Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Throughout the Ages ❯ Throughout the ages ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]
Throughout the Ages

Disclaimer: Kurama-tachi doesn't belong to me. Only Tora and Minako
does! Demo, don't sue me!

Warnings: Timeline(?) fic Hiei is OOC and if Hatanaka is wrong don't
blame me coz I don't know him that well! This is my first fic so be kind
to me!

The wail of a newborn cub breaks the silence of the twilight,
signifying its arrival into the world. The swirling mist surrounds the
cave where the cry started. The cry softens to a whimper as its mother,
cooing soothing words to it cradles the cub. Suddenly a piercing cry
breaks the peace as youkais, both nocturnal and not, began to flock to
the cave.

What had been a happy look on the parents' face turned to that of
horror as the bright moonlight is suddenly shrouded by the shadows of
the attacking youkais and the ear-piercing screech taunted their ears.

The mother hugged the cub in her arms to protect it from the would-be
attackers. The father immediately went towards the entrance of their
house getting ready for any attack. As the youkais neared the cave,
the male youko hurriedly grew some carnivorous Makai plant killing
anyone in the way of its sharp, hungry jaws.

"Minako can't do much good against these money hungry, slaver drivers.
Our cub and bring quite a load for sale, but I have no intention of
letting them have him. I will protect them even if it costs it my
life," Tora said to himself. "Minako, take care that no one gets the
cub!" He shouted to her. He then turned around and covered the entrance
with vines protecting the occupants of the cave. Minako looked up from
closed eyes to the fleeting silver mane of her mate, before seeing the
entrance is closed by his vines.

"Inari, please, keep us safe from these youkais. Please I want to see
my husband alive again. I love him too much to live without him,"
Minako prayed. Meanwhile, the cub looked up with teary eyes to his
mother with incomprehension at the situation. He gurgles with a smile
on his face before going back to suckling the milk from its mother.

*~*~*~*~*

"No, Kurama, you've got it all wrong! You have to concentrate!" Minako
said to her offspring. Kurama has grown a lot the last few months. The
Youko cub had its father's silver mane but his mother's eyes. Kurama
had never seen his father but knew from his mother that he had died
protecting them. Minako looked adoringly at her cub. He had a
mischievous streak, which he gets mostly from his father and the
craftiness from her.

Minako showed Kurama how to control his power gradually increasing his
powers daily. She taught his how to use the sword properly, but he
still reverts to using the plant whip that he prefers. Kurama has still
much to learn about the Makai plants and which are the most useful for
food, traps and for fighting.

Kurama looked at his mother who had been at his side since he
remembered. She protected him from the slave drivers that keep looking
for them to be sold on the slave market. She had tended his wounds he
got from messing with the wrong plants and during practice. He owed
much of his life to her. The redheaded female youko beside him is the
reason that he is still alive and well. She never prayed to Inari as
she said that he didn't keep his promise. What promise that was, he
had no idea.

"Mother, I'll make dinner for us tonight. And thank you for everything
that you have done for me" said Kurama with sincerity in his eyes.

Minako looked at him in surprise. Kurama had never volunteered to make
dinner. "Thank you, Kurama. You know that I am your mother and that I'd
do anything for you. Now concentrate on the lesson," Minako said good
naturedly.

*~*~*~*~*

Minako lie in a pool of blood, covered in bruises and wounds. Her fight
with Suriah had been in vain. Now she was dying. Kurama ran towards his
beloved mother shouting her name. He tried channeling his ki into his
mother to hasten the healing of the fatal wound on her chest. Minako
looked at her child already grown up with regret on her face. Tears
ran down her eyes.

"Run, Kurama, Run. She's too strong for you. Be strong and live your
life fully," Minako said before closing her eyes to the world.

"NOOOOO! You cannot die! Mother! Please!" Kurama shouted tears streaming
down his eyes.

