Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Life Through a Dragon's Eyes ❯ Chapter Fourteen: Is This Really the End? ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Fourteen: Is This Really the End?

 

::Hiei's POV::

 

I don't bother to chase after the dragon; if she wants to get herself killed again, then that only means that there will be one less person to annoy me.

 

“Hiei, what the hell are you doing here? Where's Armatage?” I hear as Yusuke walks in, looking around a bit at his new surroundings. He makes a face that definitely indicates his disgust at the place. I'm not surprised. I highly doubt she's bothered to clean this place up at all, probably because she knew she wasn't going to be here for very much longer.

 

“You just missed her. She flew off to…go answer a letter,” I answer, shrugging my shoulders indifferently.

 

“Sasuke was at my school today, alive. He doesn't remember me, or Kuwabara, or anything else that's happened in the last few days. If he does, then he's doing a pretty good job of hiding it. Why…how can he be alive now? Didn't he die years ago? I mean, I know I came back when I died, but that was totally different. I still had a body to come back to. I meant to come and ask her about it but…I don't suppose you know anything about it right?” he asks. Obviously, he doesn't trust me when it comes to things like this. I could just pretend not to know anything, but it would probably only mean being interrogated further later on, and that would just be a pain.

 

“I don't know all of the details, but I do know that it was Armatage who asked for him to be brought back to life. I don't know where she got the information that told her it was possible, but that's beside the point. The boy is alive because she wanted him to be. He doesn't remember because apparently, she didn't want him to. Maybe it's just residual guilt for killing him, how should I know what that woman thinks? If you ask me, she's acting just like a stupid human; much too emotional.”

 

“…it doesn't make sense. Sasuke…he acted like they were really good friends before. He wasn't even mad at her for killing him. Unless…it wasn't really her!” he exclaims. Typical, I bet Kurama already knows, and then we're going to have to explain it to the buffoon later.

 

“But why would she say it was her if it wasn't? And if it wasn't really Armatage who killed Sasuke, then who was it?”

 

I roll my eyes silently. I really hate having to explain things to ignorant people, let alone the one who's supposed to be the Spirit Detective; as in, it's really supposed to be his job to figure it out, and not mine.

 

“Itachi Izumi, his brother, killed Sasuke. As for why the dragon was so eager to have Spirit World as an enemy and to constantly be running away from them, I don't know. She took off before she told me; said it was none of my business,” I reply.

 

::Yusuke's POV::

 

“Where exactly did she go Hiei? You know, don't you?” I ask, my eyes narrowing slightly as I try to get him to understand that it's really important that he tell me, even if he doesn't like Armatage.

 

“…she went to visit an old acquaintance. I believe they're going to visit someone's grave together,” he answers cryptically.

 

“Damn it Hiei! This isn't the time for you to be an-” I start to say, but stop, realizing the meaning of his words.

 

An old acquaintance…someone's grave? Itachi! I think, running out of the house without another word.

 

I don't even have to bother with calling Botan to ask where Sasuke used to be buried. There's only one cemetery near his old house. I hope I don't get there to late. Armatage doesn't deserve to die, even if she is a pain in the ass sometimes. If a nice guy like Sasuke likes her, she must be a good person.

 

::Armatage's POV::

 

I land at the cemetery and retract my wings before I take even one step. It'll be harder for the Detectives to cover up the existence of demons if someone finds my body before them in my normal form. I suppose I can do them that one kindness, since they were kind enough to help me before.

 

I fear not death, for it is just the passing from one world to the next. I fear not pain, for it is just the toll to be paid for that passage. I fear not loss, for I have no need for material things there. I fear only for those that I must leave behind, that I cannot watch over them and keep them from harm, I think to myself, reciting from memory the verses that those who are about to die recite to themselves before they breathe their last. It's supposed to be calming I think, though it does nothing but reaffirm what I already know. I've already died once before. At least now I'm choosing it on my own, and not being tricked by Kushin.

 

“I don't have to worry about the last part at least. Without his memories of me, Sasuke has no reason to get himself into trouble,” I mumble under my breath, smiling lightly at that. I'm glad that he can't remember me. I'm more trouble than I'm worth, and I already cost him his life once. I don't want it to happen again.

