The remainder of that summer passed boringly for Nanashi with Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama off in the Demon World with their respective kings. She was questioned by the others as to what happened when King Yomi took her, and she revealed what all happened, including what she could remember from the meeting she brought into. She found it annoying that Kurama did know much more about King Yomi than he let on, and that he gave in and agreed to advise him after all. Once they all saw the three of them off at Genkai's, it was like a parting of ways. There was not much excitement after that beyond getting a letter from the school that she got accepted into the classes she wanted, even with a warning that she was the only girl accepted as well. That and time to bound more with her aunt one on one.
When school started up again, she was surprised to see Kurama return on the fourth day, but warning her in might be a short visit, which made her less enthused. He was a bit ambiguous on any details he passed onto her, beyond that Hiei was still alive and growing stronger under the intensive testing and training King Mukuro was putting him through.
On the Friday of the first week, he seemed distracted, bristling a way that reminded her too much of Yomi. When Kaito asked him what was wrong at lunch, he was short with him before leaving their table abruptly. Kaito told her after school Kurama ditched the classes after lunch.
Nanashi texted him on her way home from school to see if he was okay, but he did not respond, likely did not even see the message she had sent him. So when she got home and saw him in the kitchen table with her aunt, she was surprised. Not only just him, but Captain Shunjun from the SDF, Prince Koenma, and Botan as well.
"Are you leaving, too?" Aunt Astuko asked, sounding wounded.
Nanashi blinked at the four of them, shaking her head. "I don't know... no... what's going on?" she questioned, setting her bag down by the door and kicking her shoes off. She approached the kitchen table, heart pounding.
"You said you were staying," Aunt Astuko rounded on her. "You promised you weren't going to get involved, too."
Nanashi blinked, completely unaware of whatever was going on here. She had no clue how to respond beyond shaking her head. Prince Koenma spoke up in her stead. "Astuko, she hasn't been told yet." He turned to Botan, "Botan, do you mind escorting Astuko elsewhere while the four of us speak privately?"
Botan did as bid, Aunt Astuko stalking out of the apartment with her, swearing at one point. Nanashi wanted to follow after them instead of sitting herself down at the table with the three very different men. She ended up sitting down anyway, stiffly.
"Humans, so emotional," Captain Shunjun sneered, looking over at the door.
Nanashi felt the wind dragon stirred, irritated by his words. "If you don't like it, leave her apartment then," she told him.
"Soon enough," he said, lounging a bit in his chair.
Ignoring him, she asked the other two, "what's going on?"
Prince Koenma sighed, explaining. "There's been a change in your status," he started. "As you know, I have more or less reconciled with my father, now that Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama have agreed to serve under the three different kings of the Demon World. The plan was for you and Kuwabara to remain in the Human World, outside of the conflict, as spirit detectives still under my jurisdiction. However, two requests have come up for you, both of which would pull you out of my service and under another's."
"What? What two requests?" she asked, ears drawing back. She was unsure if she would like either of the requests.
Prince Koenma nodded first over to Captain Shunjun. "After the conflicts our team had with the SDF, their old captain was temporarily removed from his position. Shunjun was put in his place for while the case was reviewed. The old captain has been permanently removed from the SDF and Shunjun made the new captain officially. So now there's an opening in the SDF for a new recruit." Nanashi looked over at Captain Shunjun, who gave her a cocky smirk that she did not return. Prince Koenma nodded over at Kurama. "At the same time, King Yomi has requested for Kurama to bring him stronger, more talented fighters for his army, naming you in particular to be brought to him." Nanashi looked over at Kurama, who looked unreadable. Prince Koenma sighed, finishing up, "King Enma and the other authorities in the Spirit World have approved both options, but you ultimately get to decide which offer you would like to accept."
She stared at him, dumbstruck. "No... neither..." she reached, shaking her head. "I want to stay here, with my aunt. In the Human World. The classes... I worked so hard to get into them, they just started..."
Prince Koenma shook his head, but looking patiently over to her. "That's not an option on the table for you, but I wish it were. From what I've gathered, it's another possible attempt to draw you in as a check to keep Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei, and maybe even myself in line if you're put in the SDF."
