Hired Hands
-Gained and Lost-
"Got
any threes?" came the gruff voice that belonged to Kuwabara.
"Go fish." Yusuke replied. Short, but triumphant. Gosh
those two were always competitive. Even at something as simple as Go
Fish.
Shadow shook her head. She had been playing cards with
them. But, she had gotten bored, and her winning all the time, was
getting on the boys nerves which caused them to swiftly get on hers.
Reason two. Now, she practiced simple fighting arts and defensive
positions on a lonely side of the room. Hiei, was directly across
from her, leaning against the wall by the door. A change from the
windowsill. Perhaps he didn't want Mirae to possibly get the drop
on him again. Or perhaps, he just didn't care. Not that the reason
really mattered. He was watching Shadow's moves intently.
Why? Perhaps because it beat watching the idiots argue over a foolish
card game. Also, he was a fighter through and through. And, if
he did have to fight her, this would give him some insight into her
fighting style.
"Come on Boton. It's your turn."
Yusuke said growing impatient. No surprise there.
"I know, I
know, I just, can't think of who to ask…" she said rather
timidly.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with losing 32
hands in a row would it?" Yusuke countered.
"Well…"
"You've
done remarkably well. Much progress was made. Far more than I
expected admittedly." Came Genkai's voice as she entered the
room, causing all heads to turn. (Yes, even Hiei's.)
Mirae
walked warily beside Genkai, her pulled back hair disheveled and
greased with sweat. Her torn black sleeveless shirt seemed to cling
to her muscular lithe form, damp with perspiration. However, she held
no stench of sweat...only the looks of it. Her combat boots seemed to
point out that she wore shorts instead of pants, her lean legs
slightly shiny with sweat. It seemed to have been a very excruciating
process. Her expression was an apathetic one. Whether it was of
fatigue or of...something else wasn't certain. Her gloved hands were
clenched at her sides, and her steps were swift as she walked toward
the group, intentionally adjusting her speed to that of Genkai. She
nodded in greeting to them all, glancing a second longer to Shadow.
She then turned her head to Genkai.
"How could I not do well
with such a fine instructor like yourself, Master Genkai…"
:Her voice was not sugary sweet with flattery, but was hard and
apathetic in meaning.: "I only hope it will be enough, Master
Genkai."
She bowed her head in deep respect, her hand rising
to her chest as she did so. She held a very high respect for Genkai,
her eyes closed as she bowed her head.
"Well, that's what
training is for. However, At this point, you will have to practice
what you learned in any free time you can find. I fear that another
Full lesson, my be undoable for some time." Genkai replied her
expression remain neutral. But in the depths of her eyes, one could
see a hint of worry, but you would have to look deeply to see it. As
if she knew of the events that would soon unfold.
"Hn, I'll
admit, your power has climbed but only by a small amount. However,
you have a few new tricks. Our enemies will not be expecting that.
That will give us the element of surprise." Hiei put in. Veering
from his usual habit of ignoring everything he deemed not worth his
time.
Shadow walked up to her friend.
"I think
Hiei is right. We'll have one up on those Gryphons." she said
with much enthusiasm. If she didn't really feel this way, one could
not tell. That was the beauty of it. Shadow was a VERY good liar. She
said it was because she was always truthful, unless she didn't want
to be. Besides, perhaps if she sounded enthusiastic, Mirae would
cheer up some more too. Why Should Mirae be the only one to seem
sad?
Mirae stared a cold stare back at Hiei effortlessly, her
stare seeming to be absorbing his and Genkai's words. She looked to
Shadow, sighing lightly. She then pulled her hair-tie out of her
messy hair, her long hair dropping weightlessly down her shoulders.
She swiftly ran her hand through her hair, her eyes shut as she did
so.
"Every bit counts, I suppose…"
She said
doubtfully, crossing her arms, her hair weaving itself into a tight
braid. Her non-existent sleeves revealed pale, blank arms. It showed
she was a fair-skinned person. And it also showed nothing but…skin.
