Shura's Quest - Reuniting, Regrouping, Recruiting

Fear not, I haven't dropped this series. Consider that just a long dramatic pause, lol.

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Scene 7 ------------------------------------------- That Evening


* After travelling all day Yusuke, now perched once more on Puu, glances around at the group with him. Although they've been virtually unhampered by any other demons or spies the Toushin can see that most of his friends are weary. Kurama wills his glider plant to hover when he hears Yusuke order Puu to land in front of a large cave. Hiei blinks to a stop and his son returns to do his own skidding stop in front of him.


Hiyuku- That was fun, Father Hiei! This one likes going fast like that!


* Kuwabara comes to a stop beside the Koorime.


Kuwabara- I think he's faster than you, Hiei.. Either that or you're getting old.


* The boy looks up at Kuwabara, sniffs toward him, then makes a face. Hiyuku looks back up at Hiei.


Hiyuku- He smells.. not like us..


* Hiei chuckles.


Hiei- That's because he's not like us, Yukie.. This is Kuwabara. He's a human.

Hiyuku- Hu-Man..

Hiei- Yes. A lower life form.


* Kuwabara scowls at Hiei. The Koorime watches the boy lower his eyes in thought a moment. Then he looks back up at Kuwabara with a predatory gleam in his red eyes that makes the brave redhead move away.


Hiyuku- You mean.. like the rabbits..?


* Yusuke comes over after he sends Puu off to find shelter for the night.


Yusuke- Hiei,..

Hiei- Relax, Yusuke.


* Hiei places a hand on Hiyuku's shoulder.


Hiei- Son, you wouldn't like how that one tastes.


* Hiyuku looks back up at Hiei.


Hiyuku- No good?

Hiei- Indeed.. He's old, tough, and stringy.

Kuwabara- Yeah.. Hey!


* The boy follows Hiei away after making another face up at Kuwabara.


Kuwabara- (Mumbled) We should put him in a cage or something.

Yusuke- Hiei or our son?


* Kuwabara looks at Yusuke, but doesn't answer. Shishi and Suzuka* come over looking around.


Shishi- Get your head back on your shoulders, Red.. I think that boy is the least of our worries right now.

Suzuka- Yeah. This wasn't a very good place to stop, Yusuke.


* As soon as Kuwabara senses what the demons do he draws out both of his spirit swords and turns around.


Kuwabara- You remember those creepy little guys from our first mission together, Yusuke?

Yusuke- Those Fugoki things?

Kuwabara- Yeah.. There's a bunch of 'em coming!


* Kurama notices everyone but Hiei and the boy on the ground bunching together, releases the glider plant, and drops down beside them.


Kurama- Prob-..?


* Kurama then senses the approaching horde and looks around.


Yusuke- You shoulda stayed up there..

Kurama- No, I'll be more useful down here.


* Yusuke looks around as the tall kitsune calls out his Rose Whip.


Yusuke- Hiei! Where are you?!


* Just as the ground-burrowing, scavenging Fugoki demons begin bursting up out of the ground in front of them Hiei appears in front of Yusuke, his kitanna drawn and ready.


Hiei- You idiots were so worried aboout Yukie eating Kuwabara that you didn't notice them coming!

Kurama- Where is Yukie?

Hiei- Hid.


* With a collective wicked giggle the group suddenly finds themself onset by the hungry scavengers on every side. The longer the battle lasts, the more Fugoki they kill, the more of the demons' numbers increase. Slowly the Fugoki begin to maneuver Hiei away from the others. Kurama is the first to notice their tactics.


Kurama- Hiei!

Yusuke- Where are they all coming from?!

Touya- We must have wandered into their nests..

Suzuka- Really? What was your first clue, Touya?


* Yusuke uses another small burst of his Spirit energy to take out a couple dozen.


Yusuke- We can't be wasting our energy on these pests!


* Hiei begins to flit and dodge around trying to get himself back with the group, but he soon finds himself grabbed and swarmed. The rest of the group find themselves surrounded and can only continue fending the demons off to keep from being swarmed themselves. Suddenly a dark blur flies past them and plows right into the pile that are starting to gnash all over Hiei. With an unbridled viciousness that stops all the fighting, Hiyuku quickly reduces the mass of Fugoki to mangled bits. When Hiei is freed he sits still amazed and heaving as he watches his blood-covered son continue tearing through the mass towards the other group. When the horde of Fugoki realize that this tiny blur is nothing to mess with they quickly retreat back into their burrows. Hiyuku is left halfway between Hiei and the others, crouched, snarling, and obviously still driven by his bloodlust as his hungry eyes scour the area for more prey. Kurama silently begins to sidle off preparing to go check Hiei. Hiyuku spins and growls up at him.


