Life's Cruelties

Kira: My second story!! cheers My first wasn't very well received, though. sobs

Kurama: sigh She always gets like this when someone mentions Fated To Be.

Kira: louder sobs

Kurama: Kira-chan, please, don't cry. Onegai, dame. Onegai?

Kira: You didn't like it either, Kurama-kun. Be honest!

Kurama: No, no. I loved the story. Fated To Be had a wonderful plot and excellent choices for the actions of the characters. There was so much going on that I was envious. I thought you were ignoring me.

Kira: softly Really, Kurama-kun?

Kurama: crosses fingers behind back Really, Kira-chan. I was so jealous that Youko thought I was sick.

Kira: glomps Kurama Arigato, Kurama-kun!

Kurama: Hiei-san?

Hiei: Hn.

Kurama: pinches Hiei, hard Hiei-san?

Hiei: Baka hanyou. Hai, your story was decent.

Kira: smiles and hugs Hiei Yea! Hiei-kun liked it, too!

Hiei: So, how many stories do you have that aren't finished or are finished and not posted?

Kira: looks thoughtful Uh.... Dunno.

Hiei: Stupid half-breed.

Kira: looks angry You're going to pay for that, dammit!

Kurama: apprehensively Uh oh.

x-x-x-x-

Chapter One: Meiou, Sarayashiki, & Cherile Garrett

She was walking to school at Sarayashiki Junior High, wondering why she was even here.

Ever since she was five and her parents had moved to the United States, the elder Garretts had fought each other, beating her viciously for no reason other than their mutual hatred for the other. Then, the police and DCFS had found out.

When DCFS had become involved, she had been shipped home to Japan. Fortunately, she had only been in the States for less than six months, so the foul place hadn't affected her. Sometimes, she thought the entire experience nothing more than a dream.

She had been born in Japan, raised there. She loved the place.

However, her guardian took away from the joy she derived from being back on Japanese soil. She was the "Guardian From Hell' as Cherile called it, but never to the woman's face.

To Camille-san, she was an 'idiot', 'moron', or 'the loser who will never amount to anything than a third-tier whore.'

It didn't matter that the only person at Sarayashiki to make better grades was Keiko Ukimura-san. To Camille, Cherile was nothing more than American-born trash, barely worth the title of human.

Cherile glared down at her skirt as it became entangled in her legs. She hated the mandatory skirt only a little less than Camille-san and those damned preps.

She grinned as she rounded the corner and several kids scattered from her intended path. She sincerely hoped her favorite pain-in-the-ass was here.

She was musing about giving a serious bruising and Urameshi was the only person who could take the heat.

Of course, she could be cruising for a bruising, but that was why she loved fighting Urameshi in the first place. She never knew who'd eat dirt.

Her grin widened as she came behind the school and saw none other than Yuusuke Urameshi.

Oooh, and Kuwabara! she thought, eyes gleaming savagely.

"Yo! Dumb and Dumber!"

Both looked her way.

"You guys talking to your imaginary friends again? You aren't smart enough to carry one an intelligible conversation otherwise."

"You lookin' for a fight, Garrett?"

"I've got no other reason to drop by," she drawled.

Yuusuke smiled. "Bring it on, baby."

"First thing, I am not your 'baby.' I'm a Class-A bitch and will gladly hand you your balls sautéed. You know it, too."

"Like I said, 'Bring it on.'"

"Alright."

She moved to attack when Kuwabara stepped between them. She hated hurting people who weren't actually involved in the confrontation, so she 'slowed her roll', as the saying went on the streets.

"Urameshi, you shouldn't fight girls."

Cherile looked smug. "Kuwabara, are you just afraid of fighting girls, or does the memory of the last beating I gave you advise you to make Urameshi be cautious?" she queried, smirking.

"No. I just think it isn't right to fight girls."

"Kuwabara, besides being stupid, you're also very pathetic."

Urameshi began laughing. "Man, Kuwabara. Even Garrett thinks you're weak."

