Zone

Sunday, August 09, 1998 11:54:49 PM
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Notes: Sigh… A story idea happened to get into my twisted mind while waiting for the bus which never was to come… Sigh, public transport… Anyway for those of you who know the YYH story you can skip, but for those of you who don't you'd better read on. Yukina is Hiei's sister, and Yusuke and Kuwabara was Hiei's comrades, while Kurama was Hiei's best friend. (beloved here…) Youkai is demon more or less, Ningenkai is human's world and Makai is demon's world. Reikai is spirits world (or something like that… Yawn…) Youki is a kind of thingy which demons emit. "kawaii" means cute. Kurama is called Minamino Syuichi by humans in his life, and was known as Youko Kurama in Youkai form.

Type: Is it a crossover? It has YYH characters and members of my beloved X Japan in it…

Warnings: ^_^ Finally it's normal! It may be considered to have yaoi hints, but it depends on the way you see it. =_*;
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Kurama looked out at the traffic outside his apartment. The flow was heavy, and it reminded him of his beloved's blood, flowing… Like that endless little toys moving endlessly outside, bathed in that red light… That blood red.

His heart hurt, as it had for so many long years. What irony, that pain culd make a mere decade seem so long to a thousand year old youkai? Wounds which would never heal, not even with time… Who said that time could wash away anything? It could never wash the scars of love away… They would always be there, that emptiness, too, which flooded his soul…

All he could do was bury his mind with work, try to make his mind ignore his heart, which had been screaming out, crying, ever so pitifully, bleeding like an open wound… Ten years had not changed anything.

What stupidity love was! He had seen so many deaths in his life, of friends and mates, of family and kins, but not one had left a cut equivilant to that vastness of pain engraved deep within his soul.

As the night slowly dawned like a blanket covering the earth, reality dawned upon him over his dream.

No use, to just linger in past any more. It would not change anything.

***

He could never forget how he died. That devilishly beautiful face locked in pain as his life slowly slipped away from his grasp. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get warmth into the fading youkai, nor could he speak convincing words to the Death lord not to take his love away.

"Kurama," He said, as his remaining left hand sifted its fingers through his locks. "You were the only one…"

And that hand went limp, those fire of rubies closed, and his presence faded. All had been lost in tears then, by cruel fate, as their comrades fought till the end, Kurama still locked in an embrace with the once cold demon…

***

Kurama awoke from his dream. Again and again, time after time, it had replayed itself in his sleep, making his heart rip into pieces once more. Ten long years and he could not forget. Reality spoke of his tears flowing down his cheeks, and reality told him that Hiei was gone forever. Each night he would wake up wishing that Hiei was by his side, and each morning he would wake up to find that Hiei wasn't there.

Time after time he had concieved the fact and time after time he found his subconciousness protesting against that fact. As if believing that Hiei would come back once more.

He buried his face into the pillow and went back to that endless dream.

***

Little Hide sprang into view as his mother smilingly embraced the little child. She stopped smiling as soon as she noticed something wrong. "What's the matter, Hide?"

"Mother, I saw a little bird back there, dying…" He pointed to the woods.

"Is it still alive?"

He nodded. "Hide, bring me to it." She commanded, and the little pink-haired boy led her somewhere near a spring. "There, mother…"

When her view finally registered, she saw a turquoise-haired lady putting a hand over a bird, which was actually bleeding like a running tap. Her eyes were large and innocent, and she was wearing blue kimono. Her palm glowed with light, and under it the bird's wounds healed, and as if magic, its once closed eyes opened again.

"Auntie!" Hide ran over to the lady as the bird flew around her. She seemed surprised, but smiled warmly as Hide looked up at her happily. "How did you do that?"

"It's a skill I picked up while looking for my brother," A glint of sadness passed her eyes, then something more. Thankfulness, perhaps…

"Ooh…" Hide watched, fascinated. Suddenly, the little sparrow landed on Hide's head, chirping merrily.

