Disclaimer: I don't own the YYH characters, but I do reserve the rights to Takashi Ashitare. She's my little mystic.

A/N: This story has an original character of mine named Takashi Ashitare. She's a mystic. Mystics are human looking youkai who tap into a powerful source of energy called Majik. It is different from spirit energy, which they can also use and manipulate. They use spells, or 'casts' as their main offensive weapon. They abhor forgedweapons and have banished their own from clans for using such weapons. They're very proud and secretive.

I have written two trilogies using Ashitare and the YYH gang. This particular story has her becoming involved in a mission with the Reikai Tantei which ultimately has very personal ties to her.

Of Mystics and Youkai

Chapter 1

Murder/Discovery

Please be there! Please still be there! Sachio was 30 minutes late. Damn! She's giving me a second chance and I'm blowing it! As he rounds the corner he sees her sitting on the bench. "Machiko, I'm so glad you didn't leave. I'm so sorry I'm late." The young blonde turns to the breathless boy with a loving smile. She opens her arms inviting him into an embrace. "Machiko, I'm so thankful you forgive me." The girl pulls back from the embrace to look at her young beau, hands framing his handsome face.

"Sachio? You love me, don't you?

"More than life itself."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that." Sachio feels her soft lips press against his. He feels his heart skip a beat. He feels…burning? His eyes open wide to see the young woman looking at him hungrily. He tries to break the kiss, but he is held firm in her iron grasp. The burning! What was happening? Someone help me! Ahhhhhh..!

The young man's body makes a hollow sound as it hits the pavement. The blonde looks down at the drained body with indifference. A voice, then a shadow, emerges from the nearby bushes. "Why must you play like this Kiso?

The pretty blonde's visage blurred and a gray-skinned human took her place. He features were sharp and were partially hidden by his long stringy, equally gray hair. An evil smile played across his thin pale lips. "What's wrong with enjoying one's job Kasu?

The identical youkai snorted and slapped his brother on the back as he passed him by, "C'mon, we've got a lot more work to do."

"Killjoy."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

News Report

Kuwabara was getting that sinking feeling in his stomach. He sits quietly, transfixed by what he sees.

"….Police say they have no leads at this time. Preliminary investigations indicate the killings were random. There doesn't seem to be a pattern or motivation. Medical experts are still stumped as to the cause of death. The only information they are releasing is that none of the bodies, 40 in all, have suffered any trauma from violence of any sort. Reporting live from Tokyo, this is Uso Matare, Channel 8 News."

Kuwabara didn't hear anything after that. He just stared at the TV. "Oh shit."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finding Yusuke

Botan approached Raizen's stronghold, body tense. Traveling in the Ningenkai was simple. Only the dead could see her. But in the Makai, every youkai and his oniisan could see her. And she was not popular. She couldn't blame them really. After all, her job was to collect the souls of the dead. But it was just a job and that shouldn't give people the right to shoot at her. Cretans!

As she reached the castle's east tower, she started scanning for Yusuke. She spied some tower guards and decided to see if they could assist her in the search. The perky blue-haired grim reaper fixed the guards with her best smile, "Excuse me. Do either of you know where is may find a Toushin known as Yusuke?" The guards blanched. One of the guards pointed a shaking finger to a point beyond Botan's shoulder. "Oh, thank you. You've been most helpful!"

Botan hopped onto her oar and set off in the direction the guard indicated. Soon enough, she heard Yusuke before she saw him.

"Just shoot the dice baka!"

Botan peeked around the corner. There was Yusuke, in the midst of a demon huddle, shooting dice. He was taunting some large-horned youkai who obviously had a lot on the line judging from the sweat pouring off his brow. The nervous youkai let the dice fly. A roar erupted as the dice settled.

Yusuke roared in victory and raised a triumphant fist in the air. "Yeah! And the Urameshi lucky streak continues! I'll be taking that!"

Yusuke reached down to grab the pot from the floor when the angry youkai stepped in his way. "I don't know how you cheated half breed, but you did." Yusuke slowly stands up to face the youkai. His intense eyes glittered, his breathing remained steady, and his voice was cold.

"You don't want to do this. Leave the money and go. Now."

