Musical Espionage
Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or any of its characters being that they belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. Nor do I own the song "Say it Ain't So" by Weezer being that it's owned by the band Weezer.
Chapter 15: Father Doesn't Know Best
The next morning, Koenma woke up in Jasmine's bedroom. He opened his eyes and rolled over on his left side to see that the young demon hunter wasn't there. Only his black top hat was sitting on the side his lover slept on and he probably guessed it fell off his head while he was still asleep.
Koenma sat up and stretched his long arms above his head feeling refreshed and ready to start a new day. Thinking about the previous night, the young prince felt his heart beat rapidly thinking about the loving and tender night he and Jasmine shared.
He thought about their sweet kisses, being in each other's arms, feeling her soft skin against his, her moaning and crying out his name as he made love to her. Koenma then smiled thinking about the moments afterwards. He thought about how much fun it was telling his lovely human girlfriend about the events that took place during the Demon World Tournament. He loved how she enjoyed listening to his stories.
Koenma then looked over at the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand and seeing that it was 9:30AM, he probably guessed that Jasmine had an early morning shift at the hospital. Just then Jasmine ran into the room wearing a purple hoodie, black sports bra, black Capri spandex pants, sneakers with her headphones on her ears and her brown curls tied back in a ponytail with her purple scrunchie.
Seeing her naked loving boyfriend who's covered up by her blanket had finally woken up, Jasmine turned off her walkman CD player and removed her headphones, "Good morning sleepyhead."
Koenma brightly smiled, "Good morning my queen. I thought you were at work."
The Alaskan demon hunter giggled like a schoolgirl, "No, today is my day off. I just went on my morning jog. Did you just wake up?"
Koenma nodded, "Yes."
Jasmine removed her CD player off her jogging belt and put it on her wooden dresser and slipped out of the black belt before putting it away in her miscellaneous drawer. She sat down on the edge of her bed and untied her shoes, kicking them to the floor. Koenma wrapped the blanket around his waist and sat down beside her.
Jasmine chuckled, "You know you don't have to cover yourself up in front of me. I already know what you look like naked Koenma."
The prince smiled and shook his head, "I know but, since we are not making love right now…"
"Do you want to? Koashura and Kotennyo aren't going to be home until this afternoon. We still have the apartment to ourselves." Jasmine winked suggestively.
Seeing the naughty gleam in her large brown eyes, Koenma felt his cock getting hard. He formed a wicked smile on his handsome face and nodded, "Sure. Why not?"
Jasmine then leaned over and gently nuzzled her nose against her lover's, "Kiss me."
Koenma gladly obliged to her request, cupped her lovely face in his hands and brought their lips together in a deep and loving kiss. Jasmine kissed him back with the same deep love and slipped her tongue into his mouth. They both moaned as their tongues caressed each other's and Koenma moved one his hands to wrap his arm around his human lover's slender waist while he used the other to release Jasmine's long brown curls from her purple scrunchie.
The young human psychic moaned like an animal in heat when Koenma buried his hand in her hair and began to gently massage the back of her scalp. Jasmine purred from the pleasure it brought her and broke the kiss, gazing into her lover's brown eyes.
Koenma gently slipped her purple hoodie off her small shoulders and threw it to the floor. Not saying another word, they kissed deeply once more and after less than a minute, the prince then broke the kiss to trail soft kisses onto his lover's neck.
Jasmine moaned at the feeling of him kissing, nipping and sucking on that one sensitive spot again, "Koenma."
He quit sucking on her neck to kiss along to her collarbone and gently nipped that area making his woman moan once more. Koenma then trailed more soft kisses onto her chest to in between her small perky breasts.
Jasmine could feel her body heating up and her pussy getting wet, feeling on fire with wanting need and desire for her prince. Koenma kissed down to her bare stomach and stopped to gently lay her down on the bed. Jasmine lifted her hips up and her lover then pulled off her spandex workout pants and tossed them off to the side.
Jasmine sat up and swept her sports bra over her head freeing her breasts and slipped off her socks. Koenma licked his lips looking at her naked breasts. The young human woman laid down on the bed and Koenma took one of her breasts in his hand and licked her hard pink nipple.
He swirled his tongue around it and brought it into his mouth and began to suck on it making his woman moan with pleasure, "Oh Koenma."
He continued to suck on that one breast as he gently massaged the other. After a little bit, he shifted his attention to her other breast giving it the same treatment. Jasmine continued to moan from the pleasure and being consumed with it, she didn't notice Koenma slipping his hand underneath her panties. Guiding his long fingers over her mound, through her soft brown hair and parted her pussy lips to touch her moist depths.
Jasmine gasped with pleasure when Koenma then gently rubbed her throbbing clit with his index finger, "Ahhhhh!"
Hearing the sounds she was making made his cock harder. They were like music to his ears and he wanted her to make more. The prince quit playing with her breasts and withdrew his hand from her panties making Jasmine whine with protest.
She opened her eyes to see him seductively smirking at her and it was such a turn on. Jasmine then sat up and taking him by surprise, she tackled Koenma and straddled him. Her forceful nature and seeing the naughty gleam he loved in her eye, it was really turning him on.
Jasmine got up off of him and removed the blanket that concealed his throbbing erection. She then began to gently stroke his rock hard cock making him moan with pleasure, "Oh Jasmine."
With still stroking him, the young demon hunter then began to gently kiss his neck and then licked his ear making him squeal in delight. She then bit his earlobe making him cry out, "Ahhhh!"
Feeling his cock getting harder in her small dainty hand, Jasmine then darkly smirked at him and said in a low, sexy, and dominating tone, "Last night you gave me pleasures. Now it's my turn."
Koenma was really enjoying every second of this and nodded, "Yes my queen. Please take control. Dominate me."
Jasmine gave him a sly smile with her large brown eyes sparkling with the naughty gleam he loved, licking her small pink lips, "I thought you'd never ask."
She then looked at his rock hard cock which was leaking precum from its tip onto her hand, the young woman darkly chuckled, "My, my, you're making quite a mess on my hand."
"S…sorry."
Jasmine looked up at him and seeing his expression she giggled like a schoolgirl, "Don't apologize, my prince. You're just enjoying this and it's a good thing."
She let go of his cock making him whine in protest. Jasmine giggled like a schoolgirl again, leaned over to her nightstand and grabbed a couple of tissues and wiped her hand off before depositing them into her small trash bin by her bed.
She suggestively winked at him and then knelt down and licked the tip of his cock admiring his taste. Koenma lowly moaned from the slight pleasure it brought him. Jasmine then took his throbbing erection into her mouth and swirled her tongue around the head of his penis.
She suckled on the head a bit making her prince moan again, "Oh Jasmine."
The young demon hunter then began her slow but pleasurable pace taking in more and more of his length each time.
"Oh Jasmine, that feels so good."
She then took his cock out of her mouth with a loud popping sound making him whine again in protest. Jasmine giggled at his reaction and began to lick her lover's cock up and down from its base to its head like she was licking a lollipop.
The young psychic then took his cock back into her mouth starting up her slow pace again. The prince's moans grew a bit louder and he let out a loud surprised squeak when Jasmine began to gently massage his balls.
Hearing that, she giggled and that sent small vibrations onto his cock. Koenma's moans grew a little louder at the sensation. Jasmine kept her slow agonizing pace and to her lover, it was like torture but damn, it felt so good.
Jasmine then took his cock out of her mouth again and this time Koenma complained, "Don't stop. Why did you stop?"
She didn't respond as she leaned in and gave his balls a gentle lick making him cry out, "Shit! Oh fuck!"
"Such language, my prince."
She then took his balls into her mouth and began to gently suck on them making him cry out, "Fuck! Jasmine!"
After sucking on his balls for a bit, she took them out of her mouth and darkly giggled at him again, "Oh my, you have such a filthy mouth my prince."
He looked down at her and said, "It's your fault." Koenma then began to beg, "Please suck my cock some more. Please Jasmine."
Jasmine shook her head, "Ah, ah, I'm not finished yet. In fact, I want you to eat my pussy and make me cum hard. Then I want to ride you hard and fast until we both cum hard."
Hearing her talking so dirty was such a turn on, Koenma licked his lips. Oh how he wanted to eat her out and taste her sweet juices. He then sat up and before he could lay his lover down on the bed she then suggested, "Why don't we try something new?"
The prince eyed her curiously, "What do you have in mind?"
Jasmine giggled like a schoolgirl thinking of how cute she thought his curiosity was right now, "I was thinking about trying a new position. You know how you said you were willing to learn more as long as it wasn't something weird or dangerous?"
Koenma nodded, "Yes. What is this new position you would like us to try?"
Jasmine giggled once more, "Have you ever heard of sixty-nine?"
He blushed and nodded, "Yes, I…I read about it from a book that's in the Spirit World Records Department and I thought it was kind of interesting. It's the one where both partners go down on each other at the same time right?"
Jasmine gave him a wicked smile, "Yes it is. Would you like to try it? Does the thought of you eating my pussy while I suck your cock appeal to you?"
He blushed even redder and nodded. The young psychic giggled at his reaction and then asked, "Who would you like to be on top?"
Koenma looked at the blanket in front of him still blushing like mad, "I think it would be really hot if you would. I love a woman on top."
The young psychic giggled and said in a sultry voice, "As you wish my prince."
He laid down on the bed and Jasmine slipped out of her black lace panties and climbed on top of him facing away from her lover. Koenma then leaned up, gently parted her pussy lips and gave it a gentle lick. Jasmine moaned from the pleasure and leaned down and licked the tip of his cock which was once again leaking with precum.
Koenma moaned from the slight pleasure it brought him while he licked his woman's wet pussy in long slow licks, enjoying and savoring the taste of her sweet juices. The Alaskan demon hunter swirled her tongue around the head of his penis and took it into her mouth. She then began her slow pace taking in the shaft of his cock, little by little.
They both moaned from the pleasure that they were giving each other. Koenma let out an obscene groan feeling Jasmine massage his balls with her hand and decided to pay her back by toying with her throbbing clit with his index finger as he gently pushed his tongue into her dripping wet entrance. Jasmine took his cock out her mouth with a loud popping sound and loudly and lewdly moaned, "Oh fuck Koenma!"
She then gently stroked his rock hard cock with her hand while still gently massaging his balls with the other. The young woman leaned down and began to lick it from its base to its head like a lollipop again.
When she began to suckle on the head again, Koenma groaned, "Oh shit! That's feels so good!"
He then began to lick her slit in long slow licks again while still toying with his lover's clit making her moan louder. After a little bit longer, Koenma then moaned in request, "My queen, please make love to me and ride me."
Jasmine looked over her shoulder and sweetly giggled still stroking his rock hard cock, "Yes my prince."
She let go of his cock and balls, releasing them from her grasp, turned around and straddled him. Koenma sat up and reached over and grabbed his top hat. He put on his head as his curly haired seductress began to tease him rubbing her wet pussy along the length of his throbbing erection.
He hated it when she teased him like this but damn, it was such a fucking turn on. Koenma then began to beg practically pleading, "Please my queen. Please make love to me. Ride my cock please."
Gazing into her lover's brown eyes, she darkly smirked and said in a sexy sultry voice, "I thought you'd never ask."
Jasmine positioned his cock at her wet pussy's entrance and groaned at the slight pleasure it brought her when she slipped it into her warm wet entrance. She placed her small dainty hands Koenma's broad shoulders and licked her lips. Seeing him wearing his top hat again was such a turn on for her.
The young demon hunter began to ride her lover's cock at a slow and steady pace and they both moaned at how good the sensation felt. Jasmine and Koenma brought their lips together in a deep, passionate and loving kiss moaning as their tongues caressed each other's.
Jasmine could feel pussy getting wetter tasting herself in the kiss. Their lips parted as she arched her neck back and moaned, "Oh Koenma. I love you."
The prince began to thrust his cock up into her, meeting her slow and steady pace and groaned back from pleasure, "Ahhhh…Jasmine I love you too."
He then softly kissed her neck and Jasmine moved her head back to face him. They gazed into each other's brown eyes again. The young psychic then picked up her pace a little bit and pushing her naked breasts against her lover's bare toned chest. Koenma wrapped his long arms around Jasmine's slender waist and began to thrust his cock at a fast pace keeping up with her.
He licked his lips watching her small perky breasts bouncing with her chest heaving as she arched back and moaned, "Fuck yes!"
The prince held onto her small hips as Jasmine began to grind her pelvis against him making him moan a little louder. She smiled at him and groaned, "You like that?"
"Ahhhn…yeah."
Jasmine then began to ride his cock at a slightly faster and harder pace making him moan lewder and louder. Just then the cordless phone in the living room and on her nightstand began to ring. Koenma looked up at her gazing lovingly into her large brown eyes and asked his lover, "Sh…shouldn't you get that?"
Jasmine sadistically chuckled and with Koenma's cock still inside her and going at her fast and hard pace, she leaned over and picked it up. She pushed the button and answered practically growling, "Hello?"
Koenma then gently grabbed one of Jasmine's breasts and licked her erect pink nipple making her lowly moan. The voice on the other side which turned out to be Jorge who then spoke, "Hello Jasmine, may I speak to Koenma? I know he's still there because he didn't come home last night."
Jasmine bit back another lewd moan after Koenma quit sucking on her breasts and began to massage them while thrusting his cock harder into her pussy, keeping up with her pace. The young psychic replied, "He's a little a busy right now. Why don't you call him back?"
Jorge sighed, "It's really important. Can I just talk to him now?"
Jasmine groaned beginning to get agitated with the ogre. She just wanted him to hang up so she and Koenma could finish this session of passionate lovemaking that they were currently sharing. She then replied, "Fine, if it'll shut you up Ogre."
Jorge rolled his eyes and waited patiently to speak to his boss. Jasmine then took the cordless phone away from her ear and said to her prince, "It's for you." She then handed the phone to her lover and he spoke into it, "Hello?"
The blue ogre then spoke hearing his young boss's voice, "Koenma sir, your father is going to be back later this afternoon so, you better get here soon or he'll find out that you skipped out on your paperwork to go the Demon World Tournament."
Deciding to make this interesting, Jasmine pushed Koenma down on the bed and then used her long fingernails to give his toned chest a hard scratch. The prince bit back a very obscene groan getting pleasure that the slight pain it brought him, so Jorge couldn't hear him. Sadly a little bit of sound came out and he then replied, "I…I'll…be…back…later Ogre. I'm a little preoccupied right now."
Jasmine then picked up her pace on his cock and gave his chest another hard scratch this time drawing a little bit of blood. Feeling a surge of pleasure from the pain, Koenma bit his lip again and this time Jorge heard his small groan. The blue ogre began to wonder if his boss was okay and then asked, "Um Sir, are you alright?"
The prince's breathing was becoming deep, shallow, and labored and he took a deep breath and replied, "Ogre, I'm going to have to call you back." He then pressed the button on the cordless phone and hung up.
Meanwhile with Jorge, he just stood there in the young prince's office and hung up the phone and then it dawned on him. Koenma and Jasmine were having sex again and the poor ogre's blue cheeks then blushed red and he felt an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach and thought to himself, "Oh dammit, not again."
Back in the Human World with Koenma and Jasmine, at this point, they began to feel their orgasms building up and the young demon hunter then asked her lover, "Are you close my prince?"
"Y…yes."
The lovers then picked up their pace going as fast and hard as they could go. Their breathing grew deeper and labored with their moans growing louder and lewder. After a few moments, Koenma and Jasmine both came crying out each other's names with their climax as Jasmine released her juices all over her lover's cock while Koenma released his hot seed inside her.
"KOENMA!"
"OH JASMINE!"
Jasmine then collapsed and rested her head on Koenma's bare toned chest. They both breathed heavily coming down from the intense orgasm they both shared. After laying there holding each other for a few minutes Jasmine rolled off her boyfriend, withdrawing his cock from her pussy and sat down on the bed beside him.
Koenma too sat up and they gave each other bright smiles of serene satisfaction. Jasmine was the first to say something, "That was amazing my prince."
Koenma smiled, "You were even more amazing my queen."
The lovers gave each other a sweet kiss and parted after a minute. Jasmine then asked Koenma, "So you have to go home?"
The prince nodded, "Sadly yes. That's why Jorge called. My father is going to come back from one of his "vacations" again, so I have to get back before he does. What do you have going on today since you don't have to work?"
Jasmine smiled and looked at the alarm clock sitting on her nightstand, "I'm going to meet Shizuru for lunch and not much else. Before you go back to Spirit World, do you want to take a shower together and grab a quick breakfast? And while we're bathing, can you tell me more about the fights from the Demon World Tournament?"
Koenma smiled, beaming happily that his loving girlfriend still wanted to listen to his stories, "Sure, I'll be more than happy to my queen."
The lovers then hopped out of bed and walked into the bathroom to take their shower. While they bathed, Koenma continued with his stories of the fights of the Demon World Tournament from the previous night. Just like last night, Jasmine continued to listen with awe enjoying the prince's tales.
