Well, here's the new chapter for Memories. Hope you guys enjoy it. Maybe this will get more reviews than my last chapter Of Death and Crows did.
Suichi was up when Victoria came home. The young woman frowned as she watched her roommate. He seemed quite preoccupied about something. She quietly shut the door and put her things down before sitting beside him on the couch. He never even looked at her, so he was definitely thinking deeply. So she decided to get his attention. "'ey, Suichi, wha's on ya mind?"
The man blinked in surprise, coming out of whatever thought pattern he had been engaging in a moment before. He then turned his emerald eyes Victoria's way, frowning at the interruption.
"Sumthin' both'rin ya?"
He shrugged slightly as he let out a loud sigh, leaning back against the couch. Victoria monitored his movements, seeing confusion and unease. She crossed her arms, arching one eyebrow as she waited for his explanation. She wasn't letting him get away without one.
"Well, today I created a character in my creative writing class. An odd woman addressed me by my character's name. She managed to get inside this house, and then suddenly disappear. And when I saw her again, it was in a crowd surrounding a raving madman. She mentioned something about those with a sixth sense were affected first. I have a feeling that I'm missing something, but that I would get it if I only knew how to put the pieces together," he said after only a moment's silence. Obviously the man had wanted it all off of his chest.
Victoria nodded slightly while inside she worried. This was just the kind of thing she was supposed to look out for. But she needed to have one more thing confirmed. "Jus' a bi' of curiosi'y on my par', bu' who was your charac'er?" she asked.
"Oh, I've decided to call him Youko Kurama."
The woman nodded again. "Alrigh'. Well, ya seem to be feelin' a lo' bet'er, so I'm going to go up to my room," she told him before standing and heading upstairs, leaving Suichi to his thoughts.
Once in her room, she dug around in her drawers for her cell phone. She never took it with her, simply because this one wouldn't be receiving any normal calls. Finally digging it out from its hiding place, the young woman dialed in a series of numbers and pressed it to her ear.
"Koenma, sir, someone is trying to get to Kurama."
Kurama sighed as he left the apartment, glad to be away. The last few days, Victoria seemed to be practically hovering over him. It must be because of what he told her a few days ago, about that odd woman. But today, Victoria had no excuse to stay home, not when her class was going to see the Queen's Gallery in London to study the art exhibits there. Even better, they were staying overnight, which got Victoria away from him for the whole free day he had. Sure, he'd have to deal with her tomorrow, but for now, he could do as he wished and not have to worry about the girl.
So he was going to spend the whole day out. He would walk where ever the fancy took him, and then catch the bus home when it grew late. He randomly picked a direction and just started walking. He absently noticed that he was walking past the place where that man had been rambling. Idly wondering what had happened to the man, Suichi continued past, not noticing that he had a fellow traveler behind him.
It was a nice, pleasant day. The sky was blue, free of the usual brooding clouds. That was one thing he missed about Japan. Here in England, the days were mostly overcast and gloomy. So today would be a day Suichi could cherish.
After about three hours worth of walking, Suichi decided he would take a break. There was a convenient park up ahead, so he angled off that way. He took his time following the winding sidewalks before climbing a tree, completely ignoring the waiting benches. He found himself a nice branch and looked out through the leaves, enjoying the brisk breeze.
"I see you haven't lost your love for trees, Kurama."
At the sudden, unexpected voice, Suichi nearly lost his balance on the branch, having to struggle to keep his seat. Once he was secure, he looked up, frowning at Aria. How did she get up there without him noticing? Surely he would have heard her? She was still wearing her trench coat and sunglasses, he noted. He then took a moment to study her more closely.
Aria was a thin, fit young woman and would be able to look him right in the eyes if they were standing. She was nicely tanned with a sculpted bone structure. She looked almost delicate, but she seemed to have a feral quality about her, and an unusual strength. Her slender fingers ended in nails that closely resembled claws, making them look quite dangerous. However, it was her hair that caught his attention. It was a bright silvery-white with electric blue streaks generously placed here and there in the short layers that framed her face. She obviously dyed it.
Shaking his head, Suichi finally found his voice. "How did you get up there?" he asked, frowning at her.
"Why, I climbed, of course. It wasn't obvious?"
"Yes, I realized that. But I'm sure I would have heard you."
Aria nodded, smile leaving her face. "Yes, if you were whole, you would have noticed me."
"And just what do you mean by that?"
"Half of your soul was locked away many years ago. You don't know how much it pains me to see you reduced to this, or the others."
Now Suichi was confused. "Others? What others? And how could my soul be locked away?"
Aria shook her head. "I can't tell you. You have to find these answers yourself. They are inside you; you just have to let them out into the open. Once you are yourself again, you will know the answers to your questions," she said before nimbly leaping from her high branch to land unhurt on the ground. "Oh, and one more thing. Your room mate is trouble," she added before darting off and leaving Suichi alone.
"Why does she always leave me feeling troubled?" Suichi muttered to himself as he climbed back down the tree to reach the ground safely. And just how did she not hurt herself jumping down like that? No longer in a good mood, Suichi canceled the rest of his walk, catching a bus back home.
He entered his silent house, locking it behind him as he removed his coat and sat down on the couch. The good day hadn't lasted, so the clouds had returned. Suichi hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, so it was very dark in the apartment building. But he really didn't care. Rather, he was more focused on Aria's words. So, he was locked away, was he? Dubious, but curious, he closed his eyes and imagined he was looking inside himself.
