Yahoo! I'm back! Welcome, new readers and old! This is the sequal to Silver and Gold the Fox Without a Vixen!I thought it would be cute to start this off on Valentine's Day. Well, have at it.
One
Nostalgia
The new school year, the last school year for most students, had begun. Murasaki University was an important college. The work was hard, the teachers were strict, and no one fooled around. At least not when the teachers were looking. Three young men attended this school, Yusuke Urameshi, Kazuma Kuwabara, and Suichi Minamino, and didn't take studying lightly; Suichi would not let them. It was the first day of school; the three friends were waiting outside the building for class to start. The tall building of glass and steel shimmered optimistically in the morning sun, bringing some beauty to the jagged man-made world. Leaning against the doorframe idly, Yusuke sighed disinterestedly. Suichi said nothing at all, and revealed nothing on his face. Kuwabara took this time to comment on the peculiar attire of the school. The uniforms were different from the high schools and junior highs.
Either the males and females were permitted to wear tan khaki pants, or the girls could wear skirts. The tops consisted of a white button up shirt with long sleeves for the cold seasons, and short sleeves for the warm seasons. Over the white shirts were deep green sweater vests and a brown tie, a few shades darker than the pants. Yusuke and Kuwabara had not donned the vests or ties, as it was too constricting to their wild demeanor. Suichi wore the complete school uniform, showing no signs of discomfort.
"Only geeks wear the whole uniform, man." Yusuke drawled lazily.
"I had intended to make a good impression on the teachers, Yusuke." Suichi replied, tossing his crimson hair over his shoulder; the stray lock rejoined the cascading red mane all the way down his back. Suichi's green eyes gave a good-humored glare to Yusuke's hazel ones. The delinquent wore his ebony hair combed back from his face with gel. Kuwabara laughed at the red head's comment, "Do you want them to give you extra work or something?" his strange orange hairstyle shading his black eyes.
The red head shrugged his shoulders, "I can't say I would mind. Its not so hard once you get use to actually working; but you two wouldn't know anything about work, would you?"
"Hey fox boy, don't even start with me, it's the first day of school, the easiest day of the year, so don't go and try to make it hard." Yusuke glared at Suichi. The crimson haired boy was actually not human at all, and due to this, he was very smart. Suichi was actually a mythical fox creature called a youko. He was Kurama, the greatest of thieves in all the three worlds; but one day he was killed, his soul escaped death and possessed a human embryo. Thus, he was born again into the life of a human.
He was not the most compliant of children though, he was all but a monster in children's clothing, and then it happened. His human mother, Shiori Minamino, risked her own well being for her son's and Kurama was forever changed. He ceased his bitterness and hate; Shiori filled the gap in his heart with love, and he could do nothing to displease her.
But the cause of his foul behavior in the first place had scarred him in a way that would never really heal. As a youko, he had cared for another. He had abruptly lost her. In search of her, he had become reckless and gotten his only other friend killed; and then he joined them. Their memory lived strong in him nineteen years later.
I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone
these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
The people he cared about were dead, but he remembered them, he would always remember them. He had vowed to always protect the people his loved ones, and so he carded for Shiori with all he had, so he would never lose anyone else.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
Today, he would ritually honor his friends, by tending his gardens and thinking of them; by being filled with the memory of their love, he would create beautiful things with that power.
You used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now I'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
when you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
This task was performed annually, so he would never forget. If he forgot, he might not appreciate the people he had.
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
and though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
"Kurama!" Yusuke waved his hand in front of the red head's face. He blinked and looked at his friend, "Huh?"
"The bell rang, Kurama, lets go."
"Please Yusuke, you must address me as Suichi here."
"Oh right, sorry. Well, c'mon, Kuwabara, Kur- Suichi." The young men filed into the crowded hallways and went in search of their classes. The day went relatively well by Kurama's standards; he received a little homework from his math teacher, but nothing else. As the final bell rang, the three friends parted ways to go to their homes. Yusuke and Kuwabara headed straight to the arcade to play a few games before going home. The racing game was calling their names, to which they happily answered.
Kuwabara took a seat in front of the steering wheel handle; Yusuke did the same and inserted a quarter into the machine. The race began; Kuwabara took the lead. Yusuke considered shoving him out of his seat so he could pass him when the screen went blank. A face popped up on the screen, waving his small hands at them, "Hello, Yusuke!" Koenma, prince of the underworld smiled at them behind his pacifier.
