I couldn't resist putting up this story after finding it in my old computer files. I started this random fanfiction about two years ago, and thought that a good resolution this summer would be to rewrite and finish it, then post it here. This story would not exist without my best friend Hikaru, whose original character appears in this story. Of course, if you've read my other YYH fics, you already know who Akina is. But this story is different from the others, because it's alternate universe, and the only characters from YYH that appear are Shuichi, Yoko, and Hiei. I hope you enjoy this, one of my earlier attempts at fanfiction.

Chapter 1: The Fateful First Encounter

Our story opens on a forest outside of a small village that lies out in the country, a few days away from Paris, at sundown. Hikaru Arasoi, a little girl of about 5 years with dark brown hair and deep green eyes, scampered happily through the underbrush, humming to herself. Without warning, she bumped into a young man with green eyes and long red hair, dressed as if he were someone of high importance.

"I'm sorry!" she chirped.

"Quite all right. Are you from the village nearby?" the man questioned her.

"Yes!" Hikaru answered, smiling up at him.

He looked out at the sunset. "Then don't you think you should return? It's getting late, and I'm sure someone is looking for you."

Hikaru nodded. "Okay!"

The young man took off his wide scarf. "Here, take this. It's a bit chilly now that the sun has set." he said kindly as he wrapped his scarf around Hikaru.

"Thank you! Bye-bye!" she waved, and ran off.

About half an hour later, Akina Sumora, a girl with long brown hair, brown eyes, and who looks about 16, ran through the darkened forest in the same general area, holding onto her cloak and looking quite distressed. "Hikaru! Hikaru, where are you!" she called as she ran.

She paused for a moment, and suddenly jumped in fright and yelped as she was tapped on the shoulder from behind.

"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you, mademoiselle," a voice said softly, as a figure moved into the moonlight, revealing the same young man.

"That's alright, sir, no harm was done," Akina replied, blushing as she took a deep breath. "Excuse me, but have you by any chance seen a young girl around here, about 5 years old?"

"Yes, I have," he nodded. " I sent her back towards the village some time ago."

"Oh dear! I must have missed seeing her when she was coming back! Now everyone will be wondering where I am!" Akina quickly curtsied. "Thank you for your help, sir!" And with that, she turned and ran off.

Back at the village, Hikaru was busy being fussed over by Akina's parents and the other villagers. Soon enough, Akina rushed onto the scene.

"Hikaru! You're safe!" she exclaimed as she hugged Hikaru. "Please don't run off any more, all right? I nearly got lost myself looking for you!"

Cheerfully, Hikaru answered, "'Kay! I'm sorry!"

Akina's mother stepped forward and asked, "Now, Hikaru, where did you get the scarf?"

Hikaru just smiled and said, "From the pretty red-haired man!"

"Oh, no!" Madame Sumora exclaimed as the villagers began to gasp and mutter among themselves.

Akina blinked in confusion. "What? What's going on?"

"It must have been that demon who haunts the woods around the old castle," her father spoke up.

"Oh, not that old story again!" complained Akina.

"It's true!" a villager cut in. "All the girls that have disappeared from the village over the years were taken by him, for his own enjoyment."

"Maybe he eats them!" piped up a little boy, and the people gasped in fear.

"Oh honestly, you can't believe these old tales, can you?" Akina sighed. "There's no proof of this demon, so the girls most likely got lost in the woods and starved to death or were attacked by wild animals! Besides, I think I saw the same man Hikaru is talking about, and he looked nothing like a demon." The villagers all gasped again. "He looked quite the gentleman, actually. He was the one who told me that Hikaru had returned to the village so I could come back."

"The pretty red-haired man!" Hikaru commented as she played with the scarf.

"Yes, he had red hair!" confirmed Akina.

Akina's mother looked worried. "Oh, now he could be after you, Akina, as well as Hikaru!"

"He didn't come after us tonight, did he?" Akina stated matter-of-factly. "If he is who you say he is!"

"But he could come back!" Madame Sumora insisted, and her daughter sighed again.

"And what of the scarf Hikaru brought back with her?" asked her father. "She says she got it from this man you saw. We must burn it at once; it could be a charm to help him to locate her later."

Akina just shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, fine." She tugged at the scarf Hikaru was holding. "Let me have the scarf please, Hikaru."

