Misplaced Rage Pt 7:
Hiei rolled his eyes at Yusuke, scoffing at him lightly.
"You defeated a Saint Beast, yet its offspring is too much for you to handle? How sad. If you want me to clean up your mess, I will, Detective." Hiei would harass him.
"Shut up Hiei. It's not that simple. I didn't even know his identity when I attacked him. He got lucky. That's all. Next time, it'll be different. Next time, I'll rip his head off. That'll be a real shocker." Yusuke said, full of confidence.
"Oh yes, you did so well the first time. I can't wait to see how you flounder in this endeavor. And then afterward, I'll save you and be the hero. Demon world security officer having to clean up after the former Spirit World Detective. How droll." Hiei spoke up again, moving to sit in a chair.
"Will you shut up, Hiei? I'm telling you this time." Yusuke snapped back at him, leaning back, crossing his arms over his chest and pushing against the cushion of the couch. "Plus, I couldn't just kill him last time. I was going to, but he had the school to his back. Firing the Spirit Gun there was too unsafe. I could have hurt a lot of people doing that."
"So you ate the attack like a sucker instead. Have you learned nothing, Yusuke?" Hiei retorted, irritated at how easily Yusuke had been dispatched by the enemy. "To think, this is what I teamed with at the Dark Tournament. Look at you now." He shook his head, stood back up, and walked toward the door. "Botan, it is time to go. I'm your escort back to Spirit World. I can't be hanging out around here long. I have responsibilities back at Demon World. Border patrol and all that. Let's go."
Botan would nod and move to her feet. Her oar would appear in her hand and she would head toward the door.
"Thank you again Yusuke for letting me stay here and you too Kurama for tending to my wounds. And Kuwabara for being so supportive. You've all been wonderful. I won't ever forget this." She smiled warmly to each of them as she and Hiei made their exit and vanished into the dark of night to return to Spirit World.
"So, uh, Yusuke, Keiko was pretty mad at you, huh?" Kuwabara asked him.
"How very perceptive of you, Kuwabara. You must be a freaking mind reader." Yusuke angrily responded, turning to glare at him. "Any other news bulletins you wanna share with us?"
"Sorry, I was just asking is all, man. Geez, no need to bite my head off." Throwing his hands up in front of him defensively.
Kuwabara would stand up and shrug his shoulders.
"Anyway, I'm gonna head home and get some sleep. If you need me, you can call me or something. Here's my number." Handing them a business card.
"What is this thing? A business card? What business could you possibly be into?" Yusuke asked confused.
"I'm not in any business, this is a business card because it makes you look more like a professional and an adult. That's why." Kuwabara stated matter-of-factly.
"Whatever you say, but yeah, I will definitely call you if we hear anything then." Yusuke nodded to him.
"Yeah, thanks." Kuwabara answered as he walked out the door, sliding it shut behind him and heading home. He took a few steps from the apartment before he would hear thunder in the distance. A minute or two would pass before it began raining. "Yepp. Of course." He snarled as he walked through the rain on his way home.
"Yusuke, you mustn't be mad with Kuwabara. You know he cares, it's just that he is slightly awkward. But you know that." Kurama insisted. "Anyway, I'm going to call my mother and check in with them. I normally call them in the evening to wish them all a good night. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go into the next room and do that."
"Yeah, please. Don't be polite, Kurama, you don't have to be with me." Yusuke said, offering him the space and privacy he would need.
Yusuke would then go into the bedroom, looking at a picture of Keiko and himself on the nightstand. The guilt overtook him and he would move to the phone, picking it up and dialing her cell phone number. The call went to voicemail so he simply hung up and hoped to hear back from her soon. He sighed, staring at the picture, never wanting her upset or unhappy, especially on the verge of him proposing. He picked up the phone again, calling her once more, but again no answer. So he assumed she must be mad at him. He decided mentally that he would call her parent's house in the morning to talk to her. He stepped back out of the bedroom, he saw that Kurama had ended his call and returned to his seat in the living room.
"I know that Keiko's leaving upset you, Yusuke, but you cannot let it get to you. It is probably better that she is not around us right now. Her being gone keeps her out of the line of fire, so to speak. This is a good thing, a blessing in disguise so to speak." Kurama reassured him with a smile.
