"Forty hours, Yusuke," Koenma said. "Remember, the decision you make will be final."
Sayomi clenched and unclenched her fists while taking slow breaths to calm her nerves. I'll support his decision... No matter what it is...
Yusuke looked around at the forest, as if looking for something. Then he looked at Koenma and said, "I don't need 40 hours. The Demon Plane is interesting..." Yusuke smiled as he looked up, towards the tunnel. "But I prefer my action in the Human World."
Sayomi heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. I'm happy, but... How will I explain this to the Old Man? What do I do now?
As they mounted on Pu, Sayomi took care to not let Hiei fall off. She stared down at his sleeping face and brushed his bangs out of the way. Should I have convinced him to stay here or...? She thought of the dying king and the guilt weighed heavy on her conscious. I owe him my life... yet I'm too selfish to do the one thing he asked me to do.
Once they flew through the barrier net, Sayomi noticed three startled people in uniforms. They're here, too?! "Koenma...?"
"Hm? What is it?" Koenma turned to her curiously.
"Why are there hunters here?" She kept her eyes on them until they disappeared from view.
Koenma scowled and said, "They are the Underworld Special Defense Force. Their main mission is to patrol the Demon Plane, the part under control of the Underworld. Their objective is to remove demons in order to expand our territory. They are also tasked with eliminating demons in the Human World, especially those that develop Class-A demonic powers and show threatening intentions."
"So does that mean they came here to stop the demons from coming through the portal?" Kuwabara asked.
"That's half of it," Koenma allowed. "They were also ordered, by my father, to eliminate Yusuke."
"What?!" Sayomi gasped.
"It's the truth." Koenma glared ahead as they came closer to the exit. "According to Captain Ohtake, Yusuke is a demon throwback."
"What is that?" Kuwabara asked.
"A throwback is the reappearance of a genetic trait after lying quiescent over several generations," Koenma explained. "In the matter of demonic DNA, demons can deliberately cause the trait to reemerge. However, demons that mated with humans did so mainly out of curiosity, so it's unlikely they saw it as a way to destroy humanity from within. Demons have been known to fall in love with humans, but it's very rare."
"Can any demon mate with a human?" Sayomi asked curiously.
"No," Kurama answered. "Only Class-A demons and up are capable of genetically crossing with humans."
"So why didn't Urameshi become a demon the first time he died?" Kuwabara asked.
"At Yusuke's first death," Koenma said. "He wasn't capable of dealing with the awakening process, so his true nature went undetected. If my father hadn't noticed the faint synchronization between Yusuke and the barrier tunnel, it would've remained so. By returning him to life as an Underworld Detective, we'd unwittingly helped revive an ancient demonic power. A power, in fact, that would have enabled him to open a portal to the Demon Plane as readily as Sensui. That was my father's fear."
"So because he thinks Yusuke might end up like Sensui, they tried to kill him?" Sayomi tried to understand the logic behind their reasoning. "But he's been fighting for you from the start, hasn't he?"
"My father sees it as history repeating itself. He doesn't know Yusuke and, with his awakened demonic blood, he doesn't want to leave things to chance." Koenma turned to her and said, "We can talk about your role in all this another day. For now, I think we should focus on getting out of this safely."
Sayomi bit her lip and looked away from Koenma's stern gaze. Yusuke glared at Koenma and said, "Hey, don't blame this on her."
"Yusuke, I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation," Koenma scolded him. "If she knew about this, how do we know she's not plotting something with your ancestor?"
Sayomi's eyes widened as Koenma's words hit close to home.
"She said herself that she wasn't sure it was me from the start. And it's not like she's the one who triggered it. If she knew, the only thing she did wrong was keep it a secret. And based on how your little security guards reacted, I can't say I blame her for keeping it to herself," Yusuke argued.
"Yusuke!" Koenma said sternly. "I said we will discuss it later."
Yusuke glared at him. "Fine."
Once they made it out of Hyperspace, Pu landed in front of the lake. Three more members of the SDF were focused on closing the tunnel while three others watched them warily. As they slid off the bird's back, Sayomi made sure not to make direct eye contact with any of them. They're the ones who were hunting me and Yasuhiro...
Pu flew straight up through the hole in the ceiling as soon as everyone had climbed off. Kuwabara carried Hiei on his back and walked towards Sayomi. "Hey, don't worry about them. Let's just get out of here."
"Yeah. Good idea." Sayomi kept her eyes on Hiei's sleeping form as they made their way to the exit. As long as they're busy with the tunnel, they shouldn't bother with us, right?
