Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Written In the Stars ❯ First Encounter With the Enemy ( Chapter 9 )

Written In the Stars

Chapter 9

Kurama sat on the stairs of the temple gazing out at the setting sun. He looked down below onto the field where Arella was practicing swipes with her sword as Hiei circled her, advising and instructing her on her performance and how to improve. Kurama sighed at the sight. He could almost see Arella's face blend perfectly with the sunlight. It was truly one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen.

He watched as her hair floated in the air as she turned. He could see the beads of sweat on her forehead, and how they seemed to glow in the fading sunlight. Kurama found that he couldn't tear his eyes from the sight. He watched as each of her movements became fluid and graceful. It was a sight of its own... almost a dance the way she moved.

Kurama continued to look out on the field, never taking his eyes off of her. He then began to think of how timid Arella had been when he first met her. He could hardly forget how drawn he'd been to her... like a moth to a flame. And he never questioned it one bit. All he knew was that he had to see her everyday. Speak to her, just to hear her voice.

"Kurama," he heard Arella's voice say. Its sound was like music to his ears. "Kurama... Kurama…" Kurama sighed as he heard his name flow from her lips so gently. Then, he felt a soft touch on his shoulder.

He turned to find that it was Arella's hand, and it had in fact become night. He turned to her, slightly startled. "Arella?" he said. "I'm sorry, I... I guess I was daydreaming."

Arella smiled. "It's okay," she said. "I've been guilty of daydreaming from time to time myself."

Kurama stared up at her lips, watching how they formed each word perfectly. He shook his head and stood up. "Uh, was there something you wanted, Arella?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," apologized Arella. "I almost forgot why I came here. I'm supposed to tell you that, dinner's ready." Arella smiled and looked up into Kurama's eyes. She found that she could barely tear her gaze away from his. "Uh, it's... it's getting cold. I think we should go." Kurama nodded and followed Arella back to the dining room.

"It's about time!" said Kuwabara when they arrived. "You have any idea how hungry I am! I could eat a horse!"

"A jackass is more like it," snapped Yusuke. "Of course, then you'd be eating your own kind."

"Hey, you watch it, Urameshi!" growled Kuwabara. "I would kick your ass right here, right now, but I promised myself that I'd never fight on an empty stomach!"

**********

It was later that evening that Arella was frantically searching though her things as though it was a matter of life or death, which according to Arella, it was.

"Where is it?!" she asked herself, her voice filled with panic, "I could have sworn I packed it with me!" She then leaned her head against the wall and sighed, "I must have been in such a hurry to pack at the time that it must have slipped my mind. Damn those cousins of mine. If it weren't for them, I would have it with me. I guess I have no choice but to go back there and get it. I just hope they're all asleep when I get there."

With that thought in mind, Arella quickly picked up her backpack and ran out of the temple, completely unaware of a pair of eyes watching her in the shadows.

Within twenty minutes, Arella stood before her aunt's home, checking to see if anyone in the house was awake, but from what she could tell, everyone was asleep, none of the lights were on. She then ran to the side of the house, smiling when she saw that the ladder to her room was still up. She climbed to the top and stepped inside, lifting up one of the many loose floorboards, sighing in relief as she picked up a small black box. She put it in her backpack and was about to leave when an all too familiar voice rang though the once quiet house.

"ARELLA NEYSA NOKOMIS! GET YOUR FILTHLY, UNMANNERED ASS OVER HERE NOW!" Aunt Maura screamed from the bottom of the attic stairs. Arella decided to take her chance and go down the ladder, but before she could, her three cousins ran up there and dragged her down to where Aunt Maura stood. The girls shoved her down in front of their mother, Arella falling on her knees, about to try and stand up when her aunt gave her a good hard kick in the stomach.

"You ungrateful little brat! How dare you attack my daughters and their boyfriends! They told me about what you did you little hell spawned demon!" Aunt Maura screamed.

Arella tried to stand up, but again, Aunt Maura knocked her back down with a punch to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her, "You'll get up when I say you get up you little blonde street whore! Understand one thing you vile bitch, my daughters are far more superior to you! They are more beautiful, more liked, and more loved! I could never understand what that brother of mine saw in your tramp mother of yours and I know damn well your birth was probably the cause of his death! And I'm also just as sure your just as much a tramp as your mother was!"

