I figured it's about time I posted a fic. Previous chapters can be found at the following urls below.
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"Taka... kun?" Kurama whispered the words in astonishment, awestruck by
the gravity of their meaning. "Taka-kun... so that's what Asuka-san
called him before. She has spoken to him through me."
Yoshitaka Tetsuma's death was a difficult inevitability for Kurama to
accept, but he understood its necessity. Tetsuma, the original catalyst
of his journey towards self-discovery, had served his purpose. As a
reward for the former shinigami's determined and obedient service,
Kurama granted him his two greatest wishes: eternal peace and Asuka's
rebirth.
<It will be my pleasure to give back to Asuka-san what I've stolen from
her. It's about time she enjoyed the life I myself have come to love,>
Kurama thought as he stared straight into the dark and empty space
Tetsuma occupied just a minute ago. <It'll be all right. Your death
won't be in vain, Taka-kun.>
Something bothered Kurama. It was a disturbed, uneasy feeling that kept
him on edge. What was the cause of this anxiety? Could it be the
realization that he was now alone in an unknown world? A world that lay
between the Spirit World and the Human World, no less. <I didn't even
notice it before, but where exactly am I? This place seems a lot
like Itsuki's pocket dimension, come to think of it.>
Peering sightlessly into the dark abyss of nothingness, something caught
the former Makai thief's eye. He saw silhouettes... long, thin
silhouettes that danced to the rhythm of an unseen wind. A rain of jade
slivers danced with them, bathing them in opulence.
Kurama's eyes became large emerald saucers of bewilderment. <Those
are... bamboo stalks! There are bamboo stalks growing from where Taka-
kun stood. But what are they doing here? What's going on?>
An image of Tetsuma's poker face appeared in Kurama's mind. The shadow
man's familiar purplish eyes seemed to twinkle at the kitsune in
uncharacteristic mischief. <Taka-kun's eyes always did bother me. They
kept reminding me of something... something which I just can't put my
finger on.>
Then came a flicker of light from a luminous jewel that swayed along the
emptiness. It rested on the thin branches of a bamboo tree; a crimson
gemstone encased in the silver locket of a pendant that swung back and
forth like the glinting blade of a guillotine.
The dance of the scarlet pendulum literally hypnotized the half-youko,
beckoning his wistfulness for bygone times to emerge in his mind.
The scene replayed itself painfully. The loss was silly, stupid... The
irony of it all lies in its stupidity and silliness.
Then came the gentle tinkling, like a little bell; chiming echoes from
centuries past in a far, far away world.
His partner's smiling face casually glanced back at the necklace he
accidentally dropped. He couldn't be stopped. That piece of jewelry
meant a lot to him. He promised that he would come back... all that for
a simple pendant which he always wore a certain way. He was always so
headstrong. He always went about things in a straightforward manner.
This... his effort to always be true to himself... led to his own
demise.
Bamboo shoots sprung from all directions as he was helplessly caught in
the elaborate trap. Blood dripped mercilessly on the ground... an
unwanted blood offering. He still clasped the pendant with his right
hand in an iron grip. It gently swayed in the wind.
It swayed back and forth, glinting... like a guillotine.
>From the scents of the past came the comprehension of the present.
Kurama remembered who the pendant belonged to. He also figured out why
Tetsuma's eyes were so recognizable to him. <Taka-kun doesn't only lack
words of his own; his eyes are also not his.>
Kurama silently grasped the ruby pendant as realization quickly set in.
"Is this my 'prize' for defeating you, Reikai Hunter Tetsuma Yoshitaka?"
His ghostly knuckles seemed to turn white as his ethereal grip on the
bejeweled necklace tightened. "It seems a bit much."
Kurama sighed. "So, after all this time, I finally got Kuronue's
precious pendant back."
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Shonen
A Yuyu Hakusho fic
By Chester Casta�eda
chester.castaneda@gmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/gabriel_abdiel/fanfiction.htm
http://www.fanfiction.net/~abdiel
http://rakhal.com/florestica/abdiel
http://members.lycos.co.uk/joseargao/shonen.htm
Once reborn, who will Kurama become? Shuichi
Minamino? His old youko self? Or the person halfway
between the two?
______________________________________________________
Chapter 18: Rebirth (Part One)
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No more words were necessary. With swift punches and skillful slashes
amidst mutual pain and agony, Kuwabara and Yusuke struck their
respective blows.
<It doesn't matter if it's Urameshi... I will CUT through anything and
anyone that stands in my way!> Kuwabara thought as he readied his Jigen
Tou.
The two combatants' war against each other was far beyond that of a
conflict of ideals; it was not merely for the sake of vengeance. What it
was in all its succinct simplicity was a contest of wills.
Utilizing his innate creativity during combat, Kuwabara combined his
Spirit Sword extending skill with his most powerful ability, the
Dimension Sword. He quickly elongated his diamond-shaped Jigen Tou to
about the length of a lamp post, quadrupling its already nigh-limitless
attack area.
Rousing his centuries-old mazoku genes from their dormant slumber,
Yusuke metamorphosed into his full demonic form. Ink-black markings
surrounded his body as his hair grew to about ankle-length. As
Kuwabara's area of attack continued to increase, so did Toushin Yusuke's
speed, dexterity, and incredible tolerance to pain.
Swinging his deadly weapon with reckless abandon, Kuwabara was able
to make incisions many miles long and many yards deep. His attacks
seemed more like fault lines from an earthquake than markings from a
blade. Though accuracy had to be sacrificed for the sake of range, the
taller teenager believed that it was a good tradeoff.
Again, it seemed that a stalemate between the two ghost fighters was
inevitable. Kuwabara's unstoppable blade was easily evaded by Yusuke's
superior nimbleness and agility. At that point, neither one of the two
could harm the other. However, as luck would have it, the boy endowed
with Extra Sensory Perception chanced upon correctly guessing his
opponent's next move through the use of his aforementioned talent.
Yusuke was cut cleanly in half, like a bloody apple. A shocked look
could be seen on the torn parts of the mazoku's face. Then, strangely
enough, he smirked.
In a move reminiscent of the immortal Toguro Ani, Toushin Yusuke
reunified his splintered body, cleanly merging its halves like a
perfectly cut daikon radish. The damaged cells of his muscles, skin
tissue and bones instantaneously regenerated. Unfortunately, because of
the effort it took to heal himself, he had to revert to his half-demon
state.
<Good. Urameshi isn't 'demonized' anymore. Now's my chance to...>
Kuwabara's mouth went agape at what he subsequently saw.
And so they came... a thousand points of light.
<SHIT! That's one HELLUVA Rei-Kou-Dan!> Kuwabara mentally exclaimed as
he braced himself for impact. Reflexively reacting to the attack, he
rapidly swung his Jigen Tou in a myriad of circular patterns that
superimposed and juxtaposed each other. These rotating movements served
as his shield against the torrent of spiritual and demonic energy.
