Kokoro No Kaitou : Chapter 7
~*~
What was left of that day, Youko, Hiei, and Kuronue spent fighting and sparing. I had been so upset with them that I had retired early. I took a bath (thankfully, nobody walked in this time) and then went back to the bedroom.
I couldn't get to sleep, so I laid in bed and thought over the situation.
I tried to think of a way to spare my three friends from the fighting, but could only come up with one way - to hand myself over to Akira.
But I didn't want to do that…
Kami-sama, I felt so selfish! It was the only way to save my friends, and yet I couldn't bring myself to do it because I didn't want to!
I started to cry, just a little bit.
Why did it have to turn out this way?
~*~
The next morning, I awoke with a start. I looked around the room, and saw that Youko was gone - again. I sighed, and threw the covers back. I knew where he was.
I put on my slippers and walked down to the training room, where I had watched Kuronue practice with his scythe. The training room was basically one large room with tatami mat floors and various targets set up around it. It was so huge that it made the dining hall seem tiny in comparison.
This is where I found Youko, Kuronue and Hiei. Despite the fact that the sun hadn't risen yet (it felt too early) the three looked like they had been at it for at least a few hours.
All three were sparring against each other at the same time. The amazing thing was that only thing I could see were flashes of light as the three moved.
Kami-sama! Is this how demons fight? I thought to myself.
"Whoops!" Kuronue's voice said.
The next thing I knew, a scythe was heading straight for me.
"Amaya! Get down!" Youko's voice exclaimed.
I quickly ducked down, my hands over my head and my eyes squeezed shut. I heard the sharp crack of wood, then of someone jogging over to me.
"Amaya! Kami-sama, what are you doing in here? It's dangerous!"
I looked up and saw Kuronue giving me a scolding look. I stood and looked back at the door. The scythe had lodged itself into the wood. I gulped when I realized that that could've been my head.
I looked back towards Kuronue, a guilty look on my face. "Gomen nasai, Kuronue-kun."
He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. I looked over to Youko, who was rubbing his temples.
"Amaya, you need to stay away from us while we're training. You may not be so lucky next time." He said, not even looking at me.
I glared. "I can handle myself."
He returned the look. "No, you can't." A flash of surprise flew through his face.
I ignored it, and growled in frustration as I turned on my heel. I pushed open the door and stopped once to glare back at him. I then continued my way back down the hall. Well, since I couldn't be in the room while they trained, then I was going to see what Youko had been looking up in the library.
I walked down to the room and walked it, pleased to find that the book was still laid out on the table, with a bookmark in it. I sat down and set the book onto the table, opening it to the bookmarked page.
In big bold print at the top was the word 'tsuki'. I stopped for a second, startled at the reference to the moon. I then looked down at the picture drawn onto the page before the rest of the text.
It was a crescent moon, slightly tilted to the right. It was a beautiful silver color, and I ran my fingers over it for a second. A tingle of familiarity had run down my spine as soon as I saw it.
I tore my eyes away from the tsuki, and instead read the passage below.
"Tsuki: This symbol is often used by heavenly creatures to represent themselves. It is a symbol of being from Heaven, and is most commonly found somewhere on the body of these heavenly creatures - often tattooed directly onto the skin. These creatures include angels, archangels, and…" I drifted off as I tried to read the last word. It was so smudged that I could not make it out. I sighed in frustration and closed the book.
Why would Youko be looking up this symbol? Unfortunately, I had come to get that question answered, only to have more questions take its place.
Why did that picture send a familiar tingle up my spine?
I couldn't quite place it, but I felt as though I should know what it meant. Somehow…
~*~
The rest of the day I spent in the library, reading various things about demons. I even found a book on the kitsune race, which I read to pass the time. I learned some interesting things - like the fact that foxes did not like their tails to be touched, and that when they got a certain number of tails, they could take the shape of others. Ah, and I learned about the whole tail thing - more tails meant more powers and more age. Supposedly, the most powerful kind was the nine-tailed fox.
Still, by the time that my stomach told me that it was dinnertime, I had learned more in one sitting than I had in an entire lifetime.
But, my stomach protested to me staying to read more, so I went to the kitchen and made myself some food.
I ate in silence and contemplated the battle coming the next night.
Who would win?
Youko?
Or Akira?
I hoped that Youko did…
~*~
The sky was dark, with the exception of the creamy white moon, hanging in the sky in all its glory. A silvery orb, far more ancient than any other. I was standing in a field, a large open field, watching it. Seeing the tsuki put me at ease somehow, and yet still gave me a sense of something ill to come.
Then, a strange emotion came crashing over my heart in a thunderous wave.
