Disclaimer: I don't own YYH. Nope, my name is not Yoshihiro Togashi. I really wish it was...then I could own all the bishies of YYH!
Hiei: pops in from out of nowhere Hn. Like that could happen.
Me: Did someone pull your chain?! No! Baka!
Hiei: looks at steel chain connected to foot cuff Hn. Stupid chain. walks away muttering
Me: On to the story! ..
(A/N: Timeline: hmm. between the Yukina and Dark Tournament sagas, but before the training. Yeah. That sounds about right. Oh, and I don't know the name of the third guy in Kuwabara's gang [besides Miamoto and Okubo] so I made it up.)
ooOooOooOooOooOoo
Kuwabara wasn't himself. Sure, he hadn't been himself since his favorite Ice Apparition had gone back to the Ice World. Even his friends noticed that. But Yusuke knew that he wouldn't dwell this much on a girl, even Yukina, so close to his birthday. It was only a week away, after all. Already plans were flying about who would host the surprise party for the fighter, and where it would be held.
"I don't want no stinkin' party," Kuwabara insisted. "I just wanna stay home. It's just another day."
His sister glared at him. "Look, baby brother, you're gonna have a party if I have to tie you to a chair to make you stay. Don't you wanna celebrate with all your friends? With cake and confetti and all that good stuff?"
"No," he replied.
Exasperated, she simply slammed the door to his room and left him to his video games. He could be so stubborn at times.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo DEMON WORLD, CITY OF KENDO
She was quivering now. The demons in front of her could clearly see that, and were laughing at her because of it. The tall blue one grotesquely blinked his one eye and flexed his claws, smiling at the girl.
"So, human," he growled, "are you going to come quietly or will we have to deliver your smoldering flesh to Tsuzuki after we're done with you?"
The girl shook her head, brown locks of hair falling from their tight braid. "No...Tell him that I'll come, just give me a month...."
"He doesn't have a month!!" Roared another demon, brandishing a long trident of obsidian stone. "He has only now!!"
"He will give you two weeks, then that is it!" The first demon reached out to touch her. "Then you will come to Master Tsuzuki-sama!"
Slowly she nodded. The demon threw at her a white powder, making the very air shimmer. Soon she was back in her own hotel room, cowering at the foot of the bed.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo HUMAN WORLD
The week until Kuwabara's birthday passed quickly. It was decided that his birthday was going to be celebrated at Kurama's house; Yusuke and Koenma were going to get him there. Shizuru hinted at an added surprise for her brother, making Kurama nod sagely with a sly smile. Not even Koenma knew of the surprise, but they could all guess at what it was: Yukina.
"We have another mission?" Kuwabara asked as he walked down the street that day with Koenma and Yusuke. "But it's just been, like, a month since the last one."
"Yes, well, this is a fairly important one," Koenma replied. "But we have to hurry. Kurama has to be somewhere in a very short time."
"I'll race ya there!" Yusuke walked just long enough to taunt his friend into running, then he was off.
"Hey!!" Kuwabara laughed, a rare thing for him lately, and raced off after him. Koenma, left in the dust, also had to run to catch up. Luckily for him they both stopped at Kurama's door to catch their breaths.
Yusuke grinned. "You're still slow, Kuwabara." Bent over, hands on his knees, he laughed a little. "I still beat you here!"
"Yeah, you had a head start," the other boy grumbled. "You didn't start fair!"
Koenma jogged up from behind them. "Yusuke! Don't do that!"
The Spirit Detective laughed and stood up straight. "Sorry Koenma. I was bored."
"Well, let's go in. I just wanna go home and play some video games."
The tall boy shucked off his shoes, leaving them outside, as he reached for the door. Suddenly it opened of it's own accord and revealed all of his friends, even Hiei, in party hats and throwing confetti.
"Happy Birthday!" A cheer went up, as the confetti trickled through the air down to the ground. Okubo, Miamoto, and Kenta were there, not to mention Kurama, Botan, Keiko, Shizuru, and Hiei.
He stood there for a moment, rooted to the spot. "You guys!!" A grin soon spread across his face. "I told you I didn't need a party!"
Miamoto shrugged. "You know us, Kuwabara! We never listen!"
"Yeah, Kuwabara!" Okubo agreed.
Shizuru slapped a coned, brightly-colored party hat on his head. "Come on, you big doofus, sit down. Open your presents."
Kuwabara hugged his sister, walking to the dining room table where a whole slew of party stuff rested. "You guys really didn't have to do this."
"Sure we did!" Botan positively beamed, as usual. "You're a part of the group!"
