Eriko Hinasaki: Age 15. 5 feet tall, black hair, hazel eyes, fair skinned, and of American/Japanese descent. The heroine of this story. Although if you asked her, she would tell you that she was just your ordinary kid with an obscure past. If you asked her about that past, she would probably tell you to get an irritate someone else, because that's the kind of person she is. If you asked others about her, they'd probably say she was a juvenile delinquent with a soft spot for all things furry with four legs. Eriko never was what one could call social, but that's how she was. She never went looking for violence, but it always seemed to find her. After a while she must have gotten tired of running from it, because now she's one of the most feared street punks in Tokyo. This is her story...

"Do you make it a point to eaves drop, Suichi Minamino?" Eriko called out to the figure behind her. She turned on the bench and glared at the red-haired youth, standing near a tree some ten feet away. They were in a park near the same Jr. High they both attended.

"What?"

"You heard me. Stop following me, dammit." Eriko stood with a huff, gently setting a young, silver tabby cat down on the ground. "We'll finish our conversation at the apartment, alright Joben?" She whispered to it. The tabby meowed, slightly annoyed.

'If that's what you'd like, Eri, I can do nothing but obey.' The cat purred softly, rubbing it's body along her leg.

"You know that's not true, Joben. You can do whatever you want." The cat purred softly again and walked away, leaving Eriko on her own with her class mate. Eriko watched the silver tabby walk away, still sitting on the balls of her feet. She looked up at Suichi, who had suddenly appeared right next to her. He held out a hand to help her up. "Hn." Eriko stood on her own and dusted off her red school uniform. "See you tomorrow at school, Suichi. Congradulations on the top test score again." She grabbed her book bag and walked off, leaving Suichi on his own.

Something about that boy irks me... Eriko thought as she walked out of the park and along the sidewalk, heading to her apartment. It's like he's hiding something. Something that reminds me of animals. Almost like a fox... Eriko looked up at the cloudless sky. "What could you be trying to pass off?" She stopped and smiled when she saw a small sparrow like bird. "Heya, Aki." She said as she extended a hand to let the bird land.

'Hello Hello, Miss Eri. Fine day isn't it? Isn't it? Yes, yes, it is! Who is that boy behind you? The one with greener eyes than the trees' leaves?" Eriko listened to the little sparrow's babble, until it got to the part about the boy with green eyes. She turned suddenly and found herself staring at Suichi.

"Why the hell are you following me?" Eriko nearly shouted at him, but Suichi calmly smiled at her.

"I happen to walk home this way aswell."

"Oh." Eriko looked away and blushed slightly, turning back around and continuing to walk.

"That is a rare talent to beable to coax wild birds into perching on you." Suichi started to walk next to her, shortening his gait so he wasn't walking faster than she was. Eriko didn't answer, but instead gently stroked the bird's head before it flew away. "You don't talk very much do you? Even at school during class, you are relatively quiet." Suichi said quietly, looking at her carefully. Almost like he was gauging her.

"Why talk when you have nothing to say?" Eriko replied, carefully not looking at him. It was only a little further to her apartment.

"Good bye, Eriko. I'll see you tomorrow at school?" Suichi stopped by a gate infront of a small house.

"Why wouldn't you see me at school?" She said coldly as she kept walking. "Sorry. Yes, I'll see ya at school tomorrow Suichi. Have a nice night." Eriko repeated, softening her tone so it wasn't so frigid and angry.

The rest of the walk home was quiet and slightly uneventful. That is, up until a group of second rate punks decided to try and expand their reps.

"So, you're supposed to be the little bitch controlling this area huh? For some reason, me and the fellas thought you'd be taller, not such a scrawny little whore." It was a group of three idiots, all of them uglier than sin. The obvious leader stood at around 6 foot 5, with a crew cut. His two flunkies were around 5' 9". The three of them were all wearing Sariaski Jr. High uniforms.

