Against All Odds

Disclaimer: I don’t own it!

****** INSERT SPOILER WARNING NOTE *****

After reading Kogas Hentai Luver's scolding about putting a spoiler warning- here it is. This story contains the ending of the YYH.

I'm really sorry for those that were upset that I didn't put up a spoiler note, I *totally* forgot about it. Mea culpa, mea culpa.

****** END OF INSERT SPOILER WARNING NOTE *****


Author’s Note 1: To make this story work, the last episode of Yu-Yu Hakusho didn’t happen yet. This takes place a few of months after Yusuke’s lost the Makai Tournament, near the time of his 17th birthday. Also I placed a hint of Inuyasha’s history- none of the characters appear (at least not yet and I don’t think so, but you never know), but the comparison between the youkai/human bloods of Inuyasha and Yusuke just appealed to me.

Author’s Note 2: Since I don’t know any Japanese, I’ll sparsely put some key words here and there. But just a warning, I’ll really alternate the words for idiot/dummy (Jap. for Baka) mainly for effect and because it’s just easier to type.

[ ] Youko or Hiei thoughts

' ' regular thoughts

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Chapter One: After the Makai Tournament

Sweat dribbled down his back as pain clawed at his insides. He grabbed his head as lightening lanced through his head. “What-what is happening to me?”

A figure appeared next to him then two more. Through the pain, he recognized them. They were the demon monks that trained him. He let out a groaned he watched his father’s right hand man, Hokushin the North God, approach him. “Yusuke-san- we felt- we heard your bellows of pain! Are you all right?”

“Hell no! What the fuck is wrong with me?” Yusuke bellowed as pain lanced through him again. He gripped his sides, afraid that if he didn’t his guts would burst all over the place. “What the fuck is going on?”

“We don’t know,” he admitted. He looked at the others. “We- we think that it’s your demon blood trying to assert itself over your human blood. We think that the Demon Tournament- it might have made it stronger.”

“Oh fuck no,” Yusuke groaned then hollered as more pain lanced through his body. He looked down at his arms, and could see the markings of his father, Raizen, appear and disappear. He punched at the ground, trying to distract himself from the pain. He barely registered that Hokushin had jumped away from him, keeping a close but safer distance away.

From the crater he was in, Yusuke looked desperately up at Hokushin. “This can’t be happening! Not now! I have to-have to get back to get back to Ningenkai. I have to- get back to her. Stop this! Stop this!”

“We can’t- we can’t stop this!” Hokushin said desperately. “We don’t know how!”

“Urameshi,” said a serious voice that he recognized. Yusuke looked up to see Hiei standing at the edge of the crater with Kurama and Murkuro at his side. “What did you do to yourself now?”

Before Yusuke could answer a surge of pain rushed through his head. He started to wildly punch at the ground, sending flying bits of earth and soil every which way into the air. Jumping in after Yusuke grabbed his head to let out another bellow of pain, Kurama rushed to his friend’s side. “Yusuke! Hold on- let me see you! Yusuke! Stop that! Hiei! Do something!”

Calmly walking over and jumping into the crater, Hiei stood behind Urameshi and knocked him out cold.

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Groggily, Yusuke opened his eyes. “What the hell was the name of that truck that hit me?”

“It wasn’t a truck, it was your youkai blood and Hiei’s fist, Yusuke,” answered a voice. Yusuke looked up to see a very worried Kurama looking at him. “How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain? Any aches?”

“Remind me to pay Hiei back for the favor.” Slowly, Yusuke shook his head as he took a mental inventory of how he was feeling. “No, like I said- I just feel like a truck hit me. Kinda like when I died the first time- but I do feel different. Not bad, just that I feel like I have a hangover. What’s wrong with me? What did you give me?”

“We didn’t give you anything, young Toushin,” Murkuro said as she stepped forward carrying a small vial in her hands. “But we must give you something- before your blood asserts itself again. And this potion is more potent than any alcohol you have ever had.”

“What the hell is that?” Yusuke scowled suspiciously at her. “Why the fuck would I need that? And why the hell am I here in Murkuro’s castle? What the hell is going on, Kurama? I’m supposed to go home today- my birthday is coming up and Keiko is waiting for me.”

Hesitating at what must be said and dreading it, Kurama looked at his friend with no small amount of sadness in his green-gold eyes. “Yusuke- you can’t go back. At least not yet.”

“Why not? I got permission from the toddler,” Yusuke scowled as he looked at the red head. Kurama refused to look at him. “What? What’s going on?”

