Metamorphasis

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.

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Slowly but surely this story is growing! Hope that you enjoy this next chapter! Reviews are always welcomed!

"I just hope this paranormal power trip doesn't go to his greased head." I laughed as Keiko smirked slightly, shaking her head.

"You and me both, Elizabeth." She replied easily as we walked along the river. It was late evening, and I could smell the smell of dusk in the air around us, the hot day having cooled down considerably in the wake of nightfall. This was my favorite time of day, not to seem romantic or anything. The bright colors that would fill the sky, and the smells all mixed together to relax me. It let me know another day was done, good or bad, and another was on its way.

Yusuke was on his way.

"I'll just be glad to have him back, though." Keiko admitted softly as I looked over to her, reaching for her shoulder and squeezing it gently. "Hot headed, egotistical behavior and all." She added cynically as I snorted some, shaking my head and dropping my hand from her shoulder.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." I replied, looking out over the river now as we continued to walk on by. I was stopped short, though, by a shadow suddenly enveloping us, and Keiko's surprised shout. A tall dude with dark hair and a sinister smirk on his face stood before us, and I clenched my fists tightly, feeling my stomach sink with nerves. This wasn't good, but at least Keiko and I were together. Safety in numbers.

"Can we help you?" I was surprised to find my voice then, and to hear it loud and unwavering despite my anxiety at our situation. I could fight, but it didn't mean I was any good at it, nor that I wanted to. I wasn't like Yusuke in that sense, but more like Keiko. We could hold our own given a fair chance.

"Well, I was just admiring your pretty little friend here." The man leered at Keiko and Keiko blushed furiously in return. I felt my nails digging into the skin of my palms and out of natural instinct I placed myself between this grease ball and my friend.

"Well I'm sorry to break it to you, buddy, but she isn't interested. Now either you can let us be on our way, or we can cause you some major trouble." I replied darkly, feeling my nerves harden at the leer he continued to make over my shoulder towards Keiko. "Choose wisely, man, I have had a shitty week." I added lowly, digging my feet into the ground in a wide stance like Yusuke had once taught me. I mentally thought of how he might even be a little proud of me right now, before my attention was brought swiftly back towards the situation at hand.

"Think of it as a toll road, missy." The man replied, clearly not deterred by my threat. Rightfully so, who would be afraid of an overweight, short, and be-speckled teen girl like myself? I hardly looked a threat, even when angry. I just prayed something or someone came along to lend me a hand soon, or else I knew I was going to eat my words, and Keiko was going to wind up raped, or worse.

Then two more of his buddies came on in.

Seriously NOT the sign I was looking for.

I glared at the other boys as they came in as well, and another one of them spoke up whiles reaching for Keiko's pigtail, tugging it.

"Give us 500 dollars and we'll let you pass by." The boy to my left spoke up and I glared at him more. "That or we'll take it out of your pretty friend, and maybe even you, instead." He leered at me as well, and I felt my anxiety worsen. Even if Keiko and I could work together, we weren't strong enough to take on three large guys like them and win.

"Get your hands off of her!" I snapped then, reaching out and slapping the guys hand away from Keiko's pig tail, hard. I heard the smack of skin hitting skin echo, and Keiko surprised squeak, before all hell broke loose. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me and pull me down to the ground, groaning as I hit hard. I started to thrash instantly, trying to hit or kick whatever I could as hard as I could. Next to me I could hear Keiko struggling as well, and saw as she kicked and hit the one guy as hard as she could, effectively holding him off, while the other two worked at pinning me down.

"You're a bunch of fucking perverted cowards!" I shouted in frustration, feeling my hands get pinned down. "Keiko! Get the fuck outta here!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Keiko shouted angrily as she kicked the boy with the facial mask hard in the shin, causing him to let her go in his shocked pain. Thatta girl! I groaned as I suddenly felt pain slam against my side, realizing that the leader of this circus had kicked me square in the ribs. Not hard enough to break anything, but definitely hard enough to knock the wind from me. "GET AWAY FROM HER! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Keiko screamed then as she launched herself at the leader, wrapping herself around him from behind and dragging him backwards. I fought hard, freeing my hands momentarily from the shock of the one boy who had been holding them, scrambling to get my footing. I turned sharply once I was stood up, kicking the guy hard in the face and sending blood splattering to the ground from his no doubt broken nose.

Then the last person in the world that I thought would appear thankfully showed up.

