Metamorphosis

A normal teenage girl (or as normal as teenage girls get) goes through some major life changes when she is suddenly thrust into a world filled with supernatural beings. Being one of Yusuke Urameshi's friends isn't a walk in the park-Elizabeth Simons could vouch for that. (Yes, this is a basic rewrite of the episodes/movies with my OC involved, but I would like to think she brings tasteful changes to the story line)

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the writer(s) of Yu Yu Hakusho.

Special Thanks To:

Silverwolf765: Thank you for adding me to your favorites!

Maistyria: Thank you for adding me to your alerts!

"Keiko? Sweetie, you should really eat something." I sighed softly as I sat down next to her at our table, crossing my legs under me and shifting a bit to get comfortable. Keiko remained unresponsive, as she had for most of the morning. It was like she was in shock, heck, she probably was. Her normally lively brown eyes looked on with a chilling emptiness as she stared down at the steaming cup of coffee in front of her, the plate of bacon, eggs, and toast sitting forgotten to the side. I knew it had been a long shot trying to get her to eat, but I had cooked breakfast and given it an earnest go nonetheless. "Listen, I know-"

"Don't." Keiko's cold voice cut through the room viciously as I felt goose bumps on my arms whilst shivers ran down my spine. "Please, just don't, Elizabeth." Her voice cracked with emotion as I watched, heartbroken, when a tear streaked down her cheek.

"I'm sorry." I murmured gently, slowly reaching for her hand, but Keiko violently snatched it away before I could.

"I said don't." Keiko hissed out, her gaze turning to me, and I felt slightly comforted to see some emotion there-even though it was anger. "Don't try to comfort me; don't tell me how I'm feeling, don't tell me you know what I'm feeling, and above all please don't treat me like I'm fragile."

Nodding I slowly sat back, an uncomfortable and cold silence falling between us. I tried my hardest not to feel hurt by Keiko's actions; it was the grief talking after all. Still, though, I was only trying to help. I had lost a best friend too, and I know that I wanted someone to sympathize with me. But maybe that was the problem, I was transferring my needs and wants in this situation onto what I assumed Keiko needed and wanted.

"I'm sorry." Keiko suddenly choked out beside me as I turned to look at her sharply, the tears now flowing freely down her face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to." She sobbed softly, and I felt tears burning in my own eyes. "It's just that I miss him. So. Much." Fresh tears poured from her eyes as mine began to fall as well. I moved quickly, wrapping my arms around her shaking body tightly as I brought her into me, sobs catching in my own throat. I missed him too, so bloody much, but I knew the hurt that I was experiencing was only a fraction of what Keiko was feeling and that only upset me more.

"I know, I miss him too." I admitted as I buried my face into her hair, taking a deep breath whilst she sobbed into my arms.

"I want him back! Yusuke…I just want him back. Please!" Keiko sobbed painfully into me and I felt my heart breaking all the more, tears falling heavier from my eyes hearing how utterly destroyed Keiko felt.

"Oh, Keiko." I whispered brokenly as I rocked with her in my arms, somehow being at a totally loss of what to do, but doing what I could.

If I ever see that punk in the afterlife I'll kick his ass for breaking my best friend's heart.

~ Metamorphosis ~

It was later that morning, and Keiko had gone home. I had been reluctant about letting her, but she had insisted that she needed some time alone to clear her head as best she possibly could. I had noticed she had been dreaming most of the night, and judging by the tears I had seen when she had started awake once I could guess her dreams revolved around Yusuke. She hadn't told me exactly what they had been about, and I didn't force her to, but she seemed fairly adamant about checking up on Atsuko this morning. She had asked if she could go alone to talk with the woman, and I obviously granted her wish, as I had no intention of entering that apartment. At least not yet. After Keiko finished visiting she stopped by my place once more to thank me and my family for our hospitality and understanding; she sounded like a robot running on auto pilot and it scared me. Though I had my reservations at first, in the end I had let her go home under the condition that she called me if she needed anything at all. She was stubborn about it, but eventually I got her to promise me, and with a promise to see me at school later today, and one last longing look towards Atsuko's apartment, she had turned and walked away whilst looking like the weight of the world was on her tiny shoulders.

