Title: Sly As A Fox
Author: fluffypuppykins
Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan, Magic Kaitou and Yu Yu Hakusho.
Genre: Supernatural, Crossover, Angst
Pairing: eventual Kaito/Hakuba and Kurama/Yomi(or Hiei but Yomi seems a better choice for this) with prior Yoko/Kuronue
Summary: Kurama was getting bored with his human existence, until he met another thief who decided that Kuronue's legacy would be the perfect target... Stealing things from a millennia old fox demon is not an easy task even if you are the Kaitou Kid...

Sly As A Fox

Kurama walked serenely behind his stepfather, showing proper interest when talked at, smiling and bowing whenever required to. He did not show it but he was boring beyond belief. It was just another business party his otousan wanted him to attend and investment for the long run. As his stepfather had pointed out, even if he was to be a doctor he would need reputable patients and sponsors for any research he wanted to conduct.

'Tousan means well...though I could do so much more with Yomi's or Mukuro's patronage...he doesn't know that, so he worries...

With the current edicts of Enki keeping humans safe from unsanctioned harm, the hole to the Makai had remained open and secret commerce between worlds was thriving. Commerce was mostly in trafficking of common goods and information about the other world. Yusuke, Mukuro and Yomi had agents and weath based in the Ningenkai, and they were not the only demons to do so. Something that would ensure that Enki's edict would not be the only thing that would tie humans and demons after the three years was up.

I'm rather proud of that...

That and the bicentennial "cattle drive" of human criminals for those who needed to eat an occassional ningen was Kurama's contribution to inter-world harmony. -1-

Take away the reason for profit on both sides to rock the status quo and there would be chance it will change...

The success was months old but still gave him a faint warm feeling. It was no small accomplishment, after all. It tidied him to his third introduction for the night before restlessness began to poke at him again. It was like a persistent itch behind his furry ears in youko form. It would go away and then return with annoying regularity.

The problem is that there's nothing to challenge me...school's easy and even preparing for the college entrance examinations is stultifying...I wonder if I should try for an international scholarship with one of the better medical schools for my pre-meds I was thinking of doing it for when I'm taking medicine proper but...

Kurama, simply put, did not want to leave his mother at this time when there was really no need yet for him to do so.

Not that it's much of a separation...Tousan has business interests in America and they travel there frequently...but...no, just no...

Shuuichi still needed looking after, at least for two years until his stepbrother had reached the age of sixteen. Someone else would have said that the boy have had to cope with being alone before since Hatanaka-san had been travelling long before he married Kurama's mother and left the boy frequently with only household help for company but not Kurama. Kurama was kitsune and took his pack responsibilities seriously.

So I'm stuck until then...Though with my experience maybe I should take up diplomacy instead...that certainly would not be boring...but I want some field which would benefit me in the Makai...
A man in a suit passed by, breaking that line of thought, something in his stance alerted Kurama.

If that isn't a cop, I'll dye my tail and ears bright magenta...-2-

He spotted another one by the windows.

Security in this party is sure is tight...I wonder...

He extended his youkai hearing to listen to the conversations around him.

"Masami's daughter eloped..."

"...he's all talk...no show..."

"Kid heist on eleven for the Purple Sunset..."

Ah, so that's why...

Kurama had heard of the Kaitou Kid. The alleged Phantom Thief who had so far managed to elude the police for so long.

Flashy fellow...

He had watched a heist on television and saw that much of the skill behind the glitter. His interest was piqued.

I will look forward to the front row seat then...Kid-kun...I trust you will not disappoint...

"Hatanaka-san, long time no see!" A portly man hailed.

"Mitsukuri-san, it's been awhile isn't it? How's your business coming along?" Kurama's 'Tousan replied.

"Fine, really fine...Fujimiya Industries has taken a new contract with us recently..." The answer was so mechanical that Kurama never doubted that it had been repeated to everyone in the room at least once without variation.

Knowing several of his type, I wouldn't be surprised...

Kurama had met the type before and judged them stodgy and limited, trudging the paths of family business tradition without thought. A lanky twenty-ish man followed behind in a lazy stroll, brown eyes quite glazed with inattention.

