Insaneningen14: 'Are you really going to kill Yuki?'

Response: let's put it this way- would you believe my answer?

Chapter 16:

-(Makai)-

The memories

Ume… Ume…

Pain

Little plum blossom…

Refusal

I'm sorry to have done this to you.

Ascension.

'Stop it. I don't want this.'

Remembrance.

-(Memory)-

"I can't believe your going away," sobbed a woman. Dull black hair, just like her own, was twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck. She shared the same form as Yen, slim waist and height. Her eyes were a lovely shade of walnut, which were slightly red from the crying.

"Mother, I'll be fine, don't worry," her daughter impatiently said. "Practically the whole family's down in Kyoto."

"Hotaru, she'll be fine." The father was taller by several inches over them. His hair was different, more coarse but with more sheen than theirs. His eyes were a delicate shade of green, which seemed to be the only thing he shared with his daughter in looks. "She's going to spend a week with the family- she'll get used to it."

"B-but she'll be in her own apartment-"

"Mom, I know my cooking isn't that bad-"

"And she might not make any friends-"

"Do I look like I'm three years-!"

"Ume," her father sternly reprimanded. "Be nice."

She sighed. "Everything will be fine mother- it's been thought through as thoroughly as one could. The trip is meant for me to learn responsibility and independence to help me through life." She paused, then added on as an afterthought, "And I promise you, I won't get anything under an A- grade."

Her mother's eyes shone. "That's my little daughter." She hugged her. Behind her back, her father gave the thumbs up, and a little wink.

He had told her what to say after all.

"Mom, my flight should be leaving right now. I'll call you when I get there."

"You have your food right?"

"Yes." She turned and waved.

"And don't spill any soy sauce!" her mother called after her. Another wave confirmed that she had heard.

-(End Memory)-

'M-mother?' She whimpered. 'Where are you?'

'I don't know who you really are.'

'But I need you now.'

"Hm. You did a good job ayatsuri."

His voice.

"Now I've got another job."

I don't want to do anything.

"Infiltration of the Ningenkai."

I don't want this kind of life.

"I'll give you a day to recover. You leave tomorrow."

I don't want this existence.

He leaned in closer. "Stop thinking suicidal thoughts ayatsuri. It isn't becoming."

I don't want this-

-(Ningenkai)-

"Look!"

"She's back!"

"It's been forever."

Yuki smiled softly at what she heard. 'I won't be back for long…'

Jiro ruffled her hair. "Don't listen to them." She nodded slightly. "You go catch up with Keiko. I have to speak with the principle." She nodded again. "You have your kit?"

"Yes." She had been equipped with a small box with a shocker, to knock her heart back in beat if needed.

"Good. Have fun." He melted away into the crowd. Yuki sighed. 'So tired…'

"Amaya." Barely recognizing her alias, her eyes opened and she spotted Kurama.

"Hello Shuiichi." He smiled.

"Come. We don't want to be late to homeroom." She nodded, blindly following him. Her exhaustion showed through as she lagged behind, but the head of bright crimson always stopped and waited for her to catch up.

His concerned green eyes stared her down when he stopped just outside the door to class. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure."

His eyes narrowed. "If you're too tired to speak aloud, then you shouldn't be here."

"I'll be fine." She leaned against the wall wearily when she caught up.

"Hiei will kill me if he sees you like this."

She smiled, giving off a little laugh. "He won't see me like this."

"If you insist…." He chuckled slightly. 'You don't know how close he's watching you.' He opened the door, holding it for her. She walked in, followed by him, hushing the room. She walked tiredly as she sat down besides Keiko and Kuwabara, Kurama sitting next to him. Several classmates came over to greet her, a mix of girls and boys. She laughed and chatted with them, blending in. Keiko talked as well, although keeping an eye out for her friend.

"Take a seat," boomed Iwamoto. The boys and girls settled down. The teacher looked Yuki with a more favorable eye. As he took attendance, Yusuke swaggered in with a grin.

"LATE URAMESHI!" Yuki cringed slightly, but smiled all the same.

"So sorry," he responded grinning, taking a seat in front of Yuki with a gesture of greetings. She waved slightly in response.

After attendance, he started writing out problems on the board. Calling Yuki up for a particularly hard one, a knock was heard on the door. Going to it, he stepped out into the hall. Yuki, as well as a few people up front, could see him whispering with some other. An arm was extended, holding forward a folded sheet of paper. Narrowing her eyes, she could make out that it was a female hand, and the arm was already covered in the uniform.

Finishing the problem with a flourish, she lingered a little before sitting down. Iwamoto came in, followed by a girl.

