File 14: (almost) Back to normality

In the Reikai, Koenma was rejoicing. Yusuke had won. All the Beasts had been defeated. But at which price?

Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama first noticed Yusuke. After a quick examination, Kurama worriedly explained that the detective had used up about all his life energy and his heart was barely beating. Kuwabara said he would give him his reiki but the fox advised against it: it would be suicidal as, despite Akari's tending, he still had not fully recovered from his fight with Byakko. However, Kazuma had made up his mind. There was no way he would just sit there and watch his friend die. And so he immediately began transfusing his reiki to the boy.

Akari. She was in all of their minds. Where was she? They had certainly felt her reiki when she had battled Suzaku, but now...? She couldn't have died...

"Kurama!" Hiei suddenly called. Kurama hurried to join him. The fire demon had found the girl's body hidden in the rubble. The fox noticed, to his great relief, that although her energy level was very low too, Akari was merely sleeping and otherwise quite fine. Despite all appearances, both had been very anxious about her safety, more than expected, more than one would be willing to admit. And it was puzzling them. And just what had happened?! Kurama shook her gently to wake her up and whispered something in her ear. She slowly opened her golden eyes.

"Kurama... what... is it time for breakfast?" She asked, not fully awake yet, but then she saw the destruction around her, remembered, and her eyes widened. Yusuke! She thought, her heart racing. In her haste, she pushed the fox away slightly more roughly than intented and ran off past Hiei and to where Kuwabara was treating Yusuke. What was that guy doing?! She yanked him backward. "Don't hurry to your death, stupid!" Katsuyama yelled at Kazuma before applying a paralyzing hold on him. Of course the guy was angry and asking where she had been been and what she was doing but she just answered (in a tone that would not allow any back talk) that she simply did what she had to in order to let Yusuke succeed although he might not be able to comprehend it yet. She concentrated and let her energy flow through her arms to both Yusuke and Kuwabara, although she would, of course, give a higher amount to the detective than to his friend. She healed them as best as she could in the same time.

'Not be able to comprehend it'. Indeed, it was incomprehensible for Hiei; why would people sacrifice themselves for others.

"Still, that was exactly why they were able to win. You know, earlier Akari told me she hated sacrifices, but I don't think that's entirely true. To me, it looks like she can't stand others sacrificing themselves for her, but she won't hesitate to sacrifice herself for someone else." Kurama contradicted him with still an expression of grave wonder on his handsome face when looking at the pink-haired person.

"I suppose. But I couldn't possibly do the same; to fight for someone else in a battle I wouldn't be certain to win." Hiei replied, choosing to ignore the look on his friend's face.

"If Yusuke had lost you probably wouldn't be saying the same thing." The fox observed with a little knowing smile.

"Lately you've grown to be increasingly talkative." The little demon said angrily, resenting his know-it-all of a friend for that (all-too-intuitive) comment. And there was something else he was irritated about. What was this worried, upset light in Kurama's eyes as he looked at the girl? Was he worried about her? Upset about that tendancy of hers to sacrifice herself that easily? Why should he feel irritated about such a ridiculous thing?

"That should be it." Akari said, after a time. She tried to get up but then saw dots appear before her eyes. Suddenly no longer able to feel her own body, she backed a step and fell back into Kurama's waiting arms. She blinked a little.

"Hey, hey, are you alright?" Kuwabara asked, concerned.

"Y-yeah." She answered. For the second time, she attempted to stand up on her own two legs. But when they trembled and threatened to give away once more, Kurama secured his right arm around Akari's slim waist while he held her left arm in place around his neck by the wrist.

"Thanks." Akari muttered to her savior, blushing slightly and carefully avoiding looking at him in the eyes. It was a little embarrassing for her to be seen in such a state.

"Oi, are you really alright? What happened for you to be in such a state?" Kazuma asked again, putting Yusuke on his shoulder.

"A lot of things. Also it happens that mending is much more difficult than breaking, especially since it isn't my forte to begin with. And that Gate of Betrayal notably wasn't exactly a light weight either. So if you don't want me to be in such a state, by next time try to get strong enough to defeat your opponent without getting injured like you were. So I won't have to heal you." Katsuyama explained a little sarcastically.