I turned slowly to face the doorway myself now, my head feeling heavy whilst I shuffled over and knocked on the door. It was like an out-of-body experience as I waited for Atsuko to answer. Frowning when she didn't I decided to call her name, see if she was even there, and when I got no answer I twisted the doorknob to find the apartment empty and unlocked. I let out a huge sigh, knowing that Atsuko most likely went on a run to the store for more booze; the woman was a hoot to be around and a good person, but she was also a terrible alcoholic. This would only give her more reasons to disappear behind the bottles more frequently and heavier than normal. As the door swung open, I could see directly across from me against the opposite wall the alter holding Yusuke's body. I swallowed heavily as I saw his picture staring straight at me, unable to take the step across the threshold. It was like my feet were stuck to the ground, unable to move an inch in the direction I was telling them to.

"Yusuke…" I whispered softly, as if speaking too loud would cause some sort of catastrophic event. What could be more catastrophic than losing one of your only friends? My throat closed up as my legs shook horribly beneath me, and I turned around on my heel, slamming the door shut behind me as I ended up outside.

"I'm so sorry." I breathed heavily through my apology, tears burning in my eyes and threatening to fall. "Yusuke…I just…I can't." I can't believe your gone…I can't face the fact that you are…I can't look at your cold, dead body whilst remembering how full of life you had been only a day before.

Taking a deep breath once more as tears spilled unchecked from my eyes I turned back towards my apartment.

~ Metamorphosis ~

Keiko and I along with her two friends had ditched school a half hour early to help her look for an outfit for the funeral. That had to be the most morbid reason to go clothes shopping, hands down, and I could tell as Keiko looked through countless racks that the idea that she was buying clothes to wear to Yusuke's funeral was really weighing down on her. Of course, her two other friends whom I held very little respect for were making things worse rather than better. Pushing Keiko constantly into just buying an outfit so we could all get out of there, making this whole ordeal seem so trivial when it was obviously breaking Keiko's heart. Not to mention the fact that the disrespect they were showing for Yusuke with their brushing off of his death really pissed me off.

"Keiko, come on, this is the fifth store we've been to. Just pick something nice and black, that's what people normally wear to these things, isn't it?" The brunette spoke up, and I could literally feel my patience fracture as I saw the depressed look worsen in Keiko's eyes.

"Listen, why don't we wait outside?" I spoke up, trying to keep my voice controlled. "You keep looking, okay, Keiko?" Before Keiko or the girls, whom I've yet to learn their names, could protest I had started pushing the two towards the exit.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" The blonde squeaked out at me as I rolled my eyes when she violently ripped her arm out of my hold.

"Just shut up, blondie." I snapped as I let go of the brunette as well, crossing my arms and sighing irritably. "I've had it with the both of you."

"My name is Kameko!" Kameko snapped back as she crossed her arms as well, looking entirely offended. "And you can't talk to me like that! I'm Keiko's friend too you know!"

"Really?" I asked doubtfully as I looked to the both of them. "Cause I have a difficult time believing it." I ended as I sighed heavily, looking back towards the doors. The girls grew quiet all of a sudden, and I was thankful for that silence.

No matter how short lived it was.

"I hope Keiko will be okay soon." Finally, I thought after hearing the brunette say something useful and considerate. Maybe I was wrong about her.

"For our sake as well as her's." Kameko seriously had to ruin any form of redemption that I could have given them both, didn't she? "People are starting to say things."

"You have got to be kidding me!" I shouted, finally absolutely losing it as I rounded on both the girls. They had the good sense to look frightened. "How can you call yourself her friends when you're more concerned about your appearances and what associating with her is doing for your reputations." I huffed. "Like you have good reputations to begin with." I added sarcastically as both the girls backed away from me. "I'm going to tell you this once. Keiko lost her best friend yesterday, and since you both are too fucking heartless to understand and try to sympathize with that, I suggest you leave. Now. And don't you ever come anywhere near her AGAIN!" I shouted loudly as they both jumped in fright. "And if you aren't out of my sight in five seconds you'll both be sporting black eyes for school pictures!" I held my fist up in a threatening manner, watching as both girls turned on their heels and ran as fast as they could away from the spot.

"Those good for nothing attention whores." I grumbled out angrily as I watched them run, wishing they had, had the gull to stick around just so I could take out some more of my issues on them. "Seriously, the nerve of those two-"

"I see you're still scaring people away left and right, Lizzy." I stilled as I heard the unfamiliar voice, yet familiar nickname come from behind me. I had only allowed one person to call me Lizzy, and that was only on special occasions. Slowly turning around I was greeted by a blue, uniform clothed chest, and looking up slowly I was soon greeted with a very beat up Kazuma Kuwabara.

