Disclaimer: I do not own YuYu Hakusho

Chapter Two: Beginning

Two years passed since Yusuke disappeared.

Keiko went to Sarayashiki Junior High and continued her life as a normal straight-A student. Urameshi Yusuke vanished from the minds of the townsfolk, and soon it was as if he had never existed in the first place.

Only two people still remembered the hot-headed boy.

One was Atsuko. The woman had broken down, completely convinced that Yusuke had run away because she was a terrible mother. Keiko kept reminding Atsuko that Yusuke loved her, but it only worked for a few hours before she sank back into depression. Atsuko had ordered her yakuza friends to help look for her son, throwing all her energy into the search, having lost the will to party anymore.

The second person was, of course, Keiko herself. She couldn't help but feel that Yusuke was trying to clue her in on something, the way he behaved so strangely that day. Those questions, that look, that kiss … …

Many boys have asked Keiko out, and some of them weren't all that bad looking, but Keiko couldn't bring herself to accept. Her friends always teased Keiko about being lesbian, saying that she wasn't interested in boys. The truth was, every time Keiko considered going out with one of her admirers, she would remember that kiss with Yusuke, her heart aching as if it was being squeezed by an invisible fist.

One day, something happened that changed Keiko's life forever. She had made a detour on the way home from the market to that riverbank, when she was accosted by a gang of boys from Kasanegafuchi High.

"Hey nee-chan, care to help out a few poor blokes? We don't want much, just five thousand yen is fine."

"Don't you lowlifes feel ashamed picking on a weak little girl?" interjected a voice from behind Keiko. Another group of boys walked up, led by a tall orange haired guy that Keiko recognized as the punk in the class next to her, Kuwabara Kazuma.

Keiko bristled at the insult. "Who're you calling weak?" to prove her point, she grabbed the leader of the Kasane gang and flipped him over her shoulder. After Yusuke left, Keiko trained hard in mixed martial arts, remembering what he had said about having to fight demons. She was by no means a weak yamato nadeshiko.

An all-out brawl broke out then, ending with a few black eyes on both sides and the Kasane idiots running away with their tails wedged firmly between their legs. Keiko was the only one that came out relatively unscathed. She picked up her fallen bag of grocery and thanked god that the contents weren't ruined.

"Nice moves, nee-chan!" said Kuwabara appreciatively. "What's your name?"

"Yukimura Keiko." Keiko answered, figuring that while he did insult her, the boy hadn't known any better, and he was coming to her rescue. "Thanks for helping me, why don't you guys come and have dinner at my place?"

"Sure!" the four boys answered enthusiastically.

"Wait, Yukimura …" Kuwabara tapped his forehead. "Aren't you that girl who's always in the top five? Where'd a nice girl like you learn to fight like that?"

Keiko couldn't help but smirk a bit proudly. "I've trained in a few dojos before."

"But why?" asked the squat boy with dark skin.

"A friend of mine has gone missing." Said Keiko sadly. "I promised him that I would give him a beating of the century when I find him. Can't do that without proper training, can I?"

"That friend of yours, is it Urameshi Yusuke?" asked Kuwabara tentatively.

Keiko swung around to look at him so fast that she got whiplash. "Do you know him?"

Kuwabara shifted uncomfortably. "No." Keiko's heart sank. "I came to Sarayashiki because I heard about how strong he was. I wanted to fight with him and see which one of us was stronger."

"Oh." The five teenagers walked slowly to the Yukimura Restaurant. Glad to have someone else to talk about Yusuke with, Keiko found herself discussing the details of Yusuke's strange questions with Kuwabara. They got to part of demons over bowls of ramen.

"Fight through millions of demons?" said Kuwabara between slurps. "Then you should talk to Genkai about that. She's the master of the Reikou Hadouken, maybe she can help you."

Keiko leaned over the counter. "Genkai? Reikou Hadouken?"

"Genkai is a very powerful spiritualist and demon slayer. Reikou Hadouken is a technique invented by Genkai, ranging from healing to fighting. My sister goes to see her for advice on her sixth sense."

"Can you take me to see her?"

Just like that, Keiko, Kuwabara, and Shizuru were loaded onto a train the next morning, off to see Genkai. After leaving the station, they entered the forest and climbed up the stone stairs set into the side of the mountain. After a three hour journey, they finally arrived at the shrine.

A small, grey-haired woman was waiting for them at the top of the stairs. She wore a white gi and a long red vest. The word "Rei" was embroidered on her hat. "I've been waiting for you." Genkai's voice was gravelly like all old people, but it was firm and full of strength. It reminded Keiko of the way Yusuke used to speak.

