Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Fornever Tantei ❯ Pursued ( Chapter 11 )

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Between Death and Reality. While it isn't required that you read that first, some things referenced here may not make a whole lot of sense.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I am not making any money from writing this. I do, however, own my plotline.

 

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Chapter 11

 

Pursued

 

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As they stood concealed across the street from Kurama's apartment, Yusuke and Kuwabara knew the fox was not there. The area was crawling with Organization thugs, meaning that they were waiting for the fox to show up. Kurama, on the other hand, was too smart to fall into this obvious of a trap, so he would have moved on. But the question now was where he had moved on to.

 

“He's moving again,” Kuwabara said suddenly and Yusuke turned to his friend.

 

“Kurama?” Kuwabara nodded. “Where?” The orange-haired teen closed his eyes in concentration for a moment before opening them once more.

 

“He's in the more residential areas but moving towards the outskirts of the city.” Yusuke frowned.

 

“Why would he be coming back into the city?” Kuwabara shrugged.

 

“To find us?” he suggested.

 

“He'll have a hell of a time doing that and he knows it.” Yusuke blinked. “Wait, why would he have been in the residential areas?”

 

“His family lives out there,” Kuwabara replied after a moment. “But why would he go there? They must have seen the news as well. What could he have been thinking?” Yusuke frowned once more, wishing for what seemed like the millionth time that he knew what the fox was thinking.

 

“Unless he wasn't thinking,” Yusuke said slowly and he and Kuwabara exchanged looks.

 

“Oh no.”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Yukina was beginning to tire, though she refused to admit it. But Genkai could see it. Hiei could see it. Touya and the others could see it. While Hiei and Touya would be able to hold up a substantial barrier on their own, the weakness would become more apparent when Yukina's layer fell.

 

Damnit, Genkai thought irritably. And we don't have a plan B yet.

 

“Yukina,” the psychic said instead and the ice maiden looked up at her, sweat from effort glistening on her brow. “That's enough.”

 

“But Master Genkai-” Yukina tried to protest but Genkai cut her off with a shake of her head.

 

“You're tiring. The barrier will inevitably fall and we will have to make a decision to fight or run. Either way, we cannot afford to have you completely drained of your power.”

 

“I'm fine,” Yukina argued but it was Hiei who spoke up next.

 

“She's right, Yukina. We will need you,” he said and his sister looked at him in surprise. The two watched each other for several moments. Finally Yukina capitulated.

 

“Alright. You win.” She closed her eyes for a moment and Genkai felt her layer of the barrier fade away. The psychic hurried over to catch the swaying koorime.

 

“We're going to need that plan B,” Hiei said to Genkai and the psychic looked over at the fire demon.

 

“I know.”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Using the shadows to his advantage, Kurama ran from his house, his mind spinning dazedly as the encounter replayed in his mind. They knew. His family knew who he was. And they had let him go when they could have easily given him to the Organization. In the state he had been in in his home, he probably would have gone along with the Organization if they had turned him over to them in an effort to avoid fighting in front of his family. But the more he thought about it as he ran, the more foolish it seemed to him. Not only would it have accomplished nothing, it would have put the others in danger, as they would have undoubtedly attempted to rescue him.

 

Pausing suddenly, Kurama looked around him at the unfamiliar surroundings. Where was he going now anyway? He had been instinctually heading back towards the city, but what good would that do him at this point? His apartment was surrounded, his motorcycle was still at the university where countless witnesses remained, and he had no idea where Yusuke and Kuwabara could be. Reaching out with his senses once more, he felt their veiled presences somewhere in the middle of the city.

 

Great, Kurama thought irritably. Just where no one would be able to see them. Tokyo is a big city. I'd never be able to find them on the little I can sense without being seen. Groaning, Kurama leaned wearily against a nearby tree.

 

“I don't know,” he whispered. “I really don't know what to do.” He rubbed his face in his hands a moment before starting as his communication mirror began to buzz. Pulling it from his pocket, he flipped it open and was greeted by Botan's face. He felt his heart lighten just a little when he saw the face of his love.

 

“You look like you could use some help,” the ferry girl said and the fox stared a moment before he understood. Koenma had that screen in his office with which he watched the detective cases. Botan had probably convinced him to turn it on again to track the team in its time of peril.

 

“I could,” the red-head replied. “I don't know where to go from here.” His voice sounded a bit more desperate than he would have liked and Botan's face became concerned at the tone.