"No!" yelled Hikaru, holding it tightly as Philippe, one of Akina's many suitors stepped forward.

"Hikaru, my dog is going to have puppies soon. If you let me have the scarf, I'll give you one," he promised her.

"Really?" Hikaru looked up hopefully, and Phillipe nodded.

"Okay!" She handed over the scarf.

"Thank you," he said as he turned to Akina. "I'll see this is burned at once."

"My parents and I appreciate it," she thanked him.

"Anything to please you, mademoiselle," Philippe replied, and blushed. Akina noticed this, and thought to herself: What they won't do for my attention...

"Well, it is late. We'd all better get to bed," stated Madame Sumora.

"Of course," Akina agreed, and turned to Hikaru. "Good night, Hikaru!"

"Nighty-night!" Hikaru called as she was led away by her nurse.

As soon as she was out of sight, Akina whispered to her parents, "Has anything been decided yet? About Hikaru's parents?"

"Not yet, but it doesn't look good," her mother whispered back.

Akina shook her head. "Poor girl," she said as she sadly watched Hikaru go.

In time, everyone returned to their homes. Philippe burned the scarf upon reaching his home, and so the village gradually falls asleep, thinking the worst is over.

The next night, while most of the villagers were asleep, the window in Akina's second-floor bedroom creaked open, and a figure slipped in. It quietly stole to Akina's bedside. After watching her sleep for a few moments, peacefully unaware, it silently bent over her. But before it could do anything, Akina stirred in her sleep. The figure jumped back and fled out the window, creaking the floor as it went. Akina awoke at the sound.

"Huh? What was that?" she said sleepily, looking around. "There's nothing here." She tried to go back to sleep, but a few minutes later, she heard a loud scream that was unmistakably Hikaru's.

"That was Hikaru! What could be wrong?" Akina exclaimed as she threw her cloak over her nightgown and ran outside. Her parents joined her, and they ran the short distance up the street to Hikaru's home. There, they found the nurse sitting on Hikaru's bed, where Hikaru was sitting up in her bed, looking very scared and trying not to cry.

"Hikaru, what happened?" asked Akina.

Hikaru pointed to the open window. "There was...a fox-man...right there!"

Akina looked doubtful. "A fox-man?"

"I knew it!" Akina's mother exclaimed. "It's the demon! That must be his true form!"

"Honestly, Mother, she's only 5! She was dreaming!" argued Akina.

"Was your window open?" her mother asked next. Everyone looked up at Akina's bedroom window, which was still open.

"I might have opened it earlier..." Akina hesitated as she tried to remember.

Madame Sumora shook her head wildly. "I doubt it! I knew he'd be after you! This is terrible!"

As Akina unsuccessfully tried to reason with her mother, Hikaru suddenly screamed, "He's back!"

Everyone turned to look out Hikaru's window; where stood a man with fox ears, a fox tail, and long silver hair. They all gasped, and before anyone could stop her, Hikaru had scrambled out of bed and hoisted herself through the window, yelping "Fox-man!"

"Hikaru, come back!" Akina yelled after her. Hikaru ignored everyone and grabbed the fox-man's tail, who looked annoyed and dashed off with Hikaru still clinging to his tail.

"Nooooo!" screamed the nurse.

Akina ran for the door. "I'll go after her!"

"You can't!" Madame Sumora grabbed onto her daughter's arm. "He'll get you too!"

Akina shook off her hand. "I have to save her! No one else will!" Without another word, she ran home changed into her dress, and ran off into the woods, holding her cloak tightly around her against the late-night chill.

Meanwhile, out in the forest, the fox-man finally stopped running, only to discover that Hikaru was still attached to his tail. "I thought I shook you off," he muttered.

Hikaru only looked scared and clung tighter. The fox-man only sighed and continued to run.

Later, Akina was still searching the woods. "Hikaru! Where are you?" she called again and again.

She suddenly came upon an old castle, nearly hidden by a high wall covered in vines and moss. A rusted gate is in the middle of the wall. "I wonder if maybe Hikaru went in here? I saw that man run in this direction..." she said softly to herself.

Akina slowly approached the gate and touched it. Amazingly, it easily swung open. "Obviously, this place doesn't seem as old as it looks." Then she had a sudden flash of insight. "This must be the castle in that old story about the demon. Hikaru must be here-even though I still don't believe in demons. What we saw was simply a trick of the moonlight, plus the fact that we were half asleep!"

