Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Worthless Humans ❯ In Spirit World ( Chapter 33 )

It was somewhat relieving to be somewhere other than Makai though still anxiety provoking all the same to not be at least in Human World. The weary slaves had all been herded like beaten cattle into a large room where they were to wait until they were called. Windows were at least present within the waiting room to allow those within to gaze outside if they wished to from the castle high up in the sky. Nari sat upon one of the plush sofas to look out the towering window behind her at the clouds and roads she could see intertwining with one another almost like a dance to her. She kept her son hid still within the rug she held, believing that Koenma was uncertain if Okuro was a mixed demon or not.

 

“I guess this is heaven,” Felix remarked as he sat not too far away from Nari who was gazing outside.

 

“I guess so,” she whispered as she drank the water that was within her hand. It was the first time in years to finally be able to drink something that wasn't contaminated with dirt or smelt of a demon's seed. It was soothing to her battered and weary body that had slept for a few days just to recuperate from the beatings it took. “It's hard to believe we are finally here.”

 

“I honestly never thought I would make it here,” Felix remarked with a brief chuckle of amazement. “I thought for sure I would die there and never see my family again.” Quiet for a moment, Felix scratched the side of his face with a bit of a sigh. “However, I have to admit I am a bit hesitant about going back…with all things considered.”

 

“What do you mean?” Nari wondered as she ate some of the bread there on the table in front of them.

 

Felix parted his legs so he could rest his forearms on his thighs while eyeing the food there in front of them. “It's hard to imagine that someone could take a human man and make him feel less than human let alone less like a man.” Felix's stomach couldn't handle the sight of food there before him any longer as he reached for an apple not too far away from him. “I was beaten and ridiculed by a woman of a different species and it is truly hard to believe but…I cannot go back to the Philippines and be the way I used to.”

 

Nari nodded at what her friend was saying as she reached for a peach to give to her covered son. “I guess it would be difficult for me to go home even now as I am, especially given how I look.”

 

Felix's dark eyes gazed over at Nari as he looked up her body clothed in the white nightgown like shirt Botan had spared her. He could still see the many marks on her body that were tremendous and hard not to look upon.

 

“I can only wonder what my parents are doing now,” Nari wondered quietly as she looked for another peach to give to her hungry son. “I doubt they would even recognize me…”

 

The marked Asian male managed a brief smile as he placed his hand upon her shoulder. “I am sure they will recognize their daughter when she returns home.”

 

The door opened up front as the sky blue haired messenger girl held a list of names within her hand. Checking off the last person she had called, she looked to the next one. “Hugo Hernandez,” Botan called out as she looked about the room hoping the name might ring a bell to someone.

 

Felix lifted his head at the sound of it and couldn't help but laugh quietly with a shocked expression. “Wow—it's been a long time since I heard that name.” Looking back at Nari he offered another smile to her before getting to his feet. “I have to go now. That is me they are calling.”

 

“Good luck, Hugo,” Nari whispered as she held onto his hand until releasing it.

 

“I had it all the time when you named me Felix,” he chuckled lightly. “In Latin it means `lucky' so thanks for that.” Parting from the scene, Hugo headed for Botan and followed her to Koenma once the door shut.

 

Okuro moved close to his mother prompting Nari to gaze down at him as she held onto him gently. “At least we are safe for now, Okuro,” Nari whispered as she rocked her son a little. “All we can do is wait for us to be called…”

 

Candy watched from across the room, where she was talking with other New Yorkers, as Nari continued to try and console her son as well as herself. Her hands pushing herself off of the sofa she was upon, Candy excused herself over to where the trembling blond was sitting in the back. Joining the young woman, she intertwined her fingers as she eyed Nari with a simple nod. “So how are you doing?”

 

Nari offered a smile to Candy. “I am alright. It took a lot of Koenma's healing powers or whatever it was he used but my body feels a bit better,” she answered as she reached for a chip to nibble on. “Right now I am nervously waiting for my name to be called so my fate can be decided.”

 

“Ditto,” Candy sighed as she ran her fingers through her messy, black hair. Fidgeting, she began to wonder if it would be appropriate to ask what the screaming was all about when Nari had probably been traumatized enough. “So,” Candy began anyway, “what happened to you…down in the basement, I mean.”

 

To recall the images that she could so clearly see in her mind made Nari's fingers tremble almost uncontrollably. “I'd—I'd rather not talk about it….he did some awful things to me…”

 

“That's alright,” Candy insisted as she turned around to look out at the night sky. “It sure looks nice outside for once. It's nice to be able to view the world from behind a window and not behind bars.”

 

Nari looked back out the window to watch as some of the clouds passed them slowly by. Reaching her free hand out to touch the glass, she managed a smile at being able to do such without being punished. “It's different being able to do whatever we want to now and not be beaten for it.”