"Just know that Koenma is forcing me to be here," Hiei muttered. "Otherwise I wouldn't."
Everyone else sat down as Kurama and Keiko carried in nine presents, four in her arms and five in his. He opened them all, one by one, and thanked each who had given him a present. In all he had gotten a baseball bat (replacing the one he had broken last year), four CDs, a new video game, a stationary set, and two posters.
"Now for the cake!" Shizuru said, a sly look in her eye. Kurama looked at her and nodded.
Kuwabara looked at both of them. "What else do you two have up your sleeves?"
"Just close your eyes. Someone hit the lights." Shizuru poked her brother in the back of the head. "And no peeking!"
He immediately closed his eyes, a huge grin on his face. "Okay, okay."
The older girl quickly went into the kitchen as Keiko turned off the lights. A moment later, she entered again, someone else holding the cake with 16 flaming birthday candles.
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!" Most of the guests started singing the traditional song, smiling. "Happy Birthday Kuwabara, happy birthday to you!"
The cake was set before him and he opened his eyes, blowing out all of the candles. The person who had carried the cake in flicked on the lights, and smiled.
"Happy Birthday, Kazuma." She looked at the guest of honor and beamed.
He looked at her for a moment. "N-N-N-Neko!!!" In a flash, he was up and hugging her, having forgotten the birthday cake.
The short brunette hugged him back. "Hey Kazuma. Long time no see!"
Kuwabara had tears in his eyes. "When did you get here?! I haven't seen you in...years!!"
"I got here this morning. Your sister and your friend Shuuichi wanted me to come to your party. I couldn't resist!" She winced. "You're...You're squeezing too hard..."
He finally let her go, then looked around. "Umm, everybody besides my sis, this is Neko Nakatani, one of my best friends in the whole world."
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm sure that I'll be able to formerly meet you all later, but I fear I have to go now. Kazuma, I'll see you later!" She stood on tiptoe to hug him again. "It was very nice to meet you all. Sayanora!"
Bowing slightly, she rushed out. Shizuru knew she would have to rush away after her entrance, but she didn't care. Just the look on her brother's face was enough.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo
The next day, Kuwabara was surprised to see Yusuke and Kurama in his living room when he woke up. "What're you two doin' here?" He asked, looking at Shizuru then his teammates.
"We're here to take you to where we're all meeting, Kuwabara," Kurama answered, standing. "Neko is to be there as well."
Immediately his mood brightened. "Neko?" Then his face became puzzled. "How do you all know Neko?"
Shizuru looked at her brother. "Hello, Kazuma, I introduced them. Well, I introduced Kurama to her. And she was more than happy to be appearing at your birthday..."
"Oh."
"And I got introduced...well, I haven't yet. So you're gonna have to introduce her to me later. Get dressed, man! Come on, we don't have all day!" Yusuke smirked and looked at him. "Besides, you wouldn't want to keep Neko waiting!!"
Kuwabara blushed and chunked his pillow at his friend. "Shutup, Urameshi. It's-It's not like that..."
"Oh, you like her, little brother, and you know it. I wish you two would just admit it, then you two can stop being all awkward like that." His sister rolled her eyes. "Neko is the same exact way."
This made him blush even more. Mumbling something, he quickly turned and went back to his room.
About twenty minutes later, they were all in Kurama's car heading down the road. Kuwabara still had a slight blush on his face, and Yusuke was still taunting him about Neko.
"So, what's Neko's real name, Kuwabara?" Kurama looked back at him, smiling. He too had noticed the way that Neko and he had acted.
He smiled. "Nyoko, but I always said it sounded like a meow, so I gave her the nickname Neko. She likes cats too; that's who gave me Eikichii."
"So, looks like you two are a match made in Heaven, Kuwabara." Yusuke smirked. "Why aren't you two dating yet?"
He frowned and blushed a little more. "None of your business!"
"So you have asked her about it.." Kurama chuckled lightly. "There's nothing to be embarassed about if you do like her in a more mature way, Kuwabara."
"Uhh....no...we haven't talked about it....."
"Why not?"
"We just...don't want to make it all awkward between us....it's wierd..."
Yusuke snorted. "You're wierd."
"Hey!"
"We're here," Kurama said, still chuckling at the two other boy's antics.
Where he had pulled in was what looked to be a large club. Kuwabara noticed that almost no other cars were there, save two large black luxury cars.
"What is this place?" He asked, looking around, as he got out of Kurama's small car.
