{A/N: Miyuki Urameshi. Art by me}
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"So can you explain to me again about this place we are going to?" I asked the blue haired Grim Reaper once more since I still don't have any clue where we are going.
"The Spirit World." She repeated her answer that I had probably heard for like the millionth time, but that alone didn't tell me much about that place.
"Right, well what is that?" I tried again as I attempted to get a better hold of that paddle the girl was riding on.
"It's the realm where the people who live outside the living world exist, including the person who will explain to your ordeal." Botan explained but it was still confusing.
"And who is this stupid mystery man?" I asked her a little bit annoyed by this point. "If someone wants to say something, they should come to me." I mean it would be easier for many people.
"His name is King Enma." Botan replied. The answer made me taken aback a little.
"What?!" I shouted, clearly feeling the fear inside of me now. "Are we dealing with royalty now?"
"That's right Yusuke, and you would better not be foul-mouthed, or impolite around him like you usually are." Botan told me as she looked into my eyes with a serious look on her face. "He calls the shots and he could send you to oblivion forever if he wants to." She pointed one finger at my face.
"Woah, now wait a second! I think we should discuss this!" I began panicking as we suddenly began to speed toward a shining circle that looked like a white portal. Spinning around like a tornado and screaming full voice for a good amount of time we soon left through a massive layer of white clouds. As we shot out of them, we were now in a different area with a huge desert-like area coloured in a golden yellow colour, and there was also one long, zig-zagging river in the middle.
"Wow, everything's so big." I commented as I took a good look at my surroundings. "Is that the river Styx?" I asked the girl curiously.
"Well, of course." Botan nodded her head as we now reached the area where tall and purple rocks and mountains surrounded us from both of our sides.
"And just up ahead is the gateway of decisions." I look before me and now from afar, I can now detect that huge building with a very tall tower.
After a minute or so we landed onto a rocky path that was right in front of the large door.
"Oh man, what a pad. " I complimented in a bit of a daze since everything looked so huge, making me feel like a small bug.
"Botan here, I got a new arrival with me." Botan said loudly to the door and soon enough it opened up. Shivers were racing down my spines and, of course I freaked out as I saw the long hallway with two lines of poles all marched up straight on both sides. On the ceiling, the line of lamps was shaped like bones.
"This place looks like a giant throat!" I exclaimed feeling a bit scared. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"Don't whine." Botan said before walking up ahead.
"HEY!" I shouted after her, but she ignored my call. Grumbling under my breath I had no other choice but to follow her inside this creep of a place, hands in my pocket, and many questions inside my head.
'I wonder what this King Enma looks like. . .' I wonder in as I tried to picture this all-mighty king in my mind. 'If he is running an operation this big, he must be gigantic and ugly too. '
Then a picture appeared not long after this conclusion. A giant man with black beard and vampire fangs and long nails like claws at each end of his finger tips.
'How can I fight a guy like that?' I asked myself.
'Ah, of course, I'll punch you square in the nose. ' I concluded as I tried to think of my next move. "And then while he is stunned, I'll go for his eyeballs! "
"I'll squeeze him until he's begging for mercy to see how he liked taking orders! " The more I think of it I feel like my energy and confidence began to rise up to the roof. I feel my lips stretching up to an evil smile. However, my imagination was soon cut short when I accidentally bumped into Botan who turned around to give me a confused look.
"What in the world are you muttering about?" She asked me puzzled making me shut up. She probably heard me muttering about my plan.
"Me, oh nothing." I quickly replied as casually as possible. With a questioning look, the blue-haired chick turned back around and pushed the button on the communicator speaker that was right next to another large door.
"Botan again, will you let him know I have Yusuke Urameshi here." The girl with pink kimono spoke into the communication device.
"We're opening the gate." The voice on the other side replied before opening the door for us. Looking inside all, I see is a bunch of horned creatures. . . ogres, I think that's what they are actually called running around and shouting orders at each other with papers, calls in the area that looked like a work office, but it looked so much bigger than the ones we probably have in my world.
