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~~STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY!!~~
"Hold me now don't bother
If every minute it makes me weaker
You can save me from the man that I've become
Looking back on the things I've done
I was trying to be someone
Played my part, kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart"
~The Shape of My Heart, Backstreet Boys
Chapter Nine
Kurama ran through the Makai toward Hiei's ki signature. He shed his ningen form as he ran, barely noticing that his legs had become longer and stronger. His only thought was of reaching Hiei.
Tears glittered on pale cheeks that hadn't sported tears in over two millennia. The youko forced himself to a faster pace. I'm coming koibito! Hold on!
Hiei struggled against his bonds, wincing as his body protested the movements painfully. Hikoni chuckled. "Not so smart now, are we, half-breed?"
Hiei moved his head back, closing his eyes as the poker slowly came forward. A terrified shudder ran through him as he felt the heat draw closer to his face. Then a searing bolt of pain tore through him, and he failed to suppress a scream of agony. The horrible stench of burnt flesh permeated the air, somehow smelling worse than usual because it was his own. The pain ebbed slightly, and Hiei was allowed to regain his breath. Tentatively, he tried to open his eye. He discovered that Hikoni had blinded his right eye.
Hiei looked up at Hikoni with his remaining eye. She stood just a few feet away from him, smiling contently. "That's better," she said. "Now for the other one." Hiei closed his eyes and hung his head, resigned with the knowledge that it was impossible for him to escape. I wish I was back in the Ningenkai. I wish Kurama still loved me... A tear slid down his cheek, crystallizing and falling to the ground.
Then pain flared, even worse than before, causing Hiei to cry out again. Hiei sagged, gasping. Instinctively, he tried to open his eyes. The fire demon hung there, engulfed in total darkness. Hiei was blind. And it was terrifying.
Hiei quickly became aware of every bit of pain in his body. He moaned weakly as the chains cut into his skin.
The fire demon heard Hikoni's sadistic, gleeful laugh, but didn't bother to lift his head. He felt the heat as Hikoni brought the poker near his face again. Hiei screamed in agony as the Koorime touched his ear with it. Dizziness overcame him, and he passed out.
Kurama's heart sank as he heard an agonized cry. He pushed himself harder. No! This can't be happening!
Another scream rang out. Oh, Inari! Please let me get there in time!
Kurama reached the far side of Mukuro's border in time to see a Koorime touch Hiei with a red-hot poker. The battered-looking fire demon cried out, then sagged, unconscious, against the chains that bound him to a large tree.
The Koorime laughed, obviously enjoying herself. Pure rage filled Kurama as the girl raised the poker, obviously preparing to use it as a spear. "Time to die, bastard!"
Kurama wasn't even aware that he'd called his rose whip until the Koorime was wrapped up in it.
The girl glared at him. "Who the hell are you?!"
Kurama walked toward Hiei, forcing himself to do so casually. "Tell me, girl, have you ever heard of Youko Kurama?"
"The great fox-thief. Killed by a hunter," the girl muttered. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Kurama awarded her with an icy look. "Do I look dead to you, child?" The Koorime stared at him in shock. Kurama continued. "And you tortured my chosen mate. How thoughtless of you." The Koorime's mouth opened and shut as she floundered for words. Kurama smiled coldly. "I shall have to kill you. Time for you to die, bitch!"
A nearby plant edged closer to the terrified Koorime, oozing acid. Hikoni shrieked as the mutant plant engulfed her. She was cut off mid-scream by her own death.
Kurama knelt beside Hiei's chained body, wincing as he saw that the youkai had quite a few broken bones. Then he froze as he looked at Hiei's face. No! Oh, gods, no! Hiei's beautiful , deep ruby eyes had been reduced to burnt-out sockets. A sob wracked Kurama's body. The youko carefully removed Yukina's hiroseki from around his neck, gently slipping it over Hiei's head.
The fox then called the acid plant over and had it eat through the chains holding Hiei. Kurama cradled the fire demon's broken body to his chest. I'll get you to Yukina, koibito! Hold on!
He had gone no more than four miles when he found his route blocked by Mukuro and a band of her soldiers. The woman smiled coldly at him. "Well, well. If it isn't Kurama?" She frowned as she saw that he had Hiei. "Where do you think you're going with him?! And where is my heir?!"
Kurama returned Mukuro's icy glare. "I'm taking my mate home, where he belongs. And the pitiful creature you called an heir is dead. Don't bother looking for a body; there isn't one."
The woman in front of him wheeled on her soldiers. "Leave us!" The soldiers bolted, disappearing in less than five seconds. Mukuro turned to him, her glare frigid. "You killed my heir?" Kurama smirked in reply. Mukuro grinned suddenly, catching Kurama off guard. "Good. She annoyed me." The smile disappeared. "But I can't forgive you for injuring Hiei."
Kurama stared at the woman, horrified. "What?! Your heir did this to him! And you let her!"
"My 'heir' only caught him because he let her. He wanted to die! What did you do to him?! You may as well tell me, because you aren't leaving here alive anyway."
Kurama looked away. "My ningen mother arranged for me to marry a ningen female. Hiei found out and he thought...thought that I didn't love him anymore. He left before I could explain. I broke off the arrangement and came here to stop him from doing something stupid." Kurama smiled bitterly. "And I was too late. Story of my life."
Mukuro looked at him for a long moment, then nodded, as if accepting his answer. "Where are you taking him?"
"To Yukina," the fox answered. "She's the only one I know who might be able to heal him completely."
Mukuro frowned. "What do you mean, 'completely'?"
Kurama closed his eyes, fighting back tears. "That Koorime bitch burned his eyes out."
"What?!" Mukuro stepped forward and peered at Hiei. Her face twisted in rage. "That little bitch! I hope she died painfully!"
Kurama clenched his teeth. "You let this happen! You could have stopped her, but you didn't!"
Mukuro looked directly at him with her natural eye. "What was the point? He would have found another way to die." She looked away. "I challenged Hikoni to try to catch him. I figured he'd kill her for trying, and I'd have him as my heir again..." The woman shook her head. "I didn't expect him to let her catch him. Especially since she was Koorime."
Kurama scowled. "You still should have stopped her!"
Mukuro glared at the fox. "Don't you think I wanted to?! Hiei is like a son to me!" She sighed. "But if I had, I would've left him at the mercy of everyone who wants to inherit a third of the Makai! It only would've taken one time of them catching him without me, and he would have died anyway." Mukuro shook her head. "Leave. And tell Hiei that he's still my heir, whether he likes it or not. I don't want to see either of you until you've permanently returned to that form. When that happens, there'll be a place in my fortress for both of you. Take care of my heir, Kurama."
Kurama smiled weakly. "I don't know if Yukina will be able to heal his eyes. He may be permanently blind."
Mukuro chuckled. "Yomi's blind, and look how powerful he is." Kurama flinched, remembering how Yomi became blind. Mukuro frowned at him. "Leave."
Kurama went, hurrying to the portal. If Hiei is permanently blind, I've blinded two people.
Hmmm...Decisions, decisions. Should I keep Hiei blind, or should I give him back his sight..? Ne, peoples? E-mail me and tell me what you think! Arigato! And Kichigai - Gomen...By the time I saw your message it was too late.
On to Chapter Ten
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