Her eyes were shut tight as she closed her eyes, tucking her lips
into her mouth. Her brows were tensed.
"With this battle,
this could either end up in me going to a place I've already been to
before or give me a feeling I've been waiting my whole life to feel.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm willing to risk whatever else I have
left at this point…"
Her voice lowered, slowly reopening
her eyes. Her eyes revealed hollowness and emptiness in their hue of
brown. Many things had happened in that training room.
Boton
blinked. She was POSITVE that there had been marking on Mirae's
arms only hours before.
"Mirae, what happened to-"
("Don't ask. It may only put a strain on things.")
Boton
froze, and turned to look at Hiei who was giving her a cold death
stare. Making her laugh nervously. Though, the damage had already
been done. It wasn't rocket science and would be simple to figure
out what Boton was on the verge of asking.
Mirae locked eyes with
Shadow.: "What happened was...a payment was due. And...I had
no choice but to pay it." She then looked away in pain,
struggling to not cry. She then quickly walked to the nearest door.:
"P-please excuse me..." She walked through the door,
literally. Her form walked through the closed door, rapidly vanishing
from the room, leaving the door unstirred.
Everyone was wide eyed.
Yes, every one.
"Wow, I did not know she could do that…"
said Yusuke.
"Me neither." said Shadow. "And I'm
her best friend." She then turned away from the others. She knew
Mirae's look didn't get past every one. They would be asked on it
later she was sure. But for now, Shadow was the only one who
understood. She placed a hand over her heart. Feeling it beat. It
also meant she was the only one, who could understand.
As it
happens, a weak figure had just entered the temple, leaving drops of
crimson blood on the floor as he walked, and along the wall, where
he slid his hand, as he sued it for support.
Mirae
walked hastily, sob less tears sliding down the sides of her face as
she walked. She had a hand placed over her mouth and nose, trying to
hide the fact that her lips were crooked as she tried to hold back
her screams. She walked through wall after wall...obstacle after
obstacle...from chairs to columns, she walked in a straight line. She
managed to get to the entrance hall of the temple. She then slowed
her speed-walk to a trudge almost, and dwelled slowly down the
hall...She then spotted someone leaning against the wall, and saw
drops of liquid shining from the light in the temple on the floor.
She arched a brow, suppressing her feelings fully and harshly at the
recognition of the individual. Her eyes widened slightly in shock
from his immense injuries, her fist glowing lightly in a majestic
radiance to heal. She rushed to him in worry and alarm.
"...Kurama!"
Her
mood then changed to a softened worried one, seeing Kurama in a weak
and battered state.
Kurama looked up at her weakly. Even in his
battered state, he still managed to smile.
"Mi-Mirae."
He then lost strength in his legs and fell to his knees clutching
his side. It was then, that Mirae noticed the object wrapped in cloth
he also held in that hand. His left hand was supporting him, and so,
the mirror he was sent to get had to be wrapped up in that cloth. The
cloth was once blue, but had turned in to a deep red purple due to
being soaked in the blood from the large gash in his torso. Wait,
there were two. Two gashes. One going across the font, looking like
it was made by some kind of claw. The other was more of a stab wound
that missed. He the only reason he probably was still hanging
on to the item was because his mother's life depended on it going
to the monster that held her. Besides the gash on his torso, he also
has a fairly sized one on the left side of his head. Blood had
dripped all the way down his face and neck from that gash. It's
over his left eye so he only had the right one open. His left arm was
torn was well. There wasn't even a sleeve left on it. It was a
wonder he was even able to use it. There was one that caused her to
pause when she saw it. There was a fang, a large white piece of a
fang embedded in this right leg. Blood leaking around the wound. How
had he made it hear with that in his leg? What had he run into?
