{ Takako }
It's a saturday—which is supposed to be my whole day shift as a miko. But fortunately, I took that shift on a school day so grandma and auntie both agreed to let me do only a morning shift.
My parents didn't dare to argue with grandma and auntie when it comes to this miko and family tradition business. One reason is that grandma and auntie are dominantly traditionalists in their personality and will definitely cause a feud if someone dared to 'break the rules' or 'destroy the order of things'. Dad says that we can't afford the family to break apart just because of our differences.
I just think he also doesn't want his mother and sister to die of heart attack because they'll realize there are things from the past that are better to let go.
But of course, I don't say that out loud.
"Noble child, why don't you color your jade (green) hair into ink (black)?" Grandma Miyamoto just entered the room while I was blessing the many ofudas for the stalls outside.
I uttered the last syllables of the chant before facing and bowing in front of her.
"Grandma, I wouldn't dare change my natural features. That would make the beings who blessed me upset." I explained to her for the hundredth time.
"But it was not like that before." she retorted. I sighed and bowed again before making my way out to my room.
At times, I wish she could be more open minded. I thought silently.
••••
I changed into civilian clothes—jeans and a jumper and am on the way to Mizumi's apartment.
Why would Toguro want to fight Yusuke in a tournament? Is Sakyo planning to eliminate the members of the club? What demons would they face? What would be the prize they want?
Dark tournament. Black Black Club. Sakyo. Toguro. Special guests. Demons. The prize.
These are my key words. I finally reached Mizumi's apartment and knocked the door a few times until it seems useless. I noticed the door was not locked so I entered.
"Mizumi?" I called out. No answer. I reached the living room. I saw the said person lying on the sofa, her earphones plugged on and her eyes closed.
I cleared my throat loud enough for her eyes to jerk open.
"What the hell Takako?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" she shouted as she sat up, pulling her earphones out of her ears.
"There's a thing called knocking, you know." she added and almost hit me with a stick she uses for practice. I grinned.
"It's nice to see you too, Mizumi. I brought you mochi ice cream that mom made for you." I said. But before I can even hand it to her, her arms had already stretched out for them, grabbing the box filled with the sticky rice balls filled with ice cream from me. You can never spell Mizumi without sweets.
"Tell auntie I said thanks." she said while fully sitting up and facing me.
"But I'm still not going to live at the shrine with you. No offense." she mumbled as she took a bite from a white colored mochi—probably a vanilla flavored one.
"None take." I closed the door and went back to the living room.
Since Mizumi's parents died, my mother swore to Uncle—Mizumi's father and my mom's brother—that she would take care of Mizumi and would take responsibility of her. But Mizumi always refuses to live in the shrine due to unknown reasons. We may be cousins and are extremely close. But there's so much that I don't know about her
"Grandma Miyamoto is still fusing over my hair." I growled a bit, changing the topic as I sat on the couch opposite to hers.
Her apartment is quite spacious, which is not a surprise since the whole complex belongs to the Ryusaki family and she has the right to own one this big.
"I swear your grandma is going to make me crazy if I live with you there. One of the reasons why I choose to live here alone." she said as she took another bite from a yellow mochi—probably chocolate.
Grandma Miyamoto is my grandmother on my father's side—of course. That makes it the reason why she's not Mizumi's grandmother since Mizumi's my cousin on my mother's side.
I sighed and brought out my notebook from my bag. I wrote what I was thinking a while ago—still perfectly remembering all of it. I also tried a green mochi and it was matcha flavored, I probably need to sort out the unsweet flavors for her.
"I like that you decided on green when you were able to stabilize your spirit energy. It suits you." she complimented as she takes another mochi, a blue one—maybe blueberry. Seriously, I don't know how mom makes these things.
"Do you think Toguro will show up to Yusuke?" I asked as I flipped the pages of the information categorized under Human World. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama are some of the profiles bookmarked with sticky tabs.
"You mean Koenma hasn't told him yet? He does like to give Yusuke surprises that could kill the guy." she mumbled, obviously irritated with Koenma.
"Yusuke does seem to be untroubled right now." I mumbled back, still focused on scanning my notebook.
"Do you think they're on to us? I've been seeing the three eyed demon frequently." she said. I looked up and saw her furrow her brows as she stared at the window.