"So, you mutated triplets are from Urameshi's turf huh? Why don't you go and waste his time." Eriko said as she walked calmly past.

"HEY! He's talking to you!" Flunky #1 yelled at her, grabbing her shoulder roughly.

"Bad move." Eriko glared at him before she grabbed his wrist. She foot swept him and had him on his stomach before anyone blinked, putting him in a joint lock with his elbow. "I'll kindly ask you to keep your hands off my person. Unless you'd like me to break this joint for you." She slowly applied pressure to the lock, making the guy whimper while his buddies stared open-mouthed at her.

"One little girl isn't enough to beat us!" The leader shouted as he charged at her. Eriko sighed briefly, side stepping quickly so the idiot ran into a parked car.

"I was really hoping to end this without a fight..." Eriko turned in time to see him coming back at her. This time, she side stepped and tripped him over his fallen comrade, who was still whimpering over his elbow. "Idiots..." Eriko looked at the second flunky, who looked torn between wanting to go after her, and wanting to get away before he got hurt. "Hey, Einstein. Don't think too much, you'll hurt yourself." She calmly shouldered her bag and kept walking back to her apartment.

'You're late, Eri. Did you have interference from that boy on your way here?' Joben the tabby asked her.

"No, Suichi wasn't the problem. It was three idiots from another school. No doubt they'll tell Urameshi and make it look like I was trying to encrouch on his turf." Eriko muttered, opening the door for the cat.

'I doubt he even knows what encrouch is. But, if you beat them that easily, they will go to their alpha and ask him to avenge their defeat.' Joben walked in and hopped up onto the dining table. He instantly started eyeing the cat food she had set out that morning just for his visit.

"Maybe not. Urameshi hasn't really been around lately. I might just get away from this without having to fight him. Any news about my dear ol' daddy in prison?" Eriko smiled at the cat before opening the first can and setting it on a small dish for him.

'Is this Urameshi really that strong that you would fear him, Eri?' The silver cat ignored the second question.

"I've never had to fight him... But from what I've heard, he's a toughie that I really don't want to mess with. What about my father?" Father was said with much bitterness and hatred. She leaned against the counter and held the dish, watching the cat drool as it stared at the food. "Damn it, Joben. You need to eat more if you're drooling over this stuff..."

'I apologize, Eri. As for your father, word is that he's gotten out, and he's searching for you in America.'

Eriko visibly flinched. "Those bastards in court told me he wouldn't ever get a damn parole hearing so early. It's only been 10 years..." With a practiced hand, she found the picture she always carried. It was an image of her and her mother, with the corner of her father torn off. She'd burned that corner and threw the ashes away.

'I'm sorry Eri. No one like him should be out...'

Eriko blinked and set the picture down. "Don't worry about it. Here's your dinner. I'm going to bed if ya don't mind." She put the food down and gently patted the cat. "Don't stay up too late, Joben." Eriko looked at him one last time before heading to her room and falling asleep on her bed.

Where are you? Where are you hiding, dearest Eriko... I'll find you, and send you to meet your mother in Spirit World...

Eriko bolted up from her dream. She couldn't help but think it was a link to her past. In it, she screamed for her mom, because it felt like someone was tearing her apart. Her mom showed up and transformed into a kitsune and comforted her, telling her it was only her other half finally awakening. Her father came home early and saw her mother as a kitsune, and all hell broke loose. Her father started shouting things Eriko didn't understand, about demons and half-breeds. He also kept talking about his job. How it was his job to hunt things down. There was a bright flash, and Eriko's mom was no more, blown away by her father's power. He turned to Eriko, and said that he could never love a creature like her, and used his light to try and kill her.

She was drenched in sweat as she looked at the clock, groaning when she saw the time.

"12:01 am.... stupid nightmare...." Eriko stood and yawned, walking into the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she flipped the light on, her gaze falling upon Joben's bleeding corpse.

