PART VI. "Adieu."
"Been a fool, been a clown, lost my way from up and down …
And I see in your eyes that you really weren't surprised at me at all. Not at all …
Don't care for me, don't cry. Let's say 'goodbye.' Adieu."
— Bindinger-Richy
Aiko.
I'd always been a horrible friend.
I always tried to distance myself from her. Even though we've been friends since junior high and I spent plenty of time with her—and God, it was great to spend time with her because she was so nice—I always tried to distance myself from her the best way I could. And the only way I could, without putting physical distance between us and ultimately ruining our friendship, was to call her by her surname.
Because she knew. Somehow she knew. And it always sickened me, embarrassed me… positively mortified me. How did she know? If she knew… then who else did?
So I always sold our friendship short. I was a horrible friend for that and I was a horrible friend for this too.
I was avoiding finding her help, avoiding telling her about what was probably going on with her because she was Maya. The girl who thought every big crime on the news was secretly a government conspiracy, who spent her nights reading sci-fi and supernatural comic books, who bought those asinine "My Wife was Impregnated By Aliens!" tabloids and actually entertained the thought.
All because she wanted the adventure, she wanted something more out of this life than the monotonous human routine. She wanted excitement, to see the world out of rose-tinted glasses, to live on the edge of life and death every second because she was so interested in what could be. She wanted to live.
And I was afraid if I helped her control her reiki or found someone to do it… she would give up everything, she'd run head first into the life I stumbled into. She would go out in search for danger, excitement, adventure, because once she understood what was happening she would be elated.
But who was I to…
A flock of blackbirds flapped their wings in unison, flying off the fence of the roof. I stared after them as their silhouettes shrunk into the large, red, setting sun.
I'd been sitting on Meiou's roof since after sixth hour art class, smoking my Cupids.
I looked down at the plum compact in my other hand, rubbing my thumb over it as if it held the answer to my predicament with Maya. I drew another long inhale from my cigarette and rested my wrist on my knee.
They would lock the door up here in about fifteen minutes, I remembered. …I was too lazy to get up. I didn't want to go home.
My exhale snaked out my nostrils, the skin inside stinging slightly as I remembered I wasn't as avid about smoking as I used to be. That was good…
One last drag and I flicked the butt to my shoes. I made a point to grind it into the cement as I stood up.
Shoving the compact in my blazer pocket with one hand, I reached for the roof entrance's doorknob with the other. I stopped once I heard an unfamiliar voice on the other end. It was an adult's, not that of a teenager, and it was easier to place voices among the adults here since there were much fewer than students.
But mainly, I knew it was unfamiliar with the way the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end. The youki was faint but definitely there. Tangible in the air, thick.
I looked through the rectangular window that lead into the staircase and found Kurama sitting against the wall among a mess of extra chairs and desks on the flatland that shielded him from full view. I craned my neck for a better angle of the wall opposite him and found what seemed to be a hologram.
From that message ball.
I was more preoccupied with looking at the youkai in the message—he had to be Yomi. He would have almost passed for human if not for the horns protruding from his head and the multiple pairs of ears. Then again I was only granted an image from the shoulders up.
I moved from the window and leaned against the door, pressing my ear against it to eavesdrop.
"But I am now more powerful than even you," Yomi said, his voice carrying faintly through the metal. "How much more? I would say… enough to control all of Makai."
I swallowed a hard lump in my throat and fought the knot that was tying in my stomach. Why couldn't we just be left alone?
I didn't have room to talk; I just signed my life away. But at least… but at least I would be here, not in Makai.
Not in an entirely different realm.
I knew when I signed that dotted line I would be taking time away from my normal life. But I did it… and now both of them…
"My ultimate goal is to surpass them both and unite the land under one rule," Yomi continued on. I picked up somewhere in his speech. "Lend me your abilities, Kurama. This time I need your help. I have faith you'll come."
But I signed it for him. For Yusuke. For everyone affected by Border Patrol's power. I wouldn't have had the courage to sign that line if I didn't think I could do something for them. Financial security was an incentive, insurance for my family.
I worked up the courage to sign that makeshift contract to repay him and Yusuke.
And they were both leaving.
"Oh, by the way." Yomi's voice turned from simple and serious to more of an airy, light tone, one tainted with taunting. "A couple hundred years ago I found the assassin who took the light from my life." A gasp of air lodged in my throat. Assassin. I could only imagine what Kurama thought—how he felt. "I wanted to show him to you so I've kept him alive in captivity. Come see, we'll have a good laugh."
The tight knot twisted in my stomach as the youki dispersed in the air and faded away. I reached for the door as I heard a harsh clap of fabric. I glanced to my left and there stood that shrimp-dick piece of shit midget with a shitty attitude.
He stood at the other end of the door, black cloak flapping in the wind, hands in his pockets.
I wondered why he'd be here. Maybe he was being called too. He, Yusuke, and Kurama were leaving. I swear to god if I found Kazuma was leaving too I was going to flip.
"I'll wait out here for whenever you're done," I mumbled, stepping away from the door.
"I don't give a shit what you do, girl," he said simply as he walked towards the door. "If you want to cry on your lover's shoulder at least be quiet about it while I'm in the room."
He opened the heavy door and I moved out of the way as it swung open. He stood in the door way for a moment, waiting for Kurama to say something. He didn't for some reason.
"Old acquaintance?" Shrimp-dick asked suddenly.
I stood behind him, able to see Kurama clearly jump slightly in surprise—something I never thought possible.
"Yes," he replied with a small smile as he realized it was us.
Shrimp-dick chuckled as he descended the stairs. "This is rare. It's not like you to be so absorbed in something that you don't even feel me nearby."
Kurama's eyes flickered to me briefly before settling back on Shrimp-dick.
"I'm being recruited too," he continued, pulling out a similar message ball. "But it's by Mukuro."
I descended the stairs, stopping a few steps before flatland to lean against the wall and watch his message. With the throw from a swift arm, his ball crashed into the wall. I watched as youki poured out and began swirling in the air slightly until it manifested into a similar hologram of Yomi's.
This youkai covered themselves in talismans and old bandages, leaving nothing but a large, creepy glass-like eye to be seen. The bandages and purple vest stopped at their torso where the image ended.
"Hello, Hiei. My name is Mukuro." The message started. "I'm hiding my face as a safety measure. Not because I'd be in danger or anything, but because it'd be harder to travel freely if people knew what I looked like."
I didn't pay much attention to his message. I didn't care, really. I was more upset over our predicament. Kurama wanted to stay here, obviously. If he didn't, he would have returned to Makai after the tournament.
But now he was forced to go back.
I glanced to the red head who sat in silence, watching Shrimp-dick's personal message.
What if he didn't want to come back once he remembered his home?
His home…
"The second Raizen croaks, Yomi and I are going to war," Mukuro said, striking my interest. "The way he spews his happy horseshit about 'uniting Makai' makes me hate him even more than Raizen."
