Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Mirai ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, nor do I own any of the characters, etc. If I did Kuwabara would stay fully dressed at all times. Flames will be used to make s'mores. Read&Enjoy&Review

AN: Words to know:
O yasumi: goodnight.
Fukano na: Nonsense
Nani: what?
Aishiteru: I love you
Gomen: sorry
Yurushite kudasai- forgive me
Nade kuso?: What the H***?
Onee-chan: little sister
Onii-san: big brother
Neko: cat
Baka: idiot, fool
Kitsune: fox
Matte: wait

*~*~*~*~*~*

The sky was a deep purple, and the clouds had a strange glow to them and the moon rose higher in the forest sky. Two silver nine-tail kitsune ran free and wild among the trees. They ran like this every night. To the untrained eye, they were on the hunt, looking for the next meal, but they were only playing. Their "games" gave no real hint of either of their personalities. They had the potential to be cold and cruel, but when it was just the two of them, their kinder, friendlier sides emerged. They allowed themselves to be something other then evil. Darkness fell, and they decided to head for their home. They would need some rest before the next day came. He waited until she was asleep, and went out to practice his favorite hobby; lock picking. She heard him leave and slowly got up.
'Gone to pick locks again.' She thought. 'I'll follow. I've got nothing better to do.'
So she set out, waiting long enough that he may not hear her, suddenly she couldn't see him anymore. He'd slipped into a building.
'I'll wait here.' She thought. 'Give him a little fright. That'll teach him to invite me next time.'
She heard yelling, and saw him running out of the back door he'd opened just a moment or so earlier. A man was following him, but unlike the other times he'd been caught, this man had a gun.
'Youko!' She called through their telepathic link. She started to run towards him. She could help fight the man; she'd even kill him if he meant to kill Youko.
'Run, you baka!' Youko ordered. 'I'll meet you back at home.'
'But Onii-san!' she protested.
'Just go!' With that he bolted off in the opposite direction.
She turned and ran as fast as she could back to her home. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the gun fire, and she considered turning back and trying to help, but she knew he'd be okay. He said he'd be home, and he'd never let her down before. She made it home, and paced anxiously until dawn. She waited, but he didn't show. Not by dawn, or by dusk, or by the next dawn. When she realized the truth, she sank to the floor, grief overcoming her. Youko was dead, and it was her fault. If she hadn't followed, and distracted him, he probably would've made it back safely.

* * *

"So, another year, another Dark Tournament." Yusuke said as he flopped onto the couch in his team's hotel room. He yawned. "That boat ride made me tired, I'm gonna go on to bed."
"Just don't sleep for a week like last time." Kuwabara warned. "You're impossible to wake up."
"It was only a day." Yusuke corrected. "And it's not like I missed anything important." Kurama shook his head and took a seat in a nearby chair.
"I wouldn't take matters too lightly, Detective." Hiei warned from his usual perch on the windowsill. "It's true, this year probably won't be as hard as before, but it still won't be simple."
"Hiei's right." Kurama said. "We'd best go into this one just as cautious as the first one."

"Tell me my ears deceive me." Yusuke said with a laugh. "Did I just hear Hiei agree with Kuwabara?"
Kurama laughed as Hiei and Kuwabara glared darts at Yusuke, then at each other.

