Author's Note: It took me a while to find another song, and it still doesn't seem completely right to me… Anyway, this chapter came pretty easily once I started writing, so maybe it'll be better than the last one.
Thoughts
--Song--
Disclaimer: I do not own the song 'Photograph' by Nickelback.
Chapter 2
"Impossible"
Yusuke flopped down on the couch beside Keiko. The brunet turned her attention from the television to Yusuke, who she could sense was troubled. Maybe she could help…
"Yusuke? What's wrong?" she inquired, concern lacing her voice and shining in her chocolate eyes.
--Look at this photograph
Every time I do it makes me laugh--
Yusuke ran his hand through his black hair distractedly. "Nothing," he lied.
"Yusuke!" Keiko could tell he was lying, and she didn't like it.
--How did our eyes get so red?
And what the hell is on Joey's head?--
The hanyou sighed. "Kuwabara's gone."
Keiko nodded. "Yeah. Shizuru told me a couple days ago."
…
"You knew!"
--This is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it up
I never knew we ever went without
The second floor is hard for sneakin' out--
"Um… yeah. She said he just disappeared. Went to bed early one night, was gone in the morning. Why are you so surprised?"
"Koenma just told us yesterday. We've been out looking for him since." Yusuke paused for a moment, staring off at a wall, apparently lost in thought. "We can't track him. It's like Koenma said, he made it seem like he never existed."
--This is where I went to school
Most of the time had better things to do
Criminal record says I broke in twice--
Keiko looked worried. "What about his file in Koenma's office?"
"Gone."
"His scent? Surely Kurama or Hiei could track it."
"Sure they could… if there was any scent to follow."
--I must've done it half a dozen times
I wonder if it's too late
Should I go back and try to graduate
Life's better now than it was back then
If I was them, I wouldn't let me in--
"How could he erase his scent, Yusuke?" Keiko demanded, rolling her eyes at Yusuke.
"I don't know, but he found a way!" the Spirit Detective snapped. Keiko looked slightly hurt.
--Oh, oh, oh
Oh, god, I… I--
"I was just trying to help," she muttered sulkily.
Yusuke sighed. "I'm sorry. I know you were; I'm just frustrated."
--Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
Keiko and Yusuke sat in silence for a moment before Keiko ventured another suggestion. "What about Hiei's Jagan?" she wondered.
"Can't find him."
"…It can't?"
--Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
"Nope."
"Wow. Kuwabara's done a really thorough job, hasn't he?"
Another sigh passed Yusuke's lips. "I guess so, Keiko."
--Remember the old arcade
Blew every dollar that we ever made--
Hiei wandered the halls of Genkai's temple aimlessly. Something was bothering him. He couldn't find that ningen, not even with his Jagan. Honestly, he really didn't care that much that Kuwabara was gone. He'd never really liked the man, after all. It's just… he'd always been able to find people, no matter what. Maybe that wasn't all that was bothering him though.
The worst part of Kuwabara going MIA, was… Yukina. She was sad and depressed, and there was nothing Hiei could do about it. Nothing at all. Because she loved him. And hiei still couldn't find him, not even for his sister. Not that it was for a lack of trying; he'd been out searching Ningenkai and Makai all week, and he still hadn't located the 'moron', as Hiei dubbed him.
He couldn't help his imouto, and it frustrated him to no end.
"Hiei-kun?"
--The cops hated us hangin' out
They say somebody went and burned it down--
Hiei spun quickly to face the voice. "Yukina," he acknowledged briefly before continuing on his way.
"Hiei-kun, have you found Kazuma yet?" the koorime asked, hope shining in her red eyes.
--We used to listen to the radio
And sing along with every song we'd know
We said someday we'd find out how it feels
To sing to more than just the steering wheel--
Hiei shook his head slightly.
The ice maiden's eyes fell. "Oh. Well, arigato for trying."
"Hn."
If that damn ningen had never left, she wouldn't be suffering like this, Hiei's thoughts snapped at nothing in particular.
Not paying attention to where he was going, Hiei ran smack into Genkai. "Watch where you're going, old woman," he hissed.
--Kim's the first girl I kissed
I was so nervous that I nearly missed
She's had a couple of kids since then
I haven't seen her since god knows when--
Genkai glared at him. "You ran into me, Hiei," she snapped. "And besides that, this is my temple. You should not be disrespecting me."
--Oh, oh, oh
Oh, god, I… I--
"Hn."
The kajihenge ignored Genkai, jumping out the window, landing lightly in the five-inch-deep snow to redouble his efforts in locating Kuwabara.
--Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
Kurama knocked on the door of the Kuwabara household lightly. There was a scuffling noise, and the door creaked open to reveal Shizuru, a hopeful look on her face.