Couldn't you guys just kill each other and leave Kurama and Yusuke out of it? Why did Yusuke and Kurama have to go? Why couldn't we all stay here? Take Shrimp-dick, I literally could not care less about him. Please just call him back to Makai. I volunteer him as tribute.
"Makai will be back to normal soon, to the way it was before even you were born," Mukuro said as the hologram began fizzing out. "If you want to live to see what that looks like, come to my side."
The youki dispersed and the hologram disappeared completely.
"That guy doesn't shut up, does he?" Shrimp snorted. "They're only recruiting us because they watched our fight with Sensui. They're probably scouring the entirety of Makai for youkai strong enough to help them."
Kurama remained quiet, debating on his own dilemma.
"I'm going to see Mukuro," he said, which drew Kurama's gaze to him. "Relax, I'm not joining him. But the nonstop fighting will be a quick way to raise my power level."
I rolled my eyes. Now this was a video game.
A wild SHRIMP-DICK appeared! Level five. PLAYER sends out…
"If I'm around Mukuro, I bet I'll be able to fight as much as I want," he said, and Kurama stayed silent.
I should go home. I didn't want to be around Kurama when he decided he was going back to Makai. I'd probably spit in his face.
I descended the rest of the stairs and walked past the two.
I knew I wasn't fair to Kurama since he had no choice, but he probably should have thought a bit harder way back when. I paused as I stepped on the next set of stairs. Way back when he a ruthless, murderous thief lord.
My hand lay gently on the railing. I waited for some sort of "sense" to come to me but none did. I thought the sentence again. And again. And again. And…
And I felt nothing over the sentence. I continued down the stairs.
I guess the thought didn't bother me much since I knew he wasn't like that anymore…
What bothered me was how I barely started and already lost.
Fucking hell.
My walking became even more brisk as I stomped down the stairs and through the hallways to the shoe lockers. I controlled my breathing as the knot in my stomach tied tighter, but all my anger traveled to my hands as I yanked off my shoes and changed pairs.
Soft footsteps sounded briefly and then stopped next to me. I didn't want to look at him.
The probability of spitting in his face was so high right now… Honestly, if I turned around he would get a snot-filled wad right between the eyes.
"I know we should have a civil conversation," I spat through gritted teeth, finding heated venom in my words as I slammed my locker shut. "But it's not going to happen. You should wait until I calm down."
When I turned to leave, he spoke. "I don't mind. Not this time."
"Are you sure?" I scoffed in disbelief. "Because I'm probably going to spit in your face."
I could hear the wry smile in his voice. "I'm sure."
Tongue in cheek, I continued out to the front gate. I had to lay my tongue where it belonged quickly because I was seconds from biting through it.
He followed behind me quietly and the minute we stepped off campus I turned on him, refraining from spitting. I instead let the anger flow out through my vocal cords.
"I signed my life away!" I snapped. "I signed my life away. And I barely started the battle and I lost!"
He approached me calmly, hands palm-up to provoke peace. All it did was piss me off more.
"Will you tell me what you signed?" he tried, staying rational.
I quickly looked around before stepping up to him, propping on the balls of my feet to hiss in his face. I caught myself again before spitting.
"A contract with Koenma to get intel from Natsume and Border Patrol." I kept my voice low. "Chapter Black is defamation and they have no problem letting youkai come through to participate in the Dark Tournament when they damn well know some youkai that come through won't be going back."
He stared down at me, trying to figure why I would get myself into this—why I would accept.
"Did he bribe you?" he asked, eyes narrowed.
"No," I said, rocking back on flat feet. "He… offered me an incentive. Financial security for my family."
He leaned in slightly, voice a pitch below harsh. "Tell me what the possibility of me leaving has to do with this."
"Because the incentive was just that—an incentive. I signed for you. For Yusuke. For everyone who's being affected by Border Patrol's obvious corruption," I spat. "And no, I never would have expected you to ask me to do this and you never would have. But I did it. Because I'm tired of watching Border Patrol scheme and try to take away people who do nothing wrong."
He stared down at me as I felt my face flushing, my eyes stinging.
"I'm tired of worrying about the people I care for being taken away—I'm tired of worrying you'll be taken away…"
He heaved a sigh and I felt my face getting wetter by the second. I took his hands that still lay outstretched in front of me. Holding his in mine, I looked down at his palms.
Those weren't the hands the famed thief used but they were his nonetheless. And that's why he would be taken from me.
"I've just started and I've already lost." I sniffed, watching black tears drip to his palms. "And it wasn't even to Reikai."
He decided to stay quiet, to let me speak until I was thoroughly tired out and couldn't care enough to argue.
"And now you're going home." I pursed my lips to keep them from splitting into a scowl. "I already lost half the battle. You're going home and you'll remember why you stayed there for so long and you won't come back."
He sighed and his shoulders slumped forward.
"You can have more than one home, you know," he said calmly, stepping on eggshells. "A house isn't a home. A realm isn't a home."
"Shut up." I sniffed forcefully and wrapped my fingers around his palms, holding them tight. "You're going home and I'm going to sit here looking even stupider than Kazuma and Keiko."
He coughed politely and let his thumb rub gently against my fingers. "I wouldn't compare… this to either of them."
"Why not? We're all sitting here looking dumb as shit!" I cried. "Keiko sat there and waited for Yusuke through multiple trials. I know it! She waited for him to come back to life, she waited for him whenever he went off to the old lady's, she waited for him to come out the tournament alive, she waited for him to come back from Sensui, and now she's going to have to wait for him to come back from this!"
"I do have a reason to stay here," he replied, and I squeezed his hands tighter as I felt my face heating, my head pounding. "I have multiple reasons to stay here."
"Then stay! If those reasons are important, wouldn't you fight to stay?"
I hated myself for saying that. I didn't want to be that person. I didn't want to be the crying, clinging girl. But I was. Because I already lost. I just fucking started and I already lost…
I wanted it so we could all be together, safe, and left alone. Everyone. All of us.
A motorcycle's engine echoed from down the street, breaking the heavy silence around us and reminding us we were in public. Alone, with nobody else within earshot or sight, but in public nonetheless.
"They're important," he replied simply. "That's why I have to leave."
"Kazuma, Keiko, and I…" I hiccuped, sniffing a stray dribble of mucus back into my nose. "We don't have time like you all do."
With the brush of a soft breeze blowing by, he stopped walking on eggshells. The calm face that tried provoking peace with a subtle smile dropped into an expression I couldn't place even if I tried.
The fact he didn't reply meant I was right and there was no use telling me I was wrong.
"We're human!" I continued. "We're human and you all aren't! Yukina's going to live for thousands of years, Yusuke's got youkai blood in him that's working now so he'll live so much longer, and you'll be able to find some sort of technicality to leave that body and live on—for another thousands and thousands of years."
"The reason I will leave is not because the reasons I have to stay are any less important," he tried explaining to me: the irrational, pissed off child. "I can't afford having Yomi and his subordinates here, watching over you or my family."
"I know." I sniffed, retrieving my hands to wipe my face dry and smearing makeup around as tears only continued to pour out. "I know, but shit. Shit, shit, shit. Shit…"
I shoved my face in my hands, trying to steady my breathing.
