Chapter 1: Something for the Pain

Through the thick forest, which even in the nightshade showed the red leafs crowning above, shadow fast demons were running alongside each other. Dressed in bright kimonos they made no effort to blend in and the red scarves tucked in front of their mouths, which waved wildly behind them, looked like streams of blood trembling on the wind. A clearing came; more youkai entered it from different directions. It was obvious that these creatures had been chasing something... or someone. In the distance, they heard the sound of a snapping branch. Not at all staggered, the group looked up as one; the silhouette of a small girl stood out against the pale moon. She had been herded. In a pathetic attempt to save herself she jumped into the middle of the clearing, where it didn't take long for her many opponents to gain the upper hand. Only one demon withdrew from the fight and merely stood aside, watching with a blank expression. His golden eyes shone brightly as the moonlight was reflected in them. The girl couldn't look away from him while the claws started digging into her flesh.

"NO! Noooooooo..."

...eep. Beep. BEEP.

Her dark blue eyes snapped open when she heard the sound of her alarm clock.

"Ame Takana, if you don't make that thing shut up I will put my fist through this wall!" the subdued voice of her neighbour sounded while he banged the wall ferociously. The frame above the sleeping futon fell down on Ame's head, leaving a small dent, as the man next door kept knocking on the thin walls. Probably with a little help from his walking stick.

This was routine for Ame.
Day after day, mister Takahashi would find some new way to bother her, if he wasn't trudging behind the cats that fooled around in his garbage cans. With a good smack that completely demolished the clock, she made the bleeping stop. Only a few more odd noises escaped the mechanism. Finally, there was silence.

Was she surprised the clock had fallen apart?
No; by now, Ame was quite used to this strength that had dwelt in her since birth. In fact, it was because of that abnormality in her genetic make-up that she was to live alone in this little room next to a quirky neighbour. No one had come looking for her; nobody had wanted her around. Not that she minded though; Ame liked being alone -- like an outcast. At least that's how she saw herself; she was misunderstood.
She had created an emotionless shell for herself, impenetrable for others, and she quite enjoyed it in there. It felt safe. It made things easier.

Sometimes, it even scared herself how bitter she felt inside. A self-proclaimed cold-blooded demon amongst humans.

"She hasn't always been like this," Koenma pointed out, handing a thin file to Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective, "Everything started almost two years ago."

Curious about his next assignment, the boy started leafing through the few pages that were included. There was a picture that showed a smiling young girl of about thirteen years old, standing next to what looked like an older, taller and male version of herself. Proudly, the boy showed off all seven attainable Spirit Detective 'gadgets' to the camera, including the spy glass Yusuke himself had received first.

"The boy next to her is her older brother, Tomasu," the Spirit Leader continued while checking his own file on Ame Takana, which was considerably bigger. However, to that Yusuke paid no attention. "As you can see he was a Reiki Tantei, quite like yourself."

"What happened two years ago?" the boy asked, now studying another photograph that had been included. Though it was unmistakably the same girl, she had altered dramatically. While the dates on the back told him little time had passed between the taking of these pictures, Ame looked as if she had actually aged ten years. Besides the acne on her face she showed little signs of being a teenager at all, though he couldn't vouch for her personality – which, if he were to believe Koenma, was in fact very immature. Her eyes looked as if they had seen a lot of pain, her body as if it had undergone it. He could see scars on whichever body part was left bare, though she did look less fragile than before.

"It's a complicated situation," the son of Great King Enma started, "Her parents died; we don't know how. It could have been an accident, but some suspect a group of rebels killed them since Tomasu was abducted right after."

"Why would anyone kill them?"

"Who knows. Youkai often kill for the fun of it," he replied, shrugging. "They might have been considered traitors, much like Kurama and Hiei. You see, though they were demons, they felt more at home amongst humans and so they lived the part."

"Sometimes I really hate these fucking youkai," Yusuke said disgruntled, "I'd give a lot of money just to kill them myself, if I had any."

"Believe me when I say Ame agrees with your philosophy completely," Koenma smiled faintly behind his pacifier, averting his eyes from the young man in front of him, "Because she is essentially a demon herself, this has resulted in a complex form of self-loathing. She's become quite wild, slaying demons whenever she has the chance and then wallowing in agony because she thinks she is no better than them."

"Nice. Is she powerful?"

"No, not really," came the honest reply, "Though she has a lot of potential, just like her brother. She simply refuses to use any of her special youkai powers. It needs to be drawn out, which is why we've tried to get a hold of her on multiple occasions. She's always refused. I think she might hold a personal grudge against me."

