Parallel Worlds

Yusuke's hand rested on the door handle. Looked like it was a one way handle, you could get in but without outside help you'd struggle to get out, not that any of his team mates would have trouble getting through. He'd blow it up, Hiei would cut it down, Kuwabara would probably ram it and kill off the last few brain cells and Kurama…well…Kurama could use his plants or amazing lock picking skills to get through it. That hurt all the more. The knowledge that Kurama could get out and didn't…what the hell was going through that damn fox's head?!

Hiei's words kept coming back to him, as did Yomi's…nearly everyone he could think of said something similar…Kurama never did anything without a good reason. He was always one step ahead. Did he perhaps miss out on something? Whatever it was, it wouldn't change anything just standing around with a hand on a door handle.

Yusuke turned it and pushed the door open. It was a white washed room, your average loony bin room. White sterilised floor, high up window with bars over it, white walls with cushioned pads and a bondage bed. A quick glance to his left showed that Hiei was less than impressed with the sparsely decorated room. Looking around Yusuke tried to find trace of Kurama, but there was nothing, nothing visible anyway.

Walking further into the room, Hiei staying behind to leave the door open for a quick and clean getaway, Yusuke approached the bed cautiously. This was like a horror he'd seen recently. An empty room full of suspense in a psychiatric hospital then all of a sudden the patients jumped on you and ate your brains! Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration. They didn't jump on you…they tripped you up and fell on you.

"Kurama?" He called out, keeping a sharp eye open for brain sucking zombies. "You here pal?" A slight shuffle was heard to his right, between the bed and the wall. "'Rama?" Yusuke repeats, slowly walking around the bed to seek out his friend. Seeing a squirming blanket on the floor he reached out and paused. "Hey Kurama…that you? Cough once for yes and twice for a brain sucking zombie."

The moving stopped as soon as Yusuke spoke his first syllable. No noise could be heard, it was as if the person underneath the blanket was waiting for something. Anything…maybe the zombie would pounce. 'No damnit stop thinking of that. You're only gonna freak yourself out.' Yusuke silently berated himself for continuously thinking of it. It wasn't even a good film to start with.

Hiei made a quiet noise, snapping part of Yusuke's attention to him. "That isn't Kurama, detective." Hiei practically spat the word 'detective'. "Don't you think you would have felt his energy by now if it was?" He demanded abruptly.

That didn't make any sense. If this wasn't Kurama then what was the note in the file about? Some sort of false lead thought up by his parents to prevent him from being found? Doubtful. Kurama may have a knack for thinking of things well in advance but that was due to his age and wisdom over genetic intelligence. Yes! Yusuke Urameshi listened to one thing in Science! Anything else and he'd never get it but damnit he got that! Blame his own demon heritage for that crazy trick!

He glanced down at the bundle underneath the blanket and sighed. He was at a loss. What could they do if Kurama wasn't here? He turned to Hiei who had gone stock still, staring at the door. Wondering what had caught the demons attention he took a step forward when he heard it. A strange rustling. It wasn't too far away either by the sound of it.

Yusuke began to walk towards the door, poking his head out into the hall way and scanning the intimidating stark white hall for sign of life or movement. In a black blur Hiei had disappeared from behind him and was making his way further up the hall, stopping outside a heavy looking iron door with bars across the top.

Closely following him Yusuke stood to the other side, slowly raising himself to look through the bars, but nothing he'd ever seen would have prepared him for what was there. Not even seeing Hiei in a restoration chamber, which he'd personally never seen, he'd only heard about it.

A boy, looking to be around 17 was suspended in a tank full of green liquid. Oxygen mask around his mouth and nose allowing him to breathe while other various wires were stuck to his arms, legs and torso. Long hair fanned around the boy, swaying with each air bubble that rose. It appeared the area was isolated, no sign of life besides the boy, though perhaps that was due to the time of night.

A couple of things had Yusuke staring. First, there were vines threading their way around the tank, still moving and looking more like snakes than vines. Then there was the fact the boy was nude, and incredibly sexy if Yusuke admitted it, one hot bod! The final thing was the identity of the boy…red hair, fragile body that suppressed the inner strength and ability…there was no mistaking it…

"Kurama!"

..::END CHAPTER::..

Ok I know that the last chapter was…well…for want of a better term…crap. I just hope this chapter made up for it and drags you guys back into my evil clutches…I mean…story plot. P.s I know it's a short chapter but so much happens ne?


Thank you to my reviewers: sn0zb0z, ladyasile, Kaori Minamino, Sora Sotara, Chaeseha-Wing for your lovely reviews. I hope this made up for the drivel I forced you to suffer with last chapter! Cookies for all!