After Haruko had left my house that night, I had changed into my old fighting kimono. It wasn't traditional, but then again neither was I. The kimono looked much like a short kimono (only coming down to mid-thigh) with large cuffs that engulfed my hands. It was elegant, yet sleek; functional, yet stylish. Quickly strapping on my weapons and leaving my feet bare, I jumped out the window onto the grass and then to the park where I dashed immediately to the forest. Letting part of my demonic side take over, the run was short although long in distance. I knew that soon my presence wasn't going to go unnoticed for long; and I was correct.
A small, measly demon wondered sheepishly into Koenmas office with trembling limbs.
"My ogres tell me that you have seen someone that I have been looking for. Who?"
Quietly the demon responded in a tumble of spilled out words.
"Howaido Desu, my lord. She has returned, and already taken her first victim. The rich over-lord that ruled our lands and held us as prisoners. 'You're free now.' She said atop his castle. 'No one will ever control you again. One of my familiars will watch over you - to protect you ageist the evil that corrupted you.'" The green skinned demon trembled more while Koenma stayed calm.
"How long ago did she do this?"
"About three weeks my lord." The lord knitted his fingers together along with his brow.
"Thank you. You may leave." And quickly the trembling demon left. "So you have decided to show your face again," he pushed a button on the intercom on his desk, "Botan, inform Yusuke and the others that he has a new mission getting Howaido Desu, and tell Haruko..." he paused, trying to find the words in his voice, "tell Haruko that his friend is out of his hands and that I am sending my detectives after her." "Yes sir!" She said happily, before she beeped out. Heavily sighing, Koenma put his head into his hands gently.
"Tomi!" I called into the air, and a small laughter followed after it - a childish laughter. Smiling I followed after it and found a little girl sitting high up in a tree. Long fangs hung slightly over her thin lips as they curled up in an ear-to-ear grin.
"You've gotten slower, ane."
I couldn't help but grin too, my tiny fangs glistening in the sparkling sunlight.
"To much time in the human world has impaired me."
"You still look like one." Giggling she jumped into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck in a long hug.
"It's good to see you again Rena."
"And to you, gumai." I said, hugging her back. In my time of hardship, I found her all alone. She helped me more than she would be able to know. "So my little saber," she giggled at her English name, "lets see how you've been running things around here." Happily she skipped into the deep part of the forest and to a small village inside the thickest part of the forest. Due to my over-protectiveness, before I went I had installed traps that would kill anything that wasn't of cat blood, and I quietly reminded myself of where they were and what they were as she lead me along. Tomis' dazzling melted gold eyes danced eagerly as she lead me to the heart of the town. "Tomi," whispered I, "I don't want anyone to know that I'm back." Some of the eagerness in her eyes faded, but she nodded her head and took me by the hand to where she lived with her adoptive mother.
"Honey, would you please-" Her green eyed mother stopped, looking down at me with her daughters hand in mine. "Who is this sweety?" She asked, and I could feel the anxiety resonate off of her as her brown tail twitched lightly.
"This is one of my friends. She helped ane save me from the evils of the forest." Smiling brightly, I saw her mother become slightly convinced and I had to chuckle to myself. She has the right stuff already to become one of Koenmas' spies. What an honer for someone so young as herself. An invisible smile creased my lips as I watched as she happily helped her mother in the kitchen.
"I'm sorry," I apologized, "I'm not entire sure why she brought me here, but I'm sure I won't burden you any longer." I bowed and soundlessly walked out with my bare feet, and then snuck over to my small house where I slowly walked about the house. Lightly my fingers ran over the battered walls and the dim light caught the twinkle of my teeth. "It's good to be back."
Yusuke stumbled over a large up turned root in the thickening forest.
"Man," he complained, "what is with this forest?" Kurama thoughtfully looked around, ducking under yet another low hanging branch.
"It feels as though the forest is alive, and it is trying to be rid of us. Yusuke, don't!" He tried to worn his friend, but it was to late. The boys brown eyes sparkled mischievously as he pulled down a large purple fruit that resembled an apple. Although, as he went to go take a bite of it a seam appeared along it, then a set of teeth and a mouth that opened wide - hoping to devour his face. Crying out and throwing the fruit back - only to have it chase after him, nipping at his heals.