When she heard running footsteps, she turned and smiled when she saw Mitarai. He caught up with them and said, "I'm so glad you all made it out okay!"
"Hey, Mitarai!" Kuwabara greeted with a big smile. "I was wondering if you went back to the others or not."
"No." Mitarai snuck a glance at the SDF and turned back to leave with them. "They knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, they wouldn't let me leave. I was hoping you guys would be able to come back before they closed the tunnel completely."
"Well, now there's no need to worry." Yusuke smiled then glared at the captain. "They won't lay another hand on you or anyone else in our group."
When Sayomi saw them keep their distance, she looked at Yusuke and asked, "What did you do to them?"
Yusuke puffed out his chest and smirked. "I didn't hurt them or anything. I just gave them a piece of my mind and showed them who was boss."
"You also rubbed your smelly foot in Captain Ohtake's face," Koenma reminded him.
"Yeah, like I said, I showed them who was boss!" Yusuke grinned.
"Heh heh heh..." Sayomi snickered quietly to herself. Maybe I don't have to worry after all.
The trek through the caves was long, but Kurama's glow buds made it simple enough to navigate through the maze. Sayomi would sneak occasional glances behind them as she sensed the hunters following them at a distance. Although, just because they're not attacking, that doesn't mean they don't want to. I can feel their killing intent from here.
About half-way through the cave, Sayomi turned to Kuwabara. "You want me to carry him next?"
"Hm?" Kuwabara looked down at her. "I don't mind. He's not heavy or anything."
"Please, Kuwabara?" She snuck another glance behind them. "It'll make me feel better if I have something else to focus on."
Kuwabara nodded and handed the sleeping demon to her. Sayomi adjusted her grip under his legs and walked on.
She took in a deep inhale and smiled when his scent filled her nose. She could feel his body heat across her back and his breath against her neck. This is the least I can do for helping me back there. Although, you'll probably be mad when you wake up back in the Human World.
When they made it out of the cave, Botan extended her arms and cheered. "Hey! Look who's back! Then again..." She looked over Yusuke, at a loss for words. He smiled and raised a triumphant fist.
Yanagisawa stared at Yusuke with wide eyes. "What's with the hair, dude? Cool tattoos..."
Yusuke placed his hands on his hips and said, "It's a long story. Now pay up."
Sayomi turned around and saw all nine of the SDF members watching them from the cave entrance. She adjusted her hold on Hiei to calm her nerves.
The man with the bushy eyebrows and mustache stepped forward to speak. "Lord Koenma, the Underworld will take a dim view of your actions."
"I know," Koenma said calmly. "And I'll accept the consequences."
Yusuke scowled and turned to the SDF. "Listen up, bozos."
"Eh?" They flinched back in unison.
Yusuke clenched his fists and stood his ground. "I don't fight battles with lame opponents unless they ask for it. I don't suggest you do that. Koenma acted in order to close that blasted portal. If the Underworld decides to punish him for that, I guarantee... I'll return the favor."
Captain Ohtake glared at him hatefully until they flew off to close the portal.
"So much for that." Yusuke smirked as he watched them flee.
"Yep..." Kuwabara agreed.
"Awright! Let's go home!" Yusuke declared. "I feel like I've been fighting for a year!"
"That line sounds familiar..." Kuwabara mumbled.
Sayomi looked up at Yusuke and asked, "So are you keeping the hair, or...?"
"Oh right." Yusuke tugged on his hair and turned to Kurama. "You think you can hack this off for me?"
"My sister can cut it," Kuwabara offered. "It's what she does."
"But Kurama's right here," Yusuke countered.
Kurama smiled and said, "I'll cut it, but I can't do anything about the markings."
"That's fine, just get this stuff off me. It's really heavy and itchy." Yusuke sat down on the floor as Kurama turned a blade of grass into a knife.
While Kurama cut Yusuke's hair, Sayomi settled Hiei into the bed of the truck. She jumped in and rested his head in her lap. She played with his hair absentmindedly until Botan peeked over the edge. Sayomi heaved a sigh and turned to the nosy reaper with a raised brow.
Botan smiled and looked down at Hiei. "Oh my... I guess it was a tough one, huh?"
"Yeah..." Sayomi returned her attention to the sleeping swordsman. "I still can't believe we made it out of there alive."
"And how are you feeling, dear?" Botan looked at Sayomi worriedly. "You look ready to pass out yourself."
"I probably am, but..." Sayomi ran her fingers through Hiei's hair. "There are some things I need to think about."
"Did something happen?" Botan asked quietly.
"Yeah..." Sayomi answered. "I don't really want to talk about it."
