Chapter Two
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ONWARD!
It had been unusually quiet around the city the past three days.
'Or maybe I'm just being paranoid?' I think to myself as I lean over my biology book, working on the assigned questions from the text. I frown slightly as I glance over Shuichi's own bent over head and towards the window, the afternoon sun slowly lowering to touch the tops of the high rises in the distance.
"Everything alright, Kaera?" Shuichi asks smoothly. Clearly I had been looking out the window a second too long. That was one thing that I had noticed almost immediately about Shuichi; he was very observant.
'To the point I feel like I'm under constant scrutiny when around him,' I think to myself dryly as I look instead at the red-head sitting at the desk next to me. "I'm fine, just watching the sun set." I reply, before turning my gaze back down to my work, resuming answering the questions. It was all in preparation for a lab next week, one that I was actually pretty excited for. We were currently studying plant biology, and would be working with factors of plant reproduction in our lab. It was going to give me an opportunity to see Meiou's famed greenhouse that I had heard so much about.
Perhaps they will let us grow roses.
'I still can't get that mystery man off of my mind, and it's almost been a week since he appeared,' I think to myself, feeling the apples of my cheeks flush a little. 'I've never felt so obsessed before. It's a little disconcerting, really. I don't have time for silly fantasies or crushes,' I frown then, feeling my stomach sinking a little as I ground myself. 'Besides, I might never even see the guy again.'
"Having issues with the questions?" Shuichi asks quietly from beside me. I lift my head, raising an eyebrow at him. I had also come to find that the boy beside me was a true brainiac in every sense of the word, and seemed to know the answers to everything. He also appeared to have no problem constantly flaunting this fact.
'Then again, I could just be overly sensitive after our first interaction with one and other. It's actually infuriating to know now that, not only is this guy gorgeous, but intelligent too. His superiority complex is almost warranted,' I think to myself with a sigh, shaking my head then at his question.
"Actually I'm done, and just in time too it would appear," I answer easily, glancing then towards the clock above the door. Only five minutes to spare.
"I see. I would offer a 'well done', but I feel you might take that as condescending," Shuichi jests lightly, and I can't help rolling my eyes a little at his observation.
Because he was right.
"Alright class, thank you for all the hard work that you've been putting in today. Unfortunately I do have some homework for you over the weekend," unlike what would typically happen at Sarayashiki High after such an announcement, there was an eerie silence with not a groan of disgust heard. "I need you to read pages 50-65 in preparation for our lab on Monday. I will be quizzing you, so I encourage you to do the reading and be ready," Miss. Yao smiles in a friendly manner, clapping her hands together lightly. "You are now dismissed. Have a great weekend!" In the past few days I had been enrolled in this class, I had found Miss. Yao to not only be an excellent teacher, but very approachable as well. A far cry from the likes of Mr. Iwamoto, and many other teachers like him, back at my high school.
Sighing softly I gather my things, standing from my desk and slinging my backpack over my shoulder. Maybe it's a good thing that the Netherworld has seemingly taken a chill pill over the past few days. Between this course and my others I had enough homework now to keep me occupied.
"May I have a moment, Kaera?" Shuichi asks softly as the other boys begin to file out of the classroom. I was about to follow suit myself, needing to catch the next train back to my district, but pause and look towards the red-head curiously.
"Sure, Shuichi, what is it?" I ask, watching as he too stands from his own desk next to mine and gathers his things.
"I hope this isn't too forward of me, but I was going to ask if perhaps you want to start a study group together?" Shuichi asks lightly, and I blink in surprise.
"Study group?" I reiterate, wondering if I had heard correctly. Why would a handsome brainiac want to study in a group with me in it? Who else did he want involved?
"Well, study buddies I guess would be a more appropriate term," Shuichi corrected himself smoothly, his green eyes flash a little with amusement at my reaction. "We could split the work, and tutor each other in what's necessary to know," wait, hold up.
He wanted to study alone with me?
Shuichi's smile turned slightly downward at my delayed response. "Perhaps this was too forward of me. I do apologize, Kaera."
