Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Life Goes On and Life Changes ❯ Arrival ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: This fanfiction contains original storylines and a character of my own. I try to keep the established characters as in character as possible except for the differences in romances. There will be romance such later on but I don't want to rush it. I'm using this fanfiction to build my writing muscles so to speak. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any profit from the characters or storylines of Yu Yu Hakusho. I just had this stuck in my head forever (literally a few years) and finally decided to share with the world.

Chapter Two: Arrival

“It just had to be in the damn woods didn't it?!” Exclaimed an annoyed Yusuke. “Everyone worth anything is in frigging nature! Stupid frigging trees.”

Koenma sighed, a vein in his temple beginning to pulse. “Yusuke, I did say she was a recluse.”

“Since when does recluse mean wooded area only? Guh, damn it!” He swore, prying his shoe from a root.

The walk had been long, true. Koenma wasn't used to such exertion himself and was feeling winded, not surrounded by Spirit World energy here to refuel him as he moved. But he knew Yusuke was just being crabby to front other issues. The act of leaving Keiko behind had been rough on him, Koenma noticed. He'd also been surprised at the way they considered each other family more than romantic. A few times, that question almost came up but looking behind at Yusuke's dismayed expression told him to think better of it. A tingling sensation overcame him and he looked ahead. A thin film was there. A separation of worlds.

“Aha! Yusuke we're at the barrier of worlds, we just need to push through this membrane and we'll be about there.” He said in a spritely manner.

“Oh joy.”

“Don't be a grouch, come on. It's been easier on you than me; you're just moody.” Koenma pointed out.

Yusuke took a moment to really look at Koenma. He was more disheveled than Yusuke had ever seen him. There was even a bit of dirt on his face. The godling was also obviously out of breath. Okay, point. Yusuke figured that meant he could shut up for a minute. He walked to stand beside the other teen and look at the funny “membrane” as Koenma called it. “That thing huh?”

Koenma nodded, “Mmhm! Now only someone like me or that who is invited can pass through something like this. So you'd best hold onto me and I'll pull us through.”

“You sure you shouldn't have something to drink first? You look, ah, tired.” Yusuke said awkwardly.

“I will right after I do this. It's odd, not having my energy just outright replenished by my surroundings I'll admit. Inconvenient, but I'm fine. Ready?” A pale hand reached for Yusuke.

“Ah, yeah. Sure… let's just jump in right?” Yusuke grasped the offered appendage.

Koenma nodded, “Exactly.”

Pressing forward, Koenma concentrated his energy. The blue glow of it was pure, a color not shared by his current counterpart any longer. It pulsed and broke through the pressure of the warped membrane easily. He pulled himself and Yusuke's arm through. The energy they were passing crackled and shocked Yusuke when he was yanked through, making his passage a little harder. Yet Koenma got them through all of the same.

“You, all right?” Yusuke asked with uncertainty.

Koenma nodded and straightened himself up. “Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just took a mite more than I was counting on to get you through with me.”

“Heh, sorry.”

Koenma let go of Yusuke's hand to adjust his bag. “Don't be. You okay? No adverse effects?”

Yusuke surveyed his arms. There were little nicks and scratches that hadn't been there before. Smudges that almost looked like lightning had hit him in some areas. Almost sooty. Not that it mattered, he was starting to heal already. “Nah, just some sparks and that's over with any how.” The teenage demon raised his eyes. A frown appeared followed by a tensing of his entire frame. “More damn nature?”

He couldn't even help it, Koenma burst out laughing. “Ah..ahahaha! You really need to get used to that! As I said, recluse!”

“Why can't at least one friggin' recluse I meet have an apartment?”

“Come on, Yusuke.” There was still laughter in Koenma's voice. “I see her house this way. Just get over it, you'd level a city and you know it.”

“It doesn't matter if it makes more sense damn it! I hate stupid nature. Smells like ass…”

The godling rolled his eyes, “Classy Yusuke. I don't really know how she's going to react to us coming through remember? You should try being on your best behavior.”

With a grunt of annoyance the other boy responded, “I don't have a best behavior.”

“Well, that's the truth.”

