Come What Mei

Work is for Rare Fanfiction Contest by yyhfanfiction on tumblr, topic of choice is 'Post-barrier removal-centric'.

She was steeled and ready.

Time to start a new school. Again. At least this time, it would be normal. Overlooked with all the other newcomers moving up to junior high. The attention placed on her would be the same as any other kid in the class. Mei would not stand out. Just blend. Blend in and fade from the notice of anyone.

But being left alone in peace would still take time.

Slipping in another book to read during any spare time, she slung her school bag over a shoulder and went over to the message board. The apartment was quiet. Chiyo was typically up and running around doing things for the community before her day job. In this case, Mei knew there was a possible new one looking to join and Chiyo had gone to talk with Saburo, who'd been the one to bring it up. Glancing briefly at the packet of papers everyone had, Mei turned her sights to the calendar. The scratchy doodle of a spider was marked on a date nearly an entire month from now. It'd be a while before Chiyo could start the process of a new member then.

Mei suspected Chiyo skipped out any special treatment of the day, unlike the previous time, because the excitement of the first day was expected. Normal. And Chiyo was the type of person to always be doing something.

Before she left the apartment, Mei triple checked her reflection in the mirror, just to be safe. Her skin was just dark enough to cause people to double look, but easily played off as spending more time outdoors. Jutting out a jaw, she checked her teeth. They looked good. With a tug of her fingers, she pulled the longer strands of hair over her ears and tight against her cheeks, smoothed them down along with her bangs. Feeling that her padded headband was snug in place, she patted the shorter hair at the back.

Mei tried not to stare too long at her features. Like her nose, echoing that of her father. Or her almond shaped eyes, set wide across the bridge of that nose, colored like the honey of her mother.

Grabbing the prepared bento box, Mei announced to the emptiness "I'm off" and missed the sound in the silence.

Tsukihito Amanuma was a regular teenage boy who played video games. No one that seemed particularly special. Many of the other boys in the class would disagree. They joked and bowed down to the boy's apparently god inspired gift of video games.

"Nah, it's all just lots of hours of practice."

Mei's growing annoyance of the classmate who sat directly in front of her for the past two weeks of junior high tempered at the spark of emotion. It didn't fit the situation. She peered up through her bangs to see him waving off the over-the-top compliment. His voice, which normally filled up the empty space, sounded almost…demure or humble. The emotion she got from him did not match.

His friend who hailed from the same elementary school, grinned and nudged Amanuma. "It's from all those years you declared everyone morons. Then we ran into you at that arcade and figured out why with how you killed at all of them. Especially that trivia game, Mister Brainiac. Of course we then had to take it upon ourselves to even the playing field by suckering you onto a real field. This guy waves it off, but he's actually really super competitive."

"Ah, be quiet." Amanuma grinned and shoved back. "Little good it did you guys. I don't have to spend as much time to pass a level because I play it smart. You morons keep doing the same thing over like going straight for the big boss or hoping the answer is 'C' this time since the last one wasn't. Don't listen to me when I show you or tell you how it should be done."

The other boys laughed, nodding their heads, still in majority agreement that Amanuma was particularly special in this regard. When the friend from elementary, Hikaru Inui, threw an arm around Amanuma and gave him a nuggie, Mei Isumi went back to her book.

Amanuma was a regular teenage human boy. Loud enough to annoy, competitive, full of pride, and just like all the rest.

It was oddly quiet in the back corner of the classroom today. Something that would makes sense if Amanuma was out sick, but the boy was not. A fingernail scratched back and forth, back and forth on the underside of his desk as he glowered at the window, clearly not paying attention to the teachers all morning. Before class, Inui had appeared startled to not have Amanuma greeting him back.

"Bad night? Morning? Finally get stumped by homework? Are you mad at me? Is this like when we were in elementary?"

A shoulder had gone up at that. Then a soft response finally. "Just…not a good day."

"Oh. Uh, okay. You want me to joke to distract you, like you do for me?"

Amanuma's head had twitched slightly to the side.

"Alright Tsukihito," Inui said. Something closely tied with regret shot through the emotions at the use of his first name. "I'll leave you be today."

The entire exchange was watched by Mei over her book, so startled herself to feel the barrage of emotions so different from Amanuma's typical set. It left her curiously sifting and trying to figure the emotions wafting out in waves. The emotions were just as noticeable from him as was typical, probably due to the close distance of their seats, but stood out more since she had grown familiar with his usual stream of emotions throughout the class.

Amanuma ate his lunch alone that day. And he only ate half of it, slowly. Plain white rice took up his entire bento box. Sprinkled with what definitely smelled like cinnamon. And sugar.

The second half of the school day, he listened just as well as he did during the first half of it. Yet instead of scratching under his desk, Amanuma rubbed at his chest. His emotions didn't read as physical pain. There was a shift. A sense of less anger to it. More desolate.

Worried at the emotions coming from him, Mei carefully stretched a hand forward, inching it low and glad they were in the back corner of the room. Lightly, she pinched the collar of his school jacket. Amanuma was so far off in his thoughts he didn't feel the slight shift of it. Focusing through the object to where it touched his skin, she internally pulled, drawing them to herself and prepared for the sour taste of them.

Shaking his head at himself, Amanuma straightened, she yanked her hand away quickly, glad to see him paying more attention to class than before. The emotions were still there, but not nearly as strong or overwhelming.

Mei caught herself trailing after him, head down to her feet, but keeping her sights peered through her bangs as she left the school. While she couldn't see his face, the surprise he had upon leaving the grounds was so strong even through the crowds. An older girl with wavy hair, kind eyes, and mischievous crinkles chattered warmly to Amanuma. Friend, caring, concerned, sad, helpful, affection all swirled from the high school aged girl.

"Oh, I uh, kind of…" Amanuma trailed off and then stuck his bento box out. Embarrassment flushed through the swirl of emotions he'd had for most of the day. "Since well, I had to do something for today since…yeah."

She caught the view as the older girl grinned, slightly mismatched with everything coming from her feeling touched. Mei didn't hear what she might have said or could have done since she kept walking past, but there was a blast of false annoyance and embarrassment trying to hide Amanuma's usual surge of emotions. If more grounded? Down to earth?

And with catching herself grinning at hearing the loud yelp from her classmate, Mei quickly stiffened and hurried her pace to get back to what was passingly called home. The apartment wasn't much of one. It was where Chiyo convinced the community to move. Without certain members. She had to drag Mei to leave with the rest and kept an eye on her for her father. Since he no longer did, would, or could.

It wasn't really home. But Mei couldn't go backwards.

Not long after that day, Amanuma turned in his seat and faced Mei.

"It's Isumi, right?" Isumi. A surname. Her family name. She went still at the question, eyes still on her book. Grabbing attention isn't really what she wanted. "You busy tonight?"

Keeping her head down, Mei muttered a response. "I don't like video games."

"Okay," he drew out. Confusion flits across his emotions. "You're not busy then, right? Because I've got a couple tickets for the event tonight at the bookstore right off the road one stop down from the subway. None of the other guys want to go with, but I saw you reading one of Shogo Sato's books last week."

She gripped the edges of her current book, refusing to look up and show how much she suddenly wanted to go. "I'm always reading something."

There was a long silence as he stared at her under his messy bangs. Then he blew up at them. "Okay. I know I've been told I'm a rude little shit—" Mei went wide eyed at the language and quickly checked if anyone near had heard. "—but I'm just gunna ask anyway. Do you think the rest of the class as morons or are you jealous of how easily they seem to get along? Because you're always not joining and you refuse the few times someone asks and your books feel like the same kind of defense I had, except I was more angry and lashed out while you just are kind of…I dunno…sad and trying to blend in?"

She stared, surprised at all of this being said, book clattering onto the desk from her loose grasp.

"I mean, I can get the whole moron thing too and it being hard to connect since it can get annoying maybe. Or more like they hold it against you with how easy it comes and yell at you and bully and leave you out of things on purpose. I mean, I get it. I've been top in the class for enough years to get it myself. But it doesn't have to be like that if you give it a chance and I mean, I'm just projecting, but I thought you might like the invite. It's at least to something you like. Right?"

"I'm just…quiet," she answered. Soft and careful. An offered excuse to what she had thought everyone had thought of her, took her as, and let her be without getting into any close attachments that would come with possible terrifying questions that she really didn't belong. Mei just wanted to keep her freedom and safety and remain away from certain kinds of attention. "I like the quiet."