"What?!" The orange head had understood the basic meaning of her speech: she was like this because they were too weak and she had to get involved. And he had never liked being called 'weak'. Hence the vein that had appeared on his forehead. The fox merely sweatdropped, chuckling slightly. That was Akari after all. He had not known her for very long but he could tell that she had never been the type to hold back on her words.

"Don't blame others for your own stupid tendency to get hurt for other people." Hiei retorted, carelessly; referring to how the young woman had been hurt while protecting the kid from him awhile ago, and when she had protected Keiko and most likely Yusuke too. And that she'd knowingly weaken herself for others to the point that she'd get injured...

"I'll pass on the fact that you actually sound like you're covering for Kuwabara. And that's because some have a stupid, twisted, and cowardly tendency to hurt people just to get at someone else..." She shot back at him, referring to how he had attacked the boy to get at Akari and Keiko to get at Yusuke. The demon recoiled but 'hned' afterwards, sharply turning his head away.

"I don't want to hear it from a weakling who can't even stand by herself." He taunted back.

"Are you picking a fight?" Akari tried to punch him but failed as Hiei easily dodged her weak attempt (compared to her usual abilities) and she fell again into the arms of the always watchful and considerate fox, who asked them to stop fighting. Although this time, he lifted her and carried her in his arms. Of course, it was only so she would stop trying to get away and overexert herself, and not because of any other reason... right?

It might have been because of Kurama's calm and soothing demeanor, or maybe she was just too tired physically and mentally, but after warning him, the girl relaxed soon enough and gratefully snuggled against him to a more comfortable position before falling into a deep recuperative sleep, entrusting herself completely to the red-haired demon.

A few days later, Yusuke woke up in Kuwabara's room. Kuwabara himself was sitting at his desk. Kurama was there too. They told him that he had been sleeping for three days straight.

"Three days? My whole body hurts." Yusuke sat up, doing his best to ignore the pain. Kazuma explained that the school was in a mess and as a result they were on emergency break right now. Of course, he had managed to convince Atsuko that her son was safe.

"Wait!" Urameshi suddenly remembered, "How are Keiko, Botan and Akari?"

"Oh, and that Iwamoto, he's still being detained by the police! Says he doesn't remember a thing. And Takenaka-sensei hurt his head. He's still in the hospital." His classmate ignored him.

"That's not important!" The detective was starting to get angry at his friend's behaviour.

"And that Iwamoto is still detained..." Kuwabara was still grinning, hoping to keep Yusuke away from the main point for awhile longer. He did not want to say it just yet; the truth that would free the boy.

"You said that already!" However, Yusuke's patience was thinning rapidly, and veins were appearing on his head.

"There's still this joke..."

"Cut the crap and answer my question!" Yusuke burst out at last, cutting off Kuwabara's sentence. "Kuwabara! Where are Akari, Keiko, and Botan?" He asked again, this time more calmly but also more firmly. It was no time for jokes. Kazuma and Kurama looked down, grimly, and fell into a grave silence.

"What about Akari, Keiko and Botan?!" Urameshi insisted. The two averted their eyes further away from him; with painful expressions on their face. Like merely mentioning the girls was more than they could bear. A sense of dread was beginning to clutch Yusuke who still desperately needed to know. "Hey! Hey! How would I know anything if you keep your mouth shut?! Say something Kuwabara!" He stood up and grabbed Kuwabara's collar, no longer able to take it.

Suddenly Akari, Keiko, and Botan opened the door.

"What are you shouting for, Yusuke? You're being noisier than usual. I'm sure the whole neighbourhood heard you. You'd really wake up the dead with that volume." Akari said in the scolding tone she often employed with him, sounding quite like the tone Atsuko used with him, like she was talking to a young and troublesome servant she still had taken a liking to.

"Now, now." With a smile, Botan tried to defuse the conflict before it actually happened. Kurama chuckled a little. Akari too was back to the way she always was. Being sharp and provocative with the two human boys was just her way of showing how she loved and cared for them. Even though they might not see it that way. However, Yusuke was so surprised and relieved that they were safe that he failed to react to the pink-haired girl's remark.