Mirae was dumfounded by his wounds, staring in horror at his many
injuries. She then narrowed her eyes, and unleashed a sheet of blue
majestic energy, consuming his body. She strained with all of her
might, transferring all of her emotion from her other happening into
healing Kurama. His gashes and slashes began to seal, the blood
dripping from his many seeping cuts vanishing. As the large wave
swept over his body, she released that energy and tended to the
specific shard of fang lodged in his leg. A single blue ray emitted
from her hand that she had outstretched to release the energy into
the piece, it flaring into a bright blue, then vanishing. The glow
remained, mending the puncture it had left behind. During this entire
process, Mirae had her eyes closed in concentration and exertion. She
could envision the entire sight with her eyes closed, only in a faint
blue. ((allot like in daredevil, that style of seeing.)) Mirae had
overdone herself in the healing procedure, sealing his wounds,
removing and healing the fang, and replenishing his blood loss and
energy loss. Mirae juiced him up with her proficient
magic...perfected and trimmed for excellence through her eons of
learning. The eons he watched from afar from the very beginning. All
of her feeling, her anger, her sorrow, her anguish, was put into
good. Healing this...Kurama. Bringing him back to optimum health and
efficiency again. When the procedure had finished, she sighed loudly
and stammered back a step, regaining her footing shortly after. She
looked down at him, the dried streaks of tears on her face and puffy
eyes intently set upon him. She smiled a weak, calm smile, and
outstretched her hand, opposite to the one she just used, down to
him. The hand she used to heal him was limply dangling at her side,
strained from so much exertion of so much energy at once.:
He
closed his eye as she began to work. The energy felt soothing over
his many injuries. But, still, he couldn't help but shiver until
the blood loss was balanced out. He could also feel his energy level
being restored. No, she was putting too much in. She would exert
herself. But still, he could not find the energy to stop her. Perhaps
he didn't want to. He didn't even flinch as the fang was
magically removed. She had come a long way, since she was a young
child. Since the last time he saw her. When she finished, he opened
both of his emerald eyes and looked at her and smiled
gratefully.
Grateful, though still exhausted from his latest
experience, he took her hand. Hiei chose that moment to appear in the
room having sensed the large energy climb and decided to investigate.
Also, he thought he had picked up Kurama's presence. Turned out he
was right. His expression was as close to wide eyed as Hiei ever got.
Not that it would last long. Kurama's cloths where covered in fresh
blood, and there was even some still on his face. But, he now looked
perfectly fine, for the most part. He looked to Mirae, remembering
she had mentioned healing talents. Though, he had not been on the
receiving end of them. No, he had been on the receiving end of
something much different. And he would never admit it, but it was a
torment he would not soon forget.
"You did this?" Hiei
asked referring to the healing job. It was then that Yusuke entered
followed closely by the others. He took one look at Kurama and
assumed the worse first.
"Kurama! You alright?"
Kurama
chuckled.
"Yes, thanks to Mirae's healing talents, I am
fine."
Mirae pulled him up, stumbling backward slightly as
she did so. She didn't let go of his hand immediately after, like she
usually would have. Her hand was shaking, her arm quivering slightly.
Her...pale, blank arm. She turned to the others, her eyes puffy, and
her cheeks streaked with dried tear streaks. She then slowly let go
of Kurama's hand, immediately shoving her hands in her pockets. She
remained silent, running her eyes along the line of everyone that
stood around her.
"Valiant deeds call for ample
replenishment.…"
She said, her voice low and emotionless.
She turned back to Kurama, a sad grin creeping to her face.
"I'm
relieved to see you fully refreshed...but if you'll please excuse
me...…"
She nodded in greeting, and bowed in farewell at
the very same time as she turned to leave. She walked toward the
entrance of the temple from which he came. Her walk was a hasty
one.:
They watched her go. Shadow hesitated. Clearly, Mirae
wanted to be alone, but was this a good time to let her? Hiei glanced
back at Shadow. Sensing her doubt and worry. He then turned abruptly
from her.
"You sure your alright now Kurama?" Yusuke
asked.
