Silverwing013: I am dead, aren't I? Not updating for this long and all…. Well, this is my holiday gift then. College keeps one busy. Once again, Yu Yu Hakusho characters are not mine, I only borrow for use of this annoying Forbidden story stuck in my mind.
Friday morning:
A tired voice spoke up into the room. Kurama looked up from leafing through papers on the desk.
"Kurama-feller…." The cloaked figure almost stumbled on his walk into the room. "Crash…here. Mind?"
The figure collapsed onto the bed, not moving. Suddenly worried, Kurama raced up to help the person. "Hey! Are you still awake? Are you okay?"
"The door…." Came the answering voice.
"Of course," Kurama reassured the Council Member as he strode to the door to close it. "Should I be asking anything?"
The Council Member removed the cloak from around his body, tossing it precariously onto the floor. "Should but I'd rather you didn't. Curse this…. Kazu-K didn't allow me to fix the problem completely…. But…Nekoyami will be under control…very soon. Damn who I am to hell…."
Kurama chuckled. "You make your own life confusing. I can understand not wanting many to know of being a Council Member but why hid so much more?"
"So my mother can't find me. So Kazu-K didn't realize who I was…. Now I'm going to be dragged back inside family crap I'd rather leave behind me. But…it is already such a large part of my life…."
The red head shook his head, returning to the desk to study papers. "I do not follow. But you are allowed to crash in here as long as you wish Jets."
"Thanks…." The teen boy turned his back to Kurama, curling slightly on the bed to get comfortable. "At this point, you think people would realize. When I told One that everything was unraveling, I meant it. Your kindness is appreciated…."
Kurama frowned at the desk, turning his seat around. "Talk," he demanded of the teen on his bed. Kurama didn't like the tone that controlled Jets's voice. Jets didn't answer the red head's demand. Kurama stood, walking to the form on the bed. "Jets," he said while his hand started shaking the young human Council Member.
Kurama blinked in realizing that Jets was already fast asleep. Jets must have been tired or something close to the sort to fall asleep that quickly. The young bishie's eyes fluttered under his messy black bangs, words muttering from an already deep sleep.
"Everyone…. Leave me alone…. Leave me alone already…. Let me die in peace…."
Eyes widened as Kurama stared at Jets in shock before realizing….
His hand was lying in a pool of blood.
Kuwabara glared at his elder sister at the breakfast table. Shizuru swatted him over the head easily.
"Could it hurt to take his help willingly?" She asked.
Kuwabara's eyes flashed. "You know I hate our family past! Why did you not tell me Jets was JETER!?!"
"Out of respect. Jets didn't want you knowing, he wanted to leave it all behind like you. He was the one picking up all the messes and you know it Kazuma! Give Jeter some credit! Thank your damn cousin!"
"What for!!??!!" Kuwabara jolted up from the table to yell down at his sister. "All he did was lock down on the demon power coursing through me before leaving! I would rather leave it behind but I still have a damn demon soul in my body!!! I still have Nekoyami sneering at me every moment in my head!!! I still have to relive what I did every night thanks to him!!! Me, thank Jeter for leaving the curse in me!!??" Kuwabara snorted. "I think not."
Kuwabara sat, stabbing at the eggs. "I will not take Jeter's form of help ever again. Even more so since I found out last night what his job is. Working for King Enma. Giving King Enma the advantage of seeing into soul threads as well as dream visions. One of the people that tried to kill Urameshi!"
"I made promise to Jeter long ago when he left baby bro." Shizuru looked carefully across the table. "I would not reveal him. He revealed one piece of himself yesterday to everyone. That was his decision. But place some honor on one piece of him being in our family. Make the same promise I did. Promise it to my face," Shizuru looked sternly at her younger brother.
Kuwabara lowered his face. "It makes no difference to me what happens to that bastard," he muttered. Shizuru lifted up her side the table, smashing the whole surface to Kuwabara's face.
"Alright! Alright! I promise to not reveal him!" Kuwabara stared angrily at his sister before turning heal, marching out of the house.
