Can you turn my black roses red? Chapter 11

-"Sit down here please." Maya blinked at the owner of the gentle voice. She was a girl that looked to be younger then herself. She has a smile just as gentle as her voice and her hair had an unnatural aquamarine colour.

Maya couldn't really say anything against the offer so she sat down at the place the girl has pointed out to her. "I'm Yukina." The girl said. Maya then felt that there was something beyond that gentle smile. There was a happiness; a great happiness. But it seemed to be somewhat pulled back; restrained. And that only made Maya feel sad again. But her thoughts were interrupted by the old lady Genkai enter the room. After her came three boys and a girl.

The girl had long brown hair just like her, but her hair was a shade darker; and her eyes held a firm dedication. Whatever they were going to talk about that girl gave Maya the feeling that it was serious. Then again she had expected as much.

Then after her came Minamino-kun, however Mayas glance didn't waver. As a matter of fact now when she was more gathered up she could clearly see that there was something around Minamino-kun that wasn't present around the first girl.

Feeling on edge like this she also noticed that Yukina, which was sitting beside her, was also giving of the same feeling.

She felt uneasy but she had to remain sitting here; she wanted to know what this was all about.

After Minamino-kun came two other boys. One of them were taller then the other and she recognised him as "Kuwa-something" she'd only seem him for a short moment after all. The she noticed at ones that the shorter of them were, just like Yukina and Minamino-kun, giving of a certain feeling. She swallowed hard as they all sat down. Yukina to her left and the brown haired girl to her right.

-"Don't worry." Maya heard that Yukinas voice has a soothing tone to it as the aquamarine haired girl placed her hand over her own to calm her. It actually worked and Maya felt a bit of her motivation return to her. As she looked around the room with more confident eyes she could swear for a second that Minamino-kun had a, pleading look to his eyes? Yes a pleading look, but it was gone in the next second though. Maya blinked.

-"We don't have much time so we need to cut strait to the details." Genkais harsh voice got everyone out of their state of thinking and but their focus on the old woman. "You've witnessed something horrible; something ordinary humans shouldn't have to see." She drank some of her tea and then shot an unusually hard glare at Maya. She felt as if she almost got shot with a gun, and the recoil from it made her body twitch visibly for everyone to see. The shorter of the two boys she didn't know gave her an understanding look. Nonetheless Genkai continued. "Buy you need to get over it. We don't have time for some mushy angst for crying. Feel free to do that after we've solved the problem at hand."

-"Isn't Mediana dead?" The shorter boy and the brown haired girl burst out in a union. Genkai raised them a hand to silence and she continued talking instead.

-"Giving you all the details might cause you to faint." The woman looked to have a slight amused look to her face though. "But I will do it anyway." She sipped her tea for a second time.

-(At some level……you are enjoying this aren't you?) Maya never got to see if her statement was true though; since the old woman's tone returned to being serious.

-"There are some things in the world known as youkais…" She took a pause to let the one sentence information sink in. "Youkais, onis, beings from hell. Call then whatever you like. The point is that they are here; some are here in peace, other just act like a monster. Those thre-

-"That's enough!" At that moment everyone's attention was drawn to Kuwabara, that had stood up in a burst of fury.

-"Kazuma-san." Maya caught Yukina looking worried, yet at the same time admiring at the taller one. Genkai cast him a simple glance.

-"You'd rather take over the explaining Kuwabara; not against me." She seemed to get up when Kuwabara sat down sloping his form.

-"I just…… With Yukina-san and Maya-chan present. I mean Keiko-chan knows but, well. Think about Minamino will you. And well Yukina-san as well." At that moment his face hardened from unsure to motivated. "You seem to state this is a matter of black and white. I believe it's up to everyone to reveal what they choose to reveal!"

-"Kuwabara-kun that's enough." Kurama put up his hand as a stop sign to silence his friend.

-"Bu-

-"Let Genkai-shihan continue." But Kurama noticed that his try to calming instead had a revered effect. Kuwabaras anger seemed to flare up again. He rarely saw him get truly angry. Mostly annoyed but never truly angry like this.

-"Fine! You just act childish and forget everything that I said to you! Just let anyone hang you out not caring that you might loose something important in the process! I can't believe you, you're acting so childish!! Don't you care about yourself for ones?!"

-"Kuwbara-kun, not here in front of everyone." Kurama continued in his unmoved tone, as if Kuwabaras emotional burst rather had been casual talk.

-"Well now you seem to care!! Why don't you stand up for what you want, are you just going to sit there silently and pacifist like to let anyone stab you in the heart?!"

After that comment there was silence. Kuwabara left almost storming out from the room. At first Yukina seemed utterly confused but she got up and went after him. It went several minutes where the only sound that was heard was the wind outside and Genkai calmly sipping her tea.

-"I'm Yukimura Keiko." The brown girl finally said to break the silence.

-"Kitajima Maya." Maya answered, not really sure how to continue. She felt that her confidence had been shaken again.

-"Urameshi Yusuke." The shorter of the two boys reached out his hand and shook it before Maya had time to respond. "I'm sort of a youkai. But I've been living and fighting for humans as long as I've lived. So well, you can see me as a human."

