4On the way out of Genkai's temple, Yusuke was met with the familiar face of his friend Kuwabara. "Hey Urameshi! What are you doing here?" The young man inquired.
"Yo Kuwabara," Yusuke greeted. "I was just here to see Grandma. I wanted to get her opinion on that dream I've been having." He explained.
Kuwabara nodded thoughtfully. "I see, so you finally decided to take my advice eh Urameshi? Good for you! 'Bout time you started listening to me."
Yusuke began laughing. "Oh man, thats a good one Kuwabara. Me listen to you? I'd sooner take fashion advice from Hiei."
"Oh, funny Urameshi. You're a real comedian," Kuwabara muttered. "So what did Master Genkai say?"
"Basically, she thinks my desire to fight strong opponents is still burning somewhere inside me and I need one last strong fight to be satisfied, but apparently, this person has to be a human." Yusuke explained, recalling what the psychic had said.
"Alright then! Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara called, forming an orange-yellow energy sword in his hand. "Let's go Urameshi, you and me! Right here right now!"
Before Kuwabara could react, Yusuke disappeared and reappeared inches in front of his face, punching him hard and sending him flying backwards into a nearby tree. Yusuke rolled his shoulders in anticipation. "C'mon Kuwabara, tell me that isn't all you've got!"
Kuwabara got to his feet, his face split into a huge grin. "Not even close! Spirit sword get long!" Upon his command, the energy sword lengthened by a foot as he charged at Yusuke whose fist was now glowing a bright blue. The sword just barely made contact with Yusuke before he released the energy in his hand shooting several energy bullets at Kuwabara, causing him to slide back a few feet.
Yusuke shook his hand slightly. "What the hell was that?" Yusuke asked, looking down at his now bleeding fist.
In his formerly free hand, Kuwabara held several small energy kunai. "That was my Spirit Kunai attack, I just created it a couple of weeks ago." He explained.
Forming the fingers on his right hand in the form of a gun, Yusuke's index finger began to glow brightly. "Spirit Gun!" He shouted, releasing the energy blast.
Kuwabara extended his Spirit Sword and sliced through the energy bullet.
As the two boys once more charged towards each other, someone's voice shouted. "Ok boys! Thats enough!"
Yusuke and Kuwabara turned to see who the voice had come from and saw Botan flying down towards them. "Why on Earth are you two fighting?"
Yusuke shrugged. "Kuwabara wanted a fight, I've never been one to back down."
"What are you doing here Botan?" Kuwabara asked. "I thought you would be busy trying to find a replacement Spirit Detective for Urameshi."
Botan smiled warmly. "That's why I'm here Kuwabara."
Kuwabara began grinning like a man who had just won the lottery . "Well, alright, if you insist Botan." He slapped Yusuke on the back. "Don't worry Urameshi, I'll still keep you on staff."
"What the hell are you babbling about Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked, looking slightly confused.
"Yes, I'd like to know too Kuwabara." Botan chimed in.
"Aw, don't try and hide it Botan, I know you came here to make me Spirit Detective in Yusuke's place. So let's go!" He shouted, pointing his sword to the sky.
Botan looked at the expression on Kuwabara's face and began laughing. It took a few minutes to die down, but when it did she said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we've already selected the next Spirit Detective and it isn't you."
Kuwabara looked crestfallen, but he quickly recovered. "So then why're you here if you already selected the next one?"
Genkai walked out of the temple and over to the group. "I believe, she is here to inform me who this new detective is. I may be retired, but I do still like to keep up to date on who Spirit World employs. So who is it this time Botan?" The elderly woman asked.
"Her name is Yume. She was born here in Japan, but her family sent her to America when she was young to train under a psychic there, so that's one of the main reasons we picked her. Another is, she has rather interesting abilities that involve stealth and illusions, both of which will come in very handy on her future missions." She turned to Kuwabara. "To be honest, Lord Koenma was all set to appoint you as the next Spirit Detective until King Enma stepped in and overruled him, claiming that Yume would be better fitted to the job." She explained.
