Author's note: Well guys, you know the drill. XD
Mr. E Guest . Well he is doing Biscuit training regime, however he doesn't have the whole control of nen powers yet, and he isn't aware of what would be clearly her type of nen since we just have glimpses of it, so he isn't prepared yet, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Le Quack Guest. The problem is... there is nothing on the castle worth to steal off, since the items there was just trap rooms, and the flute from Suzaku was destroyed, so in the end Hiei didn't take anything from the castle because he didn't find any. And about the spirit insects, he didn't have a true interaction of skill yet, so he doesn't have power over manipulation yet, maybe when he gets ready on the future maybe
Hyper LOL Guest . I'm glad that you are excited to see the arc, so prepare yourself for this chapter, and about Natsume... come on dude, Chu is a good man, and a good friend, he deserved to get the crush Hahahahaha, and about Ruka...well, after the event of Hiei, I doubt she wouldn't be traumatized, but I don't know, I usually would be glad to have only 3 girls for Rando. Maybe I can work with one of the boys of other teams to have a chance with the sexy nurse, who knows?
Eccentric Guest. Thank you for the review, have fun reading this chapter.
Ghostly Guest. I'm glad you liked it, because I planned to make them see that nothing is always black and white, and like Kurama, even Rando learned about the true about himself, and since he disappeared in front of them for many years, many things must have happened, and probably it was what caused the change...
Just Guessing . Well about crafting weapons, I don't think he would be able to do it, since there was somethings that the whole team of Suzuki was able to do it, and maybe he could ask them on how they managed to create such items, I don't know, I still would like to make things interesting with him using with his own version of spiritual energy aka nen. And to answer your question, you will see it on this chapter. Have fun XD.
Sleepy Guest. I decided to try to follow the formula on how that rich man managed to start the conversation and Shizuru crush on him, so following the example and making him being the person which slowly would become the special person for her would be nice. And who knows? Maybe many interesting things will happen in the future. XD
Just Guest. Well, who knows what kind of job Rando would have? Maybe you are right, or maybe you are wrong, but have fun reading this chapter, and enjoy with a good laugh. XD
Just a wee guest. Thank you for the review, and while I have been following the formula of Lupin the third, nobody guessed that I also followed the formula of Hunter X Hunter Arm Wrestling, when Gon was the person doing it to get money with Leorio, I was surprised that nobody catch that. Anyway, have fun reading the new chapter.
Mr. E Guest. Thank you for liking the chapter, I hope you have fun reading this one, with all the revelations and good scenes for you all to enjoy.
coldblue2015 . Thank you for liking the chapter, and I wouldn't say that Rando would bust the economic bubble, since he is taking money from the reach, and having the Louvre arts as hostages, but anyway, he will have enough money to live comfortably, and also you are right, about Koenma and Botan knowing such information, it was indeed very dangerous for them to even open their mouths over that important subject, so you will understand on this chapter. Now answering your questions.
1- Spoilers, but you may have guessed the obvious.
2- Spoilers, but you will may understand.
3 - Very unlikely, since Rando changed his appearance into looking like a girl when he did the auditions, and had a ghost account in another country where he has all the money for himself, so from the rich people, they don't know about him.
4- Maybe, or maybe not, he has Hide and Seek which teleports him across the spots the save rooms he created around the world, but having a home here on there? I don't know, maybe? Rando focused into living a more comfortable life, but he is also going to enjoy life in a different way, so I hope that answers your question.
Have fun reading this chapter.
Reaperfornow. Welp, there you go, enjoy the chapter.
Anyway guys, have fun.
3 Days had passed and what began as a simple smoke break outside a beauty salon had transformed into a quiet evening spent in Shizuru's home. After sharing cigarettes and a casual conversation, she had invited him over for coffee. It wasn't something Rando had planned, but nothing about today had gone according to plan. Most of his day had been resumed into training, walking around the city, making threatening calls to France demanding a ramson of 3 million dollars for a piece of art from the museum, and knowing that there were probably between 400 to 500 thousand art pieces, it would mean that he would be getting even more money from the French people...
It was interesting on what opportunities people would have from being in the 90s and with the knowledge and power they have in their hands. It wouldn't take long until he would get too rich that he wouldn't need to worry about the bills for the next hundreds of years.
But taking out that, all the pieces they would receive would be mere copies of the art of what would be believed to be the original. While he himself would be having the treasures of it, or copies of some they will be willing to send the original back to their home country.
Countries like Africa, Brazil, Iraq, and many other countries deserved to have back part of their cultural history at the right time since he watched the news that some of their museums got destroyed or burned down by the fire, but as he believed, their story and culture should be celebrated to their home countries, and not with the impossibility to have to cross around the sees to go to Paris to see their own country art. It belonged to them.
But still, the art pieces were saved, and he couldn't care if France is freaking out with the heist of all the world. He was more focused on what he could do next, since in the future he would need to get stronger, since most of the challenges would be harder from now on.
Then Rando suddenly shook his head, snapping from his own thoughts, as he once again felt that he was monologuing too much into his own mind, so he decided to distract himself and appreciate more the hospitality. Thankfully for him, he already got inside of the Kuwabara's house, the family name, not the boy himself.
Shizuru's house was as laid-back and unpretentious as she was. The small living room was cozy, filled with a mix of eclectic furniture that hinted at her independent nature. A few houseplants thrived in the sunlight streaming through the windows, and the faint scent of incense lingered in the air, creating a calming atmosphere. The walls were adorned with framed photos of her family, particularly of her younger brother, Kuwabara.