"Uh…Kuwabara, are you alright?" I asked in concern, allowing his already present injuries to dissuade me from giving him more after using that stupid nickname. Not only did it make me angry, but not it hurt knowing that the one person who I had loved enough to allow to call me that was dead.

"Come on, Lizzy, it's me." Kuwabara reached forward suddenly, grabbing both my hands in his own as I struggled to not rip myself away from him and kick him right where the sun don't shine. "It's Yusuke!" Oh, that was it.

Honestly I can say that I'm not usually a dirty fighter usually, but, I mused as I watched Kuwabara slump to the ground whilst holding his dangly bits in obvious pain, dirty fighting was sure funnier than most.

"How dare you? I thought you were a nice boy, Kazuma! After how I saw you reacted at Yusuke's wake I thought you'd be understanding, not an utter JERK!" I shouted angrily as Kuwabara continued to whimper in pain on the ground.

"Lisa, I swear, I'm not lying!" Kwubara, Yusuke, whoever he thought he was grunted out as he slowly shifted back onto his feet. I took a defensive step back, backing right on up into Keiko as she walked out of the store.

"Sorry about that guys…" Keiko trailed off in obvious confusion then as she looked between Kuwbara and myself, frowning deeply. "Where did the others go?" Keiko asked suspiciously as I huffed a bit in annoyance.

"I don't know, ran off with some stupid excuse." I lied easily as I sent Kuwabara a warning look, as if daring him to try the same crap he did on me on Keiko. I was a little concerned though when I saw Kuwabara staring a Keiko with this dumbfounded yet…deep expression on his face. Why was he staring at her like that? I frowned a bit as I gently grabbed Keiko's arm in my hand, turning her an directing her on past the nutcase. "Come on, we'd best be moving on before all the stores end up closing."

"O-okay…" Keiko replied with uncertainty, glancing back towards Kuwabara before she turned to look at me. "Is…is he alright?" She asked in concern as I shrugged my shoulders easily, just wanting to put as much space between us and the weirdo as I could.

"I think he has some form of mental retardation."

"Elizabeth, it's disability, not retardation." Keiko sighed as she shook her head, but I was delighted to see a hint of a smile on her face.

"Disability, retardation, all means the same thing. Someone just deemed one term a nasty slang over the other. I mean, what would have happened if disability had been chosen to be the politically incorrect term?"

"Oh, Elizabeth." Keiko sighed as she shook her head, before freezing suddenly. I frowned in concern as I looked over towards her, noticing her face to be one of utter disbelief.

"Hey, what is-HEY YOU PERVERT!" I shouted as I finally took notice of the two large hands groping at my friend's boobs.

"Hehe, nice uniform, Keiko. They're so squishy!" Kuwabara squealed in childish delight as my mouth fell open hearing him. He really did sound like Yusuke. That seemed to bring Keiko out of her shock as she went absolutely red in the face, whipping around with a scream.

"Yusuke, you jerk!" She shrieked, her hand slamming directly with his cheek, hard enough to send the much larger boy to the ground.

"Dude, seriously, what the hell is your malfunction?!" I shouted as I kicked him hard in the side, and would have continued had Keiko not pulled me away from him. She glared down at him as well as she hid slightly behind me, her hands gripping my arm tightly to stop me from no doubt beating the shit out of this guy. Or getting hurt, which was very possible given the large stature of this crazy individual.

"Who the heck are you?" Keiko asked then shyly as she realized this wasn't Yusuke, and I shook my head some at her. How could she not recognize the dude.

"That's Kazuma Kuwabara, he goes to school with us, Keiko." I explained as I huffed a bit. "Yusuke and him used to be rivals. Well, it wasn't much of a rivalry since Yusuke always managed to pulverize his ass." I smirked some at the memories of their fights, but was slightly put off as Kuwabara started to grin widely as well.

"Thanks for the ego boost, Lizzy. I needed that after getting my ass handed to me by not one, but two girls." I paused as my eyes went wide hearing him, wondering if he was just truly dedicated to his sick joke or if he wasn't joking at all. "I'm exactly who you thought I was, Keiko." He continued, turning his attention to my friend as she slowly stepped out from behind me. "I'm Yusuke!" I kept my mouth shut this time as he turned around onto his butt from being knocked on his stomach, rubbing at his face. "Hehe, I don't care what any tough guy says, your punches hurt the most Keiko."

