A/N: So here's the thing. I have been sick for four months straight…and no one knows what's wrong. Add school to that and we've got limited time. I was forced to resign from work due to the continuation of my condition but that still leaves little time since I graduate from college in around nine months with a ton of stuff to do.
Add to that my very confused and foggy head and I'm not sure when updates will come…but I am working on every single thing I have ever had. So please be patient with me. Thanks!
Chapter 10
Yusuke grunted as he strained under the weight of the ceiling, mind whirling as he tried to find a way out that wouldn't result in death or injury for his new team and himself.
"There has to be a way. …Dammit! Yuki is the thinker, not me!"
"Would you two Quit It?"
Yusuke sighed as Kuwabara and Hiei stopped their arguing with only a few mumbled comments from each.
"Wait a minute."
Turning his head to look behind him Yusuke met Hiei's red eyes.
"Hiei."
The intense eyes zeroed in on him as the demon gave the detective as much of his attention as he could afford to with the weight of the ceiling crushing down on them.
"Please work with me!"
"You're a lot faster than any of us! We'll hold the ceiling up while you go and flip the switch!"
Obviously Kuwabara wasn't too happy about this plan.
"Are you crazy? We can't trust that guy! Just look…he doesn't care at all about us."
Yusuke growled deeply as Hiei opened his mouth to retort. Was it too much to ask for just a little cooperation here?
"Yuki trusts him and so do I!"
Turning his head to once again meet the startled eyes of the three eyed demon Yusuke grinned.
"I'll let out all of the spirit power I can to buy a little time while you run to the switch…just don't trip. Now. Go!"
And man could that volatile little demon move fast.
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"This is it Shiori-san."
Shiori Minamino looked up at the apartment building they had just parked in front of. It wasn't that bad she supposed, clean at least.
"How long have you lived here Yuki-chan?"
Yuki frowned, thinking about it a moment.
"I'm not sure really. Since the last apartment we were in burned down, I know that."
Shiori raised one dark brow but followed the child dutifully up the stairs of the building.
"Oh? Do you like this new apartment better than your old one at least?"
Yuki shrugged.
"I guess. Yusuke-ani and I have our own rooms here. And other than that it's mostly the same. Besides-" Yuki hopped off the last step on her floor and turned slightly to look at the older woman over her shoulder. "We haven't really been living here for the last 6 months."
Shiori frowned as she followed the girl down the row of doors. From what she knew Yusuke-kun was 14 and Yuki-chan was 8, a 6 year age difference. What kind of mother would put two children with such an age difference in one room? Not to mention they were different genders. That wasn't good for either child's development or sense of identity.
"I see."
Yuki smiled up at the kind woman who had opened her home to her.
"Yeah. Well here we are."
Fishing her key out of her pocket Yuki spoke absently.
"Don't mind the mess. It's been a week or so since I came by."
Confused by this statement Shiori followed the dual colored haired girl into the apartment.
"What on earth?"
The place was…disgusting. Trash everywhere, remnants of old food, dirty dishes, what looked like dirty clothes…and beer bottles, lots of beer bottles. And sprawled out on the couch, beer bottle in one hand, was the woman she assumed to be Atsuko Urameshi, mother to Yusuke and Yuki Urameshi.
Yuki sighed at the mess but ignored it for the moment in favor of her passed out mother. It didn't take her long to get the woman settled; taking away her drink and settling a blanket over her. But once she was done she immediately began cleaning the mess that had accumulated since her last visit.
"Is…that your mother Yuki-chan?"
Yuki blinked; having almost forgotten the black haired woman was there; and stood with the dirty clothes in her arms to look at the woman still stood in the doorway.
"Yes, she is."
Shiori nodded stiffly, her blue eyes annoyed.
"And how often is she like this?"
The emerald eyed girl shrugged after a moment, seeing no problem with answering that question. Most people knew anyways.
"Most of the time. Why?"
