"What's your mission from Koenma, anyways?" Keiko asked, sniffing loudly and drying her tears on Yusuke's sleeve.
Yusuke made a face but collected himself and responded seriously, "We're looking for a demon. Its disguised as a human; apparently just got here," he shot an obvious glare at Riku.
"Oh, don't tell me," Riku laughed, the Oblivion still tight in his grip, "you still think I'm the demon. That is SO what I figured. You're a total idiot. Wow, I guess I'll go get my lunch, now that I'm obviously being threatened."
Hiei snickered—which was creepily unusual—and said quietly, "I think I like this kid. He's not the demon, Yusuke, as we mentioned before, though I can sense a strange aura about him."
Kurama nodded and put in his two cents, "I agree with Hiei. I can clearly tell he is not the demon, and I think you're letting your jealousy of his attention from Keiko get in the way of your judgment…but he has an odd spiritual presence. I would almost call it a mix between the darkness and light."
Yusuke glowered at the so that if looks could kill…
"Yusuke, you're jealous of Riku?" Keiko stammered embarrassed, "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize."
"Yeah," Riku grinned maliciously, "if I'd known she was your girlfriend I would've been 'nicer' if you get my drift," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
A slow smirk spread across Hiei's face. This boy was funny. Funny enough to keep his attention for longer than a few seconds. It was pleasantly surprising.
Yusuke's fists shook as if he were going to swing at Riku again, but he restrained himself and merely spat at him, "You're absolutely heartless, y'know that? Heartless."
Riku's eyes widened for a moment, and then he looked strangely back at Yusuke, "I'm…heartless…?" he shook his head, trying to shrug it off, "…Kairi…"
"Are you okay, Riku?"
And he turned to see none other than Kairi, her brilliant blue eyes full of mirth. She giggled at him and walked over to where Kurama and Hiei were standing. Riku's wide, frightened eyes followed her. She stood there smiling at him with such purity—such absolute serenity—that he didn't know how to react.
"Kairi, what are you doing here…?" he whispered, his eyes holding a hurt look now, "how did you get here? Where's Sora?"
"Dude, Keiko, he's totally tripping-out," Yusuke whispered, looking uncomfortable.
It was then that Riku realized he was the only one who could see her. He swallowed nervously and turned away, trembling uncontrollably. Great, now he was lost in a strange universe AND going crazy; Just what he needed.
"I…I'm sorry…I kind of lost it, there, for a minute," Riku murmured, turning his gaze back to Hiei and Kurama quickly. She was still there, watching him with those eyes, "Its just that I…I was thinking of something…its probably that I'm hungry; lets go get that sushi."
Keiko frowned slightly and approached him very carefully, "Are you okay, Riku?" she asked with concern, her eyes glimmering in the daylight. He pushed her away promptly and darted down the nearest alleyway, wanting only to get away from those eyes—those ever-watching pools of his own personal horror and truth. The horror, he could accept; the truth, he couldn't.