"Don't tease me, Yusuke, is it really you?" Keiko asked seriously as I watched her step forward, Yusuke/Kuwabara standing up as well and meeting her halfway. I swallowed thickly, feeling tears burning in my own eyes. Was this possible? I mean, sure, I've heard of cases of possession by ghosts, but I'd never actually thought it possible. Was Yusuke really possessing Kuwabara right now? "It's too strange, why do you look like that?" Keiko continued dubiously as Kuwabara reached forward and gently clasped his hands on her shoulders. I fought the urge to push him away from her, knowing that Keiko could take care of herself if need be, and something was telling me that this was indeed real.

"I borrowed somebody's body, but only for an hour." Yusuke/Kuwabara explained in a hurried manner, "Keiko I know this is weird, but you have to believe." He begged her as I looked between him and Keiko, wondering if she actually did believe him.

"Whether or not I believe isn't the question, I knew it was you from the first time you spoke." Keiko replied, her voice soft and slightly weak as I could tell she was near tears. I was shocked all the same, and by the look on the other kid's face so was he. She was buying this possession story? I mean, some things definitely seemed off about Kuwabara, and if anyone could recognize Yusuke it would be Keiko. This was all just so weird. Yusuke was dead, gone…wasn't he?

"I know," Keiko continued on in a determined manner, "and it's not just your stupid gags, or how you laugh." I could tell that Keiko was getting even more emotional as I took a step forward, just in case something were to happen. I was still in shock though as I watched the pair, and something inside of me finally clicked in that this was indeed the real deal. "There are ways that you move, and speak that in a hundred years I would never forget."

"Woah now," Yusuke/Kuwabara looked clearly paniced as he obviously tried to hold off any more emotional breaks from happening with Keiko. "No need to cry, we'll save the mushy stuff for another day!" He tried to compromise, obviously needing the time he was allotted to get some sort of message to us.

"Then tell me what is going on. What's next?" Keiko asked seriously, and I was proud to see how well she was holding it together. I swallowed thickly to hold back my own tears as my best friend continued to speak.

"Next I'm going to give you my message before this dummy gets his body back!" Yusuke/Kuwabara insisted as I stepped forward next to Keiko to make sure I heard everything as well. I watched as he checked his watch, obviously more feeling more panicked once he did. "Which, by the way, happens in about a minute! I guess you could call this a rental car and I'm about to lose my license." He explained.

"Get on with it then, Yusuke!" I frowned deeply as Yusuke/Kuwabara looked at me now as well, nodding quickly.

"I'll say this as straight as I can. I'm taking this test to get back, and I'm trying hard not to fail, so just trust me and take care of my body until then." Yusuke/Kuwabara explain as I nodded, whilst Keiko still looked a little stunned. To be honest, I was too, but as strange as this was going to seem I was convinced that this wasn't some sort of joke. If Keiko believed this was Yusuke then that was all the proof I needed; I didn't care if that seemed naïve of me. I would want nothing more than to have my best guy friend back, and I would do anything for that to happen. "And tell my Mom that she has got to stop the funeral." Keiko gasped, as if realizing that if the funeral were to happen, Yusuke would be cremated and would have no body to return to. At that thought I felt like I had been dumped in ice. We had to get to Atsuko as soon as we possibly could.

"I know," Yusuke/Kuwabara turned their attention back to Keiko, "that I've been a bum to you at times, but please wait for me." He nearly begged as I felt more tears burning in my eyes hearing him with Keiko. I was just so happy to think that there was even a small chance he would make it back, that Keiko wouldn't go through the rest of her life heartbroken over him.

"I will. I'd wait forever, Yusuke." Keiko admitted, before rushing forward into his arms. I wiped at a few tears that fell from my eyes at the beautiful scene, smiling a bit more as I saw the surprise at first on Yusuke/Kuwabara's face. Keiko looked around from inside of Yusuke's arms, her eyes watery as she reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me in with them. I fairly well broke down once I felt one of Yusuke's arms around me, wrapping my arms around both him and Keiko.

"I'm so sorry, Yusuke, for not believing you." I murmured against his shirt as I felt a few more tears leak out.

