Someone planted the idea of Kurama and Cereza meeting again at a future time, so I took that suggestion and ran with it.
Working for his new step-father gave Kurama plenty of opportunity to travel as a liaison to new developing branches. Despite a lack of post-secondary education, he did his best to apply his intellect and advance the company whenever possible. Which is how he would find himself on the northeast coast of the United States. He spoke English better than most adults within his step-fathers company, and knew enough of the business to represent it well. So that was that.
He was walking through a park, reminiscing of home, later in the evening after a company meeting. There may have been different trees and different stone laid for the paths, but it was comparable enough that it brought him a sense of similarity and comfort. It was much larger than he'd expected; one could easily spend hours following it through one entrance and back again.
At the time it was all but deserted except for the natural wildlife, little critters moving from tree to tree away and around his direction. Most humans would be eating late dinner or readying for bed around this time, thus why he chose now to take his walk. It was more peacefully private this way. At least, that was his intent.
His walk deeper in to the park revealed a constant hum of energy in the air, something akin to the spirit energy of humans and demons. But not quite. Curious and on guard, Kurama pulled a seed from his hair and held it in a loose fist before continuing on down the path. There were no more small animals in the area, a fact that helped him consider the danger of what was further on. But he moved forward, cautious but determined to find the source of the strange energy.
He wasn't expecting the end to an invisible battle.
He quickly moved behind a tree as ricochets of something bounced off the solid surfaces around him. The hand holding his rose seed tightened, and he considered the use of it now. His senses stretched to try and identify who and what was here with him, but the hum had gone as soon as the battle finished. Thinking quickly, he jumped into the branches above and watched through the leaves for movement. There was something still there, he was certain of it, but he couldn't make it out…
A disk of runes appeared in the air and he had his answers. The lettered script was European and old, rippled with not-unfamiliar magic. And through it came the witch who made it.
Heavily armed and mostly certainly dangerous, she practically danced out of the portal into this realm and stopped long enough to unwrap a lollipop. He contemplated running, but knew she would give chase – predator and prey scenario. He could use the trees to try to disorient her, but it wouldn't likely buy him enough time.
Besides, she already cut him off from his options when she turned away and spoke.
"You know, I don't really care for peeping toms. I much prefer all my dealings face-to-face." She moved towards a garbage bin at the edge of the path, releasing the wrapper to float into it.
He dropped from his hiding place, recovering in an easy kneel as he considered the witch. As they were, he could probably escape from any battle, but not without causing a lot of damage to the area. But she radiated magic and demonic energy, a tell of her pact with some demon he did not immediately recognize.
When she turned around he caught the frown on her lips, consideration in her eyes. "You seem familiar. Have we met?"
Glad for the civil conversation over possible imminent violence, Kurama adopted a more relaxed stance, but still held the weapon seed in the event their talk turned ugly. While doing so he thought on the witch's words, and the fact that the old witches were supposed to be extinct.
"I can't say I'm familiar with your energy or that of your pact-demon…" But he stopped and thought as the wind passed through. It carried the scent of her perfume, floral, with a hint of her genuine scent.
She reflected his relaxed posture in her own way, carrying with it the attitude that things could change in a heartbeat. "My memory has been a bit foggy of late, but I thought it might have cleared up by now."
It was encouraging to see her guns had been lowered, posing no immediate threat. However as she paced forward he couldn't help the feeling of what he could only imagine past demons had felt in his presence. He was about to apologise and talk his way out of further company (it wasn't entirely unheard of for witches to kill demons if their pact demon had some history with them, and he didn't want to stay long enough to find out if hers knew him), but it suddenly clicked.
Her scent, aged, even under the perfume, was what he associated in his memory with the portal that he took out of Demon World as Youko Kurama. It was long since destroyed (he had to check years later with Hiei), but it was a prominent feature in his memory. And he only knew about because of one little girl.
He smiled disarmingly, and looked again at the woman before him. "Cereza, you're all grown up. I apologize, but you would remember me with a different face."
She blinked, but when she didn't try to shoot him he continued.
"My name's Shuichi Minamino, but you would know me better as Kurama."
Recognition settled on her, eyes widening a bit before narrowing with a smirk. "Kurama. I do remember you." She eyed him again, hands on her hips and making a small show of the gesture. "Well, if I'm 'all grown up', what's happened to you?"
"A long story, I'm afraid," he chuckled. "But it seems you have me in an awkward position. I must thank you for that meeting."
"Thank me?" She pushed her glasses up as she moved closer to him. "I don't suppose I will get any explanation for that?"
"We would be here a fair bit of time if I got into it," he said. "But I wouldn't be here in this body if it weren't for you, and the alternative is that I wouldn't be here at all." He let the implication of that hang in air, and let her figure out her unintentional hand in the events that led to his survival.
"I suppose that would have to do." She titled her head, likely sensing something beyond even his demonic ability through the realms. "Sorry, can't stay and chat anyway. It seems as if I have more business to attend to."
"I won't keep you. Take care, Cereza." He bowed politely as her arm carved another portal in the air beside her.
"Goodbye, Mr. Kurama." She winked as they parted ways.
