Shizuru's wandering down the hall. Kagome can feel her energy slowly shifting from the foyer to a determined stop in front of the door. She knows Genkai can, too; the old woman is leagues ahead in psychic strength.
A tiny foot kicks the back of her knee out, and Kagome tumbles underneath the stacks of books she's been lifting for the last few hours. She focuses on keeping the dome shaped barrier moving with Atsuko and the other parents' energy signals. It's a small task, made easier by the fact that the four move very slowly and stay together. Genkai's doing; Somehow the old woman convinced them that taking a walk around the grounds is a must. A concentration exercise, because Genkai figures if they can't get Kagome stronger yet, they'll keep her clever.
"Pay attention, idiot," Genkai grins, hopping over to the door to get out of range of the answering swipe. Keep her humble, too. Kagome huffs, pushing her hair from her face.
When Genkai slides the door open, Shizuru immediately steps inside of the training room and slides it shut behind her. She crosses her arms, then uncrosses, then crosses again.
"Some girl named Botan's here."
That is a surprise. Genkai catches Kagome's eye, then allows a smug little grin to crawl onto her face. Kagome scowls.
"She's asking for you," Shizuru says flatly, a brow raised in Kagome's direction.
"Has she seen Keiko yet?"
"She knows Keiko?" The raised brow furrows. Thank goodness.
"Botan's kind of like a… friend, kind of like a keeper for Yusuke," Kagome surprises herself by how much she gives away, just because Shizuru asks. She ties up the explanation with an "It's complicated."
Everything with you is, says Shizuru's expression. Aloud, she says, "She's got news on the boys, but won't share 'til she sees you."
"C'mon, Shizuru," Kagome isn't whining, "Botan's hardly around. Yusuke and I had forgotten to introduce her to Keiko, too."
Shizuru frowns. "What'd you tell her?"
"The truth. Yusuke and I work with her."
Shizuru studies her. It's intimidating every time she does it. "How much do they pay you?"
"I'm… getting funded."
"But not paid, right? Why the hell don't they pay you, Kagome?"
"Yusuke has a job with them. I'm contracted. Please drop it." The clipped, uncomfortable tone to Kagome's voice just riles up Shizuru further.
"Who the hell is hiring a fourteen year old? What, are you their fucking servant or something?"
"I said drop it," Kagome snarls. She slams open the door, but just stands in the doorway, shaking. She doesn't want to leave, especially when she knows Keiko must've heard her yelling.
"Don't drop that barrier," Genkai warns without humor. "That's the only thing keeping those four safe on their little walk."
Right. In Genkai's weird way, it's her reminding Kagome that at least the other adults hadn't heard her break in composure. Just Keiko and Botan. Goody.
Kagome usually doesn't scream- her voice raises too many pitches and it may draw questions- but Kagome isn't usually so frightened when she's cornered. She doesn't want to lie to Shizuru. Shizuru usually gives her an out so she doesn't have to. Her shoulders shudder.
Shizuru's footsteps are always quiet and careful, but Kagome must have become used to listening to them. Before Shizuru can reach her, she wipes her cheeks and exits to the foyer.
Botan, thank goodness, is acting normally enough. Worried, but she always seems to be to some degree. Neither she nor Keiko say anything about Kagome's state, instead moving delicately to the topic. She looks relieved at the sight of Kagome, going so far as to jump behind her to hide.
"Botan," Kagome says patiently. "You are terrible at being conspicuous."
"Yes, well," Botan fumbles "I meant to just drop in to see you and then head out. I didn't expect… Well, Shizuru caught me out."
Shizuru's making some sort of disapproving noise, but Kagome's attention is elsewhere. Botan hadn't meant to be caught, so Shizuru definitely has some sort of formidable psychic ability if she's able to see through a Ferry Girl's glamour. Interesting.
"She has a habit of doing that," Kagome agrees, then scratches the back of her head. What a conundrum they've suddenly found themselves in. She meets eyes with Botan, and the two of them have a silent conversation that ends in Kagome rubbing a tired hand over her face and Botan eyeing the humans in the room nervously.
"Yusuke's going to be pissed either way," Kagome points out, somehow already mid-argument.
