Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mating ❯ Problems and Decisions ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"The Mating"

Disclaimer: See chapter one

AN: Warning, plot twists dead ahead. Same warning about Yomi and Mukuro. I don't know any more about them now then I did then. So, sorry if they're OOC to all those who have seen anything beyond the Sensui arc and into the Makai arc.

Chapter 13- Problems Abound and Decisions are made

Yomi outlined what was happening. "The problem is this, lately our problems in the different sections are all coordinating. Bandits from Yusuke's territory are working with the warlords under Mukuro and the theives operating in my territory. Why is something else completely and Mukuro and I have been unable to determine where the coordination is. We were not sure if the two of us should step down, since the three of you are so used to working together on problems, or if we should keep you two as heirs, and just assign you to work on the problems."

Hiei and Kurama both looked at each other, infinately more familiar with the inroads of politics in the Makai than anyone else sitting at the table, save for Yomi and Mukuro.

Yusuke just looked over at them. "You two will have to make up your minds. I have no heir, so either way I look at it, I'll be dealing with the bandits."

Hiei asked Kurama, "What do you think?"

Kurama frowned. "I think I have too much on my plate to take over at this point in time." He looked over at Hiei, "You have unfinished business to take care of in the Ningenkai at this point as well." Hiei nodded. Kurama went on, "Yomi, I think it's best if both of you remain in control of these territories for now. Let it be known that I have accepted the position of your heir, and will be scheduling visits with assorted cities in the near future along with my mate. I may be able to pick up some old contacts, none that can be trusted, of course."

"Of course." Yomi replied. "Sounds good. I think we'll be able to keep a lid on this for a month or two. So far we've been putting bounties on the bandits, the thieves are having to get a little craftier, and the warlords always have to tread carefully around Mukuro."

"Otherwise they get to face me, as you well know. Or I send Hiei to deal with them. Whom they are all aware is just as ruthless as I am by this point in time." Mukuro added from her end. "At this point, I don't think it makes much difference who controls my part of the territory. Hiei or I could easily take over control over the third that I rule. The biggest difference would be for Yomi. You're a magician, Yomi."

"I don't deny that. What's your point?" Yomi asked, starting to get peeved.

"The point is that you are trying to rule over cities and thieves, neither of which respond well to someone who is not a city type, which you are, but aren't, nor a thief. Despite your beginnings, Kurama turned you to your true path, that of a magician. Which you have flourished at. Kurama is a creature of cities, and he was, and still is, the best thief in the Makai, or at least no one else has been able to break into my vault from the outside. Did you ever find a buyer for those? I was curious to purchase them back."

Kurama's eyes sparkled with mirth. "I never knew that you realized that I was the one who got in that time. It was more the challenge than the goods that I was after. I might still have them, I'll have to see."

Mukuro laughed. "Just for the challenge? Were you bored? Though if you do have them, I would like them back. They weren't necessarily valuable compared to some of the things that I have, just useful."

"I'll check for you." Kurama agreed. Keiko next to her mate just gave him a quizzical look as Shiori and his stepbrother both watched him with looks of disbelief on their faces.

Hiei looked at the two humans sitting with Kurama, noting their faces. "Neither Kurama nor I were innocent when we started. I have been an assassin, a thief and countless other professions. Kurama simply specialized in the thieves' art."

Shiori looked between the two of them.

Kurama said, "We have both reformed ourselves. And that is mostly thanks to you, Mother."

Yomi looked over at his heir, "Yeah, if he had've been the same selfish bastard who had me blinded a thousand years ago, I would have never named him for my heir, nor would my citizens accepted him as such."

Kurama added dryly watching the shock cross his mother's face, "Remind me not to have you on my side, Yomi." He added more normally, "However this is very true. Let us talk about what is going on currently, rather than the past. I don't think my human family can take much more of this."

Yusuke said, "None of us are saints, Kurama. You just successfully pulled that facade off, and kept yourself clean for 15 years. Anyway, let's get back to the present, for those of us who are only seventeen years old, not hundreds?" He added the last, breaking the tension that had been gathering around the table.

They all chuckled a bit at that. "Very well." Yomi added, "Let's get back to what's happening currently. Yusuke, you've already put the shinobi onto the trails of some of the bandits, and that's a good start, but we need some more extensive networks in place to deal with this situation."

Kurama nodded. "Touya and Jin were in town same time we were, tracking bandits, however we came across a second group, that or the first group had split up. None of them were terribly great in power level, or in intelligence, Hiei and I were easily enough to take care of them and the fact that we were within Youko's old forest helped too."