This time, Aunt Maura pulled Arella back up to her feet by her hair, but Arella still managed to keep quiet, refusing to giver her aunt and cousins the satisfaction of hearing her in pain.

"I knew I should have killed you when you spilled that water on my Spanish marble tiles! Your nothing put trouble you pathetic little slut!" With those final words, Aunt Maura back handed Arella across the face so hard, she fell backwards and the back of her head hit the edge of the coffee table.

"Come girls, lets go to bed, the slut can get to bed herself," Aunt Maura said, glaring down at Arella's body before she went upstairs.

Aulii, Tamma, Adara grinned evilly and before they went upstairs, each delivering a hard kick to Arella's stomach, all three of them snickering at the sight of their cousin on the ground.

When they were gone, Arella slowly lifted her hand to the back of her head and then put it in front of her.

"Blood," she murmured to herself, somehow managing to stand up and walk though the front door. She only made it a few steps though, collapsing to the ground and falling into unconsciousness.

**********

Kurama had followed Arella back to her house. He was slightly upset that she had decided to return. He was certain that she had liked it better at the Temple where she was safe. He stood outside perched on one of the branches as he watched Arella climb into her window. Kurama sighed and leapt to another branch hoping for a better view.

As Kurama waited, he hoped that Arella would come back out. She has to come back. She didn't even take Kin with her. She must have just forgotten something. He thought. Suddenly, he could hear shouting coming from inside. "Arella!" he said to himself. He leapt to a few other branches, trying to find a way in. He'd noticed that the lights in the living room had come on, but he couldn't see because all of the curtains were closed.

Finally, the lights in what Kurama believed to be the living room went out, and everything was silent. He stared at the windows, waiting for some sort of movement. Finally, he heard the click of the front door. Kurama rushed towards it, and to his relief Arella was coming out. "Thank heavens," began Kurama. However, no sooner as he finished, he watched Arella collapse to the ground. "NO!"

He leapt to the ground and quickly took Arella into his arms. "Arella! Arella, wake up!" he said frantically. He then felt something wet on his hands. He looked at it to see that it was covered in blood. He looked at her head, and saw that it was beginning to soak into his uniform. "No.…" he whispered. Kurama turned and stared back at the house, the door open. Part of him wanted to go in there and make them pay for what they had done.

"You'd best get her to Genkai," said Hiei, who stepped out of the shadows.

"Hiei?" said Kurama.

Hiei nodded. "Leave now. Arella needs treatment and from the looks of that wound, she needs it quickly." Kurama wasted no time. He nodded at Hiei and then quickly leapt into the air and out of sight. Hiei then turned his attention towards the house and the open door. He drew his sword from its sheath and after a few seconds, Hiei replaced it, "They're not worth it."

Hiei knew that if he had reacted as he wanted, as those women deserved, Koenma would have him locked away. He turned and started to leave, but stopped. He turned back and looked at the house again. He then drew his sword and ran at it, slicing the four pillars holding up the cover over the porch. Suddenly, the roof of the porch came crashing down, completely covering the porch and blocking the front door. Hiei nodded satisfied and started on his way. As he reached the edge of the walkway, he turned and kicked the mailbox off its post. "I feel much better," he muttered as he returned to the temple.

**********

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Kurama rushed into the room. His vest was covered with blood, and he wasted no time and calling out to Genkai. Yusuke and Kuwabara, hearing the call quickly rushed to see what was happening.

"Holy crap! What happened to her!?" exclaimed Kuwabara as she saw Kurama holding Arella, both of them covered in her blood.

"Her aunt and her cousins," Kurama murmured softly, "They... they did this to her."

Yusuke pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "Those stupid ugly bitches! I oughta go over there and kick all three of their asses!" he said.

Kuwabara looked and him and quickly said, "Wait a second... They're girls! You're gonna go beat up some girls, Urameshi. That's kinda wimpy ain't it?"

Yusuke growled at the word wimpy. "I don't care. They already look like a bunch of dudes! After all, I believe in equal rights for everybody! So, they deserve an equal opportunity ass-kicking just like any other jerk that would do something like this!"

Kuwabara sighed at the words, and groaned as he thought it over. After a few moments he said, "Yeah... you're right!" Kuwabara agreed, pounding his fist into his palm as well, "That does makes sense! Count me in buddy!"

"Quiet down, both of you!" snapped Genkai. "I don't have time to listen to your foolishness, while I'm trying to save this girl! Out! All of you!"

"But we were.…" began Yusuke.

