Holding on Until Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Yu Yu Hakusho. Okay?

Chapter 20 Mushiyori City

At dawn, Genkai woke everyone up. Silent from lack of sleep, they left the old mansion and took a train to Mushiyori City.

When they left the station, they stopped walking. There were bugs everywhere. And the people went about their normal routines, completely oblivious to the bugs flying around. It was because they were ordinary people and couldn't see them.

“Al right, let's split into two groups,” Genkai ordered. “The first team will consist of Kaitou, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Botan. The rest of us will be in the second group.” She gave Kurama a meaningful look. “Kurama, I'm afraid we have to split you and Touya up. I'm not happy, but it's the only way we could make this work. Because Kuwabara is lacking his spirit energy, we need someone with considerable power in case they are attacked. And right now, I don't want to let Yuskue out of my sight. You know how he gets.”

“Yes Master Genkai. I understand.” Kurama smiled. He looked at Touya. “I trust your judgment Genkai.”

“Don't worry,” Yuskue said carelessly. “We'll take good care of Touya.”

“Dimwit,” Genkai muttered.

“Kurama, if anything should happen to Touya, you have my full permission to kick my ass into the ground. Hell, even if you wouldn't. I would. I don't want to sound all mushy and stuff, but he's one of us now. We'll protect him.” Yuskue's tone was surprisingly gentle.

Kurama smiled. “Thank you Yuskue. I trust you and the others to care for Touya.”

The two groups separated and Kurama's group, led by Koenma's instructions, went to where the center of the distortion was supposed to be. It was an empty field.

“This is dumb. It's just a field,” Kuwabara commented. “Are you sure this is the center of the distortion thing?”

“I don't see any tunnel.” Botan looked around.

“And unless he looks like grass or is invisible, neither is the psychic.”

“No. The distortion zone always takes the form of a circle around its creator.” Kurama shook his head. “Right now, we're standing at the center. The psychic has to be here. We just have to think. If the man or woman is not on the surface, the he or she must be below it. Tell me...” he turned to Kaitou. “Are there possible places...” Kurama cut himself off. He turned and wordlessly ran off.

“Hey, what's up?” Kuwabara asked. “Did you see something?”

Kurama came around a shed and stopped. The others caught up to him.

“The question is: what saw us?” Kurama said gravely.

“So you think someone was watching us? Then they must already know we're looking for them,” Kaitou murmured.

“Are you sure you're not being jumpy?” Kuwabara asked. “Cause I didn't notice anything.”
“Well what on earth does that prove? You've lost your spirit awareness,” Botan muttered.

“You just love bringing that up don't you?” Kuwabara yelled. “I'm gonna get it back!”

“In any case, we should play it save, reconvene with Yuskue's group immediately,” Kurama mediated.

He and the others didn't see the shadowy figure crouching in the grass watching them.

--

Yuskue's group wandered down the streets of Mushiyori City.

“So what do you think of our hometown Yuskue?” Kido asked.

“Great, except for the bug problem,” Yuskue replied.

“Usually it's boring here. There's not much to do.”

“I can relate,” Yuskue muttered.

He and the others stopped walking as a peculiar sensation came over them. It was so familiar.

“You sense that?” Genkai asked, though there was no need to.

“Yeah,” Yuskue answered. “Let me guess: we just walked into someone's Territory?”

“That same feeling. It must be from someone who's developed a power just like us.” Kido looked at Yana.

“I hope they're nice,” Yana said.

“Don't we all?” Touya said under his breath.

Yuskue approached a set of stairs to their left that led down into a dark place.

“Well gentlemen, these stairs look happy enough,” he announced.

“Do you remember your lesson Yuskue?” Genkai asked.\

“Don't worry,” Yuskue said impatiently. “I won't screw up.”

They went down the stairs, Genkai out front with Touya in the middle between Yana and Kido and with Yuskue at the rear. The stairs led to an automatic sliding door that led to a respectable looking restaurant. Besides the manager and a waitress, there were a group of boys sitting together talking and an older boy sitting alone reading a comic book.

Which one? Yana wondered.

Two...three...six possibles plus the kitchen staff. Kido's eyes hastily darted around the room.

Needle in a haystack. Yuskue thought. Or hell, maybe they're all needles.

