The Spirit Detective Squad

A Naruto/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover

Summary: Yusuke Urameshi was dead. That was it, the whole of his life boiled down to 14 years of fighting and jumping to save a child who would've been fine otherwise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Above the backyard of his home, Yusuke Urameshi floated silently as he watched the people gathered there. Gathered for him.

Or, well, gathered for his wake.

If he was being completely honest with himself, he'd never imagined so many people would gather. Four, maybe five people, and that was even if his mother got sober enough to organize a wake.

Even dead, he wouldn't hold his breath.

He was surprised, if he was being completely honest with himself. And a little flattered.

His attention was drawn to a commotion at the fence. A tall ginger-haired boy was yelling, held back by three others.

Kuwabara? What the hell, man, pull yourself together.

As the three boys managed to drag their much larger friend away from the yard, Yusuke turned towards the two older men that stood to the side. He definitely didn't expect his teachers to come. But he expected them to badmouth him.

Oi, is that any way to speak of the dead, you dick?

A third man showed up shortly, coming up to berate the two teachers. Yusuke couldn't help but grin in satisfaction.

Yeah, you tell 'em Principal Takenaka. Hehe, look at them run! That's awesome… Hey, where are you going?

The boy floated off after the principal, who had made his way inside the house. Yusuke watched with wide eyes as the principal made way to his grieving mother.

Mom… shit.

She was sitting on the floor in the corner of a room, knees drawn to her chest and tears streaking down her face. Principal Takenaka knelt down next to her. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and spoke to her, but neither member of the Urameshi family paid any attention to him. Atsuko stared into the distance with vacant eyes, and Yusuke stared at her, unblinking.

Then a strangled cry broke through the room. Takenaka had taken his leave, and his mother didn't even blink, so Yusuke was the only one who turned around.

He saw Keiko crying over his body. If Yusuke still had a heart it would've twinged.

Dammit.

She was laying over him now, gripping his shirt and yelling at him, begging him to get up.

Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit.

He turned around and floated out of the room just as his mother finally made her way over to Keiko, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her into a hug without a single word.

A woman with teal hair and pink eyes was waiting for him outside, sitting sidesaddle on an oar floating a few meters above ground. He'd met her earlier, after the car crash, when she came to ferry him to the afterlife.

"Fine, you were right." Yusuke grumbled at the reaper. "You win. I'll do your stupid ordeal, Botan."

"Great." Botan smiled at him. "Hop on then. We don't have any time to waste. We have to get going."

"Going? Going where?" Yusuke grabbed onto the oar.

"We're off to the Spirit World!"

"Wait, Botan, I'm not on yet. Wait!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Botan, listen up, this is very important. I have a special assignment for you."

"Yes sir?"

"Later today a boy will die in an accident. He is your assignment. You have to get him to accept resurrection. It won't be easy; the boy is stubborn. But I believe you can do it."

"Thank you, sir. I'll do my best."

"I know you will."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Spirit World was the starting place of life's final journey. It was the place souls went after death, escorted by various reapers, where they would be judged and sent to the afterlife they had earned.

Yusuke found himself on a mountain, with a large doorway behind him, and a long, winding road in front. He looked around. He saw many other roads, some empty and some with people on them, all leading to a central plateau.

A large complex dominated the plateau, made of pale bricks topped with golden rooftops and fenced by an impressively-tall wall. The gigantic gate opened in front of them, letting them walk inside.

The inside of the complex was clean and crowded, styled largely like a busy business company. The lobby was filled with people, humans in kimonos of various colors running around, some leading other humans to a line forming to the left of the building. There were also others, horned humanoids in shades of mostly blue and red, some carrying large stacks of papers.

"This way." Botan led him by the line of humans and through an archway.

"Hey!" One of them called. "I've been here for years! Who do you think you are, cutting in line like that?"

"What was that you-"

"Yusuke." Botan held him by the shoulder. "Sorry about this sir, he's just a bit of a special case. I'm sure your wait won't bee too much longer now, you'll get decided soon." She bowed to the man and hurried along, pulling the black-haired boy with her. "You shouldn't try starting any trouble in here, just in case."

