Naruto stared. He had looked up and come face to face, with a fan?! Yes! There in front of him was a young man clad in green carrying a huge fan. A, Fan?!
Yusuke smirked at the group in front of him. As he had been walking up, he had noticed his teammates were not alone… `Who's that kid?' `Hiei bringing home strays, now?'
Yusuke looked from Kurama and Hiei and then to the kid and back, "Kurama, what's up?" "What are you guys doing here?
Kurama cleared his throat, "Yusuke, we need to talk to you, but if your m-"
"She's not here, don't sweat it."
Yusuke folded the odd-looking fan and placed it in his pocket; then hooked his fingers behind his head and stared into the sky saying, "So you need to talk to me about the kid?" He brought his gaze down to Naruto and didn't let up.
Naruto wasn't intimidated or made uncomfortable at all by this, `this Yusuke' Naruto thought, `he has kind eyes'.
"Yes."
Yusuke dropped his hands and looked to the entrance of the building, "Well then, let's go on up".
Everyone was silent as they went up to the apartment. Naruto was becoming anxious now, being out in the open made him feel so much safer, he didn't know why.
Yusuke opened the door to his apartment and led them inside, he turned on the lights and everyone took off their shoes at the door. They went forward into the living area, each finding a comfortable spot in which to settle. Yusuke then looked at Naruto and smiled, "Hey, do you need anything? A drink maybe?" Naruto couldn't bring himself to say anything, but Kurama spoke for him. "It looks to me like he could do with some tea, Yusuke."
A nod came from Yusuke.
"Right, be back in a sec!"
He returned a few minutes later and passed out cups with tea to everyone, then settled back down and, to Naruto's surprise, he closed his eyes!
Kurama spoke first, "Hiei and I came across him in the park; he was in really bad shape, red welts and a deep flush on his face and hands." "He complained of paralysis and blindness." "I WOULD have dismissed it as nothing serious, until I saw that some of his veins were extended as well."
Yusuke's eyes popped open at that and he quickly glanced at Naruto "I've heard this before, it means, uh -"
"It's possible that he came through a realm portal"
"Yeah, that's it."
Yusuke looked at Naruto, "Is that what happened? What do you remember?"
Naruto felt all eyes on him, but he wasn't nervous, "I remember walking towards this odd shape in the air and then everything went black."
Yusuke nodded, "Yeah, sounds like one to me, so Kurama what do we do?"
Yusuke then settled back into position, closing his eyes once again. Naruto looked to Kurama who stood up and walked to the door. "I was hoping to leave him here with you and go talk with Koenma"
Yusuke didn't even move, "Yeah, yeah, good idea."
And before Naruto could even blink, Hiei and Kurama were gone!
~~The Village~~
It was quiet in the village, and Iruka was startled to discover that, it was actually disturbing him! He looked up at the faces of the previous Hokage rulers carved into the side of the cliffs. He remembered Naruto's past display of graffiti and it only made him feel worse, `Damn it, Naruto!' `Where the hell are you?'
He turned around, only to meet the Hokage.
"Iruka, it will do you no good to dwell on this, we must move on, I told you I could not sense him." "He may never return."
Iruka clenched his fists. "No!" "He wouldn't give up on me, and I won't give up on him!"
Iruka left the Hokage, a slight breeze and twisting leaves the only indication that he had been there.
The Hokage sighed "Of course you are right; this feeling of loss, it has infected us all."
~Earth~
Naruto glanced over at the resting Yusuke, and then his stomach growled. `Damn!' He silently cursed back at it, only to find Yusuke grinning at him.
"Those two crazy loons! They didn't even properly introduce us! I am Urameshi Yusuke and you?"
"Uzumaki Naruto"
"I like you already!!!"
Yusuke offered him his hand and pulled him up, "Let's you and me go grab a bite, eh?"
"What do you like to eat?"
Naruto scratched his head and said with embarrassment, "Ramen."
To his surprise, Yusuke nodded and grabbed his arm, "Let's eat, Naruto!!"
They ended up going to a shop a little ways from the apartment. Naruto settled into eating his piping hot ramen and listened to Yusuke talk.
"You couldn't be in better hands, in this "world" there are three realms that are separated somewhat. Demons. Humans. Spirits. We are actually fighters for the "Spirit Realm" keeping demons from invading and destroying the "Human Realm" "That isn't exactly the best description I could give you," Yusuke scratched his head and grinned "to be honest, I am doing all the work and I don't even understand it myself!"
"I have a very knowledgeable boss though, and he should be able to help us figure out how to return you home."
Yusuke then looked thoughtfully at Naruto "Thing is Naruto, even though we know about "realm portals" it doesn't mean we understand them fully" "They were one of the things I was first told about by Koenma when I became "Spirit Detective". "They are said to be the "gates of flux" to balance out terrestrial or universal chaos, we are aware that they exist only from the ancient texts of "Spirit World" , but it is an extraordinary thing for one to be opening, let alone that anyone would find one and come through it!"
Yusuke stood and stretched, "But you look strong to me, I think you will get through this ordeal without a scratch!" "It's a test of your mettle, Naruto! As my pal Kuwabara would say, it'll put hairs on your chest and make you a man!"
Naruto looked up at Yusuke, his eyes squinted, "Huh?"
"Ah, never mind ,come on , let's head back and grab some "shut-eye" you have had a busy day , and when Kurama returns we'll know what we are going to need to do to get you home!"
The two departed, walking in silence until Yusuke stopped and looked at the stars, "It was hard enough for me to see "Spirit World" and understand what was going on" He looked at Naruto "I think it would be really cool to see what your world is like." Naruto grinned, "I'd like to show you, it would be neat to introduce you to Iruka!" "He might even have another nosebleed." Naruto laughed, "And you could meet Kakashi and Sakura and-" Naruto stopped suddenly and frowned, a second passing before he bowed his head and resumed moving ahead of Yusuke in silence.
Yusuke watched Naruto for a bit before catching up and walking with him to the apartment. He didn't want to pry, and he felt Naruto would tell him in his own good time. After all, he was practically a stranger to the boy, and for now, they both needed their rest. They had enough on their minds waiting for Kurama to return, because they would then find out if it was even possible for Naruto to return home.
To be continued -
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