They sat in the living room. Keiko began to tell Genkai about Yusuke, his appearance, personality, and those queer questions. She talked and talked until her throat dried up. Throughout the entire time that Keiko talked, Genkai didn't say a word, merely listened. When Keiko finished and started drinking her cold tea. Genkai moved to sit right before her.

"What do you want?" Genkai asked.

Keiko stared at the old woman, trying to express her determination through her eyes and voice. "I want to become strong. I want to be strong so that I can find Yusuke."

Genkai held her gaze for a moment before sighing. She stood up and faced the koi pond, her back to Keiko and the Kuwabara siblings.

"I've decided long ago that I will have only one disciple, and he has already appeared. However, that idiot left after just learning the basics. He didn't have the patience to learn my more complex techniques, nor did he need to, being a simple, straightforward person. The idiot went to study under another master, one more suited to him than I." Genkai turned to Keiko. "You have potential. Would you study under me and become my true heir?"

If this would help her find Yusuke, then "Yes".

Genkai opened Keiko (and after much pleading, Kuwabara-kun's) reiki channels. Keiko called home to notify her parents and then began her training. The old woman was pleased to find out that Keiko was skilled in combat, and quickly taught her other moves that Genkai had used herself when she was young. In truth, Keiko thought that Genkai was glad to have a student that was small and female like herself. She had even given Keiko some of her own clothes and had her braid her hair (making Keiko look just like a young brunette version of Genkai).

The training lasted the entire summer vacation, ranging from physical combat to reiki moves to demonology (and even video games when Genkai was in the mood. It was hell, but Keiko enjoyed it (kind of). By the end of it, she could be ranked as medium class C. While Keiko lacked the raw power, she made up for it with the pure skill with which she executed her moves. Kuwabara-kun visited occasionally, his sixth sense growing stronger day by day. He had somehow learned on his own to manipulate his reiki to create solid objects, such as his prided Reiken.

On the day of Keiko's departure, two visitors appeared at Genkai's shrine. One was a blue haired girl in a pink kimono, the second was a young man who was oddly, sucking on a pacifier and had the letters "Jr" tattooed on his forehead. Genkai baa-sama introduced them as the underworld messenger, Botan, and son of King Enma, Koenma. They were here to ask Genkai to retrieve three treasures stolen from Reikai's royal vault.

"Excuse me, is it true that you keep records of all humans?" Keiko interrupted. "Do you know what happened to Urameshi Yusuke? He is a very precious friend of mine."

Koenma looked annoyed, but Botan pulled a notebook out of her sleeve.

"Let's see … Urameshi Yusuke, 12, child delinquent. Hmm … the records stopped two years ago. That's strange."

"What?" Keiko and Koenma squawked.

"Why have I never heard of that? Such a big lapse not brought to my attention … Preposterous!" Koenma spluttered.

"Is it possible that Yusuke was abducted by demons?" asked Keiko quietly.

Koenma shifted uncomfortably. "The possibility is … there." He admitted reluctantly. "Though he might be eaten already."

"No." stated Keiko with conviction. "Yusuke is not one to be killed so easily. He's alive, I'm sure of it."

"Koenma, why don't you take Keiko on as your new Reikai tantei?" Genkai spoke up suddenly.

"Eh? But …"

"Keiko needs more training, you need a tantei, and this way Keiko can search for her friend and you can keep peace in the Human World. It's a win-win solution." Genkai smirked. "You can take my word that the girl's trustworthy and able."

Koenma grumbled slightly, but conceded. "Alright. Botan, you fill our new tantei in on the situation and assist her with your abilities."

Botan barely opened her mouth to reply when Koenma vanished on a flash of light.

Genkai patted Keiko's arm reassuringly. "Don't mind him, he hates things not going his way. Koenma may be several hundred years old, but on the inside, he's still just a child. He'll like you soon enough."

The old woman disappeared into her room and came out with a small purple creature. It was purple and loosely resembled a penguin, long wing-like ears drooped past its feet. A tuft of black hair sprouted from the top of its head, it resembled Yusuke's when it wasn't slicked back with gel.

"Puu!" the creature flew into Keiko's arms. It was warm to touch.

Genkai smirked. "This is Puu, a Reikaiju. He will help you if you bite off more than you chew."

Keiko had never heard of the Reikaiju, but Puu felt safe and reassuring. She cradled the bird, "Puu-chan, Puu-chan." Keiko cooed.