X/1999 Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Sadame ❯ Destiny ( Chapter 1 )

Sadame

 

Disclaimer: X and Yu Yu Hakusho do not belong to me, and I'm not sure who owns them at the moment, but it's definitely not me and I make no money from this fic, or mean offense to the original owners.

 

The day had been normal. So normal that he knew something was going to happen.

They'd just finished the Dark Tournament, and the cases, lately, had been… well, lame.

The Reikai Tentai stood before the massive portal that led to Koenma's office- and Yuusuke wondered if anyone else had noticed the feeling that a sword was about to fall.

He sat in the hall, arms crossed, watching, waiting, and then Botan came out, her face unnaturally pale- even for Death. Yuusuke wasn't the only one to notice- everyone else frowned, or stood up, or something-

“Kuwabara?” she asked, faintly, shoving her arms in her sleeves. “Koenma-sama needs to speak with you.”

Yuusuke inhaled- the sense of doom had centered itself on his best friend… The tall redhead walked, unsuspecting, into the office of the toddler demigod… with no idea of the doom that hung over him.

The door shut with such a note of finality that echoed down the halls, and even Kurama and Hiei noticed this time. They turned questioning faces to their “leader”- or at least Kurama did. Hiei was just scowling in Yuusuke's general direction.

Nothing.

Nothing could be said, as they waited in a silence that dragged them down, like leaded cloth. Nothing was heard, and they wondered if there would ever be a time when-

Botan came out again, eyes bleak.

Power. Pure power spiked, echoing through the silent passages of the Spirit World, like nothing they had ever felt. It radiated despair and acceptance and a soul wrenching agony. It was also coming from Koenma's office… and tasted suspiciously like Kuwabara's.

“What's going on?” Yuusuke asked, rounding on the wilting ferry girl. She shrank back, shaking her head repeatedly.

“I can't tell you.”

“What?” they all looked at her, surprised and shocked- this from the world's biggest blabbermouth-

The power receded- not fading, but controlled, restrained… and the massive door opened, spewing forth the last member of the Spirit Detectives; he looked like he'd had his grave stepped on.

Yuusuke knew something profound, horrible, had just happened, but Kuwabara, probably the worst liar in the world, forced his face into a mockery of a smile.

“Kuwabara-“

“It's okay, Urameshi.”

“I'll believe that when Koenma decides to do his own dirty work,” Yuusuke spat, and Botan winced in the background.

Kuwabara didn't answer, just turned away. “It's…got nothin' to do with you…”

“Dammit, Kuwa-“

“Leave him alone, Yuusuke,” someone said, and he turned to see Koenma, in his adult form, standing in the doorway, arms akimbo.

“Like HELL I will-“

“I mean it,” the princeling said softly, nodding to Kuwabara, who walked off, letting out a deep breath, slumping, and face imploding on itself.

Slowly, he straightened his back, expression smoothing to something resolved, if sad. His steps firmed…

“What was that about?” Yuusuke whirled, not noticing that Kurama and Hiei had already left. Koenma slowly shook his head.

“Its nothing I can talk to you about, Yuusuke. It's… literally, out of your hands. I had to tell Kuwabara something- that I'd put off, when he became a Reikai Tentai. I thought-“ There was genuine regret on his face. “But it couldn't be avoided any longer.”

“What?” Yuusuke lost his anger briefly in puzzlement. “What couldn't be avoided?"

“Yuusuke- I won't tell you, because, as my Reikai Tentai, you CANNOT be involved. I'm not allowed to interfere. I wish I could- and if you were to know, so would. Kuwabara- you won't be able to find him. He's going to be out of Japan, and I won't help you.”

“But WHY?”

“Kuwabara…” For the first time that he'd met Koenma, he looked truly bitter. “Has a destiny. Sadame- a destiny that cannot be changed, no matter how hard we try. It's not his job- or your job- to change it.”

