WYLKLITM chap 2

"What do you think I am mister? Stupid? If I go back now Tegoro will surely catch me when Teg isn't there and then he'd make me go to training and I don't want to go. So I thought I'd just stay here and pick flowers, or chase butterflies or something like that you know?" I told him with a big smile on my face. I like chasing butterflies; they're hard to catch if you do it right. They fly above your head so you have to use trees and stuff to be able to reach them and it takes a while because you have to go from tree, to tree trying to keep up with the butterfly.

He gave me the weirdest look after I said that. Kinda like he didn't believe that I wasn't going to tattle on them right after they had finished saying it. The other two had very different looks though. The one in all dark green looked like he was going to burst out laughing at any moment. The other one was leaning the tree trying to control his laughter. I guess he hasn't heard, or seen many Kitsune cubs not do what they're suppose, or expected to do. I bet he hasn't actually Tegoro tells me that all the other Kitsunes my age don't mouth off the way I do. I guess I'm just special enough to be able to, seeing as Teg doesn't tell me not to or anything.

Once he could stop laughing the guy that was leaning said "Little cub you have inspired me to accomplish the most unheard of thing in history. Little one will you take me to the Tegoro Brothers I'd like to talk to them and see if they can tell me about Team Minamori. I highly doubt they will but I'd like to try any way. "I just stared at him for a minute before I did anything. He was right, what he was asking was the most unheard of thing in history. No one asked Team Tegoro for anything except for maybe asking them if they could join the team. Most of them got rejected to. But I did decide that if he had the guts to ask I'd take him to them. I gave him a big smile.

"Sure, just tell me your name and I'll get Teg or some one to talk to you. Unless you want to talk to all of them and then I can get one or two but other than them you're on your own. I can only get Teg or Tegoro to talk to you, sorry."

"That's alright little one just get me 'Teg' as you so fondly call him. My name is Youko Kurama but call me Youko please." Youko told me with an amused expression. "I don't need to talk to all of them just Teg will do nicely." I gave him a thumbs up sign and started to walk back toward were Teg, Tegoro, the rest of the team, and I stay. I took a couple of steps then turned around.

"Does he want to come to?" I asked Youko pointing to the guy wearing all green, who was now looking at Youko like he was going to die or something.

"No little one, I don't think Korune wants to come with us on this little journey of ours. It's not really his kind of thing you see." I grinned up at Youko.

"Ok then as long as you're sure." Youko nodded as gestured that I should lead the way and so I turned around and trotted off. On the way there I asked Youko what kind of things he wants to know because if I know Teg at all, (which I do) then he'll only tell Youko the minor details that tend to be a little erm, unhelpful to say the least.

"I just want to know the names of the team members and what type of demons they are if I get lucky." Youko answered.

"Oh good 'cause I don't think he'll tell you anything really, really, important. He tends to keep that stuff to himself." Youko gave me an odd look.

"And how would you know what Tegoro tends to do? I mean you're very little, little one I can hardly believe that you have figured out the habits of the Tegoro Brothers." Youko asked me as he studied my face.

"Well after a while a person tends to notice when you ask the question 'how are you?' and the answer is ' No different then I've been the past 200 years.' how unhelpful that is, you know?" Youko let out a bark like laugh and shook his head at me.

"I see. So he won't tell me anything that would indefinitely benefit my success." Youko had a thoughtful look as he said this, I didn't like it. Not one bit. "Well I wouldn't say that, he'll at least tell you the names of the team members and what type of demons they are so that counts as indefinitely helpful doesn't it? That way you won't go into battle with them and not have a clue who they are, or what they are for that matter. I guess who they are doesn't really have much use if you have to beat them." I said as I looked back at him. Youko gave me a curious look. It was almost like he didn't think that I could say anything smarter than a nigen child could. I sure proved him wrong didn't I?

"Well yes, that's correct. That is majorly helpful. I'm sorry I doubted you for that small moment." Youko apologized to me. Now it was my turn to be surprised. No one apologized to me; Teg might pat me on the back or something but never apologize. Tegoro just thinks everything is my fault anyway, so there's not a chance of that. I started a Youko for what seemed like forever and then I finally snapped out of it and nodded my head.

"That's ok Youko. I don't mind, not many people believe me either. Although you would think they would 'cause I live with the Tegoro Brothers and all. You do learn things like battle tactics, and what you do and don't need to know about your opponents." I was thinking this through just a little too much but I was attempting to figure out why every one thinks I'm stupid and oblivious to everything.

"Well yes, now that you mention it I would think you would have picked up a thing or two about battle tactics and the like from the Tegoro Brothers. I do believe the last time I heard about it their motto was something like 'tactics before battle.' Or something like that. Am I right?" Youko asked with a slight look of concentration on his face.

"Well yeah I think so. I don't really know I don't pay attention to them that much. Even if I did, I still probably wouldn't know that. That's the kind of stuff they only tell people that they think really, really deserve to know, and I'm not one of the people. "Yes its true. Even though I live with the Tegoro brothers and I'm one of the smartest little cubs you'll ever meet I'm still not on their list of 'people who deserve to know everything we can tell them'. It makes me sad that they don't think that too cause I help them out an awful lot not to get let in on things. I mean who do you think got them all that information on the Spirit Detectives last year the Easter Bunny? No it was me! And I 'm still not important to them.

Youko had no more to say after that and I was to busy thinking gloomy thought to start another conversation, so we walked the rest of the way to the cabin in silence. When we arrived it was as it normally is. It almost looks abandoned on the outside, but the smoke from the chimney on top shows otherwise. The windows were open to let air into the cabin even though it's air condition. I could hear Tegoro swearing about how "My brother is going to kill me if he gets back and that stupid bratty cub isn't back. He'll think I killed her, or put her in a bag and dropped it in a river, or something of the sort. Stupid cub, more trouble than she's worth." Hearing him say this makes me laugh and so I do. The second the sound escapes my lips Tegoro's head is out the window searching for the source of the sound. Eventually he looks over to where I'm standing, with Youko right behind me, with a smile on my face and laughter coming out of my mouth. I highly doubt Youko found any of that funny seeming as he is at the Tegoro Brother's house with only the security of a fifty-year-old kitsune that has gained residence in the same house as the two most feared demons in the Mekai.

"You stupid cub! What have I told you about bringing strangers to our House! You! If you don't want to die I suggest you leave! And now!" Tegoro shouted at us. I kept laughing and waving my hand at Tegoro whom had bolted through the house, out the door, and was now headed straight toward us.

Over my laughter I managed to get out "No Tegoro wait! Youko's a friend of mine and he wants to ask you a question involving the tournament. That's all he's here for really!" Tegoro looked like I had grown three heads, and then tried to eat him. He stomped forward and went to grab the back of my head but before he could I was lifted into the air to rest and the shoulders of my savior.

I looked up to see Youko's head right in front on me, and Tegoro looking astonished that any one would get in the way of what he was doing.