Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Imaginary to Reality ❯ Memories of the Past and the Present ( Chapter 8 )

mukuro5: Hey! I'm glad everyone liked the chapter.

 

Yusuke: Finally you stopped stalking your sister.

 

mukuro5: I wouldn't have had to stalk her if she just handed over the baby!

 

Kuwabara: You were the one who didn't want to hold her.

 

mukuro5: Stop ganging up on me! It's not fair.

 

Kurama: The disclaimer, mukuro5.

 

mukuro5: Oh, yeah. I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly Smort, Tony, and Sarah

 

Chapter 8: Memories of the Past and the Present

 

The night was a beautiful one. It was a comfortable temperature when the wind wasn't blowing. Kelly just sat there, looking up at the sky. After a bit she heard something move behind her. She turned around to see Kuronue standing behind her.

 

“I'm sorry. Did I wake you?” Kelly asked, looking up at him.

 

“Not really. Why aren't you asleep? You won't be up to walking in the morning if you don't get at least some sleep,” Kuronue stated, looking down at her.

 

“I know. I just can't get to sleep. This place is just a bit…different, I guess would be the word.”

 

Kuronue sighed softly. He sat down beside Kelly. She looked at him before looking up at the stars again. Kuronue laughed softly, which confused Kelly.

“What's so funny?” Kelly asked, looking at Kuronue.

“Seeing you sitting with your knees pulled up to your chest reminded me of my childhood,” Kuronue answered, placing his hands on the ground behind him and stretching his legs out in front of him. “When I was just a little demon I was caste out of my village. It had something to do with a yearly sacrifice to the stronger `god demons' outside of the village. It was so they wouldn't attack us or let any other demons harm our village.”

“That's awful!”

“I remember my mother crying. She gave me this pendent as a charm. She said it would protect me,” Kuronue held his pendent in his right hand, “The demons came and tried to devour me. I don't remember much. I passed out from the pain caused by being ripped apart by the demons. I woke up a few hours later. The bodies of the `god demons' were shredded across the woods.”

“Did you go back to your village?”

“No. You see, before you are sacrificed you are completely shunned. I couldn't return because they would have killed me. I guess they exiled the demons that were sacrificed for some kind of shallow justification.”

“That's awful.”

Kuronue gave a warm smile to Kelly. She was the only one, besides Youko, that cared about his past. She sat there in silence while he told her everything he told only one other person.

“Is that why you went back for your pendent the day Yumekisu captured you?” Kelly asked.

“Yes. My mother was very precious to me. It was the only thing I had left of her,” Kuronue answered.

“You must have been lonely without a home, a family, or even friends.”

“About three years after I was exiled I met Youko for the first time.”

“First time? You met him more than once?”

“Yes. Youko caught me right after I stole some food from a merchant. He needed a partner for a heist. I agreed and after the heist was done we went our separate ways.

Then five years after that, we met up once again but this time it was not for a heist. I over heard some low-life demons talking about a wannabe-thief that was seriously ill. I went in search for him and ended up founding him in a den, made immobile by the illness.

This may sound foolish, but I couldn't let him die even though at the time we only knew each other's names. We were both young demons. So I stayed with him and nursed him back to health.

We stayed together for three years after he got better. Then I got wind that my home village was being attacked. I left Youko in the middle of the night to go see if what I heard about my village was true. I got to the village in time to see my mother in the hands of a dog demon and a materializer demon.

I didn't make it in time. I was unable to save her. Even after I was not able to save her, she smiled at me and mouthed `I love you'.”

It was quiet. Kelly did not even say how bad that was like she normally did. Kuronue took his gaze from his pendent to Kelly. Kelly was looking straight at him with tears streaming down her face.

“What's wrong? What did I say wrong?” Kuronue asked frantically.

“Nothing. You said nothing,” Kelly answered, wiping the tears away. “He watched his mother die right in front of him. Poor guy. That has to be so hard,” Kelly thought, looking into Kuronue's eyes.

“You should get some sleep.”

“Yes.”

Kuronue got to his feet. Kelly stretched her legs out while Kuronue started to walk back to his place that was six feet from Yusuke.