Shiori's eyes narrowed; anger dominating the war of emotions there. How could a mother; only parent for that matter; do something so immature? Especially with impressionable children in the house?
"Doesn't she get in trouble at work?"
Yuki's brow furrowed, becoming slightly confused at the line of questioning.
"She doesn't work. Not that I know of anyway."
Beyond furious now, Shiori strode purposefully across the room and took the clothing from the small girls arms.
"Go clean up the garbage. I'll do the laundry and dishes."
More than a little confused by the anger she saw in those blue eyes Yuki nodded. From what she knew Kurama's mother was difficult; if not almost impossible; to anger.
As she moved down the short hall Yuki paused, still facing away from the living room and the women within.
"Shiori-san…Why are you angry?"
Shiori's frown deepened, hearing the genuine confusion in the eight year olds voice.
"I just don't think this is any way for a mother to act. Or for children to live."
Still confused but slightly mollified at the answer she had received Yuki nodded and continued down the hall. Maybe Kurama could explain it to her later, she was his mother after all.
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Yusuke sighed in annoyance as the bickering behind him increased in volume. Were they ever going to stop? A chuckle from beside him had chocolate brown eyes swinging to meet amused emerald.
"Hiei isn't going to stop taunting him; it's too much fun for him."
Yusuke smirked.
"Oh?"
Kurama chuckled again and looked back over his shoulder to meet red eyes; knowing the other demon was listening as he bickered.
"Yes. Kuwabara seems to be the only one of us who will rise to Hiei's taunts."
A burst of heat from behind them had both chuckling and turning back to grin at the glaring demon. Sobering up Yusuke turned his attention back to Kurama.
"Speaking of…where's Yuki? I didn't get the chance to ask you earlier."
Kurama sighed; sensitive ears picking up a growl too low for human ears to hear.
"Hiei and I decided it would be best if she stayed behind for this mission."
The Spirit Detective raised a brow, confused.
"Oh? From what I figured she's been training all this time."
Kurama heard the question and nodded.
"She has. She trains with Hiei most of the day."
Yusuke smirked, amusement plain in his eyes and voice.
"During school hours right?"
Kurama blinked. He knew that Yusuke didn't care about school all too much; Hiei had told him that from his observation of the teen; but Yuki seemed to almost devour any knowledge she was given. And he had even caught her reading some of his old school books so…
"Yes…but why does she refuse to go to school? I had assumed that she was just to caught up in being able to train."
Yusuke laughed; catching the full attention of the arguing pair behind them.
"Nah; though that might have been an extra reason for her. But she says that her class mates are idiots who can't grasp the simplest of lessons. Her words no mine."
Kurama blinked, understanding lighting his eyes.
"I see. So she doesn't like the pace that her teachers are going at. Have you thought about moving her to another school then? One that can help her move on and excel?"
It was Kuwabara who answered this time.
"Heh heh. Like Yuki-chan would leave her brother for anything. I'm still surprised they lasted being separated for 6 months!"
Hiei scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm sure there are many things that surprise that puny brain of yours."
"What did you say punk?"
"Aaaaand they're at it again."
Kurama chuckled and nodded before fixing a serious stare onto the black haired human.
"Yusuke…I would like to speak with you about Yuki-chan after this mission is over."
"Yusuke frowned, confusion and worry warring in his eyes.
"Sure. Right after the mission. Should Yuki be there?"
Kurama looked back at Hiei, letting the smaller demon make the decision. He seemed to be almost possessive of the girl…it wouldn't do to anger him unnecessarily.
Hiei glared but still answered.
"Yes. Maybe between the three of use we can get some real answers out of her."
Yusuke blinked back at the fire demon but nodded.
"Sure. I'll just need to be caught up some."
Kurama nodded reassuringly before turning back to the corridor in front of them. That would be best; for now they should be running into one of the Saint Beast very soon.