"I can make plenty of arrangements with Koenma to travel back and forth," he said.
"And what if you get there, remember why you decided to live there for thousands of years, and don't come back?!" I cried, hands flying from my face. "We're stupid! We'll sit there and sit there. We'll fucking rot in the ground waiting for you all to come home."
The words hit me harder when I finally said them aloud and their weight settled on both our shoulders. He stared me down, face still unreadable.
Finally, after moments of silence that felt like years, I found lighter words, ones that held embarrassment and fear of a subtler degree. "I need to go home."
With a small gesture, one I knew so familiar that provoked peace, he let his hands hover over my arms.
I shook my head. "I'll ruin your jacket."
He stepped closer and I let his hands gently cup my face to wipe the ruined makeup off best as possible. I held his wrists as his thumbs wiped away the mascara tainted tears off my cheeks.
"I wear an ass load of make-up; you'll be doing this for hours," I mumbled and found myself holding his wrists even tighter as I realized what I implied. "But… you can keep trying."
A small breath from his lips, a laugh, and I rushed to him, closing the little distance between us. I locked my arms around him like a child would their favorite stuffed animal, and he was cautious in letting his hands find a place to rest.
One rested on the back of my neck as I held him tight, the other holding me close at the small of my back. His touch was soft, gentle, and I knew there would come a day I'd miss the soft tangling of his fingers in my hair even though that was the first time it happened.
The subtle movement of his fingers, gently massaging, comforting… I held him tighter, feeling the plethora of emotions swelling in my chest, my throat. His fingers in my hair, breath traveling through the strands and kissing my skin… I didn't want him to leave. I would miss him. I would miss this.
I already missed it…
I missed it when I went home, when I showered. It deepened when Yusuke called to tell me what he decided. I missed it when I went to sleep, when I woke up, and when I saw him at school the next day.
I missed it while we ate lunch in silence together. I missed it when I went home. I missed it when I locked myself in my room and crawled in bed in the late afternoon.
Minoru's TV show could be heard from the living room as I lay on the bottom bunk, reading another Shakespeare classic. I didn't particularly like Shakespeare—wasn't my cup of tea—especially not with this stupid romance shit I was not feeling in the slightest. But I had to hand it to the guy because I could have sworn the book was full of dick jokes.
I rolled over under the blankets, putting effort into making myself comfortable as I shifted the blankets around with me. The doorbell rang but I didn't bother getting out of bed.
If I wanted to see Yusuke off tonight then I had to stay in until it was time. Besides I already changed into my pajamas… I glared past the book and at the wall, anger swelling up in me again at the reality of my predicament.
I sniffed and returned to the work, finding it more than boring. A quick knock on my door drew my eyes from the book and my father's voice carried through the woodwork.
"You have a friend here."
I sat up and looked at the door.
"Who?" I called.
"Come find out your damn self," my dad grumbled loud enough to let his passive aggression creep into my room. "What the fuck am I? Your butler?"
I rolled my eyes and bookmarked my page with a crease in the corner before getting up from bed. I didn't know who to expect to begin with, but the unfamiliar face on the other side of my bedroom door forced my senses on end.
I tensed at the sight of an older girl with long, dyed blonde hair and pretty amber eyes. She was dark skinned, much darker than any natives of the main island I'd ever seen, with the shade of mahogany wood.
Hands to her side, she had a particular street fashion: high-waist, ripped jeans; tucked-in plain blue t-shirt; and a scruffy, denim vest. All accompanied with what looked like a mullet.
I'd never seen this girl a day in my life.
"Hey," I said warily, looking down the hall to see my parents.
They were both in the living room signing to each other about unrelated issues. I stared the girl down, confused.
Could Natsume have sent her? Did they find out I was snooping?
Why would she send her here if she wanted to off me? Well, actually… I knew if this girl was offering to lead me anywhere then it probably would be on Natsume's orders. Lure me away so she could take a broken pipe to the back of my head once I stepped outside.
"Come on in," I said with a smile, pulling the door open further.
She wouldn't dare lay hands on me in my own apartment no matter who she was affiliated with. Not without drawing major attention.
I took a good look at her as she walked in. She was tall, androgynous, but had that hint of femininity that let anyone immediately address her as female. She had a strong jawline and perfectly sloped nose that complimented her face.
I closed the door behind her and leaned against it.
"Who are you?" I asked in a whisper.
Her body language was different from her appearance, it was reserved and subordinate in contrast to her street punk fashion. She stood straight with her hands clasped together in front of her and then bowed deeply at the waist.
"My name is Suzume," she said, and then lifted herself upright.
She dug in her jean pocket and I flinched, pushing myself further against the door as she pulled out a silver circle. I eyed the potential weapon with intensity, racking my brain for what it could be.
She turned it over, revealing a gold-orange top, resembling the colors of a sunset. It was just like my compact. I pushed myself off the door in relief.
"And I was sent to help the cause," she whispered.
I walked to her, stepping slowly despite being eager to see the compact. I looked up to the hundred and seventy-five centimeter girl before looking down at the compact. *
"Prince Koenma recruited me as a scout," she continued in a whisper. "I did not hesitate to agree once he told me of Barrier Regulation's antics. Ever since I could remember, they were selective, lenient. I am eager to work under your direction."
I stared at the girl and let a wave of contentment wash over me. I may have lost some of my reasons for starting this but others hadn't. Anyone who wanted to join this had their reasons… and even I still had my own.
I grinned to her and my hands found their way to my hips. "The first scout… Tell me, Suzume, what's your connection to Reikai?"
"I am a Guide," she replied.
"Now promoted to Messenger?"
She shook her head. "I… pulled some strings with the owner of the body. She resided down in Amami Oshima."
"So… what happened to the soul?"
"It's stored safely per our agreement," she said and I sighed in relief.
I nodded. "Can't have a body reserved for Messengers suddenly get assigned to a Guide, I guess. Any restrictions with you or this body I need to know about?"
"I still need to bring souls in," she replied. "There will be times I will be reaping but I am confident I can manage this."
I nodded. "Alright… then… I'm going to need to see your soul."
She nodded and sat at the chair at my desk. With a small, deep breath, her body went limp and fell back against the chair.
Like being released from a shell, a newborn bird from its egg, the soul emerged. A pristine grey kimono caught my eyes first, and then the familiar painted white face and the kushi and kogai set in pretty, black hair. She emerged from the body with ease, floating gracefully in front of me as I gaped at her in shock, and then bowed her head.
"You are never allowed to leave this body in their presence, or even in Tohoku," I gasped, finding the strength to speak through the shock. "They've seen you before."
She nodded and then lowered herself back into the body, and the tall beauty opened her eyes. When she sat up proper again, I knew exactly how to play this.
I licked my lips and smiled down to her. "Let's get this game started. I have the perfect way to start you off."
