The Aftermath

This scene was already written before you mentioned about this "meeting" in one of your reviews, thoth_moon. Hope it is satisfactory. In fact, once again, I do have this whole Trilogy wrote out in multiple notebooks. The time is just getting them onto my computer. So updates will be as quick as my life allows. So if you have a question or comments, review quickly. :o)

I was considering apologizing for the length of this scene, but no. If you're familiar with my story "Captured!", which is the first part of this so-far trilogy, then you know this is necessary. :o) (You might wanna grab a box of tissues) ;o{

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Scene 3 ------------------------------------------------------------- Spirit World

* Koenma leads Yusuke into a large room that is lined on both sides with containment units of various sizes. When they stop in front of one Yusuke looks through the large window. He swallows and hesitantly raises a hand to touch the two-inch-thick pane. Kuwabara's shadowy form is floating inside, looking as if he's in a deep sleep.

Yusuke- (Whisper) He looks so... peaceful...

* When sudden memories of the atrocities he'd seen his friend go through crash through his mind Yusuke lowers the hand and turns to leave.

Koenma- If you're not ready...
Yusuke- Can't you just leave him like that?

* Koenma sighs.

Koenma- Not for much longer, Yusuke... If I don't send him on to his reward soon he'll just... fade away...

* Koenma glances up at the digital timer that is slowly counting down time.

Koenma- He'll automatically go into Oblivion when the clock up there runs out.

* Yusuke closes his eyes a couple moments, then slowly turns to look at Koenma over his shoulder.

Yusuke- His reward better be a d--- good one, Junior.
Koenma- Of course it is... Same one I have reserved for you...

* Yusuke rolls his eyes.

Yusuke- Do I have a counter over my head, too?

* Koenma watches the Toushin peek upward slightly and chuckles.

Koenma- Actually, Yusuke, your clock stopped when you 'died' down in that cave**.

* Yusuke tilts his head at the Prince. Then he shakes his head and moves away to lean against an empty unit across the hall.

Yusuke- Fine. But I want this private... That means no.. cameras.

* The detective glances up timidly toward one of the many surveillance cameras in the room.

Koenma- As you wish.

* The teen moves to a control console. The purple ogre stationed there looks up at him.

Koenma- Set the timer for 30 seconds on unit 17. That will give us time to leave, Fred. Disable all the cameras in here, also.
Fred- Yes, Sir.

* Koenma turns to look at Yusuke again as the purple ogre carries out his orders.

Koenma- Kuwabara knows nothing of any... offspring, Yusuke.

* Yusuke looks at Koenma silently.

Koenma- Perhaps it's best that he go to eternity not knowing... everything.

* Yusuke takes a deep breath.

Yusuke- Eternity... So th-this... really will be... the last time...?

* Koenma nods. He goes back over to lay a comforting hand on Yusuke's shoulder.

Fred- It's all set, Lord Koenma.
Koenma- Take your time, Yusuke.

* Yusuke silently watches the Death Prince leave behind the purple ogre. When the door to the large room echoes shut Yusuke lowers his eyes and tries not to shudder too much. Fortunately, before he can dwell too long on that "other door" a buzzer jolts him away from the memories. He looks up when he hears a soft whooshing sound. As Unit 17's door slides open Yusuke fights the urge to bolt so hard that he nearly bites through his lower lip. In a couple moments Kuwabara's opaque form floats out into the room. Immediately their eyes meet, but this time it is the spirit that hesitates. Finally Kuwabara breaks the heavy silence calmly.

Kuwabara- Hey.

* Yusuke swallows as imperceptibly as he can.

Yusuke- Yo, Kuwabara. How's it been?

* Kuwabara crosses his arms.

Kuwabara- I'm dead, ya know.

* Yusuke lowers his eyes.

Yusuke- Y-yeah, I... I know... (Quietly) That's my fault...
Kuwabara- What?! You didn't kill me... Honestly, I really don't know who or what got me in the end...

* Yusuke looks back up at his deceased friend. Kuwabara shrugs his broad shoulders.