"What is this? It's like the people talk people exchange?" I thought out loud dumbstruck as I followed Botan through these. . . workers. Fast forward, we reached a pink door that automatically opened in front of us.
"Sir, I've brought you the boy you requested to see." Said Botan with a respectful bow. Now I was freaking out.
'Where is he?' I asked as I frantically looked around the office. 'Is he invisible?' I searched every spot in the room but I still found no one.
"I'm right here." A voice said to me. I looked around once more, but I found nobody. Now my suspicion might be right.
"Down here." The voice spoke again. I looked down to the direction, but all I see is. . .
A toddler? What the actual hell?
"This is the guy that's in charge?" I asked in total disbelief. Is this some kind of joke? That this baby in purple clothing and a round blue pacifier in mouth was running this entire organization?
"Welcome, how do you like my castle?" He greeted me as he turned around and walked over to his desk with the big pink chair behind as we walked closer to it.
"This is Yusuke Urameshi and he is honoured to meet you." Botan said as her left hand gestured into my direction. When I didn't reply the blue-haired girl turned to me and hit me in the chest harshly. "Hey, are you trying to make me look stupid?" Botan scolded at me, angrily. "Tell him how honoured you are?" That's when I couldn't hold it back anymore.
My laughter began to echo through the entire office room.
This is by far the most hilarious thing I have ever witnessed in my entire living or dead life. This looks so stupid yet so funny.
"That's a good one Botan, but let's be serious, okay?" I said between breaths.
"Why would I lie about something like this you moron?!" The Grim Reaper girl shouted at my face angrily as her eyes reflected seriousness. Now, this just made things even funnier than before. These people must be crazy if they let something like this happen.
"Why would the Spirit World run by a toddler?" I asked still laughing my ass off as my finger was pointed at the so-called 'King Enma'. Botan of course didn't like that and slapped my hand.
"Don't point your finger at him!" She warned me, but I didn't care, it was still unbelievable and hilarious.
"And to think I was scared of the mighty King Enma" I shared my thought as I was still hysterical. I hear the baby cleared his throat.
"Well, to be more exact, I am the mighty Koenma, and I am the son of King Enma." The toddles named Koenma warned me with calmness, but by the face of it, he looked rather annoyed. " Even though I appeared to be a child I have been around over fifty times longer than you have. So watch your mouth when you speak to me." Well, I don't care, because it still looked stupid just like this little baby.
"So, it takes hundreds of years to move past a diaper?" I joked, my laughter uncontrollably leaving my throat.
"Can't you show some amount of decency?" Botan immediately hit me in the back of my head to shut me up.
"Actually, I'm proud to say, in addition to knowing the greatest secrets of the Universe, I'm also quite potty trained." Koenma replied as he stood up to his pink chair. "Let's skip to the business, shall we?" He then jumped onto his table, right in front of my face that make me slightly jump back.
"Yusuke Urameshi, I present you, your ordeal." Koenma said as he pulled out a small golden egg.
"My ordeal is a golden chicken egg?" I asked confused. What in the world?
"Your ordeal will be what is inside of it and I assure you it won't be a chicken." Who did even mention. . . Oh, whatever.
"Hatch this egg and face what comes out." Koenma instructed as he handed the egg toward my direction.
"So, what's the trick? Do I do something to hatch it?" I asked puzzled.
"No-no-no, not at all." Koenma shook his head. " You only have to keep it with you." The toddles told me.
"This is a spirit beast and if feeds off the energy emitted from your soul. This will be a true and constant test of your character. The thing you do and feel will change the monster inside, for better or for worse." As he began explaining, my hands began to feel all sweaty with nervousness. "If your spirits as your flies suggested, wicked, and cruel, then the beast that hatches will be the same way, it will devour you and you'll be lost forever." Now I was scared shitless. This is not how I imagined things at all.
"This is as you might imagine is a painful experience." Koenma added, but it didn't make me feel any better.
