Musical Espionage

Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or any of its characters being that they belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. The only thing I do own in this story is my OCs Jasmine and Christine.

Chapter 11: From Valdez to Mushiori City

Two days after Christmas, Jasmine walked the streets of Valdez alone deep in her thoughts. She still couldn't get the thoughts about the battle to save Koenma from the gang of brainwashed demon assassins and the masked individual who hired them out of her mind. Nobody could figure out who that man was and they haven't heard from him since that day.

Jasmine wished that she would have also saved Kalem from his fate but, he was so overcome with his guilt of the crimes he committed, he couldn't go on. Over these past couple of days, Koenma and her family tried to console her by telling the young woman she did all she could and that some people cannot be helped.

Jasmine was not stupid and in fact, as a medical professional, med student, and future doctor, she knew that. She had taken care of many individuals who were terminally ill and couldn't be cured and did her best to help those people live the remainder of their lives in the most comfortable way possible.

The young demon hunter had been around death her whole life well, since she was five years old. Coming from a family of demon hunters, it was just something she had to deal with. There were some days that she wondered how she could do it but, she knew that answer. It was a part of life, her life.

She then chuckled and thought to herself, "I guess that's another reason why Koenma and I are so compatible. He deals with dead people all the time and it doesn't faze him. Or at least I don't think it does."

Jasmine gripped onto her black and white handbag that she had slung on her small bony shoulder. She walked down the street that was at the Valdez Boat Harbor. She could smell the scent of the ocean's saltwater in the air along with the smell of salmon from the salmon hatchery across the bay.

A sound of a foghorn filled the air and she then turns around and looked out at the waterfront. She and Koenma had another week until they were to leave to go back to Mushiori City and Jasmine still wanted to enjoy their winter vacation before she would start her second semester of medical school.

Her mind then drifted off to the memory of when she had her first demon encounter. In fact, it wasn't as scary or negative as most people who were born with a spiritual awareness would expect. In fact, her first demon was quite friendly and still lived in Valdez trying to live peacefully among the town's citizens. But still, she would never forget how scared he was when she first met him.

*Sixteen Years Earlier*

Little four year old Jasmine played by herself in her bedroom being that her two older siblings; six year old Caroline and nine year old Niles were at school. It really sucked that they got to go to school and she didn't because she was too young. Yet, she still went to preschool a couple of days a week but, it still wasn't enough for her.

Jasmine sat down in front of her pink Barbie Dream House with the blue roof holding her favorite Barbie, that she named "Charlotte" in her small hand. She brushed the Asian Barbie doll's black hair and set her in a chair at a little pink and white table.

Little Jasmine picked up a small miniature pink teapot and asked Charlotte the Barbie doll, "Would you like some tea Charlotte?"

She stared at the doll and pretended that Charlotte said yes. Jasmine then pretended to pour tea in the miniature pink teacup, "Here you go."

Just then she heard a thumping sound from inside of her closet. Little Jasmine turned around and looked at the two wooden double doors with mirrors on them. She guessed that the family cat named "Tabitha" got in again and was playing with the stuffed animals that were piled in there or got into her sister's dresser again.

Jasmine shared a bedroom with her older sister Caroline while Niles got his own room for being the only boy. The little four year old psychic got up from her sitting position and slowly walked over to the closet.

She heard a thumping sound again and she then asked still assuming it was the cat, "Hello? Tabitha?"

Suddenly a man's voice spoke, "Hello? Where am I?"

Jasmine stopped in her tracks and then she sensed something. The little psychic four year old could sense something was weird about whoever or whatever was inside her closet. She didn't know if she should be scared or not, so just to be careful, she picked up one of her pink Barbie cars, so she can use it as a weapon if the thing in her closet tried hurting her.

The voice spoke again, "Hello? I can't see, it's dark, where am I?"

Jasmine didn't respond as she slowly walked towards the closet. She stood on her tip toes to reach the handles of the two double doors. Her tiny hands gripped onto the cool metal handles and she then pulled the two doors open. A few of the stuffed animals came tumbling down as did something with purple skin, long black hair and pointy ears falling on its stomach.

The thing then sat up and took one look at the little girl standing before it who had her toy car raised looking as if she was going to hit it on the head. It blinked its beetle black eyes at her and Jasmine could see the fearful look on its face. She lowered her toy Barbie car and said, "Hi, what are you doing in my closet?"

The thing looked at her with a blank expression on its ugly purple face and replied, "I didn't know that was your closet. So, you can sense me? You're just a human, a little human at that."

Jasmine stared at it and sensing its inhuman energy she asked, "What are you? You don't seem like a human. Are you human?"

The purple thing shook its head, "No, I'm a demon and well, I just came here from Spirit World and some silly reason the gateway threw me into your closet."

Jasmine sat down in front of the purple demon and then cocked her head to the side and eye it curiously, "Why did you choose to hide in my closet?"

The demon chuckled at the little girl's curiosity, "I already told you, the gateway just opened up there. The thing is, I'm running away."

Jasmine moved her head back and asked, "Why?"

The demon picked up a stuffed puppy and held it in his purple hands and sighed, "Because, a bad man is trying to get me to do bad things that I don't want to do and I had to get away." He looked around the room seeing the bunk bed, many Rubbermaid containers that contained toys, a second wooden dresser that wasn't in the closet along with two Barbie Dream Houses, a Barbie alarm clock sitting on the wooden dresser, and many movie and cartoon posters hanging the walls.

Still holding the stuffed puppy he shifted his attention back to Jasmine, "So, this is the Human World? It's a lot smaller than I imagined."

Jasmine giggled and then said, "You're in the bedroom I share with my sister. She's at school but, I'm not because I don't get to go until I'm in Kindergarten next year." She sighed, "There's whole big world out there for you to explore."

She the stood back up and pointed at her big window that was framed with old bed sheets that were held up by an old scrunchie being that the old curtain rods were missing, "Take a look."

The demon stood up and its beetle black eyes widened taking a look. He saw the street lined with houses with tons of snow capped trees with big snow covered mountains in the background. "Wow, the Human World is so pretty. Those mountains are huge, the biggest I have ever seen."

The demon then felt his stomach rumble and he shifted his attention to the psychic four year old and then said, "I'm hungry, do you have any salmon? It doesn't matter which kind it is."

Jasmine looked up at the demon who was over a foot taller than her and blinked with confusion, "I thought demons eat people. My mommy told me."

The purple demon chuckled, "Not all of us. Yeah, some do but, I'm one of those that feed on the flesh of salmon to survive. Human flesh makes my kind vomit."

Jasmine smiled, "Yeah, we have some. My daddy cooked a lot for dinner last night."

She then stuck out her small hand to him, "Come on, I'll take you to the kitchen."

The purple demon looked at the little girl's small hand. He flipped some of his long black hair over his shoulder and with the free hand that wasn't holding the stuffed puppy, he took Jasmine's hand and she then led him over to her bedroom door.

She looked back up at him and asked, "What's your name?"

The demon looked down at her and said, "Hiroshi, what's your name?"

"Jasmine and I'm four years old. How old are you?"

Hiroshi the demon chuckled, "Four hundred."

Jasmine smiled and then turned around and opened up her bedroom door and guided Hiroshi out of her room, through the hallway, the living room where her father, William Black was sitting on the couch reading a "Heavy Metal" graphic novel, and into the kitchen.

They walked up to the refrigerator and Jasmine let go of Hiroshi's hand. She grasped the handle and opened up the fridge. Her large brown eyes scanned the shelves until she saw the Tupperware container full of salmon on the top shelf. Jasmine stood on her tip toes and reached for it.

Her small hand accidently hit the container of butter and knocked it off the shelf. It hit the kitchen floor with a semi-loud bang. William put his book down when he heard the noise. He set it down on the couch and then asked, "Jasmine? What are you doing?"

Not getting a response from his youngest daughter, he then got up and made his way over to the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw. His bright blue eyes widened seeing the purple demon standing with his daughter with the refrigerator door wide open.

The ordinary human man, picked up a wooden broom and rushed over, "Who hell are you and what you doing in my house? Get away from my daughter!"

Jasmine and Hiroshi the demon turned around. The little four year old psychic held the plastic Tupperware container full of salmon in her small hands. She ran in front of Hiroshi to protect him from her angry father stomping towards them gripping onto a wooden broomstick.

"Daddy no!"

The purple demon just cowered behind the little girl and William stopped in front of them still gripping onto the broom. He sighed, "Jasmine explain to me what's going on here and what are you doing with that salmon?"

Jasmine bit her lip and looked down at her feet knowing what she is doing is probably wrong but, she still wanted to help Hiroshi. William gave his daughter a stern look and then spoke in a gentle yet stern voice, "Jasmine answer me, what are you doing and where did this demon come from?"

She took a deep breath, knowing that lying would get her in more trouble. Jasmine looked back up at her father and then said, "H…he wound up in my closet. He came from some place called Spirit World and his gateway opened up in there. He's running away from a bad man that wants to make him do bad things that he don't want to do. And he's also hungry. Daddy, he needs to eat salmon to live."