"No! Nonononono!" the black haired youth shrieked. "I don't want another case! Go away!" he started to bang on the steering wheel.
"Urameshi, you're making a scene!" Kuwabara sweated nervously. Yusuke struggled with the fake seat belt to the game's seat. "Why, of all times did I remember to buckle up!"
"Don't worry, Kuwabara, normal people can't see me; and as for you Yusuke, don't have a cow. This case is not as hard as you may think." Koenma explained. Yusuke sighed in defeat before sitting calmly, "Okay, Koenma, lay it on us."
The same journey to his house had not changed since he lived there. Kurama didn't have to concentrate on where he was going so he had time to think. This was the day his mother was giving him the house and moving in with his stepfather. Owning property in Japan was a pain, so Shiori wanted to make it easier for her son; he was growing up and needed his own place; what better place than home?
He would no longer be a dependant; he would not be a burden to any one. So would it be safe to finally tell her? Kurama pondered this question nearly his whole human life. Shiori was bound to find out one-way or another; she could tell he wasn't a normal boy. A blur of black above his head distracted his thoughts. "Having trouble, kitsune?" a black clad fire apparition walked along the tree branches above the thoughtful fox.
"Hello, Hiei. Yes, I'm having trouble on deciding whether or not to tell Shiori about…you know. You too have an identity being hidden from a loved one, perhaps you could help."
"You already know what I would say. Letting someone important know that you were a thieving, murdering yokai but still are of their same flesh and blood is not the best way to tell someone you care about them."
"But, both Shiori and Yukina are loving, forgiving people."
"Go ahead, Kurama, take your chances."
"I'm not sure about it, how about we make a pact; if one of us ever has the courage to tell, the other must do the same."
"You really haven't got any brains at all, have you?"
"I'm serious; and if I tell Yukina about you, you have the right to tell Shiori about me; that way you know I won't blackmail you with that knowledge any more."
"Hm… sounds fair enough, but know if you tell Yukina, I will tell Shiori, then I will slaughter you. Got it?"
"Pinky-swear?" Kurama smiled innocently.
"Pinky what?"
"Pinky-swear, it's a code of promise used among children. I don't think I'd want to write this agreement in blood or something of the like, so how about a pinky-swear?" Kurama extended his arm to Hiei and held up his little finger.
"…What do I do?"
"Just wrap your little finger around mine."
"And if this agreement is voided?"
"You have already set the penalty."
"Hn," the fire yokai reached down to Kurama and wrapped his little finger around Kurama's. "This is ridiculous."
"Perhaps, yes, but not bloody…you can let go now." Hiei snorted and released the fox's finger, flitting away. A familiar white house was suddenly beside him. "Home already?" he sighed. His mother's car was parked in the driveway. "Welcome home, Suichi." His mother was sitting on the porch.
"Hello mother," he smiled and gave her a hug.
"Today's the day, the movers are just gathering the last of my things."
"Movers? But only your car is in the driveway." A groan came from within the house, "Oi! Suichi, is that you? Would you mind giving us a hand?" the familiar voice of his stepfather was heard. Kurama's stepbrother, also named Suichi appeared at the door with a box in his hands. "Hey, Su-kun." Elder Suichi greeted him.
"Hey, Su-san. Will you help us? Its practically your house, now."
"Sure, no problem." What few things there were left to move was loaded into Shiori's car. Shiori had only taken her personal belongings, and left the furnishings for her son. "You can do what ever you want with the furniture if you feel like redecorating; or you can move into my room and use yours as a guest room. Its all yours now." Shiori handed him the house key. Kurama took the keys and held her hand for a moment longer. Shiori quickly began to tear. "My baby is all grown up!" she sobbed, hugging her son. "You're a man now, Suichi, I won't be able to baby you anymore!"
"Please don't cry, mother. Its not like I'll be far away, and you can still be mother me anytime. You have little Suichi to baby too."
Little Suichi took the cue, stepping up beside her. Shiori put one arm around each Suichi, and her husband completed the circle. "We'll miss you," she whispered. And she left. Kurama walked into the house; his house. It was very quiet. And he was alone.