Yusuke- Don't move, Kurama! Everybody stay..!


* Hearing the familiar word, Hiyuku quiets and lowers himself to sit down as his eyes return to normal.


Hiyuku- Me, stay here?

Yusuke- Uhh.. Yeah.. You stay there..

Hiyuku- But, Father Hiei is hurt..

Yusuke- I'll go help him.. Okay, Yukie?


* Hiei finally gets to his feet.


Hiei- I'm fine.


* They all look at Hiei whose eyes are still fastened on his son, unconcerned about the various small bleeding wounds on himself.


Kuwabara- Well, you look like you were the Fugokis' main course.


* Hiei ignores the comment and holds a hand out to Hiyuku.


Hiei- Come here, Yukie.

Hiyuku- Father Yusuke told me to stay.

Hiei- You can come to me now..

Yusuke- Yes. It's okay, Yukie. Go to your Father Hiei.


* Now that he's settled down Hiyuku feels the group's fear that's directed towards him. He decides that he doesn't like that feeling. He draws his knees up to his chest and places his face down against them. Hiei casts a brief glare toward the group, then goes over to kneel beside the small boy. Hiyuku's emotions have begun to overwhelm him and he scrambles into Hiei's embrace. Not exactly an expert on doling out comfort in this manner, the Koorime looks up at Kurama.


Kurama- (Quietly) No, I won't.. He is your son, you need to learn how to deal with him, Hiei.


* Hiei looks back down at his sobbing, trembling son.


Hiyuku- I-I was.. scared for you,.. Father.. Those things were.. going to eat you..


* Hiei glances around at the carnage Hiyuku's "fear" has left behind.


Hiei- I'm okay, Yukie.. Calm down now.


* Hiei looks back toward the others. The looks on most of their faces is unmistakable. As Hiyuku calms down he begins to sag against Hiei wearily. The apparition gathers his son up into his arms as he stands. With a final glare towards the others Hiei moves to the cloest tree and flits up into its branches. Everyone else, but Kurama, turns to scowl at Yusuke.


Yusuke- What? I'm glad that kid's on our side.. He just saved our hides..

Shishi- Is he?

Kurama- Shishi, he's a young demon that only has instincts to go on right now.

Touya- And if any of us cross those instincts like those Fugoki just did..


* Hiei hears their words as he settles down on a wide branch against the tree's trunk. He looks down at the sleeping boy in his arms. He must admit to himself that he'd frozen when he felt the energy coming off of Hiyuku. As the group continues their conversation on the ground Hiei begins to analyze what he felt.


Kuwabara- Well, I just hope that he remembers that I'm old, tough, and stringy.

Yusuke- That's enough, all of you! You all saw how he listened to me.. He listens to Kurama and Hiei, too..

Suzuka- Sure. After his bloodlust left.

Kurama- We have learned that he senses when we're in danger..

Clint- That probably depends on who..

Yusuke- I said enough! All of you go set up camp.. We'll keep everybody together in that cave.

Kurama- Set up a half ring of bonfires around us. That will keep them away for the night.


* Everyone but Yusuke and Kurama move away to begin making the bonfires. Kurama glances up toward the tree then looks back down at Yusuke.


Kurama- (Quietly) They have reason to be worried..

Yusuke- (Quietly) Yeah, I know.. But we won't shun the boy.. That would only cause more problems.. You seen how he reacted when he felt all the fear..

Kurama- (Quietly) Unfortunately, I cannot feel his emotions as you and Hiei obviously do.. I'm not a true blood Father to him. I'm the same to him as I'll be to Heido and Jonelle.

Yusuke- (Quietly) Regardless, we'll work with Yukie. We'll continue to teach him.. I'll be d---ed if I'll let him grow up like Hiei did.


* Yusuke glances up toward the tree then turns and goes into the cave. Even though they spoke quietly, Hiei has heard every word. He closes his eyes against memories of his own childhood that soon have him mentally agreeing with Yusuke's last words.

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* About Suzuka, I recently realized that I've misspelled his name in a few places. I'll be fixing that as I find them. Sorry.