I've just finished Part III of the fanfic "Sleeper."  This part is titled
"The Nightmare."  I am running out of ideas as other totally unrelated ideas
started to pour into my head.  There are probably plenty of mistakes
here...NEway, constructive C & C are welcome.  Enjoy!

--Shuuichi Minamino
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SLEEPER
Part III The Nightmare

	He was sweating and he was hurting.  He didn't know why but there was a
searing pain in his chest.  He felt as if a thousand needles had pierced
through his heart and was sucking his life away.  It had been another dream.
It had been another nightmare.

	Karasu sat up and observed his environment.  Strange...but yet not
unfamiliar.  He had had no idea of how he had gotten "here."  Nor did he
know why he wanted to kill Kurama.  The last thing he remembered before
losing conciousness was black fire surrounding him.  

	*How did I get here?*

	The door opened and Kurama came into the room.  Karasu immediately
recognized the red-hair youth as the one who had witnessed the previous
battle.  The youth handed him a glass of water.  Karasu hesitated, then
decided that for some reasons, he could trust this youth, and took it.  The
youth's expression was unreadable as he pulled up a chair and sat in front
of Karasu.

	"What do you want?" Karasu asked as he sipped the water.

	"That is supposed to me my question to you," Kurama replied evenly.

	"Who are you?"

	For a minute Karasu could see a look of disbelief and surprise in those
pair of green eyes.  Those beautiful green eyes ... 

	"I am ..." Kurama paused for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. "I'm Hiei."

	"Hiei..." Karasu repeated the name.  He then looked up sharply and
demanded, "Where's Kurama?!"

	"Why are you looking for him?" Kurama asked.

	"I want to kill him."

	"Why?"

	"I..." Karasu fumbled for words. "I don't know..."  Why was he telling Hiei
this?  He knew that this 'Hiei' was friends with Kurama.  He was in enemy
territory.  But then he felt so lost, so confused.

	"Do you know who you are?" Kurama asked.

	"Karasu," he replied.

	*Now what am I suppose to ask to get info out of him?* Kurama thought.
*Obviously he had no idea why he was here in the first place...let alone
knowing that he had been dead for quite a while...*

	They both turned around as Hiei opened the door behind them.  Karasu
immediately sprang up, ready to strike.
	
	"Give it up!" Hiei said. "Hadn't you had enough?!"

	Karasu charged.  Hiei stayed in the same place and watched dispassionately
as Karasu suddenly collapsed before reaching him.

	"How did you know I put something in the drinks?" Kurama asked.

	"I saw you doing it," Hiei said. "so now what?"

	"Now what what?"

	"What's with him?" Hiei snapped.

	"I don't know," Kurama said thoughtfully. "He had NO idea who we are
really.  All he knows is that one of us is Kurama and he wants to kill
Kurama, or me..."

	"I see that you agree to play along," Hiei commented sarcastically.

	"Hiei," Kurama said suddenly as he attempted to change the subject.  "help
me here.  I can't carry him back to the bed."

	"Hn!  Do it yourself!" He retorted.

	Kurama sighed and tried to lift Karasu's limp body.  He ended up tripping
over the chair and Karasu fell on top of him.  Hiei was at his side before
Kurama realized it.  Hiei grabbed hold of Karasu's shoulder and with a
strength that Kurama never known, threw Karasu back onto the futon.  Kurama
watched in surprise while Hiei returned his gaze with one of his most
infamous glare.

	"Thanks Hiei," Kurama replied.  "I'm eternally grateful."

	"Hn!" Hiei turned on his heels and started to leave the room.  He then
stopped at the entrance and changed his mind.

	"You're going to keep watch?" Kurama asked.

	"No," Hiei snapped. "I'm waiting for you to be done dammit!"

	"My, you're impatient today," Kurama smiled.

	"Why do you have to bring that bastard home?"  Hiei yelled.  "Couldn't you
just leave him alone?  He wanted to kill you dammit!"

	"Are you worried?"

	"......"

	"Thanks Hiei."

	"Damn you fox!  Hurry the hell up!!"

	"Okay, okay.  I'm done. " Kurama shook his head as as he left the room.
Kurama then closed the door and walked down the hallway with Hiei.  

	"The medicine should keep him asleep for a few more hours," Kurama said.

	"Kurama..."

	"What?"

	"Stay away from him.  Don't you dare go near him," Hiei said and vanished
out of sight.

	Kurama smiled to himself.  He could have sworn that he heard a tone of
jealousy in Hiei's voice.

****************************

	Karasu twisted and turned in his sleep.  He saw images of blood and pain.
He then saw monsterous plants opening their mouths threatening to devour
him.  He attempted futilely to set off the explosives but the plants just
kept on reviving.  Karasu then felt a burning pain as one of the Makai
plants pierced through his body and sucked his blood away.  He gaped in
horror as the other plants around him started toward him.  He screamed.

----------Part III: The Nightmare End (To Be Continued)--------------
   --Shuuichi Minamino
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  * "J'aurais                        "I would have wanted                 *
  *           voulu ne pas mourir.                not to die.             *
  *  J'aurais voulu                   I would have wanted                 *
  *           ne jamais grandir.                  never to grow up.       *
  *  J'aurais                         I would have                        *
  *           voulu me casser l'ame."           wanted to rend my soul."  *
  *                                                                       *
  *                ~Cirque Du Soleil                 ~Circus Of The Sun   *
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~