"Maybe you're right, Kurama. I mean, if they come here, I won't have to hold back fighting them. I can just kill them at my leisure." He would smirk and nod to himself, feeling a little better about his chances in that fight. "But God, do I hate the waiting around for them to make a move. What do you think we should do Kurama?" He asked his friend.
"Well, normally I don't mind my enemies making the first move. I like trying to force them to show their hand. We know that your enemy is the son of Suzaku, the leader of the Saint Beasts. We know he blames you for his father's death, which technically he's not wrong. So he has that for motivation. We also know, that like his father, his attacks utilize electricity, namely lightning as a source. We know that he's young though, and likely not as experienced as you in battle. I also suspect he wasn't at the Demon World Tournament, seeing that I nor Hiei recognize his voice. He has likely been hiding out in Living World for a while, planning something. I just don't know how he found you. That's my biggest question, but my theory is he isn't working alone. No lone demon just comes to this city randomly in search of you or anyone else for that matter." Kurama said.
He had analyzed as much of the situation as possible and everything he had gathered, sharing it openly there with Yusuke, hoping to help him figure out how to deal with this new menace.
"Wow, Kurama, you figured all that out just from today? You are a wonder." Yusuke smiled, beyond impressed with his demon fox ally. Because, if he were to be honest, Yusuke hadn't thought of anything. "Well, he showed us his hand. We know his motive. Let's go find him and kill him. That's my theory." Yusuke said.
"Perhaps we should try some tact?" Kurama suggested with a forced smile.
"Tact?" He asked as the sound of thunder rumbled louder in the area. The storm had fully moved into the area, bringing with it heavy rain.
On The Other Side of Town:
"Of course I would get stuck walking home in this stupid storm. I'm gonna have water in my ears, my nose, and every other place I don't wanna know about." Kuwabara growled as he walked. "I hate the rain. Especially after that night with Seaman. Now the rain just pisses me off and I'm cold. My hair is gonna get all messed up. And then Eikitchi is gonna need fed and I'm going to have to shower first, and she'll just cry at the door the whole time."
He knew nobody could hear him, so he openly complained to himself. He reached his front door and slid it open, locking it behind him. He was dripping wet from the storm. He removed his shoes and moved into the bathroom where he would quickly shower because sure enough Eikitchi was crying, waiting for him to fill up her food bowl. He was out of the shower quickly and filled up her food so she could eat, which she did happily. He then looked in the mirror and thought out loud to himself.
"I'm a demon wanting to get to Yurameshi, what would I do? I'd attack someone he cared about. Ok, he attacked Botan. Then he approached Yusuke face to face. But now what?" Brows furrowed as he went deeper into thought. "What would I do next? Probably attack Yusuke again? Now that you caught him off guard the one time, just get him off guard again?"
Kuwabara's eyes widened as he realized that might be about to happen to Yusuke. He threw his jacket on and ran out the door, heading back to Yusuke's.
Back at the Apartment:
Yusuke had gotten himself and Kurama a glass of water to drink as they began settling down for the night. Kurama got comfortable on the couch while Yusuke was getting ready for bed in his room. Both of them began slipping off when suddenly someone came crashing through the door. Kurama jumped to his feet and assumed a defensive position while Yusuke ran back into the front room.
"Yurameshi!? Are you guys alright?!" Kuwabara barked as he came plowing his way back into the room, his fist balled up, prepared to fight.
"Why wouldn't we be? Kuwabara, I told you that if anything happened and if we needed you, we'd call. There's nothing to be concerned about. Plus, wouldn't you sense a fight going on, Mister I can sense Spirit Energy really well?" Yusuke questioned, tilting his head to the side a little bit, raising a brow.
"Oh…yeah…I guess you're right. Well, do you mind if I crash here tonight? I don't wanna walk home in the rain again." Kuwabara requested with a guilty smile.
"Yeah, find a blanket and you can have the floor. I think Kurama already claimed the couch." Yusuke said. "By the way, what made you think that we were in trouble in the first place?"
"Well, I was at home and I thought to myself, what would I do if I was wanting to fight you? Or cause you issues. Well, he already attacked Botan, confronted you, and I figured his next move was to come back after you. I guess I was wrong." Kuwabara admitted.