"And that's the only reason why you want her?" the Detective asked sceptically, by now knowing Koenma to be calculated and strategic. Sometimes, he felt like a mere pawn in the Spirit Leader's enormous game of chess for which he didn't know the rules. However, he did also realise that his "superior" would not reveal his plans if there were cruel intentions involved.

"There are several reasons, but this is one of the main ones," he nodded, placing a tall heap of papers between himself and the boy. "We need to keep an eye on her aggression, in case it gets worse. Also, her Spirit Energy is unstable."

Deciding to not ask more questions, Urameshi Yusuke threw the file on top of the stack, which trembled dangerously. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

"No, I don't think so," Koenma pondered, "Though perhaps I should say that she has no friends and will not let you guys get close to her. We don't have the details, but it seems like the few friends she had before her parents' death all died or vanished. She may be hard to handle."

"Don't worry," Yusuke grinned this time, "After all, we've worked with Hiei before."

Groggily, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes and shake one of her latest senseless nightmares out of her head, Ame slumped to the window and opened the thick curtains that blocked out all the sunlight.

"I hate mornings," she grumbled as she walked – or sauntered to be exact – through her now sun-drenched room. Kicking away some wandering books into another pile of mess, Ame picked up some clothes that looked clean enough. Living alone as a teenager meant, of course, that her place was cheap and very basic. An average little bathroom was connected to her living space (quite a luxury to have, indeed!) and there was no kitchen or anything that remotely looked like one. It was all she could afford -- surviving on whatever savings she'd had and working dirty jobs to make ends meet -- but she never called it home. This was merely a place where she would nest until she ceased to be or her brother was somehow found.

The good thing about the location was that it seemed to be a cesspool of demonic activity. Every once in a while, she could sense them -- lurking about, eating souls or feasting on the blood of man -- and her fingers would start to itch to draw her sword. Sometimes they even blended in like she did, but she made no difference between their motives; they were bound to slip up and do harm whatever they were deciding on at that moment. The lower classes never lasted long, but it didn't stop her from enjoying every slaughter.
A few of the people whom she had helped with their 'demonic problems' over the last two years had been more than happy to help her out financially, which was of course a nice bonus.

Youkai... Such weird creatures they were, not to mention troublesome. Killing them often solved the problem. Not to mention it gave her the rush of adrenaline she needed to dull her senses. So many reasons to track them down, and yet her mission was still a private one; almost like a personal vendetta.

No one had ever taken her to Makai or Reikai and for fourteen years she had been raised as any normal human girl -- as much as that was possible with special powers that need to be suppressed and a brother who works for the Spirit Leader. Only after her parents' death did she meet a real demon other than herself or her family for the first time.

Heero Tsuzuki. He had introduced himself shortly with an unnoticeable, gloomy smile itching around the corner of his mouth. It had been a brief encounter indeed, for though he smiled he showed no mercy when he destroyed her home and the remains of her parents, which had lain there for their family to say goodbye to. He had reduced every physical memory of the life she had once had to cinders and ashes. In his amber eyes, Ame could have sworn she saw a hint of regret or sadness, even if it seemed likely she was simply trying to see some humanity in the demon whom had taken away her mother and father.
At least, that was what she assumed had happened, for she was deaf to everybody who would try to explain away her parents' death and make it sound like an accident. Like any normal being, the girl found it much easier to have someone to blame rather than just accept destiny fatalistically.

The day of the fire had been the day she saw her brother, Tomasu, for the very last time.

That had also been the day that the demon girl became overpowered with emotive blindness and the thought came upon her that every demon, regardless of their nature, should be punished for the injustice done to her. Consumed by anger and with her judgement clouded, Ame had vowed to take revenge on Heero and his partner, Seto Yuy, one day and she had spent most of her time training to become the best. However, her own unwillingness to use the powers passed on to her made her realise that avenging them would be a kamikaze-operation.

So far, she could be pleased with ridding her surroundings of demons; making sure the people around her stayed out of harm's way, protecting humans from their own unawareness, and as such guaranteeing her own soul it would never become such a monstrosity. Presumably because of that, Koenma Daioh had tried to grab a hold of her. She liked to think that was the reason, and not the fact she was rampaging through Japan like a Dark Knight seeking personal justice.
The thought of following in her brother's footsteps while he was not around made her shudder. Protecting people was something she did because she felt like it. All the other duties connected to a job as Reiki-Tantei, such as being Koenma's bellboy and tracking down items, were merely ropes that would restrain her from leading a life as a free woman.