I figured I could get out of here if I told the truth. With a small sigh, I opened the drawer of my desk and pulled out a thick envelope. I didn't want to dip into this but…
Begrudgingly, I took out a few bills from my Kagami stash. Suzume watched out the window as I changed into jeans and a hoodie, and we left my room. I walked past my parents, who were in the kitchen, and watched my dad from the corner of my eye give me a nasty glare.
"You ever going to introduce us?" he asked sharply.
I looked to Suzume, wondering if she wanted a name incognito.
"My name is Yori," she replied calmly. "Ito, Yori."
My father's face remained unfazed. "Where do you two think you're going when you just got home?"
"Yusuke's leaving," I replied. "He's going away for a really long time and I wanted to say goodbye. I was going to ask if Minoru could say goodbye too since you know he adores Yusuke."
"Where's he going?" my mother asked, signing to me from the stove.
"America," I replied aloud as well for Suzume.
Pulled that one out my ass. Didn't even want to bring up Makai again around my dad. Didn't know if he ever told my mom either.
My dad snorted and waved me off. "If you're trying anything funny, just know to never come back. You won't be welcome."
"I'm not," I replied simply and headed for the door. "I'm taking Minoru with me—if I was going to get into something stupid he'd be the last person I'd bring along."
Slipping on knee-length boots, I called Minoru to come with us. He put on his shoes and a light jacket, and we were gone. I found the nearest payphone to call Shizuru. As the phone rang, I asked Suzume if she had any sort of identity in Ningenkai already.
"My name is Ito, Yori, and I have applied for a coffee shop near Tohoku University," she said.
"Good," I said with a nod. "Good. Natsume likes coffee. I'm sure you'll see them around."
Finally, the ringing stopped. "Hello?"
"It's Aiko," I said, bringing the receiver back. "Shizuru, I need a quick favor."
She paused. "What?"
"I have a friend who needs a haircut, are you available?"
"Yeah, if you hurry."
"Cool," I said, and then proceeded with a gracious thank you and hung up. I turned to Suzume. "If you're going to own that street punk look, you're going to have to talk like it too. And we're getting rid of that mullet because that's not punk, that's just a sin."
She looked at her faint reflection in the silver metal of the payphone box and nodded. Just twenty minutes later, we stepped foot in Shizuru's trendy chic salon, and I found her and another coworker to be the last ones here aside from the manicurist.
Shizuru wrapped the silk cape around Suzume's neck after washing her hair and Minoru roamed the relatively empty salon, picking up magazines to look at the girl's hairstyles.
"What's the name you go by?" Shizuru asked, clipping it together.
Suzume's eyes glanced to me through the mirror and I shrugged. Shizuru wasn't a threat but if Suzume didn't want to tell the truth, I wasn't going to stop her.
"Suzume," she replied with a whisper.
Shizuru glanced to me through the mirror then as well, and I let my gaze settle on the coworker who was sweeping up hair from under her chair.
"What are you looking for then?" she asked, taking strands of the mullet and pinching it up with her fingers.
Suzume glanced to me.
"Whatever she wants," I said.
Suzume stared at herself in the mirror and then sighed. "I'd like it very short."
"How short?"
"Just…" she paused and glanced around the room to look at the model pictures hung on the clear spaces of the walls. "Almost like hers."
Shizuru's eyes landed on one next to her station of a girl with a faux-hawk.
"You sure?"
Suzume nodded and Shizuru set to work.
"What about you, Aiko?" Shizuru asked as she neared finishing Suzume's hair. "Looking for a trim?"
I looked in the mirror in front of Suzume and Shizuru and eyed my hair. It was longer now. It used to lie between my shoulder blades but was now reaching the small of my back.
I could use a trim…
"Yeah, sure," I said, staring at the color. I exhaled, staring at the ombre. It didn't… feel right anymore for me. "A recolor, too."
She glanced to me as she continued snipping the blonde hair. She inspected the dye job briefly, checking in her memory if she had a similar color for when Suzume needed a touch up.
"Have you talked to Yusuke or Kazuma since everything happened?" she asked.
"Yusuke, yeah," I replied, sitting down in the chair at the station next to her. "Kazuma, no."
"I saw Yusuke at a coffee shop yesterday," she laughed. "Told him all about how Kazu's trying to get into Gai Tech."
"That's a really good school." I smiled. "I think he can get in. He has all year to study."
"The most reckless man in Japan lives in my house," she chuckled, snipping away. "With his record at Sarayashiki, you would think Gai Tech wouldn't even be an option."
"They can be accepted based solely on their entrance exam scores in Gai Tech, huh?" I grinned. "He'll do fine!"
She was about to say something, then stopped, and something else came out of her mouth. "You're a second year now, right?"
I nodded, figuring what she wanted to say. "I can always give Kazuma pointers on entrance exams. Meiou's standards were hell."
Shizuru unclipped the cape and flung it off Suzume, sending hair flying everywhere.
"I think he'll be glad to know you're not going anywhere," she said. "With everyone else leaving and all."
I stared down at the now empty black chair as Suzume inspected her new hair cut at another mirror. It fluffed up in the center, shortening at the sides.
I may be here with Kazuma, but I was caught up in stuff just like they were.
"Yeah." I cracked a smile as I sat in the chair. "It's always nice to know you're not alone."
Kurama.
"Are you out of your fuckin' mind?!" Kuwabara hollered, grabbing Yusuke by his shirt. "Did turning into youkai royalty power up your stupidity, too? You want to go to Makai because 'there are stronger opponents there'?! You sound like an ad from a video game, you dumbass!"
I sat on the wooden floor of Genkai's dojo as Hiei stood over me, watching Kuwabara yell about our decisions.
"And you!" He turned to the SDF, reeling on the light-blue haired member. "All this is to you is getting rid of a problem!"
"I'm not going to lie," the light-blue haired member said as I pondered when I heard his name before. I was positive I saw him and heard his name before. Ah. Shun-jun. He was one of the few who tracked me down in my youko form. "We've been given orders and we're merely trying to carry them out."
Kuwabara gritted his teeth, unable to tear apart someone who admitted their wrong-doings. He then turned to us.
"What about you two?" he snapped, turning to us. "Are you both going to Makai too?"
"Yeah, actually," Hiei answered.
"I'm fairly sure I'll end up going," I replied carefully. "If I do, it'll be later than Yusuke and Hiei."
Not one soldier batted an eye at my comment. I hoped they assumed I was merely a human caught up in the mess. If luck was on my side, they would.
Kuwabara, though, didn't like those answers. "I'm so… disappointed in you guys. You're all no different than Toguro or Sensui."
I kept my mouth shut, not bothering to let him know of my predicament. I didn't want to risk a secret investigation into Yomi's past and have them find me present.
I would be lying if I said the idea of becoming stronger wasn't appealing… but I knew I had all the time in the world to return to that lifestyle. Others in my life weren't fortunate enough to be blessed with near immortality. It was strange, though, as after everything—especially returning from Makai this time—the offer to go back was enticing.
In my youko form, fighting and breathing the air of Makai, it reminded me of my life before this. And a part of me wanted to return.
"Scratch that, you're worse!" he yelled. "You three don't care which side you're on so long as you get to keep fighting!"
