Many thanks to Rhionae for being such a kind person!!! She pre-read this fic
for me and I'm so thankful to her. :) Anyway, part 2 and please give comments.
P/S The previous chapter and the first story could be found on my webpage -
http://members.xoom.com/hiei
Siew Lee
[wsiewlee@tm.net.my]
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~~~The Past, The Present And The Future~~~
~~~The Present - Vengeance~~~
Chapter 2 - New Challenges
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Kurama walked into his room. It was nearly midnight now. These
few days in Reikai had been tough on him. Kurama squeezed his eyes
shut... He felt so tired mentally and emotionally, this life was very
stressful on him. The shame of Hiei abandoning him for somebody else
was unbearable. It was as if everywhere he went, eyes were boring
into his back, accusing him of the disgraceful act he staged against
Hiei that night.
Deep inside him, Hiei still held a place, but he knew he would
forever remain only a friend to Hiei. Regrets and resentment wouldn't
help. Hiei would always be responsible towards Botan. He knew him
well enough. Once Hiei had decided, nobody could make him change his
mind and principles.
Koorimes were stubborn people. Kurama knew it somehow. Maybe it
was his sense of insecurity... Time flew so fast, almost impossible
for him to catch up with. Memories transported him to the time where
he first met Hiei, a fire youkai from Makai. A cruel and cold blooded
person, but as time passed by, Kurama had felt emotions for his
friend... No... It couldn't be. It was mainly his own fault. He had
all the time in the world to make Hiei his, but he was too slow... He
shouldn't blame anybody.
Over centuries, Kurama had met all types of personalities. It
had already been a few years since he met and came to know Hiei. Hiei
was his desire. Although Kurama knew it was impossible for him to get
Hiei now, but he still couldn't resist his desire to own him. Yes,
Kurama knew this was rather selfish of him but the temptation in him
was simply too great.
"Why didn't I act sooner?" asked Kurama softly and miserably of
himself.
Kurama glanced up at himself in the wall mirror, at the face
framed by long red locks. Beneath his eyes, there were dark rings.
Perhaps it was the ugly effects of jealousy. Why did Botan have to
snatch and steal Hiei from his grasp? Kurama still couldn't
comprehend that reason... Hiei and Botan's characters were so
diverse, almost an impossible pairing, but somehow, Hiei had chosen
Botan over him. How should he react? Most probably keeping quiet
would be the best thing to do now...
Kurama couldn't help it. He wasn't supposed to be feeling
jealous. Hiei chose Botan over him. He ought to be happy for his best
friend; but seeing Hiei and Botan together was like being trapped in
a fiery furnace with hot flames burning him to the very soul. It hurt
him, mentally. Maybe there would be a scar there if it ever healed.
If it ever healed...
Slowly, he reached up to touch his own face. He looked and felt
that he had aged 10 years during these few days. He had decided. He
couldn't keep pinning away for Hiei and that wouldn't do any good. He
bent down to grab a few pieces of paper from the drawer. He whipped
out a pen and began writing. Writing a true story. The journal of his
life as Shuichi Minamino and Youko Kurama. Two totally different
people, yet both of them shared the same soul... Some things were
difficult to explain.
A predicament of unfathomable depths... Kurama had to face the
reality by himself this time. It was truly a challenge for his own
courage and strength, not merely a test of emotions.
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"What a refreshing rest!" Yusuke stretched as he opened his
mouth for a wide yawn. He stumbled off the bed and trudged towards
the bathroom. He fumbled with the tap until a gush of pure water
streamed out of the pipe. Quickly, he dunked his face into the water
and dried it by rubbing hard with a hand towel. He looked around for
any hair cream but he found none.
"No wonder Koenma's hair is always falling over his forehead,"
grumbled Yusuke as he tried to comb his hair upwards.
*Well, water could do.* He splashed water on to his head and
smoothened it out with his hands. A wry smile made its way to his
face. He had used many types of hair cream before. Like wine. It felt
good. He saved Keiko with it. Keiko was abducted by thugs that time
and he had nearly given up his chance to be resurrected to save her.
It had been such a long time since he had last seen her... Would she
be angry at him? *Maybe I should go and visit her in her ramen shop
today...* decided Yusuke.
