Subject: [FF][YYH]Sleeper: The Observer
From: Shuichi Minamino
Date: 4/23/1997, 11:19 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com

Here's Chapter 7 of the fanfic "Sleeper".  It's titled "The Observer".
Constructive C&C are welcome.  Have fun reading.

Shuichi Minamino
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SLEEPER
Ch 7 The Observer

	Hiei watched Kurama from a tree outside his house.  He had refused to show
up at Kurama's room after that incident where he saw Kurama and Karasu
together.  He was furious, but he didn't know why.  He hid his ki so that
not even a high-power youkai can detect his presence.

	He saw Karasu talking to Kurama again and he wondered what they were
discussing.  Hiei opened his Jagan in an attempt to see through the head of
the youkai but failed when he detect another youki close by, blocking his
power.  He leaped down lightly from the tree and followed.

-----------

	"I'm sorry about your friend."

	"It's all right," Kurama sighed.  "he'll get over it."  *I hope.* Kurama
thought to himself.  "Just how much do you remember about me, Karasu?"

	"Everything." was the blunt reply he received.  Kurama drew in his breath,
remembering how the youkai in front of him had tried to kill him in a
tournament a few years ago.

	"Except how I came to be alive," Karasu added.  "I don't even know if this
is myself that is talking to you.  It could be a different soul in this
shell, inundated with memories that belonged to somebody else..."

	There was a certain sadness in that one remark that made Kurama ache.
This was another side of Karasu, a side that he had never seen; a side that
was perhaps how this youkai really was, before he became the youkai that he
was in the tournament.

	"The nightmares," Karasu continued. "they are of your plants, killing me.
I remembered how I lost the tournament because of those Makai plants.  I've
underestimated you, Youko."

	Kurama couldn't help but smile at the last comment, it was somewhat
surprising to hear the remark coming from Karasu of all people.  

	"I once read that one can be brought alive by a mage," Kurama started,
hating himself for changing the subject but knowing that he must. "it can
be what is happening with you."

	"A mage?"  Karasu shook his head. "I don't know of any and I don't see why
would anyone wanted to do that."

	*That's what I am worried about,* Kurama thought. *whoever that brought
him back to life is up to no good...*

-----------

	Hiei followed the youki, keeping up with its speed.  Whoever it was that
he was chasing was definitely trying to surpress his or her youki with
success.  If it weren't for his Jagan, even Hiei might have overlooked it.  

	Hiei stopped dead in his track.  For some strange reasons, he suddenly
couldn't detect any youki at all.  He opened his Jagan and found nothing.
Hiei looked around him, trying to detect possible traps.

	Hiei spun around and lashed out when he felt the sudden presence of
someone behind him.  He was surprised when the youkai caught his sword and
yanked it out of his hand.  It was a girl.  She delivered a lightning kick
in his abdomen and sent him crashing into one of the trees.

	Hiei stood up in no time but immediately ducked to one side when he saw
his sword flying toward him.  It embedded itself into the tree trunk next
to his head.

	Furious, Hiei pulled the sword out of the tree and charged.  He
disappeared right in front of her and reappeared above the youkai, ready to
bring down his sword.  The girl caught the sword and wrung at it, in the
process snapping the sword into two.

	Hiei landed behind her, eyeing his broken sword, unable to believe what
had happened.
	
	"You need to be better than that if you are to follow me," the girl said,
her intense blue eyes meeting his amber ones.

	"Who the hell are you?" Hiei growled.  His Black Dragon ready to be released.

	"Who am I?  I should be the one asking you the question."

	"What the hell were you doing hanging around Kurama's house?!"  Hiei
demanded.

	"The same reason that you are," she replied.

	"What do you mean?" 

	"I think we have a common goal," she started. "you want your Kurama while
I want Karasu."

	"What does that bastard have to do with you?!"

	"Why, wouldn't you like to know?" She replied with a smile.

	"Do you have anything to do with Karasu's being here?"  Hiei asked
dangerously.

	"No."

	"Then why the hell are you-"

	"I have my purpose," she replied coolly. "if you care for your friend's
safety, we should work together."

	"Why should I believe you?"

	"Because nobody else can help you," she replied. "your power is 
not enough to handle this."

	"Why you ... " Hiei growled and lashed out at her.  The girl side-stepped as 
Hiei reached her and brought out her crossbow.  She aimed and fired.  The
arrow hit Hiei on the shoulder, its force driving him backward and pinning
him to the tree trunks.  She approached the fire spirit and stopped inches
away from him.

	"I should have killed you," she said coldly. "for attacking me like this.
I still can." She raised her crossbow again, the arrow pointed at Hiei's head.

	Hiei gave her one of his best glares and struggled to free himself.  For
some reasons, what appeared to be a simple task of freeing oneself from an
arrow was becoming extremely difficult.

	*Her youki* Hiei realized. *it's her youki that is holding me*

	"But I think you need to stay alive if you are going to help your friend
and I am to fulfill my purpose."

	She eyed Hiei again, her sapphire eyes gleaming.  Hiei glared at her
again, meeting her eyes.  She was a beautiful girl, with the shinniest long
brown hair that one could see.  Hiei cursed himself silently when he
realized what he had been thinking.  As if reading Hiei's thoughts, the
girl suddenly leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.  Hiei's eyes
widened in surprise.  When she drew back, she smiled.  It was a dazzling
smile all right, but somehow a disturbing one, or it seemed to Hiei.  

	"We will meet again, soon."  She said.  The girl then turned around and
got ready to leave.  Before she left, the girl turned around again.

	"The name is Coleen, remember that," she said.  "and keep in mind that I
spared you your life today.  I could've easily killed you."  With those
words, Coleen disappeared.

-------------------Sleeper: The Observer End (TO BE CONTINUED)----------

	      --Shuuichi Minamino
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	    *      Shuuichi Minamino / Silver Fox / Youko Kurama       *
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