"Out!" said Genkai simply. Yusuke and Kuwabara turned and left the room.

Kurama stepped forward. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I told all of you to leave and I meant it," said Genkai. Kurama, slightly shocked, started to back away. However, before he left, Genkai called out, "I'll do what I can." And with that, Kurama left the room. Now alone with the girl, Genkai rubbed her forehead. "Poor child," she said softly. "Just be strong... like your mother. Leave the rest... to me." And with that, Genkai set out silently to save the Angel before her.

**********

Arella slowly opened her eyes and let out a soft little moan of discomfort as she sat up. She looked around, a bit shocked to find herself back in her room at Genkai's temple. "How did I get here?" she said to herself aloud, "I thought I would be dead by now, considering how hard Aunt Maura hit me."

Kin meanwhile saw that his guardian was awake and quickly ran up onto the bed, greeting her with nuzzles and kisses on her face, glad that she was still alive. Arella scooped him up into her arms and gently laid back down, Kin resting on her stomach while Arella gently stroked his fur. When he had fallen asleep, Arella lifted her head slightly and touched the back of it with her hand, surprised to find that the wound was completely healed. The only evidence that she felt that she had ever been hurt at all was the dried up blood on her hair.

Arella then slowly lifted Kin off of her stomach and set him down on the bed, slowly sitting up again. "Hello?" she called out softly, "Is anyone here?"

"Yes," said Kurama as he stepped out of the shadows. "I only wanted to check on you, to make sure you were all right." Kurama stepped next to the bed, and sat down on the edge, careful not to disturb Kin too much. "So, how are you?"

"Better," replied Arella. "Much better in fact. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that nothing happened to me." Arella began to smile, but it faded as the memory of what her aunt and cousins had done to her came back. She sighed as she tried to push the thoughts away.

"Well, I'm glad that you're feeling better now," said Kurama.

"You were there... weren't you?" asked Arella. The question seemed to take Kurama by surprise. "I remember hearing your voice... calling out to me. It seemed so distant at the time, but.…" Arella looked up at Kurama, "... it was you," she whispered.

Kurama could only look into her eyes, for once he couldn't think of what to say, or how to respond. So, he nodded. Finally, he answered, "Yes. Yes, I was there. I... I only followed you to make sure you were safe, and when I saw you come out of the house... I was... afraid."

Arella looked at Kurama. "You were afraid? Afraid of what?" she asked.

Kurama looked up at her, and then back down at the bed. "Of... of losing you," he said softly. He then felt her hand gently rest on top of his. He looked back up at Arella to see that she was smiling brightly.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore," she said. "I'm fine... thanks to you."

Kurama nodded, and started to stand. "Take care of yourself, and make sure to get some rest," he said. "Since you're feeling better, I doubt Hiei will give you a day off of your training." Arella smiled at Kurama as he said the comment, of course she was certain he was telling the truth. Hiei definitely wouldn't cut her any slack. "Good night, Arella," said Kurama.

"Good night, Kurama," said Arella. She then leaned, putting her head against the pillow. Kin awoke and moved up the bed, so that he could find a nice resting place cradled by Arella's arms. The pair then slowly drifted off to sleep, for once able to get a peaceful night of sleep.

**********

Morfran sat on his throne, his eyes closed as word of his son's recent death was reported to him by the solider that kneeled in front of him.

"From what we know, my Lord," the lowly solider said as he looked up at his master, "Ciaran's mission was going quite well. We feel that the girl would be dead by now had she not had help from Koenma's Spirit Detectives. Their getting involved allowed the daughter of Amata the chance she needed to finish off Lord Ciaran. I am sorry my lord."

Morfran opened his eyes and looked down at the messenger who started to cower in fear from his master. After a few moments of deadly silence, he finally spoke, "Send a message to Koenma. Tell him that unless the girl is handed over to me, I will come to the Living World and kill every innocent I see until the girl is in my grasp. She and the Spirit Detectives will pay for what they have done. Besides, the sooner Amata's daughter is dead, the sooner I no longer have to worry about that damned Angelic prophecy."

**********

Arella's eyes opened and she stared into the darkness. She could feel that she was not alone. She felt Kin lying next to her, but still there was someone else. Arella sat up in the darkness and tried to search through the shadows to find the other person in the room. Finally, she spoke. "I know you're there," said Arella. Still there was silence. "Who's there?"