Botan doesn't skip a beat, throwing in her opinion. "The less that's known is safer."
"For you lot, not the bystanders." Kagome scowls at nothing, and Botan's words seem to convince her to lean into her opinion. It's so quick that Shizuru wonders if the new girl did it on purpose. "They'll have to know, eventually. This isn't some short time thing to them, just because it is to you all. I've already-" -told you to be sensitive to normal humans' perception of time- "-asked you to be more sympathetic about Yusuke's situation."
Botan cocks her head like she's puzzled, and Kagome wants to groan. KoEnma couldn't have sent her a better actor?
Keiko watches. Shizuru observes. The both of them understand next to nothing about this dialogue, but maybe…
…Maybe these two aren't friends at all.
Botan purses her lips. "I'm not answering to KoEnma about this."
"Oh, Botan." Kagome smiles, ugly and saccharine. "You know you have to."
At that jab (because, even without context that is undoubtedly what it is), Botan scowls. It looks wrong on such a pretty face, and after a split second Botan only looks away. Kagome looks unsatisfied at her lack of response.
Genkai shifts, leans against the wall and watches them. Her voice is harsh when she speaks up. "Go on, then. Show us. And you." Her eyes catch and hold onto Kagome's. "You'd better stop picking fights and keep that barrier up."
Keep your wits about you.
Kagome lets out a shaky breath, nods.
Without further ado, Botan slashes open a portal. Kagome adores and hates the very sight of it. Doesn't matter, she tells herself as she restrains herself from jumping in. It's the wrong one. Doesn't matter...
The portal shifts, the edges darkening and flashing shades of unnatural jewel tones. With Kagome and Botan in the front, the group watches as an image pops up. It looks like Yusuke…
… is going to regret taking this stupid job.
"Stupid toddler," he grumbles sourly. From beside Yusuke, Kurama hums.
"Pay's okay," he near jokes, pleased when Yusuke lets out an amused huff. Kuwabara scowls, and punches Yusuke's bicep.
"Ow! Dick!"
"You're the dick! You guys are getting paid for this? I just wandered in on this thing and I could've argued for a check?"
"Take it up with Kagome, not me!"
Kuwabara stares Yusuke down, dissatisfied. When that doesn't work, he complains, "Why the hell do I keep hearing this guy's name everywhere?"
Hiei's silent as he watches, but his amusement is clear to Kurama, who also hides a grin. Their companion's bickering has lifted the awkwardness out of the tension, and with it gone the four of them can hopefully focus on the fights better.
"I'm serious," Kuwabara mutters, and while Yusuke and Kurama are the ones to turn and actually face him, Hiei cocks his head slightly like he's also listening. It gives Kuwabara the encouragement needed to continue, "He's always around my sister. I wanna know what this kid's like."
At that, Hiei actually pauses and looks at him, for just a moment, before he's whipping around to face forward again. From the back of the group, Yusuke is fumbling with an explanation. "Kagome is a good guy," he says, "I'm not exactly sure how he's… I guess, got roped into being some kind of puppet for the Spirit World, but he somehow saved us from being servants."
"Indebted," Kurama protests, his hereditary pride flaring.
"No pay, no housing, no freedom?" Hiei pretends to muse, finally joining the inane chatter. Hiei holds pride in high regards, but he isn't going to be so stupid as to throw away the exta boons KoEnma had been convinced to grant. "Quite the debt."
Kurama scowls, turning to face Hiei entirely now. "You act so strangely around someone you've barely met. I didn't think you were the type to form tribes."
Hiei will never have a tribe; That's a low blow. His lips peel back in a mean grin. "If I have a tribe, then you and the Detective have made quite the little pack."
"A pack," Kurama scoffs incredulously, and the two of them begin to hiss arguments at each other.
Kuwabara and Yusuke exchange glances.
"You?" Kuwabara asks-without-asking. What's up with them?
"Not a damn clue," Yusuke answers, shrugging. "Everyone I've met through this gig is touchy as fuck though. Glad I'm not the only one who needs therapy, I guess."
Kuwabara pauses for only a second before chancing a joke, "Maybe you should drag these guys to one of your sessions." The absurd sound Yusuke makes draws Hiei and Kurama out of their argument, and his shoulders shake with repressed laughter.
