(Back on earth)
Maru leapt down from his watch above the alley and landed on the infected human's chest just as Botan knocked him to the ground. The little shinigami was stronger than he would have given her credit for. Together they had made their way through several city blocks now, and could see the entrance to the pub from where they stood.
"GET BACK INSIDE!!" Kenji shouted as Shizuru and Kaoru ran past him. Each held a different weapon in their hand. Kenji had the bat he had still been carrying from practice that afternoon, while Kaoru did what she could with an old metal snow shovel, and Shizuru struck another infected human in the side of the head with a lead pipe she had found in the back of the pub. Tyler stood just inside, clutching a crowbar for dear life as he stood in front of a group of cowering regulars, all trying to hide from the seemingly zombie invasion.
"Kenji, I love you, but if you try to play the big masculine hero again, I'm going to hit you!!!" Kaoru half-snarled as she aimed another blow at a man twice her weight, and managed to stun him long enough for Kenji to knock him out.
"When did you become such a freaking hothead???" The boy snapped, frustration and fear making him rather short tempered as he yanked the stubborn brunette back by the arm, seconds before a very strong looking man grabbed for her.
Kaoru yelped at first, then gasped as the man's big hands closed right where her head had been. She tried to slam her shovel over his head, but the man barely flinched.
"ALRIGHT THEN!!!" She shouted, then brought her knee up hard right between the infected human's legs. Brain bugs or not, that still got the brute's attention.
"KAORU!!" Kenji screeched as a second assailant grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms. He took aim and yelled, "DUCK!!!"
A flicker of terror filled the girl's eyes as she let herself become dead weight in the brute's arms, her body dropping like a stone, and dragging him forward headfirst into that swing.
"HERE'S A HOMERUN!!!" He bellowed, slamming the bat against the man's temple to send him flying across the street.
Shizuru whistled in appreciation, and slammed her pipe into a lady who was trying desperately to get past her into the pub. "Damn kid, where'd you learn to hit like that??"
Kenji grinned and rubbed his nose, a few second's gap cleared between them and the coming wave of zombies. "Heheh, My dad got sent over seas for a couple years to work on this big engineering project, he took me with him so I could get "culturally diverse" and meet my Gramps, since he still lives over there! He taught me how to play! My junior high coach cried when I told him I was moving back!" He paused, raising the bat again as a skinny man with glasses lurched for him.
"GOOOO KNIGHTS!!!" He bellowed, giving his old American middle school's chant as the metal bat pinged against the man's skull.
"BE CAREFUL!!!" Botan's loud screech echoed in their skulls as she raced to the man's side and started to... heal him???
"What the hell are you doing??? They tried to kill us, why are you healing zombies???" Kenji screeched, and Shizuru smacked the back of his head.
"For the last time they're not zombies! They're just infected, right Botan?"
The shinigami nodded as Maru caught up, his hood drawn up to hide his horns. "They can be saved." He stated simply, then turned to slam the edge of his Bo staff into the stomach of one who had drawn too close for comfort. "If the others succeed, they will recover."
Kaoru gasped, and crouched down to check and see if the one she had knocked out earlier was still breathing. Luckily, it looked like they were all still alive, though Botan had to rush to heal the one Kenji had sent flying.
"Well," She began, wiping her bloody hands off on her red track pants. "It looks like you've got it handled here. We'll keep trying to clear the city. Here..." She said, handing a communicator to Shizuru. "If you get into trouble don't hesitate to call! Oh, and don't let anyone leave until after we've wiped their memory. We don't need all those humans to know demons exist."
Shizuru nodded, tucking the communicator into her pocket. As Botan turned to leave, she reached out for the girl's arm. "Hey... any word on Mako?" She asked quietly, hoping for a true answer, but not wanting Yumiko's classmates to overhear.
Botan frowned for a moment, then gave a small nod. "We expect he should wake up any day now." She took a few steps toward the next block as Shizuru let out a relieved sigh, then turned to Maru.
"Let's go! I see another swarm moving north!"
_______
"RRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA"
"Don't... Tell me..." Yusuke muttered as the entire platform began to tremble.
Kurama took a deep breath, "He's alive!" He motioned for Yumiko, and she jumped onto his shoulder without complaint as a crack broke through ground where she had just been. He turned back to the others, a grave expression on his face.
