E.H.: Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am back. Now with a different fandom. In all honesty, I have been a huge Yu Yu Hakusho fan for a looooong time. I just never thought to write anything on this series; just enjoyed reading some of your fantastic stories. I think it's about time I did. This is my first Yu Yu Hakusho story UPLOAD... I had another fanfiction in the process but it's just not...working yet.

Before you read on there are a few things I need to cover. Firstly, I adore this plotline and the characters very much. I will be taking this story onward from where we left off in the anime AND the Manga. Please be aware that some things will be...dark. Parts will be a bit tense. Also, Yusuke's father was never actually given a name so his name is COMPLETELY my rendition of the man. Nothing more.

This fiction will be rated M for reasons people. If it offends you, please don't read.

I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Just my twisted brain and own characters. Without futher adiue...

Deathly Snow

Reflection was something she didn't care too much for. With a heavy sigh, she turned away from the mirror before her. She ran her hands through her midnight tresses, sneering at the way they immediately recoiled into spirals. Sweeping the up, she contained them in an elastic band before the tell-tale signs of life began to sound outside her room. One last disgusted look at her pale reflection set her feet into motion. Yanking the door open, she slung her bag onto her shoulder. Coffee scented the air around her. A frown settled on her face. Coffee. Morning. That could only mean one thing… Suppressing a groan, she stepped around the corner. Sure enough he was on the couch with a woman, both smoking. He looked up and waved half-assed.

"Morning' kid." He grumbled barely alive.

"Morning parental unit." She replied, ignoring the woman. After all, she wouldn't last. They never did. Plus, they usually got jealous of her looks making snide comments around her; not that she ever understood why they bothered. She wasn't anything special to look at; she hated everything they were jealous over.

"You have a kid?" The woman started. He began to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Atsuko, I uh…"

"What, Kazuki?" This Atsuko woman sat back, seeming to enjoy his squirming. "Did you leave her mom too? Or was this a 'special' case?"

"Atsuko, her mother…"

"Died." She supplied for both adults emotionlessly. After all, emotion did her little good. "Daddy-dear-wums here really had no choice."

"Shiyu!"

"Father!" Shiyu threw back in a mock of his tone. She then looked at the Atsuko woman. "Word of advice? Screw him and then run. He has a hard time with commitment. Duty made him keep me or else I'd be with my mom…"

"Kid, take it easy on your dad, ok? He and I had a go…long ago."

"Hey, it's only been eight-"

"…teen. Eighteen, Kazu. Years. Yusuke's eighteen now." Atsuko took a drag off her cigarette. "Damn it, Kazu! Do you have any idea how pissed he's gonna be when he finds out that not only have I been hanging with you again but that you've got a kid?"

Confused barely scratched the surface of Shiyu's feelings. "Who the heck is this Yusuke?"

Atsuko opened her mouth to reply only to be cut off by Shiyu's phone alarm, alerting her to the time. Kazu looked relieved, "we'll talk after school."

"Sure dad, I'm certain that'll happen." Shiyu turned and fled the confusing tension.

School flew by as Shiyu went through the motions. Three times she was approached by the boys in her school. The first was an attempt for a date; however the other two had to do with the latest rumor the girls just loved to churn out. Apparently she was the rumor-mill created hooker. She pushed any emotional responses over the matter to the furthest of her mind and heart. She inherited her mother's looks, unfortunately. Therefore, anything she may have done in her lifetime had been handed down to Shiyu's reputation. Then there was the jealousy that came with her mother's slightly exotic looks. It caused the boys to pay attention. The girls were always jealous over that little fact. Jealousy was on the things she most hated. However, being called 'pretty' was something she hated most. Never once had it been a sincere compliment…always a double edged jibe. Even though most girls would kill to be called pretty, but she so despised the very word an all its meanings.
With a relieved breath, she closed her locker. Time to leave school and head home; not that home was much better. Shiyu walked toward the exit only to watch it shroud over with shaded figures. She paused, feeling her inner core tensing for what was about to come before she clamped down her emotions again.

"What's with that face, Minori-chan?" One girl piped up. Shiyu never bothered to remember their names.

"What is with what face?" To Shiyu's credit, her tone was as smoothly bored as if she truly didn't care what they thought.

"Don't give us that! Everyone knows your mother was a stripper and a whore!"

"And?" Shiyu prompted, getting really tired of the same excuse they all used. "If that is all you have to say, then please don't bother wasting any of your precious hot air on it."

