Summary: A popluar teen girl one day finds herself being followed by Kuronue. She tries desperatly to find out who he is. What she found out was that no one can see him but her. When she transfers from Yusuke's and Kuwabara's school to Kurama's she thinks she has finally got rid of him. Come to find out she has more problems than she realizes.

mukuro5: This is my brand new story. I have been working hard on this. It’s a great idea that I have been thinking of for a while. Hope you enjoy it.

Hiei: This isn’t another story where you torture us all, is it?

mukuro5: I don’t torture all of you that much. Anyways!

I don’t own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly, Sarah, and any other various characters like some teachers.


Chapter 1: Student 101

“Kelly, what’s up?” asked a girl’s voice.

Another girl with brown hair, shoulder length, turned to whom the voice belonged to. The brown haired girl, Kelly, smiled at the firry red head.

“Hey, Sarah. Ready for school?” Kelly asked.

The red head girl waited for Kelly at the end of her drive way. Kelly stopped by Sarah’s side so that a boy riding a navy blue mountain bike could pass them. Sarah watched, dreamy eyed, as the boy passed.

“Hello? Earth to Sarah. Come in, Sarah,” Kelly said, snapping at her friend.

“What were you saying?” Sarah asked, now out of her trans.

“You like David Fisher?”

“You can’t tell anyone!”

“Don’t worry I won’t, but I can’t believe you like him.”

The two heard the school bell ring when they got to the campus of the high school. They parted ways with a promise to meet up later at the sigh out front.

Kelly walked down a white title hall. Dull gray lockers lined the walls in this hallway. She came to a stop in front of a room that had a sign that read ‘Room 12: Miss Kitchem’ on the right side of the door.

Kelly turned the doorknob and opened the door slowly. When she walked in a paper wad flew right passed her face. Boys and girls were yelling across the room while some were throwing paper at other students.

“Okay, class! Settle down!” a curly blond hair woman yelled over the commotions.

Kelly quickly took her seat as other students got off the desks and settled into their chairs. The older woman stood in front of a white board that covered the entire wall behind her.

Time passed with the teacher talking. Kelly glanced over at one of the many glass windows that coved most of the wall to the right of her. There, sitting on the edge of the window seal, was a boy with long raven black hair. All Kelly could see were ribbons going from his wrists to three-fourths of the way up his arms. The boy’s back was facing her.

Kelly turned to the teacher and raised her hand. After a few seconds the teacher pointed at her. All the students in the class looked at her.

“Yes, Miss Smort?” Miss Kitchem asked.

“Why is there a guy sitting outside the window?” Kelly asked, turning to point at the window next to her.

When everyone looked there was no one there. Everyone started laughing except Kelly and Miss Kitchem. Kelly looked back to Miss Kitchem with a puzzled looked.

“He was just there, I swear,” Kelly said to the upset Miss Kitchem.

“Miss Smort, do not waste any more of our time. Class, please settle down,” Miss Kitchem ordered, walking back up to the white board.

Kelly looked back at the window as Miss Kitchem continued teaching. All the Kelly could see was a crystal blue sky and the luscious green grass of the campus.

“But I saw him,” Kelly said to herself.

mukuro5: Here is another chapter.

Yusuke: Where’s the ice cream cake you promised me?

mukuro5: I didn’t promise you it. I promised Hiei the ice cream cake so he would get rid of you guys. My mom is starting to wonder who I’m talking to in my bedroom all the time. I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate that I have four guys in my bedroom.

Yusuke: Why not?

mukuro5: *sweat drop* Never mind.

I don’t own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly and Tony

Chapter 2: A Lunch to End All Lunches

The school day was already half way over. Everyone was eating lunch or standing in the lunch line. Kelly was paying for her food.

“He was sitting right outside the window. When everyone looked he was gone,” Kelly said to the teen boy behind her.

“Are you sure you weren’t just imagining it?” asked the teen boy with dark, almost black, brown hair that had some red strikes.

“I’m positive.”

Kelly and the teen boy took their seats at an empty table. Kelly looked at the lunch line to see the same guy cut in front of a girl. He grabbed an apple and started to walk off.

“That’s him. Now he’s stealing an apple,” Kelly said, pointing at the man.

The boy that was sitting with her turned around and didn’t see anyone fitting the description given to him. He turned back to Kelly with a puzzled expression. “I don’t see anyone with the description you gave me, Kelly.”

“Tony, he’s pretty hard to miss! Fine! I’ll take care of it myself,” Kelly said, getting up out of her chair.

She started to cross the cafeteria. When she reached the unknown person, he was sitting on an empty table finishing up his apple. Kelly tapped him on his shoulder.

The man turned to her with the apple core in his right hand. He wore a white skirt that was cut all the way up to his thighs. There were black, skin tight pants under the skirt that was being held up be a crooked belt. He wore a black, tattered, sleeveless shirt that showed his mussels. A front part of a tattered black hat was held on with some kind of strap and his raven black hair came out of the top in a ponytail.

His violet eyes looked curiously at Kelly. Even tough there was no reason for it, Kelly’s blue eyes showed frustration.

“What do you think you are doing? First, the you embarrass me in class and now you’re stealing apples!” Kelly started out.

“Are you talking to me?” asked the guy as he pointed to himself.

“Who else would I be talking to?”

“You can see me?”

The guy got to his feet. Kelly’s frustration started to grow as he circled her. Kelly followed the guy as he went around her.

“Of course, I can see you,” Kelly answered.

“Isn’t that Kelly Smort, the hip-hop dancer of the school?” asked a boy with orange curly hair, sort of in the shape of Elvis’s hair.

“Yeah! Why is she spinning around?” asked a boy with slicked back black hair standing next to the orange head.

They watched Kelly stop turning in circles from where they stood by the double doors. They shrugged it off and walked out of the cafeteria.

“So you must be the one I’m here for,” said the new guy.

“What are you talking about? Who are you?” Kelly asked.

“Name’s Kuronue.”

“Kur-a-wan?”

“Kuronue.”

Kelly grabbed Kuronue’s left wrist and started to pull him along. Kelly continued to pull him until she got to the table Tony was sitting at. Tony looked at Kelly with her left arm stretched out behind her with her left hand gripped around air.

“This is the guy I was talking about. He says his name is Korawany,” Kelly explained.

“It’s Kuronue! Say it right!” Kuronue ordered.

Kelly turned her head to Kuronue. Tony just looked around at the many people watching them.

“So what? Why do you have to have such a hard name anyways?” Kelly asked.

“It’s not a hard name. What’s yours?” Kuronue asked.

“Mine’s Kelly. Kelly Anna Smort.”

“Stupid,” Kuronue snuffed under his breath.

“Shut up! I’m not the one wearing a skirt!”

“Ummm…Kelly, who are you talking to?” Tony asked.

Kelly turned to him a bit frustrated. Some laughing was heard but Kelly didn’t notice that at the moment.

“Don’t you see him?” Kelly asked, pointing at Kuronue.

Tony shook his head. “But you’re making a scene.”

Kelly then noticed everyone in the cafeteria was looking at her. She started to blush as Tony laughed softly. Kelly turned back to Kuronue to find he had vanished.

“Where did he go?” Kelly asked, dropping her arm to her side.

Nice.UPDATE!!!! :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove: :kittylove:

I don’t own Yu Yu Hakuso just Kelly Smort, Tony, and Sarah.

Chapter 3: Meeting Two

The day passed with no more sightings of Kuronue. The final bell rang seconds before a hoard of school kids came running out of the white school building.

Kelly stood next to the huge white wall that went around the school. Several kids passed her with either a wave or a hello. Kelly loved the attention but not at the moment. All she wanted was to tell Sarah about what happened.

“Hey, Kelly. Sorry I took so long. I needed to asked Mr. Gar something,” Sarah explained.

“Hey, Kelly. Hello, Sarah,” David Fisher said before passing the two girls on his bike.

Sarah got back that dreamy stare. Kelly sighed as she started to snap her fingers in front of her friend’s face. It only took a moment for Sarah to come back down to earth.

“Sarah, did we get a new student?” Kelly asked after the two started to walk.

“Recently?” Sarah asked.

“Yes, like in the past few days.”

“Are you not the popular one? Don’t you know what goes on in the school or are you too busy acting like your queen of the school?

“You know I don’t act like a self-centered brat.”

“It was a joke. Just relax, will ya?”

“Sorry. So did we?”

“Not that I know of. Why?”

“Cause I saw some weird guy. Never saw him around school before, so I figured he was new.”

“I don’t think we have a new student, but I’ll check tomorrow, okay?”

“No, it’s fine.”

After that they walked in silence. Nothing needed to be said. Kelly thought about Kuronue while Sarah thought if there was a new student.

Soon they both stopped at a two story, very light blue house. There were two flower gardens, one on each side of the white cement driveway. Even though it had a pretty small yard the grass was a beautiful, luscious green.

“I love your house, Kelly. I can’t believe you keep all these flowers alive by yourself. Not to mention you keep your grass so green,” Sarah stated.

“Yeah. Mother says I have a knack for keeping plants alive. See you tomorrow?” Kelly asked, turning to her friend.

“Of course. See ya!” Sarah said, walking down the white sidewalk.

Kelly turned back around and walked up her driveway. She stopped halfway to the front door to look at her flowers. This was when she noticed that one of her few roses were dieing.

“Great! Now my roses are dieing,” Kelly said, walking over to the dieing rose.

Kelly bent down and started to mend the rose. As she was tending to her rose the orange haired teen boy and the black haired teen boy were walking towards her house.

“Kuwabara, I’m going to hit the arcade,” the black hair boy said.

“Nothing better to do. I’ll join ya, Urameshi,” said Kuwabara.

As Yusuke and Kuwabara started to get closer to Kelly’s home Kuwabara noticed her on her knees. It was apparent Yusuke didn’t notice cause he just kept staring up at the sky with his hands folded behind his head.

“Hey, Urameshi. Did you know that Kelly Smort lives on this block?” Kuwabara asked.

Yusuke looked at his friend with a questioning look. But he could tell his friend was asking a censer question.

“No. Why would I know that?” Yusuke answered, arms lowering from the back of his head to his side.

“Cause there she is,” Kuwabara answered, pointing to Kelly.

Yusuke looked forward and sure enough there she was. They reached the end of her driveway seconds later. Kuwabara stopped so Yusuke decided to do the same.

“Hello, Kelly. I didn’t know you lived around here,” Kuwabara greeted.

Kelly looked up to see two boys she has seen only a handful of times at school. But not wanting to be rude she smiled and stood up. Kuwabara had on a goofy smile while Yusuke kept his frown.

“Hello. Sorry but what are your names? I’ve seen you around school but never been able to talk to you,” Kelly politely stated.

“My name is Kazuma Kuwabara. This is Yusuke Urameshi.”

“Nice to meet you both. Where are you two heading off to?”

“The arcade,” Yusuke answered.

“So you two must live around here. I didn’t know that,” Kelly said.

“Yeah. It’s weird, huh?” Kuwabara asked.

“Yes, it is,” Kelly answered.

Yusuke took this time to scan the house and grounds. He noticed that one of the roses had a small stake holding it up. He figured Kelly must have planted all of the flowers.

“You have a lot of flowers around your house,” Yusuke stated all of the sudden.

Kelly looked at Yusuke. She smiled as she answered, “Yes, I love gardening. It’s a hobby of mine.”

“You must be good at it since none of them are dead,” Kuwabara stated as he scanned the many variety of flowers.

“Yes, but my favorite flowers are becoming more and more sick each day,” Kelly answered.

“Which ones?”

“My roses.”

“Kelly suppers almost ready. Come and set the table,” came an older female voice from inside the light blue house.

“I’m sorry I have to go. It was nice talking to you, Kazuma and Yusuke. I hope to talk to you two again soon,” Kelly said.

“Ditto,” Kuwabara agreed.