"Oh." Amanuma blinked at her and laughed awkwardly. She caught the startling indigo color of his eyes for that brief moment, from beneath the disheveled fringe of hair. "I was just projecting myself in your shoes then, wasn't I?"

On edge, Mei touched at her headband.

"They…they don't really see me like that…do they?"

"Er, no? I don't think?" He scratched the back of his neck, shifting his head away with a flush crossing his cheeks, embarrassment coming through all the nerves that had been pushed away by shear bravo earlier. "I've probably just been overthinking all this…um…about you. So, it's probably just me."

Amanuma shifted and then leaned forward over the back of his seat, a hopeful look on his face and strumming through his emotions. Mei pulled back slightly. She could feel her own surprise of him and his actions, the attention on her, warming at her cheeks. And she ducked her head to let her bangs and hair to partially hide her face from the attention.

"So. Did you want to go?"

Mei hesitated.

"I can't," she finally spoke.

"Oh. Okay then."

But she could feel the sharp bitter tang of disappointment ringing across him and couldn't stop herself from wanting to remove what she had caused. As soon as Amanuma turned back in his seat, her hand stretched forward, fingertips pinching at his collar. His shoulder twitched downward, faint confusion flickering through him and she yanked her hand away.

Obvious.

Too obvious.

She should have stopped herself from wanting to take his emotions.

Things like that, too many things like that, would get the attention of the wrong kinds of people.

As if this short conversation granted permission, Amanuma began greeting Mei every day. Sometimes he'd ask about a book or comment on one she was reading. Other times, he would complain about little and unimportant things. Like the trouble of switching from outdoor to indoor shoes. It wasn't very personal. The things he said offered insight to him and she soaked them up. But greetings, remarking on what was on her desk, and easy everyday complaints weren't personal.

Which was just as she needed it to remain. Very not personal. She offered nothing back, keeping silent as Amanuma did a one-sided short conversation each of these times. She offered nothing. Except for offering a dip of her head at his greeting.

A week after the event with author Shogo Sato, Amanuma invited Mei to join them to the arcade, even if just to watch. The following week, he turned in his seat and gave her an open invite to a night of crappy singing. The week after, he reminded her the offer still stood and asked if she was in any clubs or teams. Another week, another hopeful reminder to his open invite and if she was going to watch the soccer game coming up.

So, here she was, nervous, glancing around, completely sure this was a terrible idea for her to be out and about so much, but at the karaoke place Amanuma mentioned anyway. With how close he sat to her, his emotions were more noticeable and difficult to ignore. Perhaps a few outings would help that. Without her added assistance.

Fear stripped through her. What if the attention he gave her grew more instead of fading? No one in school had paid her too much mind before. Sure, there had some been attention when she first transferred to the elementary school and when she had to transfer elementaries again. But all of that attention faded after time went by. This was the same. Just on a more older and demanding age of needing peers she'd noticed before and yet had managed to politely turn down to the point of being passed over until this point.

Mei adjusted her padded headband, readjusting, then tentatively stepped forward to where the group chattered while waiting. Inui nudged Amanuma and Amanuma turned, his whole face blank and then just beaming. There was no other words for it. Everything from him, his appearance and actions and emotions, lit up.

She ducked her head, stunned at the huge reaction to seeing her when she'd done nothing to equal that.

"Isumi! I didn't think you'd," he stuttered to a stop. Amanuma took in a deep breath and slowed, speaking with more care. "I didn't think you'd be able to make it. You know Inui, Hikaru from class."

Inui shot her a grin, snickering. Amanuma scowled, irritation rippling across his emotions, elbowing his friend. "Shut it Inui," he hissed under his breath. "Ito, Jun. Higuchi, Takumi. And Fuji, Aiko from our class is on the way. This over here is Ohayashi and Kobayashi. Daichi and Kichirou respectively. They're friends from elementary."

Unlike Ito and Higuchi from class, who stared in obvious shock at her appearance, Ohayashi and Kobayashi were like Inui with nudging at each other and giggling. The amusement tickling off of them was not a surprise with how they were acting. Inui sidled up to them, all three boys ignoring the waves of irritation coming from Amanuma. "This one isn't even my doing," Inui failed to whisper.

The other two brightened and swung an arm around Amanuma's shoulders from both sides.

"Look at you, going from loner to mister sociable in a year thanks to us."

"Shut up," Amanuma hissed and whined. Tendrils of fear wafted up from within the irritation and embarrassment and bouncing hope. He somehow ducked his way out from under Ohayashi and Kobayashi in a way that had the pair hitting heads. "None of you had anything to do with that."

"Lies," Amanuma's three friends chorused. Mei blinked as Amanuma's shoulders relaxed and affection trickled outwards. He silently mouthed with the trio, "We're awesome." And all four of the boys laughed.

"I'm here, I'm here!" Fuji from class came running up, long ponytail streaming out behind as she waved. "Sorry I'm late! Oh! Well, uh, hello Isumi. Are you joining us?"

Joining us. Fidgeting, Mei stared down at her feet, head down and pressed her bangs down. "For today," she murmured.

While she said this, there was truth to it. For the moment Mei was joining them. There was a desire to have this sort of fun, to join Amanuma and take advantage during the short time she was able to. It couldn't last and shouldn't last. This, with Amanuma, was another form of the curiosity that came from both her elementary school transfers. Tagging along to remove the curiosity. To not draw attention for her freedom and safety while living among humans.

For today. There was more truth to her answer yet to come.

Faintly flushed, Mei dabbed at her face with water.

She did not belong. This group already had their own flow to it. Inside jokes, especially with Amanuma's trio of friends from elementary. But she was having a good time despite her reservations.

It was familiar and unfamiliar all at once. All those times her father and mother would create music, secretly playing albums her mother had snagged from being used as targets or thrown across the Drinking Hall. The box of music made by humans. Her father always requesting for Yumi Arai and for her mother to sing along. Before they knew it, they all would be singing and going from album to album, careful to keep it from grandfather.

He hated human things. But only if to spite and spit on the hope her father saw in it. The hope of a life other than the one they had. The hope of a life elsewhere. The hopes of a dreamer. Useless and stupid and worth the punishments grandfather would come up with for her father. For all of them.

But Mei remembered all too well of her father discovering Yumi Arai made more than just the one album. The discovery of her becoming married and the extra name changing made her father's entire month. There were lots more albums. He bought all of them. Listened to them with Mei. They sang. He would proclaim this or that one as the first song he'd have Misaki, her mother, listen to when she got here.

She'd missed singing. More than she realized she would miss it. It'd been over a year since she had last sung a song with her father. Longer than that with both him and her mother.

It'd felt good. And slightly awful to doing this without either of them. But she'd gotten caught up in the song and memories of how her father would get into all sorts of weird voices near the end and how her mother would laugh. Remembering the fun, she did the same and before she had known it, had gone all out on the small stage.

Thinking they should have been there instead of Amanuma's overjoyed emotions stunning him to an almost blank face, the others sudden clapping of her performance, Mei had excused herself from the room. Wetness had already been trailing down her face as she brushed by, her head down and looking to the left instead of at the others. It had been the closest she had felt home in a very long time.

"I'll get the albums out tonight," she promised softly to herself in the mirror. Promised to her father with thoughts of her mother. "I'm sorry they've been gathering dust all this time."

She nearly ran into Amanuma in heading back to the group's room. He jolted. And she jolted.

Amanuma, the regular boy from her class, the person who'd been paying her some, actually kind of nice attention, and inviting her out…swiveled around and rubbed his fingers at his mouth. Compact in hand, fingernails poking between his teeth. Looking for all the world like he was trying to get out a piece of food.

All of the Human World anyway.

Because Mei could clearly see the older teenager, the young man with bleached hair styled into a pompadour where the mirror should be on an actually compact. Amanuma had his back turned as the other spoke. "Oh, you're not alone anymore. That's fine, just move your head. So anyway, there's a level E demon that started some trouble out over by Rugafuji. The S.D.F. can't send anyone over because they're busy with another mission apparently and Koenma's asked we deal with it again."

She stared. This was Kuwabara. Part of team Urameshi at the Dark Tournament. Known associate and ally of the one who worked for the Spirit World. The Spirit World. Amanuma was on speaking terms with Kuwabara who was connected to Urameshi who was the one under Spirit World who…

Mei stepped back, gasping for air.

