Sayomi kept her dark eyes on him, analyzing her brother's every move. No. He's not my brother. It's just his Shade.
She watched him get to his feet and brush himself off. Though he looked the same as always, his aura reminded her of the night she ran. He's dangerous…
"Sayomi…" He smiled at her, sending cold chills through her body. "Why are you so angry?"
The hairs on her neck stood up. "Seriously? You're asking why?"
He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I did what I had to. Although, despite my best efforts to prevent it, you still chose him."
Sayomi's grip tightened around her sickle and the chain spun a little faster. "I didn't choose anyone. I was trying to get answers because something felt off."
"If you had just let me kill him, then it wouldn't have been an issue."
"He left me..." She growled low in her throat. "Why would that matter?"
Yasuhiro's smile shifted to a frown. "The fact that he appeared in the illusion at all means you still have an attachment to him." His frown deepened to a scowl. "I had to kill him to sever that attachment completely. I was trying to do it before you could find him, but I wasn't quick enough."
Sayomi smirked. "Speed is in his nature."
Yasuhiro scoffed. "Regardless, you weren't supposed to be able to break out. How did you do it?"
"I had already merged with my Shade." Sayomi's eyes narrowed. "You tried to mold me into something I'm not and it was literally tearing me apart from the inside. I had to remember what was important to me. When I remembered his name, everything came back and I realized I missed my freedom. He helped me earn it. You're trying to take it away."
Yasuhiro sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This again..." He glared at her through his lashes. "There aren't many of us left, Sayomi. It's why mother raised me to protect you. I'm strong so you don't need to be."
Sayomi clicked her tongue and said, "I don't need protection. Least of all, from you."
She vanished from his view and appeared behind him before she threw the chain. It wrapped around his torso, but he disappeared like smoke.
"You'll need to do better than that, Sayomi."
She snapped her head to the left and saw Yasuhiro bringing his scythe down on her. She instantly jumped back into her cloak, teleporting out of the way. His scythe slashed into the ground, leaving a large gash that would've split her in two.
Sayomi jumped out of his shadow directly in front of him, forcing him to let go of his weapon. She sliced up with her sickle, but he guided her arm away from himself and stepped back.
"Nice try," he taunted with a smirk.
Yasuhiro punched her cheek and kicked her down to the ground. Then he kneeled down to grab her hair and force her eyes up. "You can avoid this if you give in and let me take care of you."
Sayomi glared at him defiantly and said, "I don't need a babysitter."
She used her elbow to hit his diaphragm, making him lose his grip and his breath. Then she kicked, sweeping his legs out from underneath.
Now's my chance! She spun around and swung her sickle down.
Yasuhiro smirked and vanished in his own shadow.
Sayomi clenched her teeth and pulled her weapon back to her hand. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused on the sounds and smells around her. When she felt his aura coming down from above, she jumped out of the way.
She landed with a roll and glared at the crater left behind by the attack. "I didn't think you were trying to kill me."
"If you want to prove yourself, then I'll give you a real fight." Yasuhiro stood before her with his scythe. "I don't want to kill you, but I will make you realize how weak you really are."
Sayomi smirked and started to spin her sickle. "Come at me, bro."
Yasuhiro's eye twitched. Then he dashed forward and swung his weapon.
She pivoted and jumped up. She swung her sickle in a figure-eight, shooting out two crossed crescents of darkness.
He vanished before it could hit him and reappeared behind her. He brought his scythe around to trap her against him. "It's a new moon, Sayomi. Surely you understand what that means."
Sayomi vanished from his grasp and reappeared behind him. She immediately used her shadow chains to bind him in place. "You mean using the dark to our advantage."
Yasuhiro nodded with approval. "Got it in one. These chains are certainly creative, but they're not nearly strong enough. You don't know how to use the darkness to enhance your power. I can teach you."
"Liar. You didn't bother to teach me anything in that illusion." Sayomi's grip tightened around her weapon.