William just stared blankly at his daughter. He couldn't believe what he just heard but, he lowered his broomstick and then sighed, "Jasmine…" He didn't get to finish his sentence seeing the pleading look in Jasmine's large brown eyes.

William shook his head and closed his eyes pinching the bridge of his nose. He then put his hand back down and opened his blue eyes back up, "Alright, let's just wait for your mother to come home and let her figure this out. But, keep in mind, he can't stay here."

Hiroshi the demon then quit cowering behind Jasmine not believing his ears. He then spoke up, "S…sir, I wasn't going to hurt you or your daughter, honest. My gateway just randomly opened up here and I haven't had anything to eat in weeks."

Jasmine formed a smile on her young face, "Thank you daddy."

*End Flashback*

Still staring at the bay, Jasmine chuckled to herself. She remembered that once her mother got home, she had a confused look in her face seeing a demon that she had never met or seen before sitting in her living room with her youngest daughter and husband. William had explained to Janine what was going on and instead of attacking Hiroshi; she just listened to the frightened purple demon's story and realized how harmless he was.

Jasmine smiled to herself, her mother was always level headed when it came to judging whether or not a demon is dangerous and the middle aged demon hunter was a good judge of character. Not long after that, Hiroshi wound up staying in Valdez and became a friend of the family who found work as a menial laborer shoveling and plowing snow, working as a janitor at many businesses, removing and planting trees, helped maintain the town's main tourist sites and even babysat Jasmine and her siblings when her parents wanted to go out on a date when their grandparents weren't available. In fact, there were several demons that lived in the small Alaskan harbor town that proven to be harmless around humans and lived relatively normal lives.

Just at the corner of her eye, Jasmine then looked down at the boat harbor and saw a familiar face tie up their boat to the dock. Her eyes widened recognizing him. She then waved and shouted, "Hey Hiroshi!"

Hiroshi the purple demon looked up. He brushed a few strands of his long black hair out of his face and smiled recognizing the lovely young woman and waved back, "Hello Jasmine!"

Jasmine then walked down to the dock and they gave each other a hug. Once they ended their short embrace, Hiroshi gave her a bright smile, "It's good to see you again. I see you're still the same height you were seven years ago but, something is different. Oh, your hair, it's longer."

Jasmine smiled, "I decided to grow it out after I graduated from high school. So, how have you been?"

Hiroshi put his hands in the pockets of his blue windbreaker, "Great, salmon season was awesome this year and I caught so many; so I'm set for the whole winter. How are things going for you and the family?"

Sounds of seagulls squawking filled the air, "We're doing great. I'm in college now and in fact, I'm in medical school. Caroline is currently in her final year of graduate school and at the end of this spring she'll graduate with her Master's in Elementary Education. Niles lives in Kyoto and works a real good job as an electronics salesmen and mom and dad are trying to keep busy. Mom's disabled and she can't work anymore but, she has taken up crocheting and formed her own crochet club and dad's job as a chemist is going well."

"I'm glad to hear that you guys are doing well; that's some of the best news I've heard in a long time." The purple demon took a zip lock bag full of salmon jerky out of his pocket, reached his hand into the bag and took out a piece and popped it into his mouth. He swallowed it whole and then asked, "So, what brings you back here?"

A seagull landed next to them and Jasmine then replied, "I'm visiting my grandparents for Christmas with my new boyfriend."

Hiroshi swallowed another piece of salmon jerky, "Who's the lucky guy?"

Jasmine giggled and then sighed dreamily, "His name is Koenma and he's the most wonderful man in the three planes of existence."

Hiroshi just stood there holding a piece of salmon jerky and eyed the young psychic curiously, "Koenma? Are you talking about the Prince of the Spirit World by any chance?"

Jasmine just stared at him blankly, "Yeah. Hiroshi, do you know him?"

The purple demon popped the piece of salmon jerky into his mouth and swallowed it, "I know of him. You know most if not all demons do. I'd be careful if I were you."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at him, "Why? Koenma is not a bad guy. He's really sweet once you get to know him."

Hiroshi scratched the back of his head and sighed, "You know the bad man that I told you about sixteen years ago?"

The demon hunter nodded, "Yeah."

Hiroshi gripped onto his bag of salmon jerky tightly, "Well, that man is his father. Jasmine, I don't want to see you get hurt. You know, just in case, he's anything like that bastard."

"Koenma is nothing like him. He's very kind, fair, just, sweet, funny, a good friend and an all around good person. Sure, he may get angry and spiteful when someone is mean to him but, I don't think Koenma shares anything in common with his father."

"What makes you so sure?"

Jasmine sighed in slight irritation for Hiroshi's paranoia, "I have gotten to know him over the last several months since I met him last spring in March during my Spring Break. Besides, Koenma and King Yama haven't been getting along lately."

Hiroshi stared at her blankly, "Why is that?"

Jasmine went on to tell the purple salmon eating demon about the events that led to Koenma's exile from Spirit World, the pact that King Yama made with the three kings of Demon World to send away Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama and how it affected the prince in such a negative way. She also explained how he was now welcome to come back home but, Koenma had refused still being pissed off at his dad for the bullshit he pulled and all of the assassination attempts that were made on him by a person that Jasmine suspected

either knew or worked for the king.

Hiroshi just stood there still gripping onto his bag of salmon jerky. He just couldn't believe what he had just heard and he began to feel bad about the things he said about Koenma.

"Wow, that's harsh. That poor, poor man; I feel really bad about those nasty things I said about him."

Jasmine chuckled, "It's okay. I know you're trying to look out for me Hiroshi. You know, you have always been like a second brother to me."

Hiroshi smiled and then checked his watch, "Well Jasmine, I would love to chat some more but, I got to go groom the ski trail again. It was good to see you again and tell your family I said hi."

They gave each other a small hug and then parted, "I will and you take care of yourself. I heard that it's been getting rough for demons around here."

Hiroshi chuckled, "Don't worry; I know how to take care of myself. Take care."

She nodded, "Bye Hiroshi, it was good talking to you."

Jasmine then walked back up to the street and they waved goodbye to each other. The young demon hunter then walked back into the main part of town, away from the docks and the waterfront. She continued walking for another ten minutes until she approached a small single story white colored building that had a big sign in front of it with a picture of a halibut wearing a chef's hat and big black letters that read:

Alaska Halibut House

Jasmine walked across the icy parking lot, careful not to slip on the ice and walked inside the building. She approached the front counter with her cousin, Julia Sweeting and her girlfriend, Katherine Holden behind it. Cousin Julia then greeted, "Hello, welcome to the Halibut House."

Jasmine gave her cousin a smile, "Hi Julia, hello Katherine."

The demon hunter with the dyed blue hair filled up a slushy called a "Slush Puppy" for another customer and then faced her cousin, "So, where's your god boy toy?"

Jasmine started cracked up at Julia calling Koenma her "boy toy" and replied, "He's hanging out with Niles at grandma and grandpa's marathoning Star Wars today. I really needed some time to myself to think about stuff and he understood even though he said he wanted to cheer me up later. Koenma is such an awesome friend and boyfriend."

Cousin Julia smiled and then changed the subject, "So, what would you like to order?"

Jasmine looked up at the menu posted on the wall behind the counter, "I'll have the battered halibut with French fries, bottled water, and a chocolate milkshake."

The young woman with the dyed blue hair tallied up her order and Jasmine paid for it. Julia then handed her the receipt, "You're order number fifteen." Seeing her cousin's far off look she then asked, "Are you doing better or are you still shaken up from the battle the other day?"

Jasmine looked at her receipt and back up to her blue haired cousin, "I'm okay. You and the family don't need to fret; I got enough of that from Koenma this morning."

She then walked into the dining area with Cousin Julia just looking at her, feeling concern for her cousin. Katherine put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, "Just let her have her space. She needs to sort this out on her own if she so chooses."

Julia gave her a sweet smile knowing that she's right and then went to get Jasmine her water and make her the chocolate milkshake. Jasmine sat down at one of the wooden tables in the back next to the backdoor. A minute later, Julia walked in carrying her cousin's water and milkshake and set it down in front of her.

Cousin Julia gave her a warm comforting smile and said, "Your meal will be ready in fifteen minutes. Do you need some company or someone to talk to?"

Jasmine gave her cousin a friendly smile and replied, "No thanks Jules, I just want some time to myself and besides you have to work."

The blue haired psychic nodded in understanding, "Okay, I'll go help Kat prepare your lunch."

Julia walked back into the kitchen leaving Jasmine alone sipping on her chocolate shake. Fifteen minutes later, Katherine emerged from the kitchen with Jasmine's meal and set it down in front of her, "Here you go, enjoy."

Jasmine smiled at the ordinary human woman, "Thanks Kat." Katherine smiled giving her a curt nod and then walked back into the kitchen then back to the front counter to assist Julia with the other customers.

Jasmine picked up her metal fork and knife and cut open her freshly piping hot halibut. She cut off a small piece and dipped it into her ketchup, leaving her tartar sauce untouched. The young demon hunter put the freshly cooked flat fish into her mouth staring at the tartar sauce not really thinking about anything.