"However, if the energy you emit is good and true, then so will be the spirit beast." I relaxed my shoulders a little, but I still felt uneasy. "It will take care of you, and guide you back into your living body. Of course, if it sounds to risky, you can back out and remain a ghost. The choice is yours Yusuke Urameshi."
My now trembling hand began to raise up in the air and reach for the small golden egg hesitant.
I don't want this thing to devour me and kill me. I don't want this to happen.
But then what will happen to Miyuki and Keiko? What about my mother. . . ?
My shaking hand finally touched the round object.
Well, here goes nothing. . .
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I began walking out of my room with my pyjamas and slipper. However, as soon as I reached the hall a beer glass flew toward my direction but I managed to dodge that quickly. I hear the glass shatter behind me. Then more crashing breaking sounds followed right after along with the cries of my now drunk mother.
"Why. . . ?" She asked after pushing another glass of alcohol down into her throat. "What were you thinking Yusuke. . . ?" Knowing that it was really bad timing I just sneaked my way behind her.
"NO ONE GAVE PERMISSION TO DIE!!!" Her scream made me cringe a little. Then another round of insults and rant from her that was mostly about asking Yusuke if he was mad at her for not raising him good enough or that he was mad at me for something. I just shook my head sadly before walking through to the kitchen and get a glass of milk for myself. Right after getting the stuff, I needed, I tiptoed my way back into my room. With one last glance, I closed my door behind me and let my mother cool down.
As the last drop of my drink got into my system I placed the glass onto my desk and then grabbed one of the kunai knives I had bought from my birthday money. I honestly don't know why I bought weapons like these, but it looked fancy and sharp enough for my taste so why not?
Since I couldn't sleep I just did what I usually do in my boredom. Throw knives at my bedroom wall. It's not like mom would care. She already did her fair share in breaking things and leaving a good amount of mess after herself.
Speaking of which after what felt like hours I stopped myself from throwing the kunais away as I listened to the silence that came from the other side of my door.
Sighing I threw the last knife at the wall, right next to the others before going out and look if my mother had calmed down. She was sleeping soundly on the casket one hand under her head while the other held a beer bottle within its grasp. Shaking my head in disappointment I began to clean up her mess, right after I placed the baby-blue blanket that had been hanging around the corner.
Gosh, she is supposed to be mine and Yusuke's guardian, yet she acts more like a friend than a parent. If I can even call her a friend either. . . But sure as hell that someone needed to take over the parents duties, which sadly had fallen onto my shoulders. Even though I was younger than my brother I was always the one with the house chores and parenting duties. And I don't really enjoy it. . . .
After the clean-up, I finally got my glass into the sink then later on landed on my soft and warm bed like a tree, that had been cut down recently. As soon as my head hit the pillow I instantly fell into a deep slumber as I waited for that same dream to happen again. However though, instead of some forest where I would meet some person, I found myself in an empty dream realm where everything looked so. . . colourful and felt. . . different somehow. . . Not only that I also saw someone I never thought I would see.
"Little sis!" Yusuke shouted in my direction who was at least one mile away from me. "FINALLY! Do you have any idea how long did it took me to wait for you!" Wow. Still the jerk wad as ever, even in his death. How typical.
"Nice to see you too." I said to him casually with a small hint of sarcasm. "And if you want to blame someone then blame yourself for being an oaf."
"Okay-okay, I'm sorry and all but let's take care of that for another time okay? Because I need to tell you something important." My brother started to say, making me slightly taken aback. What could be so important to him?
"Listen here little sis!" He started with a serious face and tone. "I know this might sound insane to you, but I need you to take care of my body until I come back. You got to stop the funeral before it's too late and tell our mom not to waste her life because of me because, in the end, everything will be fine. "
Say what again?
I look at my brother, feeling my eyebrows knitting together as I tried to wrap my head around this newfound information. What does he mean he will come back? That's not possible. Once you died, life is over and then all that's left is the afterlife as anyone would tell me.
