Koori no Kokoro

By: Minuiko

A/N: (The Big Pen is not one person)

I realize that practically no one likes Kurama x OCs, so it'll be a personal challenge to get people to like Yuzaki.

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Prologue

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Makai

It was midday, but it impossible to tell; a thickening gray miasma made visibility close to zero. A young girl nearing adolescence wrapped her arms around her body, more to sustain a feeling of security, which was quickly evaporating, than to keep warm, because warmth was not a feeling she was comfortable with, something she had never been comfortable with.

Her somber violet eyes quickly scanned the area before she entered a secluded old house with paper doors echoing the style of the Era of the Warring States and wooden corridors. Her mouth twisted slightly as she stepped over bloodstained futons and sheets, with people still in them, faces contorted in expressions of pain and struggle. She knelt by a small cupboard in a corner of the room, fumbling through papers and artifacts until she finally held in her hand a fine silver chain with a tiny, intricately wrought blue jewel attached to the end.

He cannot take the Akari stone. You must not let him have it.

"I know. I know that already…"

Our family's life lies within you. You are now heir apparent.

"My life, you mean. My family is dead."

The girl quickly stood and hurried out the back door of the place that held so many memories for her, memories that she no longer wanted. But he is not. If he is not dead, there will always be the risk of him stealing our heirloom. He cannot be allowed to live.

She looked at the dark sky. "I will find you, Youko Kurama."

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Chapter One

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Ningenkai

"Ku-ra-ma."

Kurama blinked at Yuusuke's eerily accurate imitation of Hiei's growl, and stepped back into the light. They were at Yuusuke's school, with Kurama playing messenger boy for Koenma as his school had let them out for summer vacation early. "Yes?"

"What did that pacifier-freak want?"

"Some new case… about a part-demon girl who was starting to attract attention around Mushiyori city… he wasn't specific. You should talk to him."

"Why couldn't he just send some video tape over like he did with Yukina's case? It would be a whole lot easier… speaking of which, she still doesn't know that Hiei is her brother?"

"He has his reasons," Kurama stated evenly.

Yuusuke sat on the ground, scratching his neck. "Fine, whatever. I'll see Koenma. Is Botan coming?"

Kurama quirked a smile. "In due time. How else do you expect to get there? Get run over by a car again?"

Yuusuke made a face. "Nah, one time was enough. Though I could get Keiko to slap me to Reikai and back…"

Kurama was about to answer when the bubbly, blue-haired girl apparated out of nowhere, flashing a characteristic smile. Botan said cheerfully, "Well, shall we go?"

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Kurama stayed behind, watching as Yuusuke and Botan disappeared into the distance on the ferry girl's oar. The school bell rang, and several students' parents were already at the front, waiting for them. He felt a slight wave of nostalgia; he hadn't seen his mother in over two months, ever since he got his own apartment and was living alone (Hiei would drop by occasionally, denying that he was a bit lonely, and ask Kurama what was happening with a don't-you-dare-ask-me-why-I'm-here glare).

His senses picked up a strange power. This isn't normal demon energy… it isn't human, either… It's… could it be…?

He thrust his arm out, drawing his power to swiftly grow a seed hidden in his left sleeve into a full-grown plant, and caught a sword thrust straight at his neck, just inches away from his jugular vein. That was too close…

The cloaked girl withdrew her sword, which had the design of a winged dragon and a sideways cross on its hilt, and stood back in a stiff, wary pose. Her braided blue-green hair flowed evenly in the wind as her cold amethyst eyes narrowed, though whether it was in amusement or anger, he couldn't tell. Her face was half-covered.

"I didn't expect any less from you, demon traitor."

Her voice was sharp; if he could see her mouth, she probably would've been sneering. Kurama stepped backwards, keeping his expression guarded. Definitely not human, he thought. He took a stab in the dark, saying, "If you'd been full demon, you could've gotten me."

"Shut up." Her response was quick, angry. He felt a bit of satisfaction. She's the half-demon, alright.

"What do you want with me?" he asked, keeping his voice low and even.

"I want to kill you," she snapped, thrusting the sword at his neck again. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Yes, I think we've established the fact," he said, dodging the sword but making no attempt to hurt her. He didn't make any distinction between the sexes when fighting, but all the same, it was unwise to do something to her when she was involved in Yuusuke's case. "But why?"

"That's my business," she said. She stopped trying to hack him to pieces and instead sent a stream of spirit energy at him; a small part latched onto his arm, and turned into a solid block of ice. "You're part ice demon," he realized.

"Very astute," she said, voice heavy with sarcasm. She managed to knock him off balance once. "You're going to die if you don't start fighting back. Why aren't you? Do you find me incompetent, you full-demon bastard?"

"Just trying to avoid a potentially messy situation," he said, cracking the ice by growing the roots of a plant through it. "I don't think I'm allowed to kill you."

"Since when were you ever merciful?" she spat. "You kill everyone without predilection. You think you can avoid dying just by showing mercy?"

She raised the sword above her head, to throw it, he presumed. He rushed at her, kicked it out of her hand, and restrained her arms behind her back. "I don't think you're stupid enough to throw your weapon away, are you?" he said into her ear.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, struggling to break his hold. He was stronger.

"Be a good girl and don't cause any more commotion," he advised. "Someone from Reiki will come soon. You're being watched, you know that?"

"I don't need you to tell me that," she said. "Don't touch me!"

"If I were to let go, would that stop you from trying to murder me?" he asked. Her response was an icy stare. He smiled slightly. "I didn't think so. Just be quiet, no one's going to hurt you."

Her energy began to change; she didn't have very much control over it, so Kurama could see her spirit energy turn blue-white, and jumped back before she could freeze him. He was slightly impressed; if she'd been just a bit faster, he would be frozen solid by now. "She's quite a firebrand," he murmured to himself. "I guess I'll just have to subdue her."

As the girl moved closer, he moved with inhuman speed, getting behind her in less than a second; he then aimed two fingers at the back of her slender neck, careful not to snap and break it, just pressing hard enough at the right place to render her unconscious. He caught her as she fell.

"Sorry," he apologized, even though she couldn't hear him anymore. "You were getting difficult."

"Such a gentleman," Koenma said sarcastically, appearing seemingly from nowhere just as Botan had. He had assumed the shape of a handsome, brown-haired young man (still with a pacifier), possibly to blend in the human world, but more likely, Kurama thought, because he wanted to attract females. It didn't matter; the prince of Reiki could do what he wanted. Koenma stooped down to take the girl; relieved of the burden, Kurama stood, paid his respects with a short bow, and cocked his head to one side. "You heard everything?"

"Most of it," Koenma admitted. "There's a lot she's hiding, I think. She sounded desperate, and was acting recklessly… but she doesn't seem stupid. We don't have any background info on her, though, so I think she's illegitimate."

Kurama shrugged. It wasn't so uncommon. "What will you do with her?"

Koenma shook his head. "I'll talk to you at Reiki. It's too public here. This case involves you, as I'm sure you've already gathered."

"Do you have any idea who she is?"

"Reiki," Koenma repeated. "Come on."

The Reiki prince gestured to the girl with blue-green hair. "You can hold onto her," he said, then joked, "I think she likes you more."

Kurama made a face. Koenma probably only wanted Kurama there so he wouldn't have to carry the girl. "Lazy," Kurama accused. Koenma only laughed. Nevertheless, Kurama still scooped the unconscious girl into his arms and carried her to Reiki. She had some explainign to do.

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.:Tsuzuku:.

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This is a remake of my first story ever, The Shadow of an Icy Past (which I deleted…). Hopefully it's a bit better.