The jewelry of an Egyptian queen hung around his neck and from his ears, a gold collar latched with the ruby pendant centered on his Adam's apple. A cerise robe placed over a garnet tunic, both from a mage, matched closely to his long, wine-coloured locks. Two petite, rosy lips interrupted the near-albino skin stretched firmly over his face. All of this contrasted the semi-lidded, almond shaped, chartreuse eyes which stared dead on without hesitation. 'Who is this mystery?'
Four in the morning, grass slightly dampened from dew, I saw him. Perhaps five foot ten, hair cascading well passed his shoulders, he stood. So familiar yet I could not recognize him. My eyes, curious and confused, locked firmly as though glued to his, so listless yet still so pained. "Oi... Daijoubu ka?" No response. I wanted to get closer so I could perhaps see him better, considering the light was so scarce at four in the a.m. Though I knew he would run if I tried. Maybe he wasn't even there. 'I have to know.'
His eyes slid calmly from my gaze to my right leg, which was now bent so the attached heel was off the ground a few centimetres. As I lifted it slowly and moved it forward he still watched. 'Good,' was my initial thought for I had assumed he wouldn't run. But of course, assumptions lead you no where. The moment my foot hit ground again, he turned his back to me and strode away into darkness. While he did so I heard a music box in my head playing an eerie tune, perhaps from Nightmare Before Christmas.
I don't know why, but it bothered me immensely the identity of that man, for I could not keep my mind off of it for quite some time. Two weeks after that early morning, I had finally dismissed the matter as I went to an old friend's house. Apparently she was expecting me for she sat at the top of the long staircase leading up to the temple, giving me one of her lopsided smiles. I waved a hand in greeting as I reached halfway, her rising to see me better. We went into her temple and sat with warm cups of herbal tea. I blinked after taking a deep sip and stared at my cup. "Wow this is really good."
Genkai nodded. "Of course it is. It is Kurama's recipe." I nodded, realizing why she had made Kurama's tea. None of us had seen him in quite a long while, probably a few years by that point. When I went to Makai, I'd ask Yomi if he'd seen Kurama but he always said he hadn't. "Get over it. He's dead. That's the only explanation. Otherwise he would have sent word or visited. You know him. He doesn't stay away long without giving an explanation in advance or coming to visit once in a while. Shiori has even called me and asked where he was."
Shiori doesn't even know? Wow. Kurama told Shiori if he was going to go somewhere, though he didn't tell her where he was going usually. "I... Refuse to believe that he went off and got killed. He would never do that. Besides! KoEnma woulda told us!" I was furious that Genkai would even THINK that Kurama was dead. Of course we all feared it but I forced myself to think otherwise, at least semi-positive. Kurama was my friend, one of my best friends.
Soon we were joined by two more people, the twins. Hiei and Yukina sat with us, Yukina leaning on the fire demon. A few days before I saw the mysterious man he had let it slip he had a sister and Yukina figured it out from there. Since she wouldn't stop clinging to him. But I don't think he really minded. Hiei slid his arm around his sister and stroked her hair, a gentle smile playing on his lips. If only Kurama could see him now. "Oi, Detective. Any news on that man?"
"Iie. I had JUST gotten it outta my head too! Thanks a lot." I grumbled playfully. He watched me with a playful glare then he sat down, gently leading his sister down as well. Genkai poured them some tea and we all sat and talked about things that had happened in the past few years. The few... no the many years that had passed since Kurama disappeared. Okay, so maybe he was dead but I still didn't want to believe it. He was too good of a friend for me to lose. The others soon watched me and I looked down at them in confusion. When had a I stood up? "I... that man... He is a murderer. His eyes held a look of a man who has seen many die at his own hands. I am willing to bet my life that he is the one that killed Kurama."
"I thought you said Kurama was still alive, Yusuke?" Genkai watched me with her calming, wisdom filled eyes.
"There is no other explanation. He is dead. And that man killed him. That is why he came here. To see Kurama's friends suffer!" I felt a lump in my throat and tears stinging the back of my eyes. My voice was loud and deep, pain-filled. Hiei stood up and forced me against a wall.
"Snap yourself out of it detective! Kurama would have been able to kick that guy in the ass and hard. You know that. And if he were dead, then Botan or KoEnma or someone from Reikai would have sent word to us! Not to mention his body. But they have sent no word! You know Kurama is alive! We all know!"