Twenty minutes later, they finished off their shower and got dressed. Jasmine fixed Koenma a quick breakfast and he then relaxed watching TV with her while he ate. After he was finished, Botan arrived ten minutes later and took Koenma back to the Spirit World after giving Jasmine a deep and loving kiss and both lovers wished each other to have a good day.
Early that afternoon, Jasmine got off the bus and walked a couple of blocks to the diner. She walked inside and heard the voice of her friend, Shizuru Kuwabara speak to get her attention, "Jasmine over here."
Jasmine walked over to the table to join her fellow psychic and her younger brother who was there sitting across from her. The young college bound demon hunter sat down next to Kazuma and across from Shizuru and greeted both siblings, "Good afternoon. Hi Kazuma, you're having lunch with us too?"
The younger Kuwabara sibling nodded, "Yeah, mainly because I want to ask you something?"
Before Jasmine could respond, one of the waitresses showed up and all three table occupants ordered their drinks and their lunch. Going back to Kuwabara's question, Jasmine replied, "Sure Kazuma, what do you need to ask me?"
He sipped from his Mountain Dew and said, "Since I am going into my sophomore year at the prep school, Shizuru thinks I should start checking out colleges."
Shizuru took a bite from her burger and washed it down with her iced tea, "Well Kazuma, your prep school is connected to Jasmine's university and it would be a shame to slack off on it. You know you have to go to college to become a doctor."
Jasmine washed down her fries with her water and she shifted her attention back to Kuwabara, "Are you looking to check out MU and their medical program?"
Kuwabara nodded taking a bite from his double bacon cheese burger and sipping on his Mountain Dew, "Yeah. I have been thinking about that school since my final semester at Sarayashiki Junior High. Shizuru said that you're a good person to go to about this."
Hearing that the Alaskan psychic smiled, "I would be more than happy to give you a tour around the MU campus and give you all the information you need for the school and their awesome medical program. When do you want to set this up?"
Kazuma thought about it for a minute and then replied, "Can we set something up for August if you're not busy then?"
Jasmine took a bite from her cheese burger and washed it down with her water and replied, "That sounds fine. Since I am going to be busy for most of the summer, how about we can do it the week before school starts, does that sound reasonable?"
Kazuma finished off his double bacon cheese burger and nodded, "Yeah it does. Thank you Jasmine."
"No Problem."
Deciding to change the subject, Shizuru then interjected, "Speaking of college, my graduation from the Mushiori Beauty Academy is on the 15th which is the same day of Caroline's graduation from SU."
Jasmine finished off her fries and deciding to ask before making any snap judgments about this news, she then asked, "They're not at the same time are they?"
Shizuru chuckled and sipped from her ice tea again, "No and thank god. My graduation is at noon and Caroline's isn't until 7pm. So we have enough time to make it to both. Also, you can invite anyone you want to both of them."
The young demon hunter smiled, "Great, I was thinking of inviting Koenma, Koashura, Kotennyo, and Botan. They all said they wanted to come to both events."
The three psychics continued with their conversation about both graduations while they finished off their lunch. Later that afternoon in Spirit World, Koenma was once again hard at work stamping and processing his stacks upon stacks of paperwork.
Normally, he would be having a fit over his heavy workload but today, he wasn't. In fact, he was still in such a good mood from making love to Jasmine the previous night and early that morning. He even didn't feel like switching back to his other more degrading form. Everyone around the office noticed the prince's good mood, even Jorge.
Speaking of the blue ogre, since that morning's phone incident, he hasn't spoken to his boss or even looked him in the eye all day. Jorge walked in his office carrying another stack of paperwork for his boss and set it down on his desk. Koenma looked up at him and said, "Ogre, hey Ogre, why aren't you talking to me?"
Then it dawned on him that his ogre servant had figured it out, the tall and handsome prince then began to try and talk to him, "Ogre, I'm sorry. But, you called at a bad time."
Jorge sighed and turned around. He knew couldn't keep ignoring Koenma especially since he had known the prince since he was a newborn. "It's so freaking hard."
Koenma sat there dumbstruck, "What is?"
The blue ogre once again sighed and looked at his young boss dead in the eye, "I have known you and taken care of you since you were a newborn. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to see you in a completely different light? Christine says I have to let you…"
"What?"
Jorge fell completely silent and looked at his bare blue feet and said, "Forget it."
Koenma formed a bit of an angry frown on his handsome face behind his pacifier, "Ogre, I don't have any patience for this. You are wrecking my good mood. I know what you're talking about and your lady friend is right, you have to stop treating me like a child. I know you mean well but, Ogre, I'm not. I'm an adult and I can take care of myself."
The blue ogre nodded, "I know." Wanting to drop the subject for now, he then said to Koenma, "Here's the next stack of documents to work on for the next couple of hours until your voice lesson. Oh, I almost forgot, have you prepared a song for the upcoming opera?"
The prince sighed at the mention of it, "Yeah. I can't believe Dad is punishing me again and I don't know I did to piss him off this time."
Jorge nodded agreeing with him, "I know Sir. Your dad is just being an ass again."
Koenma then groaned and deciding not to let his father get to him again, he soon went back to his work.
He walked down the dimly lit hallway. He didn't exactly know where he was going but, something told him that he should go in the direction he's going in. Then he heard a sound, it was the sound of something creaking, like it was coming from old wood, from a chair.
He continued walking until he reached his destination. Standing in front of a set of mint green double doors bordered by a dark forest green, he realized he couldn't reach the handles to open them. Why, why couldn't he?
Koenma then looked at himself as he held out his small hands in front of him. The young prince then realized, "What? How could this be possible? I was in my adult form, why am I in this degrading body? I could have sworn I went to bed and woke up that way. What the hell is going on?"
He then heard the creaking sound again. Koenma looked at the green double doors again and it dawned on him that it was coming from inside that room. He then decided to knock on the door even though he thought it wouldn't do him any good.
As his small fist gently tapped the door's thick wood, it opened. The currently pint sized prince slowly opened the door and looking inside, it was pitch black. He couldn't see anything or anyone. Koenma then spoke into the inky black darkness, "Hello?"
There was no response. He took a deep breath and with his curiosity getting the better of him, Koenma slowly walked into the room. The currently toddler looking prince spoke to the darkness once again slowly walking farther and farther inside, his short legs feeling as if they were made of lead, "Hello?"
The green doors slammed shut behind him. Koenma turned around and sprinted to the doors. He tried to use his floating levitation ability to touch the door's handles but, he remained on the ground. Beginning to panic, he tried to switch to his tall and handsome adult form but, he remained in his small degrading toddler body. Still staring at the door's handles, they then dissolved into the door.
Now realizing he was trapped inside the dark room, he began to panic again. The young prince tried to look for another exit and when he realized that there wasn't another one, he heard the creaking sound again. Koenma began to suck on his pacifier nervously and spoke once again but in a shaky voice, "H…hello? W…who's there? Answer me!"
Then all the sudden, candlelight lit the room and Koenma then saw the source of the creaking noise, it was coming from an old wooden rocking chair. Looking around the room, it looked like he was in some sort of a nursery or a bedroom for an expectant mother.
He then heard the sound of a woman humming a beautiful tune. Her voice was very clear and beautiful…like his. He then shifted his attention back to the wooden rocking chair and saw that he was behind a woman who now sat in it. Looking at the woman's back, he could see that she had long flowing straight brown hair and was dressed in a royal blue kimono.
Koenma wanted to get a better look at her and slowly approached the woman. Finally getting a good glimpse of her beautiful face, he let out a loud gasp, "M…mother?!"
Her eyes remained closed as she continued to rock back and forth in the rocking chair. Suddenly, Koenma noticed something about her; she was pregnant, very pregnant. He then tried to speak to her again, "Mother, Mom, it's me. It's your son. It's Koenma, are you going to look at me?"
Queen Sakura didn't respond to him but, she continued slowly rocking back and forth in the rocking chair. She brought down her small dainty hands and placed them on her pregnant belly and began to sing in a lovely operatic high soprano voice:
I cannot wait to meet you
I love you already my sweet baby boy
My little prince, when you will arrive we will all say hooray
Koenma just stood there stunned. Was she singing to him? She had to be, who else would she being singing to? The currently pint sized prince then found himself singing in response with his beautiful operatic Mezzo Soprano voice:
Mother I am right here
Please look at me Mother
Please talk to me; I am standing front of you
Mother please!
Koenma then ran up to her. He tried to touch his mother's hand but, he went right through her. The small prince landed flat on the floor and sat on the peach colored carpet. He looked up at her and it dawned on him. She couldn't see, hear, or touch him at all. It was like he wasn't even there. Queen Sakura then slowly stood up and held her stomach, looking at her belly that contained her unborn child affectionately singing once more:
My son, I know you'll become a great king just like your father
You will make life here in the Spirit World so much better
I know you will be a fair and just ruler
Koenma then stood back up and slowly approached the pregnant queen. He then sang back to her even though he knew she couldn't hear him:
Mother I wish you here to see the man Father has become
He's not as great as you think he is with the kind of stuff it is believed he had done
Mother, Mother, Father may be a monster but there is no proof of it
You don't even know me
You don't know the man I have become
Mother I wish you were here to see what is going on
Queen Sakura walked towards him and Koenma once again went right through her. She walked over to a silver tray sitting on a wooden table with a teapot and couple of teacups. As she poured herself some tea, she began to sing again:
I can't wait to hold you in my arms my little bundle of joy
I want to hold you in my arms and sing to you my beautiful baby boy
The day you will be born will be such a wonderful day
My son you are loved by me and when you arrive, the rest of Spirit World will love you too
Queen Sakura took a sip from her hot tea and a few seconds after taking that sip, she dropped the teacup and it hit the floor and shattered. She then put her hand on her chest and slowly fell to her knees looking like she was having trouble breathing. Koenma then rushed over to her side wanting to help his mother. The young prince began to sing with more gusto beginning to panic:
Mother what is wrong?
Mother are you okay?
Mother, Mother, please talk to me
Mother, Mother please be okay
Please do not die
Queen Sakura then began to take slow and labored breaths. She placed her hands on her pregnant belly and began to sing one last time. Her soprano voice still beautiful but, she sounded very weak and used what little strength she had she then sang out:
I may not get to hold you after all
This is unfortunately going to be my downfall
My little prince, my little Koenma
Please be strong my little one
Koenma then reached out to his dying mother hoping he could touch her. His hand went through the queen's slender shoulder and he felt a lump in his throat. The currently toddler looking prince bit down on his pacifier as tears welled up in his big brown eyes and they ran down his chubby cheeks. He then sang to her as she began to slowly vanish:
Mother please don't go
Mother please don't leave me
Don't leave me, don't leave me
The room's background then returned to its inky black and Queen Sakura faded away. Koenma let out a loud shriek as more tears poured down his cute chubby cheeks. He sank to his knees and as began to cry he then heard the sound of a woman pleading, "Take me instead. Please save my baby. Save my son please! Don't let him die!"
With his short arms crossed over his small chest, Koenma looked around for the woman but, he didn't see anyone. A few more tears slid down his pale chubby cheeks and all the sudden a familiar friendly voice of a young woman spoke to him, "Hello?"
Koenma then turned his head to find out the source of that voice and was pleasantly greeted with the young fourteen year old already slimmed down version of his first spirit detective, Kuroko Sanada. The teenage Kuroko then began to sing in a lovely operatic soprano voice to her former boss:
Koenma, Koenma, Koenma
Please don't cry anymore
I am here to protect you forevermore
I promise I will not leave you
You can depend on me
She offered her hand to him and the young prince took it and stood up. They let go of each other's hands and Koenma then sang back to Kuroko in reply:
Kuroko you're a very sweet and wonderful woman
I know you cannot stay forever
When you were here, you were good at your job
You were a good spirit detective
But you soon fell in love Shogo Sato
It was only right to let you go
The fourteen year old Kuroko then transitioned into the current day adult Kuroko and she sang back in her lovely soprano voice with a warm smile on her beautiful face:
I thank you for that Koenma
I always knew were a reasonable man
I only wish you got to attend our beautiful wedding
Thank you Koenma for letting me fulfill my dream
I feel truly blessed by your kindness
I hope you find a woman who will give the love you deserve
Still giving Koenma a warm smile, Kuroko began to fade away like Queen Sakura did. Then all the sudden, he then heard another familiar voice of a young man speak to him, "Koenma."
Koenma then instantly knew who it was. He slowly turned around to see the young fifteen year old Shinobu Sensui standing behind him. The young Sensui then began to sing in an operatic baritone voice to his former boss:
I am here to fight for justice for you
Human beings need to be protected from the evils that demons do
I am just the man for the job
I know I can handle it
Humans need to be protected
Koenma stood there and sighed. All of those memories began flooding back to him. Since the first day he was hired, Sensui had shown great promise. Everything from his natural spiritual abilities that he was born with to his willingness to work hard to achieve his goals, there was no denying that he was an excellent spirit detective. Well, that was until the mansion incident that left a permanent emotional scar on poor Shinobu.
Before the currently toddler looking prince could sing something back in reply, Shinobu had transitioned to the present day adult Sensui before his untimely death. Then Itsuki appeared by his side. Both men then sang to Koenma with utmost hatred and anger in their voices:
Why do you have to ruin people's lives?
Do you take pride in driving them to madness?
Itsuki: You're a treacherous snake. How could anyone put up with you?
Sensui: It's only a matter of time before the same thing happens to that poor Jasmine girl. Does she know what a scumbag you are?
Itsuki: When she becomes another Shinobu, she'll leave you like he did.
Both Sensui and Itsuki Again: You don't deserve to be loved. You deserve to die alone being consumed in your own misery.
Koenma crossed his short arms over his small chest. He bit down on his pacifier trying not to cry from the hurtful things Sensui and Itsuki were saying to him. Tears then began to pour down his chubby cheeks once again and he sang back to them:
Shinobu, I am sorry, so, so, sorry.
I still regret sending you to that mansion and I wish it would have been me instead
If I could take it all back, I would
Shinobu please, all I want is your forgiveness
I never meant for you to fall into madness
Jasmine will never have it happen to her
I swear she'll never become another you
Itsuki you don't know anything so, you should just shut your damn mouth
Both his former spirit detective and his demon lover glared at the young prince. Koenma didn't like the looks on their faces. With both shooting him death glares, Sensui and Itsuki both sang out to him again with more venom and disgust in their voices. They both wanted to have poor Koenma break down emotionally from their hurtful words:
You're a liar and a fake
One of these days, the Alaskan will suffer the same fate
Sensui: How could Jasmine love someone as horrible and disgusting like you?
Itsuki: At least mine and Shinobu's love is pure. You don't deserve Jasmine. She would be better off without you.
Sensui: You're a failure
Itsuki: In more ways than one
Both Sensui and Itsuki Again: When you become king, all of Spirit World will suffer
Then the Demon and Human Worlds will hate you too
You deserve to be punished for your mistakes
You've never taken full responsibility for them
Koenma bit his pacifier again as he tried to choke back his sobs that threatened to burst out. As more tears poured down his chubby cheeks, he then sang back in reply:
I have Shinobu, I have
That is why I tried to seal myself with you when I used my Mafukan
It was my fault that your mind fractured like it did
If Jasmine ever does suffer like you did, I will take my own life
I cannot bear it if she does
He then collapsed to his knees with his short arms still wrapped around his small body. Koenma then began to cry, holding his head down and he continued:
Please forgive me
Shinobu please, forgive me
Sh-Shinobu…
Sensui and Itsuki both gave darkly sadistic smiles in satisfaction seeing their former boss break down and they both faded away like Queen Sakura and Kuroko did. Koenma continued to cry and weep still begging his dead former spirit detective to forgive him and saying that he loves Jasmine so much, swearing that he will do everything in his power to keep her from becoming another Sensui. As he continued, another familiar voice spoke to him.
"Quit being such a crybaby Pacifier Junkie."
