Chapter 3
Behind Fearful Eyes
Sapphire opened her eyes to see the door half open, Kurama and Yusuke gone. 'Luckily my wounds have healed a little,' she thought to herself as she struggled to get up. Suddenly, she saw Kurama walk in and help her up. "Sleep well?" he asked politely, locking his arm with hers and she nodded. "The others want to meet you." At first, she was afraid but when she felt the trust in his eyes the fear died down. He walked her out the door to the living room where Yusuke and the others were seated on the couches. Most were happy to see that she was alright, except for Botan.
"Glad to see you're okay," Keiko chirped, her smiling face making Sapphire more comfortable, but her shyness didn't leave her. She and Kurama sat down on the couch across from the others. "Hello," she said in a small voice, looking up at them then looked down again. "So you're an angel spirit correct?" Hiei spoke coldly, not looking at her. Sapphire nodded, slightly wincing in pain. "Yes and the only one I'm afraid," she said back, looking at them shyly then turning away. They introduced themselves and she gave a small smile in response and said her name. "Why are you here on Earth anyway?" Botan asked impatiently, crossing her arms and stared at her. Sapphire said nothing for a little bit, then spoke in a sad tone. "I came here because I didn't belong in the spirit world," she began. "I was always neglected by my parents and I had no friends. Everyone made fun of my blindness and beat me up because of it. I tried so hard to make my parents understand that I was always alone and was depressed, but they didn't believe and started abusing me every time I brought the subject up. So one morning and they were dead and I looked out my bedroom window to see...," she trailed off for a moment, seeing they were interested so she continued. "To see the entire spirit world being destroyed! I ran to the Koenma's home to tell him, but when I got there... he and all the spirits were murdered. The spirits responsible were gone for that time, so I escaped to find someone who would listen to me. At first, I thought it was a stupid idea because I thought if anyone knew about my blindness...no one would listen. Then, I ran into you all and I'm hoping you all will help me resurrect the spirit world."
When she finished, they all were shocked by her story. "I see...in that case, we will help you," Yusuke finally said, leaning forward to look into her bright blue eyes. She looked up at them and they nodded, and happiness raced through her again. "Thank you all," she thanked and they stood up. "Hey um, do you want to come with us for a full day of fun?" Keiko asked Sapphire and she nodded. "I'd be honored, just let me get something really fast first," she said and walked back into the room. "I feel so bad for her, having a life like that," Kurama whispered and they all agreed. "Great, another one to look after," Hiei said stubbornly, Yusuke glared at him. "Oh shut up shortie," he said angrily. "Imagine yourself in that situation." Hiei just laughed and walked out the door. "Forget him Yusuke," Kuwabara finally said, breaking the sudden silence. "We'll do fine without him for now." Yusuke sighed and nodded at Kuwabara, looking back as Sapphire returned again, her clothes nicer now. "Let's go," she said shyly, blushing as Kurama again locked his arm with hers and they all walked out the door.
(6:00 that night)
They all laughed hysterically as they exited the movie theater, talking about the comedy they just saw. They went swimming, shopping and saw a movie. They walked up to Kuwabara's doorstep, said goodbye and head for Keiko's house. After she left, it was just Kurama and Sapphire, Yusuke telling her to come back to his house before eight. The two were at Yusuke's doorstep, but Kurama held her back. "Sapphire, I had a great time with you today," he said, trying to hide his blushing face. "I was wondering something...," he trailed off for a moment. She edged herself closer till their faces almost touched. "Would you like to..," he was interrupted when Yusuke's mom opened the door and welcomed them in. "I had a good time to, thank you for guiding me everywhere...but I feel like I was bothering you," she said in a small voice. He looked up and took her hand in his and kissed it. "Not all, I like spending time with you," he corrected, his gentle eyes turning her face red with shyness. "Th-thank you Kurama," she whispered shyly, gasping when he hugged her comfortingly. She longed to be in his arms since last night when she first met him, wrapping her arms around him. When he pulled back to meet her face, he lightly pressed his lips on her forehead then smiled. "See you soon," he whispered, waved to Yusuke then left.
When she was getting into some pajamas Yusuke's mom gave her, Yusuke slightly opened the door and grinned. "You like him, don't you?" he asked slyly, but she ignored him. "So what if I do, it's not like you and Keiko have a thing for each other?" she pressed and she laughed when she felt him glare at her. "I may be blind, but I'm not that stupid." He gave up and closed the door, leaving her alone to her thoughts. 'Kurama is nice, but I wish to see his face and the others,' she thought sadly, sighing wearily. Yusuke's mom came in and asked how the black silk pajamas felt and if she was comfortable. "Yes, I couldn't thank you enough for taking me in for a while," Sapphire said happily. "How do I get to the roof?" His mom was a little confused at first, but told her to take the stairs to the top and open the last door at the top. Sapphire nodded, bowed to them then left for the roof.
