Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Lasting Moments ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

The winding, cobble streets bustled with extremely busy activities. Countless shops and various stores were opened, and the women of Ryu Kingdom were out in their finest garments and dresses for another day of shopping.

Four girls stood out in particular in the busy street full of many people. An old lady and her two daughters, all wearing incredibly frilly garments made of extremely expensive materials in bright- rather gawky- colors pushed their way through the boisterous crowd, constantly picking up clothes and fighting for them.

"Mother, mother," one of the girls sweetly inquired. Her hair was sinister blue with a tint of dull lavender, tied back in a perfect bun, and her emerald eyes blazing viciously. "How does this look?" She held up a long, laced frilly dress (in of course the color pink) to her slender figure.

"Wonderful, Hari, darling!" her mother- Sayo - gushed pathetically to her daughter.

"I bet it would look lovely on me too," grumbled the other girl. Her short black- brownish hair was tied back with a single, satin ribbon and her brown eyes were dark, just like her sister's.

"I'm sure it would too, Maya," (I'm using Kurama's girlfriend since they were never meant to be) (I hated her and as you know, this is a Kurama/Botan fanfic) Sayo said.

Hari glared at her sister darkly and fiercely.

Maya glared back.

"BOTAN!" they both screamed.

A poor girl in a torn dress walked up, her gleaming, light sapphire hair down and her arms full of other dresses and boxes from shopping the entire day.

"Yes, stepsisters?"

"Botan, doesn't this dress look better on me?" Hari asked, holding the dress up to her.

"It looks lovely," Botan replied, looking down at the ground, and talking in a hushed voice.

"But it looks lovelier on me, does it not?" Maya replied, snatching the dress and holding it up to her body.

"It looks equally as lovely on you."

Hari and Maya glared at the girl, who didn't notice them at all.

"Oh, what do you know," Hari snarled cruelly, tossing the dress behind her as the two girls hurried after their parting mother.

Botan sighed and followed, trying to keep up, but the weight of the boxes and dresses was finally taking their toll on her. Suddenly she could carry them no more, and they fell out of her grasp, scattering all over the street.

"Oh," she moaned softly, trying to grab the boxes and bags before they were stepped on by the horses and other busy shoppers.

"Do you need some help?" a husky voice from above her asked.

Botan looked up. A boy with long, crimson red hair stood above her, his emerald eyes looking into hers. He was dressed in a rather well kept peasant robe, with strange necklace upon his neck.

"Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you so much," Botan smiled gratefully as the boy bent down to help her.

"What were you doing, anyways?"

"What, apart from dropping my things?" Botan smiled teasingly.

"Yes," the boy chuckled, "apart from that."

She sighed. "Just trying to find my family."

"Lose them, did you?"

"No, they lost me."

The boy laughed.

After her things were gathered and back in her arms, Botan thanked the boy once more and began to turn around when-

"What's your name?" the boy asked, grabbing her arm lightly.

"Botan," she replied, trying to pull her arm out of his gentle grasp, "and thank you again for your help, but I really must find my family-"

"Would you like some help finding them?" he asked, looking concerned.

"No, it's okay," Botan whispered, shuddering slightly at the thought of what her step mother would say if she returned with a boy helping her.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he called as Botan wrenched out of his grip and began to walk quickly away.

"Quite!" she called back, "Good bye then!" And she ran to find her step sisters and mother before they realized she was gone.

The boy stood, watching her leave. 'She seemed pleasant- if not slightly rude in a way.'

And with that thought, he turned around and headed back to the castle.

*

"My prince Kurama!" a man with gelled, pitch-black hair and royal robes called in relief.

The scarlet haired boy sighed deeply as he walked into his room in the palace and changed back into his normal princely attire.

"I would greatly appreciate you just calling Suichii or Kurama, Yusuke?! I find it incredibly annoying being called royalty!"

"Sorry, prince," Yusuke bowed, which earned him small hit on the head from Kurama.

"I said STOP IT!"

"Yes, my- I mean, yes, Kurama."

Kurama made a quiet cry of exasperation and began to stop out of the room when Yusuke followed.

"You're not allowed out, you know." Kurama glanced back at his friend, knowing those words were absolutely rare from the daredevil.

"Why do you think I go?"

"Your parents are going to KILL me if they find out how many times you sneak off to the village!"

"Maybe I should deliberately get caught, then."

Yusuke scowled as Kurama chuckled. "That wasn't funny."

"Oh, but I beg to differ," Kurama smirked as he entered his parent's lounge. "I found it incredibly amusing." 'Like that girl. . .'

*

"BOTAN!" Sayo cried the 4 girls entered a house at the end of the village, "this place is an absolute MESS! Why didn't you clean it?!"

"Because I've been gone with you and Hari and Maya all day, step mother," Botan replied quietly, walking in after the others.

"Oh. Well, do it NOW then!" she barked, as she and her daughters walked up the stairs.

"Oh, I'm so tired," Hari yawned daintily, walking into her room with such poise that it wanted to make Botan sick.

"I'm tireder!" Maya whined.

"I'm sure you are dear," Sayo replied, rolling her eyes. "Good night, girls."

As the three doors closed behind each girl, Botan sighed and walked into the messy kitchen. Taking out a small pan and a broom, she began to sweep, humming gently to herself; the hum being her only company at the time.

She sighed as she sat next to the window, looking out at the twilight sky, as every star winked lovingly at her. She found her thoughts drifting back to that boy on the streets. There was something oddly familiar about him, as if she had seen him before. But she knew that wasn't the case; her hardly made friends now a day or more precisely, she wasn't allowed to.

Yawning, she walked back to the kitchen and settled herself in her little corner. Watching the dying embers of the fire, she sang herself quietly to sleep.

"Dreamland, dreamland… Come and rescue me. Let me drift in and be who I want to be. For when I wake in the dawn, of the morning light- I can imagine I'm still there . . .! Instead of all alone. . . On my own. . . I'll still be there. . ."

*

"What?!" Kurama screamed at his parents. "NO; ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

"Yes!" his mother argued gently back. "Kurama, dear, it is time for you to find yourself a wife: A girl to produce an heir!"

In the corner, Yusuke seemed to be imagining himself with an heir (being the pervert he is), but Kurama ignored him. His usual cool temper was forced to rage into thousands of angry demons.

"I will NOT be forced to attend another one of your stupid balls! I REFUSE!"

"You will do what your mother asks!" the king barked, and Kurama backed away a little, though he still looked quiet angry.

"The ball will be announced tomorrow morning, and held that night," the queen smiled. "I know you will have a good time."

"I highly doubt it," Kurama growled under his breath, but nodded to his parents and left for his room, dragging Yusuke who was still way off in fantasy land.

***********

Please review if you can! I hope you enjoyed the story! Ja!