OtherWorld 01
Chapter 10: The Dark Tournament
Koenma, the young ruler of the Spirit World, came to the Princess for help. He needed to "borrow" Hiei and Kurama for the Dark Tournament. Every few years, the Demon World held a fight tournament where Demons compete with each other, usually to the death. The prize is anything they want: untold power, immortality, whatever they choose. And during every tournament a special team is "invited" without being given a choice about participating. They fight in the tournament or they die.
This year, Koenma's newest spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi, was the "invitee."
Yusuke was a human boy who could beat up almost everyone he encountered, human or Demon. But the reason he was capable of that power was still a secret, even from him. His father was Raizen, the ruler of the Northern Lands in Demon World. He was a Battle Demon, loving nothing more than anything a good fight.
But they needed a team of five and they only had three members so far: Yusuke, his human friend Kuwabara and his sensei, Genkai. They needed two more members and they need them to be powerful. Kuwabara had great spirit energy which he could use as a weapon but he was only a human. And Genkai was in the waning years of her power.
The Princess told Hiei and Kurama of the request. Yusuke had recently helped Hiei rescue his sister, Yukina, and they felt that they owed him. It was only two years ago when Hiei found out he even had a sister. He had finally gone back to Ice World, the land of his birth, and found his mother's grave. He was told about his twin sister during that visit. He was shocked and elated at the same time. He had a sister!
He set out to find her, using the power of his Jagan eye. When he did find her, she was being held captive in the Human World and Yusuke and Kuwabara helped rescue her. Unfortunately for Hiei, who thought the human useless, Kuwabara also fell in love with her, but Hiei could nothing about that, especially since his sister seemed to like the human in return. Yukina was overjoyed at finding her brother and promised to visit him often in Otherworld.
So the five went to Demon World and the Dark Tournament. There were daily contests, often ending in terrible wounds or death. Yusuke was a force to be reckoned with. He defeated the powerful Wind Demon, Jin, to everyone's surprise. And became fast friends with Jin. He had felt a kinship with the tall redhead from the beginning. What neither of them realized was that Jin was also a son of Raizen and therefore Yusuke's half brother. Kurama had fought one of Jin's teammates, Toya, who commanded ice. It was a hard won fight and he was badly hurt, but he had his Fox spirit to help him heal. Hiei had unleashed the Dragon of the Darkness Flame in his first fight, and now everyone feared his terrible power.
Their main rivals and the team expected to win the tournament was the Toguro team. They were very strong, deadly Demons. And one in particular, a Demon named Karasu, had taken to threatening Kurama at every opportunity. He seemed to be attracted to Kurama, but as he put it, "What I like, I like to kill." Kurama knew he was no match for a Demon who create energy bombs from thin air and was dreading their fight, for he knew it would be a death match. If only he could tap into his Youko Kurama powers! His power over plants was not going to be enough. Youko Kurama could grow powerful Demon plants, and with that power, he might have a chance against Karasu.
But Kurama's fight with Shima of the Uraotogi Team caught them all off guard. Shima's attack was supposed to regress Kurama to a helpless child, but instead it regressed him to the powerful and deadly Youko Kurama. Suddenly his Demon self appeared. He could only stay in the form for minutes, but it was enough to easily win the match. Kurama had to find out how it had been done. When all the matches of the day ended, the Urameshi team had advanced again. Only one more team to beat. Team Toguro! That was the day after tomorrow.
After the day's matches were complete, they all went their separate ways. Yusuke went with Genkai to train, Kuwabara went to his room to sleep, and Hiei went to his usual place on the sea cliffs where he could train safely with his Darkness Flame. Kurama was left alone and decided to go to his room. Every since the match with Shima, he had been feeling very strange.
Karasu couldn't believe his eyes. Kurama, the beautiful Fox Demon, who was now an even more beautiful human, was walking down the hall toward him. All alone! He was so desirable, so delicious! Karasu started to say something, but then stopped. Something was wrong with Kurama. He was walking strangely - weaving slightly. As he passed by Kurama, he could feel heat coming off of him. Did he have a fever? Was he getting sick?
He turned suddenly and slid his hands around the redhead's slender neck. A startled Kurama muttered "No!" but seemed to be unable to follow through with any action. He was hot to the touch. His entire body was burning.