Hearing Yusuke's voice, Koenma stopped crying and looked up at him. The young prince narrowed his big brown eyes at him and the half demon ex-spirit detective them sang to him in a nice operatic Tenor voice:
I admit I couldn't stand you when you first hired me
Hell, you annoyed me to death
I felt like all you did was piss me off
Because, you were such a lame boss
Koenma rolled his large brown eyes at Yusuke's words. Realizing that Yusuke wasn't going to help him up, the currently pint sized prince stood up on his own. He wiped away his tears on the sleeve of his shirt and sang back in an annoyed voice in response:
I can assure you Yusuke that the feeling was mutual
All you did was try my patience
When you made fun of me when we first met, I admit wanted to get back at you
I wanted to make you suffer and suffer you did
Over time, I began to feel remorseful for my mistakes
I did everything I could to make up for what I did to you
But, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't forgive me either
I deserve to be punished, I don't deserve happiness, I don't deserve love
Then all the sudden, Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara appeared by Yusuke's side. All four members of Team Urameshi surrounded their currently pint sized former boss. They all began to sing together in a perfect harmony with each of their voices perfectly complementing each other's:
Koenma thank you for fixing your mistakes
We would have not eventually got our lives back if it wasn't for you
Yusuke: I finally got to figure out who or what I am. I am still trying to find my place in this world but, in part from you, I got to find that missing part of me
Kuwabara: Sometimes the fights may have been hard but, they let me improve and allowed me to become the man I am today
Kurama: You need to stop being so hard on yourself, sure you may not have always been the best boss but, you were a better friend and ally
Hiei: I may not see eye to eye with you but, in partially thanks to you, I am now where I belong
All members of Team Urameshi: Sometimes you angered us when you kept secrets that hindered our cases
Other times, you annoyed us with your unique personality
But Koenma, you deserve to be happy, you deserve to be loved
Koenma just stood there stunned as he stared at his former spirit detective team. He felt touched by their kind words, especially from Hiei. He bit down on his pacifier to keep himself from crying and he didn't know how to respond to this. Team Urameshi continued with their quartet:
We may be moving on with our lives but, you're never alone
We will still think of you as a friend and valuable ally
Yusuke: If it wasn't for you bringing me back from the dead, I would have never got to see Keiko, Kuwabara or my mom again
Kuwabara: If it wasn't for you, Urameshi and I would not have become best friends and I wouldn't have met the love of my life
Kurama: If it wasn't for you, I would have died to save my mother
Hiei: If it wasn't for you, I would have never found her. I would have never got to return home
All members of Team Urameshi: Thank you for your help Koenma
Our lives would not have been the same without you
That Jasmine girl is a lucky woman
Tears ran down his chubby cheeks. He never thought that any of them were grateful for the kind of things he did for them. Koenma had always assumed that they hated him for one reason or another, especially Hiei and Yusuke. Team Urameshi once again sang out:
You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise
You may have made mistakes but, you did everything you could to fix them
It's no wonder why Jasmine loves you
Koenma, you are a good person even if you weren't the best boss
All four members of Team Urameshi began to fade away and the currently toddler looking prince sang to them begging:
Please don't go
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei
Please don't leave me yet
Please don't leave me alone
Koenma held his head down and looked at his feet and sighed. They were now gone like his mother, Kuroko, and Sensui. Still looking at his feet he then sang:
Angel of Music, please come find me
I cannot take being alone in this darkness
Angel of Music, I am lonely
Please come keep me company
He bit down on his pacifier to keep from crying and shut his large brown eyes. Tears silently ran down his chubby cheeks as he clenched his small hands into fists at his sides. Then suddenly, a young woman with a white mask covering half of her face, her long brown curls pulled back into a bun, wearing a long black evening gown, long black gloves, and a long black cloak that flowed with her as she walked came walking out. She then stood before him. The Jasmine phantom then sang to him in her lovely operatic soprano voice:
Prince in distress, you don't need to cry anymore
You are no longer alone now that I'm here
I will never leave you, I will never abandon you
Koenma opened his eyes and he greeted the phantom version of his lovely human psychic girlfriend with a bright smile. He wiped away his tears on the sleeve of his shirt again. Koenma then sang back to her in response:
Angel thank you for hearing my plea
I was afraid you wouldn't show
You really do care about me
The Jasmine phantom then formed a smile on her red painted lips. She then knelt down to his level and offered her gloved hand to him and responded:
Yes I did. I your Angel of Music will never abandon you
Not like the rest of them
Your second spirit detective was wrong and the other two were right
You deserve love, you deserve happiness
You made so many sacrifices
It is time you were now rewarded for them
Come with me and I will take you away from this darkness
I will always protect you my prince
No harm will come to you
Koenma just smiled and then took the Jasmine phantom's hand. She then scooped him up in her arms and stood up. She began to carry him and Koenma could see a blinding light. Then all of the sudden he felt he was laying on something soft. The now tall and handsome prince, who is now in his adult form, woke up lying on his large canopy bed in his bedroom.
Looking over to his nightstand, it was 5:30AM. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Koenma removed the covers off his body, opened up the see through curtains and climbed out of bed wearing flannel pajamas that Jasmine bought him a few weeks ago. He walked over to his bathroom, turned on the light, and walked over to his vanity mirror.
The prince turned on the water faucet, removed his pacifier setting it down on the sink and knelt his head down to the water basin. He scooped up some of the cold water into his bigger hands and brought it up to his handsome face. After doing that a couple of times, he grabbed onto the sides of the sink and then looked up at the mirror thinking to himself, "That was some dream."
Staring at his own reflection as the cold water ran down his handsome face, Koenma began to ponder what the meaning of it was. As far as he was concerned, it was one of the more screwed up dreams he had in recent months.
He turned off the water faucet, grabbed his pacifier before putting back into his mouth, and walked back into his bedroom wondering who he should talk to about this. Koenma debated walking down the hallway to Jorge's bedroom and waking him up to talk to him about it. He didn't feel like waking the ogre anyway. He sat down on the side of his bed and looked at the phone sitting on the wooden nightstand.
Koenma thought about calling Jasmine to talk to her about it. He then picked up the phone off its receiver but, even though he wanted to call her, he hoped she wouldn't get mad at him for waking her up. The young god sighed and figured that it wouldn't hurt.
Back in the Human World in Jasmine's apartment, the young Alaskan demon hunter was still asleep. She didn't have to be up for work in another two hours. It was now practically 6AM. Suddenly her cordless phones in both her bedroom and in the living room began to ring. Jasmine opened her large brown eyes being awoken by the sound.
She sat up and stretched her thin arms above her head and reached over to her nightstand, pressed the button and said, "Hello?"
She could hear breathing on the other end of the line and the deeper luscious voice of her lover could be heard, "Hello Jasmine?"
The young demon hunter chuckled, "Koenma? What are you doing up and why are you calling me this early? Are you okay?"
The prince sighed beginning to feel guilty for interrupting her sleep, "Jasmine I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have woken you up before you alarm went off."
Jasmine giggled and said sweetly, "It's okay. You really needed someone to talk to. What is bothering you my prince? I have some time to listen. I don't have to be at work until nine."
Koenma sat down on his bed, "So you're not mad at me?"
The lovely young woman giggled again, "No I'm not. I went to bed really early last night so, I got plenty of sleep. Now tell me what's bothering you my prince."
Koenma sighed in relief grateful that Jasmine wasn't mad at him. He began to twirl the phone cord around his long index finger and proceeded to spill his guts to her, "Well I had this really weird dream. I don't know if I should call it a nightmare or not because it had some happy parts along with the negative ones."
"What was the dream about?"
Koenma then proceeded to tell about the dream in detail starting with appearance of his dead mother then Kuroko, Sensui and Itsuki, Team Urameshi, and her dressed up as a more feminine version of the Phantom of the Opera. When the prince was finished, Jasmine giggled at the detail about her and once regaining her composure she replied, "You know Koenma, I don't know what that dream could possibly mean. It sounds interesting though."
The young psychic yawned and added looking at the clock on the nightstand, "I would love to talk about this more but, I got to jump in the shower, get dressed, and grab a quick breakfast before I go pick up some groceries before I have to go to work."
Koenma then felt some disappointment until Jasmine said, "Tell you what, how about during my visit later this afternoon after I get off from work, why don't we talk about it more? Does that sound good to you?"
Koenma smiled, "Yes my queen. I would love it. Thank you Jasmine and I love you."
Jasmine sweetly giggled and replied, "I love you too my prince."
The lovers then bid each other goodbye and ended their phone conversation so Jasmine could get ready for work. Later that day in the afternoon, Koenma sat in his office hard at work trying to complete his stacks upon stacks of paperwork.
Stamp…rustle…stamp…rustle
Even though he was working very hard, he still had his mind on the dream he had and also looked forward to his visit with Jasmine. Instead of switching to his other more degrading form, the prince chose to stay in his adult one just to switch things up and plus, he just didn't feel like it.
Stamp…rustle…stamp…rustle
The two pink and yellow double doors to his office opened up and Jasmine and Botan walked in. Koenma didn't notice the two lovely young women being so consumed in his work. Jasmine chuckled at her royal lover and she cleared her throat and spoke to get his attention, "Koenma, my prince, it's Jasmine. Are you going to talk to me?"
Hearing his lover's voice, he stopped stamping and looked up at her. He formed a smile on his handsome face behind his pacifier, "Hello Jasmine my queen how was work?"
The young demon hunter smiled, "Pretty good. I didn't have to be in the shower room today but, since my floor was a bit overstaffed, they sent me downstairs to help out in the maternity ward during the second half of my shift. I got to take care of pregnant ladies and women who already had their babies today. It was fun."
Koenma chuckled and decided to joke around with her he asked, "You're not thinking about conceiving an heir for me are you?"
Jasmine raised her brown eyebrows at him, "No of course not. It's still too early to be thinking about things like that. Koenma, are you thinking about that?"
The prince burst out laughing and after laughing for about a minute, he regained his composure and shook his head, "No, I was just kidding. I don't want an heir yet. You still have the rest of medical school to complete and to start your career afterwards. I want to us to be married before we start making babies. Also, I'm going give up my degrading child form before then because I don't our children to ever see me like that."
Jasmine let out a sigh in relief and Botan just laughed at the sight in front of her and interjected, "You two are so cute. Talk to you both later."
She then tried to leave the office to finish off the remainder of her shift but, Jasmine stopped her, "Botan wait."
Botan stopped in her tracks, "Yeah?"
Jasmine decided to come out and ask her, "I almost forgot to ask, do you still want to come to Shizuru's and Caroline's graduations in two weeks? Also, afterwards, my sister is throwing a graduation party at her sorority house and I was wondering if you would like to come to that too."
The lovely blue haired grim reaper's face lit up, "Yeah, I would love to."
"Great." Jasmine then shifted her attention back to her loving boyfriend, "What about you Koenma?"
The tall handsome prince smiled, "Yeah, I would love it."
Botan then bid her two friends a quick goodbye and left the office to finish off her soul ferrying shift. Jasmine then walked over to Koenma's desk, careful not to knock any of the unprocessed stacks of paperwork over. Now standing beside him they both smiled at each other and Koenma then broke the silence between them, "Why don't you sit on my lap this time?"
Jasmine cutely giggled at his suggestion, "Sure, why not?"
She then removed her coat and placed that and her purse on the floor next to the big plush red chair and sat down on her boyfriend's lap. Both lovers giggled like complete dorks in the position that they were in and Koenma removed his pacifier and placed it on his desk.
He and Jasmine shared a deep and loving kiss and parted a minute later. He then handed her the paradise seal and they quickly got started on the stamping. After turning on the radio to break the monotony and several hours later, Jasmine set the paradise seal on the desk to take a break.
Koenma still continued on with the punishment documents and Jasmine then asked him, "Are you ready to talk about your dream some more?"
After finishing off his current stack, Koenma set the punishment seal down and nodded, "Yeah. So what do think it could possibly mean?"
Jasmine thought about it for a minute and then replied, "I think the parts about your mom and Sensui probably stem from your guilt over what happened to them. Like I said to you before, your mother's death wasn't your fault and about Sensui, everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect and you did whatever you could to make up for what happened to him. Koenma, you need to stop beating yourself up over them. I know that'll take you some time to get over it but, you need to quit thinking so negative about them both."
Koenma felt touched by Jasmine's kindness and understanding and he felt forever grateful for it. Even though he knew he should stop feeling so incredibly guilty about his mother's death and Sensui's madness, it still bore a great deal in his heart. The lovers went back to stamping and continued to talk about the meaning of the dream. Before she went back to the Human World, Jasmine did come to the conclusion that Koenma's dream was probably brought on by stress. She couldn't stay the night being that she had another early morning shift and Koenma understood. They shared another hot and passionate kiss and Botan took Jasmine home afterwards.
Soon the 15th came around and Jasmine, Koenma, Botan, Kuwabara, Koashura, Caroline, and Kotennyo were currently seated in a small auditorium during the Mushiori Beauty Academy's Graduation Ceremony. One by one, each of the twenty students' names of this semester's graduating class was called up to receive their degrees or certificates in achievements.
About fifteen students in, the next name that was called up was, "Shizuru Kuwabara."
Shizuru then got up and walked up to the stage and shook hands with the school's dean and administrators and was given her degree. Applause was heard and Shizuru walked off the stage. After the last five students received theirs, the school's dean then spoke up, "I now present to you all the Mushiori Beauty Academy Class of 1995. Congratulations ladies and gentlemen."
Shizuru and her small class of twenty were applauded again and a few minutes later, she met up with her brother and her friends in the lobby. Jasmine, Caroline, Botan and Kotennyo all rushed over and each gave her a hug.
When all the girls stopped embracing her, Koenma then said, "Congrats Shizuru."
"Thank you Koenma."
As the eight friends left the building, Caroline then asked her fellow psychic, "Are you going to come to my graduation party tonight?"
Shizuru thought about it for a minute and her brother then asked her, "Shizuru can I go? I was really awesome all semester and I think I should be rewarded for my hard work."
The older Kuwabara sibling shrugged her shoulders, "Sure, I don't see why not. You did get straight As all year but Kazuma, if I catch you drinking alcohol at the party tonight, you'll be in trouble and we'll go home early."
Kazuma sighed, "I won't sis, I swear. I'm not stupid."
The rest of the group all laughed. They decided to go out for pizza for lunch as a mini celebration for Shizuru. While they were eating, the elder Kuwabara gently tapped her soda glass to get everyone's attention. She then cleared her throat, "I have an announcement I would like to make."
The rest of the table occupants gave her their undivided attention. Shizuru took a sip from her orange soda and said with a bright grin on her face, "Early this morning I got a call from the high end beauty shop on Sun Street this morning and I have an interview the day after Caroline's wedding."
Jasmine smiled being happy hearing that good news, "That's so awesome Shizuru. Now that you know how to do hair, nails, and eyebrow waxing, you're so going to get it."
Shizuru smiled, "Thank you Jasmine but, let's not celebrate that yet. I might not get the job. If I don't, it's okay because I have applied at a few other beauty shops in the city." She then took another sip from her orange soda and decided to change the subject, "What about you Carol? Have you heard anything from one of the elementary schools yet?"
Caroline nodded, "Yes I have, I have an interview at a private elementary school next week for the position of a preschool teacher. It's still not quite kindergarten but, I'll take what I can get to gain some experience."
The table occupants continued to talk about Caroline's and Shizuru's post college lives while they finished up their meal. Soon 7PM rolled around and they were now seated in a large stadium like auditorium on the Sarayashiki University campus. There were at least about a couple hundred students in this graduating class.
Caroline was seated at the front row with the rest of the honor society students and one by one each student's name was called. At last, SU's dean called, "Caroline Alexis Black."
The blond demon hunter walked up to the stage as loud cheers from her sorority sisters, friends, and the group that consisted of Jasmine, Koashura, Koenma, Kotennyo, Shizuru, Botan, and Kuwabara broke out. Caroline shook hands with the dean and received her Master's degree in Elementary Education and walked off stage. The ceremony went on for another half an hour until the newly graduated college students were instructed to move their purple and gold tassels to the other side of their caps.
They all did just that and after the dean announced them as the Sarayashiki University Class of 1995, they removed their tassels and threw their purple caps up into the air. After the applause had died down, the seven friends waited for the blonde Alaskan psychic outside of SU's stadium.
Caroline emerged with a large group of her Sigma Delta Kappa sorority sisters and seeing her sister and the rest of the group she ran up and hugged Jasmine, Shizuru, Kotennyo and even Botan. Koenma and Koashura each patted her on the shoulder the prince asked his possible future sister-in-law, "Congrats Caroline. Are you excited about starting the next part of your life?"
Caroline nodded, "Yes Koenma I am but, I'm going to miss this place, especially my girls. I'm no longer going to be their president anymore."
Just then the voice of her fiancé was heard, "Caroline." The blonde turned around, "Raito, there you are. I thought I lost you."
The ordinary human, Raito Akashi walked up to his lover holding a large bouquet of flowers, balloons, and a big teddy bear for her. He gave his fiancé a loving kiss and once they parted he smiled lovingly at her, "Congratulations my sweet. I am so proud of you."
Caroline's pale cheeks turned pink, "Thank you Raito. I love you."
"I love you too."
They kissed again and when they parted, Raito gave his fiancé her flowers, balloons, and the big teddy bear. Caroline kissed the ordinary human man on the cheek, "Thank you sweetie."
She then loudly announced, "Party at the Sigma Delta Kappa Sorority House! Everyone is invited!"
The large group then followed Caroline to her sorority house and Koenma and Jasmine walked hand in hand. As they were walking, Botan gently tapped Jasmine on the shoulder.
Jasmine shifted her attention to the lovely blue haired grim reaper, "Yeah Botan. What's wrong?"
