Chapter: One
Once apon a time, there was a very small mouse named Hanari. Hanari lived in a small village of about 800 mice. Their village was one of peace, and had very few quarrels. Until, one day, a fox staggered into the middle of their village, he was badly wounded with a bullet in his shoulder. None of the mice wanted to help him, because foxes had been known to hurt or even kill and eat mice. No one, except Hanari. Hanari knew of an old witch in a forest at least a two day walk from there, and decided to take the fox to her.
So off they started, with the fox loosing energy all the way. The two day treak took then three days, but over the course of those three days, Hanari and the fox, whom she now knew was none other than Yokou the theif, had become very attached. Hanari often thought of them maybe having a future together...but her main goal first was to get him to the old witches house alive.
At dusk on the third day they arrived. By this time Yokou had lost so much energy, he was bearly standing and was leaning against Hanari for support. The old witch came running out and helped bring him in.
"He's in terrible condition." she diagnosed, "I can help, but it will take more than his and my spirit energy combined to heal him." Hanari gladly offered hers. "Now young lady, I will have to use so much of it, you'll never be able to be a full mouse again. The form you are in will be as close as you can ever get; and it alone will be very painful to do." she warned, but Hanari insisted on helping Yokou. While the witch preformed her task, Hanari cast a hopful glance down at Yokou. An instant later, Yokou had vanished.
"But! but...what have you done?" Hanari asked franticly. The old witch smiled down at her.
"The only thing I could do to save him, little mouse, was have him reborn as a human child." At this, Hanari's heart broke. This made the witch smile even more. "But I did think ahead to this. While having him reborn, I gave you two a spiritual link. This way you are always connected to each other."
Hanari thanked the witch, and set out to find the ruler of all of Siprit world, Keonma.
Keonma hired Hanari as a spirit detective trainer, and 15 years later she had earned a human form. As it had just so happened, a young Japanese girl had recently died due to a loose demon in the human world. This human's name was Zurai Mikamura. Just as Koenma had promised, Hanari took the form of Zurai; however, there was also a price for this. In return, Zurai had to become an agent of his for her entire life.
One of her duties was to help Botan, a spirit detective trainer, train one boy named Yuske Urameshi.
In helping with his training, Zurai had met several people, the demon Hiei, the over-confedent Kuwabara, and the very powerful human, Genkai, who helped a ton in Yuske's training. And one person inparticular stuck out. His name was Shuichi Minamino, and from the very start, Zurai knew that he was different. Not only did he hang around with Hiei, but his spirit energy was through the roof. And that wasn't all that was strange about this boy, but it would seem that her human form also came with a mind all it's own as well; for she seemed to have fallen head over heels for this red-headed guy. She also felt a strange sense around him, and could always tell if something were bothering him, or if he was under a lot of stress. This had the 'human-mouse' curious. If this really was Youko, she would have very similar feelings. So it was a possibilty, but Hanari could not allow her human self to know before she was certain.
Chapter: Two
Now, with the other nine, Zurai had traveled to an island where the demon tournament was being held. Team Urameshi had made it all the way until the match before the last, and Hiei had already defeated two of the five members. Sishie Wakamoru stepped up into the ring, with his other two teamates. Sishie smiled as he tossed two die up into the air. When they came back down, Zurai made out the first one very clearly: Yureyurechima (wierd name...). But it was the second one she had trouble reading...but when she did...
"Shuichi!?!" she cried, but he was already stepping into the ring. He stopped and turned around.
"Yes, Zurai?"
For a moment, she couldn't find the words...but, with a little help it would have seemed, she spoke.
"Don't get yourself killed! And if you get yourself beat up like last time...I'll...I'll..." but that was as far as her willpower got her, for he smiled and it nearly melted her heart.
"I wont Zurai, I promise." he stepped up into the ring and awaited his opponent.
"Worried Zurai?" Kuwabara teased. Zurai didn't even bother taking her eyes off of Shuichi.
