Sorry it took so long to get this chapter in. I won't keep you waiting anymore. Enjoy! By the way, from now on the dashes (these things -) will tell you that the story is taking place somewhere else. Now I don't have to change the font and put 'In the mean time…' and all that stuff. You probably noticed the dashes from the last chapter.
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other for a second and just shrugged.
"Sure, we have nothing else to do."
"Thanks you two."
Followed by Yusuke and Kuwabara, Kami ran back to the place where they beat up the jerks that attacked them. Two policemen were just staring at the gangsters and started to talk.
"So, what are we going to do with these guys?"
"They don't look too beat up, and besides, you know how long it takes for an ambulance to get around here. Not to mention that we have to wait for it to arrive. Let's just leave the kids here. They'll live." One of them smirked. The men began to leave.
"At least they left pretty fast, but are those guys going to be ok?" Kami asked, concerned.
"We didn't knock them out that hard. They may be out for a while but it's like that guy said. 'They'll live.' Let's just look for that necklace of yours."
Kami nodded and finally found it lying on the floor. She quickly picked it up and put it into her pocket.
"Thank you, you two, for helping me get it back." After thanking the boys she ran off without another word.
She got home quickly to repair the string so it'd go back around her neck.
Ume walked out of her house and towards a restaurant to eat lunch. As she passed by a street she noticed a mess of guys on the floor and Yusuke and Kuwabara in the middle of it. She walked over to them.
"What did you guys do?"
"Wasn't us who started it, we didn't even see it coming if it weren't for you friend, she actually throws a pretty hard punch."
"You mean Kami? I didn't know that. Maybe I should try and fight her some time." She looked like she was ready to beat on Kami and not stop.
Kuwabara started to argue with Ume. "You can't fight her. That would be like taking the cane from an old, blind guy."
"Don't worry I was just kidding," she waved her hands around. "Well, I see you two later. I have to get somewhere right now."
Yusuke stood, and looked at Ume as she ran off, and looked at Kami who ran off in the other direction.
"Have you noticed how badly those two have been going at it lately? Ume was the one who introduced us to Kami. Why do you think they hate each other so much now?"
"I don't know. Why? Are you going to do something about it?"
Yusuke began grinning.
Ume ran down the streets until she got to a small, quaint house. She knocked on the door and was let in by a happy woman. She had short hair, looked cheerful and old, and she had bright blue eyes.
"Excuse me. Is this the resident of Mrs. Nozomi?"
"Yes, yes. Hello child. Welcome, come in, come in. Is there anything I can do for you?" she said, trying to be very friendly.
"Well, as a matter of fact, yes." Ume went inside and sat down on a chair near a coffee table. The old lady sat down as well and starting drinking tea. "I believe you knew my parents, Mrs. Nozomi. Or should I say Etsu?"
The old woman started coughing and choking on her the cup of tea when she heard her name being revealed.
"Excuse me? I have no idea who you are talking about. You must have me confused with someone else."
"No, actually, I'm entirely sure that you are Etsu. I have researched and 'asked' many demons about my parents. At first I got nothing, but eventually I heard your name from a one of them."
"Your parents…? No, that's impossible. Are you Ume…? It cannot be. You are not supposed to be alive." The elderly lady's jaw almost fell off due to her amazement.
"Well, apparently, I am. According to all the things I've heard, you used to be a friend of my parents. Is there anything you can tell me about them?"
"I…I…I'm not sure if I can help you. I barely remember anything."
"I prefer not to beg, but I MUST know." Ume stood up and hit the table with her hands. "I have no idea what kind of demons my parents were. I just wanted to know, anything you can tell me will help."
The aged female sighed.
"I'll tell you as much as I can."
"Your parents were sort of like the Spirit Detectives of Makai. They would stop any wandering humans that accidentally got into Makai. They stop demons from hurting each other. Exact same thing as you and your friends do. They helped humans as well. Other demons didn't like that fact that they helped humans. They got mad enough to send some wolf demon hunter after your whole entire pack."
"Akio…" Ume whispered to herself.
"Yes, Akio." Ume was surprised that the demon-woman was able to hear her. She continued speaking, "Your parents were the only ones who helped demons and humans, but the hunter was ordered to take out the whole pack unless they didn't try and protect the two. They were closed to being killed. Now the rest of them are hiding somewhere."
"Ok, but I don't understand how you fit into any of this."
"I was a demon who had been living among humans. One day some human managed to find out about me. He was a clever human. He was going to reveal my identity to everyone. Your parents stopped the man and every so often, they'd come back and visit to see if everything was all right. Eventually, we became pretty close friends."
Ume remained quiet.
Etsu gave out a small giggle. "Once I actually look at you, you do kind of look like your father. You act like your mother. Stubborn, determined, easily-annoyed, and straight to the point. Tell me, do you have a liking to young man, but deny it?"
Ume blushed slightly. "NO! OF COURSE NOT!"
"You're like your mother all right. When your parents met me, they were not together. Not yet anyways. She would never admit to have a liking for your father. But they ended up being married."
The young girl started blushing madly. She clamed herself down. "I assure you, I don't like anyone of that kind." She lied. "I have a few more questions. First of all, what is my real last name?"
"It was…uh…I mean, is Hogosha (Japanese for protector). Anything else you want to know?"
"Yes, one last thing. This locket," she clenched the piece of jewelry around her neck,"What is it?"
Kami poked a tiny, but tough, string through a hole on the top of necklace and put it around her neck once again. She let out a deep sigh of relief. She gripped the charm tightly in her fist. She shook her head around.
"Knock yourself out of it Kami." She started to say to herself. "It's too late now. I wasn't able to help them."
She took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She turned around and saw her alarm clock. It read '3:40 PM'. She started to exit her apartment to get fresh air. She wanted to apologize to Yusuke and Kuwabara for running out on them. She figured they would have been long gone, considering the fact Kami spent at least an hour trying to fix her necklace.
She eventually saw them walking down the street, heading for a nearby restaurant. Kami ran up to them, in hopes to join them for lunch.
"Uh…well…" Yusuke began talking. Then they saw Kurama and Hiei coming from behind Kami. Yusuke called the duo over to join them.
"What is it that you want human?" Hiei demanded for an answer. "Why did you call us over here?"
Kuwabara looked around until their eyes came to Kami. Hiei and Kurama got that message that they had to wait until after Kami left.
"Hey, what are you two looking at me for?" she asked, completely puzzled.
"I'm not quite sure what that is, Ume. Maybe you should try getting it open."
"Oh." She was looking disappointed. "That's a shame. Anyways, I should be leaving now."
She thanked the demon for the information she received and left the little house. She began walking, and within a block from the house, she saw Yusuke and Kuwabara staring at Kami. She also saw Kurama and Hiei staring at her.
Ume started getting angry again. "Etsu was correct, about what she had said, but I guess my guy won't like me back." She moaned and turned her hand into a fist.
Hiei's Jagan (ya know, his third eye…) saw Ume approaching and he was about to greet her when he got hit.
"What do you think you are doing girl!"
Ume just remained silent. She and Kami glared at each other for a second. Kami said good-bye to the boys, not Ume, and said that she had to leave.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that. You'll be missed, I'm sure. Right Hiei?" she glanced accusingly at Hiei.
"What are you looking at me for?"
"Never mind." Ume began to leave as well. "I should be heading home as well."
Ume was about to tell her friends of the information she found out at Etus's dwelling, but after seeing Kami with the boys, and Hiei, she was not in the mood to do much except lie on her bed and mope the rest of the day.
To make up for the time used up to make this chapter, the next one will come very soon. LATERS!