“Umm…Kuronue?” Kelly whispered, looking over at him.

Kuronue stopped and turned around. Kelly turned her head and lowered it. She allowed her bangs to cover her eyes.

“Never mind. Good night,” Kelly said, lying down on the ground.

Kuronue lied on the ground. Yusuke was to his left and Kurama was at least a yard and a half to his right. A few hours later the sun started to rise in the sky. Kurama opened his eyes tiredly. He stretched his arms into the sky. He looked to his left to find a surprise.

“Kuronue! What the heck are you doing?!” Kurama hollered, pushing Kuronue, who was only inches away from him, a foot away from himself.

Kuronue sluggishly woke up. “Why are you so close to me?”

“What are you talking about?! You are the one who was right next to me!” Kurama stated, standing to his feet.

“Yeah right! I never moved from my spot.”

Kelly and Botan were the first ones to wake from the noise. Hiei and Yusuke were next. Kelly sat up and looked towards the bickering friends.

“The sun isn't even in the sky yet. Why are you guys yelling?” Kelly asked, rubbing her eyes.

“I don't care why you guys are fighting, but keep it down!” Yusuke ordered, laying back down and turning to his side.

“I have to agree with Yusuke,” Kelly said, lying back down.

“I can't believe you did that,” Kuronue told Kurama.

“You are the one…”

“I said be quiet! Save your bickering for when the sun is up!” Kelly ordered.

Everyone fell silent. Kuwabara woke up because of how load Kelly's order was.

“She's really scary when she is angry,” Yusuke stated, now sitting up.

“I'm not angry, just tired. You guys are worse than Sarah, Tony, and I am in the mornings,” Kelly explained, eyes closed and semi curled up.

Kelly sat up after saying that. Everyone looked at her as she got to her feet. She looked at everyone and smiled.

“Well since everyone is up we should just start walking. We do have a long ways to go,” Kelly started.

“Yes,” Botan agreed, nodding her head.

The group made sure they had everything before they started walking again. Kelly walked in front of the group with Kuwabara and Yusuke. Hiei finally decided to join the group and walked beside Kurama. Botan was with Yusuke and Kelly while Kuronue walked behind everyone.

The scenery started to change discreetly. A tree would appear every once in a while along with some grass. Botan told everyone that once they hit the Forest of Fools that it would be only another half a day. Even if that were true, it would take a day to get to the Forest of Fools.

“So what is up with the forest's name?” Kelly asked to anyone who knew the answer.

“The Forest of Fools is known to cast illusions. Many of the weaker demons get caught in these illusions and die because of it,” Hiei answered melancholy.

“That was the most I have heard Hiei talk.”

Kurama laughed softly. “Yes. Hiei does tend to do that. I'm guessing he is getting use to you.”

Kelly: “That's good, I guess.”

Botan: “We shouldn't have a problem with the forest.”

Kelly: “I hope not. I do not really want to die.”

Kuronue: “You would probably scare them away with your looks, anyways.”

Kelly: “Hey! That's horrible to say!”

Yusuke and Kuwabara just snickered at Kuronue's comment. Kelly turned to them, fists clenched tight.

Kelly: “Yusuke! Kazuma!”

Botan: “Okay, guys. Stop picking on Kelly. She's new to all this.”

Kelly: “Thank you, Botan.”

Kurama and Hiei stopped all of the sudden. They turned to look behind them. Everyone stopped as well. In the distance was a shadowy figure. All of them stood there, waiting for the figure to reach them. Everyone was alert at this time, everyone expect Kelly and Botan. The figure looked nothing at all threatening.

The once shadowy figure was now seen as a young woman. She wore a kind, very friendly smile. The clothing she wore was a traditional kimono that was dark pink with yellow trimming. Her hair was pure sky blue that matched Botan's perfectly. Her sky blue hair was all to the left and in a braid except for her long bangs that framed her face. The sun that shined on her features did not show, or complement, this young woman's gray eyes. When she got close enough to the group they could see that she had a symbol upon her forehead. This symbol was an upside-down blue raindrop with three small red circles on each side.