"Terribly." Zurai answered calmly. That wasn't quiet the answer Kuwabara had expected. She, however, watched intently trying to decide which one her Shuichi would be facing.
She looked to the older man.
'One of them is called Onji...but which one? The smaller one looks a bit young for a tournament like this...but that shouldn't surprise me very much...however, I'm leaning more to the older one.' she thought...but couldn't tell either way. 'That one,' she said eyeing Sishie, 'That one will be trouble. I'd better-'
She was very suddenly interupted, because the smaller child had stepped forward, and the other two stepped out of the ring.
'The child? Something is not right.' Zurai thought, oblivious to Kuwabara's snikers and laughs.
"That little kid! You were all worked up over that little kid, Zurai-"
"Shut up you fool." the masked fighter ordered, "Don't judge him until you have seen what he can do." Kuwabara slunk back.
"Fighters!" the fox girl called, "Begin!" Zurai watched intently as the two spared off throwing punch after punch with amazing speed. The two seemed to never stop, but Zurai felt something she had not expected from Shuichi.
"He's...he...feels...sympathy?" Zurai said aloud. Kuwabara looked over at her with a clueless expression. "Yes, I'm sure of it. But...sympathy? For an opponent?" she continued.
"What are you talking about?"
Zurai took her eyes off of the fight for an instant, and then her attention was focused entirly on Shuichi. "It's Shuichi." she said, "He feels sorry for this boy." Zurai walked up closer to the arena very calmly.
"Feels sorry for him? And just how do you know that?" Kuwabara demanded. Zurai shot him a cold glance over her shoulder.
"I just do." she said.
"Oh! Got some mystical powers you've forgotten to tell? Well...out with it-"
"Absolutly not! I don't believe I have to do that!" This was one of Zurai's weak spots, she didn't like talking about Hanari. If everyone thought of her as a mouse, then she would loose her tough appearence. That was not something she wanted to do.
"Come on Zurai! We're a team and teams don't keep secrets!" he nagged. Zurai looked away, back at the battle. Yes, Shuichi was deffinitly feeling a lot of sympathy now; but from the look of it, he seemed to be hurting him...curious.
"Zurai! Come on!"
"Fine!"
And so she began to tell the story of how Hanari, the littlest mouse, fell in love with the master theif, Youko. However, this just seemed to confuse him even more. Zurai sighed.
"Are you really that dense?" she scolded, Kuwabara glared at her.
"What do you mean, 'Dense'? At least I don't go around telling people wierd, irrelevent stories."
"That story is not wierd! And it is very relevent!" Zurai shouted, taking his comments personal.
"Oh really? I ask you how you knew that Kurama was feeling sympathy, and you told me that story! What have those two got to do with anything?!" he demanded. Sudenly, Zurai got a new feeling from Shuichi.
"Empathy," she diagnosed, "Not sympathy, empathy..." she mumbled.
"And now she's talkin' to herself. I think Zurai's crackin' up, Urameshe." Kuwabara whispered over to Yuske.
"What?! What was that-"
"Relate that story to how you know so much about Kurama, and I'll tell you!" he snapped. Zurai glared at him.
"You really are dense. Think about it, what did the old witch give Youko and Hanari?"
Kuwabara glared even harder, "I don't like pop quizes." he answered.
"Answer me!! Now or I'll-"
"A spirit link. She gave them a spirit link Kuwabara." Hiei said quickly. Zurai smiled at him.
"Thank you Hiei!" she then turned to Kuwabara, "Now here's a toughie. You know who Youko is, right?"
"Kurama." Kuwabara replied feeling very much like a child.
"Bingo! I oughta' give ya a gold star...Anyways! Since you know who Youko is, try guessing who Hanari is." Zurai hopefully said...there was a long silent pause, and then-
"Botan." Kuwabara said calmly.
"WRONG!" Zurai gritted her teeth, and turned to Hiei. "How 'bout telling him, BEFORE I LOOSE MY MIND!" she sounded very angry, so instead of Hiei pushing more of her buttons, he did so.
