Listening to songs and rewatching Yu Yu Hakusho is getting me really insprired, just to let you know there's only probably two chapters left after this one, or one really long one, I don't know, still need to write some more.
But no need to fret! I'm already planning the sequel, it's gonna be so awesome!
So November went quickly and finally December rolled around until finally the day that Yasu had to leave was nearing. Winter vacation allowed him to settle all of his papers with the school and Naota was dreading his departure, not wanting him to leave and was fearful that if he left that her mother's behavior would start again. Although Shuichi and Hikaru both assured her that they'd be there for her, it wasn't the same with Yasu since he lived with her.
Naota sighed and hugged her pillow. She didn't want Yasu to leave but he had to, but for what she didn't know. There was a knock on her door and she opened it. Yasu smiled and she let him not really smiling since he was leaving in a couple of days. She sat on her bed and he sat next to her.
"To think that I'm going to be leaving soon, it was very nice spending this time together Naota, to think that next time we meet, you're going to be 10." Yasu said and Naota nodded. He frowned and patted her head, bringing it next to his chest. Tears welled up in her eyes and she hugged him. He continued patting her head, smiling a bit. He brings out a necklace out from his pocket.
"Naota, look at me." Yasu said and Naota looked at him with teary eyes. He moved her hair a bit and clasped the necklace on her. She looked down and gasped. It felt warm to the touch. "I knew it looked good on you."
"W-why..?" Naota started.
"It was supposed to be your birthday present, but I wanted to give it to you before I left so you can have something to remember me while I'm gone. Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." Yasu said. Naota couldn't hold back anymore and hugged Yasu while sobbing. He put his hand on her head and sighed. 'I know it hurts now, but once I come back things will change for the better, I know it. I will miss you Naota, but this is for the greater good.' Yasu thought.
The day arrived. Yasu stood in front of the luggage check with Kataki and Naota. Yasu looked towards Naota and felt a pain of regret for what he was prepared to do once the year ended.
"Just stay a good kid ok?" Kataki said. Yasu nodded. Naota fiddled with her shirts, not finding anymore tears at the moment to cry. He goes over to Naota and pulls her into a hug.
"Don't worry, everything will get better soon. I promise." Yasu said and he felt Naota nod. He grabbed his bag and went into the check in. Naota's eyes welled up again and Kataki motioned her that they had to leave. Naota looked back again to look for Yasu, but he was already gone. During the ride home Kataki and Naota didn't talk. Kataki has calmed down due to Yasu being there but with him gone Kataki felt as though now she had to deal with her troublesome child by herself.
So winter vacation came and went with Shuichi and Hikaru playing in the snow one final time before going back to school. Naota looked out the window and sighed. Hikaru pouted. 'It's been a while since Yasu left and she still misses him, man up and do something Shuichi!' Hikaru thought while glaring at Shuichi's back. Shuichi looked towards Naota and feels in a loss as to how to make Naota feel better. The bell rings and everyone starts packing their bags and Shuichi goes over to Naota.
"How are you doing?" Shuichi asked. Naota smiles softly.
"I'm good, you don't have to worry so much. My mother hasn't been coming home often so I'm good. The house is just…too quiet sometimes. But then I look at my necklace and everything is ok again." Naota said and Shuichi's eyebrow twitched, 'Necklace?'
"What necklace?" Shuichi said.
"Oh yea I didn't show it to you, I try not to wear it, it kinda hurts my neck. I can show it to you today, you wanna come over?" Naota said.
"You should go Akage, I gotta get home and do some chores my mom asked me to do." Hikaru said, slapping his back and he scoffed at her. Shuichi and Naota walked to her house and she seemed to be in better spirits. Shuichi thought about it and wondered why did Yasu gave her something like that? 'He had to have given that to her with some plan in his mind. But what I'm not very sure.' They arrived and Naota opened the door. After taking off their shoes and putting on slippers they go to her room. She goes under her bed and takes out a small box. She puts it on her bed and opens it. Shuichi looks at it and glares, some energy is contained in the necklace.
"Can i…?" Shiuchi said, motioning his hands.
"Sure." Naota said, giving him the box. Shuichi examines the crystal and touches it with his finger.
'You shouldn't have touched this necklace Shuichi.' Yasu's voice rang out in Shuichi's head. His eyes grew but he could not take his finger away, like he has been petrified.
'So it was you who touched it first. I must commend you for noticing but it's far too late for you to stop anything.' Yasu said.
'What do you want to do with Naota?' Shuichi asked.
'That is only for me to know.' Yasu said.
'Tell me.' Shuichi said.
'Use your suspicion and energy to figure it out, and even then you'll never find the truth.' Yasu said, the connection fading and Shuichi dropped the box and held his head, finding himself in a cold sweat.
"Shuichi, are you ok?" Naota asked. Shuichi took a deep breath, finding himself scared of Yasu. He took a deep breath.
"Yes I'm fine, I'm sorry I dropped it." Shuichi said, carefully lifting it by the chain and avoiding the crystal. He put it back in the box and gave it back to Naota. She looked at him with worry, his eyes seemed big and he has been sweating too. Shuichi was left slightly shaking. Naota put it back on the bed and reached for his shoulder. He flinched and she saw the fear in his eyes. She dropped her hand.
"I'm sorry." Shuichi said and left the house. Naota stood confused and Shuichi ran towards his house but stopped because he realized he was hyperventilating. He grabbed his chest and leaned against a wall. He remembered the sensation, as if something was stalking him like prey. For once Yasu released his demonic energy towards Shuichi, through that necklace and it scared him.