"It's just me," came Kurama's voice. He stepped into moonlight shining through the window and smiled at Arella. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't left this time."

Arella smiled at Kurama and shook her head. "No, I'm still here," she said. "And, trust me, I won't be leaving again anytime soon."

Kurama nodded at her words. He took a breath and faltered for a moment as if debating whether to say something. Then, he spoke. "Arella, I'm curious about something." Arella turned to Kurama, somewhat eager to hear his question. "You knew how your family would react if they found you when you returned. Why did you go back? What was so important?" Kurama stood in the beam of the moonlight staring down at her.

Arella sighed and looked Kurama in the eyes before she spoke, "Could you hand me my back pack? I'll show what was so important, though I must warn you, when you see and hear my explanation to why I had to go back, you may think it was a bit frivolous."

When Kurama handed her the backpack, she reached inside and pulled out a brown suede pouch. She opened up the pouch and took out a small black velvet box. She then opened up the box carefully and handed it over to him.

Inside of the box was a stunning necklace. The chain was made of a fine thin silver that shinned as brilliantly as the moonlight. Attached to the chain was a small, circular pendant that had three beautiful stones on it. The first stone, which really served as a background stone was the legendary Makai Sapphire. The next two stones had been set on top of the sapphire. The first was a diamond in the shape of a crescent moon and the next was a ruby cut into the shape of a rose.

"It's called the Moon Rose and it's a symbol for the Angelic people. It was a gift from my mother. It's been in the family for centuries. I use to wear it all the time, but after I moved in with my aunt and cousins, Adara and her two sisters tried to steal it from me so they could pawn it off for some money. I had to force myself to stop wearing it and hide it somewhere so that they couldn't get their hands on it. I know it seems kind of foolish, going though all of that just for a piece of jewelry, it's just that it was the last thing my mother gave me before she died."

Kurama shook his head as he looked at Arella. "It's not foolish at all," said Kurama. "I understand why you would want to hold on to something so precious... especially since it belonged to your mother." Kurama took a deep breath and looked away from Arella for a moment as he began to think about his own mother... his human mother.

"I was actually lucky enough to experience the love of a mother," said Kurama. "It's one of the things that... really changed me into the person I am today. In fact, it wasn't long ago that I was ready to give up my own life so that my mother could live." Kurama smiled and looked back at Arella. "She was the first person to teach me what... true love is. In fact, I've never really cared about anyone else like I do her until.…"

Kurama allowed his voice to trail off as he stared into Arella's eyes. What was I just about to say? He continued to stare into her eyes, and he could feel his chest grow warmer with every beat of his heart. Finally, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's getting late, and you do need your rest. Perhaps its time that I take my leave of you." Kurama stood up and looked down at Arella one last time as he inched back towards the door. "Good night, Arella."

"Good night, Kurama," Arella murmured before she laid back down and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

**********

When morning came, Arella awoke and took a long hot shower, getting any of the dried blood that had been in her hair or anywhere else to be cleaned off. After her shower was done, she changed into a knee length robin's egg blue skirt, black shoes, and a lavender scoop neck blouse. A smile came across her face as she picked up her necklace and put it on as the finishing touch. At long last, she could finally wear it again without worry of it being stolen and sold.

As she was starting to braid her hair, she glanced out the window and noticed Yusuke and the others heading over to the temple. What really caught her attention though was the blue haired and pink-eyed girl flying on the oar towards Yusuke. Her hands went to her sides, forgetting about the braid and letting her hair stay down. She knew damn well who the girl was and knew she had to be on her guard. Every since watching her mother's soul be taken away, she knew she had to be wary of her. It wasn't that she held something against the girl, it was just that watching someone's soul be taken, especially if it was the mother, tended to make a person cautious.

Kin walked by her side as she stepped out of the temple to face everyone. From what she could tell by the look on the blue haired girl's face, she didn't exactly come bearing good news.

Kurama turned at the sound of the small pattering of paws, realizing that it was Kin. Naturally, where there was Kin, Arella wouldn't be far behind. "Good morning Arella," said Kurama. "I trust you slept well last night?" he asked as he came towards her.

As Kurama went to greet Arella, everyone else's eyes turned on the girl. Yusuke and Kuwabara spoke softly giving her a morning greeting. Hiei's only response was a curt nod. It was at that moment that Genkai had seemed to appear almost as if out of nowhere right between Kurama and Arella. "Make it a round trip, Casanova," she said softly.

