The stories we tell

The Storyteller

               One week, and the tunnel linking the human world and the demon world would be completed, basically unlashing the Apocalypse on Earth. And all they had, all they knew about the people behind this impending catastrophe, were a couple of nicknames and the face of some creepy guy who was somehow involved. Only, they didn't really have a face either, not a picture or anything tangible, but the memory of a flash second when he thought he identified the enemy. And anyway, they didn't even really have a face, because Yusuke and Genkai were the only ones that saw him, so only the two of them would recognize the man. Yusuke supposed that maybe they could find some sort of sketch artist, like they do in cop movies, but he doubted it would really help, not with their timeframe moving up on them and no lead at all. There was also the dead, human psychic, who had been more than willing to wipe up a whole hospital of defenseless fellow humans- the very people whom he was supposed to help and heal. Yusuke was still seething over this last, especially because he had been forced to aim for the kill in order to save everybody else. Sure, it had been Genkai who gave the finishing blow to the doctor, but still. Yusuke knew, deep down, that next time he fought, he might not be so lucky. Soon, he might just have to look in the mirror and see himself a murderer, just like the bad guys he was always trying to catch.

               He was brought out of his rather depressing musing by the awareness of another's presence. It was instinct at this point to look around for the shock of red he knew to be close. He would recognize Kurama's presence anywhere, ever since that first time he had to spot him on the crowded streets of the city, when the fox had been his case, rather than his partner. His youkai was different than anyone else's, although Yusuke would be hard pressed to ever explain how, even now. Nor did he really wanted to delve that deep into analyzing it, either. He was more than happy to let Kurama do all the analyzing for their group, he was pretty much a genius, so he might as well. And, at the moment, he was also calmly coming Yusuke's way, a tiny smile at one corner of his mouth in greeting. The spirit detective smiled back, despite his earlier dark mood.

               "Oh, look who's here. Didn't peg you as the kind to skip school, Kurama."

               The redhead gave him an amused smile.

               "I'm touched you noticed, Yusuke," was the pleasant reply, while the two of them fell into step together. There was a teasing note to his voice, and just for a moment they both seemed to relax into the mundane, even though they were both acutely aware it was likely just the calm before the storm. It is a good feeling though, and it grounds Yusuke in the present, and this present has the redhead sometimes accidently bumping their shoulders as they avoid bumping some of the people running on the busy streets at peak hour, coming and going and paying them no mind. It's a good present.

               It's Kurama who breaks the silence and the false sense of tranquility.

               "I took a day off to travel to the spirit world. I needed to talk to Koemna, to figure out some things."

               The dark-haired detective looks at his companion in surprise, though that soon melts into a new wave of dark emotions as Kurama explains what he has found- and what he has not. He was just about to get his telecommunication mirror and demand some real answers from the toddler/ruler of the spirit world, when he is suddenly forced to come to a stop to avoid colliding with a girl who has been heading in a bee line straight to them. She is looking at them, dark, almost black eyes sparkling, and a rather unsettling smile on her face. She does not look much older than them- a year, maybe two, probably still in high school herself, but alarm bells ring in Yusuke's mind. He feels himself tense, without really understanding why. The girl looks- mischievous, for lack of a better word, and even though she is barely 5 ft tall, there is something about her that makes the spirit detective uneasy. Next to him, Kurama is regarding the girl calmly, expectantly. Outwardly, nothing about him seemed to change, but Yusuke could see his friend shed all that remained of his human persona in favor of Kurama, the demon, the one who fought by his side so many times before. Not nearly Yoko, but miles away from the human façade he normally wore, it was always exhilarating to watch Kurama reveal himself. It is a subtle change, and the spirit detective has no idea when he started noticing it, let alone enjoying it so much, but nowadays it always sends a sort of electric current straight through him, whenever he gets the chance to witness it.