Hello, all! Thanks to all who gave comments on this fic. Here's chapter 
2. C&C's are still welcome. Enjoy... ^_^
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Autumn's Promise
Chapter 2
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        Having Keiko's cooking for lunch was a feast. Kuwabara stretched 
lazily on the grass, and watched the red maple leaves move with the 
breeze's current. Most of the people were already packing up, and 
heading home. Even Keiko, Botan, and Yukina were fixing every plate, 
bowl, and utensil into the picnic basket. 
        "Hey, lazy bones," Yusuke said to Kuwabara. "Why don't you make 
youself useful, and help the girls?"
        "What was that?!" Kuwabara fired back. "I don't see YOU helping 
out either!" They glared at each other, exchanging stares of 
electricity.
        Kurama rolled his eyes, a smile forming on his lips. "There they 
go again." Something caught his attention at the far end of the park. At 
first, they looked like any ordinary couple... until Kurama stepped 
closer to get a better look. What Kurama saw was something most 
definitely out of the ordinary. Hiei was having a picnic with a girl! 
        "Hey, isn't that Hiei?" Kurama asked. Yusuke and Kuwabara 
ignored him, and continued their bickering.
        Botan eyed the couple. "You're right! It IS Hiei!" She started 
giggling uncontrollably. Hiei-chan in love? She looked at the girl he 
was with. Her hair was the color of copper, and her height... She was 
more or less up to Hiei's ear. "Let's go over there, and say hello!"
        "Uh, I don't think that's such a good idea," Kurama remarked, 
when he saw Hiei's irritated face. But Botan was already on her way...

        It stared back at him with googly eyes. Was it dead or alive? 
Miko had given him a gingerbread man to start, and Hiei didn't have the 
slightest clue what it was. He poked at it, he squeezed it, maybe even 
pinched it. It didn't seem to react to Hiei's violent actions, nor did 
it cry out in pain, so he took a bite. Hiei had never tasted anything 
like it. 
        Miko chuckled. "You're such a strange one. Don't you know what a 
gingerbread man is?"
        "Dvis ish a man?" Hiei asked with his mouth full. He leaned on 
the bark of a tree, relishing the alien sweetness in his mouth.
        "Don't talk with your mouth full," Miko replied, trying to hide 
her amused expression. He was such a comic! 
        "Hn. I'll do what I want!" Hiei countered, after swallowing the 
whole of the sweet bread in his hand. Miko lay down on her tummy, and 
propped up her chin in her hands. She looked at him, a smile tugging at 
the corners of her mouth. Shit, why wasn't she afraid of me, Hiei 
thought.
        "Yoohoo, Hiei-chan!" Botan appeared from behind, and pulled on 
both his cheeks. "Who's your new friend?" Hiei started to glow a faint 
aura of red...
        Miko sat up, and greeted Botan with a warm smile. "Hi, I'm 
Miko-chan."
        "And I'm the cute keeper of souls, and messenger of Reikai, 
Botan-chan," Botan replied, as she let go of Hiei's sore cheeks.
        Yusuke bonked her on the head. "What do you think you're doing?! 
How's she supposed to know about all that?!"
        "What did you do that for?! You've got a problem with that, 
eh?!" Botan flared. Kuwabara, Kurama, Keiko, and Yukina had joined them 
as well, and were all congratulating Hiei on his "new friend". His aura 
started to glow brighter.
        "You have a big mouth," Yusuke made a face at Botan, widening 
his mouth with his fingers, and sticking out his tongue. "A big mouth! 
Just like Kuwabara!"
        Kuwabara heard. "And what do you call YOU? Eh, Motormouth?" He 
challenged Yusuke.
        "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIITT!!!!" Hiei shouted through all the 
noise, shutting everyone up, pronto. His aura was a bright crimson now. 
He lifted his right arm, and a small, dark flame appeared in his palm. 
        "Eeeeeeek! Hiei! You wouldn't dare--!" Botan shrieked.
        "Hiei...!" Yusuke said.
        Hiei gave a smug laugh. "Fools! Never mess with me!" And with 
that, he disappeared into the air, traces of black trailing behind him.