"Hey, it likes you! Look!" She laughed. "Kawaii!"

After a few rather awkward moments, (to Hide at least) the bird flew off, looking back once as if to thank the lady. She waved it goodbye, then, cheerfully she motioned for Hide to come close. "What's your name, child?"

"Hide…"

"Oh, I'm Yukina." She put out a hand, as if a gesture to shake hands with the little child. "Nice to meet you."

Hide beamed, and shook hands with Yukina. What a nice woman, he thought, who doesn't treat me like others do. Still, there was a familiar aura to the lady that he could never place… Though he could have sworn that he had never seen her before.

"Have I met you before?" She asked, suddenly, placing a hand on his, and held it close.

"No," He replied, taken aback. Had they met? Maybe it skipped his memory…

"Oh…" She seemed disappointed. "You just seem familiar…"

At last, Hide's worried mother came out of the shadows. As if afraid that someone would take away her child, she beckoned him to return to her. "Hide… Come here…"

Hide let go of Yukina's hands, a bit hesitantly. For it felt so comforting just to be with her…

"When will I see you again?" Yukina asked, waving goodbye to him as she did the bird.

"I will come here…" He waved goodbye, too. "Each day after school."

Finally, her face vanished into the darkness of the woods as he followed his mother back home.

***

Yukina's hands lay clenched on her kimono clothed lap. "Kurama…"

Kurama still faced the window. "You've really, really found him?"

Yukina nodded. "I can't be sure, but… There's something I really feel about him…"

Silence.

"He feels as much like a brother as Hiei did…"

Kurama looked back at her, brows furrowed. Was it right to keep it a secret anymore? But it had been Hiei's wishes… And he wished to respect that. But perhaps, would it be better not to keep poor Yukina in suspense anymore?

She smiled nervously. "He'll be there today, he said… Would you like to come and see him, perhaps?"

Kurama battled with his mind. His heart said yes, but his mind said no. Afterall he had been trying to forget Hiei all these years… But if he went and if that little kid was Hiei? Then wouldn't things be for the better? Then again, what if Hiei forgot him? He would only be hurt deeper. But what if…

No, he could not just sit thre in suspense anymore. He needed to know… So what if Hiei forgot him? He hadn't forgot Hiei, and he needed to know… Ever since his mother died, a few years after Hiei did, he felt so empty, with no one whom he really needed and wanted… But if he found Hiei, he would have a reason to live. As he did before… For himself and others.

"Kurama?" She looked hopefully at him.

"When will it be, Yukina?"

She smiled, this time with pure joy. "Around sunset."

***

Hide skipped near the stream again. It had always been his favorite spot… He wondered if Yukina went there frequently. He hoped to see her again… She was the only one who never called him bastard. His father was gone, gone before he was born… He had never seen him before. He wondered why he left them, he and his mother. Fathers were supposed to care for the family… But why had his father left them? Were they unwanted? Was he unwanted?

He had been unwanted wherever he went. So he learnt to keep to himself… And his friends, the trees, the animals. They never shunned his path, and they always kept him company. They never called him "bastard" or anything like that.

And his mother… Always afraid, as if someone would take him away…

He could never know what others thought.

Silently he approached the sparkling red stream, bathed in the red sunset light. His mother had forbidden him to go out there anymore, but he longed for that warmth. He longed for that familiarity.

He looked around a bit, and he saw her, with a beautiful redhead by the side. She was quite tall, and she wore something adults always wore… Oh well, maybe she liked to dress as a man. She was tall enugh, though. Rather cautiously he slowed down his steps and approached them. Yukina came out of her conversation with the woman and noticed him.

"Hide!" She greeted him, almost with eagerness. "Come here… I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."

Deciding that since Yukina called that woman a friend, she would be of no harm to Hide. He stepped closer, and Yukina reached out and rested gentle hands on his shoulders. The woman sat down, beside Yukina, her white tuxedo-- or whatever the adults called it-- seeming to shine with that redness.