So with that Yusuke and Kuwabara started to head off to the arcade once again. Kelly started towards her house when she noticed an unwanted visitor sitting on the second step of her stoop.

mukuro5: It’s another chapter! YAY!! Party time!

Yusuke: What did they give you?

mukuro5: Who’s ‘they’? Here have some chocolate and root beer. Where’s Hiei? I got him this really cute hat. *holds out a pointed, pink and yellow party hat*

Kurama: I highly doubt he would wear that, mukuro5.

mukuro5: You’re no fun, Kurama. bunnydemon! Come here and help me!

bunnydemon: Kurama.

Kurama: *tries to leave the room*

mukuro5: Okay, while I try to find Hiei enjoy this chapter of Imaginary to Reality

Yusuke: mukuro5 does not own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly Smort, Tony, and Sarah. Plus Kelly’s parents.

Chapter 4: The News

Kelly started towards her house when she noticed an unwanted visitor sitting on the second step that lead to the front door.

“What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?” Kelly asked, trying to stay polite but failing for the most part.

“Sorry I disappeared on you before, but I needed to make sure you were the one,” Kuronue explained, looking at her.

“You’re weird. Just leave.”

“I can’t.”

“If you don’t leave now I’ll call the police.”

“Who are you talking to?” asked a familiar male’s voice.

Kelly turned around to see David Fisher sitting on his bike with his left leg keeping him propped up. He looked at her with a curious expression. It was weird for him to see Kelly yelling at nothing.

“Don’t you…You don’t see anyone else, do you?” Kelly asked.

“No, I can’t say I can,” David answered.

“Kelly, come set the table,” ordered Kelly’s mother.

“Sorry. I have to go,” Kelly said, turning back around.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” David said, riding off down the sidewalk.

Kelly walked up to Kuronue. She took the first step and then the second. When she placed her right hand on the black latch of the screen door Kuronue started to speak again.

“I’m your imaginary friend,” Kuronue said, looking up at Kelly.

Kelly looked down at him with some frustration. All she could do was clutch her left hand into a fist as she looked into his violet eyes. Kuronue just sat there looking at her seriously. This made Kelly even more ticked off.

“Kurawan, or whatever your name is, I’m in middle school! I don’t have an imaginary friend! I never have!” Kelly stated.

Kelly opened the door and walked in. She walked through the living room that was right across from the stairs that lead to the second floor. As she walking into the semi good-sized kitchen she put her smile back on her face.

She went to the cabinet that was closest to the stairs. She opened it up and took out three white plates and three baby blue bowls.

“What took you so long, sweet heart?” asked a mid-back brown haired woman.

“Sorry, Mom. I was talking to some friends,” Kelly replied.

“Your father and I have something to tell you at dinner.”

“Okay,” Kelly answered, walking into the dinning room that was through the left door way.

Dinner was uncomfortably quiet. Kelly wanted to ask what they needed to tell her, but she chose not to. Just as she placed a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth her mother started to speak.

“Kelly, sweet heart, your father and I have decided on something,” Kelly’s mother started out with.

“Yes, we have decided that you would be better off in a private school,” said a man with short, messy blond hair.

Kelly almost chocked on her food. She swallowed quickly, but they continued on.

“Your college application would look great with this well renown private school,” her mother explained.

“Mother, you can’t do this! What about my friends? What about my studies?” Kelly argued.

“We’ll do the transfer over the weekend. Tomorrow will be your last day at Sariask Junior High.”

“It is what’s best for you,” Kelly’s father stated.

“Yes, Father…Yes, Mother,” Kelly agreed sadly.

That night Kelly lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. Even the unwanted voice of Kuronue in the middle of the night didn’t affect her. She just laid in the still darkness of her room until the first rays of light came through the window to the right of her bed.

mukuro5: Okay. I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and I'm not allowed to see Hiei for a while.

Yusuke: Well if you didn't go crazy at the party we wouldn't have had to keep you two away from each other.

mukuro5: I didn't know he didn't like it.

Kuwabara: mukuro5, it didn't help that you alway pushed shorty into the punch bowl full of lime pudding.

mukuro5: *walks out of room* No one even ate the pudding.

Chapter 5: The Last Day

That morning, like always, Sarah waited at the end of Kelly’s driveway. But today Kelly didn’t come walking out with a smile. She was looking at the ground as she walked up to Sarah.

“What’s wrong, Kelly?” Sarah asked as they started towards the school.

“I’m transferring schools. I start at my new school Monday,” Kelly answered.

“Are you seri!?” Sarah basically screamed.

“Yeah. Today’s my last day.”

“No way! What school are you going to?”

“I didn’t catch the name. It’s some stuck-up private school.”

“Sarah! Kelly! Hey!” yelled Tony as he waved at them from a distance.

“What’s wrong with you?” Tony asked as Kelly and Sarah stopped in front of him.

“She’s transferring schools,” Sarah answered.

“No way!”

“It’s true,” Kelly backed up Sarah.

“Dang. When are you leaving?”

“I’m starting Monday.”

“So this is your last day?”

“Yes.”

Just as everything was said and done the school’s starting bell rang. Tony and Kelly walked into the main doors as Sarah walked around the building.

“What’s wrong with you? You didn’t even tell me to go away last night,” Kuronue stated, walking behind Kelly down the white tile hall.

“Why should I tell you? You’re not even real,” Kelly answered.

“Cause it’s going to be boring following around a depressed person all day.”

“Just go away.”

“I told you I can’t.”

“Then don’t talk to me during class,” Kelly ordered, grabbing the doorknob to Miss Kitchem’s room.

The day passed with no excitement, but Kuronue still sat on the cooling system. Kelly ignored him though, and Kuronue didn’t talk to her all class.

Lunch came rather fast today. Tony and Kelly sat next to the farthest window. Kuronue decided to stay so he sat on the table next to where Kelly was sitting.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Tony finally spoke up.

“Yeah, I know. Oh, well. There’s nothing we can do,” Kelly said, eating some more macaroni and cheese.

“Where are you going?” Kuronue asked, looking at Kelly as he took another bit of an apple.

Kelly just ignored Kuronue’s question. Just as it got quiet again Yusuke and Kuwabara walked up behind Kelly. Tony looked at them a bit curious. He knew who they were since rumors spread like wild fire at that school.

“Hey, Kelly,” Kuwabara greeted.

Kelly turned around to two familiar faces and one unfamiliar. This girl had short brown hair and wore the girl’s school uniform. She looked kind of familiar but not too much.

“Hello, Yusuke and Kazuma,” Kelly greeted.

“This is Keiko Yukimura,” Kuwabara said, gesturing to the new girl.

“She’s in my third block. She sits in front of me,” Keiko stated.

“Yes. Hello, Keiko,” Kelly said.

“Rumor is ‘Ms. Hotshot’s leavin’ for some prep school’. Is it true?” Yusuke asked.

“For the most part. Do you want to eat with us?”

“Sure,” Kuwabara answered, sitting at the table.

Yusuke and Keiko took two of the three chairs left. The rest of the lunch was interesting. Yusuke and Kuwabara got into several little fights.

“So you really are popular. I thought you were just saying that,” Kuronue spoke up.

“Be quiet, Kuronue. I’m not in the mood,” Kelly said, taking another bit of her food.

The entire table looked at her. Kelly noticed this before realizing she was talking to herself in their eyes.

“Who’s Kuronue?” Yusuke asked.

“No one! Sorry. I’m just out of it,” Kelly answered.

Lunch came and went fast. Of course, so did the rest of the day. Even tough Kelly was upset it was great to have new friends. She never noticed before but Yusuke and Kuwabara were in her last class of the day.

The bell rang and in seconds the school was filing out of the school. Yusuke and Kuwabara walked Kelly to the gates. Tony and Sarah soon met up with them. Keiko was the last to show up.

muie5: Hey! I’m glad you all liked my other chapters. It makes me very…

Youko: -barges into my room-

muie5: What are you doing, Youko?

Youko: Ummm…Just grabbing something to eat.

muie5: Not my kitchen again! –runs off to tend to kitchen-

Youko: muie5 does not own Yu Yu Hakusho, just Kelly Smort, Tony, and Sarah.

Chapter 6: The First Day

The bell rang and in seconds the students were filing out of the school. Yusuke and Kuwabara walked Kelly to the gates. Tony and Sarah soon met up with them. Keiko was the last to show up.

“See ya. I guess, I’ll see you all when I see you,” Kelly said.

“Come on, Kelly. Let’s get going,” Sarah said.

With that everyone but Tony went left from the school. Kelly didn’t care since she didn’t mind the extra company. The only thing Kelly didn’t want was the constant bickering and Kuronue chatting away.

Soon they came upon the light blue house. Kelly said a short good-bye before heading inside. Sarah and the others continued down the sidewalk. Kelly walked in and went up the stairs to her room. She shut her door and quietly sat on her bed. Kuronue looked around her room.

The room was pretty good size. It had a black computer to the left when you walk in the room. The bed was on the other side of the room. The walls were white with a hint of soft yellow. A dresser was directly across from the door. It was white with silver handles and photos on top of it. Then the carpet was a sky blue.

“Your room is different from what I expected,” Kuronue announced.

“Kuronue, please don’t bother me,” Kelly asked of him.

The weekend passed by quickly. Now it was Monday and time to go to the new school.

“Kelly, come down! I have your new uniform!” called Kelly’s mother.

Kelly got out of bed and looked around her room. She didn’t noticed Kuronue so she walked down the stairs in her blue pjs that had puppies on them.

“Isn’t it adorable?” Kelly’s mother said, holding up a magenta color shirt with a yellow strips going down the middle with magenta pants.

“No skirt?” Kelly asked.

“It’s the male’s outfit.”

“They make guys wear this? What a weird school,” Kelly voiced her opinion as she walked up the stairs with the outfit.

“We’re leaving in five so hurry up, sweet heart.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Kelly closed her door quietly so not to wake her father. She brushed her hair and her teeth in the bathroom attached to her room. She put off putting on the silly uniform till the last second.

Kelly came walking down the stairs with her book bag slumped over her shoulder after exactly five minutes. Kelly and her mother walked out the door. The school was within walking distance so they didn’t take the car.

“You’ll love this school,” Kelly’s mother said cheerfully.

“Of course, Mother,” Kelly responded.

“Hey, Kelly,” came a punkish voice.

Kelly and her mother turned around to see Kuwabara and Yusuke. A smile came to Kelly’s face for the first time that morning. Her mother smiled as well, but only to be polite. She hoped these two wasn’t her daughter’s friends since they looked like the wrong type of people.

“Hello, Kazuma. Hi, Yusuke,” Kelly greeted.

“So your new school is still in walking distance?” Kuwabara asked.

“Yes…Oh! Sorry. Mother, this is Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara. They are some friends from school…my old school,” Kelly said, introducing them.

“Nice to meet you,” Kelly’s mother said, “I’m Helen Smort.”

“Sorry, guys, but we have to head off,” Kelly stated.

“Okay. See ya. Oh, by the way nice outfit,” Kuwabara said.

“Thanks. It’s my new school outfit.”

After that they went their separate ways. And soon after that Kelly and Helen got to her new school. It looked pretty big, but nothing special.

“Come on. Don’t want to be too late,” Helen said, walking up to the front doors.

Kelly followed her all the way to the office. They walked in and up to the desk.

“Yes? How may I help you?” asked a middle-aged woman with short black hair, wearing dark framed glasses.

“Yes, I called a few days ago and got my daughter enrolled. My name’s Helen Smort and my daughter’s is Kelly Smort,” Helen explained.

“Oh, yes. The Smort girl. Take the door to your right and the principal’s office is the second door on the left,” the woman said.

“Thank you.”

They did as she instructed them and took the door to their right. They stopped at the second door and knocked. It only took a few seconds for an answer to be heard.

“Come in,” said a male’s voice.

They walked into a good-sized office with two red leather chairs that sat in front of an oak desk. A man with a full head of gray hair sat in the black chair behind the desk.

“Are you the Smorts?” the man asked.

“Yes, Principal Fushigi,” Helen answered.

