Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Revolution ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

At 6AM the next day Kuwabara showed up at Genkai's bright and early. He had been so excited he hadn't even noticed Kurama had not returned home. He had just one thing on his mind today…

 

“She's not here today either.”

 

Like I said he had two things on his mind today and one of them had apparently been given another day off so Kuwabara wouldn't be distracted.

 

“Kuwabara, how much do you work out these days?”

 

Kuwabara thought for a moment. “Oh, not that much I guess. Kurama and I put on some pads and beat the crap out of each other for a couple hours every morning. And I take a thirty minute jog during my lunch hour. Oh, and I lift weights for a couple hours at night.”

 

“You call that not much?” replied Genkai. “I'd say you've been working pretty hard. I'm pleased to see that. You know why I changed my mind? When you got angry yesterday you kicked up some gravel. You really sent those pebbles flying quite far. Obviously you're stronger now than you ever used to be. I wonder… Kuwabara, let's see that Jigen Tou of yours. And this time give it all the power you've got.”

 

Kuwabara complied at once. He began to grunt and strain like a man severely constipated as he pumped more and more energy into the blade. When he had nothing left to add he opened his eyes.

 

“Wow! I've never had it that powerful before! Wait'll I show it to Urameshi. He'll have to take back a lot of trash talk.”

 

“You'll do no such thing, Kuwabara,” said Genkai. “Your spirit power has increased substantially over the years. Spending all those years just working your body and resting your ki may have been exactly what you needed. And yes, if I may inflate your dumbass ego, I do believe your strength has risen to that of an S-Class demon. Congratulations. Now that you have all this power, what do you intend to do with it?

 

“I dunno, go beat up Urameshi I guess. No wait! Hiei. I wanna make that little punk apologize for all the things he's said about me. But I wanna make him eat a worm first.”

 

Genkai rolled her eyes. “You ought to thank him for not killing you. What I was thinking of is you taking over for me.”

 

“What, me?! I couldn't! What about Urameshi?”

 

“You're a human psychic just like me, Kuwabara,” said Genkai. “It's true that Yusuke and I were closer and his abilities were nearly identical to my own. But he's not the same as I am. You are. Plus his duties are almost exclusively confined to Makai. I don't want what I know to die out with me here in the human realm. It'll be difficult for me to work with someone whose attack ki is so much different than my own. But I'll manage.”

 

She and Kuwabara spent the next several hours using ki energy to float above a pair of spikes as she and Yusuke had once done. Kuwabara's energy was emitted from his palm and thus wider. It gave him a difficult time maintaining his balance.

 

---

 

Yusuke humbly bowed before the headstone and signaled his daughter to do the same.

 

“Sorry I haven't been here in a while. I figured it might be a good idea for Yuka and her mom to come out here and pay their respects but Keiko is having a ladies night out with Yukina, Botan, and Shizuru. Hope you don't mind.”

 

The ghostly image of Raizen grinned. “Keiko doesn't know you brought her out here does she?”

 

“I doubt she'd want me bringing a four year old girl to a place like this, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her.”

 

Raizen smiled. “Hello there Yuka. Do you know who I am?”

 

Yuka responded by hiding behind Yusuke's leg.

 

“Sorry, she's just shy,” explained Yusuke. “I doubt she's ever talked to a dead guy before. Or to a demon for that matter.”

 

“Well she's talked to you before. And Kurama. And Yukina.”

 

“Well all three of us look human.”

 

At that point Yuka peaked out again from behind Yusuke's leg.

 

“Young lady, I'm not sure you realize the opportunity you are squandering here,” said Raizen with a grin. “Usually the dead can only communicate with the living for a few days after they pass away. But I'm special because I was a king. Did you know that? Did you know your grandpa was a king?”

 

“I like crayons,” mumbled Yuka with a brief grin.

 

“So do I,” said Raizen. “They taste like rhubarb.”

 

“Don't give her any ideas,” said Yusuke.

 

“Yusuke, how have things been in Makai?” asked Raizen. “I can't quite tell but I'm sensing some vibes I don't like and it worries me.”

 

“Well the whole dietary thing still has people grumbling,” replied Yusuke.

 

“It can't be just that,” replied Raizen. “Something far more sinister is afoot. Have any factions openly rebelled against Enki or any of the governors?”

 

“No, of course not.”

 

“Wait for it.”

 

---

 

Hiei glanced out of a hallway window in the governor's palace. Down below workers were planting some fruit trees. These were not paid workers. These were prisoners. Though it could not be proven that they were trying to cross over into Ningenkai they had gotten too close to the border. A couple weeks of light labor and they would be released. Those who had obviously tried to cross were flogged for their first offense and executed for their second.

 

It seemed ironic to Hiei that if humans wanted meat they didn't have to cross over or resort to eating each other. There really wasn't any appropriate equivalent of something like a cow, pig, or chicken in Makai. You either had to stick to vegetarianism or starve like Raizen had. Or break the law. And demons were carnivores by nature. To Hiei the situation seemed so hopeless.