-"Not everyone are that easy to throw the truth in the face on Yusuke." Yusuke faked a concern at Keikos harsh words.

-"Well that should have soften the blow." Yusuke said with a half silly smile.

-"You think about yourself as well for ones." And without hesitation Yusuke received a smack over the head from Keiko. Maya blinked; this had come very sudden.

-"Well I don't know what Baa-san has planned out for you; but if you're of fighting youkais then we'll be working together."

-"Working……together?"

-"Yeah, as spirit detectives."

-"Spirit……detectives?"

-"Or well call it something else if you like; I'm actually fired from that so I guess we ended up doing volunteer work." He hadn't let go of that silly smile; thus he received another light beating from Keiko for being all to forward ones again.

-"Well then Genkai-shihan. We will return later to continue the meeting." Keiko said with a smile and then almost dragged Yusuke with her out of the room. Maya was still dumbstruck with all that had been revealed to actually add anything.

-"Your friend face a terrible fate." At that she seemed to wake up to reality ones more.

-"Ayumu; what happened to Ayumu?!" It was the first time she'd spoken during the meeting; and Kurama found his own glance turn away.

-"You must have noticed that there is something strange with you as well." Genkai simply cut in. "In truth that's reiki. You should also be able to sense things better now when your reiki is activated. Some people like Yusuke and Kuwabara have learned to harness their reiki into a weapon." She noticed that her tea mug was empty. "……It seems you have that ability as well. Don't let it go to your head though, it's not like you can use it or control it yet… … And I don't take in disciples for no reason."

-"I don't care about that! Just tell me what happened with Ayumu!!"

-"So that you'll rush ahead of yourself and get killed? Then I'd prefer not to tell you."

-"Minamino-kun!!" Maya turned her plea for help from the old lady to her friend. But she received no answer from him. Actually he seemed to be in deep thought. "Just tell me what happened…Please…" Maya found her confidence fail her. Was this a ´me against them?´ situation.

-"Kitajima-san……The youkai that killed your friend was called Mediana; a youkai witch that lives out of sucking reiki out of humans……She killed Kokoda-san….." He took a pause and seemed to fix his glance at the roof instead. "But you killed her with your newfound reiki powers. Most likely you did this by accident and instinct; acting like any human would……"

-"But still there are two of her minions left unchecked in your city." Genkai cut in again. "They will most likely target you from killing their master. So we can use you as bait until those criminals are captured."

-"That would be dangerous- Kurama was interrupted.

-"I'll do it. If it's for putting this sinister fight to the end I'll do it."

-"So you'll need the basic training." Genkai raised her voice again. This made both Kurama and Maya silent. "But I won't be the one to give it to you." Then the old lady finally did rise and left the room. Leaving Kurama and Maya all alone again. Both of them sat in silence and neither of them moved from their spot. There were several meters between then and Maya could only see him in profile. His gaze still at the ceiling above them.

-"Minamino-kun." He looked over at her, his gaze felt so unusually empty. It caught her of guard not remembering what she had to say in the first place. His eyes looked as if he had lost his soul; at least a part of it. She knew what she wanted to ask; and she could guess the answer. But by asking would transfer the mere thought into words. Saying something through your own lips makes it a much clear reality. Something that you just ponder for yourself that you can continue to go around and ponder on for as long as you wish.

But not until you've spoken the words; or had someone actually tell you. Not until then it can become a reality. Since as long as it's just a thought planted into your mind there's always a shred of doubt; and there's always a shred of hope.

After all no one has said it to you. So it's not a certain reality. If you were smoking but wanted to stop. As long as you just think "I'm going to stop." It is difficult to really do something; it's still just merely a thought, you can always push it away. But if your friend tells you "You need to quit smoking you're addicted." It becomes a different reality. You know that it shows and it can't exists in your mind as a mere thought any longer.

The outside world will force you to act.

The moment she asks she can't let go of the questions.

The moment he answers she will be forced to act. She already knew what he was going to answer; Yusukes revealing had made that clear for her already. But if she didn't ask she'd have the question and the paranoia left in her mind. But if she did ask she would have to make her own statement to it.

She would be forced to act. How do you act when you notice that the person you like to spend time with actually isn't who he's supposed to be? The friend you had relied on. You don't just shrug your shoulders and move on with life. You don't start to get perverted fantasies and think this is something wonderful and cool.

No.

How DO you act when you are betrayed? Betrayed by someone you felt that you trusted. Someone that had smiled with you, spent time with you?

You don't start to ask how he feels and how things have been for him.

All you feel is that you have been betrayed; and betrayal always hurts.

-"Yes?" He turned his gaze to her instead.

-"You are a youkai aren't you?"

-"………Yes. I'm a youkai……My name's Kurama."

You hate to reveal that you've lied. You feel that tightening feeling in the stomach and you just want to run away. If you are emotional you would cry. But Kurama wasn't the emotional type so he stood his ground waiting for a reaction.

She stood up abruptly and with stuttering half running steps she left the room. Leaving Kuramas gaze turn back to the floor, as if he was inspecting the dust.