I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. I don't know the names of Kuwabara's parents, so I gave them ones.

Chapter One- Bought

Kuwabara tipped the meager change he had into the family coin jar, wishing he had more to put in it. His family wasn't exactly poor, but they did scrimp and save whatever they could. The money in the jar went toward any unexpected household repairs which was why Kuwabara wished he could contribute more to the jar. If only I could get a job, but Mom and Dad say no and school frowns on students having a job unless they receive special permission.

A firm knock sounded at their door and his father, Senma Kuwabara, answered the door. A rather unpleasant-sounding voice said, "Hello. I'm Gonzo Tarukane. May I come in?"

"Uh, yes. Of course." Senma stepped back and allowed Tarukane in who allowed himself to be led into the living room. Kuwabara couldn't believe his eyes as Tarukane was the ugliest man he had ever seen. However, he was dressed in a colored expensive tuxedo and wore fancy rings on his fingers; even his shoes were fancy.

Tarukane settled himself in once of their armchairs as if it was a throne as Senma said, "May I get anything for you, Mr. Tarukane? A drink? Something to eat?"

"Just bring the rest of your family. I have a business proposition for you."

"Yes, sir." Senma left the room and returned shortly with his wife, Celina, and his daughter, Shizuru. The family sat in the other chairs and Tarukane eyed each one with a greedy look that Kuwabara didn't like.

Tarukane then bared a smug grin. "Clearly you are not as well off as I am."

"We manage," Celina said a bit defensively.

"I could give you money to give you a better life. Perhaps repair or expand your home or new furniture or appliances…provided you are willing to a trade."

"A trade?" Senma repeated.

"I would pay handsomely and monthly for one of you to live with me as the heir to my fortune."

"One of us?" Shizuru repeated angrily. "You think you can just buy one of us?"

"I do and you will comply or I will hire assassins to kill you for refusing me." His eyes roved over the quartet before pointing at Kuwabara. "You, young man. I will have you as my heir."

The family exchanged resigned looks. They could not refuse Tarukane for he was rich, influential, and could hire assassins to kill them. Kuwabara rose from his seat. "All right. I'll go with you."

Tarukane bared that grin again. "Good. Go ahead and pack while I discuss your price with your parents."

Kuwabara left the room and headed upstairs to put whatever possessions he wanted or needed into two worn suitcases. He heard footsteps before his door opened and Shizuru entered.

"Kazuma, you can't do this," she said.

"There's no choice, Shizuru. I have to go or he'll kill us."

"I'd rather die together than be alive and separated."

"Yeah but I'd rather that everyone remain alive. I have that ability by going with Tarukane. He chose me and he's already discussing how much money he'll give our parents every month."

"I don't want you to go, baby bro."

"I don't want to go, either but I have to in order to keep everyone safe."

"You will call, won't you?"

"Of course. I'll call tomorrow and tell you all that I saw and found out."

"Kazuma, Mr. Tarukane is ready to leave," Senma called.

Kuwabara shut his cases and carried them down the stairs. He shared hugs and kisses with his parents and sister before going outside to where a limo sat. The driver opened the trunk, took Kuwabara's bags, and put them in the trunk. He then opened the back door and bowed as Kuwabara looked back at his family before getting into the backseat where Tarukane already sat and the door snapped shut behind him. He stared out the window at his family until the limo had pulled away from the house and down the road.

"Kuwabara," Tarukane said. "Your parents mentioned that you prefer to be called by your surname. That's fine by me as I prefer a certain distance with people.

"Now," he said as Kuwabara looked at him. "I am known in town as a jeweler. I appraise, buy, and sell fine quality jewels. Of course, no one knows that I am also a crime lord and I expect you to tell no one, either.

"You will address me as sir when speaking to me, and will attend to the duties I assign you. I will eventually train you to be a jeweler and crime lord and you will take over both careers as well as my estate and fortune when I die.

"Your family will receive a check every month for as long as you are in my employ. Try to betray me and I will kill you and stop paying your family. Got it? You belong to me now."

"Yes, sir," Kuwabara said, feeling this would be a good time to speak.

Tarukane nodded in approval. "I will train you to keep good ledgers concerning my spending and profits. Once you are an expert at that, I will share some of the secrets of my success and you will learn how to appraise jewels."

"Yes, sir." Kuwabara saw this entire situation as good and bad. He would learn about a career without needing to go to school and his family would have money to improve their living conditions but on the other hand, he would never see them again and he was owned by a crime lord. A crime lord who planned to make him into a crime lord.

There's no way I'll grow up to be like him. A career as a jeweler sounds fine and the money I make can go to my family as well as other families that need it. I could help poor people by giving away my money. His eyes stared out the window again while his mind's eye showed him this pleasing future.

Tarukane gave Kuwabara a sideways glance. His plan had worked out perfectly; to other people his visit to the Kuwabara family seemed random and nonsensical, but it wasn't.

He knew he wanted an heir to his fortune and that buying a kid from a poor family was the perfect idea. Poor children tended to be polite and they listened to their elders. He had his servants spy on the poor families and bring him the information they had gathered. He had read through the reports and paused at the Kuwabara family and Kazuma in particular. He was almost fifteen, did almost average in school, and tended to fight in public with the result being him winning those fights. With his fighting skills, average intelligence, and respect to his elders, he would make the perfect heir, Tarukane had thought.

The limo drove far out of town and past a forest where a river led out to the sea; the sun sparkling off its surface revealed its location. The forest continued to hug the dirt road as the limo pulled up to a large and grand mansion and the forest framed it on three sides.

Tarukane exited the limo and turned to enjoy the awestruck look on Kuwabara's face. "Welcome to your new home, Kazuma Kuwabara."