A Bouquet Above
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If blossoms must pass and florets live on, then if we can be reborn as such, let's meet once more underneath the cherry tree. I swear it will all be worth it, just to meet again. Hiei x OC and sequel to A Single Flower
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A/N: The first chapter of the sequel to A Single Flower! Where will this story take Hiei and Sakura and the rest of our beloved cast? Read on to find out!
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The sun was setting and everyone seemed to be retreating back to temple. I, Sakura, decided to stay behind and wander off to my own private little garden for some time to myself. These days, quality time like that was rare.
The clearing had an array of flowers that surrounded a single cherry blossom tree. This place meant a lot to me as it held a tree that my deceased mother had grown as a way for her to feel that I was still alive as long as it lived. The flowers around it had multiplied since the tree had first been relocated here.
It was a comfortable place to lie among the flowers and beneath the tree I so very loved. And every time I was underneath it, I found myself playing back what had happened in my life thus far.
I thought about how I had come a long way from a human girl to a lonely half demon to where I was today. I had learned so much about myself and my family and I made the best friends one could possibly have.
But that was quite some time ago. Today, I found myself thinking of more recent things. The more I thought about it, in the past seven years, even more had happened. And it all started with Yusuke's return from demon world. Boy wonder always brought something along with him.
Ever since he came back, I thought things would settle down. In fact, they seemed to do the opposite. Demons and humans were trying to coexist now with the kekkai barrier down and demons requiring to no longer cause mischief.
When he first came back his first priority was to find something to do with his time and he did just that. He didn't go back to school, but rather he opened up his own ramen cart. I never knew Yusuke to be a good cook, but I was pleasantly surprised when I visited and had some. For the most part, he was doing very well with his small business. And it was a good thing too, because two years in, he and Keiko had delivered a beautiful baby boy by the name of Enishi. It was inevitable, but their son only sped up the two of them finally getting married. The family had been very happy in the five years they have had so far.
On the topic of love, I thought that it happened rather fast for the others I knew in my life. When the barrier was brought down, more and more human psychics visited Master Genkai to have training. Not to protect themselves, but to better defend against those who would no doubt lash out to change. Among them was a person I had only met once, but who was now a dear friend of mine and the person that Kurama had loved in the past and had a chance with again. Her name was Maya.
Her memories had been wiped by Kurama after the two of us had been kidnapped, but her abilities did not. She wished to train them further and during that time, her memories slowly came back as with her feelings. I had rooted for the two the whole time and was rather happy when they too had a daughter of their own shortly after Enishi was born. Yuuko was a rather calm child, much like both her parents but was odd in having a distaste for plants, unlike her father.
Back then, we all thought maybe Kuwabara would end up with Yukina given that he was very much in love with her. But it seemed as if the two had both matured and learned that their paths weren't meant to cross in that way. Yukina knew of love, but not for a romantic partner, but for the daughter she was still carrying within her, as all koorimes are able to produce without a male. Kuwabara and another human psychic, Sonome, met and things fell into place just as needed and they married and had a son, Tsubasa. Like their fathers, him and Enishi were always rather competitive.
And out of the grand four, that left Hiei. The day Hiei had accepted my feelings seven years ago, it was something I was content with. At the time anyway. During that time, I expressed my feelings freely and he still remained the same. It was something that didn't bother me because it was the way he was that made me fall in love in the first place. Still, it would have been nice if I just could pinpoint how he was. Especially since-
"Mommy!" My thoughts were interrupted by a small voice that rang throughout the clearing. I got up and smiled at the little girl who ran towards me.
I ran towards her as well and scooped her up in my arms once I closed the distance between her. "I was wondering when you'd be back, Hinata." I cooed at her as she laughed as I tickled her.
I then put her down and sized her up. Her short brown hair had looked rather disheveled alongside her clothes, but despite this, her bright red eyes shined with pure joy. She had been fighting.
I crossed my arms when her father came into the clearing, without the same enthusiasm that she had had. "You took her out training again." I tapped my foot waiting for what excuse I would be hearing this time.
"Hn." Hiei replied completely indifferent to my attitude change.
I picked Hinata up. "Come on, it's getting dark and you're in need of a wash before bed." I walked past Hiei. "Say goodbye to your father. Who knows when the two of you will train again."
