*Quick Author Note*

Sorry about how long this one took to get out. Had mid-terms all week. Enjoy, none the less!

Chapter Four

Rumble in London

It didn't take Yusuke much time to pack his things and get a flight out to London. He, regrettably, had to borrow money from his mother, but desperate times called for desperate measures as they say, and the fate of the world seemed like a desperate enough time.

He was dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt, a pair of jeans and his green jacket. He didn't usually wear long sleeved shirts, but today seemed like a good time to do so.

The mark of the Ma-zaku, the blue tattoos, had not disappeared over night.

The first time they had appeared, during the final leg of his fight with Sensui, they had vanished the next morning. Part of him felt concerned over this, but deep within he knew that they would not disappear until Shenzen's seal had been redone. Raizen's blood demanded it.

The fight was long and boring, but finally Yusuke landed in London, England. It was about four in the afternoon, which confused the hell out of Yusuke at first, considering he left about the same time from Tokyo.

Stupid time change.

Feeling a little jet-lagged, Yusuke walked out of the airport with a coffee in hand and took a sip, then pulled out a piece of paper with an address on it that his Kurama's mother had given him.

"This is where Kurama is staying…shouldn't be too hard to find."

London, as it turned out, was a lot harder to navigate through then Yusuke had originally anticipated. At least he knew some English, having been forced to learn it in back in school.

Never thought I'd actually need it.

So after only a few minor set backs, Yusuke finally made it to the Hilton Hotel of London and stepped inside.

It was rather fancy, and Yusuke felt a bit out of place with only street clothes on and a duffle bag strapped over his shoulder. He walked to the front desk and smiled politely to the woman sitting there.

"Hello," Yusuke said in English, "I am looking for Suichi Minamoto's room."

"Are you a friend of his?" she asked with a plastic smile.

Yusuke nodded. "Yusuke Urameshi."

The woman nodded and picked up the phone, punched in a couple numbers, and waited a moment.

"Sir? A Mr. Yusuke Urameshi is here to see you." Yusuke couldn't help but flinch as the woman butchered his name, pronouncing it "Yuwa-meshy".

The woman then hung up the phone and smiled. "Room 801."

"Thank you."

He then readjusted his bag and walked towards the elevator, hit the number 8, and walked in.

The elevator went up and stopped on the second floor, where two bald men dressed in suits and wearing a pair of black sunglasses stepped inside. Yusuke blinked as they did and watched as they each took a spot right next to him.

A smile appeared on his lips, "Afternoon, gentlemen." He spoke in his native language.

Neither of them spoke, and Yusuke couldn't tell whether or not they were looking at him.

"Awfully nice here, eh? Here for sightseeing? Or business?"

No response.

"It must be pretty tough, being stuck here…seeing as Demon World is currently closed off."

The two moved fast. The one on Yusuke's lefts arm had suddenly turned into a spike and tried to swipe at Yusuke, but he was much to fast for that. He leapt into the air and did a split kick in mid-air, nailing both of them in the side of the head. They both fell down unconscious on the floor of the elevator, just as he reached the eighth floor, where Kurama was waiting for him.

He was dressed nice, in a red suit that was slightly darker then his now short red hair. Green eyes darted from Yusuke, to the bodies, and back to Yusuke.

"You didn't have to bring me anything, Yusuke," said Kurama, smiling softly.

"Well I figured it'd be rude if I didn't."

"I suppose we should take them into my room before we raise suspicion."

They each grabbed one and Kurama quickly lead Yusuke into his room…or should he say suite. Yusuke let out a long whistle.

The suite had a built in bar and kitchen, along with a large flat screen television in the living room, and a couple doors here and there that Yusuke figured lead to bathrooms, bedrooms, or super huge closets.

"Damn, Kurama. You sure don't mess around," said Yusuke after he shifted the first demon so that he was back to back with the second on the floor.

"The company treats me well, yes," Kurama answered humbly. Out of the inner pocket of his suit he withdrew a long, folded up blade of grass.

"What happened to the rose?" asked Yusuke.

"Grass is much easier to hide, and more easily kept."

With a slight flex of his demonic energy, the blade of grass grew extraordinarily long and wrapped itself tightly around the two bodies.

"Bet that trick is fun in bed," Yusuke said with a sly grin, which Kurama just rolled his eyes too.

"Try to keep your mind out of both the gutter and my private life, Yusuke."

"Any idea who these guys are, Kurama?" asked Yusuke, walking over to the bar and taking a seat on one of the stools. Kurama followed, confident that if the two demons awoke, they wouldn't be going anywhere fast.

"I'm hoping to find that out," Kurama answered, taking out two glasses and setting them on the bar. "You like brandy, correct?"

"Be rude to say no."

Kurama smiled. "I thought you'd say that," he said as placed a couple cubes of ice in the glasses, then filled them with alcohol that was already on the bar.

