This is an AU - probably taking place quite a few years after the Dark Tournament saga. Since I really don't know where I'm going with this story or it's plot, I really can't give you anymore information than that.
Yu Yu Hakusho does not belong to me. Suing me would be pointless…and I'm broke.
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Stage One - prologue - Haunted.
- - - -
"Kurama, did you know that there is a dead body lying under this tree?"
Warm, emerald eyes cocked interestedly at the lonely figure standing a few feet away from his, watching as her pale hand fingered the rough bark of the blooming Sakura tree.
"A dead body?" he echoed softly, brushing a few stands of lose hair from his eyes. A small smirk graced his angelic features as the girl in front of him kneeled down, her palms slowly running over the surface of the hard surface of the tree, her long, blue tresses swaying softly with the light wind that was continuously blowing though the area. "Whose body is it then?"
Her amethyst eyes gazed helplessly at the wood, her hands falling to her side. Her eyes softened.
"…Hontou. . . no watashi. . . ga ite. . ." she murmured, almost song-like.
At that moment . . .
"Daremo. . . Wakaranai.. . . kedo. . ."
. . . Rain began to fall.
She turned to look at him, her eyes pale and blank.
Lifeless.
Defiled.
. . . Tainted. They were her eyes.
". . . death's body."
Nani?
"And you will join her soon."
"I promise. You will be joined with her - once again."
"Please don't leave me."
- - - -
"Nani?" his hot, intense, gold eyes blinked open, quickly wincing back as the sun's rays shone in the his from the various rifts in the ceiling. Abruptly, he sat up from his bed, his soft, silky sheets rolling off his body in the process, exposing his bare, well-toned chest to the open, morning breeze as he held his head in his hands, groaning.
It was that dream again.
That dream. . . Again-!
Roughly, he got out of bed, shaking out his long, sliver mane away from his ear. Two, fluffy, dog-like ears that laid on top of his head flattened against his scalp angrily.
Death's request. Death's eyes. Death's wish.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. He should know better than to get so worked up from a single, and seemingly pointless, dream.
But those eyes. . .
. . . Were so familiar.
They were her eyes.
Hers.
Hers. Hers. Her - ! Why are they taunting him so damn much-!
"Damn it," he chaste himself as he slowly got dressed, his tail swaying sensuously behind him. "If I ever see eyes like those again…I'll tear them out myself personally with my own two hands."
His hands twitched reflexively in his excitement, a long tail lashing around behind him. Nothing like a nice, smoothing murder, fresh blood running down your hands and the smell of fresh, dead flesh to brighten your spirits so early in the morning.
Knock, knock.
The tall youko cocked his head to the side curiously, his ears perking up.
"Come in."
"It isn't that often that you stay in bed this late, Kurama."
A tall, bat-winged demon walked in, his buckled-hat hiding half of his face, but not the mischievous smirk in his lips. He was dressed in all back to match his dark, black hair, enhancing the paleness of his light skin. Standing next to his partner was a spectacular site; they were like dark and light.
Kurama rolled his eyes absentmindedly, crossing his arms across his chest. "I though that you were suppose to be searching for that brat's, Koenma, location. Not the only one getting lazy now, ne, Kuronue?"
Kuronue huffed, his smirk widening. "Me? Lazy? Nah." His wings stretched out a bit outward for emphasis. "If you must know, while you were off sleeping," he poked the youko's chest, "I was out - actually doing my job. If you must know, I found out that Koenma's base is actually located just outside of our territory. Essentially, only a few hundred meters off, near the blue river down south. Who's lazy now, fox?"
". . . and exactly how did you come to this…conclusion, Kurone?" the fox demon quirked, his brow raising a question. His best friend jeered at him.
"We located some of those annoyingly looking blue ogres earlier this morning and they lead us directly to him. Cocky bastard, thinks he's actually on to us. What a loon." The bat demon took a hold of a precious, red ruby pendant hanging from his neck and flicked it once with the tips of his fingers. "Further more, you should really see this 'all mighty prince.' Looks no more than a spoiled pacifier-sucking bastard with a bad hair job."
Youko's gold eyes sparkled with mischief. "He may be a loon but at least he's a rich loon." his mind went over the new possibilities that were presented to him. "We got him now, my friend. We got him now."
Kuronue smiled, chuckling like a little school boy. "Shall we commence with the original plan then, my lord? This is the perfect time to attack him. Just think - all the money we can get out of the ruling brat for ransom!"
"Hai. We will strike at midnight then," the silver fox greedily replied, his eyes sparkling with ravenousness. "That brat will probably be worth millions. Speaking of which, how was inventory yesterday? I heard you ran into a hindrance."
