The decision was made that a bout would determine the head guardian
of Genkai's sacred temple. Three years ago, she had named Yusuke and his
friends heirs to her temple and estate. Unlike previous fights, this would
be nothing more than a test to determine who would head the estate.
Standing in the swampy battlefield, with Botan and Genkai, Keiko watched
her husband attentively as he fought against Hiei. "Just like old times,
Pal," spouted Yusuke, sounding brash. "Yeah, but done expected me going
easy on you," Hiei snorted. "The same goes double for me." "Hey, ask that
wife of yours when the hell she's going to drop that kid already." "I
heard that," snapped Keiko, laughing and clenching in pain at the same
time. "You okay honey?" asked Botan. "Just a second.um okay," she exhaled
in a relaxed breath. "What does that make it? Third." "Third
contraction, about every thirty minutes," responded Keiko, "I'm fine
though, really." She refocused her attention to Yusuke, watching him
fight, like he had done countless times before. At this point, unlike
seven years ago, it seemed as though the rei-gun was just a routine weapon.
And on this swamp of lost souls, the ki-energy from his body seemed to
magnify.
It hadn't been 20 minutes from the last contraction when again pain shot through Keiko like a lightning bolt. Once again she clenched her teeth until the pain subsided. "Wow, that was a strong one!" she gasped, exhaling forcibly. "You know if you need to lay down, you can have my bed, back at the temple," offered Genkai. "Thank you, ma'am," smiled back Keiko. Seeing a glimpse of her husband in her peripheral vision blast his way across the soggy landscape, her eyes shifted back to him. It was almost like watching a sumo-wrestling match on TV. Suddenly, without warning, Keiko felt pain and pressure again. As the pain subsided this time, a different sensation took over her body. An uh-oh expression found itself onto her face. She hesitatively looked into Botan's lavender eyes. "Can you call out to Yusuke for me?" "Why?" "It's.it's time." Botan did as requested. Yusuke paused abruptly to the sound of the blue-haired girl's voice calling out his name. "What's the matter, Yusuke?" He looked at the demon in the eye for a second, and then sprinted over to the women. A look of shock came over his face, as he saw his wife in great pain. "Keiko, what's wrong?" "It's happening," she cried in a shaky voice. Yusuke hastily turned his head towards Hiei. "You are the fastest one here. Could you please head over to the temple, and warn everyone there that we are coming back?" "Sure thing," he agreed without argument and zipped away towards the courtyard.
Back at the temple, Kurama was sleeping, stretched out on his stomach, on the temple's veranda. Shizuru sat beside him, hunched over, smoking a cigarette. Her eyes slightly gazed at her brother, out in the courtyard practicing for his turn on the field. A quickened sharp voice soon interrupted everything. "Alright, listen up. I am only going to say this once, Yusuke is coming back right now, he will be here shortly." "What happened? Why so soon?" wondered Kurama in a groggy voice, looking at his watch, "It has only been an hour since you all left." "Hn, I know, but it's Keiko, she's." "Something's wrong with her?" Kurama sat up with a start. "What is going on.oh my gosh, this is it." "How far apart are the contractions?" wondered Shizuru, as she stood up from where she was sitting, snuffing out her cigarette. "I didn't ask, but by the way she was acting, I'd say." "About five minutes," interrupted a hurried sounding voice. "How did you get here so soon?" pondered Kazuma, rushing over to Yusuke and Keiko. "No time for that, this kid is coming fast."
