Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ To Come Back ❯ Let The Battles Begin! ( Chapter 11 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

It's been a long week since Kei talked with Sakyo and now she has deal with something else today, her brother's death. Yes, it's the finals, Team Toguro against Team Urameshi. It was very fortunate that Touya healed fast. Otherwise, Kei would have fought against Kurama, which would put a lot of emotional stress on her. She held her word of helping Yusuke in some way to defeat Toguro. She had been meeting him in the forest in disguise, dressed as some pitiful demon that is bloodthirsty for his death, and having fights with him. When the battle would end, she would always be on the floor, pretending to be dead. But, she would always come back with a new disguise, asking Yusuke for a fight. Now was the time where she would test his skills. If he did not defeat Toguro, she would, even if it meant giving her life for it. It was his fault that she and Karasu were separated, and for that, he deserves to die.

Kei was getting ready for the final battles. She wore a blood red, sleeveless shirt and black pants. Her belt had the same blood red jewel as when she met Koenma a week and a half before. On top of all that, she put on a midnight black cloak that had a hood that would hide her face.

Kei walked down to the locker room that was for Team Urameshi. She opened the door a crack and said in a voice that was not hers "May I speak with Yusuke Urameshi of Team Urameshi?" (A.N.: I know that sounded corny...)

Yusuke's left eyebrow shot up in suspicion but he went outside anyway. He took one look at the stranger and said "Look, it's the finals and I have no time to battle one of you goons."

Kei said "I know that and now it's time for you to know the truth, Yusuke. You see, all those thugs that wanted to battle you in the forest were all one person, me. My brother is Karasu of Team Toguro-"

Yusuke heard a name of his enemy and said "What? You're allies with them? I should have known...those dirty, rotten cheaters!"

Kei took that insult a little too seriously and yelled "My brother is not a cheater, you dimwit of a Spirit Detective! How dare you insult my big brother that way? I haven't even finished. It is wise not to judge before you've seen the truth, Yusuke Urameshi! Now listen or I will be forced to take you're place and kill that cursed Toguro with my own bare hands!"

Yusuke shut up and Kei continued, she had lost most of her patience on that one insult. "My brother and I were separated because of Toguro. Now, he is but a slave for him, fighting battles and forced to help Toguro until he gets to the finals. Whether they win or not, Toguro will still kill my brother eventually. My brother would rather fight Kurama and die than be killed by that heartless monstrosity. That is why I need you to kill Toguro and let Kurama kill my brother..."

Yusuke folded his arms in front of his chest and huffed "How do I know I can trust you?"

Kei put back her hood and Yusuke recognized her immediately. "Oh my god! You're Kurama's girl!"

Kei growled and said "Yes, but I prefer to be called Kei. Now, with all those fights in the forests, you have begun to improve greatly. It was my brother's wish that I help as much as I can for you to defeat Toguro, and I do not expect to fail him now. Yusuke, you must defeat Toguro, not for my brother's sake, but for Genkai's as well..."

Yusuke looked at her in disbelief and babbled "H-how did y-you know a- about Ge-genkai?"

"I saw her die... It was very tragic... to see another killed by the hand of Toguro... I knew her as well, Yusuke... She was... She was my mentor also... when I was very young... To know that she died without her only female student at her side is very heartbreaking... She treated me like a daughter and I treated her like my mother... But alas, I did not say goodbye..."

"Why not? You were there weren't you?"

"Yusuke, sometimes it hurts too much in the future to say goodbye in the past... I couldn't say goodbye because I know that we will meet again... Even though I will go to the Netherworld and she will go to Reikai, she will be waiting for me at the gates of Koenma's castle and welcome me to my new lifetime..."

Yusuke was silent, understanding her wise words. "Well, I'll see you later, Kei."

Kei nodded and he walked back in the locker room. She heard the other team mates ask why he was being so quiet and to her dismay, he told them everything. She knew they would come out to ask questions and fled, but before she could, someone grabbed her hand and stopped her from leaving. She looked up and saw Kurama. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to the special guest box up at the top of the stadium. There's something I need to talk to Sakyo about."