She wished she could skip class, just for this one day, but she knew her teachers had been serious when they had threatened her with expulsion the last time. That would make Sayuri High the third school she got kicked out of this year. Essentially, sayuri meant something along the lines of "little lily", though Ame could not see how her school could compare itself to that and still keep a straight face. The buildings were old, the grounds reminiscent of a wasteland, and it was a surprise the government hadn't decided to take it down entirely in favour of more cheap living space. It was safe to say that most of the students who went here had little future and would end up in crime one way or another, but Ame had convinced herself she would need a degree if she ever wanted a normal life -- eventually.

Sighing, the girl dragged her feet heavily towards the threatening-looking school gate. Students usually fell silent for a moment when she entered, but Ame couldn't blame them for that. She realised how she must come across -- unfriendly, odd, scarred. It was the same in every new school and it didn't take long getting used to. With everything that usually happened around her, it was simply safer to have people talk about her rather than to her -- though that didn't make it any easier for her personally.

Ignoring them, Ame directly went to her locker to exchange her shoes for slippers -- that was the only type of "uniform" the school required. For the sight of girls wearing the same pleat skirts and boys in navy blazers, you'd have to find an institution uptown where people actually cared about their school's reputation. You wouldn't find that in a school where half the student body was somehow connected to the yakuza.

The bell hadn't rung yet and, miraculously, she arrived in class in time. Ame was greeted by the familiar murmuring and staring from a few people, but she paid not the slightest attention to them and took her seat near the window. At least there she would be able to look at the beautiful day outside rather than listen to theories she didn't care about. She was glad this was the final month at last. These last few weeks of March would only be needed to humiliate her with the bad results she had probably scored on the tests. Though, in reality, nobody really cared about that here. At least she dared to hope it would all go peaceful.
Preoccupied with random thoughts that had nothing to do with school, Ame hadn't noticed the teacher coming in with four new boys. She didn't even look up when he started talking.

"Good morning boys, girls and the living dead!" the professor said beaming, turning to Ame. The class snickered, while she did her best to suppress the visions in which she'd jump up and punch his big crooked nose. "I see you finally enlighten us with your presence!"

She remained silent, merely looking at him laconically from the corner of her eye before shifting her attention back outside. It went against her nature to harm him, though that didn't mean there was no room for wishful thinking. At least she could fantasise for a while and convince herself such remarks actually mattered -- anything to break the monotony.

In that split second of glaring at her teacher, she had taken in the sight of the boys more clearly. Distantly, she figured out who exactly they were; kuso. Because the only available seats were around her, it wasn't a big surprise when the demon girl heard the chairs next to her rumble and scrape over the floor as the new boys sat down.

A red-haired boy with sparkling emerald eyes tapped on her shoulder; Kurama, one of the infamous Spirit Detectives and (just like the other newbies, she noticed) a part of Team Urameshi. Now in his human form, he was far less overwhelming than the kitsune (fox demon) Ame had seen in the last Dark Tournament. He introduced himself and his three friends, though seemingly fully aware that Ame knew their names and reputations well enough. Faking disinterest, she turned her head away and let her mind drift off, wondering if any of the humans could sense the powerful reiki the boys were emitting. The shortest of them was the only one who had said nothing; he was barely taller than her and completely dressed in black, save for the thin white scarf he wore around his head. Hiei, a Jaganeshi at a high demon class. Ame had observed him closely during all his matches and she knew a third eye was hidden under that bandanna. She was glad at least one member of the team had enough common sense to leave her be.

The dull rambling of the teacher continued without anyone really caring. No one paid attention -- it was refutable if even the teacher himself was in any way interested -- and instead occupied themselves the same way Ame did: by studying the four boys. Everyone in this school had a tragic story and it was a standard procedure for new kids to be the subject of speculation and fantasy.
Some students' parents had become bankrupt and could only provide cheap education for their children, but mostly the classes were filled with juvinile criminals who were given a second chance. Few others had lost their loving parents, like Ame, or had run away to live alone because their parents were not so loving at all. So many tragedies to choose from; Ame wondered on which theory they would agree.
Whichever it were, it would still be wrong.

There had to be a reason the Spirit Detectives were here and it had very little to do with poor parents or criminal records. Perhaps they were looking for the source of the high demon activity or -- Ame cringed at the thought -- after her for taking the law in her own hands. Both were very reasonable options and, for the sake of everyone including herself, she hoped it was the first.
Then again, if they were here for the demons, why would they need the cover of high school students? And what a coincidence it would be that they happened to join the same school as she did! Ame had never believed in coincidences and now was not the time to start. The fact she knew Schuichi was a year older and needn't be in her grade only added up to her rapidly growing list of reasons to feel nervous, right after the question as to why anyone would enrol anywhere for the final weeks of the school year.