"Kurama do something!" He said dodging the trees as he went; Kuwabara was laughing hysterically at him, throwing him taunts, when several of the same fruit dropped down and started biting at him. With a heavy sigh the red haired man took a single red rose out from his hair, but before he could do anything with it, the fruits were suddenly cut in half - as if by magic. "Phew, thanks." Yusuke said, walking up to his friend.
"Yusuke, I didn't do that, and I don't believe Hiei did either."
"We're not alone."
The eyes of the fire demon scanned the trees, only to find nothing.
"I can't feel anyone else here. The shrimp must have done it and is just trying to freak us out!" Kuwabara concluded, balling his fists up at him.
"If I had cut the fruit," he said simply, "my blade would have the same substance on it." Taking his perfectly clean weapon out of its sheath by his side, the boys noticed that there was in fact a lively green goo leaking out from the mutant fruit.
"Skin Eaters." A womans voice rang through the trees as they seamed to part ways to let her through when she soundlessly and carefully stepped over the fruit and their ooze. Hiei went to a defensive pose, while the others were tense. She did not step into the sunlight though, so her body and face were unknown to them. "They kill and eat the flesh of anyone who intrudes into my forest."
"Listen, lady, we don't want any trouble we just need to find someone." Yusuke said, trying to reason with her. She looked sharply at him.
"I may be worth something in this trip. Who may you be looking for?"
"Howaido Desu." Even in the dim light they boys could see her body tense ever so slightly.
"Why would you be looking for her? She hasn't been in the Demon Realm in almost 20 years."
"We have reason to believe that she has returned." Kurama stepped in.
"She may have, but as far as I know she's still gone." Nodding knowingly, the fox demon stealthily hurried his companions away. "Thank you for your time." He said, in which she responded with,
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of any more assistance to you." Quickly hurrying away, he lead them to a small clearing in the dense growth.
"Kurama, what was that for?" Kuwabara asked, and Hiei agreed.
"Yes, why did you pull us away from her? I believe that she knew more than she was letting on."
"Because," the wisest of them said, "I agreed with Hiei that she knew more than she was saying, so I planted a tracking seed on her when she was preoccupied with Yusuke."
Yusuke laughed.
"Well, she should be on the move now, we had better not get to far behind her." And he ran off in the direction they had come from, only to stand in shock at the ground. A sharp branch stuck out of the ground with a long piece of white cloth tied to the extended end. Hiei carefully bent over and took off the cloth, giving Kurama the small parcel that was in it, and read what the cloth - larger than expected - said.
"'Nice try, but you're going to have to do better than that. I can tell I'm going to like you guys so lets make this a game. Find the tree that bleeds sweet blood in the center of a forest of knowledge trees. I will be waiting there, to give you your next clue.' It's written in blood. This girl just wants us to be her pawns." Kurama smiled lightly, looking down at his tracking seed.
"Yes, but if we play then the prize for winning might be bigger than the charge for the game."
Kuwabara looked oddly at him.
"Will that made no sense." The boy ruffled his orange hair, trying to figure it out.
"Kurama, you're the plant person. Know what the note means?"
"I believe that that the note is referring to a Maple tree in an apple orchard."
"Alright! Then lets start looking!" Yusuke said excitedly, taking off in some direction, only to get his foot stuck in a wire trap so he hung upside down from a thick branch of a tree.
Quietly I waited for them in a tall tree nearby where the Spirit Detectives were supposed to find me. In my place I put Tomi, who had changed into her human form so she wouldn't stick out in the Humans' world. She waited as patiently as me in her tree, swinging her leg off the side of the branch and humming a happy tune. Tomi was always happy, even in the darkest of times.
"Hey you guys!" Yusuke called out, coming upon a maple tree, where a young childs laughter rang through the orchard.
"It's about time you got here. Ane was beginning to think that you wouldn't be coming." The maker of a laughter said, and the boys looked up to see a little girl with long chestnut hair and sparkling golden eyes swinging one leg carelessly.
"What? Hey kid-" Yusuke started loudly, but Kurama stepped in front of him and cut him off.
"Are you the one who has the next note?" Giggling, she hoped down and opened her arms widely with a large grin.