Yusuke chuckled. "I didn't realize the bandit problem was getting that bad. Kurama, how long for Keiko's transformation?"

Kurama answered, "We're not sure, we think between four and six months, but I'm going to have to study the book that Koenma gave me as that has valuable details hidden within a code that can only be seen by a person possessing youki, not reiki. Hiei can only truly speak the dialect and I can only read it. I shall have to study the book for a few more nights, though I need to send an answer back to Koenma tonight."

"What's the toddler want now?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama briefly explained about Koenma's visit last night and what he wanted. He was not surprised to see Yusuke's aura flair up either, along with every demon in the room.

"That stupid toddler wants you to write all that about my friend! My sister, almost? Koenma really needs to learn more about demons if he thinks he can get away with some of this." Yusuke burst out.

Hiei put in, "The biggest problem with the Toddler, is that he thinks we are all the same. While, yes, we do share certain traits, we are also deeper than the Ningens whom he is used to ruling. This is why we had the Meikai to rule over demons, otherwise known as the Netherworld."

"The fact that the Meikai tried to take over was unfortunate." Mukuro agreed. "Yakumo got too greedy. Now it seems that Koenma is getting too greedy as well." She turned to Yusuke, "Has Koenma chosen who will succeed you?"

"I don't think so, but I don't know."

"I think I do." Shuuichi said, speaking up for the first time in this group. "I think he picked me. He all but admitted that I have the ability to be a Spirit Detective."

Kurama nodded confirmation. "I am not happy with Koenma for noticing your power."

"Kurama, if you had been any more pissed last night, I would have been surprised if you hadn't had a death tree right there in your living room, and no Koenma." Hiei put in.

Kurama nodded. "I was close, I'll admit."

Yomi turned his sightless eyes to Kurama's shocked mother, "None of us here are tame, madame. We are easily the worst of the worst, because we can rule those that are underneath us. We all started much lower and have grown into civilized beings. There are things we do care about, but there is not as much as we could wish."

"Why are you being so damn nice?" Yusuke asked.

"Probably because I have my heir's mother, brother and mate here." Yomi told him, "I really don't want to piss off my heir and find myself slightly more than sightless. I would really rather quietly retire somewhere and raise my son, so that he can be a pain to you."

Mukuro turned to her heir, "When do you think you'll return? It's a bit lonely in that castle."

"I need to finish a courting that I just began. I don't know when I'll be done." Hiei replied and almost smiled in satisfaction at the surprise that came over Mukuro's face.

Kuwabara looked over at Hiei, "Whoa, Shrimp, who're you courting?"

"You have been courting my sister for years, Baka, and I have not complained. I am courting yours." Hiei replied.

Kuwabara was stunned while Yusuke just shook his head saying, "Hiei, and Shizuru. Okay, now I feel left out."

"You are still very young for a demon, Detective. Give it time." Hiei told him.

"Yeah, well, patience never has been my forte." Was Yusuke's reply.

"Well, it seems that all that can be decided upon at this time has been done." Mukuro summerized.

"Indeed." Kurama gave a stern look over to his stepbrother, "And someone needs to get back to school before his grades suffer."

"Aww, c'mon, Kurama! What about the four of you?" Shuuichi asked.

"Yusuke's never had the best attendance in existance, how he got into the same High School as Keiko and myself is still a mystery. Kuwabara's been working a bit on his grades. Keiko and I have always been good students, even with my occaisionally poor attendance, always due to missions."

"Yeah, I've found that I miss more schooling due to missions than my actual skipping anymore." Yusuke added.

Kurama turned to his mother. "Do you think it would be alright if we had a general meeting to discuss what's happening tonight? I say we talk it over with all the girls, too."

Shiori nodded. "That sounds fine to me. We have plenty of room and if Shuuichi is supposed to be Yusuke's successor in what you call the Ningenkai, then it would make sense for him to be there. I would like to meet this girl of Hiei's and his sister, as well."

Hiei only nodded. ~Remind me how I got into this situation, Fox?~

~You got to know my mother. What more do I need to say?~ Kurama sent back.

~Very true. Your mother is very,~ There was a long pause, as if searching for the correct word, ~Opening. She has no masks, only love.~

~How do you think she cracked me? I was even harder than you.~

~Very true.~

They all swiftly finished off their lunches. As they were getting up from the table, Shiori asked, "Is this going to become a regular habit? Daily trips here?"

"I don't think so." Kurama replied. The group exited the palace and re-entered the market. "Do you like that style of dress, then, Keiko?" He motioned toward her change of attire.

