Authoress here.
I'd like to take a brief moment to huggle all of my splendiferous reviewers. I know I'm getting sappy, but I haven't maxed out my Sap Card yet so there. (Sticks out tongue)
But in all seriousness, it's tr‚s nice to know people like my work enough to give me feedback!
WARNING: This chapter has a little more language than usual, because there is a sort of chick-fight....Right. Can anyone say DRAMA?
Sorry Jewel, but Kiamo gets a little OOC in this chappie. But you understand; fiction has me in it's grasp, I am loth to stop it! And..heh heh....I mean it when I say I'm protective of me bishonen...
Yujo Chronicles: Kiamo's Story - chapter five
The medow echoed softly with the laughter of girls gossiping and daydreaming in the lush green tresses of the earth. Kiamo, Katsu, and Emiko had climbed the old dirt road to Yusarikiwa Point. The place held many dear memories for both Katsu and Emiko; and now Kiamo was relaxing there as well.
"After these awesome scone things for dessert, I'm thinking the night's done and over with, right? And then this curtain lifts, and a live jazz band starts playing! We danced, and then we walked along the beach and- oh." Kiamo trailed off with a love struck-sigh.
Emiko, alias Komiko, exchanged glances with Katsu. "Sounds awesome. He rented the place?"
"Yeah."
"Why wouldn't I be?" "You two are goin' really fast." Katsu said carefully.
Kiamo sat up, looking at Katsu, a slight frown wrinkling her forehead. "You make it sound like a bad thing."
"Well," Katsu paused, exchanging another glance with Emiko. "It could be."
If Kiamo was anything, she was emotional. Now she jumped up, anger and hurt mirrored in her eyes. "Y'know what Katsu? You're just jealous of me and Seto! Just because you and Yusuke are too scared to get into a relationship doesn't mean I can't!"
Emiko got up too, and put a calming hand on her friend's shoulder. "Now that was unfair. Sorry, Kiamo, but I have to agree. You two are going to fast, and he seems way too good to be true."
Kiamo's voice was pure venom. "Listen to who's talking, Mrs. Suuichi Minamino herself! Your guys' relationship developed in what- two seconds?- and yet you have the gall to tell me I'm going too fast?!"
Emiko's eyes flared up with slight anger, but she remained calm, trying to talk sense into Kiamo. "Listen, that's different, I knew him before-"
"Of course it's different!" Kiamo spat. "For perfect Komiko, certainly! And you say Seto's too good to be true?! That's just because Suuichi's just not as good as Se-"
She was abruptly stopped as Emiko slapped her hard across the face. The angry demon-girl grabbed a fistful of Kiamo's light sweater, pulling her withen two inches of Emiko's livid face. "Insult me all you want, but even think bad things about Kurama and I swear-!"
Katsu leapt up to separate them, nudging Emiko in the ribs for her accidental slip of saying 'Kurama' instead of his human name. Luckily, Kiamo was too angry to have noticed.
She shoved away from Katsu. "Don't get all hot over your stupid boyfriend, Komiko. Why you so protective, huh? You sleep with him?"
Katsu glanced at Emiko, afraid of Emiko's response. When Kurama and the others explained about Spirit Energy and demons, she had also been informed of Emiko and Kurama being mates in their past forms of fox demons. And mates meaning...
Emiko glowered, fighting to keep her anger in check. Her demonic side helped her hide all these torrents of human emotion; soon her face was passive again. "You speak of things you know little of, Kiamo; and maybe you'll never know. This has nothing to do with me or Suuichi. This is all about you and a choice you could end up making that could hurt you! Why can't you even see our side?!"
"You slut." Kiamo's voice rose in anger. "You did sleep with him! And you think you can tell me what to do?! Well, newsflash, bitch: I couldn't give a damn. I really like Seto, and he really likes me. I'll do whatever I want with him, and no backstabbing hypocrite is gonna change my mind, or my heart!"
She whirled around and stormed off down the hill, leaving her two friends stunned.
Emiko sank to her knees, dry-eyed but visibly shaken. When she spoke, her voice was dull. "Damn my human emotion."
"What?"
"A true vixen as I should be would of know exactly what to say to Kiamo, to get her to see past his rosy exterior." Emiko gave a single sniff.
Katsu knelt, making near-white orbs level with deep chestnut ones. "But in this case you aren't supposed to be a demon; you aren't supposed to be a human. You're doing just what you should. You're being a friend. The truth hurts, but at least we said our piece."
