Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, only my characters and plot.

}}}Chapter Two: If You Don't Know, It Won't Hurt You{{{

I'm not easily angered.

My sister doesn't anger easily.

If my sister had a significant other, it would be herself. Dad and I agree she's her own biggest rival.

I'm angry at being angry…It always makes me angry.

"…and then the son of—"

"Hey." Azura interrupted icily, and inclined her head into the adjacent room. "Keep your voice down."

The three of them paused and glanced into the sitting room. Shiori Minamino had been lounging on the couch with a blanket draped over her, courtesy of Shuichi. The television was low (so it wouldn't bother Shuichi and his friends), but that also meant that Ivory had to keep her little "story" PG. Shuichi's mother didn't snore so it was difficult for Ivory to gauge whether or not the woman was actually asleep. Usually, Ivory was pretty spot on though: "a gift of thieves" Shuichi liked to call it. And this, of course, to Ivory translated to "if life doesn't work out for you…you could be a criminal." Ivory cackled. Cue the trade mark genteel smiley face.

"She's asleep, Z. Relax."

"Actually," Shuichi began, talking in that careful way of his, "it would be nice if you could keep the expletives to a minimum. I'd hate 'bitch' to be the first word my mother hears when she awakes."

"Fine." Ivory sighed. For the few times Ivory met the woman she'd always liked her. Shiori was sweet and thoughtful, more than anyone could ever really deserve. When Shiori had been released from the hospital, Ivory and Azura had made it their business to drop by. They even brought by her favorite flowers and tea. "So anyway, this s.o.b. goes crazy and starts scampering all over our house, scratching up the floors—he had Z over here in a vice-grip. He snatched up his metal do-hicky, and left…did I mention…he was also mostly naked?"

Shuichi blinked, at a loss for words for once in his life. "The raccoon? Why would it matter if he were naked?"

Azura burst out laughing.

Ivory's lips twitched, "Don't laugh, Z. It's not funny…" she turned to Shuichi with her serious face despite the urge to start laughing herself creeping into her stomach. "We were really scared."

"You didn't try to lure it outside? Or put it in a cage?" He asked earnestly, in a way that almost made Ivory regret everything she just said..almost.

"Well, he was hurt." Ivory said, "And you know how Z gets. She wants to save every little creature she so happens to stumble upon. It's not a good thing."
"I thought he'd appreciate it." Azura crossed her arms, the hilarity forgotten. She dropped her gaze to the kitchen floor.

"Yes, well, raccoons aren't dogs…you can't just take them in like they're domesticated or something. He was clearly wild—I mean he had a knife." Ivory tapped the table for emphasis, "That's like letting an ex-con into your house. It's not okay."
"Okay, I get it." Azura replied, her voice getting dangerously low, a warning to those who know her to back off. And so, naturally, Ivory didn't.

"Do you? Because that's what you said last time—"

"Shuichi," Azura interrupted her sister and turned to the boy, the harshness in her tone gone, "Do you think what I did was stupid?"

"Well…" he looked uneasily between the two sisters' gazes, one pair of fierce, righteous magenta eyes and a pair of soft, imploring magenta orbs. He put his hands up, "I'm not sure if I'm the right person to ask—"

"Sure you are," Ivory insisted, reaching over the table to grab his shoulder, "You're a genius."

Shuichi blushed, "No…I wouldn't say—"

"Of course you are." Azura said, touching his other shoulder to grab his attention, "you're brilliant, Shuichi."

"Perhaps in biology, but that hardly qualifies me—"

"Oh, it does. Biology—Zoology—Racoons? Same thing." Ivory shifted her hands like she was weighing two options that happened to balance out.

Shuichi made a face, "I don't think that logic follows—"

"Will you stop interrupting him?" Azura said. "Go on, Shuichi. Who do you agree with?"

Shuichi scrunched up his face in concentration, taking the famous "Tinker" pose. "If I'm being honest, what you did was extremely kind—

Azura winked at Ivory who, in turn, rolled her eyes.

"—however, it was also potentially dangerous. What if it had been rabid? Ivory is right to worry. I must urge caution in the future. It will be your ally."

"Ha! Caution's your ally, Sis."