"No!" I blurt out with embarrassing volume as he moves to walk away. There was no stopping the blush now as he turns to look at me with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, if you really want to be study buddies, I have no issues with that," I stumble slightly, inwardly groaning at how mechanical I sounded then. I knew this was an another olive branch that Shuichi was holding out for me to take after his terrible first impression, that wasn't lost on me, and I didn't want to mess it up. "Sorry, I've just never had someone ask to study with me before, other than my little brother that is," Shuichi smiles slightly at this, and nods. "When did you want to start?"
"There is no better time than the present, is there?" He replies lightly, and I can't stop the fluttering butterflies in my stomach. "How about we go and study at your place? My Mother is having a couple guests over tonight, so it might be quieter there?"
"I highly doubt it if my brother's home." I reply dryly, giving him a small smile in return. Shuichi chuckles warmly, and I'm a little surprised at the knowing look in his eyes. It was like he expected me to say something along those lines.
"I'm sure we'll make do. Besides, I don't like the idea of you taking the train alone after dark," Shuichi states firmly, and I have to hold back a small smirk of my own.
If he only knew.
"Alright, well, let's get going then I guess," I murmur, nodding towards the still opened door, the classroom now empty besides us. As Shuichi and I walk together from the station, I can't help taking sideways glances at him. The setting sun made his red hair almost blindingly vibrant, and his green eyes sparked in the reflecting of the low light. Even in peripheral vision from the side, Shuichi was undeniably handsome.
So what the hell was he doing befriending me of all girls?
It wasn't over exaggeration to say that I paled in comparison to him. I say so not to sound self-deprecating, but to state an honest truth. It had never truly bothered me that I wasn't stunningly beautiful, even if it gnawed at my self-conscious every once in a while. I had a lot to be thankful for, a lot of other things that I could appreciate about myself. Perhaps my outlook could be attributed to the fact that at so young I had gone through something incredibly traumatic with the loss of my parents, and learned a hard life-lesson about what was really important as a result.
It still would be nice to turn his head for once, however.
"You're awfully quiet, Kaera," Shuichi comments after a moment, and I'm forced out of my thoughts as we turn and wait for the signal to cross the road to the station.
"Just enjoying the afternoon," I reply, and that was somewhat true. It wasn't too hot or cool as the sun started to set behind the buildings, and there was hardly any breeze. "With doing this extra course, the past few days I've been feeling a little cooped up. I hardly get outside anymore it feels like."
"I feel the same," Shuichi readily agrees, before surprisingly I feel his hand on my lower back as the signal to walk across the crosswalk lights up, and he's guiding me along through the small crowds around us. My heart skips before I can stop myself, feeling the warm weight on the arch of my back. The skin there was tingling, whether with an urge to arch further away or press back into his hand, I wasn't sure. As soon as we're on the other side, I expect his hand to drop, but it doesn't. His hand stays right where it is until we reach the doors that lead into the train station, and at that point he only seems to pull his hand away to open the door for me like a gentleman.
I try not to swoon.
I had never been treated with such courtesy before by anyone other than my own family.
"After you," Shuichi smiles politely, as if completely unaware of what he was doing to me just then.
'And it can stay that way too,' I think to myself as I nod in thanks, continuing to fight back the blush that wanted to bloom along the skin of my cheeks as I walk through the door. Both of us meander easily through the gates and onto the platform, the tracks empty right now. "The train should be along in five minutes or so," I comment after looking down at my simple wrist watch.
"That's a beautiful ring," Shuichi comments seemingly out of the blue, and I blink a little in confusion as I look up from my watch towards the red-head, before looking back down to my hand, spreading my fingers outwards from the fist they were in while I had checked the time, my ring easily seen now on my middle finger.
"Thank you." I smile fondly down at the small snowflake, an inexplicable warmth filling my chest as it typically did when I looked at it.
"It seems as if it's very precious to you, if your smile is anything to judge by," Shuichi keenly observes, and I laugh a little, letting my hand drop back out of sight.