"Yeah man, that's a lot of blood." Said
Kuwabara, stating the obvious.
"Yes, I will be fine."
"Good, then get cleaned up. We can take a look at that
mirror you have wrapped up in that blood soaked cloth later. We still
have three hours before the rendezvous." said Hiei who then
turned to the door as well.
"And where are you going?"
Yusuke asked.
"Out. I think being around all of you like this
is starting to affect my thinking." was his reply before leaving
himself.
Perhaps he would hang out in his favorite tree.
She
walked off from the situation. She had thought that transferring all
of her emotions into Kurama's healing would be enough, but it wasn't.
She arrived to the steps of the temple, the many steps plummeting to
the ground far below progressively. She walked to the left end of the
top of the stairs, to the corner that made the distinction between
the stairs and the width of the temple. She stared off into the green
distance before her, her eyes glassing over thickly once again in
tears. But, she wouldn't sob. She wouldn't allow Him that pleasure.
Never. She merely bit her lip, and allowed the tears to flow from her
misery-filled irises. She sniffled and she allowed her eyes to
release tears. There was more then one "Him" to consider in
the equation now. The God of the Underworld, and…Kieran. She will
NEVER allow herself to show her grief more than she already had in
the past. When he had killed her, when she was sent to Hell. Her life
stolen, her love taken away, her...Family now snatched from her body.
She slowly allowed her hands to fall out of her pockets, them hanging
at her sides. She continued staring into the distance, then lowered
her head after a while, her eyes reflexively going to her arms.
Her...blank arms. She put her hands at the level of her eyes, viewing
her un-marked arms for the first time since the training had begun.
Then...she let go. She allowed her body to lose a sense of balance,
and fell forward. She fell forward, at first quickly to the ground,
then slowed herself, landing softly on the grass. She fell face down,
her arms cradling her head. Her back trembled as she silently cried.
Her...family's marks were gone. Gone. She felt nameless without them,
she felt like she had lost another chunk of herself when He took her
markings away from her. She then rolled over on her back, and stared
aimlessly into the sky, her arms now laying flat at her sides.
She...was nearly entirely empty now.:
He
watched her. From a distance, unknowing to her. He didn't know why
he remained. He watched her fall, he watched her cry. He regretting
his decision to come out side. It was just as bad out here as inside
with those fools. He turned, but looked back. Perhaps worse. He
seethed and disappeared.
Inside, someone else was feeling her
pain. Someone else, had gone quiet, and had taken a seat at a table,
and was now just leaning on it, staring sadly into nothingness. Hand
over her chest.
'Mirae, you must be hurting badly right now,
'cause I can feel your pain.' She thought.
"Shadow, are
you alright? You look sad."
Shadow snapped out of her daze
and looked up at Yukina. Such a sweet an innocent girl. Always
worrying over others. She smiled. It was fake, but would be enough.
"Oh, I'm fine really. Just thinking is all." she said
with mock cheeriness.
It didn't look like Yukina fully bought
it. Ok, so sometimes things didn't work out so well when She lied.
"Oh, Alright then." Yukina turned to leave but then
looked back. "You know, it's not healthy to keep your emotions
bottled up inside."
'Is it that obvious?' Shadow thought
as Yukina walked away. Shadow went back to staring off, feeling the
pain. Something that was a part of their connection. She put her hand
over her heart again.
'It will be alright in the end. You'll
see.'
She ached inside...she felt victimized all over again.
Like nothing more than a dumfounded little kid that was jumped and
robbed and left to rot on the ground. She rolled over on her back,
her face to the sky, and looked up aimlessly into the clouds. She
gritted her teeth, and looked up to nothing in sorrow, her heart so
vacant yet so full it was simply far too painful to bear. She ran her
hands along her arms repeatedly, as she hicced and sniffled her
tears.. Why was the underworld...why was LIFE so unfair?