The boy in front of her was fumbling with his thumbs, as if they were itching for mischief. Because of the extreme amount of gel in his black hair, she could tell it was Yusuke Urameshi; the captain of the team that had won the last Dark Tournament. It wasn't hard to believe he used to be one of those punks she had seen gambling and smoking in dark alleys, even if he was now Koenma's golden boy. Yusuke was the prime example of someone flourishing when given a second chance, to put it in a mildly poetic way. She remembered the lad's name very well, as well as all the information she had gathered about his past. Sure enough, he was not a normal human boy at all; his powers were too grand and rumours spread through Demon World that he was the son of Raizen, one of the three rulers.

Out of all the members of his team, Kuwabara Kazuma was the one for whom she had the greatest respect. He was most definitely human, unlike Yusuke whose nature could be disputed, and he was not the strongest of the foursome -- or the handsomest. However, though he had looked like the weakest link during the entire course of the tournament, he had proven himself to be clever and powerful on several occasions. Ame found his spirit encouraging.

The day dragged itself further at an unbearably slow rate until the bell announced her favourite course: lunch break. Finally, she was able to escape being locked between four musty walls. Carelessly, she climbed her favourite tree somewhere far away from all the superficial chitchat. A low growl escaped her mouth when her foot found no support on the trunk, which had become slippery over last night's rainfall, and she tumbled out of the tree rather inelegantly. With a muted "umph" the girl landed on her rear before she stood up painfully, rubbing the soar spot without shame. Laughter sounded behind her, making her stop muttering curses to herself and turn around not very calmly; the entire Team was standing a little further by the garbage cans where they seemed to be huddling in secrecy. She wasn't used to people mocking her and frankly she did not like it at all. Narrowing her eyes, Ame ran past them while the sky clouded over rapidly. No matter how hard she tried, she could not control the influence she had over the weather and it didn't take long before the first of many raindrops tapped rhythmically on the already dew covered leaves.

What on earth were they up to?

It seemed to take forever for the final day to approach and the mere days stretched themselves to appear like months.
Based on her philosophy that everything felt further out of reach the more she longed for it, Ame tried to remain indifferent as ever. It did not feel like it helped much -- a feeling that was shared with most of the seniors looking forward to the graduation ceremony two weeks away.

The only ones who didn't seem like they were looking forward to spring break were the new boys. Or perhaps it should be specified that they were anxious -- just not about the vacation. Ame would often catch them whispering to each other and, when she passed, the conversation would silence. She couldn't understand how she had been able to hope that they were not there to keep an eye on her. Koenma was definitely up to something and of course his Detectives were to help him with that.

However, as long as they left her alone, she wouldn't allow herself to be bothered by their presence. Especially because today, her second last Tuesday of that school year, started with her favourite class: English. She wasn't very good at the subject itself, but it was one of the few things for which she could bother to be interested.

Ame was also very keen on the teacher, Seiichirou-sensei; she was probably the only one who treated all students alike. She was a very small woman, though taller than Ame, and she always wore wide pants and t-shirts. By all the other students, she was considered a foolish woman and she didn't receive much respect for choosing not to get married. But in Ame's eyes Seiichirou-sensei was the coolest ever.

To her great pleasure, Ame noticed the four boys hadn't taken their seats around her again. In fact, they were not anywhere in sight. The last time she had seen them, they had been whispering vigorously to each other in front of the school gates and it hadn't seemed like they were planning to go in. Although she couldn't pick up their conversation, she felt as if they were talking about something important.
Hushed by the professor running in, the class turned to the blackboard. Soon enough, Seiichirou-sensei spotted Ame sitting by the window and came over hastily.

"Takana-chan," she began with slight worry in her voice, "Someone called for you. They said your brother, Tomasu – "

"What about him?" Ame asked wide-eyed, gripping the desk so tightly she could feel it become sawdust in her hands.

"Now calm down, Ame," the teacher tried to comfort her, "The man on the phone said his name was Seto Yuy. He wants you to come over as soon as possible."

Ame growled hearing that name; she should have known.

"Everything will be alright, but you have to get to this address right away. He said it was an emergency."

Clutching her fists in fury, Ame noticed everyone was staring at her. Seiichirou-sensei handed her a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it.

"May I be excused, sensei?" the girl asked, fumbling with the little yellow post-it in her hands. The professor gave her a nervous smile and nodded. Ame packed her belongings hastily and sprinted to the door, almost running into it.

She had to get there quickly, before it was too late; she could still hear how the teacher tried to silence the class, but she was long gone by the time Seiichirou-sensei had managed to do that.