Warnings: Knowledge of Yu Yu Hakusho necessary. My fics are based on the original comics, not on the animated series.
Author's Notes: Sequel to Yuugou Hakusho, Yuujyou Hakusho, and Prelude to a Quartet. Takes place shortly after the incident with Sensui and the Makai tunnel.
Death Becomes Him – Part 2
"There you are. I was beginning to think you weren't coming home today," Yuusuke said as Kurama stepped out of the train station.
"I had something to tend to..." Kurama noted Yuusuke's clothing. "I see you didn't bother to go to school at all today."
"No, in fact, I probably won't be going back, ever."
Kurama stared at the shorter young man, then nodded. "You're going to the Makai." He placed a hand on Yuusuke's shoulder and maneuvered him out onto the sidewalk. "Let's sit and talk."
They walked to a park near the Minamino residence. They sat on a bench by the sandbox.
"Messengers came from the Makai to ask me to join them," began Yuusuke.
"The demon who controlled you during the battle," said Kurama.
"Yeah, his name is Raizen," Kurama turned quickly, staring at Yuusuke. "What?"
"Your demon father is Raizen?" asked the taller young man.
"You know him?"
Kurama shook his head. "Only of him. He's one of the three main powers in the Makai."
"Yeah, they explained all that to me. And Raizen's going to die soon, so they want me to go and help them."
Kurama's eyes widened. "He's dying?" He turned away and watched a cat cross the park. "Interesting..."
"What?" asked Yuusuke.
"Oh, not interesting that he's dying. I'm sorry, he is your father after all..." Kurama looked at Yuusuke once more. "Interesting because I was sent a message by one of the other two demons."
Yuusuke blinked. "What? Who? Why?"
"He wants me to join him," Kurama said, sighing. He paused. "I guess Yomi knows about Raizen's condition. He predicts that he'll be the sole power soon."
"Who's Yomi? Why did he send you a message?"
"He's an old... acquaintance." Kurama said, clearly not wishing to say much more.
"Are you going?" Yuusuke asked after a pause. He could tell that Kurama wasn't pleased with the summons.
The young man stared ahead for a long time. Finally, he said, "I don't know, Yuusuke... I just received the message. I need some time to think about it." He tilted his head slightly, glancing at Yuusuke. "Hiei will be going to the third demon, Mukuro."
"What?" This was getting to be too strange a coincidence... "Old acquaintance of Hiei's too?"
"No. Mukuro simply wants to recruit him. She sees his potential."
Yuusuke looked at Kurama curiously. "How do you know this?"
"I saw his message orb. He saw mine, too. That's what I was doing after school, listening to Yomi's message."
"And Hiei just showed up?"
Kurama nodded. "He's possibly still hovering around here with his youki masked."
Yuusuke glanced around, scanning for Hiei's youki. "Well, wherever you are, Hiei, you'll want to hear this," he said into the air. "The Reikai's going to open a portal for me at Genkai's tomorrow night."
"So soon?" asked Kurama. "What do the ladies have to say about this?"
Yuusuke cringed. "My mom wasn't really concerned. She just wanted to know if the Makai is farther than America." Kurama laughed. "But Keiko..." He trailed off.
"She wasn't pleased."
"Not one bit. Pissed, actually."
"I don't blame her, Yuusuke, since you may not be able to return to the Ningenkai," Kurama said. "Have you really thought everything through? Consider what you have to gain, and what you could end up losing, Yuusuke."
Yuusuke groaned. "I know, I know. But I just can't over-think things. I want to go to the Makai to test myself, to meet Raizen, to be challenged... I can't worry about later since that will come later."
Kurama grinned. "Typical Yuusuke."
Yuusuke grinned, too, helplessly. "Yeah." Then he sighed. "But I can't leave with Keiko pissed at me. I'm going to go see her again tonight."
"Good luck."
"Yeah, thanks," he mumbled. He stared at Kurama, once again noting the young man's beauty. He sighed, contemplating mentioning Shougo Satou's prediction.
"What is it, Yuusuke?"
"It's... it's nothing," he sighed, shaking his head. No sense in worrying about a fortuneteller's vision of the future. He would just have to be "typical Yuusuke," as Kurama put it.
Kurama smiled and put a hand on Yuusuke's shoulder. "Well, Yuusuke, you seem to always have a way of pulling through, right? Whatever happens, there's bound to be some good that comes of it."
