Chapter 10: Another Year Gone By

Rai opened her eyes. The daylight infiltrated the windows. She stood up quietly and went to check on Yasu.

The room was empty of both Yasu and her katana that had once belonged to her brother. Rai leaned on the door and crossed her arms, "She's gone to their grave site once again. What part of her shall disappear this time?"

Rai looked at the battery-operated clock on the wall. "Oh crap! I'm going to be late!" She ran to her room, jumped into her uniform, grabbed her backpack and ran out the house.

"About time. We were wondering when we'd see you again." Yusuke said grinning.

"I'm glad to be back! It's great to be doing something other than sleeping. I still don't have all my energy back though. I just have enough strength to come here and go back home." Rai said flexing her arms slightly.

"Hey, where's Miss Sunshine?" Yusuke asked, looking around for the shorter of the two girls, "Isn't she with you?"

"No. Today is the day she goes to visit her family. Today is the same day that they left her." Rai shook her head sadly, "She never takes me with her."

"I thought they died." Kuwabara said puzzled. He scratched his head thinking hard. What Rai had told them didn't add up. "Did they come back to life or somethin'?"

"No Kuwabara, they're still dead." Rai groaned exasperated. What an idiot!

"Then how is she visiting them?"

"Think about it for a second. On second thought, don't. You'll just hurt yourself." Rai said, being a bit drastic, "Yasu is going to visit their graves. She does this every year. I've asked her what she does all day, but she's never given me a straight answer, but every time she comes back it seems like she's lost a piece of herself. I think for each year she doesn't kill Himimaru, she does some sort of ritual."

"So you never go with her?" Kuwabara asked.

"For the third time, no, she has never taken me with her."

The bell rang, interrupting all conversation. Rai dragged Yusuke and Kuwabara with her to their first class. "Are you sure you don't have all your energy back?" Yusuke asked.

"Positive, I couldn't even zap a fly if I wanted to."

"Sure could have fooled me." Yusuke said glumly.

The morning went by quickly with Rai there. She explained to the teacher that Yasu was mourning the death of her grandparents. The story was partly true, except that it had been her parents and her brother, not her grandparents.

The strangest event of the school day was at lunch. Evidently, the fear of Yasu Gihiratou had kept all boys bay. As Rai and the boys were sitting, eating lunch, a small mob of boys came by just for Rai. They relentlessly asked her questions, some asking for dates. In the back of her mind, she felt some one watching her, from the trees. She looked up from time to time and saw no one there.

Finally, lunch was over. Rai turned down each offer to escort her to class. "I'm fine by myself. Really, I am."

The afternoon classes went by fairly quickly as well. After some teasing from Yusuke, not to mention some "playful" punches from Rai, Rai left for her house.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the arcade with us?" Yusuke asked.

Rai shook her head. "Sorry Yusuke, I'm just about wiped out. I need to go home and rest. See you guys later!" Then she waved them good-bye.

While walking, she had waves of exhaustion come over her from time to time. Maybe giving Yusuke so many well-deserved punches wasn't a very good idea on her part. Another wave washed over her as she turned the corner to an empty street. That was it, she couldn't take it anymore. She fell back on the sidewalk, landing on her butt. Everything was going in circles.

"Man, this isn't good."

Just then she felt strong arms wrap around her and pick her up. "Huh?" She looked up to see that her rescuer was Hiei. "Hiei? What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don't get into trouble." He answered. "You seem to attract it. And it doesn't seem to be the only thing."

"Hey! I don't get into that much trouble. And what do you mean, not the only thing?" Rai asked indignantly.

"I suppose you've forgotten your lunchtime guests then."

"Oh yeah. I nearly did forget. So you were the one I felt watching me. Why do you keep stalking me?" Rai asked thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't call it stalking. I felt someone else's aura too. They didn't seem friendly." Hiei changed the subject.

"You still didn't answer my question!" Rai crossed her arms.

"We're here." Hiei put her down.

Rai looked up from dusting herself. "Thanks so much. I don't know what I would've done if you didn't come by." She gave Hiei a big hug around the neck and a peck on the cheek.

He froze. He didn't know how to react to this. A small red blush crept up on his face.

Rai let go as quickly as she had given the hug. "See you later Hiei." She ran inside and closed the door. Hiei stood there, rooted to the spot, for a moment.

"Idiot woman. What does she think she was doing?" Hiei shouted to himself as he walked away. He couldn't admit to anyone, not even himself, that he had enjoyed it.

Far away, Yasu knelt at her parents' and her brother's grave. Her prized katana was laid out in front of her. Her eyes were closed. Tears had been threatening to fall all day.

She slowly opened her eyes. "And so I renew my vows that the demon Himimaru shall fall to his demise. He will not be allowed to take the lives of anyone close to me ever again." She stood up, grabbed the katana, and walked away. Leaving the three graves where family lay.

Another side note from your author, Elfdragon. I am certainly amazed at myself for writing such a serious part of this chapter. When I read this chapter over again, I had a somewhat evil grin when Rai gave Hiei his first girl hug in the history(not including other fanfics) I know of.