Bored and showing it? He should learn to be more diplomatic if he wants to inherit his father's business...but WAIT!

There it went again. The young man appeared to be staring through his brown bangs at nothing but Kurama saw the telltale eye movement that signalled that he was paying more attention than he let on. Those eyes darted over Tousan, dismissing him, and then rested on Kurama in curiosity. This was nothing new to the kitsune as he tended to have people stare at him trying to figure out his gender for one but this felt different. There was an assessing glimmer to the young man's eyes. In his long life as a thief, he could recognize a fellow thief casing the joint in his sleep. He extended his senses and noted that there was a faint rubbery scent and fresh powder coming from the man.

Hmmm...wasn't the Kaitou Kid a master of disguise as well? Heh..I think I found him...

Kurama cocked his head and winked for the benefit of the "audience". The young man smiled at him in probably what was an in character lazy smile.

I wonder how he'd react if I flashed him one of my youko specials... Now, now, Kurama, it's his show not yours...no stealing the show...it's impolite...

He acted the dutiful son through the introduction but made his preparations. When it was time for him to bow, he removed the tiny ward he had placed over Kuronue's pendant that he always wore nowadays and flashed it in blatant invitation to the kaitou and while he was at it, got a good lungful of the scent underlying the disguise.

Here fishy, here fishy, fishy, fishy...

Kurama hid a secret grin as he saw the eyes widened a fraction.

Gotcha...front seat, this time...hot seat, next time..I'll have to decide on an excuse to Tousan for me to disappear when you do...

The game would only be properly played without outsiders and the only guarantee for that is for Kurama to intercept any heist notes to the police.

Let's see how well you are at evading at a kitsune whose got your scent...Kid-kun...
Just a few more hours and the real game will begin.

xxx

Exactly at eleven...

"Ladies and gentlemen...it's show time!" Kurama noted that the Kid had thrown off the disguise and no few smoke bombs.

Gee, he could have been in and out of here several minutes, if not hours, ago...

Kurama had been introduced to the wearer of the target. The Purple Sunset brooch that the girl had been wearing was glass by then.

Probably palmed it off when he was introduced to the girl...

The thief in the kitsune was quite both impressed and annoyed at the Kid's methods. Flash was something he appreciated, not when it was unneccessary. Simple was best.

Time to get clear of the smoke and use the nose...

Kurama manuevered instinctively through the fog, following the thief, not taking his eyes off the thief. Listening at the silent tread that was as distinctive as the thief's white rig.

He's headed for the roof...he's probably going to launch his hang glider from there...That was going to complicate and simplify things at once...

Kurama readied the seed he wanted and went into his Youko form, knowing fully well that he was as good as invisible to ordinary humans as long as he did not make an effort to be seen.

I guess if I was really unlucky he would have reiki enough to see me but...I don't think so...all his tricks so far is sleigh of hand and no spirit power in them...

But it was better to be cautious, so Kurama gave the thief a respectable distance before activating the Air Flower and launching himself after. For someone with reiki, they appeared to be large doves flying in the night. -3-

-TBC-

Author's Notes:

-1- His fox ears are showing. For those who might think this is quite OOC. Yoko is a four-tailled demon fox with a reputation for ruthlessness, Kurama is Yoko. Less than a couple of decades pretending to be human versus four millenia of being Yoko, human loses. Kurama shows the ruthlessness often enough, there was a line that was cut in some of the English dubs that summarizes it quite handily: "Don't show your hand unless you intend to win.". He said it with a toss of the head after defeating Yomi's second in command. My opinion is that he categorizes people into three: Precious, Useful and Expendable. He's polite to everyone because he knows some of them will be useful.

-2- BWAHAHAHA! the thought of a magenta-colored kitsune just amuses me. Imagine one appearing on shrine grounds. People passing by would think that someone slipped them some recreational drugs.

-3- The plant Kurama used during the Sensui Arc and he, Kuwabara and Hiei had to freefall in to the Makai.