LOVE DEFIES ALL ODDS

By Seiyo

 

 

Chapter 8

Hiei was trying very hard to sleep. I’m tired from all the walking and deserve some rest. This tree branch is quite comfortable so what’s the problem? Why can’t I take even a small nap? He frowned at the thought as he glanced at his ‘friends’ Kuwabara and Yusuke snoring contentedly down below. It’s that presence I have been sensing all this time. Throughout the whole time since they stepped into the Makai, a certain presence had been following them. It was quite familiar, as if he had encountered who or whatever it was before. He just couldn’t place it right because something was quite different about it. He was concentrating on remembering whatever it was when he was startled by a powerful force sensed by his jagan coming right at them. He quickly jumped down from the tree branch, waking Kuwabara and Yusuke from their sleep.

“Hey! What’s your problem?” Kuwabara shouted at Hiei.

“Someone’s coming you moron,” Hiei retorted.

“What’s happening here?” Kurama, who was approaching the clearing, followed by Koenma questioned.

“I have sensed a powerful presence coming towards us,” Hiei answered.

Koenma looked and spoke “Hiei’s right. That must be Akuma—“

But before he could even finish what he was saying, a female interrupted, “So, you already know that I’m coming,” Akuma took a step forward, looking at the surprised faces staring at her, “Hmm… you’re younger than I had expected. I never thought that the Reikai would send someone as young as you to face my powers. I was expecting someone more… older and more mature. No offense but, I don’t think boys like you could handle serious matters such as this one.”

“I assure you that we wouldn’t fail your standards when it comes to handling matters such as this. To tell you the truth, we never fail,” Yusuke spoke with a small grin at the corners of his mouth.

Akuma just raised an eyebrow at him and continued, “And you must be the prince,” she said as she faced Koenma, “I was surprised when I learned that you were here. I thought royals always stayed in their great castles while letting their subjects face the problems, and pardon me but, why the pacifier?”

Koenma ignored the question and the audible snickers of his companions and just asked, ”Why are you here Akuma? What are your purpose for gathering the beasts of Makai to serve you?”

“You don’t know? Well that’s just too bad isn’t it? Anyway maybe I’d just tell you since you’re about to die anyway.” Akuma looked at them mockingly.

“Don’t be too sure about that!” Yusuke raised his voice.

“Are you challenging me?” Akuma looked at him, eyes narrowing slightly.

“What if I am?” Yusuke answered.

“Then face my troops and if you can get through, I’ll fight you myself.” Akuma spoke as she levitated away from the five. The next moment, a group of beasts came towards them.

The five readied themselves as the dozens of demons and beasts approached.  Yusuke’s fists flew on the faces of his opponents, making them topple one by one. Kuwabara wrestled against the monsters then striked at them with his rei ken. Kurama used his rose whip as he jumped and lashed at the hideous beasts while Koenma took off his pacifier that sent bursts of light, making the beasts falter. Hiei quickly leapt up and slashed his way through a group of demons with his katana. Yusuke jumped on a huge monster and was beating it up with his powerful punches when he noticed another pack of opponents headed towards them. He quickly raised a hand, index finger aimed carefully and shouted, “REI GAANN…” A powerful ball of greenish light emanated from his index finger and slammed right into the group of beasts.

Not far away from where the raging battle went on, Akuma watched silently as her troops were slowly vanquished by the Reikai tantei. She was running out of followers and of patience. She couldn’t believe that her plans were being ruined by these pesky young men. She has to come up with something... and fast. Just then an idea popped into her head. Sure of herself, she summoned Shinichi and whispered something into his ear. When Shinichi turned to leave, a smile has once again formed on Akuma’s lips.

 

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Botan peeked between the bushes from where she was hiding. She stared intently at the scene happening at a distance, trying to hear whatever it was they were saying. After a few minutes she turned her head away. “So this is Akuma… I wonder why she’s doing all these,” she mumbled to herself. She was thinking of all these when rumbles and loud shouts disturbed her pondering. She quickly peered at the clearing where her friends had rested a while earlier and bit her lip as she saw Kuwabara, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei and Koenma surrounded by awful creatures.

“Oh no! This can’t be!” she uttered.

She looked on as the fighting continued between the five and the beasts. She would wince occasionally whenever she sees one of them being hit. In the clearing, shouts can be heard everywhere, as the enemies were punched and beaten up while some had already retreated. She was nervously watching when she suddenly gasped as someone seized her arm. She turned to her captor and saw a beast with a wicked grin on his face. When Botan looked over his shoulder, and was surprised to see an elderly man. Although he had a fierce and determined expression on his face, there was still a hint of gentleness and a little bit of shock in his eyes. Botan was puzzled at the man’s expression and at the same time, filled with fear but mustered all her courage to speak up.

“W-who are you? What do you want with me?” she whispered in a frightened voice while squirming from her position.

“Let’s just say that you will be an offering to our ‘queen’. Now if you still want to live, stop fighting us,” the beast was the one who answered her in a harsh voice, and then forced her to move when the man motioned for them.  

“Let me go! I don’t want to go with you!” Botan shouted as she tried to struggle free from her captor’s strong grip.

“Stay still before I lose my patience with you!” the beast hissed at her as it tightened grip even more that her bones almost broke.

The elderly man then intervened. “I don’t think there wouldn’t be any need for us to hurt her,” the man told the beast then, facing Botan spoke, “Now lady, if you don’t want to die, which I’m sure you are, you wouldn’t dare try to escape. Now we must go to the Lady Akuma.”

 

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