Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Revolution ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

“Faster, you moron! You may be stronger than me but you're way too slow.”

 

Kuwabara was trying his best to climb a mountain without coming into physical contact with it. He had to use a double Rai Ken to jam into the rocky crags and pull himself up, meaning he could only use his upper body. Plus he had weights chained to his legs. Genkai was leaping all over the face of the mountain as nimbly as a mountain goat.

 

“Come on, slacker. If you haven't reached the top of this bad boy in the next 30 seconds I swear they're gonna have to surgically remove my foot from your ass!”

 

“Hey, I'm trying my best here,” he hollered back. “You know you could encourage me a little.”

 

“Haven't you ever seen Star Wars®? There is no try!” And with that Genkai kicked Kuwbara in the back. In that moment he let go of the Rai Ken and started to fall. Genkai was prepared to save him if absolutely necessary but she wanted to see what he would do to try to save himself. In less than a full second she got her answer.

 

“Rei Ken!”

 

Two energy swords emerged from the soles of Kuwabara's feet and jammed into the side of the mountain.

 

“Hey, I didn't know I could do that!” Kuwabara gleefully ran straight up the side of the mountain all the way to the top. “Hey Genkai, did you see that?”

 

“That's what a warrior does,” she replied. “He adapts. He develops new abilities and strategies on the spur of the moment. Now when you do get to the top let's see if we can't get you charging up to full-powered Jigen Tou in much less time and without all that distasteful grunting.”

 

--

 

“THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!”

 

“Now calm down, Shura,” said Enki. “I swear to you, we had nothing to do with killing your father.”

 

“LIAR!”

 

“Yomi was my ally,” insisted Enki.

 

“Gentlemen,” interrupted a familiar look old man. “This bickering will get us nowhere.”

 

This was the same old man who had been spying on Kurama. He was short, about 80 years old, wore a brown suit and derby hat and carried a briefcase.

 

“Shura, who's your friend here?” asked Yusuke.

 

“His name is Yoshiro, my advisor and the only human I trust. I've granted him full diplomatic privileges.”

 

“Gentlemen, I think you must appreciate the seriousness of this situation,” said Yoshiro. “There was conflict between Enki and Yomi at the time of his death; that cannot be denied. I am not accusing you of anything, your majesty, but you must look at the facts plainly.”

 

“What facts?” asked Enki suspiciously.

 

“The circumstances do certainly make for poor appearances. Yomi is dead. You are now in the position to appoint a successor. If you were to appoint someone who better served your majesty's interests than Yomi had it would seem rather suspicious in the eyes of the public and may even serve as grounds for… shall we say… civil unrest?”

 

“War, in other words,” said Yusuke with a frown.

 

“If you wish to phrase it that way,” replied Yoshiro. “I'm not saying a necessity exists for your majesty to outright appoint an enemy of yours to head up Yomi's district, but perhaps someone a little more in line with Yomi's views would be appropriate. Tell me, sire, who did you have in mind?”

 

Enki thought for a moment. “Touya.”

 

“Oh that's just swell,” grumbled Shura.

 

“Lord Shura, am I to take it that you feel this Touya is a pawn of the king?” asked Yoshiro.

 

“Of course I do,” replied Shura.

 

“Now hold on a minute,” objected Enki. “Touya was one of your father's soldiers and next to Kurama he was the most intelligent of the group.”

 

“And he publicly supports you,” retorted Shura.

 

“Well your father didn't exactly NOT support me. He just had concerns. I liked him. He liked me. We just didn't always see eye to eye.”

 

“I'm afraid that the public may not see it that way,” remarked Yoshiro.

 

“Hey, the king's trying to play ball with you here,” scowled Yusuke. “I think it was a good idea myself. Besides, who else could do the job?”

 

“Have you considered giving Shura control over both districts?” asked Yoshiro.

 

“Oh so that's your little game, is it? Using your father's death to increase your own political power. Cute. How do we know you didn't off your old man yourself?”

 

“Say that again Urameshi and I'll personally rip your head off and mount it on my palace gate!”

 

“Why you punk ass son of a…”

 

“YUSUKE!”

 

“Enki, you're not going to let him intimidate us like that, are you?”

 

“Let him fight me!” hollered Shura angrily. “I'm not afraid of you Urameshi. I'm twice the fighter you are.”

 

“Enki, I'm about five seconds away from killing this guy. I don't mean to be insubordinate but I can only take so much.”

 

“Now gentlemen, this really is non-productive,” said Yoshiro. “I think your majesty would be well advised to accept our suggestion. It would be most inconvenient if the cause of death in Yomi were accidentally released to the public.”

 

“What are you saying?” asked Enki. “He was poisoned, everyone in Makai knows that.”

 

“Yes,” replied Yoshiro. “But not everyone is aware that the poison was plant-based.”

 

Yusuke's heart nearly stopped at those words.

 

“Mukuro has confirmed that the Spirit Fox is in Makai as we speak. I need not point out to your majesty the conclusions that people would jump to.”

