It was a time of war. Her otousama was the leader of an empire army , a
great and brave warrior, opposing the realm
of the war-god and Kentaro. A great one that her father was. But the old
age caused him to decline. When Raizen got
to him and had slaughtered all their defenses she ran to the god, begging
for him to spare her otousama's life and
instead take hers. Raizen agreed , of course. Although he had no intention
to kill her, he wanted her. Maybe not her.
Maybe just her body. Any sane man would. She was as lovely as goddess.
Maybe she was. So even against her
otousama's will, Riazen took her and became his slave. It hurt his otousama
much. His priced daughter…..in Raizen's
hands. He'd rather die! But the latter was strong and he was weak. And
one thing was for sure then : Might makes
right. He never gave up hope. His daughter paid much for his life, so he
continued living, with hopes that Raizen will
soon fade.
A little later on, a rivalry erupted between Kentaro and Raizen for the
object of supremacy. That was a good sign for
her father, but a bad sign for the Netherworld. Raizen overthrew Kentaro's
legion smoothly that Raizen's prevalence
soared. No sooner than that, it was pretty obvious who rules : Raizen.
Unwilling to give up, Kentaro abducted his rival's
beloved slave with the prospect of revenge. Enraged, the war-god went after
her otousama to draw her back, but even
if she wanted to, she could do nothing. Until she learned Raizen killed
her otousama, along with all other reasons for
her to come back. So be it. Yet, Kentaro couldn't kill her. He realized
why Raizen wanted the girl. And he wanted her for
the same reason. At that time, the girl didn't care. Too sad. She wanted
to die. But he wouldn't kill her. Couldn't. Will
not. He wanted to keep her. Maybe as long as he lives. But he lives long.
So he made her promise - a vow to serve him
and love him above all. Forget the world, but not me. Hate the world but
love me. As I love you. It was an oath. A test
of her integrity and honor. And she was clean and honorable. A vow that
bonded them as one. A vow that no one could
break, not even himself.
"Ayane," he called out softly in the dark.
She hesitated looking around her. Despite the fact that she lived over
the past centuries with him in the darkness, she
never at all got her eyes used to much gloom. It was still scaring her.
And surprising her.
"Ayane," the male voice went again.
Cold pair of hands gripped her shoulders. "Here you are, my dear," he hushed
in her ear. His breath came down to her
neck. She tried not to shudder. "Why conceal yourself from me?"
"Pardon, shujin ," she murmured blandly, shutting her eyes. It didn't make
any difference. Darkness will be darkness
--with her eyes open or shut. "But I - I am-"
"Ssh.." her shujin silenced her ,stripping her shoulder with a kiss. It
was cold against her bare skin sending chills all
over her body. She trembled slightly but didn't say a word. She knew that
smile. " I have a task for you , Ayane,"
Kentaro whispered, as he lifted up his head. Memories whipped back into
his mind as he thought about the task he was
going to give her. Bitter memories .Bad things. Losing. One of the worst
things to happen. He had always hated losing.
Shame on his honor , dignity and soul. But he was going to cleanse his
ruined reputation. He was going to make them
all pay. Somehow. Someday.
Michiko Takeda scratched her head for what seemed like the hundredth time,
holding a piece of paper in her other
hand. People were sending her in circles for the past two hours. Where
in the world can I find that Miyuki Sakuwa?
She had searched almost most of Ningenkai for the past two hours without
luck. In fact, she had not only wasted two
hours of her precious time, but practically most of the remaining free
hours of her last three weeks.
"Aaaaarghhhhhhhh!" she cried to herself as she slumped to the back seat
of her convertible. She usually preferred to
walk, but it was just too exhausting. I give up. She crunched her shoulders
and watched at the dusty road that
stretched a quarter mile. The driver watched her cautiously in the mirror.
He leaned forward to turn on the ignition,
then turned around, "Are we leaving now , Ms. Takeda?"
"Yes ," she answered , but hesitated. I can't give up now. At least not
now. After all, I've made up my mind.