"HANDS OFF!" Kuwabara's voice rang loud and clear as everything seemed to pause, and the group of us looked over to him with wide eyes. There he stood, hand in his pocket, looking calm and collected, with his own gang of guys standing there behind him. All three looked ready for a fight, and I felt my legs shaking with relief. I winced as Keiko grabbed my arm and pulled me away while Kuwabara approached, hissing and pressing my hand to my sore side that ached with the motion.

"Lisa, oh my god, are you alright?" Keiko looked pale as she watched me in concern, and I could feel her own hands shaking from adrenaline as she gripped onto my arm.

"Yeah, yeah, it's not broken, just sore." I replied gently, before turning my bewildered gaze back to Kuwabara as he spoke to the guys that had assaulted us.

"I take it you guys are from Kazanega Junior High." He stated, more than asked. "Cause that's where all the idiots go to school." He added matter-of-factly, and Keiko and I moved closer to him and the group of guys he was with. Kuwabara then turned to us, his expression much softer now and I couldn't help but smile up at him in thanks. Keiko and I would have been done for had he and his friends not showed up and decided to step in. That was Kuwabara for you; everyone knew he was Yusuke's rival, and everyone knew that he also lived by an honourable code, which made him one of the most respected delinquents out there.

"It's okay. Just go on home now." Kuwabara told us gently and I looked at him slightly bewildered.

"But I don't even-" Keiko began awkwardly, looking still extremely frightened but relieved at the same time.

"Let's just call it an apology for yesterday." Kuwabara answered and I swallowed thickly, smiling a bit more at him then. I had a whole new appreciation for the guy, and I sure as hell will make sure Yusuke does as well whenever he gets back.

"Thank you." I spoke up, and he looked at me then, giving a simple nod. Keiko then gently began to lead me away.

And we were able to listen to the glorious sound of those boys paying for what they did to both Keiko and myself all the way down the river back home.

~Metamorphosis~

The following morning my ribs were still awfully sore, but I managed to pull together myself enough to make it to school. I had looked at the bruise that had formed over night on my ribs, and it was a nasty piece of work. All kinds of shades of blues and purples, but I counted myself lucky that nothing felt broken. I managed to leave the apartment long before my parents were up, so there wouldn't be any awkward questions asked if they noticed me favoring one side over the other. The less they knew about last night's incident, the better in my opinion.

I was so focused on thinking as I walked down the street, that I didn't notice I was about to ram rather rudely into someone.

"Ompf." I grunted, as my face landed against someone's chest…a decidedly muscular chest, and the force of the hit had us both stumbling backwards slightly. I hissed as well, my side throbbing painfully, but not unbearably so.

"Oh my, I am terribly sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." The man with a smooth voice spoke up first as I was rubbing my nose slightly, trying to make sure that IT wasn't broken now while my other hand pressed against the throbbing in my side.

"No, no, it's not entirely your fault. I was kinda lost in my own thoughts as well." I replied, letting my hand drop and finally getting a real good look at the stranger I had bumped into.

Oh. My. God.

If Adonis had ever chosen to have offspring, I could imagine they would look something like the man in front of me. He had flaming red hair, pale skin, and the most brilliant green eyes I have ever seen. He was tall and lean, and held this look of serenity, despite the obvious concern on his features at the moment.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked again, tilting his head slightly while his eyes shifted towards the hand now pressed against my side. I smiled, trying my hardest to not blush as I waved off his concern.

"This wasn't caused by you, it's a previous injury." I replied lightly as I could, the throbbing slowly coming to a dull roar now, and making it even more bearable. "Well, I should probably be on my way, don't want to make us both late for school." I laughed nervously, noting his own school uniform, very different from my own. He was so damn attractive it wasn't funny, and I needed out of this situation. A.S.A.P.

"Alright, hope your day turns out better." He smiled a charming smile, and finally I couldn't help it any longer. I could feel the blush heating my entire face as I embarrassingly, moved around him as quickly as possible so he hopefully wouldn't catch it.

"You too!" I called out back to him. "Try not to run any more girls over!" Dumby, dumby, dumby. That was such a STUPID thing to say!

"I'll do my best!"

Oh my god, just kill me now. This was NOT how I needed to start my day after last night.

The rest of my walk was thankfully uneventful as I entered the gates to the school, quickly finding Keiko as she stood by the stairs, obviously waiting for me.

"Elizabeth!" She called, running up to me as she saw me and looking me over with concern. "Are you alright? Are you sure your ribs aren't broken? You're awful red."

"Hey Keiko." I smiled, before groaning and linking the arm on my good side with her own. "Please don't ask, I made a fool of myself, that's all. My side is fine." I sighed heavily.

"Made a fool of yourself? How?"