"Have a lot of visitors lately?" asked Yusuke, noting that the bottle of brandy was nearly gone after Kurama poured the drinks.

"It seems businessmen like to drink just as much here as in Japan," said Kurama, pushing Yusuke his glass and picking up his own. "Good for business, too. Cheers." The two gently clank glasses, and took a drink.

"Glad to know you've got your business wits about you," smiled Yusuke.

"I've been alive a long time. You learn a few things. Now," Kurama sat down his glass after another sip, "it's not that I don't appreciate the visit," he smiled, "but if you were going to spend money on a plane ticket to London, you would have come to see Keiko, not me. So what's going on?"

"Cunning as always, fox," said Yusuke, rolling the ice a bit in his glass. "I take it Hiei hasn't been here?" A warm, fuzzy feeling in Yusuke's gut filled him with satisfaction that he had beaten the three-eyed demon to the punch.

"Not in person, but I did sense his demonic energy about the city. It came up to the hotel, and then took off again. I might be worried, but that's Hiei for you. He was here about thirty minutes before you showed up."

The warm, fuzzy feeling drained and was filled with slight annoyance that Hiei had left him to explain everything.

"That figures," grumbled Yusuke, taking a larger gulp of his brandy.

"So what is it?" asked Kurama, a brow raised.

It took Yusuke about ten minutes to explain everything that had gone on the last week. Kurama remained silent as he listened, giving a thoughtful nod on occasion.

"…and now I'm here," finished Yusuke, taking the last slightly-watered down drink of his second glass of brandy.

"Hmm," Kurama touched his finger to his chin, thinking. His eyes were closed. "Well, I thought that I felt a strange disconnection from the Demon World, so that makes sense. What I find hard to believe is that Enkii left us high and dry."

"He sent Hiei," suggested Yusuke.

"I doubt that," Kurama said, opening his eyes. "He'd never admit it, but Hiei was probably concerned about our safety. He probably used illegal means to enter Human World…although I'm sure Mukuro pointed him in the right direction." He added this last part with a smile.

"So, Kurama, will you be able to help revamp this seal my old man set up?" asked Yusuke, putting his hands behind his head.

Kurama nodded, "I believe so. I've never dealt with a Ma-Zaku seal before, but from studying both you and Raizen while working with Yomi, I do know that your kind is mostly about brute force then finesse…no offense!" Yusuke had started to give Kurama a dirty look.

"Uh huh," said Yusuke dryly, standing up and looking at the two demons were still unconscious. "Damn, man, I didn't hit them that hard. Think they're dead?"

Just as Yusuke spoke, he knew he shouldn't have. A red glow appeared around the two demons, causing Yusuke and Kurama to instinctively jump back.

"I believe that's called Murphy's Law," mumbled Kurama, grabbing a long red rose from a vase on the dining room table.

Yusuke frowned. "Well, screw Murphy and screw these guys!"

The two demon's eyes opened simultaneously, glowing red, something Yusuke was sure he would have noticed even with the sunglasses on. The red energy started to grow wider.

"Yusuke, we can't fight in here!" said Kurama. The rose quickly transformed into his trademark Rose Whip.

"What? Worried about your hotel bill?" asked Yusuke, raising his fists. "But you're right: way too many humans around."

"I have an idea," Kurama said, then smiled, "although it will cost me some extra cash."

At this point the two demons were on their feet, the glow of demonic energy getting ever stronger. Quite suddenly, their bodies began to merge with one another, twisting and shaping in the form of a black mold. The grass rope Kurama had made seemed to mold with them.

"Gross," grumbled Yusuke.

Kurama twirled his razor-sharp whip and struck the ceiling, sending bits of panel and debris falling to the floor. He struck again, and outside light began to shine through.

"Let's go topside," Kurama said calmly and jumped up through the hole. Yusuke followed in suit.

Dark clouds had rolled in since Yusuke first arrived at the hotel, and he could smell a storm approaching. He stood beside Kurama, who tossed off his suit jacket onto the roof. Yusuke had left his in the room.

"Yusuke, can you sense that energy?" asked Kurama, watching the hole carefully. It seemed as though the two demons transformation hadn't completed yet.

"Yeah it's big, but we're both easily stronger."

"No, not the size: the scent."

"The scent?"

"Concentrate. You'll understand."

Yusuke frowned but nodded, closing his eyes to try and get a better grip on the demonic energy below them. It then hit him like a ton of bricks.

This was the demonic energy of a Ma-Zaku.

"But that can't be!" Yusuke exclaimed, eyes shooting open. "The only Ma-Zaku left are me and Shenzen, and I really doubt he's the type to go to a Hilton!"

"I believe you," said Kurama, almost wearily, "and I don't think that these two are actual full-bred Ma-Zaku."

"What're you saying? They're—" but Yusuke didn't have time to complete his statement. A beam of red demonic energy exploded from the hole, breaking it a part even more and causing the two friends to have to retreat a little farther back.