"Hi, Hide." She smiled nervously, warmly… And a the familiarity tugged at the edge of his conciousness again. Uneasily he took her outstretched hand and kissed it… He was taught that gentlemen were supposed to do that to ladies, for the sake of politeness.

She blushed, and Yukina's hands covered her mouth. "Erm… Hide…"

Hide looked up at her questioningly. Had he done the wrong thing, or were they foriegners? They did seem like. They had weird coloured hair. Which generally reminded him of his, but everyone else he saw on the streets looked otherwise.

"His name is Kurama." She looked up at the woman who still seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Oh, Kurama… You have nice hair." He commented, not sure of what else to say, afterall, it was the first thing which popped into his conciousness. He never knew how to lie to his mind.

Kurama smiled, her face seeming more pretty than ever. Hide could almost hear his heart thud against his chest… "Here, you may play with it." He kneeled turned so that his back was facing him, still sitting legs crossed.

"Really?" Hide blushed, looking at Yukina uncertainly. Yukina smiled, and beckoned for him to do so. Hesitantly he took hold of Kurama's bunch of blood red hair, redder than the sunset, and fingered it carefully. It was so beautiful, and felt so nice… He sifted his fingers through his hair, savouring how well the waterfall of blood felt against his fingers.

***

Kurama felt sadness and happiness surge up to his heart and out of his eyes at the same time. Hiei had always liked his hair… Hiei's presence had always been like that…

***

Hide stopped when the redhead shook against his small hands. He gasped when he saw, as she turned to look back at him, tears of crystal drops rolling down her cheeks. He did not know what to say, nor what to do, so he let his hands drop. Why was she crying? What made her sad? Was it him?

"Sorry…" He muttered, facing the ground… He had made another lady cry again, as he had did his mother. Everytime she would cry and tell him that his father left because of him… He had hurt his mother, and now he had hurt a friend.

"No…" Kurama smiled. "You didn't do anything. Sorry, I was just being emotional…"

Brushing his tears away, he held out a hand to Hide, and Hide allowed his hand to be taken. He dared not say anything, nor was he relieved. She seemed so sad, so sad… But she was smiling. He wished he knew what had happened to make her cry, but even so, he would not be able to understand how she felt, for they were different people. He had learnt that shortly after his counsellors told him what they thought and what they felt.

"Hide, look up," She tilted his chin, and their eyes met. "What's your school?"

"Mizuho Elementary."

"Can I fetch you after school?"

Hide nodded. If it would stop her tears…

"Thanks, Hide…"

"It's getting rather late, Kurama…" Yukina said, looking up at the sky.

Kurama nodded, wiping her tears dry, let go of Hide's hands and got up. "See you tommorrow, Hide…"

Hide nodded, remembering how worried his mother would be. "Bye, Yukina, Kurama…"

***

Kurama stood by the entrance of Mizuho Elementary, his heart beating against his chest. Hiei… He knew it, he felt it, it was Hiei. It was his beloved. His heart rejoiced at the thought of Hiei by his side again, and he thought of waking up to see Hiei there snuggled comfortably in one corner of the bed… It had been his dream for years, and this long-lost dream was found again.

His string of thoughts were cut when Hide suddenly popped up in front of him. "Kurama!" That smile… It never did seem like Hiei's, though. Hiei had never smiled like that, never been so carefree… This was a Hiei that he had never seen before, no one else had seen before. This was a Hiei who had been brought up properly, with a happy childhood… A Hiei he had been happy to witness. Yukina had said, with a protective mother like that day she saw, a mother who had protected this little kid… Hide would never be the old Hiei again.

Kurama smiled. "Hi!"

Hide's smile turned to a grin. "I told my mother that I would be going to my friend's house to do some project…"

Kurama's heart danced for joy. "Where would you like to go, Hide?"

Hide scratched his head for a moment, and looked thoughtfully at Kurama. "I don't know…"

Kurama smiled and carried Hide up, feeling his slight weight against his arms. Hide gasped, and Kurama asked, "What about the carnival?"

