Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Assassin's Story ❯ Assassin's Story ( Chapter 1 )

He was forced forward by the sudden weight on his back. Gracelessly, he fell face first onto the floor of the forest. He was about to protest when a voice hissed in his hear, "As you value your life, you will stay still and count to three hundred. Don't move, I mean it." The words carried the promise of dire consequences, and he began counting. The weight left him and he could hear the sound of feet running from him and then the sounds of pursuit. Despite his curiosity, he'd lived long enough to know a warning and there was something oddly familiar about the one who pinned him. Something nibbling at the edge of his awareness, eluding him. He heard feet returning, surprised because he'd only reached 175 of the required 300. He heard chuckling and the voice again spoke, lighter this time, "You can get up and stop counting now." He got up quickly, having already assessed his body for any injuries. "I am sorry about running you over," the voice continued. It belonged to a girl, a good head shorter than himself, with large blue eyes and a riot of golden curls. She looked to be ten, at most, but her bearing was much older. "I was being chased, you see, and I didn't want you to get hurt." A look of concern crossed her face, "You're not hurt, are you?" He shook his head, dusting off his clothing, watching her. Why did she seem familiar? She didn't look familiar. She smiled at him, "I'm glad. My name's Akira, by the way."

"I'm Kurama," he answered, unsure why he didn't give his human name. Was it his imagination, or did her smile seem to broaden?

Before anything else could be said, a tall man with long dark hair and eyes to match seemed to step out of no where. Akira's smile faded as he began to speak, "I can't take you anywhere, girl. No sooner do I turn my back and you're off running. Such abysmal behavior." He sounded like a parent or a teacher, but the girl did not look reprimanded.. If anything, she looked angry.

"Don't start that, Nyota." When did a child address an adult that way? "I told you they were near before you left. Don't try to make this my fault."

Nyota frowned at the girl, "What did you do with them?"

"In the river," she answered cryptically.

He looked over her shoulder, "You didn't…" [1]

Her posture became affronted, she glared at him, "No!" She flicked her eyes at Kurama and took a more apologetic stance. "I did run him over, though. I was apologizing before you showed up."

"Ran him over?" Nyota looked at Kurama for the first time, taking in the remaining debris on the recently clean uniform. His focus returned to Akira, "Why?"

Disgust and, could it be?, wounded pride?, crept into her voice, "Stupid automations, one track, motion detectors. No brains to speak of."

"How'd they find you?" Nyota asked, almost hesitantly.

Anger flared in Akira's features, did her eyes turn red briefly?, and she shot back hotly, "You're supposed to know that. Why doesn't it work anymore?" [2]

Kurama wanted to leave, but he had to know what was going on. What was the feeling at the back of his mind?

Nyota's eyes closed, pain crossing his features, his body tensing as if expecting a blow. "He's on their radar again. After…..he showed up on their radar, they traced you. I cannot hide you any more." He bowed double, exposing his neck to her. [3]

Akira sighed, a very old, tired sound. "Nyota, it's not your fault." She sat down on the ground, sighing again. She looked at Kurama, her eyes very old, very tired, and again to Nyota. "It is time, my friend. Fate has intervened at long last." A chuckle, "I'm actually almost glad." Nyota humphed and straightened up. "Kurama, I have a story to tell you. Why don't you have a seat?" She glanced over his shoulder, "You can show yourself, Jaganshii, I know you're there." [4]

A black haired man, equal in height to Akira, stepped out of the surrounding trees. He looked unhappy at being called out and stood stiffly just within sight. Kurama looked at him, a trace of surprise on his features. Neither made a move to sit down however and Akira snapped sharply, "Look, I am going to explain what is going on, but I do not want to stand up and I will not talk to those standing over me. Come here, Jaganshii. Both of you, sit down."

Kurama found his body obeying her orders and was surprised to see his friend sitting next to him. Akira's tone sweetened, "Thank you. First, proper introductions. I am Akria Niobe. He is Nyota Imbri. He is a guardian. As for me," she tilted her head, a hint of a smile crossing her features, "I suppose you could say…hmm…Let me put it this way," she straightened up, her eyes dancing in a serious face. "Once upon a time, in a land known as the Maikai, there was a very skilled assassin. She never failed to complete a job, no matter the target, no matter how many. She was never caught, never suspected, rarely seen. The phantom of death, she was called. One day, she received a job. Someone wanted a particular thief to die. She thought that was a stupid waste. You don't kill thieves, you catch them. What was it about this thief? She stalked her quarry for a month, trying to figure out why this thief had to die. This may seem a stupid thing to do, but even assassins must sleep sometime and killing for no reason didn't sit well with her. [5] The more she watched, the more disturbed she became. She knew that if she did nothing, then another would be sent. If she tried to warn the thief, they would both be killed. She had an idea. What if it seemed they both died? She knew where she could hide. And she could get the thief to go where he'd be safe. It was a brilliant plan, and worked perfectly. Until the thief showed up again." Her eyes focused on the wide eyed Kurama, "Stupid Fox, who'd you piss off enough to get me involved?"

