Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Fire Dancer ❯ Alone ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the yyh, stuff…though I did see this really adorable Yusuke pin in a store the other day!!

A/N: This chapter might be a little short and crappy, cuz I didn't really have much of an idea for the first part, so it might only get somewhat interesting at the end, sorry…

See, even the author's notes of this chapter suck…I guess I'm just not very into it lately…

O well, please enjoy this chappie as much as you can, I'll try and improve it as I go along.

LOOK OUT FOR SOME FORSHADOWING FOR THE `CHAPTER BLACK' SAGA!!! I'LL GIVE ANYONE ANOTHER COOKIE IF THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT ^_^

Thoughts

Fire Dancer

::Alone::

Mai swung her legs carefully over the branch as Yusuke listened to her tale with—what seemed like—little interest. But a slight gleam in his eye showed that he was slightly fascinated with the story.

“It was like that for seven years…” she whispered as if it was all a bad memory, “But no one seemed to want me; no one was able to truly give me a home. But it didn't matter, really,” she said with a somber smile.

She sighed and crossed her arms over her legs, her eyes staring distantly out through the trees, “It was hell then…but…but when I was around five—I think it was—I found someone like me; a loner without a purpose and searching the world to find one. He was my protector, you could say…”

Her eyes glazed over at the sudden memory and smiled sadly, “I do have to admit that I did find quite an attachment with him; a bit of a crush maybe…but he was nearly ten years older than me then, so it was only an innocent adoration between us…”

The girl suddenly tensed and tucked her knees up to her chin as tears welled up in her eyes and she turned to Yusuke, “He…He was also a Spirit Detective,” she whispered and turned her head away abruptly, “But-but I was naïve then, I had no idea what was going on when he would fight those demons; all I could see was him protecting me,” her voice grew so soft that she could hardly be heard,, “All he could see was black an white: good and evil. The demons he fought were always the enemy and he was always defending the humans…” she blinked, “Maybe…maybe that was what caused his downfall,” she murmured.

“I know I shouldn't have followed him that night; the night he went on that one mission, but I followed him anyway. It was only supposed to be a simple mission...like all the others...it would have been that easy too, if it hadn't been for what he found.

“His world of black and white now suddenly turned gray; now, the humans were the enemy; torturing and murdering the demons mercilessly—“ a tear filled her eye, “It was too much for him…and it drove him mad,” she shivered, “The look in his eyes—the confusion and pain—broke my heart…”

A teardrop plummeted to the ground far below them, “I'm not quite sure what happened…but the next minute I was running—oh gods, I was running. And I ran for what seemed like an eternity. No longer was my protector there for me; he was gone from my reach and wasn't there to defend me from my monsters. I remember everything was just a blur, as if none of it truly existed; as if the boy that had always been there for me had never been there at all. I collapsed finally at the footsteps of an old bookshop where I huddled until the gray morning light signaled a new day…

“The owner—Ms. Megumi—she found me the next day and brought me inside. She let me live in the spare bedroom as long as I would help out in the store…but I didn't care; as long as I was somewhere I could live in safety, I didn't care…”

Mai sighed and cautiously lifted her eyes to the Detective, “I've lived there for eight years, now…So I guess now you know why I've been so pissed off at you;” she laughed hollowly, “I've been hurt by the one person who cared for me all those years…And I don't want it to happen again…”

Yusuke watched her for a moment, the pity in his eyes glowing faint. He was about to reply, when his pride took hold of him once more.

“Keh, I could have watched something like that on a soap opera,” he snorted and turned his head away.

Mai glared at the Detective dangerously, her anger mounting by the second. Tears could be seen shimmering in her azure eyes as she clenched her fists at her side.

And without warning, she swiftly shoved the boy off his perch and watched him fall to the earth.

He landed with a thud and a groan.

“I should have never told you!!”

Almost immediately, the dancer leapt from the branch and landed gracefully on the ground below. She quickly stormed off across the marshland. It took a few more moments for Yusuke to recover before he stumbled after her.

“Where are you going now?!” he shouted at her.

The girl whirled on him and it seemed as if her eyes lit up with an imaginary flame, “Home,” she growled.

The pair stormed into Genkai's house with a bang as the dancer thundered towards the front door. She ripped her coat from the wall and flew open the door and stomped outside furiously, closing the door with a slam.

After a moment, Kuwabara poked his head into the hallway and looked around warily.

“What was that?”

Yusuke snorted, “The crazy bitch…”

-:-

Mai could not contain her anger as she stormed down the hillside. She could almost sense the woodland creatures scurrying away from her fury.

“Stupid, fucking bastard,” she muttered darkly under her breath, “Damn him—Do you hear me?!” she roared into the trees, “I hate you!!!”

