Hello hello! Sorry again for such a late update. I'm sorry to say my muse left me for awhile . . . But not to fear! Here is the latest chapter of Brand New Tomorrow! Ready for you all to read and hopefully reveiw!
Anyways, you must be wondering what this chapter's about, right? Well, here's a summary for ya!
SUMMARY FOR Chapter Four - Time Does Not Heal (Part 2):
They say that time can heal all wounds. But, that's not the case with Numata. At the request of Hiei, Numata, Botan and Keiko retreat so he can deal with this gooney and not have to worry about their safety. While he is distracted with Garanos, another opponent appears before Numata, taking down Botan and Keiko and revealing a startling truth to her! Don't lose heart, Numata! Don't give up! Hiei x OC; Kurama x Botan and Yusuke x Keiko in later chapters (maybe).
FANFIC KEY:
/---/ in Italics Character thinking to themself or communicating telepathically to another. If it is a telepathic communcation, I'll indicate it . . . somehow. oO;;
"---" and text in Italics A flashback or memory.
--DISCLAIMER--
I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho is copyrighted to its rightful owners! I do, however, claim ownership of all original characters featured in this story.
Blah blah okay. Enough with my rabble. ONWARD WITH THE FANFIC!
Brand New Tomorrow
Chapter Four - Time Does Not Heal (Part 2)
A mighty, strong cry filled the air as a heavy metal chain shattered the paved sidewalk Hiei once stood upon. Dodging to the left, the swift moving koorime avoided impact with Garanos's deadly metal chains. He watched as his taller opponent laughed triumphantly while swinging the chain high above his head.
"Why does that girl matter so much to you koorime?" Garanos asked, watching as his opponent moved around him in the form of a little black blur. He released his chain, causing it to take out a nearby fire hydrant. He pulled his chain back in and continued to swing it over his head as water began to rain down on him. "Could it be . . . that you care deeply about her? Is that it?"
A bright strike came out of the shadows and struck the back of Garanos's hand. Letting out a cry of pain, he released his heavy chains and held his now bleeding hand.
"You speak too much and too loudly." Hiei answered as he stood on a nearby fire escape, opposite of Garanos. He looked down at Garanos with his cold eyes as the grip on his sword tightened.
"If you get that angry with me just talking about her," Garanos replied with a chuckle. Slowly, something began to form in his hand, un-noticed by Hiei. "Then you must truly care about her."
Hiei's eye twitched for a bit before he kicked off the fire escape and charged Garanos head on. Raising his sword above his head, he prepared to give him a heavy blow to the top of his skull. But before he could ever bring the blade of his sword down, Garanos raised both hands to Hiei's face. Instantly a bright blue light was emitted from his hands and struck Hiei's eyes with full force. Suddenly losing his sight, Hiei fell to the ground, his eyes shut in pain.
"And because of that, you have become careless!" Garanos shouted as he loomed above the small koorime, his fist prepared to pound his head into the ground. He was so close to delivering his blow, when a thick curtain of red rose petals suddenly surrounded him. Taken completely by surprise, Garanos cried out as the seemingly harmless rose petals began cutting his skin.
"Hiei, are you okay?" Kurama asked, kneeling by the side of his long time friend. Behind him stood Kuwabara and Yusuke. They had all regain conciousness just after Garanos had blinded Hiei with his attack.
"I'm fine. I didn't need your help." Hiei answered as he stood up, his sight still blurry but beginning to clear up. "I was just about to finish him off when you interfered."
"Where are Keiko and the others?" Yusuke asked, as he noticed they were nowhere in sight.
"I told them to leave. They should be someplace safe by now." Hiei answered as he glanced back at the leader of their little group.
"Too bad I can't say the same for you!" Before anyone of the Reikai Tentai boys could defend themselves, chains came shooting out of nowhere and wrapped tightly around their bodies. Suddenly the chain was jerked downwards, and all four boys ended up laying face down in the pavement, struggling to get free. Angrily the glanced up, to meet the amused grin of torn and bleeding Garanos. "I'll make sure you pay for what you did to me . . . "
"Botan, stop!" Numata panted as she suddenly came to a hault. She hunched over, gasping heavily. "I don't think . . . I can run any further."
"Well, I think we can stop for now . . . we should be clear out of harm's way." Botan answered as she and Keiko came to stand by Numata's side. Wearily she looked toward where they had left the others, her concern mainly focused on Kurama and his well-being. She drew in a deep breath and stood up confidently. /Kurama isn't one to be taken so lightly . . . I'm sure he's fine and he and the others will be here shortly . . . /
"Numata, maybe you should sit here and rest for awhile." Keiko answered, motioning to an empty bench a few feet from where they were standing. But as she turned to face the direction she was motioning to, she felt a heavy blow to her chest. Soon, she was falling backwards and looking at the horrified faces of Botan and Numata.
"Keiko!" Both girls cried as they watched her hit the pavement and skid along the ground a few feet. Botan began to rush toward her suddenly attacked friend, when she too received a heavy blow to the side. She cried in pain and shock as she went flying and slammed into a nearby tree.
----/----
"Botan! Keiko!" Numata screamed as she looked at her two friends laying on the ground in pain. A cold wind brushed against her right cheek causing her to spine around quickly. But all she received for doing so was a painful surge the radiated out of her chest and froze her entire body.
"So . . . here you are little one." Spoke a low voice as dark figure stood before Numata. He looked at her with his piercing red eyes and a slight smile on his face. "You gave us quite a scare when you ran off like that. I'll forgive you if just come back home quietly."