"You know he was talking to you too, Ive." Azura said with a small smile, "whose idea was it to investigate a raccoon falling from the sky? Who thought it was insane?" Azura pointed to her sister and then herself respectively.

Ivory shrugged like this little tidbit was less than immaterial, "We didn't know it was a raccoon at first."

"Does that truly matter…if it fell from the sky…with no clear reason as to why it was up there to begin with?" Azura replied, undoubtedly dumbfounded and exasperated to be even having this conversation.

Ivory leaned back comfortably in her chair, as if her posture was enough of an answer.

"The two of you have quite the curious adventures." Shuichi remarked, chuckling. "You attract the strangest phenomena."

Azura and Ivory held each others' gaze a breath for abruptly looking away.

"About as much as any normal person," Azura said playing with her right earring.

"About as much as you, Shuichi." Ivory added, taking her sip of coffee, not missing the way Shuichi suddenly stiffened. She stuck out her tongue. "Ah! It's cold! Can I get some more, please?"

Azura picked up her own cup and eyed him over the rim, "Are you feeling okay, Shuichi?"

After a pause, he shook his head, "Of course. Would you like more as well, Azura?"

She shook her head, "Thank you though."

The moment he stood up and turned his back, Azura shot her sister a warning glare which caused Ivory to put her hands up to as if saying, "Okay, okay. Calm down."

"I'm glad you two came by. My mother was quite ecstatic to see you, despite being asleep the majority of the time." Shuichi turned around and placed the fresh cup in front of Ivory. "She claims I don't have enough friends."

"You?" Ivory snorted, "Everyone—

"Except maybe Kaito," Azura laughed.

"Yeah, not Kaito. " Ivory agreed, "but everyone else? They'd kill to even step foot in your house. You can have as many friends as you want…any time you want. You should tell her, I bet it'd make her happy."

"I'll consider it." Shuichi looked embarrassed by Ivory's proclamation. "I don't like to be too far away from her if I can help it."

"That's understandable, especially since she's recovering so well." Azura peeked into the other room, "It's good to see her healthy again, she's practically glowing."

"I'd almost say…it was magic." Ivory eyed Shuichi's body closely for any more visceral reactions, but he gave none. Oh, well, It was fun while it lasted.

The two ignored her and so Ivory leaned back in her chair, as Shuichi and Azura watched Shiori, wearing equal expressions of fondness. Ivory took another sip, thinking back to her own mother…

Ivory abruptly cleared her throat. "We should get back, Z."

Azura took her sister in before standing to her feet, understanding falling over her expression, "Of course."

"All that's left is the writing portion right?" Ivory started stretching. "All three of us can create a draft and we'll compare ideas later."

"Splendid idea. I'll email you my draft tonight, forgive me but I've already completed it." Shuichi said sheepishly.

Ivory wrinkled her nose. "Of course you did, why wouldn't you?"

Azura giggled. "We appreciate your time Shuichi. Don't take anything my sister says to heart."

Shuichi flashed Ivory a sweet smile, "Oh, I've learned."

"Hey!" Ivory crossed her arms, pushing her nose up into the air.

"Oh don't be a baby," Azura pulled on Ivory's cheeks to force her mouth into a smile.

Ivory relented, allowing Azura to pull her face this way and that until Shuichi chuckled himself silly.

"Here, I'll walk you out."

"Yeah, yeah." Ivory folded her arms behind her head as they stepped out of the front door. A breeze picked up around her and she stiffened. She inclined her head in the direction of the closest tree. She could feel something heavy there…something watchful. "You should get back inside. I hear the freaks come out around this time." The sun was dropping low, streaming the sky with yellow, pink and violet shades. Ivory knew it was breath taking because Azura had fallen silent, her head tilted toward the sky, seemingly unaware of the presence watching them.

"Believe me; I have no further plans for tonight." Shuichi said, amused by her turn of phrase.

Ivory nodded, and threw her hand over her shoulder. "Well Bye."

Azura waved her hand, "Good night. See you at school."

As the two of them turned the corner and disappeared out of sight, Shuichi looked in the direction of the tree, his jovial expression twisting into one of pure amusement. "Are you going to stay up there all night Hiei, or are you going to come in?"