That was putting it lightly.
"It is," I admit, and before Shuichi could ask whatever was on his mind next, as his green eyes shinning with curiosity, the train came barreling down the track. We line up with the crowd, the wind gusting by us as the train sped on through, coming to a halt a few moments later. Ever the gentleman, Shuichi allows me on first, before following me onto the train. I immediately find a space to stand, grabbing one of the bars at shoulder level near a seat. Shuichi comes and stands behind me, a respectful distance away, though he grips onto one of the bars attached to the roof instead.
"Why do you not sit, Kaera? It would be more comfortable," Shuichi asks as the doors close and the train begins to move. I glance towards the seats around us, noting that most were indeed still open, but shake my head.
"I prefer to stand. Been sitting all day after all. Besides, someone else might need the seat more than me," I make up an excuse to cover the real reason I didn't want to sit.
Sitting made you vulnerable.
There were some instincts that now seemed so intertwined into my regular life that I've learned to have as Sailor Moon. You never sit down, because your reaction times were so much slower then. I would never allow myself to be cornered, not even at school during a dodge-ball game, because being cornered meant risking my safety. Most of these habits that have changed through the last two years were so small that my family never took notice. Not even my ever observant older sister.
Some things, though, like the nightmares, were harder to mask.
Suddenly the train lurches slightly, causing Shuichi to lose his balance behind me. His front presses into my back, not enough to have me lose my balance, but firm enough that I could feel the strength in his chest as he does.
This guy was built like a brick house!
As suddenly as he had stumbled into me, however, he leans back, giving me my space once more. Glancing up I can see how hard he's holding onto the bar above his head, knuckles almost pure white as he clenches at the metal.
"I'm sorry about that," Shuichi apologizes sincerely as I look over my shoulder at him, offering him what I hoped was an easy smile.
"It happens, don't worry about it," I brush off easily, though Shuichi doesn't seem able to do so for himself. His green eyes are calculating as he stares down at me, and I find myself having to turn away to hide the flush on my cheeks from his scrutiny.
Suddenly the scent of roses washes over me.
I stiffen, taking in a discreet whiff of the smell once more. No, my mind wasn't playing tricks on me, it was most definitely roses. Looking around the train, I try to spot someone perhaps holding a bouquet of roses, only to predictably come up empty handed.
Great, were my senses now having random flashbacks to that night as well?
Thankfully I hear the intercom call out our stop next, and Shuichi and I get off of the train without issue. Not many left with us, the station fairly bare. I take a deep breath of air, happy to find any residual smell of roses was gone.
Seriously, I was getting scary obsessive.
"Are you alright, Kaera?" Shuichi asks with concern.
"I don't like crowds," I reply in a half honest answer. "The train sometimes makes me feel claustrophobic. Let's get going," I don't give him a chance to inquire further, instead leading the way out of the station and onto the street. "How do you feel about walking?"
"I would prefer it to the bus, if that's what you're asking," Shuichi replies easily, and I can't help a small, relieved smile.
"Good, I'm the same way. It'll take an extra fifteen minutes to walk to my home, but with it being so nice out, I didn't think you'd mind."
"Not at all," Shuichi agrees with a small nod. By now the street lights were all on, the sky darkening quickly as night began to race in. Instinctively I look towards north-east, waiting to see the familiar glow of the moon as it begins to take the sun's place for the evening. I can see it, in it's waning period now, rising between two large buildings in the distance. I often wished I lived in a place where I could get an unobstructed view every night, where light pollution didn't dim the stars into almost non-existence.
The silence is surprisingly comfortable between us as we walk the remainder of the way to my home. I lead Shuichi inside, both of us kicking our shoes off in the entrance of my home. I gestured to to guest slippers that sat in our small wooden shelves nearby, slipping my own on before entering into our small living space.
"Shizuru?!" I call out, frowning as I glance through the small serving hatch we had in our wall that separated our living room from our kitchen.
"She's not here, sis! Had to put in some overtime," Kazuma's voice calls out as I hear him padding down the hall. The minute he sees both myself and Shuichi, he freezes. "What are you doing here, Ku-."
