The Little Demon

In the earth world, Yusuke and Kuwabara were heading off to school and things were going to be much different around them when they fought in the tournament and defeated Toguru.

"Cool it Kuwabara." Yusuke retorted.

"Well, if it wasn't for the great acting skills I pulled on you after you defeated Toguru," Kuwabara replied triumphantly.

"Yeah, you and your lack of acting skills." Yusuke huffed.

"Come on~" Kuwabara wiggled his eyebrows with a goofy grin on his face. "You know I was on point. I bet Yukina liked it too, and she was worried about me."

The young boy rolled his eyes at his idiot friend and continued to walk to school. Suddenly, someone ran into him from down the alley as the little figure landed. Yusuke glanced over to look down to see a small girl with bluish, off-white hair, messy and unkempt, which is parted in the middle of her forehead, almost reaching down to her waist. She has very wide, innocent-looking eyes, which are bright red Poking out from the right side of her forehead is a small, brown horn. The child looked to be at least 5 or 6, he stopped his tracks to look down at the kid.

"Hey, sorry about that, you took a tumble there. Let me help you up." He said, reaching down to help the girl as she yelped in response, making Yusuke stop.

'Why is she trembling like that?' He thought.

"Here. Can you stand up?" He asked crouching down at her level to get the girl to stand up holding her underarms as he speculated her up and down. She's wearing a plain, short-sleeved dress, which is a dirty, pale tan color. Bandages are wrapped around both her arms and legs, stopping at her wrists and ankles.

'Why is she dressed like this? What's with these bandages?' He thought.

"Come on Eri, let's go home." Yusuke glanced up to see a male figure as he narrowed his eyes at him.

"Is she yours?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, my daughter ran away from me accidentally when we were going for a short walk."The male replied, clicking his tongue to blankly stare down at Yusuke who held the child's name "Eri" in his arms.

Yusuke was about to speak up when the girl started quivering and said, "P...Please don't go."

When Yusuke heard that he held the child in his arms tighter and glared up at the man before standing up, "What are you doing to this girl?"

"Hand her over and no one gets hurt." The male threatened as Eri's eyes bulged but just before the male could reach over towards her Yusuke threw a hard punch at the guy.

"You think I'm just gonna walk away and not ignore the girls pleading by some abusive maniac? Get a life." Yusuke sneered.

"URAMESHI! What are you doing I've been waiting for you to get here and-Uh...what's with the kid?" Kuwabara asked scratching the back of his nape walking over to them as Yusuke held the girl protectively in his arms.

"Look, I have my reasons but this guy-HEY! Where'd he go?" Yusuke asked.

"Where did "who" go?" Kuwabara asked.

"He was just here," Yusuke muttered. He glanced down at the girl and said, "Come on, we're going to your place."

"What!? We can't skip school Urameshi!" Kuwabara protested.

"Look, I am holding a helpless child in my arms right now. School can wait and I don't care if Keiko tries to yell at me when this girl needs help." Yusuke told his friend as the girl trembled to avoid the orange hair male standing in front of her as she buried her face into Yusuke's chest.

Kuwabara didn't say anything and knew that the girl looked like she needed help. He agreed as the two boys went back to his home even though they are going to get in so much trouble for not going to school.

At Sarayashiki Junior High, Keiko was waiting for her boyfriend Yusuke to show up for class and she knew that lecturing the boy wouldn't do anything well. He needed to get his scholarship and it is important to her the same as it is for Yusuke. She wondered where Yusuke could be and class will start soon, that she didn't even see Kuwabara either.

Back at Kuwabara's residence, Yusuke and his friend Kuwabara were trying to help the girl the best way they could and they didn't know what could have possibly happened.

"Okay, so now what?" Kuwabara asked.

"You idiot at least watch her while I fix her something to eat." Yusuke handed the girl over to Kuwabara to watch over as she looked at him with a blank expression.

While Kuwabara was watching the girl, Yusuke was wondering what that guy wanted from the girl and she did look like she was in danger. He couldn't just let her go like that and the way she begged for help was what made him take advantage of that punk. He made the girl who he recalled her name was Eri, something to eat as he entered the living room to see her sitting there like a statue and Kuwabara waiting patiently.

"Here." Yusuke handed her the bowl of food he prepared for her as she took it and stared down at the meal. "Don't worry I didn't do anything to it. Enjoy."

She merely nodded and held the spoon utensil to scoop up the food and put it in her mouth. It was very delicious to her taste and as she ate it all she gave Yusuke the bowl as he set it aside.

"So," Yusuke started off staring down at the girl. "Your name is Eri? Right?"

"Y-Yes." She squeaked in response facing up at him with her red orbs.

"Nice to meet you Eri. My name is Yusuke and this is my friend Kuwabara." He introduced her as she tilted her head to the side although the boys had to admit that was adorable.

"Y-Yusuke. K-Kuwabara." She slowly repeated.

"Yeah, that's us!" Kuwabara chimed.

Yusuke asked, "Can you tell me why you were running from that guy? Is he someone you know? Do you have any other guardian out here for us to contact?"

