Foreword: Uhh… Here's Chapter 2. Enjoy, folks.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Yu Yu Hakusho, though I do own the storyline, and any original content… unless otherwise stated. Or something like that.
Special Thanks To: Bryan, again… He's been proofreading for you guys! He checks my crap as soon as I pump it out, so he gets to fix whatever errors I make… which is very few, I'm proud to say, haha.
"I trust that breakfast was satisfactory…" Kurama walked at a steady, even pace, inhaling and exhaling quietly, also to an unknown, even beat. He walked alongside of Botan, coolly regarding the lively reaper, noting the bounce in her step. She had also somehow changed her clothes in fractions of a second, as he watched her pink kimono give way to a simple, blue school uniform.
"It was wonderful! Thanks, Kurama! It was a blast meeting your mother… She sure had some tales about you, hehe…" She paused and stifled a giggle, before grinning widely, and saying, "Oh, I can imagine how cute you must have been as a child!"
Kurama simply glanced at her sideways and raised an eyebrow, staring deeply into her eyes with his own jade colored saucers. He made no sound, but simply walked along with Botan. His face was its usual stoic, neutral self, with no outward emotion displayed.
Feeling nervous from his piercing stare, the blue haired ferry girl quickly amended her statement, "Er… Not that you're not cute now! I mean - Well!" Botan blushed brightly, and shut her mouth quickly, quiet for a moment. "Well… before I embarrass myself any further, I'm just gonna shut up about that." To relieve the falsely perceived tension, Botan let out a nervous laugh.
"No need to worry, Botan… I understand what you are attempting to say…" They walked along for a few minutes, a comfortable silence enveloping both of them, before Kurama interrupted it with speech. "You seem to be able to cheer up even the most somber of people…" Shrugging, Kurama continued for a while, pensively lost in his thoughts. "Although… I would imagine that such a skill would be needed in your profession… I can't imagine that everybody would be ready to pass to the next life."
"Oh boy, you know it! I even had to deal with Yusuke…" She shook her head and sighed, "That was a big, old headache from the get-go…" Botan, though she walked alongside Kurama, continually snuck as many glances at the young man as possible. It was simply something that she had grown used to doing. Heartily giggling, the young girl spread her infectious seeds of joviality, and said, "But then again, it was such a joy to tease him… Heheh, such a stubborn child he is."
"I can imagine that it would be quite a pain…" A faint wisp of a smile cracked on his face, as he observed Botan, and her bubbly demeanor. 'I… enjoy when she laughs… It is like a ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak and boring world…' As they approached his school, Kurama dismissed the ambiguous looks that he was getting from his schoolmates. It was most likely due to Botan's presence, as Kurama usually walked to school alone, and also their looks may have been directed towards Botan's uniform. They were certainly surprised that he was seen walking with a girl his own age.
Botan, as was becoming a pattern, was completely oblivious to the stares of the rest of the people around her. As realization dawned on her, the smile broke from her face, and she cried, "Oh! Before I forget, Koenma wanted to see you… He really needs your help, Kurama… From what I could gather, some extremely important artifact has been stolen… I know, it's usually a job for Yusuke, but Koenma thinks you're more suited to the job… given your… you know, backgrounds."
"Hmm… I see… What… artifact was stolen?" Kurama was probing… He always did it when there was something important involved. He was trying to find out what his mission was all about, so as to be better prepared.
"I honestly don't know. I was just told to give you that message… I may have gotten a little sidetracked, but at least I did give it to you! I don't know anything else about the mission at this point…"
"I see… Thank you, Botan." He bowed slightly, and then said, "I appreciate your willingness to walk to school with me, however, I must be going to class now." He stood up straight again, and slyly winked at her, his emerald eyes gaining a golden color. His features seemed to change ever so slightly, as Botan caught another glance at Kurama's true form.
Botan looked around and made sure nobody was close enough to listen to them, and leaned towards the young man, quietly saying, "Kurama… did…did you just let Yoko come out for a second?"
Once again, the confusion in his eyes betrayed his true emotions, though his face, as always, held an impartial expression. "No… Is there something wrong?"
"Well, you winked at me… and your eyes sorta changed a bit… You know, golden." Shrugging, she released a charming smile, followed by a melodious bout of laughter. "Oh, look at me, worrying about every tiny thing. I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about, Kurama."
"Perhaps you're right…" He wasn't satisfied with that answer… Though he admired Botan's ability to laugh and smile in almost every situation, he couldn't let that distract him from this one. His naturally reclusive and introspective nature kicked in, and his mind began working full force.