"Who were they?"

"Deceased souls of humans. They're waiting to be judged, and then sent off to either Heaven or Hell. This way."

The door she led him through was a little bit more ornate than the others, dark brown with a large spiral on it. The room inside was different than the rest of the building. It had wooden floors, large widows and tapestries. In the center, there was a large, dark wooden desk covered with papers and some pictures. And in front of the desk, there was a small child with a large hat and a pacifier.

"Who's the kid?"

"Yusuke!" Botan bowed at the child, pulling Yusuke along with her. "I'm so sorry Lord Koenma. He's new."

"That's alright." The child spoke clearly despite the pacifier. "He's the new project, then?"

"Yes sir."

"Project? What the hell does that… wait." Yusuke frowned at Koenma, taking a step towards him. "He's the ruler of this place? Really?"

"Yusuke!"

"No, I am not. Thankfully." Koenma grumbled at the taller human. "You look like a lot of trouble to deal with."

"Hey!" Yusuke blinked, before shrugging. "Well, you're not wrong."

"Indeed. No, thankfully, my brother is in charge."

The door opened and one of those blue-colored guys from the lobby rushed in, arms full of papers.

"Sorry, excuse me, coming in." He stopped, looking around the room.

"Ah, ogre. You can put the papers on the desk."

"Lord Koenma? Where's the Boss?"

"My brother had to step out for a meeting. He should be back soon." The ogre nodded, moving towards the large table. "I suppose I should be going now. Good luck Botan, you're going to need it." The child walked out of the room. "And say hello to Ayame for me."

"So, he's not in charge?" Yusuke asked a moment later?

"No." Botan sighed. "He is."

A tall blond man walked into the room from behind one of the tapestries. He was dressed in an orange long-sleeved shirt and black pants, with a long, flowing white cloak with red flames lining the bottom rim over that. His right hand was completely bandaged, and an easy grin stretched his whiskered cheeks.

"Ah, Jorge. More paperwork?"

"Yeah, sorry Boss."

"Hm… even here, I can't escape it. Oh well." He shrugged, might as well get on with it. Anything else."

"You have visitors?" The ogre motioned to the other occupants in the room.

"I see. That will be all, Jorge, thank you." The ogre nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Botan, you're back. And successful, I see. You must be Yusuke Urameshi, yes? Nice to meet you." The blond man smiled.

"Yeah. Likewise."

"I'm glad you accepted my proposition, you know." The man sat down at the table, lacing his fingers in front of him. "This will make things much easier in the future."

"What are you talking about."

"We'll get to that eventually. For now, you should focus on your resurrection. Here, take this." He pulled a golden egg from one of his drawers.

"What is it?"

"It's your spirit beast. Or, well, it will be soon. Take the egg and return to the Human World. Keep it with you at all times, it will feed off your soul and grow. When it hatches, it will lead you to your body, and you will wake up."

"What will it hatch into?"

"Who knows." The man shrugged. "It's different for every person. The important thing here is your soul. If it's good-natured, so will the beast be."

"And if it's not?"

"Then, when the beast hatches it will devour you, mind, body and soul, and you will cease to exist. Completely."

"Harsh." Yusuke blinked in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Maybe. But it's better than the alternative. An evil man with a powerful creature at his command. I'll ask you again, do you accept?"

"Yeah, might as well." The boy took the egg.

"Good. Botan, stay with him."

"Of course, sir."

"Good luck, Yusuke Urameshi." Yusuke nodded, more to himself than anything, and turned around. The blond went back to his papers.

"Wait…" He called back when he was at the door. "What's your name?"

"Call me Naruto." The blond grinned. "And if this works, you'll be seeing a lot more of me in the future."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You called, sir?"

"Ayame, yes. I have an assignment for you. The time is approaching when things will have to shake up. And for that, I need you to trace a lineage, from about five or six centuries back."

"From the time the demons and humans lived together?"

"Yes."

"Sir… are you sure?"

"I have to be, Ayame. Or everything I have worked for will crumble. And I cannot allow that. Let me know when you find it."

"Of course, sir."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Might as well put something between the two dragon chapters.