Eri who was trying to answer all of them at once couldn't after she escaped out of that prison. It was hard and she managed to find her way into the human world without realizing that she was now stuck there.

"Urameshi, maybe we should let her rest. She does look tired." Kuwabara suggested.

"Yeah. You're probably right." Yusuke said.

Kuwabara went closest to pull out a blanket that was big enough to keep her warm. Yusuke gently lies Eri down on the couch as Kuwabara wraps the blanket on her as she stares at them quite afraid. She was scared to sleep?

"Hey, no need to be scared. We won't do anything and if you need something we'll be around." Yusuke reassured as he tugged Kuwabara in the other room for them to talk privately.

"I have this hunch that something bad happened too well Yusuke told Kuwabara to give him a serious face.

"Yeah. I mean, what child walks around with bandages around their arms and legs?" Kuwabara asked.

"I don't know." Yusuke groaned. "Let's have Eri rest and we can call Kurama over. Keiko is probably going to kick my ass when I try to explain this situation."

A few hours later until school was over, Kuwabara called over Kurama to come to visit urgently and he did say he'll be over. There was a knock at the door as Kuwabara went to answer it and saw Kurama standing there along with Hiei.

"Hey Kurama, glad to see you could make it. You are too short." Kuwabara greeted, earning a glare from the fire demon as they entered inside.

"You called us over for what?" Hiei asked.

"Just follow me." Kuwabara escorted the two demons into the living room as they saw a little girl lying under the warm blankets on the couch as she made eye contact with them with slight fear in her eyes.

"A child?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah, we came across her this morning when she bumped into me and I happened to save her from some creep trying to get her back, " Yusuke explained entering the room to face the two demons.

"Interesting. She's a demon and that horn of hers?" Kurama tried to study the girl lying on the couch as she sat immediately backing away whimpering to shield her face, shutting her eyes.

"She's scared." Kurama softly said.

"Hey, it's okay. They won't hurt you and their friends." Yusuke reassured.

"We are not friends you create," Hiei remarked.

The girl unshielded her face as she clutched the rem on her shirt as the two demons speculated her movements when they noticed bandages on her arms and legs.

"She's wearing bandages?" Hiei asked.

"Yeah, I saw those too. This girl is being harmed by something or someone." Yusuke said.

Kurama reached over to take the girl's small hands in his large ones asking politely, "What's your name?"

"E-Eri." She replied in a low tone.

"Hello Eri, my name is Shoiuchi but I'm also a demon just like you. You can call me Kurama too." The fox demon smiled at the girl generously as she returned a blank facial appearance.

"And behind Kurama, is our OTHER friend. Hiei." Yusuke introduced resting a hand on the demon's shoulder as Hiei brushed him off as he glanced at the girl with a cold look in his eyes.

Eri's lips quivered as she sunk deeper into the couch as Kurama sighed.

"Hiei please don't frown at her, it'll make her more scared. You and I don't know what she's been through." Kurama said in a smooth tone.

The fire demon couldn't care less about the child anyway, he went over by the window seal to sit there and stare out the window.

"Now, Eri, since you couldn't sleep after so many hours have passed," Yusuke said in a soft tone, knitting down beside Kurama, staring into her eyes. "Why or what happened to you?"

Eri could only hold her knees close to her chest and spoke up saying, "Toguru…"

Silence filled the room as they were shocked to hear his name again and she continued, "I-I was in a prison held by Toguru and...I escaped. But they were after me because of…" She couldn't continue as Kurama comforted the girl when the others were shocked.

"Toguru did this to you?" Yusuke asked.

"Y-Yes...I remember seeing someone else too. It was a girl too." She squeaked.

"You mean Yukina?" Yusuke asked.

"That means when we were rescuing Yukina, we didn't even know that she was there also," Kurama said in a devastating tone glancing at Eri who was still tearing up.

"What did he do to you, Eri?" Kuwabara asked.

"Too much…" She whispered.

Yusuke and Kurama knew it was too much to ask her questions and felt horrible for what Toguru did to a little girl. Hiei was so astonished that the girl was held captive in the same place where Yukina was captured. How did they sense her in there? Talisman had to do it.

"Well, Eri, you're not going back there. You're staying here." Yusuke said.

"She can't stay with me!" Kuwabara protested.

"Not at my place either." Yusuke sighed.

Kurama steps in saying," I'll look after her until we can figure out a way to know where she came from and who she is."

It was settled as Eri was being carried by Yusuke since she felt safe in his arms nuzzling her face into his chest. She was afraid. She was lost. She was hurt. Yusuke couldn't help but worry about the girl as they walked to Kurama's house where he'd stayed with his mother. Just as they were almost to his home, Botan happened to spot them as the ferry girl ran over to them.

"Yusuke!" Botan called out to him as the boys turned their heads while Eri buried her face deeper into Yusuke's chest.

"Hey, Botan. What are you doing here?" Yusuke asked.

"I was hoping to catch up with you guys sooner." She said with her light-up eyes as she looked down, noticing Eri.

"Why do you have a child?" Botan asked.

"It's a long story. But Botan I want you to meet Eri and Eri meet the ferry girl Botan." Yusuke introduced.