Fear.
Pure terror.
My eyes trailed downwards, and I saw Youko standing there, watching me. His face held no discernable expression as he watched me. I started to walk toward him, so as to ask him where we were and why we were here, when I was stopped by something hitting my nose.
Blood.
Blood, dripping on the moon, and raining down upon us. I gasped and frantically tried to get it off of me, to no avail. I looked up at Youko, but he was just standing there, watching me as it stained his white robes into a foul scarlet.
I cried out, tears streaming down my face as I watched him.
Because somehow (I wasn't sure how) I knew that this blood, raining so freely from the heavens, was his.
Every last drop.
But what scared me the most about this was the fact that he just…smiled. Smiled at me, as though everything would be fine.
Then, he did something that shocked me.
He spoke.
"Amaya…"
He only said my name. He opened his mouth and said something else, but I could not here him over the pouring blood. Then, he fell over into the dirt, clearly dead.
"Noooooo!" I screamed, falling to my knees and covering my face with my hands. "You can't be dead, you can't be!"
"Amaya!"
I looked around for the source of the voice, but could not see it. It sounded like Youko…but that couldn't be, because he was lying dead on the ground before me.
"Amaya!" The voice cried again.
I gasped and my eyes flew open. I was still feeling very scared, but I calmed down slightly when I saw a set of glowing gold eyes through the darkness. I sat up, my mind racing with a thousand questions.
My hand went to my forehead, and I realized that I was covered in a cold sweat. The emotions of my dream came flooding back to me, all at once. The fear, the pain, and the realization that I was helpless; that I couldn't have saved my best friend even if I tried.
"Amaya, you were having a bad dream." He said, his voice slightly hoarse with sleep.
I couldn't help it, and I started to cry. I brought my knees to my chest, and sobbed, putting my face into my hands. I could sense that this distressed Youko, but he seemed uncertain as to what he should be doing. But I didn't care right then, because of my miserable state.
He gently reached out through the darkness and pulled me into his embrace, stroking my hair in a calming manner. I wrapped my arms around his waist and cried into his chest, grateful for his presence. He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and his free arm went around my own waist.
"It's okay, Amaya, it was only a dream. You're safe now." He whispered, gently rocking me back and forth as though I were a child. My sobs turned to tears and sniffles, and I felt a little better.
"Kurama, in my dream you- you-" I started. But I found that I could not bring myself to say the word. I tried to tell myself that my overactive imagination had made my dream, out of my own fear that Akira would win the battle planned for the next night.
"Shh, it's fine. You're fine, and I'm fine." He said. He kept stroking my hair, and I relaxed into his embrace.
My tears stopped, and I sat up. "Gomen nasai, Kurama. I-"
He put a finger to my lips to silence me. "It's okay. I told you that already."
I sighed, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He tensed, and looked down at me with questioning eyes.
"Kurama, I don't want to lose you. You're all that I have left now. My only friend." I whispered.
He didn't reply, and instead pulled me away from him. "Amaya, you should go to sleep."
I started to protest that I couldn't possibly go back to sleep after a horrible dream like that, but he cut me off.
"I said you should. Just lay down, and try to get back to sleep."
I laid back down as he told me to, but couldn't bear to even close my eyes. Because every time that I did, my mind would be flooded with images of Youko lying on the ground, soaked in his own blood.
Youko settled down beside me, though I couldn't see him in the dark. The darkness was exactly like that of my dream, and I unknowingly let out a whimper as the pain came back to me.
Youko sighed, and I heard the covers rustling as he changed position.
"You're being a child, Amaya." He whispered.
Still, he pulled me into his embrace again, only this time both of us were lying down. He let out a heavy sigh and buried his face into my hair.
"Will you go to sleep now, Amaya?" He murmured, though it was muffled slightly by my locks.
I nodded, because I couldn't find my voice. Was this really Youko? Feared thief and murderous bandit? He smelled wonderful, and I turned and buried my face into his chest. I could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady. I sat there for a minute, and listened to his heart until his breathing evened out, a sign that he had fallen asleep. Not too long after, I fell asleep as well.
A blissfully dreamless sleep.
~*~
The next day was like a repetition of the day before - the boys trained while I read in the library.
Towards the evening, while I ate my dinner, anticipation made my stomach knot. It made me lose my appetite, and I could only sit and stare blankly at my meal, as it grew colder.
Youko…
In my dream, he had gotten killed.
But my dream hadn't shown anything about Kuronue or Hiei.
Would they be okay?
I had grown rather fond of the fire youkai - he had a gruff way of showing that he cared about people, but it was still the most sincere that I had seen in a while.
