-Introduction: A Parting Of Ways-
The ice apparition cast her scarlet eyes over the cloudy sky. She clenched her hands into fists in her lap, mentally noting that the weather matched her mood. Her chest suddenly felt knotted as she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around quickly, then heaved a sigh of relief.
"Oh. It's just you, Shizuru." she said, turning back to the window.
"You were expecting someone else?" Shizuru asked in a low voice. Yukina didn't respond, but hunched her shoulders slightly. Guilt pounded on her heart like a hammer. Shizuru nudged the small suitcase sitting beside Yukina with her foot.
"Taking a trip?" she asked. Yukina bit her lip.
"I..." she started, not knowing how to turn her feelings into words.
"I have a feeling I'm not the one you should explain this to." Shizuru said after a short silence. Yukina felt very small.
"My brother won't be home until late, tonight." Shizuru continued. "Something you want me to pass on to him?"
Yukina felt her throat tighten. She sniffed, then felt something fall into her lap. She looked down, and saw one of her crystallic tears. She gingerly picked it up.
"Actually, there is." she finally said.
Shizuru sat in the lone chair in the front room, a cigarette in one hand, the crystal tear in the other. She inspected it in the light. She remembered the first time she saw Yukina. It was in a video sent by Koenma. She remembered her brother's reaction to seeing Yukina for the first time. Her heart felt sad for her brother, something she did not do often, but she understood the explanation Yukina had left her with. And now it was her job to convey it to Kazuma.
A sharp flash of light broke through the sky, followed by a clap of thunder. Rain began to pour into the streets outside. Shizuru wondered if Yukina had remembered an umbrella...
The front door burst open suddenly, and Shizuru looked up to see her brother enter the room, followed by his best friend.
"Come on, Kuwabara! It's the weekend! Can't you let up on your studying for one measly day?!" Yusuke teased.
"You kiddin' me?" Kazuma responded. "These are the college entrance exams! If I screw this up, I'll lose my scholarship! Those things are hard to come by y'know!"
"Yeah, especially when you're you!" Yusuke muttered. Kazuma was about to respond, when he noticed Shizuru. He made a face.
"Oh, come on, Sis!" he groaned. "Don't smoke that thing inside! You know how they smell up the place!" Shizuru simply watched her brother, taking another drag of her cigarette. Kazuma gave her a quizzical look before grinning.
"What, no snappy remark?" he asked. Shizuru removed her cigarette long enough to answer.
"Kazu, we have something we need to talk about. Alone." she said sternly. Both boys looked at her in stunned silence for a moment.
"Geez, Sis. Urameshi's a friend. You could stand to be a little more-" Kazuma started.
"Nah, it's alright, Kuwabara. I need to get home anyways. See you tomorrow, right?" Yusuke interjected.
"Alright, fine! But I gotta be back home to study at sundown, got it?" Kazuma called after his friend, who had already begun to leave. Yusuke only waved a hand. Kazuma took a step after him.
"Hey! Don't'cha need an umbrella, Dope?!"
"Chillax, I like the rain!" The door closed. Kazuma smiled a little at his carefree friend before looking at his sister again.
"Okay, now what was so important that you had to kick-"
"Yukina left."
The words took a moment to sink into Kazuma's mind. He stared blankly at Shizuru.
"You mean, gone? Like, gone gone?"
Shizuru nodded.
"Well, where'd she go?" Kazuma asked, looking unsettled.
"Kazuma." Shizuru said firmly. "Yukina left. As in, she's not coming back. It doesn't matter where she went because she left you!" Shizuru stood up, dousing her cigarette. She stuffed the crystal tear into Kazuma's hand.
She watched as her brother stared at the crystal tear in his hand. His face slowly turned to wide-eyed sadness.
"B-but..." he stammered. "Why...? Didn't she like it here? I... I thought..."
"I know, Kazu." Shizuru said gently, chastising herself for her outburst. "But she did it for you."
"Me?!" Kazuma practically yelled. "Why would she do that for me?! I love her! I thought she could be happy here! Where we could be together!"
"Don't you get it, Kazuma?!" Shizuru said equally as loud. "She wanted you to be able to live a normal life!"
"I don't want a normal life! I want Yukina!" Kazuma shouted, tears beginning to fall down his cheeks.
"Yukina got word that her mother might still be alive." Shizuru said quietly. Kazuma's breath came in short.