Then Kuwabara put his hand before his mouth, stifling as much as he could the laughter he had been holding in for some time now, but without much success. He had wanted to let Urameshi panick a bit more before telling him. The fox closed his eyes, hiding his own amused smile behind his hand, and saying that he HAD thought that Kuwabara was overdoing it. And the fox had been right. Yusuke, frustrated at having so easily and completely fallen for it, taught his orange headed friend a painful lesson. Next time, Kuwabara might think more carefully before pulling this kind of unforgivable prank.

"But that was so close!" Botan exclaimed in an overly cheerful tone with an overly cheerful face. "I thought I was gonna die for sure and had already started praying! But when I came to and I found them on the ground, I knew Yusuke had won!" She said again. Akari looked at her. The ferry girl sure looked quite nervous.

"Really? Well I'm glad you guys are alright! Now I can relax..." The detective grinned. "Relax..." He repeated, but this time just slightly more sheepishly. He had noticed Keiko glaring at him. Akari sighed.

"Ah, I'm so thirsty. I'd really love some tea." The young rei master said pointedly. Botan jumped on the occasion.

"Then we're going to make some! Let's go Keiko-chan." The reaper took Keiko by the arm and dragged her to the kitchen before she had had the time to answer.

"Now that you're momentarily safe from your most important someone's killer slaps, would you, Savior-sama, tell me in detail what happened after I was out?" Katsuyama interrogated Yusuke with a slight taunting edge in her voice. He had defeated Randou, he had defeated Suzaku, leader of the Four Saint Beasts, and he was scared of a normal human girl?

"That's right, well, he was babbling about conquering all the three worlds and turning you into a demon, making you his, and he kissed you too, and then Keiko and Botan were about to be killed! I was just so mad, I wanted power so much, and I felt it and fired a shot gun. I remember it clashed with Suzaku's attack... and then I dunno." Yusuke answered like he was deep in thought at first and finished like he did not really care.

"You dunno, eh?" Akari repeated, her voice dangerously low, her fists tightly clenched and her teeth gritted together.

"Huh?"

The second after, she had her hand around his neck, lifting him. Yet again, a dark aura was surrounding her and her eyes were gleaming coldly. She was so much scarier than Suzaku.

"And you bastard let him kiss me? Was that your way to thank me after saving your ass so many times? Or was it that you had a death wish? Then I will relieve you now." She said menacingly, tightening her grip around his neck. Urameshi, gasping and unable to talk and thus beg for her forgiveness, was desperately trying to wriggle out of her grasp. It was partly her fault for letting herself get knocked out but what use in telling her that besides angering her more? That would really be like asking her to kill him. Then her eyes widened, Suzaku had kissed her… Suzaku had… Suzaku... had… damn! And she quickly went to brush her teeth and wash her mouth, completely forgetting in her shock that she had already done so several times since she had woken up two days ago.

When Yusuke had 'narrated' what had happened to Akari, Kurama, though a dull but white and persistent anger had settled in his belly at the Beast's deed, had suddenly felt this same longing to have the girl's pouty and velvety looking lips against his, her small frame gathered in his arms, to stroke her silky hair, to caress the smooth skin of her cheeks and neck... But that vision had quickly disappeared upon seeing her reaction concerning Suzaku's kiss. Yes, it was way too dangerous, way too early to think about that. And still...

A little later, Yusuke and Keiko were going back home together, unknowingly followed by a certain pink-haired person. As Yusuke had noticed, Keiko was definitely angry about something. And even though Akari had a fair idea of the reason, would the boy be right or wrong? Knowing him, the detective was sure that his childhood friend was mad because he had placed her in such a frightening situation. And she nearly got killed too. Judging from his past experience, the quickest way to solve the situation would be for her to slap him a few times, and then for him to offer an excuse.

And so he ran up to her, saying he was sorry, that it was all his fault, that he was ready, and that she did what she had to until she was satisfied. Yusuke braced himself for the slap, but at the last moment, Keiko stopped herself, letting only her index finger. A common gesture to make a child focus their attention on it and listen carefully. Yusuke was quite surprised. The brown-haired girl had heard about everything from Botan and wanted him to promise that next time, he would tell her about it before he went on a mission, and if possible, that he told her first.

