Note: This story does pair up characters. No Yaoi pairings. Yusuke x Keiko,
Kuwabara x Yukina, Kurama x Botan, Hiei x ?, Genka x ?! This story does
have original characters, however the author is not portrayed as one of
them. If you want to read about a character like me, read Genocide Heart.
Also if the characters are out of character it's not all my fault, I
haven't seen the entire series. This is supposed to happen after the movie.
This story is dedicated to Keetra - The ultimate author in Card Captor
fics.
Listen for the Sound of a Lonely Drum
It wasn't how she expected to be spending her life. She saw through the bars of the steel cage that held her. A faint light glimmered off the metal, otherwise shrouded in darkness. If only she could conjure an escape. Her eyes welled up. If only I hadn't fought with him. If only I didn't run off. Doomed with no chance of rescue she thought while pulling her knees up to her chest. As her mind drifted into sleep Botan remembered how she ended up in this situation.
"Hey! I think this one's it," Yusuke exclaimed as he examined the scratch n' win card from the grocery store. It was a quiet afternoon at Genkai's shrine and Kuwabara insisted on having a barbeque. He just finished a course at a community center and wanted to impress Yukina as soon as possible. Kurama was helping Genkai clean the up the yard a bit, and Keiko was putting away groceries. Genkai needed a great deal of help around the shrine since she put her back out. She on the other hand thought differently.
"Why don't you kids go get jobs or something? I'm really okay on my own. I appreciate this but I'm beginning to wonder if you're just here to eat all of my food," Genkai said glaring at Kuwabara who was setting up a grill in front of the shrine.
"At least I didn't put it in the shrine! I'm making dinner and you treat me like this?" He retorted. Genkai glared again.
"Hey, didn't you get the cash for that grill from shrine donations?" Keiko asked. Kuwabara lifted a single finger to his mouth in a motion to shush her. Genkai grunted. A sudden rustle in the trees announced the arrival of Hiei, who looked as pleasant as usual.
"Where is Yukina?" he asked although it seemed more like an order. Yusuke stood up from the front step where he had been scratching off his instant win cards.
"Oh, she's out with Botan to get some vegetables for the Ka-bobs Kuwabara's making tonight," he said without taking his eyes of the card he was working on. He bought at least thirty. One of them had to have a prize, just one.
Stupid human games Hiei thought looking at the cards. I guess I will wait until she gets back. He frowned and propped himself up against a tree.
"Hey you!" Genkai called at Hiei. He turned looking a bit surprised when a broom was shoved in his face.
"What?" he questioned.
"Pull your weight won't you!" She smiled at his distraught face. He grabbed the broom and went to go sweep off the porch. Hiei pretended that the floor was Genkai's face as he ground the broom into the floor.
Meanwhile.
"I wonder why the market is so empty today," Botan said to Yukina. Yukina held onto Botan's sleeve. She was a very cautious individual, as her previous experiences had taught her. A vendor was waving to them in the distance. A smile came to Botan's face as she pulled Yukina over to the display of fresh vegetables.
"Good morning Botan-chan."
"Same to you Saika!" Yukina grabbed Botan's shoulder and whispered into her ear. "Oh, Saika. I met him at the shrine. He comes by to see Genkai sometimes. He studies Demonology at a local university." Botan explained.
"I also keep a garden and sell vegetables to help pay for schooling." He pulled out a bag that had Botan's name written on it. Inside were red and yellow peppers as well as onions.
"Oooo! You got my order ready so fast!" He smiled at her excitement.
"Special discount for you today." Saika said writing up a receipt.
"Huh? You don't have too, I mean don't you need the money?" Well I do need the money he thought. Just tell her you idiot a voice said in the back of his mind.
"Well, I was... Ummm..."
"What is it Saika?" Yukina patted her on the shoulder.
"He wants to come to dinner tonight. He just doesn't want to impose." Both of them turned to look at the tactile girl. Yukina smiled.
