Well let's press on shall we? (revised chapter)

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EPISODE FOUR: FALSE HOPE

Hiei had once more stopped in his march but this time not to rest, for now he could see the mountains. "I'm almost there…" Hiei mused; even he was able to hear the shock in his voice. With every step, every breath, every snap of twigs under his feet, he wondered why he was pressing on. Was there a real reason to continue when he didn't even know if Kuwabara was alive.

"Kuwabara are you dead?" Hiei asked aloud. Hiei sighed shaking his head and jumped up into a tree. He sat on the highest tree branch, and looked at the ominous towers of rocks. He saw that there was a very large black spot on the mountain, and he could even see the smoke with his sharp demon eyes. Someone had been burning the mountain that much was obvious. "What for...?" Hiei whispered to himself.

Hiei looked sharply down as he heard the sound of two pairs of feet approaching this way. When they were directly under him, the owners of the pair of feet stopped just below him. It was two demons, one rather tall while the other was just barely taller then Hiei himself. The demons were laughing at each other, until the shorter of the two suddenly asked in a cracking voice, "Maki, why are we doing guard duty? Who are we guarding our master from?" The taller one rubbed his chin looking at his shorter friend. He smirked and then whispered, "Ah Testu, don't you know anything?! Sage has killed THE Yusuke Urameshi's best friend!"

Hiei turned his hands to fists, and paid close attention to these demons now. Kuwabara was dead after all…and Hiei planned to find out how his former teammate had died.

Testu, the shorter one, paled, "Are you serious!?...Why would...why would Master Sage do a thing like that!?"

"Well…to be accurate the human did it himself, it was Yusuke's best friend who took his own life, But Sage played a big part in it!"

Hiei shook his head sharply when he heard this. Surely the demon was kidding! Kuwabara would never take his own life he was too noble for that! However, Hiei could not deny the sinking feeling in his gut.

"Sage took the human to see the gates of Purgatory…those gates make you crazy. I'm not surprised the human killed himself at all. However that best friend of Yusuke's…uh Kuwabara! That it! Kuwabara," Maki continued unaware of the danger in the branch above him, "Yeah well Kuwabara is weaker then his parents. They saw the gates and went crazy for a little while but they didn't kill themselves like he did."

"Then he is the son of Kazuma, and Kari Kuwabara?"

"Yep."

"How did he die?"

Maki smiled, "I told you! The fool killed himself!"

Hiei took in a sharp breath, his eyes going wide. 'So he was serious…Kuwabara…' Hiei was reeling with this new information. He couldn't believe this. Kuwabara had killed himself…why? Why? Hiei's tortured thoughts were interrupted by the shorter demon's laughter.

"So you are serious!" Testu said with a smile, "But why? Surely just seein' the gates wouldn't make ya off yourself!" The taller demon Maki laughed, "Yeah well…I guess it's what Sage said to Kuwabara that really made the human do it. Sage told the human he was going to make him open the gates of Purgatory, that he'd kill everyone he loved, his parents, his friends, even his sister if he didn't open those gates. It's said, that he called forth this orange sword and shoved it right through his gut!"

Testu laughed delighted with this explanation, "Ha! That's funny! Right through the gut, did his spine shatter?"

Hiei felt his temper flare and he glared at the ones below him.

"Nah, just missed it," was Maki's reply.

Testu pouted, "Maki...is he really dead?"

Maki nodded, "Yes, Sage said he saw the black string of death himself, but...apparently Sage kept the body."

Both Hiei, Testu raised their brows but it was Testu that asked, "Why keep a useless dead body?"

Maki smirked, "The gates of Purgatory need a blood sacrifice, I don't know how he's going to open those stubborn gates, but he'll manage…but you can bet what Master Sage is going to use that human's body for!" Testu and Maki made some gestures, as if throwing a log on to a fire and burst into loud laughter. After their laughs subside the two sunk into a silence. And then Testu rubbed his chin, "I'm surprised the human didn't die…wasn't he in there a long time with the gates?"