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Shiori Minamino considered herself to be a rather even tempered woman; you had to be when raising a headstrong and intelligent young boy on your own; but as she cleaned the Urameshi's small 3 bedroom apartment she felt her anger warring with her control. She simply couldn't understand the woman lying passed out on the couch. She was drinking her life away with two children who needed her.
"Or had needed her."
Shiori wasn't foolish enough to believe that those two needed their mother anymore.
"Shuichi said that Yusuke-kun hadn't trusted his mother to care for Yuki-chan. And then Yuki-chan said that her mother was drunk most of the time."
"And she doesn't even work. Honestly."
Roughly grabbing the last dirty dish Shiori stalked angrily into the kitchen where the mess had spread.
"But what can I do? I won't just allow this to continue, I can't."
Sighing the single mother began to wash the dishes, gazing out the window above the sink as she worked.
"Those are odd bugs."
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Picking up the last of the garbage from the back of the apartment Yuki sighed. This amount of mess was ridiculous. She was only one person, so how could her mother make such a mess in so short an amount of time? Unless she had had one of her stupid parties again…
A sense of wrongness causer her dark head to fly up, sharp emerald eyes scanning the room around her.
"Well there you are!"
Startled Yuki spun around and stopped short.
…Floating toddler…Koenma…
"Koenma."
The ruler nodded, studying the small girl curiously.
"Why aren't you with the others?"
Yuki scowled with the reminder, but the scolding feeling coming from the dragon whose physical form she had left in the car had her toning it down.
"Hiei and Kurama forbid me from going."
Thankfully Koenma didn't ask, because she didn't feel like explaining.
"Well that's fine I suppose, probably turned out for the best. I have something else I need you for anyways."
Perking up Yuki nodded. Koenma frowned for a moment.
"The influence of the Saint Beasts apparently went further than we thought. In addition to sending out another wave of insects they have sent a spy more powerful than the one Botan has taken out so far."
Koenma paused, ordering his thoughts.
"Your mission is to aide Botan with the bug hunt while looking for this new spy. Discover their purpose and stop them."
-"You will make them angry if you agree to this."-
She didn't have to ask who the dragon was referring to.
"I will be of use. I will help!"
Her mind was silent, acceptance flooding it.
"I understand. But do I at least have a heading? Or a description?"
Koenma nodded.
"From what we've been able to find you are looking for a woman dressed all in white…with white hair."
Yuki raised a brow in surprise.
"…She must really stand out in a crowd."
Koenma either ignored her sarcasm or missed it altogether; sadly her money was on the latter.
"She would yes, if she ever really entered the city."
-"If she doesn't enter the city…then doesn't that nullify his orders?"-
Hyorinmaru's deep voice was annoyed and Yuki couldn't help it as annoyance raced through her as well.
"Then your orders from before are useless."
Yuki resisted the urge to growl as Hiei often did when all the floating toddler did was look at her in confusion.
Seriously? She was 8 and had managed to confuse the likely centuries old god giving her orders.
"We're all doomed if this is who we're working for."
"What?"
-"Sadly…you might be right…"-
Yuki glared.
"The bugs and Botan all focus on the city. I'll take out what I can along the way but my main focus will be outside the city."
Koenma considered this before nodding seriously.
"I'll let Botan know. Good luck Yuki."
Nothing more was said as the god disappeared and the sense of wrongness with him.
"Well this is going to be fun."
"Yuki-chan. I think it's time to go for now…your mother just stumbled out the door…"
Yuki sighed at the call, shaking her head in exasperation. Mother…
"Coming Shiori-san."
"I'll take out any of the Makai insects near Kurama's house first and move on from there."
-"…You do realize that once the Reaper Girl knows about your on a mission…the others will to right?"-
"…I am in sooo much trouble…I know it!"
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A/N: Hm…so I wonder…will anyone pick up on the little hint I have placed in this chapter? Read and Review!