Shura's Quest - Reuniting, Regrouping, Recruiting

Okay, ShibuNoNeko. I'll continue the group's trek through Demon World toward Shura's Territory. Just remember, you asked for it, lol. Demon World is a pretty big place. Hahaha. Well, there will be a lot of excitement along the way. I think I've effectively opened the door for some more character 'interaction', so let's just see where the road takes us, shall we? :o)

###########################

Scene 6 -------------------------------- Early The Next Morning


* The sun isn't quite up yet, but the snoring Toushin is roused by an eerie feeling. Yusuke stretches and opens his eyes with an intelligbly mumbled grumble. He blinks a couple times when he finds that he's being stared at by a pair of blood red eyes. When he finally recognizes the presence and tries to sit up he finds a weight on his chest. He looks downward to discover that the weight is Hiyuku. The small boy is curled up sleeping on top of him. Hiei stays where he is and watches the object of his study maneuver himself carefully into an upright position in a manner that won't disturb his son too much. Yusuke gently situates Hiyuku into a cradled position on his lap, brushes his fingers through his shaggy stark white hair, then looks back up at Hiei.


Yusuke- I didn't ask him to sleep on me, ya know.. He was sleeping with Kurama when I finally got to sleep.

Hiei- Hn.

Yusuke- Why the h--- are you staring at me like that then?


* For a couple more moments Hiei just continues his gaze, then he turns and starts to move away. Yusuke sighs.


Yusuke- Sure, just walk away from this same as you do everything else.


* Hiei freezes, but keeps his back to Yusuke.


Yusuke- Look, I never meant for it to come out like that..

Hiei- You never meant for it to come out period.


* Yusuke shrugs and looks back down at Hiyuku.


Yusuke- Maybe not.


* Now Hiei half turns to look down at Yusuke over his shoulder with a scowl.


Hiei- And you're accusing me of hiding?


* Yusuke looks back up at Hiei.


Yusuke- Can we talk civil-like about this?


* Hiei comes back to glare down at Yusuke.


Hiei- You have had.. these kinds of feelings for me.. For however long you have.. But now that I know, you expect me to be.. civil.. about it?!


* Hiyuku opens his eyes and looks up at Hiei groggily.


Yusuke- No, I guess not.

Hiei- And do you still harbor these.. feelings?


* Yusuke scowls when Hiei's face scrunches into an expression of distaste. But before the Toushin can say anything else Hiyuku scritches at his chest.


Hiyuku- Are you going to fight?


* Yusuke glances down at the boy, then shakes his head.


Yusuke- No, Yuki.. I just forget sometimes that your Father Hiei is a full demon that has no concept of human feelings.


* Hiyuku tilts his head curiously.


Hiyuku- What?

Yusuke- That means he has no idea what love is.. What it means to care for someone.. The only emotion he seems to have any understanding of is anger.


* When the boy looks back up at Hiei Yusuke feels a twinge of regret at his recent rant.


Yusuke- No, Yuki. I'm not saying that your Father doesn't love you or care about you.

Hiei- My.. feelings for the boy has nothing to do with us.


* Kurama comes over, glances scowls at both of them, then reaches an arm out toward Hiyuku. The small boy quickly scurries up the arm and clings to his chest. Kurama embraces him.


Kurama- You two need to settle this before this group goes much further.. You both should know the disadvantage of any spies reporting a schism of any kind amongst us.

Yusuke- What schism? Despite whatever.. feelings.. I might have, you both should know by now that I've got your backs.


* Yusuke lowers his eyes.


Yusuke- I never let them interfere with the team before when we were a team, did I?

Hiei- I will ask you once more.. How long have you had these feelings?


* Kurama moves away speaking soothingly to Hiyuku. Hiei keeps his eyes locked on Yusuke. It soon becomes evident that the former detective isn't going to answer him as he lays back again to stare at the lightening dawn sky above them.


Hiei- You are the one who said we should discuss this.

Yusuke- I'm not sure.. A long time, okay? Before I ever even knew I was a Toushin.. Before I learned that.. feeling like this toward another guy was normal for a Toushin.. But by the time I found that out you were already with.. her.. The last time I seen you at that meeting in her bugmobile.. You looked.. happy.. Happier than I ever remember you even showing anything resembling that, anyways.

Hiei- Hn.. I remember that day.. It was just last year before winter set in.