She then washed it down with her water and took a couple more gulps of her chocolate shake. As she continued to eat her halibut and fries, she her mind began to wander again. As she gulped down more of her chocolate milkshake, Jasmine began to think about her fifth birthday and when she received or more like inherited her weapons.

*Fifteen Years Prior*

Sounds of noise makers and music filled the air. The young children of the family, her siblings and cousins bopped balloons of all colors and sizes back and forth to each other. Jasmine's fifth birthday party was in full swing and it was awesome because it was at one of her favorite restaurants in town. The party was being held at one of the most popular eating establishments in town, which was a local pizza joint that also served king crab, fish, and Italian food and they served the best homemade pizza and calzones in town.

This popular eatery is called "Mike's Palace" and they always held birthday parties in their backroom for people regardless if they were kids or adults. One of the ordinary human waitresses walked in with a couple of pepperoni pizzas and set them down on the wooden table.

Another waitress walked in with two trays of drinks for the entire family and family friends in attendance and set them down next to the pizza. One the waitresses then asked, "Okay, who's the birthday girl?"

The newly five year old Jasmine wearing a princess tiara on her head didn't say anything but, her mother, Janine sure did, "She's right here. Jasmine tell the nice lady how old you are."

Little five year old Jasmine looked up at her and mumbled, "Five." The waitress looked at her and blinked, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. How old did you say you were?"

Jasmine then sighed and spoke a bit louder, "Five."

When Jasmine said that, it cued another waitress who was actually her Aunt Demetra walked in with Hiroshi the purple demon carrying in the homemade birthday cake her mother made. It was a chocolate cake with purple frosting and pink roses on top that had pink words that were written on it that read:

Happy Birthday Jasmine

All of the party guests then sang the "Happy Birthday" song for her and once the song ended, the little five year old psychic blew out her candles. Aunt Demetra and Hiroshi set the cake down on the table in between the two pizzas. Janine then cut the cake and once everyone had eaten that and the pizza with exception of Hiroshi the demon who enjoyed his smoked salmon, it was time for Jasmine to open her presents.

The little five year old psychic opened several of her presents most of which were toys or dolls. Then only three were left. The first one handed to her was a long skinny one wrapped in cherry red wrapping paper. Her great-grandmother, Meredith McAlpin then spoke, "Now Jasmine, since you are now at a very special age, one of the first steps of becoming a demon hunter is picking your weapon of choice."

The thin elderly woman took a sip from her soda and then continued, "These last three aren't actually gifts. They are really three weapons that were once used by one of our permanently retired or deceased family members. You can only pick one and that weapon will be yours to keep until either you retire or die."

Her grandfather, Demetrius then added, "Go ahead and open the first one and see what it is and we'll explain who it's from."

Little Jasmine was hesitant and then Hiroshi the demon said in encouragement, "Go ahead, little lady, it's okay."

Still hesitant, her little hand then shook and her father then asked, "Jasmine do you need help?"

Jasmine shook her head, "No." She took a deep breath and then tore off the cherry red wrapping paper to reveal a large sheaved katana sword that was twice the size of her small body.

Great-grandma Meredith then spoke, "That katana once belonged to your great-grandfather, my husband, Roland Evan McAlpin I, and may he rest in peace. Go ahead and try it out."

Little Jasmine then gripped onto the katana's hilt and then tried to unsheaf it. She did and with how heavy it was for her small five year old body, she dropped it on the floor with a clank. Seeing what she did and thinking that she might be in trouble for dropping a priceless family heirloom, Jasmine began to cry.

Seeing this, Janine then put her hand on her little daughter's shoulder in comfort, "Sweetie don't cry, it's okay."

Little Jasmine looked up at her mother, with tears pouring from her large brown eyes and she sniffled, "B…but…I…I…d…dropped it. G…Great G…grandma is…is…"

Great-grandma Meredith gave her a comforting smile and spoke in a sweet voice, "Oh Jasmine, I'm not mad that you dropped your great-grandpa's sword. It's just too heavy, so it's probably not a good fit for you. There are two more weapons to pick from. Now, come here and give me a hug and no more crying okay?"

Jasmine stopped crying and then hiccupped. She ran over to her great-grandmother and hugged her thin frail body. Great-grandma Meredith kissed the top of her head as she rubbed the little new demon hunter's back in comfort.

They then broke their embrace and the elderly retired demon hunter lifted the little five year old and gently sat her down on her bony lap. Meredith looked over to the family's purple demon friend, "Hiroshi, can you get us the second?"

Hiroshi nodded and then picked up another package wrapped up in sky blue wrapping paper. He then carried the unusually shaped blue package that kind of looked like a half circle and handed it to Jasmine. Hiroshi gave Jasmine another encouraging smile, "Maybe this one might your weapon."

Jasmine sat there sucking on her thumb and looked around the room at her relatives and family friends. Janine gave her youngest daughter a stern look, "Jasmine take your thumb out of your mouth. You're too old for that and please don't start biting your nails again."

William chuckled at his psychic wife and put his hand on her meaty shoulder, "Honey, she's just nervous. I bet you were on your fifth birthday."

Janine was about to say something but, she realized her ordinary human husband was right and remembered that she was the same way on her fifth birthday as was her five siblings and also Niles and Caroline were too.

Seven year old Caroline gave her little sister a comforting smile and asked, "Jasmine can I help you open that one?"

Janine shifted her attention to her older blond haired daughter, "Caroline Alexis Black, you know damn well she has to open them on her own like you and your brother did. Jasmine take your thumb out of your mouth, I'm not going to ask you again."

Jasmine looked at her mother whom stared at both of her daughters in a stern way and it kind of scared her. The little brunette psychic took her thumb out of her mouth and Caroline sighed. The little blond replied, "Sorry mom."

Not saying another word, Jasmine then tore off the sky blue wrapping paper to reveal a metal bow and arrow with ornate red colored designs on it. Great-grandma Meredith let Jasmine hop off her lap.

The retired demon hunter spoke, "That bow and arrow used to belong to your great uncle Roland II. Try it out."

Jasmine then lifted the bow and arrow and tried to aim but, dropped the arrow. Instead of crying this time, she just stared at it and frowned. The new demon hunter then grumbled about to start throwing a tantrum over how bad she was at it, "I don't like this one. I can pick it up but, I don't like it. I can't shoot the arrow."

Great-grandma Meredith chuckled and said to her son, "Demetrius take that away from your granddaughter before she starts throwing a fit."

Demetrius nodded and knelt down beside his granddaughter, "Jasmine, can I have it?"

Jasmine nodded her head up and down as in a yes and shoved it in her grandfather's hand, "Yeah, I don't want it."

Demetrius then smiled and gladly retrieved the bow and picked up the arrow that was lying on the floor and set it down on the table where Hiroshi put the katana. He then shifted his attention to the purple demon, "Hiroshi, the last one please."

Hiroshi nodded and the picked up a square package with beautiful lavender wrapping paper with a pink bow on top. He walked over to Jasmine and handed her the package. The entire family and the family friends in attendance all gathered around Jasmine. They all watched her in anticipation and began to talk amongst themselves.

One of Jasmine's aunts, Aunt Theresa then said, "I hope she finally decides, most of everyone else has picked their weapons on the first or second try."

Janine eyed her youngest sister with annoyance and rolled her big brown eyes at her, "Can it Theresa, Jasmine is just very picky just give her some time."

Aunt Theresa sighed, "She's taking too long. Good grief, for a five year old, she's just so particular."

Janine sighed beginning to get irritated with her, "Theresa please."

Jasmine looked up at the two arguing women, "Aunt Theresa be quiet."

Aunt Theresa was about to say something to her little five year old niece but, she then decided it wasn't worth it to argue with a little kid. Great-grandma Meredith shook her head at her two granddaughters and shifted her attention back to her great-granddaughter sitting on the floor with the lavender wrapped box.

"Go ahead Jasmine, open it. You might like this one."

Jasmine stared at the package on her lap and then tore off the pink bow and stuck the sticky part on her head and let the pink object sit on her brown curls. The little psychic then tore off the lavender wrapping paper to reveal a brown cardboard box. Jasmine raised her eyebrows at it.

She just stared at the box and then asked, "A box?"

Great-grandma Meredith chuckled, "Open the box, the weapons are in there."

Taking her great-grandma's word for it, Jasmine opened up the box and her eyes grew wide looking at what was in it. She then reached inside and took out a set of red and black fans. Holding a fan in each of her small hands, Little Jasmine then opened one.

Her brown eyes widened, "Cool!" She opened the other one and a look of excitement formed on her face, "Wow!"

Seeing the look on her great-granddaughter's face, Meredith brightly smiled, "I see you are taking a liking to those."

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah, they are so pretty and cool."

Meredith smiled, "I'm glad and do you know who those fans used to belong to?"

Jasmine shook her head, "No."

The old retired demon hunter took another sip from her soda and replied, "Those fans used to belong to me. Now Jasmine, I'm only going to ask you this once, which weapon do you chose, your great-grandfather's katana, your great uncle's bow and arrow or my fans?"

Jasmine looked at the set of fans that she held in her small hands and back up at the table where the katana and bow and arrow lie. She looked back to the fans she held in her hands and then said, "These, I like these. They're pretty and cool."

