Winds of Thyme: The Sequel

By Sakura Takanouchi

Winds of Thyme: The Sequel Chapter Eight: Red or Black

Disclaimer: Y'Know, one day I'm going to write a paper on how writing disclaimers totally upsets the balance of the earth! My center of gravity is off-balance! Wahhhhhh! (Don't own YYH)

"Hiei! You ticked off the tree, and now it's turning black! Or, darker," Sakura accused Hiei, who just stood there helplessly.

"I didn't know what to do, but I decided to not touch it." He answered.

"Smart Move." Yusuke looked at Sakura. "What say you go Gardner on us and put that tree back in it's rightful place? Of all of us, I think you should do it."

Sakura moved slowly towards the tree, trying to think good thoughts. She picked up the tree, and set it on the ground in the middle of the garden. The tree showed no change in color. She supposed that it was a good sign. Using her hands, she started to dig.

Five minutes later, a fair size hole had been dug. She carefully lifted the tree into the hole, watered the roots, and filled it back up with soil. The berries didn't get darker. In fact, they slowly but surely returned to their natural state: A warm red color.

"Yes!" Sakura turned around. Her face widened into a smile when she saw Kurama, conscious, standing beside Yusuke, Hiei, and Mukuro.

"Ah, so the tree of life is in it's rightful place at last," Mukuro said.

"So, what are we going to do about the people in front of your castle?" Yusuke asked.

"The peaceful aura of the tree wards off anyone of evil intention for about 2 miles. But, as the tree grows, so does the aura. So my castle won't be as busy in the future." Mukuro chuckled.

"Hey, you're right! Sakura was on the rooftop, looking at the band of ninjas lying on the ground. "They're all sleeping!"

Kurama climbed up beside her. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of greater help to you, and everyone else, during this mission.

Sakura smiled up at him. "That's all right, it wasn't your fault—" But then she stopped, stunned. "I know that me, Yusuke, and Hiei weren't affected by Rai and Yohji's attack, but why were you?"

Kurama sat down on the rooftop, and Sakura sat too. "Well, I'm actually a youkai named Youko Kurama, in the form of a human. About fifteen years ago, A hunter managed to wound me, but it was very serious. I had only enough energy to come to the Ningenkai and enter the body of an unborn child, who was named Minamino Shuiichi. But I retained all of my memories and knowledge of the hundreds of years that I have been alive."

Sakura looked at him in amazement. "So that's where the 'Kurama' came from. I think I remember my father talking about you. Oh! Please, continue," She said.

"And fourteen years after that, someone managed to find me, here, even in this form. That was Hiei. He managed to convince me to steal a top-security item from the reikai, along with him and a demon named Goki. Yusuke, the newly assigned spirit detective, stopped us all and returned the items. After that, we had to go on a mission together as community service, so to speak, to atone for our crime. So we have been working together successfully for quite some time.

"And then you met me!" Sakura leaned on Kurama's shoulder contentedly.

"Yes, and then I met you." He stroked her hair gently, and looked up at the sky. Even in the Makai, there were sunsets. And this one was beautiful.

A/N

OMG! That was so…wipes tear from face beautiful! FINALLY! And so the Anbu Shijou arc comes to a close. And the next one, since I love my reviewers T-H-I-S----------------M-U-C-H, I will not be long in updating! YAY!

Keep all of your thoughts and opinions coming. I really want to know what you guys want to read. More action scenes? Lots o' drama? Funny stuff? School Craziness? Or lots of wuv? (I mean love. Watch Futurama.) But the concept of wuv doesn't bode well with many people, so I try to keep it in line. Buuut, some people find it sweet. I know I do.

I must continually remind people that this isn't a self-insert, just my own stupidity soming intoo focus with names. I take all my character names from the manga I draw, so , of course, my pen name in fanfiction and on my manga is Sakura Takanouchi, I have a character in my favorite self-drawn manga (Planetary Escort, 3 volumes so far!) named as the latter, and now this! WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO? Find out in the next chapter! So, for now, leave a review on your way out!

Saku-Saku-Saku