Hinata peered her head over my shoulder and we both knew Hiei wouldn't follow us back to the temple. "Are you mad at dad?" She asked me once we left the clearing.
"Mad doesn't even begin to cover it." I scoffed forgetting it was our daughter I was talking to. Unlike the other children, Hinata was never really raised by both parents. This was in part to our relationship never really being defined in any context. Even when I told him I was pregnant with her. Any four year old child would have a rather tough time not knowing when she would spend time with her father, but Hinata was always bright and happy regardless of who she was with. I suppose I did justice in picking out her name. She was my little sunflower through and through.
"It's okay mommy. Dad said he'd be sticking around this week." She assured me. I wanted to sigh but held it in for her sake. "We can all train together!"
I held her out and stared at her intensely. "Your father is making you into a fighting machine, and I'm not sure I approve of that young lady." Before she could express any hints of sadness over being scolded, I tickled her to let her know it was okay.
I doubt Hiei ever showed her any affection like I did, but I suppose he accepted her as his daughter if he was spending time with her, even if just was training. One could tell I was bitter about the whole situation. But she somehow made it worth it.
As soon as we walked into the temple the other kids came to greet her and there was just no luck in separating her from them in order to give her a bath. I let out a sigh. This was the worst and best part of having everyone at the temple.
"I haven't seen her all day. Does that mean Hiei's here?" I turned around to see Maya come in to check what all the ruckus was about.
"Define here." I told her.
She chuckled nervously. "Well, I guess that settles that. Still, it's nice to have everyone over for once. It's odd though." She remarked.
"Odd?" I asked raising an eyebrow at her.
She shook her head. "Oh, I love it that we're all here, but usually it's for special occasions. As much as we all care for one another, we all are rather busy otherwise." She said as she bent down to rub some dirt off of Hinata for me.
I looked at her and back at the kids. She did have a point. Who knows, maybe someone was already announcing another kid. I hope that wasn't the case. As much as I loved them all, I was usually the babysitter and considering their parents, they were all a handful individually.
Eventually, bedtime did come and I carried a tired Hinata to my room. Waiting inside for the both of us was Hiei.
I walked past him as I laid her in her bed. Once that was done, then I decided to address him. "Hinata tells me you've told her you're sticking around for the week or so. It's one thing to break promises to me, but I hope you're able to carry this out to your daughter." I told him.
"You know full well that I keep my word." He said as he leaned against the wall. "That's not the only thing on your mind. You've been seething from the moment you saw me."
"Because you caught me reminiscing at a bad time." I told him upfront.
"That's your problem, Sakura. You're too caught up in the past. There is a future to look forward too." He said with his dull tone.
"Is there even a future?" I raised my whispered voice for the sake of Hinata. "Between us, is there a future?" I asked him.
"While I said I'll keep my word, I also don't make promises I can't keep." His wording was always so convenient for him.
I made my way towards the door but he intercepted me. "You're not leaving this temple tonight." And he had the audacity to order me. He looked past me and out the window. "There's going to be a storm."
I turned around and saw no signs of a storm. I then turned back to him and I was reminded of Maya's words. "Is everything okay? Between human world and demon world?" I asked him. Maybe that's why he had come back.
"The same as usual. There are those who are restless with one of Raizen's colleagues winning a third time, but not enough to actually cause any harm. The peace between the two worlds is not something many want to ruin." He moved away from the door and headed over and sat on the bed and watched over Hinata.
"So, why the storm then?" I asked.
"Something's just not right." And then he just clamped up on me.
I let out a sigh. He was so difficult. Still, what with Hiei feeling the need to be around despite the others here, it must have been something big. Eventually, my worries subsided as sleep took over.
And when morning came, all worries of a storm seemed to be in the past as the bright light streamed through the room. I woke up and neither Hinata or Hiei were present.
I quickly got dressed and headed outside. To my relief, Hinata was playing with the other kids and the mothers were all there watching them. The guys were around too, but they were all spread out and doing their own thing. Most likely training as they all still liked to participate in the tournament for fun. Though last time, Hiei and Yusuke fought and I'm not sure how 'fun' it was for me and Keiko to see the two come close several times in killing the other.
I walked over and sat next to her. "It's so rare to have you sleep in." She teased me as my hair was probably still a bit of a mess.