"Huh," Hiei mused. "When'd you get so smart?"
Kuwabara practically bit off his tongue.
"You tell their asses, Kuwabara!" A familiar feminine voice chimed in.
Aiko strolled in, leaving a guest and her brother at the open doors as she marched to our group. She trailed a length of solid hair color with her, purposefully letting it flow dramatically behind her with her strong stride.
Her ombre was gone. Her natural brown was allowed to finally show itself.
"Fuck the SDF," she spat as she strode to Kuwabara's side. "Fuck Yusuke. Fuck those two sitting in the corner. It's you and me, man."
Kuwabara just liked the support and he turned his chin up to Yusuke with a huff.
"Better not talk shit about them, Aiko," Yusuke warned with a trace of sarcasm. "They protect your realm and all—meaning you too."
She faltered back slightly, pretending to faint, and she laid a limp wrist on her forehead. "I forgot! They were there when I was fucking drowning in that territory. They were there to fight Sensui! They were there to search for and close the tunnel before it opened." She steadied herself, walked to them… and hacked a spit wad from the back of her throat at Shun-jun.
Luckily, Yusuke intercepted in time to catch the mucus.
Shun-jun stared her down unfazed while the rest of the soldiers repressed ill-intentions.
"We were given orders is all," Shun-jun said again, but Aiko didn't care. "We're just carrying them out."
That actually set her off.
"That's how you uphold peace and justice," she hissed, livid. "Do what you're told, no matter how wrong. That's justice."
"Let's make this as civil as possible," Yusuke said, noticeably disgusted as he wiped his wet hand on his pants. "Is that why you came? To start a fight?"
"I came to say goodbye," she said pointedly, glaring at him.
"Because I would have liked a fight."
"All they'd have to do is flick a finger at me and the wind from it would tear me in half."
"True."
"Who invited this stray cat?" Genkai droned, stepping past Minoru and his babysitter at the temple entrance. "Someone either shut it up or throw it back in the alley it came from."
Aiko inhaled and glanced to Genkai, holding her tongue. She sent one last glance to Shun-jun and turned away from him. She gestured for Minoru to come inside and the boy quickly ran across the wood floor.
"Oi, Kuwabara," Yusuke called before wrapping his arm around his shoulder. He whispered. "Kick some ass and get into Gai Tech."
Kuwabara began chuckling. "How'd you know?"
Aiko heaved Minoru up into her arms with a heavy grunt and he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and legs around her torso. Her little brother rested his head in the nook of her neck and shoulder, and the two waited patiently to say goodbye.
Just minutes later we were headed out of the temple and into the woods. Aiko carried Minoru as far as she could into the woodlands with us before setting him to the ground and holding his hand the rest of the way. The clearing in the forest we reached was quiet, lit by the moonlight above.
A few SDF members formed a small line and used their ki to break the atmosphere. The smell of Makai began wafting through the cracking dimension—the smell of blood and rotting carcass. They decided to pick a recent battleground to send Yusuke to, of course. Not that he wouldn't be able to handle himself.
I stood next to Aiko, who glanced to me briefly, unwilling to look me in the eyes. She put her hand over her mouth when the stench hit her, and Minoru scrunched his face.
"Did you fart, Sis?" he whispered to her.
"No, that's your upper lip," she retorted quietly, to which he became horrified and began rubbing his mouth.
When the crack split open, creating a large hole with many colors, Minoru stopped rubbing and gawked at the portal.
"This is how you get to America?" Minoru asked, looking at the colorful portal with wide eyes as Yusuke and his recruiters—resembling monks—stood in front of it.
"It's the secret way." Aiko nodded, clearing her throat to prevent her voice from breaking. "You can't tell anyone you know about it or you'll never get to go. Not even mom and dad can know about it." Minoru nodded and Aiko let go of his hand. "I'm going to say goodbye first, okay? And then you can say goodbye."
"Okay."
Aiko headed to the small group and the recruiters gave the two teens space. Koenma decided to join Minoru and I, showing up behind me. Koenma promptly took Aiko's spot next to me.
"Acting up like that to the SDF," Koenma grumbled, supposedly having watched over us before coming to this realm. "She better have a good reason as to why."
I glanced to him, eager to let my words loose while staying cordial. "Sending off one of the closest friends she has isn't a good reason?"
Koenma side-glanced to me. "Like I told Yusuke, this is the easiest way to fix the problem with no risk to us. We can't do much in…" Koenma glanced down in confusion at Minoru, who was looking up at him with even wider eyes, glued to the suffix printed on his forehead.
"America," I finished for Koenma, and the Prince nodded quickly.
"Yes."
Minoru quickly spoke up. "My sister says people who tattoo their faces are stupid."
I bit back my laughter as Koenma's eye twitched. He strained to grin at the kid, biting his pacifier and becoming just as petulant. "Well, your sister is—"
"Brilliant," I cut him off to spare him from Minoru arguing in defense of his sister.
Koenma took a deep breath and watched his new employee embracing his previous.
"Regretting it?" I asked, tension flowing freely.
"Somewhat, but not why you would want me to," he replied instantly, unabashed. "It's only the beginning."
We watched the two in the distance, conversing quietly into each other's shoulders. She stepped away from him and wiped her eyes before grabbing his face and pulling it to hers. She kissed him forcefully on the cheek in farewell.
"Gross!" he shouted, yanking himself away from her grip.
"I'm trying to be nice, you stupid piece of shit!" she screamed, smacking him over the head.
"You're fucking nasty doing that crap! You creep!"
"You know what: fuck you. Eat my ass, Yusuke!"
"It'd be a small meal." His snark earned him another smack over the head.
I smiled and glanced around to see the witnesses, finding Genkai and the guest standing next to each other quietly.
"You can say goodbye to Yusuke, Minoru." Aiko's breaking voice caught my attention as she stopped a few yards away from us and Minoru quickly ran to his idol.
Yusuke knelt slightly, arms open to catch Minoru as he lept into his idol's embrace. Aiko headed off to her guest.
"Will you be leaving as well?" Koenma asked me.
"Yes, later on."
"Will you want to return?"
I sent him a glance; he already knew the answer.
He nodded. "I'll see what we can do about you coming back and forth."
We stood by and watched as people departed into the portal, one by one. Hiei left first, quickly leaving Yukina's side. Then Yusuke went, ruffling Minoru's hair before jumping into the portal. His recruiters soon followed.
The SDF closed the portal quickly as we stood still, feeling the auras of everyone around us. Some were heavier, sadder than others. Kuwabara passed me by, gripping my shoulder.
"See you around," he said.
"Don't be a stranger," I replied.
"'Course not." He grinned and headed to Yukina. "I'll need some help getting into Gai Tech after all."
"You know how to reach me, Kuwabara."
The two began heading back to the temple, and soon everyone followed suit except for Koenma, who returned to Reikai with the SDF. I'd expected Aiko to have left, but Minoru's scent was still lingering around the compound.
When I followed the scent, I thought it was strange when I entered one of the living rooms at Genkai's temple and found Aiko to be gone. Her guest was with Kuwabara and Yukina in one of the living rooms babysitting Minoru.
