Phoenix
(Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. It is property of Yoshihiro Togashi/Shueisha.)
Introduction
"Hurry! Hurry!" A whispered voice cried as three pairs of feet scrambled their way through the dark forest around them.
"Shh! You never know where they're hiding!" Another whispered voice said fiercely.
"Over here!" Another voice called from a distance where a yellow light blinked out from behind a thick clump of trees. The three people bounded over in that direction and burst into the clearing where the enormous fire was, carrying strange herbs and potions.
"'bout time!" The person at the fire exclaimed, the shadow engulfing most of his face. "Let's get a move on, eh? We don't have much time. They'll sniff us out!"
"Right," The others said simultaneously.
A young man knelt down in front of the fire where a large mound rested, tying back his silky, claret hair. His blue eyes traced each substance through the lenses of his oval-shaped glasses. He poured them carefully in miscellaneous spoons and bottles, and then dispensed each of them in a certain order over the fire.
The fire rose high into the air and turned an assortment of colors. The boy took hold of a canister that one of the others had brought and stood, opening it. "Please forgive us for this," He said to the sky, placing his hand within the jar and removing a handful of sparkling silver dust. "I know we are doing against your standards… but let it be so without punishment. We only do it for other people to sleep in ease…"
He then released the dust into the fire. It tumbled beautifully from his hands, sparkling as it fell. He brushed his hands together to make sure he got it all, then stepped back from the fire with his friends.
The fire burst out into the sky, bright, neon blue, and a phoenix formed at the very top of the flames. The witnesses watched in astonishment. One of them had to sit down from shock.
and then… it disappeared. The area darkened substantially.
The one who had been tending to the fire fumbled around for a match, adjusting his eyes as best as he could.
When he finally found one, he cried out in triumph, then lit it against his shoe. "Masahide, help find some wood for me."
"Keisuke-"
"Hurry it up, will you? I can't see passed my feet!"
"Right… er-- Yukinoyo, give me a hand with this. You too, Hamako," The maroon-haired boy, Masahide, said, groping for the firewood in the darkness. The two others assisted him, then handed it to Keisuke.
He built up the wood with one hand, then lit it. "There," He said. "Finished… now we wait… come on…"
He stared at the mound of dirt. The crickets were the only things that sounded for the next five minutes.
Suddenly, the one Hamako, took a deep breath.
A hand burst from the earth, grabbing at the air, then the dirt around it. Everyone stared in shock, waiting on baited breath, and unable to move out of fear as it slowly pulled itself farther out, revealing an arm, then a shoulder, and finally, a head pulled itself from the dirt.
The man pulled his other arm out from beneath him, then rested against the earth, gasping for air. He coughed and sputtered, laying there, his legs still within the hole.
"H-hurry," Keisuke stepped forward on shaky legs, then took hold of the man's arms. The three others assisted him. "-and… pull!"
They pulled.
The man on the ground looked up through bleary eyes, his black hair hanging in front of them. "Who… are… you?…" He choked out as the vision faded away.
Yusuke Urameshi collapsed onto the earth.