The horned demon stood defiantly between Yusuke and his winnings. "I'm not leaving without my money."

The surrounding group of demons quiet down and slowly back away from the confrontation in the center of their ring.

Yusuke sighed heavily and shook his head as he stared at the floor. "If you really wanna do this, we do it outside." The Toushin looks up at the youkai in his way, a glint in his eye and a lopsided smirk on his face. "Raizen gets pissed when I get blood on the walls."

The demon glares at Yusuke, but the tense moment doesn't last long as the horned youkai caves, and he steps back and leaves the room. Botan ducks behind the door as the demon gambling ring begins to break up and head out of the room. As Yusuke heads back to his room, he hears a little noise.

"Pssst! Yusuke!"

Yusuke pulls the door back to find a smiling Botan. "Hey Botan. Why are you hiding behind the door?"

Botan throws her hands up in an exaggerated motion and smiles up at her friend. "Waiting for you silly!"

Yusuke offers his hand to Botan and pulls her up off the floor. "C'mon, up you go. So, to what do I owe the late night tryst?"

Botan starts walking with Yusuke down the tapestry-covered corridor, her oar tightly gripped in her hand. "Nothing good I'm afraid. Koenma needs to see you right away. Major big bad action in the Ningenkai."

Yusuke stops and gives the oarswoman a curious look. "Just me?"

"For now. He wants to speak to you privately before calling the team together."

"Alright. Let me talk to Raizen and we'll leave."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Following Orders

It didn't take long for Botan and Yusuke to travel to the Reikai and reach Koenma's office. Botan knocks on the large door, the sound reverberating through the grand hall. "Koenma, sir? It's Botan and Yusuke as requested."

Yusuke rolls his eyes and brushes past the blue-haired ferry girl, "Botan, he knows we're coming, just open the door." Yusuke walks in to find the office empty.

A timid Botan sticks her head in the doorway, "Koenma, sir?"

Yusuke sat down in a chair and relaxed, hands behind his head, "Maybe the little guy finally went nuts and he's running through the halls naked and babbling to himself."

"Hardly." The teenage Koenma emerges from a secret passage behind a tapestry. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was otherwise…occupied."

Koenma walks over to his desk and picks up a folder. He looks up when he hears muffled laughter from Yusuke. He looks to Botan to see her shocked face flush.

"What?" Koenma looks from the snickering toushin to Botan. But she's still embarrassed and looks away. "Botan? Alright, someone better talk. Now."

Yusuke smirks at the junior god and nods at him, "What happened to your button?"

Koenma looks down to see that he has in fact lost his top button. "Huh? Oh. I must have lost it earlier today. I admit it's a bit revealing, but I don't see why it's so funny."

"Did you lose it before or after you got that hickey?"

"A wha-?" Koenma reaches down to feel his chest. He can still feel the heat and a hint of moisture where Ayame's lips were just moments ago.

"Do you need us to come back? Say, five minutes?"

Koenma and Botan both turn on the toushin, "Yusuke!"

Koenma shuffles some papers on his desk and clears his throat, "Alright, that's enough. My private life is none of your business. Now listen up kiddies, we have serious business to discuss." He hands a folder to Yusuke. "This morning Ningenkai police discovered 40 bodies throughout the Tokyo area. All had been drained of their souls. This type of death points to the shapeshifters we've dealt with before."

Yusuke scanned the file and handed it back, frowning, "Why would they be stupid enough to do something on this scale? It's not their style."

"I agree. There's something else. A week ago the Suspension Orb was stolen from the Sunset Shrine in Musashi. I have a team on it, but they don't have much. But the two incidents are definitely related. My team thinks the shapeshifters are working for somebody. The Suspension Orb, when properly powered, disrupts, or suspends the flow of the barrier between the Makai and the Ningenkai, allowing a clear path for S-class demons to cross over into the Ningenkai. I don't have to tell you how disastrous that would be. And the only way to power the orb--"

"Is to fill it full of souls."

"Correct. Yusuke, I want your team to find this monster and stop him. But I think you're going to need help with this one."

Yusuke sat forward, an eyebrow raised, "Help? Are you serious? We've dealt with those shifters before. We can handle them."