Keiko nodded. "It's free-er, and I don't have to worry about catching anything besides the ends of the shirt."

"That's why most youkos lean towards those outfits. With the grace and athletic ability coming in so quickly, I'll have to start you on a round of gymnastics to teach you how to use it to its fullest."

"No shit!" Yusuke burst out, "She already pulled off some manuvers that reminded me of you so much I had to check to make sure her hair wasn't red!"

"That's one of the things we're going to have to discuss tonight. That book of Koenma's. Hiei is an S-class, as I am and Yukina's an A-class demon. If they end up mating who we think, they will be forced to write down what's happening to their mates as well." Kurama added. "We've got to do something the question being, what?"

Hiei nodded. "I must see about getting something while I'm here."

Kurama shook his head at the small demon. "Well, Keiko, it's official now. You and I will have this city, as well as others to rule."

Keiko smiled, "I think I like it. Can we come sometime and just explore the city? I assume we will be living here."

"Here or at our den, my old lair. Which do you prefer?" Kurama asked as they walked through the stalls. He could hear the rumors spread that Youko Kurama had accepted the post offered him by Yomi, and that he would be ruling them in the near future. The comments did not sound negative, and he was happy with that.

Hiei came flitting back, holding some Makai flowers fastened by a string holding a charm. "I am done."

Kuwabara looked at the flowers, they were beautiful, but in an alien way. "Are those for my sister?"

"Yes, Baka. I gave her the charm bracelet last night. As she has accepted the gift, I need to convey my intentions." The charm was of a small heart with a key, the heart being red, and the key a gold. "You might wish to take notes if you are to ever convince my sister of your intentions."

"I thought you didn't trust me?" Kuwabara was confused as to what Hiei was referring to.

"Trust you?" Hiei just glared. "I don't like you and I am not convinced of your ability to protect my sister. You have never trusted me." He went on with his assessment of his least favorite ally, Koenma didn't count. "However your honor is the strongest I have ever known and you already have a connection with my sister. I may not like it, but I am forced to accept it!"

Kurama looked over at him, "Koenma is not the only one who must learn about demons, Kuwabara, you must also learn about us. Especially if you are serious about Yukina."

"Okay." Kuwabara looked at the fancy flowers that Hiei had. "Do you think normal one's from the flower shop would work as well?"

Kurama nodded. "Provided they are properly chosen, yes."

Keiko frowned at her mate. "Why don't you think of flowers in association with me?" She didn't want to sound pouty, but she would appreciate flowers now and then, too.

Kurama smiled at her. "I know a hint when I hear one, my own flower. I shall see what I can do to bring flowers for my flower."

Keiko blushed slightly att he wording that he used. She still was unsure as to why he called her a flower, but she liked the endearment. For him, even a flower could be a beautiful, if deadly plant.

Kurama saw the blush and tilted her face up to his, kissing her lightly. "Never doubt yourself."

Yusuke was glad to see Keiko treated as she should be, a treasure. He knew she was rare, just that he could never have treated her properly, or love her as he should. He watched as Hiei looked on, naked longing in his eyes, not for Keiko, but for what Kurama had, a mate to love.

Shiori just watched the tableau. Yusuke's fond look as he softly smiled at his friends, Kuwabara's embarrassed looking away, Hiei's look was troubled. He still isn't sure she'll accept him. Shiori thought as she looked at the flowers, and the charm. It was an appropriate charm for him as he had locked his heart away years ago, and somehow it had reopened in these last few days. She hoped that it wouldn't slam shut again. This reluctant member of their family had raw wounds upon his heart that she could see through the eyes of a mother. Shuuichi had been much the same way, his mother had died when he was very young. She smiled at the completely embarrassed look as he watched his brother and sister-in-law from only the corner of his eye. "Come along, children." She knew that she was truly only older than four of the one's present, but it had been habit to call Kurama her child, and Hiei emotionally was still a teen.

Kurama cleared his throat, "Yes, Mother." He escourted Keiko by holding her arm.

Shiori was startled to see Hiei offer his right arm to her, carrying the flowers in the left. "Why, thank you, Hiei!" Shiori took the proferred arm, surprised at this show of manners as well as the bandages wrapped around the proferred arm that she hadn't seemed to notice before. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Shuuichi lead the way, Yusuke having been there before and Hiei and Shiori walking in the back, Hiei keeping a sharp eye out.