"Well I hereby invite you! Besides, I want to know what else you've learned from your university," Botan said in a formal accent. Saika bowed down and rose agin clearly happy by this turn of events.
"I'll see you tonight then. I have to stay here a bit longer anyway," He said. The girls smiled and waved as they made their way back. He stood watching them go. An idea came to him. He had to thank Yukina. He pulled a single Iris from a basket at his stand and ran after them, as they were about to reach the steps out.
"Wait Botan!" With an extended hand he present the Iris. "I don't know your friend's name but thank you." Yukina picked the flower out of his hand and eyed it carefully. She was enthralled by it's beauty. When she tried to thank the man he was back at the stand arranging his wares.
"Good job Saika," a voice said from the shadows.
"Not as good as you could my friend," he replied. "How much longer must I stay here? I want to go home. The humans are making me feel claustrophobic."
"We can't go home you know. We aren't welcome there. This is our home. We are not like the others. The humans are our brothers. Never forget our Grandfather's oath. We must protect our own kind like they did for us. They died for us and what did we do." The shadow moved slightly.
"Well I don't care anymore." Saika replied.
"Then get a replacement for yourself you stupid coward. I don't need you anyway. I can live on my own."
"I can't. You know that. I'm dying of loneliness." The shadow disappeared obviously no longer wanting to be in the conversation. He sighed his loyalty got him nowhere. He reached down to where the shadow was and found a scratch and win card. Now to the plant the lure.
Author's note: Well I figured I might as well give the character profile for Saika so here it is:
Name: Saika Real Name: ? Eyes: wears glasses, has brown eyes Hair: black, long bangs frame face Height: 5'10'' Skin: Tanned Distinctive features: Tattoo of an eagle on his back Accessory: Carries a fetish in a bag around his neck
History: Goes to study Demonology at a University, and spends a lot of time at Genkai's. Thinks Genkai is the most intelligent person he's ever met. Actually has a crush on Genkai (He's not as young as he looks). Thinks Yukina is the child of the corn. Knows the Kurama is a Youko, though Kurama doesn't know he knows. Works with a partner. He is trying to find a replacement for himself so he can die in peace.
Unique abilites: Clairvoyant, 20/10 vision, he is basically the ultimate listener/spy. Can see/hear through walls.
Listen for the Sound of a Lonely Drum
It wasn't how she expected to be spending her life. She saw through the bars of the steel cage that held her. A faint light glimmered off the metal, otherwise shrouded in darkness. If only she could conjure an escape. Her eyes welled up. If only I hadn't fought with him. If only I didn't run off. Doomed with no chance of rescue she thought while pulling her knees up to her chest. As her mind drifted into sleep Botan remembered how she ended up in this situation.
"Hey! I think this one's it," Yusuke exclaimed as he examined the scratch n' win card from the grocery store. It was a quiet afternoon at Genkai's shrine and Kuwabara insisted on having a barbeque. He just finished a course at a community center and wanted to impress Yukina as soon as possible. Kurama was helping Genkai clean the up the yard a bit, and Keiko was putting away groceries. Genkai needed a great deal of help around the shrine since she put her back out. She on the other hand thought differently.
"Why don't you kids go get jobs or something? I'm really okay on my own. I appreciate this but I'm beginning to wonder if you're just here to eat all of my food," Genkai said glaring at Kuwabara who was setting up a grill in front of the shrine.
"At least I didn't put it in the shrine! I'm making dinner and you treat me like this?" He retorted. Genkai glared again.
"Hey, didn't you get the cash for that grill from shrine donations?" Keiko asked. Kuwabara lifted a single finger to his mouth in a motion to shush her. Genkai grunted. A sudden rustle in the trees announced the arrival of Hiei, who looked as pleasant as usual.
"Where is Yukina?" he asked although it seemed more like an order. Yusuke stood up from the front step where he had been scratching off his instant win cards.
"Oh, she's out with Botan to get some vegetables for the Ka-bobs Kuwabara's making tonight," he said without taking his eyes of the card he was working on. He bought at least thirty. One of them had to have a prize, just one.