 

“Yusuke and Kuwabara were just checking out your apartment to see if you were there,” she told him and Kurama hid a grimace.

 

“Suffice it to say I wasn't there,” he said and Botan nodded.

 

“They avoided detection, but they don't know where to go next.”

 

“That makes three of us,” Kurama replied. “Have they started moving again?” Botan looked off the screen for a moment before returning to his view.

 

”Yes. They're headed slowly out of the center of town. I think they may be heading for either Kuwabara's or Yusuke's.”

 

“They'll both be watched,” Kurama put in and the ferry girl nodded.

 

“Yes, which is bad news for Shizuru. I think they may head there first and find her.”

 

“What about Yusuke's mother?” the fox asked.

 

“She is only home half the time as it is,” Botan replied.

 

“Which half is it now?” Botan frowned off-screen for another few moments before coming back.

 

“She's not home currently,” she said and Kurama sighed in relief.

 

“Well that takes care of one complication for now. My family should be alright for a little while as well.”

 

“Did you go see them?” Botan asked in surprise. It seemed Spirit World had missed that part of the show.

 

“Yes and the Organization dropped in,” he replied. Botan gasped. “But my mother let me go.” He paused as he felt some of the barriers attempting to crack again. “and here I am.”

 

“I see.” Kurama frowned.

 

“I suppose I could head over to the Kuwabara's as well and hopefully meet up with the other two there.” Botan nodded.

 

“That makes sense.”

 

“What about Hiei?”

 

“They're all trapped in the temple.” Kurama blinked.

 

“What?”

 

“The Organization set on the temple but they put up a barrier around it to keep them out,” Botan explain. The fox frowned.

 

“But that won't hold forever. Even Hiei has his limits.” Botan nodded.

 

“Yes. Bur right now they are just trying to keep the Organization from the temple.”

 

“It seems Hiei doesn't want to have to worry about killing humans,” Kurama commented off-handedly. “There was a time when he would have demanded the entire ranks charge him and take them all out without blinking an eye.”

 

“Times have changed,” Botan replied and Kurama nodded.

 

“Oh yes.” The red-head sighed and pushed himself upright. “I suppose I should head out then.”

 

“Be careful,” Botan told him. “I don't want to see you hurt.” Kurama smiled reassuringly.

 

“I'll be fine.”

 

“You better be. And stay in contact.”

 

“You got it.”

 

“I love you,” Botan told him softly.

 

“I love you too,” Kurama replied. “I'll talk to you soon.” He closed the mirror and slipped it back into his pocket before he melted back into the shadows and continued his race once more.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

The longer Kurama was on the move, the further the sun dropped in the sky. He frowned to himself, wondering what he would do when night fell. Surely the Organization wouldn't give up their search just because it was dark outside. No, they wanted the ex-Tantei for a reason and would not stop until they had them; that much the fox was sure of.

 

As apartment buildings and houses came into view, Kurama slowed to a walk. He hadn't actually been to Kuwabara's home in awhile. He had visited a few times in the last three years, but they had usually ended up meeting somewhere rather than at the younger boy's home. So Kurama couldn't quite remember how to get there. He mentally berated himself for not taking more care in memorizing the layout of this part of the city when he had been there, but, he told himself, looking back on past mistakes would not fix his current predicament.

 

Deciding he needed a new approach, he closed his eyes and searched for Yusuke and Kuwabara's energy signatures once more. They were moving in his vague direction, but Kurama could not tell exactly where they were headed. Deciding he didn't have anything better to do, Kurama melted back into the shadows and headed in the direction the other boys were coming from.

 

He was so caught up in sticking to the shadows that he didn't notice his surroundings as he usually did, and wandered unwittingly into the sight of several men and women in blue coats. They must have been guarding the area around the Kuwabara's home. He realized his mistake too late as one of the guards caught sight of his red-hair. Kurama and the guard looked at each other for a moment in surprise before either of them made a move.

 

“It's him! It's one of the Tantei!” the guard yelled when he got his wits about him again. His companions wheeled around and all saw the red-head.

 

Kurama cursed under his breath before making a break for it. He had no idea where he was running, only that he had Organization guards on his tail and being caught by them was not advisable. His thoughts focused on putting any kind of distance between himself and his pursuers. It was a good thing he had once been a master of escape tactics while thieving in Makai. Unfortunately, this was Human World and not Demon World, so many of his old tactics would be useless.