“Good. I’ve heard many good things about you, Miss Kelly.”

“Thank you, Sir. I’m very glad to be able to come to this great school,” Kelly said politely.

A knock was heard. Kelly and Helen turned to the door.

“Come in,” Principal Fushigi said.

The door opened at the request and in walked a teen boy with mid-back red hair and green eyes. Kelly, right off, smiled genuinely at him.

“That hair is like Sarah’s,” Kelly thought.

“Ahh, Mr. Minamino. Thank you for helping,” Fushigi said.

“It is no trouble. I am happy to help out. Is this her?” the boy asked.

“Yes. Miss Kelly, this is Shuichi Minamino. He will show you around the school and show you your classes. He is one of the brightest students of our school.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Smort. Miss Kelly.”

“Nice to meet you, too. I guess I’ll be leaving now. Bye, sweet heart,” Helen said, leaving the room.

“Mr. Minamino, please show Miss Smort to her first class,” Fushigi said, going back to writing something.

“Yes, Sir. Follow me, Miss Smort,” Kurama said, starting out the door.

Kelly silently followed Kurama out of the Principal’s office and into the hallway. He looked back at Kelly with a fake smile that could pass off as a genuine one.

“Miss Smort, what is your first class?” Kurama asked.

“Call me Kelly, and it’s social studies.”

“Well, Miss Kelly, I guess we have the same first class,” Kurama said with another false smile.

“He’s way too polite. What’s his deal?” Kelly thought, giving Kurama the same false smile back.

So with that, they headed off to the room. Kelly followed behind Kurama so she could think without being asked what she’s thinking about. Kurama just continued to walk down the hall. All the sudden Kurama stopped in front of a white door. Kelly about ran into him but stopped a few inches away. Kurama turned to her with a fake smile.

They walked into a quiet class. Kelly was surprised cause it was never this quiet at her old school. Kurama shut the door and walked up to the black-headed teacher. Kelly looked around the class. Every eye was on her. Even though she wanted them to stop staring at her she just smiled.

“Yes. Thank you, Mr. Minamino. Miss Smort, take a seat behind Mr. Tokanoko. Mr. Tokanoko, raise your hand,” ordered the teacher.

A boy with short blond hair wearing the same outfit as Kelly raised his hand. Kelly nodded at the teacher before taking her seat. As it would be, Kurama took his seat that was to the right of Kelly’s.

The day passed in the same way. Kelly had all but one class with Kurama and that was P.E. She even had lunch with him. Even though it was kind of weird for Kelly she was glad not to have to eat lunch alone.

The bell rang for the dismissal of school. Kelly made sure to be one of the first out of the building. She started running as soon as she hit the outside world. Few people paid mind to it, and even fewer people put in their minds that she was crazy.

Kelly didn’t stop running or slow down till she reached her home. She looked at her flowers and noticed the rose she started to fix was healing. So she decided to tend to it a bit more.

“Hey, Kelly! How was your first day of school?” came Sarah’s voice.

Kelly looked up to see Sarah and Tony standing next to her. Sarah had on a smile while Tony grinned. Kelly stood up and put her arms on their shoulders.

“It was okay. I missed you guys though. Hey, Sarah, guess what? You’re not the only red head I know now,” Kelly answered.

“So you already met new friends?” Tony asked, losing his grin and gaining a frown.

“Well, I’m not sure. He was assigned to show me around the school. He has the same color hair as you, Sarah. And he has Tony’s smarts.”

“Everyone was asking where you went off to. Some rumors went around that you got hitched or got pregnant. Stupid people saying stupid things,” Sarah replied.

“Hello, Miss Kelly,” said familiar voice.

Kelly gave a shallow sigh before turning around. There, standing at the end of her driveway, was Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara. Kelly smiled and waved. So the three walked over to Sarah, Tony, and Kelly.

“You know her, Kurama?” Kuwabara asked.

“Kurama? I thought your name was Shuichi Minamino,” Kelly stated.

“It’s a nickname they gave me,” Kurama answered.

“So, Kelly, I’m guessing by the school uniform that you’re going to Shuichi’s school now,” Yusuke said, looking at the outfit Kelly was wearing.

“Yes. I didn’t know you three knew each other though,” Kelly answered.

“Yeah,” Kuwabara said.

Kurama noticed some strange aura. He looked around for a second while the others talked. After he scanned the area he didn’t see anything, but he knew something was watching them.

“Sorry, Kelly, but we’re in a hurry. See ya later,” Yusuke said, walking down the sidewalk.

“Bye, Yusuke, Kazuma, and Shuichi!” Kelly said waving.

“We better head off, too. How about we go to the arcade tomorrow?” Tony asked.

“That sounds great,” Sarah blurred out.

“Sure,” Kelly agreed.

Soon Kelly was alone again. She turned to face her front door when she noticed something.

Hey Mukuro5! it's been a while! ^_^ Anyway, I read this fanfic of yours (Obviously since I'm replying to it. XD Ignore me, I'm just being...well...me. XD ) Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I like your story so far. But...if I must be blunt about it, it's not one of your best works. I've read better. But, the story line's GREAT! ^_^ I hope you don't have any hard feelings about it...I really like it... So...please update again soon! (Whenever you have the chance to do so, of course. I can't force anyone to update. ^_^) Well, see ya!

Great story...when is hiei comeing in...I LOVE YOUR STORY SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTINUE

Mukuro5: Hey! This is the.....

Hiei: 7th chapter.

Mukuro5: Yeah! That! So here it goes. Oh and guess who appears in this chapter? Well go ahead guess. I dont' own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly, Tony, and Sarah...Plus some other various people.

Kurama: Are you forgetting anything?

Mukuro5: Yeah...Okay so the entire section that is italicized is a flashback. Got it?

Chapter 7: A Night of Memories

Soon Kelly was alone again. She turned to face her front door when she noticed something. In the quiet of the evening a thought crossed her mind. It was weird to have just noticed it.

“I haven’t seen Kuronue around all day,” Kelly said to herself.

That night Kelly lay awake in her bed. Some time around eleven o’clock she heard some noises coming from the direction of her dresser. Even though she knew what was making the noise she looked over anyways.

“What are you doing, Kuronue?” Kelly asked, looking at Kuronue as he placed a photo back down on her dresser.

No answer came from the normally talkative Kuronue. Kelly sat up in her bed as she continued to watch Kuronue look through some more photos.

“Those are photos of my friends and family. Where were you all day?”

“I was checking on some things,” Kuronue answered, picking up another picture.

Kelly sat on the edge of her bed and placed her elbows on her knees and rested her head on the palms of her hands. She watched as Kuronue looked at a picture of Tony and herself lying in the snow in front of her house. After watching Kuronue another minute Kelly decided to get up and walk over to him.

“I still don’t believe you’re my imaginary friend, but do you have any friends and family?” Kelly asked.

Kuronue placed the picture back but continued to stare at the photo. Kelly waited a bit longer for Kuronue to answer. It didn’t come so Kelly was about to say something when he answered.

“I did,” Kuronue whispered his answer.

Kelly noticed that his voice sounded sad. Kuronue just looked at the photo with eyes that Kelly thought looked lonesome. So not to make Kuronue feel uncomfortable she decided to change the subject.

“Are you coming to school with me tomorrow?”

Kuronue didn’t answer. Kelly walked back over to her bed and sat on the edge once more. Kuronue continued to look through the photos quietly. So Kelly lied back down on her bed.

