Since I know I may not be here a while, I'm posting this really long chapter up as well. *Shrugs* What can I say? I like to post things in doubles. Anyway, THIS is the chapter where the gang, most of them, finally show up. Hiei isn't involved in this story though, so sorry to Hiei fans. I might make him in the other one I'm writing, that's like the backside to this story. Maybe, it's too early to know at the moment. Anyway, only...well, you'll see soon enough.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, especially Kurama. Nor do I own Leiko. I do own Rose, though.
I hope you enjoy!! ^^
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---4 months later
Leiko had recovered once she had had enough rest and food. She had continued her training with Kurama, and was coming along nicely. Over the past few months, they had encountered life-threatening storms and adventures. No one had heard any news about Youko, or what he was planning. It was known that he had left the cave and went to another hideout, but that was all.
Leiko sighed heavily as she stared out at the seemingly endless waves. The crew was below deck, eating in the mess hall. Kurama was in his cabin, reading a book he had most likely stolen. Sighing again, she looked up at the darkening sky.
As the sun set, darkness began to grow overhead. Small white stars began to liter the blackness as the sun sank further into the horizon. Leaning heavily against the rail, she rest her head in the palm of her right hand, her expression vacant.
'I wonder what my parents are doing… Probably partying like there's no tomorrow… Cht, they always hated me. But…what about my friends? Do they miss me?' Images of her friends flashed across her mind. Sighing once again, she lowered her head to where it was resting directly on the wooden railing, her eyes watching the setting sun with complete boredom, and slight sadness.
"Are you all right?"
Standing up straight while turning, Leiko noticed Kurama walking towards her, his boots echoing on the deck.
Turning back to face the setting sun, she sighed. "Yeah…I'm all right…"
Walking up next to her, Kurama gazed at the sun, his mind elsewhere.
"You know, I was wondering…" Leiko said suddenly, causing Kurama to turn his gaze to her. "It would be weird to go back home…even for a little visit… But…"
"Do you miss them?" Kurama asked quietly, returning his gaze to the still setting sun.
"Yeah, I guess so… But, I wouldn't want to stay." Kurama looked at her, mildly surprised. Sensing his confusion without even looking at him, she continued. "There are too many rules. They don't let me be myself." She turned to him slightly with a small smile on her face. "Besides, I'd rather be here with you. It's rather fun to be on the run from the law, when I'm supposed to be in charge of enforcing it. It's a cool twist in fate."
Chuckling, Kurama turned to her fully. With a small smile still on his lips, he said, "Then let's go back. But, just for a visit."
Leikos' eyes shone brightly as the sun finally finished setting and the night engulfed them.
"Really?"
"Of course. I would like to see what has become of a few of my old hiding spots as a child."
"I have a few of my own. Maybe we could show each other?"
"Maybe. Now, let's be off."
---1 week later
Wearing heavy black cloaks, both Kurama and Leiko snuck off of the ship and onto the wet sand. Stumbling slightly, she managed to regain her balance.
"Guess it's been a while since I was on land…" She murmured, before running easily across the beach, Kurama right behind her.
Running towards a rock formation, they paused. Peering around the rock formation, Leiko cursed silently.
"What is it?" Kurama asked in a voice below a whisper.
"A festival. My father created it in honor of himself…the fat bastard… C'mon, I found an opening."
Quietly passing behind the happy bystanders, they began their trek up the cobblestone street, raising their hoods so as not to be recognized. As they left behind the crowded streets, Leiko couldn't help but lean against a near by building.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah… I've never walked to or from the castle that much… Just when I was running away or something…"
Just then, a shadow dropped down from above, pointing an orange bladed and hilted sword at the cloaked figures of Leiko and Kurama. Also wearing a heavy black cloak, he motioned them back into an alleyway, away from the far off crowds. Once alone, the figure stopped, and Leiko and Kurama turned around, facing him.
"Who are you?" The voice was a young man's.
