Chapter Text
The screams of the demon beneath him had become background noise to Hiei by now.
The tip of his sword tink tinked against a ring on the demon's left hand, the demon's only remaining hand. As blood began to pool on the demon's right side where his right arm used to be, Hiei stepped onto the other side of his prey -- he didn't want his shoes to dirty because of a lowlife. Truth be told, Hiei was losing his patience. It felt as if he was being led on a wild goose chase -- each and every one of these rephresensibles claimed to know of Yukina's whereabouts, but when Hiei would track down each lead, they all pointed the finger to someone else. It infuriated him.
"If you do not answer my question within the next three seconds," Hiei spoke suddenly, cutting off the lower demon's wails of self-pity, "I will kill you." The demon strained his ears for more, but with Hiei -- that was it. You die.
"I-I-- I think I heard something about Youko Kurama coming upon a large stash of hiruseki!" The demon blabbered, Hiei's gaze heavy on him. "He might have kidnapped an ice maiden, or at least must know something! Please! Spare me my life!"
The fire demon regarded the lowlife with an unimpressed stare. After a long moment, Hiei hmphed under his breath. He put his sword back in the sheath, the metal clanging heavily, belying the lightness with which he carried it. His Jagan itched -- he couldn't sense Yukina's presence anywhere, and her absence blinded him. If this were anyone else, he would let them go. But because this was Yukina, Hiei allowed himself to be led again on this seemingly aimless chase.
His words were cold as he spoke. "Where is this Youko Kurama?"
Three little yellow pearls shimmered in his palm as Youko held it up to the moonlight. He examined the fruits of his labor with detached eyes. The Hiruseki stones were rare, but they weren't what he was looking for. Still, the process of their creation fascinated him, much more than the final product could. He wondered if the stones he held were a product of torture, or despair, or fear. He began walking again. One of his hideouts came into his view. Most people would have walked past, not knowing what lay beneath the massive demon tree. Those curious enough to investigate would be met with the killer plants that guarded the entrance to the burrow. But for him, the plants simply moved aside, and he slipped through the small opening to land inside the space within. It was much larger than one would think from the outside, and the roots of the demon tree moved and shifted along the walls and ceiling of the hideout, revealing indents where more treasures were stored. Youko took one more look at the stones in his palm, then he tossed them casually aside, to fall on the ground beside a small pile of pearls he once grabbed in a massive heist.
They stood out among the white pile, and Youko stared at them from his position on the makeshift bed of grass that he had covered in an ornate, expensive blanket. The demon hideout he had broken into was mostly deserted by the time he arrived. His information must have been out of date. The three little pearls was all he was able to salvage from the hastily abandoned space.
He could always exchange them for more information, and continue his hunt. He thought of other places, other people, from whom he could gather the necessary information, as his eyes slowly fluttered shut, and the plants above his head constricted to completely conceal the entrance to the hideout.
By the time Hiei had reached his destination, night had already fallen in the demon realm. His sweat was cold on his skin -- seven hours had passed since he heard the name Youko Kurama uttered from that demon's mouth, and Hiei had wasted no second in starting his next pursuit. The sky was a deep purple now, and he was grateful again for the extra sight his Jagan provided. Wherever this monster Youko Kurama was hiding, Hiei would find him.
Chest rising and falling in deep breaths, Hiei surveyed his surroundings. The Fields of Haejidoku, huh? Hiei thought as he looked around at the sparse trees and neverending fields. The foreboding name did not get past him: hell for flies, otherwise known as a Venus flytrap. A truly beautiful death contraption. But Hiei did not intend to die today.
Concentrating the demon energy of his Jagan, Hiei searched, groped around with his energy to see if he could sense anything. As if it were a smell, Hiei detected an energy faint but powerful to his right. Hiei turned his attention to that area, but hard as he try to follow that trail, the scent was elusive -- there, undeniably so, but the origin of it lay beyond Hiei's grasp. Tche , he spat, stalking forward.
It was a few steps in that the ground started to move.
Reacting quickly to the vines that seemed to rise up around his ankles, Hiei unsheathed his sword to cut them down quickly. But -- It's this whole area! It was as if he had walked into a trap: vines thick as trees rose up in mere seconds, and before Hiei could think of escape, he was lifted off of the ground, his sword clattering to the ground.