"What are you doing," Hiei says flatly, like he's never seen someone laughing before.
"Thinkin' about dragging you and Kurama to a human therapist and expecting them to just deal with us."
Kurama says "You're impossible," but cracks a grin so Yusuke doesn't mind. The four of them- well, three, really, but Yusuke swears he sees Hiei grin a few times- continue building off of the concept, the banter helping time pass as their journey looms over them.
No one approaches, and Yusuke's about to question it when he sees the amused expressions on their demonic friends' faces. Trying to use what Genkai's taught him, Yusuke focuses on the immediate surrounding area: Kuwabara's warm glow on his left. Kurama's (twin-but-not? He had asked Genkai only to be told to mind his damn business) signatures on his right. Hiei's equally confusing aura further down.
Speaking of Hiei, he immediately knows what Yusuke's doing. Yusuke suspects it's the eye thing, and thinks Cheater. He grins when Hiei scowls at him.
Shut up. Spread the perimeter of your focus, Detective.
So he does, and suddenly there's a few dozen signatures Yusuke can feel under his skin like stinging nettles- not painful, but agitating- but they're moving away. Which doesn't make any sense, considering there's only the four of them trying to enter.
Remember who you're with, Hiei points out derisively.
Who he's with… Kuwabara and he were the outliers, so-
"You guys are a much bigger deal than Kagome let on, aren't you?" Yusuke blurts. Kurama pauses to see Hiei's unphased reaction, then only offers an enigmatic smile. It's infuriating when they team up with each other. Yusuke's glad, twice over, that they're all on the same side. Hiei nods once. After a few more moments of tense quiet, the fox offers an actual answer.
"Kagome has been doing us a favor, then," Kurama smiles genially. Yusuke knows that 'us' in this circumstance doesn't include Kuwabara or him. "Ask anyone else and you'll be hearing much less niceties."
Kuwabara shudders, scowling at the other two. "Urameshi, you've got some weird friends."
"Look who's talkin', bozo," Yusuke shoots back without heat.Then, to Kurama, because it's rare to get the older boy to outright answer some of his questions, "So you guys have built quite the reputation for yourselves, huh?"
"Worse," Hiei interrupts, "we earned it."
Yusuke's not quite sure what's better out of the two.
The entrance to Youma looks like a gaping maw. The four of them stand in a group, and then, as if everyone senses each other's hesitation, determinedly walk forward in an effort to not show fear. Before making it too far, a floating eyeball intercepts them, having floated out of the depths of the cave in order to demand their attention.
"Welcome to the Maze City," the eye somehow crows, "Those who seek entrance must pass the door."
With that, the eye turns around and promptly floats further a bit away. It bobs towards a lever on the wall, and waits until Kuwabara finally steps in after everyone else to use its tail to pull it. As soon as they cross the threshold, the high ceiling of the cavern drops and the four of them are forced to use their full strength to keep it from crushing them.
The eye, crinkling with glee, explains amidst the chaos. "Only backstabbers are allowed in the city. If one of you moves, the deserter lives! The other option is you stay together and die that way too!"
"Fox," Hiei sounds irritated.
Kurama sighs, shifts his feet. "I know," he admits once, mournfully. "That is a bit embarrassing for me. It's such a juvenile trap, too."
Yusuke glances at Kuwabara, who's shuffling a bit more than everyone else, especially his hands. He isn't sure for a moment if it's because Kuwabara's power level is the lowest out of the group- so far- or if his friend still bore aches from his time at Genkai's.
Kuwabara catches him looking and scowls. After years of knowing each other, of being rivals and each other's antagonist, Yusuke is quite clearly able to read Kuwabara's idiosyncrasies. There's literally no one else's body language that he's studied more, even Keiko. This particular expression says Focus on the bigger issue, meathead, and Yusuke shakes off his worry.
The lever, Yusuke thinks. We need to get that lever. "Hiei," he utters, grabs Hiei's attention and mentally relays his plan.
For a few moments there's this awful pause before Hiei mentally replies, Too risky. Then, as though immediately mortified at showing worry Hiei thinks Nevermind. Good plan and darts off towards the lever, trusting Yusuke to be ready for his part.
