Fire, Ice, Demons, and Jewels

Yoko's Tale: Part two

A.N: It's finally here! Sorry for the long update period but I've been just unable to write!

Part Two:

Kurama once more move into the conference room, graceful as always. He had at his tail two new guests, Yusuke and Kuwabara. They had insisted after they had heard both Hiei and Yukina were gone and that he was telling of his visit to the very spot. Kuwabara no doubt wanted to hear and aid in the return of Yukina but Kurama had sensed the panic for Hiei's well being as well. Yusuke made it appear as if he did not care but he could not be so easily fooled.

He smiled; it was nice to know they both had friends like this, who would risk their lives for their sake. It had been a hassle locating Yusuke and explaining the situation. He had nearly earned himself a punch in the face from Yusuke. "You do not keep things like this from me!" He had said with so much anger and hurt. Yes, friends would be hard to find like this once more.

He sat down once again in the same spot, Yusuke and Kuwabara made their way in two empty seats. The room filled and when the doors were closed he again waited for them to settle. Shina stared at him in the eyes, materials at the ready.

He again accessed the energy inside of himself and turned into the white haired Yoko. He quickly stood and fixed himself once more, his left eyes slightly twitched. He'd have to remember change whilst standing in order to avoid sitting on his numerous tails once more. It was times as those that he appreciated his human form more than his Yoko form for comfort in certain manners. Sitting once more he looked them over. He caught Yusuke's eyes and let the half-demon assert his dominance over him. It was not conscious of Yusuke but he knew that if he did not in this form he would feel irritated but he would not know exactly why.

He folded his hands on his lap and spoke. "I will continue and try to finish my tale today. Although, it may take several hours." He stated.

"I, Yoko Kurama, was finding myself at a peril when I had discovered the difference from the two dimensions. I felt lost in such a place. This is not Makai or the Ningenkai! I had thought panicked for a small amount of time. I moved carefully to the thicket outside of the human village observing them as I thought. I was a few centuries old but I had only grown into my majority a century prior to it.

"I was observing the humans work and toil in their fields for several hours. I was thinking about how this place was so different and how it would affect my powers. I had built a small repertoire in the Makai and even a small acclaim in the Ningenkai. It was all gone, I had thought. My work at a loss but what I was more worried of was my own survival. I had met only lower level demons and was wondering what the higher-level demons were like. I dared not even think of their strength to challenge them until I was fully aware of my limitations once more.

"I had thought of using the humans as objects to test my powers with but quickly decided from it. I did not know what the human holy powers were like and would rather spend time analyzing my power solitarily seeing if it was affected in any way in the location." He paused and closed his eyes. Images once more flooded his mind.

"I decided to claim a small territory for the matter and quickly made quick work of the demons around the village. I estimate I had acquired 50 kilometers of territory in the first week but I knew that it was only due to the inhabitation of the lower demons that I was successful in the claiming. I used it to my abilities desires and whims. Plants around me bloomed and flourished as I worked with them and found to my delight they responded more than the ones in this plane.

"My energy still replenished and I found myself in higher spirits. Despite this discovery I did not desire to remain. The land was a war zone in a seemingly unending war between the creatures all around me. It was irritating in some ways. I found peace in plants and again trying to build a reputation for myself while looking for sorcerers." He blinked and his eyes had a spark of green in them. A smile graced his features.

"There was peace in some places and families flourished and faded when I stayed for my small period of time. Finding sorcerers willing to aid me was more difficult. Their power varied; some only specialized in certain areas of magic or could on perform in certain areas. There was no doubt to myself that I would find a way back. I was certain of it. For the reason I found my power not growing like it should have. It was growing at half the rate as it does here!" He exclaimed, eyes once again full yellow.

"It was difficult to find the aid I needed, people do not talk as easily as I desired to and methods had to be utilized which proved most unpleasant for them." He smirked. "Fools, mostly all of them." His smile faded and he pulled his left arm forward and showed them a small mark, which they had to strain to see.

"Their holy men and women still proved affective against some of my efforts. I was willing to risk my life to return here. I met with several powerful sorcerers the first decade but nothing to my avail." He caught himself in a memory and retold it as it played out.

"I was being generous to humans, I was even helping in their crop production in my small territory when I could not find answers I was seeking. In the village I was revered as an aid of the kami. There was no local priest much to my delight and it was under my protection and will. The traders proved very helpful and there were two reasons for my aid with the humans.

"The first being: the more the town flourished with the more of my works did the more traders would come and the more information at my disposal with out my traveling to such distances and them gathering at such a spot was very convenient.

