A/N: *Has the warm fuzzy feeling inside* Awww...I feel so loved. :) People
actually enjoy reading my story. I'm also going to try writing chapters
that are a bit lengthier. I know I took forever to get the past chapter up,
and I appologize. I will try not to let more than a week go by w/o an
update from now on, so rest assured. I will not let you down. ^_____^ So
it is with great pleasure that I present chapter 4! Enjoy!
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"Sai! Are we almost there!?", Yusuke cried. They'd been walking for what felt like forever. He got no answer. "SAI", he called. Yusuke sighed. Sai shivered as she pressed on. She couldn't hear Yusuke. She couldn't hear anything at all except for what was going on in her mind. She heard, in her mind, Keiko's cries of pain as she forced the child inside her to stay inside, and she could feel Keiko's overwhelming physical and emotional pain. The young woman was dead terrified. She wanted Yusuke. She didn't want to give birth to their child alone. With a cry, she burst foward in a sudden rush of energy. Yusuke screamed the girl's name and charged after her as fast as he could, praying he wouldn't loose track of her. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keiko was in pain...Loads of pain. She was also more scared than she'd ever been in her whole life. What was going to happen to her? "Yusuke, please...if you're looking for me, please, hurry." She curled up on the floor and hugged her belly. Yoda looked at her, his face emotionless. "Seems that she's in distress.". His friend shrugged his shoulders. "Since when have you worried about a Ningen?", he asked. "You'd better not be going soft.". "N-no...", Yoda stammered, stareing at Keiko. "It's just...isn't it cruel to keep her here like this? Even if she is Ningen?". "That's the way of the Makai, Yoda. Surely you know that.". Yoda just stared at his feet. He remembered Yomi, and he knew this wasn't quite what he would have called a good plan. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I can't walk anymore!", Rinku complained, throwing himself on the boiling ground. "We have been walking a long time", Shishiwakamaru said, looking sympathically at the child. "Hours", Suzuki added, looking at his watch. Chuu walked over and lifted the exhausted child into his arms. "Are we just gonna give up? Just like this?". "Chuu...we haven't found any new clues in four hours...we may very well be walking a circle...Touya's overheating, he was not ment for this kind of weather...I mean, I don't want to give up, but we have to be practical here. Us getting sick from this isn't going to help Keiko-san.", Jin said.
"I owe Urameshi-san...he showed me what it is to have compassion. I will press on if it kills me. You can head back if you want, take Rinku with you, but I will keep looking!". "No. I'm staying with you", Rinku said firmly. Jin, Touya, Shishiwakamaru, and Suzuki all exchanged looks. "Allright, allright. We'll search a little longer.", Shishiwakamaru said. They started off again, praying there was even the faintest glimmer of hope that Keiko was alive. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Are you sure we have everything?", Istas asked curiously. She and Aries had been shopping for hours now, and she didn't want to forget anything. "I'm sure", Aries replied, checking the mile-long list. The two girls worked together to pile all the stuff into the Urameshis' van and climbed in. "Well, that didn't take too long", Aries commented cheerfully. "Only five hours", Istas said, looking at her watch. Aries laughed as she pulled out of the mall parking lot. "We would've been out sooner if you hadn't spent an hour in the food court eating that snow-like substance!"
They arrived back at the Urameshis' house to find a strange sight. Two young men they had never seen before were sitting at the table with Natsumi. Keiko herself and Sai were no where to be found. "What in the world happened here!?", Aries cried, almost completely loosing her head. Istas, however, was much calmer about the whole situation. "Who were they, and where did they take Keiko and Sai?". Natsume shook her head.
" "They" where two of Yomi's faithful followers, but they only took Keiko. I have no idea where they took her. Urameshi-san and Sai went to look...". She trailed off as Istas and Aries ran out the door. "We're just loosing everyone", Yanagisawa commented lightly. "Good. The more searching, the sooner they'll find her", Kaito said. Natsume looked off where the girls had just disappeared from. "Good luck...please, be safe". ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"That girl! I can't believe I lost her!", Yusuke cried, treking through the woods now by himself. What was he going to do now? Without Sai, he had no idea where he was going and wasn't sure he was going the right way to find Keiko anymore. He heard voices nearby, suddenly, and a ray of hope hit him. Those were Jin and Touya's voices! "JIN!! TOUYA!!", he cried. "URAMESHI-SAN!", Jin's voice called back.