"It's not the shifters I'm worried about. It's the power pulling the strings. The Suspension Orb is a creation of Majik. None of your team members are skilled in this area. I believe the person behind this is a very powerful Master in Majik. You'll need someone who can counter the Majik."

"Who'd you have in mind?"

Koenma hands Yusuke another folder and he begins to read the bio as he listens to Koenma. "Her name is Takashi Ashitare. Not too much is known about her. She's lived most of her life in seclusion. She's a Mystic. An ancient race of demons that exist solely for Majik. And judging from the last time I saw her, she's become quite powerful."

Yusuke looks up from the folder, his instincts telling him something stinks about this mystic. "You know her personally but you don't know much about her? What are you not telling me Koenma?"

"Well, I'm not about to sit here and recite her entire life in minute detail. I have come to know her through the years and I trust her. That should be enough."

"Enough? You want me to trust my team to someone I don't even know?"

"But Yusuke, she's really very sweet. Oh, Koenma, I'm really looking forward to seeing her again. I have so much to tell her!"

Yusuke turned to Botan, his suspicions getting worse. "You know her too?"

Botan just waved at the toushin, all smiles and giggles, "We've been gossip buddies forever! It's so funny how we met. I was on my way--"

"Botan, please. Do you trust her to save the day?" He turns to face Koenma again, his fist coming down on the edge of the desk, "Do either of you think she has what it takes to get the job done? Have you seen her fight?"

Koenma sat back and tilted his head a little, "I have only seen her in action once. She was facing off against a youkai who clearly outranked her and she had no business engaging. But she was determined. She outsmarted him. She was quick, decisive, showed no mercy."

"Why did she fight him?"

The junior god shrugged, "He bumped into her and didn't excuse himself."

Yusuke's eyes widened in alarm, "Are you serious? That's psychotic! No way! No psycho Mystics!"

"He really was rude Yusuke. And that's beside the point. You will go with Botan to visit Ashitare and convince her to join you on this mission and that's an order."

Yusuke stared at Koenma, stunned. Did he hear Koenma right?

"I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice Yusuke. You need Ashitare. Whether you're willing to see it or not."

Yusuke couldn't speak. He just glared at Koenma. Botan saw the enraged look on Yusuke's face and she gently coaxed him out of Koenma's office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ashitare

Yusuke remained silent the entire trip. Botan tried to get him to talk to no avail. She was getting a little worried. They landed in the middle of nowhere as far as Yusuke could tell. He jumps off the oar and looks around. Rolling fields interspersed with patches of trees and shrubs. Nice, but where was this Ashitare's house?

"Botan, are you sure you came to the right place?"

Botan stored her oar and started walking towards an oasis of shade under a cluster of three huge trees and various shrubs, "Oh yea of little faith." She stops in front of one of the trees and places her hand on the trunk. Yusuke follows her, trying to sense anything in the area. No ki signatures. Suddenly she speaks in a loud and clear voice, "I am Botan of the Reikai and this is Yusuke Urameshi of the Toushin and Reikai Tantei. We are here to speak with Takashi Ashitare on behalf of Koenma, Prince of the Reikai."

Botan removes her hand and motions for Yusuke to follow. They walk right through the tree and into an expansive, sunny atrium.

Yusuke looks around at the immense room that exists inside the tree, "Nice trick."

"Told you she was powerful."

"Botan, you big fibber!"

Yusuke jumps as a woman appears out of nowhere and hugs Botan. The women trade hugs and greetings while Yusuke stands dumbfounded. Where the hell did she come from? I didn't sense a thing! He realizes the woman is turning to greet him so Yusuke recovers himself and offers his best smile.

Ashitare stands before him with a warm smile on her face and hands on her hips, "Now really, do I look powerful to you?"

Yusuke tilted his head a little, eyeing the mystic, "In my experience, I've found looks to be deceiving."

Ashitare laughs and extends her hand, "Well said. I'm Ashitare. Nice to meet you Yusuke Urameshi of the Toushin, and Reikai Tantei."

As he shook her hand, he felt a wave of warmth spread up his arm and through his body, "Yusuke will do fine."

