HUNTER AND PREY
Ch 1 Sonoma

	The people in the city bustled about on this busy Friday afternoon.  High
school girls walked in clusters and talked about their favorite shows and
movies as they walked home.  A youth, wearing a light color jacket and
carrying a backpack, wandered in the streets of Tokyo.

	"Oh!" He bumped into a girl.

	"Gomen..." He said politely, his violet eyes meeting her brown ones.

	The girl blushed slightly and said, "It's quite all right."  And they left.

	*Where am I suppose to go?* He asked himself. *I don't know this place at
all.  Ningenkai...what a strange place.*  He turned the corner into one of
the residential areas.  He saw a boy arguing with a rather pretty girl.

	"Yusuke no baka!!" the girl shouted.  "Forget you!  I'm going home!!"  She
then turned on her heels and stormed off.

	"Stop telling me what to do!!" Yusuke shouted back and then suddenly turned
his gaze on to the youth.

	*What's that ki?* Yusuke thought. *It's unsteady...this person is not human.*

	*Maybe he can help me,* The youth thought.  *but what can I ask him?  Ask
him if I can stay over at his house for a while?  Tell him that I'm being
stalked?  He doesn't even know me...*

	"Hey you!"  Yusuke called. 

	"Huh?" The youth looked up.  *He's not human!* An alarm went off in his
head. A part of him told him to run while the other part of him told him to
stay and ask for help.  *Ask for help.  You can't hold out too long...*

	"I..." 

	Yusuke saw the youth taking a step forward and then stopping as a look of pain 
crossed his face.

	"Hey, you all right?"

	*No...not now...* The youth collapsed.

************************

	"So you just FOUND him?" Kurama asked.

	"More like he found me," Yusuke replied.  "he just showed up and then
collapsed."

	"Does he know you?"

	"I dunno.  I sure don't know him," Yusuke said. "but I know that he's not
human."

	"He's not quite a youkai either," Kurama said slowly.

	"Then what the hell is he?  A halfling?"

	"Could be," Kurama replied.  "it's not as if those don't exist.  You, for
one, is a halfing."

	"Yeah, yeah," Yusuke muttered. "so are you."

	"Yusuke, I think I'll talk to him when he wakes up and try to sort this out."

	"Huh?  Why?" Yusuke asked. "I was the one who found him...Aw, nevermind.
You're better at it anyway.  Well, I'm heading back.  Later."

	"See you," Kurama replied. "I'll call you if anything comes up."

	"All right," Yusuke left the room.  "and Kurama!  Be careful."

******************

	"You may as well open your eyes," Kurama said after Yusuke left.  "I know
that you've been up for a while."

	The youth opened his eyes and slowly sat up.  "Where am I? Your house?"

	Kurama nodded.
	
	The youth smiled and said, "Thank you."

 	"May I ask why you are in this neighborhood?"

	"I..." The youth looked up into those green eyes. "You are a youko, aren't
you?"

	Kurama was surprised at the remark but immediately recovered his composure.

	"Yes..." he answered slowly.  He was now more alert.  *How does he know...?*
"Who are you?"

	"......" 

	"If you know who I am, I think I should know who you are as well."

	"No, I don't know who you are," he replied. "I just 'feel' it."

	"Your were suffering from the lack of energy.  You have pretty much
recovered now.  Why are you here?"
	
	The youth didn't answer the question, instead he replied, "You can call me
Sonoma.  It's my real name in Makai, if you must know."
	
	*So he is from Makai...But what is he doing here?*

	"You don't have to tell me your real name," Sonoma said.  "just your human
name will be sufficient."

	"Minamino, Shuuichi."

	"Dozo yoroshiku, Minamino-san."

	Kurama didn't respond.  He watched Sonoma closely behind his calm facade.
The youth was very beautiful, he observed.  Violet eyes, light-colored hair,
and pale skin.  He looked about sixteen years of age.  Kurama tried to
evaluate Sonoma's youki but came back empty-handed.  He couldn't judge by
his ki exactly how strong the youth was.

	Sonoma stood up from the bed and walked to the mirror.  He untied his
ponytail and retied it.  He did some minor adjustments on his clothing and
picked up his backpack from the ground.

