Promises of Fate
Chapter One
"All right men," said Koenma, sounding very serious even though his appearance is anything but, "I have a new job for you."
Kurama nodded calmly. It wasn't like he wasn't expecting this after all. Besides, things were starting to become dull ever since the end of the Makai Tournament. A mission might be just the thing to liven things up.
Kuwabara seemed to be thinking in the exact same lines. "All right!" he shouted, raising both hands up, looking, or at least trying to look, very intimidating. "It's been a while since a mission has come up! Demons beware, for the great Kuwabara is here to kick all your asses!"
Hiei glared up at him. "Knowing you," he muttered, "you've probably lost all your powers already."
"Say that to my face, you short annoying monster!"
"Hiei glared up at him again. "Knowing you, you've probably lost all your powers already," he said, then added, "idiot."
Yusuke was restraining his best friend from trying to strangle the little fire demon. He hasn't said anything, but by the look in his face, he is just as excited as Kuwabara was for another mission. "All right, baby," he said to Koenma, holding Kuwabara by the cuff in his collar, "what's the mission?"
Koenma wasn't amused by the baby comment, but he let it slide. Time was of the essence, and Yusuke was acting more mature than he had ever since him. Keiko must have been teaching him some lessons, he thought, then said, "You are to capture a large group of demons that are causing deaths in the human world."
Kurama accepted this calmly enough, but the news still startled him a little. Deaths have been increasing in frequency in the past month, but he didn't feel any demonic energy in their area, perhaps they were too far…
Or too clever…
"Hold it just one minute," said Yusuke, finally letting Kuwabara go. Kuwabara fell flat on the ground. "I thought Enki had the demon world controlled and stuff. Why – "
Hiei chose this time to smirk. "Do you really think that all the demons back there agree with what Enki's doing?"
"Good point," said Kurama, then turned to Koenma. "So exactly how large is this group?"
Koenma looked grave. "We don't know exactly," he said, "what we do know is that they've separated themselves in smaller groups of five, and every night, they attack, killing people, usually those who are alone. Their goal is to wipe the entire population completely off the globe."
"What!" cried Yusuke.
"It is a slow yet cunningly effective plan," whispered Kurama. Since there was no one huge solid attack, the police won't be dealing with it as a mass murder. They will figure it out eventually, but it won't be soon enough.
"Well we have to stop them!" cried Kuwabara.
Hiei grunted. They all took that as his agreement.
"Well," said Koenma, "what the heck are you people waiting for? Go!"
"Go?" exclaimed Yusuke. "Where!"
"Oh, right," said Koenma, slapping his forehead, "the latest attack had been on a young man, riding a motorcyle. His body was mutilated, claw marks all over him, happened near your school Kurama."
Kurama's eyes widened. This means that everything that he could possibly care for was in danger.
"Maybe you can pick it up from there, guys," said Koenma. "I'm counting on you. Kill them if you have to. Just make sure that you four stay alive."
Ever since the death of her brother, Viviana had walked into a state of constant daze. She didn't cry when she heard the news of his untimely death. In fact, it irked her that she sensed that he was dying. There was a moment, while she was doing her homework, when she suddenly froze, and she knew.
He's dead.
An hour later, a call from the police confirmed her gut feeling.
She walked around her home five times, not knowing why she was walking, but she needed to keep moving. It was like someone was telling her to keep moving.
They refused to let her see the body. She knew that this meant that it was too horrible to witness. What had happened tomy brother? She demanded to know, but neitherthe police northe paramedics would not give her an answer.
They don't know, her soul told her. That was what she called her instincts, her soul. Her soul knew everything, and she trusted it with everything she had.
When she finally saw him, he was embalmed and they had restored his handsome young face. He and Viviana had almost the same features. The same, funnily enough, blond hair and light blue eyes, features they both inherited from their father, who was Ecuadorian. They were both tall, granted he was taller, but he was muscularly built, while she was a little chubby for her taste.
The death of her brother made her lose the chubbiness. She was slim now, she had not eaten more than a few bites of crackers for the past two weeks. What remained of her family was worried about her, but she ignored it. She didn't want to feel anymore.
The motorcycle that had thrown her brother was in their garage. She had not had the heart to get rid of it. Everytime she looked at it, she felt a small ripple of anger towards it, but it was quickly overcome by the fact that her brother loved that motorcycle. He treated it like a girlfriend. She often teased him that he should just do and marry the bike already and he always has some snide remark to make as retaliation. That alone comforted her during the first day of living without him.
A lot of people came from the funeral. Family, most of them had ulterior motives – Viviana was now the sole heir to a very powerful company – gave words of comfort. She knew that this was to get to her good side, that side being generous and careless. Friends, many of them knew her, gave her small smiles, many of them girls, for her brother had been very handsome. People from the company, in their crisp suits and whispered words of condolences.
Viviana neither knew nor cared what would happen to the company. All that mattered to her had been lost in one single minute two weeks ago.
She sighed, loudly, knowing that no one can hear her. She had found herself in the roof of her school, the wind billowing her skirt. The wind was cool to her bare legs and to her face, and surprisingly, she felt a little comfort with it.
She had not cried yet. She knew she should. It was the right thing to do. While her brother's friends and her family cried loudly, and sometimes, falsely, she stood there, eyes unfocused, a single white rose in her hand. When it was all over, they left, but she had still not cried. She wondered whether she was capable of crying.
The wind was getting stronger. It was almost whispering her name.
Viviana…She opened her eyes and listened again. The wind was definitely whispered her name.
Viviana…When her eyes came to focus, she saw something that she couldn't possibly see.
Ola, little sister.
Her mouth fell open.
Her brother was standing in front of her, a wide grin in his face.
"Ja-Javier?"
Yep, it's me, little sister.
"H-how-?"
This is not the time to ask that. Come here.
Viviana didn't know whether she had gone completely mad, but this was her brother, back … from the dead! She took a small step forward, her eyes getting wider by the moment, her left arm reaching out to touch him…
Her arm went right through him.
Gomen, Viviana, you cannot touch me…"But … porque?"
I am not alive, Viviana, I am dead…and you really should cry…I have been watching you…
"But … I want you back!"
Suddenly, a young girl came … flying … in, and landed right next to Javier. She had blue hair, and purple eyes, and was wearing the traditional kimono. She was riding an … oar?
"Javier," she whispered, looking somber, "we have to go…"
"Go?" exclaimed Viviana, "Go where?"
Javier gave her a very pained look.
I'm dead, sis, you have to let go…"No! You can't! You're too young! This is unfair!" She was fighting the tears from falling.
I know, but this is my time. Move on, I'll be watching you…always"Por favor, Javier! No! Stay, for me! I need you!"
I wish I could, Viviana. But I can't.
Viviana made wild moves to grab him, but to no avail. She went right through him. The blue haired girl however, managed to hold onto his arm tightly. "It's time to go…"
"NO!" she turned to the blue haired girl. "Please, I'm begging you, don't take him."
The blue haired girl gave her a pained look, her eyes were teary.
I have to go now, little sister…Viviana was looking at the blue haired girl still. "Please, give him back to me…!"
I love you Viviana…"Javier!" she made a final last move. It was then that she saw that she was at the edge of the building, and she was leaning at the edge, and that she has lost her balance. But a force, an arm, she saw,had pulled her back, back from falling off the building…
Her knees had buckled. Javier's face was gone. He was gone. She would never see him again.
She cried, and cried, and cried.