Reason: Well this little idea has been in my mind since last winter and at first I thought it wouldn't work out but then after a boring trip on a bus the only thing that would keep me sane would putting together a setting and fix up most plot holes that would get in the way. It is also an interesting storyline, well knowing me I think the unusual and rare catch me but I fixed it up a bit to make it suitable for the subject. The title was harder than anything else because there is also a reality show going on called The Apprentice but I said to hell with it and just labeled it.
Summary: It has been 4 years since Yu Yu Hakusho ended and times have changed for most even when they have one last job to accomplish unbeknownst to them. The Hunter cast has been given tasks to take, to take over their predecessors. But by doing that they have to be the apprentices of the main characters of Yu Yu Hakusho, each of them have been given a specific character to learn under, and live with. The task itself is not as pleasant as it seems, some of the characters are not really compatible with their teachers no matter what appearances tell. Humor/Crossover
Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter X Hunter or Yu Yu Hakusho; they all belong to the mastermind Yoshihiro Togashi. Don't care much for the title just read again the reason for those who want to bitch about it.
Rating: PG-13 (Suggestive Themes, Cursing, and Senselessness)
The Apprentice
Prologue-
'Gods, it had only seemed days ago that me and the gang had caught up with each other. Fighting demons, saving the world, dammed training, that whole crap.'
A young man in his early twenties was walking down the road his face was fixed in an endless gaze at nothing, not minding the busy streets filled with people chattering, bumping into one another, cars and busses driving through adding more to the commotion. He seemed lost in his own state of mind, reminiscing on the good times he had with his comrades, now that they went their separate ways, he can only wonder what they are probably doing. Four years may sound short but for him every second was an ever still moment since he had been relieved from his detective duty, he still tried to make it look like it didn't change his life drastically.
'I know I have been keeping in contact with Kuwabara, but Hiei and Kurama are a different story...'
'And what is even more disturbing is that the Makai Tournament is starting in less than a month, whatever happens it could cause another war but if something big were to happen I think Koenma would have said something other than that is their really anything to think about?'
He was reaching to a more tranquil part of the city where there wasn't much fuss but he still paid no mind. He entered a small ramen bar, his home along with his wife. Life has gotten boring for him, he longs for excitement, the thrill of fighting but those days are long gone and he had responsibilities to do and keep, not to mention a family business that has been given to him by his father-in-law which is running the bar.
He notices the usual crowd and his wife in the kitchen serving the eager customers; he had already grown accustomed to the smell of food cooking which now has no affect on him. His wife looks up and notices him immediately calling out for him.
"Yusuke! Come over here I need help"
"Aw, Keiko but I just got back... Uh you know what, I promise to take to the night shift for you ok?" He went to the back kitchen to greet his wife; she gave him a dull look when she heard his response.
"Well you better be here tonight, anyway I got a letter for you I think it is important" She hands him a blank letter with no return address but it was stamped in red 'Must Open'.
"Well as long as it's not another payment, I already send all the payment that was needed to be send last week"
He took the letter opened a door that lead to the section of the house on which they dwelled, went up the stairs going to the kitchen taking a drink of water then sat down on the couch to open the letter. The contents inside was just a paper that had not much detail, he began to read it.
Mr. Urameshi,
It is to our note that you have served as a useful entertainer to the community and now that it has been 4 years since you have had your last recording mission we feel as we have a new path to follow. We have recruited new group with great potential, it would be your duty to educate your selected character to a precise course of whatever means you may follow.
The tasks that are to be completed are:
Character Development
Combat Training
Meditation
Proper Hygiene
Social Development skills
Proper Etiquette
Knowledge sharing
Culinary work
The child or adult that have been selected to be under your teaching shall be your apprentice for 6 months. You have full privileges on any forms of teaching that you feel suitable to fulfill requirements, but you hold responsible for any injuries that will happen to your apprentice. This is your last mission to complete so that we may continue on our selected path, and leave you be. Your selected apprentice should arrive at your residence in 3 days that you have received this letter.
Thank You,
The Association
P.S. If you refuse your responsibility, we will have no choice but to exterminate your existence along with your family and any other person associated with you, we are very serious on this matter, it is not to be taken lightly.
"What the hell is this?!" Yusuke yelled glaring at the letter his mind trying to figure out any sense that the letter has made but it was just a confusing puzzle.
"Is this a sick joke from Koenma or what? I don't understand one word of this crap, I want some answers!" Yusuke was visibly infuriated
Yusuke was about to go for the door but soon the phone started ringing, he slowly cocked his head to the source which was right next to the couch. He quickly reached over and picked the phone.
"Hello?" He answered bluntly.
"Uh, Urameshi...Is that you?" It was his best friend Kuwabara on the other line.
"No, dumbass this is Feitan's Pizzeria, can I take your freakin' order"
"Urameshi, what's wrong with you? I just wanted to call on something I got" He tried to explain himself.
"What stupid thing you found now? I'm in a hurry"
"I got a letter that said something about receiving an apprentice or some retarded child like that"
"You too, you think Koenma send us this? I'm about to go to Rekai right now and shove this letter up that toddler's..." Yusuke then noticed something he paused for a second.