Hide looked at Kurama curiously. "What's a carnival?"

Kurama's heart almost broke then. He remembered when his mother took him to the carnival… But Hide had never been to a carnival… And he was already nine! (he had asked a teacher conveniently, using his years of lying skill) "Let me see… It has all sorts of fun stuff, and there's plenty of kids… Especially on a holiday. Then, at night, there's lots of lovers."

Hide nodded, though he could not understand what exactly was Kurama talking about. "Can I go?"

Kurama nodded, and put Hide down. He stretched his hand out for Hide to hold, and they took steps away from the school gate.

Suddenly, a shout was heard. "Look! That little bastard with a weird woman! What a laugh!"

Kurama turned, and saw a fat kid right behind them. He closed his eyes and said, "Let's go, Hide, ignore him…"

"But…" Hide whispered, his small form shaking at the insult. "He called you weird…"

Kurama smiled. "I've been called many things before, Hide…"

Hide was about to listen to Kurama when that kid shouted again in his annoying high whinny voice, "Ha! What a pair! Stupid looking pink haired and ugly looking woman!"

Kurama got ready to take Hide as far as possible from those childish mindless insults. But suddenly he felt Hide's hand slip from his grasp, and Hide ran towards the fat guy. "Kurama's NOT ugly! You are, Pig!"

BAM! The fat guy's fist shot out and knocked poor little Hide into subconciousness. As the fat kid was laughing and scoffing at the unconcious form beneath his foot and the other kids were either looking scared or were sneering, Kurama's anger built up. He stared at the gloating kid, and suddenly the kid felt as if he was in north pole. "So…Sorrr…rrryyyy…." He stammered as he backed away.

Kurama advanced. He said with menace in his soft tone, "Look here, you brat, if you dare hurt Hide or say anything against him ever again, you'd have it coming, is that clear?"

The kid nodded desperately as he fell down butt-first onto the floor. Kurama smiled again, with a fearsome look, he advanced one more step. The kid froze and was scared unconcious, lying in his own pool of urine. Finally, Kurama's mask changed into a worried one as he took hold of Hide in his arms. Gee, heaven sure was fair… Too fair. Hiei had a strong body before and now he was reincarnated to a weak one. One to be bullied…

No matter. He would make sure that Hide was okay… If he had to take extreme stands.

***

Hide's eyes opened slowly as his conciousness revealed a ceiling, different from his home, and then heard a voice, "Yukina! He's alright now…"

Kurama's face came into his sight as he scanned the room for a bit.

"Hide! Are you okay? Hide?"

He got up slowly, and Kurama helped him. "Where am I?"

"Yukina's house." Hide saw another form entering the room. It was a familiar one, one with aqua hair… Yes, it was Yukina.

"Hi…" He smiled weakly. His forehead hurt, as if it was cracking open… Suddenly he saw an image next to Kurama, one with golden eyes and silver hair. He looked at Yukina, but saw no difference… Then in his mind were flashes of images. Kurama's sleeping face… A black shadow which felt so close to him fighting alongside Kurama… Kurama crying, as a hand ran through his locks… As if trying to wake up a sleeping part of him… As if trying to make him remember something…

He fell back to the pillow, feeling scared, as his head felt as if it was ready to explode. "No… no!"

Yukina put a hand to his head, steadying his shaking body, and a warm glow began its magic. He felt heavenly, and relief crept across his almost insane mind. Welcoming it, he half opened his eyes to see a blurred version of Yukina… And it looked as if he had seen it somewhere before, when he had been badly hurt before… then sleep engulfed him together with the sense of well-being.

***

Kurama sat in his office, going through his papers. A knock sounded on his door, and he looked up.

"Come in," He said.

"Minamino-san," A cool looking man with brown hair and black eyes came strolling in. "What a big office you have."

Upon hearing that, Kurama tensed. Having lived a thousand years old he always tensed whenever he heard a seemingly sinister approach, though most of the time in his human life it was okay. "Yeah, gives me enough space here to do my work."