"Ku ku ku ku ku..." He chuckled. "That's because it was an illusion. Nothing was really going to happen to you. You didn't need it."
The chains twisted and unwound until they were tendrils of shadows under his control. "You see, I can take over your shadows, too. You've never had to face another shadow demon before, have you?"
"I suppose you have?" Sayomi did her best to keep a calm outward appearance. Inside, she was on high alert.
"Plenty. I would hear rumors of a shadow demon and track them down, hoping it would be you. With every encounter, I had to finish them before they could kill me." He raised his hand and gathered the darkness in his palm, forming a sphere of condensed power. The more power he used, the blacker it became.
"You're serious..." She watched him cautiously.
"I've been serious this whole time. You're the one who won't take me seriously." He tossed the orb into the air and smirked. "Let's fix that, shall we?"
Before she could react, the sphere exploded, shrouding them in complete darkness. Her vision and hearing became useless, despite her efforts. She tried to speak, but even her voice was silent to her ears. This isn't good!
Yasuhiro smiled as his eyes became completely black. "Now, let's see how you handle the dark."
Sayomi took a step back. He's muted my senses. How the hell am I supposed to find him like this, let alone fight?
She tried to feel for his aura, but all she could feel was the cold night air. It's like what Master Genkai said... He's trying to take advantage of my primal fear. I can't give him the opportunity to use it against me.
But... How do I find him in this? Her eyes wandered, trying to find the slightest silhouette of Yasuhiro.
As she searched, the shadow demon attacked with his scythe. He sliced into her arm, causing her to drop her chain and let out a silent scream of pain. When she swung her sickle to attack him blindly, he chuckled. "Ku ku ku... You can't hit what you can't see."
Sayomi gritted her teeth and placed her hand over her bleeding wound. Dammit! I don't know where he is until it's too late. What am I supposed to do?
She covered her hand in aura and started to heal her wound. When she finished, she picked up her chain and started spinning it. At least I can still feel, but whether that's a good or bad thing is still up for debate.
"Oh Sayomi..." Yasuhiro smiled as he watched her from just inches away. "Healing is all you need to know. You're more suited for nurturing and taking care of others. You used to be so scared of violence and seeing anyone get hurt. What made you want to fight?"
He reached out to touch her, but stopped just short of making contact. "I can't stand that you're putting yourself through this, but if that's what it takes to make you understand..."
He struck at her again and again with his scythe. His eyes narrowed as he watched the blood spill from the cuts. "I'll carve the lesson through to your soul."
Sayomi felt the sharp edge of his blade slice through her arms and legs, forcing her to her knees in agony. She could feel the warm blood spilling from her split skin and trailing down her body. The pain only seemed to get worse as time passed.
I can't... I can't heal quickly enough... She clenched her teeth, biting back the urge to cry and scream. I need... She flexed her fingers, but that only sent another sharp pain through the rest of her body.
It hurts too much... She tried to focus on something else. Anything else besides the pain.
She realized she was hyperventilating. Her heart was pumping in a frenzied panic and it only made her bleed out faster. Though it took effort with the pain continuously getting worse with every new cut, she tried to focus on her breathing.
Is this all just another illusion? It feels too real... She eventually started to feel weak and fell forward into a puddle of her own blood. I need...
Yasuhiro stared down at her empty eyes. "You left me no choice. You won't die, but you certainly can't move."
He knelt down to gently pet her head. "Maybe now you'll understand."
As he was about to lift his hand, he realized he couldn't move. "What the...?
"Ghuh!" His eyes widened when he felt a strong pull in his mind. He ground his teeth and tried to resist. The harder he fought, the more insistent the pull became. Eventually, it overpowered him and dragged him down into the pit of his memories.
The first thing he saw was a panicked woman. She cradled something in her arms as she stayed crouched out of sight from the window. Yasuhiro watched her through a thin crack in the closet door, doing his best to keep quiet.
