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

To Another Time

"Hanamura ? Oi, Hanamura. Is there something wrong ?"

I looked up from my hand to see Sara walking over to me with an uneasy expression on her face. "Hmm ?", I mumbled. "I said, is there something wrong ?", she repeated, "You look a bit.. paler than usual. Did something happen to you ?" My immediate response was to shake my head and feign a smile. "What're you talking about ?", I asked, looking past her to see Azalin standing by, "I'm just.. tired is all." I could tell that Sara wasn't about to believe me. "Riiiiiiight", she said as she narrowed her eyes. Then I watched as she reluctantly turned away to go to Azalin. I sighed and leaned against the trunk of the tree that I was standing by. Jeez, that was close. I reached into my hair and pulled out the blue hair piece that I had used to close the seal. There was something that I didn't understand.

Before I came to this place, I remember seeing myself fighting off a group of demons. After knocking them all out, I managed to drag myself into an unfamiliar place. From there, I was looking down at the wound that Seiji had given me. The poison that was on the knife that he had used.. I didn't catch onto it. Although I was able to avoid feeling the pain of being stabbed, that poison was still running though my body. And because of that, I was beginning to slow down. I shouldn't have overlooked it. How exactly would I manage to continue from here if I'm feeling like this ?, I remember asking myself. Just how exactly do I plan to regroup with Sara and the others if I'm like this ?

Switch with me, I remember her saying. If you're exhausted, switch with me. Don't push yourself.

At the time, that seemed to be the only option I had. It surprises me to know how easy it is to suddenly switch over like that. I almost forgot. All I remember was that I had closed my eyes.

And so, here I was now. When I came to, I was standing at another unfamiliar place. The first person I saw was Sara. Shortly after, I realized that Azalin was there. In the end, she managed to find this place for me. I don't know how long it took her to find it, but she did it. I tightened my grip around the hair piece and frowned. Although it was a good thing that she was able to help me, that also meant other things were going to happen. If she was able to take over for me, then that meant that thing was beginning to fade. That seal from a long time ago. That also meant that my risk of going to Makai really was beginning to take affect on it too. If this was the case, then this really wasn't something to ignore. I gulped. It's been quite a long time since this has happened to "us". Has she noticed as well ? I wonder how much time we'll have until that seal is no longer working.

"Sara, where is Juuji ?", I asked, trying to refocus on the original aim. She looked towards the area East of us. "He went in that direction", she replied slowly, "We were supposed to accompany him but he told us to stay behind and wait for him. Apparently Seiji did something to the place that made it difficult for demons like us to get in. So now we're just waiting." "How long has he been gone ?" Sara shrugged. "Maybe about.. 5 minutes now ?" I chuckled at her uneasy expression. She must've caught on to why I laughed. "I wonder how you can easily trust someone", she mumbled, "Even after what they've done to you.." "I don't blame you", I replied with a grin, "But knowing him, he won't go back to Seiji." Sara opened her mouth to speak, but then she stopped herself. "Does he.. happen to uh, like you or something ?", Sara asked reluctantly. I shrugged. "Maybe he does", I replied, "Or maybe I'm just oblivious." "No, you're just cruel", she replied with a smirk, "Playing with someones feelings like that. Won't your darling get mad at you ?" "He probably will", I mumbled with a sigh. "Oh well."

"Sara", Azalin called out, "Shiori." We turned to see her standing there with Juuji. "Ah, you're back", Sara said as she walked over to them. I waited a bit and returned the hair piece back into my hair before I followed. "Ah, darling", Juuji said when he saw me, "You've arrived." I nodded. "So tell me Juuji", I said, "Did you find anything ?" To Sara's surprise, he shook his head. "Then what was the point of letting you go !?", she said, "What did you do !?" "Calm down", was his nonchalant reply, "When I got there, the place already looked abandoned. I went in to see if anyone was there, but it was empty." "Do you think Seiji moved them to another place then ?", I asked. He shrugged. "That could be an option, but I doubt it", he said, placing a hand on the back of his neck, "After what happened, I doubt that Seiji would go back and focus on the people he kidnapped. That would be a waste of time. Someone else must've done it." Someone else hmm..? "Who then ?", Sara asked. "As if I would know", he replied. 

"Jah, if that's the case, then we should just focus on finding them", I said. "Them ?" "Seiji and Kaori", I replied. I turned to Juuji who was staring back at me. "Won't he want to kill you now that you've left his side ?", I asked. "I could care less", Juuji huffed, "Besides, he knew that I really wasn't the type to follow orders from anyone. The choice to leave his side shouldn't have been a surprise." "You seem to want to get even with him", Azalin said nonchalantly. "Why is that ?" "Oh you can tell ?", he replied with a faint smile. He walked over to me and put a hand around my shoulder. I frowned as Sara smirked. As if feeling sluggish wasn't enough.. "Yes well, you aren't allowed to kill him", I said sternly, "Even if you do want to get even with him. Understand Juuji ?" "Why do you do this to me", he whined. He hugged me and buried his head into my neck. "Because I'm a cruel person", I replied. Sara chuckled and turned away. "No kidding", she said. "Besides that", Azalin said as she narrowed her gaze, "The people that we're looking for. They're already here." "Oh, they are", Sara muttered, not even bothering to sound surprised. The three of us turned our attention towards there two were were standing nearby, watching. "Juuji, get off of me", I mumbled, trying to break free. "If you want to be of help, I suggest that you don't do this." He sighed and let go. "Whatever you say", he said.

"Has the poison finally caught up to you ?", Seiji asked. I took a deep breath and sighed. "In some ways, yes", I replied, "Are you proud of what you've done ?" "What an ignorant human you are", Kaori called out with a sneer, "You're going to die here. Humans don't last long in Makai." "But I'm still alive, aren't I ?", I asked with a grin. "It's only because of those beads", Seiji pointed out. "The fact that you're wearing them create a barrier." "I have a question", I said, changing the subject, "I would like an answer before I die." "And what would that be ?"

"Why does it look like... you're covered in wounds ?", I said slowly as I scanned the both of them, "You both look.. exhausted yet we haven't even..." We didn't do that much damage. For a split second, I thought I saw a look of relief. No.. distress. "You're mistaken", he said slowly.

"You're just.. seeing things."