Shizuru sighed with a smile. "He knows as well as I do that he never breaks a promise to me. Pity he didn't allow the help though…. Jeter is trying to use this as an excuse to run out of life."
"Good morning Abby!" Botan beamed at the sullen Forbidden Child, who was now regarding the bubbly grim reaper with wary eyes. Mikko turned her face away from Botan, going back to staring at the wall of her room.
"I'm not in the mood Botan. Please leave."
Botan showed off what had been behind her back a second ago. "The best thing to do sometimes is to due the opposite of what you feel like doing. You don't want to socialize, so you must! You don't want to get up and do anything, so you are joining me in activity!"
"How many times do you take your own advice Botan?" Mikko looked over at the grim reaper, catching a startled sad look.
"More than I would like," Botan replied before cheering up. "Come on! The volleyball calls for us! You can always spike the ball Abby…." Botan grinned as Mikko stood up.
"Can I use my imagination when I spike it?" Mikko slowly started smirking at her own question.
Botan laughed. "Of course! Come on! Follow me!"
The two girls ran down the hallway, eager to reach a place to vent frustrations. Botan smiled to herself. Maybe she could get Mikko to talk about it afterwards. She wanted to repay back a friend for giving her hope on her own love interest.
Yusuke stared up at the school building with a slight frown. "Skipping ain't fun when you're told to..." Shrugging his shoulders as his hands disappeared inside pants pockets, Yusuke walked on fingering the note in his pocket.
"MOM! GRAMPS! SOMEONE'S IN HERE!"
The preteen boy shouted the words out so everyone past hearing distance could hear him. His wide eyes watched as the lady on the couch moved.
"WHO ARE YOU?" He pointed a random hammerspace stick at the lady.
She woke up, cross eyed, before grabbing the end of the stick to pull the young boy toward her. Beamining, she threw an arm around him and gave him a nice knuckle on the head. "Your mouth hasn't changed one bit, has it Sota? Ya always did cry as a baby. Com'on! Can't you fight back now?"
Sota howled out shrieks of protest as his mom and gramps were soon in the room, his mom laughing at the activity.
"Atsuko, Sota isn't going to remember you. Sota, this is your...well... You never had a chance to marry. Well, she is your aunt Sota."
"Stupid child! What are you doing to my grandson?"
Atsuko shrugged. "Ain't doing nothing. Same thing I do to--"
"MA! YOU IN HERE?!"
"--Yusuke." Atsuko smiled briefly before to yelling toward the front door. "PIPE DOWN YUSUKE!"
The teen boy stood in the doorway for a moment, looking down at his mom. Slicked back hair, plain white t-shirt, blue jeans, white tennis shoes were the outside appearence for the scowling boy. "Your an idiot mother ma! Taking off like that when there are wildfires bursting up due to Hiei and Mikko! And your up at some temple where fire can easily catch onto something! I've still got to g--"
"I thought you trusted that Hiei person," Atsuko frowned. "What's he up to? Trying to kill you now?"
The teen boy seemed startled at these questions. "No, no. Three eyes likes keeping allies. He's up with Koenma. Some trial will happen to say if they can come back here. Hiei's kind aren't supposed to leave this area like this. That's the problem. Ma...when was the last time you had a drink?"
Atsuko held up four fingers. "These people aren't family enough to give me sake Yusuke. What has the world come to?"
Yusuke began laughing. "I noticed all the sake was gone at home." Then he suddenly stopped. "Wait, what?" He turned to face the three faces behind him. "Family...? Oh that's right! Higarashi. I remember picking fights with Kagome... Shora? No. What's your name kid?"
Sota turned red at being called Shora. "Sota, it's Sota. Who are you?" He held onto his stick once more, like a sword before him.
Yusuke grinned at the kid's antics. "Nice sword kid. You weren't born when I was last here. I used to snitch letters from my mother here before she got to read them. She doesn't like bringing it up." He went to ruffle up Sota's hair only to have a the stick swap into his open palm, caught from reflex. "Maybe if and when my friends come back, they can teach you with a decent sword."
"Then there was you and the old man." Yusuke finished his list off.
The little old man, as Yusuke called him, came up to whack a ward onto Yusuke. "Demon spawn begone!"