"How could you leave me hanging without knowing what was going on until after everything has ended?" There was a sense of urgency and desperation in her expression. "I don't want to be the only one kept in the dark until the last minute. That really upset me!" Her ever so honest big brown eyes were showing how much she had suffered from this situation. Urameshi looked so shocked and so moved in the same time. He had obviously not been expecting such a reaction.

So that's really how it is eh? Akari grinned in a sweet satisfied way from her hiding place behind a tree.

"Umm... I'm sorry." Yusuke said, sheepishly. However, what Keiko needed was not an apology but a promise. He tried to reassure her by saying that such a situation wouldn't happen again, that future missions would not be as dangerous (even though Koenma WAS trying to find the most difficult missions from the piles on his desk and assign them to him), but Keiko was not easily fooled and kept trying to make him promise, no matter how much he would elude the subject.

Akari chuckled a little, amused.

"It is because of their pure-heartedness? These two can be so cute." She said with kind wonder.

"That may be true but it isn't nice to spy on them." A voice gently scolded, right next to her ear, as a hand landed on her left shoulder. Startled, the young woman was going to instinctively elbow the person, but they caught her wrist. Akari looked up at Kurama right behind her.

"Kurama! But then what are you doing here if it's not to spy, Mr I-am-perfect?" The girl recovered, and asked half curiously half challengingly, her lips ever so slightly curved into a smirk.

"Making sure nothing happens to you." The fox replied with a smile.

"Why would anything happens to me?" The human asked; a little offended.

"Well, I believe you have been caught several times in a not so favourable situation..." He trailed off innocently, bending over a little and putting his other hand on her right shoulder and pulling her slightly closer to him.

"Don't you say that and bring that up again." Akari said, pulling on his red hair, irritated at having been reminded of embarrassing situations. Kurama had of course refered to how she had been at his mercy when he had poisoned her in Koenma's vault so he, Hiei and Goki could escape, and also to when Hiei had captured her instead of Keiko and the fox had saved her, and then to this incident with Suzaku. But then the demon apologised and told her that in fact, he had not come for that reason.

"Actually I've come so you won't do anything."

"Eh?! But I'm not interfering, I'm just watching! You're just saying that because you don't know how fun it is to watch them quarrel! It's much, much more interesting than any TV drama!" Katsuyama whined.

"Nevertheless, it is rude to intrude on their private time. You wouldn't want someone to intrude on you and your lover, would you?"

"Well..." Akari stopped moving, not knowing what to answer. She had never thought about it, but again his being right would mean she couldn't have fun teasing the two anymore as she was now so...

Kurama took advantage of her obvious confusion to add another blow.

"And you don't have the time, because now we're going work."

Her eyes widened but before she could make a step, the fox's arms found their way around her waist and neck, covering her mouth and silencing her.

To work... She didn't want to work, she wanted to have more fun. It was true that if Akari had managed to stay among the top students of her school despite her leaves, it was also because Kurama had decided to supervise her studies. Well, in fact she should be a first year in high school like him, but after missing all these years she was first put in middle school to see how she was doing. However, she hated studying and was very lazy when it came to that. Despite that, she had excellent photographic memory and could basically remember anything as long as she concentrated (which she rarely did because it was too much of a bother) and she also possessed significant analyzing and reasoning skills. Left to her own devices, she'd only do the minimum required. Which was why Kurama could not leave her alone. Or maybe he simply did not want to. And somehow Akari had always found it difficult to escape, because he always knew what to do or say. Just like now. No matter how much she would struggle, she could not escape him. Damn that sneaky fox and his (dirty) confusing tactics!

However, the news of Yusuke's defeat of Rando and Suzaku quickly spread through the mouths of the inhabitants of Youma Town to the youkais hiding in Ningenkai. And while most of those youkai felt threatened, there were some who ridiculed Suzaku for losing to a human and looked down upon the losers to Yusuke. Some even vowed to prove themselves. The only policy every youkai followed was 'the winner keeps all'. Whoever defeated the current top would rise to a new height. And so, for youkais who were eternally searching for a new point to reach, Yusuke had become a new target.