"Hurry! It's collapsing!!!" He called as they all ran for the far side of the platform, and the hanging tower that seemed to hold its form against the roar. As the group reached the top of the spiral staircase, they peered out from the tower's wall at what had been the arena, now only empty air.
The bellowing roars finally tapered off, and they turned to where Byakko's voice reached them through the passage ahead.
"So human, you have proven to be quite a worthy prey..."
"Hey, aren't you, dead yet?" Kuwabara asked, a rather annoyed expression on his face.
"HA!! Very much alive, and shall award your strength by inviting you into my lair! My room of hell!!"
They could not see Byakko, or his room of hell from their vantage point on the tower, and Kurama was not the only one hesitant to enter.
"What if we say no?" He asked.
Byakko laughed again. "You don't want to say no."
Yumiko let out a small whine, and he nodded in agreement with the girl's thoughts. It was most certainly a trap. Before he could voice that however, Kuwabara stepped forward once more.
"Just lead the way, Byakko! I'll go wherever you want!!"
The tower passage let to a large set of metal doors, and the moment they opened, Yumi could feel the heat trying to escape from within. 'I don't like that...' She thought, bringing her tail in front of her to help shield from the heat. Kurama nodded, his eyes narrowing as they walked through the passage, a harsh orange light combing from deep inside. As they turned the corner, walking into a wide, open cavern, the reason for the heat became clear.
"GIVE ME A BREAK!!" Yusuke shouted incredulously, peering down into the lake of pure lava that surrounded them. Several mushroom shaped platforms stood spaced throughout the room, and appeared to be the only option in crossing to the stairway beyond. Between them and the stairway, stood Byakko.
"Eheh, I guess room of hell wasn't just a clever name..." He added, already trying to map out a path across those rocks. "That's..."
"Lava...." Kuwabara finished for him, tearing off a bit of fabric from his tattered jacket. It floated towards the pool, only to be incinerated before it even touched the surface.
"We better not fall into that, guys!" He said, and Kurama moved a hand to rest on Yumiko's side, ensuring her balance on his shoulder. 'If you even think about trying to leave my shoulder, I'll leash you with my vines, is that clear?' She flinched at the sharpness of his thought, but nodded, brushing her muzzle against his neck in a submissive gesture. 'I won't do anything stupid.' She sent the thought, though to herself alone she added, 'this time.'
"A fine view isn't it? This is my private chamber. I come here to... play... Hahahaha" Byakko chuckled from across the lake, a look of predatorial delight on his face.
"No way!! He's back to normal!!" Kuwabara cried, somehow only just now noticing the massive overgrown tabby.
"Monster, you piss me off!!" Yusuke challenged, but Byakko simply went on undeterred.
"As you have already discovered, this room is filled with lava that will melt anything it touches. Soooo, does anyone have the courage to come challenge me??"
"YOU BET I DO, CIRCUS FREAK! YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH POWER??" Yusuke raged, but Kuwabara placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey. Leave him to me, Uremeshi." He said, a confident smile on his face.
Yumiko let out a small whimper. She wanted to tell him not to go, but that determined look was in his eyes, and she knew it would be futile. The pompadour turned to her, and gave her a big thumbs up.
"Don't worry miss Yumiko, It'll be great!!" He said with forced bravado. "Listen, just give me three minutes with this freak and we'll be done here!!"
"Let the sword man come! He and I have a very pressing score to settle!"
Kuwabara turned back to the beast, and shouted. "YOU GOT THAT RIGHT, BYAKKO! AND THIS TIME I'M BEATING YOU UP IN WAYS THE VET CAN'T EVEN FIX!!!"
"There's no need to push yourself." Hiei began, drawing the attention of the others.
Kuwabara gave a questioning grunt, and Yumiko studied the small demon as he spoke.
"You have fought well enough. Now let Yusuke take over the battle, so you heal in the small chance that we need you later."
Yumi's tail gave a single wag of agreement, but to her dismay, the boy refused.
"I'm sorry Hiei, but I just don't think I can do that. See I got this thing called a code, and it says no matter how ugly a fight gets, I always finish it! Even if it means risking my life!" Kuwabara explained.
