Urameshi is More Than Just a Name
by Moonraker One
An entry from the diary of King Piccolo, ruler of Makai:
One of my biggest allies doesn't even consider me so. Today I ended my campaign to conquer all of the Makai, having most of my thanks to go to a lower S-rank youkai that aided my campaign against his otherwise knowledge, or perhaps he did know. I've never had the guts to meet Saotuke Urameshi, heir to the second most powerful bloodline in Makai (second only to mine when I have offspring), but from what I've heard, most of the more powerful youkai that rest in the bottom fear him, and as such, I was able to make my way into the position of king by claiming to be his training partner. I fear that one day it may come to blows between us, but then again, I doubt his need for honor would allow him to betray his desire to simply survive. But if he ever tried to unrest me from my position, it may just destroy this entire demon realm...
Author Notes: This story will be told in "sections," one section being the past, and one being the present. I will try to divide the two as much as possible. I apologize in advance for the shortness of this first chapter; subsequent chapters will be longer.
Chapter One: Atsuko Synchori, Museum Volunteer
A gigantic lizard creature towered more than fifty feet above the ground, where its feet were firmly planted in cement. Taking in a deep breath, then letting it out, Atsuko Synchori marveled in the vastness of the museum where the bulk of her after-school time got spent. Dinosaur bones assembled in their most likely formation rose above the floor for visitors to be amazed by. At the age of fifteen, she knew her parents would not allow her to work at the museum even part time, so she spent only a few days each week volunterring at the place. She happened to be on good terms with the curator in terms of frendship, so he generally let her see the new arrivals at the museum long before the rest of the people were allowed access. Her friends simply did not understand how she could go to a place like the museum, when, far more "hip" places existed. She gave them the same answer every time they asked her: she just loved looking at the past, for it reminded her of how to handle the future. The hustle and bustle of the daily late afternoon crowd almost drowned out the tell-tale shouting of the curator.
"Atsuko!? Where are you!?" She cringed; he usually stayed so calm. Was there an emergency?
"I'm over here; can you tell me what the problem is?" He rolled his eyes.
"I'm not mad at you, I just figured you'd want to follow me into the back, because we got in a new shipment from the main museum in Tokyo!" She practically threw visitors to the museum out of the way in order to make her way over to him. The smile on his face indicated that he told the truth when he said that a new item had come in; as they walked across the main area to the back room through a door, he made sure she knew what it was.
"We got this in just over the past few days," he made sure to explain, "supposedly, it was an item that ancient civilizations in what is now Russia used to travel between here and the world of the demons. A solid gold key-like object on a necklace." Atsuko couldn't help but be amazed at the mere verbal description of the artifact retreived from the main museum in Tokyo. She liked the "demon" type artifacts more than any other, but primarily because she seemed to enjoy the unique carvings that ancient cultures used.
"So, where is it?" she asked, mere moments before he lifted a sheet covering a glass display case. Looking at it through the case, she right away appreciated the markings and the shape of the artifact.
"I'm glad you think highly of the material we get in," the curator said, "now, we're gonna be closing in less than an hour, so d'you think you could close up? I have somewhere to go."
"Sure," she replied, and kept about admiring the object as he left the room.
Certain that she was the only one present in the room at that moment, she decided it would be wise to open the glass case in order to take the artifact in her hand. The lid of the case slid open easily, allowing her to reach in and lift the necklace from the pillow it rested upon. She couldn't help but stare at the sheer beauty of the object, which looked more like a kunai blade than a key, and noticed that as she held it in her hand it began to glow.
In the present:
To think that it all happened when I was only fifteen, thought Atsuko, stepping into the calm disorder that was her house. A familiar cold feeling came over her as she took not three steps inside her residence. Somehow, she vividly recalled exactly what the cold chill meant; it signaled that a powerful demonic presence lurked nearby. Shutting the door, she called to use her spiritual fortifications, namely her youki (demon energy).Who's there?! she calmly demanded. show yourself!
"Ah, forgotten, have we?" a familiar voice said. A few moments after speaking, the presence to whom the voice belonged spun around in the chair he sat in, facing Atsuko with a smile on his face. For the first few seconds, at least, she found herself too shocked to move or think, but when she could, she almost literally sprung across the room to throw her arms around him with all her force.
"Saotuke!" she cried, tears streaking down her face as she suppressed her youki. "Years've gone by and I've missed you so much!"
"This time," he softly replied, "I'm here to stay. What's done is done." Even through the heightened emotional state, she had a question that needed to be answered.
"Why'd you come back?" she made sure to ask. He seemed surprised that she didn't already know the answer.
"When I left I thought I'd given you everything you needed, and you'd survive better without me," he explained carefully. "However, you never told me I had a son; otherwise I'd have been here sooner." Atsuko bit her lip; she didn't tell Saotuke about his son because she harbored fears that he'd raise Yusuke to be a powerful demon of destruction. Yusuke's father wasn't known to be cruel or evil, but did possess his share of blood on his hands. Somehow, both knew that had to be the true reason for her keeping the knowledge away from him.
"How'd you find out about..."
"Yusuke?" he interrupted her. "I found out from one of Toguro's old enemies...before I killed him. Told me I'd want to meet this new spirit detective; someone with power to kill Sensui. So, Atsuko, where's my son?"
"Mom, I'm bac...Who the hell are you!?" Both Atsuko and Saotuke turned to see the very person they were speaking of enter the house.
"Speak, and thou shalt be answered."