Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Winter's end ❯ In the face of--snow? ( Chapter 6 )

W00t, and here we are... Already on chapter six... Thank you thank you for sticking with it so far! Enjoy!

 

Disclaimer: What is mine, is mine. What isn't, belongs to the creators. Clear? Yay!

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Chapter 6: In the face of—snow?

 

“Don't panic, I'm sure we'll find them soon enough!” yelled the exhausted yet anxious teacher to a buzzing school crowd. “Now everyone, back to your rooms! We'll be notified if the search teams find anything.”

 

A groan of complaint followed that announcement, yet the crowd reluctantly stomped up the stairs. Kimori anxiously glanced at her pack of accomplices. Yukio's disappearance was part of the plan. Shuichi's was not!

 

“What are we gonna do?” whispered the brunette, her finger playing with her hair.

 

“Just shut up and no one will know we had anything to do with it. Besides, Yukio was right there! I'm sure he found her by now. He's gonna be on the front page tomorrow morning, just you wait.” nodded Kimori, secretly hoping she was right.

 

What if she just killed a classmate? She knew that just by making Ray try to climb down that horrible mountain was an evil act in itself, but having her fall off it? Yukio's idea. Since Kimori adored him, there was no way she could refuse anything he asked. That, was one of those things. But now her conscience was battling her heart.

 

~*~

Chattering teeth, heavy footsteps, soggy clothes. Exhausted and freezing, poor Kurama was struggling to walk blindly—somewhere. He thought he could hear a soft, distant melody guiding him... Towards what was debatable, but he'd rather think it was safety instead of instant death!

 

With a nearly lifeless body weighing him down, Kurama's steps were heavier and longer than they should be. Besides, the snow wasn't helping him, sticking to his shoes and pants, trying to immobilize him into a pure coffin.

 

“A bit longer.” sang the soft voice. Ah, Kurama caught a glimmer up in a tree. Strange, something really was there.

 

Each breath froze Kurama's throat and lungs, and each time he exhaled, a puff of white smoke would disappear into the frigid air. Squinting, the exhausted fox demon thought he perceived an opening at the base of Mount Fuji. That could help keep the battling snow away.

 

The shimmering, white girl sitting on a branch close to the cave smiled and watched a shivering Kurama enter. Unable to feel his fingers, Kurama set Ray down as carefully as he could and rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them up and prevent his blood from freezing.

 

Speaking of freezing, the body he had been carrying was awfully cold and pale... “Ray?” he whispered softly and tapped her frozen cheeks, “Wake up Ray. You can't sleep in the cold. You'll die.” he muttered and shook her until he acknowledged it produced no results.

 

His heart beat quickened. Could she already be—No. Why doubt now? He could've left her in the snow if he had been sure. Shaking the discomforting thoughts out of his mind, Kurama started rubbing the girl's arms energetically, trying to revive her by warmth.

 

Outside, the wind was howling, bringing in gusts of large and heavy snowflakes. Kurama finished rubbing Ray's arms and moved to her legs. He could tell her pulse was low just by her skin's temperature. Not good, really really not good!

 

Suddenly, he stopped and perked his head up. Something just... echoed. Glancing around furtively, Kurama listened more attentively. Nah, it had to be his mind playing tricks on him. He was, after all, dead tired and it was about time to sleep right now. But sleep was the number one sacrifice when trying to survive a night in the mountains.

 

But wasn't there a legend about ghosts and goblins in caves? ... If Ray was awake, he was pretty sure she'd slap him playfully while laughing her lungs out at his stupid superstition. 'Yeah, she would do that.' chuckled a shivering Kurama.

 

He sat as far away from the opening as he could in order to avoid the glacial wind and wrapped his arms around Ray, trying to keep both of them warm enough to survive.

 

~*~

How long had it been? Five days? Sixty hours? Only forty five minutes!? Time sure was slow when you had nothing to do but fear sleep and death. Bumping his head on the wall he was leaning against, Kurama tried to focus on the pain, that meant his nervous system was still working, which was great.

 

However, he couldn't say the same for Ray. He had no idea how the hell to wake her up. Wandering thoughts brought up a puzzling fact: growing up, she was the only girl to scorn him while all the others drooled a pool a slippery juice around him. The first time he saw her, he remembered, he wondered if she was a demon because of her unusual hair and eye color.

 

But her spirit energy was normal, no need for alarm. Ray was just... a lunatic. Oh, no no—he meant, a rare person. Mhm.

 

Kurama started to shiver violently, unable to feel his arms and legs inside his coat. Uh oh. Not good! What was—that noise though? It seemed like a ragged breath of someone who had been running... or just walking in the blizzard outside.

 

“Finally,” breathed out a male voice Kurama recognized from the far end of the cave. “Now where the hell did she go? She couldn't have gotten that far after that fall.” grumbled the voice.

 

'Yukio?' thought Kurama, glad he didn't use any demon tricks to keep them warm.

 

Click. A flashlight casted a ray of white light in front of its owner, who was now screening the wall of the cave to make sure no one was in here. Or on the contrary, to make sure someone was in here.

 

The light soon came upon the frozen Kurama and unconscious Ray. “Shuichi!?” gasped Yukio in pure shock before growling quietly. “What are you doing here?” he calmly asked once he regained his composure.

 

“Trying not to freeze to death, actually.” honestly answered Kurama, tightening his grip on the freezing Ray.

