"Saiko… Hey Saiko…!" Kuwabara was standing outside the room that had been prepared for Saiko. "Hey… Saiko? Are you still alive?" He waited a moment, then the door started to open. Saiko was looking out at him with tear filled eyes. "You weren't still crying, were you?"
"Kazuma, please go away. I'm sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on. I want to be alone for now." She starts closing the door.
"Saiko…"
"Leave me alone, please!" She closed the door hard in his face. Kuwabara stood there looking at it. Hiei and Kurama came walking by.
"Do you find something interesting about the wood work, or are you having a conversation with it?" Hiei scoffed.
"No, I was trying to talk to Saiko, but she's really upset. She wouldn't talk to me."
"And this is a surprise? Why would someone willingly talk with someone as dumb and ugly as you? especially someone like her?" Kuwabara was about to hit Hiei.
"So, are you saying you think she's pretty and smart? Hiei, I never thought I'd see the day you liked a human." Kurama teased.
"I don't like her, and she's not human." Hiei snapped.
"We don't know that. Maybe what we sensed was one of the shadows following her." Hiei scowled at Kurama. Then they heard a mysterious, haunting melody. It was very faint, and something about it made all three shudder. Then the words became clearer.
"If you won't let yourself lose the against time… Cut through the wind and reach for you goal again! Never spend a day full of regret…" The music seemed to move them, and they lost control of themselves and started towards the music.
Saiko sat in her new room, looking sadly over the vast expanses of the Spirit World as she sang quietly to herself.
"…For a bright future awaits those who do their best! Carefully walk your own unpaved path, …You can hesitate, you can shake… …Even cry to clear your muddled heart." She didn't hear her door open. "But always bite your lip and keep going for it! Life can be cruel, But never let your dreams fail! If you don't want to lose to time, Cut through the wind and reach for your dream! Even if you're hurt…" She stopped as she felt a presence. Saiko swiftly turned around. Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara were standing in her room with glazed looks on their faces. "What's going on?!" Saiko jumped. The three of them suddenly seemed to wake up. They looked around themselves and at each other. "What are you three doing in my room? Kazuma! I told you I wanted to be alone!"
"How did I end up in here?" Kuwabara didn't seem to hear her. "Hey, what are you two doing in here?"
"I was about to ask the same thing." Kurama replied.
"What's going on here?" Saiko all but screamed. "Do you mean that you didn't know you were coming into this room?"
"No. We don't seem to know anything that just happened. But I know one thing, I'm leaving now." Hiei turned and walked away muttering. "…All because I met humans…"
"I uh… I guess I'll be going as well…" Kuwabara slunk out of the room. Saiko looked at Kurama a moment.
"Shall I also take my leave?" Kurama takes a step back.
"Wait. I want to ask you some things." Saiko turned her gaze out the window a moment. "You can come in… But please close the door." Kurama obliged. He closed the door and stood looking at Saiko. She turned back to look at him. "Are you… a demon?…Suichi?"
"My name isn't really Suichi, well, it is, but it's not. But yes, I am a demon." Saiko looked at him in confusion. "My name is Kurama. Years ago, before you were born, I was in a battle, and was losing. After being injured terribly, I sent myself to the Living World, where I became the son of a human family. They named me Suichi, but I'm still the demon Kurama." Saiko nodded.
"Then, what about Yuske and Kazuma?"
"They're Humans. But Hiei is also a demon."
"Hiei?" Saiko asked. "Who's that?"
"Hiei is the… Well, he's the short demon that you met first. He's brash, but not that bad of a guy. Really, everyone here in Spirit World is a demon but Yuske and Kuwabara… and maybe you." Saiko looked at Kurama. "You see, we're not to sure if you're human or not." Saiko nodded.
"I see." She rested her cheek against her knees. "What would happen… if I am a demon? Would I have to give up my life back there?"
"No, of course not! I'm still with my … my human family, such as it is." Saiko looked at him in confusion. "It's hard to explain, but just trust me on this." Saiko nodded.