“That's a load of-“

“Yuusuke,” Koenma's voice was oddly compassionate. “This has happened before, and it might happen again. You might be able to do the impossible, but you aren't a god, or a demon. Even if you were- you still couldn't interfere. I hate it, every time. And if you interfere…Things will only get worse.”

Yuusuke stared at Koenma, aghast, before spinning to punch one of the walls, cracking it, the stomping off.

Koenma watched his back, sighing, and Botan edged next to him. The half god leaned against her, giving in to the tears.

“I can't tell him that Kuwabara is destined to help destroy humanity.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

The next time Yuusuke Urameshi saw Kazuma Kuwabara, it was in a park. The man was sitting next to a young woman, while he finished feeding some birds.

The girl sat at his side, while he gently offered her his handkerchief. She wiped her eyes, then shot up, genki once more- and ran off, Kuwabara waving to her as she went.

Then Yuusuke realized why he'd not recognized him at first- his hair, once a carrot top red, was now dyed black, typical of any other Japanese- as well as his eyebrows.

Kuwabara turned to him… and Yuusuke sighed. Part of him had wondered if he would ever catch up to the other man in size… and well, he hadn't. Kuwabara, tall in his youth, was a tree now. He was broad and thick, as well as tall, body powerful and weathered.

Well, he'd put some age on as well, but Kuwabara looked far older…

They just locked gazes, for several minutes, wondering who would speak first.

“How you doing, Urameshi?” Kuwabara broke the stiff silence first, his voice oddly tired. He didn't look defensive, or guilty- or anything-

“How am I doing? What kind of fucking question is that, you bastard?” Normally this would have sent Kuwabara into a rage- but things hadn't been normal in twelve years. The other man just quirked his eyebrow.

Yuusuke was rapidly becoming Wigged Out.

So he did what he usually did- Yuusuke drove his fist into Kuwabara's face.

Then screamed like a girl because he thought he'd broken it.

“DAMMIT KUWA-“

“Its Kusanagi now.”

“FUCK-“

“Urameshi,” the voice was a quiet rebuke. “My name is Kusanagi now. It's been that way for twelve years. It's going to be that way until I die. So shut the fuck up, okay?”

Pause.

“Where have you been?” No name added, and he kept nursing his sore hand. “And what the hell caused that?” To be able to do that to him NOW… after his demon blood had been awakened…

“You know, once upon a time, I would have given nearly anything to be able to do that,” Kuwa- no, Kusanagi said, sighing. Then he laughed. “And now I have.”

“You're not making any sense, man.”

The other man shrugged. “Is there anywhere we can talk, out of the way?” He was looking around, and Yuusuke got the impression that he was afraid that girl would come back.

“Yeah. I inherited the ramen shop from Keiko's parents… when I married her,” he said a bit shyly. He'd wished that Kuwabara could have been around to be his best man.

Kusanagi nodded- and Yuusuke turned to walk through the nearby park as a shortcut-

“We aren't going through there,” the taller man said emphatically. “Not through the park. Not there.”

“Huh?” he asked, surprised, as Kusanagi grabbed him around the waist, and jumped- first to a tree, then to a building, and started to leap from roof to roof and over the smaller ones, and along the sides-

“Damn.” Yuusuke could do this kind of thing- look like a duck trying to walk, but he could- though never this easily. Never like breathing- and Kusanagi looked like he was walking through the park he'd avoided.

“Why'd you avoid the park?”

“Cause there's a man-eating tree in there.”

“SAY WHAT?”

“Its not a demon- you can't do anything about it, because while it would likely eat you, I don't want you to give it indigestion.” There was a bit of humor in Kusanagi's voice. “I don't like the damn thing but it serves a purpose in protecting the Ningenkai. So don't do anything, Koenma knows about it.”

Yuusuke was still stuck on a “What the fuck?” mental loop when they arrived- and he was promptly run over by his own merry band of barbarians.

“Tousan!”

“PAPA!”

