InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Roses ❯ Realizations and Orders ( Chapter 12 )

Just because Enma is that big a jerk. Disclaimer- I do not own YuYu Hakusho, Inuyasha, Sailor Moon, or Card Captor Sakura. They are the property of their respected owners.

“Talking”

`Thinking'

`Telepathy'

 

Chapter 12- Realizations and Orders

 

Yusuke growled as he followed his teammates though the Reikai. He let Kurama lead them though the twisting halls and staircases till they'd reached Koenma's office. He moved in front of the redhead and threw the doors open, already ranting off insults and complaints. His teammates shook their heads but he ignored them. He stopped mid. rant and realized he'd been waiting for Koenma to stop him. Slowly he turned towards the toddler, more over, teenager. Koenma was in his teenaged form with his pacifier hanging on a cord around his neck. His eyes were trained on the desk and his hands clasped together so tight that the knuckles were white. Yusuke blinked, “Koenma?”

 

Koenma slowly looked up at him and sighed, amber eyes dark with an emotion he couldn't name. “I…I really am sorry Yusuke.” He sighed again and ran a hand though his hair. “I just want you all to know that if I had I say in this you would never be going on this mission. But these orders come directly from my father so none of us have a choice in the matter.” Yusuke's eyes widened. “Some how I don't like where this is going.”

 

Koenma sighed, “Before we begin I think you need to know a few things. I never meant for this to happen. They were never supposed to remember. Maybe if we had seen it sooner I wouldn't have to send you on this mission and we could've just sealed their memories again…” Koenma trailed off, whispering quietly to himself. The four detectives looked at each other. They'd never seen Koenma like this. Kurama stepped forward slowly. “Koenma, I think you've gotten a bit of topic.”

 

The deity looked up at him and nodded slightly. “I'm sorry. Where was I? Oh, right.” Koenma sighed and shook his head. “Now, around the time the barrier was created a group of demons grew in power. It was a group of four women. They went by a lot of names but their most famous one was The Roses. They were what you would call `hired help'. That means that they acted as assassins or thieves or a number of other things such depending on the contact. They were good at what they did, really good. How ever, because of their job, they reached an S class level within their first millennia. They quickly became a deadly threat to the Reikai. It took us years along with thousands of people and wards but we managed to get them. We had to place all of our spirit detectives under heavy amounts of wards and seals to do it but we did it.”

 

Yusuke blinked at him. “What did you do?” Koenma looked up at him and the look on the demi god's face made Yusuke want to get as far away as possible. He settled for sliding closer to Kurama. “We killed them.” The answer of straight to the point and surprisingly sudden, making everyone jump. Hiei looked over at him, “If their dead then what does this have to do with us?” Koenma gave a haunting smile. “They reincarnated.” He whispered, “As humans.”

 

Hiei's eyes widened and Kurama turned an interesting shade of white. “You idiot.” Kurama managed to gasp out as he stared at Koenma. “Demon souls and human bodies don't mix.” Koenma nodded. “Yes, well, before they were reborn my father put a seal on their powers and memories so it worked out alright.” Hiei looked over at him, “And by the time the powers were unleashed the soul had either gotten used to the new host or the body had changed to that of a demon.” Koenma nodded. “We think their somewhere in the middle of those two.” Hiei glared at him. “I still want to know what this has to do with us.”

 

Koenma stood and walked around his desk so that he was in front of it. He braced his hands against it and leaned back, a tired sigh escaping. “We believe their memories were uncovered about two months ago, they met last month. But a few weeks ago they broke into one of our vaults and stole a scroll that contained the spell to undo the seal on their powers. We weren't aware they had taken anything because of a simple illusion spell. We did however pick up on the blast of reiki that signaled that their powers were loose.” He sighed and shook his head. “Not all of their former power has returned just yet. Their around a B class but their power is returning rabidly. My father has ordered you to bring them in, or if that is proven to be beyond your abilities, to kill them.”

 

Yusuke shrugged. “What's so hard about that? We go in, beat them up, and bring them back. No need to get depressed about it.” Koenma sighed and walked back around his desk. When he reached it he collapsed into his chair, burying his face in his hands. “I knew it was too much to hope for. I been hoping you'd put the clues together yourself so I didn't have to tell you.” Yusuke blinked at him, “Clues? You know, somehow that uneasy feeling I had is coming back.”

 

Kurama frowned at him as he shifted though the information he'd been given. Four human girls with the reflexes and attitude of demons, having appeared between a month or two ago…oh…oh dear. Now that wasn't good. “Tell me you're joking.” At the stain in his voice his teammates looked over at him in concern. Kurama looked like all the blood had drained from his face and his eyes were wide and startled. Koenma nodded, still with his face in his hands. Kurama cask a side ways glance at Yusuke before looking away, suddenly finding the floor much more interesting then it had been a second ago. Yusuke frowned and looked back at Koenma, “Okay, now I know something's wrong. You've got Kurama looking scared. What's wrong?”

 

Kurama, still keeping his gaze on the ground, spoke, his voice soft. For those that knew him, it sounded terrified. “We don't have a choice in this, do we?” Koenma shook his head. “No. I really am sorry.” Kurama nodded, “You've said it, you don't have a say in the matter.” Yusuke growled. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT?!” he shouted. The two jerked and faced him, seeming as if they'd forgotten he was there. “It's nothing Yusuke. You'll see.”