Sparks flew as tidal wave upon tidal wave of pure power repeatedly
battered the carrot-topped adolescent. <If this keeps up, I'll be done
for! Damn it, I've got to think of something...> A sudden and dreadful
chill ran through Kuwabara's spine, breaking off his panicked train of
thought.
A golden glow started to spread all over Yusuke's body, immersing him in
deific glory. As soon as his overwhelming Rei-Kou-Dan Assault ended, he
immediately charged at Kuwabara with no hesitation or reluctance.
<This is...!>
Kuwabara could only stare in helpless shock as his half-demon adversary
ripped apart his lance-like Dimension Sword in one move. He winced
afterwards at the intensity of the searing light force which surrounded
Yusuke.
<This is Sensui's Sei Kou Ki!> Kuwabara realized. The Saint Light Ki was
neither reiki nor youki; it was a special kind of ki that was, in
theory, one of the greatest powers in all of the three worlds. Mere
possession of this angelic ability was enough to warrant an S-level
classification from the Spirit World. Very few people could master it...
Shinobu Sensui himself had to train for nearly ten years before he could
fully utilize the skill.
<You have got to be kidding me! Urameshi can do this technique? He ain't
human! Well... technically, he really ain't... but... AH, FUCK IT!>
The Saint Light Ki was strong enough to repel even the strongest of the
Reikai seals, which was basically what Koenma's pacifier was. It was
even powerful enough to keep the Kokuryuha, Hiei's greatest technique,
at bay... Kuwabara should know, since he himself witnessed the momentous
event with his own eyes.
<What the hell am I supposed to do now? I can't face Urameshi like this!
He just tore apart my Jigen Tou like it was made out of tissue paper!
I'm definitely out of my league! Forget it! I'm just wasting my time!>
Just as soon as Kuwabara realized what sort of troubled thoughts floated
in the dark pools of his mind, he felt shame. He looked at the shattered
fragments of his Dimension Sword in sheepish embarrassment, remembering
what Chuuku had to go through in order to get him his special match with
Yusuke.
<Sei Kou Ki my ASS! I don't give a fuck about how great, how strong or
how powerful that shit is! Chuuku gave me this once in a lifetime chance
to beat Urameshi up, and I ain't gonna waste it by bending down and
taking it like a two-bit whore! So taste my divine retribution, Urameshi
Yusuke!>
"REI-SHURIKEN!"
Sparks flew as piece upon broken piece of Kuwabara's Jigen Tou rained on
Yusuke like bomb shrapnel at point blank range. The sudden assault would
have ripped the mazoku descendant apart had he not evoked his Saint
Light Ki. As it was, the surprise attack merely neutralized the half-
demon�s impassioned offensive.
<Let's make things more interesting, shall we? JIGEN TOU NITOURYU!>
Almost immediately, the fragments of the Rei-Shuriken reformed and
coalesced into not one, but two Dimension Swords. Kuwabara then charged
at Yusuke, ignoring the sharp, dagger-like pain of his knee and calf
injuries.
<Let's finish this, you son of a bitch! IKUZE!!!>
The two approached each other with the speed of a howling typhoon,
heading for the point where life and death meet.
***
Kurama tightly clasped the bejeweled necklace in his vaporous hand,
seemingly afraid to let it go. The forest of bamboo trees, strangely
enough, had vanished the instant the half-youko retrieved his former
partner-in-crime's valuable treasure.
Kurama sighed audibly as he sightlessly stared at the emptiness of his
personal limbo.
So there he was, "Shuichi Minamino's ghost", floating in the hinterland
of nothingness, a virtual purgatory of lost souls. <Are you impressed
yet, Youko Kurama? Well, don't be. There's still more to come. It looks
like my 'death scene' will be quite the spectacular event.>
"This is the kind of choreographed 'death scene' that only the Silver
Fox could orchestrate. Or is it the 'boy of reflection' now?"
Right then and there, Kurama forgot how to breathe. He held his breath
for so long that, had he not been a ghost, he would have suffocated. He
couldn't believe his eyes. He couldn't believe his ears. <That voice...
It couldn�t be--!>
"M-Midori-san?"
"Long time no see, Minamino-kun. Or is it Kurama-san? Oh my, you have so
many names to choose from," Midori Ohya austerely said while currently
in her 'invisible girl' persona where she spoke in cryptic and deadpan
verse.
"How did you get here? Where'd you come from? Why are you here?" Midori
asked for Kurama's sake. The psychic girl smiled wanly. "Those are the
questions that you wanted to ask me, right?"
Kurama could only nod in acquiescence as he warily looked at his former
classmate. "How have you been, Midori-san? Everybody was so worried
about you after you left Meiou so suddenly... especially Shigeru-kun."
"They shouldn't worry so much. I'm doing fine," Midori quietly reassured
as she bowed her head in embarrassment, seemingly reverting to her
original, timorous personality. "I'm sorry about what happened to
Shinko-chan. I wish I could have at least said good-bye to him. Then he
wouldn't have been so depressed; he wouldn't have... done what he had
done."
"Wait a second... You _knew_ about Shigeru-kun's suicide?" Kurama asked
suspiciously, adding, "You knew what my first three questions to you
were before I even asked them, yet you haven't answered any of them.
What's going on, Midori-san? Did you use your spiritual powers to get
here?"
"To answer your first question, I got here not just by the use of my
spiritual powers, but by the occurrence of a poltergeist phenomenon.
Secondly, I came here from my sleep. You're talking to my subconscious
self... or my astral projection, if you will. Lastly, I'm here because
Shinko-chan wants me here. Shinko-chan wants to help you fulfill your
will, Minamino-san."
"Shinko-chan? Poltergeist phenomenon? Your subconscious self?" Kurama
repeated with a fair amount of incredulity in his voice. "I don't
understand. What does Shigeru-kun have to do with any of this? And why
would your subconscious self be here? You're not honestly suggesting
that you're having an out-of-body experience, are you? I find that--"
Again, realization struck Kurama like an audible slap on the cheek. He
remembered Tetsuma mentioning that they were 'everywhere and nowhere at
the same time.' He deeply pondered the rest of the shinigami's words as
he reiterated them in his mind. <'Welcome to the realm that lies in
between the Spirit World and the Human World.' It would seem that
Midori-san has gained access to this so-called world through her sleep.
I knew this place was familiar! I'm in the...!>
Midori smiled timidly. It was a smile reminiscent of her old self before
the infamous incident with the Fashion Club Vice-President Masami.
"Won't you greet me 'welcome', Minamino-san? I know I've arrived
unexpectedly and all, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd greet me."
Chuckling slightly in spite of himself, Kurama replied, "I'm not sure if
I should, since I myself am a stranger to this place. Nevertheless...
