Chapter One

Yusuke sighed sitting on the roof looking at the sun set. They were all grown… They were all grown to the human sense and still hanging around the house. He closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't get rid of them. Katsumo he knew stuck around for the sanity of his own father and Yusuke was partially thankful for it, but he was still a kid in his mind at times, and annoying as hell when at that. The eldest of his three brothers who eventually let his brown hair grow long and stop cutting it. It took too much time out of his busy lifestyle. Of sitting around, picking fights with his brother then going into 'his territory' that he claimed in Makai, killing demons who annoyed him for a few weeks at a time then returned for a few months.

Yusuke turned to Shio who hadn't grown at all, was still a punk who couldn't buck up. As he grew older he didn't look as much like himself and like a mix of… he didn't know. But the fool was the laziest out of all of them. He didn't do anything in Makai, he didn't do anything in Ningenkai, he didn't want to do anything in any place. He played games with his best friend who was like him in most ways except a white spirit fox that was about four years older than he was. What they were doing right now. Stupid Nijuu jumped over him, Shio grabbed them and they started to fight… More so Shio trying to fight and Nijuu pouncing on him, other wise making sure to jump out of the way. Why the hell the both of them had that much energy and couldn't do anything productive with it was beyond him.

And then there was Souta, who was a damned full fledged demon who wore makeup, women's makeup, every day of his life because he wouldn't train and would rather be a school teacher to humans. Infact he was sure there were a number of average humans that could kill him as weak as he was. He shrugged thinking of it. He figured he wanted to be just like his mother and let him. They didn't talk much at all. He still lived there, cooked for them… But he had no love for the boy. They were demons living in a demon household and he would rather be a human. The last time they got in a fight about five years ago, when they used to speak once every month for about five minutes 'just because', Yusuke had called the boy worthless again and good for nothing when he said it.

Ending with Souta excusing himself, wishing his blind sighted father dead instead of his kind, loving and understanding father. Violence solved nothing, he was half demon, and would get rid of the half if he could.

He closed his eyes again thinking about it. He really had said he wish he were human like his mother. But he's not, and he wears makeup still. He hasn't spoke to his youngest son since then, not even an occasional grunt, and when they looked at each other it was obvious.

'He's just like how I was for the longest of times. I didn't want to be what I am today, but I am, and I'm living with it and not regretting because I can't change the past.' He saw Souta ride in from work on his bike and wave at his brothers and Nijuu, who stopped, waved, said hello, then went back to fighting as he walked inside. 'But you're still worthless to me. And you're not half human fool. Stupid battle demon blood is too potent. As far as any demon's concerned, you're a fool blood…Not that you care about your heritage nor do I care you don't.' He let out a sigh, looking up at a cloud. 'Keiko would probably roll in her grave for what you and I go through…Or don't go through.'

Yusuke turned on the roof seeing Yoko. Yusuke figured even with his own… Nothing could compare with what was happening with the spirit fox. The fox barley did anything any more. His mate had been deceived, and apparently died a very painful death. And it tore him apart that he couldn't do anything once again. Yusuke actually wondered why he was still living, not that he wanted him dead, but because… If it had been the other way around he knew he would have walked around until he died. The fox was broken and had been for a long time and didn't want to do anything to change it. Yoko's daughter was grown now in the human sense age wise and inbetween the family house as they all called it and Makai. He had forbid her from taking a mate until she was grown in kitsune standards, but she…

Yusuke shook his head not wanting to think about what he had heard of Katsumi's sex drive equal to her fathers. 'I practically raised the kid with him I don't want to think like that. Even I've heard rumors in Makai when I manage to drag my sorry butt there, that all of the males are after her and those that get her have a time of their lives. And of course when Yoko confronts her about it, she smiles daintily using every ounce of kitsune trickery she has and tells him that they are all lies.' Yusuke looked on at Yoko still seeing him look up, meaning she was coming back from Makai and staying for a while. 'Can't you see you're only hurting him?'

