dna- just so that everyone knows, this is a hieixoc fanfic. i know that i havent given any signs of that yet but its too early in this story right now. i need some more things to happen first. there will be romance between akiya and hiei in later chapters.

Recap- Run Away Forever Chapter 6- Reunion at the Training Session

Akiya and the detectives, along with Yukina and Botan, went over to Genkai's temple to train in her backyard. Akiya and the ninjas were reunited again along with the children. They all trained together. Mika and Yomi went, both battling impressively though it was a draw. When Katsu and Kuwabara went up against each other, Katsu performed a complicated and dangerous attack that no one ever expected he could. The ninjas had to stop Katsu or else he would've paralyzed Kuwabara's lungs with the Paralyzing Lungs Technique. Hayate knocked him out as Kuwabara and Hiei were throwing each other insults, and as the ninjas except the children, gathered to discuss the attack that Katsu used. Akiya pointed out that it was an attack that only Rejuko had ever performed successfully. No one thought much of it as the training resumed. Hiei and Hayate were up as Hiei faced a shocking defeat. Rejuko suddenly appeared and demanded Yukina dead. Everyone tried to fight him off failing miserably again. He took Akiya into the woods to talk. He told her that Katsu had the seal and joined him on his free will, becoming his puppet. He also told her how all of the other ninjas, including the other two children, were beginning to have thoughts that his ideals were better. Akiya continued to deny it as she a memory from her past life came rushing back to her. Rejuko returned her as she sat there in her own world, unaware that her friends were calling out to her. When she came back, she embraced Katsu tightly…

Run Away Forever Chapter 7- Further Than Ever

Akiya sat there, embracing Katsu who seemed surprised. The others looked at her questioningly as well. Everyone and everything was completely silent. No one moved or said a word. The only thing that they were able to hear was the soft wind and the rustling of the trees as the wind blew through them. The ninjas were completely shocked that Akiya was crying. They have never seen her cry before. Keta finally moved. She reached out her hand and took one step forward.

"Akiya…?" she asked very quietly. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She finally let go of Katsu who looked at her, still confused.

"Nothing…" she answered quietly as she began to walk away.

Kohira spoke up softly. "It's not nothing… there is something… please tell us."

"Really…" she said, still very quietly. "It's nothing…"

Akiya continued to slowly walk away but Hiro gently held her by her upper arm.

"Don't keep secrets from us anymore," he said gently. "Trust us… like we trust you…"

"I'm not the one keeping things from people this time," she said quietly in her trembling and weak voice.

"What the hell are you saying?" Hayate asked in a surprisingly calm voice. "We're keeping secrets from you?"

"Maybe…" she answered barely above a whisper.

Akiya gently slid her arm out of Hiro's soft grip and walked away, leaving everyone to stare at her back. Yusuke was about to go after her when Genkai's firm grip on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around to look at the old woman to see her shaking her head. Botan looked worried as did Yukina, Kurama and Kuwabara. The children looked miserable and sad.

The sky was growing darker and darker as the sun began to set. Time seemed to have frozen as they silently wondered what could've happened between Rejuko and Akiya. Large, puffy, gray clouds began to gather. The lightning soon lighted up everything as thunder struck the sky. Rain began to fall and eventually pour from the sky and onto the motionless group of people below. No one made a move, especially the ninjas. After about a few minutes, Kuwabara quietly spoke.

"Shouldn't we uh… you know… go inside?"

"No…" Kohira replied quieter than Kuwabara. "We're going to search for her… you guys can go in if you want… c'mon…"

"No…" Hiro said. "We should go inside. Sometimes, the best way to support and comfort someone is to not be there. She'll come back when she feels better. Knowing her, all she needs is some time to herself to think things over. She'll tell us what's wrong when she wants to and when she's ready. For now… we should leave her alone… let's go inside."

Everyone mutely walked inside Genkai's temple to hide from the rain.

Akiya

Akiya sat on a high tree branch leaning against the tree trunk, letting her arms and legs hang limply, and letting the rain pour down on her. She was looking straight ahead, lost in her thoughts, motionless. Time seemed to have come to a complete stop as she sat there thinking for what seemed like an eternity to her.

Flashback 1

"He has the seal," Rejuko said in a low voice. "I am in complete control of him."

Flashback 2

"It's all your fault for not letting him protect you! You can't blame the boy for wanting to protect the most important person in his life, can you?"