Kurama looked down at Genkai, and saw that she wasn't about to let him any closer. He then turned his attention to Arella, who at the moment wasn't paying attention to him, but to Botan. "Oh, Arella," began Kurama. "This is Botan. She's.…"

"I know who she is," said Arella.

Botan had recognized the girl as well. However, as she stared at the girl, her expression was one of sorrow. Botan floated slowly towards Arella and never broke eye contact. She remembered the girl from those months ago, when she had to take her mother away. She looked at Arella, and said the only thing that she could. "I'm... I'm sorry."

"What do you want?" Arella asked, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her voice. Seeing the person who had taken her mother's soul before her eyes wasn't exactly bringing back the fondest of memories. And despite Kin's usual fair judgment of character, he knew how painful it was for Arella to be facing the one called Botan, so he walked in front of her, his ears flattening against his skull and started growling at her. He would not allow his guardian to be hurt again.

Botan sighed as she looked at Arella, and saw the hurt in her eyes. She didn't look at Kin, but held her place knowing the fox wouldn't hesitate to protect its owner. "Arella, first of all, I didn't come to apologize for what I did. But I will for the pain that it caused you. You have to understand that I had no choice.…" Botan sighed as she realized that Arella didn't want to hear anything she had to say about that day.

Botan took a deep breath, and began to address the others. "Koenma just received a message from Morfran," said Botan. "Unless we hand over Arella by midnight tonight, he's going to come to the Living World and slaughter countless innocents until he has her." Arella's gaze turned to meet Botan's. "Either way... It's a lose-lose situation. If he gets Arella, he'll kill her, and the Angelic Prophecy won't be fulfilled."

"Then the only choice we have is to stop him before midnight, right?" asked Yusuke.

"Easier said then done," Arella said, "Morfran is one of the most deadly Black Dragons to ever live. He's killed countless Angels, and caused several to commit suicide or go mad. He's known for his painful methods of torture on Angels. My mother was the only one who able to come close to defeating him.…" She didn't continue on, remembering what Ciaran's words were, "Besides, part of the prophecy said something about the cold fox. No one knows who or what that means. So until then, the prophecy won't come true."

She then bit her lip and sighed, looking down at Kin before she looked at Yusuke and the others, "But if innocent people are at stake, then just take me there, my life isn't worth it if it means the cost of innocent lives and have Yukina take care of Kin for me."

Yususke sighed and looked at Arella. "Are you sure about this, I mean.…" However, the Spirit Detective didn't have to finish his question. The expression on Arella's face said it all. Yusuke simply nodded. Kurama however, didn't know what to say. The last thing he wanted was for Arella to sacrifice herself like this. He couldn't allow that to happen.

"Then, we'll go where Morfran is expecting us to meet him," said Botan. She then moved towards Arella. "And even if we don't know the first half of the prophecy, he seems pretty certain that the second half is you. And giving you up, would end our chances of stopping him forever. I can't let that happen." Arella and Botan exchanged a look for a time, before either of them took the first step towards meeting Morfran.

**********

"Tell me, why can't the bad guys ever meet at a nice place. Why the hell does it always have to be creepy?" said Kuwabara as he stepped over the field, littered with skulls and bones.

"This is the Battlefield of the Dead," said Botan. "There's a curse on these grounds... and a warning as well."

"What warning?" asked Yusuke.

"The Warning that should the living ever cross the Battlefield of the Dead, their souls will arise to slaughter the living so that their souls may never leave the field again?"

"Oh what a crock!" said Yusuke. "Who the hell's gonna believe some crap like that?"

Suddenly, moans could be heard from the ground. Bones moved across the ground and broke from the Earth. The groans and calls of the dead were all around them. "All of a sudden, I'm a believer!" shouted Kuwabara.

"Shut the hell up and fight!" said Yususke. "Otherwise, you're gonna be a card-carrying member!" Just as Yusuke finished speaking, an axe came crashing down in front of his face. Yusuke pulled his fist back and drove it into the skeleton's skull, crashing it like fragile pottery. "Hey, these guys aren't so tough."

"No, but there are thousands of them, and only a handful of us," said Hiei. "It would be foolish to discredit the threat they pose."

"Yusuke!" said Botan. "We can't stay here and fight all day!" Botan ducked a sword slicing through the air. She then rose with a baseball bat, and shattered the spine of the skeletal remains in front of her. "We have to reach the Morbid Forest before then, otherwise…."