He stood in front of the Yukimura Diner. How many times had he come here in the past, after a particularly angry Keiko had left him nursing a vicious slap on the face? It didn't seem fair how much strength that girl could pack in a slap... He slid open the door and stepped into the diner. A man and woman were working behind the counter.
"Yuu-chan!" the man called. "Goodness, we haven't seen you in awhile."
"Hi, Ojisan, Obasan."
"Keiko! Come down here!" the man yelled over his shoulder.
Yuusuke shook his head. "Oh, it's okay, I just came to have dinner."
The man ignored the statement and continued to yell for Keiko. She appeared in the doorway, looking irritated.
"What, Otousan? I have a lot of studying to do!" She glanced at Yuusuke briefly, then looked away.
"There's no point in going to a high school where you'd have to study so hard that you can't help your parents. Get in here and cook for Yuusuke."
Keiko sighed and put on an apron. She took Yuusuke's order and set to work. Yuusuke watched as she chopped, seasoned, and stir-fried, her father hovering over her and commenting on her work in the meantime. Eventually, she came around the counter and set the food before Yuusuke.
"Enjoy," she said coldly and turned to leave.
Yuusuke grabbed her wrist. "Sit with me." The girl rolled her eyes and sat in the chair opposite Yuusuke.
He ate in silence for awhile before commenting, "This is good."
"Thanks," the girl said without looking at him.
The silence continued. Eventually, Yuusuke stated, "It's my birthday tomorrow."
"I know."
Yuusuke had to fight the urge to smile and show his pleasure that she still remembered his birthday.
"I'll come back in exactly three years," he continued. "Then..."
Keiko finally turned her head to look at him. "Then what?"
"Then let's get married."
They looked into each other's eyes, both of them serious. Then, Keiko let her eyes roll.
"I dump you, and you come crawling to me with a marriage proposal? You're absolutely ridiculous," she sighed.
Her parents burst into laughter, having been eavesdropping from behind the counter. Her father said, "Well, we haven't heard that one in awhile."
"That's right," her mother smiled. "Yuu-chan used to propose to you after every time you two fought when you were children."
Yuusuke was grinning at Keiko now. "Come on, Keiko," he pleaded.
"Goodbye," she said, standing.
"Aww, Keiko, I love you," he whined as she began to walk away.
"Yes, yes, I love you, too," she said without turning around.
Yuusuke watched her back until she stepped through the door and headed back upstairs to her room. He leaned back in the chair, still grinning.
She would wait for him. He was certain of that. Keiko hadn't been able to hide the pleased smile that had briefly touched her lips. And they'd never said the words "I love you" to each other, even as children. The fact that she'd responded in kind after he'd made his declaration, even if they'd both sounded insincere, meant a lot. They'd spent their lives saying "I hate you." They would never kid with each other about this.
He would have to make it back from the Makai, no matter what. He couldn't let Keiko down.
The Reikai team began preparations to open a portal to the Makai. They gathered in the dark courtyard of Genkai's temple, arms raised towards the air. The air above them began to swirl and shimmer as two dimensions were temporarily forced to merge at that spot. Eventually, a portal formed.
Hiei stepped through the portal without a word. He seemed to disappear into the dark, swirling mass. Yuusuke turned back to look at his friends. Kuwabara's fists were clenched, but he looked resolute. He would wait with the expectation that his friend would indeed return after three years. Kurama stood calmly with his arms crossed. He nodded briefly, a slight smile on his lips. Yuusuke returned the nod and faced the portal once more. He took a deep breath.
He stepped forward into the darkness that would lead him to the homeland of his demon ancestors. The portal closed behind him, sealing the way back to the human realm. For better or for worse, there would be no turning back. He stared up at the blood-red sky, then at the vast, seemingly hostile landscape. Hiei was long gone. Instead, Yuusuke saw the three youkai from Raizen's kingdom. They nodded in acknowledgement.
"It will take a few days to get to Raizen's kingdom from here," the one named Hokushin said.
"Fine. Let's get going, then," Yuusuke shrugged.
One of the youkai grinned slightly, a slightly malicious grin. Then the three youkai began running at a pace that would leave normal humans gaping in shock.
But Yuusuke wasn't a normal human.
The boy blinked. Hold on, I'm not human at all...
Yuusuke grinned. So, the youkai wanted to test him? He slung his pack over his shoulder, rolled his neck once, then took off after the three rapidly disappearing figures. He caught up easily, then ran alongside them beneath the crimson sky.
Old Man, here I come...
Without a doubt, it would be an interesting three years.