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

Dissolve

The tension of the room seemed to increase as the alarm continued to ring throughout the room. Luurè slightly narrowed his gaze at her before breaking out into an amused smirk. "I see", he said through the echoing alarm. "So that's why they couldn't detect you..."

She smiled at him, the way she usual would when speaking to someone she knew. "I must apologize for the sudden appearance to this place", she said in reply. "I didn't mean to intrude but.. this situation became quite inevitable, you see. Don't you agree ?" Eion, who was standing nearby with Xeila, watched with an observant gaze. "So then that means that.. you were the person that Sachi was warning us about ?", he asked in a questionable tone. "No wonder why we couldn't find anything when we were looking around earlier !" "Though it shouldn't have been a surprise", she responded slowly.

"Correct", Luurè replied. Everyone turned to him. A calculating smile slowly began to appear on his face as he turned to her. "Since this is quite a rare meeting", he started to say, "What brings you to this humble abode of ours..." 

"..Oka, Guardian of Reikai ?"

She chuckled and looked my way. "Why yes", she mumbled softly. "As you may have known for a while Luurè, I've come for these children. I hope that it won't be too much of a loss for you when she leaves this place." They both glimpsed at me, which made me feel uneasy. By this time, the blood around me was beginning to dry, and my body was beginning to numb. Well rather, my body already was. Seiji's son and Kaori's sister were both behind me, just as anxious as I was about the situation. For a while, there was nothing but the alarm. That was when I caught sight of Xeila pulling something out of the her pocket. After glancing over at it, she threw it at the alarm that was ring above the door. Oka took a deep breath and sighed. She nonchalantly walked past Luurè and headed over to where I was. Once she reached me, there was a faint hint of disappointment on her serene expression. 

"Good grief Shiori", she said as she shook her head, "I thought we said we were going to avoid getting into situations like this ?" Like usual, she was scolding me as if I was a child. I reluctantly smiled at her and nodded my head slowly. "R..right." Somewhere behind Oka, there was another sigh. Oka didn't bother to turn around and instead moved on to the children behind me. I realized that it was from Xeila, who was looking at me with a smirk. She didn't say anything, but it was clear that she was implying something.

Oka got up and turned back to Luurè, who was for some reason, just standing there, watching. "I assume that there are two options", she said to him. "The first, being that we'll be able to leave without any complications or..." She paused before slowly breaking out into a mischievous smile. "..The second, that we'll have to leave by force. Although I prefer to not fight. However if push comes to shove, I won't hesitate." Luurè grinned and began to move around the room slowly. Oka watched him from the corner of her eye. She handed me something before hitting me on the shoulder. I flinched, since it only added more pain. When I turned to her, she stuck her tongue out at me. "That's what you get", she said sharply. "But I wouldn't relax if I were you. There's more to come for you.. and for Ciel." I shivered as she turned back to Luurè. So if I didn't die now, then Oka would be the one to finish me off.

"Well Luurè ?", she asked softly. "What'll it be ?" Eion turned to him, waiting for his response. There was nothing more than silence until it was all broken down by a laugh. I stared at him in disbelief. Xeila grinned and averted her gaze. Eion grimaced. Oka smiled. When he finally stopped, he took a deep breath and grinned. 

"What good will it do to fight a guardian here ?", he asked nonchalantly. "If you want to take them, then proceed. Beside, it'll be problematic for me if someone like you got too involved." Oka chuckled at him. "Though I assume this is only temporary", she mumbled. "The next time we meet, I have a feeling that we really will have to fight." "I have the same feeling", he replied. "But for now, I'll agree to this. Hurry up and leave before I change my mind."

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"...Shiori." 

Upon hearing my name, I couldn't help but flinch. At the moment, I was completely out of it. I wasn't processing things like I usual did. I'm sure that Oka noticed. After we left the base, Oka gave me something and told me to eat it. I wasn't sure what it was, but it helped me a little bit. At the least the bleeding has stopped.. "Shiori", she called again. I glanced up to see her standing there with a concerned look on her face. It hadn't dawned on me that she had already opened up a gateway on the Old Ruins.

"I want you to go through with them", she said to me as she turned her head towards the children. "What about you ?", I asked her slowly. "What'll you do ?" Oka smiled at me sympathetically and looked up at the sky. It was nightfall by now, and the moon was already up. "I still have things to do", she mumbled softly, "I can't quite come home yet." I frowned at her, not knowing what to say. "But for how long ?", I eventually asked. "It's been almost more than a year since we all separated. When you return.. or will you ever ?" Oka reached over and patted my head before pulling me into a tight hug. "I know", she whispered melancholy. "I want to return home as soon as I can.. Ive been waiting for that time, but it just hasn't come yet." She pulled away and stared at me with a slightly stern gaze. "I won't blame you for not understanding, but you should know how complicated things are. Besides, a lot of things have changed since we separated. Do you remember that day ? Originally we were only supposed to separate to observe the movement of the suddenly appearing demons but as time moved on it only became more complicated." I placed a hand on my neck and looked down at the ground. "I know", I mumbled. "During the time you were gone, you missed a lot of things in Ningenkai. When you come back, how do you expect to fix the gaps ? Like school and those you met from before you left ?" 

Oka chuckled and glanced towards the gateway. "I'll manage", was all she said before she took a step back. "When I return, I hope you two will be prepared. Until then, continue to do things without getting yourself killed. And if push comes to shove, if you need any help, then tell Botan to come and get me. I'll come right away." I forced a laughed and sighed.

"Alright", I said as I turned towards the gateway with Seiji's son and Kaori's sister. The two children stuck to me closely as I I held their hands. I glanced over my shoulder to see Oka's figure standing there in the dim lighting of the moon. It was then, that I knew I was beginning to lose myself to my emotions. Oka, who must've noticed, tilted my head and smiled.

"See you again... Shiori", she said serenely.

"Besides.. I'm sure that those just beyond this gateway will be just as relieved to see you as I was tonight."