12
An Evil Substitute
Meanwhile, at the front lawn of Genkai’s dojo, Koenma glared at his new employee. Before leaving Reikai, he called Kurama and informed him about his findings. The kitsune told him over the phone that there are a lot of things about her that wasn’t written on records. So he rushed to the dojo, determined to find out the whole truth. And was he impressed with such courage! " You have the nerve to even show your face to me!"
Anika looked at him innocently. " What do you mean?"
" Your game’s over, Sakumi or Anika or whatever. You’re the leader of the eastern tribe, collector of valuable dark gems across the three worlds!"
The indigo-haired woman changed her expression. " So what? I didn’t do anything!"
" What’s your plan? Did you killed the friar then took the gems?"
Anika laughed. " You have nothing against me! I gave you the onyxes, right?"
" It was stolen.", Koenma said simply.
" So you thought I did it? Listen, if I wanted the onyxes in the first place, I wouldn’t go through all the trouble of giving them to you then steal them back later."
Koenma was about to say something when a rumbling noise cut off his words.
Both he and Anika turned to see a towering column of thick black and blue smoke hurtling towards them, moving like a twister. He swallowed hard. " A tornado!"
" No . . . its something else . . . ", Anika said slowly.
Koenma wanted to ask her what she mean but a loud calling held him back.
" Koenma!!"
The prince squinted down the trail as three people ran down the hill. Running for their lives, the smoky column a few feet behind.
" Yusuke! Hiei! Kuwabara!", he recognized.
Fearing for the lives of his team, Koenma ran towards them, wanting to be right beside them in case the twister made a hit. But just when all four were only a few feet from the raging tornado, the smoke column suddenly disappeared.
All five, including Anika looked surprised, seeing no trace of the gigantic column which was so frightening, chasing them down the hill just seconds ago.
" Where did it go?", Yusuke asked.
Kuwabara growled, staring wildly at his surroundings.
Koenma was puzzled at his behavior. " What’s wrong with him?"
" Hn! What else!", Hiei made circles on the side of his head.
Yusuke, on the other hand, appeared bemused. " You still have a lot of explaining to do, Hiei!"
The prince wished to learn more but he had to finish something first, he thought, as Anika looked as if she was attempting to escape. Quickly, he grabbed Anika’s wrist. " You little witch, I’m not done with you!"
The woman broke free. " I have nothing to do with the theft!"
" Yes, but the onyxes were fake.", Koenma announced.
Hiei and Yusuke gaped at him. Anika seemed taken aback but she quickly regained her composure. " Hmm. I’m a little impressed. How did you know?"
" What’s your plan?", Koenma asked again, evading her question. Time is ticking. They still don’t know who the real enemy is. He has to find out now. And oh, how he wished it was Anika. Not any of his friends. No one else. Not his mother.
" I want the real ones.", Anika answered.
" If you didn’t found them on the friar’s body then they’re all destroyed.", Yusuke said.
Anika laughed. " The four onyxes couldn’t be destroyed by just burning it."
" If that’s true then where are they?", Hiei demanded. " And by the way . . . how did you know about their existence?"
" The story of the golden book and the largest onyx called the Dark Jewel is one of the most popular legends my family knew about.", Anika replied. " Our tribe had once been a slave of the master. Some of the slaves’ descendants had escaped. My grandparents are just two of them. Those who remain were subjected into a rigorous training. Their memories were erased. And now they swore to serve and protect the holder of the Dark Jewel." Anika snickered. " It was said that anyone who possesses the Jewel shall live eternally. But first, he or she has to find the four small onyxes first before the largest one appears."
" So you tricked me into hiring you. In that way, you could spy on us, the former bearer of the stones, to learn more about them.", Koenma said. " But we’re free from their powers a year ago so what makes you think you could still find them here?"
" You really didn’t know anything.", Anika sneered. " Your priced detectives still have them!"
" W-what?"
Anika laughed. " They’ve been keeping too many secrets not only from you. But from each other as well."
Yusuke and Hiei looked at each other. But chose not to say anything. Kuwabara doesn’t seem to care about the discussion as he ambled towards the front porch and sat on the stone stairs.
Koenma, on the other hand, wasn’t inclined to believe her right away. " Who would believe you now? You have lied to us more than once!"
" I did that to protect myself. There’s practically no sense lying to you now.", Anika laughed scornfully. " I’m going to kill you all anyway."
Instantly, Yusuke’s face turned homicidal. " What did you say?", he demanded.
Koenma held him back and turned to Anika. " You killed friar Mari, didn’t you?"
Anika scoffed. " No, I didn’t."
" Liar.", Hiei snarled.
Anika looked sharply at the fired demon. " Who among us is the liar?"
Hiei looked angry. Both held each other’s gazes for a while. Challenging.
Koenma, on the other hand was getting impatient. " I don’t have time for this now! If Anika wasn’t the killer then who?"
Hiei slowly turned to him. " I am."
Yusuke and Koenma were dumbfounded. Their jaws dropped in pure shock.
" H-hiei?", Koenma choked. A mixture of both horror and relief washed over him. If Hiei was the killer then he might be the evil master, he thought, not knowing whether he’s secretly wishing it or silently dreading it.
