The Accident

by Star Mirage


The standard disclaimer - YYH belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and etc.
Author's note: Spetial thanks to Bianka Lanon for correcting my fic! Any comments (as always) are (more than) welcome!


Part 4

"Do you think it is here?" Yuusuke  looked fishily at the cave.
Kurama shrugged and answered, "So it was told to me: 'One of the most known healers of this part of Makai lives in the cavern in this forest'."
Yuusuke dithered and looked at his friend.
"Maybe that healer lives into some other cavern. There could be a lot of caverns in this forest."
Smirking, the youko slapped on his friend's shoulder."Let's check up this one for the beginning."
"Ok," Yuusuke surrendered.

He didn't like caverns very much, and from this one he even had a formication. However, Yuusuke bravely followed the youko inside.

The cavern was hugo and had a lot of branches. Kurama summoned a radiant tulip from a seed and deliberately went forward into the cavern. As Yuusuke had anticipated, in the distant end there were some tunnels leading in obscurity. The youko carefully kneelled and started study something on the floor. Yuusuke frowned. He didn't see anything remarkable there, on a floor, and didn't understand what could catch his friend's interest. 'Though this youko has more than 500-year's experience of  roaming in the Makai. And if something had caught his attention then it was not without reason.'

Yuusuke sneezed and, chewing a bitter leaf, began to wait till Kurama finish the researches.

"This way," The youko announced finally, pointing at one of the passages.
"Why?"
"Because this way is used more often then other ones. The cave's floor is even and flat, erased by the legs of those youkai, who pass over here."
"Ah..."
Kurama went forward and Yuusuke followed him again.

Soon they felt a weak youki, which became stronger as they moved forward. And afterwards the friends came into one more cave, smaller than previous.

"Subdue your light!" The voice came from somewhere above.

Yuusuke and Kurama lifted their heads up. The flexible figure in black was quietly lowering himself from under the cave's ceiling. The big leathered bat-likes wings, long black hair, brilliant red eyes, pale skin and long sharp fangs...

"A vampire," Yuusuke wishpered, surprised.
"Yes, I am. So what? If you came to me then why wonder at it?"

Yuusuke frowned and was going to answer that they were directed not to him, but Kurama stopped his friend by gesture and stepped forward.

"We are looking for one healer - Kaoro," he said.

Yuusuke looked at Kurama; the youko hadn't told him healer's name and race earlier. 'Uh, secretive Youko!' The vampire smiled, exposing more direful fangs. Yuusuke paled.

"You do found me. So, what is your problem? And subdue that damn light! I hate light!"

Youko throw a glance at Yuusuke, reducing luminosity of light-tulip, and said.
"Well, we want to know how to cure a concussion in youkai."
Kaoro surpringly looked at two visitors.
"A *concussion* in youkai?"
"Yes! A concussion in  youkai!" snapped Yuusuke. "If you don't know how to cure it then avow it and we'll go and find another healer!"

The vampire looked at black-heared boy as on unadvised baby and sneered at the childish bravado.
"I know how to remedy it. Just nobody ask me about it for a long time. It is very rare case for youkai and it's very dangerous, at times even fatal."

Instantly, Kurama was all ears; his eyes are wide and concerned.
"Why is it dangerous?"

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Kaoro thoughtfully looked at Youko.
"Well, as I said it's very rare disease for Makai. And dangerous. Because as a result of it, the circulation of youki is broken in youkai's organism. And since qi does not reach a brain, the brain's cells begin to perish. At first, a memory disappears, then all that makes this youkai unique (his individuality) and then he dies..."

Yuusuke and Kurama gasped concurrently . 'Oh no,' Yuusuke thought, looking at very pale Youko. 'It's all very bad! Who would think?! Such a trifling illness for the ningens carries such a heavy price for youkai...! Poor Hiei...'

"And... And when this process begins?" Kurama stammered out.
"Hm... At first," thoughtfully, Kaoro began to reel up the long black lock of his hair on an index finger, his eyes on beautiful Youko, "the brain tries to work on it's own, without qi. But then, after using of all reserves, it begins to die... Usually it happens somewhere in 5th day. All depends of a power of that youkai. But nobody lived more than week..."

