Yu Yu Hakusho Re Pure, The Epilogue Part 1

Yusuke approaches Kuwabara who stands at a dimly lit corner in front of a seedy looking alley.

"Hey, look who's here! It's mister lady killer himself!"

Yusuke rolls his eyes. He looks sharp in his business suit. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kuwabara giggles. "Check out those threads."

"Hey, I just got off of work."

Kuwabara nods. "Good thing that they gave you tomorrow off."

"Well, they should give me my birthday off."

"I still can't believe Botan gave her permission for you to meet me here."

Yusuke turns red. "And, when do I need Botan's permission?"

"Maybe she thinks that going to a hostess bar will help you get in the mood tonight?"

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny.I still can't believe that you and Botan haven't done it yet. You guys have been married for over three years."

"Kuwabara!"

"Well, don't worry, the ladies in this place will definitely get you in the mood.

Yusuke rolls his eyes. "Where is it?"

Kuwabara motions down the alley.

...

A pretty dark haired girl in a kimono greets Yusuke and Kuwabara as they enter. "Will you two gentlemen want a booth together?"

Kuwabara nods.

"My, how handsome you two are. How many hostesses will you be needing?"

Yusuke blurts out "Just one."

The head hostess smiles. "We have many pretty hostesses today for you to chose from. Also, we have some specialty ladies as well."

Kuwabara raises his eyes. "Specialty ladies?"

"Oh yes. We have a traditional folk musician, a school girl cos-player, and a fortune teller. They will all visit at no extra charge."

...

Kuwabara and Yusuke take seats on the opposite sides of a booth. The booth has a 'U' shaped table in the middle so that the hostess can serve both of them and they still have a place to put their food.

The hostess they chose gives them menus. "The duck special today has gotten rave reviews." She speaks with an Osaka dialect.

Yusuke smiles. "That will be good. However, why don't you give us some time alone, until the food comes? This is my first time in a place like this."

The hostess smiles, bows and leaves.

Kuwabara scratches his head. "What was that for?"

"We haven't seen each other since graduation. I thought we should catch up."

Kuwabara leans back against the luxurious pillows. "Hey, it's your night. You're the boss."

"So, are Kayko and Hiei really going to go through with it?"

"The wedding is still on for next month. Good thing for Kayko that Yukina developed a crush on Botan's replacement. Else, that would have been World War Three between the two of them."

"Figures that Yukina would go after Mister Onizuka. He's more of a devil that Hiei ever was."

"You can say that again."

"I never saw it coming though. Even though Kayko wound up with my spirit detective powers, I still thought that her and Hiei didn't like each other."

"Hey, I still think that I should have got your powers."

"Don't look at me. That was Koenma's choice. It's not like I had any say in the matter. But, you have to admit that the Elite Demon Busting Corp ran smoothly under her leadership."

Kuwabara nods. "And, I thank you for using the old name. I never got used to Koenma renaming us the Squid Balls."

The curtain in the front of the booth shakes. A mysterious female voice is heard. "Is it okay to come in?"

Yusuke nods.

Kuwabara calls out. "Come in."

"Excuse the intrusion. I am the fortune teller Trinity. I read palms and do Tarot cards." Trinity is a tall woman with black hair. She wears a black cape and dark glasses.

"Hey, Yusuke. You can find out how big your family is going to be."

"You seem more interested than me, Kuwabara." Yusuke turns up his nose.

"May I call you Yusuke?"

"I guess."

"Are you an artist, or is there an artist in your family?"

"My mother paints."

"I wished my mother painted. If my mother painted I would make sure to study her paintings closely."

Yusuke starts getting annoyed. "Why don't you just read my palm?"

"Oh, I'm sorry sir. I was only commenting on your aura. I would be happy to read your palm."

Yusuke gives Trinity his right hand.

Trinity looks at his hand carefully, almost in disbelief. "Oh my goodness. I have never seen a hand like this. A split life line and a very deep love line? You must have seen a lot of amazing things!"