"This is not funny Yusuke!" I told him sternly. "Stop joking around with stuff like that. How can I be so sure that you're telling the truth?!" That sentence was particularly was shouted out. No wonder why, I feel my rage bubbling up inside of me again like boiling hot water.
"You have to believe me Miyuki. " Yusuke was now right in front of my face as he grabbed my shoulders with a tight grasp. " I know this sounds crazy and all but listen, after hearing you talking to me I finally realized how you feel. So just do what I say because I am doing this for you as well." I felt like my heart stopped for a moment and so did my breathing. . . He. . . he heard me talk to him?
" I know I wasn't exactly the brightest person either, nor the best brother that you deserve but please at least trust me for once." I look into his chocolate brown eyes deeply. As I was looking into my brother's eyes I saw something that I would rarely see in them. They looked sincere. And the way he told me this it sounded so honest.
"I promise once I get back, I'll try my best to be the brother to you, okay?" He said it with a gentle tone as his eyes softened like marshmallows. "I should have seen your point of view instead of just calling you a robot all the time. I'm truly sorry sis. . . " I never saw this side before. . .
Or. . . Was I just too blind to see it before. . . ?
I didn't say anything but nodded my head mutely at him as my response.
"Everything will be alright little Miyu." Yusuke reassured me as his hand touched the top of my head making me almost gasp. "Just please take care of my body before I come back." All I did was nod my head again as I let my eyes soften a little.
My eyes fluttered open as I shot out of my bed.
"Yusuke!" I croaked as one hand reached into the air. My blurry vision soon began to clear and I found myself in my room.
That dream. . . Was it real or. . . my mind was just playing a cruel trick on me. . . ?
The next morning, I walked to school with Keiko. When she arrived at my house however, she had a small talk with Atsuko about a dream where she saw Yusuke in it, but it wasn't like the one I had last night. Interesting enough, Keiko also claimed to have a dream where she saw Yusuke, but I didn't question it any further, because hers must be something like mom's or at least different than mine.
But this is when the cold realization hit me that this was nothing but my own mind making things up. I don't know if I am being that desperate to see my brother again or just my mind starting to go crazy.
The school day went away in a blur, but it became a bit more irritating than ever. Right after my brother's death, which just happened yesterday, people started to become straight up rude to me. They began spreading more rumours about me while making fun of me for being such a 'weakling' or 'Ice Queen'. It's not like it would change anything, my emotions are still the same, just closed up under many locks deep within me.
And as much as I want to fight back like my brother would, but unlike him, I don't find them worthy of my time and energy.
I am no punk like my Yusuke. I am me.
Miyuki and just as that.
"Why are you even friends with her?" I hear someone ask from the corner I am about to reach.
"Aren't you afraid that she will hurt you? After all her brother was Yusuke." What a load of garbage.
"She is, but she is nothing like him." The familiar voice of Keiko defended me. Well, the fact might be partly true. Half-way at least. Or maybe like 30% of it.
"How can you be so sure?" Another girl's voice asked.
"Just trust me, girls, I knew Miyuki since we were very little." Keiko explained. "She just still needs time for-."
"Good evening Keiko!" I greeted her in my monotone voice as I made my presence known by turning around the corner. As expected, the girls froze in their place and looked at me with fright in their eyes.
"W-we will wait for you outside Keiko." Said the two girls as they began to rush down the stairs. I just let out a sigh of disappointment before looking at my other childhood best friend who gave me a sad look that I know too well. Sympathy and pity. And I hated both of them because it makes me feel like I am weak and not strong enough.
"I'm sorry about them Miyuki." She apologized but I just shook my head and waved a hand dismissively.
"It's not like they know anything about me know do they?" I asked her with an empty tone that no one can read, but only Keiko knows the true meaning behind it.
After the end of my stay at the Drama club, I was finally free, so Keiko and I can leave the school building. At the gate, we met those two girls again. Since I didn't have anything better to do for the rest of the afternoon, I just tagged along with Keiko and her friends. I let them all have their fun while I was behind them staying behind, quiet as usual and block out the whole world that surrounded me while playing with the chain and precious treasure of mine that is hanging around my neck.