"Are you there Urameshi?" Kuwabara wanted to know why Yusuke abruptly paused the conversation.
"What am I doing, you noticed something... Koenma always does this to us to get his kicks" Yusuke softly chuckles slowly releasing his anger.
"If Koenma really wanted us then he would have used Botan right or some of his crazy introductions?"
"True, they're always popping in and out over here" He was starting to understand Yusuke's solution.
"So why are we getting worked up over a dumb prank that was probably send by some lowlife demon just so we can cause commotion up in Rekai" Yusuke started to chuckle.
"I guess there really is nothing so we got that problem solved but still, Yusuke you still got those damn mood swings...it's getting really annoying, you aren't a teenager anymore "
"Whatever, well anyways I got to go and take a short walk to let off this leftover steam" Yusuke really didn't care what Kuwabara had his opinions on his personality
"Hey do you think this has anything to do with the Makai Tournament coming up?" Kuwabara sounded hesitant.
Yusuke widened his eyes and thought for a bit.
'But what this crap has to do with the Tournament?'
"...Urameshiiii" Kuwabara was reminding him again.
"I don't know!" He exclaimed, Yusuke was getting fired up again.
"Well you don't have to get all pissy about it" It seemed at this moment aggravation was spreading like a rabid disease.
"I have to go; I will tell you anything that comes up alright!" Yusuke was getting a headache just thinking more about the complicated things that were being thrown at his direction.
"Ok, don't get crazy...We don't need another rampant demon over here too"
"I'll take that in mind" Yusuke hanged up the phone and looked out the window, it was already dark but the noise was still there, it's been their since he came out of the hospital. Deep in thought he changed his view out from the window and straight to the door. He soon went downstairs and he quickly left the ramen bar without mentioning a word to his wife leaving her confused on why he left in such a hurry.
"Blasphemy!" A ravaged toddler went running around his office enraged, in his hands was a white letter with the same content that Yusuke had read.
Then a blue ogre entered the office upon hearing his master's uproar and finding his young master kicking and screaming yet holding a certain letter.
"Koenma sir, what is wrong?" Afraid that if he made him angrier by saying any wrong words Koenma would do something unpleasant.
"This is an outrage, what do they mean as me as an entertainer!? Have they no respect towards the God of Death" Koenma almost didn't notice his servant just entered his office; he himself was trying to figure out if this was a joke.
"Sir, if you don't mind me asking what is said in that letter?" The ogre was puzzled on what the letter said that had caused his master to be so angry.
"George, I want you to find out who sent this" He harshly handed him the letter as if it was a virus, fact is he didn't want to be bothered anymore with such a petty disturbance.
"Right away, sir" He exited the office and as soon as he was in the far corridor he started to read the letter, he blinked several times and started to laugh his head off.
"Certainly this has to be a gag, no one in their right mind would be serious about it, Koenma is just throwing his usual fit...It seems like it has no return address so Koenma would probably forget about soon" He thought, he soon started walking away to the file office to store the letter in a safe cabinet.
"I'll just keep this for the laughs next time well as long as master doesn't find out" He smiled sheepishly.
Out in the outskirts of Makai laid a massive fortress that holds one of the rulers of Makai along side with her right hand man, Hiei. Inside is just as odd as its outside appearance, in one large area of the fortress holds the private training room where the demon that was second in command usually spends his time. A small courier demon flew into the view of his master and zoomed over to him, with him a special letter that had caused so many heads to turn.
"Master, I hold a message from the Human World it seems to be of utter importance" he announced handing to him the letter.
"Better not be from Rekai, I did my time" The dark demon grabbed the letter looking at where it may have come from.
Hiei opened the letter and quickly skimmed through it; he closed his eyes and in a split second the letter disintegrated into flames. He looked at the courier demon and motioned him to leave.
"Don't bother me with such nuisances next time" It was his last order before the small demon left.
"Yes master, pardon my disturbance; it will not happen again" then it was the last time the courier demon bothered his master.
"Fools, I don't have my time to waste especially now" he closed his eyes and reverted back to his training, out of all the people who have received the message Hiei was the most composed, radical behavior coming from him but he has his reasons.
Yusuke had just finished his night shift like he promised and was already closing up the bar, everything about the letter left a sour feeling inside him. He had thought it over trying to see if that had any connection with the Tournament but no answers met his requests.
By now all the customers were gone and Keiko went upstairs to go to sleep, all Yusuke needed now was to clean up everything out back in the kitchen and that's it for the day. He would join his wife in slumber and every little bug that has pestered him would be left out the door, he was happy that the day was almost done. He then remembered that he didn't get rid of the letter, hopping that Keiko didn't notice. Keiko gets really tense about anything that is connected to Reikai or Makai, but if Yusuke has to do go anywhere of those two she will support him all the way. Yusuke just didn't want Keiko to worry over nothing, if he calls it nothing...
The small bells connected to the door started to ring signaling a customer...last thing Yusuke really needed.
"We're closed comeback tomorrow" He had already said that line so many times and he already wondered to himself why they don't listen.