“I wonder what got into him,” Kelly thought before going to sleep.

~~~~~~~

Kelly woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavier than normal. She looked around the room to find she was still in her room. When she looked at her door she found Kuronue sitting up agents it. He had his head lowered and his legs crossed in front of him. Kelly got out of bed and quietly walked over to him.

“I didn’t think he ever slept,” Kelly thought, smiling at the sleeping Kuronue.
She walked to her closet and pulled out her school uniform. She got dressed, looking over at Kuronue every once in a while to make sure he was still asleep. As she got done brushing her hair and teeth, she walked back over to Kuronue.

“He looks cute when he’s asleep. It’s the only time his mouth stays shut,” Kelly thought with another smile.

“Are you going to stand there all day staring at me?” Kuronue asked a bit chilly, lifting his head up to meet Kelly’s gaze.

“Are you ready to go?” Kelly asked, grabbing her shoulder-strapped backpack.

Kuronue got to his feet. Kelly looked at him as the memories of last night came back to her. Her smile faded in mere seconds after that. Kuronue noticed this but decided not to say anything.

“Let’s go,” Kelly said, opening her door.

They walked down the stairs with Kuronue following behind Kelly. Helen was in the kitchen washing dishes while whistling. Kelly decided it was best to just skip breakfast and head off to school. She didn’t want to face her mother this morning.
When Kelly and Kuronue walked out of the house Sarah, Tony, and Kurama were walking passed her. She called to them with a wave as she closed her front screen door.

“Hey, Kelly,” Sarah greeted, stopping to wait for her friend.

Kurama, once again, felt a strange presence. He glanced around the surround area while Kelly walked up to the group. They continued to walk down the sidewalk together after they waited for Kelly to put on her shoes.

“Youko…” Kuronue whispered, staring at Kurama.

Kelly looked back to find that Kuronue wasn’t following. He just stood at the end of her driveway, staring at them. So Kelly stopped and turned all the way around to look at him.

“What’s up, Kelly?” Tony asked, turning around to see what was up with his friend.

“I’m not sure,” Kelly answered in an out-of-it kind of way.

“Hurry up or we’re going to leave you,” Sarah warned her.

Kuronue finally started to move. Kelly waited to start walking until Kuronue was at her side. He walked her beside her without a word and Kelly didn’t want to ask what was up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day went by slowly for Kelly. Kuronue followed her around all day but every time Kurama came around he stated to act funny and tried to stay away from him. After the dismissal bell rang Kelly walked out of the school without waiting for Kurama. She continued to walk until Kuronue and she was a block away from the school. Once she thought that no one was around she stopped walking and turned to Kuronue with a smile. He just looked at her with blank eyes.

“Kuronue, what is up with you? Ever since last night you’ve been acting different,” Kelly stated, placing her hands on her hips.

“Kelly, who are you talking to?” came Kurama’s voice from behind her.

Kelly turned around to see Kurama and a new person. This new person was a lot shorter than Kurama was and about five inches shorter than herself. He wore a black cloak with a white headband around his forehead. His hair, his black, blue, white starburst hair, defined gravity by standing straight up.

“No one, Shuichi. Who’s this?” Kelly asked, motioning to the new person standing to his left.

“Oh, I am sorry. This is Hiei,” Kurama answered.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Hiei. I am Kelly Anne Smort.”

Hiei didn’t say anything to even show Kelly he heard her. Kelly waited another moment before trying to break the awkward silence created by the unanswered greeting.

“So, Shuichi, where are you two going?”

“Actually, we are going to meet with Yusuke and Kuwabara in the park,” Kurama answered, smiling at Kelly.

“Oh. Well, tell them I said, ‘hey’.”

“Good-bye, Kelly.”

So with that Kurama and Hiei started to walk off towards the park. Kelly walked down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. Kuronue walked to the right of Kelly. As Kuronue and Kelly were walking they came across a house with a beautiful front yard with roses growing along the walkway. Kelly and Kuronue stopped so Kelly could admire the flowers.

“What a gorgeous house! I wonder who lives here,” Kelly said out loud to no one particular.

“It’s Shuichi’s home. You didn’t know that?” came Sarah’s voice.

Kelly turned around to see Sarah and Tony behind her. She smiled at her friends as they did the same.

“No, I didn’t. How do you know?” Kelly asked.

“We walk with Shuichi everyday since you began going to Mieou High. We do live further from the school than Shuichi does,” Sarah answered.

“He has such a beautiful home.”

“Yeah. Well, we have to go.”

Kelly said her good-byes when Tony and Sarah said theirs. She started to walk back home with Kuronue. When they got home she went up the stairs to her room. Before she even turned the doorknob she noticed Kuronue wasn’t behind her. She turned to see him at the top of the stairs, which were several feet away.

“Kuronue—“

Kuronue smiled at her with the goofy smile he normally had on when he knew he was bugging her. Kelly didn’t smile back nor did she want to. It was obvious to her that he was going to do something that was going to annoy her. He disappeared without so much as a word to Kelly after that.

“Man! He’s starting to get annoying again!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Kelly woke up to a red and blue shirt landing on her face. She sat up before sleepily pulling the shirt off her head. That’s when she saw Kuronue standing next to her mirror covered, sliding closet door. He watched her throw the shirt right back at him. To her surprise it hit him right in the face.

“What are you doing? Why are you throwing my shirts at me?” Kelly asked while yawning.

“One, it’s impolite to talk while yawning, and two, you’re going to be late for school,” Kuronue answered.

Kelly looked at her alarm clock, which was on the floor to her right, and sure enough school started in fifteen minutes. “Oh my gosh!! Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?!”

Kelly jumped out of bed and quickly got her school pants off of her dresser. Then she ran back over to her bed and grabbed her uniform top off the edge of her bed. When she had her uniform in her arms she threw an angry glace over to Kuronue. He just looked at her a bit confused on why she was so angry.

“Either turn around or shut your eyes. I’m not getting dressed in front of you,” Kelly ordered.

Kuronue sighed as he turned around to face the closet doors. Kelly tapped her foot with an annoyed expression on her face.

“Not the closet door! If you haven’t noticed yet: my closet doors are mirrors!” Kelly stated, getting frustrated that she was already late.

“It’s not like I want to look anyways,” Kuronue stated, walking over to the door open door.

Kelly quickly took off her sky blue silk pajamas. She, just as quickly, put her pants on and slipped on her shirt. She buttoned up her shirt as she ran down the stairs. Kuronue followed her calmly, trying not to laugh as she tripped running down her front door stoop.

“I can’t believe it! I’m going to be so late!” Kelly yelled, slipping her shoes on as she started to run down her driveway.

As Kelly ran down the sidewalk, she tripped since her shoes were still being put on. Kuronue just laughed at the site. This made Kelly cross with Kuronue so she took off her right shoe and threw it at him.

“Are you okay?” Kurama asked, looking down at Kelly who was still lying on the ground.

Kelly looked up to see Kurama standing in front of her. She blushed as she got to her feet with Kurama’s help. Kelly straightened her uniform as Kuronue walked over to her left side.

“We better hurry up or we’ll be late,” Kurama stated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucky for both Kelly and Kurama they got to their first class just as the starting bell rang. Kelly was out of breathe by the time she sat down in her chair. Kuronue decided to annoy Kelly by sitting on her desk. It didn’t really bother Kelly at the moment since she was trying to catch her breath once more.

“Miss Kelly, why do you only have one shoe on?” Kurama leaned over to whisper to her.

Kelly looked down at her feet. In deed she did only have one shoe on. It totally slipped her mind that she threw her right shoe at Kuronue. This fact started to make Kelly blush terribly. This turn of events means she ran all the way to school and through most of the school with only one shoe on. Kuronue grinned as he put her missing shoe behind his back.

“Please, give me my shoe back,” Kelly whispered to Kuronue.

“Why? Do you really need it?” Kuronue asked innocently.

“Kuronue, give it back.”

“Fine. I don’t want you to have a conniption over it,” Kuronue said, tossing her shoe back to her.

Kelly put her shoe back on her right foot. She nodded to Kurama to signal her thanks. Kurama smiled while give her a nodded back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a normal day during their second class. The teacher was late again so the class had time to talk some more. Kelly took this time to talk to some of her friends that sat around her. Her and two other of her friends sat on their desks while her other two friends sat in their desk.

“Have you seen Minamino’s house? It’s beyond gorgeous!” Kelly asked, moving her legs out of the chair so Kuronue could sit since she was sitting on her desk.

“No. You went over to Minamino’s house? You are so lucky,” said a girl with short, almost spiked, brown hair.

Kurama was reading as everyone continued to talk. He caught what Kelly said even though he wasn’t trying to listen in. It made him wonder if she was the one who did it to his room.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun that came through his window started to annoy Kurama. He thought putting a pillow over his head would stop the inevitable. It did for another few moments but, alas, his mother called to him.

“Shuichi, time to get up. Breakfast is on the table,” Shiori called up to her son’s room.

“Yes, Mother,” Kurama called back, pillow still over his head.

Kurama took the pillow off his head with his eyes still closed. He really didn’t want to go to school this particular day. He knew he could tell his mother he was sick and she would believe him.

He opened his eyes to find his room a complete mess. His dresser was knocked over and his pictures were on the floor. Some of his jeans were strewed all over the floor and on his bed. To add to this war scene, his book bag was dumped and papers were everywhere.

“What the heck…What happened?” Kurama asked, getting out of his bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bell rang for lunch sooner than Kelly realized. The other students quickly left the room, but Kelly took her sweet time. She put a few things in her backpack before heading out of the room. As she walked out of the room, Kurama grabbed her left wrist gently. She turned to him with a warm smile.

“Hello, Shuichi. Is there something I can help you with?” Kelly asked sweetly.

“Shinrin, what are you planning?” Kurama asked in a threatening way.

“Shinrin? What is wrong with you, Shuichi?” Kelly asked, pulling away from him.
Kurama tightened his grip on Kelly’s wrist so she couldn’t leave. Kelly winced from the sudden pain that came from Kurama’s grip. She tried to pull away again but failed.

“Shuichi, you’re hurting my wrist,” Kelly pointed out, looking into Kurama’s eyes.

“Shinrin, I suggest you go back to the hole you slithered out of,” Kurama warned, letting go of her wrist.

Kelly took several steps back, a bit shaky. Kuronue came walking out of the room at this time. Kurama felt that strange aura again. This fact made him even more certain Kelly was the demon they were after. Kelly held her left wrist and started to hurry towards the cafeteria. Kuronue followed after her down the hall.

Chapter 8: Misunderstood

Kelly took several steps back. Kuronue came walking out of the room at this time. Kurama felt that strange aura again. This fact made him even more certain she was the demon they were after. Kelly held her left wrist and started to hurry towards the cafeteria. Kuronue followed after her down the hall.

Kelly stopped by the girls’ restroom that was around the corner from the cafeteria. She opened the door and walked all the way to the back of the restroom. Kuronue followed her and stood to her right as she looked in one of the two mirrors hanging on the walls.

“Kuronue, this is the girls’ bathroom,” Kelly said, holding her left wrist up in her view.

“No one is in here but us,” Kuronue answered.

“What’s Shuichi’s problem? First, he calls me Shinrin or whatever. Then he goes off and hurts my wrist. I hope it doesn’t bruise.”

“Shuichi?”

Kelly looked at Kuronue as she realized she never introduced him. Kuronue just
looked lost in his thoughts.

“Yes. Sorry. Shuichi is the male red head I have been hanging around with.”

“So Kurama now goes by Shuichi? He’s just full of surprises. I wonder why he’s taken to that human form? I barley recognized him at first glance. But he looks familiar some how,” Kuronue thought, staring into the mirror in front of the two.

“Are you okay?”

Kuronue came back to reality, jarred by Kelly’s voice. She just smiled at him and sat on the white sink below the mirror.

“I’ll stay in here until lunch is over. Kuronue?”

“Yes?”

“Why me?”

“What?”

“Why did you pick me? Out of millions of kids in the world, why did you pick me?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“You just don’t seem to be an imaginary friend. If you were then you wouldn’t have a past.”

The final school bell rang. Kelly decided it would be best to just go on ahead and not wait on Kurama. So Kuronue and herself started to walk to her house.

“How’s your wrist?” Kuronue asked, looking down at her left wrist.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt any more. I wonder what got Shuichi so upset,” Kelly answered, holding her left wrist to her chest.