She pulled her schoolbag on her lap dropped her head on it exhaustedly
and shut her eyes. Why am I doing this? she
asked herself. Because you promised Hiro you would avenge his death. Remember?
A voice reminded her cynically. "Oh
yeah," she muttered in disgust. She wished she didn't ask. She felt the
driver starting the engine's ignition . The
memory brought her much anguish and grief . Hiro had been a big part of
her life. Her other life . She blinked back the
tears , clenching the her schoolbag with her hands. Twelve hundred years
had not been short. She had waited and
prayed for his reborn, but her prayers didn't seem to have been heard.
No trace of hope came across her path for
those long miserable years after she lost him. A part of her life died
with Hiro. Life had been hard. She grasped the
past in her chest, not letting go, refusing to accept her lover's death
. She refused to move on , condemned the future,
hated the world, cursed the heaven and rebuked herself. Acceptance wasn't
't such an easy word. She realized that
after Hiro's passing. In fact it was only now in this life that she began
to feel the graces of time healing her aches and
wounds. She was starting to cherish life again, forgot the bad things she
had left behind and living life normally again in
the form of a teen girl. Life was just showing its benevolence, when the
past begun stalking after her again. Was Hiro
hunting her for forgetting him? But I never forgot you, Hiro , not in my
other life. Are you pursuing me in Miyuki
Sakuwa's form? But why , Hiro? Why? Tears rolled down from her turquoise
eyes to her cheek as memories rushed
back to her. She never really care now if her driver noticed she was crying.
It was just too agonizing -- Her past . Her
promise . Her life. Her Hiro. I never wanted you to die Hiro, never. I
loved you and loved you still. I'm sorry to have
forgotten you along my promise in this life. Most of her recollection were
wiped away as she moved on to another body.
More tears rolled down uncontrollably as memories refreshed in her heart.
If only I have known, I would have been
more careful. Now I swear Hiro, I'll be there for you now that I've remembered
everything. I'll avenge your death. I
swear….
" Somebody help!"
A female voice filled the verdant woodland of Ningenkai. The carmine shade
of the setting sun cast the skies of
Ningenkai as sweet aroma of garland filled the air, imposing a safe emergence
for the innocent. But not so distant
away, a red-haired girl still clad in her school uniform struggled to her
feet and, looked back with a big terror stricken
eyes. What the--
A beast four times her size was chasing after her. Running as fast as her
worn school shoes could take her, she stared
at the beast chasing after her, then concentrated on her paces, with much
panic gushing through her whole body. Her
life had turned upside down for the past month. She couldn't remember,
but she knew that somehow that it wasn't
entirely that rotten. Her life seemed to be taking a another course --
a wilder course. And maybe a better course? Well,
she was now Miyuki Sakuwa, the popular, not Miyuki Sakuwa , the clown.
All thanks to the mysterious creatures from
her nightmares, her name and pictures were all over the newspapers of Ningenkai.
People, reporters and- hooh boy-
even monsters sought for her. What else could she ask for more?
" HELP ! ! ! ! ! "
That's what.
Although people and reporters may have the same characteristics as monsters
do, monsters actually didn't have the
potentials to make you famous as nosy people have. She still wondered why
crazy things happen. Miyuki Sakuwa,
popular? Monsters chasing after Miyuki Sakuwa? Did they want my autograph
or what? She managed to laugh to herself
as she ran. Not that she enjoyed playing cat-mouse chase, but it was all
so funny, she could laugh with her eyes closed
(ne?). She laughed loudly .Most of the things in the world were funny.
Well, through the popular Miyuki Sakuwa's eyes .
Can I help it if I was born laughing? Very ironic, though. She wasn't supposed
to be a cheerful person at all. Her okasan
died during her delivery and her otosan was sent to the psychotherapy center,
leaving her at her austere obasan's
hands, who was a childless widow and provided her with as much lecture
her old rusty remembrance could sustain.
