Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ En Donde El Fuego Consume ❯ More Fun! ( Chapter 6 )

Where The Fire Burns
Chapter Six
By Reya a.k.a. Golden Fire Goddess

Disclaimer: For in this world this is but one man who may own this world and sadly I am not he. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Enjoy!

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Kurama decided that coming back to the world of the living was a good idea. He "woke up" and saw that everyone was waiting for him. He blushed lightly while apologizing.

"Don't worry about it Kurama. We didn't know that you were elsewhere at the moment. We were just trying to figure out who should go first. Keiko or our shinobi friends here." Yusuke filled Kurama in during his leave of awareness. Kurama nodded and looked at the five mentioned. Keiko nodded her head to the four shinobi and Kurama nodded.

"Jin, Touya, Chuu, Rinku... what are you all here for?" Kurama looked at them with a question in his eyes.

"We are here to speak of terms for trade with Gandara. Yomi sent us here, with a warning about this place. He couldn't step a foot in here himself, so he sent us." Touya answered.

"I wonder why." Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"I be a thinkin' that it might be because he don' look good in drag, Urameshi." Jin bubbled, the image of Yomi in a skirt making him chuckle. Everyone else, with the exception of Keiko [and Kuwabara] choked as the image of Yomi in drag filtered through their heads. Keiko [and Kuwabara] looked a bit confused, but didn't say anything. Once everyone calmed down, Keiko looked over at Touya.

"What sort of trade agreement did, um, this Yomi person have in mind." At her naive question Yusuke winced. He gave an embarrassed smile to his companions.

"I never told Keiko about some of the Makai Tournament. So she has no idea who Yomi is." Kurama smirked at Yusuke and looked over at Keiko, who seemed to be even more embarrassed than Yusuke was.

"Its alright Keiko. *chuckle* Yomi is one of the three Lords who rule the Makai. The others are Murkuro and, of course, Yusuke. Which by the way... Yusuke, Hiei, I believe I know where we are now." Yusuke and Hiei looked at Kurama with looks that told him to continue.

"Do you both remember hearing about a village that was near Gandara? One that was located in the Forest of Contempt A/N: I made that up *^_^*... lol?" At his words Yusuke and Hiei looked at him with recognition coloring their expressions. Keiko [and Kuwabara] looked at the three demons currently figuring out their location, deciding that it was best not to ask about it. Touya turned back to Keiko.

"Yomi wishes for some of the items produced here to be traded for some of the items produced with the rest of the Makai." Keiko's eyes glazed over as she thought.

"You mean the weapons here?" Touya nodded at Keiko. "I think I'd have to talk to Chie, she'd know more about these things than I would. Only because I think it would cause problems if I said 'yes' right away." Keiko looked apologetically at the four shinobi, who waved it off smiling at her. The others looked on understanding shining in their faces. Kuwabara's eyes lit up as something popped into his mind.

"Hey, Keiko... What did you find out?" This brought everyone's attention back to where it needed to be. Keiko began to fidget under the gazes of those currently surrounding her. After a few minutes, Keiko sighed and looked over at everyone else with a level gaze.

"I have some strange news and some really bad news. Which do you want to hear about first?" Keiko looked at them not sure how to begin with her explanations. Kurama looked at her and decided to take pity.

"How about you tell us the strange news. Then work into the bad news, considering they may not be connected." Kurama looked at her, silently supporting her. Looking at the others, Keiko began to talk.

"Just so you know, everything is connected. But first things first. I have been researching that legend I told you about a week ago. Everything written here either is in a language I have no idea what it is or the same details kept popping up. Last week I went to see Chie, shortly after we were all separated. She told me more details about it. Like I have to go through this 'tradition'. That and there are a few more rituals, but I'll go through them later." Keiko paused, trying to get her thoughts together. Hiei looked at her, cocking his head to the side.

"What is this 'tradition'? Keiko looked off for a moment and looked straight at him.

"The tradition, in short, is a series of tests under which I must endure and pass in order to fully become considered their Queen. Right now I am only considered 'Queen' in name only. In all, or so I'm told, there are three tests in which I must participate... Or else. The first is thinking under fire, in other words showing how creative I get with only a limited amount of things at my disposal. The second is showing my strength, um, I'm not sure what would really fall under that category so-"

"That's easy. Whoever they set you up against, just slap the heck out of them. You've done it to me. You know, 'Fight over'. You win, easy." Yusuke grinned at Keiko who in turn looked like she was ready to forgo the fight and just smack him good instead.

"I don't think you understand. The last test is sort of what you described, I have to go up against someone else but in a test of courage. I am not sure what sort of things we would have to do, but..." Keiko trailed off, once again lost in thought. Kurama looked at her, finally noticing her posture. Worry began to build within him.