He let go, expecting her to run down the hall but she didn't. She kissed him and said "Good luck, Youko. I won't be gone too long. I'll be back when your fight is up, when I can say goodbye to my big brother..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kei ran up all the stairs, ignoring all the passerby yelling at her for pushing them out of her way. When she reached the box-like room, she knocked on the door and demanded to speak with Sakyo. She knew he was in there and she had to speak to him. He walked out with a smug look on his face and said "My dear Kei, how nice it is to see you."

Kei rolled her eyes and said "I'm sorry, Sakyo, but we have no time for dramatics. I know what you're up to. If you lose the bet, you're going to demolish the stadium, killing everyone in it. Why, Sakyo?"

"It's the only way for me to die and kill my surviving team mates at the same time. The winning team will find they're way out, I promise you."

"But what about me, Sakyo? I don't expect to die in a crumbling stadium when I expect to die honorably in a battle against a strong opponent."

He pulled her closer to him and said "You're coming with me, Kei. In life or death, you're still mine."

She growled and pulled away. "Wrong. I 'was' yours, Sakyo. Now, it's over. I know the old Sakyo is in there somewhere, but I'm too late. He's gone. Now, I can't forgive him for leaving me with this disgusting excuse for a koibito. Goodbye, Sakyo."

And with that, she ran down the hall as fast as she could, leaving a devastated Sakyo behind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

The two fighters charged, Karasu and Kurama, and met with a large explosion. Kei turned away. She couldn't watch one of her most loved ones get killed. Yusuke noticed this and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She smiled at him and said "I'm going somewhere for a while... Make sure Kurama doesn't get killed. That's all I ask for now, Yusuke."

She walked away and walked down the halls of the stadium, her head tilted down so her eyes were shadowed by her bangs. She knew Touya and Jin were around so she was looking for them. She wanted comfort, and she always found it in them. She turned a corner but felt someone from behind wrap they're arm around her waist and cover her mouth with the other hand. She struggled but her captor's grip was too strong for her. Kei was dragged into a room and pushed onto a chair. She looked up at her abductor and saw the person she hated, and yet cared for, the most, Sakyo. He looked at her, eyes burning with fury and somewhere behind the anger, pain. He yelled "How could you do this to me, Kei? I thought the love we had for each other was inevitable!"

Kei looked away, years of held back tears brimmed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sakyo... You might not understand but, I was afraid of what you have become... And I couldn't stop it... I'm a worthless coward... I don't deserve love anymore... I truly care about you, Sakyo, but... Something about you has changed and it frightens me to know that the man that I once loved has that attribute... I don't know exactly what it is about you that frightens me... But whenever I say that I care for you, it gives me the feeling that it wasn't meant to be... and that I should let you go... I don't deserve to love anyone anymore... I deserve to rot and die alone... I'm sorry..."

He turned away, not revealing his streaming tears, and said "Well... It's too late now... I think I can forgive you but... it depends on what the future brings..."

She looked up as he was about to leave and said "Wait, Sakyo!... Please... Do me just one more favor..."

He stopped and looked back at her after wiping the tears away and nodded. "Please... show me the old Sakyo... before your time comes... I want to see him again... Please, just do me this one thing..."

Sakyo walked up to her and helped her up. They're faces were inches from each other and they gazed into each other's eyes. His expression became softer and his eyes became a deep blue that weren't like his cold, icy ones. He placed his mouth near her ear and whispered "I loved you... And now it's time to say goodbye, my love."

Kei threw her arms around his neck and said "Farewell, Sakyo... It was wonderful while it lasted... In those days we were together, I don't recall ever being unhappy. I loved you... Goodbye..."

He kissed her quickly and walked away. Kei knew she had made a mistake... Years ago, she swore to herself that she would never say goodbye to anyone... Kei knew she had to pay the ultimate price, eternal pain. Regretfully, she walked out of the room and headed back to the arena. When she arrived, her tears were dried and she saw that Kurama had transformed to Youko and her elder brother transformed to his full demon form. At that very moment, countless bombs surrounded Youko and exploded, causing him to return to his human form. He fell to the ground and Juri began to count to ten. Kei returned to Yusuke's side and watched anxiously as the seconds ticked by. Thankfully, Kurama started to get up and a deadly plant rose from the ground and pierced her brother in the chest. Kei gasped and tears streamed freely from her eyes. Before he fell, Karasu looked at her and mouthed five words, "Goodbye, sister... I love you..."