Eyes wide at the call of demon, Yusuke stood there ackwardly staring at the old man in disbelief. Then he realized that the ward was doing nothing and simply picked it off. "Now I remember what ma called you. I must agree," Yusuke snickered. "Senile warden."
The old man stared forlornly at the useless piece of paper with tears. "My wards..."
"Grandpa..." Sota muttered out loud. "They never work."
The old man fell over backwards, more tears falling. Yusuke laughed at the antics. "Who needs wards against demons these days anyway?" He flashed canines at the old man. "Ever seen a real demon in today's times senile warden?"
The old man quickly stood up. "Ignorant boy! Of course I have!" Sota started making wide, frantic hand motions in front of his grandpa's face.
"Now now father. How about you get back out to your customers?"
"Right!" The old man hurried away.
Yusuke stared at the family left. "That just raised suspisions... Well, uh, nice to met you all again. Hey Aunty, tell Kagome that the bathroom hook says hello."
He grinned widely while his mom burst out laughing at the memory. Even 'Aunty' got a laugh from that one. Back when it happened, neither parent could figure out how Yusuke exactly got Kagome up on the high bathroom hook by himself. She had red marks on her arms, legs, and one on her face but would not say how the red marks got there. She only said it was part of how Yusuke threatened her. Yusuke had. With duct tape. No kid in their right mind LIKED sticky band-aids being pulled off, much less duct tape. But that wasn't all he did. He still remembered the long speech he had given her before she climbed onto his back to hook her own shirt to the bathroom door. Yusuke still thought his story was funny.
He had threatened to put the duct tape on her chest. This was back when they were little kids but still, Yusuke grinned at how his cousin's face looked like after that. His long story? This would ruin her chances of having them grow, therefore ruining all chances of finding her prince charming and having any babies. She didn't believe him, so his story became more elaborated and bigger until she willenly offered to hang herself.
No one believed him when he said Kagome wanted to do it.
She was hanging quietly there for ages before her mom went to use the bathroom and noticed her daughter there. That's about the one memory Yusuke knew of with his cousin. He hoped on one side that his cousin was still gullible but then thought of the embarrassment Kuwabara would have if she were. Then again, who knew? Meeting up with family again now seemed almost a fate, especially since ma told him on the paper at home to go here. His ma nearly never left notes, spend four days of no drinks, and much less with visiting his dad's brother wife and kids.
"Well Yusuke, I must say…. You and Kagome would still make a wonderful pair."
Yusuke glanced up at the words, confused on what his Auntie was speaking about. "Eh? What are we talking about now?" Yusuke whipped his head around at hearing his ma laughing. "Ma? Auntie?" He would never call her anything but Auntie due to what happened years ago when he used her first name inappropriately. "Mind tossing me into the donut circle?"
"Oh! You and Kagome were such a sweet pair together if we got you to behave," Auntie said. "With Kagome's hair still short, you guys looked like twins. We used to joke to Atsuko that she got the evil twin from Matsu so that she would pay attention to her kid instead of her loss. Atsuko still asked for more—"
"Sake," Yusuke chimed in with his aunt. He knew his ma that well enough for quite some time now.
"So that's the 'missing twin' of Kagome's in the family album!" Sota suddenly said.
While his aunt laughed, Yusuke grew bored by his endeavor after his ma. He felt so useless right now since he couldn't do a thing about certain deaths, only that ridiculous Spirit World trial could perhaps do the trick. But Koenma was up against his dad…. Yusuke didn't really give a shit if it was the King of Spirit World, he wanted to fight the damn tyrant and hit Koenma's dad in a far more sensitive spot than a cheek.
But Jets had visited him the night before, privately telling him not to worry so much; they would all come back. With Jets relation to Kuwabara, Yusuke was glad of his mind being put to ease before Jets rushed off to some work related problem.
"Yusuke?"
"Eh? Sorry…. I've got to figure out where Jin disappeared to, a friend of mine. Keep my ma here Auntie." Yusuke turned to leave.
"Yusuke? Have you not wondered on why your mother is here?"
