Disclaimer: I do not own "Yu Yu Hakusho," its characters, plot, etc.
Author's note: So in Japanese culture, typically cats, foxes, and tanuki are the illusionary/magical trio; any shenanigans are done by one or the other or together, thus the presence of foxes and tanuki. I also know that "tanuki" are actually raccoon dogs, but it's a little weird to imagine in English…so I'll be using "raccoon" throughout the story for imagery's sake. Please forgive me if you think I'm violating culture by doing so. It is not intentional—okay, it is—but I simply desire better aesthetics. Yes, I'm being shallow.

And this is a new writing style for me. I grew tired of writing in the traditional way that I've written my other Kurama/Botan stories, so I tried for something a little different. Also, this story is more lighthearted than usual, probably at the same level of ridiculousness as "YYH: Magical Girl Special Flower Bloom," so please keep that in mind when you're making fun of me. :)

Please tell me what you think.

Happy reading.


Foxy Bedtime Tales
Part I


Now listen carefully as I tell you a true story about foxes and raccoons in Demon World. Years and years ago, long before you were born, foxes and raccoons worked together, having always been partners of the woodland. They're brothers of trickery and thievery, and even back then they honored that bond. Together they stole from anyone and anything except from their fellow kind.

Well, our story revolves around a certain white fox that you all know very well—yes, Youko Kurama. He was only five centuries old then, relatively young for someone so wise and powerful. By that age, he had already amassed great wealth and fame (or notoriety if you're from Spirit World) and respect as the greatest thief in the Three Worlds.

His best friend—yes, yes, right again, Kuronue—had also made a reputation for himself even though he was neither fox nor raccoon. He was a bat demon with impressive skills in illusions and deceit. But now I'm getting off topic.

Anyway, one day Kurama and Kuronue raced through the woods to reach their newest prey. A great caravan from Spirit World was going through Demon World to reach Human World; apparently, someone of great wealth and importance wanted to grandly announce their entrance to the mortals. According to the rumors, this Spirit World train was every thief's fantastic dream come true: fruits of immortality, gold, silver, jewels, rare artifacts, food, women, and prestige and splendor—it had them all.

Unfortunately, when they reached the point where the caravan should cross their part of the woods, all Kurama and Kuronue saw were death and carnage about. See, someone had attacked the spirits and taken everything of value, even the lives of the spirits and their creatures of burden. Most of the valuables were already gone. So what did Kurama and Kuronue do?

Right, they went through everything anyway. Even though the most obvious treasures were gone, Kurama and Kuronue knew that when it came to Spirit World treasure, even the most insignificant item could be the most rare and precious. So as they searched through the carnage and wreckage for something of value, Kurama noticed an elaborate and grand palanquin thrown to the side of the trail. Our white fox approached it, suspecting that he would find something here. And indeed he found something.

What do you think he found?

Inside the palanquin, a dead woman laid. Even in death, the woman was beautiful. Pale, flawless skin, delicate features, and long luxurious hair; her long lashes fanned out onto her rosy cheeks, her crimson lips somewhat parted in a seductive way; and the layers of gorgeous silk and precious jewelry she wore only enhanced her heavenly beauty. If Kurama couldn't smell death, he would have thought the princess only sleeping—she had to be a princess with her beauty and dress. She could be nothing else.

Now, you wonder how that woman still had so many valuables when everything else around her had been ransacked. Kurama suspected that the bandits hadn't killed this woman and that she herself had caused her end. She had used all of her life energy to create a barrier within the palanquin to keep the bandits out—she had wanted to protect the interior. Remnant Spirit Energy attached to the palanquin proved Kurama's theory. This fact greatly interested the fox. After all, only something truly worth anything would be worth a person's life.

So he looked and searched, and then noticed something move in the lady's arms. As he reached in and removed the large bundle of silk and soft linen from the princess, Kurama sensed a small presence of life. Try to imagine his surprise when he realized the bundle he held was that small presence.

Yes, Kurama found a baby.

He stared down at the innocent creature with wide periwinkle eyes, and Kurama wondered what he should do with it. He thought about following the natural laws of demons and putting the poor thing out of its misery: that would be most merciful. After all, the child's parents and anyone who could've taken proper care of the babe was dead. Undoubtedly this baby had belonged to the deceased princess—it had the same colored hair as its mother and the same flawless skin. Perhaps in the future, greater resemblance would show.

But one thing was clear: it was the infant that the beautiful lady had sacrificed her life to protect.

"Ne, what do you have there?" Kuronue asked while looking over Kurama's shoulder. "Some nice little treasure you want to hog to yourself?"

"If you want it, you can have it," the white fox answered gruffly, shoving the bundle into his friend's arms.

Kuronue looked down at the bundle and shouted in surprise, "Holy shit! It's a baby! What the hell is a baby doing here and alive no less?" He gazed around the trail and wondered out loud, "How did it survive? The guys that attacked were rather thorough—unfortunately for us."

With that, Kurama had to agree. Other than the child, its wrappings, and its mother's apparel, nothing remained for the two thieves to profit on. "The idiots must have missed it while they raided everything else."

"Must have been blind to miss that palanquin," Kuronue scoffed to convey some of his bitterness. "But anyway, what the hell are we going to do with it?" He held the child out to Kurama to take back.

His friend only smirked and said, "You wanted it."

"I thought it was gold! This is a baby! What the hell am I going to do with a baby?" Kuronue complained as he spun around in frustration. Not enjoying the sudden movements, the infant started crying, surprising both Kuronue and Kurama. "Look at it," the bat continued as the baby wailed on. "It's useless to us. It's another mouth to feed, and it can't bring in its worth of treasure. We can't ransom the kid since anyone who'd want it back is dead, and we can't possibly eat it."

Of course, Kuronue didn't mention selling the child because that was his way. He and Kurama, no matter how devious and treacherous they were, would never sell children or people for any reason. They abhorred the thought of slaves and disapproved that way of living—as thieves and creatures of the forest, they valued a free life the most.

Anyway, as Kurama's best friend continued on his tirade about how they couldn't take the child and how the two would fail to make any semblance of parents while trying to comfort the baby, an idea came to Kurama. Taking the baby from Kuronue, the white fox ordered, "Take the woman inside the palanquin to our den—strip her of everything, dress her in something plain, and give her a proper burial. Save all of her valuables and put them away someplace safe."

"And what about the runt?" Kuronue asked as he went to do as ordered.

"I have an idea." And Kurama disappeared into the darkness of the forests of Demon World.