The only other person who came by the family house often enough was Shuichi, and the only reason he was still alive… Well he was even less human than Yoko had found out. He had watched all of his completely human friends and family die off, the most tragic for him his little step brother who wondered why he hadn't aged much at all since he knew he was going to be his family. He had gotten sick and died young, before his time. When he came to Yoko, completely distraught and asked the broken spirit fox how much of his demon blood truly ran through him when Yoko broke the news to him. He was half demon, and he'd be around for a much longer time.

Surprisingly Shuichi wasn't mad at him at all and knew the broken spirit fox hadn't told him because he wanted him to act, love, and cherish every moment he had with his family and friends like it was his last. He had hid it within them when they separated so no one could sense it, but removed it upon his knowledge. And he did just that, so he really couldn't be mad or complain even if he wanted to. But the visits Shuichi paid to the family house were for longer periods of time, but spread out more. He lived in America now, as a professor where he went to college, having to fake his graduation so that he didn't seem as old as he really was, other wise he'd turn into a test experiment.

"Hey Daddy! How are you doing?"

Yusuke looked up seeing the kitsune girl, who he guess was a woman but he'd never think of any of them as anything else but kids, or punks when it came to Nijuu and Shio. Katsumi wore a non revealing kimono that looked too expensive and gave her father a hug. She was the only one who could get some type of response from him aside of… Yes, no, leave, sigh, growl with out communication… That was all. And she knew it and used that to get what she wanted as well. Yusuke supposed that if Yoko were okay he'd be proud of her, minus all of the rutting she was doing, but it only tore at him more, and he couldn't say anything.

'I wonder if she's sleeping with dudes and getting their stuff that way or a thief like her father. I mean he did train her more intensively than he even did with Zokusai…'

Yusuke looked up. He had almost forgotten about him in his memory thing. He tried to think about the people still in his life once a year, deeply, since his wife died. She was human, she was loved, and he cried. He cried for weeks. It was the last time Yoko had spoken to him more than his selection of words. Yusuke smiled thinking back. He really did make use of all of the time he had spent with Uremeshi Kieko. After a while he only went to Makai when she was at work and not even all of that time. And with thanks of the old Totosai there really were cell phone reception areas in Makai, because the old geezer did have one. And Kieko could call him, though fuzzy most of the times, and it didn't make her seem so far away. Makai would always be there, she wouldn't.

But she did die. She was one hundred and Yusuke kidded her saying she didn't look a day over seventy four. When she quit her job he would have stopped going to Makai all together, but… It was the reason they married in the first place, why they were mates. She understood him. Even when he was mainly human and going on missions, she knew that it was something she had to do. She didn't like being lied to back then and left in the dark, but once she was informed they couldn't have been closer, even with the smacks. They did sting even as a demon though they were much less frequent then, and he never did figure out how, mate thing he guessed…

He smiled looking up. He had buried her, making sure the police didn't know about it, in the park they first met as kids. And even now he remembered every moment of it. She was the only one who'd talk to him. And when they grew up they kept going back to the same park for memories. There was a small well done tombstone that had magic around it, sot that no one could try harming it… And if they did try he'd kill them.

Zokusai was the one he normally forgot about. He… Yusuke figured he was affected by the death of his mother- The murder of his mother much like his father, just in a different way. He hadn't seen him since he told him and his brother to go back to Shuichi years ago. Nijuu had told them that they had sensed what happened to their mother before they made it to where Shuichi was, that Yusuke could really run that fast. And they both stopped. Nijuu for once listened and didn't run back after them. And the only thing Zokusai had said to his brother was go to Shuichi, and he took off. Nijuu couldn't find him, he was simply faster. When Nijuu told Yoko he oddly seemed not to even care. Zokusai had been close to his mother, and his daughter would only have one older brother in her life and would never know the other. Yusuke had no idea of where he was.

