Memoir

Summary: Sequel to "Forgotten." "Time really does change everything, doesn't it? Hard to believe I'm the same person." Hiei/OC

Author's notes: Yeah, so the last chapter was excruciatingly difficult to write, but we made it through all right, didn't we? Anyway, this chapter should go much more smoothly, I think. I'll try to get at least two chapters up this week…Like I said, I start classes again soon, so my writing time will be cut (damn school… oh well, I'm almost done with it). Well, I'll quit with my stalling now. Thanks to my reviewers.

Demon's Amaya: Yes, he cares (but, deep down, we probably all knew that). I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for reviewing; I'll try not to keep you waiting.

The Shadows Hide All: You're welcome. Thanks for your compliments; I'll keep the updates coming as best I can (my GPA will probably suffer from me writing fics during class, but hey it's worth it). Keep reading and reviewing!

MikoHatome: Yeah, it was a short chapter. Sorry about that. I'm working on it, I promise. Any who, thanks for the review; I hope you like the rest of the fic.

Yoru Inu: I certainly never tire of hearing that people like my work; thank you for telling me you do. As far as the chapter length goes… I kind of have to play that by ear, but I will make a conscious effort to add some meat to the chapters. Thanks for the review.

mysadeyes: A little attached to the characters, are we? LOL. Glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

Jingenji: Yes, it was short. Sorry. I'm glad you liked the chapter; thanks for reviewing. Have fun doing the happy dance thing (lol).

Kurayamihikari: Oh, thank you. It's great that you liked the chapter. Thanks for the review; I'll keep on updating.

Yuki Amida: Thanks for the review. I'll try to keep the update speed.

seromans58: I'm glad you liked the chapter. I'll agree, Hiei and Akiko need to get over their issues and just tell each other. But, as in life, it's just not that easy. Any who, thanks for the review; I hope you like the rest of the fic.

BlueWater26: Thanks. I think I laughed typing that line…. Well, glad to know you still like the fic. Thanks for reviewing, as always.

miho: I'm glad you like the story. Thanks for the review.

Baka Hanyou Rahvin: Well, he won't drop the mask anytime soon. He doesn't seem to be one for gushing. Thanks for the review; I hope you like what comes next.

Bec: Thanks; I'm glad you liked it. I'll be sure to start keeping a can of mace with me for those clowns….

Dolphingirl32173: Glad you like the fic. As to why Hiei's still being less than friendly, that'll be answered completely as the fic progresses. But you're right; he's risking a lot by pushing her away. Thanks for the review.

AnonymousHieiFan101: Thanks; glad you like the fic. I hope you like the next chapters.

ToCOrNot77: Thanks, glad you like the fic. Keep reviewing!

You're wonderful people, all of you.

By the by, italics type indicates a flashback thingy. Okay?

Part Thirteen: Turn on the Light

Itaka was always very observant. His parents' friends often commented on that. No other child in the village noticed the things he did—nor could most of the adults, for that matter.

But that's not what made his parents decide to take him to the soothsayer.

"Oka-san! Oka-san! You won't believe what I just saw!"

Itaka's mother looked up from her cooking. "What did you see?"

"An angel."

Itaka's mother smiled. "Sweetheart, there haven't been angels on earth for the past hundred years. You couldn't have seen one."

"But I did. I know I saw one. She was dying."

At this, the boy's mother abandoned her work and marched towards her son. "What do you mean? Angels don't die; they live forever."

"This one won't. She was hurt. Crying. She talked to me."

"What did she say to you?"

"She asked me if I thought humans were good."

"Oh my God. I've heard that there was one angel who didn't want to leave Ningenkai…. What did you tell her?"

Itaka shrugged. "I said that people try to be good."

Itaka's mother wasted no time relaying the conversation to her husband. Their child was clearly special, for an angel to speak to him; they needed to know just how special.

Enter the soothsayer.

Mioshi was most likely the eldest living human in world, most certainly the eldest in the village; because of her years, she had a keen sense about things otherworldly. Naturally, she was the first to come to the minds of Itaka's parents.

She was smoking a pipe that emitted a purple-ish green smoke when Itaka and his parents entered.

"I thought you'd be coming," the soothsayer breathed vaguely. "Sit down. It will take a while for me to sort everything out for you."

The family did as they were told and dropped onto the fine cushions on the floor of Mioshi's hut.

