|| A Bouquet of Red and White Roses || [Yu Yu Hakusho Fan-fic] {Edits}

Broken Shards

"So it was him all along ?"

Sara, who had punched the wall, turned away in anguish. "So all this time, it was Seiji ?", she said again, her voice strained. Even Azalin was looking away. Sara slowly turned to me with an uneasy expression. "But how ?", she asked me, "How did you meet him ?" I tilted my head to the side. "Before that", I said, "Tell me what I'm supposed to know. I understand this situation but there's something missing from the story that I was told." She turned to Azalin, who nodded her head. Sara sighed and leaned her back against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up. 

"As you know, we came to this world through the gateway on the fountain. Our original aim was to figure out why it was open", she began to say, a stern expression on her face, "But before we arrived, we were a group of four. Tsukiya, Azalin, Seiji, and I. Azalin and I decided to arrive earlier and would eventually come to meet up with Seiji and Tsukiya. However, the day we met, I happened to noticed something different about Seiji. Unlike the Seiji that I knew, this "Seiji" seemed to be searching for something. When I brought up our original aim, he turned away. I told Tsukiya to watch over him." "And how did that turn out ?", I asked. Sara looked down at the ground. "It worked, for some part", she continued to say, "But it didn't last. After a while, Seiji started to appear less. It was to the point where he never showed up, no matter how long we waited. We searched for him, but found nothing. Around that time, your suspicion about us grew. You spoke to Izumi more often. Azalin and I intended to do something about it but..." "But ?" Azalin walked towards Sara and stood beside her. "We were stopped", she said. "Since you're not the type to miss out on any observations Hanamura-san, did you happen to notice any shadows wandering around these parts ?" I nodded my head slowly. "Speaking of shadows", I mumbled, reaching into my pocket, "Does this.. look familiar ?" I pulled out the pin and showed them. Sara smirked. "Ah, that shadow", she said mischievously. "That's Seiji's. I'm surprised you managed to catch one. But that pin, isn't that yours Azalin ?" Azalin nodded. "It was the one I left in the clubroom. To think that it was actually used." "This shadow belongs to Seiji ?", I asked. They both nodded in unison. "I thought it was Tsukiya's ?" Sara grinned. "You were close enough", she said, "But it isn't. Tsukiya had no business in Meiou so his shadow was never be there. Seiji's on the other hand. I'd question him if he were here now."

"Continue", I said as I made my way over to them, "Continue about the shadows that were once around." Azalin took the pin from me and closed her hand around it. "The only ones who can control shadows are Tsukiya, Azalin, and Seiji", Sara mumbled, "They were only supposed to be used to find the ones that opened the gateway in the fountain." "Consider it a failed mission", Azalin added in, taking over from Sara's words, "Other than that, the three of us sent shadows around to find the ones who had opened up the gateway. We were only supposed to look around. We weren't supposed to involve or allow the shadows to be seen. There had been a few times where I caught sight of Seiji's shadows doing the things they weren't supposed to be doing. A few times, I caught them by the fountain. I'm sure Tsuiya caught on too, because the day before Seiji left, Tsukiya brought it up and questioned him. But Seiji, being Seiji, brushed it all off. "'Don't worry about it'", he had said to Tsukiya, "'You're just over thinking'". It's a shame that he overlooked our involvement." Azalin grimaced. "We were fools." "A few weeks later, Izumi disappeared", Sara said. "The sudden rise of hunters appeared by the fountain. In order to avoid getting noticed by them, we stopped using the shadows. It was from that point on that we had to figure out a way to get back without getting killed. Then we noticed your involvement." 

"It was around that time that you sent Tsukiya out to observe huh ?", I asked, taking a seat on the ground. My back was against the wall. "Yes." "But then he disappeared", I added in slowly. "Just like Seiji." Again, they nodded. "At first we believed that maybe he had gotten himself caught, but after further thought, we came to believe that it was Seiji." "How so ?", I asked. "His shadow", Azalin replied nonchalantly, "It was very faint but when I went back to look for Tsukiya, I felt its presence. I followed it to find nothing. I was very doubtful at first, but... considered it." 

"So then where is this person that you guys caught ?", I asked, beginning to remember Azalin's words from earlier, "The one you found ?" Sara pushed herself off the wall and stood up. "Ah, now that I think about it", she said, "We'll show you who it is." I stood up and dusted off my clothes. "Right", I replied, nodding my head. "Let's go."

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Within a few minutes, we were in a new place. However this time it was more.. concealed. When we arrived, it was at a large room. Azalin and Sara nodded their heads before entering. Sara went in first. I followed after her, with Azalin being the one that closed the door behind us. The first thing I saw was a person who sat the in the corner of the room. Around them, chains. Azalin moved past me but I stayed by the door. Now that I thought about it... I looked over at the door. The door wasn't made out of wood. I looked back. Whoever this person was, they intended to keep them in. There was going to be "no escape" from them. But even so, they must be aware that a simple mistake could ruin it all. I walked over to Azalin and Sara, who were standing not that far away from that person. That person made no effort to move. But then I saw a faint smile.

"Have you finally come... guardian ?", that person said.

I narrowed my gaze. Guardian ? To my surprise, that person finally turned around. That person turned to face me, I alone. I recognized who it was. "You're.. that person", I mumbled, "From before.." He smirked. "We finally meet again", he said nonchalantly, "I'm surprised that you remember. It's been so long." I turned to Sara and Azalin, who were both watching me. "This person", I said, "How did you catch him ?" "He was wandering around the fountain", Sara replied, her eyes locked on him. "He wasn't alone either. We failed to catch the other one." That smirk on his gave didn't fade. "You did this on purpose, didn't you ?", I asked him, "You purposely allowed them to catch you." He tilted his head, trying to look innocent. "What do you mean ?", he asked, "I would never do that..." "Your tone alone proves that", I replied bluntly. He sighed.

"Hanamura, how do you know this man ?", Sara slowly asked. "I don't", I replied, looking down at the man that had the long, ash colored hair. "I happened to come across him when we were trailing after a shadow. I.. got lost and noticed someone staring up at the fountain. But to think that I'd find that very same person." "Surprised ?", he asked me. It was as if he was trying to taunt me. "Not necessarily", I mumbled, slightly moving closer to him. "I just have one question." 

"For what reason did you say...?"