That night Kelly couldn’t get to sleep. She just lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling. Kuronue was gone once again so the room was quiet. Kelly got fed up with just laying there so she got up and walked over to her dresser. The full moon lit up her room enough for her to look at her photos. She picked up the one with Sarah, Tony, and herself in the park sitting on the white bench.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~

It was dark in the room. The curtains were drawn and he couldn’t see a thing. It was easier to mess up his room last night since he had light. Now it was pitch black.
Finally he walked over to the fox’s side. He looked at the sleeping fox for a few moments. He leaned over and brushed away some red hair out of the sleeping fox’s face.

“Kurama…” came a whisper from the darkness.

Kurama turned his head a bit and the rebellious red strand of hair fell back in his face. Kuronue smiled as he watched Kurama shiver. It amazed him that he hasn’t changed at all. Kuronue covered Kurama up with a comforter before turning to his closet.

A few minutes later Kuronue heard something rustle. He turned to the window to see the man from yesterday. He was coming in from the window.

“What is he doing here?” Kuronue thought, dropping Kurama’s book bag to the floor.

Hiei took off his drenched cloak and put it on the window seal. Kuronue watched as Hiei walked over to Kurama’s bedside.

“Hn. He’s asleep already,” Hiei said, looking at the sleeping Kurama.

Kuronue walked over to the dresser. Hiei notice a presence was in the room other than the two demons. He grabbed the hilt of his sword. Kuronue picked up two photos and put them on the ground. Hiei noticed this and inched over.

“Leave already!” Kuronue ordered.

Kuronue decided that starting a fight with Hiei would be stupid. He stood there for a few minutes. Hiei gave up after he didn’t see or hear anything more and went to go sit in front of the door. Kuronue waited till Hiei went to a somewhat sleep state. He finished placing the pictures on the ground.

Finally Kuronue opened the top drawer of the dresser. He noticed several sketches. He started to go through each one carefully. Most of them were of Kurama’s human mother that Kuronue only saw twice.

Kuronue was about to put the pictures back when he noticed one last sketch in the drawer. He picked it up and looked it over. Tears threatened to come to the surface as he looked over every detail of the sketch. It was of Youko and himself. They were in a field of wild flowers. They were lying on the ground looking up at the sky. Kuronue had his black bat wings stretched out and his tattered hat on his head. Youko was on the other side, top of his head about to touch his friend’s.
Kuronue looked over to Kurama with the sketch still in his hands. He remembered the moment in the sketch. It was two days before the incident happened.
He walked over to Kurama’s bed and placed the sketch on the foot of his bed. Then Kuronue took his torn and broken hat out of his vest and put it next to the picture.

Before leaving he looked at Hiei. He was upset that he was in Kurama’s room. It almost made him want to stay and watch over his old friend. But Kuronue decided it was best to just leave, even if he didn’t want to. He looked at Kurama one last time before disappearing.

That morning Kurama woke up to a cold gust of wind coming from the open window. He noticed his room was, once again, a mess. This time someone else was there, Hiei.

“Hiei,” Kurama said, getting out of bed.

Hiei lifted his head to see the messed up room and an upset Kurama.

“Did you do this to my room?”

“No,” Hiei answered, getting to his feet.

Kurama started to pick up his clothes and pictures. He walked over to the bed to lay the clothes down when he noticed his sketch of Kuronue and his demon side with Kuronue’s hat beside it. Kurama picked up Kuronue’s hat carefully, as if it would brake at any moment. It had many holes in it, some big and some small, and the strap was gone. Then he looked at the sketch. Tears came to the surface and threatened to fall if he let his guard down.

“Where did you get this?” Kurama asked, turning to Hiei with the hat in his hands.

“Hn. What makes you think I would carry around a hat like that let alone any hat?” Hiei asked.

“I’m serious, Hiei! Where did you get this hat!” Kurama asked, tears glistening in his eyes.

“Fox, let me say this again. Maybe you’ll listen this time. I don’t know where that hat came from.”

Kurama sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the black hat he held in his hands. He wanted to let the tears fall but not in front of Hiei. Not in front of anyone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~

The bell rang for class to start. Kelly stared at the empty desk next to her. She wondered where Kurama was. Kuronue just sat on Kelly’s desk looking out the window.

“Kuronue, I can’t see through you. It may be a boring class but I still need to learn this stuff,” Kelly said, putting her right elbow right next to Kuronue.

“What is that about this class being boring?” asked the teacher.

“Oh! No! It’s not, sir!” Kelly said, waving her hands in front of her face.

Kuronue laughed at Kelly before getting off her desk. Just as the teacher was about to say something else to Kelly the door to the classroom slid open. Kurama came walking in, seeming a bit sluggish.

“Ahh! Mr. Minamino,” said the teacher, taking the note from Kurama. “Yes, very well. Take your seat.”

Kurama walked over to his seat and sat down without a word. Kelly looked over at him quickly. Kuronue looked at Kurama with a glint of sadness. He wanted to go over and tell him that he was back. That he was alright.

The rest of class was rather dull. The bell rang for class to end. Kelly quickly left the classroom so not to talk to Kurama. On the other hand, Kurama took his time gathering his things and was almost late for his next class.

The entire second block, Kuronue sat in the isle between Kelly and Kurama. Kelly noticed this since it was different then any other day. Normally Kuronue tried to stay away from Kurama. In the last few minutes of class the teacher was gone. He had to take care of some “personal matters” as he put it. Everyone was talking so Kelly took this time to talk to Kuronue some more.

“What’s up with you?” Kelly asked, looking at Kuronue.

“What do you mean?” Kuronue answered, looking up at Kelly from where he sat on the floor.

“You’re sitting next to Shuichi.”

“All I am doing is sitting on the ground, not bothering you. That is what you wanted.”

“Kuronue, that’s not what I’m talking about! Any other day you would be as far away from him as possible. You normally act like he has some horrible, contagious disease that would kill you the moment you touch him or got anywhere near him.”

“Who are you talking to, Miss Kelly?” Kurama asked, looking over at her.

“Shuichi, I told you to please not call me that,” Kelly said, looking at him.

“I’m sorry. It is just here at school I call everyone by a title.”

Kelly suddenly remembered the incident yesterday and held her right wrist up to her chest. Kurama noticed this but it took him a while to realize why she did it.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. Did I hurt you?” Kurama asked.

“A minor bruise is all. About your first question, I’m just talking to myself,” Kelly answered with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~

The bell rang for lunch once again…like it does every day. The other students quickly gathered their things and left Kelly, Kuronue, and Kurama in the room.

“Shinrin,” Kurama said, looking at his desk.

That name scared Kelly enough to have her quickly jump out of her seat. Kurama didn’t move a muscle.

“Like I said yesterday and will keep saying: My name is Kelly, not Shinrin.”

“For right now I don’t care. I have a question for you.”

“Yes?”

Kurama picked up his bag, placed it on his desk, and searched through it. It only took him a few seconds to find what he was looking for. Kelly watched as he pulled out Kuronue’s hat.

“Did you leave this hat in my room last night?”

“I have never been in your house, let alone your room. That would start a whole bunch of rumors around school. Plus, I don’t even recognize that destroyed hat.”

Kurama got up and looked Kelly straight in the eyes. Kelly took a step back, thinking that would help her some how. She didn’t want another incident like yesterday.

“Where did you get his hat?” Kurama asked, becoming more demanding.

“Shuichi, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I have never seen that hat before. Why do you care so much? It’s just a stupid, torn hat that belongs in the trash anyways.”

“It belonged to my old partner, Kuronue! Now where did you get it?!” Kurama asked, walking over so he was a few inches from Kelly.

“Kuronue? Did you just say Kuronue?”

Kelly took a few steps back and bumped into Kuronue who was leaning against the wall behind her. She turned to him and grabbed his left wrist. Kurama watched Kelly’s actions carefully.

“Kuronue, what is he talking about? Is that really your hat? Did you do something to Shuichi?”

Kuronue looked away from Kelly. Even though he did Kelly kept a hold of his wrist. Kurama started to hold even tighter to Kuronue’s hat that was in his right hand.

“What are you doing?” Kurama asked, keeping his cool the best he could.

Kelly turned to Kurama. “I don’t know why but I think Kuronue did this. Gave you the hat, I mean. He won’t tell me but from the way he is acting it is apparent.”

“He’s dead! He’s been dead for over 30 years!”

Kelly looked back at Kuronue, shocked. Kuronue didn’t even flinch when Kelly started to speak to him.

“You liar! I knew you weren’t an imaginary friend! How could you have lied to me like that?”

“Because I couldn’t tell you! Koenma wouldn’t allow it,” Kuronue answered.

“Who’s Koenma?”

Kurama turned Kelly around forcefully and held onto her shoulders. Kelly stiffened up as Kurama started to speak.

“I don’t know if your insane or not, but don’t drag Kuronue’s name into this,” Kurama ordered.

“Kurama, what in the world are you doing?” came an all too familiar voice.

Kurama, Kelly, and Kuronue turned their attentions to the door that lead to the hallway. There, standing by the door, was Kuwabara, Yusuke, Hiei, and a girl with blue hair and pink eyes.

“You’re not suppose to hit girls,” Kuwabara stated.

Kurama let go of Kelly’s shoulders. He turned to his comrades in less then a happy mood. Kelly took a deep breath, relieved that this was over now.

“We’ll talk about this later. Right now, we found Shinrin,” Yusuke stated.

Kurama walked over to the group. Botan, the blue-headed girl, looked over at Kuronue with a small, disappointed headshake. Kuronue looked away, he knew he would have to answer for this incident later. He also knew it would probably cost him greatly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

School ended later than Kelly truly wanted. Kurama wasn’t in any of the rest of his classes. This made Kelly quite happy, but not enough. She just wanted some answers to the many questions floating around in her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~

While Kelly was walking down the sidewalk, Kuronue was trying to explain himself. She just ignored him. She didn’t want to hear any more lies.

“Kuronue, are you really a ghost?” Kelly all of the sudden asked after Kuronue stopped talking.

“Yes,” Kuronue answered.

“So why are you following me around?”

“It is a very long story.”

“I have the time.”

Kuronue sighed. He had nothing else to lose since he was already in deep trouble as it was. Kelly stopped walking when they reached the community park. She sat on a white bench and looked over at Kuronue.

“It started right after I died…”

mukuro5: Hey! Here is a new chapter. I hope at least some people are reading this.

Kurama: mukuro5, why are you just now getting around to updating?

mukuro5: Ahh...School work?

Hiei: Yeah, right. And I'm a fire demon.

mukuro5 & Kurama: But you are.

mukuro5: Now that we know that Hiei doesn't know what he is--

Hiei: I'm going to kill you.

mukuro5: Let's move onto the story.
_________________________
_____

Chapter 5: Hearts Are Easily Broken

Kuronue sighed. He had nothing else to lose. The mix up in the classroom already put him in deep trouble. Kelly stopped walking when they reached the park. She sat on the white bench and looked over at Kuronue who was standing to her right.

“It started right after I died…”

Kuronue was brought before the prince of Spirit World. He was detained by ten oni since he already killed five of their comrades.

A toddler wearing a big blue hat with a pacifier in his mouth sat behind the desk. His hands were folded on the desk as he waited for Kuronue to settle down.

“Kuronue, it’s time to send you off to your resting place,” said the toddler.

Kuronue just grinned at him. Suddenly he killed three more oni. The others backed off enough to dodge his attack. Kuronue immediately ran at Koenma, the prince of the Spirit World. An oni immediately grabbed his arms, stopping him only a few inches from Koenma.

“Koenma,” said an oni coming in from the halls.

Kuronue got out of the oni’s grasp again, but this time he headed for the open doors. Once he was out of the room, a group of oni was waiting for him. They detained him once more.

“Take him to Spirit World prison for now,” Koenma ordered his oni as soon as they brought Kuronue back into his office.

“And I stayed in that dark, damp prison for twenty years before—“ Kuronue was cut off.

“You were imprisoned? Is it because you tried to kill that Koenma person?” Kelly asked.

“It’s not polite to interrupt a story. No, it’s not because I tried to kill Koenma. Even though at the time I though it was.”

It was twenty years since Kuronue was imprisoned. The time in there made him weak because he refused to eat but once every four months, and even then it was only enough to keep him alive. His bat wings were disabled from a spell Koenma placed on him.

Like every day, a Spirit World guard came to his cell. Kuronue was sitting in the far back, right hand corner of the cell. He rarely ever left the shadows

“Kuronue,” said the light green haired female guard.

Kuronue lifted his head up from where it was resting on his knees. A weak smile appeared on his face. He lowered his arms so they could rest at his side. He was happy that it was her instead of some other guard. The guard’s bright purple eyes kept looking at him even through the darkness.

“Hello, Kitai. What are you doing?” Kuronue spoke up in a whisper.

“Lord Koenma wished to speak to you,” Kitai answered.