Irasshai, Midori-san. Welcome to the Dream World."
***
There was infinitesimal obscurity, a veritable abyss of oblivion.
<Gee, it's really dark.>
"...."
Kuwabara opened his eyes. Then there was light.
Kuwabara's vision adjusted to the faint deluge of luminescence. From
there, he realized that he was staring straight into radiant lunacy.
<Feh. It's just the moon.> The lanky teenager struggled to get up from
his prone position as he felt immense, nerve-wracking pain emanate from
his beaten and battered body.
Agony. He couldn't think... because of it. <Somebody... anybody... stop
the pain.... please...> he beseeched to no one in particular. The mere
fact that he was in such a pathetic condition did not anger him in the
least simply because it was hard as hell to think of anything else
except the unworldly pain that was now coursing through his entire body.
"About time you woke up," Yusuke Urameshi managed to say in between his
borderline pneumonic wheezing. "I almost thought you died back there."
His eyes furrowed, Kuwabara noticed Yusuke's stare on him. It was as if
his rival was expecting a response of some sort. "Feh. As if," he
answered back, snorting in disdain.
"How long was I out of it? Thirty minutes? An hour? Or maybe more?"
Kuwabara asked. He then snarled at the onset of a throbbing headache. He
grit his teeth, wishing that he had an aspirin right about now.
"Don't... know. I just woke up myself," Yusuke responded just as soon as
Kuwabara was able to get over his headache, panting and gasping at the
effort. He afterwards let out a horrendous cough that forced him to spit
out yellow phlegm on the ground. He balked in disgust.
"Oi, you should have a doctor check that cough out," Kuwabara noted as
he finally managed to sit up despite his weakened condition. <Shit, even
my ass is aching. Everything in my body is aching. It feels like I just
run a marathon and forgot to stop. What happened?>
Dimly, Kuwabara's sleep fuzzed mind remembered the fight... no, the war
which he and Yusuke waged a short time ago. Or perhaps hours ago? He
couldn't tell how long they were out of it. He afterwards remembered the
highlights of their intensive and exhausting battle.
"Wow. We were really going at it, weren't we? I mean, damn! I was
practically carving canyons with my Jigen Tou! And you, you even had to
go 'mazoku' just to keep up with my skills. Oh man, did you see the size
of my sword? It's so big, I could..." Kuwabara ranted as he made use of
his excited banter to distract himself from his current agony.
"...." Yusuke elucidated.
"What? You don't remember what happened in our fight?"
Yusuke looked at Kuwabara bewilderedly. "What in the blue hell," he
gasped, "are you talking about?"
A far more pressing matter made itself known to Kuwabara once he
regained his bearings. <Hey, come to think of it... What in the world's
going on here? What happened?> His eyes went as wide as saucers. <Fuck!
My fight with Urameshi... Who the hell won? Did I...? Did Urameshi...?>
Ignoring his intense suffering through sheer willpower, Kuwabara grabbed
Yusuke by his shoulders, shook him hard and demanded, "Who won,
Urameshi? Who WON?!"
Yusuke blinked. He scratched his left cheek and said, "Well, you're not
going to believe this, but..."
***
<So I'm in the Dream World, huh?> Kurama thought as he gently slipped
Kuronue's pendant over his neck, hiding it inside his school uniform's
collar. <It seems... emptier than when I last visited. It's as empty as
Taka-kun's damned soul. It feels so lonely in here.>
<You've been here before,> Midori communicated telepathically. <You've
dreamed this dream before, but the person you were dreaming about has
drastically changed. The dream you shared, in turn, has also changed.>
Kurama mentally noted to himself how futile it was to hide his private
thoughts in this realm of fantasy. "So am I just dreaming all of this?
I'm not really dead? Taka-kun didn't really die? Asuka-san won't be...?"
He stopped his little rant then and there. Almost intrinsically, he knew
that Asuka Matsui's reincarnation was not an impossibility; it was
instead an inevitability. The lines of destiny and the threads of fate
were upon him, so there was no turning back now. One way or another,
Asuka would be reborn.
"What did or didn't happen is up to you to decide. You have heard this
before, but it bears repeating... We are all moving according to your
will. Everything is ultimately your decision," Midori said in reply.
"'We'? You mean Shigeru-kun and yourself?"
Midori nodded affably. "This time, instead of you dreaming his dreams,
it's he who dreams your dreams. In gratitude to you for saving his life,
he has decided to help you by bringing you into his subconscious. This
very Dream World rests in the inner depths of his subliminal mind."
Kurama's jaw slowly dropped in shock as Midori's words sunk in. <This
dark and empty space came from Shigeru-kun's mind? No wonder it feels so
lonely in here. And yet I'm the only person he's thinking about right
now, aside from Midori-san. Oh, Shigeru-kun.> He contemplated the fact a
while longer before asking Midori, "How did he do that? Bring my soul
into his subconscious, I mean. Did you have anything to do with it?"
Midori shook her head. "People just don't realize how special Shinko-
chan is... and what he's really capable of. Let me explain. I've read up
on the subject since I myself have gone through the same experience.
This sort of incident has been reported and documented before. During
the nineteen twenties, there was a related 'poltergeist' phenomenon that
happened to a small suburban family in England."
The Roberts family consisted of a husband, wife, and their six-year-old
daughter. They were just an ordinary family living in the city.
However, the relationship between the husband and wife cooled off, and
differences between their personalities constantly led to arguments, and
sometimes even violence.
Then strange things started to happen in the house. Lapp sounds...
disembodied popping sounds with no visible source for the sound to have
come from... furniture started to move by themselves, and glass windows
broke. These events were usually attributed to a 'poltergeist' or
vengeful spirit.
Then one day, before dinnertime, yet another argument was about to
start. But in that instant, the husband suddenly disappeared in front of
the wife and daughter's eyes.
Shocked at what just happened, the wife could not bring herself to
report to the police until noon the next day. Of course, the police
would not take her seriously.
A few days later, the husband suddenly appeared in front of the worn out
wife and daughter. He looked the same as he did when he disappeared. As
he clutched his loved ones, he began to cry.
When the wife calmed down the distressed husband, she asked, "Where have
you been?"
The husband replied, "I was inside our daughter's mind."
"I saw inside our daughter's mind, and how ugly and frightening you and
I looked bickering at each other," he said, and he began to cry again.
It was a story of how a six-year-old child teleported her father into
her own subconscious.
"I apologize for the rather strange example," Midori primly said as she
looked straight into Kurama's troubled eyes. "As you've seen, this
supernatural ability is usually triggered by extreme stress. Also, a
high percentage of poltergeist phenomena usually occur in households
with children who are at or below the age of puberty. I was able to
manifest this ability when I was just fifteen... just like Shinko-chan."
"So both you and Shigeru-kun have the same supernatural abilities?"
