Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Poltergiest Report: The Pain of Weakness ❯ Chapter 4: The Awkward Search ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4_YYHFF

The sun was shining brightly when Yusuke stretched and yawned as he sat up on his bed. He slowly got to his feet and walked into the kitchen. Hiei was sitting comfortably in Kuwabara's kitchen chair staring down at a steaming cup of coffee having obviously no desire to drink it. Kuwabara was digging in the fridge for whatever he was looking for. Everything was incredibly silent. Despite being happy that Yusuke hadn't seen Hiei in such a long time he seemed a little uncomfortable. Hiei looked worried. For the first time Yusuke saw something in the fire apparitions expression that was definite fear.

"It must be in my head…this stress is getting to me." Yusuke thought shaking his head. A big grin passed over Yusuke's face and he bounced into the kitchen, "Hey Hiei! How have you been? It's been three whole years! You haven't grown at all." Hiei gave him a grim look and said, "Well, detective, it seems that you have not outgrown your own preoccupation with Koenma. You still work for him. I have only a certain amount of time to bother with your insignificant case and then I must go on to more important matters. So, let's just get this over with." Hiei's remark was almost a shock. It was even more stinging than his usual comments. He was hiding something. Before Yusuke could begin to puzzle over the fire apparition's statement there was a gentle knock on the door.

Kuwabara quickly ran to the door and opened it. In stepped Kurama in a business suit with his black leather brief case. He bowed stiffly to Kuwabara and said, "I'm sorry I was a little early. Things got cleared up remarkably fast this morning. I hope it is not an inconvenience." Yusuke walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Kurama, you have never been an inconvenience. You're always welcome." Kurama caught himself and slouched comfortably, "I am sorry Yusuke. It has become a habit of mine. Being in my father's business and all. I have just adopted certain ways of life. Hiei is here?" "Yeah, he's in the kitchen." Kuwabara replied closing the door behind his old friends.

As soon as Kurama walked through the door both demons realized what the other had been fearing. They both exchanged looks of realization but quickly hide these thoughts and began to converse. "So, Hiei, I see that you have kept yourself busy in the past three years." Kurama said sitting down and pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Hn. No more than you. It seems." Hiei replied looking down at his sword.

"Well, since everyone is here I'll just go over it one more damn time for everybody's benefit." Yusuke replied grabbing a donut. "So, here we are. The four of us again. It's been a long time and naturally we have been busy with our own problems. Kurama, you went into your dad's business. Hiei, you just went back to demon world with Yukina and did whatever. Kuwabara, you got into college, how the hell you did it I'll never know, but you did and I have just been me…the Spirit Detective. So, yesterday, or the day before, Botan contacted me on another case. Now before you start pissing in your pants because you're worried I'll say it again. It's a small case. Just an investigation, Botan just thought that there would be safety in numbers." "Why would you of all people need safety?" Kurama asked. "Yeah. Safety from what?" Kuwabara asked. "How am I supposed to know! I'm just doing what she said…and frankly I'll be damned if I didn't see you guys again! You're my friends I was just thinking, `What the hell? Let's get the group back together one more time.' And that's it!" Yusuke replied shouting. "Alright Yusuke, no need to get heated. We understand. I think I can speak for all of us by saying we've wanted to get back together as well. We've just been busy. So, when do we start for the pulse?" "As soon as we can. That means now." Yusuke replied.

For two hours they wandered around tracking the pulse that seemed to grow stronger every minute. Not just because they were getting close to the pulse but because it was growing stronger by itself. As if it were desperate to be discovered. Yusuke could not shake the lack of friendship that seemed to accompany them. Sure they made small talk but it was very limited…mostly to the weather and whether they were lost or not. Hiei said little but was continuously eying his bandaged hand. Kuwabara kept saying her knew where he was going but he really didn't and Kurama look downright uncomfortable. "Could it be that they have all become weaker? What about me? Am I becoming like I used to be?" Yusuke thought as he looked at his friends around him.

He remembered quite well that the last couple of cases he had been hired to solve where almost nothing compared to Rando and the Dark Tournament and even less than his case against Sensui. He shivered at the thought of Shinobu. Yusuke could still feel the place where Sensui had stabbed him.

"It's coming from here." Kurama said abruptly ending Yusuke's puzzled thoughts. Yusuke looked up. There was a skyscraper being demolished directly in front of them. Kuwabara paled, "Man that is freaky." "You are just feeling the pulse now?" Yusuke asked. "No, stupid! I mean that it's even freakier…er…now that we're closer…uh…yeah! That's it!" Kuwabara replied stumbling over his words and trying to look experienced. "Hn." Hiei replied squinting at the large break in the foundation of the building. "An opening…there." Kurama said scanning the building's foundation as well.

"You mean it's coming from underground?" Kuwabara asked. "You can't tell?" Hiei asked glaring back at him. "Of course I can hamster legs…I was just wondering how far underground it was…um…coming from." Kuwabara replied. "Well, we can't find out what's down there while we're up here talking. Let's get a move on." Yusuke replied.