The mystic just shrugs, "Suit yourself." Turning to Botan, the mystic puts her arm around the ferry girl's shoulder and the two women head further into the atrium, just gabbing away. Yusuke snorts. Women. Doesn't matter what world they live in, human or demon, they're all the same. Yusuke follows slowly, looking around the room. Botan and Ashitare are seated at a table set for tea. Yusuke sits down and accepts the offered cup of steaming liquid.

He didn't mind that the women continued to gossip and ignore him. They seemed to be long acquaintances catching up on happenings. It gave him time to observe things. Ashitare for one. She was friendly, that's for sure. She looked young. Early twenties by Ningenkai standards, but that didn't mean anything in the Makai. Technically, Yusuke was only 10 years old! And she was beautiful. Thank the gods! I don't need another hag in my life telling me what to do. Her skin was light brown and looked smoother than silk. She had long white hair and almost alarming blue eyes. Botan's shrill gasp brings Yusuke out of his musings. But the women continue to talk away, not missing a beat. Yusuke catches snippets of the animated women's conversation.

"No! She didn't! Really?"

"..is it proper to ask him that?"

"..kissed a Gremast? Ewww!"

This was Koenma's powerful mystic? A young, giggling girl trading gossip? Yusuke groans inside. He knows this is a bad idea.

Yusuke continues to watch the pretty white-haired girl. Her long dress hinted at a lean body without revealing much else. Pretty low cut though... He notices the translucent wrap she is wearing seems to be constantly moving. Just barely, like the surface of a babbling brook. It fascinates him. It makes no noise at all. He was still studying the wrap when a tap on his temple caught his attention.

Botan is giving him a stern look as she sits back in her chair, "Yusuke? You're staring. It's rude."

Yusuke looks from the perturbed ferry girl to his hostess, "Wha-? Oh sorry. I was just admiring your wrap. Is it me, or is it moving?"

Ashitare chuckles lightly and looks down at her wrap, "No, it's not just you. It's my taraa." Yusuke watches her as she runs her fingers along the iridescent fabric, almost lovingly, with a wistful smile on her face. Lucky wrap… "It's a hallmark for female Mystics. If you see someone with one of these and they're not a mystic…" she slowly looks up at Yusuke with a cold, hard gleam in her eyes, "…kill them. No Mystic willingly gives up her taraa."

Yusuke stares at the woman not knowing whether she is serious or not. Then he remembers Koenma's story and realizes, she is serious.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Ashitare returns her attention to Botan and Yusuke is forgotten again. What in all the four worlds did Koenma get me into? This girl is nuts! First she's all smiles and hugs, offering tea and chatting with Botan, and now she's telling him to kill somebody over a wrap? She seemed a little unstable to Yusuke. He watches as she pours Botan more tea, then takes another sip from her own cup. Her motions are graceful, controlled. That suggested a disciplined warrior. You don't move like that naturally. It takes training. A lot like a certain crazy fire demon Iknow. But Koenma said that mystics didn't use forged weapons or engage in hand-to-hand combat...

Yusuke clears his throat and looks at the women at the table, "I hate to interrupt ladies, but Botan, we did come here for reasons other than social." Botan nods and pulls a blue folder from her kimono and slides it over to Ashitare. "Now, the reason we're here--"

Ashitare gasps and turns to her friend, "Oh Botan! It's blue! You think of everything you sweetie!"

Botan beams with pride, "I told Koenma you'd notice and appreciate it. After all, it is the little touches tha--"

I'm dreaming. Some nightmare brought on by heavy drinking. That must be it. Yusuke sits flabbergasted as Botan and Ashitare gushed over, what? Blue paper? Yusuke loses his patience and raises his voice in the hopes of getting them to focus.

"Ladies! Can we get back to the mission, please? We're here to discuss the possibility of you joining the Urameshi Team for a mission. Koenma seems to think your special skills with Majik will be necessary to defeat whoever stole the Suspension Orb."

Ashitare smirks at the toushin and then silently reads through the file, her mouth transforming into a frown. She closes the folder and pushes it back towards Yusuke. She has that hard look in her eye again. Yusuke suddenly finds himself wondering if he had been rude.

"Am I your second choice?"

Yusuke sits back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, "You're not my choice at all. Koenma wants you on the team and I'm honoring his request."

