Chapter 1

Back to the Royal Palace

Kurumi stepped forward out of the brush of the Makai into the place of her

beginning. A vast castle rose up from a clearing just in the high mountains of the Makai.

The forest surrounding it's presence seemed to glow with envy of it's Majesty.

" Its been a long time.." Kurumi moved a few stray bangs of her jet black hair from her eyes, little highlights of aqua could be seen flowing through her long locks currently pulled into a high ponytail, her staring fixedly at the castle before her.

She continued to walk forward towards the great doors to enter the palace. Right before she was able to open the doors they swung open wide as she was practically tackled by a woman her height with chin length aqua colored hair.

" Mom!!??" Kurumi screeched loudly in surprise as she was almost knocked over by her mother.

" Yo~ It's been so long where have you been missy??" her mother took a very motherly tone with her.

" Umm…busy..??" she put on a very sheepish smile and shrugged her shoulders, " I became a spirit detective a few years back but I'm home for a bit now.." she smiled at her mom.

Her mom, named Airi, had chin length aqua hair styled in a bob, she being short because of her Koorime heritage, she wore a beautiful deep blue kimono that trailed behind her when she walked and in her hair lay a barette with a jewel of a lily embedded into it, her eyes were bright red and she has a light shadow of black eye shadow to illuminate her eyes. Her mother is full Koorime and her father is full fire demon making her half and half.

" Is that my daughter out here..?" a deep handsome voice was heard from the dark entrance hallway until he appeared in the courtyard outside the doors.

" Hi daddy.." Kurumi smiled and ran up to hug her father.

" How are you child, where have you been without telling us?" he pulled her away gently and looked into her eyes.

" I became a spirit detective for a few years and I still am and its quite fun, and interesting, I missed you guys though so I wanted to come back and visit," Kurumi smiled at both her parents.

Ryozaki, her father, is full fire demon, he had long black hair to shoulder length in the front and the rest glided down to the middle of his shoulder blades, his eyes were dark red, and his skin tan, he wore a loosely fit long sleeve black shirt and black leather pants with a ruby embedded belt and stood quite taller then Airi and Kurumi.

Kurumi had long black hair with aqua streaks streaming throughout it, usually always worn in a high ponytail using the traditional Koorime red feathered hair band, with a few bangs in her face. She had fairly tan skin just a shade in-between her mother's fair skin and father's tan. Her crimson red eyes shone brightly in the sunlight, and she wore her mother's teardrop as a necklace as to always think about her. She wore a black miniskirt with thigh high red leggings and black knee high lace up boots with a bit of a platform to them and a tight crimson tank top, just a little cleavage baring, and a few golden bracelets on each wrist.

" Well, welcome home for the time being then," her father smiled, " Any man in your life yet??" he rose an inquisitive eyebrow.

" Not really…" she shifted her gaze from her father's, she hadn't really seen Hiei in a while but they were still dating.

" What's with that face? Your not hiding anything are you?" her father was now in front of her again.

" Well I am seeing someone…" she started to twiddle her thumbs a bit.

" And you never told us..?" Airi stepped forward, a saddened look on her face, " I want to meet him, if he loves my daughter then I want to meet him." Airi smiled, patting her daughter on the shoulder.

" He's in the human world right now with Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara," Kurumi smiled and stared at her mother, " They are the other spirit detectives."

" Oh how nice!" her mother clapped her hands together in front of her chest, " It's your birthday in a few days why don't you send them invitations to the ball we are going to have for your big day!?" Airi became excited at the thought, " And tell your little boyfriend to come along!" she winked at her daughter.

" Shall we go in now, it is almost dinnertime?" Ryo smirked at his wife and daughter's excitement and turned to walk inside, followed by the girls.

At the dinner table which was as long as the dining room itself sat Airi and Ryo at the end as Kurumi walked down the huge staircase that led to the dining room dressed in a fabulous pink kimono with a rosy red obi around her midsection with little rose petals flowing down the seem of her kimono and her hair let down and flowing down her back, a few bangs brushed to the side of her face and a barette with a ruby rose embedded into it that held some of her hair to the side.

" You look absolutely gorgeous, Kurumi-Chan!" Her mother stood from the table, running to the stairs, taking her daughter's hand and walking with her to her seat at the table on the other side of her father.

" You look stunning, Kurumi.." her father smiled, " it's been too long since you were last here.." he showed a saddened look.

" Thank you mom, thank you dad, its ok I'm back for a while," Kurumi smiled and looked to her food and began salivating, making her parents laugh.

" So as in question to our conversation earlier," her father started, " Has he marked you yet..?" His face grew serious.

" Father..? Is that a question to ask at dinner..?" Kurumi grew cautious.

" I just want to know if this man is right for you is all and that he is not using my daughter," Ryo looked up from his plate and stared Kurumi directly in the eye.

" No Father, he has not marked me yet, we are only still dating," Kurumi smiled at her father, " I want you to meet him first before I settle down with anyone," Kurumi began eating her food again.

Kurumi's father, Ryo, is the ruler of all the Makai, ruler over the three kings of the different regions of the Makai as well, he governs everything. Airi is his queen, born on Koorime island and banned for life because of her love for a fire demon and her daughter a forbidden child for being born half fire demon. Kurumi is their daughter, princess of all the Makai.

" That sounds better then," he gave her a small smile as they continued dinner and caught up on old times and Kurumi's travels as a detective.

Late that night Kurumi traveled up the stairs to her room, changed into a cool, comfortable nightgown that came just below her hips and climbed into bed, watching the wind blow the leaves around outside her bedroom window until she fell fast asleep.