Despite her street punk appearance, she sat proper with her feet tucked under her as she watched over Minoru while he bombarded Yukina and Kuwabara with questions about their hair color.
"Aiko is with Master Genkai in the dojo," the guest said, noticing me scan the room.
"She's asking for a favor!" Minoru said excitedly. "I hope it's to come here often because this place is wicked cool! That statue in the dojo was just so big!"
My mind reeled. I turned on my heels and headed down the open hallway. She was going to ask to be trained under Genkai—suffer the same fate as Yusuke.
I paused as I reached the dojo door, hand hovering over the handle. Who was I to tell her she couldn't make the decision? Despite it being an unfathomably stupid one—just as the one she made before this was.
The door slid open on its own, revealing the ever-knowing Genkai on the other side. The room was dimly lit; only a few candles surrounding Aiko remained alive as opposed to the entire room being filled with light an hour ago.
"Come on in, nosy fox," Genkai said, returning to her seat across from Aiko. "I expected you to get here sooner."
The brunette glanced over her shoulder to me as I stood above her, and I slowly sat next to her.
"I'm not making another stupid decision," she mumbled in defense instantly.
"It's your decision to make," I replied calmly, which earned me a lingering gaze.
"I saw Maya the other day," she said, eyes lowering from mine. "She… had a spike in reiki like I did." I felt a brow rise but let her continue. "I have an idea why, but the real point is… she can't control it."
"And you want me to teach her to control it," Genkai grunted.
Aiko nodded. "She's become depressed and anxious because she doesn't know what's going on… I'm worried for her. I only know how to repress my ki, not use it—"
"That's all she needs to know then."
"Yes, but you see…" Aiko drew in a deep breath, speaking intimately of the girl I was fond of in junior high. "Maya is the type of girl who lives for things like this. If I were to try and teach her how to repress her ki, she'd only want to learn how to use it. She'd want to learn everything about the other realms. She lives for knowing about the unknown."
I tensed, wondering if a spike in reiki could bring back memories. It was merely paranoia as the powder was meant to erase memories, not hide them. The real issue was her becoming acquainted with the realms, learning of everything—of me—again.
Genkai saw my dip in expression and smirked. "Something wrong, Kurama?"
I glanced to Aiko. "I erased her memories of me in junior high."
She cocked her head to the side, hair falling over her shoulder to shade the flame of the candle behind her. "Why?"
"She was attacked and found out about me," I replied. "I wanted to spare her, let her have a normal life."
Aiko gave a pitiful chuckle. "All she's ever wanted was something exciting to happen in her life, you know?"
"And she'd confessed her… 'feelings' for me."
Aiko's lips puckered and she turned her eyes to the floor in front of her. I knew what was reeling in her mind at the moment—she knew Maya finding out about me wasn't the only reason I erased her memories.
Genkai snorted a laugh at the youth. "Still want me to fix her, teenage girl?"
Aiko looked up to Genkai, face stoic, calm. "Yes." And she set her gaze on me. "Whether she remembers you or not, and whether you decide you feel the same for her again or not, I'm still here to help her… and you."
Genkai's expression softened into one of prediction, her small smirk the one of a knowing grandmother. She stood and walked past us to leave the room.
"Bring her by when you're ready."
With no words to say, we stared at the wall across from us, eyes resting on the gold statue that towered towards the ceiling. I could hear her heart beating subtly, calmly, as she stared up at the polished god. With each passing second, it grew heavier, faster, and I could see her jaw tense from the corner of my eyes.
She spoke suddenly, voice small in an attempt to control her trembling. "Now would be a really good time… you know?"
I rested my arm around her shoulder and nudged her gently, letting her lean on me. She rested her head against my shoulder and stared down at the dirty wood floor. I had no words to ease her worry, no reassurance to give her confidence in the both of us. Actions were always louder than words with her.
We sat in silence in the quiet room, watching the flicker of the candles' flames and the melting wax dripping slowly to the base. She soon grabbed my free hand for what felt like dear life, and I gently wrapped my fingers around her white-knuckled hand. Her heartbeat began to slow and soon became calm.
Maya.
I had been positively livid. I had been so angry at her because I knew she was hiding things from me. She was different too now, I could feel it the moment I opened the front door to find her behind it. Her conversation in the bathroom was just the nail in the coffin that told me she knew things—she was aware of what secrets the world held.
And she wouldn't help me deal with mine—she wouldn't help me understand what was going on with me. She didn't lie—though I knew she would have had I pushed her into a corner—but she omitted the truth again.
But when she came by last night and talked to me and my parents about helping me get better since she knew what was wrong, we all eagerly agreed.
Doctors thought I had the flu, some sort of stomach virus. The medication they gave me at first helped the nausea and all the physical symptoms but they soon returned with a vengeance. I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed and go to school it was so bad, even after the physical symptoms went away.
I went to my finals at the end of first year and I was doing better. A little after the beginning of second year, I thought I could go back because I'd noticed my… power… disappeared. But then things started breaking around me, even in class.
It scared me more than the power had when I first acquired it because I couldn't control when I broke things like I could control my power.
My parents were on board with me taking a sick leave and independent study from school and going out to fix this.
"No matter how long it takes, Maya," daddy said, holding me close. "We're here for you. Come back when this is all over… when you're ready."
Now, on the bus, I stared at Aiko in awe as she told me of her adventures over the past year. I couldn't believe what I'd always thought to be true actually was.
Youkai, otherworldly beings, and other dimensions! I knew I wasn't crazy! With this kind of finding, maybe aliens weren't too far-fetched an idea either.
The bus hit a speed bump and she bounced in her seat as the bus landed.
"Oh, I wish you told me all about this when it happened!" I groaned. "Why didn't you? This is so amazing! Is Minamino in on this too?"
"Yeah, he's a part of it," she mumbled. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you dragged into this. I mean, I put myself in a lot of shit and now I can't get out."
She spoke with forced emotion, and the fact she wore sunglasses in the bus to hide her bruises didn't help with making her look any more convincing with facial expressions. To be honest, she didn't even seem to care about whatever she got herself into.
Hell, I didn't care what I was getting into now—adventure was what I lived for. Comics were the closest thing I could get to the real thing and now I had a chance to be a part of the supernatural world. Even if it was just training at a dojo to control my powers—that was so exciting.
"What is it?" I asked, leaning over to her, forcing her to inch away from me.
She glanced around the bus once more, noting we were alone aside from the bus driver in the early morning.
"I'm… an informant, I guess." She kept her voice low anyway.
"That's so cool!" I squealed, holding my suitcase tighter in my lap as I kicked my legs into the aisle. "Oh, Aiko, you're so lucky. I wish my life was exciting. I hope it's exciting up here."
She scratched the back of her neck. "So tell me, when you first started feeling weird and all those things started happening—what exactly could you do?"
"Well, it happened when I came back from Mushiyori a couple of months ago," I said. "Some of the girls and I at Kaiou went shopping down there, but I was the only one that got sick a few days later."
