Who are you?

Chapter 2: Dark Side Stories

RoS: Once again. Nothing belongs to me. If I said I'd only disclaim this once I disclaim that too . . . Thanks to the first reviewer who cleared things up for me!

Yuusuke pushed open the door. A little tinkling sounded as he stepped in, inhaling deeply he smiled at the sweet odor. "Don'cha just love the smell of petunias in the morning. Ne, Hiei?" A short (not as short as he was before but still short) man stepped out of the darkness.

"What would the occasion be?" he asked while he arranged a bunch of flowers. It looked like a funeral arrangement to Yuusuke.

He shrugged, "Nothing much. It's our anniversary tonight and I just want something special. Besides, I wanted to see the cold-hearted killer we all know and love open a flower shop!" He started lauging his head off while a huge vain throbbed on Hiei's forehead.

"I mean, seriously! AHAHAHA! It's hilarious! Kuwabara was almost crying when he told me he saw you watering some daffodils! What kind of insanity actually made you do this!" he asked, still doubled over in hysterical giggles.

Hiei answered him without turning his back, "You know why."

The former Rei Kai tantei immediately sobered up. "Sorry," he apologized. "I guess you have a good point. You never came to the wake. Or the death anniversary."

He snorted. "You humans," he said. "You find the most ridiculous ways to punish yourselves. They're dead and over with. End of story."

"But . . . Koenma said his soul never signed in. He's still wandering around somewhere," Yuusuke mumbled.

Hiei spat, "Bullshit."

Yuusuke ignored the angry fire koorime and decided to check out the place. "Hmm . . . I could always get her roses. Maybe Hiei can give me a discount," he said to himself. Sniffing the air he maneuvered into the section that held all the roses. It was long, it was detailed, it was a collection most gardeners would kill for. Looking approvingly he remembered Kurama. The kind youko who died in his truest form against a deranged lover (though the relation ship was COMPLETELY one-sided). Yuusuke could remember it so well, like he had just left the arena, that sad day. The same day they had lost another. Wiping the tears that were stinging his eyes he examined the aisle.

'Hey, a little kid," he observed. He snuck up behind him. The child looked intently at the small black pebble in his hand.

"Please grow," he whispered. A green stem burst from the pebble. Realizing it was a seed, Yuusuke watched in fascination as the stem lenthened and grew leaves and a bud. It opened into a beautiful red rose. The boy inhaled the scent of his creation and set it back in the pot. It had dew drops sparkling on it.

"Holy shit," he breathed. 'Koenma was right.'

The boy froze. Before Yuusuke could react he ran, running much faster than your normal ten-year-old. He was too shocked to follow. 'Oh my God, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive,' he kept thinking.

Hiei disgruntledly finished setting up the arrangement. "Is that alright m'am?" he asked, handing the flowers to the woman.

"Oh yes," she said with great respect. "It's wonderful. I'm happy young people are getting started with their own businesses."

"Thank you, miss," he mumbled. This courtesy thing was so odd. It felt kind of strange to be talking to this woman he had never met. Talking was not something in his vocabulary. Not much was in his vocabulary, he didn't need to say things. His actions spoke volumes. Especially that one-liner when he glares that says, 'You talk, you die.'

A blur whizzed past both of them. "Souta!" the woman cried.

"Ummm . . . " Hiei blinked, wondering what the hell to do.

The woman bowed and handed him a wad of yen. "I'm so sorry! I've got to catch my son. Can you hold onto these for me?" she begged, giving him his flower arrangement. Hiei decided to just take it. His careful bouquet would be scattered again and the human looked like she needed to leave for her child.

As soon as she went out the door the former Rei Kai Tantei appeared. "Hiei! You bastard!" Yuusuke called.

He sighed. "What is it now Detective?

"Kurama's alive! I can't believe it! It's . . . like . . . so amazing! He's possessing another kid again! He just ran when he sensed me, though. Do you think he's in trouble?" Yuusuke asked.

"I'll say he's in trouble," Hiei muttered, popping his knuckles. "If his Mom doesn't kill him I most definitely will."

Yuusuke looked around, "His mom's here! How did Shiori - "

"Not Mrs. Minamino, idiot," he interjected. "His new mother."