Rando took a seat at the kitchen table, appreciating the warm, homey environment. Shizuru moved with practiced ease, brewing a pot of coffee in the simple yet functional kitchen. The aroma of freshly ground beans filled the room, adding to the comforting ambiance.
She placed two steaming mugs on the table, sliding one over to Rando before taking a seat across from him. For a moment, they sipped their coffee in silence, enjoying the quiet companionship that had unexpectedly formed between them.
"So, you mentioned earlier that you travel a lot. What exactly do you do?" Shizuru put her cigarette on her ashtray as she decided to start the conversation.
Rando took another sip of his coffee, considering how much he revealed about himself. He had always been cautious about sharing too much of the other side of things, especially with Shizuru, who was practically the sister of one of the main characters for the future archs. But something about Shizuru's straightforward demeanor made him feel at ease as if he didn't have to hide. Knowing how open mind she was with her brother and friends dealing with the spiritual world, Rando could understand more about her, as a person and not as a character.
"I've spent a lot of time traveling," Rando began, setting his mug down. "I've always been interested in learning about different cultures, understanding how people live, and what they value. So, when I'm not training martial arts against their schools around the world, I work as a social culture professor."
"Social culture professor? That's a bit different from martial arts." Shizuru raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"It is. But it's all connected in a way. What I do is travel to universities around the world and give lectures on cultural common sense. I try to help students understand the laws of their own countries, what their rights are, and how to navigate the complexities of society."Rando chuckled softly. He could express one kind of lesson that anybody from the future always wished to actually learn from school, something called common sense which would have been helpful for their lives if they were taught that, rather than actual things that most people would ignore.
"So you're teaching them how to survive in the real world?" Shizuru leaned back in her chair, her interest piqued.
"Exactly," Rando nodded, knowing that it was indeed how the society needed more people in the future, people prepared to survive the worst traps when it comes to not understanding how to deal with laws and how to deal with their own culture. "I teach them things like how to prepare their taxes, what to do when the law is in their favor, and how to protect themselves from making mistakes that could have serious consequences. It's practical knowledge that most people don't think about until it's too late. And it's something that we wish we would have gotten when we went to school."
"Hehe, isn't that the truth?" Shizuru smiled, clearly impressed, and she related that she would have enjoyed more school if they taught her things about how to portray herself in a job interview, or what she should invest in funds in the bank to help her brother have a better future. "Sounds like you're doing some real good out there. It's not often you hear about someone teaching that kind of stuff."
"That's something that many people would be grateful if we had an opportunity like that to get money," Rando explained, since it would give a good excuse to explore other countries, but also have a bit of the truth on what kind of job he had, since on the time he was with his brother when Miguel had to cross other countries on his business meeting, he himself had to study and check all the books, magazines and online articles he could find to help his little brother to not mess up with the cultural police from some countries, and even doing his best to help and teach his little brother on how to deal with taxes. "It's just something I've picked up over the years. I've seen a lot of people get into trouble simply because they didn't know the basics. If I can help even a few of them avoid that, then it's worth it."
The conversation flowed easily between them, touching on various topics from Rando's travels to Shizuru's life in the city. Rando found himself enjoying her company more than he had expected. There was something refreshingly honest about Shizuru, knowing even more about the background character who also has a good impact on the characters of the anime, that it made him understand the whole truth of a philosophy he learned in his past life... Everyone has a story to tell, everyone has feelings, opinions, and their own way of living their lives.
"HAhahahahahahahaha." Shizuru laughed as Rando decided to tell the story of how he ended up meeting Kuwabara and Yusuke, he avoided telling her about the killer's intent he had over being too cruel to Kuwabara, but the part of giving a beat down on him, and just then giving up the title just for Yusuke suffer from his imminent training indeed was a good story to share. "So that dunce of Yusuke didn't realize that he had been trapped this whole time?"
"He had no idea." Rando chuckled as they seemed to be enjoying a good time sharing the funny stories, especially the times when Kuwabara got home talking about his rivalry over Yusuke, and how much he got beaten up by it. Once she had to beat the crap out of her brother because he refused to take his medicine for the results of the fight he had with Yusuke, which lead the story even funnier.
"Now I can explain to Keiko in case she comes to visit me," Shizuru commented which made Rando raise his eyebrows at her.
Before even Rando asks her about the girl. The conversation between Rando and Shizuru was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Rando barely had time to take another sip of his coffee before Kuwabara burst into the room, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Shizuru, I'm—" Kuwabara's voice trailed off as he noticed the unexpected guest sitting at the kitchen table. His usual bravado quickly faded, replaced by a mix of shock and mild panic. "What the hell? Rando? What are you doing in my house? And Since when do you two know each other?"
"Your sister invited me over. I was feeling a bit stressed after my meeting with Botan when she called me to that coffee store, so Shizuru offered me a smoke and in a few days she invited me over with some coffee to relax." Rando looked up from his coffee, his expression calm as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He raised an eyebrow at Kuwabara's reaction and gestured to the coffee cup in his hand.
"Botan? Is she okay? What happened?" Kuwabara's face instantly shifted from surprise to concern at the mention of Botan. As a girl he had a slight crush on her, Shizuru gave a glance to Rando, and she read from his lips the words, she wasn't his type, the older sister giggled, which the orange-haired boy deadpanned at the yokai visiting on his house.