“King Enma revoked permission when those fool portal openers came to see the hole you made,” Hiei said as he walked into the room. He sneered at the memory of the frightened looks of the members of the Spirit Defense Team. “They saw your youkai blood assert itself- and felt that it would be a threat to Ningenkai if it asserted itself there and told Enma this. So he revoked the permission Koenma gave-indefinitely.”

“What? They can’t do that!” Yusuke bellowed as anger filled his veins. Heat filled his heart- hate filled his mind. “I got permission to go back! I want to go back! Let me out of here! I want to talk to that damn toddler!”

“You can’t, Yusuke,” Kurama said as he looked at Yusuke sadly. His face was filled with bitterness as he looked away from his friend. “Because of his loyalty and his friendship with you- the SDF took him away. They’ve placed him under palace arrest and relocated him to a secret location.” He looked at Yusuke, knowing what he was about to ask next. “And Botan- she was stripped of her duties; was grounded and is also under house arrest. Some place where we can’t seem to find her either.”

“That’s not right! They can’t do that!” Furious beyond belief, Yusuke felt his blood start to boil and the insane need for destruction fill him. He heard his voice deepen and saw the tattoo markings appear on his arms as his father’s blood started surfacing again. “Then get me to Enma- I want to speak-Arrgh! Arrgh!”

“Yusuke!” Alarmed, Kurama grabbed his friend’s shoulders but was flung away. As he flew through the air, he managed to land on his feet- ready to attack or defend. He winced as Yusuke pounded his head against the wall- a spider web of cracks spiraling far and wide from the center. “Yusuke! Stop that! Stop that now!”

“No! The pain- the pain hurts!” Yusuke bellowed as he pounded his head even more. When that didn’t help- he started punching his fists through the wall. “It hurts!”

“Yusuke! Stop!” shouted Hokushin as he ran into the room and wrapped his body around Lord Raizen’s son. “Stop- this will not help you! Stop! Arrgh!”

“Get the fuck off me!” Yusuke grabbed Hokushin’s neck and started twisting it every way around the torso of his own body. “I have to get out of here! I have to go! I have to get back-”

“You cannot leave! You must listen to me!” Hokushin choked out. “Yusuke- If you leave- it is sure death!”

“What is this nonsense?” Hiei demanded as he entered the room. He looked at Kurama in askance. [I thought you said that you had it all under control, Fox.]

[It’s not Suichi’s fault- the blood asserted itself as soon as he got upset!] Youko defended.

“I did until his blood started asserting itself,” Kurama said calmly as he measured a way to calm Yusuke down without hurting anyone.

[I think we should just use the rose whip and tie him down] Youko suggested.

Kurama was startled out his plans by the fire apparition planting himself in front of Yusuke and Hokushin. “Hiei-”

“Yusuke, this is a potion. It will help ease the heat of your youkai blood,” Hiei said as he stood in front of the former spirit detective with the vial in hand. “But it will only do so by allowing it to run its course through your body until you can control it. Enma will probably allow you to go back to that miserable Ningenkai only after you master your youkai blood.”

After a tense minute, he let go of Hokushin without a glance at his former trainer and took the bottle from the fire apparition. Looking at the vial suspiciously then at Kurama, Yusuke scowled, “What is it? A drug? Will I get addicted?”

“It is a drug- made from the rarest plants of Makai, Reikai and the Ningenkai,” Kurama admitted as he looked at Yusuke and gave him a wry smile. “Your unique constitution and abilities made it difficult to concoct, Yusuke.”

“And what will it do? Will it help me get back to the Human World?” Yusuke demanded as he looked at Kurama, demanding answers. He knew that there was something up- the look on his face was as cool as a cucumber’s. And Hiei’s face- that sneer as he offered the vial. It was off. A sure sign of something going on. “Kurama? Hiei?”

“It will help ease the passing of your blood- allowing you to retain your sense of self and give you some measure of control,” Murkuro answered as she looked at him. “It is not addictive you need only to take it once.”

“And what’s the catch?” Yusuke demanded as he looked at his friends. He waited impatiently as they remained silent. “Come on- I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. You guys still haven’t answered my question- when can I get back to the Human World?”

“You cannot until you learn to control your youkai blood, Yusuke Urameshi,” announced a voice from the door. Yusuke snarled as he saw the familiar uniforms of the SDF. “Unfortunately, that will be for a quite some time.”