	"I'm sorry to bother you, Minamino-san.  Arigatou gozaimasu," Sonoma said.
*Obviously I cannot ask him for help.  He doesn't trust me.*

	"You are welcome, Sonoma," Kurama replied as he escorted Sonoma to the door.

	Sonoma stepped outside and paused.  Kurama could felt himself tensing as he
sensed a strong youki presence.  He saw Sonoma tensing up as well.

	*So he felt it too.*

	"Minamino-san!  Go back into the house!" Sonoma warned.  He then ran away
with inhuman speed.

	Kurama followed.  He could barely catch up with Sonoma.  They eventually
reached the woods nearby.

	*Damn!  He is fast!* Kurama thought. *I wonder ...*

	Kurama never had the chance to finish the thought.  A powerful blast nearby
sent him crashing into one of the trees.  Kurama gasped and coughed.  He had
had the wind knock out of him.  That had been a very powerful attack.

	"Come on out!"

	Kurama could hear Sonoma's voice nearby.  He walked toward the direction
and saw Sonoma in the clearing.  Kurama then decided that it was a much
better idea to stay hidden for the time being.

	Sonoma waited silently for his attacker.

	"You've been following me," he started. "why won't you ever give up?"

	"Hunter and the prey, Sonoma..." Another voice answered. "A hunter does not
abandon his prey.  An assasin will kill what he is told to kill."

	Then everything started to explode as the attacker struck.  Sonoma leaped
away at inhuman speed and retaliated with an equal force.

	*That was an A-class attack...* Kurama calculated. *What is going on here?*

	Sonoma could feel his energy slipping away from him again.  *Oh no, I still
hadn't fully recovered yet...*  Then a punch sent him sprawling onto the ground.

	The attacker approached Sonoma and took off his cape, revealing a handsome
youth of Sonoma's age.  His jet black hair and golden eyes gleaming in the
sunlight.  "This time," he said mailiciously. "I am the victor, and I'll get
my reward."

	Wings ripped out from the black-haired youth's back and claws appeared from
his fingers.  "I've been waiting for this for a long time...Sonoma," He smiled.

	Sonoma could feel himself losing conciousness.  *I...can't die now...*

	"Rose whip!" Kurama lashed out with the whip.
	
	The dark-haired youth was startled for a moment but then leaped away in
time to avoid the whip.

	"An interferer here, I see..." He remarked.  

	Suddenly Kurama couldn't move.  Then a thousand small energy balls hurled
themselves toward him.  They each struck him squarely, Kurama cried out in
pain as he landed hard on his side.

	*Shit! He is strong.  I can't beat him unless I change into youko...*

	"Maybe I should take care of our interferer first..." The youth approached
Kurama.

	*Damn!  I can't change!* Kurama realized in horror. *I must have lost too
much youki from the attack.*

	The youth was about to strike when a force hit him squarely in the back.  A
trial of blood made its way down the corner of his lips.  He turned around
in surprise and saw Sonoma standing again.

	*Crap!  Sonoma is going to kill himself doing this.  What is happening
here?* Kurama thought in dismay. *And I can't help him...*

	"You are not going to get me, ever!" Sonoma said coldly.  The gleam in his
eyes and his composure reminded Kurama both of Hiei and his own youko form.
He then realized the change in atmosphere.  He looked up and saw clouds
gathering in the sky in rapid speed.  Then the ground started shaking.
Sonoma's youki was rising drastically, it was now at S-class level.
	
	Kurama looked at Sonoma again and got the shock of his life.

	*Oh gods...* Kurama stared in disbelief. *He has a third eye...*

-------------------Chapter 1 Sonoma End (To Be Continued)---------------
   --Shuuichi Minamino
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
  * "J'aurais                        "I would have wanted                 *
  *           voulu ne pas mourir.                not to die.             *
  *  J'aurais voulu                   I would have wanted                 *
  *           ne jamais grandir.                  never to grow up.       *
  *  J'aurais                         I would have                        *
  *           voulu me casser l'ame."           wanted to rend my soul."  *
  *                                                                       *
  *                ~Cirque Du Soleil                 ~Circus Of The Sun   *
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~