Chapter 5: Borrowed Time
"Amaranta, that's a beautiful name. Although, I don't think it suits you," Kurama said.
Amaranta remained silent. Kurama walked a couple steps to the side and pulled a rose out of his pocket. He looked down at it, between his two fingers.
"After all, the name means the flower that never fades."
Kurama looked over at the girl.
"I guess you could say it's ironic in a way."
Kurama could still not get a response from her.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Amaranta asked sadly.
Kurama's eyes lifted from the rose, where they had fallen when he was unable to get a response, and landed on Amaranta.
"Fine, I'll get right to the point if that's what you want." Kurama breathed in. "Why didn't you move out of the way of the tree earlier today?"
Amaranta blinked.
"I know you could have dodged it easily, but instead you chose to get caught up in its branches. Why?"
"It didn't matter."
"What didn't matter?"
"It didn't matter if I had stayed or left. I knew I wouldn't have died from the tree, just as I know that none of you are going to kill me, either."
"Yes, we had no intention of taking your life, but you aren't answering my question. Why did you stay?"
"Because, if I had left then it would have just prolonged my future."
"Please explain."
"My fate is sealed. I can't escape it. If I had dodged the tree, you and Hiei would have caught me another way."
"Are you also psychic?"
"No. My fate is just something I know. I was destined to meet all of you, as you all were destined to meet me."
"If you don't mind my asking, what is your fate?"
Amaranta blinked then looked away. Kurama continued to look at her though. There was a long silence. Kurama was about to say something to break it when she looked at him again and opened her mouth.
"In four days time, I will die, along with my master."
Kurama gasped. Amaranta's gaze fell onto the blanket that was covering her lower body.
"There must be something you can do to stop this event, to stop your time from running out."
"There's nothing anyone can do to stop the inevitable from occurring. My whole life is borrowed time. My fate is sealed."
Kurama didn't know what to say. What could you say to someone who knew they were going to die and couldn't do anything about it? He bowed his head and shut his eyes lightly.
"I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be."
Kurama raised his head. He didn't want to discuss the topic of this girl's death anymore. It was depressing and thinking he couldn't do anything to stop it was frustrating.
"You mentioned something about a master. Who is this master of yours?"
"He is called Braeden."
"From the dark valley."
"Yes. He is a demon himself, a very wicked one at that. He finds sick pleasure in torturing people until they beg for their death. You will find no mercy in him."
"I wouldn't expect to find mercy in any demon."
Kurama and Amaranta stared into each other's eyes in silence, Kurama's stare warm and caring while Amaranta's was cold and sad. This seemed to last awhile, the moon moved to a different position in the night sky, casting the shadows its light created in different directions than before. But a knock on the door made Kurama break the bond and look at the motionless wood.
"Food is ready," came Botan's voice.
"We'll be right there," Kurama answered.
He listened carefully and heard her light footsteps leaving the door. He looked back over at Amaranta, who didn't seem to have moved at all since the intrusion.
"One more question before we go eat."
"What?"
"Whenever I see you, you are always sad, or at least look it. Why?"
"I can never experience any feelings that aren't related to destruction or accidents. It is a simple price to pay for the type of demon I happen to be. There will only be one moment in my life when I will feel anything close to happiness, and that will be when I die, and I will die because I feel happiness."
"Amaranta, that's a beautiful name. Although, I don't think it suits you," Kurama said.
Amaranta remained silent. Kurama walked a couple steps to the side and pulled a rose out of his pocket. He looked down at it, between his two fingers.
"After all, the name means the flower that never fades."
Kurama looked over at the girl.
"I guess you could say it's ironic in a way."
Kurama could still not get a response from her.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Amaranta asked sadly.
Kurama's eyes lifted from the rose, where they had fallen when he was unable to get a response, and landed on Amaranta.
"Fine, I'll get right to the point if that's what you want." Kurama breathed in. "Why didn't you move out of the way of the tree earlier today?"
Amaranta blinked.
"I know you could have dodged it easily, but instead you chose to get caught up in its branches. Why?"
"It didn't matter."
"What didn't matter?"
"It didn't matter if I had stayed or left. I knew I wouldn't have died from the tree, just as I know that none of you are going to kill me, either."
"Yes, we had no intention of taking your life, but you aren't answering my question. Why did you stay?"
"Because, if I had left then it would have just prolonged my future."
"Please explain."
"My fate is sealed. I can't escape it. If I had dodged the tree, you and Hiei would have caught me another way."
"Are you also psychic?"
"No. My fate is just something I know. I was destined to meet all of you, as you all were destined to meet me."
"If you don't mind my asking, what is your fate?"
Amaranta blinked then looked away. Kurama continued to look at her though. There was a long silence. Kurama was about to say something to break it when she looked at him again and opened her mouth.
"In four days time, I will die, along with my master."
Kurama gasped. Amaranta's gaze fell onto the blanket that was covering her lower body.
"There must be something you can do to stop this event, to stop your time from running out."
"There's nothing anyone can do to stop the inevitable from occurring. My whole life is borrowed time. My fate is sealed."
Kurama didn't know what to say. What could you say to someone who knew they were going to die and couldn't do anything about it? He bowed his head and shut his eyes lightly.
"I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be."
Kurama raised his head. He didn't want to discuss the topic of this girl's death anymore. It was depressing and thinking he couldn't do anything to stop it was frustrating.
"You mentioned something about a master. Who is this master of yours?"
"He is called Braeden."
"From the dark valley."
"Yes. He is a demon himself, a very wicked one at that. He finds sick pleasure in torturing people until they beg for their death. You will find no mercy in him."
"I wouldn't expect to find mercy in any demon."
Kurama and Amaranta stared into each other's eyes in silence, Kurama's stare warm and caring while Amaranta's was cold and sad. This seemed to last awhile, the moon moved to a different position in the night sky, casting the shadows its light created in different directions than before. But a knock on the door made Kurama break the bond and look at the motionless wood.
"Food is ready," came Botan's voice.
"We'll be right there," Kurama answered.
He listened carefully and heard her light footsteps leaving the door. He looked back over at Amaranta, who didn't seem to have moved at all since the intrusion.
"One more question before we go eat."
"What?"
"Whenever I see you, you are always sad, or at least look it. Why?"
"I can never experience any feelings that aren't related to destruction or accidents. It is a simple price to pay for the type of demon I happen to be. There will only be one moment in my life when I will feel anything close to happiness, and that will be when I die, and I will die because I feel happiness."