Yuusuke watched Hiei pick at some lillies in a pot. "God, this is confusing," he said.

"Are we there yet?" Shippou complained. "Oh . . . my stomach."

Inuyasha glared at him. "Not my fault, fox. You screwed it up really bad when you ate all those loll-ee-poops," he said.

Kagome sighed. Those two had been constantly bickering since she had come back. Miroku and Sango were strangely silent.

Miroku suddenly stopped. "Sango?" he asked.

The demon slayer nodded. "I sense it," she stated. Hefting her Hiraikotsu she waited for whatever was left to them. Inuyasha halted too. He growled like a dog.

"It's that shit-head again," he grumbled. Brandishing his Tetsusaiga he waited for the youki to come closer.

Sango turned to him. She exclaimed, "You know this energy signature!"

"Well, duh!" he mumbled. Kagome decided to bring out her bow and arrows. No telling what kind of enemies Inuyasha remembers.

A little girl with black hair in a pony-tail skipped out of the trees. She laughed as she chased a blue butterfly. Then a familar toad demon tripped out and started yelling, "Rin! Get back here before Sesshoumaru-sama . . . AAAHHH!" He yelped and grabbed the little girl and pushed her in front of him. It was obvious he was using her as a shield.

"Jaken-sama? What's wrong?" she asked. Her big brown eyes looked curiously at Inuyasha. She giggled in delight and pointed at him. "You look like Lord Sesshoumaru! Just like the other funny demon."

"Other demon?" Kagome wondered. "What do you mean, 'other demon'?"

The girl made exaggerated gestures as she described the youkai. "He was very handsome, just like you and Sesshoumaru-sama! He was very tall as well, taller than the lord. And he had pretty golden eyes too. His hair and tail and ears were silvery. He wore a nice kimono, one made out of very soft, green silk," she chirped.

"Oh?" Kagome asked. "And how would you know?"

The little girl grinned. "He was talking to me! He looked really lost here. I gave him some directions and he gave me a very pretty flower." She held out her hand to show Kagome, who bent down and touched the petals.

"May I hold it?" she asked. She nodded and let Kagome take it. "That's so weird!" she exclaimed.

Sango and Miroku both examined the blossom. "I've never seen anything quite like it, have you?" Miroku commented.

"No. It's beautiful though," Sango smelled the flower. "It smells like a peony."

Kagome nodded and gave it back to the little girl. "You're very lucky, that's a nice plant too. I'm Higurashi Kagome, who are you?"

"I'm Rin! And this is Jaken," she said. She smiled cutely and bowed.

Inuyasha sniffed in disdain. "If you're in league with Sesshoumaru then maybe you can be of some use," he said.

"I hope you're not planning to do something to her," his brother breathed into his ear.

"Se - Sesshoumaru!" Shippou gasped. He fell on his back and looked up at the demon. He had his sword, the Toukijin, pointed at Inuyasha's back.

Inuyasha put on a brave face. "Why would you care for a human?" he asked. "Hakkaku was right, you have a seriously odd taste in women."

Souta didn't stop running. He didn't want to stop. He wondered why he was running. What was scaring him so much? His friends would be so happy to see him. Why did he flee from an invisible being? He shivered.

Freezing the darkness inside

Running through that thing before me

I won't even hesitate to betray it

It seemed only appropriate that it started to pour. Raining cats and dogs, so the expression goes. Unwittingly putting an energy barrier up to keep him dry he kept running. He didn't deserve to be around people. What was he? Was he a human or was he a demon? Thoughts spun around in his head. Gasping for breath he collapsed under a tree. He was in a district he'd never seen before. He could see the tip of Tokyo Tower though, that meant he was somewhere around there.

The silver god wins

Using his blazing ambition

His icy heart melts...