" You’re all wasting my time!", Hiei finally spat. " All I know and care is that the holder of the onyx will became evil. I say whoever he or she is, should be executed immediately." His red koorime eyes glinted as they focused on Kuwabara. " And there’s only one person around here who clearly possessed one."
Yusuke glared at his teammate. Setting aside his anger towards Anika, he clenched his jaw then tightened his fist, determined to wipe that smug off Hiei’s face. He was halfway to the fire demon made a strong remark.
" I can telepath anything to my sister. One thought and without any effort, I can send in a word or two. Keiko's with her now, isn't she?" Hiei snickered. " I know your secret, Yusuke."
His remark registered well on the spirit detective, making the latter glare fiercely at him.
" Stop it you two!!", Koenma yelled.
" Shut up!" Hiei released a fireball in his direction. The impact sent both Koenma and Anika a few feet backwards.
After injuring the two and making Yusuke almost helpless, Hiei turned his attention back to Kuwabara. Time to finish him off. Adios! He thought.
He raised his katana high. He was about to bring it down hard on Kuwabara’s head when . . .
" Nooo!!!!"
Hiei looked up and saw Yukina being assisted by Keiko and Shizuru, running towards him. But judging from Keiko’s weak posture, it appears as if she was the one being assisted. Promptly, the fire demon ignored them as he made practice slashes near his victim’s neck.
" Please, Hiei nooo!!!", Yukina pleaded. As much as it confused her, she considered the idea that Hiei was the one who locked her up on the closet. Hadn’t Keiko and Shizuru heard her cries, she would probably ran out of air. " Hiei . . . ."
At this, the fire demon stopped.
" Hiei?", he spoke, a mischievous glint on his red eyes. " You called me Hiei?"
" Uh?", Yukina uttered, confused. " W-what?" She eyed her brother closely, not understanding.
Shizuru took the opportunity, dragging the oblivious Kuwabara towards her.
Hiei didn’t seem to mind as he gave his sister a lopsided grin. " You’re addressing the wrong person, lady."
" Huh?", Yukina looked surprised. " What do you mean?"
He snickered. A different snicker. Not Hiei’s usual short, low voice. It was different. Very different.
Yukina stared at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. " Y-you’re not Hiei?", she finally stammered.
Hiei’s smile returned. " Yes, you heard me right. I hope you find the closet very comfortable, Yukina."
Before she could reply, he began to change. All those present stared in shock as Hiei’s small body stretched, his black hair lengthened, and his face twisted with rage and hatred until it became a hideous mask of evil.
Yukina froze in terror as a completely different person stood in front of her.
Hiei was gone.
" Hiei’s history. He was only a disguise that I wore.", he told her.
Yukina struggled to speak. But she could utter only a horrified cry.
" I am Daigo,", the man announced, his cold red eyes boring into hers. " Your father."
Yukina turned her eyes away. She took a few steps back, trying to steady her trembling body.
He had once been handsome, that was clear. But now his face was monstrous. His eyes burned with cruelty, his mouth a red sneer. She couldn’t quite imagine he was her father. He never saw him. Her relatives never spoke of him.
" Go away!", she cried weakly.
" You looked a lot like your mother.", he observed. " But ah --- she wouldn’t give me such a hostile reception, would she Yukina?"
She was rooted to her spot. Too mortified to shake her head or even move an inch.
Both Yusuke and Koenma quickly moved to protect her.
" Who the hell . . .?", Yusuke uttered.
Daigo laughed. " I knew all about the supposed evil master. I fought it before. I even disguised myself as the queen of Reikai to deceive the friar. Even your friend here, Kazuma Kuwabara was duped." He sneered. " I fooled you all, didn’t I?"
" Father . . . you’re my father . . . why are you doing this?", Yukina sobbed. She had accepted the tragedy which seemed to haunt her family. The loss of her mother. Father’s irresponsibility of his children. And Hiei’s separation from the family. She was already contented to have found him alive and well. Though she wished for him to recognize her as his sister, she didn’t push it. But his death . . . . is something she could never live with. Just as much as she could never take in the pain of her father’s fury.
" I don’t like you. I never like you.", Daigo spoke harshly.
Yukina’s shoulder trembled violently. A dozen white pearls fell softly on the grass.
" You were like those hypocrites in your tribe! Ice people! Scum people!!!" There was no sign of filial love in the elder fire demon’s eyes as he continued to voice out his resentment of Yukina. " They’ll pay dearly to what they did to my son!! And yes, my daughter!! That includes you!!!"
Anika watched as Yusuke defended the short pretty girl named Yukina. She shifted her gaze at the man that was used to be one of the members of the Reikai Tantei. Daigo. Now where did she heard that name? Suddenly, something snapped. Yes, that’s it! He was once the bearer of two of the five relics. According to the tribe’s records, he was the one who imprisoned the master hundreds of years ago.
But what is he doing here now?