Kurama wondered out loud. How convenient. What were the chances? But of
course, as the late Yoshitaka Tetsuma had mentioned, there was no such
thing as coincidence or chance when Kurama was involved. The events were
again too intertwined and consistent to each other to be mere
coincidence. As if by some contrived twist of fate, Midori and Shigeru
gained paranormal powers for the sole purpose of fulfilling Kurama's
will.
Kurama shook his head, clearing it of such thoughts, but was interrupted
by Midori's girlish giggling. "What's so funny?" He tilted his head in
askance.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe the only reason Shinko-chan and I have powers
is to help you bring Matsui Asuka back to life. Who knows? Maybe, silly
as it may sound, the world does revolve around you, Minamino-kun,"
Midori half-jokingly suggested. "For this one time at least, the world
truly revolves around you."
"Stop it. That's ridiculous," Kurama admonished, waving off Midori's
suggestion. He nonetheless chortled. "Whatever the reason, the both of
you were still willing to lend me a hand at my time of need. That's very
sweet of you two. Don't worry. I won't waste any of your efforts. I
believe it's about time my overly grandiose, needlessly elaborate, and
over-the-top death scene commenced."
As if on cue, the dark firmament above Kurama and Midori transformed
into undeniable brilliance as a vast expanse of stars appeared,
glittering with impossible nearness. Immediately before them, an
alabaster bridge stretched over a small stream that cut a trail through
carefully trimmed grasses before merging into a vast, still pond that
reflected the night 'sky' in all its artificial glory.
Meanwhile, fragrant red petals floated on the pond's silver surface, a
satin bed open to the sky and wet with dew. The air became humid and
heavy with the scent of roses that lined the banks of the stream, and a
gentle breeze whispered through the rustling thorn bushes that relaxed
near the edges of the pond, the pointed tips of their low-hanging vines
stretching out over the watery mirror. An aurora borealis seemed to move
and ripple above them, like a bright, multicolored river flowing across
the sky, bathing the land in neon light.
Most impressive of all, though, were the four pillars of iridescent
light in the surrounding distance. Each pillar seemed to be a point in a
vast, perfect circle, of which the garden stood at the center. The
pillars rose from the ground, stretching up until they seemed to merge
with the light of the stars themselves.
"Where are we?" Surprisingly enough, it was Midori instead of Kurama who
asked the question in wonder and awe. "It's beautiful here!" she added.
A sudden rain of cherry blossoms erased all doubt in Kurama's mind.
"We're in the garden of the four seasons, near the road to springtime."
***
No words were needed at this point. In the middle of brutal punches,
savage slashes and excruciating pain, Kuwabara and Yusuke executed their
final attacks.
<This is Kuwabara, for God's sake! He shouldn't be a match against me.
He doesn't have what it takes. He won't be able to stand in my way in
rescuing Hiei and Kurama. I will CRUSH everything that stands in my
way!> Yusuke cogitated as he clenched his fists, digging his fingers
into his palm until it bled. He would finish this fight then and there,
his belabored breathing be damned.
It was, all in all, a war of wills where power, strength, and endurance
were rendered moot. Vengeance, ideals, and experience were of little to
no consequence. Only the man who wanted to win the most would prevail.
<You don't want me to hold back anymore, do you, Kuwabara? Well, I
won't. You haven't seen _this_ technique of mine, have you?>
Without the slightest hesitation, the Last Son of the Mazoku Clan
immediately and unrelentingly charged at Kuwabara just as a gilded light
bathed his body in ungodly might.
All Kuwabara could do now was wait for oblivion.
Yusuke noticed Kuwabara's stare of helpless shock as he shattered the
Dimension Sword with one punch. Even Yusuke had to wince at the
intensity of the subsequent impact. Struggling against failing
respiratory functions, he pressed on his offensive.
Yusuke's searing light force was neither spiritual nor demonic; it was
the culmination and mastery of both types of energy. The Spirit World
rated the Sei Kou Ki as an S-level angelic ability that made use of the
highest form of celestial energy beyond that of both youki and reiki. No
power on God's Green Earth was like it.
Kuwabara was strangely motionless, as if he was in another world; his
mouth was agape as his glazed eyes stared into the emptiness of space.
"You must feel very special, eh Kuwabara? Come on, you ugly-ass bastard!
This is the most exciting fight we've ever had! Put your back into it!"
Yusuke yelled mockingly as he approached the hapless teen with his
unstoppable momentum. Kuwabara didn't seem to hear Yusuke's taunts,
remaining mostly dazed and unresponsive to the ensuing chaos.
The Saint Light Ki was strong enough to resist the power of the Black
Dragon, the Reikai Seals, and the Demon Plants... which was why Yusuke
was utterly stunned and flabbergasted at what happened next.
"REI-SHURIKEN!"
Sparks flew as piece upon broken piece of Kuwabara's Jigen Tou rained on
Yusuke like bomb shrapnel at point blank range. The sudden assault would
have ripped the mazoku descendant apart had he not evoked his Saint
Light Ki. As it was, it merely neutralized the half-demon�s impassioned
offensive.
Kuwabara's eyes were different now. They were clear and cloudless,
staring unflinchingly at Yusuke. The demon half-breed took note of the
growing balloon of energy in his enemy's right hand. <That bastard's
actually gathering not only the shards of energy from his broken Jigen
Tou, but also all the excess energy we've released so far. Goddammit, is
he really _this_ desperate to win? Does he really want to win more than
_I_ do?>
The determination which Yusuke saw in Kuwabara's eyes said it all.
<Whatever. Let's finish this, you son of a bitch! IKUZE!!!> Yusuke cried
out in his head. Unbeknownst to him, his mental battle cry was in chorus
with Kuwabara's.
"SEI KOU KI!"
"KIYODAI REIKIBOU!"
The two approached each other with the speed of a howling typhoon,
heading for the point where life and death meet.
***
"And then?"
"What do you mean by, 'And then?'"
"Jackass. And then what happened?"
"Y'know. Stuff." Yusuke shrugged.
"Quit your bullshitting!" Kuwabara exclaimed in frustration, still
excitable despite the incredibly fatigued state of his body. <To think,
the meteor shower of Rei-Kou-Dan, the mazoku transformation, and the
fucking sweet twin Jigen Tou were all just part of a strange dream.
Shit, and it was such a cool dream, too! It felt so real. Okay, I guess
that it _does_ make sense that it's just a dream, since it was kind of
unbelievable. But still...>
"Why the hell would I dream such a dream?" Kuwabara muttered out loud.
Yusuke was not one to ponder, but he nonetheless supposed, "Maybe you
were delirious because of blood loss." Chuckling at the cross look in
his companion's face, he relented, "Or maybe it was just Chuuku's little
good-bye gift to you after he kicked the bucket. After all, dreams _are_
his specialty. That was how he got into Kurama's head in the first
place, right?"