"I…ran into this really hot guy on the way to school. Like….literally ran into the poor dude." I replied, feeling the blush reentering my cheeks once more as I thought of those pretty green eyes..and that strong jaw…

"How on earth could that have been a bad thing?" Keiko asked as she laughed some, walking up the stairs and into the school with me. "Sounds romantic to me! Like out of a novel or something, how true love gets started." She winked and I rolled my eyes, snorting a bit.

"Keiko, come on. Romance novel-esque events aren't for girls like me." I replied, feeling the sharpness in my gut come back as I voiced what everyone around me could see. I wasn't the heroine in a romance novel, I wouldn't get the amazingly good looking hero with the equally amazing personality. I didn't fit the part, and I never probably would.

"Elizabeth, you need to stop." Keiko spoke up, her voice hard, and it caught me by surprise as I paused to look at her wide eyed. "You are a beautiful girl, inside and out, no matter how much you've somehow convinced yourself otherwise. I once thought that putting yourself down like you do constantly was a cry for help. For someone to tell you something different than you are used to thinking of yourself. But I am so sick and tired of you unnecessarily ragging on yourself. It's been overdone now, and I have realized the only person to really make you believe you are worth something more than you think you are is yourself." She ended as she squeezed my arm gently, her gaze still firm and mouth set in a frown. "You need to change the way you look at yourself Lisa, change it to the way I see you…how Yusuke sees you. Then maybe you'd have that confidence that you so desperately need." I felt my heart pull hearing her, knowing then and there that I couldn't have ever asked for a better friend in life.

"Thank you, Keiko." I murmured softly, gently squeezing her hand on my arm with one of my own. "I'll try….but it doesn't change that I did make a fool out of myself today." I laughed a little and she finally broke into a smile as well, laughing too.

"Well, now I want to hear the entire story, and about this mysterious hunk of yours." She added slyly as she winked in my direction. "Cause you never know…."

And Keiko was right. If Yusuke could come back from the dead, I should realize that anything was possible.

Ha.

~Metamorphosis~

I walked on down the street from school, sighing heavily at the large amount of homework stuffed into my backpack. Keiko had to stay back herself for another student meeting. It's on afternoons like today I am infinitely glad I hadn't let her bully me into being on student council. Yusuke, of course, had helped me avoid her for the entire time she was trying to recruit us both. I couldn't help the sad but warm feeling that flowed through me at that thought, and at those memories. I just had to remember that I was going to get my best friend back soon.

As I continued to walk, lost in my thoughts, I was coherent enough to take notice of the familiar blue uniform and orange coloured hair ahead of me. It was Kuwabara, and strangely enough he was walking alone.

"Kuwabara!" I shouted to get his attention to stop, knowing my ribs weren't exactly up for running to catch him. I smiled when he stopped and turned to face me, walking up at a slightly faster pace to catch him. "Hey, I just wanted to thank you again for your help yesterday." I sighed as I looked up to him. "If you and your friends hadn't shown up, there's no telling…" I trailed off with a frown, looking over his own injuries from the fight last night as well. "Oh man, I'm so sorry."

"What? No, don't be sorry." Kuwabara replied quickly as he frowned some hearing me. "It's those jerks that outta be sorry, and believe me they are." He smirked victoriously and I couldn't help giggling a bit at the sight. It reminded me so much of Yusuke. "How are your ribs?"

"Oh! They're sore, but fine." I reassured him but he still shook his head, looking disgusted.

"I tell you, it's the scum of the earth that pick on women and children like that." He murmured angrily, and I cocked my head to the side, once again admiring him in a new light.

"You're a great guy, Kuwabara." I spoke up after a bit of silence, watching his cheeks flush a little as he reached back to rub the back of his head in bashfulness.

"Well, I try." He joked lightly, and I smiled all the more. Yet another thing that Yusuke and Kuwabara had in common, both guys would try to act all tough, but are secretly softies at heart.

"Did you want some company for the walk home. I go down this road a ways before I turn off towards my place." I spoke up then, and Kuwabara looked a little nervous. "I mean, you don't have to walk with me if you don't want to-" I tried to give him an out, feeling embarrassed now myself for assuming he'd be okay with being friends, but he cut me off before I could.

"No, Simons, it's not that-"

"Call me Elizabeth, or even Lisa, I prefer first names."

"Lisa, okay, well, as I was saying, it's not that I don't want your company. It's just…complicated." Kuwbara sighed some as he frowned deeply, obviously trying a way to word whatever it was he needed to say. "It's not safe to be around me right now-"

"Kuwabara we've been waiting!" A voice suddenly rang out, and both Kuwabara and I turned to look at the boys, shock to find it was the same boys from the night before. "Looks like you brought our friend from last night too. Sorry, didn't realize she was yours man." The guy leered at me now, as if seeing me for the first time in a light I didn't really like.