"Ah…oh yeah!" The bat demon shoved his hand into one of his many pockets, rummaging around. "I found it the other day…some ferry girl dropped it. Too bad I didn't get a good look at her, though." A grin broke against his face. "Here it is!"
He handed it to Youko. "Reikai personal objects are very valuable in the Black Markets nowadays."
It was a red hair piece.
The kitsune twirled it around his fingers. Curiously, he sniffed it. Roses, he though, intrigued, and rain…lavender, and . . . Peonies? He shrugged, tossing it back to Kuronue. "Put it in the red chest in the gold room. I'll deal with that later."
- - - -
"I will come back to you, Botan-chan…"
The young ferry girl stood frozen in her spot, unable to move. Tears were falling from her eyes - she could feel them trickle down her face. She could taste the saltiness of them as they rolled down her cheeks. She could hear them as they fell down onto the floor. But she still couldn't bring him back.
And she knew that.
Than why bother keep on crying? Why bother shedding so many tears on such a pointless situation? They weren't going to make a difference. They weren't going to make the pain inside of her go away.
… But they were the only way she could express she feelings.
"No," her voice became pleading, desperate. "Don't let him take you away…don't let him take you away form me!"
She reached out for him. She needed to hold him. She wanted him to embrace her once again and tell her that everything was going to be all right.
But he didn't.
Because she knew that he couldn't.
"Sayonara, Botan-chan."
"NO!"
Vines from the floor shoot up through the tiles and restrained her, there sharp thorns immediately drawing blood on her once pale, perfect skin. And she screamed. Screamed for him to stay. Screamed for him not to leave her. Frustration, anger, furry, rage. And cry tears of sadness, remorse, sorrow, pain, anger…
But he was walking.
Walking into his own death. He was walking into her hands - and there wasn't a single thing she can do to stop him.
"I will come back to you, Botan-chan…"
Her head hang down towards the floor, her long bangs covering her eyes as more tears trickled down. Her tears. Death's tears.
They were red.
Stained with blood. His blood.
"Lair…" she hissed, her vision failing her. Once that she realized that it wasn't the tears staining her eyes that was burying her vision, she hang her head down in defeat. She was falling asleep. Fast.
"Lair…lair…lair…"
You lair…
We can't ever meet again.
You're death. Your as good as death.
Why wasn't I good enough for you to stay?
I will never see you again.
Why didn't I stop you from taking him away from me…
Youko!
"Botan, wake up."
"No."
Something shook her.
"Botan, you need to wake up. You're having a dream."
A dream?
No…a nightmare. A real nightmare. The nightmare that held everything…
…her past…
…her future…
…her pain, her suffering, her destiny…
A nightmare that she had to see till the end.
"Iie…I can't wake up yet…no, no, no…"
The someone shook her again.
"Wake up."
She groaned, shaking her head. She wanted to see him. She needed to see him again. Even if it's just in a dream… Suddenly, her vision of him started to disappear slowly vanishing in an upcoming darkness. No, don't go yet-!
"Botan, wake up now!"
Finally giving up, she opened her eyes.
A pair of emotionless, red ones stared back at her.
"You were dreaming of him again, weren't you?"
"Hiei."
The fire demon frowned slightly, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back slightly on his heals.
Over the years, Hiei had been appointed as Reikai's top security staff, which he'd only accepted since it gave him direct access to Maikai, considering if he doesn't cause too much trouble in between worlds.
Not only that, the koorime had also grow in height, a few inches taller than Botan even. However, his temper had never cease to exist. He would never listen to any of Koenma's orders and would always be lounging around, eating his sweet snow. The fact was, if it wasn't for Yukina, who had insisted on staying in Ningenkai (not that he has completely reject the idea of after considering how his innocent, naive sister would bear in the territorial lands of Maikai), he would be in the demon world now. Nevertheless, Koenma had given his the alternative: either go back to Maikai and never set foot back in Ningenkai again; or work for Reikai so that he can travel in between all 3 realms.
Of course, he choose the latter.
Someone had to watch over Yukina.
"Did you dream about him again?"
Botan's eyes softened, looking away. "Yes."
"It's just a dream, Botan. You know that. They aren't real."
The deity sighed, cupping her palms to her chin. "I know. But everything has been so … empty lately." Her eyes wondered around her chambers gradually. "Everyone has changed. Even Hinageshi isn't her old, smiling self anymore! You know what she said to me the other day? 'Hn!' Hn! I don't believe it!"
Hiei nodded, shifting his weight to one leg. "Why not? You have changed too, you know."
She looked indignantly. "Huh?"
"Changed, onna."
Botan quirked a brow up. "Me - changed? How?"
