Only You

by Misty

Chapter 12

The whole room was silent, except for the munching sounds coming from Kuwabara.

“I looked back at Mishina, and I saw that Genei had embraced her, weeping,” Naomi went on. “Her eyes had already closed, and I thought she was already dead. I didn’t know how wrong I was.”

“What happened to Kurama?” Keiko asked worriedly. “Did you get to him in time?

“I soon got to him, but it was too late,” Naomi said, fighting back tears. “He…he died in my arms, and then one of the hunters shot me too.”

Keiko, Botan, and Yukina were both teary eyed. Shizuru sat quietly in the corner, and even Kuwabara stopped munching.

“So…that was how you died…I told you to run away, or else you might get killed too…but you didn’t…”

They all looked up at the new voice, and it was Kurama, looking pensively at Naomi.

Naomi looked away, unable to meet his eyes. Her eyes fell on his hand, however, and she was surprised to see that a large ring on his finger. She looked at him in surprise. “That’s…”

Kurama just nodded mysteriously.

“Hn.” Hiei had suddenly entered the room, and collapsed on Naomi’s bed. He yawned, and promptly fell asleep.

“Hey, you shrimp, get out of that bed!” Kuwabara yelled, trying vainly to knock Hiei off his bed. “Don’t sleep now, we’re all still in danger! Wake up, you baka!”

Hiei only grunted, and turned in his sleep.

“Why you—” Kuwabara said, about to hit the fire demon, but a dainty little hand stopped him.

“I think Hiei-san’s just really very tired,” Yukina said gently. “Just let him sleep, please, Kazuma-san?”

Kurama nodded at Kuwabara. “He just used his Kokuryuha in a battle, so he’s really very exhausted.”

“As you wish,” Kuwabara grumbled, but he soon smiled at Yukina.

Yukina smiled back at him, and tenderly covered Hiei with a blanket.

If Hiei was awake at that time, he might have heard a small, soft voice whisper a “Good night, 'niisan,” in his ear, but he was already so wrapped up in deep slumber, that he did not hear her.

Three youkais were walking in a deep, dark forest, and yet they were laughing boisterously.

“Well, peace at last,” a green-skinned youkai said, taking a swig from the flask he was holding. “Free to roam around in the Ningen Kai without being killed by those other powerful, evil monsters.”

“Why do they always want to take over the three worlds, anyway?” another youkai grumbled, finishing the last few drops of sake from his bottle. “It’s not as if they’d get much by ruling these—hic!—stupid Ningens.”

“Some just want to kill,” a fat, ningen-like youkai said gravely, still looking sober, unlike his companions. “And others want an unlimited supply of humans to eat.”

The green-skinned youkai grimaced. “I certainly wouldn’t want to eat humans. They taste disgusting.”

“You got that righ—”the second youkai said, but was suddenly cut off when he was hit by small energy ball.

“What the—” the green-skinned youkai exclaimed, but soon afterwards, he also fell to the ground, unconscious.

“Who’s there?” the third youkai said, looking out into the darkness. “I’m warning you! Show yourself!”

“As you wish,” Yusuke said, stepping out of the shadows.

“You can’t hurt me,” the youkai said, looking nervously at his opponent.

“Oh, is that so? How disappointing,” Yusuke said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“You can’t get me!!!” the youkai yelled, and lunged at Yusuke.

Yusuke blocked his opponent’s movements perfectly, and without any effort any at all. He yawned.

The youkai looked irritated. “Well, let’s see you defend yourself against this, then!”

The youkai suddenly multiplied before his eyes, and now, Yusuke had four opponents, and not just one. But Yusuke still remained unruffled.

“Too weak,” he drawled, “But an interesting power, nevertheless. It deserves to be mine.”

He concentrated all his power on his hand, and released a large energy ball, which hit all four of his opponents. The youkais fell to the ground, and fused again, until only one demon lay still on the ground.

“Thanks,” Yusuke said meanly, absorbing the spirit ball.

“Saisho,” a young man’s voice said behind him reproachfully, “This is not the time to play games.”

“It was all for the best, believe me, Toki,” Yusuke replied. He stretched his arms, and grinned at the boy behind him.

Toki regarded him solemnly. “Well then, shall I leave you now?”

“Sure. I’m ready to move in for the kill.”

Botan, meanwhile, was triying to cheer Naomi up. “Hey, it’s all right! You were reborn as Nakajima Seiko, and Kurama as Minamino Shuichi, and now, we can all defeat Mishina!”

“Yes, you’re right, ” Naomi said, trying to smile. “That was the past. What we have to worry about is the present. Besides, a goodbye is the beginning of tomorrow…”

Kurama looked at her, and he smiled. He remembered those words well.

“So, did you get the weapon?” Naomi asked him casually.

“Yes, I did,” Kurama replied nonchalantly. “Now all we have to do is wait for Yusuke to come…”

Shizuru suddenly gasped, and her whole body went rigid with fear.

“What’s wrong, Shizuru?” Keiko asked worriedly, placing a hand over her shoulder.

“Yusuke…” Shizuru looked up at them. “Yusuke’s coming…here…”

“Yusuke?” Keiko paled.

“About time.” Kurama stood up calmly, and got from the table a small bag he had placed there earlier.

“That’s not the only thing,” Shizuru said nervously. “Someone else is coming…I don’t know who, but someone very powerful…”

“Oh no!” Botan cried fearfully. “But what about your parents, Naomi-san? And your sister?”

“Then we’re going to protect them,” Naomi said determinedly, although she looked very pale.

