Millefiori
Chapter 8
"It's nice up here." She peered over the edge.
"Isn't it?" Yusuke laid back, settling his arms around his head as if a cushion.
"You can see a lot more things than on the ground."
"What do you think? It's the rooftop, stupid."
"It's a quarter past three stupid. Shouldn't you be at your trainer's?"
"Who cares?" he mumbled, rolling over slightly to block the sun from entering his eyes.
"Slacker."
"What?" His eye popped open.
"Hm? I called you a slacker. Anything wrong?"
"Nothing…"
She turned back to the scenery- she had never been on the top of this building- any building for the matter- at all. She didn't enquire further either. "So… what do you want to do?"
"If you haven't noticed, I'm trying to sleep."
"On the school roof after it's been let out?"
"Now that you mention it, I'll go home and sleep on my bed."
"Can we go to the arcade or something? I wanna play PacMan."
"You're such a loser. You can play that anywhere."
"Well, I don't like DDR."
"Like I said, you're a loser."
"Come on." Yumiko poked him in the ribs. "I'm bored."
"Then go poke someone else."
"There's no one else around me to poke."
"Go away."
"Come on."
"Shut up." He moved away, out of her range.
She smirked. "This wouldn't have happened if you weren't out partying last night."
"What are you, my mom? It was two for one at the bar a couple of blocks away." He covered his head, shielding it from another barrage. "I want to take a nap. Go away."
Yumiko sighed, giving up. She got up, dusting her skirt off slightly. "Have fun sleeping." She slung her backpack on and left Yusuke there. She slipped her headphones over her ears. Mumbling some lyrics incoherently, she paced down the now busy streets.
She killed some time by stopping by the grocery store to buy some sweets for herself and Jin. The price of Pocky, Koala Cookies, and bubble gum took up most of the money in her pocket. "Thanks." Leaving, Yumiko stuffed the plastic bag in her backpack, but not before sticking two wads of gum into her mouth, occasionally blowing bubbles.
'Still light- take the back alleys.' She knew which ones were absolutely off limits, despite the time of day, and which ones you could tread. Like the ones she and Touya and taken before- she used those often.
Arriving in the more residential area, she reached into her backpack for her keys.
'D---'
She dropped her backpack on the ground, jiggling the doorknob- no relent. 'I know I took my keys with me!' She sighed, sliding down to rest at the base of her door. 'I swore I didn't leave them on my desk!'
"Wah!" She fell backwards, facing a particularly familiar face.
"Looking for these?" A ring of keys was dangled before her nose tauntingly.
She snatched them back, smirking, but stopped when she realized he had grabbed her forearm. "Let go, stupid!"
"Bad day?" he teased.
Yumiko pulled out of his grip. "Stay away from me Rando!" She raced back the way she came, clutching the ring of metal in her hand, but leaving her backpack on the doorstep.
And of course, he was following right behind her, at a leisurely pace to him. He let out a chuckle. "Was this little visit inconvenient for you? I'm quite sorry for intruding upon your hospitality."
"Sorry my ass!" She turned. 'Alleys would only hold me up- don't know if there's a gang member lurking around, and I could get cornered. Roka's house is my best bet.'
But the small fact that her only stronghold was across the park was quite daunting.
"You were always very slow."
"Shut it!" she spat, panting. "I forget my keys, I have to run from you, and you came at the worst time! The person who directs my life hates me, and I don't need the sound of your voice making it worse!"
"You might want to save your breath for jogging."
"That's what I mean! Shut up!"
'Park has too many people- Friday, so I'll go by the Red Light District and hope to lose him.'
'…D---, I hate going that way.' She changed her course, now traveling down dimmer streets with fewer people. The chase went unnoticed- or at least, undisturbed.
'God, how many blocks have I just run!' A finger upon her neck made her emit a small shriek before picking up the pace. D--- adrenaline…
Two teenage boys turned to stare at her in her noisy flight. 'Oh…'
"This is all a crazy vision and you NEVER saw this!" she yelled at them while running past, not recognizing them. "It's all a bloody illusion and there are no such things as demons!" They continued by, leaving the two standing there in surprise.
