Promises of the Past pt. 10 Gleam Yami Ni Hikaru (Gleam Darkness in the Light)

Ruka stormed into her room slamming the door behind her. How dare they do this to me, she growled. How dare they embarrass me. She slumped down on her bed sighing sadly. Tears welled in her eyes. The Prince has never loved you, a cold voice hissed somewhere yet nowhere at the same time in the room. He never did. You were just too stupid to realize it. She nodded. The tears trickled down her face. But, the cold voice tempted. I can give you what you seek. The Prince. Power. Anything you wish.

"Anything I wish," Ruka muttered entranced by the voice.

She stared blankly into the black night sky with her room growing dark with demonic shadows.

She watched the scene in Ruka's room.

"And so, the darkness comes into the light. Yami ni hikaru," Rei whispered. "It is the beginning of the end."

Beginning of the end? Fiore thought worriedly watching her from deep within the mists.

"I know you're here, Fiore," she called out making Fiore gasp. "Don't worry. I won't yell at you. Come on out."

The mists parted. Fiore walked to Rei's side. He stared into Ruka's bedchambers.

"Is this what worries you?" he questioned.

Rei nodded. She pulled him close. He jumped. She rested her head on his chest. An exotic smell of blossoms wafted into her nose.

"Fiore," she murmured making him look down on her, "what is that scent you're wearing?"

"It's the Kasimia blossom," he whispered stroking her long hair. "It's a flower on my home planet."

"It's wonderful," she whispered inhaling the intoxicating scent. "If you ever go back, would you bring me some?"

Burying his face in her hair, he nodded.

"Anything for you, Rei," he whispered. "Anything at all."

As the early morning sun crept over the horizon, they landed on Kizna's balcony smiling tiredly. They crept inside.

"What a wonderful night!" Botan sighed dreamily twirling around the room.

The others giggled.

"It may have been wonderful, but it was tiring," Keiko yawned.

She walked to the door.

"Goodbye, everyone. I'll see you all later," she greeted before walking out of the room.

"Yes, I suppose we all must be going," Botan added. "Get some rest, your Highness. I think we all need it."

Yukina and Sakura bobbed their heads in agreement. Kizna watched the others leave the bedchamber quietly. Slowly, she walked to her vanity and studied her reflection. How strange, she thought placing her hand on the dark gray circles forming under her eyes. This was never there before. She stared at her reflection watching. The glow in her skin faded turning her pale, cream-colored skin into an ashen white. I just need to rest, she thought quietly pulling herself away from the vanity mirror. These nightly trips are just sucking the life out of me.

You've got no idea how right you are, Princess, Rei thought worriedly. No idea at all.

Jesscheaux sighed. Goemon looked over to her worriedly. He reached over and placed a gentle hand on hers.

"Lady Jesscheaux?" Goemon inquired worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

She turned away shaking her head as tears formed in her eyes. Goemon placed a gloved hand on her face and turned her to face him. Jesscheaux looked deep into the dark, soulful eyes. Two crystalline tears fell. Goemon leaned down and kissed them away making Jesscheaux gasp. He pulled her close burying his face in her soft hair. A wisteria scent filled his senses.

"You shouldn't cry, Lady Jesscheaux," he whispered. "No one likes it when you do that."

She wrapped her arms around him. Tears softly fell from her face. Gently, he stroked her hair.

"Don't worry," he soothed. "I know you're worried, Lady Jesscheaux, but don't be sad. Things will always work out."

"But I have a feeling they won't," Jesscheaux whimpered.

Small, tiny, diamond tears fell from her green orbs wetting his clothes. He pulled away and dried her tears with a gray handkerchief. He stared deep into her sad green eyes.

"Don't worry," he smiled taking her hands in his. "Hey, why don't we got out for a carriage ride? I've been on the Moon for the past several days, and you haven't shown me around this kingdom."

Jesscheaux gasped.

"Oh, forgive me, Lord Goemon," Jesscheaux sighed. "I've been rude."

He smiled. On her pale white hands, he placed two kisses.

