Back Again
AN: Yeah, I know some of you are wondering if I'll ever finish my other stories, but last night this one just wouldn't leave me alone until I finished it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.
Prologue
Koenma, secondary ruler of the Spirit World, shuddered as an explosion and round of screams ripped through his office building. In all the years dealing with the Spirit Detective and his group, he'd never imagined this happening. In hindsight, he should've.
Opening his eyes as another explosion rattled the already crumbling walls, Koenma looked into the terrified face of his assistant.
"George wanna go home now!" the blue ogre complained. "Please, don't make me stay."
All around them, other ogres were scrambling around, requesting help, support, or just running for their lives. The building shook once more, and Botan appeared next to George.
"Sir," she turned to face Koenma. "He's breached the first door. Others are trying to stop him in the passageway, but to no avail. What are we going to do?"
"Has Hiei or Kurama arrived yet?" the toddler asked.
"Both are facing off against the enraged demon, but it looks like they won't hold him off for long. Sir," her voice dropped in intensity. "Genki, Mukuro, Yomi, and others have fallen, trying to stop him. How is it Kurama and Hiei will get through to him?"
"I honestly don't know. I'm hoping it's because of their relationship, he'll at least stop to listen to them long enough for us to subdue him."
"Remember, sir, Kuwabara was one of the first he killed."
Koenma sighed. "I know, but there isn't much hope left."
Before either could say anything more, one of the other ogres ran towards to the small group, bowing once he reached the ruler. "Sir, we just got word from your father. He's sent the SDF against the demon, and he's leading them himself!"
"That fool!" Koenma shouted, surprising everyone there. "Does he really think he can stop him with just the Spirit Defense Force? Is his pride that arrogant, that he wants to be their personally when he 'falls'?"
The messenger cringed at the young boy's words. He wanted to do nothing more than run and hide away in the darkest corner, for nothing could be as scary as the beast attacking the Spirit World's capital. As the ogre started to slink back, trying to get out of the sight of the leader, to run away, a third explosion sounded, this time letting the occupants know the second had been breached. All that remained between the small ruler and the intruder was 500 feet, a few wimpy doors or walls, and about 50 ogres.
Koenma sighed, surprising the other two about his non-nervous attitude. He turned, walked over to his desk, opened the top drawer, reached in, and pressed a hidden, blue button on the topside. Immediately, something small, light, and warm dropped into his hand. When he pulled his arm back, Botan gasped at what the ruler held.
"Sir, are you sure about this?" Botan wanted to know, once she got over her shock. "You realize, what you are proposing would not only cause much heartbreak, but also can never be undone? Once you decide to do it, it can never be used again."
"I know, Botan. After all, I'm the one who told you about this," he replied.
"Um, could you tell me what that is, Koenma sir?" George asked.
"This is the Time Alteration Gem, also know as TAG," Koenma explained. "As you know, here in Spirit World, we have the ability to control death. Many years ago, back when my father was still my age, there came a big crisis. He still won't tell me why, but in the end, it was decided the past needed to be changed. Unfortunately, at that time, this Gem did not exist.
"My father spent years running, hiding, and searching for a way to change history. Eventually he came upon a seer, who, through a spell, created this stone to do just that. When she handed it over, she had one word of advice and one word of warning: 'This stone may only be used twice, so choose well. But, against a mazaku, the stone will have unexpected results. Never try to remove the mazaku gene.' That is why my father never used it against Yusuke. Now, we have no choice. Botan?"
"Yes sir?" she replied.
"I'm sending you back. You've got the best chance to stop this from happening. When you arrive, immediately show the Gem to myself, or my father. We'll take everything you say for truth," he said, handing her the TAG stone.
"Understood."
The toddler moved both hands over the gem held by Botan, and started sending it his spirit energy. Soon, the stone started glowing a bright orange, and then Koenma spoke with his hands moving, creating letters and pictures with his power. "Stone created by dust and darkness, awaken and do my bidding. Send this messenger back in the time stream five years, to change that which must. Allow them to fix the problems of the past, and create a better future. So says I, Koenma, ruler of Spirit World!"
Just as the ruler's lips moved to say the final word to active the stone, an explosion rocked the building, and the door leading to Koenma's room exploded into a shower of splinters. With a cry of surprise, Botan accidentally loosened her grip, and a flying piece of wood hit the gem, making it spin almost straight up, angled slightly towards their intruder's head.