 

“Yeah, a whole week has gone by and I haven't been touched,” Candy scoffed as she rubbed the scar she could feel on her right cheek. “It's nice to be free again.”

 

The ivy green, weary eyes of Nari gazed about the room before landing them upon Candy. Another smile that was hard for her to express spread across her face as she situated her son in her arms. “At least we made it together, Candy…I was afraid you were going to end up like my old neighbor.”

 

Candy scoffed as she waved off the idea. “I would never give up that easily.” The colorful New Yorker paused as she nudged Nari's arm gently with her elbow. “And I know you wouldn't either.”

 

“I almost did for a moment there,” Nari admitted. “But I tried not to since I had been tormented enough.” The thoughts of the mansion dwelled within Nari's mind as she thought back on the building that probably was littered with dead demons and humans. “I bet that place is filled with ghosts now considering the horrible deaths of those in that building…”

 

“You believe in that shit?” Candy scoffed lightly as she filled an empty glass with more water. “You believe in the paranormal?”

 

Not afraid to admit it, Nari nodded. “It is something that always held my interest and I sort of believed it.”

 

The double doors within the room opened up to show Botan once more with the same list that she had previously. Looking at the paper on the clipboard, she called the next person in line. “Mark Herbert.”

 

Everyone watched as a Scottish male got from his seat off to the right to head for the door where Botan was waiting. Nari's anxiety level rose every time someone was called. The room seemed to be getting larger with every passing moment and it made a feeling of loneliness cast over the area. Taking in a deep breath, she attempted to relax herself while eating what she could to remain full and satisfied.

 

“Do you know who else got killed there in the mansion?” Nari asked. “I couldn't see or hear anything going on for days when I was locked up in that basement.”

 

“My neighbor I know got killed by him,” Candy answered with a nod. “I saw her cut in two there upon the floor…it was the most horrible thing I ever did see.” Breaking the cracker in her hand into little pieces, she continued with a sigh. “She came from Dundee, Sound Africa I think. I tried to keep her with me but she panicked and fled down another hall and I was too fearful to follow seeing as the fox demon was last seen nearby.” Shaking her head at the thought of losing her friend she had gained pained Candy even if she didn't know her too well. “I wish she didn't have to die that way. I wish none of them had to die that way.”

 

“I feel the same,” Nari whispered sorrowfully as she rubbed Candy's back to help console her friend, “about many I had befriended and watched die…”

 

 

 

 

The hours passed and everyone grew weary to the point of sleeping close to one another. The messenger girls continued to come in and out to call out who was on their list. Candy Ida was eventually called and she pulled herself away from the sleeping Nari and Okuro. Nari opened her eyes in time to watch as Candy left when her name was called. Since she couldn't speak due to exhaustion, she took Candy's extended hand until the New Yorker pulled from her steadily.

 

“Take care, Nari,” Candy whispered as she pulled from the sleeping pack that was left.

 

“Take care, Candy,” Nari responded as softly in return before closing her eyes once more for the night.

 

It was a peaceful time's rest if any. It was relaxing for Nari who was always brutally awoken and jeered at until the demons left to destroy others and steal their valuables. To not feel worried about what the coming day would bring was new. She would occasionally wake up and look around just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The years had been so long and she no longer wanted to live in turmoil. As she remained there in the back on the sofa with her son, the doors opened over time and Botan stood there to call out her name.

 

“Nari Kudo,” Botan called within the room even if some of the slaves moaned a bit from being awoken.

 

Hearing her name being shouted awoke Nari from her slumber as she gradually got to her feet with her covered son. “I am coming,” she whispered to Botan in front of the doors. “Come on, son,” Nari urged softly as she picked up Okuro who was half asleep.

 

Botan waited patiently for Nari as she stepped aside for the young woman to finally make her way past where she stood. With the former sex slave outside, the messenger girl closed the doors behind her to leave the rest of the humans to sleep as they desired. “Follow me,” she encouraged as she headed down the right of the hallway to where Koenma's office would be.

 

Nari followed silently behind the woman she did not know too well. She looked up at the towering walls that almost seemed to disappear into darkness, they rested so high up. Her bare feet tapping against the marble, she kept her shaky gaze on the back of Botan nervously. “Where are we going?” Nari eventually asked boldly.

 

“We are heading to Koenma's office,” Botan explained as she finally got to the doors to open them for her. “Go on inside and do not worry, for he will not hurt you.”

 

Nari looked at the doors resting to her left before hesitantly touching them to open them herself to be let inside. Peeking inside the room, she saw the teenager that spoke to her a week ago and allowed her to keep her son. She walked closer to the young ruler of Spirit World with her head slightly bowed seeing as she never faced a ruler before and wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

 

Koenma put away the paper that was before him on his desk to look at Nari with a nod. “Yes, I wanted to speak to you about your situation, Nari.” The ruler intertwined his fingers as his elbows rested upon his desk to eye the scarred woman. “I hope you are aware of what you want here. You want to go to Human World looking the way you are with the son the way he is.”

