy from crying.

 

“I don't…but I might, if you tell me what's wrong,” she replied. “Keeping your troubles bottled up inside only prolongs the pain of whatever is upsetting you, but you'd be surprised at how relieved you could feel after expressing your problems to someone who's just willing to listen.”

 

My frown lessened as I turned to face the old woman. She gave me a warm smile, and I blinked a few times before raising my hand to wipe my face once more.

 

“Now, I may not be able to help you, but I'll listen if you're willing to talk. So…again, what seems to be bothering you?” she asked. I lowered my gaze to the floor then began to explain my entire situation to her, including your “death”.

 

My tears had returned by the time I was finished talking. The woman looked at me with pity in her old eyes as my story drew to a close.

 

“I'm so sorry about your friend and all that's happened to you. I truly am,” she said, quietly. I nodded slowly as I pushed myself away from the bars and sat back against my cot. I reached up and undid my ponytail, letting my hair drape over my right shoulder. I gently grabbed a thick portion of my hair and began to run my fingers through it.

 

It was something I did whenever I was sad. You remember? Then I heard the woman speak again and I looked up.

 

“One more question. What's your name?” she asked.

 

“Kuronue, but…just call me Kuro. Yoko always did…” I said.

 

“Well, Kuro, I'm going to let you in on a little secret of mine,” she said with a grin. My ears perked with curiosity.

 

“I'm escaping from this place tomorrow night. Why don't you join me?” she said. My jaw damn near dropped at her words.

”How?” I asked, regaining what little composure I had at the moment.

 

The old jackal chuckled as she stood up and dusted off her dress. She then walked closer to the rear wall of her cell, lifting her cane. She pressed the wooden cane against one of the lower stones and pushed. To my shock, the stone slid back a few inches, revealing moonlight from outside.

 

“I've been working on removing this stone for quite some time, and I've finally done it,” she said, glancing at me. “I was just waiting for the right time to make my escape.”

 

“Why tomorrow?” I asked.

 

“Because that's when there are only a handful of Aleera's guards are on patrol. The others usually go and get drunk while four or five keep watch,” she explained.

 

“Yeah, I noticed that, too,” I told her, moving to the front of my cell again. She turned and smiled at me.

 

“Yes, and after hearing your story, I'm willing to share my freedom with you,” she stated. “Since I'm not as young as I used to be, do you think you can take those guards out when we're making our escape?”

 

I smirked at her question. I reached around my neck, grasped my pendant, and changed it into my scythe. “Don't worry, I'll take care of them,” I said, putting my scythe away again.

 

“Nice, now the only thing I'm worried about is how you're going to get from your cell to mine,” she said, giving me a questioning look. I grinned. My eyes began to glow and my body started to shrink. Within moments, a small black bat fluttered in the air where I had once been sitting.

 

I easily flew between the bars of my own cell, into hers, and back again. I then returned to my original form and landed softly on my cot. The old woman chuckled.

 

“Alright then, looks like we're set. Get some sleep, you little rat-bird,” she said with another chuckle.

”Hey, what's your name, old woman?” I asked.

 

“Liza,” she answered. I smiled lightly before lying down. Though I was happy about escaping, my heart was still hurting from the news of your capture.

 

I sighed deeply, ignoring the tears that were threatening to fall. Soon enough I finally drifted off to sleep. Throughout the night, my dreams were plagued by memories of all the fun times we'd had together… and how I much I missed you.

 

Next Day

 

Evening seemed to take forever, but at last, it came. As darkness fell outside, I changed into my bat form and flew into Liza's cell. I changed back in order to help her push the stone fully out of the wall. I told her to stay put until I had taken out the guards. She agreed.

 

It took a moment, but I managed to fit my wings through the small opening in the wall. I made much haste as I silently took out the guards, one by one. I even set a few quick traps for any guards who might happen to follow.

I rushed back to where Liza was waiting and signaled that the cost was clear. Liza darted from the castle with speed I was surprised she still had. She was by my side before I knew it.