* Yusuke glances up at him. Hiei relaxes his posture, then moves to sit on the ground beside Yusuke. He glances toward Kurama who is showing Hiyuku how he grows a plant in his hand, then looks toward the horizon where the sun is beginning to peek over its dark rim.


Hiei- I remember that day because it was that morning that I learned I had sired a child.


* After a moment Yusuke sits back up and glances at Hiei.


Yusuke- I guess that would make you happy.

Hiei- I don't recall having any.. emotions about the news.. She told me the news.. I just stared at her for a moment then turned and left her office.. I told you, the whole thing was her desire.

Yusuke- You never felt you were worth being loved.. I can understand that.


* Hiei looks at him. Yusuke shrugs.


Yusuke- I never felt like I belonged anywhere, either.. Until I came here that first time.


* Yusuke looks around.


Yusuke- This world is harsh, uncivilized a lot of times.. But it felt like home to me.. I was torn between here and Human World for a few years.. Then after I decided to go back there and give it another chance I learned about the whole mess between Keiko and Kuwabara.


* Yusuke glances to the side where the redheaded human is sprawled out still sleeping quite soundly.


Hiei- So you returned here..

Yusuke- Yeah. I came back, buried myself in studying with Hokushin, learning about my heritage.. That's when I learned about the Toushin male's lifestyle.


* Hiei stares at Yusuke a long moment, then looks away.


Hiei- Hn.. So that meeting between you and Mukuro wasn't about confirming the boundary between your territory and hers.

Yusuke- After she introduced you formally as her consort.. instead of her Second.. That was the only thing I could think of.

Hiei- Her introduction startled me as much as it did you, then.

Yusuke- You sure hid it pretty well.. But I guess you are d---ed good at that.

Hiei- I could say the same about you, Yusuke.


* Yusuke takes a deep breath, then looks at Hiei. For a couple moments he just stares at the apparition's handsome profile in the early morning sunshine. Then he mentally shakes himself.


Yusuke- Look, we got a job to do.. You got a son to raise.. We don't need my baggage getting in our way.


* Hiei watches Yusuke stand.


Yusuke- Let's just go on with our lives the same way we have been, go take out that little b------, then we can go our seperate ways again and you can pretend I never existed.. I mean, it's not like you were ever interested in me anyway. Right?


* When Hiei doesn't answer Yusuke turns and goes over to kick Kuwabara awake. Hiei notices that everyone else is starting to wake up, also, so he decides to drop the conversation for now. His hardwired instincts of survival dictate that he never allow anyone he's too unfamiliar with to see any vulnerability in him. Kurama moves to him, his golden eyes boring into Hiei as if to let him know that he can read his mind makes the koorime a bit uncomfortable. Once more he reacts to this as he normally would.


Hiei- If you got something to say to me..

Kurama- No.. Not at this time. We need to continue our journey.


* Kurama and Hiei glance toward Yusuke and Kuwabara who are now tussling with each other. Touya comes over.


Touya- Will those two ever grow up?

Kurama- They have always interacted with each other like that.. It is the bond they share.

Touya- Are you sure they're not mated?


* Kurama raises his hand to hide his smirk when Hiei snaps a growling glare at the ice master.


Hiei- No. They most certainly are not.. I suggest you refrain from ever saying that again. Get your pack moving, Fox.

Kurama- Yes. We still have a lot of miles to cover.


* Hiei turns to look around. Kurama sets Hiyuku down on his own feet as Hiei calls for the group to assemble.


Hiei- Alright. Everybody get your a--es over here!

Kurama- Hiei, these are our friends, not one of your training squads.


* Kurama chuckles as Hiei rolls his eyes away in annoyance. When everyone has come over Kurama's visage becomes all business.


Kurama- It's time that we continue our journey toward Gandera. Now, I have a feeling that by now Shura has learned that his 'project' is missing.


* They all glance down at Hiyuku who just stands, oblivious to the attention.


Kurama- So we're going to have to be on our guard.. Shishi, Suzuki, Kuwabara, can I count on you three to work together and keep your senses open for more spies?


* Shishi and Suzuki exchange glances, then look at Kuwabara.


Kuwabara- I thought we already were working together.


* Shishi chuckles and crosses his arms with a slight bow of his head.


Shishi- Foolish human.


* Kuwabara scowls briefly, then decides to ignore the blue-haired demon and looks at Kurama.