 

Koenma sighed and picked up the remote that lay in front of him. “The members of the team.” He whispered and pushed a button. A large screen fell down and the picture of a redhead with black eyes filled it. “The Black Rose.” Koenma continued, “Is the captain. No one knows their true names as they prefer to go by the nicknames given to them by the rest of demon society. Like her fellow teammates she's an elemental. Her powers are divided into what they call the major and minor. Don't be fooled by its name either. Black's minor is over ice and because of that she can freeze you straight though. However, you might want to be careful. Her major, despite her not using it very much is very dangerous. She can, if in the wrong kind of mood, not only slow it down but freeze time as well.”

 

His statement was met with surprised and confused stares. “Time? This girl can freeze time?!” Yusuke shouted his eyes widening. He slumped down. “Great. Next crises, please.” Koenma smiled lightly and clicked the next picture, the image one of an ebony-haired woman with blue eyes. “The Blue Rose. Minors over air and you might want to watch out for her major. If you get hit by the wrong attack, well, even your spirit won't be able to survive.” They gaped at him. He shrugged, “Her major's over the heart and soul. If she wants she can make sure you don't even get to the Reikai.”

 

Kurama sighed, “And the other two?” Koenma nodded and pushed a button, the image changing to a younger girl with long black hair and violet eyes. “The Violet Rose. If out of all of them she's the one you want to keep an eye on. With her minor over lightning she can kill you where you stand but it's her major that's a bit frightening. She can control death and rebirth at will.” Kuwabara shivered lightly, “The last is The Grey Rose. While her ability to control water isn't much in a normal situation her heightened telepathy and telekinesis, along with the ability to force people to do and think what she wants them to, is a dangerous mix.”

 

Kuwabara stared at him in surprise. “You want us to fight these people? We'll be dead before we get any where near them.” Koenma looked down, the dark mood returning. “That's why my father chose you four. You have, shall we say, an interesting advantage.” Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest. Kurama looked and nodded slightly. “Some would say an almost unfair one.” They turned their heads to stare at the redhead who looked Yusuke right in the eye as he spoke. “Everything fits. The time, the skills, the sudden change in attitude and appearance. It's the only way.” Kurama tilted his head towards the picture of Black as the screen changed to show all four pictured on it. “The Black Rose was reborn as a close friend of ours. She was reborn as Yukimura Keiko.” He tilted his head toward Koenma this time, as if seeking confirmation. “Right Koenma?” Koenma nodded. “Keiko and her new friends aren't what they appear to be, Yusuke.” He whispered.

 

Hiei froze and his eyes widened while Kuwabara's jaw nearly hit the ground. Yusuke, well, Yusuke was going to learn a big lesson when he woke up about feinting and hardwood floors.

 

Tomoyo sighed and stared out the window. It felt like the calm before the storm, deathly silent and weary. It was a feeling she'd learned to dread in the Makai, but now she didn't give it much thought. `Ne, is anyone else feeling slightly nostalgic?' she called down the link. No answer. Sighing she looked back out the window and blinked when she saw Kurama standing in the front lawn of her school. One hand was tucked in to his pocket while the other lay at his side. And he was staring straight at her. Tomoyo's eyes widened and she bit her lip as she stared at him. She watched as he turned and walked away. As he did he raised the hand that wasn't tucked into his pocket and threw something into the air. Tomoyo focused on the object as it fluttered to the ground and froze. It was a grey rose. `He knows.' Without thinking she pushed herself out of her seat on ran out the door, not bothering to explain to her classmates the sudden disappearance.

 

Hotaru smiled up at Ami as they walked though the school. “I'm glad we have the same free period.” Hotaru whispered as she looked around. She blinked when she saw Hiei standing on top of the gate that surrounded the school. She smiled and made a move toward him before she froze, her smile slipping away as she paled. His sword was out and held loosely in his hand. Hotaru slowly trailed her eyes up from the blade to his face. He didn't say anything but the way he just took off running faster than the human eye could follow told her everything. `They know.' Her school bag hit the ground as she ran.

 

Kagome tilted her head up and let the sun play through her hair. She turned her head towards the stairs when she felt someone of great energy pass though her wards. She relaxed when she saw Kuwabara appear at the top but stiffened when she noticed something was off about his aura. Kuwabara looked up at her, letting his meaning pass between the two of them. Kagome's eyes widened and changed to a bright blue. The broom she was using clattered to the floor and the air tightened around her, easily lifting her up off the ground.

 

Keiko threw the door open and swept her gaze across the rooftop. Her eyes settled as they landed on the still form of Yusuke, who was looking past the fence the lined the edges. She walked over to him, “Yusuke for how long are you going t-” Yusuke cut her off. “Why did you lie to me?” Keiko blinked and watched as Yusuke turned to face her. His eyes were dark, a swirling mess of fear, anger, rage, guilt…, and regret. Keiko blinked and couldn't stop the involuntary step back as he walked towards her. “What are you talking about? I've never lied to you!”

 

Yusuke shook his head and stepped forward again so he was towering over her. Heh and she could freeze him in his tracks if she wanted. If she wanted. “No, but you never told me the truth. I'm really sorry Keiko.” Keiko's eyes widened as Yusuke's fist hit her gut. Keiko leaned over, the wind escaping her in a rush. She fell to her knees as Yusuke pulled back, her arms wrapping around her middle. Slowly she raised her head to stare at Yusuke. “Yusuke?” she managed in a weak voice. This had been what she was afraid of. It was her worst nightmare. Only she felt very much awake.