Kuwabara- Aww, I guess that's not really important. No use ruining my eternity over it.
Yusuke- Kuwa,...
Kuwabara- Hey, Urameshi. I wanted this meeting to let you know that I don't blame you for not finding me in time. You can tell Kurama that for me, too. Shoot, I don't even hold anything against the Shrimp.
Yusuke- Kuwabara,...

* The spirit waves one of his big hands dismissively.

Kuwabara- In fact, I'm kinda glad you didn't... I was pretty pathetic... From what I can remember...
Yusuke- You weren't pathetic, Kazuma... You were abused... Th-the same as... the rest of us.

* Kuwabara levels his eyes to stare at the Toushin. Yusuke slowly nods.

Yusuke- Yeah... We were there... We were the pathetic ones, buddy. We went to rescue you but... got trapped ourselves...

* Yusuke quiets when the spirit turns away.

Yusuke- In a way I wanted this meeting, too.. I need you to know that we came, Kazuma. All of us... We tried to rescue you... But he put warded collars on us, too...

* Silence fills the room for several moments, then Kuwabara closes his eyes and clinches his fists.

Kuwabara- (Quietly) Please.. Please tell me that you're... not dead, too...

* Yusuke looks away.

Yusuke- No... The.. three of us... survived... (Quietly) Unfortunately.

* Kuwabara looks back at Yusuke then floats over to stand beside him.

Kuwabara- Then.. it really was you three in those... other cells?
Yusuke- Yeah.

* Another pause of silence, then the spirit swallows.

Kuwabara- You... went through all of that... because of me...
Yusuke- We were there to rescue you, d--- it! I-I'm sorry that we... couldn't...

* Yusuke shakes his head despondently.

Yusuke- I could only stand by... Helpless... while they destroyed my team...
Kuwabara- I thought you said all three of you survived!

* Yusuke nods.

Yusuke- Yes. Koenma was able to find us and bust up the joint because of you.
Kuwabara- (Quietly) Be-because of... me?

* Now Yusuke looks back up at his larger friend.

Yusuke- Yeah. When you.. d-died... Botan had to come get you. That's how Junior
found us.

* Kuwabara scrunches his face thoughtfully a moment, then gives Yusuke one of his big, happy grins.

Kuwabara- So I saved the day in the end again!! Glad I could help, Urameshi!

* The spectacle that would usually annoy the detective, this time makes him close his eyes tightly. For the first time since he walked out of Satjiyu's office that day, Yusuke feels tears stinging his eyes. Kuwabara senses his friend's feelings. He reaches one of his misty hands out to lay on Yusuke's shoulder as well as he can get it to.

Kuwabara- Yusuke, I am glad that all of you got out of there... I couldn't go on to wherever it is I'm heading if I knew you three were dead.

* Yusuke gathers himself, raises an arm to wipe at his eyes, then looks back up at the spirit.

Yusuke- Hey, Junior says he's got something great planned for you. H---, it's probably a really big house full of cats.

*Kuwabara surprises Yusuke when he scowls disappointedly.

Kuwabara- Awww, I was hoping I'd get to be one of those ferry, broom-riding... people.
Yusuke- Why in the world would you want to do that??
Kuwabara- (Grins) So I could still come around and bug all of you... Could you just imagine that? Me chasing the shrimp around with my broom!

* Yusuke fights a building laugh.

Yusuke- Well, first of all, you're a guy. I think the diaper lord only surrounds himself with females... uhh, except f-for those ogres... And they ride oars, not... b-brooms...

* Kuwabara's shoulders slump until Yusuke bends over to brace himself up on his knees. The Toushin can't hold back his laughter any longer. As Yusuke laughs a warm smile slowly spreads on the tall spirit's face. When Yusuke finally gets control of himself he wipes his wet cheeks as he straightens back up to look at his friend.

Kuwabara- (Quietly) Hey, no matter what my reward is... Know that I will be thinking about you a lot, Yusuke. We've been through a whole lot together, you and I.