"Nothing you need to worry about, kid. It was just some personal stuff I needed to sort out. Stressful, sure, but nothing that concerns her." Rando dismissed the young delinquent, as soon he could see the relief in his eyes. But then Rando decided to light up one of the cigars, which Kuwabara groaned into seeing such a sigh. "She and her boss were the reason why I started smoking again. Good for them."
"And now you're smoking again because of it? Seriously?" Kuwabara would have let out a sigh of relief if wasn't for the fact Rando started to smoke in his house. His gaze shifted suspiciously between his sister and Rando.
"It's not like he's the only one smoking. I figured I'd share one of mine since he was having a rough day." Shizuru took a leisurely drag from her cigarette and exhaled, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Great, just great. Now there are two of you smoking in the house. What's next, you're gonna start a club?" Kuwabara groaned, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Rando held his chuckle as he completely ignored him, he noticed Shizuru tilting her head slightly, mirroring his own movement. The two exchanged a brief, knowing glance before turning to Kuwabara in unison. Both with their tilted heads.
"Huh? Did you say something?" They both asked at the same time, their voices blending perfectly.
"Oh, come on! You two are teaming up on me now?" Kuwabara's face flushed with irritation as he threw his hands up in exasperation. "I'm starting to hate every time you do that, you know?"
Shizuru just shrugged, still smirking, while Rando sipped his coffee, maintaining an air of innocence.
"Relax, Kuwabara. We're just having a bit of fun," Rando said, his voice calm but tinged with amusement.
Kuwabara grumbled something under his breath, clearly annoyed but unable to fully suppress a small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was strange to see someone like Rando, who he knew primarily as a powerful adversary, sitting casually in his kitchen, sharing coffee and cigarettes with his sister. The whole situation felt surreal, but there was also something oddly comforting about it.
"Just… don't make a habit out of this, alright? I've got enough on my plate without worrying about you two ganging up on me." As the initial tension faded, Kuwabara pulled out a chair and reluctantly joined them at the table.
"No promises, Kazu."Shizuru chuckled softly. The little nickname was enough to make Rando chuckle and Kuwabara's face slam on the table, and both Rando and Shizuru took their cups to not spill the good caffeine.
"Calm down Kuwabara, we are here just to talk and have a good time," Rando glanced at Kuwabara, a subtle smile on his lips.
"Yeah, well, just don't forget whose house this is." Kuwabara sighed, finally letting himself relax.
"Mine"
"Her's"
Both Rando and Shizuru commented at the same time and once again Kuwabara's faceslammed on the floor.
"Ughhhhh." Kuwabara was already having a headache just for hearing them two ganging up on him. And their laughing only makes it even worse. But hey, at least there wasn't something terrible happening around.
.
.
.
The cool night air greeted Kuwabara and Rando as they stepped out of the house, leaving the warmth and quiet conversation behind. The streets were dimly lit, with only the occasional flicker of a streetlight breaking the darkness. Kuwabara glanced over at Rando, who walked beside him in silence, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of the past few weeks hung between them, unspoken but palpable. Yusuke's absence during his training left a void that Kuwabara could feel more intensely every day. He was eager to show how much stronger he had become, to prove that he was more than capable of holding his own, even against a powerful person like Rando. Even if the person was shorter than him and even older from what he says, Kuwabara couldn't help but want to show him the difference between the time he fought him on the Genkai's trial, and that moment.
"So," Kuwabara finally broke the silence, his voice cutting through the stillness of the night. "You think Yusuke's gonna be the same when he gets back? I mean, after you said about Genkai, it seems that he had been suffering a lot?"
Rando didn't immediately answer, his eyes scanning the surroundings as they walked. But hearing Kuwabara talk about Genkai, there was a bit of a sadistic feeling inside of his heart that he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh he does... he probably will return in a few days, and if Genkai's training is exactly how I think it is. He is going to have a new technique in his hands." Rando commented as he explained to the boy who also seemed interested. "But also will be a headache into trying to curse my name, and his boss and everyone he knows."
Kuwabara nodded and even as funny as he would think about Yusuke being annoyed, there was uncertainty gnawing at him. He had seen Yusuke go through incredible challenges before, but this time felt different. He felt the more Yusuke grew up stronger, the more he should be doing something. And Kuwabara knew that he had to step up his game to keep up.
"I've been training too," Kuwabara said, his tone tinged with determination. "Genkai did some kind of spiritual surgery on me, and I can feel it. I'm stronger now. I wanna show you something."
Rando's interest piqued at that, but instead of responding, he subtly guided Kuwabara down a narrower street, leading them toward a more secluded area away from prying eyes. The houses and shops thinned out, replaced by the looming shadows of trees and the quiet rustle of leaves. The deeper they went, the more the sounds of the city faded, until all that remained was the whisper of the wind through the branches.
Rando finally came to a stop, glancing around to ensure they were alone. "Here should do. Go ahead, show me what you've got."
Kuwabara smirked, stepping forward into the small clearing. He could feel the surge of energy within him, the power that had been unlocked by his fight with Musashi and then getting a power-up with Genkai's intervention. It was time to prove himself, not just to Rando, but to himself.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy within him. A soft, orange glow began to emanate from his hand, a spark of spiritual energy that quickly grew in intensity. Kuwabara's fist tightened, and with a determined shout, the energy solidified into the shape of a sword—a blade of pure spiritual energy, glowing bright orange in the darkness.