The boy reading the comic book chuckled softly. “If you guys want something from me, just ask.” Everyone in the group looked at him except for Touya, who was hidden from sight behind the rest. The man chuckled more and stood up. He walked over to them. He was tall and muscular with tanned skin and a scar near his right ear. “You must be some more power freaks.”

“Hey, no trouble here, all right?” the manager pleaded. “I've got mouths to feed.”

“Easy old man,” the man said brusquely. “I don't want trouble either. And yes, I know you don't have insurance on this place.”

“We're looking for the tunnel digging type,” Yuskue said carefully. “So you wanna help us out or not?”

“Tunnel?” the man asked. He smirked. “You must mean the one to Demon World.”

Kido, Yana, and Yuskue gasped. Genkai's facial expression was unchanged. Touya remained hidden.

“How'd you know?” Kido asked.

“Don't sound so accusing. You're the one who told me.” The man grinned. “It's been running through your mind ever since you got here.”

“That must be the power he's got,” Yana said in Yuskue's ear. “I think he's a mind reader.”

“Let's not jump the gun yet,” Yuskue responded. “He might have known about the demons already and is just trying to play us. He could be one of the real bad jerks we're looking for.”
“You have a fifth man hiding behind you. I can't see him, but I know he's there,” the man said, flashing them another grin. “Would you like me to say more about your precious little demon? Because I could go on all day about his problems.” There was a low snarl from Touya. “It sounds like I touched a nerve. I guess he's not as cold as he first looks.”

“Enough,” Yuskue said harshly.

Kido stepped forward to test if the man was really a mind reader or not. He got his butt kicked, but he proved that the man was a mind reader. The manager picked up the phone.

“Don't call the police just yet,” the mind-reader snapped.

“No, no, wouldn't dream of it!” The manager hastily hung up the phone.

Smirking, the mind-reader turned back to the group. “So, anyone else game?” he raised his fists. “I could use the practice.” He went on to explain how he was going to be a boxer and with his mind-reading ability, he'd never lose.

“That actually helped.” Genkai spoke for the first time in a long time. “We know he's a real mind reader.”

“That's wonderful and shit, but we still don't know what side he's on.” Yuskue stepped forward. “That guy with the seriously weird hair day...he's got a power called 'copy'. Let him touch your skull and he can mimic everything, including your memories. Kind of like running a credit check on you. If it turns out you're okay, we'll let you fight with us to save the world.”

The mind reader was reluctant to cooperate. Yuskue removed his jacket, getting ready to kick his ass.

“Uh, Master Genkai, isn't this what you warned him not to do” Yana asked, turning to Genkai.

“Don't you worry,” Genkai responded. “He may look like a dimwit, in fact he definitely is, but he's also the Dark Tournament champ. And he can fight like a genius once he knows his prey.”

The manager and waitress huddled behind the bar. The other customers left money on the table and got the hell out of there. Yuskue told his opponent what he was going to do and then did it. What he failed to mention was his spirit energy, which released a shock wave that sent the mind reader flying back. His large body hit the wall and he collapsed, knocked out, blood dripping down from his nose.

“What...happened?” Kido asked.

“I didn't see any contact,” Yuskue said in amazement.

“That was thirty percent of his power.” Genkai was unfazed.

“Very impressive Yuskue,” Touya murmured, smiling slightly (his position had been revealed when Kido had gotten the snot punched out him so he could now see).

“Can't say I didn't warn the guy,” Yuskue said, lowering his fist. “Except for that whole shock wave thing.” He turned to Yana. “Okay. It's your turn. Let's see what this guy does on the weekends.”

“Yeah...right.” Yana stepped forward.

The broom-haired teen knelt down by the unconscious mind reader and copied him. The manager and waitress freaked out when Yana's features melted into the the mind-reader's.

“Got it?” Yuskue asked, smiling at the reactions of the manager and waitress.

“He doesn't know anything,” Yana replied in the man's baritone voice. “Just a guy like us.”

“Let's wake him,” Genkai ordered. “He could still be of some use to us.”

It wasn't hard to wake him up or convince him to join their group. He was a big wimp. They left the restaurant, leaving behind some money even though the mind reader Murota was the only one who bought something. Once back in the street, they stopped for a moment to regroup.