 

A peck on the cheek from Mukuro brought Hiei back to reality. “You're lucky I don't startle easily,” said Hiei with a grin.

 

“I doubt anything could startle you, Hiei dearest,” she replied.

 

“Well there's you when you don't shave your legs.”

 

“I'll pretend I didn't hear that,” said Mukuro. “How was the patrol today?”

 

“Uneventful. Except for the last ten minutes. I had to kill this one yokai. A wolf demon. He wasn't starving at all. But he had the most desperate look. He wouldn't back off. He was determined to either go through or die trying.”

 

“I would imagine that the carnivore instinct would be especially powerful in a wolf.”

 

“Exactly. This isn't about food. I keep saying that. This is about demons having to deny their very nature. And when I think about Chapter Black it's a little hard for me to protect them. I swear, if I hadn't formed a few attachments in Ningenkai I would have said screw them all.” Hiei sighed and then smiled. “Mukuro, if you miss meat as much as the other demons, maybe I should take you over there for a day and introduce you to a little thing they call beef. They don't have enough of it to feed their entire world and ours but it wouldn't hurt if just a couple sophisticated yokai like ourselves indulged, now would it?”

 

“Oh that would go over just great with Enki,” replied Mukuro sarcastically. “I'm supposed to be setting this great example. If I got caught crossing into Ningenkai I think that really would spark off a war. Besides… well… my appearance… I'd stand out like a sore thumb.”

 

“Hmm, yes, humans are rather shallow like that.”

 

“Hiei, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Does Kurama have a passport for Makai?”

 

“No,” replied Hiei. “Only Yusuke. He has broken the rules before by bringing his daughter here but that's nothing to raise a fuss about. Cute kid for a human.”

 

Mukuro looked away. She was jealous of parents. But being around kids brought back the memories of her own childhood so having one of her own was completely out of the question.

 

“Why did you ask about Kurama?”

 

“Oh I suppose we can make allowances for him,” replied Mukuro.

 

“Are you saying he's been here?”

 

“Sniff the breeze. He's here now, can't you tell?”

 

Hiei once again employed the use of his Jagan. “I can't find him. I can't imagine how he could have slipped through unnoticed. Unless it was during a time that I was off duty.”

 

“Aren't you the modest one?”

 

---

 

“So does he at least take the pacifier out when he kisses you?”

 

“Yukina! You shouldn't ask something like that…. Um, does he?”

 

“Yukina, Keiko, for heavens sake, you two really do have such odd curiosities,” said Botan with a chuckle as she polished off another beer.

 

“You still haven't answered,” said Shizuru.

 

“Yes, he takes it out. Honestly. Can't a grown man go around with a pacifier without everyone acting like he's a weirdo or something?”

 

“Uh, no, not really,” replied Shizuru. “Your turn Botan.”

 

The four of them were at a bowling alley but they were far busier drinking and gossiping than they were bowling.

 

“Let's see if you're still sober enough to roll that thing straight,” joked Shizuru.

 

“Of course I am. Just watch this.” Botan got up on her tiptoes and then lunged forward, releasing the ball. “Ha! A strike! Beat that Shizuru!”

 

“Um, Botan, it doesn't count if you get a strike in the wrong lane,” said Keiko.

 

“Oops!” Botan's face turned bright red as she looked at the confused faces of the bowlers in the next lane.

 

“I think you've had enough, Botan,” said Shizuru. “Say Keiko, where are Yusuke and Yuka?”

 

“Oh, probably doing something they shouldn't,” replied Keiko. “The less I know, the better I'll sleep tonight.”

 

“And people wonder why I stay single,” said Shizuru. “Men are such complete idiots.”

 

“That's funny because I thought for sure you and Kurama were going to get married,” said Yukina. “You two made a cute couple.”

 

“Oh don't get me wrong, Kurama's a sweet guy but it's like there were a million things that he would absolutely refuse to talk about and it drove me nuts. No, I'll leave the marrying to people like Botan and Keiko. What about you, hon, ever think about getting yourself a man? You've being flying solo as long as I've known you.”

 

“Oh, I don't know about that,” replied Yukina. “Ice Maidens are forbidden to have men in their lives. I still remember what happened to my brother.”

 

“Yeah, but we're not in Makai now,” said Keiko. “You're free.”

 

“Hey, if you want me to set you up I just happen to a rather loveable dope who thinks you're just the greatest thing… Ow! Keiko, what did you elbow me for?”

 

“Botan, you really have had too much to drink,” replied Keiko indignantly.

 

“Nice save,” whispered Shizuru.

 

Just at that moment Koenma walked up wearing street clothes and no pacifier. Botan ran up to him and embraced him. “Oh did you come here to see your little woman humiliate these losers? How sweet.”

 

“How are you going to humiliate us when you can't even find your own lane?” asked Yukina with a grin.

 

“What this?” asked Shizuru with a big smile. “A zinger from Yukina? Wow, this is a night to remember.”

 

But Koenma wasn't laughing.

 

“Honey, what's wrong?”

 

Koenma sighed. “So much for peace. Yomi was murdered about an hour ago.”

 

End Chapter 3