Kuwabara blinked at the thought. "Makes sense, I guess." He then
permitted himself a moment of silence for the undead shadow man.
In between shallow gasps, Yusuke inquired, "Which reminds me. What
possessed you to let Chuuku, y'know, possess you again? I mean, didn't
you hate his guts after he possessed you the first time? Whatever
happened to your plans for revenge?"
In all seriousness, Kuwabara answered, "Aw, shut up."
"So you forgave him and formed a special bond with him? You became the
best of buddies?"
"You better shut the fuck up or you'll be spitting out more than just
phlegm, wheezy boy." Clearing his parched throat, Kuwabara explicated,
"You're right. Dreams are Chuuku's specialty. Through dreams he made me
see the truth; it's not just about his dead girlfriend or his little
soullessness problem, it's something much, much deeper. I now understand
why he did what he did. I don't condone his actions, but he's not really
the one to blame for them. I'm not sure if Botan already told you this,
but..."
"Are you talking about the 'Book of Fate' and the fact that Chuuku's
chick was supposed to be reincarnated in Kurama's borrowed human body?
Yeah, I already know about that. Botan already briefed me on those
things before I started this mission," Yusuke confirmed.
"Heh. About fucking time the Spirit World figured things out." Kuwabara
smirked sardonically. "A mission, eh? So they actually ordered you to
take _him_ out?"
Yusuke's lips tightened as he snorted. "I only do the Spirit World
Detective thing as a favor to Koenma, and nothing else. I certainly
don't have to answer to the Spirit World or to Enma Daio. Koenma already
released me from my contract during the Makai Tournament, remember?"
"So in short, you probably wouldn't have hunted him down and killed
him," Kuwabara surmised smugly. "So tell me, what were you planning to
do once you catch the _real_ mastermind behind Chuuku's shenanigans?"
Yusuke casually shrugged. "It's not like I ever plan any of my fights or
missions in the first place."
Kuwabara harrumphed. "Typical. Not that I expected a different answer
from you. You can't really expect too much from a one track mind."
"You're the one to speak."
"Think Mister Mastermind will ever change his mind?"
"He goes his own way. Let's leave the decision to him."
There was a pause, a cough, and random panting.
Kuwabara's eyes boggled. "Hey! Stop changing the subject! Don't think
that I've already forgotten! Trying to pull a fast one on me, huh?" he
accused as he aimed a clenched but shaky fist at Yusuke's face.
"Hey, hey! Take it easy!" Yusuke just barely caught up with his breath
as he asked, "What's the matter, carrot top?"
"I wasn't born yesterday. I may have been daydreaming during most of the
last half of our match, but my hunger for victory was still there. Even
though I was barely conscious, I still wanted the win so very, very bad.
I still fought with my life while I was out of it, didn't I?"
Yusuke's eyes darted away from his lifelong nemesis's eyes. "Yeah? So?"
There was another pregnant pause.
Dreading the answer but still morbidly curious, Kuwabara asked, "So what
really happened during the last few seconds of the fight, Urameshi?
Which one of us won? Was it you? Was it me? Stop beating around the
bush and tell me!"
Yusuke twiddled his thumbs as he held his pseudo-asthmatic breath in
anticipation of God-knew-what. "About that, I was really shocked by what
happened, but even though I'd hate to admit it and it was probably just
a fluke, I'm sorry to say that..."
Kuwabara's eyes brightened like two overexcited light bulbs. "Yeah?
You're sorry to say what?"
"...You've lost yet again. Sorry, man." Yusuke condescendingly patted
Kuwabara's shoulder.
Kuwabara's expression instantaneously shifted from barely-contained
enthusiasm to ego-crushing disappointment. "WHOOP--What?! Hey!"
"Yeah, I know. Psych! I had you going there for a while." Yusuke
maliciously grinned. "Well, what else did you expect?"
Kuwabara grumbled audibly, and sighed. After a few moments of piteous
disgruntlement, the taller teen finally conceded. "Fine. Whatever. I
should have figured as much seeing that I was knocked out and you
weren't. But at least the fight kicked ass, right?"
"I've had better."
"Fuck you! Dammit, I want a rematch! I can definitely take you on now,
you out-of-breath, half-demon bastard!"
"You're a class act. Kick 'em while they're down, huh? Not that you can
actually kick me after what I did to your limbs. You're now as lame as
you're lame."
"Now that was just retarded. Crack one more joke like that, and I'll
pinch your nose until you suffocate. As far as I'm concerned, the fight
ain't over until one of us is dead! Do you hear me? DEAD! Why I
never..."
Yusuke pointedly ignored Kuwabara's angry outburst as he reminisced the
final moments of his fight with his most tenacious and persistent
adversary ever.
***
Yusuke Urameshi thought he had seen everything. He had seen an honorable
and respectable fighter turn into an emotionless and cruel behemoth both
inside and out. He had seen a rogue Spirit Detective's degeneration
towards insanity because of his hatred of the human race. He had seen a
demon who actually went against his species' natural instinct to consume
humans for the sake of a tragic and undying love. Nevertheless, he had
never seen anything quite like what he was seeing now.
After surviving the first crushing wave of the biggest Kiyodai Reikibou
Yusuke had ever seen, his face paled at what happened next. True, his
angelic barrier left him invulnerable to the overly-large energy club
that previously annihilated Toguro Ani in the Black Martial Arts
Tournament, but even that was not enough to withstand the magnitude of
power Kuwabara released from his second attack.
"Still not enough? Then let's do it again! KIYODAI REIKIBOU!"
The name 'Kiyodai Reikibou' was actually a misnomer for Kuwabara's next
attack, because it was now composed of Sei Kou Ki instead of reiki...
Sei Kou Ki absorbed from Yusuke's own celestial shield.
The 'Kiyodai Seikoukibou' overwhelmed the Sei Kou Ki by using the latter
technique's own power against itself, forming into a never-ending, self-
propagating wave of destruction. Like food cooked with its own juices,
Sensui's most powerful skill ultimately defeated itself.
A gigantic geyser of pure, white-hot energy hundreds of feet high
exploded from where Yusuke was standing earlier, blasting the
aforementioned adolescent right into the night sky. A few seconds later,
gravity enforced its will on the hapless and airborne Spirit Detective.
By the time Yusuke fell back into the rubble-strewn cemetery grounds,
Kuwabara was already unconscious. But Kuwabara was still quite the sight
to behold, with the tendrils of immaculate Sei Kou Ki dancing around
his, strangely enough, heroic posture. He was like the emblematic Spirit
World Poltergeist Warrior after defeating one of the Strongest of the
Demon World.
Yusuke Urameshi had now officially seen everything. A few seconds later,
he also succumbed to a long overdue sleep.