Yumiko's tail dropped down Kurama's back. She didn't want to watch this. She had little faith in her friend's ability to beat the cat a second time, and was too drained after the last fight to use the sylphan encant again.
Hiei turned away, looking straight ahead and the little fox nearly lost her balance at the wave of anger that rushed from the boy.
"Tch... A human with an honor code..." He said sarcastically, though the others seemed to ignore the comment other than the twitch of a cream-tipped ear.
"You can't argue with the guy, he's like a mule!" Yusuke added in a frustrated tone, and Kurama chuckled slightly, one hand still pressed against Yumi's side to steady her.
"Yes, he's almost as stubborn as you!" He responded to the detective, his usual calm mask upon his face.
"What, have you all surrendered?" Byakko's mocking call came from across the lake, and Kuwabara accepted the challenge.
As he leapt down onto the rocks, Yumiko raised her tail, not trusting her balance enough to lift a paw, and tapped Kurama's other shoulder with it. It was one of the many signals he had taught her, and he immediately turned to glance at her from the side.
'I want down.' The thought was quiet, and she knew his answer before he sent it back. 'That's not going to happen, Yumiko...' The thought was quite stern, and left little room for argument, but Yumiko had been learning too. She willed her body to tremble, and sent a rush of pure misery through the bond. It was so strong, she felt him tense under her paws, and he released an audible sigh.
"Trouble in paradise?" Hiei asked with a smirk, which Kurama wholly ignored.
'You are not getting down, and that's final. However...' His thought trailed off as he held out his hands, creating a space against his chest. 'If you do not trust your paws to be steady, I can hold you. That would be better than a leash, yes?'
She growled, loud enough that even Yusuke glanced back, and Kurama paled slightly as teeth grazed his neck. She had heard quite enough talk of leashes. 'Try it... and I'll bite in earnest...' She threatened, and he paled again.
That was the first time she had truly threatened him since their meeting on the roof of the school. The fierce determination in that thought made him chuckle a bit nervously as she turned on his shoulder, and wove her way behind his head, and he leaned forward slightly to accommodate her.
Yumiko was still growling as she plopped down as heavily as she could on his shoulders and neck, feeling his wince at the weight. Her hind legs hung limply over his left shoulder, tail drooping across his chest, while her front paws dug in slightly on either side of his right shoulder. He flinched slightly again as she dug them in a bit deeper than usual.
Kurama smirked, thoroughly distracted by the little imp's game, and sent a thought through their bond. 'Keep it up, little fox... I'm very much looking forward to our next training session...' The threat in those words made her freeze, and though her claws dug in deeper at the shock of his thought, he grinned as her tail bushed out, that growl finally dying in her throat, He could feel her gearing up for a response, when Byakko roared again.
At once, the little fox went still, those claws sinking in for dear-life as her fur bushed out along his neck. He could feel his own arm and neck-hairs rising at the sheer power coming from the tiger as he roared again.
Byakko had his claws around his own throat, and had began rapidly pooling energy into an attack from within.
"What is that???" Yusuke asked.
"Something powerful..." Kurama replied, bracing himself for whatever came next, especially as Hiei spoke next.
"Very!!!" He said in a shuddering voice, filled with appreciation for the attack.
Yumiko simply shrank a bit more around Kurama's neck, her eyes focusing on Kuwabara. 'Please be okay...'
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHH"
The energy blast finally broke free, and flew straight for the ginger-haired boy.
"So, it does exist!" Hiei muttered, a severe expression on his face.
Kuwabara however, was undeterred as he wielded his sword like a bat.
"You'll have to do better than that!! With my good ole spirit sword, I can knock that thing outta the ballpark and into your face!"
A trill of terror, and Yumiko yelped as Kurama lunged forward, momentarily forgetting his ward as he shouted,
"NO!!! YOU MUSTN'T TOUCH IT!!! GET AWAY!!!"
Yumiko's ears rang, flattening along her skull as she watched her friend register the warning, and leap just in time to avoid the orb, which decimated the entire pillar in less than a second's passing. She felt pain in her shoulder, and winced, pulling her claws out of her bond's shoulder, having dug them as deep as she could to hold on, as well as in fear for her friend. Kurama ignored the blood trickling from the small marks, eyes narrowing as Byakko bellowed out another laugh.
"You like it? I call it my tiger scream! Everything it touches transforms into a pile of ashes!"