"Would you mind coming out of such a comfy place for a while?"

Kurama's eyebrow raised. His hand reached his hair to prepare for an attack. "What do you want?"

"What if your dear Hide is in our hands… Youko Kurama?"

***

It was an old run down building in a isolated place which they went into. Kurama smelt the smell of dust and cobwebs, which made him even more uptight. They turned a corner, and saw little Hide, tied up in a chair, his forehead bleeding, and looking defiant.

Kurama looked at the little child, and looked at the man again. "What do you want?" He choked, hoping that Hide would not come to any harm.

Suddenly, youki enveloped the place, and Kurama realised that the man was actually a youkai. "Have you forgotten our duel four hundred years ago in Makai?"

The youkai's fangs grew till they almost seemed like mini elephant tusks. Realisation hit Kurama… He could never forget those fangs!

"Ramala!" He exclaimed. "I thought you were dead?"

"I'm alive, Kurama…" He laughed, holding out a sword which grew out of his hand. "And out to get your life for revenge."

Kurama held out his rose whip, and tried to slash at Ramala, who simply dodged it easily. Ramala made a go at Kurama's chest, and soon Kurama had a small gaping wound on it. As they each leaped back, Ramala laughed, licking his sword.

"What's the matter, Kurama? Human life made you too soft?"

Kurama only said nothing as he attacked again, and little Hide screamed. Kurama jerked, and Ramala's sword went through his heart. Kurama could only look at Ramala and then Hide with his fading vision as pain shocked his body, dying everything in crimson.

"Yohoo! Looks like you're finished, Kurama." Ramala laughed, looking at Kurama. "Now… What should I do with this kid?":

"Hi… De…" Kurama gritted his teeth. If he died, it would be okay. So long as Hide lived on… Hiei had deserved a happy childhood. With his last bit of youki, he called upon makai vines which wrapped themselves around Ramala and squeezed his guts out, like a tube of toothpaste.

With his dying breath, he called, "Hide…"

And he felt his vision blur and himself fade away as Hide screamed his name over and over again.

***

"Kurama… Kurama…" His eyes were red and swollen with his tears, and his voice had faded. She was dead, lying on the floor, soaked in the pool of crimson. And no matter how he called, he could not bring her back. If only… If only he could do something… Suddenly images of a dark shadow and Kurama fighting came into his vision again, and voices called out, "Don't move! You've been surrounded!"

Police clad in uniform came surging in, getting ready to fire, but stopped when all they saw was Hide there, tied up in a chair, sobbing for all he was worth.

***

Hide's mother embraced the child in tears as he walked to her in a daze, having lost who had felt closest to him… He had been questioned by those uncles clad in blue uniforms, but he had not said anything. Nothing he said would bring back Kurama.

Silently he held those memories close, and he no longer was as timid as he was. Kurama had been courageous, he had saved him in the chambers of near death. Hide wanted to be like Kurama, to be strong enough to protect those whom he loved, those who were close to him, even though he had no special powers. He still had Yukina and his mother, who always was by his side. He needed to live for them, and if he died he would die for them.

As for those flashes in his mind, he kept them to himself, somehow knowing that it was important as much as those memories he had.

***

Hide was sitting by his school gate, waiting for that stupid Jyai who had so conveniently fell in love with a person who was having detention.

He prepared to fall asleep, he knew that it was not going to be so soon that Jyai would be done. He heard murmers, and tried to ignore it, but they were getting annoying, so he opened an eye. It was some guys from other schools somewhere nearby. Or at least in the country. He opened both eyes to take a good look at what was so interesting about those two.

There was a blonde and a person with brown hair, and they were talking to each other, as if arguing where to go. The blonde's back was facing him, so he could not see how he looked like, but he had long hair, and he reckoned that he must have looked pretty suave since many people were looking at him. As for the person with brown hair, he could see that he needed some more surgery in order to have the same amount of people to look at him, but otherwise he was okay.