"Oh, my, god! Joben!" Eriko shouted as she kneeled down next to the loyal cat's body. Tears started roll down her cheeks as she felt his side, trying to tell if he was breathing.

"It's no use. That cat has been dead for many hours." Eriko froze when she heard that voice. The voice she had just heard in her dream. "Surprised that I found you so fast, Eriko? Your mother never did teach you the tricks most kits know. Like how to protect themselves from being caught by the hunter..."

Eriko looked up with hate filled eyes at her last living relative, her bastard of a father. He was wearing a black trench coat and hat, hiding his hazel eyes from her.

"You didn't need to kill Joben. He was an innocent bystander." She said coldly, willing him to die right on the spot. "Just like you didn't need to kill my mother."

"That's where you're wrong, dear Eriko. I needed to kill her because she lied to me. Because she was trying to save her own skin by sleeping with the enemy. She hoped compassion would save her from her fate. But she only brought another monster into the world, and I don't like leaving loose ends."

He pointed a hand gun at Eriko, who clutching the body of her cherished friend. "Don't call me 'Dear Eriko'." She hissed at him while he looked down the barrel of the gun.

"Fair enough. Good bye, fox. Say hello to your mother for me." He pulled the trigger.

Fox? Eriko asked herself as she suddenly leapt back from the bullet, new found agility moving her away from danger. She assumed it was only the adrenaline in her system. A second shot grazed her shoulder and she dropped Joben's body in pain and surprise.

"I've always hated you, since that day 10 years ago. Was what you did to my mother worth losing the love of your child?!" She growled at him, clutching her burning shoulder as she backed up to the door.

"I have no child." Was his response as he sighted down his arm again, aiming for her heart.

Eriko's eyes reflected nothing but hatred for the man as he pulled the trigger again, Eriko knowing she was trapped. She shut her eyes and prepared to feel the lead biting into her chest, but what happened surprised both of them.

A barrier had erected itself around her, making the bullet glance off to the side. Eriko wasted no time and fled out into the darkness outside. She ran down the hall of the building and skidded to a stop by the stairs. She looked back to see if her father was following, and saw him chasing her down.

"Shit." She muttered as she skidded down the stairs. When she hit the ground floor, she was off like a shot running down the street.

Eriko nearly tripped, only to hear a bullet go wooshing past the place her head used to be. She ran faster, not knowing where she was going. Her feet carried her to Suichi's house, where she ducked into the yard and nearly broke down the door.

"Suichi, if you're home, I really REALLY could use some help right now!" She shrieked at the door. as she pounded on it. A bullet whizzed past and hit the door frame. "Crap!" Eriko bent down and found a potted plant, which she proceeded to chuck at her father. It hit his hand, but he didn't drop the gun. "You've gotta be kidding me!" He took another shot and hit her shoulder this time.

"DAMN IT SUICHI! OPEN THE DOOR BEFORE I BREAK IT!" Lights turned on in the house as another bullet nearly took her in the neck, but still missed. "Man, your aim really sucks." Eriko said as she watched him. He was reloading the gun. "Now would be a really good time to open the door!" She shouted, leaning on the door. She fell through when it opened, and found herself staring up at a soft spoken woman.

"Oh, hi... You Mrs. Minamino?" Eriko asked from her back. The woman nodded. "Great, I found the right house..." Eriko tried to smile. She quickly shut the door and locked it, finally sliding down it, leaving a trail of red blood as she sat against the door.

"I've called the police, mother. They're on their way..." Suichi looked down at the foot of the door and saw Eriko sitting there, trying to get her breath.

"Sorry about the commotion, Mrs. Minamino. My psychotic dad just got out of prison and tried to kill me." Eriko said with shut eyes. "This was the only place I could think of to get help..."

"Eriko, have you been.... shot?" She opened her eyes and saw that Suichi was kneeled next to her, holding a wad of something to the bullet wound in her shoulder.