Yusuke paused. "Well, no. I already know that we're coming here, or at least leaving the apartment. Ma's policeman retired."
"Well…Kagome heard wrong. You are less of the evil twin now, with keeping tabs on friends and family."
"Yeah, sis always says to keep away from you because you're a number one bad a-a-a, one bad punk," Sota piped in.
Yusuke stopped a moment. "Yeah…. Punk doesn't fit me anymore though. You can't place someone in a good or bad category Sota. There are lots of the in-betweens. Sure, I fight. But they hold more purpose. I'm not just a fighter but also a protector. And not all battles are straightforward in the bad involved."
Yusuke finally turned and squatted down before the kid. "If you like settling judgement so easily, here's one for you to judge kid."
Sota stared at the changed teen, moodier than his entrance with being so confident.
"Let's say this really powerful ancient artifact got stolen. You're part of the search looking for the thief. What do you think so far kid?"
"Uh…. Why don't you finish it?" Sota seemed slightly worried on this situation.
"Okay, the thief finds you. He says that three days from then to meet him at a hospital and he will give the powerful ancient artifact. Three days later, you go to this hospital and the thief leads you to a room. Inside this room is a terminal lady, hope small on her surviving much longer."
Yusuke paused slightly as Sota leans toward him in the retelling of his 'meeting Kurama' story. "The thief then tells you that he is a former spirit fox demon, known as the King of Thieves. He was killed some years ago and his spirit ran to human world for a place of safety, being born a human. His spirit powers gained back over the years spent as a human until they all returned when 10 years of age. He's past 10 at this point but says he stayed in human world for his human mother who is the terminal lady. The thief says that the powerful ancient artifact he stole was to heal his human mother. He then proceeds to place it to use, wishing his human mother a life of health and happiness in exchange for his life."
Sota's mouth opened up at this. "What? So he died?! I'd try saving him, he wasn't doing any real harm to anyone."
Yusuke stared at his cousin. "Heh," he rubbed Sota's hair ruffly. "Same thing I would have done."
"Okay," Yusuke continues, "you saved the thief. His mother experiences a miracle and you return the artifact to the owner. Have you realized Sota, that theft is a crime? That it is bad? You still need to turn the thief in."
"But that's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair kid. People judge. What would you think of me if I was a say…of demon breed?"
Sota easily answered this. "What makes demons so much different than humans? They have family and friends as well as problems."
"What if I was a killer?"
Sota actually took a step away at this point, and then took a confident step forward. "I'd say that your reasons are the same as Kagome and Inuyasha's for going after Naruku! To save people!"
"Heh," Yusuke stood up. "Inuyasha then? I wondered why there was demon spirit energy lingering around up here, especially after the old man's actions."
Yusuke stood a while thinking as Sota stood in shock at releasing this information.
"Damn. That was such a Kurama move to pull…. Not going straight to the point. Oh, Sota, don't look that scared. The story about the thief is real. He was placed on probation to work with me in helping people. Now kid, aft—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sota waved his hands about. "That is so cool! You work with a demon! Man…I thought by what Kagome told us was that there is none left in today's times…. Can I meet him?!"
Yusuke's face suddenly fell and grew hard. "Sorry kid. I don't know. I got to go now. Have fun with my mother without all her sake."
Damn, Yusuke thought. I'm getting soft. Taking care of people, being nice, actually missing school, getting all…blah around Keiko, and getting all worried. Change sucks, Yusuke decided briefly before deciding he kind of liked the change.
Jets was far into meddling with the threads between his hands before he felt a different soul's threads begin to smoothly slide in an appealing way. Checking his fingers for past threads worked on, Jets smiled briefly. It seemed his work was appreciated. Even from one that used to be so reluctant to change before Chaos touched his threads in saving that young boy. Hum…that boy's threads were looking good. Given time, he could very well be on a national football team. Ah, Jets thought with an almost brief smile. Soccer. His American honeys would be yelling at him calling 'soccer' football. Now, if he could figure out why the urge for death and anger has suddenly risen in his own threads. At least no one could discover him as the Head Fate in his sleep….
"Koenma!"