Several feet stomped outside at a run near the hut.
"I think she went this way!"
"After her!"
"They're a blight that must be eradicated at all costs!"
"Shadows only cause chaos and misfortune. They're no good for anything if they can't be tamed. Search the grounds! Don't let them escape!"
"Yes, sir!"
Yasuhiro was curled into a tight ball until he heard the voices fade away. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief until he heard a small hiccup.
He peeked through the crack to see the woman shushing the bundle in her arms. As he tried to see what it was, he tripped over the cloth at his feet and tumbled out of the closet.
"Who's there?!" The woman turned and held the bundle tightly to her chest.
"Oh!" She blinked and rushed to his side when she realized he was just a small boy. "Are you okay? Are you here by yourself?"
She quickly searched her surroundings for anyone that might've tried to attack. When she noticed the large clothes on the floor, her eyes widened. "Oh, child... Are you a Shadow demon?"
Yasuhiro's eyes widened. He was about to run when he heard the small hiccup again. He looked back to see the woman was holding a little girl in her arms.
She was wrapped in an oversized black cloth, but he could see her black hair and gray eyes. She watched him as curiously as he watched her.
The woman smiled at him. "I am Mika and this is my daughter, Sayomi. We're also Shadow demons. Do you have a name?"
He watched her carefully before he muttered, "Yasuhiro..."
"That's a nice strong name, Yasuhiro. Would you like to come with us? I'm sure you and Sayomi will be good for each other."
Yasuhiro reached out to hold Sayomi's tiny hand and clasped onto the hand of a slightly older girl. She was too big to be carried anymore, but she had plenty of energy to get around herself. Occasionally, she would ask to hold his hand anyway.
They were both following Mika to the next village for supplies. She needed to teach Yasuhiro how to do it, but they couldn't leave Sayomi unattended. They were still young enough to cater sympathy from some of the merchants, but Yasuhiro was kicking into his growth spurt.
"Yasuhiro..." Mika spoke quietly to keep her voice from traveling too far. "You're going to become a young man soon. That means you'll need to be able to take care of yourself and Sayomi."
"But, what about you, Mother?" Yasuhiro had adopted her as his mother just as she adopted him as her son.
"I'll be with you for as long as I can and beyond the grave. Regardless, you must know how to survive and keep yourselves safe when I die. Your official training will begin today."
"But... you're not going to die soon, right Mother? You're still young and able," Yasuhiro reasoned.
Mika turned to give him and Sayomi a hug. "I'm afraid I can't make such a promise, my son. I'm not a fighter. I can't promise I'll always make it." She pulled away and gave them a warm smile. "But I can promise that you'll be able to."
"What do you mean?" Yasuhiro asked.
"If anything happens to me, it'll just be you and Sayomi. She'll need to rely on you to be her protector. You're all she'll have left." Mika ruffled both of their heads playfully, earning a sweet giggle from Sayomi.
"I'll have you too, Mommy!" Sayomi grabbed her mother's hand and squeezed it tightly.
Mika laughed. "Yes, Sayomi. I'll always be with you, too." She looked at her son and said, "Promise me, Yasuhiro, that you'll survive and live together as a real family."
Yasuhiro blinked at her in hesitation. Then he looked down at Sayomi who eagerly held her hand out for him to take again. He smiled and held it securely in his. "I promise, Mother."
Time lapsed again and Yasuhiro glared through his hair as he tried to shake it out of his eyes. He knelt near a river over the fish he managed to catch for dinner. He was trying to scale and gut them, but his hair kept getting in the way.
When it blocked his view again, he sighed and washed his hands clean in the water, then tried to slick his hair back. As he returned to the fish, strands that stuck together fell into his view.
"One of these days, I'm gonna just chop it all off and not deal with this anymore," he grumbled.
"No!" Sayomi tackled him down into the ground with a strong hug. "Don't cut your hair, Hiro!"