"Enough!" he yelled, black fire appearing over his right arm. He punched the vine that held him, and watched his black dragon crush it into the dust. The ground shook from the force of it all, making the trees around groan in protest.
Youko's eyes snapped open. For a moment he did not move, wondering why he had awoken. Then he felt the vibrations moving through the ground, saw the dirt fall loose from the ceiling with the force. He sat up and listened, his ears moving towards any direction of sound. He didn't look for long, the energy released by the intruder quickly directing Youko to the creature's position. What a pitiful thing it was, having stepped into the legendary bandit's territory. The corners of Youko's lips turned upwards, and he fed his energy into the surrounding plant life to give his traps even more strength.
He did find it curious though that his hideout had been found so easily. While he didn't see the intruder as a threat, he did wonder what tricks he had to have been able to discover him. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the demon walked straight into his traps. Youko rose from the makeshift bed and willed the entrance of his burrow to open. He silently slipped out and let the entrance cover itself again.
He followed the energy of the intruder until he was close enough to hear the sounds of his movements. Then, with a burst of his energy, Youko's traps sprang into full action -- giant man-eating fly traps, vines covered in spikes as sharp as any blade, acid-leaking blossoms that followed their target till death. Youko waited a few seconds after unleashing his deadly weapons before he stepped closer, to watch the intruder squirm under his assault. His eyes narrowed slightly when he finally saw the little demon that had entered his domain.
Before Hiei saw it, he felt it, and his body carried him before his brain caught up to the sudden onslaught around him. After grabbing his sword again, Hiei dashed forward to narrowly avoid a thorn through the throat. He cut that vine swiftly, only to have another, and another lunge at him. If he were a creature prone to regret, he would have regretted coming here so quickly without resting first. But there was only one thing Hiei regretted in his life, and the reminder of how he had let his sister be taken lit a fire, literally, within him.
Although he had not yet mastered the power of the Black Flame Dragon as of yet, he released what he could to buy himself a moment of breathing room. As the singed plants curled and withered around him, new ones arose in their place, dripping a vile yellow substance. Hiei took off his outer coat and tossed it at these flowers, and watched in shock as his coat was melted away in an instant. As Hiei avoided the acidic blossoms, he realized that, no matter the biology of these plants, there must be a mastermind to have made such a coordinated attack as this.
Sword already brandished and ready to strike again, Hiei felt his steps falter when he felt a presence appear behind him. He turned, and his eyes widened at the sight. Silver hair, a fox's ears and tail -- Hiei hadn't been expecting the other to look so human, but no doubt this must be the fox demon he was told about. Hiei's red eyes locked onto the fox's yellow pair. "Youko Kurama!" He screamed, pointing his sword at the demon, his words no less sharp. "I have been looking for--"
And that's when Hiei was eaten by a Venus flytrap.
Youko's eyes widened just a fraction at the intruder's cut off words. "Looking for me? Is that so?" Youko purred, his lips curling into a grin as he watched the intruder be devoured. Plenty of people were hunting for the great legendary bandit Youko Kurama. Many for revenge, and many more for his stashed treasures. Some even try it for fame. Though none had succeeded yet. How did this little demon think he could?
The absurdity of the situation made Youko chuckle. The closed Venus flytrap lowered itself, its body shifting from the effort of holding its prey down. Youko stepped towards it, his arm outstretched towards it. Perhaps some fun could be had with this poor creature. Something to lift Youko's sour mood. His energy filled the deadly plant and willed it to open and spit out its meal. Youko stared down at the small demon.
"And tell me, intruder, why would you go looking for someone like me on your own? Do you have a deathwish?" Youko asked, his voice deep and dangerous. Thorns crept closer around Youko's ankles, ready to strike and grab him should the intruder lunge forward with that sword of his.
Darkness, stickiness, sweetness, choking, then -- what? One second, Hiei had been trying to get his sword in a position to slice through whatever was surrounding him, then the next second he was on the ground, a sugary substance coating his entire body. His shirt had somehow been lost in the giant flytrap, as well as his shoes. Subconsciously, he reached up and touched his forehead. It seemed as if his headband had protected the Jagan from the syrupy liquid. Good.