 

I take a deep, shaky breathe before beginning to walk toward the grave. A grave I haven't visited in years. At first because people from Spirit World had been guarding it, but later…I just couldn't bear to come and see it; to read his name and the epitaph beneath it. It's that type of pain that hurts so much it's like being stabbed in the chest, but ten times worse because even though it hurts, the pain isn't manifested through blood or a gaping wound. It's just…just…an emotional agony that only you can feel or know exists.

 

I stop in front of where the tombstone is supposed to be. The original words have already been erased, only to be replaced by some unknown person's. Most likely it's just some person Spirit World made up to replace the now alive Sasuke.

 

“So, you really did come after all. For a moment I started to doubt that you would. After all, monsters like you seem to run on survival instincts alone,” I hear a voice say. I look up to meet the eyes of a man who looks like an older version of Sasuke. At least, that's how I used to think of him. Now they don't look alike to me at all. It's all in the looks in their eyes. Sasuke's is kind and decent, always full of concern for those around him. Itachi's is…almost too difficult to describe. It's almost as if he knows exactly what's going to happen, but is guarding this knowledge like some all-important secret. At the same time, his eyes speak of the evil in his heart, the aura around him of murderous intent.

 

“Itachi…there is no doubt in my mind that someone will die today. But tell me…how did you find out about what I was? I always made sure never to transform when others were around, most of all you,” I ask, not to stall time, but only because that if I have to die, I don't want any of my questions to go unanswered if I can.

 

He smirks lightly, chuckling as he lowers his gaze to the ground and kicks a few pebbles with his right foot.

 

“It's really not as big of a deal as you think. To be honest, my finding out about you was a complete accident.”

 

I stare at him for a moment, trying to understand how that would be possible. Sure, sometimes he would walk around the corner right before I was about to transform, but that was the closest he'd ever come to finding out.

 

“Still can't figure it out?” he asks after a few moments of silence from me.

 

“You remember those old toy spy cameras that I got for my birthday one year? I'd asked for them on a whim; thought I could blackmail you or Sasuke just for the fun of it if I put them in the hallways or something. I never expected to find out that the girl I was living with was a dragon. I mean, I always thought you were a bit odd, but not being human was pretty far from what I first thought.”

 

“What did you have against me then? I never hurt any of you, nor did I make it seem like I planned to,” I ask, curious to see if I can understand the way Itachi's twisted mind works.

 

“Ah, I was hoping you'd ask about that,” Itachi replies, smiling delightedly as he throws a scroll to me. I catch it in one hand and unroll it.

 

“…the Izumi family tree? Impressive that it's so old but…what does that have to do with this?” I question as I read through it.

 

“Some of the earliest generations that can be traced to the Izumi family were alive before the barrier between Human and Demon World was put up. During that time, those born into our family were Dragon Hunters. See, your kind wasn't always as peaceful as they are today. At least, not according to all of the records left behind by my ancestors. I found them all in the basement of our house one day long ago. At first I tried to just make sure that you two didn't spend anymore time together than you had to. But that was too hard, considering you two were so…annoying close. I tried to warn my little brother as best I could without revealing what I knew, but then…it happened.”

 

I growl angrily at his words. Dragon Hunters; I'd been told many stories about them when I was a child. They were a special sect of Demon Hunters that focused entirely on exterminating dragons, hence the name. Why they hated us especially, I'm still not sure.

 

“What, what happened?” I ask, my hands clenching into fists so hard that I can feel blood seeping through my fingers and onto the ground.

 

“You both were thirteen at the time. One day I was asked to go get Sasuke from school and drive him to some appointment he had to go to. I guess he must've thought that was the best time to ask me, seeing as you dragons have such good hearing,” he continues, taking his time with his explanation especially because he knows I want to know so badly.

 

“Tell me!”

 

“He told me…well, to be more precise, he finally admitted that he was in love with you. I'd suspected it for at least a year already, and I'd been dreading the day that he'd actually say it since then. I said everything I could think of to get him to change his mind. “She's not good enough for you; uneducated as she is,” or, “You don't really know all that much about her,” and I even went as far as to say, “Mom and Dad would never approve of you two.” But he wouldn't budge. “I love her, and I don't care if you don't like it either. I just want to know how to tell her,” he'd said. Stupid little kid…” Itachi replies.