Yusuke staggered back as Daigo gave him a hard blow on the face. If the facts were accurate, then Hiei’s father wasn’t as powerful as he had perceived him to be. But still, why did he felt so weak right now, Yusuke thought. He’s not in his hundred percent. The chunk of animal flesh he had was only enough for him throw in a punch or two. In this case, he would be useless. He couldn’t handle this alone, he realized, knowing he has to deal with two opponents.
Kuwabara’s definitely out of the question. Hiei is . . . gone. Koenma couldn’t fight. His only hope is Kurama . . .
" But where the hell is Kurama?", Yusuke whispered.
13
In Her Arms
Kurama was holding the communicator, Koenma gave him. He’s been staring at it for the longest time now. Minutes ago, there was an intense rumbling on the west side but after a few moments, it died down. Thrice he stopped walking, staring blankly at the distant woods before him. He received a call from the prince less than an hour ago.
And yes. His suspicion on Botan’s new friend, Sakumi was confirmed. He had already warned Koenma about the lady youko. She was cruel, merciless and very, very selfish. All she cared was her own welfare. How to amass more wealth, more power. And she’ll usually get what she wanted in expense of others.
" I have to warn Botan about her.", Kurama said to himself, afraid that Anika may have polluted her mind by twisting the facts during their Makai days.
Kurama made his way through the back door of the dojo. From his position on the main hall, noises were heard faintly. He strained his ears. " Its coming from the lawn. Something’s up.", he realized.
Determined to know what’s going on, he placed the black case down on a coffee table and headed for the main door.
He was about to turn the knob when somebody tapped him on the shoulder.
Immediately, Kurama turned around.
Botan flashed him a big smile. " Kurama."
He felt his tongue curled up within his mouth. He racked his mind, trying to find the right words to say to her. " Um, hi!" Anika’s not with her. Its his chance.
Silence.
" We never had the chance to talk.", he started.
Botan shrugged. " Yeah, I guess so."
" How are you?"
" I-I’m f-fine.", she stuttered. She’s not ready for this, she knew. I shouldn’t have approached him, she thought.
" Um, listen. I have something very important to say . . .", Kurama said slowly.
" Yeah, I know.", she said slowly. " Whatever it is, its okay now."
" No you don’t understand . . ."
" Please . . ."
" I’m sorry. I-its just that . . .", Kurama let out a huge sigh. No need to hurry. She have to trust me first, he decided, lifting his face to stare at her. " I-I just don’t want to lose a friend.", he finished.
Botan bit her lip. She forced herself to look into his eyes. " Ku . . . huh? Kurama?"
" Botan I’m really sorry about what hap --- "
" Kurama . . .", she called to him again. " Y-your eyes . . .?"
" Ah." He opened his mouth in shock, turning his face away. He realized he had taken off his contacts a while ago.
Botan shook her head for a while. But she could still see his eyes. She didn't imagine it. They were of two different colors. The other one was green and the other's golden. " What’s going on? A-are you feeling well?"
" I’m scared . . .", he murmured.
" Kurama?"
" I’m scared!", he said. Louder this time.
A raging sense of pity washed over her. He seemed lost and unsure. This was the first time she saw him like this.
Botan reached out to give him a hug. Her arms wrapped around his torso, she felt him tremble. What was he afraid of? He might have panicked a bit during his battle with Karasu, but he never lost it. She knew him as cool, calm and extremely intelligent.
This must be really something, she thought. But what was it?
" I don’t know what to do anymore.", he whispered shakily. " Help me. Help me, Botan."
" You’ll be fine. I’m here . .", she said soothingly. " We’re all here to help you."
" I know.", he nodded. " I know."
Botan guided his head against her chest. " Whatever problems you’ve got, remember we could solve it together."
Kurama embraced her, acknowledging her concern.
" Whatever trials you’re experiencing now, we could face it together." Her voice floated to his ears.
Kurama buried his face unto her chest. She smells so good. Felt so warm.
" Whatever you’re going through now, it’s all your fault.", she whispered next to his ear, tightening her arms around him.
Kurama tensed. My what?
" Your pain. Your fear. You deserved it all.", she said coldly.
" What the hell ---?" Kurama pushed her away and stepped back to look into her face. What he saw made his skin crawl.
Her sunny face, used to be so lovely. Now a horrifying mask of anger. Pure hatred flowed out from her glassy purple eyes. A thousand questions whirled within his mind. What could’ve been the reason for the sudden change in Botan? Couldn’t it be?
" Yes, Kurama.", she spoke, as if she had read his thoughts. " My sister Anika opened my senses. She told me about my past. Told me about my powers. She’s my family."
" No . . listen . . ."
Botan ignored him. " Me and my sister will go back to Makai. But before we do that, we’ll destroy you all first."
" She’s telling you lies. Can’t you see that?"
" Oh, yes. I can see clearly now. And no! She’s not telling me lies. YOU! Have been ruling my world. I won’t let you do that anymore!"
Kurama swallowed hard. He’s been dreading this. Anika twisted the story. " I know, why you’re doing this. I know how much pain you have to go through when I broke up with you, but believe me. I only did that to protect you! I did that because I love you!"
" Really?" She scoffed, moving closer to him. " Tell me, Kurama . . . what would you know about love?"
