Yu Yu Hakusho: The After Years

Episode 8: Avoidance

Her eyes glittered as she declared her revenge. But the smiling mouth soon became slack, and the very air in the room seemed to thin as the exerted pressure lessened.

"It seems I've already stayed too long," said Kanya, examining a shaking hand, "This body isn't quite ready yet."

"Ready? What do you mean, 'ready?'" demanded Yusuke.

Her mouth opened as if to say something else, but her head lolled to the side as her body became limp and collapsed to the floor.

"Rieka!" Yusuke said, rushing to pick her up. She suddenly looked much smaller then, cradled in his arms. Yusuke searched her face then looked to Kurama, "Can you get it out?"

For a moment, Kurama said nothing and stared at the floor. Yusuke growled, his eyes full of rage and tears, "Well is she gone, or isn't she?"

"She's not gone," said Kurama, "It's just something inside of her that has never surfaced until now. They're twined together, two parts of the same persona. For some reason, unlike myself, the memories of this other life haven't carried over into Rieka's consciousness, but it's always been there. I cannot separate them."

"What did it mean, 'this body isn't ready?' What will happen then?" Yusuke said in a more hushed tone.

"For myself, it took about 15 years for me to fully recover my powers, the kami must be biding time to regain her full strength. Rieka's 14 so..."

"She has less than a year to deal with this," finished Yusuke.

"Not necessarily," said Genkai, "Sacred energy takes 40 years to master. Sensui split his personality to achieve this faster."

"So two personalities means she may have until she's 20," said Kurama.

Hiro slowly approached Yusuke and Rieka's unconscious form. He carefully laid a hand on Rieka's forehead and looked to Yusuke, "She's still in there, uncle, and she's okay. It's just like she's dreaming."

"You had a connection with her the whole time, Hiro?" asked Kurama.

Hiro nodded, "We were raised together. I always know where she is and how she is whether I like it or not. During that whole episode...I don't know, it's like she was sleeping. I don't even think she'll remember this."

"We won't tell her then," Yusuke decided.

"What?" said Genkai.

"Once we figure out what can be done we'll tell her, but there's no reason for her to be as scared shitless as I am in the meantime."

"What do you propose we tell her then?" asked Genkai.

"She fell asleep while trying to meditate. We got the information we needed. It's not like it's something she hasn't done before."

It was Hiro's turn to look worried, "But I can't lie to her."

"It's for her own good so you'd better, kid."

"But she'll know. She always knows."

"She's not the one who's psychic...do you always make that face when you lie to her?"

"What face?" Hiro said with a strained smile as one of his eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.

Yusuke carried Rieka up to her room. It was something he had done for her when she was much smaller. For some reason, it made him a little sad.

He let her hair down and brushed the tangles from it, then laid her down on her futon, tucking the blankets around her. He smoothed the hair on her forehead, and with a half-hearted smile, left her to sleep and to see what things would come of the morning. The window was open, filling the room with fragrant summer air.