The view was beautiful! The large silver moon lit up the dark city and the stars lightly twinkled in the bright blue sky. She deeply breathed the fresh night air and pulled out her flute. It was about a foot long and was a shiny crimson red. She gently put it to her lips, steadied her fingers and played the song of her people (it's the flute music from the Escaflowne movie; I thought it would be good for the story). As she played, many people opened their windows and watched her play, enchanted by the lively music. Even Yusuke and his mom came on the roof and joined in and listened intently. Before she knew it, everyone in the whole city was on their roofs or had their windows open as she finished the song.
When she finished, some were quiet and went back to bed, the others clapped loudly and praised her, then went back to bed also. She put the flute back in the pants pocket, turned to Yusuke and her mom and smiled. "It's a song of her people, it's a song of prayer and for good luck," she explained, surprised that the whole city had heard her and happy at the same time. Yusuke and his mom didn't move for a minute, but then came back to their senses and they went back to their apartment in silence.
Once inside, they said goodnight to his mom and they went into Yusuke's room to sleep. "That was an amazing song, where did you learn that from...your people?" he asked curiously, wanting to know how she learned that song. "Well, aren't we a little nosy but I learned when I was little...when I wasn't picked on as much. The priests would play it on special occasions and after a while I got used to the sound and practiced on my own. The lead priest was my friend and he gave his flute to me before he passed away. It is my most precious treasure after all, I don't leave anywhere without it." She didn't turn to look at Yusuke, but she could tell he was impressed by both her origin and her good looks she could tell. "Goodnight Yusuke," she said with a yawn and got into the guest bed next to his. He didn't say goodnight, but he put a hand her shoulder and smiled at her, then got under the covers and snored off to sleep. But she stayed awake, staring out the window at the moonlight sky. 'I wonder if things work out with me and the others. I'm glad I have friends now, especially someone who cares like Kurama and Yusuke's mom. I feel like her daughter now for some reason, but I can't be too attached them all the time. When we resurrect the spirit world, I'll march up to Koenma and his father to see if they can do anything to fulfill my wish...to see the light of the sun, the gentle green grass, even the faces of my friends,' she thought to herself, smiling as she thought of Kurama and fell asleep peacefully.
Behind Fearful Eyes
Sapphire opened her eyes to see the door half open, Kurama and Yusuke gone. 'Luckily my wounds have healed a little,' she thought to herself as she struggled to get up. Suddenly, she saw Kurama walk in and help her up. "Sleep well?" he asked politely, locking his arm with hers and she nodded. "The others want to meet you." At first, she was afraid but when she felt the trust in his eyes the fear died down. He walked her out the door to the living room where Yusuke and the others were seated on the couches. Most were happy to see that she was alright, except for Botan.
"Glad to see you're okay," Keiko chirped, her smiling face making Sapphire more comfortable, but her shyness didn't leave her. She and Kurama sat down on the couch across from the others. "Hello," she said in a small voice, looking up at them then looked down again. "So you're an angel spirit correct?" Hiei spoke coldly, not looking at her. Sapphire nodded, slightly wincing in pain. "Yes and the only one I'm afraid," she said back, looking at them shyly then turning away. They introduced themselves and she gave a small smile in response and said her name. "Why are you here on Earth anyway?" Botan asked impatiently, crossing her arms and stared at her. Sapphire said nothing for a little bit, then spoke in a sad tone. "I came here because I didn't belong in the spirit world," she began. "I was always neglected by my parents and I had no friends. Everyone made fun of my blindness and beat me up because of it. I tried so hard to make my parents understand that I was always alone and was depressed, but they didn't believe and started abusing me every time I brought the subject up. So one morning and they were dead and I looked out my bedroom window to see...," she trailed off for a moment, seeing they were interested so she continued. "To see the entire spirit world being destroyed! I ran to the Koenma's home to tell him, but when I got there... he and all the spirits were murdered. The spirits responsible were gone for that time, so I escaped to find someone who would listen to me. At first, I thought it was a stupid idea because I thought if anyone knew about my blindness...no one would listen. Then, I ran into you all and I'm hoping you all will help me resurrect the spirit world."