Flashback 3

"You did this to him! He doesn't have a will, he doesn't have a soul… he has nothing anymore, not even his dream… and it's all thanks to you! You destroyed him… from the inside out! And you think that we're that different from each other!"

Flashback 4

"You can talk to Hayate and the others about that if you want to. They have some feelings, even if it's very slight, that I am right!"

Flashback 5

"Then remember his words… and remember mine… don't always let the code guide you and your actions… let our words guide you from now on... let them be your new principles. Your friends are always the first priority on your list… no mission is more important than your friends."

End Flashbacks

"Damn it all…" she said to herself in her still trembling voice. "I just have a thing for screwing up peoples' lives…" Katsu… what have I done? Why did you have to go to him for help? Why? "Damn!" she said angry at herself as she let her head hang down. After a couple of seconds…

"Yes… you do have a habit of screwing up everyone's lives," came Hayate's voice.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

"Same thing I could ask you," he replied. "Besides, I still need an answer from you."

Akiya looked at Hayate oddly. He wasn't joking before she left the village?

Flashback 1

"I…love…" he said trying to confess. "I love you a lot…"

Flashback 2

"I'd like an answer the next time we see each other."

End Flashbacks

"Don't tell me you forgot," he said pretending to be disappointed.

"Why are you so different lately?" she asked him, her voice showing frustration. "You're always so serious… and quiet. Since when did you start playing around and being nice and saying all of these weird things!"

Hayate looked at her stunned. Did she think that he was up to no good? He looked down sighed.

"Never mind then," he said. This time, Akiya could hear the genuine disappointment in his voice. "Like you said… you just have a thing for screwing up peoples' lives. Must do it for a living or something."

"If I'm such a nuisance to everyone, then why do you keep coming after me!" she asked, showing that she was even more frustrated than before.

"Look, I'm trying to be nice to you! If you've gotta problem with that, then just say so!" Hayate said irritated. "It's not like I enjoy acting nice and cheerful and funny all the time you know!"

"Fine!" she shouted. "I have a problem with it!"

"You have a problem with everything! Destroying people's lives isn't your only specialty, is it!" he shouted without really thinking. "You always start ridiculous problems that you can't end!"

"Then I'll end it now!" she shouted as tears managed to fall from her eyes again.

Akiya took out her kunai and held the blade up to her own throat. Hayate looked at her, highly alarmed.

"This is the perfect solution that everyone's been waiting for, right! This oughta end every single problem! I won't be destroying everyone's lives anymore! I won't be starting problems I can't end! I won't be able to do anything to anyone! Everyone will be happy again… I'll be able to escape from everything!"

At Genkai's Temple

"Hey," Keta said looking around a bit. "Does anyone know where Hayate's gone to?"

"Come to think of it, no," Hiro said as he looked around as well. "He has been gone for a while now. I don't think that he needs that much time in the bathroom."

"Maybe he's—!" Kohira stopped mid sentence as everyone else realized what she was going to say. "… with Akiya…!"

"That'll make things a lot better," Hiro sarcastically said. "C'mon. We'd better find them before they get into a huge argument. Katsu, Mika, Yomi, let's go."

The children nodded as they followed the ninjas out of the temple. The detectives watched them beginning to leave.

"Please," Kurama said with sympathy. "Let us help."

Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded on agreement. Genkai looked at them as did Hiei. There were a couple of minutes of silence.

"Sure," Kohira answered.

Everyone gathered into groups outside except for Yukina and Botan who were told to stay.

"We should split up," Hiro said, then turned to the detectives. "She doesn't exactly know you yet so I hope you don't mind if at least one of us goes with each one of you."

"Not at all," Kurama answered. Yomi, Mika, Katsu

They all got into groups. Hiro, Mika, Genkai, and Yusuke were one group, Kuwabara, Kohira, and Yomi were another, Keta, Katsu, Kurama, and Hiei formed another group. With their groups formed, they left to look for Akiya and Hayate.

In the Forest

Akiya pulled her kunai away and thrust it towards her throat. Hayate teleported right in front of her slapped his arm on her wrist and gripped it tightly. He pulled it away to the side and looked at her furiously.

"What about regretting a decision you made while you were still alive!" he shouted. "Ever think about how you would escape that!"

"I won't feel anything once I'm dead!" she yelled. "I'll be nothingness! You won't need to worry because I won't feel anything!"

"What about us!" he asked. "What about how we'd feel! You never think past step two in anything you plan, do you!"