My eyes watered up at the thought of losing any of them.
So, I sat there and cried, wanting to stop but not being able to.
~*~
When it was almost time for the three of them to leave, I decided to ask about the idea that had struck me over dinner.
We were all standing at the clearing before the lair, and the three were checking to make sure that they were well prepared for the battle.
I clasped my hands together and looked down at my feet. What would they say to my idea?
Well, I'd never know until I asked.
"Kurama, Kuronue-kun, Hiei?"
They all looked over at me.
I bit my lip before saying. "I'd like to go with you."
They all stared at me for a second, and Hiei snorted.
"No. You'll only get under foot."
"I promise that I won't!" I said, bringing my clasped hands over my heart.
"Amaya, you'll get hurt. We can't guarantee your safety. We'll all be too busy fighting to save you when you need it." Kuronue said.
I shook my head. "I won't get hurt! Besides, I can fend for myself! Give me a bow and arrow - the one thing that I ever mastered was archery! - and I can help you! To fight!" I exclaimed.
Youko sighed. "Amaya…"
I looked over at him, the pain welling up in my chest.
"Forget it. You can't come." He said, looking over at me.
"Give me a legitimate reason!" I said, my confidence returning. I put a hand on my hip. "I can fight, so you don't need to worry about saving me. And I won't get under foot."
His face never changed. "That may be, but I want you to stay here."
I glared. "Why? Huh? Give me a real reason."
He walked over to me. "Because this way, I know that you'll stay safe."
"Kurama, please, I'll be fine if I come with you!" I protested.
He suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, burying his face into my hair. My eyes widened partially at the sudden contact, and partially from shock.
"Kurama…?"
"Amaya, stay here. I want to make sure that you stay safe. If you come, you'll only be giving Akira what he wants. You."
I opened my mouth to comment, but nothing came out.
"He's a demon, and demons will do anything to get what they want. And right now he wants you. Wants you enough to threaten the great Youko Kurama." He pulled away, and I stared at him, still unable to speak. "So, you can be fighting him just by staying here. By not giving him what he wants."
I nodded and looked down, unable to say anything more.
He turned back towards Kuronue and Hiei, and smirked. "Right! Let's go!"
The three of them dashed away, leaving me by myself in the clearing. When they were gone, I smirked and put my hand on my hip.
"Ha! Like I'm going to stay behind while they go and fight! I want to get a few blows in on Akira too!" I said, turning on my heel and going back down to our bedroom. I went into the chest with my clothes and other things in it (given to me about two days before). I pulled out the outfit that Leiko, a female thief here, had given to me as a sort of 'welcoming gift'.
I quickly removed my yukata and changed into the outfit. It consisted of a pair of baggy black pants that were like Youko's in style, stopping above my ankles. The shirt was a bit more revealing than I would ever normally wear, but it permitted free movement. It was a sleeveless black shirt with a low-cut front that revealed more cleavage than I really cared to show. I also showed much of my stomach, because it stopped right below my chest.
I quickly secured my brown locks into a high ponytail so that it wouldn't get in the way.
I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror.
And froze.
My hand slowly went to my forehead, and in my reflection, my sea-green eyes widened.
My bruise…it was gone!
But bruises took weeks to heal! Mine had healed in a matter of a day!
I quickly decided that I had more important matters to attend to and ran out of the room, as fast as my legs could carry me. I also realized that I had no bow or arrows. I silently cursed my luck, and I ran around the corner, straight into some demons.
I fell back onto my rear, and winced at the pain.
The two demons that I had bumped into looked down at me angrily, but then their expressions changed.
"Gomen n-nasai! Daijobu ka?" Stuttered the first red oni.
I was confused at the sudden change of attitude, but then remembered Youko's threat: If anyone of these demons laid a finger on me, they would be killed.
I also noticed that one just so happened to have a bow across his chest and a quiver of arrows on his back.
"Ah!" I exclaimed as I scrambled to my feet. "Sir, I need to borrow those!" I said, pointing.
He glared at me. "What? No way-"
The first glared at him. "Oi, remember what Youko-sama said about her!"
The second demon grudgingly removed his bow and quiver and handed them to me. I put them both on and gave him a stiff bow of thanks before continuing my run up the stairs and into the clearing.
I stopped and closed my eyes, listening for any indicator of which direction that they had gone.
I could very faintly hear the sound of clashing metal, so I headed in that direction - west.
The woods surrounding the clearing were thick and dense, and gave me some slight trouble to get through, but after about thirty minutes of stumbling over tree roots and such, I came upon yet another clearing. I stopped to take a rest, and check to make sure that I hadn't hurt myself too badly going through the woods.
