Yu Yu Hakusho: Dead or Alive

Chapter 2: Fugitive

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He stopped a couple of miles from the crime, gasping to get air into his starved lungs. He didn't know what to do; not that there were many options left. The few he could think of were to submit to the police, admit he did it, or to run for the rest of his life, a fugitive. He didn't like the possibility of being put into a Reikai or Ningenkai jail cell for some number of years, but running from the law didn't seem like such a good idea either. For his term as Reikai Tantei, he had been fighting against murderers and thieves from Makai. Now he was one. The irony of it almost made him laugh.

But the situation was too dire for him to laugh.

Choosing his path with a cold sense of foreboding, he began to walk again, his pace slower and more thoughtful. He would stop by his house, say goodbye to his mom. It was the least he could do.

For the hundredth time, he looked down at his right hand. He clenched it into a fist, then let it relax again. He could control it now, but what about later? When he needed it to do what he wanted, would it do just the opposite?

He shook his head, trying to clear it of troubling thoughts, and focusing on the ones that mattered. Like staying away from the rest of the Reikai Tantei, and getting the hell out of Tokyo.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Reikai Tantei wanted to talk to him. And unfortunately he wasn't hiding his ki. Anyone with the slightest bit of spiritual awareness could have found him, and to the very-much-spiritually-aware Kuwabara leading Kurama and Hiei (who disappeared sometime during the hunt) he was very easy to find.

"Urameshi!"

When he heard his name, he began to run. The last thing he needed was the two redheads questioning him. Thankfully, Yusuke didn't sense Hiei in the general vincity.

"Yusuke, please stop!"

"No way in hell," he muttered under his breath.

But he was still exhausted from his earlier run, and this full-out sprint didn't help much. Soon he found himself slowing down, much to his chagrin. And Kurama was catching up (Kuwabara behind him a ways).

When Hiei jumped in front of him, he came to such a sudden halt that he tripped and fell. Reflecting as he picked himself off the ground, he thought he probably shouldn't have stopped. Hiei could have gotten out of his way as easily as he got in it.

"Dammit, Hiei. Was that necessary?" he asked in a growl.

"Hn," Hiei replied in true Hiei-fashion.

"We finally caught up," Kurama said, a slight pant in his voice.

"Yeah--Urameshi--why'd yah--run so fast?" Kuwabara wheezed. Once Kuwabara caught his breath, he said, "Anyway, we heard the weirdest thing from Koenma." Here Kuwabara looked to Kurama for confirmation. When he nodded, Kuwabara continued. "He said that the Reikai police found traces of your spirit energy on a newly-dead guy. They think you did it!"

"I didn't," he said flatly.

"Well, then. Who did?" Hiei asked curtly. Yusuke looked at him, surprised by the accusation in the tone.

"I don't know, but it wasn't me," Yusuke said again; this time his tone was defensive. Hiei snorted doubtfully, but said nothing. Yusuke had this odd feeling that Hiei knew more than he was telling.

"How could they accuse you?" Kuwabara asked. "You're a Reikai Tantei, after all!"

"Simple," Hiei said in that same curt fashion. "They could accuse him because there's evidence against him."

"Listen, shrimp, I know you don't like Urameshi and all, but you don't have to go accusing him of something he didn't do!" Kuwabara spat.

"Listen, KuwaBAKA, I'm not in the habit of not believing what my eyes tell me. If you want to know, ask the criminal," Hiei said calmly. Kuwabara looked skeptical, but that "what my eyes tell me" part got to him. So he turned to Yusuke.

"Urameshi, did you kill the guy or not?" he asked.

"I did NOT," Yusuke said. Hiei glared at him, as if daring to admit the truth. Yusuke glared back, that is, until he felt his right hand began to move.

Shit, he thought. Not now, not now, not now, not now! I've GOTTA get out of here!

Without wasting another minute, because he knew that soon he wouldn't be able to stop whatever was using his arm, he shoved past Kurama and ran as fast as he could, hoping he could control his arm until he was out of sight. It didn't go as planned.

A couple yards away, but still in his friend's line of sight, he lost it. But instead of letting his hand do as it pleased, he slammed the fist down into the ground, creating a crater at least 9 feet wide, with cracks spreading like a spider's web from the edges.

The Reikai Tantei watched in shock as Yusuke ran off and disappeared.

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A/N: *sigh* Seems like this'll be 'nother long one. Not that I expected it to be short when I got the idea. Just an observation.

Oh, and any of you into Gundam Wing? I'm reading these great stories (1x2 shounen ai) by a certain Stormy. Go to

to read some really great fics. *grin* Now that I've gone totally off-topic, see yah next update!