“We should go into the center of town,” Genkai suggested. “It'll be easier for us to avoid drawing attention to ourselves.” Yuskue was going to say something, probably some snide remark about Touya who stuck out even though he looked relatively human, but Genkai glared at him. “Shut it Yuskue. Don't even start.”

Yuskue wisely shut his mouth.

They went into the very center of town and stopped at a fountain to sit for a while, trying to look as normal as possible.

“So how does it work Murota?” Yuskue asked. “I mean, in a crowd like this who do you hear?”

“Every thought that's within thirty yards (that's 90 feet) of me,” Murota answered. “It all comes at me at once, like it's one big conversation. The more intense the thought, the louder it sounds. It can be painful.”

Yuskue and Genkai were unsympathetic. Genkai ordered Murota to check everyone's thoughts. At first, there was nothing. Murota sat absolutely still, concentrating on filtering the thoughts, searching for anything abnormal.

“So how's it coming along?” Yuskue asked after a while. “Find anything out yet?” His expression sharpened when he saw the terrified look on Murota's face. “Murota?”

“Yeah, I found something.” Murota's voice trembled. He started screaming.

“Murota, shut up or they're going to find you!” Yuskue said harshly.

“I'm sorry. I can't take it,” Murota whimpered. “The voice is too loud! But it's quiet too. Savage and dark. Please let me go!”

“Don't worry. I'll handle him. Just tell me where he is and don't point.”

Genkai got up from her spot on Murota's left (Yuskue sat on his right) and she, Kido, and Yana stood in front of Touya. Several people passed by.

“He's coming from the left. Tall guy in black. His hair is slicked back.

They saw the man Murota was describing. He stopped and turned. As he did so, Murota was hit by something in the forehead. He fell completely back blood gushing out of his forehead. People gasped. Yuskue picked Murota up.

“Murota!” he cried, shaking the unconscious man. “Damn it!” He turned. He could easily pick out the murderous man from the crowd.

He's the leader. He thought. He has to be.

“What do we do?” Kido asked.

“The hospital! Call an ambulance!” Yana said desperately.

Genkai was scanning the crowd. After a while, she looked at something in the palm of her hand, frowning slightly.

Murota was rushed to the hospital. In the back of the ambulance, Genkai showed them what had hit Murota: a pencil eraser.

“Well I'll be dammed,” Yuskue muttered, holding the chunk of pencil eraser between his fingers.

When they arrived at the hospital, Murota's head was quickly bandaged. His face was grim as he heard their mystery man's thoughts.

“Let's dig a hole, Sniper, each one of us,” he reported to the others. “Black Angel, Gatekeeper, Sniper, Gourmet, Game Master, Doctor, and Seaman. Those were the words that came to his mind when he said the word 'seven'.”

“Sounds like fun,” Yuskue commented.

“By the way, Yuskue, you did well with that confrontation. You finally showed patience.” Genkai smiled. “You didn't start punching like a moron.”

“Cause I think I was afraid of him,” Yuskue said truthfully. Genkai looked at him in surprise. “I sensed it right when we met.”

“I could sense it too,” Touya said softly. “There's something not right about him. Something dangerous. He was hiding something.” He shivered slightly.

“Yeah. If Toguro was all about throwing the fastball, then this guy definitely likes the curve.”

Genkai smirked. “Yes. And we know that he's the type who saves that pitch until the very last inning. Whatever power is behind this mystery of his, he won't reveal it until he's ready to finish us. The fact that he didn't use his own power to attack Murota tells us that.”
“What?” Murota gasped.

“Are you kidding me?” Yana asked.

Yuskue shook his head. “He didn't do anything at all.”
“Then you noticed it as well,” Genkai said. “The angle was off. The shot came from five feet to the man's right. His facing us was just a signal to go.”

Murota started freaking out again, prompting Yuskue to call him a baby. Genkai called Yuskue a dimwit, as usual. Touya just rolled his eyes. None of them realized that they were being watched by one of their enemies.

To be continued...

A/N: Wow, this chapter was finished long before I planned. Nice. This makes the next chapter due no later than November 15. Though I'll probably get it posted before that day. I'm not going to shorten the time between when chapters are due quite yet, but maybe for next semester; I'm planning to take less credits (I have a whopping 18 this semester!) so hopefully I'll have some more free time, meaning more time to write. We'll see what happens.