Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ What Words Cannot Say ❯ My Childhood Friend ( Chapter 24 )

Kurama rubbed his wrist that were aching a bit as he sat in his new hotel room grateful that everything was alright once his death plant was out of his body. Not before long there was a knock at his door making him get to his feet slowly and head towards the door to open it. “Yes?” His serious frown turned into a grateful smile as he saw it was Aeka at his door. “Aeka, hello.”

 

Can I come in? Aeka signed with one hand keeping her eyes locked on his.

 

Kurama nodded, stepping aside for her to enter the room. Aeka entered with a tray of food in her hands which he noticed once he shut the door. As soon as she turned to face him, Kurama asked, “What is with the tray of food? I thought room service did this.”

 

Aeka looked down at the tray, her white lavender bangs covering up a bit of her face. Well, Aeka signed, putting it down on the nightstand, I wanted to give your food to you personally so I asked the man I could…This was abnormal behavior for someone such as Aeka concerning all that Kurama had done to her. As he stood there not knowing what to say she finally spoke back up. I wanted to see how you were doing and talk to you about something.

 

“Oh? Well, I am doing alright. I got the Death Plant out of me, so there is no need to worry,” Kurama answered, smiling briefly as he tilted her chin upward a bit. “I am glad you are here. There is something I wanted to talk to you about too.”

 

May I go first? She asked with her one hand slowly looking a bit upset.

 

There was something in her expression that was a bit different than anything he had seen before. It wasn't anger, it wasn't impatience, and it wasn't annoyance…the three main expressions he always got from her. This time, it was something else. Possibly fear, sadness, depression—it could be anything from what he was sensing. Sitting down at the end of his bed, he folded his hands on his legs. “Alright, what is it, Aeka?”

 

She was hesitant to sign what she wanted to. Please, promise me you won't fight in the next round…

 

It felt like someone had just whammed him good in the stomach once he heard her ask this of him. Looking off to the side, Kurama swallowed hard wondering how to phrase his response. “Aeka…I can't keep that promise, you know that.”

 

Why not?? Aeka asked feeling as though she was about to break down.

 

“I have to fight for your brother's team or else we forfeit and I can't allow that,” Kurama answered, sighing a bit. He could see she was being honest and she was scared of what was to come in the next fight but he couldn't do her request.

 

Kurama, you almost died! You had a fucking plant growing out of your body! Aeka's hand movements were quick and furious.

 

There was another knock at his door making Kurama shift his attention briefly as he held up his hand for Aeka to stop signing for a second.

 

“Hey, Kurama, the next fight is up. So let's move it already!” Yuske ordered from behind the door, not bothering to open it.

 

Kurama knew that couldn't have come at a worse time and he was fearful to tell Aeka goodbye for now so he could go tend to the next round of fights. “I'm afraid I have to go now, Aeka. The next match is about to begin.”

 

NO!! Aeka thought, wrapping her arms around Kurama's waist wanting him to stop.

 

The fox demon was caught off guard by this as he stopped in his tracks looking down at Aeka who was crying in the position she was in refusing to let go. “Why does she insist on doing this?” Kurama asked himself as he looked down at her tightly closed eyes and her shaking body.

 

Eventually Kurama pried Aeka off of his body so he could look her in the eyes yet again. Kneeling on one leg he tried to get her to open them which she was refusing to do at the moment so she wouldn't have to see him say goodbye yet again. He shook her gently which prompted her to finally look at the fox demon.

 

I don't want you or the others to fight…it's pointless! She signed with her shaking hands.

 

“It's not pointless if we are doing this to help the ones we care about. And besides, I don't see why it should bother you so much since you wanted me to return to Makai with Hiei that one time,” Kurama pointed out.

 

Aeka rolled her eyes as she massaged her forehead, You are such a woman! She stated, insulting herself a bit. It doesn't matter! I have been friends with Shuichi Minamino ever since I was eight. And even though you are the demonic fighter Kurama… Aeka paused for a moment looking up at the ceiling before looking back at him expressing as though she was embarrassed about the next part she was about to sign, …you were still the one who gave me your ice-cream cone when I dropped mine.

