Chapter Eleven
"Father!" Aki shouted, running through the manor with blinding speed. "Father, no!"
His father, the head of the Mari clan, was in the Final Gardens. His graying ears and hair were wiry, and his tail was growing thin. He stood by his late mate's garden, admiring her choices of the exotic flowers there. It thrived, her garden did. And now he would finally be able to see her again.
When his son reached him, bright orange-silver hair cut above his shoulders and wearing his plain white robes that exposed his chest and back, he said nothing at first.
"Father, why?" Aki asked. His drum was tied to his waist. "Who will be your heir when you are gone?"
He turned to face his oldest son. Aki still looked young, tall and muscular with deep gold eyes. A true warrior, really. He should have let Aki do what he pleased instead of keeping him here. He should have let Aki travel the entire Demon World, let him participate in the Dark Tournament. Let him be the man he wanted to be.
He should have done a lot of things differently with his way of parenting. But after she died…
"Father, please," his son pleaded. "Do not leave your people without someone to look for guidance."
"You know who to look to," the old man said. His voice even sounded old. He hated that he would have to go with so many regrets. But it was either be satisfied, or suffer from the illness that had been torturing him for many, many years. "I want you to find her. Bring her back home. Tell her that it is time."
"Wait, Yuzuki?" Aki asked. "But… where is she?"
The man tried to relax his wrinkled face. "She is alive. She will not be hard to track." How he missed his only daughter. He should have been kinder to her all those years ago. He should have let it go. She had broken no law. She had done nothing wrong. She had been following her heart, and that was what was supposed to rule this country. She had not chosen his fate. He had chosen it for her. And as much as he regretted it, it was time for her to do this. "Go to the Reikai. They will help you."
Before he could hear his son's words, he used all of the demon and life energy he had to feed the seeds inside of his body. It was time.
Six months had passed since she had gone under Kurama's care. They had become friends-or, at least what she considered a friend. They tended plants together, cooked, watched television… She'd even met his other friends, although they didn't talk to her much. She tried her best to keep from annoying them, but Kurama said that being distant only made things worse.
She now stood in the kitchen, boiling rice. It was almost time for dinner. She had some curry boiling as well, but it wasn't for her. She was cooking for everyone else. She had simmered zucchini with miso for herself, and she might have some of the rice later. It depended on her appetite.
"Kurama," she called, "come see if the curry is spicy enough."
Not two seconds later, Kurama came walking into the kitchen. "You can try it without eating the meat, you know," he told her.
"No, I'm afraid I cannot," she replied. Her long tail waggled slightly. "But I am parched. Do you want me to make tea? Or coffee?"
He couldn't help but laugh. He loved how open she was becoming with him. And she enjoyed cooking, just like he did She cleaned without asking, staying polite with everyone… the only time she'd acted out was when he took her out in public to buy clothes.
He shook off the thought. God, that had been a disaster. He moved to reach for the spoon in the curry pot. Last time it hadn't been quite spicy enough, and Yuzuki had been quite embarrassed.
He put the spoon to his mouth and tasted. "Hey, this is good," he said.
"You think so?" she asked.
"I really do. I think they'll love it."
"Wonderful. It is almost finished. You may begin setting the table, if you like."
He smiled at her again. She looked good now. At least, to him, anyway. She was wearing dark denim jeans and a pale grey cotton sweater. Her long, bluish hair was pinned up and almost covered her small yoko ears. Her tail poked out of a small hole she'd cut into all of her clothing. Her tail was thick, though, so he knew she had some trouble getting it through such a small opening.
He observed her cautiously as he set the table. She was taller than Hiei and Tamara, but still quite short, almost like a younger girl. He wondered how she felt, knowing she had a young body. Her jean legs and sleeves were tight, showing how thin she was. Despite her cute curves her thin build did amaze him.
"Hey, Uncle Rama, is the food ready?" a small voice asked. Hina came walking through the doorway, carrying a blue stuffed dinosaur.
"Go ahead and get everyone, Hina," Kurama replied. "Everything is ready."
Dinner went by too slow for Yuzuki. She was ready to perform her full-moon meditation. It was a tradition she'd only broken when she was locked in the Reikai prison. But she supposed playing with Hina and Akane would have to do until the moon rose to its highest point.