"You have got to be kidding me." I muttered under my breath as Kuwabara tensed up beside me, no doubt getting ready for a fight. I wouldn't be much help, especially with my ribs still being so sore, but I wasn't about to leave Kuwabara alone with these guys either.

"Lisa, get out of here." Kuwabara muttered quietly to me and I shook my head stubbornly.

"No, it's three against one. You're outnumbered." I replied defiantly, and he groaned some.

"Aw, isn't that sweet, she wants to stay and fight her boyfriend's battle for him." The guy with the mask sarcastically cooed. I tensed, my hands balling into fists then and planting my feet against the ground as I had the night before.

"You don't understand, Lisa. You need to leave. Now." Kuwabara growled lowly as I frowned all the more, looking up to him then.

"What on earth are you talking about-"

"Now's really not the time!" Kuwabara shouted then, more so towards the guys than me, as he turned and…

Jumped the fence, effectively running from the boys.

What. The. Fuck.

"Kazuma Kuwabara, what the hell do you think you are doing?!" I shouted after him indignantly, before glancing back to the boys who all looked in shock as well for the time being. I took that momentary grace period and shuffled through the fence as well, wincing as it jarred my ribs slightly, before running off in the direction he had gone. It wasn't long before I heard the footsteps following close behind me as I continued to run, my ribs on fire as I did.

"What is this Kuwabara?! Are you actually running away like a sissy?!" One of the boys antagonized and I watched as he came to a sudden halt ahead of me, catching him then as I did.

"What are you doing?!" I gasped out for air. "Keep running you, dipshit!" I grabbed his arm then in both my hands, moving to drag him forward with me, but he stopped me. I looked back at him, completely bewildered. First he uncharacteristically runs, and then he stops running to suddenly face them? I don't get it! I look around, thinking maybe his buddies are going to pop out from a bush, tree, anything, just to make sense if this was some sort of strategy or not.

"Oh no. I'm not going anywhere." Kuwabara growled out then, standing tall as the boys caught up to us from behind.

"Kuwabara." I hissed at him angrily, standing slightly behind him now as he pushed me there. "You're going to get the crap beat out of you!"

"He does have the guts to face us without his slave boys." The leader smirked as I frowned all the more hearing him, knowing what this was about now. It wasn't about being smart, it was about honor and pride. "I suppose when we are done with you, we'll take your girl off of your hands." He leered at me, and I felt a shudder run down my spine. I have never once felt so…molested as I did in that moment. No guy had ever looked at me that way, not that I had noticed, and with cruel intentions to boot. I felt Kuwabara tense at the threat they made against me, and I frowned all the more as he looked over his shoulder towards me.

"Lisa, I'll say this one last time. Go. I won't be able to hold them off for too long, but just long enough for you to get away. I can't explain the situation now, but just trust me on this." He asked me imploringly, and I knew what he was trying to do…and again he reminded me so much of Yusuke that it hurt. I felt a loyalty towards this guy, not to the same caliber as the loyalty I had to Keiko or Yusuke, but the foundations were there. I shook my head, tugging my hand from his own then as I did.

"I won't leave you to do whatever it is you have to do alone." I replied evenly. "I'm your friend Kuwabara, whether you want my friendship or not, and I don't leave my friends hanging. That's my honor code." I told him then as I looked up at him determinedly, and he looked momentarily shocked before he slowly nodded.

"Just…stay as far away from the fight as you can while it's going on. Run. Hide. Make sure they don't see you after it's all said and done." He told me seriously and I gulped nervously. Something told me Kuwabara was planning on coming out of this fight in less than alright condition.

"O-okay, I'll be there with you when it's done." I murmured shakily, reaching forward and squeezing his hand, before doing as he told me to and running off into the bushes, out of sight.

"Aw, your girlfriend isn't going to stick around to watch us whoop your ass?" The guy to the leaders left harassed Kuwabara further as I frowned all the more, finding a hedge to squat behind, something that hid me from view, but I was able to see everything from between the leaves.

"Leave her out of this." Kuwabara replied as he hopped the fence. "She's a friend of mine. Talk all you want, but I want to see what you can actually do." He spoke bravely as I watched intently, waiting for someone to make the first move. "But I'm not going to fight back. So you just hit me as much as you're gonna and then get out of here!"

My mouth dropped open in shock.

What on earth was that boy thinking?! He couldn't be serious?!