 

Kurama started laughing quietly seeing her sign that. “You remembered that one.”

 

Aeka nodded briefly mouthing `Yep'.

 

Smiling a bit he held her close for a tight hug wanting to have done that for awhile. Aeka was a bit surprised but she was too upset to fight him for her space as she embraced back for once in a long while. Exhaling heavily as he closed his eyes for a brief moment, he reopened them slowly feeling horrible that he couldn't step down from the fight for her sake. Kurama eventually pulled back as he looked down at her with his hand on her shoulder. “I am sorry, Aeka. But I promise that I will come back in one piece.”

 

You damn better! Aeka signed, wiping away the tears that were still there on her cheeks and eyes.

 

That was all that could be said before Kurama turned to leave Aeka in the room by herself. Once the door was shut, the young teen hit the floor on her hands and knees shaking her head in anger as her body rocked with her sadness.

 

 

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Touya looked over his shoulder at Jin who was standing behind him gazing off into space, his mind elsewhere as they waited in line to be let into the new fighting dome. Sighing, looking at Chuu's back who was in front of him he stated, almost randomly, “If you're so worried about Aeka, why don't you go find her and bring her here?”

 

“Hmm?” Jin questioned looking at his partner with his brows raised quixotically.

 

“Stop trying to hide it,” Rinku remarked with his arms intertwined behind his head, “We know you are thinking about Yuske's sister. So just go and get her already.”

 

Jin distorted his face into irritation at Rinku's comment as he crossed his arms over his bare chest. “She wanted to talk to Kurama, so let her.”

 

“The next fight is about to begin soon so I am betting she finished already, mate,” Chuu remarked from the front of the group. “Go and get her.”

 

“I don't think she wants to watch her brother fight. I don't want to offend her,” Jin replied looking over his shoulder so he could see the hotel in the distance. “Besides, she doesn't have a ticket-”

 

Before Jin could finish that sentence, Touya grabbed onto Jin's wrist, forcing his hand open so he could place down another ticket in the palm of his hand to point to. “Just go get her,” The ice master ordered, turning his back to his partner before he could question this.

 

Jin didn't say a word knowing it would only irritate him as he turned away to go get Aeka thanking Touya pretty much on the inside for getting an extra ticket.

 

 

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Aeka was still busy crying on her hotel bed with her arms intertwined on the covers and above her head where her head was resting. I hate this! Why does it have to be my brother? Why does it have to be my childhood friend who has to suffer in line with my brother? Why can't they throw this so we can all go home? What damage can this guy do?

 

Jin had entered her room hearing her cries from behind the closed door wondering why she was crying as hard as she was. Taking in a soft breath, he stepped towards the bed she was on feeling bad that Aeka was in the state she was in. Should I even ask her if she wants to come? Concerning the state she is in might not make it such a good idea…

 

Regardless of this, he sat down on the bed, making Aeka snap her head up glaring angrily at whoever it was that snuck into her room. Seeing that it was Jin she ran her fingers nervously through her hair before attempting to sign. Please leave me alone Jin…

 

“Hey, hey,” Jin said softly, trying to prevent her from lying back down on the bed. Aeka attempted to get away from his arms but she was too emotionally drained to put up much of a good fight. “Come on,” He whispered once she eventually looked into his demonic eyes. “The next rounds are about to happen and I bet your brother and Kurama would want you to be there cheering them on.”

 

I don't want to watch it! She signed quickly as she supported herself with her right side. I don't want to watch those two get killed in these senseless fights!

 

“Aeka, it is Urameshi and Kurama who you are talking about,” Jin said with almost a laugh. “You don't know much about those two do you?”

 

Aeka looked at him confused wondering what that was supposed to mean since she knew those two all her life at most. She knew Yuske since she was born she thought and Kurama for quite a few years.

 

“Kurama was a strong fox demon bandit in his earlier years, Aeka and your little brother is a feared Spirit Detective.”