Now, I had never seen a dragon before, but when I saw that gigantic purple creature flying over the treetops only a short distance from where I was, I was terrified. It looked as though it were made of fire!
I realized that that must be where the battle was, so I rushed into the woods again, eager to get there before anything happened.
After yet another fifteen minutes, I arrived in the clearing before my former estate. I threw my hands over my mouth when I saw the large number of bodies that lay strewn throughout the place. Some I knew - others I did not.
One of the many that I recognized was that of Kenji, my supposed brother. I winced and turned away from his mangled body, tears welling up in my eyes. I still loved him as though he was related to me, even if the feeling wasn't mutual.
"Amaya!"
I turned back around, and saw Kuronue running up to me. He looked quite displeased with me. I nearly gasped when I saw the kinds of wounds he was sporting - many gashes and cuts all over his body, and one broken wing.
"Kuronue-kun, you're hurt!" I exclaimed.
He grabbed onto my shoulders, and now I could clearly see his fury. "Amaya! We told you to stay back at home! It's dangerous here!"
I glared. "Where is Kurama?"
"Damn it, woman! Are you even listening to me?!" He shouted, causing me to shrink away slightly. I had never seen him act like this before, and it scared me. He then blinked and trailed his eyes over my body. "And what the hell are you wearing?"
"Just tell me where he is!" I shouted back. I was angered at his sudden change of subject, when I wanted to know where my other friend was.
His eyes flashed for a second, and he sighed. He pointed to the cherry blossom hill that lay on the other side of the field. My father's prized trees were there, and that was where we used to celebrate the blooming of the sakura, and hold Hanami every April.
That was where they were fighting?
I looked back to my friend. "Kuronue, you should stop fighting. Please, find a healer."
He forced a smirk. "Hiei's still fighting, and he's worse off than I am. You have to understand that it's a macho pride thing."
I sighed as well, but gave him a pleading look. "I understand, Kuronue. But please…be careful."
He looked surprised, and I got up on my tiptoes to place a butterfly kiss on his cheek.
I then turned and stared running towards the hill, jumping over the horribly burned bodies of the fallen. Even though there were hundreds dead, still more were left fighting. Which was giving Kuronue and Hiei a hard time.
I stopped and looked up the hill, right about when I got to the base of it. I nearly gagged when I saw Youko. His injuries made Kuronue's seem like a minor scraped knee - gashes and cuts far deeper and more common than on the raven-haired youkai. He seemed to be deeply involved in his fight against the equally hurt Akira.
Youko and Akira where moving at incredible speeds, and they appeared to be mere flashes of light.
I struggled to keep up with their movements, but failed.
"Jaou Ensatsu Koko Ryu Ha!"
I turned back and saw the same flaming dragon consuming what was left of my father's army. And controlling it was Hiei.
I heard Akira curse, which drew my attention back to them. I realized that the reason was because now Kuronue and Hiei would be joining in the fight against him - one that he knew he would never win. He twirled the sword he was holding, and made a madman's dash towards Youko.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
Akira was running at Youko, and feigned a blow to his shoulder. As Youko went to block to his right, Akira made his real move.
A sword thrust to the heart.
I felt my own heart die.
The pain wrenched a scream from my throat.
"Kurama!" I shrieked, my hands flying to my mouth as tears spilled freely.
He slowly looked back towards me, blood trickling from his mouth and his golden eyes now dull.
"Amaya…"
Akira withdrew his sword, causing Youko to cry out. Akira then seemed to realize that Kuronue and Hiei were standing there, and ran away into the woods. But I didn't care.
Youko fell back onto the ground, his robes now completely scarlet. The full moon shone overhead, and it seemed to have been turned an angry red color.
I ran forward to Youko's fallen body, and I shook his shoulders. "Kurama, please, wake up." I sobbed, gently brushing the bangs from his blood smeared face. I bit my lip as the tears kept rolling.
So cold…he was getting so cold.
But I couldn't bring myself to admit the obvious.
That Youko Kurama, my best friend in all of the world, was dead.
~*~
Author's Notes: Ahh! I'm so sorry! That's not the end of the story though. *dodges flying tomatoes* Well, have hope!
Thanks To Everyone Who Reviewed The Last Chapter:
inuyasha-hieiluver: Thank you!
TrU AzN cHiK: Yes, I knew that her name means 'night rain'. I thought it was pretty, which was why I chose it. ^___^ Looks like great minds think alike. Thanks for the review!! Oh yeah, and cool name, by the way.
Japanese Dictionary For This Chapter:
sakura - cherry blossoms
Hanami - cherry blossom viewing
Review!!!!
