A/N: Sorry I didn't update sooner. I was on vacation.
Chapter 4: The Flower That Never Fades
Amaranta looked around at everyone from where she lay in Yusuke's bed. This was a foreign place to her and these people were strangers. She didn't move, though. She stayed put. It didn't matter where she was or what type of people surrounded her. Her fate would always remain the same and she knew it. She knew what was coming soon and she couldn't stop it. No one could alter their fate.
"So, you're awake finally."
Amaranta turned her gaze onto Kurama, who had spoken.
"Please, what is your name?" he continued.
She blinked, gazing up at him for a minute.
"I am called Amaranta, although I doubt that is my true name."
All of them seemed to be content with this answer.
"What were you doing at all those . . . accidents, I guess you could call them?" Hiei asked almost immediately after she had answered.
Amaranta turned her gaze to the short demon, the one who had severed the tree. Visions of her previous meetings with him appeared in her mind.
"I already told you."
"Please," Kurama urged before Hiei had a chance to speak, "freshen our minds."
She blinked.
"Very well. I needed to be there, to cause all the emotions that flowed through the humans systems when the disasters struck."
"So, you're a demon that causes human feelings?" Yusuke asked.
Amaranta looked over at him.
"No. Like I have told those two," she started, looking over at Kurama and Hiei, "I cause all the emotions related to disasters or accidents. So, in a sense, I cause heartbreak, devastation, regret, sadness, depression, need I go on?"
"No, that is good enough," Kurama answered.
"But what about all the disasters that are happening right now all around the world?" Yusuke asked. "Who's causing the emotions for those?"
"Do you honestly think I would be the only demon possessing these powers? There are others, like me. Many more, causing that."
Amaranta kept her gaze on Yusuke, not blinking. Her dark eyes stared deeply into the pits of his. Yusuke suddenly began to shrink back, tears forming in his eyes.
"How rude of us," Kurama said, breaking the silence that had formed. Amaranta's gaze faltered and she looked over at Kurama. "We never introduced ourselves to you."
Yusuke began to regain his composure.
"I don't care who you may be. Soon now it won't even matter who I was," Amaranta answered.
Ignoring what she had just said, Kurama said, "I'm Kurama, this is Hiei, Yusuke, Botan, and Keiko."
Kurama motioned to each person standing around the bed. Amaranta's eyes followed the motion made by his hand, but still showed no emotion towards any of them. It was as if this greeting was really a death sentence in disguise.
"Alright everyone. I think she is feeling a little crowded," Botan said in her usual cheery voice. "Why don't the guys go and fix her up something to eat, huh?"
"Fine. I guess we could scrounge something up, seeing as how we aren't wanted here," Yusuke muttered.
"Yep. Get going now."
Botan motioned for the boys to leave the room with her hands. They walked out slowly one by one, but Kurama, who was last, stopped at the door and turned around.
"Botan, Keiko, may I have a word with our guest for a minute. Alone."
Botan and Keiko looked a little taken aback at this request. Knowing Kurama, though, they trusted he wouldn't do anything harmful to the girl.
"Alright, Kurama. But don't take too long," Keiko said, although she didn't smile.
"Don't worry, it should only take a minute."
Keiko and Botan, feeling a little unsure, left the room and closed the door behind them. Kurama stood alone in the room with the girl demon. They stared deep into each other's eyes, neither one blinking or backing down. The moon's pale light danced into the room through the closed window, casting shadows on everything. The silence seemed to last forever but finally Kurama decided to break it.
Chapter 4: The Flower That Never Fades
Amaranta looked around at everyone from where she lay in Yusuke's bed. This was a foreign place to her and these people were strangers. She didn't move, though. She stayed put. It didn't matter where she was or what type of people surrounded her. Her fate would always remain the same and she knew it. She knew what was coming soon and she couldn't stop it. No one could alter their fate.
"So, you're awake finally."
Amaranta turned her gaze onto Kurama, who had spoken.
"Please, what is your name?" he continued.
She blinked, gazing up at him for a minute.
"I am called Amaranta, although I doubt that is my true name."
All of them seemed to be content with this answer.
"What were you doing at all those . . . accidents, I guess you could call them?" Hiei asked almost immediately after she had answered.
Amaranta turned her gaze to the short demon, the one who had severed the tree. Visions of her previous meetings with him appeared in her mind.
"I already told you."
"Please," Kurama urged before Hiei had a chance to speak, "freshen our minds."
She blinked.
"Very well. I needed to be there, to cause all the emotions that flowed through the humans systems when the disasters struck."
"So, you're a demon that causes human feelings?" Yusuke asked.
Amaranta looked over at him.
"No. Like I have told those two," she started, looking over at Kurama and Hiei, "I cause all the emotions related to disasters or accidents. So, in a sense, I cause heartbreak, devastation, regret, sadness, depression, need I go on?"
"No, that is good enough," Kurama answered.
"But what about all the disasters that are happening right now all around the world?" Yusuke asked. "Who's causing the emotions for those?"
"Do you honestly think I would be the only demon possessing these powers? There are others, like me. Many more, causing that."
Amaranta kept her gaze on Yusuke, not blinking. Her dark eyes stared deeply into the pits of his. Yusuke suddenly began to shrink back, tears forming in his eyes.
"How rude of us," Kurama said, breaking the silence that had formed. Amaranta's gaze faltered and she looked over at Kurama. "We never introduced ourselves to you."
Yusuke began to regain his composure.
"I don't care who you may be. Soon now it won't even matter who I was," Amaranta answered.
Ignoring what she had just said, Kurama said, "I'm Kurama, this is Hiei, Yusuke, Botan, and Keiko."
Kurama motioned to each person standing around the bed. Amaranta's eyes followed the motion made by his hand, but still showed no emotion towards any of them. It was as if this greeting was really a death sentence in disguise.
"Alright everyone. I think she is feeling a little crowded," Botan said in her usual cheery voice. "Why don't the guys go and fix her up something to eat, huh?"
"Fine. I guess we could scrounge something up, seeing as how we aren't wanted here," Yusuke muttered.
"Yep. Get going now."
Botan motioned for the boys to leave the room with her hands. They walked out slowly one by one, but Kurama, who was last, stopped at the door and turned around.
"Botan, Keiko, may I have a word with our guest for a minute. Alone."
Botan and Keiko looked a little taken aback at this request. Knowing Kurama, though, they trusted he wouldn't do anything harmful to the girl.
"Alright, Kurama. But don't take too long," Keiko said, although she didn't smile.
"Don't worry, it should only take a minute."
Keiko and Botan, feeling a little unsure, left the room and closed the door behind them. Kurama stood alone in the room with the girl demon. They stared deep into each other's eyes, neither one blinking or backing down. The moon's pale light danced into the room through the closed window, casting shadows on everything. The silence seemed to last forever but finally Kurama decided to break it.