Karasu may have wanted to kill Kurama in the arena, after toying with him for a while, but he certainly didn't want Kurama to get sick and not be able to fight him. That wouldn't do at all! He slipped an arm around Kurama's shoulder and the fox groaned. No! that was a moan! He experimentally moved his arm across Kurama's back and was treated to a deeper moan. He's in heat!!! Humans don't go into heat! But …. but Fox Demons do! And Kurama had been changed into Youko Kurama, his Fox Demon form, in the last match. A very sexual Fox Demon. When he returned to his human form, the sexuality of the Fox Demon had stayed and his human body couldn't deal with it.
Karasu licked his lips. Kurama just stood there, heat coming off of him in waves.
"Where is Hiei?" He didn't want to run into that Demon! Not tonight!
"Leave me alone." Kurama muttered, but there was no force to his words.
Karasu decided to take a chance, an opportunity like this would never come along again. He kept his arm around Kurama and steered him to the room he shared with Hiei. He knew well which room it was. He had dreamt about going in that room and the imaginary pleasure that he would find in there. Now his dreams was coming true. Karasu slid his hand into Kurama's pants pocket to find the card key. Kurama trembled violently at the touch but did not say anything. He stood there, his eyes closed, perspiration glistening on his face. Karasu found the key and opened the door. Where was Hiei? He couldn't feel the ki of the fire Demon at all. He must have gone to the sea cliffs to train. When he did that, he was usually gone all night. Oh, yes, the Toguro team kept close watch on the Urameshi team.
He led Kurama to the edge of the bed and set him down. Karasu went back to the door and carefully locked it. He set one of his energy bombs at the door just in case. He didn't want to be surprised, especially by Hiei.
Kurama was only half on the bed, his legs hanging over the side, moaning softly. Karasu pulled off Kurama's shoes and then removed his shirt. "Please don't," he whimpered. His huge emerald eyes were glazed. Kurama lay there, pale and slender, offering no resistance. So feminine for a man. His brilliant red hair was spread across the bed. Karasu picked up a lock of that beautiful hair, running it through his fingers. Kurama moaned again.
He couldn't waste time! Karasu quickly undid Kurama's pants and pulled them off, then his plain white underwear -- a kitsune would never wear those!! -- and suddenly Kurama was spread out before him. Karasu stopped and just stared at the young body spread out before him. This was his dream! The beautiful Fox helpless before him! And the real thing was so much better than the dream. The beautiful red silk of his hair was repeated below. Karasu touched it, entangling his fingers in the crimson. Kurama arched violently, "Nooo!!!"
Karasu went to his knees in front of the young man. He took Kurama's slender legs and spread them, revealing him completely. Kurama writhed, "Please…" he gasped. Was he begging for Karasu to stop or to continue?
Karasu bent to his task, sucking and licking the treasure in front of him. Without wanting to, his need overpowering his reason, Kurama spread himself even wider, his hips now moving to the rhythm of Karasu's expert tongue. Karasu slid a finger deep inside of him and felt the tightness.
"Ah, you are a virgin again, are you? Well, not after tonight." Karasu slid a second finger in and Kurama cried out. Tears squeezed from his tightly closed eyes. He wanted Karasu to leave him alone -- yet part of him wanted Karasu to continue, to take him, to give him release. He moaned in torment.
Karasu undid his own trousers and his length sprung free. He was very ready. And so was Kurama. He pushed Kurama's legs upward, bringing his rear off the bed and shoved himself inside. Kurama moaned and bucked against him. "Please…" came the breathless word again. Karasu began his rhythm, slowly at first, allowing his speed to build. He reached for Kurama. He knew that they were both very close to release, and he moved faster and faster toward it. And at the very moment of release, he heard the balcony door open.
Hiei had felt a restlessness all night. Something was wrong. He couldn't pinpoint it. Finally, he gave up trying to train and went back to the hotel. He leapt easily to the small balcony of their room and went in the balcony door as usual. He never remembered his card key.
He walked into a nightmare. Kurama was spread on the bed, his body arching violently. Karasu!!!! That Demon was rutting inside of Kurama. What?? Kurama belonged to the Princess!!!! NO!!!!!
Hiei reacted instantly. He threw himself against Karasu and drew his sword in one fluid motion. Karasu stumbled and fell to the floor. Hiei slashed downward and Karasu moved just in time. There was a deep slash across his hips and stomach. If the blade had cut just an inch lower….
Karasu moved quickly to the door, remembering at the last instant his energy bomb and it dissipated at his touch. He closed the door behind and prayed that Hiei would not follow him. He tried to pull himself together, his fingers wet with his own blood and Kurama's release. He was shaking badly.
