Shura's Quest - Reuniting, Regrouping, Recruiting

Scene 5 ---------------------------- A Couple Hours Later


* Kurama and Kuwabara look up when Yusuke stands and starts to pace. They watch him look toward the tree where Hiei and Hiyuku had disappeared.


Kuwabara- I think we know what that means.


* Kuwabara looks back at Kurama only to find that the kitsune has stood and moved away some to look in the direction that they'll be heading. Kuwabara takes a deep breath and looks at Clint who is seated beside him.


Kuwabara- Might as well forget about lunch.. Yusuke's ready to move and the Fox is already strategizing.


* Touya motions Shishi and Suzuki to snuff out the fire. He then goes over to stand beside Kurama.


Touya- You do know that we still have half of Demon World to cross before we even reach the Ganderan Territory.

Kurama- I know exactly how many days it'll take.. If we were going to go at him head on.. That General Mukakai says that he knows we're coming.

Touya- He knows somebody's coming, but he thinks that you and short and dark are dead.


* Kurama's silver hair shimmers in the noon sun as it peeks from some clouds when he looks down at the ice master.


Kurama- Perhaps if I stay in this form any spies that are tracking us will mistake me for Lazurama.


* Yusuke ambles over.


Yusuke- That's all well an' good, but what about Hiei? You know sure as h--- that he's not gonna hide himself.


* Kurama looks back toward the horizon beyond the edge of the okunenju plateau.


Kurama- To be honest, Yusuke.. I could care less of the little b------ does know we're coming.. Do you care?


* Kurama glances down at Yusuke long enough to catch his signature smirk.


Yusuke- If we had the Todd.. I mean, Koenma.. I'd be on the horn yelling for a portal to drop us right at the brat's front door.


* Touya shakes his head and starts to turn away.


Yusuke- An' what exactly does that mean, Frosty?


* Touya stops, then looks back at Yusuke.


Touya- It means,.. Toushin.. That you are as impatient and impertinent as you always were.. One would think that you would have matured at least somewhat after all these years.

Yusuke- Imper..?!

Kurama- It means..

Yusuke- Don't bore me!!


* Kurama curls his upper lip, but manages to quell the growl that threatened to escape. Kuwabara comes over with his hands in his pants pockets.


Kuwabara- Look, you guys. It looks like I'm not the only one you have issues with, Urameshi.

Yusuke- Screw you..!

Hiyuku- What that means, Father Hiei?


* They all turn to look at Hiei and the boy who had returned in a blink. Hiei's eyebrow twitches a moment, then he crosses his arms and smirks as he looks down at Hiyuku.


Hiei- Why don't you ask Father Yusuke, boy? He's the one that said it.


* Yusuke's face reddens when the small boy turns his face to look up at him expectantly.


Hiyuku- Father Yu-,..

Yusuke- It's just something I say when I'm.. mad..

Hiyuku- Mad.. Like I am at the b------?


* Hiei raises a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, Yusuke chuckles and ruffles Hiyuku's shaggy black hair, Kuwabara moans. Kurama just closes his eyes. Hiyuku looks around innocently. Touya looks back up at Kurama.


Touya- Perhaps we should continue walking.. Maybe by the time we get there we will have gotten our act together.. And the kid will have learned some.. better words.


* Hiei raises his red eyes to glare at Touya.


Hiei- My son will learn what I want him to learn.. And he will speak however the h--- he wants!

Kurama- Touya, enough. Both of you.. We all need to make up our minds whether we're going to continue this or not..

Yusuke- Continue or..?! Look, I didn't drag myself back into this world this far to just stick my thumb up my nose at that.. b------! You need to go to take him out.. I get that. It's your fight.. I'm goin' there to get Koenma out of that place.

Kuwabara- So why am I going?

Hiei- I've been asking myself that..


* Kuwabara glares down at Hiei who meets his glare until he hears the hiss beside him. The koorime's quick reactions catch Hiyuku when he starts to leap up at Kuwabara. The big human 'eeps' and staggers backward a couple feet.


Hiei- No, Yuki. What did I tell you about eating humans?


* Hiyuku makes cute look of distaste.


Hiyuku- Eewww?

Hiei- Hn.

Yusuke- Yuki?


* Hiei looks up at Yusuke.


Hiei- I just spent the better part of two hours helping him learn to control his jagan.. I got tired of calling him by his complete name.. So I shortened it a bit.. I believe humans call it a nickname.

Yusuke- I know what a nickname is.. Why do you guys think I'm such a total idiot?


