Satorisama-YEAH!!! A NEW CHAPTER!!! (Rejoices). Anyway, I've been busy. Midterms! (Gasp). I had no idea how much of my time they were going to eat up. Plus I'm on tech for my school musical, and this week is tech week, so I'm busy with rehearsals and performances all week even though I'm just an usher. I even miss Halloween, how bogus is that! Anyway. I'm getting to the good parts, and the latter chapters of part III are going to be real good and hold lots of promise. (Another songfiction I think, but I'll come back to that later). So... um, REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!
Addressing reviews- today's word is... WOOT!!!
Spork- WOOT, PARTY!!! Anyway, thanks for continuing to be a cool reader!!
Kitsune Kit- WOOT, NO MARYSUENESS!!! THANKS!!!
PainfulxRecovery- WOOT!!! I know what you mean about school, to little time for anything anymore. Yes, Daja is like Hiei's female double. Same eyes save for color, same height, and abilities. Strange yah? For a human girl and a demon to be so much alike, but are both what they seem?
Living Impared- WOOT!!! THANKS for REVIEWING!!!
Naoko Asakura 009- WOOT!!! A thanks for saying my fic is cool. And I agree, Linkin Park is better than Blink 182. I was just listening to Blink 182 when I was writing my beginning and ending thoughts, so... yeah...
Shadow-Seeker-13- WOOT!!! THANKS for reviewing!!!
ON TO THE STORY!!!!
Chapter 15-Crusade
Daja: I am so tired... and being dragged around by an over giggly group of girls is not helping my hangover at all. Actually, the fact that they're over giggly today is helping, because in spite of their seeming awareness of everything I do, they have yet to notice my booze-induced headaches and muscle spasms. But the giggling... I could do without it.
In the past, I would have killed someone for being a loose tongued, ditzy twit. I pat my pocket, and the contents click against each other soothingly. My only weapon besides my strength, my dice, at least I still have them. Now, however, my only objective is to survive, and my reputation is not on my mind too much anymore. Hell, I've even let go of my title as the most ruthless of mercenaries, the most swift of thieves, the most merciless of murders, the Lone Assassin of the North. But somehow, I never let it go... I will always be her, that emerald eyed murder in whose veins flow the deepest desire for revenge and the power to avenge her betrayal. She never left, and the line between us has never been any more vague than it is now. She is me and I am her; we are the only assassin of the north to prosper in a land other than our homeland. We are powerful, we are cunning, and we are one united, though she has been dormant for the past six months, and frightens me more than she should.
Of course, I am sure that I was called many other, less tasteful things by those who were more than ignorant of my power or my nasty, little habit of carrying out death threats even if I have to go extremely out of my way to do so. (That only makes their death more excruciatingly painful and rewarding when they find out the true extent of my power, so it's no biggie). Hmm, I think one of those titles went like this: evil bitch with steel for blood. Yeah, that was it... I even adopted that as one of my favorites, at the time, and with my band of thieves, the nickname caught on real quick, like a wild fire in dry brush.
The lower class demon who so unkindly dubbed me that name was never seen again after I showed him what he was really dealing with.
"Daja! Come on, you just HAVE to try on this skirt." Botan insists as she pushes me towards the back of the small clothing store's dressing rooms, or so I've been told.
I sigh and grab the most indecent thing, no skirt I have EVER seen and step into the cubicle with the mirrored wall. Stepping out of my comfortable blue pants, I slip the extremely short skirt up my legs onto my hips, and after I do, I notice, with some amusement, that my undergarments show above the so-called waistline of the strip of cloth called a skirt. The blue strings that keep my panties on are on my upper hips while the "skirt" lays just above what I consider indecent areas for a woman to flaunt to strangers. (Unless you are trying to con them, then those areas are perfectly acceptable for flauntage).
I step out of the dressing room, and am sent right back in to change into something else, something more appropriate, as that Keiko woman put it. I could care less, but I change into at least the entire store's clothing line before I am told that we must go somewhere else to see what other clothes would look good on me. Another store, another dressing room, another few sets of clothing—I am losing my patience for this foolish human ritual called shopping.
I could not care less for a new pair of pants. I have three pairs of work pants—black, dark blue, and a vivacious red (the red being for celebrations in the demon world, and by work I don't mean spirit world paper pushing, but work as in covert missions and assassinations). And shirts, I have enough shirts as well, I note as I slip a red tank top on. I have half a dozen various shirts—all in different, dark shades—and they fit my requirements. Durable, lightweight, waterproof, and easy enough to care for.