Yasuhiro looked down at her, shocked and taken off guard. "But it gets in the way!"
"No! It looks pretty, so don't cut it!"
"But-"
"Not buts!" Sayomi protested. "Don't cut it because it looks pretty and I like playing with it!" Sayomi glared at him as she held his long hair in a tight fist. "If you need it, I'll give you this."
She quickly slipped his dagger out of its sheath and sliced her hair to bob length. She handed him her chopped-off ponytail and said, "You can use my ribbon to keep your hair out of your eyes so you won't have to cut it. I don't care if I have short hair."
"But you have beautiful hair, Sayomi!" Yasuhiro protested.
Sayomi crossed her arms and said, "No! You keep your hair long and pretty so I can play with it and style it, and I'll keep mine short so you can use my ribbon."
Yasuhiro sighed and gave in with a smile. "You really want me to keep my hair?"
Sayomi nodded her head excitedly. "I do!"
Yasuhiro smirked. "Heh, okay. I'll keep my long hair if it makes you so happy."
Her pure smile warmed his heart. He couldn't imagine a future without her smile.
Then she was gone.
He remembered the hunters. He remembered the joy he felt when he drove them to madness. He remembered their screams of agony and his laughter as he watched them suffer. He felt the invigorating power he held over them and the satisfaction from their helplessness.
After the last one fell, his face frozen in terror, Yasuhiro grinned and yelled into the sky. "I did it! I killed them all!"
Pride swelled in his chest when he looked down at the corpses that littered the floor. He walked over them carelessly as he started to look for Sayomi.
"Now we won't have to run and hide. I can just kill them and we'll be just fine." The idea of Sayomi's welcoming smile made him speed up eagerly. "We're free, Sayomi."
When he found the place where he left her, he frowned. There was a hunter laying just a couple meters away, but she was nowhere in sight. The hunter was already dead and there was no sign of blood or even a struggle.
He combed a hand through his tied hair and sighed. "At least she got away safely. She can't be too far."
He studied the area and followed the most likely path based on the snapped twigs and crushed grass. He made sure to keep his walk slow and quiet. He didn't want to risk scaring her off.
However, after several minutes of searching, he became anxious and started calling out for her. "Sayomi!"
When there was no answer or sign of her whereabouts, his state of panic escalated to a sense of urgency to find her. He made a promise to Mika and he had no intention of breaking it. He had to find her, no matter what.
Without wasting anymore time, he merged with the shadows of the night and manifested just outside of the nearest village. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to search for any trace of her aura. "If she kept heading in the same general direction, she should've ended up somewhere around here, right?"
He ventured into the village and kept his face hidden under his hood. His eyes scanned the faces that openly judged and questioned him. He ignored them and continued searching for her.
He searched the market. He searched the residential district. He tried asking villagers if they had seen her. The ones who bothered answering at all just threatened him.
By dawn, he wasn't any closer to finding Sayomi. His eyes darkened as he realized how much time he had wasted and how scared and alone she must feel without him.
As the sun rose higher, the shadows became darker and more prominent, but he couldn't travel as smoothly as he would at night. He glared through the morning light and continued his search.
Time blurred together as he searched for her. Days turned into weeks just as quickly as months turned to years. Whether it had been decades or centuries, he didn't know or care. All he wanted was to find her and make sure she was safe in his arms.
He searched the villages and open wilderness for any signs of her. All the while, he remembered her cheerful smile and innocent laugh. He thought of finding her terrified and it propelled him to keep looking.
Eventually, he spotted a young demon girl in a village that was almost a spitting image of Sayomi. They looked about the same age and had the same hair. The only difference was their eyes, so he dismissed her altogether.
However, the longer he searched, the more desperate he became. Before he knew it, he was seeing her everywhere. Every village had at least a few girls that reminded him of Sayomi.
When he spotted another girl, he forced himself to avert his gaze.