It wasn't until the first few blows to Kuwabara's stomach and face, that I realized the guy was absolutely dead serious.

"Oh…Kuwabara." I murmured sadly as I watched as he was hit time after time, wincing with the sound of his grunts, the skin on skin, his body hitting the ground. I don't know why he was doing this, but there had to be a good reason. I felt my heart constrict all the more and my eyes burn with tears as I watched this good man take the beating of his young life. I knew if I were to step out and try to hurt I would only make things worse, and that's the last thing he needed right now. No matter how every instinct in me was pushing me to get out there and help him, I knew that helping him was only going to get him into further trouble.

"It's official guys, Kuwabara has turned into a wuss."

No, he hasn't. It's you guys who are wusses. Beating on a man who clearly isn't going to fight back, making it easy for you guys. Assholes. Kuwabara is twice the man any of you will ever amount to be.

It was then that something broke in Kuwabara and I watched as he stood up, nearly hitting the leader that had antagonized him…but again he fell short, stopping himself once more. I just didn't get it. Why was he not fighting back?!

"Look at this wimp! Fight back!" The two other goons started in on him as well, and my heart broke all over again. I wanted them to have their fill, be done with it. Clearly by now they were just beating on him for the sake of it rather than trying to make a point about last night.

I gasped as I watched him hit the ground, thinking for sure he was out for the count, but was once again shocked as I heard his pain riddled voice speaking up once more.

"I got one favor to ask of you guys. Take out all your anger on me and leave my buddies out of this." He grunted as I frowned all the more, wondering what the hell he was up to. Obviously he was protecting his friends, which was admirable, but from what I saw the night before they could all hold their own as well.

Why was he protecting them?

"Yeah, I think we can handle that." The guy with the mask spoke up in his sleazy voice, the same voice sending disgusting shivers down my spine. "Hitting you's more fun anyhow." I felt my anger boiling up, wishing I could just walk out there and stop the fighting, but I knew realistically I couldn't. I had to wait for it to be done, then I could help him.

It felt like hours, when in reality it was probably only minutes, before the group sauntered off, leaving a very broken Kuwabara in their wake.

I rushed over as quickly as I could, gasping as I saw how swollen his face was, and no doubt his sides, stomach and legs were all in an immense amount of pain as well.

"Oh…Kazuma." I murmured as I knelt down by his head, grabbing his shoulders and gently shifting him so his head would be comfortable in my lap. "What on earth was all that about? Why didn't you fight back."

"Teacher…at school…threatened my friend." He groaned a little, and I gently helped him up into a sitting position as he tried to move on his own. "Said if we fought anyone for the next while, he would get my friend fired from his job. He needs that job to provide for his family." Kuwabara spat out a wack of blood then as I winced slightly, wondering how he even made it through the beating alive.

"You're a pretty amazing person, Kazuma." I murmured admirably, frowning all the more as he moved to stand. "Wait, you shouldn't be standing so soon-"

"I'm fine." Kuwabara replied curtly then, and I was slightly hurt by his sudden cold shoulder. I tried not to take it personally. His pride, and ego had been severely damaged by now, and even if he did it for a good reason, for a friend, it didn't take the humiliation and frustration away at the moment. "You should go." He added gruffy as he picked up his briefcase, and I nodded, once again trying not to take his stand-offishness personally. I stood as well, dusting the dirt off of my knees, before jumping when a large and heavy hand landed on my shoulder.

"Hey…thanks…for sticking around." He murmured, clearly uncomfortable with having to swallow his pride even further to realize he indeed had had someone looking out for him.

"It's the least I could have done Kuwabara, and I'm glad that I did." I replied gently then as I took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I hope that maybe we can be friends?" I asked lightly, looking up to him hopefully. I couldn't tell why, but I had this feeling deep in my stomach that Kuwabara was a person I was meant to be around, someone I should count as part of my life. He was an extraordinary boy in my books, no matter how much he and Yusuke would rag on one and other.

"I think we can, Lisa." He replied with a small smile…or I think it was a smile. Unfortunately it looked more like a pained grimace with how swollen his poor face was.

"Alright, take care of yourself, Kuwabara." I told him, worried to leave him alone, but not wanting to hurt his pride any further.

"I'll see you in school, Simons." He turned around and left then, heading in the opposite direction we had come from, and I sighed softly, shaking my head before continuing on my own path home.

What. A. Day.

Looking forward to getting to the good stuff! So also...I was intending on making this a KuramaOC story (very slow burn though). What are your thoughts? Do you feel there are better options?

Best!

Tiggs1990