Title: Tranquility
By: Shylilsweety
Genre: Humor and Romance (not a one-shot)
Disclaimers: Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and it's characters. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, Studio Pierrot, Fuji TV, Shonen Jump, etc. I don't own anything!
Summary: A short vacation arrives for Yusuke and his friends. It's decided that they go on a weeklong camping trip. It's a trip that goes so wrong, when confusion, mixed feelings, and frustration courses through the small group of friends.
Pairings: Gaze at all the charming shapes. There's a lovely love triangle there to your left, and Love Square to your right? Is that a pentagon I spy with my little eye?
No specific pairings!
(BotanxKuramaxKeikoxYusukexShizuruxYukinaxKuwabaraxHiei)
Chapter One: Catastrophic Idea
The weather forecast was very deceiving. They all believed the weatherman. Wasn't it his job to tell the correct weather? Now they had nothing to do but to sit silently and listen to the rain that pounded mercilessly against their tents. The idea to camp had once been a good one. It all began this morning…
"Yusuke, must you be so irritable. I only need you to speak with lord Koenma, and," Botan halted in her steps to follow Yusuke when she noticed he had stopped. He turned to look at her, frustration and irritation written all over his face.
"Botan, just tell pacifier breath to send me a message. I 'm sure I'll look into it after some well earned R&R." All signs of irritation left Yusuke and he turned to continue his walking. He was heading to the ramen shop, the one that was owned by Keiko's parents. Botan began to follow again; after all she must have Yusuke do his job as she must do hers.
"Listen here Yusuke, I'll have you know, lord Koenma,"
"Is a brat," Yusuke interrupted. He didn't bother turning this time and continued to walk. "You know Botan maybe you should get some rest and relaxation, your too stressed out over your job." With that said Yusuke picked up the speed and began to run, his feet hitting the pavement rhythmically. This only left an annoyed Botan alone watching him leave.
She blinked a few times and stared helplessly. Koenma was going to be giving her a lecture this afternoon and she just knew it. She could only watch as he ran away from his additional work. Who could blame him, the sound of rest and relaxation was so tempting. Maybe she could urge Koenma to allow her some time off. She only smiled and let her head and shoulders droop downward slowly. A sigh escaped her mouth. It was only wishful thinking.
Keiko waited patiently for Yusuke. He was supposed to have arrived at the ramen shop twenty minutes ago. Sitting quietly at the chair she poked at a decorative piece of origami she had made, when trying to find something of interest to do, as she waiting for him. She lightly swung her legs as she was slouched in the chair. It was a comical position people knew Keiko was not very character to.
In this situation, though she was just about to lose any patience she had left for the young man. Just as Keiko was about to throw her arms up in aggravation, the jingling of bells were heard. It was a very pleasant sound at that moment. Just the same as the bells jingled when the doors had opened, the bells jingled again as it closed. Entering the shop this time had better be Yusuke she thought wordlessly to herself.
She straightened up and turned to face the person whom had just arrived. Relief ran through her and then annoyance. What had taken him so long? Stumping up to him she held her hand up. It was just high enough to allow him to know what he was going to get if his explanation or excuse was not good enough. Distressing signals were already radiating off the young man's body as he tried to explain. At the same time he eyed her wicked hand.
With both of his own hands held in front of him in a defensive move he began to explain.
"Botan was just nagging me with more work and … you see diaper brains wouldn't leave me alone and I…" Seeing how nothing was working and her face seemed to be consorting into a more aggravated look, he dropped his hands in defeat.
"It's Botan's fault."
With the quick flex of the wrist, her hand sternly and forcefully swatted against his cheek and a loud echoing sound was heard within the peaceful ramen shop. The results were a small, but brightly painted red handprint upon his cheek. Of course it didn't hurt the boy, but he wouldn't let her know that.
She helped him off the ground and they sat at a table, all anger, which Keiko had before, was all vented out. They sat together as planned from the beginning and began to discuss the summer activities they were to partake in.
"No!" Yusuke said quickly. "That's stupid."