My Dark Side

He held his head, willing away the throbbing pain. 'It's beginning,' Shuiichi thought. A small shock ran down his arm. He remembered what Youko had said to him:

"This is going to be like Genkai's Spirit Wave Orb, so it's obviously going to feel like hell. Unfortunately because there are three souls it's going to get crowded. That means you're going to have to take the raw energy of Souta's soul and absorb it. It's gonna be crappy since most of your aura is demonic, but if this works then at least there won't be more conflict and you and I can probably switch bodies like before. You better be far away from any sensitive people because the reiki and youki you discharge is gonna be pretty bad. It might even revert you back to your original form. Very doubtful, though. You won't have enough power at that time. But when the worst is over you should be able to walk. You're age will probably excelerate from then and you'll be your old self in two hours or so. I won't be around during that time. Don't ask me why, I don't understand it myself."

Holding in a scream he felt the blue web engulf his soul. Tendrils of cerulean energy wafted off of him, spreading into the air.

Yuusuke looked up when the woman walked back in, soaking wet. 'So she couldn't find him? I'm not surprised,' he said to himself. 'When Kurama wants to be left alone he is so gone.'

Hiei procured the bouquet and gave it to the woman. "Find him?" he asked.

"No, sir. Thank you for asking though," she smiled.

"Good luck, Miss?"

She bowed and said, "Mrs. Higurashi, sir." She left the store and the little tinkling sound was heard even when she had been long gone.

The Rei kai Tantei watched her leave. "Higurashi, eh?" he asked. "Got that name, Hiei?"

The fire demon nodded and sifted through a phone book. The shuffling of papers reminded Yuusuke of Kurama, sitting in the corner, reading a book or a magazine. He was always so apart from them. Even when he laughed he looked like he was trying to ammend something by doing so. Kurama may have been a lot shadier than Hiei, now that he thought about it. Kurama hid behind a mask of lies. He was Shuiichi Minamino, the perfect student and son, to his mother. To his teammates he was Kurama, the brilliant strategist and a formidable opponent. To enemies he was Youko Kurama, a heartless killer and master thief. But who was he really?

"I've found her," Hiei announced. "Higurashi shrine. An hour's drive from here. About ten minutes if we run over there. Would you like to chase down a thief?"

Yuusuke hopped off the chair. "Let's go," he said.

Kimiko arrived at the shrine and ran up the steps, sobbing all the while. 'I'm losing my baby all over again,' she cried to herself. She wiped her eyes to tell her father the news. She saw him in the front under the Go-Shin-Boku, talking to the two boys from the flower shop.

"It's you two!" she exclaimed. She greeted them and ushered them in. "You must be so cold! No wonder you're under there, it's pouring awfully."

She fixed them both a cup of tea and set it in front of them. Making some for herself and her father she handed a cup to him. "So, what were you talking to them about under the tree?" she asked, while she added some milk in her drink.

"They were very concerned about Souta," he remarked, taking a sip. "They asked me some stuff about him and then they nodded to each other. Then you came." He pause to take a gulp of the hot mixture. "So, what's wrong?"

Kimiko mixed her tea and stared at the sugar as it dissolved. "He ran away," she sighed.

"Again?" he asked.

From the other side of the wallYuusuke and Hiei listened to the two.

"So the old man didn't tell us everything," Yuusuke mumbled as he sipped his tea.

Hiei traced the cup's rim with his finger. "Why did he run away?" he asked himself.

"Maybe he had enough. You know he's totally annoyed with this screwedup situation of his," Yuusuke said.

"Hn," he grunted. Downing the drink he slammed the cup on the table and looked out at the rain in irritation. Mrs. Higurashi quickly came in.

"Is there anything wrong?" she asked in concern. Her brown eyes looked worriedly at the two boys.

Yuusuke waved his hand. "We're fine. Thanks though." He forced a smile and Kimiko slipped back into the kitchen. "Man. Is she like Mrs. Minamino or am I imagining things?"

Hiei answered, "You're imagining things."

Pain clawed at his stomach. He felt like every inch of his body was being torn apart and then stitched back together with a three-inch thick needle, then ripped apart again. (SEL: Another amazing story... I have now realsied that I SUCK! Here's my part...)

"Ow ow ow!" Souta flinched as another jolt of pain shot through his body. 'This seriously sucks...'

(RoS: That's it! You DO suck. XP)

To be continued-

RoS: I wanted to upload the next chapter as soon as possible so here it is. Sorry for the OOCness from the Inuyasha gangs part but I haven't been watching them recently.

R'n'R please?