FW: (acting like an announcer) And so, we all return to the much anticipated 23rd chapter of "The Trials of a Marching Band". The clues are starting to piece together, Youko is taking Kurama's place in the band, and where the heck is Mia? (ok, acting like a really bad announcer…)
Youko: I don't know why I agreed to this.
Yusuke: You didn't. She just writes it while we suffer in the background.
FW: Pretty much. Since Youko is officially a part of the story now, he can, er, must, hang out with the usuals before and after the story.
Kurama: (in the corner, in a coma)
Hiei: What. Did. You. Do.
FW: Well… since Youko's here, and uh… heck, I don't know. He's just in a coma for a while.
Youko: I don't know how to react to this…..
Botan: HE'S YOUR OTHER HALF!
Youko: But now… I'M FREE! (runs off to cause world terror)
FW: …That's my fault, isn't it? Anyway, GuardRifleGirl-sama, glad your liking it so much! As for why Kuwabara's figuring everything out… no idea. I don't plan these out, I just write and see what happens! And destinyfareie-san, I can see why you don't want this in real life… or at least not the circumstances, but the people I hope you like at least! Where's the fun if there aren't any psychos!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho
START"This had better be good," Yusuke glared, or glared as best as he could while half asleep.
Yusuke had made good on his promise to get as much rest as possible after the mid-terms, and now that IDIOT, as Yusuke couldn't help calling him, Kuwabara had decided to disturb his precious sleep by screeching his name in some sort of chicken-like voice.
Seeing his rival like this, barely awake, Kuwabara had to fight not to laugh. He was pretty sure he could outrun the detective in his condition should he get ticked and try to knock off the taller boy's head, but that would give Kuwabara a rain check. So he just held his tongue.
"Of course it's good! Why would I tell you something pointless?"
"Because that seems to be your goal in life," Hiei growled, standing on the windowsill without either teen noticing his arrival.
While Kuwabara choked on his own words in surprise, Hiei growled, "Whatever you have to say, I doubt it's more important than what's coming through your door in about 3 seconds."
3
2
1
Darn, a second off. Three pairs of eyes and one jagan turned to the doorframe, the two teenagers expecting a horrible demon to come through and pull their eyes out. They were right about the horrible demon part.
Gracefully, as if he hadn't spent so much time in the hospital, Kurama's body, piloted by Youko, walked through the door. "Kurama?" Yusuke asked, pleasantly surprised at his friend's recovery. Unlike Hiei, he didn't notice the out of place coldness in the redhead's eyes.
"No," Kuwabara stared at the fox, noticing at once it wasn't the familiar soul inside, thanks to his spirit awareness. "I don't know who that is, but it's not Kurama."
Hiei hopped down from the windowsill. "Yusuke, Idiot, meet Youko."
Naturally, Kuwabara bristled at his new name, and started trying to beat up Hiei for it. Not sure what else to do, Yusuke walked over to the familiar body and put his hand out, "Uh, hi…?"
Youko glared at the hand as if it offended him. He, the legendary thief, was expected to shake that filthy thing? Ignoring it, he glanced into the lead detective's eyes. "And to think, Kurama speaks so highly of you."
Yusuke resisted shooting his famous spirit gun right then and there. After all, somewhere in there was his pal, and he wasn't going to kill them both off.
"So Hiei, you wanted us to meet what Kurama should be, great. You can take him back now," he said, looking back at Hiei, standing over Kuwabara's unmoving form.
"Do you think I can send him back with one of your "recites"?" Hiei asked, annoyed. "He's going to take Kurama's place in the band."
Kuwabara, dazed, sat up, still seeing little Hiei's shooting fireballs at him flying around his head. "What? Youko's crazy! He'll ruin everything!"
"We can't have an empty space," Hiei reasoned, hating thethought just as much. "Get used to the idea." With that, he was gone. Must have used his insane speed to jump out the window and run off.
Yusuke sighed, turning back to the matter at hand. "Ok, Youko. Some ground rules. I'm the leader here, so you LISTEN TO ME."
Youko raised a thin eyebrow. "You'd be more convincing if you wore… anything."
The detective's glare only heightened. Despite Youko's words, he WAS wearing boxers, but now he seriously wished he'd taken the time to fully change.
"And another thing," he went on, not commenting on Youko's last sentence, "you're in a human world. No killing, no stealing, you have to act like Kurama or someone'll notice."
"Of course, leader," Youko spat, turned, and left Yusuke's room. From beyond, they could hear the door slam as he left the house.
Once he was gone, Yusuke turned to the other still invading his privacy. "Ok ok, I'm going!" Kuwabara said, also leaving.
Yusuke yawned, crawling back into bed. Finally-
"YUSUKE!" Botan yelled, hovering outside his window.
"Doesn't ANYONE need any sleep around here!"
Youko walked the streets of modern Japan. Sure, he'd been to all these places before, in the back of his host body's mind, but it was a different experience actually going to them himself.
He noticed a playground nearby. Deciding he had nothing to lose, he walked over to watch the young kids play.
Eight or nine were playing armature football. Hearing him come their way, one hopeful boy looked up at him, giant blue eyes full of hope, "Mister, could you referee this game for us? We can't count past five."
How could someone say no to such a cute face?
"No." Looks like Youko figured it out.
"…TOO BAD FOR YOU!" The cute, yet very creepy kids piled on top of the frail looking boy, refusing to get off until he agreed. Youko toppled to the ground, buried by the weight. "Too many witnesses," he thought frantically, looking at the parents looking on, most laughing.
"FINE!" Youko yelled, and instantly they all tumbled off him, perfect angels again. If he left now, the kids would only jump on him again, making a never-ending cycle. Darn it. Looks like he'd have to actually referee….
"All right, who actually knows how to play football?" He asked, and groaned when no one raised their hand.
"No killing-" Yusuke had said.
"I'm trying, leader," Youko thought bitterly, starting to teach.
Kuwabara had managed to track down Rackly, hoping to subtly interrogate him on his uncle. They were sitting in a local ice cream resteraunt, eating sundaes.
"So I've got a sister. What's your family like?" So much for subtle.
Rackly glared at his frozen treat. "Everything was fine until a month ago when my mom got real sick and can't work. Since then, my uncle's trying to fix up our lives."
"What about your dad?"
"Divorced."
"I don't see what's so bad about family trying to support you," Kuwabara frowned, eating large chucks of his food at a time.
"My uncle just wants to get close to us so he can marry my mom," Rackly spat, completely ignoring the ice cream now. "Mom and Dad loved each other, he tore them apart so he could get her instead. I'm the only one who sees it too." Noticing Kuwabara's disgusted look, he quickly added. "Don't worry, he's related on my DAD'S side, no incest going on here."
Kuwabara allowed himself to breathe again, knowing that nothing nasty was going on. "So what's his name?" Rackly raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. "I've seen him around before," Kuwabara hastily added, which wasn't exactly a lie.
"Leurc. Leurc Retticr."
END CHAPTER 23
FW: So now we know the name of the mastermind behind all this, and Yusuke's been humiliated by Youko. What more can you ask for in a chapter?
Yusuke: How 'bout a plot?
Youko: Less pointless parts.
Hiei: An end.
FW: ….Ok… So anyway, if you want to review, great! But don't if you don't want to. And I accept flames. In fact, I'll take it in stride! ….Now The Mega-Doomer-san, you said something about a cookie?