Maybe he was too cold towards her. Yusuke never told her what
he was doing all along. He should be able to trust Keiko to keep his
secret. Besides, Keiko was going to be his bride one day...
*I'll tell her today,* decided Yusuke. It had been a long time
before he could make this decision. Overall, it was simply a very
risky confession... Why? Okay, what would Keiko think if she were to
know that the Yusuke that she knew for such a long time was actually
a youkai? Yusuke took a deep breath and stared at his reflection in
the mirror.
In the mirror, he could see a boy, growing into a man. His hair
was all slicked back, big black eyes emphasized his handsome facial
features in addition to the charming smile he possessed. He saw a
young man, nearly touching adulthood. His face showed a human face,
just a normal face.
It was almost impossible to believe... Just a few years back,
he was just an ordinary school truant; but now, he was the only heir
to Raizen. His youkai father, Raizen, was one of the three warlords
in Makai. Yusuke couldn't seem to accept that fact until now...
Yusuke Urameshi, a warlord? It didn't quite suit the face he was
staring in the mirror now.
In rhythm with the water gushing into the sink, he could hear a
knock at the door.
"Who might that be?" wondered Yusuke as he turned the knob of
his room door. Outside the door, stood a huffing and panting George.
"What are you doing here? Come in," invited Yusuke, as he took
the oni by hand.
"Oh no, no need. Yusuke-san, can you do me a favor?" asked
George, looking like a child who had been caught stealing in a
superstore.
"Yeah, sure," answered Yusuke, curious to know what was
happening right now.
"Em... Yusuke-san, could you please wake up the rest and ask
them to go to the cafeteria downstairs?" asked George shyly.
"Why were you in such a hurry? Your face is very red from
running," ventured Yusuke inner this time.
"If I don't get to the office before 8.30 am, Koenma-sama will
fire me from my post in his division office," answered George
hurriedly.
"Ha! Don't worry about Koenma firing you from your post. I
think he is going to be late for work this morning and besides, he
won't be up that early. I would have bet with Kuwabara that he had
some heart to heart talk with his sweetheart last night," assured
Yusuke as he put a hand on George's shoulder.
"Yusuke-san, if I tell you this, would you tell anybody else?"
asked George mysteriously.
"Of course not!" answered Yusuke. He never like to expose
secrets confided in him, except those of Kuwabara... Yusuke secretly
smiled an evil grin to himself.
"Speaking of Koenma-sama..." George lowered his voice into a
whisper. "...he was in Misuko's room for nearly the whole night."
Yusuke laughed. "What's wrong with that? I have also been in
Keiko's room for a few nights. Besides, how do you know?"
"Well, it's a mistake actually. I was worried about him
yesterday because Enma-Daiou is already back from his holidays and
Koenma-sama didn't know a thing about it. So I rammed in their room
to tell him that, but I got scolded in return," answered George.
"C'mon George. Next time be more careful and don't be too
uptight. Anyway, I'll do you that favor," nodded Yusuke.
"Okay, got to go now." George gave a nod of thanks and paced
quickly down the hallway. Yusuke shook his head and went inside and
grabbed his T-shirt. He got out again and locked the door behind him.
Yusuke shoved the key in the pocket of his jeans.
"Let's start with Kuwabara first. That idiot ought to receive
the privilege of waking up earlier than the rest," said Yusuke to
himself as a wicked grin lit up his face. Yusuke went next door and
knocked as he called out Kuwabara's name. After a while, a sleepy
looking Kuwabara answered the door.
Later on, both of them walked together to Kurama's place.
"Kurama! Kurama!" Both of them called for a few minutes but
there was no answer.
"Kurama! Are you in!" They called again, still no answer.
"He might be at Hiei's place. He's always over at Hiei's. Both
of them are the best of friends," suggested Yusuke.
"Yeah, just as I expected. Urameshi, I always have this
suspicion that they are hiding something from us," Kuwabara laughed
as he said that. *That is right! This is the time to burst their
bubble!*
"C'mon, Kuwabara. Tell me what you are thinking," persuaded
Yusuke, an unsightly thought popping up to his mind. Kurama kissing
Hiei... Yuck!
"You know, the two of them will make a very cute couple. You
know..." explained Kuwabara.
"Oh, Kuwabara. Please be a bit more serious," chided Yusuke as
both of them advanced to Hiei's place. "Don't even think of that.