The words of the fox demon floated to Hiei's ears. He looked up from where he was on the ground to see Youko Kurama standing in front of him. Youko's tone dripped with condescension, and Hiei immediately snarled in response. "Do not take me lightly," he warned, smoke slowly rising from his right arm, voice hoarse from the sticky sweetness of the flytrap still coating his lips and tongue. He stood slowly, and glared hard at Youko. The fox demon was taller -- Hiei barely made it to the other's chest, but if Hiei was intimidated by size then the house-sized demon he nearly killed earlier would still have two arms. "The only reason you are not dead where you stand is because I need to ask you a question. Whether this ends with your corpse as fertilizer or not depends on your answer." Hiei curled his bare toes into the grass beneath him, readying a battle stance just in case Youko Kurama was disinclined to listen to reason.
Youko couldn't keep the satisfied grin off his face. This would be fun indeed. "Oh? Is that the only reason?" Youko asked rhetorically, glancing towards the flytrap that still hovered near the little demon. "Not many people would be brave enough to speak to me in such a manner." His words were punctuated by the thorns that arose around him, forming a protective barrier. Not that he needed it. The little demon looked fast, but not particularly strong. Youko pondered for a moment. Fast... and also resilient. Perhaps he was underestimating his prey. Beneath the ground the roots of the ancient tree moved quietly, worming their way through the dirt towards their target. Youko didn't fear the fire, and neither would his plants. But he allowed the flytrap to distance itself somewhat, feigning fear of the smoke rising off of the little demon's arm. Fast, resilient, but also impulsive and brash. He must be a young thing, out for some glory or revenge. Youko's ancient knowledge and mastery of the landscape would be his advantage.
Though the intruder did manage to distract him from his failed heist. At the very least, he could listen to him before feeding him to his plants.
"I'm afraid it is usually the role of my opponent to end up as fertilizer. But I will do you the honor of asking me one question." He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Hiei's brow twitched in annoyance at Youko's haughty tone. The insolence of the fox demon was downright infuriating, and Hiei wanted nothing more than to put the arrogant vermin in his place. Without meaning to, the smoke rising from Hiei's arm turned into the licks of black flames, and quick, sharp streaks of electricity began to tickle the air around him. Though Hiei kept his expression neutral, the rise in violent energy around him would no doubt reveal his true thoughts. Clenching a fist in an attempt to hold himself back, Hiei decided to let Youko's tone slide and ask his question.
"Do you know the name of the ice maiden who made the Hiruseki stones you have in your possession?" Hiei asked, voice thin and body drawn taut. Ah, he thought to himself, this is what it means to feel desperation. His eyes honed in on Youko's lips, heart in his throat as he hoped the words next coming out of them would be Yukina.
He did not expect that.
Youko stared at the demon before him, mind racing to figure out why a fire demon of all kinds wanted to know about an ice maiden. He could see the desperation in the little demon's eyes, see the way his body tensed as he waited for a reply. He didn't want the stones. He wanted the girl . Someone he cared for? Youko's fingers twitched just a fraction. How ironic -- his intruder was looking for a clue, too, through a precious stone.
Youko let the silence stretch on for a moment. There were many ice maidens, though they seldom left their home. Their tears, the stones he possessed, could be thousands of years old, or freshly shed just earlier this day. Yet when he arrived at the hideout he had raided, there was no scent of cool ice. No minty nip to the air surrounding him. Just the stuffy, heavy scent of fear. No, these tears could not have been shed so recently. Even if they were created by whoever it was the intruder was looking for, she was long gone, the trail long cold.
Yet Youko couldn't help but to understand the desire to know. His traps -- the thorns, the vines, the Venus flytrap -- all still hovered nearby, and the roots have positioned themselves directly beneath the intruder. He was foolish enough to come challenge the legendary Youko Kurama on a whim. If Youko didn't kill him, the next person he "interrogated" likely would. Yet the flames around the little demon's arm were strong. Youko recognized the ability. Few could get a hold of the Dragon. Even fewer could unleash it. An even smaller number could do so and live. Was it potential Youko saw in this creature? Or was the Dragon yet another thing the intruder had rushed into, not fully understanding the consequences of his actions? His brash behavior reminded him of Yomi, of the trouble his henchman caused throughout the years. He had potential, too, before Youko sought to snuff it out. But no, it wasn't Yomi that this intruder reminded Youko of the most.
Well. It was an interesting diversion, while it lasted. And the look in those red eyes was still amusing to see.
