Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Faux Pas ❯ Chapter 4

Faux Pas - Chapter Four

 

 

The balcony was the only bearable place in the whole building to be. It was the one location where the tense atmosphere ceased to exist and instead instilled a sense of calm.

 

Itsuki closed his eye and relaxed his grip on his elbows marginally. The soft breeze gusted through his hair, causing it to drift gently away from his face. He had missed this. Spending weeks in the cold darkness of the Irima cave, and then retreating to the void for so long… Wind was a welcome change.

 

The cool wind caressed the skin of his face, ghosting over his scar, lulling him farther into relaxation.

 

The relaxation was only a physical pleasure. His mind was whirling, going through all the possibilities of what could have gone wrong one by one.

 

More importantly, he was worried about what had happened to Shinobu.

 

Shinobu had entrusted him with his soul, his very being, and the bottom line was that Itsuki had failed him.

 

Certainly, Itsuki deserved hell for that alone. He would do anything for Shinobu, and if spending an eternity of endless suffering could get Shinobu the peace he wanted, he would accept it. The human fascinated him to no end; he had an air about him that drew Itsuki near.

 

In the beginning, he had been satisfied with watching Shinobu at a distance. A spirit detective at such a young age, and so capable of handling himself! He had never known a creature, human or demon, which contained that much power so early on in life. So fascinated was he, that watching had no longer been an option. He had gotten closer, and ultimately drew Shinobu's attention to him. Though, in the beginning, it had not been in a good way.

 

It still amazed him that he had survived his first direct encounter with the human. Shinobu possessed a strong interior boldness, and though his own personal barriers surrounded him, he was truly compassionate deep down. Itsuki had learned this both from watching him and then after their initial conversation by the fireside. But along with that compassion was uncertainty. The world was a thing that the human viewed in black and white terms, and there was no room for shades of grey.

 

Unfortunately, there were indeed shades of grey. It was a pity Shinobu had so much faith in his own species that when he learned the truth of their nature it destroyed him. If only the boy had understood that both humans and demons had equal qualities in good and evil, he may have remained the pure, innocent, whole, person he once was.

 

Itsuki sighed softly. He had been curious as to what would happen as his human companion slowly crumbled to pieces in front of his very eyes. Despite his faith in Shinobu, he had never expected the boy to grow stronger both in his resolve and power. Still, he had paid for it with his mind. Itsuki himself had stood steadfastly by his side, willing to aid him unselfishly and allow Shinobu to reach his fullest potential. It had become close to an obsession. Despite others opinions concerning his motives, he had done everything only to help Shinobu find what he wanted to make him happy. In the end, that had been death.

 

Which led to the present situation.

 

The demon had contained no illusions that he would live forever. He knew back when he had first entered the void with Shinobu's corpse that he would eventually die from some cause or another. It had just happened much sooner than he had expected.

 

The master of the void was never intended to become one of its residents. Too many years confined in the cold darkness, alone but for a wondering spirit that paid him no mind, had taken a toll on his mental health. Isolation was not something he was accustomed to. He craved the company of others, even if it was just observing them from a distance. His original longing for a companion was what had brought him and Shinobu together in the first place. In the void he would eternally be with his Shinobu, that was true.

 

He had just not imagined it to be so lonely.

 

His will to stay alive and keep watch over Shinobu's soul sustained him when starvation began to set in. He had heard stories about how some demons could survive thousands of years without eating, kept alive by will power alone. His will power had been strong, but apparently not quite strong enough.

 

It too had eventually begun to crumble.

 

The void was thought to hold things in suspended animation. Itsuki knew from experience, with the hordes of broken down buildings and skeletons, that this was not quite true. It did slow down any composition breakdowns tremendously, but it did not cease the deconstruction completely. His health was no different. The combined stress of remaining in the void and the lack of sustenance had eventually led to his demise.

 

Frustration began to build up within his chest. He should have foreseen the possibility of that happening and been prepared for it. He could have insured precautions somehow! Now it was too late and Shinobu would be forced to pay for his misjudgments.