"You have nothing to worry about," he began, smiling. "Now, get dressed in your finest day dress. And I'll call for the carriage."

Smiling, Jesscheaux nodded. Goemon walked out of her sitting room. Slowly, she stood. A large smile grew on her face. She had found his handkerchief still in her grasp.

"Odd," Kohaku said as she and Jin walked down the hallway, "her Highness and her guardians are still sleeping."

Jin stared into an ajar, bedchamber door. He watched as the Princess's sleeping form rise and fall beneath her blankets.

"They must be tired," he murmured as he turned to Kohaku. "After all, who wouldn't be after be up all night down on earth?"

"True," Kohaku sighed worriedly, "but as Rei said, we can't do anything to stop them. Of course, Jesscheaux wants to be stubborn and disobey her."

Jin chuckled.

"She has always been the stubborn one," he responded. "Come on, there's nothing to see here."

Kohaku nodded. She and Jin walked out of the hallway.

Jesscheaux walked adorned in a deep purple, Victorian-esque waist coat and a long, flared, plum-colored skirt. Watching in herself in her vanity mirror, she adjusted a large purple hat, filled with green grapes and a long lavender ribbons trailing down the back. She smiled. I hope I'm not too dressed up, she thought smiling. She patted the bun holding in half of her hair. She ran her lavender gloved hands through her wavy hair. As she walked out her bedchamber door, a black clad servant handed her a lavender lace parasol. Jesscheaux smiled.

"Lord Goemon is waiting for you," the servant informed bowing. "The carriage has just pulled up."

"Thank you," Jesscheaux answered as she walked out. "You are dismissed."

The servant nodded, and Jesscheaux walked out the door.

Opening her parasol, Jesscheaux walked out into the large courtyard gardens under the bright sunlight. Goemon waved to her as he stood beside a white open-air carriage. She smiled. Goemon smiled a large smile. He held his hand out to her.

"You look wonderful," he complemented smiling.

She placed her hand in his. Jesscheaux blushed climbing into the carriage.

"Thank you," she answered softly hiding her face under her hat and parasol.

Goemon smiled.

"I've arranged for the carriage to take us to all the sites in the kingdom," he said taking her hand in his. "We should be back by late afternoon or this evening."

The carriage drove out of the courtyard with a white stallion's hooves clacking loudly.

Fiore watched Rei's chest rise and fall gently as she slept in his arms. What troubles her so? He thought worriedly. He watched through the Time Stream Mists. What will happen to us all?

The mists swirled around making the image of Ruka's bedchamber disappear. Another image appeared. Curiously, Fiore watched. The mists slowly cleared revealing Koenma pacing in his room dripping in a cold sweat.

He paced around his bedchambers with a cold sweat dripping from his brow. They're gonna get me. They're gonna get me, Koenma thought frightenedly. He stopped. Frightened, he clenched his teeth tightly. He dug his nails into his palms. Blood trickled onto the white carpet They're gonna kill us all. They're gonna kill us all, he thought collapsing to his knees. He tangled his bloody fingers in his hair staining his brown locks. He ran his fingers on this face washing his skin with his blood. He turned to his balcony door staring at his reflection as the morning sun shined through. He smiled a wide smile. He ran his tongue hungrily over his blood stained face and hands lapping up his blood. In the dark shadows of his room, demon dogs watched him drooling eagerly.

Fiore stared. His mouth hung agape. The mists veiled Koenma's devilish image. Macabre, he thought disgusted. He turned away.

"I wish to see no more!" he cried into the mists making Rei stir. "Don't you dare show me anymore of these blasphemous images!"

Slowly, Rei's eyes opened. She felt a warm presence and a loud voice surround her. She looked up and watched Fiore screaming at the entity that was the mists.

"Fiore?" she whispered. "What's happened?"

Quickly, Fiore looked down on her.

"Rei!" he cried worriedly. "Why didn't you tell her Highness of this images you've seen here?"

Rei's eyes went wide. He set her down and stood headed for the door.

"What have you seen?" she questioned desperately stopping him.