It was the first day of school back after the 'emergency break'. And it was especially difficult for Yusuke and Kuwabara; for even though their wounds had quickly healed, their bodies were still suffering from exhaustion as they had not caught up with the healing process. It was extremely painful for them even to walk, but as they were men, they still forced themselves. And it was not just that. At lunch break, even though they just wanted to stay put, Kirishima, Ookubo and Sawamura told them that someone kept on attacking students of Kasanegafuchi High while pretending to be them, leaving fake ID, throwing out their names for everyone to hear and believe that Urameshi and Kuwabara were actually the ones who did that.

"I leave for a second and those bastards creep out." Yusuke clenched his teeth.

"Alright then! Let's go teach the imposters a lesson!" Kazuma agreed.

"After we recuperate." Both added at the same time.

"We... don't have time." Sawamura said with a sweatdrop.

"If we don't hurry, the situation will get worse!" Ookubo yelled.

"The other school has already initiated their payback by attacking innocent students from our school!" Kirishima seconded.

"What about Akari?"

"We've already asked her for help and she said to leave it to you, that she won't fight for such pettiness." Kirishima told them.

"And also... I don't understand but she said to take responsibility for your own lack of strategy." Sawamura added. Yusuke and Kuwabara were fuming. How dared she have that attitude?! But as the two rei users still did not appear overly enthusiast at the prospect of going to fight themselves, the trio decided to think and do something about it on their own (although they did not seem very confident either). They were leaving when suddenly they were told to wait. They became very excited, they were sure that Urameshi and Kuwabara had finally decided to join them. But it was not anything like that.

"Actually, we can't move." The two said in sync. They had been crouching and now they could not even get up. So the trio had to help them, although no matter how gentle they were, they could not prevent the pain from raking their friends' bodies.

At Kasanegafuchi park, a gang was preparing their revenge on Urameshi and Kuwabara who they thought responsible for the sneak attacks they had been victims of and for the challenge letter they had received afterward. The parties had to meet at the Hell Community ruins at 4 p.m. All the guys able to fight would gather to crush Urameshi and Kuwabara in an all out war. They were unknowingly being watched by the fake Yusuke and Kazuma. Those two were actually half-demons who had registered names and citizenship in the Ningenkai and whose obvious plan was to defeat the two they were impersonating after they had made the humans fight among themselves and deplete their energy, thus becoming famous in both the Makai and Ningenkai.

And unknowingly to them all, the whole scene had been watched by Hiei with his jagan from the top of a building.

"Humph. Idiots. You think third rate youkais like yourselves could defeat Yusuke?" Hiei commented disdainfully. But then he remembered Koenma's warning. For people who were not accustomed to using reiki, after they had released reiki excessively in an intense battle, they'd probably be very sore and in pain for the next few days. During this time Yusuke's and Kuwabara's power level would be below that of even an average human. And if a youkai recognised this weakness he could defeat them easily. The jagan master began to laugh but suddenly stopped, startled when he heard a voice behind him.

"Ah... What a hassle. Too many troublemakers." Kurama sighed.

"Stop hiding your aura and popping up behind people." Hiei said, annoyed.

"Well, I must agree that the fox has some irritating tendencies. But more importantly... what are you doing?" Akari jumped on the parapet next to her small friend, placing her forearm on his shoulder. He was even more startled, and annoyed, as he had not sensed her either, even though she had come in with Kurama.

"Nothing important. What about you?"

"Just the usual: spying, sleeping, saving poor normal students from those Kasanegafuchi guys..."

"Reikai asked me to protect Yusuke. But the wound in my stomach hasn't completely healed."

"And it's the same place SOMEONE had stabbed a while ago, isn't it? I'm sorry I'm not very good at healing..." Akari sounded very guilty.

"Don't worry about that, it's not YOUR fault." Kurama replied with a kind smile.

"What are you trying to say?" Hiei growled, tired of their game of beating around the bush. "I have no obligation of following orders from Reikai. I only helped in order to gain my freedom."

"Ooh, really now?"

"Oh right! We've determined that the imposters schemed to situate the fighting at four this afternoon at the Hell Community ruins."

