The Terrible Enemy

Chapter three

By: Kowareta

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

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"I don't like him," said Moeko abruptly.

Ronjiru glanced at her for a moment before sliding dark sunglasses onto his face, "Don't like who?"

Ronjiru was not pretty. In fact, he was actually kind of ugly. His nose was off-center and crooked as if he had been punched in the face multiple times. He was tall, willowy, and lacked hair. His skin appeared to have the consistency of wax and was the color of chocolate.

They had just walked away from Kurama and Yusuke. The sidewalks were so crowded that Ronjiru and Moeko had to push through crowds of people to stay together. The loud noises of cars flooded the air.

Ronjiru raised an eyebrow at Moeko as if prompting her for an answer.

Moeko caught the look, "I don't like Shuuichi Minamino."

Ronjiru's eyebrow stayed raised as he continued to watch Moeko calmly through his shades. Moeko stared up at him, balefully.

"What?"

The black boy shrugged, "And why don't you like him?"

"Has it never occurred to you that we know nothing about him?" inquired the dark-haired girl.

"Everyone is entitled to their secrets," mumbled the black boy slowly. "Why are you ever so curious to discover his?"

Moeko sighed and glanced at the cloudy sky. The great clouds were beginning to diminish as the afternoon wore on. Sunlight peaked and glimmered through the weakening clouds.

"He's smart, Ronjiru, very smart. That's why I don't like him."

The black boy tilted his head to the side and pushed his sunglasses down his nose so he could peer over them towards Moeko.

"You're afraid he isn't what he appears to be. Isn't that so?"

"That is exactly what I am afraid of," the dark-haired girl replied, warily keeping an eye on other passers-by just in case any of them decided to pull out a rocket launcher and go berserk.

"He's absent for days, he doesn't talk to anyone voluntarily, he has no friends except for some kids from Sarayashiki who have nicknamed him 'Kurama'--I don't know what the deal it is with that and I don't want to--and he's smart. Incredibly smart. I don't like Nakita liking him."

"Ah," said Ronjiru pointing at Moeko with both hands, "this is about Nakita."

"Nakita's a sweet girl," bristled the dark-haired teen, "and this Shuuichi guy could be some druggie for all we know."

The black boy blinked, unfazed by the absurdity of Moeko's suspicion. "Okay, so we'll go with the possible druggist theory. We'll keep a close watch on him for a few days and research all his files."

"Whoa, whoa!" exclaimed Moeko waving her arms about. "Hold it right there buddy! We are not going to go spy-freak-magic-commando-hamster on this guy. He'll probably think I'm some type of psycho-stalker school girl out to kiss him. Or that you're an flamboyant gay guy out to get his goods--"

Ronjiru interrupted her, "But I am a flamboyant gay guy, and I'm out to get everyone's goods."

The dark-haired girl ignored him. "Look, as far as I'm concerned Shuuichi is a nice normal kid who has some type of sporadic sickness or something. Or he could be rolling in weed. Or he could just be skipping school. Or something. I just don't like him okay?"

"Three theories," said Ronjiru holding up three fingers and ignoring Moeko's comment. "He's sick, he's a druggie, or he's playing hooky. After a few days of observation, we can probably determine which it is."

"Ronjiru, no. Just no. No one needs their privacy invaded like that. I just want Nakita to stay away from him."

As they walked, the stream of people lessened and it was easier to traverse the sidewalks. Every now and then a tree, hanging low over wooden fences, gave them shade from the strengthening sun.

"Wasn't it you who wanted to dig up his secrets?"

Moeko scowled, "I never said I wanted to dig them up. I never said anything about finding them. I don't know where you get this insinuation from, but I don't want to know. Really. I just don't like him and I want Nakita to stay away from him."

"Look," urged the black boy, "all I'm saying is that we can make sure that he's okay for Nakita to obsess over. There is no need to go to war over missing knowledge that may or may not be harmful to other people."

Moeko sighed. If anything, Ronjiru's personality strongly resembled a rock. Solid, calm, laid-back, cool, and collected. He was hard to surprise and not a lot frightened him. He didn't make many qualms, so when he was going to do something, he did it. No questions asked and nothing held back. There was no stopping him when his mind was set on something. Which meant that Moeko had to deter him from Shuuichi's mystery.

Ronjiru and Moeko had reached their destination. It was a small bookstore crammed in-between an Italian restaurant and a realty office. The sidewalk was fairly clear of people now and the sounds of automobiles was fainter.