"It's not stupid, Yusuke. Its fun." His face turned to disgust. How dare she assume he would let his summer vacation be ruined by volunteering at a nursing center, to help the elderly. Didn't he do enough work, you know like saving the human world?
"Helping old people is not fun, Keiko." He protested.
"They're not old. They 're elderly individuals."
"OLD!"
If he caused attention to them one more time, Keiko swore he would be screaming for his mother, Atsuko to save him from her grasps. She was going to hurt him. She knew to resist the urge to. She would just have to count to ten. 1…2…3…
"I wanna do something fun, not stupid," …4…5…6… "Besides I deserve it." Her pulse quickened, she could distinctly feel a throbbing sensation at her temples. …7…8…
"How about we all do something together." He had actually suggested something good. Counting to ten was totally forgotten. She blinked at him a few times and smiled.
"You mean involve Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru right?" The smile grew larger upon the small framed face.
Maybe Yusuke could help Botan get a break. She hadn't seen the cheerful blue haired girl in a long time. Nor had she seen the pretty ice maiden and the calm older brunette woman.
"Yea sure, and Kuwabara, Kurama, and maybe even Hiei." Yusuke added in. She clapped her hands joyfully.
"So what's the group activity we can all do?" She leaned in close. Her eyes stuck on his. There was no escape. He had to think of something quick.
"Camping!" He closed his eyes. Darn it, why did he have to go and suggest something so stupid. Waiting for her to either smack him or yell he opened his eyes slowly. She was smiling. There was no aggression or anything hiding behind her smile.
"That's a wonderful idea, Yusuke." She stood up from her seat and ran over to the small television that was in the corner of the quiet shop. Keiko pressed her small finger on the channel button. She searched the channels until she found the weather channel.
"Keiko what are you doing?" Yusuke stood up as well and starting walking towards her and the television. "People are trying to watch that you know." He stated as he looked at the angry faces of the customers.
"Hush, Yusuke I'm trying to find out something." No more words came from his mouth. He shrugged and sat down near the television and waited to see what Keiko was up to. Suddenly the room was filled with the music of the local weather channel. Keiko watched the television carefully as the local forecast was given.
"Perfect! We are to expect nice sunny weather this week and next week. That's perfect right Yusuke?" She turned to him a look of hopefulness. He nodded back.
"Go on and tell everyone to pack up for a camping trip, Yusuke. Tell them about a week's supply of stuff. I will arranged the location for our stay," She wiggled a little bit with so much happiness and Yusuke smiled.
Excitement won the battle over her body as she yelled out, "I can't wait!"
Kurama was folding another article of clothing and placing it neatly into his camping backpack. When he received the news, it seemed he had no choice in the matter. Yusuke had put it simply. "Pack up fox boy where're going camping for a week." His emerald eyes traveled along the items he had already packed. There were clothing, some food, the tent assembly kit, and various other necessary objects.
His mother had agreed so quickly for him to go. She had told him she was glad he was going to hang out with people his age. Shiori was worried that he would not be very social. She wanted for him to go on this trip and have fun. Satisfied that his mother was content with the plans, he decided he would go.
Kurama was looking slightly forward to this trip. Maybe he could learn more about his friends. He wasn't sure where the feeling for bonding with his friends came from, but he was sure there was some good background for the idea.
With the last item packed away he slowly sat down upon his neatly made bed. For some reason he had a feeling taunting him at the back of his mind. It was like he was expecting something. He came to the conclusion that this trip would surelyprovide many surprises.
"Gather some shit together, Botan where're all going camping for a week." She stared at him through her compact device. Before closing the device she answered him.
"We'll see Yusuke." She stuffed the device deep within her pink kimono. Konema would never give her a week off. What was Yusuke thinking? A week off, it was just insane. And camping? He surely had her confused. He usually did confuse her. Always he did so emotionally, not intentionally of course. Her heart ached at that moment. Maybe she could be a little brave. Koenma isn't that mean.
She approached his desk. Shyly, she bit her bottom lip. Koenma was staring at a piece of paper. His eyes were buried with the information. It didn't even seem he knew she was there. That was until he quickly snapped his head up and stared at her.