 

Nari's eyes widened at what Koenma had said to her as she stepped back in leeriness.

 

“Don't worry, I don't plan on taking your son from you,” Koenma explained as he rose his hand to make her stop. “I also know that you are immortal and you going back to Human World may cause problems.” Sighing at the thought, he continued, “You will have to move frequently, Nari and keep Okuro's awkward appendages covered up and out of sight to those who may be sensitive to demons. If you do not, hell will erupt once more for you.”

 

Silence reined between them both as Nari thought on the consequences of going back to Human World to live. It was a struggling thought, knowing she wouldn't be ridiculed for her outlook up in Spirit World unlike what she knew would await her in Human World.

 

“Are you willing to go down there to live like this?” Koenma asked as he kept a serious look upon his features.

 

Biting her lower lip, Nari eventually nodded. “Yes, sir, I do…”

 

Koenma took the paper in front of him and stamped it with the red ink he had dipped it within to approve of it. “Alright then, I will send you down to Human World once again. However, you are not to speak of Makai and what happened to you, thus I want you to avoid your family. To them you are still dead. Botan will take you in the morning and find you a place to stay, but it is up to you to find for yourself and care for your son. We will check up on you every now and then so be warned of that. You are part of our little protection program.”

 

Botan walked into the room once the conversation was over so she could escort Nari to a spare room further down the hall. “Come with me, Nari,” she said as she grabbed onto her arm gently to pull her back towards the door.

 

“Wait, wait,” Nari begged as she tried to dig her heels into the tiles. “I want to know how you knew who I was out of all those who were taken.”

 

Koenma looked back down at the papers he had in front of him with a shake of his head. “I cannot tell you that. You are dismissed, Nari.”

 

Without another word, Botan took Nari once more and guided her out of the room and back into the hallway. “You will be spending the night here until I can get you both down to Human World.” Botan headed down the hallway with Nari right behind her as she looked for the free room that would suit the battered human for the night. Eventually the messenger girl came upon it on the right further down the hall and stopped before the door to open it for her.

 

Stopping at the entry, Nari watched as the door was opened to reveal a small room that had a bed fit for two and had a vanity near the bed on the right of it. There was a small window above the bed's frame with the curtains flowing down the sides of the bed from the windowsill. “Is this mine?”

 

“For the time being, yes,” Botan answered as she waved her on inside. “I will be back early in the morning to tend to you before guiding you back to Human World. Sleep well, Nari.” Bowing for Nari respectfully, Botan closed the door behind her to give the blond the privacy she needed.

 

Nari walked on inside and placed Okuro on the bed under the covers so he could continue to sleep the rest of the night away. Fixing the white sheets over her son, she sat on the bed to look up at the window that showed her part of the Spirit World once more from where she was sitting. The thought of going home really excited her and yet made her fearful all the same. Pulling back the sleeves on her gown she had on, Nari looked at the scars on her arms that would never go away and made her look down upon herself internally with a sorrowful exhale.

 

Eventually she grew tired and situated herself under the covers with the slumbering Okuro. Moving closer to him, she wrapped her arms about his body to hold him close to her scarred form. “Goodnight, Okuro,” Nari whispered in his coal black fox ear. “I love you.”

 

Okuro said not a word as he remained out like a light. His ear twitched slightly from the feel of his mother's breath there upon it and he moved slightly. It was the first time since his birth that he had been on a comfortable bed and it kept him asleep throughout the nightly hours.

 

 

 

 

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To see the cars honking and skidding across the roads with people walking on the sidewalks and on crosswalks about the towering buildings was almost like a distant memory to Nari that was being rekindled for her. She headed down the busy sidewalk with Botan taking the lead for her after the slight makeover she was given up in Spirit World so she wouldn't look like she was homeless. Her blond hair was layered down to touch her upper back while some of her scars were covered with makeup and warm attire for the fall season that had arrived there on Human World.

 

Botan hurried through the people on the streets in her human form while keeping a firm grip on Nari's wrist to guide her along. “We should be there soon. Just keep up with me and you will be at your own little apartment. It is not much, so don't expect it to be extravagant. We're on a low budget right now with all we need to send back.”

 

“Right now I would settle for anything that isn't Makai,” Nari expressed as she stayed on Botan's heels.

 

The three of them eventually made it to the apartment complexes Botan spoke of within an hour or so. The messenger girl hurried on inside to handle the paperwork for Nari as well as pay for three months rent in hopes the rattled woman would be able to find a job in the duration of the time to pay for it without their further help. Nari headed up the stairs to her room with her son and Botan taking the lead still for them. When they got to the third floor and room number 312, the nervous Nari opened the door with the key she was given to see where she would be living for the remainder of her life.

