Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Barriers ❯ Rescue ( Chapter 16 )

A/N: I still own nothing. This chapter's for Torin and Kai. Enjoy, dear readers!

***

 

“Uh, okay guys, can we go over that one more time?” Kuwabara put a hand to the back of his head sheepishly. Still, he had learned long ago that it was better to ask again and know for sure than to be uncertain when it came to go-time. If that made people think he was an idiot, well, whatever.

 

“Of course.” Kurama's voice was patient, even if he did seem a bit distracted. “We are splitting into two groups. Group 1 will consist of Hiei, Izumi, and Botan. Their job is to locate the place where Yusuke is being held and rescue him. If he is too injured to fight, Botan is to get him as far away from this place as possible while the other two rejoin us. If not, then we all meet whenever they have found him.”

 

“Okay, so what're we doing then?”

 

“You, Shiki, and myself are going to make sure they can do this without trouble. It is our job to occupy anyone who finds us. I imagine the guard on Yusuke won't be too heavy, since he isn't what they're really after.” Kurama's eyes flicked to Shiki, and Kuwabara frowned. To him, it didn't make much sense to take her in. Then again, he wasn't sure they'd be able to win without whatever weird thing she did. Hell, I'm not even sure we'll win with it.

 

“Alright, then, let's get a move on! Can't stand around here all day!” Kuwabara made an ostentatious show of leaving the area, thrusting a fist into the air and stomping off as if to lead the group, causing Hiei to roll his eyes and Izumi to look at Kurama, who just shrugged indulgently. The loudmouthed teenager did, however, successfully break the uncomfortable tension that had been mounting. He really couldn't stand tension.

 

Kuwabara was aware of Shiki taking up a position behind him, and Kurama bringing up the rear. The other group walked roughly beside them as they approached the gates of what could only be Kurogami's castle.

 

The massive building's exterior was in a state of ill-repair. It hadn't been abandoned exactly, but neither had anyone really bothered to maintain the stonework, and the gardens visible behind the massive wrought-iron gate clearly had only a cursory maintenance inflicted upon them. And inflicted was the right word. Where a careful attendant would have trimmed and pruned, someone had merely hacked branches off of rosebushes and trees alike. Kurama surveyed the scene with distaste, and Kuwabara couldn't help but think that it looked like his sister had been through the place with a chainsaw right after that one time he'd almost been arrested. He shivered involuntarily. Say what you like about ancient demons, former Spirit Detectives or all kinds of other nasties, nothing compared to Shizuru on a rampage. Huh. That one's pretty good. I'll have to use that sometime. Bet Urameshi will get a kick out of it.

 

His mental tangent was interrupted when the other group, Izumi in the lead, angled away from them, probably to use a lesser-known side entrance or secret passage or something.

 

“Watch out ahead, Kuwabara, I smell one of them.” Kurama's voice was steady, but Kuwabara was confused.

 

“Smell? Since when do you-” He was unable to finish the sentence before he caught sight of Hiroto a few yards ahead. The demon or apparition or whatever he was- Kuwabara had never understood the difference- did not move as they approached, just watched them. Huh- have to ask about that later. If there is a later. Dammit, Kuwabara, get your head in the game! As the three came to a standstill, a slow smile cracked Hiroto's face. “Oh? Just three? Did Izumi manage to kill that many of you then?”

 

Clearly, Kuwabara reckoned, this guy was not in the know. Izumi had indicated that Kurogami would have known of her betrayal the moment it happened. Something about bonds, or something. From the look Kurama was giving him, though, it would be better not to set the record straight on that one.

 

“Yeah, whatever!” he blustered instead. “That's better than you'll ever manage, peabrain!” Kuwabara looked back to his friends for agreement. Shiki's left eye was twitching ever so slightly, but Kurama just shook his head slowly. The two soon drew their weapons, however, when Hiroto stepped forward.

 

“Oh?” He said quietly. “I guess we'll see about that, now won't we?”

 

Kuwabara kind of wanted to smack himself on the forehead. That was not a good voice. That was the voice that villains always used when they decided they wanted to torture you to death very slowly instead of just killing you. Me and my big mouth. Still, the heroes always won in the end, didn't they? Better not mess around this time. He drew both his sprit swords and charged-

 

-only to be met with a solid wall of wind that pushed him back. Not exactly the once-bitten-twice-shy type, he charged again, trying with partial success to swipe through the wall this time. The resulting warped wind knocked him to the right instead of straight back, and he grinned as he saw Kurama's rose whip slice into the spot he had just vacated. Without enough time to conjure a second wall, Hiroto would surely be hit.

 

Or not. The big demon jumped out of the attack's range just in time. Aw, shit. I forgot he was fast. This was a definite problem, since it had been decided Shiki should avoid using the stone until he fight with Kurogami, just in case.

 

Although, the way things were looking right now, it might not be as bad as he thought. Kurama appeared to be faster that Kuwabara remembered as well, or at least faster than the usual human version. His speed had Hiroto on the defensive, for the most part, and Shiki had managed to hit him upside the head at least once in a style much like the first time they had met. With the two of them keeping him thoroughly busy, Kuwabara had time to find an opening. The guy's defenses were still pretty solid, but if Shiki had already managed it… there! Gotcha, you bastard!