 

Koenma may have relieved Shinobu of the charges he had obtained in an act of mental self-defense. Koenma may have been willing to pardon him, and to judge him fairly. Koenma may have genuinely wanted to help.

 

It was too little, too late for that. Koenma's interference was unwelcome, and above all else, it was not what Shinobu had wanted.

 

To be free from the Spirit World. To be free from judgment.

 

Pale fingers clutched equally pale elbows, biting into the flesh. It flushed an angry red. A shiver coursed through Itsuki's body. He could not let that happen. No matter the cost, he would find some way to give Shinobu's soul the peace it desired.

 

Resolved, the internal battle ceased momentarily. He would delve into deeper plans briefly, but for now he would indulge in this one, remaining, small pleasure.

 

Itsuki went back to enjoying the breeze, this time inside and out. It did not last long.

 

The door to the room swung open. Itsuki did not have to open his eye to know it was Koenma. Coming to harass him a little bit more before he went to hell, he supposed. Just his style. Idealistic to the end.

 

“I thought you should know I've located something that may be of interest to you,” Koenma said from behind him. Itsuki chose to remain quiet rather than encourage the demi-god. With any luck, he might lose interest and let him be.

 

Or not.

 

“It seems your six armed shadow demon is gallivanting around the Human World, destroying anything it can get its hands on. I'd like to believe you were above pulling retaliatory stunts, but I suppose where Sensui is concerned logic fails you. All you've succeeded in doing is having it exterminated.” Itsuki's eye shot open and he whirled towards Koenma, who was studying him critically.

 

“I did not put it up to anything,” Itsuki hissed. “If it is destroying anything, it is only confused and frightened. You cannot destroy it for something it has no control over.”

 

“No control over.” Koenma repeated. “I thought that was where you came in. It's completely out of control. I can't afford to put civilians at risk; I've already dispatched my detective. It will be dead before sunrise.”

 

Was Koenma truly so ignorant to other solutions that he would kill an innocent demon? Itsuki could feel his anger rising. If he wasn't careful, he would lose control and do something that would make the situation worse.

 

“It is confused,” Itsuki repeated slowly. “It has been separated from its master, who has been with it since birth. Of course it is panicking. You have to let me see it. This can be resolved without any deaths.”

 

“I can't do that,” Koenma protested. “You've been tried already. I can't allow you to leave, no matter what the reason might be, especially with the alterations to your record. I have no other choice. I won't allow anyone to be harmed. I'm sorry.” With a swirl of red and blue he turned his back and exited the room, slamming the door closed behind him.

 

Itsuki fumed. There had to be another way. If it had been anyone else, Koenma surely would have taken the time to find it. They had never had the best of relationships when he had been alive, and that had no doubt extended into his death as well. He simply could not forgive the irreversible damage Koenma had done to Shinobu, and certainly Koenma resented Itsuki for taking his dear detective from him. He could see it, barely masked, in the demi-god's eyes when he looked at him.

 

He would not stand by idly and accept the situation. There was too much at stake.

 

There were two things that should never have been challenged in the presence of Itsuki, and those were Shinobu and his pets. With the well being of both in jeopardy, he turned his back on the interior of the room and treaded out farther onto the balcony. Gripping the railing, he prepared to summon the Uraotoko.

 

* * *

 

Sensui followed Hinageshi up the winding path that lead towards the enormous Japanese style building. He had been here many times during his life, but this time was much different. He felt apprehensive, even more so than when he had infiltrated the building to steal the Black Chapter. This would be it; presumably the last time he would ever see the sky again. His future looked bleak and he planned on making the most out of the last few moments of his freedom. He may have resigned himself to his fate, but he was not yet willing.

 

The yellow sky was so different from that in the Human World, and in turn much different than the skies of the world he loved. The Demon World's sky had such an array of colors, and at that moment he would have given almost anything to be back. He would never see it again.

 

A brief smile touched his lips. But he had seen it. Fallen through it, fought below it, laid beneath it, died under it. He had the memory, and nothing could take that away. No matter how many years he spent in hell, it would not change the fact he had been to the Demon World and made his dream come true. That thought alone could keep him well.

