GRAVITY | Chapter 01: "The Video"

Once the cheesy title credits ended ("Total rip-off of MGM!" Kuwabara grumbled), Koenma's scowling face filled the TV screen.

"Yo," Koenma said, flashing a peace sign. "As with all my debriefing videos, I'm sure you're wondering what's up."

Yusuke Urameshi, the Underworld's number one Spirit Detective and leader of the Reikai Tantei, yawned loudly and stretched. Next to him, Kazuma Kuwabara drummed his fingers on one of his folded arms and scowled, muttering. The TV set in Kuwabara's living room hummed, video cassette from Spirit World ticking inside the VCR.

"No duh." Yusuke sighed. "And here I thought we'd get a break now that the Dark Tournament's over with."

The child on the screen carried on without pause. "This video contains information vital to your next mission, so pay attention. Hiei and Kurama will be assisting you in the days to come. They were summoned to Spirit World and debriefed several days ago, so there is no need to be concerned about them at this time."

"Not the shrimp!" Kuwabara moaned loudly, cradling his head in his hands. "I thought we'd be rid of him after the Tournament ended!"

Yusuke grinned at his rival-turned-friend's aversion to the diminutive demon. "Sorry, buddy, but we're stuck."

"Four days ago," Koenma said, "the presence of a rogue psychic was made known to me via another psychic who has close ties with Spirit World."

Kuwabara's head jerked up, fixating on the screen. Yusuke's eyes narrowed.

"She hasn't come into her powers yet, but without the proper training she could very well kill those around her if she loses control. Her powers are, suffice to say, unusual in the way they manifest." Koenma breathed a sigh, the pacifier in his mouth bobbing up and down. "She could be powerful, but she has no control. If she is not contained prior to the awakening of her abilities…"

Koenma trailed off, then shook himself and began rummaging in one of his pockets. Eventually his hands reappeared, clutching a photograph in one pudgy fist.

"This is Miranda Crowe," Koenma said, holding up the picture. The camera zoomed in and focused on the girl's face. "Your job is to locate, apprehend, and escort her back to Genkai's temple, where you will await further instruction."

Yusuke let out a low whistle as he assessed the girl in the photo. "She looks kinda…"

"—evil," Kuwabara finished.

Indeed, the girl wore a grin that could only be described as 'devious.' The shot had been taken at a three-quarter angle in mellow lighting, but despite the flattering setting, the girl's features were almost creepily angular. The severe cut of her shoulder-length, crazily dyed and layered hair did not do much to soften her features, either.

The camera pulled back and away from the glittering hazel eyes and pink-and-black hair to focus on Koenma again.

"Remember this face, as you'll be searching for it until you find her. Evidence suggests that she lives somewhere within the confines of you city, so it shouldn't be too hard to find her."

"What?!" Yusuke yelped, throwing his hands into the air. "This city's HUGE—"

"If I predict this correctly, Yusuke should be blowing a fuse at this point." Kuwabara cackled at Koenma's dry tone. Yusuke gaped at the screen, then glared at Kuwabara. "This is easily remedied, however. Kuwabara's fine-tuned psychic sensitivity should be able to pick her up eventually."

Kuwabara stopped laughing and turned to Yusuke, a smug look on his face. Yusuke responded by slugging Kuwabara across the nose. Before a full-fledged fight could break out, however, Koenma held up a hand as if expecting them to launch themselves at one another.

"Before I abandon the two of you to each other, I'd like to take a moment to express the gravity of this situation."

Yusuke (who had Kuwabara locked in a tight stranglehold) turned an eye back toward the monitor. The red-faced Kuwabara stopped struggling and stared at the screen as well.

"Not only could this girl hurt—even kill—those around her, she could very well be the means to her own end." Koenma had broken out into a sweat, beads of it rolling down his rotund cheeks. "The raw psychic energy she possesses has been building up inside of her since her birth, and has had hardly any means of release aside from the sporadic psychic manifestation. If she does not find a controlled way to release her stored spirit energy soon, it will start to eat away at both her body and her mind."

Yusuke let go of Kuwabara, but Kuwabara didn't move. There was something too grave in Koenma's tone, something too dire to allow or further bickering.

"In short, it is of utmost importance that you find her…before she unwittingly kills herself," Koenma said.

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged a look—and as one, they stood up and left the room.

AUTHOR TIME

First Yu Yu Hakusho fan-fiction EVER! Koenma's little video-debriefings are always informative, so I figured this was a good place to start.

Thanks to the lovely Laochra for giving me plot pointers! SHE TOTALLY ROCKS!

Anyway… please review for me. I'd like to know what your thoughts are on this. Like it? Hate it? Wanna see more? Please let me know!