"'Sick' how?"
"I was vomiting, passing out, headache, fatigue—the works," I sighed. "My parents took me to the doctors and they prescribed me some medicine but it didn't really help. Eventually weird things started happening…"
"Like?"
I remembered the cold morning in my room when my mother had come in to bring me some hot soup. I lay under the blankets, tired but unable to sleep. I appreciated my mom coming in to give me food but I knew she would want to talk to me and my head hurt just so bad—I didn't want her near me.
"I don't know how to explain it." I shrugged. "It was like the atmosphere in my room just changed. Everything around me felt so heavy, but I felt so… light."
"Like humidity in the air." She nodded.
"Yeah, that's it…" I nodded. "My mom was bringing me something in my room, and she just stopped walking. Mid-walk. Just stopped."
"Like… time just stopped?" she whispered.
"Mouth hung open, foot in the air—literally stopped dead in her tracks."
"That's a territory," she explained. "It was a byproduct of the tunnel to Makai opening in Mushiyori. A lot of people apparently were affected by it and could do similar things. So you weren't alone."
"Then when it went away a while ago, things were pretty normal," I said. "At least I thought… Until things just kept breaking around me, like that plate. Especially when I would be mad or excited, things would just break."
"That's your reiki," she said, crossing her arms over her chest in thought. "Maybe developing a territory spiked your reiki—that'd explain why it's hard for you to control, since your body never had to deal with so much ki before."
"You sound like you know about this." I smiled to her and she shrugged with a small smile in return.
"Yeah, I had a moment where I couldn't control some reiki I received. I got it under control now." She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. "And after you get some help, you'll get it under control too."
The bus rolled to a stop and the driver looked back at us. He called out the stop name.
Aiko looked out the window to see the forestry. "This is our stop."
We stepped off the bus as the doors hissed closed, and we groaned at the sight of the never-ending cement stairs. They seemed to stretch on forever up the side of the mountain. I sighed and hiked up the handle of the rolling suitcase and then thought twice.
Ugh, I should have brought that duffle bag instead, but this one held all the sports clothes, pajamas, and class materials I needed to bring.
"I'll take you up, get you settled in and stay for a little bit," she said, stepping up the stairs. "But I have work this afternoon so I need to head back sooner rather than later."
"That's fine!" I smiled, figuring I'd drag the suitcase for a while and then carry it. I could switch off like that.
Or so I thought.
God, I never thought it'd take so long… I tried to hide the fact I was breathing heavily by pausing at the edge of the stairs when we reached the top.
Aiko was breathing heavily too, so I didn't feel so out of shape. "I did this like a few days ago… and I forgot I said… I wouldn't do it again."
"Why do I have a feeling I'm going to be told… to run up and down these stairs sometime while I'm here…" I groaned and Aiko laughed at me.
We walked under the large tori and into what could be considered a large courtyard. The stone floor beneath us was dusted, and in the distance I could see a figure with violet hair still sweeping. **
"Excuse me!" Aiko called to the person, who was wearing black attire—what I could only assume was a black jumpsuit.
The person turned around, and my jaw dropped in awe at the single horn protruding from the woman's forehead and pointy ears. Her eyes were a sort of royal pink, such deep a color you could mistake it for red or purple in dark lighting.
"Yes?" She stopped sweeping and placed a hand on her hips as she saw us approach.
"Hey!" Aiko grinned to the woman like she knew her. "I brought someone for Master Genkai."
"Ah, Master Genkai has been expecting you both," the woman said and nodded behind her to the dojo doors. "She's waiting right inside."
"Thanks, Miss!" Aiko smiled to her as I couldn't find it in me to pick up my dropped jaw.
Aiko nudged me in the side when she realized I couldn't stop staring.
The woman's eyebrows twitched and she spoke with refrained irritation. "Is there a problem?"
I gushed at her, words flying out my mouth. "Oh my god, you are so beautiful! Are you a youkai?! Oh, wow!"
She was taken back at how excited I was, and before I knew it, the handle I was holding snapped off the suitcase after a bout of sparks flew around my hand. Aiko and the woman jumped away from the stray sparks.
I stared down at the handle sheepishly and the youkai woman gave me a small smile. "Looks like you have a lot to learn… What's your name?"
"Kitajima, Maya." I smiled. "You can call me Maya!"
"Miyuki." She nodded her head to the two of us.
"Hojo, Aiko," Aiko said, returning the nod.
"You two should get in there," Miyuki said. "The later you are, the harder your training gets."
We stepped up wood stairs and slid the shoji door open. Aiko took the glasses off and placed them atop her head as she looked around the dojo, finding Master Genkai standing impatiently in the center of the dirty wood floors. ***
"You're late," she said simply, hands behind her back.
She was old, small, with graying pink hair under a purple cap that had the kanji for "master" written on it. Could an old woman really help me? …I guess so. I mean, who better to help you channel your reiki than someone who's going to die soon?
Aiko said nothing and bowed at the waist, so I followed suit. She nudged me in the side again and I figured I should apologize.
"I'm sorry, Master!" I tried, feeling weird succumbing to someone with authority like this. "The trek up the stairs was long."
"Wrong answer."
Aiko and I tensed, nervous, as Master Genkai stepped aside. We looked up to see her reveal two buckets with wash rags hanging out the sides.
"I want the dojo, the hallways, kitchen, and any room with wood floors cleaned," she ordered. "And when you're done with that, you can take the shoji and mats and dust them out. Afterwards, you'll detail clean the kitchen and then help Miyuki and Yukina cook dinner."
"Well, have fun, Maya!" Aiko quickly smiled to me and gave me a fleeting wave. When I glanced over my shoulder she practically out the door.
Before I could even blink, Genkai was behind Aiko's retreating figure. The hundred and thirty centimeter old woman reached up and grabbed the back of the hundred and sixty-two youth's collar, yanking her down to the ground. Aiko hit the floor with a small thud. (*4)
"Not so fast," Genkai tutted to Aiko as she groaned and sat upright. "You're in this too."
"I have a shift at three!" she replied. "I can't hang around here."
"Looks like you'll want to get the dojo and those hallways done as fast as you can then," she replied simply before leaving the room.
She grumbled and stood up once Genkai was out of sight.
"How is this going to help me control my reiki?" I pouted, watching the old woman's figure become smaller and smaller. "It's just chores…"
"She's trying to break you down so you'll leave, I guess." Aiko shrugged. "All I can think, really. I'm sure once you do her dirty work she'll start really teaching you."
I huffed. "Well it's going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me! I've been waiting for something like this my whole life. I finally have superpowers—I'm going to hone them!"
Aiko giggled before taking off her cardigan, purse, and glasses to set them outside on the stairs. "I'll help you with the dojo and hallways, but I need to leave by twelve."
"That's fine," I said with a smile, setting my suit case near her stuff as I rolled up my shirt's sleeves. "Let's do this!"
A small spark shot out my hand and zapped Aiko in the arm. She recoiled and hissed in pain as I laughed an apology.