"It's not her," he muttered to himself. "The nose is wrong and her cheeks are too plump."
His eyes wandered back to the girl. "If it was her, would she recognize me?"
He watched as the girl strolled through the streets without any sense of caution. She seemed comfortable with her surroundings and she wasn't nervous about anyone.
"Would Sayomi be the same way? If she felt perfectly safe, would she be just as carefree?"
As he watched her, he realized he was stalking her from the shadows. He kept a safe enough distance, but she was always in his sight. The girl carried on with her business, oblivious to his presence. Her innocent nature drew him to her like a moth to a flame.
"I know it's not her..." he whispered to himself. "I know, but they do look so much alike. She's almost her doppelganger."
Before long, the sun started to set and the girl was finishing her outing for the day. Yasuhiro followed her silently and waited for the best moment to get her attention. When she cut through a back alley, a child's idea of a shortcut, he made his move.
She was humming a wordless song when she heard a voice call out to her.
"Excuse me, young lady."
She turned to face the young man curiously. She smiled at him and said, "Hello."
He returned her smile. "Sorry to interrupt your pretty song, but I was wondering if you could help me." He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at the ground. "I'm looking for my little sister. She's about your age."
The girl frowned. "Is she lost?"
"Yeah," he admitted shamefully. "We're not from around here and I can't find her anywhere. Can you help me?"
The girl smiled and nodded. "Sure! I know these streets like the back of my hand!"
She extended her hand for him to take and he accepted it. Her small hand in his reminded him of Sayomi, too.
When he looked at the girl's friendly expression beaming up at him, he kneeled down to her level and pulled her into a hug. He held her close and whispered quietly in her ear. "Thank you."
The girl looked at him in confusion until her vision started to fade. "W-what's going on?"
"Shhh..." Yasuhiro gently petted her hair to keep her calm. "I've got you. Nothing will happen to you ever again."
"Mister...?" The girl whimpered.
Yasuhiro smiled as his aura covered the girl. It didn't matter that she wasn't his sister. It didn't matter that she was still lost and alone. All he cared about was the small frame in his arms. "You're safe now. I won't lose you again."
The little girl stared ahead at nothing as he whispered sweet words into her ear. Her face was frozen in fear and she couldn't move. Before she knew what was happening, all she could comprehend were his words and her tears.
Then, it was raining.
Yasuhiro was in a similar position with an older girl. She looked enough like Sayomi to catch his attention and he wasted no time acquiring her. They sat in a dark backstreet, oblivious to their soaked clothes and the cold night air.
"I finally found you," he whispered lovingly. "Now we can be together."
The girl was weeping. Her body sat limply in his arms while he embraced and caressed her.
Yasuhiro's dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction with his new doll. Each one he collected over the years tended to break easily. He intended to take good care of this one. "Just stay with me and you'll be fine."
"You really are pathetic."
Yasuhiro's eyes were almost black when he glared up at the stranger.
His head was wrapped heavily in bandages aside from a single large blue eye. Even his hands were bound together with the wraps. He wore nice looking clothes that were loose and easy enough to move in.
"Leave us," Yasuhiro growled.
Ignoring the threat, the stranger continued. "I heard rumors of a dark shadow that carried away young girls. After a few days, if they're not dead, they're found in the streets muttering nonsense. I suppose that would make you the shadow."
Yasuhiro didn't take his eyes off the demon. Instead, he bared his teeth and let his aura spill around him like a black fog. The black markings around his eyes spread further out to cover his face like a mask.
The stranger watched him, unfazed by the spike in his aura. As if he was having a pleasant conversation with a friend, he asked, "Do you enjoy breaking the minds of young girls or are you looking for someone?"
Yasuhiro's breath hitched. His eyes widened slightly. He froze in place, prepared to fight or run as necessary. His low voice felt rough in his throat as he asked, "What do you know?"