"I said I'm not going! Akari, why don't YOU go?"

"Because I don't want to fight those weaklings." The girl answered naturally.

"And what makes you think I do!?"

"You've got no choice anyway." She said in the exact same tone.

"Why that?!"

"Because your pride wouldn't allow it. Ne, Ku-chan?" She grinned at the fox.

"Indeed, after all, he has been defeated by Yuusuke before, hasn't he?" 'Ku-chan' agreed with a conniving smile.

"Yup yup." The pink-haired one insisted with that same air of complicity.

"Why you..."

"And it's not like I escaped unscathed either. Aren't you worried even a little about me? That something might happen..."

"Who would be worried about you!?"

"That's right, you're a cold blooded demon, with no heart or tears. It was impossible from the start was it? I was such a fool to hope..." An expression of pure sadness shadowed Akari's beautiful face. She looked on the verge of tears, doing her best to control herself. Hiei was completely disconcerted. He had never seen Akari like this nor even thought she could be like this and had absolutely no idea how to react.

"Kurama is really the only one to worry and care about me." The girl hugged Kurama, who tightly held her back, and buried her face in his chest. "There's only Kurama..."

The green-eyed demon scolded Hiei on how harsh he had been, but innerly, even if it was just to be part of a game, this intimacy made him happier than he would dare tell. Hiei still did not know what to do or say. The pretty fox invited Akari to leave. They took a few steps, but then she stopped and turned around with a resigned sigh.

"Just joking, just joking. You know, you still have ways to go if you're so easily deceived, but I guess that's proof you're changing little by little and beginning to 'feel' something other than anger or hate. Then again, the face you had was kind of cute too." The pink haired girl grinned ever so sweetly.

The little demon looked like he was going to lose it and explode, but in the same was confused again but in a different way he could not explain.

"Ah, time to leave." The young human, sensing the danger and judging that she (at last) had had enough fun, took Kurama's arm and was taking off when Hiei stopped her.

"Akari!" He had yelled. The girl stopped and waited. "Why? With your ability you could have easily defeated Suzaku, even without killing him. So why didn't you do it? Why did you allow yourself to get knocked out like this?"

"Because that was necessary; for Yusuke's sake and for mine. He's the type who only becomes serious when there's no other way. That was necessary for him to evolve."

"And what if he hadn't managed to kill Suzaku?"

"Then you would have done something to save us and defeated him youself." A small smile appeared on her cherry mouth. The fire demon was startled but nothing showed on his face but a slight widening of his red eyes. "Someday he will become someone worthy of being my opponent. As long as he is there, I can strive forward. He's very important and will become even more so in the future. So we must protect him until he becomes strong enough to fend for himself. Well, I guess I could put up with being the damsel in distress once in a while. But you know, I have faith in you, in both of you; although that might be a little too early either of you to understand." She finished with a small chuckle.

However, while they were talking, Sawamura, Kirishima and Ookubo had been attacked from behind by some of those Kasanegafuchi punks and half beaten to death. This was a message to Urameshi and Kuwabara: if they did not come to the Hell Community Ruins at four p.m. the other students will become punching bags instead. Like a match in a gunpowder barrel, the two exploded and decided to finish off those goons before they took care of the fakers. And so, as fast as snails and supporting themselves on sticks, they began to drag themselves to the meeting point. It was only one kilometre away, they would surely be there in about thirty minutes.

But they had fallen into those fakers' trap. There was about 80% chance that Urameshi would win, but then, they would fall to the two half-demons and the group of other half-demons they had gathered: the Mashouzoku. And then they would become the rulers of this city! That was, as long as Katsuyama Akari, the human Elemental Maiden, remained quiet.

And so, half an hour later, and thirty minutes before the given time, Yusuke and Kazuma arrived, all trembling on their legs, at the Hell Community Ruins where over fifty punks had been waiting for them. Really, it was just a bare yard and an abandoned apartment building whose demolition had been stopped for some obscure reasons. The Mashouzoku and the two fakers were also hiding from view behind a pile of steel rails. There was an argument, and threats, as both sides were too hot-headed and simple-minded to grasp their situation or indeed, be willing to try. And so Akari was forced to intervene. She suddenly walked in and turned toward the thugs of Kasanegafuchi and they all froze in fear of the ferocious beast in front of them. She had the appearance of a young girl, maybe a bit more beautiful than most, and shorter than the norm; but her sudden enmity and the fierceness of her golden gaze held them paralized like rabbits before a demon wolf, their bodies refusing to budge. Katsuyama Akari was on a whole different level.

