Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ To Come Back ❯ A New Acquaintance ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
A year after Kei left, Youko was walking around with the rose tucked behind his ear. He thought many things. 'Kei, when will you come back to me? 15 years is too long. Come back to me now.'

He began to hear footsteps approaching him and felt an unfamiliar aura coming from behind him. He ran and the footsteps got faster, indicating that the chaser was running as well. The hunter shot an arrow at Youko's shoulder and smirked as he saw blood gush out of the wound. Youko fell to the ground, held the rose in his hand, and said his very last word in his life as a demon, "Kei."

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

5 years after Youko's unknown death, Kei found the Element Sword but she still didn't think that she was worthy enough to rejoin Youko. She missed him so. But something in her heart was telling her that she can't have "him" find out about her relationship with Youko or else Youko will be hurt because of her. That would hurt her too much. She sat on a cliff over looking a town and watched the sunset. 'If only you were here, Youko, then this moment would be perfect.'

The sun was halfway to finally going to sleep when she felt someone's aura behind her. She turned around and found a boy there. He had light blue hair and green bangs that covered a little of his left, deep blue eye. He wore a blue shirt and dark blue pants. He began to walk towards her and asked "May I join you?"

Kei simply turned back to face the sun and replied with "Do as you wish. I'm not stopping you."

He sat down beside her and lay back in the grass with his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and said "Ah. Finally, some free time from Master Rishou."

Kei turned back to look at him and asked "You fight?"

He opened his deep blue eyes and said "Yes. Why?"

"Have you heard of the Dark Tournament that's coming up in 9 years?"

"Yes. I'm part of a team that's competing in that tournament. Why do you ask?"

"Do you really want to know?"

The boy nodded and Kei looked back as the last lights of the sun disappeared in the horizon. "Can I catch your name first?" she asked after the light of day vanished.

"My name is Touya. What about you?"

"I'm Kei."

Touya sat up and placed his hand on her shoulder. He said "Well Kei, nice to meet you."

Kei looked at him and said "You too."

"It's late. Do you have anywhere to stay?"

"I travel a lot but I no longer have any money to stay at an inn."

Touya sat there thinking for a while and said "You can stay with me."

"You'd really do that for me? We just met."

"I'm sure Master Rishou wouldn't mind. We need a substitute on our team anyway."

"How did you know that I'm a fighter?"

"Your sword and those shirukens and throwing daggers that are hidden by your calves."

Kei had forgotten about her weapons and merely stood up. She took one last look at the moon and said "Lead the way."

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

When Touya and Kei walked into the apartment that the team shared she saw that there were 5 other members of his team. A man with black hair and black dress stood up and glared at Touya. He said "Another stray, Touya? How many times have I told you."

Touya stepped in front of Kei, which looked as if he was protecting her, and said "She's not like those poor wanderers on the streets, Master. She's a traveling fighter and she wants to join the Dark Tournament. I thought that we might need a substitute."

Rishou motioned for him to move aside so he can have a look at Kei. He began to circle her like a vulture and said "Your name, girl?"

Kei's hand brushed the hilt of the Element Sword and addressed herself "Kei."

Rishou stopped when he noticed her sword and said "This sword, where did you get it?"

"Must all these questions be answered?"

Rishou drew a dagger out of nowhere and pressed it against her neck and growled "Answer!"

Touya took a step forward and held out his hand. "Master Rishou, be reasonable!" he said.

He pushed the blade against her throat, making a slight cut that oozed blood, and said "I am reasonable. Don't you know who this girl is, Touya? She is the thief girl, Kei, the second most-wanted thief in all of Makai. She stole that sword, the Element Sword, 6 years ago."

Touya stared at her in disbelief and said "Is this true?"

Kei flinched a bit and said "Yes. and then again no. Reason number one: my days as a thief are over." she paused thinking 'for now.' and continued "Reason number two: I've paid my debt to Prince Koenma, who allowed me to keep the sword. And reason number three: my past is none of your concern, Rishou."

Rishou withdrew his dagger and stepped away from Kei, disgusted at her. A large man with dark red skin coughed a bit and said "So. is she in?"

Rishou was buried in thought for a while and said "Only if she can defeat Gama."

A man with blue make up all over his body stepped forward and grunted as he looked Kei over. He gave her one last look and said "You won't win."

Kei smirked at his cockiness and said "That's where you're wrong. I'm going to win."

He grunted and Rishou led the team and Kei to an arena located behind the building. "We use this area for practice. Fight here and don't leave any blood or else you are going to clean it up!" he said to the opposing fighters.

