A.N. We're finally getting to the Spirit Detective Saga and I want to know your thoughts on how the story should progress. I have an idea of how Sakura will contribute but I'm open to any ideas you have, dear readers.

Please leave a review if you're enjoying the story. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.

I don't own YYH, just my OCs.

Chapter 5

Though Sakura had wanted to walk, Keiko insisted they take a taxi since Sakura was still groggy from the painkillers. They didn't talk much on the ride home, but once the cab pulled up to the new Urameshi residence, Sakura turned to Keiko.

"I'm curious. How did Mother get this new place sorted without me around?"

"It wasn't easy, but between me, my parents and Kuwabara's brute strength we were able to handle the insurance and set up new furniture. Your room is a bit bare but I didn't think you'd want me to redecorate,"

"I appreciate that Keiko, but I'm sure you would have been fine. Maybe you could help Yusuke's horrific lack of creativity, " Sakura slid a sly grin in her brother's direction.

"Come off it you damn brat! My room is organised chaos! The system works,"

"Sure bro, whatever you say," Sakura snickered.

Keiko giggled and took Sakura's bag. Yusuke, ignoring his sister's protests, picked her up and carried her upstairs.

"For God's sake, Yusuke. I'm perfectly capable of walking!"

"Says the girl who's white as a ghost and just got released from the hospital," Yusuke deadpanned.

"In case you didn't notice, my arms got burned, not my legs!"

"Kura," Keiko piped up. "Let us take care of you. You're very unsteady on your feet. Just relax," Keiko opened the door with her key and they stepped inside.

Sakura had to hand it to her mother. She must have had decent insurance, because this place wasn't half bad. Typically, Atsuko was passed out in front of the TV. Yusuke carried Sakura into her new room and gently laid her on the bed.

"Is there anything you need, Kura?" Keiko asked, fluffing her pillow.

"Mmm, I think I'm ok for now, thanks Keiko,"

"Ok, I'm heading off to school now, but I'll be back tonight," Keiko patted Sakura's arm. "Take good care of her," she smiled at Yusuke and left. Sakura relaxed into the mattress. Yusuke sat down on the end of the bed and crossed his legs.

"Aren't you going to school too, bro?"

"Not a chance," Yusuke smirked.

Sakura glared at him. "There is no way I'm letting you skip school, pal,"

"I'm not skipping school. I'm staying home to look after my kid sister who just got out of the hospital," Yusuke grinned. He ducked out of the way when Sakura threw a pillow at him.

"Kid sister? I'm only two minutes younger than you!" Sakura growled, though she smiled.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere as long as you're stuck at home. Let's talk. I have so much to tell you…"

"...So Koenma gave me a second chance and then after Keiko kissed me last night, here I am!"

"Wait, Keiko had to kiss you?" Sakura's eyes were wide as dinner plates.

"Uh, yeah," Yusuke scratched the back of his neck self-consciously. "Well, that's pretty much it,"

Sakura shut her eyes. "Let me see if I understand this correctly. Because nobody expected you to sacrifice yourself to save a life, the toddler who apparently rules Spirit World asked you to take care of an egg til it hatched, which you then destroyed in the house fire, and then they gave you another chance to come back to life if Keiko and you locked lips?"

Yusuke blinked. "Well it didn't necessarily have to be Keiko, but asking you would've been all kinds of wrong. But overall, yeah. You nailed it, I'm impressed,"

"Why. WHY did you throw away that egg for Keiko and me? You knew it meant you could never come back to life?!"

"If you and Keiko weren't here, what was the point in coming back?" Yusuke shrugged. "Besides, Koenma said whatever was inside would have bitten off my head, so it turned out to be a good thing,"

"I'd punch you if my arms weren't bandaged," Sakura hissed.

Yusuke stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, well, they are Squirt. Tough luck,"

"At least they saw you have a heart of gold under that rough exterior," Sakura smiled.