Kurama cringed. Her words stung right to his heart. Oh, she really exemplifies the lack of tact, he thought bitterly, not knowing how to console himself after taking in such a blunt query. Yet still he has another reason to wince as he felt a combination of numbness and pain cursing through his body. Within seconds he felt himself changed. Or should it be . . . changing?
He raised his hands to his head, running his fingers across his still red hair and . . . a pair of foxy ears. Kurama knew he was once again in the middle of his transformation. Just like the past months. His features would alter. Not to fully Youko Kurama nor to Suuichi Minamino. But somewhere in between. And it pained him so much, both physically and psychologically.
Botan’s eyes twinkled, greatly amused at the scene unfolding before her. She couldn’t help but laugh, taunting him as she laid her palms against his cheeks. " Oh, look at you! You haven’t change. You’re the same merciless youko that you are."
She grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close. Her mouth instantly covered his, her lips so firm and heavy, almost oppressive against his own.
Involuntarily, Kurama held her close as she became aggressive, leading him on while he followed her willingly, allowing himself to be commanded. He doesn’t care. All he knew is that he wanted her, he needed her more than ever.
Botan quickly unbuttoned his polo shirt as Kurama hands slipped under her blouse. Smoothly caressed her back then moved down to her round buttocks, carefully raising the silk fabric of her tight miniskirt, exposing the black lacy garment beneath.
He deepened his kiss. His tongue dug into her mouth, playing with hers.
His eyes flew open then drifted shut as she pressed her hands against his now bare chest, moving downward to his stomach, tracing hard muscles, leaving nothing but a trail of burning sensations enough to make his body grew taut.
He stood stiffly contrasting to a jolt of pleasure rippling through him as her fingertips hovered, feather light over the sensitive skin just below his stomach. Instantly, he pulled back his lips to let out a short shallow gasp only to be imprisoned by her hot, sensual mouth after.
Botan inserted her hand into his pants.
Kurama instantly grew hard as she wandered delicately over his length, enclosing it with all her fingers. Feeling the pressure building up within him, he sought warmth through her chest, gently stroking the valley between her breasts while his other hand moving expertly down the garter of her undergarment, tugging at it and ----
All of a sudden, Botan swatted his hands away just as her palm landed hard against his left cheek. Still shocked, he wasn’t aware at a pair of strong arms, until it was right before him, shoving him hard against the wall. Totally caught by surprise, he wasn't able to react as his back hit the bamboo shafts, hearing nothing but her giggles.
Kurama stood bewildered, his emerald eyes wide open, watching as she threw a fit of hysterical laughter. He winced as he pulled up his pants, trying to ease up the pain in his throbbing groin. His thoughts still refusing to believe her treachery. Yet his face seemed to betray the intensity of the pain Botan inflicted upon him. She, no doubt, won this round, having successfully led him unto her lair. Fooled him. Made fun of him.
Botan straightened herself, rearranging her messy hair and rumpled clothes. Her fit died down slowly but that mischievous gleam, cold and uncaring, were left on her purple gaze as she stared at him. " That was fun, isn’t it, Kurama?"
He knew right then that it would be fairly impossible to persuade her to reconsider but still he wanted to tap that bubbly deity inside her. The one he grew fond of.
" Botan . .", he called, his eyes locked into hers. " Listen to me . . . We could still work it out."
She smiled, almost a grin, laughter once more threatening to escape from her lips. " You’re wrong, my dear. We would never work this out. It’s too late."
With that she turned her back and walked out of the room.
" No, Botan, don’t go!", Kurama called. He was about to follow when a pain shot up his nape. Suddenly, his eyes became lidded. His vision wavered.
" Botan . . . come back . .", he said brokenly. He attempted to take a step but his headache was so unbearable that he dropped to his knees instead. " Shit!"
He has to sort out this mess. He has to save her from her sister!
He gripped his hair tightly, pulling it. Stretching it. It may look silly but he’s desperate. Biting his lip, he felt something warm as blood poured down the sides of his face. He brought a lock of hair before his eyes and saw a bloodied clump of silver and red hair.
" No! Nooooo!", Kurama gritted his teeth. He can’t let this happen to him. He must try to control himself. But he couldn’t help it.
Couldn’t help but feel scared. Extremely scared.
Of what? He couldn’t place a finger on it.
All he knew and felt was fear.
Fear and nothing more.
" No . . .", he cried out. His voice became gurglish. A calm gentle voice battling with a deep but still calm tone. " Nooooo!!!!!!"
------------------------------------------------------------
" Dammit! Were the hell is Kurama!", Yusuke snarled, losing his patience as his stomach rumbled once more. He cursed himself silently. How could he control himself? How could he control his hunger?
" Oh, don’t worry about your kitsune friend!", Anika spoke harshly behind him. " My sister’s taking care of him."
Koenma frowned. " Sister? What sister?"
A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, almost like a sneer as she stared at their expressions. " Why my prince! Didn’t you hire me so that you could watch over me? Well then thanks to you, I found my long-lost sister right within your palace." She paused, enjoying every bit of their anticipation. " My sister is none other than your deity of death, Botan!"