The small prince looked up from his many piles of papers, one on each of his 'dead' team members from the forbidden mess, another one was a thick stack on the Kuwabara family linage and history, yet another stack of Nekoyami rested on the desk as well. Koenma had a theory going that somehow the Kuwabara's were a main thread of the trouble going on. But, problem was, he could not find any information on Kuwabara's cousin Jeter Kuwabara at all. He had a sinking feeling that he should be dragging out files for CouncilMember Number Seven though; the one who Koenma knew was the first human on the council. With the way those young boy's powers were... He didn't doubt that they strayed to far from Kuwabara's at the moment. Sighing, the small prince debated getting up for that file or calling Jorge.
"Jo--"
"KOENMA!"
The voice stopped Koenma's own, as it sounded closer and more familiar. His office doors nearly slammed open by the last person he would expect to loose grace even in a time of great need. Kurama. Holding... Holding a young human teen boy. Could it be?! Koenma was just thinking about it...! Was this...!
"Koenma! I can't use any of my spirit energy up here, don't you have a healer somewhere for Jets?"
"Jets?" The name rang unfamiliar to Koenma, sounding more like a nickname than a true name. Perhaps this was not CoucilMember Number Seven. But Kurama was holding one of their cloaks. "JORGE!"
"Yes sir!" The ogre came rushing inside.
"Get Botan! She's off duty right now. Check where she might be. I'll try finding if there is anyone close to heal this." Koenma paused after sending Jorge out. "Wait... It must be him... How else would a human pass the system alive? Damn!" Koenma raced back to his desk to dig under the papers. "This is so not my fault! What did I do to deserve this lately? Ah... Won't go there... CouncilMember Number One! Get down to my office! This deals with Number Seven!"
Kurama raised his ears, hearing the loud word of "shit" ringing at the slam of the phone.
"Now, Kurama. Do you know how this happened?" Koenma hurried over to where Jets was being held.
Kurama looked evenly over at the small prince. "Something to do with the attack Nekoyami gave earlier. Mentioned a few random things before he became like this. Someone called Kazu-K at one point. He doesn't hold a high standard on life. Seems like he would rather leave it with no one bothering him." Kurama shook his head. "His spirit seems too childish to me with the way he acts at times, trying to lighten up everyone's moods. How did he come to work for you?"
Koenma had frozen at one point. "Kazu-K? Are you sure he said Kazu-K? But then... Jeter...Jets...! So obvious right now! And the use of that nickname for Kuwabara! Oh shit...!" Koenma paused in getting his breath back as well as taking in Kurama's shocked face at the open vulgar word.
"Do you have any idea whom he probably is at this point? With the Kuwabara linage and their powers, his the strongest... I wondered why there was practically nothing on Jeter Kuwabara! It's because he works up here, for my father! But why! If the linage is true...!" Koenma raced back to his desk checking his papers.
"Jets? A Kuwabara? At least his spiritual powers make sense now with them being too strong," Kurama noted as he waved Botan into the room so that the faerie girl could begin healing Jets.
Botan rushed in, Mikko standing off to the side and away from Jorge. But then Koenma's shocked voice echoed throughout the room as CouncilMember Number One raced inside.
"Too strong! Jeter Kuwabara...has to be, must be, IS the Head Fate reincarnated!"
The room seemed to freeze at this statement. The body under Botan's healing hands moved.
"Quit using my damn family name. Hell. Can't any of you damn people let a feller die in fucking piece?"
Jets practically stormed out of the room with how everyone reacted to his words.
"Koenma..." Number One growled over at Koenma. The small prince shrunk at the tone. These were his father's people, not his own.
"Y-yes?" Koenma said meekly.
"Any recall of what I do?" Dark presences lingered heavily around the CouncilMember before rapidly disappearing. "I suppose I always did want that boy to open up. All your spirits read as fine for holding this information. His own spirit has been reading expectedly depressing lately whenever I catch him without cloak. But Koenma," the CouncilMember turned threaten to the small prince again. "Stay out of the Kuwabara business."
Koenma nodded at this, sighing with relief as the CouncilMember left.