"That isn't an awful theory Kuwabara." Kurama said before turning back to Yusuke. "Yusuke, have you spoken with Keiko since she left?"
"No, she didn't answer her phone when I called her." Yusuke answered.
"She didn't pick up or she ignored the call?" Kurama asked, wanting specifics.
"She didn't answer. I figure she's still pretty pissed at me." Yusuke responded. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, Yusuke, don't you find it odd that she simply wouldn't block the call if she were mad at you? To let you know that she didn't want to speak with you, rather than letting it ring?" Kurama asked.
"What are you suggesting, Kurama?" Yusuke wondered, now beginning to worry.
"She said she was going to her parent's house, correct? I suggest you go there now, make sure she got there safely. Otherwise, things may get much more complicated and dangerous." Kurama stated.
Yusuke was on his feet quickly and out the door. Kurama and Kuwabara were fast to follow him, not letting him out of their sight as they sprinted into the distance.
Meanwhile:
"You know Keiko, Yusuke called you a couple times. I'm sure you would have loved to have hear his voice, wouldn't you? Hehehehe." He let loose another of his patented cackles, looking back at the girl.
"I don't know what you want with me, but when Yusuke finds me, he'll kill you." She said confidently. "You have no idea what he's capable of."
"You think I have no idea what your boy toy is capable of? You don't know me very well young one, so let me explain something to you. I could torture you until you scream for me to end your life, not wanting to endure anymore. I'm keeping you safe because I want to. That's all."
"Why don't you take that hood off and show me your ugly face then, huh? You're obviously not just some homeless man from the city. Who are you?" Keiko demanded to know.
"Very well. Perhaps you'll remember me?" He stated, as hands lifted to remove the hood, revealing his face to her.
She would stare at him for a moment before it dawned on her.
"But, but Yusuke and his friends killed you! You're supposed to be dead!" she shouted.
Back in the City:
Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama ran up the street, although it was more like Kuwabara and Kurama were chasing after Yusuke trying to keep up. Suddenly they all came to a stop, turning their heads to their right.
"It's him." Yusuke said, sensing Shigetoshi's energy and chasing after him.
It seemed like an eternity to Yusuke to finally catch up to the energy's epicenter.
"Slow down Yurameshi. Getting there faster isn't going to help. We need to be able to group up against him. The more that fight, the better our chances." Kuwabara shouted at him as they ran.
"I don't need help to kill him." Yusuke said as he moved in on the source of the energy.
They would eventually reach an open field on the outskirts of the city where Shigetoshi stood, the rain coming down harder as he stood out in the open. Yusuke was quick to address him, pointing his finger at him.
"I could send you to Hell with this finger, tell me where Keiko is, or I'll do exactly that." Yusuke demanded.
"Keiko? Who's that?" Shigetoshi rose a brow at him in confusion.
"My girlfriend, the one that means the absolute most to me. Tell me where she is, or I'm going to end your existence and make you a charred stain in this field." Yusuke yelled at him.
"I'm afraid I don't know where she's gone. It sounds as though your relationship has some issues that need ironing out Yusuke." Shigetoshi stated.
"I'm not going to ask again, Shigetoshi!" Yusuke threatened him as he raised his arm toward him in the form of a gun, his pointer finger beginning to give off a faint blue glow.
"I'm telling you, Yusuke, I haven't the slightest clue where your girlfriend is. I barely know what she looks like. Don't blame me for her disappearance!" Shigetoshi said, holding his hands in the air. "I don't want you to kill me thinking that I was responsible for that. I want us to have a real fight. A fight for the right reasons!"
Yusuke slowly lowered his hand away from him. He then turned to his side slightly, eyes never leaving Shigetoshi though. He studied his body language, the words that he said.
"You had nothing to do with her?" He asked again.
"Nothing at all Yusuke. I admit to attacking the girl in the pink kimono, but that was only to get your attention. I have never had any intention in attacking your woman. In fact, it was suggested that I not do so." Shigetoshi responded.
"By whom?" Kurama shouted, now determining that his theory about there being more than one assailant was indeed correct.
"Someone who you have wronged multiple times that simply wants to see you fall." Shigetoshi responded, then raising his hand to the sky, the lightning coming down from the sky and enveloping him. It was accompanied by a deafening crack of thunder. "But enough talk. Let's do this, Yusuke!"…