Kei jumped onto the round stage and unsheathed her sword. Gama took his spot opposite her and took a defensive stance. Kei began to shift her weight from one foot to another, getting ready to move to either side. She took a few breaths and said "You ready?"

Gama put his hand behind his back, reaching for something and said "As ready as you are."

Rishou signaled for them to begin and Kei disappeared. She used her speed to run behind Gama and she kicked the thing that he was holding out of his grasp. She began to run around Gama in a tight circle, at a speed faster then Mach 2. While she ran, she began to cut him in several places and kick him every chance she got. Touya smiled to himself and thought "She has a good offensive style."

When Kei was satisfied with her work, she stopped running and Gama stood there for a few seconds. After a minute of suspense, Gama grunted and fell to the floor. Rishou hid his true hatred and said "Kei is victorious. She shall now be part of Team Mashoutoukai as a substitute."

Touya, a girl with violet hair, and a boy with red hair all clapped for her. The red skinned man, Bakken, just smirked while Gama struggled to get back up. "It serves him right." he thought.

Kei walked down to Touya and the other clappers and said "Thanks. But I need no praise."

Touya swung his arm around her shoulders and said with a smile "You deserve it. This is Ruka and Jin."

The boy with the red hair smiled and said "Nice to meet ya'. Marvelous ya' were. Definitely!"

It took Kei a while to register his fast talking but she got it after a minute and said "Thanks."

Ruka held out her hand and said "Congratulations for making the team!"

Kei shook it and gave her a warm smile. Touya's eyes brightened up and he said "Come on! Let's celebrate!"

Kei had a look in her eyes and said quietly "There really is no need, Touya. But thanks anyway."

"Nonsense! Come on, Kei! It's on your behalf, you know. I insist!"

"Yes, I know that but. I'm just not used to people celebrating for my successes."

"Come on, Kei!"

"Well. I suppose."

Jin's eyes sparkled and he said "Great!"

On the team's way up back to the apartment, Touya walked along side Kei and whispered to her "Do you mind if we talk later?"

Kei looked at him with suspicious eyes, turned her head, and said "It's alright. I don't mind a bit."

"Thanks, Kei."

When the team arrived at the apartment, they started to celebrate. Touya, Kei, Jin, and Ruka played a few games and drank some beer. Jin seemed to be the one that drank most of the beer. He jugged down his beer and said happily "I won 'gain! Le's play another!"

They all laughed and played again. The party continued until late at night. Everybody except for Touya and Kei were asleep. Kei sat on the roof holding a stick. She concentrated some heat to go to the tip of the stick and watched it as it began to burn. She blew out the flame after a minute and a pencil of ash was left. She used the ash pencil and began to draw an image of Youko on the floor. She thought "Youko. Where are you?... Are you alright?... I need to see you again. I'm sorry I even left but I can't run back now. Just 9 more years left."

Touya walked up the stairs and found Kei drawing an image of a man. "Kei." he asked, trying to get her attention.

Kei looked up and wiped away the ashes with her foot. "Yes, Touya?"

"Are you okay?" he replied as he sat down beside her.

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Can't you sleep?"

"Not really. So. What did you want to talk to me about?"

". Your past."

Kei sighed and thought for a while. She closed her eyes and said "6 years ago. I met the man that I thought that was my rival and enemy. He was Youko Kurama, the most wanted demon in all of Makai. I stole something from right under his nose and he wanted revenge on me by kidnapping me. I stayed with him for a week and when we slowly began to be close, he eventually asked me if I would like to join him in one of his steals. We had this plan to raid the Hashime Castle. Youko was hurt and it was all because of me. I left. in search of the Element Sword that I stole before he did and to become stronger, proving that I can become worthy enough to join his clan. I don't know what has happened him in the last 6 years but I hope he is alright. Anyway. Before I left I left a note that said that I promised to meet him at the Dark Tournament, where I will fight and prove that I am worthy to join his clan."

"So that is why you wanted to join the tournament."

"Yes. but now there is a second reason. To find if this sword will really be of some use to me." Kei gestured to the sword sheathed at her hip.

"The man you were drawing. was that Youko?"

"Yes. that was him." Kei said as she began to think of her precious Youko again.

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Yes. very much."

"Don't worry, Kei."

He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. Kei's eyes widened, oblivious to the reason why he was acting this way. With a reassuring smile, he let her go and said "I'll make sure that you aren't lonely. for the next 9 years."

"Thank you, Touya."