* Finally Kurama roars and turns to glare at them.


Kurama- Enough!! The three of you have finally worn out even my patience!! If we're not going to do this together then the three of you can return to your own lives and I'll take my group and continue on.


* Yusuke meets Hiei's eyes a moment, then looks back up at Kurama.


Yusuke- Is that what you really wanna do?


* Kurama looks away to the side, a bit distracted as if he's listening to an unheard voice. He then sighs and looks back at his former comrades.


Kurama- What we need to do.. Is remember who we are.. We need to remember how we worked together.

Hiei- Kurama, we are no longer that team.. I am no longer compelled by that stupid parole edict to be here.

Yusuke- Then why are you here? You got your son. You could just take off..

Hiei- Hn. I could.

Kuwabara- The parole? Is that the only reason you stuck around?

Hiei- No. It was mostly to keep my eyes on you and insure that you didn't hurt my sister.. Oh, but you ended up doing that anyway didn't you?


* Kurama shakes his head and moves back to the log he was sitting on. Touya moves over to where the others have decided to gather and stay out of that mess. Hiyuku squirms loose from Hiei's grip, shimmies down his side to the ground and goes over to Kurama. When the kitsune looks at him the small boy wiggles his way up onto Kurama's lap. Hiyuku then hides his face against Kurama's chest. For a moment the spirit fox is surprised, but then he sighs and wraps his arms around Hiyuku. He glances up toward Yusuke and Hiei when they come over.


Kurama- Our arguing has upset him.


* Yusuke slumps down to sit and hug one of his knees as he rests his chin on it.


Yusuke- Yeah. I guess we are acting like a bunch of jacka--es.

Hiei- I get what you were meaning, Fox.. But you did not understand what I was saying.. While we were a team at one time..

Kuwabara- We won that stupid tournament together.

Hiei- Hn.. But since then we have been seperated by time and the different paths that our lives led.

Kurama- Those paths weren't always easy.. We have let petty things seperate us.

Kuwabara- They didn't seem so petty at the time.


* They all look up at Kuwabara who drops his eyes.


Kuwabara- It was one of the few times I let my honor slip.. I was suddenly left all alone out there.. The three people who'd come to mean the most to me were gone.. It felt like I was abandoned.. Then when you and Yusuke finally did decide to return, Kurama, the two of you were at each others' throats.. What the h--- happened between you two?


* Kuwabara and Hiei watch Yusuke and Kurama look at each other for several moments. Finally Kurama sighs and lowers his eyes.


Kurama- During the Royal Tournament that crowned King Enki I came to terms with myself.. I realized that the human part of me was merely a shell for who I really am.. I am a Youko, Kazuma..

Kuwabara- I know this. I'm looking right now at who you really are.


* Kurama nods.


Kurama- Yes. While I have decided not to abandon most of my humanity.. And the ideals I learned during my years in Human World.. When I became one with my true self there were some.. old instincts that also surfaced..

Hiei- Hn.


* Kuwabara glances at Hiei puzzled and realizes that the fire apparition understands. His ire is further irked when he hears Clint over with the others. The cat hybrid looks at Kurama's friends.


Clint- Ahhh!! Now I see.. Then you guys are part of his..?


* The four demons all nod. Kuwabara looks back down at Kurama.


Kuwabara- Well, I'm not seeing.

Kurama- I'm a Spirit Fox, Kuwabara. In Human World foxes are normally solitary..

Kuwabara- Unless it's mating season.

Hiei- Exactly.


* Hiei smirks at Kurama.


Kuwabara- Aww.. Don't even tell me that you and those guys are..

Kurama- Here in Demon World Youkos dwell in packs.. An Alpha will mature, leave his own clan and travel to a new territory. He will gather others that he feels will be beneficial to have around.. I had such a pack before I left Demon World the first time..

Yusuke- That's when you were a thief and ran with Yomi and that Kuro-whatever guy.

Kurama- I set my eyes upon a certain Toushin that I thought would be a perfect addition to my newly forming pack.


* Hiei scowls, but holds his comments. Kuwabara's eyebrow twitches as he looks from Kurama to Yusuke and back. They are both looking at each other.


Kuwabara- Woah! Hold the phone, here!! Are you telling me that you.. propositioned Yusuke?!

Kurama- Indeed. One of the more foolish things I'd ever done in all my lifetimes.

Hiei- Hn.

Yusuke- Hey! At that time I was obligated to return home to Keiko! If I'd known that she was slumming around with Mr. Honorbound over there..