"Oh, fox boy," she muttered, face falling. "Have you found him? Where is my little brother?" she demanded suddenly.
Kurama shook his head. "We don't know yet, Shizuru," he responded. "In fact, we can't even track him."
--Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
Shizuru sighed, but stepped aside. "Come in, tell me all you can, and I'll see if I can give you any help."
The fox nodded, following the stressed woman into the house. Shizuru pulled out a cigarette, lighting it casually, and sitting on the couch.
Kurama remained standing, looking around the room with only mild interest. "We know he went to Reikai to destroy his files. He destroyed his human records as well, and, if he's in Ningenkai, he pays for all his purchases with cash, because there is no credit trail. As far as we know, he is neither in Reikai nor Makai, and we assume, therefore, that he is in Ningenkai. We do not know whether or not he is in Japan, but--"
--I miss that town
I miss their faces
You can't erase
You can't replace it
I miss it now--
"He's in Japan if he's still in Ningenkai," interrupted Shizuru. "He doesn't have enough cash to travel immediately out of the country without using a credit card to help. He'd have to work his ass off to get enough money anytime soon."
"Not that he wouldn't," responded Kurama, smoothly cutting the woman off before she could start yelling. "He's very dedicated and determined."
Shizuru sighed again. "Yeah, Kazuma's always been like that, you know?"
--If I could relive those days
I know the one thing that would never change…--
Kurama nodded. "Do you know of anywhere in particular that he liked to go, perhaps not in Tokyo?" he asked.
Shizuru shook her head, honey colored hair covering her matching eyes in the process. "Not off the top of my head, Akage," she replied. "I'll think it over for a while and get back to you."
With no leads, and less hope than he had started out with, Kurama slowly made his way out the door and back down the street to his own house, where he could collapse into his own soft bed and sleep, escaping if only for a moment the harsh realities of life. Perhaps Shizuru would come up with a place by morning…
Botan stumbled, caught herself, and leapt onto her oar(thing), taking off quickly. The raging demon below her jumped into the air in a futile attempt to catch her; he missed by about five feet.
--Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
"Well," admitted the bubbly ferry girl, "that was a close one!" She brushed a rebellious lock of aqua hair out of her lavender eyes, and, like all the others, sighed heavily. Her demeanor changed slightly, so she looked almost sad. "I guess he's not in Makai, then," she murmured.
She looked into the clouds, stained with the deep purples and warm oranges of sunset. A beautiful setting, so unfitting for such a sad time.
I wonder why he left, Botan thought. What did we do? Why… Why would he abandon his team like that…?
--Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye--
Koenma looked out on the same sunset from his office window. He frowned slightly, thinking of ways to find Kuwabara. They had already exhausted most of the resourced available to them, and had yet to find even a clue. He had to admit, Kuwabara had done a very thorough job. It had probably taken a lot of planning, too.
The young spirit prince turned away from the lovely view outside and back to his desk of papers. He leaned against the solid wood desk, thinking still about his options.
I suppose I could always just hire another one, he mused, but it was such a close team… I don't think the others could handle anther member so soon. If we don't find him soon, though… there are other matters that need to be taken care of, and I can't have the Reikai Tantei only working on this, he decided. But I don't want to give up so easily…
--Look at this photograph
Every time I do it makes me laugh--
Koenma pinched to bridge of his nose, slumping into his chair with exhaustion and exasperation.
The way he just vanished like that… it's impossible…
Shizuru let the remote fall listlessly from her hand to the floor below with a dull thud. Nothing was on the TV anyway. Her gaze turned to a picture on the end table beside the couch. She sighed once more, closing her eyes to sleep.
Kazuma… Why?
--Every time I do it makes me…--
Translations:
Ningen – Human
Akage – Redhead
To my reiviewers:
Riye Link Reue: Thank you! I fully intend to continue.
JovianShe-Wolf: Thanx! I hope you like the songs in futer chapters, too. I already have a bunch of them that I think fit Kuwabara, because it's so easy to find them with this plot line... it's just hard to find songs for eveyone else...
Katzztar: Thanks! People have him commit suicide? The thought never even crossed my mind. That's a horrible thing for him to do, and he'd probably never stoop that low anyway.
KawaiiSess68: I don't know. thanx for pointingi t out, though, so I think I pretty much fixed the problem in this chapter, I just have to come up with a way for it to happen so I can explain it a little better later on.
Zuko Rules: Oh, thanx soo much, Ari-chan. If you couldn't tell, I was being sarcastic. But I guess you're entitled to your opinion. Other people don't seem to think that, though.
Thanx to all of you who reviewed!
Amaya