She...couldn't label what she was feeling accurate enough to fully
explain to those who would want to know. It was...indescribably
painful. Only Shadow could understand. And she was thankful she had
Shadow, at least. Someone who wouldn't betray her, someone who would
always be on her side. Someone was better than no one. But that
didn't change the fact that she still felt lifeless. She felt
drained, but was fully energized at the same time. She finally weakly
got up from the ground, taking the process of getting up one step at
a time. She stammered and stumbled, tripping back to the floor and
against the wall of the temple. She was weak. She...felt drained
again. She shut her eyes tight in pain and she trembled as she cried
silently, her hands unconsciously running up and down her blank arms
as she cried. How could she go on without the honor of her family
name with her? It seemed almost impossible, especially when she'd
need the most strength very soon. Too soon.
"You're
crying." Came a gentle voice.
All too familiar. Kurama. It
didn't take him to long to clean up. And thankfully, he already had
spare clothing here. (Seeing as lately, this place seemed to almost
serve as a second home.) He was now wearing an Orange colored jacket
over a white T-shirt, and a pair of dark pants. He leaned against the
wall next to her.
"Do you wish to talk about it?" he
asked and looked at her. Despite everything that was currently wrong
in his life, he was still able to give a look of the utmost caring
and concern. Like his own problems didn't matter. Just like back
then. But, now wasn't the time to think of that then. Now, was the
time for now.
"I really think it would do you good to talk.
But, if you don't want to, it's alright. I won't force
you."
She had one side of her body against the wall, turned
away from Kurama and hung her head low to the ground, her eyes puffy
and cheeks soggy with tears.
"K-Kurama…" She managed
to say, choking in her hidden sobs. "I've done it again.
I've...paid another price for my evil…" She chuckled bitterly.
"I have nothing really to say...except the obvious…" She
turned back to him, her tenderized eyes looking up to his, almost
like the spitting image of what she looked like when she was a child.
His eyes narrowed with great sympathy. She had been hurt so much
in her life. He knew only too well.
"Mirae, I wish there was
something I could say to make things better." He continued to
gaze into her sad eyes.
"We have all committed one evil or
another. And as you well know, with each evil, there is a price. You
look at mine, as I look at yours. But from where I stand, you've
changed. And, if I may be so bold, for the better." He closed
his eyes, and actually let out a light yet short chuckle. It almost
seemed too Ironic.
"Who would have thought we'd end up
here, this way. Do you...remember our last meeting, Mirae?"
:She
sat up against the wall, her head resting against the wall of the
staircase. Her tear flooded eyes wandered from Kurama's to the skies
above. When she heard him chuckle, she instantly knew to what he was
indicating. She let out a small hum of a laugh, her lips curving
upward in a weak, faint smile.
"Yes, I remember quite
well.." Her brown irised hazed slightly as she voluntary
looked back in the past for once...
(Flash Back)
A
middle aged man in a bath robe sat outside in his balcony
comfortably, lounging in his lavish hotel room, and smoked a cigar
contentedly as he stared off into nothing. Little did he know, he had
a one-man audience 25 feet above him. A hooded man crunched out and
down from the window, a small gun in his hand. He aimed carefully,
his eyes the only thing visible due to the ski mask he wore. He
scrunched his eyes in effort, running his tongue along his lips as he
tensed his finger above the trigger. Suddenly, a shot pierced the
steady silence. He suddenly drooped limp from the window he crouched
out of, dead. A blue thin blur sped through the air, pierced his
forehead, and killed him before he could fire his shot. That blue
blur was a bullet. A very special bullet. The robe-clad man jumped
from his seat, falling over and off of his chair, and yelped. He
looked around him and saw nothing, then looked up. He found the
dangling lifeless body above him, and gasped slightly. He looked
around further, and began to panic when he saw nothing. Suddenly,
another shot screamed through the night, him suddenly freezing,
slightly shaking, then falling to the side, sliding along the railing
of the balcony, then fell in a heap of dead weight on the floor. A
pair of eyes shielded by a pair of blue-lense goggles didn't even
twitch as the shot was fired by the owner of those cold, murderously
calm eyes. Her hair was braided tightly, and tucked under her
buttoned trench coat. She was kneeled before her sniper rifle, her
very special rifle. Venom covered bullets, a decoratively efficient
rifle, and blue eye protection meant only one thing. She was none
other than the Blue Ember. She stood up, still looking down at her
work, her arms at her sides. There was no usual high altitude breath
of wind where she was atop that building, and remained still, but
knew she was not alone on that roof. She let out the ghost of a sigh,
her eyes tensing in slight irritation.:
"Humph, humans are
such fragile creatures. Wouldn't you agree, Mirae?" Came a
voice behind her, cold and violent. One what was, needless to say,
surprising to hear in this realm.