"Shut it, Urameshi!" Kuwabara growled, scowling. "Besides, I came to tell you something."

"What?"

The opportunity was too good, so Cherile took it. "Did you finally switch from diapers to training pants?"

Urameshi's laughter began anew.

"No, it isn't that either."

Cherile sighed. "Awww. I was so looking forward to saying 'You're a big kid now.'"

Urameshi was laughing so hard his face was turning red.

"What is it, then, Kuwabara?" Cherile queried.

"The students of Meiou Junior High are coming here."

Urameshi abruptly sobered. "Why?"

"Something about their school catching fire. No one knows how it started, but the place has been incinerated."

"Yeah. I heard about that!" Cherile said. "They said that the fire was so hot it could melt diamonds."

"Wait... Meiou... Kurama and Hiei go there!"

"Yeah."

"Don't they have pink uniforms there?"

"Yeah."

"Hiei... in a... pink... school uniform?" Urameshi gasped. "Now, that's comedy."

"I can picture Shorty right now."

Cherile was lost. "Who are Kurama and Hiei?"

"Oh. Kurama is Shuuichi Minamino's nickname. Hiei is Hiei Jaganshi, a new transfer student. I think he's Shuuichi's second cousin or something."

"I know Shuuichi Minamino. I competed against him in Quiz Bowl a couple of months ago. He's really good at Biology and mythology. I've never heard of this Jaganshi character, though."

Cheyenne, another Nisei, walked up. "Like, oh my God! You are, like, so out of it! You don't know who Hiei Jaganshi is? Well, I'll, like, tell you. He is, like, the hottest guy to, like, hit junior high since Shuuichi-kun. His beautiful black, spiked hair, that sexy white stripe, his dreamy red eyes... He is, like, a GOD!"

Her 'clique' all chorused, "Like, yeah!"

Cheyenne's voice went dreamy. "And he's, like, totally single."

Another chorus. "Yeah. Like, that, too."

Cheyenne suddenly remembered Cherile's presence. "And he will, like, definitely not choose you. One of us will, like, be his girlfriend. And Shuuichi-kun's, too."

"Like, hell yeah!" the other preps chorused, cheering.

"It's not like I even care," Cherile said, giving Cheyenne the middle finger.

"Like, ahh... loser!" Cheyenne gasped, obviously insulted.

"Yeah. Like, ahh... loser!" The clique followed Cheyenne.

"Man, preps scar me. They're too happy and...well... preppy! That's why Botan freaks me out."

"Same here, Urameshi. Same here," Kuwabara replied.

"So, back to our original subject. When do Hiei and Kurama arrive?" Urameshi queried.

"In a few minutes on that big pink thingy."

"You mean yellow, right?"

"No, pink. Don't be stupid."

"You mean their bus is pink?" Urameshi and Cherile queried, startled.

"No, their bus is yellow. Are you really that stupid?"

Cherile and Urameshi swapped a glance and drawled, "Riiiggghhttt."

Urameshi walked away and Kuwabara yelled, "Oi, chotto matte yo!" as he ran to catch up with the lithe punk.

"Gomen nasai, Yuusuke and Kazuma," Cherile whispered.

Once the back area was clear, Cherile used her odd powers to lift herself to the roof. She would observe from here.

x-x-x-x-

Hiei looked extremely pissed as they waited for the rest of the bus to file off.

"Hn. Kitsune, I'm going to kill you for making me do this."

Kurama smiled nervously. "Now, now, Hiei. It really isn't that bad."

Naturally, there was a crowd. Unfortunately, there were preps in the front. The two demons slowly exited the bus.

"WELCOME, SHUUICHI-KUN AND HIEI-KUN! WE, LIKE, LOVE YOU!!!!" screamed the Sarayashiki crowd, about fifty girls.

The Meiou preps growled.

A girl stepped forward. "Like, welcome to Sarayashiki, Shuuichi-kun and Hiei-kun. My name is Cheyenne."

Kurama barely managed to restrain the need to roll his eyes and Cheyenne's sugary voice and hopeful eyes. "Konnichiwa," he murmured, forcing a smile.