Suriah standing behind him laughed mockingly. She taunted him to come
with her or it won't be easy on him. She picked him up by his collar,
with a smirk on her face. Kurama looked up to her with angry, defiant
eyes and concentrated on the plants around him. Before she could place
the ward on him, Kurama skewered her with the plants he quickly grew.
Kurama jumped behind, using a grass sword he made, he decapitated
Suriah.

"I will be strong. I won't fail you."

*~*~*~*~*

Standing in the hall of the Reikai, she was waiting for her assignment
after her death in the Ningenkai. It was the second time she had been
reincarnated. Both times she had been killed. Both times she remembered
her demonic identity as Youko Minako, a notorious thief in the Makai.
She had a son which she gave birth to. It seems that he was fending
for himself quite well. She hasn't seen him in the Reikai ... yet.

Standing at attention in front of Enma, the lord of the dead. She
received her role in her next life. Again as a ningen. But she like
the peaceful life all except for the fact that she couldn't use her
powers. She was going to Tokyo as a female ningen. The last time she
had been a male it was a disaster!

She marched out of the room and began her way to her assignment.

*~*~*~*~*

Pickings have been good for Youko Kurama. The last heist has brought a
good sum from the Makai Black-market. Tonight he was going to steal yet
another treasure. Entering was fairly easy, as security was lax.
Changing into his fox form, he snaked his way through the ventilation
pipe to the room.

There at the side of the room, was a large chest that contained a
valuable statue made of the rarest metal there is in the Makai. It was
warded but Kurama had easily tore the wards off. As he was picking the
lock, he felt the presence of another in the room. Its ki was hostile.
Kurama quickly tried to scramble away but strangely there was a force
that held him still.

The form neared the fox. It held a gun in its hand. Taking aim, it shot
Kurama. Kurama just in the nick of time managed to evade the bullet and
break out of the spell. Scrambling out of the room by the open door,
Kurama ran for his dear life not being able to retaliate to a gun.

He had been too confident about this heist. Although knowing that there
were hunters after his hide and bounty hunters after his head, he still
was too confident about his abilities. He ran scowling to himself all
attempts to stop this hunter was in vain.

"He's too good!" Kurama thought. Shots rang around him repeatedly.
Finally a shot proved true and it hit the kitsune at the chest. "This
is it. I'm going to die," Kurama thought. Suddenly he had an idea.
Lifting his soul away from his physical body, Kurama traveled in spirit
form to the Ningenkai.

He looked for a suitable fetus before settling in it.

*~*~*~*~*

Kurama and Hiei were in the woods nearby sparring. Using only a grass
blade, Kurama took on Hiei. The sparring session had been quite
tireless for Hiei as Kurama wasn't paying attention too much of the
fight. Suddenly in a blur of light and displaced air, the two youkais
struck each other. Kurama's grass blade fell limp and broke into pieces.

Jumping back, Hiei almost missed cutting his best friend into two!
Sheathing back his sword, Hiei walked towards Kurama with a concerned
look on his face. Upon asking on his condition, Kurama just looked back
at Hiei blankly.

"Wrong? What? Has there been anything different in my actions?" asked Kurama.
"Well, you seem to be distracted while we were sparring and you lost
concentration when we fought. So tell me what's wrong, Kurama," urged Hiei.

Kurama looked up to the standing Hiei with a guilty and dismayed look
on his face. Looking back down, Kurama explained that he has been
thinking of returning back to the Makai but he couldn't leave his
mother. Also, he has to find a way to tell her of his demonic double but
he just can't find a way to do it.

"Hn. You see what your ningen life has done to you? You are already
simpering over such a trivial matter. Still I'll be at your side when
you finally do get the guts to tell her," Hiei said, looking up at the
clouds.

Kurama smiled in amusement. His eyes lit up with mischievousness saying,"
Look who's talking! You can't seem to tell dear Yukina that YOU are her
real brother. Now you're telling me that I don't have the guts to do
something that is similar to your situation!"

"Temee!" Hiei growled towards Kurama, his cheeks flushed. Seeing
Kurama's eyes laughing, Hiei just shrugged it off with a, "Hn."