The demon tilted his head slightly and answered, "I know you only target young girls with black hair and gray eyes. When you don't kill them, they are no longer aware of reality and they always mention something about a big brother, even if they don't have one."
When Yasuhiro remained still and silent, the demon said, "Shadow demons are a rare breed these days. Based on the number of girls you left broken in your wake, I can assume she's been missing for quite some time. She might've been sold in the Black Market by now."
Yasuhiro's eyes were pitch black. Before he could attack, he was pressed down to the ground by an immense pressure. The girl fell next to him, still in a trance and mumbling to herself. He growled angrily, despite his immobility.
"I didn't come all this way to fight. In fact, I came to offer you a deal."
Yasuhiro glared up at the bandaged demon and decided to listen. He couldn't really do anything else.
"Raizen has pledged to stop eating humans. Before too long, the fool will die from starvation and I'll be waiting to strike. I need strong warriors on my side if I want to rule the Demon Plane. Join me so that I may rise to absolute power. In return, you will become one of my elite warriors and you'll have a much easier time finding her."
Yasuhiro thought over the demon's words carefully. "And just who are you, exactly?"
"It's proper manners to introduce yourself first."
Yasuhiro scowled. "I'm Yasuhiro."
"I am Mukuro. So, do we have a deal?"
"What happens after I find her?" he asked.
"That depends. If Raizen is still alive, you will be permitted to bring her back with you to reside in my fortress since I will still require you for battle. If he is dead and I am the sole ruler, then you will be free to leave with her."
Yasuhiro didn't like any of it, but if this really was Mukuro then he didn't have much of a choice. "What happens if I refuse your deal?"
"Then I will kill you here and now."
Yasuhiro's eyes gradually returned to normal, though they were still a dark gray. "I'll join you... But on one condition."
Mukuro tilted his head curiously. "Oh?"
"When I find her, I want her to be safe. I will follow your orders, but I don't want her near any fighting."
"Hmm..." Mukuro looked up in thought. Then he looked down at the shadow demon and said, "That is a simple enough request. So it's settled." He extinguished his aura so Yasuhiro could move and started walking away. "You'll begin your training immediately. I can't have you losing control on the battlefield unless it's an order."
Yasuhiro glared at the tyrant and stuffed his hands into his pockets before he followed.
The young girl was left alone in the cold wet street, broken and forgotten.
The stormy street faded away until it was replaced with what looked like several large tents on the outskirts of Demon City. The sun had already set, so the area was busy with demons of all kinds arriving and leaving.
Yasuhiro kept his hood over his head and scanned the crowd. It mostly comprised of older males of varying classes. Some were beast-like and others more humanoid. His dark eyes narrowed as he watched them appraise the merchandise.
Young girls, older women, and even some young men were bound in shackles and chains. Most of their eyes were empty and hopeless, resolved to their fate as slaves while others retained their fighting spirit. They usually sold more quickly if they fought back. Some masters preferred to break-in their own slaves.
He glared down when he noticed a hand had reached out to grab his arm. He looked up to see an eager seller trying to show him a slave he had for sale.
"You look like a guy who prefers them young and feisty." He pulled on the chain, forcing a young girl to step forward. Her blue eyes were defiant and her long red hair was dirty and tangled. She glared at the seller and Yasuhiro with unrestrained malice.
"No thanks," Yasuhiro said sternly. "I'm actually looking for the ring leader."
The merchant's eyes narrowed as he raised a brow. "Why would you need to meet him?"
"I'm here under Lord Mukuro's orders. Now, where can I find him?" Yasuhiro didn't care to waste time. Though he hated having to label himself as one of the king's men, he did enjoy the influence it gave him over the locals.
The merchant's eyes widened when he heard Mukuro. He quickly bowed his head in apology and guided him through the crowd. "Of course. He's right this way."
Yasuhiro was led through the various tents until he was ushered into one. The inside didn't look any different than the others aside from how empty it was.