        Around ten centuries or so have passed. He knew very well that 
the boy had survived. It was exactly the season of autumn when the brat 
decided to break free of his prison. Too bad, fatality turned to his 
companion. 
        "Kuanja," A female voice said. "Where do we find him?"
        "He's somewhere here on the Human-world, Akuna," replied Kuanja. 
"Prepare your bow and your arrows."
        "So many humans in this world," Akuna observed, licking her 
chops hungrily. "Shall we have a 'picnic' ourselves, Kuanja?"
        Kuanja chuckled. "After we find him."
        "Ah, yes," Akuna smiled thoughtfully. "The 'forbidden child'..."
        They both leaped from the roof of the tall building overlooking 
the park, the people oblivious to their presence. 
        Everyone at the park had gone home, except for Yusuke, Kuwabara, 
Kurama, Botan, Keiko, Yukina, and now Miko. She had gotten along with 
everybody, and that made her heart soar. She finally made some friends, 
and she owed it all to Hiei. She had to show him her appreciation 
somehow. This had been the best birthday of her life. She hoped that the 
day would never end. She looked back down at the cards she held. Just 
great, she needed an ace!

        Watching from among the shadows or from above was what he did 
best. Hiei went back to his usual spectator spot, and eyed the group 
below. The fire demon knew that something was not quite right about that 
girl. She didn't even flinch when he tried scaring the living daylights 
out of Yusuke with the power of his Black Dragon. She wasn't a common 
human female. It was an experience tasting the humans' 'gingerbread man' 
though, even if it did look particularly odd. Hiei smiled in spite of 
himself. 
        "Enjoy your stay here while it lasts," Came a voice behind him.
        Hiei took his sword out at the speed of light, and swung. Nobody 
was there. His eyes searched the vicinity. Noone. He untied the white 
cloth wrapped around his forehead, and revealed a third eye, the Jagan. 
His third sight would be able to detect the enemy, and when he did, that 
enemy was going to regret ever bothering to threaten him.
        Hiei laughed, sword in hand. "You think you can escape the power 
of my Jagan? You must be such a worthless fool if you think that!" He 
took off the black cloak he wore, and threw it to down on the ground.
        The enemy laughed as well. "Hnnhmmm, shall we find out who is 
the worthless fool then?" He appeared before Hiei, small oni-like horns 
sprouted on his head matted by short light brown hair. A cape was draped 
over his shoulders. If humans were as ignorant as they seemed, they 
would have thought that this being was a part of their race. Hiei looked 
him up and down. He had more of the appearance of a human, than a demon.
        "Ku-Kuanja!" Hiei's eyebrows shot up, as he met face to face 
with a memory of his past: the demon, Kuanja.
        Kuanja formed a sword in his hand. It was twice the size in 
length of Hiei's sword, and looked twice as heavy, however Kuanja didn't 
seem to have any difficulty carrying it.
        "'Forbidden child'," Kuanja said. "Long time no see."
        "Let's keep it that way, you asshole!" Hiei spat out.
        "Hiei," Kuanja stated mildly. "Remember that we made a deal. It 
was either your life or HERS."
        "Wrong," Hiei contradicted. "You said you'd spare her life if I 
gave you my powers, and I'd steal for you. I fulfilled my end of the 
bargain, but you broke yours!" Hiei gripped his sword tightly. He didn't 
like this topic one bit.
"If I hadn't given you my powers, I would have been an S-level today!"
        "Pity."
        "Why you bastard!" Hiei, with his sword in position, made a 
lunge for Kuanja. Kuanja blocked with his own sword, and pushed forward, 
throwing Hiei aside. Hiei landed back first on the park's grassy ground. 
Kuanja was much stronger than Hiei thought he'd be. 
        Kuanja gave a small laugh. "What's wrong? I thought you were 
A-class?"
        Hiei slowly got up, one knee on the dirt, and the other, shaken 
from the fall. "Scum!"
        "Kuanja, enough playing around! Do what we've planned!" 
        Kuanja and Hiei turned to the direction of the voice. There, 
among the branches of the momiji, sat a woman with long, flowing raven 
tresses. Coal eyes gleamed wickedly at Hiei, as she disappeared from her 
post, and reappeared a moment later beside Kuanja. 
        Hiei eyed her back with scorn. "Akuna."
        She looked coldly at him, her blood-red lips forming a smile. 
"Little Koorime, how nice of you to still remember me." She flipped her 
hair over her shoulder, and crossed her arms. Both she and Kuanja smiled 
at each other as if sharing a secret joke.
        The fire demon supported himself by holding on to the sword's 
handle, and sinking the tip into the earth. His loins throbbed from the 
pain, but he managed to stand up. Once he was up on his feet, he took 
his sword from the rough soil, and leaped for Kuanja and Akuna. Akuna 
took something from her back, and skimmed its feathery end through her 
lips. Another object rematerialized in her hand; something long and 
curved. She positioned it in such a way that the object with the 
feathery end was aimed directly at Hiei. Hiei's eyes widened. A bow and 
arrow! Hiei changed the path of his destination, and set foot on a 
momiji branch, viciously eyeing Akuna. 
        "You cannot escape, forbidden child," Akuna said, but put her 
weapons down. "You work for us, remember? Kuanja, get him!"
        Like a faithful dog, Kuanja took off, and charged for Hiei. Hiei 
didn't back away, but leaped in the other direction to catch him off 
guard. Kuanja knew what Hiei was up to, and swung. Hiei almost gasped 
out loud when he saw a few strands from his dark hair being sliced off. 
Kuanja didn't give up, he continued to pursue Hiei with his humongous 
sword. Hiei blocked and evaded, but he found it difficult to strike a 
blow. Nevertheless, he didn't run away. He vowed never to run away 
again. They attacked each other, vanishing then becoming evident again 
like ghosts, feeling the crude loam beneath the heel of their shoes, 
then the rugged bark of the momiji branches. Their swords clashed with 
each other, their voices joined in cries of frustration, anger, and 
challenge. Their sounds echoed throughout the park. 