~*~
What was left of that day, Youko, Hiei, and Kuronue spent fighting and sparing. I had been so upset with them that I had retired early. I took a bath (thankfully, nobody walked in this time) and then went back to the bedroom.
I couldn't get to sleep, so I laid in bed and thought over the situation.
I tried to think of a way to spare my three friends from the fighting, but could only come up with one way - to hand myself over to Akira.
But I didn't want to do that…
Kami-sama, I felt so selfish! It was the only way to save my friends, and yet I couldn't bring myself to do it because I didn't want to!
I started to cry, just a little bit.
Why did it have to turn out this way?
~*~
The next morning, I awoke with a start. I looked around the room, and saw that Youko was gone - again. I sighed, and threw the covers back. I knew where he was.
I put on my slippers and walked down to the training room, where I had watched Kuronue practice with his scythe. The training room was basically one large room with tatami mat floors and various targets set up around it. It was so huge that it made the dining hall seem tiny in comparison.
This is where I found Youko, Kuronue and Hiei. Despite the fact that the sun hadn't risen yet (it felt too early) the three looked like they had been at it for at least a few hours.
All three were sparring against each other at the same time. The amazing thing was that only thing I could see were flashes of light as the three moved.
Kami-sama! Is this how demons fight? I thought to myself.
"Whoops!" Kuronue's voice said.
The next thing I knew, a scythe was heading straight for me.
"Amaya! Get down!" Youko's voice exclaimed.
I quickly ducked down, my hands over my head and my eyes squeezed shut. I heard the sharp crack of wood, then of someone jogging over to me.
"Amaya! Kami-sama, what are you doing in here? It's dangerous!"
I looked up and saw Kuronue giving me a scolding look. I stood and looked back at the door. The scythe had lodged itself into the wood. I gulped when I realized that that could've been my head.
I looked back towards Kuronue, a guilty look on my face. "Gomen nasai, Kuronue-kun."
He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. I looked over to Youko, who was rubbing his temples.
"Amaya, you need to stay away from us while we're training. You may not be so lucky next time." He said, not even looking at me.
I glared. "I can handle myself."
He returned the look. "No, you can't." A flash of surprise flew through his face.
I ignored it, and growled in frustration as I turned on my heel. I pushed open the door and stopped once to glare back at him. I then continued my way back down the hall. Well, since I couldn't be in the room while they trained, then I was going to see what Youko had been looking up in the library.
I walked down to the room and walked it, pleased to find that the book was still laid out on the table, with a bookmark in it. I sat down and set the book onto the table, opening it to the bookmarked page.
In big bold print at the top was the word 'tsuki'. I stopped for a second, startled at the reference to the moon. I then looked down at the picture drawn onto the page before the rest of the text.
It was a crescent moon, slightly tilted to the right. It was a beautiful silver color, and I ran my fingers over it for a second. A tingle of familiarity had run down my spine as soon as I saw it.
I tore my eyes away from the tsuki, and instead read the passage below.
"Tsuki: This symbol is often used by heavenly creatures to represent themselves. It is a symbol of being from Heaven, and is most commonly found somewhere on the body of these heavenly creatures - often tattooed directly onto the skin. These creatures include angels, archangels, and…" I drifted off as I tried to read the last word. It was so smudged that I could not make it out. I sighed in frustration and closed the book.
Why would Youko be looking up this symbol? Unfortunately, I had come to get that question answered, only to have more questions take its place.
Why did that picture send a familiar tingle up my spine?
I couldn't quite place it, but I felt as though I should know what it meant. Somehow…
~*~
The rest of the day I spent in the library, reading various things about demons. I even found a book on the kitsune race, which I read to pass the time. I learned some interesting things - like the fact that foxes did not like their tails to be touched, and that when they got a certain number of tails, they could take the shape of others. Ah, and I learned about the whole tail thing - more tails meant more powers and more age. Supposedly, the most powerful kind was the nine-tailed fox.
Still, by the time that my stomach told me that it was dinnertime, I had learned more in one sitting than I had in an entire lifetime.
But, my stomach protested to me staying to read more, so I went to the kitchen and made myself some food.
I ate in silence and contemplated the battle coming the next night.
Who would win?
Youko?
Or Akira?
I hoped that Youko did…
~*~
The sky was dark, with the exception of the creamy white moon, hanging in the sky in all its glory. A silvery orb, far more ancient than any other. I was standing in a field, a large open field, watching it. Seeing the tsuki put me at ease somehow, and yet still gave me a sense of something ill to come.
Then, a strange emotion came crashing over my heart in a thunderous wave.
Fear.
Pure terror.