Silent, Hiei dropped from the tree and started forward, "Acquaintances of yours, Kurama?"

Ever curious, Kurama considered the fire demon, "Classmates…why do you ask?"

Knowing full well what Kurama was trying to goad him into, Hiei immediately went on the defensive, "Does it matter?"

"You normally don't show much interest in any human company. It's just surprising now that you would even acknowledge them, that's all."

Hiei declined to speak. Kurama opened his door, and gestured for the demon to come in side. Little did he know that Kurama knew what his silence trully meant. Kurama had gotten exactly what he needed and he didn't even need to push him.

"How's your mother?" Hiei asked as the two of them settled down into the sitting room, Hiei perched on the nearest window sil. Kurama had picked Shiori up and had taken her upstairs to sleep. Kurama knew that Hiei was quite indifferent to his human mother, but he was glad he asked. Whether or not, Hiei chose to admit it, the demon had become kinder since his stint in Human World, much like Kurama had.

"She's doing quite well, thank you." Kurama smiled, crossing his legs, "I have Yusuke to thank for that. I owe him a great debt."

"I owe him something too." Hiei said darkly, his mouth twisting into a malicious smile.

Kurama chuckled, I wonder…do you mean that Hiei? "Naturally."

"So," Kurama began again, readying himself to pull more information out of his black haired counterpart. "What brings you here, Hiei? I can't imagine it being love for my mother, although she is quite impossible not to love."

Hiei scoffed, "Save your sentimentality for someone who cares."

"Then why?"

Hiei turned from the window, and glanced over his shoulder, "How do you know them?"

Ah, Hiei was being vague on purpose. You'll have to work harder than that I'm afraid. "Them?"

"Don't be daft, Fox. You know very well whom I'm referring to," Hiei said icily, wearing a clearly irked expression. "The girls."

Kurama sighed, "Right, well, as I said before they're my classmates. Quite accomplished too I might add, in music and art…literature…American television…" Kurama smiled playfully, enjoying the way the irritation was just rolling off of Hiei in waves.

"Don't be clever, Fox."

Sighing, Kurama relented, "I met them a year ago, before that they had spent a great deal of time in America—were probably born there I'd wager. Their father moves around a great deal for his work but this is the first time they've spent so long in one place. They keep me on my toes. For humans…they also seem to attract the strangest of phenomena."

"Oh? Hmph." Hiei smirked, "It seems I know something you don't, Kurama."

Kurama lost his smile, "What do you mean?"

"I think I'll keep this information to myself."

"Hiei."

Hiei threw his head back and chuckled, "I can tell it kills you. I understand why you enjoying being intellectually superior to everyone, its invigorating knowing things other people don't."

"What do you know, Hiei?" the ice in Kurama's tone was not lost on Hiei.

The fire demon glanced over at Kurama, "Not more than you do, in fact, I know even less. But I do know one thing—the reason you've unknowingly let them in so close to you."

Kurama narrowed his eyes at the truth of this statement. He had let them close, let them both meet and adore his mother. It wasn't something he often did, he was too careful for that. Living the life he used to, it's hard to trust anyone. But somehow…had he allowed himself to allow them closer despite his instincts urging him to keep them at bay? Despite the blatant lie they unabashedly revealed to him? Were Hiei's words true?
"You're usually more careful, Kurama, but you were curious about them—"

"As are you." He tried to turn the conversation around. He hated not being in control (let alone in a conversation). Shuichi could afford that negligence. Kurama could not.

"It's made you blind."

"Blind, you say? How so?"

"You can't tell?" Hiei grinned, the look spread across his features leaving him more self-satisfied than usual. "Those acquaintances of yours…they aren't human."

"This is perfect." Ivory aimed a kick at a nearby food can, the force of which knocked it into to wall and into the nearby dumpster. Despite the beauty of this shot, Ivory was much too irritated to enjoy it. "Just great."

She pulled up the sleeve of her red school uniform and scrunched her nose up at the face of her watch. The girl was a half an hour late! Didn't she have a watch? Or was like time not a factor to those people? Either way…this was a complete waste of her time. With one final huff, Ivory strode out of the alley and into the afternoon sun. Her left ear twitched with the sound of sudden footsteps, hurried, sloppy, human. With a roll of her eyes, she kept walking.