"It's alright, Lisa, I understand. I also saw you at my place earlier, and I understood then too." Yusuke/Kuwabara murmured and I felt my heart constrict so tight in my chest that it was painful. I nodded, a sob catching in my throat as I wondered how I had gotten so lucky to have him as a friend. "Look after Keiko for me, and look after yourself too." He murmured as I nodded, holding onto Keiko tighter as she nuzzled in closer to him.

"I will, I promise." I replied quietly, before a silence settled between the three of us. I almost forgot that Yusuke was inside another boy's body, but it was quickly unforgotten when I suddenly heard perverted laughter and felt the arms tightening around both Keiko and I. I moved back as did Keiko and at the same time we slapped Kuwabara, causing him to be stunned as we both backed away.

"Uh, sorry about that." Keiko apologized with uncertainty, whilst I was flushed with embarrassment as I grabbed her hand and we rushed away before we could hear the poor boy respond.

~ Metamorphosis ~

"I really can't believe that just happened." I murmured after we hurried along the sidewalk, the sun having long since set. "I mean, of all the things to find out is real…we find out that the afterlife exists." My eyes widened in an comical manner, but I felt anything but funny as I came to my next realization. "Oh shit, I'm so going to Hell."

"Lisa, stop it." Keiko frowned deeply as she hurried our pace along. We were a few blocks out from the apartment complex, and she was obviously in a hurry to get to Yusuke's body and speak with his Mother.

"Keiko, have you even thought about how crazy this is going to sound to the grieving mother of your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"I don't have time for your denial, Keiko. We've gotta figure out a plausible excuse for her not to set her son on fire."

"Did you just hear yourself?" Keiko asked, slight amusement in her voice as I huffed, crossing my arms.

"You really aren't taking this seriously, are you?"

Keiko stopped at that moment as she turned sharply to me, her eyes hard as she did. "I'm the one taking this the most seriously, Lisa, and you should know that." I had the decency to feel ashamed as I looked to Keiko apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Kay." I murmured as we began to walk again. "It's just been a long day."

"Understood. It's been a long couple days for the both of us." Keiko forgave almost instantly as we entered the front lawn, jogging the rest of the way to Atsuko's apartment.

"Atsuko!" Keiko called as she banged her fist against the wood. "Atsuko, please, open the door!" She begged the older woman as I frowned, standing beside her and banging my fist on the door as well.

"Come on, Atsuko, this is important!"

The door swung open and Keiko and I sighed in relief as she stood in the doorway, though I was slightly concerned with the stunned expression on the older woman's face. She looked as if she had literally seen a ghost.

Well, I'd believe that more readily than I would have yesterday. I mused to myself as Keiko began to talk quickly.

"Atsuko, it's about Yusuke! He might be coming back!" Keiko blabbed and I had to refrain myself from slapping my hand over my forehead.

"Way to not make us sound insane, Keiko. I thought the idea would be to ease her into the fact that her boy is currently an apparition." I gripped lightly as Keiko looked slightly reproached, shrugging her shoulders in a nervous manner.

"He-he already has." Atsuko replied in an awed manner as I looked at her wide eyed with Keiko.

"What the heck are you talking about?" I asked incredulously. "We just talked to him, like, twenty minutes ago."

"I opened up his coffin again, cause I was-well-I was going to smack him one more time for leaving me," Mother of the year, I tell ya, "but then I saw Yusuke's cheeks have some color." My jaw literally dropped hearing her and I could literally feel Keiko bouncing beside me, clearly on edge and anxious to see Yusuke for herself. "And his skin," Atsuko continued with watery eyes, "his skin is slightly warm." Keiko gasped from beside me as I couldn't help a wide grin coming across my features. So we weren't going crazy, Yusuke really was trying to get back to us all as quickly as he could. Keiko and I hadn't imagined any of what happened half an hour ago.

"His heart, it's slow-but-" Atsuko was near tears as she gripped mine and Keiko's shoulders, "my boy is alive." She fairly well sobbed in relief as I couldn't stop my own tears of happiness burning in my eyes. It was real, he was real, and he was going to come back! I don't know who started to cry first, but all three of us ended up on her knees in Atsuko's doorway, crying joyously into one and other as the truth finally sank in for all of us.

We weren't going to have to go through the rest of our lives with the pain of missing him.

As always, please review with your thoughts! If you have any ideas about where you would like to see this go (even romantically for the OC) let me know!

Best!

Tiggs1990