        He eyed them intently, annoyed with the fact that they weren't 
suitable enough for victory. Damn! Sweat poured down his temple, as his 
hands fidgeted nervously, but at the same time, trembled with 
excitement. I won't give up, he insisted silently. Someone beat him to 
it, and smiled triumphantly at him. 
        Yusuke groaned. "You can't win again! You just won!" He said to 
Kurama, as he put down the five cards he held in his hands. "Let us 
poor, unfortunate souls win for once!"
        "I'm just lucky, I guess," Kurama replied happily. The others 
groaned as well, and put down their cards. 
        Miko giggled. "Kurama-san, you sure play poker very well. Have 
you ever been to a casino?" All eyes focused on Kurama.
        "Uh, no," Kurama replied. "What makes you think that? Besides, 
it's illegal for underage people to go to casinos and gamble. Even the 
slot machines are restricted because it's very addicting." All eyes were 
still focused on Kurama, but this time they gave him disbelieving and 
surprised looks.
        Kurama realized what he had just said. "Uh, no... I meant... You 
don't actually believe that I..."
        Everyone on the picnic blanket averted their attentions to a 
noise not far away from them. Voices, and the sound of swordfighting. 
Yusuke straightened, and peered closely at the two evening it out. It 
was Hiei, and an unknown person.
        
        "You don't know who you're dealing with!!" Hiei hollered.
        "Maybe I do, maybe I don't!" Came the reply of Hiei's opponent, 
and gashed Hiei's right shoulder with the large sword. Hiei uttered a 
cry of pain, but held his own sword in place.
        "Remember HER right shoulder, child?" Kuanja twirled his sword 
like a baton. "She was stubborn, so she had to pay."
        "SHUT UP!!" Hiei fired back, and charged again, as blood oozed 
down his arm, and dripped to the ground from his elbow.

        "Hiei!" Kurama's smile faded. "He's in trouble. We have to help 
him!"
        "Yeah, let's go!" Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded. "Botan, take the 
others to safety. Looks like this boring day is turning out to be 
not-so-boring after all." Yusuke grinned mischievously, and walked 
towards Hiei and the unknown swordsman, along with Kurama and Kuwabara.

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To be continued...?
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