First Mission...and First Love

Ok, the part you've all been waiting for! (I hope) Akina gets her first mission as Assistant Spirit Detective when she's called to help Yusuke at Maze Castle. Of course, she meets a certain redhead there, and starts thinking about something other than her new duties. This story takes place after A Bigger Surprise than Yusuke's.

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters. Nor do I own the original plotline this story is based on. I only own Akina Sumora, and any ideas concerning her.

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"An assistant?!" Yusuke looked surprised, to say the least.

"That's right! You can't expect me to do everything, you know!" Botan answered playfully. "I can't stay in my human body all the time, so you need a real human to help you out when I can't be there. Don't worry, I think you'll be pleased. Now that you're back from Genkai's, you'll be meeting your assistant soon, so be prepared! Gotta run!" And with that Botan disappeared down the street.

"...Dammit, it's always one thing after another with her!" raged Yusuke. "Now she's gotta stick me with some random person who's supposed to help me with this crap?"

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Kuwabara interjected, who'd been listening to the conversation. "Maybe he's strong and really can help you out."

"Strong around here? Right, unless they moved here while I was on the mountain or got 10 times better overnight!"

"I can't think of any..."

"Then whoever he is, he must be as useless as you. Come on, let's get something to eat. You can treat me."

"Why should I, after you insult me like that?" And so they walked down the street, arguing as usual.

After they had eaten, they walked toward the park (still arguing). That's when Yusuke happened to notice a girl walking some distance ahead of them. "Hey, Kuwabara, who's she? I've never seen her around here before," Yusuke whispered.

"Um...I think she's a student at our school, but she just transferred here like a month ago," Kuwabara replied after taking a good look at her.

...Her back, anyway.

"Is she hot?" Yusuke wanted to know.

"How would I know? I can't even remember exactly what she looks like!"

"Let's find out then." Yusuke grinned.

"Yusuke, you're hopeless! What if Keiko found out?"

"She won't, unless you tell her." Yusuke began creeping up behind the girl.

Kuwabara huffed. "Well, maybe I will," he said under his breath.

Just when Yusuke was behind the girl, who had been seemingly oblivious so far, she spun around and landed a kick to the side of his head. Not expecting this from a girl, he had no time to dodge, and ended up falling back on Kuwabara.

"Damn! What the hell was that!?" Yusuke yelled at her while Kuwabara shoved him off.

The girl, wearing sunglasses, looked like she was about to attack him again, but then stopped as she heard Kuwabara say, "Yusuke, did you gain weight up there or something?"

She gasped, interrupting the scathing remark about to come out of Yusuke's mouth, and pulled off her sunglasses as she knelt down to help Yusuke up. "You're Yusuke? Yusuke Urameshi? Oh, I'm so sorry, I wouldn't have done that if I knew it was you! I knew there was a guy behind me and I just reacted! I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Nah, that kick was weak. I was only caught off-guard," Yusuke grumbled as he got up.

"Yusuke, you must be losing your touch if you let a girl catch you like that!" Kuwabara laughed.

"Shut the hell up, you wouldn't have expected it either!" He swung at Kuwabara, then turned back to the girl. "More importantly, how'd you know my name?"

"Oh, I was looking for you!" she told him. "I'm your new assistant!"

"WHAT!?" both boys exclaimed.

Getting to her feet, she smiled and bowed to them. "My name is Akina Sumora, and Koenma has appointed me to be your assistant Spirit Detective! I hope we can work well together!"

Stunned into silence by her words, it took a few seconds before Yusuke realized what she meant, and then exploded. "THIS is the assistant Botan said I was getting? There's no way I can work with a girl! How are you going to fight? You'll just get in the way!"

"I'm useful for some things!" Akina insisted. "I know some healing powers, and I'm learning how to fight. I'm not that bad, I'm just a girl! I can't help that, right?"

"She's got a point Yusuke, you don't know what she can do yet. She did land a pretty good one on you just now," Kuwabara pointed out.

"You can help me get better, too. Right? I mean, you've obviously got a rep around here. I heard about you in school too," Akina added.

"Yeah, I could. If I felt like it, which I don't! I don't need a girl to get this damn job done!"

"What am I supposed to do then? Koenma told me to help you out!"

"And you have to listen to him? I don't!"

"But isn't being the Spirit Detective your job?"

"I only do it 'cause I owe Koenma a favor!"

"Well, so do I!"

Yusuke stopped mid-rant, and he and Kuwabara looked at Akina as she stood before them, trembling with a desperate look on her face. But they got no further, for Botan suddenly appeared over her shoulder. "Oh good, you've met already," she gasped. "I was just coming to find you guys. We've got a major problem!"

"What's going on now?" Kuwabara asked her.

"An attack of Makai insects on the human world!"

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Ok, that was a fun meeting. I guess Yusuke doesn't like the idea of working with a seemingly worthless girl.

Why are girls always underestimated?

Either because they're girls, or because they wear skirts.

Please stop bringing that up...I like skirts.

So do I. But they're viewed as weak. Don't worry though, you're not as useless as he thinks you are.

So I get cool powers?

Yeah...but there's something else too...I can't tell you yet.

What about Kurama? When do I meet him?

-sigh- Soon. Very soon. Note the title of this story.

-goes to find him-

Akina, he's not here yet...Oh well. Read and review! Flames can be sent c/o Hiei. He likes them; they fuel his dragon.