Disclaimer: I don't own these wonderful characters, sadly. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei, and more I'm too lazy to look up.
Separation
Chapter 1
I am Minamino Shuichi. No one else. I share my body with Youko Kurama, a demon who entered my body before I even realized I had it. He is an expert thief, with beautiful silver hair, a long, luxurious tail, and sharp instincts. He's smarter than anyone I know, and is courageous. He's a fox. I know him better than I know anyone.
...I hate him.
Youko is the one who controls my body. He's the one who gives my mother love. He's my little brother's older brother. He hides me away in the back of his mind, and I'm sure that he even forgets I'm there. He completely controls my life. No one but him even knows that I exist. I, the real Minamino Shuichi, have never tasted freedom.
He isn't a bad person or anything. I just hate him because, like the master thief he is, he stole my identity and my life. He has truly changed like he says. He is a sweet, loving person who is kind to all those he meets. He is still that dangerous fox he is rumored to be, but better.
He just forgets about me. He never cared about me in the first place. And then when he had begun to change, he was so wrapped up in himself that he forgot me completely. I'm stuck watching the life I was supposed to have and control happen right before my eyes with no say in anything. I used to be able to talk to him, but now I'm so far away from him, he doesn't even know I'm here and I can't reach.
Just because I have no control over my life, it doesn't mean I don't care for those around me. I love my family dearly, and care for Youko's friends as if they were my own.
Yusuke is a good man, with a good sense of humor and an even better sense of what is right and wrong. He's someone I look up to. Kuwabara is a big goof and I enjoy his company immensely. The girls are all wonderful. Botan cheers me right up, while Shizuru and her carefree style of life relax me. Keiko reminds me of my responsibilities, no matter how little of them there are. Yukina makes me feel warm and gentle inside, whilst Atsuko makes me want to throw a party!
And, just like Youko, the one I prefer to be with the most is Hiei. We each have different reasons, of course. He likes the fact that Hiei understands the way of demon life and such. Hiei is his best friend. Of course, the one Youko cares about most is my mother, but that doesn't stop him from yearning for Hiei every now and then. I can understand that, too. He just wants to talk to someone he can relate to. And he values Hiei's friendship as something well earned and needed.
I'm the one who loves Hiei. I want more than anything to be free, and if I were to ever be granted my freedom, I would go straight to Hiei. I know that he doesn't give a damn about me. He probably doesn't even know I exist, but I know he exists. I treasure the time Youko spends with him, yearning to take control and show Hiei myself and my forever growing affection toward him.
My love for him is both a strength and a weakness. It depends all on how I think about it. Thinking, 'He doesn't even know I exist, he'll never talk to me, and I'd terrify him if I ever did get to show my true feelings…' I become weak and depressed. But if I think happily that I'll get to see him when I know he'll be visiting, or daydream about him and myself, I become somewhat cheerful.
Though, none of this really matters now, as I watch through my eyes as youko chats cheerfully with classmates on the way out of school.
"I'm really sorry, but I can't… Call me later and we'll try to set up a tutoring date," he says to an anxious boy. The boy simply nods and runs to meet his friends as Youko begins his leisurely walk home.
He takes time to stop and smell the flowers and I can sense that he is happy and content with his life. I wish I were.
"Oi! Kurama!"
He turns at the sound of his name, waving at the quickly approaching Yusuke. Yusuke slows to walk at a gentle pace by Youko's side, grinning.
"So, to what do I owe this honor? Our paths don't usually cross at this time of day," Youko asks politely.
"Koenma says he needs to meet with us at Genkai's temple. Something about separation," Yusuke says with a carefree tone. "He's making me round up everybody. We're to meet at around six, okay?"
Youko nods, smiling. "That gives me just enough time to do my homework." He glanced at Yusuke. "Now that I've finally gotten into college, I wish that I'd just stayed with my step-father and worked with him. Less paper work, you know."
Yusuke chuckles. "You can always come and work at the ramen shop. We've got a spot on the staff open, if you're interested."
"No, I've got finish college for kasaan. After that, it's back my step-father's company, thought I'll have a higher position that before," he answers, staring ahead.
"Okay, but the offer will always be open for you." Yusuke is teasing, of course. He knows Keiko will never agree to keep a job open for someone who will never need it. "Do you know where I can find Hiei?"
"Check the park. If he's not there napping, he's probably at my house, waiting to bug me," Youko replies. "He's been strange ever since he decided to take leave of Mukuro, don't you think?"
'No!' I scream, even though no one will hear me. 'My Hiei is perfectly normal! He's just more kind. Hiei is never strange!'
"Nah, he's just fine. Maybe he's only acting weird around you," Yusuke teases as he runs off, disappearing down the street. I cheer Yusuke on. I knew my Hiei was just fine!
As I think about Hiei more and more, I only realize Youko is home after he takes a shower and is walking back into his bedroom with nothing but a pair of jeans on. I cheer up as I see Hiei sitting on the window sill.
Youko, however, doesn't give the greeting I would've. He simply smiles and begins to dig in his drawer for a shirt. Once he is in a comfortable white t-shirt, he turns to face Hiei and the two quietly leave for Genkai's temple.
When we arrive, I note that we are last. We join the group gathered under the old oak tree, and see Koenma talking in a hushed tone with Botan, who looks as if she were about to cry. They notice us and immediately quiet.
"Okay, Koenma, everyone's here! Can we get this over with?" Yusuke asks impatiently, trying his best to ignore Kuwabara as he flirts endlessly with Yukina. I'm somewhat relived when Hiei steps in between the two. He really should tell her the truth about her brother…
Koenma's voice brings me back to reality. "I'm going straight to the point. This is about Kurama."
Everyone's eyes turn to Youko and his bewildered expression. I'm just as confused.
"Kurama, as I have recently found out, is not the only soul in his body."
I perk up. Could someone actually know about me? How?
"The soul of Minamino Shuichi is in the far corners of his mind. Kurama is in violation of a Reikai law. He will not be punished, as he has been such a great help."
I'm being acknowledged! I strain the hear Koenma, or is it Youko who is trying to hear? I can feel everyone's confused glances at me.
"Kurama, your demon body will be returned to you, and Shuichi will gain control of the one you are possessing."
"What!" Youko exclaims. "This is my body! If I lose it… What about my mother? Do you expect me to just forget her? I won't be able to talk to her and she definitely won't accept a demon saying he's her son! That'd give her a heart attack!"
"You possessed an unborn infant's body! The child deserves to have control over his life! You will be separated!"
Separated! Yes! I can sense that my freedom is close!
"How did you find out!" Youko asks desperately.
"We never really looked into it, but out of curiosity, George was looking at Minamino Shuichi's files and found that his soul was still in your body. Be thankful that you aren't being executed for this! Possessing a human is a serous crime!"
Youko is saddened immensely, but he is accepting his defeat. He knows what he did was wrong and is willing to cooperate. He says as much.
"Good," Koenma states, thankful that this was not the old youko he was talking to. "Now, shall we begin?"
A/N: Youko and Kurama are the same person, still, if you consider them different. Shuichi calls Kurama "Youko" because he knows him as demon Youko while everyone else considers him the fox in a human body, Kurama.
Crappy place to end the chapter, I know. Think of it as a bad attempt at suspense. It's 2 am.