Botan sweetly giggled, "Oh nothing but, I forgot to tell you something earlier so, I better tell you now before we all forget from partying too hard."
Koenma looked his friend and employee, "What do you need to tell her Botan? Does it involve me?"
Botan scratched the back of her head and deciding to be a good friend and be honest, she nodded, "Yes Koenma sir, it does involve you too. This morning, King Yama called me into his office and well…"
Koenma and Jasmine both wanted to know what was going on. Jasmine then asked her, "Botan, what did King Yama want to talk to you about?"
Botan loudly exhaled and decided to come out and say it, "He wanted me to relay the message to both you and Koenma stating that he is inviting you, Jasmine, to see the upcoming opera with him. He said he wanted to make up for being a jerk to you over dinner back in March."
Both lovers just blankly stared at the grim reaper from hearing this latest development. They and even Botan suspected that the old king might be up to no good. Jasmine sighed and knowing that she should be polite and accept his invitation she then replied, "I can't believe I'm going to say this but, Botan, inform King Yama that I accept his invitation and feel honored for it."
Koenma gently squeezed his lover's hand, "Jasmine, you don't have to do this."
Jasmine shifted her attention back to her prince and gave him a small smile, "I know but, I'm just being polite and I remember what Kotennyo said about trying to be a proper lady around the old king. So for you, I will do this."
Seeing how anxious her royal lover was getting, Jasmine decided to drop the subject for now and suggested, "Let's not worry about that now and enjoy Caroline's party."
Both Koenma and Botan nodded in agreement and they and everyone else continued walking to SU's Greek Row. Ten minutes later the big gang of college students along with Koenma, Botan, and Kuwabara arrived at the medium sized white colored sorority house with big bright green Greek letters of Sigma Delta Kappa posted on the front. Caroline opened up the front door and everyone walked into the house behind her.
Thirty minutes later after setting up the food, drinks, games, and music, Caroline's graduation party was in full swing. Many of the party guests and the ordinary human sorority girls were mingling, eating, drinking dancing to the music, or playing games.
Koenma and Koashura were both sipping on a glass of beer talking, reminiscing about Spirit World Kindergarten again. The redhead then said, "Hey, remember Kotennyo's graduation party?"
Koenma took a swig from his beer and nodded, "Hell yeah I do. It was one of wildest parties I have been to. Well, it's up there with Kurama's going away party."
Koashura started laughing, "Oh hell yeah it was. Remember that game of truth or dare we played?"
The prince thought about it for a minute and the memory of that night came flooding back to him and he nodded, "Yeah, I remember that. I remember I dared you to go skinny dipping in her dad's pool and you did and I stole your clothes. Sorry about that by the way."
Koashura burst out laughing, "Oh man, I was so embarrassed. It's cool man, I forgive you for that. We were such jerks back then."
Koenma nodded in agreement, "Yeah we were." He then took another swig from his beer and asked his childhood friend, "Do you want to play a game?"
Koashura thought about it for a minute and nodded, "Yeah. What did you have in mind?"
The prince finished off his beer and deposited the empty red plastic cup into the nearest trashcan and replied, "Up for a game of beer pong? We haven't played that since Kotennyo's graduation party."
Koashura finished off his beer too, "Yeah but, wasn't that just juice pong back then because we weren't old enough to drink yet?"
Koenma nodded, "Yeah but now, we're old enough to drink. I think Carol set up a beer pong table somewhere."
Just then Kotennyo and Jasmine walked up to the beer keg that both their boyfriends were standing next to and Koashura asked his human friend, "Hey Jas where did Caroline set up the beer pong table?"
Jasmine opened up the cooler that was next to the keg and took out a strawberry wine cooler, "She set it up in the backyard next to the swimming pool. Why?"
Koenma shrugged his broad shoulders, "No reason other than me and Koashura want to play. Why don't you and Kotennyo play with us? You know like a tag team game so we won't get too drunk."
The Alaskan psychic opened up her wine cooler and took a sip, "Sure why not? What about you Kotennyo?"
Kotennyo stared at her ex-boyfriend and her handsome redheaded current boyfriend with a blank expression and added, "Sure but, this better not be a repeat of my Spirit World Kindergarten Graduation Party when you two played juice pong and truth or dare."
Jasmine eyed her best friend curiously, "What happened at your graduation party?"
Kotennyo sighed in annoyance at the memory, "Those two dumbasses began to fight with each other again because Koenma was winning and also Koenma stole Koashura's clothes when he dared him to go skinny dipping in my dad's pool."
"Hey I already forgave him for that."
"Yeah, it's not going to be a repeat of last time. Don't be a bitch Kotennyo."
Kotennyo sighed, "You guys are such dumbasses."
As Jasmine led her three god friends out to the sorority house's backyard, Botan then walked up to them eating potato chips and sipping on a wine cooler, "What's up?"
Jasmine then responded to her grim reaper friend, "Koenma and Koashura are going to play beer pong out in the backyard and me and Kotennyo are also playing as in a tag team game. Do you want to join us?"
Botan shrugged her shoulders, "Sure why not?"
As she walked past Shizuru, the lovely grim reaper tapped her on the shoulder. Shizuru turned around and replied, "Yeah?"
"We're going out back to play some beer pong; do you want to join us?"
The elder Kuwabara sibling shrugged her shoulders, "Okay. Caroline can you and Raito keep an eye on Kazuma while I'm out back?"
Caroline nodded as did Raito and the blond demon hunter responded, "Sure. You don't need to worry because it seems that your brother is being very well behaved and not doing anything stupid."
Shizuru shifted her attention to the living room where her younger brother sat playing Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo eating a cheeseburger that Raito grilled up and a bag of cooler ranch Doritos while sipping on a bottle of Mountain Dew. She smiled, proud seeing Kazuma has stuck to his word of not touching any of the alcohol in the house and made her way to the backyard.
The six friends now walked up to a table sitting near the swimming pool that had plastic red cups set up in a pyramid on both sides that where filled up with beer. A white plastic ping pong ball sat on the middle of the table and Koenma and Koashura looked at each other.
The prince then asked his childhood friend, "Which side do you want?"
Koashura shrugged his broad shoulders, "It doesn't matter."
Koenma walked up to the right side while Koashura took the left side. Kotennyo and Botan teamed up with Koashura while Jasmine and Shizuru teamed up with Koenma. The young prince started off the game and tossed the ping pong ball into one of Koashura's cups.
"Take the first drink."
The redheaded god chuckled and picked up the cup, withdrew the ball from the beer and drank from that cup. Koashura then picked up the ping pong ball and aimed for the cup in the very front but, missed.
"Goddammit."
Koenma chuckled and picked up the ping pong ball and aimed for the cup in the center back and it landed in the cup right next to it instead. Koashura sighed and picked up the cup and took the ball out of the beer before he drank it. Kotennyo then offered her hand to her lover, "Koashura tag me."
Koashura then tagged Kotennyo's hand and the young goddess picked up the ball and she aimed for the same cup Koashura did and it landed in said cup. Koenma then picked up the cup and withdrew the ping pong ball and consumed the beer. Jasmine offered up her hand to him, "My prince, let me go next."
Koenma smiled at her, "Yes my queen." He then tagged her hand and Jasmine then grabbed the ping pong ball.
Jasmine then aimed for one of the cups on the side but, it landed in one of the ones near the front. Kotennyo picked up that cup and took out the ball before chugging down the beer. The young goddess then tossed it into one of the cups in the back and Jasmine then drank it.
After a few more rounds, Jasmine drank two more beers until she decided that was her limit and tagged Shizuru. Kotennyo had drunk three more beers still not really feeling much of a buzz.
Picking up her next one she shook her head and commented, "What kind of crap is this? Is it just me or does this Budweiser crap taste like piss? I mean fuck, I'm not even getting a buzz off of this. Spirit World has better shit than this piss water."
The rest of the group started cracking up at what Kotennyo just said. Shizuru couldn't help but agree with her, "You know Kotennyo, I agree. I like Miller better. Hell, even that Alaskan ale stuff is better than this crap."
Koenma also nodded in agreement, "Yeah I know, I can get drunker quicker on Hector's stuff. At least it tastes good."
Jasmine sweetly giggled at everyone's words, "Well, this is what Caroline can afford at the last minute. She doesn't like this stuff either. Do you guys want to finish off the game?"
Koenma, Botan, Shizuru, Kotennyo, and Koashura all nodded. Having enough of the taste of the beer, Kotennyo tagged Botan. The grim reaper then tossed the ball into the cup in the very back and Shizuru drank it.
The elder Kuwabara sibling took out her pack of cigarettes, withdrew one, lit it with Sakyo's lighter and took a drag. She then tossed the ball into the cup in the middle and Botan drank it. The grim reaper made a face in disgust, "Wow Kotennyo, you weren't kidding. That stuff was awful."
The six friends finished off the game with Koenma's side winning when Koashura finished off the last beer. Koashura crushed the plastic red cup in his hand and tossed it into the trashcan next to the table.
"Well, that was fun but, the beer sucked."
"What do you want to do now?" the prince asked him.
Koashura shrugged his shoulders, "Do you want to play on the Super Nintendo? Shizuru's brother is having a ball with it."
Koenma smiled liking the idea, "Yeah, I don't see why not?"
Jasmine cutely giggled and interjected, "Can I play too?"
He then gently tilted her face up to his and stroked her cheek, "Yes my queen. Anything you want."
They then deeply kissed each other and Kotennyo softly laughed and said, "Get a room."
Koenma and Jasmine parted at her words and the young demon hunter chuckled at her friend's words, "We will later."
They all walked back inside the sorority house and accompanied Kuwabara in the living room. They all took turns playing Super Mario World, playing a level each. They all died multiple times to get through the levels they were playing but, had fun nonetheless. Caroline's graduation party lasted until 2AM and by then many of the party guests had already left to go home.
Jasmine, Kotennyo, Koashura, Shizuru, Botan, Kuwabara, Koenma and Raito all spent the night and slept in the living room in sleeping bags or with a blanket and pillow on the couch or on the floor. A week later that Friday, Jasmine stood in her bedroom as Kotennyo and Botan once again helped dress her in a kimono. This time it was a dark purple color with a bubblegum pink obi sash.
Kotennyo then asked her human friend, "Would you like me to do your hair again?"
Jasmine nodded, "Sure. Could you leave some of it down?"
The young goddess nodded, "Sure. I love those kinds of hairstyles the best. Botan could you hand me those hair chop sticks with the pink beads on them."
The blue haired grim reaper nodded and retrieved the hair chop sticks and handed them to Kotennyo. As Kotennyo fixed her hair, Jasmine sighed, "I really don't want to do this but, I am keeping in mind that I am doing this for Koenma. Speaking of Koenma, is he going to be singing today?"
Botan sighed and said feeling bad for her boss, "Unfortunately yes. King Yama is forcing him to again. Jorge, Ayame, and I suspect that he's still being punished for going against him to protect Yusuke. It's just not fair."
Both Jasmine and Kotennyo couldn't help but agree with her. While Kotennyo put the finishing touches on Jasmine's curly brown hair by inserting the hair chop sticks with the pink beads, Botan retrieved the young demon hunter's makeup bag and walked over to the bed.
As the lovely grim reaper applied Jasmine's makeup, Kotennyo began to lecture her human friend, "Now, do you remember how you should act before the king?"
After Botan had applied her eyeliner and mascara she nodded, "Yes, I should act like a proper lady around him even if he pisses me off. I should never give him the satisfaction of letting him see me get angry at him."
Botan then interjected applying Jasmine's lipstick, "Perhaps I should stay with you. Jasmine, you really need someone with you when you're around him. Koenma is not going to because; he's going to be singing again. Is it alright if I could accompany you?"
Jasmine thought about it for a minute and nodded, "Sure Botan. I would have Kotennyo with me but, she would be executed if she went back to Spirit World."
Kotennyo sighed, "Not that I want to anyway. When I was still living there, I dreamt of leaving because, of the way I was treated." She then looked at Jasmine's alarm clock and deciding to drop the subject she said, "Well, you two better get going. King Yama gets pissed when someone is late with his appointments with him."
Jasmine then stood up and she and Kotennyo gave each other a hug before she and Botan left the apartment and flew into a gateway into the Spirit World. They landed in front of the palace gates ten minutes later. Jasmine had her arms wrapped around Botan's waist as she buried her lovely face in her shoulder.
Botan struggled to breathe being that Jasmine was squeezing her due to her phobia of heights again, "J…Jasmine. We…have…landed….p…please…let…go."
The young demon hunter stopped squeezing her and began to apologize, "I'm so sorry Botan. Are you okay?"
Finally able to breathe again, she nodded, "Yes, I'm just fine."
Both women hopped off her wooden oar and Botan made it disappear. The grim reaper and the young psychic then walked the long winding road until they arrived at an old building with French looking architecture. Both young women walked inside the lobby that had stained glass windows, old paintings, with beautiful old upholstered chairs and a crystal chandelier that was hanging from a high ceiling that looked like a large painting with angels.
Botan then led Jasmine to a hallway that led to the king's balcony and they stood outside of a large wooden door and Jasmine sighed, "Let's get this over with."
Botan nodded and then tried to offer up some words of encouragement, "Everything is going to be fine. I'll be with you no matter how nasty he'll get."
Ten minutes later Jasmine and Botan walked the long staircase up to the balcony where King Yama, who was shrunk down to a normal height of at least six feet tall, was already there. The old king shifted his attention to the young demon hunter and the lovely blue haired grim reaper, "Miss Black you are right on time. Please have a seat."
Jasmine politely bowed to him, "Thank you your majesty."
She and Botan sat down and soon the ogre vocal performances had gotten started. King Yama then broke the ice, "Do you know who that woman is on the ceiling above us?"
Jasmine looked up at the large high ceiling looking at the beautiful brown haired woman with the large fluffy looking angel wings. Due to the auditorium's dim lighting, she couldn't tell who she is. Jasmine then quit looking at the ceiling and shifted her attention to King Yama, "No I do not. Who is she your majesty?"
King Yama continued to watch the current ogre performance and replied, "She is my wife, Sakura."
Jasmine shifted her attention back to the ogre vocal performance and replied, "Oh, she's very beautiful. Koenma looks a lot like her."
"Yeah he does." He responded in a monotone voice and his demeanor changed when he added, "Sakura was such a wonderful woman. I remember when I first met her. It was here at this opera house."
Jasmine looked over at him and asked, "Was she a singer?"
Still looking at the current ogre who was singing, King Yama nodded and replied, "Yes. She was the best in all of Spirit World. Sakura had such a beautiful high soprano voice. When I heard her sing for the first time, I felt completely mesmerized by her. And when her sparkling brown eyes met mine, I swore I was falling in love."
Jasmine just stared at the old king. She couldn't believe how this bastard of a man was actually speaking of someone in such a loving and positive way. King Yama then continued, "After she finished her performance, I met her backstage to let her know how much I enjoyed it. Sakura thanked me for my compliment and introduced herself to me. I remember the line she used, "I'm Sakura and I'm very magnificent.""
Jasmine sat there and blinked remembering hers and Koenma's first meeting from over a year ago at the Dark Tournament when he helped her find her purse. Her heart began to beat rapidly feeling as if she had butterflies in her stomach as she remembered him using the line "I'm Koenma, Prince of the Spirit World and I'm very cool". Jasmine shut her large brown eyes and giggled to herself at that memory. She thought he was so cute, handsome, a dork, and very charming.
She was snapped back to reality when King Yama continued to speak about his dead wife, "When she said that, my heart just melted. She was the first and only woman to ever make me laugh and I knew right then and there, I was in love. After that night, Sakura and I saw each other more and more. We dated for over fifty years until I asked her to marry me. I still remember those beautiful brown eyes sparkling when she said yes. Our wedding was big and spectacular. All of the Spirit World inhabitants were there in attendance."
The final ogre performance which was a quartet soon started and King Yama continued, "During the first fifty years of our marriage we were perfectly content without having any children and it was that way for a while. That is until we decided we felt incomplete without one. For nearly two hundred years, Sakura seemed to have trouble with conceiving an heir for me. Her first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage and we thought could never have a baby that is until she got pregnant with our son."
He sighed as the ogre quartet ended and the grim reaper ballet dance number which was lead by Ayame had started, "Sakura was very healthy and vibrant throughout the first part. We were very excited about his birth. That is until her health seemed to sour. Nobody could explain Sakura's illness but, to this day I am convinced that he did it to her."
Hearing him say that, Jasmine glared at him and asked in a fake polite tone, "What do you mean by that?"
King Yama scrunched his thick black eyebrows, narrowed his dark eyes and pursed his lips still watching the grim reaper ballet number, "I don't know what my son did to her. It's like Koenma was killing her from inside the womb. He made her sick. You would think that she would have been fine by the time she gave birth but, she didn't. I still couldn't believe she sacrificed herself for him. He should have died not her."