"K-" The ferry girl mentally kicked herself in the backside as hard as possible, and quickly finished her sentence, omitting Kurama's demon name, instead covering her tracks. "Call me later, okay Shuichi? You won't forget about our plans, right?" That was close… But she somehow managed to twist her words into a slightly encoded message, meant for Kurama alone.
"Of course I will, Botan… I will call right after school." He turned and waved to the spirit liaison over his shoulder, and mane of red hair. Of course, being Kurama, he managed to make it a perfectly picturesque scene, worthy of even the most expensive of photographers.
Botan would've loved to hug him at that moment. Given the chance, she would've sped right to him, and dove on Kurama… but then again, there was always his stoic disposition. Even if Botan had done it, Kurama would simply stand like a statue, stare down at her with a completely disinterested look on his face, then say something excusing himself from her grasp. Frowning inwardly, Botan thought, 'He's such a private person… he doesn't let anybody know much about him, does he? I don't think he'd be comfortable with such a public sort of display… Especially not with me wrapped around him, heheh… Ooh, if it would only happen… But it's too good to be true.'
And so, Kurama just walked away from Botan, heading towards the entrance to his school building. Inwardly, Kurama was mulling over the slight take-over by his alter-ego. 'Hm… He should not be able to do something like that… especially not without me noticing.' As his usual slew of suitors attacked him, Kurama simply put on a fake smile and did his best to avoid them as politely as possible.
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"Oh! Well 'ey there, lassy! I saw ye gettin' all cozy-like wi' the fox lad." Winking, Jin seemed to dance around the blue haired ferry girl, with little zephyrs following his every move. "I'd be willin' te wager tha' ye've got a wee bit of a fancy for good ol' Kurama."
"Bingo!" Botan said cheerily. After a few seconds, and she processed what she said, her cheeks flushed, and she muttered, "Oop! Silly me! It's gotten to be a reflex."
Jin just stared at Botan like she was a nutcase. 'She's gone batty! Somebody musta lef' 'er already scattered brain completely banjaxed!'
"Um… I'm going to just be on my way now, Jin." Botan seized his dazed state for an opportunity to escape his constant and quite annoying prying. The girl straightened out her pleated skirt, and quickened her pace. Since it was school hours, most people were either in school or working, and the streets were basically empty, allowing Jin to float, as long as he wasn't too obvious about it.
"Wh-hey! Don't be thinkin' ye can jus' skip ou' on ol' Jin!" He floated towards Botan, and circled around her playfully, his clothes fluttering in his self-generated wind.
'Oh God… He's a little tougher to get rid of than I figured…' Smiling evilly inside, Botan though, 'Of course I could always just hit him over the head with my oar… That tends to work out pretty well…' She faced Jin and smiled as sweetly as possible. Ever so subtly, she prepared to materialize her oar.
Jin grinned wickedly and circled around her one full time. "Well, wit' a smile like tha', I'm sure ye could make even th' fox-laddie fall in love wit' ye… Although, he migh' be a bi' scared… Like I am. When ye smile like that at me, ye'r pro'lly gonna nail me upside the noggin wit' tha' rowin' paddly oar yoke."
Botan folded her arms, frustrated, and exasperatedly said, "You don't give up, do you, Jin? Unlike you, I have a very important job, so I must be going." The ferry girl turned away and blushed. 'Kurama… If my smile could get to him, it should have already done it… Maybe it's just not meant to be…' The girl shook her head, tossing out all her bad thoughts and only thought positively, bringing a large smile to her face. 'But he is my friend!'
Jin slung an arm over her shoulder and his pointy ears quivered, "Ye'r a tough lassie to get down, ye know that? I sorta be likin' that about ye'. Aye, it's nice to be havin' friends these days!" Jin was positively beaming… Hard to believe such a tiny thing could affect him so.
"W-Well Jin… I um… Of course, it's nice to have friends." Though she smiled, she was inwardly seriously worried about Jin's mental health. 'Jeez, he's weird…'
"Now c'mere till I tell ye…" Jin let go of Botan and zoomed around her vigorously, obviously worked up about something.
Trying to be as nice as possible, Botan settled on saying, "Uhh… What?" Although, the expression on her face was less than polite, as she seemed utterly overwhelmed by confusion.
"Ah, what is it ye human folk say… Eh, just lis'n up, lassie!" He glanced around as if somebody would hear him, and then leaned closer to her. "I be thinkin' ye have quite a shot wit' good ol' Kurama! Hey hey hey! Jus' wait a sec, before ye go wallopin' me poor delicate head with yon oar there… Seriously though… Jus' take me advice, an' hang arou' him as much as ye can… I think he'll notice ye right fast."