They gasped, obviously shocked at the sudden revelation.
Keiko leaned against a post, looking really confused. " Botan?"
" She’s lying.", Yusuke muttered.
" She isn’t."
All eyes turned on the front porch as a tall blue-haired girl stepped out from the main door.
" Botan!", Koenma called. " What are you saying?"
He had barely asked that question when a dark shadowy figure drifted from above the dojo. It flew in circles, as if looking for something. Then silently and gracefully, it dove down the thick bushes and disappeared behind them.
" I don’t like the feeling of this.", Shizuru said, moving next to Kuwabara, who was watching the others with a blank, unreadable expression.
Keiko steadied herself and looked worriedly at Yusuke. She tried to catch his eyes, but she couldn’t. She turned to Botan. She wanted to approach her. But she hesitated. Her friend doesn’t look the same. She looked so distant and cool towards the rest of them.
Keiko placed a trembling hand on Yukina’s shoulder. " When would this be over? Oh Please let this be over!", she whispered softly.
Botan glared at Yusuke. For once, she felt so powerful over the spirit detective. She felt no more fear of him. She could take him out if she wanted to.
Anika smiled, Yusuke and Botan’s silent exchanges looked so amusing. Oh, if looks could kill. They would both be seriously injured if not dead already.
" I still don’t believe you’re Botan’s sister. Botan has no sister!", Koenma spoke.
Botan shifted her gaze at her employer. " In Reikai, yes. But I have one from Makai. I assume you’ve already found out about her records in the demon world. She has a sister named Ayuri."
Yusuke raised his eyebrows. " And you thought you’re Ayuri?"
" I didn’t thought about it. I knew it. Kurama could attest to that if you need verification.", Botan said seriously, her face was hard. There was no humor on her usually lively purple eyes. " Look, I don’t have the time to chat. I have far more important things to attend to."
Yusuke frown deepened. " Like what?"
" Like taking on the three worlds in our hands.", she grinned evilly as she cocked her head towards Anika. The latter nodded, signaling a black hole to appear right in front of Botan. Before anyone could react, the deity of death went right through it. The hole instantly closed, vanished in thin air.
" Botan!!", Koenma called. Yet he knew he won’t be heard.
Keiko fought back the tears. " No . . ."
Yukina covered her mouth. She wanted to scream. First, Kuwabara lost his senses. Then his brother had disappeared. Or dead. Or wasn’t with them from the very beginning. Now Botan was acting strange. And gone too.
" She knew my secret, that’s one terrible mistake.", Yusuke thought, still staring at the space where Botan vanished. But she was a friend. Its not her fault nor his that things became sketchy between the two of them. I just wanted to keep my secret that’s all, he said to himself, slowly taking in the blame for her transformation.
Anika laughed. " You’re all thinking whose to blame now, aren’t you?"
Koenma glared at her. " You said crappy things to her!"
" No. I told her the truth. It’s garbage to you. But not to us."
Yusuke gritted his teeth. They have to finish this two clowns right away. Then get Botan back. Period.
But question is, who's the master?
" We have to know who took the onyxes.", Koenma said to him, as if he read his mind.
" If the onyxes you had were fake then were are they?", Yusuke whispered to Koenma as they stepped on the lush bermuda. " Okay, so Kuwabara has one . . ."
" HAD one.", Koenma corrected. " Remember it was taken out by the doctor?"
Yusuke nodded.
" You have allergy on your right hand, right?", Koenma asked.
" Yeah."
" Does it still feel itchy now?"
Yusuke furrowed his brow. " What’s the relevance?"
" Just answer my question!"
" Not anymore. It seems fine after . . ." Suddenly, he remembered that glow on his palm right after the five shadows merged.
Koenma waited patiently but after a minute of silence, he chose to speak up. " Your onyx has been taken already. Don’t look behind you, Yusuke. You wouldn’t find it anymore."
Yusuke wanted to cry out, knowing what he’s been referring to. He’s been cheated! He never knew that the onyx on his relic was embedded on his palm. It took his power. His shadow. His humanity.
" Hah! If the two of you had the onyxes on your bodies then maybe the last one . . .", Daigo paused, smiling triumphantly. " Is inside Kurama." He laughed maniacally. " It’s so easy! It seems like I’m destined to be the master!"
Suddenly his laugh was cut short as a rash noise sounded behind him. It became louder and clearer.
Yusuke gasped. Someone’s laughing. But its not Daigo. And its none of them either.
Daigo turned, his eyes grew wide as a thick blue mist rose from the bushes, moving, towering right in front of him.
" The third onyx should’ve been given to Hiei.", it rasped. " But you interfered."
" To Hiei? B-But Hiei’s onyx was destroyed by Yusuke’s Rei-Gan the last time!! H-how?!!", Daigo shrank back, intimidated. " W-who are you? W-what do you want?"
As a reply, a trail of smoky blue mist extended unto Hiei’s father, enveloping him with its bluish gas. It made him choke and gasp for breath. It made his eyes water. Slowly and silently, it moved above its chest and dug through it.
Daigo shrieked, feeling a stinging sensation boring into his heart.
