Foreword: And welcome back, Ladies and Gents. I hope you liked Chapters 1 and 2 enough to come back for good old Chapter 3. Hopefully you like the story. I'm not going to lie… I have NO idea where this is going. I have close to no idea on what I'm going to do for plot at this point either… Just bear with me, please.
Disclaimer: As with other writers, I don't own the characters or idea of Yu Yu Hakusho… I do own the storyline, but that's not too much… So don't sue me.
Special Thanks To: Bryan. He's my proof-reading slave… I basically force these chapters down his throat until he looks through it. He also gives me ideas, which I promptly hijack and present as my own… with his permission, of course. Heheh…
Chapter III
"Right, Yusuke?!"
Urameshi stared off into space, completely in a trance. Had it not been for his snoring, Keiko would have never figured it out.
When she thought she heard him snoring, Keiko moved even closer to his face, poking at his forehead. "Are you sleeping?"
There was no response…
Exasperated, Keiko shouted, "Yusuke Urameshi! How dare you fall asleep when I'm talking to you!" She placed both hands on his shoulders and began to shake him violently.
"Ow, damn, Keiko! I'm gonna get friggin' Shaken Baby Syndrome if you keep it up!" Yusuke whined, apparently unhappy that she saw through his ploy. He had learned to sleep with his eyes open, but it seems that Keiko had already rendered that trick useless…
"Uh, Yusuke… You have to be a bab- well…" The girl stopped for a moment, and folded her arms, one finger to her chin, as if she was deep in thought. "I guess you could get Shaken Baby Syndrome."
"Yeah! See?!" Yusuke grinned idiotically, as if he had actually accomplished something academic. He remained in his seat, fidgeting with a pencil. Their class hadn't started just yet, and the two were simply relaxing. He said nothing, hoping that Keiko would forget whatever she had said earlier, because it was most likely something that didn't interest him.
"Like I was saying…"
Apparently, his hopes were tossed onto the cutting board. Grimacing, Yusuke grudgingly listened to his girlfriend. His evasive tactics were easily swatted away with the persistent nagging that Keiko was ever so prone to doing.
"After school, we're going to go shopping, just like you promised me… Now just when was that? Three weeks ago?!" Keiko had definitely taken on an aggressive stance in the conversation, flinging accusatory words towards her boyfriend… It was quite understandable, however, given his annoying tendency to skip out on their dates.
"Alright! Alright! Geez… Get off my back, will ya? I said we would… It's not like I'd skip out on it… I mean, things just kept popping up… but I'm free now, so I guess today's fine." Yusuke was smiling on the outside, oh yes… It was another self-defense mechanism. One finely honed and developed in order to avoid being mauled by the vicious Keiko-Beast. 'Koenma, if there was EVER a time that I seriously need your help, this is it… Throw me a friggin' bone! I hate shopping!' His face becoming slightly more serious, Yusuke said, "You're lucky I offered, Keiko… The clerks always think I'm stealing stuff…"
With a benign, and cheerful smile, Keiko said, "You only offered because you know I'd drag you along anyway." She placed an arm around him and said, "At least you're learning to become a little more like a gentleman."
Grinning impishly, Yusuke's mind began to concoct a plan. "Hey Keiko, I think class is starting… Isn't that the teacher?" He pointed towards the door, and waited for his fish to bite his sloppily baited hook…
And yet the fish bit. Keiko completely turned around in her seat and glanced through the doorway at the other side of the class room. "Yusuke… Are you seeing things? There's nobody there…"
Seizing his golden opportunity, the delinquent hopped up and popped open the window, balancing on the window sill. "Oh yeah, sorry about that Keiko… I just remembered… I uh… I gotta go do something, so I'll see ya later, okay?"
Keiko sighed heavily, and faked a pout. She looked at Yusuke with the cutest and most forlorn look that she could muster. Seeing his hesitation, the girl grabbed hold of his feet, and yanked him back in the room. "Going somewhere, Yusuke? You weren't thinking of skipping out on me… Were you?!"
Obviously frightened at the prospect of a flat out pissed Keiko, the young man stammered, "N-No… Of course not… I was testing the windows… you know, to see if they worked right!" Figuring it couldn't get much worse, he eyed the window, and sprang towards it, in an attempt to reach his salvation. He was free… He was going to make it.
Almost.