 

He could hear the guards behind him yelling encouragements to each other to catch him. They were admirably persistent in their chase. Too bad Kurama was not in an admiring mood.

 

“Stop demon!”

 

“Get back here fox!”

 

“You're gonna get it, demon thief!”

 

“Hold it right there!”

 

“The longer you run, the tighter the noose gets, Kurama!”

 

Kurama knew his adversaries were right. He was running through a maze of alleys that he was unfamiliar with. The longer he ran, the greater the chance became of running into a dead end. But the fox was proud and did not want to admit defeat to these fools, even if it seemed inevitable.

 

He turned several corners which gained him a little ground, but out him in an even worse position. He had already been lost when he had stumbled upon the group and now it was even worse. He had not had a chance to memorize the path he had taken in his flustered state. His confrontation with his family was still eating at him and had clouded his normally sharp mind and now he was paying for it.

 

Foolish, Kurama berated himself as he ran. You have been so foolish today. And now you will reap what you have sewn.

 

He rounded a couple more corners and gained a little more ground on those pursuing him. But, he realized, it was only borrowed time. He was becoming more disoriented in this maze and the sun had almost completely set, leaving little light, though that should have been an advantage for the fox, as he had once been most at home in the dark. Kurama slowed to s jog and could hear his pursuers drawing closer. He bit his lip as he ran. He needed to do something but his stressed mind was drawing a blank.

 

Come on, Kurama scolded his mind, I've been in tougher situations than this and you didn't fail me then. Why now? But he knew the answer to that. The day's events had stressed him both physically and mentally and he was exhausted. His mind had mostly shut down to cope with the barrage of information that had been thrown at it in such a short period of time. He blinked as the sounds of pursuit grew louder. He could once again make out what the guards were saying.

 

“He can't have gotten much father than this.”

 

“Come out and play demon!”

 

“Kurama!” The fox gave one last look back and started jogging once more.

 

“Kurama!” The red-head winced. That one was closed behind him. His borrowed time was coming to a close.

 

“Suuichi!” Kurama froze. That voice! I've heard that voice say my human name before… But it couldn't be! Could it? He turned slowly and was unable to contain his surprise at the sight.

 

Her pulled back black hair was longer than the last time he had seen her. She was taller with a lither but muscled form that she had not had back then. Her baggy pants and tight tank top were ideal for… fighting? She bore several scars on her arms. But those eyes… they were the same as before. They sparkled like they had back when they had spoken. That was how he knew it was her. He was only able to stutter one word in his surprise at her appearance.

 

“Maya?”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

As Yusuke and Kuwabara made their way towards the Kuwabara apartment, Kuwabara did another scan to find Kurama.

 

“He's heading toward us,” the orange-haired teen told his friend.

 

“He must have sensed us,” Yusuke replied. Kuwabara nodded.

 

“Probably.” He blinked. “Wait, he's moving away now!”

 

“What? Why?” Kuwabara glared at Yusuke.

 

“How am I supposed to know?” he demanded and the ex-Spirit Detective blinked before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

 

“Oh right. Sorry, Kuwabara. I guess you wouldn't know.”

 

“You are a moron,” Kuwabara grumbled with a roll of his eyes. Yusuke stuck his tongue out and Kuwabara groaned. “Yeah, real mature Urameshi.” He looked up at the sky to see the sun setting. “We need to keep moving. My sister could be in trouble.” Yusuke immediately sobered up and nodded. As they approached the block the apartment was one, Kuwabara kept a tab on Kurama's movements. Yusuke looked over at him to see a frown on his features.

 

“What?”

 

“He's moving like he's being chased or something: completely randomly. That's not like him,” Kuwabara replied. They reached the end of the shadows on the block and studied the area surrounding the building. Kuwabara forced himself to out his worry for his fox friend from his mind as to worry about his sister.

 

“There aren't as many blue coats as I was expecting,” Yusuke commented. “There were more at Kurama's.”

 

“The only question is,” Kuwabara began.

 

“Whether that's good or bad,” Yusuke finished.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

 

Author's Note: I realize this one was shorter than usual and I'm sorry, but it got to the point where it was the perfect cliffhanger to end the chapter. I'm cruel like that, I know, haha. Anyway, I've started working on the next chapter so I hope it won't take me too long to get it up either. So leave me a review and let me know what you thought. Tell me you loved it, tell me you hated it, tell me the cliffhanger was really mean, but tell me something. Happy New Year!