In a flash, Yusuke lifted the man up by his uniformed shirt before any of his guards could react. He shook the man violently as his eyes started to glow red and waves of crackling energy started to emit forth from him, causing the people around him to sweat. “What the hell does that mean? Answer me you little prissy faced asshole before I beat your sorry ass into so many pieces it’ll seem like a piece of cake to put Humpty Dumpty back together again!”

“He’s losing control of himself,” Murkuro commented as she calmly took in the scene. “If he loses control of himself and kills the fool-”

“Yusuke, if you kill him, you won’t ever be able to back to Ningenkai since we are still on the SDF danger list,” Kurama called out as he cautiously approached his friend. He met Yusuke’s cautious look with one of his own. “It is the truth, Yusuke.”

As Yusuke and Kurama looked each other, Hiei looked at the SDF in disgust. “What are you fools doing here? Aren’t you afraid that we’re going to eat you alive?”

“You don’t scare us, little demon,” snorted a large SDF member. He was about to say something more when he felt a katana against his throat. “Urk!”

“I bet I scare you spit-less now,” Hiei snarled as presses his sword against the oaf’s throat.

“Hiei! You can kill him later if you want but for now I want answers,” Yusuke called out as he met with his own fool’s eyes. “So talk. What the fuck is going on? Why can’t I get back to the Human World?”

Attempting to regain an amount of dignity, the man cleared his throat. “I am Captain Masaya-”

“I didn’t ask who you were, I just wanted some answers,” Yusuke interrupted with a glare. “Now talk before I totally lose it.”

Paling, Captain Masaya cleared his throat. “I cannot breathe. If you would please let go of my-”

Abruptly, Yusuke let the man go, watching impatiently as Masaya stumbled to the ground and quickly picked him up. “So speak. Fast.”

“Is there any way that we can speak in private?” Masaya ventured to ask.

“What you have to say, you can say here,” Yusuke said as his eyes narrowed. “So out with it before I loosen my control on my youkai blood and beat the snot out of you.”

“It has been decreed by King Enma that you will not be able to go to back to Ningenkai until you have mastered your abilities,” Masaya said quickly. “You have been deemed too dangerous if you were to go now- with your youkai blood asserting itself.”

“And when I can control it, then can get back to the Human World? Great, it’ll be a snap,” Yusuke said as he gave a thin grin. “I know that part already. Tell me something that hasn’t been said yet, buddy.”

“It won’t be a snap, Yusuke,” Kurama said softly as he looked at his friend. “It’ll take time for you to get even a good sense of control over your powers.”

Yusuke slowly looked at Kurama. “How much time? One? Two? Three?”

“If it were that simple this wouldn’t have been a cause of concern, Yusuke,” Kurama said unhappily. “For someone with the amount of power coming from your lineage- we just don’t know. You could master your father’s blood as soon as tomorrow if you wish it.”

“Or you could never master it at all,” Masaya said as he looked at the thief, Kurama, with a frown. Why give hope when it was clearly against the odds of his returning to Ningenkai? He looked at the former Spirit Detective. “Because of this condition of yours is a cause of concern, King Enma wishes to err on the side of caution. You are clearly to remain here until you have control of your youkai blood.”

[What the fuck is going on? Is that fool trying to do? Destroy Yusuke?] Youko demanded.

[I don’t know, Youko] Kurama scowled as he watched the SDF captain.

“My condition? Never master my youkai blood?” Yusuke bellowed with rage as he scowled at the asshole. He looked at Kurama. “What if I take that potion? Will it help me master my blood faster, Kurama? Will it help me get back to the Human World faster?”

“The potion is to only help strengthen your sense of self while the blood of Raizen goes through your veins,” Kurama said as he shook his head. “It won’t help you gain control faster- it’ll just damper your power enough so that you can handle it. And there are no guarantees.”

“So basically, it’s just an aspirin that’ll just knock out the nagging headache,” Yusuke commented as he looked at Kurama. “But it won’t cure.”

“In a sense, yes,” Kurama nodded. “There is no cure for youkai blood mixed with human blood- only a mastery of it through training.”

“That will not be a problem,” Hokushin said as he looked at the Reikai captain. “I can train Yusuke to control his father’s raging blood. We can train him.”

“There will be no small amount of trainers for the Toushin,” Murkuro said as she glanced at Hokushin. “He is most capable in fighting and many would think it an honor to train him.”

“Even so, it will take training. Lots of training,” Masaya interjected as he looked at Yusuke Urameshi. “That might even take years.”

“I don’t have years,” Yusuke said with a scowl towards prissy face. “I only have a year- as in one- to get myself into shape.”

