Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for Rumiko and Rika. Any names for parks or places that happen to belong to actual locations are accidental. So I apologize if I used someone's name or whatever. Yoshihiro Togashi owns all characters, places, and attacks familiar with Yu Yu Hakusho.
"Hey, whoa, calm down," Yusuke sits next to Rika on the couch and puts his arm around her shoulders. "Tell us what happened."
Rika nods, looking down at the amethyst necklace that Rumiko had given her, and tells them the whole story from when she woke up to when she passed out.
Kurama studies her closely, "You say the infinity sign was the one activated?"
Rika nods her head and squeezes the crystal in her hand. She looks down at her useless left hand. She can't even move her fingers; sighing she looks up at Kurama, "Someone has to set my shoulder."
Kurama nods and has Rika kneels on the floor. She can't see what he did because she had her eyes closed, tightly gripping the new necklace as pressure was placed on her back and her arm was jerked then pushed. Rika grunts and stands up, gingerly wiggling her fingers. Kurama makes her sit back on the couch while he makes a sling and Yusuke sits by her again.
"So do you think this is gonna happen again? When you go back to sleep I mean?"
Rika shakes her head, "I don't know. But I'm not finding out tonight." She leans back against the couch and stares up at the ceiling, "I can't see it again….I just can't."
"I'll be right back," Yusuke says. Rika nods, not even looking at him, and allows herself to be lost in thought. She can't help but think how strange the whole experience was. Her brother acted just like he would, except Rika knows she didn't fight about where to go. But if they had, then the twins might have gone to the market. Does that mean that those lizard guys would have successfully taken her then? Rumiko died either way. And as cruel as it sounds, even in her thoughts, Rika knows that it wouldn't have changed no matter what the situation. It doesn't matter what she did differently in the past, Rumiko would still have died. So in the end, the only thing that really matters is what happened to Rika. She escaped, she's a live, and she's safe.
"Don't be so sure."
Rika jumps and looks at Hiei who is still standing on the other side of the couch. She blinks for a moment, "What do you mean?"
"Don't be so sure you're safe. There are more dangerous things than the Komodo Demons."
Rika meets his eyes for a moment; literally feeling the heat of his gaze, the anger hidden behind the mask. She shakes her head and turns as she hears the other boys return.
"We've decided to take you to see Genkai tomorrow."
Rika blinks up at Kurama, "Genkai?"
The red head nods, "Yes. She will probably know more about this bracelet than we do. Perhaps she can help you sleep peacefully."
The woman only nods her head in acquiescence then look away from him again, studying the necklace.
"You miss him that much?"
Rika turns her gaze to Kuwabara, "Wouldn't you?" She's surprised at how quiet and tired her voice sounds.
Kuwabara blinks for a moment, then nods, "Yeah. If anything happened to my sister I think I'd be pretty upset."
Rika nods, fiddling with her sling. Sighing again, she stands and make her way to the door.
Yusuke is suddenly in front of her, "Where are you going?"
The woman looks at him and tilts her head slightly, "I was going to go for a walk. Would you like to come?"
Yusuke gives Rika a strange look, "I don't have a choice. You can't go anywhere alone."
Rika chuckles quietly, clearly surprising the young man, "I can go anywhere alone Yusuke. Whether I come back alive or not is the only thing you need be worried about."
Yusuke gives her another strange look, "You wouldn't come back if you were dead."
Rika laughs again, slightly louder this time, "You would see me again; should I die."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because, Yusuke, I would not stay dead for long."
He studies her for a moment, then nods his head, "Alright, let's go."
Kurama starts to follow the two as well, but Rika waves him off, "One body guard is more than enough. And you have someone you need to talk to anyway."
Hiei glares at her, while everyone else looks confused. She shakes her head and walks out the door, Yusuke close behind.
The walk was uneventful, but Yusuke soon grew tired of it. He never said anything, but Rika knew. So she returned to Kuwabara's house and joined the boys in the kitchen. They stay up a little longer, doing random things. Rika laughs as they play poker, watch television, play video games, and finally went to bed. She sat up in the living room, so lost in thought she failed to notice a certain gold eyed man approaching her.