* * *

The next day Team Urameshi entered the stadium. Koto was in her usual spot in the center of the ring.
"Now entering team Urameshi!" She called excitedly, and the crowd gave their usual threats and jeers. "And their opponents: Team Sentoryoku!" In came a group of four demons, all female, a neko, a wolf, one that looked human, and a kitsune.
"First fighters, step up!" Koto continued.
"They're girls." Kuwabara said, backing up. "I can't fight them; I've got an honor code to uphold."
Yusuke slapped his forehead, and was about to step into the ring when Kurama stopped him. "I'll go first."
Yusuke was about to protest when he noticed the kitsune had stepped up.
'I guess it's a fox thing.' he thought, and Kurama climbed in.
"Begin!" Koto ordered, stepping back. He could barely keep track of her as she made her attacks, slashing at him with her claws.
"Folks, it appears that Kurama has decided not to counter attack." Koto said. "The fight may be over sooner then we'd hoped."
Suddenly Kurama blocked one slash, and sent her flying. He pulled out a rose, and summoned his rosewhip.
"I can't watch!" Kuwabara exclaimed, covering his eyes. "She's as good as gone if he's using his rosewhip!"
To everyone's surprise she summoned a whip out of her spirit energy. The two whips struck out, met, and recoiled like snakes battling for territory. Just when Kurama thought he was about to hit her, she'd block from out of nowhere.
"Wow folks!" Koto exclaimed. "This battle is better then we'd hoped. With both opponents locked in what appears to be a stalemate, we just can't tell who will win!"
Both fighters paused momentarily.
"Now they wait." Hiei explained. "They're trying to find some flaw in each other's strategy in hopes they'll win."
'The last person I fought that was this good was Mirai.' Kurama thought, slightly surprised.
"Nade kuso?" His opponent asked. "What'd you just say?"
"Is she insane?" Kuwabara asked. "He didn't say anything."
"How did you know my name was Mirai?" She demanded, an angry look on her face.
Kurama looked at her, and sudden realization struck.
"It can't be." He said. "Onee-chan?"
"I'm not your onee-chan." She said. "My brother is dead."
He looked into her ice blue eyes, and saw something he hadn't seen in nearly two decades. Mirai turned, and left the ring, she then left the arena.
"It looks like a ten-count would be pointless." Koto observed. "The winner is Kurama. by default."
The crowd yelled insults as Kurama left the ring. He looked at Hiei and Yusuke for a moment. Hiei nodded, and Kurama left the arena in search of Mirai.
"Matte!" He called, and Mirai stopped. "Can't you tell it's me?"
"I don't associate with humans, or traitors." She said, her voice had a cold tone she used only for enemies. "And you're both."
"Won't you hear me out?" He asked and his green eyes met her blue. "You've got nothing to lose by doing that much."
"I told you, my brother is dead." She growled.
He was about to protest when Hiei appeared out of nowhere.
"Both teams will be disqualified if you don't go back inside." He said, then was gone again.
Mirai turned, and started back towards the arena, Kurama followed.
"If you decide to hear me out, stop 15D." He said.
They entered to fin Yusuke fighting the wolf demon.
"Koneko." Mirai called. "Nanashi."
"Hai Mirai-sama?" They responded, turning from the arena.
"Beat Team Urameshi at any cost." She ordered and they nodded.

* * *

Much to Mirai's displeasure, Team Urameshi won 3:1. Kuwabara refused to fight, and Nanashi made quick work of him. They were to leave the island tomorrow on the first boat out.
Yusuke and Co. were left to their amusements. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei were playing cards.
"It's your turn Shrimp." Kuwabara said with a grin.
"You're going to lose, you lump." Hiei responded, drawing another card.
"I hope you two don't kill each other over "Go Fish"." Yusuke responded. "We'd be missing half the team if you did."
Kurama wasn't paying attention to their conversation. He was sitting on the windowsill, staring out at the horizon. His mind roamed to so many years ago when he spent nearly everyday with Mirai. She was the only person he could safely show any emotion towards.
She didn't ask him to be the strong one, or to protect her, but he had. He recalled her cold tone, and it nearly broke his heart.
"I win!" Yusuke announced, gleefully. There was a knock at the door. "I got it." He opened it to find Mirai standing there. Still Kurama didn't move.
"What?" Yusuke asked. "Come to challenge Kurama to a rematch or something?" Mirai said nothing, but started at Kurama. He felt her watching him and slowly arose.
"I asked her to come." He explained, slowly walking forward. Hiei stood up, and as if on cue, lead Kuwabara and Yusuke out of the room.
"You've changed." Kurama said, now standing directly in front of her. "But then again, it's been a while."
She said nothing, but the look in her eyes told that she was obviously not interested in this small talk. He cut right to his point.
"I was badly injured that night, and didn't have enough strength to make it home." He said. "I found a pregnant human woman, and decided to be reborn."
"Hmph." She walked a circle around him, examining him from head to toe. "I always hoped Youko'd be reborn, but I never imagined he be a human. And such a girly looking human at that."
Kurama's eyes flashed with uncharacteristic coldness, as did his voice. "Is that any way to speak to your older brother?"
She jumped slightly, then regained her anger. "I could've healed you." She growled. "But now my brother's dead."
His eyes softened as they met hers. He put a hand on her arm, and went to speak, but she pulled away.
"I've found out what I came to." She said as she headed for the door. She didn't look back as she left. "I just wanted to make sure Youko really was dead."
The door slammed, and Kurama took his seat back on the windowsill. By the time his teammates emerged from the next room, he was lost in his own thoughts once again.
'She hates me.' He thought. 'I've missed her for so long, and when I find her she hates me.'