 

Kuwabara swung his left-hand sword in what he considered to be a pretty magnificent arc. Hiroto's right arm came up to block, but Kuwabara was able to turn the blade so that it sliced clean through the limb. He was about to bring his second sword up for the finisher when he heard a shout.

 

“Stop!” Kuwabara's blade halted just inches from Hiroto's chest, but the man was too preoccupied looking in shock at the stump where his forearm had been to notice. The spirit energy in the sword had cauterized the wound, so it was only bleeding minimally. Deciding it was safe to turn around, he sought the source of the voice.

 

“There's no need to kill him.” Shiki was looking at the man with something akin to pity. “His master has clearly forsaken him.”

 

“Whaddya mean by that?”

 

Kurama frowned. “We may have been stronger and better-prepared this time, but that does not account for how easy this was. Clearly, Kurogami has withdrawn whatever support or power he lent to this servant. He will trouble us no longer, I imagine.”

 

Kuwabara shrugged. “Eh, if you say so, Kurama.”

 

Shiki smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, Kuwabara.”

 

“Uh… sure.”

 

“Well, we'd better get going then,” she continued.

 

***

Botan wound her way through what seemed an endless stretch of hallways behind Izumi, but in front of Hiei. She was beginning to wonder if they'd ever find Yusuke. Guilt clenched at her gut as she remembered the circumstances of his kidnapping. She had been awake, and still unable to do anything to stop it. She purposefully derailed her train of thought. She was here trying to save him now, and that was what mattered. He was alive, she just knew it.

 

If she hadn't been paying attention, she would have run her oar straight into Izumi's back. As luck would have it, she was able to avert such a disaster by a measure of about three inches. The water apparition had stopped in the center of another identical long hallway- apparently nefarious demons were bad with interior planning- and turned sharply to the door on her left.

 

“He's in here.”

 

“Ah,” said Botan, greatly relieved. Then she took a look at the door. “I don't suppose you have the key to this monstrosity, do you?”

 

Izumi smiled sardonically and pulled a large brass key from somewhere in her obi.

 

“Ah, well, good then!”

 

A few seconds later, the large door swung open on oiled hinges to reveal a rather ordinary-looking bedroom, with one very un-ordinary occupant.

 

“Yusuke!” Botan let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

 

The Spirit Detective's eyes snapped open. He appeared to be having a hard time registering her appearance; if his bandaged head was anything to go by, he probably had a concussion.

 

His eyes cleared, though, and he seemed pretty normal- for him anyway- when he casually waved at her and then sat up.

 

“What the hell took you guys so long?”

 

Hiei snorted, but it was doubtful anyone heard him over the lecture that Botan launched into.

 

***

Shiki grimaced as they passed under a few stone archways before reaching the actual front door, if it could be called a door. Portcullis was probably a better word. Which was weird, because she had never before considered that word even remotely useful.

 

The blue-eyed girl shook her head. She was so nervous even her thoughts were rambling. She looked to her right, where Kurama was staring forward, stony-faced and unreadable. Kuwabara, for his part, looked just about as wary as she felt. When they came to the massive door-like thing, he strode forward, probably glad of something to do, and heaved.

 

Nothing happened. Shiki could have laughed. They'd come all this way, only to be barred by an oversized door. The irony was not lost on her. Still, Kurogami and those who served him were fools if they thought she and the others were going to let themselves give up now. She made to help Kuwabara push, but at her approach, it seemed to swing open of its own accord.

 

“Well that wasn't creepy at all,” said Kuwabara, eyeing the door suspiciously.

 

And if it wasn't creepy, it wasn't cliché, either, Shiki thought sardonically. At this point, it was either sarcasm or terror, and she was certainly sick of being afraid.

 

All hope of avoiding that particular emotion was pretty much voided by the scene she found within. They were standing in some kind of grand entrance hall, at the center of which stood an altar like the kind she had seen in churches. Except that it was much larger and more, well, sinister-looking. The designs carved into it evoked twisted, sickened trees and human death. The room smelled ranker than rotting fish.

 

“Aw, nasty. Who died in there?” Kuwabara waved a hand in front of his face in a futile attempt to dispel the stench.

 

Shiki resisted the urge to agree and focused on the scene before her. It was not the appearance of the room or even the smell that scared her, however. She felt something in there, something that made the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end. It was like the very air was permeated with the essence of a being so foul most demons would run in fear for their lives. And here she was, marching towards it. Well, at least I'm not alone. Quick glances to either side of her proved that she was indeed in the company of friends. And that is enough. It has to be.

 

Her gaze shifted to the other side of the room once more, and she was able to tear her gaze from the altar to see Kaito emerging from a door on one side whilst Hiei and the others burst through the other. She processed this barely fast enough to follow on the heels of Kuwabara as he followed a much swifter Kurama.

 

They were reunited, just in time to face their next foe.

 

*****

~Kiku's Corner~

 

`Ello, loves! Hope you enjoyed this second-to-last chapter of Barriers. There will be one more following soon, I hope, but I also may write an epilogue if there is enough interest… I am generally not a huge fan of epilogues, because they more often than not cheapen stories (See: Harry Potter.) But, if there is a demand, I shall do my best to rise to meet it. Let me know, dear readers, and best (late) wishes for the new year!

 

~Kiku~