"Keiko, what else do we have to know. You seem to be lost with something weighing heavily on your mind, what is it?" Keiko looked at Kurama, a look that said that whatever information she held was crucial to their group. The others seeing her look, sat straighter... more rigid than before.

"There is one thing that you guys really should know about. This tradition is a ceremony in itself, lasting about five days in all. The first and the last days are considered, um, Holy Days if you will. This is where things really get messy and it directly involves you four." Keiko gestured to the Reikai Tantei, the shinobi's looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Keiko, what is it that is bothering you?" Kuwabara watched Keiko as she began to fidget in her seat.

"*sigh* You four are to be sacrificed, one way or another." Keiko began to tug at her hair, worry apparent in her posture.

"*snort* Come on Keiko, you know us better than that. We can get out of any situation that we somehow get ourselves into." Yusuke puffed out his chest, trying to look tough and manly. Hiei and Kuwabara agreed with Yusuke. Kurama, however, stayed curious.

"Keiko, what did you mean 'one way or another'? If it is a fight, then I believe we can handle that. Is that it, a fight?" Keiko looked at the four of them, tears filling her eyes.

"I don't think any of you understand." Kurama looked surprised.

"Keiko, most of the fights that we have been in, we have come out on top. You know this. So why is it that this thing that we must go through is bothering you so much?" To his utter surprise, Keiko began to shed tears.

"*sniff* There is not going to be a fight. None of you have to fight. *sniff* They were going to sacrifice you by tying you up and spilling your blood on the ground and then *sniff* they were going to put you in a burning shack to kill you off." For the first time in their lives, the Reikai Tantei were speechless, even if it was for but a minute. Yusuke and Kuwabara began to rant that no one was going to get them. Hiei decided to glare at Keiko. Kurama was taken aback, but had at least one more question on his mind to be asked.

"Keiko, what do you mean by 'they were'? It almost sounds like they changed their minds." Keiko nodded.

"Yes, they had no choice in the matter. I told them that if they wanted me to even think of participating they were not allowed to kill any of you. However that lead to another problem." The Reikai Tantei looked relieved about Keiko's explanation, however they realized that they owed her for getting them out of that horrible fate. Touya looked at Keiko.

“What do they have to do now Keiko?” Keiko looked at Touya before answering.

“Now, they have to become a sex slave to a few of the women in the village. Including me. Mmmm, what I mean is that I have to choose one of you to be my ‘sex slave’ as it were. Then the three that I didn’t choose would each go to a woman in this village, for reasons that more than likely need to stay unsaid.” Keiko looked at the men before her with a blush staining her cheeks. The men looked at each other and sighed.

“Keiko, what exactly would we have to do, as one of us will be picked by you? What is expected of us?” Yusuke looked at Keiko trying to get a grasp of something, though what it was he wasn’t sure.

“Well, whoever I choose will have to reside in my chambers or if I want they will be at my side. Um, do you need any other specifics?” Keiko looked a bit embarrassed as she said this.

“Yeah, what about the others? I mean its one thing to be you companion, I refuse to be called a sex slave, but its another thing to be with one of the village women. Is it the same thing with them as well?” Keiko looked at Kuwabara and nodded. She cocked her head to the side before adding something more.

“Yeah, but you have to be completely obedient. That and we won’t be able to have these meetings when one of us find something out, so when it comes to that I think we’d need to ‘wing it’ as the saying goes.” Keiko looked a bit apprehensive about that idea. The boys looked at each other before deciding on something, turning back to Keiko with a look of determination building in their eyes.

“Alright Keiko, who do you want to pick? You’ll need someone with you that you absolutely trust. So who do you choose?” They waited on baited breath for Keiko to make her decision. Keiko for the life of her couldn’t choose one over the other. She trusted them all with her heart and soul, so she did what she did best and blinked at them. This caused Yusuke to groan.

“Alright, how about this then. We choose amongst ourselves and then whoever is chosen you’ll have to put up with him. Sound fair?” Keiko blushed again before nodding her consent. Yusuke smiled while the others looked confused. He looked at the others, seeing their confusion and gestured to an area that was a bit off to the side away from Keiko. They all nodded and moved over to the designated area.

“Alright Detective, why this change in tactics?” Hiei glared at Yusuke.

“Because, she trusts us all.” Seeing the confusion Yusuke chuckled before elaborating.

“She knows how we work and past dealings with the stuff that we go through, she knows that she can put herself in our care without too much worry.” Yusuke’s smile widened. Seeing Hiei’s hesitation he added.