A few seconds later, Yusuke was re-united not only with Jin and Touya, but with Chuu, Rinku, Shishiwakamaru, and Suzuki, too. "You all heard?", Yusuke asked. "Yeah.", Chuu answered grimly. "Natsume told all of us." "I was with Sai", Yusuke said. "But she ran off and I have no idea where I am going". "Well, let's keep walking. We're not gonna get anywhere talking", Touya said, wiping sweat off his face. They'd walked no more than five steps when a sharp scream filled the air.
"Do not worry, Keiko-San", Sai said. "Urameshi-san should be here soon". She had her Katana pointed at the other youkai, having all ready killed one. "You're gonna wish you'd never been born". Her green eyes glowed with a feverish compassion. "You who can so calmly hurt others, until their blood flows, I shall bury you tonight.". Keiko screamed again and covered her eyes. She'd allready seen the girl who had always seemed too sweet and so innocent murder one youkai-she didn't want to see the other killed, too. The youkai laughed and pulled out his own Katana. "Allright, girl! Let's see what you're made of!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well, I think we're done here.", Hiei commented. "No signs of any youkai, and your brother and Mitari have been safely seen into your old house.". Kurama stared at his feet. "I really wish I could see Shuu again...but if my seeing him is gonna cause him harm, I will stay away". Hiei, usually so practical, was at a loss for words. "Hiei...", Kurama whispered. "Ningens and Youkai...is there really a difference?". "What?", Hiei asked, confused now.
"When we are sad...we all fall apart. When we are hurt, we all bleed...so...what does it really mean, then, to be a Ningen...or a Youkai...What's the real difference?". "Kurama...remember what I told you that time when you were haunted by the false Kuronue?". "Yes...You said "I do not know of a person who doesn't carry scars on the heart. To meet such a person would mean he is very shallow indeed". Hiei...what does that have to do with anything?".
"Most Youkai, Kurama, are these shallow beings...who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Who will do anything to and harm anyone to be right. You and I have great potential of becoming Ningen, that's what it means to be a "Class A Youkai". It's the same bit with Chuu, with Rinku, with Shishiwakamaru, Touya, Jin, and the girls. Alot of youkai call us weak because of this...but I think it's what makes us so strong.".
"Hiei...". Kurama slowly pulled a vile from his pocket and took a swig. Where there once stood a tall Youko now stood his smaller, redheaded, green-eyed counterpart. "If that is the case, I do not want a Youkai body any longer. Come on, let's go find Yusuke and everyone.". ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: I'm gonna end this here...No, do not throw that rotten trout at me! I promise the next chapter will be up soon! LOL. I'm allready working on it. ^_^ Well, please review if you didn't allready. Your reviews are what makes me continue writing. If I stop getting reviews, I may not finish the story...
"Sai! Are we almost there!?", Yusuke cried. They'd been walking for what felt like forever. He got no answer. "SAI", he called. Yusuke sighed. Sai shivered as she pressed on. She couldn't hear Yusuke. She couldn't hear anything at all except for what was going on in her mind. She heard, in her mind, Keiko's cries of pain as she forced the child inside her to stay inside, and she could feel Keiko's overwhelming physical and emotional pain. The young woman was dead terrified. She wanted Yusuke. She didn't want to give birth to their child alone. With a cry, she burst foward in a sudden rush of energy. Yusuke screamed the girl's name and charged after her as fast as he could, praying he wouldn't loose track of her. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keiko was in pain...Loads of pain. She was also more scared than she'd ever been in her whole life. What was going to happen to her? "Yusuke, please...if you're looking for me, please, hurry." She curled up on the floor and hugged her belly. Yoda looked at her, his face emotionless. "Seems that she's in distress.". His friend shrugged his shoulders. "Since when have you worried about a Ningen?", he asked. "You'd better not be going soft.". "N-no...", Yoda stammered, stareing at Keiko. "It's just...isn't it cruel to keep her here like this? Even if she is Ningen?". "That's the way of the Makai, Yoda. Surely you know that.". Yoda just stared at his feet. He remembered Yomi, and he knew this wasn't quite what he would have called a good plan. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I can't walk anymore!", Rinku complained, throwing himself on the boiling ground. "We have been walking a long time", Shishiwakamaru said, looking sympathically at the child. "Hours", Suzuki added, looking at his watch. Chuu walked over and lifted the exhausted child into his arms. "Are we just gonna give up? Just like this?". "Chuu...we haven't found any new clues in four hours...we may very well be walking a circle...Touya's overheating, he was not ment for this kind of weather...I mean, I don't want to give up, but we have to be practical here. Us getting sick from this isn't going to help Keiko-san.", Jin said.