***
<A hundred and fifty six petty losses to one major win? Not bad. It's
about time. After years of trying, I'd say the big lug deserves the win.
He has already paid his dues. He really hit the jackpot this time,>
Yusuke reflected, smiling wanly.
"...Do you want to mess with me? I'm game. Do you want both your lungs
punctured? Do you still have the balls to fight? I'll let you know that
I have..."
<But I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he won,> Yusuke
thought, his eyes half-lidded. <Right now, he thinks he didn't win and
he _still_ won't let me hear the end of it. What more if he did know?
Serves him right. Who knows? Maybe what I saw was just a fluke. Or was
it just another dream? Hell, it was probably a nightmare!>
"...You don't have your mazoku blood or unlimited supply of spirit
energy to fall back on now, do you? No wonder you're so afraid to fight!
Now that we're on equal footing, it really shows--"
"Oi! Will. You. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. God, I'm running out of breath just
_listening_ to you whine."
"Want me to shut up? Make me. Come on. I'll take your breath away."
"No. I don't think so. Why should I do that? You're the one that should
come to _me_. I wish you luck on that. Break a leg... or two."
After a few more hours of witless banter, slumber again claimed the two
eternal rivals.
***
"Come on," Kurama whispered. "I think this is it." And before Midori
could even utter a warning for him to be careful, he stepped into the
landscape of rolling, tree-lined hills where the alabaster bridge
awaits, holding her hand close to his.
Midori turned to look over her shoulder, her expression tensed with an
almost fearful anticipation that was in stark contrast to her previously
joyous demeanor. "I'm feeling a really powerful presence. I'm not sure
if you should cross the bridge."
"Is it something dangerous?"
"I don't know what it is, exactly. That's what worries me."
Kurama came to stand by Midori, his eyes scanning the surreal skies, but
not to take in the splendor of the synthetic stars, nor the strange
pillars of light. He took in his surroundings, oblivious to the beauty,
with a caution born of not being able to use the living senses he had
lost; of being unable to perceive the source of power Midori had
mentioned. Gradually, as his searching eyes found no hint of any other
presence, his caution melted into outright resignation.
He turned to Midori, to see if she was having any luck, but found that
she was too busy ogling the flowers. "Um... Midori-san? Where's the
powerful aura you were talking about? I'm sorry, but I can't seem to
sense anything because I'm now a ghost."
Midori shrugged, giggling sheepishly. "I... I don't know. There's a
feeling of power there, but... it's all over. I can't tell exactly where
it's coming from. It's too spread out." She looked around uneasily. "It
might even be coming from those columns of light or from more than just
one person, for all I know."
Kurama sighed in trepidation as the light rain of cherry blossoms
continued to beckon him. <Even though everything is mostly going
according to plan, there are still things that'll certainly try to defy
my will. I must be careful of them if I want all my plans to succeed. On
the other hand, I've planned this death scene so well that there are
times when even _I_ am surprised by the outcome. But it's still better
to be safe than sorry.> To Midori, he asked, "Do you think the power's
emanating from me?"
Midori shook her head. "No, it's not. But even though I can certainly
tell your presence from this other presence, I still couldn't tell who
or what it is since this is the first time I've ever encountered it.
Coupled with the fact that I've only begun to control my powers just
recently, and we'd have a real puzzle in our hands. I'm really sorry,
Minamino-san." She hung her head in apologetic shame.
Kurama put a comforting hand on Midori's shoulder. "I appreciate your
honesty and concern. All I can really say is that whatever will be will
be. I do hope the 'ominous presence' is just part of the plans I've made
a little over a decade ago. It's hard to tell, since I'm only
remembering them as I go along this little dream sequence."
Midori blinked. "If that's so, then how can you really be sure you're
fulfilling _your_ will? For all you know, you've probably been tricked
and manipulated."
"Maybe. I'm too old to be gullible enough to dismiss the possibility,
truth be told. But one thing I've learned from living Asuka-san's life
is that human motivation isn't usually definable by logic or reason, but
by instinct. Or, as you humans are wont to call it, by the 'heart.' I
believe that these plans I'm slowly remembering bit by bit are true and
could really help Asuka-san gain her life back because I choose to
believe. I have faith in what my heart tells me. That's probably the
very thing about me that frustrates my youko self to no end." Kurama
laughed.
"Hmmm. So you put all your trust in your 'heart', eh?" Midori bashfully
smiled. "Okay. If your heart tells you to cross the bridge, then you
should cross the bridge, logic be damned."
Kurama snickered. "If my youko self was really dead and buried six feet
under, then he'd be turning in his grave. 'Foolish human,' he'd probably
say." Midori chuckled along with him. The decision was made then and
there. Kurama was going to cross the bridge.
As the pair of Midori and Kurama prepared to traverse the alabaster
bridge towards the road to springtime, the inevitable happened. Midori,
Kurama's new 'guide' since Tetsuma passed away, seemed strangely
compelled to take a different route towards another destination.
"You're not going with me? Why do you have to leave?"
Midori helplessly shrugged, looking straight into Kurama's prairie-green
eyes. "I'm sorry, my dear boy of reflection. It seems that my own heart
beckons me to follow another route. I'm sure you'd understand."
Smilingly, Kurama said, "I know it sounds cliche, but it seems that
we've reached the proverbial crossroad."
"Well, I guess that's true," Midori admitted, giggling. "It's too bad
that I won't be going your way, but I have a feeling that we'll meet
each other again soon. Later, Minamino-san."
"Later."
And so Kurama took a determined step, his only certainty his doubt. Was
this in any way a leap of faith for him? Most certainly it was. The
whole ordeal of battling Tetsuma and then realizing that he was the one
responsible for Tetsuma's actions was a leap of faith in and of itself.
Eschewing common sense in this world of subconscious make believe, he
will finish what he had started. He had promises to fulfill, after all.
But first, as per usual with something as grand and elaborate as
Kurama's death scene, it was now time to tie up all the loose ends.
<It's now time for my long and overdue good-byes, I believe.>
<We'll also have our good-bye in a while, Minamino-san. Just don't
forget to go to the road to autumn. I'll be waiting for you there,>
Midori telepathically reminded Kurama before she too traversed her
chosen path.
Kurama crossed the alabaster bridge, quickly reaching the nondescript
cobblestone pathway strewn with cherry blossoms. The road was not
winding, but straight and narrow amidst a veritable forest of pink.
After a few more moments, he was able to chance upon one of the tree-
lined rolling hills he saw earlier.
The road continued from there by means of an ostensibly man-made terrace
on the precipice of the green mound. He proceeded to climb the unnatural
veranda until he reached the peak of the knoll. From atop the elevated
mount, he was able to discern the closest of the four pillars of light.
The cobblestone road to springtime apparently ended somewhere near the
luminescent column. He trudged on as the earlier rain of cherry blossoms
petered out to a mere squall.