Leiko recognized it immediately. "Kuwabara?"
The figure jumped noticeably. His sword hand shook, giving Kurama a chance to knock it out of his hand, disarming him. The sword dissipated into nothing as it flew away from its master, though no one noticed. With his whole body shaking, Kuwabara took a tentative step forward, completely unsure of this.
"Leiko…? Is that you under there?" His voice shook, as if he were a scared child.
Pulling down her hood, Leiko smiled up at him. "Yep. It's me. It's good to see you again, Kuwabara."
Taking an anxious step forward, Kuwabaras' hood flew off as he scooped her up in his arms in a massive bear hug.
"It's been so long! We've missed you!" He placed her gently back on the ground. "What happened? Everyone thinks you died when those pirates attacked…"
"As you can see, she is very much alive, thanks to me." Kurama said quietly, leaning against one of the alleyway walls with his arms crossed.
Kuwabara glanced at him. "And who the heck are you?"
"He's the one that kidnapped me." Leiko said with a smile.
"WHAT?!" He exclaimed, turning angrily to the calm Kurama. Forcefully grabbing the front of his shirt, he raised a fist to punch him. Kuramas' eyes narrowed sharply, his hand slowly reaching for his sword.
Seeing the mess, Leiko ran over, placing her hands gently on Kuwabaras' arm. "Calm down, Kuwabara! It's okay!"
He glanced at her. "But you told me that he was the one that kidnapped you!"
"Yeah, he did, but he treated me really well!" But added as an undertone, "After he starved me for about a week…"
Mildly glaring at her, Kurama looked back at the infuriated Kuwabara. With obvious reluctance, Kuwabara slowly released him. Quickly moving between the two to ensure that they wouldn't fight again, Leiko continued.
"So, how are things at the club?"
"Horrible." Kuwabara replied, his attention fully concentrated on her once again. "It's been a mess ever since you disappeared… Yusuke's been really mopey and stuff too…"
"Yusuke?" Kurama asked suddenly, his eyes opening slightly at the name. "Yusuke Urameshi?"
"Yeah. You know my brother?" Leiko asked, slightly surprised.
Kurama faltered. "Brother? You mean…"
"Yeah. My full name's Leiko Urameshi. I thought you knew that?"
'Now I see the resemblance…' He thought, kicking himself inwardly for not noticing it earlier. "Yes. We used to be friends when we were younger. I haven't seen him in years."
Grabbing his wrist, Leiko ran out of the alleyway and up the cobblestone street. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Stunned, Kuwabara ran clumsily to keep up. "H-hey! Wait up!!!"
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Yusuke sighed heavily; his eyes downcast as he sat slumped over in his small wooden throne. He sighed again, this time out of boredom, not knowing what to do.
"Yusuke!" A feminine voice resounded loudly just before the doors banged open.
Yusuke jumped from his seat, surprised by the sudden noise. A teenage girl ran in, stopping at the foot of the stairs that led straight up to his small throne.
"What the hell?!" Yusuke shouted angrily, marching down the steps and stopping before her. "Who the hell are you, and what the hell are you doing here?!"
Leiko glared coldly at him, the smile gone from her face. Placing her hands on her hips, she said, "Well, excuuuuuuse me, princess! Don't let me pee in your cheerios, Ani!"
Yusuke took a step back in surprise, then took two steps forward in anger, getting in her face. Squinting his eyes, he glared at her, inspecting her closely.
"Do I know you…?"
Leikos' left eye twitched. "Did I not just call you my BROTHER?!" She shouted, her fists clenched and shaking.
Yusuke stood up straight again, thinking about it. "Nope… Not ringing any bells…"
Leiko reared back suddenly, her right fist clenched tightly. "You idiot!" She shouted, throwing her fist.
The punch hit Yusuke on his left cheek, sending him flying backwards and crashing into the wooden throne, smashing it to pieces. Struggling to sit up, Yusuke placed a hand on the left side of his face, his eyes on Leiko.