Rika jumps as someone kneels before her and her heart almost stops when she realizes who it is.
"Yoko," she gasps.
"Ah, yes," he caresses her face in his right hand, "You do remember. Soon my name will leave your mouth in more than a gasp."
Rika stares, wide eyed, at the man. He was so different from Kurama, of course the tails and the ears were a huge change, but his attitude was completely different as well. Yoko ran his hands through her hair, making her scalp tingle as he claws gently brushed over it.
"Do you fear me kitten?"
Rika blinks once, and then shakes her head no.
"Then why does fear scent permeate you?"
It takes her just a moment to understand what he means, and she actively works to calm herself. After a moment, Rika's heart rate and breathing are almost back to normal as she stares into his golden eyes.
He chuckles, "Much better. I like your natural scent so much more."
Rika freezes as he nuzzles her neck, breathing deeply, and tenses even more when he pulls her from the chair to the floor in front of him.
"You're afraid to go back to sleep, right?"
Rika nods her head, and wonder how he knows of all this.
"Then I'll keep you company. Shuichi won't mind, as long as I don't get him into too much trouble."
Yoko is now behind her, and he pulls her back as he reclines against the chair Rika had been in.
"Relax little one, I won't let anything harm you."
Rika knows he isn't lying, and despite herself she relaxes against him as he continues to stroke her hair. Before long, she finds one of his tails in her lap, and pets it without thinking.
She jumps as Yoko chuckles, "Careful kitten, kitsunes are strange about their tails."
Rika looks back at him, his eyes dancing with laughter; and then shakes her head, unable to keep from smiling as she leans back against him again. Slowly she dozes off, safe and warm in her sleep.
The next morning, Rika is awoken when she feels herself being lifted slightly. She sits up, and looks behind her. Rika may have fallen asleep with a suave fox, but she wakes up with an embarrassed red head. She tilts her head to the right and stands as he blushes fiercely.
"What's wrong?" Rika asks him. He shakes his head, and the young woman can't help but laugh. "Look," she tells him, "Nothing happened. He just helped me go to sleep."
The look Kurama gives Rika, though carefully poised, tells her that he doesn't believe it. Rika shakes her head and walk into the kitchen. She makes some tea and sits at the table, waiting for the other boys to get up.
"Would you like some breakfast?"
Shaking her head she takes another sip of tea, "This will do. Thank you."
After Rika finishes the tea, she gets dressed and returns to the living room. The boys still aren't up so she decides to read. Kurama soon joins her, sitting on the other side of the room, and the two of them read in comfortable silence.
Silence that is broken as Yusuke and Kuwabara stumble into the living room yawning.
"Hey, what's for breakfast?"
Rika looks up at Yusuke and shrugs before returning to her book.
"Well, what'd you eat?" he asks gruffly.
She shakes her head, and Kurama answers for her, "She had a cup of tea. But I'll fix the two of you something if you wish."
The woman looks up in mild shock as the boys quickly agree. After breakfast everyone is ready to leave. Rika follows them quietly to the bus stop and is slightly surprised when they get off outside of town. The only thing there is a forest. She looks to Yusuke but he only grumbles as he starts to head into the trees. Rika follows, not voicing all the questions she has, and are even more surprised when (after walking for several hours) they come across a temple.
The temple itself is nothing extraordinary, but the feeling she's getting from the boys around her is. Rika notices for the first time that Hiei has appeared beside Kurama. She blinks and wonders how she could have forgotten about him. He had left sometime after everyone else had gone to bed, but she hadn't really noticed. Now that he's back, she can feel animosity coming off him in waves. Rika shakes her head and starts to head up the stairs. Everyone else quickly follows and after quite some time (there are way too many stairs) they reach the covered entry way.