Kuronue got to his feet, a bit wobbly. He walked over to the cell’s door and placed his back on it for some support. In the light it was visible that Kuronue has many bursies and several cuts that still bleed freely.

“You look horrible. You should really eat more than just once every four months,” Kitai said, concern showing through in her voice.

“I’m fine. Really.”

Kitai took out the key to his cell and placed it into the keyhole. She then opened the cell door and quickly placed chains on his ankles and wrists.

“Kitai, you know I wouldn’t try to kill you or escape,” Kuronue stated.

“I know. It is just procedure around here,” Kitai answered.

And it was true. Kitai and Kuronue became friends while he was locked in the prison. She was the only one that wouldn’t try to beat the crap out of him every chance they got.

Kuronue went along with the chains, if only as a favor to Kitai. She led him to the main hallway. The bright lights hurt Kuronue’s eyes enough for him to shut them. He wasn’t use to the light since his eyes got use to the darkness of his cell. This didn’t help the fact that he hadn’t had anything to eat for three months. Even though he was use to it since Youko and himself went several months without food when they were on heists it still wasn’t fun to go through.

Kitai led him to the office doors. She stopped in from of Koenma’s doors. Kuronue was paying attention and bumped right into Kitai. He looked at her a bit confused. Her smile was gone as she walked behind him and put her mouth to his right ear.

“Good luck, Kuronue,” she whispered to him before she pushed him into Koenma’s office.

She shut the door as soon as Kuronue was in. This fact left Kuronue and Koenma alone.

“No guards? You are either really brave or just plain stupid. I can kill you even now, when I’m all chained up,” Kuronue said, a smug grin appearing on his face.

“But you wouldn’t, would you? You know as well as I do the severityof the punishment you would receive,” Koenma stated.

“What do you want? I know you didn’t bring me here for meaningless chit-chat.”

“I can imagine you don’t like it in Spirit World prison. I would like to make a deal with you.”

“What makes you think I would agree to anything?”

“This will help you get out of prison and lighten your sentence as well.”

“What is it?”

“You have to help two-hundred and seventy-five demons, humans, and future gardens who have lost their way or might get into catastrophic trouble. I will assign you one of these three to help. After each assignment you will report back here and get a new one. Of course, you’ll have to stay with them until they are safe or have found their way once more.”

“Is that smart? What is I just abandon them and disappear?”

“We’ll clip your wings, at least until you have finished this task, and your spirit will be linked directly to Spirit World. After you have done this you will be able to go to your final resting place.

“I’ll take it since I’m sure I have no other choice.”

“Is that why you are following me? Am I one of the ones you need to help?” Kelly asked.

“I thought you wanted to hear the story. Stop interrupting me,” Kuronue ordered.

“Sorry. I just wanted to know.”

“Yes, that is why I’m following you.”

“So how do you know Shuichi?”

“If you would let me finish I was getting to that.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“You know, though, I’ll reach Youko once I’m out of this place,” Kuronue said, putting his chained hand on Koenma’s desk.

“Who’s Youko?” Kelly asked.

“Kelly,” Kuronue growled.

“Sorry. Go on.”

“Kuronue, I’m not too concerned about that. Your first assignment is a kid named Shuichi Minamino. He is only four years old. You’ll have to help him without giving your name. And you’ll have to wear another pair of clothes. Just for this assignment. If you chose you can also dye you hair,” Koenma ordered, showing Kuronue a picture of a red haired, green-eyed boy.

“Your first assignment was Shuichi! No wonder you know him!” Kelly blurted out.

“Kelly!” Kuronue growled again.

“Oops! I interrupted again, didn’t I?”

Kuronue sighed. He knew she wouldn’t listen to any more of his story. “The one you call ‘Shuichi’ is my old partner in crime and dearest friend. He is a fox demon named ‘Youko Kurama’. For some reason he has taken a form as a human.”

“Shuichi is…is…a…DEMON!!”

“Yes. A very strong, cunning one.”

“You two must have been very close. Why did he get so upset over your hat?”

“It’s a reminder of an old wound that hasn’t healed fully yet.”

“How did you die?” Kelly asked, looking up at him from where she was laying on the bench.

“If I tell you the story will you not interrupt me till I’m completely done?” Kuronue asked, looking down at her with his arms crossed him front of him.

“Promise.”

“Okay, but I’ll start it from the beginning of that day.”

It was already after noon. Kuronue was still sound asleep, yet his white haired partner was up and cooking something for himself to eat. As soon as Youko took the rabbit off the fire, Kuronue opened his eyes.

Kuronue got up and walked over to Youko. He grabbed the cooked rabbit from Youko. Youko got to his feet a bit angry with his partner.

“Kuro! You lazy bum! Get your own food,” Youko ordered, reaching to grab his food back.

Kuronue spun on his heels so Youko would stumble forward. Then he took a bite out of the food. Youko tried to get back his food again but to no avail.

“Why should I when there’s perfectly good food here?” Kuronue asked.

“I’m going to go to the river. We have a heist tonight so I expect you ready when I get back.”

“Whatever, Youko,” Kuronue said, throwing away the bones.

Youko walked out of the cave and towards the river that was near by. Kuronue waited a few minutes before heading to the river as well.

Youko was about to get out of the water after taking a bath. Before he was even able to take a step on the land, Kuronue jumped out from behind a bolder. Youko fell back into the water with a big splash.

“I actually got you!” Kuronue laughed out, “I’ve finally got you! So much for the unafraid fox.”

“Kuronue! I’m going to kill you!” Youko growled, standing back up.

“Looks like I made little foxy mad,” Kuronue mocked before running through the forest.

Youko quickly threw on his pants and ran after his friend. Kuronue weaved in and out of trees but Youko didn’t’ miss a beat. They spent the next ten or so minutes running through the woods.

Kuronue started to spread his wings. He looked back at the pursuing Youko with a grin. “So long!”

Kuronue only got an inch off the ground before Youko grabbed onto his wings.

“Not so fast butterfly,” Youko said, giving a slight yank on Kuronue’s left wing.

Kuronue fell to the ground and landed on his back, hard. “Oww! Youko, you know my wings are sensitive! And I’m a bat not a butterfly! Get it right!” Kuronue complained, rubbing his left wing.

“Maybe you’ll learn your lesson this time,” Youko stated, looking down at his friend with his arms crossed.

“You didn’t have to –“

Kuronue was interrupted when Youko bent down and snatched his hat. Youko quickly sprinted off through the woods again. Kuronue got to his feet and raced after him.

It only took about three minutes for Kuronue to finally catch up to Youko. Kuronue tackled Youko to the ground as soon as they were running neck and neck. Youko allowed Kuronue to snatch his hat back.

They lied there in the grass for another moment. Youko was the first to sit up. Kuronue sat up as well, and fixed his hat so it fit comfortably on his head.

“Okay. That’s enough fooling around. We have to get ready for the heist this evening,” Youko stated, getting to his feet.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kuronue answered with a bit more attitude than need be.

“If you mess up this heist your pendent is the next thing to go.”

“Like you could get it away from me.”

“You want to try me?”

“Maybe I do.”

Youko and Kuronue were now a few inches from each other’s face. Youko and Kuronue both burst out laughing as they backed away from each other.

Later that day Youko was looking over the plan for the heist one last time. Kuronue was asleep next to the right cave wall.

“Kuronue, wake up. It’s time to start going,” Youko said, looking over at his sleeping friend.

Kuronue didn’t wake up or even move. Youko called his name one more time with not feedback. He got a bit frustrated and threw a small rock at Kuronue. Kuronue woke up immediately. He rubbed his head where the rock hit. He looked over at Youko, who was now getting to his feet.

“You didn’t have to hit me with a rock,” Kuronue announced.

“It was either that or me kicking you. Now get up! It’s time to leave,” Youko answered.

Kuronue got up off the ground. He gave one last yawn before they left the cave.

“Do you remember the plan?” Youko asked, maneuvering around some bamboo trees.

“Of course, I do. Do you even have to ask?” Kuronue answered, keeping up with his friend’s speed.

“Do I have to remind you of the last heist you messed up because you forgot what you were suppose to do?”

“Just don’t mess up your part.”

About twenty minutes later, a loud siren went off. Its ring echoed through out of bamboo forest. Several loud voices were head as well.

“That went better than expected,” Youko stated, running down a darken hallway.

“A bit too smooth. Thee were not as many guards as originally thought,” Kuronue answered, following his partner.

Soon they hit the outside world. At least two hundred armed guards of the palace were on their tails. The two didn’t care though.

Just as Youko was sure they were out of harms way, he saw Kuronue double back. He quickly turned around, golden mirror in hand.

“Don’t, Kuronue!” Youko called to his friend.

“I need it!” Kuronue called back to Youko as he continued to run back towards the palace.

As soon as Kuronue bent down to grab his pendent, he felt a sharp pain go through his entire body. He knew that something had hit a vital organ. In mere seconds sharpened bamboo spears surrounded his body.

Several of the guards started to pull the bamboo spears, that didn’t hit him, out of the ground so they could get to Kuronue. A guard with short, white hair finally decided to punch Kuronue.

Blood spewed out of Kuronue’s mouth. The pain from the punctured artery in his leg swept over again. Even though he wanted to lash back out at the guard, he knew it wouldn’t do much good in his condition.

“Not so might now, are you?” asked the white haired guard before punching Kuronue again but this time in the face.

“Stop,” ordered a calm, fragile voice from the crowd.

The guards moved out of the way for a woman dressed in royal garments. A golden crown the size of a tiara was placed neatly on the top of her head. Her silver and black hair was in a bun with a few strands framing her flawless face. As she looked over Kuronue’s blood soaked body with her golden eyes her warm features never faltered.

“Lady Kageryu, you shouldn’t be out of bed,” the white haired guard reminded her.

“I’m fine, Zutto. Is this one of the ones whom stole my Hikari-Yami Mirror?” asked Kageryu, looking at the white haired guard.

“Yes. Shall we kill him immediately?” asked Zutto.

Kuronue knew the answer, but he didn’t care. If they didn’t kill him the blood loss would. The blood continued to flow from the wound on his ankle. He knew he had lost his color by now.

“No. Put him in the prison,” she answered before walking back to the palace.

“Yes, Lady Kageryu. You heard her! Get this scumbag into the prison!”

Kuronue ground his teeth and took the pain of the guards pulling the spears out of his body. Once they were all out, Kuronue fell to the ground. The spears were the only things keeping him of his feet. The guards didn’t care about Kuronue’s condition though. Two of them yanked Kuronue to his feet.

Youko ran though the bamboo trees. He stopped as soon as he got a good distance away. Tears streamed down his pale cheeks.

“Kuronue, you fool! You should have just left your pendent behind! You should have continued running! You stupid bat!” Youko yelled into the emptiness of the bamboo forest.

He looked at the Hikari-Yami Mirror in his hands. He clenched into it even tighter as more tears flowed down his face.

“Over this! It happened all because of this!”

Youko threw the mirror into the air. He swiftly took out a red rose and transformed it into a whip. He slashed the mirror into a thousand pieces. Once he did the surrounding area went up in a bright, almost blinding, white light. When the light dimmed down Youko was on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“KURONUE!!”

mukuro5: Hey! I’m glad you all liked my other chapters. It makes me very…

Youko: -barges into my room-

mukuro5: What are you doing, Youko?

Youko: Ummm…Just grabbing something to eat.

mukuro5: Not my kitchen again! -runs off to tend to kitchen-

Youko: mukuro5 does not own YuYu Hakusho just Kelly Anne Smort.


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Chapter 6: Meeting With Koenma

“So that’s how you died? That’s horrible!” Kelly said, giving Kuronue a sympathetic glance.

“No, it’s not. I was actually killed ten years after that,” Kuronue answered.

“What were you doing for that long?”

“Apparently Yumekisu Kageryu was a little girl of a village I ran sacked before I met Youko. I killed her parents because they got in my way. They were protecting their daughter and refused to back down so they were eliminated. She held a grudge aganist me for that incident. Her guards tortured me for ten years straight, always beating me to an inch of my life. Zutto, though, one day went ageist his master’s orders and kill me.”

“Are you seri?! That’s horrible! Then again you did kill her parents. That was horrible too!”

“I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most honorable or perfect demon. That is why I’m in this predicament.”

“So that is why Shuichi is upset. He can’t see you, can he?”

“No, he can not.”

“That’s terrible! You two were best friends!”

“Kuronue,” came a woman’s voice from the darkening sky.

Kelly sat up and they both looked towards the sidewalk near where they were. There, standing on the sidewalk, was the blue haired girl from earlier that day.

“Lord Koenma wishes to speak to you,” Botan announced, walking over to Kuronue.

“You’re not going to punish him, are you?” Kelly asked, getting up off the bench and standing next to Kuronue.

“You can see me? Who is this, Kuronue?”

Kuronue: “This is Kelly Anne Smort, the one I’m looking after.”

Botan: “So I’m guessing you told her everything?”

Kuronue: “Yes.”

