If Only in My in Dreams

If Only in My Dreams Part Six By: boysluvcraft

I. Zura’s Return

Yusuke watched in horror as the Old Greg sank beneath the waves, Kurama and Ianto still on board. Yusuke, himself, was spared due to the wicked fate that had glued his trousers to the flotation bladders. Steady he floated up into the atmosphere where the air was cold and the oxygen thin. He couldn’t be sure for how long he had drifted. It didn’t matter. He would soon lose consciousness, and then it would only be a matter of time before his body gave in to exposure and he would join his friends in death.

Damn it, this is so stupid, he groused to himself. We went through so much. It can’t end like this! I’ve gotta do something, I can’t just give up. Koenma needs me to-- What the hell?

Yusuke snapped out of his internal monologue, because he was inexplicably captured in a net.

“What the hell?” he repeated, this time out loud.

“Well, ahoy there, Cutie!” A bell of a women’s voice rang through the night air.

Yusuke knew that voice. He blinked away half frozen tears to confirm his suspicion. There she was standing with her legs vulgarly spread apart, and wearing a dress that didn’t cover her tits. There was a walking corpse on ether side of her, pulling on the net that brought Yusuke, miserably closer to her.

“Zura…” The demon growled her name like a curse.

A corpse cut Yusuke free of the floatation bladder, once he was aboard Zura’s ship, the Shroud II. He fell to the deck and attempted to stand, but could only manage to rise up on his hands and knees.

“Oh, now now, is that any way to greet your savior?” She patronized the boy.

“You told them we were coming, didn’t you!” Yusuke spat at her. “You killed my friends!”

Zura laughed. “You should have known who you were dealing with,” she told him. “And don’t you worry about your friends, Cutie. You will be returning with me to my Charnel Gardens, where all those would die violently go. You will have them back soon enough. Of course, after floating around at sea for so long, they won’t be nearly as pretty.”

She really thought all of this was funny? Yusuke had lost everything. Kurama; they loved each other so much.

How can it end like this? Yusuke asked himself.

And Hiei was always on Yusuke’s mind, even though he was with Kurama.

Never did straighten that bit of drama out, he regretfully reflected. Now he’ll never have chance.

Then, there was poor Ianto, all of this had nothing to do with him, but he came along anyway. Koenma; All Yusuke could think about was him in that dank pit with those things.

No, Yusuke didn’t want to think about that.

And let’s not forget about Kuwabara, who’s waiting for them in the waking world. Yusuke can see it now, the four of them dieing on his watch. The big idiot will probably make a big teary eyed speech and blame himself.

But it’s my fault, Yusuke screamed in his mind. I’m letting him down. I let them all down! Yusuke’s tears where flowing freely now and Zura was laughing about it. That dirty, stupid whore is laughing about it!

Yusuke’s rage and sorrow boiled and rose up from deep inside of him, until it burst forth in a mass rush of demon energy. He through up his arms and screamed at the night sky as Zura look on in bewildered horror. Yusuke’ muscles bulged and tightened, while demon markings crept onto his flesh, and his mid-night hair grew into a wild mane. Then, the Mazoku fell abruptly silent, letting his hands drop.

“What… what are you?!” Zura stuttered.

“You should have known who you were dealing with,” Yusuke’s voice rumbled like thunder in the distance.

“Seize him!” Zura cried out to her undead crew. The ghastly crew only shuffled way from him. “I said, seize him!” She stomped her little high heeled foot.

“The dead are more attuned to the spiritual , they know better,” the Mazoku advanced on her.

“Look! The Lengites are coming with their ships and their cannons.” She pointed where two black galleys drew near to the starboard side. “You may scare my servants, but they will not fear you!”

“They should,” Yusuke idly made a fist and said, “Shot Gun.”

Energy shot ripped through the night sky tearing the Lengites sails to shreds and filling the hulls with so many holes that they may never be sea worthy again. He must have hit one of the ships’ floatation engines because it was starting to list to one side. Its mast tangled with the other ship’s rigging. Its other engine failed. It was going to drop out of the sky and take the other ship down with it. It must be pandemonium on those decks. Small specks of life boats were launching, like fleas abandoning a dead rat.

Yusuke turned to Zura, now a trembling frightened woman. His eyes were glowing with retribution in mind. “Your turn.”