"Don't you get it? You're disgusting! No one wants you here. You're a blemish on this school's reputation!"

"Why don't you leave that up to mommy dearest and the PTA?" Shiyu filled her voice with as much ice and venom as she could. Oh, how tiring this was. Before she could move, one of the girls splashed her with a bucket of ice cold water. They trailed out, trilling with a chorus of giggles and slung insults like 'whore', 'slut', 'skank', etc. The last comment that rang clearest was from the first girl, "have fun walking home, Minori-chan. Hope you make it safely!" Shiyu stared outside at the frigid swirling air. Winter was just beginning and now she had to walk home in soaked clothes. Perfect. She turned and dug for what little change she had on her.

"At least I can catch one bus before I freeze to death." Hiking it to the closes bus stop, Shiyu nearly screamed in anger as she watched the bus already leaving. Running, she ducked under the bus stop cover already shivering. She checked the posted schedule for how long a wait she'd have. Cursing her luck, she huddled as far into the corner as possible without touching anything and prepared for her thirty minute wait. As if deciding her life wasn't sucking enough, the clouds let loose a flurry of snowflakes. If she hadn't been standing in the frigid cold, sopping wet, Shiyu would have found beauty in the way the silent flakes swirled and danced without a care. The way the world seemed to slow down and even stop in quiet reverence for the snowflakes was always heart stopping.

"Yo, man, there she is. That's her." Shiyu turned at the sound of a male voice. He was standing ten feet away with a group of guys all around the same age. They were all dressed in an American thug fashion; worst yet…they were all staring right at her. They started approaching her, catcalling. A quick survey told her she was utterly alone.
Fear rose in her throat, nearly choking her. Suddenly, all went absolutely silent around her save for one quiet, imperceptible voice that said one word in her mind…

'Run.'

All sound rushed back at once and she didn't bother to think; she just turned and ran. Her legs pumped with everything she had. The sound of extra foot-falls behind her alerted her to the fact they were indeed following. Angry shouts, threats, and curses echoed around her from behind. Shiyu turned a sharp corner, diving into an empty under bridge trail to one of the grassy parks. As she reached the end of the tunnel, her shoes slipped on black ice. She pitched forward onto the pavement, sliding off into the grass. Pain exploded in her head and body. Right as her vision cleared, one of the guys hauled her up by her hair. Reaching up, she tried to pry his hand out of her hair. In response to her actions, he jerked hard on her hair. Unbidden, a cry of pain tore loose from her throat.

"Answer me when I'm talkin' to you, bitch!"

In all her seventeen years, Shiyu could count on one hand how often she'd cried. Between the fear, anger, and pain that controlled her somehow tears breached her defensive walls. The jerk's hands were suddenly all over her. She couldn't be sure, but it almost felt like the earth was rumbling beneath her barely. One guy moved up to grab her arms while another grabbed her legs. Bringing her mind back into sharp focus, reality crashed down on her about what they were preparing to do to her. Knowing there was little she could do, she still began kick, thrash about, and scream as hard and loud as possible even if it was in vain. The main jerk let his hand loose and punched her so hard she tasted blood and saw stars behind her eyes.

Slowly, her safety net closed over her. She forced herself into a place with somewhere out there, outside her safety shell, something was happening. She fell in on herself like she did in school; letting the inner box of peace open and envelope her in calming tides. Oddly, the odd rumbling sensation slipped away with her conscious emotions too. They could hurt her body but they couldn't take her soul away. Falling into that safety deadened the blows and their groping hands. Shiyu began to feel absolutely numb so when the blows suddenly stopped and grimy hands left her body, she came out of the haze with a snapping feeling. Before her were three boys, or at least young men, who were beating back the thugs. A vicious shiver brought her attention to her clothes. Not only half frozen, they were now torn. Pushing up, she stood wobbling. One step, two, and then she was down, clutching herself. Teeth chattering, body shaking, and an odd tiredness swept over her. She only saw a flash of vivid red hair, an awful green jacket just past that, and heard an obnoxiously loud voice before her world faded to black.

There you have it, folks. Chapter one. I am writing this by hand first in my spare time. So I will post as soon as possible with my work schedule and such. I've found I feel more attached to hand-written then typed work. So your chances of this being updated more often is higher. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Second one is DONE just needs to be typed up! Expect an update soon!

Also, reviews are appreciated if they are helpful! Please no angry jibes or rude gestures. Thanks! (Side note, EH has no beta reader, therefore...mistakes are bound to happen. I ask for forgiveness ahead of time!)

~Erika Hearken