Mioshi herself extinguished her pipe but, rather than disposing of the remaining roots, she dumped them into a clay bowl and began grinding them into a powder. Once that had been done, she pulled a dagger from a box on her table and cut a deep line across her palm. She held her cut hand above the bowl of roots and allowed her blood to drip onto the powder.

"This is an ancient potion," she said when she saw the shocked looks on the faces of her visitors. "It makes the aura more potent so that its signals may be more easily read. Fate, as I have found, is tied directly to the spirit. The more unique the aura, the more important the destiny."

The soothsayer tipped the contents of the clay bowl into a pot hanging over a fire.

"It will take several minutes for the potion to be ready," Mioshi said, sitting down with the family. "In the meantime, tell me what event has brought you here."

Itaka's mother recited what her son had told her of his encounter with the angel and found, to her shock, that Mioshi did not seem the slightest bit surprised.

"Paciencia would want her last moments to be spent with the ones she fought to save. She was drawn to your son's pure spirit. And now, we'll see what else this world has in store for Itaka."

The soothsayer removed the pot from the flame and set it on the table. She took Itaka's hand and rubbed the mixture on his palm. Immediately, the creases on his palm took on a glowing ruby shade. Once again, Mioshi showed no surprise.

"Blood," she said. "There is blood in his future."

The parents' faces went white with shock.

"Then… the he's going to die?" Itaka's mother asked.

Mioshi stared at the mother for a moment. "We will all die eventually. No, your son is safe for now."

"For now?"

"Itaka has a great destiny ahead of him. He will posses a great power; he will use it to save innocent humans from yokai that would do them harm. He will be a demon slayer. The greatest this world has seen."

Both parents looked relieved, but their relaxation was short-lived.

"This will only happen if he lives to his thirteenth birthday," Mioshi continued, wiping Itaka's hand clean. "You must understand, now that his destiny is known, there will be several that will come after Itaka. You must keep him safe. Otherwise his and countless other souls will be lost."

Mioshi's hut melted into a graveyard. A mass of people crowded at the gates as they began making their way back to their homes, leaving two freshly turned graves behind them. One was for the child Itaka, killed by a demon out side his own home, and the other for Mioshi who had been slaughtered in her bed the same night.

And then, darkness.

"There's nothing quite so annoying as an old hag who knows too much, wouldn't you agree?" Sangre's voice said from behind Akiko.

She repressed a shudder. "You killed her too."

The yokai shrugged. "There was not much choice. Besides, the blood of one child is hardly filling."

Akiko made a sound of revulsion and pulled herself away from the yokai.

Sangre laughed. "I didn't realize you were so sensitive. My apologies."

"Cut the crap," Akiko hissed. "What do you want from me?"

The yokai smirked. "Quite a few things."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"I'm aware."

Sangre continued to smirk at her, clearly enjoying the mental trauma the visions had been causing her. After a few moments of silence, he spoke to her again.

"As I said, there are several things that I want from you. You could probably guess most of them."

Akiko narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

"Fine then, don't guess," the yokai frowned. "Have you any idea what an advantage you would be to me?"

"Advantage? What do you –"

"The ancient powers I could acquire from you…. Not to mention leverage…."

"If you wanted powers, why did you wait so long? Why didn't you come after me earlier?"

Sangre laughed. "You really know nothing of your heritage, do you? No one can touch an angel with the intent to harm it. Now that you don't have angel blood, however…."

He dragged a long claw down the side of Akiko's face; blood spilled from the wound.

"I think that well illustrates my point."

Cold sweat trickled down Akiko's neck.

"Enough for now," Sangre laughed. "I'll be back for you soon. Until then."

The yokai planted a dry, cold kiss on the back of her hand.

Akiko awoke with a start, fully expecting to find herself face to face with Sangre.

But she wasn't.

The fire that her companions had built had long been out, but otherwise the campsite was just as it had been when she fell asleep.

She took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm her nerves. Akiko didn't even try to go back to sleep; she wrapped her arms around herself and watched the scenery around her, jumping at ever sound and movement.

Morning would be a long time coming.

Author's notes: And thus ends Part Thirteen. What did you think? Huh? Anyway, I'm going to try to get one or two more chapters up this week, but it'll really depend on how things go around here. It's been pretty busy lately. Thanks for being patient with me! Read and review, please!

And thus ends Part Thirteen. What did you think? Huh? Anyway, I'm going to to get one or two more chapters up this week, but it'll really depend on how things go around here. It's been pretty busy lately. Thanks for being patient with me! Read and review, please!