"No… you're wrong... I never think of anything past step one because when I do, I leave myself wide open for everything else that can go wrong!"

"You know what?" he asked in a forced calm yet stern voice. "You can't run away from every single aspect of your life! If you think that you can escape everything by dieing, then you are so far from the reality! You won't escape the regret that you'd always feel pulling you down towards hell like a magnet! You won't be able to escape the fact that you filled your friends' lives with misery and sorrow that will never stop haunting them, forcing them to grieve over your death each and every day even if they don't want to! If that's what you really want, then go ahead and kill yourself! I was so foolish to ever think of you as a friend! You're nothing like your father! You make him seem so disgustingly pathetic! I'm so ashamed that a hero's daughter is so pathetic and—!"

SMACK! Akiya slapped Hayate across the face making him shut up. Hayate turned his face to look at her stunned. Akiya's hands were clenched tightly, her eyes filled with fury. Her eyes glared at the male ninja icily.

"I am pathetic! You can insult me all you want! But when you talk about my father in the disrespecting way you just did… that's when I won't just sit around and listen!"

"You never cared about what other people said about your father before!" Hayate pointed out, still recovering from his shock.

"That's because they were all different! They've never learned how to fight to protect themselves so they don't know anything! Those people had no pride and honor!" she countered. "They have no idea what it takes to go back and risk his life and honor protecting his friends even though he knew what other people were going to say about him for years to come! Those people… they think it's so easy to make a decision and leave their friends there to die to accomplish their mission! They know the code… but they don't know anything else! They don't know courage or pride or honor… or even loyalty! They're just villagers who sit back and relax and watch people like us fight and protect them! Those kinds of people aren't ninjas! You're different! You're a ninja! You know the code! You know everything else! You've experienced what it's like to be caught between your missions and your friends! Don't insult my father like that because that'll only make you seem pathetic!"

Akiya jumped off of the tree and ran away just as Keta, Katsu, Kurama, and Hiei arrived. Keta saw Hayate and sent a telepathic message to everyone, telling them where to go.

"Hayate," Keta called quietly once they got under the tree.

A few second later, everyone else arrived.

"Hayate," Hiro called.

Hiro saw the look in Hayate's eyes when he looked down and assumed that they had already argued.

"Where'd she go?" he asked.

"Why the hell should I care?" he asked as he jumped down from the tree.

Hayate began to walk away but Hiro gripped his wrist tightly and looked at him with intense eyes.

"Where?" he asked again.

"I should know because?" Hayate asked.

Hiro sighed as he let go. Hayate wasn't going to talk. He was way too stubborn and he didn't even care.

"I can sense her energy. She's nearby," Genkai said. "Let's go."

Everyone looked at her as she began to walk. Soon, they followed her silently. Hiro turned around when Hayate wasn't following them.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"No," he answered flatly.

"Go on ahead," Hiro said to the others. Once they were all out of sight, he turned to Hayate and looked at him in the eye, trying to search for answers. "What happened?" he finally asked. "What did you two fight about?"

Hayate kept silent.

"Hayate," Hiro said quietly. "Look, I've been your best friend for what… ten, eleven years now? Even so, I've never been able to figure you out… you care about her, that's obvious to me. What I don't get is why you pretend to hate her. She's the world to you… why do you act like you don't care?"

"That's something the likes of you will never understand even if I spend all of eternity trying to explain," Hayate said harshly as he watched Hiro's face show shock at the comment. "You're nothing like me and her. We're both alone… no matter what."

Hiro recovered from his slight shock. "I see…" he said quietly with sympathy. "You're right… I'll never be able to understand why you two would feel alone even when we're always here for you… worrying about you both every minute of our lives… hoping that one day… we'd be able to see a genuine smile on your faces… showing true happiness… both of you…"

"Then quite hoping," Hayate replied a bit coldly.

"You know what my dream is?" Hiro asked his best friend. "My dream is to get you both to realize that you were never alone… to make you two have hopes and dreams again… to get rid of the huge gap between your world and ours…"

"Then quite dreaming," he replied like before.

"That's the problem... if I do… I'll be just like you two…"

Akiya

She was standing on the edge of a cliff, only inches away from edge.

I can't get close to anyone, can I? Every time I do, I only cause them problems… I'm just an infected parasite that hurts everyone and everything. But being alone like this… I want to care for people… and I want them to care for me. My dream was to have the life that every other person was blessed with… but…

Flashback

"My dream is to have the life that everyone else is blessed with some day," Akiya said to an old man who invited her to rest after her solo mission.