"Daja, how does it look?"
I sigh and look into the mirror before I answer Keiko. I must admit, the red tank top does not look that bad, and I do like the way it ties behind my neck. Not bad, it actually sort of matches my red pants and my highlights... my crimson highlights... I look away for a second, immediately engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions. I don't want to think about... that, not right now, and not ever.
"Looks fine Keiko. You want me to come out and show you, yah?"
Botan answers for Keiko. "Yes, of course."
I step out, covering my exposed waist with my arms. Botan grins, and immediately dives into another rack for more unnecessary clothing, while saying something about we needing to get more clothing for me for the next few weeks because I cannot live on one, teeny, weenie duffle bag. Botan scares me, but if she only knew what the contents of that duffle bag does for me. But she can never know. No one can know.
Shizuru turns from the rack of clothing she was looking at, and glances at me with an appraising eye. "You look good, kid. Not half bad."
Keiko nods in agreement. "I wish I had your figure, Daja. Everything looks good on you." She turns this way and that way in the mirror, looking at her body from all angles.
I sigh and look out the window at the street. So many people getting ready for that stupid festival this weekend, and I have to go because Botan insists that I "live a little." I smirk, I have lived, and life was good, but without Damien, I have no purpose, and thus no life, and hence here I am now without much of a future to live for. And I regret it. I regret never telling him how deep my feelings for him went.
"Don't think too hard, or there'll be permanent damage." Shizuru says putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Remove you hand or lose it, it's your choice." I say automatically. I do not like to be touched by anyone I do not trust, and Shizuru has yet to gain my respect. When she removes it, I turn around and face her confused gaze. Shrugging off all emotion, I wait for something else from one from the three girls I simply must try on.
The afternoon went like this until I simply snapped and refused to let anyone come near with me with any other piece of clothing. Regardless, I was forced to try on clothing until I had a wardrobe much to large for me to ever need to wear. The girls, I suppose they were trying to help me, but... I am beyond help.
"Bye Daja. See you at the festival." Keiko turns to walk away, arms loaded with bags of new clothing.
"Yah're my kinda girl, kid. Yah know how to deal with stuff yah don't like. See yah 'round." Shizuru waves a new jacket slung over her shoulder. She lights a cigarette and walks towards her apartment. She's not half bad, for being that idiot Kuwabara's sister. Could make quite an ally if she was more powerful.
Botan smiles and waves at both of them, her eyes glowing with happiness. "Come on Daja," she grabs my arm and starts to drag me back towards the apartment, "We've got to figure out what your going to wear to the festival! It's in three days, we don't have much time to waste!"
I sigh, stick my hands in my pockets, and walk next to Botan, who is currently chattering about how she cannot wait to go to this festival. From the way she describes the festival as the most exciting event she ever been too, I get to thinking about maybe enjoying my time here in the human world with the detectives and their girls.
It's nice, real tranquil here in the middle of the buzzing city, the exact opposite from the demon world and the spirit world. Everybody here seems courteous and helpful, so happy and full of serenity. Though I may appear to be one of them, I am never going to be able to live like the humans that surround me as I walk down the street.
But...
A thief can dream, can't she?
Suppose I did let go of all my barriers this once, and truly see what life has to offer now that I am alone. Could I do it? Would I do it?
"Many people meet their true loves at this magical festival I am told. Oh... Daja, do you think any man will ever fall in love with me?" Botan asks dreamily as she unlocks the door to the apartment. Her face is flushed with a gentle pink that matches her rosy, magenta eyes. The long blue hair frames her face as she walks to the couch and reclines lazily onto the cushions.
I blink. "You're asking me what I think?" I reply, visibly startled. This was the first time since the beginning of my punishment that anyone had asked me for my opinion to... well, anything.
Botan looks over at me, still looking moonstruck by the idea of being a lover. "Of course I care what you think."
I look down at my hands. This is so new for me. To have somebody actually care enough to hear what I have to say after Damien went away, it's so strange, but I offer my humble opinion without regret. "If someone could fall in love with me, then I'm sure there are one thousand men who simply adore you, Botan." I turn to the large window opposite the couch, and stare out to the street below. I know Botan heard everything I said, and I assume she's going to just as curious as the detectives were about my relationship with Damien.