"Only one of the Prince's most trusted Generals go completely insane," he screamed. "We must tell the Queen about this. She might be able to do something for the future of their Kingdom."

"No!" she cried growing frightened. "We can't. It's against Time Law. If I reveal anything of the future to her Highness, I could die!"

Fiore gasped. Rei fell to the floor. Kneeling down, he wrapped his arms around her. Her body quivered with fright.

"Shh," Fiore comforted stroking her hair. "It will be all right."

No it won't, Fiore, she mentally whispered. This, will be the end of the Moon Kingdom. This will be the end of all our kingdoms. Mine. Yours. And everyone's.

Kuwabara stood on his balcony staring into the distant horizon. He smiled. Life couldn't be better, he thought happily. Especially with Yukina around. He stared up to the angel grave in the distance.

"Goodbye, Hina," he whispered smiling. "And thank you. For everything."

"What's there to be thankful for!" an angry voice screamed. "You left me alone to die!"

Kuwabara turned ghostly white. She stood adorned in a dirt covered, blue night-shift. Maggots and worms crawled out from under her skin. Her hair hung freely with mold and worms feasting on the straggly white mass. Her crimson eyes shined with anger. Cautiously, he turned.

"H-H-Hina?" he stuttered backing away to the edge of his balcony. "But it can't be. You're dead!"

"Only because of you," Hina whispered bitterly. "You left me alone, you Little Twit. You abandoned me when I needed you most."

"Please forgive me, Hina," he pleaded stepping back. "I had no idea."

Hina glared. The room shook with violent ghostly energy. Kuwabara flew back through the shattering glass doors and landed painfully on the balcony. He winced. She stalked toward him. He cowered.

"I know how much you care for the new woman in your life," she threatened grinning madly, "so I have a little something to show you."

Hina touched her cold, rotting fingers to Kuwabara's forehead. Kuwabara's eyes turned blank as he watched visions fill his head.

Vision

He thrust Yukina against the rough bark of a large tree. She screamed. Her screams of pain resounded through the battle field around them. Yukina gazed into his eyes searching for the man she once knew.

"Kazuma!" she gasped hoarsely. "Stop it! This isn't you!"

"Silence, Wench!" he commanded wrapping his large hand around her small throat.

Small hands clawed at him. his free hand wrapped around her neck helping the other one squeeze the life out of her.

"Kazuma!" she rasped digging her nails into his arms. "Please! What's wrong with you? Stop please!"

He raised his hand and struck her. A loud snap echoed through the battlefield. Yukina's limp body fell to the ground with her head landing at an odd angle. The frosty look in is eyes faced seemingly bringing him back to reality. Shock's sting stabbed him in te heart with a sharp knife of ice.

"Yukina!" he cried worriedly starting to cradle her in his arms. "Yukina, wake up! Yukina? What's wrong with you? Yukina?"

Realization hit him. Tears began trickling down his face. This happened because of me, he thought. I couldn't stop him.

"Yukina!" he anguished still cradling her.

The battle raged on around them. He continued weeping.

End Vision

Kuwabara's eyes grew red from tears trickling down his face. Grinning, Hina removed her fingers. He looked up at her with tears still falling down his face.

"That will not happen," he threatened glaring through the tears. "Get out of my sight you foul demon. You're not the real Hina. The real Hina was never like you."

Hina giggled. Kuwabara lunged at her striking her with his sword. She dissolved into a pile of dirt and worms. Her ghostly giggle echoed through the palace. He looked up hearing a loud pounding on his door.

"Kuwabara! Kuwabara!" Prince Kurama's voice yelled outside his bedchamber door. "Are you all right?"

"Yea!" Yusuke added. "We heard a loud crash coming from here. What happened?"

"Nothing, Yusuke!" Kuwabara screamed. "Leave me be. Send a servant to clean this up."

He heard Kurama and Yusuke shuffle away. His body quivered with fear. That can't happen to, Yukina, he thought determined. I'll do anything to stop it. Do you really think that you can stop what I will do to her, Kuwabara? A demonic voice hissed inside his unconscious. Kuwabara grasped his head trying to stop the voices filling his head. He sunk down to his knees.