"Meh, they said they had plans for me. Whatever that means,"

"So Koenma's really a toddler?" Sakura was trying to wrap her head around that image.

Yusuke nodded. "He's got the pacifier and everything,"

"That...really does my head in," Sakura mumbled. "Look, I'm feeling a lot better now, so why don't we go eat?"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "You sure you feel up to it, kid?"

Sakura nodded.

"Well, if you're sure you're ok. But we won't go too far. You still have to rest,"

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so, so glad you're back Yusuke," she leaned forward and wrapped her bandaged arms around him.

He hugged her back, and suddenly Sakura felt a curious tingling sensation in her chest.

"You ok, Squirt?"

Sakura lightly shook her brother's shoulder. The tingling vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Of course I am. Just a bit sore,"

"No more tears, ok?" Yusuke grinned. "Let's go!"

"My feet are so heavy, they're stuck to the ground. Man, I love gravity!" Yusuke laughed as the twins walked down the street. He was so caught up in being alive, he didn't register the two shady figures who stepped out in front of them.

"Hey you two, can we borrow a little cash?"

"See, we've lost our wallets and we need to call our moms,"

"You remember how the Golden Rule works, don't you?" one thug simpered, slipping his arm around Yusuke. The other turned his attention to Sakura.

"Yeah, just give us all the money you've got, ok?"

Sakura took a step back and braced herself for the inevitable fistfight.

Yusuke's eyes widened. "Are you guys...talking...to me?" he breathed. "I mean, you see me?"

The second thug scowled. "Who else would we be threatening, buddy?"

Yusuke's eyes went bright and shiny. "I can talk trash to people and even touch them," his voice shook with emotion. He squeezed the short guy's hand. "To be alive...is a wonderful thing!" he flounced off, cackling with joy.

"How dare you! You can't touch me!" the shorter one raised his fist, but was stopped by his friend.

"Leave him alone, it ain't right to mess with the crazies,"

Sakura bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the stunned look on the thugs' faces. She hurried after her brother. "Idiot," she muttered.

"Watch and learn, Squirt," Yusuke replied smoothly.

"This way!" The Urameshi twins stopped dead in their tracks and looked around. Sakura pointed down the alleyway on their right. What appeared to be an old fortune teller was sitting at a table, wrapped in a long purple hooded cloak. She had another scarf covering her face.

"Yes, over here," her voice was silvery and vaguely familiar. "Do you have a minute?"

"Who, us?" Yusuke asked blankly.

"Indeed," the mysterious woman nodded.

"Alright," Yusuke shrugged. He took a step towards the table where a large crystal ball sat. Sakura stood silently beside him.

The woman waved her hands over the ball which began to glow with what looked like green electricity. "Ah, twins, I see. You were born under the influence of an unusual star!" she said, her voice taking on a mystical tone. "Your life energy is somehow different from other people,"

"You don't say," Yusuke smirked. Maybe I should tell her I've been dead for a couple of weeks. That would throw her.

Sakura glared at him. "What? Tell her you've been dead?! What's the matter with you?"

Yusuke started. "Did I say that out loud?"

Sakura paused. "No...I don't think you did,"

Her twin gave her a rather strange look. The fortune teller looked over with interest. "You have a mission to accomplish, young man. And so do you, young lady. You don't realise it yet, but there is immense power in both of you,"

Yusuke fixed the fortune teller with the look he was giving Sakura. Then he turned to leave. "Come on, Squirt,"

"Where are you going? I'm not finished!" the woman stood up.

"Sorry, but no missions for me. All I'm doing now is some good old R and R!"

Sakura looked apologetically at the fortune teller. "Sorry about him, he's just like that with everyone,"

The fortune teller didn't say anything. Sakura followed after her brother, who was now wearing a ridiculous pair of sunglasses. They approached their favourite coffee shop, but were nearly hit as two boys from their school stormed out.

"All those guys are from Rugafuchi Junior High," the one with glasses grumbled.

