Kurama walked home from a long day at school. It was such a peaceful day. The breeze was nice enough for Kurama to enjoy the walk. He wanted to go home finish the little homework he had and crash into bed. As he turned the corner he notice something from the corner of his eye. A little girl crying. Her auburn hair was a mess and she held tight to her jump rope. The little girl stirred something in Kurama's memory. He had to go to this child and see what was wrong.
"What's wrong child?" he asked patting her head. The child looked up at him. Her piercing green eyes went through his soul. He had seen her before. But where? The question nagged at the back of his head. "My brother left me for another family." She cried, "He'd rather be with them than with me"
"Oh," Kurama said holding her close, "I'm sure he loves you, he's probably worried right now." The little girl gave him a glare that sent shiver through his back. The look in her eye, she was not as old as she looked, "No my brother always hated me," her voice was now full of anger, "He locked me up for years because he was ashamed of me, isn't that right Yoko Kurama…big brother?" Suddenly her jump rope was wrapped around his wrist and neck, slowly asphyxiating him. As the rope tightened around his neck, Kurama realized who this child was. "Sa..zu..ka," he gasped.
This was the child that had not grown up years but was a woman in less than a second. This is the child that he locked up not only because he was once ashamed of, but because he was jealous that someone might take her from him. This was his half-youkai prize. This was his half sister. But why was she trying to kill him? Instantly he knew and she had every right to want to. He closed his eyes waiting for death. And as he waited he remembered how she came into his life.
Along Time Ago
Yoko Kurama was one of the most feared youkai in his time. The greatest thief of his time. All powerful and respected. He had done many shameful things in his lifetime but all for himself. But the day his dying father brought an unwanted gift, was the most shameful thing Kurama thought he had ever done. A half-youkai child! Kurama's father wanted him to take care of 'his' half youkai! He would never stoop so low.
"Please son I beg of you," his father pleaded, "Youkai are ruthless to her kind and will kill her and anyone who get in their way, and the humans are to afraid to take care of her," This man begged Kurama as he was held up by a mere five year hold, who was begging her father to hang on.
"Why? Why must I risk my life for you and your child?" Kurama spat. "Because," Kurama's father spoke. His voice was growing weaker as his blood drained from his mortal wound, "She is your sister, the daughter of your father." With that his eyes closed, never to be opened again. The little girl cried pleading for him to wake up. The tears of the child and the sorrow of losing his father seemed to soften Kurama in a small way. He snatched the child up, grumbled, and kicked dirt into his fathers face. The child kicked and screamed wanting to be put down. Begging to stay with her father.
Impatient Kurama held her up by her shoulders looking her in her eyes. "Look you! If you are going to stay with me you will shut-up and stay out of sight.!" He could see the fear in her eyes. A sting of guilt stuck him. This child had just lost her father. The only parent she had known. The only thing that loved her, while everyone else tried to destroy her. He shook off the guilt when she nodded. "What is your name, half-breed" he demanded.
"Sazuka" she answered in a muffled voice. He placed her on the ground, "How old are you?"
"Twenty three."
Kurama gave her a strange look. "How old are you?" he asked again
"I said twenty three!" she said a little annoyed. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm not," she whined. The high pitch of her voice was enough to make his blood curl. "Fine," he snapped, "just stop whining!" A whimper escaped her thin lips. He let the child, Sazuka, go and began to walk ahead, thinking of what he would do with this half breed. He would not take her to his band. She would just get in the way. Then probably be killed…by his men no less. As he wandered in his thoughts he soon realized the half-breed was not with him. He turned round to see she was still with her father, laying a rose across his chest. Cleaning him a little. Annoyed he went back and snatched the child up. Again she kicked and screamed. Hitting his breaking point he slapped the poor girl. "Shut-up" he yelled. The child cried, "But daddy," she said holding her face with one hand and reaching for her father with the other. "Fine!" he yelled throwing her down, "You want to stay here, then stay! But I will not be accused of not taking care of you." Suddenly Trees shot up from the ground surrounding the poor child. Of course being Yoko Kurama they were killer trees making it impossible for her to escape. Sazuka sat in her prison crying. "I will come to check on you every now and then," said
Kurama. "If you are eaten it's your own damn fault. There should be enough room for you to live" And with that he left the child crying with the plants snapping at her.
Kurama went back to his gang as if nothing had happened. Years went by and faithfully Kurama would go to her once a day to feed her and make sure she was okay. Every time he would come back nothing would change. She was still a child. Even after 10 years. It confused him that she never grew. He wondered how it could be possible. But he tried not to let it bug him. Soon he found himself growing attached to her. Every now and then she would try to talk to him and sometimes he would find himself enjoying a small conversation with her. She was actually very smart. He enjoyed watching her sing her song as she jumped rope. "One little, two little, three little stars light up the sky. Four little, five little, six little birds fly me up high." She would sing. "One time, two times, three times I tried to flee. Four times, five times, six times big brother caught me!" she'd giggle when she got caught in her rope. Kurama found himself entranced by watching her red hair bounce in the air as she jumped. Her smile was so innocent. It was nice to see something so pure after killing and stealing some many.
One day on his routine visit Sazuka asked him a very brave question. "Big brother may I go with you? I'd like to see what's out side of here."
A bit of shock came upon Kurama's face. "Sazuka you look like a human. My men would surely kill you."
"But..but I don't have to look human watch!" she said excitedly. Suddenly the scent of roses filled the air as the petal surrounded her body. Her hair turned from her auburn color to a beautiful silvery color just as his. Her brown eyes changed to a pale green color. Her ears became the little fox ears that Kurama had. Her whole body transformed into a youkai's. Stunned by this transformation Kurama was rendered speechless. "See," Sazuka asked, "May I please go. It's so boring here. I wanna go with you." He could see the tears of pleading in her eyes. He had grown a soft spot for this half-breed. And the guilt ate up inside. If she looked like this then maybe she could pass as a full youkai.
"Fine." He grumbled. "But you are to listen to me and the moment you disobey is the moment you come back here."
Joy over came Sazuka. She jumped up and threw her arms around her half brother. "Oh thank you, I'll be good I promised. Kurama was stunned by her reaction. He didn't know what to do. That day he took her to his gang.
"Kurama who's kid?" one of the men called, "Girlfriends"
Kurama let out a small growl. "This is my sister. You are not to harm her." His men gave her a strange look. "Yomi, you are to look after her when I'm not here." He commanded to his second in command. Yomi grumbled, "Why do I have to take of the runt?"
"Because I said so." There was a little tug at the hem of Kurama's clothes. He looked down at the frightened child, "Is that your name big brother, Kurama?"
Kurama gave her a befuddled look, "You didn't know my name child?" She shook her head, "You never told me."
He laughed at this, "I never told you in the ten years I took care of you? Yes Sazuka my name is Kurama." A broad smile came upon her face. "I like it!" she proclaimed.
"This child looks like she's no more than five, how could you have taken care of her for that long," Yomi observed.
Sazuka hid her face behind Kurama's leg. "I don't know Yomi. If what she told me is true she is over thirty right now." His men gave him a surprised look. "She just won't grow."
There was a long silence. "Big brother," the silence was broken by Sazuka, "I'm hungry" Kurama chuckled at his little sister. "Yomi will find you something."
