Black Magic (Yu Yu Hakusho; Hiei Jaganshi).

12. Farewells

With her chin resting on her hand, Katara stared blankly outside the window. The lecture her teacher was instructing to the class she zoned out, thinking about the training she'd have to endure in order to control her powers. She thought about everything from the time of her kidnapping.

Her world was turned around, knowing things not every human knows. Her mind reeled in questions. Some answered already, and some that weren't. If anything, she was glad there were people who wanted to help her with her acquired abilities.

During the ride home with Yusuke and Keiko coming back from Genkai's, Yusuke had told Katara everything she learned about the three worlds along with her ties to Hiei, needed to be kept a secret. After arguing with Yusuke about wanting to tell her parents, he put her in her place and she was silent the rest of the way home. The human girl still didn't like Yusuke, but then again, he did make a good point.

If anyone were to find out about her bond to Hiei, they'd come after her, and probably everyone she knew, just to kill her which would kill Hiei. Yusuke rambled on saying not everyone in Demon World was a big fan of Hiei, except a woman named Mukuro, who apparently is Hiei's lover of some sort. Katara didn't think much of it, throwing it to the back of her mind.

All in all, Katara didn't think much of Hiei, he was a closed book with a red flag for a cover. Everyone else was friendly and she felt like they were a good support system.

As Katara delved into her mind, reality became too far to reach. She remembered talking to her parents the next morning she returned from Genkai's. Since it was around one in the morning when she returned, her parents were fast asleep. She didn't want to wake them.

At first, they both disagreed. And then the nightmares came every night. Katara would toss and turn with screams that were a result of pain. It was as if she relived the memories. Her parents would rush in every night at least three times, and they'd wake her up. Katara could remember the freezing cold table as the silhouettes of the demons tortured her. She cried in her sleep and when she woke up, always afraid to fall back asleep in case her mind wanted to play tricks on her in a vulnerable state.

After a week of that, along with her parents hovering over her shoulders, Katara decided to call Yusuke over to talk with her parents about Genkai's again. It wasn't an easy topic, but Yusuke was given permission instantly once he brought up her nightmares. Katara had sat quietly, letting Yusuke take control of the situation.

"If you can help her, do it." Is what her father told the former Spirit Detective. Yusuke had looked at Katara's mother, waiting for her answer. She nodded slowly, her tear stained face as a result of talking to Yusuke about Katara's nightmares.

Yusuke then explained to them the details of how long, what she'd be doing, etc. Of course Yusuke wasn't stupid enough to tell them about the supernatural, but Yusuke kept it close as possible to Katara's nightmares, telling her parents about some sort of training and meditation techniques.

And then the topic of school came up from her mother. Of course, they were both all for it except for the missing school part. So they came up with an excuse to tell Katara's school so she could get help. They took Yusuke's timed offer of two months, even though he had told them it might take longer. But that's all they'd allow for Katara to miss school. So Yusuke kept his mouth shut for once and let them name the terms.

After Yusuke had talked to her parents last week, he pulled Katara aside and said he'd make a visit to Genkai to tell her the nightmares needed to be dealt with first. Katara was grateful for his help dealing with her parents and Genkai.

A loud shrieking noise startled Katara back to reality. Her frantic eyes locked on the students around her, who had stood up to stretch or go on break. Katara sat there, not realizing she had zoned out during the lecture. She'd need notes from one of her classmates. She internally groaned, setting her head on the table forehead first.