At last, the smoky trail went out. Bringing with it . . . the third onyx.
The voice laughed. " You heard me right, puny youkai! This is the third onyx you stole from the nosy friar." There was a short pause as the rest gaped in horror.
Daigo spit blood, writhing in pain. " B-but three onyxes aren’t e-enough t-to produce the large dark stone . . . you need the . . ."
" . . . the last onyx?" The voice laughed harder. " The last onyx . . . . is right HERE!!"
A sound of a pained howl echoed throughout the lawn. The intensity was tremendous, deafening in human’s standards. But who’s making it?
Yusuke looked around through half-lidded eyes as he covered his ears. Everyone seemed fine. Koenma’s doing the same. Daigo was almost unconscious. Anika sat mortified.
The spirit detective shifted his attention to his right. Keiko appeared haggard but she wasn’t screaming. Same thing with Yukina and Shizuru. And Kuwabara . . .
Yusuke swallowed hard.
Kuwabara was emitting a sound of agony which closely resembled that of a dying animal. The big guy was down on his knees, writhing in obvious pain as his hands were firmly pressed on his temples. A blue mist outlined his entire body, converging at a dark circle on his forehead. The circle became solid, forming the last onyx.
Yusuke was all prepared to assist him when suddenly a loud explosion thundered from behind the bushes.
Without warning, the wind swirled in wide circles as leaves, petals as well as blades of grass whirled above the ground. The wind grew stronger and wilder, creating a giant whirlwind out of the blue mist. It rotated at an incredible speed, making everyone on the lawn, grappling for something stable to cling to.
Yukina raised her eyes to the sky. Dark clouds hung low, moving quickly to cover up the heavens. Night seemed to rush in so early as the a dark velvet blanketed over. A full moon in pale yellow color appeared above, as if to evoke its command of the sky.
The ice maiden looked at Kuwabara who was now silent and the blue mist around him was gone. She shifted her attention back to the mist.
There at the heart of the raging cyclone, something began to glow. Four small balls of black fire lit up. Its dark flames tossed and cackled. It started to move towards each other, meeting at the center. Within seconds, the balls of fire merged, forming a larger blaze. The burning ball created a dark smoke and like a vacuum, started sucking the hazy trails of the blue mist. For a minute, it tossed, turned and flew to all directions. Then gradually, the smoke thickened, every molecule seemed to converge in a space the size of a fist. Forming a solid core.
The wind blew strong. And the air became cooler as the core glinted in the pale afternoon light.
Koenma gaped. " The largest onyx!"
" The one that was in your capsule thirteen months ago!!", Yusuke told him.
The prince swallowed hard and nodded.
The hazy blue trails of the mist reoriented themselves, making it more opaque. Its shape shifted, taking in a regular silhouette of a human. Suddenly, the arms and legs became evident. Its limb more defined. Its head was enclosed in a dome shaped glass, making the headress looked more like a spacegear. Then a dark blue haze surrounded it, enclosing its body. The dark plain suit fit snugly on its hourglass frame while a black curtain appeared, flowing in a veil of darkness behind the body.
Yusuke, Koenma, Anika, Daigo, Shizuru, Keiko, Yukina and even the half-conscious Kuwabara, watched mortified as what was once pure air turned into flesh and blood.
" Its . . .", Yusuke’s mouth went dry. " . . . the master."
" The evil one.", Koenma said, his golden gaze fixed on its back.
The wind died down quickly as the figure slowly turned.
They all braced themselves as the master began to reveal its face to them.
14
Reawakening
Genkai felt a splitting headache as she tried to sit up. She could hear the yelling, the bantering, constant crashing of objects. The Reikai Tantei is in battle again.
She leaned her full weight on her hands, her body trembling in weakness. I couldn’t just lie here while the others were in a dangerous battle, she thought. Maybe she could do something.
" No. I know I could do something to help them out.", Genkai said with determination.
Painfully, she stood on her feet. And started to take the way out into the front lawn as her gnarled fingers held on to the tip of a wooden baton, Yukina gave her.
The front door was right in front of her.
She froze. The power. Undoubtedly strong. Unmistakingly evil.
She raised her hands to turn the knob when she noticed a large rectangular object lying on top of the coffee table. At first she thought its just one of their things. But something tells her it’s more than a useless object. Limping, she walked to the living room and picked it up.
" It’s a black case.", she murmured, turning it over.
She gasped, seeing the face of the inhuman symbol on the cover.
" Why haven’t I noticed this before . . .", she whispered.
Leaning heavily on her baton, she walked slowly to the main door.
" This symbol. They have to know.", she breathed. " They have to know the power of the symbol!"
------------------------------------------------------------
Yusuke and the others looked disappointed, failing to recognize or even get a glimpse of the master’s face. The dome-shaped glass covering was foggy. It appeared smoky and dark inside, making it impossible to see anything through it. Anything but its raging golden eyes.
Nonetheless, it appears menacing, dominant in all of its dark features and stature. The pale full moon hung proudly on the background, casting an enormous silhouette of the master on the ground.
" We meet again, Reikai Tantei.", it rasped.