"Rei Ken!" Kuwabara declared, holding the spiritual sword aloft. The energy hummed with power, the blade crackling with barely contained strength. He turned to Rando, the pride in his eyes unmistakable. "What do you think? Not bad, huh?"
Rando's expression remained unreadable for a moment, his eyes carefully studying the spiritual sword. He could feel the power radiating from it, the raw energy that Kuwabara had managed to harness. It was impressive, especially looking personally which looks far different in comparison to the anime.
"Not bad at all, Kuwabara. You've got real talent, and that's not something I say lightly."A slow, approving smile spread across Rando's face. "But there is a long for you to cross with this, you just learned the basics of transmutation your spiritual energy into a sword, what you can do with that could be way stronger if you know the kind of training you are going to make."
"Really? What kind of training?" Kuwabara asked as he saw Rando raising his finger, and then he felt something different, like the spiritual energy being expelled from the tip of his index finger, pointing at him, and suddenly he saw that from that time his spiritual energy was creating a form, and to surprise Kuwabara even further it was a number, 0... Then it became the number 1, then 2, until came the number 9.
"It's treated as advanced training towards of transmuters, a person can change the properties of their spiritual energy to mimic something else or replicate specific attributes. In other words, you used your own spiritual energy to create a light sword with it." Rando decided to give one of the examples of what kind of spiritual user Kuwabara was.
"There is more?" The orange-haired boy asked which he felt he was being taught by someone who knew exactly what he was doing, but then again, Rando was known to have 99 techniques, so he knew some tips that he could use to make himself stronger and possibly beat Yusuke on the type of training they are having.
"There are 6 types of spiritual energy users, which I don't think I have time tonight to explain to you now, maybe another day I can explain further about it. But let's focus on your own training." Rando decided to show Kuwabara some points that he could see the boy would need for future combat. "From this training I gave to you, you would need to focus on your spiritual energy and shape it on the form I just did, to make the training successful, you need to do it in 5 minutes or less."
"Five minutes to count from 0 to 9? That's easy." Kuwabara waved his hand as he thought about something that would have been an impossible challenge, but 5 minutes for that?
"Well, later you will tell me if you are able to do it in five minutes, also another piece of advice," Rando commented as he touched his hand on the ground. "Since you are becoming a swordsman, I suggest that you actually learn how to use a sword stance, if I recall, you got pretty beaten up by Musashi until you unlocked this power, so maybe having in mind how a swordsman like him attacked, it would inspire you on how to be a better swordsman."
"HEY!" Kuwabara shouted as he looked offended, but then he saw Rando slowly getting inside of the portal. "You need to stop doing that, it's creepy."
"If you find a good house around the neighborhood for sale, I'm open to ideas, until then, see you tomorrow." Rando waved one last time, as, at that moment, Kuwabara was alone, with the spiritual sword in his hand...
"I mean, it can't be that hard." The orange-haired boy scoffed as he raised his own finger, and tried to focus his spiritual energy, which slowly started to become a very abstract form, not even able to do a true curve or a straight line, which slowly the seconds had been nothing more than exhausting, and with that he was taking deep breaths, from how difficult it was for wasting all his spiritual energy into creating or even trying to make a single number over his finger. "Ugh, sometimes I hate when he is right."
The morning sun cast a warm glow over the small coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. Kuwabara sat at a corner table, his eyes locked on Rando, who was seated across from him, casually reading a newspaper. The yokai's smug smile was impossible to miss, and it only made Kuwabara's morning worse.
Rando's eyes flicked up from the paper, catching Kuwabara's annoyed glare. Without even trying to hide his amusement, Rando leaned back in his chair, folding the newspaper with a deliberate slowness that grated on Kuwabara's nerves.
"Go ahead, say it..." Rando said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. "You know what I want to hear."
Kuwabara scowled, gripping his coffee cup a little too tightly. He was still sore from last night's training, and the last thing he wanted was to give Rando the satisfaction of being right. But the yokai's relentless prodding was pushing him to the edge.
"Come on, Kuwabara," Rando continued, his tone teasing. "Just admit it. The training isn't as easy as you thought, is it? Five minutes to form those numbers, and you're still struggling with the first one."
Kuwabara gritted his teeth, the memory of his failed attempts flashing in his mind. He had spent hours trying to do something that seemed so simple when Rando had demonstrated it. But each time, he had ended up exhausted and frustrated, barely able to form a coherent shape with his spiritual energy.
"It's only been one night," Kuwabara muttered, avoiding Rando's gaze. "I just need more practice."
"Sure, practice is important. But there's no shame in admitting when something's tough, especially when I told you it would be."Rando chuckled, setting the newspaper down on the table. He picked up his coffee, taking a leisurely sip before replying,
Kuwabara's jaw clenched. He knew Rando was right, but admitting it felt like conceding defeat. And yet, the smug look on Rando's face was starting to get under his skin.
"Fine!" Kuwabara finally snapped, his voice louder than intended. A few patrons in the coffee shop glanced their way, but he didn't care. "It's hard, okay? Harder than I thought. But I'm not giving up!"
"That's all I wanted to hear. See, wasn't so bad, was it? Now that you've got that out of the way, you can focus on actually improving."Rando's smile widened, clearly pleased with himself. Since he could see that kind of training is very advanced, it was something that Kuwabara would need to have the basics for it, but Rando wasn't willing to train Kuwabara from all the stages of nen, it would take a long time, so the best way would make him to try for himself and find his own path using his own abilities and spiritual energy to break through the limits of himself.