Amanuma quickly turned to her, the concern overriding anything else that'd been there before. Concern for what? Mei couldn't tell with how paralyzed she felt, numb. It wasn't just that Amanuma sat in front of her in class or that she'd been focusing on him, the boy had more energy than most.

"Isumi. What's wrong?"

He stepped forward and she jerked back.

Why didn't she realize this before?

How could she have been so stupid?

"Er, uh, gah!" On the false mirror, Kuwabara flailed wildly and pointed at himself. "You can hear and see me, can't you?"

Amanuma's eyes went large. "Can you Isumi? Oh that's awesome, you're just like m—"

"No!"

She wasn't anything like Amanuma.

Human.

Demon.

Mei turned on her heel and ran.

"Isumi!"

She wasn't anything like Kuwabara.

Works for the Spirit World.

Hides from the Spirit World.

"Isumi! Wait!"

What they did was horrifying.

Even before the final blow.

"Isumi," Amanuma wailed out from behind her. He called out desperately. "I'm sorry! I just got excited! Isumi! Wait!"

Mei ran as fast as she could, Amanuma's voice fading away.

And she wasn't anything, anything, anything like Urameshi.

The one who killed her father.

Upon reaching the apartment her and Chiyo cohabitated in, Mei fumbled with the key and dropped it. Quickly, she picked it back up. Before she slide it into the slot, she stilled, realizing what she'd just done. Mei pulled back and swiveled her head up and down the hallway, frantic about spotting anyone else and someone else with wild fringes of hair. She had just panicked, running straight here. What if Amanuma kept going after her? She would have led him straight here.

Before that might actually happen, she unlocked the door and bolted inside, locking right back up.

She felt like an idiot for not realizing why Amanuma stood out to her. She felt like an idiot for actually going to a group thing. She was an idiot for being obvious and running. An idiot for coming straight here.

Pushing off from the door, Mei found herself at the message board and flipping through the packet of papers everyone had. There he was. The face that she'd never seen in real life, but would never not know the face. Yusuke Urameshi. Chosen by King Enma's son to do Spirit World's so called work on the Human World.

There had been the word over the past few months that Koenma was trying to undo what his father had done, that he did not know until he overthrew King Enma, but it didn't matter to Mei. Even if the rumors of this too good to sound true turnover were true, action now wouldn't bring her own father back. Even Chiyo wasn't putting trust in Koenma. There were factions working against the new leader of Spirit World. Those doing what had always been done under King Enma. And then some. As if to rebel against the changes. Of course, this is if you believe Koenma trying to change things.

It was little difficult for Mei to do that when it was on Koenma and done by Urameshi of what pretty much appeared in any way she looked at it, a cover up. Destroying the evidence of what had been done.

She flipped through the pages, searching and searching and knowing the name she would not find.

Amanuma. Tsukihito Amanuma.

He knew Kazuma Kuwabara—Mei turned to the page—enough to be on talking terms. Not just on any talking terms. On a device only those with enough energy could use. To talk of demons and missions and Koenma as easy as what Amanuma and Inui and the other boys spoke of games.

Mei tightened her grip on the packet of papers. Who was Amanuma? What did this mean for her? Did he know, all this time? Had she slipped with her energy? Was it the two times she'd taken a portion of his emotions? Could this be the real reason why he'd been paying attention to her and getting to know her? So that she would let something slip about herself or the community?

Were there plans in motion to do the same done to her father to her and the rest living here? To do as Spirit World had always done in the past?

King Enma, Koenma, separate factions, people working for them here on the Human World…there was too many others to look out for and try to figure out what they were really up to!

Panicked, Mei flipped to a familiar page, taking solstice in the fact that Urameshi was still firmly set in the Demon World for a high stakes tournament he'd created. Good. She hoped he stayed there. Alive, injured, dead himself…she didn't care. Mei felt infinitely better knowing he was far, far away.

"You're back? That went shorter than I hoped it would." Mei spun. Chiyo had unlocked the door, pausing at seeing the apartment wasn't empty, but had shrugged and toed off her work shoes. Before the older woman looked up, Mei stashed the packet of papers behind her back, trying to slide them back into proper place without looking.

"So how did it go then? Were the other kids nice? Or did you not feel up to singing when they pressured you?" Dark orbs peeked up from under lashes as Chiyo tucked her shoes off to the side before standing. Grayed purple strands of hair fell free, Chiyo sighing in relief, but her attention remained on Mei. "I know you enjoy music, but I've not heard you sing since last year's winter. I wondered if that was it. If you stopped doing it completely. And with how you are… You know, the others—"

"Are just themselves and don't hide from the world," Mei finished for the older woman. She'd heard the sentiment enough times. Been treated to Chiyo trying to step into a role that Mei both did and did not want. Mei appreciated Chiyo for it, but, sometimes it was hard to act like it. Like now. With her father so prominent in her thoughts right now. "I sang."

Amanuma's delighted face when she'd gone next to him and picked a song flashed into her head. She could practically feel the overjoyed emotions running rampant even now. There were some things a person couldn't fake, Mei thought. And for this, she looked to her feet, her hair acting like a curtain as she pursed her lips, feeling her own checks go warm as she fought off the tiny smile. His emotions were a bundle of things, but never phony or a sham. There was no deception in Amanuma.

Which meant, all of her unfounded worries were just that, unfounded. At least in where he was coming from in everything. It could change in time. But, unexpectedly, Mei was soothed and felt a sudden warmth of welcome for Amanuma. For who he was and his persistence of befriending her. Belated, she felt a shock of terror at what her initial reaction was.

She was trying to stay hidden from Spirit World.

And he still had some connection to Spirit World.

"Why are you so nervous then?" Mei stilled at the sudden question. "You're touching your headband Mei. You sing just fine. Did they invite you to come back? Not come back? One of them not like you? Things like that happen. It's normal. What…oh."

Having looked back up, Mei stared, startled at Chiyo's surprised face and the sheer force of amusement crashing over her in a wave. Stumbling back, Mei's hand fell from her forehead. What was this? Chiyo's chuckling drifted a path behind her as she moved to the kitchen area.

"You like one of them, don't you?"

Resolute and practiced at it, the answer came quickly. "No."

"Sure about that? Or is there an excuse to the first time you've taken a classmate up on an offer, gone to an outing of your own free will?"

Mei halted. There was and this wouldn't be the first time Mei had thoughts of Chiyo being more than a simple seadragon demon. Except if Chiyo could read minds, the current topic of conversation would be very different. Letting her more human guise be shaken off, Chiyo rubbed the tips of her fins, then drew her hand down yellow skin spotted purple as she stared at the open pantry.

"Anything you're craving right now? Because nothing looks good enough for me to go to the trouble of making it." Chiyo groaned. "I've still got to organize the new paperwork from Slipgear and deal with Saburo about that demon he suggested in joining the community a couple months ago. Will not understand my refusal and I'm getting fed up and concerned with how he keeps dragging the issue back up."

"Don't go to trouble for me. I'm not that hungry," Mei mumbled out. "I'm going to my room to study."

She didn't want to add to Chiyo's stress. That's what Mei tried to tell herself in her bedroom as she searched for the reason she did not speak up. But Mei wasn't sure of the exact reason. She wanted to hide, like always. Except she knew Amanuma would talk, fill the silence, like always. And his emotions were sincere. It wasn't her face that was known in the Spirit World files and Amanuma had truly not realized she had energy before tonight. Much less that she concealed one that shouldn't belong here.

It'd take time for anyone to put it together.

Maybe, just maybe… Mei pursed her lips. She could let Amanuma fill up the sound a little longer. To wait to hide or mention the issue to Chiyo just yet. That'd mean moving and another transfer, more trouble and attention. Not something Mei wanted. Besides, the boy didn't know, maybe would never figure it out.

With his earnest emotions and tendency to fill the silence in their conversations…she could keep a closer ear and feel out for what was going on with Spirit World past paperwork and word of mouth.

Yes. That would be her reason. Her focus. A step out to help out. To pay Chiyo back. For the last move. Due to her father. And Spirit World. That was her reason. Stepping out instead of hiding out.

Her father would approve of this. Putting herself out there, stepping forward to help. She'd just do without asking and all the announcing who she was to anyone possibly connected to Spirit World.

"Isumi!"

She turned in her seat, going wide eyed stiff at the sheer emotion steamrolling in with Amanuma. Immediately, Mei ducked her head down, bangs barricading full view of his face. He was right there.