"Yes, Botan? Has Yusuke reported back yet or not?" He just had to be straight to the point didn't he? Her chance at this point felt like 1 to 100. She just couldn't quit so easily though.
"Not exactly Koenma sir. Actually I wanted to ask you something." He let his eyes drift down back to the paper he had previously been looking at. It didn't seem he was very interested in what Botan had to say. Koenma picked up a stamp and held the stamp in his hand as he continued to read the simple piece of paper. Without removing his eyes from the document he sternly spoke to her.
"What do you mean not exactly, Botan?" She began to giggle nervously. Was she beginning to sweat? Wait it can't be, girls don't sweat, they perspire.
"He decided to take his vacation earlier then expected." She bit her lip harder. Suddenly he slammed the stamp down on the paper, startling Botan at the same time. She had nearly toppled over.
"That Urameshi is going to find himself in a bundle of trouble if he continues to think he can do whatever he pleases." Botan nodded slightly, a feeling of guilt coursing through her for agreeing with her boss.
"Yes, I'm guessing this is a bad time but, may I have a week off as well?" Koenma stared. Correction what he was doing wasn't staring it was more like glaring. He was glaring at her.
"Please!" She added in, having noticed his glare upon her petite form. He placed his stamp back on its pad and leaned back in his chair. A look of concentration was upon his baby like features.
"I assume I could allow you to have this week off and Hinageshi could take your place…" She jumped happily and clapped her hands joyfully. She would have ran up to him and picked him up and squeezed him, had her excitement not been so short lived. "But I want you to do double the work next week, you got that." Botan nodded her head in agreement and left his office, but not before thanking him with a bear hug.
"Oi, get out of here, Botan!"
"Good news Keiko everyone is coming. The only one I'm not so sure about is Hiei." Yusuke said to Keiko after receiving news from Botan that she could come. Silently to himself he was sure Hiei would come as well. Hiei would want to watch his sister.
"Thats great news, Yusuke. Do they all know the location?" Keiko asked him. She heaved one of her backpacks into the trunk of her parent's vehicle. "Also what time to go?" She heaved the next one. They were heavy, but it wasn't like she couldn't handle it. She declined Yusuke's help already twice; she wanted to show him she could handle it herself.
He watched her carefully and answered softly. "I think." Suddenly she stopped what she was doing, the heavy bag all but forgotten and easily thrown into the back of the car.
"What do you mean you think? Do they or don't they Yusuke?" She looked at him frowning just a bit. Quickly regretting what he had said he took a step back.
"I'll be back." With that said he walked back into the shop to use the phone.
They all arrived at the camping site. There were so many treesin the areaand not to far off a littlestream of rushing water could be heard.
Keiko's parents dropped off Yusuke and herself. They were the first to arrive of course. Shizuru who was accompanied by Kuwabara had picked up Yukina. They were second to arrive. Kurama arrived soon after. He said his farewells to his mother and wished her well. Yusuke resisted the urge to tease, knowing how significant Kurama held his human mother within his heart. Botan was last to arrive to the camping site. It seemed she got a little lost on her oar. The abundance of trees were in her way, she complained. Nonetheless they were all there and they had some work to do.
Pitching the tent was not fun.
Yusuke was thinking up so many others things he would rather be doing at that point. Hell, he would rather be in the city right now in the arcade, playing games.
Yusuke was so easily annoyed. Kuwabara had even more patience than him, although that was particularly due to Yukina being there and his effort to show off his pitching tent success. Kurama was the instructor and helped everyone. There were three tents that needed to go up. One of them belonging to Shizuru. She had brought her own, it seemed she wanted her own privacy.
Clouds started to gather and the sky began to look darker. Botan had commented that when she was in the air, that far off it looked like a storm was approaching. Keiko sweetly protested, she told Botan that it was going to be nice all week. Everyone continued their work and ignored Botan's expressed worry over the weather. Kurama, however, thought she might be right.