A single man sat at a table counting money and going over sale records. He looked up curiously when he noticed he had company. "I wasn't expecting any visitors today. How may I help you?"
"I'm here as an elite warrior under Lord Mukuro. I need information."
"What sort of information are we discussing?"
"Do you have any records regarding a young girl with black hair and gray eyes. A shadow demon."
The ring leader took the time to look through his records. After several minutes of searching he looked up at Yasuhiro with a feigned sorrowful look. "I regret to inform you that we have no record of such a sale. Though, I envy the trader who would make such a profit."
"Do you know of any?" Yasuhiro asked. Any rumors would be better than nothing. He needed something to look for.
"I don't know them personally, but are you familiar with the Brokers of Darkness?"
"You mean the demons who capture and sell rare demons to humans?" Yasuhiro's blood started to boil.
"The very same," the ring leader said. "I heard they even managed to capture a rare young ice apparition. If they could acquire her, I imagine a young shadow demon would be no problem."
"I see..." Yasuhiro turned to leave without another glance back.
He left the trading grounds to make his report to Lord Mukuro. Sayomi wasn't there, but he might've found a possible lead. He remembered the broken and defeated look that most of the slaves wore and hoped that his sweet sister didn't share that same haunted expression.
Before he left the city, he picked up a familiar aura signature. He took off to track it down, but it led him to the Labyrinth Castle. Yasuhiro tried to find a way in, but the whole castle was surrounded by a barrier. "How did she get in?"
After a few hours of searching and asking the locals about the castle, the barrier was let down from the castle. He rushed in and followed her trail to the top of the tallest tower where it disappeared altogether.
He clenched his fists in frustration. "It was her aura, but it was dark and violent. There are others with her, a few humans and a couple demons."
He tried to find the portal that she stepped through, but it was already gone. "If the Brokers of Darkness are the ones who sold her, then they should be able to tell me who she was sold to."
The Brokers of Darkness weren't easy to track down. The most certain rumor he was able to confirm was that they would be competing in the Dark Tournament.
He arrived on Hangman Island through a temporary open portal. He fished for its location from a demon who was bragging about being able to see the tournament live. Once there, he registered for his room and decided to wait for the first round to make his move.
However, his plans changed when he felt a familiar aura arrive at the hotel the very night before the start of the first round. He couldn't mistake it for anyone else.
He rushed down to the lobby and hid in the shadows. The wealthy humans chuckled and muttered to themselves about the human guest team. Apparently, they were the Underworld's newest team of hunters who stuck their noses too far into certain affairs.
His curiosity peaked. He kept a safe distance from them, but he kept the tall human with orange hair in his sight. When they rode the elevator up, he noticed it stopped on the fourth floor. He found the fire escape stairs and climbed up to the fourth floor at a steady walk.
He didn't want to run into the humans. He recalled that back in Demon City, Sayomi's aura was jumbled with human and demon auras. "What would Sayomi be doing with hunters?"
He knew that the infamous thieves Kurama and Hiei were traitors that teamed up with the humans to hunt demons. "Is Sayomi also hunting demons, or is she being forced against her will?"
His eyes narrowed at the thought. "If she was sold as a slave to work for the Underworld, nothing will be able to stop me from getting her back."
When he made it to the right floor, he noticed a blond demon standing by in front of a door. He was relaxed against a wall until something caught his attention. As if it was only natural, he slipped into the room.
Before the door could close, Yasuhiro rushed in to merge with the demon's shadow. He realized he got lucky when he felt the human auras in the room. As stealthily as he could, he maneuvered out of the demon's shadow and settled into a shadow from the furniture in the room.
He listened to the exchange of taunts and challenges until two demons left the room. Once the tension dissipated from the room, the guest team started to relax. He heard Sayomi's voice and he had to restrain himself from giving himself away too soon.
He was in enemy territory and vastly outnumbered. He also didn't want to risk endangering her right after he found her.