Kurama and Hiei are just friends!"
"I hate that kid," grumbled Kurabara as they stopped in front
of Hiei's room door. "That kid is real tricky, like in the dark
tournament when we played that stone and cloth game. He could even
see through my lies," said Kuwabara in further detail.
Yusuke was about to raise up a fist to knock on Hiei's room
door when suddenly Kuwabara charged at the door, ramming it open in
the process. "We are going to have some very nice shows inside
starring Hiei," laughed Kuwabara evilly as both of them looked around
for Hiei.
Where was Hiei? They walked in, half expecting him to be
sitting on the windowsill with his katana, gazing at the far away
misty lands between Ningenkai and Makai. Then, they heard a pair of
voices gasping. Alright, a very shocked gasp.
Yusuke and Kuwabara's eyes caught the bed and saw both Hiei and
Botan huddled together under the blanket. Yusuke and Kuwabara's eyes
widened. Both of them rubbed their eyes and looked again. Both of
them were obviously naked, judging by the pile of clothes on the
floor.
Yusuke and Kuwabara stifled a burst of laughter and rushed out
of the room. Just before they left, Yusuke turned around and said,
"We'll be back later", leaving a dazed Hiei and Botan there.
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"Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!" An exploding laughing sound was heard
nearly the whole 3rd floor. Two figures were rolling on the ground,
suffering from a serious stitch in their sides. Tears streamed freely
down their faces, wetting the floor below. Yusuke was kneeling on the
ground, holding his stomach from excessive laughter. Both were nearly
hysterical.
"So that bastard had Botan, huh?" said Kuwabara as he barely
managed to catch a breath in between. Then he exploded into another
series of bursts of laughter.
"Can't believe it," replied Yusuke as he wiped away the tears
with his sleeve of his T-shirt as he erupted into more hysterical
laughter.
After a while, they calmed down. Yusuke was still giggling.
Just then, they saw a gust of black wind out of the corner of their
eyes.
"Oh oh... we're in trouble," mumbled Yusuke softly to the tune
of the song 'Trouble'.
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"Oh no..." moaned Botan to herself as Yusuke and Kuwabara
walked out. *Hiei's going to kill Kuwabara for that,* thought Botan
in her heart.
She turned her head to look at Hiei's face. His face turned
from deep red to ashen gray. He leaned down and grabbed his clothes
from the floor. Quickly, he got into them. He buckled his katana on
his back and threw his cloak around his shoulders.
"Hiei, where are you going?" asked Botan, half afraid that he
might actually kill Kuwabara for that scene.
"Clarify mistakes and misconceptions," answered Hiei angrily.
Who ever had seen that scene, he wouldn't be that angry, but that
jerk Kuwabara... He would tell everybody about it and wouldn't stop
until the whole world knew about it.
"Do your clarifying, but don't kill anybody," advised Botan.
Hiei gave a nod of acknowledgment and was gone in a whirl of
wind. Botan's eyes trailed him worriedly, not for Hiei, but for her
friends --- Yusuke and Kuwabara. Goodness knows what he would do if
he got real angry. Her mind formed a black dragon eating up the
imperial palace. Quickly, she grabbed her clothes and got dressed.
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The whirl of black wind stopped in front of them. Yusuke and
Kuwabara wiped away their tears as Hiei stood before them. Hiei's
hand moved to grab hold of his precious katana, to clutch it. Always
ready to make a kill. Yusuke and Kuwabara stood there, trying to
stifle a grin every now and then.
Hiei looked up at them and studied them carefully.
"So both of you saw everything," said Hiei quietly.
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked down, trying very hard to look as
normal as they could. The expression now on Kuwabara and Yusuke's
faces were really priceless then. Both of them were practically
stuffing the collars of their T-shirts into their own mouths. At
last, Yusuke recovered and stood still. He thumped his eternal rival
Kuwabara on the back, forcing him to stop that faked cough.
"We um... didn't mean to disturb you at this time," apologized
Yusuke lamely. Hiei just kept quite quiet. He clenched the handle of
his katana even more tightly. At last he sullenly voiced out.
"Can both of you keep this a secret?" Hiei never liked asking
for favors.
Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged glances. Kuwabara suddenly said
something, but it wasn't very clear. Yusuke listened intently, but he
could only catch a few words. "That... had... favor... at last..."