* * *

II. After Midnight

It was just past midnight in Ulthar. The cats were on patrol because the full moon was shining. They say the moon has strange effects on animal. They also say that the full moon sends a weird into a man that turns him into an animal. Certainly, the two in the storage closet at the Kitten’s Kettle have felt something of that animal heat.

It was supposed to have been routine night when Hiei and his lover/employer, Clyde Gaffney, would be taking inventory storage room, but the small place and the memories associated there in soon ignited the two‘s passions. They made it together for the first time in that closet, and it was far from the last time.

Hiei was sitting up against the shelving, powdered sugar streaked over his body like tribal tattoos. Gaffney was between Hiei’s splayed out legs, licking sugar sweeten cum off his stomach.

“All that sugar is going to keep you up,” Hiei warned him playfully.

“Just looking at you like this is enough to keep me up,” Gaffney replied, double entendre totally intended. Gaffney traced a line of white powder with his tongue, up Hiei’s torso and under his pectoral.

“Hnnnmm,” Hiei moaned. The Dreamlander knew just how he liked it, but… “Get off of me already. I need to go feed Kazuma.”

“Alright, but only because I know how he gets when he’s hungry.” He let Hiei up. Then he grinned, “Dang, sometimes I think you love that cat more than me.”

“Hn,” Hiei responded, but was none the less smiling.

Hiei had done a lot of smiling since he’d met Clyde Gaffney and started living in Ulthar. He’d probably smiled more than he ever had in his life. It’s probably because he’d been happier in Ulthar than he’d ever been in his whole life. There was only one thing that could make him happier; that boy from his dreams within dreams, the one with the dark hair, warm eyes, and sarcastic smile.

“Kazuma! Here kitty kitty kitty,” Hiei called out when he entered the apartment, bowl of table scrapes in hand. It was strange, usually the ginger cat would be waiting for Hiei, but he was no where in sight. Hiei went to look out on terrace. He scanned the moon lit roof tops of Ulthar. The city didn’t look right under this light, Hiei decided. But then again, does anything look right under the full moon of Dreams?

“Kazuma, I have your--” Hiei’s words caught in his throat as a feeling wash over him. It made him weak in the knees. It was a feeling of power, raw demon power. He’d felt this kind of power before. It was him, the one from his dreams within dreams!

Memories and feelings rushed into Hiei’s mind like an opened flood gate. They were accompanied by searing pain lancing through his skull. He doubled over where he kneeled and braced his head between his palms, it felt as if it would split open.

Just past midnight, in parts unknown to most of the sane world, Kurama woke in a panic shouting “Yusuke!” He could feel his lover’s power surging with rage and sorrow. His first instinct was to rush to Yusuke’s side, but Yusuke was so far away.

Delicate, cool hands tried to stop his movement as their owner whispered “Calm down, it’s going to be alright.” It was Ianto, the last person Kurama wanted to see.

But for the moment, Kurama put his distaste for the blond aside and asked, “Do you feel that?”

“Yes…” Ianto hesitated, “Is that Yusuke?”

Kurama nodded. He was calmer now that he had his wits about him.

“Is he in trouble?” Ianto queried.

“No,” Kurama answered grimly, “but whoever set him off is.”

Meanwhile in the waking-world, Kuwabara suddenly snatched his hand away from Yusuke’s side.

“What is it?” The old woman, Varvara, bided.

“It’s Urameshi; his power just went up a whole bunch!”

“OH!” Varvara yelped, snatching her own hand from where it had been resting one Hiei. “Something’s happening to Shorty!”

Meanwhile in Ulthar, Hiei gnashed his teeth together as pain ripped through his skull. Then the pain just stopped as abruptly as it had started. Hiei opened his eyes. There were a few trickles of blood running down his face and spotting onto terrace stone.

“Meow.”

The sound startled Hiei. Kazuma, his cat sat next to him with a thick envelope griped in his jaws. He placed it down at Hiei‘s feet.

“What’s this?” Hiei picked up the note and opened it. As he unfolded the letter inside a stripe of white linen fell from the page. He examined the cloth; it was no ordinary piece of linen, integrate symbols had been woven into its fibers. It was a ward.