The group got inside the temple and right away Yusuke carried his wife over to the bed Genkai had offered them, which was on the floor beside the upper right corner beside a wall. He laid her on the bed, on her back. Immediately, Kurama got right to work. He ordered her to spread her legs apart, as far as she could. She did has he instructed. "Have you done this before?" questioned Kuwabara. "Yes I have, my step aunt had a baby not too long ago and I helped her deliver him." Turning his attention to Keiko, he asked, "Are you ready?" Unable to talk, she gave a slight nod. "You are fully dilated, I want you to start pushing." Clenching Yusuke's hand, she commenced to push. Kurama started counting to ten, then ordered her to relax. "Ready, go." She pushed, her face getting beet red. "Easy, Girl, no need to rush," said Shizuru in a calm firm voice. Kurama finished counting and again ordered Keiko to relax. She did so, panting. "I have the head." "Oh my goodness," Yusuke said in astonishment, trying to sneak a peak. "Genkai do you have a towel or big clothe of some kind?" "I am way ahead of you, Boy." She presented to him a soft, white, cottony towel. Quickly, Kurama grabbed the towel from her. "Okay, Hon, again, push." Keiko did just that, holding her breath so tight. As he was counting to ten this time, the baby's shoulders began to slide out. "Okay it's out, it's out. she's out." Kurama's voice was becoming exasperated. "She?" Yusuke said in amazement, "We had a girl?" Quickly the walls of the temple were filled with the shrills of the baby's cry. Her little lungs sounded as healthy as ever. Wrapped up in the towel, Kurama knelt down beside Keiko and presented her with the new daughter. "Oh my goodness." Keiko's eyes became filled with tears at the sight of the baby, her heart beating like that of a racehorse. "She is beautiful. She's a hairy little one," Keiko commented, noticing the black tufts of hair on her head. "She looks like her daddy," looking into Yusuke's eyes when she said it. He chuckled a bit and took the baby into his arms. "What do you think we should name her?" "Megumi," suggested Keiko. "That's pretty, where did you get that name?" "I had an aunt named Megumi, but she died two years ago. I wanted to honor her by naming this baby, if it was going be a girl, after her." "Then Megumi it will be. What do you think about that, Megumi Urameshi?" Yusuke asked his daughter, as if she was even aware of the conversation. Her tiny fist clenched to his index finger. "Keiko, I just love this." He turned is head towards his wife and found her fast asleep. He smiled gently, seeing her flopped onto her side, dead to the world. Yusuke spoke no more words and reclined on the edge of the bed with his back and head against the wall.
Hours seemed to drift by like leaves in a creek. Yusuke's eyes were becoming heavy, as he tried to fight off sleep. Megumi was curled up on his chest, short busts of cries upon her breathe, and her eyes closed tightly, the daylight still seemed too bright to her. He was about to drift off to sleep, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Yusuke looked up and saw the old woman standing next to him. "Hey, Grandma." "How are you doing, Yusuke?" Genkai wondered has she sat herself on the floor next to the bed. He just smiled and said nothing. The cooing from the child in his arms seemed all the answer Genkai needed. The old woman chuckled a bit and then sighed deeply. "What's the matter?" "Oh, nothing. I just. it's been what seven years since I have known you, Yusuke." Her eyes gazed at Megumi's tiny face. "Seven years ago, you came to my temple and drew that lot. Fought and earned the privilege to be my apprentice." "I remember that day, Grandma. Me and Kuwabara, we where fighting for that right. I also recall that demon Rando, wanting your power." "I remember it was that same year, you came to me, asking to help you build your strength for the Dark Tournament." She stared at the baby, her rickety fingers playing with the child's tiny feet. "Seven years is a long time, feels like a lifetime almost. Being an old psychic, that I am, I should have been able to predict this. But I have a hard time imaging that the punk kid I once knew, who came through my door, thinking of only about himself, would one day turn out to be this great fighter and now. I just.I just." Her coffee-brown eyes closed, she felt her tears trickling down her wrinkled face. "Oh look at this," she scolded, "You haven't been a father for less than a day, and end up making an old woman, like me, cry." Yusuke chuckled a bit, hugging his old teacher with his left arm.
"Hey, Genkai, I have an idea about the new manager for this temple." "Really?" "Could you do me a favor and call everyone back in?" "Of course." His teacher stood up and walked towards the wide-open doorway of the temple. "Keiko," he said, shaking her awake. "What is it, darling?" she said in a yawn. "Is something the matter with Megumi?" He shook his head and whispered in her ear. "That would be a neat idea. The perfect gift for her too." Yusuke handed Megumi to her mom, as he watched his friends come in, and watched as they sat in an assembly around the new parents. Yusuke spoke softly, so as not to disturb Megumi, "You know how it was decided there should be a fight to determine the next head guardian of this here temple." "I remember that you owe me a do over," snorted Hiei. "Yeah well, would you settle for this idea instead? Could, do you think, this child, born here at the temple.?" "She could be the next guardian," interrupted Kurama, trying to finish his friend's thought, "There's a thought. I like it myself." "Yeah, but Urameshi," pondered Kuwabara, "she just a tiny baby, how would she manage such a huge responsibility? Do you think she will even have the ability to control her ki energy like you?" "In time, yes, Megumi will be able to handle it. Don't worry, I will be teaching her everything that I know." "Oh great, then we're screwed," chuckled Hiei, "because you don't know a damn thing." His comment sent everyone in the room into a state of laughter. Keiko sat in the bed, leaned her back against the wall, covering the ears of Megumi from the sound of the laughter. "So, Little Miss," Genkai smiled, looking into the little girl's dark brown eyes, "are you ready to take over this temple for me?" Megumi looked at the old woman, smiling with her mouth open and her tiny pink tongue poking out, as if she was able to understand Genkai's words.