It didn't stop her from hearing the group's conversation, though. She was a good multitasker.
"So, Kurama, how long are you going to let Yuzuki live with you?" the Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi asked. Yuzuki decided a long time ago that he was too immature to be a father.
"I'm not letting her, Yusuke," replied Kurama. "It's my job that I protect her to my upmost ability."
"She doesn't seem very appreciative, though," Keiko chimed in.
"Yeah," Tamara piped, "She doesn't really talk much."
"Guys, you don't know her the way I do," the fox said. She could hear the quiver in his voice. "She's appreciative. You just have to understand-"
"What is there to understand?" the ugly redhead shouted. Yuzuki preferred not to speak with him much. "She's an antisocial rude-ass, that's all there is to it!"
"Shut up, you idiot." Yuzuki almost didn't hear Hiei's voice. "Kurama is right; you don't know her or what she's been through."
"And you do, shrimp?" Kuwabara asked.
"Hn. Kurama and I have our talks, fool. He doesn't want the whole world to know her secret."
"Maybe we could accept her more if she said something," the idiot said. "We have to learn to understand her eventually."
Yuzuki stood, telling Hina that she would return shortly. She made her way to the kitchen, where the group was sitting at the table, Hiei holding the six-month old Ryuu. She took her previous seat. They all stared in silence The fire demon smirked. So he'd known the whole time.
"You want to know my story?" she asked. "I'll gladly tell you. Maybe then my nightmares will go away."
They were all stunned into silence, especially Kurama. He hadn't shared anything about Yuzuki with his friends, minus Hiei.
"I was born five hundred years ago, to a royal family known as the Mari clan." She made eye contact with all of them before she continued. "A long time ago, the Reikai put me under the protective custody of a Demon Hunter, sending him to live in my homeland. We became lovers, and I was banished from the Mari culture." She sighed, fighting tears. "We went to the Ningenkai together, planning on starting a family. A few years passed; my lover grew mad with the assignments given to him by King Enma, previous ruler of the Spirit World."
"Just how many Spirit Detectves go crazy?" Yusuke half-shouted. "I've only met one that isn't insane so far, and she-"
"Don't interrupt, Urameshi," Hiei growled. "She's obviously uncomfortable, and that's why she's making this so quick." He smirked at her again. "Please, Yuzuki, begin again. And don't skip any details."
Yuzuki put her hands on the table. "Are you attempting to mock me, Forbidden Child?" She was surprised at the calmness in her voice.
Kurama moved to defend Hiei before his mate could. "You know Hiei is like that. You can just go on as you were."
She grimaced at the now scowling fire demon before she continued. "I know that you all have heard of something named 'the Black Black Club,' where demons are sold like animals for fighting and twisted torture." She paused as all but Tamara nodded. Seems she didn't know everything, after all. "These actions have gone on for many years. Only now in the modern world is it a business. Four hundred years ago, a scene on the film Chapter Black was filmed in a mansion by Spirit World. My lover, as well as several other human beings, were not the victims." She paused. "It was myself, and there were three or four dozen other low-class demons from Yomi's region of rule."
Tears were in Keiko's eyes. No one said anything. Even the Forbidden Child was expressionless.
"I was kept alive, as my lover's prize, and watched many demons die for several months. I was kept in a sealed cage, left in black darkness with no one to speak to."
"How did you get out?" Kuwabara asked.
Yuzuki smirked and closed her eyes. "On the night of a full moon, I bit my lover in self defense, to run away. He was going to kill me, but then I was stolen for my abilities by a Yoko named Kurama."
They all looked to their green-eyed friend-except Tamara, who was rocking Ryuu to sleep. God, what a look he had on his face.
"You rescued her?" Kuwabara yelled.
"Wow, who would've known you were so noble!" Yusuke chimed in.
"Wait, guys, it's not-"
"It's almost like fate, you two meeting up-"
"Guys-"
"Hn. Nothing is dependent on fate."
"Don't be such a pessimist!" Yuzuki then found she really hated Kuwabara's voice.
"All right. I am going outside," she said. "Kurama, tell the children I will finish playing soon, but I have to rest tonight."
"Right," the yoko replied, nodding.
She stepped out the back door quietly. Meditation was needed.