The dancer growled furiously to herself as she shoved branches out of her way. She could hear the faint noises of the city nearby.

She was going home—for good.

“Should have known…” she whispered, “I should have known from the very start…”

The girl trudged down the path until she soon met up with the road. Cars buzzed dully down the street. She shoved her fists into her pockets and strode across the road without looking either way, but no cars got in her way.

As she entered the city, people bustled past her on their way through the town. School girls and their boyfriends chatted to their hearts' content above all the other voices. Children whined and tugged on the sleeves of their moms as they spotted the latest toy in the store window.

Mai moved passed them with ease and shuffled into the nearest store away from all the noises of the outside world.

Figures…she thought glumly.

She sighed and turned to face the shop she was in. A music store, obviously, with all of the racks of CD's and blaring music pounding from the speakers. The dancer smiled grimly and made her way towards a random stack of cases and thumbed through them. At least she could try and calm down…

The girl picked up a CD and scanned it carelessly, placing the earphones loosely against the side of her head. She slid to the ground wearily and leaned her head against the wall as the song hummed gently to her…

You and I are betting on words,

You and I are wandering worlds,

Apart from each other,

Joined at the heart

You and I escaping the earth,

Tasting tears for all that it's worth,

Apart from each other,

Joined by the thought

Can you believe me?

Still sitting pretty with a pistol in hand,

Living to love you,

Will you be my man?

If I begged?

If I plead?

Would you please, please, please satisfy me?

Anything goes in this cosmic dare,

Anything goes so take care,

Can't you hear my heartbeat to your lies?

Listen close sweet love of mine.

You and I are traveling time,

You and I a moon rocket's climb,

In tune with forever never, say never been told.

You and I are floating in space,

You and I are ready to make,

The most of a moment,

Alive in this silence so great,

Can you believe me?

Still sitting pretty with a pistol in hand,

Living to love you,

Will you be my man?

If I begged?

If I plead?

Will you please, please, please satisfy me?

Anything goes in this cosmic dare,

Anything goes so take care,

Can't you feel my heartbeat to your sighs?

Mon amour, sweet love of mine

Anything goes in this cosmic dare,

Anything goes so take care,

Did you feel my heartbeat to your sighs?

Mon amour, sweet love of mine.

Mai slowly draped the headphones over her neck and stared up at the florescent lighting above. Well, so much for that…she thought sadly and placed the headgear on its hook. She stood slowly and made her way back to the front of the store. The dancer pushed the CD onto the check-out counter and pulled out the money, sliding it towards the cashier.

She left the shop with her purchase in hand and made her way into the bustling sidewalk outside.

People pushed passed her without even an `excuse me' or `sorry' and shoved her out of their way. She stumbled after a final push and dropped the bag onto the concrete, but no one seemed to notice; they squeezed around her and continued on their way.

“Yeah, thanks,” she grumbled sarcastically to no one as she dusted herself off and was about to grasp her bag, but someone grabbed it first, “Hey!”

But when she looked up, her eyes met those emerald green eyes of Kurama.

The red-head smiled gently and handed her the parcel, “You dropped this.”

Mai blushed terribly and shakily took the bag from him, “Thanks,” she mumbled as he held out his hand and helped her off her feet. She stood in an awkward silence and rubbed her arm gingerly.

Kurama merely smiled gently, “The others might be worried about you if you're off on your own…”

She stiffened at his question and turned her head away, “Uh…yeah, sure…”

He watched her carefully, though, when she said this, but before he could respond, the girl strode past him without another word. Kurama followed after her, though letting her keep her space.

“Mai…?”

The dancer continued forward, but didn't answer. The red-head carefully jogged after her so that he was level with her.

“Let me guess…it was Yusuke?” he prodded gently.

“He's such an asshole,” she muttered as an answer, “I hate him…”

Kurama chuckled gently at the remark, but not unkindly. Mai glanced up at him curiously as he coughed to stifle his laugh. But the girl smiled weakly in return and stared down at the ground in embarrassment. Man, he had a great laugh…

She blushed again at thinking this and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The pair continued to walk in silence for a few more moment before Kurama tried to start up a conversation.

“So…where are you running off to?” he asked lightly, while ignoring the longing stares from the gaping high-school girls.

The dancer puffed out her cheeks irritably, “I'm not running away, Kurama; I'm going home…”

He nodded slowly and placed his hands in his pockets casually, “Then, if that's the case, would you mind it if I walked you there?”

She slowed her pace considerably and cocked an eyebrow in his direction, her suspicion rising. The red-head turned to her, trying to figure out her confusion, before he laughed once more and shook his head.