"Hanari...think about it dimwit." he said, Kuwabara felt like a child for the second time that day, but he didn't answer. Hiei sighed and pointed with his thumb over at a still peeved Zurai. "That...terribly mad high school kid over there is none other than Hanari." he said very sarcasticly. Kuwabara's mouth dropped.
Chapter: Three
"No...wa-" he started, but he stopped abruptly when the ring in front of them began glowing.
"Oh no!" Zurai cried running over to the edge. "All this time I've been arguing with that idoit, I've forgotten about Shuichi!" she tried to extend her arm into the ring, but found something was blocking her. "Wh-what?!" she took a step back in disbelief.
"What's up? What is it?" Yuske asked very concerened for his teammate.
"There's a...a...barrier of some sort..."she found it very hard to explain. At about the same time, a glow swept around her as well; she also had the strangest feeling if dejavu she'd ever had. There was so much more spirit energy in her now, it felt so familliour but at the same time so different. Without even noticing, with all of these new feelings about her, Zurai's feet began to be lifted off of the ground. She went higher and higher, until she was a good thirty feet off of the ground. It was only up there that she began to realise what was going on, and it was extremely painful. Zurai was becoming Hanari, and it was the most painful experence she had ever been through. Her spine was being streached to form her tail, her ears were disappearing and mouse ears formed on her head. Her legs grew longer, as did her arms. But none of that even compared to the amount of change in her face. When she put her hands to her face, all she could feel was skin moving around, and screamed.
"What...what's going on?" she shouted, and she noticed yet another thing that had changed. Her voice, it was now a sweeter sound, one she felt the same sence of dejavu with as her energy. This was just way to wierd. Why was she suddenly becoming Hanari? She thought she'd never again have to be her! That old hag of a witch lied to her-a sudden pain went through her mind.
'I'm sure you are not calling me a liar, are you little mouse?' a thought rang out in her head. the half way high schooler, half way part mouse girl crenged as she tried to think, even that hurt!
'Well, you did...tell me...that I'll...never be a ...mouse again!' Again, there was a sharp bolt of pain. Zurai's features were almost completely gone, and the body was now mostly Hanari.
'Yes I said that. But you arn't becoming a mouse, little one! If you would only open your eyes, you would realise that you are mearly taking your mouse-like form!'
'But opening my eyes is going to hurt!' Hanari protested.
'No, I promise it wont! Now open your eyes!' Hanari did as she was told, and for a split second it did hurt, but it soon passed. 'You see?'
Hanari smiled, 'Yes, now I do!' her sweet voice sounded lovely to her ears again. Now the pain as all gone, and two bare feet touched the ground. Hanari was dressed in the last thing she'd ever worn as herself; a long dress that was so big for her, it slipped down her shoulder (It's hard to size a mouse) there was a rope tied to her waist to keep it from falling, but she had nothing on her feet. Hanari looked down at herself.
'Witch.' she thought to her old friend.
'Yes, dear?' came the reply.
'I had some sandals when I met you, did I not? They were small brown ones, rather plain looking, have you seen them?' Hanari spoke rather properly.
'Oh, yes, dear! I thought they were lovely, so when you becaome that human, I took them. I appologise, I never thought you'd become yourself again, dear.' she did sound truely appologetic.
"Consider it my thanks to you my dear friend.' Hanari said aloud, though she knew the witch could hear her.
Kuwabara had no idea what had just happened, not only could not see the fight because of the fog. But now, there was a mouse-girl where Zurai had once stood.
"Woah!" he shouted jumping backwards. "Who the heck are you, and what have you done with Zurai?" he demanded.
Hanari cocked her head to one side. "But, Kuwabara, I am Zurai." she smiled, "Or rather, I was Zurai."
"You are not makin' any sense Mouse-Lady!" Yuske shouted in the same mannor Kuwabara had.
"Oh, I was really hoping not to have to tell that story again. It is ever so depressing." Hanari sighed. Kuwabara blinked.
