Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Healing Touch ❯ A Trip to the Market ( Chapter 5 )

 

“Why the hell did you do that?” Yusuke demanded angrily.

 

Rika turned around and saw Yusuke glaring at her angrily. “Do what?”

 

He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't seem to make any words come out. “The - um- thing, err, with the, ahem, shirt”. It was unusual for Yusuke to be so flustered and Rika laughed at the sight of him, his face all red and looking so awkward.

 

“Oh, you mean the whole `hey I'm topless' thing. Well, I knew I wasn't strong enough to defeat Kenta, so I figured a distraction was worth a shot. Turns out I was right. Oh, that reminds me” Rika walked over to the other side of the ring to where Kenta was just getting up from the floor. Rika noticed a large bruise on his forehead from where he'd hit the wall. “Hey, you were great. If I hadn't caught you by surprise I would've been done for.” Rika raised her hand to his forehead to heal him but Kenta grabbed her wrist, “I'm not going to hurt you” she whispered. Kenta looked confused but let go. She smiled and quickly healed his bruise.

 

“Rika! Get away from him!” Yusuke demanded, noticing the strange way that the blue haired warrior had been looking at his cousin.

 

Rika sighed. “Yusuke, you're such an ass” she called. When she turned back to Kenta she was smiling.” Sorry about that, he can be such a jerk.” Kenta said nothing, just nodded and walked away. Rika rejoined the group, who had been discussing strategies for finding the mystery demon.

 

Koenma smiled at her “Rika, your skills are very advanced. I have to say I'm impressed”

“Thank you Koenma” she said with a smile, noticing the odd look Kurama was giving her. He looked as if he'd seen ghost.

A woman walked into the room, bowed and handed a small note to Koenma, who read it the nodded. “Very good. Thank you.” The young woman left. “It seems we have an informant who can tell us something about this demon.”

 

“Then let's go. “ Rika said.

 

Immediately Yusuke started to object, very loudly. “No way, she'll be in too much danger. It's not happening Koenma, so get your head out of your-“

 

Rika punched him in the face before he could finish. “There's no need to be rude. And you can't tell me what to do Yusuke because you're a half an hour older than me.”

 

Koenma burst out laughing. “Now I can see why your jaw is so sore Yusuke. “he sighed, regaining his composure. “But, I happen to agree with Yusuke on this.”

 

“What!” Rika shouted in disbelief.

 

“This demon is going through a lot of trouble to get to you. Possessing humans is not something that every demon can do. Granted it is easier taking over children than adults, but it still takes a substantial amount of power. If this demon wants you so badly, I'm not willing to make it easy for him. Hiei, Kuwabara and Yusuke will go talk to this informant. Kurama will stay with you for protection” Koenma told them.

 

That woke Kurama up. “I would be of far better use talking to an informant than on guard duty.” He could not be left alone with Rika, he didn't trust himself. Not with images of her half naked floating throughout his head.

 

“True. However I have a feeling that Yusuke and Kuwabara will end up goofing off on guard duty, and Hiei doesn't have the patience.” Hiei smirked.

 

Rika sighed disgustedly. “Fine. I won't go. But I won't stay cooped up. I have errands that need to be done. I'm not going to hide in my apartment.” She said, looking pointedly at Yusuke, daring him to say something stupid.

 

“That's fine” Koenma agreed. “But Kurama must be with you at all times.”

 

“Fine. Let's go.” Rika said, grabbing Kurama's hand and leading him back to Koenma's office.

What has Koenma gotten me into? Kurama wondered.

 

 

**** Back at Rika and Yusuke's apartment

 

“I'll be out in a minute!” Rika called from her room. She was changing out of her previous outfit; it was all sweaty from her fight with Kenta.

 

Kurama paced nervously in the living room, trying to ignore the scent of Rika all around him. “Take your time, there's no rush.”

 

“We're only going to the market. I've got to pick up food for dinner. Anything in particular you want to eat?” she called.

 

“What?” he called back, confused. She had changed into a black tank top with a purple and black plaid skirt that ended just above the knee and black knee high boots. Oddly enough it was a perfect look for her.

 

Rika walked out of her bedroom, to see a very bewildered Kurama standing in the living room. He did not look at all comfortable. “Since you're to be attached to my hip until Koenma deems it safe enough for me to be all by my lonesome it would be a good idea to feed you. So what would you like for dinner?”

 

“I don't want to inconvenience you” Kurama told her. His eyes wandered to her legs, and he noticed how graceful she really was as she went over to the coat rack to get her jacket.

 

“It's not inconvenient if you're here already. How do you feel about stew? It's one of Yusuke's favorites.” She slipped on her dark blue jean jacket and turned to smile at him. Why is he looking at me so oddly? She was caught up for a moment in his emerald green eyes but quickly shook herself out of the daze. Why was she so mesmerized by him?