Meredith smiled at her great-granddaughter's choice and then signaled to Grandma Lydia to put the katana and bow and arrow away. Lydia did just that and Meredith shifted her attention back to Jasmine, "Excellent choice. Those fans have been in storage for a while since I announced my retirement. I was surprised that your sister wound up picking the silver sais over those but, I think those fans fit you better than her."

Jasmine looked at her fans and smiled, "Good because, I like these and I want them. I can have them?"

Meredith smiled, "Yes of course. I have no need for them now." She shifted her attention to her son, "Demetrius, explain the next part please."

Demetrius nodded, "Yes Ma," He then cleared his throat, "Jasmine, the next part of becoming a demon hunter is beginning your training. First you will train with your great-grandma to learn how to use those with your spirit energy, next, you will go on your first case with one of the older members of the family, mainly your mother, your grandma or me and then you will begin your intense training with us."

Jasmine just sat there listening to everything her grandpa told her, she looked back at the set of fans she just inherited and back up at her great-grandma, "Great-grandma, can I learn how to heal people with my energy too?"

Great-grandma Meredith chuckled, "Yes but, how about I, your grandpa, and your mom teach how to use pain relief first? Learning how to heal with spirit energy is a very hard art to learn and it takes a long time to master it. At this point in time, you're too young to learn it. You have to be at least eight before your first lesson of that. If you still want to do it by then, we will teach you. We can teach you pain relief after you learn how to handle your fans. Do you think you can wait until then?"

Jasmine then got a disappointed look on her face and then sighed, "Okay."

*End Flashback*

Jasmine finished off her halibut and French fries and stood up and deposited the empty paper baskets that once contained her meal in the trash. She slung her black and white handbag over her shoulder and drank the last of her chocolate milkshake and grabbed her bottled water. She deposited the paper cup in the trashcan by the door and waved goodbye to her cousin and cousin's girlfriend and then left the restaurant.

Jasmine walked down the ice covered sidewalk and then reached a residential street and walked down that to cut through the park strip. About five minutes later, the young psychic reached the park strip and began to walk up it. She climbed up the same snow hill that she and Koenma climbed up the other day and slowly walked down it.

She reached the first playground that was right next to the community college and was surprised to see that the snow that buried it a few days ago had been cleared out. Jasmine sat down on one of the swings. She took her handbag off her shoulder and placed it on her lap along with her bottled water. Using only her feet to move the swing, Jasmine thought about the battle on Christmas again.

As much as she tried to banish witnessing her former childhood friend kill himself from her mind, it kept coming back. Jasmine didn't want to dwell too much on it but, she still wished she could have done something to help Kalem. She also couldn't get over how she almost lost Koenma.

The young psychic didn't want to think about how that outcome could have been worse. Since she got into college, Jasmine had been trying to live her life as normal as possible by trying to keep her demon hunter one separate from her life as a college student and working as a CNA. She didn't blame Koenma for it becoming more challenging for her; it wasn't his fault that some masked son of a bitch keeps sending people to kill him.

Jasmine chuckled to herself again, "I guess that's another thing Koenma and I have in common. We both want to live a normal life but, it's just impossible for us to do so."

The young psychic loved how she and her royal lover shared so much in common whether it was anything from music, movies, TV shows, books or just relating to each other in several different ways. Jasmine stopped moving the swing and began to make circular patterns in the snow with her snow boot.

She couldn't help but think that most of the friends she made and kept in her life weren't even human. First was Hiroshi, then Sandy and Kalem, Koashura, Kotennyo, Koenma, and some of her royal boyfriend's other friends that have began to warm up to her. The only human friends she had were her family, Genkai, and Shizuru Kuwabara. But that was a whole different ballgame when she first moved to Mushiori City, she didn't have many because, the kids in her new school and throughout high school thought she was weird and kind of a freak because of her spiritual awareness, her looks, her voice, and how she's from Alaska.

The only friend she made during that period of time was Shizuru. She met her on the bus and the two of them got to talking and bonded over the fact that they are both born with a high spiritual awareness. They also realized how they had a similar taste in music, movies, and TV shows. When they met, Shizuru was in her junior year of high school while Jasmine was a freshman at Meiou High School. The older Kuwabara seemed interested in Jasmine's family and how they hunted demons. The slightly younger psychic happily told her about the missions she went on and how she and her family also had demon friends that helped them take on their challenging opponents.

Even though Jasmine had at least one friend for several years, boys still refused to go out with her but, later on in high school, her first boyfriend asked her out but and sadly it turned out to be a joke. Unfortunately she didn't figure it out until after the first time they had sex. Her ex then broke up with her and spread rumors about how much of a slut she is even though she was a virgin until they did the deed. Jasmine was so humiliated by it and she became so depressed she snapped.

The young psychic chuckled to herself remembering how she got back at him in front of the whole school by giving him the ultimate humiliation. Jasmine formed a sadistic smile on her face thinking about how she beat the ever living crap out of him to the point of where he had to go the emergency room because she broke his jaw, shattered his knee cap, crushed his nose, punched him so hard in the eye to where it was swollen shut and kicked him in the crotch multiple times. She wouldn't have stopped if her teacher didn't pull her off of him. Jasmine wound up getting suspended for five days but, to her it was so worth it and she even felt such great satisfaction from it. Everyone left her alone after that and she didn't get any more guff up until she finally graduated.

It wasn't until college when she met her second boyfriend who turned out to be the biggest womanizer she ever met. When she found out about his philandering ways, she broke up with him by kicking him really hard in the crotch and she would have strangled him if it wasn't for her sister and Shizuru intervening. Luckily, she didn't do that on school grounds because she would have been kicked out if she did but instead, she, Caroline, and Shizuru showed up at his apartment where Jasmine confronted him which he didn't deny it and that was when she kicked his family jewels hard and flew into a rage and tried to strangle him with the straps on her purse.

Caroline luckily got between them in the nick of time while Shizuru held her back. Even though her second ex tried to thank the blond psychic, Caroline told him how much of a scumbag he is before she and the older Kuwabara sibling escorted Jasmine out of the apartment. Jasmine remembered how that first year of college was rough on her especially since she taken her sister's advice on how she should take an anger management course and perhaps seek out counseling before she had an outburst that would cause her to be kicked out of the university.

Jasmine remembered how she reluctantly agreed and looking back on that, she was really

glad she did. Yes, she still had some problems with trying to control her anger but, since then, it had gotten better for her. Then it dawned on the young demon hunter, her temper wasn't even that bad until they left Valdez for Mushiori City.

Jasmine shook her head and then opened up her bottle of water. She took a sip and shut the plastic bottle she then tried to banish the negativity of those last several years out of her mind trying to think of something more positive. Jasmine then thought about Sandy and how she felt bad about her. She thought about the battle on Christmas again and how not only her and Koenma had trouble with trying to cope with Kalem's death but, Sandy did too.

It wasn't until after that incident, which Jasmine had learned about Sandy's immense hatred for Spirit World. The young imp demon had confided to Jasmine about how some people from there had tried to kidnap her multiple times by claiming she was being arrested for something but, luckily she had figured out that she didn't do anything wrong and fought them off every time.

Jasmine felt awful after learning that and asked Sandy if there is something she should do to help her but, Sandy just said she didn't have to and left Valdez right away saying that she felt safer in Anchorage. Jasmine stared at the snowy ground and thought to herself how her childhood imp demon friend had changed since they were kids and then she thought about the first time they met. The young demon hunter remembered how it was kind of a weird day for her. It was Jasmine's second week in kindergarten when it happened.

*Fifteen Years Earlier at the Elementary School*

Five year old Jasmine sat at the classroom sandbox playing with some of the other kids. One of the boys ran up behind her and tickled her to get her to pee her pants. Jasmine started laughing and then wiggled out of the boy's grasp.

He started cracking up laughing and little Jasmine glared at him, "Kalem, that wasn't nice. I almost wet myself."

Five year old Kalem stopped laughing, "You have to admit that was funny."

Before Jasmine could retort, her kindergarten teacher then spoke up, "Okay, class settle down and come gather around."

Jasmine, Kalem the demon boy and the other kids all sat down on the floor front of the chalkboard. The entire class could see that there was a little girl standing next to their teacher that they had never seen before. She was a cute little girl with big hazel brown eyes, straight brown hair that was pulled back into pigtails with pink bows on the ends that matched her pink dress and her white mary-jane shoes.

The teacher then spoke once again, "Class, I would like you all to meet our newest student who just moved here from Sitka; this is Sandy Larson and please give her a warm welcome."

Little Sandy then gave them a small nervous smile and said in a soft shy voice, "Hi, I'm Sandy and I'm pleased to meet you."

"Hi Sandy!" all of the kids in the class said with enthusiasm. Jasmine eyed this Sandy girl. Like Kalem and Hiroshi, she could sense demon energy from her. She didn't know whether she should make friends with her or keep her distance.

Later on that day at recess, Jasmine and Kalem were playing tetherball with each other. They didn't keep score because, neither of them knew how to play so, they just hit the ball to each other. When Kalem hit the ball to the little five year old psychic he then said, "What do you think of the new girl?"