"She went to go investigate. And you promised. You promised you would never go back to Demon World! You have college tests to take! You have a future here! A future you've fought so hard to get!" Shizuru began to cry as well. "I've been so worried about you ever since you started getting into fights at school! Ever since you started working so hard on your schooling I've... I've been so proud of you, Kazuma!"
There was a silence. The pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place before Kazuma's eyes. The reason Yukina left was for his sake, but also hers. As much as it hurt, Kazuma knew Yukina's generous spirit constrained her to leave, so that Kazuma could have a chance at the normal, bright future he was working towards.
Kazuma bowed his head in defeat. He briefly put a hand on his sister's shoulder in thanks, then retreated to his room for the night. He dragged himself to his bed, where Eikichi meowed, welcoming his return. Kazuma pressed his lips against the crystal tear.
"Thank you, Yukina." he whispered.
-Chapter One: Missy-
Missy walked toward the Gaikou Fuzoku High School, holding her books close in her arms. Fellow students were chattering together on the school grounds. Some of the students saw her, and would instinctively move away from her. Missy was used to this happening, but it didn't make it hurt any less. People instinctively moved away from her for her whole life. Friends, family, now she lived alone. Of course, her wealthy parents paid her way through school, but that was the only support she received from them. Missy sighed. Transferring schools wouldn't help. People everywhere always acted the same way towards her.
"Class, this is our new student, Michiko Fukuyoma. Please make her feel welcome." the teacher said in front of the class, trying not to get too close to Missy. Missy bowed in front of the class.
"Call me Missy." she said quietly. Then she took the only empty seat in the room. It was in the very back. She put her books on her desk as she sat down. She glanced to her left. The boy sitting next to her glanced her way, and they locked eyes for a moment.
"Hey." he said quietly. Missy was taken aback momentarily. Was he talking to her? Missy quietly responded.
"Hello." She continued to look at the boy after he turned back to the window. He was very tall, especially by Japanese standards, and his bright orange hair set him apart from the rest of the class. Missy finally lowered her eyes and focused on class, letting her long, black hair create a curtain for her to hide behind.
Lunchtime came around, and Missy prepared to eat her lunch quietly at her desk. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see two girls smiling down at her.
"Hello! I'm Keiko, and this is my friend Botan! Would you like to eat lunch with us?" the girl said nicely. Missy was surprised.
"Um, okay." Missy answered humbly. The three girls moved their desks together and sat down with their food. Missy found that she couldn't take her eyes away from Botan's blue hair. It was bluer than the sky at noon. Botan noticed and smiled.
"It's my natural color, you know." she said. Missy quickly averted her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." she said shyly. "It's just... Blue is my favorite color." Botan grinned.
"Oh, stoppit you! You are too cute for your own good! Isn't she, Keiko?" Botan turned to Keiko, who looked distant. She seemed to snap out of her trance and smiled.
"Botan, you can be so over dramatic sometimes. Just eat your lunch!" she said.
"Well you're one to talk." Botan answered, picking up her sandwich. "You've barely touched your food! Is something bothering you, dear?"
"It's Yusuke." Keiko said, lowering your voice. "He's been so worried about Kuwabara ever since..." The two girls turned to look at the orange-haired boy. Missy followed their gazes to look at him too.
"What happened to him?" Missy asked curiously.
"Oh, you know," Botan said after swallowing a mouthful of sandwich. "He had a girlfriend, and one day, she just left. She hasn't been back around since."
"That's awful." Missy said sadly. She looked at the orange-haired boy, staring glumly out the window. She knew what it felt like to have loved ones leave her. Keiko put a hand on her shoulder.
"He'll be okay." Keiko reassured Missy. "If I know one thing about Kuwabara, it's that he is strong-willed. He'll be back to normal in no time."
"That's what you told Yusuke, isn't it?" Botan asked.
"Yusuke..." Missy repeated. "Why is that name familiar?" Both girls turned to her.
"He is one big troublemaker, that one!" Botan said. "I wouldn't be surprised if-"
"He runs a small ramen stand not far from here." Keiko said, interrupting her chatty friend on purpose. Missy looked up.
"That's it!" she said. "I go there every Friday. Is he a friend of yours?"
"Try boyfriend!" Botan said in a singsong voice. "Yusuke even asked Keiko to marry him!"
"Not officially!" Keiko hissed at her, turning red. "Stop telling everyone that!" Missy smiled.
"That's still very wonderful!" she piped. "He seems very nice!" Keiko smiled, still red in the face.
"Yes, well, perhaps we'll talk seriously about that matter when I'm done with school." Keiko responded. As Keiko talked, Missy stole another glance at the orange-haired boy. So Kuwabara was his name...
