Raised

Chapter Five

Yusuke stared at the screen in front of him in disbelief. The scene before him was unbelievable. Not that anything unbelieve was happening from what he could see. In fact, the spirit world cameras (which, by the way, he now had a new appreciation for how creepy spirit world really was) showed him what could be described as an everyday scene. The only thing stopping him from saying that it was just a normal scene was that was that Yomi, yes the same Yomi he'd challenged a few years ago, was walking with a human. Last time he checked Yomi ate humans, he didn't stroll around with them like they were old friends. What was really unbelievable was the toddler behind him.

"Are you kidding me?" Yusuke spoke out in a hushed voice. "This is the chick you're afraid of? She's nothing! I'd be more afraid that Yomi is walking her into an all you can eat buffet, and she's on the menu. She is human right?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Yusuke prompted again: "Right?"

Koenma finally snapped out of his stupor, making a popping noise with the mafuken (it still looked like a binkie to him). "Technically…"

"So why haven't you sent Hiei after her? He's supposed to be guarding the edges and bringing lost humans back to human world."

"Well you see…" Koenma cleared his throat trying to stall.

"Spit it out already."

"She's dangerous!" Koenma finally spoke up, his voice squeaking as he slammed his hands onto the desk.

Yusuke stared him and laughed. "Her? Dangerous? You've got to be kidding me. Her spirit levels are minimal at best and she hasn't even noticed your stupid cameras. If I didn't know any better I wouldn't even think she knew about demons or spirit world. Hell, her clothes make her look like a loon!"

The former spirit detective turned his attention back to the screen. Really, he'd seen stranger things being worn before but not by too much. Especially considering the fact that the girl he was seeing was a human. It looked so out of date it was practically ancient. And there was something about the outfit that looked way too familiar to be random. Like, he'd seen it somewhere before. The pants were tapered at the ankles and around the high waistline while the shirt, long enough to be a dress, slit on both sides with a tigh around the middle and a folded, V neckline. Seriously, it was pretty weird to see on a human girl

"Yomi's practically leading her by the nose," Yusuke grumbled. "Seriously, you need to get her out of there. If anything him hanging out with her is just plain creepy."

"You have no clue who she-you know what, that's not important!" Koenma said as he tried to settle back down behind his desk.

"Oh yeah? Then what is pacifier breath?"

Koenma sighed - to think he had missed Yusuke. He sucked hard on the mafuken as he crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. It was hard to describe to Yusuke why Piper was so dangerous without making the events sound wrong. After everything that Yusuke had been through, Koenma was aware that he didn't have the best views of Spirit World. The prince of spirit world couldn't blame him. After all the crap that his father Enma had pulled to gain and keep power...well Koenma was still trying to dig through all of it and right his father's wrongs as best he could.

She was one of those wrongs that he was not prepared to deal with much less try and justify to Yusuke.

"Its her abilities...and her connections that I'm worried about," the 'young' ruler tried to explain.

Yusuke, however, had known the junior ruler of spirit long enough to know when he was holding out on him. And just like all the times before it was starting to piss him off. It was so like Koenma to want him to take on a mission without giving him all the information. Like it was so important that Koenma saved face that he would send people in blind. Well, Yusuke was done with it. He wasn't really a spirit detective anymore and he'd only come here as a favor.

"What about her abilities?" Yusuke snapped. His hand flashed over to the screen where he could see her and Yomi sitting down for tea of all things. Tea. God that creeped him out. "What is it? What's so dangerous about her?"

"She's a medium."

"Yeah, sure. A medium. What's that?"

Koenma practically fell out of his desk. "A medium Yusuke! She can channel things."

"So like a psychic?"

Yusuke really didn't get what Koenma was so worried about. He'd dealt with a lot of psychics before and they were all so much more intimidating than the one he saw on the screen. Hell, grandma was more intimidating than Piper was. Then again, Genkai scared more than half of demon world in her prime. And he was man enough to admit that she scared him when she was pissed too. She got creative when she was pissed.

