Chapter Two: Familiar Faces

A/N:  Another edited chapter for Mary-Sues!!  The next one's gonna be too!!  Not a lot is different but some is.  Please R&R!!!

" Kurama, wake up!" Hiei hissed.

" What's wrong?"

" Just wake up Yusuke and the ningen and meet by the lake, hurry." Then Hiei was gone, lost in the darkness.

Hiei saw the girl struggling in the water. He couldn't see her face and his charm was glowing even brighter than before. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara had arrived just in time to see the girl climb out of the water.

Hiei stiffened as he saw her. In fact he was stunned, her short silver-white hair and her blue, Forget Me Not eyes; it was unmistakable, Ayaka was alive.

It was strange how the one looked at her. There was obviously disbelief in his eyes as were the others, but his was different somehow. She had known this boy before and it seemed he recognized her too. She looked at him; his spiky hair and crimson eyes seemed all too familiar. In his hand looked like the other half of her necklace. But the question was: How did he get it?

Kuwabara stared at her she was drenched and shivering in the wind. Then he turned to his companions, "Hey guys how did the chick get here?"

No one answered; Hiei kept staring at her trying to figure out what she was thinking.

" Hn. So, you're finally back Ayaka. Took you awhile; I hope you enjoyed your little vacation. I'm guessing it's time for a rematch." He drew out his katana and stood prepared for battle.

Azumi blinked, " Huh? Who are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid with me girl,"

" Hey! My name is Azumi. Whoever this Ayaka person is I'm not her."

" Yes you are!" he argued, " If you aren't Ayaka then who the hell are you?"

" I thought we already went over this," she shot back, " My name is Azumi.

AZ-U-MI," she said, carefully sounding out each syllable.

Hiei growled and sheathed his katana, " Say what you want. I know who you are. He shoved the necklace out of sight before anyone could see it.

A scarlet haired boy with beautiful green eyes gave her a blanket and a small comforting smile. His voice was sincere as he spoke to her, " Here come sit by the fire. You're shaking," as he led her down to the fire he introduced himself and his friends, "I'm sorry about Hiei he usually doesn't act that way."

" It's okay … uh what's your name?"

" Sorry I'm Kurama, that's Yusuke, and Kuwabara."

Yusuke and Kuwabara motioned Kurama to come to talk. Kurama gave Azumi something to drink as he left to have a word with his companions.

" Is something wrong Yusuke?"

" Kurama do you think it's a good idea for you to tell her your real name?"

" Don't worry Yusuke, if need be I'll just give her something that will erase her memory of recent events."

Kuwabara joined in the conversation, " I don't know about this girl guys; I'm getting a weird vibe off of her."

"Do you think she's evil or something?" asked Yusuke.

" Nah, it's like she's not normal. How did she get here?"

" I don't know…"

Azumi turned around, " Where's the ledge?"

All three turned around. "What ledge?" they asked in unison.

" There was a ledge above the lake… I fell off of it. That guy he knew something. He knew…"

Yusuke's patience was wearing thin, " Why don't you stop muttering and start making sense! There was never a ledge and there never will be a ledge!" He was face to face with Azumi now his hand pointing to the ledgeless lake. Her eyes narrowed as she slapped Yusuke's hand down angrily.

" I'm not crazy, there was a ledge above the lake!" She put her hand on her head. Wracking her brain for memories, details, anything! " There was this strange man," she continued to explain as the others stared to pay attention, " cloaked in black and he kept calling me. He knew my name and he kept telling me to find my destiny. He even knew about my…" she stopped short.

" About your what?" Kuwabara asked anxiously.

" Uh, I forgot," she didn't want them to know about the necklace, not yet at least.

" But I finally found him and he was standing on the ledge. As I approached him he disappeared. I know it sounds nuts but as I looked down the ledge there was nothing, not even the sound of splashing water. That's when the earth began to crumble beneath me and I fell into the lake. I guess the rest is history."

Hiei stepped out of the shadows, he had heard the whole story, " The girl is right, there was a ledge over the lake, but this is a different one. The lake she fell into must have had a portal in it. That's how she got here."

All four of the Rekai Tantei had expected the girl to faint from disbelief, but that just shows how much they didn't know her.

Instead, she stood there quivering either from the cold or trying to take it all in, "Wow.  Well, I'm uh, sorry about slapping your hand Yusuke.

All they could do was stare back in silence, but after a few minutes, Kuwabara and Yusuke broke it, much to the relief of Azumi.

" Well we're gonna hit the sack, we'll see you guys in the morning I guess."

With a couple of yawns, they went into their of tents. Slowly her lids began to feel heavier with each passing moment.

"Well then I suggest you get some rest. It'll make you feel better in the morning."

She nodded, " You're right. Good night Kurama."

The firelight was a tapestry of colors swirling embracing her in its warmth, lulling her to sleep. The soft crackling and the scent of burning wood and earth became a comforting lullaby. Then, ever so slowly, she drifted off into sleep. The dreams she had were disturbing but familiar.