Irritated, Keiko touched the window, and slid it down as fast and hard as she could, and watched Yusuke's face smash headlong into it. The girl couldn't help but feel the makings of a giggle inside of her, as she watched her boyfriend flop comically onto the floor.
"Ow! Man, you're more brutal than anybody I've ever fought!" the boy complained… quite vocally, it should be noted. "I'll end up with that Shaken Baby Synd- HEY WAIT! ARE YOU CALLIN' ME A BABY?!"
"Ugh… So now he gets it…"
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Kurama calmly raised his hand once again, and said, "Mr. Ayura… I am terribly sorry to bother you, but may I be excused once again? I am not feeling well, and I would like to go to the Nurse's office."
The teacher turned around and regarded his star pupil with concern, noting the coloration of his face, seeing that it was paler than usual. "Perhaps that is best, Shuichi… You don't look to be in the best of conditions… Would you like to have somebody escort you, just in case you encounter some problems?"
Glancing at the hordes of girls who raised their hands to volunteer, Kurama grimaced, and stood up, sweeping his long, scarlet hair out of his face. "Not necessary… Thank you, however, for the concern…" He quickly exited, doing his best to keep their attention off of Jin, who was still inquisitively hovering about the window.
Disheartened, the girls of the class continued their daydreaming of Kurama…
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Kurama lightly leaned against a thick, yet dead tree, taking in the myriad of scents that is nature. Spreading his fingers out, he pressed his palm gently against the tree, and felt his spirit energy seeping into the very core of the tree, revitalizing its exhausted and broken body. Immediately, hundreds of pink blossoms erupted from its once barren branches. It had learned to once again produce something that had been lost so long ago.
Jin spiraled around the tree, breathing in the smell of the wind. "Ah, ye always have tha' skill te keep th' win' smellin' nice and fresh, jus' like an ol' mornin' back in me homelan'. Oops! I went on ramblin' agai'…" Jin playfully picked a few cherry blossoms from the tree, using his ability to control the wind, and allowed them to float around for a while. The heavily accented voice of Jin spoke once more, "Ah! Truth be dandy, I f'rgot wha' we came ou' here f'r… Now wha' was't 'gain?" He put a finger to his chin and thought for a good, hard minute.
"Perhaps that folder in your waistband… Could that be the reason?"
"Ah! Ye'r a sharp'n, aren't ye?" Jin removed it from his waistband, and stared at it intently for a few moments. "Ah, who'm I kiddin'? None o' thi' scrabble-scatter means a thin' to me. I fig'red ye coul' help an ol' pal ou', righ'?" Jin handed the file to Kurama, and asked, "But how coul' ye tell where it was comin' fro'?"
"It seems to be from Spirit World, so I naturally assumed that it was the reason you came out here… though I do not understand why they sent you, rather than Botan." Kurama remained silent as he noted Jin's impish look. 'Brilliant… I've just set him off on another of his outrageous schemes…'
"So… Ye be wishin' I were Bota', don't ye? Oh, I can imagine it now! Ye'd have a li'l ol' party ou' in these here for'st!" His crystal blue eyes lit up like thousands of tiny stars, and his dangerously pointy ears quivered with excitement. "Ye'd be all like: Oh Bota'! I jus' be lovin' ye'r blue hair! I coul' get los' in them pretty li'l eyes ye have on ye! Me heart gets all twitchity-flipity flutterin' when ye pass me by. An' me bein' the fox I am, I can't hel' bu' take in your scen'!"
Kurama remained stoic, his face betraying no emotion. Instead, he leafed through the folder and frowned, "I see… So that's what I am to do…"
"Well, 't ain't no fun if ye don' even reac' to it…"Jin frowned also, and his ears stopped their excited dancing. He folded his arms and said, "Ye gotta un'erstan' tha' this 'ere mission is f'r th' both of us. We woul' sure make th' perf'ct team, ain' tha' righ' Kurama, me lad?"
"Perhaps it'd be best for me to simply do this one alone…" Kurama said gently, hoping not to offend Jin. He had grown accustomed to doing things all by himself, and was not quite as comfortable with a team… especially one so apt to be noisy. Kurama shook his head, and his red mane followed behind in a stream. 'Why, may I ask, would Koenma send Jin of all people, to help me… This mission… requires the stealthiest of people… Jin does not happen to be one of those types of people…'
"Nah, tha's qui'e a'right… Ain' got a thin' in th' worl' te do aroun' here, so I fig're I coul' affor' te help a buddy ou' ev'ry now'n 'en." Jin fluttered around Kurama for a little while, then finally, semi-agitated, said, "Well, are ye' gon' te read our ord'rs ou' loud, so I can hear 'em?"