“Impossible- it takes years of training to master awakened youkai blood mixed with human blood. Most of the hanyou die because of the lack of mastery over it. The last record of a hanyou who was able to do that was over five hundred years ago. And he was unable to fully control the raging of his blood until he was in contact with his late father’s fang. Something that his father conveniently thought about and left to his son,” Masaya said as he shook his head. “Your father didn’t even think to do that.”

His eyes flashing in anger, Yusuke glared at the asshole. “Because only wimps need something outside to control their abilities. To quote something an idiot might say, ‘Real men don’t need girly stuff to make themselves better. They just need to work harder at making themselves better.’ I’ll control my blood on my own and I’ll get back to the Human World within a year.”

“And if you don’t, what happens next? Do you keep on training?” Masaya challenged as he concentrated at the angry young Toushin hanyou before him. “And what happens if you fail? What happens next time? And the next year if you fail? Or the year after that? Do you intend to keep her waiting for you?”

Doubt flashed through Yusuke’s face before he could even control it, then he answered angrily, “Listen, asshole. I won’t fail. I’ll get a hold of myself and then I’m outta here!”

“And what will you do once you are and your control slips?” Masaya challenged. “The whole human realm could be placed into jeopardy because of you. She could get hurt or even killed with your slip of control.”

“That’s hitting below the belt,” Kurama snapped as he looked at Masaya in anger. “Yusuke would never hurt loose control and he would never willingly hurt her.”

Anger filled Yusuke as he felt his blood start to boil. “I won’t slip. And I won’t hurt her. Ever.”

“Not intentionally, but you could,” Masaya conceded. He looked at the angry faces around him, and ignored them as he concentrated on Urameshi, the most dangerous one of all. “And what if you did manage to control yourself? What do you really have to offer to her? Do you have anything to offer her other than your ability to fight? What can you do that can make her happy in the human world? Could you even support her if you were to be wed?”

“I can take care of Keiko,” Yusuke bit off. “I can protect and support her and make her happy.”

“Have you done that lately?” Masaya challenged. “It’s obvious she wanted you back, else she never would have given you a kiss to awaken you when you died the first time. But was she happy with you since you came back and was on the Human World?”

“She was happy,” Yusuke said hesitantly as flashes of Keiko’s angry face came to him. Her near death at the hands of the Makai-bug infected humans. Her upset look after he came back from fighting the Saint Beasts. Her catatonia at the end of the Dark Tournament. Her tears as he emerged from Sensui’s cave. Her forced smile when he told her of his reasons and decision to leave for Makai. Her eyes filled with caution as she accepted his promise that he would be back after three years. “I know she was.”

“Of course she was. Keiko is happiest whenever she is near Yusuke,” Kurama growled as he looked at the captain with a great deal of suspicion. He didn’t know what was going on but he knew that for some reason, it felt as if the captain didn’t want Yusuke to return to Ningenkai for reasons other than King Enma’s orders.

[Something is up, Suichi] Youko said as he observed the captain. [He doesn’t smell right]

[I agree] Hiei said mentally as he looked at the captain. [And the Jagan cannot read his mind. There is something missing.]

“If you both say so,” Masaya said without a doubt in his voice. “But a girl with a bright future like hers- it is puzzling why she would like someone like-”

“Me? Is that it?” Yusuke bit off as he remembered the time when he was a ghost and Sayaka came to watch Keiko. She had asked basically the same thing that everyone and his brother were asking themselves: Why does Keiko love Yusuke?

“Humph. Maybe it’s because she’s not as bright as everyone thinks she is,” Hiei commented as he looked at the fool of a captain. “Humans are often blinded by love and there is often no rhyme or reason to it. Unlike most youkai who search and mate with the strongest and most capable of youkai, most humans seem to mate with anyone to their liking and see what they want to see. She is no different than Urameshi who looks at her the same way.”

[Do I detect a little jealousy on Hiei’s part?] Youko asked. [You don’t think that he likes that human girl, do you Suichi?]

[Do be quiet, Youko] Suichi scolded mentally. “Yes, though it is a wonder as to why Keiko prefers Yusuke, there is no doubt that she would do much for him.”

“So then she’s just another human girl blindly in love that doesn’t know how the human world works,” Masaya commented as he looked at the short fire apparition. “And she will loyally wait for Urameshi to show up and she will stay with him no matter what happens to her, good or bad. No matter what the consequences are. She must love you immensely.”

“Yeah- that’s the power of love,” Yusuke smirked as he looked at the idiot from the SDF. “She’ll wait for me and stay with me, by my side because she wants to be with me. And I’ll get control of my father’s blood and I’ll be out of here within a year.”