"Ah! Sorry, sorry."

He quickly backpedaled, then slid into his chair, backwards so that he could face her, screeching his seat forward as he leaned in close. She peeked up past her bangs. Excitement, hope, anxiety, anticipation, nervousness all twanged through Amanuma. The bundle of emotions he had was nearly overwhelming. All of it clearly showed on his face. No deception to him. Just the same loud boy with pride and earnest hopes in constant quiver.

Amanuma's voice lowered now though. "I never knew you had energy. I got excited. It's the same problem I had last time." He trailed off at that, tendrils of that weird quiet day emotions entering him. Soft, sincere, asking for forgiveness, his voice rang clear. "I didn't mean to scare or chase you off."

"It's…okay," she settled on for her word. You can do this, she tried to pep herself up for. All this time listening to his stories and words and getting to know him, this was just the same. To find out if there was an inkling of knowledge about her and about the community from what he said about Spirit World. And then…to tell Chiyo of what lay in the confines of her junior high. Probably moving away from this area, this school, this boy. As it should be. "There was a demon?"

A small shot of elation went up at this. "You don't sound surprised." His face split into a grin, excitement and relief and joyful fulfillment flaring up. "This is awesome. Energy and you already know about demons."

She was a demon.

"What happened to them?"

There was a syrupy feeling of disappointment and glum to his emotions. "I messed up. He got away. Caused structural damage, but no one was injured."

Mei peered carefully up. This could be a good sign. Was it possible the word of Koenma changing things was true? Amanuma had just referred to this demon as a 'he'. As a person. Not 'it' like it was some human movie monster. Or as something to use.

"What happens to him if you catch him?"

"Er." Amanuma shifted in his seat, uncertainty ebbing in. "Someone else takes care of him. Does all the official stuff with charges and paperwork."

"The older boy," Mei asked. She had to be careful not to use his name by accident. Amanuma didn't know how much he ought to say to her, someone outside the know of what was going on. But what he said to her, who knew enough, could give away vital clues. "The group on the mission or Koenma? Someone else?"

"Well, Koenma."

Not King Enma then. Another sign of rumors actually being true? That Koenma truly was trying to fix what his father had done? And clearly trusting the people who'd worked under him the longest, like the friend of his Spirit Detective over ones like the S.D.F. whose previous boss had been King Enma and may not be going along so nicely with how the new ruler wanted to do things.

Except Urameshi had still killed her father under orders of Koenma after King Enma had—

Mei squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think about what'd been done to her father.

"The Spirit Detective gig is a new one." Chiyo's slow and thoughtful words came to Mei's mind, the emotional thrum of worry scratching at her. "My worry is it was only started up as a way for Koenma to start flexing his own power as he gets older, following his father's footsteps with his own hired help that doesn't just have the flexibility of coming to the Human World…but a kind that lives here."

"Are you okay Isumi?"

A different feeling of worry emanated from in front of her, cautious and concerned.

"Fine." She fidgeted nervously in her seat, hand going upwards to her headband. Then took the leap and went for it. "Um, uh, what does he do with them?"

"Dunno. Not really. It's not what I do." Amanuma's eyes traveled upwards, disappearing in the shadows of his wild fringes. Contemplative was the closest emotion she could read over his typical ones to fit the current topic. "Go over their records and then helping them go where they need to go."

It was an answer. But very political. It didn't really specify or clarify what was exactly going on when Koenma received demons caught residing on the Human World.

"But enough about demons and energy," Amanuma proclaimed suddenly and resolute. "It's just making you nervous and I don't want to mess up again like before. I mean…"

The boy coughed, cheeks gaining color as he turned his head to the side. Embarrassment, nervousness, hope wafted tight around him. Like he was trying to pull his emotions inward. She blinked in surprise. That was interesting. She'd felt the emotions of people who were more contained with their emotions, keeping them close to the chest, but had never seen a shift to it.

"You heard the guys. I don't really have much practice at… If I own up to be an annoying little shit, people tend to be a little more giving of when I mess up… I'm not good at social stuff, all right?" At the declaration, his lips pursed, an acidic bitter of upset emotions coming up to the surface.

Upset? At himself?

"I…I'm not either."

Because her reasons for it were far more complicated and telling if the wrong kind of person noticed. But Amanuma didn't seem to. He was…happy at her lack. Understanding and relieved and an emotion that felt like it was calling out to her. Saying 'me too'.

"Join me. Us," Amanuma corrected. Hope strung through him, sweet and sharp. "I mean, I've been wanting to say it since last night."

Mei leaned back, terrified. Join what?

"Your voice is stunning. I've never even paid that Yuming song any attention until last night. I want to hear you sing more Isumi. Come to karaoke again."

Her breath left her. Amanuma's emotions were almost entirely heartfelt. He meant it. And he meant more to this part of the conversation than anything—energy and demons and Spirit World included—before it.

There was more worth and importance placed on wanting to spend his free time with her. Frivolous time. Ignoring his own excitement at something else they possibly had in common because…it made her nervous.

Mei looked to her desk, brushing her bangs down, trying not to look at him. Except the emotion was so tangible she could practically taste it without touching. Savory? Was this what the savory type of emotion felt like? Her hand twitched.

"Yes?" Amanuma asked. The savory heartfelt emotion quavered. "No?"

"Maybe," she quickly said.

She immediately felt hot and told herself off about giving in to opening up to a classmate, especially this classmate, and fell silent for the rest of the day.

Giving a tiny salute with one leg, the gear made and energy run spider scrambled across the table. Chiyo was already taking a more thorough look through the new papers printed off. Biting her lip, Mei looked to the older woman and then to Slipgear making his way quickly toward the cracked open window.

"Wait!"

A distressed noise flew out of her mouth, Mei drawing inward as she realized she'd stood and had both Chiyo and Slipgear's attention. Now that she had it, she was pulling away. When Slipgear had been leaving, the need to ask about Amanuma and bring him to the attention was so strong. Now though… All eyes were on her. She ducked her head down and swallowed.

"Mei?"

She stumbled to find her words.

"I...well. See, I think…no… Is there a human named Tsukihito Amanuma that has…a closer connection to Spirit World?"

Chiyo frowned. "Tsukihito Amanuma? I don't think I've heard that name in any rumors to look out for from Spirit World."

The mechanical spider had already popped back up onto the table, typing at the air in front of him in patterns only he could discern. An image crackled into being above Slipgear. It was Amanuma from her class. His cheeks were a little fuller and the lower half of his wild hair was shaved. He was also wearing a type of sailor school uniform, not one for their school, blue being the color of choice.

"Tsukihito Amanuma. Currently 13 years old and in first year of junior high. Both parents alive, removed from his life due to work responsibilities. No siblings. Grandparents deceased. Has aunt, uncle, and two cousins. Picture taken roughly 13 months ago. Special Notes. One of many cases of psychic territories that cropped up in Mushiyori City during growth of a tunnel between worlds. Undetermined if territory remains. Involved as one of Shinobu Sensui's Seven, see Chapter Black for more detail. Absolved of involvement in situation and brought back to the world of the living by Koenma, as it was not his time and there was no place for him in Spirit World. Second rare case of one in a thousand years occurrence. In under one year."

"Amanuma…was dead?" Mei stared at Slipgear, stunned by this news. "And…Koenma brought him back?"

Chiyo narrowed her eyes. "That sounds highly familiar. The boy is indebted, or feels indebted to Koenma."

"Is not listed as a Human World agent for Koenma," Slipgear stated. He clicked his front legs against the table, tapping, then rotated to stare at Mei with all his camera eyes. "Yet…the timing of Koenma discovering discrepancies lines up just after the events of Chapter Black. Chances of a hidden agent his father did not know about…possible. Not outside realm of possibilities. I can look into it."

"As much as it there is more and more legitimacy to the rumors of Koenma turning things around for the better, I still do not welcome any agent since there are questions of who to trust in this transition." Chiyo slowly turned her head to gaze evenly at Mei. "This human boy is the same year as you in school. How…how did you know to ask for Slipgear to check his name? I know you don't talk to your classmates much, but you do listen. Did you overhear something about him?"

"I…I overheard… I overheard Amanuma in a…a conversation with Kazuma Kuwabara."

Chiyo's eyes flared wide, alarmed. "You were that close to a person that could work for Spirit World?"

