AUTUMN'S PROMISE
By: Chevalle

CHAPTER 2          

Having Keiko's cooking for lunch was a feast. Kuwabara stretched lazily on the grass, and watched the red maple leaves move with the breeze's current. Most of the people were already packing up, and heading home. Even Keiko, Botan, and Yukina were fixing every plate, bowl, and utensil into the picnic basket.

"Hey, lazy bones," Yusuke said to Kuwabara. "Why don't you make youself useful, and help the girls?"

"What was that?!" Kuwabara fired back. "I don't see YOU helping out either!" They glared at each other, exchanging stares of electricity.

Kurama rolled his eyes, a smile forming on his lips. "There they go again." Something caught his attention at the far end of the park. At first, they looked like any ordinary couple... until Kurama stepped closer to get a better look. What Kurama saw was something most definitely out of the ordinary. Hiei was having a picnic with a girl!

"Hey, isn't that Hiei?" Kurama asked. Yusuke and Kuwabara ignored him, and continued their bickering.

Botan eyed the couple. "You're right! It IS Hiei!" She started giggling uncontrollably. Hiei-chan in love? She looked at the girl he was with. Her hair was the color of copper, and her height... She was more or less up to Hiei's ear. "Let's go over there, and say hello!"

"Uh, I don't think that's such a good idea," Kurama remarked, when he saw Hiei's irritated face. But Botan was already on her way...

It stared back at him with googly eyes. Was it dead or alive? Miko had given him a gingerbread man to start, and Hiei didn't have the slightest clue what it was. He poked at it, he squeezed it, maybe even pinched it. It didn't seem to react to Hiei's violent actions, nor did it cry out in pain, so he took a bite. Hiei had never tasted anything like it.

Miko chuckled. "You're such a strange one. Don't you know what a gingerbread man is?"

"Dvis ish a man?" Hiei asked with his mouth full. He leaned on the bark of a tree, relishing the alien sweetness in his mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Miko replied, trying to hide her amused expression. He was such a comic!

"Hn. I'll do what I want!" Hiei countered, after swallowing the whole of the sweet bread in his hand. Miko lay down on her tummy, and propped up her chin in her hands. She looked at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Shit, why wasn't she afraid of me, Hiei thought.

"Yoohoo, Hiei-chan!" Botan appeared from behind, and pulled on both his cheeks. "Who's your new friend?" Hiei started to glow a faint aura of red...

Miko sat up, and greeted Botan with a warm smile. "Hi, I'm Miko-chan."

"And I'm the cute keeper of souls, and messenger of Reikai, Botan-chan," Botan replied, as she let go of Hiei's sore cheeks.

Yusuke bonked her on the head. "What do you think you're doing?! How's she supposed to know about all that?!"

"What did you do that for?! You've got a problem with that, eh?!" Botan flared.

Kuwabara, Kurama, Keiko, and Yukina had joined them as well, and were all congratulating Hiei on his "new friend". His aura started to glow brighter.

"You have a big mouth," Yusuke made a face at Botan, widening his mouth with his fingers, and sticking out his tongue. "A big mouth! Just like Kuwabara!"Kuwabara heard. "And what do you call YOU? Eh, Motormouth?" He challenged Yusuke.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIITT!!!!" Hiei shouted through all the noise, shutting everyone up, pronto. His aura was a bright crimson now. He lifted his right arm, and a small, dark flame appeared in his palm.

"Eeeeeeek! Hiei! You wouldn't dare--!" Botan shrieked.

"Hiei...!" Yusuke said.

Hiei gave a smug laugh. "Fools! Never mess with me!" And with that, he disappeared into the air, traces of black trailing behind him.

Around ten centuries or so have passed. He knew very well that the boy had survived. It was exactly the season of autumn when the brat decided to break free of his prison. Too bad, fatality turned to his companion.

"Kuanja," A female voice said. "Where do we find him?"

"He's somewhere here on the Human-world, Akuna," replied Kuanja. "Prepare your bow and your arrows."

"So many humans in this world," Akuna observed, licking her chops hungrily. "Shall we have a 'picnic' ourselves, Kuanja?"

Kuanja chuckled. "After we find him."

"Ah, yes," Akuna smiled thoughtfully. "The 'forbidden child'..."

They both leaped from the roof of the tall building overlooking the park, the people oblivious to their presence.

Everyone at the park had gone home, except for Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Botan, Keiko, Yukina, and now Miko. She had gotten along with everybody, and that made her heart soar. She finally made some friends, and she owed it all to Hiei. She had to show him her appreciation somehow. This had been the best birthday of her life. She hoped that the day would never end. She looked back down at the cards she held. Just great, she needed an ace!

Watching from among the shadows or from above was what he did best. Hiei went back to his usual spectator spot, and eyed the group below. The fire demon knew that something was not quite right about that girl. She didn't even flinch when he tried scaring the living daylights out of Yusuke with the power of his Black Dragon. She wasn't a common human female. It was an experience tasting the humans' 'gingerbread man' though, even if it did look particularly odd. Hiei smiled in spite of himself.

"Enjoy your stay here while it lasts," Came a voice behind him.

Hiei took his sword out at the speed of light, and swung. Nobody was there. His eyes searched the vicinity. Noone. He untied the white cloth wrapped around his forehead, and revealed a third eye, the Jagan. His third sight would be able to detect the enemy, and when he did, that enemy was going to regret ever bothering to threaten him.

Hiei laughed, sword in hand. "You think you can escape the power of my Jagan? You must be such a worthless fool if you think that!" He took off the black cloak he wore, and threw it to down on the ground.