 

I choke back a sob at his words. That must've been right before he'd asked me out on our first date. And then later…when he died…

 

“I couldn't let my brother fall in love with a monster, even if he knew it. I really did mean to shoot you that night. But that little idiot just had to get in the way. Believe me, I do feel regret for hurting my younger brother. But with all the trouble you caused after he died...all it did was show me that I'd been right all along. You're just a worthless monster, a beast that lives on survival instinct alone. And a beast that hurts humans deserves to be put down.”

 

As he says this, Itachi pulls out a gun; similar to the one that he used the night Sasuke was murdered. But this one…it feels…so much more deadly than it had before. What's that smell coming from it? And that strange aura...like death itself.

 

“My ancestors may not have succeeded in killing all of your kind long ago, but certainly knew how to do it. My method is a bit more modern, but it'll work just the same,” he says, grinning enthusiastically as he points it at my heart.

 

“That smell…the bullet must be made from…”

 

“I'm not sure what your kind call it, but I only know it as Death Stone. There was a small amount stored in a box left by one of my ancestors. They'd make the tips of their arrows with this specific type of rock. For some reason, whenever dragons came in contact with it, they died, especially if it's broke through their skin. I'm sure in this form it would probably kill more than just dragons, being in a bullet and all. But it's much easier to use than a bow and arrows,” he says, smiling as he starts to pull the trigger.

 

A battle cry rips from my throat as I unsheathe the dagger hidden in my sleeve and charge at him. It doesn't faze him though, and he shoots the gun. I just barely manage to dodge it before tackling him to the ground and trying to slit his throat before he manages to pull the trigger on me again.

 

::Kurama's POV::

 

I'm already to Sasuke's house with Kuwabara by the time I hear my communicator ring. I open it up quickly as I reach the front door, seeing Yusuke on the screen.

 

“Kurama, you already know right?” he asks as he runs.

 

“Yes, I figured it out a little while ago, and Hiei filled me in on what I didn't already know. I'm at the Izumi's right now. Do you think this is the right thing to do? If she's willing to die…do we have a right to make Sasuke remember when she doesn't want him to?” I ask quickly, knowing that by now time can't be on our side.

 

“Hey, somebody tell me what's going on! Kurama just dragged me out of my house without saying a thing!” Kuwabara demands. Yusuke ignores him and keeps going.

 

“I don't give a damn about whether it's the right thing to do or not. I just know we have to get there and stop Armatage before she gets herself killed. If Sasuke's there, maybe she'll stop; and if he sees her, maybe it'll shock him enough to make him remember. So either way, just get him there as fast as you can,” he answers before turning off his communicator, making the screen on my own darken once more.

 

I turn around only to see Sasuke already standing there on the porch in front of the door. He stares at me without speaking for a few moments. I can see that he does recognize me from somewhere by his expression, but doesn't know exactly who I am yet.

 

“Sasuke, I need you to come with me, now. Don't ask why and don't refuse. If you don't someone very close to you is going to die,” I say, grabbing his arm and pulling him along as fast as I can.

 

“It's the dragon girl isn't it? The one from my dreams…she isn't really just a dream is she? She's real!” he asks, not even trying to resist as he follows me. I increase my pace and he tries to keep up as best he can.

 

“You bet she's real! And without you she'll die, so we have to get to wherever she is real quick like Urameshi said,” Kuwabara tells him.

 

“Me? But I'm not even sure who she is. I know she's important to me but…I don't know why. What could I possibly do?” Sasuke asks.

 

“You have to be a man and save her of course!” Kuwabara exclaims.

 

“Unfortunately, saving her may involve hurting or even killing your older brother. Are you going to be alright with that?” I ask, glancing behind me at Kuwabara and him as I continue to run.

 

“…yeah…I'll be fine. I just…I get this feeling…that I used to love her…” he replies, staring at the ground with a confused look on his face as he follows me.

 

At least he remembers something… I think as I nod in his direction and lead them to the cemetery as fast as I can without completely outrunning them.