It hadn't been 20 minutes from the last contraction when again pain shot through Keiko like a lightning bolt. Once again she clenched her teeth until the pain subsided. "Wow, that was a strong one!" she gasped, exhaling forcibly. "You know if you need to lay down, you can have my bed, back at the temple," offered Genkai. "Thank you, ma'am," smiled back Keiko. Seeing a glimpse of her husband in her peripheral vision blast his way across the soggy landscape, her eyes shifted back to him. It was almost like watching a sumo-wrestling match on TV. Suddenly, without warning, Keiko felt pain and pressure again. As the pain subsided this time, a different sensation took over her body. An uh-oh expression found itself onto her face. She hesitatively looked into Botan's lavender eyes. "Can you call out to Yusuke for me?" "Why?" "It's.it's time." Botan did as requested. Yusuke paused abruptly to the sound of the blue-haired girl's voice calling out his name. "What's the matter, Yusuke?" He looked at the demon in the eye for a second, and then sprinted over to the women. A look of shock came over his face, as he saw his wife in great pain. "Keiko, what's wrong?" "It's happening," she cried in a shaky voice. Yusuke hastily turned his head towards Hiei. "You are the fastest one here. Could you please head over to the temple, and warn everyone there that we are coming back?" "Sure thing," he agreed without argument and zipped away towards the courtyard.
Back at the temple, Kurama was sleeping, stretched out on his stomach, on the temple's veranda. Shizuru sat beside him, hunched over, smoking a cigarette. Her eyes slightly gazed at her brother, out in the courtyard practicing for his turn on the field. A quickened sharp voice soon interrupted everything. "Alright, listen up. I am only going to say this once, Yusuke is coming back right now, he will be here shortly." "What happened? Why so soon?" wondered Kurama in a groggy voice, looking at his watch, "It has only been an hour since you all left." "Hn, I know, but it's Keiko, she's." "Something's wrong with her?" Kurama sat up with a start. "What is going on.oh my gosh, this is it." "How far apart are the contractions?" wondered Shizuru, as she stood up from where she was sitting, snuffing out her cigarette. "I didn't ask, but by the way she was acting, I'd say." "About five minutes," interrupted a hurried sounding voice. "How did you get here so soon?" pondered Kazuma, rushing over to Yusuke and Keiko. "No time for that, this kid is coming fast."
The group got inside the temple and right away Yusuke carried his wife over to the bed Genkai had offered them, which was on the floor beside the upper right corner beside a wall. He laid her on the bed, on her back. Immediately, Kurama got right to work. He ordered her to spread her legs apart, as far as she could. She did has he instructed. "Have you done this before?" questioned Kuwabara. "Yes I have, my step aunt had a baby not too long ago and I helped her deliver him." Turning his attention to Keiko, he asked, "Are you ready?" Unable to talk, she gave a slight nod. "You are fully dilated, I want you to start pushing." Clenching Yusuke's hand, she commenced to push. Kurama started counting to ten, then ordered her to relax. "Ready, go." She pushed, her face getting beet red. "Easy, Girl, no need to rush," said Shizuru in a calm firm voice. Kurama finished counting and again ordered Keiko to relax. She did so, panting. "I have the head." "Oh my goodness," Yusuke said in astonishment, trying to sneak a peak. "Genkai do you have a towel or big clothe of some kind?" "I am way ahead of you, Boy." She presented to him a soft, white, cottony towel. Quickly, Kurama grabbed the towel from her. "Okay, Hon, again, push." Keiko did just that, holding her breath so tight. As he was counting to ten this time, the baby's shoulders began to slide out. "Okay it's out, it's out. she's out." Kurama's voice was becoming exasperated. "She?" Yusuke said in amazement, "We had a girl?" Quickly the walls of the temple were filled with the shrills of the baby's cry. Her little lungs sounded as healthy as ever. Wrapped up in the towel, Kurama knelt down beside Keiko and presented her with the new daughter. "Oh my goodness." Keiko's eyes became filled with tears at the sight of the baby, her heart beating like that of a racehorse. "She is beautiful. She's a hairy little one," Keiko commented, noticing the black tufts of hair on her head. "She looks like her daddy," looking into Yusuke's eyes when she said it. He chuckled a bit and took the baby into his arms. "What do you think we should name her?" "Megumi," suggested Keiko. "That's pretty, where did you get that name?" "I had an aunt named Megumi, but she died two years ago. I wanted to honor her by naming this baby, if it was going be a girl, after her." "Then Megumi it will be. What do you think about that, Megumi Urameshi?" Yusuke asked his daughter, as if she was even aware of the conversation. Her tiny fist clenched to his index finger. "Keiko, I just love this." He turned is head towards his wife and found her fast asleep. He smiled gently, seeing her flopped onto her side, dead to the world. Yusuke spoke no more words and reclined on the edge of the bed with his back and head against the wall.