Jasmine hit the ball back to Kalem, "I don't know but, I can sense that she's a demon and you know what that means?"

Kalem shook his head, "No, I don't. What?"

Jasmine chuckled, "It means that you're not the only one anymore."

"Oh yeah." The little demon boy who looked like an Alaskan native hit the tetherball back to his human friend, "Do you want to go say hi to her?"

Instead of hitting the ball back to Kalem, Jasmine just stood there and thought about it for a moment and then remembered how Kalem and Hiroshi weren't dangerous, so she shrugged her small shoulders, "Okay."

Kalem and Jasmine left the tetherball pole and walked over to little Sandy who was currently sitting on the swing. The two friends just stood there watching her go back and forth until Jasmine cleared her throat and said, "Hi."

Sandy stopped swinging and stared at them for a minute. She sensed Kalem's demon energy and Jasmine spirit energy and then spoke, "Hi."

Jasmine gave her a warm smile and asked the demon girl, "Do you want to play with us?"

Sandy nodded and got up off the swing. Jasmine then introduced herself and Kalem, "I'm Jasmine and this is my friend Kalem."

Sandy smiled, "I'm Sandy."

The three children then walked over to the tetherball pole where Jasmine and Kalem were playing with previously.

*End Flashback*

Jasmine got up off the swing and finished off her bottled water. As she was leaving the playground, she smiled to herself thinking about how she, Sandy, and Kalem all became good friends after their first meeting and about all of the fun they had together over the span of eight years. They had sleepovers, hung out at each other's houses a lot, ate lunch together all the time at school, joined school clubs together, and Sandy also helped the family with their demon hunting cases and if it wasn't for her help, they wouldn't have defeated some of their more challenging opponents.

The young psychic also remembered how Sandy had once confided to her back in the 3rd grade about how her family wasn't from Sitka but, from Spirit World. She didn't tell Jasmine why but, looking back on it, she remembered how scared her imp demon friend sounded and acted when she mentioned it. It dawned on Jasmine that Sandy may have been struggling with them her entire life and it has only just been recently that they had found her and tried to kidnap her.

Jasmine always thought of those years of her childhood as the golden years even though she endured tough training with mainly her mother, grandparents, and a little bit with her great-grandmother before she passed away when she was thirteen, and protecting the town of Valdez from demons that posed a viable threat to the town's citizens. Even back then she and her family tried to live their lives as normal as possible and looking back on it, Jasmine realized that it was much easier back then than it was now.

She tried not to think about that as she deposited the empty plastic bottle into a trashcan by the community college and began to walk down her old street. When she walked up to her family's old house her mind then thought about the day she came from school to mother and father announcing that they would be moving.

*Seven Years Prior*

Thirteen year old Jasmine had arrived back home from finishing her third week of starting the 8th grade. Things had been going great, her teachers liked her, Sandy and her were going to try out for cheerleading just for fun, her other friend Kalem had gotten a place on the first string basketball team, and it was looking like to be a very fun final year of junior high. Jasmine couldn't wait until they started high school with the high hopes of it being just as fun and awesome like junior high has and how her sister and brother told her how great it was for them.

Her two older siblings Caroline and Niles both attended Valdez High School that was located directly next door to the junior high; so she got to see them every day when she had to go attend her classes that were taught in the high school. Caroline was a sophomore and Niles a senior. The super happy young teenage demon hunter walked up the stone path that led directly to the blue front door.

Jasmine grasped onto the metal doorknob and entered the front porch and opened the second door and walked into the house. She was about to head to her bedroom to put her books and her backpack away until her mother, Janine stopped her in her tracks.

"Good you're home. Jasmine go have a seat in the living room, your father and I need to discuss something with you."

Jasmine looked at her mother with confusion and asked, "Am I in trouble?"

Janine chuckled, "No sweetie you're not in trouble but, this is very important."

Jasmine then sat down on the couch in the living room where her two siblings Niles and Caroline that were already there with the same confused looks on their faces. Jasmine sat down next to her sister and asked her, "Carol, what's going on?"

Caroline shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know but, I have a really bad feeling about this."

Janine and William both entered the living room with somber looks on both of their faces looking like as if they were going to commit such a horrible crime. William picked up the

TV remote and turned off the large TV set and shifted his attention to all three of his children. They both sat down on chairs directly in front of the three confused looking teenagers.

Niles was the first to speak, "Mom, dad, what's going here? You guys look like as if you both are going to commit mass murder."

Janine bit her lip and looked like as if she was going to start crying and William reached over and took her hand and lightly kissed it. The middle aged ordinary human then sighed and figured it would be better to be honest with all three of his kids. He then took a deep breath and then answered his son's question, "Jasmine, Caroline, Niles, we have an announcement to make; my job had transferred me out of Valdez."

Jasmine just gave her father a blank look, "To where? Is it Anchorage or Palmer or Wasilla?"

William shook his head, "No Jasmine, my job has transferred me out of Alaska in fact, it's also outside the United States. Kids, I have been transferred to Japan, Mushiori City to be exact."

All three psychic teens sat there wide eyed and couldn't believe what they just heard.

After a couple of minutes of being in disbelief, all three of them then screamed, "WHAT?!"

William and Janine both looked at each other, they both knew that all three of them wouldn't take it well. Caroline buried her face in her hands to hide her tears, Niles just sat there in shock but, Jasmine on the other hand finally said something, "Why? Dad, how could they do this? Please tell me you said no."

William and Janine looked back at their daughter and Janine just looked at the floor and William just sighed, "Jasmine, I…I wasn't given a choice. I have to do this if you guys are going to eat. I'm so sorry."

Jasmine then stood up and began to shake her head, "No! No! No! Dammit dad, I can't believe you! What about school, my friends, grandma, grandpa, my entire life is here and I can't believe you're going to destroy it!"

William gave his youngest daughter an apologetic look, "Jasmine I'm sorry but, you're going to have to make new friends at a new school and I know it's difficult…"

"Bullshit! You're not sorry! I don't want to make new friends, I'm happy with what I got. I want to stay here with grandma and grandpa or Sandy or Kalem. You can't make me go to Japan. I absolutely refuse!"

The middle aged ordinary human just looked up at his daughter and gave her a stern look and replied nearly raising his voice, "You have no choice Jasmine. You will go to Mushiori City whether you like it or not."

Jasmine didn't say anything; she just slung her backpack on her shoulder and picked up her books. Caroline then got up and ran off crying to hers and Jasmine's bedroom with Jasmine following suit with how angry she was.

*End Flashback*

The now adult Jasmine just stood there looking at the white house gripping onto her purse's shoulder slings. She then shut her brown eyes remembering when she broke the news to Sandy, Kalem, and even Hiroshi. Hiroshi had already heard it from her dad but, he did feel awful even when Jasmine told him. Sandy and Kalem were both heartbroken by the news and Jasmine had promised to stay in contact with them.

After about two and a half weeks of packing, Jasmine and her family had left for Mushiori City. She then opened her eyes back up and then took one last look at her old house and then walked off. As she continued walking, her mind then drifted off thinking about the memory of when she started her first day at Sarayashiki Junior High and it wasn't a very pleasant day for her.

*Seven Years Ago at Sarayashiki Junior High*

Thirteen Year old Jasmine walked off the bus with her backpack slung over slender shoulder. She could tell that this day wasn't going to be good at all. First, she didn't understand why she had to wear a blue sailor girl school uniform with the yellow scarf. Second, she had to sit on the bus for a long time because apparently, her parents' house being that it was located on the outskirts of Mushiori City; fell within the school district of this junior high. And third, she encountered a rude boy whom she never met before and she guessed he was a high school boy on the bus and he told her what scum she was with no reason at all.

Jasmine sighed as she looked at the building and then at the other students who were also dressed in uniforms. She then walked onto the school grounds as some of the students got a good glimpse of her and she then heard some of them talking amongst themselves, "Who the hell is that?" one student asked his friend.

"I don't know but, if I didn't know better, I'd say she's an American."

"An American? Holy shit, she's got all kinds of challenges ahead of her."

Jasmine then heard the two obnoxious boys start laughing. She then scrunched her brown eyebrows in anger and looked straight ahead ignoring them. Jasmine entered the building and looked around.

She then said out loud to herself, "Okay, I'm suppose to meet the principal to pick up my schedule. My parents talked to him the other day, Mr. Takanaka, I think his name was."

Jasmine then began to walk down the halls, not being able to read the signs that were written in Japanese kanji letters. The young teen began to get frustrated and decided to ask someone for help. She approached a girl in the hall and asked, "Excuse me, do you know where I can find the principal's office?"

The Japanese girl who clearly understood her laughed and then pretended not to speak English and said something in Japanese that Jasmine clearly didn't understand. Jasmine then sighed and said, "Okay, sorry I bothered you."

She then turned around and walked off not before hearing the girl say something to her friend that sounded like, "Pigheaded American."

After walking through the hall and not getting any help what so ever, Jasmine then felt like giving up and going home but, she never skipped school in her entire life and she wasn't going to start now. Instead, she just sat down on the floor and looked around feeling as if she was going to cry.