 

Kurama nodded and opened the door for her. “It's odd. You're so upset with Yusuke, yet you're going to make him dinner, and a dinner that he likes very much.”

 

Rika shrugged as they left the building and started towards the market. “I've been taking care of the oaf since before I can remember. I can still be mad at him and cook him dinner.” They entered the market and Rika grabbed a basket.

“How is it that you came to live with Yusuke and his mother? Where are your parents?”

Rika stopped to inspect a head of lettuce. “Never met my mother and I barely remember my father. My father and Yusuke's father were brothers, twins actually from what Aunt Atsuko has told us.” Deciding that the lettuce was fresh enough she put it in her basket then grabbed a bag potatoes. “They were both great at the whole disappearing act. So at three, without a mother I had nowhere to go but Aunt Atsuko's with Yusuke. Do you like peppers?” she asked.

“What?” Kurama was completely thrown off by her change in thought.

“Peppers. Do you like them in your stew?” she repeated, picking up a green bell pepper to check it for blemishes.

“Yes, I like peppers. How long have you been cooking for your family?” he wanted to know. He watched as Rika weighed three green peppers on a nearby scale. She quickly put them in a bag and moved on to look at stew meat.

 

“Since I was nine. Hmm, I don't like any of this pre-packaged stuff. At least not for stew. We definitely need to stop at the butcher shop before we go home. Do you like leeks?” They went through the rest of the market, with Rika asking him if he liked certain vegetables and spices.

 

Kurama noticed how easily it was for her to converse with people. She had no qualm asking a total stranger whether he thought the cauliflower looked fresh or not. She made easy conversation with the clerk at the cash register. As they walked to the butcher's she would pause every so often to wave at someone or to call out a greeting. He had never met such an open creature in all of his years. Rika seemed to have no boundaries when it came to friendliness. She was such an oddity to him, and he was fascinated.

 

Rika was extremely content with the meat she has just purchased from the bald and brawny butcher. They would have an excellent meal tonight. “So, you know all about me. What about you?”

 

Kurama raised his eyebrow. “I had assumed that Yusuke had told all there is to know about me” He sounded half amused, half annoyed.

“Ouch. Okay, so I probably know more about you than you do about me at this point. But we can change that. Besides, Yusuke can't always tell me everything about everyone. There are nuances about people. He doesn't always notice them.” Rika took a shortcut through an alley that would cut their walk in half.

“You're very—“Kurama stopped and looked around them. The air had stopped moving and a new scent filled the air.

Rika looked at Kurama's body tense up and started to worry. What was he sensing that she wasn't? “What's up?” she asked nervously as he scanned the alley for danger.

“Something's not right. I think we should take the long way.” No sooner than he had finished his sentence than a seven foot tall giant dropped down in front of them form out of nowhere.

“What the hell?” Rika yelled. Kurama stood in front of her, blocking her from the demon's view.

“You think you can hide weakling girl behind you?” The giant laughed. “I no going to fall for trick”

“Oh great. Someone sends an idiot to obliterate me.” Rika sighed in disgust.

“Not now Rika” Kurama told her in a low voice only she could hear. “What do you want?” he asked the giant.

“I want puny girl behind you” he bellowed. He was huge, weighing at least four hundred pounds. He was bald and he had green scaly skin. There was a noxious smell coming off of him that made Rika sick.

“I'm afraid I can't accommodate you” Kurama told him. He started inching back out of the alley. The giant roared when he saw this and slammed a fist on the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked Rika and Kurama off their feet. Kurama quickly recovered and summoned his rose whip. He wrapped it around the giant's foot with a flick of his wrist and sent him flying to the ground.

“Dammit!!” Rika yelled as the force of the giant's fall knocked her down again. “That big oaf is seriously annoying”.

“Run! Get out of here!” Kurama yelled at her. The giant struggled to get up, shouting threats at Kurama.

“No freaking way!” Rika shouted back at him. How could she leave him there to fight all by himself? She dropped the grocery bags and summoned her spirit energy around her. “I'm not going to run away!”

 

Always ready for a fight, just like Yusuke, Kurama thought in frustration. The giant finally got to its feet, roaring in anger. It swung a huge fist down towards Kurama, which he avoided easily by jumping onto the giant's back. He wrapped his rose whip around the giant's thick neck and pulled, cutting off the giant's air. Rika then launched herself at the giant's stomach, kicking him with all her might. The giant let out a high pitched ,breathless squeal and fell backwards. Kurama quickly leapt off his back and landed beside Rika.

 

“ I suggest we leave now before he wakes up” Kurama grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the alley.

 

“ Wait” Rika bent down to pick up the bag of groceries “ No sense in letting these go to waste.”

 

Kurama shook his head in confusion at this creature. She had just faced annihilation and turned into a fierce warrior at the first sign of trouble. Now she was a homemaker. Would he ever understand her?