"Ah! Kazuma! How nice to see you again!" Shuichi cuts him off, voice a little loud. I frown at that, lifting an eyebrow as I take in his almost too large of a smile. He looked nervous for some reason.
"Y-you two know each other?" I ask, frowning in confusion as I look between Kazuma's dumbfounded face, and Shuichi's awkwardly large smile. "How come you never mentioned it, Shuichi?" I can't help but question. Surely he would have made the connection, given our last names, that we were related somehow?
"Yes, we participated in some extra-curricular activities together," Shuichi responds, and though I don't see it, Kazuma is freaking out and shaking his head while waving his hands rapidly at Shuichi. As soon as I turn to him, Kazuma's arms snap to his sides, and he now has a nervous look on his face.
"You've been doing extra-curricular activates?" I ask doubtfully, finding this whole situation way too weird. Kazuma's face screws up into an indignant scowl.
"What's so hard to believe about that?! I've been trying to better myself!" He argues, and I can't help blinking in surprise at his aggressive outburst.
"Alright, alright, I believe you. Chill," I state in a placating tone, raising my hands up in mock surrender. "Anyways, you know that Advanced Biology class I'm taking? Well, that's how I met Shuichi," I explain to my brother as he looks at Shuichi, almost like he was giving him the stink eye. Kazuma crosses his arms over his broad chest, continuing to eye the red-head next to me.
"Is that so?" He questions, and by the suspicious tone in his voice I already knew where Kazuma was going with this.
"We're going to study out here in the living room. The teacher assigned a huge reading for the weekend to prepare for our lab on Monday," I cut off any further questioning my brother could come up with, forcing down a hot blush at Kazuma's suspicious and protective attitude.
As if Shuichi was here for any other reason than to study.
"Maybe I should bring my homework out here too then?" Kazuma asks, lifting an eyebrow at me. I glare at him slightly, hands clenching into fists.
"By all means, Kazuma. I would absolutely love to see your new and improved study habits," I quip back to him, Kazuma childishly sticking his tongue out at me then. I resist the urge to do the same in return, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of my classmate.
My incredibly good-looking classmate.
The awkwardness continued to persist through the evening, Kazuma rising to the challenge and indeed studying with us. Shuichi and I sat on the floor on opposite sides of the coffee table, whilst Kazuma took his seat on the couch behind me. I was sure I would feel his eyes burning holes into the back of my head the entire evening, but that wasn't the case at all. It was interesting and confusing to me, that most of Kazuma's sidelong, suspicious glances seemed to be reserved for the red-head sitting opposite to me at the coffee table.
And these two apparently knew each other?
'Small world, I suppose,' I think to myself dryly after bidding Shuichi a good night at our doorway. Kazuma hovered just behind me, his arms once again crossed and a serious expression on his face when I turned to him. He waits till I close the door, before speaking what was clearly on his mind.
"Listen. I know Shuichi to be a good guy, but I don't think you should let your studying go too far," Kazuma embarrassingly using his fingers in the form of quotation when he uses the word 'studying'. "You know what Shizuru is like. She works hard to make sure we can go to school without worrying, so that we can make something of ourselves. She'd see a boy as a distraction from that," I groan, tilting my head forward and rubbing my fingers against my temples.
"What makes you think that he'd even be interested in me like that, Kazuma?" I ask easily, looking back up to my brother with a frown. "Shuichi and I are just barely even friends at this point. I'm sure it won't come to anything romantic between us, so you can relax," I assure him, the conviction in my voice genuine, because I truly believed in that. Boys like Shuichi didn't go for girls like me.
Besides, I had too much going on right now to even think about being distracted by a boy.
This seems to appease him enough for now, Kazuma frowning a little as he lets his arms drop from across his chest. "I'm not saying that you should never date, Kaera. It's just that now isn't a good time," He explains, before sighing and running his fingers through his pompadour styled hair, mussing it up as he does. Turning, he heads down the hall, and I relax back against our front door with a large frown on my face.