Yusuke worked his temper off by hitting a nearby tree. Keiko told him he was not helping and to go vent some anger on something. Yukina worked thoughtfully trying to understand what Kurama meant by strike the spikes into the ground. Kuwabara was working very hard and it pleased Keiko, although it was more to impress Yukina, he was still very helpful.
They managed to get 1 tent up. Shizuru worked alone on her tent. Her tent was small and an easy put up tent so there wasn't much effort there, it only took her a while since she had already taken two smoking breaks.
Botan was hitting the spikes as hard as her little hands could force her oar upon the spikes. Kurama amused at the site didn't say anything but allowed her to continue with what she was doing. He himself was working diligently with the other half of the tent that Botan and he were working on. It was almost complete. He looked up at the sky. The clouds were growing darker quickly. Botan had some right to express worry, it seems they will be in for some rain tonight.
As if on cue a drop of water landed on Botan's forehead. She looked at Kurama, who in turn looked at her. She wiped it away with the sleeve of her kimono. She hadn't had the time to change out of it yet.
"We must work a little quicker." He informed her. She nodded and did her best. Keiko came over to lend a hand when she felt it too.
"The weather... it was suppose to be nice… they lied again." She frowned, feeling a little upset and angry at the same time.
Shizuru felt it as well and decided to move at a quicker pace. She instructed Kuwabara to move all of Yukina, Botan and Keiko's items into the already complete tent. He did so with some help from Yukina. Yusuke returned and helped as well.
The drizzle began softly at first. Keiko nearly slipped on the already forming mud. She grabbed a hammer and repeatedly slammed it against the spike that would hold down the tent. Botan took up an unused hammer and dematerialized the useless oar. She began to hammer away as well. The tent was just about done when a crack of thunder filled the sky.
The girls dropped their hammers in surprise. Kurama ushered them to grab his, Yusuke's, and Kuwabara's items and to bring them into the large tent while he finished. They did so and as quickly as they could. The drizzle came down harder and faster.
Shizuru having finished her small tent began running back in forth from her tent to her belongings and throwing them in the tent to keep them from getting wet. You could feel aggravation emanating from her with each step she took.
Yusuke went to Keiko's side and helped her carry some of his belongings in the tent. Kurama had finally been able to finish the tent and went to help Botan, who was trying her best to carry in his heavy backpack. He gestured for her to hand it to him. She did so and he hoisted the heavy object effortlessly over his shoulder and brought it in. His red hair was matted against his clothing and the back of his neck. His clothing was damp and he knew everyone was in a similar condition. He worked hastily and they were almost done because of the all the teamwork they all provided.
Another sound of thunder cracked loudly in the sky. Keiko slipped and fell backwards into the mud. Sitting there without any effort to pull herself up she pounded at the ground. It was Yusuke's idea, why had she found it perfect before? Her hair was soaked and her clothing was sticking to her skin and now they were all muddy and she was filthy. This was his entire fault in some way and that dumb weather channels as well.
Botan lent her a hand and Keiko graciously grasped it. At that moment the loudest roar filled the dark sky, that one being the loudest crack of thunder yet. Botan was so surprised that she toppled over and fell on Keiko when trying to pull her up. Now they were both wet, muddy, and upset.
The sky was so dark and lightening was the only thing that brightened the sky after every crack of thunder. The rain was now in a strong down pour. They had finally finished putting everything in the tents. They all ran for shelter within the tents and were somewhat happy that their situation had not been worse.
Yukina was sitting very still watching Keiko and Botan complain within one of the large tents that they would be sharing for the rest of the week. Kurama was with Kuwabara and Yusuke in the other large tent. He could only ignore the argument between the two boys that had already ensued. Shizuru was lying down within her small tent, not caring very much about her clothing being wet. She fell asleep quite easily.
As the course of nature won the battle over the small group they all sat silently as their tents were pelted with hard rain.
Yukina then silently wished she had hit the hard metal object harder when pitching the girls' tent up
My first fanfic. Reviews are very welcomed. Flames will only be used to help me melt my ice cream so I can make ice cream pudding. Constructive criticism is helpful and welcomed as well.
Questions and or Suggestions Push that review button.
Thank you for reading!