 

A nervous cough alerted him that he was not alone. Sensui snapped out of his musings and looked towards the girl who had brought him here. She had stopped a few feet ahead of him and was fidgeting with the long ends of her white shirtsleeves. It seemed he had gotten a little too caught up with his thoughts…

 

Now that she had his attention, she began walking again. Sensui couldn't help but smile ruefully. She had been particularly quiet after he had made that off-hand comment on the oar. He hadn't really meant to scare her, but his animosity at being thrown out of the void was beginning to make itself known on whatever outlet he could get. Soon enough he would get to speak to Koenma himself. What a lovely conversation that would be.

 

Minutes passed as they walked further up the winding path, until at last they reached the large doors that would bare the way into the interior of the building. As they opened automatically for Hinageshi, Sensui took one last look at the outside.

 

Farewell.

 

With a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and stepped into the office.

 

It was as busy as ever. An array of ogres rushed back and forth, delivering paperwork and sorting files. No one spared them so much as a glance as Hinageshi brushed past the busy aisles, leading Sensui toward Koenma's office. Sensui followed her leisurely, taking in the area that had once been so familiar to him. It had not changed much.

 

The hallway leading out of the main office reminded Sensui of the long corridor prisoners were led down before their execution. It certainly felt like that situation to him as well.

 

All too soon, they reached Koenma's office. Hinageshi raised one small hand and rapped on the door while Sensui observed her actions from behind. This was it. Koenma's voice called out from within the office and he couldn't help but start slightly. This was the man who would judge his soul, a former friend and comrade whom he

(Kazuya)

had betrayed and tried to destroy. Blue eyes drifted shut. The office door drifted open.

 

Itsuki, why couldn't you have found me first?

 

* * *

 

Koenma sighed. Maybe Itsuki was telling the truth; maybe he hadn't set his pet loose. He couldn't really see the logic or point behind the action. He had already made it clear that he was looking out for Sensui's interests. Of course, the demon wouldn't see it that way. He had his reason's, however skewed and misguided they might have been. Koenma could accept that.

 

What he couldn't accept was the evidence the facts pointed to. It was Itsuki's pet. It was loose. Itsuki was unhappy with the entire turn of events regarding Sensui's soul. What exactly did that point to? Realistically, however pointless the act may have seemed, it looked bad for the demon and his pet.

 

It was Koenma's duty to ensure peace between the Human and Demon Worlds and he did his best. At times he resented the job, and in the past he had sometimes treated it like a game, but now things were different. He had matured. He understood how important maintaining a balance was. If Itsuki wanted his pet destroyed to achieve that peace, then destroyed it would be. And if he was telling the truth, and the pet was merely scared…

 

Scared or not, he would not allow it to endanger innocent lives. It might have been harsh, but no one had said that his job was easy. It called for making difficult decisions. Not always the right decisions, but the decisions that kept as many people as possible out of harms way.

 

It was unfortunate, but he couldn't afford to dwell.

 

As long as his detective took care of the shadow demon, he could focus his attention on Sensui. With any luck, Ayame had already located the former detective and she would be contacting him any minute.

 

The knock at the door drew his attention away from the possible scenarios that could be happening. Best case scenarios at that. He glanced up from his folded hands which, he noted with a trace of amusement, he had been staring at through the course of his thoughts.

 

“Come in.”

 

A small red headed girl crossed over the threshold as the door opened. He recognized her immediately as Hinageshi and wondered what possible reason she could have for being there. She was strictly a spirit guide and anything that needed his attention would come through by paper work.

 

Before he could voice any questions, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the hall behind Hinageshi. Anything Koenma wanted to say died as his voice caught in his throat. As recognition dawned on him, he could feel his eyes widen in a way that would have no doubt been comical to an onlooker.

 

Nothing about the situation seemed funny, however.

 

For a few long moments no one spoke. Koenma struggled to find his voice, having to work hard to get it past the lump that had formed in his throat. He lurched to his feet, stepping out from behind the desk. At last, a single word escaped him.

 

“Shinobu…”