"Nobody can hit me that hard and make it hurt, besides Keiko, except…Leiko!" He scrambled to his feet, slipping on the broken pieces of wood. Managing to escape the wreckage, he ran over to his sister and hugged her tightly, not realizing how much he really missed her until then.
Leiko blinked in surprise. "Ani…since when did you hug people?"
Opening his eyes, Yusuke saw two pairs of eyes watching him curiously. Hiding a blush of embarrassment, he straightened up, clearing his throat slightly. His eyes traveled from the two men behind his little sister. One was Kuwabara, but he was trying to catch his breath still. The other was a flaming red head with dazzling emerald green eyes. Something about him jogged his memory. Side stepping his sister, he approached the stranger. Peering closer, memories resurfaced.
"Kurama? Is that you?"
Kurama smiled. "Yes. It's been a while, Yusuke."
Yusuke's face brightened. Outstretching his hand, he shook his old friend's hand firmly.
"Oh, he remembers Kurama, but he doesn't remember me…" Leiko grumbled, crossing her arms somewhat sassily.
Yusuke turned to his sister, confused. "Hold up… How do you know Kurama?"
"He's the one that kidnapped me." She replied simply, as if it were obvious.
Yusuke looked back at Kurama. "You kidnapped my sister?"
Kurama gave a meager shrug, along with an apologetic look. "At the time, I was unaware that she was your sister."
Yusuke shook his head sadly. "And you were supposed to be the smart one…"
Ignoring that one comment, Kurama changed the topic. "Anyway, how have things been since Leiko disappeared?"
"HEY! I was supposed to ask that!" Leiko exclaimed, glaring at him.
"Terrible." Yusuke replied, ignoring his sister's outburst. He sat down heavily on a wooden crate. "Father's gotten more fat, mother's more of a stuck up bitch, and they act as if you've never existed, Leiko." He looked up at her with sad eyes. "And the worst part of it is… I'm not sure if it's out of grief, or if they've finally lost it…"
The anger within Leiko had dwindled away to nothing. She felt a strange sense of relief, yet also great sadness. She sat next to her brother and hugged him tightly. An idea hit her suddenly.
"Kurama! Can we take my brother with us?"
Taken aback by the sudden question, he thought momentarily about it. "I don't see the problem with it… Although, it would be odd if my brother appeared, and/or kidnapped you again…"
Yusuke looked up suddenly. "Again? You mean Youko kidnapped Leiko before?"
"Yes, but-"
"WAIT! I just realized something!" Leiko blurted out, standing up straight and looking about, as if searching for something, or someone. "Where's Rose?"
Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged glances. Noticing the silent exchange, Leiko turned a worried glance at them.
"What?"
Yusuke sighed heavily. He couldn't bring himself to say it. Kuwabara, thankfully, responded.
"She's gone."
Leiko suddenly felt thunderstruck. "Gone? What do you mean gone?!"
Well, you both disappeared around the same time… You first, then her a few days later…" Kuwabara continued, feeling somewhat ashamed of himself. "She was really worried for you when you first disappeared… Then she just mysteriously poofed… it was really weird."
Leiko stood, unmoving. The one person, besides her brother, that she really wanted to see was her best friend, Rose. Known as the giving princess, her real name being Nozomi, she was basically the motherly one of the group. Well, more motherly than the other three. Seeing his sister's condition, Yusuke stood up and gently led her over to the wooden crate he had just been sitting on and helped her sit.
"Do you know what happened to her?" Kurama asked, not knowing who it was, but wanting to see Leikos' smile once again.
"Yeah, we do." Kuwabara replied, crossing his arms as he turned his attention to Kurama.
There was a moment's pause in which no one spoke. Then, "Who was it?"