"I don't need a full recap, Botan!" shouted Yusuke. "Arella! Kurama! You two get moving, the rest of us will cover you!"

"But, they outnumber you," said Arella. "You won't stand a chance!"

"Damn it! Just go! We'll be right behind you!" said Yusuke. Suddenly, the sound of bones shattering caught Yusuke's attention, as Kuwabara slid up against him back to back. "Trust me, we'll be fine!"

Kurama placed his hand on Arella's shoulder. "Come, we must take this opportunity now," said Kurama. "If our friends say that they can handle this… then we must trust them."

Arella seemed to think it over for a moment. And then, she saw something coming towards her. "Take it, Arella!" said Botan. "You may need it." Arella looked at the pouch for a few seconds. She opened it and looked inside briefly. She could see the white, glittery dust inside the small glass bottle.

"Dragon Dust," she said softly. She then turned back towards Botan and nodded. Arella took a deep breath and looked over at Kurama. "Let's go." And with that, the pair broke away from their friends and made their way towards the Morbid Forest, where Morfran was surely waiting for them.

**********

Night had fallen as Arella and Kurama walked though the thick forest, each on the look out for any sign of their friends or Morfran. Arella hoped that Yusuke and the others would be all right. She would never forgive herself if they died because of her. As she and Kurama stepped into a small clearing, Arella felt as though she and Kurama were being watched, but there was no one else there except for the two of them. At least, that was the way it appeared.

She removed the bottle of Dragon Dust that Botan had given her from a small pouch she had carried with her and poured some of it into her palm, blowing it all around them. The dust soon revealed two figures who both lunged for Kurama at once, grabbing him by his arms. A third figure then appeared and stepped out into the moonlight, revealing himself to the two. He had long black hair that reached his shoulders and penetrating gold eyes that seemed as though they could see right though a person's soul. He stood at seven feet and looked down at Kurama and Arella as though they were two tiny mice. From his back were a set of large black dragon wings which made him look all the more frightening. That's when Arella knew she was facing the legendary Angel Hunter, Morfran, Lord of all the Black Dragons.

He gave a cold smile before his pale hand reached out and grabbed Arella by her slim neck, lifting her up into the air, studying her carefully.

"So, this is the girl that is destined to destroy me. Interesting, she doesn't seem that powerful, though I do admit, she did inherit her mother's cleverness," Morfran said as he grabbed the bottle from Arella's hand, looking at it for a moment before he threw it to the ground, shattering it into little tiny pieces, "Not everyone would have thought of using that stuff to find us, then again, you're not an ordinary child, now are you? What does surprise me though is how pathetic and helpless you are. I was hoping for a challenge, I do enjoy a good fight. Your mother was a worthy opponent, yet before me is her brat and she couldn't even swat a fly. Didn't she teach you how to fight? No hand to hand combat skills, Spirit Energy to rival that of a mouse, no swordsman ship, nothing. True, you do have your impressive archery skills, but I wanted an actual fight against you. This is rather disappointing. If I didn't know better, I would be convinced that you were not the Angel of Two Worlds, yet all the research I did on that bitch mother of yours, you have to be the one."

He then tossed her aside as though she were a mere rag doll, watching her hit a tree and then fall to the ground, struggling to get up. He shook his head, glaring at her as though she were a small child that had committed some horrible deed, "I'm surprised your little friends didn't come here with you, at least I would have gotten a fight out of them. I do despise killing something that can't even put up a decent fight, it's a disgrace to my honor."

Watching Arella being thrown around, Kurama tried to free himself from the hold of the dragons. "No! Arella!" he shouted as struggled for his freedom. The pair that were holding him drove their knees into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. Morfran turned towards the sight, amused by the Kurama's outburst.

"Well, perhaps I will get a fight after all," said Morfran. "The legendary, Kurama... a pity you had a change of heart as of late, otherwise you may actually appreciate the moment of victory within my grasp," Morfran smiled. "It has a bit of... poetic justice, seeing that I kill both the mother and daughter."

Kurama stared at Morfran and began to struggle for his freedom again, but the dragons were much stronger than him. Seeing the struggle, Morfran couldn't help, but smile wider. "I must be mistaken at what I'm seeing... you actually care for her... deeply, don't you, Kurama," A wicked smile appeared on Morfran's face. "I have to wonder if the feeling is mutual."