"He didn't die…but he did get branded," Maki said with another smirk. He seemed to be enjoying being able to give out so much information. Hiei was grateful for this demon too, so grateful that when Hiei got all the information he needed he planned on "rewarding," the demon for his knowledge.

"Oh?" Testu gasped urging his friend to go on.

"Crosses appeared in his eyes. That meant he was pure hearted, that Yenma himself recognized him of having a pure heart!"

"Rare...too bad Master Sage has his body, a pure heart sounds tasty."

As the two laughed they weren't expecting someone to drop down on their shoulders, and crush both their necks. "Bastards." Hiei muttered wiping his bloody hands on their shirts. He sat down next to the bodies, not caring that his clothes were beginning to get soaked. He sighed with annoyance, "So you really are dead, huh Kuwabara?" Hiei rose shaking his stained cloak. "Then there is no real reason for me to press on."

Hiei turned around, but stopped as something flashed in his eyes. He could see Kuwabara lying on the ground in his mind's eye, flies buzzing around him. He wasn't buried, Hiei knew that much. Hiei took a second step forward and saw Kuwabara's body going to hell, someone throwing it in.

Another step.

Kuwabara decomposing.

Another step.

Two figures…Kuwabara's parents.

Hiei stopped, and turned around to look at the mountain.

Maybe there was a reason to go back. He could free Kuwabara's parents...isn't that what got Kuwabara killed anyway? He sighed, he respected Kuwabara, not much but it was still there. "I at least owe him that much..." Hiei sighed, turned around, stepping over the two corpses and went back on his way.

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Yusuke and Kurama stared at the two creatures Koenma had brought for their transportation. They were huge, about the size of an elephant. They had thick hair, and two flat tails, with short bristles hanging off their pathetic excuse of a tail. Their paws were separated into three furry toes, shaped like that of a bird. Their fur was gray, and tangled, and they chewed on something unknown as they stared blankly at Yusuke and Kurama.

"Is this what will get us to the Husane Mountains?"

"Yes," Koenma said coolly. "Trust me...they'll fly you all the way to the Husane Mountains and back again." The beasts let out a strange roar, and both got on their knees, waiting for Kurama, and Yusuke to get on. "You honestly expect me to believe these things can fly?" Koenma nodded, and pat the creatures sides, "Go on. Get on, and see for yourself." Kurama and Yusuke approached the beasts, getting on carefully, to their surprise they rose a few feet into the air. "Just call out the directions, they'll find they're smart," Koenma said with a nod of his head. Yusuke nodded, he's been very quiet since he exited the room and declared he would get revenge for Kuwabara. Youko Kurama had a most bitter look on his face, as if something foul was under his nose, and he couldn't get rid of the stench.

"Yusuke!" Said person looked down, Koenma's eyes shown brightly, tears making them shine. "Kill the bastard Yusuke...and when he comes...I'll make sure to punish him good." Yusuke nodded offering a small smile, "Thanks for caring Koenma…" and with that turned the creature beneath him to the left, Youko's creature following after. Koenma watched them disappear, and he fell to his knees. "Father...look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into...look what we've done." Koenma sighed, and looked at the skies watching his two friends and former spirit detectives fly away.

"Everyone is going away...leaving...Soon no one will be left." Koenma placed a hand to his eyes, "I never meant for this...I never meant for this!"

"I know…"

Koenma shot his head up, "Ku...Kuwabara?"

Koenma had heard Kuwabara's voice he swore it.

"Not...fault...I forgive..."

"Ku...KUWABARA I KNOW IT'S YOU! ARE YOU ALIVE...WHERE ARE YOU?!" Koenma began to scream, spinning around looking for the man that wasn't there. "Koenma..." He turned sharply to see Boeton. She looked worried, and took his arm, "Koenma...were you just calling for Kuwabara?" Koenma took her hands, pale and shaking, "Boeton, I heard him! I heard him! I heard his voice...right inside my head!" Boeton looked at Koenma, who suddenly began sinking to the ground, she following suit.