He turned his attention to the note. A single sentence was scribed on the page: You will need this, both to keep your demon energies in and other things out.

With trembling fingers he traced blood streaks back to their origin on his brow. With a gasp, he suddenly remembered what it was he was missing as he found it again. He remembered a lot of things. The Jagan Eye was open.

Just after midnight, in some godforsaken pit, a god who had been all but forsaken opened his eyes. For the first time in along time, hope shone in those honey hued eyes and his lips almost smiled as they whispered, “He’s coming.”

* * *

III. The Mutiny After Midnight

Zura had begged the great Mazoku demon not to kill her. He could have killed her, easily, and no one would have said he’d been wrong to do so. Yusuke did not kill her. Despite what she had done and how furious he was, he just couldn’t kill something so pathetic, so weak. Instead, he ordered her own crew to toss her into a dingy and launch it out to sea. If not for the circumstance, it would have been hysterical. What would happen to Zura after that? Will she make it back to her own land? Don’t know don’t care.

Now then, Yusuke explored the ship, after all it was more or less his. The interior looked as much like a coffin as the outside. Yusuke determined he would be spending most of his time one deck and in the fresh air. When he was going through Zura’s personal cabin, he came across two sets of men’s clothes. They looked brand new, and one set was just his size. The other looked like it would have fit Kurama. That psycho-woman really did plan on capturing them, keeping them as pets, and apparently playing dress up with them as well.

The best describer of those clothes was ‘pirate sheik.’ Not cool, dirty Jonny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean type of pirate, more like a quasi-homosexual Captain Hook. There was a green tailored and trimmed out long coat and knickerbockers, a white puffy shirt complete with frills and lace, buckle shoes, and a big ol’ hat with a big ol’ purple feather sticking out of it. It was ridiculous, but Yusuke thought, what the hell, and put it on anyway, at least that bitch appreciated how good I look in green.

Yusuke laid out the outfit that was meant for Kurama, on the bed. It didn’t have as many pieces as his own, but it was equally extravagant. It comprised of one pink silk n’ lace shirt; high waited burgundy trousers, that would have shown off his package quite nicely, belted with a flower embroidered lilac color sash; and black, thigh high, patent leather boots. Hilarious. Yusuke would have loved to see him in it. Now he can’t.

The adrenaline from the transformation into his demon form was wearing off and the pain of loss was once again settling in his chest. Yusuke curled up next to the costume ran his fingers gingerly against the silk, the same way he used to caress Kurama’s warm creamy body. Yusuke didn’t want to get up. He didn’t want to leave the security of the memories when Kurama was still alive and they were in love.

Snap out of it, he chided himself, you‘re not done yet. That’s right, Koenma was still in the hands of those horned freaks and that thing in the pit. They were the ones who took Koenma. They were the ones responsible for all of this. Yusuke wanted make sure they paid for all of it. What was that old Waking World saying? Were there’s a will there’s a way. Well, already Yusuke has the way. The Shroud II and her cadaverous crew are completely under his command. Now all he need to do was muster the will.

Yusuke strode out onto the deck in his new duds.

“Hey you,” he called the zombie that appeared to be the first mate. “You got any idea how to run this damn thing, cause I don’t have a friggen clue.”

The walking mummy nodded an affirmative. He started to saunter toward the helm, then pulsed to indicate Yusuke should be following him. The first mate pointed to a map that lay on a table near the wheel an looked a Yusuke expectantly.

“You want to know where we’re going, huh?” Yusuke got the message. “ To tell the truth, I’m not sure. I’m looking for this guy, but he could be anywhere--Wait a second.” A crazy idea just occurred to Yusuke. The Seer in Barharna said to follow the dead so, why not let the dead lead him.

“Can you sense a power like Zura, but better and not all evil and growdy, right? It’s a power that you’re drawn to.” Yusuke pressed the dead man.

The departed first mate nodded, turning his milky gaze onto some unknown point on the horizon. Then, he pointed with a shaky bone and leathered finger.

“Take me there,” Yusuke commanded.

Through some silent communication, known only by the dead, the first mate gave the order to set sail. Yusuke and his cadaverous crew were on their way.

* * *

A/N: I don’t really have much to say for myself. I’m twisted. And I’m not done twisting, yet.