Aika: ...Guys, don't hit me. It was supposed to be an angsty fic, but I think I didn't get the point across... –sighs– Oh well. That happens. I hope you enjoy it anyway.


Funeral


They're all crying.

Grampa died. All crying.

Grampa was always good to us. He said that when he died, four strange persons would visit him, but nothing of the sort has happened yet.

It's his funeral. Grampa... I miss you.


Sobs, tears, sniffles. All was heard from the group. A girl sniffled slightly. She had light-blue hair, soft blue eyes staring at the coffin in front of her. 'Grampa... who are you waiting for?'

"Imizu, are you alright?" A boy with bright orange hair turned to her, his ruby eyes concerned. Imizu sniffled.

"I'm fine, Kura..." Kura nodded.

'Grampa...' Kura thought to himself. 'We're here, in this place, waiting for those people to pick you up, but I think they won't come... it's been an hour already...'

"Do you remember his orders, Kura?"

"I have his letter here... I took it in case we might need it."

"Can I read it?"

"Sure," Imizu took the letter from her brother's grasp, and procceded to read it.

"To my Family, the ones I love.

First, I wish to say I leave all my old games and video-games to the children. Even if it may come to be obsolete, I wish the children to have it. Pass it down.

Second, all my business is to be divided with the Family. The money goes to an account in the bank, and it is to stay there. When any of you need it, use it.

You are to make your own fortune. When the money in the account exceeds a billion – and only then may you use it to whatever you wish, dividing it within the Family.

I want you to live together as much time as you can. Unite, my Family. My Family, and my sister's Family.—"

Imizu paused. There was a small commotion from the other side of the funeral.

"Excuse me," a femminine voice said, just loud enough to be heard by all, "I believe this is the funeral of someone from our family..." behind the woman came a group of brown haired, orange-haired, black haired and blue-eyed, brown-eyed and red-eyed people.

The nearest adult went to her to adjust details.

Imizu sniffled slightly and shook her head, going back to reading the letter.

"And last of all. I wish my Family to know, I do not want to be buried. I will be buried by friends in another place, make a grave with my name on it, for those who'd wish to cry for my absence.

I wish you to place my coffin in front of the stairs of a temple, this is the adress.—"

Imizu couldn't read the adress at all.

"Four friends of mine will pick my body and bury it where I wish to be buried. I thank the Family for the comprehension.

I leave my legacy."

Imizu sniffled again. 'Grampa... you wrote this like you knew you were about to die...'

Winds ruffled leaves and trees, the Family around mourning the death of the elder.

Then suddenly...

"Excuse me," a soft male voice called to the Family.

All of them turned, and stared at the newcomers. There were four, three boys and one girl.

The boy who spoke with them had blood-red hair reaching his waist, emerald eyes curiously taking in the details of all dressed in black and mourning, and his eyes twinkled at the sight of the coffin.

Another boy was tall, his black hair curling around his head untamed, a longer strand reaching his knees, tied at the nape of his neck. His eyes were green as well, but not the emerald of the redhead, they were a dirty green, nearing brown.

The last boy was smaller than the two, but not much. His short black hair spiked into all directions, and his eyes were ruby-like. A few strands of his hair were white. He did not keep his hands in his pockets, for respect to the funeral, but one was comfortably resting at a sword on his left hip, the other holding the hand of the girl.

The girl was quite the opposite of the boy beside her. Her hair was light-blue, long – reaching about her knees – tied at the nape of her neck by a red ribbon, her eyes ruby-red, making Imizu think she was the boy's sister.

All four wore black robes, the red-head a long tunic with long-sleeved shirt and pants, the tall black-haired simple pants and T-shirt, the other black-haired with the sword a simple cape and boots covering his ankles. The girl wore a black kimono with a few white flowers at the bottom.

All looked no older than 16 years old.

The red-head smiled slightly, almost sadly.

"Is this Kazuma Kuwabara's funeral?"

Imizu stared. The Family whispered. These four – they couldn't be the four the elder Kuwabara spoke about – they were too young!

Kura went forward.

"Yes, it is. Who are you?"

The red-head looked at him in wonder.

"His hair... her eyes," he murmured, "We came for his body. I am Kurama, the one looking moody is Yuusuke, the other two are Hiei and Yukina."

Imizu went forward this time. She sniffled.

"Grampa said you knew him well. You were friends. How is that possible?"

Kurama smiled sadly at the girl.

"I'm afraid that is a secret I can not tell you."

"You are too young!" A man exclaimed.

"Believe me," Yuusuke muttered, "We aren't. Hiei, give me a hand."

They went forward, the Family making way. Yukina stayed beside Kurama. Yuusuke went for one end of the coffin, and Hiei for the other.

"You can't possibly think you can lift up that coffin! It took eight of us!"

They didn't answer. They simply lifted and started climbing the stairs, up to the temple at its end.

"Wait" Yukina mumbled, reaching Yuusuke and her brother. Hiei lifted the cover, and Yukina sobbed at the old-looking man seemingly resting pacefully in it. She depposited a single white flower in his hands.

Hiei pushed the cover down again and the two boys started climbing again.

Kurama turned to the Family and bowed.

"We thank you for bringing our friend here. It was his wish to be buried at the temple."

"What are your last names?" a man asked rudely.

Kurama smiled sweetly.

"We don't have. We lost the rights to last names some time ago. If you excuse us," he moved away and his tunic moved slightly in the wind as he too climbed up the stairs.

Imizu stared. She sniffled again and giggled.

"Grampa was friends with demons," she whispered to her brother. Kura stared at her wide-eyed, his mouth falling open slightly.

'Well, Grampa... you got your wish, you're buried with your friends. I'll come here when I'm older to see them... Grampa, I hope you're happy wherever you are.'


Kuwabara smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I just wanted to finish this before I left, so, you know..."

"We appreciate you even coming to visit us, Kuwabara-kun," Kurama smiled.

"Hah! Couldn't leave without saying good-bye to us!" Yuusuke snickered.

Kuwabara stuck his tongue out to him.

"Of course! Why would I leave my sweet Yukina without saying good-bye?"

Yukina sniffled and giggled.

"Stay well, Kazu-koi," she murmured to him. Around her, were several scattered blue-gems, and another one fell to reunite with them, "It might take a while, but I'll meet up with you..."

"Take all the while you want, Yukina-chan... I'll wait," he smiled at her.

"Well, I'm sorry guys, Kuwabara-kun, time up..." Botan told him with a sniffle.

"Okay. Well, guys, I'm gonna tell Shizuru you're okay, and Yuusuke, your mom is going to know you haven't aged yet!"

It was Yuusuke's turn to stick out his tongue at Kuwabara.

"Bye guys! Don't get into too much trouble!"

They all waved as Kuwabara hopped on Botan's oar. The spirit guide sniffled and flew off to Reikai, to deliver the newest soul.

Yukina sniffled.

"I'm gonna miss him," the golden ring on her left hand sparkled slightly.

"I'm gonna miss my husband."

Hiei stared at where Kuwabara and Botan had disappeared.

'I think... I'll miss him too. It was fun.'

Kurama and Yuusuke sat beside each other. They didn't trade words – what would be the point of it? They traded glances and knew that without Kuwabara, it wouldn't have been the same.

'No... even he made a big part of our lives. Good-bye. We will miss you terribly...'


Owari