The house in front of them was more of a cabin than anything. Plain, unpainted wood with a matching porch. Not very japanese in appearance but more of a Western world style. Not a shoji screen in site. A small gated garden was beside the porch and there were all sorts of plants they'd never seen or heard of around. Bobbles hanging in midair or stuck in the ground that looked practically otherworldly, faerie like in appearance and the energy was weird, new. Koenma walked up to the porch and peered into a dark window. The boards creaked beneath his shoes and he raised a hand to knock on the door.

“Don't make any noise just yet, thank you much,” rang out a woman's voice from somewhere unseen. Her words were very well pronounced and Yusuke tried to place the accent. Definitely not from around here but not like Koenma's.

Speaking of Koenma, he hopped off of the steps and looked around. Yusuke backed up and moved around the right side of the house to see the back of the woman's figure kneeling on the roof with a bird in front of her. “She's used to my voice, but not strangers. And I'm just about finished with the shading in this sketch if you'd wait a tick or two.”

Koenma made an impatient noise in his throat and crossed his arms moving to where Yusuke stood.

Newly enhanced hearing picked up her scratches of graphite on paper, the click of her tongue and the swish of her pad as it was closed. She stood gracefully, without much of a rustling sound, and left the bird some berries. “Thank you for being a sport,” she murmured gently before turning, hands on hips, to stare crossly down at her visitors.

Yusuke felt his eyes bug out of his head. The woman atop her roof was almost a directly feminine version of Koenma. Hair and eyes the same colors, although her eyes were a bit more rounded. Same apparently lean build, although she was slightly more tanned and had more of a chest than the friend beside him at the moment. She even had the same exact skeptical look on her face as she tucked her shoulder length brown hair behind one ear and frowned. Her clothes were something far too revealing for Koenma himself. The woman wore a deep red tank top, black bra straps showing, and denim shorts with not a shoe in sight.

“To what do I owe this unannounced pleasure… little brother? And what nerve, to bring the threat of an S-Class demon to my home?” She said accusingly.

Koenma seemed struck by the likeness himself for a moment before he could respond. “Ah… ah! No, Yusuke here is no threat I assure you! I, could we perhaps speak for a bit?”

She jumped down, making contact with the earth in front of them almost instantaneously. Yusuke marveled at the speed for such a simple action. “You want to speak with me? I thought you had more important matters than to speak with those who abandon their posts.”

Yusuke just about caught the wince on Koenma's end. Aha! He'd lied. At least somewhat. Maybe they'd never met but some communication had clearly occurred in the past after all. Right now maybe wasn't the moment but he wasn't going to let that go either.

“I… I have no other bit for that other than to apologize. Please, can we talk? So much has happened and… Kairi I am at an absolute loss.” Koenma pleaded.

“Pride sounds like it's out the door…”

“Ka-Sister please. Father even has a bounty on my head at this point. We will tell you everything, you owe me nothing but can we at least let you know where we're coming from?”Koenma was pleading. He had no shame in it right now either. He needed help and he knew it.

Kairi stared at both boys in turn and then crossed her arms raising her brow in a very Koenma like way of appraisal. “In you go then, I want all of the details on both of you. Don't leave anything out or lie, I will know. I assume tea is satisfactory?”

No bigger sigh of relief had been heard in Yusuke's life than the one Koenma breathed out. “Yes, yes more than satisfactory. And we'll tell you everything. Isn't that right Yusuke?”

Yusuke felt the tension disappear and just couldn't help himself. “Well I'm more of a coffee guy myself-”

For the first time since they'd met Koenma outright struck Yusuke on the shoulder. “Yusuke,” he threatened.

“Hmph,” sounded Kairi. “Coffee is possible as well. Follow me and don't dawdle please. You are quite on my time.”

Again, unable to help himself. “She's like a fancier Genkai. That's kind of a nice way of saying we're annoying because you hate people.”

The woman stared at him in disbelief for a moment before covering a laugh. “I see, then. How is the old bat? She's up there for a human.”

Koenma stared after the two in front of him perplexed. What was happening?

“Yeah she's practically a mummy but she has enough in her to yell at me.”

“Yusuke!” The teenage god was almost frantic.

“Actually,” Kairi began. “It's hearing this from him that proves to me he's no threat. If he knows Genkai so well I'm not worried. Funny though, how does a demon with your energy level know her so well? From what I know the kekkai only became torn and unstable recently before being mended.”