The doorway to the temple doesn't have a door, so Rika can see the person inside approaching. They look like a kid, but she's taken aback when she sees that it's actually a very old woman. Her hair is a light pink, obviously paled from age, her face heavily wrinkled and her hands are behind her back. Rika tilts her head in curiosity, wondering what this strange woman can possibly do to help.
"What do you want now, dim whit?" Again, she surprises Rika with the sound of her voice. It's harsh and rough, like gravel being grated.
"She needs your help," Yusuke answers, gesturing toward Rika.
"Well, what's wrong with her?"
They continue to talk about Rika's current situation, as though she isn't there. She is slightly annoyed, but never said anything, just waited patiently. Suddenly, she saw an astral picture of this same woman turning her back on Rika and leaving.
"Yusuke," Rika interrupts him from his explanation of her dream last night.
He looks over at her, "What?"
"She isn't going to help me."
The woman looks up at Rika, narrowing her eyes, and Yusuke looks confused.
"Why do you say that? Genkai helps everyone." Kuwabara asks, speaking for the first time since their arrival.
"I just know." Rika bows to her then turn and start walking down the steps.
"Whoa whoa! Wait!" Yusuke runs in front of Rika, forcing her to stop.
"Yes?"
"How do you know she won't help you?"
"Because she can't, Yusuke. You can finish speaking with her if you wish. But she can not or will not help me."
Genkai is suddenly by her side, "Why do you think I would not help you."
Rika sighs and tell Genkai of her vision. Genkai studies her for some time afterward, "You aren't a psychic though."
Rika shakes her head, however it's Kurama who answers, "She's a truth seer, Master Genkai."
Genkai looks at him, then back to Rika, "You mean the truth seer, Kurama." The old woman turns back to her, "Let me see the bracelet."
Obediently, Rika holds out her right hand. Genkai tries to touch it, but as with Kurama, she jerks back and Rika feels the pulling again.
"I see," she says quietly. "The best thing to do is take her straight to Koenma."
Yusuke sighs and starts complaining about stupid toddlers and ugly old hags as Kurama takes Rika by the arm and gently leads her back to the temple. She sighs as she follows.
"How are we to get to Spirit World, Genkai? There isn't a portal nearby."
Genkai glances at Kurama, "Yusuke can call him on his communicator. And then the prince can open a portal for you."
Kurama nods, but even Rika can tell that he's still distracted. Hiei falls in behind them as everyone goes inside; Rika can feel his eyes on her back and she knows he's using every ounce of restraint he has not to try and kill her. She sighs as she gently pulls away from Kurama and follows Yusuke and Genkai into another room in the temple.
When she enters the room, Rika finds Yusuke talking to what looks like a compact. She walks around behind him, to look, but all she sees is a blank mirror with buttons where the powder would be. Rika glances over at Yusuke then back to the mirror.
"That's the woman I was telling you about! Rika! You have to see her! Even the old hag says so!"
"Let me talk to him Yusuke."
The young man hands Genkai the compact with a disgusted look on his face. She talks to the mirror for a while too, and then nods her head, "Very well. We'll see you in a few moments then."
Rika looks back at her and shakes her head, wondering what sort of craziness she had gotten into. A few moments later, a slight popping sound is heard and what Rika can only imagine is a portal appears on the other side of the room. The thing looks like an oval doorway, but the inside is only a silver-blue swirling mass. Rika knows she looks like a child staring at a magic trick, but she can't help it. She's never seen anything so beautiful.
"Whoa," she says quietly.
"Wait," Yusuke says turning to Rika, "You couldn't here diaper-rash talking on the communicator, but you can see the portal?"
Rika looks over at Yusuke, "Diaper-rash?"
"Yeah, you'll meet him in a little bit."
Rika shakes her head and follows Genkai through the portal. She steps in, and out the other side. It's like taking a step down when you didn't know it was there. But other than that, Rika makes it through fine. She just manage to jump out the way as the boys tumble through. Yusuke tripping as he stepped out, Kuwabara falling on top of him, Kurama stumbling over the two heaped before the doorway, and Hiei landing on Kurama. Rika glances at the pile of groaning, yelling boys and can't help but laugh. As she looks around though, her laughter is quickly stifled.