"In a way," Koenma said in a resigned tone. He shifted in his seat uncomfortable. "Mediums are humans who are supernaturally sensitive—"

"So she's like Kuwabara."

Red filled Koenma's face at being interrupted. Oh, this was something he didn't miss about Yusuke in the least. "If you'll let me finish you'll see she's nothing like Kuwabara! She's dangerous."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Yusuke grumbled as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"Their body becomes a gateway between the living world and the spirit world. They also don't rely on just their own spirit energy. They can channel, manipulate, and absorb the energy of others."

"So she's a big vacuum, what's the big deal?" Yusuke prompted and then he leaned forward, a critical look in his eyes. "Oh, I get it. You did something to piss her off. What was it?"

Yusuke hit it too close to the mark for Koenma. The young prince squirmed in his seat.

"It's not that simple Yusuke!"

"Damn, it must have been something really bad, I haven't seem you squirm this much in a long while," the former punk let out a low whistle. "So what was it? Kicked her dog?"

The sound of the door opening up was one of the last indications that Yusuke got that someone was entering. He might not be practicing nearly as much as he had when he'd been the spirit detective but he wasn't off his game. He could still sense Kurama's spirit energy before the redhead even entered the room. Not to mention with the demon senses everything was turned up a few notches, even in Spirit World.

Kurama nodded politely in greeting to Koenma before looking directly at Yusuke. From what Yusuke saw his arrival did not put Koenma at peace. In fact from what he could see Koenma looked like he was about to explode.

"No, Yusuke. Spirit World did something worse than that."

"What happened?"

"Five hundred years ago they kidnapped her, put her into a coma, and used her body to channel enough energy to create and sustain the kekkai barrier."

Yusuke's mouth dropped. "They what?"

Koenma practically squeaked. "It was a different time back then! Yusuke you have to believe me it was for the best...and it wasn't my choice."

He'd only been a little over a hundred and fifty ears, barely conscious enough to make the small decisions. He hadn't gotten to make the bigger ones till he got older. He hadn't even known about her until a hundred years ago!

"Regardless she will hold you responsible for the years she missed," Kurama spoke calmly.

"Ch, I'd probably do the same thing."

"And that's the problem!" Koenma squeaked. "Do you realize how much damage she could do now that the barrier is down? There hasn't been a Medium like her since we put it up!"

"Yes, I understand perfectly what she could do," the redhead continued to speak in an even tone.

"So you want me to bring her in so you can lock her up again? No can do Koenma," Yusuke finally spoke up once more.

The whole situation rubbed him wrong. There was no way he was going to pick Piper up from what looked like a peaceful outing with one of the strongest demons in demon world only to deliver her to someone who had kept her prisoner for five hundred years. Yusuke wasn't even sure he wanted to know how they'd kept her alive for five hundred years anyways. He was sure there was a creepy story attached there as well and he'd had his quota for a few days.

"Yusuke!" Koenma tried to call out to the former detective as Yusuke turned his back.

"Prince Koenma, if you'll allow me I will try to ascertain if she plans to take action. In fact, that's why I asked Botan to bring me up to see you in the first place."

Koenma paused as he looked to Kurama. He wasn't the only one. Yusuke turned back around to stare at his friend. From what he could tell there was a lot more to the story then he was getting. Damn, at this rate he was going to be late for dinner.

"Do you think that's wise?" Koenma questioned up in a whisper.

Kurama gave him no reply, just a look that Yusuke knew would have put a lesser being shaking in their boots.

"Wait - you sound like you know her."

"I do," Kurama responded without saying anything more.

"...how?" Okay, so he'd had enough of creepy situations but his curiosity was honestly getting the better of him.

"It's a long story Yusuke. One better saved for later. Right now I'm sure you have better things to do," the redhead replied with a pleasant smile on his face.

"You have a point. But you'll call me and let me know what's up with this chick right?"

"Yes, Yusuke. I will let you know what happened. I will see you later."