Authors note: I really don't have a good excuse for not updating. I got obsessed with Lord of the Rings Online. Add me! Haha. Then when I finally log back onto fan fiction all these updates were thrown in my face, I got confused, and I needed to reread my last chapter to jog my memory. But I'm back, I promise. And I will remember to step away from The Shire every now and again to update this story. Time to crank up the music and start typing away I suppose, enjoy. Some r&r would be much appreciated! Much love, me.

Break from Reality

Amane sat by her cousin's side as they waited for the bus. Her head was bowed in deep thought of the horror she witnessed the day before. The small group stayed by Kuwabara's side. With tears in his eyes he reminisced. Shizuru was much more than a sister to him. Their mother had past on back when he was a child; since then, Shizuru took over that role and raised Kuwabara. They may have had their occasional brother-sister spats, but he looked up to her. He wished he could have told her that before she left. Kuwabara, that poor boy, he remained home while Yusuke and Kurama accompanied Amane. Kurama, sensing Amane grieving for Kuwabara, gently laid his hand on her shoulder. Amane looked up to him. Her earthy brown eyes met his emerald eyes, and she flashed a small and obviously fake smile as if to say 'I know, I'll feel better. Just not now.' And, seeming as if her smile and it's hidden meaning was as clear as the cloudless sky above them, he nodded.

The bus approached and the three boarded. Yusuke paid for him and his cousin. Kurama paid for himself. The three sat together. Amane in the center with Yusuke to one side, Kurama to the other. The bus started to move and Amane watched the scenery out the window speed by. The first half of the ride was quiet. No one felt like talking much. Amane sunk in her seat, her feet touching her bag and guitar case. Yusuke looked at her cousin and asked, "Play a song?" Kurama smiled in agreement.

Amane glanced up to her cousin, then to Kurama. She sat up in her seat and pulled her guitar from her case. "Genre?" She asked.

"What ever, what do you play?" Kurama asked.

"Everything." Amane replied. Music is music and all music is good music, was the way she saw it. And so, she loved and played every genre. Without waiting for the boys to request anything she strummed her guitar. The entire bus filled with the sweet gentile, almost country like, melody. The boys listened to the girl as she played. But then were surprised by the strong, but still very feminine voice that came out of the girl, and equally surprised about the equally strong message, to live life to the fullest and to take a few risks along the way. Amane had written this song months before out of sheer boredom. But after yesterday, the message impacted them like nothing else.

The hours passed, Amane switched between her instrumentals and her melodies with equally as clever or brilliant lyrics to go with the music, and soon they made it to the end of the line. Amane placed her guitar in its case and they all emptied out of the bus. She looked around, "there's nothing here." This was in fact true. All around the group there was nothing but trees, bushes, and animals.

"We have to walk." Yusuke explained that their location was completely secluded in the forest, as far away from people as possible. Amane strapped her clothes filled bag to her back. Kurama offered to take her guitar. She smiled and handed it over. The three walked, taking a curvy and completely confusing path. Amane stayed close to the boys, she couldn't possibly remember her way back. After some time Amane cleared her throat in a way so the boys knew she wanted their attention. She asked for a break, almost as if she was embarrassed. They nodded and they all sat down in a nearby clearing. Amane and the boys talked for a while, she still had so many questions about the creature they saw yesterday, and how did Yusuke make that light, it was all so confusing and new to her. Yusuke was impatient. He didn't want to answer all her questions, after all, they could have been walking and getting closer to Genkai's temple. Yusuke's impatience got to everyone and they all stood and continued on. Amane walked right behind the two boys as they muttered to each other and suddenly something caught Amane's eye. She stopped. Flowers, beautiful flowers she had never seen before. She knelt down and picked one. Looking up she saw the boys much further ahead. She rushed up to catch up while putting the flower in her hair.

After some time the sun began to set. As the sun's last bit of orange light sank in behind the mountains in the background, the group saw the temple they told Amane about. Once there, Yusuke opened the door and approached a tiny and old woman. This was the teacher Yusuke was talking about? She was so small and looked so harmless. The woman approached Amane and said, "You must be who Yusuke was talking about, his cousin. Hopefully you aren't as dimwitted as him." Amane noticed her harsh tone of voice instead of the biting words it created. Amane shrugged, still speechless. Genkai took no notice, or possibly even care, to Amane's quietness.

Yusuke walked up to his cousin and roughly put his hand on her shoulder and told her, "You're going to be safe here. I'm going back into the city, I have to watch over Kuwabara. I'll come by every now and again to check up on you. Good luck surviving the night with this old hag." And with that, Yusuke left.

Amane turned to Kurama who had been leaning against the wall since his arrival. "Aren't you going?"

Kurama shook his head, "I'm staying here for a while. I'm leaving later tonight and going scouting with Yusuke, hiei, and possibly Kuwabara for Takeo." Amane nodded. Though yesterdays experience was no doubt the single most terrifying moment of her life, she actually wanted to help the boys. But, she knew there was no way she could. She doesn't have super powers like they do. Super powers is what she settled on. Neither boy clearly explained how they did what they did. So Amane decided her cousin was some twisted, delinquent Superman, without the superhero costume and the secret identity. It made about as much sense as anything else that's happened to her since her arrival.