"Um, well." Mei slide her feet back, chin pressed to her chest. It was going to be worse this way. For all she thought she could avoid stressing out Chiyo. Or hope that she wouldn't be part of the reason the community had to move. Again. The words left her in a whisper. "He sits in the desk in front of me at school. The one who invited me to karoke. But emotions in him aren't dishonest at all, he's too earnest for it. I…I'm positive he doesn't realize."

Mei didn't dare look up in the silence.

The emotions pounding all through the apartment did all of Chiyo's talking.

"I will dig into all connections Tsukihito Amanuma has with any person tied to Koenma."

With a click and clack, Slipgear took off with a whirl of his mechanical gears and pitter-pattered out of the apartment, leaving the silence behind. Mei pursed her lips together. Her fists went tight, tears threatening to fall from her eyes that she refused to lift up to look at any part of this apartment that wasn't really home.

"I'm sorry Chiyo. I didn't want to stress you out and…and Amanuma…" There was too much to say about everything surrounding the boy in her mind. Mei squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "I'm sorry."

Chiyo wrapped her up in a hug.

"I'm sorry too Mei."

"We're going to have to move everyone again, aren't we?"

"Depends on what Slipgear returns with. We run the chance of discovery if he does. Chances are, yes. Yes, we probably will have to move again."

"Sorry," Mei repeated.

"I'm sorry. He was the one you liked too, wasn't he? Someone you could see as a friend?"

Mei nodded and Chiyo hugged her closer.

With a loud screeching noise across the floor, Mei flinched and peeked up through her bangs, knowing what she would see. Inui grinned broadly at her as he plopped down. "Got a homework question for you."

"On what Hikaru?" Amanuma asked pointedly, dragging his friend's attention with the use of Inui's first name.

"Oh no, this is a literature type question. Isumi reads way more than you Tsukihito." Amanuma's nose wrinkled. "We've all seen her, every morning. And heard her additions when we ask you for help Mister Brainiac. You've been slacking in the 'Smart Duo Corner'."

"I…wait, what?" Bewildered, Mei watched as Amanuma's face shifted with the easily matching emotions. "You call our corner of the classroom what? That's just…asinine."

"Hey. I know what stupid sounds like coming out of your mouth. Isumi has been selected over Amanuma!"

Inui turned to face her squarely, amusement and anticipation coming like a sugared bread, his fingers over her hand holding her current reading book as he pushed it away. Mei jerked her hand back quickly, eyes wide at the contact, sliding her chair back. Amanuma's friend gave a smile, tilt of the head, and half shrug before opening his book on her desk.

"You're a m—"

"She agreed?" Higuchi interrupted, celebration sprouting up in his emotions. The boy cheered and scrambled over to their corner of the classroom, drawing up his own chair. Followed shortly by both Ito and Fuji. Far more overeager than in the past times they'd come over asking Amanuma for homework assistance. Mei's chair scratched farther back.

"You're all morons!" Amanuma stood up and shoved Inui back, giving the rest a glare. "Quit crowding Isumi! You know she doesn't like it! Morons! All of you!"

Inui flung himself dramatically back in his chair. "Ah! I've been called a moron! Oh how I've missed your charming pet name!"

"Moron," Amanuma snapped. Crinkling amusement at his friend barely dented his upset irritation and anger. Inui snickered and straightened.

"Sorry Isumi, we get excited easily I guess," Ito said to her. "At least it's been nice the last few days. No more of the cold weather and chill from winter. Actually feels like summer is coming around the corner. I love summer and going to the field. Summer is the best, right? Oh, um, you like winter better? Spring? Autumn?"

Scratching at the edge of her headband, Mei made herself relax. Since the karoke night, the group had taken to not keeping as much distance when they came over to chat with Amanuma. While Inui barreled and treated her in the same manner he treated Amanuma, the others had copied their own versions of how Amanuma treated her. Talking and not getting too disappointed when she didn't talk back.

"Oh, I'm more of an autumn kind of person myself," Fuji responded. She reached back and fixed her pony tail. "But that's the time of year I was born, so of course it's the best. I will say it'll be nice to beat the heat at karoke and the festival celebrations at night. You should think about joining us again Isumi. I'll skip any swimming. Ugh. I just melt and burn."

Higuchi cleared his throat. "You know, we're running low on time and I just bet Amanuma will call you a moron yet again Inui."

With a snort, Amanuma rolled his eyes. "Like it is anyone's surprise if he hasn't even started what's due today."

"That's why I come to you and Isumi and bow to the top of the class duo. I did stuff last night." Inui grinned and nudged Amanuma. "I wrote a whole long list of titles and versions of combining your two's names. Wanna see and pick one?"

Amanuma went completely red, aggravation and embarrassment flaming high.

"MORON!"

Mei leaned back, absorbing the scene playing out in front of her and soaking in all the emotions. Acceptance, amusement, annoyance, content, exasperation, excitement, fondness, hilarity… Anything and everything that was part of Amanuma and these classmates. She'd never wanted the attention or to be drawn into a group with how much she had wanted to escape notice.

But Mei was going to miss this.

She'd chosen a festival.

Amanuma's excitement was palpable when she'd nodded to attending. That was some time ago now. On the last day of school before summer break. On her last day at that school. Mei was half anticipating the emotions of Amanuma upon showing up tonight and half miserable at this being the last time she'd see him.

"I shouldn't go," Mei said glumly.

"You're going." Chiyo informed her without room for questioning otherwise. It was a tone Mei recognized, but she still thought she shouldn't anyway. "Despite his involvement with things pertaining to Spirit World, he is clueless to your true nature so far and he's got you positive of bearing no ill, the earnest emotions he has in relation to you has you wanting to stop hiding from the world. You're going."

Patting at the obi, Chiyo stood and sighed sadly. "I wish the situation didn't turn out like this. He seems good for you from what I can tell. Maybe I'll be able to finish up quickly enough with some of these last minute issues I've got to handle tonight. Make it to the festival to get a good look at him."

"That'd be nice," Mei said. A wry smile formed on Chiyo's mouth. They both knew that wouldn't happen. "But it's okay if you can't. It's not like we'll be friends much longer."

The breath left Chiyo, her face pinching and emotions going sour.

"Friends. I'm sorry it wound up like this Mei."

"It…it's for the best. I'll like going back to fading into the background."

Chiyo released a heavy sigh, going bland and melancholy in her emotions. "Liar," she said monotonously. It was so different than hearing Amanuma and his trio of friends chorusing it weeks ago. Lifeless compared to the affection and merriment. "Try to do things you usually don't and have fun. Try to do that Mei. I've got to get going. Please try."

At the emotion cropping up to undertone the plea, Mei nodded at Chiyo's request. "I can…try. I can try."

"Just call me Aiko," Fuji insisted. She motioned for Mei to follow her, eyes lighting up in excitement at seeing the paper scoop game. For a moment, Fuji took in the sight, glancing at all of the younger kids playing. "Everyone calls my dad Fuji. I keep thinking you're talking to him when you say Fuji. Besides, we've hung out enough in the classroom. The rest of us are only continuing use of Isumi because we're not sure how to approach you about it. Well, Hikaru does, but that's when Tsukihito told us all off from pushing the topic with you. But well… It's Hikaru. He's the moron of the group really. Its fine I'm bringing it up…right?"

Mei blinked. And then figured, this was her last time with any of them, and nodded.

Fuji—Aiko tilted her head back toward Mei and smiled. "Good! Mei's such a pretty name. Oh mister," she called out. The girl turned her head back to the paper scoop game. "Might I have one for me and one for my friend?"

Wide eyed, Mei took the scoop from the man running the game. She eyed the younger kids playing. It looked like the trick was in not letting it get too wet to catch a fish. Since she was leaving soon, she could just make it—

"Got one!" Aiko cried out cheerfully. And upon receiving the bag with her won fish, the girl filled up with pending glee and held it out to a teary eyed little boy of about four years old. He sniffed, looking up at Aiko and Mei with those big watery eyes. "Want mine? I've already got a tank of fish at home."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm! Really. Go ahead."

"Whoa. Thank you nice lady!"

The boy ran off to what looked to be his parents, showing off the bagged fish. Satisfaction and pleasure came from Aiko as Mei watched in surprise. It wasn't something she'd ever thought of doing. Not with how she was always trying to hide from people.

"Aren't little kids the cutest?"