"You're enjoying this way too much." Kuwabara huffed, slumping back in his chair.
"Maybe," Rando admitted with a smirk. Clearly enjoyed seeing Kuwabara who always had been such a funny and iconic character, that he enjoyed making fun of it, especially when Shizuru was there to partner with him, it was hilarious, but then he commented after coughing on his hand. "But it's all in good fun. Besides, you'll thank me later when you find out what that training can do with your Rei Ken, you could do much more things than just slicing through enemies like butter."
Kuwabara rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. As much as Rando's attitude annoyed him, there was something oddly motivating about it. He knew Rando was pushing him for a reason, and deep down, he appreciated it—even if he would never admit it out loud.
"Yeah, yeah," Kuwabara grumbled, taking a sip of his now lukewarm coffee. "Just wait until I master that technique. Then we'll see who's laughing."
"I'm looking forward to it, Kuwabara. But until then, get ready for a lot more hard work."Rando raised his cup in a mock toast. Until he decided to make something interesting. "Uh, can you add on my tab a glass of water please?"
"Right away sure." One of the waitresses commented as she went to grab a glass of cold water.
"What are you planning to do Rando?" Kuwabara asked as he saw he brought something from his pocket... a leaf, which made him blink.
"Here is your water sir," One of the waitresses commented as she left a glass of water, which looked nothing out of the ordinary.
"Thank you, I also would like another coffee please," Rando commented the waitress nodded her head and went to the balcony, leaving both Kuwabara and Rando with a glass of water, and the white-haired yokai decided to make something interesting. He placed the leaf above the water, which made Kuwabara stare at him weirdly. "Do you want to learn one neat trick? Place both your hands around the glass and focus your spiritual energy around the glass, you don't need to focus on creating a sword, just let the spiritual energy of your body cover this glass and try to focus your spiritual energy on the water, just do that."
Kuwabara tilted his head, but noticing that there was nothing more he could do, he simply obeyed, and looked straightly at the glass, focusing on the spiritual energy he had, and how he felt with a breath, his energy being expelled and covering the glass which seemed to have nothing happening.
After a few seconds, the glass seemed like nothing just happened, but the more Kuwabara did, the more Rando smiled.
"Okay, you can stop now," Rando commented as he took the leaf over the glass, and Kuwabara was giving a slight panting breath.
"What? Did you make me do all that stuff for nothing?" Kuwabara looked annoyed, he was about to have another reason to argue with Rando, but suddenly he saw the person in front of him raising the glass at him.
"Sip it," Rando simply gave the comment, which Kuwabara looked weirdly at him. "Taste it, and you will see what I mean..."
Kuwabara blinked, but not realizing the trick Rando explained to him, he couldn't help but sigh and take a gulp of... water?
"It tastes like melon," Kuwabara commented as he looked at Rando who had a smirk on his face. "It's like water but with melon flavor on it."
"Exactly, this is the proof that you are a transmuter Kuwabara, from the Water Divination technique, you can guess which spiritual type of control you have." Rando explained as he could see Kuwabara enjoying his drink, "The more you train and stronger your spiritual energy becomes, the sweeter the water would be, to a point that a person could make water with a taste of honey."
"Wow, that would be amazing with a tea. A tea made with water honey," Kuwabara commented, as he suddenly chuckled and he laughed once again bringing the attention of the others. "ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO BE THE BEST TRANSMUTER THAT EVER EXISTED,"
"Nice to see you fire up again Kuwabara, but you should tone down a little since you are being too loud," Rando commented as he rolled his eyes, and went back to read the newspaper. "Huh, look at that, Louvre Museum is 1 million dollars into the information of the person who decided to replace most of their art with tuna cans fulfilled with poop, and bananas on tape across the museum. HAHAHAHAHAHA."
"Rando, you shouldn't be laughing in such a manner, HAHAHAHAHAHA." Kuwabara tried to scold the adult, but he himself also got caught laughing at the prank a person managed to do on the French people. "Art is a serious matter."
"Well, that depends on the definition of art, because people are saying that those things are expressions of art, and it's creating a huge debate. Hahahahaha." Rando couldn't help but see his prank reaching one level of pettiness that people would never guess the reason. "Hahaha, and still they seemed to try to negotiate with the person who had their artwork, and it seems that it will take longer than we expect."
"How a person can steal all the art pieces in one night?" Kuwabara asked in disbelief, as the friend he had simply shrugged, "Ever went to Paris before in one of your business meetings?"
"More like giving a class to a bunch of kids who didn't know how harsh was the world," Rando commented, as he decided to give the same explanation of what he did around the world when technically he wasn't killing the martial artists across the world.
The scene shifts outside the beauty salon, where the sun has risen higher in the sky, casting a golden hue over the quiet street. Rando stands near the entrance, leaning against the wall with a cigarette in hand, but this time, his demeanor is more relaxed. He takes a slow drag, exhaling a thin stream of smoke with a contented sigh, clearly enjoying the moment.
A few feet away, Shizuru passed nearby him, as she herself was with her own cigarret to appreciate another smoke break and smoke with an air of casual elegance. After their interaction started like any other day, she was in the middle of recounting a particularly amusing story about one of her clients from the salon, her voice carrying the smooth, confident tone that comes naturally to her.
