Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Price of Kindness ❯ Of Fire and Swords ( Chapter 2 )

I have heard the plea of my reviewers
And I must comply to their wishes!
Here, from sessha to you...
The Price of Kindness: Chapter 2

 

 

 

The two newly met companions walked along the deserted forest path. The sun was setting and what could be seen of the sky was orange, yellow and pink tinged with the remaining blue. The first stars were beginning to take their place in the darkening sky. Long shadows were cast by the trees creating an eerie feel for the travelers.

Youko Kurama led the way followed a few meters later by Macha. Youko turned around and stopped waiting for her to catch up.

"Why do you walk so far behind, kiddo?" he asked, sighing.

"I was always taught to walk exactly 5 meters behind one who is superior." Macha replied automatically. "I am in your debt and so I treat you as royalty, Youko Kurama-dono."

Youko turned around, and began to walk again.

"You can just call me Youko. If you want." he said in a gruff voice. He sniffed the air as a strange scent came to his nose.

"Youko Kurama-sama?"

"Nah, just Youko," he muttered turning off the path.

"Youko-sama?"

Youko sighed in exasperation. "Fine."

"Youko-sama..." she said, happily, jumping over a random sick. "Look at the stars, they are pretty..." she sang quietly making up words as a tune popped in her head.

One might think the famed thief of Makai would be annoyed by this noise, amazingly, he wasn't. He actually found it pleasant to listen to her talk, which surprised even him. He even didn't insult her when she found the simplest things to say. Just earlier she called to him and showed him a butterfly cocoon. It was only right after did a swarm of killer bees show up and attempt to sting them. After jumping in the river she remarked, "That was so much fun! Let's do it again!" with that innocent grin plastered on her face. He wasn't sure whether to strangle her, or to laugh. Instead he decided with the get out before the flesh-eating fish come.

It was the second day she had been following him, ever holding onto the fact that she could repay him. Youko smirked. She actually thought she could do something like that. He got along just fine by himself, and if he needed anything, he could get by himself.

He stopped and waited for Macha to catch up to him. It wasn't that she was a slow walker, he'd met slower; it's just that Youko sensed someone was following them. It wasn't a sinister presence, but not necessarily comforting. Either way, he didn't want Macha to get caught up in anything if the follower was his enemy. She was just trying to pay him back, nothing else.

He sniffed the air and turned to the right. He walked to a line of bushes and stopped.

"What is it Youko-sama?" Macha asked, coming up behind him. He chuckled and pulled back the bushes.

A small clearing was in front of them, border lined by rocks on the opposite side and a rush of hot air came on them, followed by the sound of water.

"Ooh! It's a hot spring!" Macha cheered, clapping her hands. Youko smiled at her delight and stepped into the clearing.

"Hey..." Macha thought aloud, following him.

"What?" Youko asked half interested, while clearing a spot for their fire.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile." Macha said, grinning. She began to look around for some dry wood to burn. Youko shook his head in amusement at her.

She brought over some wood and stood in silence as he started the fire.

"Stay here, kiddo. I'm gonna get some food." he said and was off.

"Oh...okay..." she said into the air and sat down. She poked the fire and the flames jumped into the air. She giggled as the wood crackled and popped.

After a few minutes she began to wonder where Youko went to. Macha stood up and started to walk over where Youko disappeared.

-Stay here, kiddo- Rang in her head. She sighed and sat back down. Suddenly, a stick fell into the main part of the fire, breaking in half and sending sparks in the air.

"Aii!" she yelped as a spark fell on the top of her hand. She glared at the fire and rubbed her injured hand. Just then, Youko came into the clearing, a pair of dead rabbits in his grasp.

"I heard you scream. You ok?" he asked, coming to stand next to her. Macha hid her now-red-hand behind her. Her skin had burned and left a not very nice shiny bump, and apparently rubbing it didn't make it better.

"I-I'm ok, Youko-sama. Oh, you found some rabbits; I like rabbits, very tasty-"

"Let me see your hand, kiddo." He commanded.

"My hand? Oh, there's nothing to see." She showed him her other hand.

"Give me your hand," he ordered kneeling next to her, placing the rabbits on the ground. He looked straight into her eyes and spoke in a soft, dangerous tone.

"Ok." She gave up and brought forth her hand, slowly. He pulled it towards him and inspected it. He ran his fingers over the burned flesh, tickling her hand and she blushed.

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but I'll have to cut it off."

"What!" Macha panicked. Youko laughed.

"Ahou, you're way to gullible." he smiled.

"Huh?" Macha cocked her head to the side.

"I was just kidding." he said looking her in the eye, his own dancing with playfulness. He ran his fingers over the burned flesh, eyes never leaving her face. She blushed and he smirked at his handiwork. "Just don't rub it."

Youko stood up and skewered the rabbits on sticks and put them in the fire. He sat across from her on the other side of the fire.

"Ummm... thank you, Youko-sama." Macha said quietly after a moment.

"For what?" he mumbled turning the rabbits over.

"When you heard me scream... you came. I could have been in serious trouble and you came to me." She bowed her head. "My debt continues to pile up, please allow me to stay with you until it is completely paid off."

