InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Mishaps In Motion ❯ Chapter 4

Mishaps in motion

By SFP

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. YuYu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N: Now revised and even better. Thank you, BrokenSouledPoetess for being my beta.

Ch.4

Botan arrived shortly after Yusuke called for her on the communicator and she looked to be in better condition than the last time they had seen her. Not quite as frazzled around the edges, so to speak.

Kurama draped Souta over his shoulder in a secure firemen’s hold.

“Ok so let’s get this done with already.” Yusuke said impatiently, clapping his hands together as he spoke.

“Yes, right. Just a couple things before we go.” Botan bounced from one foot to the other, nervous energy simmering just under the surface.

The four men looked at her expectantly.

“Are you sure this person has it? I mean you have to admit . . . He doesn’t look like much.” Botan’s eyes were squinted at the young man draped over Kuramas’ shoulder, obviously not quite believing the young man was who they were looking for.

Kurama answered, his voice smooth and convincing, “It’s on his neck. Though I must express surprise at Koenma’s insistence that the little bauble be retrieved at all costs. It’s so weak I don’t believe even the lower class demons would make a try for it.”

“Yes, well, even with that being the case, he does want it returned in all haste. And that brings me to the next order of business. Koenma would like it if you were all on your best behavior. You see, there are three very important beings waiting for that “little bauble” in his office.”

“Who?” the question was spoken in surround-sound as all four men inquired at the same time.

Botan gritted her teeth in mild annoyance and then started to pout heavily. “I don’t know! When I asked, he told me to just do my job and not ask questions!”

“Well let’s just go see these special people then.” Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest, his stance turning belligerent at the mention of their shared boss and his fantastic ability to tell them a whole bunch of stuff without really telling them anything at all.

Botan gave a hesitant nod of her head before opening a portal directly into Koenma’s office. Yusuke was the first to step through, then Hiei, followed by Kurama with the boy still draped over his shoulder.

As Kuwabara was walking by, he grabbed Botan’s hand, making her smile. It always made her feel good when he did little things like that. They walked through the portal opening together, both happy for the small touch.

Koenma was sitting in his customary spot, behind his desk, sucking furiously on his pacifier. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he kept wringing his hands. Just in front of his desk stood three rather tall, beautiful women.

“Oh, you’ve all arrived. Good, good.” Koenma cast a nervous glance in the three women’s direction. “Kurama just lay the boy down on the couch over there.” He pointed to a loveseat by the wall, a fine tremor running the length of his arm, belying his anxiety.

Kurama did as he was bid.

Koenma straightened up his posture even more, if that was at all possible, trying to make his teenage form look more impressive. All he seceded in doing was making it look like he had a two by four wedged up the back of his shirt. “Let me make introductions.” He pointed to the four men and Botan. “This is Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Botan. They are . . .”

All three women started to giggle into their hands, interrupting Koenma. However, it was the woman standing between the other two who spoke, one with blond curls that bounced around her shoulders as she laughed. “You think we don’t know who they are?” Her voice was laced with laughter, her eyes dancing in mirth.

Koenma flushed in embarrassment before clearing his throat. “Yes, well they still don’t know who you are. May I continue?”

All three women were still looking amused when they nodded their heads. Koenma named them off from right to left. “The brunette is Arufa, the blonde is Firumena, and the one with the black hair is Desutini.” With each introduction, Koenma gestured to the woman the name belonged to.

Kurama cocked his head to the side, seemingly studying the three women. “Beginning, constant and destiny.”

The three women nodded their heads in affirmation. “Yes, those are the meanings behind our names.” They spoke at the same time, all sounding alike, giving the conversation an echoing quality.

Koenma cleared his throat, bringing the attention of the room back to him. “Men, Botan, I would like you all to meet the three goddesses of fate. Past, present and future, respectively.”

The Reikai employees’ eyes all widened in surprise as they turned back to look at the goddesses.

Hiei was the first one to regain his composure, his eyes narrowed. “Why are they here?”

Firumena, goddess of the present, shook her head slowly, her eyes sad. “Hiei don’t be mad at us. We believe in free will. Most of the time you were given choices, were you not?”

Hiei didn’t speak aloud, he didn‘t need to if they could just pluck the thoughts out of his head like that.

“If your choices are well, as they have been in recent years, you will be compensated for the pain you had no choice in, from your younger years. You will receive one of our most prized gifts. What you do with it is up to you. However you must be patient; everything takes time, even fate.”

Hiei’s eyes were still narrowed in distrust and anger. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“We are here to fix a mistake that should have been fixed many years ago.” This time it was the goddess of the past that spoke, her voice sounding as if it came from a great distance away, a ghost’s whisper more then anything else. Her voice alone sent violent shivers down Kuwabara’s spine.

Arufa spoke right after her sister, looking at Koenma instead of Hiei. “Koenma… once it is done, you will be the one to deal with what is to be. Your father has been proven foolish and most incompetent when dealing with this situation. There have been irreversible consequences because of his actions. As a god himself, he should know better. If the damage is too much, his life is forfeit, and you will take his place.” Her voice was soft but sounded as if it were coming from many different directions at once, lending the gentle quality an underbelly of steel.

Koenma swallowed hard, nodding his head with a sharp jerking motion, sending a drop of sweat sliding down from his temple.

“Now wait just a minute! What are you getting us into Koenma? Some kind of war between gods or something?” Yusuke glared at the demigod, just daring the man to say yes.

Some of the color drained from Koenma’s face at just the thought of a war between the greater gods. He swallowed again, his throat suddenly tight. “No Yusuke, this isn’t a war. ‘And hopefully it won’t turn into one.’ “My father has . . . let his temper get the best of him one too many times and in the process neglected something very important.”

Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest in frustration, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming at his boss. His voice was tight when he spoke again. “And what exactly would that be?”

Koenma looked at him sadly for a moment before answering. “The life of an innocent.”

Yusuke blinked, his mouth staying shut for the time being. ‘That wasn’t what I was expecting.’

Kurama cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the room as he did so. “Not to sound unkind, but why would a god possibly lose his life over something that would normally be considered trivial to the gods? This wouldn’t be the first time a person got hurt or killed because of something some god did.”

“That is true, most of the time, but we do not consider this situation trivial. Now enough talk, let us do what we must. Our time here is short as we must get back so we can continue to weave the fabrics of fate.” The goddess of the present spoke with authority, casting a heavy silence upon the room in the wake of her voice.