"Thought I was going to be reported about that to my father for a minute," Koenma said very much relieved as he rubbed absently at his rear. "But this makes so much more sense now... Shizuru with telling on when Genkai was going to die makes more sense."
"Koenma," Jorge said rather quietly, afraid of any repercussions.
"But Kuwabara himself... He emanates of what is the Head Fate's powers then," Koenma continued. "How does that...? Given how the three Fates work, his should be in births and starts of things... How was this event the start of something?"
"Koenma."
Botan spoke up. "You're actually going up against your father. And your bondage line shot up, almost like it's saying its ready before most. Their...deaths...were the start of this. What's that one saying? 'To every beginning is an end and to every end is a beginning.'"
"Uh, Koenma?"
"Insightful," Kurama spoke up. "And rings true. Same idea of 'one door closes and another one opens.' Makes sense that Kuwabara may dream of the end leading to the beginning. It also makes sense on how quickly his spirit energy grows. No wonder I always questioned the likes of a human holding that much on their own."
Mikko spoke up bluntly. "The stupid scary CouncilMember that Koenma fears told him to stay out of Kuwabara business. Idiots."
Jorge sighed with relief. "Thank you for saying so to Koenma."
Mikko huffed with a 'hn' as she turned her head away from all else in the room. It seemed the young half Goddess was not pleased on being dragged away from pounding out her anger on a pumped up volleyball.
"OGRE!"
Jorge winced away from the voice. "Sorry Koenma sir but I really am scared about your father's men!"
Koenma seemed thoughtful for a moment as he looked down at Botan, remembering her words. "Perhaps they won't be my father's men much longer."
"Koenma sir!" Jorge's voice cracked. "You can't go around saying such things!"
Koenma sulked a bit, crossing his arms childishly. "And why not?"
Jorge opened his mouth to answer but the phone rang on Koenma's desk, the small prince grabbing it to avoid his 'underlings' words of how he was acting.
"Koenma here. Hello father." Koenma started looking nervously around the room as Jorge held an almost triumphant look mixed with utter fear. "You want what? Oh. The trail is not over or barely begun, you cannot ask to... I...suppose. Autumn Breeze is just fine, not using any Goddess powers at all since being up here. I see no reason... I suppose that won't harm her. I'll send her down..."
Koenma looked up. "Autumn Breeze, my father wants to talk to you. Kurama, go with her. I would prefer Hiei for this kind of talk but Hiei..." Koenma shook his head. "Perhaps later, I can show father that bonding is not something one can force. I've heard a few stories on him and Abby's mother. But, just head down with her so that she is not...alone? Why is everyone looking at me oddly?"
"You called me Abby," Mikko said stiffly before leaving for meeting up with the God that hated every single cell of her. Kurama quickly followed the half Goddess.
"I did?" Koenma said curiously after they left.
"Yep!" Botan said brightly as Jorge started smirking in the back before sneaking his way out to leave the two alone.
It was very obvious that those two liked each other. And now that Koenma's own bondage line lined up with Botan's... Jorge started laughing out in the hallway. He was half surprised that those two had no idea how well they matched up. Nearly all of Koenma's ogres treated Botan already as if she were the princess. They listened to her orders and never spoke up on how often she was called to Koenma's office or just came down to visit for some reason or another.
"What are you laughing about Jorge? You've still got paperwork on your own desk still," another ogre called Jauhn (pronounced as John) said.
Jorge ceased his laughter. "Hey Jauhn. Koenma is picking up on Botan already. Called Autumn Breeze by Abby a minute ago."
"Finally," Jauhn said. "But get to the paperwork Jorge. There's the matter of a middle-aged man by the name of Akito Yamazaki that I need to send down the line. I think you ended up with his papers."
"If there is fucking reason to following me One, go away."
CouncilMember Number One continued following the human teen. "Why are you acting like a depressed angst teenager lately?"
"Because I am a damn teenager!" Jets turned with a raise of his fist. "Why is it that no one will leave me alone lately?"