“That's part of the whole story, I used to be human. Up until like, a couple of weeks ago.” Yusuke held up his hands in a defeated pose.

Their host gestured for them both to take a seat, eyes piercing through the young mazoku in either concern or fascination he couldn't tell which. “I'll… get the kettle on and set the coffee perking. Please, Koenma start your explanations. From the beginning as it were.”

A couple of hours passed, drinks brewed and rebrewed, snacks offered and devoured during the entire story. Everything was relayed, from Yusuke's unexpected death by car to his becoming Spirit Detective to the Dark Tournament and his transformation after a second death by Sensui. Kairi stared at Koenma hard during the part about where Sensui came from. Her disapproval there was obvious but she continued to listen before speaking. They got to where Koenma defied King Enma outright and the end of Yusuke's fight before she settled back with a tired groan.

“So, you're both fugitives of Spirit World then?”

Koenma looked down ashamedly at the small plate empty save for scatter of spare crumbs and said in a dejected tone, “Yes, that's right. And I'm torn. Standing up for Yusuke was… was right and I regret none of it. But now, now Father is overseeing all judgements and I'm sure you know how unfair he is.”

“Boy, do I?” The elder goddess mused. “Sounds like it's all because of a rather large error you made though isn't it, Koenma?”

“And I accept full responsibility. Yet, I did not make a mistake with Yusuke. He was probably my most successful project and I wasn't going to abandon him for his… changes.” Koenma looked on determinedly.

Yusuke couldn't help but smile at that.

“Good to hear, but really, I'm still astounded by the fact that you really thought this Sensui person's mentality was decent to begin with. Anyone would say that he was too delicate.” Kairi criticized.

“Hey,” Yusuke interrupted. “People make mistakes.”

Kairi snapped her intense stare to the boy without hesitation, “That's all well and good, Yusuke but Koenma and I are not “people.” He has less leeway in your statement than you believe.”

“It's fine,” Koenma assured. “Really, she isn't wrong.”

Thin hands moved and ruffled themselves vigorously through her brown locks, almost violently, and left them in some disarray. “So, fugitives. Not wrong to be, you're in the right as you assume to be believe me. Father is a racist… twit to put it mildly.” Koenma choked on his newly poured cup of tea as she said this. “And honestly you need something human world can no longer offer you if it ever even could from the sound of it.”

Kairi rubbed her eyes hard, did some loud breaths and tiredly looked at the boys in front of her. Hands together she pointed her index fingers at Koenma, “You need to broaden horizons and have somewhere safe.” Her fingers moved to Yusuke, “You need training with your energy, yes I can feel the chaotic mess you are, and somewhere safe.”

The two boys fidgeted, uncomfortable in her gaze. She seemed to be on a whole other plane from them. A whole mess of years away…

“I have a spare room, it has a couple of beds but you'll have to share space. Is that something the two of you are mature enough to do?”

Koenma nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes! Kairi… I can't… We can't thank you enough. Truly.”

“Yeah… So Koenma said you were a fighter. You know demon energy pretty well?”

Kairi smirked. “You could say that. I'll get you under control and give you someone more than enough of a challenge to fight. Don't you worry.”

An elbow jabbed incessantly into Yusuke's rib while Kairi spoke. “Owwww, yes okay. Thank you.”

“At least the two of you will be more than entertaining enough.” Kairi stated evenly. “ I do have something of a question for you Yusuke. I saw you able to eat the biscuits I provided but was it to be polite or were they actually edible to you?”

Yusuke looked at her with a confused set of eyes. “They were okay yeah.”

Kairi sat up straighter and looked solely at him. “I see my error here, and I'll be indelicate instead. Are you actually okay eating anything or do you prefer meat? Particularly human after your change?”

The boy was awestruck. The 730 year old teen next to him was about the same.

Slowly, slower than he'd ever spoken Yusuke answered, “No humans. No… I do like meat better than before. Vegetables are like… sand now, sure. But… I can still enjoy things like coffee and steak. No humans.”

Unblinking Kairi nodded. “Without the idea of human meat being abhorrent to you, do they smell good?”

Yusuke shrunk in on himself in the seat he occupied. “No, I don't notice that or want to. I'm perfectly fine with regular meat, all right?”