Koenma’s eyes widen. " M-mom?", he stammered. That sweet, caring voice. He couldn’t see her face yet he couldn’t forget that voice. It may sounded a bit different. But she’s her. She’s the queen. She’s his mother. Queen Yuriko of Reikai.
Queen Yuriko breathed heavily. " Glad to see you alive, my son."
Koenma swallowed hard, her cold voice sent shivers down his spine.
Queen Yuriko laughed. " The last time we met, you thought you’ve beaten me. Wrong. That was just the first phase of my plan. This time, you’re fighting none other than yourselves. My power will destroy you from within."
" What are you saying? We’ve never met you that time!", Yusuke cried out.
The Queen snickered wickedly. " Why don’t you ask Koenma." She looked at him with fake tenderness. " Tell them, my dear son."
" Uhm, I-I saw her . . in the flames when I was imprisoned in the capsule." Koenma staggered backwards. Yes, he fought for her that day he was imprisoned. He took her as an inspiration. He bad-mouthed his father for killing her. The story was all tied up. The facts were so twisted, he doesn’t know whom to believe anymore. For heaven’s sake! He couldn’t even trust his own family now! Feeling so weak and betrayed, he lost his balance and fell on the grassy lawn.
There goes my remaining ally, Yusuke thought dryly. He stared straight ahead at the queen of Reikai. If Koenma couldn’t accept that fact then how much more he? The Queen Yuriko of Reikai which he had envisioned in his mind was nowhere near the woman standing proud before them now. If he would be asked, Her Majesty could be better addressed as Her Evilness.
" I fought Enma, Daigo and Akira and all those warrior wannabees who dared opposed my dominion!" The queen laughed harshly. " All of them failed. Cause I am everywhere . . ." She stared at all of them with cold steely golden eyes. " I was the flame. I was and still am ---- the one."
The words were cold and haunting. It sounded so wrong and evil yet it was so clear and true.
Suddenly, the air blew cold and heavy. So cold. So dark yet it was just four in the afternoon.
Yusuke chattered his teeth and rubbed his arms. There’s something odd about all these, he thought. The queen just stood there, not in a stance nor in any position to attack. But still the air smelled so nauseous. Heavy and cold. Something’s happening, he thought. But he doesn’t know what.
" Yusuke!", Keiko exclaimed.
Her fiance turned around.
Koenma’s mouth gaped open. He felt sick as foul odor hung in the air.
He wanted to cry out after seeing Yusuke’s gruesome face. Half of it was still intact but the lower section . . his left jaw and chin . . the skin, strips of pink flesh, hung loosely, exposing a portion of his bone.
" What’s happening?!", Yusuke asked in panic, seeing Koenma’s frightened expression.
Koenma choked and coughed out of repugnance. He refused to say anything. No words could ever capture how the spirit detective appeared.
Queen Yuriko laughed scornfully. " You looked wonderful, Yusuke!" She laughed once more.
Yusuke’s hand instantly flew to his cheek, touching the slimy mass of bloody flesh and a small hole where a chunk had fallen off.
" Aauurghh . . .", someone whimpered. Yusuke turned to see Kuwabara clutching his blood-soaked waist. There's too much blood.
" Kazuma!!", Shizuru cried out, not knowing what to do.
Daigo, on the other hand, fell down flat on his face. His right leg was drenched with his own blood as small pieces of human flesh slid down his foot. Rotting. Melting off.
Yusuke looked horrified. He, Kuwabara and Daigo were beginning to rot all on their own. And Kurama, wherever he is, . . . might be on the same predicament, too.
" That’s just the beginning.", the queen’s voice sounded so final. A hint of merriment was shown. " Once the process is completed, I’m going to be eternal and the four of you Reikai Tantei will be left with nothing but your gleaming gray skeletons!!!" Queen Yuriko chortled.
Suddenly, cold wind brushed Keiko’s nape just as a slight breeze rushed beneath her feet. Strange, she thought fearfully. In seconds, she felt herself being carried, lifted up by the wind.
" What’s going on?", Keiko whispered nervously. She looked down and saw Yukina and Shizuru gaping up at her. Both were sitting stable on the ground with Kuwabara and she . . . Keiko swallowed hard . . . she’s floating!
" Keiko!!!", Yusuke cried out.
She met her fiance’s worried brown eyes with pure terror. " Yusuke!!!!"
Keiko gazed at him through half-shut eyes. Horrified. She appeared weak and pale, as if she might fall down any moment.
Yusuke felt guilty. He sipped her blood, drinking too much. Drank more than he intended to. Drank more than he had wanted to.
Queen Yuriko extended her arms towards Keiko’s direction. Slowly and gracefully, her fragile human frame hovered effortlessly, moving forward to the queen.
" Let her go!" Yusuke fired a round of his Rei-Gan. But all just bounced off the queen’s body. Out of desperation, he rushed towards her, planning a physical attack. She’s a woman, a royalty at that, but the hell he care! She has Keiko and that’s enough reason for him.