 

“Okay, which way?” I asked. She shushed me with her finger before motioning for me to follow her. And with that, we made our escape, disappearing into the night. I just wished that you could have been there…

 

Four Hours Later

 

After we'd made our escape, Liza led me deeper and deeper into the forest for what seemed to go on forever. We were passing through parts of the forest that I had never seen. After a while, we arrived at a large clearing, carefully hidden by trees. In the center of the clearing sat a small house.

 

Though still in good shape, it looked as though it hadn't been used in years. I followed Liza as she approached the front door. She then placed her paw-like hand onto the wooden door and chanted something in a language I didn't understand. When she had finished, I noticed that light was shining through the small windows of the house.

 

“Is this your home?” I asked.

 

“Mm-hmm. My, it's been a long time,” she said. I could tell the last part of her sentence wasn't really directed at me, so I said nothing. I merely nodded. She offered to let me spend the night, if I wanted. I gladly accepted her offer as I stepped inside her home.

 

Though I was a hell of a lot more comfortable in Liza's home, my mind wandered back to the den you and I shared together. I made up my mind that I would go back there tomorrow. But right now, sleep was the best thing for me.

 

Next Morning

 

I woke up early the next day, like I always did. Heh, you know that better than anyone. I left Liza's home while she was still asleep and went to the small spring located behind the house to clean up before I leaving. I undressed and washed my clothes in the water, getting rid of the bloodstains. After the stains were gone, I laid my clothes on a rock to dry, then I got into the water.

 

I reeked with the scent of my own blood and it was starting to annoy me. I washed my body, my wings, and my hair, successfully getting rid of the scent of blood. I got out of the water and redressed.

 

I raked my fingers through my hair as I walked back to the house, gently working out the few tangles. When I stepped into the hut, Liza was sitting at the table, looking out the window.

 

“Are you hungry?” she asked me. I pondered that for a moment. I had been starving before, but now….I wasn't really hungry at all. I knew I would have to eat something sooner or later, but I decided on later.

 

“No. I'm okay,” I said, continuing to rake my hands through my hair. It was at that moment when Liza picked up a brush from the table and threw it at me. I smiled lightly as I easily caught it and began to brush my hair.

 

“So, you're free. What will you do now? Go back to being a thief?” she asked me, turning to look at me. I shrugged my shoulders and I sat down near her.

 

“No, I don't think so. After all that's happened…it'd probably be best if I just, ya know, disappeared,” I said, putting the brush down and pulling my hair back to return it to its ponytail. I then thought of something and I released my hair, letting it fall flat, hanging freely down my back.

 

I remembered that you always told me that I looked better this way. You told me that whenever you saw me with my hair down. That's why I'm wearing it this way now, in case you were wondering.

 

“Well, I guess I'll be on my way now,” I said, standing from my seat. “Thank you for everything you've done, Miss Liza,” I added with a small bow. I then turned and headed for the door.

 

“Where will you go?” she asked, her eyes following me as I opened the door to leave. I turned and gave her a slight smile of gratitude before answering.

 

“Nowhere,” I said, disappearing out the door, closing it behind me.

Fifteen Years Later

 

After I had left Liza's place, I had indeed went back to our den. I wasn't really surprised when I found that it had been ransacked. All our things had been either stolen or broken. Everything was a mess. And other than a few select things, I was able to save nothing.

 

I traveled deeper into the Makai Forest, deciding to live in seclusion. I thought it would probably be better if the world continued to think I was dead. I found another den you and I had created once. You always thought it was safer to have two or three dens on hand. Natural fox instinct I guess.

 

One evening, as I roamed the streets of a near by town, covered by my cloak, I stopped for a drink in a small tavern. I sat quietly in a dark corner of the room as one of the bar girls placed my drink in front of me. As I rose the drink to my lips, a conversation not far from me caused me to pause.

 

“Did you hear about what happened in the Dark Tournament?” a low class, horned demon said.

 

“No. What?” said another.