To his credit Yusuke doesn't miss a beat, just shoves all of his energy into compensating for Hiei's absence. He can feel his reiki burning through his veins, not exactly painful but the intensity making it a close thing.
Hey Yusuke thinks, hopes Hiei's listening, I'm counting on you. He sees Hiei dart towards the lever, wrap a hand around the lever and just… stay still.
"What's wrong?!" Kuwabara cries, his face red as his strength wanes. "Pull the lever- just pull it!"
But Hiei doesn't. Instead, the shortest of their group has locked eyes with the floating orb, whose lids are crinkled up at the ends. The crescent shaped eye speaks.
"You shouldn't hesitate, you know," it coaxes, "Progress without them, and Lord Suzaku awaits. He has many uses for a bandit like you."
"Don't even think about it, asshole!" Kuwabara panics. "Urameshi trusted you!"
Yusuke wants to speak up, say something encouraging or soothing to Kuwabara- Trust Hiei- but his concentration's straining and his energy's running lower every second. (And since when is his first instinct to soothe? This is somehow Kagome's fault.)
Something about the situation must strike Hiei as funny because he chuckles condescendingly. Only it's not as funny as one might think, because just a second later Hiei's red eyes flash brightly. "What a naive bunch of morons," he laughs, and pulls the lever.
Then, in the milliseconds that passed after, Hiei slashed down the eye's center with his katana; Yusuke's certain only Kurama caught the movement in full. Hiei sends the eye away with a scathing last retort:
"Tell your saints I will spare them if they kneel. Either way I will bring them to their knees in a few hours time."
The sky stops falling, and Yusuke lets himself fall on his ass. He listens to the murmur of Kurama's voice as he asks Hiei something, to the popping joints and groans of Kuwabara, to the blood rushing in his ears. His body really hurts.
"Detective." A small and calloused hand appears before him, and shit, that does surprise Yusuke. He didn't think he and Hiei were all that friendly yet, but it's a pleasant surprise. Yusuke takes the offered limb and is lifted back onto wobbly legs. He claps Hiei once, twice on the shoulder as thanks before being handed off to his usual crutch, Kuwabara.
"'ppreciate it," Yusuke says, and Hiei just snorts.
They're interrupted by the communicator going off in Yusuke's pocket. It's Botan, who calls with a city update: so far, so good, but hurry. Get the whistle, smash the whistle. Yusuke tunes her out until he sees someone familiar walk across the background of the call.
"Keiko?"
Keiko freezes before darting out of sight. From off screen, she calls back "Yusuke," in the same incredulous tone. Well. If she's mocking Yusuke then she must be fine, so that's good at least. But then why expose Keiko to the Spirit Worlds existence? Kagome and he have tried to keep her oblivious to it, afraid that Keiko might be sucked in alongside them. Unless…
"Is everyone okay?" He blurts, suddenly unable to help the fear no matter how rash it is. What he means is Is Kagome still there?
(Because he's still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Kagome to look at his messy, fucked up situation and think that all of this work isn't worth it.
Abandonment issues, Yusuke thinks and wants to roll his eyes. In his mind he'd heard the words in his therapist's voice, having never been able to say them himself.)
"Everyone's fine, Yusuke," comes just the voice he wants to hear. A band of anxiety unwinds itself from his heart. Kagome sounds wrung out, but the last time Yusuke's seen him he was really stressed so it makes sense.
Kagome pops into frame, his long hair messy like he was sleeping before this. It's a startling contrast to everyone else's put together appearance, but no one else seems to mind.
Kagome clears his throat. "So," he says, ripping off the bandaid, "some things happened. Keiko knows where we work, and that Botan and Hiei aren't like us."
He's dreading Keiko even having half the truth- because if he's reading between the lines correctly Keiko still doesn't know exactly what's going on behind the scenes. Shit, Yusuke doesn't know what's happening a good sixty percent of the time.
Keiko is still unaware of their roles in the Spirit World.
"Watch your wrists, Kazuma," comes Shizuru's voice, and Kuwabara lets out a light eep! that's funnier than it has any right to be.
Keiko probably deems it safe enough to come back on screen. She looks determined, but unsure of herself. She's probably psyching herself up to say something cheesy. "Yusuke! Beat these guys up and come home quick, okay?"