The land was green and the sky was a beautiful blue. She wished to be free and to go where the wind may take her but that of course was impossible.

"Stop looking out the window and daydreaming baka." Said a girl her blue eyes blinked in the darkness.

" How is father?" asked the girl.

" He is still very ill. Mother is devastated but I do believe he will live."

The little girl smiled at her. " I'm glad, but why do you never play with me?"

The other girl frowned, " Because everyone thinks you are strange. It's not normal how you know things. Adults fear you and many think you are causing the illness that has befallen father. I have no wish to play with the likes of you."

The little girl's eyes brimmed with tears, " Why are you so cruel? Why does no one accept me?"

" Because they all hate you, mixed breed," Secretly she thought ' Because I hate you, you and your cursed mother.' She left the room leaving the girl in tears.

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"Did you hear? I believe the king's daughter has disappeared…"

" Which one? Is it the one who…"

"Yes, but speak nothing of it. I don't believe the Queen is very sad though. Though it may be treason to say so but I believe the daughter to be cursed even more than her sister." The soldier nodded to his partner in agreement.

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" I know you didn't do it but you must flee or they will kill for sure."

" What about you? I can't just leave you here. What if they try to kill you?" the girl was frightened for her.

"Don't worry I'll be fine but she will hunt you down. You will have to face her. She is gathering forces to destroy the kingdom. They will understand once I explain but you must go. Here take this and keep it safe. I will wait for your return." She placed in the girl's hand a charm on a chain. " Know I will always love you."

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" You will die at my hands and all whom you care for will perish. You will be utterly powerless to stop me." A bright light came towards her when suddenly she woke up.

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She was sweating and gasping for air. Was all of that just a dream? It had seemed so real… She had dreamed like this once before. It was when the orphanage first found her. She was only five but she couldn't even remember her own name. She dreamt the first night but after that she had a dreamless sleep. She still hadn't gained any of her memory back, at last none she could understand.

The fire was dying down and though she tried to fall back into a peaceful sleep, it just wouldn't come.

Hiei's POV:

She had been tossing and turning in her sleep perpetually and she was sweating though probably not because of the heat of the fire. She looked like the mirror image of Ayaka, but she claimed she wasn't.  She sure was annoying like Ayaka though. Something strange was going on. His half of the charm was glowing brighter. The girl had the other half of the charm; he noticed it when she climbed out of the water. It had to be her, but why didn't she remember? It didn't make any sense, how could her memory have been erased, she didn't even remember her true name. It was even possible that she didn't know she was a youkai. He shrugged off these thoughts as he saw the girl begin to stir.

End of Hiei's POV *************************

Azumi rubbed the sleep from her eyes and noticed that Hiei had been watching her. She threw back the blanket and walked over to the tree he was sitting in. His eyes followed her every step of the way. " What are you doing up there?"

" Nothing, I'm keeping watch, go back to sleep girl."

She gave an annoyed expression, " I'd appreciate it if you would call me by my name and not just girl."

Hiei looked down at her, she wasn't even afraid of him… well he would change that soon enough. " I'll call you dead, if you don't shut up!" In a flash, he was behind her, holding his katana to her neck, but she shook a little, but she didn't scream, obviously her body was sending messages to her brain that it did not want to understand.

" Are you done yet? Because if you didn't know this isn't a very comfortable position." Hiei released her and Azumi began to rub her neck in the place where he had held his weapon. She turned her attention to him, " Is that how you greet everyone? Wow, you must make friends wherever you go huh?" her voice was dripping with sarcasm. She looked at his weapon and put her hands on her hips, " Why is that thing still out?"

Hiei was about to say something back to her but what she said was so familiar. It was like he was getting Déjà vu. * She sighed as her gaze rested on his katana, " Why do you still have that thing out?" *

He brushed away the memory and replied, " Hn. Whatever girl and sheathed his katana.

" Matte," she stopped him before he could jump back into the tree.

" What?" he snapped. Why wouldn't this stupid girl remember?

" Well, I can't sleep so I was wondering if you would like me to keep watch so you could sleep?"

He smirked, " Yeah right, they'd kill you before you would even be able to warn anyone."

" Are you saying I'm weak?" she demanded.

" Hn, think what you like girl, I don't care."

She turned away, ' What was wrong with this guy? She tries to do something nice for him and he insults her!'

" Why are you so mean to me?" she looked up at him.

He shrugged, " I'm like that to everyone so get used to it. It's how I am." He looked at her meaningfully, " No one can truly disguise who they really are…"

" I'm not Ayaka or whoever she is! So you can stop trying to tell me I am. I know who I am."

"Hn," was Hiei's only reply.

Most of the time she would have just given up, especially in a situation like this, but something just wouldn't let it go. Hiei jumped back into the tree, which caused his necklace to be revealed for a split second. The blue light glowed clearly through the darkness. Azumi's eyes grew wide, she reached quietly for her necklace and brought it out. Hiei looked down upon her silently, perhaps some of her memory was returning…

Azumi blinked, her voice was shaken from uncertainty, " W-Where did you get that?"