Everywhere strange creatures are running with stacks of paper and other objects, answering phones, yelling at one another, and going in and out of what she assumes is the front door. Young girls are there too, in kimonos, running, walking, or flying about on what look like oars. Rika blinks and looks back at the boys to make sure they were seeing this too.
They all manage to stand after a moment, and seem to ignore the ogres except to dodge the ones that are in the way. She knows they see them, but they don't seem to be bothered by them at all. Rika continues to watch them, in amusement, as they scurry about. Some have horns, some don't, they're all sorts of color, and most of them are only wearing loin cloths. She nearly bumps into Kuwabara as they stop outside of a set of double doors. Yusuke glances back, as though to make sure Rika's still there, before pushing his way into the room.
Rika walks in right behind them, not knowing what to expect. What she sees, though, doesn't really surprise her. Not in the way it should have. Sitting in a chair much too large for him, is what appears to be a toddler. Rika stares at him, and he stares at her. She takes in the strange hat with Jr. on it, the blue pacifier in his mouth, the little sash around his waist, the stamp and papers he has set up on his desk. Rika shakes her head and sighs.
"What?" Yusuke asks.
"That's it, all I need him to do is poof into a teenager and I'll have seen everything."
They all blink at Rika in surprise. Apparently this is not the reaction they had expected.
"Why is that?" the baby asks around his binky.
Rika raises an eyebrow, "Because, little prince, my life would not be complete were it not in the hands of a child."
AN: Answers to some questions...
Honeychicka04: Well I'm glad you like my story so far. I hope I don't disappoint you, but don't be surprised...
SugarhighKitsune: Changing views isn't that difficult. I mean, you just read through, change "you" to "she" or whatever and make sure to change the verbs...besides, re-reading it I found a few typos that I fixed. I dunno if you noticed that or not...Heh...there have been a few minor changes.
gothic-ember: LOL Alright, I was trying to be obvious yet subtle. It seems as though no one's getting it. Hiei and Kurama ARE in a relationship. Hence Shuichi Kurama's unsettled/nervous reactions and Hiei's over protectiveness. I figure this news will losea few readers but...shrugs What can I say. I actually like the idea of them being Bi-sexual. I know it disturbs some readers, but that's the truth of the matter. Sorry if it offends you, but I simply can not change my story because of that.
IntoTheWakingDawn: Thank you for the compliment. Don't worry, you aren't the only one disturbed by Hiei's actions. I wasn't going to be so blunt about it to my readers, and I refuse to be blunt about it in the story because I want the other characters to remain clueless, but Hiei and Kurama ARE in a relationship. I am fond (although I don't know that that is quite the right word for it) of Kurama and Hiei being bi-sexual. I'm sorry if it offends you, or if you quite reading the story because of it. Don't worry, I'm not going to go into any real detailed things. I probably won't ever say anything beyond them putting their arms around their shoulders...unless I get way into the story. But I doubt that too. So if you're worried about detailed sex/make out scenes then don't. Because I don't go there!
Ugly Kitten: ((Grins)) I'm glad you like this story so much. And I'm very glad that you aren't weirded out by Hiei's actions. You're like...the only one not perturbed by it. ((sighs)) Anyway, Yes, Rika does have the amythest necklace that Rumiko gave her in the dream. I didn't realize that the ending was confusing, but hopefully this chapter cleared things up for you a bit. I know the dream thing is sorta cliche...I was hoping to twist it a little, but I suppose it didn't come out that way. Sorry, it's just a twist the bracelet has. Heh, something she's gonna have to learn to control...Ooops, slight spoiler. But I'm sure you already had that part of it figured out. I was really hoping to keep everyone in character. Please! If I start putting someone out of character tell me! I know you will, so I'm just asking so you won't forget. And yes, cliches can be a vicious cycle...a very vicious cycle.