The red energy stopped, and from the hole came a dog-like beast that far doubled Yusuke in size. Black fur covered his body, and a he was snarling a lovely white set of huge deadly fangs. Along the black fur, Yusuke noticed that the two of them had something in common: the blue tattoo markings of the Ma-Zaku.

"Shit!" swore Yusuke. The demon beast had turned it's red eyes onto Yusuke and looked hungry.

"Get ready, Yusuke! It seems to be after you!" shouted Kurama, beginning his run toward the beast.

"Well aren't I the lucky one!" yelled Yusuke, jumping into the air just as the demon swung it's large clawed hand in Yusuke's direction. He swung his body around and kicked the side of the beasts head, causing it to stumble.

"Kurama!" Yusuke shouted, landing on the ground and rolling out of the way as Kurama swung his Rose Whip around to hit the demon. The beast tried to move out of the way, but Kurama's whip was fast and sliced through it's arm, leaving a bloody stump in its wake. It roared in pain and rage as blue blood gushed out.

"That'll show him!" said Yusuke with a grin, standing up.

"It's not over yet, Yusuke. Look!"

The demon, bleeding profusely, held up the rest of his arm. A concentration of demonic energy began to form around it, and from the stump appeared a long, flesh-colored blade.

"Are you serious?" shouted Yusuke, holding up his right hand, his index finger extended.

"Think wisely, Yusuke," warned Kurama. "We're on top of a building, and your Spirit Gun could level an entire building!"

"Shit! So what do we do?" asked Yusuke, his hand still up.

"Yusuke…Urameshi…"

Yusuke and Kurama both gasped. The voice came from the demon, but it's mouth hadn't moved.

"What the hell?" asked Yusuke, taking a step back.

"Lord…Shenzen…is waiting…"

"So you do work for Shenzen!"

"He…is waiting…for you!"

The demon leapt at Yusuke and took a swipe at him, but Yusuke crouched down to avoid the slash and followed up with a powerful uppercut under the demon's dog-like snout.

"What does he want with me?" Yusuke roared, punching the beast once again across the face. It fell to the roof and Yusuke jumped on top of it, grabbing it by the throat.

"He…wants…your power…" the beast said once again without moving it's lips. Yusuke punched it again. The demon swung up his bladed arm, causing Yusuke to roll off of it, but the blade managed to scrape him across the arm, cutting the sleeve of his shirt. The cut revealed the Ma-Zaku tattoo.

"He…wants…your blood!"

"He can't have it!"

"Yusuke move!"

Yusuke looked over to see a swarm of rose buds flying in the wind towards him and the demon.

"Holy crap!"

Yusuke scrambled out of the way just as the buds began to enclose around the enemy demon. The swarmed around it with lightning speed, and began to cut through the demon's flesh. It roared in pain and tried to escape, but it couldn't flee the dancing rose petals.

"You…can't escape…the fate…of the Ma-Zaku!" The demon managed to say. After a few more seconds, it was ripped into shreds. The rose petals then floated off into the breeze, scattering across London.

Yusuke looked over at Kurama, who was walking over to what was left of the demon.

"Are you okay?" Kurama asked, glancing at the demon then at Yusuke.

"I'll be a lot better when we stop Shenzen…and make sure he can't create another one of these things," said Yusuke, putting his hands in his pockets.

"So you figured it out?"

Yusuke nodded. "Yeah. The energy was definitely Ma-Zaku, but the blood color is different. Ma-Zaku blood is red, not blue...at least Raizen and Shenzen's was." He was recalling the dream he had of their fight.

"You're correct. This beast's demonic blood was more like that of Byakuya, one of the Saint Beasts of Maze Tower," said Kurama, leaning down to get a better look at the body.

"That big cat Kuwabara fought?" Yusuke shrugged. "If you say so."

Kurama was about to touch the demon's "body" when, once again, demonic energy began to pour of it. Kurama's eyes widened as he moved away to where Yusuke stood.

"Are you serious?" asked Yusuke, preparing himself for a second round, but Kurama held up his arm.

"Wait a moment. This fight is over."

The demonic energy of the Ma-Zaku began flow out of the demon corpse and into the air. Once every ounce was out of the body, it blasted into the air and out of sight.

"That's new," mumbled Yusuke, staring into the dark clouds. Rain began to fall, slowly at first, but it only took about a minute for an entire downpour to begin.

"Let's head inside, eh Kurama?" Yusuke suggested, but Kurama just stood and stared at him. "What?"

"Yusuke…look at your arm."

"Huh?" Yusuke did so and his eyes widened. The mark of the Ma-Zaku was glowing. "That's…never happened before."

"What do you think it means?" asked Kurama, a look of concern in his usually cool eyes.

"I think it means Shenzen is about ready to wake up…which means we don't have a second to lose."