Botan rolled her eyes and kept on walking, "While I appreciate the help, no thank you. Besides! I never even said I thought of Kurama like that…" Making a very convincing face, she laughed as she said, "We're just friends, silly."
Jin watched her walk off, and smiled wryly, "Nice actin' but it wan'nt good 'nough… Not 'nough to fool ol' Jin! Ha! Ye migh' as well just lemme read ye'r thoughts and say, 'Do whatever ye want with'm, Jin!' Haha! Do whatever ye want with'm!"
He turned around and strolled down the street whistling a breezy tune. 'Oh man, Botan's ma' abou' Kurama… And tha' guy's like a rock. Ye jus' can't get any emotions outta the man… I mean, ye can be introspec-whatever ye call the word, but Fox lad is jus' a bit too quie'…'
"AH!" Jin produced the folder he had received from Koenma, and said, "Forgot all about this little thin'… "
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Kurama remained perfectly still as droves of girls complimented him, and mentioned his change of outfit. Suddenly, people decided that white, rather than magenta, brought out the color of his eyes and hair… He leaned against the window, completely bored out of his mind. As always, the teacher was blabbering on about math, not even paying attention to the students trying to get Kurama's attention. 'Hmm… I wonder what Botan's mission is…'
'Thinking about her again, are you?'
Kurama's face tightened a bit, and he frowned a little, and replied to his alter ego, Yoko Kurama. 'Quiet… I don't see why you are bothering me. I also do not ever want you to take control of my body, as you did earlier.'
'You think you can talk to me like that? You're just yelling at yourself, do you know that, right Shuichi?' Yoko spat out his human name as though it left a bad taste in his mouth.
'I need to get out of here… I can't be here… I can't have Yoko showing up like this…' Kurama raised his hand, and quietly said, "May I be excused, Mr. Ayura? I would like to use the restroom." With that said, Kurama quickly escaped the room, and entered the bathroom, down the hall. He entered, and locked the room behind him. 'Yoko… I do not know why you are able to take control of me, but I will not allow it…'
Kurama felt as though Yoko was grinning at him. He glanced around, and spied a mirror, seeing his pale face, and green eyes staring back at him. However, his eyes felt the odd urge to blink continuously. With each flit of the eyelid, he felt as though something in his reflection was changing, until he finally noticed the pale golden irises staring back at him. His red tresses of hair were still hanging over his shoulders, but the eyes of Yoko Kurama stared wildly at Shuichi.
'I'm not even trying, Shuichi… I just want to come out and play for a little while… I promise I won't steal much… Just maybe that ferry girl you think so highly of…'
Grunting with the exertion of trying to hold back his former self, Kurama stared at his hand, and watched as it transformed into Yoko's. "No!" he shouted, despite being at school. Falling to his knees, Kurama's forehead ground against the tiled floor, and he could feel that Yoko was taking control faster and faster. Clutching at his face, he saw his fiery locks of slightly curling hair fall limp, and become pure silver in color.
He crawled to the sink, and pulled himself up, staring into the cold, menacing face of Yoko Kurama. "Remember, Shuichi… We may act differently, but we're really the same person…"
Struggling to regain control, Kurama punched the mirror as hard as he could, his body reverting back to his human form as the glass shattered and the shards scattered all around. Breathing heavily, he tried his best to compose himself. "I know that… I know that very well… I just fail to see what that fact has to do with anything…" He carefully put himself in order, and unlocked the bathroom door, returning to class.
Anybody with half of a brain could tell that Kurama was troubled by something… Thankfully, nobody at his school had half of a brain, so he was off the hook this time. He returned to his seat, and leaned his head against the window again, his face visibly paler, obviously shaken by his experience in the bathroom.
A knock on the window jolted Kurama from his seat, and he turned his head, glancing through the glass portal. With a massive grin plastered on his face, Jin's horned head, and mop of red hair, fluttered about in the wind, as he levitated in front of the window. Spinning around in the air a tiny bit, Jin waved, as though Kurama hadn't already noticed him.
'How could this day get any worse…?'
Author's Notes: Banjaxed means Broken, if you were talking to somebody in Ireland. Yeah, um… Not much to say here. I hope that I've managed to capture all of the characters accurately, and they're not incredibly stupid sounding… I REALLY appreciate any reviews that have been left, and I just want to thank you all. Leave me a review maybe?