Determined, Mei looked to where the rest of the younger children were and spotted a hopeful little girl peering up at them with her paper scoop used up and disintegrating. Pressing her lips together, Mei spotted her fish of choice, moving a little faster than she might have dared in the past. Stunned, Aiko suddenly started clapping beside her.

"So quick!"

Once it was bagged up, Mei turned in anticipation to the little girl who'd caught her eye earlier. "Want it?"

The small girl squealed and clapped, nodding her head and bouncing on her feet. "Yes," she chirruped. "Yes please older miss. Thank you!"

Mei watched the girl disappear into the crowds, a smile never leaving her lips. It was nice. This was nice, she thought. The ability to not just make people scared and fearful like her grandfather always pushed for, but to be able to make that kind of emotion come out of someone was…enthralling.

"Awesome. A fish girl in arms," Aiko pronounced. "I do this at every festival. You can join me whenever the boys get going about video games. Active, kicking around a football, shooting some hoops, I get. I love them. Video games, not so much. I bet they've stopped by now."

The other girl smiled a bit wider at Mei. "He likes you you know? Amanuma. I mean, he likes us, but that's probably because the moron dragged the rest of us into their little duo. He looked all worried when talk switched to video games and he saw you coming with me."

"He was," Mei murmured to herself. Louder, she said, "He shouldn't be. You're not scary."

She was the scary one in the eyes of others.

Aiko didn't know that though and laughed. "No! Certainly not! Just when I go all out playing any game. It's why I got so many fish and can't pass up a game of even this tiny thing!" The girl certainly felt amused at the idea of her being scary. "Of course, the real scary thing is the other girls in our class when they think I'm 'hogging' the boys to myself. Like I like any of them that way. Ha. I think I see them though over there. Yeah, I do."

Mei looked to where Aiko was waving, seeing Inui leaping up and down as he waved at them. Ito poked his head over the taller Higuchi and stuck his hand up in the air too. Ohayashi and Kobayashi, who'd come dressed alike, wore matching grins and shouting for them to come over, grabbed a hold of Amanuma and pulled him forward.

Annoyance and embarrassment, an overabundant combination with Amanuma for the night, came forward again as he stumbled forward. "You know, maybe I'd rather hang out with the girls tonight anyway! In my experience, girls tend not to be morons like you dunderheads!"

"Like who? We all are friends with Aiko. Who else is there? Your little cousin and that older sister type we've seen you with?"

Every emotion in Amanuma stilled and froze in his muted anger and shock.

"He's right," Ohayashi drawled out.

Kobayashi rolled his eyes. "Hikaru is a total moron."

"Too right," Ito said. "Anything good to add Takumi?"

"He's got a perfect score in one part of his life," Higuchi suggested.

With a leap in the air, Inui celebrated the news. Causing all of the others to stare at his reaction. "What? It seems to be working out for me. I only speak the truth. The only other girl Tsukihito talks—"

"Scores? I can take on any of you at any of these games." Aiko interrupted with a toss of her ponytail. Everything on her face told of assurance and trash talk. Yet her feelings were raring and protective. She cracked her knuckles and tilted her head with a too wide smile. "Feel free take a breather Tsukihito and run away from me being scary Mei. I got these losers."

"Losers?" Inui yelped. "Who you calling losers? We'll all take you on! Easy!"

The loud boys took the bait, humoring Aiko for baiting Inui, but also growing enthusiasm and expectation for the fun to come as they all moved into the crowd in search of festival games. Mei watched as they went, somehow amused at Aiko throwing a waving arm back at her and Amanuma. Like catching a fish for that little boy, Aiko was the honestly helpful kind of person. She enjoyed helping when she saw she could. Just like she'd helped Amanuma.

Astonished disbelief trickled out from beside her.

"When…when did Aiko start calling you by your first name?"

Softly, Mei responded, touching at her headband. "She asked. Just a little while ago."

"Oh."

Regret shot through him. She looked up at that, wondering where it came from and wanting to fix it. It was the last she'd see of Amanuma tonight. She wanted to make the best of it. As Chiyo had been hoping for her. If she could help… "Why?"

"I didn't think you would want to… You call everyone and with how you are… And it's not something I really… I didn't know how to bring up you calling me by my first name."

"Tsukihito?"

"Yeah," he responded automatically. Then he seemed to realize she'd used his first name, his emotions buoying up. "Yeah. That's my first name. Are you asking to check or did you just ask to see if you could use my name? Because you can, you can." Mei nodded. The boy's eyes filled up with the delight growing inside of him. "Can I…?"

For the last night together if it made him this happy? Anticipation shivered up her spine as she opened her mouth to respond. "Yes."

"Mei." He tested her name out. Enchanted by the use, he said it again. Waves of appreciation and gratification ripped through him, although he tried to tamper down on it, she could still feel it easily with how close they were. Like cotton candy. "Mei."

Buzzing intruded in. He jolted. Tsukihito jolted, his hand going to his pants pocket. Mei could see the round circular object outlined there and stared.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. All of his emotions had taken a sharp downhill turn. She swallowed. This wasn't supposed to happen tonight. It was the last time she'd see him. And he would have to leave to do something for someone she had hated for so long. "I should just ignore it, what's with the timing of this, every time I want to…"

"Go ahead," Mei told him. If anything, she supposed, this would remind her of why they had to leave rather than her feeling inklings of wanting to stay.

"Amanuma! Oh, great, you answered!" Kuwabara's voice was distinctive, even without looking, Mei could recognize it was him calling again. "I'm all the way up at the temple tonight and won't be able to get there in time. Rinku says he'd come but ya'know."

"I'd still come anyway," pipped in another voice. One squeaking up in signs of puberty.

"Get down. It's apparently the same demon that got away, causing trouble again. Messing with an apartment complex not far from where you're at. No one's injured yet, but he's destroying the buildings there. Sorry to send you out alone like this this time, but I'll get back to Koenma and let him know, he'll probably send down—er. Hello again? Amanuma, who is she? I let it go before, but… That's the second time I've seen her and she's listening."

"What apartment complex?"

"You got a cute girlfriend?" The other voice pipped in again. "Let me see, let me see! Oooh! Is it who I think it is?"

"Where is it?"

When Kuwabara answered where it was at, Mei forgot having fun or being upset or anything. Any worries about who this new name of Rinku was and what he might mean. She had a race to win. Before an actual person working under Spirit World found Chiyo and the community and the apartment they'd been trying to leave before getting this sort of attention from Spirit World.

"Go ahead," she told him. As he felt slightly torn about leaving, she tried using the same thing that made him so happy earlier. "Go ahead Tsukihito."

"She calls you by your first name? Oh come on Kuwabara! I won't tell anyone! Just help me sneak out! Just this once! I can help, really I can! I—"

The call disconnected.

"I'll be back later Mei, promise. By the fireworks. And tell the others!"

He ran off one way and Mei tore off as fast as she could in another direction. She had to get to the apartment before him. She had to make sure Spirit World didn't find Chiyo and all the others because of her. They already had to worry about the possibility due to her father. She wasn't going to be the reason it actually happened. Mei was going to get there first.

Mei skidded to a stop. A hooded figure wielded a video game controller, directing a short man in red overalls in a fight. Video games. How did he beat her here? She could detect the demonic energy in the dust cloud of exploded building before it landed a powerful hit. The short man let out a shout, flying backwards and slammed the hooded figure against the apartment.

"Umph! Ugh, s-shit."

There was so much anger and need to strike as much fear as possible pounding out of the blue skinned demon shrugging the rubble off his shoulders. Mei swallowed. Peppers. Hot, burning peppers. Tsukihito's hood was slipping, his face starting to show. She dashed out in front of him.

"Mei?" Came a startled shout from up above. Chiyo. "Hide! We need to get out of here!"

"Perfect," the demon rumbled. His voice was gravely and set her on edge with the ferocity building and building and building. "Someone the bitch who turned me down actually cares about."

This was the guy Saburo had been pushing for Chiyo to add to the community? No wonder Chiyo turned the guy down. But it seemed her manner of meeting potential demons away from the chosen living area failed. Or Saburo had given it away.

"Mei?" Tsukihito's voice came from behind her. "How'd you follow me? Get away! Run! I—"

"Double perfection!"

And the demon rushed at her, two blue horns gleaming as he leaned into it, pulling one huge arm back to strike. She let him, sliding back with the hit, taking little pleasure in seeing his reaction to what he'd just punched. Mei simply grabbed hold and cried, nose burning as she took in as much of the hot pepper taste as she could out of him.