“Then I wish you luck on your training,” Masaya said with a curt nod. He looked at his men and nodded at them. “I will report this to King Enma.”

“You do that,” Yusuke said as he looked at the retreating back of the Reikai fools. “And by the way, where did you put the toddler? And Botan?”

“You will refer to the prince with some respect,” snarled the tall soldier as he and his partner spun around. They both were about to charge at him when Masaya stopped them with a touch of his hand.

Masaya turned to look at Urameshi. “I am not at liberty to say where the prince is, but I will say that he is in good hands. And in no danger of being harmed.”

“And Botan?” Yusuke demanded as he looked at Masaya. “What happened to her?”

“She under house arrest until King Enma can pass judgment on her actions,” Masaya answered as he looked at Urameshi. “As to her crimes, I also cannot say anything because I do not know what the charges against her are. We take our leave from you now.”

As the three men disappeared, silence reigned in the room.

“Your brain must be fried if you’re quoting the idiot,” Hiei commented as he watched the fools from Reikai leave. “Twice in fact.”

Ignoring him, Yusuke walked over to the bed and sat down, looking at his hands.

“I think it quite obvious that there was something going on with him,” Murkuro said as she looked at Hiei. “Could you read his mind? For I could not.”

Hiei shook his head. “The Jagan could not read him. And I do not trust anyone that the Jagan cannot read.”

[That’s hardly a reason] Youko admonished lightly. [You hardly trust anyone even if the Jagan can read them. Suichi, do you not find it odd that the captain went specifically after Yusuke’s only soft spot? That tactic reminds me of someone, but I just can’t remember who. And the other coincidences about the little prince and the little blue death…]

“I understand why King Enma wishes to keep Yusuke here for training, but why was the captain so sue that Yusuke would fail in his training? Does he want him to fail?” Hokushin asked aloud.

‘That is a possibility, Hokushin,” Kurama mused as his eyes melded into green and gold. “But we find it odd that Koenma and Botan were under house arrest as soon as Yusuke’s youkai blood started to assert itself. Either way, we believe that it needs some investigating. Don’t you think so, Yusuke?”

When there was no answer, Hiei and Kurama looked at each other, puzzled at what was going on. Kurama cleared his throat. “So what do we do now, Yusuke?”

Looking at his hands, Yusuke remembered all the times that Keiko held his hands. The very first time she did that, they were barely older than four. And she smiled at him and wanted to be friends with him. She was always reaching out to him, offering her hand. Helping him to stand after he had fallen. Wrapping them around his arm to stop him from fighting. Slapping him when he did something hentai or stupid. Giving him Valentine’s Day chocolates. Pointing at him like his Rei-gun as she threatened to kill him if he lost the Dark Tournament. Her hands on her hips and she scolded him for being stupid. Hugging him every time when he came back from some dangerous mission or another. Holding Puu in her arms and calming him down as she often did. Her hand in his as they walked home together, his hand over hers, protecting her as they walked. And if he could not control the demon blood that ran through his veins… that small hand that rested in his and shared so many memories would be…

For all his life, he always wanted something to call his own. Some little thing that he could grasp in his hands and make him happy. He wanted some one that needed him and just him. And just when she was in his grasp- he had to let her go. To have a brighter future without him.

And Hiei shook his head as the Jagan saw all the memories fly through Yusuke’s head. “You’re being a fool if you do this.”

Slowly, Yusuke looked up from his hands and gave his friend a bitter smile. “And did you tell Yukina where her brother is?”

“So what are you planning to do, Yusuke,” Kurama asked gently. “What do you want to do?”

“I’m going to train until I can control my father’s blood,” Yusuke said as he looked at Kurama. He looked at Hokushin and Murkuro and gave them an unhappy smile. “I guess that I’ll be staying with your guys for a time.”

“I would welcome the chance to train you, young Toushin,” Murkuro said as she looked at him.

“I will inform the others,” Hokushin said with a nod. “But what about the Reikai officers- what do you plan to do about them?”

“We might as well find out what they’re up to,” Yusuke said after a moment. He looked at Kurama. “You might be able to get Kuwabara and Genkai to help you- he has some pull-”

“That idiot has some pull with someone in the Reikai?” Hiei snorted.

“I think he still talks to Hinegeshi and knows how to call her,” Yusuke said mildly as Hiei snorted. He looked at Kurama. “But first, I need you to deliver a message to Keiko for me.”

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As the soldiers reached the road that lead to great halls of Reikai, the smaller soldier looked at his captain. “Sir? Permission to speak!”