Instead of doing so, Kurama handed the folder to Jin, and said, "Would it not be better to read them for yourself? Perhaps you will catch something that I may have overlooked." Kurama smiled encouragingly, and stood quietly.
"Ehhh… I ain' so sure tha's such a goo' idea…" Jin queasily smiled, then pushed the folder back to Kurama, continuing, "How 'bou' you jus' read'm off to me? I'm grea' a' lis'nin'!"
"I see…" Kurama's brow furrowed, and he thought, 'Hm… I do not believe that Jin is able to read… Such a shame… He really is quite bright when he sets his mind to it…' He cleared his throat and began, "Well, it seems that Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei were not informed of this case, because of the delicate situation we have… A single demon, supposedly a powerful one, though I have yet to agree, has taken control of a Spirit World treasure house… He has obtained the Shroud of Izanagi, who was, as you well know, Lord Yama's father… Hmm… It's a hostage situation, and Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara simply would not be appropriate choices for that… They'd charge right in, and have the hostages killed… Hiei might even do it himself."
"Oh… Well now it all be makin' qui'e the heap of sense! Aye, ye'r such a pal!" Jin happily tossed an arm around Kurama's shoulder.
Kurama smiled and said, "Well, you're certainly easy to please… I'm glad I was of some assistance to you… Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way…" Kurama extricated himself from Jin and began his walk home, through the one place he felt truly at peace, the forest.
Jin grinned and began to follow along calling to him in a sing-song type of voice, "Bota'! Bota'! Ev'ryone knows ye have th' hots f'r the lassie! So, Kurama… When can I start a-plannin' f'r th' weddin'?" Jin stopped for a moment, then bolted in front of Kurama, and stood in front of him, with eyes as large as saucers, and suddenly shouted, "An' ye'r li'l lads and lassies woul' be qui'e cu'e… I thin' ye'r kids migh' even ou'shine th' ang'ls!"
"Jin… How many times do I have to tell you…? I hold nothing but the highest respect for Botan… There is nothing romantic, or complicated between us. She and I happen to be of the opposite sex, and very close friends, but nothing more… You will not have to worry about children, or weddings…" Kurama walked around Jin with a slight smile on his face, as he was still trying to enjoy his forest walk, taking in the familiar smells.
Before Jin could move any further, he heard Kurama snap his fingers, and frowned. "What ye snappin' ye'r fing'rs f'r?" He shook it off, and tried to fly towards Kurama, but found that he could not. "Wha? Wha's this?!" he shouted in surprise.
Kurama turned around and shrugged, "It seems that the flowers love you, Jin… I believe they want you to stay with them for a while…" The redheaded thief allowed himself a little chuckle as more flowers and vines firmly chained Jin to the ground he stood on.
Dismayed, Jin looked down at the flowers, and said, "Oh… now 'at ain' ev'n fair…" After a few minutes he sat down, alone, in the forest, and chuckled a bit, "They are sor'a pretty though…"
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Kurama exited the forest with a refreshed look on his face. Though he felt somewhat bad about what he had done to Jin, he felt that it was necessary, in order for him to maintain his own sanity. Eyes closed, Kurama stood like a statue on the sidewalk. He breathed deeply, just to get one last wisp of the forest's scent. However, in the middle of that fragrance of nature, Kurama caught a whiff of another familiar scent.
"Botan?" He opened his eyes, and saw Botan waving to him.
"Bingo!"
Author's Notes: There you have it. Chapter Three for you. I'm not sure how long this thing will end up, and I hope you'll stay with me for the whole thing. Just a note, I know that Izanagi was the Creation Deity in some Japanese mythology, but I don't think he and Yama are related… I just sorta added that anyway, just because it'd make more sense with how Koenma is and all that.
Look people… I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel here. I'm not exactly sure how Botan and Kurama fit together, I'm really not. Please, somebody. PLEASE throw ideas at me. I mean, I really like them together, but I'm just having trouble with the logistics, and trying to get them together, so… I have a few ideas of my own, but I GREATLY appreciate any helpful insight anyone else might have.
Please review, tell me how I did, and give me some ideas, if you want.