... Yup. Yusuke grins, warmth blooming in his chest as he watches Keiko turn pink with embarrassment. Totally something cheesy.
"You got it, Keiko," Yusuke promises. It's good to see her bounce back so quickly, and he can tell she's restraining her questions for his return.
Huh. Maybe the spirit world can be good for a person. He doesn't know how to feel about that.
"Yeah, we've been watching you guys, good job." Kagome's words cut through the tension quickly building in Yusuke, and he feels his shoulders slump at the pride in his older friend's voice. Something about gaining Kagome's approval always reassures Yusuke that he's doing something right, even if he doesn't like the fact that Keiko is watching his fights. He must be making a stink face, because Kagome tuts at him; Yusuke crosses his eyes just to make it worse.
"We won't be distracting you any further then," Kagome says decisively. "Be careful, Yusuke. Boys."
"Bye, 'Gome," Yusuke says, the embarrassing nickname slipping out of its own accord. Something in Kagome's demeanor softens, and he gives a smile Yusuke's only seen a few times.
"Bye, Yusuke," he says softly.
And the communicator shuts off.
"The next Saint we have to kill is Genbu."
"How could you possibly know that?" Kuwabara complains.
Hiei points to his forehead, and probably says something in Kuwabara's mind to make him scream like a little girl.
"That's cheating!" Kuwabara cries, then turns to Yusuke. "He read the eyeball's mind!"
Yusuke barely blinks before saying "Okay."
Kuwabara punches him. "Dickhead! Tell me when someone has telepathy!"
Yusuke scowls as he rubs his arm. Maybe he deserves that one. He turns to Kurama and wordlessly prompts him for any extra information.
Kurama sighs the sigh of the put-upon. "I don't know everything that he does, you know."
"Huh," Yusuke says, as if the thought is actually just occuring to him. Kurama shoves at him in a boyish fit of playfulness.
Before Yusuke can retaliate with a noogie Kurama darts away, backing up towards Hiei to fall in line and syncing their steps. Hiei glares at him, and Kurama innocently blinks back.
"What's got you so... playful, Fox?" Hiei asks, saying playful like it's something disgusting.
"Answered your own question there, didn't you?" Kurama bares his teeth in the farce of a grin. "I was just about to propose my claim on the next fight."
Immediately Yusuke wants to protest. Kagome always said it was stupid to split a group that fought well together. But... he looks around, sees Kuwabara shaking his head in disbelief, sees Hiei's glare and Kurama's standoffish smile, and thinks Maybe we don't fight as well together yet. Maybe we'll have to work with what we've got until we get there.
And as young as he had seemed only moments prior, Kurama is also very, very old. Yusuke often forgets that.
Even Kurama's human teeth are sharp.
So against his better judgement and the rapid beating of his heart, Yusuke says "It's yours."
Kurama looks pleased at that, so Yusuke thinks it's the right choice. Hiei lightly scoffs but doesn't argue, and Kuwabara-
Kuwabara's just studying him. A few heartbeats pass, and then Kuwabara just gives a sharp nod, patting Yusuke's shoulder as he follows behind their other teammates.
Genbu is ugly as sin. He's this hulking mass of constantly shifting clay with sharp teeth that are set in a permanent and unfriendly grin. Yusuke's almost relieved at the sight of him, much to Kuwabara's confusion.
"Kurama's half his size," Kuwabara squeaks, but Hiei just shakes his head.
"Don't fall for his trick," Hiei says, and it's advice only a hair's width away from warning. "There's a reason I ally myself with Kurama."
Kurama smiles prettily at Genbu. "You're either coming over here," he says, "or I'm going over there."
"Kurama works with plants," Yusuke mentions, and to his delight Kuwabara seems to think it's just as cool as he does. "And Genbu's made of dirt."
"Oh," Kuwabara says, suddenly winded. "Oh, man."
AN
whaaat a somewhat decent upload time?
here's a bit of yusuke's perspective. hope it came out okay. my longest chapter yet?
im exhausted, and think i'll nap. thanks to everyone who reviewed, they were all so sweet. my mental n physical health isn't the best at the moment. much love and appreciation to you guys
val