"Believe me, Kazuma, I know."
The next evening was unfortunately the one I had been bracing myself for since the last demon had been unleashed by the Netherworld. Sitting at my desk, I could feel the floor beneath me shaking, a now all too familiar shock searing it's way down my spine. Getting up from my desk I rush over to the window, eyes widening in horror as I see a massive dust cloud billowing up into the sky from the edge of the city. It was an older part of town, though new development was taking place.
It looked like an entire building had imploded.
The house was empty, Kazuma and Shizuru both gone, and so without hesitation I throw my right hand into the air above my head, and transform.
"Moon Prism Power!"
I can feel the warmth of the transformation worming along my limbs and over my body, a great flash of light that would be blinding to anyone watching filtering through my room. Looking in the mirror after the light had faded I find that Kaera was gone, replaced now by Sailor Moon, and hardly recognizable as such.
Opening my window, I easily leap down from the second story, across to the neighboring rooftop. It would be the fastest way to the wreckage, and one which I wouldn't be easily seen. My heart is racing, pounding almost violently against my rib-cage as I leap from rooftop to rooftop. Was anybody hurt? Killed? Was what that Netherworld bull-beast from a week ago threatened coming to pass?
"You might defeat me on this night, but there are worse things than I out there. And they're coming for you, and your precious Earth."
As I finally land on a nearby rooftop, I'm stunned by what I see.
An impossibly massive man stood in the center of what was left of the top floors of a building under construction. He was taller than my brother, which was a feat in itself, and insanely muscled. Veins and tendons popped out grotesquely along the top of his pecs and his biceps. He was only wearing a pair of suit pants, sunglasses covering his eyes and hindering my view of his face in the fading light. Looking towards his forehead, I don't see the familiar blood-red symbol of the Netherworld.
This guy was human…or, at least, he wasn't from the Netherworld.
'Look at him, though. He looks human, but his power-levels are off the charts,' I think to myself, mouth agape as the strange man's overwhelming signature washes over me like a tidal wave. It's enough to have me stepping back unconsciously, knees trembling.
Then a large piece of rubble begins to shift and move.
"Yusuke?" I gasp out, watching the familiar form of my brother's friend emerging from the wreckage. He was breathing heavily, scratched and bruised, but didn't look too worse for wear as he shoved the heavy piece of concrete away from himself. He stands slowly, glaring at the mystery man across from him.
Had he been fighting this guy?
I'm about to jump down, to intervene and take over, before the man's low grumbling voice stops me.
"Understand that this is the last time I'm going to save your life."
I'm equally as shocked as Yusuke looks at this statement.
'Wait, so he's not going to try killing him? What does he want then?' I frown, the need for answers stopping me from intervening. If what the man said was true, Yusuke wasn't in any further danger from him this night.
Then the man moves so quickly I almost miss it.
He's standing behind Yusuke now, towering above him. Yusuke goes completely still, his face betraying the fear that he was feeling in that moment. Yusuke was a tough kid, so for someone to throw him off like that was unsettling to see. I reach up, grabbing my tiara from my forehead.
"Two months from now, a martial arts competition will be taking place," The man informs Yusuke, looking straight ahead as he does rather than down at the teenager. It goes to show this guy's confidence that Yusuke couldn't hurt him even if he did attack.
"Oh, sounds like fun," Yusuke replies sarcastically, his voice weak and trembling. Even in the dim light I could see he was sweating from nerves. I force my energy outwards, tiara now glowing as I flick it to hover above my fingertips and at the ready.
"It's a Dark Tournament, organized by greedy human crime lords, and they draw on the most vile demons of Spirit World. Each criminal gets a team of five fighters, and the teams battle to the death," The man explains. My stomach twists in absolute disgust at how utterly corrupt this event sounded. "Humans enter for gambling and entertainment, demons fight for blood and a chance to win the prize."
As I said before, not all my adversaries were demons, or from the Netherworld.
"You and Kuwabara are special guests in this competition," Ice fills my veins.
No…no, he couldn't mean my brother?