(Author's note: Sorry for the long wait on the update. Not like any of you are still reading I'm sure... but for those who still are thank you so much for sticking with me and being patient. Anyway if you want to know my reason for updating like not any of you care it was because of stress. That's all. I've had too many problems in my life, and I still have those problems. That's all I'll say.

Over the next few days, Jesscheaux and Cesca lay bed-ridden in Reikai hospital. Jesscheaux would usually quietly grieve for the loss of her baby, and the fox in the bed next to her usually kept to herself. Jesscheaux was surrounded with plenty of get well gifts from the others and plenty of flowers and stuffed animals and just for the heck of it balloons. Then, Kuwabara burst threw their door with three rather large black garbage bags with a grin on his face.

"JESSCHEAUX!" he cried excitedly.

She smiled a bit.

"Hello, Kazuma," she replied.

"Look what I got!!!!!" he screamed with his high scratchy voice as he dumped the three garbage bags onto her bed.

She arched an eyebrow.

"Garbage?" she asked worriedly.

"No silly!" he answered unwrapping the bags. "It's something you've been wanting I'm sure!"

And in the three bags were LARGE plushies of Lupin 3rd, Daisuke Jigen, and Ishikawa Goemon. Jigen sat arms open with a stuffed gun in one hand his pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth. Lupin sat arms open with his usual goofy smile on his face. And Goemon? Well, he sat cross-
legged, arms crossed, eyes closed with the Zanzetsuken in his arms.. You know the usual anime cold look with a sword in your arms type of thing.

"LLLUUUPPPPIIINNNN!!! JJJIIIGGGGEEENNNN!!!!! GGOOOEEEMMMOONNN!!!" Jesscheaux screamed literally pouncing on all three dolls. "Oh Kazuma!! Thank you! Thank you!"

Kuwabara just grinned.

"Well I would've probably gotten you the Fujiko doll to make it a complete set, but Yusuke wanted it more," he said sheepishly.

"EEEEWWW! Why would I want a doll of a badly disproportionate woman???" Jesscheaux replied before going back to trying to glomp all three dolls in her arms with was hard to do since they were so big.

Cesca turned to her side. With Jesscheaux surrounded by so many friends and family and a few gifts, she couldn't help but feel a bit left out, but she didn't let it get to her. She would be fine. She always would be. So, she ignored them and quickly fell asleep.

"Hey, Cesca!" Jesscheaux called. "Which doll do you want? You want Jigen?? holds up Jigen doll Or maybe Goemon??? Or maybe– well no.... I want Lupin -'''.. Cesca?"

She got no answer. She sighed.

"Feh, if I didn't know better, I'd say that fox was another shrimp," Kuwabara grumbled. "Just because she used to be a Princess she thinks she can act all high and mighty."

Jesscheaux whacked Kazuma with her pillow.

"Kazuma!" she scolded. "She's just sleeping! Don't you hear her snoring? And besides.. She's probably just lonely. After all, she has no family, and the majority of us would probably be with me than a total stranger."

The fox's eyes lay turned away slightly open. She didn't let their words affect her either. She had woken up from all of Jess's loud and pretty much annoying fan-girl squeals and couldn't get back to sleep since. But now that she was quiet, Cesca closed her eyes and drifted off. And that was the end of that.

A few hours later

Cesca awoke to find Jess sleeping with her husband holding her close and snoring lightly with three Lupin dolls somehow squeezed in with them in that small hospital bed. She turned and found a strange sight. It was a bouquet of red roses and a certain young man sleeping at the side of her bed. She blushed. Needless to say, they got together a few moments later and they fell in love.. Blah, blah, blah!

A few days later, Jesscheaux and Kuwabara were able to stop grieving. Koenma had given them good news. And nine months later Jess and Kuwabara were blessed with a set of twins. One girl and one boy. They named the boy Ryuuiki and the girl Trenda. They had never been so happy before and thus the lived happily ever after the end.

Aah! I was so tired of writing that r.p.! About time it was finished! Hope you all like it, and hope to see some of you in the next chapter!)