<Could the power Midori-san felt come from one of those four pillars? Or
could it be a 'someone' instead of a 'something'?> Kurama pondered as he
slowly descended on another identical veranda. It eventually led towards
a valley of grass and trees marred only by the out-of-place road. <If it
is a 'someone', then who could it be? Will he help me in my quest to
revive Asuka-san, or will he stand in my way? I hope, for his sake, it's
the former and not the latter.>
Kurama started to feel nostalgia as the scenery slowly changed into
something that was far more familiar.
Kurama followed the narrow road until he reached a certain point where
the grass and trees covered a smaller, more compressed area. Bushes and
shrubs now lined his vision, surrounding him with a sense of familiarity
he could not place.
He chanced upon a wooden bench beside one of the trees. When he turned,
he saw a fountain not far from him. He realized that the rolling hills
from behind him had somehow vanished. He was now in familiar ground.
<This is the park where Hiei usually sleeps! The park near my home in
the Human World. Incredible. So this dream I'm experiencing is as much
mine as it is Shigeru-kun's.>
Curiously enough, the cobblestone road was still there, again defacing
the scenery. As he left the park, the concrete jungle of suburbia
replaced the tranquility of the hills and valley he traveled through
earlier.
He treaded the road to springtime almost instinctively that he didn't
need to check where it led. He already knew where he was supposed to go.
After a rather lengthy stroll, he finally reached his first destination.
A recognizable school chime rung as he entered the gates of his alma
mater.
Kurama had now reached Meiou High School.
Kurama walked through the hallways of what could have been a bustling
community of students; as of now, it was just empty. He took note that
the sun had already begun to set, giving everything around him a
surreal, golden glow. <It's bizarre for the sun to be setting when it
was just midnight a few minutes ago, but I guess it'd make perfect sense
in the Dream World.> He waved off his little digression as he enjoyed
the unhurried sunset. He had always liked the quiet of the school
grounds in the afternoon. It gave him a lot of time to think.
<My final wish before granting Asuka her rebirth has come true. I get to
speak to each and every one of my friends and loved ones through their
dreams,> Kurama thought as he leisurely sauntered in Meiou's serene
halls. <This is it. My first good-bye... just as I wished it to be. I
wonder who I'll say good-bye to first?> There were so many of them.
Shigeru. Midori. Chiho. Ayame. Keiko. Yusuke. Kuwabara. His mother,
Shiori. Was he forgetting somebody?
His excited steps, as well as his train of thought, was stopped short
after seeing who was standing near the glass-encased bulletin board.
"Minamino. It's been a while."
"Kaito."
Just beside the bulletin board stood Kaito Yuu, Minamino Shuichi's
academic 'equal', 'rival', and classmate. He was a bespectacled youth of
nineteen years of age, with half-lidded yet intelligent eyes, thick
black curly hair, a wide frame jarred by lanky limbs and a face
suffering from prepubescent acne; he was a conventional bookish
student... or, for lack of a better word, a stereotypical nerd.
Not that Kaito particularly cared for the derisive title... neither did
he care for the fact that the scrupulous thoughts which filled his
present dream actually complemented his physical typecast.
"Um... Hello? Kaito?"
Noticing that Kaito was particularly riveted by the contents of the
bulletin board, Kurama decided to break the ice by saying, "What're you
looking at?" Upon hearing Kaito's lack of a response, Kurama decided to
check things out for himself.
"Wow. It's the Top Ten List of our class. You're the top one, Kaito!
Congratulations."
Kaito derisively snorted. "Top one? What of it?" He knew he easily
surpassed a large percentage of the student body when it came to
academics. Even though Meiou High was such a prestigious school to begin
with, he was a cut above the rest. "Getting this rank was a joke. It
wasn't even a challenge for me. How insulting."
"Er, what do you mean?" Kurama asked, feigning ignorance over Kaito's
overabundance of self-esteem.
"Whatever happened to you, Minamino?" Kaito asked in dissatisfaction.
"You're not in the Top Ten. Why is that? Is it because of your absences
again? What a waste."
<Even in his dreams, he still wants to beat me 'fair and square', but
can't,> Kurama thought, scratching the back of his ghostly head in
awkward embarrassment and befuddlement. <I admit, though this is kind of
flattering, it's a bit weird. Why not just dream that he _did_ beat me
fair and square? Why not just let me take the top two spot or lower, if
that'd make him happy? That's what dreams are for, right?>
"Because I wouldn't believe it for a second," Kaito responded as he
adjusted his square-rimmed glasses. He afterwards blinked. "What just
happened? Did I just read your mind? Even with my territorial powers of
'Taboo', I shouldn't be able to do that! That kind of power is reserved
for the likes of Murota... may his soul rest in peace."
The bespectacled teenager pointed an accusatory finger at Kurama. "Are
you the one who's making me dream this dream? Is this the work of one of
your Demon Plants? Explain to me what's happening immediately."
Kurama nodded his head in trepidation as he braced himself for a very
long discussion with his classmate.
"You've always considered me a rival, while I certainly haven't. If I
were really the Minamino Shuichi you know instead of the youko that I
am, then I might have taken you more seriously. I admit that you are
indeed my closest mental equal from all the people I know in the Human
World. In so saying, I've recently..."
"Spare me the speech, Minamino. Tell me, what are you doing in my dream?
What particular reason compelled you to invade the sanctity of my inner
thoughts?" Kaito frankly said, getting straight to the point.
Kurama nodded. "I kind of like that about you. You were always so...
candid. Well, long story short, I came here to say good-bye."
"What? Why?"
And so Kurama told Kaito everything. He told him about Yoshitaka
Tetsuma and Asuka Matsui. He told him about his fateful confrontation
with Tetsuma in Genkai's dojo. He told him about the subsequent dreams
he had shared with his classmates; the good, the bad, and the ugly. He
told him about Shigeru Amano's death and rebirth. He told him about his
realization of the ultimate truth behind his human guise. He told him
about his plans to give back to Asuka the life he stole from her. He
told him that this was his last good-bye to everyone that mattered to
him.
Nevertheless, Kaito didn't want to hear any of it. "Enough, Minamino. I
have had enough of your drivel."
"I don't understand. Why don't you want to hear it? What I'm telling you
is the truth, not drivel."
"Then lie to me. Human Nature dictates that all humans have a basic
intolerance over beliefs that contradict theirs. It's sad, but true.
Your story contradicts with everything I believe about you, and I'm
therefore intolerant of it. It's irrelevant whether or not what you're
saying to me is true. My human mind is incapable of comprehending your
actions and motivations, so I won't even try to do so. Don't tell me
that you're planning to kill yourself for the sake of some girl who was
supposed to be reincarnated in your human body. That's ludicrous. Tell
me instead that Minamino Shuichi has been accepted in Tokyo University
because of his incredible IQ. Tell me that you're saying good-bye to me
because you consider me as a great rival and you're expecting me to
follow in your footsteps, since you're such an insufferable 'nice guy'.