A bad habit of mine that sometimes takes my attention completely.
It happened again, unfortunately, and as a result, I landed on my butt. I probably bumped into someone again.
"I'm so sorry. I must have been a little distracted. . ." A gentle and smooth male voice apologized to me as the stranger lend me a helping hand to me to take. "Are you okay miss?"
"It's alright. It's my fault anyways." I told him quietly as I took the hand that soon pulled up to my feet. Wait a minute. . . that hand. . . and that voice. . . it felt and sounded. . . familiar. . .
"Are you sure?" Asked the stranger with concern, but I just nodded my head automatically while my gaze was settled onto my feet.
"It's okay. Really." I told him before letting my hand slip from his grasp and power walk away to catch up to the girls.
"MIYUKI! ARE YOU COMING?" Keiko shouted for me, making my head shot up and see the brunette girl with pig-tails waving at me. Without another word I run after them, not glancing at the stranger behind me even once.
Fast forward after looking around the shop we were now outside. However, the girls Keiko is friends with are gone for some reason.
"Where did they go?" Keiko asked me, but I just shrugged. A small sigh escaped through my brunette friend's lips and began walking away. We walked past a guy whose entire face was covered with make-up that is very well known as bruises along with a bloody nose. We pay no mind to him and just continued on walking-.
"Keiko, nice uniform!" Someone said behind us. I stopped on my track and so did Keiko. Then out of nowhere, two hands appeared under my friend's armpit and grabbed a hold of her breasts.
"That's so squishy!" The pervert idiot exclaimed happily. I was about to kick the shit out of this guy but Keiko beat me to it.
"YUSUKE YOU JERK!" Keiko shouted as she slapped the moron on the face. The impact made him fly backward and then fall flat on the floor. The bruised guy from earlier. Wait. . . That light blue school uniform and that orange hair. . .
Keiko gasped as she saw this was not the person, she expected it to be.
"Who the heck are you?" She asked puzzled.
"Kuwabara?!" I asked in complete disbelief as I feel my eyes twitching. My hand fletched into fists as I stood in front of Keiko protectively. Soon Kuwabara turned back around, forcing me to look at his ugly face. That pervert moron. How dare he! First me and now Keiko!?
"I'm exactly who you thought I was Keiko. I am Yusuke!" Said Kuwabara. . . What?
Okay, now I felt a flash of irritation within me while rage began flowing through my veins like lava. Who does that punk think he is?!?
"I don't care what any tough guy says. Your punches hurt the most." Kuwabara laughed as he began rubbing his cheek. Wait, his words and gestures. They looked and sounded exactly how Yusuke would have done it, right after provoking Keiko.
"Yusuke?!" I finally asked a little shocked as I feel my guard began to lower down. I quickly shook my head as my hand pointed one finger at Kuwabara.
"Stop with the jokes Kuwabara!" I told him sternly. "This isn't funny!"
"Don't tease me Yusuke." Keiko told him softly making me turn to her with questioning eyes. Is she serious?! "Is this really you?"
"Keiko. . ." I trailed off but then I turned back to the thug now a little curiously but I was still skeptical about this whole thing. Then an idea popped into my head. "If you really are my brother then tell me who's the guy that gave me this promise ring." I challenged the guy as I lifted my silver chain necklace up high, revealing the hanging phoenix ring with the beautiful blue gems on it.
There is no way this idiot would know the origin of this. Only Sanyu, Yusuke, Keiko, Shuichi, and I know about this.
"Easy." Kuwabara said with pure confidence. "You got that from Sanyu right after his 13th birthday." I felt my eyes pop out of their places. "Back then, it would always slip off of your index finger whenever you wore it so you would use duct tape to make sure it would stay there. You even slept with it for a good amount of time before you turned twelve. Not only that, but you would also say that it's a promise ring, which is a lie that can keep the creeps away from you. "
I let out a small gasp as my emotionless mask falls off of me.