"You mean the one Zurai told us? The one about...umm...Youko...and uhh..." he looked to Yuske for some assistance, he shrugged.
"You must mean me! Hanari!" she cried gleefully. Yuske snapped his fingers.
"Yeah! Her-"
"Don't you mean 'you'?"
"Whatdaya' mean?" Kuwabara asked slowly, hoping she'd explain in the same mannor.
"I am Hanari," she said praying that would explain things, because she didn't really know all of the details herself. When it didn't she sighed. "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure of everything, but I'll try."
"See, when I came to Koenma, he gave me a human form...but you already know that! My human form was Zurai. And, if I'm correct, I just broke out of my human form."
Chapter: 4
"I get it!" Yuske said snapping his fingers. Hanari smiled at him. "Look, Kuwabara, it's like a catterpiller turning into a butterfly. I just happens suddenly!" Hanari laughed nervously.
"Well, you're geting the idea!" she laughed again...then she felt a presence she remembered fondly. She searched around with her mind, trying to find it. Then she found it, and stared directly at the very spot in which Youko Kurama stood.
"Hiei," she started, not moving her eyes from that spot. "Correct me if I am wrong," she swallowed, "But is that not Youko, the fox?"
Hiei paused, he wasn't quiet sure he wanted too tell her, but he shook his head to clear those thoughts. "Uhh...yeah, that's him Hanari." he said, Hanari's face beamed with joy. Finally after fifteen years, she was going to see her Youko again. The Youko she'd fallen in love with in the forest in which she had spent most of her life. Hanari was so overwhelmed by joy, she noticed a tear falling from her cheek. As she stood there, the fog began to clear right before her eyes. Not knowing it, Hanari held her breath as she was soon able to see a figure emerging from the still bearly visable arena. She knew instantly who it was, but as she started forward...she realised that her legs had buckled out of nervousness. What was wrong? she wanted to see him...and then it hit her. Would he remember her? It hit her like a ton of bricks...after all, he'd become a human baby just after that! And even if he did remember, would fifteen years make a difference? Hanari's fists clenched.
"Oh, of corse it will! Who am I kidding?" she said to herself. His face became visable, but Hanari couldn't bring herself to look at it. Suddenly, Youko stopped as if he'd just seen a ghost. He opened his mouth to say something to her several times, but all he ever made were slight noises. Finally after about a million tries, he was able to talk to her.
"Hanari...is that...really you?" he sounded just as his face looked. Slightly frightened, and very nervous. All Hanari had to do was look up sheepishly at his face, and every worry she had inside her went away.
"Yes, it is really I." she said walking forward smiling, "Youko!" she threw her arms around his neck, her cheek against his. Youko stood there for a moment slightly shocked, then he wrapped one arm around her waist.Hanari was now crying silently, she sniffed.
"Hey." Youko said taking a step back so he could face her. "What are you crying for?" he took the sleeve of his shirt whiping a tear away from her eye, however more replaced them soon.
"I'm sorry!" she cried, "I just never thought I'd see you again! And now look, You're right here in front of me!" Youko smiled. Thruth was that he never thought he'd ever see her again either.
"Yeah, I know. But I'm here now, and I promise I never forgot about you!" he whispered, Hanari laughed a little.
"Y'know we're like a fairy tale! When two opposites fall in..." Hanari started, but couldn't finish it, so Youko did.
"You mean love?" she nodded, he completely understood, after all, mice are very timid creatures. It had always been hard for them to say what was on thier minds, that was why most of them were so curtious.
Hanari knew just what she wanted to say...but it was so much harder to actually say it out loud. She'd practiced the phrase over and over again in her head, but it wouldn't make any difference. Swallowing every bit of her fear, Hanari spoke.
"Youko, there's...something...I want to say." she found herself looking down mid sentence. 'Oh no!' She thought 'Please! Don't look down!' she closed her eyes for a split second and saw the face of Zurai cheering her on.