"I'm sorry, dear. I don't mean to pry, but at least get some rest." Botan noted the markings around Sayomi's eyes and across her cheeks and neck. "I'll watch over you both so no one disturbs you."
Sayomi stared down at Hiei's sleeping face. Then she looked over towards the others who were laughing and talking about what had happened in the Demon Plane. When she yawned, she gave in to Botan's offer. "Sleep sounds good..."
Botan smiled and climbed into the truck to sit beside her. "You can just lean on my shoulder." She smiled as she looked down at Hiei resting on Sayomi's lap. "I can even take care of some of your wounds so you can sleep easier."
"Thanks, Botan..." Sayomi smiled and rested against the reaper. Her hand still rested in Hiei's hair.
The next day, Sayomi woke up in an unfamiliar bed. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to make sure she was fully awake. She looked around the room and started to feel anxious until the door opened. When she turned to see who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. "Oh... It's just you."
"Is that how you thank someone for letting you sleep in their bed?" Yusuke asked with a teasing smirk.
"No, it's just you." Sayomi smirked. "Looks like your markings are gone."
"Yours too. Well... mostly." Yusuke took a seat at his desk and leaned back. "What's up with that?"
"Huh?" Sayomi blinked in confusion then looked down at her arms. Except for the black nails, her skin was bare. She lifted her shirt to look at her stomach and gasped when she didn't see any tattoos. "But..."
"Well..." Yusuke pointed at her and said, "There's just the one around your neck, but otherwise..."
Sayomi touched her throat in reflex. She looked around for a mirror and found one on his desk. She rushed by Yusuke to stare at her reflection in shock. There was a black jagged mark that wrapped around her neck like a collar.
Yusuke raised a worried eyebrow and said, "Hey, you okay? Isn't this better than being covered in them?"
"I don't know, Yusuke." Sayomi stared at the mark, unsure what to think.
Yusuke stood up from his seat and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it. It's probably a good thing."
"You really think so?" Sayomi asked, unconvinced.
"Hey, the way I see it, you're still here." He smirked. "And you're a lot stronger than before. I don't know why mine left, but I'll take it. That's one less thing for me to worry about."
Sayomi took in a deep breath and let out a slow exhale. She closed her eyes and did it one more time. Then a thought occurred to her and her eyes snapped open. "Oh! Where did Hiei go?"
"Heh." Yusuke grinned. "I was wondering when you would ask that."
Sayomi glared at him. "Just tell me, please."
"Why are you so mad? Practically everyone knows about it, anyway."
"Are you gonna tell me or not?" Sayomi snapped.
"Fine." Yusuke scowled and said, "Kurama took Hiei to his place. Though, knowing him, he's probably left by now."
"Right." Sayomi opened the bedroom window and climbed to the sill. "I might know where to find him."
"Of course, you do." Yusuke clasped his hands behind his head. "Tell your boyfriend I say hi."
"Shouldn't you be in school or something? I'm sure Keiko's worried about you, too," Sayomi scolded.
When Yusuke waved her off and turned to leave, Sayomi jumped out of the window and landed with a roll. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and made her way to the local park. Once there, it didn't take her long to find his aura signature.
When she found him, he was sitting against the base of a tree and glaring down at the Chapter Black video. Kurama sat next to him. Not wanting to interrupt, Sayomi melded with a nearby shadow to hide her presence and listen.
"So you have the Chapter Black," Kurama observed. "What do you plan to do now?"
Hiei ignored his question and just stared down at the video tape.
Kurama smiled and returned his attention to the trees around them. "Or is there something else that's plaguing you?"
"What are you talking about?" Hiei leered at Kurama.
"Yusuke told me. When you came back, you refused to help any further. Then he offered you the tape as payment for your aid. Is that right?" Kurama looked at his friend for affirmation.
Hiei narrowed his eyes and nodded.
"But he mentioned he used it as an afterthought. He offered something else to get your attention initially."
"If you have a point, get to it," Hiei snapped impatiently.
"My apologies." Kurama smiled. "I was curious if he offered to give you Sayomi."
Hiei stared at Kurama. Then he looked back down at the video. "And if he did?"
"Well, first I would like to inform you that she is not his to give. Second, I was curious if that was why you're still here." Kurama asked.
"She's the one who dragged me back here while I was asleep," Hiei said with a hint of annoyance.
"That's not what I meant," Kurama said. "Are you planning to wait until she's ready or will you take your first chance to go back without her?"
The silence stretched on for a couple minutes before Hiei said, "I guess it depends on what comes first."
"I see." Kurama stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. "So long as you understand where your choices will lead you."