"If either of you refuse, I will immediately kill you and everyone you know."
My tiara is tearing towards the hulk of a man behind Yusuke before I can even comprehend that I launched the attack.
Nobody threatened my family. Nobody.
As I leap down from the building, I watch my tiara bearing down on the man. It was on a direct path for that sleazy face of his.
Before he catches it between his pointer finger and thumb.
I land, one knee braced against the ground, and my mouth dropped open in utter shock as I see my tiara regress in its transformation, turning back to the original metal shape. The man tilts his head in interest as he gazes at it, before turning his attention towards me now, a small smirk on his lips as he does.
"I've heard about you, Sailor Moon. I was wondering if you'd show up."
"And just who the hell are you?!" I glare at the man, standing slowly. My eyes widen as, with a single flick of his fingers, he sends my tiara flying back at me at an impossible speed. I don't even have time to move, the metal edge just barely brushing against my cheek, a burning sensation left in its wake as it clatters somewhere behind me. Almost immediately I feel warm blood dripping down the side of my face from the small cut.
"That is of no concern to you." He replies lowly as I continue to remain frozen in shock, staring at the man in disbelief. He turns his attention back to Yusuke. "If you want to survive the Dark Tournament, Yusuke, I suggest you get stronger," without a single word more, the man turns and walks away, leaping down from the building into the alley below.
Leaving Yusuke to fall weakly to his knees in the man's wake.
I rush forward towards my brother's friend, frowning as I kneel down in front of him and grip his shoulders firmly.
"Yusuke?" His brown eyes are wide and staring ahead, unseeing. I gently shake him, mindful that he might be injured. "What just happened? Who was that man?"
"I'm an idiot."
I blink in surprise, not having expected that as an answer.
"I was so scared I could barely move! He's going to kick my stupid ass!" He shouts to himself in frustration, before blinking then and looking me in the eyes. "And I owe Kuwabara ten fucking bucks," He grumbles lowly, gently brushing my hands from his shoulders and standing once more. I tilt my head at that, standing as well and stepping back to give Yusuke room.
"I TOLD YOU SHE WAS REAL!" My back stiffens at the familiar voice coming from behind me. Turning my head to look over my shoulder, I'm shocked to see Kazuma standing at the guardrail on the street above where we were currently standing in the rubble of the building. He looks terrified, despite clearly having won whatever bet the boys had been involved in.
Leave it to my brother to focus on winning a bet rather than a direct threat to his life.
"Who was that guy, Yusuke?" I demand then, voice a bit harder. I had to know, had to protect my brother at all costs.
"How do you know my name?"
"Who. Was. He?" I punctuate my question, ignoring his own as I frown at the teenager.
"His name is Toguro, well Younger Toguro," Yusuke answers with a dark frown of his own.
"Where does he come from? What is he?" I question further, eyes narrowed.
"Listen, lady! I don't know much more than you do now at this point!" Yusuke shouts at me in frustration. "Besides, there isn't any way in hell you're going to be able to beat him, not even with that useless headband of your's! So stay out of it!" I refrain from shouting back at the boy in anger, not because I was trying to be the bigger person, however.
The scent of roses washes over me in that exact moment.
I turn, gazing up towards another skyscraper in the distance. There I can see two figures standing side by side, one much shorter than the other, but still looking taller than myself.
I was the runt of the family.
The taller figure, however, is the one that my eyes zero in on, widening the moment I recognized the vibrant red hair.
Shuichi?!
Even at the distance we were apart, I feel the moment our gazes are on one and other's simultaneously, a shock rushing through my system. Without a word I bound off, the inexplicable urge to run taking over.
What was Shuichi doing here? Was he somehow involved in this as well?!
Was this how Kazuma and he knew each other?!
What was my little brother getting himself involved in?!
Racing through the streets and into the park that stood between that area of town and my home, all these questions begin to flood my mind. Was Kazuma involved in something illegal?
"Yeah, we participated in some extra-curricular activities together."
"Listen. I know Shuichi to be a good guy, but I don't think you should let your studying go too far."