The streets were mildly busy, but nothing like the noisy streets of New York or even Los Angeles for that matter or even London…no, nowhere close to London. Winchester was a lot slower though, sleepier. The people there sort of meandered with no real rhyme or reason. The people in England liked to complain about the weather, but Ivory had always found it enjoyable. It was impossible not to with Azura around.

There wasn't a cloud in this world that wouldn't break if she asked it to. She could imagine her sister by their window now, staring at the sky, wishing for rain but having the good sense to know that no one else but her wanted it. Ivory could picture her frowning at her ethical dilemma before raising her eyes to the sky (tempted), only to lower them again. She also pictured her sister's gaze wandering away from the window, perhaps to the darkest corner of the room and seeing red there…

"Nah!" Ivory stretched her arms, and smiled to herself, "I'm being way too paranoid for my own good…but still…" That Shuichi's a good-looking guy, maybe next time I'll mention him and see what I get.
Ivory crossed the street and walked passed two store fronts before stepping into a dead end. The four sloth footed stalkers soon followed after her. She spun on her heel and allowed them to all gather around her in a circle. Crossing her arms, she took in their uniforms, "Meiou."

"That's different." She mused as her long, white pigtails fluttered in the wind on either side of her. Besides making the scene more dramatic, the breeze also brought with it a smell…a smell that was distinctly demon. Ivory smiled toward the heavens, "Perhaps today won't be such a waste after all."

The stalkers were boys save for one girl with short, light brown pigtails. Ivory recognized this girl because she distinctly remembered the girl hating her and loving Azura. It had something to do with Shuichi. Apparently, she didn't appreciate her being so familiar with the boy genius. The girl told Ivory to back off which only made Ivory walk away laughing so loudly the teachers peeked out of their doors. Ivory, of course, found this out second hand. She had all but forgotten about it. Azura had told her about it, after she had the chance to stop laughing. The other three…she couldn't place them, but, to be fair, unlike Azura and Shuichi she didn't make it her business to learn too many peoples' names or faces. The kids at their school bled together, none of them quite catching her eye the way Shuichi or even Kaito did. These four were the same.

Ivory probably wouldn't forget their faces after this encounter. Their expressions were foul things—crazed even—morphed. Their eyes were red and their once youthful complexions were greyed and drawn against their bones. Directly in front of Ivory, the girl stood, a bug sticking out of the collar of her shirt.

"Damn." Ivory swallowed, suddenly wishing she did know these kids' names, maybe if she did she could talk the demons out of them. The thought made her chuckle, but in a moment she was serious again.

All at once, the four lunged. Ivory stepped forward delivered a quick jab to the girl's sternum, an elbow to the one on right and left, and as she spun around she gave the last guy a quick palm to the face. They all went down in unison.

With the four knocked out cold, the insects began to creep out of them. Each had a bug the size of her palm. Ivory shivered, her skin practically rolling with revulsion. She retched up nothing but air, and shook her head spastically. "Gross!" With a flick of her wrist, she diced the malicious creatures to pieces and for good measure she mushed them into nothing. Taking care not to dirty her skirt, Ivory kneeled beside the bodies. "Now…what to do with you guys…"

With her arms crossed, and a quick glance at her watch, she waited for the ambulance leave. Ivory decided to stay with the four students until help arrived and then she quickly scaled the building and kept watch on the roof.

She could feel the energy in the city changing—shifting. Another day and the city would be crawling with these things…but where were they coming from? Ivory supposed she and Azura could sniff them out, find a portal to Demon World, but she doubted Lord Fussy Britches would like that. They were supposed to be keeping their noses down, that was part of their little arrangement. She would need to find out soon though, she may not have been Azura but she shared her sister's care for the preyed upon. And right now, that was everyone in this city—her city. Oh, someone knew about this, and she knew just the person to ask.

She reached into her bag and pulled out her pocket communicator. "Hey, Jorge! I miss you too… Don't you owe me a favor?"

Author's Note: I intended it to be longer but I won't be able to write for a few days, so I decided to go ahead and post this.