Hours seemed to drift by like leaves in a creek. Yusuke's eyes were becoming heavy, as he tried to fight off sleep. Megumi was curled up on his chest, short busts of cries upon her breathe, and her eyes closed tightly, the daylight still seemed too bright to her. He was about to drift off to sleep, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Yusuke looked up and saw the old woman standing next to him. "Hey, Grandma." "How are you doing, Yusuke?" Genkai wondered has she sat herself on the floor next to the bed. He just smiled and said nothing. The cooing from the child in his arms seemed all the answer Genkai needed. The old woman chuckled a bit and then sighed deeply. "What's the matter?" "Oh, nothing. I just. it's been what seven years since I have known you, Yusuke." Her eyes gazed at Megumi's tiny face. "Seven years ago, you came to my temple and drew that lot. Fought and earned the privilege to be my apprentice." "I remember that day, Grandma. Me and Kuwabara, we where fighting for that right. I also recall that demon Rando, wanting your power." "I remember it was that same year, you came to me, asking to help you build your strength for the Dark Tournament." She stared at the baby, her rickety fingers playing with the child's tiny feet. "Seven years is a long time, feels like a lifetime almost. Being an old psychic, that I am, I should have been able to predict this. But I have a hard time imaging that the punk kid I once knew, who came through my door, thinking of only about himself, would one day turn out to be this great fighter and now. I just.I just." Her coffee-brown eyes closed, she felt her tears trickling down her wrinkled face. "Oh look at this," she scolded, "You haven't been a father for less than a day, and end up making an old woman, like me, cry." Yusuke chuckled a bit, hugging his old teacher with his left arm.
"Hey, Genkai, I have an idea about the new manager for this temple." "Really?" "Could you do me a favor and call everyone back in?" "Of course." His teacher stood up and walked towards the wide-open doorway of the temple. "Keiko," he said, shaking her awake. "What is it, darling?" she said in a yawn. "Is something the matter with Megumi?" He shook his head and whispered in her ear. "That would be a neat idea. The perfect gift for her too." Yusuke handed Megumi to her mom, as he watched his friends come in, and watched as they sat in an assembly around the new parents. Yusuke spoke softly, so as not to disturb Megumi, "You know how it was decided there should be a fight to determine the next head guardian of this here temple." "I remember that you owe me a do over," snorted Hiei. "Yeah well, would you settle for this idea instead? Could, do you think, this child, born here at the temple.?" "She could be the next guardian," interrupted Kurama, trying to finish his friend's thought, "There's a thought. I like it myself." "Yeah, but Urameshi," pondered Kuwabara, "she just a tiny baby, how would she manage such a huge responsibility? Do you think she will even have the ability to control her ki energy like you?" "In time, yes, Megumi will be able to handle it. Don't worry, I will be teaching her everything that I know." "Oh great, then we're screwed," chuckled Hiei, "because you don't know a damn thing." His comment sent everyone in the room into a state of laughter. Keiko sat in the bed, leaned her back against the wall, covering the ears of Megumi from the sound of the laughter. "So, Little Miss," Genkai smiled, looking into the little girl's dark brown eyes, "are you ready to take over this temple for me?" Megumi looked at the old woman, smiling with her mouth open and her tiny pink tongue poking out, as if she was able to understand Genkai's words.