But he didn't hear the soft ring of the bells or the closing of the door; Yusuke dropped his sponge and slowly walked to the front thinking it must be some drunk again needed to be taken care of.
"Hey buddy, we don't have any sake in here alright so just get..." Yusuke stopped when he saw a small boy sporting a cheesy green outfit with huge boots looking like he was going to hike the biggest mountain around.
"Hello, my name is Gon Freecs; You must be Urameshi san, I was given a letter that said that you will help me." Gon took out a white letter out of his pocket and handed him the paper.
Yusuke froze.
That's just the prologue and yes it is a bit long but I tried to fit it all in, I have been typing this project for a week now and I am trying to send in at least three chapters before school starts which is in 15 days... I also got a little treat for you, a short little mini story or as I call it a complementary scene. I will probably put one in each chapter changing the view on a different person; I was thinking to work out with the Ryodan maybe, but I could change my mind. Be warned I will not continue a mini story it is like a one shot, so if it sounds like a cliff hanger or I just left it down the drain to wither, read again. I always check the endings of all my stories meet a satisfactory end. Ok enjoy the little surprise...
Complementary Scene
"Ok, so that will be two cheese pizzas and a side order of breadsticks, which will be 14.50... All right, thank you for choosing Feitan's Pizzeria your order will be ready in 15 minutes" a soft click ended the call.
A small man with azure hair had just finished taking an order, ready to send it to his assistant. He was a tall man with light tan skin and a grim face but he did his job well at flipping pizzas, looking at the posted order he sighed and then looked at his partner with a gaze.
"Remind me again why this place is called Feitan's Pizzeria if I am doing all the freaking work!"
"Because my name has a better appeal to people who want to eat something quick instead of having a name that makes it sound like an old fat greasy guy running the place" The short man was patient with his quick tempered friend yet it always got to his nerves everytime he asked the same question over and over.
"How does my name sound like that? Tell me, I think Phinx make it sound more like quality customer service"
"Don't we already do that?" He was scribbling in his notepad to remind himself never to answer that question again; it always ended with the same result.
"Yes, for 3 years!" Phinx snapped back at the remark.
"Well then you shouldn't worry about it, we have been in business for that long and we get a decent pay out of it, so why change?" He flipped his notepad back into his pocket and waited for the next phone call.
"If I hadn't lost to you in that poker game then the name should have been mine, and what do you mean by decent pay... All we have is a rat-infested apartment, by now we could be living in a nice condo" he placed the two round dough filled with tomato sauce and cheese in the oven now ready to take out the warm breadsticks off the bottom oven.
"If I didn't have to use the money we saved as to get you out on bail" Feitan sighed when he remembered the whole restaurant swarmed with police men pointing their firearms at Phinx causing a whole commotion inside not to mention a huge smudge on their reputation, they were on the verge of closing down the pizzeria because no one wanted their food from their again.
"I didn't know he was an undercover cop, he was threatening me with a switchblade!"
"But you didn't have to go that far, you broke his right wrist, 3 ribs and gave him a punctured lung...lucky he did not die or you would have gone without bail"
"I told you working here made my hands more flexible and stronger, if I wanted to I could snap anyone's neck in a second including yours, Feitan" he smirked.
"Yes, we would all like to see that happen...Even though working in a pizzeria does not make you a killer" Rolling his eyes, and playing with the tip cup.
"I'm tired, when we are getting out of this place?" Phinx was already done with packaging the pizza along with the bread sticks all put in a nice 'Have a nice day' bag.
"When you drive your ass to the location and deliver it" Feitan sounded like an android now along with placing an address in a Post-it paper and sticking it on Phinx.
"Remember we need to save gas...so try to find the quickest route up there" Feitan also didn't want Phinx to stay long for he too wishes to go to sleep.
"Ya, sure..."
Phinx was opening the door to go to his car but Feitan notices a white letter next to Phinx and quickly aims for it.
"Wait, we got a letter" Feitan grabbed it and flipped to see where it could have come from.
"It has no return address so it could be junk" Phinx looked at the letter and then placed the pizza boxes in a nearby table.
Feitan opens the letter and looks inside it, just a piece of paper that had just two paragraphs on them, he quickly read it then crumbled the piece of paper chuckling.
"What is it?" Phinx was curious.
"The funniest thing I had ever read" Feitan's chuckling had grown louder.
"Well, what did it say?"
"It said how both of us are going to join an international group of thieves called the Genei Ryodan and I am going to be a quiet sadistic torturer and you are going to be some impulsive guy that wears a weird Egyptian hat over your head. Also we are going to follow some guy named Kuroro and have no life except steal, kill, and cheat" Feitan was quiet now waiting for Phinx's reaction.
Then both of them couldn't hold it out any longer and busted with laughter all over the restaurant even when tears came to their eyes.
"Like hell that's ever going to happen" Phinx wiped his eyes and patted Feitan on the back.
"Somebody has a good imagination" Feitan returned to his spot and watched Phinx pick up the boxes and leave out the door laughing.
When the room grew silent and Phinx drove off Feitan smirked and whispered to himself.
"And we might have to be a couple..." Feitan gave one last look at the letter before throwing it at the trash can.