Mirae scoffed.
"Indeed..."
She replied emotionlessly, still facing away from him, she had her
eyes focused downward. His robe wasn't white
anymore...
"...What business have you,
Yoko?" She asked plainly, her eyes still keenly focused on the
pair of deaths below.
She focused on the other killer. He was
stepping in on her prey. And had to be dealt with quickly and easily.
She narrowed her eyes, and his corpse crumbled into black dust,
blowing down to the street below, diminishing as it diffused into the
air. As for the dead man in robes, she was asked to leave him intact,
so that his death would be discovered and published around the city,
and most likely, world. He was a very valuable attorney.
Yoko
grinned. As was her style. It always had been. It also didn't
really surprise him that his sudden appearance had not startled her.
This was in fact, by chance. Had he not caught her scent on the wind,
he may not have...dropped by. He held up a pendant he had to his eye
level. It's deep green gem stone even deeper in the night's
darkness.
"Just picking something up. Items of this caliber,
and with demonic energies are best taken from the hands of humans.
Someone could get hurt." He said, with fake concern. After all,
he had indeed killed a few guards to get this. Nothing too big,
really. Just a death seed. But, someone was bound to find plants
sprouting from within a few human bodies suspicious. Not that it was
His concern. Come morning, he planned on being back in the demon
world with his new treasure. He grinned again.
"Humans are
so ignorant of what they have." He twirled the large pendant
around his finger by the chain. Stealing it had been all too
easy.
Mirae rested her hand on the top of her sniper rifle, at her
touch the entire gun de-materialized into blue smoke, her hand now
suspended in the air. She paused, and then turned to face him, her
eyes as dead and frighteningly calm as ever. The tails of her trench
coat didn't sway as much as they do when they're not bound, her other
hand reaching for her goggles. She pulled them off of her eyes and to
the top of her head, pulling her semi-long bangs out of her eyes,
showing her dark brown eyes. She inspected the gem, listening to his
words without much emotion other then the movement of her eyes, if
you would call that an emotion.
"I see you've gotten yourself
a new...toy. Why do you come here when you already have the spoils?
Here to make fun of the humans to me? I am certain you can find
better outlets elsewhere…" :She quirked her brow,
crossing her arms.:
He grinned.
"Clever as ever. To be
honest, I had been curious for some time on how you were doing. On my
leave I caught your scent and decided to drop by." He caught the
pendant in his hand. He smiled a bit more when she made her weapon
disappear so effectively. She was well trained indeed. Then, a
thought came to him.
"Tell me, do you feel anything when you
kill them?"
:She closed her eyes, turning her head
downward.:
"How...I'm doing. I see." She could barely
comprehend the concept, but hesitantly spoke. She paused after she
heard his last question. "I feel for my victims as much as the
ground I walk so hastily on every day. I feel...nothing. They are
people I kill, and that's all. Just kill them, and kill them quickly,
and as discreetly as possible. I will assure I am remembered here..…"
She rose her head, and looked back at him with a firm hardness in her
expression, as well as a desolate expression. She was a cold-blooded
killer, and that was a fact.
"Remembered…" He echoed.