"Do my eyes deceive me?!" Botan said suddenly, bringing Missy's and Keiko's eyes on her. Botan pointed at Missy and lowered her voice.
"Do I see you casting longing glances in the direction of Kazuma Kuwabara?" Missy's heart skipped a beat.
"W-what?! I-"
"Leave her alone, Botan." Keiko said wearily. "You try so hard to match make these days... Take a break!"
"I don't even know him!" Missy stammered. Botan grinned.
"We can fix that! Oh, Kuwabara!" Botan returned to her singsong voice. Kazuma lifted his head.
"Come meet our new friend!" she invited. Keiko gave her an annoyed glare, which turned to slight pity as she turned to Missy.
"You'll have to forgive her." Keiko whispered to Missy. "She's not shy about anything." Missy nodded silently as she heard Kazuma approach the three girls from behind. He sat down heavily in a nearby chair.
"Kuwabara," Botan said. "this is Missy. Missy, Kazuma Kuwabara."
"Hey there." Kazuma said gruffly, holding out his hand. Missy took it shyly, bowing her head as she did so.
"Hi." she said quietly. She glanced at Botan, who seemed to be enjoying their awkward encounter immensely. Missy took her hand back quickly. Suddenly, the teacher called out to the students.
"Lunch break is almost over. Move your desks back, and we'll begin!" Botan stood.
"Missy! Our group of friends are hanging out after school! You should join us!" she said happily.
"Really?" Missy asked in disbelief. "You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not! We would love to have you there!" Meet us after school?"
"Sure!" Missy couldn't believe it. After all these years. She had suddenly found a group of people that didn't turn away at the sight of her. She smiled as she moved her desk back into place. Kazuma reached over and helped Keiko and Botan move their desks back. As he did so, he whispered to them.
"Botan, I thought we were going to Genkai's place after school." he said.
"We are. She's coming with us." Botan answered. Kazuma was about to ask why that would be a good idea, but Botan interrupted him.
"Honestly, Kuwabara. With all your psychic training, I thought you would've noticed by now." she whispered. "Can't you feel that Spirit Energy coming from her? There's quite a lot of it."
Kazuma blinked. Now that she mentioned it, Botan was right. Missy was positively overflowing with Spirit Energy... Just like he used to.
School was over for the day. Missy had never been so excited. She actually had friends to hang out with after school. She wondered what friends did when they hung out. She smiled as she picked up her things. She stood up to see two girls watching her. She smiled, wondering if everyone here was as friendly as Botan and Keiko.
"Hello!" Missy greeted them. The two girls looked unimpressed.
"Just what is it with you?" one of the girls asked. "Everything about you looks normal, but when you look at me, I just wanna never see you again." Missy's smile fell. A phrase echoed through her head.
'I never want to see you again.'
"I'm sorry." Missy said, turning her head away. "I'll just go." She started to leave. The girl stepped in front of the door.
"It's not enough!" she said. "You'll just be back tomorrow! I dunno what it is, but something about you is driving me crazy!"
"I'm sorry!" Missy repeated, tears springing to her eyes. The girl moved away from the door.
"Get out."
Missy ran down the hallway, tears streaming down her face. All she could hear was her mother's voice.
'I never want to see you again.'
She ran. Her tears blurred her vision so that she saw the blue blur of a school uniform only too late.
Kazuma suddenly felt someone run into him from behind, and spun around quickly, seeing Missy's slight frame.
"Whoah, there! Where are you headed in such a hurry?" he asked, steadying her onto her feet. Missy said nothing, but raised her head to look up at him. Kazuma jumped.
"Hey, are you crying?! You didn't run into me too hard, didja?"
"It's not that..." Missy squeaked, bowing her head to let her hair hide her face. "It's just... I guess sometimes I have the wrong effect on people." she sniffed. Kazuma looked at her, trying to wipe the tears from her face. Then he looked around. He could see that several students were put off by her presence, because of her Spirit Energy. He gently put a hand on her head.
"Hey, I totally get it." he said. "I had the same problem a few years back." Missy lifted her head slightly.
"Y-you did?" she asked. "How did you overcome it?"
"The right friends." Kazuma answered. "I found a trio of dudes that would stand by me no matter what. I realized that all anyone really needs is a handful of great pals!"
Missy looked around.
"Where are Botan and Keiko?"
"They went ahead to buy some bus passes. We're all headed up to the mountain!"