"I owe Urameshi-san...he showed me what it is to have compassion. I will press on if it kills me. You can head back if you want, take Rinku with you, but I will keep looking!". "No. I'm staying with you", Rinku said firmly. Jin, Touya, Shishiwakamaru, and Suzuki all exchanged looks. "Allright, allright. We'll search a little longer.", Shishiwakamaru said. They started off again, praying there was even the faintest glimmer of hope that Keiko was alive. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Are you sure we have everything?", Istas asked curiously. She and Aries had been shopping for hours now, and she didn't want to forget anything. "I'm sure", Aries replied, checking the mile-long list. The two girls worked together to pile all the stuff into the Urameshis' van and climbed in. "Well, that didn't take too long", Aries commented cheerfully. "Only five hours", Istas said, looking at her watch. Aries laughed as she pulled out of the mall parking lot. "We would've been out sooner if you hadn't spent an hour in the food court eating that snow-like substance!"
They arrived back at the Urameshis' house to find a strange sight. Two young men they had never seen before were sitting at the table with Natsumi. Keiko herself and Sai were no where to be found. "What in the world happened here!?", Aries cried, almost completely loosing her head. Istas, however, was much calmer about the whole situation. "Who were they, and where did they take Keiko and Sai?". Natsume shook her head.
" "They" where two of Yomi's faithful followers, but they only took Keiko. I have no idea where they took her. Urameshi-san and Sai went to look...". She trailed off as Istas and Aries ran out the door. "We're just loosing everyone", Yanagisawa commented lightly. "Good. The more searching, the sooner they'll find her", Kaito said. Natsume looked off where the girls had just disappeared from. "Good luck...please, be safe". ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"That girl! I can't believe I lost her!", Yusuke cried, treking through the woods now by himself. What was he going to do now? Without Sai, he had no idea where he was going and wasn't sure he was going the right way to find Keiko anymore. He heard voices nearby, suddenly, and a ray of hope hit him. Those were Jin and Touya's voices! "JIN!! TOUYA!!", he cried. "URAMESHI-SAN!", Jin's voice called back.
A few seconds later, Yusuke was re-united not only with Jin and Touya, but with Chuu, Rinku, Shishiwakamaru, and Suzuki, too. "You all heard?", Yusuke asked. "Yeah.", Chuu answered grimly. "Natsume told all of us." "I was with Sai", Yusuke said. "But she ran off and I have no idea where I am going". "Well, let's keep walking. We're not gonna get anywhere talking", Touya said, wiping sweat off his face. They'd walked no more than five steps when a sharp scream filled the air.
"Do not worry, Keiko-San", Sai said. "Urameshi-san should be here soon". She had her Katana pointed at the other youkai, having all ready killed one. "You're gonna wish you'd never been born". Her green eyes glowed with a feverish compassion. "You who can so calmly hurt others, until their blood flows, I shall bury you tonight.". Keiko screamed again and covered her eyes. She'd allready seen the girl who had always seemed too sweet and so innocent murder one youkai-she didn't want to see the other killed, too. The youkai laughed and pulled out his own Katana. "Allright, girl! Let's see what you're made of!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well, I think we're done here.", Hiei commented. "No signs of any youkai, and your brother and Mitari have been safely seen into your old house.". Kurama stared at his feet. "I really wish I could see Shuu again...but if my seeing him is gonna cause him harm, I will stay away". Hiei, usually so practical, was at a loss for words. "Hiei...", Kurama whispered. "Ningens and Youkai...is there really a difference?". "What?", Hiei asked, confused now.
"When we are sad...we all fall apart. When we are hurt, we all bleed...so...what does it really mean, then, to be a Ningen...or a Youkai...What's the real difference?". "Kurama...remember what I told you that time when you were haunted by the false Kuronue?". "Yes...You said "I do not know of a person who doesn't carry scars on the heart. To meet such a person would mean he is very shallow indeed". Hiei...what does that have to do with anything?".
"Most Youkai, Kurama, are these shallow beings...who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Who will do anything to and harm anyone to be right. You and I have great potential of becoming Ningen, that's what it means to be a "Class A Youkai". It's the same bit with Chuu, with Rinku, with Shishiwakamaru, Touya, Jin, and the girls. Alot of youkai call us weak because of this...but I think it's what makes us so strong.".
"Hiei...". Kurama slowly pulled a vile from his pocket and took a swig. Where there once stood a tall Youko now stood his smaller, redheaded, green-eyed counterpart. "If that is the case, I do not want a Youkai body any longer. Come on, let's go find Yusuke and everyone.". ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: I'm gonna end this here...No, do not throw that rotten trout at me! I promise the next chapter will be up soon! LOL. I'm allready working on it. ^_^ Well, please review if you didn't allready. Your reviews are what makes me continue writing. If I stop getting reviews, I may not finish the story...