She took the demi-God in her arms, and whispered, "You're hearing voices in your head? Koenma...please don't lose it...please..." Koenma let her pull him to her, so that his head was resting on her bosom. His pacifier slipped out of his mouth, and he took her by the elbows. "This was my fault...MY STUPID FAULT! I knew hiding this from him was a bad idea, but I...I had to listen to my father..." Boeton rested her head on Koenma's head, and she let tears fall from her eyes, "I'm at fault with you...It was my fault just as much as it was yours. I wasn't bound to secretes by your father...I was just do scared. I didn't want to tell Kuwabara!"

Silence followed after and Koenma whispered, "Kuwabara really did look like his father." Koenma went silent again, and made a strange noise. "I just talked about Kuwabara in the past tense didn't I?" Boeton nodded, "Yes, Lord Koenma."

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Kuwabara lay within the red glassy walls staring up ahead at the red all around him. He was exhausted. He'd stretched his mind out, and tried to reach everyone. He managed to get Koenma for a second, but he had a feeling the demi-God just thought he was going crazy. He was tired, and felt weak. The necklace he was trapped in was often jostled about, and if he weren't just a soul he'd throw up. Kuwabara looked at his hand, he could see right through it. Funny...that day during Genkai's tournament, when he'd left his body to speak with Yusuke. He hadn't noticed that he was like a piece of cellophane; able to be seen through…almost invisible…then again maybe he wasn't…maybe Kuwabara was just going crazy.

He hated this room…everything was intensified. Pain, his emotions, his hearing…that was how it was now. Everything was multiplied. And currently the only thing he felt was sorrow, and hate. Though there was nothing that should hurt, everything did. It ached all inside him it was slow torture. He tried to reach Kurama, Hiei, and...

"Urameshi..." He whispered. Kuwabara had tried to reach him the most, but it was as if Yusuke had shut down, he couldn't get past the walls in Yusuke's mind that he set up. Kuwabara sighed and looked at his right hand. He could see a black string, thick and darker than the night, wrapped around his ring finger. He found that ironic, being as it was where a wedding band would go, and the band represented love, and being tied to the one you loved. But this black string, this death string was on his ring finger now. "So strange..." He whispered to himself.

On his thumb, he could see a white string, it was barely visible, but with his keen eyes he still saw it. "Hmph...Sage really is going to bring me back from the dead...just to open those gates..." He closed his eyes, "If only I hadn't come, if only I had killed myself quicker." Kuwabara went quiet, and sighed when he saw Sage come in and greet the false Kuwabara, that wore the real Kuwabara trapped in a stone around his neck.

"Son, let us open the gates."

"No father."

Kuwabara sat up surprised, was he hearing this guy right?

"What?" Sage's face, had turned slightly red, he took in a deep breath, "Why Batto?" Batto made Kuwabara's face twist in an ugly fashion, "Yusuke will be here soon, I want him to see his best friend like this." Sage smiled, "Yes...my clever, clever boy." Kuwabara laid back limply on the ground. He felt drained of all energy. Closing his eyes, he sighed, and went back to sleep.

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Kurama and Yusuke rode towards the Husane Mountains in silence, the cool breeze brushing over them. "Kurama..." Yusuke finally spoke, the fox demon looking at him. "Yes?" It was now night and the moon's pale light reflected off his face and shone on his silver hair. Yusuke took in a deep breath and asked, "How do you think he died?"

Kurama looked at Yusuke, "I don't think we should talk about this."

"But I want to...I don't know what about...but I just want to talk about Kuwabara," Yusuke insisted softly. He turned to look back at Kurama, "Please…?"