"So, if I am a demon, will that little pacifier boy be keeping tabs on me wherever I go, whatever I do? That's a creepy thought." Kurama smiled.
"We could probably make arrangements for you to be left alone. And that's assuming you're even a demon. I have my doubts." Saiko smiled.
"Thank you. I'd hate for everyone to think I'm a demon, then disappoint them all if I'm not."
"Saiko, I think you know more about who you are then you're letting on. You got really freaked out with the dates Koenma said." Saiko's eyes filled with tears again and she turned away. "If you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand. I can go whenever you like."
"Are you that uncomfortable around me? You seemed very interested in me when I thought you were human." Kurama looked taken aback and blushed. "Come here and sit down. I don't know what you think I do, but I'll tell you why I was shocked when … Ko…Ken…"
"Koenma."
"Yes, Koenma. When he was saying those dates. I was told that I came to the orphanage May 5th nearly 15 years ago. When I was 9, my father, the man who adopted me, died. Since then, it was just me and mom, but recently, she had a heart attack and died a week later. So, for the last 11 months, I've been on my own." Saiko sighed.
"I'm so sorry. It must be hard."
"You're sure compassionate for a demon. Maybe you're more human then you think." Saiko smiled softly. "And the more I run it through my mind, the more I wonder if maybe I am a demon. It could be that the shadows after me could hold the key to who I am." Saiko quickly wiped some tears from her eyes. "My word, look at me. A week ago I wouldn't even say hi to you, let alone confide in you. And here I am, telling you all this, and crying like a sissy."
"Saiko." She looked at Kurama. "Yuske is very capable of taking care of anything. This will all work out, we'll all see to that. And with any luck, you'll be back in school before the month is spent."
"Right. Thank you, Kurama."
"You should get some rest now. It's been a long day for you. I'll see you later." Kurama walked to the door. He looked back at her, about to say something, but left instead.
Everyone had reconvened the next morning in Koenma's office. Koenma was rambling on about how Yuske was the best choice for the job and that he wouldn't let Saiko down. Saiko became very board listening to him. She looked wearily around. Kuwabara was almost asleep, and Yuske was asleep. Kurama looked like he was listening, but also looked at his wits ends. Hiei turned and started walking out the door. No one else seemed to notice, so Saiko snuck out after him.
"You're called Hiei, correct?" Hiei stopped and looked at Saiko.
"Do you want me to give you an award?"
"Want me to rip out your tongue?" Saiko countered. Hiei smiled.
"Witty one, aren't you?" Hiei started walking down the hall again.
"What, leaving so soon? What's the matter, afraid that a human like me can outwit you?" Hiei turned back around. "Oh, did I hurt your pride?"
"What makes you think you're human?"
"What makes you think I'm not? Have you checked?" Saiko approached Hiei.
"I would check, if that toddler Koenma would shut his yap. He isn't even saying anything important. He does this too often."
"Then why do you work for him?"
"He cleared my criminal record, but I had to work for the good of humans."
"So now you're on the same level as Yuske and Kazuma."
"Never say that oaf is on an equal level with me! Yuske, I can accept, but not that big dumb ox." Saiko started chuckling. "What's so funny?" Hiei demanded.
"I said the same thing when I became his tutor. We're more alike then I thought, you and I." Hiei scoffed at that.
"You think you're anything like me?"
"Don't make me rip out your voice box so I can finish." Saiko snapped. Hiei smiled.
"Maybe we are alike after all… I said that to Kurama once. Tell me, are you a fighter?" Saiko thought about it for a moment.
"In a sense. I took 8 years of sword fighting, and I'm now missing my lessons because I'm here." Saiko scowled. Hiei grinned.
"Interesting."
"But I'm not very strong…" Hiei laughed again. "You find it funny." Hiei shook his head.
"Perhaps we should talk. You're quite an interesting character. And I'm curious to see your sword fighting skills." Saiko flushed.