'That's everyone. I don't think even Yoko knows that I do this every time on my birthday… Probably because Kieko was the only one who ever knew when it was. Not like I have birth records laying around. I'm one hundred thirty three. Ninety three since Kagome died, thirty three without Kieko…'

Shio and Nijuu looked up seeing Yusuke push off the roof. "Where ya goin' Dad/Yusuke?"

Yusuke continued not looking back. "For a walk."

Shio spoke with Nijuu waving. "Okay! Later Dad!"

Yusuke smirked. There was one thing that kept him going now adays. He had learned to block his old man out of his head and body about fifty years ago, meaning he wasn't going to his little shack, get yelled at and apparently train. Besides he was… The man did say seventy five years, so he did have... How many years left?

'I should have seen him about nineteen years ago. Too bad old man I'm not going.'

Yusuke smirked some walking. He looked around at the billboards not caring if his wild long hair drew attention, but he did at least have the knowledge to mask his markings. There were a few things he was thankful to have picked up about being a battle demon. With enough strength and training, you could hide your markings, and if you wanted to, even change the length of your hair. He didn't leave the family house, so he didn't have to use it often.

If Souta cared to train at all when he was younger he would probably save half of his pay checks from buying makeup… How long had he been away? He had been walking for about…

Yusuke stopped looking around. He had no idea where he was at.

"And when did I leave."

Yusuke looked around seeing the date on a massive sign, and figured from the last date he hoped was close to when he left, or he was really screwed… His eyes widened some.

"I left forty three days ago?" Yusuke looked around in the busy city. "The hell type of time perception do I have when I'm lost in my own head! Gotta be Tokyo- That date's gotta be wrong no way I walked from outside Osaka to Tokyo-"

A kid wearing a school uniform walked past laughing at him. "-You probably did walk from Osaka looking like that mister!"

Yusuke ignored the kid and worried. About Katsumo, Shio, and Nijuu. When Yoko started to shut down even more he had to deal with Nijuu and help him out, he was more of a son to him than Souta could ever dream for, but he wasn't his son and didn't want him as his son. Besides Nijuu didn't see him as that. He didn't want to worry them and think that he just left them, he really had no idea how long he was gone.

'Or that I could stay awake that long.'

Yusuke figured he should call them and looked around then cursed to himself. There was absolutely nothing in Japan that was free and he was surprised that no one had tried to charge him for using the shade yet. He started walking seeing a shrine in the middle of the city on a large hill, thinking it rather odd, but better for him. Shrines were supposed to cater to the masses, he was part of the masses, they had to let him use the phone for free.

Yusuke quickly jumped to the top of the stairs getting a bit of nostalgia and not knowing why. When he frowned. There were a few cobwebs and a large sign on the door. A broken window, a small shack to the side boarded up. The shrine was privately owned now, and it looked as if no one had even walked up to the place in years.

'Meaning they wouldn't have a working phone line.'

Yusuke sighed and figured he could run back in a few hours but didn't feel like it. The thinking, walking had done him good and would just have to find a phone. He turned to leave noticing the well done work on the shrine house and figured it to be older than he was-

Yusuke froze muscles tensed. He didn't know what it was, but it was close. He didn't know why he didn't sense it earlier, he had walked right past the area coming up. He closed his eyes not feeling a threat and felt… Calmness radiating to his left and turned seeing a massive tree standing and his eyes quickly widened.

Nijuu pounced on Katsumo. "Now who's laughing-"

Katusmo shoved him off glaring at him. "This is why I don't hang around you clowns."

Shio smiled big. "Awh how nice of you brother. Me and Nijuu are going to Makai for a little bit you wanna come?"

Nijuu smiled tongue hanging some. "Yeah it'll be fun!"

Katsumo growled at both of them. "No thank you." He heard the phone ring, turned towards the house, then turned back seeing the two running off. "Check up and see if Dad's there while you're at it!"