"I am the next clue!" The fox demon looked confused, and knelt down to her level.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm glad you have found me, now for your next task in this game of cat and mouse," she recited, "Lions and tigers and bears have nothing on this tiny ferrous feline, but send it sky high and it will tell you what you need." Giggling again, she winked at Kurama. "I'll help you if you're nice to me too." Smiling sweetly, the young man stood up and extended his hand to her which she gladly took.
"I don't know what to do on this clue." He said, looking around his group. Kuwabara was in deep thought.
"I got it!" He said loudly, throwing an arm up in happiness.
"Wow, the block head actually got something." Yusuke teased, and his orange haired friend put a fist in front of his face.
"Just tell us what you though before you lose it in that empty head of yours." Hiei said gruffly, and the little girl peered up at him with curious eyes, which he returned with a glare. She wasn't moved by the evil look, and actuly leaned in closer as Kuwabara went on with his thought.
"Oh yeah! It's referring to a kitten in the Demon World, and to get it to talk we have to give it cat nip!" He grinned cheekily at his success, and Hiei snorted slightly still staring at the girl.
"The oaf might be on to something." Ignoring his comment, he looked hopefully at Kurama who gently tugged at the girls hand.
"Is that correct?" The girl didn't break eye contact with Hiei.
"I'm not saying anything! The hanyo keeps trying to read my mind!" Yusuke stood between the two (the girl falling back onto Kuramas' legs with her tongue out in disgust because his butt went right into her face) and angrily grabbed Hieis' caller.
"Come on man! We need as much help as we can get!" Then he turned and squatted down and smiled to bitterly sweet at the girl. "Now please tell us little girl." Quickly she ducked in between Kuramas' legs, hiding behind one of them. Gently the young man picked her up and held her, putting her on his hip while she wrapped her small arms around his neck.
"It's ok. Come, lets start looking in the Makai." So the gang grudgingly made their way back to the Demon World. Kurama hung in the back, watching thoughfully as Yusuke tried to use his amazing comunication skills to have a demon off the street of a town give them directions to all the places where cat demons would hang out.
"What's your name?"
The little girl asked, also watching them.
"Kurama. What's yours?" He smiled at her, and she grinned and giggled back.
"Tomi."
"That's a pretty name."
Tomi giggled some more.
"Thank you! You're a fox demon, right?" Smiling thoughtfully, he looked back at the now arguing Yusuke and demon.
"I'm a fox demon soul in a human body." She took a pause to think about it before resting her head on his shoulder.
"Youko Kurama. That's what you used to be called." He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.
"Yes."
She smiled softly.
"You were my hero." A shocked look came over him as she explained why. "When I was born, my father killed my mother and took me to his thieving gang - I can't remember what they were called now, but they were mean and brutal to me giving me daily beatings. My father didn't defend me, but encouraged them saying that I needed to learn to be tougher so I wouldn't end up like my mother. I was one of the lowest of them, and could hardly pick a lock. Then I heard of you, and everything that you did, and you became my hero because of all the amazing stuff that you could do with no one ever knowing!" She grinned widely at him, and smiled lightly at her.
"You flatter me, but you forget how my days as a criminal ended."
Grinning more, Tomi shook her head.
"Nope! In my eyes it made you even grater! You died doing what you loved and what you were good at!" Chuckling, she held something in front of him. It was his rose. This made him laugh.
"I suppose I should have known that was coming." Tomi giggled, then whispered something in his ear.
"I'll take you to where ane is. No one else can know though." Nodding lightly, he walked off in the direction she instructed - unknown to her though he left a mental connection open to Hiei.
I felt someone approaching, and I smiled. So she befriended the fox. Figured. She's been in love with him ever since she heard of him. A smile tickled my lips and my eyes traveled down to the ground along with my body as he approached. He held her like a human holds his child and that made me smile even more.
Grassy green eyes followed the figure that gracefully fell from the top of the tree that Tomi had lead him to. As her body cleared the shadow and fell into the light, he took in her beauty. Her body was seductively slender, and her eyes amazingly captivating. They were a brilliant white with vanes of black - making them look almost like an intricate snowflake. Her hair was as white as the sun is bright, and shimmered in the light. Looking past her looks, he noticed how will armed she was. Two katanas crossed over her back - the straps making an 'X' on her chest - two daggers were at her hips and two more were strapped to her legs. It was Howaido Desu. He smiled at her, and she made no move.