“He’s really here?” Kuwabara said, puzzled. “But I don’t feel anything…having no rei ki is really weird…”

“Okay, well then, this is the best thing we can do,” Kurama said calmly. “I am going to fight with Yusuke, while Naomi takes care of that other person—”

“I’ll fight with you, too!” Kuwabara said excitedly.

“No, Kazuma,” Shizuru said. “You’re just living on borrowed spiritual energy. You don’t have any powers yet. Better stay here.”

“Yes, Kazuma-san,” Yukina said softly. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Uhummm…”Botan teased, smiling even though danger was already near. “How sweet! So, when will you two finally get married?”

“Marriage?” Yukina blushed.  “Oh, don’t go that far, Botan-san…”

Marry… Yukina-san? Kuwabara thought. He started to redden, and his eyes lit up.

Kurama and Naomi exchanged amused glances, and Naomi said, “You guys would have to stay here and protect my parents and my sister, just in case there’s an emergency. It’s also very dangerous job, but I know all of you can do it!” Naomi smiled at them encouragingly, and the others nodded.

Kurama looked pensively outside. I sure hope this plan will work…

Soon afterwards, crouched behind some bushes, Kurama and Naomi began to wait for Yusuke.

“To tell you the truth, Kurama,” Naomi ventured, “I have my doubts on your plan. I know what you’re going to do, since I know what that weapon can do. But…how sure are you that the weapon works that way? What if it sucks out spirits indiscriminately, and so if you set the weapon on Yusuke, it’ll not only take the youkai’s spirit, but Yusuke’s as well?”

Kurama listened to her, a small smile on his face. “I knew you’d ask,” he said knowingly. “I can’t really tell you right now, because then they would know what my plan is. But just know this: I have found out that what we have known before was actually false.”

Naomi looked at him in surprise, and then she smiled, realizing the meaning of what he said, “I think I know what you’re getting at.”

“I knew you would.” Kurama’s smile suddenly melted into a frown, and he watched as Yusuke crept towards the house. “He’s here.”

Naomi nodded at him. “Be careful, ne?”

“I always am.” Kurama grinned at her.  He brought out his rose whip, and lashed out at Yusuke, who promptly avoided it.

“Well, Kurama, time for you to die!” Yusuke yelled, throwing an energy ball.

Naomi was watching them calmly, when suddenly, a cold, female voice spoke behind her.

“Your meddling ends now, Naomi.”

She whirled around, and she visibly paled. It was Mishina.

“So you were the one who was coming,” Naomi said, smiling coldly. “What a nice surprise.”

Mishina waved her hand in a sharp gesture, and suddenly, a long sword appeared in her hand. “Nice, indeed,” she said levelly. “I get to kill you, and Saisho can kill your beloved youko. Just like old times, ne?”

Naomi glared at her, and she brought out her own fire blade.

“No, Mishina,” Naomi said determinedly, “This time it’ll turn out different. And you’re the one who’s going to die.”

Keiko watched fearfully at the fights outside. “Oh, I do hope they’re all right.”

“Of course they will be,” Botan said cheerfully. But, still, she couldn’t help feeling worried.

Shizuru bit her lip, and said nothing. Why is it that I have a bad feeling about this…?

Suddenly Kuwabara squeezed in between her and Yukina.  “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” she said, rather annoyed.

“I can’t take this!” Kuwabara said, ignoring his sister. “I can’t stand just watching them! I want to fight!”

“Well then, don’t watch!” Shizuru said, aggravated. “Don’t squeeze us all in here, you’re way too big! Besides, I can’t see them very well!!” She started to push Kuwabara.

“Hey, don’t push!!!” Kuwabara said, and suddenly he lost his balance. He crashed into Yukina, who also crashed into Botan, who crashed into Keiko. The four unfortunate people fell into a heap on the floor.

“Kuwabara, get off Yukina now so I can get up!!!” Botan yelled. Kuwabara and Yukina got up, and Botan sat up. “Ouch… that really hurt!”

“Um, Botan-san…I…I think you should stand up now…” Yukina said.

“Why?” Botan asked, when suddenly she realized that Keiko, who had already passed out, was still under her. She stood up rapidly. “Oh dear! Keiko!”

Hiei, even after all the commotion Shizuru and Kuwabara started, was still asleep.

Michiko entered the room, looking worried. “Um, could you please keep it down, Seiko?” she started to say, but she stopped in her tracks as she stared out the window. Shizuru closed the curtain, too late.

“What…what was that?” Michiko said, her voice shaking.

“Um, Michiko-san, we can explain—”

They suddenly heard two separate screams in the next room. Michiko ran to the door, yelling, “Mom!!!!! Dad!!!!”

Suddenly, a powerful force hit the door, and it exploded. Pieces of wood showered their faces, and they ducked to avoid the blast.

“What the—”Kuwabara said.

“Michiko-san, daijobu?” Keiko extracted the pale-faced girl from all the rubble. “Please answer me!”

“What’s going on?” Michiko said weakly. “Please, tell me—” And she finally fainted.

Yusuke stood in the doorway, leering at them.

“Yusuke?!” Keiko blurted out, and she glanced out the window. “But who’s fighting Kurama outside?”

“Me,” the demon-possessed Yusuke said. “I can divide myself easily, just like this—” and suddenly, Yusuke divided himself until almost a dozen Yusukes stood in front of them.

“Now, I can get all of you,” the Yusukes said.

Botan, Keiko, Shizuru, Yukina and Kuwabara looked all around them. They were surrounded.

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