Author's Note:

After several years, I managed to pull myself up and type this chapter. Enjoy reading:D

-I'd refer to Mokuro as a 'he'. As far as I know, Raizen and Yomi didn't know he really is a 'she'. :D Those sentences with numbers enclosed in parenthesis have their explanations below.

Chapter Two

Mistakes and Promises

Makai, several years later…

"Lord Raizen," the servant announced, "King Yomi and King Mokuro are here. They want to talk to you," the demon said as he bowed before his king to show respect.

Raizen sat in a lonely corner of the room. He was in his room in his castle. He was alone. He chose to be alone. He was in his usual outfit, pants with a strap around it. He left his muscular chest bare.

He didn't even look up when he heard his servant. He didn't move either. It was nothing new. For so many years, he had been like that. Always lonely, always isolated. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.

"What do they want?" he rasped, his eyes still closed. If he didn't talk, it would be presumed that he was asleep. Maybe even dead.

"My King, it's regarding about your rule not to eat humans," the servant replied.

Raizen gave a chuckle. Why did they have to remind him that every time? It brought only memories that he didn't want to remember. Oh, well, they didn't know why he imposed that rule, anyway. He decided to see them. He was doing nothing at the moment. "Let them in."

Seconds later, he heard footsteps approaching him. He didn't look up to see who they were. Their auras were much too strong to be that of any ordinary demon around. Only the other two kings, Yomi and Mokuro, possessed such great energy.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a mocking voice said. Obviously, it was Mokuro. "You look pathetic, Raizen."

He didn't reply. He only continued to listen. Anyway, what would he say?

"What's with the rule you imposed?" Yomi asked. "The rule not to eat humans will make every demon in Makai oppose you."

"The rule is simply stupid," Mokuro said calmly. "You are a king of this world. You are a demon. Why impose such a rule? You're showing weakness, Raizen. I'm beginning to doubt if you really are fit to rule this world."

He looked up; his purple eyes giving the other two kings a mocking stare. "The rule I imposed isn't showing weakness," he stated calmly. Why wouldn't just they get lost? He wanted to be alone. It was too late to realize he shouldn't have let them in. They were here to ask questions. Questions he couldn't answer. "I am fit to rule my country."

"It's no strength either, Raizen," Mokuro said. His face was hidden so Raizen couldn't really see his reactions.

"You're really stubborn," Yomi stated. "I guess there's no use to talk to you."

"You're definitely right. There's no use talking to me. Whatever you say, I'd still continue imposing that rule," he replied, looking outside his castle through a window – if that's how you'd call an opening in the wall.

"Well then, expect us not to follow such rule. Demons under our command can eat as many humans as they can," Yomi said as he turned around and went out of the place. Mokuro was left with him.

"Why are you still here?" he rasped. "Go away. I don't need you here. You aren't welcome, if you don't know."

Mokuro eyed him intently. "I was wondering why you imposed such rule."

Raizen froze. That was one question he didn't want to answer. He glared at Mokuro. "Shut up."

"And why are you in a state such as you are now?" Mokuro continued. "You've changed, Raizen. All that started on the day you went hunting for human flesh, after we raided towns. (1) Something happened to you, am I right?"

He hissed. "I told you to shut up." He didn't want to answer his question.

Mokuro gave a mocking laughter. "You really don't mean that…" he paused as he smirked, "you fell in love with an ordinary human being, do you?"

That statement struck Raizen cold. He gave Mokuro a glare. Mokuro shrugged as he walked towards the room's door. Before he exited, however, he looked at him again, that mocking smirk still on his lips.

"Because that is so pathetic, Raizen."

ooo

Reikai

"Koenma, someone here is to talk to you. Botan brought her here," Ogre (2) told Koenma, looking quite unsure – and scared. His boss wasn't in a very good mood; there were so many papers that needed to be signed.

Koenma didn't even look up from where he sat. He was literally buried under his papers. He was starting to get annoyed. He had been stamping papers for hours now – of course without reading them – and they don't seem to stop piling in.

When he didn't reply, Ogre walked up to him. "Uh… boss…?" he asked.

Koenma exploded as he always does. "Will you shut up? I'm trying to work here!"

"But –"

"How many times do I have to tell you that you shouldn't disturb me –"

Footsteps approaching stopped their argument. Both of them looked up to see who it was. It was a woman in a white robe, her bluish-gray eyes looking coldly at them. She was expressionless. Beside her was Botan.

"Botan, what are you doing here?" Koenma asked as he sat back on his chair. He was pissed. Now was no time for him to be disturbed.

"Koenma, this woman here," Botan explained, "she's Yandra Iyemitsu, one of the best doctors in Ningenkai."

Koenma studied the woman. He was thinking. The name rang a bell. He was so sure he heard that name before. "That name's familiar. Hmm… let me think." He paused to think as he crossed his arms over his chest. Several moments passed, then he suddenly leapt up from where he sat, eyes wide in recognition of the name. "You mean she's Yandra Iyemitsu? That woman who cured so many people back in Ningenkai?"

"Well, yes," Botan said. "There's some mistake, however. I wanted to tell you, so we're here," she added, grinning uncertainly. What she wanted to say was important but Koenma didn't seem to pay attention to her.

"What mistake?" he asked, not quite paying attention. "I can't believe I'll see you here, Yandra," he said as he talked to the woman. "You're one of the best doctors in the world, I mean."