"So, what's my fortune?"

The curtain shakes again. "Food is here!"

Trinity bows. "I had better go, but the short version of your fortune is that you are already with your true love and the events of tonight will change your life forever." Trinity leaves the booth.

Yusuke and Kuwabara look at each other and wonder what that was all about.

The hostess wheels the food into the middle of the u-table. Yusuke reaches for some chop sticks but Kuwabara waves his hand. "Yusuke, she's feeding you tonight."

Yusuke starts pouting. "That's so weird."

"Mr. Yusuke, say ahhhhhhh."

Kuwabara laughs.

...

Yusuke arrives home. It is already dark. There is a sign on the door telling him to meet Botan in the bedroom. Yusuke checks the time and is happy that he is not terribly late.

As Yusuke walks through the living room he notices some of Atsuko's canvases stacked against the wall. The one closest to him is the first one that Atsuko painted. Yusuke remembers that it took him months before he could look at it without getting a huge nosebleed.

Yusuke examines the painting. He remembers that Botan once told him that Koenma had said that Atsuko's paintings had prophetic power. He looks at the margin with its doodled five sided stars. "I guess Koenma was just a dirty old man after all." Yusuke mutters to himself.

Yusuke goes to the bathroom to splash water on his face. He checks to see if his face is clean and his teeth are presentable.

Yusuke looks at himself in the mirror. He finally gives up looking for excuses to delay going to the bedroom and moves.

...

Yusuke, come in!

Yusuke does not recognize the bed room. Botan has lit what seems to be hundreds of candles. The smoke of incense fills the air. Yusuke starts coughing.

Botan sticks here tongue out. Too heavy on the incense? Botan, clad in a t-shirt and jeans, opens the window and puts out the incense.

"Well, at least you didn't dress up."

Botan smiles. "After going to a hostess club, I figured you would want something less formal."

"It was Kuwabara's idea."

"I do admit that I was uncomfortable with the idea. After all, seeing all those girls with their perfect bodies and grooming, you'll probably think I'm some slob who's gone to seed."

Yusuke laughs. "Well, you don't look like that portrait any more."

Botan throws a pillow at Yusuke. "I never looked like that picture in the first place. Atsu-chan wanted to capture what she saw in me, not what I really was."

"At least we're alone tonight."

"Yes, Atsuko took Botsuke to a hotel with her. We shouldn't be interrupted at all."

"It does feel weird not to have Botsuke here."

Botan takes Yusuke by the hand and leads him to the bed. "Yusuke, I just want you to know that I can't even imagine someone being a better father to our son. You really do apply yourself to what ever you do."

Yusuke blushes. "I guess I have always liked kids."

"I know, you never would have become a spirit detective if you hadn't. I'm still amazed that you were willing to risk your life to save that child."

"But, if I hadn't, and if I hadn't died like that, we never would have met."

"I know Yusuke, there is a proverb that says that when one door closes another door opens."

Yusuke smiles. "I guess you were behind that door, instead of the tiger."

"Yusuke, are you sure you're all right? There's no law that says that we have to go through with it tonight."

"No , I'm okay. It's been years since you were my Junior High School teacher. I now only think of you as my child's mother, and my wife."

Botan starts tearing up. "Yusuke, I hope that I will be acceptable to you. Running around all day looking after Botsuke made me forgetful of exercising, so the body you saw when I was belly dancing on the roof is considerably flabbier now."

"I don't think I will ever get that image out of my mind. I almost became anemic I lost so much blood."

"Hey, it was a good rib though."

Yusuke nods. "Yeah, you got me good."

"However, you're probably not going to get a nosebleed tonight. Too many sweets with Atsuko and now I'm pinching more than an inch."

Yusuke laughs. "How bad could it be?"

Botan pulls off her T-shirt revealing a lacy bra. "What do you think?"

Yusuke is struck dumb. A wind blows through the window.

TO BE CONTINUED