"What do you think Hiei?" Shuichi glanced down at Hiei.
"Hn. Baka."
"Now Hiei, don't call her that." Shuiichi pulled his rose. "Let's go." They chased after them.
'I hate the Red Light District.' She glared at the pavement in front of her. 'Now no one will rescue me- think I'm just playing around, or I'm taking drugs like the other floozies.'
A strong blow to her back made her stumble and fall on the pavement. "You're down ningen."
She tried to scramble up- Rando took his foot and held her down by placing it (none too gently) on her back.
"And I was so hoping I'd never see your ugly ass again," she managed to snap out between breaths, panting and glaring at the cement, seeing as she couldn't face him. Her face was pushed further into the ground.
He smirked. "Wasted wish."
"Shut up." She managed to give him the finger.
His hand started to glow as he directed the face of his palm to her head, summoning an attack. "Now, agree or not, you're-" He was cut off, and abruptly stepped backwards, something cutting the air directly in front of her.
"Rose Whip!"
A long green… thing… with enormous spikes snaked towards Rando, who evaded it by jumping upwards, freeing Yumiko further. She scrambled backwards out of the fight.
'Stay or run?' And then she made one of the most stupid decisions in her life.
"ASSHOLE! I'M OVER HERE!" She instantly began to run as her pursuer chased again.
"Another idiot… worse than the Detective."
"An unwise choice, but heroic."
"Her stupidity will get her killed."
"So, two of the legendary Reikai Tantai." Rando chuckled. "You come with a price, don't you?"
She didn't respond, kept on running.
"Rando, by order of Spirit World, we are required to apprehend you."
Couldn't he have just said it in a more normal way?
"Do you think I would actually agree to Reikai prison?" He blasted several attacks at Hiei, who dodged and disappeared from sight.
Yusuke and Kuwabara came running in. "Spirit Gun!"
Rando dodged. Murmuring his incantation, he attempted to shrink them. A whistling wind filled the clearing, silencing all voices. It got colder and the two shinobi made their entrance.
"Shards of Winter!" Rando managed to shield himself from the brunt of the attack, and lashed out with his aura web at Shuiichi.
"Reiken!" Kuwabara swung his kindled sword at him, attempting to land a blow.
Simultaneously, Yusuke fired his Spirit Gun and Hiei attacked Rando. Jin also flew towards him with his Tornado Fists. Shuiichi and Touya let out a flurry of razor sharp petals and jagged ice chips. Kuwabara launched a lengthened Spirit Sword.
"Fools." He disappeared. "I've learned a new technique since I fought the detective last: Teleportation."
"YOU ASSHOLE!"
"Yumiko, what-"
"YOU STOLE IT! What did you do to him!"
"Calm-"
"Shut up!" she snarled, wrenching herself away from an outstretched arm. "Where are you, BAST---!"
"Over here." He smirked, appearing to the side. "I'll be leaving now, since the odds aren't leaning towards me."
"F---er, you think I'll let you leave!" She ran up, but he disappeared again.
"ROT IN HELL!" she screamed out at the empty street. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "BURN!"
"Yumiko." Touya touched her shoulder. "Come on, let's go home."
"Someone stole my keys from me. I was going to get them from Roka." She turned her head down, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, gritting her teeth.
"It's okay." Touya rubbed her back as she cried. He led her away from the group. "It's not your fault."
'Yes it is.'
'I never stopped him.'
"I'll strangle that red-haired asshole who ruined my life," she muttered.
"Hey, thanks helping us you guys." Jin smiled at them, ready to follow the other two.
"No problem." Yusuke glanced at the direction from which they left. "Is she going to be okay?"
"She'll be fine," Jin reassured them. "She just needs time."
"What happened back there?" Kuwabara asked.
Shuiichi hushed him. "Later."
Jin chuckled a little, waving goodbye, and followed them. He caught up.
"Time heals all, doesn't it?" she murmured to the shinobi.
"Usually," replied the ice demon.
"Of course it does."
She smiled, nodding. 'And what about the scars left behind? Will they disappear as well?'
: End Chapter
14thShrineMaiden: yes- eighth chapter, more to come.