The door slid open and a young girl with light blue hair approached them. Kurama introduced the girls. Amane smiled at her, as did Yukina. Yukina politely bowed slightly and said, "nice to meet you. I heard you were coming so I made you a place to stay. Follow me." Amane did as she was told. She and Kurama followed behind Yukina, side to side. Yukina slid open a door and added, "here it is. I hope it's to your liking." Amane nodded politely. So far, she wanted to spend this summer with her cousin. Which she is sure she isn't going to be doing any time soon. On the other hand, she had her own room. Yusuke's apartment was so small, they were all smashed together in a tiny room. The three walked in. Amane dropped her bag onto the wooden floor. Kurama placed her guitar case gently on the floor. Yukina looked at the strange shaped case. "What is that?" she asked.

"My guitar." Amane answered looking over to the blue haired girl.

Yukina looked at Amane, confused. "What is a guitar?" she asked in a curious tone. Amane remained smiling but wondered how Yukina could not have ever heard of a guitar before. She assumed this temple was even more secluded than she thought and living in this place was the equivalence to living under a rock.

Amane pulled the instrument out of its case and showed it to Yukina. "This is a guitar." She explained, "I use it to make music." Amane wondered if it was stupid to wonder if Yukina knew what music even was.

"Oh," Yukina started, "can I see it?" Amane nodded and handed it to her. Yukina looked at it confused and touched a string between her index finger and thumb. She lightly pulled on the string and let it slip through her fingers. The guitar hummed a low pitched noise.

"You know," Amane started to get Yukina's attention. "If you want, I could teach you how to play. It's not that hard of you have someone good teaching you, and I'm the best there is." Yukina smiled taking her offer. Amane placed the guitar into it's case and said, "we can do that later." Amane wanted to talk to Genkai, she had so many questions.

Yukina led her to Genkai. She looked over to the group, "what is it?" she asked.

Amane swallowed hard and spoke up. "I have some questions."

"Well…?" Genkai asked as a way to give her permission to speak up. The three kids approached the elderly lady and sat down ready to talk and get answers. Amane wanted to know so much and didn't know how to start. But Genkai was very helpful. After some time passed, Amane learned so much. From what she knew, Takeo was a demon who absorbs power from spiritually aware people to gain power. The correct term wasn't super powers, but her cousin had spiritual powers he developed after he came back to life. This was all confusing, but she bared with Genkai and tried clearing everything up. This all just sounded so impossible. After all, she never believed in demons and magic or anything. Then Amane realized something, when did Yusuke die? She never heard anything about it. Maybe Atsuko just never called her and her family? Well, it's done. Yusuke is here, so it's all okay. The talk was very enlightening and though it all felt so strange, she was much more informed and not so confused. She thanked Genkai for the time she spent clearing all this up.

Amane walked back to the room. When she turned she saw Yukina, but no Kurama. Yukina explained how Kurama likes to disappear like that. Then asked if she can teach her how to play the guitar like she promised. Amane smiled and said, "of course. I needed a music break from all this anyway." She sat Yukina down and handed her the guitar. She was very patient with her, never getting frustrated or yelling at her. Amane taught her until Yukina's fingers hurt and she asked to stop. Amane grinned, "the pain is good. It means you really worked at it."

Yukina smiled back and got up. "Well I have some stuff to do around. I guess I'll see you around. Thank you for trying to teach me."

"It's no problem, if you keep at it. I'm sure you will be great." Amane continued to sit as she watched Yukina leave and close the door behind her. Amane sat in the quiet, collecting her thoughts. Today was very interesting, she met interesting people, and she has this entire place to explore. But for now, she just wanted to go outside and write a song. Amane stood, with the guitar in one hand, walked out of the room and made her way outside. She found a place to sit down. She had a tune in her head while she was teaching Yukina, and she really wanted to hear the tune outside of her head. Amane gently placed her fingers in the right cord and strummed with the other. She grinned. The tune was becoming a beautiful ballad that fit the beautiful scenery around her. The stars above her were superb. It's nearly impossible to see so many in the city. The breeze was calm as it nudged the grass and trees to it's own tempo. Fireflies filled the area. The breeze picked up some, not enough to notice, just enough to push the flower out of her hair as it glided into the forest. Amane played without a care in the world. Everyone had their own escape from reality. For some it would be singing, for others it was art, for many it was a special someone, the list is endless. But for Amane, it was her music.

There was a rusting in the bushes off to the side of Amane. She stopped and called out, "Hello?" No answer. She placed her guitar down to investigate. "Hello?" She called out, "who's there?" Still no reply. She walked up to the bush. Her heart pounded as she walked. Each step made it pound harder and harder. By the time she reached the bush, it felt as if her heart could jump out of her chest. She swallowed heard and pushed the bushes so she can see. It all happened so fast. She knew there was a person. Male. Red haired definitely. But he's gone now. Amane took a deep breath. It was probably Kurama. He did say he was leaving around this time. She turned and gathered her guitar and walked back into the labyrinth like temple. She should get some sleep. Tomorrow was another day.