Kurama looked at Yusuke's pleading face and sighed, "Well I'm not sure how he died...but we both know how he lived. But you know more than me, don't you Yusuke?" Kurama let out a soft sigh, his silver hair shining all the brighter, "Tell me of the time before you and I met."

Yusuke smiled, "As you know...Kuwabara and I were enemies or rivals, whatever you want to call it, until I died. When I died he showed up at my funeral, screaming at me to get out of the coffin," Yusuke chuckled, "and he was crying. He started to cry, and I remember that the most, him crying. I never would have guessed. He needed me, and it shocked the hell out of me. Once, right before Sensui, I asked why he had been crying that day. He said, 'Urameshi you ass, haven't you figured it out? You're my goal I want to beat you. I want to get stronger. Without you I got nothin' left to do…nothin' but die.' Kuwabara laughed and then he had added, 'But I don't think I stand a chance now...all that stupid demon blood. But I won't give up, a man doesn't make excuses for his weaknesses.' Kuwabara's just always been so honest about wanting to beat me…" Yusuke sighed, "I'd been beating up Kuwabara for a long time, maybe two years. I met him in sixth grade actually."

Yusuke looked at the moon, "It was raining, and I found him laying in the ally outside my house. He'd gotten beat up saving some kid, and the brat just left him there bleeding, with his eyes closed up from bruises. As I went to him, I saw some other kids, much older than us, all knocked out. I had to admit, I was impressed with what I saw. With my Mom, I dragged him into the house. We didn't know where he lived so we, or should I say "I", took care of him. Mom got drunk, so it was up to me. When he awoke first thing he asked was, "The kid okay?" I had no idea what he was talking about, but looked so miserable, so tired, so sick, so I told him, "Yeah. The kid said thank you." He smiled and closed his eyes falling asleep Again."

"It was the next day when Kuwabara woke up. He didn't remember a thing, we got into a fight somehow, and that was the first time we fought. We wouldn't meet again until 8th grade. He hadn't forgotten me, but...I had. Later, right before the Sensui incident, he prodded me trying to get me to remember. I was surprised when I finally did." Yusuke laughed, "I had thought he was making the whole thing up."

Yusuke paused and after a good intake a breath he whispered, "I think I started to become friends with him when I was dead. We had a stupid teacher, a jackass of a man, well he went out of his way to make every student's life miserable," Yusuke snorted, "especially us thugs. His name was Mr. Akashi, and when Kuwabara saved Keiko, he tried to punish one of his friends, you remember them right?"

"Yes, the ones Mitari attacked," Youko whispered letting Yusuke talk. These stories seemed very important to Yusuke and right now, they were also important to Kurama.

Yusuke nodded, "Well he made Kuwabara promise not to fight for a full week. Not a good idea being as he had to fight of revengeful gangs all the time. That was the longest week I had ever seen. The first day of the bet, that ass, Mr. Akashi had gotten the three Kuwabara had beaten up to save Keiko to attack Kuwabara. He thought Kuwabara would fight back, but Kuwabara made a promise. "It's against my honor code to break a promise, I'll never do it!" He told me that before we fought Dr. Ichigaki's team, I think that's why he couldn't hurt those three he'd promised to help them. Anyway, for several days he got beat up, and on top of that. Mr. Akashi forced him to agree to pass the science test with at least a fifty or Okubo would be punished for it. He wasn't good at Science, Hell he and I both suck at it!"

"His friends saw how beat up he was getting, and practically begged him to stop. You know what he said?" Yusuke looked at Kurama who remained silent waiting patiently for Yusuke to speak again. Yusuke chuckled lowly and saying in a wavering voice, "He said, "It's okay, I've been missing my daily beatings since Urameshi has been gone." I felt...a strange pain in my chest. I didn't know how willing he was to help his friends. I also couldn't help but notice he talked about me as if I was still here, but just on vacation or something like that. I did my best to help him. Helping him study in his dreams, and even possessing a girl so I could beat the crap out of these guys that were going to beat him up. He passed, but the ass wipe erased his last answer making him fail, but another teacher made him correct it. Somehow when it was all over Kuwabara turned around, knowing I was there. He couldn't see me, but he said, "Thanks man." And that was that. I guess that was when I began liking him, it was a slow friendship...but...since I came back from the dead I can't help but feel protective over him."