"Now, why would you want to see that?" Hiei drew his sword.
"I'm a swordsmen as well."
"Kazuma, please go away. I'm sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on. I want to be alone for now." She starts closing the door.
"Saiko…"
"Leave me alone, please!" She closed the door hard in his face. Kuwabara stood there looking at it. Hiei and Kurama came walking by.
"Do you find something interesting about the wood work, or are you having a conversation with it?" Hiei scoffed.
"No, I was trying to talk to Saiko, but she's really upset. She wouldn't talk to me."
"And this is a surprise? Why would someone willingly talk with someone as dumb and ugly as you? especially someone like her?" Kuwabara was about to hit Hiei.
"So, are you saying you think she's pretty and smart? Hiei, I never thought I'd see the day you liked a human." Kurama teased.
"I don't like her, and she's not human." Hiei snapped.
"We don't know that. Maybe what we sensed was one of the shadows following her." Hiei scowled at Kurama. Then they heard a mysterious, haunting melody. It was very faint, and something about it made all three shudder. Then the words became clearer.
"If you won't let yourself lose the against time… Cut through the wind and reach for you goal again! Never spend a day full of regret…" The music seemed to move them, and they lost control of themselves and started towards the music.
Saiko sat in her new room, looking sadly over the vast expanses of the Spirit World as she sang quietly to herself.
"…For a bright future awaits those who do their best! Carefully walk your own unpaved path, …You can hesitate, you can shake… …Even cry to clear your muddled heart." She didn't hear her door open. "But always bite your lip and keep going for it! Life can be cruel, But never let your dreams fail! If you don't want to lose to time, Cut through the wind and reach for your dream! Even if you're hurt…" She stopped as she felt a presence. Saiko swiftly turned around. Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara were standing in her room with glazed looks on their faces. "What's going on?!" Saiko jumped. The three of them suddenly seemed to wake up. They looked around themselves and at each other. "What are you three doing in my room? Kazuma! I told you I wanted to be alone!"
"How did I end up in here?" Kuwabara didn't seem to hear her. "Hey, what are you two doing in here?"
"I was about to ask the same thing." Kurama replied.
"What's going on here?" Saiko all but screamed. "Do you mean that you didn't know you were coming into this room?"
"No. We don't seem to know anything that just happened. But I know one thing, I'm leaving now." Hiei turned and walked away muttering. "…All because I met humans…"
"I uh… I guess I'll be going as well…" Kuwabara slunk out of the room. Saiko looked at Kurama a moment.
"Shall I also take my leave?" Kurama takes a step back.
"Wait. I want to ask you some things." Saiko turned her gaze out the window a moment. "You can come in… But please close the door." Kurama obliged. He closed the door and stood looking at Saiko. She turned back to look at him. "Are you… a demon?…Suichi?"
"My name isn't really Suichi, well, it is, but it's not. But yes, I am a demon." Saiko looked at him in confusion. "My name is Kurama. Years ago, before you were born, I was in a battle, and was losing. After being injured terribly, I sent myself to the Living World, where I became the son of a human family. They named me Suichi, but I'm still the demon Kurama." Saiko nodded.
"Then, what about Yuske and Kazuma?"
"They're Humans. But Hiei is also a demon."
"Hiei?" Saiko asked. "Who's that?"
"Hiei is the… Well, he's the short demon that you met first. He's brash, but not that bad of a guy. Really, everyone here in Spirit World is a demon but Yuske and Kuwabara… and maybe you." Saiko looked at Kurama. "You see, we're not to sure if you're human or not." Saiko nodded.
"I see." She rested her cheek against her knees. "What would happen… if I am a demon? Would I have to give up my life back there?"
"No, of course not! I'm still with my … my human family, such as it is." Saiko looked at him in confusion. "It's hard to explain, but just trust me on this." Saiko nodded.