The building was brick, with a black roof. Apart from the large black cars, nothing else was strange. Sure, the building was surrounded by what looked to be a thick forest, but they were a little far out into the country. A small black flash came out of the door of the building, and leapt to the roof. It turned out to be a rather mischievious looking and blushing Hiei, clutching his cloak tightly around him.
"Hiei," Kurama started, "What are you doing?"
He looked at the kitsune, then glanced down at the door. "Hn."
"He can stay up there for all I care," Kuwabara said, starting toward the door.
"Kuwabara, wait!" Yusuke jogged to catch up with him, and stopped him momentarily. "I need to tell the others something in there before you go in. Just hang out here for a sec."
Before he could enter, the doors opened. Neko Nakatani stood there, a mad look on her face and a long black swordcase in her hand. "Now where did that little guy go?"
"Hiei?" Yusuke blinked once, then pointed to the roof. "He's up there."
"You mean the little baka," Kuwabara muttered. "Hey, why do you have Hiei's katana?"
"Because. That's all I could threaten him with." She looked up at the roof, and yelled. "You little pervert!! Get back here so Kazuma-kun can kick your butt!!"
The demon snorted. "Like he could do anything to me. Take it as a compliment."
"Yeah I could you little wimp!" Kuwabara walked over to Neko and frowned at Hiei. "What'd he do to you?"
She blushed and looked at her best friend. "He grabbed my butt," she said quietly, her face turning even more scarlet. She was dressed in a baby-tee shirt and a pair of baggy pants, her hair in braided pigtails.
"He WHAT?!" Kuwabara's glare burned a path up to Hiei again. "Come here you little shrimp!! I'm gonna pound you!"
"Like I said, she should take it as a compliment." The fire demon shrugged. "And before anything happens, which it won't, you'd have to catch me."
Neko sighed. "Oh well. I'll just keep this until I get an apology, Kazuma-kun." She twirled the swordcase in her hand. "Come on in, we've been waiting for ya'll."
"'Ya'll'?" Yusuke quietly questioned. "And where are you from again?"
"America. Don't ask, it's a really really really long story." She grinned, and looked at Kuwabara, who was still shouting threats up at Hiei. "Kazuma, come on!"
Kurama chuckled, opening the door. "Ladies first."
She nodded and smiled at him, still twirling the swordcase. Kuwabara followed, Yusuke behind him, and Kurama bringing up the lead.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo
Hiei: pops in from out of nowhere Hn. Like that could happen.
Me: Did someone pull your chain?! No! Baka!
Hiei: looks at steel chain connected to foot cuff Hn. Stupid chain. walks away muttering
Me: On to the story! ..
(A/N: Timeline: hmm. between the Yukina and Dark Tournament sagas, but before the training. Yeah. That sounds about right. Oh, and I don't know the name of the third guy in Kuwabara's gang [besides Miamoto and Okubo] so I made it up.)
ooOooOooOooOooOoo
Kuwabara wasn't himself. Sure, he hadn't been himself since his favorite Ice Apparition had gone back to the Ice World. Even his friends noticed that. But Yusuke knew that he wouldn't dwell this much on a girl, even Yukina, so close to his birthday. It was only a week away, after all. Already plans were flying about who would host the surprise party for the fighter, and where it would be held.
"I don't want no stinkin' party," Kuwabara insisted. "I just wanna stay home. It's just another day."
His sister glared at him. "Look, baby brother, you're gonna have a party if I have to tie you to a chair to make you stay. Don't you wanna celebrate with all your friends? With cake and confetti and all that good stuff?"
"No," he replied.
Exasperated, she simply slammed the door to his room and left him to his video games. He could be so stubborn at times.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo DEMON WORLD, CITY OF KENDO
She was quivering now. The demons in front of her could clearly see that, and were laughing at her because of it. The tall blue one grotesquely blinked his one eye and flexed his claws, smiling at the girl.
"So, human," he growled, "are you going to come quietly or will we have to deliver your smoldering flesh to Tsuzuki after we're done with you?"
The girl shook her head, brown locks of hair falling from their tight braid. "No...Tell him that I'll come, just give me a month...."
"He doesn't have a month!!" Roared another demon, brandishing a long trident of obsidian stone. "He has only now!!"
"He will give you two weeks, then that is it!" The first demon reached out to touch her. "Then you will come to Master Tsuzuki-sama!"