"Obvious questions have obvious answers."

"Were you shot anywhere else?" He asked.

"No. Another bullet grazed the top of my shoulder on the same side, but he missed all the other times."

He smiled a small, relieved smile. "I'm glad. We'll get you medical treatment as soon as possible." Eriko nodded briefly before fading into blissful sleep.

The next time she woke, there were dozens of birds sitting outside her hospital window.

'Is she awake yet?'

'What happened?'

'Wasn't the cat supposed to be watching over her? How could he have let this happen!'

'Have the others found him?'

'What are they going to do when they find him?'

"Hey guys." Eriko said as she sat up. Her body was stiff and numb with all the pain killers they probably pumped into her. "How long have I been out?"

'Almost 4 days, Miss Eri! The boy with eyes greener than trees' leaves visited you everyday!' Aki cried out. She was the closest to the window.

"Suichi? Came to visit?" Eriko asked quietly, fidgeting with the IV in her arm.

"Are you talking to someone, Eriko?" Suichi walked into the room, smiling. "I'm glad you're awake."

Eriko shook her head. She had always been able to talk with animals, and they had always been able to understand her. Talking with them had been second nature. Of course, she hid this ability from everyone, because it generally got her strange looks.

"No, you're just hearing things." Eriko smiled at him. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost 4 days."

"That long? But I still feel tired."

"Go back to sleep, Eriko. You need your rest."

"I think you're right..." Eriko leaned back and fell asleep.

Sometime Later, in Spirit World

"Yes? What is it Kurama?" Koenma asked while he vigorously stamped papers infront of him.

"I was wondering if there was a demon by the name of Eriko Hinasaki living in Tokyo."

"Hm... Hinasaki did you say?"

"Yes."

Koemna stopped stamping and started rifling through some papers in his desk. He finally pulled out three files, each one with a different picture stapled to the file. The first was a young japanese woman with short black hair and brown eyes. The next was a young man with brown hair and hazel eyes. The final one was of a young girl with black hair and hazel eyes. She looked about five.

"Meet the Hinasaki's. A family consisting of one demon hunter, a kitsune, and their half human daughter. Doug Berven, the demon hunter, married Aneko Hinasaki and took her last name. They had one daughter together, named Haruko Eriko Hinasaki. After 10 years of being happily married, Doug found out his wife was actually a kitsune. He basically went nuts and killed her right on the spot..."

Kurama stood over the desk and stared down at the pictures while Koenma looked through more pages.

"He turned on his five year old daughter, whose demonic side was begining form, and fired on her with spirit energy. However, his wife wasn't quite dead and used the last of her power to permanently seal away her husband's spirit energy. With that, she sacrificed herself for her daughter, and died soon afterwards. The father was arrested by human police, and the daughter went missing before Spirit World could find her. Why are you asking about this old case, Kurama?"

Kurama looked away for a moment, deep in thought. "If Haruko was still alive, what powers, as a half kitsune, would she possess?"

"Hard to say... Aneko was a very talented kitsune with many abilities. One of her most prominent abilities was her ability to command animals. I believe she had commanded them to watch over her daughter before someone took her to spirit world. That was the reason we lost her; because the animals hid her so well. She may have inherited that power from her mother, but there were still many others she might have gained aswell... Do you think you've found Haruko Hinasaki?! We need to get her in here right away before her deranged dad finds her!"

Kurama picked up the photo of a younger Eriko from Koenma's desk and looked at it closely. "Too late. Her father found her four days ago and wounded her. She's in a hospital right now recovering. She goes by the name Eriko, now."

"Great. I'll send Yusuke and Kuwabara to get her when she's recovered."

Kurama smiled a small smile. "I don't think it will be as easy as you believe."

He set the photo down and left, his thoughts centered around Eriko and her past. Could she have known she was part kitsune? Is that why she ran to my house that night?

END CHAPTER 1