Quickly, he clamped his palm over Kuwabara's loud mouth and
nudged him in the ribs. Yusuke nodded quickly to Hiei. He didn't want
his head to be the target of Hiei's Kokuryuuha.
"But why? Isn't that good?" interrupted Kuwabara.
"Just promise me," answered Hiei seriously.
"Okay; by the way, meet you guys at the cafeteria downstairs,"
said Yusuke as he took Kuwabara by hand and walked off.
Kuwabara continued after Yusuke, "For the sake of Yusuke;
alright, I shall keep your precious secret in my intelligent brain."
Yusuke banged Kuwabara down the head and continued walking.
Just before he turned around the corner, Yusuke asked another
question. "Have you seen Kurama?"
Hiei shook his head. Yusuke and Kuwabara walked off hurriedly.
Hiei stood there, wanting to believe that Kuwabara actually didn't
laugh at him. He released his clench on his katana and was gone in a
whirl of black wind. His face tingled from the very first blush he
suffered a short while before...
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Misuko carefully balanced two steaming mugs of coffee on her
tray as she made her way through the tightly packed cafeteria in
Reikai. Queuing was tedious enough, but at least the onis and
ferry girls didn't shove or push their way around. *Koenma-sama
really has well disciplined helpers,* thought Misuko as she squeezed
through cluttered chairs and tables.
"Here you are, a cup of coffee right?" Misuko said as she set
the tray down the table. She flopped onto the seat next to Koenma.
For a start, Koenma put an arm around her shoulders. Koenma's eyes
were closed to mere slits and he was busying chewing on his blue
pacifier.
"Koenma-sama, why are you looking so worried?" asked Misuko as
she lay back on Koenma's shoulder, looking at his face.
"Hm..." answered Koenma, chewing on his pacifier even more
intently.
Misuko looked at him quizzically. Koenma opened his eyes and
leaned down. He took out the pacifier and put it in his pocket. He
gave Misuko a peck on her cheeks and smiled.
"We are running short of Reikai investigators. Nowadays, Makai,
Ningenkai and Reikai have criminals and bad guys sprouting out like
mushrooms," began Koenma. Then he continued, "We can't depend solely
on Yusuke; now I'm trying to find another suitable candidate to help
him out. Preferably human."
"Then what's the main problem?" inquired Misuko. "Maybe I could
help on this."
"I can't find a person suitable for this mission and job. He
or she needs to have high Reiki, be able to sense beyond the limits
that an ordinary human can't see and have good fighting skills,"
explained Koenma.
Misuko thought for a moment and said, "I think I have a
suitable candidate in mind."
"Huh? Tell me who it is." said Koenma, beginning to show
interest.
"She is my cousin, but I think she has shifted school over to
Kurama's school, if I haven't recalled wrongly. Isn't Kurama's school
Meiou High?" said Misuko.
"How do you know that her school is the same as Kurama's?"
asked Koenma curiously.
"Botan told me. By the way, she is one of the first girls ever
to go to a boys school. As I know, that school is slowly changing
into a co-ed school," explained Misuko. "Are you listening?" she
asked Koenma as she noticed that Koenma was busy sipping from his cup
of coffee.
"Yeah, go on."
"First thing, she has the brains you need for solving cases.
Nearly every year back at Junior High, she was the top student. A lot
of people could hardly even get close to the marks she got, even
myself. Speaking of intuition, she had a very special sixth sense;
she is able to sense things like for example, where a stolen handbag
is located. I am not sure about her Reiki but I know she has physical
strength. She holds a black belt in karate-do," said Misuko in detail
this time.
"Can you get her here? I want to interview her... She sounds
like a very interesting person," said Koenma, closing his eyes for a
short rest.
"Okay, at once!" Misuko stood up and gulped down her coffee.
She reached out her hand and an oar materialized. She made her way
out of the cafeteria and out of the Reikai building. There, she
hopped on her oar and sailed through the air.
Through the clouds and mist, she soared and turned; at last she
reached Ningenkai. Spotting a deserted playground, she soared down
and rested on the soft green grass. She leaped off the oar gracefully
to land on the grass below. She took the oar by its handle and
dematerialized it. *It wouldn't be very sweet if someone sees me
sailing through the air like that.* she thought to herself.