"No, Yoshiki! I remember that he said it's this way!"

"Well, you have been walking around ten kilometers and still haven't got it."

Yoshiki, Hide noted. The blonde was called Yoshiki.

They quarreled some more, and Yoshiki finally shrugged. The other guy said, "Why not let's ask someone."

Yoshiki only nodded, and looked at the direction that the brown haired boy was looking at. It was then Hide's mind wheeled at the sheer beauty which the blonde made him choke on. "What's with him?"

"Let's go and ask him! I daresay he will not ask for your telephone number and pester us."

"Why?" Yoshiki mused.

"He has pink hair. Anyone with pink hair can't be normal."

Yoshki only shrugged and walked up to Hide. "Hi."

Hide looked up from the lazy position he was in. His heart was beating like mad, and he could feel some heat. But what was more was the familiarity. Must be summer, he told himself. "Hi."

"Erm… Do you know the way to Kameno Biru?"

Hide felt his heart skip a beat. "Yeah, sure. It's just near where I live."

"Can you tell us where it is?"

"Ummm, I'll bring you there. What's your name? I'm Hide."

Yoshiki smiled politely. "I'm Yoshiki, Hide-san."

"Nah, just call me Hide. Come, I'll bring you and your friend there." He got up and gestured for those two to follow him.

***

Yoshiki wondered why he had these flashes when he looked at Hide, but it could not have bothered him much. He had been having weird dreams lately, too, and he had not told Toshi in case he should worry.

His impression of Hide in that flash was a strinkingly black shadow. If he could be friends with him… Hide seemed so familiar, perhaps even more than Toshi would have seemed if they met ten years later.

They walked through the woods, along a river. Yoshiki's mind felt strange, as if he had seen it before. Perhaps, someday, sometime before, he had… He looked at Hide, and Hide was having a strange expression too.

He made it a point to talk to Hide someday, alone.

They passed a series of building, as they went into a different city again.

"Look, that's Kameno Biru." Hide pointed to a large building with shining metal plates. "What are you going there for, anyway? Those tycoons make their big bucks there."

"Toshi's father works there," Yoshiki smlied, feeling more and more homely. Strange, he had never been so accustomed to someone in such a short time before.

"Oo, I see." He hesitated a moment, before asking, "When are you free?"

Yoshiki's face turned red. "Huh?"

"Noo…" Hide stammered. "I just… Just feel that you're familiar…"

"That's old stuff, kid." Toshi smiled twinklingly at him, making his face heat up even more.

"Weeeell," Yoshiki smiled. "What's your telephone number? I'll call you tonight."

"Nani?" Toshi's eyes turned wide as Hide's heart danced for joy.

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The END! Tralalala!

Monday, August 17, 1998 11:08:24 PM

Oh yes, the translations for terms tomorrow.

Anyway, today I'm glad I missed a basketball practice! YaHA! Anyway though, my eye still hasn’t gotten much better… I have to go to school tommorrow anyway!! WAAAHH! ^ ^ Thanks for reading! The terms used in YYH will be pronounced below ^_^ tomorrow. Night! Otherwise my eye will get worse ^ ^.

Oh yeah! The translations needed is up at the front, so I can save my breath. ^_^ For accurate info go to the YYH ML and ask around.

Anyway this is not a fic I like a whole lot, in fact I think I did badly. Please don’t tell me. ^_^; Okay, firstly everything happened too fast and there was no sense of mystery. Sigh! And being a Yaoi fan it was meant to be Yaoi, but it turned out not to be Yaoi. Sigh! Someone come kill me.

ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!! ^_^ Cyuuuuuuuuuuuu!

BTW suki desu Yoshiki-sama! ~';~ (smooch) ^_^

AnD hIdE-kun!! ~';~ (smoooooooooch) ^_^ J+J= Just+Joking. (Did I mention? I HATE maths.)

Bye!

X zone

http://xz0ne.cjb.net
voidmatsumoto@yahoo.co.uk