Chapter Four- Bad News

"No cure?" Yusuke repeated faintly.

"Correct. I am sorry. The counter ingredients are rare or extinct.'

Yusuke sighed softly as she looked at her body. "So, this is how I'll be now."

"It is. How are your customers taking your gender change?"

"Well, most were doubtful until they tasted their food. Some reacted with shock when they saw me. I told them it was temporary." She shook her head. "I'll have to tell them that it's permanent." Yusuke felt a cold feeling in her stomach as she said that. She also felt sick at being a girl for life.

"I should go. I will need to tell Mother about this and more. I do not know how she will take knowing her son is a demon."

"Do you really think that's necessary?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. I will start with you being a girl instead of a boy now. If she asks questions of why I was involved, I will volunteer only pertinent information."

Yusuke nodded. "That sounds like a plan."

Kurama gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving. Yusuke put a couple of fingers on the spot and smiled a little. They had never kissed before; they had only held hands or quickly hugged. That was surprising, but I liked it- a lot. I wouldn't mind another one, only on the lips next time. A man approaching made her lower her hand and smile brightly at him. "Hello, sir. How can I help you?"

The man, one of her regulars, stared at her with shocked recognition. "Yusuke Urameshi? You're a girl?"

She sighed. "Since this morning. I got splashed with a potion two nights ago. The one responsible admitted he had chosen me as a test subject and that there's no reversal solution."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. I don't plan for this to change anything else about me. So, what would you like tonight?"

"Yusuke is your girlfriend now?" Shiori asked.

"Yes. it happened because of a demon who is not benevolent like the one you saw on TV." Kurama was thankful for the interview of a friendly demon; it spared him of revealing the existence of demons. The shock may have been too much for Shiori.

"A demon did this? But, why?"

"He wanted a test subject and chose Yusuke. He most likely chose her on purpose as she sometimes meddled in the affairs of criminal demons."

"Why would she do that?"

"She had a special talent for dealing with them. The one who changed her may have believed he would weaken her by changing the gender. This was incorrect. The gender is the only thing different."

"The only thing different," she repeated. She nodded. "All right. We will still have our private dinner in two weeks. That should give her some time to cope with the change."

Kurama knew that Yusuke would appreciate the consideration. It had only been about twelve hours since Yusuke woke up as a girl. She had gone from resigned to being female, to being hopeful of a cure, and back to resign. She will need time to adjust to her new gender and the problems and advantages that come with it. Kurama had a couple of ideas of problems being a girl, but the advantages eluded him. I'm sure Yusuke will discover them in time.

I don't know what would be good about being a girl, Yusuke thought as she sat on a stool in her shop, her head in her hands. There's no way I'll get used to it. I know that's what Keiko would say and I would tell her I can't. She sighed slowly. I will be subjected to another shopping trip and it will be torture.

"Yusuke?"

The teen looked up to see Keiko at the counter. She quickly rose and went to the counter, her composure in place. "Hey, Keiko."

"Are you okay?"

"No. No, I'm not. I'm a girl now and Kurama said there's no cure."

"Oh, Yusuke. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"You can help me cope and, as much as I'd hate to say it, take me shopping." Yusuke choked on the last word.

"Of course I'll help. We're still friends, Yusuke."

"Thanks, Keiko. Really."

She took one of Yusuke's hands and squeezed it. "We'll get through this and you'll eventually get used to it."

Yusuke rolled her eyes once Keiko had left. Did I call that or what? Okay, so I will need new clothes and now that I know it's not temporary, I will use my own money to pay for it. Maybe I should offer to pay Keiko back for the clothes I'm wearing. Yeah, I'll offer when we go out tomorrow. A customer came up and Yusuke turned her attention to serving and explaining herself.

Keiko walked home, her thoughts on Yusuke. She didn't think it was fair that her close friend had to adjust to a new way of living. In less than a day, he became a girl and learned that there was no cure. She didn't deserve this, but we've got to make the best of it.

Her thoughts turned to tomorrow's shopping trip and she grew excited. She absolutely loved shopping, especially for clothes. She started thinking of what clothes they were going to buy, for she could hardly not shop for herself. Today's trip was more of an emergency but tomorrow would be a thoroughly enjoyable one.

Yusuke will likely not buy makeup, but she will need to buy pads, razors, and shaving gel to name a few things. Hmm, I wonder if she'll buy a purse. She probably won't. She'll most likely buy the essentials and nothing else. Oh, well. That doesn't mean I can't buy non-essentials. And who knows? Yusuke might just like shopping. Keiko smiled, thinking of some cute outfits she had seen today and may buy tomorrow.

Yusuke served up another order and the woman gave a sympathetic smile as she left. Yusuke was getting a little tired of constantly explaining her change, but knew she had to hang in there. It would take time for word to get out that Yusuke Urameshi was a girl now. That will be a good thing and a bad thing. The good part will be that I won't have to explain anymore and my business will run smooth again. The bad part will be the demons and street punks who will think I'm weaker just because I'm a girl. Heh, let them try. I'll knock 'em out.

"Excuse me, miss. Is Urameshi working tonight?"

Yusuke flinched at the familiar voice before looking over from her food preparation to see Kuwabara at the counter. Oh, man. What's Kuwabara gonna think when I tell him? She squared her shoulders as she went to the counter. "Kuwabara, I'm Yusuke."

Kuwabara recoiled before taking a step back and staring open-mouthed at her. "Urameshi?" he whispered. "What the heck happened?"

"I was tricked into going to a run-down house on the assumption that I would be stopping a demon from changing humans and demons into the opposite gender. My informant was the one making the potions. The two of us were getting rid of what turned out to be colored water when he tripped on purpose and splashed a gender switch potion on me. It didn't work right away. I woke up this morning like this. Kurama, Keiko, and I went back to that house and confronted the demon who had the real potions out. Kurama found the recipe to make an antidote but he can't because some of the ingredients are extinct."

"Oh. That's too bad. You're not gonna act like a girl, are you pal?"

"No way. I could still kick your butt. I haven't lost my strength or power."

"Aw, come on Urameshi. I'm too busy with school to fight and besides you know my code. I don't fight girls, even girls who used to be boys."