Hiei went to Kurama, anger flooding through him. He roughly pulled the Fox off the bed to the floor. Kurama sat against the bed, tears falling down his face. "I'm so sorry." he whispered. Hiei was beyond rationale thinking. And he could think about was that Kurama had betrayed the Princess. He hit Kurama hard.
Blood began to drip from Kurama's nose and mouth, and mingled with his tears. "I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't stop myself." he said miserably.
Hiei looked at him. He had never seen Kurama cry before. What the hell was the matter with him? And then he felt it -- the heat! Oh, no! It felt like he was in heat! It had happened many times before, but he was Youko Kurama then and the Princess was always nearby, somehow knowing that he would need her. Hiei sat on the bed next to his friend. He bent over and cradled his head, "Oh, no! I'm sorry, Kurama. I didn't realize -- I shouldn't have hit you." He smoothed the tangled red hair and brushed the tears away. "It will be alright. The Princess will understand."
After a night's sleep, the heat disappeared. It was only a shadow of his Fox heat, brought on by the transformation.
And in the late morning, just before the match between Toguro and Yukuke's team, Suzuki, the leader of the Uraotogi Team, gave Kurama an unexpected gift. The seed of the plant that could change him to his Demon form. Now he had a chance against Karasu!
The Dark Tournament was over and the members of Toguro team were dead. Kurama changed to Youko Kurama during his battle with Karasu. Karasu had been humiliated by Hiei and was out for blood. Kurama had no choice but to kill the Demon. But now he had the seed of the plant that could change him temporarily into Youko Kurama and with Bakura's help, he would be able to regain his full Youkai powers.
They had won the tournament but the cost was high. Yukuske and his friend, Kuwabara, were both badly hurt. Hiei had used his Dragon of the Darkness Flame longer that he ever had before and had passed out from the strain. Kuwabara was carrying him on his back, the little Demon in a deep healing sleep.
Kurama was swathed in bandages; Karasu's energy bombs had torn chunks of flesh out of him. Every step hurt. And even worse than those injuries, was the fact that changing to Youko Kurama had put him back in the false heat. He was miserable.
Bakura had created a temporary portal that would take them right to the Castle's gates. The group of them limped to it, going through where the Princess was waiting for them on the other side. After greeting Yusuke and Kuwabara, she checked Hiei, still asleep on Kuwabara's back, and directed a servant to take Kuwabara to Hiei's room and then to show him to a guest room. She then turned to Kurama.
He stood there, his head down. She could feel his terrible need. And his shame. "Oh, my Fox, my poor Fox," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. He buried his head in her neck and sighed. Together they walked to his room; his wounds would have to wait.
The Princess lay there in gentle heat of the afternoon with Kurama resting in her arms. There was a breeze coming in the open balcony doors and it was very pleasant just to be lying here.
She looked over at Kurama, who was watching her. "You have more bandages that skin, my Love."
He smiled, but his eyes were sad. She kissed his eyelids, wishing she could erase those terrible memories for him. But that was beyond her power. She surrounded him with love and hoped it would be enough.
There was a soft knock and Kaiba came in. "Let me heal his wounds."
She kissed Kurama's forehead and then slipped from his arms and left him to Kaiba's healing touch. She walked quietly across the hall and opened the door to Hiei's room. He was asleep, burrowed in a tangle of blankets, curled in a little ball. She smiled and went to him and gently untangled the blankets around him. She bent over him and kissed his cheek softly. When she straightened up, his garnet eyes were looking at her, sleepily. "Go back to sleep, Sweetness."
"Please don't leave," he murmured, waking up completely and reaching for her arm.
"You need your rest."
"Just hold me," he pleaded. She slid into the bed, propped up on the pillows, and he curled into her lap. She stroked the soft peaks of his hair. Tracing the outline of the white star there. She idly wondered if anyone realized that the star repeated itself below. She was drifting to sleep herself, when he murmured something.
"Hmm … What did you say?"
"I hit him."
He was looking up at her, guilt filling his eyes.
"He couldn't help himself. He didn't want to, but he couldn't stop himself," he continued, his voice breaking, "And Karasu took advantage of his need. He was raped and then I hit him." Tears began to run down his cheek. "He is my friend, for a long time my only friend, and when he needed me most, I hit him."
She comforted him, stroking his cheek gently, murmuring soft words until he quieted and fell back to sleep. But his words stayed with the Princess. It was almost like what she had done to Bankotsu 14 years ago. She would never forget that terrible day.