"I think we all do." Kurama smiled at him, he was fading back into his red headed, normal self, his anger finally going away. "I think even then, though you knew nothing of your demon blood, you sensed his body was a lot more fragile than yours, and that his life was shorter."

"Maybe," Yusuke whispered, "I just know...somehow from that moment, from when he thanked me, I began to like him. No one has ever thanked me for a damn thing before…but he did. It was a different experience; it felt kind of nice too. For a long time we still beat each other up, hell we even do it now, though we don't do it anymore to hurt each other, it's just all in good fun. I remember everything we'd been through. You know out of all the cases, there is one thing that has always ticked me off."

"The Toguro incident?" Kurama asked thinking that the likely choice.

"No," Yusuke shook his head, "it was the first day I'd come back alive, and when I did I went out to a restaurant. This guy there, with a demon possessing him, was blackmailing Kuwabara. Trying to get him to steal, at first I thought he did because he dumped out this bag of books, right? And then the guy held out a receipt showing Kuwabara had bought the books. The guy made Kuwabara get down on his knees and ask for forgiveness because he hadn't stolen these books. He had Kuwabara's cat, Eckiji hostage. She was just a kitten then. I thought he was the dumbest person alive until I found out why he was doing this. Kuwabara...it took me a bit...but I found out he loves all living things, even if he's afraid of them. The guy took him out in the alley, and told him to hit his friends, or he'd kill the cat. Kuwabara was torn he wouldn't do it. I thought he was going to throw up his face had twisted in torment. He couldn't hit his friends, but he wouldn't be able to take it if his cat was killed. That's when I showed up, saved the day, and caught the bad guy. When Boeton took the demon to Spirit World, she had to convince me to stop shaking the little prick."

Kurama laughed, "I think I would have done the same." His red hair flapped in the wind, and he pointed out in the distance. "There. The Husane Mountains." Yusuke looked over at the tall mountains. "See that spot, that large black spot? I bet that's where they are." Yusuke and Kurama guided the creatures to fly lower, and they did. When they landed, the beasts made small sounds of protest. They refused to put their paws on the black ground, so Yusuke and Kurama had to jump on the ground. The animals headed off into the woods, and Yusuke shrugged figuring they'd find the creatures later. They stayed low to the ground, and made their way to a small hut closest, to what looked like a mansion. Before they even reached the hut, the door was swung open.

"Ku...Kuwabara?" Yusuke dared to ask, staring at the man. The man waved his arms, and invited them in. Kurama tried to stop Yusuke, but the teen eagerly followed. Kurama rushed after Yusuke, and when they both were inside the little hut with a few candles burning, they saw that it was an older couple. "Kuwabara...I...I think you are talking...Were you talking about my son?" The man with brown hair, but with the face of Yusuke's best friend, took a woman by her shoulders as she began to sob. "You are...are you Kuwabara's parents?" Kurama asked. The woman nodded, covering her mouth, "Our baby..." The man looked at Yusuke and Kurama, eyes moist from unshed tears. "We're Kazuma Kuwabara, and Kari Kuwabara...I'm guessing my son goes by his last name?" Yusuke couldn't look up at the man, "That is what I've always called him..."

"Urameshi."

Yusuke's head shot up, and he starred into the older man's face, "I remember when we were allowed to spend time with our son, he spoke of his best friend. He called him Urameshi." Kazuma sat down chuckling, "Very amusing stories." Yusuke sat down on a handcrafted bench, Kurama on his other side. "Half are probably exaggerated, if he said he beat me in a fight he was lying." Yusuke teased. Kari's soft voice entered the conversation. "He never did…he always said he lost to you…"

It went silent, and she whispered, "Seven years...seven years since I had last seen my son, and my daughter. I celebrated every birthday they had." Smiling, but with tears racing down her cheeks she smiled, "Did you know Kuwabara wanted to join this soccer team, I was going to sign him up the day before we were taken."