The same and very last emotion she felt and tasted from her father as she tried to help him a year and a half ago.

"Mei!" She vaguely saw Chiyo racing over to her. Next thing she knew, she was being pulled away by the back of her obi from the stunned and startled and surprised demon who'd tried to punch her. "I think you overdid it Mei."

Dazedly, she reached up and touched her padded headband. Tips of small horns peaked upwards into the cloth. Her fingers traveled down to her mouth and felt sharper than normal eyeteeth. "Oh. I did." Wavering, she plopped back onto her rear. "It's still there. All the... Like…like my father."

Chiyo's grip drew tight.

"I thought so. Spirit World's trying to draw us out after all." And in a rare moment, the older woman swore. "Fucking Saburo."

Mei blinked, barely feeling the surprise under everything else. She furrowed her eyebrows. There was someone…

"Mei? You…you already know about Spirit World?" Tsukihito. Hesitate, worried, concerned, panicked, confused. It barely registered under the fiery burn filling her up. "They wouldn't do this. They wouldn't be behind something like…like this."

"Oh," Chiyo snapped furiously. "Try again you stupid human boy."

"The cloak, hood… Koenma wouldn't!"

"What are you doing?"

"Breaking protocol," Tsukihito fired back. "Koenma!"

Mei's head lolled back, watching Chiyo stand up fully. Chiyo looked mad. Was she mad?

"You can't call my line! Call Kuwabara or—"

"I won't be called stupid and I won't be stupid after what happened with Sensui! You're trying to keep who I am hidden, aren't you? Because there's people up there counteracting what you're doing! That are working against and resisting you!"

Silence followed.

"It's because you're younger—"

"Don't give me that! Not telling me stuff because I'm a kid doesn't work genius! And the demon I just had to capture is apparently blowing up the apartment building of one of my classmates and they say it's because of Spirit World!"

"Not under my rule," Koenma declared firmly. "You're not wrong. There is a resistance Amanuma. Keep the demon there. I'm on my way to correct what was done and figure out who did it. How did your classmate know it was due to Spirit World? It certainly wasn't sanctioned. Then again, it was officially sanctioned by my father either."

The younger ruler sounded really disgusted by that. Mei could agree with that. Perhaps like the ruler, despite Spirit World people still doing things like brainwashing and ruining lives before trashing them completely. As though the first half didn't already do that.

"I…I don't know. They just…did?"

"My father." Mei felt the words breeze out of her mouth. Easily. In severe odds with the emotion she just ate. Too much. "Was one. Brainwashed into the very reason we left Demon World, to be the very thing he hated, to be like grandfather. Killed by Urameshi. Because of you."

There was more than a few gasps. She bobbed her head.

"I…I'm terribly sorry. I…didn't know. I wish I had known then. Who was he? So that I might be able to help hold him up in—"

Chiyo snorted. But Mei, even though she couldn't feel it, she got the sense that this young ruler meant it. And maybe she could punish him with the knowledge.

"My father…was Goki."

Uncertainty thrummed just off to her side and Mei turned, not too surprised to find it was Amanuma's emotions striking through her current haze. She hunched over where she sat, trying to tug and pat her longer strands into place over her ears, pursing her mouth closed. He was probably reluctant too, averse to being near her after finding out the truth.

The leftover emotions of the now gone demon, where did he go, riled up in her. But the anger wasn't the same in her, not fueled like it had been for the one it was meant for or her father. She was angry, but also upset and mad. Mei had promised herself she wasn't going to announce herself to anyone from Spirit World like her father had done when he had gone with a group to ask about permission to stay and to go back for her mother.

Her future was all up in air. And it was one thing to have the possibility of being torn away from Chiyo. To be sent back to Demon World and under her grandfather. Her mother would be there, but after nearly three years with grandfather losing her and her father… Mei didn't want to think about that. But it was another thing to have the possibility of Tsukihito taken away…because the other boy choose to leave her.

"I don't care," Tsukihito suddenly said. "You can quit hiding the things that are slightly pointy for you. I wanted to say something about sorry about your loss, but I really don't care. It's…weird. Because it looks different than how you normally look, but it's not that weird. I don't care. In fact, I might have a bias to like demons more."

Baffled at this, Mei dragged her gaze up. He nodded at her. Reassurance came from him, just enough she could feel it directed out at her.

"I don't have the best…experiences growing up with other people. My parents aren't around and I mentioned classmates tended to ostracize me for how much easier school was for me. My aunt and uncle expect me to play nice with my cousins, but they're really patronizing and my older cousin pushed me around while my younger one, well," he scratched the back of his head and the emotions from that weird quiet day at school returned. "Things are actually better between Mitsu and me now. But there was this thing that happened last spring with this guy I thought was cool, but only used me."

Last spring. More than a year ago. It fit the time of Slipgear's information of Tsukihito dying and Koenma bringing him back to life.

"Most of what I do for Koenma isn't really much. Besides this one, every demon I've been asked to approach is all in conversation. I'm pretty sure Koenma wasn't lying about that part with official paperwork and trying to figure out where to put them since the records on demons residing here were severely lacking." Tsukihito scowled. "His father and this transition, I knew, but not details of why and what was going on before."

There was a pause.

"I'm sorry about your dad."

"Thank you," Mei said quietly, still stunned at this turn of events. He was still here, standing next to her, as Koenma and Chiyo talked off to the side. There was the older girl with wavy dark brown hair beside Koenma, the same one that she'd seen outside the school gates. Apparently a Spirit World employee. One with a human guise since she'd not realized before. They all looked intense from here, but animated. Apparently, their conversation was going well on both sides. Perhaps her fears of what would happen if she was found were unfounded. Or the timing worked out for the best. Things her father had such high hopes for and believed what would happen after seeing how things were in the Human World. "He was the fan of Yumi Arai."

"He was?"

"My mother's too, but she never outright told him. And he liked trying to get her to admit it after getting her to sing."

The surprise and curiosity trickled through him. Mei took in a deep breath and shook herself off a little. It seemed the emotion she overate was beginning to run its course.

"Where...where is your mother?"

"Still in Demon World. With my grandfather. She insisted we go and figure out the way here first. There were others who were like them and wanted out of the clan, but other clans of our kind…refuse to take us. Since my father was the most knowledgeable being the son of the clan leader, we left first. On pretenses of a several month journey clan tradition says I should have been doing."

"Your grandfather. You said your father hated him. What the clan did? Yes?" Tsukihito questioned. "It must have been pretty terrible to move a whole world away."

Mei shook her head, despising of what kind of people she came from and feeling as though it should be said. Koenma could probably piece it together from what he knew of sending his Spirit Detective onto her father's case. If you could call it that. And with her brought to Koenma's attention, the apparently current and secreted Spirit Detective being told wouldn't be far behind.

"I'm sure Koenma will tell you. Or you'll demand it of him. Or me."

Wild fringe flew back and forth. "No! Not you Mei."

"You did it with the leader of the Spirit World."

"Oh, um." Shifting funny, reluctance and small discomfort stuck out in his emotions. "Well, that's because I work under him. And after what happened a while back, well, I think Kurama cares about me or at least I think he'd get super pissed if anything did happen to me anytime soon helping Koenma. So he gave me the advice of always paying attention to details that stick out and to never hold back in necessitating information out of anyone above me. Especially with Koenma, because there's emotional blackmail tied in with my introduction to 'there is more to life than meets the ordinary eye' and he will give into it."

This was one of the lucky pair who lived, but not her father? Mei stared up at him from where she still sat. "That's just…"

"A dirty trick? Shrewd?" Tsukihito shook his head, a smile twitching up with some amusement. "Yeah, that's kind of Kurama. But it works. And I'll remain thankful."

Aghast, a new voice rang in. "I have Kurama to thank for you constantly doing that?" Mei and Tsukihito both spun to see the new ruler of Spirit World shaking his head. The high school aged looking girl who was actually a spirit of some sort from Spirit World grinned mischieviously and winked at Tsukihito. Chiyo was walking up from just behind them. "He does this just to mess with me. I already tell you far more of the going on's than I ever did for the other Spirit Detectives. I learn."

All of them stared at the ending wail and whine of frustration. Then Koenma cleared his throat and tossed back his cape over a shoulder. "Anyway. We've come to let you know we've come to an accord."