"What kind of place is this? Why is everyone so mean? All I wanted to was to go find the principal to pick up my schedule."

Suddenly the bell rang for everyone to get to class. As the hallway was clearing out, an

older heavyset man wearing a brown suit and a blue tie was walking the hall telling some lingering students to get to class. Jasmine just sat there with tears streaming down her pale freckled cheeks not knowing what her first class was.

The man then approached her, "Young lady, you better ready for class or you're going to be late."

Jasmine looked up at him beginning to cry and the man realized he had never seen her before. He then knelt down to her level and asked something in Japanese. Jasmine then sniffled and said politely, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Japanese."

The man then replied in English, "I'm sorry about that, I just wanted to make sure. I have never seen you before. Are you the new student?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah."

The man then asked, "What's your name and where are you from?"

The young teenage psychic then sighed and said, "My name is Jasmine Elizabeth Black and I am from Valdez, Alaska. I moved to the outskirts of Mushiori City because of my dad's job. I'm having such a terrible day because, I bumped into a rude boy on the bus, all the students here don't seem to like me and I didn't do anything to them, and I can't find the principal's office to pick up my class schedule. I'm going to be late for my first class and I have never been late for class ever! I just want to go back to Alaska."

The man then gave her a warm smile, "You don't need to cry anymore because, I am the principal." He then stuck out his hand to her, "Principal Takanaka, it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Black."

Jasmine shook his hand and smiled, "Right back at you." They then let go of each other's hands and Jasmine followed Principal Takanaka to his office. A few minutes later, she was handed her schedule which was thankfully written in English so she can read it.

She read her class schedule, "History with Mr. Iwamoto in room number B-203." She looked up at Principal Takanaka and asked him, "Do you know where that is? I can't read any of the signs at all."

The kind principal nodded, "Yes I do, would you like me to take you there?"

Jasmine silently nodded. She then followed Mr. Takanaka to her classroom. The principal slid open the door and he said to a man dressed in a green suit with a yellow tie with dark hair and glasses, "I'm so sorry to interrupt Mr. Iwamoto but, I have a new student who will be joining your class."

Mr. Iwamoto took one look at Jasmine and wrinkled his nose at her and thought to himself, "Great, looks like we have another cockroach infecting this school. I can tell that she's going to be trouble."

He then shifted his attention to Principal Takanaka, "Bring her in."

Jasmine followed him into the classroom and Mr. Takanaka then spoke, "Class, may I have your attention please?"

All of the students settled down and gave them their undivided attention. Principal Takanaka spoke once again, "We have a new student joining us from all the way from Alaska. Please give her a warm welcome and make her feel at home. The poor girl is far away from her homeland and she's in a strange country with a strange language. Now, put yourselves her shoes and think about what she must be going through."

He shifted his attention to Jasmine, "Miss Black go ahead and introduce yourself. Don't be afraid."

Jasmine stared at the students in the room and said feeling as if she wanted to run away, "Hi, my name is Jasmine Black and I am from Valdez, Alaska."

She then heard some snickering from all around the room and she heard some students whispering, "What the hell is wrong with her voice?"

"Apparently Alaskan people have funny accents."

"Yeah, and bug eyes and frizzy hair."

"Has she ever heard of a tanning bed? Her skin is so pale."

"Did you guys see her jacked up teeth? I guess they don't have braces in Alaska."

Hearing those things, Jasmine tried to ignore them and she can already tell that this was going to be a challenging year.

*End Flashback*

Getting farther and farther away from her old street, Jasmine shook her head. As far as she was concerned, that was one of the worst years of her life. She didn't make any friends at Sarayashiki Junior High and two of her teachers, Mr. Iwamoto and Mr. Akashi made her life a living hell. They always referred to her as "cockroach" or "dumbass American", made her look like she was a horrible student, when in reality it was the complete opposite, and it still angered her. She never had any teachers that hated her before then and not since.

Jasmine sighed and she remembered how depressed she was during that period of time. She became very distant and withdrawed from her family and they began to suspect that she was involved with a gang or on drugs. Her parents soon learned that wasn't the case and Jasmine remembered how she begged for them to send her back to Valdez because she hated her new school, where they lived, not knowing the language, and couldn't go anywhere without getting lost. But, of course, William and Janine had refused her request and Jasmine's temper became worse.

It had gotten so bad to the point of where she got into fights at school and she was lucky to get into the high school of her choice all thanks to her academic merits and Principal Takanaka taking pity on her and wrote her a letter of recommendation. Even though she was stuck in such a negative time in her life, Jasmine remembered that a couple of positive things came from it. First was getting into Meiou High School and the second was meeting her first actual friend since moving to Mushiori City.

Jasmine smiled to herself thinking about when she first met her fellow psychic, Shizuru Kuwabara after graduating from junior high and starting her first day of high school.

*Six Years Earlier*

Fourteen year old Jasmine got on the bus ready to make a fresh start for high school. She was wearing a very stylish orange uniform even though the skirt was a bit short for her liking but, she still liked it and she was also ready to make a friend or two because, as far as Jasmine knew, nobody else from Sarayashiki Junior High got into this school or if they did, they more than likely decided not to go. Another plus was Meiou High School was a lot closer to her parents' house than Sarayashiki Junior High was and so, the bus ride was going to be shorter.

Jasmine looked around the crowded bus for a place to sit until a girl with pretty brown eyes and long straight brown hair wearing a different school uniform than her spoke up, "Hey, there's an empty seat over here."

Jasmine then sat down next to the girl, "Thank you so much."

"No problem."

The girl then nicely complimented, "Wow, you have such nice curly hair. Is it natural?"

Jasmine smiled and nodded, "Thank you and yes, yes it is."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes until the girl introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Shizuru Kuwabara. I don't think I've ever seen you here before and you don't look Japanese. I hope you don't mind if I ask but, are you American?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah." The two girls shook hands and Jasmine introduced herself, "My name is Jasmine Black and I have only lived on the outskirts of Mushiori City for a year. I'm going to start my freshman year at Meiou High School. My older sister goes there too and my brother graduated last year."

They then let go of each other's hands and Shizuru asked the curly haired psychic in genuine interest, "So, where are you from originally?"

Jasmine smiled, "I'm from Valdez, Alaska."

Shizuru's eyes widened, "Whoa cool. Why did you move all the way out here?"

Jasmine then sighed, "My dad's job transferred him out here."

She then went on to tell the slightly older psychic about her unpleasant year and while Shizuru listened to the Alaskan psychic's story, she felt really bad for her. They sat there in silence for a minute until Shizuru broke the ice again.

"Hey, I'm so sorry to hear that you had such a crumby year. Sarayashiki Junior High is a hellhole anyway. I used to go there and sadly in a few years, my little brother Kazuma will too. I just hope he will have an easier time than we did."

Jasmine stared at the older Kuwabara sibling curiously, "Why did you have such a hard time there?"

Shizuru opened up her soda bottle and took a sip, "I was known for getting into fights, mainly for self defense because some pricks like to start stuff with me and I was also labeled a freak because, I was born with a high spiritual awareness. It runs in my family. My little brother has it too but, it seems like he has found some good friends that don't seem to mind it."

The Alaskan psychic gasped and put her hand on her chest, "Oh my god, me too."

Shizuru stared at her with wide eyes in surprise, "Really?"

Jasmine brightly smiled and nodded, "Yeah, it also runs in my family. Only on my mother's side, my dad and his family are totally normal. I have it, my sister has it, my brother has it, my mom does, and as do my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and as far back as several generations before us."

The older Kuwabara sibling took another sip from her soda, "Wow, I never thought there were any outside of Japan, but boy was I wrong. So what kinds of things have you and your family experienced?"

Jasmine went to tell her about how she and her family are freelance demon hunters and about the missions they went on, making friends with good demons who became the family's valuable allies, and about the kind of training she endured. Shizuru listened with pure interest thinking this Jasmine girl couldn't get any cooler.

After Jasmine was finished, the older Kuwabara sibling then told the Alaskan psychic about hers and her brother's experiences. A few minutes later they got off at the same bus stop and began to walk in the direction of Meiou High School which coincidently, was in the same direction of Shizuru's school.

Then Shizuru decided to change the subject, "What is Alaska like? I have never been there before and I would love to visit it someday."

Jasmine smiled, "Well, I can say that it's beautiful all year round. The beauty is different in the wintertime then in the summer. There are a lot of glaciers, wildlife, fish, and tons of pretty landscapes. If you visit multiple times, each experience is different from the last."

"Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?"

Jasmine happily nodded, "Yeah, you can pretty much see them all over the state."

They continued walking and Shizuru finished off her soda and deposited the empty plastic bottle into the trash, "So where is Valdez located at? Did you guys ever see a polar bear where you're from?"

Jasmine shook her head, "No, polar bears live all the way up north on the North Slope where Barrow and Prudhoe Bay are located. Valdez is in the south-central portion of the state where Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla, the Kenai Peninsula, Cordova and a few other towns are located. The only bears we see there are black bears, brown bears and grizzlies."

Just then, they arrived at the front of the Meiou High School gates and Jasmine checked her watch, "Well, I better get inside before I'm late. It was really nice meeting you Shizuru and I am so glad I'm not the only psychic here."