She entered through the gate, which somehow shut behind her, and walked along the path that led up to the castle's large double doors. Tentatively, she pushed at one of the heavy doors, and it slowly creaked open. Tiptoeing inside, she called out: "Hello? Is anyone here?"

Nothing but silence answered her. "Hikaru?" she called again. Walking in a bit further, she noticed a shaft of firelight coming from a slightly open door, farther ahead and to the left. Akina cautiously crept towards it. "Hello? Hikaru?"

Reaching the doorway, she looked inside the room. It turned out to be a large library lit by a fire on a hearth. There were comfortable-looking chairs, sofas, and daybeds scattered about the room. Akina was about to turn away when a familiar voice said, "Well, well, so we meet again."

Akina jumped and gasped loudly as the young man she'd met the night before rose from a high-backed chair that faced away from the door. He came towards Akina, smiling. "Did I startle you that time?" he asked.

Akina tried to catch her breath. "Maybe just a little."

"Will you be all right?"

"Yes, thank you." She smiled a little.

The young man smiled back. "Well, what brings you to my home at such a late hour?"

Akina was surprised. "You live here?"

He nodded. "I have for some time. Now, I heard your voice calling-what's all the trouble?"

"My young friend is missing again, and I think she might have come here," she confessed.

"He brought her here?" he muttered to himself, sighing.

"I-Is something wrong, sir?" Akina looked concerned.

"No, nothing at all. Come, let's see if we can find your friend." He offered her his arm.

"Th-Thank you," she answered as she took it, looking embarrassed.

They walked about the castle for a while, and while passing a pile of clothes on the floor, Hikaru suddenly popped out of the pile. " Hiya!"

Akina jumped. "Hikaru! Whatever are you doing there!"

"I followed the fox-man!" Hikaru replied, pointing to the man, who looked nervous for a second.

"Hikaru, that is very rude! You should be grateful that he doesn't reprimand you!" Akina scolded as she pulled Hikaru out of the pile and stood her before the young man. "Now apologize to him!"

Hikaru looked at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," he replied. "Now, it's rather late. How about I escort the two of you back to your village?"

"Oh, I would appreciate that very much!" Akina looked relieved.

"Very well-come with me." He led them outside and to his stable, then brought out a gentle mare and a stallion. "You two ladies will ride the mare. The stallion is for me. Do you need help getting up?"

"No, thank you. I've ridden many times," Akina answered as she easily swung herself up.

The man looked surprised. "Impressive. Now you," he said as he lifted Hikaru up in front of Akina. "Are you all set?"

Akina smiled. "Yes, we're ready."

"Then off we go! He mounted his own horse and trotted off, with Akina and Hikaru following. He led them far enough through the woods until they could see the village through the trees.

"I think this is far enough," he told them. "With all the rumors flying around your village, it would probably be best if I wasn't seen."

"Of course," answered Akina as she helped Hikaru down from the horse. "Now you run back home, and don't speak a word of what's happened to anyone, okay?"

"Okay! Bye-bye!" Hikaru said happily, and ran towards home.

Akina jumped down as well. "Thank you for all your help, sir." She turned to go, but the young man stopped her.

"Wait a moment, please. I know your young friend's name, but we have yet to be properly introduced. I'm Shuichi Minamino."

Akina looked surprised, then ashamed. "Oh! You're right! I never did tell you my name, did I?"

Shuichi shook his head, and she said shyly: "My name is Akina Sumora."

"Ah, you're also from Japan, are you?"

"Only half, actually. My father traveled to Paris from Japan, where he met my mother, and they moved here after I was born."

He nodded understandingly. "Well, it's a pleasure, Mademoiselle Sumora." Shuichi gently took her hand and bent down to kiss it. "I'll be going now, but I hope to see you again someday. Good night!" And with that, he galloped away.

Akina blushed when he was out of sight. "My goodness, he's such a gentleman! None of my suitors in the village are like him at all!" Pondering the encounter, she turned and walked home.

What did you think? The next chapter will be up very soon, but after that I have to write from scratch. Don't worry, if you're one of my fans from Long Distance Relationships- I reserve Sundays for writing that story!

Anyway, please review! I'm especially eager to know what people think of this one!