Yu Yu Hakusho- Another tale

Chapter 15: Confrontation

Akina, never hold revenge in your heart.
Be happy
Akina opened her eyes feeling relaxed and better. The queen's voice had been in her dreams the entire night.
"Akina-san! Good morning!" Shiori's bright voice woke her up.
"Ah! Good morning Shiori-san!" She smiled brightly.
"You seem to be feeling better now? The wounds also look like they have healed rather well.? Shiori smiled as Akina laughed nervously.
"I always heal very fast!" Akina replied.
"That is good. So you are returning home, today?" Shuichi asked.
"I need to get things sorted and now that the stalker is gone, I can kind of get back to my old routine." Akina replied softly.
"But you are always welcome here, remember that." Shiori smiled at her as Akina nodded.
"Are you ready to go?" Kurama asked as she helped her with her bags after they had breakfast.
"Not really, I felt quite at home with your family." Akina blushed when Kurama chuckled.
"You are always welcome here you know right." He whispered as Akina smiled softly.
He made her feel safe and happy. As she watched him, her face fell as she looked on to the ground.
"What's wrong?"
"I... I will have to go to Tenko right? Somehow I am scared... My nightmares have been worse.. The queen does not want me to have anything to do with Tenko but if I don't do something, Mako will destroy everything." Akina replied in a soft voice.
"Akina...."
"The other me also has made it clear I have no choice. After all if I want to merge back with her, I need to go Tenko and find that sphere. The more I know about it. The more I don't want it. I... I just want to be here with you and the others.... But if I dont do anything, I wont even have this." Akina felt her eyes sting as she wiped them quickly.
Kurama's eyes softened as he scooped her into his arms as she returned the embrace burying her head into his chest.
"You are not alone in this Akina. We are here for you." Kurama whispered as Akina nodded.
"Oi! You have reached!" Yusuke waved as Akina looked surprised.
"For now, I thought it would be good if you stayed in Genkai's temple. You have some days off and it will be safer there. I have some work to do in my current father's company but I will join you guys soon." Kurama placed his hand on her cheek.
"Okay..." Akina looked down she heard him chuckle.
"It wont be for long." He kissed her forehead as he let her go.
"I understand." Akina replied softly as Yusuke helped her with her bags.
"You will see him soon Akina-chan." Yusuke said happily as Akina nodded.
She followed him to the train station when she stopped. Her chest felt sickeningly hot and it felt like a cold shudder ran up her back. She quickly turned towards the building but saw nothing.
"What's wrong Akina-chan?" Yusuke looked at her confused.
"It... It felt like someone has been watching us. Yusuke-san, I have a terrible feeling... Should we go ahead with this?" Akina asked softly as Yusuke scratched his head.
"Whatever it is, we will need to face it at sometime. For now don't worry. We are with you and we will protect you." Yusuke replied with a big smile.
"But what if... What if.... They target Keiko-san or Yukina-san or Botan-san? Because of me...." Akina spoke up in a soft voice when Yusuke sighed and ruffled her head.
"Do you think we will let that happen? Don't worry too much Akina-chan." Yusuke replied as Akina nodded although she felt even more scared.
This dread was spreading and now she felt found it difficult to breathe.
Huh.... Looks like we will be finally able to go Tenko
Eh? You know
I can feel the sphere you know
Eh?
Feel it Akina... its deep in your blood, you can feel it calling you don't you
I feel....suffocated....I
Akina woke up from her sleep as she looked around the train. Yusuke and Keiko appeared to be asleep as Akina took a deep breath as she looked out of the window.
The Tennyo felt happy about the circumstances. All she seemed to care about was the sphere. Akina looked at the sleeping Yusuke and Keiko. The looked after her like she was their own family. She thought about her own family abroad. She was endangering everyone. Kurama's human family, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kazeha...... How many people must she place in danger to be able to feel safe... She tried to stop the tears.
"Akina-chan?" She blinked to see Keiko sit next to her.
"Ah, Keiko-san, Sorry, did I wake you up?" Akina tried to sound cheerful.
"Is everything okay Akina-chan?" Keiko asked gently.
"Eh?"
"You are crying."
"I... I am sorry..."
"Why?"
"I feel like I am putting everyone in danger. I don't even know what i should do. I even got you, Yukina-san and Botan-san involved. Even Shiori-san, Mikiko, Sumiko... Everyone... My very presence..." Akina's balled in her fingers into a fist as she shut her eyes tight.
"Akina-chan, you worry to much. Because of Yusuke's involvement in all this, I have been through all this and I am used to it. We worry about you so don't be hard on yourself." Keiko said kindly as she stroked Akina's hair.
"Eh?"
"You are precious to a lot of people. We all want to see you happy and well. So please let us help you and watch over you." Keiko smiled gently as she pulled Akina close.
Akina nodded as tears spilled over her cheeks.
"Besides, Kurama would do anything to see you smile. So you really don't worry about all this." Keiko chuckled as Akina smiled finally allowing her eyes to close in peace.
Keiko made sure Akina was comfortable as she put a thin blanket on her. She sat next to Yusuke who was no up and watching them.