 

The first demon leaned across the table to whisper to the other. I strained my sonar to hear. Though I wasn't expecting much, I was indeed curious about the Dark Tournament. What I heard next almost made me choke.

 

“They say…the Spirit Fox is back….” The first demon whispered.

 

“The Spirit Fox….?” The other questioned, wide eyed.

 

“Yes….Yoko Kurama….” The other said.

As those words left the demon's mouth, I felt my entire form freeze. Getting a hold of myself, I paid for my drink and quickly exited the tavern. I headed back to the den to try and calm down.

 

`It…can't be true. I saw him die. I saw,' I thought to myself.

 

As the weeks rolled by, more and more rumors spread that you were still alive, that you had returned. They said that you were attending the Dark Tournament and fighting along side a human who served as Earth's Spirit Detective. They were also saying that you were disguised as a human teenager with long red hair. This I found to be just as hard to believe. So, I chose to ignore the continuing to raise gossip about you.

 

Late one night and about three days later, I shot awake in my den, breathing hard. I could have sworn that I'd felt your energy, but I just figured it was my mind playing with me and went back to sleep. After the Dark Tournament was over the rumors ended and things were normal again. That is, until about two months later.

 

I once again heard that Yoko Kurama had been sighted in Demon World. The rumor was that you, along with two humans and a fire demon, had fought against a human who, for whatever reason, wanted to open a tunnel to Human World. I ignored the rumors again.

 

Then, about another month after that, I began to hear more rumors and gossip. The local demons were saying that a Tournament for control over the Demon World had begun and that you were taking part. I also heard that you were serving as an adviser to someone named Yomi. I vaguely remembered you mentioning someone by that name a long time ago.

 

So, finally making my mind up, I set out for the Makai Tournament. But by the time I arrived the Tournament had ended and I only caught glimpse of what the demons were claiming to be Yoko Kurama. I was still finding it hard to believe, but I stuck around for a while and watched you all I could as you prepared to leave.

 

I wanted to talk to you, but what if the rumors were wrong. But what if they were right. If they were, what would I say to you? I'd never been more confused in my life. I watched as you walked into the forest and stepped through I portal, heading back to Human World. Then would have been a good time to talk with you, but…I don't know.

 

Ever since then, I kept an eye on you every time you and your friends would come to Demon World on a case. I finally did realize that it really was you, but still couldn't bring myself to speak with you. I understand if you're mad about that. I'm sorry.

 

But I soon finally found a way to pass into Human World without being seen or detected. I'd followed you through the portals you and the others used to return to Human World. I trailed you and your friends around the city as you handled the new case.

 

Luckily, I managed to slip inside the portal and followed you all back to Demon World. I watched you battle the hornets and saw when you were stung. Though I was nervous to make myself own right then, I wasn't about to let you die. And so, that's when I brought you here, to my den.

 

End Flashback and Returning to Normal POV

 

Kuronue removed his fingers from his friend's forehead as the glow from his pendant faded away. The komouri then wrapped his arms around the fox demon, pulling him into a gentle hug.

 

“It's good to see you again, Fox. I really missed you,”he said, quietly. Then, he noticed something. Kurama wasn't hugging him back. In fact, he wasn't even moving. Kuro pulled away to look his friend's face.

 

Kuronue felt slightly hurt when he saw his friend's expression. The fox's eyes were narrowed in a poisonous glare, a glare Kuro had only known him to give sworn enemies.

 

“Fox? What's wrong?” Kuro asked with a worried expression. The only answer he got was a stinging slap across the face and a deeper glare from Kurama. His feeling of hurt was now shown clearly on his face as he looked at his friend.

 

“How dare you….” The fox hissed.

 

End of Chapter Six

 

BlackRoseVixen05: Wow, that was tense! Man, what's up with Kurama? Why's he upset with Kuro? Check back next time to find out! And I'm requesting another ten reviews before the next update! So, please, leave a review! See ya next time! Oh, and by the way, Happy Holidays!