* Kuwabara glares at Yusuke. Kurama's ears pitch forward toward Yusuke.


Kurama- And now?


* Hiei groans and shakes his head.


Hiei- It would never work.. Both of you are Alpha males.. Same as myself.


* Shishi looks at his friends.


Shishi- Please tell me I'm not the only one that's starting to see the real problem with those four.

Touya- Indeed, we would have to be dragged here during the mating season.

Suzuki- Perhaps we should just lock 'em in a cave somewhere until they beat their frustrations out on each other.

Jin- I be a-votin' fer just watchin' 'em do it out here in th' open..


* Shishi and Suzuki both shove Jin backward off the log he's sitting on.


Shishi- Good Lord, don't give them any ideas.


* Kurama growls toward them and they all shut up and drop their eyes. Kuwabara raises a hand to rub his forehead.


Kuwabara- I think I need a couple aspirins.. D---, I thought you Demons were more civilized than this..

Hiei- We are.. If we weren't three of us would be either dead or f---ed up right now.


* Kuwabara yelps and throws his hands over his ears. He moves away humming and yelling.


Kuwabara- Lalala!! I really don't need to hear this!! Lalalala!!

Hiei- Hmph.. Humans.


* Kurama looks at Hiei calmly.


Kurama- Perhaps I should tell you the real reason Yusuke.. declined..

Yusuke- Fox..

Kurama- I realized during the course of our.. argument.. that Yusuke had his eyes on someone else.

Hiei- Hn. That human whore..

Yusuke- Like I said, if I had known about that.. I would have went with my own demon instincts.

Kurama- Will you tell him or shall I?


* Yusuke glares up at Kurama a long moment, then half glances at Hiei before dropping his eyes.


Hiei- Wait.. This someone else wasn't that human girl..?

Yusuke- No.. He was someone else I.. respected and.. admired..

Kuwabara- I am soo not hearing this!! Lalala!!

Kurama- Yes. So you rejected my offer only to learn not long after that.. He.. had taken up with a certain Territory Lord.


* Hiei looks up at Kurama slowly.


Kurama- I approached Yusuke again.. He still refused me so I.. seperated myself from him to give us time to cool off.. If I had known that complete isolation would have driven him into hiding I would have done my best to suppress my.. urges.. I'm not a complete animal.

Yusuke- I never said you were an animal, Fox.


* Hiei turns his bewildered gaze next to Yusuke. The Toushin soon forces himself to meet the glaring red eyes. Silence falls once more on all of them when Hiei stands, glances toward Yusuke once more, then turns and walks away a few feet before blinking up into a nearby tree. Yusuke looks back at Kurama.


Yusuke- In the morning we're putting all this s--- behind us and leaving. You have a Territory to reclaim, I have a godling to rescue, and those two have their own lives to get back to.

Kurama- So we wrap this up just like any other case we used to do..

Yusuke- Right.

Kurama- Then what? What do we do about our little Hiyuku? About all of us?


* Yusuke's eyes fall to the boy who is still snuggling against Kurama.


Yusuke- He belongs to Hiei.. We both know that.

Kurama- He carries your blood.. moreso than mine.


* Yusuke stands and shakes his head.


Yusuke- I'm not going to get into that dispute with Hiei.. I kinda like the little guy, I'll help him learn how to handle his Spirit gun and Toushin blood.. But I'm done playing pretend.. I'm going to die old and alone just like my mom did.


* Yusuke turns and walks away. Kurama watches him until he notices Hiyuku watching, also. The boy turns his now-golden eyes up to look at Kurama.


Kurama- (Quietly) Don't pay him no mind, Little One.. Your Father Yusuke has a lot of.. stuff bothering him right now.

Hiyuku- (Quietly) His heart has been hurt. I can feel it.


* When Hiyuku hides his face back against Kurama's chest the kitsune quirks an eyebrow, then looks toward Yusuke again. The former detective is now sitting on the small boulder with his back to them.


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Yeah, a bit long. But it had to be to bring out a few 'issues'. This is differing slightly from my written version as I go along, but that's usually how my stuff 'evolves'. I'm still uncertain as to whether my guys will see some real heavy action, but I thought maybe some yaoish 'tension' would make a bit more interesting. We'll just have to wait and see where my muse takes me. Whatever comes, just remember that this fic is still rated M and I seriously don't recommend it be read by minors. Just reiterating that point for future reference ;o) If you're liking this, let me know. If you want me to just have them call Botan and port over, blow Shura up, and be done with it let me know.. lol.