"Uh-oh..." Kuwabara muttered nervously, while Hiei moved closer to the edge of their platform to study the attack.
"For years I have heard of a fighter who could destroy molecular bonds with the vibrations of his voice. I never thought I would meet him!" He said with pure reverence, clearly impressed with the beast's technique.
"So he can't use his spirit sword?" Yusuke asked.
"No. The sword would cause a chain reaction that would destroy his entire spirit..." He answered, and Yumiko gulped. Kuwabara was in trouble. She moved only slightly, but it was enough, and Kurama shot her a warning. 'If you even think about jumping in there, I'll tie you down... is that clear?'
She gulped again, but nodded, and they both turned their attention back to the boy. 'There must be something he can do...' She thought miserably, refusing to give up hope. 'I wish I had an answer Yumi, but I'm afraid we can't help with this one. Both our techniques would end much the same, and if you link to him with an encant, you would likely be forfeit as well. We must simply... watch...'
"Hahahaha! The only thing you can do now, is run!" Byakko called, before launching a volley of orbs at Kuwabara, who dodged each in turn, jumping out of the way just in time to avoid the blasts.
There was a lull in the attacks, and Kuwabara laughed.
"Heheheheh, guess I'm too fast for ya! GYAH!!!" He nearly fell back, and made a sloppy jump for the next platform as another volley of attacks launched for him.
Yumiko watched with bated breath, her claws digging into Kurama's now quite ruined jacket again. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed something, and she tensed 'oh no...'
"HAD ENOUGH??" Byakko bellowed again, this time summoning razor sharp energy claws to rip through the air, heading straight for the boy.
But Kuwabara had landed badly. He saw the attack coming, but was unable to jump away before the needles ripped through him!
Yusuke muttered something she couldn't catch, then shouted across the arena. "KUWABARA!!! WILL YOU SWITCH WITH ME ALREADY???"
The boy just laughed again, brushing away a bit of blood as he caught his breath. "Heh, you ain't so bad!"
The comment seemed to spurr on the beast even more, and he flashed a fang-filled grin as he spoke.
"Hnnn, you surprise me! Still fighting despite your frail human body!"
"Heh, get used to it! Cause I'm not stopping till you die!"
Back on the platform, Yumiko let out a small whimper, pressing herself closer against Kurama's neck, and he gave a small nod of agreement. It was clear that Kuwabara had not seen the trap Byakko had set.
"That's very noble! But the truth is you've already stopped. Like all my victims before you, my tiger scream has proved too much!"
"I don't know what you're talking about! You never hit me once! All those freakin blasts and you missed me every single time!!" Kuwabara boasted, while Yumiko groaned. How could someone relates to Shizuru be such an idiot!!!
"Yes, but while you've been frantically running for your life, I've ensnared you..."
Finally. The pompadour faltered.
"You what?" He murmured, glancing around as Byakko went on.
"Take a look around you. I've destroyed every pillar within your jumping reach. You have no where to go... Except of course, for the pillar I'm standing on. With all of your efforts you might be able to reach me, but then I will kill you myself."
He paused, and Kuwabara's eyes shifted to the pillar the beast had seemed to forget.
"Once again, I'll let you choose your way to die... Either burn up in the lava, or be eaten by me!" He added, chuckling to himself as the boy inched closer to that one last platform. Byakko sent an immediate blast for the stone, and Kuwabara watched his last defense slip away.
"Hahahaha! Sorry, the little ones are so easy to overlook. You're trapped. Just accept it! It'll make your last moments much easier..."
"Kuwabara..." Yusuke'a voice cracked as he spoke his friend's name, and Yumiko squeezed against Kurama, another low whine escaping her as she watched in misery.
"Can you reach him, Hiei?" Kurama asked, pale as he felt every emotion radiating through his bond, as well as his own fear for the boy.
"If need be..." Hiei responded, preparing to rush to the rescue at the fox's cue, but Kuwabara's stubborn voice cut him off.
"YOU GUYS BETTER STAY PUT! YOU'RE WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW YOURE GONNA RESCUE ME AREN'T YOU??? HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!!!" He bellowed, and Yumiko felt her core turn to ice.
'Damned fool!!' She thought, now on the verge of tears.