"And then he says, 'Can you make me look like a rock star?'" Shizuru chuckles, shaking her head. "I had to explain that there's only so much a haircut can do."
"Sounds like you deal with a lot of characters." Rando laughs softly, shaking his head, especially since if he showed his true hair, Shizuru would be between amused and annoyed from all that long red hair he had on his original form, which he still calls it final form, and not a form that he would be using like ever.
"You have no idea," Shizuru replies with a smirk, taking another sip of her coffee. "But it keeps things interesting. How about you? What kind of people do you deal with on the trips and on the schools?"
"Well, I had to deal with all kinds of people, from some weirdos, some delinquents, some people who pissed me off, and some people who regretted calling me short." Rando takes a thoughtful drag from his cigarette. "Let's just say they're not the type to worry about their hair."
Before Shizuru can respond, a person walks towards the duo and as the time she looks on the side, Keiko steps out, spotting Shizuru immediately. Her eyes light up as she walks over, but her expression quickly shifts to one of disapproval when she sees Rando with the cigarette.
"Shizuru!" Keiko calls out, ignoring Rando for a moment. "Do you have any openings today? I really need to get my hair done."
"What's the occasion?" Shizuru raises an eyebrow, curious.
"I... I just want to be ready in case Yusuke comes back." Keiko hesitates, glancing at Rando, who's watching the exchange with mild interest. Finally, she speaks, her voice a little quieter.
Shizuru exchanges a knowing glance with Rando, both of them suppressing smiles. Before Shizuru can say anything, Keiko turns her attention to Rando, who's still smoking. Her eyes narrow.
"Excuse me, but aren't you a little too young to be smoking?" Keiko says sternly, folding her arms.
"Thanks for your concern, but I'm a bit past the 'kids these days' phase." Rando looks at her, his expression deadpan, before taking another slow drag. He exhales the smoke deliberately before answering, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"But you..." Keiko blinks, taken aback by the response.
"I'm an adult," Rando interrupts, his voice calm but with a sharp edge. "Not that it's any of your business, but you might want to save the lectures for someone who needs them. Maybe focus on not jumping to conclusions next time?"
Keiko's face flushes red, embarrassment, and surprise warring on her features. She stammers, searching for a response, but Shizuru steps in, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, alright," Shizuru says, waving a hand dismissively. "Let's not turn this into a big thing. Keiko, I've got a spot open this afternoon if that works for you."
"That works, thanks. I just… I didn't mean to—" Keiko nods, still flustered.
"It's fine," Shizuru cuts in smoothly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Rando here just likes to get under people's skin. Trust me, you're not the first."
"Guilty as charged." Rando chuckles, flicking the ash from his cigarette.
"Thanks, Shizuru. I just… I really want to be ready when Yusuke comes back. I have no idea where he is or when he'll show up again." Keiko manages a small, sheepish smile but still looks a bit confused.
Rando and Shizuru exchange another glance, this time both of them chuckling softly.
"What's so funny?" Keiko asks, her confusion deepening.
"Oh, nothing much. Just a funny little story about Yusuke. Let's just say he's probably cursing my name wherever he is right now." Rando grins, stubbing out his cigarette on a nearby ashtray. Knowing it will be funny to explain once again, how he, Botan, and Koenma managed to make him so mad for leaving him training in what would be a proverbial hell.
"Yeah, that's one way to put it. You might want to sit down for this one, Keiko. It's a good story." Shizuru laughs, shaking her head.
"Okay… what did Yusuke do this time?" Keiko, still puzzled but intrigued, as she approached next to Shizuru.
Rando smirks, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, ready to recount the tale of how he and Yusuke ended up on less-than-friendly terms. As he begins the story, Shizuru takes another drag on her cigarette, a knowing smile playing on her lips, while Keiko listens intently, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.
A few hours passed, and Keiko's eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to Rando's story, her expression shifting between shock and incredulous amusement. They were standing outside the beauty salon, where Shizuru and Rando had been enjoying a smoke break. The air smelled faintly of cigarettes and the floral scent drifting from the salon. Shizuru leaned against the wall, puffing casually on her cigarette, while Rando, clearly caught up in the memory, laughed unrestrainedly, relishing every detail of Yusuke's current predicament.
"So, let me get this straight," Keiko said, her voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "Yusuke went up to a mountain just to find there was a trial of martial arts where the master of the place was looking for a student, which he won, and now he is stuck on a mountain… training in martial arts… with an old woman who's apparently a terrifying expert?"
"That's right. She's the real deal. Old-school, no-nonsense type. Kick-ass type. She doesn't take kindly to slackers, and she sure as hell doesn't care if her student's a 'big shot fighter, or Super Bad Boy number one of the school like Yusuke said he was..." Rando nodded, taking another drag from his dwindling cigarette. Knowing that now probably Yusuke would be sneezing, which would be good karma since he always made him and probably Botan and Koenma sneeze as well.
"I can just picture it—Yusuke up there, grumbling about how he's too good for this, and want to leave the place, while she's kicking his ass six ways to Sunday, and he couldn't leave. Serves him right, if you ask me." Shizuru chuckled, exhaling a cloud of smoke as she glanced over at Keiko.
"I can just see it now… Yusuke cursing his luck, hating every second of it." Keiko couldn't help but chuckle too, though she quickly covered her mouth.