Youko raised his chin, regarded the demon before him thoughtfully. Then he shrugged lightly. "I have never asked before what creature created the treasures I stole. I simply took them."
Like a candle being blown out, the fire left Hiei, body and soul. Without his permission, his face scrunched up into an expression of utter confusion at the fox demon's words. He stared without seeing, unable to process the feeling of helplessness that swallowed him. Two years ago, he had heard that someone was taking ice maidens for profit. He followed that lead until the ends of the earth, until he caught wind of a demon that might be trading the ice maidens with humans. Months of toil passed as Hiei scoured the demon world for anyone who might have known anything, and when he felt himself not enough ... he upgraded. The Jagan was supposed to lead him to his sister, Hiei nearly killed himself by betting that it would.
And yet here he was. Two years later and nothing to show for it.
Hiei closed his eyes, and gave himself a moment to despair. Another day, and he had failed his sister, again. But if he wanted to find her and bring her to safety tomorrow, or the next day, or however long it took to do so, then he needed to live through today . This was all for Yukina, and Hiei had already committed himself to casting aside any sense of self he had in the pursuit of his sister. If this demon truly had no information on her whereabouts, then Hiei no longer had any business in the Fields of Haejidoku.
"Youko Kurama," he spoke, eyes opening to reveal a cool resolve. "I will leave now. Will you try to stop me?" He felt the presence of something creeping underneath his toes, felt the menacing aura of the demon flora around him. If it came down to a fight, Hiei knew it would be ugly. After all, the demon who told him of Youko was frightened for Hiei as he spoke of the fox demon, and that was when Hiei knew that Youko must inspire a tremendous amount of fear that worthless demons wouldn't wish the fox on their worst enemy. He glanced down at his sword, then back up at Youko's almost angelic silhouette, his question lingering heavily in the space between them.
Youko followed the intruder's eyes as they glanced down at the sword. He wasn't running because of fear, that was evident. Yet he showed Youko some respect. Youko had to admit, the little demon wasn't as brash or unintelligent as he first appeared. He wished to walk away, now that he had his answer, and not risk a fight with someone stronger than him.
This ice maiden must be worth the world to him. Youko's lips twitched into another smirk. "Leaving so soon? And here I was hoping we could... play."
A sound off in the distance, far beneath the earth, alerted Youko's twitching ear to the movement of his messenger roots. Someone had news for him. His eyes narrowed slightly, still locked on the little fire demon, not betraying his thoughts. Well, he supposed it would take too long if he tried to make the intruder stay. While he clearly didn't have full control of the Dragon, its presence and the sharpness of the sword the intruder carried made Youko pause. Yes, it would take too long. This one would not go down without a fight, because he was not fighting for himself. What a curious beast indeed.
Youko raised his chin and regarded the intruder with cold eyes. Slowly, the roots beneath the little fire demon retreated back to Youko's side. "Very well. Leave, while you still have the chance."
Hiei hmphed at the fox demon's words. For all the warnings that the weak demon earlier had told of Youko Kurama, it seemed that there existed in the demon realm a fundamental misunderstanding of the fox's nature. He was powerful yes, and he stole without caring about those he stole from. But he was not driven by bloodlust, and did not revel in the act of meaninglessly taking life. The fact that Hiei was still alive was solid proof.
Hiei stooped down and retrieved his sword, a crisp sound cutting through the air as it slid into its sheath. He resisted the urge to wipe his hands on his pants. He was well aware that he must make a pitiful sight: the sweet syrup from the Venus flytrap still oozed down Hiei's body, flattening his hair, and his shirt and shoes were probably stuck to the roof of the flytrap's mouth. Not Hiei's best day, you could say.
There was one thing that Youko Kurama said that made Hiei's Jagan twitch with ominous premonitions though. The fox had said 'play,' as if Hiei were a toy. But Youko Kurama was not known for keeping anything but treasures. Hiei would surely end up dead once the fox satisfied his curiosity. Hiei could probably get them both killed, if he released his black dragon at full power, consequences be damned, but thankfully that risk was not necessary. Suppressing a shiver, Hiei leapt as quickly as he could and landed soundlessly on the edge of the fields. With a large distance now between them, Hiei felt safe enough to turn his back on Youko Kurama and fade into the black of night. The scent of the fox lingered around him long after he left the fields.