Shizuru chuckled, "Me too, I'm so glad I met you too Jasmine. I hope you have a good day at the Brain Factory."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, "The Brain Factory?"

The slightly older psychic chuckled, "Yeah, the other high schools call Meiou that because, that's the school where all the smart kids go. I applied to get in but, my grades weren't high enough so, I go to the high school down the road, I'm a junior."

Jasmine chuckled, "Well, I was always called a brainiac when I lived in Valdez. They only had one high school there. Hey, do you want call me some time so we can hang out? You're the only person I have met so far, well other than the principal at the shitty junior high, that's been nice to me since I moved here."

Shizuru smiled, "Sure."

Both girls then exchanged phone numbers and then bid each other to have a good day at their perspective schools. Shizuru walked down the road to her school while Jasmine walked the school grounds until she met up with her sister Caroline and blond psychic's newest boyfriend at the time, Raito Akashi.

*End Flashback*

Rounding the corner with the local teen center, Jasmine smiled to herself. The young demon hunter was so grateful that she met someone like Shizuru who was like her and her family. Even though they went to different high schools and were also in different years, they still became pretty good friends along with her sister Caroline who was in the same year as the older Kuwabara sibling.

Even though it was a bit rough for Jasmine in high school, it didn't seem nearly as bad with having Shizuru as her friend while having her sister to hang out with for the first couple of years. She also got to sing in Meiou High's choir and participated in some of the musical and drama productions even though she didn't always get the lead parts but, she still enjoyed singing in the chorus or performing in small or bit parts which kept her busy anyways.

Jasmine smiled thinking about going to Shizuru's graduation and Caroline's soon after. All three young psychics both celebrated going out for pizza and having fun at the arcade. They still remained friends even though Shizuru graduated two years before her and went off to beauty school while Caroline got accepted to Mushiori City's other major university, Sarayashiki University and majored in elementary education to pursue becoming a kindergarten teacher. As Jasmine crossed the street, she began to remember her own senior year of high school which was the most peaceful year she had while still attending Meiou High School and she instantly thought of the day when she found out she got accepted by several different colleges.

*Three Years Prior*

It was two weeks after her 18th birthday with about three months until graduation and Jasmine stepped off the bus in downtown Mushiori City with her purse slung over her slender shoulder and carrying several large envelopes and a couple of smaller ones in her small dainty hand. The young curly haired psychic walked down the street to go meet her older sister Caroline and her friend Shizuru at the local café.

She arrived about ten minutes later and walked inside. Jasmine scanned the crowded café until she heard the voice of her sister.

"Jasmine, over here!"

The young woman then quickly found them sitting at the large couch by the coffee counter and walked over. She sat down feeling excitement flowing through her body and set her pink handbag next to her and took off her coat.

Jasmine stared at all of the envelopes on her lap and took a deep breath. Caroline and Shizuru were both excited as well and the older Kuwabara sibling then decided to break the ice.

"So, are you ready to see which ones you got into?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah, I really hope I got into my first choice college, if not, then I hope I got my second choice."

The young demon hunter picked up the first envelope, "Okay this one is from your university, Caroline."

Caroline formed a large grin, "I really hope you got into Sarayashiki University. If you did, we'll be bulldogs together and who knows, you might want to pledge to my sorority and we'll both be Sigma Delta Kappas. Oh my god, if it does happen, we'll have so much fun together and not only would we be biological sisters but, sorority sisters too."

Shizuru sipped from her coffee and then shook her head, "Carol, don't give your hopes up. If it does turn out that Jasmine got in, what's to say that she'll pick your school? She might have gotten into many places like you did."

The blond psychic sipped on her ice latte and smiled replying, "I know Shizuru but, it was great going to Meiou High School with her for a couple of years and it would be nice if we can go to college together too."

Jasmine chuckled at her sister and the spiritually aware beauty student, "Sis, remember I only applied to SU because you suggested it even though they don't have what I'm looking for academic wise."

Seeing Caroline's blank expression, Jasmine gave her a sweet smile and then began to tear open the envelope from Sarayashiki University. Once it was open, the young brunette took out a piece of folded paper and unfolded it beginning to read the letter's contents.

Shizuru and Caroline sat there for a minute until the blond psychic spoke once again, "Well, what does it say?"

Jasmine put the letter down, "I was rejected. Sorry Carol, I didn't get in."

Caroline sighed with disappointment and she then set her coffee cup on the wooden coffee table, "That's okay but, you can still wear this sweatshirt I bought you."

She then tossed her sister the SU sweatshirt, which Jasmine caught, "Thanks, when I find out which schools I got into, and pick mine, I'll get you a sweatshirt, deal?"

"Deal."

Jasmine then picked up the second envelope which was from Tokyo University. She then tore open the envelope, took out a single folded sheet of paper and then sighed, "Dammit."

Shizuru took another sip from her coffee, "What's wrong?"

Jasmine put the paper down and looked at her friend, "They put me on the waitlist. Crap, they were actually my first choice because of their medical program."

Caroline bit off a piece of her blueberry muffin and washed it down with her ice latte, "Well Jas, you know that so many other people have applied to get in?"

Jasmine sighed, "I know but, it would have been nice. If I get into at least one of my two safety schools, I'll be happy."

Then the young demon hunter picked up the third envelope which was from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks and found out she was rejected from there as well. The next one was from Kyoto College and she found out she was waitlisted. Jasmine wasn't too disappointed with that one because KC didn't have she was looking for in academics anyways and she only applied there because, her brother was the one who suggested it.

Jasmine then took a sip from her bottled water, "Well, two rejections and two waitlists. Let's see if I have any luck with," she picked up an envelope from Mushiori University, "Mushiori University which is my first safety school."

Shizuru and Caroline sat there and waited in anticipation. Jasmine's small dainty hand began to shake tearing open the envelope, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She then took the single folded piece of paper out of the envelope, unfolded it and began to read it.

Getting a little impatient, Shizuru then asked her, "Well, what does it say?"

After finishing reading her letter, Jasmine put it down and looked up with a bright smile on her face, "I got in. Oh my god, I got in!"

Caroline began to squeal with joy for her younger sister, "Oh Jasmine, finally! I am so happy for you!"

The psychic beauty student gave her friend a bright smile, "Same here, congrats. Before you make your decision open the other ones and find if you got in anywhere else."

Jasmine nodded in agreement and picked up the next envelope, "Okay, this next one is from Nagasaki College." She then tore open the envelope and read the letter and shook her head, "Nope, rejected."

The next one was from the University of Hiroshima which sadly, Jasmine was waitlisted for that one too. Jasmine then picked up the last two envelopes and looked at her sister and her friend and asked, "Who wants to bet that I either got rejected or waitlisted from these two also?"

Caroline finished off her muffin and washed it down with the last of her iced latte and replied to give her sister some comfort, "If you did, who cares because you into MU and they have a great medical program. So, it wouldn't be much of a loss."

Shizuru sipped from her coffee again, "Or, you might have gotten into those ones too. You won't know until you open them."

Jasmine gave them a bright smile, "You guys are right." She then put one of the envelopes on her lap and looked at the one in her hand, "This next one is from the University of Alaska in Juneau (Southeast). If I don't get into this one, it's okay because, they don't really have anything I'm looking for. I only applied to this one because, mom and dad suggested it."

She then opened the envelope from UAS and read the letter to find that she was once again, rejected. Jasmine shook her head and put that one in the rejected pile and picked up the last envelope.

"Okay guys, this is the last one and it's my second safety school. Like you said Caroline, if I don't get in, it won't be much of a loss because, I got into MU."

Caroline gave her sister a bright smile, "That's the spirit."

"Where is that one from?" Shizuru asked her.

Jasmine looked at the envelope, "It's from the University of Alaska in Anchorage. Okay, here it goes."

The brunette demon hunter then began to tear open the envelope with her hands shaking; she then took out the folded letter, and began to read it. Shizuru and Caroline waited with baited breathe and the older Kuwabara sibling then asked, "Well?"

Jasmine put down UAA's letter brightly smiling and then replied, "I…I got in. I got in!"

Caroline and Shizuru both smiled and the blond then said, "I'm so happy for you sis."

Shizuru nodded in agreement, "Me too. So, which one do you want to go to more? MU or UAA, are you a silver ninetailed fox or a sea wolf?"

Jasmine picked up both acceptance letters and looked at them both. Not taking her eyes off of them she replied, "I don't know. I don't know which one I want go to. I really need some time to think about this."

*End Flashback*

As Jasmine continued to walk down the street, she was beginning to approach the second entrance to Copper Street and her grandparent's house that was the second house from this end. She was still immersed in her thoughts about her final year at Meiou High School and she then thought about when she finally decided between Mushiori University and University of Alaska in Anchorage and the day of her high school graduation.

She smiled remembering that happy time even she had a lot of decisions to make. Speaking of decisions, Jasmine remembered the day she finally announced which of the two colleges she got into, that she decided was her school.

