~DISCLAIMER: Yu Yu Hakusho is created and owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. My characters are entirely fictional.~

Chapter 34: Serious Matters

Walking into the classroom Keomi skidded to a stop as she noticed something strange about the male to female ratio. Usually the class was divided fifty-fifty when it came to the gender comparison but today as Keomi entered she only counted seven girls, not including herself in the classroom. Brows furrowing together as she made her way to her desk Keomi began to list the names of all the girls from her class that were not here. Either there were a lot of sick female students or either Keomi wasn't doing her job as a demon hunter at night well enough. Even though it had been an uneventful night, in fact it had been uneventful for a few weeks.

A door slid open and Keomi lifted her head as the teacher entered. Shuichi wasn't here yet as they met at school still. They hadn't gotten any further in their relationship as it had slowed down to a nice steady pace. Arranging her things on her desk Keomi walked down the aisle to the teachers' podium where he was frowning at his attendance booklet. Apparently he wasn't happy about the missing girls either. "Do you need something Miss Shikiharu?" He looked up at her suddenly, his sharp hazel eyes staring straight at her.

Was that concern that flickered in his eyes as he searched hers? Keomi blinked a few times but quickly recovered, "I was just wondering if most of the girls are sick, since they aren't here I-"

Cutting her off with one swiftly raised hand the homeroom teacher did not say anything about the missing female students but instead addressed the rest of the girls in class. "Attention all female students are to head to the gym where there is an assembly."

Keomi looked quizzically at him but she didn't receive an answer as he bent his head and returned to his folder. Being ignored by the homeroom teacher made Keomi feel ever so unimportant as she walked in front of the other seven girls from her class with a frown residing on her face. They were silent behind her as they clumped, almost huddled, together as if they could sense something was wrong. Keomi wanted to comfort them but she couldn't think of any words to say to them so she remained silent also. But, all together in their silence, they all wondered what was going on and why it was just them being summoned and not the boys as well.

Once they reached the gymnasium Keomi wasn't surprised to find it filled with girls from the different classes and grades gathered there as well. But what surprised her was the number of students presiding there, there was a definite lack of female students. Each group from the separate classes had joined pockets as they stood around each other, as if protected each other from everyone else. Keomi's eyes did a quick sweep around the room before she looked over her shoulder and beckoned the rest of the girls to follow her as she led them to an open spot.

Almost immediately after they settled into the spot Keomi picked for them the principal stepped forward with a microphone in his hand. Waving his hand at the students Keomi caught onto his jist as he appeared quite flustered and stumped. There was something bothering him along with the rest of the schools staff it seemed, but what was it? Was it something that was going to be said during this assembly?

"Please students, if you could all quietly sit down." The principal's voice quivered slightly as he spoke. He was nervous, extremely nervous. Once all the students were sitting he began to speak with a clearer voice than he had first started with. "It has come to the attention of the police and many other schools that there have been a significant number of girls missing. If you know of anything that can help with the missing girls' investigations the police have sent some officers over to take and answer your questions. Also the teachers and councilors are always available to listen to your problems and concerns and help you out. If you are having a hard time don't be afraid to come and talk to the councilors. It has also been advised that if you go anywhere don't go alone. Take someone with you a brother, a boyfriend, or a friend. It is also important that you keep your eyes open for anything suspicious going on. That is all for now, you may return to your classes." The principal ended his speech that seemed more like a warning before turning off the microphone and stepping away as his eyes scanned the crowd of teenage girls.

Keomi watched him carefully as he seemed full of concern and worry. There seemed a lot of that going on today. Leading the little band of girls back to the classroom they were all silent as they got to the empty room.

"It's P.E." One of the female staff members mentioned them in before sliding the door shut. "Hurry up, dress and get out there. I'll watch the door while you get changed." She slipped out the door but her shadow stayed on the door as the girls watched her cautiously.

The warning from the principal along with the sudden and mysterious disappearing of their classmates had left the girls apprehensive and worried about what was going to happen next. Where they going to disappear on their way back home from school? Or would they just simply just vanish into thin air?

Keomi hurried to her bag and pulled out the bloomers and t-shirt. Dressing quickly she noticed the other girls had hurried along with their gym uniforms also. Since the past few nights had been extremely uneventful Keomi had no bruises or cuts to hide on her body. P.E. was one of the times she hated since her entire leg would be showing. Personally she hated the darn bloomers and wished she could wear shorts like the boys.

"All changed? Okay then, hurry up outside." The female teacher was waiting for them as she sent them outside to join the rest of the class. Keomi noted that her eyes followed them until she couldn't see them anymore.

Once all the girls were outside they began their laps around the track. The boys were already running hard and had already finished half of their laps when the girls arrived. Instead of banding out and running at their own paces the girls stuck together, constantly alternating positions in the circle they ran in. All but Keomi joined with the circle as she ran ahead of them all by herself. She ran faster, breaking away from them the instant they hit the track. Her thoughts ran wild as her feet pounded the ground with precise methodical steps. There was a new problem to be solved but she didn't have much to go on. It could be a new demon that had evaded her so far but how could it have evaded her senses? The border was down now so demons and humans could cross over into the demon and human worlds. Maybe there were still some demons out there that didn't want to give up their taste of humans. Everything was so strange.

"Shikiharu! Slow down before you fall down." The p.e. teacher hollered a second before he blew on his whistle at her.

Keomi slowed her steps aware of how close she was getting to almost running like she did at night. While her thoughts ran away so did her feet.

Shuichi put on an extra burst of speed so he could catch up to Keomi but before he could close the distance between them the group of girls reached Keomi and they engulfed her. She was put in the middle of their group as they made sure she couldn't escape from their circle.

"Keomi you should be more careful unless you want to disappear as well," Was a breathless mutter to her as she eyed the girls around her. Keomi had her reasons for avoiding other females her age and it had a lot to do with Shuichi. She didn't want to get wrapped up in one of those ploys, plots, and plans to make Shuichi theirs again and again.

The other girls continued on the conversation as it switched between girls every few sentences as they gave their theories on what was going on with the other missing girls.

"I heard a rumor from a friend going to another school that it is a serial kidnapper intent on making every high schooler girl part of his harem."

"Most of the girls I know that have turned up missing wouldn't have ever run away so something must have happened to them."

"They were kidnapped I know it! We all will be until there isn't a single teenage girl left in all of Tokyo!"

The gossiping continued as Keomi pushed the pack of girls around her. She discovered that if she picked up her pace and ran a bit faster the rest of the girls around her would do the same to make sure they stayed together. It was a pack and would forever be until one of them managed to escape or vanished. With all the gossiping going on around her Keomi knew that she really did need to start investigating before any more girls were taken. So far it was just scared them but if one of them were to be taken the rest of them would surely have hysterical fits of paranoia.

The teacher's whistle blew and the group all skidded to a stop and bent to catch their breath. As Keomi studied the sky with innermost thoughts in turmoil the back of her hand wiped the sweat before it could drop off her chin. She didn't look at the group of girls around her as she frowned, "Be careful."

The girls almost missed what she said but they each answered back solemnly that they would. This wasn't some joking matter that they could laugh off anymore. It was serious.

~A new problem has arrived, and this means that the plot will pick up! No more of this slow and peaceful life. Turmoil and angst lie ahead for those who dare to continuing reading on, reviews would be excellent!~