“No, the others didn't send me to keep an eye you—if that's what you're thinking,” he insisted.

Mai studied him carefully before sighing, “Fine, whatever…it's just around the corner, anyway…”

The duo walked in silence along the street as the fading rays of the day started to fade away. The dancer continued to blush, though, as several times she felt Kurama's hand brush against hers. She longed to pull it away, but found that she could not find the courage.

After a few more minutes, the two rounded the corner towards the old bookshop. The old scripted writing above the door was steadily peeling away. The windows remained in dire need of dusting and a few old tomes lay on cushions for show. A couple blacked-out windows signaled the second story and a concrete chimney crawled up the side of the shop.

The girl almost gratefully shot up the steps and placed her hand on the knob. But before she opened the door, she turned back to Kurama and smiled weakly.

“Thank you,” she said with a small grin.

The red-head tilted his head towards her, “Goodnight, Mai,” he replied and he was gone along the road. She watched him for a few more moments before she slowly turned the handle and stepped into the shop.

Bells tinkled above her as she stepped inside. An old-fashioned desk sat in the back of the shop with a small green lamp perched on top of it. A velvety-red armchair rested next to the dying fire and the strong smell of incense filled the room. Books lined every inch of the walls and even piled up onto the floor, which might have been a good thing, seeing that the old throw-rug was stained and less than attractive.

She sighed sadly and tossed her coat carelessly on the armchair and flipped the `Open' sign so it said `Closed'. She made her way towards the back door of the shop, which had been hidden by the precariously stacked volumes next to the desk.

Her feet dragged up the staircase in the back up to the second story. She reached the landing slowly and opened the door to the bedroom and flicked on the lights.

A single iron-wrought bed sat in a corner with a poor excuse for a canopy draped over it. A small desk and stool had been placed next to the window where a lamp hovered over them. Then, a boom-box rested beneath the desk, aged to the brink of the decade, but working nonetheless. Clothes had been shoved into the small space of closet she had while others had merely piled up in corners of the room.

Simultaneously, she slipped her torn blouse off and tossed it in a corner with all the other forgotten clothing. She pulled her pajama bottoms over her bruised legs and tugged her bright red tank-top over her head.

Mai popped her new CD from its case and slipped into the player. She sighed and plopped onto her bed gratefully. The sheets were less than spring breeze fresh, but it was heaven to her, to finally be back home.

Her eyes suddenly fell on a single picture on her nightstand. She stared at it emotionlessly for a while…the young male in it smiled kindly in the black and white photo as he ruffled the hair of a little, bright-eyed girl in front of him. But despite his smile, pain and sorrow could be seen in the depths of his eyes.

It almost despised her that she was still holding onto that distant dream…that distant dream that he would come back looking for her…

On instinct, she slammed the framed face down onto the table and rolled on her bed so her back faced the picture.

For how long she laid there, she was not sure, but it was finally dark before she jerked out of her daze.

The dancer looked around warily. The bells downstairs were chiming—at least it sounded like they were…

But the shop was closed. She had even changed the sign herself…Plus Ms. Megumi wouldn't be there at such an hour…unless she forgot something, that is.

She waited a few more moments, but the bells did not ring another time.

Cautiously, the girl lifted herself from her bed and cracked the door gently; listening to any peculiar noises coming from the shop…but there were none. So carefully, she placed a foot onto the first step, careful of the creaking wood.

Her feet padded gently against the plywood as she made it to the final landing at the bottom. Once more, the overpowering incense drifted through the room, causing the girl to grow slightly nauseous as she held on to the doorframe for support.

Mai looked around the shop warily for any sign of life. Nothing appeared to be touched, however, and the cashier was as she had left it almost three days ago. She was about to leave and go back upstairs when her eyes caught sight of the door…

The sign now faced the her saying `Closed'

Curious, the Guardian returned and flipped the sign back over. Once more, she was ready to turn back upstairs, when she froze.

Somewhere someone behind her coughed…and the girl whirled in fear and horror as she turned to face the intruder…

She froze suddenly, and stared with a awe-filled fear at the figure before her…The woman she had imagined in her dreams so many times before and who now looked her straight in the eyes…

“Mom…” she murmured...

-:-

A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I am the ruler of evil cliffies!!!! FEAR ME INFIDELS!!!!!!

LoL, sorry guys, but it's getting late and the chapter's getting long, but I hoped you enjoyed, cuz I probably wont' be able to update too often with school and all…plus volleyball is going for 2 and a half hours for the first two weeks ::shudders::

O well…

See you guys soon!!

Ciao!!!!!!!

PS: I do post a little preview for future chapters under my profile, you know….