"The second reason was for my own safety, I had come across several demons that were beyond my ability and would have killed me had it not been to my skill as a thief. Yes, I admit there were demons stronger than I back then, but I still young and weak in a sense." He paused as he tried to recall names.

"There was always speech of a great jewel which had the ability to allow the user great powers. I was very curious in this device. I had been present there for a few years when I first heard of it. I had yet to find the definite location of the item but I was not discouraged by it. If I could not use it I would find another way to return.

" I moved very rapidly through the area around the village in a matter of years and after nearly a decade found the village with the great jewel. The jewel was created out of the soul of a priestess, from conflict, which she could not escape from. It was said that demon slayers guarded her but that was not what concerned me. It was the location of the jewel

"The Shikon no Tama! The Jewel of Four Souls! A priestess, a very young one but skilled and powerful one guarded it. I set out to see if I could aid in my peril. So I went forth and tried to enter the village unnoticed. See it and if I could not help me then leave quietly. If it could I would speak with the priestess. I did not know how it worked and if she was willing to help then I would be home once more.

"It was not as easy as I suspected. I entered unnoticed but when I had examined the jewel for at least ten minutes the priestess had found me. Mind you, I could have taken it and left before she found me but I had no interest if I could not use it. I would be nothing but a useless bauble to me. She had looked shocked and pointed her arrows at me after she had spotted me. Rather quick for a human.

"'What are you doing here!' she demanded of me.

'Seeing if this bauble could aid me.' I replied looking at her in the eyes. I could tell she was startled, I easily towered her small frame in height.

'It can never be used by the likes of you!' she yelled, quite dramatically, might I add. She was rather rude, firing the arrow with giving me proper time to respond. I easily avoided it and was quickly behind her. She stiffened as my hand went around her neck, she was quite aware of my claws.

'You impudent fool. You dare challenge, Yoko Kurama?' I declared as I tightened my hand around her neck.

'You monster! You will use the jewel for evil!'

'I do not wish for the powers! I desire in finding someone who can send me home! The jewel means nothing to me.' I had spat at her. Her eyes had widened.

'Why do you lie? Every demon desires it.'

'If you cannot understand my wish, then I shall be bothered no more by the likes of you, foolish human.' I said and threw her toward the jewel she stumbled but I had already left when she turned. She shot another arrow towards me blindly and it grazed my arm. As you can see it has damaged my arm not permanently but still enough to cause difficulties at the time." He pointed once more to his scar.

"She had the power to purify and vanquish evil with the slightest touch. I was very fortunate for her aim to have been so off. I ran away once more to my small claimed territory. I was injured and I could not search anymore until I was healed. So I rested. There was nothing I could do to speed the injuries healing to a pace I was accustomed to but I did manage to speed it up only slightly. It was better than nothing at all in my opinion." He placed his arm down and continued as quickly as he could.

"I healed over the course of a month. Winter was approaching and I made sure I had provisions, as did the village, I couldn't very well use them in trading if there was no one to trade with. So, I stayed, I had a small den built out of my plants, safe. It was around midwinter when an army came, they had heard of the plentiful bounty they had had. The surplus I had gifted them with. They demanded they surrender their food supply for the local lord, who was miles away.

"Needless to say, I was not pleased. Those humans would ruin my plans. I made my way into the village they tried to slaughter one of them, ironically it was the girl who years before I had scared. She was a full-grown woman, she no longer feared me, she saw me, as most of the villagers, as a blessing.

"I appeared before them, a white apparition in the middle of winter. To conclude this thing rather quickly, I scared them off. This did not help; the men took back tales of a demon who was laying claim over the village. They exaggerated me; I was not so murderous and cruel as they depicted me. They were embarrassed and ashamed, very easily I defeated them.

"But I was too…merciful in sparing some of them. I soon had many people after my head. It was not a problem until they became too meddlesome in my quest. So I laid my plants around the village, incase I ever returned. The plants protected the village, my seeds had grown and their crops would be great for centuries. Thus, I left the village and wandered for years.

"I searched but to no avail. Suddenly, as if a small blessing, what a human phrase!" He said looking very amused. "I was found by a powerful sorcerer. In return for a treasure it would help me here. Easily, I found the spell which would be me back." He grinned. "I had no use for it so I killed him and did the ritual myself. All along I thought it would be so great and difficult but it was not!

"To return home, I had to make sure a certain event played out, vital in so many ways." He closed his eyes and looked at them. "I had to make sure the very priestess who had dared shoot me, died. Not by my hand but by another. So she died, killed by the imitation of a hanyou by another. She faded by the sunset. When she did, I was free. I had found myself back once more home.

"For our friends to return home, they must play out a great event, for the greater good or greater evil." He turned back into a red-haired man. "That, I am afraid is all of my tale."