The grim reaper ballet performance ended and the large velvet curtains closed as the crowd applauded for the wonderful dance number. Jasmine clenched her small dainty hands that were placed on her lap into fists. Seeing that Botan patted her friend's hand to comfort her and still keeping her fake polite tone, Jasmine asked, "Do you love him? Koenma is your only son, your only child, do you?"
King Yama shifted his attention to the demon hunter and looked her directly in the eye. Jasmine could see his blank and empty expression. He didn't say anything and Jasmine knew right away, "You don't give a damn about him do you?"
Still staring at her blankly, King Yama then replied, "How can anyone love a pebble in their shoe?"
He then shifted his attention back to the stage that still had the velvet curtains closed as the ogres backstage were changing the scenery. Jasmine took a deep breath. She felt utterly disgusted from what the old king just said. It didn't make sense to her at all and she felt awful for Koenma. He didn't deserve that and to Jasmine it wasn't fair.
She then turned her gaze to King Yama who still stared at the stage and shot him a death glare wanting to very much cause him such agonizing physical pain. She then tried to reach into her dark purple kimono to withdraw her fans and seeing that Botan grabbed her hand. Feeling the grim reaper's grip, Jasmine looked over at her and Botan shook her head as in a no.
Botan leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Don't. Don't give him the satisfaction of letting him see you get angry. It'll make things worse."
Jasmine sighed and nodded and left her fans in her kimono. The ogre orchestra began to play and hearing the sound of a cello playing; Jasmine looked down and saw Jorge. She quickly turned away when she began to hyperventilate from her fear of heights. Botan patted her hand again to comfort her.
The ogre orchestra played a semi-happy melody and soon the symphonic metal riff to the song began to play. Due to the new sound, it gave the melody a more intense tone to it. The velvet curtains opened to reveal Koenma and Jasmine gasped.
She felt complete and utter disgust again seeing her royal lover being not only forced to sing but, to sing in his degrading toddler form again. Looking at the expression on the currently pint sized prince's face, he looked downright miserable. Both Jasmine and Botan could tell that he didn't want to be there.
After the ogre orchestra's instrumental riff went on for the next minute, Koenma then broke out into the first verse of his song. His beautifully enchanting Mezzo Soprano voice filled the auditorium as he sang this current song that he wrote about all four members of Team Urameshi.
After sitting there in silence for a few minutes and not taking his eyes off of his son, King Yama then decided to change the subject, "Miss Black, have you ever heard of a demon hunter family that once originated out of Scotland?"
Hearing him ask that, Jasmine felt her body grow stiff. She then took a deep breath and thought to herself, "Did he did look up my family's history? There is no way in hell that Koenma could have possibly told him. Hell, I never even told Koenma much about it."
Jasmine then exhaled and simply replied in her fake polite tone not taking her eyes off of Koenma who then began to sing his song's first chorus, "I believe I may have heard of them."
King Yama let out a slight chuckle, "I should hope so. The McAlpin Clan, I believe that's what they were called. They started hunting demons around five to seven hundred years ago and it was started by an old Scottish monarch called Kenneth McAlpin. It was said that he and his family were driven out of Scotland when they were accused of being witches when the Catholic Church discovered their psychic abilities."
Jasmine clenched her hands tight into fists once more, "Oh, that's…interesting."
"Oh yes it is. It's also said that some of his relatives were burned at the stake before he and his living relatives escaped. The ones that did escape from Scotland somehow migrated to the Russian Territory in North America that's now present day Alaska."
Jasmine didn't say anything. Whoever told the tyrannical king about her family really seemed to do their research and the young demon hunter wanted to know who it was so she can track the bastard down and possibly torture and kill them. She wanted to know what King Yama was getting at and he continued to talk about her family, "They are such a unique bunch. You know Miss Black, at one time, the McAlpins kind of worked with us despite operating outside of Japan. But, it's funny how their ancestor learned and trained at a Japanese dojo to learn how to defend the country of Scotland from demons. It's just too bad how the Scots didn't appreciate it but, the native Alaskans sure did."
After Koenma sang the second verse, he broke into the next chorus and Jasmine responded trying to keep her fake polite tone despite beginning to feel uncomfortable from this conversation, "Oh, really?"
"Yes. That's why they stayed there. For all of those generations, they defended that land from demonic threats and that's when we began to take notice. In fact, in the 1920s, they got sick of us poking into their business and their current matriarch and patriarch of the family, what were their names again, oh yes, Roland Evan McAlpin I and Meredith Belle Luna McAlpin. Yes, I remember now, they met with me to create a treaty saying that Spirit World will no longer interfere with the affairs of the McAlpin Clan."
King Yama then looked over at Jasmine and said, "You know you look just like old Meredith. You two have the same hair color, same eyes, same curls, skin tone, height, weight, body type, and even fight with the same weapons."
Still watching Koenma, Jasmine began to breathe heavily. She then thought to herself, "He knows but, how? How did he find out about my family even Great-Grandma Meredith, she's been dead for eight years. Just what the fuck is going on?"
Seeing how uncomfortable Jasmine was getting, Botan then tried to comfort her again by gently patting her back. King Yama smiled in delight seeing Jasmine's confident demeanor change. He cruelly smiled and said in an emotionless tone, "Your last name is Black and you are a demon hunter I presume? I remember that tidbit of information from the dinner back in March."
Jasmine didn't look at him and just silently nodded, "Y…yes."
Still giving her a cruel smile he continued, "You are quite the interesting young woman Miss Black or should I say McAlpin? Your mother Janine Black maiden name, McAlpin, met, rescued, and married an ordinary human coast guard sailor from Cushing, Oklahoma named William Black and they had three children, Niles, Caroline, and you Jasmine. You know even though we have that treaty with your family, they still meddle in things that they shouldn't meddle in. It would be a damn shame if something were to happen on, oh I don't know, your older sister's wedding day or if your Aunt Demetra's health were to take a turn for the worse."
Having enough of this uncomfortable talk, Jasmine clenched her fists tighter and gritted her teeth. She dropped her fake polite tone and said in a deadly voice, "What do you want from me or more specifically my family? Leave Caroline, Aunt Demetra and the rest of my family alone. What did we ever do to you? Just what the fuck do you want from me?"
Botan just sat there and stared at Jasmine and King Yama now knowing for the reason of why Jasmine was invited to attend this opera with him in the first place. The lovely grim reaper glared at her young boss's father in pure anger, disgust, and hatred. Jasmine then snapped her attention over to him and King Yama could see the anger and hatred brewing in her large brown eyes.
He cruelly smiled at her and Botan both and said to the young demon hunter, "Break it off with my brat son. I don't even know what he sees in a harlot like you. It's a good thing you two haven't been together for that long so; I doubt that his purity has been tampered with."
Not thinking about what she was going to do next, Jasmine then withdrew her fans from underneath her kimono and began to glow with her spirit energy. Even though she could sense that King Yama was way more powerful than her, all she could think about was kicking his ass and she snapped, "Not a chance old man. I'm not going to break up with Koenma because you want me to. And if you think you can go after my family because of my refusal, I will hunt you down and kill you or better yet, I'll kill all of those who are loyal to you and then I'll torture you until you beg for me to take your life. And when that happens, I'll take great satisfaction in taking off your head."
King Yama then burst out laughing at Jasmine's threat, "Oh please, in comparison to my power level, you are a weakling. I can sense it. Foolish woman, you don't stand a chance against me."
Meanwhile on the stage, Koenma looked up at the balcony and can see that his father was arguing with Jasmine and Botan. He began to sing the next verse of his song and seeing that the arguing seemed to be getting worse, his anxiety began to shoot through the roof and the currently toddler looking prince stopped singing and began to hyperventilate.
Koenma looked around and felt like the room around him began to spin. His breathing grew short and labored and he began to feel lightheaded. The young prince then shut his big brown eyes and his small body then collapsed onto the stage's wooden floor. Many of the local Spirit World inhabitants screamed in absolute horror and Jasmine, Botan and King Yama shifted their attention to the stage.
Both Jasmine and Botan let out loud gasps and King Yama didn't say anything. Seeing his cold blank expression and seemingly not caring that his only son had just passed out, Jasmine stopped glowing with her spirit energy and put her fans back in her purple kimono and then glared at the old king and barked, "You're a heartless mess. You don't care about Koenma's happiness or wellbeing at all. I can't believe you! Don't you ever talk to me again and stay away from my family! Good day sir!"
Botan didn't say anything to King Yama but just shook her head in disgust. Jasmine and Botan then left the balcony and the lovely grim reaper then guided Jasmine down the hallway in the direction towards the stage. The stage's velvet curtains had closed and the ogre orchestra stopped playing their instruments abruptly. Jorge rushed up to the stage and ran behind the curtain.
"KOENMA SIR!"
The blue ogre ran over to his unconscious boss's side and scooped him up in his arms. Jorge stood up carefully cradling Koenma and turned to walk offstage to see Jasmine and Botan arriving at the stage's entrance.
Staring at Jorge and her unconscious boyfriend, Jasmine bit her lip and tried her best not to cry and took a deep breath knowing that she should remain strong in this situation. The young demon hunter then asked, "Jorge is he okay?"
Jorge looked down at Koenma and back at Jasmine and Botan. He nodded, "I think so. I think he just may have passed out due to stress."
"Jorge, we should take him to his dressing room and perhaps get a medic to check him out." Botan suggested.
Jorge nodded in agreement and he, Jasmine, and Botan walked to Koenma's dressing room. The blue ogre placed his boss on a plush green sofa. He then tried to leave the room to go find a medic until Jasmine stopped him, "Jorge stop. I don't think that would be necessary."
Jorge just stared blankly at Jasmine, "What are you going to do? You're still in medical school and you only know how to take care of humans. Koenma is a god and you have no idea how…"
He didn't finish his sentence seeing the look on her face, "I know but, it's worth a shot."
Jorge sighed knowing that Jasmine wasn't going to let up, "Okay Jasmine. Do your thing."
She smiled at the ogre's generosity, "Thank you Jorge." Jasmine then shifted her attention to Botan, "Botan could you get me a warm wet washcloth?"
Botan nodded, "Sure." She then left the room to go get it and came back less than a minute later.
She then handed it to Jasmine and the young college bound psychic then removed Koenma's pacifier and moved his hat up to reveal his forehead before gently placing the warm wet washcloth on it. Jasmine took his small hand and said in a gentle soothing voice, "Koenma. Hey Koenma."
He gently squeezed her hand and began to open his big brown eyes and asked in a tired voice, "W…where am I?"
Koenma looked over to see his lovely human psychic girlfriend kneeling right next to him, "Jasmine…"
She gave him a sweet smile, "You're in your dressing room. Jorge and Botan are here too. Are you okay?"
Koenma silently nodded and Jasmine shifted her attention back to Botan, "Can you get him a glass of water?"
Botan nodded and left the room. She came back with the water a minute later. Koenma sat up taking the warm wet washcloth off his head and Botan handed him the glass of water, "Thank you Botan."
He then took a few sips and sat there in silence for a minute. Jasmine handed him his pacifier back and he slipped it back into his mouth, "Thank you my queen. I love you."
"I love you too."
Jasmine then looked up at Jorge, "Jorge can you lock the door? Botan and I need to talk to you and Koenma about something."
Jorge nodded and did just that. He then sat down on the sofa next to Koenma and Botan sat down on the floor next to Jasmine.
Koenma took another sip from his water cup and asked his lover, "Jasmine is there something wrong?"
The young woman nodded, "Yes." She then took a deep breath and decided to be a good girlfriend and be honest with him, "Koenma, your dad…well, the reason he invited me today was so he can blackmail me into breaking up with you."
The currently toddler looking prince just sat there dumbstruck. His jaw dropped open so fast that his pacifier nearly fell out of his mouth and his small hands began to shake. Seeing that Jorge then offered, "Here sir, let me have your water so you won't drop it."
The blue ogre then gently grabbed Koenma's water glass before he could drop it on the floor and set it down on the wooden coffee table. Koenma then found his voice and asked, "W…why? You're not going to are you?"
Jasmine then took his small hands in her own and shook her head, "No of course not. Koenma I would never break up with you. Even though your bastard of a father threatened my family and somehow dug up information on me and them, I would never think about leaving you. Koenma you matter so much to me. Out of all the guys I have dated, you are the most special to me and I can't picture being without you. I love you Koenma. You are my best friend, my confidante, and my lover. You make me laugh, smile, and make me feel good about myself when I am having a crappy day. You always know how to cheer me up. You're so much fun to be around and just wonderful in every way possible. Hell, even my family likes you. My prince, you are a big part of my life and I want to continue to share it with you."
Koenma felt touched by Jasmine's words and he felt he loved her more. Without saying another word, he leapt off the green sofa and gave the young demon hunter a hug. Watching the scene in front of them, Jorge and Botan couldn't help but form a tear or two in their eyes.
After a minute or two, Koenma and Jasmine broke their embrace and the currently pint sized prince sat back down on the green plush sofa. Jorge handed him back his water glass and he took another sip and sighed, "I can't believe my father. How can he be so cruel? Jasmine I'm so sorry. I have no idea how he dug up information on you and it's just so wrong for him to use it as blackmail to get you to sabotage our relationship."
He paused to take another sip from his water and continued, "Jasmine I hope you don't get angry if I ask this. What kind of information did he dig up on you and your family?"
Jasmine sighed and looked at her small dainty hands for a minute and shifted her attention back to Koenma, "My family's history and so much more." She then thought of something, "Koenma would you like to find out more about me and my family? Perhaps there may be some information in the records department?"
He thought about it for a minute and replied, "You know Jasmine, I have been fascinated with you and your wonderful family for a while and I was thinking about looking up some information on you guys while I research Yusuke's lineage. What do you say we go back to the castle and do that? But first, I just want to make sure you're okay with it."
Jasmine smiled and nodded, "Sure why not? I guess while we're doing this, Jorge, Botan, do you two mind keeping watch while Koenma and I are doing that?"
Both Jorge and Botan nodded and the lovely grim reaper smiled, "Yeah, I don't see any harm in that. What about you Jorge?"
Jorge smiled, "I would be more than happy to."
Koenma then finished off his glass of water, hopped off the plush green sofa and switched to his tall and handsome adult form. Jasmine, Botan, and Jorge stood up and the young demon hunter then asked looking up, gazing into her lover's brown eyes, "Are you okay now?"
Koenma formed a smile on his handsome face, "Yes my queen. Thank you for taking care of me again."
He then took her small dainty hand into his now bigger hand, removed his pacifier and kissed it making her giggle like a schoolgirl. Jasmine sweetly smiled showing off her slightly crooked teeth, "It was no problem. I will be more than happy to do it again."
Koenma and Jasmine then left the dressing room hand in hand with Jorge and Botan behind them. They left the opera house and walked the long winding road back to the palace. Several hours later, Jasmine and Koenma were currently looking through several files on the Urameshi bloodline while Jorge and Botan stood outside the bookshelves keeping watch to make sure nobody would disturb the lovers.
So far, nobody had come in to do anything and it was known that hardly anyone came into the records department unless they were ordered by Koenma or King Yama to research something. But, Koenma and Jasmine both felt it was better to be safe than sorry.
After reading a very long file on the now dead Demon World king, Raizen, Koenma then remarked, "Wow, Raizen lived one full and fascinating life."
Looking at the file herself, Jasmine added, "Yeah, he seemed like he was a very popular guy with lots of friends and sparring buddies. He kind of reminds me of my grandpa Demetrius."
The prince chuckled, "Now that you mention it, yeah he does. Your grandpa is so much fun to talk to. Even though he's several hundred years younger than me, I can learn so much from him. Demetrius is very wise."
Jasmine giggled in agreement, "Grandpa is. Before we left Valdez, he said he enjoyed talking with you too. Are you excited about our summer trip?"
Koenma nodded, "Yeah. Sadly, Jorge said that he and Christine can't come during the first week but, how do you feel about inviting Genkai?"
Jasmine thought about it for a minute and smiled adoring the idea, "Yeah, I'm cool with that. How about we ask her during the wedding next week? Oh, do you and the guys know which songs you're going to play?"
He nodded, "Yep. We decided to open the reception with "Mother" from Danzig and playing our own original songs throughout most of it. Also, your sister and Raito already picked their song they are going to dance to as their first dance as husband and wife. The songs for the father-daughter dance, the mother-son dance, the one that your sister calls the dollar or yen dance, whatever that is, and the dance craze dances have been chosen too."
"Great. I'm glad that you guys have the show figured out. Caroline and Raito are really looking forward to seeing you guys play."
Deciding to change the subject back to their research, Koenma shut Raizen's file and suggested, "Well, since we found what we needed to look up for Yusuke, why don't we take a look at your ancestral background?"
Jasmine smiled, "Sure, where do you want to start?"
Putting away Raizen's big file, the prince replied to his lover, "Why don't we search under Black? It's your surname after all."