"I didn't know you're dating Hiei. You're very straightforward." I teased her and wrote that one on the last page while snickering.
She has a faint blush on her cheek and a piercing glare at me. "Shut up. He's not my type. And speak for yourself, I saw you swooning over fox boy."
I giggled. "You're exaggerating. I'm only interested with him."
"So you do have a crush on him?" she teased.
"Infatuated and interested are different." I laughed before stopping on a page—the Toguro Brothers.
Elder Toguro- the seemingly old and pale man on Younger Toguro's shoulder. Manipulates his body into a weapon—or maybe anything. Lower B class demon.
Younger Toguro- the brother with the larger built. Muscle manipulation according to power percentage. B class demon.
Both joined and won the Dark Tournament fifty years ago.
I'm frustrated with this incomplete profile in front of me. Knowing things is a habit of mine but I'm not nosy. The world is vast. And who knows what's out there. I'm here to discover the mysteries, the backgrounds that influence the present and the unique feats of each world.
And this incomplete profile very much bothers me.
"Mizumi, why don't we take a walk around the city?" I suggested.
Although I made it sound more of an order instead of a suggestion.
••••
We did walk around the city, checking some stuff around. That's when we noticed a strange presence and a crowd around a street corner.
"Didn't you say Yusuke is with Keiko today?" I asked Mizumi as we ran to the commotion.
"Yeah. She's probably there, seeing there are several clothes' shops on this lane that she said she'll drag Yusuke to before going to the park." she answered before drinking something obviously sweet.
She was right. We spotted Keiko in the crowd, looking at the destruction of a building.
A couple of punches could have done that. A couple of punches by a demon.
There was a motorcycle noise. We turned our heads to that direction. There, we saw Toguro beside a motorcycle. And Yusuke, a few feet from him. We watch them converse without knowing what they're talking about—maybe about the Dark Tournament.
"Should we follow them?" Mizumi whispered when Toguro & Yusuke are about to go somewhere. Somewhere more private.
I pointed out Kuwabara who also saw the scene and followed the two.
"We should make sure Keiko goes home first." I said as I put a hat on my green hair which was coiled into a bun.
"What's with the disguise? I thought you loved that hair." she said as she looked at me with confusion.
"We're not exactly in our black apparel right now and like you said, the guys are on to us. We're technically called stalkers if we got caught. We don't want that to happen, do you?" I whispered as I motioned to her as we followed Keiko.
"Why don't I have one?" she whispered again while pouting.
"You can basically fit in with your looks." I told her frankly.
"Thanks for the compliment" she said sarcastically.
"Did you lock your door when we got out?" I suddenly asked.
She pondered for a moment. "Is maybe an answer?"
I sighed hopelessly and we continued to follow Keiko home without getting caught.
••••
{ Koenma }
"So Toguro had finally showed up, huh?" I said as I thought of things carefully.
The first to report me was Kurama and Hiei. And now, Taka and Mizu had also came to report to me about Toguro's surprise visit to Yusuke.
"Have you made sure that Keiko's alright?" I asked, suddenly remembering about the girl.
"Of course." Taka answered.
"She's safe and sound, alright. But what would happen to her if Yusuke's gone again, huh?" Mizu said, her hands on the side of her hips.
"If that's the case, then we have to tell Keiko the truth." Taka muttered. I paled.
"Keiko's not a blabbermouth. So I guess that's a good suggestion." Mizu said, agreeing to what Taka said.
"Well then... if she'll not reveal it to anyone else..." I muttered, pausing.
If Keiko won't learn about something involving Yusuke's disappearance, she'll continue to bother Botan and maybe be depressed. It's better if she knows something rather than knowing nothing and unexpectedly learning that something happened to Yusuke.
The Dark Tournament is a very dangerous place. Count Toguro in there would even increase the danger. If something would happen to Yusuke... then I won't be able to do something with that.
"Okay fine. You can tell Keiko." I paused and looked at them seriously. "But only if she's interested and really willing to learn about it."
The two nodded silently before they left.
I sighed as I placed a hand on my forehead.
Now... about Urameshi team's fifth fighter.
••••
A/N:
finally! some answers! hahahah. but it's still not the start tho
-rozette & denise