They both decided to call it a day. Both treated their wounds, mostly
minor, before facing Kurama's mother. It was about sunset when they
both reached Kurama's house. Hiei was staying over at Kurama's while
he has the week away from Mukuro's rigorous training.

Shiori and Hatanaka-san were home, Shiori cooking a meal while Hatanaka
was reading the evening paper. Both greeted Kurama and Hiei as they
entered the house. Kurama and Hiei headed up to Kurama's room. Shuuichi
was nowhere in sight. Kurama thought that he must've gone out with his
friends. Kurama went to get a shower, while Hiei polished his sword.

Kurama had just changed into fresh clothes when his mother called them
down for dinner. The meal was a quite one with casual conversation
between Shiori and her husband. Kurama and Hiei ate silently. Shiori
noticed her son's strange attitude but said nothing about it.

Kurama was washing the dishes when his mother entered the kitchen. She
took a look at her son before gathering her courage to ask him.

"Shuuichi, I need to talk to you," she said to him. Kurama looked up
from his work to his mother.

"Yes, Kaasan?" answered Kurama.

"Well, I have been noticing that you looked preoccupied with something.
I want you to tell me what's wrong. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Kurama went to complete his work. The silence was heavy with tension.
It became worse as Hiei entered the kitchen. Kurama wiped his hands on
the dishcloth, still refusing to speak. Shiori waited patiently as she
watches her son wringing his hands nervously.

There was uncertainty in his eyes as he looked up. He looked at Hiei's
fiery red eyes, who was encouraging him, and to his mother.

"There is something. What I am about to tell you will shock you, but I
want you to still want me as your son once this is over," Kurama said.
"Let's move to the living room. It'll be much better."

Shiori looked with puzzlement at him but still followed him to the main
room. He said that they might just as well include Hatanaka-san in this.
Hiei looked with wariness at Hatanaka-san as he entered the room.
Taking a deep breath, Kurama started his story.

"I have been deceiving you mother since birth. I am actually a Makai
demon, a youko. Known as Youko Kurama, a notorious thief in the Makai,
stealing and killing just for survival. In the Makai, I am called the
prince of thieves, Robin Hood stole my name. Anyway, 18 years ago, I
was caught by one of the hunters hunting for me. I was fatally wounded.
I then left my dying body to settle in the unborn baby of a woman who
just happened to be you. I grew up with your care not really acknowledging
your concern for me until that day when you permanently scarred your
hands, saving me. You know the time when you were dying, Kaasan? Well
I reverted to my old youko behavior stealing one of the treasures of the
Makai, the mirror of utter darkness. I sold my life to save you but
Yuusuke intervened taking half of the punishment."

All present looked surprised and/or shocked at Kurama's long speech.
Hiei raised an eyebrow while the rest just had variable looks of
amusement and surprise on their faces. Shiori looked down not knowing
what to think. She then looked up to her son, Shuuichi... no, Kurama.
He looked so very sad, half expecting her to reject him, dropping him
like a hot rock, another side of him hopeful that she still will accept him.

"Shuuichi... Kurama... you mean that you really are..." Shiori said
hesitantly. Kurama nodded. The look on his face lit up. Her husband
looked puzzledly at the person in front of him. True it was hard to
believe that this person, so polite, so gentle and friendly could be a
heartless, cold-blooded murderer. Shiori looked at Her son with a
gentle and understanding smile on her face. She hugged him tightly.
Kurama not understanding his mother's reaction hugged her back.

"Kurama, I love you for what ever you are. Never think that I will not
accept you just because you are a demon. Please. Show your true form
to me. I'd like to see the person who I had changed to be the loving
man today. Thank you for sharing your secret with us," Shiori said
lovingly to her quietly weeping son. She hugged him tighter before
releasing him.

Kurama stared at his Kaasan doubtfully. Hatanaka-san still looked at
him with the acceptance of the knowledge. Hiei stared at him, his face
expressionless. Shiori look gave him the confidence to change. Kurama
then in front of them transformed.