"WHERE IS SHE!" the boy shouted. He was still standing in the doorway, his blue pants torn at the knee, showing off the blood and cuts decorating his legs. His white tee shirt was non-existent. The usual short black hair was now past his waist. They could still see a faint shape on his chest, shoulders, and arms, but the prominent mazaku tattoos were almost completely gone. "KOENMA, WHERE IS SHE!" He took a step towards his former boss.
"Now, now, Yusuke, calm down, please," Koenma said, in what he hoped to be a gentle tone. He was trying not to let his fear show in his voice. If I can keep him talking, we might be able to retrieve the stone and send Botan back, he thought. I've got to try.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Yusuke continued to shout. "JUST TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" As he finished speaking, a glittering object falling towards him caught Yusuke's attention, and he raised his hand to grab it. His fingers curled around the TAG gem, he noticed it was 4 inches in diameter in one direction, and 2 in the other. As it came in contact with his skin, Yusuke felt it pull slightly at his demon energy, but not enough to worry about.
Oh, SHIT! Koenma thought. If he gets sent back in time, with the way his mind is right now, there could be huge trouble. I MUST GET THAT STONE BACK!
Botan, for her part, did not know what to do. Standing before her, slightly dazed from his berserker mode, was an old friend. Someone who she'd spent the past few years in some life or death situations. In his hand was a tool, which could save their world from the destruction he'd put it through, or destroy the three worlds all together. She still wanted to believe in Yusuke's humanity, but after what'd happened the past few days, she wasn't for sure if there was anything left. If only Keiko had never died. At least not like that! She thought to herself.
In truth, no one any of the three worlds knew where Keiko's soul was. It wasn't there when Spirit World had sent its people to retrieve it. It wasn't in Demon world, according to Mukuro and their new leader. It wasn't even in Human World. Genkai and the psychics she knew attested to this! All that was left at the scene, was Keiko's body and the car that had hit her.
She'd been there when Yusuke had learned of Keiko's death. At first, he was calm, eerily calm. If she hadn't been so torn up about losing a close friend, Botan probably would've noticed his reaction being off. Instead, she'd allowed him to walk away and have time alone. That'd been the biggest mistake of her life. The next time she'd seen him, he'd been plowing through the doors to the leader of Demon world. She'd watched, helplessly, as he killed Enki with out so much as a warning. She'd watched as Mukuro, Yomi, and the young Shura, ran into the room and battled Yusuke. In the end, even they were not enough. Yusuke left soon after, ignoring her. Botan, weeping at the carnage, went straight to Koenma.
She still shivered as she remembered his eyes. Usually bright and alive, the reddish-brown had darkened and showed a soul of madness. Nothing was left of the friend she once knew, she thought the instant she had first seen the change. She only had only hopped someone would be able to bring him down before he caused more pain and sorrow, even if it did seem cruel. In the end, it was wishful thinking. Spirit, Demon, and even Human world had sent their most powerful fighters, most influential speakers, to try to stop him, but it was to no avail. He killed everyone. Now, all that was left was those who'd run, and the one's left in Prince Koenma's Palace.
"WHERE IS SHE!" Yusuke shouted again, bringing Botan out of her memories. "GIVE HER BACK RIGHT NOW!"
"Yusuke, please calm down," George said, for once growing a backbone. Unfortunately, his mistake was walking towards the former detective. Without a thought, it seemed, Yusuke's arm shot out and backhanded the ogre. George spun through the air and landed near Botan's feet. She screamed when she looked down. George's neck was completely broken, the bone sticking out of his throat. Blood was pouring out everywhere.
"Yusuke! Calm down!" Koenma shouted, hoping to catch his attention. "Please, stop this madness, right now!"
"GIVE ME BACK KEIKO!" Yusuke shouted once more, seeming to ignore what everyone else had said.
"Yusuke, please, let us think calmly about this. We don't know where Keiko is, right now."
"YOU LIE! GIVE HER BACK!"
"Yusuke, don't make me destroy you! Please. Don't do this. We don't need to loose anymore friends…" Koenma trailed off as the object in Yusuke's hand started to glow a bright blue and pulse. "OH SHIT!" he cursed, realizing, in his attempts to try to talk to Yusuke, he'd accidentally said the activating word. He shot forward, hoping to grab the stone before it sent Yusuke back in time. He'd almost made it.
Botan was surprised when the gem glowed, and then Koenma shot forward. He was less than a foot away when Yusuke disappeared with a surprised look on his face.
"NO!" Koenma shouted, falling to his knees and pounding the unforgiving ground. "That wasn't supposed to happen."
"What did happen, sir?" Botan asked, afraid of the answer.
"We sent Yusuke back in time," Koenma said, his voice becoming dead. "God have mercy on us all."