"You? You tried to kill me?" Kurama was aghast. He could sense Hiei tensing beside him. It hit him, fully, why she felt familiar. She spoke the truth.

She shot him a disdainful look, "No, don't you listen? Had I tried to kill you, we would not be having this conversation. I tried to get whoever wanted you dead off your tail."

"Akira," Nyota broke in, "there are four more coming. A class. They're being chased, though." He frowned at this last statement. [6]

"I guess they're through insulting me," she sighed. "They must be really mad about looking the automations, though. But chased?"

"Yusuke," the name slipped out before Kurama could censor it.

"Figures," Hiei agreed.

"How long?" Akira asked.

"Thirty, that way, " Nyota pointed behind Kurama and Hiei.

"Thanks Nyota. Go now." Nyota faded into the trees. Akira pulled a deep red blade from behind her back. [7] "Well, boys, it's time to play," she muttered as she stood ready. Hiei and Kurama could feel the ki given off by the approaching demons. They, too, drew their weapons, Hiei his sword and Kurama his whip.

Four demons burst into the clearing, stopping when they were in sight of the three waiting for them. "Looks like we're expected," the first demon said. Looking at Akira framed by the two, "What a pretty little girl. Rumor has it she's the phantom, but she hasn't got the strength to be that."

It was then Kurama realized that Akira didn't radiate any ki at all. She seemed to not be there at all. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Hiei realized this too. [8]

Akira chuckled deep in her throat. "Didn't you ever learn not to judge someone by how they look?" In a flash, faster than Hiei's eyes could follow, the four of them landed on the ground, their head separated from their bodies. [9] Akira was now in front of them, her sword dripping with blood. Bringing the sword to her lips, she touched her tongue to the blade, whispering, "Drink up, my precious, drink deeply of those who sough our lives." [10] The sword seemed to absorb the blood that was on it, darkening in color.

A black haired boy burst out of the forest, stopping dead when he saw the fallen demons. He stared in amazement, "What the hell?" he stammered.

"We seem to have met an assassin," Hiei answered, still trying to figure out how she moved faster than he could see. No one had ever done that before.

Yusuke eyed the girl, trying to reconcile her to assassin. The sword helped, but she looked like a kid. "Whose side is she on?"

Akira laughed lightly, "The same side I've always been on, Yusuke, that of self preservation." She sheathed her sword without turning so that Kurama and Hiei could see the sheath running diagonally up her back, blending in with her clothing. "Nyota," she called, waiting for the guardian to reappear. "I have a debt to pay." He nodded, looking somber. [11] She turned to face Kurama, "Fox, you have a job to commission." [12] She stood, arms akimbo, waiting.

He stared at her, "I prefer to…"

"This is my debt, Fox. Commission it!" she snapped.

He regarded her steadily for a time, finally nodding, "Go, then."

She smiled viciously, "With utmost pleasure." Before any of them could move, she had vanished from the clearing.

A/N I'm not sure how good this can be if I came up with 12 points to clarify that couldn't be clarified in the story for the sake of the narrative…hmmm? Well, here goes:

[1] "You didn't…." Referring to using her sword…I'll explain a little later more why

[2] "Why doesn't it work anymore?" The guardians are capable of hiding their charges from anyone, provided there are no other ties, like unfinished business.

[3] "exposing his neck to her" This is a sign of complete submission, it gives the other person the opportunity to kill the bower. Nyota is essentially acknowledging failure and is offering his life to her.

[4] "Jaganshii" As far as I've found, this refers to a possessor of a Jagan…it's a generic term, like Kitsune. Why does she know he's there? She is an assassin, always aware of her surroundings

[5] "no reason" She may be an assassin, but she is not totally heartless. I think demons dream, so, if she can justify to herself her line of work, then she sleeps better.

[6] Nyota's warning As a guardian, Nyota is aware of attacks centered on his ward. He knew that the first group was going after her. He acted the way he did because he looks like he might be her father and was uncertain how they were going to approach Kurama.

[7] Akira's sword A blood sword is something I read about in a Star Trek novel a long time ago. It starts off clear and becomes darker as it is used. It is an assassin's weapon, in the book…I liked the idea

[8] lack of ki How good would an assassin be if their prey could feel them coming? In "Lone Wolf and Cub" Lone Wolf learns to master his ki so that he can go undetected and he can cause his enemies to become confused.

[9] speed Well, this goes along with the above. Since she can control her ki, why not use it to move faster than her quarry?

[10] licking the sword Not done just for the gross out factor. Many cultures believe that blood holds within it the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the person. By ingesting some, she can learn who sent them.

[11] "I have a debt to pay" With this line, she is dismissing Nyota and taking up her former trade. Guardians cannot work for assassins, so she is ending their association, even though it already ended when she used her sword. Her debt is to the ones who sent the demons after her. She did get paid to kill Kurama, after all.

[12] "commission it" An assassin will not work without reason. Though she wants to "pay her debt" she cannot do it without reason. Since Kurama has reason to want the same person dead, he can send her. He would like to do it himself, but she denies him. He is now doubly in her debt….

Oh, on a side note…Akira is a boy's name, but oh well…I like how it sounded and I'm not changing it :p