“Who's the chick?” Kuronue asked before the young woman reached them.

“Kuronue! Don't call women `chicks'. It's rude!” Kelly snapped at him.

“You are way too sensitive.”

“I am not.”

“Like heck you're not!”

Botan, before the fighting got any worse, hit Kuronue upside the head with her oar. Kuronue held the back of his head out of pain. Kelly smiled triumphantly while Yusuke and Kuwabara started laughing.

“You did deserve that, Kuronue,” Kurama stated, looking down at his friend who was crouching and still holding the back of his head.

“Hello,” greeted the woman when she stopped in font of the group.

“Hello,” Kelly answered, waving at her.

“What's wrong with him?” she asked, pointing at the infuriated Kuronue.

“He's just learning a lesson. What are you doing in a place like this?”

“I'm just looking for someone. What are all of you doing out here?”

“We're…”

“Well, we are looking for a ferocious, man-eating, horrendous demon that has been terrorizing this part of Makai,” Kuronue answered, putting his left arm around the woman's shoulder.

Kelly crossed her arms and turned away from Kuronue. Kuronue didn't notice at all so he just continued to talk. The others noticed Kelly's reaction to Kuronue's flirting.

“So you, a beautiful young lady, are out here by yourself looking for someone?” Kuronue asked, looking down at her since she was a few inches shorter than he was.

“Yes. How rude of me. I am very sorry for not telling all of you my name. Heru Mizu is my name,” Heru said, smiling at the mismatched group.

“Kuronue, you don't have to be so straight forward with her,” Kelly snapped at him once more.

“I'm not being straight forward with anyone,” Kuronue stated to her with some attitude in his voice.

“Yeah right!” Kelly turned around to face Kuronue, “You are all over her!”

“I am not!”

“Oh my goodness! Yes, you are!”

“You are kind of all over her. Then again it has always been a bad habit of yours. You always flirt with the beautiful women,” Kurama stated as politely has he could so not to get in the middle of the fight.

“And what am I? Kuronue, you are a vile person! Oh, wait a second I forgot. You're not even that. You are just a low-life demon who goes around hitting on anything in a skirt!” Kelly snapped at Kuronue, turning away from him once again.

“It's okay, young lady. You will not have to worry about him anymore,” Heru explained to Kelly, smiling warmly as she did.

Everyone looked at Heru with either surprise or alertness. Kuronue took his arm off of Mizu's shoulder because of her pervious statement. Heru just stood there, smiling like nothing unusual was said.

“What do you mean?” Kelly asked, turning to Heru with some worry.

“Just what I said. You will not have to worry about Kuronue anymore because Lady Kageryu wants both him and Youko Kurama,” Heru answered Kelly.

“You were sent by Yumekisu?” Kuronue asked, reaching for his weapon.

“Yes, I was. It took you a while to figure that out, didn't it? I was given a direct order personally from Lady Kageryu. She wants me to take you two back to her by any means necessary.”

Kelly stiffened from head to toe. She had no idea what to do all she knew was that she felt an ominous presents all of the sudden. It was apparent that she was not the only one that felt Heru's power.

“So I'll let you choose. You can come with me without a fight or I can just knock you both out and take you,” Heru said, smiling warmly still.

“Quite talking and let's just fight. The sooner we get this done the sooner we can continue on our mission,” Kuronue mouthed off.

“Fine with me. I wanted to fight you anyways,” Heru admitted, pulling out rainbow colored yarn from the sleeve of her kimono.

“What's with the yarn?” Kelly asked, obviously confused.

“She's going to knit us to death,” Yusuke mocked the less than threatening item.

“I have to admit that is pretty sad,” Kurama agreed with his companions.

Heru whipped the yarn at Yusuke. It made contact with his left cheek and blood started to come to the surface through he cut on his cheek. The others looked on with astonishment, well everyone except Hiei. No one thought that the yarn would be able to cut a wet paper towel let alone someone's skin.

“Weather it looks silly or not is not the point. It makes a very effective weapon. I surround the yarn with my aura making it stronger than the hardest steel,” Heru explained to the puzzled onlookers.