"Oh, NO!" Kurama exclaimed fearfully. "Tell us please, how to cure that damn concussion!"

Kaoro smiled, exposing his fangs.
"At first, you have to pay me."
"What payment do you want?" Kurama asked.
"Well, I'm a vampir. So I need a blood... I want your blood as a payment."

"Hey! Why his?" Yuusuke said resentfully, taking part in conversation.
Kaoro carnivorously smiled.
"When else I'll have an opportunity to taste blood of such beautiful creature? Half-youko, half-ningen... Besides he has a very nice smell."
"I'll not allow you to~..." Yuusuke resented, but was interrupted by a low voice of his friend.
"I agree."
"But Kurama! You have not to risk yourself! You are not in the best fettle right now!"

Kurama just answered with his usual sweet smile. Yuusuke turned to Kaoro and offered unhesitatingly .
"Hei, you! Take my blood and leave the youko alone."
The black-haired vampir winced squeamishly. "Ew... You have a Makai flu-virus in your blood. I don't want to catch it."
"Ugh, damn it," Yuusuke said discontentedly.
Kaoro grined knowingly.
"Don't worry, ningen. I'll not take all his blood. Though it's very tempting: the virgin's blood... a virgin in Makai... It is a very rare thing here."

Kurama's face turn scarlet. He depressed his golden eyes and wishpered to Yuusuke, "It all is because of my ningen body..."
Yuusuke choked down a laugh. 'Beautiful Kurama and still virgin! I can't believe it. As Shuichi he can have anyone!' But the moment was serious, so Yuusuke returned to the question in a hand.
"If you deceive us," he warned the vampire, "I'll tear you to pieces!"

Yuusuke began to prepare the Rei-Gan just in case. The vampire looked at the boy with an anxiety, but snorted.

Meantime, Kurama thrust a luminous tulip in ground and seated himself on the nearest stone. Kaoro bypassed Youko around, stood behind him and carefully pushed a silver hair away, exposing the perfect snow-white neck. Kurama closed his eyes and inclined his head to one side, facilitating access to artery for the vampire.

Kaoro leaned, slowly licked the chosen place and then stuck his sharp fangs into Youko's neck. Involuntarily, Kurama gave cry and Yuusuke frowned discomposedly. Meantime, with a beatifical smile on his face, vampire started to suck the youko's hot blood...

Some time after, Youko became very pale, he was shivered. Then, unexpectedly for Kaoro, he switched to the human form. But Kaoro was not all deterred - he continued to suck blood of the ningen-Kurama.

"Hey, you, stop it!" yelled Yuusuke, noticing that Kurama was close to fainting. "Enough, I said!"

Kaoro sighed and left his victim reluctantly. Yuusuke quickly approached to Kurama and embraced his exhausted friend. The youko smiled wanly and opened his eyes.

"Wow, I never tasted anything similar: virgin blood of the ningen with qi of youko... Tastyly..."
"Hey, you! Come on! Tell us how to cure a concussion in youkai!" Yuusuke interrupted him.

With a beatifical smile on his face, Kaoro turned to his visiters. He reached his hand and quickly healed two small wounds on a red-head boy's neck.
"Well, you have to restore circulation of youki in damaged organism."
"How?" Yousuke frowned.
"For this purpose you should send the very strong youki through that youkai's system. Very strong youki. It must work as an electroshock and remove him from coma-state. And then, if it is not yet late and the brain has not perished, there is a chance, that your youkai will survive."

Kurama and Yuusuke exchanged glances discomposedly.
"It must be 'youki'?"
"No, 'reiki' consents too. The main is that you must collect much qi. The more is the better."
"Is that all?" Kurama asked with a weak voice.
Kaoro nodded.

The silver youko turned to his friend.
"Okay, Yuusuke. Let's go. We have very little time."
Yuusuke nodded and helped Youko to rise up.
"Thank you," Kurama said Kaoro.
"And you too," vampire answered, smiling.

Two Reikai detectives made their way home. Having left Kaoro's cave, they went to the nearest gate to Ningekai...

End of part 4. To be continued...


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© Star Mirage, 2000