"Yeah, they come in all the time now," the taller one groaned.

"I hear they're trying to take over the turf from Kuwabara,"

"No way! Man, we better get out of here!"

"If only Yusuke Urameshi was still alive,"

Yusuke paused and slowly turned to face Sakura. "Squirt, what are they talking about?"

Sakura hesitated. "It's...a long story,"

Yusuke's expression hardened. He motioned to Sakura and stepped inside the cafe. They took a seat and observed a gang of Rugafuchi students lounging at a booth like they owned the place.

"These are definitely kids from Rugafuchi," Yusuke muttered to Sakura. "I see they've been taking advantage of things while I've been gone. Nice of them. You want to fill me in, Kura?"

"Here you go!" the waitress brought hot drinks to the twins.

Sakura bit her lip and kept her voice low. "Long story short, while you've been gone the bastards from Rugafuchi have been closing in on Sarayashiki, so to speak. I don't know all the details, but I do know that Kuwabara and his gang have been trying to push back. From what I heard, Mr Akashi made some bet with Kuwabara and his friends that they wouldn't fight for a week. But knowing Rat Face, it's more likely he threatened them. Anyway, they won the bet or whatever it was, but that gave the Rugafuchi morons time to fight their way into Kuwabara's territory,"

She sipped her tea. Yusuke picked up a newspaper and used it to cover the fact that he was glancing over to the Rugafuchi table, particularly at a weedy kid with slightly shaggy hair and glasses. He had an air about him that Sakura didn't like one bit.

From the way they're sitting, I'd say Four Eyes is their ringleader.

Sakura put her cup down. "Yusuke, I'm pretty sure his name is Sakamoto, not Four Eyes!"

Yusuke turned to Sakura. "I didn't say anything! How did you know his name?"

"I heard you. Just like I've heard Kuwabara's genius friends talk about their rivals," Sakura informed him irritably. "His name stuck out to me, I guess,"

Yusuke stared at his sister. "Squirt, did you just...read my mind?"

"And I have a feeling he might have gone to elementary school with us…" Sakura gaped as she realised what Yusuke had said. "What?!"

"Shhh!" Yusuke hushed her. "You knew I called him Four Eyes, but I only called him that in my head, not out loud!"

Sakura didn't know what to say. Hadn't she done the same thing minutes ago with that fortune teller lady?

"What the..?" Yusuke looked sharply at Sakamoto. "Kura, look at him closely. Can you see anything...unusual?"

Sakura looked over at Sakamoto's arrogant face, and her jaw dropped. "That guy's got horns!"

"So they are there. That's not normal," Yusuke said quietly. "What's going on?"

Sakura lowered her eyes, but she listened carefully to what the gang was saying.

"Kuwabara's later than usual," Idiot 1 yawned.

Idiot 2 looked bored. "Yeah, maybe he's not gonna come,"

"So what makes you so sure he'll follow your orders, Sakamoto?"

"Sakamoto! Told you so," Sakura hissed to Yusuke.

"Simple, my boys," Sakamoto smirked. "I'm playing with a loaded deck,"

Sakura cringed. Whatever was going on didn't sound good.

"And as evidence of his great loyalty, I'm having him steal a comic book from the most guarded store in town and bring it to me,"

The twins exchanged dark looks. "Give me a break, Horn Boy," Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Everybody knows Kuwabara doesn't steal things. It goes against his honour code,"

"Kuwabara wouldn't do that, 'specially not for a weed like Sakamoto," Sakura agreed.

The bell above the entry door chimed. Kuwabara entered with his friends, looking stone faced. There was a paper bag tucked under his arm.

"Eikichi? Eikichi, where are you?" The Urameshi twins were shocked to hear a note of panic in Kuwabara's voice.

"She's safe here with me," Sakamoto sniffed. "Now let's see what you've got there!"

Sakura looked at Yusuke, horrified. No way! Not Eikichi!