 

Yukio blinked in his skiing jacket then grinned, as if a mischievous thought just popped in his head. “Why don't I give you a lighter, if you promise to leave immediately, without Ray.”

 

Kurama blinked and tried to stop his teeth from chattering, “How about you just leave and go freeze to death on your own?” glared Kurama, seeing right through Yukio's deal. “She'll never like you. Whatever you do.”

 

“Are you sure? Or are you just trying to keep her for yourself?” snapped a suddenly pissed Yukio.

 

“I'm sure. Especially after you cowardly tried to rape her at school.” replied a serious Kurama.

 

Growling, Yukio took small steps forward, glaring at his arch nemesis, that ever so famous Shuichi Minamino! “If you know what's good for you, just leave, or get trashed.” glared Yukio, wanting to be menacing yet failing oh so miserably.

 

Kurama stared at him unimpressed and simply grabbed both of his wrists around Ray's waist, signifying he wouldn't just abandon his neighbor and friend. “Fine.” huffed Yukio, turning off the flashlight, “Don't blame me if all the girls scream in terror once I'm done with you.” chuckled an overconfident macho.

 

In this case, Kurama has a major disadvantage: he's nearly frozen solid. Needless to say, his defense goes down and his chances of survival drop to slim. Yukio waited until his eye adjusted to the frigid darkness then stepped forward confidently, knowing where Kurama was sitting.

 

A black belt in karate, Yukio directed a round house kick straight at Kurama's face. The poor thing barely knew it was coming from the sound of it. Still, frozen as he was, he had little chance to dodge it in time. Yet he tried, and halfway succeeded; the top half of his head brutally got hit and he nearly went face first on the ground.

 

Good thing he had instincts. Kurama barely caught himself before he crushed Ray to death. But Yukio's attacks were too quick and as soon as Ray was laying on the floor, Kurama felt something hard hitting his chin, throwing his head back against the wall behind him.

 

'Ugh.' Kurama could taste blood in his mouth and he could swear his nose was bleeding too. What he wouldn't give to be able to summon his rose whip right now. Yukio kept attacking relentlessly, punch after kick, kick after punch, it never ended!

 

One particular hard punch in the stomach made Kurama cough loudly, quite a bit of bloody saliva dripped from his open mouth while he tried to gasp for air. Yukio grinned victoriously and grabbed Shuichi's collar, bringing their faces really close.

 

“Give up yet?” sneered Yukio, enjoying going mental when no one was around to blackmail him later.

 

“Not.” coughed out Kurama, wiping his bloody lip with one frozen hand before kneeing Yukio in a place he was certain it would hurt. Yes, in between the legs, that's right.

 

Crying in sudden pain, Yukio let Shuichi go and kneeled down abruptly, both hands holding the sore area. Kurama sort of slumped on the ground and gasped for air, trying to think of what to do next. With frozen arms, he couldn't punch as strongly as he would otherwise. Yukio knew that and didn't have the slightest remorse about beating the crap out of him.

 

A sudden gust of glacial wind made its way inside the cave and made Kurama shiver violently again. Crap, if this kept up, he'd be an icicle sooner than he ever imagined.

 

Somehow, the cave was eerily quiet... Too quiet. What happened to the whimpering Yukio?

 

“Ugh—” Kurama felt an intense, sharp pain in the back of his skull and slumped down, almost covering Ray.

 

“Take that, you son of a bitch.” spat a really pissed Yukio.

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That shall be all for now! Maybe I should back and count how many times I used “frozen” just for kicks... As always, reviews much appreciated. =)

 

midnight fox: ^^;; It was... >> right, we already went over this... To me it was an update, but I guess it wasn't one for you. =( Hopefully you'll find time to read this in between school and work!

 

Meep_4ever: I like your thinking! It's the way I think! But... I am threatened... ^^;; occasionally :P Aah, I need to keep on writing or soon you'll have to wait more than one day for updates... Then I'll really be killed. *gulps*

 

missy: Be--because... um... >.> Well, for one they keep you coming back ^^;; And two, they leave the climax for the next chapter! ^.~

 

Kurama_s_Girl_911: Haha, zoned out? Hm, I need to find a way to keep you on your toes... *shoves next to a cliff* How about that? o.O xP Just teasing. Thanks for reviewing! =D

 

Deadly_Wolve: o.o New addic--reviewer! ^^;; I shall update! =D

 

Leh Star: ... o_o Kuwabara... sings? <.< >.> Um-- I've... gotta... go... somewhere far... *dashes to Ireland* And from there, maybe I'll update! xP

 

Methos: ... My-- what? o.O Spirit? Well now that would be assuming I have one... A really edgy bargain. xP Hehe I know I know, Kurama holds dearly onto her. *grabs* So romanti-- ouch! Don't throw kitchen utensils! >.> Thanks for reviewing! ^^;

 

Sly Vixen706: Haha, cliffies have good and bad intentions... *evil smirk* Um--wait, I didn't say nuttin. *whistles innocently* Thanks for reviewing! =)

 

Silver-arctos-star: Haha, stupid stupid indeed. *nod* I thought the heroic thing worked well too... Well, if he wanted to be he totally could be! xP Here's another update... *sighs* >.> Hopefully I'll keep at least a chapter ahead or else... I feel like my head's going to fly off when you all have to wait more than a day to get updates. ^^;;

 

kuramagurl: Hmm, well I guess this chapter answered your-- um, not question but begging ^^; Sugar highs are--fun, but not that great for your health. :P Thanks for reviewing! ^^