Stupid human games Hiei thought looking at the cards. I guess I will wait until she gets back. He frowned and propped himself up against a tree.
"Hey you!" Genkai called at Hiei. He turned looking a bit surprised when a broom was shoved in his face.
"What?" he questioned.
"Pull your weight won't you!" She smiled at his distraught face. He grabbed the broom and went to go sweep off the porch. Hiei pretended that the floor was Genkai's face as he ground the broom into the floor.
Meanwhile.
"I wonder why the market is so empty today," Botan said to Yukina. Yukina held onto Botan's sleeve. She was a very cautious individual, as her previous experiences had taught her. A vendor was waving to them in the distance. A smile came to Botan's face as she pulled Yukina over to the display of fresh vegetables.
"Good morning Botan-chan."
"Same to you Saika!" Yukina grabbed Botan's shoulder and whispered into her ear. "Oh, Saika. I met him at the shrine. He comes by to see Genkai sometimes. He studies Demonology at a local university." Botan explained.
"I also keep a garden and sell vegetables to help pay for schooling." He pulled out a bag that had Botan's name written on it. Inside were red and yellow peppers as well as onions.
"Oooo! You got my order ready so fast!" He smiled at her excitement.
"Special discount for you today." Saika said writing up a receipt.
"Huh? You don't have too, I mean don't you need the money?" Well I do need the money he thought. Just tell her you idiot a voice said in the back of his mind.
"Well, I was... Ummm..."
"What is it Saika?" Yukina patted her on the shoulder.
"He wants to come to dinner tonight. He just doesn't want to impose." Both of them turned to look at the tactile girl. Yukina smiled.
"Well I hereby invite you! Besides, I want to know what else you've learned from your university," Botan said in a formal accent. Saika bowed down and rose agin clearly happy by this turn of events.
"I'll see you tonight then. I have to stay here a bit longer anyway," He said. The girls smiled and waved as they made their way back. He stood watching them go. An idea came to him. He had to thank Yukina. He pulled a single Iris from a basket at his stand and ran after them, as they were about to reach the steps out.
"Wait Botan!" With an extended hand he present the Iris. "I don't know your friend's name but thank you." Yukina picked the flower out of his hand and eyed it carefully. She was enthralled by it's beauty. When she tried to thank the man he was back at the stand arranging his wares.
"Good job Saika," a voice said from the shadows.
"Not as good as you could my friend," he replied. "How much longer must I stay here? I want to go home. The humans are making me feel claustrophobic."
"We can't go home you know. We aren't welcome there. This is our home. We are not like the others. The humans are our brothers. Never forget our Grandfather's oath. We must protect our own kind like they did for us. They died for us and what did we do." The shadow moved slightly.
"Well I don't care anymore." Saika replied.
"Then get a replacement for yourself you stupid coward. I don't need you anyway. I can live on my own."
"I can't. You know that. I'm dying of loneliness." The shadow disappeared obviously no longer wanting to be in the conversation. He sighed his loyalty got him nowhere. He reached down to where the shadow was and found a scratch and win card. Now to the plant the lure.
Author's note: Well I figured I might as well give the character profile for Saika so here it is:
Name: Saika Real Name: ? Eyes: wears glasses, has brown eyes Hair: black, long bangs frame face Height: 5'10'' Skin: Tanned Distinctive features: Tattoo of an eagle on his back Accessory: Carries a fetish in a bag around his neck
History: Goes to study Demonology at a University, and spends a lot of time at Genkai's. Thinks Genkai is the most intelligent person he's ever met. Actually has a crush on Genkai (He's not as young as he looks). Thinks Yukina is the child of the corn. Knows the Kurama is a Youko, though Kurama doesn't know he knows. Works with a partner. He is trying to find a replacement for himself so he can die in peace.
Unique abilites: Clairvoyant, 20/10 vision, he is basically the ultimate listener/spy. Can see/hear through walls.