Botan's glazed look fades quickly, and a look of surprise crosses her features before being replaced with an intense curiosity. "Who was he?" She asks, and I can feel her questioning gaze on my back.
Debating whether I should tell her or not, a feeling of intense sorrow invades my mind. I never got to tell him how much I loved him, and it's all because of my big ego. I couldn't admit I loved a human, I couldn't admit that I loved. After all, I was never meant to have feelings, let alone love. Regret, I regret waiting till the last minute to analyze my feeling for him while he lay dying in my arms. And I didn't even tell him then.
Before I know it, I blurt it out. "Damien. He loved me, and I never told him how I felt. I hate myself for being so unfeeling." I dash back to my bedroom, lock the door and the door to the bathroom, and throw myself against the bed, hitting my forearms on the headboard in the process. Deep purple marks appear on my arms immediately, and I ignore the load banging of Botan knocking on my door. Reaching under my bed, I feel around for a bottle of vodka. When I find it, I sit up and immediately take a few sips, the pain numbing with every second.
No more knocking. I guess Botan gave up on trying to talk to me. For now, at least. I shudder, and before I know it, the world fades out into a calming darkness.
Botan: Damien.
Why does that name sound so familiar?
"Damien." I repeat to myself softly as I brush my hair while I stare at myself absentmindedly reflected in the vanity's simple mirror.
My sky blue locks curl gently around my shoulders as waves do on the shoreline, and I run the brush though it softly.
Damien. I'm sure that's what Daja said. The man who loved her, Damien. And she never told him how she felt. Could it be she loved him back, but something happened to their relationship that changed everything? Something that prevented this neglected woman from having the beautiful ever after everyone dreams of?
"She hates herself."
She didn't mean that, did she? Daja isn't in the process of ending her life, or I would have been notified that I was going to have to take her to Spirit World, so I guess that everything is okay. For now, at least. I pray that Daja doesn't take her life in a selfish act to end her own suffering indefinitely.
"Damien." I whisper, as if repeating the foreign name will offer some insight into this troubling situation.
It's funny, but I remember that name, from somewhere, from a long time ago. I must have been a mere child nearly half a millennia ago. It's familiar, but so distant.
Yawning, I make my way over to the comfortable bed a few feet away from the vanity
"Damien." I say once more, hoping for a spark of insight, but nothing comes.
Perhaps I should sleep on it, and I'll just have to wait and see how everything turns out.
I watch the sunset behind the tall buildings, and I smile, still feeling a little uncertain, but happy none the less. Today was different from being in Spirit World, but... I kind of liked it, being a regular girl for once, shopping and hanging out with my friends for once, gossiping sort of with another girl. And tomorrow, my only plan is to maybe become friends with Daja, or as close to being friends as she'll let me. Maybe we can decide what to wear to the festival together, like best friends. Maybe...
My last thought before drifting off to sleep is that of the promise the Festival of Lights holds of love.
"Maybe someone out there does love me," I murmur sleepily into the pillow. And with that, I begin to dream as the world begins to quiet down for rest. Yes, perhaps someone does love me.
Satorisama- WOOT!!! So, did y'all like it? I did, but that's probably because, you know, I wrote it. But seriously people, the festival is going to be really good!!! I promise!!! And I'll tell you a secret about later... Daja is going to do something, and everyone is going to be surprised. That's so vague... that is just might work!!! LOL.
And here's where I come back to the future songfiction. I want some opinions before I start writing it, but I might write it anyway, cuase I have this neeto idea. Here it goes... I'm thinking about using the song 1000 words from Final Fantasy x-2. NOW I know that this is not Yu Yu Hakusho related, but it goes with the feeling I want to go with (thats coming to terms with feelings and death) , so... what do you think!?! REVIEW and tell me. (if you havent heard that song, well, um, email me and I'll try to send you a copy of the mp3 I have).
And here'e everyones favorite part of the ending thought. MY review song thingy!!!
This weeks song is... ok so its not a song, but a quote from a ffx-2 commercial (see a trend here? again email me and i'll try to send you a copy of the commercial).
When the world around you is not what it seems, the only thing you can count on is... your REVIEWS!!!
(I am in luv with the final fantasy series. FINAL FANTASY ALL THE WAY!!!)