"So, if I am a demon, will that little pacifier boy be keeping tabs on me wherever I go, whatever I do? That's a creepy thought." Kurama smiled.
"We could probably make arrangements for you to be left alone. And that's assuming you're even a demon. I have my doubts." Saiko smiled.
"Thank you. I'd hate for everyone to think I'm a demon, then disappoint them all if I'm not."
"Saiko, I think you know more about who you are then you're letting on. You got really freaked out with the dates Koenma said." Saiko's eyes filled with tears again and she turned away. "If you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand. I can go whenever you like."
"Are you that uncomfortable around me? You seemed very interested in me when I thought you were human." Kurama looked taken aback and blushed. "Come here and sit down. I don't know what you think I do, but I'll tell you why I was shocked when … Ko…Ken…"
"Koenma."
"Yes, Koenma. When he was saying those dates. I was told that I came to the orphanage May 5th nearly 15 years ago. When I was 9, my father, the man who adopted me, died. Since then, it was just me and mom, but recently, she had a heart attack and died a week later. So, for the last 11 months, I've been on my own." Saiko sighed.
"I'm so sorry. It must be hard."
"You're sure compassionate for a demon. Maybe you're more human then you think." Saiko smiled softly. "And the more I run it through my mind, the more I wonder if maybe I am a demon. It could be that the shadows after me could hold the key to who I am." Saiko quickly wiped some tears from her eyes. "My word, look at me. A week ago I wouldn't even say hi to you, let alone confide in you. And here I am, telling you all this, and crying like a sissy."
"Saiko." She looked at Kurama. "Yuske is very capable of taking care of anything. This will all work out, we'll all see to that. And with any luck, you'll be back in school before the month is spent."
"Right. Thank you, Kurama."
"You should get some rest now. It's been a long day for you. I'll see you later." Kurama walked to the door. He looked back at her, about to say something, but left instead.
Everyone had reconvened the next morning in Koenma's office. Koenma was rambling on about how Yuske was the best choice for the job and that he wouldn't let Saiko down. Saiko became very board listening to him. She looked wearily around. Kuwabara was almost asleep, and Yuske was asleep. Kurama looked like he was listening, but also looked at his wits ends. Hiei turned and started walking out the door. No one else seemed to notice, so Saiko snuck out after him.
"You're called Hiei, correct?" Hiei stopped and looked at Saiko.
"Do you want me to give you an award?"
"Want me to rip out your tongue?" Saiko countered. Hiei smiled.
"Witty one, aren't you?" Hiei started walking down the hall again.
"What, leaving so soon? What's the matter, afraid that a human like me can outwit you?" Hiei turned back around. "Oh, did I hurt your pride?"
"What makes you think you're human?"
"What makes you think I'm not? Have you checked?" Saiko approached Hiei.
"I would check, if that toddler Koenma would shut his yap. He isn't even saying anything important. He does this too often."
"Then why do you work for him?"
"He cleared my criminal record, but I had to work for the good of humans."
"So now you're on the same level as Yuske and Kazuma."
"Never say that oaf is on an equal level with me! Yuske, I can accept, but not that big dumb ox." Saiko started chuckling. "What's so funny?" Hiei demanded.
"I said the same thing when I became his tutor. We're more alike then I thought, you and I." Hiei scoffed at that.
"You think you're anything like me?"
"Don't make me rip out your voice box so I can finish." Saiko snapped. Hiei smiled.
"Maybe we are alike after all… I said that to Kurama once. Tell me, are you a fighter?" Saiko thought about it for a moment.
"In a sense. I took 8 years of sword fighting, and I'm now missing my lessons because I'm here." Saiko scowled. Hiei grinned.
"Interesting."
"But I'm not very strong…" Hiei laughed again. "You find it funny." Hiei shook his head.
"Perhaps we should talk. You're quite an interesting character. And I'm curious to see your sword fighting skills." Saiko flushed.
"Now, why would you want to see that?" Hiei drew his sword.
"I'm a swordsmen as well."