"Yusuke!"

Ashitare raised a calming hand to Botan, her eyes never leaving Yusuke's, "It's alright Botan. I prefer honesty. Lies are too much work. So you were saying Yusuke?"

"Like I said, I am respecting Koenma's request and trusting his judgment. He says you're very powerful and will be an asset to this mission."

"You still haven't answered my question. Am I your second choice?"

"You were the only choice I was given."

Ashitare turns to Botan who nods an affirmative. She found it hard to believe that Koenma would choose her over her otousan. After all, he was much more experienced and enjoyed the thrill of the mission. Something else was going on that wasn't being said. She could believe that Botan and Yusuke didn't know. Koenma isn't stupid. But there was no way she was going to risk her neck until she talked with the junior god. And why send Yusuke? Why not send her closest friends to convince her? Ashitare turned to Botan.

"Why didn't Koenma send Kurama and Hiei?"

Yusuke sat up at the mention of his longtime teammates, his surprise obvious. "You know Kurama and Hiei?"

Ashitare turned her cool blue eyes on the toushin across from her. "I've known Kurama since, well, forever really. So why didn't Koenma send them? Are they not part of this mission?"

"Of course they're a part of the mission. They're my teammates. But Koenma sent me here to talk to you before summoning the other team members. We're to pick up Kurama and Hiei on our way back to the Reikai. Hopefully, with you in tow."

Botan reached out and put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Koenma didn't want you to be influenced by your friendship. He wants you to do this of your own accord. Not because you were summoned, or want to help your friends."

Ashitare was becoming more and more suspicious. Had Koenma really not asked her otousan first? And if he was asked, why did he refuse? Why send Yusuke? Koenma knew he didn't want me on the mission. Yet he overrode Yusuke's team leadership… Ashitare sighed heavily and turned her eyes to Yusuke.

"I will go with you back to the Reikai. However, I'm still not agreeing to the mission until I speak to Koenma. Alone."

"Fine with me, let's go!"

Yusuke got up and started back the way they had come when the room began to melt away, only to be replaced by….a bedroom? Yusuke turns back towards Ashitare and Botan. Ashitare has a playful smile on her face, her eyes dancing with amusement.

"Welcome to a Mystic's house Yusuke Urameshi of the Toushin and Reikai Tantei."

Botan chuckled nervously as she stood next to Yusuke, "I forgot to warn you Yusuke, I'm sorry. A mystic's personal dwellingmorphs into whatever room the mystic needs. There are no stairs, just one floor, one big room. But the dwellingitself could consist of several different rooms. Understand?"

"Not exactly."

"Then have a seat and Botan will explain while I grab a few things before we leave."

A chair suddenly materializes under Yusuke, sweeping him into its comfy confines as he watches Ashitare disappear behind a screen. In a few moments Ashitare reappears, hair pulled back, dressed all in black with knee-high boots to match. The only exception being a scarf tied around her wrist. It looks like it is made of the same material as her wrap.

"I'm ready to go."

Yusuke climbs out of the oversized chair, grumbling. "How did you manage to change that fast? Most women I know would have taken hours just to change their clothes, much less pack."

Ashitare, hands on her hips, offers Yusuke that same playful smile from earlier, "I'm not most women Yusuke."

"Obviously." He lets his eyes roam over her, than around her. "Where's your stuff?"

"It's packed. Let's go."

Ashitare starts walking towards what Yusuke is hoping is the exit. She convinces Botan to drop her off at Koenma's in the Reikai before getting Kurama and Hiei. It would give her time to talk to Koenma about her concerns and hopefully get some answers.

"Seriously, where's your stuff?"

The mystic lets a sly smile play across her lips, "I'll never tell. But you're welcome to search me."

Botan gasps and turns around, grabbing her friend's wrist and heads out the door, her oar materializing at her silent request. "Ah! Stop teasing Yusuke and jump on. Honestly, he's going to think you're a harlot instead of a hermit."

Yusuke lets the heat leave his face before climbing aboard the oar. Thankfully, he is too busy holding on for dear life during the ride to let his mind dwell on what it would be like to search Ashitare. Lucky stuff…

to be continued...

Note: Otousan - father