“Yes, Yusuke it is. Apologies, truly. I didn't realize this was a sore spot.” Kairi, in her defense, did look regretful.

“I don't have any, any will or anything to eat people. At all. Okay? Damn… Just… Agh!” Yusuke got up without excusing himself and plopped himself on the porch outside.

Koenma's accusing look locked in on his sister. “Was that necessary?”

With a shrug Kairi responded with a plain, “Yes. He's so adverse to it it's good to know. Also I'm in charge of feeding him for however long if he needed human meat I would have obtained farmed flesh. I'm no monster.”

“You're very matter of fact about it.”

“Yes. And you would be too if you'd spent as much time in Demon World as I have in the past. I didn't mean to upset the boy. He clearly has many things to come to terms with. But if his claims are true then I will be able to make an easy enough meal for us tonight. Feel free to get acclimated or comfort him. I'll apologize when he's calmed.” Kairi set off towards her larder with a thoughtful expression.

Koenma let out a groan and allowed his head to hit the table. After a moment of talking himself up, the young god of death walked over to where his friend sat and settled in beside him. He didn't say anything. He knew Yusuke well enough to know if the boy wanted to say anything, he would. Enough time passed so that the moon was higher and the smell of cooking food was filling the air before Yusuke said anything.

“I'm not a damn monster.”

Koenma looked at him surprised. “I know you aren't. I think she does too.”

“Then why did she…”

“I asked after you left, she just thinks so matter of factly about it I don't think it occurred to her that you think it's a bad thing.”

Yusuke shifted. “Is it even? Like, I don't want to be but at the same time food chain is food chain… right?”

“That is correct. If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't judge you if you did need it to survive. The demons I have issue with are those that have no dietary need for humans specifically but eat them anyway. Mazoku, typically as a rule, require it and no other sustenance. Of no fault of their own. Since this doesn't seem to apply to you it doesn't really matter then.” Koenma stated with full confidence. “I think she was legitimately asking because she doesn't want to starve you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Yusuke stretched his arms over his head and groaned. “So I got touchy over nothin' then?”

“Hmm,” Koenma mused. “I wouldn't say nothing really but it isn't a big deal no.”

A breeze passed between the two. There was a cooing in the distance that probably belonged to some kind of bird, hell if Yusuke knew, but wasn't unpleasant. He could almost smell the tension coming off of Koenma. Feel his sideways stare. No, not almost. He could actually smell it. At least his gut told him that's what this scent coming off of Koenma was. That and dry dirt and mountain air.

“Sorry.”

Koenma looked confused at the boy.

Yusuke's arms folded behind his head and and pretended to scowl out at the darkening woods in front of them. “I made a big deal out of nothing, so I said sorry.”

…

“Dim-wit.”

Kairi stood over the food she'd made and placed on the table, staring out at her porch. She'd given up years, and by that she means hundreds of years, ago on ever really communicating with her younger brother. He'd been Father's perfect Chief Administrator and dutifully told her to sod off, as it were, when she'd tried. His voice had held utter contempt and she almost couldn't blame him. The boy had been through what she had, possibly worse with their Father, all because of her leaving.

Yet at the first sign of real trouble here he was. Entrusting her with a friend no less. The younger god had thought the need to beg for help, no doubt in response to the cold demeanor she attempted to display in return… There was no need. The answer had been yes before she knew what was happening. Kairi wouldn't want to admit it so readily out loud, but she wanted to form a bond with Koenma. She'd hoped maybe he'd reach out for the last few centuries. It may be for selfish reasons on his part, but he'd shown up. Perhaps now, now she could show him how she'd wanted to be there. That she understood.

She shook her head slightly, allowing her gaze to shift to the young demon instead. The rest of that could wait, could take its time. It would need time anyhow. But what didn't have time to wait was Yusuke's training. They'd be allowed this night and a day to settle in but then she'd have to make the boy work. His energy was giving her a headache. It was almost baffling that Koenma wasn't complaining of it. Their friendship was also confusing. But in the end, they were loyal to one another. For Kairi, right now, that was enough. Straightening her back to draw in a deep breath, Kairi yelled out for dinner; two heads swiveled in unison before rising to the door.

Everything else could wait. Right now, it was enough.