Kurama and Yusuke were also keeping a sharp eye out, as they knew that the still forest could mean trouble. Kuwabara was too lost in thought about Yukina to notice the silence that decended around them. Hiei handed his purchases to Shiori, asking her to keep them for the time being. Shiori looked down at his very serious face and nodded. She went to stand next to Keiko, who was next to Shuuichi now. Kuwabara was dragged out of his contemplation when he noticed the atmosphere. Kurama briefly debated turning youko, but decided against it. Anyone who decided to attack this group was singularly ignorant, and deserved whatever might come to them.

Yusuke looked around. "If these are bandits, I really need to get a start on that bandit problem as soon as possible."

The group rounded a turn only to have Yusuke groan. "I hate bandits!"

Shiori had seen Kurama and Hiei fighting together, but these four were obviously used to fighting as a team. They each took different courners, facing outward from the three of them in the middle. She saw her son holding a rose before snapping it out into a whip with a shower of rose petals, becoming the green barbed whip that she had seen him use yesterday. Hiei once again held his sword. Yusuke had no weapon that she could see, but his right hand was glowing brightly. Kuwabara was holding a reddish-yellow energy sword of some kind.

Keiko just studied this group. These were also a bit more powerful than the ambush yesterday. Their power levels were still no where close to the men travelling with them, but they would easily have challenged just one. She wondered if this time she would actually have to defend herself, or try to. She still wasn't sure if she could defend herself yet.

Shuuichi hadn't seen violence really save for a couple of bullies at school, and they were not nearly as bad as these. These looked like they could teach the bullies at school more than just a few things. He shuddered, then looked around at the deadly gaze that his brother had, as well as the others. Yusuke looked like he had grown up in just as bad conditions as these, or at least seen worse conditions. Kuwabara looked determined. Not quite like Yusuke, but still a veteran of such situations. Hiei and Kurama just looked scary. His brother was brandishing the most wicked whip that he could imagine and it had come from a rose? Hiei had pulled a sword from under his ever present cape. He was starting to understand some of the situations that Spirit Detectives had to face and wasn't sure that he'd come up to snuff. He looked over at his sister-in-law, who looked slightly worried, but not really afraid. "How did they-?"

Keiko quickly moved to reassure the boy. "They have faced worse odds than this. This is still a serious situation, yes, but each has trained in their own way to face the danger." She scanned quickly as the first contact was made between the four and the many. She couldn't count how many, but she knew there was a leader around who hadn't yet made his appearance. He was the only one to truly fear.

Kurama was slicing through the lower level demons, searching for the leader, whom he knew was close by, but not with his fodder. These lower level demons were almost B-class, so the leader had to be at least an A, if not comparable to them being an S. He heard Yusuke's voice ring out yelling, "Shot gun!" Hiei was being his typical silent, deadly self and Kuwabara was grunting as he sliced demons.

Yusuke was used to working with the other three, but not with what amounted to three civilians there to protect as well. Keiko somehow always ended up mixed into these messes. Shiori and Shuuichi were a new mix, though. Now he knew how Kurama had felt all those times his enemies had chosen to use his mother and why Hiei refused to acknowledge Yukina for all those years, as a kind of protection. "Shit! We still haven't gotten the leader!" He yelled out loud to anyone who was listening. He heard confirmation sounds all around him from Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama and surprisingly, Keiko.

Shuuichi started feeling out with his abilities, trying to sense what they were talking about. He hadn't truly tried to sense any of these who were protecting him before, or these enemies, gaging them on appearance alone. He knew one thing instantly, Kuwabara was the least powerful of the four. Kurama and Hiei were on very similar power levels and Yusuke was still more powerful than the two brothers of his. He had closed his eyes to sense this and was jolted out of his semi-trance when he heard Keiko's voice call to him, "Look out!" He felt himself being grabbed, lifted and Keiko lept to the side, but not before he heard her hissing in pain.

Kurama felt the pain flash through their bond and lept back to the three in the middle, never even realizing that he had transformed as he did so crying, "Keiko!" He knelt down where she had grasped her side, bringing out a seed that quickly grew into a plant.

Shiori knelt down next to her son, watching him as he cared for his mate. He quickly picked leaves, chewing them to make a paste and putting the resulting mix on Keiko's wounded side.

Hiei had heard the call and glanced over to see what had happened. The dart had apparently been poisoned, judging from Kurama's choice of plant. He roared, "Down!" Glancing around to make sure that everyone was indeed down, he pulled off his cloak and started to remove his wards. The one on his forehead just burned away in a black flame, the one's on his arms he removed swiftly. His dragon was airborne within seconds of his wards being removed with a cry of, "Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" He caused his dragon to consume the remaining cannon, or in this case, dragon fodder. The bandits fell swiftly enough to Hiei's dragon technique, which he called back onto his arm, walking over to the group in the center, saying, "It's all yours, Yusuke." As he fell into a briefly exhausted sleep at Shiori's feet.

