A/n- Thanks to the people who reviewed! You really made me feel good and I'm really glad you liked the 1st Chapter! And yes, this is going to be a Yusuke/Avari fanfiction, so Yusuke can just forget about Keiko! Also, I apologize that it took so long to get this one up, my internet hasn't been working because of a thunderstorm we had and plus I've been really busy with school and sports and things... And now what you've all been waiting for, Chapter Two!

Chapter Two: Sad Tears and School Uniforms

After Yusuke had finished his training with Genkai, he left and went home. Genkai made her way to her room from the training hall to go to sleep. On her way there, she heard sobbing coming from a nearby room. She followed the sound and came to Avari's room. Quietly, she opened the door and saw Avari lying on her bed in tears.

"Avi-chan?" Genkai said softly. "Are you alright?"

Avari sat up as she heard Genkai's voice and wiped away some tears.

"Not ..hiccup.. really," Avari replied, bursting into tears again.

"Calm down. Everything's going to be just fine," Genkai said, while sitting next to Avari and giving her a hug.

"It's just that ..sniff.. I could have done more to... to... save them... my parents..."Avari said while still crying. "It's all my fault that... that.. they died...!"

"You listen here. Your parents fought bravely and it wasn't your fault that they were killed. There was nothing you could do. It wasn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself," Genkai said slightly sternly. "I'm sure that they wouldn't want you to be so worked up over it. Your stronger than that, I know you are and you know that, too."

Avari's tears and sobs began to subside after Genkai said this.

"I guess your right," Avari finally said. "I know they would just want me to get on with my life."

"That's the Avi-chan I know! Now go back to sleep. You start school in the morning," Genkai said, getting up from her seat next to Avari.

"What! Are you crazy!" Avari exclaimed in outrage. "I can't-!"

"It's already been settled. In the morning, Yusuke is coming by to walk you to school, like I asked him, and that's final," Genkai said, walking toward the door.

"Oh! Yusuke's walking me to school?" Avari asked as her eyes seemed to light up.

"I knew that would cheer you up," Genkai said with a slight chuckle. "Good night, Avi-chan."

"Good night, Aunt Genkai," Avari replied as she crawled into her bed and put her head down on the pillow.

Genkai turned off the light and walked out of Avari's bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her. She then made her way to her room and went to sleep as well.

-In the Morning-

"Avi-chan! Avi-chan! Wake up!" Genkai said as she slightly shook Avari.

Avari groaned and pulled the covers over her head. "Just five more minutes!" Avari said in a slightly annoyed voice.

"You need to get up now or you'll be late! So get your lazy ass out of bed!" Genkai yelled. She knew Avari wasn't listening and had no intention of getting up, so she grabbed a hold of Avari's ankles and began pulling her out of the bed.

THUD! Avari fell right out of the bed and hit the floor while Genkai still had a hold of her ankles.

"Ouch! Alright, alright! I'm up and I'm getting ready! Sheesh!" Avari yelled as she grabbed the uniform that Genkai had put on a nearby chair. She walked toward the bathroom.

Avari took a quick shower and threw on her blue uniform. She fixed her hair and then went over to the mirror to look herself over. She touched her neck to check if her necklace that had been given to her by her mother was still there and, sure enough, it was. The necklace had a single purple gem embedded in a circle of silver on it that hung from its simple, silver chain. With that done, she finished getting ready and made her way down the hall.

-15 minutes later-

Yusuke and Genkai were sitting down in the kitchen. Genkai was eating and Yusuke was just sitting back in his chair, waiting for Avari.

"Avi-chan! Hurry it up!" Genkai yelled.

"I'm coming!" Avari yelled. There was a sound of hurried feet and she was visible in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Ready to go?" Yusuke asked.

"Yup. Let's go and enjoy this great day of school we have ahead of us," Avari said quite sarcastically.

Yusuke got up from his chair and started to walk toward the door that led outside. Avari grabbed a piece of toast that had been waiting for her on the table and followed Yusuke.

"See ya later, grandma!" Yusuke called carelessly after him as he walked out the door.

"Yeah, see ya, Aunt Genkai!" Avari said as she shut the door behind her and followed Yusuke.

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Avari and Yusuke walked in silence most of the way. Yusuke was leading the way and Avari followed four feet behind him.

"Are we almost there yet?" Avari said impatiently after they had been walking for about ten minutes.

"Actually, we're only about four blocks away from Sarayashiki Jr. High," Yusuke replied.

They were now back to the usual silence. It made both of them feel uncomfortable.

"So, tell me more about yourself. Have any brothers or sisters?" Avari said, breaking the silence. She quickened her pace so that she was now walking next to Yusuke, rather than behind him.

"Uhh... Not really. But I've got a flaky mom who's drunk most of the time, but when she's sober she can get really worked up over the smallest crap," Yusuke replied. "What about you?"

"Oh, I see. I have an older half brother who I haven't seen in about 9 years and that's it," Avari replied.

"Oh," Yusuke replied. "We're almost there," he added as the junior high came into view only half a block away.

As they approached the school, they heard someone yelling.

"Yusuke! There you are! I thought you were going to skip again today, but I guess not," said a girl with brown hair and brown eyes who ran up to them now that they were in front of the school. "Who's your friend?" the girl added, pointing at Avari.

"Oh yeah. Uh, Avari meet Keiko. Keiko meet Avari," Yusuke said.

"Hi! I'm Avari Raji," Avari said.

"Keiko Yukimura. Pleasure," Keiko said back to Avari.

They now heard the school bell ring and hurried through the school entrance.

"Alright, Avari. You have to go to the school office to get registered and everything, so I'll see ya later," Yusuke said as he pointed toward the office door and walked down the hall after Keiko to homeroom.

"See ya!" Avari called after him and she watched as he disappeared down the hall into the swarm of students. Avari then pushed open the door to the office and walked over to the secretary.

-15 minutes later-

Avari was sitting in a chair in front of the secretary's desk. They had just gotten through all of Avari's paperwork and the secretary handed her a paper.

"Here's your schedule, dear. Have a nice day!" the secretary said, as Avari took the paper and got up from her chair

"Thank you," Avari said to the secretary, as she walked out of the office and made her way down the hall to her homeroom.

-To Be Continued...