'Calling all courage!! It's your time to shine!' she was chanting, she then motioned with her hands forward as if to say 'Go on!'. Hanari swallowed, then tried again.
"What I mean is..." Almost as if with force, Hanari's face sudenly snapped up to face his,
"Is...Youko...I...I love you!" her lip quivered for a moment, and then she bit it, in a desperate act to hold it still.
Youko smiled at her. She'd finally conqured her fear and spoke the words she never thought she'd have to. He was very proud of her, but most of all...
"Hanari," he looked at her crystal eyes. There was a million things rushing into his mind, he mentally shook himself, and decided on one, very simple response. "There's a reason, Hanari, that they call you the littest mouse with the biggest heart; I've experenced that first hand. And though that experence, I've found what I thought to be the impossible. Hanari, I...love you too." (ok, maybe it's not so simple after all...) even he found it hard to say.
Chapter: Five
Hanari, after hearing the response she'd wanted, smiled with all of her heart. She wanted to say something, but could find no words to express herself...only one action. Thus, Hanari, the littest mouse, stood on the tips of her toes, and kissed Youko, the master theif. How ever, their tittles didn't matter anymore. For as long as he was her master theif, and she his littest mouse, nothing mattered.
Zurai, in Hanari's head, had a very content look on her face. She'd done well. And, if it was possible to kiss and smile at the same time, Hanari did. And as she did so, both began to glow.
'Oh no!' Hanari thought panic stricked. 'No not now! Witch, what's going on?'
'I'm sorry young one,' came that famillour voice, 'I tried to warn you before, but I'm afraid your time as the little mouse girl is over...your spirit energy is just to low. I'm also afraid Youko is in the same position.' Hanari's bare feet left the ground.
'No! this can't be it!' she shouted, 'It can't end like this!'
'I'm sorry child, there is nothing I can do. You'll become Zurai again in a few moments.'
"Youko!" she cried reaching out for him, as they were finally pulled apart. Youko reached out and was able to grab one of her small hands. Hanari's tears returned; however, these weren't tears of joy. As she whiped away her tears with her free hand, she shouted the words she'd only whispered before.
"Youko, I love you!" Youko tried despreatly to stop her from going away from him.
"I love you too, Hanari!" he shouted back as he lost grip on her fingers. the light was so bright there was no trace left of her left.
As he searched in vain, he became Shuichi again. His tranformation was much easier than what Hanari would have to go though. Within seconds he was back to normal. His hand, that had still been reaching out, dropped to his side.
Hanari on the other hand, was experencing more pain than before. She didn't even think she would survive it.
'Witch!' she cried out, 'What's happening!'
'I'm afraid this one will be a good deal worse. I'm sorry, I had required too much of your energy before. I should have never asked you-'
'I would've offered anyway! I would do anything to save Youk-' her spine retracted even more with a loud snap! And Hanari screamed.
'Child, you really do have the biggest heart of any mouse I-' but Hanari was never able to hear the last words as she fell into unconsciousness. ( ...that's a really big word...I hope I spelled it right!!)
Shuichi had been standing on the ground looking up at what once had been Hanari.
'Hmm..." he sighed. Then a voice popped into his head.
'Youko, Master Theif, how are you dear?' Shuichi looked around quickly, and the voice laughed. 'Dear, I'm in your thoughts, you can't see me!'
'Who...are you?' Shuichi thought...or said...
'Child, I am the one...who...sort of made you who you are.'
Shuichi's face looked like that of a child who'd just heard someone mention Santa Clause for the first time. 'I..err...pardon?'
'I'm the witch--as Zurai so lovingly put it--who gave you your human form.' Shuichi's face brightened.
'Ahh! Then you can tell me how I can become Youko again-'
'Oh no, dear! I mustn't do that!' she said rather quickly, 'That is one thing you must find out for yourself!'
'But why can't you?' he asked..well really begged her.