Thinking on it. He crossed his own arms, and leaned back on his left
leg. Closing his golden eyes in thought.
"Odd. When you
left, you wanted revenge on the clan that wiped yours off the face of
the planet. Now, here you are, saying you wish to be remembered. Here
I thought, it was just your way of preparing yourself for the real
hunt." he opened his eyes. "Or, would I still be right on
the last part of my assumption, Mirae Gahoshato?"
She winced
at the sound of her full name being spoken to her by him. But her
falter was not one she suffered from for long. She blinked, and
replied.
"My focus was- and still is- to avenge. But...I also
want to leave an impression of the Gahoshato name on this earth. Make
sure that my family...can be remembered. My...family. The
Gahoshato Mages. They...mustn't be forgotten." She pulled her
sleeve up, revealing tattoos. Markings, Writing, Symbols...colored
and printed upon her arm.
"I've begun immortalizing my clan's name...why just avenge a forgotten clan when you can do more? Have them never forgotten, never lost in the minds of those all around. And it's not just here...It's all over the universe. I'm spreading the message...the strength...of the family where I was born and bred...And by having the documentation here, they are guaranteed to be eternal and absolute, as my clan was."
She
bit her lip. Those were the most organic and greatest amount of words
she has spoken in a long time to ANYONE. She looked away, as if she
felt she had said to much. She let herself go.
Yoko look on and
listened in silence. To him, the logic seemed, flawed. He knew
several members of her family once. He was sure, that they wouldn't
want to be remembered in this manner. But, he decided to keep these
thoughts to himself. He had seen her in action, and she had a strong
reputation in the underworld of the human realm. Even in the demon
realm, her name was well known. But, there was just one thing, he
wanted to know. Had to know.
"I see. Now, I just have one
more question to ask you, Mirae. If told to do so, would you hunt
me?"
Mirae's eyes focused for a moment, and she grinned a
grin that made her emotionless-ness more appealing. A toying
grin...that wasn't natural.
"Don't you worry, I'm not
naive. I've known for a long time how much you mean to my family. You
were quite a pal to my eldest brother...I wouldn't do that. HE
wouldn't let me do that...Besides, how could I search and destroy
someone I've had random encounters with for the past for the past
eon? Rest assured, you're hide is safe from me... She nodded in
assurance and uncrossed her arms. "Think what you think of it, I
suppose. No matter how many times you and Alucard have told me...I
will still undertake things as I see fit."
Mirae then
relieved her amused expression, her expression now a serious
one.
"And now, I've got a final question to ask you, Kur-
Yoko Kurama. :She placed her hands on her hips, her rolled up sleeve
now falling back down and covering her new tattoos.: "If it
wasn't for the promise you made to my brother...The promise to "watch
over" me ...would you still be here right now like this? I
want honesty, not manners." She walked towards him, almost
threateningly, but only to get away from view from the police above.
They had gathered and were intensely investigating the
situation.
'Ok, so now we have an exchange of full names.' he
thought for a moment. He also briefly wondered if her steps forward
were meant to intimidate him. True, he would want to avoid a conflict
with her at any cost, she could be that dangerous. But be intimidated
by her? No. So the thought was dismissed immediately. But still, now
she shot him with a difficult question. Had her brother not asked,
would he have gone though all that trouble? Would he still have
dropped by so check up on her as he already stated? He found his mind
wandering back to those days. He had inadvertently adverted his eyes
from Mirae as he thought about this. It seemed like minutes that he
thought about this. Finally, he met her gaze again.
"Yes. I
would." He answered. After thinking the matter over very
carefully.
Mirae could only nod in reply, and crossed her arms and continued to stand before Yoko Kurama, a little over a yard away from him. Her eyes attained a new glow, a slight difference from her hardened look. Her eyes seemed to hint at a feeling of assurance, of...security. Her numbed insides tingled with feeling for a split moment, but was rapidly gone as they stood there in the desolate night high in the sky.
-To Be Continued-