Hiei didn't say anything as Kurama left him alone to go to school.
When she was certain Kurama was gone, Sayomi manifested farther away than before. She leaned back against a tree and started taking deep breaths. So... He won't wait forever. I guess that's better than nothing, but what if he leaves before...?
Her breathing hitched and she felt her chest tighten. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to breathe. It's fine... Even if he leaves, things will just go back to how they were before, right? Besides, it's not like he's interested in me that way. He just wants someone to train with. I enjoy it too, but... She shook her head to clear her thoughts. I can worry about this later.
Sayomi navigated back towards Hiei. She frowned when he didn't bother to look up at her. She let out a sigh and took Kurama's seat. "So, have you seen it yet?"
"What do you think?" Hiei asked dryly.
"I thought you were gonna steal a TV and VCR to watch it," she teased.
Hiei glared at her, but it lacked his its usual sting. Then his gaze drifted lower. "What is that?"
Sayomi's hand instantly reached up to cover the mark. Hiei grabbed her wrist and tugged her hand away to get a proper look. When she tried to scoot away, he growled. "Stop it."
She stopped moving. Trying to ignore their proximity, she asked, "Are you done yet?"
Hiei looked down at her arm. "The rest of them are gone. So why is this one still here?"
Sayomi tried to pull her wrist free, but Hiei twisted it to check her nails. She growled at how easily he was able to control her. Hiei scowled and let her go. She rubbed her wrist and glared at him. "You didn't have to hold on so tightly."
"What happened?" Hiei asked.
Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. "You're asking me? I don't know anything I haven't already told you. I noticed Yasuhiro doesn't have his markings anymore either except for the ones around his eyes. If you want to know, then ask him."
Hiei scowled. "I'd rather not."
There was a tense silence between them before Sayomi spoke up. "So, I wanted to say thanks... for helping me out."
"If I hadn't then you would've faded. Even I'm not heartless enough to let that happen." Hiei looked down at the tape in his hand. "Why did you bring me back here? I was finally back in the Demon Plane."
"I wasn't gonna just leave you there unconscious," Sayomi shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do?"
"You could've stayed with me."
"Huh?" Sayomi turned to Hiei in confusion. "You mean... But I would've been too drained to really do anything."
Hiei met her gaze. "We don't belong here. Isn't your debt paid yet?"
Sayomi sighed and looked down at the ground. Hiei cupped her chin and brought her attention back up to him. She stared at his eyes and took in a deep breath. "Not yet... I still..."
Hiei sighed and let her go. "You don't have to tell me the details. Your reaction is clear enough."
Sayomi stared down at the floor. "Sorry."
"Save it." Hiei stood up and tossed the video. Then he drew his sword and sliced it in half. He looked down at her and said, "It's not like I'll be going back anytime soon, anyway."
Sayomi looked up at him and blinked. "You're not mad at me?"
Hiei smirked. "For keeping secrets? Hardly. You're not anymore obligated to tell me anything than I am to tell you." Then he turned to leave. "Come find me when you're ready to talk about it."
Sayomi watched him leave then took in a deep breath. She smiled and closed her eyes. That's probably the best I'm gonna get.
Before long, she was back in the Void. She looked down at her arms and saw they were still bare. "So what does this mean? Hiei said I was close to fading and I remember being covered almost completely. What happened between then and now?"
Her voice drifted into the empty space until the silence swallowed it. Then her thoughts shifted to Yusuke and his demon lineage. "If he had chosen to stay in the Demon Plane, I would've had to escort him to Tourin. I would've had to go back and leave this all behind. If I don't stay in Tourin, then where else would I go? I don't really want to go back with Yasuhiro."
"Geez, sis. That really hurts."
Sayomi closed her eyes and fixed her expression into a blank mask. "What do you want now?"
Yasuhiro appeared in front of her with his arms crossed. He smiled down at her and said, "You can't really mean that. Do you know how hard it is to find one of our kind? It took me years just to find you."
Sayomi stared at him and said, "I didn't ask you to. I was doing just fine on my own."
"I seem to remember seeing you covered in markings from the Void last time I saw you. Now you're down to the one. Does the detective's new demon-hood have something to do with it?" Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes as he mentioned Yusuke.
Sayomi took in a deep breath to keep herself calm. "How do you know about that?"
Yasuhiro sighed. "Sayomi, it was a battle between two S-Class powers. Half the Demon Plane knew about it. I was actually making my way towards the battle when I sensed you had returned. When I finally got there, you had already left again. So I followed you."
"What?" Sayomi's eyebrow arched in confusion. "You mean... you're in the Human World?"