The fire demon shrugged his shoulders, looking up to the ceiling nonchalantly. "…how can I say this…?" His voice was deep and soft. "It has been a while since you've been your - ditzy, perky, annoying self. And to be frank, I think that everyone has misses it."
What he'd said registered in his mind. "Hinageshi, Ayame, and Koenma-sama, that is," he added hastily. …and I have, too…
She thought about that for a second. "I see…"
"Botan-chan, be happy already, damn it!"
"Behave now, got it?"
(Yusuke's and Keiko's voices.)
Her eyes lowered in reminiscence. "I can't help it! I mean - after Yusuke and Keiko-chan passed away--!"
"That was 8 years ago, onna. It's time that you moved on."
The bluette shook her head softly, biting back sudden tears that were threatening to fall any seconds. "I can't forget. I can't forget that I'd taken them away. I took Keiko-chan away from Yusuke-kun, and I was responsible for taking Kuwa-kun away from--"
Immediately, she shut her mouth, her hand flexing over it tightly.
She sweat-dropped.
Hiei looked on, petulantly.
The amethyst-eyed goddess shook head quickly, waving her hands in front of her. "Ano…forget what I had give said, Hiei! Forget it!"
Hiei's eyes darkened a new shade. He knew what she was about to say: 'I was responsible for taking Kuwa-kun away from Yukina.' Kami-sama, they were never together! He thought indignantly. Never, never, never!
"Hn! That big oaf," he hissed softly. "Forget about him. I had."
Botan glared at him, taking a nearby pillow from the head of her bed and hugging it tightly against her chest. "The fact of the matter is, Hiei," she said, irked, tired and somewhat dangerously, "I. Killed. Them. Me. I killed them all! I killed my friends--!"
Hiei's expression grimed. "Fate took them away!" he interrupted, raising his tone violently. "You were just doing what you were ordered to do. There's a difference. Yusuke…was happy to fall into death's hands, especially after Keiko submerge that that disease. He was happy to be with her after death. That's why they'd died within 3 days of each other. Hell, I'm still surprised that it took that ningen that long to do so anyways. Knowing him, I though that he'll do it in a heartbeat. And as for - Kuwabara, he died in the line of duty. He was honored to died, he told you himself!"
The deity of death turned her head slowly to look him in the eyes, her eyes blank with her new ages of wisdom meeting his deep maroon ones. "No one can be 'happy' to die, Hiei. Everyone is afraid to die," she started in such a tired, grim voice that it had even surprised the fire koorime, "Keiko was afraid. Yusuke was afraid. Kuwabara was afraid. All ningens are afraid."
He remained expressionless.
Her voice became a whisper, hardly even audible that even for a demon, who were more in-tuned with their surroundings and had much better hearing range than humans, it would've been difficult.
However, he heard her.
"…Kurama was afraid."
Suddenly, there was an explosion. Hiei's head jerked back violently as he ran to the doorway on instinct, suddenly fully alert. What the--!
A blast of dust and smoke gushed into the doorway as he shield his sensitive eyes with one arm, using the other to retrieve his kanata.
"Hiei! What's going on?" Botan demand, rising up and materializing her oar. Quickly, she ran behind him, trying to peer passes his tall body. Damn you for getting so tall…
Hiei ignored her, running out of her chambers.
"Botan, go get Koenma, now!" he hissed back to her before he ran off into a big cloud of smoke.
Botan bit her bit nervously, watching his rapidly disappear figure into the dust.
Another explosion snapped her from her daze.
"Hai! On it!"
Quickly, she mounted her oar and willed it to life as it took her up into the air. She began to fly towards Koenma's office, not before hearing Hiei's dangerous voice:
"Jin! Touya! Shishiwakamaru! Code 976 now! Arg, Jin, get your ass up! This isn't nap time! Inform all the men to get their weapons ready now!"
What's going on…! the deity mind cried as she disappeared from the scene, her long, ponytail flying behind her.
Hiei rushed toward the camp grounds settled around the areas that Koenma had assigned. Reaching up, his ripped the white clothe off his forehead, his third eye opened shinning brightly as it came to life and opened.
"We're under attack!"
- - - -
Okay, that was the first chapter. I guess that it is confusing. . . But all would become clear within the next two or three chapters or so, hopefully. Right now I just hope that this fic has the potential to move on. Any who, I'm sorry that this chapter was so boring and…weird. But it's an introduction and all of these are boring I guess. it WILL get interesting - soon!
Just in case you're curious:
Hontou no watashi ga ite - The real me is here.
Daremo wakaranai kedo - Although nobody can tell.
Please review!
If no one likes this fic, than I'll discontinue. This idea had just been in my head for a while so I decided to write it all down. Constructive or destructive with a point criticism will be greatly appreciated!