* * *

The Tournament dragged on, and Team Urameshi rose higher and higher in the ranks.The night before the semi-finals, Kurama was at what had become his usual perch. His mind kept going back to when he'd been Youko. He found himself longing to run through the forest with Mirai like he used to, but suddenly her words came back to him.
'I don't associate with humans,' He recalled. 'Or traitors and you're both.'
He stood up, and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Kuwabara asked, looking up from his cards.
"Out." Kurama said. "I'll be back in time for tomorrows battle, I assure you,"
"But-" Kuwabara protested, but Hiei cut him off.
"Shut up you baka." He said. "When will you learn what to keep your nose out of?"
Kurama closed the door and started walking. He silently thanked Hiei for handling Kuwabara. He wasn't sure he could explain the situation, even if he did feel like talking about it. He let his mind wonder back to his old life, back to when his sister loved him. A tear slipped down his cheek as he entered the forest on the outskirts of the island.
'Oh God! They've surrounded me. I'm trapped!' Came a sudden voice interrupting his thoughts.
'Mirai.' He realized. 'She's in trouble.'
A strong feeling of anger filled him. Not at her, but at whoever was endangering her. He started to run; the kitsune in him leading the way, every step enraged him more. He felt his body shift into a form that now seemed alien to him. Using his now enhanced senses, he could find her easily. He came to a clearing, and saw a circle of large male youkai. Past them Mirai was pinned by her bare shin to the side of a rock cliff.
"Come on little fox." One said in a gruff voice. "We just wanna play."
"Yeah, Foxy," Another said. "Just a little game."
Youko said nothing, but his attack was swift. Within seconds they were all dead. He unpinned her, and she looked at him with disbelief.
"Yo-Youko?" she stammered, collapsing into his arms. She threw her arms around him and began crying harder then she had in years. "I missed you so much, Onii-san!"
He hugged her and closed his own eyes. His anger subsided, and he felt himself shift back into his normal for. He hugged her tighter. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Kurama?" she asked softly. "I'm-I'm truly sorry. I never should've doubted that you were Youko. I've been such a fool."
"Shhh." He tried to quiet her tears. "There'll be time for apologies later."
She later explained she'd joined another team to stay on the island, but they apparently wanted more from her then a few wins in the arena.
"I'd gone out to the forest for a run, and they caught me off guard as I was laving. I didn't even have time to defend myself." She said. "They would've taken exactly what they wanted if Youko-I mean if you hadn't shown up.."
Kurama smiled, and kept tending to the small wounds on her arm.
"Yurushite kudasai, onii-san" she said. "Gomen."
His smile told her she was forgiven.
"Aishiteru onii-san." She smiled.
"Aishiteru, onee-chan." He replied. "Now sit still."

* * *

Mirai's eyes opened with a start. She'd been having some odd dreams lately, but this one topped them all. She sat up and allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
"Youko." She called out.
"Nani?" He asked groggily.
"Did I wake you?" She asked softly.
"I'm awake now." He groaned, sitting up. "Nani?"
"I had a strange dream." She started.
"And?" He asked. "What am I supposed to de about it?"
"You were hurt, and got reincarnated." She said. "As a human."
"Fukano na!" He laid back down. "Now go back to sleep."
"But onii-san..." She protested. "It was so real..."
"O yasumi." He said, more of an order then anything else, and she sighed.
"O yasumi." She replied, as she closed her eyes. She slowly drifted back into a dreamless sleep, but couldn't shake the feeling that this dream meant something more then Youko made it out to. Last time a dream had been this real, it came true.

The End.