Still, her life had been full of laughter . She stopped, holding on to
her knees and gasped for breath. Laughing is really
very tiresome. The beast speeding after her not a kilometer away, but nearer,
but she didn't care. Let him come. Then
she laughed again. The beast is really taking me seriously, she thought,
looking at the horrid creature behind her.
Stupid beast. But she was kind of pleased with that. People rarely took
her seriously, if not rather too seriously like her
obasan was toward her. She took one more breath and ran, then took a quick
look behind her. She roared
tremendously. There was no point in chasing after her. I am as swift as
the wind, she thought admiringly to herself. No
sooner than that that she started running out of laughter and breath. A
stone jolting up from the grasses hit the tip of
her foot sending her stumbling down. She chuckled a little, but her head
began to throb. Laughing became an effort,
specially for her head. She lifted her body up weakly, but gravity seemed
to be pulling her otherwise. Shit. Just what I
need. She spun her head around to check the distance of the monster. Uh-oh.
He's gettin' nearer. And nearer. And
nearer. She had to stand up, but her body became more and more ponderous.
What the hell is wrong? What should I
do?
"Somebody, Please! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The beast's footsteps echoed through the timberland bluntly, as if meaning
to scare her. And for a minute, she was
scared. She looked at her back again and her golden eyes widened. Not only
but several feet away. She struggled to
stand up, but instead, she found herself crawling. Then she felt a shadow
loom over her. She stopped and shut her
eyes. If she was to die, then let her die with her eyes shut. Maybe she
wouldn't even feel the pain that way.
Ichi.
Ni.
San.
Nothing happened. She cracked an eye open. She turned to see again. To
her surprise, she saw a black haired guy, all
clad in black. a white bandage wounded around his left arm and on his forehead.
He drew out his katana and sliced the
monster into pieces almost effortlessly.
Miyuki heaved a sigh. "Arigatou," she murmured, puffing for breath. There
was no answer. She turned to look at him,
who was walking calmly away. "Hey! Didn't you hear what I said?"
"Do itashimashite," he answered nonchalantly, without turning around.
She shook her head quizzically. "Duh?! I mean, aren't you gonna help me up or something?"
He didn't say a word and went on walking. Quickly and almost facilely,
she faltered and stood up .Weird. He didn't ask
for my autograph. Hey. Maybe he's my prince charming (?!). She tried to
follow him, calling after him with names, but
he didn't bother to stop. "Hey! I don't even know your name!" she yelled.
He stopped abruptly.
She grinned to herself. Now he's listening. "Lookit, let me--"
"Ssshhhh," he cut in. "Something's still out there."
"What do you-" she started, but the guy lunged at her as a creature swooshed
from the sky. Wow. He is as swift as the
wind. They both fell on the ground.
Shit. This is the second time .
But her eyes began to close as her head hit a rock.
"Will she be fine, Genkai?" Yukina asked softly as she arranged the pink
mofu of the scarlet haired girl who was lying
unconsciously on the floor as though sleeping soundly . Hiei had arrived
several hours ago, carrying with him an
insentient girl and left her in Genkai's care. Yukina had immediately recognized
the lass as the intriguing schoolgirl ,
Miyuki Sakuwa , who was said to be living in the controversial world of
egregious and bizarre reality.
Genkai sat cross legged on the shiny floor of her pagoda and contemplated
for a while. "Yes," answered without looking
at the girl.
"But she has been unconscious for the past six hours. Maybe we should bring
her to the hospital," Yukina said , sitting
next to Genkai. She looked at Genkai in her big sanguine eyes for a long
time, waiting for her response.
"No, I don't think so. If we bring her there, we don't only endanger her
life, but also the lives of the other patients in the
hospital. The demon which Hiei killed may have its companions to go after
her. We couldn't be sure, but I'm convinced
that , like other demons we have encountered, they were only being summoned
to stalk after her . I'm quite sure there
is main mastermind behind all of these and it is not going to be safe to
bring her to places unless that mastermind is
terminated," Genkai explained staring deep in space .