He suddenly found himself in what looked like a hallway that stretched on forever with door ways on both sides. Well, this was certainly unexpected, he thought, opening the door on his left. He found himself watching the day when his mother saved him as a child. Frowning, he quickly closed the door. Were these his memories, then?
He began to walk down the hall, noticing that every so often, a door was bolted shut. This greatly disturbed him. If this was his mind, all doors should be open to him. The farther along he went, the more locked doors he saw until there wasn't a single unlocked door around. He was also near the end, where a very large door rested. It was bolted as well, but also had chains in front of it. Was this what Aria had been speaking of?
Suichi considered the locks on the door before walking forward to touch a chain. He was instantly repelled by a large force, causing him to slide back a few steps. "What I wouldn't give for a lock-pick," he muttered to himself as he warily eyed the chains. There was a sudden clatter behind him, causing him to sharply turn and look down at the floor, only to see a single lock-pick. Confused but thankful, Suichi picked up the lock-pick and again approached the chains, this time prepared for the repelling force. Gritting his teeth, he held on and jammed the pick into the lock, fishing around before he heard a satisfying click. He repeated the process with the other chain and was left with a simple bolted door.
Cautiously, lest there be any more surprises, he approached the door and slid the pick into the lock. Nothing shocked him or forced him back, but this lock was a lot more difficult than the others. When he finally released the lock, Suichi reckoned he'd been working at it for a good half an hour. He could open the door now, but the question was did he really want to? He didn't even hesitate and threw open the door. He then promptly passed out at the sudden overload of information.
When Victoria returned home, she found Suichi passed out on the couch. Sensing the demonic energy he now possessed, she could feel the blood draining from her face. This was not supposed the happen! How could he have regained his abilities? Well, she'd just have to contact Koenma and get this taken care of immediately before Suichi regained consciousness.
She headed for the stairs, but was soon stopped when a hand was placed on her shoulder. Gasping, she turned around and looked right into the face of a woman she didn't know.
"I wouldn't be doing that now, you silly girl. Who knows what could happen to you?"
Victoria almost quailed under the sinister smile that was directed her way. Who was this woman? And what did she have to do with Suichi? Well, obviously she was how he got his abilities back. But why would she want that to happen?
"No! You have to let me contact Rekai! He's an evil thief. We have to keep him under control!" she pleaded.
The woman shook her head. "You have been mislead, dear girl. And since you know about this…I will have to kill you. I can't have Koenma knowing what is going on. I'm sorry," she whispered, true sorrow in her gaze as she moved faster than Victoria's eyes could follow, twisting the girl's neck until there was a sickening pop. The body fell limply to the floor, never to rise again.
It was that soft sound that finally woke Suichi up. Squinting, he sat up, a hand cradling his forward as if he had an awful headache. As he sat there, ignoring his surroundings as he absorbed his memories, he began the process of finding himself. Finally, he looked up at the woman with him.
"Aria," he whispered, voice hoarse. "Is Koenma insane?!"
The woman shrugged. "Maybe he is, or maybe not. But you see why we need the others, yes?"
The kitsune incarnate nodded slowly. "Yes, of course." He then looked to Victoria. "Did you have to kill her? She was a nice friend to me."
"Yes, I had to. I cannot risk Koenma knowing you remember your past. Not if you want to stay free and save this world."
Kurama frowned, nodding. "I see," he murmured, then looked up at her. "Now, tell me, who exactly are you?"
Aria smiled slightly, removing her sunglasses. The eyes she pinned him with were distinctly inhuman. Her eyes were wholly a pale blue with a black slit for a pupil. "I am an animal shapeshifter, Kurama. No animal is beyond my abilities."
"Ah, well, I see why you wear those shades now."
"Now, the reason I am here is that I know what Koenma has done. I was there, but not as a human, which is probably why I was not captured as you and your friends were. I want to save this world from what Koenma has summoned."
"Alright then. We had better get moving, yes? Koenma won't know about this for a few days, but he will eventually learn what has come to pass. Guard will increase on the others as well. But I suppose it will be easier with me along, rather than you alone. So, shall we get going?"
"Of course, Kurama. But first, we need to do something about her," she said, motioning to Victoria.
"Wrap her in a sheet and bring her with us. Once we are out of the city I will take care of it." Kurama then stood up, pulling on his jacket as Aria obeyed him. The woman hefted the bundle on her shoulder, then followed Kurama outside. Night found them in a forest, where Aria placed her bundle on the ground. The kitsune solved the problem of the body by summoning up a mass of vines which pulled the body into the ground.
"Ok, then Aria. Who is the closest?"
"Yusuke and Kuwabara. They are both in the United States, though on opposite ends of the continent," she supplied.
Kurama was silent for a moment before smiling. "Plane or cruise?" he asked with a grin.
A deep chuckle reverberated through the darkness of the dungeons of Rekai. The bonds Koenma had placed on him were weakening. He could feel it. That pathetic prince thought he could control him? He could squash Koenma like the bug he was. Really, what had the little man been thinking? Oh, that was right. Koenma thought what he willed the man to think. No one could hold out from his dark whisperings, not even the prince of all Rekai. Soon. Soon he would have Koenma Jr. as a servant along with all of the world he would soon control. Yes, this was certainly a cause for celebratory laughter.