"Neither of us has time for playing detective. I have work," she jerked her thumb towards the bookstore, "and you have to stay home to take care of your siblings."

Ronjiru opened his mouth to say something but Moeko held up a hand, "And no, we are not going to watch and observe his every move at school. That's just creepy. We are also not going to grab his school files, which by the way are in the principal's office in addition to being securely protected by a key just in case you were going to suggest that, so do not--do not--tell me that it'll be easy. It's insane. Just insane."

The boy smiled and Moeko felt a small sinking sensation, "Okay," he said simply. "It's insane."

The shorter girl stared at him stonily, waiting for the answer she knew he would give.

"So, when should I bring the false mustaches?" he asked facetiously.

"Arg!" exclaimed the girl pulling at her hair. "This is crazy!"

"Whatever you say Sergeant Sane!" smirked Ronjiru as he saluted Moeko.

Moeko sighed and gave Ronjiru a half-hearted salute, "Goodbye, Commander Crazy."

With that, both teenagers turned their backs on each other and left. The dark-haired girl crossed the threshold of the bookstore, and the black boy wandered off down the sidewalk.

Great, thought Moeko, now besides work and school I have to stress out over Ronjiru and this wild 'detective mission' that he's so obviously going to pull me into. What to do?

Suddenly, it wasn't so sunny anymore. Suddenly, the clouds rolled in to cover up all sanity.

Needless to say, life was going to get a little more interesting for Shuuichi.

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He could feel it. He could feel that small, ominous wind brewing. The winds of dark passion were rising up around him, consuming him, destroying him. The sky, now obscured with a heavy fortress of clouds that grew dark and swelled with growing moisture, watched him indifferently, snickered and laughed cruelly of a horrible, terrible thing to come.

He could feel it rising. He could feel a great and awful evil spreading throughout the land. Cold, calculating, strong, and stubborn. It would not give in; it would not surrender. An epic battle was going to ensue and at terrible odds, they would fight against it.

The darkness of the threat couldn't go ignored, for they must hope to overcome this trial as they have overcome all others. And if there was ever a day in need of hope, it would be within the dark days ahead. The days of great peril drew closer, ever closer.

He sighed and looked solemnly into the distance. This time he would be ready. This time he would be prepared. This time nothing was going to get past or surprise him. This time--

"Hello, Kuwabara."

"Ack!" exclaimed the tall boy, jumping and turning around to face the unseen enemy.

Below him, a shorter girl with brown hair and brown eyes stared up at him with a quiet, thoughtful look. Despite the look, the girl seemed to hold an aura of frustrated determination that was beginning to creep into Kuwabara's anxiety. Was something wrong?

"Oh, Keiko, it's just you," he said and then mumbled. "I thought you were some type of great evil."

Keiko laughed softly and then asked, "Have you seen Yusuke? He asked me if I wanted to go to the matsuri this weekend. I never had a chance to answer him."

Kuwabara blinked, then raised an eyebrow.

"Did he ask you anything else?" he inquired suspiciously.

The school girl tilted her head to the side slightly confused, "No, was he supposed to?"

Darn you Uremeshi, thought Kuwabara. You were supposed to ask her out, not play around!

"Uhh… yeah," said the orange-haired boy thinking quickly. "He was supposed to ask you to help with that history test."

Ha, mused Kuwabara thoughtfully, that'll teach you to deviate from the Plan.

"Oh," Keiko muttered, suddenly irritated, "that is so like him. Ask me one thing and really mean another."

"Aw, c'mon Keiko," said Kuwabara, immediately regretting his little lie, "you know he'd have asked you eventually. Besides, you can still go to the matsuri with him just to make sure he stays out of trouble."

And stops being such a punk.

Keiko blinked at him, "I thought you were coming too. That's what Yusuke said."

"What? Uremeshi how dare--" he began to say before he caught Keiko's perplexed look. "Uhh… that's right!"

Uremeshi, you sly punk!

"Are you okay?" the school girl asked. Fuming silently, Kuwabara nodded with a goofy smile on his face.

"Uh-huh," said Kuwabara, not very reassuringly.

Keiko raised an eyebrow, "Well, alright, I've got to go. Natsuko said she needed my help with something."

"Right," Kuwabara confirmed, "I have to go too. Kirishima, Okubo, and I are gonna go play baseball. See you at the matsuri."

The school girl smiled mischievously, "How do you know I'm going to tell Yusuke 'yes?'"

"Because I know how you strange people work," Kuwabara murmured, but then said so Keiko could hear, "I don't, but I can hope for the best can't I?"

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