"Because that's what you get, respect! People respect you even with you so young! With your spiritual powers a--"
"My family's spiritual powers! This! This is all a family duty to me! Head Fate? No! I am only seen as a Head Protector! First to my damnly ungrateful cousin! And Vita! After her being such an important person in understanding crap, she gets killed! Everyone expected me to keep up her duty! Vita was practically my mother for the three world's sake! With how us 'Fates' were raised, family affairs are nonexistent! Kazu-K sees only Shiz as real family, Shiz treats him like a son, and then I'm the family black sheep who people crap on if anything goes wrong! I'm only family in times of need! What about me? Do people realize that I am still left standing here with nothing!? I put up with the crap, I cover for people, I save them, and I...have nothing!"
Jets head flew back as a fist flew for him.
"Nothing? You are a stupid teen after all."
Jets glared at the CouncilMember. "I'm a mincemeat higher than stupid. I'm just pissed off. Hiro, for all the God you are, take a break." Jets stuffed his hands into his pocket. "Everyone can see that I just take my reactions very loudly. Yelling is not that odd for this young feller." Jets gave a grin. "This is just...a stressful moment right now. The trail and upsetting, Nekoyami's entrance, Kazu-K finding out about my real family name..."
One sighed. "As much as this is true, I can sense a much more deeper and depressing reason in your spirit. Vita and I practically raised you as our own in a way. You're like another son to me and I worry."
Jets shook his head at the CouncilMember. "No. Do you think I can think about family? Family is a danger to any Kuwabara fated," Jets shuddered on his own family name. "Normality is something we are not. Marriage may be considered sacred but it is expected of most to hold. Normal. Even among the weird range of demons and gods and whatever else there can be...me and my cousins are deemed odd. We are something to fear, respect, and attempt to destroy. Allies are few and far between."
Jets glanced up slightly. "As much as I knew this before, the knowledge did not affect me this horribly before." He kneaded his temple slowly, messing up the longer locks of his hair. "This isn't right... Let me see... I have been up to a lot lately... There wasn't anything too strange in the Human Realm, except for Number Two's appearance... Perhaps Chaos was involved... That could be it. I think I need to check up on Two's threads, get past the cloaked part of his. See if you can get Two to take his cloak off so I can get a decent grab at that thread of his. Frankly, I only know that he is a feller and a demon. But behind that cloak, there is something more to that feller..."
One paused. "Number Two? I could see him behind this. He is the only CouncilMember not to see the changes that must be made. Keep your emotions and thoughts in check until you are sure of what he affected you with." One stopped a minute. "Chaos? Should I be wary over the fact that there are so many reincarnates of old and forgotten gods?"
Jets shrugged with a grin, his mood much improved from earlier. "Everyone is into the vintage right now ya old feller. Get into the fad already." Jets left the elder CouncilMember in the hallway as he continued walking back to Vita's old workroom, now made his and often used for the CouncilMember's more secretive meetings.
"Cocky young human," Number One said shaking his head. "Then again... The last three Fates were just as cocky. Small pity the human myths messed up the Fates' stories and personalities... I could have gotten Hope's fox up in a fret if he only knew of the human version and not the demon one. Damn. Would have been funny to watch." One sighed. "Time to pull up those tapes for the trial. Going to be hard to pull tapes for Autumn Breeze with whom her mother is..."
The CouncilMember walked off in the other direction, unaware of another CouncilMember listening in from the dark sideline. With a wide grin under the cloak, Number Two disappeared from sight.
"JETS!!!" Screamed a distraught girl on the Human Realm. "STEPHANIE!!! ELLIE!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU THREE FOR BALING ON ME!!!"
A mother walking past on the sidewalk drew away with her young son. "Stay away from crazy people yelling into thin air. Stay away from all those AmTrans people. Stay away from them. They are no good. Hear me Ando?"
"Yes mother," the little boy spoke parrot-like, used to his overprotective mother.
"Girl. You don't give American people a good name. Or Kurama's friends a good name."
The girl turned at the voice and screamed again, wildly pointing her finger. "IT'S DBZ BOY!!!"
Yusuke grinned. "I am feeling the love today. Lets see…Dani. How's everyone from the fire?"