*Three Years Earlier at the Meiou High School Gymnasium*

Jasmine stood on the stage with the other senior class members of Meiou High's choir singing and doing show choir like dance steps to C & C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat". The girls were dressed in sparkly purple dresses with dangly rhinestone earrings and caramel colored mary-jane character shoes while the boys wore black suits with purple shirts and orange ties of their school colors, their caps and gowns were hung up backstage for after they finished off their performance. In the second half of the song, the girls knelt down and picked up a set of fans and began to do a fan dance while the boys just danced with large walking sticks and twirled them around like drum majors.

Jasmine used her own set of fans and was careful not to be tempted to use her spirit energy with them during her performance. This was the third and final song of their little mini performance after performing Haddaway's "What is Love?" and Deee-lite's "Groove is in the Heart". Once the song reached its end, the senior choir members all grouped together in a pose and a round of applause was heard all around the gymnasium.

Jasmine and all of the students who finished off their performance cleared off the stage while the school's principal began to speak once again. They all put on their purple caps and gowns, assembled their orange and purple tassels and went ahead to line up with the other students and Jasmine the last one to line up as she draped her gold honor society cord around her slender neck.

The song "Pomp and Circumstance" began to play and all of the Meiou High School graduating senior class began to walk down the aisle. Jasmine's parents, brother, sister, and her friend Shizuru Kuwabara were there in attendance. William Black took out his camera and then made a small noise to his youngest daughter to get her attention.

The young teenage demon hunter heard her father whisper, "Jasmine, over here."

Jasmine turned her head and smiled as she walked by and William snapped the picture. All the seniors sat down on the rows of brown metal chairs in front of the stage. The principal began his speech and all of the senior class just sat there and listened. The principal's speech went on for a good twenty minutes or so and then the class valedictorian did there's.

Sadly, it wasn't Jasmine but, she didn't mind. There were only two things on her brain that night. The young psychic couldn't wait to receive her diploma and announce to her family and Shizuru about her decision for college. When the class valedictorian and even the class president ended their speeches, it was time for each graduating student to receive their diplomas.

One by one, each student's name was called and Jasmine waited patiently even though excitement flowed through her body. Finally it was time, the principal read her name out loud, "Jasmine Elizabeth Black."

Jasmine stood up and walked up to the stage. She was handed her diploma and shook hands with the school principal and the district's superintendent and then walked off the stage. After a few more minutes, all of the senior class students received their diplomas and were instructed to move their tassels to the opposite side of their caps.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you all Meiou High School's Class of 1991."

All of the students removed their tassels and threw their caps up into the air as purple and orange balloons and confetti were released. Jasmine then picked up her cap and made her way out of the gymnasium to go meet her family and Shizuru.

The young demon hunter scanned the crowd until she heard the voice of her mother shouting at her, "Jasmine! Jasmine! We're over here!"

Jasmine then found them and ran over and gave them all a big hug. Once she stopped hugging her family and Shizuru, they then left the school grounds and made their way over to one of the local pizza joints for dinner.

"Congratulations Jasmine, you're finally finished with high school and college is around the corner. Are you excited?" Her brother Niles said and Jasmine brightly smiled and happily nodded.

Shizuru gave her friend a bright smile being proud of her, "Yeah. So, have you made your decision for college yet?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah, I did."

Everyone at the table grew silent and waited for her response. The young curly haired psychic took a deep breath, sipped from her water and then shifted her attention back to her family and Shizuru, "Mom, Dad, Caroline, Niles, Shizuru, I finally made my decision. After giving it a lot of thought and weighing the pros and cons for each, I finally decided the college I'm going to go to is…"

They all waiting in anticipation and Jasmine gave them all a bright smile when she said, "I decided, that I will go to Mushiori University."

Everyone smiled especially her parents and siblings. Janine grinned happily and replied, "I am so glad you didn't decide to go to UAA. I know how you have always wanted to go back to Alaska since we left and I am glad you decided to stay here."

Jasmine chuckled, "I'm glad did too mom. The main reason for me staying is because, I didn't want to live too far away from you guys especially you Shizuru."

Shizuru took a bite from her slice of pizza and washed it down with her soda, "Good, I was getting a little bit freaked out. I don't really have a lot of friends being that much of my time is taking care of my little brother, work, and going to beauty school. My parents are never really around."

"Where is your brother right now?" Jasmine asked.

The older Kuwabara sibling sipped from her soda again, "He's spending the night as his friend Okubo's tonight so, I could hang out with you guys. Plus, he was begging me to let him go to that damn sleepover all week."

Deciding to change the subject, Jasmine then reached into her backpack that contained her sparkly dress and the cap and gown she changed out of as soon as they left the school grounds and took out three rolled up sweatshirts and two coffee mugs.

She smiled at her friend, brother, parents, and her sister, "As promised, when decided on MU, I swung by their campus today and picked these for you guys."

Caroline, Niles, and Shizuru were given the red and white MU sweatshirts and William and Janine their coffee mugs. Then Jasmine, Shizuru, and her family continued with their dinner and Jasmine did not regret her decision on going to Mushiori University instead of the University of Alaska in Anchorage; despite wanting to see her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, Kalem, Sandy, and Hiroshi again.

*End Flashback*

The now present day Jasmine walked the ski trail smiling to herself. Not long after the day of her high school graduation, she moved into her present day apartment that was once Caroline's and that following fall, she started her first semester at MU. That entire school year was good with a few emotional setbacks thanks to her second ex-boyfriend but, Jasmine decided not to dwell on that douche bag and not let him ruin her time in college even though she had to go seek therapy for her anger issues.

Besides, he dropped out of MU the following school year after flunking out and Jasmine never saw him again. She didn't think about dating again until she met Koenma last Spring Break at the Dark Tournament. The young psychic formed a dreamy smile remembering their first meeting of when he and Jorge helped her find her purse, when he walked her back to her room, kissed her hand and used the line "I'm Koenma and I'm very cool". Jasmine sighed dreamily and giggled at that memory. She thought he was such a dork but, so cute and charming.

After that night, the day of the tournament finals, and having breakfast with him before he left to go back to Spirit World, she remembered how she couldn't stop thinking about him and how she kept talking for him weeks after the coming home from Hanging Neck Island. Jasmine had only stopped when she felt that Koashura and Kotennyo were getting irritated by her but, they didn't seem to mind.

When Jasmine thought she would never see Koenma again, she stopped thinking about him for a month and a half until the day on the bus and well, here she was Koenma's best female friend, girlfriend, and lover. Jasmine loved hanging around with the prince, taking care of him, talking to him, and so much more. Suddenly, her mind then drifted off to another thought.

"What if he goes back to Spirit World and what if I become the next spirit detective? Hell, I am already protecting him and I am practically like one anyways so, things wouldn't be all that different."

She smiled at the thought. Jasmine then began to think that it could take their relationship to a whole other level. They already started kissing, said "I love you" to each other, had great sex, he already met her family, went on their first vacation together, and maintained the friendship level of their relationship. She then thought that perhaps becoming Koenma's new spirit detective would greatly benefit her lover.

Deciding to banish that thought from her mind for now when she reminded herself that Koenma still didn't want to go back home with how pissed off he still was with his father. Jasmine was just perfectly content with where she was at currently with her life; she worked a fairly decent job as a certified nursing assistant at the hospital, going to start her second semester of medical school, had a great boyfriend, and a good support system of family and friends. Jasmine seemed pretty much set with a few hiccups now and then but, no one's life is perfect.

As Jasmine continued to walk down the ski trail, something or someone caught her eye. Her eyes adjusted and she recognized her who it was that was walking in front of her. Jasmine then quietly snook up behind Koenma and then tackled him down onto the snow bank.

The young prince made a loud surprised squeal as he went down. Jasmine rolled off her lover and sat up laughing. Koenma then rolled on his side breathing heavily, "Don't do that. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Jasmine then giggled like a schoolgirl, "Sorry, I couldn't resist when I saw you."

She then knelt over and gave him a deep and passionate kiss. Koenma moaned and then returned the same deep passion and they then parted after a couple of minutes. They gazed into each other's brown eyes for a minute and Koenma then snapped them both out of their daze when he asked his human lover, "Did you enjoy your time to yourself?"

Jasmine nodded, "I sure did. Did you enjoy your day with my brother?"

Koenma formed a bright smile on his handsome face, "I sure did. Niles is so cool. We marathoned all three "Star Wars" movies back to back and then we had a light saber fight with those plastic light saber toys in your grandparents' backyard."

The sweet young human woman gave him a quick kiss, "I'm glad I you had a good time with Niles. You know Koenma, I think my family likes you."

"Really?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah, in fact, I think you're the first of any of my boyfriends that they even like." She then looked at the red plastic sled sitting on the ground between them and shifted her attention back to her prince, "So, where are you heading off to?"

Koenma smiled, "I'm going to go sledding, would you like to join me, my queen?"

Jasmine giggled like a schoolgirl at her pet name, "I would love to my prince."

She then stood up and held out her hand to him and Koenma took her hand, grabbed the sled with his free hand and stood back up. The lovers then walked hand in hand down the ski trail to the destination where Koenma wanted to go sledding and even though Jasmine was still shaken up over the battle to get her prince back and losing her former childhood friend Kalem, she knew that this was going to be good afternoon and evening.