Kurama knew that Yuzuki was extremely embarrassed that she was being gossiped about in her own shelter. He was embarrassed for her.
"So… she's a princess?" Keiko asked.
"A former princess," Tamara answered.
"Just stop," Kurama growled, before anything else could be said. "You guys wonder why she doesn't want to talk to you. She's embarrassed of her past, and it gives her nightmares, but that's all you want to know about her. You don't have to judge her by what she's done. Yuzuki is a beautiful, intelligent, peaceful demon who is tired of hurting. Maybe-"
"Jeez, sorry, Kurama, calm down," Kuwabara said.
"No, I'm going to finish," he said again. He didn't know where this anger was coming from. "Do you have any idea what it's like, huh? Listening to that poor woman cry in her bed every single night? Listening to her talk about how she wants the darkness to go away? How she wants to die so she can escape the eternal pain from whatever it was that the human did to her? Knowing that you can do absolutely nothing to protect her!?"
"Kurama, there's no need to get nasty," Yusuke said.
Kurama looked down at his hands to see that they'd grown claws, the same ones like a true yoko. He sucked in a breath. What the hell was wrong with him?
"Sorry," he said quietly. "I'm… I'm just tired. I've had a long day at work."
They all nodded and Tamara stood to gather up her children. It was getting late, anyway, and they all needed rest. Sheesh. Mondays.
After they were all gone, Kurama headed to the back door to check on Yuzuki. She shouldn't be finished meditating until about one in the morning, but she often started earlier than midnight.
Kurama peered out the window. Sure enough, the female oko sat in the middle of his rose garden, fresh vines growing and blooming around her. It was strange to see roses growing in early November, but even they seemed to make the scene feel right.
He saw a shadow move in the corner of his fenced-in yard. That's when he felt an unfamiliar youki. Yuzuki wouldn't be able to feel it; she was in her own world. Quietly and slowly, Kurama backed away from the window and headed to the back door At least now he could say his assignment was being performed properly. But he hoped this youkai wouldn't be too much trouble.
When he made it outside, Kurama sensed another energy. There were two of them? Fuck, maybe this would be an inconvenience, if the female yoko in his yard didn't come around soon.
Kurama moved quickly to Yuzuki, pulling his rose from his pocket. She didn't move. The two apparitions were moving closer to them. He wished she would meditate in the greenhouse so she wouldn't have to be seen. She just enjoyed being closer to nature.
"Yuzuki, snap out of it for a second," he said quietly, rose whip appearing. "Someone's come after you."
"I know," she replied immediately. "I did not think that you would really defend me, as I seem to be a burden on your social life."
God, this was not the time. "You've never been a burden, Yuzuki," he said. "Now stand."
Yuzuki complied, her back to Kurama's. The apparitions were silhouettes now, moving out in the open when she stood. "They are… familiar," she said. "But I cannot place them."
"Do you feel threatened?" he asked. The forms were coming closer. They weren't armed from what he saw, but they looked like they had dog ears and even tails.
"Does it matter?"
"If you do, I will eliminate them immediately."
He heard Yuzuki sigh softly. "Do as you wish, Yoko Kurama."
As Kurama raised his whip, one of the demons spoke: "Stop! We bring no harm here!"
He felt Yuzuki jolt, and she was suddenly in front of him. Her tiny fox ears stood upright. "Aki?" she asked.
Aki? Her oldest brother? But what wold he be doing in Ningenkai? And why would he be here?
The figures stepped foward again, and Kurama finally saw them clearly. The two were both tall, and male. Both had fox ears and tail and wore dark green cloths about their waists. The one with bright, shockingly intense silver-orange hair had exotic markings across his arms and chest. He carried a small drum with an hourglass shape. The other, only slightly shorter, had less markings and carried nothing but he had a rose ready in his hands. They both had the bright golden eyes of a yoko.
He wished he could see Yuzuki's face. Was this really one of her brothers?
"Nobuyuki?" she asked. So both of her brothers were here? But why? Surely not to hunt down their younger sister for her power.
"Yuzuki," said the one with the rose. His hair was blue-silver, only slightly darker than his sister's. "We have been looking for you for weeks."
The woman took a step back, bumping into the fox behind her. Kurama didn't move, holding his position and mentally preparing for an attack.