Tell me something that actually makes sense. And for God's sake, let me
remember you the way I want to remember you."
Kurama didn't know what to say to that. "Well said. Fair enough. I'll
tell you what you want to hear on the condition that you keep your
promise to me."
Even though he knew the answer, Kaito felt obliged to ask, "What promise
is that?"
"Your promise to study with your life until you reach my level of
intelligence."
"That's impossible for me to do, unless I still have a millennium to
live. But I will still study with my life until I die, not because I
feel indebted to you in any way, but because it's also Human Nature for
a human to long to fly even though he does not have wings."
And so Kurama told Kaito what he wanted to hear, and left his supposed
rival to his academic flights of fancy in the dream version of Meiou
High. The recently deceased specter still had places to go, the road to
springtime waiting patiently for him. <I need to go back to the park. I
have a feeling that _she's_ already there.>
***
Keiko Yukimura walked silently in the darkness of the park, not noticing
the inapt cobblestone road superimposed on the concrete ground. Crossing
her arms for warmth as the chilly remnants of the winter solstice
tousled her hair, she shyly spied the bench she sat on yesterday. She
pouted.
<So he didn't come here after all,> she thought dolefully before she
caught herself. <Ah... why am I thinking such weird things? I just came
over here to thank him, that's all.> She looked at her watch. It was
seven o'clock. She briefly wondered if her parents had noticed her slip
out of the house before quelling that thought as well.
<He wasn't at the station either... but considering that we have
different schedules... Ah, that's just silly of me,> she thought at the
back of her mind as she sat down for a bit on the wooden bench. <I
didn't even really want to see him after last night.>
She slowly got up after hearing the crickets begin to chirp. <I have to
remind myself that it was only a one time thing... Shimizu is too far
away from Isesaki. I have to be realistic.> Her eyes became determined.
<Well, he's obviously not here, so that's one bridge that I don't have
to cross.>
"Keiko-san," a voice softly said.
After her initial shock, Keiko couldn't even bring herself to turn
around.
"So you're still replaying this memory in your dreams... I hope it's not
because of anything I said or did," Kurama earnestly stated. He already
knew that it was pointless to hide any of his innermost thoughts in the
Dream World; he therefore decided to let things be, since this was the
best way to make all of his good-byes sincere and honest. "The last
thing I want to do is hurt you."
<So this is just a dream?> Keiko stirred, unable to meet the gaze of
what she thought was the object of her imagination. "You never did
anything of the sort to me, Kurama-san."
"That's nice to hear," Kurama admitted, pensively adding, "I know it
sounds corny, but it seems that I'm not the only one who wanted to etch
this moment in my memory for all eternity," which embarrassed Keiko.
There was a lengthy pause. "Y-You misunderstand. I have to do this. I
have to make this dream my own. I won't rest until I do so," she
clarified.
"That's very daring of you," Kurama praised. After that, he took a long,
deep breath, even though his ethereal body didn't have any need for air.
"Keiko-san, I have something important to tell you." And so he did.
Everything he told Kaito earlier, he told Keiko. In the entire course of
the story, the young girl's facial expressions shifted from happy to
sad, surprise to shock, and fear to outright denial.
Before Kurama could finish his narrative, Keiko interrupted him, saying,
"No! NO! You have to stop this right now. Why do you have to do this,
Kurama-san? If Yusuke knew about this, then he'd be sure to stop you!"
"I know. And so would Hiei. That's why I sent Taka-kun to stop them
both. It's all for the best, I assure you. It's very important for me to
finish this quest of mine. Although you might actually hate me for it, I
_must_ do this. It's all for Asuka-san's--"
"I don't care about Asuka-san!" Keiko cried out. She hastily apologized,
amending, "I don't hate you or Asuka-san for it, but I hate the fact
that you have to do this," Keiko confessed, teary eyed. "Why? Why do you
have to keep every last promise you make? Why do you have to feel
responsible for everyone around you? Why do you have to be so sincere
about your feelings? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO NICE?!"
"...."
Silence again passed the pair in an unhurried pace.
Strangely enough, tittering laughter soon followed.
Keiko giggled in between her sobs, reiterating, "Why do you have to be
so nice, Kurama-san?"
Kurama moved towards Keiko in concern, but his unease was lifted by the
slightly relieved glint in her eyes. She quickly wiped away her tears.
"So aren't you going to answer my question? I do think I deserve to know
before you... leave."
Kurama coughed once before answering, "I'm not all that sure about me
being nice, but like you said before, I couldn't stand being dishonest
about my feelings. I have come to love Minamino Shuichi's honesty so
much, I've decided to emulate it. I've realized that I owe so much from
Shuichi... no, from Asuka-san... that I'll do anything for her. That's
the truth."
There was thirty seconds of stillness that Kurama felt forever. "Keiko-
san?"
After a moment of hesitation, Keiko smiled curiously at Kurama's reply.
"Wow. You're so different from before. You've changed. You're not
second-guessing yourself anymore. So you did find your answer!" she
nearly squealed in excitement, then sighed.
The young girl's eyes were filled with obvious worry, despite her smile.
"Though I still don't understand why you have to sacrifice yourself for
Asuka-san's sake, I'm glad you've found your moment of clarity."
"I owe a lot of that clarity from you."
Keiko heatedly blushed. "It was my pleasure. I'll always cherish that
special moment of ours." She proceeded to give Kurama a quick peck on
the cheek. She bit her lip, her features containing a strange mixture of
determination and anxiety. "Don't get me wrong, Kurama-san. I trust your
judgment completely, but I sincerely hope that this is what you truly
want."
"I hope so too," Kurama said and left it at that.
And so Kurama left Keiko to make her dream her own. Unbeknownst to him,
a doppelganger of his soon appeared before the young girl. She went on
to tell him, the double, all the things she was too afraid to tell the
real Kurama; all her frustrations, all her thoughts, and all her
feelings. She openly cried, asking the fantasy half-youko to not leave
her like the real one did.
But Kurama never had a chance to go back to the park and see just how
much his good-bye affected Keiko. He was too concentrated on reaching
the end of the cobblestone road where the pillar he first sighted lay.
***
To be Continued...
Next: Kurama's Death Scene continues.
Note that I put in the title _Shonen_ not _Shonen-Ai_. Shonen-Ai
(male-male relationship) and yaoi are just not my cup of tea. This
is dedicated to Chimamire Kitsune for giving me the inspiration to
write this fic... Wherever you are, this is for you.
Disclaimer: All characters used in this fanfic (save some others)
are the rightful property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV
and St. Pierrot. Don't sue me please, I'm very poor.
Ja ne!
Abdiel
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