"Hitting the Sky.
A Yuu Yuu Hakusho fic by Maria.

Shinobis are the ones who walk in the darkness. We kill silently and swiftly, in a single motion, not wasting a single bit of energy. We protect, endanger, murder, fight, following out codes and the others we're given.

That's a reason why I don't exactly fit in the Shinobi stereotype. I'm much closer to light than to darkness. I love to have fun, laugh, and feel free, not being bound to anything but the desires of my heart. The sky is the only real limit I'll admit; everything else is a part of my playground, where I'll someday reign.

"Jin!"

I was just flying around, practising my flight techniques. I aodre to feel the wind on my body as I fly up, then go through the clouds playfully, and plumet down to Earth to only stop seconds before I crash on the ground. It's kina like being a living bullet, only that I can choose and control wherever I want to go and whatever I want to hit...

"Jin! Come down here, please!".

I did hear Touya calling out for me the first time, but preferred to ignore him trying not to spoil my fun. But after he calls me again, I have no choice.

"Okay, I'm going!"

I surely sounded like a spoiled kid who just had a whim denied, eh? But I do what he tells me, and slowly go down until I land on the grass, just in front of Touya. He looks right into my eyes, his light blue ones as cold and piercing as the icy blades he summons.

"We're leaving to the island right now", he tells me-

"Now!", I almost yell. "So soon! Weren't we supposed to...!".

"Plans were changed", he simly says. "The owner of the Team said so. We're leaving in an hour, so get ready".

I lightly kick the ground, hands on mi hips, and stare at the guy in front of me. Perfect poer face, that one of his'; always hiding whatever's in his mind...

"If he says so, deal", and I shrug. "So we're heading directly to the island, eh!".

"Yes. Us two, Gama, Ruka, Bakuken and Reishou will fight there as it was programmed. If all goes well...".

"Then we'll be given the island, and later, will reign over the Ningenkai! Ha ha!", I tild my head and laugh cockily. "Ah! I can't wait to have all that fun!".

Touya, however, doesn't seem amused, so I look at him. His face is almost unchanged, but as I look into his eyes... I think I see a sort of gleam. Can it be that Mr. Iceman does possess something similar to a heart?

"... Do I have something funny on my face, Jin?".

"... Huh!".

"You're looking right at me", he says slowly. "Don't you know that's rude?".

You're no fun, Touya. I was enjoying to see something similar to emotion in your eyes.

"Heh, it wasn't my intention!", and I flash an apologetic smile at him. "I'm sorry. There, I said it, Touya. Is it enough to firgive me?".

Now, he's the one looking at me. My my, doing the same thing you scolded me for? I sigh, but then he tilts his head.

"Hmph... okay. I'll let it pass this time". He crosses his arms over his chest. "If we're partners, we can't remain angry with each other, or we'll fail".

"Point taken!".

And I laugh out loud. Touya is perplexed, and just stares as I let out all of my relief in a very long, heartfelt laughter.

"Great!", I say when I'm able to talk again. "One step closer to my dream of hitting the sky! Man, but it's boring to be in the shadows... Hey! Touya, I thought I was talking to you!".

He's not listening to me. He's looking into the blue sky right now, with an expression that I had never seen in his face up until then... almost soft, if you ask me.

"... You were saying something, Jin?".

Now he's back to the Real World. Poker face again, perfect for a shinobi. Or it would be perfect, if not for the fact that his eyes still have a slightly softer glance.

"... Naw, nothing", and I summon my winds, floating on the grass softly and getting ready to go to our hideout. "I'm going. You don't want Reishou bitching out as us...?".

I look at him - but he's already gone.

"Duh. He was quicker than me...".

However, I'm not even angry at him for winning that sort of race...

Because now that I know that Touya isn't so different from me, we'll win the Ankoku Bujutsukai and see if we can hit the sky.