"Don't make any sudden movements." Tomi whispered to him, and he nodded taking a loud step forward. "Hello." He said, and she nodded in his general direction a faint outline - like a ghost - of white cat ears and a tail.
"Youko Kurama." She said, her voice bell like.
"And... Dimuko Haruko. What are you doing here Haruko?" She asked, her eyes traveling past the fox to the blond haired boy who traveled silently past him.
"I'm here," he gazed down at her, standing a few feet away from her, "to talk some sense into you."
She smiled.
"You want me to come back to the Human Realm and live as I did." He nodded solemnly, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't. There are still a few things that I must do around here before I can consider heading back."
"Please," he pleaded, taking her hand, "don't do this to yourself. I know what the note said, but I don't think your parents wanted this. Think about what Ai would-" He was cut of by her putting one of her many blades threateningly close to his neck; a thin line of red running across it.
"Don't," her voice was a deadly and low purr, "ever," she pushed harder onto his neck, "mention him around me again. I know what he would want. I know what he would do, what he would say. He was my life. I knew all there was to know about him. Don't burden me with your words chouhouin." Spy, that was what she called him, and it made Kurama even more confused about the situation - although he didn't show it. Haruko took a single step forward before jumping back and bounding off from one tree to the next. The foxs' eyes couldn't follow, but when he stopped needles as small as Tomis' pinkie and as thin as paper littered the ground and trees - which withered almost instantaneously. After the needles stopped falling he stood in front of her again, staring into her eyes intently, and then he walked away. As simple as that he was done with her. Kurama was tensely still as he passed him with closed eyes, but stopped just past him, saying in a low voice.
"Do you know why you don't make sudden movements around her?" He was silent. "It's because she's blind." Air quickly filled his lungs in a sharp gasp, and Tomi hissed and batted a clawed hand at him; her brown and white cat ears and tail appearing, and her long fangs glistening. Not paying any attion to the girl, he continued. "It's part of a curse put on her when she was young, when her real parents were killed." She hissed again, and the blind cat called out,
"That's enough out of you Haruko. Say another word and you'll be in violation of your contract." He let out a low growl, but walked on and disappeared into the dark forest. "I know why you're hear, now follow me." She said, and walked in the opposite direction of her spy friend.
Kurama didn't move.
"Don't worry," Tomi said to him in a whisper, "ane is leading you through a safe part of the forest." Tentatively he followed her, holding the girl tighter. Soon they came upon a shrine in a large clearing encircled by a river. She went to her knees in front of the shrine and said a short prayer before standing and looking Kurama in the eye. "You have come to take me to Koenma."
"Yes." Tomi hugged him as he secretly tensed at her voice. She smiled at him, the walked up in front of him gazing up at him with unfocused eyes.
"I will gladly come with you, but not right now. Give me four days, and I will turn myself over to you." He searched her face for any deceit that wasn't present in her voice, but he found none.
"How can I be sure that you will?" Chuckling she gave him a deep kiss, then backed away and said. "Please take care of her. I trust you." And then she faded away. Like the wind has swept her small form away, or the she melted into the sunlight. Kurama then stood in a state of utter shock, and Tomi giggled as she changed into her human form.
"You seam shocked." He didn't say anything, and she taped him on the head. "Come out of it buddy, it wasn't a real kiss. That's how she seals promises. It means you're going to see her in four days - although that time, she'll be in handcuffs." Shifting the cat demons weight on his body, he stared at the ground then walked back in the direction he came from.
Quickly I ran through the forest. Four days was plenty enough time for me to finish what I needed, but I still needed to hurry. I knew that he had had a mental connection with one of his team mates, so that meant that I had a stalker in the mean time. But that didn't matter to me. He could watch me all he wanted so long as he didn't interfere. I also knew that Tomi was in good hands. She needed to get out of the Demon Realm anyway. I would explain to her adoptive mother later where she had gone, but for now I needed to finish what I had started 16 years ago.