Jasmine sweetly giggled at her boyfriend's naiveté, "I'm afraid you're not going to find much under Black."
Koenma stared at her and blinked, "Why not?"
The young demon hunter smiled and stood on her tip toes, removed Koenma's pacifier and before he could get it back from her, Jasmine gave him a deep and loving kiss. Koenma gladly returned the kiss and deepened it by slipping his tongue into his woman's mouth. As their tongues gently caressed each other's, both lovers moaned. After a few moments, they then parted and Jasmine gently slipped her loving boyfriend's pacifier back into his mouth.
She smiled at him putting her hands on his chest, "Well, that's because, my dad's family is ordinary. They're a bunch of ordinary Okies. The only thing you'll find out about them is that some of them are military veterans, especially my Grandpa Lawrence."
Koenma gave her a confused expression, "What's an Okie?"
Jasmine sweetly giggled again, "An Okie is someone from the state of Oklahoma. My dad and his family are from there. All of them have no spiritual awareness to speak of. I haven't seen nor spoken to them in a while with the exception of my cousin Bonnie who's my Aunt Rhonda's youngest daughter. Cousin Bonnie likes to call me at least once a month just to see what I have been up to and she came to visit during Christmas when I was in my freshman year at MU. It was her first time ever coming to Japan. Bonnie has been talking about coming to see me, Caroline, Niles, and my parents again but, she's been busy with her life."
Jasmine kissed Koenma's cheek which made him blush and gazing into his brown eyes, the lovely young woman suggested, "Why don't we look under McAlpin? You'll be able to find all the information you want under that name."
The lovers than walked hand in hand to find the name McAlpin in the large library of the documents section and signaled Botan and Jorge to follow them. The four friends began to search for the name McAlpin. After searching for what seemed like an hour, Jorge then spoke up, "Jasmine, Koenma sir, I found it."
Koenma, Jasmine and Botan hurried to where Jorge was at. The prince smiled at his ogre servant, "Well done Ogre. Thank you."
Jorge felt like his ears were burning. It was the first time in quite a while Koenma had said that to him. He smiled at his boss in return and replied, "It was no problem sir."
Koenma and Jasmine let each other's hands go and they approached the bookshelf. The prince took out a big old looking file off of it. It was the only file on this shelf that didn't have any dust on it and right away, he knew someone had disturbed it recently.
Still looking at the McAlpin File in his hands, he then asked Jasmine, "I assume whoever did research on you and your family, have already looked through this file?"
Jasmine nodded, "Yeah, it's the only one that doesn't have any dust on it."
"Come on sir, open it up and read it. You said that you wanted to know more about Jasmine and her family right? Now's your chance," Jorge added.
Koenma took a deep breath and seeing her lover's hesitation, Jasmine put her small dainty hand on his shoulder and gave him some encouraging words, "My prince, don't be shy. I really want you to know more about us. Heck, when we go to Valdez in July, my grandparents will be so impressed about your knowledge of us and they will be more than happy to tell you more if you ask them. They're cool like that."
Koenma gave her a sweet smile behind his pacifier and Jasmine stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. He shifted his attention back to the file, "Okay, here it goes."
He opened it up and was greeted with an old picture that looked like a painting of a man with brown hair, large emerald green eyes, and a scruffy beard wearing traditional Scottish attire and holding a large katana sword. Koenma then read the name out loud to Jasmine, Botan, and Jorge, "Kenneth McAlpin, once the King of Scots who was born with a high spiritual awareness and started the family's tradition of hunting and killing demons to protect the country of Scotland. He once came to Japan to learn how to hone and control his spiritual abilities in order to defend his country against demonic threats. He was given his katana by the samurai who trained him. Upon returning to Scotland, he taught his family members how to control their spiritual powers and abilities and soon began to hunt and kill demons that they deemed a threat to the people of Scotland."
Jasmine, Botan, and Jorge looked over the prince's shoulder while he continued to read and Botan then interjected reading a passage, "When the Catholic Church caught on to what the McAlpin Clan were doing, they began to suspect and soon accused the family of witchcraft for their spiritual abilities. They were also accused of summoning the demons and staging the fights to cover up their "sorcery"."
The lovely blue haired grim reaper wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Well, that's just unfair."
Jorge then read a passage, "When they wouldn't stop their activities, the Catholic Church ordered for the family to be arrested. Some escaped but, the ones who didn't were not so lucky. Sadly, the people of Scotland sided with the church over the McAlpin Clan and King Kenneth was forced to give up his crown. The family members who were captured were burned at the stake while Kenneth and his still living relatives left the country."
The blue ogre shook his head, "Wow, that's just crazy. Does it say how they ended up in Alaska?"
Koenma flipped through several pages of parchment and he nodded as he scanned the page, "Yeah, apparently their ship ended up on the shores of what is now present day Nome. You know what Ogre; it doesn't really say how they safely ended up there or how all the passengers survived. It does have the supposed route they took. It looks like they continued sailing east and made a couple of stops like in Scandinavia, Russia, ended up in the Bearing Strait and arrived in Nome."
Jasmine scanned her mother's family's file, "Wow, I can't believe the demons from Scotland actually followed them there so they can get their revenge on them. My mom and my grandparents never told me about that."
Still looking at the file Koenma asked, "Why?"
The young woman shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I guess it was probably something that was forgotten over the last several centuries. Why don't we fast forward to the 20th century?"
"Why my queen?"
Jasmine sweetly giggled, "Your dad mentioned something about a treaty that you guys made with us back in the 1920s."
Koenma eyed his lovely girlfriend curiously and shifted his attention back to the document taking her word for it. He began to flip through the pages of parchment again. Suddenly something caught Botan's eye and she then said, "Koenma stop."
"What's wrong Botan?"
Wondering why Botan asked him to stop flipping through the pages of parchment, he looked down at the page and his eyes widened looking at black and white photograph of a familiar looking young woman holding a set of fans in both of her small dainty hands.
Jorge then broke the silence saying, "Oh my god, she looks like Jasmine."
Botan nodded in agreement, "I'll say. They look absolutely identical."
Hearing that, Jasmine chuckled, "Before you two start getting ideas, look at the name next to that photo."
Koenma, Jorge, and Botan looked at the name which read:
Name: Meredith Belle McAlpin (Maiden Name: Luna)
Date of Birth: March 1st, 1907
Date of Death: August 15th, 1987
Spouse: Roland Evan McAlpin I
Children: 7, 6 living and 1 died in infancy (Roland II, Tobias, Demetrius, Samuel, Melina, Mary, and Gabriel (who died in infancy))
Weapons: Fans
Spiritual Abilities: Healing and pain relief with spirit energy and able to coat fans with her spirit energy to whatever sharpness she desired to slash, cut, dismember and behead her opponents
The Spirit World trio looked over to Jasmine and the young demon hunter smiled, "Meet Great-Grandma Meredith. Take a sneak peek at her bio." She then sighed looking at her death date, "Man, I remember that day. I was 13 and it happened a month before me and my family left Valdez for Mushiori City. It was so hard on me to see her go."
Jasmine sighed again and decided to drop the subject she then suggested once more, "Go ahead and take a look."
Koenma, Jorge, and Botan looked at the file once more and the young prince then read a passage, "Born Meredith Belle Luna. She was the first and only psychic born to the Luna family. Unlike most families with only one spiritually aware child, they were really accepting of her gifts and were proud to have someone like her. Meredith didn't develop her spiritual abilities until she started work as a nurse and met her husband Roland at the age of 17. Upon learning of her abilities, Roland offered to train her and which Meredith took him up on his offer. After spending months together, they developed a close friendship that soon blossomed into true romantic feelings for each other. After a couple of years of dating, the couple soon married and had seven children with only six living to adulthood."
Koenma then flipped to the next page and was greeted by two old color photographs of a young Meredith with a man who had movie star looks. He was tall, handsome with wavy brown hair, sparkling emerald green eyes, cute dimples on his cheeks when he showed off his perfect smile, a lovely pale complexion and a prominent cleft on his chin. Looking at the man, Jasmine remarked, "That's my Great-Grandpa Roland I. I never got to meet him because he passed away before I was born. Even after he died, Great-Grandma Meredith loved him so much, she never remarried because, she thought it was disrespectful to his memory. She also said that he was the only man she ever truly romantically loved and no other man could take his place."
Koenma smiled and Botan remarked, "That's very tragic yet, romantic."
Jasmine chuckled at her grim reaper friend's words, "I know. Great-Grandma was a hopeless romantic. I remember when I was little; she'd always tell me that someday my prince would come for me." She then looked up at Koenma and gazed into his brown eyes said very lovingly, "After many years, I finally knew she was right. My prince did come for me, figuratively speaking."
Both she and Koenma burst out laughing at her words. Once they regained their composure, Koenma then asked his lover, "Your fans look identical to hers, are they replicas or are they the same ones?"
Jasmine gave her lover a sweet smile, withdrew her fans from inside her dark purple kimono and held them in her small dainty hands, "They were passed down to me from Great-Grandma Meredith. I already told you about how when someone in my family turns five, they start their training to become demon hunters. Well, there's more to it. On their fifth birthday, they get to choose between three different weapons that once belonged to one of our permanently retired or deceased family members. It's different for everyone. The weapons I got to choose from were these fans, my great-grandpa's katana, or my great-uncle's bow and arrow. I wound up picking these because I liked them best and felt they suited me more than the katana and bow and arrow did."
She put her fans back in her kimono and out of curiosity, Jasmine then asked, "Koenma I want to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me. Did you know about the treaty your father made with my family?"
He stared at her blinking his brown eyes for a minute and replied truthfully, "No, I did not. To tell you truth, I don't know why Dad never said anything to me to about it."
"Don't you think it's odd?" Botan added. Koenma, Jorge, and Jasmine shifted their attention to her giving her their undivided attention, "That treaty has only been around for at least 70 years and he never said a word to you about it sir? It seems to me that King Yama wanted to keep that hidden for some weird reason or another."
Koenma couldn't help but agree with the lovely grim reaper, "You know Botan, I was beginning to think that myself."
Jasmine then decided to mention, "Koenma did you even hear about the McAlpin Clan at all? Your dad did mention to me that my family once worked with Spirit World despite operating outside of Japan."
The prince stood there trying to recall if he ever heard of Jasmine's family long before the treaty was put into place. After thinking for a couple of minutes, nothing in his memory could recall such information. Koenma shook his head and answered truthfully, "Jasmine I'm sorry, I just don't think I ever did."
He then shifted his attention back to the document, flipped through the pages of parchment until he found a page with a heading in big black letters that read:
The McAlpin Clan Treaty
Jorge then decided to read the major passage, "This treaty was enacted on October 20th, 1927 as an agreement that Spirit World will no longer interfere with the affairs of the McAlpin Clan. It stated that Alaska was to be their domain and no outside parties can step in, in the regards to the demonic activity occurring in that part of the Human World. The great King Yama met with the family's current matriarch and patriarch, Roland I and Meredith McAlpin, who was currently seven months pregnant with the couple's second son, Demetrius, to discuss the matter in a civilized way."
"Ogre, I don't mean to interrupt but, is that why Dad was absent that day even though it's my birthday?"
Jorge stared at his young boss and shrugged his big blue shoulders, "You know sir, at the time, I didn't know. But, after reading that, it explains it."
Botan then interjected reading the next passage, "The main reason for the treaty's enactment was that Spirit World would always try to monitor Valdez, Alaska's demonic activity and it angered the McAlpin family immensely. The animosity/rivalry between Spirit World and the McAlpin Clan grew over the last couple of centuries despite "working" symbiotically for 200 years. The family never really answered to them and grew sick of Spirit World's involvement. When the treaty was finally enacted, the McAlpin Clan was free to do whatever they wished over the last…"
Botan's reading was suddenly cut short when Jorge noticed something out the corner of his eye. He tapped Koenma on the shoulder and asked his boss, "Koenma sir, what is that sticking out of the file?"
Wondering what Jorge was asking about Koenma then said, "Ogre, what are you…" His sentence was cut short when he finally spotted it. There seemed to be several pieces of parchment that were sticking out of the back cover. Koenma then flipped through the rest of the pages of parchment to get to the last page to see what they were and when he did, his hand slipped and several small files fell out of the back cover onto the stone floor below.
Jasmine and Botan knelt down to pick them up. As the two young women picked up each one, Botan, Koenma, and Jorge heard the young demon hunter let out a loud gasp. The other three then looked at her and seeing his loving girlfriend's pale freckled face grow paler, Koenma then asked, "Jasmine are you okay?"
Staring at the file on top of the ones she picked up, her jaw dropped open. Jasmine then spoke, "Oh my god. Oh my god."
Koenma then asked again, "Jasmine are you okay? What is it?"
She let out a loud exhale and replied, "This is Sandy."
"WHAT?!"
Koenma, Botan, and Jorge then gathered around her and looking at the file, Koenma too gasped, "What is it doing in your family's file?"
Still reading the document, Jasmine began to shake her head, "Oh my…holy shit. Koenma you don't want to read this."
"Why not?"
"You just don't."
Not saying another word, Koenma snatched up the files from Jasmine's hands. When he began to read Sandy the imp demon's, he then wished he hadn't. Jorge and Botan just stared at him and the blue ogre asked his boss, "Sir? What's wrong?"
The only words that came from Koenma's mouth were, "No, no, no, no….oh god no."
He then switched to another file which was done up on Jasmine's other still living childhood friend, Hiroshi the purple salmon eating demon. Reading that file, the prince had the same reaction. He then switched to another file which was done up on Jasmine's dead childhood friend Kalem and poor Koenma felt sick to his stomach reading it.
He then shut that file and went on to several other ones and five minutes later her finally came across some that really made him want to commit suicide. Those said files turned out to be done up on Kurama, Hiei, even Yusuke, and Koashura and Kotennyo. After reading through each one, he then set the files on his lap. Koenma didn't say anything and Jasmine picked up the files, "Koenma are you going to say something?"
The prince just sat there staring off into space and then Jorge suggested, "Maybe we should put these away and go upstairs to his bedroom. Sir, would you like that?"
Koenma just silently nodded in return. While he just sat there on the floor, Jasmine, Botan, and Jorge gathered them all up and Jasmine asked, "Where should we put these? Why were they in my family's file in the first place?"
Botan shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know Jasmine but, I think it would be wise to put them back where we found them so no one knows what we have been up to tonight."
Jorge nodded in agreement, "Yeah, if we get caught, there is a very good chance that we may be punished for it."
Jasmine didn't say another word and she and Botan reluctantly put the files back into the back of the McAlpin file. Botan slid it back into its place on the document bookshelf. The young demon hunter then offered her hand to her lover, "Come on my prince, why don't we go back to your room and talk? Would you like that?"
Koenma silently nodded and took his lover's hand and stood up. He and Jasmine proceeded to walk out of the records department hand in hand with Jorge and Botan behind them. The walk upstairs to his bedroom was silent and when they walked in and shut and locked the two purple double doors behind them, Jasmine guided Koenma over to his sofa and they sat down.
Botan and Jorge sat down on the wing backed chairs and Jasmine asked her prince in a sweet voice, "Are you ready to talk?"
Koenma sat there in silence for a minute and nodded. He took a deep breath and then exhaled, "I can't believe it. Oh god, I'm such an idiot. Why, why did I allow this to happen? How come I didn't see it before?"
He then put his handsome face in his hands and Jasmine began to gently rub his back in an effort to comfort him. With his face still in his hands, Koenma then said, "I just want to be alone."
Botan, Jasmine, and Jorge just looked at him for a minute. The young prince uncovered his face and then said, "Except for Jasmine. My queen will you stay with me? I just want to talk to you. Please?"
Jasmine nodded, "Yes my prince, do you want to make love tonight?"
Koenma shook his head, "No, I'm not in the mood for sex after what I read. I just want to cuddle and talk."
The young woman smiled with understanding, "I would like that. I'm not in the mood either."
Jorge and Botan then stood up and as they were beginning to leave their boss's room, Jasmine then stopped them, "Jorge, Botan, I need to talk to you two in private for a minute."
They gave her blank expressions and Jorge replied, "Sure, do you want to talk out in the hall?"
Jasmine nodded, "Yeah." She then shifted her attention to Koenma, "Are you going to be okay in here by yourself for a few minutes?"
Koenma just stared at her for a minute and shrugged his broad shoulders, "Sure."
Jorge, Jasmine, and Botan then walked out into the hallway and they walked down the corridor a little bit because, Jasmine didn't want Koenma to hear their conversation. The lovely grim reaper and the blue ogre then wanted to know what she needed to talk to them about.
Jasmine then took a deep breath and then asked Jorge, "Have you ever got the feeling that King Yama never gave a damn about Koenma?"
Jorge gave her a confused expression and blinked his eyes for a moment, "Yeah, I have for over 700 years now. Why?"