"She is really scared isn't she?" Yusuke muttered.
"She is still a young child. She maybe 18, but she is still a child and dealing with all this. I mean you too had it hard when we were 15 but this is different I think. Akina has a lot on her shoulders." Keiko spoke softly.
"That is true. There are too many people after her and she must be missing Kurama a lot. Either ways, we need to strengthen her up as much as possible. They won't stop. It is one thing if they want to kill her but they really wish to do with her...." Yusuke's hand tightened into a fist.
"I also don't want to imagine it. But it is not fair. She is just a child."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akina watched as she stars twinkled in the sky as everyone relaxed on the veranda of the dojo.
"I have never had such good karaage in a while. Akina-chan, can I have the recipe? I shall add it to my ramen stall!" Yusuke said cheerfully as Akina chuckled.
"It's not really recipe.... Most of the time I fail at it and burn it." Akina smiled.
"Eh... But the flavour is good.... It is heavy on ginger isn't it?" Keiko replied.
"Ah... yes...." Akina chuckled.
"But Kurama is lucky. A nice girl who is sweet and gentle and can cook well." Botan praised as Akina felt her blush deepen.
"Ah... I don't know how good I will be... I mean... I will be joining med school soon... I..." Akina felt her face grow warm as she thought of Kurama
"He is looking forward to spend more time with you. He had been debating if he should stay here for much longer but he has decided to stay back for you."
"Eh?"
"Kurama is a yoko right? He was lost between returning to the demon realm or remaining here and that is when you turned up. He wants to be with you more than anything" Yusuke grinned as Akina felt her face flush.
"Is... that so..." Akina felt something warm grow in her chest.
"That is why, you don't need to worry. We also want the fox to be happy so we will protect you. Having you around is one of the best feeling ever." Botan giggled.
Akina blushed as she smiled.
That was right, she was not alone. Everything was going to be okay.
The night was really cool and quiet but the nightmares did not allow her to sleep. She got up feeling rather heavy and tired when a suddenly blast made her jump from the futon.
"Eh? What happened?" Yukina muttered as she rubbed her eyes while Keiko and Botan stirred,
Akina felt her heart thunder. She understood what was going on. They had found her.
"Please do not leave this room." Akina spoke out as she ran out of the room, ignoring Keiko's repeated calls
She rushed out to see A giant demon throw fireballs at the dojo as Yusuke fired her shot gun trying to push the demon away from the dojo.
"Yusuke-san!" Akina suddenly placed a barrier around him and the dojo.
"You idiot! Go back in!" Yusuke yelled at her when he was suddenly blown off.
"Yusuke-san!"
Akina turned to see Mako stand on the demon's shoulder as she smirked at them. Akina rushed to help Yusuke up when screams made them look at the dojo.
A silver long haired man dragged Keiko by her hair as his red eyes trained on them.
"Let Keiko go!"  Yusuke rushed at the man who quickly placed his blade at Keiko's neck making Yusuke stop in his way.
"You sure you want to do that?" He grinned as he blasted Yusuke from the veranda.
"No! Please let Keiko-san go!" Akina pleaded when the man laughed as he threw Keiko on the floor and then trained his blast on her.
"No! Stop it!" Akina raised her hand managing to create a barrier around Keiko's before the blast could hurt her.
"Hmmm.... You are strong enough to cover others but then again, they would not be in this position if not for you." The man smiled when made Akina stop in her tracks.
"Eh?"
"Akina!" A huge wind struck towards the man who dodged it.
"Akina! Are you alright? Yusuke-san?" Kazeha stood in front of them.
"You are late you idiot! Take care of the man! I am going after the demon." Yusuke barked as she rushed towards the demon.
Akina watched around her as Yusuke kept being blasted as belated by the demon while Kazeha was pinned by the sliver haired man.
They would not be in this position if not for you
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at Keiko who was injured.
"STOP IT!" Akina stood up as she rushed into the grounds.
"Akina-chan?" Yusuke looked up.
"Akina?" Kazeha looked towards the young girl who stood in front of the demon.
"It is me you want right! I will go with you! Just stop... Just stop harming them anymore!" Akina yelled out  as her figure trembled.
"Akina, what are you....?" Kazeha's eyes widened.
"Ah.. hahaha... So you are ready to come with us?" Mako laughed harshly.
"Only if you let my friends go! If you spare them, I will go with you." Akina's voice was chocked with tears.
"Very well replied young princess." The silver haired man threw Kazeha aside as he flew and stood beside Akina.
"You... You will spare them..." Akina whimpered.
"Akina-chan! You don't need to do that! Akina-chan!" Yusuke rushed at them when Mako threw a a huge fire ball at him.
"Stop! STOP! I will come with you! Please..." Akina begged when the man knocked her out and took her in his arms.
"Let us go Mako." The man opened a dark tunnel in the air.
"Senyu...."
"We got what we want." The stepped into the portal as Mako followed them.
"Akina-chan." Yusuke rushed towards the portal when the demon blocked him way.
"Ah... Finish them." Mako muttered as the portal closed.
"No... NO! AKINA!" Kazeha's cry rand out into the night.