Shiori and Shuuichi watched Hiei's attack in stunned disbelief. This small demon easily held such power in check. No one had bothered to count how many demons there had been, but there was only one now. Shiori looked at the sleeping demon at her feet and smiled down at this tacit display of trust. He was so deadly, and yet so gentle. She was seeing that trait in all four of them, now. Kurama tending to his wounded mate after cutting down demons with his whip. Hiei ruthlessly slicing through bandits, but buying flowers. Kuwabara was easily the gentlest of all of them, but even he cut demons in two. Yusuke was a puzzle. His attacks had been simple punches after the first barrage of lights, but they had torn demons in two. Now she watched as Yusuke got up.

Yusuke stood up, releasing the hold he had on his youki and transforming into his Toushin form. It was getting harder and harder to reign in his youki, and this felt good. He felt the transformation take him and shook out his hair which in this form was even longer than Kurama's. "Thanks, Hiei." He swiftly moved to confront where the leader was. He could tell that this demon was an upper A-class, but not S ranking. He confronted the leader and after a few minutes of exchanging blows none of which even hit Yusuke, the demon had fallen. He came back to the group, which was gathered around Keiko, absently he noticed that Hiei was up again. "How is she?"

Kurama looked up from his mate, eyes glowing an eerie yellow. "We're lucky I had the proper seed necessary to counteract the poison. As is, we should get her to Yukina as quickly as possible to finish the healing process."

"Can she be moved?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama stood, easily picking Keiko up and carrying her in his arms, cradling her head on his shoulder. She whimpered in pain, but clung to his neck. "I suggest we get there as quickly as possible."

Hiei thought about offering to take Keiko and go on ahead, but knew that Kurama wouldn't allow it. Kurama was obviously keeping control by a thread and wouldn't let his mate out of his sight at the moment. "Ah, Kurama? How about transforming?"

"Don't push your luck, Hiei!" Kurama snapped at his friend, then apologized, "Sorry, Hiei, you didn't deserve that. I won't be able to transform until Keiko is healed."

Yusuke clamped down on his youki again, becoming once more the punk that everyone knew. "How about I call Botan and have her give the two of you a lift back to Genkai's temple? That way we don't have to try to explain fox-boy, here." He thought for a moment. "Wait a minute! We're close enough to my home turf!" He sent out a message to Puu, his spirit beast phoenix, who swiftly answered his call.

"Puuu?" It bent it's head down to nuzzle Yusuke as it landed.

Yusuke absently reached up to stroke it. "Puu, can you carry us all to Genkai's Temple?" He counted, it would be a stretch, but he knew that Puu could do it.

Puu looked down and firmly said with a nod, "Puu!"

Shuuichi wondered just how many shocks to the system he could take. A giant blue phoenix? What was next?

Shiori was simply astonished at both her son's behavior, and how many different meanings this creature could put into one word.

"You heard Puu. Everyone climb on board!" Yusuke said, then hopped on.

Kurama summoned a sturdy vine that lifted him up to the appropriate height so as not to jar his mate.

Hiei helped Shiori and Shuuichi up, neither of the two looking terribly confident at this mode of transportation. He only murmurred to them, "Trust me, it's better than catching one of Botan's oar rides."

Kuwabara climbed up as Hiei reclaimed his purchases from Shiori, who was still holding them.

They found the ride on Puu very smooth as he took off. They flashed between the two realms and then were overlooking Genkai's Temple. Puu came in for a landing and Kurama leaped off almost before Puu could finish, landing lightly on his feet. He ran towards the Temple. Hiei shook his head, the fox would not be back to normal until his mate was healed, he helped Shiori and Shuuichi down as he had helped them up.

"What is wrong with Kurama?" Shuuichi asked, looking at Hiei and concerned with his brother's behavior.

"His mate is injured." Hiei asked as if that answered everything, which if you understood mates, did. Kurama was actually being calm for having his mate injured. Hiei had not had time to replace the wards on his arm or his head yet, but his Jagan was still sleeping for the moment and the dragon was quiescent, for once. He looked down at the tatoo on his arm, he wasn't going to be able to re-ward that until the fox calmed down, though maybe his sister could do that for him, too. He thought about it and decided to ask her when she was done tending Keiko.

To be continued . . .