My eyes trailed downwards, and I saw Youko standing there, watching me. His face held no discernable expression as he watched me. I started to walk toward him, so as to ask him where we were and why we were here, when I was stopped by something hitting my nose.
Blood.
Blood, dripping on the moon, and raining down upon us. I gasped and frantically tried to get it off of me, to no avail. I looked up at Youko, but he was just standing there, watching me as it stained his white robes into a foul scarlet.
I cried out, tears streaming down my face as I watched him.
Because somehow (I wasn't sure how) I knew that this blood, raining so freely from the heavens, was his.
Every last drop.
But what scared me the most about this was the fact that he just…smiled. Smiled at me, as though everything would be fine.
Then, he did something that shocked me.
He spoke.
"Amaya…"
He only said my name. He opened his mouth and said something else, but I could not here him over the pouring blood. Then, he fell over into the dirt, clearly dead.
"Noooooo!" I screamed, falling to my knees and covering my face with my hands. "You can't be dead, you can't be!"
"Amaya!"
I looked around for the source of the voice, but could not see it. It sounded like Youko…but that couldn't be, because he was lying dead on the ground before me.
"Amaya!" The voice cried again.
I gasped and my eyes flew open. I was still feeling very scared, but I calmed down slightly when I saw a set of glowing gold eyes through the darkness. I sat up, my mind racing with a thousand questions.
My hand went to my forehead, and I realized that I was covered in a cold sweat. The emotions of my dream came flooding back to me, all at once. The fear, the pain, and the realization that I was helpless; that I couldn't have saved my best friend even if I tried.
"Amaya, you were having a bad dream." He said, his voice slightly hoarse with sleep.
I couldn't help it, and I started to cry. I brought my knees to my chest, and sobbed, putting my face into my hands. I could sense that this distressed Youko, but he seemed uncertain as to what he should be doing. But I didn't care right then, because of my miserable state.
He gently reached out through the darkness and pulled me into his embrace, stroking my hair in a calming manner. I wrapped my arms around his waist and cried into his chest, grateful for his presence. He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and his free arm went around my own waist.
"It's okay, Amaya, it was only a dream. You're safe now." He whispered, gently rocking me back and forth as though I were a child. My sobs turned to tears and sniffles, and I felt a little better.
"Kurama, in my dream you- you-" I started. But I found that I could not bring myself to say the word. I tried to tell myself that my overactive imagination had made my dream, out of my own fear that Akira would win the battle planned for the next night.
"Shh, it's fine. You're fine, and I'm fine." He said. He kept stroking my hair, and I relaxed into his embrace.
My tears stopped, and I sat up. "Gomen nasai, Kurama. I-"
He put a finger to my lips to silence me. "It's okay. I told you that already."
I sighed, and wrapped my arms around his neck. He tensed, and looked down at me with questioning eyes.
"Kurama, I don't want to lose you. You're all that I have left now. My only friend." I whispered.
He didn't reply, and instead pulled me away from him. "Amaya, you should go to sleep."
I started to protest that I couldn't possibly go back to sleep after a horrible dream like that, but he cut me off.
"I said you should. Just lay down, and try to get back to sleep."
I laid back down as he told me to, but couldn't bear to even close my eyes. Because every time that I did, my mind would be flooded with images of Youko lying on the ground, soaked in his own blood.
Youko settled down beside me, though I couldn't see him in the dark. The darkness was exactly like that of my dream, and I unknowingly let out a whimper as the pain came back to me.
Youko sighed, and I heard the covers rustling as he changed position.
"You're being a child, Amaya." He whispered.
Still, he pulled me into his embrace again, only this time both of us were lying down. He let out a heavy sigh and buried his face into my hair.
"Will you go to sleep now, Amaya?" He murmured, though it was muffled slightly by my locks.
I nodded, because I couldn't find my voice. Was this really Youko? Feared thief and murderous bandit? He smelled wonderful, and I turned and buried my face into his chest. I could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady. I sat there for a minute, and listened to his heart until his breathing evened out, a sign that he had fallen asleep. Not too long after, I fell asleep as well.
A blissfully dreamless sleep.
~*~
The next day was like a repetition of the day before - the boys trained while I read in the library.
Towards the evening, while I ate my dinner, anticipation made my stomach knot. It made me lose my appetite, and I could only sit and stare blankly at my meal, as it grew colder.
Youko…
In my dream, he had gotten killed.
But my dream hadn't shown anything about Kuronue or Hiei.
Would they be okay?
I had grown rather fond of the fire youkai - he had a gruff way of showing that he cared about people, but it was still the most sincere that I had seen in a while.