Kuwabara tossed the comics onto the table. "I got you several kinds. Didn't know what you liked,"

"Well, isn't that interesting, Kuwabara?" Sakamoto picked up a white slip of paper and waved it around. "Didn't know they gave receipts for stealing!"

Yusuke cracked a smile. Sakura nearly snorted her drink up her nose as she began to laugh.

"What difference does it make?" Kuwabara was getting even more worked up. "I got you the comic books, now give me Eikichi!"

Don't tell me that lowlife took Eikichi… Sakura's temper was bubbling.

"Fool, you've missed the point entirely," Sakamoto sighed. "I was trying to teach you the thrill of stealing things. This is not what we agreed upon. Now, apologise,"

Kuwabara's eyes were bulging from their sockets.

"You heard me," Sakamoto simpered. "Get on your knees and apologise for being wrong,"

Kuwabara's friends began shouting protests at the gang, but to the shock of them and the twins, Kuwabara got down on his knees, albeit reluctantly.

"Kuwabara, don't!'

"I'm...sorry Sakamoto. I was wrong,"

The gang laughed in amusement.

Yusuke lowered his sunglasses. "Wow, whoever this Eikichi chick is, she must be pretty special for Kuwabara to sink to this level,"

Sakura turned very slowly to face her twin. "Eikichi isn't a person, you idiot!"

"I can't believe you're doing all this for a pathetic fuzzball," Idiot 1 yanked Eikichi out of a bag by the scruff of her neck. She mewed.

"A...cat?" Yusuke stared in disbelief.

"Eikichi! Please don't hurt her! I'll do anything you want!" Kuwabara wailed.

"It's a cat," Yusuke continued to stare.

"Yusuke! We can't just sit here, we have to help,"

"Kuwabara has a cat…"

Sakura massaged her temples in frustration. Apparently, it was up to her.

"Pathetic. How you became king of the turf is beyond me," Idiot One waved Eikichi teasingly in front of Kuwabara. "You want her?"

Sakura got to her feet. "Think that makes you a big man, asshole? Hiding behind a defenceless cat? You gutless wonder. YOU'RE pathetic!" she yelled.

The entire coffee shop turned to her. Sakamoto's face flashed with surprise for a second, but was almost instantly replaced with a sneer. "Sakura Urameshi, is that you?"

"You better believe it!" Sakura snapped.

"It's been a while, I hardly recognised you," Sakamoto looked her up and down.

Sakura shot him an acid-filled glare. "I could say the same thing to you. If I recall correctly, in elementary school you were that snivelling little twit who begged me to do his homework for him. Now you go around threatening kittens just to get a dumb comic book? Good grief man, what's your damage?"

Sakamoto shook his head mockingly. "Damage? Interesting, coming from the girl who's idiot of a brother couldn't cross the street without being hit by traffic,"

Kuwabara, who apparently hadn't noticed Yusuke, leapt protectively in front of Sakura

"Sakura, this isn't your fight. I don't want you to get hurt," Kuwabara interjected. "We're taking this outside,"

Sakamoto sighed. "As you wish,"

The two gangs exited the cafe. Sakura was about to follow them when Yusuke seized her hand. "Squirt, what the hell do you think you're doing?! He's just a run-of-the-mill-punk. He's not worth it,"

Sakura pulled her hand free. "Yusuke, something's not right. Sakamoto's a weakling, not the type to go holding kittens for ransom!"

"Kura, you're burned. You can't do anything,"

"Who says I can't?" Sakura gave Yusuke a devious grin. "Don't you think they'd like to see the ghost of Urameshi?"

Yusuke paused, and the same smile spread across his face. "Let's do it,"

Sakura went ahead. It wasn't hard to find where they'd gone; Kuwabara's distinct voice was emanating from the nearby empty lot. She crouched behind the fencing and listened.

"Hit them, or else say goodbye to your cat!"