"What do you two want?" she half-growled. "My time with the Mari clan ended many centuries ago. You are breaking the law."
"We break no law," the taller one said "Father sent me to find you."
Kurama heard Yuzuki snort. He raised an eyebrow. "He is the one who banished me without proper reason. Why woul he want me in the Mari Forests now?"
"Yuzuki, sister," the youkai replied, "it was his dying wish that you return home to rule your people."
All grew silent for a few moments. There was only a slight breeze, one that carried a cloud to overshadow the moon and make the night blacker.
And then Yuzuki stiffened. She turned to face the redhead. Her expression was blank. She'd shut herself into her own mind again. "I am returning to my bed," she told him, very quietly. "Please try to make them depart, but do not harm my family. I will speak with them later, after I've thought this through."
Without another word, Yuzuki spun around on her heel and began her walk to the house, leaving the three men staring after her.
"I've never seen her look like that," the blue-haired demon said, before turning back to Kurama. "And who are you, boy?"
Kurama kept his anger from simmering over the top. "My human name is Shuichi Minamito, though most of the universe know me by my original name, Yoko Kurama."
Both golden pairs of eyes widened, and then they glanced at each other. "I am part of a Spirit Detective team. King Koenma of the Reikai ordered me to guard Yuzuki of the Mari clan from any danger or threat. Who might you two be, trespassing in my home so late at night?"
The orange-haired boy answered first. "I am Aki," he said. "This is my brother, Nobuyuki. We are yoko from the Mari clan, and we have come to take Yuzuki home."
"Well, it doesn't look to me like she wants to go there," Kurama replied. "Yuzuki did, after all, ask me to make you leave."
"What is wrong with her?" Nobuyuki asked. "My sister has never acted like that before. Is she bewitched?"
"No," Kurama scoffed. "Four hundred years of suffering will do that to someone."
"What?" Nobuyuki asked.
"How badly is my sister suffering?" Aki interjected. "Surely she-"
Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Let's just say that you should have killed that Demon Hunter from the start." He moved into an attack position. "She told me to have you depart. I don't think she wants to see you."
"We are her brothers," Aki growled. "It is also our job to protect Yuzuki with everything we have."
"And four hundred years ago, you did a wonderful job." Kurama straightened. "You two are not worth my trouble. And she did ask me not to harm you, after all." He began to move past them. "I'm going to check on her, make sure she hasn't broken down again."
Aki grabbed his shoulder, and Kurama turned to defend himself. "Are you her new lover, Yoko Kurama?"
The redhead pulled away, and continued his walk. "No. It is my job to protect her, and pick up the pieces Asuma left."
"What do you mean?" Nobuyuki asked.
"I will not tell you without her consent." He opened the back door. "Let her rest. After four hundred years, she can return home only because her father passed. She needs to think about these things."
Father is dead. Father is dead. Father is dead.
Yuzuki had removed her human clothing and curled up under the blankets. She knew her whole body was shaking, but she couldn't make it stop. Her head was spinning, and her vision was blurred from her tears.
My father is dead. He is dead. Dead and gone from this world. What do I do? I cannot-
"Yuzuki, are you alright?" she heard Kurama ask from outside the door. "Do you want to talk?"
She didn't reply, and a few moments later she heard the redhead walk in the door. "Don't start the silent treatment again," he said. "Not when you've improved so much."
"Why?" she asked, her voice strained. "Why is he dead? And why did he send them after me?"
She felt his weight on the bed. "Yuzuki, it's all right," he told her. "You don't have to go if-"
Yuzuki suddenly sat up. "Of course I have to!" she cried, her voice raising. "Do you know how dishonorable it would be to reject my birthright!?"
His eyes were so kind, so sympathetic. He always looked at her that way, and she didn't know why. He was a very good person, yes, but she wasn't sure if these looks were genuine or if he just felt sorry for her.
"I know you are hurt," he said, his expression serious. "But they banished you. Your father didn't even realize his error until his death. You don't have to go. This is your life."
"But I want-I want to mourn my father."
"Then go to Mari. Mourn him. Then make your choice."
Kurama began to wipe her tears away with his thumb. She only flinched slightly.
"And I'll have to come," he said. "It's my job."
"I was going to request that you did," she responded. "But you will?"
"Of course."
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!