We set to work right away. I totally felt like I was in one of those karate kid movies, running the wash rag across the floor, wiping sweat off my brow, and then turning around to get the next dirty patch. I was careful with my emotions. I tried to make sure that no sparks flew around while I was cleaning. I didn't want them travelling across the wet floor and zapping Aiko again. Especially since the first time it happened she didn't get away in time.
Just a little past twelve, Aiko and I finished all the hallways and dojo and she hugged me goodbye.
"Don't be afraid to call or write, or whatever!" she said, waving to me as she set foot past the tori. "Let me know how everything goes."
"Of course!" I waved goodbye to her as she set off back to civilization.
I set off to the rooms that had wood floors and cleaned them as well, and then I went to take out the shoji and mats and beat the dust out of them. By dusk, I made it to the kitchen. It wasn't too bad, it was kept it good shape, but there was grim caked in nooks and crannies that I had to get out and dust in the cabinets and blah blah blah…
Luckily, I finished right when Miyuki set foot in the kitchen.
"Looks pretty good, Maya," she said, eyeing the now sparkling white tiled floor as she tied her violet hair up. "You finished everything on your list?"
"Just have to cook dinner with you and Miss Yukina!" I replied with a tired smile.
"I'll start prepping everything, you go put the cleaning supplies away and wash up before helping." She winked at me and I breathed a quiet thank you.
After putting everything away, I sighed and slouched against the bathroom sink as water ran over my dirty hands. How tiring… I wanted to sleep.
I shot up instantly. No! She wants to see weakness so she could send me home! I was going to see this through.
I scrubbed my hands until the dirt was gone and returned to the kitchen, finding Miyuki over a cutting board and a smaller, icy blue haired girl at the stove. Another youkai?! Wow!
"Excuse me!" I smiled as I entered, drawing both of their attentions. "Need any help?"
They looked over to me, and I was taken aback by the icy blue haired girl's ruby red eyes. My jaw dropped again as she smiled to me.
"You must be Miss Maya! I'm Yukina." The blue girl smiled, and gestured for me to come over. Excited, I quickly walked over to her. "I just put the rice in the steamer and Miyuki's working on the garnish. Can you cook meat well?"
"I'm pretty good with beef!" I smiled.
"Can you do pork?" Miyuki asked, and I nodded.
"Well, it's all the same in the end, right? What are we having tonight?"
"Goya champloo," Miyuki replied. (*5)
We set to work, each being given individual tasks. I was seasoning and slicing the pork when I struck up a question.
"So… How many people are we cooking for?"
"Just the four of us tonight," Yukina responded, heating the pan. "Sometimes we have guests. Some are humans that are in need of help, like you, and some are youkai."
"Does she always make you guys do these chores?" I asked.
Miyuki laughed as Yukina suppressed a giggle.
"No. Well, I mean, we have chores and all," Miyuki said, dicing carrots. "But she just knew you'd do what she told you."
I huffed and pouted as the girls laughed, but I found I wasn't really angry. If this was some sort of initiation rite then so be it—besides, with the way the two spoke so confidently in what it was, I was sure I was right.
Before the food was finished, I was asked to set the table. As I laid down the last plate, I heard Genkai's voice behind me.
"Finished everything?" she asked as she sat at the table.
Yukina and Miyuki came out with the finished food as I replied with a smile. "Yes, Master Genkai."
She stared at me steadily.
"Oh, thanks," Genkai said as she noticed Yukina handing her a bowl of rice.
I tucked my feet under me and sat next to Genkai after passing out all the food, and just two bites into my dinner I heard something that upset me.
"You're fixed," she said. "You can go home tomorrow."
"What?" My jaw dropped open for the third time today, and I watched as Yukina ducked out of the way of a stray spark that flew from my hand.
"Just wanted to see what was wrong with you," Genkai said simply with a shrug. "Your friend told me about it but I wanted to see it for myself. You'll have control over your reiki before the end of tomorrow, even sooner actually."
"Really…?" I was almost sad at the news.
"You learned to control your reiki when you were cleaning," she noted, shoving a small bunch of rice in her mouth. "You just need to get the hang of that and you'll be on your way."
I stared down at my champloo, suddenly feeling a lot less hungry. How rude would it be to ask her to actually train me?
"Just spit it out, kid," Genkai grunted.
"I was actually… hoping to not only control my ki but… really learn how to use it."
Miyuki was looking between us like it was a juicy TV drama and though Yukina was interested in Genkai's reply, she kept her eyes lowered on her plate and pretended that the meal she was eating was ten times more interesting.
"I don't have it in me for another student," she said curtly.
I nodded and continued eating. I guess I'd have to learn how to hone everything on my own after this…
"Did you actually expect me to take you under my wing and train you?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I knew this wasn't supposed to be permanent—it's not. I guess I just thought it was more than a quick fix." I set my chopsticks down quickly and turned away from the table to properly bow. I didn't want her to think I was being rude! Forehead to the tatami floor, I continued. "Regardless, I appreciate you taking the time out of your life to help me with this issue. It's truly a godsend."
"Not often do I find a human kid who actually wants to learn how to channel their ki after a life without it—in a life of pampering, at that."
My forehead stayed on the floor, and I was glad I couldn't find the courage to look up at her as I replied. "I've always enjoyed calling myself an adventurous spirit. I mean…" No, I had to sit up and look her in the eye. Her stare—cold but probably her permanent expression—struck me. I worked up the courage to continue. "I've lived vicariously through every show, book, or comic in existence, hoping one day I could really see and experience their stories. I know this is the closest to leaving a boring life behind as I can get."
"What, you think I'll teach you how to shoot firebolts out your ass so you can run around and pick fights with youkai like your comic book protags?" she snorted.
I shook my head. "No… I… I don't know what I'd do. Maybe help people the way you do. I want to do something great with this." I found myself smiling as my eyes drifted to the tatami pattern. "All I know is this is going to be my last chance at leaving a mundane human life behind. I always accepted it was going to be that way, but then Aiko told me you could help…" I found myself laughing. "I just got in over my head. I'm sorry for expecting so much. I truly do appreciate what you're doing to help me—I'd be a wreck without it."
She didn't reply, and after a few moments of awkward silence I turned back to my plate to eat.
I was so embarrassed—shit. How dumb and rude could I get?
Shit. I wanted to slap myself silly.
Her voice caught me by surprise as I finished the last of my dinner. I jumped out of my skin, not really processing her words until after I had a mini heart-attack.
"I don't go easy on my students."
Tips of my chopsticks still between my lips, I found myself smiling ear to ear—which sent excited, blue sparks flying about the room.
A/N:
* 175 cm is about 5'7".
** Torii's are traditional gates found in Shinto shrines, marking the grounds sacred.
*** Shoji is usually a sliding door (but sometimes a window or room divider as well) that has paper-like covering over a wood or bamboo frame to hold it together.
(*4) 130 cm is about 4'3" and 162 cm is about 5'4".
(*5) Champloo is stir-fry originating from Okinawa that includes meat or fish, tofu, vegetables, egg, bean sprouts, and bitter melon.