Chapter 4

Yemi's Story

I entered then, my presence for a moment didn't seem to disturb their kiss. But when they did see me they didn't quite know how to act now they'd been discovered.

"No, it's ok, don't mind me, I won't say anything, I just wanted to know if Yemi was ok and if she were awake and wanted some tea?" I explained. Yemi looked at Akuma then gestured me over. She took a cup and had some.

"Thank you Morty," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry about Ana, we didn't know she was going to do that," I tried to apologise.

"I should have been more careful, I knew she was a Shaman, when we saw her the first time I knew, I knew she'd want to fight me if she found out," sighed Yemi.

"That's not quite true, Ana's a Spirit Medium not a Shaman, Yoh and Trey and Ryu, they're Shaman," I replied.

"And you?" she asked me.

"I can just see ghosts," I smiled.

"Then I have three challengers," she sighed.

"Only Yoh is going to challenge you, I know this may seem silly to ask but, you took out those Hunter Spirits like they were nothing, how come you're so scared and shy all the time, you can surly take really good care of yourself?" I asked.

"Yemi does not want to live as another Shaman's servant, if she is ever defeated than that is what happens," explained Akuma.

"Morty, how do you know so much about my kind?" she asked me.

"Ana had been studying it, you came to town last night didn't you, I think I saw you on the roof of the school," I replied.

"All I want is to live a normal life with Akuma by my side but I've been trying for twenty years with no luck," she said.

"Twenty years! How old are you?" I cried surprised, she was so young I had no idea she was an adult.

"I barely remember, I found Akuma when I was ten, spent some time training but then twenty years ago I just wanted to stop," she replied, "I had some of my powers from birth, this amulet has been with me since before my memories even begin. As a child the fact I had no control over when and upon who I used my powers made me very unpopular. No human wanted to be my friend and I was so lonely with no idea why I was so cursed. Then when I was ten the house I lived in caught fire, I only remember it burning to the ground, my parents never made it out."

"That was when I was in the Third Realm, Akuma is barely a nickname my true name Akumaskukun means Demon Lord and that is what I am, one of the lords of the Third Realm. For some reason my love decided the Third Realm was not what she wanted and decided to be born into a human. Yemi is the human my love chose and so when I finally tracked her down I became Yemi's demon and have protected her since the moment of her parent's death. I began to teach her what she was and through High School stayed by her side as her human boyfriend then when she was strong enough we went on our way. Yemi is so strong; the first few years of her life defeating Shaman were great. But as the Tournament drew near, Yemi realised what a defeat would truly mean," explained Akuma.

"Shaman would only like me because I was their girl, forced forever to serve them and them alone, no choice on my part. I only wanted to stay beside Akuma and so twenty years ago I stopped fighting and started hiding from Shaman, today was my biggest test, trying to live as a normal human again, but I should have known, I can not run from what I am and it seems we'll see a lot more of each other Morty," she said standing from the bed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Tomorrow Yoh will defeat me of course, my life's fear will come true, I'll be just a servant," she replied sadly.

"Yemi, that won't happen, we can defeat him, as we have all others, I promise it will be ok," replied Akuma hugging her from behind. Yemi started crying again, she was so scared; it was hard to see her like this.

"You should get some sleep Yemi, you're still tired from tonight," he whispered to her. Yemi nodded weakly and then went back to the bed.

"Thank you for the tea Morty," she said going back to sleep.

"She's so scared," I sighed.

"All this time of not fighting she has lost her natural self confidence, it only seems to come back to her when she does use her power. I've tried to close the void in her heart that craves attention and love for just being her but nothing can seem to fill it. Morty, don't tell her but Yemi is actually fifty years old," he told me.

"Fifty!" I said astonished she was much older than I thought.

"I took her memory of her parents and most of her memories of her childhood to ease the pain that time caused but as a consequence she has lost all sense of time, every moment drags on into the next to her and she has no feeling of it. What confuses her also is because she's a Demon Caller she will remain young for a much longer time then you mere humans, even now she bares similar resemblance to when she was fifteen," he explained.

"You should take her away, get out of here while you can, I don't know if Yoh has what it takes to beat you but he and Amedamaru are not often beaten either I like Yemi and all and it's great seeing her but she doesn't deserve the fate that might befall her if she fights Yoh tomorrow, she's not like the legends say. Go Akuma!" I tried to urge him but he shook his head.

"Yemi will win tomorrow. I know because if Yoh was a powerful Shaman it would have been him we ran away from today not Ana," he smiled, "you need not worry Morty but thank you all the same, perhaps there is hope for humanity after all."