 

As soon as she opened the door to the room, Nari could only manage a smile for a moment at what was there. The place was only partly furnished and what was left wasn't exactly wonderful. The sofa left there was of an unappealing color of dingy green with a couple of stains. The cupboards were falling apart and the stains tainted the kitchen area as well. It made Nari partially relieved to be within the room but then slightly depressed all the same to be slightly reminded of the penniless life she had back in Makai.

 

“It's not—so bad,” Botan tried to say cheerfully as she filled out the papers given to her.

 

Nari looked into the room that was down a small corridor to gaze at the bed within the bedroom. It was just as messy as the rest of the apartment room but it didn't deter the wavering smile. “I guess I can try and get it looking better in time…”

 

“I am sure you will be able to do such,” Botan encouraged as she finished the paperwork. “Remember that you have a son to watch over now and that is your main priority.”

 

Hearing of her son, she looked over at Okuro who was looking about the rooms as well. “I know,” Nari agreed as she stood there in the doorway of the bedroom. “I will make sure he will make it through everything; the moves we will have to take overtime included.”

 

“Well, Nari, welcome home,” Botan said with a smile as she handed her the papers she filled out for the homeless woman. “Just sign the lines that ask for it and I will get the rest of it cleared up for you so you can look for the job that will help you.”

 

“Thank you, Botan,” Nari said while writing her signature to the best of her ability. She handed the papers back before picking up her wandering son in her arms. “Thanks for everything…”

 

“Not a problem,” Botan insisted with a nod and smile as she accepted the papers back. “That is what we are here for. Just hang tight, Nari. You will make it out just fine.” Botan jogged for the door with a last bow before closing the said door behind her as she left.

 

Okuro continued to look at the interior of the apartment before making his way onto the sofa to sit upon it with a contorted face of displeasure. “This thing is hard. Not comfortable.”

 

Nari plopped down next to Okuro with a nod to him. “I know, sweetie, but this is all we have.” Resting her arm over her son's shoulders, she brought him closer to her with a soft smile. “We will make it and I will be sure of it. It is just nice to be home right now.”

 

Botan quickly headed back up to Spirit World on her ore so she could help the messengers guide more of the slaves back to Human World. She was quick to hurry to Koenma for further orders. The doors to his office swinging open, Botan took in a deep breath from the exhaustion of running around. “So—who is next to be dealt with, Koenma?”

 

“Botan, do you know if the bat demon was ever released before my father got a hold of him?” Koenma asked as he was nearly buried in his paperwork.

 

Pressing her finger to her cheek, Botan hummed in thought before snapping her fingers once the light bulb went off. “Yes, I do believe he was released back to Makai thanks to the shinobi. He should be back there by now.”

 

“Good,” Koenma sighed with relief as his face soon met with the desk in front of him. “I was afraid that my father had gotten to him after the fox demon was killed.” Pulling out the next piece of paper, he ran his fingers through his wild hair. “Alright, who is next?”

 

 

 

 

Makai never did seem as spacious before to Kuronue as he walked about the land and headed for the north where he remembered Yoko Kurama would meet the last time he spoke to his friend. He had heard of the thief's death but he could hardly believe it to be truthful. When he arrived at the north, he could sense that the legendary bandit did once stand there as he followed the faint trail down the river that led Kuronue through the thick forest. Once the forest thinned out, he found himself looking at the mansion that once belonged to Yoko Kurama and the crew and he could smell the horrible stench of decaying human and demon flesh. He eyed the building from afar before coming closer towards it with a nervousness building within his form.

 

The doors creaked open as Kuronue stepped inside to look around the mansion in hopes of not finding who he'd expect. He searched every room and hallway that smelt of death only to find the sliced remains of unknown human slaves and the deceased bodies of the demons he once fought beside. It bothered him very little to see the demons for once in his life as he walked down the last corridor to find another unknown human horribly mutilated. Squatting down to look at the once blond female, he could tell it was not who he was searching for.

 

Standing up with a sigh of relief, Kuronue looked back down the hallway from whence he came with a shake of his head. He was told nothing of what happened to Nari and Okuro and it worried him as to what may have happened. “NARI!” The demon eventually yelled as loudly as he could to see if she were nearby.

 

The name was heard within every inch of the mansion but nothing sounded back to him except the name he called out for. Cupping his head in his hands, Kuronue shook his head at hearing nothing over time as he wearily headed back for the main hall. “I guess she is not here. There is nothing I can do but wait,” he whispered to himself as he shut the doors of the mansion behind him with a bang that bounded off the silent walls.