Rando's grin widened, clearly enjoying Keiko's reaction. "Oh, he's definitely hating it. But hey, he had it coming. All he had to do was not call me short three times. But no, he just couldn't help himself. Always wanted to be the bad boy without consequences. So, I decided to give my revenge, I knew how master Genkai was, but he didn't. Now, he's getting a crash course in humility, mountain style. Which I doubt it will fix him completely."
"But that's a start," Shizuru smirked, flicking ash from her cigarette. "That's one way to teach him a lesson. Yusuke's always had a mouth on him, and it's about time someone shut it for him."
"You're really something, you know that? It's almost vindictive." Keiko shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Hey, it's not like I forced him to do anything. He made his bed of nails, now he's gotta lie in it. And besides, it's not like he doesn't deserve a little comeuppance. Yusuke's always been too cocky for his own good." Rando shrugged, clearly unbothered by the accusation. He remembered how on the trials, Yusuke always had that cocky attitude against Kiban that almost led to his defeat, but he got so much damage on his body, that he needed to learn more about not being too presumptuous in the fight.
"He's got a thick skull, that one. But maybe that'll knock some sense into him. Or at least give him a taste of what it's like to be on the receiving end for once." Shizuru nodded in agreement. She didn't know why her little brother always thought that dealing with Yusuke had been a good thing, but whenever she watched them both together was always a fight, for the first time she saw Kuwabara even laughing at how he got lucky when Yusuke probably would be getting the beating of his life by an old woman.
Keiko sighed, her mind torn between pity for Yusuke and exasperation at his typical recklessness. She knew all too well how Yusuke's love for fighting and his stubborn nature often led him into trouble, but she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him, imagining him stuck on that mountain, enduring grueling training sessions with a grudge-bearing martial arts master.
"And Kuwabara?" Keiko asked, her tone curious. "Did he get dragged into this too?"
"Well from what I heard he wanted to ask Master Genkai for advice, but seeing there was a group of people wanting to become her disciple, he also wanted to give it a try," Rando laughed again, the sound almost cruel. "He got his fair share of beatdowns. I mean, come on, you know how those two are. Always brawling, always testing each other. But this time, they were against people who fight for a living, and Yusuke bit off more than he could chew while getting what he wanted, Kuwabara ended up as collateral damage as he learned for the first time what martial artists can do, but then he got the bonus payment which belonged from Yusuke, so that way he could enjoy the martial arts on Tokyo Doni."
"Ohh, so that's how he got the tickets to that martial arts championship," Shizuru rolled her eyes, a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Figures. My brother's too stubborn for his own good, always getting mixed up in Yusuke's messes. But hey, at least he's learning something from it… I hope."
"Of course. That sounds exactly like something Yusuke would do." Keiko groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Wait, did you say Yusuke's working as an intern now? Since when does he have a job?" As she processed the information, something else Rando mentioned earlier came to mind, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.
Rando's expression shifted slightly, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, believe it or not, the kid's got himself a job. But it's not just any job, his boss is a girl named Botan. She was the one who asked Yusuke to try this trial to see if he could get stronger and train with Master Genkai, and if he managed to win he would get his ticket, but in the end, when he won, he wouldn't be able to see the championship, since Genkai wanted him to train with him immediately... Yusuke was not exactly thrilled about it, but it's part of the deal. The job's not exactly voluntary."
"Botan is the girl Kazuma told you when he returned from the mountain," Shizuru raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "You heard him about him probably having a crush on her."
"I told him, that's not his type of girl. But, kids..." Rando commented as he finished to smoke, and stretched his arms.
Keiko could hardly believe what she was hearing. The idea of Yusuke, who's always been so headstrong and defiant, working as an intern and taking orders, especially from someone like Botan, seemed almost absurd. She imagined Yusuke grumbling under his breath, begrudgingly following instructions, and the mental image made her want to either laugh out loud or bury her face in her hands.
"So, let me get this straight," she said slowly, trying to wrap her head around it. "Yusuke's stuck on a mountain, being trained by a terrifying old woman who's probably making his life hell. And when he's not doing that, he's working for a girl named Botan, running errands and doing a job he never wanted in the first place?"
"Pretty much sums it up. Not exactly the hero's journey he probably imagined for himself, huh?" Rando nodded, his smirk widening as he saw Keiko's incredulous expression.
"Sounds like karma's finally catching up with him. Can't say I'm surprised, though. Yusuke's always been a magnet for trouble." Shizuru chuckled, taking another drag of her cigarette.
"Preach Shizuru, preach," Rando commented as both started to laugh, from possibly on how Yusuke probably is going to have so much grudge at the time of them making fun of him.
"Unbelievable. I almost feel sorry for him… almost. But at the same time, it's hard not to just… facepalm at how the ignorance of the boy I've known all my life would lead to this." Keiko finally let out a laugh, shaking her head in a mixture of pity and frustration.
Rando and Shizuru exchanged amused glances, both clearly enjoying the situation more than they probably should. Keiko, despite everything, couldn't help but care about Yusuke. But she knew that this experience, as ridiculous as it sounded, might be exactly what he needed to finally learn some humility.
Which Rando knew... It will be one of the most solid steps for him to grow up as a person, and nothing like having Genkai as part of his own family, a person to look up to. A person to teach him the way of the world.
3 days later...