'Dear, I only wish it was that simple...ahh well, mustn't dwell on things that cannot be helped. Now listen boy, and listen carfully! That girl, Zurai, she's going to be in an unconcious state. Now, don't bother trying to wake her! She'll also be in more pain that she ever thought imaginable. Have her lay down somewhere until she comes around. Don't worry, it shouldn't take longer that a day.'
'I understand...but will you explain to me something?'--he took the witch's silence to mean a yes--'Why did she become Hanari at the same moment I became Youko?'
The witch sighed. 'It's the link, dear. Or, at least, I belive it is. I've never heard of that happening before...but spirit links are very mysterious things...' the witches voice had begun to fade slightly,'I'm afraid that my time is up, dear. I shall hope to...see you...very soon!'
Chapter: Six
The next morning, Zurai awoke feeling completely revived. She sighed as she stretched her arms out...then stopped abruptly.
'Am I Zurai...or Hanari?' she thought, and immediatly felt for mouse ears on top of her head. She smiled when she found none, and was also reassured when she stood up and found no tail. She yawned rather lazily, then looked over at the clock on her bedside table. It showed 6:34 clearly. As she walked over to the mirror, she tried to find Shuichi's...or Youko's...spirit energy. However, she couldn't find it.
'Maybe he's just not awake yet.' Zurai thought. She picked up her brush off of her messey floor, and peered into the mirror. Her dark hair reaching half way down her back. However, brushing it never helped, no matter what she did, it always ended up refusing to do anything, and she'd have to put it up. She snatched her holder from the end table...
'That was wierd (werid!)' she thought, 'I never put it there...hmm?' she shrugged it off, and flipped her hair over, trying to gather it in one place. When she finally succeeded, she bent forward, and gwaked at the mirror.
Lying on the couch on the opposite side of her bed, was Shuichi. He was deffinitly still asleep, but that wasn't quiet the point.
"Ohh...m-my.." she whispered turned to see him for herself. Zurai swallowed hard and took a step forward. "Well...I guess...I'd better...wake him...up?" Then she stopped.
'Wait a minute...' she thought looking down at herself. Her bright green pajamas (well...a t-shirt and a pair of shorts...does that count?) just weren't something she'd rather be his first sight of her this morning. Zurai laughed sheepshly once, then whirrled around and grabbed the comforter off of her bed, wrapping it around herself. she swllowed again, and took a step forward.
Just then, a loud knock came from the door, causeing Zurai to jump nearly out of her skin.
"Good morning, Kurama! I thought I heard someone...moving...around...in...here? Mm-reow?" Botan started happily but let her voice trail off with confusion, then ending in a confused 'Meow'. "Zurai...you're up and...walking...early."
"Yeah, actually, I feel loads better!" Zurai turned, the cover still wrapped around her shoulders.
"Oh...but I see sleepy Kurama hasn't woken up yet! Hee hee!" Botan laughed, Zurai cast a weary glance over her shoulder. "So how about breakfast? You as hungry as I am?!" Zurai nodded, turning her full attention back on Botan.
"Yeah! Just let me get dressed!...oh." she remembered Shuichi could wake up any time...boy would that be embarassing! "You wouldn't mind me useing your room...would you?" she asked hopefully.
"Nope, Meet you downstairs, k?" Botan said dashing off. Zurai grabbed a few things from her drawers and turned to leave. She was almost upon the door when she stopped. Something inside her was not going to let her leave until she said her thanks, weather he heard it or not. Zurai looked over her shoulder slightly, and could have sworn she saw his eyes snap shut, but she was probably holucinating. The clothes she'd gathered dropped to the floor.
Zurai walked over to the couch on the other side of her room and knelt down. She wanted to say her thanks...but didn't really want him to wake up either...
"Thank you." Zurai whispered very quietly, and kissed his forehead.
Shuichi woke a few moments after Zurai shut her door.
"You're welcome."
(The...End...Finally...Done.............Yay...It took me forever...but I'm done!)
Yours in Literature,
Zurai (also known as The-Tiger-Lady)