 

Enki sighed. “You can have what you want, Shura.”

 

“No, Enki, don't!”

 

“I have to Yusuke. This is too serious. But know this Shura, you are still my subordinate and if you try something underhanded I will depose you and all the threats of civil war in the world won't stop me.”

 

“Fine,” replied Shura with a grin. “But if I catch Urameshi snooping on my turf, well accidents happen.”

 

“YOU ARE NOT TO THREATEN MY EMPLOYEES! MAKAI IS MINE AND YUSUKE MAY GO WHERE I WILL IT AND DO WHAT HE IS INSTRUCTED TO DO? GOT IT?”

 

“Why of course, your greatness,” said Shura with mock courtesy. “And let me say that I for one most assuredly guarantee his safety. We will take our leave of you now.”

 

Yusuke and Enki watched them leave. But just as Shura reached the door he turned back towards Urameshi and drew his finger across his throat in a universal gesture to say “You're dead.”

 

“Yususke, do you think Kurama really might have killed Yomi?”

 

“Well he's certainly capable of it,” replied Yusuke. “But he's far too violent for a poisoning. And he has no reason to go after Yomi. They kissed and made up years ago. Kurama retired. The only way he would go after anyone now was if his family was threatened. But Yomi had no reason to do that. Personally I think Shura is up to something.”

 

“Then why is Kurama here?”

 

“I'll ask him.”

 

---

 

“Alright Kuwabara, you've done well so far. But you lack any sort of effective projectile techniques.”

 

“Well I can't use the Reigun,” replied Kuwabara. “I tried it a couple of times but I can only emit energy from my palms, not my fingertips.”

 

“Yes,” replied Genkai. “Let's try to use that Rei Shuriken, only we're going to use it as the basis for your own version of the Rei KÅ Ha. Now close your fist and concentrate on not one, but several imaginary targets. Get comfortable because as so as you pick up on this we'll do it 3,000 times.”

 

Kuwabara concentrated and his fist glowed orange. He wound his arm back and flung the energy he had collected as hard as he could.

 

“No good, Kuwabara. You opened your fist. The Rei KÅ Ha is a close fisted technique and relies on your ki rather than own how hard you can fling your arm. You use your mind and energy, got it? And you're using your Rei Ken level energy. Let's try that again with Jigen Tou.”

 

“Oh no, I'm not gonna have to do it 3,000 times with Jigen Tou, am I?”

 

“Kuwabara! If you complain just one more time I'll kick you where it hurts so hard that Adam and Eve are gonna feel it. Now do it!”

 

“Yes ma'am.”

 

“And Kuwabara, from now on we use Jigen Tou for all training. The Rei Ken is only to be used in actual battle to conserve energy at times when the Jigen Tou isn't needed.”

 

---

 

Kurama walked sadly through a field of grass straight to the edge of a forest in Makai. He lay down in the grass and stared at the red sky above him.

 

“It's so ugly here,” he muttered to himself. “But I didn't know the difference back in the day. This was the only world I had ever known. But I was pretty ugly myself. Ugly inside. Youko. No matter what form I'm in I'm always Kurama now. And I will not fear.... Then why can't I make myself go back and face her?”

 

“Kurama?”

 

Kurama looked up in amazement. He had expected to run into Hiei or Yusuke but certainly not…

 

“Yukina?”

 

“Hello. I didn't expect to run into you here. What are you doing here?”

 

“Can't go home. I just can't face my mother. Long story.”

 

“Oh dear, I'm dreadfully sorry, is there anything I can do?”

 

“No, but thank you for caring. So what are you up to? You really shouldn't be here.”

 

“Well Genkai keeps giving me time off. She's training Kazuma and I guess she doesn't want me around so I came here.”

 

“She's training Kuwabara?” Kurama was certainly not expecting that. “What on earth for?”

 

“Well I guess since Yusuke works here she needs another successor.”

 

“So you came here? Hardly a vacation spot.”

 

“I figured I'd stop by my old village and say hello,” she replied.

 

“Yukina, it's not safe. Especially now. You could get eaten.”

 

“Kurama, I need to. My old friends don't know if I'm alive or dead.”

 

“Then I'll come with you.”

 

“No, Kurama, you can't. They don't allow men.”

 

“I'll lay low. You might as well say yes because I'm way more stubborn than Hiei. I'm not about to let a friend get eaten. ”

 

Yukina looked concerned for a moment but said nothing. Finally she smiled and nodded her head.

 

---

 

Yusuke arrived twenty minutes too late to catch Kurama. But he had certainly been here. The smell of roses was strong in the air.

 

“He didn't do it.”

 

Yusuke turned around to see Hiei standing behind him.

 

“Do you know that for a fact?” asked Yusuke. “Enki won't settle for opinions.”

 

“Kurama's step-father was attacked. The assailants were slain easily enough but one of them claimed he'd been sent by Yomi before he died.”