"I don't understand that guy!" Yusuke seemed to feel the same way. "Does he not understand that he's about to die?"
"Perhaps he's still devising an attack..." Kurama tried to sound confident, but Yumi could feel his own worry now as well.
"Hmph... Perhaps, he's a fool!" Hiei scoffed."
"Heheheh. Those guys are just anxious to fight, don't worry about them!" Kuwabara grinned, and Byakko laughed again.
"Idiot! They were your last chance to survive!!! RRRRROOOO-"
He began to power up for his final attack, pouring more energy than ever into that one last blast. Kuwabara stared him down, a look of pure confidence on his face.
Yumiko gasped, feeling that same change in the boy, and dug her claws in again for support, anchoring herself in place as she watched. 'What are you planning, Kazuma...?' She thought to herself as that attack grew, then launched.
"He's jumping!!" Kurama gasped, watching their friend gear up for the leap.
"KUWABARA!!!" Yusuke shouted, watching as the boy fell.
Yumiko's core turned to ice even as Kurama lurched forward.
"He didn't... make it!!" He gasped, and reached for her instinctively, ready to catch her should she jump, but she was frozen... Frozen in place, helpless to watch as her friend fell to his death. 'No...' Her thought cut through his mind like a razor.
Kuwabara leapt, knowing full well he would never make that jump on his own, but he had a plan!!! When it seemed Byakko had truly written him off for dead, seconds before he hit the lava, he extended a palm, and summoned his spirit sword!!
He aimed the blade right for one of the stone stumps left by Byakko's attacks, and vaulted himself forward, straight for the still laughing brute with a shout of pure bravado and will! With every last scrap of energy he had, he put everything into one final blow, and punched the massive tiger-demon square in the jaw!!
Yumiko let out a yip of joy as he rose for the attack, but it quickly died in her throat as the boy went right over the lip of the platform, disappearing as Byakko's body fell into the lava.
"KUWABARA!!!!" Yusuke screamed!
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
No one moved at all, waiting to hear the idiot's dumb voice, but there was no sound. No witty comeback, no "I'M OKAY!!!" Nothing...
"It's... It's wrong..." Yusuke finally said, his voice breaking the silence, and as if awakened from a dream, Yumi let out a deafening screech. One so heart-wrenching, Kurama shuddered as the sound filled every fiber of his being due to the bond. She trembled against his neck, and he moved to lift her, bringing the grieving fox to his chest as she shook, and let out another terrible wail, Yusuke mimicking her thoughts by voicing his own.
"YOU CAN'T DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!"
_______
(Back on earth)
Maru stopped dead in his tracks, a look of pure horror on his face, and Botan turned to see why he had slowed.
"Maru? What is it?" She asked, lavender eyes filled with concern as he shook his head in disbelief.
"Yumiko... Something's gone wrong... She..." He gripped his chest, and a faint red glow shown through his dark tunic. He looked down, horror on his face as the bloodstone oath cried out with the girl's pain.
"She's... hurting..." he managed, before sagging to his knees at the weight of the agony feeding through that blood bond.
Botan was by his side in an instant. She placed one hand on his back, one on his chest over that stone. She tried to heal him, but to no avail.
"Maru, please... What can I do?"
_______
Yusuke fell to his knees then, fighting back tears as he cursed the universe itself.
"IT'S ALL SO STUPID!!! I MEAN WE'RE PROTECTING THE WORLD!!! SO WHO'S PROTECTING US???" He cried.
Yumiko buried her face into Kurama's neck, shuddering at the image of the boy she had lived with for the past three weeks going over the edge of that rock. Kurama was at a loss for how to help the girl, and did his best to bury his own grief as they waited. Neither he nor Hiei willing to move on until the detective was ready, but then...
"HEEEEEY!! CAN I GET SOME HELP HERE??? GUYS!!!!"
Kurama blinked, and felt Yumiko go completely still, refusing to look through her own eyes, so he looked for the both of them, and nearly snorted at what he had failed to see before!
The absolute idiot of a boy was hanging from the edge of the stone, by his bandages!!!
"COME ON YOU GUYS, HURRY UP!! I THINK I CAN FEEL SOMETHING SLIPPING!!!" The carrot-top screamed, hanging on desperately to that bit of cloth!
