Chapter 11: Return to the Human World
Kurama turned back into his demon form and let out a heavy breath, leaning back on his hands.
"Kurama, are you really..." Kuwabara stuttered. "We thought you were a goner."
"I'm just fine, Kuwabara," Kurama replied, smiling. "Except for the few bite wounds I have. Sorry if I worried you."
"You better be sorry, you jerk," Yusuke teased, smiling happily. "You shouldn't scare us like that."
Kurama returned the smile and stood up.
Hiei stopped before the spirit fox and held out the child in his arms to him.
"Yasuo," Kurama breathed, taking his son from Hiei.
"Is he okay?" Kuwabara asked, drifting closer.
"Yes," Kurama answered, smiling at his friends. "He's just tired right now. His strength is drained, and he needs to rest. He should be just fine in a few days."
"All right, now we're gettin' somewhere," Yusuke said, cheerfully. "Mission accomplished. Now, we can go home."
The group then began to laugh.
The boys walked through the forest toward the spot they had arrived at. Yasuo snoozed against Kurama's back, his little face buried in his father's long red hair.
They reached their destination and prepared to go back to the human world.
"Well, I suppose this is where we leave you," Kurama said, smiling at his friends.
"What'd you mean, Kurama?" Yusuke wondered, turning to the redhead. "You're coming with us."
"No... I'm not," Kurama argued, shaking his head sadly. "I'd like to go with you, but... we belong here in the demon world."
"What are you talkin' about?" Kuwabara asked, angrily. "You don't belong here; you belong in the human world with us!" He grabbed a fist full of Kurama's shirt and glared down into his face. "What makes you wanna stay here anyway!"
"This is our home," Kurama answered, wrenching his clothes from Kuwabara's grip. "You wouldn't want to leave your home for the demon world, would you?"
"Well, no... but that's different!" Kuwabara stuttered. "I'm not a demon so I don't... belong here."
Kurama smiled as the realization set in and nodded to him. "Now you see."
"Hold on a minute," Yusuke spoke up, stepping forward. "Kurama, I can tell you really don't wanna stay here. I can see it in your eyes. So, let me ask you. If you don't want to stay, why are you?"
Kurama stared at him with wide eyes.
"See? I knew it!" Yusuke exclaimed, triumphantly. "You don't wanna stay at all."
Kurama hung his head, letting his bangs hide his eyes, and smiled slightly. "Well, I admit it, you've seen through my facade," he said. "I do prefer the human world to the demon world, but I don't want Yasuo to be hurt any more than he already has been."
"You know as well as I do that you'd both be happier in the human world, Kurama," Hiei scoffed, smirking when the others turned their confused eyes on him. "You're taking the humans back anyway, so you can just stay in their world instead of coming back. You managed to survive humanity for seventeen years, so I think your son will be able to handle it."
Kurama smiled at his short friend and nodded his thanks.
Hiei huffed and promptly left.
"I'll never understand that guy," Yusuke commented, watching the fire demon leave.
"Yeah, no kidding," Kuwabara agreed, laughing slightly. "He's just about as weird as they come."
Kurama smiled at them and at Hiei's retreating figure. Thank you for understanding, Hiei, he thought, happily. I'm sure we'll get along just fine in the living world. Though, I certainly hope you're right about Yasuo being able to handle being the only demon his age. He sighed heavily and smiled at the small boy clinging to his back. He'll be happier in the human world. In this world, he never had any children his own age to play with. He'll love having playmates... even if they are all humans.
"Hey Kurama," Yusuke called. "You ready to go?"
Kurama turned to his friends and smiled. "Yes," he agreed, walking over to them.
Kuwabara and Yusuke laid their hands on his shoulders, and the group disappeared.