 

A fox bandit? Aeka questioned to herself hearing this new part about Kurama.

 

Reaching into his pant's pocket he pulled out two tickets showing them to Aeka. “Touya bought you a second ticket so you could come watch the next battles with us. I won't force you to come with us but I would like you to come and watch.”

 

The young teen looked from the tickets to Jin's expression trying to decide on what to do. Taking the ticket from his hand, she sniffed back her sadness to try and think calmly on the matter. Kurama…Yuske…

 

 

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They were late by the time Aeka decided. Hiei had already fought and won his battle against Makintaro and Kuro Momotaro and now Kurama was facing off against Ura-urashima from what was being blasted from within the Fighting Dome. Jin kept a hold of Aeka's wrist hurrying her towards where the seats were. The sound of the fight that Koto was describing began to worry the demon as the announcer described the `beautiful agony' that Kurama was enduring. We have to hurry, Jin thought hurrying down the hallway that would empty out into the Dome seats.

 

Eventually the two made it into the Dome and now, all they needed to do, was find the others. Before Jin could look, Aeka began to freak out only seeing Kuwabara and Hiei standing outside of the fighting ring which was now covered in a thick fog. Where are Kurama and my brother?

 

Before Jin could answer her frantic hand movements, Touya appeared running towards them from a good many rows down. “What took you two so long?” He asked sounding a good bit worried.

 

Where is my brother? Aeka asked with worry, more than concerned for him at the moment.

 

“Your brother didn't show,” Touya answered, waving for them to follow him back down to where he and the others were sitting.

 

He didn't show? The young girl thought as she followed behind Touya and Jin closer to the front. Don't tell me my brother abandoned his team members! That doesn't sound like him…he may act tough but he does care about others.

 

Touya stepped aside for Jin and Aeka to come sit where Rinku and Chuu were at the moment, waving for Aeka to at least sit in between them so nobody would try anything towards a defenseless human girl.

 

“I see you two finally decided to show up,” Chuu remarked from beside the yo-yo master, Rinku. “Afraid you two arrived a bit late though. Nothing much is going on as of right now for we can't see a bloody thing beyond that fog.”

 

Aeka nodded at his words as she looked up at Jin who was sitting to her left. Who is in the fog?

 

Jin looked over at the taller demon, Chuu reiterating Aeka's questions, “Who is in the ring? Is it Kurama?”

 

“Yeah,” Chuu answered keeping his eyes fixed on the center ring. “That other fighter caged them both up inside of his own barrier releasing some magic into the ring that would cause anyone in the barrier beside the user to transform back into younger years.”

 

He is going to de-age? Aeka signed wondering if that was even possible.

 

“He has already been converted back into his `youngest' form,” Rinku remarked from where he was sitting, “But…Kurama is more powerful than before which doesn't make much sense.”

 

Aeka was confused at how they could tell the difference in power stats as she continued to look into the ring hoping the thick fog would clear. Come on, Kurama…you can't die on me now. She thought looking at the ring with worry.

 

Rinku's hand gripped onto Aeka's right arm making her look down at him wondering what his deal was. “The barrier is broken! The magic is leaving the ring!”

 

Seeing him say that made Aeka look back at the ring wondering what had become of Kurama. She prayed she would see him standing there but she didn't see the redheaded Kurama at all but the opponent was slain oddly enough. Who is that…? Aeka signed slowly pretty much hypnotized by the silver haired and tail fox demon in the ring.

 

“I don't believe it!” Jin remarked, paying more attention to what was in the ring than what was being signed by Aeka. “Kurama has turned back into Yoko Kurama!”

 

Seeing that she was being ignored, Aeka shook Jin gently to get his attention. That cat thing is Kurama?

 

Jin shifted his attention down at Aeka, with his brows raised before looking at her almost in attempts to scold her since everybody had heard of such a ruthless fighter, “It's no cat thing—that is Yoko Kurama, the legendary fox thief feared by all in Makai!”

 

A legendary fox thief? She thought looking back down at what she assumed was a cat. What else has Kurama neglected to tell me?

10/20/2004