"It was your brother; Youko." Yusuke replied, turning to his old friend with a serious, yet solemn, look on his face. "He's the one that took her." He sighed heavily. "And the sad thing is, we don't know if she's dead or alive…"
Leiko suddenly stood up, her face completely expressionless. Yusuke looked at her, knowing his sister all too well by now. He bent his knees slightly, in case he needed to hold her back.
"I thought there was something weird about it…" She said quietly, though not to anyone in particular.
All three guys glanced at each other questioningly, all wondering the same question.
"It had to be… It just had to be…" She looked up at Kurama. "Kurama, do you remember when you last came to get me back? That there were two mes' hanging from those pointy thingies?"
"They're called 'stalagmites'. And yes, I do."
Leiko nodded, more to herself than anybody else. "Then I showed up. It had to have been it…"
"What had to be it?" Kuwabara asked, not able to take her repeating that one saying over and over again.
Leiko glanced at him. "It had to have been Nozomi. I'm sure of it."
"What?!" All three guys cried at once, taken aback.
"Yeah, think about it… When we were younger, we all had these weird powers. Well, everyone but me… Yusuke had his Spirit Gun, Kuwabara had his Spirit Sword, and Nozomi was able to control water."
"Yeah…you're right!" Yusuke replied, having thought about it. "Yeah, she can control water…"
"Yeah, but how does that explain there being two 'you's' before you showed up?" Kuwabara asked, pondering it.
"Maybe she changed her own image, and she was one of the ones hanging from those pointy thingies, and the other one was a clone?"
"What? Like a water clone?"
"Yeah, something like that!" Leiko replied, nodding. She was definitely back to her old self. "She's alive! She's definitely alive!"
Kurama couldn't help but chuckle. "May I ask you something?"
"Hm? Sure, what is it?" Leiko asked, confused at why he was laughing.
"Was she pretty?"
"Was who pretty?" ( Leikos' expression: o.O;; )
"Your friend. Was she pretty?"
"She was beautiful!" Kuwabara blurted out, then, blushing madly, fell extremely quiet.
Leiko glanced at him. "What about Yukina?"
Kuwabara didn't answer, being too flustered to do so.
"Yeah! I remember a time when I even had a crush on her! Well, before Keiko found out and beat me up about it. She even told Nozomi about it, who laughed, and said she wasn't interested in guys like me." He shrugged. "Ah well, I'm with Keiko now, anyway."
"Yeah, she was really pretty, even if she didn't think so…" Leiko added, feeling a tang of sadness as she remembered the past.
"If what you're saying is true, then my brother would not have killed her."
"What?" All three of them asked, looking up at him questioningly.
Kurama couldn't help but chuckle once again. "My brother does not capture a girl unless she is beautiful, or very pretty. He wouldn't waste his time. And, if she's as beautiful as you say she is, he would want to try and take her as his own."
"You mean…?"
"Yes, exactly. But, since you are sure that she is alive, you have nothing to fear." He reassured, smiling at her.
She sighed heavily. "Great…" She noticed a bit of light coming over the horizon. "Hey! The sun's coming up! We gotta go!"
Kurama nodded, then turned to both Yusuke and Kuwabara. "You are both welcome in coming with us; however, tonight is out of the question. We shall return in a week, does that sound good?"
"Sure! It'll give me time to pack and do other stuff."
"Okay then! See you guys in a week!" Leiko called out, waving to her friend and brother as she pushed Kurama out of the door and they disappeared.
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And that's a wrap! (Always wanted to say that. lol) I hope you liked this chapter, and are pleased that Yusuke and Kuwabara are finally in it.
Oh! I have to tell you guys something! I was honestly completely blank when I wrote that 'reunion' of Leiko and Yusuke. I had to ask Leiko (or Lacey) herself. So, if you laughed at all in that, thank her for it. It was mostly her dialogue ideas. (Just for that little part. o.o) I just managed to work it in there. lol
Anyways, thanks again for reading, and please, please, PLEASE review! ^_^