Emiko sighed, and smiled at her friend. "Did I ever tell you you'd be a splendid demoness with a brain like yours?" She straightened up, pushing her shoulders back in the sign of hope. "You're right. We said what we had to; now all we can do is hope she thinks good and hard about it."
...
Kuwabara passed his sister's closed door on his way to the kitchen only later that morning. A small, unmistakable snuffle issued from behind the wood, and he turned the handle softly.
Shizuru was sitting in the middle of her room, clad only in jeans and a bra. She was sobbing, clutching a golden lighter in one hand....and a kitchen knife in the other.
"Sis-!" Kuwabara flopped down next to her, gently prying the knife from her hand. He placed it on her desk and out of reach. He examined his sister carefully. A pin-prick of blood on her left upper chest caught his attention. He looked from it to the knife resting innocently on the desk behind him in horror.
"Shizuru, you didn't-"
"I couldn't!" She sobbed out, voice overly thick with tears, words strained with pain. Not pain from the small droplet of blood; but the pain in her heart. "Sakioh-!"
Kuwabara gathered his sister to him in a warm hug. His eyes welled up and he blinked fiercely. "Sis.."
"He s-smiled at me after he p-pushed the button, and K-Koenma wouldn't let me go to him, Kazuma! And he tossed m-me the lighter, and then the r-roof caved in!" Her face was red from crying, and each word she had to force through her throat, tight from the tears.
"Sis, you barely knew him." Kuwabara said gruffly. Unsure of how to comfort a grieving woman, he tried this new tact.
"But Kazuma," Shizuru looked up at him tearfully, "I didn't need to know him. I already knew." With that, another sob ripped through her suddenly frail-feeling body. "I j-just wanted him to l-love me!"
"Who knows, Shizuru? You know how ghosts can be; maybe Sakioh's watchen' you right now." The sympathy sounded lame to his ears, but she did manage a smile. He cheered inwardly. "Now, wipe yer face and put on a shirt. I'll take you out fer luch, 'kay Sis?"
She nodded, then suddenly smacked him across the face. "Get outta here, you lousy perv!"
Kuwabara rubbed the side of his face, smiling goofily. "Aw, I love you too, Sis." He got up and moved to the door.
Right outside the half-opened door stood Seto, listening , half-guilty half-interested. Hearing Kuwabara's approach, Seto started and continued down the hallway, turning over the conversation in his mind.
The real and tangible love these normal people seem to feel. Seto mused. Komiko and Suuichi, Urameshi and his friend Katsu, Kuwabara and his bond to his sister. And Shizuru and this man Sakioh...
Seto turned into the "guest bedroom" and shut the door behind him. He leaned against it, and glanced at the newspaper he had clutched in one hand. It still read:
"THE HEART BEHIND THE HARDWARE: Could Business-Teen have a New Girlfriend?"
And under the headline was the full-color picture of Seto and Kiamo walking hand in hand down the beach, Seto poised and charming. Kiamo was looking very happy and radiant in her blue dress.
I almost feel bad about just using her.- Seto thought. -But I need her to get the electronics company.
I need her...
...
Kurama, Yusuke, and Hiei lounged comfortably in the plastic booth as Seto walked in. They waved and he made his way over to their table.
After only a few minutes of chatting, the four were interrupted by Moshimu, the old cook. "Sorry fer the wait, gents, but me waitress is missin'."
"Which waitress?" Yusuke asked.
"Miss Kiamo. Any o' youse seen 'her lately?"
They shook their heads. Moshimu sighed.
"Den I'm gonna haveta ask ya t'leave, I got no help. I gotta close up."
"Wait, Moshimu, I'll cover for..Kiamo." Emiko burst into the shop, followed closely by Katsu.
"Oh, bless yore 'eart, Komikes." Moshimu's face wrinkled in a smile that almost made his eyes disapear with grateful mirth.
"Sorry, Mosh, but this is all I have to wear, my uniform's at home." Emiko gestured at her jeans and lightweight shirt. "I'll just throw on a spare apron."
"Good, good." Moshimu began to trundle back into the kitchen. "Den I'll get y'boys the usual fries n'shakes."
"Thanks." Hiei called out gruffly. "But I've got to go. Important, personal business." Like usual, Hiei got up and left without anyone questioning his next destination. It was usually an unpleasant description of some sort of gore, if an explanation was given.
Emiko disappeared into the back, and Katsu slid into the booth next to Yusuke. "Hey, everyone. Sorry we're late."
"Do you know where Kiamo is?" Seto asked.