The young demon hunter looked at her feet and sighed and Botan was the one to spill the beans, "At the opera earlier today, King Yama told us he didn't."
Jasmine looked back up and she and Botan stared at Jorge. Noting his expression, they began to get the feeling the ogre may already know and Jasmine asked, "Jorge, you already know?"
Jorge scratched the back of his head, looked down at his bare blue feet and back up at Jasmine before simply replying, "Well, sort of. I never heard King Yama say it but, whenever I see the blank empty look on his face when he looks at Koenma, I just get that feeling. Also, do you two swear not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you both?"
Both women just stared at him wondering what he was going to say and they both nodded with Botan saying, "I swear we won't say a word Jorge."
"I promise too."
Jorge sighed then gestured for Jasmine and Botan to get closer to him and spoke in a quiet voice only himself and the two women could hear, "When Koenma was just a few days old, I caught King Yama standing next to his bassinette and I don't know what he was going to do to him but, I didn't like the look on his face at all. It was like as if he was planning on killing him or something."
Botan's jaw dropped and Jasmine couldn't believe what had just come from Jorge's mouth. They stood there in disbelief and the young human psychic asked, "What happened, Jorge?"
The blue ogre exhaled and said, "Well, I didn't want to take any chances so, I ran into the nursery, pushed King Yama out of the way and scooped up Koenma in my arms. I remember when I ran out of the room, I heard the king yell at me "He's your responsibility!""
Jasmine and Botan just stood there dumbstruck at that revelation and Jorge begged them, "Please don't tell anyone, especially not to Koenma. Please? It will break his heart."
Even though they wanted to say something to Koenma, both women then decided to keep their promise and nodded in return. Jasmine really wanted to tell Koenma but, she didn't want to risk breaking his heart or there would be a chance that he wouldn't believe her. She then looked at her watch, "I'm sorry for cutting this conversation short. Well, I did promise Koenma that we would get to talk."
Jorge and Botan both understood and Jasmine wished them both a good night and walked back to Koenma's room. When she walked in and shut the large purple double doors behind her, the young prince had changed into flannel pajamas and was laying on his big king sized canopy bed wide awake.
He looked at her and gave her a weak smile and seeing his expression, Jasmine felt awful for her lover. The prince then spoke, "There is a nightdress for you to change in. It's sitting on the sofa."
Jasmine looked at the sofa and saw a long red satin spaghetti strapped nightdress. She picked up the garment and gave her loving boyfriend a sweet smile, "Thank you my prince. I'll go try it on."
She then walked over to the bathroom and changed into the nightdress. Jasmine walked out of the bathroom wearing the nightdress and climbed into bed, sitting right next to him. Without saying a word, Koenma sat up and gave his lover a hug, wrapping his long arms around her slender body.
Not knowing what else to do, Jasmine wrapped her arms around Koenma. As the prince snuggled up closer to her, he then said, "Oh Jasmine, I'm so sick of it all. I can't believe what a monster he is. God, I'm such an idiot."
Jasmine then began to gently rub his back and asked in a soft gentle voice, "Koenma what did you read in those files? Who's a monster?" Even though she asked that, she then began to get an idea of who it was.
A single tear slid down Koenma's cheek and he replied as he rested his head on her shoulder, "My dad. Those files I read…the vast majority of them were on demons. Those demons were the ones that either came from Valdez, Alaska, the Mushiori City area, here in Spirit World or Demon World."
Jasmine the felt a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach and Koenma continued, "My father is responsible for the kidnappings, brainwashings, and disappearances. Those files were done up on both living and deceased demons. There were ones also done up on your still living childhood friends, Sandy and Hiroshi and your dead friend who was not so lucky, Kalem."
The young demon hunter held her lover closer to her body and continued to rub his back she then asked, "How long has it been going on?"
More tears welled up in Koenma's brown eyes and responded trying not to break down, "In Valdez, it's been going on since your great-grandparents and my dad made that treaty but, here Spirit World and in Demon World, it's been going on for hundreds of years and in the Mushiori City area, it's been happening since the first Dark Tournament that happened fifty years ago. Goddammit, why is my dad doing this? Could he possibly be just doing it to justify Spirit World to divide the Human and Demon Worlds or is it more than that?"
"I don't know my prince. Your dad is a sick, sick man. Did you find anything else?"
The tears that welled up in his eyes, then streamed down his handsome face and he replied, "Yeah, there were ones did up on Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei too. Not to kidnap and brainwash them because, they are too smart, well in Hiei's and Kurama's case, too smart and untrusting and Yusuke would just fight them off or kill them. Those files said that they were to be sent to the Demon World or be assassinated. Which doesn't make sense to me at all because; I just only remember the one bounty that was put on Yusuke. I didn't think Kurama and Hiei had one too."
Jasmine then wrinkled her nose in disgust, "That's just total asinine."
Still resting his head on her shoulder, Koenma nodded in agreement and replied, "Yes but, what I'm about to tell you is even more asinine."
"What is it?"
Koenma took a deep breath and deciding to be a good boyfriend and be honest, he replied, "There are ones on Koashura and Kotennyo."
"What?! But, they're not demons. They're just lesser gods."
The prince sighed, it was becoming more and more difficult for him to keep himself together but, he then took a deep breath and said, "Those ones are actual bounties on their heads. They stated that even though they did choose to leave Spirit World to escape execution, my father still wants them dead because, they know too much."
Not being able to keep his emotions in check anymore, Koenma then finally broke down and burst into tears. Jasmine held her weeping lover in her arms doing her best to try to comfort him even though she wanted to cry too. But instead, she knew she needed to be strong for him. After listening to what Koenma told her, Jasmine felt like she was going to be sick. She never thought that she would hate King Yama even more than she did but, she was wrong.
The young demon hunter hated him. She hated him for the evil deeds he committed. Hated him for not giving a damn about his only son, hated him for threatening herself and her family, and hated him for breaking her prince's heart. Jasmine could only think of how much she wanted to cause him such agonizing pain and wanted nothing more than to kill him by taking off his head with her fans even though her power level was so much weaker than his. Koenma continued to cry throughout the night and Jasmine was right there comforting him. They didn't make love but, instead, they cuddled after the young demon hunter had gotten her royal lover to relax. They fell asleep in each other's arms around 3AM.
Over the next week, Koenma was as depressed as ever. After finding out about that horrifying revelation, he avoided his father whenever possible. Everyone around the office could see the change in their young boss's behavior. Koenma never really talked about it unless he came to Genkai's compound for his band rehearsals. It seemed like his friends, Jasmine, and his music were the only things that were keeping him from having another emotional breakdown.
Speaking of Jasmine, each passing day she grew more and more concerned for her lover. Since that night, she and Koenma hadn't had sex but, instead cuddled when they spent the night together and even though Jasmine wanted the intimacy, she knew it was right to back down when he told her he just wasn't in the mood. The young demon hunter was very understanding of her lover's needs and backed off when things got too heavy during their make out sessions.
She also tried to cheer him up by baking him a batch of cookies or getting him any dessert and watching movies or "Friends" on TV together but, Koenma just still felt down in the dumps. The other three members of the band, Jorge, Koashura, and Shunjun also noticed Koenma's behavior. Jasmine then informed the other three men and Genkai what was going on with him. They all felt such deep sorrow and sympathy for the prince and they agreed to keep it amongst themselves. The other three members of Exit Strategy let Koenma change the set list a little bit when the prince wanted to open with Weezer's "Say it Ain't So" instead of "Mother" from Danzig after Koashura got him hooked on Weezer after listening to the redhead's CD of the said band. Jorge, Shunjun, and Koashura all agreed to let him do it.
The day before the wedding Jasmine called up her sister Caroline letting her know about what was going on with Koenma and how he decided to change the band's set list for the reception but, kept all the songs the blond demon hunter and her ordinary human fiancé picked out. Hearing about what the prince was going through; Caroline felt deep sympathy for him and offered her sister to help him if she could. Jasmine said she didn't have to but, thanked her sister nonetheless.
Later that week, June 30th finally rolled around. Jasmine, Kotennyo, Shizuru, Caroline's sorority sisters, their fellow bridesmaid, Usagi and the blonde psychic's maid of honor Setsuna had already gotten ready and were now helping Caroline. Jasmine helped her sister button up the back of her wedding gown while Shizuru carefully put on her veil.
Just then, Jasmine's and Caroline's mother, Janine Black peaked her head in the room, "So is everyone ready?"
Caroline nodded, "Yes mom." She then shifted her attention to her bridal party who were dressed in their stylish cornflower blue dresses. The blonde then complimented, "You all look so beautiful, especially you Kotennyo. That jacket looks so adorable with your dress."
The young goddess smiled at her compliment, "Thank you Carol and thank you for allowing me to wear one."
Caroline smiled, "It's no problem." Deciding to change the subject, she clapped her hands together and said, "Okay ladies, let's line up in your order. Setsuna, since you're the maid of honor, you're first."
Setsuna nodded and walked up to the doorway and opened the door. Caroline then continued, "Jasmine, you're after her, then Shizuru, Kotennyo, and Usagi."
Jasmine and the rest of the bridesmaids did just that after picking up their bouquets of fake pink roses. Caroline stood behind them holding her bouquet. Five minutes later, the music for the processional started and one by one, Jasmine, Shizuru, Kotennyo and the rest of the bridal party walked down the aisle to the altar. Seeing Jasmine and Kotennyo in their dresses, Koenma and Koashura who were currently sitting with Jorge (who's in disguise), Shunjun, Genkai, Jasmine's brother Niles, and Kuwabara, couldn't take their eyes off of their girlfriends.
Koashura nudged his childhood friend, "Man Kotennyo looks hot in that dress."
Koenma just chuckled and said, "Not as hot as Jasmine. My queen looks so beautiful."
Once the girls were all at the altar, the wedding march started and everyone stood up. Raito shifted his attention to the aisle to see Caroline walking in with her arm interlinked with her father's. William Black and his oldest daughter both brightly smiled as they walked. When they reached the end, William let his daughter's arm go and gave her a kiss on the forehead before turning around and taking a seat next to his wife.
For the next fifteen to twenty minutes the ceremony went on without a hitch. That is until Caroline and Raito took their vows. Jasmine and the rest of the wedding party could see the nervous look on the young ordinary human man's face. When the ordinary human who was officiating asked if there were any objections as to why Caroline and Raito shouldn't be husband and wife, out of the corners of Jasmine's and Shizuru's eye, they thought they saw someone tried to raise their hand. By the time they tried to get a glimpse of who it was, the man's hand was forced back down.
Jasmine and Shizuru tried to see who it was but, they couldn't see his face because, he leaned over to the person next to him who looked like was holding his hand down. The man appeared to be angrily whispering to that person. Both young psychics shook their heads and shifted their attention back to Caroline and Raito.
Once the couple exchanged rings, they were now officially declared as husband and wife. Caroline and Raito shared a sweet and loving kiss and parted seconds later. Then the newlyweds and the rest of the wedding party walked back down up the aisle and a few minutes later when the photographer was taking pictures of the bride and groom after he took pictures of the families and the rest of the wedding party, Jasmine, Shizuru, and Kuwabara heard a familiar voice complaining to one of his fellow family members.
"I can't believe that Raito actually went through with marrying that blonde American bimbo. He's always had a horrible taste in girls. I swear this marriage is not going to last. They'll be divorced in less than a year when he realizes what a tramp she is."
The relative he complained to then scoffed, "Yeah right Satoshi. You have been saying they're going to break up since they have starting dating when they were in high school together and several years later, here we are. Just give it up already, Raito loves, adores and cares about her. Instead of saying those horrible things about Miss Caroline, why don't you take the time to get to know her? She's a really sweet woman."
The man called "Satoshi" that Jasmine, Shizuru, and Kuwabara recognized as the voice of their former teacher from Sarayashiki Junior High, Mr. Akashi retorted, "Not a chance in hell. That little slut is nothing but trouble and you are a fucking moron if you can't see that."
Jasmine let out a sigh in annoyance as Mr. Akashi continued to complain and call her sister every nasty name in the book. She rolled her large brown eyes and said to both Kuwabara siblings, "Mr. Ratface is at it again. Wow, some people never change."
Shizuru nodded in agreement, "Sadly, people like that never do. You think he was awful to you before well, he really did a number on Kazuma."
Jasmine stared at Kazuma and asked, "What happened?"
The younger Kuwabara sibling sighed and told the Alaskan psychic about the incident with the science test and Jasmine felt totally disgusted listening to it. She felt so bad for him and put her hand on his broad shoulder, "Kazuma I'm so sorry you went through that." Just then she heard Mr. Akashi insult her sister some more and that was when she decided she had enough.
Jasmine gritted her teeth and said, "That's it. No more Miss Nice Girl." She shifted her attention back to the Kuwabara siblings and asked, "What do you say we have a short reunion with old Mr. Ratface?"
Kazuma and Shizuru both smiled wickedly adoring that idea and followed Jasmine to confront Mr. Akashi. The young demon hunter walked behind her former teacher with Kazuma and Shizuru behind her. When she was directly behind the ordinary human man, she tapped him on the shoulder.
Feeling someone tap his shoulder, Mr. Akashi turned around and was unpleasantly greeted by three former students of his. His beady eyes widened taking one look at Jasmine and the Kuwabara siblings.
He stood there speechless for a minute recognizing the Alaskan psychic, "It's you! What the hell are you doing here?"
Jasmine rolled her large brown eyes at him and responded, "What? You didn't see me at the altar? You're still a dumbass as always."
Mr. Akashi then sneered, "So, what have you been doing with your life since kissing Principal Takanaka's ass to get into Meiou High School?"
The young demon hunter wanted to cause him so much pain right now but, she decided he wasn't worth it, "Just so you know, my life has been going great. I'm a student at Mushiori University and I am attending their medical school. Going into my second year of that and getting good grades. I'm also working a fairly decent job as a certified nurse's aide at the Mushiori Hospital and I also have a really great boyfriend. Ah, there he is. Oh Koenma."
Hearing his lovely girlfriend calling him, Koenma walked up to her. He wrapped his long arms around his lover and kissed her on her cheek, "Hello my queen. What's going on?"
Standing on her tip toes to give him a small kiss, she replied, "Just talking to my old teacher from middle school that made my life a living hell."
Koenma shifted his attention to Mr. Akashi and narrowed his brown eyes at him, "I've heard of you. Weren't you the same guy who also bullied Kazuma Kuwabara and Yusuke Urameshi?"
Mr. Akashi glared at the prince, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Kuwabara then interjected, "Yeah Koenma he is. Also, he's badmouthing Jasmine's sister because he just doesn't like how she's now married to his nephew."
Mr. Akashi stared at Jasmine being speechless until he found his voice and asked, "That blonde bimbo is your sister?!"
Jasmine gave the ordinary human a cold stare, "Yes she is and don't think I didn't hear you say all of those horrible things about her. I did and if you continue, I'll make your life miserable. I'm not afraid of you or Mr. Iwamoto anymore and thank god he's not here so you can't cower behind him like you were. You hear me? Stop trash talking my sister if you know what's good for you."
Mr. Akashi returned the cold stare, "What are you going to do about it? You're all talk and no action like you were eight years ago. You're still that same scared little teenage girl who always cried about wanting to go back home to Alaska. Why don't you do us all a favor and do that? And while you're at it, take the Kuwabaras, Yusuke Urameshi, your sleazy boyfriend, and your disgusting family with you?"
Koenma shot him a death glare for calling him sleazy along with Jasmine and both Kuwabara siblings. Seeing the look on the prince's face gave Mr. Akashi an eerie chill down his spine feeling like Koenma could possibly hurt him. He gulped and said to the young god who was going to judge his soul someday, "Hey, take it easy. Don't do anything brash."
Koenma unwrapped his long arms from around Jasmine's slender body and barked at the ordinary human man, "I'm not going to do anything to you because, you're not worth it. You want to know something, you're a goddamn coward that likes nothing more than to make people's lives miserable and there's a special place in hell for people like you." He then added in his head, "I should know, I sent sadistic bastards like you there multiple times."
Just then the voice of Raito was heard as he walked over with Caroline, "What hell is going on? Uncle Satoshi, are you causing trouble again?"
Mr. Akashi glared at his young nephew, "It's your fault. Raito you are a failure. How can you dishonor this family by marrying that trashy American bimbo?"
Caroline snapped her attention to him, "Hey! What did I ever do to you?"
Seeing his new wife, the woman he loved beginning to get upset, Raito then tried to comfort her, "Carol you didn't do anything wrong. Uncle Satoshi is just an ass, just don't
listen to him."
He then snapped his attention to his uncle, "I am so sick of you always badmouthing Caroline and all she ever wanted was for you to like her. Everyone else in the family does. There is no reason why you shouldn't because she's been nothing but nice to you. Oh wait I forgot, you're just a prejudiced piece of shit who loves nothing more than to make other people's lives a living hell, and that includes mine. Uncle, I'm so sick of your bullshit and I have been putting up with it for years now and if you don't like that I married the woman that I have loved since high school, you can just stay the hell away from us. As far as I'm concerned, you're the dishonorable disgrace to this family. Come on Carol; let's go get ready for the reception."