"What a shock okaasan will get." she wondered to herself
aimlessly as she walked up to the gate of her home and unlocked the
gate. Her mom was watering the plants when she walked in silently.
"Eh, Mi-chan, why are you back so soon? I thought you will be
at your friend's place until the end of the holidays." asked Misuko's
mother curiously.
"Yeah, you're right okasan. I'm back just to get some stuff,"
answered Misuko as she ran upstairs to her room. She opened the door
of her room and rummaged through the drawers of her dressing table.
"Where's the damned address book?" asked Misuko to herself as
she pulled out drawer after drawer.
At last, she picked up a dark blue covered address booklet. She
bent down to open the French windows as wide as she could, then she
sat on her oar in her opened palm and flew out.
*I hope I still have Arisa's address,* mumbled Misuko to
herself as she leafed through the small address booklet.
"Ah ha!" Misuko yelled in triumph and turned her oar's
navigation to another direction. Finally, she stopped her oar in
front of a terrace house. She pressed on the door bell and waited for
an answer.
At last, a girl with black eyes and shoulder length jet black
hair answered the door and her eyes lit up when she saw Misuko.
"Misuko! I haven't seen you for quite a long time!" greeted the
girl.
"Arisa, I also haven't seen you for a long, long time," greeted
Misuko.
"Come in," invited Arisa as she unlocked the garden gate.
"How are you doing nowadays?" asked Misuko as she sat down on
the garden chair.
"Life's boring, especially in an all-boys school. Although
there are quite a number of other girls, but they are too shy to talk
with anyone else," answered Arisa as she let out a yawn.
Misuko eyed her carefully from head to toe. Arisa's way of
dressing had changed a lot since she went into a boy's school. She
used to like wearing shorts and trousers; but now she was dressed in
a straight long skirt reaching her ankles while her top was long
sleeved and the hem was about four inches above her knees. The collar
was round necked with a slit of about two and a half inches in the
middle.
"You have changed a lot," said Misuko, astonished at her old
friend, as she thought of Arisa's tom-boyish behavior when they last
met during new year.
"Yeah, especially when you see only guys around you the whole
day," answered Arisa glumly.
"Actually, since you are feeling bored, why not help me this
problem," began Misuko as she looked at her friend.
"Tell me about it and I'll help if it's within my power,"
answered Arisa.
"Well, my boyfriend's place needs a Reikai Investigator. Reikai
is actually a place for spirits to stop by before going to their
final destinations."
"Your boyfriend? Reikai? Investigator?" Arisa asked in a very
confused state.
"Okay, let's make it easier. We need someone who's able to see
and feel things that ordinary humans can't. That means dealing
with spirits and youkais. Other than that, the investigator must be
good in physical fighting," explained Misuko.
"Alright! I take that offer!" said Arisa as she jumped up. "I'm
so happy that I won't be wasting these holidays at home without doing
anything useful... Kaasan and Tousan are on a business trip that
lasts until the end of the month," Arisa babbled on happily.
"Since you agree, hold on to my oar; I'll take you to Reikai,"
said Misuko.
"Misuko, just one question. How did you got involved in these
things?" asked Arisa.
"Long story," came the reply from Misuko as she produced an oar
from the thin air.
"Can you hold on for a minute, I'm getting some stuff to bring
along," said Arisa she got up and ran inside her house. Arisa ran
straight up to her room and pulled out a pair of jeans, a few T-
shirts, shorts and some other items of clothing. She stuffed all of
it into a backpack and ran outside again to meet Misuko. Just before
she left, she wrote a note on the dining table stating that she would
be back in two weeks time.
*Besides Otousan and Okaasan wouldn't be back that soon,*
thought Arisa to herself as she composed the message.
Arisa grabbed the end of Misuko's oar as Misuko sailed through
the air, before reaching a large building shrouded in misty clouds.
"Here we are, the Imperial Palace of Reikai," said Misuko aloud
to Arisa as they stood in front of it. Arisa looked at it in awe.
"This is definitely going to be challenging," felt Arisa as she
stared at the magnificent structure.
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Copyright reserved 1998 W. Siew Lee
All standard Yu Yu Hakusho disclaimers apply to this fanfic.
E-mail: Siew Lee <wsiewlee@tm.net.my>
URL: http://members.xoom.com/hiei/
UIN: #14025577
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