“Granted, Kyo,” Masaya said as he continued walking.

“Why did you not tell Urameshi that there was no way in all of hell that King Enma would allow him to go back to Ningenkai since he was the one that established peace in Makai,” Kyo asked as he looked at his captain. “Why did you blame it all on his youkai blood?”

“You’re such a fool, Kyo,” said the larger guard. “Don’t you know why? If we told him that, the way his personality is, Urameshi would storm all the way up here and start a war. That’s why.”

“It’s not only that, Hiro. It’s because he still thinks like a human,” Masaya said as he looked at Kyo and Hiro. “A human in love. If he thinks that his youkai blood would cause him to hurt the one he cares for most, the only thing he cares for. Then he will stay damn well away from her in order to protect her. Even if it is himself. From all reports, he is only noble with her and would risk his very own life for her.”

“But, sir, wouldn’t it be very dangerous to take that away from him?” Hiro asked as he looked at his captain. “To let him think that he has to stay away from her?”

“That’s why you give him a very small amount of hope,” Masaya said as he looked at Hiro. They had finally reached the doors of the great hall. “Let him train and think that there will be a way for him would be reunited with her. Give him that slim hope that is so against all odds that it would never occur to him to attack Reikai or try to go back to Ningenkai. I need to stop by my office before I report, so wait for me out there.”

As Hiro and Kyo left, Masaya entered his office quickly and headed over to his desk.

“And how is the former detective?” asked a voice. “Was he properly cowed?”

Startled, Masaya looked up to see Risho the Demon Earth Master standing behind the door. He scowled at the demon. “He will not be going back to Ningenkai if that is what you ask. But why you would worry about Ningenkai is beyond me.”

“I don’t worry about Ningenkai- I leave that worry to you fools in Reikai,” Risho said as he looked at his fingernails. “I just want my revenge on that team and especially that fool that beat me during the Dark Tournament. Just like you simply want to keep him away from your precious little angel, Keiko Yukimura.”

“She is an angel. At least she was until she decided that she tired of the boredom and wanted to be reincarnated.” Masaya narrowed his eyes. “It would not do to have her associate with him. She is destined to have a promising future on Ningenkai and be even a greater member of Reikai when she dies. It will not be tarnished with the likes of that hanyou.”

“And the fact that you’re her great-great-grandfather watching over her has nothing to do with it,” Risho said dryly. “But enough of this, so long as Urameshi is suffering, I care not. Just make sure that he stays on that side of the worlds so he can’t help his friends.”

“He will, as long as I have something to say about it,” Masaya said as he gritted his teeth. “Now get out of my office and don’t let anyone see you.”

As Risho left, Masaya gripped the edge of his desk. “I am doing the right thing! I am!”

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As soon as Risho touched the grounds of Ningenkai, he contacted his partner. “Well, the first step of our plans is complete. The fool actually managed to keep Urameshi from going back to Ningenkai. Now Urameshi will be miserable without his beloved to go back to. Should we start on the next one on our list?”

A voice came over the communicator. “No, we have to wait. If we move too fast, they would be on to our plans and would stop us. We must wait and see what Urameshi’s blood will do. In the meantime, feel free to plan against your former teammates and contact me if Urameshi’s blood needs help to assert itself. I have just the thing to help it along.”

“Will do,” Risho said as he shut off the communicator with a slight smile. He absently created a statue of Jin and Touya, his former teammates. “What to do, what to do? And what shall I do to you? How will I destroy the two of you?”

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The night air was quite cool around Genkai’s temple. Six human figures sat around the light as the huge blue phoenix lay its head on the lap of a human female. As she stroked the head of the giant bird, it sighed. “Puu…”

Finally, one person reached into the bag next to him and took out a small round ball. Puzzled, Keiko looked at Kurama as he handed her a small round glass-like ball. “What is it?”

“It’s a message from Yusuke,” Kurama said as he looked at Keiko. While she studied the ball, he looked at the others around him. Genkai sat quietly as she sipped her tea. Yukina and Kuwabara glanced at each other and then at Hinegeshi and Keiko. “Yusuke is now deep in training with both Murkuro and Hokushin, trying to control his demon blood so that he can come back to the Human World.”

“And he’s not slacking off at all,” Genkai said as she looked at Kurama. “Is he?”

“No, he’s not slacking off,” Kurama said with a slight smile. “In fact, I think it’s the hardest he’s trained since he was to take over Raizen’s place.”