Sakura inched her head around, just enough to see Sakamoto's pal threatening the poor little kitten with a broken glass bottle. From the snatches of the conversation, it seemed Sakamoto was demanding Kuwabara hit his friends, or Eikichi would die.

What the hell happened to this blockhead? Killing a cat over a comic book? Yusuke, wherever you are, you better hurry!

"Hit us, Kuwabara, we can take it. We'll just act like it's Sakamoto hitting us and we'll get him back!"

"No! That goes against my code!"

"You heard him, kill the cat!"

Sakura was just about to run out and sock Sakamoto in his stupid face, but before she could, a fist connected with the face of the thug holding Eikichi, who promptly went flying. Yusuke leapt into the air and caught the tiny kitten.

Everyone stared.

"Who the hell is he?" Idiot One asked.

Yusuke ran a hand through his hair and turned around to reveal his face. "Hi!"

Jaws dropped all around.

"It's..that guy! It's Yusuke Urameshi!"

"You, you've really come back from the dead!" Kuwabara gasped.

"That's right," Yusuke smirked. "And I'm in the mood for a relaxing throwdown," Still holding protectively to Eikichi, Yusuke delivered a kick to the stomach, knocking one thug to the ground.

Kuwabara's friends looked at him. Their faces simultaneously cracked into grins. "Let's fight!"

Pandemonium ensued. All four ran forward and proceeded to give Sakamoto's cronies the beating of their lives. Kuwabara focused his attention on the lowlife who'd threatened his cat with the bottle, punching him over and over in the face.

Another thug grabbed Kuwabara around the waist. Yusuke kicked him in the face and handed Eikichi to her relieved owner. "Here, hold this guy would you?"

Kuwabara's face lit up like a Christmas tree to have Eikichi back in his arms, but suddenly he scowled. "Hey, it's a she!"

Sakamoto looked at the chaotic scene. He turned on his heel and ran out past Sakura.

"Oh no you don't!" Sakura grabbed his arm but Sakamoto whirled around and easily threw her to the ground.

"Yusuke!" Sakura cried. "He's getting away!"

Yusuke pulled Sakura to her feet. "Come on, we can't let him miss the best part!"

The twins raced after Sakamoto, following him into a tunnel where they began to gain on him. Sakura took a flying leap and wrapped her arms around Sakamoto, ignoring the pain it caused for her unhealed burns. Sakamoto lost his balance and fell with a crash.

"Nice one, Squirt," Yusuke nodded his approval. Sakura nodded, trying to get her breath back. She knew that move would not have been good for her injuries, but if it meant this jerk would get his just desserts, it was a price she was happy to pay.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sakamoto?" she snarled. "Spit it out? What, you don't want to talk?"

Sakamoto didn't say anything. He shakily got to his feet.

"You know, I think you're right," Yusuke stepped in front of Sakamoto. "I didn't want to talk to you either. You're an embarrassment,"

Sakamoto's face had changed from arrogance to genuine fear. He spun around and went to push past Sakura, but Yusuke shot out a hand and grabbed him by the collar.

"And what's with the little horns, huh?" He slammed a fist into Sakamoto's neck, knocking him out.

"At least that's over," Sakura moaned. Fresh blood was seeping through the bandages on her arms.

"Damn, Kura, are you ok?" Yusuke touched her shoulder. "You did great, but we should probably go home now before you hurt yourself more,"

Sakura nodded. "Worth it though, to see that dick get what was coming to him. What kind of person abducts a CAT?"

Yusuke snickered. "Kuwabara likes cats, huh?"

"Look who's talking," Sakura retorted. "You're the one who rescued Eikichi, you big marshmallow,"

Yusuke went red. "Let's just go home, ok?!"

Sakura glanced back at the unconscious Sakamoto. Suddenly, she leapt back and let out a scream. "Yusuke, look!"

A tiny horned creature with greyish green skin and a shock of purple hair was hauling itself out of Sakamoto's mouth.

Yusuke bent down to get a closer look. "Woah, what the hell is that thing?"