"Oh," was all the dainty girl could say. After a while, she watched the
unconscious lass. "Maybe we should at least
inform her parents," suggested Yukina.
"Yes," agreed Genkai." I will call the newspapers tomorrow if she still
hadn't woken up since we don't know where this
girl lives. " Veering to Yukina, Genkai added, "Yukina-chan, why don't
you sleep? It is getting late. You should also get
some rest."
Yukina shook her head, her green hair flying. "No Genkai. You should rest.
I'll watch the girl. "
Genkai didn't move. "Very well, " she said finally. "Let's both watch over
her, then. " She stood up and walked to the
door. "I'll be outside." She stepped outside and felt the cold wind ran
against her skin as she contemplated over the
matter. She knew the lass wasn't an ordinary one. She was still able to
feel the spiritual power radiating from the
red-haired girl's body. But something tells her that power she felt did
not belong to Miyuki , but instead to her assailant.
Whoever or whatever creature it is, it must be strong one. What could it
be that the demon wanted from the girl?
Genkai paced back and forth, pondering on the appropriate answer.
The sun's gentle rays touch their skin , sending fervent solace on their
torsos as they get a leisurely afternoon stroll on
the pacific esplanade of Ningenkai, seemingly as though the primary purpose
to shower themselves with adequate
incentive from the exquisite splendor of the county, only sparse creatures
could relish, lingered grave within. One
chestnut-haired fellow, on his black trouser and a blue shirt, a purple
fabric enveloping his forehead, suggesting as if
some sort of subtlety was engraved on his temples, sucked a pacifier adamantly,
contrasting the manly creatures he
possessed. His companion, a comely young man, nudged his hands deep in
the pocket of his trousers, appearing to be
more of school uniform than a street clothes.
"You cut classes again, didn't you?" the one with the pacifier started.
His companion didn't respond. He didn't have to. The guy with chestnut
hair nodded to himself. Koenma knows what
kind of reply he would get. "Anyway, I'm giving you permission to set forth
investigation to this matter concerning
Sakuwa, and by all means, if she happen to need it, also your help and
assistance," Koenma went on his usual
autocratic tone. He was used to Yusuke's inexplicable behavior. One moment,
he was nothing but a pain in the ass big
mouth, but on the second, he was a deaf and mute wrecked creature who was
too hooked up on his own thoughts to
pay a fragment of courtesy to reply to his companion.
"Odd," Yusuke muffled suddenly, as though he saw something *strange* for
someone like him to handle. Koenma gave
a questioning gesture, indicating for him to go on. "You know, just this
morning, after Genkai informed the local
newspaper, a girl came and claimed Sakuwa as her friend. But instead, she
called Sakuwa 'Hiro' and began sobbing
while that Sakuwa look pretty dumbfounded. First of all, I noticed they
have different uniforms which simply implies that
they go to a different schools. They couldn't be *friends* or could they?
The second thing was Sakuwa sure looked
puzzled but refused to speak. What the heck do you think-?" his voice trailed
off as he gaped at Koenma doubtfully.
Koenma sucked his pacifier thoughtfully, but he stopped. "Nah. You're much
better with those things than I am." Yusuke
didn't expect me to voice out a stupid surmise, or did he? Koenma thought
ambiguously. Hell and heaven knows he was
more on paper works in Reikai. Heavy paper works, that sometimes ,he couldn't
help but notice what a breeze Yusuke's
tasks were .The desk work his otousama was giving him was consuming much
of his time, squandering most of his
energy, depleting up his *youth* and had prohibited him from enjoying life.
That was why he filed a protest to his
father for permission to have a break. Fortunately, Enma Daiou approved
for his son's plead, understanding Koenma's
need to stimulate himself for more paper works that lay waiting for him
in Reikai.
"I'll found out about this," Yusuke muttered to himself ,determination
audible on his firm voice, boldness glittering in his
dark brown eyes.
Koenma peeped at him and slapped him at the back. You can do it, Urameshi.
© November 1998
T-chan
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me!!
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