Caroline brightly smiled in gratitude that her new husband just stood up for her and kissed his cheek, "Thank you so much Raito. I love you and you're such an awesome husband."
Raito smiled and gave her a short loving kiss, "I love you too. You're very welcome and you're going to be a wonderful wife."
The newlyweds interlinked their arms together and began to walk away. Jasmine, both Kuwabara siblings and Koenma just glared at Mr. Akashi and shook their heads before walking away leaving the ordinary human standing their dumbstruck after his, what he considered, weak nephew had stood up to him.
Everyone who had attended the ceremony had arrived at the reception hall twenty minutes later. Koenma, the other three members of Exit Strategy and their friend/manager Genkai were currently backstage preparing for their performance. The elderly psychic peered around the curtain and shifted her attention to the band while they tuned their instruments and Koenma warming up his voice as he practiced his scales.
After the band finished that, Genkai then asked them, "Are you guys ready?"
Holding his black mask with the ornate white designs, Koenma nodded. Still depressed over the horrible revelation he learned about his father over a week ago, the young prince felt this is what he needed to blow off some steam. He figured he could lose himself in his music and forget his troubles as he would take on his stage persona of Korrie Loveless tonight.
Jorge slipped on his white mask with the ornate black designs and put his hat back on to cover up his horn and a surgical mask to hide his blue face. He then approached his boss as his slung the shoulder sling of his royal blue bass over his clothed big blue shoulder. Jorge, still feeling concern for Koenma then asked, "Koenma sir, are you alright?"
Still holding his mask in his hands, he shrugged his broad shoulders and replied to his friend and servant, "I don't know Ogre. Let's not try to think about my father right now and just have fun with our performance tonight."
Koashura and Shunjun slipped on their masks too and the redhead slung the sling of his cherry red guitar over his shoulder. He shifted his attention to his childhood friend, "Ready to have some fun?"
Koenma looked over to Koashura and nodded, "Yeah. I'm ready to relax and be Korrie and not Koenma tonight."
Koenma then brought his black mask up to his face becoming his stage persona once more. He then walked up to the microphone stand and picked up the microphone. He shifted his attention to Genkai and said to his longtime friend, handing it to her, "Go ahead and introduce us Genkai."
Genkai smiled and turned on the microphone and tested to see if it was working. The small psychic smiled to herself happy it was and walked out onstage to start her introduction.
She brought the microphone up to her lips and spoke into it, "Hello ladies and gentleman and good evening. Congratulations to the bride and groom. May your marriage be a long and happy one with lots of children. Well anyway, hi, I'm Genkai and I am this band's manager and tonight all of you are in for a very special treat. It's a great honor that the bride and groom decided to let my boys play tonight. I now present to you all, Mr. Sammie Doomass on drums, Mr. John Smith, the bassist, song composer and background vocals, Mr. Kyle Marsh the guitarist and last but not least Mr. Korrie Loveless, the singer and songwriter. Please give up for the awesome band, Exit Strategy."
The crowd in the reception hall applauded as Genkai walked backstage and handed Koenma the microphone. The crowd continued to applaud as the curtain opened to reveal all four members of the band. The applause died down as Koenma then brought the microphone up to his lips and spoke into it, "Congratulations Raito and Caroline Akashi. May your marriage be blessed with happiness and love that will last for eternity with healthy and happy children. The first song for this evening is from the rock band, Weezer. It's called "Say it Ain't So.""
Koashura then began strumming the guitar riff of the song and after about ten seconds, Jorge started his bass riff with Shunjun beginning his drumbeat. Koenma brought the microphone up to his mouth and sang the first two words:
Oh yeah
Alright
Just before breaking into the first verse, Koenma then thought to himself, "Dad, this one is for you." The prince took a deep breath and his beautifully enchanting voice rang out around the reception hall as he sang the first verse:
Somebody's Heine
Is crowdin' my icebox
Somebody's cold one
Is give me chills
Guess I'll just close my eyes
Koashura, Shunjun, and Jorge went back into the same riff as Koenma repeated:
Oh yeah
Alright
Feels good
Inside
Sitting next to her sister and her new brother-in-law, Jasmine did feel mesmerized by her lover's voice but, she felt as if he was going to project his anger towards his father into it. Raito then looked over at her, "Jasmine can I ask you something?"
"Sure what about?"
Raito took a sip from his champagne and asked, "How come Koenma, Koashura, and the other two guys are using different names?"
Jasmine, Shizuru, and Kotennyo just stared at the ordinary human man for a minute. Yeah he knew about supernatural stuff from being around Caroline and the family for the last several years but, they didn't want to spoil his and Caroline's special day with stating the true reason of them doing so, so Jasmine responded, "They're just their stage names. You know that lots of musicians use them right?"
Raito chuckled, "Yeah. So when are they going to perform their own original songs?"
Jasmine sipped from her champagne, "After this song and the one for you and Carol."
Flip on the tele
Wrestle with Jimmy
Something is bubbling
Behind my back
The bottle is ready to blow
Back onstage, Jorge, Shunjun and Koashura broke into the intense part of the song's instrumental riff. Koenma took a deep breath and channeling all of his anger, disgust, and sadness towards his father, he broke into the first chorus:
Say it ain't so
Your drug is a heartbreaker
Say it ain't so
My love is a life taker
Going back into the original riff of the song, Koenma gripped the microphone and shut his eyes for a moment and opened them back up before singing the next verse:
I can't confront you
I never could do
That which might hurt you
So try and be cool
When I say
This is a waterslide away from me
That takes you further every day
So be cool
As Jorge, Koashura, and Shunjun broke right back into the next intense part of the riff, Jasmine knew right away her lover was singing out his frustrations despite knowing that the actual meaning of the song was something different. The young demon hunter wanted nothing more than to hold her lover in her arms and try to comfort him, telling him everything will be alright. It broke her heart to see him depressed and miserable and she really wanted to make King Yama suffer for it.
Say it ain't so
Your drug is a heartbreaker
Say it ain't so
My love is a life taker
Going into the final verse, Koenma then channel all of his anger and frustration into it. A single tear seeped down from underneath his mask and slid down his cheek as he sang with more gusto:
Dear Daddy
I write you in spite of years of silence
You've cleaned up, found Jesus, things are good or so I hear
This bottle of Steven's awakens ancient feelings
Like father, step-father, the son is drowning in the flood
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Koenma stopped singing and Koashura broke out into his guitar solo. After the redhead was finished, the young prince then sang out the last chorus:
Say it ain't so
Your drug is a heartbreaker
Say it ain't so
My love is a life taker
Koashura strummed the remaining guitar riff and after he was finished, the crowd then broke out into an applause. Koenma put his hand on his forehead and took a deep breath trying to get himself together. Seeing that, Jorge slipped the sling of his bass off his shoulder set the instrument on the floor and walked up to his boss.
Koashura and Shunjun both looked over at him concerned and the blue haired soldier asked, "Koenma are you okay?"
The prince didn't say anything and jumped when he felt his ogre servant put his hand on his shoulder. Koenma looked at Jorge who then asked his boss, "Sir, are you alright?"
Holding the microphone away from his mouth, he just shrugged. Seeing what was going on, Jasmine and Caroline ran up to the stage and the blonde demon hunter then asked with genuine concern in her voice, "Is everything okay?"
Jorge shifted his attention to the demon hunter sisters and shook his head, "Not really he's going through a difficult time and this song just really brought it out for him."
Caroline nodded with understanding, "Jasmine did warn me about this. She did tell me what was going on with him and his dad. Koenma, do you want to take a breather?"
The prince put his hand down and shook his head, "No Carol. I still have to sing the song for you and Raito and it wouldn't be right for me to take a break right now."
"My prince it's okay. If you need some time to get yourself together, my brother could just DJ for a little bit to play the dance craze songs or you can have Jorge, Koashura, or Shunjun play a solo."
Koenma then shook his head, "No Jasmine, I said I would do this and…"
Caroline then interjected, "Tell you what, how about you play the song for Raito and I and then we can cut the cake. You can relax; get yourself together while having a few pieces of cake. Jasmine told me how much you like cake and sweets in general. Would you like to do that?"
He thought about it for a minute and liking Caroline's idea he nodded. Both demon hunter sisters smiled and Jasmine gestured for him to hand her the microphone. Koenma knelt down and did just that and gave the microphone to his loving girlfriend.
Jasmines then spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse the interruption. Exit Strategy will play the next song for the bride and groom and they'll take a short break while cut the cake and get some dinner. Thank you for your patience."
She then handed the microphone back to Koenma and the prince spoke once again, "I apologize for the interruption but, we will continue with our next song that is for the bride and groom."
Koenma shifted his attention to the rest of the band and said to them, "Guys I'm okay. Let's continue and after this we can talk over some cake."
Jorge moved the surgical mask down and gave his young boss a small smile, "Okay, as long as you're okay."
He put his surgical mask back on and slipped the sling of his bass over his shoulder. They then proceeded to play the song, Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" for Caroline and Raito. During the song, everyone watched as they shared their first dance as husband and wife. When it ended, they shared a loving kiss with everyone clapping and some 'oos and awes were heard.
The cake was then cut and Koenma and the rest of the band took a break while Niles went ahead and DJed for a bit playing the dance craze songs. While eating four pieces of cake and enjoying his other food, Koenma decided to try and have a good time playing for the remainder of the wedding reception.
The reception went on for another three hours and afterwards, Koenma went back to the college trio's apartment with Jasmine, Kotennyo, and Koashura. After relaxing while watching TV and cuddling with Jasmine on the couch, the thought of files that were done up on his former classmates and childhood friends wouldn't leave his mind.
Deciding that it was now or never, Koenma decided to break the silence between the four of them and said to his two fellow gods, "Koashura, Kotennyo, there's just something that keeps wracking my brain and I feel I need to say something to you guys about it."
The other three occupants of the living room shifted their attention to him. Koashura turned off the TV and eyed his childhood friend curiously, "What's going on?"
Jasmine stared at her boyfriend blinking her large brown eyes, "Koenma what is it?"
The prince took a deep breath and decided to come out and say it, "Koashura, Kotennyo, I need you guys to tell me everything. What the hell happened when you guys were kicked out of Spirit World?"
Kotennyo gave her ex-boyfriend a blank expression, "Koenma…w…why are you asking?"
"I'm asking because, the files on the demons weren't the only ones I came across. In fact, there were ones done up on you guys too. They both said that my father has a bounty on both of your heads."
The color from Koashura's and Kotennyo's faces both drained. Even though they have lived peacefully and happily in the Human World for over a year, the thought was still in the back of their minds. Koashura then found his voice and decided to be a good friend, he took a deep breath and began to spill the beans, "Koenma, the reason we were kicked out is because, Kotennyo and I found out about the shady stuff your dad is involved in."
Kotennyo looked at her hands that were placed on her lap and seeing her goddess friend's nervousness, Jasmine put her hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. The young demon hunter then said, "Kotennyo it's alright. Please tell him."
Kotennyo took a deep breath, "I witnessed a kidnapping in progress. It happened eight months before Koashura and I left. The former captain of the SDF and a couple of his cronies, said those demon were being arrested for something and I knew damn well they didn't do anything wrong."
Koenma and Jasmine both stared at her and the prince asked, "Then what happened? Did you do anything?"
Kotennyo shook her head, "No, I didn't. I really wish I did because, when those demons did figure it out, it was too late. Some of them wound getting killed when they fought back. I had to remain hidden or they would have seen me. Since that incident, I wanted people other than Koashura to know so, I began painting my controversial paintings to try to get the message out and when the king caught wind of what I was doing, that's when it began."
Seeing her best friend's anxiety shoot through the roof, Jasmine ran into the kitchen and got her a glass of water. The young demon hunter walked in and handed Kotennyo the glass of water. The young goddess took a couple of sips and continued, "Your father began destroying my paintings left and right for all of those months hoping to discourage me to paint more. Jokes on him, it made me want to do it more and when I wouldn't stop, he had me and Koashura arrested."
Koashura then interjected, "We were beaten and tortured. Kotennyo got the brunt of it and now she's permanently scared from it. Koenma I know you saw some of her scar but, you need to see the whole thing to get an idea of what was done to her."
Koenma then shifted his attention to Kotennyo, "Please show it to me. I really need to know what they did to you."
Kotennyo sighed and realizing that he wasn't going to let up, the she then stood up, removed her jacket, and Jasmine helped her unzip the back of her dress. Koenma's brown eyes widened taking a look at what Ootake did to her. Jasmine then zipped Kotennyo's dress back up and the goddess sat down.
The prince felt disgusted by what he saw and before he could say anything, Kotennyo then got up and walked over to the spare bedroom. She walked back out with one of her finished paintings less than a minute later.
Kotennyo turned it around and Koenma began to feel anxious looking at it again. It was her "Hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil" painting. He hadn't taken a look at it since her art show from a year ago. Right then and there, Kotennyo decided that now was the time to reveal the meaning of her painting, "Koenma I bet you wanted to know what the meaning of this was."
Koenma just silently nodded. Jasmine then took his hand in comfort and brought it up to her lips and kissed it. The young demon hunter then said to her, "Go ahead Kotennyo. He's wanted to know for a while."
Kotennyo nodded, "I figured as much. Hell, when you told me about his anxiety attack over it, I decided to hold off on telling him until he felt he was ready." She then asked her ex, "Koenma I'm only going to ask this once, are you ready for me to reveal the meaning of this painting to you?"
The prince nodded, "Yes Kotennyo. Please tell me. Hell, tell all of us."
The goddess smiled, "Well, Koashura already knows and Jasmine I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have and it was really stupid of me not to."
Jasmine gave her friend a reassuring smile, "It's okay, I wanted to wait until you shared with Koenma instead. Go ahead and tell us."
Kotennyo then took a deep breath and deciding that it was now or never, she then confessed, "This painting represents all three of us. The reason I chose for us to be in our childlike toddler forms in this is because, that represents our innocence. As you can see, this painting represents our innocence being lost. Starting with Koashura, his ears being covered is "Hear No Evil" as you can see that's written on his hat and the meaning of that represents he heard some things the he shouldn't have heard."
Koashura handed Kotennyo her glass of water and she took a sip and set it on the coffee table and continued, "The second is me and little me having hers or my eyes covered as you can see written "See No Evil" represents that I have witnessed something that I should have never witnessed."
Jasmine gently squeezed Koenma's hand seeing him getting anxious waiting for Kotennyo to share of the meaning of his childlike toddler self suffering in the painting, the prince then found his voice, "Kotennyo what about me? What do I represent?"
Seeing her ex's anxiety, Kotennyo knew he needed to hear it and she took a deep breath and confessed, "Koenma the toddler you in this is "Speak No Evil". As you can see your mouth is covered and there is also another hand around your neck. The hand on your mouth symbolizes that you have heard some things you shouldn't have heard and that you must be silenced for it. The hand around your neck symbolizes that there are those who want to silence you for good by taking away your voice to speak by killing you."
Koenma's jaw dropped and seeing that, Kotennyo then began to apologize, "Koenma I'm so sorry this caused you to have an anxiety attack but, I really felt I needed people to see this. Please don't be angry with me. If you are, I understand."
Jasmine kissed her lover's hand and Koenma gave her a sweet smile and leaned over and kissed his human lover's cheek. He shifted his attention back to Kotennyo and gave her a warm smile, "I'm not angry at you for this. It did freak me out yes, but, I'm glad you painted it. Your art is your form of therapy and who am I to take it away from you? It has been your coping mechanism for as long as I have known you. If you feel you need to get something out in your works, go for it."
Kotennyo smiled grateful and relieved that Koenma wasn't mad at her, "Thank you Koenma. Jasmine you're not mad at me are you?"
Jasmine sweetly giggled, "No I'm not. Kotennyo thank you for sharing the meaning of that piece of work with us, you're a really good friend."
Kotennyo smiled, turned around and walked back into the spare bedroom and put it the painting back in there. An hour later, the four friends went to bed and Koenma and Jasmine cuddled in bed with each other. They didn't make love that night being too exhausted from the eventful day they had.
As Jasmine snuggled into her lover's chest, she asked, "Are you excited about our trip in two weeks?"
Koenma wrapped his long arms around his lover's slender body and he replied, "Yes. I can't wait to go back to Alaska to see your family again."
"Me too, I just hope that masked bastard doesn't try to ruin it again."
Koenma shut his eyes and chuckled, "If he does, you, Koashura, Kotennyo, Genkai, and your wonderful family will be there to protect me no matter what. I love you Jasmine, my queen."
"I love you too Koenma, my prince."
They then fell asleep in each other's arms still thinking about their upcoming trip to Alaska.