The enemy laughed as well. "Hnnhmmm, shall we find out who is the worthless fool then?" He appeared before Hiei, small oni-like horns sprouted on his head matted by short light brown hair. A cape was draped over his shoulders. If humans were as ignorant as they seemed, they would have thought that this being was a part of their race. Hiei looked him up and down. He had more of the appearance of a human, than a demon.

"Ku-Kuanja!" Hiei's eyebrows shot up, as he met face to face with a memory of his past: the demon, Kuanja.Kuanja formed a sword in his hand. It was twice the size in length of Hiei's sword, and looked twice as heavy, however Kuanja didn't seem to have any difficulty carrying it.

"'Forbidden child'," Kuanja said. "Long time no see."

"Let's keep it that way, you asshole!" Hiei spat out.

"Hiei," Kuanja stated mildly. "Remember that we made a deal. It was either your life or HERS."

"Wrong," Hiei contradicted. "You said you'd spare her life if I gave you my powers, and I'd steal for you. I fulfilled my end of the bargain, but you broke yours!" Hiei gripped his sword tightly. He didn't like this topic one bit.

"If I hadn't given you my powers, I would have been an S-level today!"

"Pity."

"Why you bastard!" Hiei, with his sword in position, made a lunge for Kuanja. Kuanja blocked with his own sword, and pushed forward, throwing Hiei aside. Hiei landed back first on the park's grassy ground. Kuanja was much stronger than Hiei thought he'd be.

Kuanja gave a small laugh. "What's wrong? I thought you were A-class?"

Hiei slowly got up, one knee on the dirt, and the other, shaken from the fall. "Scum!"

"Kuanja, enough playing around! Do what we've planned!"

Kuanja and Hiei turned to the direction of the voice. There, among the branches of the momiji, sat a woman with long, flowing raven tresses. Coal eyes gleamed wickedly at Hiei, as she disappeared from her post, and reappeared a moment later beside Kuanja.

Hiei eyed her back with scorn. "Akuna."

She looked coldly at him, her blood-red lips forming a smile. "Little Koorime, how nice of you to still remember me." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and crossed her arms. Both she and Kuanja smiled at each other as if sharing a secret joke.

The fire demon supported himself by holding on to the sword's handle, and sinking the tip into the earth. His loins throbbed from the pain, but he managed to stand up. Once he was up on his feet, he took his sword from the rough soil, and leaped for Kuanja and Akuna. Akuna took something from her back, and skimmed its feathery end through her lips. Another object rematerialized in her hand; something long and curved. She positioned it in such a way that the object with the feathery end was aimed directly at Hiei. Hiei's eyes widened. A bow and arrow! Hiei changed the path of his destination, and set foot on a momiji branch, viciously eyeing Akuna.

"You cannot escape, forbidden child," Akuna said, but put her weapons down. "You work for us, remember? Kuanja, get him!"

Like a faithful dog, Kuanja took off, and charged for Hiei. Hiei didn't back away, but leaped in the other direction to catch him off guard. Kuanja knew what Hiei was up to, and swung. Hiei almost gasped out loud when he saw a few strands from his dark hair being sliced off. Kuanja didn't give up, he continued to pursue Hiei with his humongous sword. Hiei blocked and evaded, but he found it difficult to strike a blow. Nevertheless, he didn't run away. He vowed never to run away again. They attacked each other, vanishing then becoming evident again like ghosts, feeling the crude loam beneath the heel of their shoes, then the rugged bark of the momiji branches. Their swords clashed with each other, their voices joined in cries of frustration, anger, and challenge. Their sounds echoed throughout the park.

He eyed them intently, annoyed with the fact that they weren't suitable enough for victory. Damn! Sweat poured down his temple, as his hands fidgeted nervously, but at the same time, trembled with excitement. I won't give up, he insisted silently. Someone beat him to it, and smiled triumphantly at him.

Yusuke groaned. "You can't win again! You just won!" He said to Kurama, as he put down the five cards he held in his hands. "Let us poor, unfortunate souls win for once!"

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Kurama replied happily. The others groaned as well, and put down their cards.

Miko giggled. "Kurama-san, you sure play poker very well. Have you ever been to a casino?" All eyes focused on Kurama.

"Uh, no," Kurama replied. "What makes you think that? Besides, it's illegal for underage people to go to casinos and gamble. Even the slot machines are restricted because it's very addicting." All eyes were still focused on Kurama, but this time they gave him disbelieving and surprised looks.

Kurama realized what he had just said. "Uh, no... I meant... You don't actually believe that I..."

Everyone on the picnic blanket averted their attentions to a noise not far away from them. Voices, and the sound of swordfighting. Yusuke straightened, and peered closely at the two evening it out. It was Hiei, and an unknown person.

"You don't know who you're dealing with!!" Hiei hollered. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't!" Came the reply of Hiei's opponent, and gashed Hiei's right shoulder with the large sword. Hiei uttered a cry of pain, but held his own sword in place.

"Remember HER right shoulder, child?" Kuanja twirled his sword like a baton. "She was stubborn, so she had to pay."

"SHUT UP!!" Hiei fired back, and charged again, as blood oozed down his arm, and dripped to the ground from his elbow.

"Hiei!" Kurama's smile faded. "He's in trouble. We have to help him!"

"Yeah, let's go!" Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded. "Botan, take the others to safety. Looks like this boring day is turning out to be not-so-boring after all." Yusuke grinned mischievously, and walked towards Hiei and the unknown swordsman, along with Kurama and Kuwabara.

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