LOVE DEFIES ALL ODDS
By Seiyo
C
Koenma
reached the clearing just in time to see Kuwabara being thrown off by the force
field that Akuma had created around her.
“What’s
happening? Where’s Botan?” Koenma shot at them.
“Well,
your friend here got very impatient, not to mention impulsive and attacked me.
He doesn’t know how to treat women with respect, does he?”
“Not
when that woman is someone like you,” Kuwabara spat at her.
Akuma
raised an eyebrow at him, “Well, now he learned his lesson the hard way. And
about your princess…” she said facing Koenma, “Let’s say she’s well
kept by my followers someplace.”
“I’m
gonna finish you and get her back,” Yusuke uttered.
“Uh,
uh. If you kill me, you’ll never know where I hid her,” Akuma gave him a
devilish smile, “You can’t do anything…” As she spoke, a dark ball
radiated from her hand
Not
far away, Botan ran as fast as she can through the woods, the crystal glowing in
her hand, scorching all the monsters that came into her path. She could hear the
voices up ahead.
Hiei
suddenly turned, ”Someone’s coming,” he mumbled.
The
others felt it too and reverted their attention to the foliage at their side.
Akuma took the chance and raised her hand, ready to throw the ball of energy she
generated.
Botan
made her way through the dense bushes up front and came out into the clearing,
stunning the five men. She saw Akuma throw the dark ball.
“Nooo!”
Botan yelled. Before anyone else could react, a flash of light coming from the
crystal went straight for the ball of energy that Akuma hurled at them. Upon
contact the dark ball exploded flinging them off their feet.
“I
won’t let you get away with this,” the incensed Akuma picked herself up and
glared at Botan. As she did, she uttered a cry and a huge falcon came swooping
down at them. It grabbed Botan with its claws and flew away with her.
“What
was that?” Yusuke rubbed his head as he recovered. His vision focused on the
feathered creature, “Oh no, Botan!”
He
ran after the falcon, the others right behind him.
“We
won’t be able to catch up with it,” Kuwabara voiced.
“And
we can’t attack it either, it may drop Botan,” Hiei spoke
Kurama
transformed to his youkai form and quickly fashioned wings made out of plants.
He lifted off, resolved to bring Botan back safely. But the falcon just flew
faster, making it harder for Kurama to catch up.
“You
bitch! Give her back!” Koenma demanded angrily at Akuma.
Botan’s
eyes widened as she felt the creature’s claws move under her.
“Oh
God, please help me,” tears spilled from her eyes, ”please don’t let me
die…”
“Noooo!”
It was Koenma’s turn to yell as the gigantic creature released Botan from its
hold. He ran faster, but was stopped from his tracks as a brilliant sphere
surrounded Botan. The sphere went down slowly and Koenma, his eyes fixed on the
orb, ran forward. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei followed him. They arrived on a
clearing surrounded by a cliff on its edge. Kurama had flown down and joined
them. They watched, dazed as the sphere made its way down and settled slowly on
land. In the center of it, Botan stood, her shirt and pants replaced by a white
empire cut dress, flowing down to her feet. Her eyes were closed; her long blue
hair, hung loose on her shoulders, was gently moving with the light breeze that
surrounded her. As her feet touched the ground the crystal in her hand glowed,
the sphere disappeared, and she opened her eyes.
Akuma
recovered from her shock upon seeing Botan and spoke angrily, ”Suisho… This
is all her doing.”
“Yes,”
Botan affirmed, catching everyone’s attention, “She has chosen me to put a
stop to all your lunacy.”
“And
you’re thinking that I’d let you do that easily?” Akuma retorted
indignantly as she sent a blast of dark power towards Botan.
“Botan,
move away!” Yusuke alerted her.
Botan
quickly raised a hand, a barrier formed in front of her, shielding her from
Akuma’s blast.
Enraged,
Akuma mumbled with spite in her voice, “I’m going to make you suffer; after
that, I will destroy all of you. Then I will proceed to rule the whole world.”
She clenched her fist then hurled a powerful ball at the five men. Botan hurled
an orb to counter it, but the explosion threw them off their feet.
Hiei
recovered fast and faced Akuma, sending dagger-like glares at her, “Jaou…
ensatsu…” Hiei’s bandages
were shed off and a dark fire formed on his palm, “KOKORYUHAAA!!!”
The
black dragon headed for Akuma, who built a dark sphere around her. The dragon
hit the barrier. Akuma then sent a powerful ball that tore it in half.
Yusuke
stepped forward and aimed his index finger at Akuma, “REI GAANNN!!!” the
powerful spirit ball collided with the sphere then exploded.
“You
were just envious of Queen Suisho plus you wanted to prove to everyone that
you’re just as good as she can be,” Kurama cried out, hoping to distract
Akuma, “But she’s not here anymore and neither does her empire exist. Why
are you still doing this?”
“You
don’t quite understand. Queen Suisho may not be alive, and neither does her
empire exist but there is still the whole world. Even though I wouldn’t be
able to laugh to her face once I have conquered Ningenkai, I’d still be able
to prove that I’m just as good as her. Besides, that’s not just what I want.
I want to be the queen, to have the power that she once had in her hands, to be
served by all, to rule above all else,” she paused and looked at them, ”But
you’ve ruined all my plans and I could never forgive that.”
“I
pity you Akuma!” Botan cried out, “Not only are you a lunatic, but all your
ideas and beliefs are twisted as well,” she took a deep breath and continued,
“You do not deserve to be a leader! And even if you become one, you will never
experience how it is to rule just as Queen Suisho had because you do not have
the qualities she has! Can’t you see? Her reign had been a glorious one
because she had always thought of her people and not herself. Because of her
service, she gave up her happiness with the one she loved most. Even in her
death, she thought of her people, that’s why she sealed her soul in this
crystal instead of letting herself have her peace,” as Botan spoke, the
crystal glowed brighter and floated above her hands, ”She was even kind to
you. Why do you think didn’t she end your life when you have tried to get rid
of her? She had cared for you, that even if you had brought her so much
heartache, she decided to give you another chance, hoping that you’ll change.
She was so unselfish, that’s why the people loved her and served her. Even as
she died, most of them carried her memories in their hearts. While you, you
don’t even think about anything but yourself. How can you be a good leader
when you’re so greedy? You may be as intelligent and brilliant as her, but you
can never surpass the love she had in her heart… and I can never let you rule
the world,” Botan said with determination.
“Botan…”
Koenma softly whispered his eyes shining with respect and admiration.
A
softness momentarily passed Akuma’s eyes but, after a fleeting second, her
expression hardened once more, “You have no right to say those words to me! I
will never let you stop me!” her eyes blazed with fierce anger as she cast the
ball to Botan.
As
the ball traveled the distance between them, Botan surrounded Koenma and the
others with a sphere. Then, Botan stretched her arms.
A
sudden realization hit Koenma, “No Botan, You can’t! You might die!”
Botan
looked at them, tears were spilling from her eyes, “You have been great
friends… thank you for everything…”
“No
Botan, please don’t,” Koenma gazed at her pleadingly, but as he looked in
her eyes, prodded to the depths of her soul, he knew that there was nothing more
he could do, “I love you…”
“I’m
sorry Koenma, but I must do this,” Botan gave her a sad smile, “I love you
too…” she whispered then faced Akuma.
Botan
gave a heartbreaking scream as she used all her strength, power and energy until
the steady stream of light pushed the ball towards Akuma.
“BOTAAANNN!!!”
Koenma cried out, seeing Botan’s pain.
Their
cries were dissolved in the air as Akuma was thrown off and a blinding flash of
light surrounded all of them…