"Alive, though a couple of them not for long, and rebuilding. Most doing it themselves since everyone needs rebuilding from those wildfires lately."
"Old people?" Yusuke asked slightly curious to the people not to live long. "Or was it a little kid?" He had a slight soft spot running right now after getting to meet his younger cousin a short while ago.
"Wha-?" Dani seemed confused at first. "No. Just a few friends that baled on me to help Kyle move out today. He's the reason why I enjoy bashing other people's fan groups. I'm too nice to do it to my own too much obsessive stalker boy."
Yusuke snorted. "You ain't that pretty. Now I know how you and Kurama met. At least with his fan girls, I can understand the interest but not the obsessive interest that they take. That Kurama needs to find a new weapon and cut his hair."
Dani gave him a hard look. "I'd take offense to how that was stated but I won't because you would probably think Keiko still pretty fifty years from now. What are you doing around here anyway? It is a bit far for you to be coming to this area for some groceries."
"Actually," Yusuke scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't mind if you gave me directions to a place that has them. My ma was visiting with my auntie, the first time since probably ten years ago when my uncle died. I'll be in this area more around Christmastime because we'll be staying with them." Yusuke grinned. "Kurama would be around the area more too. Maybe I should get a group of four couples eating at a nice diner for Christmas. Kuwabara and Yukina, Hiei and Mikko, me and Keiko if I can manage, and Kurama and you. I just need some mistletoe then…."
Dani waved the idea away. "Doubt it. For us 'Americans' Christmas is a time for family. Any member of the opposite sex would be viewed as a possible member of the family for the future. And it would be wrong of me and foxy to give any impression other than friends."
Yusuke's face fell. "Kurama makes fast friends if he chooses. He did that with me. I kind of thought that…well, I guess I could be wrong. But Kurama never wastes time with someone he does not like."
"Hey!"
Dani jumped and ducked behind Yusuke as a pudgy American boy came around the corner. "Thanks for helping me move! Stephanie has my number! Call me! Bye Daniiiiiiiiiiii!"
Dani peered cautiously around Yusuke with surprise. "Kyle didn't even try getting close to me. I always thought him getting away from his parents would do him good…. But not that much that quickly…."
Then Dani turned suddenly. "Stephanie has his number!!! That is not good! She would get bored and give him my number," Dani said darkly.
Yusuke moved away from the girl. "While you're pondering how to kill your friend, I'm going to go get lost in search for a grocery store."
"Oh! No! I'll show you were it is!"
Yusuke shook his head as he followed the girl. He was getting soft. Fighting all the time was draining and he only wanted to spend more time with his ma, family, friends, and Keiko. When had his life become so people filled? Perhaps he would finally ask Keiko out on a proper date and make Puu jealous for once. The one thing that annoyed Yusuke over subject of his Spirit Beast, Keiko loving the small bird-like creature.
Silverwing013: Small joke on the kid told by his mother to stay away from the AmTrans people. Anyone catch it? I hope if there was any confusion on my mystery man Jets, that all confusion has been cleared. Kuwabara is another start up confusion lately though with his business with Nekoyami. And to all the people still reading this story and my words, yes, they are coming back. Who? Why the people under trial. The 'hidden Forbidden Hunter' as Mikko worded a while ago shall be discovered for what he really is….
HieiFan666: CRYS To the only person who still reviews to me! I am so full of sadness! And joy…. No Hiei/Mikko right now. Sorry. Confusion and things heating up. Sounds right to me. I kind of concentrated more on Yusuke this time around. And Jets. I should lay off the guy for a while. But think about this, Hiei is the only one who doesn't know that Jets is a Kuwabara. Hey, I think this is funny since the oaf Kuwabara does not know that Yukina is Hiei's sister while everyone else does. Without knowing, both Hiei and Kuwabara are thrown out of the same type of loop. Fun!
Silverwing013: Okay, been mean enough lately. Coming up, Mikko's chat with King Enma, the trail shall continue, and be finished this time. No interruptions this time! Well, there will be an arrest made…. And with the arrest, the question of a certain person's authority. The same person Yusuke wants to punch more horribly than he punched the guy's son….