"For now," Yasuhiro answered. "I can't risk exposing myself since the Underworld is keeping close tabs on you."
Sayomi narrowed her eyes. "You didn't need to come here. I'm gonna go back soon."
"How soon?" Yasuhiro asked. "Because now that the portal is closed, you don't have a way back."
"I'll find a way." Sayomi was careful not show him how right he was. "Now that Yusuke has awakened, I have no other choice."
"So you knew this was going to happen?" Yasuhiro asked.
"To a degree," Sayomi answered. "Now that it's happened, I need to take him back."
"Back where? Who would want the Underworld Detective?" Yasuhiro sneered with annoyance.
"That's not your concern," Sayomi said sternly. "The point is, I need to take him back. There's no reason for you to be here."
"Oh?" Yasuhiro arched his brow. "I believe I have plenty of reason. Like keeping an eye on you and that thief."
"What does Hiei have to do with you being here?" Sayomi asked. "We just train together."
"That's reason enough," Yasuhiro said. "His training is what pushed you to almost fading away. I could've lost you for good this time."
"Well luckily, thanks to Hiei, that didn't happen," Sayomi argued.
"Thanks to him?" Yasuhiro glared down at her. "It's because of him that you were in danger in the first place."
"Maybe at first, but he's also the one who pulled me out of it when it was really bad," Sayomi defended. "So you really have no reason to be here."
"I see." Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes then closed them with a sigh. "So you choose that thief over your own brother?"
"Stop putting words in my mouth. I'm just trying to say that you have no reason to worry and you shouldn't be here."
"Sayomi..." Yasuhiro stared at her neck. "Do you want to know why this is happening to you? Why your Shade is gone and why you're down to that lone marking?" He pointed at his eyes where his mark was. "I'm the only one who can answer your questions. Why do you insist on pushing me away?"
"I just..." Sayomi looked down, avoiding his eyes. "I don't see why you need to be here! Why couldn't you wait until I got back?"
"I think I've waited long enough. I won't interfere with your business and I won't harm your friends while I'm here, but I will be keeping a close eye on you. I think I deserve that much for finally reuniting with my only family."
Sayomi bit her lip and clenched her fists. She tried to think of an argument, but nothing was coming to mind. He's not wrong, but...
"If you do find your way back home, I'll be there with you. I'll keep a respectable distance, but should anything happen to you, I'll be there instantly." Yasuhiro walked up to Sayomi and patted her head. He frowned when she flinched away. "I just hope you won't need my help."
"I won't..." Sayomi stayed out of her brother's reach. "My friends will be there."
"But they're not your family." Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes and turned to leave. "We'll see how loyal your friends are when it really counts."
Once he was gone, Sayomi took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "This is just what I didn't need. Why did he have to follow me here of all places? And why now? I just hope he keeps his word and stays at a distance."
Later that evening, she met up with Yusuke in his room. She arched her brow when she noticed he was in a mood. "Are you okay?"
Yusuke sighed and scratched his head. "I don't know. I guess I'm just feeling bored."
"What about those games you're always playing?" Sayomi asked. She sat down and leaned against his bedroom wall.
"It's not the same." Yusuke collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling. "I guess... I was thinking that maybe I should've stayed in the Demon Plane, you know?"
Sayomi's gaze fell to the floor. "Oh..."
"I can tell you know something about it..." Yusuke sat up and looked at her. "I'm not mad or anything, but I am curious."
"Curious about what?" Sayomi looked up at him.
"If I had chosen to stay, would you have taken me to him? If you knew that was gonna happen, then does that mean he was the one who sent you to find me?"
The look in Yusuke's eye was enough to make Sayomi's guilt return. "Yeah... I know who he is. I was actually supposed to take you back to him when your powers awakened, but..." She looked at her feet. "I didn't want to influence your choice."
"It was the right decision for all concerned. But if it had just been me and you, then I probably would've chosen to stay."
Sayomi looked up to see him smiling at her. "Really?"
Yusuke shrugged. "Well, he took that victory from me. I need to make him pay. If you know where to find him, then that would save me some trouble."
"I see." Sayomi sighed. "If we can find a way, then I can take you to him, but until then..."
"Yeah, I know." Yusuke stared back up at the ceiling. "I just wanted to hear it from you. It's not a big deal."
Sayomi smiled, despite her feelings. "Thanks, Yusuke."
She tried not to think about Yasuhiro lurking close by. I can't sense him anywhere. For all I know, he's hiding in my own shadow. So long as he doesn't try anything, then maybe we can make it back okay.