3.

" 'Kyo!'

The fair-haired girl hurried to catch up with the man in the black kimono with the sigh of yin-yang on the back.

It was evening. The trees on either side of the road, whispered in the soft breeze and birds were returning to their nests. First stars of the clear summer night twinkled down mischievously.

'Kyo! Wait up!' she called again, annoyance apparent in her voice, as she ran after him. The man stopped suddenly, causing the girl to bump into him.

'Oof!' She tripped backwards and fell back, tearing her kimono.

'Watch it, Dog-face.' He sneered, his voice brimming with malevolence and amusement. 'Why don't you find someone else to tag along tonight? I am quite tired of your babbling.' Without turning back, he began walking away, leaving the fallen girl behind, seething in anger.

'Why?' she whispered unexpectedly.

This time he stopped, though he did not turn around.

'Why do you act like this Kyo? What have I done to deserve such a harsh treatment?' she shouted now, her voice becoming higher with each word.

She clutched at the stray leaves on the ground, her long tresses hiding her eyes. All the birds had stopped chirping now.

'All of us are your companions and we mean you no harm, yet you act like we don't mean any- like we're shit. You never listen! You never care! I am so tired of you looking down on us! Why are you so cruel? Why can't-'

Kyo whirled around in a flash, drawing his sword at the same time and slashed the arm with the dagger that had appeared out of nowhere, behind Yuya. Blood spurted on Yuya as she opened her mouth to scream, but was cut short when Demon Eyes Kyo grabbed her and bodily threw her in the bushes, growling at her to stay there.

A few minutes later, when he had ripped of every head of the group of bandits that had been stupid enough to attack them, he dragged her back onto the road like she was a thing and not another human being.

By the time, the others in their group had caught up.

'Wow! What happened, Kyo-san?' The Red Tiger asked, nonplussed, stopping when he saw murder in Kyo's eyes.

Without sparing him a glance, Kyo sneered at Yuya, 'Don't lecture me woman! Weaklings like you are not meant to survive! It is only my mercy that you've lived until now! You are nothing but an insignificant slave to me and I can behave whichever way I want to with the likes of filth like you!

Besides, no one forced you to follow me! If you do not like it, then we'll trade you in the next market for some genuine woman, who knows her place, Dog-face!' He hurled her among the dead, and moved on without a backward glance.

Yuya's eyes filled with tears. "

_

Present Day,

The Mibu Forests,

Japan

_

Kyo wandered aimlessly through the forest.

If only they could find that damned woman! All the Mibu clan would be saved. It gave him shivers to realize that there was woman out there who was stronger than Mibu Kyouchirou, whom he had barely managed to destroy.

If only they could find her...

'I'll find you, Kyo. I promise.'

But Yuya didn't come.

'I'll find you.'

Where are you Dog-face? Are you angry?

'I promise.'

Are you alright? Are you well? Why haven't you come back, dammit!

'I'll find you.'

I'll wait for you. Wherever you are, I know you'll come back. I believe in you just like you believed in me. But don't test my patience woman! Whatever others may say, I know you are not…you're not-

'I promise.'

_

_

_

[At the port city two years ago, Yuya had met a strange acquaintance.

'Kyo's woman?'

Yuya started when someone poked her in the ribs.

'Huh?' she mumbled.

'You are Kyo's woman right? I am not sure, but I think you might be. She too had long dirty yellow hair.' There was a quizzical note in the flat monotone. Yuya turned, and found herself looking at the bright yellow haired, lemon colored eyes, expressionless face of Hotaru, one of the Sheishtein.

He tilted his head at an angle; his eyes narrowed down in concentration and leaned closer. 'Yes, you are Kyo's woman after all; I see they are not big, just like he says.' He stated flatly, returning his attention back to the lollipop he was sucking.

'What-?!' she blabbered, turning red, 'Oh never mind! And by the way, I am Yuya Shiina, Hotaru, as you should have remembered by now, considering the fact that we've been through such a lot together lately-'

'Really? That's funny. I don't remember you that much.' Hotaru said, with genuine surprise, which was short lived as he became more interested in following the progress of a centipede, which he had just spotted on the ground.

'-and I am NOT Kyo's woman!' she finished in a high pitched voice. Why the hell was she wasting her time with him?

Miraculously, Hotaru answered back almost immediately (Yuya had never shared more than a few sentences with him till now, as he was simply too weird to talk to, so she was a little surprised that he had actually listened to her).

