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Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by its respective owners. I have no claim to anything
having to do with the characters / episodes / series in general. This story is my own
work devoted to the particular series. If asked by the creators, it will be taken down.
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... Gleam ~ Darkness of Light ...
Chapter I: Still A Whisper On My Lips
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Brief Note: The title was taken from Touya's
Image Song, "Gleam ~ Yami no Hikari"
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The cold.

Always cold.

That was me though. The person I was supposed to be. The person I -had- to be. The person that
was feared, respected and even looked up to.

Those people intrest me.

If they knew what was going on inside, would they still fear me? If they knew that I hated myself
sometimes, would they still respect me? If they really knew the coward I was, would
they still look up to me? No.

Sitting cross-leggèd on my snow filled paradise, I gazed down at my reflection in
the ice.

"You need to shut your thoughts up," I spoke to my reflection, the same ice-blue eyes staring back
up at me. "Look at what you've become ... you're all alone ... That will never change." I had to snap
my gaze away from myself, somewhat sickened.

"Master!" A voice called from behind me.

"Stop calling me that," I stated flatly, not turning around to see who it was. I disliked being referred
to as anyone's superior. Why they did it here was beyond me.

A little white-haired girl in bare-feet, and a light blue knee-legnth dress came stopped breathless at my
right side. She was obviously a little ice-maiden. No one would survive my present lifestyle choice
otherwise. I did not change my position, I simply looked at her out of the corner of my eye.

"So sorry," she apologized with a curtsie.

"No matter. What do you want of me?" I un-crossed my arms.

"This came for you," she handed me a letter.

Finally I looked at her, then the piece of paper and took it from her small grip. "Thank you," I replied
simply and she ran off.

I examined the letter for a moment. No one should have known where I was. Was it some fool that
wanted to challenge me? I hadn't fought in a long time ...

"Oh well," I said to myself and broke the seal upon the paper -



In haste, your skills are needed.

Now you must decide.
Everyone of you must make the choice,
Everywhere there is a challange.
Do you meet the qualifications?

You have been chosen,
Of the many competitors in the world.
Until now you have been relaxing,
Redeem your title.

Heed the cry of battle,
Everyone knows you cannot back down.
Let us show you,
Power beyond your imagination.

From the Desk of the First Sector of Makai,
Ruled by Yomi.

Kurama


At first, the writings confused me. Why was Kurama contacting me? And why in the Worlds was
he seeming to write in foolish poetry? Did he think it appealed to me? I was ready to toss the letter
aside, deciding it was a joke, and began to crumple it up.

Then the message was clear.

The first letter in every scentence - I NEED YOUR HELP. It made a small smile curl on my usually
frown-stricken lips. Kurama hadn't yet lost his touch. But - What was he doing in the Makai!? And with
Yomi no less? Maybe he was captured ... No, then how could he get the letter out and why was he
trying to make it seem like an invitation?

Folding the letter and placing it inside my belt, I finally stood up and looked into the hazy horizon.
How was I supposed to get to Makai? I began to walk towards a region I could make a quick getaway
to the human plane. I ran through his choice if words again and again. 'Everyone one of you-' he
had said. So there were more then just me? I wonder if ... No, it is best not to get my hopes up, I slapped
myself back to reality.

The passageway to the human plane stood right before me. I closed my eyes and stepped in, spreading
my arms for the 'dimensional,' trip.

"Is this what it's like to be free?" I asked myself aloud. The flying sensation did not last long as the end
of the tunnel was in view, and I landed with both feet upon the hard rock ground of the human world.

It was night here, so it was not too much brighter then I was used to. As I looked at my new surroundings,
I could see a temple up at the top of the mountain peak. The pathway leading up was covered in good-will
spells, warding off evil.

I rolled my eyes and started up the path to the temple. I could feel a healthy amount of Spirit Energy
raditating from the area. Someone powerful was near. There were also odd amounts of Demon Energy
creeping its way into the air. As I kept walking, I could see a tall figure near the entrance, yelling
something to a significantly shorter person.

And -he- was there also.

Floating cross-leggèd as he usually did, arms behind his head. I could hear him laughing. His untamed red
hair cascading around his handsome face as he turned in my direction. His royal blue eyes filled with
mischief focus on me and he smiled, waving.

I swallowed and waved back with a tight smile, my heart ready to leap out of my chest.

"Touya!" he yelled, happy to see me, his friend, again.

His ... -friend- damn it.

Not slowing or quickening my pace, I finally stood near the group. It was only four of us. Chuu with Rinku
on his shoulder, myself and of course ... Jin.

Perfect Jin. Master of the Wind. He had stolen my heart ... Although I would never let him know it. Afraid
to catch myself, or have someone else catch me, staring at him, I cleared my throat and gazed at Chuu and
Rinku.

"What is exactly the meaning of this?" I asked either of them.

Chuu finished up the remainder of his bottle and wiped his mouth, looking at me. He shrugged. "Genkai's
here, says were uh, waiting for two more."

"Oh?" I inquired, crossing my arms.

I felt a playful punch in my arm, catching my by surprise. I turned around to see Jin's mischevious grin
toying with my heart again. "Hehehe," he laughed through his teeth. "Shishiwaka and Suzuki still aren't
here. Don't wanna know what they're doing, eh?!" he joked, and elbowed me in the side.

"Heh ... no ... " I said, rubbing my arm. All I had to do was not pay attention to him, and I would be fine.
My thoughts would not listen to that reasoning though ... So he thought Shishiwakamaru and Suzuki
were an item ... ? Then ... why couldn't he read between the lines with me?