"That's three times now. You guys better beat them because if I have to step into the ring, they'll regret it."
Yasuhiro felt furious and shocked when he heard his little sister make such a bold declaration.
"So I suppose that makes you our alternate fighter. According to the tournament rules, you won't be able to take part in the matches unless one of us dies." The calm male voice gave Yasuhiro some sense of relief.
"Then no one better die in the first round," Sayomi retorted angrily.
After a while, everyone settled in for the night. Once the lights were off and everyone was asleep, Yasuhiro manifested himself into the room.
He walked up to the only girl in the room. She was fast asleep and unaware of his presence despite his proximity. He would use that to his advantage to keep a close eye on her. If she really was part of the team, then he had no choice but to wait until the end of the tournament to take her back. He had to return to the Demon Plane by then regardless since his Human World pass would expire.
Though she wasn't the same as he remembered, there was no question that it was really her. No matter how long he had to wait, he swore he would bring her home safe and sound. He told himself to be patient for just a little longer, but he yearned to hold her in his arms again.
He eventually had her. He had to wait a few extra months, but she was finally his again. She was his to watch over and keep safe. She was within easy reach so he could embrace her and not let go. He could talk to her and hear her laughter ringing in the air.
Then he was locked up in isolation.
That brat, Hiei, had boldly declared that he was her mate. In a rage, Yasuhiro stormed up to Lord Mukuro and demanded that the thief be taught a lesson and his sister returned.
However, rather than listen to his demands, the king had locked him away in a bright lit room. Light shined at him from all directions, eliminating nearly all the shadows in the room.
He didn't know how much time passed while he was locked away, but he spent the entirety of it thinking about Sayomi.
"She doesn't know any better," he muttered to himself. "She doesn't understand that we were promised to each other from the moment Mika died."
He glared through the blinding light, his eyes completely black and surrounded by black markings.
"As soon as I'm free of this prison, I will retrieve her and show her that thief's true nature." He smiled as he thought of his plan. "She'll realize she won't need to fight if I'm there to protect her.
"First, I'll need her to forget everything that's holding her back. The thief, the Underworld Detective, the Human World, all of it. If it had never happened... If I had never lost her, we would've been happy together."
He remembered her young smiling face and the more recent look of fear and rejection in her eyes. He clenched his fists, digging his black nails into his palms until they started bleeding.
"She only rejects me because she doesn't know any better. She doesn't realize that everything I've done has been for her sake. She doesn't understand just how much we belong together. She'll learn soon enough."
He smiled as he continued plotting. "Once her connections are severed, I will be all that remains. She'll learn to depend on me and rely on me for her very happiness. I will become all she can think about and we'll only need each other.
"If necessary, I may need to resort to drastic measures. If it comes to that, she won't want to leave my side ever again." His smile grew into a sinister smirk.
"I'm not above cursing her if it's for her own good. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my promise to Mika and live together with Sayomi as a family. She can play with my hair while I rest my head on her lap. We can live anywhere and have children if she wishes it. I'll make her happiness my top priority if she learns to be happy with me.
"She won't need anyone else. She won't want anyone else. I'll become the center of her world like she is the center of mine. No one will be able to come between us ever again."
He chuckled quietly to himself.
"As soon as I'm free... I'll give her a chance to come with me willingly. If not, I'll give her no choice. I'll play with her mind if I need to."
The thought of her calling for him made him shiver with pleasure. The idea of her body pressed against his in a loving embrace gave him a euphoric high.
"Sayomi..." He whispered her name like it was the most precious sound in the world. "My dear Sayomi... Just a little longer and we'll be together. I will cherish you like no other."
Yasuhiro spent the rest of his isolation fantasizing and plotting for his future with her. He came up with several scenarios he could execute to win her over. Above all else, he needed the thief out of the picture.
The moment he realized he was left unguarded, he made his escape and immediately searched for her. "You're almost mine."