Botan had a warm smile on her face as Eri leaned in Yusuke's chest more deeply. Botan stopped smiling and knitted her eyebrows together.

"Why is she wearing bandages?" She asked sincerely.

"Toguru did this to her," Yusuke replied with a small frown on his face.

Botan was in shock when he said that Toguru was the one who did this to her.

"We're dropping her off at Kurama's place," Yusuke said.

As they continued to reach Kurama's home they entered inside greeting Kurama's mother who was fixing dinner.

"Hello, I see you brought over some friends Shoiuchi." His mother said with a warm smile.

"Yes," Kurama said. "Mother, would it be okay if we have a guest stay over with us?"

"Who's staying over?" She asked.

"This little one right here," Yusuke revealed the child in his arms holding up Eri as she anxiously stared at the woman.

"Oh my...what happened to her?" Kurama's mother gasped.

"Something we want to find out too. But is it okay for Eri to stay here?" Kurama asked.

"Certainly." She said with a warm smile as Yusuke set Eri down as the poor girl stared down at her bare feet touching the soft mat. "It's nice to meet you, Eri. Would you all like to come in?"

"No thanks. We have to get going now. We'll come back to visit you tomorrow, Eri." Yusuke said with a warm smile on his face waving goodbye to her as Kurama and his mother went inside along with Eri.

"You think she'll be okay?" Kuwabara asked in a slightly worried tone.

"I'm not sure. But Kurama can look out for her and I know she'll be okay." Yusuke reassured.

"Something is odd about that child," Hiei mumbled.

"Hey, she's just a lost kid and maybe we can bring her back to her family. We'll see about tomorrow although I'm going to get scolded by Keiko."

The next day there was no school but Yusuke happened to meet up with his disappointed girlfriend Keiko. They were meeting at the cafe and their friends will meet up with them.

"Yusuke, you had some nerve to skip school yesterday, didn't you? What's your excuse this time?" Keiko inquired, knitting her eyebrows together glimpsing at her boyfriend.

"Well, let's see...I had to take care of a child yesterday. That's not the biggest excuse, is it?" Yusuke implies.

"What child?" Keiko raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"Yeah," Yusuke replied with a nod. "I had to help a kid yesterday and even though it was a school day...I kind of happen to meet this kid who looked like she could use some help."

"It's a girl?" Keiko asked.

Yusuke nodded sadly as he sat a little forward placing a palm under his chin.

"I don't know how she ended up looking like a peasant child living in the streets though." He sighed.

They heard the door open as they turned their heads to see Botan, Shizuru, and Kuwabara.

"Hello, Yusuke! Hi Keiko!" Botan greeted heartwarmingly.

"Hey, Botan, Shizuru, and Kuwabara, glad to see you here. Come join us." Keiko beckons their friends to sit with them.

"How is your day going?" Shizuru asked.

"More like a long lecture after skipping school for one day," Yusuke replied.

"Oh yeah, Kuwabara told me that you found a kid while you were heading to school yesterday." Shizuru brought up the topic of the child Yusuke and Kuwabara met yesterday.

"Yeah, she was being chased by someone that wanted to bring her back with them." Yusuke furrowed his eyebrows with a small frown. "Yeah, I wasn't going to let that happen. She's safe and staying at Kurama's place and she should be here."

They heard a slight ding as they turned to see Kurama holding Eri in his arms and next to him was Hiei.

"Morning everyone, look who I brought over," Kurama said with a heartwarming smile.

"That's her?" Keiko asked.

"Why is she wearing that? And those bandages?" Shizuru narrows her eyes at the little girl as Kurama sets Eri down to sit with Yusuke.

"Hey Eri, I'm glad to see you again." He said with a wide smile as the girl only held her chest.

"Not to be rude. Has anyone helped this poor child or took her to a hospital?" Keiko asked.

"We will until we figure out where her parents are. They might be looking for her." Kuwabara replied.

"Eri, I want you to meet Keiko and Shizuru. You already met Botan yesterday." Yusuke said as the girls greeted her with a genuine smile.

"Hello, you must be Eri that Yusuke told me about. It's a pleasure to meet you." Keiko said.

Botan smiled, "Awe, she is such an adorable cinnamon roll." As Botan reached to pet her head Eri let out a small yelp to bury her face into Yusuke's chest.

"W-What's wrong? Did I…"Botan trails off a little lost.

"It's okay. She reacted the same way and I guess petting her is a bad sign for her." Yusuke reassured.

"Why don't we order something?" Kuwabara suggested.

"Yeah, I am getting kind of hungry," Botan said.

"How about you Eri? I bet you'll love the food here." Yusuke beamed.

Erik shakingly nods in return as everyone ordered something to eat. After they ate, Yusuke and his friends decided to hang out before leaving.

"I meant to ask you something. What's with the horn?" Shizuru asked, pointing at Eri's head with a concerned look.

"Oh, she's a demon. I guess it's part of her spirit energy." Yusuke replied.

"She's a demon?" Botan questioned with bulging eyes popping out of her head.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? She is a little demon that we found yesterday, and we found out why she was being chased." Yusuke huffed glancing down at Eri with a small frown. "She's been taken by Togoru and something happened after that.