Slowly she nodded. The demon threw at her a white powder, making the very air shimmer. Soon she was back in her own hotel room, cowering at the foot of the bed.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo HUMAN WORLD
The week until Kuwabara's birthday passed quickly. It was decided that his birthday was going to be celebrated at Kurama's house; Yusuke and Koenma were going to get him there. Shizuru hinted at an added surprise for her brother, making Kurama nod sagely with a sly smile. Not even Koenma knew of the surprise, but they could all guess at what it was: Yukina.
"We have another mission?" Kuwabara asked as he walked down the street that day with Koenma and Yusuke. "But it's just been, like, a month since the last one."
"Yes, well, this is a fairly important one," Koenma replied. "But we have to hurry. Kurama has to be somewhere in a very short time."
"I'll race ya there!" Yusuke walked just long enough to taunt his friend into running, then he was off.
"Hey!!" Kuwabara laughed, a rare thing for him lately, and raced off after him. Koenma, left in the dust, also had to run to catch up. Luckily for him they both stopped at Kurama's door to catch their breaths.
Yusuke grinned. "You're still slow, Kuwabara." Bent over, hands on his knees, he laughed a little. "I still beat you here!"
"Yeah, you had a head start," the other boy grumbled. "You didn't start fair!"
Koenma jogged up from behind them. "Yusuke! Don't do that!"
The Spirit Detective laughed and stood up straight. "Sorry Koenma. I was bored."
"Well, let's go in. I just wanna go home and play some video games."
The tall boy shucked off his shoes, leaving them outside, as he reached for the door. Suddenly it opened of it's own accord and revealed all of his friends, even Hiei, in party hats and throwing confetti.
"Happy Birthday!" A cheer went up, as the confetti trickled through the air down to the ground. Okubo, Miamoto, and Kenta were there, not to mention Kurama, Botan, Keiko, Shizuru, and Hiei.
He stood there for a moment, rooted to the spot. "You guys!!" A grin soon spread across his face. "I told you I didn't need a party!"
Miamoto shrugged. "You know us, Kuwabara! We never listen!"
"Yeah, Kuwabara!" Okubo agreed.
Shizuru slapped a coned, brightly-colored party hat on his head. "Come on, you big doofus, sit down. Open your presents."
Kuwabara hugged his sister, walking to the dining room table where a whole slew of party stuff rested. "You guys really didn't have to do this."
"Sure we did!" Botan positively beamed, as usual. "You're a part of the group!"
"Just know that Koenma is forcing me to be here," Hiei muttered. "Otherwise I wouldn't."
Everyone else sat down as Kurama and Keiko carried in nine presents, four in her arms and five in his. He opened them all, one by one, and thanked each who had given him a present. In all he had gotten a baseball bat (replacing the one he had broken last year), four CDs, a new video game, a stationary set, and two posters.
"Now for the cake!" Shizuru said, a sly look in her eye. Kurama looked at her and nodded.
Kuwabara looked at both of them. "What else do you two have up your sleeves?"
"Just close your eyes. Someone hit the lights." Shizuru poked her brother in the back of the head. "And no peeking!"
He immediately closed his eyes, a huge grin on his face. "Okay, okay."
The older girl quickly went into the kitchen as Keiko turned off the lights. A moment later, she entered again, someone else holding the cake with 16 flaming birthday candles.
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!" Most of the guests started singing the traditional song, smiling. "Happy Birthday Kuwabara, happy birthday to you!"
The cake was set before him and he opened his eyes, blowing out all of the candles. The person who had carried the cake in flicked on the lights, and smiled.
"Happy Birthday, Kazuma." She looked at the guest of honor and beamed.
He looked at her for a moment. "N-N-N-Neko!!!" In a flash, he was up and hugging her, having forgotten the birthday cake.
The short brunette hugged him back. "Hey Kazuma. Long time no see!"
Kuwabara had tears in his eyes. "When did you get here?! I haven't seen you in...years!!"
"I got here this morning. Your sister and your friend Shuuichi wanted me to come to your party. I couldn't resist!" She winced. "You're...You're squeezing too hard..."
He finally let her go, then looked around. "Umm, everybody besides my sis, this is Neko Nakatani, one of my best friends in the whole world."
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm sure that I'll be able to formerly meet you all later, but I fear I have to go now. Kazuma, I'll see you later!" She stood on tiptoe to hug him again. "It was very nice to meet you all. Sayanora!"
Bowing slightly, she rushed out. Shizuru knew she would have to rush away after her entrance, but she didn't care. Just the look on her brother's face was enough.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo
The next day, Kuwabara was surprised to see Yusuke and Kurama in his living room when he woke up. "What're you two doin' here?" He asked, looking at Shizuru then his teammates.