All of the preps sighed. "Awww.... Shuuichi-kun smiled."

"Hn. It's not like I even care," Hiei snapped, glaring.

A second round of sighs was followed by, "Awww... Hiei-kun glared."

Kurama did roll his eyes before stiffening, suddenly aware that something was not right here.

/Hiei, do you sense that? Such a strong ki and it isn't Yuusuke. I know Yuusuke's ki and this is almost more powerful./

It isn't reiki, kitsune, so it must be youki. I can't tell where it's coming from. Can you?

/No. Give me a few seconds.,/ Kurama said, looking around.

There was a beautiful girl standing on the edge of the roof. Long, blonde hair flowed in the wind up there. It almost looked white in the sunlight. Plus, there was a faint trace...

"Cheyenne-san, who is that girl?" he queried, pointing to the roof.

Cheyenne turned and, shielding her eyes, replied, "Like, don't mind her, Shuuichi-kun. She's, like, nothing."

"Who is she?" he repeated, a little more forceful this time.

"Her name is, like, Cherile Garrett. She's a Nisei." The distaste Cheyenne felt for Nisei children was obvious. But, how did a full-blood get a name like 'Cheyenne?'

Cherile jumped off of the roof, flipped, and landed gracefully beside Cheyenne. She hadn't hesitated in any of her movements, though the school was nearly four stories high.

"You're cruisin' for a bruisin', bitch," Cherile said, eyes narrowed dangerously. They glittered a cold violet.

/No mere human could have possibly done that. The motions, the grace... that was pure demon!/ Kurama gasped.

"Like, ahh... Rude much!" Cheyenne gasped.

Cherile's grin was frigid and mirthless. Then, she turned to him.

"If you ever want to make it to class, I'd advise following me. Otherwise, Cheyenne will have you signing autographs soon."

She turned away, obviously unconcerned as to their choice.

I think we should watch her closely, Hiei said.

/Let's go then,/ Kurama replied, smiling slightly.

"Excuse me, ladies. Hiei and I really must get to class," Kurama murmured, the crowd parting in front of Cherile like she had the Plague.

"Hn," Hiei grunted, following Kurama and Cherile.

"YOU SLUTS MADE HIM LEAVE! AND HIEI-KUN, TOO!!" the Meiou girls screamed angrily.

Cherile turned on the steps of the school to watch the crowd as the Sarayashiki preps yelled, "NO, YOU DID, YOU POSERS!!!"

Cherile looked at her watch and muttered, "Five... four... three... two... one!"

At one, she pointed to the crowd.

A fight broke out.

"So predictable that it's pathetic." Cherile shook her head and sighed. "Anyway, Minamino-san, do you remember the Quiz Bowl competition some three months ago?"

Kurama nodded, then knew why Cherile Garrett was familiar.

"You're the girl who said, 'There's a difference between a real bitch and an adolescent!' You, also, did the Biology and mythology categories." He smiled. "You were real competition. I was worried that I'd come in second."

"There was only a three-tenths of a point difference between us, remember?"

"Yes."

"Anyway, I'm Cherile Garrett, at your service. Someone tries to fuck with you, tell them Garrett's got your back. That should slow their roll."

"Huh?" Kurama and Hiei both queried.

"I said, if someone tries to start something, like picking a fight or something, just tell them that I've got your back. That should make them think twice. I have a reputation of picking fights and winning."

Oh, I'm definitely talking to Yuusuke about this girl, Kurama thought, smiling.

x-x-x-x-

Kira: Well, Chapter One was 14 pages written by hand and only 5 on Word. For some reason, I'm both insulted and happy.

Hiei: I'm going to kill you for making me wear that.

Kira: I told you I'd get revenge. And it only gets worse for you after this, Hiei-kun.

Kurama: Never, ever, ever make the authoress mad at you, because they make you pay. Especially if it's Kira-chan.

Kira: So true, so true. Pity Hiei-kun has to learn the hard way.