The slight form gave way to a taller and more muscular figure. The
fiery red hair faded and turned into silver. It lengthened to about
waist-length. His face became narrower, eyes changed from green to
gold. Furry ears peaked from the top of his head. A furry silvery
tail flicked itself behind him, showing impatience, forlorn and slight
happiness.

Shiori looked at the figure in front of her. Her husband standing
beside her was wide-eyed with surprise. He moved towards the youkai
and began prodding him in the chest and arms. She also moved towards
the youko. Touching his hair and face, she smiled knowing that her
Shuuichi was inside and that the youkai is just a different form of
him.

Seeing her husband still prodding Kurama/ Shuiichi with his index
finger, she slapped it away. "Kazuya! Stop doing that! He's really
there in the flesh," she said. Then to Kurama, "I knew that you were
different since you were born. You always acted as if you knew
everything but still, you were curious about different things. I'm
glad that you are my boy."

She said that embracing her son. Kurama hugged her back tightly, not
wanting to let go, afraid that when he let go, she will just drop him
just like a useless old rag. Hatanaka smiled warmly at Kurama/Shuiichi.
Even Hiei smiled a bit.

"Hiei," Hatanaka looked towards the other person in the room. Hiei
looked up questioningly at him. "I heard that some youkais have some
kind of power. From what I assume, you are a youkai too aren't you?"
Hiei stared at him stonily. "Hmm, thought so. Anyway, what kind of
power do you and Kurama have?"

"Hn. I am a fire demon, with a koorime heritage. I handle the flames
of the Makai. Kurama, however, is a fox youko, as he had told you. He
manipulates plants to do his bidding. He's quite good at it, too," Hiei
explained. Kurama had then separated from his mother and changed back
into his ningen form. Shiori was a bit shocked by the sudden change.
They both sat down on the adjoining sofa together.

They all looked at Kurama who was at this time had tear-streaked cheeks
from crying on his mother's shoulder. "He's right. I like working with
plants. I know a lot about plants, their benefits and poisons. How they
benefit the body of different youkai and ningen, which are edible and
which to stay away from. For example," he took a seed out from his hair
and began to grow it into a small rose bush. The leaves began to shrink
to reveal a single rose bud on a thorny twig. "I manipulate the plant
to make it into a destructive weapon,"The rosebud began to disappear,
leaving only the twig which lengthened into a whip, its thorns growing
in size and strength. "Or, I can make the plant become as beautiful as
it can be everything is up to me." The whip shortened. The thorns
shrank back and the rosebud opened up to the most beautiful rose that
both Shiori and Hatanaka had seen. Its velvety petals a scarlet red,
the branch a dull dark green, its leaves matched his earnest eyes. He
presented the flower to Shiori who sighed a thank you.

*~*~*~*~*

The evening had passed quickly. Shuiichi was back from his outing with
his friends. The house was quiet and slightly rumbled with the snores
of different people. Hiei had left the house to stay overnight at
Genkai's temple. Kurama stayed up in his bed awake thinking of the
events that had happened that night. He was happy that his Kaasan had
accepted him despite being a beast, a demon, a person who had lied to
her for such a long time. Suddenly he heard a knock on the door.
Surprised, he got up to the bright light of the hallway slicing the
darkness of the room.

Squinting at the sudden brightness, Kurama saw his mother standing at
the doorway with a warm smile on her face. Kurama softened his guarded
look, seeing his mother. Shiori walked into the room, switching on the
lights of his room, walking silently to Kurama. "I need to tell you
something too, Shuuichi," she said.

*~*~*~*~*

Kurama looked surprisingly at his mother. Never would he thought that
his own mother would ever doubt his believe in her. Nevermind her
confession. Her next question stunned him.

"Do you have a "fruit of past life"?"