"That's a good dream," he replied.

"Hey, you don't have a leg," Akiya said. "My friend is really good in the medical area. We can get you another leg."

"No," he said. "There are more useful things than having a leg. Besides, I may have lost something, but I've gained something even more. Tranquil and quiet… nothing you could ever get on the battle field."

"But the dream of every soldier is to return home with all their limbs and body parts! What's the point of having peace and quiet when you have to limp around for the rest of your life? The whole point of a dream is to achieve it!" Akiya said.

"Once you achieve it, then what?" he asked. Akiya was silent. "See, that's what makes a dream a dream. You're not meant to obtain it," he replied.

"Look mister… I'm a ninja. Where I grew up, your dream was the most important thing you could hold on to. It's the only thing other than the code that guides your life."

"Yet another reason that proves my point," he said looking at her. "The thrill of having a dream is that it's a fantasy. It you achieve it, then it was never a dream to begin with. Holding onto something you were never suppose to obtain, that makes it even more valuable. It gives you something to live for. That's the purpose of having a dream."

End Flashback

"Akiya," someone called.

She turned around to face Genkai and everyone else.

"C'mon," Genkai said. "Let's go back to my temple and talk."

"No," she answered. "Just… just leave me alone…"

"Please Akiya," Kurama said gently. "We only want to help."

"Then go away," Akiya said flatly. "I wanna be alone. Don't follow me."

Akiya walked right past them and into the forest again.

"There's only one problem with your request," Keta said. "You are alone. Remember? You said that yourself."

Akiya stopped. "Yeah," she replied, her voice trembling again. "That's why I don't need you guys here. Just go away and leave me alone… I don't ever want to have anything to do with you guys again… ever…"

"How did we not leave you alone when you've never let us get close?" Kohira asked.

"Akiya Ni-chan," Mika said in her trembling voice and with tears in her eyes. Yomi and Katsu looked at Akiya.

"What!" she shouted.

The three kids were taken back.

"Hey, c'mon," Kuwabara said. "They're just kids. Take it easy. There's no need to shout. They're just worried about you, like we are."

"Yeah," Yusuke said agreed. "We're your friends now. We're always here when you need a shoulder to lean on you know…"

"You know what you guys are?" she asked the four detectives. "You're strangers! I don't know anything but your names! You call yourselves my friends!"

"Akiya!" Keta said sternly. "How could you say that! When you left, they were more than your friends! They were more than us!"

"It's amazing how one person can cause so much problem," came Hayate's voice from behind.

"Hayate," came Hiro's voice.

Akiya turned around. She gave Hayate a glare and began to walk away. Hiro sighed heavily.

"Akiya," he said. "Please… I'm begging you… tell us what's wrong this time…"

"You guys!" She answered coldly.

Everyone was strongly taken back. The kids looked like they were about to break. The ninjas were looked extremely hurt and the Spirit Detectives except for Hiei looked stunned. Everyone stared at her without making a noise. Akiya herself was completely silent and motionless. She was just annoyed.

"Y-you don't mean that…" Mika denied, trying as hard as she could to restrain the tears.

"I meant every word of it!" she replied with the same cold tone. "You all wanted to know what was wrong! Well now you know!"

"Now it's our fault huh?" Hayate asked, matching her tone. "Why can't you seem to figure out the fact that you can't just throw the blame on anyone you want! You're such a despicable little piece of trash! If anything bad ever happens to us, remember that it's your fault!"

Akiya's eyes widened at his comment. It showed such similarity to what Rejuko had said to her.

Flashback 1

"Don't deny it, and don't try to make this someone else's fault. You know what you did and you have to take full responsibility for it!"

Flashback 2

"I told you that you can't escape this! You can't run away from it like you do from every other aspect of your life! Don't try to throw the blame on me!"

End Flashbacks

Next Chapter's Preview

Run Away Forever Chapter 8- Her World

Nothing anyone says is getting to Akiya. Everyone is beginning to lose hope as Akiya gets further and further away and as the lock gets stronger. Akiya is trapped, locking herself in her own world and beliefs. When nothing breaks through, Hiei secretly takes action… but will he regret doing that? He always thought that Akiya was a girl that was just simply unwanted and who thinks she had a rough life, but there's always more than what people think they already know...