 

“Then perhaps someone knew Kurama's Achilles' Heel,” replied Yusuke.

 

“His what?”

 

“Sorry, human expression. Maybe someone WANTED Kurama to go after Yomi. I doubt very much Yomi would have done something like this.”

 

“Kurama didn't go after him,” replied Hiei. “I've been watching him like a hawk. Mukuro assigned me to figure out what he was doing here. He slipped past the A-Class sentries while I was off duty. Of course Kurama wasn't dumb enough to fall for the little charade he had witnessed in Ningenkai. He merely wanted to ask Yomi if he knew anything and warn him that something was up. By the time he reached Yomi's palace, he was already dead. Kurama never even went inside. He knew at once that he'd been set up.”

 

“So you're Kurama's only alibi, then,” replied Yusuke.

 

“Looks like,” replied Hiei.

 

“Then why didn't he return to Ningenkai?”

 

“I'll tell you why.” Yusuke and Hiei turned around to see a very large demon and several of his companions standing behind him. “This little pipsqueak is lying,” continued the demon. “That Spirit Fox killed our king but this guy's trying to protect him. Don't you let him mislead you. You have a duty to find that criminal and arrest him, Mr. Spirit Detective. He's probably lingering here to kill someone else.”

 

“Excuse me but this is a private conversation,” scowled Hiei. “I'll spare your life even though you implied I was a liar but leave now.”

 

“Nice one, Hiei,” mumbled Yusuke.

 

“You dare speak to me like that you little runt? I'll have your head for a trophy!”

 

“Saw that coming,” said Yususke. “Reigun!”

 

With one blast the largest of the group of demons was dead. Hiei drew his sword as three more demons attacked. In the less than half a second he had swung his blade each one of them had been sliced one hundred times. The two demons who were left were both upper A-Class. One of them was a wolf demon like the one Hiei had killed earlier. Hiei immediately sheathed his sword. He didn't want this thing biting the blade.

 

“JaÅ Ensatsu Rengoku Shou!”

 

Hiei's fiery fists flew at lighting speed, killing the creature quickly. The other demon was a badger. It had long, razor-sharp claws and its speed would have put a powerful S-Class to shame.

 

“Rei KÅ Ha!”

 

The creature was ruthlessly blasted. The fight was over.

 

“Let's just hope any demons tailing Kurama will be as weak as these,” said Hiei.

 

“Well he wouldn't have to worry about that at all if he'd just go home,” grumbled Yusuke.

 

“I spoke to him,” replied Hiei. “He told me his human mother saw him Rose Whip some demon to death. He's always been the bravest demon I know, but this time he's afraid. He won't go back. Not a chance.”

 

“And in the meantime he's still in trouble and we still don't know who killed Yomi,” said Yusuke. “You should have heard the unpleasant little conversation I had with Shura this morning.”

 

“Actually I did. Sort of.”

 

“How?”

 

“The Jagan reads lips very well. I was an eyewitness to every minute of that conversation.”

 

“I still say Shura either killed Yomi or hired the assassin.”

 

“Don't be a fool Yusuke. And don't try to think too hard, it never was your strongest point. Shura has always worshipped the ground his father walked on. And he's not really the ambitious type. I am however quite suspicious about that human he's hanging out with.”

 

“So what do we do now?”

 

“We? We do nothing. I go home and get ready for the hell that's about to break lose. I'd recommend you do the same. Kurama's on his own. Continuing to look for him won't help.” Hiei began to walk away but stopped and looked over his shoulder. “My loyalty is to Mukuro and her loyalty is to Enki. So if we're unlucky enough to have a war, at least we'll be fighting on the same side this time.”

 

---

 

“Alright Kuwabara, I've seen you use your Rei Ken to deflect energy attacks before. What I'm about to show you is similar. Hold out your arm.” Kuwabara complied and immediately Genkai grabbed it. “Reiko Kyohan-Sho!” Kuwabara felt energy drain from his body. At once, Genkai reverted to her younger form. “Alright, I stole some of your energy. Now try to steal it back.”

 

“Wish I didn't have to. You look so beautiful like that.” Kuwabara hadn't meant to say that out loud and was sure to be yelled at or struck or something but to his amazement, Genkai smiled sweetly.

 

“Thank you Kuwabara. Now close your eyes and concentrate on the energy you feel coming from me. Can you feel it?”

 

“I think so.”

 

“Good. The energy frequency I give off is constant. Some fighters like Suzuka have energy that changes frequency several times a second, so this won't work on them. Alright, if you can truly sense it, taking it won't be too tough. Try it.”

 

Kuwabara grabbed Genkai's arm. “Reiko Kyohan-Sho!” At once the power returned to him and Genkai reverted to her old self.

 

“Good, good. You're learning much faster than Yusuke ever did.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. It's because you're afraid of me so you'll cooperate.”

 

As the sun set, the two of them continued to train. Neither one was aware that only a few feet away they were being watched by Mukuro.

 

End Chapter 4