Morfran approached Kurama and stared down at his bound form. He reached out for his chest and dug his nails into his flesh. Kurama cried out in pain, as Morfran began to rake his nails across his chest. The tattered rags hung from Kurama's tunic by mere threads, as his flesh began to smoke at the burning touch of Morfran's nails. Kurama shivered in pain, as beads of sweat poured from his head, drenching his hair.

Arella looked up to see Kurama only on his feet, because the pair of dragons held him up. "Look, Arella," said Morfran. "Look at the pain that you've cause him." Arella lifted her head to see the smoldering lines of blood across Kurama's chest that ran from his right shoulder to the left part of his abdomen. "I may spare him... if you beg me."

Arella's eyes narrowed at Morfran, but then fell upon Kurama. She swallowed and clenched her fist. "No... I... Can't... I won't!" she said. Morfran smiled as she spoke.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He then reached on for the left shoulder of Kurama and sank his fingers into the flesh. As he raked his hands across Kurama's body, the flesh could be heard sizzling, even as loud as Kurama screamed in agony.

"K-Kurama…" said Arella softly. It was all she was able to get out as she tried to turn away from the sight. Kurama's head hung as Morfran removed his nails from Kurama's flesh and turned back towards Arella.

Morfran looked at her, seeing that it was causing her just as much pain to witness Kurama`s suffering. "I told you could spare him... just beg," said Morfran. He smiled. The girl couldn't fight... she was no warrior, he couldn't get any satisfaction defeating her that way... but to see her in pain... to see her spirit broken... that would please him just as much, if not more. "Come Arella... daughter of Amata... beg for me."

Arella stared down at the ground, fresh tears making their way down her face. As much as she hated to do this, she had to do as he asked. She had already lost her mother to this murdering bastard; she would lose someone else to him too. I'm so pathetic, she thought to herself, forgive me mother for what I am about to do, but I don't want to lose someone else, not like I lost you.

"Please," Arella said softly, lifting her head to look at Morfran, "let him go. I...I beg you, please let him go. I'm the one you want, not him."

Morfran turned to Arella and smiled. He then shook his head as he looked down at her. "Pathetic... truly pathetic," he said. "Like mother... like daughter. If there was ever any doubt, it is truly erased. You are your mother's daughter." A sinister smile spread across Morfran's face. "I can tell you by the way you begged me... giving up before the fight is even done." Morfran turned to his minions and nodded at them. They threw Kurama's body onto the ground just in front of Arella. He lay there motionless, his eyes closed. The only sign that he was still alive was the occasional, yet faint rising of his chest.

Arella stared absently as Morfran moved towards her and pushed her hair over her shoulder to reveal her neck. He then pulled a sword with a black blade and held it high, lining it up with her neck. One clean cut, and the prophecy would never come true. Morfran then began to bring his sword down upon Arella's neck.

"Spirit gun!" shouted Yusuke, as a devastating blast of spirit energy flowed across the room, and hit the blade, knocking it from Morfran's hand. Morfran turned his attention towards the source of the blast and his eyes squinted.

"The Spirit Detective," he said softly. He growled slightly at the sight of Yusuke. It was obvious that this detective was arrogant. He looked over to see more familiar faces. Hiei and Botan as well. "So, Botan... you're just in time to escort another Angel's soul to the great beyond."

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" said Yusuke.

Morfran smiled as Botan scowled at his comment, and Yusuke's arrogance became obvious. "You fools really have no idea who you're dealing with," said Morfran. "Well, perhaps it is time that you learned. Pay close attention... for it's last lesson you will ever learn."

Author's Note: Well that's it for chapter 9. There's more to come soon, I promise. For now though, I have a small announcement I have to make. If anyone reading this is also into Yu-Gi-Oh and Fruits Basket, I need a Beta Reader for fics I'm working on for each of these. The current Beta Reader I have is already helping me out with another fic (which will be announced by the end of this fic, I promise.) and I don't want to over burden him. So, for those of you that are interested, please E-mail me at LLJade@aol.com and please title the subject line "Beta Reader for Yu-Gi-Oh fan fic" or "Beta Reader for Fruits Basket fan fic" so that way I won`t delete the E-mail. Also, like is says in my little bio, I'm what people would call a Mary Sue writer, so you have been forewarned if you have a problem against made up characters. Anyway, I'm sure you've had enough of my babbling, so please read and review.