"Yea, yea... I was on my way back anyway." Youko muttered, his face becoming slightly red and not just from the fire. "About that debt… thing... how'd that pop in your head, kiddo?" he took out the rabbits, handing one to her and the other for himself.

"Well..." Macha started slowly. "At the end of your life, you're sent to heaven or hell. And all the good things you do are counted up, as are the bad things to decide your place. Because I required your help and you went out of your way and troubled yourself, that's a bad point for me, but a good point for you. That bad point will always loom above me until I am in balance with my good and bad."

Youko swallowed his mouthful. "You actually believe in that crap, kiddo? That's just a myth parents tell their kids so they do good stuff for them. Just a story for manipulating children." he took another bite.

"Oh... I believe in it, always have." Macha murmured to herself, embarrassed. She took a small bite.

"So, how exactly do you plan on paying me back, kiddo?" Youko asked tossing away unwanted bones.

"Well... I have three choices..." Macha held up three fingers, she put one down, "one, I could save your life making us 'even steven'." she put a second finger down, "two, I could pay back things adding up to the big life debt." she put the last down, "or, I could stay with you for about 700 years, and be your slave, basically." she went back to eating.

"Slave?" Youko questioned, his lips curling into a smile backed by 'evil' thoughts.

"Mmhmm." Macha nodded, her mouth full.

Youko leaned back against a tree, picking out rabbit meat between his teeth with a bone. "What kind of slave?"

Macha looked at him in confusion. "Are there different kinds?"

Youko waved his hand away to disregard the question. "Why 700 years? A special number?"

"People in my clan live generally until their about 900 years old. I'm 213. You saved about 700 years left for me to live." She put the excess rabbit bones aside.

"Oh…" He stood up and began to walk towards the rocks. "I'm gonna sit in the hot springs for a bit, kiddo. You gonna come?" Youko said resisting the strong urge to 'strike a pose.'

"No, I wouldn't want to invade your privacy Youko-sama." She said plainly.

Youko looked at her funny. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean—" He looked at her wide, confused eyes that said she didn't even understand the gravity of his invitation. He sighed, but smiled inwardly at her innocence. "Never mind."

Youko crossed his arms on his chest and looked firmly into her eyes. "When I'm in there, if anything happens, or anyone comes, call for me, I'll come. Got it, kiddo?"

"Hai, shukun." she nodded.

"Do you have a weapon or something?" He asked, looking her up and down, "If anything happens, of course."

"Yes I do." She pulled a short sword off her back.

"A kodachi," Youko said looking curiously at it.

There isn't really any worth on it, if I ever plan on stealing it. He thought as a little voice in the back of his head piped up.

Like you would, Youko. You'd feel way too guilty about taking a possession like that from a girl like her... But you'd probably take something else—

Shut up.

"Why didn't you use that sword against the old man?" Youko asked.

"He took it from me." Macha stated.

"When did you take it back?" Youko asked. He never remembered her picking up that weapon!

"Before I began to follow you." Macha mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He pressed.

"You never asked." She stated simply. Youko inhaled… then exhaled and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Now here's the question… can you use it?" Youko asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, my chichi taught me swords." She said hugging the sword, "My little kodachi….It was his..."

"Your father? What happened to him?" Youko looked at her strangely. Macha snapped back to reality. She put the sword back on her back and looked intently at the fire. She kept her mouth visibly shut tight.

"Ok then kiddo." Youko said, sighing. "I'll be back in a few." He walked around the rocks to the other side of the hot springs.

So basically, she could have fought me, or seriously injured me, considering my guard has been a little off since a few days ago… wonder how strong she is…

Macha sighed and hit herself. "Bad Macha. Bad Macha. You have a new life now. No parents or relatives." she poked the fire. Well so far, I'm turning out ok... apart from the up to my neck in debt…but Youko-sama's really nice. Kinda cute too. It's taking all I am not to basically spill my life story when he stares at me with those big golden eyes... But, who 'm I kidding; I can barely tell which is cuter: a cockroach or a rabbit… She blushed, "he's really nice though..."

Suddenly she heard a branch snap behind her. She whipped around. "Who's there?"

 

 

 

 

Did you like? I hope you did. I was a bit cruel on the cliffy but... the chapter was dragging out and I if I kept going, it would have ended up two, maybe three times as long... that's not bad or anything, I just wanna save the good stuff for later. The next chapter will have Kuroune! EEK! Three cheers for the bat dude! Awesomeness!

Translations:

-dono (doh-noh): suffix used for 'lord' or 'lady'-dono is older and not used very often. But when it is used nowadays it can be very insulting to the receiver or in this case with Macha, she is treating Youko with great respect. Ex: Kenshin uses it in Rurouni Kenshin to Kaoru to show complete respect and humility.

-sama (sah-mah): suffix used for 'lord' or 'lady', more common than -dono.

Hai (hi): affirmative, yes

Shukun (shoo-koon): lord, master

As always...
I like helpful criticism, some advice on how to make Youko act, ect...
Reviews gratefully appreciated; flames, not.