There was a loud thump as Yuusuke's son and daughter ran at him- and he scooped them up, the momentary confusion forgotten. Yuusuke tossed them both over his shoulders, grinning, and walked in to the shop.

“Mama! Guess what I have to make into ramen!”

Yuusuke had decided that, during Keiko's lifetime, he would stay with her on earth. After all, it wasn't like the Demon World, and his claim to it, was going anywhere. Besides… his kids were happy.

“Ketsui! Junsei!” Someone was walking out from the kitchen- Keiko. She was wiping her hands on a towel, and raised an eyebrow. “Papa, I do think I can have them boiled up for broth soon…”

There was pause, and the two children vehemently denied being made into soup-

Then the woman noticed the tall shadow behind her, and she went pale.

“Kuwabara?”

The two kids finally wiggled around to look at their guests. “That's Mr. Kuwabara? The guy daddy used to beat up and was his best friend?” Ketsui asked, innocently. Yuusuke blushed- because Kuwabara looked surprised that they knew who he was.

“Yup. That's him.”

“But I thought-“

“He's fine. He's here. You two go do your homework.”

There was pouting- and the two kids- who couldn't have been more than eight and six, respectively-obediently sighed and turned around, running up the stairs.

“Wow,” was Kusanagi's eloquent reply. “You-“

“I won't let my children be the same kind of delinquents their father was,” Keiko sniffed, and then smiled. “For one thing, I'm not that kind of mother- and for another, they are both so smart it would be a waste.”

“So you aren't teaching your boy how to fight?” Kusanagi asked, as Keiko ushered them to a table. There was an awkward silence.

“Yeah… well, actually,” Yuusuke looked embarrassed. “Their Genkai-obaachan is…”

Kusanagi smiled, gently.

Then Keiko decided to comment. “You're looking well.” That one statement was so loaded it practically crashed into the window.

Kusanagi winced. Keiko gave him a thorough raking with her eyes- going from his uniform, the kanji “Kusanagi” on his nametag, to the rank of sergeant, to his blank hair and eyebrows.

“It's been a long time, and yes, I've been well,” Kusanagi whispered, and looked at the table.

“I can't believe you,” she finally scolded. “Do you know how heartbroken your sister was? Yukina? Even Yuusuke! The Tantei was lost without you!”

Kusanagi said nothing, but shook his head. After a pause, he finally said, “I had something more important to do.”

The woman frowned, searching his face. “What could me more important than your family? Than your friends?”

The mountain of a man grunted softly, and looked at his hands.

“I won't tell you. There are reasons, Keiko. Though I will pass on a warning. Get out of Tokyo. Now. Tonight. Big things are going to be happening- the earthquakes are just the start. I will be a player but I can't protect you. Go to the Spirit World. The Demon world- anywhere but here.”

Keiko had opened her mouth to protest, but Yuusuke was the one who answered.

“No- I won't leave! This is our home.” He growled. “You just threatened my family, Kuwabara,” he snarled the old name. “You just threw away any of our friendship with that.”

“What will you do about it, Urameshi?” Kusanagi replied. His tone was flat. His eyes were flat. “You have no damned idea what I'm talking about, and why I'm doing what I'm doing.” The resignation in his eyes traded for fury, blazing so bright and so raw that Yuusuke fell back from the ki that radiated off him in waves.

“Then tell us,” Yuusuke demanded, leaning down to his face. Kusanagi's face was thunderous.

“I can't. You aren't human; Yuusuke, and therefore, you have no place. Ask Koenma- ask Genki,” he spat. “She might know. Ask ANY DAMNED ECOLOGIST and they will tell you what's going on!”

The man drew back his arm, forming a ball of light- and then he stopped.

“Dammit.” He looked so lost.

Turning to the door, he rubbed his black head. “I have to go back to base. Urameshi- listen to what I told you, okay? Just- get out of Tokyo.”

Then he left… and Yuusuke was wondering what had happened to his best friend.

 

To be continued.