'I've never realized how strong he was. How could he hide so much power?' Shuichi said, calming down his heart and his fear turned into rage. He punched the wall until his knuckles bled. 'What is that energy going to do to Naota's energy? It's like it has a mind of its own, honing her energy, making it more powerful. But why? What is the reason to make her more powerful?' Shuichi's mind ravaged with questions but no answers.
A few more months went and gone. Hikaru and Shuichi talked more and more about how Naota's energy is becoming stronger and stronger with every passing day. Hikaru didn't trust the necklace but they couldn't take it away either, Naota loved Yasu like a brother and wouldn't even forgive the both of them if they were to take it away, and if she'd lose it, she would lose the comforting presence that she has and be left alone with her mother. Hikaru paced back and forth in the classroom. Shuichi sat in an empty desk.
"So what do you think we should do? If we keep wasting time like this whatever Yasu is planning will be completed! It's already been almost half a year. We can't keep waiting." Hikaru said putting her hands on the desk. Shuichi scowled, Naota's demeanor hasn't really changed. She's still the same and yet whenever she looks out the window it seems she's so far away. 'Probably still thinking about Yasu.' Shuichi thought and his scowl deepened. He let out a breath.
"Think about it, if we replace the necklace she would notice and if we take it away her only comfort from him will be gone. You know how much Yasu means to her." Shuichi said, frowning.
"Seems like she's almost in love with him if you ask me." Hikaru said nonchalantly and a tinge of pain shot in Shuichi's heart. Hikaru saw the change in his face and sighed internally. 'I can't really talk about it he'll just deny it.'
"The more we think about it, the more it hurts our brains. Let's just go home ok? We'll think of a plan eventually." Hikaru said and tripped on her feet, knocking her head again Naota's desk. Unbeknownst to both of them a small notebook came out.
"Nice balance gorilla woman." Shuichi said as he walked out.
"What'd you say Akage! Oh you're gonna get it know!" Hikaru said running out, letting the notebook out in the open.
The next day as Shuichi, Hikaru and Naota entered the room, a group of boys were surrounding Naota's desk with giggles and laughs. They look toward the door and started snickering under their breath. Shuichi ignored them and went to his seat and Hikaru went to hers. Naota stood in front of them and they all had big smiles on their faces. One noticed the necklace on her neck and smirked.
"What's that you got there Naota? Is that the precious necklace that your big brother Yasu gave you?" He said, approaching Naota and she ignored him. "Why don't you tell the class how you hold it in your hands and feel that he's there with you?" Naota stopped and Shuichi had a confused look on his face.
"How do you know that?" Naota said. He smirked again and held up a notebook. The group of boys started laughing and Naota started shaking.
"Well everything is written in here, including how you cry at night sometimes wishing he was there to pat your head, or hold your hand while you go to sleep." He said and Naota tried snatching out of his hands but he quickly maneuvered out of the way. Naota's face burned red, Shuichi and Hikaru got out of their seats.
"Give it back!" Naota said.
"No, not until you ask nicely." The boy teased. Naota frowned.
"Will you please give it back?" Naota said.
"Oh but wait, I got a question, what's with all these drawings and talk of spirits and stuff?" He said, ripping out the pages and letting them drop on the floor. The class stared at the pictures and Naota felt her heart drop and ran towards him only to trip on her own drawings. Their laughs echoing in her mind.
"Give it back to me! That's not yours!" Naota said. They threw it to each other across the room and Naota kept tripping.
"You're just a little freak! These things are not real!"
"Freak!"
"Monster!"
"Witch!"
Shuichi caught the stole the notebook from someone and Hikaru punched the main leader in the mouth. She gritted her teeth and her hands formed into a fist. She was ready to fight. Naota was kneeling on the ground, her hands and knees slightly red from tripping all over the place. Shuichi went to her. Her lips were trembling as the boys onslaught of various names kept coming. Shuichi then felt a rise in her spirit energy and his eyes widened.
"Naota, wait!" Shuichi cried out but it was too late, Naota's barrier suddenly cracked and her release of her energy was so fierce that it even broke the windows. Kids started screaming as the room began to quake. Shuichi noticed a disturbance in her energy that resonated with her necklace. Being pushed back from her energy, Shuichi walked steadily towards Naota, her energy pulsating throughout the room, those who were weak in spirit fainted while others trembled in fear.
He inched slowly towards her, Naota's formed glowed with her releasing her energy, tears running down her face. Her necklace levitated from her body and glowed red. Shuichi started to reach for her but the necklace started to shoot out small shots of demonic energy and cut his hand. Shuichi, determined to stop Naota grasped the necklace and with a fluid movement, broke the chain. The energy resonating in the crystal stopped and her energy retreated back inside Naota. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fainted. Hikaru caught her, breathing heavily, it took most of her to even stand within the classroom. Everyone but Shuichi and Hikaru fainted. Shuichi looked in his hand, bleeding from the small cuts. He glared at it. The doors opened and the teacher came in. Hikaru had a faint premonition, that Yasu didn't like what Shuichi did, and that he was going to come sooner than expected.
Will Yasu come early and set his plans into motion? Will Shuichi be able to protect Naota from Yasu's dirty and dastardly deeds? And when will I actually answer these questions that don't even relate to anything! Find all this and more on Somone I could call a Friend! (epic music in the background)