When she finished, they all were shocked by her story. "I see...in that case, we will help you," Yusuke finally said, leaning forward to look into her bright blue eyes. She looked up at them and they nodded, and happiness raced through her again. "Thank you all," she thanked and they stood up. "Hey um, do you want to come with us for a full day of fun?" Keiko asked Sapphire and she nodded. "I'd be honored, just let me get something really fast first," she said and walked back into the room. "I feel so bad for her, having a life like that," Kurama whispered and they all agreed. "Great, another one to look after," Hiei said stubbornly, Yusuke glared at him. "Oh shut up shortie," he said angrily. "Imagine yourself in that situation." Hiei just laughed and walked out the door. "Forget him Yusuke," Kuwabara finally said, breaking the sudden silence. "We'll do fine without him for now." Yusuke sighed and nodded at Kuwabara, looking back as Sapphire returned again, her clothes nicer now. "Let's go," she said shyly, blushing as Kurama again locked his arm with hers and they all walked out the door.
(6:00 that night)
They all laughed hysterically as they exited the movie theater, talking about the comedy they just saw. They went swimming, shopping and saw a movie. They walked up to Kuwabara's doorstep, said goodbye and head for Keiko's house. After she left, it was just Kurama and Sapphire, Yusuke telling her to come back to his house before eight. The two were at Yusuke's doorstep, but Kurama held her back. "Sapphire, I had a great time with you today," he said, trying to hide his blushing face. "I was wondering something...," he trailed off for a moment. She edged herself closer till their faces almost touched. "Would you like to..," he was interrupted when Yusuke's mom opened the door and welcomed them in. "I had a good time to, thank you for guiding me everywhere...but I feel like I was bothering you," she said in a small voice. He looked up and took her hand in his and kissed it. "Not all, I like spending time with you," he corrected, his gentle eyes turning her face red with shyness. "Th-thank you Kurama," she whispered shyly, gasping when he hugged her comfortingly. She longed to be in his arms since last night when she first met him, wrapping her arms around him. When he pulled back to meet her face, he lightly pressed his lips on her forehead then smiled. "See you soon," he whispered, waved to Yusuke then left.
When she was getting into some pajamas Yusuke's mom gave her, Yusuke slightly opened the door and grinned. "You like him, don't you?" he asked slyly, but she ignored him. "So what if I do, it's not like you and Keiko have a thing for each other?" she pressed and she laughed when she felt him glare at her. "I may be blind, but I'm not that stupid." He gave up and closed the door, leaving her alone to her thoughts. 'Kurama is nice, but I wish to see his face and the others,' she thought sadly, sighing wearily. Yusuke's mom came in and asked how the black silk pajamas felt and if she was comfortable. "Yes, I couldn't thank you enough for taking me in for a while," Sapphire said happily. "How do I get to the roof?" His mom was a little confused at first, but told her to take the stairs to the top and open the last door at the top. Sapphire nodded, bowed to them then left for the roof.
The view was beautiful! The large silver moon lit up the dark city and the stars lightly twinkled in the bright blue sky. She deeply breathed the fresh night air and pulled out her flute. It was about a foot long and was a shiny crimson red. She gently put it to her lips, steadied her fingers and played the song of her people (it's the flute music from the Escaflowne movie; I thought it would be good for the story). As she played, many people opened their windows and watched her play, enchanted by the lively music. Even Yusuke and his mom came on the roof and joined in and listened intently. Before she knew it, everyone in the whole city was on their roofs or had their windows open as she finished the song.
When she finished, some were quiet and went back to bed, the others clapped loudly and praised her, then went back to bed also. She put the flute back in the pants pocket, turned to Yusuke and her mom and smiled. "It's a song of her people, it's a song of prayer and for good luck," she explained, surprised that the whole city had heard her and happy at the same time. Yusuke and his mom didn't move for a minute, but then came back to their senses and they went back to their apartment in silence.
Once inside, they said goodnight to his mom and they went into Yusuke's room to sleep. "That was an amazing song, where did you learn that from...your people?" he asked curiously, wanting to know how she learned that song. "Well, aren't we a little nosy but I learned when I was little...when I wasn't picked on as much. The priests would play it on special occasions and after a while I got used to the sound and practiced on my own. The lead priest was my friend and he gave his flute to me before he passed away. It is my most precious treasure after all, I don't leave anywhere without it." She didn't turn to look at Yusuke, but she could tell he was impressed by both her origin and her good looks she could tell. "Goodnight Yusuke," she said with a yawn and got into the guest bed next to his. He didn't say goodnight, but he put a hand her shoulder and smiled at her, then got under the covers and snored off to sleep. But she stayed awake, staring out the window at the moonlight sky. 'I wonder if things work out with me and the others. I'm glad I have friends now, especially someone who cares like Kurama and Yusuke's mom. I feel like her daughter now for some reason, but I can't be too attached them all the time. When we resurrect the spirit world, I'll march up to Koenma and his father to see if they can do anything to fulfill my wish...to see the light of the sun, the gentle green grass, even the faces of my friends,' she thought to herself, smiling as she thought of Kurama and fell asleep peacefully.