"Not in the mean time. But I have a small sample of the juice, though.
How did you know of any Makai plants?" He said, getting up to open his
secret store of seeds and other weird stuff. Taking out a small bottle,
he reached out to give her. "Just as I told you. I have to transform
to convince you. My words will just be nonsense if no evidence is given,"
she said calmly,
taking the bottle, looking at its contents. "The juice is not pure.
It's just too watery, it's concentration should be reassessed. It'll
do fine."

"What?" He gaped at the knowledge his mother possessed. What she had
said was true. It's not at its best concentration yet."Like I said,
it'll do fine," she crooned again. Opening the bottle, she took a small
dropper and dropped a few droplets onto the floor. The droplets began
to evaporate into its gaseous form. "Don't worry I know how difficult
is it to make, so I won't use much. It will work faster like this."

Kurama looked incredulously at his mother as he began to transform to
his youko form.

*~*~*~*~*

Hatanaka woke up to find his wife no in bed. With his muddled brain,
he got up from bed to check out on this matter. Figuring that his wife
might have gone down to get a drink, he went outside to see. As he
wondered where his wife was, he saw smoke coming from Kurama's room.
Waking up immediately, he opened the door of the room.

"It's not hot!" he thought as he opened the door.

The room was full of gas, some kind that he had never seen. It was
really foggy. He couldn't see a meter in front of him. In the middle
of the mess, he saw a clearing in the center of it. Reaching to the
clearing, he saw something that he did not expect.

There were two youkos standing there. The silver one he recognized as
Kurama and the other, a red-headed youko with golden eyes, similar to
that of Kurama's. This red-head was a head shorter than Kurama, it had
its hair tied in a loose braid which led to the small of her back. Her
bangs partially covered her left eye, some strays leading to her right.
Her clothes were kimono-like, with the obi and the flared sleeves. It
was forest green in color. The obi, dark midnight blue. The kimono was
a short one, reaching up to mid thigh. She was wearing a black pair of
pants, which was folded at the ends. Shoes were black similar to that
of Kurama's. Her face was narrow but not as narrow as Kurama is,
rounder at the cheeks. Her lips, full and red colored. Cheeks, rosy.
She was really beautiful, like somebody he knew from the past.

"Mother?!?" Kurama said, he's face looked shocked as he mouthed the words.

Before Hatanaka could actually begin to ponder about it, he saw flashes
of memories. Memories, which wasn't his, was it? He couldn't tell. It
was as if he was relieving his own past, in another life. He couldn't
tell. The bright flashes were of his childhood. Then he saw monsters
rushing up to him, monsters with a hungry lust for blood, monsters with
sharp teeth and claws and evil eyes. Ugly and unimaginable ones
appeared and disappeared to be replaced by glimpses of this beautiful
youko holding a baby in its arms. it appeared to be just a newborn.
The flashes then disappeared, it then turned black.

*~*~*~*~*

Both the new youko and Kurama looked in surprise as Hatanaka-san began
to change. In slow-motion,he changed. His hair grew longer and faded
into a silvery shade. His from began to grow taller and more muscular.
His face changed shape. The short goatee shrunk into nothingness. All
this while he was oblivious to the change, eyes looked unfocused. When
all the mist had cleared, they saw the changed form of Hatanaka. He
looked exactly like Kurama save for the eyes, which were black in color.

"Minako? What's happened here? What's with all this mists?" Hatanaka
said, looking at his own form. He looked around and finally looked
sternly at the other silver youko, which looked exactly like him save
for his golden eyes. "Who's he?"

Minako looked at Kurama and back at Tora. Smiling, she said gleefully,
"This is Kurama, your son, Tora. You never did see him growing up. Now
look at him." Kurama looked at his father, the father he had never knew
graced and honored by his mother. The Youko was an almost a carbon
copy of him. Never did he realize that the person who married his
re-incarnated mother was also his re-incarnated father. What is he to
do now. He looked around helplessly. Never in his whole life had he
felt this helpless. He did not intend to meet his real biological
parents. His world had turned topsy-turvy again.

"Inari did keep his promise after all," Minako said, kissing her mate.


The End.
3rd Jan 2001
Scichan Hirameki