Queen Yuriko narrowed her eyes on the incoming Yusuke. She opened her mouth, forming a small O. A rush of cold air blew from it. In an instant, hundreds of spike pins flew towards the spirit detective. Yusuke shielded himself with his arms. If he’s not going to be careful then their long pointy bodies will definitely slash him into pieces. At first, the constant stinging of small wounds were nothing short of a rash but as the deluge of spikes continued, each wounds became so unbearable that he was forced to retreat.
This is not good, Anika thought, glancing at the Queen’s captive. The elders once told her that in able for the master to gain absolute power and eternal life, it has to take in the blood of the purest human. A virgin young woman. If that happens now then I would never had the chance of possessing the Dark Jewel, she thought.
On the other hand, Daigo lay flat on his belly. A pool of his own blood was getting wider as his right leg began to rot. He gritted his teeth. Even with his eyes closed, devoid of his own powers and physical strength, he could hear their voices. Just a minute, he told himself. He’s so drained, he needs a long rest. But he doesn’t have the time for that now. A minute is all he needed to get back on his feet and seize the onyx from the queen.
The spikes had stopped coming but Yusuke still held his forearms in front of him. His breathing was shallow, his upper teeth sinking deep into his lower lip. It felt like he was thrown on a bed of nails. It was so painful. And his jaw felt so raw.
Yusuke stood still for a moment. Then as if he was pushed hard, he finally dropped on his knees. His stomach seemed to start grinding within his belly. And it felt so empty. He was hungry. Never been hungry in his whole life.
Shizuru shook her brother’s shoulder. Gently. So as not to hastened the rotting of his hip. " Can you still use you power?"
Sweat beaded on Kuwabara’s forehead. He was crazy, that was now acceptable to him but he knew he wasn’t stonehearted not to even consider helping the lady named Keiko. But then he found it so hard to concentrate. " I don’t think it would be safe. I . . . can’t seem to gain control . . of my own power."
He’s right, Shizuru thought. " What are you going to do now, Yusuke?", she whispered.
Yusuke gripped his bleeding arms, looking all too helpless as Queen Yuriko enclosed his girlfriend in a transparent orb.
Yusuke bit his lip. Keiko’s brown eyes were wide with fright, swollen from crying. Her lips parted. Her lovely face reflected nothing but sheer terror and pain. Keiko. His Keiko.
A mixture of blood and saliva flowed down the sides of Yusuke’s mouth as a multitude of both physical and emotional pain gnawed severely within him. " Don’t touch her! She’s my . .", he hesitated, his fangs descending, growing longer. " . . she’s my prey. . . s-she . . s-she’s mine!"
What am I saying, Yusuke thought, hunger taking its toll. Am I saving her for dinner? Or am I saving her because I love her? What’s happening? He thought, fearfully.
Queen Yuriko smiled devilishly. She need not read his thoughts. She could clearly see it. " You can’t fight it, Yusuke.", she spoke. " The onyx has already taken that control away from you."
" There is one good reason why you and your friends became my chosen ones.", she went on. " And that is because the four of you form a powerful and deadly combination. The power I needed to revive myself with."
Yusuke glared at her, his fangs glinted in the pale and unusually strong moonlight.
" Don’t do anything stupid. I could kill her at a flick of my hand.", the queen warned.
" Y-Yusuke . . .?" Koenma gaped at him, having a full view of his face . . . and his long sharp vampire-like fangs. Why does he have fangs? And what did he meant when he said ‘his prey’? " What’s going on?", he whispered, almost to himself. Anika was right. The Reikai Tantei were keeping something from me, he thought angrily. And this serious, too!
" What’s the matter my son? Are you shocked?", Queen Yuriko laughed. " You should have known. You should have protected them. Being the prince of Reikai and protector of the human realm, you should have!!!"
Koenma pressed his hands on his ears, shutting out her mother’s accusations. Isn’t it enough that he was left uninformed! Wasn’t it painful enough to know he was the son of the evil master? Wasn’t it enough that he felt stupid just now! That she has to push it to my face!!! He wanted to shot back but he can’t. He just can’t. She’s his mother.
" The onyxes were the key instruments to take your powers. The shadows you saw were just another form of the stones whose purpose is to gain strength from the hosts weaknesses.", Queen Yuriko explained. " I staged the first encounter just to embed the dark stones into your bodies. In this way, the onyxes became much more powerful than before.", she boasted.
" You already have them.", Yusuke said. " Why don’t you finish us now?"
" I need the four of you alive until your bodies rot to the bones. And the others . . .", she paused, extending her hand towards the porch were Yukina was standing. She flipped her palms and instantly, a swirling ball of pure dark energy formed. " . . . were mere garbage."
Yukina’s eyes widen as the queen released the ball of energy towards her. Seconds away, she threw herself to the side and landed facedown on the grass, the ball barely grazing the soles of her feet. She looked back and saw the energy continued in its straight path.
Without warning, a short individual emerged from the front door. Someone with curly pink hair. Someone old.
Genkai! Yukina thought fearfully. " M-Master . . . Oh no!! Master, look out!!!!"
Genkai looked up but it was too late. So little time to act. So weak to move. So huge and powerful the fireball was. But she had enough reflex to throw the black case behind her.
The case was saved.
But Genkai wasn’t.
To be continued . . . . .