“That’s pretty amazing, considering that it’s Urameshi,” Kuwabara commented as he scratched his chin. “He must have a pretty good reason to train so hard.”

Kurama slid his eyes towards Keiko as she showed the ball to Puu. “He does.”

“I guess he does,” said Kuwabara as he followed Kurama’s eyes and blushed sheepishly.

“How do you work this thing?” Keiko asked as she looked at Kurama.

“You break it by throwing it against something hard like a rock,” Kurama said as he looked at her. “Would you like me to break it for you?”

“No, I’ll do it myself,” Keiko said as she shook her head as she looked at him and gave him a sad smile. She looked down at Puu and gave his head a final stroke before she placed it gently on the tatami. “I think I have a pretty good idea of what it’s about.”

Startled, Kurama looked at everyone. Kuwabara shrugged as he followed Keiko’s slow movements. “Keiko had a bad dream about Urameshi and decided to visit Puu and Genkai here. And while she was here, she found that Puu was feeling pretty bad- so she called me for help and I called Hinegeshi. It has to be bad, what’s going on Kurama?”

As soon as Keiko left the room, Kurama said quickly, “Yusuke’s youkai blood is asserting itself over his human blood for some reason. He must stay in Makai until he regains control of it.”

“Oh no! Oh, poor Keiko,” Yukina said as she looked over at the door that Keiko had left through. Genkai sighed tiredly as Hinegeshi simply shook her head as tears started to fall down her cheeks.

Puzzled, Kuwabara looked at Kurama. “Okay, I guess that it’s a bad thing. It shouldn’t be hard, right? He’s training.”

“Training to control it isn’t that simply, Kuwabara,” Yukina said sadly as she shook her head. “If his father were a lower class youkai, then it wouldn’t be as hard. But a hanyou with really powerful blood like Raizen’s… it’s practically near impossible to control. The slightest slip in control could bring destruction for miles.”

“And if he doesn’t? What happens then?” Kuwabara demanded as he looked at Kurama.

“Then he has no chance of coming to Ningenkai,” Kurama said as he looked at his friend. Shaking off the unpleasant possibility, he looked at Hinegeshi. “In the meantime, I must ask for your help. There is something amiss in all this as if there is something contrived in keeping Yusuke in Makai. And we would like to know what happened to Koenma and Botan. Why are they under house arrest?”

Shaking her head, Hinegeshi’s voice wavered as she looked at Kurama. “I don’t know what happened. It was all so sudden. It’s what I really came out for- to ask for everyone’s help to find Koenma and Botan-what the!”

“Keiko!” Kurama said tersely as he sprang to his feet and ran out the door.

“What the hell was that?” Kuwabara shouted as he sprang to his feet and trailed behind Kurama.

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Keiko looked at the small glass ball. Taking a deep breath, she smashed it against the stone walls of the temple. Her eyes widened as the image of Yusuke started to take form. “Yusuke.”

“Hey, Keiko. It’s me, Yusuke. If you’re hearing this, then Kurama made it to you safely. He’s practically the only one of us that can travel between worlds without practically any problem. Must be because he was once a thief. But then, enough about that- I have something to tell you and I don’t think that you’ll like it. In fact, if you were here right now, I definitely know that you wouldn’t like it and that you would probably slap me for being stupid. So maybe it is a good thing that I’m on this side.”

“Don’t count on it,” Keiko said as tears started to gather in her eyes.

“Anyway, I don’t know how to tell you this except the only way we know how. Straight from the hip. What I want to say is- I don’t think I can keep my promise to you, Kei. My youkai blood- the blood that I got from my dad, Raizen, is making me real violent. And we’re not just talking about the street brawls that I used to be in. Or the violence in the tournament. I’m talking about earth-shattering taking out a crater the size of Tokyo violent. The assholes up at Reikai said that I have to stay here in Makai until I can learn to control myself. Or else I could blow up the Human World, not that I really care about that, but I would if you or Mom got hurt.”

“Oh, Yusuke, you idiot,” Keiko whispered. “What’s going on with you?”

“So, since I don’t know how long this training will last- Kurama said I might get a handle on it within the year or within the next ten years or never. Since my future is up in the air, Keiko, it doesn’t mean that yours has to be. So I’m breaking it off with you, Keiko. I’m breaking it off with you so that you can go out and live a full and happy life without the troublesome Yusuke Urameshi, the first delinquent of Sarayashiki Junior High. You don’t have to look after me anymore Keiko, you don’t have to make sure that I’m not getting into fights anymore because fighting’s just the way of life here in Makai. Say ‘hi’ to your mom and dad for me and make sure that the idiot Kuwabara studies hard and that he gets into the high school that he wanted to before I left. And can you tell my mom- tell her anything that you feel best. You were always good at that, Keiko. Do me a favor and be happy and pick someone that’s not like me, someone who won’t trouble you or drag you into a world filled with apparitions. I gotta get going now or else Hokushin and Murkuro will be on my ass. Anyway, thanks for being my best friend, Kei-chan. I love you.”