"Meet your new classmate," he rumbled dangerously.

More whisperings and snippets of conversations.

"Another new girl?"

Yuki caught sight of Kurama. His complexion was a bit paler; his breath more shallow. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." 'Nobody… Let it be nobody…'

"Tell us about yourself," he scowled.

"I'm an exchange student from America, and I moved to Japan a week ago. My name is Yen Ume." Soot black hair swept back into an extremely loose ponytail with a wide, white ribbon; two clips held back several strands of hair on the side, while her spiky bangs were a mess on the front. Her figure was trim, with a small waist, and was five and a half feet. She had come pre-dressed in the uniform, a sign that she didn't mind the short skirt nearly as much as most new students.

"Take a seat." Carefully calculating the people, she sat next to Keiko. With a small smile of reassurance, the brunette welcomed her. Yen smiled back slightly.

"Settle down," Iwamoto snarled, then returned to the blackboard, scribbling furiously..

'Strange indeed… Iwamoto sensei is explicitly grumpy… And Kurama…'

"What about Kurama?"

Yuki fell out of her seat in shock. The bell rang, the majority of students rising, making her strange behavior less noticeable. She bent down to retrieve an imaginary pencil, still shocked. "Hiei!"

"Who else."

"I- what are you doing here?" She scooped up her books, looking out the window, trying to pinpoint him.

"Hn." He cut the connection. Still surprised, she walked after Keiko, who was chatting with the new girl.

"What's it like in America?"

"It's nice. I came from New York-"

"New York?"

She laughed. "Not the city. I was from upstate, near the mountains."

"Oh."

Another laugh. "Don't worry, I'm still the clueless American."

Keiko smiled, seeing Yuki. "This is my friend."

"Aki Amaya." She held out her hand. The newcomer took it firmly.

"Ume Yen."

"I hope you can accommodate yourself."

"Don't worry." Yen smirked. "I'll get used to it in no time at all."

"Come!" Keiko tugged them both along gently. "We don't want to be late for History!"

"Yes we do," muttered Yen. Yuki grinned. Slipping out of Keiko's clutches, she caught up to Yusuke, breathing slightly harder.

"Hey," she murmured breathily.

"Hey. You alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me, worry about Shuiichi."

"Kurama?"

"He's acting strange." She glanced ahead of her to look at the familiar red head followed by a group of chattering girls. "Ever since first period class."

"Iwamoto is enough to make anyone sick," he joked.

"He's even more silent," she mumbled. "More detached. I think it's about Ume-san."

"New girl? What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know." A glance backwards to Keiko and Yen. "There's something strange about her; her aura is familiar. And I have a feeling Kurama won't tell me." She looked up at Yusuke. "Will you ask him for me? I won't feel right until…"

He sighed. "It's probably nothing."

"Still-"

"I'll ask him later."

"Thank you." She smiled gratefully.

Hiei sighed from outside, his uncovered jagan stopping its glow. Her curiosity and concern would only push the fox away further. He moved to accommodate himself to the broad branches of the tree he occupied.

----------

Yuki sighed. Kurama had acted the same all day, distant and quieter than ever. Yusuke hadn't asked him yet.

"Yun-chan, come over to my house for the day." Keiko's encouraging smile brought her to the present. "We can do homework together."

"I have to tell Jii-san though. I gladly would go, but… I don't know how to get to him…"

"Just call Atsuko. She'll relay the message to him somehow." Giving in, Yuki let her friend call Atsuko and explain.

"She gave the okay!" The brunette grinned. "We have lots of stuff to do!"

"The teacher assigned us relatively little homework-"

"No, silly. Halloween is coming up!"

"…" STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE

"What?" Keiko frowned at the other girl.

"…Halloween…?"

"Free candy," Yusuke instantly said, coming up from behind Yuki.

"Really?"

"You dress up in costumes and go to people's doors to ask for treats," responded Keiko with a small glare at Yusuke.

"Why?"

"Free candy." Yusuke again.

Yen watched the three as they walked, chatting amongst themselves. She passed onwards, in the opposite direction. Leaping into a portal, she was thrown onto a smooth marble surface.

"Infiltration Stage One?"

"Successful." She crouched in a half bow, as he walked up to her and stroked her head, playing with her hair as if with a pet.

-(Reikai)-

"Botan," Koenma called from within the depths of his paperwork filled office.

"Sir?" She popped her head in with a cheerful smile. "What's wrong?"

"Get the Tantai. I want them to retrieve Lord Osamu tonight."

: End Chapter

Insaneningen14: I want… six reviews please?

For a picture of Yen, go to my profile page. It's not the exact uniform of Sarayashiki High, but get the general image.