"He's... alive?" Yusuke asked in disbelief.
"How fortunate." Hiei said in sarcasm.
Yumiko turned from Kurama's neck, just far enough that she could see blue out of the corner of her eye. She gave a cry of pure delight, squirming to get down so she could bound over to that rock, and Kurama held fast. 'Careful, we'll all cross together. Back on my shoulder.' He sent the thought, a gentle smile returning to his face as they began the crossing. She nodded, albeit impatiently, and climbed back up, laying across his shoulders again.
As they all knelt on top of Kuwabara's platform, Yusuke grinned down at the boy.
"Ya had me scared there, Kuwabara! For a second there I thought you'd bit the dust!"
"Yeah, yeah, It's exciting. NOW HELP ME UP!!!" He screeched, staring up at them all wide eyed as he clung to that fabric.
"Well, an interesting strategy! Maybe we should let you kill the other beasts this way too!" Hiei said, the closest to a compliment he would likely give for the pompous human.
Kurama nodded his agreement with a chuckled, "Yes!" and Yumiko gave a small, fox-form chuckle of her own as she jumped down to place a paw on top of that fabric. It was surprisingly secure, caught deep in a crack in the rock, but she put what pressure she could on it regardless.
"No way you guys! I've done my share of fighting for this trip! NOW WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP GOOFING AROUND AND HELP ME UP!!!" He shouted, looking more panicked by the second!
"But we can't Kuwabara, remember? You said you'd kill us if we helped you!!" Yusuke said through a massive grin!
Yumiko might have growled, if not for the sense of playful glee that rushed through their bond as Kurama knelt beside her, and peered down at the boy.
"Yes! It goes against your honor code!" He added, grinning as well.
"BUT THAT DOESN'T COUNT!!! ONCE I BEAT HIM ITS OKAY, YOU SEE!!" Kuwabara screeched again, pulling even harder on those bandages, but unable to do more than cling to them at this point.
"Well, we've got two more Saint Beasts we've got to fight... Might as well get going!" Yusuke mused, and Kurama straightened in agreement.
"We'll catch up with you later, Kuwabara! Hang in there!"
"HEY COME ON GUYS WAIT!!! No, nonono! Uh, YOU DIDN'T LEAVE DID YOU? COME ON GUYS? HEY, WAIT!!"
"We're still here you dolt!!!" Yusuke finally relented, and Yumiko poked her head over the edge to grin down at the boy, a half- second before Kurama lifted her back up. "I would rather you not lean over a pit of lava, Yumi..." He said, slightly annoyed, but did little more than to place her back on his shoulders while the other two helped Kuwabara back over the ledge.
'Sorry, I couldn't exactly say 'hi' otherwise though!' She sent the thought, and he chuckled slightly as they waited for the others. 'Two more to go...' She added, 'so we have a chance?' She felt through the bond for his true emotions, and was pleased to find a calm certainty as he replied. 'It certainly looks hopeful.'
_______
(Back on earth)
Shizuru stumbled back as two infected rushed for her at the same time, calling for help. Kenji turned, and managed to knock one of the assailants away before another tackled him from behind.
"SHIT!!" He yelled as one of those freaky bugs crawled towards him. "KAORU!!!"
She was there! Koaru slammed the snow shovel down on the insect, then kicked the man on top of him as hard as she could in the ribs.
"We're outnumbered!" She panted, helping him to his feet.
"This doesn't look good..." Shizuru muttered, taking another swing at an infected woman who drew too close for comfort. "We need to regroup! Get inside the pub, we'll barricade ourselves in-"
Her words were cut off as a woman screamed from inside the pub, followed by several of the people they were trying to protect barging past them into the street as Tyler shouted.
"THEY'RE COMING IN THROUGH THE BACK!!!"
"Shit, shit, SHIT!!!" Kenji yelled, turning and running into the pub. "GET IN HERE!!" Was his next screech, and the girls rushed inside, slamming the wooden door shut behind them.
Three infected humans had managed to get in through the back door that Kenji was now forcing shut. The girls wasted no time, letting out a furious battle cry as they rushed forward to knock the three men out, while Tyler hid behind the bar.
"Tyler, for once in your life, grow a freaking pair!!!" Shizuru barked, her eyes furious with the weak barkeep. "You're really gonna hide and let some high school kids protect your lazy ass???"