Botan: “Well, then. Kelly, you’ll have to come with us since this now involves you as well.”

Kelly: “Where are we going?”

Botan: “Spirit World to see Lord Koenma, prince of Spirit World.”

Kelly: “Seri?!”

---------------------

“So what were you doing to Kelly, Kurama?” Yusuke asked as they started down the steps of Genkai’s temple.

Just then there was a beeping sound. Yusuke took out a pink compact mirror from his pocket of his green uniform. When he flipped it open the screen, where normally a mirror would be, showed Koenma.

“I need all of you in my office as soon as possible,” Koenma ordered.

“What for?” Yusuke asked.

“I’ll explain everything when you get here.”

The screen went black after that. Yusuke closed the communication mirror and placed it back in his pocket.

“Guess we better go,” Kuwabara stated to his three companions.

-------------------------------

Kelly was lying on a white couch in a medium size room. Kuronue was sitting next to her head on the same couch. They’ve been in there for five minutes already.

“How much longer? This room is way too white for my taste, and I think I’m starting to go stir crazy!”

“Kelly, be patient. Besides, you shouldn’t be in a rush to get in there,” Kuronue stated, laying his head back on the couch.

“But I really want to meet the demon who put you in prison for twenty years.”

“Kelly, for one thing he is a demi-god and for another I’m in enough trouble, I don’t need you to make it worse.”

“Okay…Kuronue?”

“Yes?”

“Will I be able to see you with your wings?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to see you the way Shuichi sees you. Kuronue, do you look cute in your wings?”

Kuronue didn’t answer so Kelly sat up with her legs still hanging over the arm of the couch. She noticed that Kuronue was asleep. She was about to smile when she realized that he had fallen asleep while she was talking.

“Kuronue, you jerk! How dare you fall asleep while I’m talking! That’s rude!” Kelly yelled, sitting on her heals on the couch so she was facing him.

“Not now. I’m naked and I’m taking a math test,” Kuronue said in his sleep while turning onto his left side so he was facing Kelly.

“Huh? What math test? And your what?” Kelly asked, cocking her head to the side.

Kelly sat there for another moment, watching Kuronue. A smile appeared on her face. “He’s cute when he’s sleeping,” Kelly thought.

“Are you going to keep staring at me?” Kuronue asked, his eyes still closed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Kelly stopped to laugh quietly, “You talk a lot in your sleep, Kuronue.”

Kelly got up off the couch to allow Kuronue to lie down. She then walked over to a white recliner that was up against the wall to the right of the couch and directly across the room from the only door. She laid across it so her feet were handing off the left armrest.

“Dang it! We rush over here and he has us waiting!” came a male’s voice from behind the door.

The door opened as soon as Kelly looked over to it. In walked Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama.

“Calm down, Yusuke. I’m sure he’s very busy,” Kurama replied.

“Hey, guys! What are you all doing in Spirit World? You’re not dead are you?! How did it happen?! When did it happen?! Why did it happen?!” Kelly started to panic, sitting properly in the chair.

“Nothing like that. Koenma summoned us,” Kurama answered calmly.

“Why are you here, Kelly?” Kuwabara asked, closing the door.

“Botan brought me since Kuronue told me everything about everything,” Kelly answered.

“Who’s Kuronue?” Yusuke and Kuwabara asked simultaneously.

Kelly: “Well from what I gather he is Youko’s old partner in crime and best friend. Well when he was alive. Right, Shuichi?”

Kurama: “How did…”

Kelly: “Like I said ‘Kuronue told me everything about everything’.”

Kurama: “Is he here?”

Kelly: “You can’t see him?”

Just then Botan came walking into the room. Everyone stared at her until she started to speak.

“Koenma’s ready. Sorry about the wait, Kelly. Wake up Kuronue and we’ll leave,” Botan announced.

Kelly got to her feet and walked over to the couch. Everyone watched her shake thin air, except for Botan who could see Kuronue lying there.

“What?” Kuronue asked sleepily.

“Koenma is ready for us. Get up so we can leave,” Kelly answered.

“Do you see anything?” Kuwabara asked Yusuke in a whisper.

“No,” Yusuke answered back.

-----------------------

Everyone was standing around with Koenma sitting at his desk silently. Kelly stood next to Kuronue in front of Koenma’s desk. Hiei and Yusuke were leaning up against the wall to the left of the double doors. Kuwabara was standing next to Kurama whom was standing off the right of Koenma’s desk.

“First, I’ll congratulate you guys for capturing Shinrin,” Koenma said, breaking the heavy silence.

“May I ask something?” Kelly sheepishly asked.

“Yes. What do you want to know?”

“Who is this Shinrin I have been hearing about?”

“Shinrin is a female demon whom has been terrorizing Human World. She has killed hundreds of people with the help of the Hikari Sword.”

“Oh, okay. Can I ask another question?”

“Please, go ahead.”

“You’re not going to punish Kuronue for telling me what he did, are you? Because you can erase my memory or kill me if you are scared I’ll do something. Just don’t punish him anymore. Beside I forced him to tell me everything.”

“That is why I brought you here, Kelly Smort.”

“Hey, Koenma. Who’s this Kuronue?” Kuwabara asked.

“Oh, yes! The spell. Sorry about that,” Koenma said.

Koenma took out a black cylinder about four inches in length and one inch in diameter. He broke it in half and Kuronue became visible to everyone.

Kurama stared, wide-eyed, at his old friend and partner. Kuronue gave a small, sad smile to Kurama. Kelly smiled from ear to ear. She walked in front of Kuronue, hands folded behind her back.

“Kuronue, your wings are so cute! So is this how Shuichi remembers you? Is this what you really look like?” Kelly asked cheerfully.

“Yes,” Kuronue answered, less than enthusiastic.

Kelly turned to Kurama, whose eyes were glossy. Her smile faded as she remembered the story Kuronue told her earlier. The room was dead silent.

“You can see him now, can’t you?” Kelly asked quietly, “It is really him if that is what you are wondering.”

“Someone fill us in,” Kuwabara ordered.

“You guys don’t know?” Kelly asked, turning so she was facing Yusuke.

“Kelly, what did I tell you before we got here?” Kuronue chimed in with a harsh warning in his voice.

Kelly looked up at Kuronue, hands folded behind her back. “But I didn’t punch Koenma when I saw him, like I originally wanted to.”

“You are still causing trouble.”

“Sorry. Can I at least answer them?”

Kuronue gave a slight nod as an answer. Kelly spun around on her heals till she was looking at Yusuke and Kuwabara.

“He’s Youko’s old partner in crime,” Kelly started out with.

“What?!” Kuwabara yelled.

Kuwabara continued to ask questions and Kelly continued to answer them. Even Yusuke chimed in every once in a while with his own questions. Kurama stared at Kuronue whom would every so often return his glance. Hiei kept his head down and leaned against the wall.

“How?” Kurama asked out of the blue, apparently now out of his trans.

Everyone in the room looked over at where Kurama was standing close to Koenma’s desk. Kelly walked cautiously to the other side of Kuronue. Kelly held onto Kuronue’s arm and shyly looked at Kurama.

“Kuronue, don’t tell him anything,” Kelly whisper to her new friend.

“Why are you here? Staying with Kelly?” Kurama continued to ask questions, now having his voice back.

“She’s my charge to put it simply, Youko,” Kuronue answered, turning to face his old friend.

“Charge?” Yusuke and Kuwabara asked.

“Yes. Koenma assigned her to me. She’s my last one.”

“Yes. Now for the reason I call you all here,” Koenma interrupted as to change from this touchy subject.

“Why are you doing this? You’ve been dead for more than forty years. You should already be gone,” Kurama voiced his thoughts.

“Kuronue, please don’t tell him. I have a bad feeling,” Kelly whispered another warning to Kuronue.

“To get out of that cell. To lighten my punishment,” Kuronue answered, ignoring Kelly’s warning.

“What cell?”

“I was thrown into prison right after I came here. I stayed in there for twenty years.”

“What?”

Kurama looked over to Koenma. He had hoped this was some sick joke. Koenma sighed as he lowered his head. Kurama clinched his fists and a glint of gold appeared in his emerald eyes.

“You put him in Spirit World prison? What for?” Kurama asked, turning to Koenma.

“I needed his abilities. For when Youko returned and when this very mission came up. He needed to stay for those reasons, and I couldn’t just bring him back to life. That would have been chaotic,” Koenma answered, head still lowered and hands still folded on his desk.

“I thought those were the reasons,” Kuronue stated calmly.

Kelly was about to yell at Koenma when Kurama walked in front of his desk. He leaned over and grabbed Koenma’s shirt collar. Koenma was pulled out of his chair and held in mid-air because of this fact. Yusuke and Kuwabara each grabbed one of Kurama’s arms. Kurama didn’t loosen up his grip on Koenma. Hiei finally moved so he could start walking over to Kurama.

Kurama pushed Kuwabara hard enough for Kuwabara to let go of his arm. Hiei grabbed Kurama’s left arm just in time to stop Kurama’s fist a few inches form Koenma’s face.

“Let go,” Kurama ordered, trying to get out of his friend’s grips.

“This was the only way,” Koenma said, “He’s a vital part of this mission.”

“You kept him locked up, took away his ability to use his wings, and allowed your guards to hurt him! How is that the only way? You wouldn’t even let Shuichi know that Kuronue was still around! They were the best of friends and you did everything in your power to make sure they didn’t know the other was still around! I would hurt you myself if I didn’t already promise Kuronue I wouldn’t cause any more trouble for him,” Kelly finally spoke up.

Kurama loosened his grip on Koenma as his muscles started to relax. Yusuke and Hiei let go of their friend when Kurama released Koenma. Koenma landed in his chair with a loud thump.

“I admit that what I did—“ Koenma was immediately cut off.

“Just tell us why we are here,” Kurama growled, clinching his fists so he wouldn’t lose his temper again.

“Umm…Well…Yes,” Koenma started out, shuffling through some papers so to keep his hands busy, “A demon that goes by the name Yumekisu Kageryu has gotten a hold of the Heru no Raikyaku staff.”

Kuronue allowed a hint of surprise to glint in his violet eyes. Kelly looked up at Kuronue when she heard the name. She knew exactly why Koenma needed him. Kuronue just stood there, continuing to listen to Koenma.

“She is planning to take control over all three worlds. Though, her main objective appears to be Human World,” Koenma continued.

“Why not Spirit World? Or Makai?” Kelly asked, looking back at Koenma.

“Yumekisu Kageryu isn’t going after Spirit World or Makai as much as Human world. I need you six to find her, figure out her plan, and then report back to me. I do not want you to attempt to take the Heru no Raikyaku staff until we have a well strategize plan.”

“Hold up! Six? You are not counting me, are you?”

“Of course, I am. Now Botan will fill you in on all the details on your way to the northern part of Makai.”

“Wait! Why –“ Kelly was immediately cut off.

“It will take us about two or three days to reach the northern part of Makai. So let’s hurry it up,” Botan explained after walking into the office not even five seconds ago.

------------------------

Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Botan, Kuronue, and Kelly walked out of a black circle in a dead area. All the plants were dried up and dead looking, and no animal or sign of life could be found. Kelly fell to her knees on the ground as soon as she was out of the portal.

“I don’t ever want to do that again!” Kelly stated with a high-pitched voice.

“Then you’ll be walking back to Human World,” Kuronue pointed out.

“I can’t believe Koenma made me come. I have school today. My mom and dad are probably worried sick about me. Plus, I’ll most likely just get in the way.”

“Koenma has taken care of everything, Kelly. There is no need to worry. Koenma knows what he is doing,” Botan explained.

“So does anyone know what this Yumekisu looks like? Or have any idea about what kind of powers she has?” Yusuke asked to the others in his group.

Kuwabara: “You don’t pay attention at all, do you?”

Kurama: “He gave her description and some of her powers, Yusuke.”

Yusuke: “What! Are you serious?”

Botan: “Yusuke!”

Kelly and Kuronue thought it best to stay quiet. They didn’t want anyone to know they knew who Yumekisu was.

Yusuke: “Okay. So she was last seen in this part of Makai? This place looks kind of dead. Does the other parts of Makai look like this?”

Kurama: “No, Yusuke. The environment here is like in Human World. It changes as you travel through different parts of Makai.”

Botan: “Let’s get going.”

Yusuke: “So who rules over this part?”

Hiei: “A demon named Mukuro.”

Kelly: “Can we go? This place is starting to freak me out.”

Botan: “Agreed.”

0110110101110101011010010
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0010000001001000011001010
1111001001000010010000001
001
0010111010000100111011100
1100100000011011010110010
100
1000000110000101100111011
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111
0001000000100100001101111
0111011100100000011000010
111
0010011001010010000001100
0010110110001101100001000
000
1101111011001100010000001
1110010110111101110101001
011
1000100000010010010010011
1011011010010000001100111
011
0110001100001011001000010
0000011101000110100001100
001
0111010000100000011100110
1101111011011010110010100
100
0000110111101100110001000
0001111001011011110111010
100
1000000111001101100101011
0111001110100001000000111
001
0011001010111011001101001
0110010101110111011100110
010
1110001000000100100001100
1010111001001100101001000
000
1101001011100110010000001
1101000110100001100101001
000
0001101110011001010111100
0011101000010000001100011
011
0100001100001011100000111
0100011001010111001000101
110

Kurama: mukuro5, please don’t talk in binary code. I’m sure not many people know what you are saying.

mukuro5: But it’s so much fun.

Kurama: Just please don’t do it.

0101011110010010000100100
00001001001011101000010
0111011100110010000001101
1010110010100100000011000
010
1100111011000010110100101
1011100010111000100000010