No. . . How could this be. . . ?
"Big brother. . .?" I murmured the question, but I think he heard me because I received a nod from the guy in front of me.
"It's too strange but why do you look like that?" Keiko asked right before 'Yusuke' grabbed a hold of our shoulders.
"I borrowed somebody's body but only for an hour." He began to explain it. "I know this is weird but you two have to believe." I was at this point loss of words. How is this even possible. . .
"Whether or not I believe, isn't the question. " Said Keiko truthfully as her eyes began to tear up. "I knew it was you from the first time you spoke." Woah. . . this is kind of. . . odd. . . and. . . well. . .
"I know. . ." Keiko continued on. "And it's not just your stupid gags or how you laugh, there are ways you move and speak that in the hundred years I wouldn't forget."
Okay, now things got deep. . .
"Don't cry." My brother spoke. "We'll save the mushy stuff for another day."
"Then tell us what's going on." I asked him a little demandingly but mostly serious. "What's next?" Yusuke let go of us.
"Next, I'm gonna give you two my message before this dummy gets his body back." He pointed at himself before looking at Kuwabara's watch. "Which by the way happens in about a minute. I guess you can think of it as sort of a rental car and I'm about to lose my license. " Then the ray of the setting sun began to shine on the side of his face that was now turned toward me and Keiko.
"I'll say this as straight as I can." Yusuke began. "I am taking this test to get back and I am trying hard not to fail. So just trust me and take care of my body until then." Throughout the entire speech, I can hear my brother's voice clearly . . . "And tell my mom's she's got to stop the funeral."
I feel my emotions bubbling up to the surface, but this time I cared so little about masking them at this very moment. . .
"I know I've been a bum to you two but please, wait for me."
Keiko nodded her head while I did the same.
"We will." Keiko replied with a smile.
"Hn. Whatever you say. . . brother. . ." I added with a little huff, but I was relieved nevertheless and well. . . . happy. . .
"I'd wait forever Yusuke." My friend said joyfully before running into the boy's arms.
I felt strange. . . but I didn't let it show this time. You Yusuke are one damn lucky bastard.
The romantic moment was cut off short and now I can see that Kuwabara was now slipping back to his consciousness.
"Oh, that's funny, I thought I was with the guys." He said. Yup, this is definitely the ugly carrot head. He looked down to see Keiko in his embrace and then he began to smile and giggle like an idiot.
Without any hesitation what so ever, I walked over and slapped his ugly face away from my friend. Hard.
"Let's go!" I told Keiko before grabbing a hold of his wrist and run away from Kuwabara and the crowd that started to form around us.
"Sorry about that!" Keiko exclaimed over her shoulder before turning back to the front as we both ran straight to my house.
As soon as we reached the door I began searching for my keys, but to our luck mom in kimono opened the door for us.
"Atsuko, thank god." Keiko let out a sigh of relief. "We have to tell you about Yusuke. He said that he might be coming back."
There was a long intense pause before mom shakily pointed at the shrine that was set up for my brother.
"He already has. . ." She said making my heart stop functioning.
"Huh?" Keiko asked.
"I opened up his coffin again because, well, I was going to smack him one more time for leaving me and Miyuki but then I saw. . . " I can see it through her eyes that she was not only shocked but was also really relieved and happy. "Yusuke's cheeks have some colour and his skin is slightly warm."
Both me and Keiko let out a small gasp.
"His heart is beating." My mother continues on. "It's slow but. . . my boy is alive. . . our Yusuke is alive. . ." Tears of joy began to roll down from Atsuko's cheeks as she and Keiko collapsed to their knees and embrace each other while I just stood there aside with the smallest hint of something close to a smile.
I was. . . relieved . . . To say at least. . . My brother is really going to come back.
Then that small gut feeling came back again, and for some reason it made me look up to the sky full of diamond stars.