Mei listened carefully. It turned out Koenma had been trying to figure out himself of what to do with all the demons living peacefully in the Human World and had made it a home. He'd run into more than he first expected with how long his father had the brainwashing demons to attack humans. It'd stunned Koenma at just how much he had believed and not thought twice about. While he had run into demons wishing ill will on humans or their world, it was not as many as he'd expected. Even with his father's helping influence of these types of demons.

There was nothing set up for those demons to continue living as they had been. Any demons under any official papers were the only demons who hadn't needed King Enma's help to do dastardly deeds. Including those desperate enough to work for unscrupulous humans to make some semblance of life and means for themselves here. Because there was nothing set up to help them.

And at hearing how Chiyo had been running the community, Koenma was promising papers to allow their whole community to stay. To continue to help transition new demons to this world who were looking to stay. He'd already managed to work out temporary visa type articles for the demons he knew personally and were competing in the Demon Tournament for an overall ruler, except they had to stay within certain bounds. But now that he'd pushed Spirit World for this to happen to help better Demon World so less would need to come to Human World, he felt—now that he had a plan and real world example for what worked—that he could push for temporary visas to become more.

He had ideas for trusted individuals, like those spiritually aware or their community to create places called 'Homestays' for demons wanting to come to Human World to live. Places they would stay at and people who would help them before they would go for or be granted a more permanent visa to live in their own place. And it would help them get on their feet before going off on their own. To have enough money to live well. Rather than take those kinds of unscrupulous jobs under human criminals to make ends meet.

The employee with Koenma waggled the clipboard and papers she'd taken down what had been said and discussed, tapping it brightly and helpfully.

It was…

Tsukihito jumped forward, hood flapping behind and long forgotten.

"Mei gets to stay here?"

She ducked her head, cheeks warming at his elation and Chiyo's delight.

…perfect.

Mei blew into her palms and then tucked them into her winter coat. While she didn't need to warm them, it felt nice and she liked the charmed emotions sparking through Tsukihito with how she copied his actions. Inui nudged Tsukihito into her, grinning broadly.

"You two have lots of fun on your big journey! I want to hear all about how you finally—urk!"

Daichi and Kichirou tag teamed on Inui to drag him away. Jun bounced up to see and wave over the taller Takumi from where they were now squished together in a group. Aiko managed to squeeze her way through and snag onto Inui trying to make an almost successful dash away.

"Moron. And you wonder why you're the only one Mei refuses to use your given name. They're only going so that they can show a visiting friend the way here. Rinku knows Tsukihito better, since they went to the same camp. We've only talked over the phone."

"Then why is—"

"Tell him we say hi and hope to meet him face to face," Aiko interrupted and yanked Inui farther back. "Have a nice trip!"

"How long do you think it'll take before they realize Aiko had the last word," Mei enquired. Tsukihito grinned and pointed out the train window. "Not long."

Over the course of their journey, nearly all of it was in silence. Which used to unsettle Mei months ago until she met Tsukihito. Now, the silence felt comfortable, feeling all the ebbs and tides to what Tsukihito went through as he read beside her. After being told her clan took delight in using scare tactics and fill up not just lower demons but especially the humans who'd stumbled into or dragged into Demon World with fear, just to scarf down their souls with that taste, he still stuck firmly beside her. The emotion that pulled through on top had been so brilliantly positive, it surprised her.

"You don't want that."

And then he'd reached to place his hand on top of hers, sending his positive and supportive emotions outward, taking all the words out of her. That she realized he'd figured out what she did and needed, that it hadn't been by accident he'd begun pushing his emotions outward more often around her.

They reached their stop and then took a bus before walking. The temple was quite a ways out of the way. She could understand why the video game that transported him to coordinates was one of the first ones he managed when his previous psychic territory became more. When he'd become more in tune with his spirit energy after his death. Taking the actual trip to the temple, as well as later showing Rinku the full route, was Tsukihito's idea. Mei didn't mind. After all, Rinku had taken his time coming back to the Human World after that big ruler deciding tournament.

The face she saw waiting for them at the top of the temple wasn't who they'd come for today.

Tsukihito tripped to a sudden stop beside her, his emotions giving away anything she needed to ask. He hadn't known. And she stared, watching as the young man stood from where he had lounged across the top of the stairs, face unreadable as he gazed down at them. At her.

"Huh." The word sat there in the air for a moment before Yusuke Urameshi declared, "You kinda do look like your dad."

It wasn't like Mei hadn't wondered this. They had heard word from Slipgear—Chiyo still kept the inside help to double check Koenma—that Urameshi had returned near the start of winter. The tournament had finished up a month or two ago. So it wasn't like Mei hadn't wondered about running into the past Spirit Detective. Tsukihito had even brought it up. Hesitatingly suggesting to her about tagging along with him to a meeting up for food a bunch of them had done a few weeks back. He'd asked in hopes of it helping her, she knew this. But this was still the one who'd killed her father.

She shifted back her foot, shying away, drawing close to Tsukihito, then gathered herself and snipped up at him.

"Before or after you met him?"

Urameshi flinched.

"Mei," Tsukihito breathed in. She felt the disbelief and disappointment.

She wasn't going to duck her head and hide though. Mei jerked her chin up, defiantly. Admiring, Urameshi nodded at her, smiling wryly.

"I deserve that. I had to hear that. You had to say it. We can't do much about that."

Mei pressed her lips together. Urameshi practically danced on his feet with how he moved them. The emotions of regret and apology and grief and anger all fit before. But now his emotions were shifting, sliding so easily onto something else entirely.

"Listen," he said. Almost a cheerful tone and twinkle in his eye as he jerked a thumb back. "Can you come this way with me? Rinku's waiting back there with the people I went back for and brought through. You won't believe at how little convincing it took to get Hiei to find them. Kurama told me a bit more about all the different clans and stuff, like the whole, well, maybe not your clan, but you guys are the closest thing to a religion type thing in Demon World? Whole clans that act and step up for lack of a place in the afterlife? Which is a crap ton of bogus shit if you ask me. We should pile that up onto the toddler's plate next."

Following and not sure of where Urameshi was going with all of his talk, Mei frowned as they went. Toddler? Tsukihito kept close the whole time, confusion running rampant through him and not helping her sort through her own massive confusion.

"Oh! Koenma totally sanctioned this," Urameshi cackled as he strutted onward and around the corner. "So you all are good for a real good damn long time. Hey! Misaki! She's here!"

Misaki?

Mei hurried her pace, rushing around in front of Urameshi. There! Right there! With all the others that wanted to leave!

"Ya'know, after finding out about what Goki was really like from Misaki and the rest all this time, I kind of wish I got to meet the real man," Urameshi commented offhandedly. His emotions were so strung up on glee as he watched her that it barely read. Not that she noticed past a glance to him to check the validity of what she saw. "But your dear old grandpa? What a piece of work! Didn't think you'd mind me smashing that guy's face in with what he tried to pull on me for swooping in and declaring rights to rescue whoever the hell I damn well pleased living in the land of what my old man left me."

She sprinted forward, ignoring whatever triumphant gloating and storytelling Urameshi wanted to spout on about.

"Mei?" Tsukihito called out half in a panic and half enlivened. "Is that—"

"MEI!"

"MOTHER!"

She crashed into her, hugging and crying, pulling back to get a better look at her mother doing the same. Her mother pulled back just a bit more, reaching back. A tiny toddler peered shyly from around her mother's leg. With familiar looking dark eyes.

"And brother."

Mei stared, gob smacked.

"I'd been expecting. That's why I pushed for your father to find a way here. I'm here. We're here Mei."

The rest of them all grouped around, chattering excitedly. All looking forward of their new life, concerned and worried. The things she could show them since she'd been here and how demons were beginning to be welcomed here with the trio of Koto, Juri, and Ruka on the television. All the different jobs and things to learn as educations. There was so much. So much more than the list she and Tsukihito had begun for Rinku in his visit back to see more of the Human World than just the temple.

"Mother, mother. Yumi Arai made lots more music. We kept a list of all the ones we wanted to hear you sing."

Her mother gave her a huge watery smile and hugged her close again.

Mei hugged back tightly.

She'd been wrong after the festival. She'd been wrong throughout the past months with Tsukihito and all the others, friendship becoming real. She'd been wrong seeing all the advances being made under Koenma's sheer will.

This was perfect.