"Home? Who are you? And why have you attacked Keiko and Botan!" Numata shouted, her blood beginning to boil inside. As all the times before, she could feel the presence inside her clawing against her flesh, trying to get out. "Tell me! Or I'll kill you right where you stand . . . "
"Haven't you figured it out why your friends are injured yet?" The dark figure asked calmly. He remained silent and when he received no answer, he merely smiled again and looked her in the eyes. "It's because of you that I was forced to attack them. It was because you got them involved that they are about to die."
"What!" Numata spoke, her eyes suddenly widening in shock. Slowly, the pain in her chest began to grow stronger and she could feel the presences inside her speaking, amusement in its voice. /It is true . . . because of you, they will die./
Numata slowly backed away and kept doing so until she stood up against the stump of a tree. Blood covered the front of her body and stained her clothes. She trembled as she saw the bodies laying before her and the dark shadow that loomed above them. Slowly Numata raised her eyes to look into those of the killer standing before her.
"When will you understand? You can never run from me, Numata. I will find you. We are made of the same blood after all." He grinned down at her, his sharp teeth stained red and the scent of death and fear in his breath. "You can NEVER escape me."
"Now, you will all die!" Garanos shouted as he raised a very sharp object over his head. He charged the group at full speed, setting his target on Hiei first.
However, Hiei sensed that Garanos would go after him first and was prepared. As Garanos brought his sword down, the blade aimed for Hiei's head, the little koorime rolled over. The blade struck the metal chains and instantly they shattered under the force impace. Quickly he made his way free and grabbed his sword. By the time Garanos realized what happened, Hiei was already behind him and with one swift move, drove the blade of his sword into Garanos's back.
"Heh . . . I should've known . . . you do something like this." Garanos chuckled as he looked down at the sword blade sticking out of his stomach. "You seem . . . very determined to protect that girl."
Hiei was silent as he stood behind Garanos, the blade of his sword still embedded in his gut.
"But . . . you can not save her . . . from what she is destined to do . . . " Slowly Garanos fell forward, his body slipping clean off Hiei's sword. With a heavy sound, his body hit the ground and lay there in a growing pool of red.
Shaking what remained of Garanos off the blade, Hiei slowly slipped the sword back into the scabbard.
----/----
"You know it's true." The dark figure whispered, now standing directly beside Numata. His eyes then looked over the unconcious figures of Botan and Keiko. "These two, as well as the other three will die because of you. The only way you can save them, is by coming back home."
"Home . . . ?" Numata whispered in confusement. She cried out in pain as she clutched her now burning chest and hunched over, gasping for air. The presence inside her was stirring about restlessly and getting ever so close to be setting free. "Why . . . must they die . . . if I don't go with you?"
"Because if you stay here, you will kill them with your own hands." He whispered, his eyes looking back down upon her now seeming small and shaking figure.
Numata felt as if her heart had stop beating. Painfully she struggled to make eye contact with this stranger that seemed to know so much more about her, then she did herself. Kill them? She thought such a thing impossible. But the presence inside her that now clawed so maliciously against her flesh, she could feel its uncontrolable desire to kill . . . to take the life of a living being . . . any living being. It didn't matter, as long as that desire was fulfilled.
"If you do not choose to come with me by the next full moon, then you have already sent your friends to their graves." He walked past Numata, heading towards the darkness.
Numata felt a cold air brush against her skin as he slipped past her. She stood up slowly, turning to face him as he began to disappear, taking with him the pain she felt inside her chest. The presence inside her suddenly fell still and Numata felt as if she had finally regained control over her body. Quietly she watched as the last trace of her strange visitor disappear, he words still echoing inside her head.
"If you stay here, you will kill them with your own hands."
"You can NEVER escape me."
"What am I?" Numata asked herself, looking down at her trembling hands. "Who . . . am I? . . . Somebody . . . tell me . . ."
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"Both Keiko and Botan are okay. No major injuries." Kurama plopped himself down into an empty chair. Beside him sat Kuwabara, an ice pack pressed against the back of his neck. Yusuke sat across the two of them on his bed, with Hiei comfortable seated upon the windowsill of his bedroom window. "They should be fine tomorrow morning, if not for some slight minor pains."
"Anything on who these dudes are that have been attacking us lately?" Yusuke answered, glancing up at the wise red-haired kitsune hanyou across him.
"No . . . nothing yet. Koenma said he'll be in touch if and when they found out something." Kurama answered, folding his arms.
"The sooner we find out who they are, the sooner we can take them out!" Kuwabara replied, turning stiffly to look at Kurama and Yusuke.
"What about Numata? How is she?" Yusuke asked, looking at the awfully quiet Hiei seated upon his windowsill.
"I'm not quite sure." Hiei replied, his eyes looking off into the distant horizon. His hands tightly wrapped around the scabbard of his sword that lay across his lap. "But whatever did happen to her while we were occupied, has disturbed her quiet a bit."
Solemnly Numata looked out the window. Behind her lay the still unconcious Botan and Keiko. Her eyes looked up at the small sliver of the pale moon that hung in sky.
/If you do not choose to come with me by the next full moon, then you have already sent your friends to their graves./
Sighing heavily, Numata closed her eyes and turned toward the door. Quietly she slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
And here ends Chapter Four! I tried not to end the fight with Hiei being the one to defeat the monster, but I seemed to have failed on that part. Man . . . I love my little koorime and little too much. I am sorry for the delay, but better late then never, huh? Chapter Five . . . should be out soon hopefully. Till then, thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter update!