My eyes watered up at the thought of losing any of them.
So, I sat there and cried, wanting to stop but not being able to.
~*~
When it was almost time for the three of them to leave, I decided to ask about the idea that had struck me over dinner.
We were all standing at the clearing before the lair, and the three were checking to make sure that they were well prepared for the battle.
I clasped my hands together and looked down at my feet. What would they say to my idea?
Well, I'd never know until I asked.
"Kurama, Kuronue-kun, Hiei?"
They all looked over at me.
I bit my lip before saying. "I'd like to go with you."
They all stared at me for a second, and Hiei snorted.
"No. You'll only get under foot."
"I promise that I won't!" I said, bringing my clasped hands over my heart.
"Amaya, you'll get hurt. We can't guarantee your safety. We'll all be too busy fighting to save you when you need it." Kuronue said.
I shook my head. "I won't get hurt! Besides, I can fend for myself! Give me a bow and arrow - the one thing that I ever mastered was archery! - and I can help you! To fight!" I exclaimed.
Youko sighed. "Amaya…"
I looked over at him, the pain welling up in my chest.
"Forget it. You can't come." He said, looking over at me.
"Give me a legitimate reason!" I said, my confidence returning. I put a hand on my hip. "I can fight, so you don't need to worry about saving me. And I won't get under foot."
His face never changed. "That may be, but I want you to stay here."
I glared. "Why? Huh? Give me a real reason."
He walked over to me. "Because this way, I know that you'll stay safe."
"Kurama, please, I'll be fine if I come with you!" I protested.
He suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, burying his face into my hair. My eyes widened partially at the sudden contact, and partially from shock.
"Kurama…?"
"Amaya, stay here. I want to make sure that you stay safe. If you come, you'll only be giving Akira what he wants. You."
I opened my mouth to comment, but nothing came out.
"He's a demon, and demons will do anything to get what they want. And right now he wants you. Wants you enough to threaten the great Youko Kurama." He pulled away, and I stared at him, still unable to speak. "So, you can be fighting him just by staying here. By not giving him what he wants."
I nodded and looked down, unable to say anything more.
He turned back towards Kuronue and Hiei, and smirked. "Right! Let's go!"
The three of them dashed away, leaving me by myself in the clearing. When they were gone, I smirked and put my hand on my hip.
"Ha! Like I'm going to stay behind while they go and fight! I want to get a few blows in on Akira too!" I said, turning on my heel and going back down to our bedroom. I went into the chest with my clothes and other things in it (given to me about two days before). I pulled out the outfit that Leiko, a female thief here, had given to me as a sort of 'welcoming gift'.
I quickly removed my yukata and changed into the outfit. It consisted of a pair of baggy black pants that were like Youko's in style, stopping above my ankles. The shirt was a bit more revealing than I would ever normally wear, but it permitted free movement. It was a sleeveless black shirt with a low-cut front that revealed more cleavage than I really cared to show. I also showed much of my stomach, because it stopped right below my chest.
I quickly secured my brown locks into a high ponytail so that it wouldn't get in the way.
I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror.
And froze.
My hand slowly went to my forehead, and in my reflection, my sea-green eyes widened.
My bruise…it was gone!
But bruises took weeks to heal! Mine had healed in a matter of a day!
I quickly decided that I had more important matters to attend to and ran out of the room, as fast as my legs could carry me. I also realized that I had no bow or arrows. I silently cursed my luck, and I ran around the corner, straight into some demons.
I fell back onto my rear, and winced at the pain.
The two demons that I had bumped into looked down at me angrily, but then their expressions changed.
"Gomen n-nasai! Daijobu ka?" Stuttered the first red oni.
I was confused at the sudden change of attitude, but then remembered Youko's threat: If anyone of these demons laid a finger on me, they would be killed.
I also noticed that one just so happened to have a bow across his chest and a quiver of arrows on his back.
"Ah!" I exclaimed as I scrambled to my feet. "Sir, I need to borrow those!" I said, pointing.
He glared at me. "What? No way-"
The first glared at him. "Oi, remember what Youko-sama said about her!"
The second demon grudgingly removed his bow and quiver and handed them to me. I put them both on and gave him a stiff bow of thanks before continuing my run up the stairs and into the clearing.
I stopped and closed my eyes, listening for any indicator of which direction that they had gone.
I could very faintly hear the sound of clashing metal, so I headed in that direction - west.
The woods surrounding the clearing were thick and dense, and gave me some slight trouble to get through, but after about thirty minutes of stumbling over tree roots and such, I came upon yet another clearing. I stopped to take a rest, and check to make sure that I hadn't hurt myself too badly going through the woods.