'But I thought, you said you are Shiina Yuya?'

Yuya gritted her teeth and said, 'Yes! I am Yuya Shiina.'

'But you are not Kyo's woman?'

'No, I am no-'

'But I though Yuya Shiina was Kyo's woman?'

'Forget it Hotaru.' She sighed. 'I have to go.' She said and walked away. Two hours later she was still haggling with the corrupt captain of a ship about the price of a ticket.

'Look mister, I am not asking you to ferry me around the world and back here okay? I just want to get to the continent, to China!' she yelled at the yellow-teethed man.

'Sorry lady, we go ter China only, that's true, but you wanna tag along, you do it at mine price and not a yen less.' he said grinning crookedly and leering at her fingering his dyed-red goatee. His breath stank of sake.

'Why that's-' she began outrageously.

'You are going to China?' a voice cut in.

'Huh?' Yuya asked, surprised to see Hotaru sitting beside her sucking his lollipop and not a care in the world.

'Ye-yes...' she stammered.

'I can get you an almost free ticket.' he said matter-of-fact.

'What!?' she gaped. 'Really? How?'

Hotaru took his time in answering, 'I am going there too. We can go together. It would reduce the cost of a single ticket.'

Yuya was too shocked to say anything but accept the offer. The captain of the ship was not pleased. He shuffled back grumbling about busy-bodies and client-stealers.

That night, before the moon peeked out, they boarded a small vessel for China and for the rest of her journey till she reached Kingdom of Britain, Hotaru never left her side or asked her any questions.

From China, they had traveled to Indostan. Never before in her life had Yuya wished she could stay at a place for some more time. There was so much to see, to smell, to hear; colors, splashed so brightly, it almost hurt your eyes to see them, sweet melancholy lilting music, exotic spices and foreign dishes. Traveling through the fertile plains with Hotaru, who picked up fights like others people picked at their food, had been a totally – Yuya struggled to appreciate –wacky journey. Yes, there was no other word for it. Later, they had boarded a ship from the port of Bombaye, which would take them through the Arabian ocean and reached the southern tip of Afrika.

Yuya remembered the dark nights of disguise and hiding in the nearby forest, as Hotaru went to locate a ship at the harbour, which would take them to their destination. She was quite afraid of the dark skinned local people, but even more of all the white skinners who treated them so inhumanely, that many a time she had to stop herself from trying to help them, by reminding herself that it was none of her business and she had something she needed to do, somewhere she needed to go.

The jungles too, had been like nothing she had experienced before. Back in Japan, she had assumed that no forest could inspire dread in her again after passing through the Aokigahara, but this, this was hell.

She had been hungry, tired and mosquito-bitten as she sat on the edge of the woods one day when she felt someone calling her name. Startled she followed the voice deep in the jungle, even though Hotaru had told her in a rather vague way that it would be risky for them to go there, forget alone. By nightfall, she was in a nightmare. She was sure something was following her and even as she ran through the thick undergrowth, an unconscious part of her mind screamed that she was completely lost. When the thing that was following her was almost upon her a dark figure dropped between them and with one flick of his wrist slashed the thing apart. Kyo? She had whispered. But of course it was Hotaru. He was more interested in examining the beast-man's corpse to listen to Yuya's apologies for getting herself in trouble but as they returned, he turned and looked at her and said, 'You shouldn't have left my side.' With that he ran back into the forest and left her standing on the edge of the clearing.

Bruised and confused about everything, she had made herself a sort of bed of leaves and spare clothes and fallen asleep the moment she closed her eyes, her gun lying next to her.

In the morning Hotaru had returned, dirty, battered with his hair full of twigs. 'I found more of them.' He said happily, before showing her the single teeth he had taken from each of them. They were seventeen.

They finally managed to locate a slavers ship that they could sneak into by bribing one of the crewmen and that night they set sail from the land of Afrika.

Saying completely funny things with a straight face or doing weird things at the oddest of times, Hotaru had been a very good companion. The most amazing thing was that he was completely unpredictable. One day, he would sit on a lone mast-pole not talking to any of the ship mates with whom he had become good friends or even Yuya. At other times, he wouldn't leave her side, saying the most outrageous things in his flat monotone or asking her the most shocking things like whether it was true that she had borne seven children with Kyo or trying to get her interested in the patterns the waves were making behind their ship. After months of traveling, they had finally reached Britain.