Reaching out to touch the whispery image, Keiko fell to her knees as Yusuke faded. Her heart felt as if it were about to burst. “Oh, Yu-chan you idiot. Find a boy unlike you? Find someone that will make me happy? You want me to be happy?”

She felt the tears stream down her eyes but she didn’t care. Her fingers clawed at the grass and soil below her as anger filled her limbs. “Yusuke, you dummy! Dummy! Dummy! Dummy-dummy-dummy-dummy! YUSUKE YOU DUMMY! BAKA-BAKA-BAKA- YOU BAKA!!”

“BAKA!” Keiko screamed at the top of her lungs. She stared at the moon as she heard foot steps running towards her.

“Keiko! Are you all right?” Kurama asked as he looked at her. Her face was as pale as the moon with silver streams coming from her fathomless eyes, her hair streaked across her face as the gentle breeze blew across the temple grounds. “Keiko?”

[She looks like a statue] Youko said in awe. [Like all the life has been sucked out of her. Did an apparition get to her?]

“Keiko, are you all right?” Kuwabara hesitated to ask. “Keiko?”

Keiko looked straight at Kuwabara and smiled at him suddenly. “I’m perfectly fine. Just fine.”

“Then can you stop smiling like that? ‘Cause you’re giving me the creeps,” Kuwabara said as he shivered. “Please?”

“Okay,” Keiko said as she stopped smiling just as suddenly. She turned to look at Kurama, as if she were seeing him for the first time. “Kurama? Can you tell me something?”

[Suichi, proceed with caution] Youko warned. [She’s about to loose it.]

[Agreed] Kurama thought as he gave Keiko an interested look. “What would you like me to tell you, Keiko?”

“You can tell me what the hell has gotten Yusuke so scared that he has to hide in Makai,” Keiko said sweetly. Her blood started to boil as she started to think about the message he left her. “That stupid message he sent- he left a lot of things out and there was something off about it. So tell me, what the hell happened over in Makai?”

[She’s totally lost it] Youko said, awed. [Run away from her Suichi before she hurts us] Kurama cleared his throat. “What makes you think that Yusuke is scared? Or that something has happened to make him scared?”

“Please don’t insult my intelligence,” said Keiko as she rolled her eyes. “You are expert on plants; Youko is a master thief, Kuwabara might be an expert Rei-ken master and Genkai-basan is the master of the spirit wave, but there is no one here that is an expert on knowing Yusuke Urameshi except for me. So, you tell me, what the hell is going on or else I will find a way to kick your Youko-Suichi soul meshed ass all around the world. And I’ll start by talking to your mother! Now out with it!”

[I think she means it, Suichi. What do we do?] Kurama did a mental double take at the spirit fox in his body. ‘What do you think I’m going to do?’ “Well, it might be a long story…”

Keiko sat back on her heels and crossed her arms. “I have the time.”

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“And so now he’s training to control his youkai blood,” Keiko said as she sipped her tea. She stroked Puu’s head as he resumed his favorite spot: her lap.

Kurama nodded. “Yes, the generals of Raizen, Murkuro, Yomi and Enki have all decided that it would be dangerous for one such as Yusuke to run amok. So they have decided to take turns in training him.”

“And you still don’t know why this guy Masaya wanted Yusuke to stay in Makai,” Keiko said as she looked at Kurama. “And now you’re all going to be looking for Koenma and Botan to at least get some answers.”

“Yes,” Hinegeshi said with a nod. “Will you help?”

“As much as I can, but I’m not even sure what I can do to help,” Keiko said as she smiled at her friend. She looked at Kuwabara with narrow eyes. “And you had better not keep me out of the loop or else I’ll tell Shizuru.”

Paling at the thought of his older sister, Kuwabara nodded. “You bet.”

With a nod, Keiko looked at Kurama. “Are you going back to Makai?”

Cautiously, Kurama nodded. “I will go back tomorrow night after I see my mother. Do you have a message for Yusuke?”

“Yes, please tell him I’m going to slap the future out of him the next time I see him,” Keiko said sweetly as she smiled.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

TBC