"Why were you taken?" Kurama gently asked.

"To open the gates of Purgatory." Kazuma sighed, rubbing his beard. "Only those with a high amount of spirit awareness, and an innocent heart can cut down the gates...as well as some sort of special weapon that resembles a sword."

Yusuke and Kurama's eyes both widened at that. He was speaking of Kuwabara's Jigen-To…without a doubt in their minds that's what it had to be!

Kazuma rubbed his brow and continued, "Only reason God lets anyone be able to open the gates of Hell is because no pure hearted person would do it." Kari took her husbands hands, "But Sage...he must have found a loophole when he decided to bring Kazu..." She trailed off, and the parents grew quiet. Yusuke leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and hands on the back of his neck. He stayed that way and asked, "Did Kuwabara die?" Kazuma and Kari stared at him. Yusuke looked pleadingly at the two, "Please...did he die. I just...I need to hear the words...I don't want to go up there and kill that little ass thinking I have false hope. If Kuwabara's dead...I need to know before I go after Sage."

Kari did not look at him, but Kazuma nodded, "Yes. He killed himself. Sage was going to make him open those gates, how I don't know...but I think it's partially my fault." Kari added softly, "And mine." Kazuma looked at her and continued on, "Sage said he would send us to hell if Kuwabara did not do what he asked, he also threatened his friends, and everyone he ever loved. Kuwabara knew...if he was gone...there would be no way for that little..." Kazuma took in a deep breath, "That there would be no way for Sage to open the gates, or to really threaten us. So I guess, he decided that he had to die, that he'd be the sacrifice." Yusuke rose, fists clenched and face downwards. He was shaking, and tears were rapidly dripping down his face, "That...THAT IDIOT!" Yusuke flipped over the bench, Kurama rising hurriedly to get out of it.

Yusuke faced a corner, head bent down, and hands on his hips. "That...you know! He said once he wouldn't die until he beat me, well you know...YOU HAVEN'T BEATEN ME YET! Lying son of a bitch…oh well! I don't care!" Kazuma was making his way over to Yusuke, who was carrying on, babbling to make himself calm down. "You know...that stupid, honorable, bastard of a friend couldn't take it when I died, but I guess he assumed it'd be ok if he was gone! Well you stupid, ugly, oaf of a man you...bah. Good I'm glad he's gone! I won't miss him one fuckin' bit!" Kazuma turned Yusuke gently around, meeting his sad brown eyes. Tears were streaming down Yusuke's face, and Kazuma took the young boy in his arms, and secured him in a hug.

Yusuke wept, moaning, "It's wrong...he can't die. He just can't…I told him that before dammit…" Kazuma said nothing, no tears in his eyes as he held the boy without a father. Yusuke uncharacteristically clung to the taller man allowing himself just this once, to be comforted in this fashion. Kurama looked at the older man, and wondered if this would be making things worse. He could understand why Kuwabara shared his fist name with his father. They were twins the only difference was the hair color and of course the age. He prayed Yusuke wouldn't confuse the two. And at the same time, this man, Kazuma had just seen his son die, would he take Yusuke under his wing? As dawn rose, Kazuma pulled Yusuke away ruffling Yusuke's hair, "Let's get him. Let's get him for my son."

"For your son eh?" The door to the hut was kicked down, and everyone froze at whom they saw. Kuwabara stepped in, wearing strange clothes, and holding a silver staff. He smiled, a fake smile, and extended his arms towards the group, "Hi dad, Hi Mom! I'm home!"

End of this chapter!

So Yusuke is about to meet fake Kuwabara...and it's about time Hiei joined the group? Where is that little devil?