"Stop it! Falling for such a simple trap, you're all making fool of yourselves." She said with that condescending tone she often used with them and closed her eyes, heaving a sigh. Neither of them never had the brightest bulbs to begin with but still!

"A trap? The hell you mean with that?!" Their leader managed to yell.

"She means that you're both fighting the wrong enemy." Kurama explained more calmly, joining his female friend. "It's them who are responsible for all this!" He pointed at the two impersonators, who in their eagerness had come closer as to better see the battle that should have taken place. They were even uglier up close.

"Heh, busybodies. Well, then there's no other choice." Fake Kuwabara said, smugly.

"Even if we don't cheat, our gang, the Mashouzoku, has enough power to defeat you!" Fake Urameshi declared with the same tone.

"The Mashouzoku? The gang that's been terrorizing the streets?"

"It was your trick!?" The Kasanegafuchi 'students' exclaimed, furious at having been deceived.

"That's right you idiots!"

"But too late! You're surrounded!"

"Come, show yourself, the strongest army!" The impostors called proudly and vainly. No one showed up. When they turned around, it was to discover the whole lot of them in a heap, completely beaten up by Hiei. The shock almost made their eyes pop out of their orbits.

"You're calling this collection of garbage an army? They couldn't even compete with one of the Plant People we fought." The little demon said, as disdainful as ever. Akari smirked knowingly. The punks of Kasanegafuchi surrounded the two cheaters who were getting scared out of their wits and bludgeoned them until they felt satisfied before leaving. The two half demons had escaped with their life. "Tch... had to make me clean up that kind of junk. Listen, even if you two are extremely weak right now, I won't allow you to lose to that trash." Hiei said again, looking a bit grumpier than usual. "Otherwise as someone who once lost to you it would be a huge dirt spot in my life. Hurry up and recover!"

"That's kinda hard. Now I owe you favors." Yusuke laughed, still thankful.

"Bastards, giving my good looks a bad reputation." Kuwabara was grumbling.

"It's true that they were quite the ugly ones. But Kuwa, even if it's you, I still wouldn't go as far as talking about good looks." Akari teased her friend for the pleasure of seeing his exaggerated reactions.

"Now, now, don't make fun of him." The fox admonished the young girl, still amused, and pulling her away from Kuwabara and against his chest, his arms around her neck and her back against him; as if he could have some sort of control over her this way.

"Yeah, yeah." She turned her head sulkily.

"Anyway, I might need your help in the future. I'll be relying on you." Yusuke said sincerely, holding out his hand for a handshake. Hiei appeared surprised but nonetheless held out his hand too. However it was not for the handshake but to give Yusuke a video. Curious, the boy asked what it was for.

"I think it's your next assignement from Reikai." The little one answered.

Too shocked to stand, Yusuke fell.

"Yusuke, don't tell me... You thought it was a porn video?!" Akari faked a shock just as great, dramatically cupping her own cheeks in her hands, parodying those high class young maiden's disgusted and indignant reactions at everything indecent. She really had no scruples or mercy.

"Of course I didn't!" He exclaimed angrily, denying the part of himself that had hoped.

"Yeah, riiight." Katsuyama smirked.

"You don't believe me?!"

"I-"

"Here, that will be enough for today." Kurama had clamped his hand over her mouth to prevent her from further bullying her human friends. She glared at him and struggled to get free but having anticipated her reaction, he had made sure to immobilize her beforehand. "You two should go home too. You need rest to recover your strength. We'll be going now. See you." And the fox dragged the young girl away.

Akari was strong. The strongest person Yusuke knew. She was smart and sharp too, way too much to his liking at least. But then what to say of Kurama who could so easily calm her down, immobilize her, or get her to do his bidding? Maybe he was the strongest one...