Now, I had never seen a dragon before, but when I saw that gigantic purple creature flying over the treetops only a short distance from where I was, I was terrified. It looked as though it were made of fire!
I realized that that must be where the battle was, so I rushed into the woods again, eager to get there before anything happened.
After yet another fifteen minutes, I arrived in the clearing before my former estate. I threw my hands over my mouth when I saw the large number of bodies that lay strewn throughout the place. Some I knew - others I did not.
One of the many that I recognized was that of Kenji, my supposed brother. I winced and turned away from his mangled body, tears welling up in my eyes. I still loved him as though he was related to me, even if the feeling wasn't mutual.
"Amaya!"
I turned back around, and saw Kuronue running up to me. He looked quite displeased with me. I nearly gasped when I saw the kinds of wounds he was sporting - many gashes and cuts all over his body, and one broken wing.
"Kuronue-kun, you're hurt!" I exclaimed.
He grabbed onto my shoulders, and now I could clearly see his fury. "Amaya! We told you to stay back at home! It's dangerous here!"
I glared. "Where is Kurama?"
"Damn it, woman! Are you even listening to me?!" He shouted, causing me to shrink away slightly. I had never seen him act like this before, and it scared me. He then blinked and trailed his eyes over my body. "And what the hell are you wearing?"
"Just tell me where he is!" I shouted back. I was angered at his sudden change of subject, when I wanted to know where my other friend was.
His eyes flashed for a second, and he sighed. He pointed to the cherry blossom hill that lay on the other side of the field. My father's prized trees were there, and that was where we used to celebrate the blooming of the sakura, and hold Hanami every April.
That was where they were fighting?
I looked back to my friend. "Kuronue, you should stop fighting. Please, find a healer."
He forced a smirk. "Hiei's still fighting, and he's worse off than I am. You have to understand that it's a macho pride thing."
I sighed as well, but gave him a pleading look. "I understand, Kuronue. But please…be careful."
He looked surprised, and I got up on my tiptoes to place a butterfly kiss on his cheek.
I then turned and stared running towards the hill, jumping over the horribly burned bodies of the fallen. Even though there were hundreds dead, still more were left fighting. Which was giving Kuronue and Hiei a hard time.
I stopped and looked up the hill, right about when I got to the base of it. I nearly gagged when I saw Youko. His injuries made Kuronue's seem like a minor scraped knee - gashes and cuts far deeper and more common than on the raven-haired youkai. He seemed to be deeply involved in his fight against the equally hurt Akira.
Youko and Akira where moving at incredible speeds, and they appeared to be mere flashes of light.
I struggled to keep up with their movements, but failed.
"Jaou Ensatsu Koko Ryu Ha!"
I turned back and saw the same flaming dragon consuming what was left of my father's army. And controlling it was Hiei.
I heard Akira curse, which drew my attention back to them. I realized that the reason was because now Kuronue and Hiei would be joining in the fight against him - one that he knew he would never win. He twirled the sword he was holding, and made a madman's dash towards Youko.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
Akira was running at Youko, and feigned a blow to his shoulder. As Youko went to block to his right, Akira made his real move.
A sword thrust to the heart.
I felt my own heart die.
The pain wrenched a scream from my throat.
"Kurama!" I shrieked, my hands flying to my mouth as tears spilled freely.
He slowly looked back towards me, blood trickling from his mouth and his golden eyes now dull.
"Amaya…"
Akira withdrew his sword, causing Youko to cry out. Akira then seemed to realize that Kuronue and Hiei were standing there, and ran away into the woods. But I didn't care.
Youko fell back onto the ground, his robes now completely scarlet. The full moon shone overhead, and it seemed to have been turned an angry red color.
I ran forward to Youko's fallen body, and I shook his shoulders. "Kurama, please, wake up." I sobbed, gently brushing the bangs from his blood smeared face. I bit my lip as the tears kept rolling.
So cold…he was getting so cold.
But I couldn't bring myself to admit the obvious.
That Youko Kurama, my best friend in all of the world, was dead.
~*~
Author's Notes: Ahh! I'm so sorry! That's not the end of the story though. *dodges flying tomatoes* Well, have hope!
Thanks To Everyone Who Reviewed The Last Chapter:
inuyasha-hieiluver: Thank you!
TrU AzN cHiK: Yes, I knew that her name means 'night rain'. I thought it was pretty, which was why I chose it. ^___^ Looks like great minds think alike. Thanks for the review!! Oh yeah, and cool name, by the way.
Japanese Dictionary For This Chapter:
sakura - cherry blossoms
Hanami - cherry blossom viewing
Review!!!!