"Why? You think just because I'm a doctor means I'll live forever?" Yandra asked, eyes still cold and piercing. Her voice was calm, however. There was not a hint of what she was really feeling at the moment. "Everyone dies. That includes me."

He nodded. "You're right. So, why did you come here again?" he asked Botan.

Botan gave an exasperated sigh. Koenma, obviously, wasn't listening. "You see, I've been telling you that there was a mistake," she said. "And Yandra wanted to talk to you about something."

Koenma turned to Yandra. "You wanted to talk to me?" he asked.

Yandra nodded.

"Koenma, what about the mistake –" Botan was saying but she stopped when Koenma flashed her a commanding look. "We'll talk about it later." He motioned to Ogre and Botan to get out of the place.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk to be about?" Koenma asked again. He was curious. Spirit seldom talked to him. In fact, only several souls were able to talk to him. He was a busy man, and Botan didn't permit souls to go to his place.

"I have a favor to ask you," Yandra said sternly.

"A favor?" he asked, puzzled. Did souls ask him a favor before? No, he couldn't quite remember. More precisely, there was nothing to remember. Such thing – a soul asking him a favor – didn't happen before.

"I want to be reborn after three hundred years," Yandra stated. Her tone was flat. It was as if she just told Koenma her name.

"You want to what? Be reincarnated?" he asked, eyes wide. "What a favor!" he said, but his mind was already calculating.

Yandra shook her head. "You got it wrong. I don't want to be reincarnated."

"But you said you wanted to be reborn," he said, perplexed.

"Reincarnation means I'll be born again as another living person in a designated time. That means different body and with no memories of the past." Yandra shook her head. "I don't want that. I want to be reborn as myself in the past. That means with the same memory and same body."

Koenma gaped at Yandra, not sure what to think. "B-But…"

"Is there any problem?" she asked. For a brief moment there, Koenma thought he saw regret and sadness in her eyes. But then the emotions seemed to disappear quickly. Maybe he made a mistake.

"Uh… no, none at all. But it's really an unusual favor asked by a soul. I'll think about it, Yandra," he said, nodding his head.

"I see," she said. "I guess I better get going. Where's the woman with me?" she asked.

"Oh, she'll be here," Koenma said. "I'll call for her," he added. He pushed the button of his intercom (3) and called for Botan. He sat back on his chair. Then he froze. Something struck him.

"Oh, you're done talking all ready? That was quick," Botan said as she entered. "Come follow me, Yandra," she said and the two of them started to walk outside the place. It was obvious Botan forgot about the mistake she was talking about a minute ago.

"Hey, wait!" Koenma called out. The two women looked at him. Botan looked puzzled while Yandra remained expressionless.

"What is it? Did you forget something?" Botan asked him curiously.

"Well, I have to ask Yandra something," he said as he turned to the woman. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you asking me that favor?" he asked.

Yandra turned to him. "I wish to see someone again."

"But why wait for three hundred years? Why not now?" he asked her. She only gave a slight, mysterious smile and with that, she and Botan exited the place, leaving Koenma in a deep thought.

ooo

"Master Koenma," a voice said, interrupting Koenma's thoughts. He looked where the voice came from. It was Ayami, his assistant (4). She was holding documents.

"Oh, Ayami. What's the matter?" he asked. He was still in his office, still thinking of Yandra's request. It was almost impossible to do what she asked for but he was Koenma, after all. He could pull strings to make anything happen in Reikai.

"It's about Yandra Iyemitsu, the woman who came a little while ago," Ayami said as she handed him papers. "There was a mistake."

"A mistake?" he repeated. "Oh, that's right. Botan was saying that a while ago. I just didn't pay any attention to her. What mistake?" he asked as he looked at the documents.

"Apparently, Yandra isn't supposed to die just yet," Ayami stated.

He nodded his head. "I see. She isn't supposed to –" he stopped in mid-sentence. "What?" he asked, almost yelling.

"Yandra isn't supposed to die yet," Ayami repeated. "There was a mistake, that's why she died. She was supposed to live for a very long time."

He nodded. He understood that. Yandra was a very good doctor, that's why she was known even in Reikai. "So, what do we do?"

"We're supposed to restore her back to life," Ayami said. "It's a necessary action."

He nodded, still couldn't believe the irony of things. Yandra wanted to be reincarnated. But she really needed to be restored to life. She didn't need that request of hers.

"Alright, we'll restore her back to life. But we'll be doing that three hundred years from now," he stated, nodding.

"What? Why three hundred years?" Ayami asked, puzzled.

"It's what she wanted," he said as he looked at the documents. He'd be signing that three hundred years from now.

He didn't understand why Yandra wanted to wait for three hundred years, but he guessed it must be important. She even took the time to talk to him just to tell her request. See you, Yandra.

After three hundred years.

+to be continued…+

Author's Note:

Alright, what do you think of that:D I hope you like it. Don't forget to review. :D

(1)I just made it look like Mokuro was with Raizen when he raided towns years before. :D

(2)I really don't know what Koenma's assistant's name is (I mean that blue guy he always picked on. :D ) :D If you know, tell me.

(3)I'm not quite sure if Koenma does have an intercom in Reikai. If he doesn't, let's just pretend there's one. :D

(4)Ayami's really Koenma's assistant – at least that's what I think her name is. :D She's the woman in black kimono, by the way. :D

I promise to update soon if I get inspired. :D

-Herz