Suddenly something slices through the air right in front of me, causing me to stop short with a gasp. Looking down wide-eyed at the ground, my stomach drops even further as I see a rose, identical to the one from all those nights ago. It's staring straight up at me, the stem firmly planted in front of my feet.
Turning around slowly, I nearly fall over in shock at who I see behind me, with another perfect, red rose pinned between his pointer and middle finger. Green eyes are staring at me almost coldly, his vibrant red hair catching the light from the lamps above that lit the parkway.
It was Shuichi.
He was the man that had saved me the other night.
"W-what do you want?" I ask, voice shaking as I take a careful step back, unable to look away from his hard gaze. Seemingly out of thin air another figure appears beside Shuichi, the same guy that had been standing next to Shuichi just moments ago. Even in the low light I can tell that his gravity defying black hair had hints of blue and white in it. Now that he was standing even closer, I could also confirm that he was indeed only a slight bit taller than myself. We would almost be eye-level if standing nose to nose, which he had a regal one set perfectly in the center of his flawless face.
His red eyes, however, were both beautiful and unsettling.
"Who are you?" The shorter man demands, his voice almost melodic, though with a hint of timber that made it distinctly male. I could feel it in the aura that washed over me, like flames licking at my skin.
This being wasn't human.
"I'm Sailor Moon," I reply, squaring my shoulders, the reminder of who I was helping with my confidence. "And who are you?"
"We've met before, Sailor Moon," it's Shuichi that speaks up this time, my gaze directed towards him now. "Only a few nights ago, if my mind serves me correctly. You were going up against a bull-demon that had escaped from the Netherworld."
"And you were the one that distracted him for me," I reply, nodding. "I remember," I add, gesturing towards the rose. "Your signature, I assume? Very poetic."
"Indeed," Shuichi replies dryly, tucking the rose that was still between his fingers back into his low ponytail behind his neck. "My name is Kurama, and this is my friend, Hiei. Now, who are you?" I try not to show my confusion and slight shock as Shuichi uses a different name to introduce himself.
"I answered that already," I reply easily.
"That's not the answer that we are looking for," Hiei replies lowly, his left hand moving towards his right hip where I just take notice of the katana resting there.
"I can't give you my identity. I have loved ones, and their lives depend on my discretion," I answer, frowning and tensing. "I can, however, tell you that I'm on your side."
"And how do you know which side we are on?" Shuichi, no, Kurama, asks.
"I have a knack for being able to judge people," I state, avoiding their direct question, because I didn't know what side they were on. All I currently knew was that they were there when that man threatened my brother and Yusuke, and so I can only assume then that they all know one and other. Also, I really didn't want to believe that my little brother would associate himself with criminals, or bad people in general. That wasn't like him, and the one thing I could always depend on Kazuma for was his judgement of character.
"Are you with Spirit World?" Kurama asks then, and I frown, shaking my head. I was aware of Spirit World, but I did my best to not cross paths. My agenda, while the results might coincide with that of Spirit World's, was vastly different.
I was in search of the Moon Princess, the one that would finally bring peace and prosperity to Earth.
And would banish the Netherworld once and for all.
"I have a very different path I follow, a different mission," I answer, moving another step back. "Now I must go. Please, do not stop me this time," Turning, I make ready to run, before Kurama's voice cuts through the air again.
"Will we see you again?" My heart squeezes at that, swallowing thickly as I turn to look over my shoulder. Gone is the steel hard look of Kurama, the softness that I associated with Shuichi was instead reflected in those beautiful green eyes. I give a small smile, heart racing.
"Well, if I'm ever in need of help, I sure hope you'll still be willing to give it."
And with that, I race off, two questions echoing in my head the entire way home.
How was I going to face Shuichi on Monday?
And how was I going to get Kazuma out of this tournament alive?
And the plot thickens! Please let me know what you guys think, or maybe some opinions on how you might like to see this story go (i.e. KuramaOC, HieiOC, KuramaOCHiei ;P)
Until next time!
T.O.T.