* Yusuke nods. He reaches up to try to pat his friend's arm and almost loses it again
when his hand swishes through the misty form. Kuwabara chuckles.

Kuwabara- That tickled.
Yusuke- Listen, Kuwa... Kazuma, I want you to enjoy your rest. You deserve it more than any... other human I've ever known...

* Yusuke sombers when another brief memory settles in his mind.

Yusuke- (Quietly) You remember when we had the talk not long ago in the park? When you said that you've always felt that you would die a hero.

* Kuwabara slowly nods. Yusuke does as well.

Yusuke- Well, you did, buddy... A very big hero.

* Silence fills the room for a few more moments, then Kuwabara sighs.

Kuwabara- Tell them all that I'll miss them, Urameshi... Even the... even Hiei. Tell Shizuru that I really did love her for taking care of me all those years after our parents were killed.

* Yusuke motions.

Yusuke- Sure, I will. Come on, I'll walk you to the bridge. Junior's probably waiting there for us.

* The spirit floats along beside Yusuke effortlessly as they leave the large room and move through the palace. Yusuke glances up at Kuwabara as they go.

Yusuke- Your parents were killed in a car wreck, weren't they?

* Kuwabara nods.

Kuwabara- Yeah. It was weird though. It's always been kind of a mystery for Shizuru and me.
Yusuke- How so?
Kuwabara- The police said they found the car smashed up in the middle of the road as if it had hit something. They just labeled it a hit and run type crash. I remember when they had the car towed home... There was some kind of.. dried goo.. all over the front... Shizuru pulled me away from it, cursed the towing guys for bringing it there, then told them to take it away... Shizuru was pretty upset so we just... never brought it up again.

* Kuwabara pauses just outside the door that leads to the Bridge of Eternity.

Kuwabara- She and I were both supposed to be with them that night, but Shizuru had refused to go... She even volunteered to babysit me.

* Kuwabara looks back down at Yusuke who had been listening carefully.

Kuwabara- D-does she... know how I...? I mean, everything that...?
Yusuke- I'm not really sure how much Koenma told her. But he's been doing this since he was in diapers, so I'm sure he handled it well.

* Now the spirit snorts with amusement and follows Yusuke through the large, golden door. As Yusuke had said, Koenma is there waiting for them, back in his toddler form.

Koenma- It's good to see you both smiling.

* The baby Prince looks up at Kuwabara.

Koenma- Are you ready, Kazuma?

* Kuwabara looks at Yusuke a long moment, then takes a deep breath and nods.

Kuwabara- Yes, sir... I have no more regrets.

* Kuwabara looks back down at Yusuke.

Kuwabara- Do you, Urameshi?

* Yusuke hesitates a couple beats, then looks up at his friend with as much of a smile as he can manage.

Yusuke- No... No, I don't, Kuwabara... Have a great afterlife, my friend. Don't look back.

* Without another word Kazuma Kuwabara takes the offered scroll from Koenma and starts off across the bridge. As Yusuke asked, the Spirit Swordsman doesn't look back. When he fades away just before reaching the other side Koenma looks up at Yusuke.

Koenma- (Quietly) No regrets, Yusuke?
Yusuke- Not where he's concerned...

* Yusuke turns to leave.

Yusuke- He wants me to play messenger boy now and go tell his sister that he loved her... I'll be back up in a couple hours for the d--- interrogation you've been wanting.
Koenma- A memorial service is being planned in Kuwabara's honor. Courtesy of King Enki...

* Yusuke keeps walking.

Yusuke- That's friggin' awesome.

Koenma- Kuwabara was more respected than he realized.

* Yusuke pauses at the golden door, then nods.

Yusuke- That don't surprise me.
Koenma- Will you attend?

* Without answering Yusuke pushes the large door open easily and leaves. Not long after Yusuke's mental voice reaches Koenma's mind, 'Just keep me up on the details. I know it'll probably take forever like every d--- thing else, Junior'. Koenma sighs and heads toward the great door himself with his hands folded behind his back.

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** During the battle with Sensui in (was it?) Demon's Door Cave?