A Forest on Fire (KuramaxOc)

Ch 10: Revelations

Yumiko stayed by Kenji's side as they watched the competition progress. Kazamaru had won his fight with some difficulty, obliterating his opponent in the process. She had felt Kenji stiffen beside her as the assassin's body was blown away, and she squeezed his hand hoping to calm him.

"I-I know Genkai said it was alright t-to kill your opponent but this just seems..."

Yumiko turned to look at him sharply as she felt a wave of unease wash over the boy. He made a strange sound and took off, making for the door which had been opened only seconds before.

Yumiko gasped as he took off, and followed after him only to find him retching in the grass nearby. She frowned as she approached him, feeling extremely guilty. A presence behind her spoke softly, and she turned to greet Maru.

"Ours is a different existence. We have seen blood and death from a young age, he had not... he should not have come..." Maru spoke softly, his expression neutral as he gazed down at the vomiting boy.

A female voice caught them by surprise, and both demons turned to see a rather cute, blue haired girl speaking to the two boys who were supposed to still be competing. Yumiko could feel a crackling sensation in the air, and turned to see Maru staring at the girl wide eyed.

She was stunning... He had seen her before, coming to clean up his mess and escort the body of a soul who got to close to the demon boy, as well as once before, the day his mother had died. She was as beautiful then as she was today, standing in front of him. Maru felt his core heat up, and his eyes lightened slightly. He was mystified by the girl... He had to speak with her...

Yumiko watched in awe as Maru took a step towards the group, only to stop in his tracks as master Genkai appeared, and tossed a cigarette at the boys. She grinned slightly, then turned back to Maru, only to find him gone, a puff of red smoke in his place. "Maru??" She asked, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She sighed, and finished the walk to where Kenji still knelt. "Are you alright?"

He shook his head slightly, looking up at her with tear streaks down his face. "He's dead! Kazamaru just killed that guy and it's like none of you even care!! What would have happened if I hadn't backed out??"

"In truth the plan had been to force you to back out at this point." She said matter-of-factly. When he looked at her incredulously, she sighed again, her patience running out.

"Oh for Kami's sake Kenji! We told you it would be dangerous. We warned you things would try to kill you in the forest. How is this different? Look, with the exception of you and those other two boys, everyone in there has either trained as a killer, or a psychic. This is just how life is for us! We tried to warn you! Besides, do you really think I would have let one of them actually kill you??"

"How many have you killed?"

She stopped talking, gaping at him and that disgusted look on his face. As her blood went cold.

"Come again???" She asked in a quiet voice.

His own voice was harsh as he repeated the question, and before the last word had left his tongue Yumiko snarled!

His eyes widened at the sound, but before he could even flinch, she raised a hand, claws sheathed, and slapped him hard across the face. He expected her to scream at him after that, but she didn't... When he looked into her face he was shocked to see tears streaming from her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead ,she rose to her feet, and stormed back inside the dojo.

"That was not wise to ask..." a deep, yet soft voice spoke, and Kenji jolted as he realized Maru had sat down beside him.

"JEZUS!! Someone needs to put a friggin bell on you man!!! What do want, anyways?"