"What?" Shrieked the imp, seeing that the Urameshi twins had noticed it. It looked enraged, balling up its miniature fists and beginning to glow an orange colour. The imp bounced around in flashes of light, but Yusuke reached out and snatched it out of the air.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" the imp raged. Shocks of red electricity surrounded its body. "Don't you know living humans can't see me? And they certainly can't pick me up out of the air. You're breaking the rules!"

Yusuke examined the imp curiously. "You're too big to be a tapeworm. And you talk. Any ideas, Kura?"

Sakura shook her head, too disgusted to speak. That thing came out of Sakamoto? Is that why he had horns?

"He even speaks my language!" The imp whined.

"His name is Jyaki," a new voice trilled. "He is a ruthless criminal wanted for 5 previous convictions in Spirit World. He burrows into the evil portions of a human's soul and makes them do his bidding,"

The twins turned to see a familiar figure walking towards them. The long purple robe, the scarf across the face...

"Hey, you're the fortune teller from the alley!" exclaimed Yusuke.

"Yes, and you two have proven to be the ones we're looking for," She looked at Sakamoto with what seemed like pity. "Jyaki's very hard to find once he's entered a human. We've been tracking him for weeks, but your instincts helped you catch the criminal, before you even knew the crime,"

"Instincts?" Yusuke looked more confused than ever. Sakura narrowed her eyes. That voice...she seemed to recall hearing it somewhere before, and not just in the alleyway.

"You have all that's required to be the detective of the spirit world,"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "That's a fancy title. What do they do?"

"You'll learn soon enough, Yusuke. The appointment is mandatory. And Sakura, it seems you'll be essential too…"

"Woah, slow down. How the hell do you know our names?!"

"Don't get fussy. I hope you know mine too,"

"Wait a second, Yusuke. Lady, you wouldn't happen to be..?"

The fortune teller removed her hood with a flourish. Long blue hair swept into a ponytail tumbled out, revealing...

"Botan, it's you!"

"I wondered if it was!" Sakura grinned.

"There, you see? I knew you'd remember me. It's only been one day," the Grim Reaper smiled.

"Am I in trouble?" Yusuke asked weakly.

"Yusuke Urameshi!" another high pitched voice sounded from outside the tunnel.

Yusuke hurried out followed by Botan and Sakura. In the sky, Sakura could see a transparent, yet huge image of a little boy wearing blue robes trimmed with magenta. The initials JR were on his headpiece, and a kanji symbol to match above it. In his mouth was a pacifier.

"Once again, you have surprised me. Beginner's luck, I'm sure. But alas, you've passed your test and since the situation is rather desperate right now, I'm going to commission you. You are for the moment the Spirit Detective of Earth,"

Sakura felt her knees buckle. So this must be Koenma.

"And no, it's not just a fancy title," Koenma continued. "You'll get cool powers, I've come up with them myself. And as for you, Miss Sakura," he turned to the other twin. "It would appear your assistance will be invaluable, so you'll have to be brought up to speed too. As the need arises, Botan will supply you with information on your cases. They won't be easy," he warned. "I hope you're ready!"

And with that, Koenma faded from sight.

"Wait!" Yusuke yelled after him. Sakura stared blankly at the sky.

Botan took Jyaki from Yusuke and clambered onto her oar. "I'll take this little guy back to the Spirit World. You two better get a good night's rest for tomorrow. And Sakura, I just might be able to do something about those burns you sustained," she winked and floated into the air.

"Wait, you're just going to leave us like this?" Yusuke spluttered.

Botan was gaining altitude. "I promise, this will all make sense very soon. We'll have so much fun working together!" Botan and Jyaki vanished into the air.

Sakura looked over at Yusuke. For once in his life, her brother seemed to be a loss for words.

"Well, so much for the good old R and R," he grumbled. "Kura?"

Sakura shook her head. She thought two of her ribs might have cracked from suppressed laughter.

"He seriously has a pacifier?!"