Yuya had immediately begun inquiring for the address. Someone had told her that it was the name of a street in the city of Londinium and so she had traveled through the countryside until she reached the heart of the country. Hotaru had gone along with her as usual. He would disappear for a while, when he sought out an opponent or found some interesting new curio, but he would always be back before sundown]

_

Present Day,

Londinium,

Kingdom of Britain

_

A red haired man, in the traditional uniform of the guards, came walking up the gravel path to the golden gates.

'Who are you?' he barked at the girl in tattered clothes, who stood glued to the spot, grasping a dirty portion of parchment.

Although she had learnt English now, it still took a little time for Yuya to understand what he was saying.

'I am...my name is Yuya Shiina (weird name, thought the guard suspiciously). I need to meet the lady of the house.'

The guard snorted and began walking back towards the house muttering about beggars.

'Wait!' called Yuya desperately. 'Just tell her...tell her that a friend from Japan is here!'

The man looked back at her.

'You don't look like you're Japanese (matter of fact, I don't even know what a Japanese looks like).'

'I know but-'

'Scoot off Missy, the Lady got no time for beggars.'

With that and a last disgusting glance at the girl he walked away.

_

_

_

Disgruntled Yuya walked back to the hovel she was forced to call her home, clasping a handkerchief to her mouth. It was absolutely next to the river Thames and so the air reeked of rotten garbage and urine and decay.

Knocking on the door she said in a whisper, for it was freezing outside, 'It's me.'

The door was opened almost immediately.

'Oh, you!'

'Hi Hotaru.' she said wryly as she closed the door behind her.

'How was the-' Hotaru began asking but forgot what he was talking about and remained content to take her coat.

'I found the house.'

'...Good.' he said expressionlessly. He went back to cleaning his sword. The seconds of silence stretched into minutes.

'But they won't let me in!' burst in Yuya, some of her anger coming out. 'I mean, why would they? I look like a damn beggar! We don't have much money left! I need new clothes and you need shoes (Hotaru frowned down at his feet, which were almost sticking out of his boots). And we can't keep on living in this rat-hole for much longer. The furnace is blocked and they say the real winter hasn't even arrived yet. And prices of food are so high-'

Hotaru got up suddenly, leaned over and touched her cheek.

'Do you know your tears have frozen on your face?' he asked.

'Wha-?' Yuya blustered, aware of a dull flush creeping on her face as she pulled back.

Had she been crying?

'And now you are turning red as well.' Hotaru cocked his head. 'Are you feeling all right?'

Yuya caught hold of his shoulders, 'Have you been listening to what I have been saying Hotaru!? We have no money! I can't get in the house! I can't meet my...my parents.' she began sobbing suddenly, the fear, anger, uncertainty of the past two years coming out finally. Before she knew what was happening, Hotaru was hugging her, his surprisingly warm body close to hers.

Yuya's sobs stifled in shock.

Hotaru.

'You have become sadder as we have come to this place. You were happier back in China and Indo-Indo....'

'Indostan!'

'Yes, that place. Even in that jungle country ('Afrika! Hotaru!'), you were more lively then here.' he said. 'Let's go back; I do not like this place. All this fog and cold is bad for me. My technique is not working properly. The moment I call up fire, it fizzles out. How will I defeat Kyo if I am so weak?'

Yuya looked up into his smooth, blank face. 'I can't Hotaru.' she said slowly and clearly, 'I have got to find my parents. I have to know my past. I have to meet my family. I need to. That is why I came here.'

Hotaru looked surprised and Yuya fancied she saw a momentary flash of pain in his eyes. 'Well then I guess, I have to-'

Yuya's screwed up her eyes. This is it; she thought dully, this is where he would tell me he is leaving.

'-help you get into that house before we can go back.'

Yuya opened her eyes. 'What?'

'I guess I have to help you-'

'Really?' she asked quietly. Perplexed, Hotaru nodded.

'Oh! Thank you!' she hugged him so robustly that he lost his balance and both of them fell down. My, she thought, Hotaru has really grown taller these last two years.

And why didn't I even notice before how good looking that fool could be? She thought guiltily as she pulled herself up and went about making some tea.

'And by the way, ' she said over her shoulder to Hotaru, who was still sitting on the ground as if nothing had happened, 'you have become a lot stronger then you were before in Japan.'

Hotaru's face broke into a dazzling elfin smile.

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