Captain Shunjun added in, "never before has a human ever been considered. You should be honored to even be considered. You and your pet."
Kurama spoke up next, "Yomi might be trying to make the same play. Mukuro has an army with more skilled fighters, which is why he is seeking out more talent. But adding you into his army, might also give him an edge over Raizen and Mukuro because of Yusuke and Hiei. If it came to a battle, you would hesitate to fight them, but they would hesitate to fight you as well." He gave Captain Shunjun a glance before returning his gaze back to her. "Besides that, I suspect the Spirit World might be backing Yomi, but not outright in case he fails."
"What makes you think that?" Captain Shunjun scoffed.
Kurama answered, "why else would Yomi's request for her be sanctioned? It would make more sense if she went to Raizen, being Yusuke's kin."
"She's not a descendent of Raizen like he is," Captain Shunjun pointed out. "Her bloodline was thoroughly checked after her cousin was discovered to be part demon. It comes from his paternal line."
She brought her hands up to her mouth, taking a deep breath. "I still don't want to do either," she said firmly, understanding now what Aunt Astuko was so upset.
"It's not an option, I'm sorry," Prince Koenma told her again. "I'll still have Kuwabara, and even Genkai and the other psychics to fall back on if need be, so I couldn't claim keeping you as necessary."
She slammed her hands on the table, face feeling hot and flushed. She tried to think which was worse, being forced into the Dark Tournament or being forced to chose between the SDF or King Yomi's army right now. Back then, crying and refusing as hard as she could did nothing to stop the inevitable. Even when she was at risk of dying from overexertion and the flu, Prince Koenma had called in every favor he could to keep her alive to get her to the Dark Tournament. The choice seemed just as inevitable now as it had been back then. She hung her head, bringing her hands up into her hair, not looking at either of them. "How long?" she whispered, voice wavering but not cracking.
Captain Shunjun spoke up, "the SDF is for life girl, unless you get kicked out in disgrace like the last captain. Play your cards right, and after probation you and I can even look into making you immortal. With a weapon like yours, just imagine how powerful you can become as a demon hunter in the next few decades."
Nanashi raised her head up, looking at him. He wanted the wind dragon just as much as he wanted her as a counterbalance. She turned and looked at Kurama, waiting expectantly.
"At least six months," he answered. "Quite possibly much longer. Anywhere from six months to three years. After the next six months, it should be easy to predict how things will go. For now, things are in flux."
She looked down at the table, thinking hard. If she had to be forced to make a choice, she wanted it to be played to the best of her advantage. She looked up at Prince Koenma. "My aunt is to be protected and looked after," she demanded. He met her gaze, not pulling away. "She's being left childless for who knows how long. She wants or needs for anything, you give it to her."
"I already promised Yusuke all of that, but I swear it to you as well," Prince Koenma said.
She felt her lower lip tremble, but she stilled it. "When I return from King Yomi's army, I'm done, I'm out. No more being a spirit detective, but I get to keep my memories, my wind dragon, everything. If possible, I get back in the science classes I worked so hard to get into, or the equivalent if I am too old for them."
"Done," Prince Koenma said, holding his hand out to her. She was quick to grab it up, shaking it.
"What? No," Captain Shunjun snarled. "You can't make any of those promises. You have no authority in the such matters."
Prince Koenma looked over at him, shaking his head, looking a bit smug now. "You forget I have been reinstated by my father and she is still under my authority. If I want to promise her fame and fortune and to be ruler of the planet when she returns, I can. If she requested to be reincarnated as the moon princess, I have the authority to grant it. Be glad she isn't being completely selfish, ambitious, nor grandiose in her desires," he commented. "But rather wants to return to normalcy after all the service she's done for myself and the Spirit World."
Nanashi looked over at Captain Shunjun, trying not to show how much his sour expression pleased her. "Good luck filling your vacancy, captain," she said softly.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You should be forewarned, girl. If you fail King Yomi, you'll have no choice but to come to me."
She drew back at that, "then I won't fail him," she resolved. She glanced over at Kurama, sitting there, looking deep in thought. She tried to meet his eye, but he would not look over at her.