Koenma sat at his large, ornate desk, the steady rhythm of the stamp against paper the only sound in the otherwise silent office. His face was unusually serious, his brows furrowed in deep thought as he worked through the endless pile of paperwork that had accumulated in the Spirit World. Despite the mundane task, his mind was far from the routine duties he was performing. Instead, it was occupied by the troubling information he had learned from Rando just a week ago.
The young prince of the Spirit World had spent countless hours reflecting on that conversation, turning over every detail in his mind. The revelation had been startling, and Koenma had immediately sworn to himself that he would not breathe a word of it to anyone. Not to the ogres who served him loyally, not to his father, King Enma, and certainly not to Yusuke. The weight of this secret bore down on him heavily, and he could see the same burden reflected in Botan's eyes whenever they crossed paths. She, too, had vowed to keep her mouth shut after understanding the gravity of what Rando had revealed.
Koenma leaned back in his chair, exhaling a deep sigh. The implications of Rando's comments were too significant to ignore, yet too dangerous to investigate openly. He knew that if they even began to search for confirmation of this information, it could trigger suspicion, alerting forces that neither he nor Yusuke were prepared to confront. The very idea made him tense, his hand gripping the stamp tighter than usual.
Yusuke Urameshi, the brash and impulsive Spirit Detective, had always been an enigma. Despite his rough exterior and apparent lack of respect for authority, Koenma had come to rely on him time and time again. And now, the realization that Yusuke's potential wasn't just a matter of his human willpower, but something far more profound, was enough to make even the most experienced of spirits uneasy.
The boy was part of the Mazoku bloodline, the elite demons, beings of immense power and darkness. Yusuke's lineage was distant, diluted through generations, but even a trace of that blood was enough to set him apart from ordinary humans. It explained so much, his unpredictable nature, his uncanny ability to defy death and alter his destiny. The Spirit World could predict the fates of ordinary humans, but Yusuke was no ordinary human. Even with the smallest fraction of that demonic heritage, he was a wild card, a variable that defied calculation.
Koenma shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He knew that Yusuke could never learn of this—at least, not yet. The timing was crucial. If Yusuke discovered his true nature prematurely, if he came to understand the devil's energy that lay dormant within him, it could put him in grave danger. Others might fear him, and see him as a threat, and Yusuke's own volatile nature could lead him down a path from which there would be no return.
But Yusuke was still Yusuke. He was human, with all the flaws, strengths, and complexities that came with it. Despite his demonic lineage, despite the power that lay hidden within him, he remained the brash, reckless, but ultimately good-hearted teenager that Koenma had come to respect and, in his own way, care for.
Koenma paused in his work, staring down at the half-stamped document in front of him. He knew what he had to do. He had to protect Yusuke, not just from the enemies that would inevitably come for him, but from the truth of his own nature until the time was right. The boy deserved that chance, to grow, to learn, and to continue being the person he was, not the monster others might fear him to be.
As Koenma resumed his work, his resolve hardened. He would keep this secret, even if it meant bearing the burden alone. Rando had warned him of the dangers, and for once, Koenma agreed with him completely. The truth would remain hidden until the right time, a time when Yusuke was ready, and not a moment sooner.
For now, Yusuke Urameshi would continue to fight the battles that came his way, unaware of the storm brewing just beneath the surface. Koenma, as his boss and as someone who had come to care for him in his own peculiar way, would do everything in his power to ensure that Yusuke stayed safe, not just from the world, but from the truth that could change everything.
And when he thought things would get even worse...
"Mr. KOENAM THIS IS URGENT NEWS," Jorge Saotome, the blue ogre suddenly opened the door while holding a paper in his hands, and rushed desperately at the baby prince who was still stamping the paperwork, almost finishing it.
"Leave me alone ugly thing, I'm very busy right now. Don't you see all this paperwork I have to stamp?" Koenma ignored his loyal subject but it seemed the ogre refused to go as he approached him with the paper in his hands.
"We got a challenge from Shiseijū," The blue ogre gave the news which made Koenma suddenly stop stamping the papers and place both his hands on the table.
"What did you say?" Koenma asked as he suddenly saw the letter in the hands of the ogre, so he immediately took it just for the sake of reading it...Until suddenly his face darkened and his body trembled. From all the threats and challenges they gave towards them, challenging him and his father, this by far was one of the cruelest and most dangerous, that it would cause the whole destruction of the earth.
"What is that they want from us this time Mr. Koenma?" Jorge Saotome commented as he tilted his head confused, thinking something weird happening to his boss since it was the first time he saw Mr. Koenma so terrified.
"They want free access to the world of the living." Koenma didn't sugarcoat, as he immediately told the ogre what the 4 saint beasts wanted from him, and this was a thing that he refused to give.
"WHA WHAT THEY WANT?" The ogre shouted as he saw the baby prince throw away the paper and give the specific orders to be followed by the letter.
"GO CALL BOTAN QUICKLY, AND TELL HER TO FIND YUSUKE AND RANDO, I NEED YUSUKE TO GET IN ACTION RIGHT NOW, AND I WILL PAY WHAT RANDO WANTS IN EXCHANGE FOR ELIMINATING THE THREAT, GO!" Koenma shouted the orders, since the 4 saint beasts decided to make such an absurd demand, Koenma would do anything to avoid the destruction of the world of living... Especially with the accursed flute at risk, he would need the strongest people he could find. So he decided to have faith in belief on his employee, and a yokai who wanted to have a peaceful life in the world of the living since it would be threatened in case the demon insects appeared there. "I believe in you guys..."