"We're here to take you to where we're all meeting, Kuwabara," Kurama answered, standing. "Neko is to be there as well."
Immediately his mood brightened. "Neko?" Then his face became puzzled. "How do you all know Neko?"
Shizuru looked at her brother. "Hello, Kazuma, I introduced them. Well, I introduced Kurama to her. And she was more than happy to be appearing at your birthday..."
"Oh."
"And I got introduced...well, I haven't yet. So you're gonna have to introduce her to me later. Get dressed, man! Come on, we don't have all day!" Yusuke smirked and looked at him. "Besides, you wouldn't want to keep Neko waiting!!"
Kuwabara blushed and chunked his pillow at his friend. "Shutup, Urameshi. It's-It's not like that..."
"Oh, you like her, little brother, and you know it. I wish you two would just admit it, then you two can stop being all awkward like that." His sister rolled her eyes. "Neko is the same exact way."
This made him blush even more. Mumbling something, he quickly turned and went back to his room.
About twenty minutes later, they were all in Kurama's car heading down the road. Kuwabara still had a slight blush on his face, and Yusuke was still taunting him about Neko.
"So, what's Neko's real name, Kuwabara?" Kurama looked back at him, smiling. He too had noticed the way that Neko and he had acted.
He smiled. "Nyoko, but I always said it sounded like a meow, so I gave her the nickname Neko. She likes cats too; that's who gave me Eikichii."
"So, looks like you two are a match made in Heaven, Kuwabara." Yusuke smirked. "Why aren't you two dating yet?"
He frowned and blushed a little more. "None of your business!"
"So you have asked her about it.." Kurama chuckled lightly. "There's nothing to be embarassed about if you do like her in a more mature way, Kuwabara."
"Uhh....no...we haven't talked about it....."
"Why not?"
"We just...don't want to make it all awkward between us....it's wierd..."
Yusuke snorted. "You're wierd."
"Hey!"
"We're here," Kurama said, still chuckling at the two other boy's antics.
Where he had pulled in was what looked to be a large club. Kuwabara noticed that almost no other cars were there, save two large black luxury cars.
"What is this place?" He asked, looking around, as he got out of Kurama's small car.
The building was brick, with a black roof. Apart from the large black cars, nothing else was strange. Sure, the building was surrounded by what looked to be a thick forest, but they were a little far out into the country. A small black flash came out of the door of the building, and leapt to the roof. It turned out to be a rather mischievious looking and blushing Hiei, clutching his cloak tightly around him.
"Hiei," Kurama started, "What are you doing?"
He looked at the kitsune, then glanced down at the door. "Hn."
"He can stay up there for all I care," Kuwabara said, starting toward the door.
"Kuwabara, wait!" Yusuke jogged to catch up with him, and stopped him momentarily. "I need to tell the others something in there before you go in. Just hang out here for a sec."
Before he could enter, the doors opened. Neko Nakatani stood there, a mad look on her face and a long black swordcase in her hand. "Now where did that little guy go?"
"Hiei?" Yusuke blinked once, then pointed to the roof. "He's up there."
"You mean the little baka," Kuwabara muttered. "Hey, why do you have Hiei's katana?"
"Because. That's all I could threaten him with." She looked up at the roof, and yelled. "You little pervert!! Get back here so Kazuma-kun can kick your butt!!"
The demon snorted. "Like he could do anything to me. Take it as a compliment."
"Yeah I could you little wimp!" Kuwabara walked over to Neko and frowned at Hiei. "What'd he do to you?"
She blushed and looked at her best friend. "He grabbed my butt," she said quietly, her face turning even more scarlet. She was dressed in a baby-tee shirt and a pair of baggy pants, her hair in braided pigtails.
"He WHAT?!" Kuwabara's glare burned a path up to Hiei again. "Come here you little shrimp!! I'm gonna pound you!"
"Like I said, she should take it as a compliment." The fire demon shrugged. "And before anything happens, which it won't, you'd have to catch me."
Neko sighed. "Oh well. I'll just keep this until I get an apology, Kazuma-kun." She twirled the swordcase in her hand. "Come on in, we've been waiting for ya'll."
"'Ya'll'?" Yusuke quietly questioned. "And where are you from again?"
"America. Don't ask, it's a really really really long story." She grinned, and looked at Kuwabara, who was still shouting threats up at Hiei. "Kazuma, come on!"
Kurama chuckled, opening the door. "Ladies first."
She nodded and smiled at him, still twirling the swordcase. Kuwabara followed, Yusuke behind him, and Kurama bringing up the lead.
ooOooOooOooOooOoo