Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated this in so long. We switched computers, and I had no way to get my stuff to the computer that has the internet connection. My sincerest apologies to anyone who was anxiously waiting for an update on this story.
Chapter 3: The Truth About Yasuo
Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Yasuo were in Yusuke's backyard on a warm, summer afternoon one week
later.
Kurama was busily testing Yasuo's visual reaction time by shooting vines at him from the ground in
varied places. "Use your eyes, not your ears!" he ordered.
"Right," Yasuo agreed, landing lightly on his toes.
"Hello, boys!" Botan called, floating down to them on her oar. She hopped off it and put it away. "I got all
the information about that symbol that I could from Koenma," she told them, taking a seat beside Yusuke.
"Good," Kurama said, smiling. "Yasuo, you're done. You can go play."
The red-haired boy's face lit up, and he ran off to play.
Kurama shook his head wistfully and turned back to Botan.
"Anyway, the symbol is a fusion of the demonic signs for life and death," Botan began. "It signifies a joint
of two opposites, creating the Universe's most powerful weapon."
"Joint of two opposites?" Yusuke repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"When opposites attract and join, they produce an enormous amount of force and energy," Kurama
explained. "Rhea and I were total opposites."
"Yes, and I still can't understand how you two even had a remote resemblance of a relationship," Hiei
scoffed.
Kurama rolled his eyes and continued, "We were opposite in personality, demon type, cellular structure,
looks, almost anything you could think of. Yasuo is the result of two joined opposites."
"The child of animal and element," Botan said, watching the small boy push a toy car around. "He is the
ultimate weapon that can be used for good or evil. If Sagara gets a hold of him it will mean the end of the three
worlds. However, if we were to use his power to destroy whatever evil plans Sagara has we'll have saved the
Universe."
"Gee Botan, that was pathetic," Yusuke insulted her. "Even Kuwabara could come up with a better plan
than that."
"I agree with Yusuke," Hiei said.
Botan ground her teeth together and smacked the smirking pair in the head.
Yusuke and Hiei were about to retort when-
"Daddy!" Yasuo yelled, running up to the adults. He tugged on his father's shirt sleeve and pointed at the
large tree behind them. "Daddy, there's something in the tree."
"Is it Sagara, Yasuo?" Kurama asked, resting his hands on his son's thin shoulders.
Yusuke and Hiei jumped to their feet, preparing to fight.
"Mmm-mmm," the boy denied, shaking his head. "It doesn't have a high enough level of spirit energy."
Kurama smiled at his son and stood up beside Yusuke and Hiei. "Go wait with Botan and protect her if
need be," he ordered.
Yasuo nodded and ran over to Botan. He turned around and watched his father and friends walk a little
closer to the tree.
Hiei scanned the tree and spotted the poorly-concealed figure. "There," he said, pointing.
Yusuke nodded and disappeared. He reappeared before the two demons and threw the creature from the
tree down at their feet.
Kurama grabbed a handful of its trenchcoat and hauled it up to his eye level. Taking a seed from his hair,
he prepared to imbed it in the creature's neck.
"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Yusuke asked, appearing beside Kurama.
"I'll never tell you anything," the green demon hissed.
"Wrong answer," Kurama said, inserting the seed in the demon's neck. "Now, I suggest you answer our
questions truthfully or I'll begin that death plant's growth process."
The demon stared at him with wide, fearful eyes and gasped as an image of Youko Kurama flashed before
his eyes. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything, Youko," it agreed. "Just don't kill me."
"Agreed," Kurama said, smiling at his handiwork.
"My name is Gohei, and I was sent here by Sagara to get that kid," it explained, nodding to Yasuo.
Yasuo backed up closer to Botan and unconsciously felt around for her hand.
Botan saw this and took his small hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly. She wrapped her other arm
protectively around his neck and watched the boys and the demon before her.
"Where is Sagara?" Yusuke asked.
"Coming," it answered, simply.
"What!" Kurama exclaimed, making the death plant sprout.
The demon glanced down at the leaf protruding from its neck before looking back at Kurama. "He's
coming," it repeated, looking over at Yasuo and Botan again. "He's coming for you, little boy."
Yasuo clutched Botan's hand even tighter, afraid of the demon and what he'd said.
Kurama made the death plant finish its job and dropped the demon's limp body on the ground. He's
coming, he thought, angrily. He then looked over at Botan and Yasuo.
Botan was knelt down before Yasuo, the boy in her arms. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her
neck, trembling slightly. She held him close and rubbed his back, whispering soothing words into his ear.
Kurama smiled at them and turned to Yusuke and Hiei.
"Do you think Sagara's really coming?" Yusuke asked, not believing the demon.
Kurama nodded. "My death plant can be very persuasive," he said, smirking.
"In that case, we should go get Kuwabara and start preparing for his arrival," Yusuke said, punching his
palm.
"Start preparing for whose arrival?" a voice wondered from behind them.
The guys whirled around, only to see Sagara standing beside the body of Gohei.
"You couldn't mean me, could you?" Sagara taunted, smirking as they dropped to fighting stances.
"Lovely afternoon, isn't it?"