Nijuu shouted in the distance. "Why we're going! Making it into a big race!"

Katsumo walked inside picked up the phone and spoke wondering why the person didn't hang up after eleven rings, they needed an answering machine. "You have reached the Uremeshi household. We're not able to answer the phone right now so please leave your name, number, and a brief message and we'll try to get back to you-"

"-boy shut up and give the phone to Yoko."

Katsumo was wide eyed. 'Aside from the fact that I haven't heard that much emotion from him in a long time he came back to us… Using a phone?' "Dad? Where are you what happened we've been searching through Makai looking for you we called but you normally never have your cell phone and it was inside at the family house are you oka-"

"-Katsumo shut up! Damnit! Where's Yoko at."

"He's somewhere in Makai-"

"-what the fuck! Of all of the damn times for that depressed fox to not be sitting in the same spot killing the grass under his ass why now- Better yet you go into Makai and find him. You have five hours to do so and I will call back in exactly- You have one hour to do so and I will cal back then. Go now."

Katsumo had his mouth open looking at the phone. "Did he just…" Katsumos' eyes widened. "How the hell am I supposed to find Yoko in one
hour-" Katsumo took off running hanging up the phone. "-he's at the- Ah!"

Yoko sat looking at a mound of yellow roses in the shape of Grus. He didn't smile. He remembered that she had happened to come across her grave site when she was alive and asked why he used daises. And she had told him she didn't have a favorite flower, but liked roses because they reminded her of him. Back then he had smiled and asked if they reminded her of Shuichi as well. She shoved him some, walked off, and told him yellow roses reminded her sorta of him and that she should have been more specific. And he knew she meant his eyes, since there aren't amber colored roses.

He sensed Nijuu and Shio in the far distance running around. He had a daughter who was exactly like him when he was younger, just female. Sex, jewels, and a superb thief. Then him, an odd kitsune of a son that was technically a spirit fox…He had taken well to training when he was younger, then it was as if he reached a limit quickly. Training didn't stick to him, and he dind't care to learn more, simply play, jump around, spend his every waking and sleeping moment seemingly with Shio.

Yoko looked up sensing Katsumo running, in the very far distance as well, but coming towards him, at an alarming speed. Not wanting him around this area he stood quickly leaving and getting some distance. He wanted to know what happened, because Yusuke was the only one who knew around where the area was but knew well that he wanted no one to know of it. He waited for about three minutes when he saw Katsumo looking at him and let out a sigh.

"Yoko. My Dad called and we have seven minutes to come back he's gonna call again he told me it sounded very important wouldn't tell me only speak to you please come back."

Yoko ran with the boy, and seeing how quickly he ran, though he was the only male still living at the house that did anything, it was very quick. Which made the long dead curious streak in him come out some.

'Katsumo almost looked scared that he would not find me in time, meaning Yusuke is extremely serious. He doesn't play around anymore and hasn't for thirty three years… So what is it?'

Yoko exited the portal hearing the telephone ringing in the distance when it hit him. Yusuke didn't tell him where he was, why it took him slightly longer to find him. He ran inside sensing no one around or in the house and picked up the phone hearing a pause.

"Yusuke."

"I found the Shikkon no tama."

Yoko paused. It was the last thing he was expecting for him to say. It had been decades-

"-Damnit Yoko do not space out into memories now come here now I don't know what to do and I'm not touching the thing."

"Where."

"Her family shrine. I'll be waiting."

Yoko turned to Katsumo. "Are you here or in Makai."

"Tell me where you want me to go."

Yoko growled to himself. "Makai, find Katsumi and tell her not to come back until I come for her."

Katsumo nodded. It would give him a great challenge. No one could track that girl from what he knew of.

"Right. I'll tell the rest as well…Should I tell Souta to stay at his loft?"

Yoko nodded then took off running. He had no idea of what the appearance of the cursed jewel meant, but he was going to find out.