Kuwabara- Personal feelings aside, I'll do my best for you, Kurama.


* Kurama looks at Shishi and Suzuki in a manner that snaps them out of their nonchalantness.


Suzuki- You know we're with you all the way, Boss.


* Kurama relaxes some and nods.


Kurama- The rest of us will stay on alert and be ready for any battle that we might have to face. We may come across low level demons that may have ill will toward us.. If they wish to fight, we will use only as much energy as necessary to either discourage or defeat them.

Touya- If there are any battles that need to be fought there's enough of us here that can fight so you won't have to get involved.. You should reserve all of your energy for your main objective.


* Kurama tilts his head in agreeance.


Clint- Can I say something, Sir?


* Everyone turns their attentions toward Clint who has positioned himself beside Yusuke.


Kurama- Of course.

Clint- My Father was a general.. Maybe I was never a soldier under him, but I did pick up some pointers.. From the spies this kid has already sent at us he knows that we're coming from this direction..

Hiei- When we get closer Hiyuku and I will go on ahead to scout out the least guarded area of his border.


* Hiei watches Suzuki, Jin, and Shishi look back down at the boy.


Hiei- What?!

Suzuki- You think it's safe to take that kid back to..?

Hiei- Hn. I see no reason not to.

Shishi- Then you're blind.


* Hiei balls his fists and growls, but Kurama lays a hand on his shoulder to try to calm the koorime down.


Kurama- As of now, the boy has given us no reason to be suspecious of him..

Jin- Mayhaps, not from thissa greata distance, Kurama, but th' lad was created by..

Hiei- That b------ may have manipulated his blood, but he was originally created by me!

Suzuki- Kurama, you're the one that said we have to be on high alert.. It is a very real possibility that Shura will have some way of controlling that boy.

Shishi- And with him possessing the strongest of qualities from the three of you..

Hiei- The boy belongs to me!

Yusuke- Hiyuku goes where we go, guys.. If that problem comes up Hiei and I will deal with it.

Kurama- All three of us will be working closely with Hiyuku as we travel.. Speaking of that, let's head out before we start anymore conflicts.


* Everyone but Kurama, Yusuke, Hiei, Hiyuku, and Kuwabara spread out to begin moving away. The boy glances up at his three fathers as they talk until a scent draws his attention elsewhere.


Kurama- I can neither agree nor disagree with their concerns, Hiei. If you'll calm down and think rationally, you will realize the validity of their concern.

Hiei- You say this because you don't know what I know about..


* Before Hiei can finish Hiyuku hisses and blurs away. Shishi and Touya barely manage to leap aside when he streaks between them, then he zips around Suzuki. When he dodges beneath the floating wind master it makes Jin flip head over heels.


Jin- Whee!


* The whole group comes to a stop as Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke hurry to catch up.


Yusuke- What got into him, Hiei?

Hiei- How the h--- should I know?

Kuwabara- Maybe his senses are better than ours?


* They watch Hiyuku pounce on something a few feet ahead. When the rest of the group approaches they find him already ripping his prey apart. The boy looks up at them from his freshly killed Wild Makai Rabbit. Kurama chuckles.


Kurama- He certainly has.. a kitsune's nose for hunting.


* Hiyuku tilts his head puzzled, then looks at Hiei.


Hiyuku- This one is hungry, Fathers.

Hiei- Hn.. Then eat your catch. But keep up with us, Yuki.


* The boy gathers up the rabbit and walks along with them as the group continues on their way. Shishi glances at Touya beside him. The ice master shrugs.


Touya- So the kid can hunt.

Shishi- Yeah. He's a real killer.


* Kurama and Hiei both catch the comment, but only Kurama turns to look toward them.


Kurama- It's nothing out of the ordinary for any demon child. I will have no more insinuations such as that. It will not help us to unite.

Touya- Point taken.

Shishi- Fine, but don't say I didn't warn..


* Hiei blurs back to glare up at the Samurai, full demon energy flaring and kitana ready to be unsheathed. Shishi quickly rethinks his last statement.


Shishi- Err.. I'll learn to keep my big mouth shut from now on?

Hiei- Hn. Best thing you've said all day, Imp.


* Hiei relaxes his aura, resets his sword fully in its sheath, then turns and continues on his way. Suzuki jackslaps the blue-haired demon as he brings up the rear. The group continues their journey in relative silence, but fully alert for any outside trouble.