"I think if the kids get to be on summer vacation than so do I." I told her. Only Enishi and Yuuko attended school as they were a year older than Hinata and Tsubasa. Tsubasa would be attending once he became of age and I was still deciding about whether or not to enroll Hinata. I still remained at the temple and that wasn't the best access to a school.
I'm sure she would be happy to spend more time with her friends. Things seemed like a wonderful morning with everyone out and the weather seemed absolutely perfect. I looked up at the bright blue sky and noticed something that was even a brighter blue.
Botan's hair. I saw her flying over on her oar, but she looked to be struggling and I stood up wondering if she was okay. The others looked in my direction once they watched me get up and then they all looked worried.
"She's…she's going to fall!" Sonome exclaimed as Botan was making a dive right for us. Her cry also caught the attention of the guys and they all rushed over as well.
When she fell off her oar and plummeted straight, Yusuke immediately held out his arms in order to catch her. Once he did, we were all shocked to see the condition she was in. She looked completely beaten but there wasn't a single bruise on her.
Keiko went up to her and placed her hand on Botan's forehead. "She's completely burning up." She told Yusuke and he carried her back into the temple.
Maya rushed to get Yukina to maybe heal Botan, and I quickly gathered the children over to calm them down.
I had no luck as a scream could be heard from outside the gates and Kuwabara was the first to make his way over there to open it up to see what the commotion was now. As soon as he did, a small girl with red hair flew through. Kurama went and checked on her.
"Mom, what's going on?" Hinata asked me and prompted the other children to try and go over for a better look.
I grabbed Enishi by his collar and pulled him back. "All of you stay here. Any movement and I promise you will get a punishment that'll make you regret disobeying aunt Sakura." They all listened immediately as I rarely every threatened punishment on them.
I ran over to where Kuwabara stood at the gates and at the base of steps were a horde of demons, who no doubt attacked the red head. While they all looked like demons and had different shapes and built, one thing they all seemed to share was donning a windmill like cross on their foreheads.
They were making their way up the steps and immediately I summoned my weapon as did Kuwabara.
The one closest to the entrance at that point flung himself towards us and me and Kuwabara reacted at that point and began to fight them off. I wonder if these guys were the ones who were displeased about peace between the worlds that Hiei had mentioned.
They weren't strong but there was a good amount of them. Luckily, Yusuke and Hiei joined in on the fight and they were all quickly thinned out until they were no more and with little damage. Though Kuwabara did manage to slice a stone structure on accident when he cut through one of those demons. "Oops, didn't mean that." Was all he could say after the fight was over.
"What the hell just happened?" Yusuke demanded from me and Kuwabara since we were the first to join.
"Well, why don't we ask red over there?" I pointed to the girl Kurama had helped on her feet now. "Seems like, they were after her."
Hiei surrounded the area to make sure those demons were no more and once that was done, he joined us within the gates of the temple and we all waited for an answer from the girl. The children had already been ushered inside by Maya thankfully.
"I need to see Botan!" She cried out.
"Yeah, well Botan just crashed minutes before you showed up, so forgive me us if we're declining visitors." Yusuke said.
"Oh, you're the former spirit detective!" She called out to Yusuke.
"Right, and you are?" He replied quickly when he saw us all turn to him to show that he didn't know her at all.
"I'm a spirit guide from spirit world. My name is Hinageshi."
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A/N: So a quick introduction to the sequel. Seeing as the second YYH movie was never canon, I thought it'd be a great base plot to use. Obviously with this taking place several years after the anime there's going to be tweaks here and there!
I really wanted everyone to have kids because that's just more fun and I took a lot of effort in thinking of their names. Enishi means connection which kind of alludes to Yusuke starting the bridge between the two worlds.
I feel like Yukina and Kuwabara would have never been really canon, so I apologize to those who do support the pairing! Kuwabara and Sonome though have a son named Tsubasa (So in Sonome means idea (because I liked something similar in Kuwabara's name meaning true harmony) and the nome meaning cloud so I thought Tsubasa meaning wings seemed fitting.)
Yuuko's name uses the kanjis for spirit and fox as an allusion to her human psychic mother and Kurama. I also always loved Maya so I thought a sequel would be a great way to bring her back in.
Hinata is explained already to mean Sunflower but there's more to that later on.
Sorry for the word vomit, but I hope you guys enjoyed the intro to the sequel and enjoy it from here on out!