The look Katsu sent him was pure malice. "No. And if I did know, I wouldn't tell you."
"Katsy!" Yusuke looked at her in surprise. "What the hell?"
"Nothing. Oh-" Katsu's cell phone rang shrilly, and she got up. "Just a sec."
As she went away from the table, Emiko walked up carrying the tray. She set it down on the table, and as they were the only ones in the diner, she sat down next to Kurama.
"Yo, Miko." Yusuke greeted her. "What's wrong with Katsu? She just near ripped Kaiba's head off."
"Good for her." Emiko said icily.
"Alright." Seto said, his blood starting to boil slightly. He didn't deserve this! What the hell did these girls think? "What have I done to make you two so angry?"
Emiko leaned on the table, brown eyes smoldering. If he could of, Seto would of stepped away. "Listen, moneybags. I don't know what the hell you're planning, but leave Kiamo out of it."
"I don't understand." Seto said curtly.
"I think you do." Emiko said softly, the razor-keen edge of her voice dangerous. "And I won't say another word after this, not to her, not to you. Just know if you hurt her in any way, shape or form... I will not hold myself responsible for my actions."
The bell above the door jingled, and a group of chattering teens came into the diner. Emiko stood after giving Kurama a sweet kiss. He caught her hand and squeezed it, silently approving her actions. Emiko smiled ever so slightly before leaving to take their order.
Yusuke patted Seto on the back, still completely oblivious. "Listen, man, I tell ya, girls around here will kill ya let alone look at ya."
Kurama smiled slightly, the irony not lost on the fox-demon.
...
Kiamo had waited until her friends had left the meadow on top of Yusarikiwa Point, then had doubled back to sit and think alone.
Why would Komiko and Katsu say such things?- Kiamo sighed. -I don't think they are jealous. I mean, Komiko must be pretty serious about Suuichi if they've slept together, and Katsu's falling over herself for Yusuke.
The sunlight sent shafts of stabbing gold light into the surrounding trees, lighting up Emiko as she trudged back uphill. She had had a feeling Kiamo would still be here. So the moment her shift at the diner was over, Emiko had made her way back.
"Kiamo?"
"Komiko! What are you doing here?"
Emiko wound her way over to her friend, and sat next to her. "Apologizing."
"What? Why?"
Emiko looked at her. "Kiamo, I still ment everything I said, but that was no way to try to tell you. It wasn't fair on my part, and I'd like to apologize for loosing my head."
Kiamo hesitantly gave Emiko a hug. "Accepted. Even though I still don't believe you."
Emiko gave the smallest of sighs. "That's okay. I just want you to watch out for yourself, okay?"
"Okay."
...
The Ferrari had picked her up again, and Seto greeted her with a small kiss.
"Are you going to ask where we're going tonight?" Seto smiled as he shifted the car in gear.
"Nah." Kiamo said, looking up at Seto flirtily through her eyelashes. "I like surprises."
"Good." Seto smoothly pulled over onto a side road Kiamo recognized.
"Oh!" She gasped. "Yusarikiwa Point! But how'd you-"
"I have my sources." Seto informed her. "Up there, we can get away from it all, talk, make-out.." He trailed off with a grin.
The ride was a short one, and soon the moonlight bathed the expensive car in a soft glow. Kiamo looked towards Seto, who hesitated for a moment before pushing their lips together in a sweet embrace.
Guilt was usually something Seto didn't have to worry about. But while he slowly pushed her down to lay on the passenger seat, lips massaging hers throughout, he felt a twinge. His conscience screamed at him Tell the truth! You actually like this girl! You actually love this girl! Tell her why before she finds out herself!
But somehow the inner voice was drowned out by the blood pounding in his ears as he let his hand rub slow circles on her stomach. And next, the world was temporarily lit by the flash of a camera.
Two reporters, having received an "anonymous" tip from Seto earlier, were busy taking tomorrow's front page news for Domino Daily. Kiamo didn't notice, eyes having been closed and Seto blocking the view if her eyes were open.
The slow pattering footsteps told him they were retreating, having done their job.
The guilt pushed to the front of his mind again, but as he opened his mouth to tell Kiamo everything, -Hirugasashi Electronics, Mrs. Hitome Hirugasashi's proposal, the first reasons for the extravagant pampering so far, and now...his true feelings for her- she kissed him again.
Seto was positive of it now. At first, he had pretended to be smitten with her, said everything he should of, got Kiamo hook, line and sinker. And now, he really was smitten, said the things his heart told him to. He loved her.
But somehow, he couldn't tell her.