The barkeep whimpered, but gripped his crowbar tighter, and nodded.
"Shizuru, what should we do???" Kaoru asked, watching as the humans out front tried to break through the window. "There's too many of them!!!"
Shizuru rubbed at her temples, trying to think over the noise of banging glass, metal and wood. God, she needed a cigarette! It had been hours!! She had to get these kids out of here, but where could they go? She tensed, hand reaching into her back pocket to a keycard she had been given weeks ago.
"If you're ever in trouble, go to the back entrance of the building. There's a maintenance elevator just through the staff door that comes straight to our floor. Take it."
Mako's warning had seemed ridiculous at the time, but now, as she stared at that key, that elevator might be the only safety they could find. They just had to get out of here...
"TYLER!" She shouted, and the man flinched.
"W-what??" He asked, still shaking in his boots.
She ignored his cowardice, and went on.
"Is there a way onto the roof from in the back?"
He nodded, giving her a strange look. "What good will barricading ourselves on the roof do???"
"Just shut up and listen Ty!! I have a plan!"
***
Following Shizuru's plan, Tyler and Kenji managed to get one of the counter tops through the roof access, and laid a bridge to the building next door. From there, it was a matter of running full tilt several blocks to the high rise. The front of the building was teeming with infected humans, but the back entrance only had a small handful meandering about.
As quietly as they could, Tyler, Kenji, and Kaoru worked to dispatch the infected as Shizuru worked open the access door.
"COME ON!!" She shouted, holding the door open as the three spilled into the narrow hallway. As soon as Kenji was through the door, she slammed it shut. There was a loud bang, then a thud, as it hit one of the humans in the head, knocking them to the ground.
"Why, do you have, a key to Yumi's building!" Kenji asked out of breath, and Kaoru gave her a wary look. Tyler stared incredulously, then grinned, opening his mouth to speak.
She cut him off, a hand over his face. "Can it, Ty... One comment and I'll chuck you back outside myself!" She threatened, then turned to the kids. "I'm a friend of Mako's. We both are. Probably why princess entrusted you two to us." She said, referencing the blunette as she went on. "Mako said if there was ever trouble, to come here. Right now, his floor is probably the safest place in the city. Come on."
"How many kids does he have?" Kenji asked, standing his ground as he tested the woman's honesty. The boy wore an expression made for war, and had taken a defensive position in front of Kaoru.
"Kids? But isn't he barely older than Yumi?" She asked, and he shook his head, waiting for the answer.
Shizuru studied him for a moment, noting how protective he was of the girl, as well as of Yumiko, and sighed.
"Four. Ben, Maru, Suni, and Yumi. Satisfied?"
He nodded. "Alright... so what now?"
Shizuru led the way to the elevator, and the group made their way to Mako and Yumi's apartment. It didn't take long however, to realize something was wrong. The door was slightly ajar, and there was a rummaging coming from inside.
"Get behind me..." Kenji whispered, wielding his bat as he approached the door, and creaked it open. Inside, was what appeared to be an oversized parrot, with the ugliest face he had ever seen!
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU???" He shouted, before rushing forward, bat raised.
"WAAAAAAAH!" Marugu shrieked, unused to being seen by humans, and much less being attacked by them!!! She tried to flap away, but had just gotten into the air when that bat connected!
'PING!!! THUD!!!'
"Aaoooooowww...." She groaned, before finding her wings, and flapping as quickly as she could through the open balcony door. "A human... A human attacked me!!! My master will hear of this you filthy beast!!!" She shrieked over her wing, before flapping off towards Kaidan.
Kenji glanced around the destroyed room, then back at Shizuru, who nodded, pale as she led the others inside.
"This can't be good..."
[A/N: Yumiko is finally starting to bloom in earnest. As the demeanor firebrands are known for shows itself more and more, Kurama begins to realize what a handful he has taken on, but every spark inside her only strengthens his resolve! Yumiko's starting to grow attached to these humans, what risks will she take to keep them safe?
Back on earth, the bloodstone oath activates with her breaking core, and Maru feels an entirely new type of pain. Shizuru has her hands full trying to keep Tyler and the kids alive! What was Marugu doing in Yumi's apartment?
Next chapter: Fire and Ice
See you then!