010
0001101111011101110010000
0011000010111001001100101
001
0000001100001011011000110
1100001000000110111101100
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0010000001111001011011110
1110101001011100010000001
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0010010011101101101001000
0001100111011011000110000
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0100001100001011101000010
000
0011100110110111101101101
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110
0110001000000111100101101
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1100101011011100111010000
1000000111001001100101011
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1011100110010111000100000
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0100001100101011100100110
0101001000000110100101110
011
0010000001110100011010000
1100101001000000110111001
100
1010111100001110100001000
0001100011011010000110000
101
1100000111010001100101011
1001000101110

Hiei: What did she say?

Kurama: She said “Fine. I don’t own Yu Yu Hakusho just Kelly Smort, Tony, and Sarah”.

0110110101110101011010010
11001010011010100111010
0010000001010100011010000
1100001011101000010011101
110
0110010000001110010011010
0101100111011010000111010
000
101110

Hiei: What?

Kurama: mukuro5, you’re confusing Hiei. Please stop.

mukuro5: Okay. Here is goes.

Chapter 7: A Chance to Relax and Eat

“Okay. So she was last seen in this part of Makai? This place looks kind of dead. Do the other parts of Makai look like this?” Yusuke asked, getting distracted before anything was actually discussed.

“No, Yusuke. The environment here is like in Human World. It changes as you travel through different parts of Makai,” Kurama answered Yusuke.

“Let’s get going,” Botan suggested.

“So who rules over this part?” Yusuke asked, remembering that Koenma said something about three demons ruling the three parts of Makai.

“A demon named Mukuro,” Hiei finally spoke up.

“Can we go? This place is starting to freak me out,” Kelly stated, looking around the wasteland.

“Agreed,” Botan said so that everyone would start their mission.

-----------

It had been two hours since the group started walking. Kelly and Botan started out in front of the group, but by this time Kelly had fallen to the back of them with Kuronue. No one really talked the entire time. Kelly didn’t mind the silence itself, but the silence had a heavy feeling to it.

Another two hours passed before Kelly decided to say something. She looked around at everyone to make sure what she was going to say everyone would agree with. To her it looked like most everyone was ready.

“Is there anything to eat? I’m starving. Then again I haven’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday,” Kelly explained.

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t eaten since lunch time yesterday either,” Yusuke stated.

“I’m not sure if there really is anything to eat around here,” Botan answered, looking back at Kelly.

“There should be an abandoned palace up ahead,” Kuronue said.

“How far ahead?” Kelly asked, looking over at Kuronue.

“About another mile or so.”

“Really?! Then why are we still walking?” Kelly asked, running ahead of everyone.

“Kelly! There are demons around!” Kuronue yelled, running after her.

“I don’t care! I’m hungry!” Kelly called back. “I just want you all to lighten up. Maybe this will help,” Kelly thought with a smile.

Kurama immediately took off running after the two. The others watched the three run towards the horizon.

“Can I just go home?” Kuwabara asked in a sigh.

“No way!” Botan answered, grabbing Kuwabara’s ear and taking off after the three.

Yusuke dug his hands deep into his jean pockets before he started walking after them. With in a few minutes the gang reached a stone palace. Moss and vines took over the ancient building. Some of the stones were cracked or on the ground in piece. It was huge and looked like a haunted castle.

“This wouldn’t happen to be the palace you were talking about, would it, Kuronue?” Kelly asked, looking the palace over from top to bottom and side to side.

“It doesn’t surprise me that this place looks like it does. This palace hasn’t been occupied for over one hundred years,” Kurama replied.

“Can we tone it down on the long life thing? I’m still trying to get use to the idea that you’re a demon.”

Kurama nodded as a response to Kelly’s request. Kelly stared at the broken down palace some more. Yusuke and Kuwabara apparently were thinking the same thing as Kelly was from the looks on their faces.

“So how on earth do you think there is anything even close to edible in there?” Kelly asked, looking back at the group.

“There is a hidden room,” Kurama and Kuronue answered simultaneously and in a nonchalant tone of voice.

“How do you both…You know what? I don’t think I want to know. Can you just show us to the food?”

Kurama and Kuronue walked in front of the gang. They walked through the door way and onto the double wooden doors that appeared to have been knocked off their hinges.

“What happened to this place?” Kelly asked, looking around the dark palace.

“The inhabitants left because of a raid,” Kurama answered, lighting a torch that was hanging on the wall.

The light from the torch fell upon a beautifully decorated room. There were royal purple drapes on the four doors in the entrance hall. A red carpet was draped over the stairs in the far left corner of the room. All the doors had a golden tiger symbol on them.

“This place is gorgeous. Why would the people that raided this place not take all this stuff?” Kelly asked as they started walking down a hallway that was straight across the room from the front doors.

“This stuff was not as priceless as the item they held in their possession,” Kuronue answered.

“Is it me or does it appear that they know too much about this place?” Kuwabara asked to Yusuke who happened to be to his right.

“So where is this ‘secret room’?” Yusuke asked, looking around at all the carvings of tigers on the walls.

“It should be around the next corner,” Kurama answered.

Kuronue stopped in the middle of the hallway. He started patting the left wall, which received some questionable glances from everyone. Kurama walked over to where Kuronue was and squatted down near the right wall. He placed his left hand on the crease where the wall met the floor. The wall opened as if it were a door. The other continued to watch Kuronue pat the left wall all over. Kurama sighed before tapping his old friend’s shoulder. Kuronue turned around to find that the hidden door was open. So with that embarrassing moment out of the way the group started walking down the wide staircase that was behind the hidden door. Kelly made sure she was next to Kuronue while they walked down the stairs. Even though she trusted everyone else there, except Hiei and Botan, she felt the safest around Kuronue. Everyone else just stayed in a single file.

“It’s starting to get cold,” Kelly stated, walking closer to Kuronue to get some extra heat.

“It’s to keep the food below room temperature,” Kurama answered.

When the group reached the bottom of the staircase the light from the torch fell upon a room of all kinds of food. Kuwabara and Yusuke immediately started eating. Kelly stayed by Kuronue’s side while Botan looked around.

“Is this food really edible?” Kelly asked, looking around at all the food on the shelves that lined the walls.

“Yes. Go ahead, Kelly,” Kuronue said, giving Kelly a reassuring smile.

Kelly nodded shyly. So her and Botan walked over to where Yusuke and Kuwabara were. They slowly started eating different types of food. Hiei stood next to the stairs, leaning against the wall. Kuronue walked over to the far left corner of the room.

A few minutes later Kurama made his way over to where Kuronue was sitting. He stood next to his old partner’s side. Kuronue didn’t look up at Kurama and Kurama didn’t look down at Kuronue.

“I know you want to ask. It’s all right. You can go ahead and ask. It is no longer a touchy subject with me, Youko,” Kuronue said, looking at everyone eating, except Hiei who was still leaning against the wall by the staircase.

“It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. Many things have changed,” Kurama stated, watching his friends get into an argument about something that the rest of the group didn’t catch.

“Why do you insist on staying in that human form, Youko?”

Kurama smiled at his old partner’s question. He looked down at Kuronue before letting his arms fall to his sides. Kuronue looked up at him to show he was listening.

“Over thirty years, after you died at our last heist together, I was caught by a bounty hunter and was forced to flee to the Human World. I took refuge in an unborn fetus. That is why I’m in this form.”

Kuronue gave a soft chuckle. Kurama turned to his old friend with a questioning glance. Kuronue stopped laughing as Kurama slid down the wall to sit beside him. Kurama gave a sigh and looked at him.

“Go ahead. Tell me what’s so funny.”

“So you were the brat kid who happened to be my first charge. It makes sense since you’re about the right age.”

“Are you being cryptic or something? What are you talking about? I was one of your charges? Were you not in prison for only twenty years? How is…”

“Youko, one question at a time. You know I can’t keep a thousand questions in my head and answer them all. Okay. First, no, I am not being cryptic. When you were four years old. I didn’t know it was you at the time, but I can see the resemblance. What was the other question?”

“Before I completely lose it. Explain to me how you were able to watch over me when you have been dead for over forty years and was in prison for only twenty.”

“Well. I didn’t die when you left me at our last heist.”

“What?!”

Kuronue gave another soft chuckle. Kurama just stared at him, waiting for Kuronue to explain himself. Kelly, by this time, was done eating and looking over at the two friends. She smiled at them.

“I’m glad they are actually talking to each other,” Kelly thought.

“Kurama,” Hiei said, standing next to the stairs.

Kurama looked over at Hiei with a nodded. He got to his feet and looked down at his friend. Kuronue stood up as well.

“You will have to tell me what has happened when this is all over,” Kurama said before walking over to everyone else.

Kelly got to her feet and walked over to Kuronue. She smiled at him as he gave her a questioning glance.

“What are you smiling about? You’re in a run down palace in a demon-infested world. Just in case you haven’t noticed,” Kuronue stated.

“Because two best friends are reconnecting,” Kelly answered.

“Let’s go. Something is coming.”

-----------------

It had been a few hours since the group stated walking again. Kelly talked to Botan and tried to talk to Hiei, who wouldn’t talk back, so she could leave Kuronue and Kurama alone to talk. Every once in a while she would look back at the two to find each and every time that Kuronue and Kurama were not even walking by each other let alone talking.

“Jeeze! Those guys are so stubborn! Why don’t they just talk to each other? They need to get all their feelings out!” Kelly thought bitterly.

“How much longer until we get to wherever we are going?” Kuwabara asked to anyone who would answer.

“It will be awhile, Kuwabara. Like I told you before we left it will take at least two days to get there,” Botan answered, looking back at Kuwabara.

“Are you kidding me? Two days of walking? Wait! Does that mean we will be camping?” Kelly started to complain.

“Kelly, unless you can find a hotel or a village in this wasteland what else are we going to do?” Kuronue asked sarcastically.

“I know, but…Hey! Don’t get an attitude with me! Whatever happened to the quiet Kuronue that didn’t mock me constantly?”

“Don’t worry about him, Kelly. He’s just acting like this because he wants to act cool in front of Kurama,” Botan said, laughing.

Kuronue crossed his arms so he wouldn’t kill the annoying blue haired ferry girl. Kelly snickered at Botan’s comment. She figured that was the reason and found it quite funny.

--------------

“It’s pretty at night,” Kelly stated, looking up at the night sky from where she was laying on the ground.

“Sure is,” Botan agreed, doing the same thing as Kelly.

“I have been wondering about this for a bit, but I couldn’t ask Shuichi or Kuronue. Is this Youko a murderous demon? Or was he just a thief?”

“Youko did what he had to.”

“So he did kill other people? I know Kuronue did once, but I was just wondering if Youko did too.”

“Kelly, not all demons are like our three. They are murderous and without shame. They’ll do anything they want most the time.”

“Three? Who else is a demon? I know Kuronue and Shuichi are, but…”

“Hiei is one also.”

“Oh. He’s not very friendly, is he?”

“It will take a while to get use to his personality.”

“That also reminds me of my other question. Why haven’t we seen any demons?”

“I’m not sure. Just consider yourself lucky. It will be much better for us if we don’t run into any demons.”

Kelly turned her attention from Botan to the stars once more. She couldn’t help the thousand questions that flooded her consciousness. Why she was here and what help could she be to everyone? Botan was fast asleep when Kelly looked back over at her.

“I guess it is pretty late,” Kelly said to herself.

She sat up and looked around the campsite, if you could call it that. Everyone was lying down on the ground. It was obvious that Kuwabara was asleep from his snoring. Yusuke appeared to be asleep as well. The fire that was started when they first started to settle down was going out.

“I just can’t get to sleep,” Kelly thought as she scanned over the area that they were in.

The night was a beautiful one. It was a comfortable temperature when the wind wasn’t blowing. Kelly just sat there, looking up at the sky. After a bit she heard something move behind her. She turned around to see Kuronue standing behind her.

“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” Kelly asked, looking up at him.

“Not really. Why aren’t you asleep? You won’t be up to walking in the morning if you don’t get some rest,” Kuronue stated, looking down at her.

“I know. I just can’t get to sleep. This place is just a bit…different, I guess would be the word.”

Kuronue sighed softly. He sat down beside Kelly, his wings wrapping around his body. She looked at him with a smile before looking up at the stars again. She really did like his wings and found them to be so cute. Kuronue laughed softly, which confused Kelly.