“Yes, Hiei. She knows what you did to her the first time you both met. But seeing how you are now as to then, she decided to let bygones be bygones.” Yusuke smirked at his teammate. Hiei for the life of himself didn’t know what to do about this bit of information. Deciding that he’d look into it later, he nodded at Yusuke. The four shinobi looked amused and Yusuke looked at them with a straight face.

“Her trust includes you all as well.” Yusuke chuckled at seeing the mass of surprised faces.

“What? Did you all think that with all the stuff that’s been happening to us both in the past and what we’ve been through now that I’d let her stay out of the loop and not know what’s going on? That, my friends, is hazardous for health. None of you have been on the receiving end of one of Keiko’s slaps. Besides, where do you think all that stuff for our injuries came from? My Mom? *snort* No way, that and the fact that she has helped to take care of those of us who have been poisoned. Yes, I know that you all mainly know that Yukina is the one who looks after us, but Keiko, and I have to add Shizuru, has been helping her with everything.” The seven men that Yusuke was facing were stunned to say the least. However one in their group was not letting this information surprise him.

#I knew it. I knew I felt her aura around us a few times.#

‘What do you mean Youko?’

#I mean that almost every time we have been knocked out or injured in some way, she has been around and taking care of us.#

‘Oh.’

~Hn. Can we be sure though?~

#*snort* Still bothered by the fact that she trusts you even though you tried to make her into a demon zombie?#

~…~

‘It’s alright Hiei. When we’re done, just talk with Keiko and find out why. She’d more than likely answer you.’

~I believe I will do that. But her helping us? I’m not sure I believe that.~

#Answer this: why not? We all know that we can trust Yusuke’s word, so why question this?#

~True. If you trust what he says in this event, then so will I.~

#Good.# They each faded out, feelings mixed about what Yusuke revealed. What everyone wanted to know at that moment was how the hell Yusuke knew about Keiko and Shizuru helping out the Ice Maiden. But one look at his face told them that they weren’t going to get an answer to that. Sighing, Kurama asked the second question lurking in each of their minds.

“How do we choose amongst ourselves. As you pointed out Yusuke, she would unquestioningly put her trust in any one of us. So how?”

“That is a good question. Maybe it should be who fills certain criteria in this situation.” Touya thoughtfully added.

“Okay guys, how about this for starters: the person who stays with Keiko needs to be able to handle her in any mood.” Kuwabara looked over at Yusuke as he said that. Yusuke snorted and added his thought.

“It can’t be just dealing with her moods. We all can do that, effectively I might add by not doing things my way.” This brought a few chuckles from his way too silent friends.

“Anyway, this guy should be able to stay calm in the light of any problem that may surface, whether it be towards him or towards another.” Nods followed this statement.

“How ‘bout this one mates. The guy should be able to help train her with these tests that she has to do.” Yusuke grinned and clapped Chuu on the shoulder.

“Hn. He will need an astounding amount of patience then. If I am not mistaken, the only attack that she has is that slap of hers. And that only works on the Detective.” A few snickers were heard with Yusuke and Kuwabara chuckling at that.

“Shrimp, you obviously haven’t paid much attention to some of Urameshi’s and mine arguments.” Kuwabara chuckled.

“Yeah, man. She has one great right hook. Straight to the kisser. Pow! No way anyone can see that baby coming. *snort* She’s taken down some big boys with it. And no, I didn’t show her how to do it. I was her practice dummy for a while don‘t forget.” Yusuke chuckled at seeing Chuu’s face.

“Ya mean, she could fight me one on one mate?”

“Yeah, more than likely. I once transformed to scare her and she still knocked me into a tree.” Chuu grinned at the thought of once more having a human sparring partner. Rinku sweat-dropped before grining.

“Yeah, and he’d have to be smart as well. With more than enough brain power to help with anything that she’d have to put up with.” Rinku’s grin became larger.

“Well, laddies. How ‘bout this then: it ha’ ta be sommat who really likes her. Maybe a lettin’ this feller ta let out his emotions or tha’ like.” Jin chuckled while everyone else, save for one grinned.

“Um, Somehow I have the feeling that each of you know who you are going to choose.” Kurama stated, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the descriptions that his so-called friends were giving out. Rinku rolled his eyes.

“Oh, yeah right. You have no clue, so don’t even try it. We have our idea, wanna hear it?”

“*sigh* Alright. Who is it then.” As Kurama said this, they all moved closer to one another.

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End A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed this little installment of En Donde El Fuego Consume. Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Was it good, bad, make your computer light on fire? Let me know!

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Suryallee: I am glad that you like my fic so much!*Huggles*