Yusuke gave a harsh laugh. "Yeah, just like that asshole to go and rob people of what they want. First the bastard fires me, then he tries to kill me after I'm already dead, then he puts a bounty out on my head, and now, he's stopping Kuwabara from getting the only job he'd actually excel at." He spit on the ground. "Botan, I need you to take me to Spirit World." He said, suddenly changing gears.
Botan looked a bit taken aback. "Why on Earth do you want to go back there? You know that would be just like signing your own death warrant!"
Cracking his neck, Yusuke glared at Botan. "Well first, I need to have a little word with your boss about some unfinished business I have with a certain psychopathic human, then I need to go to talk HIS boss about all these decisions he's been making."
Genkai nodded at Botan who gave a nervous smile before getting on her oar with Yusuke and taking off.
"Good luck Urameshi." Kuwabara whispered.
"Hang on tight Yusuke!" Botan said as they zoomed through the portal to Spirit World.
Once more, Yusuke found himself flying over the River Styx as he and Botan made their way to the castle where King Enma, the ruler of Spirit World, and his son, Koenma, the one who had made Yusuke Spirit Detective in the first place resided. "Can't this thing go any faster Botan?" Yusuke demanded, getting tired of hanging on the end of her oar with the River of Death flowing right below him.
"Your wish is my command Yusuke." Botan replied sarcastically as she sped up, reaching the front gates within mere minutes.
Yusuke looked up at the massive gates, he had only been through them once before, that time, he was dead and technically supposed to be there. This time however, he was very much alive and had technically hijacked The Grim Reaper in order to get here. He wondered how he would manage to get in this time when Botan walked up to the intercom near the gates and buzzed in.
"Botan here, open the gates!" She commanded.
Immediately, the gates swung open allowing them access. The scene inside was just as it had been the first time Yusuke had been there. Red and Blue ogres running around all over, carrying papers or other things, shouting random names of people and what was going on as they struggled to be heard over each other. "And to think, you guys are capable of making a mistake." Yusuke smirked.
The former Spirit Detective was led through a maze of desks to another massive door which opened wide as soon as they approached. "Botan! Thank goodness you're here!" A toddler shouted from his desk across the room. "Yume is going to be arriving any minute with Hinageshi, and we're totally unprepared! All these files are a mess and I can't make heads or tails of the writing on these papers!" He shouted, not even noticing Yusuke as he waved several papers around in the air.
"Yo Pacifier Breath, long time no see!" Yusuke greeted Koenma in his usual fashion.
"Hello Yusuke, now Botan, when Hinageshi and Yume get here, I want you to..." He paused mid thought. "BWAH! YUSUKE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
"It's good to see you too Koenma." Yusuke replied calmly, taking a seat opposite the toddler.
"I assume, this isn't a social call." Koenma said, calming down slightly. "You need something from me, or else you wouldn't have come all this way." He analyzed Yusuke.
"To quote Botan, Bingo! Bingo! You win the prize! The former detective confirmed, mocking the blue haired Spirit Guide.
An evil smirk crossed Koenma's face. "Well Yusuke. That's convenient. You see, I need something from you as well, since you're here."
Yusuke didn't like where this conversation was headed. "Let me guess, in order to get what I want, I have to give you what you want. Am I close?"
Nodding, Koenma slid a file across his desk to Yusuke. "Consider this your Swan Song."
Yusuke took the file and opened it. "You've got to be kidding me. This is that girl's file! Yume! You seriously want me to help her?"
"That is correct Yusuke. Should you decide to accept this task, I will be more than happy to oblige your request, so long as it is reasonable." Koenma said, hoping Yusuke would accept.
"Why should I help her? Botan says she's been trained all her life, and she has such amazing skills. I don't see why she'd need any help." Yusuke growled.
Koenma sighed. "You know she wasn't my first choice Yusuke. She may have been trained, but her powers are still unpredictable, most of them she can't even control yet. I think the main reason my father didn't want Kuwabara was because he is your friend."
"That wouldn't surprise me in the least." Yusuke shot back. "That guy's had it out for me ever since he discovered I was a demon! I'll take this job, just to spite that old bastard!"
"You're the last person he'd want to help her train, but he can't refuse since you aren't officially involved with her job." Koenma explained as a buzzer sounded. "Oh good, they're here." Pressing a button on his desk, the doors to Koenma's office once more swung open.